Welcome to the VeganCoach.com newsletter focusing on everyday vegan advice. The Golden Banana Newsletter is dedicated to assisting you with your everyday vegan cooking and nutrition questions.

Hope your 2010 is off to a brilliant, happy, and healthy start. Jeff and I have sold our condo, put everything in storage, and are traveling throughout the month of February. In March we'll look forward to finding and moving into a new place here in Reno, Nevada.

So keep an eye out for lots of NEW cooking videos soon after we get all set up in our new kitchen. ;O)

Remember last month's newsletter where the new Vegan Diet Frequently Asked Questions was introduced? Since that time, there have been some interesting questions asked and answered, and you will find links to those in the newsletter -- simply click those that interest you to learn more.

You will also find a list of some questions which have yet to be answered. So once again, simply click the link for those that interest you, and share your experience and expertise with the VeganCoach.com community.

This month, we'll chat about why some people eat vegan and still gain weight (which can be QUITE annoying!), and we'll talk about the importance of Sassy's Seedalicious Topping.

Oh, and speaking of the topping, be sure to check out the Recipe of the Month, Amazing Vegan Romaine Beet Salad w/Cucumber Balsamic Dressing. Yummmmmmy.

Some readers wrote to me last month with advice and comments about topics we covered in last month's newsletter, which I think is spectacular (!), and is a feature I hope can become a regular addition each month. So keep an eye out for Just A Little Teamwork, and as always join in the party if you have any advice, comments or suggestions about the topics we address in this month's newsletter.

Each month, The Golden Banana is created by you with the questions you send me. Do you have a question, comment, or something else you'd like to share with our growing community of Vegan Coach fans? Please don't hesitate to fill out the form on my Contact page. I look forward to hearing from you. :O)

It is my sincere hope that the information I provide on VeganCoach.com assists you in being the healthiest Vegan you can be.

As always, thank you for joining me and for your support of VeganCoach.com.

Big hugs to you,
Sassy

IN THIS ISSUE:

• * New Feature! * Vegan Frequently Asked Questions!
• Does Eating Vegan Cause Weight Loss In Everyone?
• Seedalicious Salad Topping - Why It's Important
• Just A Little Teamwork...
• RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Amazing Vegan Romaine Beet Salad w/Cucumber Balsamic Dressing

Recent questions which have been answered:

Why Discard Bean Soaking Water?

Can Cruise Ships Accommodate Vegans?

Vegan Cooking - I'm A Failure!

Is Soy Healthy?

Recent questions which need answers (please assist if you can):

Kidney Bean Pods - Can You Eat Them?

Pressure Cooker Brown Rice Risotto

Should Vegans Discard Leather Clothes?

Do you have a nagging question about vegan cooking, vegan nutrition, or the vegan lifestyle? Then please visit the Vegan FAQ and ask away!

Enjoy!

Hi Jennifer!

You are not the first person I have heard this from, so let's see if we can get to the bottom of this.

Firstly, I am not the type to speak in absolutes, so you won't find a solid yes or no answer here. Every body is different, and everyone has different needs and life situations, etc.

Now, as you may (or may not!) know, I have developed a weight loss course called Get Down With Sass! which is helping many people lose weight in a healthy and sane way. However, some people do not notice a loss of weight, which we have been discussing in depth in our private forums.

One thing that has recently been brought to my attention is rapid weight loss by a member after she combined the tips and techniques in Get Down With Sass! with a gluten-free diet. We're talking the rate of 3 pounds in one week!

So clearly some people have a gluten sensitivity, and if you have this you will likely not find the weight loss you seek until you remove some of the major foods which contain gluten from your diet.

Now, gluten sensitivity is not the same as a gluten allergy (also known as celiac disease) in which a person cannot ingest ANY gluten or they can get very sick. A gluten sensitivity simply means you try to remove as much gluten from your diet as is possible, usually the MAJOR contributors which include foods such as wheat, spelt, rye, kamut, couscous, bulgur, and barley.

QUITE the list, eh? And it can be quite the undertaking removing these from your diet if you don't have to.

So here's what I recommend...

While you may be vegan, you may not be eating those vegan foods which promote a healthy vegan diet where you will notice the greatest weight loss. So consider taking the Get Down With Sass! course to be sure you are on the right track with the foods you need to consume (and eliminate) on a daily basis.

Then once you have that covered and if you are STILL not losing weight, you can begin to eliminate those foods which contain gluten and see how things go.

The Get Down private forums will be very helpful for you because I am an active participant and will personally help you along, as well as other members who have been there and done that.

There IS a perfect diet out there for you that will help you to lose the weight. You just have to experiment a bit to find the perfect fit for you. ;O)

Hi Kim,

The reason to use all the seeds is because they offer a good balance of healthy fats (Essential Fatty Acids). Sunflower and sesame seeds are good sources of Omega 6, flax seeds are rich in Omega 3, and pumpkin seeds provide reasonable quantities of both.

You can learn more about Healthy Fats on this page of my site - Vegan Nutrition Articles - simply scroll down to find the 3-part article entitled Vegan Fats of Life.

As far as how long to grind the seeds, grind to a powder -- usually a count of 5 or 10 seconds, depending on the grinder.

By the way, someone recently asked WHY the seeds need to be ground and you can find this question and my response here: Why Grind Seed Topping?

Good questions. :O)

Just A Little Teamwork...

I used to just forward this onto the person who wrote the original question, but will share these here in the newsletter with you from now on so we can all benefit.

Firstly, remember Chelsea from MountainBrook, Alabama, who asked the question about no- to low-sodium vegan cooking? ...

"Sassy! Great information, as usual! Wanted to add about no sodium cooking: my family learned a lot about cooking low/no-sodium dishes with the Gerson Way diet/therapy. You are totally right about using whole ingredients and just getting inspiration from recipes.

"I think it's helpful to give people an idea of how long it takes to learn how to cook like that: not long! If you switch to ALL whole foods for about a week, you'll be a pro. And, your taste buds will despise salt after a week of cutting it out completely. At that point, it's easy to cook something that TASTES good, and you can rely on your tongue to let you know if something has too much salt in it!"
-- Gertie, Minden, Nevada

Thanks, Gertie my darling, for sharing your experience! :O)
p.s. Hi to Norris!

And Caroline from La Conner, Washington, asked about a substitute for soy creamer for use in various recipes...

"I have an option for the woman who wondered what else she could use besides soy creamer in your scalloped potato recipe. One option might be to use Blue Diamond almond milk (original) that's now found in the dairy cooler. I find it to be richer and creamier than almond milk in the aseptic container. I use it for everything that calls for dairy."
-- Sharon, Fall City, Washington

"Just wanted to make a comment about MimicCreme. It's AMAZING! The unsweetened version can be used in any recipe to replace dairy cream, and it does not contain soy. It makes wonderful creamy sauces. We're experimenting. Next project: "Ice cream" using the sweetened version. Yum!"
-- Julie, Fayetteville, Georgia

Thanks, Sharon and Julie, for your tips!

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

Amazing Vegan Romaine Beet Salad w/Cucumber Balsamic Dressing
Serves 2

3-4 cups romaine lettuce, torn
1/2 medium beet, grated
1 carrot, grated
2 Tablespoons Sassy's Seedalicious Topping, ground
3-4 Tablespoons nutritional yeast

Cucumber Balsamic Dressing:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2-3 inch slice of peeled cucumber
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup Bragg Liquid Aminos (or other soy sauce)
1-2 Tablespoons flax oil
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Dijon
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon maple syrup, or to taste
Pinch freshly ground black pepper

Sunflower seeds, to taste, optional garnish

1. Add lettuce, and shredded beet & carrot, to a large bowl. Sprinkle with Seed topping and nutritional yeast. Toss to mix.

2. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients until thoroughly mixed.

3. Please note: You will not use all of the dressing. Toss the salad with the preferred amount of dressing, to taste. Refrigerate additional dressing -- keeps 2-3 days.

4. Plate salad. Serve topped with sunflower seeds, if desired.

Serves: 2

Get DOWN With Sass!




Get DOWN With Sass!
The Skinny On Lasting Weight Loss
(Vegan-Friendly. Totally.)

Click here to learn more!

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Get *SAUCED* With Sass!




How To Create Delectable
Meat-Free, Dairy-Free and Egg-Free
Vegan Sauces
without Recipes!

Click here to learn more!

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Personalized
Vegan Diet & Nutrition Coaching:

As a Vegan Nutritional Consultant I assist my clients by examining their current diet to figure out areas that might need more attention. It’s nice to have someone you can go to for advice that's YOU-nique.

"Working with you, I felt at ease right away. You were very concerned with what I was or was not doing and helping me eat right as a Vegan. I felt like you were a good friend and even a family member."
- Aleta J., Claremont, California

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"Last week Sunday, I began following your advice from our coaching call. There was no feeling of coming home and wracking my brain about what to eat, and then passing out before I even make a decision, going to sleep without dinner.

"I've had a fresh and colorful green salad every day, and something good and nutritious to eat in the morning. Thank you so much for your advice. I can literally feel myself getting healthier!"
-- Yvette P., Los Angeles, California

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"You have a bubbly personality and although I have never met you in person, I was very comfortable sharing personal information with the knowledge that you would be able to offer healthful insights.

"Reinforcement of the necessity of eliminating sodas was a huge thing for me, as was the guidelines for purchasing organics."
-- S.S., Roseville, California

If you...

• want someone you can call on to take your hand and walk you through the maze of vegan diet and nutrition information that you are constantly bombarded with;
• need someone who can answer all your questions about how to create a successful vegan diet plan with patience and understanding;
• simply don’t have the time to figure out which foods are best for your unique nutritional needs and vegan weight loss plans;
• want to spend your time doing what YOU love instead of spending hours on research;
• have limited special knowledge about food or nutrition -- but you're ready and willing to learn more...

...then working with me, your very own personal Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coach, may be just what you need.

For more information about this service, please visit the Vegan Diet and Nutrition Coaching page.

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Vegan Coach Backstage Pass!

Created just for my newsletter subscribers, otherwise known as the Vegan Coach VIPs! ;O)

You'll have access to articles and advice that nobody else does -- just my way of saying "thanks for keeping me company in cyberworld".

The following pages are "password-protected" and will require a password from you. This password will change occasionally and you will always find the most current password in the most current Golden Banana Newsletter.

CURRENT PASSWORD = turnip
p.s. case sensitive

Seasonal Produce Guide * New *

A handy dandy Seasonal Produce Guide to help you choose the freshest (and hopefully least expensive) produce next time you go to the grocery store.

Take A Vegan Nutrition Test

A totally personalized and completely simple vegan nutrition test that can help to pinpoint specific areas of your YOU-NIQUE nutrition profile.

Vegan Nutrition Test Results

After taking the above Vegan Nutrition Test, visit this page to understand your results.

How To Create A Vegan Diet Menu Plan

Discover how to put together an easy everyday vegan menu for you and your family.

Stock Your Kitchen With These Vegan Ingredients

These basics will help you to create a delicious dish any time -- just add fresh whole foods.

The Vegan Mashed Potato Martini Bar

A Mashed Potato Martini Bar is an interesting and fun way to provide food at a wine tasting, dinner party, or martini party.

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That wraps it up for this edition of The Golden Banana newsletter.

VeganCoach.com has been created to help YOU. To contact me with questions, comments or suggestions, please fill out the form on my Contact page.

Thanks! :O)

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