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The Golden Banana - Issue #36 - Going Vegan, B12 and Pressure Cookers May 31, 2010 |
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| Hi 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. As you may have noticed, there was no newsletter last month. It was one of the very few times since I started this newsletter back in July of 2007 that I missed an issue. In addition to all the regular things that keep me busy backstage here at VeganCoach.com, I was also keeping busy on stage! I was involved in a play here at my favorite local theater, Bruka. It was such a fabulous experience playing six characters - quite the undertaking and zounds of fun. The Book of Liz received rave reviews. If you ever get the chance to work with your local community theater, you will not only support the arts but have a wonderful time doing it. Highly recommended. :) Now, back to the newsletter... This month Fannie asks a great question about Vegan Vitamin B12, Jared and his partner want to know what steps to take to go Vegan once and for all, and Safia and Ingrid are both in the market for a pressure cooker and want a recommendation. The Recipe of the Month, Vegan Quinoa with Corn, is the perfect dish for the warmer months (and it looks like Reno might actually be showing some signs of warming up - such a tease!). And you will find instructions for making this dish in both a pressure cooker and a regular pot on the stovetop. This is one of my favorite ways to eat quinoa - tasty! As always, you will find new and interesting Q&A in the Vegan Diet Frequently Asked Questions feature -- simply click those that interest you to learn more or to share your unique perspective or expertise. 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, IN THIS ISSUE:
Vegan Frequently Asked Questions  Vegan Frequently Asked Questions. Please join in on the fun! :O) Recent questions which have been answered: Could Worldwide Veganism Work?
Recent questions which need answers (please assist if you can): Vegan Artichoke Burger Recipe? Soy Milk Makers - Worth The Investment? Do you have a nagging question about vegan cooking, general vegan nutrition, or the vegan lifestyle? Then please visit the Vegan FAQ and ask away! Enjoy!  Hi Sassy - I converted to a vegan diet six months ago. I'm very pleased with the good effect on my health and weight. I try to be sure my diet is nutritionally sound. Regarding the need for Vitamin B12, I see your page suggests a requirement of 10 micrograms of vitamin B12 a day, which is about five times what other sites seem to suggest. Thanks for considering this observation. Hi Fannie, Congratulations on your recent switch to the vegan diet. And thanks for your note regarding the amount of B12 that I recommend on my Vegan Vitamin B12 page. Great question! Firstly, let me just say that you should always do whatever you feel is best. Take in all of the information you learn, and then use your best judgment to come to your best educated decision. That is exactly what I do. I study a lot, and am always researching. So when I came across information from Dr. Michael Greger who recommends 10 mcg of Vitamin B12 per day for OPTIMUM health, that is what I decided made the most sense to me. So this is what I recommend. If you're the type of person who would prefer to take your Vitamin B12 supplement once per week instead of once per day, then you'll need to take 2,000 micrograms per week. As you can see, by giving your body a constant supply of Vitamin B12 (every day) you need far less than if you supplement once per week. Hope this explanation clears things up. All the best,  Hi Sassy - I love your website. It is one of the most comprehensive that I have found--and I have looked a lot! My life-partner and I have been talking about going veggie for years. So in the last several months we have started by cutting out red meat (which we never ate a lot of anyway), then we cut out pork, then chicken. When I say cut out I mean that I don't buy it. We still eat it at friends' houses--we haven't gotten to that place where we make the veggie request when invited for dinner. I do still use cream, 1/2 & 1/2, eggs, and butter; though I try to buy organic, local and free range whenever possible. My question is what can I do next to take that next step? I think I am getting all the nutrition I need. I am very careful to listen to my body and I don't feel lacking. I run and or go cycling 6 days a week and do light workouts 3 days a week, so I am very active. I don't feel fatigued, I get up earlier, am sleeping great, etc. How would you recommend I take the next step? Hi Jared, Congratulations on the positive steps you and your partner have been taking to move towards a more healthy diet. I love that you are choosing local, free range, and organics whenever possible. That's awesome. :O) Since you are feeling so good, I recommend taking things in baby steps, just as you have been doing. Listen to your body every step of the way so you are choosing the diet that works best for YOUR body, nutritional requirements, energy output, etc. Personally, I would begin by removing the "meats" from your diet completely. Gently let your friends know that you are changing your diet. And if you are still using dairy and eggs, this would make it easier for non-veg friends to still feed you while you remain in transition. I know it can feel strange at first to set yourself apart like that, but we have learned that most people not only respected our changes, they were curious about it. The worst was a few standard quips. But for the most part people will likely go out of their way to accommodate your new lifestyle whenever you visit. However, if your friends simply don't know what to make you, then let them know you'll bring a dish along with you. You might even share it with them if they are realllllly nice to you. :O) At home, begin to fill your diet with beans and whole food sources of soy (such as tempeh and tofu), which are all excellent sources of vegan protein. When you are truly Vegetarian, you should be proud of making such a fundamental change in improving your health. Enjoy your success. And after that, what would be the next step? I would say that it is always important to view any change you make as improving the quality of your food. Use my site and other resources out there to learn what Vegans eat instead of eggs and dairy. You may decide that the alternatives are both better-tasting and health-enhancing at the same time, give them a try. Be sure to fill in your calcium needs with nuts, seeds, green leafy vegetables, green beans, asparagus, oranges, figs, and calcium-fortified foods and beverages. Above all, it is extremely important that you listen to your body and your intuition. If something isn't feeling right, back up and sit with it for a while until you are ready to move on. Once fully Vegan, be sure to add Vegan Vitamin B12 to your diet -- very important. You might consider taking my 7-week course Get Down With Sass! which is a primer for going vegan and also helps one to find their natural weight. You will likely find it incredibly helpful. Best wishes. xo!  Hi Sassy - Thanks for the information about pressure cooking beans. I am wondering which pressure cooker you recommend? -- Safia, Boulder, Colorado
Hi Ladies, I get this question a lot. So much, in fact, that I have been working for the past few months to bring a special deal on my favorite pressure cookers to my VeganCoach.com visitors. Finally, all of the i's have been dotted and the t's have been crossed. Of course, you probably knew that I would have worked hard to bring you the BEST price possible. And I am excited to offer these cookers at a fantastically low price to my fabulous site visitors because the price includes taxes AND handling AND shipping. And best of all they are sent directly from the manufacturer, which is very important because that means they are sent in the original packaging and less prone to damage during shipment. (Most companies that sell these cookers online repack - and you definitely do not want to deal with a damaged cooker when you are ready to play!) Click here to visit my new Pressure Cooker page and to learn more about the pressure cookers Jeff and I use and recommend. Cheers! RECIPE OF THE MONTH  Corn and quinoa go so beautifully together, and is perfect for the upcoming warmer months. Here you will find instructions for making this in the pressure cooker, or regular stovetop. Enjoy! Quinoa with Corn 1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil Optional: Stir in finely chopped parsley or chives after cooking. 1. Thoroughly rinse the quinoa in a colander with teeny tiny holes so the quinoa doesn't fall through. 2. Heat the oil in the cooker. Saute the onion for 2 minutes. Add the veggie broth (watch for sputtering oil!) and bring to a boil. Stir in quinoa, corn, oregano, and salt. 3. Lock the lid in place, and immediately set the timer for 2 minutes. Over high heat bring toward high pressure. Turn off the heat after 2 minutes (whether or not high pressure has been reached). Allow the pressure to drop naturally for 10 minutes. Remove the lid, tilting it away from you to allow any excess steam to escape. If the quinoa is not quite cooked, replace the lid and allow it to steam in the residual heat for a few more minutes. (Don't leave the lid on for too long or the quinoa will turn to mush.) 4. Fluff up with a fork and adjust seasonings. If there is a bit of liquid left in the bottom of the pot, lift the quinoa and corn with a slotted spoon to serve. 5. STANDARD STOVETOP: In a 2-quart saucepan, follow step 1, increasing the liquid to 1 2/3 cups. Return to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Follow step 3. Get DOWN With Sass!  Get DOWN With Sass! The Skinny On Lasting Weight Loss (Vegan-Friendly. Totally.) Get *SAUCED* With Sass!  How To Create Delectable Meat-Free, Dairy-Free and Egg-Free Vegan Sauces without Recipes!
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."
"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!"
"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." If you...
...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. 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 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. A totally personalized and completely simple vegan nutrition test that can help to pinpoint specific areas of your YOU-NIQUE nutrition profile. 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. 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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