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

Wishing you a beautiful day,
Sassy

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.

For more information about this service, fill out the form on my Contact page and I’ll be in touch. Be sure to include your phone number (U.S. only).

PLEASE NOTE: For an easy-to-view version of this newsletter, or past issues, please visit the VeganCoach.com Backissues Page.

IN THIS ISSUE:

• Weight and Energy Ups and Downs
• Transitioning To Vegan
• Vegan and Diabetes
• Juicing – Good or Bad?
• Fun Food For Kids
• RECIPE OF THE MONTH: Vegan Russian Potato Stew w/Sour Cream

Before we get started...

Did you know about the special page on VeganCoach.com created to help you make use of the zounds of information packed into the Vegan Cooking Guide?

You can get there by clicking here: Vegan Cooking Guide Tutorial.

Have fun! :O)

Dear Sassy,
I've been a Vegan for 7 years. Now my weight is going up and down, and my energy levels are so out of whack! I've tried everything what do you suggest?
-- Lori, Cambridge, Ontario, Canada

Hi Lori,

I’m very sorry to hear about your challenges. I’m not a doctor, and would never try to act as such. But as a Nutritional Constultant, there are a few things that come to mind that I'd like to run by you.

There are any number of reasons you could be having these challenges. Since I don't have access to what’s currently in your diet on a daily basis, it's very difficult to determine if there are any nutritional gaps.

Here’s a checklist that might help you discover if there are any areas of your current nutritional program that may need attention:

• Are you drinking enough water? You need 6-12 (8 oz) glasses per day in order for your body to function at its optimum level – you can get away with 6 glasses if you eat lots of water-rich fruits, otherwise drink closer to 12 glasses per day.



• Are you eating enough whole grains? Whole grains are made up of complex carboyhydrates which our bodies use for energy. We need 6-11 servings of whole grains per day. For helpful information about whole grains, including selection tips, cleaning advice, cooking techniques and flavoring ideas visit the Vegan Coach Whole Grains Guide



• Are you eating enough vegetables? We should try to eat 3-5 servings of veggies each and every day. For helpful information about veggies, including selection tips, cleaning advice, cooking techniques and flavoring ideas visit the Vegan Coach Vegetables Guide



• Are you getting enough protein? Vegetarian protein comes in the form of beans, soy foods, nuts and seeds, among other foods. And each of us needs a very specific amount of protein, which can be calculated very easily – follow this link to the Vegan Protein Guide to discover your optimum daily intake of protein.



• Are you getting the healthy fats and Vitamin B12 your body needs? Refer to the Vegan Nutrition Articles page for information about these two very important topics.



• Visit my Vegan Nutrition Guide for further suggested daily vegan nutrition hints and tips.

This checklist is a great place to start. Put these general nutrition guidelines into practice for a 3-month time period – it usually takes up to 3 months for most dietary changes to go into full swing. See if you begin to notice any differences in how you feel.

It may also be helpful for you to work with a health care professional or nutrition counselor who can zero in on any particular challenges you may have.

Thanks for writing, Lori. Best wishes.

Dear Sassy,
After watching "Diet for a New America" I was shocked! I want to change the way my family eats, eating more vitamin enriched foods, healthy, satisfying, etc. I want my family (we now have 3 girls) to realize the importance of proper nutrition.

My husband has always been a "meat and potatoes" guy... we have always had our meat be the main course, and finding out that it should be a side dish was incredible to me. He is willing to change it, he said, but I don't want to put shock on my family's usual eating habits.

I have read what you have on your site and I see vegan to be the proper choice in my own eyes. And it is my hope to eliminate meat completely from our diet, and to get the proteins from the veggies instead.

My question is: "How can I easily make the transition from "everything eaters" to vegan?"

Any help would be greatly appreciated!
-- Jamie, Clarksville, Tennessee

Hi Jamie,

Congratulations on your decision to move away from animal products and move toward more of a plant-based diet. Teaching your children about proper nutrition at a young age will assist them in being the healthiest adults they can be. This could set into motion many generations of health-minded individuals who are conscious of the food they put in their mouth.

It all begins with that first brave step.

It sounds like your spouse is very supportive of your decision, which is usually a very big challenge in many families, so consider giving your hubby a big giant hug of thanks. ;O)

Diet For A New America is the same book that caused me to take a good long look at the food I was putting into my body. Very powerful indeedy. (Props to John Robbins!)

I think the most important thing for you to remember as you begin your new adventure is to just take things s.l.o.w.l.y. There's no reason to jump into this and make changes so quickly that you have no idea what to eat, and whether or not what you're eating will give you the nutrients you and your family need. If you're truly committed to going veg, then taking one full year (as an example) to make this transition is just a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things.

Use the checklist (above) as a place to start, a point of reference, as you begin down this exciting path. You'll have questions as you work your way through -- if anything ever becomes overwhelming, then simply stop in your tracks and digest what you have on your proverbial plate before you move on. Ask questions, do your research, weigh the pros and cons and come to your own conclusions about what is best for your family.

Now, as adults it’s easy for us to make transitions more quickly – if things don’t work out we can always go back to our old eating habits. But when children are involved in your decision, it’s extremely important that their bodies, growing bigger and stronger each and every day, get the nutrients they need.

Yes, vegan children can get all the nutrients they need from a vegan diet. Please know that. But you must be smart with every decision you make on their behalf. Children have very specific nutritional needs, and it would be nearly impossible for me to go into them in this newsletter.

I’d like to recommend that you read the book Healthy Eating for Life for Children by Amy Lanou and the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine. Another wonderful book with in-depth vegan nutrition advice that I know you'll find helpful for your entire family, with a special section devoted to kids, is Becoming Vegan by Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina.

Thanks so much for writing, Jamie. Hope this helps.

Dear Sassy,
Do you have any recipes for diabetics which don't include white flour, white rice, white pasta, hard cheese & of course,sugar?
-- Liz, Western Cape, South Africa

Hi Liz,

VeganCoach.com focuses on very general vegan cooking and nutrition advice. I’m afraid time doesn’t allow me to go into detail on special diets such as Diabetes. However, that doesn’t mean I don’t care about your plight. :O)

I’d like to refer you to the Vegetarian Resource Group for their Vegan Menu for People with Diabetes -- I believe it's just what you're looking for. Be sure to use whole-grain flour, rice and pasta.

Also, check out Healthy Eating for Life to Prevent and Treat Diabetes by the Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine and Patricia Bertron, RD

Best wishes to you, Lori.

Dear Sassy,
What do you think of juicing veggies and fruit?
-- Miljan, Chicago, Illinois

Hi Miljan,

Great to hear from you. This is an interesting question for me, and here’s why...

When I went Vegan all those years ago, I assumed juicing veggies and fruits was the absolute best thing I could do for my body. Now, I have a different opinion.

I believe juicing veggies deserves a place in our daily routine because we simply cannot get enough vegetables – whether eating them cooked, raw or juiced, eat those veggies!

Juicing fruits are a different story. Fruit contains natural sugars which are perfect in their whole food form because the fiber inherent in the fruit helps to slow digestion. But when we juice fruits – well, that’s a heck of a lot of sugar for out bodies to take in all at once. This can lead to spikes in blood sugar, which can then cause us to crash into exhaustion later. And spikes in blood sugar are very disruptive to us in other ways too, leading to weight gain and blood sugar challenges.

So my very humble advice is to eat those fruits in their whole food form, and feel free to juice those veggies. :O)

Dear Sassy,
Do you have any ideas for fun food for children? My children day after day say, "I'm not eating that".
-- Antoinette, Bristol, United Kingdom

Hi Antoinette,

Your children sound very headstrong and know what they want – and what they don’t want. ;O)

Have you checked out VegWeb.com? They have a section on their site dedicated to kid-friendly recipes that just might be what you’re searching for.

I like VegWeb because recipes are submitted AND tested by fellow site visitors who then can rate the recipe and leave comments about what did and didn’t work so you don't waste precious time in the kitchen.

Follow this link to discover VegWeb’s Kid-Friendly Recipes. (May take a while to load -- their site is extremely busy this time of year.)

Have fun!

RECIPE OF THE MONTH

This is truly one of the best potato stews I’ve had. It’s rich and warming and absolutely divine.

And I love that Dad surprised Mom with this one night to show his love and support to her vegan lifestyle.

Thanks, Dad – YOU RAWK!

Russian Potato Stew w/Sour Cream
Serves: 6

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced
• 3 large russet potatoes, unpeeled, cubed
• 1/2 pound green beans, cut into 1" pieces, fresh or frozen
• 5 cups veggie stock – or use 5 cups water and 2 veggie bouillon cubes, or equivalent bouillon powder
• 2 Tablespoons flour
• 1/3 cup dairy-free sour cream
• 3/4 cup sauerkraut, with juice
• 1 Tablespoon dried dill weed

1. Heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring frequently or until onions are soft, but not brown. Add potatoes and green beans and cook, stirring frequently, for several minutes. Add veggie broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat to medium, cover, and cook, stirring frequently for 1 hour until potatoes are soft and stew is thick.

2. Mix flour and sour cream in bowl to make paste. Add to hot stew by the spoonfuls and stir. Add sauerkraut and dill weed. Cook 20 minutes. Season to taste.

Happy cooking!

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)
Sassy