Uncle Ray's Vegetarian Lifestyle

Does The Dali Lama Eat Pizza?

2011-06-15T10:47:00.000-07:00

The Dali Lama walks into a pizza shop......

7 Foods So Unsafe Even Farmers Won't Eat Them

2011-03-06T20:48:00.000-08:00

Smoking was proven to be cancer causing, tanning beds were shown to be on par with arsenic, but what about canned tomatoes, corn fed beef, conventionally grown potatoes? What would it take to convince you to clean out your pantry and change your eating habits? Scientists, doctors, even simple farmers were asked what foods they refuse to eat. The responses had nothing to do with things like donuts due to fat content, or white bread because of the concentration of empty carbs. We're talking seemingly healthy things like tomatoes, beef, popcorn, potatoes, salmon, milk, and apples. For them, it's all about how they are produced and packaged.

7 experts in fields pertaining to both food and the environment answered one simple question: "What foods do you avoid?." Their answers, published in an article entitled "7 Foods the Experts Won't Eat" on Yahoo! Shine, will make you re think food. When it comes to food and its affect on your health and the health of this planet, this is what they answered.......Read "7 Foods So Unsafe Even Farmers Won't Eat Them"

Bananas: The Ultimate Hunger Buster

2011-03-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

Ever grab a snack but then feel hungry again 20 minutes later? Next time, reach for a banana. It’s loaded with Resistant Starch (RS), a healthy carb that fills you up and helps to boost your metabolism. Slightly underripe medium sized bananas have 12.5 grams of RS more than most other foods. Ripe bananas give you 4.7 grams of RS, still enough to keep hunger pangs away. Check out these tasty ways to work in this wonder food.

Banana "Ice Cream"
Peel, slice, and freeze 1 small banana. Place frozen banana pieces in a blender with 3 tablespoons 1% low-fat milk; blend until thick. Top with 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts.

Banana Salsa
Make a quick salsa with 2 diced peeled bananas, 2 tablespoons minced red onion, 1 tablespoon minced cilantro, 1 teaspoon minced serrano or jalepeno pepper, juice of 1 lime, and brown sugar and salt to taste.

Broiled Bananas
Slice 1 peeled banana in half lengthwise. Put banana pieces, cut sides up, on a rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle the banana pieces with 1 teaspoon brown sugar, and broil on high until the sugar bubbles and the bananas brown (about 2–3 minutes). After broiling, sprinkle with cinnamon or drizzle with 1 teaspoon rum for an extra special treat.

Coffee and Banana Smoothie
Place 1 sliced peeled banana, 1 cup 1% low-fat milk, 1/2 cup cold black coffee, 2 teaspoons sugar, and 1/2 cup ice in a blender. Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Tropical Fruit Salad
Make a fruit salad with 1 sliced peeled banana, 1 sliced peeled kiwi, and 1/2 diced peeled ripe mango. Squirt juice of 1/4 lime over the salad, and serve.

Posted courtesy of Health.Com

Is it True....Can we Save Energy By Eating Veggies!

2010-11-20T18:04:00.000-08:00

It's true. Living a vegetarian or better yet vegan lifestyle saves a ton of energy. Meat and dairy production is the number one user of fossils fuels on the planet. So eat veggies, preferably those grown close to where you live.

Eating vegetables has all kind of nutritional and health benefits, we all know. But, what you may not know that adopting a more plant based diet uses less energy and water than if you followed a meat-based diet. In fact, meat is the least energy efficient food on the planet. It requires an enormous amount of water to produce it for human consumption, and the production of it causes a lot of pollution. To produce one measly pound of beef requires 2,500 gallons of water.

Further, livestock produce 130 times the waste of humans. That’s a lot of manure! In fact, livestock actually produce eleven billion pounds of manure, sludge, and slurry waste every year. This same waste turns releases volatile organic compunds (VOCs), endotoxins, ammonia, and hydrogen sulfide. Methane, a VOC, is the second leading greenhouse gas, which causes gobal warming.

The livestock industry is responsible for 20 percent of the methan in the atmosphere. Got the gist? So, give thought to reducing or eliminating the amount of meat in your diet and adopting a more plant based diet. Not only is eating more vegetables healthy for you, it helps out the earth. Try growing your own veggies and fruits!

Dr. Andrew Weil: Why Plants Are (Usually) Better Than Drugs

2010-11-19T09:08:00.000-08:00

I have always been fascinated by the difference between plants and the drugs that are isolated from them. This goes back to my student days at Harvard in the 1960s, where I received my undergraduate degree in botany, and then went on to medical school. It's rare, too rare, I have to say, for botanists to become doctors. The experience gave me a unique perspective on health and medicine.

For four decades, I've been skeptical of a prevailing belief in Western medicine: when a plant shows bioactivity in humans, we must attribute that effect to a single, predominant compound in the plant. We label that the "active principle," isolate it, synthesize it, and make a pharmaceutical out of it. Then, typically, we forget about the plant. We don't study any of the other compounds in it or their complex interactions.

This belief persists for two reasons. First, it makes research much easier. Single compounds can be manufactured in pure, standardized dosages, which simplifies clinical trials. (However, technology has largely solved this problem. Modern growing and processing methods make it possible to produce standardized, complex, whole plant based medicines. Clinical trials of these compounds have become quite sophisticated, especially in Europe.)

Second, and this is clearly the major reason, it makes drugs far more profitable for drug companies. Isolating and synthesizing a single molecule allows a drug company to patent that molecule. Making slight chemical modifications allows further patent potential. Such exclusivity can be worth billions, whereas a whole plant offers little opportunity for profit.

Read the entire article "Why Plants Are (Usually) Better Than Drugs"

The Governments Numbers are Not to be Trusted!

2010-11-15T19:18:00.000-08:00

From guest blogger Sunshine Sara at Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome.Com......

The current Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin D is only 200 International Units (IU) for people up to age 50. Ages 51-70 is 400IU and ages 71 and over is 600IU.

Experts are telling us about their research which has shown that we need a lot more than the current RDA to prevent Vitamin D Deficiency, perhaps 10 times that or even more. They say intake should be higher in the winter and for those living at higher latitudes. I live in the southwest and I am currently taking 4000IU daily as a maintenance dose. I may need to take more this winter. Some medical conditions, additional body fat and some medications may inhibit the ability to absorb and convert Vitamin D.

Lots of foods have some Vitamin D in them but it is tough to get......Read the entire article.

What's "Organic" About Organic? Movie Trailer

2010-11-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

The organic label has swept into supermarket shelves over the last decade, but what does it mean? Through the stories of five farmers who steward land from Harlem to the foothills of the Rockies, from upstate New York to Florida, WHAT'S "ORGANIC" ABOUT ORGANIC? offers the audience a deeper understanding of the complexities involved in creating a more sustainable food system. The film is a headfirst dive into the challenges that arise when a grassroots agricultural movement evolves into a booming international market.

Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome: Vitamin D and Diabetes

2010-11-01T08:07:00.000-07:00

Vitamin D Deficiency Syndrome: Vitamin D and Diabetes: "Although I have never been diagnosed with Diabetes, both of my parents and one brother have it. They are all taking various medications and ..."

Vegan Guacamole with Tofu

2010-10-07T10:02:00.000-07:00

If you live in the southwestern U.S. like we do, you can't live life without Guacamole. Here is a simple version that will spike your protein intake without giving up taste.

These days the poor avocado has taken a beating for it's high fat content. But let's not forget that we need our essential oils daily and there is no better excuse to get it then GUACAMOLE!

1/3 lb tofu
1 avocado
1/4 cup or less chopped onions (or green onions with greens)
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt or two fresh garlic cloves
lime juice (about 1 half lime)
1 tomato, chopped
salt to taste

Peel and remove seed from avocado. Place in mixing bowl and smash with fork until it is a paste.
Add 1/3 lb of tofu to mixing bowl and smash tofu with a fork until it is mixed with avocado.
Mix it until the mixture is one color.

Add chopped onions, garlic, lime juice, salt to taste, and one chopped tomato.

Of course this is most often enjoyed with corn chips around these parts but could also be placed on bread with lettuce or alfalfa sprouts.

The tofu gives the guacamole a creamier taste, more than doubles the amount of guacamole made, and adds 16 grams protein.

Are you passionate about dessert? Check out "My Sweet Vegan" on our Amazon.Com online store.

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Natural Foods Flying High

2010-09-08T23:34:00.000-07:00

Good news bad news. More people enjoying natural foods making them more readily available, but it looks like prices will be going up in the near term.

A look at the natural food stocks that are hitting new highs, with Greg Badishkanian, Citi analyst.

Is it time to invest in green energy? Here is your FREE trend analysis for green energy ETF TAN

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Canada Becomes First Country to Ban Toxic BPA

2010-08-28T07:45:00.000-07:00

As avid Inhabitat readers know, BPA is a nasty substance. The organic compound, found in everything from reusable water bottles to soup cans, is thought to cause both hormonal and neurological issues. But the anti-BPA movement is growing strong, so strong, in fact, that Canada just moved to ban the substance altogether.

Canada banned BPA containing plastic baby bottles in 2008, but the new move will see BPA removed from all products on store shelves. As a result, Canada will become the first country in the world to declare BPA as a toxic substance. There’s no word on when the ban will take effect, but the North American chemical industry is reportedly angry with Environment Canada’s decision to abolish the stuff.

Even though the U.S. hasn’t made any moves to ban BPA outright, the Canadian ban could reverberate across the border, and that’s a good thing for anyone concerned about their health.

From Inhabitat
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Dr. Weil on EWG´s Shopper´s Guide to Pesticides

2010-06-04T13:25:00.000-07:00

Dr. Andrew Weil, renowned medical expert on natural health and wellness, tells why and how he uses the Dirty Dozen and Clean 15 lists from EWG´s Shoppers Guide to Pesticides.

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Why Should You Care About Pesticides?
The growing consensus among scientists is that small doses of pesticides and other chemicals can cause lasting damage to human health, especially during fetal development and early childhood. Scientists now know enough about the long term consequences of ingesting these powerful chemicals to advise that we minimize our
consumption of pesticides.

What’s the Difference?
EWG research has found that people who eat five fruits and vegetables a day from the Dirty Dozen list consume an average of 10 pesticides a day. Those who eat from the 15 least contaminated conventionally-grown fruits and vegetables ingest fewer than 2 pesticides daily. The Guide helps consumers make informed choices to lower their dietary pesticide load.

Will Washing and Peeling Help?
The data used to create these lists is based on produce tested as it is typically eaten (meaning washed, rinsed or peeled, depending on the type of produce). Rinsing reduces but does not eliminate pesticides. Peeling helps, but valuable nutrients often go down the drain with the skin. The best approach: eat a varied diet, rinse all produce and buy organic when possible.

How Was This Guide Developed?
EWG analysts have developed the Guide based on data from nearly 96,000 tests for pesticide residues in produce conducted between 2000 and 2008 and collected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. You can find a detailed description of the criteria EWG used to develop these rankings and the complete list of fruits and vegetables tested at our dedicated website, www.foodnews.org.

Inventor From Minnesota Swears Under Oath He's Not Cheating The Electric Companies

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Farmer vs Farmer....Organic Valley Lays Down the Law on Raw Milk

2010-06-02T12:34:00.000-07:00

Organic Valley started up in 1988 with a vision of being a different kind of milk cooperative, one that helped save small family dairies via promoting organic dairy products. "It was an idealistic, mission-oriented place in those days, spreading the gospel about the benefits of organic dairy and founded on the premise of economic justice for farmers," recalls Mark Kastel, who served as a consultant to Organic Valley a year after it launched. (He's currently head of the Cornucopia Institute, a watchdog organization that monitors dairy compliance with organic standards.)

That idealism and Americans' insatiable appetite for organic food helped propel Organic Valley onto a rapid growth path. Today it has more than 1,600 dairies and upwards of $500 million in annual sales, along with a premier brand in the organic food marketplace with its line of milk, butter, yogurt, and cheese. Unfortunately, at least some of the idealism has vanished, thanks to a bitter year long struggle among the farmers about whether the co-op should allow its dairies to sell or distribute unpasteurized, or "raw," milk on the side.

Last week, the board voted four to three to prohibit its member dairies from selling raw milk. "It's not a fun issue here," says George Siemon, the CEO. "Everyone on the board drinks raw milk." It's been the most bitter dispute in the enterprise's 22 year history, he says. The decision threatens to tear Organic Valley apart, or at least hamper its business effectiveness, by raising two major risks.

First, Organic Valley could lose a significant number of its dairy members. No one knows how many of its dairies sell raw milk, but 10% seems a conservative estimate, according to co-op insiders. That means 150 or 200 dairies, minimum, are selling raw milk. For those dairies, the business challenge is that raw milk fetches between $5 and $10 a gallon, while Organic Valley and other co-ops typically pay in the vicinity of $1.50 per gallon for bulk milk that then goes to pasteurization. But because most of the raw dairies are far from urban centers, where demand for raw milk is greatest, and are limited in most large states like Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts to selling direct from the farm, it's difficult to sell all their milk unpasteurized.....Read the entire article.

The Miracle Of Healing Your Dog With Food

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Is The Raw Food Diet For You? Check out Alice's Transformation

2010-05-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

Check out "Raw Food Rehab" member Alice (aka - Socorro A Quinonez) being interviewed by Dan the Man! Check out Alice's AMAZING transformation!

If you think the raw food diet might be for you, join us on Raw Food Rehab Forum!

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New Video: Turning A Suburban Yard Into An Organic Farm

2010-05-28T10:05:00.000-07:00

In this video, KVIE profiles Jules Dervaes, a man who has turned his small suburban yard into a profitable organic farm. Dervaes says what started out as a hobby became serious for him with the advent of genetically modified foods and rising food prices.

With the help of his family, they now produce over 6,000 pounds of food annually on their 1/10-acre land, though their goal is to hit 10,000 pounds. The 350 varieties of organic fruits and vegetables grown not only sustain the Dervaes family, but the large surplus is sold to local restaurants and catering companies. Setting an example as to what's possible in city farming and sustainability, the Dervaes family even makes their own bio-fuel for their minimal vehicle usage. Watch how a backyard lot became a farm.....

Visit the VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY SYNDROME Website

Stop Being Held Hostage By The Power and Electric Companies!

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Can Vitamin D Prevent Autoimmune and Chronic Diseases Including Diabetes?

2010-05-15T11:05:00.000-07:00

Can vitamin D help prevent certain cancers and other diseases such as type 1 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and certain autoimmune and chronic diseases? To answer these questions and more, UCSD School of Medicine and GrassrootsHealth bring you this innovative series on vitamin D deficiency. Join nationally recognized experts as they discuss the latest research and its implications. In this program, Michael Holick, MD, discusses vitamin D relating to bone and muscle health and the prevention of autoimmune and chronic diseases.

Visit the VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY SYNDROME Website

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The Dangerous Side Of Sugar

2010-04-25T07:45:00.000-07:00

As if you needed another good reason to kick your soda habit, a new study from the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that a diet heavy in added sugar is linked to elevated triglyceride levels and may increase your risk for a heart attack.

Added sugars such as cane sugar, beet sugar, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, fructose, evaporated cane juice, fruit juice concentrate, and honey are used to sweeten packaged foods like sodas and fruit drinks, cereal, candy, cookies, and baked goods. In the study published this week, researchers at Emory University found that individuals who consume large amounts of added sugar have lower HDL ("good") cholesterol levels and higher triglyceride levels than individuals who eat less of the sweet stuff. Among women only, high added sugar intake was also linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. All of these red-flag numbers-low HDL, high triglycerides, high LDL-are independent risk factors for heart disease, which means that guzzling sugary coffee drinks and chomping down cookies may be putting your ticker in harm's way.....Continue reading at > The Dangerous Side Of Sugar

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Fresh The Movie....New thinking about what we are eating!

2010-03-08T15:29:00.001-08:00

FRESH is more than a movie, it’s a gateway to action. Our aim is to help grow FRESH food, ideas, and become active participant in an exciting, vibrant, and fast growing movement.

Please help us reach 1 million people (to start with that is.) Organize a home screening or a community screening.

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Jamie Oliver's: Teach Every Child About Food

2010-02-15T11:51:00.000-08:00

Sharing powerful stories from his anti-obesity project in Huntington, W. Va., TED Prize winner Jamie Oliver makes the case for an all out assault on our ignorance of food.

Jamie Oliver is transforming the way we feed ourselves, and our children. Jamie Oliver has been drawn to the kitchen since he was a child working in his father's pub-restaurant. He showed not only a precocious culinary talent but also a passion for creating (and talking about) fresh, honest, delicious food. In the past decade, the shaggy-haired "Naked Chef" of late-'90s BBC2 has built a worldwide media conglomerate of TV shows, books, cookware and magazines, all based on a formula of simple, unpretentious food that invites everyone to get busy in the kitchen. And as much as his cooking is generous, so is his business model -- his Fifteen Foundation, for instance, trains young chefs from challenged backgrounds to run four of his restaurants.

Now, Oliver is using his fame and charm to bring attention to the changes that Brits and Americans need to make in their lifestyles and diet. Campaigns such as Jamie's School Dinner, Ministry of Food and Food Revolution USA combine Olivers culinary tools, cookbooks and television, with serious activism and community organizing -- to create change on both the individual and governmental level.

Join Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution

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What is your answer to "So what is the GREENEST thing YOU can do"?

2009-12-20T06:47:00.000-08:00

I was enjoying one of my favorite blogs this morning, the "Do The Greenest Thing Blog", and was reading the post....So what is the GREENEST thing YOU can do? I just couldn't help myself and decided to share author Jenna C's great post and my response here. It's time people realize that there is more to energy consumption then cars. Oil is food!

So what is the GREENEST thing YOU can do?

Something has been on my mind, and I’m just aching to share this with as many people as possible which is why I started doing the whole Face Book, Twitter, Blogging thing…I am very passionate about this and I think you will be too. Here goes…

As most of you know, there is an obvious pollution problem all over the world. Anyone local to the Phoenix area just has to look out side to see the filth hanging in the air, or drive down one of our freeways and see “pollution advisory” on a sign on an overpass. It’s not just here, its everywhere. The problem is right in our faces, not to mention the other unseen effects caused by emissions.

The most negative effect you as individuals have on the environment is driving your vehicles. Vehicle emissions kill over 30,000 people a year in the United States alone!

Some may argue about Global Warming, and whether or not it’s real. I believe it’s happening, but what I believe is beside the point. The point is, there IS something you can do to help with this pollution problem. I’m not going to tell you to car pool or ride your bike or take the bus, although those are all helpful. I’ve got something MUCH more powerful.

What I want to tell you about is a device created by a brilliant friend of mine, Randy Ambrose, founder and CEO of Vortex Magnetics. It’s called Power Box. This device uses magnetic energy to cut your vehicle emissions in HALF, not to mention the dozens of other benefits which I will cover a little later. You don’t need any tools to install; you’ll get everything you need to when you order it. It clips right to your fuel line and that’s it.

Right away you’ll notice a difference. You’ll get an increase in gas mileage (up to 25%!!) and horsepower. Your vehicle emissions will be cut in HALF. Your car will require less frequent tune ups and over a short amount of time the carbon build up in your engine will be removed. It does all this and it costs less than $80.00. This product pays for its self with in a few months with the money you’ll save in gas, and it will last longer than the life of your vehicle.

Installing a Power Box on your vehicle IS the GREENEST thing you can do! The product is the only one of its kind with an EPA approval and has been marketed in over 13 countries. There are even more amazing things this product can do, but I’ll save that for another time, or you can check out the website. Visit http://budurl.com/powerbox.

I thank you for your time, and please, your feed back is very much appreciated to this newbie.

Until next time,

Jenna C.

My comment....

They number one thing we can all do in my opinion is to shed red meat from our lives. The amount of fossil fuel it takes to produce red meat and the pollution from it is one of if not the largest contributor to our problems. At this point if U.S. citizens could just eliminate 2 meals of red meat a week we could feed every hungry person on this planet. Of course this is only going to get worse as the populations of China and India desire and can afford more animal protein. The effects from their massive populations will make the effects of our mere 300,000,000 look petty. We have problems on the way!

What is your take? Please leave a comment and let us know.

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Where Do You Get Your Protein?

2009-11-15T15:20:00.000-08:00

Happy World Vegetarian Day To Everyone!

2009-10-01T08:43:00.000-07:00

Every year on October 1st, World Vegetarian Day kicks off a month of parties, potluck, presentations, food tasting displays...and lots of friendly discussions!

For those new to vegetarianism, it serves as an enticement to give meatless fare a try (even for a day) and learn about its many benefits. And, of course, it's the perfect occasion for vegetarians and those already moving towards plant based diets to celebrate their healthy, compassionate food choices.

World Vegetarian Day and Vegetarian Awareness Month celebrations are as varied as the people who plan them. Whether you want to keep yours simple and private or public and grand our ideas and resources can help.

In addition to individuals from all walks of life, past participants have included schools, colleges, health food stores, co-ops, restaurants, libraries, employers, health care centers and many others.

Please consider joining with the thousands of others this October who will be exploring the vast variety of tasty and healthful meat free foods, and sharing information about the benefits of vegetarian diets with the people in their local communities.....Visit The World Vegetarian Day Website

Uncle Ray's Mujabarley........Yes, Mujabarley!

2009-07-11T15:43:00.000-07:00

I know to most of you soup is not a summer time thing. So call me strange but I think soup is the perfect summer time food. Just don't heat it up so dang hot! One of the reasons I think it makes a great summer time meal is that it is a great way to eat "light" you might say. I live in the desert southwest, believe me, 105 degrees and a stuffed feeling from over eating don't go together.

OK, I know what your thinking. Your saying to yourself what the h*#% is Mujabarley? Hey, I am allowed to make up my own dorky names. And dorky it is! I just haven't been able to come up with anything any better. And you know how it is when you say something long enough.....it just sticks. So I feel like I am stuck with it.

Let's start with a little history of this recipe.

I admit it, when it comes to food [or just about anything] I like cheap. Wait, let me make it sound more dignified. I like inexpensive. And we were looking for something to cut the boredom of the usual brown rice meals I was making, So I am digging around in my vegetarian recipe books and I find Mujaderra, or Mujadarrah. This isn't a history blog so don't throw me under the bus, I found as many ways to spell it as I did to make it. Basically, it looks like folks in the Middle East have found many ways of cooking brown rice and lentils together for many years. Most recipes I found started with cooking onions in the pan for starters and finishing it off with a topping of yogurt. Not really our style. We did like my original experiments with these recipes, but of course I had to make this "Middle Tucson" style, not Middle Eastern style. That's where the barley comes in.

Mujabarley is basically more of an American style soup that is based on Brown Rice, Lentils and barley Let's get started......

Ingredients......

1 cup Brown Rice........long or short, you know I'll use what's on sale!

1 cup Green Lentils.....you can use red, I prefer green.

1 cup Barley.......you should be able to find this in any bulk food store.If not, think about moving.

Celery.............5 or 6 stalks cut into 1/4" pieces.
Might be to much for you, we love it!

Carrots............Don't buy big bitter carrots. Nice baby carrots, well worth it. I cut mine "Julianne" style, not to small.

Red Bell Pepper....Any color's fine, I prefer red.

Onions.............Spanish is my favorite. White would do, NO RED.
One large or Two small.

Tomatoes...........2 or 3 medium, chopped.

Fresh Baby Spinach
Fresh Garlic.......Chop it up!
Granulated Garlic
Olive Oil
Sea Salt
Pepper

Let's get your big pan going, don't make the same mistake I insist on making over and over...."this should be big enough", We know you are smarter then that.

Now don't make me repeat this, keep this simmering, control your heat, don't let it cool way down. Relax, I'll tell you how.

Start six cups of water simmering, set your timer for 30 minutes.

Add a teaspoon [or so] of olive oil, a dash [big dashes] of Sea Salt, Pepper and granulated garlic.

Remember control the heat so you might want to temporarily turn up the heat....and add one cup of water.

Now throw in the carrots and the one cup of brown rice, stir well and cover, and always put the cover back on....please.

Now add another cup of water, keep the heat up until it's simmering. Now turn it back down. Do you have the idea now?

After about 10 minutes throw in your celery, and add another cup of water. How's the heat? Keep it simmering good!

When the timer goes off it's time to add about 8 cups of water [do I need to tell you how to do this again] the fresh garlic, onions, bell peppers, lentils and barley, stir well. And don't forget a dash of Sea Salt, pepper and granulated garlic.

Set the timer for 45 minutes, is the cover back on?

When the timer goers off add your chopped tomatoes and set the timer for 15 minutes. This is a good time to make sure you have enough water. Remember it's a soup, not a goop. If you need to add some water. Is the cover.....never mind.

When the timer goes off this time remove the pan from the hot burner, preferably just move it over to an unused burner and add your baby spinach. Just lay it on top and sprinkle a small amount of sea salt, pepper and granulated garlic on top. Don't stir in, just cover.

Reset timer for 15 minutes. Now when the timer goes off this time fold, not stir, your spinach into the soup.

Guess what, your done!

I guarantee that after you make this once you will be dying to get right back to make your own version of it, we have never made it the same twice.

Please feel free to leave a comment and let me know how you did or if you catch any mistakes, hey I am a guy, there should be plenty of mistakes!

Are We Meant To Be Vegetarians?

2008-11-20T10:10:00.001-08:00

I love to share this list with friend's, family and fellow bloggers when they ask that question....."Can we be healthy and live as vegetarians"?

Meat-eaters: have claws
Herbivores: no claws
Humans: no claws

Meat-eaters: have no skin pores and perspire through the tongue
Herbivores: perspire through skin pores
Humans: perspire through skin pores

Meat-eaters: have sharp front teeth for tearing, with no flat molar teeth for grinding
Herbivores: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding
Humans: no sharp front teeth, but flat rear molars for grinding

Meat-eaters: have intestinal tract that is only 3 times their body length so that rapidly decaying meat can pass through quickly
Herbivores: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.
Humans: have intestinal tract 10-12 times their body length.

Meat-eaters: have strong hydrochloric acid in stomach to digest meat
Herbivores: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater
Humans: have stomach acid that is 20 times weaker than that of a meat-eater

Meat-eaters: salivary glands in mouth not needed to pre-digest grains and fruits.
Herbivores: well-developed salivary glands which are necessary to pre-digest grains and fruits
Humans: well-developed salivary glands, which are necessary to pre-digest, grains and fruits

Meat-eaters: have acid saliva with no enzyme ptyalin to pre-digest grains
Herbivores: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains
Humans: have alkaline saliva with ptyalin to pre-digest grains

Great List Of Famous Vegetarians

2008-10-28T13:46:00.000-07:00

I have always got great joy from reading these list of famous vegetarians. If you have a suggestion for someone who is missing please leave a comment and I'll add them.

Franz Kafka, Charlotte Bronte, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, Sir Isaac Newton, Mahatma Gandhi, George Bernard Shaw, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, H.G. Wells, Milton, Henry Ford, Leonardo Da Vinci, Charles Darwin, William Wordsworth, Thomas Edison, Plutarch, Pythagorus, Socrates, Nikola Tesla (Inventor), Diogenes, Albert Schweitzer, Ovid, Voltaire, Vincent Van Gogh, Susan B. Anthony, Plato, Zoroaster, Martin Luther, Clara Barton, Elvis Costello, Dave Davies (Kinks), Bob Dylan, Peter Gabriel, Joan Armatrading, Davey Havok (AFI), Moby, Siouxsie Sioux, Joe Jackson, Ray C. Parrish [2nd YES Bass Player], Billy Idol, Kate Bush, Chrissie Hynde, Brad Pitt, Alec Baldwin, Pamela Anderson, Steve Martin, Christie Brinkley, Cathy Dennis, Desmond Howard, Edwin Moses, Martina Navratilova, Kathy Johnson [1980 Gymnast of Year], Bill Pearl (Bodybuilder], Alicia Silverstone, Eric Stolz, Jennie Garth, Liv Tyler, Dennis Weaver, Michael J. Fox, Jerry Seinfeld, Brigitte Bardot, Dustin Hoffman, Virginia Madsen, Anthony Perkins, Woody Harrelson, David Duchovny, Richard Gere, Natalie Portman, Ricki Lake, Ted Danson, William Shatner, Tommy LaRussa, Anthony Peeler (NBA), Bill Walton (NBA), Robert Parish (NBA), Billie Jean King, Joe Namath, Peter Buck (REM), Martin Gore (Depeche), Fiona Apple, Sinead O'Connor, Boy George, Steve Howe (Yes), Scott Adams (Dilbert), Clive Barker, Berke Breathed [comic artist], Richard Bach, Henry Heimlich M.D., Donnie LaLonde(Light Heavyweight Champ, ), Dave Scott(5x Ironman Triathlon winner), Killer Kowalski, Jack LaLanne, k.d. Lang, Richard Thompson, Lene Lovich, Morrissey, Annie Lennox, Julian Cope, Lenny Kravitz, Prince (the symbol guy), Captain Sensible, James (whole band), Belinda Carlisle, Emmylou Harris, Joaquin Phoenix, River Phoenix, Candice Bergen, Larry Hagman, Charlotte Ross, Olivia Newton John, Christy Turlington, Vanessa Williams, Rosanna Arquette, Kevin Eubanks (Leno), Kim Basinger, Orlando Bloom, Johnny Marr (Smiths), Meatloaf (?yes!), Natalie Merchant, Wendy O' Williams, Shania Twain, Jeff Beck, John Lennon & Yoko Ono, Paul McCartney & Linda McCartney, Ringo Starr & Barbara Bach, Princess Diana, Todd Oldham(fashion designer), Leonard Cohen, Steven Jobs (Apple), Chelsea Clinton, Ziggy Marley, Kraftwerk (whole band), Sarah McLachlan, Eddie Vedder, Robert Smith (Cure), KRS-One, Amy Ray (Indigo Girls), Grace Slick, Steve Vai, Paula Cole, Phil Collen (Def Leppard), Rick Savage (Def Leppard), Bob Barker(The Price is Right), Tobey Maguire, Rhea Perlman (Cheers), Sara Gilbert, Lisa Rinna (Melrose), Captain & Tennille, Consolidated (the band), Don McLean(wrote "American Pie" song), Michael Bolton, Lisa Loeb, Marina Sirtis (Star Trek), Mary Tyler Moore,Marilu Henner, Meredith Baxter, Peter Cushing, Reese Witherspoon, Don Imus, Peter Bogdanovich, Anthony Robbins(Motivational Coach), Cesar Chavez(United Farm Workers), Cassandra Peterson(the "Elvira" character), Thora Birch(Ghost World creator), Susannah Hoff(from The Bangles), Carter Beauford (DMB), Boyd Tinsley (DMB), Daniel Johns (Silverchair), Bryan Adams, Andre 3000 (OutKast), Steve Morse (Dixie Dregs,Deep Purple), Lisa Simpson & Apu, "Weird" Al Yankovic, Fred Rogers(Mr.Rogers), Johnny Rotten, The Roots (whole band), Minor Threat (whole band), George Harrison (Beatles), Jon Anderson (Yes), Larry Mullen (U2), Carl Lewis(Winner of 17 Gold Medals), Erykah Badu, Bonnie Hunt, Lindsay Wagner(The Bionic Woman), Keenan Ivory Wayans, Linda Blair (Exorcist), Drew Barrymore, Matt Groening(creator of The Simpsons), Susan Powter, Traci Bingham (baywatch), Milo Ventimiglia [GG], Mike Farrell, RZA [Wu Tang], Raekwon [Wu Tang], Ghostface [WT], Prodigy [Mobb Deep], Russell Simmons, Spice Williams (stuntman), Marv Levy (Buffalo Bills), Gillian Anderson (X-Files), Demi Moore, Betty White (Golden Girls), Rue McClanahan(Golden Girls), Jane Goodall, Dwight Yoakum, Naomi Watts, Michael Tsarion, Don Piraro
(created Bizarro cartoon)

Uncle Rays' Vegetarian Rueban Sandwich

2008-10-11T14:00:00.000-07:00

Becoming a vegetarian at 39 years old is quite a life changing experience. For me it happened by accident to be honest with you. My girlfriend at the time and I decided that we were going to really downsize. Cut all of our bills down to the bare essentials. We moved closer to where I was working at the time, moved into a small guest house, paid off the car and she quit work. It was the best times in my life. We were working to live, not living to work you might say.

It didn't take long to figure out that the most expensive thing in our budget was meat! So we started our journey of learning to eat well without eating meat. And regardless of what people say, the first thing that happened to me [as I think happens to many people] was that I got fat! The abuse of pasta, breads and carbs in general took it's toll. But something else happened. I was experiencing a variety of health issues at the time [I won't get into details, this is a recipe blog] and within a couple of months they disappeared, gone. I am not the same person today and my reasons for being a vegetarian are now many and varied. But I have not been to a doctor since that time and have not had the flu since then either. Remember those flu's you get once a year when they come around? Call me Mr. Immunity System! Sounds like a great name for a super hero, heh.

So after trying to live off of salads, potatoes, broccoli and beans I decided it was time that I learned to make real food for my new life. And I don't have any idea where I found this one but wherever it came from I owe them big.

Uncle Ray's Vegetarian Rueban Sandwich"s

Ingredients Needed

Rye Bread
SauerKraut
Tomato
Provolone Cheese
Mustard

For the Rye bread the best and most popular with guest and family seems to be Russian Rye. If I am cooking for myself I will use my favorite Trader Joe's flourless bread. This diabetic avoids the white poison [white flour] every chance I get. But I know friends and family should not be put through that.

For SauerKraut any of the name brand SauerKraut in a jar will do fine. But here is a tip I learned from a German lady that had the best SauerKraut in the neighborhood when I was growing up. We thought she had this great secret family recipe, but no. She was just carefully rinsing store bought SauerKraut in cool water. Make sure to drain it off as good as you can.

Use your favorite tomatoes. I am so picky about this sandwich that I don't use any of the moist parts of the tomato. The sandwich will just end up a wet mess if you do.

The original recipe called for Swiss Cheese but I prefer Provolone. Once again I am lucky to have a Trader Joe's a couple of hundred yards from my house so I use their sliced Provolone.

I only have Brown Mustard in my refrigerator so I don't know how it would taste with other Mustard's. Be my guest to experiment.

First, toast the bread. Make sure it's toasted but not over done since we'll be putting it in the oven. Spread mustard on one side of bread the lay dry side down, on a oven grill that is resting on a cookie sheet [See the picture]. Since the sandwich wants to slip and slide around I like to add the ingredients in small alternating portions. First a couple small pieces of cheese. Then a little bit of SauerKraut. The a few more pieces of cheese. Then a few small slices of tomato. Then a few small pieces of cheese. Then a little more SauerKraut. You get the picture.

Now place the second pieces of bread, mustard side down of course, on top. Place them in the oven and bake at 350 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.

You know what's next, See ya next time!

World Vegetarian Day - October 1st 2008

2008-09-27T20:36:00.000-07:00

What a great way to start my newest blog than to remind everyone about this Thursdays "World Vegetarian Day"

Every year on October 1st, World Vegetarian Day kicks off a month of parties, potluck, presentations, food tasting displays...and lots of friendly discussions.
photo of woman holding fresh veggies Bonnie Frechette of the Bellingham MA Whole Foods Market, past WVD Contest winner (company category)

For those new to vegetarianism, it serves as an enticement to give meatless fare a try (even for a day) and learn about its many benefits. And, of course, it's the perfect occasion for vegetarians and those already moving towards plant-based diets to celebrate their healthy, compassionate food choices.

World Vegetarian Day and Vegetarian Awareness Month celebrations are as varied as the people who plan them. Whether you want to keep yours simple and private or public and grand — our ideas and resources can help.

In addition to individuals from all walks of life, past participants have included schools, colleges, health food stores, co-ops, restaurants, libraries, employers, healthcare centers and many others.

Please consider joining with the thousands of others this October who will be exploring the vast variety of tasty and healthful meat-free foods, and sharing information about the benefits of vegetarian diets with the people in their local communities...