Info Diet Plan

If you like Egg Foo Yung in restaurants, this is a delicious version to make at home. (For Phase One Fridays I highlight Phase One recipes from the past that have been my personal favorites.  If you've never thought of making Egg Foo Yung at home, I think you'll be pleasantly surprised by this recipe.) In 2001 I went to Hong Kong and Beijing with my brother Rand, and it didn't take long to realize that most of what we consider to be "Chinese food" in the U.S. is definitely Chinese-American food. I know Egg Foo Yung is one of those dishes that falls in the Chinese-American category, and although it doesn't get much respect compared to more exotic items you find on menus, it can be one of my favorites when it's made well. I learned to love Egg Foo Yung at The Pagoda, a Chinese American Restaurant in Salt Lake (with a Japanese name!) My family went there for special occasions, and I remember eating Egg Foo Yung at the Pagoda as a reward for making the h...

An Extra Cup of Wheat Berries Its funny how new recipes get developed. The other day I was cleaning my refrigerator (a rare occurrence) and I came across some organic wheat berries in a brown paper bag. These were evidently left over from my Hearty Vegan Bean Chili with Wheat Berries recipe I posted in February. I realized that it was unlikely that I would ever think of cooking these unless they were more "visible" so I put them in a large glass jar. Unfortunately, the jar wasnt big enough so I had an extra cup of wheat berries on my hands. So I soaked them overnight which gave me some time to figure out what to do with them. The next morning I cooked them up and set them aside and headed out to the market to look for other ingredients. I found some beautiful fresh asparagus and some other veggies which all ended up in this dish. Other than the time it takes to cook wheat berries, the dish cooks up in minutes. You can always cook wheat berries in advance and freeze them for u...

Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK ! What a Wonderful Neighbor to Have! A few miles down the road is a large, windowless, warehouse-looking building right across the street from Merry Edwards, one of my favorite wineries. When I found out that it was a gourmet mushroom farm, I could hardly contain my excitement! After living here for 3 years, I finally got a chance to go inside! The only mushroom farm I had ever seen before was decades ago in Maryland where they grew common white button mushrooms.  Pioneers I met their President and CEO, David Law, who together with the Chairman, Malcolm Clark, founded Gourmet Mushrooms in 1977. They were the first commercial grower of shiitakes but now they grow far more exotic mushrooms. Being visionaries and learning the many medicinal properties of mushrooms, they also supply nutraceutical products as well.  The Wonderful Tour Bob Engel, their Director of Marketing, gave us the tour. The first thing that surprised me was that the mush...

Sicilian eggplant, banana peppers and fresh shitake mushrooms. Vegetables in large, shallow roasting pan. Sushi being rolled on a bamboo mat. A Sushi Dish that Appeals to All This delicious, warm sushi roll has broad appeal. Besides the traditional raw fish lovers, this is a good sushi option for vegans and vegetarians. It is also a sushi alternative for pregnant women who are avoiding raw fish. Brown Rice Sushi The first time I had brown rice sushi was at a restaurant in Palo Alto that was actually named "Brown Rice Sushi". I was quite excited to think that I could eat one of my favorite foods and not have to eat white rice. Its not that I dont enjoy white rice, in fact I do. But from a nutritional point of view, I always opt for whole grain. Even though white rice is often fortified with many of the vitamins that were stripped out during the manufacturing process, cooked brown rice has much more fiber, about 4 grams per cup. White rice only has 1 gram per cup. We should all...

Did you know that buckwheat noodles are gluten free? Follow Foods For Long Life on FACEBOOK . Buckwheat is Not Wheat! Although "wheat" is in the name, buckwheat is not related to wheat.  Buckwheat Fagopyrum esculentum is not part of the cereal grain family but is from a broad leaf plant in the Polygonaceae family. Soba noodles, made from 100% buckwheat, are suitable for those on a gluten-free diet as long as they havent been cross contaminated during processing. I love the chewy texture of these noodles. I prefer them over Udon noodles and always have a package of them in the pantry. Soba noodles are low in fat and high in protein and contain all the essential amino acids. They also contain thiamin, folate niacin, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus and iron. a 2 oz serving of buckwheat soba provides: 200 calories 1 g total fat zero saturated fat and cholesterol 6 g protein 3 g dietary fiber 43 g carbohydrates Time for Soup Its getting cold and although one third of my diet sti...

Crabs are in Season Crabs are now in season and can make a very special holiday meal. You can toss chunks of crab on a large Caesar salad and serve with champagne (for a simple but elegant meal), or you can try this crab stuffed Portobello mushroom. Dungeness Crabs are low in mercury and are listed as a "best choice" by the Monterey Bay Aquarium Sustainable Seafood Guide. They are a very good source of protein, vitamin B12, zinc, copper and selenium. They are also a source of DHA and EPA, the most beneficial omega 3 fatty acids. They are somewhat high in cholesterol so eat them in moderation. *** Dungeness Crab Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms [makes 6 large stuffed Portobello mushrooms] 6 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed 1/4 cup 2% milk, or soymilk 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon organic butter 1/4 cup minced red onion 1/2 cup minced red bell pepper 1 pound lump dungeness crab meat * 2 tablespoons fresh parsley plus some for topping 1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning 2 teas...