Vancouver dietitian wants you to Eat More Plants
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Fri, 13 Sep 2019 18:00:01 +0000
Eat More Plants: Over 100 Anti-Inflammatory, Plant-based Recipes for Vibrant Living
By Desiree Nielsen
Penguin Canada | $32
“Eat like you love your body, not like you hate it.”
It’s an idea that seems straightforward enough, and according to Desiree Nielsen, it can be achieved in an equally straightforward way. By simply eating more plants.
“There are few absolutes in nutrition beyond the dictum to eat more plants,” the Vancouver-based dietitian says. In addition to being a specialist in helping people achieve a balanced diet through her practice, she has become well versed in the benefits in boost one’s veggie intake by being a vegetarian herself for more than 20 years.
“What I see in my clients, and myself, is that as you shift to including more whole plant foods, particularly large quantities of fruits and vegetables, you will notice quite rapid shifts in energy levels and improved digestion,” Nielsen explains.
Desiree Nielsen.
Through her private practice, she says she regularly sees people who are struggling with a variety of ailments including autoimmunity, chronic pain and “challenging digestive issues” such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome. The common solution to these issues, Nielsen continually discovered, was eating more plants.
“As we learn more about the interaction between gut bacteria, digestive health and the immune system, it is clear that a high fibre diet, lower in fats and sugars, is one of the most important things we can do to regulate our gut-immune axis,” she explains.
So, she decided to write a cookbook about it.
“I wanted to create a book that really educated people on the benefits of eating a plant-based diet, and helped guide them through it, but did so in a way that was very inclusive of all eaters,” she says of the book, which is billed as being suitable for ‘vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or meat-eaters.’ “Of course, at its heart, it is an anti-inflammatory cookbook. … This book was born of wanting a collection of therapeutic recipes that would help people feel their best while being truly flavourful and fun to eat.”
For those whom the word “vegan” triggers an involuntary (or maybe very voluntary) eye roll, Nielsen assures skeptics that her new cookbook will, indeed, appeal to all types of eaters.
“The book is free of dogma, and contains recipes that are easy to incorporate into anyone’s lifestyle because of their simplicity,” she says.
Of course, the elevated interest in vegetarian and vegan diets didn’t hurt Nielsen’s decision to release Eat More Plants, either.
“I’ve been a vegetarian for over 20 years; I never would have imagined a day that so many people would be so interested in plant-based eating,” she says. And yet, here we are.
“The research on the health benefits of eating a more whole food, plant-based diet has reached a critical mass,” she says. “When more cautious voices such as the Canada’s Food Guide recommends Canadians consume more plant-based foods, you know there is more than adequate research to suggest the switch.”
Nielsen says the increased interest, particularly in the under-40 crowd, in understanding the impacts of eating animals on people’s — and the environment’s — health has also played a big part in vegetarian and vegan diets getting so much more buzz.
“We are also incredibly unwell as a society; the rates of obesity, diabetes, digestive disease and autoimmunity are staggering. From a dietary standpoint, our hyper-processed food system is largely to blame — but finding healing in a whole foods, plant-based diet is an incredibly nourishing opt-out,” she says. “The fact that vegan diets are trendy is also playing a role — and that will subside over time — but I believe that we are creating a new normal where traditional eating patterns focused mostly on animal products are shifting.”
In the book, Nielsen presents more than 100 recipes for readers to savour, many of which are inspired by bits and bites of flavours she’s tried over the years.
“I keep a running list of recipe ideas on my phone at all times,” she says. “Many of the recipes were inspired by dishes I’ve eaten in restaurants, where I might take a few ingredients, or a flavour combination, and create something simple enough to make at home in about a half-hour.”
And, all 100-plus of them, she’s eaten herself. Though, she admits it took a village, of sorts, to help with all the sampling.
“The neighbours got fed, friends came over and got fed — and my kids got real sick of greens,” Nielsen says. “I also harangued my friends and family to test the recipes in their own kitchens. I wanted a range of people from vegetarians to carnivores, novice to professional cooks, because I wanted these recipes to be accessible — and interesting — for everyone.”
While Nielsen was hesitant to pick a favourite recipe, she pointed to a few that she felt would genuinely “surprise” people for their simplicity — and flavour.
“The lentil-walnut tacos come together in just 30 minutes, even with the accompaniments, and are so intensely flavourful,” she says. “The almond snickerdoodles are like little heavenly pillows. And the green onion pancakes, which I usually waffle, have an aromatic XOXO sauce that was inspired by the famous XO sauce, which is so good you’ll want to eat it off the spoon.”
In addition to deliciously healthy plant-forward foods, Nielsen provides some insight into adopting a balanced diet for those who do choose to embrace a vegetarian or vegan way of life.
“Eating whole foods will help you avoid the sluggishness of junk food vegetarianism, but there are a few foods and nutrients you want to watch out for,” she says. “The first, is protein. When people adopt a more plant-based diet too quickly, I often see them relying on a lot of grain foods like muffins, pasta and bread. They remove the meat, but don’t replace it with anything. You need to eat plant proteins like tofu, legumes and hemp seeds at every meal — that protein is critical for immune function, cellular repair and keeping energy levels stable.”
For those going 100 per cent plant-based, Nielsen strongly recommends taking a vitamin B12 supplement as it is “the only nutrient not naturally found in plant foods.”
“I also recommend that people cook with iodized salt for a reliable source of iodine in their daily diets to support thyroid health,” she adds.
Overall, Nielsen hopes people who pick up her book — be them vegetarian, vegans or full-on meat lovers — gain a better understanding of one the overall power and benefits of plant-based eating. Oh, and one other main idea, too.
“That healthy eating is about abundance, not deprivation,” she says. “And that eating more plants can be totally delicious.”
Turmeric Pickled Onions
1 sweet yellow onion, thinly sliced on a mandolin
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 3 juicy lemons)
1 1/2 teaspoons (7 mL) salt
1 teaspoon (5 mL) cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) ground turmeric
Corn and Avocado Salsa
2 cups (500 mL) fresh or thawed frozen corn kernels
2 avocados, pitted, peeled, and diced
1 cup (250 mL) lightly packed chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup (60 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt
Lentil and Walnut Filling
2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried oregano
1 teaspoon (5 mL) dried cumin
1 teaspoon (5 mL) chili powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) sweet paprika
2 cups (500 mL) cooked French lentils
1 cup (250 mL) finely chopped raw walnuts
1/2 cup (125 mL) water
1 tablespoon (15 mL) tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt (omit if using salted canned lentils)
For serving
8 small corn tortillas (or Bibb lettuce or large collard leaves)
Method
Make the Turmeric Pickled Onions Add the onion, lemon juice, salt, sugar, and turmeric to a 1-quart (1 L) Mason jar. Place the lid on tightly and shake. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to one hour. you can store the pickled onions in the fridge for up to one week.
Make the Corn and Avocado Salsa in a medium bowl, add the corn, avocado, cilantro, lime juice, jalapeño, and salt and stir to combine.
Make the Lentil and Walnut Filling in a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, for one minute. Add the oregano, cumin, chili powder, and paprika and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils, walnuts, water, tomato paste, and salt (if using) and simmer for 5 minutes.
To serve, fill the tortillas with the Lentil and Walnut filling, then top with Turmeric Pickled Onions and Corn and Avocado Salsa.
Dressing
2 tablespoons (30 mL) extra- virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons (30 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15 mL) red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon (5 mL) Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) salt Freshly cracked pepper
Salad
3 tablespoons (45 mL) extra- virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (14 ounces/398 mL each) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 teaspoon (5 mL) ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon (1 mL) ground coriander
1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil and patted dry
1/2 teaspoon (2 mL) salt
2 cups (500 mL) lightly packed fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 cups (500 mL) tightly packed baby spinach, sliced into thin ribbons
1 cup (250 mL) yellow or red cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup (75 mL) raw walnut pieces
Method
Make the Dressing — in a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, mustard, maple syrup, salt, and pepper to taste. Set aside.
Make the Salad — heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute.
Add the chickpeas, stirring occasionally until they appear to absorb the oil in the skillet, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, and coriander and stir to coat, about 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the sun-dried tomatoes and salt.
To serve, in a large bowl, toss together the parsley, spinach, tomatoes, and walnuts with the roasted chickpeas and dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. Serve warm or chilled.
Recipes excerpted from Eat More Plants: Over 100 Anti-Inflammatory, Plant-based Recipes for Vibrant Living by Desiree Nielsen, published by Penguin Canada. Recipe copyright Desiree Nielsen, 2019. Photographs Janis Nicolay. Reprinted with permission of the publisher.