If I Can Change

09/02/2021

More tips on how to party with omnivores...

When your loved ones don't eat the same as you, it can be hard to find common ground. It can take a bit of trial and error, but there are ways to keep everyone happy and fed, without sacrificing your values.

1. Focus on foods that swing both ways.
🥕 Do omnivores eat veggie & fruit platters? You betchya! There's always one or two at every party! Throw out a veggie platter with some yummy dips and some chips or pretzels. Our veggie platter is loaded with carrots, celery, bell peppers, pretzels, potato chips & grapes. The dips in the center are a homemade hummus and Dilly Dip from the book "Nourish" by @reshmashah & @brendadavisrd. It is soooo yummy and is very reminiscent of the classic green onion dip that is typically made with a bucket of sour cream and a bag of dried herbs. This version is wayyyyy healthier and just as delicious!

2. Find tasty vegan alternatives that you trust.
🍔 Meat and cheese replacements are a booming business, and they are getting tastier by the minute. A party is a great time to bust out the good stuff. For us, that means Impossible Burgers. They are the most convincing meat alternative we have ever had. A build-your-own-burger bar makes serving several people at once a breeze. We love to use Dave's Killer Burger Buns & offer Violife cheeses to melt on top. With lots of veg like avocado, tomato, lettuce, pickles, & onions...everyone can make their ideal burger just the way they want it!

3. Know your audience, and play to their tastes.
🍫 My family loves chocolate cream pies. We grew up grabbing one from Marie Calendars on special occasions. So for my birthday, I decided to make my own. Using a pre-made pie crust by Immaculate from Whole Foods, a chocolate pudding recipe by @onelovelylife1, and cocowhip. It's simple, creamy and oh so dreamy! An excellent alternative to the typical birthday cake. *note: I used much less liquid to make sure my pudding would set well in the pie and not be too runny.
So...figure out what your family loves, and put a little effort into serving something that they are bound to like, and not even notice that it happens to vegan. ;)

4. Relax & enjoy! 😘🥳

08/16/2021

Mango, Avocado & Black Bean Salad recipe from "Nourish" by @reshmashah & @brendadavisrd

Recipe Rating: 💚 9/10
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5/5 (delish!)
Ease: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (so easy!)
Healthy: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (super nutritious!)
Accessibility: 0/1 (buy the book)

Mango! Avo! Black beans! What's not to like? This refreshing salad is perfect for summer time! Similar to the infamous Cowboy Caviar, it's also packed with tomato, onion, corn, bell pepper, avocado & herbs. All these lovely ingredients work together in perfect harmony, creating a rainbow of deliciousness!

It comes together really quickly, and is customizable to your taste.
Like a little kick? Add the jalapeno!
Want to use it a dip? Chop things a bit on the smaller side and serve it with chips or big bell pepper scoops.
Can't get your hands on a mango that's ripe? Use frozen mango! It totally works!

One of my favorite things about this salad, is that it is a crowd pleaser, making it an excellent dish to whip up for a gathering. It's a dish that doesn't scream "hey I'm vegan!", needs no introduction, and people can just enjoy it, no matter their way of eating. Also, bringing a dish like this to party ensures that you will at least have one awesome thing that you can enjoy!

We made the recipe as written, and it was enough for small family gathering, where we ate it along side some vegan pizza from our local @metropizzalv.

(for any locals - @metropizzalv is one of our go-to places to order pizza from when we are in mixed company with omnivores. Not only is it delicious, but it keeps the food-ordering harmonious and easy when we can all order from one restaurant. )

If you try this amazing salad, I'd love to hear if you loved it as much as we did in the comments below.

xo

08/14/2021

Timeline Photos

We should stay away from processed meats, regardless of the mechanism by which they cause cancer. Every year, more than five million expected years of life are lost to lung cancer, breast cancer, and colorectal cancer alone.

The most comprehensive summary ever compiled of evidence of diet and cancer recommends we should “eat mostly foods of plant origin” for prevention. This means we should center our diet around plant foods. We shouldn’t just eat whole grains and beans every day, but at every meal.

When it comes to foods that may increase our risk of cancer, the guidelines are bold and don’t mince words about the worst of the worst. We aren’t just advised to cut back on bacon, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and lunch meats—we’re told to avoid processed meats. Period.

The landmark Global Burden of Disease Study found that processed meats are to be blamed for the deaths of more than 800,000 people every year. The NIH-AARP study of more than 500,000 Americans suggested that 20 percent of heart disease deaths among American women could be averted if the highest consumers of processed meat would cut down to the equivalent of less than a half strip of bacon a day.

With the advent of the Impossible Burger, for the first time, we have a product high in heme iron without any actual meat. Is meat-free heme harmful? I cover that in my video “Does Heme Iron Cause Cancer?” at https://bit.ly/2SAF4oD.

Watch the video “How Much Cancer Does Lunch Meat Cause?” at https://bit.ly/2sYMUHL to learn more about processed meats and cancer. Visit our topic pages about Bacon at https://bit.ly/3lzm9qk and Cancer at https://bit.ly/2VvRJdT for even more.

08/14/2021

This was such a great podcast! Definitely worth a listen.

‘Disease isn’t in our DNA—it’s in our dinner.’ Meet NYC’s next (vegan) mayor Brooklyn Borough President Eric Adams: a man who REVERSED his advanced Type II diabetes on a whole food plant-based diet and is now on a mission to transform the health and lives of New Yorkers and beyond.

This man has charisma for miles — and a positive message worthy of our attention. I hope you make time to listen.

#RRP 620 UP and now streaming on all the platforms.

Enjoy!
✌🏼🌱 - Rich

https://www.richroll.com/podcast/eric-adams-620/

08/04/2021

Tofu Tikka Masala recipe from "Nourish" by @reshmashah & @brendadavisrd

Recipe Rating: 💚 8/10
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 (amazing!)
Ease: ⭐️ 1/2 (so easy! but several tasks)
Healthy: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (nutritious, & can be oil free)
Accessibility: 0/1 (free online)

Tikka masala, as yummy as your favorite Indian restaurant, but made at home? Yes please!!!!

This tofu tikka masala is creamy, rich and full of beautifully aromatic spices that not only make your taste buds sing, but also nourish your body. Clove, garlic, cinnamon, cumin, turmeric, garam masala, chili powder in a tomato-y base...I mean the flavor is just - wow!

Baked tofu and peas keep this dish simple and light. The baked tofu has a lovely texture and the peas give that extra bit of color and nourishment. You can keep it simple and amazing as written, or even add more veggies to it if you like. Either way - you are guaranteed to love this earthy, Indian dish! We served it on a bed of basmati rice.

Note regarding spiciness: I used just 1/2 tsp of chili powder and that was plenty hot for us. (We are more on the wimpy side when it comes to heat.) My kids are very spicy-adverse, so they did not even try it. Next time I will omit the chili powder completely so that I can serve it to the little ones.

To finish off the sauce, there is an option to blend it with an immersion blender or a regular blender. I tried the immersion blender first, but it did not make it as smooth as I would have liked. So I threw it in the regular blender and that did just the trick! A dreamy creamy sauce!!

The steps are easy, though there are several tasks to do. Cook the rice. Bake the tofu. Sauté veggies and blend to a sauce. It takes a bit of time and dirties a few dishes, but it is not excessive and & totally worth it! You could easily make some or all of it ahead of time to make meal time quicker and easier.

Have you bought Nourish yet? It is definitely one of my favorite go-to books! Great for people who are new to eating more plants, or for long-time vegans...this book is a crowd-pleaser!

07/10/2021

And #tbt to remind everyone of the three leading causes of climate change:
1-burning oil and gas.
2-burning coal.
3-meat & dairy production.
‘The role of meat and dairy production in climate change is the real inconvenient truth’-Al Gore.
@leonardodicaprio @janegoodallinst

06/26/2021

Supercharged Miso Soup from "Fiber Fueled" by @theguthealthmd

Recipe Rating: 💚 9/10
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 (so delish!)
Ease: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (so easy!)
Healthy: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (so nourishing)
Accessibility: ⭐️ 0/1 (buy the book!)

"Dear Miso Soup,
You've had a special place in my heart ever since I first started eating at sushi joints. You've been light, comforting and reliable. I never imagined I would make you myself, in my own my home. I am thrilled that we are taking our relationship to the next level! Love, Lani"

A bit much? Ok, fine. lol!

But, if you love the simple, restaurant version of miso soup as much as I do, you are going to fall head over heals with this one! With the addition of soba noodles, mushrooms, seaweed and spinach, this is the upgraded, VIP, high-roller version that dreams are made of. The noodles are comforting, the broth soothing, the little hits of soft tofu and chewy mushrooms keep the relationship interesting. It's truly utter perfection!

It is also the perfect soup for year-round enjoyment, as it's lightness makes it still summer appropriate, but it's coziness will soothe your soul and warm your bones in the colder months.

Simplicity shines in this recipe! Made with Biome Broth that you can prep ahead of time, it requires just a quick chopping of the mushrooms and scallions, a boil of the soba noodles, and then throwing it all together in the pot. It's also adaptable to what you have on hand. For example, I did not have sh*take mushrooms, so I used bellas. I did not have wakame seaweed, so I sprinkled Furikake on top, and followed with a bit of sriracha.

@theguthealthmd has a IG post about why your body will love this soup. The miso, in particular, gives a healthy dose of probiotics, protein and many other nutrients, and is also even.....
an aphrodisiac! "How youuuu doinnnn?"

Go check out his post! Because you know someone had to say it....and he does. 😉

06/01/2021

Walnut Paté by @exceedinglyvegan

Recipe Rating: 💚 10/10
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5/5 (amazing!)
Ease: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (so easy!)
Healthy: ⭐️⭐️ 2/2 (nutritious)
Accessibility: ⭐️ 1/1 (free online)

We had a French feast this weekend, and we started out with an apero of cantaloupe, cornichons, baguette , walnut paté & rosé. Hello, Summer!

This walnut pate is a go-to for anytime I am hosting. It's creamy, spreadable and absolutely delicious!

Before becoming vegan, I used to enjoy eating paté and fois gras when visiting family in France. This plant-based version is a spot-on replica of fois gras, but without all the cruelty. Packed with walnuts and spices, it's also so much healthier!

It’s also a crowd-pleaser, loved by vegans and non-vegans alike!

It's a breeze to make, just make sure you do it in advance so that it has time to firm up in the refrigerator.

You can find a link to this walnut paté on the Recipes & Meal Ideas page of free resources. (Link in bio) If you try it, I’d love to hear if you love it as much as we do.

Santé et bonheur! 🥂

#ificanchange #pate #walnutpate #french #frenchfood #veganfrench #frenchvegan ##veganpate #apero #wfpb #plantbased #vegan #veganfood #plantbasedfood #appetizers #veganappetizer #summervibes

@ Las Vegas, Nevada

05/27/2021

Review of "The 30 Day Alzheimer's Solution" by Team Sherzai — If I Can Change

New blog post with my full review of "The 30 Day Alzheimer's Solution" by Sherzai M.D. I hope you like it and find it helpful. If you have any questions, please do reach out. xo

www.ificanchange.com/blog/2021/5/3/review-of-the-30-day-alzheimers-solution-by-team-sherzai

Title: The 30 Day Alzheimer’s Solution Author: Dean Sherzai, MD, PhD and Ayesha Sherzai, MD, MAS Photographer: Colin Price Photography Date released: March 2021 Subjects / Key words: Alzheimer’s disease, Prevention, Cooking, Plant-based nutrition, Brain Health

05/24/2021

Monochrome Nourish Bowl of random awesome things:

🍚 Jasmine rice & white quinoa cooked together
🥬 Steamed bok choy
🥦 Steamed broccoli
🌱 Blanched bean sprouts
🌱Leftover canned green beans
🌱 Mung beans (cooked in veg broth with kombu in InstantPot)
🥜 Peanut butter sauce from “Hot for Food Comfort Classics” @hotforfood (who has a new book out btw and I need to get it! 🤩)
🌶 Sambal
🌱Scallions
🥒 Cucumber
So easy! So nutritious! So dang delicious!!!

The formula:
Take a carb...
+ Slap on on some plants...
+ Douse in a bomb-ass sauce...
= party in a bowl!

Pic 1: our way.
Pic 2: kid’s way. (I keep telling myself that they will eat their food mixed one day. I’ll never let go of that dream 😬😩😂)

#ificanchange #wfpb #wfpbno #plantbased #vegan #bowl #nourishbowl #veganbowl #plantbasedbowl #eatyourgreens #eatyourveggies #eatmoreplants #plantpower #plantstrong #nooil #oilfree #veganfood #plantbasedfood #veganfamily #plantbasedfamily #ricebowl #ricebowls @ Las Vegas, Nevada

05/18/2021

Stir-fry recipe from NOURISH by @reshmashah and @brendadavisrd.

Recipe Rating: 💚8/10
Taste: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5 (yum!)
Ease: ⭐️⭐️2/2 (easy)
Healthy: ⭐️⭐️2/2 (nutritious)
Accessibility: 0/1 (not free, buy the book)

This recipe is a lesson in how to make a yummy stir-fry customized to your tastes or what you have on hand. The star of the recipe - is the sauce! 😍 The sauce is made of traditional Asian cuisine ingredients: soy sauce or tamari, garlic chili sauce, a little sweetener, like maple syrup, with a little cornstarch added to thicken it up. The result is a delicious, almost sticky sauce, like you would find in a restaurant, but much tastier and healthier!

Baked tofu is part of the original recipe, but it required a little more time than I had, so I skipped it and opted for more veggies instead - onion, garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms, & snap peas. Then I topped it with a bit more sambal (chili sauce), sesame seeds & scallions. After we started digging in, I remembered to add a few chopped peanuts. It really adds such a nice touch to the dish!

We put our stir-fry on jasmine rice, but you could put it on brown jasmine for a bit more nutrition, or even some rice noodles - YUM! Either way, it's an excellent recipe to have in your toolbox to get all those take-out vibes in a nourishing way.

Our little kids are not usually down with mixed up foods, so I used the same ingredients but served it to them separately. I always include a small portion of the main dish to taste. I so appreciate recipes that are easy to break apart like this so I am not cooking different things, but still making the meal approachable for them.

For those avoiding oil, you can easily sauté your veggies in splashes of water or veg broth. That's what I did.

#ificanchange #recipetesting #nourish #wfbp #wfpbno #plantbased #plantbasedrecipes #plantbasedcookbook #plantbasedfood #plantbasedfamily #plantbasedfamilies #vegan #veganrecipes #vegancookbook #veganfood #veganfamily #veganfamilies #kidshealth #familyhealth #feedingkids #familydinner #plantkids ##plantpower #powerofplants #plantbasednutrition #kidsnutrition #stirfry #veganstirfry @ Las Vegas, Nevada

05/13/2021

We peer out into the world. Take it all in. And assume it’s ‘reality’. It’s not. It’s merely your subjective perception. A truncated approximation of objective truth based upon an extremely limited distillation of incomplete inputs, all filtered and neurologically interpreted through a lens ground by a lifetime of experiences and relationships.

In other words, a cavalcade of sights, sounds, smells, and tactile inputs funnel into your brain. In its rather limited capacity, that brain then strives to make sense of it all. It does so by seeking patterns. It looks for connections. Loops that recur get reinforced, all contextualized in reference to past experiences and affirmed in reference to familiarity.

Think of your frame as a digital image composed of pixels. The pixels are but neurological inputs individually devoid of meaning until proximately matched with other inputs. From these inputs a matrix begins to cohere. From the assembled web we extrapolate meaning. A sense of reality we rely upon as fact.

This ‘reality’ is your frame. That frame gets locked. It drives everything about how you navigate the world. And it’s drunk at the wheel.

When our frame (reality) is challenged, our impulse is not to consider the imperfect nature of said frame. Nor that it’s an over-simplified and flawed interpretation based on an extraordinarily incomplete data set. Instead, we defend our frame. Why? Because to threaten that frame is to threaten one’s tether to reality. No, we must safeguard our frame as we would life itself.

But what lies just outside the frame? What exists between the pixels? What remains unperceived by the limitations of human capability?

In other words, what would happen if our impulse was to constantly question rather than defend our sense of self and the world? What if by default we acknowledged our inherent limitations with humility?

I don’t know the answer. But I’d like to think it would help bridge the widening divide that increasingly separates us from our brothers and sisters, ourselves, and what should be a symbiotic rather than predatory relationship with the natural world that gives us all life.

✌🏼🌱 -Rich

📷 @kurtiswarienko