The McDougall thread (other vegan plans too...Ornish, Fuhrman, etc etc)

altoids · Dec 28, 2007

Hi all! 
I'm starting a thread for those of us who are working on eating McDougall. I know that there are several other plans that are similar (Ornish, Fuhrman, etc) so we can exchange meal ideas, recipes, etc here. 
I've been eating this way for about 2 weeks (with the notable exceptions of a holiday party at my folks' and Christmas Day!!!) and I'm really enjoying it. I'm feeling very satisfied with the food, and I'm not dying of hunger all the time. 
Instead of starting with the Maximum Weight Loss program, I am starting with just the "plan", and see how I do from there. I've ordered a book and 2 cookbooks from abebooks.com. I'll report back on how they are. 
Lots of information and recipes here: www. drmcdougall.com 
Most of the recipes can be found in the newsletters.

altoids · Dec 28, 2007

Here is a recipe I got from fatfreevegan.com: Lentil Barley Soup Based on a recipe by J. Raymond Thick enough to be called a stew, this hearty soup is easy to prepare and cooks in a single pot. Add more water or stock if you wish to have a thinner soup.
<ul><li>1 cup lentils, rinsed</li>
<li>2 stalks celery, sliced</li>
<li>1/2 cup hulled or pearled barley</li>
<li>1/2 tsp oregano</li>
<li>6 cups water or vegetable stock</li>
<li>1/2 tsp ground cumin</li>
<li>1 onion, chopped</li>
<li>1/4 tsp black pepper</li>
<li>2 garlic cloves, minced or crushed</li>
<li>1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes</li>
<li>2 carrots, sliced</li>
<li>1/2 tsp salt (optional)</li>
<li>2-4 cups fresh spinach (optional)</li>
</ul>Place all ingredients except salt into a large pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils and barley are tender, about 1 hour. Add salt to taste and spinach, if desired. Cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green. 
Tips: Pearl barley is the variety most commonly sold in supermarkets. Natural food stores offer hulled barley, which is slightly less refined and cooks in about the same amount of time. This soup can also be prepared in a crockpot. If you start with boiling water it will cook in 1 to 2 hours; with cold water, 5 to 6 hours To cook in a pressure cooker, put all ingredients except salt and spinach into cooker and bring it to high pressure. Cook at high pressure for 12 minutes; then bring pressure down with a quick-release method. Lentils should be cooked, but barley may not be completely tender. Cook until barley reaches the desired state of tenderness, about 15 minutes, adding water if a thinner consistency is needed. Then add salt and spinach, if desired. Cook briefly until spinach is wilted but still bright green. Servings: 6 Nutrition info per serving: 78 calories, 4 g protein, 16 g carbohydrate, 0.2 g fat, 159 mg sodium ---------------------------- I made this in my crockpot, and it was delicious and very filling!

drgenie · Dec 28, 2007

That looks super yummy! I never thought to put lentils with barley. I've made similar soups with one or the other, but I think I'm going to try this one. 
What are the options for vegan baked goods if you can't use butter?

altoids · Dec 28, 2007

You can bake without butter. Sometimes you can replace it with applesauce or whatever, or just google vegan [whatever baked good you are trying to make]. It helps to be open-minded and not expect it to taste and have the same texture as the original full fat item. 
I don't do a lot of baking, since I'm trying to focus more on whole foods, but just tonight I made a banana bread with no fat or egg or dairy in it. The texture was a little gooier than regular banana bread, but quite tasty. My kids have eaten over half the loaf, and it was supposed to be for meeeeee... 
I found this on vegfamily.com (I dunno what vegan sugar is, I just used the sugar I have) 
------------------------------- Fat Free Banana Bread 
Submitted by Sheila Ingredients:
<ul><li>5 ripe bananas</li>
<li>1 cup vegan sugar</li>
<li>1 teaspoon vanilla</li>
<li>2 cups whole wheat flour</li>
<li>1 teaspoon baking powder</li>
<li>1/2 teaspoon baking soda</li>
<li>1 teaspoon cinnamon</li>
<li>1/4 cup water</li>
</ul>Directions: 
In a large bowl mash bananas with sugar and vanilla until combined and creamy. Then mix in the water. 
In a smaller bowl, sift together the flour, soda, powder and cinnamon. 
Add the dry to wet and stir until just mixed. You don't want to over mix or the bread will be dry. 
Pour batter into sprayed loaf pan and bake in preheated 350°F oven for one hour. Your house will smell so good you will be tempted to take it out a few minutes earlier but don't or it won't be done on the inside. Comments: 
This is fat free unless you put a pat of vegan margarine on it. You can add other add-ins like chocolate chips, carob chips or nuts and fruits. This is a super yummy loaf that the kids love. It makes great muffins too. 
-----------------------------

Diana · Dec 28, 2007

Yeah, I never worry about the vegan sugar thing because I don't think it's a nutritional issue as much as an ethical one. True vegans make a distinction because (I think) sugar is processed with some sort of animal byproduct - but it doesn't end up in the sugar. 
Anyway - Altoids, I think that active people would do fine on the regular McDougall program and would probably even get too hungry on the MWL. I know that when I did the basic program for the first time, the weight fell off of me much faster than I was even trying to lose so I can't imagine how it'd be on MWL! 
I've made quite a hobby of collecting these recipes during the years that I haven't been following the plan. <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> Here's one I just found yesterday; the rest of the blog looks very promising, too! <a href="http://veganfeastkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/12/pumpkin-cinnamon-rolls-with-pecans-and.html" target="_blank">Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls With Cinnamon and Dried Cranberries</a> 
(vegan, low fat) 
(I do have healthier recipes, honest. These just looked so good! And while not fat-free, they're a lot lower in fat than traditional cinnamon rolls. Maybe this recipe would help me segue from my recent holiday free-for-all...)

altoids · Dec 28, 2007

That looks like a good blog! 
I am getting a lot from fatfreevegan.com. She even has a list of McDougall MWLP recipes. 
Which reminds me, I need to start up another soup in my crock pot. 
One of the best things I'm learning to do is cook ahead, and cook lots, so I always have something good to eat when I get hungry. It's BAD NEWS for me to be hungry without a plan! <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> 
Having cooked brown rice available at all times has been a huge help. I can whip up a quick lunch by stir-frying vegetables (often frozen mixes from a bag), tossing in the rice and I'm done! Recently I've discovered tempeh, which is very good to add to my stir fry lunch.

merigayle · Dec 28, 2007

have you had more luck with the tempeh since the first try? <img alt="wink.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/wink.gif">

altoids · Dec 28, 2007

Yes! I added it early in the stir-fry instead of late. Amazing how much better it tastes when warmed through! <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> 
I like the texture of it. I bought a 5-grain mix this time, can't wait to try it.

merigayle · Dec 28, 2007

i really like steaming it before adding it too, try that next time and see what you think. It made is a bit less dry.

drgenie · Dec 28, 2007

I just bought a rice cooker but there are only a few recipes in it <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif"> 
Can you cook beans in one? Like the dried kind, after soaking?

altoids · Dec 31, 2007

I don't know about steamers, that's a future purchase! <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"> 
Today my cooking ahead paid off. We went for a long car ride, and we usually end up stopping at Sheetz for food. 
I had cooked this (from fatfreevegan.com) : 
------ <div style="text-align:left;">Brown Rice and Squash Crockpot "Risotto"</div>
Recipe by: Carolin 
Servings: 2 - 4 
3/4 cup uncooked short-grain brown rice 
1 medium acorn or other winter squash, peeled and diced 
1 medium onion, chopped 
1 large carrot, diced 
1 tsp black pepper 
4 cups water or veggie "chicken" broth 
2 cubes veggie "chicken" boullion if using water 
balsamic vinegar (optional) 
Ok, so it's not real risotto, but you don't have to babysit it like real risotto and it tastes great! 
Sauté onion in non-stick skillet until brown and caramelized. 
Add onion and all other ingredients except balsamic vinegar to crock-pot. Cook on high for 3- 4 hours. (Check water towards the end of cooking to make sure it is not getting too dry) 
Garnish with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar before serving. 
----------------------- 
Except I didn't saute the onion first, just dumped it in, and I omitted the balsamic vinegar. 
this is delicious, btw. 
I stirred in a half cup of cooked lentils to the leftovers, heated it up and packed it along in a thermos. 
So when I got hungry, I just pulled out my thermos, and all was well! No junk food just cause I was on the road <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

altoids · Jan 3, 2008

Well, this is exciting! My husband and I are going out to our favorite microbrewery for our anniversary tomorrow night, so I was checking out the menu online to see if there was anything I could eat, and I found this: Roasted Acorn Squash with Tofu & Fennel : half a maple roasted acorn squash stuffed with tofu and fennel topped with gorgonzola and candied walnuts and served with a side of mixed greens dressed with maple balsamic vinaigrette. 
Sounds pretty good, and the gorgonzola is the only thing non-McD there. Being a restaurant, I am guessing oil in the preparation as well. I think for a special occasion it is not a big deal. They also have a delicious butternut squash ravioli I've had before. And a very good walnut barley burger. Or portobella burger.

merigayle · Jan 3, 2008

Happy Anniversary! I just found out that a local sushi place does brown rice rolls, so we may go there for a night out soon. <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif">

wyrillco · Jan 3, 2008

Is there such thing as vegan yogurt? That's what I bake with instead of butter...

merigayle · Jan 3, 2008

soy yogurt? <img alt="" src="http://www.almostvegan.com/archives/images/silksoyyogurt-sml2.gif" style="border:0px solid;">

drgenie · Jan 4, 2008

Where, where!! <img alt="banana.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/banana.gif">I couldn't find any except the ones they make at Whole Foods.

merigayle · Jan 4, 2008

Liki in Phoenixville across from French Creek Outfitters

drgenie · Jan 4, 2008

Shut.Up!! <img alt="surprised.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/surprised.gif"> I go there all the time, that's my favorite sushi place, and I never saw it on the menu so I never thought to ask if they did brown rice rolls. 
<-----feeling like a big dummy now <img alt="sad.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/sad.gif">

markc7 · Jan 4, 2008

I don't follow McDougall or anything, but I have tried a few recipes from fatfreevegan.com and have modified recipes from other cookbooks to be very low or zero fat. Here's my favourite slow cooker soup: Potato Corn Chowder 
About five or six potatoes cubed 
A bag of frozen corn 
One onion shopped 
A couple stocks of celery chopped 
Two or three cups of water 
A vegetable boulian (sp?) cube 
Thyme 
Cook on high for four hours or low for ~6 hours (done when the potatoes are tender) 
Mix together about a quarter cup of whole wheat flour with two cups of soy milk, then put the milk mixture into the slow cooker. Cover and let it sit for about five minutes. 
Yumm.

merigayle · Jan 4, 2008

Hi Mark! Welcome to this thread <img alt="smile.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/smile.gif"> 
here is one of my favorite cookbooks: <img alt="" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/1572840579.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg" style="border:0px solid;">

The McDougall thread (other vegan plans too...Ornish, Fuhrman, etc etc)

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