NOTE: This information is anecdotal and not intended to be used as a diagnosis or treatment for any condition. Any diet or lifestyle changes should be discussed and monitored by your physician.
Imagine being in your 20s but having bloodwork results that look like those of an out-of-shape middle-aged man. This was the situation in which Stephanie Howard found herself in the early 1990s. Testing showed a cholesterol level of 348, in addition to Stephanie being overweight; this 20-something woman was a heart attack in the making.
Stephanie describes her diet at the time as, "...frozen pizza, frozen burritos, canned chili and boxed noodle dishes." She did not cook and had no interest in learning, as both she and her husband lived the busy-all-the-time lifestyle. This came to a halt when Stephanie was prescribed statin drugs. The drugs weren't effective in lowering her cholesterol, and the side effects were monstrous. Stephanie knew she had to find another solution.
During this time, Stephanie also had begun to explore the Seventh Day Adventist religion. Seventh Day Adventists follow the dietary regime of the Old Testament - in short, they practice a variation of keeping kosher. Many of their meals are meat-free. Stephanie noticed that those Adventists who were serious practitioners of their religion also tended to live long, productive lives. She and her husband joined the church, chose to eliminate meat and animal products from their diets and became vegans.
The transition from eating boxed and "instant" foods to veganism wasn't easy. As Stephanie recalls, "At the time, there were very few vegan resources available. I had to learn to cook." Finding recipes that tasted good was also challenging. She remarked, "...We ended up living on beans, rice and oatmeal."
However, there were significant improvements in Stephanie's health and these changes motivated her to stick with her newly found regimen. "I lost a lot of weight and my cholesterol level dropped over 100 points."
Stephanie and her family have been vegans for 16 years. She has not gone back on statin drugs, and states that her family physician and pediatrician are "very supportive" of her diet and lifestyle choices. She is able to shop at local grocery stores in her area, but admits that she takes advantage of the many local farmers markets during the growing season for fruit and vegetables. She advises anyone who wants to make the kind of change she did to "...take it slow. Go one recipe at a time. Start making your own recipes a little healthier by replacing refined flours and sugars with whole grains and adding more fruits and vegetables. Then try something new - there are so many good vegan, whole-foods cookbooks and the web has thousands of free recipes. Try one a week, and if your family likes it, add it to your menu schedule and you are one step closer." She also advises that the change doesn't have to be "..all or nothing.." and that indulging in a pizza or fast-food hamburger once in a while during the transition shouldn't derail the entire process.
Stephanie has graciously offered the following recipe for lasagne. This and other vegan recipes can be found on her food blog, Give Them Something Better and in her cookbookof the same name.
Lasagne
6 cups Tomato Sauce (recipe follows) or jar of commercial spaghetti sauce
12 lasagna noodles, cooked
1 recipe Tofu Ricotta (recipe below)
¼ cup nondairy parmesan cheese (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.
Ladle 1 1/2 cups Tomato Sauce in the bottom of the prepared dish. Arrange 4 noodles over the sauce. Spread 1/2 of the Tofu Ricotta over the noodles. Repeat layers once.
Top with remaining 4 noodles and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with parmesan, if using.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake 1 hour. Makes 16 servings or one 9-by-13-inch dish.
CHANGE IT UP: Meaty Lasagna: Add a layer of vegetarian Italian sausage in the middle of the Lasagna.
CHANGE IT UP: Stuffed Jumbo Shells or Manicotti: Ladle Tomato Sauce into the bottom of the baking dish; place prepared Jumbo Shells or Manicotti, filled with Tofu Ricotta, on top. Cover with additional sauce and bake until bubbly.
SHORTCUT: Use a jar of commercial spaghetti sauce, Tofutti Sour Cream (in place of the Aioli in the Tofu Ricotta), and oven-ready noodles for a lasagna that comes together in a flash.
Tofu Ricotta
Taste it…adjust the seasonings if you need to. If it tastes good plain, it will be GREAT in the lasagna.
2 packages (14 ounces) water-packed tofu, firm or extra-firm
1 package (16 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and drained (optional)
1 cup Aioli or commercial soy sour cream or soy mayonnaise
¼ cup lemon juice
¼ cup cane juice crystals or other sweetener
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
¾ teaspoon onion powder
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
Drain excess water from tofu.
Mash tofu in a large bowl with a potato masher or your hands.
Add remaining ingredients to tofu; mix well. Add additional salt or sweetener if needed.
Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup green bell pepper, chopped (optional)
8 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons dried basil
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon salt
5 cans (28 ounces) tomatoes (any kind will work--crushed, diced, pureed, or sauce)
2 tablespoons maple syrup or other sweetener
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until onions are translucent, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes.
Add basil, oregano, and salt to stock pot; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add tomatoes and maple syrup to stock pot; stir well. Add water if needed.
Bring to a boil over high heat; lower to a simmer and cook 1 hour. Makes 12 cups.
NOW & LATER: Freeze half of this recipe so you are one step ahead the next time you make an Italian meal.
Tofutti brand tofu products can be found at the Kroger store on Conner Street in Noblesville, Indiana.
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