Let's be serious, who doesn't like hummus? What makes hummus even more fantastic is the fact that the basic ingredients are often accessible if you are in or near a big city . You can spice things up by adding... really whatever you think will taste good!
Dreena Burton has an entire section on hummus in her cookbook "eat, drink & be vegan". I've been making the Olive and Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus, which has been a huge success!
2 cups - cooked chickbeas (garbanzo beans)
3-31/2 tbsp - freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp - tahini
2 tbsp - extra virgin olive oil
1 - medium clove garlic, sliced
1/2 tsp - sea salt
freshly ground pepper to taste
3-5 tbsp - water (to thin dip as desired)
1/4 cup - pitted green olives
1/4 cup - pitted kalamata olives
2 tbsp - sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained, patted dry and sliced.
Notes for those living abroad: BE CREATIVE! Chances are you will only be able to find canned garbanzo beans and olives, fine! You can use regular salt instead of sea salt, you can use garlic powder if you don't have garlic (and you brought garlic powder), you can skip the sun-dried tomatoes or make your own, you can use bottled lemon juice, etc.
Clearly, if you are out in a rural community you might not have access to anything close to these ingredients (and you may not have electricity for a food processor/blender!)... but if you are near a city, hunt around in grocery stores and I bet you'll be surprised what you can find. I was lucky when I was in Freetown, Sierra Leone last summer... most grocery stores are owned and thus stocked by Lebanese so I had access to all of these ingredients albeit canned (and sometimes expired..)...
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Dietary Supplements
While traveling or living abroad it can be difficult to get all of the vitamins and minerals your body needs. Regardless of travel, it is wise to talk to a doctor or nutritionist about your diet and what, if any, supplements would support you. In addition to wanting to ensure you get enough of the right vitamins and minerals you also want to be sure you don't get too much. Not being a doctor myself I will refrain from getting too specific and simply to encourage you to find out what your body needs and to bring those supplements with you when you travel.
If you don't have time to check in with a doctor here are three basic supplements I recommend based on my experience.
Juice Plus: If you aren't getting enough fruits and vegetables, Juice Plus supplements are a great way to give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs. When I am on the road and am not sure I will have access to an adequate supply of fruits and veggies, I take Juice Plus. Actually, my entire family takes Juice Plus and we have noticed, particularly with my younger brother, that taking the supplements helps his mood and results in his craving healthier food.
Daily Vitamin: A daily vitamin supplement can rarely do harm. Again, it's good to talk to a doctor about your specific needs, but daily vitamins are composed in such a way to avoid overdosing yourself with vitamins and minerals. One daily vitamin a day can do wonders to keep your immune system strong and your energy high.
B12: If you are a vegetarian and especially if you are a vegan, you should consider taking a B12 supplement. If you are doing vegetarianism/veganism the right way, you should be getting the majority of all of the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. B12, however, is more difficult to get from a plant-based diet. Inadequate consumption of B12 can result in anemia and nervous system damage. You can find more information on B12 here.
If you don't have time to check in with a doctor here are three basic supplements I recommend based on my experience.
Juice Plus: If you aren't getting enough fruits and vegetables, Juice Plus supplements are a great way to give your body the vitamins and minerals it needs. When I am on the road and am not sure I will have access to an adequate supply of fruits and veggies, I take Juice Plus. Actually, my entire family takes Juice Plus and we have noticed, particularly with my younger brother, that taking the supplements helps his mood and results in his craving healthier food.
Daily Vitamin: A daily vitamin supplement can rarely do harm. Again, it's good to talk to a doctor about your specific needs, but daily vitamins are composed in such a way to avoid overdosing yourself with vitamins and minerals. One daily vitamin a day can do wonders to keep your immune system strong and your energy high.
B12: If you are a vegetarian and especially if you are a vegan, you should consider taking a B12 supplement. If you are doing vegetarianism/veganism the right way, you should be getting the majority of all of the vitamins and minerals you need to be healthy. B12, however, is more difficult to get from a plant-based diet. Inadequate consumption of B12 can result in anemia and nervous system damage. You can find more information on B12 here.
Know what you are eating - Cook when you can and bring supplements
1) Eat out less aka prepare your own meals OR make better choices at restaurants.
Many travelers or expatriates get stuck in routines of eating out. It takes time and energy to grocery shop, plan meals, and cook - I am the first to admit it! However, regardless of where you are in the world, eating out adds unnecessary calories to your diet. If you have a kitchen, use it (at least most of the time). It is comforting to know what you are putting into your body and it is also healthier. Cooking your own meal you will feel much more confident about the nutrients you are receiving and, depending on where you are in the world, making your own food can prevent you from getting... food poisoning or milder versions of intestinal dis-ease!! Even here in the U.S. you don't know all of the ingredients that go into your food, you don't know how long those ingredients have been sitting out, and you don't know what kind of nasty oils are being used to make your food taste greasy and delicious! Of course you should go out a few times and sample the local cuisine, but you will most certainly be eating better and gaining less pounds if you choose what goes into your meal.
If you can, research places to stay and try to find somewhere that has a communal kitchen.
If you are a consultant or vacationer staying in a hotel it is understandable if you are eating out for most meals - but make healthy choices. Go for the oatmeal and fruit rather than pastries. Make one of your big meals a salad, ask if they can make fruit smoothies, and say no to the fries!
If you prepared ahead knowing you would not have a kitchen to make your own meals then add and eat the meal-supplements you brought. This brings me to the next piece of advice.
2) Bring supplements!
Bring supplements no matter if you are cooking your meals abroad or eating at restaurants, but especially if you don't have your own kitchen. What do I mean by supplements? Well yes of course I mean your vitamins, but I'll do another post on that... What I really mean here are things that can replace and/or supplement a meal. Meal bars, meal bars, meal bars!! I can't tell you how many times meal bars have saved me while traveling. If I'm too busy to cook a meal and don't want to eat out, I have a protein-rich meal bar. I will do another post on what kinds of meal bars I recommend.
Other forms of supplements include: nuts, dried fruit, almond butter, and flax meal. These are just a few examples. I use nuts as a snack instead of eating whatever the local fried delicacy is (although I totally support going for that at least once!). Dried fruit, almond butter and flax meal are great to add to your oatmeal or hot cereal. You can also sprinkle these things over a salad to make it crunchier, heartier, and more nutrient-rich depending on what comes on the salad. Almond butter is great to add onto your apples and bananas as a snack or for breakfast. As always, get creative and leave space in your suitcase for your mini-pantry!
Many travelers or expatriates get stuck in routines of eating out. It takes time and energy to grocery shop, plan meals, and cook - I am the first to admit it! However, regardless of where you are in the world, eating out adds unnecessary calories to your diet. If you have a kitchen, use it (at least most of the time). It is comforting to know what you are putting into your body and it is also healthier. Cooking your own meal you will feel much more confident about the nutrients you are receiving and, depending on where you are in the world, making your own food can prevent you from getting... food poisoning or milder versions of intestinal dis-ease!! Even here in the U.S. you don't know all of the ingredients that go into your food, you don't know how long those ingredients have been sitting out, and you don't know what kind of nasty oils are being used to make your food taste greasy and delicious! Of course you should go out a few times and sample the local cuisine, but you will most certainly be eating better and gaining less pounds if you choose what goes into your meal.
If you can, research places to stay and try to find somewhere that has a communal kitchen.
If you are a consultant or vacationer staying in a hotel it is understandable if you are eating out for most meals - but make healthy choices. Go for the oatmeal and fruit rather than pastries. Make one of your big meals a salad, ask if they can make fruit smoothies, and say no to the fries!
If you prepared ahead knowing you would not have a kitchen to make your own meals then add and eat the meal-supplements you brought. This brings me to the next piece of advice.
2) Bring supplements!
Bring supplements no matter if you are cooking your meals abroad or eating at restaurants, but especially if you don't have your own kitchen. What do I mean by supplements? Well yes of course I mean your vitamins, but I'll do another post on that... What I really mean here are things that can replace and/or supplement a meal. Meal bars, meal bars, meal bars!! I can't tell you how many times meal bars have saved me while traveling. If I'm too busy to cook a meal and don't want to eat out, I have a protein-rich meal bar. I will do another post on what kinds of meal bars I recommend.
Other forms of supplements include: nuts, dried fruit, almond butter, and flax meal. These are just a few examples. I use nuts as a snack instead of eating whatever the local fried delicacy is (although I totally support going for that at least once!). Dried fruit, almond butter and flax meal are great to add to your oatmeal or hot cereal. You can also sprinkle these things over a salad to make it crunchier, heartier, and more nutrient-rich depending on what comes on the salad. Almond butter is great to add onto your apples and bananas as a snack or for breakfast. As always, get creative and leave space in your suitcase for your mini-pantry!
A little bit of preparation can go a long way!
If you have the luxury of having sufficient information about your destination, you can plan and prepare to support a healthier experience.
Some things that are useful to research ahead of time: Will you have a kitchen? What are the staple foods? If you are traveling for a short period of time and staying in a hotel, chances are you won't have access to your own kitchen. However, many hostels have shared kitchens and if you are renting an apartment space you hopefully will have your own place to cook!
I've had internships abroad in the past where I've shared a living space with other members of the NGO - I've emailed them ahead of time to ask about the kitchen and even to ask questions as specific as "do you have a blender?" so that I knew in advance that I would be able to make certain things i.e. smoothies, protein shakes, soups, hummus etc. One time when I went to London and knew I would not have access to a blender I bought and brought a Bella Cucina Rocket Blender. I know it sounds crazy, but as a vegetarian (at that point in time), my morning protein shakes were essential. Sure it was a bit of a space-taker in my bag, but I was willing to sacrifice a pair of shoes to have my healthy mornings. Make sure to bring a voltage converter if necessary.
Knowing what the staple foods are in your destination country can help you think ahead as to what you will be able to make for yourself. For example, rice is a staple in many countries. If you know you will have access to rice you can start to research recipes that use rice i.e. simple soups, stews, and stir fries. You can research what other ingredients you will need to make these recipes. Sauces and curries go great over rice - so research what you will need to make those. Then you can pack the ingredients that you don't think you will be able to buy once you are abroad. Many sauces don't require nearly as much as you would think so you're simply adding a little pantry section to your suitcase and vastly expanding your meal options when cooking with rice. You can make enough rice to make multiple meals like this throughout the week and with leftovers you can get creative and make, for example, Dreena Burton's Next-Day Rice Patties.
By planning ahead and knowing what resources will be available you can really get creative with what you make. Often times packing a bag of a variety of herbs and spices can transform your meal options abroad. Bring the ingredients you know you'll need and the recipes you want to try out. If you are really inspired - try making the recipes BEFORE you leave your home so that the task of cooking doesn't feel quite as daunting when you get there.
A little bit of advance preparation can go a long way in helping you create home-cooked, healthy and taste-bud pleasing meals abroad.
Some things that are useful to research ahead of time: Will you have a kitchen? What are the staple foods? If you are traveling for a short period of time and staying in a hotel, chances are you won't have access to your own kitchen. However, many hostels have shared kitchens and if you are renting an apartment space you hopefully will have your own place to cook!
I've had internships abroad in the past where I've shared a living space with other members of the NGO - I've emailed them ahead of time to ask about the kitchen and even to ask questions as specific as "do you have a blender?" so that I knew in advance that I would be able to make certain things i.e. smoothies, protein shakes, soups, hummus etc. One time when I went to London and knew I would not have access to a blender I bought and brought a Bella Cucina Rocket Blender. I know it sounds crazy, but as a vegetarian (at that point in time), my morning protein shakes were essential. Sure it was a bit of a space-taker in my bag, but I was willing to sacrifice a pair of shoes to have my healthy mornings. Make sure to bring a voltage converter if necessary.
Knowing what the staple foods are in your destination country can help you think ahead as to what you will be able to make for yourself. For example, rice is a staple in many countries. If you know you will have access to rice you can start to research recipes that use rice i.e. simple soups, stews, and stir fries. You can research what other ingredients you will need to make these recipes. Sauces and curries go great over rice - so research what you will need to make those. Then you can pack the ingredients that you don't think you will be able to buy once you are abroad. Many sauces don't require nearly as much as you would think so you're simply adding a little pantry section to your suitcase and vastly expanding your meal options when cooking with rice. You can make enough rice to make multiple meals like this throughout the week and with leftovers you can get creative and make, for example, Dreena Burton's Next-Day Rice Patties.
By planning ahead and knowing what resources will be available you can really get creative with what you make. Often times packing a bag of a variety of herbs and spices can transform your meal options abroad. Bring the ingredients you know you'll need and the recipes you want to try out. If you are really inspired - try making the recipes BEFORE you leave your home so that the task of cooking doesn't feel quite as daunting when you get there.
A little bit of advance preparation can go a long way in helping you create home-cooked, healthy and taste-bud pleasing meals abroad.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Epicurious
If you haven't discovered Epicurious yet, now is the time. This is the #1 online recipe resource. You can search for recipes by season/occasion, type of dish, dietary consideration, cuisine, main ingredient, meal/course, source and preparation method. It's pretty self-explanatory.
The main point here is how useful epicurious is as a cooking tool while you are abroad. For those with the will to cook (which is a challenge in and of itself), the main challenge is working with the ingredients available to you. Sometimes it is challenging to find the ingredients you need to make meals you are accustomed to. With epicurious you can search out what is available locally and then use this information to search using these products as the primary ingredient. For example, if eggplants are abundant, search epicurious with eggplant as the main ingredient to see all of the recipes that focus on eggplants! From there you can sift through recipes to see what is doable with the rest of the ingredients available to you in that location.
Yes, you have to decide: "I want to cook with what's available". Beyond that, it's pretty simple!
Enjoy exploring this amazing resource!
The main point here is how useful epicurious is as a cooking tool while you are abroad. For those with the will to cook (which is a challenge in and of itself), the main challenge is working with the ingredients available to you. Sometimes it is challenging to find the ingredients you need to make meals you are accustomed to. With epicurious you can search out what is available locally and then use this information to search using these products as the primary ingredient. For example, if eggplants are abundant, search epicurious with eggplant as the main ingredient to see all of the recipes that focus on eggplants! From there you can sift through recipes to see what is doable with the rest of the ingredients available to you in that location.
Yes, you have to decide: "I want to cook with what's available". Beyond that, it's pretty simple!
Enjoy exploring this amazing resource!
Preface - I am a vegan
I should preface all other entries by informing readers of my recent decision to become vegan. Because I am excited about veganism and am enjoying the change I will definitely be sharing tips on how to be a healthy vegan abroad. However, most everything I write should be applicable to non-vegans (and vegan meals are usually enjoyed by carnivores too). You won't see any entries on how to find or cook meat. Because my boyfriend is a vegetarian and still eats dairy and fish, you may see postings that include some of his/our explorations on that dietary front.
Why did I make the change? For a few reasons. Two years ago I did the quantum wellness cleanse (see link on the right under recommended reading), which requires, among other things, a vegan diet. I had never felt better! Unfortunately, because my motivation was primarily weight loss, the diet change didn't stick after I had achieved my weight loss goals. Thinking back on how good I felt during this first stint with veganism was an added motivation this past June when I revisited the idea.
I've always been mostly vegetarian. I have had an aversion to meat since I was born, but would randomly crave and eat certain kinds of meat. Over the past few years I worked hard to make myself eat fish thinking it was the best way for my veggie-self to get protein. Three years ago I discovered I was intolerant to dairy so I was already eating significantly less cheese, cooking with vegan butter, drinking almond/rice milk etc. This past spring I felt like something I was eating was still making me feel...off, so I cut eggs out. A few weeks later blood tests showed that I am, in fact, intolerant to eggs. That is all to say that, in June, I had medical reasons for re-thinking about veganism.
So no meat, no dairy, no eggs, all I had to do was cut fish out again and I'd be vegan. I started to do some research on the benefits of veganism, how to get the right nutrients and the philosophical reasons behind veganism. It all started to make sense to me. I had always disliked meat because of the texture and I couldn't eat anything that resembled what it once was. I disliked egg yokes and anything stringy. I needed to turn my mind off when eating animal products to avoid thinking about the fact that I was eating another living creature. I had to turn off my natural instinct to connect with all living creatures.
All of this combined with my yoga practice and desire to teach yoga... the stars aligned and I went vegan. I am not going to use this forum to preach the benefits of veganism, but I will say that I don't miss any of the things I thought I would miss! There are ways to fulfill cravings and create tastes similar to those of products that you miss. For example, a tofu scramble (instead of scrambled eggs) is delicious! Carob chips instead of chocolate chips = yummy. The list goes on...
So there you have it. I won't try to convince you to be vegan, but a lot of my tips, recipes etc. come from a vegan perspective! I also highly recommend the quantum wellness cleanse for anyone who is trying to lose weight, detox, or figure out what is upsetting their system. See how you feel and then make permanent dietary decisions/changes based on your own body's experience and wisdom.
Why did I make the change? For a few reasons. Two years ago I did the quantum wellness cleanse (see link on the right under recommended reading), which requires, among other things, a vegan diet. I had never felt better! Unfortunately, because my motivation was primarily weight loss, the diet change didn't stick after I had achieved my weight loss goals. Thinking back on how good I felt during this first stint with veganism was an added motivation this past June when I revisited the idea.
I've always been mostly vegetarian. I have had an aversion to meat since I was born, but would randomly crave and eat certain kinds of meat. Over the past few years I worked hard to make myself eat fish thinking it was the best way for my veggie-self to get protein. Three years ago I discovered I was intolerant to dairy so I was already eating significantly less cheese, cooking with vegan butter, drinking almond/rice milk etc. This past spring I felt like something I was eating was still making me feel...off, so I cut eggs out. A few weeks later blood tests showed that I am, in fact, intolerant to eggs. That is all to say that, in June, I had medical reasons for re-thinking about veganism.
So no meat, no dairy, no eggs, all I had to do was cut fish out again and I'd be vegan. I started to do some research on the benefits of veganism, how to get the right nutrients and the philosophical reasons behind veganism. It all started to make sense to me. I had always disliked meat because of the texture and I couldn't eat anything that resembled what it once was. I disliked egg yokes and anything stringy. I needed to turn my mind off when eating animal products to avoid thinking about the fact that I was eating another living creature. I had to turn off my natural instinct to connect with all living creatures.
All of this combined with my yoga practice and desire to teach yoga... the stars aligned and I went vegan. I am not going to use this forum to preach the benefits of veganism, but I will say that I don't miss any of the things I thought I would miss! There are ways to fulfill cravings and create tastes similar to those of products that you miss. For example, a tofu scramble (instead of scrambled eggs) is delicious! Carob chips instead of chocolate chips = yummy. The list goes on...
So there you have it. I won't try to convince you to be vegan, but a lot of my tips, recipes etc. come from a vegan perspective! I also highly recommend the quantum wellness cleanse for anyone who is trying to lose weight, detox, or figure out what is upsetting their system. See how you feel and then make permanent dietary decisions/changes based on your own body's experience and wisdom.
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