Disclaimer:

How I select the products, I link to:

I am committed to creating experiences that help you take action toward living your most vital, healthiest life.

As part of the Eat Like A Vegan Chef concept, I will occasionally include links to relevant products I feel could be helpful to my readers.

While all products are chosen independently, I want you to know that Eat Like A Vegan Chef may receive a small share of the revenue if you make a purchase at the retailer’s site by clicking on one of the links we provide.

As you probably heard already, I will feature my Five for Friday, a list of what I’m reading, cooking, thinking about, and exploring every week.

If you would like me to feature a particular topic, vegetable, or book, just send me an email or use the Contact Me link to send me a message.

Nutrition Fact of the week:

Brazil nuts reduce cholesterol and are good for your brain...

Brazil nuts have been shown to reduce total and LDL cholesterol levels (known as ‘bad cholesterol) due to their heart-healthy polyunsaturated fatty acid profile, high fiber, and mineral-rich content.

Just one serving of Brazil nuts is sufficient to improve lipid profiles in healthy adults.

Brazil nuts contain a polyphenol known as ellagic acid, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that may offer neuroprotective and anti-depressant effects on the brain.

Further research has shown that selenium supports key brain signaling pathways such as GABA and dopamine signaling within the central nervous system, which is particularly important in conditions such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease.

One word of caution, don't eat too many servings at once due to the high selenium levels. Just one or two nuts per day do the trick. Dr. Greger said that one serving of Brazil nuts is enough to reduce your cholesterol for 30 days. That said, only if you let go of animal products...:)

Source: BBC good food

My Featured Fruit or Vegetable of the Week - Asparagus

Asparagus comes in four varieties: green, white, purple, and wild.

Purple asparagus is reported to be more tender and sweeter, too.

Purple asparagus must be treated specially to maintain its color through the cooking process. White is only so because it is covered with dirt during the final stages of its growth, robbing it of chlorophyll. White asparagus must be peeled and cooked and without doubt, it is highly prized in Europe.

The most common US variety, green asparagus, ranges in shade from light to medium green, with dark or purple tips.

It varies in width and length but tends to be sold at around 8–10 inches.

Its flavor is mildly sulphuric, mostly sweet and slightly nutty.

When shopping, look for the thinnest stalks possible; these are the most tender. However, the medium stalks are perfect for grilling.

Steer clear of the limp and the wilted.

The asparagus should have a fresh scent; if they smell musty, go for a different vegetable ( or a different supermarket).

Most asparagus come in bunches, so look for a uniform shape and width to ensure the spears cook uniformly.

Asparagus season generally runs from April to mid-June and sometimes into July in the northern US, and starts earlier in more southerly climes (around February in California).

Like most green vegetables, asparagus is good for you.

Among its healthful properties are folate, Vitamin C, potassium, inulin (which is said to be “prebiotic” and is known to aid in digestion), anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and possibly anti-cancer effects.

Asparagus has also been used medicinally as a laxative, and its cooking water has been used as a wash to treat acne.

Source: Foodprint

Asparagus is low in calories and very nutritious. 

Just half a cup (90 grams) of cooked asparagus contains (1):

Calories: 20

Protein: 2.2 grams

Fat: 0.2 grams

Fiber: 1.8 grams

Vitamin C: 12% of the RDI

Vitamin A: 18% of the RDI

Vitamin K: 57% of the RDI

Folate: 34% of the RDI

Potassium: 6% of the RDI

Phosphorous: 5% of the RDI

 Vitamin E: 7% of the RDI

Source: Healthline

The Book I am currently reading: 

Becoming Supernatural by Dr. Joe Dispenza

The author of the New York Times bestseller “You Are the Placebo”, as well as “Breaking the Habit of Being Yourself and Evolve Your Brain”, draws on research conducted at his advanced workshops since 2012 to explore how ordinary people are doing the uncommon to transform themselves and their lives.

An absolutely mind-bending book that has changed the way I conduct meditation…

Here are some of the topics discussed in the book.

•   Demystifying the body’s 7 energy centers and how you can balance them to heal
  • How to free yourself from the past by reconditioning your body to a new mind
     • How you can create reality in the generous present moment by changing your energy
     • The difference between third-dimension creation and fifth-dimension creation
     • The secret science of the pineal gland and its role in accessing mystical realms of reality
     • The distinction between Space-Time vs. Time-Space realities

Doctor or Practitioner of the Week

Stephanie Kreun, (BS Exercise Physiology & Nutrition) (SWIHA)

One of my favorite interviews has been with Stephanie Kreun, (BS Exercise Physiology & Nutrition) (SWIHA) who created an excellent presentation about our Microbiome.

As you know, our gut microbiome controls everything from the digestion of food, the immune system, our central nervous system, and other bodily processes.

Needless to say, without a healthy microbiome, we cannot lose weight. I hope you will join me in this very exciting presentation.

You can watch the entire presentation on YouTube by following the link below.

Please give it a thumbs up and subscribe to my channel if you enjoyed this presentation :) Thank you!

https://youtu.be/mU9RUhxxPms

Quote of the week

 “WHEN DIET IS WRONG, MEDICINE IS OF NO USE. WHEN DIET IS CORRECT, MEDICINE IS OF NO NEED.” – AYURVEDIC PROVERB

As promised here is the Featured Recipe:

 Best,

Chef Frank

Founder of Eat Like a Vegan Chef