What is Celery Root?

One does not pass celery root in the produce section of the grocery store and pause to admire its attractiveness.  Quite the opposite, if you ask me, as celery root is one of the least attractive of vegetables.  It may actually be downright ugly.

I know, I know, those are harsh words, especially for a food that is not only tasty, but is loaded with tons of nutritional necessities.  And, for those of you, like me, who are trying to cut back on those dreaded carbohydrates, an excellent replacement for potatoes.

Pop Quiz:

                What Is Celeriac?

               

a)      a recently discovered planet in our solar system

b)      an arthritic condition found in aging rock stars

c)       a word describing a hilarious haircut

d)      another name for Celery Root

If you chose d, then you would be correct and win this fabulous prize:

Celery root is low in calories and high in flavor.  With only 9 carbs per serving (less than half as much as a potato) this is a great way to get your spuds in without the weight gain (or glucose spike).

Celeriac also offers these nutritional benefits:

·         good source of fiber and protein

·         high in manganese

·         no cholesterol

·         high in vitamin C and calcium

·         low sodium

·         nice source of iron

So how can you eat this root veggie?

Anyway ya want to.  Use celery root to replace any of your potato recipes, from soups to chips, casseroles to fries.  Grate it raw and add to salads; bake it or eat it mashed.  As I did in this absolutely delicious video:

Next time you’re in your local grocery store and pass by a gnarly lump of ugliness is the produce section, stop and grab some celery root.

You’ll be glad you did.

Until next time…

Peace,

Mike

livelife365

How to...Eat

Come on, who doesn’t know how to eat, right?  But there are certain foods that we eat all the time that are not that simple to prepare.  Take, for example, my latest video:

If you’re like me, you love asparagus, but may not know the best way to eat it.  The above video should help.

Some of my most popular videos are those where I demonstrate how to prepare and eat many of my favorite foods.  Like this one:

 

Simple, right?  I know, we all have been chowing down on watermelon most of our lives.  Okay, how about a more challenging food?

There are few veggies I love more than the thistle-laded artichoke, but, man, those guys are a chore to prepare…but well worth the effort.

And these tasty fruit:

That’s right, avocado are a fruit, not a vegetable, but amazingly delicious and good for you just the same.

Another one of my favorite fruits is mango.  What’s the best way to eat one?  Thought you’d never ask:

Every time I visit my favorite vacation destination, I always try to add a few more local delicacies to my palate.  Like papaya and passion fruit.  Here are the best ways to ingest them:

And don’t forget:

We all know how to eat, but some foods need more assistance than others.  My websites and my channel at YouTube have helped hundreds of thousands of people around the world discover and eat myriad fruits and veggies, all of them quite healthy for you.  Like these guys:

And some just for fun:

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

Most of you, I assume, know what this date is all about—lots of delicious Mexican food, right?!  Actually, Cinco de Mayo, besides literally meaning May 5^th, represents Mexico’s army’s victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, not to be confused with Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16^th.

But for many of us, Cinco de Mayo is all about celebrating the amazing culinary wonder of Mexican cuisine.  Hey, I’m all for cheering about who won what battle for whatever, but, more importantly it's really about how to make excellent salsa, right?  Check this out…

Actually, salsa is only one of the many reasons why I indulge in and love Mexican food.  Guacamole is another…

Okay, seriously, why else should you embrace this cool day?  How about healthy, tasty, easy to make enchiladas? 

I never heard of Cinco de Mayo until I migrated from New England out to Southern California in the eighties, but now this tasty holiday appears to be growing in popularity.  Whatever the reason, take today off and dive into some Mexican history, with some guac and salsa on the side.  Oh, and don’t forget the jalapenos…

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Hummus, Anyone?

If someone were to ask me a few years ago what one of my favorite snacks was, I would have probably said: potato chips, or some other salty treat. Hummus would have been far down the list; in fact, it would not have even made the list. Back then, I didn’t even know what hummus was. Do you?

Well, today, most of us have at least heard of hummus. But how many of you have actually eaten it? Interested in learning more about this intriguing food? Read on.

Hummus is a dip, spread, or paste made from cooked and mashed chickpeas. It is then blended with tahini (crushed and soaked sesame seeds), olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and salt. The best way for me to describe how this delicious spread is made is by letting watch this video:

 
Hummus is Middle Eastern in origin, and has been around forever. Chickpeas have been a food item for over 10,000 years. Wow, that’s a lot of hummus over the years, huh? Most people eat hummus with pita bread—tearing off pieces to use as a scoop. You can also use your favorite dipping chip or cracker. I like to eat it with soy chips. My favorites can be found at Glenny’s; and they are loaded with vegetable protein. A snack of soy chips and hummus, which I consume two or three times a week, gives me around 10.0 grams of healthy protein and 7.0 grams of fiber. And they taste amazing!

Besides being a wonderful source of vegetable protein and fiber, hummus is also high in vitamin C, calcium, and iron--and is a good source for antioxidants.

As for different types of hummus—shop around, there are dozens of flavors and styles and brands out there. And, as always, read the nutritional information—some are high in fat and calories (read the ingredients, see what you’re eating!). These days you can find hummus in most grocery stores. I love the eggplant hummus at Trader Joe’s. And this site has some excellent organic hummus and other products you may enjoy.

For all you lovers of hummus (like me!) out there, keep enjoying this flavorful food’s myriad tastes and healthy benefits. And for those of you who have yet to try hummus? Give it a shot; you may end up loving it and making it one of your favorite snacks.

For more about hummus, I suggest visiting these two great sites:
The Hummus Blog
Desert Candy

And, as always, you can enjoy self-help videos about health, personal development, entertainment and much more at my video site, livelife365.com.

Until next time...

peace,
Mike

Start The New Year Off Right!

Happy new year, hope your holiday season was good to you and yours.  Now it’s time to get back into it, start fresh, get those resolutions and goals in order, right?

Well, one would think that this would be one of those beginning of the new year posts resolving to lose weight, eat better and smarter, be kinder, show more compassion, and vow to help those less fortunate than oneself throughout the coming year.  And while I feel all of the above are worthy notions that we all need to strive toward (me included!!), this post is about food.   Good, hearty, healthy food to start the new year off right.

But let me touch back on those resolutions and goals for a second.  I have lots, including all of the aforementioned ones I touched on previously.  I am very close to re-launching my video site, along with publishing my latest music video.  I am putting the finishing touches on my self-help book that I am going to package with a CD and DVD for distribution in the first quarter of this new year.  I also have lots of other personal and professional goals that I am constantly challenging myself with, but for now, let’s eat.

As a vegetarian and vegan-wannabe, I am always looking for tasty protein choices and this three bean chili with red quinoa is perfect - it is loaded with fiber and protein, while tasting amazing.  The quinoa not  only adds delicious flavor and texture, but important amino acids missing in most vegetarian proteins.  Enough talk, watch:

It’s easy to make, here’s how:

Sauté six chopped cloves of garlic and one chopped onion in olive oil
Mix two parts water to one part red quinoa and boil
Open and drain one 16 oz. can of low sodium organic black beans, kidney beans, and pinto beans
Add 32 ounces of no sodium organic diced tomatoes to onions and garlic

Add spices:

1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp coriander
1 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp crushed red pepper
1 tbsp chili powder
Salt and pepper

Add the beans, bring to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes
When all the water is removed from the quinoa, add that to the mix, simmer another 15 minutes.

Some of you may be asking, What is quinoa?  It is a seed, loaded with fiber and protein, but a more complete protein than other veggie proteins.  Watch this  for more about quinoa:

And quinoa is simple to make:

Setting goals and resolving to be a better person are good things, but don’t just focus on the start or end of each year, do it throughout the year.  Just like this delicious veggie chili; it is just the ticket to get you through a cold winter’s day, but also great to eat throughout the year.

Here’s to an incredible 2011.  May all your resolutions and dreams come true.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Veg Out, Maui Style!

Aloha!

Er…I mean, greetings from the mainland. I am back from my wonderful trip across the Pacific, where my lovely wife and I enjoyed several laid back days of doing all those things we wish we could do during the “real” moments of our lives. Not that lounging on the beach, catching the sun’s rays, reading for pleasure and enjoyment, gazing meditatively at the ocean as if it held all the answers in the world, with nary a thought inside one’s head except where should we dine that evening are not “real” moments. It’s just that the reality of returning from mid-80’s weather to overnights in the 40’s, as well as awakening to the sound of the alarm clock and the angst of facing that day job are a tad bit lower on my “things I love to do” list than hanging out in Maui.

But life goes on, and I am thankful and lucky that I love my life here at home almost as much as the fantasy one I just left. Not that my vacation was all play and no work. While away I was focused, as I constantly am, on balance, especially managing my triad of balance: the harmonious union between the Mind, Body, and Spirit.

I was able to write daily, along with reading tons of articles and other interesting data that I am unable to catch up on during my hectic “regular” life. While somewhat limited physically (due to a troublesome right shoulder--yes, the left one used to be the bad one, but, eh, what can I say, they're a match pair), I still walked daily, often several miles along the convenient beach paths. My wife and I also experienced an incredible day volunteering at an organic farm in the quaint upcountry town of Kula; as soon as I edit all of the video footage I shot, I will share this experience right here and at my video site.

We also ate well, often, and, surprisingly, mostly healthy. One of the things I love best while on the island is the variety of fresh fruits and veggies available at farmer’s markets and grocery stores. Plus, most of the local restaurants prepare their meals with Maui-grown fruits and vegetables, like those my wife and I helped plant on that organic farm in Kula. I shot tons of videos showcasing the unique produce found in Hawaii (lots of new vids coming very soon!), and prepared my latest veg out dish using many of those fresh ingredients.

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: MAUI VEGGIE SCRAMBLE



Replace the butter with olive oil (or another vegetable oil) and the cheese with a vegetable-based cheese, and vegans can also enjoy this tasty dish.

One ingredient I forgot to add were fresh herbs. That scramble, while delicious as it was, could have been enhanced by adding some fresh basil or parsley…or the favorite herb of your choice. Before I left for the islands, I shot this video, which may explain why I had herbs, as well as aloha, on my mind:

GROW YOUR OWN HERBS



I may be back in the “real” world, the timely rhythm of the ocean a faint memory battling with dozens of other thoughts in my head, but all I need to do is close my eyes and I’m back on the island, the smell of Maui onions sautéing on the stove and the aloha spirit permeating my being like a breath of sultry air.

I hope all of your days are filled with everything that you desire them to be.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

That's Amore!

There are few things in this world I love to eat more than Italian food. Okay, in the past I have admitted to a mild Mexican food addiction, and you know while on my frequent walks a handful of almonds are never far from reach. But when in comes to down-home comfort foods, my mouth salivates to the savory aroma of garlic and onions sautéing in olive oil, soon to be joined by crushed tomatoes, maybe some black olives or eggplant, all served over my favorite pasta. Makes me want to break out into song:

“When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie, that’s amore!”

Hey, Dean Martin couldn’t have put it any better himself. Amore means “love” in Italian, and who doesn’t love pizza? Spaghetti? Ravioli? Meatballs? (I’ll take mine veggie-style, thank you). And, of course, that all-time classic: lasagna! I was raised on tomato sauce and pasta, enjoyed one variation or another of it every week, but for special occasions there was nothing like my mom's lasagna. Whenever I visit my family Back East, the first question out of my mother’s mouth is:

Mom: Michael, do you want me to make you anything special?
Mike: What do you think, Ma?
Mom: Huh?
Mike: You know.
Mom: Oh, yes…what?
Mike: Ma! Your lasagna! What else?
Mom: Oh, you like my lasagna, do you?
Mike: Come on, Ma, of course!
Mom: You sure?
Mike: Ma…
Mom: Huh?
Mike: Never mind…
Mom: I’ll make two.

And she does. My mouth is watering at the thought. What do you have to say about that, huh, Dean?

“When the stars make you drool just like pasta fagioli, that’s amore!”

Everything’s amore with this guy. The real question you may be asking yourself is: What is pasta fagioli? This video may help:

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: MIKE'S PASTA FAGIOLI



You may have noticed after viewing that video that Italian food, besides tasting delicious, can also be healthy for you. My pasta fagioli recipe is loaded with vegetable protein (24g) and is high in fiber (20g). And when you use low-sodium beans and tomatoes, olive oil and garlic, along with whole grain pasta, it can be a healthy meal option. Especially when you make your own marinara sauce. What’s that? Don’t know how to make marinara sauce? Here’s another video that will help:

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: SIMPLE MARINARA SAUCE



Looks like all that’s left to do is add some fresh grated Parmesan cheese and dig in. What’s that? Dean has one last thing to say?

“Scuzza me, but you see, back in old Napoli, that’s amore!”

No matter what language you say it in, I love Italian food! And when prepared right, it is not only one of the tastiest foods on earth, but also one of the healthiest.


Until next time…


peace,

Mike

Consider The Artichoke

While cruising the produce aisle of your favorite grocery store, have you ever passed by a display of artichokes and spontaneously reached out and grabbed one? Do you remember what happened? Yikes, right? One of the little thorns at the tips of this odd-looking vegetable may (or may not—maybe it only wanted to attack me!) have pricked you. This more than likely caused you to toss the little bugger back onto the pile of like little buggers and search out a safer, friendlier veggie, like, say, a serene tomato or mundane carrot. And it’s not just the fact that fondling (yes, I said fondle) this strange veggie may cause you harm, but look at the thing! It looks prehistoric! What with its fronds and thistle, its military green armor covering it. If you cross your eyes and look at it from afar, it could pass for a hand grenade. Eat it? I’m taking cover and running away from it!

But don’t judge this book by its cover, or, this veggie by its thorny thistle. Once you get past the look, the pain, and the labor of preparing this guy, it is well worth it. And let’s clear something up right now: This tasty treat is actually a flower. And the part of the artichoke that we eat is actually the plant’s flower bud.

Being a Californian, this time of year I start to see fresh, California-grown artichokes displayed in the produce aisle. Peak picking times are from March through May. And speaking of California, here are some:

CALIFORNIA ARTICHOKE FACTS:

* Nearly 100% of all artichokes are commercially grown in the Golden State
* Approximately 75% of these are grown in Monterey County
* Artichoke is considered the “Official vegetable of Monterey”
* The heart of the industry is located in Castroville, who proclaim that they are the “artichoke center of the world!”
(it says so right on the sign when you enter downtown)
* Every year the artichoke is celebrated with a huge festival in Castroville
* Cooler summers and frost-free winters of the California central coast, with the occasional fog keeping the air moist, are ideal growing conditions for artichokes

But how does one penetrate that armor-plated defense to get to all that goodness inside? I have produced this video to help those willing to venture forth and attack, ahem, I mean, enjoy an artichoke:

HOW TO...EAT AN ARTICHOKE



SOME MORE ARTICHOKE FUN FACTS YOU SHOULD KNOW:

* a member of the thistle group of the sunflower family
* if left to flower, the bud (the part that we see in the grocery) will blossom up to 7 inches and produce a pretty violet flower
* picked by hand and very labor-intensive using a special artichoke knife, a full basket carried by a field worker can weigh 80 pounds
* mentioned in literature as far back as 77 AD
* Spanish settlers brought artichokes to California in the 1600’s
* Marilyn Monroe was once named Artichoke Queen in Castroville, back in 1948

Besides tasting great, artichokes are high in fiber (6g) and have a decent amount of protein (4g). They are also low in calories (hold the butter!) and are a good source of potassium, vitamin C, folate, and magnesium. And speaking of butter…what is the best way to prepare them?

The most common way to eat an artichoke is to pull off the leaves and dip them into either butter or mayonnaise. I like to stay away from those fatty dairy dips and whipped up a tasty sauce made from spicy brown mustard, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. Try it, it may surprise you and it is vegan-friendly.

I absolutely love marinated artichoke hearts, would eat them all day if I could, but don’t because of the sodium. But I do add them to salads and sandwiches. In fact, my latest Veg Out With Mike Video has artichoke hearts in it. Take a look:



For some excellent artichoke recipes and for more information about artichokes, I suggest visiting these websites that I used for research for this post:

Castroville Artichoke Festival Recipes
Gourmet Sleuth
Artichokes.org

I love artichokes. I try to incorporate them into my diet as often as I can. They are loaded with healthy fiber and vegetable protein, and they taste amazing. Okay, you may get pricked and have to put aside some time to prepare them, but they are well worth the effort.

The next time you're cruising your produce aisle, I hope you consider the artichoke. I know I'm going to.


peace,

Mike

More Veg Out With Mike

One of my favorite hobbies is traveling, visiting new places, or revisiting old haunts, and exploring all that those areas have to offer. During these explorations, I often find myself seated at a table, fork in hand, excited to indulge in the local culinary offerings. My ultimate quest is to discover the best eggplant Parmesan trattoria or tastiest pizza palace. I also scour downtowns and back alleyways in search of classic Mexican or Asian cuisine, delectable vegetarian fare or delis that offer amazing subs, heroes, grinders, hoagies, Dagwoods…er, sandwiches. And don’t forget good, old-fashioned diner food.

Ahh, those were the days, right? I mean, you’re saying to yourselves: Mike can’t eat all that diner food, given that he’s a vegetarian, that he is constantly shoving healthy eating down our throats, that if he doesn’t use the word “fiber” in every other sentence something very bad may happen to him.

Hold on a second: FIBER, FIBER, FIBER!

There, I feel so much better. Where was I? Right, explaining how much I miss some of the greasy, tasty, fattening, comforting foods that are found in thousands of diners or cafes across the far reaches of this planet. Foods like fried chicken, chicken-fried steak, bacon and eggs, cheeseburgers, macaroni and cheese, Reuben sandwiches or a home-cooked turkey dinner with all the fixings. And meatloaf.

Man, of all those comfort foods that I have given up in search of a healthier, slimmer, happier Mike, meatloaf with mashed potatoes, smothered in brown gravy is tops on my list.

Wait, did someone mention brown gravy? Here’s a meat-free brown mushroom gravy that tastes as good as your granny used to make:

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: MUSHROOM GRAVY (VEGAN)



One of the reasons I created my VEG OUT WITH MIKE series was the need to find healthier ways to enjoy comfort foods, like meatloaf. But there’s one large obstacle for someone like me when it comes to meatloaf.

Ah, what’s that, Mike?

How about the first four letters.

You mean: M-E-A-T?

Bingo!

My challenge was to create a meatless meatloaf, without giving up flavor and texture, while not only satisfying my vegetarian and heart-healthy lifestyle, but a meatless loaf that was loaded with protein. Because like it or not (and I know many of you LOVE meat), meat remains the number one source of protein. And one of the biggest challenges for us veg-heads is making sure we get enough protein in our daily diets. Which brings me to my next video:

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: MEATLESS MEATLOAF



This meatless meatloaf has over 50 grams of vegetable protein and is loaded with FIBER…there’s that word again. And the best part: It tastes great!

But who can eat meatloaf, meatless or otherwise, without mashed potatoes? I already showed you how to make a delicious brown gravy, meat-free and healthy, now all we need are some potatoes (and a few veggies, like broccoli or cauliflower or asparagus or carrots, on the side), mashed and smothered with milk and butter, right?

WRONG!

These garlic smashed potatoes have no butter or milk. And I gotta tell ya, they are one of the tastiest dishes I’ve inhaled in a long time. A friend of mine just tried this recipe, a gentleman who loves his butter, by the way, and told me that these potatoes were amazing. To quote: “I actually tasted the potato…and that’s a good thing!” For the best mashed potatoes, and the healthiest, you’ve ever wolfed down, check out this video:

VEG OUT WITH MIKE: VEGAN-FRIENDLY GARLIC SMASHED POTATOES



Have I forgotten anything? I don’t think so. Okay, maybe dessert. I’m going to have to work on that one, perhaps for the next Veg Out With Mike.

Remember, comfort foods don’t have to be loaded with unhealthy fats and sodium and animal protein to still taste good…and bring you the comfort that has made them your favorites since childhood. I hope you enjoy one, or all, of the above recipes. And, as always, keep living your (healthy) life every day, every way with livelife365.

Until next time…

peace,

Mike

Me And My Modem

Where am I? Or better put: Where have I been? For those of you wondering if I've dropped off the face of the blogosphere, forgotten the importance of social networking, ignoring comments and site visits, I have an excuse.

MY MODEM BROKE!

Here is a photo of the little culprit, the reason why I have not been able to access the Internet for five days. Cute, ain't it?

One second I'm sitting at my workstation, doing my thing, earning my bread and butter as a telecommuter when...

BANG!

My DSL connection is no more. Maybe "Bang!" isn't quite right. It was more like:

Pfffftttttsszzzz....kapluuuuiiieee.

We've all been there before, all know the symptoms: connection all of a sudden no longer connected. Reboot, try again. Still nada. Pick up telephone and make that phone call we all dread, the one where some techie walks us through a version of hell that none of us are looking forward to, and then...nothing again. After a few hours of this it was finally diagnosed that I had a bad modem (please don't tell my wife!) and needed a replacement.

Here's where it gets good. The nice doctor, I mean, technical assistant, assured me that he would get a new modem out to me that day, Friday 1/23/09, with the promise of it being delivered to me the next day, Saturday 1/24/09.

DID YOU KNOW THAT YOU CAN'T TRACK A UPS PACKAGE WITHOUT A TRACKING NUMBER?

Of course you know that. But did you also know that you can't get a tracking number until SOMEONE ACTUALLY SHIPS YOUR PACKAGE!!

Bringing us to today, the day said package, containing my brand-new, shiny and wonderful modem, finally arrived, having been shipped not on Friday, but on Monday. Better late than never and thus ending this mess of a modem predicament.

No?

Not nearly. Newborn modem in hand, I call my favorite technical assistant and spend the next two hours attaching and reattaching cables and wires to hard drives and routers, troubleshooting and wishing it was 1975 when PC merely meant Politically Correct and not Personal Computer.

Finally, after munching on aspirin, an ice pack and heating pad on my shoulder and back, and my brain the consistency of my favorite breakfast food, me and my new best friend gave birth to a spanking new baby modem (I think I'll name it Marvin), and I am back in business, baby!

I appreciate all of you who continued to support my sites while I was in modem limbo and unable to participate in the social networking life that is so vital albeit exhausting yet integral and rewarding part of blogging. Continuing that same theme: I am putting the final touches on my latest song and video that just happens to be about social networking, called, "Social Network Blues." It should be ready for your listening and viewing pleasure in a few weeks.

My next post, as previously promised two posts ago, will be the second installment of Veg Out With Mike, featuring meatless meatloaf, garlic smashed potatoes, and brown gravy. Here is a preview:



Until next time...

peace,

Mike