Additional sources of veggie based protein

One challenge of a veg* diet is getting enough protein into the plan. Tofu is the obvious "go to" candidate, but it's not enjoyed by all folks, and it wears out pretty fast as a steady ingredient in your culinary plans. Therefore, I've been learning to diversify protein sources, and was encouraged to come across this article, which highlights additional options. If you're looking to diversify your veg* cuisine, check this article out. A good vegetarian cookbook helps out a whole lot, too :-)

Nothing like a little dark chocolate

So it turns out that the beneficial effects of dark chocolate are actually due to digestive tract bacteria, not just the chocolate itself. Here's to those bacteria, folks :-)

Tasty and simple potato salad

I received some purple fingerling potatoes this week and was wondering what to do with them. I saw this recipe on a flyer and decided to give it a try. It's easy to make and quite good, a great salad for those summer picnics ahead, too. Take care not to overcook the potatoes, otherwise they'll fall apart and the salad will become pasty (I almost ended up there!) I didn't have radishes on hand, so I substituted chopped celery, and it worked out fine.

Your stage in life matters

This article from the L.A. Times is an insightful look at the effects of dietary protein and aging.

Personally, my important take-aways are the following:

• Vegetarian protein sources are preferable over animal based ones (just my opinion, but I think it's a better plan for an older adult in particular).
• This quote from biogerontologist Valter Longo says it all, “Your stage in life matters”. Make sure you research and act on health, vitality, and longevity approaches that make sense for your stage in life :-)

Clean nutrients

Dunno about the liver cleanse part, but there are good tips for clean nutrients in this article.

Good resource on dried legumes

Peas, lentils, and chickpeas (garbanzo) are nutritional cornerstones of many world diets. They're an important protein source, gluten free, and here's a great website to learn more about them and how to use them creatively in cooking.