Protein sources

One issue with avoiding the usual protein sources (meat and dairy) is identifying and leveraging alternative ones. I'm personally not a big fan of products that label themselves as vegetarian, yet are fundamentally processed and marketed to be synonymous with meat or dairy (e.g., vegetarian "bacon", "burgers", vegan "eggs" etc.) I'm not saying such products are null and void, I just don't think that's the right approach.

So, with that in mind, here are a few protein options for a reduced (or non) meat and dairy diet:

• Tofu (an obvious choice),Tempeh, Tahini, and Hummus
• Edamame (fresh,frozen, or dried - great for salads, snacking, or as a garnish)
• Quinoa (high in protein for a grain-like ingredient)
• Beans/Legumes (another obvious choice)
• Nuts (often used in the formulation of those veggie "burgers" anyway)

For sure, make sure you get some input from these sources each day, to provide sufficient protein input to your body.

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

If you're pressed for time to prepare a veggie side dish, try the following quick eggplant parmesan approach:

Quick Eggplant Parmesan for one (15 min to prepare)

Ingredients:

• 1 Japanese eggplant
• 1 Tsp. EVOO
• 3/4 cup marinara sauce (for example, Classico Organic Tomato & Basil)
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• Fresh shredded or grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

• Wash and slice the eggplant into 1/4" rounds
• Put the EVOO in a frypan and heat to mild frying temperature
• Put the eggplant rounds in the heated oil, sprinkle with the salt, and let them saute for about 2 min on the first side.
• Flip the rounds, cook on the other side, until the rounds soften and darken in color.
• Remove the rounds to a microwave-safe dish
• Pour the marinara sauce over the top
• Cover the dish with a paper towel (to prevent splattering) and heat the dish in a 1200 watt microwave about 2 - 3 min at 20% power (just long enough to heat the marinara sauce through).
• Remove, sprinkle with fresh shredded or grated parmesan, and enjoy when cool enough to eat!

 Easy, huh?

Food and drug interactions to avoid

I came across this interesting article on the Yahoo! Health Network that highlights some natural food and drug interactions to avoid. Read up on this, if you're in to green tea and pomegrante juice for their antioxidant effects, but also taking certain medications, you should revise your beverage choices. Others are highlighted as well, good to know about this stuff!