Replacing eggs in a recipe can be tricky. Eggs are used for different purposes – to leaven (make rise) a cake, to bind a filling, to lighten a batter, to become a pudding or custard, to be the main food.

So if you don’t want to eat eggs, what do you substitute?

TO BIND, LEAVEN OR LIGHTEN
One of the easiest ways is to use a commercial product. Ener-G Egg Replacer is pretty good at everything except being an egg. Use it in cookies, cakes, brownies, breads, and even quiche. Just add the powder to the right amount of water and mix it up. You have “egg replacer.”

Other options include:

• 1 teaspoon arrowroot powder, 1 teaspoon soy powder, and 1/4 cup water
• 1 Tablespoon tahini (sesame paste) and 3 Tablespoons. of any liquid, such as juice
• 2 ounces of tofu blended with any liquid
• 1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed blended with 3 Tablespoons water until frothy
• 1/2 banana, mashed

If you need to replace an egg that will be the star of the show – in egg salad or scrambled eggs – or you’re making pudding or custard, then tofu is a better substitute.

STARRING ROLE
Mashed tofu works great in eggless salad and scrambled tofu. You may think you won’t like tofu, but the secret is cooking it with enough flavors that it takes on those flavors. Saute some vegetables, season them, and add mashed tofu. Cook it together for about 5 minutes, so the flavors blend.

PUDDINGS
Silken tofu makes good pudding and mousse. Put it in the blender with some liquid to thin it, and add flavors. MoriNu makes packets of different flavors to add to the tofu and liquid, or you can experiment with your own flavors.

The Cornell University Food and Brand Lab found that people who eat off of typical 12-inch plates regularly consume 27% more at meals than those who eat off of smaller 10-inch plates.

The bigger your plate is, the more you eat.

That’s because the bigger your plate is, the more food you have to put on it to make it “look right.” You know exactly what we mean. And once the food is on your plate, it’s as good as in your mouth. And then it’s on your hips. And you can’t figure out what to change – after all, you’re eating food that’s good for you!

So what would happen if you used smaller plates? You’d eat less, of course. But you certainly wouldn’t be hungry. If your set of dishes came with luncheon plates (between a salad plate and a dinner plate), use those exclusively. Or buy some new 10-inch plates. Or 9-inch plates. That’s plenty of room for the food you need.

Photo by Steve Woods

Vegetable-based supplements (like powdered green drinks) and water with added vitamins have become a big business. They’re everywhere, and their labels are loaded with health claims.

Before you spend money on those products, remember (because you do already know this) that no single supplement can replicate all the healthy components found in a variety of whole plant foods.

Vegetables, fruits, whole grains and legumes are packed with lots of healthful substances beyond vitamins, such as fiber, minerals and cancer-protective phytochemicals. Increasing your fruits and veggies can be almost as simple as popping a pill, be a lot more satisfying and is far more beneficial.

To get at least 5 servings a day (and really – you can get to at least 8 pretty easily) try these ideas. You won’t need to buy a special drink if you eat your vitamins the way nature packaged them – in food.

One supplement you may not get from a plant-based diet is B12, which is required for healthy nerves and blood. Get it in a multivitamin, B12 supplement or fortified cereals or soymilk, and some brands of nutritional yeast.

How old is your toothbrush?

If it’s older than 4 months, it’s time for a new one. Another option is to boil your toothbrush for 10 minutes to kill off the bacteria – but the bristles don’t last too much longer than 6 months anyway. Remember to switch out all the toothbrushes in the house.

When was the last time you flossed?

Why do we skip this simple step to better teeth? It’s so easy to floss, and it takes very little time. Flossing helps get rid of food particles between your teeth, and it also strengthens your gums.

You only get one set of teeth! Take care of them.

Photo by Sanja Gjenero

Fiber is only found in plant foods. That’s why vegetarians, and especially vegans, often have a high fiber intake – which is a good thing.

Fiber provides many benefits, including cancer prevention, lower rates of heart disease, diabetes and obesity.

There are two types of fiber: soluble and insoluble. It’s best to have both kinds in your diet, but most foods contain both kinds, so it’s easy to do. Fiber type isn’t noted on food labels or recommendations, so just eat from both categories, and you’ll be fine.

• Insoluble fiber * Not readily metabolized in your intestines and does not easily dissolve in water. It increases fecal bulk, and decreases intestinal transit time.
  Good sources * all plants, especially vegetables, wheat, wheat bran, rye and rice.
• Soluble fiber * Dissolves or swells in water and is readily metabolized in your intestines. Helps lower cholesterol and slow gastric emptying time (makes you feel full longer).
  Good sources * beans, fruits, oats, guar gum, locust bean gum.

Most health authorities recommend 25-35 grams of fiber per day as a minimum. The average American eats 14-15 grams/day – and vegetarians get 2-3 times that.

Examples of fiber content (1 serving is generally 1/2 cup)

• 5 grams/serving * beans, pear with skin, raspberries, whole wheat spaghetti, bran cereal
• 3 grams/serving * apple with skin, blueberries, corn, orange, potato with skin, strawberries
• 2 grams/serving * banana, broccoli, mango, mixed veggies, oatmeal, whole-grain bread, peach

Increase your fiber intake slowly, and increase your water intake as well, to avoid constipation.

Need another reason to eat less meat? How about antibiotic resistance?

The Food and Drug Administration is urging meat producers to limit the amount of antibiotics they give animals in response to public health concerns about the drugs.

The FDA said antibiotics in meat pose a “serious public health threat” because the drugs create antibiotic-resistant bacteria that can infect humans who eat it….

Of greater concern, the agency said, is when producers use antibiotics on healthy animals to speed growth and reduce feed costs. The agency is also concerned about antibiotics that are given continuously through feed or water to entire herds or flocks of animals.

Reported at The Huffington Post. Read the complete article.

From PCRM

Vegetarians have lower instances of depression, according to a new study in Nutrition Journal. Researchers looked at 60 vegetarians and 78 meat-eaters in the southwestern United States and found that vegetarians scored significantly better on standardized mood tests. The mood tests measured depression, anxiety, and stress and were compared to food frequency questionnaires.

Read more here.

Look for our exclusive Viva La Vegan! class here at Marilu.com – starts July 12! It’s your chance to try veganism in a supportive environment, with lots of coaching and recipes to try. Class is free to members. Not a member? Sign up here.

… So please get some to drink!

Did you know that your body is about 60 percent water by weight?

Some organs have an even higher percentage of water. Your brain? About 70 percent water. Your blood? Over 80 percent water. Your lungs? About 90 percent water.

Without adequate water intake, every system in your body slows down and becomes sluggish. It’s like those commercials for the oil that your car engine needs – when the engine oil gets sticky and gunky, your car breaks down. When your organs don’t get the water they need, they first start to take water from the less vital areas (like your skin, joints, bones, etc.) to supply the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Eventually, your whole body becomes inefficient and eventually breaks down.

How do you know you’re dehydrated?

First sign – thirst. Always drink water when you’re thirsty.

Other signs to look for –

• headache
• fatigue
• confusion
• loss of appetite
• flushed skin
• heat intolerance
• light-headedness
• dry mouth and eyes
• lack of skin elasticity
• stomach pains (can feel like hunger)
• slower metabolism (leads to weight gain)

So drink water. We recommend half your weight in ounces each day, up to a maximum of 100 ounces per day. So if you weigh 200 pounds or more, drink 100 ounces of water a day. If you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day.

Saturdays are often errand days. Are you prepared to be out and about all day?

• Did you eat a good, healthy breakfast? It really is the most important meal of the day – you’re breaking a fast (of 10-12 hours), so the first fuel of the day should be something that really starts your engine.
• Are you wearing clothes that make you look good, feel good, and can move comfortably in? When we look good, we feel better about everything. So don’t go out looking like something the cat dragged in. You can dress casually and comfortably in clothes that fit properly and are in a flattering color and style. Don’t forget shoes you can walk in – again, they should look good and feel good.
• Do you know where you’re going and what you’re doing? Make a list. Grab the things you need (reusable shopping bags, library books, movies, a basket or wagon or whatever for the farmer’s market, an umbrella if it looks like rain, clothes for the dry cleaner, a cooler if you’ll be out all day (for groceries), etc.). Figure out an efficient route before you leave.
• Are you stocked with water and maybe a snack? You don’t want to be tempted by a drive-through or mall food just because it’s in front of you. Stay hydrated by carrying your own water, and have a simple snack you can keep in your purse or bag. Trail mix, a healthy granola bar or power bar, an apple, some carrot sticks… you get the idea. This is especially important if you have kids with you. You will all have a better day if the kids are happy, and that includes not letting them get too hungry.
• Do you have a plan for dinner tonight? After a day of running around, the last thing you want to think about is what’s for dinner, but (try as you might) you won’t be able to ignore it. Figure it out before you go. Pick up anything you’ll need (that’s groceries, not fast food) while you’re out.

Now you’re ready. Have a great day.

June is dairy month, but… we don’t need no stinkin’ dairy. (Have you been in the cheese aisle lately? It really does smell like feet – the feet of a 13-year-old boy who hasn’t changed socks in a week. Not very appetizing, is it?

• After giving up dairy, people report having more energy, better digestion, better skin, less puffiness, and less stuffiness in their sinuses. Seriously – you’ll look and feel better. And you’ll smell better, too.
• Antibiotics are frequently used to treat the multitude of cow ailments that come from the common and unnatural dairy production practices such as hormone therapy, force feedings, and steroid use. If you’ve ever breastfed a baby, you know that whatever YOU eat, the baby also eats. Same thing works with the cow’s milk – whatever goes in the cow comes out in the cow’s milk. More antibiotics (and hormones, and steroids) for you.
• Milk and dairy products are not a necessary source of calcium. The type of calcium in cow’s milk is too coarse for absorption in the human body. Most of us get enough calcium through other foods like salmon, sardines, soybeans, tofu, nuts, sesame seeds, spinach, broccoli, and other dark green leafy vegetables. (Pssst – where do you think cows get calcium? From grasses, of course. Green grasses. Unless they’re only eating some kind of feed – then the calcium is a supplement. Learn from the cows! Get calcium from greens!)

Photo by D B