You know you are kind of a nerd when you are sitting on the beach in St. Thomas reading Power Foods for the Brain by Dr. Barnard and thinking about what to post on your newly launched blog that you have been neglecting! The WiFi on the ship is slow and expensive so I am waiting until I’m back on solid ground.
The seminars by the leaders in the plant based eating field have been amazing and I am soaking up every opportunity to learn.
Last night I listened to Dr. Barnard speak about the “Cheese Trap” and how easy it is to become addicted to this food that is 70% saturated fat. It causes plaque build up in our brain and our arteries. Cheese contains casein, the protein found in milk, which breaks down in the stomach, producing casomorphines. These casomorphines contain morphine which has an opioid effect making you feel good and craving more. It also slows intestinal movements and causes constipation. It takes 10 pounds of milk to make 1 pound of cheese so it is a very concentrated form of saturated fat. The consumption of cheese has been linked to migraines, digestive problems, cancers, asthma and arthritis. As well, cheese can cause build up of aluminum in the brain which is a contributor to Alzheimer’s. This link will take you to Dr. Barnard’s talk on cheese and how it can adversely affect our health.
Here is the link to his book “The Cheese Trap” if you would like to learn more.
I recorded a 6 minute clip of Dr. Barnard’s speech that describes how it is that dairy cows are able to constantly supply milk to make into cheese. So if the health concerns cheese causes doesn’t worry you, this video might get your attention.
As an alternative, there are some amazing plant based cheeses made out of different nuts and tofu. My daughter, who is a cheese lover has been known to devour a whole package of these plant based cheeses on crackers at one sitting. Look for locally made brands at your farmers markets!
There are also some great cheesy dips out there that are fabulous on nachos and cruciferous veggies. My daughter loves broccoli with melted cheese on it so I am constantly looking for ways to entice her with vegan “cheese” recipes.
This dip is something I have worked on for a couple of years, tweaking it to be added fat free and actually healthy for you! It is easy to make, silky, easily pourable and looks just like cheddar cheese sauce because of the carrots and nutritional yeast in it. So if you can’t get your kids to eat cauliflower and brussel sprouts, this might be the sauce for you!
(This recipe has been modified from the original post recipe posted back in February 2018).
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups potatoes, sliced and steamed or boiled until tender
- 1 cup vegetable broth (saved from the steamed veggies)
- 1/2 cup carrots, sliced and steamed or boiled until tender
- 1/2 cup cashews, soaked in hot water for one hour (not necessary if you have a Vitamix)
- 1/2 cup onion, diced (approximately one small onion)
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or one clove of garlic
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (optional)
- a pinch of paprika (optional)
Instructions
- Soak the cashews in hot water then rinse and drain.
- Boil or steam the potatoes and carrots for 10-15 minutes until tender. Remove one cup of vegetable broth from the pot and pour into the blender. Drain the vegetables.
- Put all ingredients into the blender and blend on high until very smooth. If the sauce is too thick, add a touch of water. This sauce will keep in the fridge for up to a week.
This sauce is great for nachos, on cruciferous vegetables, on pasta, or as a cheese sauce in a wrap.
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