Author: DIANA ZATT

Hi everyone! It's no secret. I'm pretty addicted to eating clean and leading a healthy lifestyle. I am a registered nurse and chronic condition educator (diabetes, heart failure, hypertension, obesity & COPD). Nothing excites me more, personally and professionally, then helping others take control of their health. It really is a passion of mine. That's why I created this blog! When I am not in the kitchen creating healthy eats or digging through scientific literature, I enjoy hiking, biking, gardening and spending time with hubby Dennis. Oh and I am a mother to a loud mouthed parrot named Pickles, a 20 year old black cat named Charlie and about 50,000 honey bees.

Sinfully Delicious Banana, Date-Nut Muffins

Sinfully Delicious Banana, Date-Nut Muffins

Well the blueberry muffins from my last post were a real hit over here but this time I thought that I would experiment with bananas. I used the same recipe https://greenlighteating.com/super-moist-vegan-blueberry-muffins/ but with a few tweaks. I ran out of millet so I only used rolled oats, omitted the lemon zest and cardamom and added more dates.

When I was a child my mother would buy the most sinfully delicious date-nut cake at Baker’s Bakery in Parma, Ohio. Let me tell you that cake was to die for and my request every single year for my birthday. It is hard to believe but these muffins taste SO MUCH like that date-nut cake but without the eggs, sugar and butter. They taste like they should be a guilty pleasure but they’re not. As with all plant based, no sugar, oil or salt recipes the more you eat the healthier you are. I hope you try this recipe. As always, I love comments!

Ingredients:

  • 15 dates pitted
  • 1 cup unflavored, unsweetened plant based milk
  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 2 cups overripe banana slices
  • 2 tsps. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 3/4 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Dates, plant milk, oats, bananas, baking powder, baking soda (not pictured), applesauce, walnuts

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit
  2. Line muffin tin with 12 non-stick parchment cupcake liners or use a silicone muffin pan
  3. Cut the dates up roughly and add to the plant based milk and set aside (so the dates soften).
  4. Grind the oats in a high speed blender and place in mixing bowl. Add the baking powder and baking soda and stir with a fork.
  5. Add the date and milk mixture, applesauce, bananas and chopped walnuts to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix gently to combine the ingredients. Do not overmix.
  6. Spoon the batter into cupcake liners or silicone muffin pan filling each 3/4 full. 
  7. Bake for 20 minutes or until tops are golden brown and inserted toothpick comes out clean.
The overripe bananas and dates make these muffins super sweet yet low on the glycemic index scale. Low glycemic foods do not have a dramatic effect on blood sugar levels. Enjoy these muffins for breakfast or as a snack with a nice glass of cold plant based milk!

Super Moist Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Super Moist Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Getting an invite to Cheryl and Ulle’s farm to pick blueberries is something I look forward to every year. I mean no where else could you pick blueberries among a friendly herd of Sheltie pups, a family of happy quacking ducks, honking geese and clucking chickens in the setting of a gorgeous farm on a hot summer evening. Cheryl and Ulle’s blueberries aren’t just any blueberries. These are the sweetest, juiciest and most flavorful blueberries EVER!! Every year I come home with a big huge bag of berries and dream of all the ways I am going to eat them.

Well today I started thinking about blueberry muffins. A few years back I made a batch of vegan muffins but wasn’t happy with the way they turned out. Yesterday I tried a new recipe in Fork Over Knives and all I can say is OMG!

These muffins are INSANELY DELICIOUS.

The recipe made 12 muffins. Today there are only 5 left. The good news is they are extremely healthy so, in the words of Dr. Michael Greger, “the more you eat the healthier you are!”

It is recommended that we get one daily serving of berries and three servings of other fruit a day. Berries are singled out for their potent anticancer properties. Berries are second only to herbs and spices as the most antioxidant packed food. Among all the berries, blueberries are the star performer.

Blueberry harvest 2023
Picked right off Cheryl and Ulle’s blueberry trees!

Ingredients:

  • 12 dates pitted
  • 1 cup unflavored, unsweetened plant based milk
  • 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cups millet
  • 2 tsps. baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 tsp. lemon zest
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
Dates, plant based milk, rolled oats, millet, baking powder, cardamom (as shown still in the pod but you can buy powdered in the seasoning aisle of most stores), applesauce, lemon zest, walnuts, blueberries

Directions:

  1. In a bowl cover the dates with the plant based milk and set aside (so the dates soften).
  2. Grind the oats and millet in a high speed blender and place into mixing bowl. Add the baking powder and cardamom and stir with a fork.
  3. Place the dates and plant based milk in a blender and blend until smooth. Add the date mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients along with the applesauce and lemon zest. Mix with a spoon until all the ingredients have been disappeared.
  4. Fold in the blueberries and chopped walnuts. Spoon the batter into a silicone muffin pan or parchment muffin papers filling each cup 3/4 full. Since the batter does not contain oil the muffins may stick to regular cupcake papers.

Note: The use of cardimom and lemon zest add a really special flavor to these muffins so neither should be omitted. Also, the dates give just the right amount of sweetness and have a low glycemic index (between 44 – 53) compared to table sugar which has a high glycemic index (100). Foods with high glycemic index raise blood sugar quickly. Foods with low glycemic index release glucose slowly and steadily.

These muffins are insanely delicious!

Ratatouille Fusilli

Ratatouille Fusilli

It all started with a bumper crop of eggplant. The old me would have whipped up a batch of eggplant parmesan with all the fried breading, mozzarella cheese, saturated fat and oodles of calories . The healthy me researched whole food plant based eggplant recipes. I found several on Forks Over Knives plant based nutrition site and decided to give Ratatouille Fusilli a try. I’m glad I did. What I like best about this dish is how simple it is to put together and how flavorful it is.

Eggplant, also known as aubergines, are often considered a vegetable but is really a fruit because they grow from a flowering plant and have seeds. We typically think of eggplant as purple in color but they can also be red, green or black. Eggplants are nutrient dense and packed with vitamins, minerals and fiber but very low in calories. Eggplants are high in anthocyanins which is a pigment responsible for their vibrant color but also a very potent antioxidant. Eggplants contain solasodine rhamnosyl glycosides (SRGs) which protect against certain types of cancers. There has been research to support SRGs effectiveness against skin cancer when applied directly to the skin. With all these health benefits, I’m going to make it a yearly tradition to add eggplant to my garden!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup green lentils washed and soaked
  • 1 (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes with juice
  • 1/2 cup finely chopped leeks, both white and light green parts
  • 3 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 1/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
  • 1 unpeeled eggplant cut into 1″ pieces
  • 2 tsp. white wine vinegar
  • 2 tbsp. finely chopped fresh basil
green lentils, canned diced tomatoes, leek, garlic, Italian seasoning, eggplant, white wine vinegar
My eggplant! Aren’t they beautiful??!!

Directions

  1. Place the lentils in a saucepan and fill with 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to boil then simmer until cooked, about 10 – 15 minutes. Set aside but do not drain.
  2. Cook pasta, drain and set aside.
  3. In a skillet over medium heat combine tomatoes with the juice, leeks, garlic and Italian seasonings and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the eggplant and cook for 15 – 20 minutes stirring occasionally until soft.
  4. Add the pasta, lentils with their liquid and vinegar to the skillet and stir everything together until well combined.
  5. Cook until heated. Add 1/4 cup water if the mixture seems too dry. Adjust seasonings to taste.
  6. Add the basil and serve immediately.
Served with toasted pita bread

Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade

As a kid I loved rhubarb – but not in pie. I would sneak a stalk (or two) when my mom wasn’t looking, cut it up in little slices and savor the crisp tart flavor. Well I bought a little rhubarb plant this spring, put it in a whiskey barrel planter near the beehive and wow did it take off! Today I harvested 3 stalks and decided to kick off the 4th of July weekend by making ice cold Strawberry Rhubarb Lemonade. At 83 degrees and a relative humidity of 93% that doggone ice cold lemonade really hit the spot!

Rhubarb is a hardy perennial that produces a harvest for up to 8 years. While the stalks are edible, the leaves are poisonous due to high concentrations of oxalic acid which can lead to kidney stones and kidney failure. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling rhubarb leaves or, better yet, wear gloves.

Ingredients

  • 3 stalks rhubarb cut in pieces
  • 1 cup fresh very ripe strawberries stems removed and cut in half
  • 5 cups water
  • Date sugar (to taste)
  • Lemon slices
  • Fresh mint leaves
Strawberries, rhubarb, lemon, mint, date syrup

Directions

  1. Pour the water into a medium cooking pot then add the rhubarb and strawberries. Cook until the mixture starts to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes or until soft.
  2. Pour the mixture through a strainer retaining the liquid. Using a potato masher or the back of a spoon mash the strawberries and rhubarb to get all the liquid out.
  3. Refrigerate the liquid until cool.
  4. When ready to serve, place the strawberry rhubarb liquid in a pitcher and add ice.
  5. Serve with date sugar (optional for added sweetness). Garnish with a lemon slice and mint leaf.

Note: As strawberries ripen their sugar content increases from 5% in unripe fruit to 6-9% in ripe fruit. Very ripe strawberries taste much sweeter.

A perfect, refreshing and all natural summer drink.
I love the pretty pink color!
And don’t you think of getting rid of the pulp! Drizzling a little date syrup over the warm pulp makes a delicious little dessert.

Kale and Pear Smoothie

Kale and Pear Smoothie

I struggle sometimes with getting my daily serving of cruciferous in. I don’t always feel like munching on raw cabbage, kale, cauliflower, broccoli or radishes. Sure, I can cook them, but then I have to chop and let stand for 40 minutes to benefit from the anti-cancer, free radical reduction, brain protecting and vision promoting compound sulforaphane.

Well a friend of mine suggested a daily kale and lime smoothie which I tried and didn’t think was bad but I ran out of limes. Too lazy to go to the store, I had some pears on hand and thought it was worth a try. That was the start of my infatuation with kale and pear smoothies and the daily love affair continues three weeks later. Hail to kale!!!

Ingredients:

  • 4 oz. water
  • 1 pear cored (any type)
  • 2 cups kale
  • 1 cup ice cubes

Directions:

Add the ingredients in the order listed to a Vitamix or high speed blender on low for 10 seconds then high for 35 seconds until desired consistency is reached. For a “fancy drink” add a spritz of lime juice.

Ain’t she gorgeous! Not only a good looker but delicious too! Earthy and with a subtle hint of sweetness.
Cheers to my new love affair!

Zoodles with Creamy Avocado Sauce

Zoodles with Creamy Avocado Sauce

The seed for zucchini noodles (zoodles) was planted in my brain a few year ago by my sister Joyce. Never heard of such a thing. It took until now for that seed to finally germinate and grow!

Unlike pasta noodles, zucchini noodles are low in carbohydrates (a perk for anyone having issues with blood sugar), low in calories, low in fat and high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and hydration. One cup of pasta = 240 calories and 4 grams carbohydrate. One cup of zucchini noodles = 33 calories and 6 grams carbohydrate. Do the math. Zucchini noodles (zoodles) is a no brainer!

There are lots of cool gadgets out there to make zucchini noodles (electric or hand held vegetable spirilizer machine, spiral strip slicer, vegetable peeler, julienne peeler and mandoline and knife). I have to admit I had my heart set on the spirilizer machine I saw at Target but when I saw the $65.00 price tag I opted for the more economical mandoline slicer ($12.98) and knife method. A little more time consuming but I already had the mondoline and cutting them into angel hair pasta strips was really not a big deal at all.

Mandoline sliced thin then cut in lenthwise strips using a sharp knife
Vegetable spirilizer

But … after slicing the tip of my index finger off with the mandoline blade, the next time around I used a much safer hand held spirilizer.

Creamy Avocado Sauce

This sauce is so creamy and lick the plate clean yummy
  • Two very ripe avocados
  • Cilantro
  • Juice of one lime
  • Plant based milk (unsweetened)

Puree the avocado, lime juice and a little bit of plant based milk. Adjust the thickness to your liking by adding more or less milk. Stir in the cilantro. That’s it – easy peesy!

The zoodles came out pretty nice! Do you eat them cold or warm??? I say, whatever floats your boat! If you want them heated just put a little water in a pan and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute (or until the zoodles are warm). DO NOT OVERCOOK or the zoodles will become watery and mushy.
I added a little fresh black pepper and red pepper flakes.
And yes … do twirl them around with your soup spoon and fork!!!

Artichoke and Bean Salad with Balsamic Date Dressing

Artichoke and Bean Salad

Ingredients:

  • 1 container sweet grape tomatoes halfed
  • 1 red bell pepper seeded and coursely chopped
  • 1 small sweet red onion thinly sliced
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 can chickpeas rinsed and drained
  • 1 can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 13.75 oz. can artichoke hearts rinsed drained and cut in half
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tsp. spicy brown mustard
  • 2 tbsp date paste
  • 1 garlic clove minced
  • 1 tsp thyme
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 tsp basil

Directions

Combine the first 7 ingredients in a bowl. Combine remaining ingredients in a bowl and wisk. Pour over salad. Chill before serving.

Heirloom Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger Bisque

Heirloom Carrot, Sweet Potato and Ginger Bisque

It all started with a bunch of rainbow heirloom carrots I snatched up at Trader Joes. I mean I literally snatched up the last doggone bunch! The feeling of joy. Excitement. Happiness. To me it was like winning the freaken lottery or something. Immediately, notions of roasting those babies with warm spices and pureeing them into a comforting pot of soup raced through my head. Is this going to be a perfect Saturday or what?!

You might say – come on – get a grip on it – it’s just a bunch of carrots. Not so. Do you have any idea the blood, sweat and tears that farmer went through growing those carrots? It’s true. Heirloom carrots come from seeds that are at least 50 years old. Those seeds were handpicked by that farmer for specific traits. And heirlooms are much harder to grow which is why you rarely see them at the supermarket.

Carrots 101

In ancient times all carrots were white and grown for their leaves and seeds – much like parsley, dill and coriander are. They contain 32,000 different genes and two recessive ones contributed to a build up of carotinoids. It is believed that early farmers grew colorful carrots quite unintentionally.

All carrots are extremely nutrient dense with each color having a different nutritional profile. Orange carrots are so brightly colored because they have the highest amount of carotenoids. Red carrots get their color from high amounts of lycopene. Yellow carrots get their color from high amounts of lutein. Purple carrots get their color from high levels of anthrocyanin. White carrots are albino and not a source of carotine but contain high amounts of polyacetylenes which is an organic anti-cancer compound.

Daily consumption of potassium and sodium rich carrots can prevent plaque build up in the arteries (don’t confuse the sodium found naturally in whole foods with table salt). With their high content of carotenoids, vitamin A and C, and polyphenols, carrots help regulate cholesterol. Studies show a direct link between carrot intake and reduced risk of prostate cancer and the polyacetylenes found in carrots protect against leukemia and colorectal cancer.

Look at those long thin colorful beauties!

Ingredients

  • 1 large bunch of heirloom carrot (tops removed)
  • 3 sweet potatoes (peeled and cut in pieces)
  • 4-5 garlic cloves
  • 1 large sweet onion chopped
  • 2 cups chopped celery
  • 3 tbsps. peeled and chopped fresh ginger
  • 2 cups unsweetened plant based milk
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 3 tbsps garlic powder
  • 3 tsps Italian seasoning
  • 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp ground cayenne pepper
  • Red pepper flakes(garnish)

Instructions

  1. Place carrots, sweet potatoes and garlic on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Spritz with water. Season with garlic powder, cinnamon, rosemary, paprika and ginger. Roast in oven set at 400 degrees for 25 minutes.
  2. Put onions, celery, ginger, plant based milk, vinegar and cayenne pepper in a large pot and cook on medium heat stirring intermittently until vegetables are soft.
  3. Add the roasted vegetables and broth bringing to a boil then simmer for 30 minutes stirring intermittently.
  4. Remove from heat then puree with an immersion or high speed blender. Adjust spices as needed.
  5. Garnish with red pepper flakes.
The smell of all those earthy warm spices and roasted vegetables permeated throughout the entire house. Sheer excitement and happiness!
With red pepper flakes and croutons made from Ezekial bread
With plain fat free yogurt

Quinoa-Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes

Quinoa-Orzo Stuffed Tomatoes

I recently read that quinoa (keen-waa), soy and buckwheat are perfect proteins. Unlike some plant based proteins, quinoa, soy and buckwheat are complete in that they contain all 9 essential amino acids that the body cannot make on its own. These 9 essential amino acids are critical to tissue growth, nutrient absorption, immune function and energy production.

While I eat soy on a regular basis, I am embarrassed to say quinoa and buckwheat have never made it on my dinner plate – at least that I’m aware. Quinoa had my interest. In my research I found that it is a flowering plant in the amaranth family grown primarily for its edible seeds. It is high in protein, fiber, B vitamins and minerals which exceed that of many grains. Quinoa is actually considered one of the 12 ancient grains which means it has been grown the same way for thousands of years without being genetically modified.

Of the four main varieties of quinoa (white, black, tri-color and red) red is considered the healthiest due to having the highest level of antioxidants.

White, black, tri-color and red quinoa

Okay – so with all that said – I was itching to find a healthy recipe in which quinoa took center stage. I found a nice little recipe in the Fall 2022 edition of Forks over Knives for Quinoa-Orzo Stuffing and used it to make my remarkably delicious stuffed baked tomatoes.

Would you look at that!!!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
  • 1/4 cup dried quinoa rinsed
  • 3 cloves finely minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup dry whole wheat orzo

Note: It is very important that quinoa is thoroughly rinsed. Rinsing removes the natural coating called saponin which can make it taste bitter or soapy.

My quinoa was bought bulk so rinsing was super essential. I am in mad rinse mode here! In my reading it is recommended to rinse packaged quinoa even if is says it was pre-rinsed.
Look at how dirty the rinse water got!
  • 5 beefsteak tomatoes
  • 1/2 cup scallions cut in small pieces (use the green ends)
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
  • 1/2 lemon
  • Black pepper
  • Avocado slices
I did not scoop the entire tomato guts out. Just enough to get a decent amount of stuffing in. And … don’t throw out the guts. Use it in a smoothy or save it for homemade veggie broth. Tomatoes contain lycopene- one of the most potent antioxidants.

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan combine the onion, quinoa, garlic and 1 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
  2. Stir in the orzo. Cover and simmer for 7 or 8 minutes stirring occasionally until orzo is soft. If the mixture is too watery uncover the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes longer until water is nearly gone. Remove from heat then cover and let stand for a few minutes.
  3. Add the scallions, parsley, black pepper, lemon juice and stir
  4. Scoop out the insides of the tomatoes and fill with the stuffing
  5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes
The quinoa-orzo stuffing tastes so nutty, creamy and simply satisfying
And then add the lemon, scallions, parsley and black pepper – and OMG!
An excellent side to accompany a chickpea wrap or vine tomato soup
Extra stuffing then you need? No problem. Spread it on the bottom of your parchment paper lined baking dish.

Advanced Glycation End Products (AGE’s) and Plant Based Cooking

This picture illustrates roasted nuts

Cooking methods matter. There is growing evidence regarding the role of AGE’s (Advanced Glycation End Products) and neurodegenerative processes like vascular dementia and age-related diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, kidney disease and cancer.

What is an AGE? When high fat and high protein foods are exposed to temperatures above 250 degrees fahrenheit, glycotoxins are created. Glycotoxins are the result of a protein molecule binding abnormally to a glucose (sugar) molecule and causing oxidative stress and inflammation in the body. The highest levels are found in broiled, roasted, fried and barbequed meat, but AGE’s also occur when plant based foods high in fat and protein (nuts, seeds and soy products like tofu) are roasted, toasted, browned or broiled.

This being said, it’s always best to eat nuts and seeds in the raw. Roasted almonds and other nuts, soy beans and sunflower and other seeds are pretty tasty but the health consequences are not worth it.

Example of what you don’t want to do. The tofu was cooked over high heat causing the browning effect and thus formation of AGE’s.