Bringing back the topic of weight loss to my YouTube channel, and a veggie dish for people who don't like veggies: Stir Fry

I'll be posting recipes highlighting veggies...for people who don't like veggies (or think they don't!). This is one of them, a delicious and colorful stir fry.

I posted a video on my YouTube channel (you can view that here) that I am bringing the topic of weight loss back to my channel. I made a video a while back (here's that video) discussing why I no longer wanted to talk about weight loss on my channel. To sum it up, the topic of weight loss has been damaging to my mental well-being, as most of my adult life has included efforts to lose weight and achieve a certain physical "ideal," that being a thinner person somehow meant I was a more valuable and worthy individual. Furthermore, the number on the scale tells me very little about my physical fitness and overall health, because it tells me nothing about my body composition (muscle mass, bone density and body fat). When I was in my 20s it was all about 'how hot can I look today,' but now that I'm over 50, it's about how healthy and fit I can be.

However, as I see more and more people turning to weight-loss drugs and procedures, the topic of weight loss is clearly one that continues to permeate our society. In my opinion, these drugs and procedures are necessary for some people, and they do work for many people. As with any medications and procedures, they can come with their side effects and complications, and we don't know yet the long-term effects of some of these medications. I know a few people on the newest weight-loss drugs, and they are losing weight, that's for sure. They are also complaining about bloating, gas and constipation.

I wanted to bring the topic of weight loss back to my channel because I don't want to see the option of lifestyle and diet modification wither and die among the latest medical advances in weight loss aids. I know not everyone will want to change their behaviors or the food they eat, but some people will. I'm one of those people who would rather change my lifestyle, and it's worked for me time and again.

You may have heard about the concept of calorie density, which is the amount of calories in a unit of food (example: calories in a pound of broccoli). Calorie density can be helpful when managing one's weight, as adding calorie-dilute foods to a meal can reduce its calorie density and help with weight loss (example: instead of an entire plate of pasta with sauce, making half the plate pasta and sauce, and the other half steamed broccoli - the plate is still full, but the addition of broccoli reduces the total calories of the meal). In general, vegetables are lowest in calorie density (around 100 calories per pound), fruits are next (around 300 calories per pound), then whole food starches (potatoes, sweet potatoes, whole grains, corn, legumes, winter squashes) at around 400-600 calories per pound (cooked pasta is also included in this range). Higher on the scale are tofu, olives, avocado, nuts and seeds. If you include animal products, some are higher in calorie density, and some are lower in calorie density, like egg whites and some fish/seafood. Chocolate, oils and fried foods, breads, and cheeses tend to be higher in calorie density.

Eating more vegetables and fruits can go a long way in reducing the calorie density of meals. They also add visual interest, fiber, flavor and nutrients.

Calorie density is great, but if I had to sum up my recommendation for losing weight and improving health it would be this: eat real food, include more vegetables, and eliminate or minimize processed, refined and packaged (manufactured) foods.

When someone tells me they're struggling to lose weight, the first thing I blurt out is "eat more vegetables." And the reply? "I don't like vegetables." Because of this, I included a section in my cookbook dedicated to this. I suspect many people don't like vegetables because they haven't had them cooked or prepared properly. In my cookbook, I give pointers on how to prepare vegetables to enhance their flavors and preserve their beautiful colors. Going forward, I'll be doing more recipes and videos on vegetable dishes for people who don't like vegetables (and are also weight-loss friendly)!

Here is one of those recipes, a delicious and colorful stir fry. It's simple, with a lot of flavor. You can use whatever vegetables and seasonings you prefer. Because it's a simple dish, I encourage you to use the best quality ingredients you can find. I offer my idea for crumbled tofu as an add-in, but feel free to use another protein-rich food of your choice if you desire.

Crumbled tofu:

Desired amount of firm tofu - use paper towels to press it a bit to remove some of the moisture

Sprinkle of nutritional yeast

Sprinkle of smoked paprika

A few dashes of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 T Extra virgin olive oil (optional)

Vegetables:

Mushrooms (I like baby bella and organic shiitake)

Broccoli or broccolini

Bell peppers (I like red, orange, yellow)

Onion

Carrot

Greens (I use a mix of baby kale, spinach and chard) -- **see my note below

1-2 cloves garlic, minced, or equivalent minced garlic in water from a jar

Thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and minced (about 1 T total), or a pinch of dried ginger

Few splashes of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

Cooked rice

Yum yum and cilantro lime sauces, recipes below

Directions:

Dice and/or cut vegetables into small pieces. Mince the garlic if needed, and mince the peeled ginger. (For broccolini, remove and discard about an inch from the bottom of the stems, as they can be tough).

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil if needed or desired. Crumble tofu into pan. Add seasonings. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tofu becomes drier and gets some nice crispy edges, about 10-12 minutes. Set tofu aside in a bowl.

Add the veggies (see note below about greens), garlic and ginger, and soy sauce or Bragg's to the skillet and cook over medium heat for about 5-8 minutes, or until they are cooked to your liking.

**Greens note: If you are using more delicate greens like baby kale/chard/spinach, add these at the end of cooking and allow them to wilt. If you are using a more hardy green like kale, feel free to add it with the rest of the veggies.

Add the tofu back into the veggie mixture. This is a delicious medley that I serve over cooked rice, topped with my yum yum sauce and cilantro lime sauce. Garnish with some sesame seeds and chopped fresh cilantro if desired.

Yum Yum Sauce - Blend in a blender until smooth:

Handful cashews (about 1/2 cup)

Pinch of sugar

Few dashes of rice wine vinegar

Spritz of soy sauce or Bragg's Liquid Aminos

1 T ketchup

Few dashes of sriracha or your favorite hot sauce

1/2 - 3/4 cup water

1/4 tsp paprika

1/8 tsp smoked paprika (optional)

Cilantro Lime Sauce - Blend in a blender until smooth:

Handful of fresh cilantro

Handful of cashews (about 1/2 cup)

Juice from 1 lime

Pinch of salt or to taste

Pinch of sugar

3/4 cup water

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Please leave a comment! Let me know if you've tried it, and any substitutions that you made!

Peace, joy and health,

Jeannette