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Monthly meetings are held at the Santa Clara Valley Blind Center (Vista Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired San Jose). Meetings run 9:30 AM to 1 PM the third Saturday of the month and are open to all.
By Abby Tamara, MA, MSW
Please note that this column is for information, and not medical advice. Please consult your physician in regards to information concerning personal medical conditions. If anyone has any areas of nutrition or types of recipes they want information on, feel free to email me and I will be happy to assist you.
Physicians who focus on nutrition to help individuals lose weight, prevent disease, and recover from heart disease, cancer, type 2 diabetes, and autoimmune diseases are increasing. Sometimes they themselves refocus their medical practices because they have been helped by changing their own diets. Christina Miller, M.D., was an emergency room physician when she became ill with Lupus. She quit her job, and learned how to be healthier by changing her lifestyle and her diet. Her website is:
https://eatandlivehealthfully.com
Christina Miller, M.D. is one of three physicians that do telephone consultations to individuals through https://plantbasedtelehealth.com. She is not licensed for consultations in California, but there are 2 other physicians who are. Michael Klaper is internationally recognized, has been actively involved in using nutrition in clinical practice, and also in the education of physicians and others to the importance that nutrition plays in health and wellness. He has answered the "Ask the Doctor" column on Dr. Fuhrman's website, and has practiced at TrueNorth Health Clinic in Santa Rosa, CA. He lives in Southern California, and is available for telehealth in California. The other physician also available is Laurie Marbas, MD, MBA. Here is the link for anyone that would be interested in reading about this service:
https://plantbasedtelehealth.com
Dr. Joel Fuhrman's medical practice is also available for telehealth in California. About six years ago, I had a telehealth appointment with Dr. Jay Benson from the practice. The consultation helped me refine my diet and increase my wellness. Here is the link to the services if anyone is interested:
https://www.drfuhrman.com/medical-practice
With the seasons changing and Fall arriving, I have chosen to focus on recipes that have pumpkin in them for this issue. I have included a range of difficulties in the recipes, as well as a range of types of recipes. Two of the recipes are from Christina Miller's website, https://eatandlivehealthfully.com (and one of the recipes she adapted from Dr. Fuhrman's website). One recipe is from Straight up Food, Cathy Fisher: https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/ and the other recipes are from Dr. Fuhrman's website:
www.DrFuhrman.com.
Pumpkin Spice Steel Cut Oats
www.DrFuhrman.com
Serves 1
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1/4 cup steel cut oats
- 1/2 cup diced apple
- 1/2 tablespoon ground flax seeds
- 2 tablespoons raisins
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or pure vanilla bean powder
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or more to taste
- 3 tablespoons chopped walnuts or pecans
Instructions:
In a saucepan, bring water to a boil, and stir in all ingredients except nuts. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until oats are tender and water is absorbed, stirring occasionally.
Remove from heat, and stir in nuts.
Per Serving: CALORIES 382, PROTEIN 11g, CARBOHYDRATES 56g, SUGARS 7g, TOTAL FAT 15g, SATURATED FAT 1.2g, SODIUM 17mg, FIBER 10.3g, BETA-CAROTENE 19ug, VITAMIN C 4mg, CALCIUM 71mg, IRON 3.1mg, FOLATE 21ug, MAGNESIUM 54mg, POTASSIUM 327mg, ZINC 0.8mg, SELENIUM 2.2ug
Avocado Toast with Sliced Tomatoes and Toasted Pumpkin Seeds
www.DrFuhrman.com
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 4 (100% whole grain) pitas, lightly toasted
- 1 ripe avocado, mashed
- 1 medium tomato, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
- 2 tablespoons raw pumpkin seeds, toasted (see note)
- black pepper or crushed red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions:
Spread the mashed avocado on top of the toasted pitas. Add tomato slices and sliced onion, and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. Season with your choice of ground black pepper or red pepper flakes.
Note: Other seeds or chopped nuts may be substituted.
Per Serving: CALORIES 267, PROTEIN 8g, CARBOHYDRATES 30g, SUGARS 3g, TOTAL FAT 15g, SATURATED FAT 2.2g, SODIUM 120mg, FIBER 9.2g, BETA-CAROTENE 1571ug, VITAMIN C 16mg, CALCIUM 23mg, IRON 2.4mg, FOLATE 78ug, MAGNESIUM 76mg, POTASSIUM 583mg, ZINC 1.2mg, SELENIUM 1.1ug
Creamy Pumpkin Dressing
www.DrFuhrman.com
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (see note)
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
- 1/4 cup water
- 6 regular dates or 3 medjool dates, pitted
- 2 tablespoons Dr. Fuhrman's Spicy Pecan Vinegar or apple cider vinegar
Instructions:
Blend all ingredients in a high-powered blender. If desired, add additional non-dairy milk or water to adjust consistency.
Note: Use fresh pumpkin puree or pumpkin puree packed in BPA-free tetrapak cartons.
Per Serving: CALORIES 115, PROTEIN 4g, CARBOHYDRATES 13g, SUGARS 9g, TOTAL FAT 6.3g, SATURATED FAT 0.5g, SODIUM 9mg, FIBER 2.5g, BETA-CAROTENE 610ug, VITAMIN C 2mg, CALCIUM 69mg, IRON 0.8mg, FOLATE 11ug, MAGNESIUM 44mg, POTASSIUM 261mg, ZINC 0.6mg, SELENIUM 0.4ug
Pumpkin Pasta Sauce
www.DrFuhrman.com
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 cup tomato puree
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
- 1 tablespoon date paste (see note)
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 5 fresh sage leaves, thinly sliced
Instructions:
In a medium pot, heat 2-3 tablespoons water, and saute onion and garlic until tender. Add tomato puree, pumpkin puree, water, non-dairy milk, date paste, coconut aminos, cinnamon, black pepper, cayenne pepper, and sage leaves.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
Serve over bean pasta.
Note: To make date paste, blend 1 cup pitted dates and 1/2 cup warm water in a high-powered blender until smooth, about 30 seconds. Leftover date paste can be refrigerated and used to sweeten other recipes.
Per Serving: CALORIES 75, PROTEIN 2g, CARBOHYDRATES 18g, SUGARS 10g, TOTAL FAT 0.5g, SATURATED FAT 0.1g, SODIUM 69mg, FIBER 3.8g, BETA-CAROTENE 4474ug, VITAMIN C 11mg, CALCIUM 72mg, IRON 2.2mg, FOLATE 19ug, MAGNESIUM 36mg, POTASSIUM 489mg, ZINC 0.4mg, SELENIUM 1ug
Pumpkin Curry Soup
Christina Miller, M.D.
https://eatandlivehealthfully.com
Adapted from www.DrFuhrman.com
Serves 4
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
"In my mind, Fall is synonymous with pumpkins and squashes. I love these colorful, creamy soups, and adding some curry really spices it up. It's good without it, but if you like a little kick, give this recipe a try! It's super quick to make, seasonal, beautiful, and so delicious. I double the recipe, so we have enough for leftovers. Happy autumn!
Ingredients:
- 1 medium to large onion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, diced
- 1/2 tablespoon curry powder
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley
- 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 1-1/2 cups or 1 can pre-cooked pumpkin
- 1/4 cup cashews
- 2-4 dates for sweetness
- 5 ounces or 1 bunch kale, stems removed and chopped
Instructions:
Sauté onion and garlic with a few tablespoons of water until tender (5-10 minutes).
Add curry powder and dried parsley, and stir to coat.
Add vegetable broth and pumpkin, bring to a boil, and simmer for 20 minutes.
Ladle into blender with cashews and dates, and blend until creamy. Return to soup pot. Alternatively, add dates and cashews to pot and use immersion blender to blend.
Add chopped kale, mix well, and remove from heat.
* Optional: garnish with fresh chopped parsley.
Serve warm or cool. Enjoy!
Classic Pumpkin Pie with Cashew Cream
Christina Miller, M.D.
https://eatandlivehealthfully.com
Prep time: 30 minutes.
Cook time: 45 minutes.
Serves 8-10
"We love this pumpkin pie! I've been making it every year for the holidays, and it has fast become a favorite tradition. It uses simple ingredients, and it is truly pumpkin-y and perfect. Hope you enjoy this classic Thanksgiving staple as much as we do!
Ingredients:
For the Crust:
- 1/2 cup raw almonds
- 1/2 cup raw pecans
- 1 teaspoon ground chia or flax seed
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- 2 teaspoons water
For the Pie Filling:
- 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (plain pumpkin) or 1 pumpkin, roasted at 375°F for 1 hour, seeds removed, and pumpkin scooped out)
- 1 cup dates, pitted
- 4 ounces soft tofu (optional, to make pie creamier)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3 tablespoons arrowroot powder
- 1/3 cup nondairy milk, adjust as needed for consistency
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
For the Crust:
Combine the almonds, pecans, and chia or flax seeds in a food processor. Pulse until finely ground. Add the dates and water and process until it gathers into a ball. Press the mixture into an 8-inch pie pan. (It sticks less to an aluminum disposable pie pan; if using glass or ceramic, consider lightly spraying with cooking oil to prevent sticking.)
For the Filling:
In a blender, blend together pumpkin, dates, spices, tofu (if using), and arrowroot powder. Blend until smooth. Pour mixture into pie shell. Cover with aluminum foil, and bake for 40 minutes. Uncover, and continue baking for an additional 5-10 minutes. Caution: Don't overcook; pie can dry out easily and crust can burn.
Let cool before serving, as pie filling will firm up when cool.
Enjoy topped with cashew cream.
No-Bake Pumpkin Cream Pie
Straight up Food, Cathy Fisher
https://www.straightupfood.com/blog/
Prep time: 3 hours. Total time: 3 hours
Serves 8-12
Ingredients:
Pie Filling:
- 8 ounces pitted dates (10 to 12 Medjool or 20 to 24 Deglet Noor)
- 8 ounces raw, unsalted cashews (about 2 cups)
- 1 14-ounce can coconut milk (regular, not "lite"; see step 3)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (home-cooked; see Notes)
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
Pecan-Date Pie Crust:
- 1¼ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 2-1/2 ounces raw, unsalted pecans (about ½ cup)
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2-1/2 ounces pitted dates (4 to 5 Medjool or 8 to 10 Deglet Noor)
- 1-1/2 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk
Instructions:
To start the pie filling, place the pitted dates and cashews into a bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
To ready the 1 cup of coconut milk, open the can and spoon the thicker portion into a 1 cup measuring cup, and then fill it until full with the less solid coconut milk.
Drain the water off of the dates and cashews, and discard. Place the dates and cashews into the food processor (or blender if you prefer; I'm already using the food processor for the crust, so will use it). Add the 1 cup of coconut milk from step 3, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, and lemon juice. Blend until very smooth (1 to 2 minutes).
Scrape the filling into the pie crust, and smooth evenly. Place into the freezer for 3 to 4 hours until nice and firm.
Serve in slices straight from the freezer for a firmer, more ice-cream-like texture, or transfer to the fridge and cover until ready to serve; this will result in a softer, creamier filling. (The longer it sits out, the creamier it will be). See Notes below for topping ideas.
Notes:
Shape: You can also make this pie in a springform cheesecake pan (only pressing the crust into the bottom and a little up the sides). For individual servings, you can use small tart, dessert, or soufflé dishes, as well as a muffin tin with paper liners.
Sweetness: This is a pretty sweet pie, so if you like your desserts less sweet, feel free to use 2 to 4 fewer Medjool dates.
Homemade pumpkin puree: If you want to make your own pumpkin puree, Google how to do this, as after cooking you need to drain off any excess liquid.
Cutting the pie: For a cleaner cut on your pie, run your chef's knife under hot water until the blade is hot. Dry the blade then slice the pie.
Topping: Since this pie is so decadent already, I don't think it needs a topping. But you can add some chopped or grated nuts on top as a garnish.
Traveling: If you are making this ahead and taking it with you, I suggest keeping it in the freezer until you leave, and then once you arrive, place it in the refrigerator. When ready to serve, take it out and slice it; eat it on the cool side, or let sit for 15 minutes to soften a bit.
Beany Pumpkin Spice Cookies
This recipe from www.DrFuhrman.com was submitted by Emily Boller, and was adapted by Tracy Childs. Emily Boiler learned about Dr. Fuhrman after being diagnosed as prediabetic and with heart disease. She had been overweight since childhood. She committed herself to losing weight, and chronicled her progress online and through her art work. She lost over 100 pounds, and has written a book, Starved to Obesity: My Journey Out Of Food Addiction and How You Can Escape It Too! Her website is:
http://www.emilyboller.com
Tracy Childs lives in San Diego. She makes and sells Vegan Guilt free goodies through Tracy's Real Foods. Her web site is called Veg-Appeal, and she ships Nationwide:
https://veg-appeal.com/pages/goodies
Serves 30
Ingredients:
- 1 cup cooked no-salt-added or low sodium white beans
- 1/2 cup dates, pitted
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened soy, hemp, or almond milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla bean powder or alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 1/2 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 (15 ounce) can pureed pumpkin or squash
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup raisins, or 1/4 cup unsweetened grated coconut (optional)
Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
In a high-powered blender, puree the beans, dates, non-dairy milk, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. Place in a large bowl. Stir in the pumpkin, nuts, seeds, oats, and raisins (or coconut if using).
Scoop out using a tablespoon scoop, and place on a silpat or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Slightly flatten using a fork's tines (like a peanut butter cookie-north/south, east/west.) Bake for 15-20 minutes, until bottom and sides are very lightly browned.
Makes about 30-35 cookies.
Note: If desired, before baking, make an indentation in the top of each cookie, and add a teaspoon of 100% all-fruit preserves.
Per Serving: CALORIES 73, PROTEIN 2g, CARBOHYDRATES 8g, SUGARS 2g, TOTAL FAT 4g, SATURATED FAT 0.4g, SODIUM 2mg, FIBER 2g, BETA-CAROTENE 986ug, VITAMIN C 1mg, CALCIUM 19mg, IRON 1.7mg, FOLATE 13ug, MAGNESIUM 20mg, POTASSIUM 109mg, ZINC 0.4mg, SELENIUM 1.6ug