Food Over Medicine (16 page)

DEL SROUFE IN HIS OWN WORDS

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My weight problems started as a child. I remember being put on a diet of only eight hundred calories per day when I was only eight years old. I overate and my mother dealt with that by helping me to control portion size. It didn’t work; my weight problems carried over into adulthood.

Several years ago, I started my own business, a vegan bakery, and converted to vegan eating at that time. I had previously worked in a “health food” restaurant, which I later learned was not so healthy after all. That is where my consumption of vegan junk food really began.

Believe it or not, I gained one hundred pounds within one year of starting my bakery, and the weight gain continued until I peaked at 475 pounds. You might be wondering how an individual consuming a vegan diet could accomplish this. Here’s how I did it.

Every day I started my day with two fresh scones and coffee. Then, I proceeded to eat a cashew bar and muffin for lunch, or cake, or whatever was handy——I was working very hard and rarely sat down to eat a full meal. I continued to munch on sugary foods and drink caffeine-filled beverages throughout the day and for “real meals,” I would eat vegetarian foods prepared with lots of oil and fat. In the evenings, to relax, I’d eat potato chips and drink beer. All vegan, but certainly not healthy.

In the summer of 2005, I reached my wit’s end. I was exhausted. My body ached, my knees ached. I fell and my injured ankle would not heal. I needed help.

I went to my good friend Dr. Pam Popper and told her I was ready to change my life! I immediately converted to a well-structured plant-based diet; instead of scones and coffee for breakfast, I started having fruit smoothies and whole-grain cereal. I replaced my constant snacking with meals comprised of beans, whole grains, potatoes, and salads. And the weight started coming off right away.

I lost fifty pounds in the first six months and hit a plateau, at which time Dr. Pam told me I had to start moving. I started walking, since that was the least painful thing I could do. The weight started dropping again.

At seventy-five pounds, I hit another plateau, and the advice was to step up the exercise. This is when I started working out with Dr. Pam and taking Wellness Forum hot yoga classes. And that is when the weight started dropping like crazy. People started telling me I looked different almost from day to day. I must confess that stepping up the exercise program was the most miserable thing I have ever done in my life. I used to hiss at Dr. Pam in the gym, and lay on my yoga mat praying for death. Fortunately, this did not last long, and although I hated to admit it, I started to enjoy getting into shape. I actually missed working out when my schedule caused me to miss a day.

I still have another thirty pounds to lose, but it’s getting easier and easier every day. I don’t even have to think about things most days. I just eat the way I’ve formed the habit of eating, do the required exercise, and the weight comes off.

Here’s the best part——I’m working harder than I’ve ever worked in my life and I’m less tired as a result of doing it. My ankle is finally healing. I’m wearing clothes that I haven’t worn for years. I feel great about myself. I may even run a marathon with Dr. Pam now that I have all of this energy.

So, let me emphasize a couple of things. First, conversion to a vegan diet does not, in and of itself, lead to health. You have to convert to a well-structured vegan diet. I have quit sabotaging myself——the wrong foods are like drugs for me——and when I think about not eating healthfully, I remember my goals and I don’t eat them. I am learning to make self-care a priority; no matter how busy I am, I make time to eat good food and to exercise. And I try to be around like-minded people who reinforce my good habits.

I have no desire to return to the way I used to be.

PAM’S NOTE: Del will never return to the way he used to be because he now understands and follows the dietary principles that will prevent a slide back into obesity. Meanwhile, his recipes have helped thousands of others enjoy meals created according to those same guidelines, especially now through his bestselling
Forks Over Knives
——
The Cookbook
and his forthcoming
Better Than Vegan
. The insert section in this book contains a never-before-published sampling of some of Del’s favorite recipes that we use here at The Wellness Forum, and that everyone loves.

4 cups cooked garbanzo beans, warmed

3 cloves garlic

¼ cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons cumin powder

Sea salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Add water as needed to make a smooth paste. Serve with pita bread, crackers, or fresh vegetables.

1 pound extra-firm tofu

6 tablespoons toasted almond butter

3 tablespoons mellow white miso

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons fresh dill

½ medium red onion, minced

Place tofu, almond butter, miso, and garlic into a food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Remove the tofu mixture to a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.

8 ounces mixed greens

1 cup garbanzo beans

1 cup red cabbage, grated

½ cup raisins

½ cup sunflower seeds, toasted

1 carrot, grated

Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing, recipe follows

Divide the mixed greens between four dinner plates. Arrange the remaining ingredients on top of the greens and serve with Sweet and Spicy Mustard Dressing on the side.

1 package silken tofu

½ cup prepared mustard

½ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon sea salt

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.

3 large leeks (about 1 pound), thinly sliced

6 cups vegetable stock

4 or 5 medium russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and chopped

¼ cup parsley, minced

¼ cup chives, minced

Sea salt and white pepper to taste

Sauté the leeks over medium heat in a large stockpot, stirring occasionally, until the leeks have begun to soften and brown slightly, about eight minutes. Add water one to two tablespoons at a time, as needed, to prevent the leeks from sticking.

Add the vegetable stock and potatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes.

Blend the soup until smooth using either an immersion blender or by carefully transferring the soup to a blender in batches.

Return the soup to the pot and add the parsley and chives. Cook five more minutes and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

2 large yellow onions, diced ½ inch

3 large carrots, diced ½ inch

3 stalks celery, diced ½ inch

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced

2 bay leaves

4 cups tomatoes, diced

1½ cups corn

1½ cups frozen green beans

1½ cups frozen peas

6 cups vegetable stock

1 cup basil, finely chopped

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Sauté the onions, carrots, and celery until the onions are translucent, about seven to eight minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and bay leaves; cook another minute. Add the tomatoes, corn, green beans, peas, and vegetable stock. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 20 to 25 minutes. Add the basil, season with salt and pepper, and cook another five minutes.

2 medium yellow onions, diced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1½ tablespoons cumin

½ tablespoon dried sage

1 tablespoon chili powder

2 teaspoons oregano

2 green peppers, diced

4 cups cooked black beans

4 cups tomatoes, diced

3 cups vegetable broth

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Sauté the onions in a large stockpot for eight minutes over medium heat. Add water one to two tablespoons at a time to keep the onions from sticking. Add the garlic, cumin, dried sage, chili powder, and oregano; cook one minute.

Add the remaining ingredients and cook, covered, for 20 minutes over medium heat. Season with salt and pepper; cook another five minutes.

3½ cups water

1¾ cups millet

2 large leeks, diced small and rinsed

3 celery stalks, diced small

3 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup fresh basil, minced

2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced

1 cup tomato sauce, divided

Bring the water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Add the millet and cook covered for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat and add the leek and celery. Sauté for eight or nine minutes, or until the leeks start to brown. Add water one to two tablespoons at a time, as needed, to keep the vegetables from sticking.

Add the garlic, basil, and thyme; cook another minute. Add half of the tomato sauce and the cooked millet. Mix well and spoon the mixture into a nonstick loaf pan. Top with the remaining tomato sauce and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before slicing.

1 medium yellow onion, diced