| News, Events, & Opportunities // December 2020 |
Dear Plant Powered Community,
This holiday season is truly different from all others. Few of us are spending time with extended family or even preparing traditional meals. (One of my friends made waffles for Thanksgiving!) This may be a perfect opportunity to make this season your healthiest yet -- with fewer questions about why you're opting out of family favorites!
For some inspiration, we're happy to share our culinary team's plant powered twists on holiday recipes [PDF download], representing many winter holiday traditions! Add Sweet Potato and Butternut Squash Casserole, West African Peanut Stew (watch the demo video here), Baked Potato Latkes with Applesauce (watch the demo video here), and others to your holiday table.
And while the holidays may be a bit quieter, you may still find yourself short on time. Here are some tips from my busy home to yours:
- KISS (Keep it Sweet & Simple): Fancy-fun recipes with 20 ingredients are intimidating! Two ideas to keep it simple: 1. Boil or pressure-cook a whole grain, water-saute some veggies at the same time, and throw them all together with tomato sauce and some rinsed/canned beans. My mother-in-law calls this her "special" rice.
2. Embrace the "taco bar" concept to build a personalized meal out of many simple options. For example, you can make the mighty potato (or sweet potato) your meal base, and layer on your favorite toppings. - Embrace Plants For What They Are: Some of you know how to make amazing meat-like dishes with lentils, jackfruit, or mushrooms. But sometimes it takes the pressure off to just eat plants for plants' sake, without trying to replicate familiar flavors and mouthfeels. Consider what plant foods you truly love and have available to create your menu.
- Make a Festive Plate By Eating the Rainbow: My dishes taste best and nourish most when I pay attention to color -- a chickpea stew with bright red peppers, or a squash soup with chopped greens popped in after removing from the heat.
- Use Tools to Make Your Life Easier: My husband and I like to say that it's best to "use the right tool for the job." If you hate chopping vegetables with the knives you never sharpen (that's me!) or keep fighting with an old peeler, then get one great new knife or a sharper peeler. Maybe you've been scared to try a pressure cooker, yet they are strangely alluring. Make your kitchen happier and your health better by prioritizing good tools!
Despite many cherished traditions on hold this year, there is joy in taking charge of our kitchens and getting nourished with whole plant foods!
In health and celebration,
Lianna Levine Reisner, Network Director
P.S. You can support our movement to empower better health through whole food, plant-based nutrition by making a year-end donation here. Thank you to those who have already contributed!
.png){kind=small}
PLANT WISDOM FOR FAMILIES
On the theme of nourishment, a new book just came out for families raising plant-based kids -- Nourish: The Definitive Plant-Based Nutrition Guide for Families, by pediatrician Reshma Shah, MD, MPH, and Brenda Davis, RD. They write:
"Cow's milk is not a nutritional necessity for humans at any stage of the life cycle, not even for toddlers. While it is true that cow's milk is a rich source of calcium and vitamin D (due to fortification), and these are important nutrients for growing children, fortified non-dairy milks generally provide at least as much calcium and vitamin D as cow's milk, so can be reasonable alternatives. The reason cow's milk is generally recommended in dietary guidelines and by organizations such as the American Academy of Pediatrics is because it is also a significant source of readily available protein and fat. However...in growing children, milk allergies and sensitivities are common, and consumption has been associated with asthma and eczema." (pg. 210-211)
To help families eat well and stay active, PPMNY is introducing our monthly Family Fitness & Food Workshop on December 28th! Get moving with a brief, engaging workout, learn some tips for incorporating healthier eating into your home, and see a brief food demo -- recipe included! Register here.
Moreover, our partners at the Coalition for Healthy School Food, are offering a variety of interactive virtual classes to foster children's health at home. Programs include plant-based nutrition, exercise, and intersectional issues including race, the environment, and kindness to animals. Classes start on January 11th. Register here.
NEWS
14-Day Jumpstart for Our Local Health Care Workers
Virtual kickoff event is January 7, with sessions running through Sunday, January 24th
Register for this donation-based program
The resilience and courage of our health care workers has been extraordinary this year. As 2021 nears, we invite local health care workers -- and their loved ones -- to experience the healing power of whole food, plant-based nutrition as a path to building health resilience. The program includes virtual educational sessions, culinary demonstrations, meal planning resources, peer mentorship, and group support. Evidence-based sessions demonstrate how a plant-based lifestyle can treat, and even reverse, many chronic conditions. See program details & register here.
To sponsor a health care worker's participation in the jumpstart, make a donation of $200 or more here!
Plant-Based Health Coaches Community of Practice
We've begun to convene a regular forum for metro-area health coaches committed to whole food, plant-based nutrition to connect, share, and learn with one another. Our next Virtual Roundtable for Health Coaches gathering is tonight, Tuesday, December 15, at 8:00 PM. If you currently work as a health coach or plan to start your own practice, please contact Lori Pitkowsky, PPMNY Community Support Facilitator, at lori@ppmny.org for details to join.
Empowering Food System Change
As part of the JIVINITI Women's Coalition, Plant Powered Metro New York is calling for Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris to spearhead a transition to a sustainable, healthy, equitable food system that offers solutions for the coronavirus pandemic and prevents future pandemics. The coalition has drafted an open letter to the Biden-Harris administration and launched a petition, while also encouraging Kamala to take on a 31-day Plant-Based Challenge in January 2021. Sign the petition today to show your support for a plant-powered food system of the future!
UPCOMING VIRTUAL EVENTS
All times below are Eastern Standard Time.
Please make a donation as you take advantage of these free opportunities!
And subscribe to our YouTube channel to check out newly uploaded videos of past events.
 |
Tomorrow! Fortify Your Health with Food: Virtual Conference |
 |
Cooking with Chef Carole |
 |
Family Fitness & Food Workshop |
 |
Eating for Skin Health & Anti-Aging As part of the JCC's New Year's Day Fitness Fair, dermatologist Jessica Krant, MD, MPH will explore how nutrition and skin health are deeply connected, followed by a mini-demo by Chef Carole Levy. |
 |
NEW Get Started with Whole Food, Plant-Based Nutrition |
Save the Date...
- Tuesday, January 12, 6:30 PM: Virtual Potluck + Recipe Swap
- Monday, January 18, 12:00 PM: Overcoming Diabetes & Heart Disease with Food, with Dr. Neal Barnard and others
- Tuesday, January 19, 7:00 PM: Quick & Simple Plant Powered Meals: Skillet Enchiladas with Rice
- Tuesday, January 26, 7:00 PM: Nutrition Support Circle
- Wednesday, January 27, 7:00 PM: Plant Powered Book Club: The Alzheimer's Solution
MORE PLANT POWERED RESOURCES
Chef AJ's Christmas Day Cook-A-Long
Friday, December 25, 12:00 - 2:00 PM
featuring 8 plant-based chefs, including PPMNY Culinary Educator, Carole Levy at 12:45 PM
Live stream here
*****
Intro to Plant-Based Eating for Educators
presented by the Esselstyn Foundation
Saturday, January 9, 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM EST
Sessions include:
The Seven Pillars of our Plant-Based Eating Program with Dr. Elizabeth Winnings
Plant-Based Eating Above and Below the Belt with Jane Esselstyn
Live Cooking Demo with Ann and Jane Esselstyn
Calling All Plant-Based Rebel Teachers with Brian Hart
*****
Fight Covid-19 with Food Online Nutrition Class
presented by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine
8-week series runs Tuesdays, January 19 - March 9, 4:00 - 5:00 PM EST
Improve your health with nutrition! Join physicians, dietitians, nurses, and community partners for eight sessions that feature everything you need to start a healthy plant-based diet. Includes weekly classes with lectures, practical tips, and interactive Q&A; inspirational success stories and motivation; do-able steps and techniques from weekly guest experts; and educational resources and access to class recordings on-demand.
FREE - register here
.png){kind=small} |
.png){kind=small} |
 |
Plant Powered Metro New York empowers people to find better health and overcome chronic disease through whole food, plant-based nutrition. We offer evidence-based education, resources, and support to create community and inspire change throughout the New York metropolitan area.
Our mailing address: Plant Powered Metro New York, PO Box 20771, New York NY 10025
Questions? Email us at info@ppmny.org.
