“Sweet days of summer, the jasmine’s in bloom, July is dressed up and playing her tune…summer days make me feel fine!”
And our jasmine IS in bloom. Flowers abound and the scent is insane. When that thing blooms you can smell it from a block away (well, almost). Summer, ahhh.
Thanks for all the great feedback yesterday. I love to read everyone else’s take, in this case on Ms. Jillian and her show. Although I don’t respond to each comment, you can be assured I read them all first thing in the morning. I am glad to hear that everyone seems to be doing well!
Yesterday I woke up feeling my back muscles were sore and realized it was from the laps I swam the day before. I’ll be getting back in the pool today. I will also be doing a lot of reading. I am devouring every word in The China Study, and while I realize that the people who need to read it the most, probably never will, and that adapting one’s eating to a whole-food plant based diet is not desirable for most. I love to think of people just “leaning in.” Out to dinner last night with Erica and Jeff, they ordered one regular burger and one veggie burger and shared. That’s what I call leaning in! I also love that Lesley emailed me to let me know she is making vegetable casseroles on a regular basis this summer. JUST FOR THE RECORD–I DON’T CARE WHAT ANYONE EATS…I JUST WANT THE PEOPLE I LOVE TO BE AS HEALTHY AS POSSIBLE!
I had a whole plan for vegan feast dinner, but just went to thekindlife.com and found this recipe from Giada–I am definitely going to try it tonight!
INGREDIENTS:
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1/2 pound whole wheat penne pasta (8 ounces)
1/4 cup olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
1/4 cup dried oregano
2 teaspoons sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
4-5 very ripe, extra large beefsteak tomatoes, cut in 1/2 inch thick slices
STEPS:
Put oven rack in center of oven.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Grease an 8×8 inch glass baking dish and set aside.
In a food processor, blend together the crushes tomatoes and garlic.
Pour this mixture into a medium bowl and add uncooked pasta.
Also add 1/4 cup of olive oil, oregano, salt, and pepper.
Toss until all ingredients are coated.
Line the bottom and sides of baking dish with tomato slices.
Then pour the pasta/tomato sauce mixture in the dish on top of the fresh tomatoes.
Layer the rest of the fresh tomatoes on top, to completely cover the pasta mixture.
Drizzle the top with a little extra olive oil, and bake until the tomatoes are crispy and the pasta is cooked (about 1 hour).
Let dish cool about 5 minutes before serving.
It looks simple, healthy and YUMMY! With a big garden salad and some grilled veggies, it meets my goal of serving the usual Thursday night suspects a less fattening, more healthy meal! I’ll let you know if it looks ANYTHING like the picture!
Love you all!
Rita says
The tomato dish looks scrumptious……lots of lycopene!!!! Have a fabulous feast tonight!!
I completed The China Study and now I am going to reread it and underscore the details that I want to burn into my brain. I am especially interested in the calcium/milk/bone density section. I was REALLY alarmed at how harmful milk and dairy products can be to our bodies!!(I can now realize why we have so many people with osteoporosis……the Dairy Council and all their advertising touting the benefits of milk and dairy!!!!! I guess they do not want us to know all the scientific research.) I need to reread that portion of the book and fully understand the “science” of it all. Dr. Campbell really explains each study and investigation in such detail. I love the analogies that he uses to help the reader better understand his theories……..I was even spouting some of his results to Ted last night at dinner. He just shook his head…….oh well…….. I am learning so much and I love to share it!!
bonni says
Rita….needless to say Mitch (and most people!) do a lot of head shaking as I spout some of this info, too…you and I are going to have a very deep converstation about this tomorrow—everything in the study supports what Derek has asked me to consider over the past 8 years….i honestly believe a lot of the problem with osteo IS about the dairy leaching calcium from our bones! hard for people to wrap their mind around but numbers just don’t lie! more tomorrow…see you as scheduled! can’t wait!!!!
Judy Amberson says
Looks like a great dinner to me I’ll have to try it next week and let you know-looks yummy.
Now bonni you are making me want ro read the China study-read some excerpts on line-quite interesting. I’m not a great lover of milk-been drinking soy or almond and I love it!