Noshtopia

Protein Powders: 7 Options Besides Whey and Soy

2009-11-09T14:52:22-08:00

Picture: Nutiva Organic Hemp Shake Chocolate Protein Powder

I like to add Protein Powders to get some protein boost to foods like homemade power bars and drinks like juice and smoothies. The challenge with me though is that most protein powders are commonly made with whey or soy based protein sources which don't jive well with my body.

So, I went in search of protein powders made with anything but soy and whey and was pleasantly surprised to find seven different kinds. I'm sure there are others that I didn't find, but to know that I have seven other choices is pretty awesome.

I have vegan friends who are also on the look out for soy free vegan or vegetarian friendly protein powders. Apparently, soy is very prevalent in vegan/vegetarian powders, so finding soy-free is a *yay.*

Some tips in looking at protein powders:

Use powders that use non-GMO food sources.
Almost all brands come in single size packets. I would try those first because it's cheaper and only one use. Buying a big tub of protein pwoder that you end up not liking is pricey.
Buy organic when possible because this will eliminate the addition of anything artificial or lab coat made in the powder like artificial sweeteners, preservatives, or dyes.
Be conscious of the sugar content. Just because something is loaded with protein doesn't mean that it also isn't loaded with sugar which won't help up your healthiness.

Here are the 7 soy and whey free protein powder options I found:

Rice Protein:

Commonly made with Brown Rice. I typically use Rice protein probably because I usually drink rice milk, and hey the Asian in me, likes rice. Here are some folks who make Rice protein: Jarrow Formulas, Nutribiotic, MLO Products.

Hemp Protein:

Hemp protein powders can be really grassy tasting but not all brands make their powders the same. I tried two different brands before I found one I like made by Living Harvest . A couple others who make hemp protein powders: Manitoba Harvest, Nutiva.

Note: Vega makes a Whole Food Health Optimizer powder which uses a protein combo of: hemp, pea, brown rice, flax, and chlorella. I've tried their powders and like them.

Pea Protein:

Commonly derived from yellow peas. I didn't even realize that you could get a good amount of protein from peas so this was a pleasant surprise. Here are some companies that make Pea Protein based powders: Olympian Labs, Kirkman, Now Foods.

Flax Protein:

I would use Flax seeds in smoothies and bread. It's cool to see that there is now Flax protein powder form like from Nature's Way so your smoothie doesn't have so much of a seedy texture. I've noticed other companies will mix in flax protein with other proteins like hemp or pea for a protein mix.

Egg White Protein:

This is a nice option for those who don't want to cook up egg whites. You can just drop a couple scoops of Egg Protein Powder into a drink. Brands that make egg protein powder: Now Foods, Optimum Nutrition.

Brazil Nut Protein:

Nut protein powder seems like an interesting way to not only add-in protein but MUFAs. RawGuru sells an Organic Raw Brazil Nut Protein Powder. Raw Power makes a Protein Superfood Blend Powder that combines hemp + brazil nut protein.

Goat Milk Protein:

There's goat milk cheese, ice creams, and yogurt so why not a protein powder? Makes sense to me for those of us like me who can't do cow milk because of allergies but are okay with the goat. Check out Goat Milk Protein Powder from Jarrow Formulas, and Goatein from Garden of Life.

Important note, I have not personally tried all of these brands so me stating a specific brand name is not necessarily me giving them a thumbs up to any of them nor can I attest to the quality of experience you get with each product. Most of these brands I found at Whole Foods or on sites/forums that I deemed with some credibility. Also, there are no affiliate codes attached with any of the links, so I'm not making a cent by linking. I'm just sharing stuff I found.

Common complaints about veggie or non-cow protein powders are things like grassy taste, saw dust like, or too gritty. Each person has their own palate, so what may taste good to me may not agree with you. I say have fun and be adventurous. I'm just giving you a starting ground for other options that you probably never knew existed. I for one never knew that pea, brazil nut, and goat milk protein powder existed.

Please feel free to share your experience with any of the products above, and to share any other options not included. We always like to hear about new stuff!

Eating Out: Two Tasty Asian Vegan Dishes

2009-11-03T23:15:00-08:00

Green in Tempe is fast becoming one of my regular restaurant stops here in my new home of Arizona. Pal @halfacat turned me onto the place as he practically lives at Green.

Finding tasty vegan Asian dishes is quite challenging. I realize too that it doesn't help either that I have a very high bar. Even in the Bay Area, where it's practically vegan mecca, finding good vegan Asian is an adventure. So, when I tried these two dishes at Green I was excited.

First up is the Thai Peanut which comes with spicy peanut sauce, sauteed veggies, and crispy tofu on top of brown rice. You have options to get mock chicken, mock beef, fresh tofu, and pan fried noodles instead of rice. I dig crispy tofu so that tends to be my default. With the mock meats in Asian dishes, I'm on the fence because again I grew up with some awesome Asian cooking and the experience is just not even close compared to real meats. But, I'm willing to be open, and I've had some really awesome mock meats, just not that often.

Here we have the Apricot Miso which comes with pureed apricots, spicy sambal, rice wine vinegar, and sauteed veggies with mock beef on top of brown rice. Like the Thai Peanut you have the option to get mock chicken, crispy tofu, fresh tofu, and pan fried noodles instead of rice. I really enjoyed the creativity of combining the sweet of the apricots with the sambal. I've never tasted that before, and was happily surprised. Dontcha dig when that happens?

Both these dishes are under $8 and that is an awesome deal for these eats. If you stop by Green, you just might see me there!

Note: Pics taken with an iPhone 3GS

Things I Snack On: Organic Baked Beans In The Can

2009-11-03T11:13:00-08:00

One of my favorite snack foods is eating Whole Foods 365 brand Organic Maple & Onion Baked Beans right out of the can. Yup! I don't need it heated. Eating the beans out of the can reminds me of camping which brings me a sense of calm as I do like to sleep under the stars in fresh summer air.

I like baked beans as a snack because you can get protein and fiber with some sweet. Typically, I'll nosh on 1/3 the can which is 140 calories, 0g Fat, 0mg Cholesterol, and 7g Protein. The rest of the beans I will put into a plastic container and store in the fridge for snackage the next day. I like the baked beans cold too.

For some reason, I'm not into literally heating the baked beans, although I wouldn't pass up on the beans if cooked and paired with oh something like a BBQ grass fed beef hamburger.

Anyone else dig the baked beans?

Rotisserie Chicken Leftovers: Chicken, Mandarin Orange & Walnut Salad...Mayo Free

2009-11-02T16:41:35-08:00

I always have plenty of leftovers whenever I get a rotisserie chicken from the grocery store. For lunch, one of my favorite leftover dishes is this chicken, mandarin orange and walnut salad. I love it because it's simple, requires no cooking, and it's dairy and egg free.

I enjoy the combo of meat with a fruit. In place of mandarin oranges for this salad, you could also use apricots, figs, or grapes. Adding nuts gives you a MUFA boost.

Ingredients (For 1 cup of salad):

1 cup leftover rotisserie chicken cut into bite size chunks.
1/3 cup mandarin oranges either fresh or from a can
1/4 cup walnuts
A hearty pinch of green onions. (The Whole Foods salad bar had some so I just grabbed from there)
2 tbsp of Brianna's Poppyseed dressing
1 tbsp Whole Foods 365 Honey Mustard. The mustard not the salad dressing. Or use any mustard brand you like.

Start mixing:

When I cut up my chicken pieces, I left the skin in because I thought it would add a fun rotisserie look to it. Simply a designy thing as I'm not finicky about eating some chicken skin fat.

Put the chicken, green onions, and walnuts in a bowl with the Brianna's Poppyseed dressing and honey mustard. Wait on the mandarin oranges.

Note about the Poppyseed dressing: This dressing is pretty potent so test your taste level first. I like 2 tbsp because it covers the meat without drowning it.

Mix all together.

Now toss in the mandarin oranges, and fold in gently. I mix in the mandarin oranges last on their own because the fruit is tender and can rip while getting a thorough mix-in of the dressing and mustard.

Voila! You're ready to nosh.

Recipes: 10 Different Variations of Classic Hummus

2009-10-27T16:10:34-07:00

Picture: Trio Hummus appetizer at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant in Paradise Valley Phoenix, AZ. Pumpkin, Traditional, Village (spicy). Shot with an iPhone 3GS.

Hummus is one of my top 10 favorite foods. To me, for any event or meal, you just cannot go wrong with this garbanzo fabulousness. Hummus is also one of my favorite foods to eat post workout because you can get protein without feeling heavy.

To mix it up a bit and have some fun, here are 10 different variations of classic hummus. All recipes come with a picture:

Edamame hummus. Edamame is another Steph favorite. This hummus recipe also includes a recipe for homemade Lavosh crackers. [The Ceramic Canvas]

Pumpkin Hummus. Dig a Fall version. [Appetite for China]

Hummus with Carmelized Onions. We luvs carmelized onions. [No Recipes]

Chipotle Mustard Hummus. 4-ingredients. Very simple. [Bella Eats]

Roasted Garlic Hummus. Soft mushy garlic is just divine. [dyln]

Cilantro Jalapeno Hummus. Cayenne pepper adds even more fire. [Annie's Eats]

Beetroot Hummus with mint and coriander. This recipe is in Italian but it's totally worth just gawking at the gorgeous pictures. I almost wanted to lick the screen. [Il Pranzo di Babette]

Curried Pineapple Hummus. Adding fruit is a creative compliment. [cogito, ergo creo]

Kale with Sun Dried Tomato Hummus. Kale is green goodness. [Cook Think]

Cucumber Dill Hummus. Adding some thrill with dill. [28 Cooks]

Do you have a favorite hummus recipe that is a twist on the classic version? Please share with us hungry noshers!

Eating to Nourish Versus Fill

2009-10-26T10:10:57-07:00

Picture: From the brunch menu at Mayfield Bakery & Cafe in Palo Alto, CA. Warm rotisserie chicken with butter lettuce salad, bacon, and avocado.

In my own eating history, I have discovered that there are two main reasons I will eat, one is to nourish my body and the other is to fill what I feel I’m emotionally lacking. Here’s the fundamental difference between the two.

When I eat to nourish, I eat…

mainly foods that are whole, natural, clean, and nutrient packed because I know these foods have optimal benefits for my body.

until my body is satisfied. My stomach feels good. I have a balanced sense of portion control. I can eat a small cookie or a piece of chocolate and feel content.

4-5 mini meals a day. I find that my body feels better when I eat more yet smaller meals throughout the day. In this manner, I never feel deprived or starved.

because my body tells me it’s hungry and it’s time to fuel up.

joyfully. There is pleasure and vibrancy associated with nourishing not only my body but also my sense of well being.

When I eat to fill, I eat…

mainly foods that are junk foods particularly sweets like cookies, chocolate, and cakes because I am emotionally trying to fill the sweetness I feel is lacking in my life like having a loving relationship with a guy.

Until my body feels stuffed. My stomach feels like it’s jam packed. I have no sense of portion control, I can’t eat just one cookie, and I feel insatiable and eat the whole bag. I’ll stop eating only because there is no more food left in the bag, on the plate, or in the fridge.

away my feelings more to avoid facing them which leads me to binge particularly at night time because this is when I feel most lonely, neglected, or depressed.

because my emotions tell me that it’s time to disconnect from who we are because we have trained ourselves to use junk foods as a way to fill the void versus finding healthier ways to deal with our disconnect.

unconsciously. There is a mechanical energy void of vibrancy to my eating. Eating is impulsive versus purposeful.

What lives at the core

At the core, the difference is intent. When I eat to nourish, my intent is loving towards my body. When I eat to fill, my intent is avoidance of my feelings or self destruction.

When I finally came to a better understanding of why I eat and what my intent was, I was able to develop a more positive, healthy relationship with food and my body. I began the journey to become more present in myself.

I also started developing more positive ways outside of food to deal with my emotions particularly the feelings I wanted to avoid experiencing like when I feel I've lost control of where my career is going or when I feel like no man is ever going to love me for who I am. Instead of avoiding those feelings by eating half a pint of ice cream, I will do things like talk to a friend, go for a run, or something I've been doing more of lately is to just sit with the feeling and ask it what it's trying to tell me.

Honestly, learning to just sit with those uncomfortable feelings is something I would normally try to avoid at all cost because well it sucks and is painful, but realistically avoiding those feelings or hoping it will just go away if I ignore it long enough just makes things worse not better.

One way or another I'm going to experience discomfort, so I decided that it is better to get it over with when the pain is smaller and more managable versus letting it fester where it then turns into suffering and something out of control like all night binging. I'm also learning to look at that pain as an ally versus a villian. The pain is trying to tell me what needs to be fixed, healed, or acknowledged. The pain is there to aid me not hurt me or punish me.

My relationship with food is much healthier today than it was in the past, but it is also not perfect, and that is okay. I no longer try to strive for perfect eating because really that ideal is impossible. I reach for what I can do best at the moment and understand that I’m human and will have the bright seasons as well as the dark seasons.

When I slip, instead of beating myself up or judging myself, I step back and look at what was going on and see what I can learn, and continue to move forward. Each day is a new opportunity J

So how about you, what do you find are some of the intentions behind your eating?

Green New American Vegetarian Faux BBQ Chicken Sandwich The Best in U.S.

2009-10-22T09:53:38-07:00

Pal @halfacat raves about Green New American Vegetarian restaurant in Tempe, so I joined him and the lovely @JLKnapp for lunch.

I chose "The Secret BBQ Chicken Sandwich" pictured above served open faced. The sandwich comes with a whole Kaiser bun, but I just eat half the bun to cut down on carbs. With the chicken comes carmelized onions, peppers, espresso BBQ sauce, and vegan mayo.

I asked the waitress for suggestions and she told me that this BBQ sandwich was named by PETA as the #1 best Faux-Chicken Sandwich in the US. Here's the full Top 10 list. So, out of curiosity I wanted to see just how chicken-like this faux meat made made out of a gluten and soy base tasted.

The sandwich as a whole was very tasty. I would eat it again Could this faux meat pass as real chicken if the eater didn't know? I'd say there would be a pause because you can't tell right away. But after chewing a bit, you get that it's not real chicken. The texture though is almost spot on especially since it is cut thin. Looking at the picture above, the faux meat looks like real chicken.

For appetizer, I got the Crab Puffs. My Asian palate was curious to see how close Green's version would come to the real thing. The puff was alright. I enjoyed the garlic flavor but the texture of the filling was on the too mushy side. It needed some beefing up so to speak to give it more of a "there's some kind of meat in here" texture. In it's current state, I'd call it a "Garlic cheese fried won ton."

And lastly for dessert, @halfacatgot the Orangsicle soynami for all three of us to share. The dessert contains a soy based soft serve ice cream and vegan pound cake. This dessert was awesome to say the least, and @JLKnapp who is not vegetarian said that had she not known, she would not have guessed at all this dessert was non-dairy and non-egg. Excellent sign!

The dessert list at Green looked absolutely amazing, and if I had my way I would have tried one of everything because vegan desserts in the Phoenix area is on the scarce side. But, we have more reasons to go back to Green, and definitely you should check the place out.

Note: All pics taken with an iPhone 3GS

Road Eats: Driving from Bay Area to Phoenix & Noshing Healthy Along the Way

2009-10-21T15:27:25-07:00

On Saturday, I drove my car from the Bay Area to Phoenix, my new home. The total trip was about 788 miles which took me 13 hours to drive with 3 pitstops, one stop at Whole Foods to pick up food for the drive, and two stops for gas and potty break.

I’m going to share most of what I noshed on in those 13 hours. Above is a picture of some huge windmills along I-10 which I found utterly amazing as they went out for miles.

Up with the morning birds

I left my folks house at 7:45am, and those of you who know me well, know that it’s nearly a miracle I’m up that early, so here’s a quick video to prove it. In fact, you can tell I got ready in the wee hours of the morning half awake because my hair & makeup look like I’m going to some late night rock concert…lol! But hey, I was really happy to be going on this trip into my new life in Arizona.

To start, this post is sponsored by Viva Towels. Whenever I go on a road trip paper towels are a MUST because they are multi-purpose. I didn’t know that Viva is made by Kimberley Clark who also makes Kleenex, and that factoid was a bonus to me because I’m a Kleenex girl. I was happy to have both Viva and Kleenex on the road with me. For some fun, fork-free recipes including videos and snappy entertaining ideas, check out the VIVA® Diva Café.

Packed with mom love

Road trips are such a temptation to eat greasy fast foods, so I always prepare, and buy healthy foods to take with me. To start, mom packed this for me:

· Fresh fruit chunks: watermelon, cantaloupe, and mango spears. The cantaloupe was so sweet it tasted like candy, heavenly.

· Half an avocado: I had half left from a sandwich I made yesterday, so I figured I’d bring the other half for the cucumber sushi rolls I bought at Whole Foods.

· Red grapes

· A green apple

· A box of Vita Coco coconut water with pineapple

I know. This list sounds obnoxiously healthy for a road trip, but I was gleeful to have this stuff because it was packed with mom love, and made me feel like she was with me on the road because I did do this drive by myself. It’s the first time I have ever driven across states or that kind of distance by my lonesome.

At first I was a bit nervous about traveling alone, but an hour into the trip I was good. In fact, I had plenty of time to just think about my life and all the new and exciting adventures ahead of me. I made a conscious effort to focus on the future rather than the past, my healthy mind practice for the day.

What’s for lunch?

I ate lunch during my second pitstop, and ate in my car because I was in one of those small towns out in the middle of nowhere that have only one gas station. From the Whole Foods salad bar, I made this small salad that had fresh spinach, cherry tomatoes, garbanzos, corn, olives, shredded carrots & beets, and on top some roasted butternut squash with sage, and a plantain. You almost never see plantains in a salad bar so that was thrilling because I do love plantains. On my other leg, we have a chunk of organic ciabatta bread and some of the grapes mom packed.

Just so you know, I do believe that road trips are times to have fun foods too. I’m not saying ixnay all the junk food because when you got 13 hours to entertain yourself, food is an easy solution. So feast your eyes on one of the fun foods I picked up at the Whole Foods bakery…a vegan donut topped with dark chocolate and coconut. Oh my! This donut was absolutely divine.

And whenever I have sweets, at some point later, I gotta have some salt. So, for an afternoon snack I noshed on these corn snacks I found in the bulk food section. I love these things because my favorite part of popcorn is the kernels that sit at the bottom because they didn’t quite pop, but opened slightly so they are really crunchy. This corn snack was like having a whole bag of those kernels.

For my last dinner with the folks, I asked Dad to make his famous ribs which was coupled with asparagus, and baked sweet potatoes topped with brown sugar and marshmallows. I don’t know what kind of magic my dad puts into his ribs because all I can tell you is that the meat falls off the bone and I’m in pure carnivore heaven. Eating these ribs you definitely will go through many a paper towel which I did when I ate some left overs for dinner during my third pitstop at the California-Arizona border.

I arrived to my hotel room in Phoenix a little after 9pm and ate some of the cucumber rolls with mom’s avocado, along with some iced tea. I was pooped but sure felt very proud of myself for not only driving all that distance, but for also taking the chance at a new life in a new city.

This is the first time I have not lived within a 1 hour drive of my parent’s house. Yes, it’s a big step for me and my family. But, I do believe it’s going to be really good. I have a new clean slate here in Phoenix, and look forward to all the new adventures like learning all about the food scene in Arizona!

Eating Vegan at Gordon Biersch

2009-10-19T17:58:07-07:00

Since I went on carnivore overload the other day when eating Dad's famous barbecue ribs, I felt like eating vegan last night. Worked out perfectly too because I hung out with pal @halfacat who's vegan.

We went to Gordon Biersch because I really wanted a beer after spending the day doing oodles of paperwork moving into my new place in Scottsdale. A Marzen just sounded like it would hit the spot perfectly.

Beer is vegan you know *yay!*

Here's what we ate along with a couple frothy brewskies.

Garlic Fries: This food is a must when going to Gordon Biersch because it goes perfectly with beer. The garlic fries are also my favorite indulgence. I felt like celebrating moving into my new life.

Tapas: Which is flatbread with hummus, roasted garlic, olive tempanade, and bruschetta. I was all over the garlic and tomatoes.

Cheese-less veggie pizza: We ordered from the happy hour menu so the pizza we got was about 6" in diameter which is nice because you get a small portion of pizza. Not much of a carb overload. The pizza had roasted tomato, mushrooms, and spinach. I put some of the roasted garlic from the Tapas dish on top of my pizza for an added umph. Twas yumalicious!

The meal was indeed on the starchy and carby side, but like I mentioned, it was happy hour portions, and was split between two people. Today, I did an endorphin pumping 4-mile run so we're good :)

All the pictures were taken on my iPhone 3GS. The more I use this thing, the more I'm impressed with what I can shoot.

5 Ways to Make Healthier Choices at the Chinese Fast Food Place

2009-10-16T11:15:15-07:00

Eating at a fast food Chinese place like a Panda Express or Manchu Wok is great mainly because of convenience. You get scoops of food instead of having to order full plates like with traditional sit down meals at your favorite Chinese restaurant. As well, you can get your food to-go then dash off and eat in your office, your car, or at the park.

In the picture above, I had lunch with my dad at Manchu Wok and I ordered the grilled chicken, beef and green beans, and steamed rice.

Convenience, however, doesn't always equal healthy especially when it comes to fast food. Here's 5 ways to help you make some healthier choices the next time you're getting that lunch special.

Get plain rice versus fried rice or chow mein: By getting plain rice you will be cutting down on sodium, fats, and even sugars as some sauces are made with sugar. Plain rice has 0g of fat and 0mg of sodium if cooked without any salt. At Manchu Wok (nutritional guide), one serving of fried rice has 13g of fat and 1160mg of sodium. Big difference.

Rule of 3: For your combo meal, order no more than 2 items with your rice. Better yet, just get one item with steamed rice. There are combo meals where you can get 3-4 items along with rice, which at the time looks really good, but that additional item is only going to give you extra calories, fat, sodium, carbs, and more, you don't really need. Yes, you may want, but you do not need. Two items will give you enough variety where you can get different meats or veggies.

Get your food in a to-go container even if you plan on eating in the restaurant: This is more of a mental thing. When you see a full plate of food, odds are you will just keep eating until you finish the plate instead of eating until you start to feel full. Why?

Because many of us don't want to throw away food. If you get your food in a to-go container, you can eat until your satisfied and then take the rest home. Mentally, nothing is wasted, and even if you do throw away the container at home, it's in the privacy of your house versus out in public. Some people can have a thing about others seeing them throw food away, so they'd rather overeat than feel social discomfort.

Stick with grilled or sauteed over breaded meats: I know. I know. If you're like me, the tastiest of the dishes are Sweet & Sour pork or chicken, Sesame chicken, or Orange chicken as they are sweet and crunchy. Heavenly indeed, but not really going to help you much in your effort to eat healthier. As an example, using Manchu Wok again, one serving of Sesame chicken has 46g of carbs and 29g of sugars. The Chicken & mushrooms has 8g of carbs and 4g of sugars. Significant difference. But before you sigh...

Compromise to satisfy both your want and need: I don't believe in total deprivation because when that happens, eventually your psyche will rebel, and you can end up going hog wild consuming everything in sight. I believe that's one of the fundamental reason diets don't work, it's filled with deprivation and the illusion of eating perfection.

If it's your free day or you've had a really great workout and want a little cheat, get the Sesame chicken, and get steamed vegetables as the second item along with steamed rice. With this compromise, you get a small portion of the less optimal food, the Sesame chicken, as well as something healthier. Your psyche will feel the win/win.

What are some other ways the help you make healthier choices at the mall Chinese place?