Chef Wendell: Confronting your vegephobia
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Are you vegephobic? The down-side of “vegephobia” is that colorful, fresh, sun-kissed produce is the most health-promoting food groups on earth. If you’re not eating enough plant foods from nature, you’re not getting all their disease-preventing vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and powerful phytochemicals.
Literally every colorful component of this easy dish contributes towards preventing cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, diabetes, obesity and autoimmune disorders and strengthening your immune system.
- Come over to the ‘Green Side’.
- Fruits and vegetables are important for preventing all kinds or diseases.
- ‘Produce-haters’ have diverted from the road of nutritional righteousness into the ditch of preventable disease.
- Humans require sun kissed nutrition for energy, to prevent malnutrition and disease, and to unleash their highest potential.
- Everything about you, good or bad, mind, body and soul, is profoundly influenced by your relationship with nature’s generous bounty
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends filling half of your plate with fruits and vegetables at each meal.
- If you aren’t eating produce, you’re not benefiting from their life-sustaining vitamins, fiber, antioxidants, micronutrients and other powerful, protective phytochemicals
- It’s scientifically supported plant foods from nature are infinitely more nourishing. (Mayo Clinic, Harvard, Cleveland Clinic)
- Plant food nutrition is widely accepted by food scientists for their proven health benefits.
Rainbow Stir-fry with tempeh and orange:
- 1 ea. yellow and red bell pepper-Antioxidants
- ½ small head of cabbage-Anti cancer
- 1/2 small head red cabbage-Anti-cancer
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1’2 pound diced fresh pineapple
- 1 cup water or vegetable stock
- 8 oz. tempeh, small cube
- 2 Tbsps. olive or avocado oil
- 1 orange, peeled, sectioned and cut into pieces
- 1 green onion, chopped
- Pinch hot pepper flakes
Sauce:
1/3rd cup tamari (wheat-free soy sauce)
1 tbsp. raw honey
1 tbsp. orange zest
- In a small bowl, whisk tamari and honey together with orange zest.
- Add the oil to a medium-hot sauté pan or wok. Add the diced tempeh cubes and sauté till edges brown. Stir frequently to hit all sides.
- Add in the orange sections, pineapple cubes, hot pepper flakes and green onions. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Not too long.
- Toss in the vegetables, sauté for 1 minute; add the sauce and cook 2 more minutes. Try to keep some crunch in the veggies.