Real Food, Real Men by Kathryn Bari-Petritis – Cold Spring Hills, NY

We live in a time of revolutionary insights about health and nutrition. There are now thousands of scientifically documented articles about the benefits of real food. Real food has the power to change your life.

From my twenty-five years as a professional holistic chef and educator, I have seen that eating real, wholesome, fresh food prepared with love and care can transform illness, rejuvenate and restore low energy levels and create vibrancy at any age.

To quote a dear friend, and an authentic vegan man, Joseph Lapiana, “I raised my two sons, as a single parent, with the basics of a plant-based diet.” Joseph explains, “this type of eating enhances every aspect of my life, always energized and fully present in the moment.” His two boys followed in his footsteps and now adults, are living productive healthy and happy lives in the vegan way.

Today, guys are multi-tasking, just as women are. They are expanding their horizons with a more diverse, real food diet. They seek quality proteins without eating animal foods. When they cook, they want a recipe that’s abundant in nutrients and is easy to make and has that comfort zone factor.

Guys, if you’re just getting into cooking, be patient with yourself. There is a lot of trial and error involved, this is part of the improvisation in the kitchen, and it’s all about practice. Practice at any trade will make you better.

Have you tried Tempeh yet? It’s so versatile and delicious. Tempeh, an Indonesian staple food, is a high form of soy protein with zero cholesterol. Mushrooms have been valued for centuries as medicine. They have a total of 17 amino acids (building blocks of protein). Rich in vitamins, especially Vitamin D, selenium and glutathione they have the ability to strengthen and support the immune system, they also reduce oxidative stress, the main culprit in causing diseases such as cancer, heart disease and dementia. One cup of mushrooms contains only 15 calories and 2.3 grams of carbohydrate, making it a low calorie, low carb food choice.

This coupling of the two superfoods in my Italian meatball recipe is a must try. If you’re serving with pasta, try using a high fiber one, there are so many choices now. You’ll be surprised how delicious that can be with less of the simple carbs.

Kathryn Bari-Petritis is a holistic chef, culinary educator and cooking coach on Long Island, New York for twenty-five years. She is author of Health Transforming Foods, Their Stories and Recipes, sold on Amazon. Kathryn@thehealthchef.com

Vegan Italian Meatballs
Serving – 6
Ingredients:
1 bar Tempeh, plain is best
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 medium shallot, diced small
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground oregano and basil
½ teaspoon ground sage
1 cup carrots, grated
½ cup zucchini, grated
1 cup cremini mushrooms,
wiped clean, small chop
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground pepper
1 Tablespoon ketchup
2 teaspoons nutritional yeast
1 Tablespoon vegan Parmesan cheese
½ cup Italian breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley
1 jar tomato sauce
Garnish: 2 Tablespoons fresh basil

Procedure:
✤ Blanch Tempeh in boiling water for 3 mins., cook, break up in small pieces, set aside
✤ Sauté shallot in oil, until crispy, add garlic, stir 2 mins., add spices, cook 1 min.
✤ Add the carrots, zucchini, mushrooms, salt and pepper, cook 3 mins. Put through a small strainer, press down to release any liquid
✤ In a food processor, place the Tempeh, sautéed veggies mixture, ketchup, nutritional yeast, vegan cheese, bread crumbs, Worcestershire sauce, pulse until blended (must be able to form into a ball). (If too wet add some more bread crumbs) Put in large bowl, mix in parsley
✤ Prepare a sheet pan with parchment paper. Scoop out a generous tablespoon of the mixture, with
greased hands, roll into balls. Spread on pan with two tablespoons of tomato sauce on top to coat
✤ Cook uncovered in a 350º oven for 15 mins., turn, cook 10 min. more
✤ Garnish with more tomato sauce and basil