entertaining

Williams who was once a pharmacist.

I have a healthy respect for drugs,
not as a panacea but as a tool. But I
recognize their many adverse side
effects and Im not surprised when
many of my patients complain about
the amount of pills they are taking.
Williams switched to the plantbased diet five years ago after reading The China Study, a book which
details the relationship between nutrition and disease, which inspired
the controversial 2011 documentary,
Forks Over Knives. The film (available
on Netflix) argues that most degenerative ailments such as heart disease,
Type 2 diabetes, joint pain and some
cancers can be prevented or reversed
by replacing the traditional Western
diet with one comprising nonprocessed plant-based foods.
Day after day, our group sat spellbound as an all-star line-up of lecturers took the stage. Among them,
the authors of The China Study, Dr.
T. Colin Campbell and his son, Dr.
Thomas Campbell II, as well as renowned researcher and surgeon, Dr.
Caldwell B. Esselstyn Jr., who penned
Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease
and whose work was also featured in
the documentary.
Studies were cited and claims were
made: heart disease is a foodborne
illness that can be wiped out if we
change our diet; diet impacts all vascular ailments from dementia to
erectile dysfunction; by consuming a
wide variety of plants nearly all daily
nutritional requirements can be met
(leafy greens for calcium, all plants

Plants Punch

f you had told me I could go

nine days without eating meat
or dairy, I would have said oh
sure, maybe if I were stranded
on a deserted island, but I wouldnt
have dreamed I could do so on a
Caribbean island at an all-inclusive
resort. How could any mere meatloving mortal resist the aromas wafting from restaurants and open-air
grills? And then there is the you-onlylive-once mindset of such vacations, a
mental passport to indulge.
But such was the challenge I faced
when I joined a group mostly boomers who had signed up for a wholefood plant-based-diet immersion excursion in the Dominican Republic.
Among the 45 of us, some were curious newcomers to the diet, a few were
die-hards who had long since given up
all animal-based foods, refined foods

88

such as sugar and anything high in

fat, including all oils, but most fell
somewhere in between. Every day, we
attended lectures and cooking demos
and ate only the dishes specially prepared for us. Breakfasts included banana oat bars, breads and muffins, potato cakes and baked plantains, fresh
tropical fruits, granola with almond
milk, oatmeal and various puddings.
For lunch and dinner, we feasted on
a wide selection of salads, side dishes
such as almond-creamed cauliflower
and cilantro green beans, and mains
that included all manner of beans and
rice casseroles, veggie stews, stuffed
wraps and cabbage rolls, curry concoctions and meat-lookalikes such as
almond-encrusted eggplant cutlets.
At both the beginning and end of our
trip, our weight, blood pressure and
cholesterol levels were taken.

We did the tests so everyone could

see results in real numbers, explains
Dr. Shane Williams, the 43-year-old
cardiologist from Bracebridge, Ont.
(www.williamscardiology.com), who
orchestrated the event. To get people
to change what they eat, its not
enough to tell them theyll feel better.
Williams has been making waves
in Ontarios cottage country by advocating nutrition over medicine.
Rather than taking what he claims
is the go-to approach of many physicians writing prescriptions and/
or recommending surgeries the affable Newfoundland native goes the
extra step and introduces patients to
the notion that food is health care,
medicine is sick care and that nutrition alone can dramatically improve
well-being. A radical position for
any doctor perhaps, but certainly for

photography, colleen nicholson

Think its all about pt and beef

skewers? Rebecca Field Jager
proposes lightening up with
a meatless tasting party

What Youll Need

3 smallish bowls; 2 forks

and 1 spoon per guest
3 large serving dishes
for entrees; 3 ladles
2 large serving dishes with
lids (one for rice, the other
pasta) with serving utensils
1 pen plus 3 scorecards

but especially legumes for protein);

complex carbs, which are only found
in plants (sweet potatoes, brown
rice, quinoa, oats, corn, broccoli, carrots, etc.) are the preferred source of
energy, not animal protein; refined
and high-fat food injure the body;
organics, while better, are not essential to healthy eating; and the reason most people continue to eat the
Western way is because Big Industry
such as beef and dairy has a role in
shaping our food environment that is
stronger than most people realize and
has a powerful interest in promoting
and protecting the status quo.
Not surprisingly, such claims have
garnered push-back from the scientific community, but no one can
argue our group results were impressive. Although there was no limit to
how much we could consume and no
mandate to exercise, on average, each
participant experienced a weight loss
of two pounds and lower blood pressure, and their LDL (bad) cholesterol
dropped by a whopping 37 per cent.
Me? Well, I did manage to stick to
the diet but I gorged every day, and
a walk on the beach or a dance under
the stars were my only workouts.
Still, my results were in keeping
with the averages. How could I ever
allow steak to cross my lips again?
But I knew I would. I may not be
ready to give up meat, but I now know
how to throw a plant-based tasting
party. And why not? With February
being heart month and March nutrition month, its the perfect time
to play the host whos on the cusp of

(one for each dish) per

guest (download PDF from
everythingzoomer.com)

Set-Up and Ambience

Go casual with informal

tableware and linens.
Create a playlist of
plant-based tunes: The

hot culinary trends and, in this case,

introducing guests to one that allows
them to stretch their taste buds and
spare their cholesterol levels, too.
Of course, theres no need to drag
the party down with table talk of
clogged arteries or the wonders of
folate. Better to set out some wine
and tell guests youre trying to extend
your meatless repertoire to go beyond
salads and sides. To that end, you will
be serving three diverse entrees: an
Indian chana masala, a southwestern chili and the ever-popular comfort food, stroganoff. But for a bit of
oil used in the first two, the recipes
are made with low-fat non-processed
plant-based ingredients, and yet all
are full of flavour. So dont worry.
Once guests taste your newfound creations, theyll thank you for letting
them be your guinea figs.

1 Sweet Potato, Black

Bean & Sweet Corn Chili
From Brendan Braziers
Thrive Energy Cookbook
Makes 6 servings
3 cups cubed sweet potatoes
4 tbsp virgin coconut oil
1 cup chopped sweet onions
4 tbsp minced garlic
cup chili powder
3 tbsp ground cumin
3 cups tomatoes, quartered
3 cups sweet corn kernels
2 cans (14 oz/400 g
each) black beans,
drained and rinsed
Large handful fresh cilantro leaves
cup lime juice

Beatles Strawberry Fields

Forever; 30,000 Pounds
of Bananas by Harry
Chapin; and Mashed Potato
Time by Dee Dee Sharp.
Serve entrees one at a
time, keeping remaining
ones on low on the stove.
Serve in any order, asking

guests to help themselves

after you set out each dish.
Instruct guests to cleanse
their palates between
tastings with water.
Give guests time to jot
down notes on scorecards,
compare impressions and
declare their favourite!

89

1 or 2 jalapeo peppers, seeded

and finely chopped
1 cup vegetable stock
In large saucepan, cover potatoes
with salted water. Bring to a boil
and cook until they are slightly
undercooked. Drain; transfer to
a bowl of ice water to stop the
cooking. Drain again. In medium
saucepan, heat 2 tbsp of the
coconut oil over medium heat.
Add the onions and 2 tbsp of the
garlic. Sweat, stirring occasionally, until onions are translucent.
Stir in chili powder and cumin;
cook for 2 minutes. Add potatoes,
tomatoes, corn, beans, cilantro,
lime juice and most of the jalapeos, reserving some for garnish.
Simmer, uncovered, over mediumlow heat for 30 minutes. If chili
is too thick, add vegetable stock
to desired consistency. Season
with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with remaining jalapeo.

2 Savory Mushroom
Stroganoff

From Leanne Campbells cookbook,

The China Study All-Star Collection
Makes 4 servings
I
sweet onion, chopped
3 to 4 cups vegetable stock
8 oz portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 tsp
dried basil
1 tsp
tamari
Pinch
cayenne pepper
8 oz cremini or white
mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp
whole wheat flour
cup
water
Sea salt and pepper
8 oz whole grain pasta,
cooked and drained
In large skillet, cook onion and 2
tbsp of the vegetable stock over
medium-low heat, stirring occasionally until slightly softened,
about 5 minutes (if onion becomes
dry, add more stock). Add portobello mushrooms, basil, tamari and
cayenne, and cook, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes, adding
more stock, one tablespoon at a
time as needed to prevent sticking.
Add cremini mushrooms and cook,
stirring occasionally, until browned,
about 8 minutes. Stir in 1 cups of
stock. Cover and simmer, stirring
occasionally, 15 to 20 minutes.
Mix flour and water until smooth;
briskly whisk into mushrooms.
Cook, stirring constantly, until
liquid forms a gravy. Season with
salt and pepper. Serve over pasta.

3 Quick & Easy

Chana Masala

From Angela Liddons The

Oh She Glows Cookbook
Makes 6 to 8 appetizer
servings
1 cup uncooked basmati rice,
cooked before serving
1 tbsp coconut oil or olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds

90

1
yellow onion, diced
1 tbsp minced fresh garlic
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 green serrano chile pepper, seeded and minced
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp ground coriander
tsp ground turmeric
tsp fine-grain sea salt,
plus more as needed
tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) whole
peeled or diced tomatoes, with their juices
1 can (28 oz/796 mL) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
Fresh lemon juice

Fresh cilantro
Cook rice. Set aside until serving.
In large wok or saucepan, heat oil
over medium heat. When a drop
of water sizzles upon hitting pan,
reduce heat to medium-low and
add cumin. Stir and toast seeds for
a minute or two, watching carefully to avoid burning. Increase
heat to medium and stir in onion,
garlic, ginger and serrano; cook for
a few minutes, then stir in garam
masala, coriander, turmeric, salt
and cayenne (if using), and cook
for 2 minutes longer. Add tomatoes and their juices and break
them apart with a wooden spoon
(leave some chunks for texture).
Increase heat to medium-high and
add chickpeas. Bring to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes to
allow flavours to develop. Serve
over cooked basmati rice, if desired, and garnish with a squeeze
of fresh lemon juice and chopped
cilantro just before serving.