Three years ago, I attended a conference in San Diego on Plant-based nutrition for physicians and nurses which assisted me in making major changes in my life. I had tried being vegetarian several times in the past but would become frustrated and give it up. The previous time, I lived in Hawaii in a local family situation. Anytime that I went to family gatherings or even out to eat with family or friends, there was very little that I could eat. I remember living on either French fries or plain salads. I was not happy and could hardly wait to get home to eat.

When I attended the Plantrician Conference, I discovered a whole new world. We were there for 4.5 days; all meals were provided. It was a real eye-opener. If you are interested, their conference is online this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Check out their website. https://plantricianproject.org/ and https://pbnhc.com/ for information. Starting out slow is the key. Every change, no matter how small will affect your life. One day a week to start, then reduce meat products, diary products to three times a week or have “meatless Mondays, Meatless Fridays”. The changes build up over time, and you will see a healthier you. Talk to your physician. There were over 300 Kaiser physicians learning about the program at our last meeting.

The recipes on this blog can be used for meal planning, to discover new tastes, and to help you and your family to be healthier. I have been 98% plant-based for three years.( I still occasionally eat eggs and fish). Your grocery bill will drop significantly.

These are great websites/blogs for beginners (and experienced) to learn new methods of planning, cooking, and eating: https://skinnyms.com/plant-based-meal-plan-for-beginners/
https://www.acouplecooks.com/28-day-plant-based-diet-meal-plan/ and
https://www.forksoverknives.com/how-tos/plant-based-primer-beginners-guide-starting-plant-based-diet/
https://www.cleaneatingkitchen.com/eat-to-live-recipes/

In this section, I try to use vegetables straight from the garden. By using seasonal vegetables and fruits, it assists in not wasting what you have grown.

Recipes for July

Tips: Money Saving Jams

Whenever you have small amounts of fruits going to waste, trim the bad parts off and freeze until you have 2 cups of frozen fruit. It doesn’t matter about the combination. I have lately made a combination of apricots, peaches, and strawberries, and the last batch was cotton candy grapes with cherries. The jam sweetness will only be as sweet as the fruit.

• 2 cups fruit (you may add1/2 cup of sweetner if you need to have it
• Juice of ½ lemon
• Ball/Dutch jell or Pomona’s Universal Pectin (Ace Hardware or Amazon)

Sterilize four small glass jars (Ball or Kerr brand) with their lids (the small jars)
Simmer fruit with lemon and Pectin until it thickens (use a candy thermometer) to jelly stage, turn the heat down, and simmer for five more minutes. The best way is to follow their directions, but this is how I do it. Pour into jars up to 1inch from the rim, tighten lids, turn upside down until cool. I always cover with a dishtowel, so they don’t cool down too fast. Later when cool, flip back up and use. When using the Pectin, once you open it, refrigerate. It will get moldy quicker than the store-bought jams, but the jars are so small that you will use it fast.