Every day is a new day and with that, a new opportunity.
EVERYONE is welcome and please join us each morning at 7:30 AM PACIFIC
to tell us what you're working on, share your show & tell, vent, whatever you want...
...this is an open thread. Nothing is off topic.
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What if changing your diet even a little could help you lose weight
and help reduce global warming?
Might you be politically motivated to eat better?
Ever since my 20's I've found it fun to experiment with just about every diet approach out there, from the perfectly awful
Natural Hygienic all raw foods diet to the perfectly awful super low-carb heavy-on-animal products Atkins diet. It's clear I'll never be a total vegetarian. I don't like extremes and there are times I crave meat, fish, and especially cheese, though the older I get the more I move in a vegan direction. Recently I found an outstanding book I've been recommending to my patients that lays out a flexible food philosophy I believe
anyone can benefit from and work with.
Mark Bittman, food writer for the New York Times Magazine and author of Food Matters, which explains how the standard American diet harms the environment, has come up with a simple, flexible philosophical plan anyone can adapt:
Become a Part-Time Vegan
Need convincing of the environmental impact this could have? Check this resource from Macca's Meatless Monday on the staggeringly huge contribution of livestock/meat production to climate change/resource depletion
How part-time a vegan? That's up to you. You could start with Meatless Mondays. You could work your way up to the interesting concept of Vegan Before 6:00, one of the most intriguing and sensible eating plans I've run across. You could try this out one day a week, or on weekdays only; it's entirely up to you. But it will nudge you in a healthier direction (unless you're already completely vegan, in which case, carry on!)
Everyone agrees (in theory, any way) they should eat more fruits and vegetables. As a food writer Mark Bittman certainly knew this, but he ate out as part of his job and enjoyed the social aspects of this as much as the food. It finally caught up with him, though, in the form of 40 extra pounds, high cholesterol, sleep apnea, knee pain and borderline diabetes. When he rejected the idea of going on medications to control these problems his doctor laid it out: The only way to restore his health without medications was to become a vegan. When Bittman asked how he could possibly do this while keeping his job and his friends his doctor replied,
"You're a smart guy. Figure something out."
What Bittman figured out 6 years ago was to become a strict vegan...until dinnertime. This included no junk food or processed foods. He ate fruits, vegetables, lightly processed grains, beans, legumes, nuts and seeds throughout the day. At dinner he ate whatever he liked in moderation. He could still eat out, socialize in the evenings, have a glass of wine...and it worked. The weight came off, the blood markers returned to normal, and he wrote a common sense book about it.
Curious? Check out this excerpt from Mark Bittman's book HERE.
So, as I've done so many times before I threw myself into experimenting with this concept and found it's really not that hard. I can still have a juicy lettuce-wrapped home-made cheeseburger of an evening. On the weekends I'll still make a fritatta for breakfast, and have the leftovers for dinner on Monday. Without making any direct effort to lose weight I've lost 4 pounds. And though I thought my diet was already pretty healthy with lots of fruits and vegetables, now I'm eating lots more of them. I can't reach for cheese for a daytime snack but that's ok, I can still have it at dinner if I want to, so there's no sense of being deprived of my favorites.
So what do you think-- is this something you might could give a try, even if it's just one day a week?
Let me know if you're willing to try this little health challenge and I'll help you figure out how to make it so-- even if only part-part time!
One thing I've started doing is making grain or bean salads on the weekend that will last throughout the week so there's always something to grab. I'm going to walk you through one menu item I love, and I would love to hear from you guys as to what your favorite vegan recipes are. I know you've got one!
Quinoa Pilaf Salad
Since it contains all eight essential amino acids, quinoa is considered a complete protein. It also delivers fiber, iron, magnesium, calcium and vitamins A and E. Quinoa's flavor is slightly nutty with a pleasing crunchy texture. I use it as a gluten-free substitute for pasta. Even my local Safeway supermarket carries (organic!) quinoa now, but you can also find it in the bulk food bins in many stores.
Quinoa cooks up just like rice. Use 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of water. Rinse it first to remove the bitter saponins that coat it. If you don't have a small enough colander, soak it in a deep bowl of water, swirl it around and then slowly pour off the water, repeating until the rinse water runs clear.
I like to add extra flavoring to the cooking liquid by adding some chopped carrots and some vegetable bouillon cubes, but you can just salt the water if you don't want to get fancy!
Bring your cooking liquid to a boil, add your quinoa, and simmer, covered, for about 20 minutes.
Now the fun part...while the quinoa cooks chop your veggies, from whatever you have on hand that's fresh. I use cilantro, but if you hate it (and people do!) use fresh chopped parsley or basil. Substitute green onions for red onion. Substitute anything you like-- add raw carrots or celery for crunch. I slice cherry tomatoes in half and add cucumber for a fresh summery flavor. Get as many different colors and textures in there as you can. Mine has to have sliced olives!
For your dressing, whisk together 1/4 cup olive oil, lemon juice and chopped garlic, or mix avocado oil, lime juice and a touch of cumin. Season with salt and pepper and anything else you like.
When your quinoa is perfectly cooked, it will look like this, with little air holes. There will also be little white curly bits from the ruptured grains.
Turn off the heat and let it sit for a few minutes to reabsorb the liquid, then fluff the grains and when they're cooled add them to your chopped veggies. Pour your dressing over it, toss, and look how pretty! You have a high-protein, veggie-packed salad that can last for days in the refrigerator!
Quinoa Pilaf Salad. Recipe and photos by smileycreek
Here's a Mediterranean Version of Quinoa Salad with quinoa, cucumbers, tomatoes, kalamata olives, red onion, extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon and a little feta cheese.
Here's another favorite I make up in advance for work lunches: Fiesta Bean Salad. Yum!
Latest Updates on Kossack Regional Meet-Up News Below the New Day sunrise cloud
:: COMMUNITY BUILDING UPDATES ::
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Let's build communities!
Every region needs a meatspace community like SFKossacks.
We take care of each other in real life.
I urge YOU to take the lead and organize one in your region.
Please tell us about it if you do and we're here for advice.
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THINK GLOBALLY, ACT LOCALLY
>>>Instructions on HOW TO FORM A NEW DAILY KOS GROUP
NEW GROUPS IN THE PROCESS OF ORGANIZING:
Send a Kosmail to the organizers and ask for an invitation to the group.
• Northern Indiana Area: Kosmail Tim Delaney
• Long Island: Kosmail grannycarol
• Northern Michigan: Kosmail JillS
• Nebraska: Kosmail Nebraska68847Dem
• Westburbia Chicago Kossacks: Kosmail Majordomo
• New York Hudson Valley Kossacks: Kosmail boran2
• North Carolina Triangle Kossacks: Kosmail highacidity
• Caprock Kossacks (Panhandle/Caprock/Lubbock/Amarillo area) : Kosmail shesaid
• West Texas Kossacks (including Big Bend Region and El Paso) : Kosmail Yo Bubba
Note to the above new leaders: Feel free to leave a comment any day reminding readers about your new group. Also, tell us about your progress in gathering members. Kosmail me when you've chosen a good name for your group and have created a the group. Then I'll move you to the NEW GROUPS LIST. When you've planned a date for your first event I'll make a banner for you to highlight your event in our diaries and your diaries.
These are the groups that have started since * NEW DAY * began. Please Kosmail navajo if you have started a group before that.
NEW GROUPS LIST:
• California Central Valley Kossacks - Formed: Jul 29, 2012, Organizer: tgypsy
• New England Kossacks - Formed: Aug 6, 2012, Organizers:
Clytemnestra for Lower New England (Conneticut, Massachusetts, Rhode Island)
nhox42 for Upper New England (Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont)
• Houston Area Kossacks - Formed: Aug 7, 2012, Organizer: Chrislove
• Kossacks in India - Formed: Aug 14, 2012, Organizer: chandu
• CenTex Kossacks - Formed: Sep 9, 2012, Organizer: papa monzano
• Central Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Sep 26, 2012, Organizer: VetGrl
• Kansas City Kossacks - Formed Oct 15, 2012, Organizer: [Founder stepped down]
• Phoenix Kossacks - Formed Oct 16, 2012, Organizer: arizonablue
• Chicago Kossacks - Formed: Oct 31, 2012, Organizer: figbash
• Koscadia the Pacific Northwest coast from Northern California to Alaska
- Formed Oct 17, 2012, Oganizer: Horace Boothroyd III based in Portland, OR
• Boston Kossacks - Formed: Nov 7, 2012, Organizer: GreyHawk
• Motor City Kossacks South East Michigan (Detroit) Area - Formed: Nov 10, 2012, Organizer: peregrine kate
• Pittsburgh Area Kossacks - Formed: Nov 12, 2012, Organizer: dweb8231
• Salt Lake City Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: War on Error
• Twin Cities Kossacks - Formed: Nov 17, 2012, Organizer: imonlylurking
• Dallas Kossacks North Texas - Formed: Nov 21, 2012, Admins: Catte Nappe and dalfireplug. Please contact them to join the group. An Event Organizer needed.
• The Southern California Inland Empire Kossacks - Formed: Dec 3, 2012, Organizer: SoCaliana
• Los Angeles Kossacks - Formed: Dec 17, 2012, Organizer: Dave in Northridge
• Northeast Ohio Kossacks - Formed: Jan 16, 2013, Organizer: GenXangster
• Kansas & Missouri Kossacks - Formed: Jan 17, 2013, Organizer: tmservo433
• I-77 Carolina Kossacks who live from Columbia, SC to north of Winston-Salem, NC. - Formed: Jan 30, 2013, Organizers: gulfgal98 and eeff
• Indianapolis Kossacks - Formed: Feb 6, 2013, Organizer: CityLightsLover
• Southwest Ohio Kossacks - Formed: May 10, 2013, Organizer: Dr Erich Bloodaxe RN
• Northern Arizona Kossacks - Formed: Jul 5, 2013, Organizer: Sam Sara
• Mexican Kossacks - Formed: Apr 14, 2013, Organizer: roberb7
ESTABLISHED GROUPS LIST: (List will grow as we discover them)
• SFKossacks Founded by navajo, Formed: May 2, 2005
• Maryland Kos Founded by timmyc, Formed: Feb 23, 2011. Contact: JamieG from Md for a group invite.
• New York City Founded by Eddie C - Contact the group organizer for meet-up events: sidnora
• Baja Arizona Kossacks, Event Organizer: Azazello
• Three Star Kossacks Tennessee, Founded by maryKK, Formed: Apr 8, 2011
• Nashville KosKats, Founded by ZenTrainer Formed: Jan 30, 2012
• Virginia Kos Founded by JamieG from Md, Formed: May 3, 2011
• Kos Georgia Founded by pat208, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• Colorado COmmunity Founded by Leftcandid, Formed: Feb 13, 2011
• New Mexico Kossaks Founded by claude
• Philly Kos Founded by mconvente Formed: Aug 29, 2011
• DKos Florida Founded by ThirstyGator, Formed: Feb 14, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail Vetwife to be included in next event.
• Oklahoma Roundup Founded by BigOkie, Formed: Feb 13, 2011, Currently organizing: Kosmail peacearena to be included.
• DKos Asheville Founded by davehouck, Formed: Feb 13, 2011 - Organizing Assist by: randallt
:: Events Currently on the Books for ALL Kossacks ::
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Sunday, August 11th
Nashville KosKats Meet-up
TIME: 1:00 PM
LOCATION: Bosco’s
1805 21st Avenue South • Nashville
ORGANIZER: Send ZenTrainer a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. peregrine kate
2. ZenTrainer
3. Land of Enchantment
4. jnhobbs
5. Patrick is Lucky
6. JKTownsend
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Maybees:
Sandy on Signal
VelvetElvis
ladybug53
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Latest diary: Nashville KosKats Meet-Up
Saturday, August 17th
Los Angeles Kossacks Dine at Saladang Song Again
TIME: 1:30 PM
LOCATION: Saladang Song
383 S Fair Oaks Ave • Pasadena
ORGANIZER: Send Dave in Northridge a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. Dave in Northridge
2. philipmerrill
3. susans
4. Shockwave
5. alguien
6. Otoelbc
7. Chiwere
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Maybees:
Dave's friend
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Latest diary: LA Kossacks: Meetup: August 17, 1:30 PM, Pasadena, Saladang Song
Sunday, Sept 15th
Chicago Kossacks Meet-up at a Powwow!
TIME: 11:30 AM
LOCATION: Chicago's 60th Annual American Indian Center Powwow
Busse Woods Forest Preserve • Elk Grove Village
ORGANIZER: Send figbash a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. figbash
2. broths
3. Mr. broths
4. Satya1
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Maybees:
peregrine kate
palantir
edwardssl
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Latest diary: Chicago Kossacks Go To A Powwow: Sunday, Sept 15 2013
DeKalb, Illinois Kossacks
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Saturday, September 21st
DeKalb, Illinois Kossacks Dinner & a Show!
DINNER:
TIME: 6:00 PM
LOCATION: Rosita's Mexican Restaurant
642 East Lincoln Highway • DeKalb
SHOW:
TIME: 7:30 PM
LOCATION: The Stage Coach Players Theater
126 South 5th Street (2 blks. from dinner) • DeKalb
ORGANIZER: Send NormAl1792 a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. NormAl1792 (on stage as Henry II)
2. winifred3
3.
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Maybees:
1864 House
luvsathoroughbred
Mr. luvs
Amber6541
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Latest diary: Northern IL Kossacks Dinner and a Show - Saturday, Sept. 21
Saturday, October 19th
DKos Asheville Kossacks Meet-up
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: The Bywater
796 Riverside Dr. • Asheville
ORGANIZER: Send randallt a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. randallt
2. davehouck
3. Joieau
4. Gordon20024
5. gulfgal98
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Maybees:
Otteray Scribe
Burns Lass
people power granny
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Latest diary: [Waiting for linked diary]
Sunday, October 20th
MEGA Philly/NJ/NYC Kossacks Meet-up!
TIME: Noon
LOCATION: Stuff Yer Face
49 Easton Avenue • New Brunswick, NJ
ORGANIZER: Send mconvente a kosmail to attend.
RSVPs:
1. mconvente
2. belinda ridgewood
3. thankgodforairamerica
4. gchaucer2
5. sidnora
6. rubyr
7. mattc129
8. hayden
9. mallyroyal
10. Avilyn
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Maybees:
aravir and son
ask
Cinnamon
No Exit
andgarden
asterkitty
pfiore8
joanneleon
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Latest diary: Philly/NJ/NYC Mega Meetup! Initial Information & Interest Diary
Friday, October 25th
Meet the Daily Kos Editorial Staff!
TIME: TBD in the PM
LOCATION: Daily Kos HQ
Address given privately to RSVP'ers • Berkeley
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
You will need to bring Potluck. Stay tuned for assignments.
RSVPs:
1. Markos
2. Susan Gardner
3. Meteor Blades
4. Faith Gardner
5. Will Rockafellow
and many more staff... stay tuned
6. navajo
7. Lusty
8. side pocket
9. paradise50
10. smileycreek
11. citisven
12. norm
13. Lorikeet
14. kimoconnor
15. remembrance +TLO?
16. Glen the Plumber
17. madhaus
18. dharmasyd
19. ceebee7
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Maybees:
Cedwyn
Dave in Northridge
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Saturday, November 2nd
SFKossacks BBQ in the Wine Country
TIME: TBD
LOCATION: Andrew McGuire's home in the Wine Country
Address to be given privately to RSVPs • Windsor
ORGANIZER: Send navajo a kosmail to attend.
Andrew McGuire is Executive Director of California One Care
RSVPs:
1. Andrew McGuire
2. navajo
3. Shockwave
4. Hunter
5. elfing
6. Hunter/elfling offspring
7. smileycreek
8. paradise50
9. dharmasyd
10. maggiejean
11. norm
12. Lusty
13. dksbook
14. Mr. dksbook
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15. kimoconnor
16. jpmassar
17. side pocket
18. Mrs. side pocket
19. ceebee7
20. ceebee7's sister
Maybees:
Glen The Plumber
remembrance
TLO™
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Send navajo a kosmail if you post a diary about an event so we can update our round-up.
Okay. Floor's open.
Tell us what you are doing on this NEW DAY?