May the 4th Be With You!

What was Darth Vader's Wife's Name?

Whoa! Is it May already? Well you would not know it if you live on the East Coast. We have been stuck in a crazy pattern of rain and 40 degree weather. It feels like November outside. But enough about the weather. What’s new with you?

It’s your girl LA Dunn aka The Plant-Based Advocate from Black Girls Eat just hopping into your inbox for another round of Recipes & Random-ish. It is my hope that this newsletter entertains you and inspires you to try to eat more fruits, grains and of course veggies.

I hope you can tell by now that I’m not going to make you feel bad about the choices you are making. However, I am going to find ways to show you how to shop and cook differently.

A few years ago, I was literally eating myself to death. My plate was always oozing with cheese. I was a double bacon-cheesburger Mama. And did I mention how much butter, salt and sugar I was using?

Then: Cheesburger/Fries & Now: Vegan Pepper Jack Cheese & Roasted Red Peppers

Oh but how the aches and pains slowed me down. For over a year, every bone in my body hurt. I met a new reality called inflammation and it was no bueno. Just one Google search led me to the top 5 foods that cause inflammation:

1. Red meat and processed meats, including bacon, hot dogs, lunch meats and cured meats

2. Refined grains, including white bread, white rice, pasta and breakfast cereals

3. Snack foods, including chips, cookies, crackers and pastries

4. Sodas and other sweetened drinks

5. Fried foods

And guess who had all of that on her plate damn near 7 days a week? Yep! That would be me!

Inflammation: When your body activates your immune system, it sends out inflammatory cells. These cells attack bacteria or heal damaged tissue. If your body sends out inflammatory cells when you are not sick or injured, you may have chronic inflammation. Inflammation is a symptom of many chronic diseases, such as arthritis or Alzheimer’s disease.

Lucky for me, I wandered down the Google rabbit hole and discovered plant-based nutrition. In that new magical world, I was able to access whole foods like fruits, grains and vegetables in a way that I didn’t think was possible. I took classes and learned how to add more plants to my plate.

Guess what? More plants meant more fiber, protein and nutrients. It also meant less pain. I felt so good about what I learned, I put it into an easy 5 day Email class. If you want to go from plant-curious to plant-focused, now is a great time to check it out.

The Recipe: Balsamic Vinaigrette

Some people think all you can eat on a Plant-Based Plan is salad. That is so not true. But I am here to say if you are gonna have salad….well have a great dressing to go with it.

What’s really cool is that you can make just what you need and it’s always fresh. No more bottles sitting in the fridge for two years! This recipe isn’t posted on the site so I’m gonna leave it right here:

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbs dijon mustard (the spicy one)

• 1 tbs honey

• Pinch of salt and pepper

Add all of the ingredients to a bowl and whisk together. If using a jar, add all of the ingredients and shake.

The Random: Star Wars Jokes

My daughter started my day with, “May the 4th Be With You” and it was on! We rolled right into, “What is Darth Vader’s Wife Name?” The answer? Ella Vader!

So corny but so fun right?

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me today. Go out and make a salad and make balsamic dressing. You won’t go back to store bought bottles once you make your own!

Please share this one with someone who needs it. Thanks to everyone choosing to be a paid subscriber. I truly appreciate you. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @blackgirlseat. See you next week!