I recently visited my PA and got my yearly lab results. She is very supportive, but we have been running some extra tests since my diet change to make absolutely sure that I am getting what I need. I asked for a cholesterol panel this time because I have not had one in the last 5 years and because I wanted to make sure my triglycerides, or the free fats in my blood, were not elevated due to the high amount of carbohydrate that I eat. I thought I would share these results both for the people who care about me and for the people who are interested in trying a plant-based diet.

Hemoglobin: 14.1 g/dL (reference range for women 11.7 – 15.7 g/dL)

One of the most common concerns I hear (besides where I get my protein) is about anemia. I have not been anemic since starting this diet.

Ferritin: 37 ng/mL (reference range for women 12 – 150 ng/mL)

Ferritin represents the body’s iron stores. My ferritin was 30 ng/mL when I started this diet, so I have kept things pretty stable. I admit that I used low-dose iron supplements off and on in the beginning because my ferritin had been as low as 20 when I was less careful about eating legumes, dark leafy greens, etc., but lately I have been in a much better rhythm with high-iron foods and have stopped supplementing.

Glucose: 89 mg/dL (reference range 70 – 99 mg/dL)

Before starting this diet, my readings were always in the 95-99 range. I was pleased to see that all the dried fruit, breads, and banana smoothies (and the occasional slice of tofu cheesecake) did not appear to be negatively affecting my fasting sugars.

Vitamin B12: 256 pg/mL (reference range 193 – 986 pg/mL)

It is the recommendation of most dietitians that vegans must supplement B12. I have been pretty casual about taking my B12 supplement and my level is a little lower than it was last year, so I will be taking it more regularly now to keep the level in range.

Vitamin D: 63 ug/L (reference range 30 – 75 ug/L)

I have been taking a vitamin D supplement for years, as vitamin D deficiency is prevalent in Minnesota (not because of my diet).

Total Cholesterol: 113 mg/dL (reference range < 200 mg/dL)

LDL Cholesterol: 28 mg/dL (reference range < 130 mg/dL)

HDL Cholesterol: 62 mg/dL (reference range for women > 50 mg/dL)

Triglycerides: 115 mg/dL (reference range < 150 mg/dL)

I have read multiple references that support a vegan diet for lowering cholesterol, as the diet is devoid of cholesterol, but I was not prepared for my LDL result. LDL is considered the “bad” cholesterol that is linked to heart disease, and neither I nor a handful of my peers in healthcare have ever seen an LDL that low. I was also quite pleased with my HDL, as an HDL over 60 reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, and mine was always in the low 50s in the past. And, finally, I was glad to see that my triglycerides were well within range.

I hope this was helpful both for my friends and family and for anyone who wants to try veganism but is worried that their health will fail. I can assure you that as long as you eat enough food, eat enough variety, and take your B12, you will thrive!

As requested by my sister-in-law, here is my dinner staple for this spring!

Basic Vegan Southwest Salad

My mom made an amazing southwest salad for me a couple weeks back and I have been making variations on the theme most work nights since then. The beauty of this recipe is that almost everything is optional and most stuff can be prepped at the beginning of the week. Just pull all the prepped ingredients out of the fridge, throw them together, microwave (if desired), and you’re ready to eat in under 5 minutes.

Ingredients

2 cups shredded spinach or other greens

3/4 cup cooked brown rice

3/4 to 1 cup black beans, rinsed lazily (low-sodium beans will still taste great)

1/2 cup sweet corn (fresh or frozen)

1/2 cup bell peppers, diced

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 and 1/2 teaspoon organic lime juice (I think organic tastes sweeter)

1/2 to 1 avocado, cubed

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Directions

In a medium-large bowl, layer the spinach, brown rice, black beans, corn, and peppers and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave for 1 minute 30 seconds if desired. Top with avocado, lime juice, and cumin. Mix it up and enjoy!

Hi everybody! I know I haven’t posted in a while, so I thought I’d post a couple fun recipes I came up with while playing with my new Vitamix blender. I burned out my old blender a couple weeks back and was debating splurging on a Vitamix instead of just getting another regular one, and I’m so glad I did. The ease of cleaning alone is worth it, and it is so powerful!

Peanut Butter Nice Cream

Nice cream (or ice cream made from bananas) is so hot right now, especially as we get closer to summer. There are a million ways to make it, but this is mine! I added a little maple syrup the first time I made this and it was waaay too sweet, so don’t worry about adding anything to sweeten this, the bananas are sweet enough.

Ingredients

2 frozen ripe or overripe bananas

1/2 cup soy or nut milk of your choice

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons peanut butter

1/2 to 1 tablespoon cocoa powder (optional)

Directions

Put the bananas, non-dairy milk, and vanilla in the blender and start mixing on low, gradually increasing the speed as the bananas break down. Once the mixture starts looking like ice cream, add the peanut butter and cocoa and mix for another 30 seconds to 1 minute, or however long your blender recommends. Top with fruit or nuts as desired, or enjoy it plain!

And for our next experiment…

Cashew Date Butter

As long as you have a good blender, this one is super simple. I was debating adding just a little bit of agave or sugar to my cashew butter tonight and I realized that dates would add just the right amount of sweetness to the cashews. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 cups raw cashews

4 medjool dates (pits removed)

Directions

Pour the cashews in your blender and follow the blender’s directions for nut butters. Using my Vitamix, I started on the low setting and slowly increased the speed while pushing the cashews around with the stick. Once the nut butter is almost formed, add the dates and blend for a little longer until you have a mostly smooth butter. I took care not to run the blender more than 20-30 seconds at a time so as to not burn out the motor.