B.
Yasmeen Robinson
B. Yasmeen Robinson has been an avid cook for the last
15 years. Her love of cooking started as a child, where
she quickly became the chef of the house due her
talents. Her practical knowledge and experience with
cooking while growing up led her to organic catering in
Martha's Vineyard
in the 90s for five summers, while hosting health
conscious dinner parties in
New York City during the rest of the year. She moved to
California in
2000, and delved deeper into organic cooking and
experimenting with alternatives
to dairy, poultry, red meat and gluten. After moving
back to New York City
in 2006, Yasmeen realized that there was a gap in the
knowledge and
practical application of cooking flavorful, nutritious
meals catered to
specific diets. Also, there was very little availability
of services
that would provide delicious, creative meal options for
health conscious
people and for those with health or mobility issues that
desired a
personalized, gluten free/allergy sensitive organic meal
delivered to their door.
Whether the need is for food and cooking demonstrations,
small parties,
healthy diet and grocery shopping consultations, or
weekly delivery of
healthy meals catered to specific diets, Yasmeen's
Healthy Cuisine will
create a customized approach to your needs.
1) I am
having a difficult time adjusting to my new allergy-free
diet. Do you have any recommendations to make the
transition easier?
Making any lifestyle change that is drastically
different from what you have done in the past will
rarely be easy! Congratulate yourself daily that you are
embarking on an exciting new adventure, which may take a
little time getting used to, but is for your ultimate
health and wellbeing!
The strategy that I have employed with clients that I
cook for is this: be clear about what it is that you are
eating, where it comes from, and how it will affect your
overall health. The key to this is creativity and
balance. Creatively, I ask my clients to give me a list
of their ten favorite foods, many of which contain high
fat, meat, and processed products. Then I use my talents
and creativity to come up with a healthy, organic
alternative using whole foods that tastes great. This
approach can trick the brain into thinking that it is
not being deprived of something it loves, and you tend
not to get the craving (at least not as bad)! The thing
we sometimes forget is that the body and the mind are
interconnected at all times, and one most certainly
affects the other, so factors at work, home, etc. can
also play a part in your relationship to food (ask Dr.
Fratellone)!
The balance part of the strategy is making sure that,
within a day’s worth of eating, your body has received
all of the nutrients it needs to function optimally.
This means enough carbohydrates, protein, amino acids,
vitamins and minerals derived from the purest, least
processed source to support all of your brain and bodily
functions.
Everyday is different, and each moment is a new chance
to stay in balance!
2) I am having a hard time finding the right foods
that fit in with my diet. Where should I be looking?
I strongly encourage everyone to eat locally grown,
organic products wherever and whenever they are
available. In New York City, it’s easier that you think-
we have many wonderful green markets that carry mostly
organic fruits and vegetables (that are not treated and
harmed with pesticides that can damage the body).
Also, there are many local supermarkets and specialty
food stores that carry organic produce, although in some
areas, it can get very pricey. If you concerned about
money, I would suggest going to Trader Joes on 14th
street (cross street is 4th avenue), which has very
reasonable prices. Also, Fairway market has a separate
organic section, as well as a well stock gluten free
section. They have locations on 125th Street and the
West Side Highway, 74th Street and Broadway, and Red
Hook in Brooklyn.
3) If I wanted to make a meal for a group of friends
and family that wasn’t too different from what they
usually eat, but was gluten-free, what would you
suggest?
I find that making Mexican meals are always a crowd
pleaser, especially for large groups! I make vegan
spinach and (soy or rice) cheese enchiladas. You can
serve them with your favorite version of guacamole,
pico, and throw in some Tofutti tofu sour cream (which
has 1/10 of the fat, and a lot of the taste)! Make a big
pan, and freeze what your friends don’t eat (I find
there’s never any left). Happy Eating!
Yasmeen’s Vegan Ranchera
Enchiladas
10 organic plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp (organic if you can find it) ancho chili powder
1 medium poblano pepper, chopped
2 Tsp new Mexican red chili powder
3 tsp organic garlic, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp plus 1 C Organic Olive oil
2-3 Lbs organic spinach
I Tbsp Ms. Braggs Liquid Amino Acids
2 pkg Galaxy brand rice cheese –one yellow (cheddar
flavor), one white (mozzarella flavor)
1 Cup soy or rice milk, Plain
10 corn tortillas
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Put 1 Tbsp olive oil
in large skillet, add garlic, tomatoes, both chili
powders, pepper, and simmer on medium for about 25-30
minutes (covered if possible).
Meanwhile, put washed spinach in a big pot with the Ms.
Braggs, and cook it down on medium (this takes about 3-5
minutes). Set aside. Take cheese and grate it all, put
it in a plastic bag with the cup of soy milk, and mix it
together. Set aside.
Once you have tasted the sauce and adjusted the salt and
have added more chili (if you desire), take your pan and
apply some sauce to the bottom of the pan, just to cover
most of it (not too thick).
Heat another pan with the cup of olive oil. Take the
corn tortillas and quickly put one in the oil for 15-20
seconds, making sure it doesn’t get hard and flat (like
a tostada). Then put them in the pan on top of the
sauce. Be careful handling, since the tortillas are hot.
Take 2 Tbsp full of spinach and spread it across the
middle of the tortilla. Take 2 Tbsp of the rice cheese
mixture, and spread it on top of the spinach. Then roll
the tortilla up. Continue this until the pan is full of
enchiladas, and then cover the top with the remaining
sauce. Bake for 35 minutes.
4) Is a vegetarian diet, with no fish, meat or
poultry, good for me?
A- The answer to this question is very layered. I
believe it comes down to three things- your personal
body composition (blood tests by Dr. Fratellone will
reveal your genetic predisposition to allergies and
certain foods), the way you feel as a result of a plant
based diet, and your level of dedication to helping the
environment and the food chain as a whole.
One of the wonderful things about integrative, holistic
medical doctors like Dr. Fratellone is that they give
you the whole picture of where your body system is (at
the time of the tests, which of course changes over
time). It’s a very important thing to know if you are
trying to make healthy lifestyle decisions and choices
that will keep you living optimally. Dr. Fratellone
gives you the picture, and then it’s up to you to frame
it by making sound choices.
Whether you eat meat and fish or not, it is proven (and
also common sense) that consuming a diet that is plant
based (and organic) will give your body most (if not
all) of what is needs to function optimally. Your
individual situation in terms of your health history,
documented food allergies, etc., should round out that
picture. Dr. Fratellone will be able to tell you if your
body system works best with a totally vegetarian diet,
as well as the reasons why.
Many people who need to embrace a complete (or partial)
vegetarian diet but don’t usually have a psychological
attachment to meat, fish and poultry. Many converts to
total vegetarianism claim that they didn’t want to make
the switch in the past because vegetarian food “doesn’t
take as good” as meat, or that it is too expensive to
get quality fruits and vegetables, etc. There is a
tradeoff in the price and taste of fresh vegetables
versus processed foods that are high is fat, sodium and
are not made with the same care as homemade food.
Sometimes things that aren’t good for you taste good.
But what about plant based food that tastes good and is
good for you? Sometimes it comes down to changing your
way of viewing food and eating for healthy, not just
comfort or convenience.
Environmentally, humanity is at a crossroads, and we
need to make some very hard choices. The ocean is so
polluted that Mercury taints most all fish, and so many
areas have been over fished that there are virtually no
fish left. The other choice is farm raised fish, which
create unhealthy environments for the fish, not to
mention the nutritional values of farm raised fish is
considerably lower than the natural, wild caught
variety. At the very least, moderation of fish
consumption is necessary for fish to procreate and to
limit changing the conditions of the ocean any further.
Meat that is massed produced has a negative effect on
the environment in many ways. Grain is diverted from
human consumption to raising cattle (and poultry),
supplying the first world countries’ rising demand for
meat, which is the drives up the price of grain out of
the reach of hungry people in developed and developing
nations. The “farming” system that is now attributed to
raising mass produced cattle has contributed to alarming
amounts of carbon and greenhouse gas emissions, has a
direct effect on the deforestation of the Amazon, etc.
For more detailed information of the affects of
livestock demand worldwide, you can take a look at the
New York Times article by Mark Bittman link below.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/27
With all the sound arguments that support each
individual making a moral choice to become vegetarian, I
believe that each person’s life path and genetic makeup
might not make it the best choice as a permanent
lifestyle. However, even if you need to (or want to)
continue eating meat, I would assert that the key is
moderation and also eating free range/organic meat, fish
and poultry. Moderation is the key to healthy living
when it comes to consumption of all things. A balanced
diet that is mostly vegetables and fruit will give our
bodies what we need to sustain health and wellness.
We have to choose to make decisions that will ultimately
make us better in mind and body, and those choices are
not easy. Determination, self love, and love for others
play a big part in playing the mind over matter game,
and winning!!
Q- With Spring here, what kind of local fruits and
vegetables would you suggest incorporating into meal
planning for the season?
A- Spring is a wonderful time for picking the freshest
fruits and vegetables! The emphasis should be on getting
the freshest produce at your local farmer’s market or
Food co-op, and then being inventive and using recipes
that will truly bring out the flavor of the veggies.
Asparagus is a wonderful vegetable, packed with tons of
antioxidants. We all know the old adage that eating
Asparagus will cause a certain acidic smell in your
urine after consumption, but also keep in mind that not
everybody will experience that smell (some people are
immune to it). Once you have picked your Asparagus, the
best way to eat it is in the skillet with fresh garlic,
olive oil, salt and pepper!
Sweet Corn is another wonderful veggie for spring and
summer. With this vegetable, I feel a little goes a long
way. Add sweet corn to salads and incorporate it in stir
frys and casseroles to give the dish more dimension (and
a little sweetness).
Here’s an easy, healthful recipe that can be made as a
side dish. You can also add some seasoned tofu or tempeh
to make it a one pot meal!
Red Quinoa Veggie Rice
1 package Red Quinoa (2 cups)
½ sweet onion (or Vidalia onion), diced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
4 Cups veggie broth
1 Cup sweet corn
1 Cup string beans, cleaned and halved (with the ends
cut off)
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan on medium high.
Sautee the onions and garlic until soft and transparent.
Add the quinoa, and sauté together for 2 minutes or so.
Add the corn, green beans, salt and pepper stirring for
a minute. Then add the veggie broth. Cover the pot and
reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for about 30 minutes,
but check at the 20 minute point to make sure the quinoa
doesn’t stick to the bottom and burn.
Happy Eating!!
For any questions or personal chef
services/demonstrations, please contact Yasmeen at
917-495-1105, or at bahiyahyasmeen@tmail.com
Telephone Contact: 917-495-1105
Email:
Bahiyahyasmeen@tmail.com
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