Forks Over Knives (16 page)

Soy milk is a popular choice for topping cold and hot cereals, in coffee and tea, and for cooking, but all plant milks can be delicious, and your individual preferences should dictate. Soy, rice, and almond milk are all good candidates for baking, but those with tree-nut allergies should avoid all nut milks. For a buttermilk replacement, try stirring a tablespoon of white or cider vinegar or lemon juice into a cup of soy milk.

CHEF AJ |
UNPROCESSED

OF COURSE, YOU
can buy almond milk at the store, but why not make your own for just pennies a glass? It’s really easy and delicious! The only special equipment you’ll need is a new paint-straining bag (one that hasn’t been used for painting!). You can get one at any hardware store for about 99 cents.

MAKES 3 CUPS

1 cup raw almonds (or your favorite nut or seed)

1.
Soak the almonds overnight in filtered water. Be sure to cover completely because they expand as they absorb water.

2.
In the morning, drain the almonds completely and rinse well several times. Put the almonds in a blender with 3 cups filtered water. Blend on high speed until the almonds are fully incorporated into the liquid.

3.
Place the straining bag, open, in a medium bowl and pour the mixture into the bag. Twist the top of the bag closed and lift it up to let the milk strain into the bowl. Squeeze the bag with your other hand until you can’t work any more liquid out of the pulp. You can reserve the pulp for another use such as making cookies or crackers. Any unused milk will keep, refrigerated, for 2 to 3 days.

Tip
If you like your nut milk thicker and richer, more like cream, just add less water. For thinner almond milk, add more water.

VARIATIONS:

For a sweet version, add a few dates (or date paste) and alcohol-free vanilla extract or almond extract.

For an even cheaper, easier version simply add 1–2 teaspoons of raw almond butter to each 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.

JOEY AUCOIN | FEATURED IN
FORKS OVER KNIVES

THESE CHIPS ARE my favorite snack, especially at parties when everything else is loaded with oil. They take almost no time to make and everybody loves them. Try serving them with a dressing made from balsamic vinegar, rice syrup, and mustard; with cashew-spinach dip; or with tomato-avocado dip.

Sweet potatoes or potatoes, sliced very thin

Microwave potato slices on high for approximately 7 minutes.

Tip
These will not be as crunchy as fried potato chips, but they’re a treat, and definitely stiff enough to put dip on.

JOEY AUCOIN, HAPPILY married with three children, always led an active life. A native of Florida, Joey played baseball, fished, swam, rode motorcycles, and never endured any major health issues. He always ate whatever he wanted, seemingly without consequences beyond the supposedly inevitable weight gain seen in middle-aged people.

Then, at age fifty-two, during a trip to New York, Joey began to feel symptoms of high blood sugar—his vision suddenly became clouded, and he began waking up in a cold sweat. He told his wife, “Cammie, when we get home I gotta have my eyes checked. I think I need to get a different prescription because my eyes are just real blurry.”

A trip to the doctor settled the question: His blood sugar clocked in at 480, far beyond the level of someone with pre-diabetes or insulin resistance. With almost no warning, Joey had received a diagnosis of full-blown type 2 diabetes.

What followed were years of enslavement to many medications. Joey could never go anywhere without bringing along his shots and pills, some of which needed to be refrigerated. And they were expensive: one hundred dollars a month, out of pocket, plus the frequent cost of overnight mail when he’d forget to take them along while traveling out of town.

More painful than the costs were the side effects. Although the medications controlled his blood sugar, they also caused a laundry list of issues including fatigue, digestive problems, and trouble sleeping.

Then, a friend who was working on the set of
Forks over knives
suggested that Joey might want to appear in the film. Soon he was in Los Angeles meeting with Dr. Matt Lederman, who took him off his meat- and dairy-laden diet, prescribing a 100 percent whole-foods, plant-based diet with no added sugar or oils.

Within two days, Joey enjoyed his first good night’s sleep in memory. And today, just a few years later, he is healthy, fit, happy, and uses only a tiny fraction of the medication he once needed.

Joey Aucoin lost 28 pounds over the course of 22 weeks.

MARY MCDOUGALL | THE MCDOUGALL PROGRAM

THIS MAKES A delicious sandwich spread or wrap filling, a dip for raw vegetables, or a stuffing for pita bread.

MAKES 1½ CUPS

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 green onions, chopped

1½ tablespoon grated ginger

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon rice vinegar

½ teaspoon minced fresh garlic

½ teaspoon agave nectar

Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce, optional

Puree all the ingredients except the hot sauce in a food processor until smooth. Add hot sauce if desired and adjust seasonings to taste. Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to blend.

MARY MCDOUGALL | THE MCDOUGALL PROGRAM

THIS TASTES SO much like the real thing that most people won’t be able to guess what it is made from.

MAKES 2 CUPS

2 pounds frozen green peas, thawed

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

¼ cup fresh lime juice

½ teaspoon ground cumin