Vegetarian Diet: Healthy and Easy

During the month of October, you are likely to hear more than the average chatter about the benefits of a vegetarian diet. But for more than a million older adults seeking a healthy lifestyle, Vegetarian Awareness Month is year-round.

More Older Adults Are Choosing a Vegetarian Diet

Nearly five decades ago, Anne and Ed Wardwell decided to try a vegetarian diet, inspired by the bestseller Diet for a Small Planet and upset over the ethical treatment of farm animals. The couple was hooked, so when they moved to Kendal at Oberlin, they knew having a daily vegetarian meal was essential to their health and overall well-being.

“We were told it would not be a problem, and it hasn’t been. We have a vegetarian entrée every night,” Anne says.   

Anne is one of approximately 7.3 million Americans (1.2 million who are over 55) who follow a vegetarian-based diet, according to a study published by Vegetarian Times. More than half of vegetarians say they follow such a diet to improve their overall health, followed by environmental concerns.

How One Kendal Couple Switched to a Vegan Diet For Better Heart Health

A smaller group of people, about 1 million, are vegan, meaning they only eat foods from plants – fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, seeds and nuts.

Carla VanDale’s journey to embracing a vegan diet took years. A long-time nurse and former psychotherapist, Carla and her husband, Bob, lived near Westminster College in Pennsylvania, where Bob was a professor.

Carla, who had a family history of heart issues, decided to stop eating meat in her early 50s for one compelling reason: “I decided, unlike my dad who died at 50 from a heart attack, I wanted to see my grandchildren,” she says. “One surefire way to do that was to change my lifestyle.”

Her lifestyle changes, which she continued to practice after moving to Kendal, proved effective for years. Her cholesterol lowered, and she felt energized. Then, about three and a half years passed, Carla’s doctor noticed an increase in her LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol. “My physician tried a number of things to bring my LDL cholesterol back to a normal level, but nothing seemed to work,” she says.

About that time, Carla watched “The Last Heart Attack” by Dr. Sanjay Gupta, an hour-long documentary that investigates whether diet and the latest diagnostic tests are enough to prevent every heart attack. “In this film, they were talking about various ways of eating that physicians said absolutely, without a doubt, if you were to eat a vegan, low-fat, plant-based diet, you would not have a heart attack,” Carla says. “That intrigued me; I had never heard anyone make that claim.”

Carla and her husband traveled to the Cleveland Clinic to learn more about veganism from Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., a renowned researcher, surgeon, and vegan lifestyle advocate. Dr. Esselstyn has helped many individuals venturing into animal-free eating over the years, including former president Bill Clinton.

Carla and Bob attended an all-day workshop where Dr. Esselstyn presented medical research touting the effectiveness of a low-fat vegan diet. His wife Ann, also a vegan, discussed the nuts and bolts of plant-based eating, including what products to buy, where to buy food, how to prepare food and more. “After that day, we committed to going the vegan direction and have done it ever since,” Carla says.

Kendal Dining Services Offers Vegetarian and Vegan Options

Carla and Bob have gotten lots of support from Kendal. “The culinary staff has worked really hard to meet our needs,” she says.  

In particular, Cook Wayne Jacob has been a great asset, she adds.  

In fact, Wayne made such a delicious corn and shallot chowder when the Esselstyns came to Kendal for dinner that his vegan recipe was included in Ann and Jane Esselstyns’ The Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease Cookbook.

A popular Kendal recipe for vegetarian residents who consume dairy products is Vegetable Lasagna.  For a vegan version, be sure to use egg-free pasta, omit the cheese layer and add an extra layer of veggies.

Vegetable Lasagna Ingredients:

• 1 box lasagna noodles

• 1 lb. sliced mushrooms

• 3/4 c. chopped peppers

• 3/4 c. onions

• 3 cloves crushed garlic

• 2 t. olive oil

• 36 oz. pasta sauce

• 15 oz. ricotta cheese

• 1 t. dried basil

• 4 c. shredded mozzarella

• 2 eggs beaten

• ½ c. grated parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350° F.

2. Combine vegetables and sauce.  Simmer for 15 minutes.

3. Combine cheese mixture.

4. Layer lasagna in a 9X13 pan in the following order from bottom to top:

   • Sauce

   • Noodles UNCOOKED

   • Cheese

   • Sauce

   • Noodles

   • Cheese

   • Sauce

5. Cover with food film and foil.

6. Bake for 45 minutes.

7. LET REST FOR 20 MIN. BEFORE CUTTING.

Tips:

• Use all the sauce.  It will seem like a lot, but it will be absorbed with the UNCOOKED pasta, resulting in a firmer product.

• There will be pasta leftover.

• Using the film/foil will result in a more moist product, and the film will not stick.

• LET REST FOR 20 MIN. BEFORE CUTTING.  IF YOU DON'T, THE PRODUCT WILL 'RUN' AND FALL APART.  IT WILL STAY HOT.

In the past, Molly Kavanaugh frequently wrote about Kendal at Oberlin for the Cleveland Plain Dealer, where she was a reporter for 16 years. Now we are happy to have her writing for the Kendal at Oberlin Community.

About Kendal at Oberlin: Kendal is a nonprofit life plan community serving older adults in northeast Ohio. Located about one mile from Oberlin College and Conservatory, and about a 40-minute drive from downtown Cleveland, Kendal offers a vibrant resident-led lifestyle with access to music, art and lifelong learning.