We're right smack dab in the middle of summer!  We're thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful summertime fresh fruits and veggies, and we hope you are too.  You may be finding yourself enjoying your summer by taking a few jaunts down the road.  Even if they're just day trips, they probably involve eating out.  You can eat out with style and good taste, without compromising your health.

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TIPS FOR HEALTHY EATING AT RESTAURANTS
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You may be pleasantly surprised at the ease of getting a satisfying and tasty vegetarian meal at a restaurant.  Since becoming health-conscious vegetarians, we have yet to have a really bad dining out experience.

Nicole came the closest to a bad experience when she went with a group of friends to a hamburger chain restaurant (fast food places are the most challenging).  There was absolutely nothing healthy on the menu and she was hungry.  But a brainstorm hit her, and she ordered a hamburger, hold the hamburger!  They put lots of lettuce, tomato, and sautéed onion between the buns and she didn't have to starve.  (And her friends were impressed!)

Here are some suggestions to help you stay healthy when eating out.

MEXICAN FOOD
Mexican restaurants are great - so much to choose from!  A few items you may select are bean burritos, meatless tostadas, veggie fajitas (no meat, of course), guacamole, and bean and/or veggie tacos.  Just make sure that the beans are not cooked in lard or meat stock.

CHINESE FOOD
Like Mexican food, there are usually lots of good choices here too.  There will usually be a number of vegetable dishes on the menu. Just make sure that your dish has not been cooked with meat or in meat stock, and that no MSG was used.  And for fat reduction, in most Chinese restaurants you can request that your meal be prepared in a "dry wok."  This will ensure that your chow mein isn't dripping with grease.

ITALIAN FOOD
We're finding a trend toward more vegetable-based Italian menu items as well.  But even at the more "old fashioned" Italian restaurants, you can dine well on pasta with marinara (you may like to have some mushrooms added), or pasta primavera (with lots of veggies).  Bruschetta (broiled or grilled Italian bread with olive oil, garlic and tomatoes) can make a great appetizer (heck, it's almost an entire meal!).  Minestrone can be delicious, but in restaurants it's usually prepared with beef or chicken stock, so order a salad instead (make sure your salad comes without cheese).  Oil and vinegar or Italian dressing are good choices for toppings.

PIZZA
Yes, pizza restaurants too can yield a healthful experience. We used to think that pizza isn't pizza without the cheese, but some places offer really tasty marinara sauces and great toppings like spicy eggplant and artichoke hearts.  So pile on all your favorite veggies, leave off the cheese, and enjoy!

FAMILY-STYLE RESTAURANTS
If you can't find something healthy listed in the entrees, how about combing some side dishes.  Try ordering a baked potato (maybe topped with sautéed mushrooms or other veggies) and a dinner salad.  Or how about hashed brown potatoes, cooked on a dry skillet, to go with that salad?

Some restaurants offer hot vegetarian sandwiches that can be quite good.  Nicole has placed her savvy "hamburger, hold the hamburger" order at some of these restaurants, and had sautéed mushrooms, avocado slices, and other veggies added to the sandwich.  (This is especially good served on French bread).  Nicole sometimes orders a club sandwich, hold the meat.  Remember to hold the mayo (or any other "special sauce" or dressing) and the cheese when you order your sandwich.  Mustard is a good addition.

Imagination is the key. One lady told me she went to brunch with friends and couldn't find anything she could eat on the menu, so she ordered a vegetable omelet, hold the eggs and cheese!  She had a lovely plate of sautéed veggies served with whole wheat toast.

UPPER SCALE (you know, the places with real tablecloths)
We've gone to "nicer" restaurants and had wonderful experiences.  A couple of places where they didn't have vegan (not only meatless, but eggless and dairy-free) items on the menu, we've told the waiter our special dietary needs and they have been very accommodating.  In each case, the chef came up with wonderful dishes that weren't found on the menu.  And waiters often have imaginative suggestions for standard menu items that can be altered to fit your diet and preferences.

WATER is always the beverage of choice. We recently had the great opportunity to hear Charles and Frances Hunter speak.  Frances says that when the food server asks the inevitable beverage question, she never answers, "Just water."  Instead, she says, "God created water and no one has ever improved on it."  She often turns a simple beverage request into an evangelistic opportunity!

(You can check out the Hunter's web site at http://www.cfhunter.org.  Don't miss an opportunity to hear them if they are speaking in your area!)

As you consider your own personal favorites, you'll come up with many more solutions, I'm sure.  (Please email us with those thoughts - we're always looking for new ideas!)

Of course, when you eat out, it's not going to be the quality of food (nutritionally) that you would prepare at home.  And you have to expect some things you wouldn't ordinarily eat, like extra salt and bleached flour.  But have fun and enjoy!

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HEALTHY SUMMERTIME RECIPES
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Clarence's Avocado and Radish Salad
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1 ripe, but firm, avocado (peeled and sliced into 1/2 inch pieces)
3 or 4 radishes (finely chopped)
3 cups shredded Romaine lettuce
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt to taste

Whisk together lime juice, oil and sea salt.  Add avocado and toss gently (just enough to coat pieces).  Place Romaine lettuce, in the shape of nests, on two salad plates.  Place avocado mixture in "nests."  Sprinkle radishes over the top.  Serves two.

This is quick to prepare, and pleasing to the eye as well as the palate.  You may want to double, triple (or more) this recipe and serve as the first course at your next dinner party.  (Or leave as is for an intimate dinner for two!)

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Kimberly's "Boston" Baked Beans, California Style
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2 pounds dried great northern (or other white) beans
Soak overnight.  Rinse and drain.  Cover with water.  Add 1/4 cup Bragg (tm) Liquid Aminos (or 1 teaspoon sea salt).  Cook for 2 hours.  Drain.

Add:
2 cups unsweetened catsup (available at most health food stores)
2 cups water
1 red onion sautéed in 1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup molasses
1/8 teaspoon Santay Garlic Magic (tm) or other garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon Vegit (tm) all purpose seasoning
1 tablespoon prepared brown mustard
3/4 cup Bragg (tm) Liquid Aminos (or sea salt to taste)
1/3 cup sesame tahini (the "secret ingredient")

Mix well.  Cover.  Bake 4 to 5 hours at 250 degrees F.  Uncover for last 1/2 hour of baking.

A hit at picnics, parties, and buffets.

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THE SECRET INGREDIENT
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Sesame Tahini
You've probably noticed sesame seeds on the top of a hamburger bun from a fast food restaurant.  More than simply a topping, sesame seeds are a nutritious food.  (We often note that the sesame seeds are the only part of a hamburger that should be eaten!).

Tahini is sesame seeds ground into butter.  This may be a relatively new food to North Americans, but it has been enjoyed in the Middle East for years.  Legend has it that Turkish aviators, known for their physical and mental endurance during World War II and the Korean War, attribute their strength to eating tahini.  Tahini can be found in ethnic foods such as hummus and baba-gannouj.

Tahini contains all the essential amino acids (protein), lecithin, vitamin E, and calcium.  It contains a high alkaline mineral content, which neutralizes acid and aids protein digestion.

This ingredient seemed an excellent choice for baked beans, replacing the commonly used salt pork or bacon.  It adds a wonderful texture and flavor to the dish, as well as nutritional value.  Raw sesame tahini, naturally processed, with no additives, can be purchased at most health food stores. Now you know the secret!

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BARLEYGREEN GOES TO THE OLYMPICS
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Race Walker Debi Lawrence is on her way to the Olympics in Sydney, after placing third at the U.S. Sacramento trials on Sunday, July 16, 2000.  Debi competed in the 1992 and 1996 games and, at age 38, is one of the older athletes competing this year.  Debi states,

"I've been training for this for months and have been very focused. I stepped my training up and really feel that my vegetarian diet and use of supplements like AIM Barleygreen(tm) gave me the edge. Who knows, maybe if I had had another tablespoon [of AIM Barleygreen(tm)] I would have made the eight seconds for second place."

You can read more about Debi Lawrence at http://www.theaimcompanies.com/athletes/Debbi/index.htm.  Congratulations, Debi!  We'll be cheering you on in Sydney!

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NICOLE'S QUICK BYTES
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Not snake oil.  I was trying a new ointment on an infection, and accidentally got some of it on a cyst I've had for about ten years.  The next day I had forgotten all about it until I noticed the cyst was going away!  I have been applying a dab every night now for a week, and the cyst is almost gone!  What is this wonder ointment?

I simply mixed two parts vitamin E oil with one part tea tree oil.

I have heard similarly amazing stories about tea tree oil, but I was unable to use it straight because I have such sensitive skin.  The vitamin E oil cuts the strength, helps soothe the skin, and contains factors that prevent scarring.  Both of these oils can usually be found at a local health food store.  The vitamin E that I use comes from capsules I pop open, but bottles of plain vitamin E oil might be available in the strength needed.  Look on the vitamin E label for the word "natural" and "1000 I.U."  You can direct any questions or comments you might have about this article to nicole@HealthyPerspective.com

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God bless you,
-Rev. Clarence Russell, Kimberly and Nicole
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