Consistently, I observe that people whose carts are stuffed with pre-fab food are more likely to be fat and so are their children. They buy sodas and snacks, and plenty of frozen food, yet choose few live fruits and vegetables. They also eat way too much meat, no two ways about it.

Obesity is a real problem in this country and it seems that Americans are  getting fatter by the day.

Our lives move fast, and we keep  everything  on speed dial, so who has  time to cook? We prefer frozen pizza and waffles, or drive-through windows because we’re busy, they’re easy and kids love them. We eat too few vegetables and choose convenience over healthy. Who wants to spend two hours cooking when five minutes at the drive-through can feed the family instantly?

But they certainly aren’t healthy. Getting a handle on our fatness  means changing unhealthy habits, there’s no magic bullet diet or a supplement. The real deal is that although fast food is convenient, we might as well be eating cardboard. No matter how happy we are that it makes our lives easier the rule is that if it’s frozen, it’s dead and therefore has no sustainable qualities.

First Lady Michelle Obama gets this, and has focused her attention on projects that inspire America to get healthy. Her goal to fight childhood obesity began the moment she hit the White House, and she had a huge vegetable garden planted there. She wants to leave something sustainable after her husband leaves office  that helps people develop healthy habits to last them a lifetime. Mrs. Obama is  talking about much more than eliminating Mickey D’s. She’s also targeting the freezers in our kitchens that are filled to the brim with frozen convenience foods.

In reality, we don’t  have to eat Taco Bell to have quick and easy food. Burritos are simple to make. Even my youngest and pickiest daughter, who is happiest with pasta and chicken, loves my veggie burritos. If I say vegetarian burritos on any given day she is game. And I think I’ve finally figured out that one reason she likes them so much is because she can roll them herself and choose the ingredients she wants. That makes her feel like she’s in control, which is an important goal for any teenage girl.

Vegetarian Burritos  (12)

Ingredients 

• package of soy crumbles
• 1 ½ cups dried black beans
• ½ cup chopped white onion
• ½ cup finely diced yellow pepper
• 1 ½ cups  fresh chopped vine-ripe tomatoes
• 3 cloves fresh crushed garlic
• ½ tsp sea salt
• 3 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• ½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
• ¼ cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1 dozen large tomato/basil sandwich wraps
• 1 cup grated  Monterey Jack cheese
• ½ cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup fresh salsa
• ¼ cup virgin olive oil
• aluminum foil

 Directions 

• Soak black beans in five cups of water  for 3 hours.
• Rinse the beans and boil in 5 cups of water until soft (about 2 hours). Drain and set aside.
• Mix dried spices together and set aside.
• Heat oil in a  dutch oven or large skillet.
• Sauté garlic, onions, peppers and fresh cilantro for five minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.
• Scrape bottom of pan, re-distributing the essence.
• In the same pan, brown soy crumbles, which will absorb the oil quickly.
• Add dried spices, beans, onions and peppers and tomatoes. Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes.
• Mix cheeses and set aside.
• Place the sandwich wraps in stacks of 3  in foil.Warm in 400 degree oven until steam lifts when you open them.
• Spoon 2 tbsp fresh salsa down the middle of a wrap.
• Sprinkle ¼ cup cheese mixture.
• Add 1/4 cup soy mixture.
• Fold the bottoms of each wrap about 1/2 inch and then roll tightly vertically.

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During my 53 years on earth, I’ve been blessed to have access to many fine and life-altering teachers, and  their  important lessons continue to unfold long after  I‘ve  been in their company. Life’s most important lessons are those that permanently enhance us, and one of my most important teachers was Philadelphia’s former health czar, Gwen Foster.

Gwen, appointed by then-Mayor John Street, taught Philadelphians how to lose weight and lead healthier lives by making lasting lifestyle changes. And although I took her 10-week media-awareness course called “Fun, Fit and Free” nearly a decade ago, her teachings still have a  profound impact on me.                                                                                                                                   

One essential component to her plan for healthier living was to not just go on a diet, but to make changes that keep the weight off.

“Diets don’t work,” says my mate Imhotep Natu Ali, an alternative health practitioner, master massage therapist and reflexologist. He encourages his clients to do a “live-it” instead of  a diet, and like Gwen, Natu teaches them to incorporate healthy lifestyle changes into their daily routines. He advises them to limit or eliminate red meat, sugar and dairy; drink plenty of spring water, and incorporate exercise into regular routines. (Photo credit: Tofu star by Riebschleger).

Both say that discipline is key to making these healthy changes and that we should  replace things that are bad for us.  So in doing this, if you choose to become a vegetarian, it’s essential to eat enough protein. One good source is tofu.

Tofu for protein

One of the most widely misunderstood foods is tofu, which is also a very good source of iron.

Tofu is one of those foods that gets a bad rap among hard-core meat-eaters. You either love it or hate it, but how tofu is prepared makes a huge difference in that choice. Tofu is one of the few sources of protein besides chicken that my youngest and pickiest child will eat, which really surprises me.  Although tofu can be made many different ways - including a dish that resembles chicken salad – my “baby girl” prefers it prepared simply in a skillet.

 Pan-fried tofu with baby spinach

Ingredients

One package firm tofu

Olive-oil flavored spray coating

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

½  tsp paprika

1 envelope Sazon

1 handful sesame seeds

1 cup of fresh baby spinach

Directions 

• Sift spices together and set aside.

• Squeeze  out excess water from tofu either by putting it in a tofu press or placing it in a shallow dish underneath something with some weight, such as a cast iron skillet.

           You  should  be able to take out at least 1/3 cup of water.

• Slice tofu down the middle and then into ½ inch-thick squares, and set aside until pan is hot.

• Heat skillet until a drop of water sizzles on it, and then coat evenly with olive oil spray coating.

• Pan-fry tofu on both sides until light brown, then dust all over with seasonings.

• Sprinkle sesame seeds on both sides and then place baby spinach on top.

• Turn off pan and cover until heat wilts the spinach (about three minutes).

• Serve with a side of tamari sauce for dipping.

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