It is no secret that four legged meats, especially beef and
pork that were fattened in feedlots, comprise one of the
highest sources of fats in the American diet. If you want to
keep some of your recipes, but lower the fat by ten to fifty
percent, you can substitute some soy foods for part. This is
easiest to do with meals which can be made from ground beef.
I have yet to find an artificial meat cutlet, molded from
tofu and / or TSP/TVP = Textured Soy/Vegetable Protein, to
taste very good. But I have learned to like tofu and tempeh
for themselves. I have made "beef stew" with tempeh
replacing all the meat, and omelets with mashed tofu instead
of cheese, and served without sausage or bacon. I also like
angel hair pasta mixed with spices, soy sauce, and an equal
mixture of ground beef and tofu.
The scientific test for success was that I have eaten my
invented recipes more than once, and without any regrets.
So, what about meat loaf? It looks like a natural test case.
One should realize that fat in the starting meat will be
mostly trapped in the final dish, so start with lean ground
beef. Major groceries should have 5 to 10 percent fat ground
beef. If not, ask for some to be made from their leanest
cuts. If you extend the meat by folding in crushed crackers
or bread crumbs, realize that such will help trap fat.
Here is my experiment of a recent weekend.
First, start an oven heating to about 375 Fahrenheit, plus
or minus 25 degrees. It will be ready when the dish is.
I placed 12 ounces (a common standard package size) of extra
firm tofu (least water content) in a round ceramic baking
dish, then used a manual potato masher to reduce it to
paste. I then added 3 cups of lean ground beef, and blended
thoroughly, until the color was uniform. Along the way, I
had tossed in some diced garlic, blended green herbs, two
tablespoons of real soy sauce, and some fresh ground black
pepper, but no salt. Other people might want to include some
diced green or red pepper, some tomato sauce or fresh diced
tomatoes, and similar.
By the way, I use Mori-Nu brand of tofu, because it comes in
aseptic packages which require no refrigeration.
I cut two medium potatoes length wise into quarters, then
sliced fairly thinly. I also diced up a double handful of
pre peeled baby carrots. After shaping the meat into a round
loaf which did not touch the sides of the dish, I placed
potato around the sides, then the carrots over every thing.
I topped the dish with its clear glass cover, then placed in
the oven for an hour. This made the potato and carrot slices
tender but not mushy. The resulting juices made a great
gravy. After serving, I added a small amount of "lite salt",
which is a 50 - 50 blend of potassium and sodium chloride.
Tasty!
Readers can vary the proportion of tofu. My meat loaf had a
very nice consistency, neither rock hard nor crumbly soft. I
would like to know if readers still got good results using
more tofu.
After the left overs had spent a night in the refrigerator,
I saw no globs of congealed fat, which confirmed that the
meat was lean. Of course, the fat absorbed back into the
loaf was not visible. I reduced the saturated fats in the
meal, but I did not eliminate them.
Baking the potatoes with the meat, rather than making mashed
potatoes, meant no temptation to add butter or margarine.

Do you feel old? Do you look old? Do you think old?
Every time I get together with certain friends, age is inevitably discussed. I cringe inwardly and get very busy going *Cancel, Cancel!* in my mind. This is some of what's said.
"That's what happens when you get old." *"Especially at your age." "Act your age, old man/lady." "I can't remember anything. Al's been visiting." "What's the matter? You got A?" *Both are a reference to Alzheimer's Disease. It's almost an invitation.*
What do each of those sentences say to your brain?
Your mind does the thinking. Your mind is in charge of your brain.
Your brain is in charge of your nerves. If your mind tells your brain that it is getting old, in other words if you are thinking these thoughts, your brain will relay the process of getting old to the nerves, usually more quickly than needed. Do you want that?
Let's go back to your friends again. Now, you're sitting there, and feeling old, with your best friends. They are in effect telling you how life is going to be for you. Not only for you, but for everyone that is listening.
Of course, your response to reading the paragraph above might be, *No they aren't. I know it doesn't have to be that way.*
But it is going to be that way for you, unless you do something.
And you're saying, *I don't believe that.*
Very good! You're telling me, and ultimately your brain, that you don't believe it. Isn't that terrific? You are taking control.
But that isn't how it is when you are talking to your friends, is it?
You're not on your guard then. You are letting everything slip through. You laugh at the jokes about Alzheimer's. You make your own jokes about memory. *You can tell me anything and it'll be news to me.* *You can tell me that joke tomorrow. I'll bet I'll think it's funny all over again.* *I can hide my own Easter eggs!*
You can joke about all the infirmities that happen to *old* people. *Do you have to go to the bathroom or can you hold it? Answer: Depends.* *Do you want to go golfing or is Art visiting?* A reference to arthritis. Again, almost an invitation.
Some people accept that this happens to everyone who grows old.
That it is inevitable. NOT! Some prefer to joke about it, *while they can.* What kind of a mind set is that?
Hey, everyone grows old. When a person grows old, so do their friends, but some in entirely different ways. By the time a person IS *old,* he or she feels like they *know* what is going to happen for the rest of their lives. Some pretty much accept it. They feel that they know that if *this* happens, *that* happens, then when *that* happens, *this* happens, and that's the way life is.
Wrong.
If you can think, you can change your life.
Yes, people grow old. Some grow old fighting it all the way, hating it. Some grow old gracefully and lovingly, AND healthy.
Unfortunately, a lot of people unwittingly encourage the reactions they think growing old causes. *I know when so and so reached 40 or 50 or 60 or 70 years old, her body just plain broke down. She got arthritis, she had a hysterectomy, her stomach kept getting upset, and on and on. Then almost that same thing happened to so and so and so and so and so.* They then reach what they feel is the logical conclusion that, therefore, when they turn 40 or 50 or 60 or 70, all that stuff will happen to them too. You know the progression, you invite the progression, you encourage the progression. The progression begins to be you.
Well, it's time to stop it, isn't it? Here's what you can do:
First, look at the picture you want of yourself, even when you are *older.* It's a picture of love, self-confidence, high self-esteem, flexibility, strong bones, and prosperity in mind, body and soul. *If those words don't describe what you want, substitute the words that do.*
Second, think of the thoughts that are going through your mind.
Take them one at a time. Does this thought help you to BE your picture?
Third, if it does, that's terrific! Rejoice! If it doesn't, continue to the fourth step.
Fourth, raise your arms and yell, "CANCEL! CANCEL!" * It's a lot like someone scratching a phonograph record. You don't want to listen to a scratched record, your brain won't want to listen to these thoughts if they cause you to "CANCEL! CANCEL!" It's like scratching the brain.*
Fifth, immediately think of an affirmation or two that you like. They could be *I love. I am loving. I am loved.* or *I love myself and all creation.* or *Every day in every way, I am better, better, and better.* If you've been reading my articles for a while, you know these are my favorite. However, you must use affirmations that YOU like. Fill the place in your brain that used to hold negative thoughts, with positive affirmations.
There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. No matter what you do, if you live another year, you have grown a year older. If you haven't gotten smarter, you haven't lived. I say, if you're alive, why not live life to the fullest?
How about programming tomorrow to be a day to enjoy?
You can still go for coffee and enjoy your relationships, but now you show by example that YOU don't want to think *old* thoughts. Simply don't participate in saying them.
Don't laugh when you hear them -- a good analogy might be that that type of laughter is another nail in the coffin, your friend's or your coffin, who knows? People will see that you have something good going here. When they are ready to learn and to change, show them this article. When they look at you and the changes you've made in your life, they will know that it is possible. One more thing, make sure to help them along the way on their journey. They, and their family, will thank you for it.
Thanks for reading,
Jan
P.S. If you'd like help with growing older gracefully, you'll love having me as a mentor! To find out more about my great ecourse "Growing Older Gracefully ", click here: http://www.tameyourbrain.com/gogEcourse/gogoffer.php
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If you like this article, pass it on to a friend. Watch as their life changes for the better.