117: Our Top 5 Plant Based Foods We Could Not Live Without (part 1)

Anita: 0:58

Hey there, Sunshine. Welcome to the Power On Plants Podcast, where your host, Jarrod and Anita Roussel and we're absolutely head over heels for whole plant foods, and helping you navigate this incredible plant based journey. That's because our lives have been completely changed by plant based goodness, we used to struggle everyday with excess pounds and low energy, vascular disease, joint pain and lack of sleep, just to name a few. And even though we're medical professionals, we still weren't getting practical answers that actually worked. So we dug into the research, we started living what we learned. And now we both of our lives back. And that's what we want for you to the truth is you can do this, and it's not hard, you just need a way that will bring real and lasting change. And that path, it has to be simple and enjoyable. And it's got to be delicious, too. So are you ready to live your life to the fullest, then you're in the right place, because Living without limits. That's what power plants is all about. So pull up your chair, grab a matcha latte, and let's get started. Hey, sunshine, if you joined us for the last episode, we were talking about something really fun. And that's what would we take to spice up our foods that would be herbs and spices. If we were on a deserted island, we can only have five herbs and spices limited it that was hard. It was hard. But it started me thinking on that episode. And you've got to go hear it if you didn't, but it started me thinking what are the themes, the actual foods? Like if I can only have five foods that I had to live on the rest of my life? What would they be? And so that's what we're talking about today? What are our five real game changer delicious foods we love that we wouldn't want to be without that would just be filling and filling and satisfying. And that would fit on our survival plate.

Jarrod: 2:59

Just inside right now I'm going ooh, call me. You surprised me last time, but this

Anita: 3:05

was your first feed.

Jarrod: 3:06

Well, I know what you would say.

Anita: 3:09

I know what you're gonna say that I'm saying. But I'm gonna tell you why. I wouldn't say that. But you go ahead. Let's see how well we know each other.

Jarrod: 3:15

I would say without a doubt at halftime. I'm gonna write

Anita: 3:19

down most starkly, okay. Yeah, you tell me what you're gonna take? What did I write down potatoes? We know each other. So well. We've been married, how long now?

Jarrod: 3:30

We've been married 28 years. 28 years. That's

Anita: 3:32

what happens when you move married? years. I can't

Jarrod: 3:35

tell you how many times one of us says something. And the other says I was just thinking that or we finished the other person's sentence or say something right is they were about set. I mean, it's just all the time.

Anita: 3:45

Yes, all the time. But you know me and you know how much I'll add potatoes. But you know, what I was thinking is I want to be healthy. Okay, so I don't want to just enjoy how, how it tastes. I want to be really healthy. What are the foods that are gonna give me the biggest nutritional pench. And then I started thinking I need to choose the five foundational feeds one of each of the five foundational foods. Yeah, and if I have to do that when I get to the veggie category, and if you guys haven't listened to our episode on five foundational feeds, please go back and listen to that because it's going to be key to your healing key. I wish I had known these things. years before I did, but I'm so thankful that we do now listen to the five foundational number nine. He did not look that up. No, I just that blows my mom that can't believe that.

Jarrod: 4:35

Okay, it's one of our pillar episodes, though, because really, I mean, it's just one of the key concepts with what we teach.

Anita: 4:43

Absolutely. You've got to know the five foundational feeds and you've got to know why they're important. Okay, so, veggie category. I wrote down kale, broccoli and potato, and I'm afraid I might have to draw it out of a straw hat potatoes, my absolute favorite by taste. I eat them all the time. They're absolutely wonderful for you they are despite what you've heard about carbs, they are one of the absolute best foods you can have on your plate. They're amazing. They're filling they stick to your ribs. It's no wonder people get hangry when they try to do this because all they're trying to eat is lettuce and fruit. And it's just you've

Jarrod: 5:20

got to have to stick to your ribs phasic but it's just not gonna stick to your ribs satisfying. Yeah, you've

Anita: 5:24

got to get full and you've got to love what you're eating and allow me some potato. purple potato white potato purple sweet potato, white sweet potato, yellow yams, yellow, orange, sweet potato. You name it. I love it. But I haven't found a potato she doesn't like yet. No, I love them. And I don't think I ever will. They're they're a staple if you're not eating them and you're eating a wide variety get them on your plate. Okay, but we're talking about the deserted island here. Yes. cheered, I just don't know. I mean, I really think I'd have to because I know kale is really healthy for me. Leafy greens and we eat a ton of kale, but but I had to learn ways to eat it that I really liked it. But we do that now. So we put it in so many things, a ton of things I don't even think I'll know.

Jarrod: 6:11

Well that may be because a lot of times you can't taste it and it just mixes in with Dez I know you'll put it in Chile, you'll put it in beans, beans, we see it been the chili because you've got such a mix of different things we just don't ever see it

Anita: 6:24

beans tofu scramble, sip steez it's in so many things. You have no idea your smoothies are packed full almost to the top where that every time we drink a smoothie, but people don't know. We don't know because our bodies get used to it. It makes us feel absolutely amazing. And I love my kale, I would have a really hard time giving up my kale. Then there's broccoli that is a staple here we eat a lot of it broccoli brings me joy. And I can't tell you that I always love broccoli. And when I ate it before it had to be piled on with cheese. Okay, now I can just sit and eat it raw. And it's so funny. The kids will go like why don't we just do this for meals more often, mommy, because I'll make my vegan ranch dressing that I make that's in the cookbook, or I'll make the blue cheese ch cheesy dressing that we make and we'll dip it in the hat or even the barbecue sauce or my Nacho dip. Oh my word like I still love my cheesy things. If you're a Dairy Queen, like man, you love cheese and you love cream based soups and chowders and stuff. You can do healthy plant based and still have all those amazing things with broccoli. I still love that. So I could just sit and eat it raw could drizzle balsamic on it. I mean, that's how simple it is. I could eat it raw, I could steam it over a little water, I could pan saute it with just very little liquid of some type like veggie broth or water or anything like that. I mean, it's just one of my favorites. I don't know I'm gonna make a soup out of it. So you boil it and make the soup. Green based it you'll never miss the cream. It's like it has heavy cream in it. It's wonderful now that

Jarrod: 8:07

you say broccoli wasn't on my list, but now that you said I love it. Yes, we do use it a lot. But I just I know that you grew up on potatoes. I know that you love them. I

Anita: 8:16

do. I knew you would think that because that is one of my favorite things. But I'm thinking I gotta have my greens. I know how Greens have Healed my body. And I think potatoes have been an important

Jarrod: 8:26

part. What influenced my decision partly was a fact, though that I have heard that there have been people that have been sustained on potatoes. I think they did an experiment for up to a year. Yeah. And I'm sure there are cultures maybe even longer than that. But with this one experiment, they did it for a year and they suffered no ill health effect to it.

Anita: 8:43

And I mean, I can totally see why they would have no ill health health effect. Potatoes are great for you. You know, we hear about carbs are bad for you stay away from carbs. But that's what our bodies were actually to be fueled on. And so when we go off all the carbs, it's no wonder we're craving them. And we're hangry and we can't heal and we can't do it long term. It's not ever going to work. So yeah, potatoes are healing for you. They're great for you. And I could go on and on but I'm sure I need to.

Jarrod: 9:10

But I do want to say though, that they do still have protein. They do also have minerals that they pick up from within the earth. So it's not just simply a carb. It is a mix of all the different nutrients that our bodies needs the vitamins.

Anita: 9:25

Oh my goodness, I'm gonna retire. I'm gonna cry if I have to choose one veggie because I'm thinking I gotta have onions. I gotta have carrots. I gotta have my rutabaga. Like there's so many vegetables I've got to have at just this is short this exercise is honestly it's torture for me. But I'm just gonna say

Jarrod: 9:43

this for your entertainment.

Anita: 9:46

So I would probably just pit maybe those three in there and pull it out but onions just they flavor everything but if I've got to have those staples, potatoes, broccoli, maybe more feeling than kale. I don't know probably potatoes and broccoli probably would be but I love them together. And then I can mix up the potatoes and make my nacho cheese sauce if I have my onion and my carrots and some other things

Jarrod: 10:11

all right well, interest of not torturing you any further.

Anita: 10:15

We'll move on to next.

Jarrod: 10:16

What's your next

Anita: 10:18

next category is free. So we've got vegetables now we're going to free you're gonna say berries.

Jarrod: 10:26

I would have no honestly I was thinking apples because I was thinking Dr. apple filling. Eat them a fair amount but I do I probably eat blueberries more because I eat them all my oatmeal pretty much every

Anita: 10:39

free day you get your blueberries. I love blueberries. I think that'd be my absolute favorite, especially if I can have them fresh. have just a wild blueberry brush bush there on the island or two or three. I grew up with those running in the blueberry bushes picking and filling my cups full of blueberries. Honestly, it's probably one of the things that kept me alive to the point of where I wasn't doing so right but I was still alive. Honestly managing I think it was things like that just run in barefoot picking the blueberries getting in the sunshine. There were some things that we did do right. And those were some of them growing up. I love my blueberries. I still do and I think that would be what it would be blueberries.

Jarrod: 11:15

I agree. All right.

Anita: 11:17

So I've got blueberries for the win on fruits, veggies, it's just torture. I can't even go back. And then legumes or beans. This one's

Jarrod: 11:26

hard. It is hard.

Anita: 11:30

I mean, you've got Okay, lentils, cranberry beans, lima beans,

Jarrod: 11:34

black eyed peas. That was honestly the first thing that popped into my mind but politely because I had those a lot growing up. And then I had them with with my grain. Yes, rice, rice for greens. I would probably say rice but again is because I grew up with and I'm originally from southern Louisiana that you know

Anita: 11:53

what that means? There's no oatmeal for you.

Jarrod: 11:57

Well, I know. I was thinking that in my head too.

Anita: 12:01

Hey, loves oatmeal every morning oatmeal oatmeal oatmeal oatmeal. This heart healthy oatmeal can been savory it can mean sweet. It's absolutely fantastic for you. We've done that

Jarrod: 12:13

same with rice though we've had it where when it's it's cold after we've cooked it and then made it either as like a desert where

Anita: 12:19

we get a little bit put a little plant no sentiments and even raisins or de strahd fruit of some sort. Yeah, let me some. It's almost like rice picking out a little vanilla.

Jarrod: 12:31

Yeah, I realized that in choosing rice that I have given up the oatmeal, but just because I grew up on it. It's it is very versatile. And when we have it, I just love it. I just

Anita: 12:44

wait can I switch rice potatoes for my rice and then I can have my potatoes? Broccoli, but it's not really a grain I'm beginning

Jarrod: 12:51

to feel that we are very blessed that we do not have to do this. Actually do five of them.

Anita: 12:58

That is so wrong. Okay, so moving on. So we've chosen you chose rice. I think I might have to choose rice to you although fat potatoes against rice 100%. Always with cheese potatoes. Oh, potato girl your rice boy. Yes. And

Jarrod: 13:11

I will say that historically, she has not been a fan of rice but has developed some rice love maybe

Anita: 13:18

would you call it love? Yeah, for brown rice. If I get the right shoe like that real springy to you that you get with Japanese short grain. Yes, absolutely. So I love doing that in my instant pot for about 22 minutes. So I'm high pressure and then just release it and you get that springy texture. The problem is a lot of people add too much water I think to that, but I might not have my instant pot. So how are we going to cook our eyes just fire and we just pray we have some kind of pot to kick it in? I don't know. I mean, really is

Jarrod: 13:48

our experiment, we can create it however we want. We could create a generator with an endless supply of gas lab with my kitchen supply. Maybe since it is a deserted island, maybe it would make more sense to have a solar cell with a battery that we could hook up an instant pot to.

Anita: 14:07

I was gonna say maybe we should do an episode where we talk about our three top appliances that we'd have on the deserted

Jarrod: 14:14

island. I think we should do that.

Anita: 14:17

Okay, so anyway, back to this because I'm having a hard enough time getting through the foods. I'm a word and then the onions and the garlic or the garlic. I can have that because that was my herbs given away the last episode. Okay, all right, go then we've got I don't know. Okay, so you didn't need it. So the important question of rice versus potatoes, I have to go there with you. Because I know you grew up on rice. And I grew up on potatoes. And I'm a huge potato fan. And I would choose every time over rice. But we're comparing two things in two different foundational categories. But I just wonder because people compare rice and potatoes a lot. What would you choose?

Jarrod: 14:54

So what do you think that this southern Louisiana Cajun boy born and raised is going to choose? Is he going to choose rice? Or has he been converted to potatoes by his lovely wife? Well, you're going to have to tune in to the next episode to find out, but also a little spoiler. You don't want to miss it because we're going to share with you how we make our incredible steak fries, full of flavor full of crunch, but no oil, no frying, you must must hear this. I guarantee you will not be disappointed. But in the meantime, while you're waiting, shoot us an email at podcast at power on plants.com. Let us know what you want to hear. Or if you've had life changing results like we have. Let us know we'd love to hear about that too. We hope you have a wonderful week and we'll see you in the next episode.