By John-Michael Lawrence
Affordable diet and simple lifestyle changes can replace the need for medication, surgeries and expensive healthcare that you do not have. This is part 2 of an info series on using a plant-based diet to prevent, reverse and avoid many diseases and conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, diabetes, etc. This is Preventative Medicine you can practice on your own.
Not as much protein needed in the diet as Americans think. In fact, we eat too much protein. Conversations with many people from healthier cultures have shown me that Americans eat far more animal protein than cultures with fewer health problems (far fewer cases of heart disease, diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, etc.) and longer life spans.
Further, ample and far healthier protein is available from plants. My personal opinion, it is totally unnecessary to eat something that had a mother, especially when it is bad for your health. As reported in Scienceinsights, March 26, 2026:
Animal protein isn’t universally harmful, but several biological mechanisms explain why high intake, especially from red and processed meat, is linked to increased risks of heart disease, cancer, kidney damage, and type 2 diabetes. The concerns are strongest for processed meats like bacon, sausage, and deli slices, which the World Health Organization classifies as a Group 1 carcinogen (the same confidence level as tobacco, though not the same magnitude of risk). Red meat sits in Group 2A, meaning it’s probably carcinogenic. The picture gets more nuanced with poultry and fish, which don’t carry the same level of risk.
Seven One Pot Dishes suggested from the Ornish book, Undo It:
Indian Spiced Vegetable Curry: A flavorful mix of health-promoting vegetables like sweet potatoes, cauliflower, and green beans simmered in coconut milk and spices. Ready in about 50 minutes, serving 6.
Servings: 6
Preparation: 10 min, Cook Time: 20-30 min
Ingredients: Curry powder, cumin, coriander, turmeric, crushed tomatoes, soy/almond milk, various vegetables (sweet potatoes, cauliflower, green beans), chickpeas.
Instructions:
Toast spices in pot.
- Add crushed tomatoes, milk, and seasonings; simmer for10 min.
- Steam sweet potatoes until tender, purée half with the sauce.
- Steam cauliflower and green beans, then combine with chickpeas in sauce; simmer and serve.
Tuscan Marinara with White Beans and Spinach: A hearty dish combining cremini mushrooms, garlic, and cannellini beans with whole-grain penne. Serves 4 and ready in under 45 minutes.
Tuscan Marinara with White Beans and Spinach
Servings: 4
Preparation: 15 min, Cook Time: 30 min
Ingredients: Cremini mushrooms, garlic, marinara sauce, cannellini beans, whole-grain penne, spinach, fresh basil.
Instructions:
- Cook mushrooms and garlic until tender.
- Combine with marinara and beans; simmer.
- Cook pasta and mix with sauce and spinach; serve.
Asian Stir-fry: Featuring a colorful array of vegetables and tofu, this dish emphasizes the importance of incorporating various colors of veggies for maximum health benefits. Serves 6.
Servings: 6
Preparation: 30 min, Cook Time: 25 min
Ingredients: Brown rice, tofu, hoisin sauce, various vegetables (green beans, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper), basil.
Instructions:
- Cook rice as instructed.
- Prepare tofu and sauce; stir-fry with vegetables.
- Serve over rice.
Smoky Bean Tacos
Servings: 6
Preparation: 10 min, Cook Time: 20 min
Ingredients: Fire-roasted tomatoes, beans (black and pinto), corn, corn tortillas, romaine.
Instructions: Cook tomatoes, onions, and peppers until soft.
- Add beans and corn; simmer.
- Serve in warmed tortillas with cabbage and cilantro.
Smoky Bean Tacos: A filling made from black and pinto beans combined with flavorful tomatoes and spices. Easily assembled with tortillas. Serves 6.
Fast and Sloppy Joes: A comforting sandwich using a vegetarian meat alternative, pinto beans, and barbecue sauce. Takes only 15 minutes to make and serves 6.
Servings: 6
Preparation: 5 min, Cook Time: 10 min
Ingredients: Vegetarian ground meat, pinto beans, BBQ sauce, whole-grain buns.
Instructions:
- Combine ground meat, beans, and sauce; heat.
- Serve on buns.
Mushroom Stroganoff
Servings: 4
Preparation: 10 min, Cook Time: 40 min
Ingredients: Onions, cremini mushrooms, dry sherry, cannellini beans, pasta.
Instructions:
Sauté onions and mushrooms, add sauce and beans, then mix with cooked pasta.
Pasta Carbonara
Servings: 4
