Love Dad? Don't Serve Him This Dad's Shortcake

I enjoy Vegan Dad's unbelievable creativity, and often healthy recipes, so it's a real disappointment to read this one.  Not only is it a disservice to cardiovascular systems everywhere, it was put into that newsletter by a well (and usually deservedly so) respected and tireless activist organization, FARM, as part of their "Meatless Mondays" campaign.

Here's the math on the recipe linked above:  5 tbls. of Earth Balance is  60 grams of PURE 100% NON FOOD FAT.  Trader Joe's Soy Creamer, at the amount suggested, is 18 grams of fat.  That's 78 grams of FAT total coupled with sugar, flour, and fruit.

In perspective, assuming 4 servings for the recipe, that's over 19 grams of FAT per serving.  The guys who reversed and prevented heart disease, Ornish and Esselstyn, and Barnard (who reversed Type II diabetes), recommend no more than 14 to 20 grams of fat PER DAY.  The Feds:  60 grams of fat per day.  At 6 servings, the recipe is still plain awful from a heart healthy perspective. Even the somewhat conservative American Heart Association would be concerned about the amount of saturated fat in this recipe (120% of daily recommended assuming 4 servings), and that's really unfortunate.

Considering the rate of heart disease (strokes/attacks) preponderant in fathers over 45 years old, this recipe is an insult.  This is an extremely high fat dessert, who's nutritional value is diluted by refined flour, sugar, and a helluva lot of FAT (highly processed, nutritionally useless, non-food goop).

Put the blueberries in a bowl, and if you must, add some soy milk and a pinch of sweetner.  Then you can match your actions with the words:  "I love you, Dad" and really mean it.

A heart healthy diet would not include this shortcake.  The last time I noted an excessively fatty recipe posted in the newsletter I was told me that it still encouraged people to go vegan and save more animals from dying as food.  So it was "okay."

But, at what human cost?  Did this approach forget that we're animals too, and dying in large numbers by heart disease linked to excessive consumption of fat?  I wonder if in the zeal to "save the animals," via (still unhealthy) vegan foods, and meals, some people miss that caring about animals means caring about people, too.  And yes, I've promoted Vegan Dad's cookbook in a newsletter.  It's a fine piece of work (the book).  But, this newsletter editor might have provided a healthier recipe from Vegan Dad's book.

I did, and it wasn't difficult.

Comments

[Peter]

When a recipe is considered 'creative' most of the time there is little focus on what goes into the recipe. This applies particularly to TV and celebrity chefs. As you often mention all too often because it's vegan or vegetarian then it's somehow assumed the recipe is 'healthy'. Surely if a chef is 'creative' they should be able to prepare dishes that are creative, delicious and are acceptable according to the low fat guidelines. I like to stick to nature's bounty of fruits when I need something sweet. I have yet to see man improve on this.

[We are in such agreement... my appreciation for your feedback! It's sad, though. In re-reading that post I'm still struck by the absurdity of adding sugar, fat, salt, and refined flour to the magnificence of fresh blue berries.

My own breakfast this morning? I'm off now to pick homegrown currants and raspberries. To add just about anything to them, especially the additives previously mentioned, imho, would be a crime.

Best regards, Mark]