My first site

In the late 1990s, I started a site called Unofficial Support for Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease as part of America OnLine’s Hometown section.

Over the years I stopped working on the site, but it remained in place until, without notice, AOL shut Hometown down in late 2008. My first site is now lost, but I am reposting the content that I’ve been able to find online. Check below to see what I’ve been able to salvage, thanks to the Wayback Machine.

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Hometown Has Been Shutdown

Posted on Nov 6th 2008 1:30PM by Kelly Wilson

Dear AOL Hometown user,

We’re sorry to inform you that as of Oct. 31, 2008, AOL® Hometown was shut down permanently. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

The AOL Hometown Team

This blog isn’t really active at the moment.

My active blog is here: http://blatherfrombrooklyn.wordpress.com/

Come on over and see what I’ve seen.

Frog in window

Frog in window

Originally uploaded by annulla.

Flickr

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

Test post

This is just a test. I’m not sure what I’m going to do in this space, but it will serve a purpose.

Unofficial Support for Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program for Reversing Heart Disease
If you — or someone you love — are ready to feel better, you’ve come to the right place. This site was created to provide support for people trying to reverse or prevent heart disease, lower their cholesterol and blood pressure, explore a new approach to prostate cancer or just improve their overall health and quality of life.
Hot news	Recipe of the month	Frequently Asked Questions	Useful links	Suggested reading	Fake awards	Return to introduction page
Look here for news relating to this program and website.	Easy, delicious low-fat vegetarian dishes. This link can be a bit slow.	What’s this program all about? Does it really work? And who is Dr. Ornish?	Hundreds of sites on health, fitness, stress, cooking,  travelling and more.	Books to inform and inspire. Order online in association with Amazon.com.	Fake awards just for fun.	Take another look at Dr. Ornish’s picture.

Do you have any comments, suggestions, thoughts or complaints regarding this site? To get in touch, please contact: annrecipes@aol.com.   Unfortunately, at this time, it is not possible to answer everyone personally. However, I do read all correspondence, and will make every effort to address the most common concerns. Thank you for your understanding.

Please note: This site provides UNOFFICIAL support. That means that neither Dr. Dean Ornish nor any of his representatives have been involved in the creation or maintenance of this site or its contents in any way. The material herein is presented for informational purposes only and does not replace the advice of your own physician.  For OFFICIAL support, please visit Dr. Ornish’s own website by clicking here.

Last modified: February 21, 2000

Copyright © 1999 All rights reserved.

June, 1999

This month’s recipes

June, 1999

Grape-Nuts, Homemade Toasted Oatmeal Cereal Breakfast Couscous Lu’s Rice, Oats and Peaches Breakfast

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Some people say that breakfast is the most important meal of the day.  For many of us, though, preparing a nutritious breakfast can seem like an unnecessary hassle at the busiest time. It is so easy to grab a sugary donut, a sweet roll, a greasy mc-fast-food-muffin — even though you can practically feel your arteries harden while you’re eating.  Or else, you might just skip breakfast altogether, wait for your stomach to start grumbling, and then stuff yourself with whatever is convenient — probably a stale, greasy, sugary donut.  Yuck. Ugh.   Phooey! Try a different approach; have a healthy a bowl of cereal, hot or cold, with an extra twist — it’s homemade!  When you make your own breakfast cereal, you’ll have complete control of the ingredients and you’ll save a lot of money.  In fact, these cereals are so good, you might want them for lunch or a light dinner, too.  Then, on a day when you do have the time and inclination to cook in the morning, try the brunch recipes from April 1998.

Grape Nuts – Homemade 3 1/2 cups Graham flour 1 cup brown sugar or 3/4 cup syrup 2 cups buttermilk or sour milk 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon soda Sift flour. Measure and add soda and salt. Sift again. Add sugar and mix thoroughly. Add buttermilk to dry ingredients; beat until smooth. Spread dough 1/4″ thick on flat, greased pans. Bake at 375-F for approximately 15 minutes or until crisp and a golden brown. Let cool thoroughly and grind through a food chopper. Crisp in oven just before serving. From SOAR

Toasted Oatmeal Large can whole rolled oats (40-something oz) 1 cup apple juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon maple syrup 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon vanilla Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Pour the apple juice into a small saucepan, add the maple syrup, cinnamon and vanilla.  Heat. Dump the entire can of oats into a very large baking pan sprayed with cooking spray.   Drizzle the hot apple juice over the oats.  Stir well, place in the oven to toast, stirring every 10 minutes or so until the oats are browned and completely dry. Remove from the oven, add dried fruit as desired (raisins, cranberries, raspberries, etc.)  When cool, store in an air tight container.  Serve with milk or apple juice. From  the Vegetarian Weight Removers mailing list, contributed by R. Fay

Breakfast Couscous 3/4 cup water 1/4 cup orange juice 1/2 cup couscous 1 teaspoon orange zest 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon apple juice, frozen concentrate 1 dash cinnamon Combine all of the ingredients in a 1-qt. microwaveable casserole dish. Cover. Microwave on high until the liquid is absorbed and the couscous is tender, 5 to 6 minutes. Let stand, covered, for 1 minute more. From Fatfree Recipe Archive

Lu’s Rice, Oats and Peaches Breakfast 1 cup cooked brown basmati rice 1/3 cup rolled oats 2 tablespoons dried currants (optional sliced almonds or sunflower seeds) 2 peaches, sliced in wedges Boil 1 cup water, add rice and stir, add oats and currants and stir. Heat 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl, add peach wedges, stir. Optionally add 1/2 cup nonfat yogurt (vanilla) or 1/2 cup soymilk. From Fatfree Recipe Archive

Go to recipes from May 1999 Smoky Tofu Bakon, Baked Marinated Tofu — Mexican Style, Tofu Mayonnaise and Tofu Cream Cheese Go to recipes from April 1999 French Dressing, Creamy Tarragon Dressing, Russian Dressing and Chili-Cilantro Dressing Go to recipes from March 1999 Colcannon and Irish Seitan Stew Go to recipes from February 1999 Hopping John and Corn Bread Go to recipes from January 1999 White Bean Soup With Winter Greens and Tuscan Vegetable Minestrone Go to recipes from December 1998 Chestnut Pate, Old-Time Mince Pie and Egg Nog Go to recipes from November 1998 Practically Fat-Free Pumpkin Rice Pudding, Pumpkin Mini-loaf, Fat-Free Pumpkin Raisin Cake, Fatfree Cream Sauce and Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Go to recipes from October 1998 Pumpkin Mousse with Gingersnap Crumbs, Baked Cranberry Squash and Winter Squash and Apple Soup Go to recipes from September 1998 “Chicken” Patties, “Egg” Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Salad Sandwich and Ruby’s Wraps Go to recipes from August 1998 Cool Cucumber Soup, Double Melon Soup and Black Bean Gazpacho with Mango Salsa Go to recipes from July 1998 Balsamic Strawberries, Chilled Peach and Nectarine Soup and Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes Go to recipes from June 1998 Deviled Eggs with Herb Filling, Potato Salad with Capers and Vinaigrette, Tangy Cabbage Salad and Bean Burgers (2 versions) Go to recipes from May 1998 Skinny Spinach Dip , Pineapple Dip, Green Goddess Dressing, Trisha’s Unbelievably Easy Dip and Beet-Sour Cream Dip Go to recipes from April 1998 Easter Brunch & Passover Seder — Fresh Asparagus Omelets with Herbs, Pink Grapefruit with Mint, Strawberry Streusel Muffins, Not-Chicken Soup, Matzoh Balls, Vegetarian Kishke and Charoset Go to recipes from March 1998 Irish Soda Bread and Cream of Green Vegetable Soups — Cream of Broccoli Soup, Cream of Spinach Soup, Cream of Asparagus Soup Go to recipes from February 1998 Corn Lover’s Vegetable Stew, Cherry Meringue Kisses and Hot Spiced Apple and Berry Cider Go to recipes from January 1998 Savory Lentils, Decadent Fat-Free Whipped Potatoes and Dried Apricots Baked with Vanilla Go to recipes from December 1997 Oatmeal Fruit Cookies, Cardamom Meringues, Chocolate Hanukkah Star Cookies and Shari Lewis’s No-Fry Latkes Go to recipes from November 1997 Thanksgiving Dinner — Corn Chowder, Winter Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing, Cranberry Cumberland Sauce, Jerk Yams, Kathryn’s Carrots & Turnips, Pumpkin Pie and Maple Whipped Dessert Topping Go to recipes from October 1997 Orange-Acorn Squash, Pineapple Yam Bake and Baked Apples with Apple Cider Yogurt Go to recipes from September 1997 Chilled Tarragon Tomato Soup with Vegetable Confetti and Jane’s Zucchini Sauté Go to recipe from August 1997 Pasta With Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Raisins

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Need more low-fat vegetarian recipes? Want to know more about low-fat cooking and baking? Go to the cooking links page.Return to Unofficial Ornish home page

Copyright © 1999 Anne Samachson. All rights reserved.

April, 1999

This month’s recipes

April, 1999
	French Dressing Creamy Tarragon Dressing Russian Dressing Chili-Cilantro Dressing

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Spring is in the air!  Daffodils are raising their heads, trees are sprouting pale green buds and baby vegetables are starting to appear in the markets. Whether you steam some fresh asparagus, pile your plate high with salad greens or boil up some new potatoes, be sure to top everything with a delicious dressing — or two, or three!  This month’s recipes prove that you don’t need to use oil to make a great salad dressing.

French Dressing 1 clove garlic 1/2 tsp. salt 3 tablespoons cider or wine vinegar 1/8 tsp. pepper 3 Tbsp. cold water 1/8 tsp. dry mustard Crush the garlic clove in a bowl. Add the remaining ingredients. Blend together well and let stand for 30 minutes. Remove garlic. Makes 4 servings. From Falck Cancer Center Cookbook

Creamy Tarragon Dressing 1/4 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1/4 cup plain fat-free yogurt 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar 3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon 1. Combine all ingredients; stir well, and set aside. Yield: 1/2 cup (serving size: 2 tablespoons). From Cooking Light

Russian Dressing 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt 1 cup fat-free mayonnaise 1/2 cup low-sodium ketchup 2 teaspoons horseradish, drained In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, mayonnaise, ketchup and horseradish. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.  Makes 2 cups. From Healthy Ideas

Chili-Cilantro Dressing 1 4-ounce can chopped green chilies 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro 1/4 cup water 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 1 to 2 cloves of garlic 2 teaspoons honey freshly ground pepper to taste Place all of the ingredients in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. From John McDougall’s The New McDougall Cookbook

Go to recipes from March 1999 Colcannon and Irish Seitan Stew Go to recipes from February 1999 Hopping John and Corn Bread Go to recipes from January 1999 White Bean Soup With Winter Greens and Tuscan Vegetable Minestrone Go to recipes from December 1998 Chestnut Pate, Old-Time Mince Pie and Egg Nog Go to recipes from November 1998 Practically Fat-Free Pumpkin Rice Pudding, Pumpkin Mini-loaf, Fat-Free Pumpkin Raisin Cake, Fatfree Cream Sauce and Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies Go to recipes from October 1998 Pumpkin Mousse with Gingersnap Crumbs, Baked Cranberry Squash and Winter Squash and Apple Soup Go to recipes from September 1998 “Chicken” Patties, “Egg” Salad Sandwiches, Carrot Salad Sandwich and Ruby’s Wraps Go to recipes from August 1998 Cool Cucumber Soup, Double Melon Soup and Black Bean Gazpacho with Mango Salsa Go to recipes from July 1998 Balsamic Strawberries, Chilled Peach and Nectarine Soup and Strawberry Buttermilk Pancakes Go to recipes from June 1998 Deviled Eggs with Herb Filling, Potato Salad with Capers and Vinaigrette, Tangy Cabbage Salad and Bean Burgers (2 versions) Go to recipes from May 1998 Skinny Spinach Dip , Pineapple Dip, Green Goddess Dressing, Trisha’s Unbelievably Easy Dip and Beet-Sour Cream Dip Go to recipes from April 1998 Easter Brunch & Passover Seder — Fresh Asparagus Omelets with Herbs, Pink Grapefruit with Mint, Strawberry Streusel Muffins, Not-Chicken Soup, Matzoh Balls, Vegetarian Kishke and Charoset Go to recipes from March 1998 Irish Soda Bread and Cream of Green Vegetable Soups — Cream of Broccoli Soup, Cream of Spinach Soup, Cream of Asparagus Soup Go to recipes from February 1998 Corn Lover’s Vegetable Stew, Cherry Meringue Kisses and Hot Spiced Apple and Berry Cider Go to recipes from January 1998 Savory Lentils, Decadent Fat-Free Whipped Potatoes and Dried Apricots Baked with Vanilla Go to recipes from December 1997 Oatmeal Fruit Cookies, Cardamom Meringues, Chocolate Hanukkah Star Cookies and Shari Lewis’s No-Fry Latkes Go to recipes from November 1997 Thanksgiving Dinner — Corn Chowder, Winter Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing, Cranberry Cumberland Sauce, Jerk Yams, Kathryn’s Carrots & Turnips, Pumpkin Pie and Maple Whipped Dessert Topping Go to recipes from October 1997 Orange-Acorn Squash, Pineapple Yam Bake and Baked Apples with Apple Cider Yogurt Go to recipes from September 1997 Chilled Tarragon Tomato Soup with Vegetable Confetti and Jane’s Zucchini Sauté Go to recipe from August 1997 Pasta With Spicy Broccoli Rabe and Raisins

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Need more low-fat vegetarian recipes? Want to know more about low-fat cooking and baking? Go to the cooking links page.Return to Unofficial Ornish home page

October, 1998

October, 1998

Pumpkin Mousse with Gingersnap Crumbs Baked Cranberry Squash Winter Squash and Apple Soup

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Suddenly, it is sweater weather.  It is once again time to pull the woolies out of storage, fluff up the quilts, and enjoy the bountiful harvest.   Winter (hard-shelled) squash is ripening.  Pick up a few varieties — pumpkin, acorn, buttercup, butternut, or whatever is in the market — and use them as basis for some wonderful dishes.  In most recipes, the different types of winter squash are interchangeable.  Try them all and see which you and your family prefer.

Pumpkin Mousse with Gingersnap Crumbs 1 10-ounce box soft silken tofu 1/2 cup maple syrup 1 teaspoon lemon zest 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger A pinch of ground cloves A pinch of salt 3 cups (1 29-ounce can) solid-pack pumpkin 8 gingersnaps (2-inch diameter), crushed with a rolling pin Place everything except the pumpkin and the gingersnaps in a blender, and purée until smooth. Add half the pumpkin, and purée again. Transfer to a medium-sized bowl and beat in the remaining pumpkin until the mixture becomes uniformly creamy. Cover tightly and chill for several hours or overnight, so the flavors combine and deepen. To serve, spoon into decorative bowls and sprinkle with gingersnap crumbs. Serve immediately, so the crumbs won’t turn soggy. Yield: About 6 servingsNOTES: You can substitute cooked squash or sweet potato for the pumpkin.   This keeps well for up to a week, if stored in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Don’t add the gingersnap crumbs until the very last minute — they don’t stay crisp for long. From Mollie Katzen

Baked Cranberry Squash 2 large acorn squash, split lengthwise and seeded 1 cup chopped pear 1/2 cup raw cranberries (fresh or frozen) 3 tablespoons orange juice concentrate, undiluted 3 tablespoons honey or maple syrup 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place squash cut side up on foil-lined baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine pear, cranberries, orange juice concentrate, honey or syrup, cinnamon and allspice. Spoon mixture into squash cavities. Use any extra liquid to brush cut edges of squash. Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until squash is soft. Serve hot. Serves 4. From Fat Free

Winter squash and apple soup 2 cups butternut or buttercup squash, peeled, seeded & chopped 2 cups sweet potato, peeled & chopped 3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored & chopped (Spartan, Macintosh or similar) 1 medium onion, chopped 2 cups water or just enough to cover apples and veggies 1/2 teaspoon sea salt 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice or pumpkin pie spice* 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Bring the vegetables, apples and water to a boil in a saucepan on high  heat. Reduce the heat and simmer 30 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender. Add the seasonings and use a blender to process the mixture. Heat in the saucepan again on low heat until hot. Keeps 3-5 days refrigerated.  Serves 6. From SOAR

Need more low-fat vegetarian recipes? Want to know more about low-fat cooking and baking? Go to the cooking links page.

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