Brendan Brazier is a former professional Ironman triathlete, a two-time Canadian 50km Ultra Marathon Champion, the creator of an award-winning line of whole food plant based nutritional products called VEGA, and the bestselling author of Thrive.
We talked about some of his latest endeavors including the new book Thrive Foods: 200 Plant-Based Recipes for Peak Health and THRIVE FOODS Direct, a plant-based, whole food delivery service based on Brendan’s nutritional philosophy, which is from his Thrive book series. It launched in December of 2011.
Brendan talks about Nutrient to Resource ratio in the book, which simply means to get as high a level of health-boosting micronutrients from food, while expending the smallest amount of each natural resource to do so. (Essentially, it’s a mathematical way of saying plant-based whole foods make a lot of sense).
Whole plant based foods also help reduce nutrition stress. The body has an incredibly hard time turning processed food into usable fuel. It is trying to digest something so artificial that the body doesn’t even recognize it as a nutrient type of food. There are also 200 recipes, including a few from Brendan’s favorite North American restaurants, as well as a few from his favorite chefs.
I got this wonderful opportunity to talk to Brendan Brazier about so many things. via OpenSky. OpenSky is a social network for shopping where experts and trendsetters in health, food, style and design share insider advice, tips and their favorite things for you.
You can find Brendan’s favorite nutritional, fitness, and enviro-friendly products on his OpenSky page here.
Thank you Brendan and Open Sky for this interview! What better way to celebrate Earth Day than to try use as little Natural resources as possible.
Giveaway!!. Opensky is offering a signed copy of Thrive Foods book to one reader!(Shipping within US). Enter by Wednesday April 25th midnight PST. To enter.
1. Mandatory entry: Leave me a comment on this post, with a way to get in touch with you.(email/blog). I’d love to know your thoughts on Brendan’s work, the Thrive Foods direct delivery service and the interview!
Additional Entries:
2. Like the blog page on Facebook or share about the giveaway on Facebook/Twitter, and leave a comment on this post.
3. Like Opensky on Facebook , and leave a comment on this post.
The interview:
1. Why Vegan? The most asked question:)
It started off when I was 15, I just wanted to be a better athlete. I wanted to see if I could boost my performance, through understanding nutrition properly and I found that it made a big difference. So I turned to a plant based diet for performance reasons.
2. How did you think about using plant based diet for performance.
I saw the top athletes in the world were really not training very different from the average athletes, So I thought, If we are training the same and getting different results, then why is that. I figured that it was the Rate of recovery, after all that training and exercise. how fast could the body renew and regenerate itself. I learned that the rate of recovery has to do with nutrition. upto 80%. So I knew I had to focus on nutrition to speed up my rate of recovery.
3. What does your current average day look like in terms of food.
I graze thoughout the whole day. I have a Vega One smoothie in the morning. It has protein , fibre, greens, omega 3s, enzymes, probiotics, chlorella, minerals, all that gets me the nutrition right away. After that I graze fruits, nuts, seeds, sprouted bread, avocado, quinoa, green vegetables, a big salad to keep alkaline with lots of leafy greens.
4. How do you keep up while travelling, eating out, during the holidays.
I am pretty lucky, that most of my events are in cities with good food. I have lots of events at whole foods. They have a great Salad bar and a great produce section, so there is always something for me to eat. This is also one of the reasons I developed Thrive Foods Direct, so people can order meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner, to anywhere they want. If they are on the road, they can get them to their hotel. The recipes are from Thrive Foods book and the other Thrive books.
5. That sounds like a great solution to help people transition into a healthy diet.
It helps with some of the main complaints of time and travel. there is also a promotion going on at Thrive foods Direct. With the coupon code BB1 , you can get 20% off your order. (Read more about it on the note below the interview.)
6. Some interesting nutrition facts esp about Indian food.
I like cumin, as it helps reduce inflammation, it is really good for speedy recovery. I like chickpeas, but dont really eat much authentic Indian food.
(Note to self: Send Brendan some nutrient dense whole food Indian food recipes!:)
7. Three things that you would absolutely not go without during the day.
The Vega One Smoothie, as it covers so many bases and nutrition.
Also Leafy Greens, Vegetables, Spinach Kale, Broccoli, things like that really help reduce inflammation. I also like hemp a lot, a great source of protein and essential fats and an all around nutrient dense option.
8. Lets Talk about the Thrive Foods Book. How is it different from the earlier books.
My first book Thrive is about my whole nutrition philosophy
Thrive fitness- is more a training book, more about fitness and working out
This book is a follow up of my first book, 2/3 of the book is 200 recipes based on my nutritional philosophy and the other third is about environmental resources. Land water, fossil fuel, emissions created during food production. I tie in some environmental concerns around food production and what foods are the most efficient to produce, which of course are all plant based foods.
9. The book talks about Nutrient to Resource ratio. What is it and how does someone choose the right nutrient to ratio foods without necessarily knowing all the details.
Nutrient to Resource ratio considers the amount of each natural resource that goes into food production in exchange for the amount of nutrients that food offers. Based on these findings, I make suggestions as to what foods are most beneficial to personal health as well as environmental preservation. There is a list in the book. Some good options, greens are good, they have a lot of minerals, are very nutrient dense, yet they do not take a lot of land to produce. hemp and almonds are really good, and pseudo-grains like buckwheat, quinoa, wild rice.
10. You dont use Soy in this book. Some people might find it difficult to not be able to use soy, fake meat substitutes etc while transitioning into a plant based diet. What would you like to say about Soy.
Its fine for transition. If people want to substitute hot dogs and ham burgers with their tofu counter parts, that is a great start but I want them to know that it is not the greatest food. It is highly processed and acid forming, harsh to digest.
I dont want people to think that it is a good diet, They eventually dont feel good on it and they go back to what they ate before. It is great for tranistion but not something to continue once you have transitioned. Whole foods like Tempeh and edamame are much better than processed soy and fake meat options.
11. What are some of your favorite recipes from the book
I like Kabocha Squash and rice
the Chia puddings
Pizzas
The bars and Cereal.
(A recipe for you all below the interview.)
12. What would you suggest as the First few steps to take this Earth Day.
Take it slow. Think of adding good foods instead of removing bad foods. Start off with juices and Smoothies. On open sky I have some great options. Get the Manual juicer from Opensky which is really good for making green juice, the Kombucha home brewing starter kit, and Vega One are great to get you started.
13. Some other suggestions to reduce our footprint.
Be conscious of where energy is spent and where it comes from. Of course, Not driving as much, Not consuming wasteful products. The big thing is a Shift in diet. Shift to eat more sustainable foods which take the least to produce.
14. What have you found motivates people to take that first step.
Starting slow. Dont change overnight. A gradual whole foods Transition. Add good new things in. More vegetables and fruits, nuts and so on.
About THRIVE FOODS Direct
From the site- “ If only someone could do the grocery shopping, prepare nutrient-dense, plant-based meals – and deliver them to you!. Welcome to THRIVE FOODS Direct. Whether you are a hard-core athlete, too busy to cook, or simply want to reap the benefits of complete plant-based nutrition,
All dishes are prepared according to the nutritional principals in the Thrive book series: high net gain, alkaline-forming, plant-based, whole food. And always made entirely from fresh, certified organic ingredients. The menu changes frequently – variety is emphasized – for both enjoyment and optimally nutritional benefit.”
Coupon code BB1 for 20% off your Order on THRIVE FOODS Direct. One of the recipes from Thrive Foods book below.
Wild Rice with Kabocha Squash and Sage Butter: Reproduced by permission
To save time, make the rice and butter while the squash is cooking. Yams may also be used in place of the kabocha.
Time: 1 hour prep; 30–45 minutes for the rice
Makes 4 servings
Ingredients:
1 pound kabocha squash (about 1⁄2 medium squash)
3 tbsp melted coconut oil + 1 tbsp, divided
1⁄2 cup wild rice
1⁄2 cup brown rice
2 cups water
1⁄2 tbsp chopped fresh sage, packed
1 tbsp minced shallots
1⁄2 tsp salt
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Cut the squash in half, then scoop out and discard the seeds.
Use 1 tbsp coconut oil to lightly brush the cut areas of the squash, and place cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 40–45 minutes or until soft when pierced with a fork.
When cool enough to handle, cut into 1-inch chunks (skin may be left on for extra flavor and nutrition or disposed of). Keep warm.
To make the rice, combine the rices and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and let simmer, covered, until done.
Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend 3 tbsp coconut oil, sage, shallots, and salt until smooth.
To serve:
In a large pan, heat the sage butter mixture over medium-low heat for 1 minute. Add the rice and toss to combine, and cook for 1 minute longer while stirring constantly. Remove from heat and carefully fold in the squash.
Find items on Sale for Earth Day on OpenSky Earth Day Sale Page here!
Connect with Brendan
Websites: BrendanBrazier.com, MyVega.com, ThriveFoodsDirect.com
Facebook: brendanbrazier
Twitter: @Brendan_Brazier
Facebook: brendanbrazier
Twitter: @Brendan_Brazier
On OpenSky
Torviewtoronto says
April 21, 2012 at 1:07 amdelicious rice and review
giveaway looks wonderful in am in Canada
Rithika says
April 21, 2012 at 6:41 amGreat interview! It’s important for people (like my brother) trying to be vegan and build up some muscles. I’ve sent him the link to the interview will make sure he reads it! 🙂 I’m in Mumbai and my blog is veganontheprowl.blogspot.com! 😉
Caitlin says
April 21, 2012 at 11:12 amgreat interview, richa! i want that book!! and the kabocha squash recipe looks delicious. it is totally something i would make for myself, and may do so tonight!
janet @ the taste space says
April 21, 2012 at 1:43 pmLovely interview. Love Brendan Brazier! 🙂
dassana says
April 21, 2012 at 5:42 pmgreat job done richa….. am feeling so proud of you.
Shira says
April 21, 2012 at 6:24 pmYum Richa, this rice dish looks yummy! Great interview too – so impressive to read about Brendan!
Abigail says
April 22, 2012 at 4:39 amI love Vega products!
Anonymous says
April 22, 2012 at 4:40 amI would LOVE Brendan’s book! This was an awesome interview. I am Type II Diabetic, and I just started using VegaOne. Working on making several food transitions now, and Brendan’s work and sites such as this are awesome for those of us looking to make big changes. Keep up the great work! [email protected]
Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes says
April 22, 2012 at 3:26 pmNicely done Richa! I have heard of Vega but wasn’t sure exactly its benefit – I am going to have to try some out- have you ever tried it!
At 15 he was definitely ahead of most in terms of making the connection between body, food and performance – amazing!
missy says
April 22, 2012 at 4:07 pmThe book sounds awesome!! I’m trying to become more athletic and being the only vegan I know ( I don’t have any friends or family that are vegan) the book would surely help me out a lot! I have read quite a bit about Brenden through out the internet and he is definentley an inspiration of mine. This was a great interview! I need to start cutting the fake meat out of my diet for sure haha. – [email protected]
Erin Lembke says
April 22, 2012 at 4:55 pmThe Book sounds very informative. Always looking to stay on top of health information and incorporate better eating into my family life. Hope to win the book! email @ [email protected]
Sensible Vegetarian says
April 22, 2012 at 9:01 pmExcellent interview and I use both hemp and brown rice protein as supplement and just last week read about vegaone and was thinking to try it and now see the interview from the creator of Vegaone. Good one.
moonsword says
April 23, 2012 at 7:49 amExcellent interview…and thanks for the most awesome recipe! I do like the idea of Thrive Foods Direct, but it would be nice if you could choose any length of days, not just 5 or 7. Say you are traveling on business for 3 or 4 days and you know the place you’re staying isn’t vegan-friendly. It would be cool to arrange delivery for just those few days so you’d be a superhappy traveler! Or even if you’re home, but hosting vegan company, or are remodeling and need meal service for a few days because you’re kitchen is taken apart…all sorts of occasions that might not fit a 5 or 7 day schedule. Otherwise I totally love it, and the food just looks marvelously scrumptious! Cheers!
Kimberly.Oakes says
April 23, 2012 at 1:52 pmOh! This book is very intriguing. I’m starting CrossFit this summer, and need pointers on how to fuel my body right.
GiGi says
April 23, 2012 at 3:22 pmGreat interview. Now I really want to get the first book too. Recovery for an athlete is so important.
Concetta says
April 23, 2012 at 4:27 pmNice follow up to “Thrive”, which had some recipes, but not this many. Would love to incorporate some new recipes. Great interview!
Sustainable Management says
April 24, 2012 at 7:42 pmWow, what a comprehensive interview. Well done. I have been a huge fan of Brendan for quite sometime now. I also consume Vega One as I am a Vegan. This product really helps to boost my energy levels in a positive way.
I would love to be a part of the giveaway. The best way to contact me would be via e-mail: [email protected].
Thanks.
Alkahest says
April 25, 2012 at 1:28 pmI’m reading Brendan’s book Thrive Fitness right now! Great article! I would love to win the cookbook as well: [email protected]
Bobbie {the vegan crew} says
April 26, 2012 at 3:19 amI would love to read this book! I’m really intrigued by the delivery service. What a great way to help make it easy for people to get wonderful plant-based nutrition, regardless of their schedule! (bobbie AT thevegancrew DOT com)
santa says
August 16, 2012 at 9:48 amThe food plays an important role in keeping person fit and healthy. Due to bad food habits, people are suffering from many different diseases. They opt for unhealthy food and hence do not become fit. Several of the people totally forgot about nature foods. It is very important to eat healthy foods such as green vegetables and fruits. Thanks.
Regards,
http://www.hcg1234.com
laureen says
April 21, 2015 at 3:41 pmthe food look so good