#196: What Excites Ann Crile Esselstyn These Days? Let's Find Out!
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Rip his his Mom - The “ACE” - Ann Crile Esselstyn
In honor of Mother's Day weekend, we're thrilled to feature everyone’s favorite PLANTSTRONG Woman Warrior - Ann Crile Esselstyn.
In late Spring, Rip and Ann did a Facebook live where she took questions from the audience and that's what we share today.
The run the gamut of subjects today including:
* The foods and ingredients that are exciting her most these days
* Her current favorite meals
* Advice for those at the beginning of their plantstrong journey
* How to navigate unsupportive loved ones
* Exercise and how she's building a 40-day habit with her Peloton bike
* How she gets her leafy greens
* Her go-to quick and easy salad dressing
* And... her favorite thing about being 87-years-young!
As always, Ann holds nothing back and we wouldn’t want her any other way!
Episode Resources
Watch the Full Episode on YouTube that Aired March 31, 2023
Order Be A Plant-Based Woman Warrior: Live Fierce, Stay Bold, Eat Delicious
Join our PLANTSTRONG Sedona Retreat - October 9-14, 2023
To stock up on the best-tasting, most convenient, 100% PLANTSTRONG foods, including our cereals, granolas, pizza kits, broths and soups, check out all of our PLANTSTRONG products HERE.
Give us a like on the PLANTSTRONG Facebook Page and check out what being PLANSTRONG is all about. We always keep it stocked full of new content and updates, tips for healthy living, delicious recipes, and you can even catch me LIVE on there!
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Full Audio Transcript
Rip Esselstyn:
I got a really heartfelt, wonderful email this week from a gentleman named Brian Kelly and his son Ian. Here's what Brian had to say. "Hey, Rip. I went hiking with my adult son yesterday in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. When packing our lunch, I wasn't sure what to bring. My son and I are both strictly plant-based eaters. While looking through the pantry, I spied your shelf stable PLANTSTRONG meals. You solved my dilemma. I grabbed the stew and the firehouse chili. After an invigorating hike in melting snow and mud, we arrived at the AMC Lonesome Lake hut overlooking the spectacular glacial Lonesome Lake. We went inside the hut and were welcomed by the caretaker, Travis, who offered up the gas stove to heat up our PLANTSTRONG meal. It was so easy and so delicious. I am writing this because this is just another great way to eat extremely well while hiking in the great outdoors. Thank you for making it easier to be strong, especially when away from home. These will be my go-to from now on. Of course, you don't have to climb a mountain to enjoy these nutrition packed meals. I love them at home, too." Sincerely, Brian Kelly, and his son Ian.
Well, Brian, I love getting emails like this, and I have some really great news for you. Next week, we will be launching five all new PLANTSTRONG chilies and stews, so you and Ian will have even more options for your next expedition. And they're all organic, super hardy and delicious and packed with protein and fiber to fuel all your adventures. You can see the full lineup at plantstrongfoods.com starting next week. But thank you for taking the time to share this experience.
And Brian's hiking trip makes me think of another epic adventure that all of you are invited to join in. It is our next PLANTSTRONG retreat. It's going to take place in the incredible Sedona, Arizona from October 9th to the 14th. And it is going to be jam-packed with an abundant amount of PLANTSTRONG buffets, world class lectures by members of the retreat team, incredible yoga, pickle ball, all packed into a life-changing vacation. Simply visit plantstrong.com today and get all the details.
I'm Rip Esselstyn and welcome to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. The mission at PLANTSTRONG is to further the advancement of all things within the plant-based movement. We advocate for the scientifically proven benefits of plant-based living and envision a world that universally understands, promotes and prescribes plants as a solution to empowering your health, enhancing your performance, restoring the environment, and becoming better guardians to the animals we share this planet with. We welcome you wherever you are on your PLANTSTRONG journey, and I hope that you enjoy the show.
Well, it wouldn't be Mother's Day weekend if I didn't feature everyone's favorite PLANTSTRONG woman warrior, my mother, Ann Crile Esselstyn. A few weeks ago, I asked Ann to join me on a Facebook Live where she took questions from our live audience, and I want to share that fun catch up with you today. We run the gamut of subjects, including the foods and ingredients that are exciting her most these days. Plus, she provides real advice for those of you who may be at the beginning of your PLANTSTRONG journey. Or for those of you who may not get the support that you so desperately need right now.
Ann talks about exercise, how she gets her leafy greens in every day, and her favorite thing about being 87 years young, soon to be 88. As always, my mother holds nothing back and I wouldn't want her any other way. Let's get after it with my bold and fierce woman warrior mother, Ann Crile Esselstyn.
Hello, everyone. Hello, Ann Crile Esselstyn.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Rip, I can't believe that your cereals precede you on the program. It's awesome.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yes, I would have it no other way.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And that big bowl that you have the cereal in, that's our big bowl.
Rip Esselstyn:
It is your big bowl. I know. It is a righteous big bowl.
So everybody, this is just ... I just want to knock it around a little bit with Ann, my mother, for about 30 minutes or so. Would love to also entertain any questions that you guys have along the way. Because I always love having Ann, whether it's on a podcast, whether it's a Facebook Live, whether it's an event like Plant-Stock or one of our retreats, because Ann is the real deal, through and through. And we love calling Ann, Ace. Those are her initials, Ann Crile Esselstyn. Hey, so Ace, how you doing today?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I'm fine. I just came back from the store, I got a grapefruit. And I'm going to see if I can just [toss on shoulder] like you do. Those grapefruits made me have to go and get them.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. You want to throw it against your bicep and then you want to catch it. So speaking of grapefruits, have you had a grapefruit yet today?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I just bought them. I just came back from the store. Having looked at your Instagram.
Rip Esselstyn:
What kind did you get? Did you get pink ones or the red rubies?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I asked for Red Ruby, but I think it was pink. I'll let you know.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, because in what-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I have to say, I love your latest Instagrams, and if anybody has missed them on all the different fruit, it's so much fun. And I was so disappointed when you didn't do the bicep trick with the grapefruit.
Rip Esselstyn:
You mean the strawberries?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, well.
Rip Esselstyn:
You know what, we have all kinds of questions already coming in, and I have a load of questions for you. But I'm just going to ask you this one, this is from Betty, Betty Ann Cornwall. Love your name, Betty Ann. She says, "I just saw a post where eating too many cruciferous vegetables, I guess maybe are bad for you." There you go. What are your thoughts, Ann? And by the way, she loves you, Ann. But what do you think about that? I have some thoughts.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I just don't think you can probably eat too many. I think you can probably ... now this isn't cruciferous. But if you're eating just spinach, I think you can get into some trouble. But I think the key thing is probably to have a little variety.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Well, I've heard also where people ... they're trying to get in, I don't know, just a ton of green leafies. And they do it by making smoothies. And so when you're not masticating-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Chew the food, chew it.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. We definitely want to chew our food. But I've heard of people overdoing the greens in smoothies and getting goiters and things of that nature. But I don't think if you're chewing and masticating your food, that's an issue. And Ann, what is your and Esse's recommendation for a green leafies for your heart disease patients?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, he says, my husband says six times a day. So you're constantly getting the nitric oxide through your endothelium, just so it's constant.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. And when you say six times a day, what is a portion size? What's a serving size?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, just a little ... it doesn't have to be huge. Just a little bit. I mean, especially if you're doing kale or everything reduces in size. But one quick thing, going back to cruciferous. One of the things that I have been doing for quite a while, and I think it makes a huge difference, and that is sprouting. And I just brought, this is my broccoli sprouts that are just-
Rip Esselstyn:
Wow.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I mean, this is just a few days. It's two tablespoons of broccoli seeds in here. And look, I mean, it's going to blow up the jar before now. And then here are some-
Rip Esselstyn:
Wait, two tablespoons have yielded that in just two days?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
That.
Rip Esselstyn:
Seriously?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And this is just a day old and here they are going. I mean, I should show you, I keep them when they're done in a little container. And I would put in a sandwich in a ... I mean, our salads are half sprouts. Those are broccoli sprouts. And in sprouting increases the nutrient levels, makes them easier to digest, fibers greater. I mean, it's awesome.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, it sounds to me like you're really jazzed right now about two things, grapefruits and broccoli sprouts.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No, one other thing.
Rip Esselstyn:
Okay. What's that?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Cool. And that is Amla. It's the Indian gooseberry.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, you are, you're excited about Amla.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And we put Amla powder in my oats every morning, so does my husband. Just a little bit. But Rip, I have to tell you all about Amla because,-
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, I can't wait to hear.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I'm here. It is made from the Indian gooseberries ground up, the leaves. It has vitamin C, helps glucose, especially good for diabetics, higher antioxidants level than anything, it's as powerful as statins, it lowers your LDL, it inhibits oxidation by reducing plaque formation, it reduces blood pressure, cholesterol, and it helps your immunity. And the next two, you'll notice from me-
Rip Esselstyn:
Yes.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It prevents aging and it also prevents gray hair.
Rip Esselstyn:
I need to get on it, in a big way.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
But anyway, I'm loving having a little omelet. You don't taste it, and it just makes you feel like you're doing something good for all of you.
Rip Esselstyn:
Just so everybody knows, we have no connection to any brand. Where do you get your Amla?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, sometimes at Whole Foods, and I've just ordered it on Amazon.
Rip Esselstyn:
Okay. Because I know that our friend, Cyrus and Robbie at Mastering Diabetes have some Amla green powder, as well, right?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Powder. But I haven't ... I've just gotten a big bag of it and I have a container and I put it on every day with chai flax.
Rip Esselstyn:
Right. Wow. When did you and Esse stumble upon Amla? Because I don't remember you being that excited about it three years ago.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No, I mean, not three years ago. But we've known about it, but then when I did a little research and I got all this information, I thought, what can beat all that? Especially that it prevents aging and graying.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, those are two really kind of staggering things if it actually can do that. Ann, let me ask you this. You just mentioned aging, do you mind letting us know how old you are?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I'm 87.
Rip Esselstyn:
And you'll be 88 in just a few months. And what have you found to be the best thing about getting older?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I think exercise ... I mean, yeah, plant-based eating, no question. I mean, that trumps it all.
Rip Esselstyn:
No, but that wasn't my question. Siri interrupted you. And my question was, what's been the best thing for you about getting older?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I don't feel older.
Rip Esselstyn:
All right. Let me ask you this. What has been the most challenging thing about getting older?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I have trouble jumping like I used to. Like jump, just like leaping. But I'm doing something, and this is really interesting, Rip, and you don't know about this. Our daughter, Jane, Rip's sister, and our daughter, Jane, had a conference a little while ago. And at the end of the conference, our daughter-in-law Polly LaBarre gave a little talk, and she's very good. And she made some comment about, you have to do something for 40 days and then it's yours. And I thought, Polly. But then I decided, okay, I am going to go on the ... I had gotten a Peloton. And I had not really done anything, I hadn't really used it because I thought it was too hard.
Rip Esselstyn:
So for people that don't know what you're talking about, you're talking about a Peloton bicycle?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Peloton bike.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Today was the 20th day I have ridden that bike before breakfast.
Rip Esselstyn:
For how long?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
20 minutes. But, this is the kicker. When I told Polly I was going to do it, she said, "Okay, great, but message me every day after you've done it." So now, I have to do it, and every day. So the other day I wrote, I sent a text to Polly, I said, "Why 40 days?" And I want to read to you what she said.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It's based on both the science of habit formation and also several wisdom traditions and mystical numbers. So if you do the 40 days, you're working with the power of the universe. So now I have the power of the universe keeping me on the Peloton and keeping me powerful.
Rip Esselstyn:
Have you noticed a difference in the strength in your legs?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No. I mean, I can't tell.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well ... and so just for everybody that's out there and is an avid exerciser, you love exercising every day. So you just started doing the Peloton, but before the Peloton, what are some other things that you like to do on a daily basis?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I've run, and I've lifted weights and whatever. But what happened last year, a year ago is I fell putting on my cross-country skis and hit a pole. Hit my arm right here and I ruptured my ... what do you call it? What's that?
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, I guess it's out of your ... is it your deltoid?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, no, no, my.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, your shoulder, your rotator cuff.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
My rotator cuff. I couldn't lift my arm up, it was impeding my life. And now look, I can do all this, but it's taken a year. And now I'm feeling really-
Rip Esselstyn:
So that sounds like that's kind of a challenging thing about getting older, just kind of recovery. Why do you feel like you need to exercise every day?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I mean, as you get older, you just want to be able to still walk and run and move. And those muscles, keep them strong.
Rip Esselstyn:
So for anybody that doesn't know, Anne is really lucky. And Jane is very lucky, my sister Jane. Because they live right next door to each other. And so would you say that you see Jane every single day? Several times?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yeah, I probably do. This morning at 11 o'clock, she has people that call her to want to just talk. And I went over and talked with her for an hour with someone today. And yeah, I mean, it's been wonderful because we wrote, oh-
Rip Esselstyn:
What?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
This.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yes.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
A Plant-based Woman Warrior, live fierce, stay bold, eat delicious. And I was so lucky to have gotten into this with Jane, because usually it's Rip who gets Jane, who has written all the recipes with Rip. But this was fun with Jane.
Rip Esselstyn:
I know. I am so jealous.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And we wrote this during COVID, Rip. So it was really a nice thing to do, and we could walk back and forth. And I mean, Jane is the driver and the leader, but fun.
Rip Esselstyn:
Usually when we talk, one of the things we usually say before we hang up is, so what are you having for dinner? Or what are you having for lunch? Or what'd you have for breakfast? I'd love to know ... because it's right now about 2:15 in Cleveland. What have you eaten so far today?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
My amazing breakfast.
Rip Esselstyn:
Will you let us know what that is?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It's called Ann's Savory Oats, and it's right in here. And it's steel cutouts, turmeric, a little bit of sriracha, two tablespoons of nutritional yeast, shiitake mushrooms, and a lot of kale or greens. I mean, any greens. I have gone out and picked dandelions when there's no greens in the house. I mean, any greens you can ... oh, I mean, it actually works, radish greens, even carrot greens would go. And then you put it with a couple of two and a half cups of water and cook it until it's kind of soup like, and then it's great.
Rip Esselstyn:
And didn't you once pick some greens that were actually poisonous?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No.
Rip Esselstyn:
That you tried to feed to you and Esse.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh my God, I did a terrible thing. I love making open face sandwiches, and I put hummus and then green onions and then cilantro, and then whatever else. And so this one day I had gotten dandelions ... I mean daffodils from the store. And you know how you have to cut the ends off so that it looked, the ends of the daffodils looked just like green onions.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
So I put the daffodils green in the sandwich.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh gosh.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
We both had lunch, and then we both began to feel horrible. I mean, we both were throwing up. And so I quickly rush the internet to see what would happen. And it said that you could get very sick and occasionally death. We were both just waiting, are we going to die?
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, no. All right.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
That's the only peril of being plant-based is you can't eat daffodil greens.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, yeah. Well, so what are you super jazzed about right now? Any particular meals besides your savory steel cut oats in the morning with greens? Anything that you're just like, "Oh yeah, Rip, you wouldn't believe this new thing I've tried."
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, we still love rice and beans, with that whole variety that we can have with that. But yes, I mean, I love having broccoli sprouts in any kind of a sandwich, so that they're thick like this in your sandwich.
Rip Esselstyn:
And your sandwiches, you usually do open face sandwiches, right?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Usually, yeah. And then if you put on top of these, so you can eat it, if you put cucumbers, then you can press it down like a lid. Or take a half a slice of apple, and we can have an apple lidded sandwich, and then all these nice sprouts.
Rip Esselstyn:
And what are the spices that you usually like to put on your open-faced sandwiches?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I love lemon pepper, Mrs. McCormick's, I mean.
Rip Esselstyn:
Mrs. Dash. Mrs. Dash.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Or McCormick, McCormick, too.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. I want y'all to know, there's nothing I love more than being at Ann and Esse's, and having Ann make these open face sandwiches for lunch. And she puts them on the cutting board, and she'll usually have like 10 or 12, and she says, "Rip, you can have two."
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Rip. Well, and really one that I will remember, particularly, is one time we'd been traveling, we'd been in California and we'd been ... I just missed greens. So I came on home and I used a piece of Mestemacher bread, hummus, green onion, cilantro. And then I took a lemon and cut it in thin, thin slices and put that on top. And then on top of that, I cooked a whole lot of kale. So it was this great kale sandwich with lemon squeezed all over the top, and then lemon pepper on top of that. And if any of you don't believe that it's good, it is amazing. I'll never forget Gene Stone, Rip, who said he didn't like Kale, had that sandwich and loved it.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Yeah. Well, speaking of kale, I'm sure there's a lot of people out there that are wanting to know, what's your favorite way of preparing green leafies? Especially if you're going to be eating them several times a day.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
You can steam them, or you can boil them, or you could probably stir fry them. I mean, I just find that it's the easiest for me is to put a little bit of water in a pan and cook them until they're done. A lot of people prefer steaming, but it's too long.
Rip Esselstyn:
Are you doing anything with mushrooms these days? Anything exciting?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, yeah. Mushrooms are everywhere. My favorite new thing actually, Rip.
Rip Esselstyn:
Okay, I knew there'd be something.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
My favorite new thing is this dish from the Plant-based Woman Warrior is-
Rip Esselstyn:
What is it?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
San Fran savory ball. But anyway, it's so good. I take a whole ... about 16 ounces of mushrooms, whole. Unless they're huge, then cut them in half. Carrots, and then Yukon gold potatoes are amazing. Yukon gold sweet ... not Yukon gold, I'm sorry. Japanese sweet potatoes are awesome. Just awesome.
Rip Esselstyn:
Are these the white ones? They're white.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
White and small, but they have a wonderful flavor. And then I just cook that and make this thick gravy for it and put in a whole bunch of kale. And it is one delicious combination of things.
Rip Esselstyn:
I want to apologize to everybody because I'm hogging the conversation here, and I know a lot of you are throwing in some questions.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I've been hogging.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, no. No, you have not been. But Manna Arant wants to know what kind of bread was that, that you like? Was it the Mestemacher?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Mestemacher I like. I mean, Mestemacher is very pure, except it has more sodium than I'd prefer. So if you want no sodium, go to Ezekiel. They have a low sodium that is no sodium. I like Dave's bread, actually, their sprouted thin sliced bread.
Rip Esselstyn:
Okay. So this guy, look at that name Tom Tis. I mean, that is such a cool name. \.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No one would forget it.
Rip Esselstyn:
I know Tom Tis, I bulk cook organic steel cut oats in a rice cooker, and it lasts four to five days. That is smart. I really like that.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Now, Tom, you need to put in there the mushrooms and the kale and the turmeric, and a little bit of nutritional yeast, and it gives you this great sort of smoothness. It's wonderful.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Oh, Ann, so what do you think of this? Is it okay to substitute PB2 Pure for peanut butter with your recipes and the Plant-based Women Warrior?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yeah. And don't just get PB2. Get PB2 Pure, because the Pure has no sodium and no sugar. But just plain PB2 has got sugar and salt. And if there's quite a huge difference in fat content between the PB2 Pure or PB2 and regular peanut butter. I don't think ... I don't know. It works well in a sauce, particularly. I've never tried it just as peanut butter and jelly sandwich, maybe your people do.
Rip Esselstyn:
And what do you think of instant oatmeal compared to steel cut?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No.
Rip Esselstyn:
No.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It goes right to sugar. Either eat the whole oat groat, eat steel cut, eat old fashioned, and get rid of the instant in those other things below there.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, now, Sharon, you say it's so convenient. Remember Tom Tis, he just cooks his up and then he is got it for four to five days. So I know-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Wait, Sharon used to eat them the way we do. Just put them in a bowl and put liquid on them. Or the way I like, put them in a bowl and cover that with Rip's grapefruit halves. You don't need any liquid, just grapefruit.
Rip Esselstyn:
Which I learned from you, the grapefruit. That was your master secret trick right there. This is just Jacqueline, she wants to know, she loves the book. I'm new to plant-based, it's 70. Is it ever ... are you ever too old to go PLANTSTRONG, plant-based?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Are you asking me?
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, I'm asking you.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
My husband's oldest patient was, I think, 88. And just a few weeks ago he called because he was celebrating his hundredth birthday. [inaudible 00:27:19] an idea of what to have as a menu. And it happened that Jane was here, and Jane said, "You need to have in your menu a hundred different plant-based things." And I guess he had this wonderful party for a large, I think he had hundred people or more. And celebrating his hundredth birthday.
Rip Esselstyn:
That is fantastic.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, you're never too old, ever.
Rip Esselstyn:
And JK Rollings wants to know, do you eat oak groats ever?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oak groats.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Do you ever do oak groats?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I have, but I have a hard time getting them. They would be the perfect ... they would be the best.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, I have to agree with Dotty here. Ann is the rockstar of the family.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I want to tell you. We've got four children and 10 grandchildren, and each one of all of those, each one is spectacular and different. And all plant-based.
Rip Esselstyn:
This is from Lor Lor Perella. Love you both, I absolutely love your enthusiasm and zest. Thank you very much. Wow, look at this. We got somebody, greetings from Mongolia. Well, all the best to you guys in Mongolia. I hope your PLANTSTRONG in Mongolia. I bet you are.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Mongolia.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. So Ann, I always ask you this question, so I'm going to ask you it again. But what advice would you give for somebody that's just starting out on their plant-based journey?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I think you've got a really, really tough road ahead. We were so lucky back in the early eighties when we changed how we ate, because we had to figure it out. There were no books, no internet. We just had to figure it out.
But right now, you don't have that chance because there are all these books, all these everything out there that is so unbelievably tempting, this junk food world that is out there. It's shocking. I mean, it's scary. I mean, the cupcakes that are vegan, just everything. And then there are aisles of things that you can get that are vegan chicken and vegan this. It's just scary. Don't go there. Be simple. Use whole food and your taste is going to change. It's crazy how it changes.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I don't like salty things at all anymore.
Rip Esselstyn:
It's true. Look at this great testimonial from Carl Baum. I've been on the Dr. Esselstyn diet for five and a half years after having a heart attack. I was told to get stents and refused. The surgeon wrote in my file, "He'll be back." I email him every year, "I won't be back."
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yes. Good for you, Carl. Keep it up. How about 50 more years than this?
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Woo.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Oh, so okay, here. How about this? Jim wants to know, was Rip a picky eater as a child?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Rip only ate peanut butter and jelly. Don't you remember, Rip? That's it.
Rip Esselstyn:
And BLTs without the lettuce and the tomato. No, I was not a good eater. No, I was not. Ann, this is from PLANTSTRONG by Engine two. I've heard of those guys. What do you look for when you're traveling for a PLANTSTRONG meal? Do you ever use Happy Cow? That's an app on the-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No, no. I know. Sometimes we have. One of the things that I think is the most fun is to gut in an airport. Especially if you got some time and explore and figure out. We have found the best food, and in fact, that dish, that San Fran savory bowl-
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Was inspired from a San Francisco meal that we had that was sort of basically those things. And it just was so delicious. And I couldn't believe ... I mean, if you go to a Mexican place, you can get the beans. Rice can be iffy because they often put oil in it to make it not clump. Which you can get a great meal in a Mexican ... I mean, it's fun. It's fun. We've gotten really good pizza when we ask them to do it, if we have time. You can do it. You can find it and it's so much easier today than it was way back.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, it is. But it's also, as you said, it's makes it more challenging because there's so many different ultra processed plant-based foods that are littering in the grocery store chains. This is a just Alicia. I went whole food plant-based in 2003, best decision I have made in my 60 years other than marrying my husband.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, Alicia, I hope your husband is with you.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, yeah. We definitely do. It can be difficult when your spouse is not on board. Ann, have you made any ... since it's kind of getting chilly there, or even though we've had the first day of spring already. Have you made any great chilies or stews or soups that are nice and thick that you can walk on?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Every night, every day, we had literally, it's almost too thick, soups. I don't know about all we ... I do.
Rip Esselstyn:
I saw-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Wait, wait, wait, wait. Another thing that we really like is I have a whole shelf of all Rip's soups and stews, and they are so great to have on hand when I don't have something made. And there it goes.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Love them all.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, thank you for mentioning that. What?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Go ahead. Tell them why you're-
Rip Esselstyn:
I'm super proud of the chilies and stews that we have, these ready eat meals that in one and a half minutes, you just put them in the microwave or a stovetop dish and you're good to go. Pour them over your arugula, your leafy greens, your kale, over a Japanese sweet potato, and you're good to go.
There was somebody that had a comment before we go to Scott, and she makes bread out of two ingredients, and she said it's incredible. She makes them out of red lentils and water, and I have no idea how she does it. So maybe you could chime in the comments and let us know how you do that.
So I just want to share this because we see this all the time. And for people that are struggling with their health, we want you to know that if you go whole food, plant-based and you're really good about the added salt, oil and sugar, your health is yours for the taking. Look at Zachary here. Four years ago I was taking 14 meds a day, some twice a day for diabetes, hypertension, and pain. Then I went whole food, plant-based, exclusive without salt, oil or sugar, caffeine or alcohol. Bravo. And now no medications.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
That is so true. I mean, that's the thing that we've found is the tighter somebody sticks to it, the most success. I mean, you can have a little, but this is the result of somebody who is really, really fanatic about sticking with it. And unfortunately, especially if you've had issues, you can't let up. This is the way you're going to eat. And you won't want to eat another way, that's the exciting thing.
Rip Esselstyn:
Ann, what would you say to Collette, because this is not an isolated incident. So when she goes to visit her mother and father, they won't let her cook and they refuse to accommodate her whole food, plant-based lifestyle. How would you suggest navigating that?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, heck, I wonder if your parents have ever seen Forks Over Knives or The Grain Changer or some of the things. Not coming from you, but outside you. That might be a help. Yeah, I think you have to just be diplomatic. Maybe bring some of your own food. Say, they really won't let you cook?
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, it appears that way. And so maybe what you do is you just got to go out to eat. Maybe you can bring your own oats, sandwiches, make your own open face sandwiches, and you do what you got to do. We just were in a hotel for three days and we made it work for three days with just a little microwave and a mini fridge.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Wow. With all Your kids, Rip?
Rip Esselstyn:
With all the kids. We did it with bread, with oats, with fruit, with some of our chilies and stews that we'd throw in a bowl and heat up. But you know what? You do what you got to do. So Ann, how would you answer this question to Tyler? How strict are you both about added oil when eating out. It's easy to avoid at home, but definitely limits restaurant options or eating with friends.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I mean, it depends on what your situation is. If you're healthy, I don't think it's going to hurt you. If you have heart disease and you're really on the line, then I would just avoid it. I wouldn't need it. And in restaurants, I know one of my husband's original patients, if he got a dish from a restaurant that looked as if it had oil on it, he asked them to take it back and run it under hot water and get that oil out. I mean, he was that obsessive about it. And he is an original patient from 1983 who is still thriving. So it's just that little extra toughness is key.
Rip Esselstyn:
And just so Collette knows, you're not alone. Betty Ann here has the same problem when she goes to her family's house and she was told that she cooks too healthy. But you know what? This is the real world that we navigate every day. And you just got to figure out ... and each and every one of us, I don't care who you are, has your own hurdles that you have to get through. And you do it in the most graceful way that you can. And at the end of the day, you got to protect your health because it's your number one asset.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Betty Ann and Collette, maybe you could ask that you have some broccoli before they put the hollandaise on it. Or that you had have your salad before the dressing is on it. I mean, I don't know. So then you're eating what they're eating, but maybe with just a little different, and you could just say, "I know I'm freaky. This is crazy. I'm just doing this experiment. I help me along with it."
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, yeah. Nancy just says, bring your own food in a ice chest. That's always ... again, you do what you got to do. I mean, we've had 18 truck drivers that are driving 18 wheelers that have installed refrigerators in the back of their cab. We've had people working on oil rigs in the middle of the ocean that have made this work. When you think you've got it rough, there's somebody that's got it even rougher and they're making it work. Let me ask you this. What right now is your go-to salad dressing? Because I know that you usually every night make a salad for you and Esse.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
So I use hummus, then I put in some turmeric, I put in some chopped up ginger, I put in some ... a couple of things. I would put in fresh squeezed orange juice or an orange cutting out the sections or a grapefruit cutting out the sections and the juice. And then a really good balsamic vinegar and I really like the lemon made by ... of a olive tap. But there's so many balsamic vinegars out there that are a little more expensive. And to me, they're worth that expense. I put it in a little jar like this with a lid and just shake it all up and keep it in the refrigerator what's left over.
Rip Esselstyn:
So Carrie, thank you for putting that up. So it's hummus ... can you give us like ... do you just eyeball all this?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Turmeric, ginger. Oh, you forgot to put in there ginger, orange [inaudible 00:40:42], hummus.
Rip Esselstyn:
What did she forget? What did she forget, Carrie?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It's in all the cookbooks, so you can look.
Rip Esselstyn:
Okay. But for people who don't have the cookbook, I want to make that tonight. I want to know what it is. So let's start over. All right. Hummus.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Hummus.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yes, ginger.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And then just chop up some fresh ginger. I mean, and as much as ... it doesn't really taste. It gives you the power of the ginger, a little Turmeric.
Rip Esselstyn:
Turmeric that was missing, I think.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Turmeric. No, I think that was there.
Rip Esselstyn:
No ... okay.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And then orange juice or an orange or a grapefruit. But you need to get a fair amount of juice. So that's why when I'm in a hurry, I really like to keep a small container of orange juice, which I don't drink, but I use it for this purpose.
Rip Esselstyn:
Right. Right now ... so whenever I'm home, you always whip up the most incredible, healthy desserts. What are you keen on right now when it comes to a dessert?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I just have one dessert. All the other desserts are in my past. And that is, I take light, silk and tofu. And from that, you can do almost anything. But what I like and what is the best, and when we really want a dessert, and it's not every night, at all. I bought a cup of frozen blueberries and I bought a cup of frozen sweet cherries. So it's about two cups in all into that. And then a third cup of maple syrup and some lemon juice. And just blend it up into this great purple mousse, deliciousness. You can top it with raspberries or mango or anything at all. And it's great. Also, you can put banana slices in the bottom of the ... let's say, the wine glass or whatever you're serving it in.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Virginia says it was lemon, maybe lemon was what we left out of that salad dressing.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, you can use lemon, I do sometimes.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. I wonder or maybe, was it mustard? Do you ever put a mustard in there?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, mustard. That's what I put in. Yes. I knew there was something out.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yes. Yes. Carrie, naughty Carrie.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
I any flavor [inaudible 00:43:15], and any flavor, balsamic. I mean, I like the lemon, but I also like their basic four-leaf ... I mean, you know.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. Yeah. Cindy made the Ruben sandwich yesterday. Yummy. Yummy.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
That's good.
Rip Esselstyn:
That is really good. That's an invention of Brian Hart, right?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Rip Esselstyn:
Jane's husband.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Heck, we just did that the other night on a YouTube. I mean, on a YouTube, on a Esselstyn Foundation free thing that they do. It was great.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, you know what happened last night? This is the craziest thing. Speaking of my favorite dessert, you won't believe what happened. So I was trying to be very careful and you take the little box, the [inaudible 00:44:00] box and how you open it. You cut and you cut and you cut. And then you have to dump it out. Well, there's a little liquid in there, so I had to move over to the sink to dump it out. It came out, it ... out. And guess where it went?
Rip Esselstyn:
In the disposal?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
In the disposal.
Rip Esselstyn:
Did you use it? Did you reach down and use it?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No, I reached down to get it. But it disintegrated.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, no.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It was ... anyway.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, you know what? It happens to the best of us. It really does. Ann, before we shut down and say goodbye to everybody. Is there anything that you and Esse are watching right now that you'd recommend?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh yeah. Well, yeah, something called The Night Agent is very exciting. We just started it and it was the kind of thing where you think maybe we'll just stay up all night and keep watching one episode after another.
Rip Esselstyn:
I know it's so addicting. Gosh.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
But I would love to know what your people are thinking of what they like. Because-
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah. We're going to shut down in about two minutes, but why doesn't everybody shut down ... or shut down. Let us know what you guys are watching right now and what you recommend. Barbara basically says, yeah, Night Agent's good. I never even have heard of it. Here's somebody that's watching from Trinidad. Oh, have to watch the replay. Got it. Oh, have you ever seen this one? 1923.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh, we love it. Love it.
Rip Esselstyn:
Really?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
So good. Yeah. It's way better than Yellowstone, I think.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, how about Treason? Seen that?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
No.
Rip Esselstyn:
All right. How about this one, Succession. Yeah, I watched a couple of those episodes. That's pretty intense and they just started a new season here. Oh my God, look at all this. We're getting Alaska Daily, we're getting-
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Oh my gosh. We're into Alaska Daily, too.
Rip Esselstyn:
Really?
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
We have to wait each week, it's a pain.
Rip Esselstyn:
Oh, sorry about that. Yeah, that's good though. That way you don't binge. What's this? Oh, there's a lot. They're coming by fast right now. Ann and Esse, you guys have done this, right? Yellowstone.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yellow toe. Let's see. Oh, how about this? Because I've heard good things about The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Yeah. That's a-
Rip Esselstyn:
Have you done that? This one is definitely ... I watch all of your podcasts. I wake up and cannot sleep, and I Google your podcast. Yeah. Yeah. Woo, woo, woo. Go get them, Carrie. All right. Oh, look at this, Vienna Blood. Don't know what that is, but it sounds spooky. Star Trek, Picard. Bring it. And they also just start a new Ted Lasso.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Rip, if anybody has ... I was so turned off The Last Of Us, the idea of it.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
It was amazing.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, I watched it, as well. And after the third episode, I was like, "Okay, this is a unique show."
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
You have to go to the end Rip.
Rip Esselstyn:
I did. I've watched it all. Yes. You know what? Thank you, Record Crate. That's another great name. She wants to say thank you to Ann for her knowledge and for sharing. I agree. Anne, I love seeing you on a Friday and getting 45, 50 minutes of your time. Thank you.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Rip, I cannot believe that what you're doing Rip. What a crazy thing to have your podcast and to have so variety of people you have, that all are supportive of plant-based. But they live out there in the world, every kind of business.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, it's a good time. It's a good time to be PLANTSTRONG. It's a good time for our collective health, and there couldn't be a better time for saving our planet.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
And Rip, I love the little introduction of the last person whose comment was that Rip's diet, he'd give it only a B minus. And then you went on to interview him. And of course, your diet is really an A plus plus.
Rip Esselstyn:
Yeah, but some of these people who are raw vegans, and he's even more than that. But they can be a little judgemental, right? Yeah.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Well, I think raw is just hard for a lot of people to eat. But it's really ... I mean, the more raw, the better.
Rip Esselstyn:
Well, I will kind of agree with that. But I'll also say that the more fruits and vegetables, the better. The more whole intact grains, the more legumes. And the sad reality is, is that our country, we don't eat beans, we don't eat fruits, we don't eat vegetables, we don't eat whole grains. I mean, it's an absolute joke. So let's just get more of these whole plant-based foods and then you're going to rock your health.
All right, Ann Crile Esselstyn, way to ace it. Way to ace it. Thank you so much too.
Ann Crile Esselstyn:
Thank you, Rip.
Rip Esselstyn:
Also, thank you, Carrie, and thank you everybody for joining us today, and we'll see you next Friday.
Thanks so much again for listening and watching wherever you are. You can order Jane and Ann's book, be a Plant-based Woman Warrior wherever you purchase your favorite books. And I'll be sure to put a link to the book and the YouTube video of this interview in the show notes. To all the moms out there, Happy Mother's Day. And as my mom would say, live fierce, stable, eat delicious. And let's always remember to keep it PLANTSTRONG.
Thank you for listening to the PLANTSTRONG Podcast. You can support the show by taking a quick minute to follow us wherever you listen to your favorite podcast. Leaving us a positive review and sharing the show with your network is another great way to help us reach as many people as possible with the exciting news about plants. Thank you in advance for your support. It means everything.
The PLANTSTRONG Podcast team includes Carrie Barrett, Laurie Kortowich, Ami Mackey, Patrick Gavin, and Wade Clark. This season is dedicated to all of those courageous, true seekers who weren't afraid to look through the lens with clear vision and hold firm to a higher truth. Most notably my parents, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn Jr, and Ann Crile Esselstyn. Thanks for listening.
