Jill Brunkhardt has discovered beans. And tofu. But more than that, Brunkhardt, who appears in the new reality show The Big Fat Truth has discovered a plant-based diet and with it, wellness. “If I don’t see results right away, I get frustrated and give up. After 10 days, I was no longer diabetic. That was all the motivation I needed.” She’s become as big a cheerleader for a plant-based diet as the show’s host and executive producer, JD Roth.
Roth, producer of the hit series The Biggest Loser, does everything full throttle, including embracing a whole food plant-based diet. When he and his family went vegan almost three years ago, he watched his wife’s cholesterol go from sky-high down to “completely normal.” He began thinking of a new show.
The Big Fat Truth, airing Sundays at 8pm ET on Z Living, isn’t The Biggest Loser. It doesn’t involve Insane amounts of gym time or by restricting calories. It’s less about losing weight and more about regaining health through a plant-based diet. Says Roth, “I wanted to prove you can take control, change your whole blood work, reverse diabetes, prevent the genetic issues your family has just with food.”
Roth isn’t a doctor or a nutritionist. So in creating The Big Fat Truth, he consulted experts who are, The China Study’s Dr. T. Colin Campbell and Dr. Michael Greger author of the bestselling book How Not to Die and the man behind nutritionfacts. “These guys are at the forefront of knowing everything in the food plant based world,” gushes Roth. “They’ve done all the hard work, they offered beautiful medical evidence and they’re excited when someone wants to go on a whole food plant-based diet. With the show, they can reach millions.”
Greger appears in one episode to give Jill and the other participants a crash course in how what you eat affects your body. Hamburgers, pizza and ice cream — their favorite foods before The Big Fat Truth — not only make their weight and blood sugar go up, they can see the animal fats in a blood test. Greger holds up a test tube of what looks like sludge.
“That was eye-opening for me,” says Brunkhardt, who work in public relations. “To see the difference in the blood from someone who eats a fatty diet versus someone on a plant-based diet. To see that how eating that cheeseburger and fries and milkshake makes your blood look like was scary.”
Plant-based eating is one key to The Big Fat Truth, the other comes from what Roth does best, providing support in the participants’ dark moments and cheering on every win. He’s a motivator extraordinaire. “I’ve always been a positive person,” says Roth. “It makes my kids crazy.”
He created such a safe environment on the show, Brunkhardt felt comfortable copping to the return of an old eating disorder. “J.D. genuinely cares,” she says. “I could see he was very, very concerned about me, coming to my house, talking to me one on one. He made me realize this wasn’t good and could make me diabetic again.”
She and the other participants actually learned many truths during the 90 days they filmed The Big Fat Truth — the truth about our food system (not pretty), the truth about the emotional demons that drive self-destructive behavior and the truth about power of plants.
“The Big Fat Truth was life changing for me,” says Brunkhardt. “It made me healthy, has given me the opportunity to help others. Being plant-based has become a passion. I’m completely plant-based eight months later, don’t see going back.”
The Big Fat Beans
Colossal or giant limas, also known as fasolia gigantes and royal coronas are big fat beans with a mildly nutty flavor and creamy mouthfeel. Think of them like potatoes, minus the glycemic spike plus the value adds of protein and fiber. Here they feature in a much healthier version of delectable patatas bravas — a classic Catalan dish of crispy potatoes zinged up with a spicy tomato sauce.
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus a few more teaspoons for drizzling
1 medium onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 14-oz can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon paprika, sweet, hot or smoked
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
sea salt to taste
3 cups giant limas, cooked and well drained
3 cups fresh spinach, arugula or your favorite green
For the spicy tomato sauce, heat the tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When oil starts to shimmer, add the diced onion and minced garlic. Stir to coat in oil.
Reduce heat to medium and sauté for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables becomes translucent and fragrant.
Add tomatoes, paprika and red pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce thickens and the flavors blend. Allow the sauce to cool slightly, then blitz in a blender or food processor.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a medium bowl, toss beans with about half the sauce, so the beans are just lightly coated. Turn them into a shallow baking pan. Add sea salt to taste and drizzle with a little additional olive oil, just a teaspoon or two.
Bake for about 25 minutes or until beans are heated through and sauce begins to blister. Remove from oven.
Scatter fresh greens on a platter or a broad, shallow serving dish. Top with beans, add a light sprinkle of sea salt and serve the remaining tomato sauce on the side for those who want to ramp up the spice.
Serves 4 to 6.
Brunkhardt and I are passionate about pulses (that’s dried beans). More bean recipes here, here and here.
Hooked on The Big Fat Truth? Share your thoughts on my website soulfulvegan.com