How to Find Real Food

Fruity Fermentation

2011-10-27T17:37:00.000-07:00

(Patiently waiting for fermentation...)

I have done a few posts on probiotics in the past but never have I mentioned how easy it is to grow your own! Basically you just leave your food out on the counter for a week or so and there you have it. No, I’m serious. It’s hard for many people to grasp the concept of fermentation and feel safe eating the food, but it can be done safely, I am living proof. Fermenting foods is great because you not only get the nutritional benefits of the food but you add healthy living bacteria, which improve digestion and help maintain a healthy gut! This stuff is great for IBS, indigestion, and other unresolved digestive issues.

(Fermenation bible)

(Fruit Kimchi?! Oh yes.)

There are many different types of home ferments to be made and last week my housemate Elizabeth and I tried a fruit kimchi. We used the book Wild Fermentation by Sandor Katz (the guru of fermentation) for the recipe, but truth be told, it was so easy you don’t really need a recipe. Here is what we did:

Step #1: Chopped up pineapple, apple, pear, plum, kiwi, grapes, onion, garlic, cilantro, nuts and hot chili peppers.

(The beautiful mixture of fruit, nuts, and spices)

Step #2: Add salt and cram the stuff in a glass jar

Step #3: Put the jar on the counter and wait one week (this is the hardest part)

Step #4: Enjoy! Your taste buds and your belly will thank you!

(Final product...1 week later, delish!)

When the ferment is as tangy or as mild as you like, stick it in the fridge. Do you ferment food at home? What do you make?

Blogging Elsewhere (for today!)

2011-09-22T09:54:00.000-07:00

Check out this blog post on real food for athletes I wrote for my amazing and talented preceptor, Penny Wilson! She is the registered dietitian at Ironman Sports Medicine Institute at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston. She is also certified specialist in sport dietetics and works with endurance athletes to get their nutrition dialed in and perfected so they can perform their best. I have learned SO much from working with her. Thanks Penny!

Snack Attack!

2011-09-19T11:50:00.000-07:00

(Yummy, fast, easy, portable, whole food snack! Yeah Larabar!)

Yesterday I had a 12-mile training run. Sometimes on the day after long runs I am hungry, like all day long. Today is that kind of day. This morning I planned on that and packed a morning snack, apple and peanut butter. I also packed a yummy lunch, leftover couscous salad with veggies and garbanzo beans. I also threw in some grapes and snap peas to munch on in the afternoon. Yum! Around 10:30 I am ready for my apple and peanut butter and I reach for my lunch sack and…I forgot my lunch! So much for all my planning…

I’m a snacker. I always have been. Jon tells me that I need to carry a bag of nuts with me at all times. I get hungry between meals and if I don’t eat something I get really hungry. Then when it comes time to eat, I binge. Everyone does this, and the best way to avoid it is to snack. When we make healthy snack choices, it’s easy to make a wise decision at mealtime about what to eat and how much. When you go into a meal feeling super duper hungry because you haven’t eaten in 6 or 7 hours, you are likely to eat WAY too much. I have been seeing a lot of clients in my sports nutrition rotation that are interested in weight loss. The first thing that they do, before talking to a dietitian, is cut calories by cutting out snacks. Bad idea. First of all, when you are exercising more, you need a steady stream of calories throughout the day to balance your blood sugar and to give you fuel for your workouts. Second of all, everything I just mentioned.

(Watch out. It's easy to eat the whole bag of trail mix. Portion out 1/4-1/2 cup before you start munching!)

Not sure what to snack on? Here is a list of healthy “real food” snacks between 100-200 calories to get you through your day full of energy! Carry one with you in car, bag, or purse for when hunger strikes.

Snack ideas

1 medium apple and 1 oz cheddar cheese

½ banana and 1 tablespoon peanut butter

6oz, 2% Greek yogurt and 1 cup strawberries

1 brown rice cake and ¼ avocado

¼ cup 2% cottage cheese and 1 cup diced cantaloupe

1 slice of deli turkey, one slice Ezekiel whole grain toast, 1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 string cheese and 1 Wasa cracker

¼ cup trail mix

1 hard boiled egg and 14 baby carrots

Lara bar

1 corn tortilla, 1 oz pepper jack cheese, and 2 tablespoons salsa

½ whole wheat English muffin, 1 ounce part skim mozzarella cheese, 2 tablespoons marinara sauce

3 celery stalks and ¼ cup hummus

10 whole wheat pretzel sticks and 2 tablespoons low fat garden vegetable cream cheese

2 whole wheat graham crackers and 1 cup of applesauce

Small bowl of miso soup with tofu and seaweed

1 oz smoked salmon, 1oz goat cheese and 2 Ak Mak crackers

1 stalk of “ants on a log” celery with peanut butter and raisins

1/2 cup pistachios with the shells on

2 tablespoons chia seeds in 4 tablespoons milk of your choice with a couple drops of stevia

What did I end up eating today? 1/2 a Lara bar that was in my bag (thank god), and a so so sandwich from Au Bon Pain. What is your favorite healthy snack?

Real Food Cheater

2011-09-04T09:37:00.000-07:00

Grocery Gal does Chocolate milk?!

I am currently in my sports nutrition rotation at UH athletics. I am super duper luckybecause there are only 13 full time collegiate sports dietitians and I get towork with one of them! I wasreally excited to work with athletes because we didn’t have a sports nutritionclass at Bastyr. It turns out, athletesare a wonderful group to work with. They are super motivated and pretty much do anything you tell themto. Complete opposite of workingwith weight loss or diabetes. I amlearning so much from this rotation for the student athletes AND for myself!Since I am training for the women’s ½ marathon in Austin, all this info isgoing to come in handy in the next few weeks for me to get me through my longtraining runs. I always knew thatif you eat poorly it would impact your performance, but I never realized howimportant WHEN and WHAT you eat are to your ability to gain muscle andendurance!

Another example of a great post workout snack, fresh mango with cottage cheese.

Here is a little run down of some of the cool stuff I havelearned so far… While you are working out you are in “break down” mode, yourbody is breaking down glycogen (stored carbohydrates) and muscle protein to usefor energy. When you finish, youswitch into “building mode”, and for the next 30 minutes your muscles are likesponges, ready to soak up nutrients so they can start the rebuildingprocess. This is called the“anabolic window”. It’s best toget about 10-20 grams of protein and 30-60 grams of carbs in right away afteryour workout! This was news to me.

The dietitian at UH supplies fresh fruit and chocolate milkfor the athletes after their workouts. It is the perfect recovery fuel! Chocolate milk has an ideal balance of protein, quickly digestingcarbohydrates, and electrolytes for a post a work drink. Add a piece of fruit and you have metyour carb quota to begin your recovery fueling…genius! Additionally, chocolatemilk helps contribute to rehydration post workout.

Here is what I was doing before on my running days:

5:45 am- stumble out of bed and into my running shoes. Slam water for the next 15 minutes.

6:00- run for up to 2 hours, drinking water all the while. (Ibought a Nathan hydration belt and I love it!)

Upon returning from my run I would drink more water andshower. I would usually eatoatmeal or something within the next 2 hours. (Not that hungry after running in 90 degree heat.)

Here is my better more fantastic nutrition plan:

5:45 am- stumble out of bed and into my running shoes. Sip water and have a small piece offruit for pre run energy!

6:00- run for up to 2 hours, drinking water all thewhile. If I am running longer than6 miles, I have options, fill 2 bottles on my hydration belt with doublediluted Vega sport and have some fruit snacks at about mile 6. OR go just water and have 3 cliff shot blocks or a shot gel.

Return from run and have a shot of espresso and chocolatemilk over ice and a handful of crackers or a piece of fruit immediately! Now shower and dink around for a while,then breakfast when I am ready, within about 2 hours.

Fueling during the run

Nutrition is just as important as what you are actuallydoing for your workout. If youdon’t eat right, all the effort that you put into training can be lost becauseyour muscles and liver can’t properly restore. I realize that “fruit snacks”, “chocolate milk” and“energy gels” aren’t “real food” but your body needs quick digesting carbsafter and during your workout so as long as you are using these foods properly(only after or during working out and not while you are sitting around on your tushwatching Biggest Loser, you’ll be just fine!)

Anyone else have a “fueling plan?” I’d LOVE to hear whatworks for you!

Inspired Smoothie

2011-08-07T14:22:00.000-07:00

(Yummy Bing cherries for today's smoothie!)

I have many inspirations for today's smoothie and here they are listed below:

(Probably the best ice cream ever. Plus, you gotta love they named it after Jerry. B and J must love their jam bands, they have another flavor named after Phish. Cherry ice cream, cherries, and fudge pieces...it doesn't get better than this chocolate-cherry combo)

(Who couldn't eat a whole jar of this stuff... hazelnuts and chocolate are certainly a match made in heaven. This was one of those foods that I always wanted my parents to buy when I was growing up. I was one of those deprived children when it came to junk food, as I am sure my future children will be. If your thinking Nutella is good for you because it is marketed as a health food, think again. First ingredient on the list is sugar...)

(Theo got it right when they combined cherries and almonds in their luscious dark chocolate. Now were getting close...)

(Dad and me at my wedding)

Probably the biggest inspiration for this smoothie is my dear old dad (we'll see if he's reading). He is the biggest chocolate-cherry combo fan I know. When I was a kid he used to request a chocolate-cherry cake for his birthday every year. Now on to the smoothie recipe...

(Hazelnuts AKA filberts went in today's concoction)

Sunday (George's) Smoothie

Handful of Bing cherries, pitted

1/2 frozen banana

2 tablespoons raw hazelnuts

2 tablespoons Vega chocolate protein powder

1/2 cup almond milk

4-5 ice cubes

(This smoothie was the most delicious one I have made all week. Here's to you Dad!)

Smoothie for Lunch

2011-08-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

This morning I ran 5 miles at 6 am. When I got back to the house I was famished and really needed something more substantial than a smoothie. I decided on an omelet, which was really delicious. I decided it was okay to have a smoothie for lunch and so that is what I did. I bought this amazingly sweet heirloom melon and I knew I wanted to use that, but with what? Since I hadn’t done any green smoothies yet I decided on kale. The drink was very hydrating and refreshing! I also threw some mango in there, just cause.

(It aint easy being green...)

Saturday (Lunch) Smoothie

1 cup of chopped melon

½ mango

2 big leaves of curly kale, de-stemmed

4-5 ice cubes

¼ cup water

Peach Perfection

2011-08-05T18:20:00.000-07:00

(Fuzzy goodness)

One of my favorite things about summertime is a ripe and juicy peach. I love it when you bite into one and the juice just runs down to your elbows. There is some debate where the best peaches come from, some say Georgia, others South Carolina, and still others say California. I did find some organic, local Texas peaches and I have to say, not bad, not bad at all. When buying peaches, choose organic. They are #4 on the dirty dozen list, one of the fruits with the highest amount of pesticides.

(Choose plain lowfat Greek yougurt. It is packed with protein and the only ingredients are milk, cream, and cultures! Delicious!)

Today’s smoothie was more like a milkshake. It was that good. And so simple.

Friday (Peaches and Cream) Smoothie

1 whole ripe peach, peeled and pitted

½ cup low-fat Greek yogurt

4 ice cubes

(Looks and tastes like a milkshake. Yummers.)

Blend away and enjoy on a hot summer day!

Dessert for Breakfast!

2011-08-04T16:30:00.000-07:00

(Ingredients in the blender and ready to go!)

Who says you can’t have apple pie for breakfast? This apple pie smoothie was very hearty and delicious. Simply all you need to get your day going and I wasn’t hungry till lunch!

Thursday (Apple Pie) Smoothie

½ cup of rolled oats

1 cup milk of your choice (I used almond)

5 pitted dates

1 whole apple, peeled and core removed

2 tablespoons walnuts

1 tablespoon maple syrup

4 ice cubes

Pinch of nutmeg

Pinch of cinnamon

Combine oats and milk in a small dish and soak overnight. In the morning put the oat mixture in the blender with the rest of the ingredients and blend. Enjoy!

(Foamy and delicious smoothie!)

Seattle Smoothie

2011-08-03T17:56:00.000-07:00

(Oh yes I did!)

Another training run this morning at 5:45am. We are having record heat here in Houston so the earlier the better for exercising outside. I have to admit I was feeling a little homesick this morning, I was in a total rush, and feeling pretty wiped out from the whole early rising thing. The combination of these factors lead me to my smoothie recipe this morning, which I lovingly call the Seattle smoothie.

(Straight from the Evergreen State...so much for eating local today)

Wednesday (Seattle) Smoothie

1 cup fresh organic blueberries

½ cup almond milk

2 tablespoons cocoa powder

4-5 drops vanilla Stevia extract

8 ice cubes

2 shots of espresso

(This is what Stevia looks like. Find it in the grocery store next to the sugar in the baking isle)

The blueberries in this smoothie are Washington grown and I’m sure you get the whole espresso-Seattle thing. I used Stevia because it doesn’t raise your blood glucose like sugar and is calorie free! It is pretty much the only calorie free sweetener that I use because it is minimally refined and is not made in a chemistry lab like Splenda or NutraSweet (Aspartame). This smoothie was yummy, especially if you like coffee. It definitely gave me a little pick-me-up and it was super quick and easy to make. I did have a little sprouted grain toast and peanut butter on the side since there was not a lot of protein in the smoothie. Give this one a try instead of your usual morning coffee and I guarantee you will hit the ground running!

(Pretty color huh?)

Taste of the Tropics

2011-08-02T14:58:00.000-07:00

Ingredients for today...

In honor of it being over 100 degrees every day this week according to the weatherman, I decided on a tropical smoothie for today. The cool thing (pun intended) about my neighborhood here in Houston are the fresh fruit stands. We have a guy on every corner selling “cocos frios”, (chilled coconuts that come with a straw inserted so you can drink the water inside), mangos, papayas, pineapple, you name it. I love tropical fruit! It is naturally high in digestive enzymes that help with your digestion of protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Also, being so close to Mexico where a lot of it is grown, we have great access to it here in Houston. Juicy pineapple = eating local =Awesome!

Elizabeth enjoying a coco frio after yoga

I was at Harris County Public Health doing dietary education for patients, in EVERY single case today the dietitian advised his patient to eat more fruit! An easy way to get in your 2-3 servings a day is in a smoothie! Here is the recipe for today…

Tuesday Smoothie

1 whole mango peeled

1 whole kiwi peeled

2 tablespoons raw cashew nuts

2 tablespoons shredded coconut

1 1-inch piece of ginger root, peeled

Splash of water

5-6 ice cubes

Blend the cashew nuts first until they are finely chopped, then add the rest of the ingredients and blend! Serve with a little umbrella in it. I didn’t have one...next time.

Finished smoothie...now, which way to the beach?

Beat the Heat

2011-08-01T17:42:00.000-07:00

(Smoothie ingredients)

I just started my first dietetic internship rotation today. I’m in a HIV clinic in Houston, Texas. More information on that to come. In the mean time I figured that this is the perfect time for a challenge. I decided on another ½ marathon in Austin on October 9^th! I am really excited about this one and just started my training regimen this morning with a run at 6am. If you have even been to Houston in the summer you know that this is the ONLY acceptable time to go running. By 4:00 today the thermostat in my car read 111 degrees.

(I took a picture to prove it!)

After finishing my run this morning I was ready for a little breakfast. Problem is, not much sounds good when the temperature is in the 100’s. Of course, being the nutrition freak I am, I could never skip breakfast. That is sacrilege! Especially after a run! I needed protein to rebuild muscles and carbohydrates to replenish my glycogen stores. What satified? A smoothie of course! Honestly, my new roomie Elizabeth and I have been drinking smoothies non-stop since our arrival in Texas and they certainly hit the spot on a hot day. So, challenge of the week: a different smoothie every day! Yeah! And I’m even going to share the recipes with y’all (note Texas slang).

Monday Smoothie

1 ripe banana

½ cup organic blueberries

1 tablespoon organic peanut butter

2 tablespoons Vega Chocolate Shake & Go Smoothie

5-6 ice cubes

½ cup unsweetened almond milk

(Go Texans!)

This smoothie has it all, the Vega products are really awesome too. This particular one provides 11 grams of protein and contains all natural minimally refined ingredients. You really need to be careful when selected protein powders as they have a lot of garbage in them and super refined/processed. Products you can trust are Vega and Nutiva.

I threw in some peanut butter to add some healthy fats and the peanut butter-chocolate combo was super yummy too! Enjoy!

156 Pounds

2011-06-19T21:50:00.000-07:00

(Cupcake counter at Cupcake Royale)

It was the last day of my sugar free week and it was filled with temptations. I have to admit I almost fell off the wagon. After a seven-mile run this morning with a friend we went and got coffee. Where did we go of all the million coffee shops in Seattle? Cupcake Royale. Now they do carry Stumptown Roasters coffee, which is delicious but with rows and rows of sugary sweetness it was definitely mouthwatering in there. Instead, I treated myself to something better, fresh strawberries from the farmer’s market. They were so sweet and flavorful.

(Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting! OMG!)

(My yummy berries from the farmer's market...better than a cupcake anyday!)

Later my parents showed up in town for my graduation tomorrow. We went out of an early dinner at Cedars on Brooklyn. Their Indian food is off the hook and I filled up on fish curry and spinach naan. Of course, everyone (excluding myself) wanted dessert so we swung on over to Molly Moon’s, where we waited in line (of course) for their amazing ice cream. I was tortured by the smell of homemade waffle cones while we waited. I was able to walk away no cone in hand.

(Jon and the folks at Molly Moon's, by far the biggest temptation of the week! Her salted carmel icecream is to die for!!)

Now that my sugar free week is over I do have a few final thoughts. Can someone really be addicted to sugar? To me, it seems like it. As humans, we are innately programmed to prefer the tastes of all things sweet. Even breast milk is sweet. Instinctually, sweet things provide the essential calories and energy that we needed to survive, plus plants that are sweet and not bitter are generally safe to eat (not poisonous). In today’s world we have found ways to make things sweeter and sweeter and have put sweeteners in everything to appeal to human’s taste buds and keep them buying and eating more. In fact, the average American consumes 156 pounds of added sugar a year! Humans don’t need those extra calories anymore to survive and they are posing a problem for many people today with skyrocketing rates of obesity and type II diabetes.

Once I kicked sugar to the curb, it took me about 3 days to get past the “withdrawals” of not having it. The crankiness and mood swings that I experienced in those first 3 days are all the evidence I need that sugar is addictive.

I feel great knowing that I was able to avoid sugar for the week, but it wasn’t easy. I also feel better in general, more clear headed, happier, more energy. I’m not saying that I’m done with sugar forever but I liked taking a break and now that I have I will be more aware of how I feel when I do eat sugar. I also may try and keep my sugar consumption to a couple servings per week, instead of a couple per day.

Bad Dog!

2011-06-18T09:01:00.000-07:00

Let me tell you about days 4 and 5. You may have been thinking that I failed, but you would be wrong! 4 and 5 were easy. They weren’t easy because there wasn’t sugar laden goodies everywhere I looked, they were easy because the cravings are gone.

Day 4 I had my culinary skills final. I discovered this great Muesli for breakfast. It’s just: oats, wheat, dates, apples, bananas, millet, raisins, hazelnuts, and almonds. I had it with Greek yogurt and fruit and was all set till lunch. After my final I was finished with grad school. Master of Science in Nutrition. Pretty awesome! It was definitely time to celebrate and a bunch of us did by going out on one of our professor’s boat to for a dinner cruise. The thing about all the women in my program is that they are excellent cooks so we had an amazing feast! I brought my Banana rum cake that you have been hearing so much about and they (not I) enjoyed it! The funny thing was, I didn’t even want any of it. There was a fresh fruit salad that I enjoyed instead.

Day 5 I had the same breakfast, turkey sandwich for lunch and then helped my friend set up our MSN graduation party. We had veggies, fruit, salads, pizza, and all sorts of cupcakes and cookies. I stood right in front of the cupcakes for a good half and hour talking to a friend and didn’t eat any. I didn’t even lick my fingers when I was helping to arrange them on the platter.

When Jon and I got home after the party the Pyrex baking dish that the remainder of the banana rum cake had been in was on the floor and the dog didn’t get up to greet us when we came in, he looked guilty. Jon and I had a good laugh and I told Frank it was okay, he had just let his sugar cravings get the best of him. I know how he feels; I had been there before.

Day 3 Challenges

2011-06-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

(Cookies that my awesome students made! I'm not sure how they tasted, but they sure look good!)

Today was a day full of challenges. I am a teaching assistant for a whole foods cooking class on Wednesdays and today was chocolate chip cookie day. Also the students had their finals and one group prepared coconut ice cream, and another, blueberry pie! I really wanted some of that ice cream.

Later, I came home and had to make my banana rum cake for culinary skills tomorrow. It is sitting whole on the counter.

I did make quinoa and black bean patties, so I had a delicious dinner. Even though my dinner rocked and was super protein packed and delicious, I have to say; day 3 has been the hardest day so far. I’m cranky and a little sad. I’m not sure if it is just that kind of day or if these are the signs of withdrawal.

(Black bean and quinoa patty for dinner, here is a lovely picture of with some salsa, guacamole, Greek yogurt, and a little salad.)

I had 2 dates for dessert and gave myself a pat on the back for hanging in there.

Cupcake anyone?

2011-06-14T21:40:00.000-07:00

(The start of a delicious dinner!)

Day 2 down, 5 to go. I did really well today considering how I started off. I did a huge no-no this morning. I skipped breakfast. This is big problem because if you don’t give yourself a healthy breakfast, your blood sugar will plummet and you will be looking for something that will bring it up FAST. The thing that does this best is sugar.

A couple struggles today… I went for a lovely long run with my friend, her daughter, and the pup. Afterwards, we went grocery shopping and I was starving. I knew protein was what I needed but the dessert case was calling out to me. I resisted and grabbed some tuna salad, a whole grain roll, some salad greens and cherry tomatoes. After lunch we ordered food for our graduation party including a few dozen cupcakes. I am still thinking about those cupcakes.

Next challenge, I am finishing a final for my culinary skills class. We need to write recipes for an entrée, 2 sides and a dessert. I wrote a recipe for Banana Rum Cake with Coconut Whip. All the while my mouth was watering. I went for a brown rice cake with peanut butter and a few slices of pineapple. It worked to kick the sweet tooth!

(Dinner!)

I finished the day strong with brown rice penne, fresh home made pesto sauce, roasted cherry tomatoes, asparagus, and fresh mozzarella. Delicious. I have to admit, I wanted a little something after dinner. There is frozen yogurt in the freezer… fear not, I couldn’t let my readers down.

Day One

2011-06-13T22:23:00.000-07:00

(Sugar free breakfast!)

So I made it. As of 10:03pm as I type these words. No sugar. I have to say, day one wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. There were definitely moments when my sweet tooth kicked into high gear, but I didn’t give in. I persevered. Here is how I did it:

Breakfast: I wanted to start the day off with something on the sweeter side. I was thinking leftover banana pancakes from Sunday, but I stopped myself because I know that this is where the downfall begins! First thing in the morning it is so important to avoid spiking your blood sugar with something sweet. Pancakes, French toast, anything syrup covered, or cereal with added sugar can take your blood sugar for a wild ride. Today I had scrambled eggs, quinoa, and fresh salsa. It was so delicious, high in protein and low in sugar. Perfect! It held me over for about four hours until lunch. No sugar cravings.

Lunch: I had a delicious bowl of split pea soup, kale and beet salad and cottage cheese. I wanted to go heavy on the protein again to avoid the blood sugar spike and crash that would set me up for more sugar cravings later on.

I had a final today at 5pm. The hardest time of the day for me was after lunch and before my final. The girls I was studying with decided to split a piece of carrot cake. I was offered a bite of a chocolate cupcake at one point. I said no. I made it. I snacked on a Lara Bar, which has dates, nuts and spices. It was sweet enough to get me through the craving and gave me the boost I needed before taking my exam. Success!

(My lovely ladies chowing down on carrot cake! Torture!)

After the exam a bunch of us met up for drinks. I had two beers, a salad and sandwich at the bar. Done. No sugar.

I’d have to say that the hardest part of the day was the 2pm-4pm hour. I am going to have to think of some good strategies to deal with that tomorrow. For today, no sugar and feeling good! How was your day? What hour do your sugar cravings strike?

Sugar Monster

2011-06-12T21:51:00.000-07:00

Okay this is a little ridiculous. It may be the stress of graduation or my impending move to Texas for my dietetic internship but I need to confess, “Hello my name is Sarah and I am a sugar addict.” Yes it is true. Grocery gal has gone off the deep end. Chocolate in every form. Cakes and cookies. Ice cream and any sort of topping. What is wrong with me? I know all the reasons why refined sugar isn’t good for you; inflammation, weight gain, it’s hard on the liver, and the list goes on. So why can’t I stop?! The fact of the matter is, sugar is highly addictive and when you eat it, it causes your blood sugar to spike, and then fall again rapidly. Once you are down, you want to go back up, so you eat more and the cycle continues. I’ve made excuses. “I ran eight miles today.” “I ate a ton of vegetables for lunch.” “I just finished grad school, I deserve it.” Well that’s enough. If I put it in writing it should really stick. I’m going cold turkey. I’m eliminating sugar for 7 days and I’m going to blog about it. I’ll let you know how it goes and with my readers counting on me I’m sure not to fail. So, who else is with me? Day one starts tomorrow…sugar free.

The Pink One

2011-06-08T19:52:00.000-07:00

So it’s been awhile. I apologize for my extended vacation, but I was having a bit of writer’s block. I needed a little inspiration and I certainly found it. It’s salmon season! After eating salmon four times in the past five days I figured I ought to let my readers know a little bit about this amazing fish!

I have always loved salmon. My dad tells a story about when I was little from inside the grocery cart shouting and pointing as we stopped at the fresh fish, “I want the pink one, Daddy! Get the pink one!” How could a father resist? Now that I live in Seattle, I eat salmon even more often because it is so fresh and available. Salmon is not only delicious but also extremely nutritious! It is one of the highest foods in omega 3 fatty acids, which have many anti-inflammatory benefits on the body. The American diet is generally too low in omega 3 fats and too high in inflammatory omega 6 fats which may attribute to many health problems that are rooted in inflammation such as diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular disease, and many others. The more omega 3 fats we can eat the better and salmon is great way to get a hearty dose.

There are many different kinds of salmon, so how do you choose which one to eat? The key is to choose wild Alaskan salmon. Wild Alaskan is on the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s “Best Choice” list of seafood that is sustainable and good to eat. Atlantic salmon is NOT okay. It is farmed raised and this type of salmon not only poses huge ecological problems, but it is dyed with artificial color to look pink. Additionally, farmed salmon is significantly lower in heart healthy omega-3s and tastes mushy. For those of you that are on the east coast and can’t find Alaskan salmon in your local market, I highly suggest canned Alaskan. It is much more affordable and you can make delicious salmon burgers or salmon salad with it. Smoked salmon is also really yummy; in fact that’s what I’m eating tonight. Turns out, my neighbor’s buddy is a fisherman and smokes his own fish. Other great ways to prepare salmon are on the grill, sear it and finish in the oven, or wrapped in parchment paper and baked. Salmon is truly versatile, delicious, and easy to prepare so that pretty much means you can eat it four times in one week like me! Here is how I prepared it tonight:

Carmelize some red onion in olive oil and a little butter, add chopped garlic and broccoli. Add about 2 tablspoons of sherry wine, about 3 ounces of smoked salmon, fresh parsley and whole grain noodles (these are brown rice elbows)! It was delish!

Gourmet Grain

2011-03-17T18:09:00.000-07:00

When I decided to make farro as my whole grain today, I didn’t realize that I was actually making emmer. First off, when I scooped the beautiful brown grain out of the bulk bin, it said on the label “Emmer Farro” so you can see why I was confused. As I did a little more research, it turns out that farro is more of a general term used by Italians for whole grains from the wheat species. This includes spelt, einkorn, and emmer. Emmer is primarily the form that is grown in Italy, and that is why people think it is one in the same. Emmer has a nutty chewy texture and can be sprouted to make bread, ground into flower, or cooked up like any other whole grain. Emmer is far less cultivated than other forms of wheat, especially in the United States. In turn, it hasn’t been subject to genetic modification and over processing the way that most wheat in our diet today has. Because of this, many people who cannot tolerate wheat CAN tolerate emmer, it does however, contain gluten.

(Cooked emmer farro)

Speaking of cultivation, when I purchased the emmer, I noticed it was grown in Washington. This makes me happy when I can eat locally, and as I did research online, I realized that the producers, Blue Bird Grain Farms, are the only growers of this lovely organic heirloom grain in the US!

I decided to get a little fancy; being it was the last day of the whole grain challenge. First, I baked an acorn squash with a little butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and sea salt. Next, I cooked some French lentils, and the emmer farro. Then I sautéed some garlic, the emmer and lentils with olive oil, added fresh thyme, dried cranberries, spinach and some balsamic vinegar. Finally, I stuffed the squash with this filling. Talk about a beautiful plate and a perfect meal. It was savory and sweet and so amazingly delicious.

(Sautéing with garlic, lentils, cranberries, and thyme)

I hope that you readers enjoyed the whole grain challenge as much as I did! I feel amazing after this whole grain-eating week. I have a ton of energy thanks to all these complex carbohydrates and I haven’t been snacking so much throughout the day. I have felt full and satiated, thanks to all this fiber and protein. I know that I will have plenty of energy for my race on Sunday because I have a fridge full of leftovers to eat. Please leave a comment and let me know what other whole grains you love and how you like to eat them.

(seriously delicious dinner)

Sunshine or Hail?

2011-03-16T09:29:00.000-07:00

(Cute little whole grain)

Amaranth. Have you heard of it? I hadn’t until I entered the “Bastyr bubble” as we like to call it. Like quinoa, it is another ancient grain, cultivated in Mesoamerica in 3000 BC. Amaranth is actually a very small seed and is in the same family of plants as Swiss chard and beets. It is really high in calcium, which makes it a great source for those who are lactose intolerant or vegan.

(grated some ginger into the amaranth before cooking)

Amaranth is extremely dense and high in protein, which makes a great breakfast grain. I am doing the last of my training runs this afternoon, shooting for 6-8 miles so I am thankful for the energy that it is going to provide me. Amaranth is also gluten free, which I don’t think I have mentioned on any of the other posts, so it is suitable for those with Celiac disease or people with intolerance to wheat. Other gluten free grains include, rice, wild rice, quinoa, corn/polenta, millet, buckwheat/kasha, and sometimes oats (check the label on the package).

(This is what it looks like after you cook it)

Today I made a spiced amaranth with cinnamon and fresh ginger. I topped it off with fresh chopped mango, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, and a dollop of blackberry preserves for a little sweetness. Another cool thing that you can do with this lovely little whole grain is pop it like popcorn. These little puffs can be added to salads, cereals, or just snacked on.

(All my toppings)

Okay off to study for my last two finals (tomorrow!), and then for my run. Hope it doesn’t hail like the forecast says. The good news according to the weatherman is that Sunday (day of my ½ marathon) is supposed to be the first dry day, sun up to sun down, that we have had in like 10 days. Boy, am I ready.

Always Be Prepared…

2011-03-14T20:43:00.000-07:00

(Lunch for today...brown rice, beans, and veggies)

So I knew that today was going to be a busy day. I need to be at school early to get some work done, I am tutoring a group of students in biochemistry, then off to babysit for the evening. On days like today I have got to plan ahead if I want to eat healthfully. Meal planning is a big part of my life; don’t think that I would have been able to accomplish the whole grain challenge without it. Usually Jon and I sit down on Sunday and figure out what we want to eat for the next few days. We grocery shop accordingly, cook delicious meals together and I pack the leftovers for lunch.

Last night we had black bean burritos, and I’m taking the leftovers with me today. I made a little brown rice to accompany my beans; now I have a complete meal and whole grain to blog about!

Brown rice is pretty awesome. There was a recent study done at the Harvard School of Public Health that followed almost 200,000 people for 22 years examined their diets. The researchers concluded that substituting two or more servings of brown rice with equal amount of white rice on a weekly basis lowered the risk of type II diabetes by 16 percent! Seems like a no brainer to me, brown rice is where its at!

Brown rice is one grain that we make quite often in our house, with beans, curry, stir fries, and so much more. I have even made sushi with brown rice, see my earlier post: White Girl Makes Sushi. There are over 140,000 varieties of rice and there is no end to the meals you could make, you can even make rice pudding for dessert! What are your favorite rice recipes?

Start the Day Off Right

2011-03-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Happy Monday! I am just so excited that it is ALMOST spring break. I woke up early this morning because I have a phone interview at noon for one of my dietetic internships. I wanted a great breakfast to get me going this morning and boost my brainpower. I decided on some good old fashion steel cut oatmeal. If you haven’t tried steel cut oats they are a little heartier and chewier that rolled oats, which are basically just steel cut oat, but flattened so they cook faster. Steel cut oats do take a while to cook, but I have a secret. If you soak your oats in the water that you plan to cook them in the night before, they cook up in 5 minutes flat!

(Oats that have soaked overnight)

One of the biggest claims to fame that oatmeal has is that it lowers blood cholesterol. How is this done? Oatmeal is especially high in beta-glucans, which is a type of soluble fiber. These beta-glucans bind to cholesterol molecules in the digestive tract and remove it from the body. Oatmeal is especially good at lowering LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) that is why oatmeal may be good for your heart.

(My toppings of choice)

To give my oats a little more bang I like to add all sorts of goodies. This morning I cut up some fresh apples, added some raisins, walnuts, cinnamon, chia seeds, and maple syrup. The walnuts and chia seeds give me some protein and omega-3 fatty acids, which are also heart healthy.

(Yum...breakfast)

Snack Time

2011-03-13T17:42:00.000-07:00

Looking for an easy way to include more whole grains in your diet? This afternoon it was all about easy. I was looking for a little snack this afternoon as I worked on some projects and finished up some schoolwork. It was pouring out again (spring in Seattle) and Jon and I kicked back and relaxed on the couch with a delicious whole grain snack. Now, when I told Jon that I was doing the whole grain challenge, he fussed a little bit as he likes to do when I tell him about any “health food” on our menu. But the thing is, he actually eats and enjoys all of it. I mean, what is not to love about popcorn? Yes that is right, popcorn is a whole grain and it touts many of the health benefits and high fiber that other grains do. The problem with popcorn is generally the way that it is made. At the movie theater it is drenched in hydrogenated oil and salt. When I make it at home I have a few tricks up my sleeve that make it healthy and delicious. Here are a few of my favorite toppings: What are yours?

(We picked this up at Pike Place Market a few weeks ago. It is amazing on popcorn, and a much healthier topping than "Movie Theater Butter")

(Nutritional yeast gives popcorn a nutty, cheesy flavor. It is also contains B vitamins, including B12, which is usually just found in animal products, and protein)

(Tada! A little sea salt and other toppings of choice and in about 3 minutes you have a whole grain snack ready to go!)

Peruvian/Korean cuisine?!

2011-03-12T12:15:00.000-08:00

The first time that I ate quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) I was studying abroad in Cusco, Peru. It is a traditional, native grain of the Andean people. They pretty much eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and I can’t say that I blame them. Quinoa is not only delicious, but it is certainly one of the most nutritious whole grains that I have come across. The thing that makes it so unique is that it has all eight essential amino acids, so it is a great source of complete protein. It is necessary to pair most grains with beans in order to get complete vegetarian protein. Quinoa also has 6 grams of protein per serving, which is pretty good considering it is a humble grain.

(The mighty grain, up close and personal)

The thing that I really like about quinoa is its versatility. I have enjoyed it for breakfast, slightly sweetened with maple syrup, fresh or dried fruit, and nuts. I often make it for dinner and serve it with daal (Indian lentils) or other beans. It can also be sprouted if you are into raw food cuisine. Today it’s for lunch, and I am trying something new. I did an 11-mile training run this morning in the POURING rain. It was wet and cold, but the whole while I was dreaming about lunch and what I was going to make. I decided a variation on bibimbap, a Korean staple food. They usually make it with rice, but today I am doing it quinoa style. I made the quinoa, I sautéed some onions, greens, and mushrooms in a little soy sauce and brown rice vinegar and topped it all off with a poached egg. One thing that cannot be forgotten in bibimbap is kimchi, (thanks honey for going to the store to get it) and a little Sriracha. Okay, my stomach is growling. Time to eat. How do you like your quinoa?

(Oh kale, how I love thee)

(sauté it up!)

(When I was little, my dad use to bring home bags of Kimchi from Korea in his backpack. Then he would smell like fermented cabbage and garlic for weeks! Back then, I was like "gross, Dad!" like most teenagers would say. Now, I LOVE kimchi. It is spicy, garlicy, and tangy.)

(This is what she looks like all cooked up. Aren't the little spiraly things awesome!)

(The final bibimbap...it was DELICIOUS!)

PCC Saves The Day!

2011-03-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

Well I would have failed today, yes, day one. That is the life of a graduate student I guess. Pretty dumb of me to start the whole grain challenge the week of final exams. I arrived home at 7 pm today and brainstormed how I could quickly make a batch of whole grains. Now there are some grains that do cook quickly, (don’t worry I’ll be eating them later this week without a doubt) but I just couldn’t pull together a real meal that was worthy to blog about. Here is where my near failure turned into success, yeah for PCC natural markets! I realize how lucky I am to have a PCC right down the street from my house and while I have to admit, I did kinda cheat on my first day, (hey, I never said I was going to cook a different whole grain each day, just eat one) I do have a healthy dinner after a long, busy day.

I decided to get something that I usually don’t make at home. That turned out to be wild rice. I rarely prepare it, but it is so delicious. PCC makes a great wild rice salad called “Emerald City Salad”, after Seattle of course. One of my instructors at Bastyr teaches how to make it yourself on her website. Here is the link: http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=34

And now for the fun facts: wild rice is the ONLY grain native to North America! It is actually the seed of a marsh grass plant. It is pretty cool because it contains lysine, an essential amino acid that other rice, and most other grains for that matter, don’t have. It also has lots of B vitamins and magnesium and one serving provides 15% of the daily value for zinc. Zinc is a powerful antioxidant that may be beneficial shortening the duration of the common cold.

Thanks PCC for saving my dinner, my blog, and my health!

(A close up of the delicious brown rice, there is also bell pepper, and fennel in there...yum!)

(I took out a plate, but ended up eating it out of the container)

Whole Grain Challenge!

2011-03-10T22:29:00.000-08:00

Okay readers. I am changing it up. I have been stuck in a MAJOR rut when it comes to blogging, cooking, and eating. I need a kick in the pants. I need some variety in my life. This whole school and dietetic internship thing has taken its toll on me and I need some revitalization. Spring break is coming and I am running a half marathon in 10 days; I sure could use some whole grain goodness to push me though those 13 miles to the finish line, therefore I have decided to take on a “Whole Grain Challenge!” I am not talking about Kashi cereal or any of that nonsense. I am talking about the real deal. I have decided for the sake of my sanity and my palate to embark on a mission. I will eat a different whole grain every day for 7 days. Starting tomorrow. I will blog about it for your reading pleasure and anyone who would like to join me in this mission is more than welcome. From my grainy adventure, you will learn about the wonderful health benefits of each grain and all that goodness that you have come to know and love on How to Find Real Food. Wish me luck!

Oh Samoa!

2011-03-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

It is true folks. I once wore a little brown vest covered in badges and held up three fingers announcing that I would “help people at all times and live by the Girl Scout law.” I suppose I am living out that mission with my goal to become a dietitian and help people make lifestyle changes to live healthier and happier lives.

When I was a Girl Scout back in mid eighties I went door to door, signing up all the neighbors for boxes of Thin Mints and Samoas and looked forward to the cookie delivery and badge I received every year. I’m not totally betraying my roots and saying there is something wrong with the Girl Scouts or their cookie sales, but I do have a little bit of a bone to pick about the ingredients they use.

As I was walking into the grocery store the other day, a girl scout had a table set up and requested that I spend 4 DOLLARS to buy a box. I’m sorry to say that I did not contribute to the little girl’s badge this year and if you have been reading my blog for a while, I’m sure you can guess why. Partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil? Now I understand that these cookies are a once-a-year special treat but can’t the Girl Scouts do better? The trans fats found in partially hydrogenated oils have detrimental health effects such as increased LDL cholesterol (the bad kind), decreased HDL cholesterol (the good kind), increased triglycerides, and increased inflammation, all of these factors contributing to cardiovascular disease in our country today.

Come on Girl Scouts! Time to take action and insist Little Brownie Bakers use higher quality products so you can really stand behind what you are selling. Until then I’m not sure that you are really living by the Girl Scout law.

Instant Curry

2011-01-24T20:33:00.000-08:00

School has been exhausting lately. My dietetic internship applications are almost due and the Student Nutrition Association, of which I am president, is busy fundraising and volunteering. After our Top Chef competition last Friday, hosted by none other than This American Locovore, I had a leftover eggplant. I love eggplant. It is so delicious breaded and fried and drenched in tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. But this little guy had a different destiny. It found itself into a delicious and super easy Red Thai Curry. This curry is the kind of easy that only an exhausted graduate student could pull off, all thanks to Thai Kitchen’s Red Curry Paste. Check out these ingredients: Red Chili Pepper, Garlic, Lemongrass, Galangal (Thai ginger), Salt, Shallots, Spices, Kaffir Lime. This is an extremely clean product. No additives or preservatives, plus it is delicious. You simply mix it with a can of coconut milk; add some veggies and protein and you are good to go. I use full fat coconut milk because the fat is coconut is comprised of medium chain triglycerides, which are really good for your digestive health, plus if you use low fat coconut milk you wont think that this recipe is as delicious as I am talking it up to be. Here are some photos to get you salivating.

Full fat delicious coconut milk

Pan fried tofu in the cast iron skillet, frying in one of these bad boys adds iron to your diet!

Here's the final product. The eggplant soaked up all that curry goodness and I threw some Thai basil in there because I'm good like that. I did neglect to add the shitake mushrooms that my neighbors grew on a log outside their front door. It's a sore subject here on 86th St.

Pie Crust 101

2010-12-29T11:19:00.000-08:00

The holidays are in full swing and if there is one thing people eat a lot of around this time of year, its pies. Pies are delicious. Who doesn’t love pies? Our family makes a Swiss pear pie that is out of this world, and tonight, I am making turkey potpie with leftover turkey and vegetables from Christmas dinner. It was easy and delicious! I just sautéed up some veggies and turkey, threw in a little leftover gravy and chicken broth, made a pie crust and… STOP! Don’t run away so quickly…it’s just a piecrust. Making piecrusts often strikes fear in the hearts of many, when there is really no need to be afraid. They are quite easy to make. Nutritionally speaking, piecrusts are pretty caloric, but we can make a few minor tweaks to the recipe to make them a little healthier as well.

Now there are many different tricks and tips for making the perfect piecrust. My mother in-law uses vodka instead of water and using a food processor is also helpful, however, my rule of thumb for piecrust making is: use butter. Toss that Crisco in the garbage if you haven’t already because the news is out. Partially hydrogenated soybean oil is disgusting. Not only does it taste gross, (did you ever try eating it as a kid because it looked like ice cream?) but also it is a nutritional nightmare. Partially hydrogenated oils are loaded with trans fat. Trans fat increases your LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and decreases HDL (the good kind). It also increases triglycerides in your blood and causes inflammation in the body. The saturated fat that is in butter doesn’t have all these nasty side effects.

Okay I hear you saying, “Crisco makes the flakiest crust”. I’ll buy it. Shortening has a wider melting range so it is able to stay in solid form while you are preparing and rolling out the crust. The pea size granules that are desired in piecrust baking will then melt in the oven, creating layers in the dough and a flakier crust. But the same effect can be achieved with butter if the butter is extra cold and the dough is not over mixed or kneaded. Vegans can also use coconut oil or palm oil instead of butter as long as it is kept cold prior to mixing it with the flour and water.

In the piecrust that I made tonight I substituted ½ of the all purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour to give it a little more fiber, protein, and a nuttier flavor. It was delicious! What kinds of pies do you enjoy making? What are your secrets to make the flakiest pie crust?

(adding the ice cold butter in small cubes to the flour in the food processor)

(pulse the butter in the food processor until pea size granules are formed...do not over mix!)

(after adding just enough ice water the dough should clump together when squeezed like this)

(Form the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Now pop it in the fridge for about 1 hour.)

(I roll out my dough in between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. My home economics teacher taught me this in high school. There are a few good reasons: 1) no flour used to roll which can make the crust tough and also a WAY easier clean up. 2) the crust is very easy to transfer to the pie pan.)

(Aw...isn't it pretty?)

(Dinner time! Delicious and flaky pie crust!)

Brain Food

2010-12-06T19:53:00.001-08:00

Today kind of sucked. It’s finals week and I’m tired and cranky. I have been studying all weekend and all day and I am officially over it. The only thing that keeps me going during times like this is sugar-laden treats and knowing that it will all be over soon. After dinner tonight I might have whipped up some chocolate chip cookies or eaten an entire Theo chocolate bar, but with all this studying and with the holidays around the corner I thought I would do something good for my brain and my body and make a dessert that wasn’t so sinful.

Tada! Date and Walnut Balls. These walnut balls are so delicious, try making them as one of your Christmas cookies this year, people wont even realize that they are good for you. They also make great lunch box treats for kids!

They are a variation on Cynthia Lair’s Date Pecan Bon Bons, I just substituted walnuts for pecans because walnuts are super high in omega 3 fatty acids. You brain loves omega 3s, 60% of it is made from them. I figured I could use all the help I could get tomorrow on my Food Science final! Wish me luck!

Don't they look delicious? They kinda remind me of the SNL skit with Alex Baldwin. If you don't know the one... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vXSyzeVWueI

At Least the Chili Was a Winner

2010-11-28T19:54:00.000-08:00

As the weather gets colder, football season takes over our little apartment. We are hard up on our luck though. I’m a Buffalo native so I haven’t been excited to watch since the early nineties. Now that we are living in Seattle, I have been giving the Seahawks a try to no avail. We aren’t that impressed on Saturdays either with the Cougs or the Huskies. Oh well, at least we can eat chili and that is what we are going to do today. Everyone has their “secret ingredient” when it comes to chili. Some people use chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, other use chocolate, cinnamon, or Guinness. These are all delicious ingredients, but you heard it here first, I am going to let you in on my secret ingredient. Beef. Okay I know that you are disappointed to hear that, you already knew beef, duh! Well read on…

Grass fed beef is definitely where it is at, and it is the ONLY kind of beef that we eat in our house. See, cows are grazers. They like to roam about in an open field and munch on grass and that is what they are meant to do. America eats a lot of beef, as I am sure you know, mostly in the form of a patty that they pick up at one drive through or another. In order to increase production to meet the needs of Americans, beef producers crammed bunches of cattle into a small spaces scattered throughout the Midwest and fed them corn, and lots of it. Why you ask? Well another thing that Americans eat a lot of is corn, what is another story in itself, but we have a lot of it. Also, it fattens cattle WAY faster than grass so they can go to slaughter in a matter of months, as supposed to years. The sad part to this story is that corn makes cows sick. Their multiple stomachs aren’t made to digest it, as it ferments in their bellies, giving them bloat and ulcers. Next come the antibiotics to keep their ulcers from becoming infected and making them sicker. Are you grossed out yet?

Aside from the moral dilemma that corn fed beef brings up, it is nutritionally, a nightmare. It is extremely high in saturated fat and causes inflammation in the body, one of the largest contributors to diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Grass fed beef, on the other hand is quite the opposite. It is extremely high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help to lessen inflammation, and lower in saturated fats.

In our house, we are lucky enough to have a rancher in the family. Jon’s dad raises grass fed beef so we get our meat from him. Don’t fret if you don’t know a rancher. Grass fed beef is popping up in all the quality grocery stores and if you visit your local farmer’s market, you are sure to find it. You will definitely pay a little extra for it, but the cows and your body will thank you!

To leave you tempted to eat some delicious and healthy grass fed beef, I have some photos of my homemade chili! Now for some football! Go Hawks!

Stuff the bird, not yourself!

2010-11-24T16:13:00.000-08:00

Could it get any better? A day filled with family, friends, and delicious homemade food! You know what I am talking about! Thanksgiving! It’s tomorrow! Hooray! I have very fond memories of Thanksgiving Day in my house growing up. The smells, the tastes, the warmth, the laughter, and the games (I will beat you at Parcheesi some day, Mom!) are all part of the holiday for me.

There is of course, one uncomfortable thing about Thanksgiving. I am sure that you can relate. Sitting at the table, getting in one more bite of turkey because it is so delicious and that is what Thanksgiving is about, right? Eating until you keel over. What gives? This can’t be right. We are celebrating our thanks for the delicious bounty of food we are privileged enough to have…doesn’t that mean that we should appreciate it? How can you possibly appreciate your lovely thanksgiving dinner if you make yourself sick on it? Since when did this become a tradition?

Therefore I present to you, the Thanksgiving challenge. It’s about tuning in to your body. What we call in the nutrition world, listening to your hunger and satiety cues. It’s about eating enough, but not too much, and eating when you are hungry and not eating when you aren’t. Thanksgiving is a perfect time to practice listening to your hunger and satiety cues. It is easy to fill your plate to the brim with all the different options and favorite dishes. Try and be mindful of the fact that all that food on your plate is probably more than you need. Eat slowly and appreciate every bite and all the flavors. When your belly tells you it’s had enough, listen. Put down the fork people! You can always pick it up again later, if you are still hungry. Make it a new tradition to feel well nourished after your Thanksgiving dinner, not over nourished!

Enjoy this Thanksgiving by NOT eating too much. Think of it this way, more leftovers for turkey sandwiches the next day!

They're NOT so Gr-r-reat!

2010-10-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

When you walk down the isle of a grocery store, I’m just guessing on this number, but probably two thirds of the packaged food in the store would be categorized as “kid food”. Frozen dinners, rainbow colored cereals, string cheese, and Lunchables are just some of the examples of food marketed specifically at children. Even baby food gets me a little bent out of shape. I get the convenience factor of it, but if people are cooking for their families, they can simply puree some of the simplest ingredient in their meal for their baby. When I used to work at Globus, a lovely Thai restaurant in Ketchum Idaho, people used to come in and ask for the kids menu. Globus didn’t have a kids menu, not to say that it was restaurant that was unfriendly towards children, but I think, rather the opposite. Children are worthy of eating the same foods that adults do and they should.

The shock of the parent ordering the meal usually escalated when I explained that most children really enjoyed the cucumber salad and our Rama dish. “Oh they’ll never eat that!” They would explain. And you know what? The child probably won’t if they keep hearing their parent say that. I could go on about this forever really, but my point is that children should be eating the same food that their parents do, that is how we teach our children to be healthy eaters. A child that will “only” eat chicken nuggets and macaroni is “only” eating that because that is what is offered to them. Every child goes through a phase of rejecting food. Foods must be tried again and again in order to be accepted.

Last night I had the pleasure of seeing Marion Nestle speak at the University of Washington. She spoke directly about the marketing toward children that the food industry is doing. The numbers are astonishing, Kellogg’s spent 21 million dollars last year in marketing Frosted Flakes alone! That is more money that Michelle Obama has to work with towards reducing childhood obesity. A professional term used in food marketing is the “pester factor”. A higher factor is good for the food industry because parents will buy that food simply to avoid a temper tantrum in the grocery store. Marketing food towards children is wrong and under minds the parents. Do not buy into the fact that these foods are made for your children. Packaged “kids foods” are high in sugar and fat, making them addicting and are a contributing factor to childhood obesity.

If you are trying to find real food for you child, look no further than whole foods simply prepared, that your whole family can enjoy together. Let’s face it, do you really want a cartoon character telling you what to feed you child?

Parents: for strategies on feeding you child I highly recommend looking at the work of Ellyn Satter. Here is the link to her website: http://www.ellynsatter.com/

Just Loafin Around

2010-09-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

Want to have a sandwich? A veggie burger? How about a nice crusty loaf with some bean soup? Bread is an essential part of the American diet, and, despite the stigma surrounding it, it can be a part of a healthy diet too.

There are a couple things when it comes to selecting bread in the grocery store. Most of us are pretty savvy to the fact that we want to choose things that are made from whole grains. Whole grains have fiber, vitamins and minerals, and help keep blood sugar balanced. Bear in mind that bread is often made from a mixture of whole and refined flours, the higher the percentage of whole grains the mix, the better. Also realize that wheat flour is not whole-wheat flour, so when you read this on the ingredient list it really means white flour.

Look to the list of ingredients and avoid items with high fructose corn syrup. Also be mindful that loaves with evaporated cane juice listed as the second ingredient might not be the best choice as that they are high in sugar. Sugar is not a necessary ingredient in bread and I have had many tasty store bought loaves that do not include it at all! One brand that I really like is Food for Life. They make sprouted grain bread that is 100% whole grains and has no added sugar. Also sprouting grains makes them easier to digest, and might be a good option for someone who has a hard time with whole-wheat flour.

Another thing that I like to do in the grocery store is buy the local bakery bread. It is expensive, but if you buy a nice artisan loaf, the ingredients are usually very basic such as whole-wheat flour, water, salt, and yeast. If you are in the Seattle area you have got to try Essential Baking Company’s Pain du George. It is made with 100% whole-wheat flour and is light, fluffy and deliciously crusty! (Plus, George is my dad’s name so I like it!)

As I just mentioned, artisan bread has very few ingredients and is relatively easy to make. I also just recently acquired a sourdough starter and have just begun the experimentation process of learning how to bake with it.

Sourdough starter is actually wild yeast. You use it instead of commercial yeast that comes in the little packets. It gives the bread a delicious sour flavor and also adds some lovely probiotics to your loaf. Honestly since I am not an expert on bread baking (yet!) I can’t say much except give it a try. You house will smell amazing and seriously who doesn’t love freshly baked bread. To inspire you I will leave you with some photos of my first sourdough loaf! (Recognize the beautiful Le Creuset you gave us for our wedding, Emily?)

(My starter, thank you to Karen Jurgenson's grandma Wilma! This one is 90 years old!)

(Proofing process)

(Final product!)

Grocery Gal Gets Canny

2010-09-17T20:17:00.000-07:00

I never thought I would “can” anything. I mean, isn’t that something grandmothers do? But, after a magnificent trip to Quillisascut farm school, I learned how to preserve. Suddenly canning was cool.

With the local food movement in full swing, preserving is becoming important to sustainability and eating local. Rather than buy peaches from Australia in the winter that taste like how you feel after a cross continental plane ride, why not capture them in the peak of their freshness and flavor and preserve them for the long winter months to come? That way we can enjoy nutritious and delicious foods that came from our local farms year round! It’s economical, healthy, sustainable, and an important part of our food culture…brilliant!

After a wonderful week at farm school, learning about honeybees, milking goats, making cheese, fabricating ducks, baking bread, and harvesting and preserving fruits and vegetables I was truly inspired! On the way home, I visited a neighboring organic orchard and purchased 20 pounds of peaches and nectarines. I arrived home late that night, stumbled into my apartment, exhausted from the long week of hard work and plopped the box of fruit on my kitchen table and went to bed. The next morning I woke up, opened the box and began to cry. “What was I thinking?!”

Trying to keep my cool, I rounded up jars and lids from the Goodwill (great place for inexpensive canning jars!) and my neighbor and recruited her to help me begin the process. We chopped 12 cups of nectarines and made a delicious jam. I couldn’t be happier, 2 hours of chatting with a friend, some sticky hands, and I have delicious jam that is lightly sweetened, naturally with honey.

Due to the significant dent the jam made in my stone fruit surplus and the amount that I have eaten fresh over the past 3 days, I now have just short of 30 peaches remaining. My mother-in-law and I are baking pies tomorrow and I plan on freezing the rest for smoothies.

I highly recommend giving canning and preserving a try, if you don’t already. It’s easy, fun, and an important skill to learn and pass down for future generations. Ball and Kerr jars are good choices and their rings and caps are interchangeable. Make sure that you follow a recipe and correct procedures for food safety!

What do you like to preserve? What are your favorite recipes and resources?

Latte Land

2010-08-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

Living in Seattle we are surrounded by coffee shops, and I’ll admit it, I get it. A warm latte is like an oasis in this grey, dismal, and wet city. That is how many Seattlites operate; let’s face it, Starbucks was founded in 1971, and Microsoft followed soon there after in 1975. But as I was driving home from clinic this afternoon I spotted a billboard on the side of an espresso shop that said: “Good nights sleep? We can fix that!” Something about that sign did not sit well with me.

America is sleep deprived. We are working too hard and sleeping too little. Bedtimes get pushed back further and further in to the night as the television flickers in many homes each evening. As stress goes up and sleep goes down, our stress hormones skyrocket, which can help lead to obesity, another huge problem in America these days. To top off everything, the foods that we eat are not supportive of our health and this makes the situation even worse.

Drinking too much caffeine is like using a credit card. If you buy something that you can’t afford at the time, pretty soon, you will have to pay for it, plus interest. Having 3-4 cups of coffee a day to “keep you going” can drain out your supply of stress hormones causing severe exhaustion. Eventually you will have to build back your supply through proper eating and most importantly, sleep.

Everyone misses out on their 8 hours once in a while, but I believe it is important not to skimp on sleep too frequently. An afternoon latte or two wont hurt every so often, but every day it can be a detriment to achieving optimal health, not to mention each one runs you about 200 calories.

Do you depend on coffee for your afternoon boost? What other ways do you find energy to get you through the day?

You Say Tomato…

2010-08-01T10:21:00.000-07:00

It’s official. Summer is finally here! Do you know how I know? I had my first tomato. My very first, you say? Well, I had my very first tomato worth eating of this year. It was a plain old beefsteak from the market and it was delicious. Bright red, bursting with juice and the flavor of pure summer, biting into this pure delight made me wonder why I even bother with the pale, pink, mealy slices that end up on my sandwiches throughout the rest of the year. In truth, the month of August and early September is really the only time that we should be eating tomatoes… that is, if you are trying to find real food! Tomatoes in season are probably the most delicious treats you could imagine. I like mine with just a little sea salt and maybe a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

Of course you CAN eat tomatoes at any other time of the year. That is the American way. You can eat tomatoes from Chile in February that have been picked while they are green so they don’t bruise or become damaged on their long journey to your plate, but why bother? They don’t taste halfway decent, they cost a lot more, and too many fossil fuels have been burnt on their travels.

Eating local and seasonal is the best way to find real food. Jon and I ventured out to the farmers market this past weekend and loaded up on local tomatoes and peaches. As peach juice dripped down my elbow on the walk home, I proclaimed, “That peach was in the top 5 best peaches I ever ate”. Last week I thought I was eating enough blueberries to turn into one, Willy Wonka style. And that, my friends, IS how to find real food. Chant these three words with me…local, seasonal, and organic! Now hurry and go and eat a tomato while you can!

It's really chicken!

2010-07-15T21:58:00.000-07:00

For a while there, I wasn’t eating chicken. I grew up eating the stuff practically every night of the week and I got pretty sick of the white, chewy, no flavor protein that sat on my plate all the time. So I said enough is enough and decided that chicken wasn’t for me. Then I came to a realization. I wasn’t eating REAL chicken. See I have a theory. When you buy chicken that comes on a little bed of Styrofoam that has been deboned and skinned and wrapped in plastic it just isn’t the same, free range or range free.

Lately I have eaten some damn good chicken, and guess what? A chicken is actually a bird! It has wings, legs, skin and bones and when you buy a chicken at the grocery store THAT is what it should look like. Besides being WAY tastier, a whole bird is more economical, and in my opinion, more respectful. When you can’t imagine what your food looked like when it was still alive how can you really appreciate the fact that it gave up its life to nourish you?

When you cook a chicken with the bones and skin on it adds flavor to the meat, giving it a richer taste, as supposed to that skinless, boneless, 99% fat free, white rubber.

For free range chicken, you can pay up to 13 dollars for the skinless boneless breasts, while a free range WHOLE chicken costs around the same price! That is a lot more chicken for your dollar, plus you can make a delicious stock out of the carcass for soups, sauces, or to add to grains.

To learn how to carve up a chicken check out this great video on you tube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eiwHpDtZHOE

Here is also an amazing recipe for grilled chicken that we made on the 4^th of July with friends: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Chicken-with-Lemon-Garlic-and-Oregano-106742

Thanks Shawn for the recipe!

Olive Oil and Beyond

2010-06-28T17:00:00.000-07:00

Have you ever taken a close look at the oil selection on the supermarket shelves? There are close to three dozen different oils to choose from, so how do we know which one to select? The truth is, there are a number of different types of culinary oil that you should keep on hand in your home kitchen, each having it’s own purpose and health benefits. Knowing how to select and purchase, discovering the beneficial health properties of each type, and correctly using them in your cooking makes all the difference in oil exploration.

Deciding on the correct type of oil in the grocery store is where it all starts. Oils, especially those that are that are liquid at room temperature, are susceptible to oxidation. Once oil is oxidized, if consumed, it creates a cascade of harmful free radicals in your body leading to systemic inflammation. There are three things that cause oxidation of oil: light, heat, and air. Take precaution, and you can easily prevent your oils from spoiling. When purchasing liquid oil, make sure that it is in an opaque glass bottle or metal can so it is protected from light. Store oil at home in a dark cabinet or in the refrigerator, away from the stove, and always keep the lid on the jar securely fastened. Choose oils that are cold pressed, meaning that they haven’t been exposed to high heats in the refinement process. It is also best to purchase oil in smaller containers, that way they are consumed faster, and exposed to less air. If you buy oil in bulk, share it with a friend and store it in smaller jars.

Each oil has it’s own unique health benefits. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat. Consuming a diet rich in oleic acid can improve HDL levels, the heart healthy type of cholesterol. Olive oil is also loaded with polyphenols, powerful antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and reduce inflammation. Olive oil has a low smoke point so it is best used for low heat sautéing, salad dressings, and dips.

Coconut oil has a high percentage of medium chain triglycerides, which are essential for healthy gut function. It is also rich in lauric acid, giving it anti-viral and immune boosting properties. Coconut oil is a saturated fat, meaning that it is solid at room temperature, making it more stable and less susceptible to oxidation. For this reason it is a perfect substitute for butter, margarine, or shortening in baked goods and excellent for medium heat sautéing or frying. Beyond culinary uses, coconut oil can also be used as a lotion on dry and sensitive skin.

Flax seed oil is rich in alpha-linolenic acid, an omega 3 fatty acid. Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for proper brain function and can be used therapeutically to combat inflammation. The American diet is especially low in these wonderful fats, so by adding some flax seed oil to your diet, you will be doing your body a huge favor! Flax seed oil should not be exposed to heat at all. It is great for adding to smoothies and for drizzling over salads.

Sesame oil is definitely one that you will want to have on hand. It is especially resistant to rancidity and adds wonderful flavor to Asian stir-fries and dressings. The toasted version is especially tasty and its unique flavor is an excellent addition to many dishes. The health benefits of this magnificent oil go far beyond use in the kitchen. Ayurvedic practitioners in India use it to cure many different ailments such as athlete’s foot, dandruff, diaper rash, and the common cold.

Using your oil properly in the kitchen will insure that you gain all of the health benefits that it has to offer. When sautéing, make sure that the pan is heated prior to adding the oil, and then add your vegetables or meat immediately. This will lessen the time that the oil is exposed to high heat and air, decreasing the chances of oxidation. It is also important to note that if an occasion arises when your oil begins to smoke in the pan, dump it out and start over. Smoking oil has certainly been oxidized and has changed flavors. It is unhealthy and tastes unappealing.

Now that you have a wonderful selection of healthy oils in your kitchen, the sky is the limit. Enjoy making nutritious stir fries and salad dressings packed with wholesome essential fats. You will feel great knowing that you are cooking healthfully and your taste buds will thank you too!

Cupcake Confessions

2010-06-15T18:11:00.001-07:00

Chocolate, cupcakes, cheese, and steak. Fried chicken that would make anyone immediately begin drooling. That’s right folks, Grocery gal has officially over done it. I went to a marvelous wedding this past weekend for one of my very best friends. The food and alcohol were in excess and I certainly indulged. This got me thinking about what healthy eating exactly is and when is it okay to throw caution to the wind and chow down?

You have all heard me preaching about whole grains, avoiding sugar and preservatives, and eating with consciousness. I think that it is also important to confess that even the nutritionist in training eats a little junk food every so often. The truth is that I enjoy it as well. Cupcakes piled high with pink frosting are delicious, and even though there is very little in them that can provide our bodies with nutrition, they can still fit into our diet in moderation.

The point that I am trying to make is that food needs to be enjoyable. It shouldn’t be a chore and you shouldn’t feel like you are depriving yourself, otherwise you’ll end up binging anyway. Eating with consciousness and truly enjoying different foods on special occasions is important for our emotional health. If I am at a wedding or another social setting where the food isn’t organic, grass fed, and dairy free, I don’t stress. I eat it because that is what is being offered; I enjoy it and appreciate it because I am with people that I care about. If I can’t nourish my body the way that I am used to, I nourish my soul with the company and good times. Eating food is a social experience that we are meant to enjoy and last weekend, enjoy I did! What is your favorite “forbidden” food? How long has it been since you indulged?

Sweet on You

2010-06-08T16:05:00.000-07:00

One thing that I really enjoy doing when I have a little extra time is baking. I like to make cookies and quick breads, but my husband complains because often times I give all the food away as soon as it comes out of the oven. My rationale is that I don’t want all these delicious, highly caloric baked goods just sitting around the house. Jon works nights and is practically never home to consume them so guess who ends up eating all the cookies? It's not the dog.

I made banana bread on Sunday and I pulled out all my usual stops to make it as healthy as possible. I subbed whole-wheat pastry flour for white flour. Whole-wheat flour has the bran and germ of the wheat, which contains fiber and B vitamins, while white flour is only the endosperm of the wheat, leaving only carbohydrates. White flour causes a spike in blood sugar because it is digested quickly, so it is not considered as healthy as slower digesting whole grain products.

Another move I always make when it comes to baked goods is to add nuts. Nuts are delicious, but beyond that add heart healthy fats and protein.

Then it comes down to the sugar. What to do? White sugar is a highly refined product that simply has no nutritional value whatsoever. Excess sugar in the diet is easily transformed into stored fat in the body and causes a blood sugar spike higher than Mt. Kilimanjaro. So what are the alternatives?

There are a lot of health gurus shouting from the rooftops about agave nectar. Agave is made from a cactus like plant and has a sugar profile that is similar to high fructose corn syrup. For this reason it doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes and it is often recommended for diabetics. It is VERY sweet and you need to use less of it than you would sugar.

Blackstrap molasses is one sweetener that I can get behind. While it is a processed ingredient, it is actually a by-product of sugar production; it contains all the healthy minerals that are extracted out of crystalline sugar in the refinement process. It is high in iron, calcium, and magnesium, and it has a distinct flavor that I enjoy. Unrefined sugar like sucanat and turbinado sugar are also good options in that they still contain many of the minerals that are boiled out of white sugar.

Then there are my favorites, honey and maple syrup. I chose a combination of the two for my banana bread. Maple syrup is usually produced in Vermont or Canada, so you don’t have to worry about free trade regulations and human rights like you do with the sugar industry. Grade B has a stronger maple flavor and I believe it is best suited for pancakes and waffles. Grade A has a more delicate flavor, which might be nice for baking. Personally I enjoy the rich maple flavor, and it was delicious in my bread!

Honey is also a winner in my book. My in-laws gave me a big jar of raw unrefined local honey a few weeks ago and I have been slowly savoring it. I used some in the banana bread because local honey may be able to reduce some seasonal allergies and it is as unrefined a sweetener as you can get.

The banana bread turned out delicious and I feel good about putting it in my body knowing the ingredients I used were the best I could get. Do you enjoy baking? What sweeteners do you like to use?

Coconut Joe Helps Me Out

2010-06-01T17:26:00.000-07:00

Last summer I had the pleasure of attending my cousin’s wedding in Belize. It was a beautiful ceremony on the beach, it was breezy and had cooled down considerably from earlier that day when the August temperatures had reached well over 90 degrees and the humidity was close to 100 percent. At the time my aunt was training to walk the Chicago marathon and, despite the heat, she was determined to get in her power walk that morning. I decided to join her and off we went to walk 10 miles along the beach of Ambergris Caye. We started off early, as to beat the mid day heat, but the sweat was pouring only a few minutes into the walk. By mile 7 I was petering out, but that is when I met “Coconut Joe”. He was cracking green coconuts on the beach and passing them out to people as they strolled by. He called out to us and immediately I was at his side sipping the delicious coconut water. After my coconut pit stop I was ready to take on the rest of the walk, no problem. I felt refreshed, had pep in my step and my thirst had been quenched.

you have never tried it, coconut water is truly miraculous. It is the liquid that comes from inside the young coconut, not to be confused with coconut milk, which comes from pressing the coconut meat. It is a good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, and calcium. Coconut water is a naturally isotonic beverage, which means it has the same electrolyte balance as our blood. This makes it an ideal sports drink! Other sport drinks on the market today feature ingredients such as high fructose corn syrup and artificial colors, which are things that I don’t really care to “refuel” with. It is available in supermarkets and comes in tetra packs and cans so you can find it even if you live somewhere that coconuts don’t grow overhead. So, after your next workout or power walk on the beach swap out your Gatorade and give it a try!

White Girl Makes Sushi

2010-05-25T19:49:00.000-07:00

The other night after school I was starving, as usual, and had little to no patience to make dinner. I know that you have all been there. I ran into Whole Foods Market with sushi on the brain. I grabbed a tuna roll and started to head for the check out when, out of habit, I annoyingly decided to read the ingredients and was SHOCKED to find a long list of them, and we are not talking tuna, nori, and rice. I moaned in frustration and put the sushi back, vowing that when I had more time, I would make my own.

So folks here we are. I went to the Asian market today and picked up a bamboo sushi mat, some nori, cucumber, carrots, and avocado. I figured I would try a veggie roll the first time just to keep it simple. I wanted to a roll with brown rice to keep with my whole “health food nut” thing. Brown rice is unmilled, meaning that it keeps its bran and germ layers, which contain the majority of the B vitamins and antioxidants. I chose short grain rice because it contains more starch than longer grain rice; hence it sticks together more easily and is perfect for sushi making.

Once the rice was cooked I just went with the directions on the package of nori. Nori, by the way, is quite nutritious. Nori is a sea vegetable that is super high in minerals, contains iron, and is one of the only vegetarian sources of B12, so it is ideal for vegans.

Rolling sushi was very therapeutic, and I got better and better as I went on. My first roll was somewhat of a disaster. I put WAY too much rice and fillings in and was a little aggressive with my rolling. The nori ripped and it was a big mess! By my fourth roll I had it down. A nice thin layer of rice, not too many veggies and, viola! Sushi!

The best thing about this sushi is that I know what is in it. It has whole food ingredients and no preservatives or sugar. It was fun to make and it sure was delicious! With all the practicing that it took to achieve sushi perfection, I ended up with enough for dinner tonight, lunch tomorrow and happy neighbors! Have any of you made sushi before? What do you like in your rolls?

Does a Body Good?

2010-05-18T10:24:00.000-07:00

Dairy can be hard to digest, especially with all the processing that goes on from the point in time when the milk comes out of the cow until the time that it hits the table. As a matter of fact, 30 to 50 million Americans are lactose intolerant, meaning they are missing the enzyme in their digestive tract that breaks down the sugars in milk products. Sometimes when milk products are cultured or fermented like yogurt, cheese, and kefir, they can be easier to digest. However, with so many people having a hard time with milk and milk products, it’s no wonder that there is a plethora of milk alternative products on the market today. Just like most overly processed foods, many of these products are high in sugar, expeller pressed oils, and other additives. We need to be careful reading labels when we choose alternative dairy products so we can choose the products that have clean ingredients and leave those with all the additives on the shelves.

Milks: I like Pacific Brand organic non-dairy beverages. They have a whole line of different nut and grain milks and each has its own unique taste. I really like the Organic Unsweetened Almond. Its ingredients are simple, and it is quite tasty. It does not taste like milk, but it does have a nice hint of almond flavor and is delicious on cereal or in your latté. Edensoy unsweetened organic soymilk is also a good option if you are okay with soy products. The only ingredients on the label are soybeans and water!

Personally I am not so into the dairy alternatives in the “ice cream” and fake cheese categories. These products are overly processed and most that start with soy as a base are missing all the beneficial properties of the soy and are loaded with sugar and other additives. One ice cream product that I do like is Coconut Bliss. It is made with delicious coconut milk and sweetened with agave nectar. As far as cheese products go, I haven’t found one with clean ingredients. Here is a recipe for a creamy sauce with cheese like consistency and flavor that is made with whole food ingredients! Try this tossed in pasta, over broccoli and potatoes, or on a pizza crust with tomato sauce for a delicious dairy free treat!

Nut Cheese

1 cup water

1 tsp onion powder

½ cup raw cashews

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 ½ tsp sea salt

2 cloves of garlic

1 Tbsp of lemon juice

1 Tbsp sesame tahini

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Add a little more water if necessary. Pour mixture into a saucepan and simmer over low heat, stirring until desired thickness. Sun dried tomatoes, olives, pimentos, or fresh herbs are some delicious ingredients that you could add for different flavor variations.

Sunny Side Up

2010-05-12T20:33:00.000-07:00

What is easier, more satisfying, or faster than breakfast for dinner? Eggs are awesome in my book. They are a great source of protein (7 grams per egg), iron and fat-soluble vitamins. They can also be rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which everyone has been hearing a lot about lately due to their anti-inflammatory health benefits. This brings me to my point that not all eggs are created equal and while preparing eggs is fast and easy, choosing which ones to buy in the grocery store is not. Here is a list of the usual suspects:

Option #1: the white Styrofoam container with no labeling (i.e. conventional) that will cost you around 99 cents a dozen.

Option #2: Cage Free

Option #3: Organic

Option #4: Omega-3

Option #5: Free Range

Option #6: Pastured

You may have seen these different labels in your local grocery store. What do all these words mean and which one should you choose? This quick tutorial on egg lingo will have you choosing your carton with confidence!

Conventional chickens are crammed into tight metal cages. Since chickens only lay eggs when it is daytime, the hens are kept in a large warehouse that has the lights on 24 hours a day to maximize production. A conveyor belt runs under the cages and picks up any eggs that the chickens lay. These chickens are given antibiotics as to not spread disease and hormones to assist in the production of more eggs. Their claws and beaks have been removed so they don’t peck each other to death, which you can’t really blame the poor little gals for wanting to do, having to live in those conditions.

Cage free: Pretty much the same as option #1, minus the tight metal cages. These hens are still crammed into a large warehouse and they still loose body parts.

Organic: The chickens are fed only organic feed (no pesticides or herbicides used to grow) and no antibiotics or hormones. Organic also insists that the animals must be treated humanely, which means they can keep their beaks and “have access” to outdoors. You will often times seen “vegetarian diet” on organic egg cartons as well. This means that the chicken feed has no chicken (or other animal byproducts) in it, which is a good thing, since chickens aren’t cannibals.

Omega-3: The chickens are fed flax seeds in their feed to increase the Omega-3 properties of their eggs. We don’t know anything about how they were treated.

Free range: This means that there has to be a door somewhere in the warehouse for the chickens to get out. It doesn’t guarantee that they actually do.

Pastured: Chickens can eat bugs and worms and get to run around and frolic in the grass. They nest and lay eggs when and where they want. The nutritional property of the egg is also increased due to the chicken eating what mother nature intended.

Personally I wish I had my own chickens so I didn’t have to sort all this out. The second best option to that is getting eggs at your local farmers market and talking to the farmer to see what the lives of their hens are like.

Yogurt Faceoff

2010-05-04T21:18:00.000-07:00

Activia® yogurt challenges you to eat one a day for 14 days and magically you will regulate your digestive system. It worked for Jaime Lee Curtis, why can’t it work for you? What about Activia® makes it so damn special anyway? The claim to fame that Dannon is making is that bifidus regularis, a friendly bacteria, is helping out regulating your slow intestinal transit time. I’ll buy it. I’ll tell you what else I wouldn’t buy, Activia®. The fact of the matter is, all yogurts contain beneficial bacteria aka probiotics, and there has been plenty of studies that suggest that lactobacillus acidophilus, another strand of probiotic, is also very effective at relieving signs and symptoms of GI distress.

The human gut contains 2 to 5 pounds of living bacteria and a few thousand different species, so don’t be fooled into thinking that the only one that can save the day is bifidus regularis, I am pretty sure that is not the scientific name anyway. Despite their keen marketing tactics, Activia® has a bunch of other nonsense ingredients in it that aren’t doing much for your digestive health, or your health in general. Let’s take a look at the label on their strawberry yogurt:

CULTURED GRADE A REDUCED FAT MILK, STRAWBERRY, FRUCTOSE SYRUP, SUGAR, CONTAINS LESS THAN 1% OF FRUCTOSE, WHEY PROTEIN CONTENTRATE, CORN STARCH, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, KOSHER GELATIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, CARMINE (FOR COLOR), SODIUM CITRATE, MALIC ACID.

Remember how to do this? The third ingredient by weight is fructose syrup, aka sugar. The fourth ingredient is sugar. The fifth ingredient? Fructose again! Add up all the sugar by weight and it probably exceeds the amount strawberry and possibly even the amount of milk. As a matter of fact, there is 17 grams per four ounces of yogurt. That is more sugar per ounce than a Coke!

Do you want to get some beneficial bacteria into your diet and improve your gut heath, without O-D-ing on the sugar? Try Straus Family Creamery Plain Yogurt. The only ingredients in this yummy yogurt are organic milk and living yogurt cultures. If you are craving a little sweetness in your yogurt try adding a little honey, fruit preserves, or maple syrup. This yogurt is so delicious and good for you and I would be willing to bet that it too would regulate your digestive system in a few short weeks, no sugar necessary!

Energy on the go!

2010-04-28T17:32:00.000-07:00

If there is a recurring theme to this blog it is that eating healthy on the go is a must! I am constantly running around, from school, to my various volunteer jobs, to the library, to the yoga studio and so on. Lots of times I have to put off eating until I have time, which is not the best thing especially since I have been told that I get “grumpy” when I am hungry. The best solution for me on days like this is to grab an energy bar. Let me start by saying that there is a lot of crap in most energy bars. I am not really into functional food, I like to eat for enjoyment, so I want a bar that tastes good and isn’t loaded up with a bunch of supplements that I don’t need. There is a lot of energy bars on the market right now because most people are like me, they want to eat healthy and they need to grab something quick because they are starving and on the go. Food manufacturers take advantage of consumers in this way because they market their junk food like health food because they know that is what people want. We as consumers NEED to start reading and understanding labels in order to get what we really want, which is food that is good for us!

Here is a mini lesson in label reading. Both of these labels are from chocolate energy bars:

Label #1: C2 MAX CARBOHYDRATE BLEND (ORGANIC EVAPORATED CANE JUICE SYRUP, MALTODEXTRIN, FRUCTOSE, DEXTROSE), OAT BRAN, SOY PROTEIN ISOLATE, ALKALIZED COCOA, BROWN RICE FLOUR, AND 2% OR LESS OF CANOLA OIL, VEGETABLE GLYCERIN, SALT, CHOCOLATE, NATURAL FLAVOR, NONFAT MILK, ALMOND BUTTER, PEANUT FLOUR. MINERALS: CALCIUM PHOSPHATE, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, FERROUS FUMARATE (IRON). VITAMINS: ASCORBIC ACID (VITAMIN C), VITAMIN B6 HYDROCHLORIDE, RIBOFLAVIN (VITAMIN B2), THIAMINE MONONITRATE (VITAMIN B1). CONTAINS ALMOND, MILK, PEANUT AND SOY INGREDIENTS. MADE ON EQUIPMENT THAT ALSO PROCESSES WHEAT.

Label #2: DATES, ALMONDS, WALNUTS, UNSWEETNED COCOA POWDER, UNSWEETNED COCONUT

Let’s look at label #1; the VERY FIRST ingredient is sugar. On the nutrition label the ingredients are listed by weight, which means that bar #1 is mostly made of sugar. Is this where we really want to be getting our energy from? Another ingredient that is high up on the list is soy protein isolate. Sounds harmless, right? Soy is a good source of protein, right? Not so much. Soy protein isolate is a highly processed product that is snuck into health foods because our government subsidizes farmers to grow soy. This leaves us with a surplus of genetically modified soybeans that have to go somewhere. Food manufacturers thought, why not market it as health food?! This is not health food; it is actually questionable whether this is food at all. Reading on, you can see that there are many other questionable ingredients such as natural flavor aka chemicals and vegetable glycerin (what the hell is that?).

On to label #2. Pretty simple, right? Dates are sweet; they provide the natural sugar and have other nutritional qualities to boot. Almonds and walnuts are packed with protein and healthy fats. Cocoa powder provides powerful antioxidants and the chocolatey taste. And coconut, our love affair must never come to an end, you provide me with soluble fiber and short chain fatty acids, which are essential for optimal gut health! Bar #2 has everything that I need to get me through to my next meal and it tastes suspiciously like food. Oh wait, that is because, it is! Label #2 comes from a chocolate coconut Lara Bar®. I highly recommend Lara bars because they are so yummy and good for you. They come in all sorts of delicious flavors, are gluten free, dairy free, soy free, non-GMO, and kosher. Kids also love these tasty treats, so throw a couple in your grocery cart and give them a try.

Image uploaded from: www.slashfood.com/.../ 02/bunnyfoot-lara-bar.JPG

The Bragging Rights of Beans

2010-04-20T11:02:00.000-07:00

Okay so I am not a vegetarian. I eat meat every so often because it is delicious and I really try and listen to my body, which sometimes is drawn to the butcher’s counter at the grocery store. This doesn’t occur all too often, most of the time my shopping cart is loaded with fruits and vegetables, nuts and seeds, whole grains, and of course beans! I would say that beans are the primary source of protein in my diet. Lentils, white beans, black beans, garbanzo beans, and you all know that I love peanuts. (Did you know that peanuts are actually beans?) There are actually about 20 or so different types of legumes (aka beans) that we as humans consume; talk about adding variety to the diet! Beans are super cheap; perfect for my college budget, extremely versatile to cook with, and they nurture mother earth in that they have a lower carbon footprint than animal protein and they actually enrich the soil they grow in! On top of all that they are extremely good for you. They are loaded with folate, iron, and are one of the best vegetarian sources of protein out there. Legumes also contain high amounts of soluble fiber, which slows digestion time and binds toxins drawing them out of the body. Let’s face it we are living in a toxic world nowadays and could all use a little more beans in our diet.

Despite all the bragging rights of beans, they are kind of a pain in the you know what. If you buy them dry in bulk you must first soak them overnight and then cook them for hours on the stovetop before they are tender enough to eat. One of my cooking instructors at school says, “You can’t rush beans”. Cooking with dried beans requires a lot of planning and time, none of which we have in our lives right now!

Okay so what is the alternative? I am sure that you guessed it by now, canned beans. Canned beans can be mushy in texture, bland in taste, and high in sodium. I have, however, found one brand of canned beans that are far superior to all the rest, Eden Organics. Eden beans are firm yet soft, have a true beany flavor, and have just a slight hint of natural saltiness. There is no added sodium or preservatives; they are just straight up beans. Eden also adds another cool ingredient to its canned beans called kombu. Kombu is a nutrient rich sea vegetable that, when cooked with the beans, donates it’s minerals and reduces flatulence or as Julia Child would have said, the “root a toot toots”.

Here is a recipe for kale and white bean soup that can be made in 12 minutes flat using canned beans. I usually have everything on hand for this soup and serve it with whole grain bread so the meal contains a complete amino acid profile.

Hearty Italian Beans and Greens Soup

This recipe is inspired by a restaurant in North Buffalo where I grew up named Café Garangelos. They served it with crusty Italian bread and lots of love! Mangia!

½ medium yellow onion, diced

5 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 tablespoon reserved

4 cloves of garlic chopped

1 teaspoon sea salt

1 bunch of greens*

4 cups chicken or vegetable broth

1 cup dried cannellini beans soaked overnight and cooked until tender

½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes

Juice from 1 whole lemon

Salt and pepper to taste

Grated Parmesan cheese for topping

Balsamic vinegar for topping

In a large stock pot sauté diced yellow onion in 4 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and salt. Remove fibrous stems from greens and chop into bite size pieces and then add to pot. Stir the greens in until they are well coated with oil and starting to wilt. Add broth and the beans and cover the pot.

Cook until the greens are tender and bright green and the broth and beans are heated through. The cooking time will vary with the greens used. Spinach will cook quickly, while kale will take a bit longer. Add lemon juice, red pepper and salt and pepper. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with cheese and a drizzle of vinegar.

Preparation time: 12 minutes

Makes 4 servings

* Any dark leafy green can be used such as spinach, kale, escarole, Swiss chard, collard, or mustard greens

Adapted by Sarah Seppa from an original recipe by Café Garangelos, Buffalo NY.

Picky about Pickles

2010-04-13T22:02:00.000-07:00

My husband works nights so often times when I get home from school I am starving and need something fast and easy. At least one night a week I reach in the freezer for a veggie burger for dinner (post on veggie burgers coming soon…). The one thing that I absolutely must have on that burger without a doubt are pickles. The salty, tangy, crunch is so satisfying and scrumptious I can’t bare to eat my burger without it.

Most people don’t know it but there are a few different kinds of pickles out there. Some are pickled using vinegar, which is delicious, however I am looking for a little more out of my pickle. For me, the preferential pickle is one that is fermented. Fermented pickles contain only water from a high quality source, salt, and spices…oh and cucumbers of course! These delicious dills are cured for several weeks, allowing time for beneficial bacteria to produce acid, which preserves them. (http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/nutrition/DJ1091.html) The other tremendously cool thing is that this bacteria has another job to do, not only in the pickle jar, but in your tummy! I am talking probiotics people! Wait, you say, I thought those were in yogurt. Yes, you would be right, but they are also found in fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kimchi, and of course pickles! These are all excellent sources of probiotics for people who cannot consume dairy. To design a rounded, well-balanced meal, you should consider adding a digestive aid to your menu. This can be something that is fermented, cultured, pickled, or raw. (Feeding the Whole Family, Cynthia Lair) Incorporating something like this into all your meals is easy and can help if you struggle with indigestion, bloating, gas, constipation, or diarrhea. Try it; your tummy will thank me!

My all time favorite brand of pickles is Bubbies. They are deliciously crisp, add the perfect zing to your sandwich, and stomp out that salt craving with one low calorie bite! If you can’t find Bubbies, look for other brands of fermented pickles in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

What Choosey Moms Really Should Choose

2010-04-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Peanut Butter. Need I say more? Creamy or crunchy, its smooth, nutty flavor is an absolute essential in most families. I eat gobs of it on whole grain toast, with apple slices, and on celery sticks with plump little raisins lined up and nestled in its ooey gooey goodness. It truly is a wonderful food. It is packed with protein, B vitamins, and many minerals. It is also high in vitamin E, a powerful antioxidant and monounsaturated fat, which can improve HDL levels (good cholesterol). On top of all that, it is simply delicious!

Unfortunately, like most healthy and delicious foods, American food manufacturers have found a way to adulterate this perfect nut spread into something that is not as wonderful as it could and should be.

This is what I am looking for in my peanut butter: dry roasted peanuts and sea salt. This is what I am NOT looking for on the list of ingredients: sugar, hydrogenated vegetables oils. Take a look at the peanut butter on the market shelf. See the jars with a little bit of oil floating on the top? Separation of the oil in peanut butter is NORMAL. But, American consumers don’t like to see that yucky oil on top so manufacturers went ahead and add some hydrogenated oil to the mix so the peanut butter wouldn’t separate. Yes, that’s right, hydrogenated oil = trans fat, even if it doesn’t list it in the nutrition facts. Let’s smarten up American consumers! Let's stand up and say: “we like the oil on top because that is the way real food looks and that’s what we want to eat!” Oh and the sugar thing, the American diet is already ridiculously high in added sugar, do we really need it in our peanut butter?

One peanut butter brand that I love is MaraNatha. I think it is great because of the ingredients, but it is also made just a state away from me, in Oregon, so it has a lower carbon footprint. They also make other wonderful nut butters and tahini. You do have to watch out and steer clear of the “no stir” kind. It has added sugar and palm oil. Another fantastic brand of nut butters is Kettle brand, also made in Oregon and also delicious.

Aside from sandwiches, peanut butter was on my grocery list today because tonight we are having soba noodles with veggies, fried tofu, and the most delicious coconut peanut sauce to ever find it’s way to your taste buds. I got the recipe from one of my instructors at Bastyr University, Cynthia Lair, and every time I make it my husband literally licks his plate clean. Kids also adore this sauce on noodles or for dipping. Here is the link to that wonderful recipe and Cynthia’s website! http://www.cookusinterruptus.com/index.php?video_id=49 Enjoy!

Grocery Store Nutrition

2010-04-09T19:14:00.000-07:00

Let’s face it. Grocery shopping when you are trying to eat healthy is nearly impossible. From the moment you step inside, there is an onslaught of temptations before you. Muffins, cakes, and doughnuts down one isle. Candy bars, potato chips and soda down another. Let’s say you get past all the junk and are making an attempt at healthy shopping. What health food products do you go for? Are they really health food products, or are they just marketed that way? Do you try and avoid convenience foods all together and stick with food you can picture growing in a garden?

I am currently a student working towards my master’s degree in nutrition at Bastyr University and I can without a doubt say that real food is the way to go! In the words of Michael Pollan, “If you can’t make it yourself then don’t eat it.” This way of thinking is idealistic, but is it always realistic day in and day out in our busy lives? Speaking up as a busy student I can certainly say it is not. When you are at school for the majority of the day and then you come home to a dirty apartment, a dog that needs a walk, about 8 hours of homework, and a blog that needs to be written you don’t always have time to cook from scratch! Let’s be serious people! We all have busy lives and if you are reading this, then I hope that you love food and care about your health as much as I do. I am a nutrition student after all; I plan on making a fruitful career out of my love for food. (More blog readers would certainly help… tell your friends and keep reading!) Not only do I love food, but I also love grocery shopping. Let me tell you, if I could take a trip to Whole Foods Market on an unlimited budget, I could fill 100 carts! Once summer hits, I would hit up the farmers markets every night if I could! I have always loved trips to the grocery store ever since I was a kid. When I was 2 years old my dad said he would roll me by the fish counter and from within the cart I would point at the salmon and proclaim, “I want the pink one Daddy!” I love picking out food, planning healthy meals, and of course preparing them.

My goal of this blog is to take you on a grocery store tour through the eyes of a budding nutritionist. I want to tell you all about some of the products I love. I want to teach you how I look at labels of packaged foods and tell you why I pick the ones that I do. Every post will highlight an item or two that I dig and will feature nutrition insights and meal ideas. Feel free to comment with foods that you buy and why you buy them, I love trying new things! Okay, off to make my grocery list!