Author: Kimberly Roberto

Wife, Mom, Daughter, Business Owner with a Passion for Cooking and Eating Healthy Food and Helping Others to do the Same!

Endless Chicken Salad

Endless Chicken Salad

  • 4 Chicken Breasts (poached, leftover, or canned organic)
  • ½ cup dairy-free mayo substitute (Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise is my favorite)
  • Mix and Match:

Curry Powder*                           Honey

Chopped Celery                       Pecans*

Chopped Pickles                      Walnuts

Sliced Almonds                                    Mustard

Chopped Apples*                     Raisins

Chopped Grapes                      Shredded Carrots

Lemon Juice*                            Sprouts*

* my favorite mixture

Mix any of the above ingredients with the chicken and mayonnaise.  Serve on a lettuce leaf with fruit, on a whole wheat wrap, or whole wheat bread.  Delicious!

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment

Eat more (often) and lose weight???

Did you know that you can boost your metabolism, thus increasing your ability to lose weight, by eating more often?  Instead of eating 3 (or less) meals a day, try to add two additional, smaller meals/snacks.  Eating 5 times a day versus 3 will allow your body to keep nourished, reduce feelings of hunger/cravings and more effectively process the food.  The key, however, is to eat smaller portions more frequently, not to just add to 2 more huge meals.  A good mid-morning snack is fruit, good mid-afternoon snacks are hummus with whole wheat pitas, brown rice, or a sweet potato, and good evening snacks are nuts or seeds.

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Shopping List

Now that we have talked about how to read a label, it’s time to go shopping. Over the years, I have been able to change food shopping from a “chore” to an enjoyable experience. I actually enjoy shopping and bringing home bags of groceries that I am going to turn into something spectacular for my family to eat. I don’t shop for food, I shop for nutrition! There is a big difference. Everything you eat is a CHOICE.

Below is a general shopping list. These are items that I like to keep on hand so that I can throw a meal together any time without a lot of effort. The fruits and vegetables vary based on availability, seasonality, price and how they look and feel. Don’t be bound by your recipes or meal plans- be flexible. For instance, if you plan to make a recipe that calls for broccoli but all of the broccoli at the store is scrawny or limp or yellowed- choose something else. Most of the items on the list are readily available at regular grocery stores. If not, you can find them at health food stores. For a full Local Food Resource Guide, just email me at kimroberto@comcast.net and I will send it to you. It will tell you what to buy and where- locally! So here’s the list:

PANTRY:

• Coconut Oil (the healtiest oil- more on this later) • Extra Virgin Olive Oil • Coconut Milk (in cans in the ethnic food aisle) • Braggs Liquid Aminos (like soy sauce) • Brown Rice (no instant) • Whole Wheat Couscous • Organic, Free Range Chicken Broth • Black Beans (dry & canned) • Organic Crushed Tomatoes • Almond Milk (unsweetened) • Agave Nectar (like honey but low glycemic index) • Local Honey • Spike Seasoning • Cajun Spice (Check ingredients) • Curry Powder • Organic Oats • Whole Grain Pasta • Dried Fruits • Sea Salt • Herbs/Spices • Stevia (natural sugar alternative)

REFRIGERATOR/FREEZER

• Apple Cider Vinegar • Raw Nuts • Organic, Free Range Eggs • Grapeseed Oil Vegenaise (mayo substitute) • Frozen Strawberries or other berries • Frozen Bananas (peel and freeze) • Flax Seeds • Ginger (keep in the freezer) • Fruit Sweetened Ketchup • Tamari Sauce (high quality soy sauce) • Pure Maple Syrup • Olives • Butter (preferably organic) • Organic Peanut Butter • Organic Almond Butter • Organic Milk • Yogurt (no sugar) • Coconut Flakes • Ezekiel Bread • Salsa (check ingredients)

FRUITS/VEGETABLES

Anything goes! BUT…you should buy the organic version of the following items because the carry the heaviest pesticide load

Peaches, Apples, Bell Peppers, Celery, Nectarines, Strawberries, Cherries, Lettuce, Grapes, Pears, Spinach 

MEATS/FISH • Organic, Free Range Chicken • Grass Fed Beef • Nitrite Free Turkey Bacon • Organic Deli Meats • Wild Caught, Cold Water Fish

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Science backs up common sense…yet again

As you have heard me say over and over- foods made by man can not possibly be as good as the food God put on this planet for our consumption.  Man-made products are our attempts to find a short cut, to circumvent the natural laws of this world, and to assert our control over every situation.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t work that way.  My husband and I have steered people away from artificial sweeteners for years.  The newest release, Splenda (sucralose) took the nation by storm and showed up in so many products it was crazy.  I see people buying this stuff by the carload at places like Costco and BJ’s.  They are buying products with it  in them, adding it to drinks, cooking with it, and it wouldn’t surprise me if they were actually snorting it.  This stuff is BAD NEWS.  But, in case my common sense approach doesn’t convince you, here is a new study touting the potential harmful effects of Splenda.

For the full article go to  ttp://articles.mercola.com//sites/articles/archive/2009/02/10/New-Study-of-Splenda-Reveals-Shocking-Information-About-Potential-Harmful-Effects.aspx

Here are the highlights:

  • Animal studies showed that Splenda reduced the amount of good bacteria in the gut by 50%,
  • increased the pH level in the intestines,
  • contributed to increases in body weight

Basically, your body has no idea what to do with this stuff.  One of the reasons it contributes to weight gain is because regular sugar actually triggers the brain to feel satiated and artificial sweeteners turn off this mechanism.   This results in eating more because it effects appetite regulation.

There is actually a website (www.truthaboutsplenda.com) that lists consumer complaints from Splenda consumption.  I highly recommend you read it and share it with your friends and family.  Here are some of the top complaints:

  • Gastrointestinal problems
  • Migraines
  • Seizures
  • Dizziness
  • Blurred Vision
  • Allergic Reactions
  • Blood Sugar Increases (listen up diabetics)
  • Weight Gain

Just know that we are the guinea pigs for this product and many others.  That is why I try to stick to natural, whole foods.

So what is a person to do?  The best thing is to eliminate the sugars alltogether but some alternatives would be:  honey, agave nectar, stevia (I like Stevita brand), xylitol

In the background right now, my kids are watching the Wizards of Waverly Place.  As I am writing this the them is singing, “everything is not what it seems”.  Quite appropriate for this topic I think.

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Label Reading 101

For this installment, I want to focus on label reading.  I am not a dietician but I am well read on the subject and I have extensive “on the job training”.  I initially got a lot of my insight from my husband but once food and nutrition became my passion, I relied on years of research and my good old common sense to help carve my path to feeding myself and my family.  Much of what I have learned is that nutrition is really based on basic principles.  It is not complicated, it is not confusing, it is not supported by scientific evidence or reasoning alone.  It comes from the basic truths that have been in existence since the beginning of time.  The subject of food is a perfect example. 

 

Rather than focusing on the RDA’s, DV’s, grams, serving sizes, points, etc.  let’s just keep it simple.  Start focusing on the ingredient portion of the label.  This is where you can really see the quality of the food (or lack thereof).  There are several reasons for this:  1) the recommended values do not take into consideration age, gender, specific needs, etc. 2) if you focus on the fat % or grams, carbs, sugars, etc you could miss the dangerous ingredients.  Low fat or low carb or low sugar  does not = healthy!!! 

 

Let’s look at this further using the low-fat craze as an example.  It started over 20 years ago and where has it gotten us?  Obesity, heart disease, cancer, diabetes are all higher than ever before!  Apparently, it is not fat that makes us fat.  More on this later but just know that there are good fats and bad fats…fats that heal and fats that kill.  In fact, good fats actually help you burn fat.  Knowing the difference is the key.  Something that is low fat can still be loaded with sugar and refined carbohydrates.  There is also a big difference when it comes to carbs.  Something can be low-carb but be loaded with bad fats and additives/preservatives.  No sugar or low-sugar usually means the presence of dangerous sugar substitutes (see the “don’t section). 

 

We had a patient at the office who was diabetic and many the foods his diabetes counselor told him to eat did not do anything to improve his diabetes- they actually made it worse.  Once he started reading labels differently and changing his diet an amazing thing happened.  His diabetes started improving.  Yes, it is possible to reverse disease!  There is always hope and I think that is where a lot of people get off track.  They can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel and tend to just accept wherever they are as the way it has to be.  This is not true but I digress… 

 

Anyway, here are some quick do’s and don’ts for label reading.


DO:

  • Look for minimal ingredients (the less the better)
  • Look for natural ingredients (stuff you can pronounce
  • Try to buy more foods without any labels at all (i.e. fruits and veggies)
  • Check every label on every single thing you buy
  • Put items back that are man-made (if it doesn’t come from the ground or grown in a tree)

 

DON’T:

  • Worry too much about fat grams, carb grams, and calories.  The types of these things, as indicated on the label, are much more important.  Your body can more efficiently and effectively digest and absorb naturally occurring foods!
  • Don’t buy items with the following ingredients on the label:  Monosodium Glutamate (also known as MSG, Hydrolyzed anything, Autolyzed anything), artificial sweeteners (sucralose/Splenda, aspartame/Nutrasweet, Equal, etc), hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated anything, refined flour, additives, colorings, preservatives, chemical names, etc.  You get the idea!

 

This really helps bring what you are eating to light and gets you focused on making better choices.  If I am every buying anything with a label, I reflexively look at the label.  Honestly, over 75% of the time I put it right back on the shelf. 

                                   

 Happy Label Reading!

Kimberly RobertoLeave a comment

Finally, a guest on TV who I agree with

I was flipping through the channels today trying to get to “What Not To Wear” (don’t ask…it’s my lunch time indulgence) and I came across a segment on Martha Stewart that caught my attention.  Apparently they are doing a body and spirit challenge and the teaser kept my attention.  I didn’t even catch the guys name but he had a table full of food that would represent a perfect diet for a day.

Remarkably, I agreed.  I was shocked that there was not one thing he had on that table that I wouldn’t agree was “perfect”.

Here’s what he had:

Breakfast:  whole wheat toast with almond butter and fresh raspberry puree with an egg omelet

Lunch:  Three A salad- arugula, avocado, and artichoke (I didn’t catch his dressing recommendation but oil and vinegar would be great)

Dinner: Wild Caught Salmon (yep, he made the distinction between wild caught and farm raised), kale, shitake mushrooms, and brown rice with tumeric and ginger. 

Yummy, yummy, and yummy.  And it is all healthy!  No sell outs to artificial sweeteners, no counting calories, no brand names.  Just plain old nutritious food.  One of Martha’s comments was something to the effect of “well, that’s easy.”  EXACTLY!!! You can eat healthy- quickly and easily.  That’s what I’m saying.  I think I will try this exact menu within the next week.  I love the Three A Salad idea.

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