Category: Health Soap Box

So eventually, I want to add lots of recipes here so that people can get cookin’.  Yep, it’s time to dust off the stove, pull out the instruction manual for the oven, and stock up your pantry.  However, it is a daunting task to try to decide which of my recipes would get top honor in going first.  Rather than trying to pick the BEST recipe or the EASIEST recipe, I will start with a breakfast recipe.  That way, for those of you just starting on a healthy eating campaign, a good breakfast recipe will give you a good start for the day.

One of my staples, and favorites is the smoothie.  Nope, not the one you get from a fast food restaurant or an ice cream shop…a homemade smoothie with real fruit, nutritious ingredients, and NO added sugar or sugar substitutes. 

Now that I think about it, I can’t just give you one smoothie recipe.  There are so many variations.  I’ll give you some ideas to get you started but then it’s up to you to get creative!

Blueberry Smoothie

2/3 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

1/2 cup plain yogurt (preferably made from raw milk) or coconut milk

1 banana

1 tbsp wheat germ (optional)

Mix in the blender – if you use fresh berries you may need to add a few ice cubes

Strawberry-Banana Smoothie

1 cup frozen organic strawberries (make sure strawberries are organic- convential are LOADED with pesticides!)

1 frozen banana (peel the banana freeze…slice it up with a knife when you add it to the blender)

1-2 cups fresh squeezed orange juice

Blend

Berry Smoothie

Handful of frozen mixed berries

Coconut milk or organic yogurt

Filtered water to make it blend.

Blend

Go Green Smoothie– yes!  try it…it’s GOOD.

1 banana (frozen preferably)

1 handful spinach

1 cup coconut milk

1/2 teaspoon dried mint flakes

Blend

Eggnog

2 whole raw organic eggs

1/2 can coconut milk

1 cup ice

a couple drops of vanilla extract

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg and cinnamon

Stevia to taste (or omit)

Blend

Just mix whatever fruits and whatever form of milk you want.  Adding greens is always an added bonus.   You can see I use coconut milk a lot!  If you don’t like coconut milk…try unsweetened almond, rice, or hemp milk.  As you will come to find out, I’m not a huge proponent of dairy.  Not only am I intolerant to it, it is very acidic to the body, is associated with many allergies and ailments (like congestion, hyperactivity, GI problems, diabetes, heart disease, etc.)  Even though it is touted as a healthy food high in calcium, the cons outweight the pros and there are much better sources of calcium  i.e. greens.  One last note on dairy and then I’ll shut up and let you do your own research…even if dairy was ever possibly healthy for humans, what we have done to the dairy has altered any health benefits.  Diary cows are usually the sickest cows, pumped full of hormones and antibiotics (because they are fed grain instead of the grass they were intended to eat, altering their body composition- making them sick!).  Check out this video to see what I am talking about.  http://www.themeatrix2.com/.  While you are there, check out the original meatrix video.  www.themeatrix.com exposing the meat we eat.

Sorry, I got off on a tangent…back to breakfast smoothies.  Smoothies are a quick, no excuse way to start your day.  Kids love them too!  You can even take them on-the-go (even though I don’t recommend it- it is better to sit, relax, and enjoy your meal)

Happy blending!

Americans are experts at eating out.  Not only do we eat out for food but for entertainment and fun.  This is a very hard habit for people to break.  We are all so busy and eating out is just too easy.  It is, however, very costly (money and health).  If you take all of the money you would save by not eating out, you would have enough to buy the organic produce, the grass-fed beef, the wild caught fish that costs a little bit more than conventional.  Besides the cost factor, you honestly do not know what goes into those yummy dishes.  Restaurants focus on taste because they want you to come back and to have an enjoyable experience.  I can guarantee they do not care if you are making healthy selections or not.  In fact, they thrive on our bad choices.  Obviously what tastes good may not be the best thing for us.  Restaurants will load up their food with hydrogenated oils, additives, rich/creamy sauces, salt, sugar, etc. 

 

We all know that fast food is not good for us.  It is pretty much a given.  Why we eat it in the quantities we do is beyond me.  But don’t fool yourself.  Many of the restaurants we eat at thinking they are healthier are merely dressed up fast food.  Instead of standing in line, you sit at a table.  Many of the places like Your Neighborhood Grill and the place you can get your Baby Backs are no better than the typical fast food. 

 

My hope is that you will drastically reduce the amount of times you eat out and that if you do go out, you will make better decisions.  It is important to remember that we vote with our forks.  If more and more people demand organic dishes the restaurants will respond.  If they see that their Fried Hormone/Antibiotic filled Chicken Tenders with Hydrogenated Oil soaked French Fries are not selling, they will take them off the menu.  This is a recurring dream for me.

 

Here are some hints to help you if you do go out to eat.

 

• Scan the menu.  If asparagus appears somewhere on the menu, you should be able to substitute it in with your meal.  You may have to pay an upcharge but who cares.  If they won’t do that for you, leave.
• Don’t feel like you have to finish everything.  Restaurants give you way too much food.  Most meals are 2-3 times bigger than a normal serving size.  Save ½ for lunch the next day or split with someone else.
• Skip the bread and butter before your meal.  In fact, ask them to not even bring it to the table.
• Start with a salad but be careful.  Restaurant salad dressings are a killer.  They are loaded with bad oils, sugars, salt, etc.  They can make a salad have more bad fat and bad calories than just ordering the hamburger and French fries.  Bring your own dressing (I know, it’s weird but who cares) or ask for olive oil and vinegar or olive oil and lemon slices.  Usually the restaurant can accommodate this.  Just tell them you are allergic- they’ll understand. 
• Avoid soups, especially cream based soups.  Soups are notorious for hiding harmful ingredients like MSG (monosodium glutamate), excess table salt, hydrogenated oils, etc.  Most soups come on large bags, premade at some corporate headquarters, shipped for hundreds of miles, and loaded with additives and preservatives to make it last.  Not exactly mom’s homemade soup.
• Ask for all sauces on the side.  Try not to even use them.  They are other hiding places for stuff you shouldn’t be eating.  If you do have to use them, just drizzle a few drops, don’t slather it on like the restaurants do.
• Avoid fried foods.  Ask for grilled or broiled
• Order bottled water or bring your own.  Most other water comes right from the tap. 
• For kids, order off of the adult menu and have them share.  Typically, there is nothing healthy on a kids menu.
• If you are ordering fish, make sure it is wild-caught and preferably not from the Atlantic (toxicity issues).  If they don’t know, don’t eat it.
• Ask if they use margarine or butter.  I went to a large chain restaurant and asked for butter and they brought me margarine- they think it’s the same thing.  Come to find out there was no butter in the entire restaurant.  Guess what your food is cooked with.  (Margarine is very bad, by the way)
• Look for organic restaurants.  You can do some searches online in your area.
• Substitute a second vegetable for potatoes, rice, etc.
• Always drink water (preferably bottled) this will save you lots of money.  Most restaurants charge $1-$3 for sodas, lemonades, and specialty drinks.  That really adds up over time.
• Talk to the manager/owner and let them know what you want
• Decide what you are going to eat before you get there.  Many restaurants have their menus online where you can print them off.
• Skip dessert
• Skip appetizers (salad can be your appetizer)
• Make your own salad concoction.  If you see any ingredients on the menu that would make a good salad, ask them to make you one.  (i.e. grilled onions/peppers, broccoli, artichokes, black beans, etc.)
• Squeeze lemon slices over your meal for extra flavor.
• Check the nutrition facts of your favorite dishes online.  This is sometimes provided by the restaurant or sometimes by some avid nutrition sleuths out there.  You can go to www.thedailyplate.com for specific entrees at specific restaurants.

 

Just remember that when you eat at home you get these benefits:

• You know what is going in the food
• You can take pride in a home cooked meal
• You can spend quality time preparing the meal and eating with your family without the distractions of a busy, noisy restaurant
• It will save you time and money
• It will save your health!

 

Go homemade!

 

Here are some simple tips to help you make things happen in the kitchen.  For those of you new to a kitchen, you may want to brush up on the inner workings of your cooktop and oven.  These tips will get you up and running for meal preparation.  For those of you comfortable in the kitchen, you should still be able to take away some pointers.

 

·        Be organized!  If you need to do a whole kitchen overhaul- do it. 

o       Organize your pantry (it should be empty now that you have cleared it out of all of the crappy food). 

o       Reorganize your refrigerator

o       Set up a flow for your kitchen.  For example, I have the glasses very near the dishwasher because they are harder to transport, colanders by the sink, pots/pans right next to the stove, etc.

o       Keep you favorite recipes organized and convenient. 

o       Get rid of what you don’t need.  Try the “box rule”.  Put all of your kitchen gadgets/utensils in a large plastic bin or cardboard box.  Pull items from the box as you need them.  At the end of 30 days, get rid of whatever is left in the box- you don’t need it!

 

·        Clean up as you go.  It is much easier to put away your spices, mixing bowls, etc while your meal is sautéing/simmering than it is to do at the end.  This is especially true if you do not have a lot of counter space in your kitchen. 

 

·        Learn how to multitask.  This comes with experience, but with practice you should be able to time dinner to the minute.  For example, when I am cooking chicken, I know precisely when to put on the brown rice and steam the broccoli so that they will all be done at the same time.  You have to sort of work backwards on your cooking times.

 

·        Keep it simple.  If you are just starting out in the kitchen don’t start with a gourmet 5 course meal.  A simple meal of sautéed chicken, brown rice, and steamed broccoli is easy, tasty, and nutritious.

 

·        Start a menu diary.  If you find a recipe that you and your family like, keep it.  Don’t be like me and lose it and forget about it.  Keep a binder, index card holder, computer file, etc. with the items you like so that you can go back to it often. 

 

·        Keep it fun.  Don’t consider cooking a chore, it can actually give you a chance to relax.  Put on some music, enjoy the beauty and aromas of what you are making, admire your concoctions, etc.

 

 

·        Don’t get distracted.  Let the children know you will be busy for the next 30 minutes, don’t answer the phone, put your to-do list in the back of your mind, etc.  This will make the process more enjoyable and productive.

 

·        Keep a stocked pantry.  Make a list if items that you know you need on hand.  When you use the last of this item (or close to it) put it on your shopping list.  You should keep a running shopping list handy.  For me, it is just a sticky note I keep in one spot and grab when going to the store. 

 

·        Chop vegetables at the beginning of the week.  You wash and chop the vegetables you will use for the week.  For example, cut up bell peppers, onions, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, lettuce, etc.  You can then use them in salads or in your recipes.  If you have the time on the front end, it will save you time on the back end.  Save things like tomatoes and strawberries until just before you need them, they don’t do well stored.

 

·        Skip the microwave.  I will let you do your own research on the microwave but my common sense philosophy is that I would rather be safe than sorry.  Here are some tricks to avoiding the microwave.  Put leftover pasta in a sealed Ziploc bag and immerse in boiling water for a couple of minutes, steam veggies in a steamer on the stovetop (this doesn’t take much longer than the microwave), reheat leftovers in a skillet over low-medium heat, etc.

 

·        Leave the kitchen gadgets you use frequently on the counter.  For example, leave your blender out for making smoothies in the morning and the food processor for blending vegetables for soups, etc.

 

·        Gather all of your ingredients before you start cooking.  You can use small bowl or ramekins to measure out ingredients.  To save dishwasher space, you can put ingredients on a cutting board and scrape them into the recipe when needed.  That way all of the bags, bottles, etc. are put away before you start cooking.  Plus, you are not scrambling to find things.

 

·        Shop more often.  As much as I love the big bulk stores, it is not the best place to shop for fresh ingredients.  For the produce and meat you are better off shopping more often to ensure that the ingredients are fresh and not full of preservatives. 

 

·        Have salad fixins’ (wow, I used that in a sentence…I am from Pennsylvania but have lived in Georgia for 13 years now and I can finally say I used the word fixins’!)  If you have chopped your veggies, you can quickly throw a salad together with some olive oil and vinegar or lemon juice. 

 

·        Have the right equipment.  Every kitchen needs some good cookware (preferably enameled cast iron), a steamer basket, a juicer, a blender, etc.  See some of my other articles for specifics.

 

Cooking is an art so it takes time to learn the nuiances of preparing a meal.  The proper equipment and a great plan (i.e. meal plan/recipes) is key to success in the kitchen. 

 

Happy Cooking!  

Shopping can be a challenge, especially if you are trying to dodge bullets and not step on land mines.  When I first started making massive changes to my diet, I would find myself spending lots of extra time reading labels.  However, as time went on, I became able to dart in and out of a store in record time with only healthy ingredients in hand. 

 

Here are a couple of tips for shopping.

 

·        Find a “mega” health food store where you can stock up on the things you can’t find closer to home. 

 

·        Keep your basics/staples stocked.  There is nothing worse than deciding what you are going to cook only to find out you are out of half of the ingredients. 

 

·        Buy fruit and vegetables for 2-3 days, don’t stock up.  To ensure you get the freshest produce and that you won’t waste money by watching it spoil on your counter or in your refrigerator, don’t buy more than you can eat in a couple of days.

 

·        Shop around the outside of the store because that is typically where the good stuff is.  When you get into the inner bowels of the store that is where you will find the less healthy, pre-packaged, processed crap.

 

·        Build your own resource guide.  Start keeping a list of what items (brand name specific) you like, where you can find them, and where they are cheapest.  This will save you time when making your meal choices for the week.

 

·        Get to know your store and department managers.  They are sometimes hard to find but if you have questions or need assistance, they are happy to help.  If there is an item you really love, ask if they can stock it.  Sometimes they are willing to custom order items for you.

 

·        If money is a concern, use the Pesticides in Produce Wallet Guide that you can print out from www.foodnews.org.  This will tell you what produce you really must buy organic and which ones may be ok to buy conventionally. 

 

·        Keep a shopping list somewhere handy so as you run out of items or think of something you need, you can write it down.  I just use a sticky note on the refrigerator and if I am going to the store, it just grab it and put a new one up.

 

·        Order products online.  www.amazon.com has a lot of great organic and natural products, especially for stocking your pantry.  I use www.uswellnessmeats.com for grass-fed beef and www.vitalchoice.com for fresh Alaskan salmon.

 

·        Utilize the internet to find local resources.  Some great websites are www.realmilk.org for sourcing raw milk, www.eatwild.com for sourcing grass fed beef

 

·        Read labels!  As mentioned above, this may take a little longer but you don’t want to get it home and find that it contains less than desirable ingredients.  You’re better off finding out at the store.

 

·        At the deli counter ask for them to print out the ingredient label for whatever you are ordering.  For the most part, deli meats are not healthy.  BUT if you are going to buy it, stay away from MSG, nitrates, nitrites, artificial preservatives, by-products, etc.  Many of the flavored/spiced lunchmeats contain lots of additives.  Stick with the plain variety if you are buying it.  Some organic brands are Applegate Farms and Wilshire Farms.

 

·        Write out your shopping list as the store is arranged so that you can move systematically through the store without having to back track.  I can see the aisles in my sleep now.  I am constantly directing lost sheep around the store. 

 

Happy Shopping!

When I hear people say, “I’m too busy.” I always cringe.  After all, it is a matter of priorities, isn’t it?  Stay with me here.  You go to work because you need to make money to live.  Even if there were 25 loads of dirty laundry to do, a sink full of dirty dishes, a PTA meeting, etc. you would still go to work.  If you found a lump in your breast, would you miss your scheduled doctors appointment?  No, probably not.  Why, because it becomes a priority.  Work is a priority.  Well, I propose to you that your diet and nutrition should be a priority too.  Why should the food that actually nourishes and fuels you body be put at the end of the priority list?  It’s not that you don’t have time, it’s that you don’t make time.

 

Everyone in this day and age is busy, lets face it, we are all stressed and pressed for time but are we willing to sacrifice our health for a convenient diet instead of a nourishing one?  Have you ever noticed that the most successful people you know are also the busiest?  These people are masters at prioritizing and organizing.  They are able to draw solid yellow lines (no passing zone) around the segments of their lives.  This allows them to accomplish their objectives and does not compromise their priorities.  I heard someone say once that if you want something done and done right, give it to a busy person.  We can all find time for the things that are important to us.  It is just a matter of defining what those things are.

 

So, back to nutrition.  If you decide to make it a priority, guess what, it will be!  If you know you will be at work until 7PM every night next week, plan accordingly.  Break out the crockpot and throw ingredients in before you leave, make 5 meals on Sunday, make some no-cook meals, etc.  You get the idea.  It can be done.  If you know you are going to have the kids on the road all day, pack a lunch, pack snacks, see if there is a Whole Foods on your route, etc.  If it is a priority, it will happen.  However, without a plan failure is guaranteed.  Then you can pull out that handy excuse of “I don’t have time.” 

 

Just like exercise, you don’t have to spend hours on end preparing and planning meals.  You can cook a full course dinner in under 30 minutes.  By the time you would decide where to go out to eat, get in the car, drive there, wait to be served, eat, wait for the bill, and drive home you could have cooked at home, relaxed, and had the kitchen clean.  Think about it this way, you have to go to the grocery store anyway.  You are now just going to buy different things.  Some of the items can even be purchased online.  You don’t even have to leave home or your desk.

 

Please realized that “too busy” is just an excuse.  Excuses are very destructive.  They have the ability to corrupt our minds, to talk us into believing things that aren’t true, to justify our bad behaviors, and to keep us stuck in the same ruts.  Isn’t it time to break down our excuses?  E need to ask ourselves, “what are we busy doing?”

 

Here are some examples.  Yes, some of them are radical, yes, some of them require work and commitment. 

 

Excuse                                                Catalyst for change

“I work such long hours”                       Maybe it’s time for a career change

“I have 3 kids”

 

Excuse	Catalyst for change
“I work such long hours”	Think about a career change, finding a job closer to home so you can eat lunch at home, teleworking.
“I have 3 kids”	Just remember, there are other families with more kids that are able to pull it off.  There is always someone busier than you.
“I don’t like vegetables”	Tough…eat them anyway because they are good for you
“I don’t know how to cook”	Get a book, watch a video, just try…what’s the worst that can happen?  (Just don’t burn up the kitchen)

 

Whatever you do, don’t’ let excuses prevent you from eating a healthy diet, your body deserves the fuel it desires.  After all, if you abuse it, you lose it.  Will all of the long hours, soccer practices, watching tv, patronizing restaurants, etc be worth it when you lose your health?  Time is not the enemy, it is how you manage your time that is the enemy.  By the way, buying an organizer/planner that you can plug tasks into is not the answer.  It is the bigger picture that you must start with.  Decide what your priorities are (nutrition better be one of them) and no one or nothing should be able to derail your commitment to that.  It should be right up there with quality family time, exercise, and spiritual connection.  You can do it!

 

Happy planning!                                  

What if for one day you ate a clean, healthy, abundant diet?  Would you go into shock, would you die without sugar for a day?  Would you be proud of yourself?  Would you feel vibrant and full of life?  Would you be shunned by society?  Are you willing to give it a shot?

 

Wait, don’t answer that until you hear exactly what you would be giving up.  You would have to completely eliminate (not just cut back on) sodas, any and all sugar or sugar derivatives, all artificial sweeteners, processed foods, additives, preservatives, processed oils, processed grains, no eating out, nothing that resembles the standard American diet.  Now what is your answer?  Would it be hard?  For some people, even the thought seems impossible. 

 

OK, if you are still in, here is what you get to add!  Organic fruit, organic vegetables, good oils like coconut and olive, organic grass fed beef, organic chicken, organic free range eggs, raw nuts/seeds, etc.  That doesn’t sound too bad, right?  This is where the going gets tough and people fold- they miss their chips, sodas, and little debbies.  It’s hard!  It’s unusual! It’s weird!

 

If you are willing to give this little experiment a try, browse around, get some meal ideas, try some, get cooking, and dust off your stove and kitchen table- you will be using it!

 

If you bailed earlier, why would you not do it?  Is it because it is too hard, you don’t have enough time, you don’t know how, etc?  Well, those are all excuses that are making you believe that is the reality.  But it is not true.  You can do it, it is not impossible.  After all, cancer doesn’t care about your excuses.  Neither do heart disease or diabetes.  No one is going to make changes for you, you have to want it for yourself.  It is like buying an insurance policy.  It is like putting money in the bank of health.  Refusing to do it is blatent disrespect to your body.  Don’t let your excuses hold you back from achieving your maximized life.

 

Change is Good!