Saving unused produce

I get a lot of vegetables from my CSA and there are times when I just don’t use them in time.  Instead of letting them spoil, here is a quick and easy way to save them for future use.  Nothing is worse than having to throw away organic vegetables.  (See below for instructions on fruit) 

Although fresh and raw or lightly steamed is best, this technique will help with freezing.  Blanching vegetables only takes a few minutes in boiling water.  Blanching helps kill the bacteria and stops the enzymes that cause the food to go bad.  By cooking them quickly and immediately freezing them, most of the nutrients are preserved. 

Just prep the vegetables by cutting or trimming them.  You want everything in “ready to cook” mode.  The best thing to do is to blanch the item, then spread them out on a baking dish for freezing.  When frozen, you can transfer them to a parchment lined bag or other container (don’t put food right next to the plastic).  Freezing on a tray first prevents the entire contents from sticking together thus allowing you to take out only what you need when you are ready to reheat them. 

Most vegetables take 2-3 minutes of blanching time only.  It is a quick and easy way to preserve your fresh veggies for future use.  They are great when you have to pull together a quick meal. 

To reheat, simply sautee them or steam them for a few minutes. 

For fruits, there is no need to blanch first.  You can freeze any kind of berry and stone fruits like peaches and plumbs – just remove the pit and cut in fourths or sixths.  Frozen berries are great for smoothies later on.

Get local produce

Produce Box
My Produce Box This Week

This picture shows my box of local, organic fruits and vegetables that I get delivered right to my house.  Check your local area for CSA options.  You may have to do a little digging, but they are out there!  You can go to www.localharvest.org to get started.

It is really fun to get my box every week because it is always different.  I love opening it up and thinking about what I am going to cook up with it all.  I can feel good about the food I am eating and that I am contributing to sustainable agriculture by buying from my local farms.

If you live in my area (West Cobb County/Marietta, GA), here are some other options for local produce:

www.naturesgardendelivered.com – (the one I currently use) delivered right to your door weekly, bi-weekly or monthly

www.grassfedcow.com – includes grass fed beef, vegetables, fruit, etc.  Pick up location in Acworth, GA

www.farmersmarketbaskets.com – pick up at their warehouse in Kennesaw, Brookstone, Echo Mill, etc.

Natures Corner Market – carries local produce and organic animal products in their store

The Avenues at West Cobb are hosting a “Green Market” every Wednesday from 3PM – 6PM – check it out

You can check out other local farmers markets during the summer:

Kennesaw Farmers Market -Phone: 770-815-8870. Open: May-September Tuesday, Every Tuesday from 7 am to 11 am. The Market is conveniently located on Main Street in Downtown Kennesaw, in the City parking lot adjacent to Trackside Grill. The Kennesaw Farmers Market features a variety of fresh produce grown by local farmers, as well as other locally produced items.

Marietta Square Farmers Market -First Baptist Church parking lot on the corner of Church Street and Hansell. Phone: 770-499-9393. Email: jlfulmer@verizon.net. Open every Saturday from 8am-12noon from May to October

Powder Springs Farmers Market– Thursday afternoons, 4:00 – 8:00 PM Located next to City Hall

Try one of them out!

Healthy Eating Out Option

Everyone loves to eat out.  Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find healthy options on the menu.  Whenever I eat out, it is reminiscent of the When Harry Met Sally scene where she is interrogating the waiter as she is ordering.  Although you don’t have to go quite that far, you are a paying customer and should be able to get what you want.  As soon as I sit down, I start scanning the menu for healthy items.  If certain things appear on the menu somewhere, you should be able to substitute them into your order.  For instance, I always try to add avocado to whatever I am ordering.  Also, if they have vegetables on the menu- you can ask if any of them are uncooked and add them raw to your order and drizzle with olive oil and lemon juice.  It is fairly easy to get raw broccoli, carrots, squash, zucchini, etc.

Here is an example of how you can make the best out of eating out.  I has a business lunch this week at Macaroni Grill.  As I scanned the menu, I noticed that they had an appetizer of roasted vegetables.  Then, in looking at the salads, I spotted a Warm Spinach Salad that came with prosciutto and a goat cheese medallion served with olive oil and lemon.  I simply substituted the roasted vegetables for the prosciutto and the salad was delicious!  Although the ingredients were not all organic, it was a great eating out option.  The staff was happy to accomodate me, especially since I was raving about how good it was.  (Chefs love it when the wait staff come back with compliments!)

Though sometimes it is not easy, don’t just take the menu at a restaurant at face value.  Be creative!

Weekend Menu

It has been so cold outside and with the kids unexpectedly out of school, I’ve taken the opportunity to do a lot of cooking this weekend.  I had a lot of work to do too so I had to squeeze it in between tasks.  Below is a list what I have whipped up.  The best part is that it only took me minutes to prepare them- I promise.  One of my requirements for a recipe, or a meal for that matter, is that they take no longer than 30 minutes.  After that, I lose interest and lets face it, who really has the time to spend hours in the kitchen?  Another requirement is that it tastes good.  All of the things below fit both of those criteria.

I have always had a love of food, well a love of eating really.  Looking back, I can’t believe how poor my diet was.  However, even though my diet is probably 90% better, I don’t feel like I have sacrificed my love for the taste of food.  I am able to eat absolutely delicious food every single day that won’t jeopardize my health.  Looking at the world around me, I wish that everyone would improve their diets.  If everyone improved even 10% the world would look very different!

If you need help taking those first steps, contact me.  I will be happy to help you!

  • Spicy Sicilian Chicken Soup
  • Homemade Chocolate Coconut Milk Ice Cream
  • Grass fed Beef Meatloaf
  • Citrus Asparagus
  • Risotto-esque Pesto Cauliflower

That has been some good eatin’ at the Roberto house.  I can honestly say that all of it is better than restaurat fare and mst likely 1/4 of the price.  I will be posting each of the recipes seperately over the next few days so check them out. 🙂

Alli Weight Loss Product Ad Campaign

When this product first came out, I was, of course, appalled but sort of forgot about it when it seemed to fade into the background.  However, it seems that Glaxo Smith-Kline has revitalized their marketing campaign as evidenced by the frequent television commercials so I felt the need to voice my frustration.  GSK is doing a great job of skimming over the fact that this product is a drug.  It is an over the counter version (lower dosage) of Xenical (orlistat) developed by Roche in 2004.  It is important to stress that every drug (over the counter or prescription) has side effects and how it affects one person can be different than how it affects another.  After all, everyone’s body chemistry is different. 

I get very concerned when I see desperate people dumping their money into products and programs that just don’t work and worse yet, cause harm to their bodies.   People are being bombarded with “quick fix” claims and led astray for increased profits to the companies peddling them.  According to Stephen McGuire from Medical Marketing & Media, “At the time of the Alli’s launch last year, GSK estimated it would eventually sell between five million and six million kits annually, translating to at least $1.5 billion in annual retail. A 60-capsule kit costs about $50 while a 90-capsule pack costs about $60.”   Do you know what you can do at the grocery store with $60?  A LOT!!!  And, it would work much better.   And what about $1.5 billion earmarked for school lunch programs?  That would be money well spent. 

Check out these known side effects of Alli: (from http://www.drugs.com/alli.html)

Alli side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop taking Alli and call your doctor at once if you have severe pain in your upper stomach spreading to your back, nausea and vomiting, and a fast heart rate. These could be signs of pancreatitis.

The following side effects occur commonly with the use of this medication. They are the natural effects of Alli’s fat-blocking action and are actually signs that the medication is working properly. These side effects are usually temporary and may lessen as you continue treatment:

  • oily spotting in your undergarments;
  • oily or fatty stools;
  • orange or brown colored oil in your stool;
  • gas with discharge, an oily discharge;
  • loose stools, or an urgent need to go to the bathroom, inability to control bowel movements;
  • an increased number of bowel movements;
  • stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, rectal pain; or
  • weakness, dark urine, clay-colored stools, itching, loss of appetite, or jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Other side effects that may occur while taking Alli include:

  • problems with your teeth or gums;
  • cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, cough;
  • fever, chills, sore throat, flu symptoms;
  • headache, back pain; or
  • mild skin rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Sounds appealing, huh?

How about simply applying the timeless principals of nutrition?    That is really the only way to achieve success.  Please remember:  Weight loss does not necessarily equal better health!  In fact, too many people lose weight the wrong way causing harm to their bodies.  The scale may be in their favor but their organs and systems can be screaming “help us!”  Unfortunately, the ramifications of this type of dieting often show up years later. 

If you are new nutrition and don’t even know where to begin, read through this blog or post a question/comment- I will do my best to get you on your way. 

Also, feel free to join our “Lighten Up” Weight Loss Challenge in January or our Maximized Living Makeover in February.

This week’s Advanced Plan Menu

OK…here was my menu plan for the week.  I don’t normally post this but I have had a lot of requests of comments that people just don’t know what to eat.  I am not kidding when I say that I am never hungry, I feel totally satisfied, and do not miss the carbs in the least bit.  Normally I will add in the occasional ancient grain (quinoa, ezekiel bread, etc) or some brown rice but I am completely unaffected without it.

Monday

Breakfast- Grapefruit

Lunch- Meatloaf with steamed asparagus

Dinner- Chicken breast with wilted spinach and a green salad

Snack- Almond Power Bar

Tuesday

Breakfast- Berry Smoothie

Lunch- Leftover Steak & Spinach

Dinner- Asian Lettuce Wraps and Chicken Teriyaki (cut up chicken marinated in Bragg’s Liquid Aminos and fresh ginger (microplaned) with thinly sliced cabbage, zucchini, sauteed w/ sesame oil, sesame seeds and liquid aminos and steamed broccoli

Wednesday

Breakfast- Grapefruit w/ blueberries

Lunch- Ted’s Montana Grill – Bison Burger w/ avocado (no bun) and grilled asparagus

Dinner- Salad

Thursday

Breakfast- Smoothie

Lunch- Salad, Hummus, Ginger Coconut Soup (At the Dekalb Farmers Market- awesome!)

Dinner- Red Snapper (fresh from the market) with lemon slices, lemon pepper, and butter, chopped bok choy with sesame oil, sesame seeds, and liquid aminos

Friday 

Breakfast- Spinach/Mushroom/Onion Omelet with sliced avocado + gomasio

Lunch- Chicken Soup

Dinner- Organic Rotisierre Chicken, Broccoli, Hummus

Saturday

Breakfast- Granny Smith Apple w/ Almond Butter

Lunch- Chicken Salad Lettuce Wrap, Ginger Coconut Soup

Dinner- Grilled Buffalo Chicken Breast on Salad w/ Oil&Vinegar

Sunday

Breakfast- Grainless Blueberry Muffins (see recipe in Maximized Living Nutrition Plans Book) w/ berry sauce. YUMMY!

Lunch- Sweet Tomatoes Restaurant- Salad w/ oil&vinegar, and tortilla soup

Dinner- Authentic Israeli Dinner (thanks to my great friend Tali)- Israeli Meat Kebobs (see recipe on my next post), Israeli Salad (see recipe on my next post), Hummus.  Absolutely delish!