Ah a weekend of food. Saturday we took my son back to college in Boston. He was happy to be back. He loves the city and all it has to offer. After unloading a less than packed full car and arranging a few clothes in the closet, we headed off to a pretty modern burrito joint down the street. The burritos were tasty. I had one that was filled with free range chicken covered in barbecue sauce and the usual rice, beans and lettuce. It was pretty darn good and very filling. I had to be rolled out of the restaurant. We left Ben at the front step of his apartment and made our way home. While Garson drove, I was flipping through the Connecticut Magazine's Best of Connecticut edition and salivating at pictures of bagels, Sono Bakery's sweet raspberry dessert and fried chicken in Bridgeport. The Dressing Room was featured for best vegetarian and pictured an unbelievable roasted vegetable sandwich...mmmm! I of course was looking for the healthiest places to eat in the state. Garson and I like to go for rides on his bike and frequently end up at unusual eateries on the way. And then I saw it, Best Smoothie at Alchemy Juice Bar Cafe in Hartford. Now it is not a secret to anyone that knows us that we are juice and smoothie enthusiasts. We horrified my son one Sunday when we decided that we were going to make our salad into a drink. We loved it. He thought it was unnatural and ate his the "normal" way.
So as we made our way back to Wilton we stopped in Hartford and paid a great visit to the Alchemy. The owner was great. I had a Pink Lady made with carrots, beets and orange juice - it was awesome. Garson had a Tantric Love 100% organic smoothie with berry tea, strawberries, banana, coconut, goji berries and cacao - his favorite. We also split a Nori roll that had a walnut pate, sprouts, lettuce and cucumber. It was great. We have since made our own version and we loved it! I urge you to go on their website. It is wonderful to experience someone's dream and witness their commitment to making this world a better place. We fell in love with the hip joint and would love to see something like it down here in the Wilton area. If you are ever in Hartford go and visit and get something to eat. Not only will you be doing something great for your own body but supporting the health of the planet.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Friday, August 27, 2010
What to Eat - Organics: Hype or Hope by Marion Nestle
So much controversy has surrounded organic foods. Let's face it, organic foods are big business. What makes corporations so interested in organic food is the pace by which the market for these food is growing. Since 1990, sales have increased at about 20% per year. Customers are willing to pay more for organic foods.
When a food is labeled Certified Organic it means that it had to be grown according to principles established by the Organic Foods Act of 1990 and by the USDA Organic Standards established 12 years later. Those foods that carry the seal have been inspected by a state or private agency and approved by the USDA to make sure they meet the standard.
Whole Foods which calls itself "America's first national Certified Organic grocer" carries both conventional and organic and makes it very easy to tell which is which. Whole Food also displays the country of original and they started doing that long before they had to. Based on the lines that Marion always encountered at the Time Warner Whole Foods in New York, consumers are happy to pay premium prices for organic foods.
"The organic seal tells you the the grower has followed a long list of rules: they did not use any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers: they did not plant genetically modified seeds, use fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, or treat the seeds or foods with irradiation; they kept records of everything they did and showed the paperwork and everything on their farms to inspectors from a USDA accredited state or private certification agency anytime there were asked to, announced or unannounced." The document of standards takes up hundreds of pages. But because the USDA principal mandate from Congress is to promote conventional growers they are clearly in the position of being in a conflict of interest. "The USDA makes no claims that organically produced foods is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. Organic food only differ in the way it was grown, handled and processed." This statement sounds like that doesn't make any difference. Marion believes it does.
Opponents of organics want you to doubt the credibility of the certification. Don't! In one long time inspectors experience, very few violations have occurred. "Organic producers care about what they are doing and go to substantial trouble and expense to grow foods without pesticide, to keep records, and to pay for inspections and certifications."
So the question still exists, are organic foods better? For the environment, definitely. Overall organic farms are nearly as efficient in their production of food, leave the soil healthier, and use energy more efficiently than conventional farms. Now about those pesticides, "if crops are grown without pesticides, it seems self-evident that fewer pesticides will get into the soil and water, foods will contain less of them, and people who eat organic foods will have lower levels of pesticides in their bodies." The government would have us believe that pesticides are safe. Not true. If it kills the pests, it will harm us. Think of the bug repellent you put on your skin.(which is really bad for you but....) Would you eat that? Why not? It is made with chemicals! It is a pesticide!
Next Friday we will continue with the discussion on organics.
Have a great weekend and Eat Well, Lose Weight and Be Healthy!
When a food is labeled Certified Organic it means that it had to be grown according to principles established by the Organic Foods Act of 1990 and by the USDA Organic Standards established 12 years later. Those foods that carry the seal have been inspected by a state or private agency and approved by the USDA to make sure they meet the standard.
Whole Foods which calls itself "America's first national Certified Organic grocer" carries both conventional and organic and makes it very easy to tell which is which. Whole Food also displays the country of original and they started doing that long before they had to. Based on the lines that Marion always encountered at the Time Warner Whole Foods in New York, consumers are happy to pay premium prices for organic foods.
"The organic seal tells you the the grower has followed a long list of rules: they did not use any synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers: they did not plant genetically modified seeds, use fertilizer derived from sewage sludge, or treat the seeds or foods with irradiation; they kept records of everything they did and showed the paperwork and everything on their farms to inspectors from a USDA accredited state or private certification agency anytime there were asked to, announced or unannounced." The document of standards takes up hundreds of pages. But because the USDA principal mandate from Congress is to promote conventional growers they are clearly in the position of being in a conflict of interest. "The USDA makes no claims that organically produced foods is safer or more nutritious than conventionally produced food. Organic food only differ in the way it was grown, handled and processed." This statement sounds like that doesn't make any difference. Marion believes it does.
Opponents of organics want you to doubt the credibility of the certification. Don't! In one long time inspectors experience, very few violations have occurred. "Organic producers care about what they are doing and go to substantial trouble and expense to grow foods without pesticide, to keep records, and to pay for inspections and certifications."
So the question still exists, are organic foods better? For the environment, definitely. Overall organic farms are nearly as efficient in their production of food, leave the soil healthier, and use energy more efficiently than conventional farms. Now about those pesticides, "if crops are grown without pesticides, it seems self-evident that fewer pesticides will get into the soil and water, foods will contain less of them, and people who eat organic foods will have lower levels of pesticides in their bodies." The government would have us believe that pesticides are safe. Not true. If it kills the pests, it will harm us. Think of the bug repellent you put on your skin.(which is really bad for you but....) Would you eat that? Why not? It is made with chemicals! It is a pesticide!
Next Friday we will continue with the discussion on organics.
Have a great weekend and Eat Well, Lose Weight and Be Healthy!
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
FALL FOOD - POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
Yep, I know it is still August. I don't care. I love the fall. I love the food at that time of year. We are like our little chipmunk friends. We are getting ready for the long cold winter. The food changes from fresh fruit and vegetables to soups and stews. I love the hearty savory flavors. A warm stomach, I long for it. Well here is a great recipe to warm you up.
POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes, drained
1 T extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup instant polenta
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 bunches Swiss Chard (about 2 pounds)
4 T unsalted butter
1 7.5-ounce package goat cheese, crumbled
1. Position rack on at the top third an preheat 450. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, and 1/4 t of salt in a large ovenproof skillet. Roast in the oven until the tomatoes are charred around the edges, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 but keep the tomatoes inside.
2. Meanwhile, bring the 5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta until smooth and creamy. Add 1 t salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the chard leaves into wide strips and the stems into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stems until almost tender, about 5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook until both are tender, about 3 more minutes. Drain the chard.
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium-high heat. Push the tomatoes to one side, add the butter and swirl until butter is brown. Add the chard and toss to coat. Divide the polenta among 4 bowls. Top with the tomatoes and chard. Season the cheese with salt and sprinkle over the top.
Enjoy.
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POLENTA WITH ROASTED TOMATOES
1 28-ounce can San Marzano plum tomatoes, drained
1 T extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
1 cup instant polenta
Fresh Ground Pepper
2 bunches Swiss Chard (about 2 pounds)
4 T unsalted butter
1 7.5-ounce package goat cheese, crumbled
1. Position rack on at the top third an preheat 450. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, and 1/4 t of salt in a large ovenproof skillet. Roast in the oven until the tomatoes are charred around the edges, about 25 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 300 but keep the tomatoes inside.
2. Meanwhile, bring the 5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the polenta until smooth and creamy. Add 1 t salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat, cover and keep warm.
3. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Slice the chard leaves into wide strips and the stems into 1-inch pieces. Boil the stems until almost tender, about 5 minutes, then add the leaves and cook until both are tender, about 3 more minutes. Drain the chard.
4. Remove the skillet from the oven and place over medium-high heat. Push the tomatoes to one side, add the butter and swirl until butter is brown. Add the chard and toss to coat. Divide the polenta among 4 bowls. Top with the tomatoes and chard. Season the cheese with salt and sprinkle over the top.
Enjoy.
Sign up today for the free 50-minute health history consultation!
Monday, August 23, 2010
I Love The Rain!
Yeah it is a little bit stupid but I love the rain. Sunday was perfect for staying in bed late, which I never do, reading, creating my next newsletter and cooking. Okay it is always a perfect time to cook.
Garson and I went to the Georgetown Farmers Market and got lots of beautiful fruits and veggies. Then it was off to Mrs. Greens in Fairfield. What a great market. I wanted to scope the place out before I do a couple of demos. I will be there on Tuesday September 28 from 10am-2pm. I will be handing out free samples of a couple of my favorite salad and giving out information on greens. Then I will be back again on Thursday October 7, same time to talk about calcium. We walked around and checked out the store. Really nice. We loved the prepared food section - we bought a piece of yummy spinach pie, Thai noodles(a little boring) and had a apple, ginger. wheat grass drink. I can't wait to make that one for us again. We then finished our grocery shopping at Whole Foods and came home. Garson worked on putting a new tire on his bike and putting new glass in one of his side view mirrors. He had a rather rough week on the bike. Some over aggressive jerk tried to run him off the road on Rt 84 on Thursday. The police finally came and ticketed the guy. That was scary.
Well I put together some great food this afternoon. A raw frozen lime bars, hummus(my son loves that), an eggplant dip that a friend at worked shared with me, some raw oatmeal cereal to eat next week and our usual green drink. I just realized that I have never shared that on my blog. I first saw it in the Vegetarian Times magazine. Dr Joel Furhman came up with this concoction. It is sooo good for you. Some times we add more fruit when we need sweet and sometimes more greens when we are feeling like we need to be healtier.
Try it.
Dr. Fuhrman’s Green Longevity Drink
Makes 4 cups
1 large head romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 sprigs parsley
1 cup broccoli florets
2 leaves mustard greens or turnip greens
3 collard leaves
1/2 cup watercress
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/2 avocado
1 banana, peeled
3 large strawberries
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 papaya or mango
1 1/2 tsp. flax seeds
1 1/2 tsp. sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
1. Place 1/2 cup water into blender, adding ingredients, one by one, and blending until liquefied.
2. Pour 1 cup of Dr. Fuhrman’s Green Longevity Drink into glass, adding water and stirring until desired consistency is reached. Store remainder in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Garson and I went to the Georgetown Farmers Market and got lots of beautiful fruits and veggies. Then it was off to Mrs. Greens in Fairfield. What a great market. I wanted to scope the place out before I do a couple of demos. I will be there on Tuesday September 28 from 10am-2pm. I will be handing out free samples of a couple of my favorite salad and giving out information on greens. Then I will be back again on Thursday October 7, same time to talk about calcium. We walked around and checked out the store. Really nice. We loved the prepared food section - we bought a piece of yummy spinach pie, Thai noodles(a little boring) and had a apple, ginger. wheat grass drink. I can't wait to make that one for us again. We then finished our grocery shopping at Whole Foods and came home. Garson worked on putting a new tire on his bike and putting new glass in one of his side view mirrors. He had a rather rough week on the bike. Some over aggressive jerk tried to run him off the road on Rt 84 on Thursday. The police finally came and ticketed the guy. That was scary.
Well I put together some great food this afternoon. A raw frozen lime bars, hummus(my son loves that), an eggplant dip that a friend at worked shared with me, some raw oatmeal cereal to eat next week and our usual green drink. I just realized that I have never shared that on my blog. I first saw it in the Vegetarian Times magazine. Dr Joel Furhman came up with this concoction. It is sooo good for you. Some times we add more fruit when we need sweet and sometimes more greens when we are feeling like we need to be healtier.
Try it.
Dr. Fuhrman’s Green Longevity Drink
Makes 4 cups
1 large head romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cups spinach
2 sprigs parsley
1 cup broccoli florets
2 leaves mustard greens or turnip greens
3 collard leaves
1/2 cup watercress
1/8 tsp. oregano
1/2 avocado
1 banana, peeled
3 large strawberries
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries
1/2 papaya or mango
1 1/2 tsp. flax seeds
1 1/2 tsp. sunflower seeds
1 1/2 tsp. sesame seeds
1. Place 1/2 cup water into blender, adding ingredients, one by one, and blending until liquefied.
2. Pour 1 cup of Dr. Fuhrman’s Green Longevity Drink into glass, adding water and stirring until desired consistency is reached. Store remainder in an airtight container and refrigerate.
Friday, August 20, 2010
What to Eat - Fruits and Vegetables: The Price of Fresh by Marion Nestle
So many choices: conventional, organic, local, name brand, store brand. The real question remains: are the differences in freshness, taste, nutritional quality or production methods worth the differences in prices?
Fresh, but how fresh?
In the old days markets carried local, seasonal produce. The spoilage problem limited the variety of available fruits and vegetables to those that were picked today and were able to make it to the market in a very short time. Refrigeration changed everything. It meant that markets were no longer constrained by growing location or season. Just about everything gets trucked from the grower to the retailer. All of this can take a week to 10 days. This is not anyone's idea of fresh. Even fresh produce has been picked too early, chilled, warmed, treated with gasses to ripen. In supermarket terms, "fresh" means food that spoils faster than others. Unless you grow your own food or buy from a local stand, you have no idea what fresh really tastes like.
In other countries produce has to be labeled as to its origin. This is not true in the United States. You are guessing blind as to where your produce is coming from and how fresh it really is. A few supermarkets have been labeling location of origin for quite some time - Whole Foods is one of those retailers.
On the note of taste, the smaller more intensely flavored vegetables and fruit don't travel so well. Growers look for their produce to be bigger, shaped correctly, to be firm, have a nice color and resistance to pests. Flavor is one very small factor in the equation.
Mark up on produce is high based on the special handling and maintenance that goes into keeping that produce section looking good. If all you care about is price then your decision is relatively easy. You may factor in convenience. Bagged salad costs 4x more than a head of romaine. It is easy and many of us will choose that over the cheaper lettuce.
You need to decide what is important to you. If you want good looking, low price produce that may be rather old and diminished in nutritional value then that is easy to find. Locally grown produce is more nutrient packed and tastes better.
Next week's subject is that of the extremely controversial organic vs conventional.
Hope your enjoying the results of Marion's supermarket research.
Have a great weekend, and go out and shop at your local farmer's market.
EAT WELL, LOSE WEIGHT, BE HEALTHY
Fresh, but how fresh?
In the old days markets carried local, seasonal produce. The spoilage problem limited the variety of available fruits and vegetables to those that were picked today and were able to make it to the market in a very short time. Refrigeration changed everything. It meant that markets were no longer constrained by growing location or season. Just about everything gets trucked from the grower to the retailer. All of this can take a week to 10 days. This is not anyone's idea of fresh. Even fresh produce has been picked too early, chilled, warmed, treated with gasses to ripen. In supermarket terms, "fresh" means food that spoils faster than others. Unless you grow your own food or buy from a local stand, you have no idea what fresh really tastes like.
In other countries produce has to be labeled as to its origin. This is not true in the United States. You are guessing blind as to where your produce is coming from and how fresh it really is. A few supermarkets have been labeling location of origin for quite some time - Whole Foods is one of those retailers.
On the note of taste, the smaller more intensely flavored vegetables and fruit don't travel so well. Growers look for their produce to be bigger, shaped correctly, to be firm, have a nice color and resistance to pests. Flavor is one very small factor in the equation.
Mark up on produce is high based on the special handling and maintenance that goes into keeping that produce section looking good. If all you care about is price then your decision is relatively easy. You may factor in convenience. Bagged salad costs 4x more than a head of romaine. It is easy and many of us will choose that over the cheaper lettuce.
You need to decide what is important to you. If you want good looking, low price produce that may be rather old and diminished in nutritional value then that is easy to find. Locally grown produce is more nutrient packed and tastes better.
Next week's subject is that of the extremely controversial organic vs conventional.
Hope your enjoying the results of Marion's supermarket research.
Have a great weekend, and go out and shop at your local farmer's market.
EAT WELL, LOSE WEIGHT, BE HEALTHY
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Honey-Macadamia Halibut
Integrative Nutrition by Joshua Rosenthal has a lot of really good and simple recipes.
I have included one that we love and you don't need to make this with Halibut. You can use any white fish. We like to use Tilapia.
1 lb white fish
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
3 T honey
1 T coconut oil
Shop nuts and spread on a cookie sheet, and toast in the oven on 350 for 5-7 minutes or until they are golden brown. Check every minute or two to make sure that they do not burn.
Heat oil in the skillet.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of each of the fish fillets. Cook the first side over medium heat for 4 minutes.
Flip each fillet and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Spread a layer of honey on each fillet and cover with nuts.
Flip fillet over after 2 minutes and cover the other side with honey and nuts.
Flip again and serve.
Adjust cooking time based on the thickness on the fish.
I have included one that we love and you don't need to make this with Halibut. You can use any white fish. We like to use Tilapia.
1 lb white fish
1/4 cup macadamia nuts
3 T honey
1 T coconut oil
Shop nuts and spread on a cookie sheet, and toast in the oven on 350 for 5-7 minutes or until they are golden brown. Check every minute or two to make sure that they do not burn.
Heat oil in the skillet.
Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of each of the fish fillets. Cook the first side over medium heat for 4 minutes.
Flip each fillet and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
Spread a layer of honey on each fillet and cover with nuts.
Flip fillet over after 2 minutes and cover the other side with honey and nuts.
Flip again and serve.
Adjust cooking time based on the thickness on the fish.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Testing raw food snacks for our up coming apprearances in Faifield and Greenwich.
What a great weekend. The weather was just gorgeous. We went to visit the new Whole Foods in Darien. It is beautiful. After that it was off to the New Canaan farmer's market. It was packed. Tons of vendors as well as people looking to buy beautiful local and in some instances organic produce. If you have not been you need to go. Saturday from 10-2 at the Center School. Garson and I are in awe of the baked goods, we don't eat...,breads, pies, cakes.....and of course we will try any sample put in front of us. I always wondered if you could eat your way across America for free....samples only...Hmmmm that may be another blog.
So this afternoon I have been working on samples for the my up coming appearances at Mrs. Green's in Fairfield the last Tuesday in September and the first Thursday in October and the 12th Annual Hawk Watch Festival and Green Bizarre on October 9 & 10. We will be handing out samples of raw organic snacks, some salad samplings and giveaways. Trying out recipes for Pecan Pie cookies, Lemon Pudding Coconut Cupcakes, Mayan Crunch and Truffle Balls, and Sesame Snap Cookies. Garson loves when I play with recipes and make him sample the finish product. Wow we haven't had this many goodies in the house in about 8 months. I'll let you know how it goes but here is the recipe for Lemon Pudding Filled Coconut Cupcakes - remember they are raw - no baking. Extra important in these hot summer months. ENJOY!
Lemon Pudding:
1/3 cups cashews
1 1/2 bananas
1/4c lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
2 T agave syrup
Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups dry pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
3/4 c medjool dates
3 T vanilla
Topping
1/2 c shaved or shredded coconut
To make the pudding, place the cashews in food processor and grind into a powder. Add the bananas, lemon juice, and agave syrup and process until smooth. Place in the frig to chill.
To make the cupcakes, combine the pecans, coconut and the salt in the food processor and process into evenly sized small pieces, taking care not to over process into butter. Scoop the mixture into another bowl. Combine the dates and the vanilla in the food processor and process into small pieces. Return the pecan mixture to the food processor and pulse to mix. Cake should be crumbly but sticky.
Place cupcake liners in a tin. measure 1/2 c of pecan mixture in each. Loosely pack down and make a small indentation in the middle to hold the pudding. Add 3 T of pudding in each and top with coconut. Place the pan in the frig to chill for several hours to firm up the cakes.
So this afternoon I have been working on samples for the my up coming appearances at Mrs. Green's in Fairfield the last Tuesday in September and the first Thursday in October and the 12th Annual Hawk Watch Festival and Green Bizarre on October 9 & 10. We will be handing out samples of raw organic snacks, some salad samplings and giveaways. Trying out recipes for Pecan Pie cookies, Lemon Pudding Coconut Cupcakes, Mayan Crunch and Truffle Balls, and Sesame Snap Cookies. Garson loves when I play with recipes and make him sample the finish product. Wow we haven't had this many goodies in the house in about 8 months. I'll let you know how it goes but here is the recipe for Lemon Pudding Filled Coconut Cupcakes - remember they are raw - no baking. Extra important in these hot summer months. ENJOY!
Lemon Pudding:
1/3 cups cashews
1 1/2 bananas
1/4c lemon juice (from 1 to 2 lemons)
2 T agave syrup
Cupcakes
2 1/2 cups dry pecans
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/8 teaspoon of sea salt
3/4 c medjool dates
3 T vanilla
Topping
1/2 c shaved or shredded coconut
To make the pudding, place the cashews in food processor and grind into a powder. Add the bananas, lemon juice, and agave syrup and process until smooth. Place in the frig to chill.
To make the cupcakes, combine the pecans, coconut and the salt in the food processor and process into evenly sized small pieces, taking care not to over process into butter. Scoop the mixture into another bowl. Combine the dates and the vanilla in the food processor and process into small pieces. Return the pecan mixture to the food processor and pulse to mix. Cake should be crumbly but sticky.
Place cupcake liners in a tin. measure 1/2 c of pecan mixture in each. Loosely pack down and make a small indentation in the middle to hold the pudding. Add 3 T of pudding in each and top with coconut. Place the pan in the frig to chill for several hours to firm up the cakes.
Friday, August 13, 2010
What to Eat - Supermarkets Marion Nestle
There are over 320,000 edible products that are available for sale in the United States. The average large grocery store carries 40,000. Unbelievable amounts of research have gone into figuring out how to make you, the consumer, buy more products. There is a reason that the milk is placed in the back corner of the store. Supermarkets are there to offer choices. They are not there as a social service agency but to sell food. To them, it is your problem what foods you choice and how it affects your health. They know how to get you to buy the product with the highest mark-up. The more you see, the more you buy. The highest selling food departments in the store get the greatest traffic. Perishables like meat, produce and dairy are on the periphery. They utilize the aisles nearest the entrance for impulse items that look or smell attractive. They place high profit items in the center of the aisle and at a height of 60 inches. This makes it at eye level for most adults. They place store brands to the right of name brands because most people read left to right. Aisles do not have breaks in them so that “escaping” an area is impossible.
Supermarkets are all about real estate. Products compete for space. It is more than just highest profit foods get the most space. Manufacturers pay a “slotting fee”; where they pay an incentive to occupy the most coveted shelves. This helps the store create demand. The items that occupy this space tend to be the junk foods. These foods are filled with cheap, stable shelf ingredients like hydrogenated oils and corn sweeteners.
Packaging also plays a huge role in what we buy and eat. Lower prices encourage us to buy larger packages. The more food we buy the more we eat. Grocery stores feel that if you eat too much, that is your problem. For example: per ounce, an 8 oz cans of Pepsi can cost more than double a 2 liter bottle. Cost conscience consumers are going to choose the bigger bottle and the more food you have around the house the more you will consume. It is hard to pay more for the same product thus we buy more and eat more.
One way to fight the impulse buying that the stores so passionately depend upon is by bringing a grocery list with you when shopping. Research says that 70% of shoppers have a list but only 10% stick to them. Even with a list most shoppers add two items for every one that is on the list.
The more aware of the stores strategy you are the more apt you are to recognize and be able to counteract their measures to control what you buy.
In next Friday's blog, I will talk about Marion’s research into the produce aisle.
Have a great weekend
Eat Well, Lose Weight, Be Healthy
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Cauliflower, Olive, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
I love any kind of salads where the dressing soaks into the vegetables. The green olives make this simple salad delicious. Pair this with grained, rustic bread and some cheese and it is a great lunch.
Cauliflower, Olive, and Sun-Dried Tomato Salad
1 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
1/3 C pitted green olives
¼ C fresh parsley leaves
2 T cider vinegar
1T olive oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled
6 C cauliflower florets
¼ C finely chopped red onion
½ t salt
¼ t pepper
Combine boiling water and sun-dried tomatoes in a bowl; let stand for 30 minutes or until soft. Drain and chop. Combine tomatoes and olives, and next 4 ingredients (olives through garlic) in a food processor; process until finely chopped, scraping sides of the bowl.
Cook cauliflower in boiling water for 2 minutes (you can also roast the cauliflower in a 425 degree oven for 20 minutes – or until it gets golden brown. Don’t forget to sprinkle with olive oil and rosemary before you place it in the oven.) Drain and rise under cold water. Combine tomato mixture, cauliflower, onion, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Toss well. The longer this sits the better.
Cooking Light 2009
Cauliflower, a member of the cruciferous family but lacks the green chlorophyll found in other vegetables of this class (broccoli, cabbage, and kale), because the florets are shielded from the sun by the plant's leaves during growth. Cauliflower is not pale in terms of nutrition either. Its nutrients help strengthen the immune system and protect against the development of cancer. It's an excellent source of folate and vitamin C. Just three raw florets provide 67 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin C. That's more than some citrus fruits. Cauliflower may help decrease cholesterol, particularly LDL, or bad cholesterol in two ways. First, it is an excellent source of dietary fiber, providing about 3.5 grams, or greater than 13 percent of the DV, in 1 cup, cooked. Second the folate helps to lower the amount of circulating homocysteine, an amino acid linked to cardiovascular disease, in the bloodstream. So enjoy this beautiful vegetable, not only does it taste great but it is so good for you.
Eat Well, Lose Weight, Be Healthy
Sign up for our bi weekly newsletter at www.ChewYourRope.comSunday, August 8, 2010
Do The Things You Love!
Garson and I went up to Burlington this weekend to visit my son. It was his 22 birthday on Wednesday. We take the trek up there the first week of August every year. We took the bike on the 295 mile ride. The weather was beautiful. We went the standard highway route on the way up and Rt 7 on the way down. Now I am a little hyper as anyone that knows me, knows. I have to tell you, we spent about 14 hours on the bike in a 36 hour span. It was awesome. I love being on the bike. You can smell everything: the cows in the field, the vegetables, barbecues, flowers and the warming earth. It was wonderful to see my son. He looks great and is doing well. We had a couple of good meals with him and a relaxing walk along the lake.
If you haven't been to Burlington, you need to go for a visit. Lake Champlain surrounded by the Adirondack mountains is breath taking. The people that live there love it.
Okay so you want to know what does this have to do with food and nutrition? Well, part of being healthy is being happy. You should spend your free time doing the things that make you happy. I was very happy this weekend. I feel rested and well. I am ready for the upcoming week. I do have a recipe to share with you.
We have good friends that lived in Burlington. They are passionate bikers and food enthusiasts. Sarah has shared this recipe with me. It's simple and delicious. It is the perfect recipe for the summer when tomatoes and eggplant are in abundance. So thanks Sarah and enjoy everyone - let me know what you think.
EGGPLANT CRUST LESS PIE Sarah 2010
EGGPLANT- med. to lg. VERY FRESH / Cut into 1/2" slices / sprinkle with KOSHER SALT and let sit and "weep" for at least 1/2 hr. or more / press dry with paper towel (also removes some of the excess salt) / Can rub with a clove of GARLIC (optional)
( if in a hurry and you know your eggplant is fresh or want to restrict salt use you could eliminate the salt weeping phase... Just make sure you cook your eggplant enough in oven.... nothing worse than undercooked eggplant!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees / In a large skillet or oven proof pan coat bottom with OLIVE OIL, arrange eggplant slices around the bottom ( overlap 1/2 way or less)
Drizzle with olive oil, grind some PEPPER / Cover the pan with a top or foil / Place in oven, until the eggplant is done (15 min. or more... depending on freshness, thickness of slices, and "weeping" time) / Remove from oven & set aside to cool a bit.
TOMATOES - 1-2 Meaty,large, fresh, ripe/ Slice thin / Carefully tuck tomato slices under every other alternating eggplant slices (letting part of the tomato show)
BASIL - 10 or so LEAVES (I USED THAI... what I had growing) / Tuck leaves under tomato slices with points just showing so get flavor but doesn't discolor in oven
RED PEPPER (optional) 1/2 small/ Slice very thin and saute in olive oil with salt / Place on top of eggplant in center for color
PARMESAN REGGIANO - good quality / Shave thin pieces with potato peeler all around on top
PINE NUTS (optional- I hear they are very scarce this year)- sprinkle a small handful on top
OLIVE OIL - Drizzle a bit more on top
TO SERVE HOT / Can be made ahead to this point, when ready to serve put back in 350 degree oven, covered, until cheese melts. OR
SERVE ROOM TEMP. / Place pie in oven until cheese melts / Let cool to room temp. and take with you on a picnic or buffet table item
Decorate top with a bit of fresh basil
If you haven't been to Burlington, you need to go for a visit. Lake Champlain surrounded by the Adirondack mountains is breath taking. The people that live there love it.
Okay so you want to know what does this have to do with food and nutrition? Well, part of being healthy is being happy. You should spend your free time doing the things that make you happy. I was very happy this weekend. I feel rested and well. I am ready for the upcoming week. I do have a recipe to share with you.
We have good friends that lived in Burlington. They are passionate bikers and food enthusiasts. Sarah has shared this recipe with me. It's simple and delicious. It is the perfect recipe for the summer when tomatoes and eggplant are in abundance. So thanks Sarah and enjoy everyone - let me know what you think.
EGGPLANT CRUST LESS PIE Sarah 2010
EGGPLANT- med. to lg. VERY FRESH / Cut into 1/2" slices / sprinkle with KOSHER SALT and let sit and "weep" for at least 1/2 hr. or more / press dry with paper towel (also removes some of the excess salt) / Can rub with a clove of GARLIC (optional)
( if in a hurry and you know your eggplant is fresh or want to restrict salt use you could eliminate the salt weeping phase... Just make sure you cook your eggplant enough in oven.... nothing worse than undercooked eggplant!)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees / In a large skillet or oven proof pan coat bottom with OLIVE OIL, arrange eggplant slices around the bottom ( overlap 1/2 way or less)
Drizzle with olive oil, grind some PEPPER / Cover the pan with a top or foil / Place in oven, until the eggplant is done (15 min. or more... depending on freshness, thickness of slices, and "weeping" time) / Remove from oven & set aside to cool a bit.
TOMATOES - 1-2 Meaty,large, fresh, ripe/ Slice thin / Carefully tuck tomato slices under every other alternating eggplant slices (letting part of the tomato show)
BASIL - 10 or so LEAVES (I USED THAI... what I had growing) / Tuck leaves under tomato slices with points just showing so get flavor but doesn't discolor in oven
RED PEPPER (optional) 1/2 small/ Slice very thin and saute in olive oil with salt / Place on top of eggplant in center for color
PARMESAN REGGIANO - good quality / Shave thin pieces with potato peeler all around on top
PINE NUTS (optional- I hear they are very scarce this year)- sprinkle a small handful on top
OLIVE OIL - Drizzle a bit more on top
TO SERVE HOT / Can be made ahead to this point, when ready to serve put back in 350 degree oven, covered, until cheese melts. OR
SERVE ROOM TEMP. / Place pie in oven until cheese melts / Let cool to room temp. and take with you on a picnic or buffet table item
Decorate top with a bit of fresh basil
Friday, August 6, 2010
What You Need to Know About Food!
Marion Nestle has written some really interesting books about food. Marion is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition, Food Studies, and Public Health (the department she chaired from 1988-2003) and Professor of Sociology at New York University.
From 1986-88, she was senior nutrition policy advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services and managing editor of the 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health. She has been a member of the FDA Food Advisory Committee and Science Board, the USDA/DHHS Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and American Cancer Society committees that issue dietary guidelines for cancer prevention. Her research focuses on how science and society influence dietary advice and practice.
She is the author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (2002, paperback 2003) and Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bio-terrorism (2003, paperback 2004)
One of her most interesting and informative books is: What to Eat. Throughout her many lectures on various subjects, she is asked time and time again: “What food we should be eating?” She at first was surprised that this question was asked so many times. She decided to take a look herself at what was so confusing. This book’s purpose to help you objectively think about the food that you eat. In her book she examines each section of the grocery store and answers the questions we all ask about the food we buy. She was very surprised at how deceiving product packaging was and how much time it took her to figure out the nutritional labels on food. Considering she is well educated in nutrition, no wonder the rest of us are making bad choices.
I will be dedicating my Friday blog and maybe even an upcoming newsletter to her findings. They are so interesting and definitely will help all of us make better food choices!
Marion believes that we are so manipulated by grocery stores and food manufacturers that it is no wonder that we are overweight and unhealthy.
Next Friday’s blog will feature her take on grocery stores and how our buying patterns have been studied so as to make the layout of these stores a home run in food sales for those companies that can afford good product placement.
I hope you will “tune in” each Friday to learn more about her fascinating study.
Have a great weekend and Eat Well, Lose Weight and Be Healthy.
From 1986-88, she was senior nutrition policy advisor in the Department of Health and Human Services and managing editor of the 1988 Surgeon General’s Report on Nutrition and Health. She has been a member of the FDA Food Advisory Committee and Science Board, the USDA/DHHS Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, and American Cancer Society committees that issue dietary guidelines for cancer prevention. Her research focuses on how science and society influence dietary advice and practice.
She is the author of Food Politics: How the Food Industry Influences Nutrition and Health (2002, paperback 2003) and Safe Food: Bacteria, Biotechnology, and Bio-terrorism (2003, paperback 2004)
One of her most interesting and informative books is: What to Eat. Throughout her many lectures on various subjects, she is asked time and time again: “What food we should be eating?” She at first was surprised that this question was asked so many times. She decided to take a look herself at what was so confusing. This book’s purpose to help you objectively think about the food that you eat. In her book she examines each section of the grocery store and answers the questions we all ask about the food we buy. She was very surprised at how deceiving product packaging was and how much time it took her to figure out the nutritional labels on food. Considering she is well educated in nutrition, no wonder the rest of us are making bad choices.
I will be dedicating my Friday blog and maybe even an upcoming newsletter to her findings. They are so interesting and definitely will help all of us make better food choices!
Marion believes that we are so manipulated by grocery stores and food manufacturers that it is no wonder that we are overweight and unhealthy.
Next Friday’s blog will feature her take on grocery stores and how our buying patterns have been studied so as to make the layout of these stores a home run in food sales for those companies that can afford good product placement.
I hope you will “tune in” each Friday to learn more about her fascinating study.
Have a great weekend and Eat Well, Lose Weight and Be Healthy.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Fast And Easy and So Tasty
Sometimes you are just not in the mood to make dinner. This recipe is so easy and it is really refreshing and tasty. You can alter the size of it based on the people you are feeding and their appetites. My son and husband are big eaters. They loved this. And, it is good for you so eat up!
*Avocados: Avocados are packed with vitamins, nutrients phyto-chemicals and healthy fats.
*Mangoes: The phenolic compound found in mangoes has been found to have powerful antioxidant and anticancer properties. They are high in iron, vitamin A, Vitamin E and have anti- inflammatory properties.
*Lettuce: high scores in the nutritional wars because it is rich in lutein and beta-carotene. Leafy lettuce also supplies vitamins C and K, calcium, fiber, folate, and iron. Vitamin K is credited with helping blood clots. As if that were not enough, lettuce can also include vitamins A and B6, and folic acid. Different varieties of lettuce also offer iron, magnesium, phosphorus, lycopene, potassium zeaxanthin.
Shrimp, Mango and Avocado Salad with Sweet Chili Ginger Vinaigrette
Prep time: 15 minutes
Serves 4
½ cup of Asian sweet chili sauce
2 T unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 T minced peeled fresh ginger
16 peeled, cooked large shrimp with tails left in tact.
1 large head of lettuce – butter, romaine or red leaf
1 large mango ( I do two) peeled, pitted, cut into 1/3 inch slices
1 avocado, halved, pitted peeled and cut into 1/3 inch slices
Whisk first 3 ingredients in small bowl; season with sea salt and pepper. Place shrimp in medium bowl. Add 3 T of vinaigrette; toss to coat. Divide lettuce up amongst plates. Alternate mango and avocado and shrimp on top of the lettuce. Drizzle the rest of the dressing on top
Sunday, August 1, 2010
A Visit to Red Bee Apiary
Today Garson and I went to a honey tasting at Red Bee in Weston. When we arrived we were both really in love with her sweet house, the large oak table on the back porch surrounded by comfy chairs and all kinds of bee stuff. A small group of women sat chatting near a little fire pit. She had a little back yard and off to one side up on the hill were the hives. She also had chickens, gardens with sunflowers, butter fly bushes, golden rod and great bee signs. We were greeted by a friendly chocolate lab and a passionate beekeeper. Marina Marchese, the owner, did a great presentation to about 20 captivated honey enthusiasts. Her story started with some entertaining stories of the beekeeper next door and her introduction to hives and honey. Her interest has turned into her passion and has grown over the last 10 years. We now know that the "girls" do all the work. Males are primarily present for reproduction and sent out of the hive in the fall where they perish. We learned about how bee keepers move the hives around depending on what may be in bloom. Honey is produced for the bees to live off of. Marina knows how much honey the hive needs over the winter to survive, and the rest she takes out and sells. Bees travel up to 4 miles from the hive to collect nectar. The flavor in each bit of honey varies depending on what combination of nectors have been collected. No two batches are the same. She fell in love with bees and left a career as a graphic designer in New York and now travels and does informational sessions as well as honey tastings all over the country. We tasted 7 different types of honeys combined with flaxette bread from Fairfield Bread Company, excellent crackers, goat and brie cheeses. We enjoyed the sweet Gallberry honey that is very much like the rare Tupulo honey. This unusual honey is produced in the swamps of Georgia where they put the hives out on boats and sends them into the swamps while the Tupulo trees are in bloom. We tasted alfalfa, goldenrod, blueberry blossom, tulip popular, buckwheat and farmhouse honey comb. Each honey had a different flavor with some interesting and unexpected subtleties. While we tasted these treat - the honey bee "girls" flew in and out of the area - tasting our honey. They are so sweet to watch. They fly in slow and don't come in contact with people - they just are looking to taste the honey. Periodically we got bombarded by the yellow jacks and wasps but they were easy to spot base on their aggressive flying patterns. We talked about the incredible nutritional value of honey, bee pollen and royal jelly. We had an absolutely delightful time and we would really consider having our own hives. Honey bees are such a pure representation of what nature has to offer. If you are interested in learning more about Red Bee go to Marina's website: www.redbee.com. It is a beautiful site. It is so inspiring to see someone living their passion.
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