Hello All, hope you're enjoying this lovely spring day!
I am blogging today about pancakes, yet again because I have some very relevant information to impart to each of you.
Most of the pre-packaged foods we eat have more sugar and salt in them than you may think, and as I've been telling people this for a while, I decided to say it one more time. The brand of pancake mix that I grew up with has the lovely African-American lady on the box and loads of sugar in the box. Not to mention preservatives and fillers. So this box has "enriched bleached flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, sugar, leavening ...... corn syrup solids, sodium caseinate, etc. So, why does pancake mix (this particular brand at least) need sugar and corn syrup? Also why does this simple food cost approximately $4. Here is the rub, at least for me, you can buy a bag of flour, baking soda and baking powder for under $4, make your own pancake mix, store it in an airtight container and when you're ready to make some pancakes, just add some butter, eggs and milk and you have pancakes. You can even get creative and make buttermilk pancakes or whatever your family likes.
Even syrup is not what you think. The average pancake syrup has corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup, which are two of the ingredients that make "pancake syrup" so sweet. Try maple syrup as an alternative, which consists of, guess what?, only maple syrup.
I keep trying to enlighten folks because alot of the foods we love to eat are causing problems for infants, young children and older people because in the long term, all the preservatives and such that we've been putting into our bodies cause major health issues such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease, autism and obesity.
Now you may not want to hear me speak about this subject, but I will keep trying to enlighten all of you until a light bulb goes off in your heads and you finally get it.
Yes, it may cost a bit more to eat fresh food, and it does take a bit more time to prepare, but with a little advance planning (you know, that planning you do when you're going to a party or out on a date or whatever it is in your life that you plan for in advance) you can do it! I have faith in you. Better to take this precautions know when you have the option to do something about your diet, rather than later when the doctor tells you that you must in order to stay alive!
Your choice!
As always much love,
J
Monday, April 15, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
We are what we eat!
Hello All,
It has been a while since I posted here, so first let me say that I hope all of you, dear readers are doing exceptionally well!
Now to begin - my title today is "we are what we eat"! I'm sure you've seen the recent commercial for a nutrition shake where the children are playing soccer and one mom says to the other - "does Susie look a little slow to you (the child is dressed in a donut suit); the other parent responds, "well kids are what they eat"!
Not only is this true of children but it is true of adults as well. Some folks live to eat, and this is evidenced by not only their portion sizes, but also the types of food they eat. There is nothing wrong with fried foods every now and then, but on a daily basis, the fried food diet can lead to not only obesity, but high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and other health issues. The same is true of folks who love sweets or salty foods. The key to eating for everyone is follow the suggestions of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their website is www.eatright.org. On this site is a plethora of information about which foods to eat that fit not only your wallet, but also your cultural needs and dietary needs as well.
There is something on this site for everyone, from vegetarians to this with Celiac's disease. I've include the link here for your ease of use, and hope you will take a moment to do a little research so that you can eat better, and eat to live.
Much love as always,
J
It has been a while since I posted here, so first let me say that I hope all of you, dear readers are doing exceptionally well!
Now to begin - my title today is "we are what we eat"! I'm sure you've seen the recent commercial for a nutrition shake where the children are playing soccer and one mom says to the other - "does Susie look a little slow to you (the child is dressed in a donut suit); the other parent responds, "well kids are what they eat"!
Not only is this true of children but it is true of adults as well. Some folks live to eat, and this is evidenced by not only their portion sizes, but also the types of food they eat. There is nothing wrong with fried foods every now and then, but on a daily basis, the fried food diet can lead to not only obesity, but high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease and other health issues. The same is true of folks who love sweets or salty foods. The key to eating for everyone is follow the suggestions of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Their website is www.eatright.org. On this site is a plethora of information about which foods to eat that fit not only your wallet, but also your cultural needs and dietary needs as well.
There is something on this site for everyone, from vegetarians to this with Celiac's disease. I've include the link here for your ease of use, and hope you will take a moment to do a little research so that you can eat better, and eat to live.
Much love as always,
J
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Reading is Fundamental Part Deux
Hello all,
To continue where I left off in my previous blog. I was reading the label of the tuna fish I use and for some reason although the can says "tuna in water" there is vegetable broth added. I scratched my head, because I'm wondering why "tuna packed in water" has broth of any kind added to it. So, I checked the label of some other brands on the shelf and found that several brands also have vegetable broth in them. Go figure. I will dear readers, get to the bottom of this at some point, and will update you on what I find out!
Much love as always,
J
To continue where I left off in my previous blog. I was reading the label of the tuna fish I use and for some reason although the can says "tuna in water" there is vegetable broth added. I scratched my head, because I'm wondering why "tuna packed in water" has broth of any kind added to it. So, I checked the label of some other brands on the shelf and found that several brands also have vegetable broth in them. Go figure. I will dear readers, get to the bottom of this at some point, and will update you on what I find out!
Much love as always,
J
Monday, February 6, 2012
Reading is Fundamental = RIF
Hello All,
What does the title of my blog today have to do with food? Well, let me take a moment to explain. When shopping for food, (or any pre-packaged item for that matter) one should read the label. For food items, the largest quantities are at the beginning of the ingredients list. Say for instance you're buying cookies, flour is the first ingredient (usually enriched flour, meaning wheat/white flour with other things added to enrich the shelf life of the product) then other things you may or may not be able to pronounce, vitamins, sugar, oils etc. Let's look at Quaker oats (not the instant)- these contain "natural whole grain Quaker quality rolled oats", no additives, fillers, or sugars.
I decided to bring you this topic because the other day I was in the store to get some sweetened condensed milk which is what I sweeten my coffee with. Because I like my coffee with milk or cream and sugar I found that this was a good way for me to lighten and sweeten my coffee both at the same time. Cutting down on my sugar intake, and the flatulence that occurs when I eat certain dairy products (as I'm lactose intolerant and some dairy products also contain carrageenan which is a thickener). So as I proceeded down the aisle there were some cans of sweetened condensed milk on sale. And I thought okay, I can save a bit by purchasing this brand instead of my regular brand. Fortunately for me, I decided to put on my glasses and read the label. There was oil in that brand of milk! Now for the life of me I can't figure out why there was oil in something that should only be milk and sugar. Needless to say I was mortified!!! LOL.
Anyway, once I got the right brand of milk and left the store, I reflected on the importance of reading the label of everything I/we buy to make sure that we know what we're putting into our bodies.
Another thing I've been noticing is that a simple box of shortbread cookies is just about $5. For those of you who are challenged in the culinary arts the cost is not prohibitive, but for me, I was aghast at how much it cost for one box with two stacks of cookies. Needless to say I did not buy them, I ate an apple instead.
So, all this to say take the time to read the labels of the items you want to purchase. I've found that a lot of products list their ingredients on their websites. I think this is an excellent practice because it allows you, the consumer to do a bit of research before you buy to make sure that you're eating as healthy as you can. One of my professors has an expression you may not get at first, but think about it, and it will make sense to you - he would say "more than enough is not better than enough".
Take a moment when you're shopping to read the label, pull out your smart phone and do a bit of research and make sure you're getting not only the best for your money, but ingredients that will not cause you or the environment undue harm over time.
Simply sharing, as always with love,
J
What does the title of my blog today have to do with food? Well, let me take a moment to explain. When shopping for food, (or any pre-packaged item for that matter) one should read the label. For food items, the largest quantities are at the beginning of the ingredients list. Say for instance you're buying cookies, flour is the first ingredient (usually enriched flour, meaning wheat/white flour with other things added to enrich the shelf life of the product) then other things you may or may not be able to pronounce, vitamins, sugar, oils etc. Let's look at Quaker oats (not the instant)- these contain "natural whole grain Quaker quality rolled oats", no additives, fillers, or sugars.
I decided to bring you this topic because the other day I was in the store to get some sweetened condensed milk which is what I sweeten my coffee with. Because I like my coffee with milk or cream and sugar I found that this was a good way for me to lighten and sweeten my coffee both at the same time. Cutting down on my sugar intake, and the flatulence that occurs when I eat certain dairy products (as I'm lactose intolerant and some dairy products also contain carrageenan which is a thickener). So as I proceeded down the aisle there were some cans of sweetened condensed milk on sale. And I thought okay, I can save a bit by purchasing this brand instead of my regular brand. Fortunately for me, I decided to put on my glasses and read the label. There was oil in that brand of milk! Now for the life of me I can't figure out why there was oil in something that should only be milk and sugar. Needless to say I was mortified!!! LOL.
Anyway, once I got the right brand of milk and left the store, I reflected on the importance of reading the label of everything I/we buy to make sure that we know what we're putting into our bodies.
Another thing I've been noticing is that a simple box of shortbread cookies is just about $5. For those of you who are challenged in the culinary arts the cost is not prohibitive, but for me, I was aghast at how much it cost for one box with two stacks of cookies. Needless to say I did not buy them, I ate an apple instead.
So, all this to say take the time to read the labels of the items you want to purchase. I've found that a lot of products list their ingredients on their websites. I think this is an excellent practice because it allows you, the consumer to do a bit of research before you buy to make sure that you're eating as healthy as you can. One of my professors has an expression you may not get at first, but think about it, and it will make sense to you - he would say "more than enough is not better than enough".
Take a moment when you're shopping to read the label, pull out your smart phone and do a bit of research and make sure you're getting not only the best for your money, but ingredients that will not cause you or the environment undue harm over time.
Simply sharing, as always with love,
J
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Eating Healthy
Hello All,
Everyone has their own idea of what eating healthy means for them. For some it's fried Tilapia everyday, for some its Morning Star products for others it's freshly prepared from scratch meals. No matter what eating healthy means to you, make sure that you've done your homework, or due diligence and discovered what works best for your lifestyle, your budget, your dietary needs (after consulting your physician of course).
Beware of "Quackery" in other words, if it sounds to good to be true it most likely is. Below is a link from WebMD that should help you with that - http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/health-quackery-spotting-health-scams.
Be sure that you do some research from reliable sources such as - http://www.eatright.org/. and http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/. These sites provide a plethora of helpful information for you to use to make informed choices about your diet and the diet of your loved ones.
No matter what healthy eating means to you, be sure that you're doing all you can to learn about what healthy eating can do for you. And don't forget to exercise, walking around your neighborhood is free!
Much love,
J
Everyone has their own idea of what eating healthy means for them. For some it's fried Tilapia everyday, for some its Morning Star products for others it's freshly prepared from scratch meals. No matter what eating healthy means to you, make sure that you've done your homework, or due diligence and discovered what works best for your lifestyle, your budget, your dietary needs (after consulting your physician of course).
Beware of "Quackery" in other words, if it sounds to good to be true it most likely is. Below is a link from WebMD that should help you with that - http://www.webmd.com/healthy-aging/guide/health-quackery-spotting-health-scams.
Be sure that you do some research from reliable sources such as - http://www.eatright.org/. and http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/. These sites provide a plethora of helpful information for you to use to make informed choices about your diet and the diet of your loved ones.
No matter what healthy eating means to you, be sure that you're doing all you can to learn about what healthy eating can do for you. And don't forget to exercise, walking around your neighborhood is free!
Much love,
J
If Not Now, When?
Hello All,
One of the many frustrating things (at least to me) I hear from people all the time is "I DON'T HAVE TIME". People often say to me that they don't have the time to cook, or to cook from scratch which is something I strongly advocate. Now, lets get this straight, I'm not saying that you have to cook organic foods, although that helps (if you can afford it) but in my experience things worth having such as good health are worth taking time for. Think about it this way, if you don't take the time now, you may be forced to take the time later, because you may (or not, God willing) develop a health issue that will require you to change your eating habits, so why not start today!
Start small, get some fresh broccoli, cut off the stems and steam the florets (this is what a head of broccoli is called). What you don't have a steamer? That is okay, just put a little water (1/2 cup or less) or vegetable, chicken or beef broth in the bottom of a pot and let it come to a low boil, add the broccoli florets and cover. Let steam for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the flame, let cool and you now have some nice steamed broccoli. You can do this with just about any fresh vegetable you may fancy. This gives you a serving of vegetables, and fiber.
You may love corn and are challenged about how to cook it besides creamed or just plain old boiled. Well try some Confetti corn. You make this with a little minced red onion, minced Orange bell pepper, and some fresh basil, chopped roughly. Contact me for the exact recipe, but that is a viable option, and I'll even let you use frozen corn! LOL.
Another way to look at this is: when you're making a new friend you want to spend time with that person, talking and such. Well become your own new friend and take the time to get to know yourself through healthy eating.
Yes, I advocate eating healthy and cooking from scratch, and yes I do practice what I preach. I make my own soups, spaghetti sauce, pancakes, granola, etc, and at some point I may bake my own bread. Let me give you an example of the perfect time to cook a bunch of dishes and freeze them. Last weekend it snowed, and if you didn't have anywhere you absolutely had to be, you were home. If you'd been to the grocery store prior to the snow falling, then you had some food in the house and you were able to cook a few things and freeze them. Another way this could work for you is if you're home at least one day a week and do a little advance planning. Plan out what you think you might like to eat for lunch and dinner for a week and head to the grocery store. Select some recipes and get to cooking. I know for a fact that this works because I've done it ( I once had 3 jobs and the one day a week I was home all day was my day to cook and freeze). I would prep some turkey burgers but not cook them cause they're pretty easy, just pop them in the oven. I would make a pan of lasagna, cut it up once it cooled and freeze that. I would make my spaghetti sauce and freeze that so when I wanted something different from what was already cooked I could have it, something like Shrimp Fra Diablo, or Penne ala Vodka. These don't take a long time to make and the sauce was already made all I had to do was defrost it.
So, think about it, there are many ways to eat healthy ( I even oven fry chicken and it's pretty good if I do say so myself) do what works best for you and your dietary needs, think outside of the box, experiment a little with different flavors and have fun!
Much love!
J
One of the many frustrating things (at least to me) I hear from people all the time is "I DON'T HAVE TIME". People often say to me that they don't have the time to cook, or to cook from scratch which is something I strongly advocate. Now, lets get this straight, I'm not saying that you have to cook organic foods, although that helps (if you can afford it) but in my experience things worth having such as good health are worth taking time for. Think about it this way, if you don't take the time now, you may be forced to take the time later, because you may (or not, God willing) develop a health issue that will require you to change your eating habits, so why not start today!
Start small, get some fresh broccoli, cut off the stems and steam the florets (this is what a head of broccoli is called). What you don't have a steamer? That is okay, just put a little water (1/2 cup or less) or vegetable, chicken or beef broth in the bottom of a pot and let it come to a low boil, add the broccoli florets and cover. Let steam for about 2-3 minutes. Remove from the flame, let cool and you now have some nice steamed broccoli. You can do this with just about any fresh vegetable you may fancy. This gives you a serving of vegetables, and fiber.
You may love corn and are challenged about how to cook it besides creamed or just plain old boiled. Well try some Confetti corn. You make this with a little minced red onion, minced Orange bell pepper, and some fresh basil, chopped roughly. Contact me for the exact recipe, but that is a viable option, and I'll even let you use frozen corn! LOL.
Another way to look at this is: when you're making a new friend you want to spend time with that person, talking and such. Well become your own new friend and take the time to get to know yourself through healthy eating.
Yes, I advocate eating healthy and cooking from scratch, and yes I do practice what I preach. I make my own soups, spaghetti sauce, pancakes, granola, etc, and at some point I may bake my own bread. Let me give you an example of the perfect time to cook a bunch of dishes and freeze them. Last weekend it snowed, and if you didn't have anywhere you absolutely had to be, you were home. If you'd been to the grocery store prior to the snow falling, then you had some food in the house and you were able to cook a few things and freeze them. Another way this could work for you is if you're home at least one day a week and do a little advance planning. Plan out what you think you might like to eat for lunch and dinner for a week and head to the grocery store. Select some recipes and get to cooking. I know for a fact that this works because I've done it ( I once had 3 jobs and the one day a week I was home all day was my day to cook and freeze). I would prep some turkey burgers but not cook them cause they're pretty easy, just pop them in the oven. I would make a pan of lasagna, cut it up once it cooled and freeze that. I would make my spaghetti sauce and freeze that so when I wanted something different from what was already cooked I could have it, something like Shrimp Fra Diablo, or Penne ala Vodka. These don't take a long time to make and the sauce was already made all I had to do was defrost it.
So, think about it, there are many ways to eat healthy ( I even oven fry chicken and it's pretty good if I do say so myself) do what works best for you and your dietary needs, think outside of the box, experiment a little with different flavors and have fun!
Much love!
J
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Food Safety and YOU!
Hello All,
While doing some research today, I came across some interesting information that I decided to share with all of you. Food safety should be one of your top priorities because buying, storing and preparing food requires (for the home cook and for the food service professional even more so) an understanding of how to buy, store and prepare food. For instance when defrosting in your refrigerator any type of poultry product, be it chicken, ground turkey, turkey or ground chicken, you should place the product in a rimmed bowl, or a plate large enough to hold the item and place this on the bottom shelf of your fridge so that as it defrosts all the meat juices are caught by that bowl or plate and the rest of your food is not cross contaminated. Also be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling any raw foods, but especially poultry. I'm going to say this again, WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER!!!!! Not hand sanitizer, but actual SOAP, and dry them on a paper towel. Not a hand towel or a dish towel as the germs that are on the towel can be transferred, so a single use towel is best.
So anyway, what I found that I'd like to share is a link to the NSF's list of companies that require or accept Global Food Safety Benchmarked Certification :
http://www.nsf.org/business/global_food_safety_standards/GFSI_Supporters_6_30_11.pdf . What this should mean to you the consumer is that your food is received and stored properly prior to your purchase at the store. It means much more than this, but this is what I'm imparting today. So, be sure to check out this list for companies in your neck of the woods.
I hope you will find this information helpful, and let me know if you do any further research into this area!
Much love always!
J
While doing some research today, I came across some interesting information that I decided to share with all of you. Food safety should be one of your top priorities because buying, storing and preparing food requires (for the home cook and for the food service professional even more so) an understanding of how to buy, store and prepare food. For instance when defrosting in your refrigerator any type of poultry product, be it chicken, ground turkey, turkey or ground chicken, you should place the product in a rimmed bowl, or a plate large enough to hold the item and place this on the bottom shelf of your fridge so that as it defrosts all the meat juices are caught by that bowl or plate and the rest of your food is not cross contaminated. Also be sure to wash your hands with soap and water after handling any raw foods, but especially poultry. I'm going to say this again, WASH YOUR HANDS WITH SOAP AND WATER!!!!! Not hand sanitizer, but actual SOAP, and dry them on a paper towel. Not a hand towel or a dish towel as the germs that are on the towel can be transferred, so a single use towel is best.
So anyway, what I found that I'd like to share is a link to the NSF's list of companies that require or accept Global Food Safety Benchmarked Certification :
http://www.nsf.org/business/global_food_safety_standards/GFSI_Supporters_6_30_11.pdf . What this should mean to you the consumer is that your food is received and stored properly prior to your purchase at the store. It means much more than this, but this is what I'm imparting today. So, be sure to check out this list for companies in your neck of the woods.
I hope you will find this information helpful, and let me know if you do any further research into this area!
Much love always!
J
Sunday, January 8, 2012
Happy New Year to you!
Hello All!
By now almost the middle of the month, you're deep into the resolutions you've made (or not, if you don't make them).
One of the things I'd suggest is to find something that you truly love doing, and get up and do it. As long at it's legal and won't harm you or anyone else, I say go for it!!! The sky is the limit, and the possibilities are endless!
There are a lot of places to visit on the web with a plethora of information on an ever widening variety of topics. So much so that sometimes it's hard to figure out who/what is the truth or will have the most benefits for you and your life.
I aspire here to give you truthful/helpful information from a variety of sources so you can check them out for yourself, not just blindly take my word for it.
My first of 2012 is the following link http://www.eatright.org/ . This is the link to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who are the people that make sure Nutritionists and Dietitians are credentialed. This organization can also assist you in making healthy food choices not only for 2012 but for your entire life. Keep in mind that "you are what you eat"!
So, while you're thinking about whether to keep your New Year's resolutions or not, at least commit to eating better, making healthy food choices and living the best life you can for you! Much love as always from me to you!
J
By now almost the middle of the month, you're deep into the resolutions you've made (or not, if you don't make them).
One of the things I'd suggest is to find something that you truly love doing, and get up and do it. As long at it's legal and won't harm you or anyone else, I say go for it!!! The sky is the limit, and the possibilities are endless!
There are a lot of places to visit on the web with a plethora of information on an ever widening variety of topics. So much so that sometimes it's hard to figure out who/what is the truth or will have the most benefits for you and your life.
I aspire here to give you truthful/helpful information from a variety of sources so you can check them out for yourself, not just blindly take my word for it.
My first of 2012 is the following link http://www.eatright.org/ . This is the link to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who are the people that make sure Nutritionists and Dietitians are credentialed. This organization can also assist you in making healthy food choices not only for 2012 but for your entire life. Keep in mind that "you are what you eat"!
So, while you're thinking about whether to keep your New Year's resolutions or not, at least commit to eating better, making healthy food choices and living the best life you can for you! Much love as always from me to you!
J
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Did you say I was fat?!
Hello all,
While doing some studying in my nutrition text book the other day I came across some info that you may or may not know. Here are the meanings of some terms that I'm sure you're familiar with, but may not know the particulars about, unless you've done the research, or are into the science of things. So, the first term I'd like to tell you about is hydrogenation - this is the adding of hydrogen to an unsaturated fatty acid to make it more saturated and solid at room temperature. Hydrogenation turns the reconfigured fatty acid into a transfatty acid which is not good for you. The transfatty acids raise your LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and lowers the HDL cholesterol (the good one) and increases your risk for heart disease. Transfats are used in processed foods to provide a richer texture, longer shelf life and better resistance to rancidity. Crisco was the first that most of you may be familiar with. The main source today of transfat in your diet would come from commercially prepared baked items, margarine, fried potatoes, snacks and salad dressing.
This is just one of the many reasons why I tell people to read the labels and whenever possible to make your foods from scratch. I know this is time consuming for those of you who don't really like to cook, or who don't plan their time well enough to be able to cook.
I bet you didn't know that your body makes cholesterol on its own. That's right each and every one of us makes cholesterol in our bodies and it is the precursor of the sex hormones - testosterone and estrogen.
Now, back to the fat comment. Some people try to avoid fat at all costs. But your body needs some fat for insulation of your body and organs; if for some reason your body went into starvation mode, the first thing your body would use for energy is fat. It has a place, the problem is that some people consume way too much fat, and lead sedentary lifestyles. Not only that, but the type of fat people eat plays a role in someone's being overweight or obese. There is saturated fat, and unsaturated fat, to name two. Foods that contain saturated fatty acids, or saturated fats are unhealthy for you, the saturation comes from hydrogen bonds "saturating" the fatty acid chain, meaning they are tight and this makes the fat solid. Unsaturated fats, or unsaturated fatty acids have double hydrogen bonds that cause kinks, keeping them from packing together tightly and therefore making them liquid, like oil for instance.
Hope you find this information helpful
Take care and have a great day!
Jeri
While doing some studying in my nutrition text book the other day I came across some info that you may or may not know. Here are the meanings of some terms that I'm sure you're familiar with, but may not know the particulars about, unless you've done the research, or are into the science of things. So, the first term I'd like to tell you about is hydrogenation - this is the adding of hydrogen to an unsaturated fatty acid to make it more saturated and solid at room temperature. Hydrogenation turns the reconfigured fatty acid into a transfatty acid which is not good for you. The transfatty acids raise your LDL cholesterol (the bad one) and lowers the HDL cholesterol (the good one) and increases your risk for heart disease. Transfats are used in processed foods to provide a richer texture, longer shelf life and better resistance to rancidity. Crisco was the first that most of you may be familiar with. The main source today of transfat in your diet would come from commercially prepared baked items, margarine, fried potatoes, snacks and salad dressing.
This is just one of the many reasons why I tell people to read the labels and whenever possible to make your foods from scratch. I know this is time consuming for those of you who don't really like to cook, or who don't plan their time well enough to be able to cook.
I bet you didn't know that your body makes cholesterol on its own. That's right each and every one of us makes cholesterol in our bodies and it is the precursor of the sex hormones - testosterone and estrogen.
Now, back to the fat comment. Some people try to avoid fat at all costs. But your body needs some fat for insulation of your body and organs; if for some reason your body went into starvation mode, the first thing your body would use for energy is fat. It has a place, the problem is that some people consume way too much fat, and lead sedentary lifestyles. Not only that, but the type of fat people eat plays a role in someone's being overweight or obese. There is saturated fat, and unsaturated fat, to name two. Foods that contain saturated fatty acids, or saturated fats are unhealthy for you, the saturation comes from hydrogen bonds "saturating" the fatty acid chain, meaning they are tight and this makes the fat solid. Unsaturated fats, or unsaturated fatty acids have double hydrogen bonds that cause kinks, keeping them from packing together tightly and therefore making them liquid, like oil for instance.
Hope you find this information helpful
Take care and have a great day!
Jeri
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
How Sweet it is!
Hello All,
Hope all of you are doing well on this lovely fall day! Today I'd like to chat with you about sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sugar is something most of us use on a daily basis. Sugar or sucrose, also known as table sugar is a naturally occurring (found in nature, not man made) product from Mother Nature.
Here is some information about the artificial sweeteners some folks use for things like sweetening their coffee or tea, to baking. Sorbitol which is found in sugarless gum and other products is 50-70% as sweet as sugar. Mannitol, also found in chewing gum, and jam, is used to add bulk to powdered foods and is also 50-70% as sweet as sucrose. These two sweeteners are considered "reduced calorie sweeteners" however if too much of these items are consumed, diarrhea can result.
Sucralose, whose trade name is Splenda is 600% sweeter than sucrose, and is considered a calorie free sweetener, this is one of the newer items on the market today. Some artificial sweeteners that you may recall from the past are saccharin known as Sweet n low is 200-700% sweeter than sucrose. Aspartame known as Nutrasweet or Equal is approximately 200% sweeter than sucrose, and the one calorie free sweetener that everyone is trying is Stevia whose trade name is Truvia, or PureVia is also 200% sweeter than sucrose.
Why am I telling you all this? I want to try to educate you about some of the food choices you make on a daily basis. If you use an artificial sweetener, your body does not metabolize it in the same way that it does table sugar, which is why people with diabetes use artificial sweeteners, as they cause a slower rise in blood glucose than sugar does and don't promote dental caries (tooth decay if you don't practice proper dental hygiene).
For example sucrose and fructose are the most commonly used sugars. Calorie wise just one teaspoon of honey contains 21 calories, compared to one teaspoon of sugar which is 16 calories. High fructose corn syrup has gained popularity over the last several years because it is less expensive to manufacture.
So, if you're in the grocery store and want to pick up a few snacks, read the label. I was recently offered a "healthy" granola bar by a friend at school. I declined the sugary sweet and then asked her if I could read the label, as I was curious about what was in that particular brand. I believe I counted 8 different forms of sugar in that one granola bar. Now don't get me wrong I like a little sugar from time to time, but that would have been way too sweet for me, and I think she decided to put it back and opted for some trail mix instead.
So, I hope you'll find this information useful. You'll read the label the next time you're in the snack isle at the grocery store and decide to cut back on your sweeteners, real and artificial.
Take care everyone, and have a simply marvelous day!
Jeri
Hope all of you are doing well on this lovely fall day! Today I'd like to chat with you about sugar and artificial sweeteners. Sugar is something most of us use on a daily basis. Sugar or sucrose, also known as table sugar is a naturally occurring (found in nature, not man made) product from Mother Nature.
Here is some information about the artificial sweeteners some folks use for things like sweetening their coffee or tea, to baking. Sorbitol which is found in sugarless gum and other products is 50-70% as sweet as sugar. Mannitol, also found in chewing gum, and jam, is used to add bulk to powdered foods and is also 50-70% as sweet as sucrose. These two sweeteners are considered "reduced calorie sweeteners" however if too much of these items are consumed, diarrhea can result.
Sucralose, whose trade name is Splenda is 600% sweeter than sucrose, and is considered a calorie free sweetener, this is one of the newer items on the market today. Some artificial sweeteners that you may recall from the past are saccharin known as Sweet n low is 200-700% sweeter than sucrose. Aspartame known as Nutrasweet or Equal is approximately 200% sweeter than sucrose, and the one calorie free sweetener that everyone is trying is Stevia whose trade name is Truvia, or PureVia is also 200% sweeter than sucrose.
Why am I telling you all this? I want to try to educate you about some of the food choices you make on a daily basis. If you use an artificial sweetener, your body does not metabolize it in the same way that it does table sugar, which is why people with diabetes use artificial sweeteners, as they cause a slower rise in blood glucose than sugar does and don't promote dental caries (tooth decay if you don't practice proper dental hygiene).
For example sucrose and fructose are the most commonly used sugars. Calorie wise just one teaspoon of honey contains 21 calories, compared to one teaspoon of sugar which is 16 calories. High fructose corn syrup has gained popularity over the last several years because it is less expensive to manufacture.
So, if you're in the grocery store and want to pick up a few snacks, read the label. I was recently offered a "healthy" granola bar by a friend at school. I declined the sugary sweet and then asked her if I could read the label, as I was curious about what was in that particular brand. I believe I counted 8 different forms of sugar in that one granola bar. Now don't get me wrong I like a little sugar from time to time, but that would have been way too sweet for me, and I think she decided to put it back and opted for some trail mix instead.
So, I hope you'll find this information useful. You'll read the label the next time you're in the snack isle at the grocery store and decide to cut back on your sweeteners, real and artificial.
Take care everyone, and have a simply marvelous day!
Jeri
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
The food industry and you!
Okay, so if you know me personally, then you know I have an aversion to processed foods and eating out! Now don't get me wrong, there are a couple of processed items that I eat on occasion, and every once in a while I will eat out, but these events take place rarely.
This semester I am taking a class where the professor has provided online information for the class to view, and I just finished watching an ABC news report (by Peter Jennings from 2004 I believe) on the food industry. I'd like to encourage you to watch it, if you care to, you may find it in the archives on ABC News or even You Tube. The gist is that the government subsidizes the food industry to produce food. So, if you think about things that way I do, then .... I'm not going to finish that thought for reasons of my own, but again if you know me personally, give me a call and we can chat about it! LOL
Kraft was the only company that said it would do something, but again this was 2004, so I'll have to look into their record.
My point in all this is that among the daily choices you make regarding the foods you eat and drink try to make as many healthy choices as you can. Like cut out soda and most juices, drink water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, take the time to make your own food at home, and take your lunch with you to work/school, where ever. That way, you know what you're eating, what is in it (ingredients I mean) and where you purchased it from. Keep this in mind, fast food is grown fast, processed fast, and cooked or reheated fast. All that speed can't be good in the long run. Think about it, let me know what you think and let me know what changes you're willing to make in your life.
Much love,
Jeri
This semester I am taking a class where the professor has provided online information for the class to view, and I just finished watching an ABC news report (by Peter Jennings from 2004 I believe) on the food industry. I'd like to encourage you to watch it, if you care to, you may find it in the archives on ABC News or even You Tube. The gist is that the government subsidizes the food industry to produce food. So, if you think about things that way I do, then .... I'm not going to finish that thought for reasons of my own, but again if you know me personally, give me a call and we can chat about it! LOL
Kraft was the only company that said it would do something, but again this was 2004, so I'll have to look into their record.
My point in all this is that among the daily choices you make regarding the foods you eat and drink try to make as many healthy choices as you can. Like cut out soda and most juices, drink water, eat fresh fruits and vegetables, take the time to make your own food at home, and take your lunch with you to work/school, where ever. That way, you know what you're eating, what is in it (ingredients I mean) and where you purchased it from. Keep this in mind, fast food is grown fast, processed fast, and cooked or reheated fast. All that speed can't be good in the long run. Think about it, let me know what you think and let me know what changes you're willing to make in your life.
Much love,
Jeri
Sunday, August 28, 2011
School is officially in session!
Hello All,
Here in the Metro Atlanta area, school begins in August, and it is staggered by county. Meaning that depending on which county you live in, your children have been in school now for either a week, or two depending.
So, after having a conversation with a young nursing student at school the other day, about the store brought Granola Bar she had in her hand, I decided to share one from my favorite cookbook author at the moment, Ina Garten, from her "Back to Basic's" cookbook. My theory is and will remain, that when you make it yourself, you know exactly what is in it and can thereby control the amount of sugar, salt and artificial stuff that goes into what you're eating. For this granola, here is what you'll need;
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup wheat germ ( I personally omit this)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar,lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup pitted dates ( I personally omit these)
1/2 cup dried apricots (I personally omit these)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or craisins)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 inch baking dish and line with parchment paper or quick release foil.
Toss the oatmeal, almonds and coconut together on a sheet pan, and bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots and cranberries and stir well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers with water and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.
Now the beauty of making your own granola is that you're making it to your taste, not mass produced for a bunch of folks you don't know. So, for me, I'd omit some of the sugar because coconut is pretty sweet on its own. I might even use salted almonds, because sometimes you want some salty with your sweet. Now while I love dark chocolate, I would not add chocolate chips to my granola bars, but you're making these for you, so add what you like, experiment a little and let me know how they come out!
These are a great anytime snack, they pack up well and you can experiment with different types of nuts and dried fruits.
So Mom, or college student, check these out and let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you!
Ciao for now,
Jeri
Here in the Metro Atlanta area, school begins in August, and it is staggered by county. Meaning that depending on which county you live in, your children have been in school now for either a week, or two depending.
So, after having a conversation with a young nursing student at school the other day, about the store brought Granola Bar she had in her hand, I decided to share one from my favorite cookbook author at the moment, Ina Garten, from her "Back to Basic's" cookbook. My theory is and will remain, that when you make it yourself, you know exactly what is in it and can thereby control the amount of sugar, salt and artificial stuff that goes into what you're eating. For this granola, here is what you'll need;
2 cups old fashioned oatmeal
1 cup sliced almonds
1 cup shredded coconut, loosely packed
1/2 cup wheat germ ( I personally omit this)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup light brown sugar,lightly packed
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup pitted dates ( I personally omit these)
1/2 cup dried apricots (I personally omit these)
1/2 cup dried cranberries (or craisins)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 inch baking dish and line with parchment paper or quick release foil.
Toss the oatmeal, almonds and coconut together on a sheet pan, and bake for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl and stir in the wheat germ.
Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees. Place the butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook and stir for a minute, then pour over the toasted oatmeal mixture. Add the dates, apricots and cranberries and stir well. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan. Wet your fingers with water and lightly press the mixture evenly into the pan. Bake for 25 - 30 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool for at least 2-3 hours before cutting into squares. Serve at room temperature.
Now the beauty of making your own granola is that you're making it to your taste, not mass produced for a bunch of folks you don't know. So, for me, I'd omit some of the sugar because coconut is pretty sweet on its own. I might even use salted almonds, because sometimes you want some salty with your sweet. Now while I love dark chocolate, I would not add chocolate chips to my granola bars, but you're making these for you, so add what you like, experiment a little and let me know how they come out!
These are a great anytime snack, they pack up well and you can experiment with different types of nuts and dried fruits.
So Mom, or college student, check these out and let me know what you think, I'd love to hear from you!
Ciao for now,
Jeri
Saturday, July 23, 2011
High Fructose Corn Syrup
Hello All,
Okay, so it's summer time and hot as all get out in most of the country. During this time of the year a lot of folks tend to eat a lot more sandwiches or foods involving bread, because it is easier to make a sandwich than prepare a full on meal. Now this is just my opinion, I don't have any exact facts to back up this statement, I'm just guessing here.
Anyway, I want to tell you about a little experiment I'm doing. I gave up regular bread. I thought this would be really hard, because I love bread! So, what I did was switch from regular bread (I like Pepperidge Farm, Oatmeal) to English Muffins and Whole Wheat Pita Bread. So in the morning when I want some toast, I have an english muffin (whole grain or cinnamon raisin), when I want a sandwich, I use Pita bread, and I've actually lost a little weight. I even changed the type of crackers I eat. I changed the crackers because I was wondering why I seemed to be so addicted to Ritz Crackers (the low sodium ones). I'd be up late at night, feeling a little hungry and I'd grab some crackers. Or if I was eating a salad, I'd have some crackers, but usually more than I needed to eat.
Now, I realize that there is an ad campaign saying that high fructose corn syrup is fine in moderation, and that may be true, however, what I have found by doing this little experiment is that my cravings for sweets has subsided quite a bit since I stopped eating regular bread. I've cut out a lot of unnecessary sugars, at least as much as possible and I don't even crave chocolate! I know something must be wrong with me, LOL. Because I love dark chocolate, and for the last month or so, I did not crave it, and therefore did not eat it. That has changed a little, as I've had some chocolate TCBY recently, and a Hagen-Das Coffee Chocolate Almond Pop, but otherwise, I've been good!
All I'm saying is that perhaps if you do a little experiment of your own, read the labels on the foods you buy to see if they have sugar and high fructose corn syrup (one or both). See if you can find a reasonable substitute that you'll enjoy as much and see if you lose a few pounds. I'm only talking about a few pounds here, not a major weight loss, but any poundage gone is a good thing, don't you agree?!
Well ciao for now and stay cool!!!!
Much love to each and every one of you,
Jeri
Okay, so it's summer time and hot as all get out in most of the country. During this time of the year a lot of folks tend to eat a lot more sandwiches or foods involving bread, because it is easier to make a sandwich than prepare a full on meal. Now this is just my opinion, I don't have any exact facts to back up this statement, I'm just guessing here.
Anyway, I want to tell you about a little experiment I'm doing. I gave up regular bread. I thought this would be really hard, because I love bread! So, what I did was switch from regular bread (I like Pepperidge Farm, Oatmeal) to English Muffins and Whole Wheat Pita Bread. So in the morning when I want some toast, I have an english muffin (whole grain or cinnamon raisin), when I want a sandwich, I use Pita bread, and I've actually lost a little weight. I even changed the type of crackers I eat. I changed the crackers because I was wondering why I seemed to be so addicted to Ritz Crackers (the low sodium ones). I'd be up late at night, feeling a little hungry and I'd grab some crackers. Or if I was eating a salad, I'd have some crackers, but usually more than I needed to eat.
Now, I realize that there is an ad campaign saying that high fructose corn syrup is fine in moderation, and that may be true, however, what I have found by doing this little experiment is that my cravings for sweets has subsided quite a bit since I stopped eating regular bread. I've cut out a lot of unnecessary sugars, at least as much as possible and I don't even crave chocolate! I know something must be wrong with me, LOL. Because I love dark chocolate, and for the last month or so, I did not crave it, and therefore did not eat it. That has changed a little, as I've had some chocolate TCBY recently, and a Hagen-Das Coffee Chocolate Almond Pop, but otherwise, I've been good!
All I'm saying is that perhaps if you do a little experiment of your own, read the labels on the foods you buy to see if they have sugar and high fructose corn syrup (one or both). See if you can find a reasonable substitute that you'll enjoy as much and see if you lose a few pounds. I'm only talking about a few pounds here, not a major weight loss, but any poundage gone is a good thing, don't you agree?!
Well ciao for now and stay cool!!!!
Much love to each and every one of you,
Jeri
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Berrylicious!
Hello All,
I'd like to introduce you to a salad you may not ordinarily think of, it is a fresh berry salad, and with the abundance of berries that can be found here at your local Roswell grocery stores, I'm sure you'll find some of your favorites to make this easy salad your own!
To begin you'll need: 5 cups of mixed salad greens
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/4 cups fresh raspberries (or blueberries or blackberries)
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place about 1 cup of salad greens on each plate, top evenly with the berries, nuts and blue cheese.
Wisk the vinegar, oil together in a small bowl, sprinkle with the black pepper to taste and serve.
This is a cool and refreshing summer salad that you can serve every summer once the berries are in season for a light lunch or dinner.
Enjoy, much love to you all!
J
I'd like to introduce you to a salad you may not ordinarily think of, it is a fresh berry salad, and with the abundance of berries that can be found here at your local Roswell grocery stores, I'm sure you'll find some of your favorites to make this easy salad your own!
To begin you'll need: 5 cups of mixed salad greens
1 1/2 cups sliced strawberries
1 1/4 cups fresh raspberries (or blueberries or blackberries)
2 tablespoons toasted almonds, chopped
1 tablespoon crumbled bleu cheese
1/2 cup raspberry vinegar
1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Place about 1 cup of salad greens on each plate, top evenly with the berries, nuts and blue cheese.
Wisk the vinegar, oil together in a small bowl, sprinkle with the black pepper to taste and serve.
This is a cool and refreshing summer salad that you can serve every summer once the berries are in season for a light lunch or dinner.
Enjoy, much love to you all!
J
Saturday, June 4, 2011
New Plates!
Hello All,
Don't know if you all know this but the US Dept. of Agriculture introduced a new way to make healthier food choices by replacing the Food Pyramid with a Plate. The new tool is called "My Plate" and I've included the link here for your review! http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
To the folks who felt like the old pyramid was confusing, the plate is far simpler and just as colorful as the foods you eat daily should be. Fruits are RED, vegetables are GREEN of course, (my favorite color, LOL), protein is PURPLE my second favorite color and it starts with a P which I'm thinking was done on purpose to make it easier to remember that you need some protein in your diet daily, grains are sort of an ORANGE color and dairy is BLUE (can't explain that one, ;-) In addition to the colors on the plate, the color's also suggest portion size so that you don't overeat, while you're following this suggested balanced diet!
I hope you'll take a look at this and make some modifications to your diet and the diet of your family, so you can be around for a long time!
On a separate note, many of you feel that cooking from scratch takes too much time. Now to be honest it does take longer that opening a package of some frozen item and putting it in the microwave or having something delivered from your favorite delivery restaurant, however when you make your food from scratch you know exactly what's in it!
So, here's my take on that theme. I make pancakes from scratch and use maple syrup, because there are no fillers and stabilizers in them when I make the pancakes from scratch. If you've ever read the pancake box, no matter which brand you use, there are items in the mix other than flour, baking soda, baking powder, an egg and buttermilk. You may know what those items are, but the vast majority of the population may have no idea what is in most of the foods they eat, they eat them simply because they like the way they taste! Same thing with some of the items you may eat at your favorite restaurant. One of the things I love to do on the rare occasions that I eat out is to try to taste all the flavors in the dish and come home and recreate them. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty good at it, and even if the dish doesn't taste exactly like the restaurant's I like to think that mine is better because not only am I using fresh ingredients, I'm adding love to the dish, which the folks enjoying the food can taste! Now you may think well, this can get expensive, all this cooking and stuff, but think about it, in the long run isn't your body and your health worth taking a little extra time to prepare a meal from scratch. If you don't take care of yourself now, you'll be taking care of yourself later with lots of medications and such that may have been able to be avoided if you took better care of yourself now! Pay for it now, or pay for it later!!!! Just a thought.
Well, that's all for now.
Much love to all of you!
J
Don't know if you all know this but the US Dept. of Agriculture introduced a new way to make healthier food choices by replacing the Food Pyramid with a Plate. The new tool is called "My Plate" and I've included the link here for your review! http://www.choosemyplate.gov/
To the folks who felt like the old pyramid was confusing, the plate is far simpler and just as colorful as the foods you eat daily should be. Fruits are RED, vegetables are GREEN of course, (my favorite color, LOL), protein is PURPLE my second favorite color and it starts with a P which I'm thinking was done on purpose to make it easier to remember that you need some protein in your diet daily, grains are sort of an ORANGE color and dairy is BLUE (can't explain that one, ;-) In addition to the colors on the plate, the color's also suggest portion size so that you don't overeat, while you're following this suggested balanced diet!
I hope you'll take a look at this and make some modifications to your diet and the diet of your family, so you can be around for a long time!
On a separate note, many of you feel that cooking from scratch takes too much time. Now to be honest it does take longer that opening a package of some frozen item and putting it in the microwave or having something delivered from your favorite delivery restaurant, however when you make your food from scratch you know exactly what's in it!
So, here's my take on that theme. I make pancakes from scratch and use maple syrup, because there are no fillers and stabilizers in them when I make the pancakes from scratch. If you've ever read the pancake box, no matter which brand you use, there are items in the mix other than flour, baking soda, baking powder, an egg and buttermilk. You may know what those items are, but the vast majority of the population may have no idea what is in most of the foods they eat, they eat them simply because they like the way they taste! Same thing with some of the items you may eat at your favorite restaurant. One of the things I love to do on the rare occasions that I eat out is to try to taste all the flavors in the dish and come home and recreate them. I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty good at it, and even if the dish doesn't taste exactly like the restaurant's I like to think that mine is better because not only am I using fresh ingredients, I'm adding love to the dish, which the folks enjoying the food can taste! Now you may think well, this can get expensive, all this cooking and stuff, but think about it, in the long run isn't your body and your health worth taking a little extra time to prepare a meal from scratch. If you don't take care of yourself now, you'll be taking care of yourself later with lots of medications and such that may have been able to be avoided if you took better care of yourself now! Pay for it now, or pay for it later!!!! Just a thought.
Well, that's all for now.
Much love to all of you!
J
Monday, May 16, 2011
Five a day, what you say?! Part 2 the Veggie side!
Okay,
So you need a way to get your five servings of vegetables in and have no idea how to do it. You may for some reason think that salad is not a good way to get them in, but you'd be wrong. Think about it, most salads consist of lettuce, and you can use more than one type of lettuce in your salad, for instance, romaine lettuce and sweet butter lettuce which brings your total so far to 2!!! Woohooo! LOL Then you could add tomatoes, don't laugh that brings you to 3! Then some diced onion or shallots which is a milder type of onion and you have 4! You can then add some blanched broccoli or cauliflower to some already boiling water in a colander {a metal one, not plastic} for about 5-10 seconds and then put in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process this brings you to 5!!!! What you say, I've got five, yes you now have 5, lolol.
Since this is a salad we're talking about, the sky is the limit. You can add some cooked corn, some matchstick carrots, or baby carrots, you can add whatever your favorite (vegetable) salad ingredients are to make sure that you get in your 5 for that day. And think about this in one large salad or one medium sized salad, you can get all 5 of the daily recommended servings of vegetables and if you don't really like veggies, then you're done for the day!
Now I'm not going to explain to you how to make a salad, I'm just going to suggest that you get creative and add some color, lots of color to your salad. Even add some fruit if you like, make it really pretty and colorful, don't be afraid just use your imagination and go for it!
Let me know what you come up with and enjoy your salad creations!
Much love,
J
So you need a way to get your five servings of vegetables in and have no idea how to do it. You may for some reason think that salad is not a good way to get them in, but you'd be wrong. Think about it, most salads consist of lettuce, and you can use more than one type of lettuce in your salad, for instance, romaine lettuce and sweet butter lettuce which brings your total so far to 2!!! Woohooo! LOL Then you could add tomatoes, don't laugh that brings you to 3! Then some diced onion or shallots which is a milder type of onion and you have 4! You can then add some blanched broccoli or cauliflower to some already boiling water in a colander {a metal one, not plastic} for about 5-10 seconds and then put in a bowl of ice to stop the cooking process this brings you to 5!!!! What you say, I've got five, yes you now have 5, lolol.
Since this is a salad we're talking about, the sky is the limit. You can add some cooked corn, some matchstick carrots, or baby carrots, you can add whatever your favorite (vegetable) salad ingredients are to make sure that you get in your 5 for that day. And think about this in one large salad or one medium sized salad, you can get all 5 of the daily recommended servings of vegetables and if you don't really like veggies, then you're done for the day!
Now I'm not going to explain to you how to make a salad, I'm just going to suggest that you get creative and add some color, lots of color to your salad. Even add some fruit if you like, make it really pretty and colorful, don't be afraid just use your imagination and go for it!
Let me know what you come up with and enjoy your salad creations!
Much love,
J
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Beans, beans good for the heart - part 2
I didn't realize I'd already posted this recipe, but I'd not yet made it, so forgive the duplication and try the recipe!!!
Okay, so I like to try new things, love learning new things and most of all I like to eat, while trying not to look like I like to eat. One day I was watching the Food Network's show "Big Daddy's House" and the chef on that show made something I'd been wanting to try. Black Bean Burgers. Now for those you who know me, I'm really opposed to many processed foods, so I don't think I'll ever try a Morningside veggie burger, I'd rather make my own from scratch and here was the perfect recipe and I'll share it with you here. I made them yesterday and let me just say, they are good!!!!! So for my vegetarian friends this one's for you!!!!
Ingredients are:
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 shallots ( regular yellow onion will do) minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika ( I used what I have in the house)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon freshly chopped cilantro
1 egg white, slightly beaten
I added some minced garlic to this mixture, cause mama has to have some garlic with her beans! LOL
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt ( I don't cook with salt, I prefer to add salt once the food is on my plate)
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper (I did not measure this, just twisted the pepper mill a couple times)
3 tablespoons olive oil.
Now Big Daddy made these burgers as a sandwich, I opted not to do that, just had one with a salad.
So now, in a large bowl, mash the black beans with a potato masher or your hands. Add the onion (or shallots), red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cilantro, egg white, and the flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then form the patties with your hands. Now you can make these smaller if you like, this recipe calls for 4 burgers and they are fairly large.
In a large frying pan (skillet) heat the oil, his recipe says to sear the patties for 3-4 minutes I cooked them a little longer and they had a nice crust to them.
This is a really fast way to get some protein in your diet and with a salad on the side, you're set for dinner or lunch.
Hope you'll try this recipe and let me know how you liked it!
Much love,
J
Okay, so I like to try new things, love learning new things and most of all I like to eat, while trying not to look like I like to eat. One day I was watching the Food Network's show "Big Daddy's House" and the chef on that show made something I'd been wanting to try. Black Bean Burgers. Now for those you who know me, I'm really opposed to many processed foods, so I don't think I'll ever try a Morningside veggie burger, I'd rather make my own from scratch and here was the perfect recipe and I'll share it with you here. I made them yesterday and let me just say, they are good!!!!! So for my vegetarian friends this one's for you!!!!
Ingredients are:
2 (15 oz) cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
2 shallots ( regular yellow onion will do) minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika ( I used what I have in the house)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon freshly chopped cilantro
1 egg white, slightly beaten
I added some minced garlic to this mixture, cause mama has to have some garlic with her beans! LOL
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt ( I don't cook with salt, I prefer to add salt once the food is on my plate)
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper (I did not measure this, just twisted the pepper mill a couple times)
3 tablespoons olive oil.
Now Big Daddy made these burgers as a sandwich, I opted not to do that, just had one with a salad.
So now, in a large bowl, mash the black beans with a potato masher or your hands. Add the onion (or shallots), red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, cilantro, egg white, and the flour. Mix well with a wooden spoon, then form the patties with your hands. Now you can make these smaller if you like, this recipe calls for 4 burgers and they are fairly large.
In a large frying pan (skillet) heat the oil, his recipe says to sear the patties for 3-4 minutes I cooked them a little longer and they had a nice crust to them.
This is a really fast way to get some protein in your diet and with a salad on the side, you're set for dinner or lunch.
Hope you'll try this recipe and let me know how you liked it!
Much love,
J
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Spring and Summer time grilling and food safety
Hello All,
I know in some parts of the country it may be hard to believe that spring is here and that summer is on the way, but indeed according to the calendar summer is coming.
As you grillers out there get ready to break out the charcoal and bug spray here is a link on Summer time food safety tips. Cause you really don't want to have to take anyone to the emergency room after they ate your oh so very special barbecue. So give the link a look see and happy grilling y'all!!!! ;-)
http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/events/summervacations/index.html
I know in some parts of the country it may be hard to believe that spring is here and that summer is on the way, but indeed according to the calendar summer is coming.
As you grillers out there get ready to break out the charcoal and bug spray here is a link on Summer time food safety tips. Cause you really don't want to have to take anyone to the emergency room after they ate your oh so very special barbecue. So give the link a look see and happy grilling y'all!!!! ;-)
http://www.foodsafety.gov/keep/events/summervacations/index.html
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Faith and Food!
Hello all,
For Christians all around the world today is Palm Sunday, Easter is next Sunday and Passover begins at sundown on Monday. Food plays a very important part in our observations of our faith and the local supermarkets here in Roswell and other places have an abundance of the items many like to prepare during this time of renewed Faith.
With that said many families have lamb for Sunday dinner during this spring holiday season, and I'd like to share a recipe for an Herb Pesto Rub marinade that you can use for lamb, chicken breasts or beef, all of which are on sale at your local Publix.
Now if you've been growing your own herbs or getting them at Walmart or Publix the fresh ingredients used here will make this dish a hit with your family! Here's what you'll need:
Herb Pesto Rub
1/4 cup fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1/c cup fresh oregano
1 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil.
Strip the thyme and rosemary leaves from the stems and remove the leafy parts from the oregano and parsley, (you should have approximately 3 cups of loose herbs) Place the herbs, salt and pepper (I usually omit salt when I cook and the food comes out perfectly fine) in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until the pesto is blended. The mix will keep for 1 week in the fridge.
If you are using this marinade for chicken, let sit for 4-6 hours. For lamb chops 3-4 hours for a leg of lamb let marinate overnight.
Hope you'll love the marinade and make it one of your family favorites! Enjoy as you celebrate Easter, Passover and Palm Sunday!
Much love,
J
For Christians all around the world today is Palm Sunday, Easter is next Sunday and Passover begins at sundown on Monday. Food plays a very important part in our observations of our faith and the local supermarkets here in Roswell and other places have an abundance of the items many like to prepare during this time of renewed Faith.
With that said many families have lamb for Sunday dinner during this spring holiday season, and I'd like to share a recipe for an Herb Pesto Rub marinade that you can use for lamb, chicken breasts or beef, all of which are on sale at your local Publix.
Now if you've been growing your own herbs or getting them at Walmart or Publix the fresh ingredients used here will make this dish a hit with your family! Here's what you'll need:
Herb Pesto Rub
1/4 cup fresh thyme
1/4 cup fresh rosemary
1/c cup fresh oregano
1 cup fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup olive oil.
Strip the thyme and rosemary leaves from the stems and remove the leafy parts from the oregano and parsley, (you should have approximately 3 cups of loose herbs) Place the herbs, salt and pepper (I usually omit salt when I cook and the food comes out perfectly fine) in a food processor. With the motor running, slowly add the olive oil and process until the pesto is blended. The mix will keep for 1 week in the fridge.
If you are using this marinade for chicken, let sit for 4-6 hours. For lamb chops 3-4 hours for a leg of lamb let marinate overnight.
Hope you'll love the marinade and make it one of your family favorites! Enjoy as you celebrate Easter, Passover and Palm Sunday!
Much love,
J
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Ohhh I love onions! ;-)
When I was growing up, my mother had a friend who worked for Columbia Records (I think that was it) who used to send us demos of records that as I look back may have never been released. One such record was I love Onions, recorded by Julie Christie. Now don't ask me how I remember that, but I do, perhaps it's because I love onions! LOL Anyway, on Sunday I made a Sweet Onion Souffle, which is quite tasty. If you're counting calories you may not want to make this, cause where I will sub on some recipes, on some I don't even bother and this is one. So here we go, you'll need the following:
1/2 cup butter ( perhaps you can sub olive oil and just a tablespoon of butter for the flavor)
6 medium sweet onions (3.25 lbs) thinly sliced into rings (here in GA, Vidalia onions can be used, these are very good for this recipe)
2 cups heavy whipping cream
3 oz package Parmesan cheese
6 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 tablespoon fresh Rosemary chopped
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar ( I use less)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt ( I omit this, as I don't cook with salt. I think each person should salt to taste on their plate)
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat; add onion. Cook stirring often, about 1 hour or until the onions are caramel colored. Remove pan from heat.
In a large bowl, stir together the cream, the Parmesan cheese and the eggs. In another bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and rosemary. Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients.
Next, stir the onions into the egg mixture; spoon the mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 baking dish and bake at 350 uncovered for 30-35 minutes or until slightly firm, puffed and golden brown. This should serve 8.
I made this with ground turkey meatloaf, you can make it with whatever meat you like, or make it with Three Bean Chili if you are a vegetarian but eat dairy products.
If you love onions like I do, I'm sure you'll enjoy this dish.
Until next time, much love to all of you!
J
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