Five a day?! What you say, lolol !!!!

Hello All,

As you know (or not) it is recommended (by the American Dietetic Association) that we eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, use whole grains, eat calcium rich foods, low fat proteins and limit our use of sugar.  This is wonderful news to help us all optimize our health!  Now I know from experience that as much as I love most fruits and most vegetables that five a day is not an easy task, but let me share with you how I do it.

I start with breakfast.  If I'm having cold cereal, such as Kashi Heart to Heart ( I call them Kashi Cheerios)  I add a banana, or some cut up strawberries and blueberries.  It depends on what is in season (cause you should respect the seasons) and what is on sale at the market that week.  So if it's bananas, that is one fruit down.  If it's the berries, then its two fruits down.

Because I'm hypoglycemic I need to keep my blood sugar level constant, so I munch fruit throughout the day.  What works for me is to cut up my apple and peel my orange, put a small container of berries in my lunch bag and munch to my hearts content as I go about my day.

Let me digress here for a second.  We are told that for optimum weight loss we should eat small meals throughout the day, and I think the term  "small meals" confuses people.  A meal is considered a meat, starch and vegetable by many people, when in fact what I think they mean to say is have an apple or orange or some carrots during the day when you have an urge to munch something.

Okay so what I think is a good schedule is if you have breakfast around 7AM or so, by about 10 you should be looking around for a snack.  I suggest an apple or orange or whatever your favorite fruit is.  I'm a late lunch kinda girl, so about 12 I may be looking around for another snack, at which time I'll have another piece of fruit or a handful of nuts ( this is really hard for me, because unless I've pre-measured the nuts I'm gonna eat more than a handful as I love crunchy foods).  Now it's time for lunch at about 1-1:30 and depending on the time of year, if its winter I want something hot, if its summer I want salad. 

Of course you will do what works for you, and the ADA just makes suggestions on how we should eat, but if your goal is to eat healthier, just think of the joy you'll feel when you've accomplished 5 servings a day of fruit.  I know on the days when I do, I give myself a pat on the back, do the happy dance and then try to work in 5 servings of vegetables. LOLOL

We'll talk about that another day, so for now, set your goal for 5 servings of fruit and give yourself a pat on the back when you've reached your goal.  Take it one day at a time, and soon it will be part of your normal routine.  If you have children you'll be setting a good example for them, and you'll feel lighter and healthier in the long run!

Ciao for now and have a wonderful day!

Much love,

J

Once Upon a Time

Hello All,

Once upon a time I lived in Brooklyn, NY and had a favorite Mexican restaurant in Brooklyn Heights that I went to rather often.  One of the meals I had there was a chicken poblano mole.  Which is a spicy chocolate chicken dish.  What?!  Chicken and chocolate?!  Yes, chicken and chocolate.  It was two things I really love, spicy and it had chocolate.  I've been wanting to make that dish or one similar to it for quite some time and recently found an easy recipe for Chicken Mole that I'd like to share with you here:

2 1/2 lbs chicken breast tenders
1 large onion chopped/diced small
1 large green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped ( I omitted this)
2 cloves garlic, minced ( or 1 teaspoon already minced garlic)
2 tablespoons chili powder (this does not give a lot of heat, so if you want really spicy, I suggest half chili powder and half cayenne pepper)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves (yes this is the cloves traditionally put in ham, and also good for a toothache, I used much less than the recipe calls for because I don't really care for the taste, however it does give the dish a nice flavor)
1 can (14 1/2 oz) diced tomatoes ( I of course used fresh tomatoes, and diced them myself)
2 tablespoons unsweetened natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons unsweetened coco powder (Nestle's is good, use the regular not the dark chocolate)
2 scallions chopped ( I omitted this just because I didn't have any, use your own judgment on this ingredient)

The recipe calls for you to sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper, I don't cook with salt, preferring to add it to my plate as in salt to my taste.   Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with olive oil ( I don't use cooking sprays, but you can if you like) over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for about 8 minutes, turning once, or until browned on both sides.  Remove from the pan to a bowl.  Next, add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic to the pan and saute' for about 3 minutes until the onion is translucent.  Stir in the chili powder (or the half chili powder, half cayenne pepper I suggested above) and the ground cloves and cook for 1 minute.  The aroma is wonderful!   Put the chicken back in the pan along with any juices and add the fresh tomatoes (if you used canned then add the juice from those), the peanut butter and cocoa powder and bring to a boil.   Cover and let simmer on a low flame for about 25 minutes, stirring every so often. 

I served this dish with my own special yellow rice and my version of re-fried kidney beans (which are not re-fried at all)  and I have to say that this reminded me of the restaurant in Brooklyn Heights that I used to go to, once upon a time!

I hope you'll make this dish and let me know how you liked it.  I didn't include my recipe for yellow rice or re-fried beans so, hit me up and I'll forward to you upon request!

Much love,

J

Beans, beans good for the heart the more you eat the more you ....!

Hello All,

You may or may not recall that little rhyme we chanted back in the day and for some of us it may still apply.  But no matter what, beans are an excellent source of protein and if you've committed to having a meatless meal from time to time, beans are a good way to go!  Here is a recipe I came across yesterday morning while watching the food network, I've included the link for your reference:  http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/deluxe-black-bean-burger-recipe/index.html

Here is the recipe, which I've tweaked a bit for your eating pleasure.  Here's what you'll need;

2 15 ounce cans of low sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
2 shallots (or 1 large onion, red or yellow)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon smoked paprika (yes there is a difference)
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon fresh cilantro - chopped
1 egg white slightly beaten
3 tablespoons whole wheat flour ( or white flour something like Wondra)
1 tablespoon cracked black pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
I personally would add some minced garlic to this about 1 tablespoon, and omit the Worcestershire sauce, but that of course is up to you.  I also would omit the black pepper.

In a large bowl, finely mash the black beans with your hands or a potato masher.  Add the shallots or onion, red pepper flakes, smoked paprika, garlic, worcestershire sauce (or omit this), hot sauce, cilantro, egg white (to bind it all together) and lastly the flour.  Mix will with a wooded spoon.  Form into patties, makes 4, this will be sticky and a bit messy, get over it and keep going, ;-).   In a large frying pan or skillet (north vs south here) heat the olive oil.  Sear the patties for about 3-4 minutes on each side until you have a nice crust.  Remove the patties to a plate lined with paper towels.  Now the show suggested making sandwiches out of these, but I think you can eat them with a nice tossed salad on the side.  A little romaine, some red onion, cherry tomatoes and maybe some cucumber, some balsamic vinaigrette and you're good to go!

Remember, beans, beans, good for the heart, the more you eat, the more you ....!  Enjoy and have a wonderful day!

Much love,

J

Its a wrap!

Hello All,

Its Sunday afternoon and you may be thinking about what's for dinner, for those of you who are forward thinkers, you're not only thinking about Sunday dinner, but lunch for the week or at least for tomorrow and Tuesday.

Last time I shared some time saving tips with you and I'm going to take it a bit further today (with some Bob Marley playing in the background, "We're Jammin').   Because Spring Break is over for me, I prepared a few things so that I can hit the ground running tomorrow.  Last night I made a Chicken Milanese Risotto, on Friday I made a small pot roast and today I grilled some chicken cutlets and made some salsa and some guacamole.  Now this may sound like a lot of food to you and to those of you who know me, yes, every now and then I will eat beef.

Now my purpose in preparing all this food is that although it is Spring here in the Southeast, it's still a bit chilly and tomorrow it is only supposed to hit 59 degrees, hence the Chicken Milanese Risotto, cause every now and then I like something hot for lunch.    As for the beef and chicken, I will make one of my favorites - a wrap sandwich with the beef and chicken as one of the ingredients.  So, lets make a wrap - start with a whole wheat soft taco shell ( I use La Banderita) if you like add a very small amount of Helman's mayo to the taco shell, then start to layer, first some cut up pieces of chicken or beef, then some lettuce (romaine, or a blend of different lettuces) some shredded carrots (I love crunchy stuff) and then add either the guacamole or the salsa to the wrap.  Using a butter knife, gather all the ingredients to one side of the taco shell and start to roll it all together.  Because this most likely will fall apart, I use either tooth picks or bamboo skewers to hold the wrap together, then I put it some plastic wrap and then foil to keep it cool and all together and here you have it, a wrap!!!!

For those of  you who may think I'm nuts with all this cooking, I don't really care.  I know for sure that by eating food that I've prepared myself, I'm cutting down on all the preservatives and sodium that is found in processed foods, as well as saving a few dollars.  But if you really are not into all this, then when you head out to the grocery store let me make a few suggestions.  Start with Perdue or your favorite brand of already prepared grilled chicken.  In the fresh produce section, you'll find some fresh salsa and guacamole and the soft taco shells should be in the bread aisle.  But there's nothing like the taste of love that goes into that wrap that you've made yourself totally from scratch.  Think about it and get back to me!  ;-)

Much love to you all,

J

Time Saving Tips for eating healthy!

Hello All,

Here are some time saving tips that have helped me through the years!

Once I decide on a menu and pick the items up from the grocery store, I spend a day or several hours cooking.  Now for me this is usually a Saturday or Sunday.  As meat is the one component of any meal that takes the most amount of time, I usually make a couple of different meats and freeze them so that when I come home on any given night I can either make a couple of side dishes or a salad and be good to go.

For instance with lasagna,  I put two or three squares in some plastic wrap, then foil, then a ziplock bag and on a day when I know I'm gonna be slammed from running hither and yon, I take a packet out of the freezer before heading out for the day.  When I get home I either microwave it, or put it in the oven and make a nice garden salad to go with the lasagna.

The same with chicken or the rare occasions when I eat beef, I prepare the chicken in a couple of different ways, say for instance Chicken Risotto Milanese.  For this you need 1/2 cup of butter (sub olive oil to make this a healthier dish) 2 lbs of boneless skinless chicken breasts thinly sliced, 1 large onion, 2 1/2 cups of chicken broth ( i suggest Swanson's Natural Goodness which is lower in sodium than the regular or any other lower sodium chicken broth at your local store), 2 1/3 cups Arborio rice ( aka Risotto rice) 2/3 cup white wine (make sure that you use a wine you'd drink, if you don't have white, a nice zinfandel works fine) or omit if you like.  1 teaspoon crumbled saffron, and Parmesan cheese to garnish.   In a large sauce pan heat about 1/2 teaspoon of the olive oil and saute' the onion just until it softens next add the rice and stir so that the oil will coat the rice.  Add the saffron threads, and the thinly sliced chicken. Next add the chicken stock and bring it to just about a simmer.  This dish is a bit time consuming because you need to keep stirring the rice as the liquid cooks down. 

This is a dish that you can have for dinner one night, and perhaps lunch on another day with a side salad. 

If you're trying to watch your sodium intake, or trying to save a little money by not eating out so much or watching your weight, eating food that you've prepared yourself really helps you to know exactly what is in the food you're eating.

Sometimes I will make a whole meal, the meat and the side, and eat from it the whole week, for lunch and dinner, it all depends.  Keep in mind that your freezer is your friend and you can freeze just about anything for a long (cooked items) or short period (raw items) of time.  Of course you have to figure out what works best for you and your family, but I hope you will consider these suggestions!

Much love to all of you!

J

Adding a little flavor, flav!

Hello all,

If you or someone you know and love has been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may be challenged when it comes to preparing meals that are low in salt.

First let me suggest that you look at the labels of all the processed foods in your pantry, fridge and freezer.  If the sodium content of the items you have is above 300 mg sodium, then you may want to consider donating those items to your local food bank.  I suggest 300 mg because the body does need some salt in order to maintain it's processes ( I won't bore you with the technical term, but if you want to know it contact me).

I once had a friend who was so stressed out about his hereditary high blood pressure that he would confide to me that he just didn't know how to grocery shop anymore.  So one day I went with him and I suggested frozen vegetables to him, he was amazed that not only did they not contain salt, they were at that time less expensive than canned vegetables.  Now I do maintain that fresh is better, but fresh can be very expensive (and although we're certainly worth the extra expense, sometimes it is just not in the budget) unless you catch fresh produce on sale at your local supermarket, or have access to a local farmers market.

I also suggest getting rid of the Lawry's Seasoning Salt, the garlic salt, and any other seasoning you have in the pantry that has salt in it.  Below is a link to Eat Right.org where you will find a few useful tips on how to season your food without salt.

http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6442462299

Another good seasoning idea is fresh herbs.  If you have a sunny window sill, and a green thumb you can grow your own basil, oregano, dill and other herbs that you can use to season your food.  The basil doesn't even have to go in dirt, just put it in some water in a clear glass container and nature will do the rest.

Another thing that someone with high blood pressure needs to do is exercise.  You may be saying "but I can't afford a gym membership right now"  and that is fine, cause walking is free and it can be done anywhere.  So grab your favorite music playing electronic device and head out to explore your neighborhood.  If its raining walk around the mall, just leave your wallet locked safely in your trunk, so you won't spend any money.  Be inventive with your exercise.  If you love to dance, put on your favorite dance music, your favorite dancing shoes and shake what your mama gave you around the house for 15 - 20 minutes.  It is cardio at its best!

All I can do is make suggestions, the rest is up to you, but I'd love to hear from you about how you've taken my suggestions and made them your own!

So have a magnificent day, I look forward to hearing from you!

Much love,

J

Spring has sprung here in the ATL!

Hello All,

The weather here today is a really nice 71 degrees.  I hope you won't be to angry with me for saying this if the weather where you are is not as nice, but consider the possibilities in that it soon will be spring where you are!

Today, I'll do a little something for my vegetarian family  with a link to a Saffron, Zucchini and Herb Couscous- http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/saffron-zucchini-and-herb-couscous-recipe/index.html     Here is the recipe as well! 

• 1 1/2 cups homemade chicken stock or canned broth
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 zucchini, large dice
• 1 1/2 cups couscous (10 ounces)
• 1 cup chopped basil leaves
• 1 cup chopped parsley leaves

Directions

Bring the chicken stock to a boil in a small saucepan, and turn off the heat. Add the salt, pepper, cumin, and saffron threads and allow to steep for at least 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil and melt the butter in a saute pan. Add the zucchini and cook for 5 minutes, or until lightly browned. Bring the chicken stock just back to a boil. Place the couscous in a large bowl and add the cooked zucchini. Pour the hot chicken stock over them. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and allow to stand at room temperature for 15 minutes. Add the basil and parsley. Toss the couscous and herbs with a fork, and serve warm or at room temperature.


Yes, sad to say that I took the easy way out today, cause I want to get out and enjoy the lovely day!  Ciao for now and have a marvelous day!

Much love,

J