Eat Healthy Cheaply

Do you think eating healthy is too expensive? We really need to keep this in perspective. As a culture (US) we are used to very inexpensive food. And we have come to depend on fast food way too much (how often do you purchase from the dollar menu)? If one is used to purchasing nutritionally desolate, cheap food products and then switches to purchasing healthy, nutritionally dense and thus more expensive products, the tendency may be to complain that eating healthy is too expensive.

Here are some ways to eat healthier and save money.

1. Switch to Water

• It’s healthier
• It’s cheaper

Quit the soda (this includes diet) & drink water. Take a bottle wherever you go.

2. Consume Tap Water. Check the price of water on your tap water bill. Now check the price of bottled water. Quit a difference, isn’t it? So why are you buying bottled water?

• Cleaner? Not necessarily.
• Better taste? No, simply a matter of preference.

Bottled water companies get their supply from the same source you do: municipal water systems. It’s like selling ice to Eskimos. If you don’t trust the quality of tap water, filter it yourself. We (goodfoodlady & hubby) filter our well water and drink that. I will be honest, we keep a case of water in the back of the car so we always have something to drink without having to purchase it more expensively than the case we get from BJ's.

3. Eat Eggs. I always have eggs at breakfast:

• Full of vitamins
• High in proteins
• Low in price

Don’t believe the eggs and cholesterol myth. Dietary cholesterol is not bound to blood cholesterol. Want to make it cheaper? Buy a chicken.

4. Eat Fatty Meats. Fatty meats (I'm not talking processed meats, but the type of cut of fresh meats) are cheaper & more tasty than lean meats. You think it’s not healthy?

• Fat doesn’t make you fat, excess carbohydrates do
• You need a balanced intake of fats: omega 3, 6 & 9

Buy beef chuck instead of sirloin.

5. Get Whey. The cheapest source of protein. 70$ for a 10lbs bag lasting 4 months. Nothing beats that. You can make protein shakes for snacks.

6. Tuna Cans (and sardines!) Canned tuna is cheap & contains as much protein as meat. Alternate tuna with eggs, meat & whey. You’ll easily get to your daily amount of protein.

7. Buy Frozen Veggies.

• Take less time to prepare
• You don’t waste money if not eaten in time
• Can be bought in bulk for discounts & stored in your freezer

If you can afford fresh veggies, then do it.


8. Use a Multivitamin. Pesticides lower the vitamin levels of your fruits & veggies. Two solutions:

• Buy organic food. Expensive.
• Use a multivitamin. $10 a month. Choose one that uses natural vitamins, not synthetic, for better absorption.

Choose what fits your wallet best. I purchase organic when it is on sale and I take vitamins.

9. Fish Oil. Omega-3 is found in fish oil. Benefits of omega-3 consumption include:

• Lowered cholesterol levels
• Decreased body fat
• Reduced inflammation

You need to eat fatty fish 3 times a week to get these benefits. Try Twin-Lab's Cod Liver Oil with Orange Flavor. One tablespoon daily. I also eat sardines, love em.


10. Buy Store Brand Food. The box might be less attractive, it’s certainly more attractive to your wallet. Brand-name food will always be more expensive. You’re paying for the name. Get real. Food is food. Go generic. But remember sometimes you have to comparison shop, check the unit price, sometimes the name brand is cheaper.

11. Buy in Bulk. Think long-term. Buying in bulk is more expensive at the cashier, but cheaper in the long run:

• Gets you discounts
• Saves time
• Saves car fuel

Invest in a big freezer. Buy meats & veggies in bulk and freeze them.

12. Go to One Grocery Store. This grocery store is cheaper for meat, that grocery store is cheaper for veggies, the other grocery store is cheaper for fish… How many grocery stores are you going to, trying to find the cheapest food? Think!

• Time is money. Stop losing a day shopping.
• Cars don’t run on water. Lower your fuel expenses.

13. Make a Plan. A classic, but worth repeating. Everything starts with a plan.

• Make a list of what you need
• Eat a solid meal, don’t go hungry
• Go the grocery, get what’s on your list & get out

No need to take your partner or kids with you. This is not a recreational activity. Just get your food & get back home.

14. Take Food To Work. Ever counted how much money you throw away buying food at work daily? Start preparing your food for the day on waking up:

• Get up earlier
• Eat a solid breakfast
• Prepare your food for work in the meanwhile

Total time 30 minutes. No stress during the day about what you’ll be eating & you get healthy food while sparing money.

15. Don’t Buy Junk Food. Stop buying anything that comes out of a box, it’s:

• Unhealthy
• Expensive

If you actually find junk food that is cheaper than whole food, think long-term, its expensive going to the doctor and buying medicine.

16. Buy Fruit and Vegetables in Season Arugula, Apples, Beets, Cabbage, Carrots, Collards, Green Onions, Leafy Greens, Peanuts, Pecans, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Swiss Chard and Winter Squash are all in season right now (in North Carolina) and will be less expensive to buy. 


Some of the material for this post came from Get Rich Slowly. org)

Whole Grains

Whole grains are a  great source of important nutrients; protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and, especially, carbohydrates that are low on the glycemic index (GI). Glycemic Index is an indication of how a carbohydrate will affect your blood sugar. For many people eating a lot of foods that are high in GI will produce blood sugar spikes that can eventually lead to insulin resistance. Signs of insulin resistance are obesity, high blood pressure, high triglycerides, type 2 diabetes, and other diseases.
Grains naturally have a low glycemic index if they have not been processed. Processed carbohydrates have a high GI. It takes longer to digest whole grains because your body has to break them down, this takes time.
When grains are made into flour it makes it really easy for the body to digest them, it doesn't make a difference whether they are whole grain or not. You have pre-digested them by grinding them and have made them really easy for the body to work on quickly and absorb. While eating whole grains is good for you, you want to avoid eating whole grain flour products because they will affect your blood sugar due to the high GI.

Eat whole, whole grains not ground or powdered whole grains (read flour). Oatmeal is very popular with some people, but there is a vast difference between steel cut oats that take 40 minutes to cook and instant oatmeal (pulverized) that you only have to add hot water to and stir, or even the oatmeal served at McDonald's that has as much sugar as a Snickers Bar, check this story out: http://abcnews.go.com/US/mcdonalds-wholesome-oatmeal-healthy/story?id=12980427 .

The following whole grains (this not a comprehensive list but you should be able to find them) are healthy and lower in GI in their natural state. You also have to keep quantity in mind you don't want to sit around and eat a ton of brown rice or a ton of anything else for that matter, they are still carbohydrates:

• Amaranth
• Barley
• Brown rice
• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Flaxseed
• Millet
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Rye
• Spelt
• Wheat berries
• Wild rice

Please check out this article on properly preparing whole grains http://www.westonaprice.org/food-features/be-kind-to-your-grains. I have blogged about it before here: http://goodfoodlady.blogspot.com/search/label/soaking%20oatmeal.

Low Carb Pie Shell

My co-worker Lori inspired me to make Quiche for dinner. Even though Quiche is a Recipe I have covered before, I needed to change the shell to fit into a low-carb eating plan. This shell  has about 2 grams of Carbohydrate per serving (1 shell serves eight). 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup shredded Unsweetened coconut
1/3 cup coconut oil
2 eggs
1 tsp sea salt

Mix ingredients, it should form a soft dough, if it is too loose add a little more flour.





Mix dough by hand for about 1 minute until a ball is formed. You are going to roll the dough out. It is easiest to do this between two sheets of waxed paper. I didn't have waxed paper so I used plastic wrap. Wrap a cutting board  with the plastic wrap, put the ball on top and cover with another piece of plastic wrap.

Roll out the dough between the two sheets of waxed paper (or plastic wrap).  Then you need to flip it onto the pie dish and peel off the plastic wrap. Be careful because the shell might crack and fall apart.








Fit the shell into the pie plate, press out any cracks and replace any pieces that may have fallen off. Smooth out the shell into dish.

Now you can follow the quiche recipe. DO NOT PRE-BAKE THIS SHELL. Coconut flour cooks a whole lot faster than wheat flour. Bake in the center of the oven and cover the filled shell with aluminum foil to protect against burning.

What a Low Carb Breakfast Looks Like

I want to thank Anne Houston for sharing her breakfast with us. If you are wondering what to have for breakfast when following a Low Carbohydrate Diet, take a look at what she whipped up: Veggies (peppers, spinach, onions, jalapenos) Eileen's (Head) eggs and turkey bacon. When Anne emailed her photo she added "yummy" and it certainly looks yummy. Thanks Anne.

Send me pictures of your low carb creations and I will post them.

Really Easy Italian Sausage & Peppers

Really Easy Italian Sausage & Peppers 

3 TBSP Olive Oil.

6 links Italian Sausage (I used Harvest Land Chicken sausage),
sliced into 4 to 6 slices each link. 

2 large Bell Peppers (red & yellow),
cut into strips.

10 large mushrooms, quartered.

1 can of diced tomatoes.

3 oz. goat cheese

garlic, oregano, basil (1 teaspoon each)
salt to taste.

Saute peppers and mushrooms in olive oil until tender. Add sausage and continue to saute until the sausage is hot. Add tomatoes, garlic powder, oregano, basil and salt, stir well.
Top with goat cheese just before serving.

Vicki's Dinner

I'm so proud of my friend Vicki. Take a look at her dinner it looks delicious. She is starting on her journey of eating a healthier diet and this is one of her creations.

Chicken with Mini Peppers

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized pieces
2 pounds mini yellow, red and orange bell peppers, slice in half
1/2 onion, chopped
3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 tsp powdered Thyme
1 tsp powdered Sage
1 tsp powdered Majoram
salt 

Saute chicken in olive oil until mostly done, season with spices and continue sauteing. Add peppers and continue cooking until peppers are soft and chicken is completely done.

Served with broccoli. 

The Many Names of Sugar

When eating a low carbohydrate diet, it is necessary to read the nutrition label. You will find the amount of carbohydrate measured in grams, and it will be broken down further; the grams of fiber and sugars, what ever is left over will be the amount of starch. Vegetables and fruit both contain natural sugars, what you are seeking to avoid is added sugar.

Sugar has many names, but when your body metabolizes it it only sees it as sugar. Here are ingredients that you want to avoid while trying to lose weight:

• Agave nectar
• Barley Malt Syrup
• Corn sweetener
• Corn syrup, or corn syrup solids
• Dehydrated Cane Juice
• Dextrin
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrate
• Glucose
• High-fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Invert sugar
• Lactose
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Maltose
• Maple syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Rice Syrup
• Saccharose
• Sorghum or sorghum syrup
• Sucrose
• Syrup
• Treacle
• Turbinado Sugar
• Xylose

These will all add unnecessary carbohydrates to your diet which in turn can slow down or stop your weight loss.

List source: About.com

Yummy Beef Tips and Broccoli Recipe

I have never been a big red meat eater, I have had to acquire an appreciation for it. Beef is satisfying and a good source of iron which is particularly important to pre-menopausal women. I've been eating it lately because it is good, it fills me up and I don't get hungry for long time after eating. I made this last night, I took a picture of my plate, this was way too much for me to eat (the rest is for my lunch tomorrow) but I wanted to take a nice photo.

On the right is a nice quick beef stir fry and on the left a tomato, avocado and mozzarella salad served on baby greens. Recipes below.

Beef & Broccoli Stir Fry

1 pound beef tips
1/2 bunch of green onions
4 cloves of garlic, each cut in half
1 small red bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
1 small yellow bell pepper, cut into 8 pieces
3 heads of broccoli, cut the florets off and split the large ones, save the stalks for another recipe.
4 - 6 Tbs. soy sauce
1 Tbs. powdered ginger
2 Tbs. sesame seeds
coconut oil

Heat 2 tablespoons of coconut oil in a large skillet or frying pan. On high heat brown beef tips, make sure all sides are seared well. Add the onions, garlic, and both bell peppers, continue to stir-fry until the veggies start to soften and get just a little brown on the edges, then add the broccoli florets and continue to stir-fry. Add the soy sauce and continue to stir-fry, make sure you scrape the brown bits off of the bottom of the skillet at mix it with the soy sauce, turn down the heat and add the powdered ginger and sesame seeds, stir well.

Makes 4 servings.

Tomato, Avocado and Mozzarella Salad

1 large beefsteak tomato, cut into 8 pieces
1 ripe Haas Avocado, cut into cubes
1/4 pound of mozzarella cheese, cut into cubes
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
Baby salad greens

Mix the first 5 ingredients together in  a bowl, serve on top of the salad greens.
Makes 4 servings.

Creamed Garlic Cauliflower

Here is a recipe that you will really enjoy, especially if you are a mashed potato lover. Todd and I have reduced the amount of carbohydrates that we eat,  we completely avoid all refined carbohydrates and most starchy carbohydrates. As a result we have both lost over 20 pounds since March.

We do not however avoid vegetables, and one of the vegetable we have been loving to prepare is cauliflower. This cauliflower recipe is as easy as 1, 2, 3!

Recipe:

1 head of fresh cauliflower (I could probably use frozen, I just never have).
2 Tablespoons butter (use the real stuff, not margarine).
1/4 cup of cream
1 clove of garlic
salt & pepper to taste

#1. Cut up and boil your cauliflower until tender, this will take about 10 minutes or so. Then drain.

#2. Place the cooked cauliflower, butter, cream, clove of garlic and salt & pepper into the food processor and blend until creamy. You can also mash it with a fork, I have done this before; you have to put the garlic through a garlic press and it won't be creamy but it is still good.

 #3. Serve, we had our cauliflower along with a tossed salad with goat cheese, and grilled chicken sausages from Trader Joe's (the pesto chicken sausage [top one in the picture] was a little salty to me but good, the roasted tomato and peppers was just too spicy to eat, but Todd and Cort thought they were both great.

Ratatouille! (pronounced Rat-A-Tooey)

Is that summer squash in your garden (or your neighbor's) piling up on you? If so make this great tasting dish that was the subject of the animated movie Ratatouille. Do you remember the scene where all the rats came into the kitchen to help because the kitchen staff walked out when they discovered the rat in there working? I don't care how friendly those rats were, that scene gave me the chills. If you haven't seen the movie, rent it, its really fun to watch.

Usually you bake this in the oven, but it can also be simmered stove top. I decided to make it super easy and prepare it in a crock pot. The house smelled great when we came home to eat.

Ingredients:

Eggplant - 1 large or 2 small (I used 4 because they were the extra small ones I grew in my garden) cube into 1 inch pieces, salt (directions below) and rinse.
Sea Salt -1/4 cup
2 Zucchini - cubed into 1 inch pieces
2 yellow squash - cubed into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion - chopped
2 bell peppers (yellow, red and/or green) chopped
or 1/2 jar of roasted peppers - chopped
2 large tomatoes - cored & chopped or 1 can of diced tomatoes
2 cloves of garlic - minced
basil 1/4 cup fresh - chopped or 1 TBSP dried
1/3 cup  olive oil
black pepper and additional sea salt to taste.

Directions: 

Cube the eggplant and sprinkle with the sea salt (I use the pink Himalayan, but any other coarse salt will work as well. Let sit in a colander set in a bowl for an hour to drain the liquid out of the eggplant. Rinse eggplant in cold water to remove the salt.

Mix all of the ingredients and place into the crock pot, cook on high (4-6 hours) or low (8-10 hours) depending on your schedule.

When you are ready to eat you can add some grated Parmesan or Reggiano cheese  if you like.

Enjoy, its delicious.

Gazpacho Recipe

Gazpacho is a cold, raw and very refreshing vegetable soup, there is not a single standard recipe. In Spain each village or even home has their own version.

This is my recipe, it is mostly but not totally raw:

1 clove of garlic

1 cucumber (peel, remove the seeds and then chop)

1 large tomato (cored and chopped)

2 ears of fresh corn (cut the kernals off, you can use canned corn but fresh is much better)

1 onion (chopped)

1 jalapeno (minced, use as much or little as you like it depends on how spicey you like your soup.  Remember to be careful when handling jalapenos, wear gloves when handling to avoid burns and don't use the seeds unless you like it really hot)

2 lemons (juiced)

1 bottle of tomato juice

1/2 jar of roasted red bell pepper (chopped)

5 oz jar of slice green olives with pimento

Olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Peel your garlic clove, slice it in half and rub the cut sides of both halves on the inside of the bowl you will be using to hold your soup. You will get the flavor of the garlic without it being too overwhelming.

Add the next 9 ingredients to the bowl and mix.

Drizzle with about a tablespoon of olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste and stir again.

Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.


Click Here for the video directions

Sugar

Here are the links that I referenced at today's Nutrition Connect.

Dr. Robert Lustig's  Sugar The Bitter Truth and Gary Taubes' NYT article Is Sugar Toxic?

I know that this is going to be really hard for a lot of people, sugar is near and dear to a lot of hearts. Read the article and watch the video (warning it is 90 minutes long) and decide for yourself.

I also highly recommend that you read Gary Taubes' book Good Calories Bad Calories it is going to make you rethink about all that you have learned about nutrition. Gary stated in the book (which took him 5 years of research in order to write) that when he started he had no idea that he would come to the conclusions that he did.

This is tough for me because not only have I had a love affair with sugar for the majority of my life, I am a nutritionist, I have been feeding my family and myself according to what I have been taught and thought to be true since 1997.

Please post your comments and email questions, if I can answer them I will, if I can't I will find someone who can.

What is Biblical Nutrition?

For those not familiar you may be wondering what is meant by Biblical Nutrition. I would like to begin by saying that while this is not a "religious" blog I do believe the directions given to us by God in Genesis are the basis for a healthful diet.  Before we look at the verses in the Bible that give guidance on what is meant for food, I would like to first point out Proverbs 23:1-3 "When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man (or woman) given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive foods".

We are surrounded by deceptive foods, food that looks, smells and tastes wonderful but is actually quite deadly. Now you may become angry that I have said this, people are sensitive when it comes to food, appetite is a quite powerful force in our lives. As you look at the health status of those who eat what is labeled a "Western" diet, what do you notice? A lot of folks are not doing too well on it, we suffer from a lot of chronic disease much of it influenced by diet; diseases such as cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, etc...

Genesis 1:29 states "And God said, 'See I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food.'" Our seed bearing plants are grains, beans, legumes, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruits, herbs and spices. These basic foods were meant to be our first diet, your diet is simply what you eat.

After the Fall and just before the Flood, Noah was instructed to gather the animals. Genesis 7:2-3 states " You shall take with you seven each of every clean animal, a male and his female; two each of animals that are unclean, a male and his female; also seven each of birds of the air, male and female, to keep the species alive on the face of all the earth". Clean animals were acceptable for sacrifice and later for food.

After the flood animals were given for food, Genesis 9:3-4 "Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. I have given you all things, even as the green herbs. But you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood."

This passage has been understood to mean that the "every moving thing" pertains to the clean animals that why seven pairs instead of two were taken not just 1 pair. A very detailed description of acceptable foods is spelled out in Leviticus 11.

You may or may not agree with this, I am just describing what Biblical Nutrition is based upon. I believe we are free to eat anything that we want to eat. I promote "Biblical Nutrition" for health not salvation; what you eat or choose not to eat doesn't save you, only faith in and acceptance of Jesus Christ does that.

Just because we are free to do something does not mean that we should, I Corinthians 6:12 states "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will be not brought under the power of any." I Corinthians 10:23 " All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify."

While we are free to eat anything that we like, how is it working out? If you are unsatisfied with your health and weight, you may want to explore Biblical Nutrition.

Quiche

Left Spinach, right broccoli. Both with extra-sharp Cheddar Cheese

Quiche is a staple at our house. It is the meal to cook when you just can't think of anything else to cook. It is pretty easy to prepare, if you stick with the basic recipe. You can alter the vegetables, cheese and spices to suite your tastes.

Here is the basic recipe that I use starting with the crust:

Pie Crust
1 C. Whole Wheat White flour (I like King Arthur brand)
1 TSP. salt
7 TBSP. butter
3 TSP. iced water

Using a food processor blend the salt and flour on low, then add the butter 1 TBSP at a time. Once the butter is completely incorporated (it will look like crumbs) add the water 1 TSP at a time. Stop adding water as soon as the dough forms a ball (don't add anymore than the 3 TSP). Wrap the ball in plastic and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove the dough from the fridge and roll out on a floured board, place in pie dish and prick holes in the bottom with a fork. Place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 5 - 7 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and set aside.

Or you can use store bought crust, just read the ingredients first!

Basic Filling
Olive oil 
16 oz. frozen or 2 cups raw green bell pepper and onion mix (I usually get the frozen yellow, green and red bell peppers with onion mix).
16 oz. frozen or 2 cups raw vegetables if using raw spinach you need more like 6 cups (I used spinach and broccoli this time)
Nutmeg
Dill
6 oz. cheese (I used cheddar)
4 eggs
1 cup of milk or half & half
salt

Place approximately 2 TBSP of olive oil into a large frying pan. Saute the bell pepper/onion mix until it is completely defrosted and thoroughly hot, add the frozen or raw vegetables to the pan and cook until the frozen is completely defrosted and hot or until the raw has softened (do not overcook the raw spinach, it cooks very fast). Add 2 TSP of the nutmeg and 1 TSP of the dill (I didn't add the dill to the Broccoli Quiche) to the mixture and salt to taste. Set aside and prepare the egg mixture.

Whisk the 4 eggs, milk (or half & half), 1/2 TSP of nutmeg and 1/2 TSP of salt together.

Cut the cheese into cubes and place 1/2 of it onto the pie crust. Top the cheese with the vegetable mixture and place the rest of the cheese  cubes on top. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies and cheese and using a fork make sure that the egg mixture is evenly spread.

Bake in a 375 degree oven for 45 minutes or until the egg is completely set.

Video Directions

Birthday Party

You want to invite family & friends over to celebrate a birthday, graduation, engagement or any other special event. You want it to be festive and not only serve good food but great food, but you feel that your choices are limited. What do you serve when the foods expected at a party include soda, punch and cake? This is the dilemma I faced while planning a birthday celebration for my son recently. I wanted to make his party special, but I also wanted to serve good food which to me doesn't include sugar laden "treats". Here was the menu:

Pear Ginger Iced Tea
Tzatziki Dip and Pita Chips
Chicken Sausage (Pineapple, Italian and Sundried Tomato)
Elotes (Mexican Corn)
Greek Salad
Honey Cheesecake (mango/pineapple & plain)


I found the Pear Ginger Tea Bags at Trader Joe's, my daughter sweetened the brewed tea with honey.

Tzatziki Dip:
1 seedless cucumber (the long one with the ridges that is sometimes individually wrapped in a plastic sleeve)
1 16 oz. container Greek Yogurt
1/2 cup sour cream
1 clove of garlic (finely chopped or sieved through a garlic press)
1 TBSP of Dill
1 TBSP of finely chopped fresh mint
Juice of 1 large lemon (add more if you like it really tangy)

Grate the cucumber and place in a large bowl, add all of the other ingredients and whisk together. Cover and place it refrigerator for an hour to allow the flavors to blend.


Pita Chips
Whole Wheat Pita Bread
Olive Oil
Garlic powder
sea salt

Brush each pita with olive oil on both sides, sprinkle very lightly with garlic powder and crushed sea salt on one side, cut pitas into 8 wedges.  Toast in a 450 degree oven until crisp. Keep an eye on the pitas, you have to be careful with the whole wheat ones because they are already brown. You want toast them not burn them.

I purchased the Chicken Sausages from BJ's, they have a variety of flavors. I had never had the Pineapple before but it turned out to be my favorite.

Elote
These things were so good, stinky, but so good.

Fresh corn on the cob
mayonnaise
lime juice
butter

Cotija cheese (my husband found this at the Mexican market, your supermarket might carry it).
Chipotle chili powder
Skewers 

Roast the corn on the grill, while corn is roasting mix 1/2 cup of mayo with the juice of 1 lime. When corn is done push a skewer into 1 end and rub butter on the entire cob (I leave the stick of butter in the wrapper and just open one side of it to rub on the corn). Brush the corn with the mayo/lime mixture and roll in the Cotija cheese and finally sprinkle with a little of the chili powder. Everyone who tried it loved it (I had one guest who wouldn't touch it!).

Greek Salad
8 Marinated Artichoke hearts, quartered
2 yellow bell peppers, sliced
4 small tomatoes, quartered
1 can of large black olives, pitted
1 large cucumber, sliced
 4 TBSP vinegar (I used red-wine vinegar)
2 TBSP olive oil
1/2 cup of crumbled feta cheese
baby lettuce mix

Mix the first 5 ingredients together, mix the oil and vinegar and pour over vegetables and toss. Top the salad with the feta. When serving place a portion of baby lettuce mix on the plate and top with the Greek Salad.


Honey Cheesecake

16 oz Cream cheese  
1/3 C. Honey 
2 eggs 
2 egg yolks 
1 C. Sour cream 
1 TBSP grated lemon peel 
2 TBSP cornstarch

Crust  
1 1/4 C. Almond flour 
1/2  C. Ground walnuts 
1 TSP. Ground cinnamon
1/3 C. Honey
1/4 C. Butter, softened

Place crust ingredients into a mixer and mix well. Using a spring form pan press the mixture into the bottom of the pan. Take your time it will be really soft and kind of sticky. Bake in a 375 degree oven for 15 minutes. While the crust is baking, mix the cream cheese and honey together and then add the next 4 ingredients, after everything is blended add the cornstarch and mix well. Pour onto the crust and bake for 50 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Chill for at least 4 hours (preferably overnight). 


I topped one of the cheese cakes with a fresh pineapple, mango and lime mixture. I chopped 1/4 of a fresh pineapple, the flesh of 1 mango and mixed in the juice of 1 lime.

Consolation Prize!

Mango Smoothie

Have you ever had one of those days?

One of those days that gets so aggravating that you want to buy a half gallon of ice cream (preferably chocolate with all sorts of chunks in it) and go somewhere quiet and eat it all yourself?

Well today, more specifically earlier this evening was it for me. I don't eat sugar nor do I eat artificial sweeteners so I would have had to make major compromises eating the ice cream.  I decided that I didn't want to do anything self-destructive, it wouldn't change anything and would actually make things worse.

So I made a Mango Smoothie instead, it doesn't look like much but it was wonderful. I took 1 ripe mango, 1/2 cup of heavy whipping cream, 1/2 cup of milk and 1 cup of ice and whipped it up in the blender. And I actually shared. 

Old habits die hard and one of my old habits was to use food for comfort, it works in the short term but then you are left with the original problem compounded by a new one.

Roasted Broccoli, Squash, Onions & Carrots

 I'll admit that I never really liked broccoli. I would eat it of course, I just never really liked it. That is before I started roasting it. I am in favor of making sure you have raw fruit and vegetables in your diet but there is something to be said about cooking food. And your cooking method can really make a difference.




 Roasted Broccoli

3 bunches of fresh broccoli
3 cloves of raw garlic, pressed
olive oil
sea salt
black pepper

The roasted broccoli was simple to prepare. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F. Rinse the broccoli. Cut the florets off of the broccoli stalks and place in a bowl, cut the tender part of the stalk into pieces and add to the florets.  Add pressed garlic and toss. Place in a roasting pan that has been sprayed with oil and drizzle olive oil over the broccoli. Sprinkle with a little sea salt and black pepper and roast for 25 minutes or until the edges get a little crispy and enjoy. I have also done this with frozen broccoli, you follow the same process and don't worry about defrosting it first. Be careful not to burn it, the pieces are smaller in the bag.  You can follow this method for a variety of vegetables, the only thing you may change is the seasonings and the length of time you roast.

I served this with Squash, Onions and Carrots.

1 - 32 oz bag of frozen yellow squash
3 large carrots
1 large yellow onion, sliced
1 TBSP virgin coconut oil
2 tsp cardamom
2 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste

Slice the carrots and cook for 5 minutes in coconut oil, add onion slices and saute for 3 more minutes. Dump the bag of frozen squash on top, turn heat down and place lid on pan. Allow the squash to steam until completely defrosted. Take off the lid and turn up the heat to reduce the liquid in the pan. Add spices and cook until the squash starts to brown a little.

This meal served 4 with no leftovers.

Black Bean Chili with Polenta

Here is the a picture of the recipe featured in the cooking video. Here is the recipe:


Black Bean Chili

4 TBSP olive oil
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cans black beans
1 16oz. package frozen bell pepper mix
2 tsp cumin
2 TBSP chili powder
1 tsp Chipolte chili pepper
2 TBSP garlic powder
1 tsp salt

Polenta

3 TBSP olive oil
2 cups of polenta (yellow corn grits)
2 cups of milk
4 cups of chicken broth
1/2 cup gorgonzola cheese (you can use parmesean or cheddar instead)

For directions, please see the video.

Resurrection Sunday Dinner

I don't post many meat recipes because I am really trying to encourage people to eat more vegetables, fruit and fish.  We generally don't need a lot of encouragement to eat meat. While I am not a vegetarian, I only eat red meat maybe once per month.

Well this past Sunday we had a real treat for dinner, lamb.

It was surprisingly easy to cook so I thought that would share the recipe.

1 Easy cut loin of lamb (this was great, because it is pre-cut, it made serving it after cooking a breeze.
1 lemon cut in half
several sprigs of fresh rosemary
several cloves of fresh garlic
salt
pepper.

You cook the lamb in a shallow roasting pan on a rack fat side up. But before cooking, flip the loin over and into each cut push a clove of garlic and a sprig of rosemary. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 of the lemon all over the meat on this side, then sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Turn the lamb over and and squeeze the other 1/2 of lemon all over the meat and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Place meat in oven and turn it to 325 degrees (don't pre-heat the oven first). Cook for 30 minutes per pound of meat for medium rare. Once cooked let the meat sit (rest) for 15 minutes before cutting and serving.

I served this with green beans with potatoes, rice and lamb gravy. And for dessert we had
Whole Wheat Pineapple Upside-Down Cake with fresh whipped cream.

Here is the recipe for the cake:

2 TBSP Butter
2 tsp nutmeg
Fresh pineapple slices
1/2 cup honey and 1/2 cup brown rice syrup or 1 cup of sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups of whole wheat flour

In a frying pan melt 2 TBSP of butter once melted place fresh pineapple slices on top of the butter and sprinkle with nutmeg, let this simmer. While the pineapple is simmering, place 1/2 cup of honey and 1/2 cup of brown rice syrup into a mixing bowl (I don't use sugar but you can use 1 cup of sugar if you do) add 2 eggs and beat together. Add 1/3 cup of virgin coconut oil and continue mixing as you add the milk. Mix the baking powder, salt and whole wheat flour together and add quickly to the liquid. As soon as the flour is mixed with the liquid turn off the mixer, do not beat! Mix it 1 more time by hand to make sure that there are no lumps, you want to mix the flour as little as possible. Too much mixing and the cake will be too tough to eat. Pour the batter on top of the pineapples and place into a 350 degree pre-heated oven. Bake until done, about 35 minutes. Serve with fresh whipped cream.

Note: This is not a very sweet cake, if you make it with the sugar instead of the honey and brown rice syrup it will be a little sweeter but not very. You can add sweetener to the cream when you make the whipped cream but I do not. By not making it very sweet everyone is satisfied with a piece and they do not feel compelled to keep eating it, sugar usually has the effect of making you eat too much dessert.

Eating Well When the Power is Out

You have probably heard that NC was hit with some pretty devastating storms. Our home was mildly damaged (we have to have the roof replaced) and we were without power for 4 days. Our home is totally electric so that means no water as well. This made life a little interesting but we are avid campers and had supplies to keep us going. We also have great friends who brought over a generator when they found out that we were without power after a day and a half, this kept us from losing everything in the fridge and freezer and it also allowed us to get our water running. We could not run the stove off of the generator so we used the grill and the camp stove. Here is a fish recipe that turned out great on the grill:

White Ruffy with Peppers

1 White Ruffy fillet (this would probably work with any white fish, white ruffy is what we had on hand).
1/2 cup Yellow, Red and Green Bell Peppers cut into strips (we used frozen, but fresh would work as well).
1 tsp. Olive oil
1/2 tsp. dill
1/4 tsp. sea salt
dash of red pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly milled black pepper
cooking spray

Start grill, when it is ready spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray.  Place the White Ruffy fillet on the aluminum foil and drizzle the fish with the olive oil. Next sprinkle on the dill, salt and both peppers then top with the bell pepper slices. Fold the aluminum foil together on the top of the fish and then fold the sides. Grill for 10-15 minutes, do not overcook the fish!

We served this with some leftover whole wheat penne pasta: we melted 2 TBS of butter in a sauce pan, tossed in the leftover pasta and grated Parmesean cheese on top.

Black Bean Burgers

My son made these for dinner, oh my goodness they were wonderful. I told him next time he is not allowed to make them again unless he doubles the recipe. Check them out, you will love it.

More With Pasta! - Quick Pasta Parmesean

Pasta is so popular because not only is it delicious and comforting, it is quick and easy as well.
Here is a  recipe to try when you are super hungry and super short on time.

Quick Pasta Parmesean 

1 8oz.  package whole wheat spaghetti or use 1/2 of the 16 oz package.
1 16oz. package frozen green pepper/onion mix
1 12 oz. small container fresh mushrooms, sliced (I like Portabellas)
3 cloves of garlic diced or put through a garlic press
4 Tbs. Olive Oil
salt & pepper to taste
Parmesean cheese
leftover chicken or other meat cut into strips and reheated (if desired)

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain. Saute green pepper/onion mix in olive oil until most of the water has evaporated and the liquid in the pan has become thick (don't let it dry out). Add the mushrooms and continue to cook adding a little water if it becomes too dry. When mushrooms are soft and no longer look raw add the garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Add the pepper/onion/mushroom/garlic mixture onto the pasta and toss (add meat if you are using it and season with salt and pepper). Place on a platter or into a bowl and grate the Parmesean cheese on top. You can find small wedges of Parmesean cheese in the deli (more expensive) or the dairy (more reasonable) section of the supermarket, it tastes much better than the powdered stuff you find in the grocery aisle and it looks a whole lot nicer as well.

This recipe serves three, at my house three of us sit down to eat and there is none left (that is why I cook 8ozs of pasta not 16). I also serve it with tossed salad and some fruit.

Soak Your Oatmeal? Rotten Bananas?

I've become very enamored with oatmeal as of late. It's hot, which I enjoy first thing in the morning. It is filling, so I don't get hungry again until lunch, which is 11:30 for me because I usually eat breakfast at 7:00 - 7:15. I am learning during my oatmeal research that it is better for you nutritionally if you soak it for 24 hours before cooking and eating, you can do this with steel cut or rolled oats. You are probably wondering why? Here is a quote from the Kitchen Stewardship website explaining:

"Why Does Soaking Make Grains Healthier?

Soaking the grains begins germination, rendering the enzyme inhibitors unnecessary, since they exist to protect the seed and prevent early sprouting. They are neutralized so that the seed can sprout, making everything more accessible to our bodies. Levels of phytates are also reduced in soaking because the acidic liquid helps to break the bonds they form with minerals".

It is a pretty simple process and the easiest way to do it is to put your oatmeal into a bowl (if you are going to eat at work put it in a carry along container) while you are cleaning up from the current days breakfast so it will be ready to cook the next day. To the bowl add warm (not hot!) water; 110 degrees, same temp used when making bread. In addition, you will add 1 TBS of lemon juice OR whey (pour it off your yogurt if you have any in the fridge). It is also suggested that you add 1-2 TBS of whole wheat flour because oatmeal is low in the enzyme phytase which is needed to neutralize the phylates in the oatmeal. After 24 hours you are ready to cook.

I am not trying to add any more complications to your morning, but if you are planning on eating oatmeal as a regular breakfast food like I am, I think this is probably a good idea, you want to get as much nutrition from your foods as you can and not cause yourself any digestive problems.

Ok, now what about the rotten bananas? As a result of this last Daniel Fast I have decided that I cannot go back to eating sugar. It is not my friend and it is simply not worth eating anymore. But have you ever eaten oatmeal without any sweetener? Yikes!

Banana works as an excellent sweetener for oatmeal but they have to be really, really ripe. What do you do with bananas that are really, really ripe and you are not ready to use? Freeze them. Drop them into ziplock bags and pop them into the freezer until you need them, they will look horrible, especially if you leave the skins on but they are wonderful to use especially in your oatmeal. They are also great for smoothies & banana bread. Don't throw those rotten bananas away!

Daniel Fast Breakfast Foods

Breakfast is your most important meal of the day. People who eat breakfast are healthier than people who do not (it's not known whether eating breakfast makes you healthier or that healthy people eat breakfast). I think breakfast is a good idea because it keeps you from binging when you finally do get good and hungry (usually too hungry).

During the Daniel Fast breakfast can be a challenge. My usual non- Daniel Fast breakfast is a banana and coffee with cream, no sugar. Since beginning the fast I start out with hot water with lemon squeezed in it, not that I am particular to lemon but I want something hot to drink and I don't want a plain cup of hot water. The easiest thing to eat is still the banana but now I throw it in the blender and add about 1/2 cup of juice, voila breakfast. I may also eat a few cashews or pecans.

This morning I wanted something a little more substantial so I had oatmeal. I know some of you hate oatmeal, I'm sorry - maybe trying a different type of oatmeal may help. Old fashion oatmeal (the kind that takes longer to cook tastes a whole lot better than the pulverized instant stuff. Old fashion oatmeal has a great texture and is not slimey. The steel-cut oatmeal is even better, the oats have just been sliced instead of rolled (and mashed) under great big steel rollers.

Oatmeal - Debbie style

1/2 cup of old fashioned oats
1/4 cup pecans
1/4 cup raisins
1/3 really, really, really ripe banana (the kind that you want to throw away but it's still good)
1 teaspoon virgin coconut oil
cinnamon

Put the oats into a bowl add 1 cup of water, the pecans and raisins. Microwave covered for 3 minutes (keep an eye on it so it does not boil over). Mash the banana and stir in with the coconut oil and add the cinnamon. This breakfast lasts until lunch and you don't need a snack to keep you going.

What to Eat During a Daniel Fast? Pasta Tapenade & More

Ok, so you are going to start the 21 day Daniel Fast (if you are unfamiliar with this check out Daniel 10:2-3) and you are wondering what you are going to eat. The nutrition group at our church met on Saturday to discuss just this. Some of us are just starting, others have been fasting for several days and the rest are contemplating. Daniel-Fast.com is a wonderful website to help get you started and to explain the fast and it's purpose in more depth.

Daniel Fasting does not have to be boring or torture, it does take discipline though, it takes you telling your body what it is going to do instead of the other way around.

Here are the recipes for the foods pictured above:

Pasta Tapenade - This recipe is an original, my husband created it on a Daniel Fast a couple of years ago. It has become a family favorite and we eat it quite frequently. On nights when we can't think of what to eat for dinner we have a Pasta Tapanade night, it's whats for dinner. Video Directions 

12 oz. whole wheat penne pasta
2 cans organic diced tomatoes
1 medium onion finely diced
3 large cloves of garlic-crushed
6 Tablespoons of olive oil (regular, not extra virgin)
2 Tablespoons of Dill
3 Tablespoons of Basil
6 Tablespoons of olive tapanade
Juice from 1 lime
Ground salt and ground pepper (to taste)

Cook pasta till al dente (you want the pasta to be a bit on the firm side, but not chewy or crunchy). Pour olive oil into a hot pan. Saute onion about 2 minutes and add spices, salt and pepper, mix well.
Add cooked pasta and stir until onion and spice coat the pasta entirely. Add the diced tomatoes including any juice. Stir until evenly spread throughout the pasta. Add olive tapanade and mix until evenly distributed. Squeeze lime onto the pasta and stir in. Serve. Taste great hot, warm or cold. 

This recipe should serve 6.


 Red Quinoa and Berry Salad (a fabulous recipe that comes from Communicating Food For Health, www.communicatingfoodforhealth.com)

2 cups of red quinoa (you can use regular quinoa as well)
2 chopped celery stalks
1 cup mixed berries or pomegranate seeds (fresh is best, if you use dried make sure no sulfur and no sugar)
1/2 cup of seedless raisins (use sulfur free)
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 squeezed lemon
Freshly ground pepper

Rinse the quinoa (this I found to be a little tough, if you have a mesh strainer it helps immensely). Add 3 cups of water and microwave for 20 minutes, let cool.
Place quinoa in a bowl and add celery, berries and raisins.

Season with oil, lemon, and pepper. Sprinkle almonds before serving.
Serves 8

We don't count calories on the Daniel Fast, if you are interested in this info email me and I will share.


Yellow Chickpea Pepper Salad (this recipes was a surprise, I love chickpeas also know as garbanzo beans but many people are unfamiliar with them. This recipe was a hit, my son who does not really care for them enjoyed this dish) Note- this recipe is also from Communicating Food For Health.

2 cups chickpeas (canned or pre-soaked in water overnight and cooked for 1 - 1/5 hours.
1 cup sliced yellow peppers
2 yellow squash chopped in rounds
1 medium sized yellow onion chopped (I preferred sliced)
2 cloves garlic chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
Freshly ground pepper

Saute onions, garlic, yellow peppers, squash and cooked chickpeas. The original recipe called for 1 cup of boiling water, this made it too soupy try 1/2 cup. Also at this point you are to add the olive oil , cumin, ground tumeric, and pepper; go ahead and add the spices and olive oil when you first start, I think you get a better flavor when the spice come into contact with the vegetables and heat together before you add water.

Serves 6


As you can see, you can eat well on the Daniel Fast.

Veggies!

I just finished helping at a local Mobile Food Mart sponsored by Inter-Faith Food Shuttle. Referred participants receive fresh fruit and vegetables to help supplement their diets. For many of these participants this once a month event is the only time they have access to fresh fruit and vegetables.
I present ideas on what to do with the fresh produce so that it does not go to waste.

The importance of fruits and vegetables cannot be overstated. It protects you from certain cancers, provides you with crucial vitamins, minerals and fiber and it only has about 25 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates per 1 cup raw and 1/2 cup cooked serving.

It is the perfect snack food because you will fill up and quit eating long before you rack up any significant calories.

This evening I demonstrated a vegetable dressing for raw vegetables.

1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 Teaspoons honey

Place ingredients in a jar or plastic container with a tight fitting lid and shake until completely combined.

Makes 5 servings

17 Calories
1 gm fat
0 Cholesterol
36 mg sodium
3.8 gm carb
.2 gm protein

This stuff is delicious! I served it earlier in the day to 4 & 5 year-old's during a vegetable promotion class and many of them really liked it as well. I served it with broccoli and cauliflower pieces, they enjoyed their mini "trees".

Sardines

I went home for lunch today and intended on having a tuna steak but I had to cook it, so I decided to have some sardines instead. I really like sardines and I have just as hard a time figuring out why some people hate them as some people have trying to figure out why I like them.

Not only do sardines taste wonderful they are wonderful for you.
One serving of sardines (in olive oil, drained) has:
150 calories
11 grams of heart healthy fat
14 grams of protein
naturally occurring Omega-3's
vitamins - A, B2, B6, B12, D & E
minerals - calcium, iodine, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium

I drain the can and squeeze the juice of a lemon or lime over the sardines and let it sit for 1 minute before I use them.
I like sardines over a salad usually, but today I ate them on Triscuits along with a salad.
My favorite brand is King Oscar, they taste better than any other brand that I have tried.
(I have no idea who Michael Kraus is but he took the photo of the sardines)