So one of the best things anyone can do for their body and eating habits is to read the labels on the food they are intending to buy. Here is my story about sour cream...
Sour Cream. Simple enough. You take some milk/cream, enzymes, and active cultures, mix is all together and viola! Sour Cream! Not hard. Quite simple. That is what the label off of Cascade Fresh Natural Sour Cream.
I highly suggest watching 2 documentaries; King Corn and Food Inc. I thought I had read a lot and learned a lot, but these films opened my eyes even more. After watching Food Inc. I really was sad that food is killing us...literally. Why can't companies just make things the old way, the right way, the way that is simple and natural. There are some, and unfortunately they cost more. But for health's sake, is 49 cents more for this and 60 cents more for that really worth it to live longer, be healthier. I say yes. It sure is a lot less than health problems that can and probably will arise in the future! Love yourself. Love your body! Be fat. Be thin. Be average. Be buff. It does not really matter, but be whatever it is you are the best way you can. Don't be it with all the extra shit that will chemically make your food cheaper for you, preserve you, and ultimately kill you. Read the labels. Make adjustments. Change products. Cut out bad ones. Live better. Live longer.
So in attempts to make it all better, I made a few changes to my regular lasagna recipe. Not only was it full of flavor, but totally delicious...and I did not really miss the cheese (hint hint to some of the change).
Lasagna
1 Box Gluten Free Rice Lasagna Noodles 1 lb Ground Beef 1 Zucchini 1 Yellow Summer Squash Homemade Sauce (I take a huge Costco Size can of tomato sauce and add fresh basil, lots of garlic, some onion, a little Italian Seasoning, sometimes mushrooms and simmer for about 2 hours)
Brown ground beef with desired seasoning (I like crushed red peppers salt and pepper and some herbs). Once beef is browned, place into a strainer and rinse with warm water. This will take off all the excess fat that you don't need (especially because it is saturated fat). If seasoned well enough, the flavor will not rinse out. Set this aside.
At this point heat your oven to 350 while you build your lasagna.
Slice the squashes into long flat strips (so they are like lasagna noodles themselves).
Place a layer of noodles into the bottom of a glass baking dish (you don't need to grease it). Cover lightly with sauce. Add a layer of meat, then zucchini. Add more sauce to cover lightly. Add more noodles, meat, summer squash then more sauce. Add the final layer of noodles and cover liberally with sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. After an hour, remove foil and bake for 30 min more. Serve hot.
Makes 6 huge servings.
You really can play with the veggies in this. Use eggplant, mushrooms, kale; anything you like really. This is a nice base for your own creation. You will notice, while a cheesy lasagna is great, this one is pretty damn good too! And your body will thank you!
I love to eat. Everyone I know knows that. I love the experience, the atmosphere, the flavors, the techniques, and the overall presentation. I think I became a fan of all the finer parts of dining when my best friend Wendy and I started dining out.
My first fine dining experience was with her at the Stein Erickson Lodge in Park City, Utah. It was everything you could imagine of a large expensive lodge in Park City. Rustic, but stunningly beautiful, high up in the mountains. I had loved food and cooking up until this point, but here it changed. Dressing up for a meal. The best service to create a perfect mood. I started to understand where it could end up. Eating was not just for survival, but to experience.
In most countries food is what brings people together. They converse over food, entertainment revolves around eating, and people enjoy life. It is an experience, not a necessary evil that gets in the way of your busy day. I hope we in America start to realize that more. So of us do, thank goodness, but unfortunately most of us don't.
Now starts my slight rant...
After going to the nutritionist I have learned a lot more about food and eating. I have shared this with friends and even some of them have gone for a visit to her. We are learning about healthier eating and that healthy food is good food. Natural flavors ARE delicious. You don't need pre-packaged processed shit to clog your body. It takes planning and a little more time, but I think the benefits are remarkable. Saying that, brings me back to the fine dining experience. You know why the food is so good? Is it the chef? The atmosphere? The price? Yeah, they all contribute to the experience, but the base product is fresh food. It is so good because it is fresh. Time was taken to prepare and cook it. It did not come frozen (like most chain restaurants), it did not come in a bag that needed to be cut open, and it was not microwaved. It was not scarfed down in a matter of minutes (I could eat a Big Mac in about a minute if I were in a hurry) but time was taken to enjoy and savor it. No matter how busy your day is, don't you owe it to yourself, your loved ones, to fill your body with fresh healthy food that is delicious?
The nutritionist made a good point to me. We were talking about soy creamer for my coffee as an alternative to half and half. She said, yes, soy is good for you, in it's pure form, but how much processing did it take to make it into a creamer you will enjoy with your coffee? Look how much had to change in that soy bean to make it creamer. If it is processed that much, it is no longer as good for you as it was. Good point. Purity is a key to eating healthy. I remember when living in Slovenia that I dropped weight drastically. I knew I was walking a lot more and getting more exercise than normal, but it was also that I was eating food in the pure form. At that time there were very few prepackaged meals, and you had to go to the store almost daily because there were no preservatives so the food did not last long in the refrigerator. It was not until I returned home to the US of A that I thought about it. If the preservatives are preserving food for that long, can't they be preserving fat in our bodies? AND our bodies themselves?
"It has long been an urban myth that corpses today don’t decay as fast as they did in the past because of the amount of food preservatives that have built up in our bodies. After watching the decay of exhumed human remains buried over the last30 years, Professor Rainer Horn of Kiel University in Germany has concluded that this is actually true. He believes that the combination of food preservatives and cosmetics is literally embalming us while we are still alive."
Not saying this is conclusive proof, but does make a very valid point.
Anyhow, back to my point...
Eating is something that should be experienced, not just done. Anyone can scarf a burger down and a few fries, but it takes time and thought to enjoy a burger and taste the seasoning of the fries. It takes time to cook it ourselves and play with seasonings we like, not that "Ronald McDonald" decides on for the masses. Use feta instead of a Kraft Singles. Use shallots instead of onions. Mix in some BBQ sauce and dry mustard to the beef. Do something! Just enjoy it. Invited friends over for a "Gourmet Burger" night. Use Turkey or Buffalo, or mix some pork in with the beef. Experiment and make life and dinner exciting!
It might be a burger, a lasagna, or some macaroni and cheese, but whatever it is, make it fresh, make it yourself, and make it an experience to enjoy! Just please take the time to enjoy every aspect of it...in moderation of course!
So for years and years you hear on TV and movies that kids just wont eat their brussel sprouts. It has kind of steered me clear of these little darlings. A little reading can tell you that they are full of so many good nutrients, antioxidents, detoxifying enzymes, healthier skin, and more (check out this article on Whole Foods website). These are great little buggars and should be eaten regularly. I saw them on sale one day, and as part of my new routine of buying something new to try every time I go grocery shopping, I purchased them. Thank you to the internet for the great resource it is in finding a recipe to make these. With a few alterations (like I always tend to do), here is the way I make my new favorite side dish:
Brussel Sprouts
Brussel Sprouts garlic (pre chopped is fine, or fresh if you like more potent flavor), as much as your palate like to have Olive oil
Cut the bottoms off the already washed (I hope you did that already) brussel spouts and then cut each in half. Heat a skillet and put in a liberal amount of olive oil. Once oil is heated add the garlic to start browning (and give the oil a garlicky flavor). Add the brussel sprouts cut side down. The heat should be medium to medium high. Let the brussel sprouts caramelize a bit then saute them a bit to cook the other side. Keep them moving to coat in the garlicky oil and cook through. They should have a little crunch to them still but not be so cooked they are mushy. Serve immediately as a side to a delicious meat dish. Enjoy.
I hope you all enjoy these as much as I do. It is simple, healthy, and delicious.
So it has been quite some time since I have added to this blog. The fact is, I have not been cooking much lately. Today I have a quick and tasty stir fry that is bound to excite! 1/2 lb partially frozen beef steak (sirloin, London broil, etc) 1 broccoli crown 1 bunch green onions 1 yellow onion 1 carrot grated Tamari to taste (or low sodium soy sauce) Black pepper Olive oil Brown rice
Cook the brown rice while preparing the rest of the food.
Preparation: Take the beef and thinly slice it so it is like slivers (that is why it is frozen to help with this) Break up your broccoli and chop your yellow onion. Cut off the roots from the green onion and cut the green onion into about 3 sections.
Cook: When the rice is near finished warm a non-stick pan and add a little olive oil. Heat the oil and add the yellow onions. Once they start cooking add the meat and the black pepper. Once meat is mostly cooked add the broccoli and carrots and green onion. Saute for a min or too and add more oil if needed. Sprinkle tamari over and cover to steam the veggies to your desired tenderness.
So here is something simple that can be made and enjoyed multiple days of the week. There is really no rule as to what to use, but here is how I made mine today (it varies all the time depending on what beans I have and what I am in the mood for)...I don't measure remember, but soak a fair amount of various beans to have enough to feed however many you need to.
Vegetarian Chili
Adzuki Beans
Cannellini Beans Chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1 Packet Organic Vegetarian Chili Seasoning
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 small can tomato sauce
1 green pepper chopped
1 small onion chopped
1 Anaheim pepper chopped
Soak the beans for about a day (or over night)*
Boil the beans about an hour. Drain and add other ingredients. Place on medium heat until vegetable tenderness is at desired point (I like mine a little crunchy still). Serve it up!
This is so healthy and hearty for you. Don't forget to add a protein to eat with it. I grilled a chicken breast (which I seasoned and rubbed some deli mustard on for flavor and pan grilled) to eat with mine today, but you can grill a fresh sausage, hamburger patty, etc. Ditch the unnecessary things like cheese and rice (if you have to have rice make it brown then).
*Try to use bulk beans. When you soak them it will allow some of the "gassiness" to soak out (you can see it float to the top of the pot). Not only do canned beans keep this in, they usually are packed with sodium which you don't need!
So this is not as much as a recipe as it is an easy quick idea for work lunches. So many times I hear people say they just don't have time to make a lunch for work. I say that is bullshit and laziness. Here is what Walter and I do every day we work for a healthy lunch.
First I start the week by baking some chicken breasts variously seasoned. I put them in a tupperware dish and refrigerate. This is a good lean healthy protein to have for lunch and does not have to be heated up.
I then make a tasty salad. Mine usually consists of: -Romaine lettuce (1/2 of one) - 1/2 Avocado - 1/2 tomato (when I have them) - Sunflower seeds (if I am in the mood) - One of my delicious homemade dressings. Making this gives a good helping of veggies, the healthy fat (from the avocado and dressing) and your protein from chopping up the chicken and adding it to the salad.
Some might think that you will get bored eating the same thing everyday, but I really don't. You can change the protein to a can of tuna or make a fresh fish for it. Change the topping and dressings to whatever you want. It is healthy and fresh and good portion. It fits right into a plastic container and can fit in a lunchbox. The whole thing actually costs less than $2.00 to make. Save money, eat healthier! Win, win!
Here is what I made today. Romain with avocado and lemon pepper chicken with my cilantro dressing! Don't forget to ditch the soda and have refreshing water with it!
So look on the ingredient label of most of the salad dressings you are using on your salads at home. I am sure there are some low quality oils, things you cannot pronounce along with sugars (do we really need those in salad dressing?). In attempts to be healthier and SAVE MONEY, I have been making my own salad dressings (we eat a salad for our work lunch every day and often times for dinner or lunch when we are at home). I am recycling the glass dressing bottles from the store bought dressings we were using and mixing up my own creations. Today I made 3 different kinds and if I say so myself, the F%&*ING rock! You can really throw anything you like into them, just keep one rule in mind....1/3 vinegar and 2/3 oil. Here is what I made. I did not measure perfectly because, for anyone who has seen me cook, I just don't measure but eyeball everything an adjust accordingly after I taste it.
Garlic Cilantro Dressing
2 cloves garlic Big handful of cilantro, rinsed 2/3 olive oil 1/3 apple cider vinegar Squirt of Sriracha Squirt of lemon juice Pinch of salt Fresh ground pepper corns
Throw in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into bottle and close and refrigerate.
Sesame Asian Dressing
1/2 Shallot About 3 TBSP sesame oil 2/3 olive oil 1/3 apple cider vinegar 3 tsp. sesame seeds 3 TBSP reduced sodium soy sauce (or Tamari sauce which is better) Squirt of Sriracha
Throw in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into bottle and close and refrigerate.
Chipotle Mustard Vinaigrette
2/3 olive oil 1/3 balsamic vinegar Small handful of Italian Parsley, rinsed 3 TBSP Chipotle Mustard 1/2 shallot Fresh ground pepper corns 2 pinches of wood smoked salt (I love this stuff..great to season burgers with too)
Throw in blender and blend until smooth. Pour into bottle and close and refrigerate.
These are good and tasty and literally take no time at all to make, and the best part is, you know what is going into them so there are no surprises!
This is a very light but filling dish that is simple and delicious.
2 fresh Chicken Sausages (I like the chicken and apple ones) 6 large roma tomatoes 1 Box Penne Pasta (use quinoa for gluten free or whole wheat for a better choice with gluten) Pinch of crushed red pepper (to taste) 1-2 cloves of garlic 7-8 large leaves of fresh basil (I prefer the sweet basil for this)
Take sausage out of casing and crumble in a frying pan and brown. Bring a pot of water to a boil (enough to cook the pasta in). Once boiling, place the tomatoes into the boiling water. Let the tomatoes cook til they are hot in the inside. Take out of water and carefully peel the skins off. (they will come off pretty easily) Add pasta to the water and cook until your desired tenderness. While pasta is cooking, add tomatoes to a food processor along with the crushed read pepper, fresh garlic, and about 5 large leaves of basil. Pulse everything together. Add the browned sausage and pulse a little more til the sauce is desired consistency. Drain the pasta and toss with the sauce. Dish into pasta bowls and serve immediately. Chop up additional basil leaves to add to top for a fresh garnish and additional flavor.
This dish is so fresh and tasty and simple to make. It takes less than 30 min start to finish. It is low fat and low calories but filling. Eat 2 servings if you want and you will still be under 600 calories for the whole meal!
I have decided to begin this new blog because when I went on my detox and healthier lifestyle regime people kept telling me how horrible they thought it must be to have to cut out so many foods. (see http://themindandtimes.blogspot.com/ May 11th-20th) I began taking pictures of what I was eating along with my food journal to show everyone how well I was eating and how awesome the good food could be.
Since beginning my new lifestyle (and honestly not following it buy about 70% of the time...I really want to make it to 80%+ of the time) I have lost over 20 lb. That is in about a month and without (which is my laziness) exercise. Not that I am condoning my lack of exercising, but I want to show people that your food intake really does affect your waistline (mine started at a measurement of 49 inches and is currently 44 inches). To illustrate and comprehend how much that actually is you really need to get a plastic of fabric tape measure and make a circle with it to each measurement. It is a huge difference!
I am not going to give my diet here since I already did it on my other blog. What I am going to do here is post some of the recipes I have been making up for the meals I am eating. When I say making up, some are renditions of other recipes but made healthier, while others I just pulled out of my ass with the food I had available. Hopefully I will be able to post pictures along with it. I will try my best with the photos. Since I cook daily, this should be updated quite often, but I do sometimes cook the same things so it will not be a daily blog. I hope you enjoy and use my recipes and obtain success in your own personal health. As a warning, if you chose to change the recipes and use unhealthy ingredients, you will miss the whole point (think of using vegetable oil instead of olive oil...bad bad bad).
