Silver Spoon

I know, I know.  I really should be talking about my diets, but honestly.  I have not kept up.  I started a new job, had a big garden event and then contracted the flu.  I would like to start it up again and I will probably do this during the last week of October due to the many events going on.  I really want to write on this blog more from a variety of different perspectives and at least publish several times a week but that is easier said than done.  I definitely do not want this to turn into a diary of my ranting either. I really would like to provide quality and interesting conversation that engages my readers-the few that I have that is.   

Ideally, I would like to report on diets, food and nutrition, community health, and culture and gardening, and health policy.  They will all marry into each other, but I would really like to focus on one at a time.  Of course, I still would like to end with a recipe or something foodie since my feeling is to break virtual bread with my readers.   So let’s get started-again.

I have been cooking for a couple with special dietary needs since July.  I have not really divulged information about them or even what I cook in their home.  I won’t divulge even what needs they have, but I will say that they prefer to eat vegan.  This is a new experience for me since I have never officially prepared vegan meals for pay.  In fact, I have never ever sold my services, but I have provided a lot of catering, nutrition and catering expertise for years.  There is too much red tape that I understand, but since I cook and research nutrition as a creative outlet, all the administrative stuff has turned me off doing it professionally until recently. 

The couple I work for are pretty well off. I have no idea how well off they are, but the lady of the house gave me a handmade silver spoon with “kiss the cook engraved” on it during her trip to the Hamptons in New York State.  She mistakenly left the price tag on it and it was $50.  I think that is expensive for a spoon, but she probably saw it and thought of me and $50 to her is what fifty cents is to me.  I know that she could care less about the price and just truly thought of me.  She always tells me that she loves my cooking because I put love into it even if I accidentally burn a carrot cake.

This couple, however, are very unhappy due to numerous reasons.  Right now I am witnessing the man of the house going through a depression aside from other health issues he confronts.  I have been really trying hard to compensate with extra good food and it helps, but I notice little things being done that signal he is using food as a way to medicate his depression.  All the olive oil was gone when I came in today.  The sugar was very low and he is eating more of the vegan cheese.  All of these foods are no-nos in excess for him. 

The next extreme to my work day ends at CNM, a community college, to listen and engage in a panel discussion prior to a film screening about hunger and food insecurity in the U.S. The film, A Place at the Table, identifies many reasons for food insecurity and the relationship between hunger and obesity.  If depression can influence dietary behaviors despite your income status, what if your income status was dire?  What other behaviors do people engage, such as alcohol and drug use?  We give away our power?  Our basic needs are not met? One of those basic needs is companionship and how do you lobby for that? 

So my recent epiphany of why I believe that I should share my creativity?  Because it’s nice to share.

Finally, I wonder if I should share a recipe after this little rant.  I think yes, it has vegetables, it’s sharing and I enjoyed it, shared it and am comforted by it.  It was shared with me and I adapted it.   

Chile Verde con Puerco o no?

I served with beans, einkorn flour tortillas, and sautéed cabbage

1 small pork roast if you want to use it

1 or 2 cups of roasted green chile ( I used only one because it would have been to hot)

6 green roma tomatoes (I used these because my tomato plants froze so I have to use the greenies.) or about a dozen of tomatillos or a little both.  I like to use both because I had both the plants

3 large cloves garlic minced

1 medium onion diced

½ tsp dried oregano

Some salt and pepper

2 tbls olive oil

½ cup water

Season pork with salt and pepper and brown pork in 1 tbls olive oil if using on all sides and set aside on plate.  While pork is frying, chop up your onion and then sauté in same pan pork was fried in to scrape up brown salty bits.  Add minced garlic, and tomatoes or tomatillos.  Place the pork back in the pot and add the water.  Cover and cook for about 45 minutes (this depends on the size of the roast) if you want to do this fast.  It tastes much better if you start this process several hours in advance and throw everything in a crockpot after the initial sauté.  I like to just leave it there for at least half the day.  While it’s cooking I sat on the front porch with the family and smoked a cigar, enjoyed a whiskey on ice during a pleasant fall evening contemplating our meager but happy home. 

New Week, New Challenge. Let's go Paleo!

So I often hear all about the Paleo diet (Paleolithic)  From my understanding this diet helps to eliminate gut inflammation due to legumes, grains, dairy and refined sugars.  There is a lot more to it and with some research I do agree with.  However, I do believe that this diet has its faults.  Not all diets fix all people. 

The premise to the paleo diet is that our ancestry is not accustomed to eating cereal grains like wheat, oats and corn nor legumes.  Both are heavy in phytic acid which prevents mineral and vitamin absorption and I believe is the culprit to gut discomfort because we cannot break it down in one of our stomachs since we only have one stomach.  Ok, I agree with that.  It also inhibits enzymes such as amylase and pepsin that breakdown proteins in starches like wheat and proteins.  In compound form, phytate also binds with important minerals such as calcium and magnesium making them unavailable for absorption as well. 

Paleo diets also eliminate dairy because lactase and casein, found in dairy, are also hard on the gut according to paleo eaters.  Studies are being done on why, but in short.  Lactase, the breaker of lactose is not produced in as much quantity as we age.  Casein, the protein I believe causes problems similar to that of gluten in wheat intolerant folks.

 

My biggest questions are that many of us here in Nuevo Mexico took a huge part in the agricultural revolution for efficiency.  American Indians have had agricultural staples for thousands of years and it was not until the introduction of processed foods when the U.S. migrated Natives into reservations that they have had serious health problems.  I think that there are other methods to being able to eating grains such as sprouting and fermenting, eating legumes, such as soaking, and eating dairy such as adding beneficial bacteria or consuming raw dairy already containing beneficial bacteria.  Let’s go!

My menu for the week is here.

I will be saving my meat bones and making a broth from them

I am allowing myself coffee and occasional glass of wine

Nut butters and flours make a good sub for grain flours, but not the same texture

Dates, honey and maple syrup in moderation will be my sweeteners

References:

1. Weston A. Price Foundation, 2010

2. Phytic acid added to white-wheat bread inhibits fractional apparent magnesium absorption in humans1–Bohn T and others. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2004 79:418 –23.

3. http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/phytic-acid.php.

4. http://paleodietlifestyle.com/category/paleo-diet-articles/

The Vegan Diet Results

Ok, so the results of the Vegan diet challenge.

For the most part I felt pretty good with the exception of a couple of days.  I often hear the term vegan cleanse and for me it seemed like the cleansing tool was a wire brush to my intestines.  I had a tender tummy for a couple of days.  I will probably have to try this again because it was the week of my period, which I believe is a major confounder to the results except the weight.  I am usually heavier during my period and I did not retain water at all on this diet.

I am foregoing the Likert scale since some of the questions are more qualitative in nature and after all This is a pilot study on only one person, me.

Could I finish the diet? Nope, I ate a burger on Saturday night for Fiestas.  See previous blog.

Did I like the diet? Yes, I loved it.  The food was delicious and I felt that I could eat larger portions and eat more often.  Who doesn’t like eating?  I think it helps that I am accustomed to cooking this way. I did really miss yogurt and cheese.

Would I do it again? Of course, after the diet I made a beet veggie burger and have been craving one ever since.  I will have to share the recipe soon.  I don’t think I could ever become a strict vegan because I love cheese and yogurt.  Vegan cheese= sweaty lump of soy nasty. Totally processed.

How do I feel? Not a big change here. I still felt tired and I did feel hungrier.

Did I lose weight? (I will use my digital scale) I went from 154 to 150 in the seven days during my period which says a lot.

Did I lose inches? (I will use a sewing tape measure) no

Where do I notice the difference? In my poor gut L

How does my skin look? This is where the menses confounder was obvious.  I tend to break out during my period and I did get a few blemishes on chin and jawline.

Digestion system discomfort? Oh yeah, my 4 year old even told me to leave because I had some smelly bubble guts.  Lots of intestinal discomfort on heavy bean days.

Broke the Fast

Photo from newmexicohistory.org

So I broke the fast a bit early, but for good reason-a fiesta burger.  It was not really about the burger because well, it was cheap and greasy with loads of processed ingredients. But in addition to the refined ingredients was the camaraderie, ceremony, long lines, music, smiling children, old folks, and dancing in a small town looking forward to this event for an entire year.  This event has been going on in the small town of Bernalillo for centuries.  It is the feast of San Lorenzo, the patron saint of the town. 

The most noteworthy of this ceremony are the Danzas de Matachines.  I am not going to say because it is beautiful and so cultural blah, blah, blah although their costumes are very ornate and the ceremony itself is something to see. Its meaning is multilayered with humble pride, strong faith, protection, honor and a representation of deep hurts, rivalry and war between Christians and Moors, Spanish and Native Peoples, urban sprawl and rural community. 

The dance itself originated during the wars between the Moors and Christians as the Christians prevailing over the devilish Moors.  The Spanish brought it to the Americas and it has changed over time taking on Roman Catholic overtones honoring La Virgen or a Santo.  However, what is especially a dramatic twist in the Danza de Matachines de Bernalillo.  A character, la Malinche, a Mayan native young lady captures the heart of Cortez, the conquistador, so there is a marrying of cultures and a succumbing to Christianity by the Natives, represented by the conquering of the bull (horns, comedian, devil).  Throughout the dance, the bull is whipped and guns are fired.  Residents of Bernalillo, process to the santuario with the Santo, usually in the home of a resident for an entire year.

Photo from newmexicohistory.org

If you look deep enough, you see hundreds of years of history unravel that is a stronghold in this small community.  It bypasses the lure of the city and tells a story of pride and submission.  This short weekend represents faith, conquering, oppression, and centuries of change, progress, healing, and hurt.  I ingested it, in a fiesta burger with chile nestled inside two greasy toasty corn tortillas prepared by a family making a little extra money.   I enjoyed every morsel.

More spirituality on Sunday marking a quinceñeara for a powerful child, the child of my professor, Milagro.  It was a celebration of life for a young lady and her parents who have thoroughly cared for their child who suffered a brain injury at birth and is now medically fragile.  It was a beautiful celebration with a mass of great energy by Brother Olivas and everyone who performed through love.  It was an honor to share this event with two parents who do whatever it takes to keep their child alive, enriched and educated despite her abilities.  Milagro has marked her place on Earth as her mother lives through her and channels Milagro’s spirit into all that she does.  As a student, Milagro is profound in my success and it was an honor to celebrate this day with her and her family.

Again we ate and shared company and I went home with this idea… A great country is not defined by their built progress, medical technology, and citadels of education, but how they treat their people with disabilities.- Linda Pedro from Chimayo, NM.

Update on Vegan Diet and Recipe Links

Does this look good? It was good.  I am enjoying the recipes, but really wanted some cheese last night so I slammed some almond milk.  Nut pestos are a good alternative too.  This diet is a little gut wrenching, but I have lost 3 lbs so far.  Below are two faves I want to share.

Vegan Lentil and Tempeh Sausage Stew

Vegan Banana Nut Bran Muffins

Diet Challenge

Ok...I will keep this short, but after doing a little research and lots of conversations with people and their diet choices, I have decided to try them out.  Keep in mind that all of us are different and I have no intention of bashing anyone's diet choice unless it is termed a food product, which is not food but a highly refined mess of calories. I do however want to see how my body reacts to certain dietary choices.  I will have a scale that will most likely be updated every week because a new question will come up. This week I am going to try a vegan diet for all my meals.

What is my current diet?  Whole foods, not a ton of wheat because my husband is gluten free, full fats, grass fed beef, some organic chicken and eggs, very little pork unless it is non nitrate/nitrite cured meats. Beans galore and whole grains.  I also enjoy fish and seafood, cane sugar, baked goods, wine, beer, coffee and tea. All in moderation of course.  I do need to lose weight. I exercise 5-6 days a week and have been known to have cake for dinner.  I eat seasonally for the most part.  That is just a nutshell.  I stay away from fast food except the occasional blakes lotaburger.

This week will be vegan and you can find the menu here.

Here are some quick guides.
For eggs...I will use two tablespoons of a flaxmeal slurry made with 2 tablespoons of flaxmeal and 1/3 cup of water.  Let sit for 10 minutes and good for up to 2 weeks in fridge.
For milk...almond or coconut milk
for butter...olive, grapeseed or coconut oil
for cheese or butter flavor...nutritional yeast and pureed soaked nuts such as cashews and pinon

Now for the scale: (I will format it into a likert scale next week)
Could I finish the diet?
Did I like the diet?
Would I do it again?
How do I feel?
Did I lose weight? (I will use my digital scale)
Did I lose inches? (I will use a sewing tape measure)
Where do I notice the difference?
How does my skin look?
Digestion system discomfort?

I also got to indulge in some Powdrells BBQ, chocolate cake and chips and dip at a birthday party last night and so I am ready to get started.  See results next week as I will be ending on Saturday.  Right on time before another party.

My breakfasts...I eat this normally so there shouldn't be too much trouble.

Sarah's favorite breakfast thanks to her friend, Elise. This is totally adaptable and I usually eat with whole milk. Not everyone will like the oat texture, but hey I am trying a full on vegan diet so you can try this.

Farm Oats adapted from Elise and Emerson

1/2 cup raw oats
1 cup vanilla unsweetened almond milk
1/2 banana
2 tablespoons of shredded coconut
1/2 cup mixed berries
a sprinkle of cinnamon
1 tsp flax meal
1 tbl toasted or raw nuts of choice

Finding Beauty

So it has been a long time since blogging regularly and a new chef job and some pushing from great women have encouraged me to crank that engine again.  However, I am not sure exactly the direction this might go.  It really started out as a recipe blog for gluten free experiences, then turned into a health rant, and now…not sure, but it will be neither of those in totality. I don’t believe one theme describes the whole picture—and this picture is not something I see in currently, but will gradually take form. 

Do I still want to write about food?  Yes.  Add to that more about justice, some policy, helpful ideas, health and just plain enjoyment of it.  I was definitely one on the low fat buzz, low carb fixation, and bad fats good fats drama…However, up front here:  One of my favorite foods is a hamburger with green chile.  I love beans and greens, oats, almonds, strawberries, coconut, peanut butter, beer, wine and coffee.  I love food, especially when there is love put into it. And places like ConAgra, Hostess, and Tyson do not really care about you or me, so I stay away from those guys and their synonymous competition. 

And I am not here to tell you how to lose weight.  I have been a stick and I have gained weight and unfortunately I have struggled with idealizing weight with my self-worth and I am sick of it. I do think it is important to feel good and be healthy so that you can do the tasks, hobbies that are necessary to enjoy your life.  Food is not the only driver to this blog, although it is the central premise.  There are so many other contributions to whole health and I hope to share that with all of you and I hope that you all will share it with me. 

The past 2 weeks, I have spent time not only looking for work, but finding beauty.  This has been rough as someone who is sensitive to many of the injustices in the world.  Graduate school has built me up in a huge way, but it has also stripped me.  I don’t regret it, but I discovered that many of my connections are through Facebook and I need more than that.  So my recap.

Started with the gorgeous community garden and so much rain that it takes care of itself.  I actually got to see a talented group of poets and readers describe what a lot of us feel, except I don’t feel like the last suicidal hamburger unless I don’t get this extension job I am really excited about to the point of desperation.  I have been going out and spending time with others besides family functions.  I sit outside with neighbors till late at night while the kids ride bikes and eat ice cream for dinner.  We are so broke, meaning that I have to pull out some tricks up my sleeve that I used to do to survive while a single parent.  Yet, I am having a great summer because I am experiencing new and enjoyable activities-at home. 

Click this link to access some of what I have had the opportunity to share this week. I will be posting recipes directly on the blog.

*a little about the photo...I was making a roasted cauliflower dish with garam masala, tumeric, paprika, cumin and curry powder sprinkled with an entire lemon squeezed on all the cauliflower and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.  You could use any citrus and garlic as well.  I thought the spice mix was really pretty so my helper in the kitchen told me to take a picture of it.  So, I did.  

Hello Again

It has been a long time since I have posted on this blog.  I have wanted to, but time has been precious over the course of the past 2 years.  It is sad that I had to let go of on of my creative outlets, but sometimes we make sacrifices for the greater good and I will explain more of that as I hopefully begin writing weekly again.  I did accomplish finally receiving my Masters Degree in Community Health Education and hope to put it to excellent use.

Currently,  I was just hired as a personal chef with my philosophy in mind about food.  This philosophy is fluid and proposes a respectful stance towards how life and food interconnect on more than a physical level. The couple I will cook for have some health challenges that they are successfully overcoming, but it takes a lot of work to do and then when the quality of life takes a stab, I think we all question is all the work worth it.  I am glad that I can help. I think my price is reasonable and I only work one day a week for now. I have another prospective position with the Bernalillo County Extension Service as an urban 4-H agent.  Wish me luck. Say prayers, light candles! I present for this position on July 25. Eek!

I will say that they prefer a low fat Vegan diet and I will post some of those creations as well as what I do for my own family and friends.  Stay tuned...I start Wednesday.

Summer’s Last Kiss

It has been a long time since I have posted and I refuse to give up this blog because I am too busy. Sometimes I have so much to say and little time to say it, but I am going to indulge because I need practice and just because.  I think one reason that I have not written is because my foodie philosophy is going through yet another overhaul.  It is hard to explain really and some things about how I view food are still the same, but I am more forgiving of some health issues and more critical of others especially in terms of not having power over our food and water or for those who do have the power, refuse to realize that these are basic needs and not privileges.  Food insecurity is unjust. I am reminded of this daily, but some events make this injustice much more tangible and shamefully obvious. 

On the last Saturday in October I was out of the house at 6:30 am. We had our first freeze of the season in Albuquerque.  Yup summer is over.  We had just decorated the school garden as a graveyard for the Harvest Festival we have at our church.  I woke up in a panic because I remembered that the sprinklers for the garden were scheduled to go on at 7:00.  So my eyes pop open, it’s still dark and before I even bother with a cup of coffee, I head out to turn off the sprinklers in my pajamas. It is only 28 degrees.  Tired and cold, I drive to the school and see the parish office parking lot is full of cars and full of people in blankets waiting.

I was totally thrown off by this. Who could be here at this hour in this cold? Waiting for what? Waiting for food.  Some of the people were entire families waiting for food boxes that was on a first come, first serve basis. Now I felt much colder.  Part of the goals for our garden is to help feed these folks that none of us even see unless it is the wee hours of the morning. They are a hidden population that venture out in the dark cold so they can feed their families.  What a privilege it is for us to try and help yet we don’t even know who they are and what they have to do to eat.  They are people who brave the cold weather for hours to hopefully get food.  Yes, summer is definitely over. 

I think about this at breakfast and how lucky I am that I have a power to be picky about where I get my food. As I swirl my jam and yogurt together.  I can buy it and make it the way I want.  I see that we have this real food trend really happening and I for one am not going to get to preachy about what you choose to eat, but I think all of us should realize that we can actually choose.  

Sugar Plum Jam

2 ½-3 lbs of plums (It really makes a difference to get them ripe and in season, which is during the late summer) chopped w/peels

1 cup maple syrup

2 cinnamon sticks

5 star anise

1 tsp lemon juice

A few whole cloves

Put everything in a pot and boil for like an hour or more.  If the syrup coats the back of a spoon, it’s done.  Put in sterilized 8 oz jars, leave 1/8 inch head space and cover with tops and bands.  Process in a boiling water bath for about 15 minutes.  Remove and make sure that it is vacuum sealed. Repeat the water bath if not sealed after 20 minutes or so.  I use my gut for this. 

Change Is Good, Like Mimosas

There are unexpected events in life, some are big and some are small such as joining an indoor soccer league on a Sunday night.  I have never played soccer before, but my brother-in-law needed another player on his team and my husband volunteered me.  I was extremely apprehensive and a little pissed for several reasons: Number #1—I had a grant submission deadline. Number#2—I have never played a sport like that…ever. Number#3—I look like a fool often enough and this was going to catapult my foolery. And Number #4—I was just recovering from a butt bone injury after falling flat and hard on my butt while roller-skating (I couldn’t believe it either because I have lots of jelly on my derriere).   The last reason made me think that since I had dragged my husband roller skating, then I guess I better try something new. 

Trying new things is scary when you get into your 30s, but in my 20s, I would have just agreed to play soccer without any question.  Why do we get so set in our ways, when despite our control, changes occur all the time?  Instead of embracing the change, we get all stressed out first and think of all the negative things that might happen.  We are even so unwilling to change ourselves or our lives even when our situation or traits do not serve any purpose or are causing damage.  This could mean attitudes, habits and situations.  There was a lesson in playing soccer last night and I learned it and am willing to play again.  I fell down, missed the ball between my legs, kicked a pathetic several feet instead of several yards, but I had fun, got some exercise, met some cool people, and learned something new.  So I challenge my readers to do the same thing and tell me about it. 

Well on to food.  What new foods have you tried lately?  Try olive oil…and a good one.  Whole Foods 365 brand have delicious olive oils. 

Sprinkle some on some air popped popcorn (place popcorn in a paper bag and put in microwave) keep a close eye on it.

Use it in salad dressing…I love an orange salad dressing this time of year (Mimosa Salad Dressing)…zest half an orange, add a little of its juice,  4 tbls white wine, champagne, or apple cider vinegar, a half tsp  minced garlic, 1 small minced shallot, a handful of minced fresh parsley, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, ½ cup of good olive oil.  A little salt and pepper. Shake it and pour.

Pestos galore!!! 

Place nuts, parsley, olive oil, parmesan, salt and pepper and process into a paste or spread.  Dip veggies in it.  Yum.  This time of year, I like to use peas, broccoli, plain parsley, and arugula.  I may even try cannellini beans with some lemon juice.

Simply dip warm bread in it and enjoy with wine.

Weekly Menu

Monday-Leftover Cream of Broccoli Soup and grilled cheese

Tuesday- Broiled Wild Salmon, with olive oil herb spread, winter veggie gratin

Wednesday- Tamales and beans with fried cabbage

Thursday- French dips on GF bread, Green salad with mimosa dressing

Friday- Brown Rice Spaghetti with marinara and chicken sausage. More salad

Saturday- out Poker night

Sunday- GF chicken empanadas (a first timer), beans

A Lick of Salt in Moderation

Ick. Ick. Ick.  This will be a short blog because I caught my first and hopefully only cold this season.  My head is cloudy so my ideas are nilch.  However, I do want to post something including a recipe and a menu plan.  I want to try a menu plan again so I can remind myself of what recipes are good, bad or just plain ugly.  I may do a review of them, but I am not sure at this point.  I am happy to say that I have an order to make a gluten free and dairy free chocolate cake for a birthday next week.  I would love to do this more often so I hope to make the best chocolate cake.  Right now I just want to sit here and either sleep or knit in my pajamas.  I don’t have either kid around at the moment so I am resting.  

In the last couple of weeks, I had a family member who was diagnosed with congestive heart failure and with treatment, I hope she will feel much better.  It made me think about how much of our foods are loaded with salt. Now we do need salts, but on average we consume a lot more than our recommended daily allowance of sodium (no more than 2300mg) and not near enough potassium.  This is especially bad for those with high blood pressure and any cardiovascular issues who should consume no more than 2000mg or even less.  Last week I made my meals without salt and instead added a couple of dashes or none at all depending on what already had salt in it.  I have never been one who needs a ton of salt or even likes salty snacks.  My weakness is Fritos. I love those, but I don’t have them around too much.  

Last week, I made a list of kitchen must haves and I want to include a recipe with rice, but not a typical rice dish for dinner or lunch, but for breakfast. It is naturally sweet, modifiable, and of course super easy.

Breakfast Brown Rice (Serves 4) 362 mg of sodium, 8 grams of fat, 5 grams saturated (the coconut), 71 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, 5 grams protein. Almost all of your vitamin A for the day

2 cups of apple juice or spiced apple cider

1 cup of instant brown rice

½ cup nonfat strained (Greek) yogurt

A couple handfuls of raisins

1 grated carrot

¼ cup of unsweetened coconut (this contains the most sodium, but it has potassium too) you could use any nuts

½ tsp cinnamon (don’t need if you are using apple cider)

A dash of ground cloves (optional)

A squeeze of lemon juice (optional) this helps instead of adding salt

A sprig of lemon peel (optional) instead of salt

Menu for the week

Monday—Shredded Pork Loin red chile enchiladas and pinto beans

Tuesday—Pureed Brocolli, Cauliflower, and Potato soup with light cream, gf teff bread

Wednesday—Leftover Cioppino, salad, and bread

Thursday—Plum tomato Pot Roast with brown rice pasta, green salad

Friday—out

Saturday—Broiled Salmon, Potato and Zucchini soup, sautéed lemony peas

Sunday—Naked baked chicken wings with honey bbq and hot sauce, crudites

A Baker's Dozen Kitchen Must Haves

I am betting that many of my readers have New Year resolutions.  I am also willing to put money on some of you are trying to lose weight.  Why? Because it’s the New Year? Have you really thought about why you want to lose weight?  How would this lifestyle change benefit you?  Is it worth it to give up some of the things you love just for vanity’s sake or do you really want to feel good?  Do you value your body as a useful vehicle to achieve your aspirations or as an aesthetic object for others to observe?  These are questions that I have asked myself over the years and I have definitely been guilty of making myself pleasing to look at without any thought of how much a change might benefit me.  Now I have a mysterious issue with weight gain and fatigue despite that I eat really well and run five times a week and do some weight bearing and resistance exercise twice a week.   In fact, I am going to see my doctor for a thyroid evaluation because lately I feel pretty sucky. 

But I keep doing what I am supposed to because it is my lifestyle.  I thought about what foods make my life healthier, tasteful and easier and have resolved to never run out of them.  I decided this when my husband accidentally dropped my good olive oil and it broke and oozed all over my kitchen tile.  I was horrified, but I tried to hide it because it was an accident.  Now, I just hate not having olive oil and I had just gone shopping so I had not planned to go back to the store.  So this week, I took stock of my most important ingredients.  Here is the list not in any particular order because they are all really important.  I might add more to it, but I am really going to try to keep it minimal.  These ingredients guarantee me an easy, flavorful, healthy and quick meal.

1.       Good Extra Virgin olive oil.  You must shop for this and not just pick up some random bottle at the store.  My favorites are a skinny bottle from Trader Joes at 5.99 or you can get a bigger bottle of good oil for the same price at Whole Foods.  These two are a delish value.  I dip bread in it as a substitute for butter or even use it on air popped popcorn among many other uses because I love the green and fruity taste that good olive oil imparts.  I really wish there were olive oil tastings in combination with wine tastings.

2.       A few vinegars.  I love vinegar. I even like the smell of it, which usually turns people off.  I adored the smell of vinegar during both pregnancies.  Sprinkle on some lettuces and you have a quick dressing.  Vinegar also contributes flavor for those on low salt diets because it activates the same taste receptors that salt does.  Some vinegar is milder or sweeter.  I keep a lot of vinegar, but these are the four I always have on hand:

a.       Apple cider vinegar with the mother inside (the mother is the cloudy substance and I think it tastes more well-rounded.)

b.      A Balsamic vinegar (Few of us can afford real Balsamic vinegar because it is like $500, but Balsamic Vinegar of Modena is an imitation vinegar that is pretty awesome. Like I have anything to compare it to.) This one is sweet and tangy

c.       Rice vinegar, a milder vinegar great if you like Asian cooking

d.      Red wine vinegar, very pungent, but full flavor

3.       Good Dark Chocolate- great for curing that sweet tooth or making an awesome hot chocolate. There is not an American definition of what constitutes a “dark chocolate,” but the higher the cocoa solid content, the more intense the flavor.  Of course this is more expensive, but it won’t break the bank.  American chocolate companies like Hershey and Nestle are lobbying to the FDA to permit them to use safe grade hydrogenated vegetable oil to substitute the more expensive cocoa butter, an important element to the buttery smoothness of chocolate, but have failed to succeed.  Screw ‘em. I won’t buy their chocolate anymore.

4.       Lemons- I swear, just looking at these little guys make you happy.  Their scent makes me feel better or hungry.  You can zest them and juice them to brighten the flavor of any dish.  They make a great salad dressing base.  They give such a nice tang to French toast.  An important health attribute is that they replace salt successfully because they trick your taste buds.  When life hands you lemons don’t make lemonade, put them in a bowl and say thank you.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      

5.       Strained yogurt (aka Greek Yogurt)- The rich creamy texture can replace things like mayonnaise and sour cream and add a punch of calcium and protein to boot.  However, not all Greek yogurts are created equal. With the new trend, many yogurt makers like Dannon and Yoplait want to provide the public with Greek yogurt, but to achieve that thickness, they add food starch and/or pectin. In fact, they add food starch or gelatin to pretty much all their yogurts.  What does that mean for you?  Well fake yogurt and extra carbohydrates that contain little to no nutrient value.   I am still researching this topic of what my favorite brand is because this is pricey.  I have considered making my own non-fat yogurt and straining it. 

6.       Fresh Herbs Flat leaf parsley- All hail herbs.  I enjoy both fresh and dried, but some of them need to be fresh such as parsley, cilantro, mint and basil. Rosemary, dill weed, oregano, thyme, and sage are suitable either way.  If I were to choose one, then I would choose parsley…I think.

7.       Cinnamon- This adds flavor to so many different foods. I think it helps to keep sugar content down in addition to its ability to sustain healthy blood sugar levels. 

8.       Real maple syrup- Great deep flavor, totally vegan, and its rich flavor keeps me from adding too much because a little goes a long way.  I like grade B more than grade A because of its richer and darker content.

9.       Bulbous Friends-Onions and Garlic. I like to keep fresh garlic, an economy size bag of sweet onions around and either a red onion or shallots.  If I had the funds, I would keep always stock and cook with pearls, and shallots.  I could grow them, but they require such a long growing season.

10.   Parmesan cheese- Lately, I have been keeping a wedge of pretty good Parmesan around.  I think that a wedge is better because you usually get a cheaper and better quality and sometimes I am just too lazy to grate a ton of cheese as a condiment which means lower fat, but a good amount of flavor.   You can also throw the rind in a soup pot for a lot of flavor since the rind is often too hard to grate and has a more waxy taste.

11.   Beans: canned or dried any variety - Breakfast lunch and dinner need I say more.  Totally healthy, high fiber, low sodium, no fat, and high in protein.  I keep both canned and dry on hand if I want a fast meal or just want a pretty hands off meal by throwing soaked beans in a crock pot for the day.

12.   Rice, brown, basmati, white, and wild- Rice is such a staple in our home since my husband developed celiac disease.  I even mix them together to add flavor complexity to our meals. Mix with beans and you have a complete protein meal. Although, quinoa ranks right up there too.

Pepper powders- another flavor addition that will help not add to much salt, fat, and sugar to any meal.  I have recently discovered smoked paprika and use it to make gf barbecue sauce.  I love cayenne mixed with maple syrup and lemon juice added to hot water for a nice sore throat tonic (It hurts so good).  Add chile powder to hot ch