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
