Redeemed: 3 Things You Thought Were “Bad” For You

“Can I have the brussels sprouts with the butter on the side?”

“Do you have any gluten free cookies?”

“I’ll have the burger but… without the bun.”

Working in a restaurant that is situated in a very populated, very stuffy, and very wealthy neighborhood has given me plenty of opportunity to observe what the popular dietary trends are. Or, rather, scoff at them.

I don’t blame them, I mean, not a ton of people apart from me bother to delve deeper into the nutrition claims projected from the mainstream media on a daily basis. So it’s easier just to take their word for it and move along. But, and this is a big but, most of these tabloid claims are hardly substantiated, at least by scientific standards. Many rest their conclusions on the results of a single study from a single sample of the population, barely enough to hang your hat on. Studies that have trendy topics, however, often get published no matter what actual degree of truth they hold.

So I come to you today as a myth-buster of sorts- to free you from the anxiety and stress that these studies can promote. Who wants to live a life based on restrictions? Not I. So I’m here to tell you one rule to rule them all, a rule that will tell you everything you need to know about what you should and shouldn’t eat. Ready for it?

Anything that has natural origins (meaning from the earth with minimal processing) is not bad for you.

Yep, this means that this includes meat and dairy (cows eat grass [or should] after all) and, gasp, bread! But before you get on my case about how eating a lot of these items can lead to negative effects (which they can), allow me to add one more caveat:

…is not bad for you in moderation.

Aw man, not that word again.

While I plan on writing a post on what moderation actually means in the coming weeks, suffice it to say that humans are made to be omnivores and this means that we eat a bit of everything. A bit of everything. Even too many vegetables/fruits is a bad thing. Don’t believe me? Eat a big raw cabbage slaw or salad and get back to me in a few hours. I believe that the phrase “digestive distress” would sum up that situation well.

But fear not (!) for today in order to release you from the culinary chains society binds you with, I bring a list of foods you thought were “bad” for you but…actually aren’t.

Red meat

Did you know that calorie-for-calorie, beef is one of the most nutrient-dense foods? It’s true! Packed with vitamin B-12, zinc, iron, and, obviously, protein beef (or red meat in general) is a nutrient powerhouse that gets passed over due to studies on people who eat too much of it. But, if you served yourself say a fist-sized portion there’s nothing to stop you from indulging in your more carnivorous side.

[Btw, that iron I was talking about? Yeah yeah, you could say that there is plenty of iron in plant foods (which there is) HOWEVER there is a difference between the iron in plants and the iron in meat. (*Nerd alert, if you’re not interested, skip to the next paragraph*) Turns out there is heme iron (“heme” meaning it originates in organisms with blood), found in meat, and non-heme iron, found in plants. The heme iron in meat is far more easily absorbed by our bodies than the non-heme found in plant foods. And this is kind of a big deal because not all of the iron you consume is even absorbed (only about 15-30% is, depending on the individual). What can you do about that? Well add a pinch of citrus or other vitamin-C-rich foods to iron-rich foods and that will increase the absorption. (Interested in what are other good sources of iron? Click here: http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/ )]

Ready to bring red meat back into your life? Just keep in mind another rule of mine. When it comes to meat/dairy choose quality over quantity. This means ideally local meat but I’m no stooge so I’d recommend a good grass-fed or organic brand anyday 🙂 Also in the quality category: choose lean cuts. Look for anything with “loin” attached to the name, round steaks, roasts, filet mignon, arm roasts, etc… And when in doubt, ask the butcher! (Or take a look at this handy infographic: http://greatist.com/health/choosing-healthiest-meats )

Whole Milk Dairy

As if the red meat bit didn’t blow your preconceived notions already, here’s something that will really perk your interest. More and more studies are showing that there’s a link between a leaner individual and intake of whole milk compared to those who drink skim or a lower-fat milk. Although the jury’s still out as to precisely why this trend is occurring, scientists have a few hypotheses…

1. Drinking lower-fat milk does not often result in a lower-calorie diet. If you feel less satiated from a lower-fat milk you’ll need something more to fill you up and that “something more” may not be veggies…

2. Drinking whole-fat milk is not linked to gaining weight and, because of the higher concentration of fats, may keep you more satiated with less.

3. Drinking whole milk may increase levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” stuff) but also may increase HDL levels (the “good” stuff) and therefore offset them both.

My advice? If you’re a serious milk chugger and are yearning for a more richer/milkier taste, give whole milk a shot. While more studies need to be done it’s never a bad idea to try something new. Because I drink a lot of nut milks, I like to enjoy some whole milk in my morning coffee to make it extra-smooth 🙂

What should you look for? Once again, the quality over quantity rule prevails. Choose organic and local milk if you can.

Bread/Gluten

Last but not least: gluten. First of all, please disregard this all if you have been diagnosed with celiac disease. For those who have the disease, the wider availability of gluten-free items is amazing. However, for the rest of us, it tends to be a confusing topic and this confuddlement tends to spread like wildfire. Well, the buck stops here. Here’s the low-down on gluten:

1. Gluten-free is not synonymous with low-calorie. Nor does it mean that the product has an untarnished health halo around it. If you’re looking at gluten-free items, check out the ingredient list and grams of sugar added. While I recommend doing this with most processed foods you buy, gluten-free products are notorious for being packed with artificial flavor compounds and sugars to make up for the lack of flavor/gluten.

2. There have been no published studies indicating that weight loss resulted in adopting a gluten-free diet (in those without celiac disease). This drives home point #1.

3. Gluten-containing diets provide more whole grains and fiber, which numerous studies have shown to be beneficial toward health. In fact, the starches within wheat help maintain good gut bacteria, which is always a good thing!

So there you have it! Hopefully this relieves your mind about some controversial foods. At the bottom of this post you’ll find links to all the sources I used to research this post in case you wanted more info. And if you have any more foods you’re not quite sure about, leave a comment!

Be well,

Aly

Re: red meat

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/the-truth-about-red-meat?page=3

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Iron-HealthProfessional/

http://greatist.com/health/choosing-healthiest-meats

Re: whole milk

http://healthland.time.com/2013/07/03/skim-milk-is-healthier-than-whole-milk-right-maybe-not/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3649459/

http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/12/275376259/the-full-fat-paradox-whole-milk-may-keep-us-lean

Re: bread/gluten

http://www.andjrnl.org/article/S2212-2672(12)00743-5/fulltext

Then & Now – A Reflection on what’s “Healthy”

Then: I was (presumably) 15 lbs lighter, weighed myself everyday and was only happy if I saw an equal or lesser number on the gym scale.

Now: I haven’t weighed myself in almost a year. I have gained weight (which is still a hard pill for me to swallow at times) but sometimes, as you’ll see below, less is not always more.

Then: I went to the gym at least 6 days a week, whenever I had nothing to do, and sometimes multiple times in a day. Pure and simple, I worked out to burn calories so I could have a little peanut butter and not feel guilty.

Now: I have a gym membership because not having one for over a year illuminated how much I missed working out and how working out bettered my stress and anxiety levels.  I emerge from the gym a calmer more radiant person than when I go in. I go usually 5 days a week and spend any extra time I have with my friends/family/boyfriend/cat (Luna).

Then: Bones projected from my back and ribs and my breasts/butt all but disappeared. I felt frail (a feeling I regretfully relished at times) and got numerous body aches and pains that had no clear cause.

Now: I have hips, curves, breasts, thighs, and, yeah, a butt. The only time my body aches is the day after a hard workout. (Curse you squats/lunges!)

Then: I ran constantly. I pushed myself to do more and more without listening to my body or giving it the rest it deserved.

Now: I jog every other day because it gives me a rush that I love. I do brisk walking and weight-bearing exercises on days inbetween to avoid overuse and injury.

Then: I needed to be in control of everything I ate otherwise I suffered extreme anxiety. I obsessively counted calories and refrained from going out to eat because of the unknown multitude of calories in the meals. I hardly ever used fats, sugars, or salt in anything and when I did, extreme guilt followed.

Now: I love to cook my own food because it’s empowering and I love being creative with fresh ingredients. I still (unfortunately) cannot beat the calorie-counting out of my mind but I’m able to push it aside from time to time and I certainly don’t let it run my life. I welcome the moderate use of healthy fats because I know the benefits they provide and yes, I do enjoy dessert (chocolate!) from time to time. Come to think of it, I don’t have any restrictions on the foods I eat because now I trust myself to make the best judgments in the moment. And yes, sometimes the best judgment is to eat the chocolate chip cheesecake. 

Then: I was not satisfied with anything I saw in the mirror, despite being at a low weight.

Now: I still am not always happy with what I see, but I’m working on feeling better about being in my own skin and loving it.

Then: I looked at myself and my health and I saw one number.

Now: I see me. 

I feel like I routinely need to make these reflections because, always a sucker for nostalgia, I’d love to think that I was actually happier at a lighter weight. After all, that’s the message society and the media shoves down our throats every day: Be thinner and lighter and you will be undoubtedly happier. But the facts reveal just the opposite.

What started as a subtle interest in health, a box of Kashi cereal, a packet of oatmeal, quickly snowballed into nearly a condition that plagued me with constant anxiety and fear. My initial goal was not to lose weight but once one pound lost became two, I was hooked. I needed to be thinner and fitter. Why? Because other people were. Because I saw and envied girls with smaller frames and thighs and tummies. I knew that if I could be like them, squeeze into extra-small t-shirts and size 2 jeans, then I would be happy. Then I would be beautiful.

But even as I lost more weight and became more “fit” I was never satisfied. It was never enough. Because if I could make it to 130, I could get to 125 and, oh my, wouldn’t that be amazing! Truth? it really wasn’t. I had low back pains for no apparent reasons and had a couple near panic attacks during class. I didn’t have many friends (I was always at the gym) and my “healthy habits” were beginning to isolate me more and more.

Thankfully, after reading a description of a growing condition called “orthorexia” I knew I had to stop or face seeking professional help. And, funny enough, help came in the form of me moving to Chicago and not being able to afford/have time for my incessant gym habits of yore. I gained weight and have slowly and steadily been able to come to terms with what it actually means to be healthy in this world.

I guess, more than anything, I want to emphasize that health is not measured in numbers, indexes, charts, or statistics. Focusing solely on your weight or the hours you clocked in at the gym this week can get you into serious trouble if you’re not careful. Chasing body perfection will keep you sprinting toward a mirage that will forever remain a pesky mirage. I kept a diary a few years ago and one thing struck me: my quest toward perfection never ended. I was diligently recording a slew of very low body weights and yet it was never good enough. There was always a lower number, a new “perfect.”

But now I have a better measurement of health.

Health is the quality of life you are living: How you feel when you wake up in the morning, what it feels like to cook a family dinner and share it at the table or take a jog in the park or a brisk walk with your dog. Health is about people and not numbers.

This is why I want to be a registered dietitian. I want to show people that being healthy is about empowerment. Because when you feel empowered that sense of inner joy and contentment cannot help but radiate in other places of your life.  It’s not about having a “thigh gap” or logging in the most miles  or having a flat stomach or having toned arms or being the best at a sport or the thinnest. I mean, who on earth are we competing against? What is it all for?

Rather, being healthy is about focusing on you as a whole living breathing feeling person.

Because you’re not a number.

Sum-Up Saturday

One thing I really love about the blog-o-sphere is that people can just come up with random themes for random days (ex: What I Ate Wednesday, Marvelous Mondays…) Well here’s my contribution: Sum-Up Saturday. Basically it’s like the reader’s digest version of what I did/cooked/made/experienced/was grateful for in the past week, minus the overly-dramatic human interest stories and ambiguous surveys. Let’s begin!

Recipes to Try

Chocolate-Chip Cookie Dough Balls from Robyn at The Real-Life RD

Robyn is absolutely fabulous in her own right. I love her blog because everything she posts comes straight from the heart and her recipes are always simple and satisfying!

 

 

Remarkable Root Soup by Katie at Produce on Parade

Ever come across celeriac? Don’t worry, it’s not a disease or a pokemon. Rather, it’s the fugly root of the celery plant and guess what? tastes way better than celery 🙂 But unlike it’s bland offspring, celeriac makes a wonderful potato-y addition to soup or to a shepherd’s pie. So go out and catch get yourself one that is firm and gnarly and make this deliciously earthy soup!

Healthy Cauliflower Popcorn/Kettlecorn by Brittany at Eating Bird Food

If you hadn’t jumped on the cauliflower-substitution train yet, than ALL ABOARD! Can you really go wrong with anything roasted with coconut oil and maple syrup? Nope nope nope.

 

Happenings & Highlights

• Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes! I may have to divert from my cherished pumpkin oats routine(!)- The increasingly strenuous hunt for the cans of vitamin A-packed goodness has made for depressed-Aly faces after leaving the Dollar Store empty handed (they had their brand for only $1/can!). But no worries, I picked up Mr. Acorn Squash yesterday who got roasted this morning, mashed, and plopped in my oats instead 🙂 Look at me adapting!
• Kudos to not being afraid to feel hungry. Not gonna lie, sometimes figuring out all of the food I’ll have to pack in the blue duffle in the morning is a serious coffee buzz-kill. And after working long shifts at the new job left me practically skipping meals, I realized how non-painful hunger actually is. It ain’t the end of the world people. So now I stick with just bringing along a post-workout green smoothie and lunch, knowing that I can wait it out the PM munchies until I get home.  
• Big Deal. I carried three plates in my hands last night. Big accomplishment, believe me.
• Man in my kitchen. I’m incredibly grateful to have a boyfriend who can cook (with little instruction 😉 His classes don’t start until next week so on the days when I was kept late he prepped up some pretty amazing meals (a chili-inspired fritatta & an incredibly creamy blended lentil soup). Thanks hun 🙂
• Chit-Chat. Getting the chance to talk with the chefs at the second job last night and hear their passions firsthand is a pretty awesome and highly recommended experience. Their knowledge is boundless and I loved hearing all about where all our ingredients come from 🙂

News Notables

Americans’ Eating Habits Take a Healthier Turn, Study Finds

What’s this? A turn for the better? Well…maybe. The study in this article hangs its hat on interviews and what Americans say they are eating. Call me a cynic but basing conclusions on surveys tends to lead to flawed conclusions. But who am I to be a pessimist? Yay America!

Does diet soda actually make you eat more calories? 

More evidence that you should kick the soda habit altogether. Scientists are hypothesizing that the artificial sweeteners “disrupt the way our brains interpret hunger” causing an overweight person who chugs diet coke to nibble more. But the studies findings apart from that were a bit more complicated. The study of normal weight people who drank diet soda showed that they nibbled less not more. In any case, keep your ears and eyes open for more studies to come. Want to kick the habit? I recommend switching to carbonated water with a squeeze of lemon- it’s a great way to get a similar jolt 🙂

And that just about sums it up 🙂

Be Well,

Aly

A Fireside Chat

I think it’s high time we had a chat, because I’ve got some marvelous red tea in my hands and isn’t that really the best time to have conversation? So pick your poison, coffee, tea, a latte and settle in, because we have a lot to catch up on. 

Where have I been???

The simplest (and, admittedly, lamest) explanation to this question is busy. In the past two weeks alone, I’ve started my second semester  of my second degree and a second job (all conveniently located downtown) and so time to myself has been negligible. Early mornings have been spent studying and hurridly stuffing my duffle with the essentials for the day. I may live in a low-income area, but just a 45 minute commute and I am another busy bee humming along in the heart of downtown Chicago. Going to my gym on Michigan, going to work (at both places, if you can believe that) on Michigan, and going to class slightly off Michigan give the allusion to a life I only wished I truly led. Except I hate to say that my large blue duffle gives me away every time. True dwellers of concrete jungle need nothing more than a briefcase or fashionable tote.  Turns out, I’m a pretender. 

So whenever my busy thoughts strayed to this humble blog, I quickly became stressed out. It was like the straw that broke the camel’s back, if you will. If that’s confusing to you, let me explain: I’m a self-improvist of sorts. I strive to be a better version of myself every day and if I fall short…well, that simply isn’t an option. This blog became just another thing that needed updating, tweaking, bettering and I simply didn’t want or need that kind of pressure. So I pushed it around and then gently, lovingly pushed it aside for another time.

Until now. 

Now I’ve realized that I want/mentally need a place of my own. A place where I can talk, think, and reflect about the things in life that are not work or school. A place where I can share the tidbits of life that matter the most to me, be they recipes or debating GMOs or exercise routines or body image issues or just random silly stuff I deem relevant.

So I’m back friends 🙂 And content to be so.

Be well,

Aly

 

Where I’m Going & Where I’ve Been

If this interim away from blogging has taught me anything, it’s that when I do post, I need to be genuine and honest.

Not that I haven’t been before, but prior to this past week I have viewed blogging as almost another obligation in my life, something I have to do to keep up with the Jones’ (aka all the other amazing successful bloggers out there), and to make a name for myself in this world entrenched in intangible communication. There are times when I feel like this technology-obsessed world has gotten so big that it threatens to swallow me whole. Making a name for yourself while being original AND remaining true to yourself is incredibly difficult, not to mention how hard it is to sometimes convey your entire personage in a single post. Dwelling on that makes me wonder why I ever thought that I could ever blog and possibly make a place for myself in this big ole cyberspace.

But then

I get messages from wonderful people who have read my blog posts and tell me how much it helped or inspired them, and I remember, this is what it’s all about. 

And then my heart, bless it, reminds me that if I’m blogging just to get to get crazy high stats or readership, then I’ve lost what drew me to blogging in the first place which was, of course, to help others be well. And while this blog is still very much about me and the weird little life I lead, it’s also a fun medium to put what I know (or don’t know) out there for the world to see.

So stay tuned for more snappy posts (because my time to blog/write is so minute these days) and be sure to comment below on anything you’re curious about/confused about/want to know about. I would love to post information that you are interested in!

Stay well,
Aly

Up to Everything & Then Some :)

I know I haven’t posted in awhile, but that’s only because so much stuff is going on! Where to begin?!?

1. Promotion Transfer-to-a-Position-that-I-Prefer
So last week I got “transferred” from my barista position to the coveted food-prepper position at the cafe I work at. Now, while that doesn’t seem like a huge win, getting to deal with pastries and paninis instead of picky clueless customers all day is definitely a move in the right direction for me 🙂 I love following recipes and keeping things in order all day long- it’s kind of what I live for, you know? 🙂

2. Back to Skool!
As I’ve mentioned previously, I am going back to college to obtain yet another undergraduate degree (I’m super special like that 😉 in order to become a registered dietitian. Classes at a semi-sketchy community college start next week and I will come face-to-face with my nemesis(es) from high school – chemistry + biology. I’m going to try really hard to understand this time around and I’m hoping that five years + a solid goal in mind will help me get through this. If all else fails, I’ll just pretend I’m in Potions class. Which brings me to 

3. Embracing the Potter in Me
I’m a major Harry Potter devotee and lately I’ve found myself gravitating back to the books and rereading/reliving them again. I swear they are the equivalent of comfort food for my brain. Reading Harry Potter is like snuggling under the blankets on a chilly autumn evening 🙂 For realz.
Oh yeah, and now I’ve even got a legit time-turner of my own 😉

4. PICKLES!
My wonderful father has put together a canning kit for me & I am so stoked to start using it! (I get it in 2 weeks) So stoked, in fact, that I have already brewed a batch of homemade refrigerator pickles in anticipation. The results = NOMS!

5. DIY CREAMY DRESSING!
You didn’t really think that this post would come sans-recipe? I wouldn’t do that to you!
So this weekend I had an epiphany of sorts when it came to dressings of the homemade variety. People have mentioned using leftover brine/vinegar as dressings before but I could not picture the watery dressing just slopped onto a fresh/crisp salad. Noooo. I like my dressings to cling to the veggies. So I thought. And thought. And thought some more.
And then it clicked.
Yogurt!
And sure enough, after I bought whole-milk yogurt at Whole Foods, I came home and whipped it with some of my Dad’s pickled beet brine and wow! It provided the creamy texture I longed for and softened the pickly beet brine to make it subtle enough to top any salad.

So here’s a more of a DIY dressing recipe, meant to be mixed and played with. In the coming days I plan on trying some combos such as:

Yogurt + homemade cherry vinegar
Yogurt + BBQ sauce (to be interesting for sure!)
Yogurt + other random-juice-chilling-in-the-back-of-my-fridge

Ingredients
Yogurt (choose the variety you like best. I find that going the whole-milk route is the less-processed route. Plus, when you’re combining it and then only using a couple tablespoons at a time, the fat content matters not.)
Vinegar/Juice/Brine –> the possibilities are endless!

Directions
I suggest combining only a couple tablespoons of yogurt with a bit of vinegar/juice/brine at a time so that you don’t end up making a whole big batch of something you don’t like. Have fun with this, and especially have fun knowing that you won’t have to pay $3.99 a bottle for dressing!

Thoughts on pickles? (Mustaches?)

Fluffy Pumpkin Oats & Gearing up for Fall

Fall is rushing towards me.

I can feel it.

This morning was chilly and it is in this chilly weather that I start to daydream (yes, daydream) about the upcoming season. The crisp mornings, the looming fall semester, my growing cravings for winter squash (mark my words, once October hits my apartment will henceforth be known as Gourd Central), and even Argo Tea has rolled out their fall seasonal teas. (Autumn Blend & the Hibiscus Ginger Ale)
And, although I adore being warm, wearing tanks, and biking outdoors, I have to say that autumn is my favorite season. Tis the season for football, soup (and all the variations of blended deliciousness that come with it), a new school session, changing leaves, hot apple cider (or hot drinks 24/7 if I’m being honest here), and, as mentioned before, squash.

And I do love squash 🙂 

So much so that I’ve started including it in my morning oats…again 🙂 Curious? It’s a variation on my “fluffy” oats of yore (i.e. it utilizes egg whites) that includes pumpkin puree, spicy spices, and a half banana for sweetness – want to eat autumn in a bowl? Read on:

Fluffy Pumpkin Oats

Ingredients
1/2 cup rolled oats
~1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
~1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 cup water (or milk)
2 egg whites
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 a banana, sliced
pinch of stevia (optional for added sweetness)
nutty McNut butter to top (never optional)

Directions
1. Combine the dry team (1st 4 ingredients)
2. Going down the list, stir in the components of the wet team, stopping short at the banana.
3. Cook & stir occasionally until fluffy consistency is reached (older crappy microwave takes roughly 5 minutes)
4. Top with McNut butter (okay, you know what I mean…) and devour 🙂

What are you looking forward to this fall?

Child of the Corn: Simple Summer Corn & Vegetable Saute

Being a product of a Midwestern rearing and household, it should come as no surprise that corn and I go way back. During the summer months in Wisconsin, corn is everywhere. 

The unstaffed and ubiquitous (yes, I had to make sure I was using that word right 😛 ) corn stands at gas stations, beckoning morally upstanding citizens to serve themselves and put their money in the tin. 

The rows upon rows of green and gold along highways (it’s corn and not Green Bay Packer fans- an easy mistake). 

Corn roasts. 

Corn on the grill. 

Corn on the cob. 

Corn.

Am I obsessed? Maybe…but you should know that nothing, and I mean nothing, beats fresh corn on the cob on a balmy summer night.

Of course, I will say that I am no longer as doe-y eyed about corn as I used to be. 

For instance, I know now the startling fact that of the billions of bushels of corn produced in the United States, only 9% is used for “domestic food uses” while almost half goes to animal feed. (Source) So chances are that those waving fields of green and gold I mentioned earlier are ending up as cow chow (which, subsequently, ends up in us. But that’s another story…) Yes, and then there’s the high fructose corn syrup and all the nasty, processed nonsense that goes with it. 

But I don’t believe that any of those facts, while troublesome in their own right, should tarnish the wholesome reputation of the sweet corn of yore I always yearn for. 

In fact, nutritionally speaking, corn is pretty awesome. A single cup contains 14% of your daily value of fiber and 5 grams of protein – which means it’s a great vegetable that gives you amazing bang for your buck and deserves its place in a balanced, whole foods diet. 

Which brings me to this simple preparation of corn (and there are MANY more) that I have used the past few nights. The BF and I bought a ridiculous amount of corn at last weekend’s farmer’s market, so with every dinner goes another ear 🙂 Sauteeing is a great way to bring out the simple flavors of corn while also suffusing other vegs like tomatoes, green bell peppers, onions, and kale with their natural sweet juices. Add some chili powder and cumin to seal the deal and BAM, you’ve got yourself a delicious saute to serve over any grain. I served mine with both polenta and bulgur, as shown above. 

Simple Summer Corn & Vegetable Saute (serves 2)

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked grain (let your mind reel with the possibilities here…)

1 ear fresh corn with kernals sliced off & into a bowl

1 clove garlic, crushed and minced

1/2 cup cooked/prepared beans (I used black beans above)

1/2 large onion, diced

handful of greens (I used kale) chopped roughly

1 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp chili powder (adjust to taste)

dash of red pepper flakes (for spice!)

Directions

1. While preparing your grain, combine all the other ingredients into a bowl.

2. Grease a large pan on the stove lightly with spray olive oil/coconut oil/etc…Heat the pan up and throw on the veg!

3. Saute on medium-high heat until the greens have attained their peak greenness and have wilted.

4. Dish out the cooked grain on each plate/bowl and then top off each with the saute mixture.

5. Nom away!

What is your favorite summer vegetable?

Sunday Gratitude

I’ve been withholding a secret from all of you…

You may or may not have noticed that most of my posts don’t really have any bread involved. It’s just me + veg + fruit. Nothing wrong with that, buuuutttt lest you think I had fallen off the deep end gone gluten-free, I must shamefully admit that I just never thought to post about it before…Well, consider yourself hoodwinked because, alas, I have been gorging eating bread this entire time! (mwah ha ha!)  But it’s no bread you’ve ever seen… 🙂 

It’s beautiful, hand-crafted at least twice a week, freshly baked in my oven in my apartment, studded with raisins and sunflower seeds, a conglomeration of rye/spelt/whole wheat and all-purpose flours…

And, did I mention it’s made by my man? Oh yes, consider this to be BF-bread and I can never/will never ever get enough 🙂 And, hey, I guess it’s also my first gratitude-giving this week – thanks hun!

To keep the thanks comin’….

A HUGE thanks to my DIY Dad for these pickled beets– another under-appreciated fellow on this blog that deserves some recognition. Not only does he brew his own beers, concoct his own wines, jammify can his own jellies (my rhubarb-ginger jar is almost gone!), and pickle his own veg, but he also has a vlog to top it all off! Check it out here! 

Another commonality between my lunch salads from last week was the fabulous dressing that not only made kale palatable but helped everything come together! To make this great tahini-maple dressing and many more, check out this post by Kathy at the Lunchbox Bunch!

And last but certainly not least is this great greens n’ noodles salad inspired by My New Roots – a gorgeous blog that I have just begun following. Sarah’s writing is always thoughtful and inspiring and she takes a similar approach to her recipes which always contain simple ingredients brought together to form complex and amazing flavors. I really encourage you all to add her to your blog feed and to check out the recipe that inspired my soba noodle/chard concoction here!

Another great week is ahead, I can feel it!

What is the most interesting/strange-but-good jam or jelly you have ever had?

This Week: Good Eats #2

This week was chock (that word looks weird when written out…hmmmm) FULL of good eats – therefore let’s jump right into it shall we?

Breakfast

No pics (as explained here) but oatie goodness this week featured more juicy blueberries and melty bananas than strawberries. Sometimes the latter are simply too tart to put in my oats…plus they lack the mini-explosion factor that blueberries possess when heated 🙂

AM Snack

My most significant snacks are in the morning (usually, unless my tummy is being a growling beast in the afternoon). I just tend to eat more in the AM than the PM. This week it was all about these snacks in a jar and, as always, my BF’s bread takes center stage with cashew butter on my day off 🙂

Lunch

I totally rocked the kale this week! If you’re wondering why that statement demanded an exclamation point, you should know that it has been extremely hard for me to like kale. I’ve gone from choking down raw kale salads to pulverizing them in my blender with a banana to finally (!) being able to enjoy them in all their green glory. My secret? It’s all about finding a good solid dressing (see tomorrow’s gratitude post for a killer one) and, yes, massaging. I had heard it before and didn’t believe it but, alas, it is true: one must treat your kale before your kale can treat you. 
As for toppings, I went with some baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, pickled beets (courtesy of my DIY father!), and some goat cheese 🙂

Dinner

If dinner had a theme this week it would be ingenuity! Yes, I’m tooting my own horn here, but come on, these were darn delicious meals I concocted!
Top left: Leftover chicken tortilla soup
Top right: Salad composed of bulgur, corn, leftover sweet potato burger, cherry tomatoes, and ketchup
Bottom left to right: Polenta served with an Italian (tomatoes + onion + basil + oregano) sauce, Whole Foods Friday salad, a fantastic way to incorporate noodles and greens (to be shared tomorrow…)

And that was this week’s good eats! Stay tuned tomorrow for some links if any of this piqued your interest 🙂