Sunday's Nourishement...

 

"You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpiece - just good food from fresh ingredients."

Julia Child

Cooking a meal doesn't have to be hard. And complicated doesn't necessarily mean better tasting. Some of the simplest dishes can offer nourishment and good taste. So when you plan your next meal make something that brings you joy with  fresh ingredients. A simple salad or sandwich can be all you need for a meal.

Saturday "Supper"... Turkey Tetrazzini

     

     http://www.rachaelraymag.com/Recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/budget-recipes/turkey-tetrazzini-2

    Tomorrow my oldest son is coming over ( he usually comes a couple times a month) and I always cook a meal for him to take home. So the first thing I do if I didn't have a meal from the day before that was a double recipe to share, I check my cabinets, refrigarator and freezer to see what I have that I can make.
     What I found today was some frozen turkey and in my cabinet, a box of spaghetti, cream and/broth in my refrigerator, put it altogether and the idea came to me... Turkey Tetrazzini. Next step is to "Google" other peoples recipes and see what ingredients they use.  Traditionally this recipe uses mushrooms and my son is not a fan, so this is when you take a recipe and tailor it to your families likes and dislikes, and what you have around your house. I will probable substitues peas and carrots instead of mushrooms because that's what I have and a lot of the other recipes I saw used that.  Also some of the recipes called for using milk, cream or stock. So I will pick from those choices and use what I have.
       The link above is just one of the many recipes for Turkey Tetrazzini, Don't be afraid to play with your food, some of the best dishes come from experimenting and/or mistakes!

Wednesday "Word"... Jar

http://www.pinterest.com/savorthethyme/food-in-a-jar/

http://www.pinterest.com/mom_md/food-in-a-jar/ 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/25/meals-in-a-jar_n_1699545.html 

     I use a lot of jars to store my food in, in an effort to use less plastic. Some are Mason Jars and some are just jars that I've cleaned out after the peanut butter, salsa, jelly is gone.  I also like to use them to carry my snack or a meal when I am going out. The links above gives you lots of ideas for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and even gifts that can be made and stored in a jar.

      Its about trying new ideas, experimenting with new ways to "play" with your food. Let it be fun and exciting and as always, if it this doesn't work for you... take what you like and leave the rest. But try one or two recipes and see what you think. This would be a fun project to do with some friends or your kids. Or plan your family and friends birthday gift - in a jar!

Wednesday " Word "... Dehydrating

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?rs=ac&len=2&q=dehydrator+recipes&term_meta%5B%5D=dehydrator|autocomplete|0&term_meta%5B%5D=recipes|autocomplete|0 

http://www.food.com/recipe/tomato-powder-dehydrator-390224

 http://www.food.com/recipe/spicy-apple-chips-109877 

    There is a great sale on fresh in season tomatoes, a neighbor gives you some of their abundance of vegetables, you have apples that need to get eaten sooner then later... Here are a few links that will open up  new ideas to preserving your excess food beyond canning and freezing.

    Don't let not having a "dehydrator" keep you from trying this. Just use your oven or even toaster oven (for small things) http://farmgal.tripod.com/Dehydrate.html. And if you need more ideas just Google or look on Pinterest. Give dehydrating a try...

Monday Mention... Sugar

       With the start of the New Year and the Holiday's behind I thought it would be a good idea to re-visit the topic of sugar. Here is a post I wrote last year giving you three helpful tips. http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html . Let this be a year of bringing awareness not judgement to the food you eat and the food you feed your family. When you start reading labels look at the amount of sugar per serving. For example: if the box or can says 9 grams per serving which is 2 Tb and you know you are going to consume far more then 2 tablespoons when you eat this, then be aware and decide to choose another product with less sugar per serving or use less of the product you want. And it is far better to just eat less of the full sugar product then to consume any "sugar-free."

        But remember - It all adds up - each condiment, each dessert, each yogurt, each glass of juice/soda, breakfast, lunch, dinner choice in one day can amount to a lot of sugar. There are unsweetened options our there, and even picking a few will cut down on your consumption. Be patient, it will takes at least a week or two to allow your taste buds to adjust to less sugar on your palette. One choice at a time...

Listed below are a few articles/video on the subject of sugar:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristin-kirkpatrick-ms-rd-ld/dangers-of-sugar_b_3658061.html

http://www.evolvingwellness.com/essay/health-effects-of-sugar-on-your-body-the-bitter-truth

http://www.prevention.com/prevention-videos/16-sneaky-sugar-sources

http://www.livestrong.com/article/506326-what-effects-does-eating-too-much-sugar-have-on-the-body/ 

Friday " Food Facts"... Broccoli

Broccoli is a very common food, but I think it helps to be reminded of all the good benefits that it can offer our bodies.

Broccoli Facts

Contains twice the vitamin C as an orange

Almost as much calcium as milk and the calcium is better absorbed

It's a natural source of selenium, which is good for your body

Moderate source of Vitamin A and E

It has antioxidant properties

Wednesday " Word"... Essentials

 

 The Four Essential Spices for every kitchen

Salt

Pepper

Onion Powder (not onion salt)

Garlic Powder ( not garlic salt)

Additional ones to add

Cumin

Italian blend

Thyme

      Always look for the word "powder" not "salt" when buying onion and garlic spices, whether that is in bulk or in jars. There are many different spices out there and each one adds a particular taste to your dish. But if your budget is limited, start with the four essentials and try a different one each month. If you can find a store where they have spices in bulk, you can get a very small amount at a time and the cost will be minimal. Plus this is a great way to try a new spice! Another idea would be to share with a family member or friend and split a spice.

      You can build up your spice cabinet a little at a time. The additional ones I suggested are good basic ones to eventually purchase,  like cumin for Mexican dishes, Italian "blend" so you don't have to buy all the individual spices like, oregano, basal etc. and thyme because it is a really good basic spice for chicken and other dishes. 

      A fun trip if you wanted to get excited about cooking would be to visit a spice shop or just visit your local grocery store and let your nose enjoy the aroma the spices give off. Spice's offer bold flavors without adding more salt or fat to a dish. Start small and get your four essential spices and work from there. You can always ask for spices as a gift. But don't let what you have available right now in your cabinet stop you from playing with your food.

Tuesday "Try"... Transform leftovers

    Try - when you look in your refrigerator and see leftovers you don't know what to do with or nobody wants to eat again... think... "Transformation." - what can I do with them and make it new again? When I have this problem, I usually go to "Google" and see what ideas other people have with similar food.
    Last week I had leftover homemade mango chutney that I'd made to take to a friends house and there was a lot left over. So in my search ( just searched "what to do with leftover mango chutney") I found out I could make a mango chutney cheese ball. There were many other ideas as well,  but I needed something that would take more then a teaspoon or two. I'm always looking for a idea to make my son when he comes to visit, so guess what he got? Yep, a mango chutney cheese ball! Then I froze the rest to be used at a later time.
     Or how about leftover meatloaf. You could make some mac and cheese put the extra meatloaf in it and it is now Beef A-Roni. Or then there is the tomato soup that is half left, so it is now turned into chili or add it to some spaghetti sauce. Then there is always those little bit of this and little bit of that. For me that becomes my lunch ( always love when I don't have to fix something).
     Don't let the word "leftover" scare you. If what you make doesn't work, that's okay. You may even surprise yourself and come up with a great flavor combination. Or why not let your children see what they could do with the leftovers. Don't be afraid to play with your food. A lot of great foods were created from mistakes!
      Here is a site to show some yummy food creations made out of someones mistake...

http://firstwefeast.com/eat/foods-invented-mistake/s/115186/

Wednesday " Word"... Sugar

I came across this article http://www.foodmatters.tv/content/5-more-reasons-to-quit-sugar  and it brought sugar back to my attention. Talking about "Sugar" can not be mentioned enough. It is a very subtle and seductive ingredient in our food. I wrote about it earlier this year http://whole-food-living.blogspot.com/2014/02/thursday-3-tips-to-cut-down-on-sugar.html but I thought it worth mentioning again with the holidays approaching. Sugar is a hard thing to avoid and with Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas coming one month after the next, the choices are difficult.

A good tip to help bring awareness to the sugar that your consuming on a regular bases, is to read the label and just notice the amount of sugar per serving. And maybe go a step further and write down on a piece of paper for one day the amount of sugar and then add it up. This is not meant for a guilt trip, only to bring awareness, because we can't begin to change what we are not aware of.

Here are a few words to look for when reading a food label - looking for sugar:

• white sugar
• brown sugar
• raw sugar
• high fructose corn syrup
• corn syrup
• corn syrup solids
• malt syrup
• maple syrup
• pancake syrup
• fructose sweetener
• liquid fructose
• honey
• molasses
• anhydrous dextrose
• crystal dextrose

~ Look for more tips and ideas in the coming months to help with your  "sugar awareness" 

Tuesday "Try"... Goal Planning

I try to home - make as much of my food and some non food items as I can, but with that comes  strategies, such as "goal planning." This past week I had been really really busy for about four days and the list of things I've been wanting to make, had become long. So as not to get overwhelmed I decided to set goals for the days that I had the time to accomplish one or more on the list. Some things on my list that I wanted to make in the coming week(s):

pesto

lara bars

master tonic

tinctures

granola

laundry detergent

planting fall seeds/garlic

chicken broth/chicken noodle soup

give away things already in piles ready to go

One of the things I need is garlic for my pesto and master tonic, so one goal is to purchase enough from the store and then I will be that much further along when I have time to get it done. I bought a few things the other day for granola, tinctures and chicken broth so I am now ready to make those when I have the space in my week. And with each thing made, it will last for weeks or months depending on what it is and that leaves me space, to home - make other things.

Here are the five steps to help you eat and live a healthier life and get done what you want:

1) Make a list of the things you want done in the coming weeks

2) Put them in order of priority.

3) Make another list of what you need to gather/purchase for the items and make a goal when you are able get them.

4) Look on your calendar and pick a day when you can - without being stressed - to accomplish making your item.

5) Repeat - with a new list of items

Tuesday "Try"... Okra

Okra

A friend gave me some okra from her garden last year and I have to say I'd never really eaten fresh okra before then, and only knew of the slimy stories that come along when someone mentions the word "Okra." So when I was at the farmers market this past Saturday, I saw this okra and it was so beautiful AND organic. Okra is typically green but don't be afraid to try the same food in a different color. I just bought a few to play with and try something new with it ( now that I have fond memories of eating okra). I found a simple recipe... Just wash and cut the okra in slices.

Then cook some onion, diced fresh garlic, cumin, and red pepper flakes in oil ( I used some homemade beef broth I'd just made a few days ago. More about that in another post to come) until slightly done.

Then put the sliced okra in with the onion mix and continue to cook until the okra in tender as you like it. I left it slightly undercooked. I didn't want it to be to mushy. It was really really good. A nice summery side dish to add to any meal. I can see where this dish could have a lot of different spices added to it, depending on what you were pairing it with. Don't be afraid to play with your food!

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me athttp://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html

Is is Natural?

Drying Vanilla Beans

As your reading labels, you often come across these two confusing words ~ Natural Flavors and Natural Flavoring, and what is the difference between the two? Here is some information that might help when trying to decide which is which in the food your eating. Because when were informed we can make different choices.

The term natural flavors is often used interchangeably with the term extract. A natural flavor or extract is generally made from a natural ingredient; for example, natural lemon flavor or lemon extract is made from lemon oil, and natural vanilla flavor or pure vanilla extract is made from real vanilla beans. the term natural flavoring refers to substances that are made in a laboratory that have the same or similar chemical formulas and flavors as a natural food, but are not derived from real foods as extracts are. They cannot contain any substances that are also contained in artificial flavorings.

* Excerpt From the book: The Science of Skinny-start understanding your body's chemistry- and stop dieting forever  Author: Dee McCaffrey CDC

If you would like help reading labels, shopping and/or making meal planning easy contact me at http://www.wholefood-living.com/contact.html

Power of Suggestion...

Good and Plenty...

Someone gave me these garden grown cucumbers because they felt like the had plenty to share, and I was overjoyed! So as I was making this salad http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/tomato-onion-and-cucumber-salad-recipe.html ( I left off the olive oil) I got to thinking about the power of suggestion. What if those who had a garden or even if you go to the farmers market and bought a few extra things, and gave that extra to someone you know that maybe doesn't cook much or could just use something nutritious to eat?. You never know what that might spark, through the power of suggestion.  It could inspire them to want more healthy choices, they might ask you about the food, and it doesn't need to be delivered with a speech. When something is given with love from one heart to another ~ "it's all good."
If you watch TV or read a magazine, you know the power of suggestion that lingers there. So why not try and offer a healthy suggestion and see what power it has.

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Building Healthy Food Habits...

Habit - an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary.

We as humans build habits. Some are better then others, but the good news is, we can change them! But what often happens when we evaluate our habits and the ones we would like to change, we try to tackle to much at one time and become overwhelmed and quit ( along with feeling like a failure). So how do we change our eating and have success? One small habit (step) at a time. Just pick ONE thing for your health you would like to do different. Here are a few ideas:

~ Eat a Fruit or Vegetable at every meal

~ Walk one day a week 

~ Replace one drink with flavored water

~ Sprinkle a little less salt and instead sprinkle an herb on your food

~ Get to bed 15-30 minutes earlier once a week

~ Plan a couple sweet treats for the week

After you have decided what it is in your life you would like to change, focus only on that one thing and see how you feel. It takes time to retrain our brain through repetitive behavior so when you feel you have established a routine that feels successful, then move on and incorporate a new habit you want to change. Or if you feel like you could handle more then one, try it and do what feels right to you and your body. Most important "be patient and kind" to yourself when your in the middle of change. We will slip and fall but that's okay. Just pick yourself up and keep going.

If you would like help evaluating where to start and what steps to take, I can assist you in your success.

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Skinny dipping

Homemade Hummus

Looking for something to dip your naked vegetables or chips in? 

Try homemade hummus! 

http://allrecipes.com/Video/172/How-to-Make-Hummus/Detail.aspx

     I have to admit, I've never made it before, but it was SO easy and really good!! And like a lot of my cooking, I didn't make it all in one day. When I made dinner (and with planning to make hummus on my mind) I decided to cook the chickpea's ( you can use canned, but I like to use fresh when possible) and then put them in the refrigerator until the next day when I had more time. I also made a double batch so the next time I want hummus that part is already done. 

      Hummus is one of those foods that you can do so much with. You can taylor it to your liking, with extra garlic, hot chili peppers etc. You don't even have to use chickpea's (garbanzo beans) - try making a bean free hummus with, spinach, beets, cauliflower or carrots. Even the traditional recipe you can played with like, extra tahini, lemon juice etc. just taste and adjust.

       Try making hummus to take to a party, spread it on your sandwich or hamburger bun instead of mayo, turn it into a salad dressing with vinegar, salt and pepper, or just have something yummy and healthy to use as a dip. The idea's are endless... google it!

       A few health benefits are: there high in fiber, minerals and vitamins (manganese, zinc, magnesium, copper and iron) and lots of protein. And it only takes a few ingredients, a blender or food processor and a desire. 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/hummus-for-real-recipe.html

2 cups of cooked chickpea's (garbanzo beans)

2 cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

4 Tb. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/8- 1/4 cup water

1/3 cup tahini

1/8-1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

(This is my adjusted recipe from the original link posted above)

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Mochi

Mochi is a traditional Japanese food made from a special short-grain sweet rice. It's steamed then the rice is pounded to accentuate its chewy texture and nutty flavor.

I found a cinnamon raisin Mochi the other day marked down, so I thought why not give it a try ( there is a plain flavor available too). The recipe on the back of the package was, Raisin Cinnamon Mochi Danish that I decided to follow and see what happened, but Pinterest is full of ideas for what to do with Mochi. I even saw one idea to make waffles.

This is what it looks like when you take it out of the package.

The recipe said to cut 2 inch squares and follow baking instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Place pieces at least 1 inch apart on a baking sheet

Bake 8-10 minutes, until Mochi pieces puff up and brown.

Here is what they look like after they come out of the oven.

The recipe said to remove them from oven, let cool and take a sharp knife, cut a slit in one side of each Mochi pocket and stuff with cream cheese, nuts and honey.

I didn't have cheese or non-dairy cheese on hand, so I used peanut butter, honey and chopped up some walnuts. I'd like to try the cream cheese ( non - dairy for me) next time. It would add a very nice contrast that the peanut butter didn't. But it was still really good, easy and fun to play around with. 

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Food Swap

Change comes in small doses. Take what your family is already eating and "try" a food swap. Below are some ideas and a website to help you start swapping! Don't get overwhelmed, just try one swap a week and before you know it, a habit is formed.

*Try grilling meat instead of frying

*Brown rice instead of white or start with half brown and half white

*Open face sandwich - use one piece of bread instead of two

*Make soup once a week instead of a meat dish (put all ingredients in a crock-pot)

*Dip veggies in dip instead of chips

*Incorporate veggies whenever you can ( like in your meatloaf - no one will notice)

*Use avocado instead of mayo

*Eat a whole piece of fruit ( like an apple) rather then apple juice 

Here are 50 more healthy food swap ideas

http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/nutrition/50-Healthy-Food-Swaps

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Homemade Cereal

Vanilla Almond Cereal Puffs

http://www.runningtothekitchen.com/2014/01/vanilla-almond-cereal-puffs/

This is my version of the Vanilla Almond Cereal Puffs. And for those who know me best, know that I use whatever I have on hand and what works for my family. I love taking an idea and playing.

I mixed together, the almond flour, gluten free all purpose flour ( which I didn't have, so I used part potato starch and part tapioca starch), rice flour, vanilla ( extra because I'm not fond of almond extract), half of the amount of maple syrup ( used for the other half of the liquid was coconut milk), a little honey, plain coconut yogurt and coconut oil.

You just put all in the food processor and mix. It seemed a bit wet so I just added a very small amount of coconut flour ( but any flour would do) and blended again - Perfect!

Then you roll them into little balls. I would make them even smaller then I did next time. You bake them for about 12-15 min. 

Magic... You have cereal! It was fun and easy to make, well except for all the rolling. I wish I had known about this recipe when my children were little. They make a great little snack too.

Had a few with some almond milk.

This recipe sparked my interest in seeing what other cereal I can make ( besides my homemade granola). I LOVE making my own food. So keep coming back, because you never know what I will be making next!

My Version of - Vanilla Almond Cereal Puffs

1/2 c almond flour

1/4 c potato starch

1/4 c tapioca starch

1/4c rice flour

2 tsp. vanilla

1/8 c maple syrup

1/8 c coconut milk

honey ( about 1/8 cup or less)

1 Tb. coconut yogurt

1/2 Tb. coconut oil

Blended all in food processor and rolled in small balls. I put them on parchment paper on a cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 12-15 min.

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Tuesday "Try"... Re-purposed Lasagna

Re-purposed Lasagna

My oldest son comes to visit a couple times a month ( when were lucky!) and I always send him home with a homemade meal. So when I'm anticipating his visit I am on the search for what to make. The great thing about my son Matt is he has always been my "Mikey"... He'll eat anything.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYEXzx-TINc ( here is the commercial where the reference comes from). I look around to see what I have, what is leftover that others don't want, what I have in the freezer , or just one of his favorites. I found this large piece of lasagna in my freezer. I made it for my other son but he said it was to dry and didn't like any of the options I offered to revive it. So... I thought what can I do with this? How the ideas come to me sometimes I'm not sure, but I think some are from trail and error, some are from just playing with my food over the years and some come from what I've seen others do. With this idea, my kids were questioning my sanity a little, but I thought what have I got to loose. No one was eating it anyway ( I couldn't eat it because it wasn't gluten/dairy free).

What I did was not let it defrost all the way so when I cut it, it would hold the shape and not fall apart.

I then proceeded to batter it with egg and bread Italian bread crumbs. I fried them in a small amount of organic Spectrum shortening in a pan. 

Just long enough to brown on both sides. These could be baked as well.

Then I put the pieces in a baking dish and poured some spaghetti sauce over the top and sprinkles cheese on. Baked it for about 15-20 min in 350 degree oven. I could not taste it ( not gluten/dairy free) but both my son's loved it.

I hope this inspires you to play a little with your food and see what you come up with. Don't forget to share!

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!

Thursday 3 "Tips" to cut down on sugar...

Sugar and spice and everything nice, that's the feeling "sugar" brings to mind.

Sugar is not our enemy, and in moderation it can be our friend. Take a moment to read the ingredient labels on some of the food sitting on your pantry shelves, cabinets and in your refrigerator. Look beyond the obvious bag of cookies or can of soda, and check out the salad dressing, ketchup, peanut butter, yogurt, crackers, lunch meat, pickles, non dairy milk, creamer, cereal, bread, even gum, just to name a few. There is sugar everywhere (even in your medicines) and under many names besides the spelling, S-U-G-A-R.

To help bring awareness to how much sugar may be lurking in your food, here is just some of the other names that sugar can be found on your ingredients labels:

*high fructose corn syrup

*sucrose,

*glucose

*fructose

*lactose

*maltose

*dextrose

*honey

*corn syrup

*invert sugar

*invert sugar syrup

*molasses

*brown sugar

*evaporated cane juice

*dehydrated fruit juice

*corn sweetener

*fruit juice concentrate

*malt syrup

*raw sugar

*turbinado sugar

*sorghum syrup

*refiner's syrup

*beet syrup

*glucose syrup

*barbado's sugar

*muscovado sugar

*beet sugar

*carob syrup

*table sugar

*malt

*buttered sugar

*maple syrup

*rice syrup

*agave nectar or syrup

*powdered sugar

*corn syrup solids

*organic raw sugar

*golden sugar

*date sugar

*castor sugar

*golden sugar

*raisin sugar

*d-mannose

*sorbose

*galactose

*xylitol

*sorbitol

Don't let this list leave you discouraged, it's about bring awareness to the food we eat. So the next time you go to the grocery store try these 3 tips to help you start to cut down on some of the sugar consumed without even knowing it.

One

Read the label on that product your about to put in your cart to feed yourself and your family. Look to see if there is a another product comparable in price, that has less sugar with a similar serving size. 

Example -  if the product label reads 8 gram of sugar for 1/2 cup serving size

look for:

                  4 gram of sugar for 1/2 cup serving size

* or look for a label that may read " no sugar added" 

Two

When making a recipe that calls for sugar put less of the sugar then it requires. I do this all the time and I have rarely ever noticed a difference. And general speaking it doesn't usual effect the texture of consistency of the recipe.

Three

Start doing half and half with your food or drink.

Example - mix 1 pack of instant oatmeal (with 12 gram sugar) with 1 no sugar pack of instant oatmeal.

or

                 mix a bowl of yogurt (with 19 gram sugar) with a bowl of no or low sugar yogurt.

You will find over time that your palette will adjust to the taste of less sugar and you will wonder how you even use to eat so much.

You can follow me on https://www.facebook.com/WholeFoodLiving

and visit http://wholefood-living.com/index.html to see how I can help you on your way to a healthier you!