FIBER, FIBER, FIBER!

Well it's been a long time since I've talked about bowel movements- and I have some more info for you guys about the subject. I've been taking fiber on and off for several years now. If you don't remember, or you weren't reading my blog last September, I have had issues with the fiber I was taking. After I realized that I was allergic to psyllium husk fiber (Metamucul) I switched to Citrucel which is a different type of fiber- but stopped taking that when I started consuming massive amounts of smoothies. Well, over the winter, when I stopped drinking smoothies because the thought of consuming something cold made me want to never get out of bed, I experienced a bout of constipation. It was then that I decided to find a "natural" fiber supplement. It dawned on me one day that the sugar free "orange flavored" fibers I was taking were loaded with chemicals and artificial sweeteners- which I am trying to avoid!

I did a quick search on Amazon (SIDENOTE: I buy everything on Amazon- for a little extra in shipping you can get everything delivered to you without taking the time or gas $$ to drive to the store.) and found Garden of Life's Super Seed Beyond Fiber.

Ingredients:

• Organic Flax Meal
• Whole Chia Seeds
• Amaranth Sprout
• Quinoa Sprout
• Millet Sprout
• Organic Buckwheat Sprout
• Garbanzo Bean Sprout
• Lentil Sprout
• Adzuki Bean Sprout
• Organic Flax Seed Sprout
• Sunflower Seed Sprout
• Organic Pumpkin Seed Sprout
• Chia Seed Sprout
• Organic Sesame Seed Sprout
• plus a whole bunch of probiotics that I am not even going to try to spell out for you

I love how all of these are real foods! It is a little different drinking this stuff vs. the commercial brands like Metamucil and Citrucel. It kind of triggers your gag reflex if you don't mix it with enough water. But I'd rather choke this stuff down than be sitting on the toilet forever. Remember: HEMORRHOIDS ARE NOT PLEASANT OR ATTRACTIVE! 

For the best results, stir up the fiber in water and let it sit for a few minutes. This gives the chia seeds time to absorb the water and turn into a glue-like consistency. BONUS: Chia seeds (and other gelatinous plant foods like aloe) are important for detoxifying the body. They trap the toxins that are put into the colon by the liver and kidneys and carry them safely out of the body.

ENJOY!

Who Nu?

(Source)

Who nu imitation Oreos could be so healthy? I saw a commercial for these cookies about a week ago and was completely floored at how F-ing stupid this company is and disgusted at the fact that we are in a world that regards products like this as health food items. I'm not sure what this company's sales are like, but the one thing we can all count on is that this world full of people who take things at face value and don't question much.

(Source)

Are these people serious? I mean come on! Any sort of bogus nutrition that they are claiming is in these COOKIES is obviously man-made. Unless they found a Who Nu plant somewhere in the wild jungles of some far away place only accessible by befriending an ancient alien tribe after floating there on your over-sized magic carpet. I would imagine it could look something like this:

REALITY CHECK! This company claiming Who Nu cookies are as healthy as a cup of spinach, a cup of blueberries, and as fibrous as oatmeal is about as crazy as me talking about ancient alien tribes in far away jungles and flying magic carpets. 

What seems more ridiculous to you?

Mark Bittman on Brown Rice

I know my posts have been a little on the heavy side lately. Sorry, I went off on a tangent that I had to get out of my system. This quick video is a great way to cook brown rice. Also, the great thing about brown rice is that (besides being a whole grain) you can cook a ton of it at once, keep it in the refrigerator, and mix it a bunch of different ways.

I think we may have a 5 ways here:

• w/ black beans, chopped raw onions, curry powder, paprika, & turmeric
• w/ chopped carrots, onions, and peas, salt & pepper (like in the video)
• w/ chopped tomato, basil, cucumber, feta cheese, salt & pepper
• w/ sweet potato, black beans, butter, & garamasala spice
• w/ olive oil and chopped herbs de provence (marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, sage & fennel)

Happy Weekend!

5 Ways: Fruit Salad

Its been a little while since I've written a 5 ways. I just realized that its been a while since I've cooked/prepared much of anything. Since I decided to increase the amount of raw food I'm eating, and Lisa has been preparing my food, I haven't really needed to prepare much. The one thing that I have been making though is fruit salad.

I always remember having fruit salad around when we were growing up. It's actually a brilliantly simple way to get kids to eat more fruit. Cut it up! And it doesn't just work on kids it works on adults too. If you don't believe me, put a bowl of whole fruit on your kitchen table/counter and right next to it put a bowl of fruit salad. Just watch and see which one gets eaten out of. It's quite amazing actually.

This morning I made a salad with pineapple, mango, banana, and fresh orange juice. It was delicious! Here's another great thing about fruit salad. You can make a huge batch and divie it up into Tupperware so you can bring it with you to work. Each of the fruit salads below make's 4 good sized servings.

• 1 pineapple
• 2 mango
• 4 bananas
• juice of 1 orange

• 1 pkt blueberries
• 1 pkt black berries
• 1 pkt strawberries
• 1 pkt raspberries
• 4 bananas

• 2 oranges
• 2 grapefruit
• 1 pineapple
• optional: shredded coconut 

• 8 kiwi
• 1 bunch green grapes
• 1 pkt blueberries

• 1 cantaloupe melon
• 1 honeydew melon
• 1 bunch green grapes
• mint leaves, chopped

You can add in toppings too like sliced almonds, toasted oats, shredded coconut, fresh herbs, or chia seeds. Just make it as easy as possible to get the fruit into your mouth. Your body will thank you. Fruit salad is a great way to start the morning because it is super light yet filling, full of fiber, and highly nutritious.

What are your favorite fruit salad combos?

Pea Soup: Take II

before

My first attempt at pea soup was a complete failure. I tried to make it vegetarian. FAIL. I used truffle oil. FAIL. This time I am using a good old ham bone.

This (according to my mom) is a super simple recipe. Somehow I screwed it up the first time, but I'm going to redeem myself here. It just kills me to spend an hour cooking something and have to throw it right in the garbage (it was that bad).

after

• 3 carrots
• 1 large onion
• 1 1/2 c. dried split green peas
• ham bone
• 2 cups cooked diced ham
• 4 cups organic vegetable broth
• 3 cups of water
• 4 sprigs thyme
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 tbsp. black pepper

1. Chop onions.
2. Put in pot w/ 1/4 stick butter. Saute until soft.
3. Chop carrots. Cut carrots in 1/2 inch coins (don't cut the carrots too thin or they will disintegrate when cooked for an hour).
4. In lg. pot add all ingredients.
5. Boil for 10 minutes, then turn heat down to medium.
6. Cover and let simmer for 1 1/2 hours. Stir every 20 minutes or so.
7. Voila! 

TIP: If by the end your peas have not disintegrated enough, bring it up to a boil and stir vigorously. This is super simple, but the key is the ham. It just makes it. I'm in heaven. 

FACT: Nuts are good for you

Nuts have gotten a bad wrap over the past few decades because they are high in fat. Which is true. However, they are a whole food that contain protein, fiber, various vitamins, minerals, and many other important things that we probably aren't even aware of. 

Here's another tid-bit of information: they improve your mood. Two handfuls of cashews have been shown to have the same effect as taking Prozac. What? You heard me. Chemically, nuts have the same effect as anti-depressants. So if you're feeling a little blue try incorporating a variety of nuts into your diet. 

Almonds are high in B vitamins, vitamin E, and magnesium. Peanuts (technically a legume) are rich in folate and antioxidants. Pistachios are a source of chlorophyll and potassium. Hazelnuts are full of compounds that help your heart and brain. Pecans (pi-cons) apparently have more antioxidants than wild blueberries (supposed to have the most according to what "we" know now). Walnuts are high in omega 3 fats and vitamin E. 

What is the easiest way? Trail mix...I know it's not sophisticated, or classy, but it's easy and gets the job done. You can make it in big batches, carry it with you in you car, your purse, keep it at work...where ever!

• almonds
• cashews
• pistachios
• walnuts
• pecans (said pi-cons, not pee-cans)
• hazelnuts
• raisins
• dried apricots
• dried cranberries
• dried cherries
• dried gogi berries
• dried dates
• dried banana chips
• raw cacao nibs
• granola chunks

The problem is you can get carried away, and then the amount of fat in them becomes an issue. Also, if you are looking for granola that is healthy, you aren't going to find it very easily. Most of the store bought kinds are LOADED with sugar. At least if you make your own, you can control how much sweetener you put in and what kind (I use agave nectar usually).

*The nutritional info above is what we know now. The science of nutrition is in its infancy in my (humble) opinion. We have only scratched the surface as far as how our body utilizes everything we get from whole foods. That is why it is so important to be eating a diet primarily based in whole foods and not processed foods. 

Kellogg's Smart Start (My Ass!)

This is Propaganda 101. Yes they make health claims at the top like "Good Source of Fiber" and "Made with Whole Grain" and "Strong Heart", but take a look at how many times sugar shows up in the ingredient list.

READ YOUR LABELS....in no way is this a smart start to your morning unless your goal is to give yourself Type 2 Diabetes. Most cereals you find in the grocery store are LOADED with sugar. To this date I have only found one that is suitable and that is Barbara's Shredded Wheat which boasts one ingredient: whole wheat. 

*NOTE: Barbara's has many other cereals however, they use Vitamin E Tocopherols which I have researched and have been mentioned to possibly cause cancer...NO THANK YOU!...as well as soy, sweeteners, and other vitamin fortifications.

You are better off eating oatmeal or other whole grain porridge. You can sweeten with fruit, berries, or raw agave nectar which is a low glycemic sweetener. 

Lentil Soup- Warming You Up and Cleaning You Out

A beautiful illustration of the lentil plant.

I was finally able to get back in the kitchen Sunday night for a few hours. I attempted to make two new recipes. I say attempted because only one of them was a success...hence this post about lentil soup. The other was split pea soup (something my mother told me last night 'no one ever messes up'). Usually split pea soup is made with ham, but I wanted to try a vegetarian recipe so I used truffle oil and baby portabella mushrooms. No good. I'm not sure what went wrong, but it was totally inedible. I mean usually I can add some more spices and salvage something, but this was just plain GROSS!

Back to my lentil soup...

NOTE ABOUT GRAINS/SEEDS/LEGUMES: They should all be rinsed and soaked in warm water overnight. The rinsing gets rid of dirt/dust/dander, and the soaking releases phytic acid which causes malabsorbsion of the minerals in the grains/legumes/seeds. Soaking also makes them more easily digestible (so you won't get gas! always a plus)

This is super easy. In a soup pot, I sauteed in some onions, carrots, and celery in organic butter and canola oil for a few minutes. Add in 2 cups organic vegetable broth, and 4 more cups of water. Add in 2 cups of lentils, set heat to high and stir. Bring to a boil for about 5 minutes and then set heat to medium/low. Cover and let simmer for about an hour. Check periodically to make sure it doesn't dry out. Lentils absorb a lot of water. Season with sea salt, pepper, onion powder, sage, and thyme as desired.

The recipe above made 5 servings for me. I kept one in the refrigerator and froze the rest. This is a great way to have a quick meal. Make a large pot of soup or stew and freeze the leftovers right away. I usually do this with my chili, chicken soup, beef stew, and now lentil soup.

Some tidbits about lentils:

• The plant likely originated in India and Pakistan, and lentils have been part of the human diet since Neolithic times, being one of the first crops domesticated in the Near East. Archeological evidence shows they were eaten 13,000 to 9,500 years ago.
• Lentils are actually seeds.
• With about 30% of their calories from protein, lentils, like other legumes, have the third-highest level of protein, by weight, of any plant-based food, after soybeans and hemp.
• Lentils also contain dietary fiber, iron, folate, vitamin B₁, and minerals. Red (or pink) lentils contain a lower concentration of fiber than green lentils (11% rather than 31%).
• Lentils are often mixed with grains, such as rice, which results in a complete protein dish. If I had done this research before I would have added in some brown rice- but you can! (Original Source)
• Since they are such a great source of fiber, if you are experiencing a backlog in the doodie department, just make some of this and it will fix you up in no time! Keep that colon clean!!!

Off to finish a mountain of things before I leave for my sister's for Thanksgiving! I'll be making my famous spinach and artichoke dip and blackberry bread pudding....tune in tomorrow for the details!


What is everyone making for Thanksgiving?

I'm a lover, not a fighter...usually

The one exception to that is in regards to cancer. I am working on doing everything in my power to "fight it". Over the long haul I hope to drastically increase my health so that cancer doesn't survive in my body. I just read an article put out by The American Institute for Cancer Research about foods that fight cancer. It was somewhat shocking to read an article like this coming out of one of the major institutes. Below is a summary of what The American Institute for Cancer Research is advising....

• No single food or food component can protect you against cancer by itself. But scientists believe that the combination of foods in a predominantly plant-based diet may. There is evidence that the minerals, vitamins and phytochemicals in plant foods could interact in ways that boost their individual anti-cancer effects. This concept of interaction, where 1 + 1 = 3, is called synergy. (Meaning that the sum of the two parts is more powerful than the two individually- like when I tell you to use turmeric, black pepper, and yellow onions.)

• Eating a predominantly plant based diet can help prevent weight gain and protect against those cancers whose risk is convincingly increased by higher body fat (cancers of the colorectum, esophagus, endometrium, pancreas, kidney and breast in postmenopausal women).

• AICR recommends that at least 2/3 of your plate should be filled with vegetables, fruit, whole grains and beans. (OMG! They are so right!) Much of the laboratory research on diet and cancer suggests that eating vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans will protect against cancer. Scientists are investigating how and why these foods may prevent the development of tumors.

• Beans
• The active ingredients in beans that scientists believe may play a role in cancer prevention include: saponins, protease inhibitors and phytic acid. These compounds, called phytochemicals, are found naturally in plants and appear to protect our cells from damage that can lead to cancer. Beans are also rich in fiber. 
• Berries
• Berries are good sources of vitamin C and fiber. According to AICR's second expert report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, foods high in vitamin C probably protect against cancer of the esophagus, while foods containing dietary fiber probably decrease colorectal cancer risk.
• All berries, but particularly strawberries and raspberries, are rich in ellagic acid. In laboratory studies, this phytochemical has shown the ability to prevent cancers of the skin, bladder, lung, esophagus and breast. Research suggests that ellagic acid seems to utilize several different cancer-fighting methods at once: it acts as an antioxidant, it helps the body deactivate specific carcinogens and it helps slow the reproduction of cancer cells.
• Strawberries also contain a wide range of other phytochemicals, called flavonoids, each of which seems to employ a similar array of anti-cancer strategies.
• Blueberries contain a family of compounds called anthocyanosides, which many scientists believe are among the most potent antioxidants yet discovered.
• Cruciferous Vegetables 
• The cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, bok choy and kale. According to AICR's second expert report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, non-starchy vegetables, like those listed above, probably protect against some types of cancers. This protective effect is strongest for cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, and stomach. Research on cruciferous vegetables highlights several components that have been linked to lower cancer risk.
• Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
• Spinach, kale, romaine lettuce, leaf lettuce, mustard greens, collard greens, chicory and Swiss chard are excellent sources of fiber, folate and a wide range of carotenoids (they act as anti-oxidants) which seem to prevent cancer by acting as antioxidants – that is, scouring potentially dangerous “free radicals” from the body before they can do harm. Some laboratory research has found that the carotenoids in dark green leafy vegetables can inhibit the growth of certain types of breast cancer cells, skin cancer cells, lung cancer and stomach cancer.
• The Second Expert Report also noted probable evidence that foods containing folate decrease risk of pancreatic cancer and that foods containing dietary fiber probably reduce one’s chances of developing colorectal cancer.
• Flax Seeds
• Flaxseed is available as flaxseed flour, flaxseed meal (which has the texture of cornmeal), flaxseed oil and whole flaxseeds. The whole seeds are not digested well, so they provide little nutritional or health benefits unless they are ground.
• Flaxseed is the best dietary source for substances called lignans. Lignans are classified as phytoestrogens (plant estrogens) because they seem to mimic the action of estrogen in the body. Note that flaxseed oil does not naturally contain lignans, although some manufacturers add them during processing.
• Flax is also the richest plant source of one kind of omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA). In some studies, this fat has shown promising health benefits, including offering potential protection from heart disease and some cancers.
• Garlic
• Garlic belongs to the family of vegetables called Allium, which also includes onions, scallions, leeks and chives. According to AICR's Second Expert Report, Food, Nutrition, Physical Activity, and the Prevention of Cancer: A Global Perspective, foods belonging to the allium family of vegetables probably protect against stomach cancer. Moreover, the evidence in the report shows that garlic, in particular, probably decreases one’s chances of developing colorectal cancer.
• The protective effect of garlic was shown to have a dose response relationship. In other words, highest exposure to the food showed the greatest decrease in risk.
• Grapes
• Grapes are a rich source of resveratrol, a type of natural phytochemical. The skin of the grape contains the most resveratrol, and red and purple grapes contain significantly more resveratrol than green grapes. Grape jam and raisins contain much smaller amounts of this phytochemical. Red wine also contains resveratrol. However, with AICR’s second expert report noting convincing evidence that alcohol is associated with increased risk for cancers of the mouth, pharynx and larynx, esophagus, breast (pre- and postmenopausal) and colon and rectum (in men), wine is not a recommended source of resveratrol.
• Studies suggest that polyphenols in general and resveratrol, in particular, possess potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In laboratory studies, resveratrol prevented the kind of damage known to trigger the cancer process in cell, tissue and animal models.
• Green Tea
• In laboratory studies, green tea has been shown to slow or completely prevent cancer developent in colon, liver, breast and prostate cells. Other studies involving green tea have shown similar protective effects in tissues of the lung, skin and digestive tract.
• Studies that track the diets of human subjects over several years (particularly studies conducted in Asia, where green tea consumption is common) have also associated regular usage of green tea with lower risk for bladder, colon, stomach, pancreatic and esophageal cancers.
• Tomatoes
• The tomato’s red hue comes chiefly from a phytochemical called lycopene. Tomatoes have attracted particular attention from prostate cancer researchers because lycopene and its related compounds tend to concentrate in tissues of the prostate.
• Lycopene, a powerful antioxidant, together with a group of related compounds collectively called the “red family,” has displayed anti-cancer potential in a variety of laboratory studies. In the laboratory, tomato components have stopped the proliferation of several other cancer cells types, including breast, lung, and endometrial.
• Whole Grains
• The term “whole grain” means that all three parts of the grain kernel (germ, bran and endosperm) are included. Refined grains usually have the bran and germ removed, leaving only the starchy endosperm. Brown rice is a whole grain, white rice is not. Other whole-grain foods include wheat breads, rolls, pasta and cereals; whole grain oat cereals such as oatmeal, popcorn, wild rice, tortilla and tortilla chips, corn, kasha (roasted buckwheat) and tabouleh (bulghur wheat).
• Whole grains are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and hundreds of natural plant compounds, called phytochemicals, which protect cells from the types of damage that may lead to cancer. In addition research points to specific substances in whole grains that have been linked to lower cancer risk, including antioxidants, phenols, lignans (which is a kind of phytoestrogen) and saponins.

The moral of this story is that this is a HUGE step for any major cancer association to take; the reason being that there is no money in it for them to promote eating healthy to prevent cancer. Cancer is big business, billions if not trillions of dollars for the big pharma companies. I am not sure when they updated their website with this information, however I am guessing it was recently because this just popped up on my Google Alerts in an article from today. Anyway, I wrote about this in my post Cancer Fighting Superstars about 3 months ago (whoop whoop...I beat them!) But all bragging aside...it is really great that The American Institute for Cancer Research is promoting eating a plant based diet. This what we call PROGRESS!

NOTE: Soy was one of the cancer fighting foods, however if you have read my post about soy...you will understand why I did not include it. And against my better judgement I also included the partabout how the AICR does not recommend red wine ;( (that's me crying). 

Let me tell you my opinion about studies and statistics. (I hope you know by now that I have many opinions and I can't keep them inside of me.) Basically there are thousands of studies done every year, and many times the results depend on who is funding the study and the outcome that the researchers desire. I personally think that the field of nutrition is in its infancy and we don't know everything that happens when we eat all these foods. Researchers have only scratched the surface. I am more impressed with the personal triumph stories that I have been coming across; people who have healed themselves with whole foods and super foods (sometimes in conjunction with traditional cancer therapies like chemo and radiation). 

Each of us are completely different inside. I mean we all have the same organs, but the way each of those organs functions is different. That is why some people thrive as vegetarians, and some people need to eat meat. We are individuals. I can sleep 8-10 hours a night- EASY! I know people who can sleep 5 hours a night and function all day. I'm rambling. Long story short- it is more important to listen to what your body is telling you than to twist yourself up with all of these studies. 

Papaya

This is the first papaya I have ever eaten (knowingly). I have never had anything against them, it just never ended up in my shopping cart probably because I didn't know what it looked like. I was introduced to one in the Korean Market last week. So I put it in a smoothie this morning.

• 1 papaya
• 1/2 pineapple
• 1 mango
• 2 bananas
• coconut water
• water

If you recognize the smoothie above it is my FAVORITE smoothie with the addition of papaya. And must I say it was pretty, pretty, pretty good. And beautiful!

Here are a couple compelling reasons to start adding these babies to your morning smoothies:

• Papayas offer not only the luscious taste and sunlit color of the tropics, but are rich sources of antioxidant nutrients such as carotenes, vitamin C and flavonoids; the B vitamins, folate and pantothenic acid; and the minerals, potassium and magnesium; and fiber. Together, these nutrients promote the health of the cardiovascular system and also provide protection against colon cancer. In addition, papaya contains the digestive enzyme, papain, which is used like bromelain, a similar enzyme found in pineapple, to treat sports injuries, other causes of trauma, and allergies.
• Papayas may be very helpful for the prevention of atherosclerosis and diabetic heart disease. Papayas are an excellent source of vitamin C as well as a good source of vitamin E and vitamin A (through their concentration of pro-vitamin A carotenoid phytonutrients), three very powerful antioxidants.
• Papayas are also a good source of fiber, which has been shown to lower high cholesterol levels (and keep the poop shoot flowing properly- this tidbit was not from the original source). The folic acid found in papayas is needed for the conversion of a substance called homocysteine into benign amino acids such as cysteine or methionine. If unconverted, homocysteine can directly damage blood vessel walls and, if levels get too high, is considered a significant risk factor for a heart attack or stroke. Folic acid is also extremely important for pregnant women. (Original Source)

So, if you have never eaten this tropical fruit, I suggest you try it out. Just make sure you scoop the seeds out before you blend because they taste very peppery. 

I should have been born French

I recently watched the movie Julie & Julia (I know it is a few years old) and was instantly enthralled by Julia Child. Honestly I could have done without the Julie character and her story (although that was a great accomplishment to have her blog turned into a major motion picture). They should have just done the movie about Julia Child. Anywho. Julia Child had spend years and in France "mastering the art of French cooking" which coincidentally is the name of her two volume masterpiece. I have not read it yet, but I am going to buy it and start working through it. She also has another book Julia's Kitchen Wisdom: Essential Techniques and Recipes from a Lifetime of Cooking which I think might be right up my alley. 


The real reason I am writing about this is because it occurred to me that she lived to be 92, and, from what I saw and know of her recipes, ate a high fat diet full of pastries and duck, beef and butter (among other things). This was back in the 1950's until the time she died in 2004. I do know that she used real, fresh, quality ingredients, and lots of love. She LOVED to cook and figure out the best ways to prepare any dish. A woman after my own heart. 

This raises the question... do the ingredient matter as much as the quality?


Let's take butter for instance. It is quite possibly my favorite fat and I will put it on anything that I can. According to SELF Magazine's Nutrition Data Website it is 99% fat and 1% protein. It is very inflammatory probably because it is a saturated fat from an animal source (I assume that they are rating this as bad as they are because it is high saturated fat and everyone is under the impression that saturated fats are bad- WRONG - unnatural fats are bad). It has upwards of 20% RDA of Vitamins A, D, E, & K as well as being a complete protein (a complete protein is a source of protein that contains an adequate proportion of all nine of the essential amino acids necessary for the dietary needs of humans or other animals).

So in butter's case, it is the saturated fat and cholesterol vs. all 9 essential amino "fatty" acids and 4 vitamins. Now obviously you can find these vitamins elsewhere in a wide variety of vegetables. The essential fatty acids are another story.


Two things:

• The complete proteins are called "essential" fatty or amino acids because our body cannot make them. We need to get them from other sources, and our bodies will not function properly if we are deficient.   
• The word "fatty" means they come from FAT. Therefore, you will be deficient if you eat a low fat diet. That means, if you only eat egg whites, boneless skinless chicken breast, no butter, and no meat you are running the risk of becoming deficient in one or several of the 9.

Yes you can find some of the 9 amino acids from other sources (legumes, grains, and vegetables) but they tend to be limited in the number of amino acids. Some are notably low, such as corn protein. Hmmmm, didn't I just find out that corn in the United States is genetically modified and shows up in a lot of the processed foods Americans buy? 

These are the foods naturally containing all 9 amino acids:  amaranth, buckwheat, hempseed, meat, poultry, soybeans, quinoa, seafood, and spirulina.


How many of those can you say you eat on a regular basis? Personally, I can say 1 regularly (seafood) and 5 occasionally. The three that I have never used in my cooking so far are amaranth, buckwheat, and hempseed. 


It is easy to get all of the essential amino acids if you eat a wide variety of unprocessed foods, but how many of you can say that?


So with all that technical stuff aside, let's get back to quality. After everything that I have read on the science of fats, dairy, the dairy industry, sugar, the sugar industry, soy, the soy industry, etc, it is my humble conclusion that the quality of the fats, sugars, and proteins are more important than the amount of saturated fat in something or the amount of carbs in something else. 

Instead of counting calories and grams of fat, try focusing on these few things that will make a tremendous improvement in your life:

1. Buy organic egg and dairy products. If you are lucky enough to live in a state or country that allows the sale of raw dairy take advantage. The packaging must say "without antibiotics and growth hormones" and would be a HUGE plus if it says "comes from grass fed/pasture raised animals". Cage Free is does not mean that the chickens live on a farm. They are given slightly better living conditions than normal (which isn't saying much). If you want to know how "conventional" animals are raised look up some videos on YouTube...a lot of it is worse than your wildest imaginations.
2. Buy meat from "humanely raised" animals. Grass fed is good too, but the regulations for raising grass fed animals go against what is natural for those animal. Animals eat other things than grass in nature. Organic means nothing unless it also says humanely raised or grass fed.
3. Don't buy processed soy UNLESS it is soy sauce, tofu, tempeh, or miso. Check all ingredients though because manufacturers sneak in bad ingredients to cut costs. 
4. Cut out as much refined sugar as you possibly can. Fruit sugar is different. We are meant to eat fruit. It has fiber in it which slows down the absorption into our blood stream. Fruit is also bursting with vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, and cancer-fighting nutrients. 
5. NO TRANS-FATS. Partially hydrogenated and hydrogenated oils make up this category. They wreak havoc on your bodies in many different ways. 

Long story short...EAT LIKE JULIA DID...REAL, HIGH QUALITY FOODS COOKED WITH LOVE.

She was funny too!

Smoothie Rules

Over the past several weeks I have found some things to work out really well and some to be truly gross. These are the "rules" that I have come up with when making fruit and vegetable smoothies.

• Mix like-colored fruits and vegetables together.
• Orange fruits and vegetables- carrots, peaches, cantaloupe melon, yellow apples, apricots, mangoes, nectarines, papayas, tangerines, orange peppers
• Red Fruits and vegetables- red apples, beets, red cabbage, cherries, cranberries, red grapes, pomegranates, radishes, raspberries, strawberries, tomatoes watermelon, red bell peppers
• Green fruits and veggies- green apples, celery, avocados, kale, Swiss chard, collard greens, broccoli, green bell peppers, green cabbage, cucumbers, green grapes, honeydew melon, kiwi, lettuce, peas, spinach, zucchini, green herbs like cilantro, parsley, mint, and last but not least wheat grass
• Blue & purple fruits and vegetables- blackberries, blueberries, figs, plums, prunes (be careful with these- they cause going to the bathroom and farting issues), purple grapes, raisins
• Citrus fruits- oranges, lemons, limes, pineapple, grapefruit. 
• Bananas are a great base for every smoothie
• If you want to add a vegetable to a smoothie another color than one using green fruits and veggies, use spinach, cucumber and romaine lettuce, they are the mildest flavors of all
• Pineapple, peaches, and mango are great in just about every smoothie I have tried.
• I do not think that protein powder should be added to fruit and vegetable smoothies because the flavor over powers the great taste of the fruits and veggies. See my protein shake post for an alternative.
• One blender full makes about 3 large glasses and lasts me into the early afternoon, but when I first started I needed more because my body was  not used to eating just fruits and vegetables. 
• I smoothie instead of juice because when you eat the entire fruit/vegetable, you get a ton of fiber which would be non-existent if you were to juice. This is especially important with fruit. The fiber present in the whole fruit slows down the absorption of the sugar into the blood stream thereby creating a lower glycemic effect than if you were to drink the fruit juice (which is converted into glucose very rapidly causing a spike in blood sugar, a dump of insulin, and a crash- NOT GOOD!)
• Avoid mustard greens unless you want to drink a mustard smoothie (learned the hard way by my sister)
• Use fresh ginger VERY sparingly (learned the hard way by my father)

If you replace breakfast and lunch with smoothies (it doesn't matter which color, but ideally you would want to alternate everyday to get the benefits from all of the colors) you will feel better within a matter of a week or two. NO JOKE! I can tell now after several weeks on the smoothies that I am having better workouts, I have more energy, I have better poops, and I crave healthy foods instead of potato chips. Oh yeah, I almost forgot....I AM LOSING WEIGHT WITHOUT EVEN TRYING! 

Blue/Purple fruits and vegetables contain such phytochemicals as anthocyanins and phenolics. These help to lower the risk of some cancers and are good for urinary tract health, memory function and healthy aging. 

Green fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of lutein and indoles, which help to promote strong bones and teeth, vision health and may lower the risk of some types of cancer.

White produce, which includes tan and brown fruits and vegetables, is known for the phytochemical allicin, found especially in the onion family. It promotes heart health, a lower risk of some cancers and helps cholesterol levels that are already healthy. Garlic and onions are the top items in the white/allicin produce list. Other white fruits and vegetables are bananas, brown pears, dates, cauliflower, ginger and jicama.

I would stay away from using onions and garlic in smoothies for obvious reasons. 

Yellow/Orange fruits and vegetables contain vitamin C and the phytonutrients carotenoids and bioflavonoids. These are beneficial for heart and vision health, a healthy immune system and a lower risk of some cancers.

Red produce is a common host to the phytonutrients lycopene and anthocyanins. Between them, they promote heart and urinary tract health, memory function and a lower risk of some cancers.

All fruits and vegetables are powerful anti-oxidants that contain numerous different micro-nutrients that our body needs to perform necessary functions and heal itself from damage. So eat as many different fruits and vegetables as you possibly can, preferably as raw as possible. 

BREAD & CHILI: My two favorite foods

As I sit in my kitchen on this wonderfully rainy Friday night, I am inhaling beautiful smells of freshly baked bread. I wasn't planning on cooking all night, but sometimes I just get this urge to make tons of food. I also realized that it has been about 2 months since I started this blog and I have not made anything with thyme in it.

I started out with chili (see this post for the recipe). Then decided it has been too long since I have made bread. In the middle somewhere I made pesto to use on some pasta at some point this weekend. Back to my favorite food: bread.

I started making it myself a few months ago and have not really eaten much store-bought bread since (there is that much of a difference). I bought a book, Beard on Bread (you can find a link in the right sidebar --->), read the beginning and was amazed at how easy it is. First of all there are three ingredients- flour, yeast, water. Voila! You have bread. You can knead it by hand for a few minutes, put ingredients in a Kitchenaid mixer (link on right sidebar --->), or put ingredients in a bread maker. This is the no nonsense way for every skill and involvement level.

I made 2 different loaves because I wanted to test out the difference between using all bread flour and half bread flour with half whole wheat flour.

HALF BREAD FLOUR/HALF WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

• 1 1/2 c. organic bread flour
• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 2 c. water
• 1 pkg. yeast
• sprinkle salt
• sprinkle sugar
• (for this one I added in thyme and olive oil for a little flavoring...most fresh herbs will work)

-----------------------------------------------

ALL BREAD FLOUR

• 3 c. organic bread flour
• 2 c. water
• 1 pkg. yeast
• sprinkle salt
• sprinkle sugar

I am eating both as we speak and here is what I have found:

• The all bread flour recipe is basically white bread, crunchy outside, chewy inside. It literally is the perfect tasting bread. Load it up with butter and it is unspeakable.
• The half whole wheat recipe is really good. It's crust is not as crispy and center not as chewy, but it still has a great consistency. I added in fresh thyme sprigs (do not use the hard stems) to give it a little flavor and olive oil to moisten it up. It worked! This bread has amazing flavor and is perfect with butter or dipped in seasoned olive oil.
• I did not make all whole wheat flour bread because I have made it before and it came out extremely dry, dense, and crumbly. The flavor was not that great either.

It's like the three little pigs of bread...the first one is too soft, the third one is too hard, but the one in the middle is just right!

Here are the directions to making bread. They are the same whether you mix by hand or in a mixer. I am not familiar with bread makers so that one is up to you to figure out if you have one.

1. Get out 1 lg. bowl, measuring cup, and ingredients
2. In lg. bowl, add 1 c. water, tsp. sugar, and pkg yeast. 
3. Let sit for a few minutes to test the yeast (if it is good it will start to foam)
4. Add in 3 c. flour according to the recipe you are following from above
5. Add in tsp. salt
6. Mix. If using a Kitchen-aid mixer use the dough hook to mix from the start. It will make a ball automatically. If doing it by hand, start with a fork until ball forms and then knead with hands for several minutes.
7. Coat ball of dough with butter or olive oil
8. Let rise 45 minutes. Sit ball in a lg bowl in microwave so it is protected from drafts
9. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
10. Punch down
11. Form into bread pan or on baking sheet in shape of choice
12. Bake 35 minutes
13. Let cool
14. Try not to devour it all in one sitting

It's that easy! I just ate close to half a loaf myself just sitting here writing. A couple more things to keep in mind. My suggestion would be to always use at least part whole wheat flour when making bread- this is because the fiber in the whole wheat flour slows down the digestion of the sugar and it is also food for the bacteria in your large intestine (aka poop shoot). The reason I would recommend using 1/2 whole wheat 1/2 bread flour is because eating straight white flour wreaks havoc on your blood sugar levels, which effects your insulin levels, which effects your hormones...it's just really not a good thing. You might as well be eating a cup of straight sugar. On the other hand I will never eat on a regular basis or recommend something that tastes like shit (i.e. all whole wheat flour recipe). I feel that there must be a compromise between food that is healthy for you and food that tastes great. You shouldn't eat something that you don't enjoy.

I urge you to try this for yourself one of these days, and maybe do a mini taste test to see what you like, you can also try all whole wheat flour if you want to see the full spectrum. I also suggest that you look at the ingredient list on the loaf of bread that you usually buy, or just take a few minutes and look at a few of them while you are in the supermarket. And then say to yourself, "I know what it takes to make bread...why the hell are there 20 ingredients that I am not familiar with in this loaf? Why is there high fructose corn syrup in this bread? Why am I eating this bread?"

I could have easily skipped the chili tonight and just scarfed down the bread (with organic butter of course!). On to watch the last few episodes The Tudors Season 4...perfect Friday night!

My next post will probably about what I am going to do with all of this bread...don't worry there are a few great 2nd uses for too much bread or bread that is slightly stale. :)

CHALLENGE DAY #14: This week was a tough one!

Sometimes you just need a pat on the back and a "Cheer Up!" or in my case "Snap the eff out of it!" The past week was a blur. I wish I could say that I spend it partying and the blurriness was from too many drinks, but unfortunately I cannot. This is what I have learned:

• Emotions are a force to reckon with
• I am not an emotional eater until I am emotionally exhausted 
• I have some decent smoothie recipes (see below)
• The more bananas you put in a smoothie the better they taste
• My cravings for salt virtually disappear when I eat alot of vegetables
• I have not eaten many carbs and I am craving them. 
• I found a raw grain based form of protein to try in my smoothies

I started my day as usual- making a giant batch of smoothie to bring to work. Aside from being emotionally drained and I feel pretty good physically. Then off to the trainer to have the machine tell me how good or bad I did this week. Results:

Overall I lost a little over 1 lb in the past week. But what is really important is that I lost more fat than muscle, where as the week before I had lost more muscle than fat. Ideally you want to build muscle and loose fat, which I have only had the experience of happening one week a few months ago when I worked out 5 days and ate alot of protein. Last week I really made an effort to eat more protein. This week I spoke with my health coach who suggested a grain-based protein to put in my smoothies. I bought one that consists of brown rice protein- vegan, gluten free, soy free. It is a little weird tasting I'm not going to lie. I put 3 spoonfuls in with my favorite smoothie (see below) and it doesn't taste like fruit...it tastes a little gritty. I need to experiment with using a little less. We will see next week how my body reacts to more protein.

I am happy with the slow progress though. I have done binge workouts before (by that I mean 2-3 hours a day 5-6 days a week- UNSUSTAINABLE!). I would lose weight quickly but get burnt out on working out and get sick of having no life, and then digress back to my old ways and ultimately gain all of the weight back. I am more interested in making lifestyle changes that I can stick with. All in all, I am slowly loosing weight and not really trying right now. The only big change is that I am making smoothies every morning and eating alot more fruits and vegetables. Pretty good right?

Here are some good smoothies:

• handful green grapes
• 2 green apples
• 2 bananas
• juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 kiwi
• handful spinach
• handful kale
• water
• ice

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• 2 peaches
• 3 bananas
• handful spinach
• 1/2 cucumber
• 1 green apple
• water
• ice

-----------------------------

• 1/2 cucumber
• handful baby carrots
• handful spinach
• handful chard
• red apple
• peach
• 3 bananas
• water
• ice

and still MY FAVORITE:

• 1/2 pineapple
• 2 bananas
• 1 peach
• 1 mango
• coconut water
• ice

Remember: toxins are stored in fat. Juicing fruits and vegetables will help your body excrete the toxins and breakdown fat. If you are concerned with the amount of protein you are eating, buy a protein powder to add to your smoothies. Just beware of soy protein isolate (toxic) and whey protein (many people are allergic because it is dairy based). There are other kinds of proteins like hemp protein. The one I bought is brown rice protein. Just read the ingredients. You should not be buying any proteins that have digestive enzymes in them. You should not be taking digestive enzymes unless prescribed by a doctor. It can seriously eff shit up by taking them unnecessarily. 


This weekend...work...cook...work. Hopefully I will have some easy and healthy bread recipes for you. Happy Friday!

The Dreaded Salad Isn't So Bad

Well I am back on the wagon! Since I have put myself on this eating challenge almost 2 weeks ago I have been looking for different ways to get a variety of raw foods into my diet so that I don't have to drink my vegetables as much. It is getting kind of old.

I have learned a few things:

• Anything I put in there tastes amazing when it is loaded with salad dressing
• With that in mind, I put my salad in a large Tupperware container, drizzle dressing, and shake until the entire thing is coated (you can also toss it in a large bowl). This allows you to use less dressing and fully coat everything!
• You can really put so many things in salads
• I am actually starting to enjoy eating them
• It is very easy to eat out because every restaurant has salads

First things first- the dressing. I would venture a guess that most (99%) of salad dressings sold in supermarkets are made with soybean oil (I have spent a ridiculous amount of time reading labels). Now after reading The Whole Soy Story by Kaayla T. Daniel, I cut ALL soy out of my diet because I realized that unless soy is fermented properly it is actually an anti-nutrient (means your body sucks nutrients out of your body to be able to process it properly). Most soy that is in our foods today is not fermented, but created in a laboratory or and highly processed.

Then there is the other 1% of salad dressings that are "organic" and made with canola oil. For whatever reason they taste like capital S-H-I-T and are super expensive. So....I make my own dressings! I don't know why people don't do this because it is so cheap and easy and tastes so much better than store bought dressing. Here are two:

CREAMY

• extra virgin olive oil
• apple cider vinegar
• handful cashews
• juice 1/2 lemon
• squeeze of Dijon mustard

Put all of these in a blender (I use a Magic Bullet) until smooth. You may be saying "What a minute! That seems like alot of fat!?! Well it is but it is good fats. Your body needs fat to function properly and it needs the right type of fats. Also, the fat in the dressing will make you feel more satiated. As long as you are cutting out other bad fats in your diet you will be fine. 

BALSAMIC

• extra virgin olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• squeeze spicy brown mustard
• squeeze of honey
• juice 1/2 lemon

Put these in a shaker or a Tupperware to shake until blended. If you have to use more dressing than you think is necessary to eat your salad, then do it! The benefits from eating all of these veggies is well worth it.

Here are some great salad combinations:

MY FAVORITE

• romaine lettuce
• tomatoes
• red onions
• balsamic dressing

JAM PACKED

• spring mix greens
• baby spinach
• arugula
• kale
• broccoli
• carrots
• tomatoes
• cucumber (yes they are more than just water)
• onions
• creamy dressing

SWEET TOOTH

• spring mix greens
• baby spinach
• raw almonds
• raisins
• dried cranberries
• carrots
• diced apples
• cooked quinoa 
• balsamic dressing

GREEK

• arugula 
• baby spinach
• kale
• artichoke hearts
• feta cheese
• black or green olives
• tomatoes
• red onions
• balsamic dressing

FRUIT SALAD

• pineapple
• berries
• melon
• cherries (not maraschino) 
• kiwi
• grapes

If this sounds like too much, most grocery stores have salad bars (I personally think Whole Foods has the best). It may be more expensive than buying the ingredients and making it at home, but in my case I cannot eat all of the ingredients fast enough so I would end up throwing away alot of produce. If you are cooking/eating for one it is much more economical to take a scoop of this and a scoop of that rather than buying entire bunches, bags, or containers. 

But where do I get my protein you ask? I ask you, Where do cows get their protein? Believe it or not, there is protein in plants, and that is exactly where cows get their protein that you eat- from grass! Quinoa is also an excellent source of protein that is actually a whole grain. If you feel you need more protein, you can always add raw nuts, eggs (make sure they are organic farm raised or free range), chicken, or steak (please do yourself a favor and try to find grass fed or humanely raised meat...and if you need some motivation watch Food Inc. It is not crazy graphic but it will open your eyes to the meat industry- see right sidebar for link...or it is also on Netflix.)

Stay away from croutons- fried in bad oil, high fructose corn syrup and soybean flour! I will be posting soon about homemade breads and what you can do with them (bread pudding, croutons, bread crumbs. Super easy and tastes AMAZING!

Enjoy!

FIBER: When doody calls

That's not me if you are wondering.

Whether you want to admit it or not (gentlemen) poop is a part of life. Women poop. Sometimes you will have a poopy day. You will have to change thousands of poopy diapers if you have children. So let me enlighten you with some knowledge and a funny story. 

Fiber is an integral part of keeping your poop shoot clean and in perfect working order. (I'm already laughing as I write this) The process of turning food into waste is a rather complex one, but let me break it down for you in laymen's terms. 

Obviously digestion starts in your mouth where you start to break food down by chewing. When food reaches your stomach it continues to be mushed up and mixed with stomach acids and enzymes that aid in the breakdown of the food. Food is not absorbed in the stomach. The stomach acts as a funnel to slowly deliver broken down food to the small intestine. It is in the small intestine where most of the nutrients are absorbed into the blood stream. Anything leftover that has not been absorbed by the small intestine moves along to the large intestine. Enter fiber. Fiber is not digested by the body, but acts to keep the mass moist so it does not get stuck to the inside of your intestinal walls. The mass that enters the large intestine is mostly watery waste, undigested food, and fiber. Some of the water gets absorbed back into your body through the walls of the large intestine. Your large intestine (colon) is filled with millions of different bacteria that feed on fiber. These bacteria are extremely important to our health and have the capability to synthesize Vitamin K, which is used by our bodies for bone growth and blood clotting. As the bacteria eat the fiber they create CO2, which is why EVERYONE farts. Everything left after the water is absorbed and the fiber is consumed by the bacteria leaves the body in the form of poop.

There are 2 types of fiber, soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber dissolves in water and insoluble doesn't. Soluble fiber actually absorbs water which is what keeps your poop moist as it travels the 30 or so feet from your mouth to your butt hole. An example of the two would be that soluble fiber is found in the meat of a fruit and insoluble is found in the skins. 

Most Americans do not get enough fiber in their diets which is why products like Metamucil and Citrucel are so popular. My father has always taken Metamucil so I started taking it when I was in college, because I was "having issues". (WARNING: I am not embarrassed to talk about farting or pooping) Specifically I had monster gas. Like clenching my butt cheeks together, leaving the room just to fart type of gas. Not too conducive to being single and ready to mingle if you know what I mean. I thought I was lactose intolerant- meaning I was allergic to dairy. 

It took me about a year to slowly cut all dairy out of my diet. I thought I would loose weight, but I didn't. I thought my gas would go away but it didn't. Instead I started eating all of these fake dairy products like non-dairy creamer (read hydrogenated soybean oil and high fructose corn syrup) and Smart Balance Buttery Spread (soybean oil). Still I was taking my regular dose of Metamucil.

This went on for years. I had to just come to terms with the fact that I would have to date a guy who could deal with massive farts. The climax of my "issues" came when I was just 26 years old. I was in a semi-long distance relationship with this guy (not my current boyfriend), it was a Sunday night and I was driving home from his house. When I had just gotten on the highway I got a wave of "Oh My God I hope there is a rest stop or I am going to shit my pants". Lucky for me there was a major accident blocking the entire highway! I don't know if you have ever been in this situation, but no matter how you cut it it sucks. I squirmed over to the shoulder and rode it illegally until the next exit, low and behold the urge went away. Go figure. 

So I have a nice hour and a half drive home, and as if my butt hole knows I am a mile from my house, the pains start again and this time it is SERIOUS. I'm almost crawling out of my body and literally going 70 miles an hour down our street (long, hilly, windy, and frequented by deer). If I had gotten pulled over I would have had an extraordinary excuse...I was going to shit my pants!!! So I pull up to the driveway (I was living at my father's house at the time) and F***! The driveway is full and I see my father, step-mom, and their best friends sitting at the dining room table having dinner. WHAT THE F*** AM I GOING TO DO???

Our house is on a corner. The front of the house is on a main road, and the side street has probably 20 or so houses on it- cars are always going up and down both of them. I park my car on the side road, and have a freak out moment. "If I wait any longer I won't make it to the bathroom. BUT I can't just run in the house without being noticed by the dinner party. I am going to look like a lunatic. OMG I can't even move right now or I am going to shit right here. If I shit right now I am not going to be able to go into the house because I will have to walk right past everyone eating dinner." In my state of panic I realized that my only option was to unbutton my pants and poop on the side of the car. My only saving grace was that it was pitch black out, because I did not even have time to open the car doors to shield me from any innocent bi-standards who may happen to drive by. 

I literally would have looked like a deer in headlights if anyone had witnessed that scene. Luckily, no one did because they probably would have called the cops and reported someone who looks like they are on crack shitting on the side of the road. (I have tears running down my face right now)  

There are a couple of morals here: #1 stop even if you think the poop has gone away- it hasn't. #2 do what ever you need to do to save face. #3 try to figure out what is making you have to shit on the side of the road.

And that is what I did, although it took me a while and a few more close calls. For whatever reason I switched from Metamucil to Citrucel. My issues- all of them- monster farts, sharting, shitting on the side of the road- went away. After about 2 years of not eating dairy I slowly started eating it again. I had no problems. Low and behold I was allergic to the psyllium husk fiber in Metamucil (Citrucel is not made with psyllium husk). 

Psyllium Husk

This story should not discourage you from eating fiber. Since I have made some huge changes to my diet (specifically eating a lot more fruits and vegetables) I have not needed to take fiber. That is how I believe it should be. You are supposed to get everything your body needs from food and the sun. In my opinion, Metamucil and Citrucel are band-aids just like vitamins are. The only way I would recommend their use is if it is temporary while you are in the process of making the switch to eating more fruits and vegetables, or if you are temporarily on medication that makes you constipated. 

So, I hope I brightened up your Tuesday and gave you a good laugh. Hey, if you can't laugh at yourself then what is the point?

**If you are interested in contributing your stories email me. I am serious. They will not appear on this blog, but maybe we could get a book put together and make some money at it. Who knows! Anything is possible!!!