I love it when Whole Foods’ are big. That came out sounding a little pervtastic. There are certain Whole Foods out there that are larger than average. Meaning they have more corners where they make made-to-order foods for you.
I present to you, the Whole Foods Taqueria’s tostada salad sans tostada with free range chicken, bit of cheese, fresh guacamole, cilantro and onions over bed of greens. And lurking in the background is a watermelon agua fresca (made of only watermelon and agave nectar).
On this edition of Baby Quirks Snacks…
Ella’s Kitchen Organic Fruit - The Yellow One; a blend of bananas, mangoes, apricots and apples. That’s it. Oh and organic lemon juice. If you all know me, I’m a fan of baby food in its purest form. Like a perfect dessert.
“Don’t you ever miss Big Macs?!”
5hundreddaysofabigail asked:
After seeing all your food posts and the things you buy at the store, I’m fascinated by how different our taste buds are. I think I would gag eating raw almonds, raw unsalted almond butter, radishes, cauliflower?! I feel like those are the kinds of foods kids feed to their dogs under the table and the dog doesn’t even want it! Hahaha! No offense is meant at all, I’m just curious to know if you actually enjoy eating those foods or simply do so because they are healthy. Don’t you ever miss big macs?!
Our taste buds are clearly verrry different. I’m not offended by your comments or questions, so don’t worry. I actually LOVE eating healthy foods, but believe it or not it’s because they taste delicious not because they are healthy.Because I don’t eat fake sugars, sugar-laden foods or fast food of any kind, my taste buds are not… well… for a better word… “numbed” to natural tastes. Especially because I eat mostly organic foods, I find the flavors very noticeable, delicious and varied.
I noticed you wrote you “think” you would gag eating those foods. Have you ever tried them? Raw almond butter with apples is seriously one of my favorite flavors combos ever. EVER, I tell you! So good! I know not everyone likes radishes or cauliflowers, even “healthy” eaters, but I do. In fact, I love most veggies. If you don’t like those ones - simply stick with the ones you know you do like. :)
And do I ever miss Big Macs? FUCK NO. Those are so disgusting to me - you have no idea. All I see when I look at them is a huge pile of chemicals, hormones, mistreatment of animals, fillers and corporate greed. I don’t even think they taste good - it’s like salty cardboard.
However, that does not mean I don’t eat hamburgers. I LOVE a great hamburger, but for me a great hamburger is organic ground beef, organic cheese, organic mushrooms, organic buns and organic lettuce… you seeing a pattern here? :) Alll organic.
I think the misconception of “healthy eating” that really irks me is that we healthy eaters don’t “get” to eat delicious food. That could not be further from the truth.
I’m a huge foodie!
The taste of organic foods are scrumptious but above all the ingredients are not hurting my body and that’s why I eat them.
xxx,
M
Healthiereveryday, you rock my world. Your response is exactly what I would have said. That is probably the biggest misconception out there. That people who eat healthy don’t eat delicious food.
I love all the food I eat! People get the impression that healthy eating is eating a pile of dry vegetables all day. There are tons of different ways to eat said vegetables. And I’m a huge carnivore! But do I go for a Big Mac? Not at all. I prefer quality over quantity (in amount) and over price (junk food is obviously cheaper).
And cauliflower, is a common disliked veggie, but have you tried cauliflower “rice” or mashed cauliflower? Um, heaven. Foodies, unite.
Holy Cow, People are Listening
I always check on Everyday Paleo’s blog to see what delicious recipes she has posted but this time she made a a post about something that I was JUST thinking about! It IS great to see more and more stores beyond Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods carry grass-fed beef, organic chicken, wild fish, free range eggs, etc!
Where have you been all my life, Ghee?
At Whole Foods apparently! I have been meaning to buy (because I’m too lazy to make it) for some time now and finally did a couple days ago! And last night I made a spinach and aged cheddar cheese omelet (that’s for my breakfast today) using said ghee, and wow! SO good. I just had it here at work and it gave it so much flavor.
Ghee is basically clarified butter which means all the milk solids are removed leaving behind only the healthy butter fats and also making it lactose-free. It is also very stable in high heat (400 degrees +) unlike butter, because with butter, the milk solids tend to go to the bottom and burn fairly easily.
And one tablespoon of ghee can replace up to three tablespoons of oil or butter in your recipe. All in all, good and yummy stuff, I definitely recommend it!
Look like your average pasta? Well it’s noooooot!
Shirataki Fettuccine Noodles with Vodka Sauce, Grilled Chicken and Freshly Grated Parmesan
What in the hell are Shirataki Noodles you ask?
Shirataki (shee-rah-TAH-kee) noodles are thin, low carb, chewy, and translucent traditional Japanese noodles. They are also sometimes called konnyaku noodles. Shirataki noodles are thinner than wheat noodles, do not break as easily, and have a different texture. They are mostly composed of a dietary fiber called glucomannan (glucomannan is a water-soluble dietary fiber made from the roots of the Asian Konjac plant) and contain very few calories and carbohydrates (sometimes even zero). They do not have much flavor by themselves, but absorb flavors well from other ingredients you can combine them with.
These noodles are packaged “wet” and can be found usually in either the Asian Foods section or in the meatless/tofu section.
Preparing these noodles takes a couple extra steps than regular pasta (you have to wash them twice in addition to boiling). What I did was, prepare the noodles as instructed on package, heat the Vodka Sauce in a little sauce pan (I added bit of dried oregano), and pan-grilled pieces of Free Range Organic Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast in the meantime. When everything was done cooking, I combined it all in a pot, mixed, heat it up a little more with low heat and then served hot and sprinkled freshly grated parmesan cheese on top to melt.
Verdict: I was honestly not expecting much considering I took a taste of the noodles before mixing everything and it really had barely to any flavor. BUT, once everything is mixed in, wow, I was pleasantly amazed! It was actually really good. I was pretty fooled and made myself think I was eating “pasta” haha. From what I’ve been reading online though, it says they taste even better in a stir-fry…..y-e-s.
Got my first delivery from Spud! The fruits and vegetable look VERY fresh and are all organic AND from local farms!
Yes, I am now a member! After seeing Nutrionista and Shedding It get organic/local farm food/produce delivered to their homes, I was so curious to see if that service is available to me here where I live (Los Angeles County). Yes, yes, I am sure you are all thinking, um hello it’s freakin’ L.A. of course they have something. Something people don’t always realize is that L.A. County is HUGE. I don’t live in downtown, I live in the beach cities of L.A. county, not L.A. city.
Anyway, first I stumbled on L.O.V.E. but unfortunately they don’t deliver to my area yet but they suggested I try Spud, and sweet success they do deliver to me! I signed up and browsed the site for what they carry and it is very very very close to what Trader Joe’s carries. Thing is I just went grocery shopping yesterday and today so i am in no need for anything else, but definitely think I’ll give it a go next week (or whenever it’s time).
Lazy way? Perhaps, but I don’t always have the time, or rather want to make the time, to go after the gym because then that cuts into my dinner-making time and I don’t like to eat late. How fabulous would it be to come home from work and see lovely box delivered all ready for me to put away?
Free delivery with $35+, and small charge if under that. Anyway, I’m excited!
Tonight’s dinner! Here we have (leftover) beef sirloin strips made in a little bit of butter and seasoned with ground cumin, seasoned salt and minced garlic. Salad of diced tomatoes and persian cucumbers with red wine vinegar, ground pepper and little bit of salt drizzled on top. At the top there is spinach sauteed in chopped garlic and coconut oil. Wait, did I say coconut oil?
Yes ladies and gentlemen, this was my first time ever cooking with coconut oil. It is solid at room temperature. Keep in mind I am currently trying out the Primal Lifestyle by recommendation of my nutrition consultant. So far it’s going well and have been following instructions. Anyway (damn you A.D.D.), Coconut oil, she told me I could find coconut oil at Trader Joe’s…I luckily have two Trader Joe’s within 10 minute drives and both didn’t carry it. I eventually asked the manager and he informed that the ones in CA have stopped carrying it (ugh). Luckily again I have a Whole Foods like 2 minutes from my house (right next to a Trader Joe’s actually lol) and tonight I finally got some. She recommended I make some food in it if I don’t feel like using butter.
Here is the 411 on coconut oil. And here is Nutrionista’s: Coo-Coo for Coconut Oil
Anyway, the spinach came out pretty yummy, had a hint of coconut flavor in it, and mixed with the garlic was pretty good. And the dessert you see there are pomegranate seeds that my nice dad gave me.
Tonight’s dinner scored an 8 rating :)
You’re Only 2 Feet Away from Changing Your Health Forever
We fret. We’re fretters.
We worry and obsess about which diets to try, what kind of exercise to do, and which weapon is most powerful in the all-consuming War on Free Radicals.
Hey, it’s all important. But here’s a big secret about getting and staying healthy: the little things do count. That’s because health is cumulative. Make a few really simple switches, stick with them until they’re habits, and you’re well on your way. Eventually, the habits add up, and you’ll get into Total Health Overhaul Territory. But the belief that THOT happens overnight, with a single “I’m really, no, really gonna do it this time!” vow, is a myth. Stop pressuring yourself! It’s not that tough!
Start small – really small. As in, the two feet of refrigerator real estate we all have reserved for condiments. Also known as those “foods” that last longer than some relationships.
Ten condiments you really don’t want in your fridge – and what to replace them with:
10. Oh sodium, how I love thee.
You don’t want: soy sauce
At least it won’t kill you: light soy sauce
You do want: Bragg’s aminos
Aminos don’t make the world a better place, but they’re really good for you.
9. Mrs. Butterworth(less)
You don’t want: artificial maple syrup
At least it won’t kill you: whole-wheat pancakes with fresh fruit and honey
You do want: a sparing amount of real maple syrup + fresh fruit + nuts
Get the flavor of pancakes and syrup without giving your pancreas hives. (Sorry, Mrs. Butterworth.)
8. Yea, though I walk through the aisle of dressing…
You don’t want: Hidden Valley anything
At least it won’t kill you: raspberry vinaigrette
You do want: balsamic vinegar and olive oil
Try walnut and avocado oils for variety. It’s best to mix up your own vinegar/oil combos, because many vinaigrettes are high in sugar and come drenched in additives.
7. That thing about sugar and spice being nice? Yeah, they were wrong.
You don’t want: BBQ sauce
At least it won’t kill you: steak sauce (still loaded with weird things, but only a few calories and no sugar)
You do want: to whip up your own marinades using vinegars, oils, and fresh herbs
Spices: paprika, cumin, chili powder, garlic, salt, pepper. Add those spices to equal parts tomato paste, dijon mustard, and olive oil. Give it a dash of apple cider vinegar. So easy, it doesn’t feel right (but it is).
6. Avoid pale things
You don’t want: mayonnaise
At least it won’t kill you: Omega-3 mayonnaise (still often uses canola and palm oil, but better)
You do want: European yogurt (admittedly pale, but that can’t be helped, can it?)
This plain, high-fat, sugar-free yogurt also goes by “Greek” or “Mediterranean” yogurt. It’s got that mayo tang, it’s dense and smooth, and it’s healthy.
5. No seriously, avoid pale things
You don’t want: cream cheese (contrary to popular belief, this is not protein)
At least it won’t kill you: cottage cheese
You do want: organic cottage cheese
I recommend the full-fat version (yeah, I know, I’m crazy). Full-fat means less processing, less sugar, and more satisfaction – so you’ll eat less of it.
4. Toast-tearing conspiracy?
You don’t want: peanut butter (full of oil, sugar and, oh yeah, bugs)
At least it won’t kill you: organic peanut butter
You do want: fresh, unsalted nuts, or a healthier nut butter like almond butter
Peanuts often contain aflatoxins. Clickativity: what Dr. Weil has to say about those. Isn’t it irritating trying to spread cold peanut butter on toast? Is it just me? This is why I don’t eat bread (O.K., not really).
3. With a name like Smuckers, it doesn’t have to be anything
You don’t want: jelly, jam, and any other high-sugar “fruit” spread
At least it won’t kill you: fruit preserves with no added sugar
You do want: fresh fruit
I like to chop up a few different fruits, toss ‘em in the blender for a few seconds, and promptly devour the entire thing (the fruit, not the blender). This “jam” tastes great on whole wheat products, but I prefer it on chicken breast and fresh fish.
2. No cause for alarm
You don’t want: chemical-laden, trendy spicy sauces that cost $4 for a tiny bottle
At least it won’t kill you: hoisin sauce
You do want: Tabasco or any other chili sauce
Never underestimate the power of heat for your health. Just make sure you’re ingesting real spices, not factory flavorings.
1. Dyed and gone to…
You don’t want: any of the plethora of colorful condiments aimed at kids (do we need purple anything?)
At least it won’t kill you: ketchup (it’s got a little sugar, and who knows where those tomatoes came from, but you’ll get a generous serving of antioxidants)
You do want: salsa!
A lot of people forget that salsa is a vegetable. Make your own or buy the fresh stuff for a sodium-free version of this veggie topping that goes on just about everything except cereal.
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Technorati Tags: alternative recipe ingredients, condiments, sauces, marinades, toppings
02.17.10 Sad Day for a Pirate
Morning had some good old high fiber cereal and then some grapes. For my lunch break mum made some grilled chicken bits with some brown rice and a salad, pretty decent.
For fitness/exercise I did the Last Chance Workout…I usually try to do something else on top of this but for the first time in a long time I really wasn’t feeling a workout but knew I had to anyway. I was feeling icky with my nausea and dizziness and bloat.
So of course for dinner I definitely was not feeling like cooking anything for myself, so in my freezer I had my back up, Amy’s Organic Cheese Ravioli with Sauce. Check one of my previous posts for my review on it. Ingredients were all organic and I knew what 98% of the ingredients were (trying my hardest to follow Pollan’s way of “if your grandma doesn’t recognize the ingredient, don’t eat it” rule).
This was my dinner tonight. I’ve never had Amy’s frozen meals before (I’m not too big on frozen meals because of the high sodium content) but I was really not feeling up to cooking after working out. I had the cheese ravioli with sauce and my review? Good, not great and also not gross. The only off part about it was the ricotta cheese inside, it was quite dry, but other than that it was pretty good. I sprinkled a pinch of mozzarella on top for taste.
Not sure if I’ll have time to post my day’s food tonight since I had an epic fail with my phone and have to spend time throwing stuff I need back into it, etc.
Physical fitness does not equate to physical health
I would like to preface this by saying that this is my opinion and I am in no way a health professional.
But…
I feel like a large number of people seem to think that being physically fit also means that you are physically healthy, this actually is not true. Thinness also does not necessarily mean health either. I know plenty of “skinny” people that have incredibly high cholesterol or unhealthy blood pressure, etc. On the other hand I know people that would be considered, by some, “heavy” who are actually in perfect health. I take concern over people who think that by eating less, eating raw, or exercising excessively they are being “healthy.” I think a lot of the time they are more concerned with a certain body image ideal than actual health. Believe me, in order to be healthy your entire life does not need to revolve around your diet or exercise routine. Common sense and moderation will do.
This is exactly the reason I love Michael Pollan so much. He is no revolutionary or fanatic, his ways and techniques are simple and make sense, and most importantly are achievable. Some of my favorite suggestions of his (paraphrased) are:
- Eat at home.
- Cook with as little processed, packaged, pre-made, frozen, canned, etc., ingredients as possible.
- Buy organic.
- Down size your portions.
- Use common sense when at the grocery store.
- Longer ingredient list means more processing.
Lastly:
- Eat whatever you like as long as you make it, eat a moderate amounts of it, and use good ingredients.
For example, he talks about how much he likes french fries and guess what? He still eats them! Except he makes them at home with organic potatoes. Will a small, heaping, spoonful of homemade french fries every once in a while kill you? I doubt it.
I guess what I’m trying to say is I wish people would stop making “health” a sport. It really is not that complicated. To me if you take away the food I love you take away one of the biggest loves of my life. Instead I cook at home, I get creative, and I learn to make my favorite dishes in their purest form. I love pasta and will never give it up but is real pasta what they serve you at Oliver Garden? Those cheese drenched, pale, thick noodles? No! So I pay a little more for pasta from Italy, make my own sauce, and get the best cheese. That’s pasta! And interestingly enough Italians have one of the longest life spans and they live off of pasta!
So my friends, live a little! Eat what you love (and no you cannot argue that McDonald’s is your love) in moderation, use common sense, get outside, play with your pet and I can almost promise you you’ll be fine. You may not look like a model at NYFW but hey, heroin chic is so 90s.
Let’s talk. What do you think?
I completely agree with Tatiana and Michael Pollan’s way of thinking! The problem with fat America is that EVERYTHING has become so processed to make OUR lives easier, which in the end just makes it harder. I bolded parts that I truly have come to believe. I too like many others had been duped before by marketing gimmicks of “FAT FREE”, “LOW FAT”, “NO SUGAR ADDED”, “FORTIFIED”, etc. As long as you make sure to read the ingredients, and if that list is super long or a bunch of funky chemical words, then more than likely it’s not the greatest option!
Think about it…how was America prior to FAT AMERICA? Oh yeah, there was barely any processed foods around….everyone bought from their local farmers (no huge grocery store chains with marketing gimmicks)….people weren’t so on-the-go that they needed easy fixes to meals…..people used REAL food to cook. Anywho, I KNOW it takes more money nowadays to eat all-natural/organic, let’s face it, for the most part the cheapest foods tend to be the worst also. So it is even hard for me to eat all-natural/organic all the time because I definitely don’t have the means to eat everything like that (specially everything organic because it is much more expensive), but I try, and am far more conscious of it now than before. And I have a big part to thank the Tumblr community for that.
Edit: BUT I do have one point to refute on Tatiana as devil’s advocate (and someone going through it myself). In order to lose weight to be fit and healthy, it does take a conscious effort and it is very hard. There is a lot of effort to be put in to change your ways that made you gain the weight in the first place. It truly isn’t that “simple”. The steps to take to a healthier lifestyle are simple, but actually taking those steps takes a lot of work. And I have noticed that it is hard for someone who hasn’t struggled with weight to understand, which hey, don’t blame them whatsoever, because it’s not something they’ve had to personally deal with…just like I couldn’t relate to someone who can’t, let’s see….use Photoshop? It came easy to me, I’ve always been a creative person, so I can’t understand completely when someone has a hard time with it. Ok, well that was a retarded comparison but you get what I am saying. It IS a struggle, but it’s a matter of getting through it and sticking to it.
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