Savour the Flavour Saviour!

Aging.  Good, bad, ugly.  I guess we need to embrace these so we can age gracefully (for the most part).   

Since 2017, I have had on-again off-again vertigo, combined with tinnitus, and some hearing loss.  Fast forward to 2021, my ENT has diagnosed me with Meniere's Disease.   It's not deadly, but during my vertigo episodes it is completely debilitating.  I have been doing a lot of reading and diligently taking my medications. I am also looking outside of the box for anything that will help manage these symptoms.  Some days I can hardly get out of bed, while other days I feel like I can "climb any mountain".  That is the nature of this particular beast - there is no cure and many things that work to manage it are anecdotal.

One of the things that does help me (and many others) is a low salt diet and drinking lots of water. Being the foodie that I am, this is devastating for me to have to control this, yet at the same time...challenge accepted.

My goal for sodium intake is to hover around 1500 - 2000 mg per day.   Did you know that 1 teaspoon of salt has 2400 mg of sodium?  YIKES!  My favourite Hawkins Cheezies?  Per individual serving has over 600 mg of sodium?  NOOOOOOOOOOOO!   Well, I can find a recipe for that (thank you Julie Van Rosendaal). 

https://www.dinnerwithjulie.com/2010/04/23/homemade-cheezies/

Oh yes, and cheese. That also has salt.  Well, fuck!  I will pick and choose carefully, and I won't be giving up cheese (or wine) anytime soon. 

So how do you flavour food without salt?  There are cookbooks and diets dedicated to low salt due to other health conditions.  What I am writing about is nothing earth shattering.

But, I am a foodie. I talk about food.  I cook. I  create. I indulge.

I love food. I am in love with food.  I have a healthy-ish relationship with food

This is my way. 

We can always cut down or eliminate salt from any recipe.  That part is easy.  Or we can enhance our meals with other brilliant options and Savour the Flavour Saviours! 

Citrus

Pick any citrus fruit and enhance the flavour.  I love making wings with lime and pepper, or with lemon and oregano for more of a Greek twist.  For wings, if you make them extra crispy in the oven, you can just squeeze a fresh lime or lemon over top before serving.  This works on ribs too. Try making a chimichurri style mixture and squeeze a lemon over the ribs as the come out of the oven.  Hear them sizzle!  Citrus also works well as a salad dressing with a bit of good quality olive oil.  My favourite salad these days is a combo of avocado, cilantro, blood orange, naval orange and lime juice.  Throw in some shrimp if you want a meal! Add chili flakes for heat! 

Sherene's Greek Ribs - low in salt and full of flavour

Mix together the following, all finely minced for about 3lb of ribs

Can be in a rack or half rack.  You can also cut them all before marinating and baking

Recipe doubles easily

1 TBSP dried basil

5 - 6 cloves of minced garlic

2 - 3 teaspoons of minced rosemary (fresh is awesome and dry also works)

2 teaspoons of dry mustard powder

1 teaspoon of salt (original recipe calls for 1 TBSP)

1 teaspoon of pepper

Mince altogether to create a yummy paste.  Taste to see if it is to your liking.  Coat ribs and slow cook covered with foil in oven for 3 hours on 325F.   You want them tender and not quite falling off the bone. If doing half racks, can quickly BBQ after they are cooked if you want that grilled flavour.  Once cooked, squeeze fresh lemon over top and enjoy!  

Herbs and Garlic

Is there anything better than the smell of fresh herbs and garlic?  Adding sage and garlic with brown butter to gnocchi is exceptionally delicious.  Note that for butter, I use salted and don't add extra salt to what I am cooking.  I have made this particular recipe for sweet potato gnocchi with ricotta cheese a few times.  Devine. 

https://damndelicious.net/2019/12/14/brown-butter-sweet-potato-gnocchi/

Fresh herbs and garlic can enhance anything.  Try adding fresh basil to a salad. Make your own homemade chimichurri with what ever herbs you have on hand by mincing them with garlic and olive oil. I will sometimes go on "herb patrol" in my fridge.  Anything that needs to be frozen will be blended with olive oil and a splash of red wine vinegar to make little ready-to-go seasoning cubes. 

Herb Cube Combo's

cilantro/parsley/garlic

oregano/basil/garlic

thyme/sage/rosemary/garlic

rosemary/basil/garlic

Create your own favorite combo!

Blend together with olive oil, a splash of red wine vinegar and freeze in an ice cube tray. Once frozen, pop out and store in a freezer-safe container and use as needed!

Oils

Oils are another great way to flavour foods.  A few years back,  I was grocery shopping and ran into a friend I used to work with.  She is the creator of this amazing Seven Spice, by far one of our family favourites.  We use it as a dip, dressing, spice...you name it.   It is amazing with pizza, wings, or as part of a marinade.  I also put this on top of salmon with some lemon slices and the flavour is fantastic!  Try a drizzle of maple syrup for that sweet / savoury combination. We have also  used Seven Spice to flavour Asian style soups, which seems to be that missing ingredient that we all wondered about. Delicious! 

https://sevenspice.com

Sesame oil or any infused oil adds a nice strong flavour and a little goes a long way.  Wonderful with tuna poke, salad dressings, soups and marinades.  I recently found a recipe for honey sesame chicken, and omitted the salt.  The honey glaze and sesame oil combination was amazing! I came up with my own version so it could be low in sodium. 

For the chicken:

Cubed chicken breast

cornstarch

black ground pepper

Mix together and sauté with sesame oil or any oil until fully cooked.

For the glaze:

1/3 cup honey

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon of spicy tomato jam (see below!)

1 teaspoon of sesame oil

1 tablespoon of cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Mix all this together and bring to a gentle boil until it thickens.  Add cooked crispy chicken and serve with veggies and/or rice.

Savoury Spreads

Nothing says flavour like a savoury spread! These are two of my favourites  Don't let the name "Spicy Tomato" fool you.  It is incredibly versatile - great on a sandwich, burger, or as a charcuterie accompaniment. We used it in the above recipe for the honey glaze (the original recipe called for ketchup).  With zero sodium and zesty flavour, how can you go wrong?  

https://saltspringkitchen.com/

Coconut Aminos

Here is something I had never heard of before.  Coconut Aminos!  I was catching up with a friend and had told her about my low salt woes. She mentioned this product as it's a lower sodium option to soy sauce made from fermented coconut palm sap.  Is there anything that coconuts can't do??

It is soy-free and gluten-free if that's what you are looking for. While it still contains sodium, it has almost 50% less than the Kikkoman Less Sodium soy sauce.  Per teaspoon, the Coconut Aminos has 90 mg of sodium. The Kikkoman Less Sodium has about 193 mg of sodium per teaspoon.  It is not completely low, but a little goes a long way.  It has a great savoury taste with a hint of sweetness.  

The downside is that it is a bit pricy, but the cost of me enjoying my sushi.....priceless!

Liquid Smoke 

I have only used liquid smoke in one recipe so far, which is from another dear friend of mine.  It is simply the best three-ingredient recipe on the planet and has tons for leftovers. 

https://www.lecremedelacrumb.com/slow-cooker-kalua-pork/

This pork is freaking amazing. While the recipe does call for 1 tablespoon of Pink Himalayan Salt (approximately 5500 mg sodium), I recently did this pork with half of the sodium in a 5 pound pork shoulder, adding a bit more liquid smoke (zero sodium in this smoky stuff).  The taste was still incredible.  Worth the non-effort for this meal, as it works for leftovers in tacos, nachos and sandwiches.    

 

Vinegars

Vinegar - not just for cleaning anymore!  So much flavour can be found in a variety of vinegars and with zero sodium, so go wild! They are great with oils as a dip, in a salad dressing or marinade.  One of our favourite salad dressings is to just use the balsamic reduction drizzled over top. 

I recently enjoyed one of my fave pub food meals - fish and chips.   I did eat the batter on the fish (duh!) but got my fries with no salt (I don't like ketchup, so this is also a plus).  Dipping those fries into malt vinegar sent me back to my childhood in Halifax, eating fish and chips at Point Pleasant Park.  Fully enjoyed my pub meal without the salt.  It is important to be vigilant when ordering at a restaurant.  I am an expert at asking way too many questions about the foods on the menu, but worth the time and the extra malt on the side.

Alcohol

Never underestimate the power of alcohol.  Cooking with booze is not new and adds so much flavour!  Making a nice bourbon sauce for steak, or a white wine garlic sauce with lemon makes me go from zero to hero in the kitchen!   I have no specific recipes that I use, but adding wine to any dish usually pans out (plus I get a glass or two on the side before dinner, a win-win!).  A great way to enrich your dishes with lots of flavour.   Just don't skimp out.  Enhance your foods with wine that you will actually drink and don't go for the cheapo Naked Grape.  I am not saying to cook with a Barolo, but cooking with good wine will give you the best results, plus a delectable pre-dinner glass-o-vino while cooking!

Nutritional Yeast

Here's a nutty-cheesy-gooder!  Even my cheese-loathing child will put this on her popcorn.  Not only does this have only 25 mg of sodium per 1/4 cup but it comes with a nutritional punch, also having 8 grams of protein and 3 grams of fibre.  Plus it is loaded with B vitamins all well above 100%!  We have used this primarily on popcorn (yes with a bit of melted butter so it sticks), but it is simply delicious!  There is even a recipe on the back for a cheese sauce sans- fromage.  Adding this to dips and other sauces would probably work too (have not tried yet) to add extra flavour and bonus points for nutrition. 

Spices

Spices are another easy way to add a bit of zest and zing. Make sure you read the label, especially if you are buying a pre-made spice mix or a blend.  We tend to avoid the packages, and often will create our own mixture.  Either we put in a fraction of the salt, or hold the salt altogether.  There are lots of great recipes online for rubs and mixes, whether you are cooking Greek, Mexican, or fusion.   

Another spice that a friend introduced to me is Sumac. Made from the crushed berries of the Sumac flower, it has a lemony tangy taste, often used in Middle Eastern cooking. It is quite versatile - filled with flavor, this spice can be used in dry rubs for grilling meats or as mixed with olive oil to dress a salad.   Truly delicious!

Our favorite Spice Rub from "Gastro Grilling" by Ted Reader

1/2 cup paprika

1/4 cup chili powder

1 TBSP salt (original recipe calls for 3 TBSP)

2 TBSP ground coriander

2 TBSP garlic powder

2 TBSP white sugar

2 TBSP curry powder

2 TBSP hot mustard powder (we have omitted sometimes as we don't have it)

1 TBSP ground black pepper

1 TBSP dried basil

1 TBSP dried thyme

1 TBSP grond cumin

1 TBSP cayenne pepper (I use 1 teaspoon) 

Great on ribs, chicken, burgers, fish, vegetables, potatoes and more!  Next time I make this spice mix,  I plan to try it sans-sodium! 

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00G3L6M3O/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Cooking with less salt and enhancing the flavour with other ingredients can take your creations to a new level.  One of my favourite cookbooks (yes I still have cookbooks!) is The Flavor Bible. Set up alphabetically, each food has a list a mile long on what flavours and spices go with any food.  Brilliant. 

There are so many ways to enliven our palate without (much) salt.  I refuse to let this dampen my sensory food experience. Flavour gives meaning and depth to the food we create. I encourage everyone to find inspiration and innovation when cooking and discover creative ways to add that extra zesty bite to everything you do!

Foodie Kiddies!

My kids are foodie kids, and I have evidence to prove this....

1.  The kids surprised us once by making dinner.  They made fettuccini alfredo with bacon, and had googled the recipe for alfredo sauce, made it with real whipping cream, cooked real bacon and had everything ready for us when we arrived home, right down to setting the table.

My son's amazing stuffed crust pizza!

2.  My son will often take it upon himself to create a sauce if we are barbecuing.  The sauce is never the same twice as he is great at ad-libbing, and it is always delicious.  He is also quite curious about what I am cooking for dinner, what spices I am using and will often question what I am doing (yes, he IS 14!!). Whenever we have make-your-own-pizza night, he always stuffs his crust, and makes his pizza truly unique.

My daughter's delicious eggs benny!

3.  The other day my daughter suggested making a garlic and white wine sauce with our pasta.  She loves baking and I will often come home to a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies (and a clean kitchen).   She also made eggs benedict for dinner on her own last week, and yes, she made home-made hollandaise sauce which turned out to be absolutely fantastic...did I mention she is 11 years old?

4.  The kids will eat just about anything, whether it's Greek, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Indian, German, Mexican....they have their favourite dishes I make, and honestly get excited about a good meal.  

They are definitely foodie kids, and it is easy to see where their foodie-ism came from.  Both my husband and I grew up in homes where the food was good, comforting and wholesome. Dinners were always together as a family and ready and on the table despite the fact that our parents worked full time.  We sat together no matter what (and also fought about who had to set and clear the table...but that's another story!).

I have carried this love and passion for food with me everywhere I go, and am now in a profession where I am constantly talking to clients about food. Despite our busyness, our family still manages to eat together most nights at the dining room table with no TV,  and just good food and good conversation.  And now as the kids are getting older, mealtimes are more than just about food.  Sitting down as a family is a great time to connect with each other and share stories about our day.

I love the fact that my kids are foodies-in-the-making.  My daughter asks for truffle oil on her pizza and my son asks if we have any aged gouda for his toast.  They like to cook, and they see value and get enjoyment out of a good home-cooked meal.  And all of this gives me great hope that they will someday pass this on, just as our parents passed this onto us.

Let's hear it for Foodie Kiddies!

Embracing the "ish"

My favourite food word is "ish".

For those who know me, I am a passionate, fun loving person.  I am far from perfect, but am so okay with that.  I love what I do for a living, and I love the other parts of my life...my kids, my husband, my puppy, my family, my friends.  These are in no particular order. But as usual, I have gone off topic...

Beet Salad at Eleven22 in Golden, BC

In my dietetic practice, I see all walks of people...picky eaters, children with autism, eating disorders, families who need help with meal planning, weight loss clients...the list goes on.  Food is an interesting thing.  It is something that has no feelings, but yet it can be the culprit of so many feelings within ourselves.  We may feel good about eating a yummy beet salad, and guilty for having the  bacon mushroom cheese burger with onion rings.

The Bopper Burger at Legendz Diner,
Golden , BC

I enjoy all foods, and really believe that all foods can fit.  It is how we make these foods fit into our lives that counts.   Healthy eating is not about perfection...I tell this to my clients constantly, because as soon as you have the word "perfect" in your head, you are destined to feel as if you have failed.  Instead of striving for perfection in eating, go for the "ish"-factor.  It's not about measuring food and reading labels obsessively. It is about knowing what you are eating and becoming a really good and honest guesser as to how much is on our plate (most of the time).  I mean, who really cares if we have a cup of pasta or if it is a bit more?  And really, if we enjoy and savour a great meal at a diner (hence the burger and rings) once in a while,  does it really matter?  What matters is that we are okay with eating healthy-ish.  I eat healthy most of the time, but I have room for other foods too.

Embracing the "ish" can help us with not feeling guilty and make us remember that it's okay if we are not perfect with our food choices.  A wise man (and my uncle!) once said,  "It may not be perfect, but it can be excellent"...some good food for thought!

And for the record, there was no guilt with my diner-dinner...only an "ahhhh...." afterwards.

To Juice or Not to Juice....That is the Question.....

An alternative title to this post would be "Lets Eat Kale instead of Squeezing It!".    As it is January, many of us want to cleanse out all the poisons from the holidays.  Not only do we feel that our insides need a good bath, but some of us want fast results with our own personal health goals.  Juicing has become quite popular of late for a variety of reasons.  Even in the Calgary Herald this week, there was an article about juicing and as a professional it left me with more questions about why people are so obsessed with this craze?

When I think of juicing, sure its great that people can go buy juicers (so many kinds!) and make their own. And fresh squeezed orange juice (or fresh squeezed anything) tastes much better than store bought, but at the end of the day, it is just juice.  The concept of juicing everything from apples and oranges to kale, lettuce and spinach makes me question why not just eat the whole food and get all the nutrition benefits including the fibre and roughage (and what does the juicing-population do with all that waste???).  When people start to consume this juice AND eliminate other foods in their diets and call it a cleanse,  I feel that they are misinformed.  Eliminating grains from our diets, for example can be dangerous, as it is the key macro-nutrient that provides us with energy.  All in the name of cleansing.

Cleanse.  The word sounds amazing.  Renew.  Refresh.  Rejuvenate.  There is nothing wrong with wanting to make a changes in the way you live.  But why not strive for balance instead of the latest fad?  Including foods from all food groups, and ensuring you have a good sources of whole grains, fruits and vegetables and protein (including calcium rich sources too!)  is really the easiest way to reset yourself and get you on track.  Rather than eliminating key nutrients, include a variety of foods to give you adequate fibre, vitamins and minerals.

 I don't know about you, but I would rather eat a delicious kale salad with fresh pear and goat cheese any day over kale and lettuce juice mixed with extract of spinach and apple.  I guess that's just the foodie in me talking!  Bottom line...lets eat our fruits and vegetables instead of squeezing them!



juicing-craze article from the Calgary Herald...
http://www.calgaryherald.com/health/diet-fitness/cleansing+craze/9391975/story.html

Healthy New Year!

So it's January once again.  Clean slate.  Fresh start.  Detox.  Holiday weight.  Ugh.

We were away this year down in Florida, and as usual, I gained my typical 4 lb (or so).  I wanted to weigh myself as soon as I got home, but my husband put a stop to it, and told me that our bathroom scale is only good for one thing....weighing our luggage before a trip.  Well, I have to agree, but today I did it.  I stepped on that frickin' scale.  I am not sure why I was surprised, as it was exactly where I thought that vile number would be.  The good news is that I have probably lost a little of my holiday weight by doing simple things (i.e., not consuming alcohol every day, resuming my 6 am bootie camp, not having dessert on a daily basis, etc..).  But the problem is, there always seems to be a.....Cling-on (no, not Klingon) that won't go away.  Every time I gain, there is a little bit that clings.  Even looking at the definition, it seems icky....attach oneself to, hang on to....

So...what's the answer?  I can't just lose some of the holiday weight...I have to lose all of it (and then some???) or all those Cling-on's will add up!  I have to try and get back to my best weight for me (and also come to terms with the fact that my best weight post 2 kids at age 44 is NOT 130 lb).   I wish it could be, but it just can't.  I would love 155, but may have to be okay with with 160-ish.  The reason I say that is I know that in the past few years, I was able to get down to 161, and felt great, but it was very difficult to maintain there.  I ended up consistently around 165 and have more or less been able to maintain this weight.

Then I think...all these numbers.....arg!   Just ditch the numbers, eat healthy, be healthy, mind, body and soul!  I work out 2 times per week at my bootcamp (which I have stuck with for over a year!), I eat healthy (mostly), drink moderately (sometimes), and do not eat fast food (that's the honest truth!).  Shouldn't that be enough?  I do have temptations though...cheese, cheese and cheese (and the occasional piece of cheese).  So....I guess there's that (and wine, and appies with friends, etc...).

Or the answer lies somewhere in between.  Weighing myself could be deflating, as we know that it is more than just the number on the scale, but weighing can also keep me on track, and make me accountable.

So here it is...the truth.

Today, January 13, 2014 my buck-naked morning weight was 169 lb.  My plan....eat healthy, make good choices most of the time, watch my portion sizes (my least favourite thing to do), exercise in a way I enjoy, and to above all else, to be good to me, and to love my body no matter what (not as easy as it sounds).

That is my pledge.  I will weigh in and report (from time to time).

Pick a Pepper

Pepper are amazing when you think about it.  They have tons of varieties, long, short, red, yellow, green, hot, mild and in-between.   Peppers are versatile...you can do just about anything with them:

• raw peppers / slices: try them with some hummus, have them in a salad, eat them as a snack
• roast them in the oven
• stuff them with goat cheese and wrap them in proscuitto and bbq them up (you can do this with a jalapeno, a pablano, or even use sweet bell peppers in larger flat slices)
• use them in stir fry or put them on pizza
• make a hot pepper sauce with the habanero peppers to enhance any dish (if ya like it spicy)
• use fresh chili peppers on pizza, pasta, chili...anything goes

Nutrient Information

• rich in vitamin C, B6 and folate
• rich in potassium and fibre
• contain lycopene and beta-carotene (two precursors for Vitamin A)

How hot is your pepper?

The Scoville scale is a measurement of the HEAT or the amount of capsaicin, which is a chemical compound that can stimulate the nerve endings in mucous membranes.  

Scoville Scale of HEAT!

One of my favourite peppers has to be Pablano peppers not to be confused with Anaheim peppers which are a paler green or Pasilla peppers.  Pasilla peppers are actually a dried type of chili pepper, but I have noticed that many supermarkets mislabel the Pablano's and call them Pasilla's (when I asked at the grocery store about this, they had no answer for me...go figure!). 

Anaheim Peppers

Pablano Peppers

Pasilla Peppers

AND.....What did I make for dinner tonight?  

Well, of course, we made Mexican!  We had some ground beef with some spices (okay I cheated and used the seasoning mix), soft tortillas (both flour and corn), hard tacos, shredded cheese, plain Greek yogurt  (tastes better than sour cream!) and salsa.   I also made my own healthy version of chili relleno's by just baking them in the oven with a slice of white aged cheddar, and then served them with the ground beef and trimmings.  The end result was delicious!

My oven baked Pablano pepper with cheddar cheese

OMG...that looks soooo goooooood

Serve it up with ground beef and cheese and plain yogurt...and of course I had a few corn tortillas too

Weight Motivation

So back on the horse I go.  After Monday's weigh-in (which was shocking, depressing, but not really surprising considering how much I "consumed"), it's back to working out, making healthier food choices and drinking less, (blah!).  My motivation ?  No, not to stay healthy, but to get a Coach bag (or two!), and maybe, just maybe when I reach my goal weight, I can go to Las Vegas to celebrate the new and improved,  toned and  hot, me.  My plan is simple;  I am going to bribe myself  into the 150 - 155 lb range.  My mantra?

Ok...imagine...me at 150 lb, on the strip with.....

Me. Coach. Vegas.  

Me. Coach. Vegas.   

Me. Coach Vegas. 

...this BAG!!!!

Okay, I am half serious.  The real reason of course for me to shed this final 10 - 15 lb is really to be healthy, to sustain a lifestyle that I love, enjoying food and wine (but not too much), and to really maintain my weight in my 150's range.  But, my mantra is really could motivate me this time...right?  I know, you have to want to change and all that, but I could do it this time.  I could just set some small attainable goals, and set myself up for success.



So....this week I have worked out already 2 times, for about 45 minutes each.  And, my food choices have been better.  And, I have not had any wine or gin since Saturday (it's only Wednesday!).  So....already a number of things to celebrate!












Just gotta keep my mantra going in my head....(and keep up with eating healthy, small portions, and all that exercise stuff, blah blah blah).....but the mantra!  Don't forget the mantra!


Me. Coach. Vegas. Me. Coach. Vegas. Me. Coach. Vegas.

Easy Quinoa Salad

Some roasted chicken (top left); Quinoa salad (top right)
and leftover oven roasted beets and sauteed beet greens.

I love quinoa (pronounced keen-wa).  It is grain-like, and is highly nutritious, is gluten free, and is a good source of iron, protein and dietary fibre.  It is a great alternative to rice or pasta, and is excellent in salads, or as side dish to any meal.

I tried the recipe on the back of the "TruRoots" brand of quinoa at Costco, and it was delicious, and tasted even better the next day.  It made an excellent leftovers-lunch combined with my extra roasted chicken.  Yum!

True Roots Quinoa...available at Costco!
Link for "True Roots" products is below!

TruRoots Quinoa Salad

1 cup quinoa (I cooked 1 cup, so it ended up being about 2 cups of cooked...not sure if this was right, but its what I did!)  Take 1 cup raw quinoa and put in pot with 2 cups water.  Bring to a boil, and then simmer on medium low, covered for 15 minutes.  You'll know its ready when the seeds are a bit translucent.  Once ready, fluff with a fork and let cool.

Salad fixin's:  1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1/4 cup of coursely chopped pecans (I added more than this, as I love pecans in any type of salad).  I wonder if raisins and/or currents could also work in this recipe?  Will have to try that next time!

Salad dressing:  6 TBSP orange juice, 1 TBSP olive oil, zest of one orange, dash of salt (optional...I never put this in) and fresh thyme leaves.

Throw it all together, and enjoy!


http://truroots.com/products/truroots-single-grains/organic-quinoa/

Dinner in 20!

Tonight's dinner was slightly disjointed, but was home-made, healthy and ready in 20!


 September is synonymous with busy-beyond-all-belief.  Between hockey and ringette evaluations, piano lessons, back to school and morning routines, its enough to make you go mad.  As a family, we really try to eat dinner together, but it doesn't always work out that way.  We actually manage to sit down at the dining room table and eat dinner together as a family at least 4-5 nights per week.   But like I said, due to the kids activities, sometimes you really just have to work around their schedule.

Tonight was one of those nights, both kids with activities in different parts of the city, all around dinner time (of course).  I did the "hockey run" and once we were back, the boy was starving.  What's the first thing I was asked? "Can we order out?"   My response was a firm "No!" followed by a "Go shower, and I'll whip something up for dinner."    OK...time to make good on my meal planning skills...Ah ha!  In my deep freeze I found a frozen container of home made soup with orzo, chicken, carrots, celery, chick peas, green peas, quinoa.....yum!   But I knew it would not be quite enough...Ah ha again!   Pre-made, home-made frozen burgers (with some hemp hearts for extra nutrients!).  Ok...burgers and soup it is!  And I even had the buns!  Throw in some raw veggies and dip and a glass of milk, and  dinner was ready in 20 minutes, and was a completely balanced and healthy meal.

I will sometimes ask my kids...is the meal balanced?  Perhaps it is an occupational hazard of mine, but I want them to learn what a balanced meal is...so I ask them:   Does the meal have protein?  Does the meal have grain for your brain (cuz grain is fuels your brain!)?  Does the meal have fruits and/or vegetables?  Do you have a source of calcium?  OK...I don't do this at every meal (really, I don't) but I do think about these things when I am meal planning and today's dinner passed with flying colours:

• protein:  the burger, and some of the chicken and legumes in the soup
• grain: the bun, and the orzo in the soup
• fruit or veggie:  veggies in the soup, raw veggies and dip

My saving grace?  Having stuff in the deep freeze!  And by the time the other two got home from ringette, dinner was ready, and oh, so good.   

You Can't Beet That!!

Who knew these
didn't grow in a can
on the store shelf??

Ok, so pun intended with the title of this post.    I went a little crazy at the farmers market this weekend.  The fruits and veggies always look so amazing, fresh and delicious in the  fall.  I bought baby corn (who knew they didn't grow in the can on the grocery store shelf??), Swiss chard, peppers (red, green and yellow bell peppers, and delicious poblano peppers) and beets (yellow beets, red beets and beet greens, oh my!).



Beets!   I have always enjoyed beets, but as a child, I only ever really had the canned ones (which are still good for you!).  While on summer vacation,  a friend of mine had bought some fresh beets from the local market and roasted them with dinner one night.  I couldn't believe how delicious they were!  When I saw them at the market last week, I had to buy and try them.  Yesterday,  I made a yummy dinner with some pork chops (breaded and pan fried with a lemon/garlic/white wine sauce), beet greens sauteed in garlic and a bit of olive oil, and oven roasted multi-coloured beets.  Add in some good bread and raw veggies and dip and it made for a fantastic, nutritious and delicious supper.

My children never cease to amaze me, and last nights dinner was no exception.  I am a true believer in not short-order cooking for my kids...whatever I cook for dinner is what's for dinner, you don't have to eat everything, but I do encourage that the kids try foods, and if they don't like it, then they don't have to eat it.  The kids were both willing to try the beets and the beet greens, and both my son and daughter really enjoyed them, and even went for a second round of the beet greens!  The best moment of last nights dinner?  When my son asked "what'd you season this with mom? Its delicious!".

It made the foodie / dietitian / mom in me smile from ear to ear!


Some nutritional benefits of beets:

• low calories and nutrient-rich (45 calories per 100 grams)
• contains antioxidants in the root (the bulb part) and the greens on top
• beet greens are rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant
• top greens are an excellent source of flavenoid antioxidants and carotenoids which may help protect from some lung and oral cancers
• top greens are also rich in vitamin A, essential for maintaining healthy mucous membranes, skin and essential for vision
• and...did you know that Swiss chard is also from the beet family?  

You can't beet that!   

It's Official!

A quick happy blog entry to say that I am proud to be working at Health Stand Nutrition!   Check out the website and our bios!

Cheers!

www.healthstandnutrition.com

The Sherene Special!

  

Last week when I weighed myself, I was pleased to see the progress with my weight loss, which was just over 2 lb.  Then came Finger Food Friday, followed by a trip to Banff and a Canmore bakery on Saturday, followed by a Sunday trip to CFM (Calgary Farmer's Market).  The list goes on.  Every day could be a special occasion, and you can always make an excuse as to why you could eat something you really shouldn't.  

The Sherene Special...available at Rea's

Today was time to get back to it, and it turned out to be a pretty good day for me.  I had a healthy day, didn't eat too much, ate foods from all four food groups, and even though we went out for dinner at one of my favourite Italian restaurants, I did well!  We went to Rea's Italian Cucina (formerly known as Sandro's Restaurant).  My mom is visiting this week, and she wanted to take us all out for dinner.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am a bit of a high maintenance foodie (okay, okay, I am just high maintenance!).   I am constantly looking at the menu, asking our server questions and never know what to order.   My dilemma today?  I really really REALLY love pasta, but really really REALLY wanted to be good and not eat too much.  But I also wanted to feel satisfied and happy with my meal and my entire restaurant experience.    This was not easy for me to do.  I decided to focus on the things that I really LOVE at this restaurant.  We shared a few appies (bruschetta and calamari adriatica).  I had half a piece of the bruschetta and some of the calamari, which I love!  It's not deep fried, but is in a tomato-lemon sauce and is just so so yummy.  I asked our server if they would make me up a plate of the calamari for dinner, with  a side of their caprese salad.  What an amazing presentation for my dinner.  The food was phenomenal, and I was 100 percent satisfied.

I did of course pick a little at my daughters gnocchi, and my husband's fettuccini, but all in all, it was much better than what I would have normally eaten, which would have been a full plate of pasta with cream sauce and at least 2 pieces of the bread they bring to the table.  All in all, I truly enjoyed my meal, which was followed by no dessert, but just a cappucino...and yes, of course I had wine (it lowers the bad cholesterol, you know).    The moral of my story today?  If I can go to an Italian restaurant, and be completely satisfied without eating pasta...anything is possible!


http://www.reasrestaurant.com/

http://www.calgaryfarmersmarket.ca/

You bite it, you write it....

That's one of the things they used to talk about in Weight Watchers...you bite it, you write it.   So, here was my day today:

Breakfast:  Activia yogurt, berries and coffee

Snack:  home-made trail mix with raw pecans and 1 teaspoon of chocolate chips.  Chocolate makes my morning nicer.

Lunch:  Salad with lettuce, chicken, tomatoes, cucumbers and some pecans from my morning snack.  Salad dressing was Paul Newman's Sesame Thai; 1 more Activia yogurt

Dinner:  BBQ salmon, chickpea and tomato salad and 1/2 an avocado and a glass of milk

Dessert:  1 glass of red wine (good for lowering cholesterol, you know!)

Bedtime snack: a bit more red wine (but only a bit).

What was good today?  I ate a fairly good quantity of fruits and veggies, had a good amount of dairy, had lean protein sources, and included some healthy fats like the avocado and the pecans. 

So all in all, today was a pretty good day.  We'll see how I do tomorrow when it's Finger Food Friday....I will have to be pretty creative to at least attempt to continue with this weight loss challenge!  Stay tuned!

Weight Loss Challenge!

It's June 20, 2012, and in one month we are going to a family reunion on my husband's side.  That means lots of fun visiting and lots of good food (have I ever blogged when I don't talk about food??). But that also means that I have 4 weeks to lose a bit of weight (two reasons...lose weight to have people say..."oooh....you look great!" AND...lose weight to eat more).

I have done Weight Watchers countless times, and it worked for the most part, but like a lot of people, I just didn't stick to it afterwards.  The first time I did Weight Watchers was when my now-10 year old daughter was 6 months old.  I was just under 180 lb, and went down to 160 lb!  Not bad!  Since that time, my weight has fluctuated, and a few years ago, I found myself at up again at 175 lb when I went for my annual physical.   A friend of mine and I decided to help each other out with a "Biggest Loser Challenge", and even though HE won, we both lost weight, which was fantastic -- I went down to 161 lb!   But, every time I do this, I can never crack the160 lb barrier.  And now...its time to crack that barrier.

My goal:  155 lb or less by July 20 by eating healthy and and I'll have to throw in some exercise.

My Stats: pre-breakfast, post bowel-movement nude weight today: 163.6 lb.  Not bad considering we went camping this past weekend!

But now, its time to own my weight!  Challenge myself into the 150's!  Bring it!!!

School (lunch) is almost done!

School is almost over for the year, and you know what that means?  Number one in my book is NO MORE SCHOOL LUNCHES!   I find making them to be a huge disappointment, and this year was the year to really try to engage the kids in making their own.  For the most part, we really tried to involve them, whether it was at the grocery store level, or at the "make your own damn lunch" level, or both.  Ideally you really want them to make their lunch themselves, but timing is everything.  We have found the best time to make school lunches is right after dinner, after the table is cleared, and the kitchen is still a bit of a mess.  By making their own lunch, it really gives them some value to what they are eating and they know what to expect.  I probably should have been doing this a long time ago, but I can be a bit of a control freak (really??!) so this was also a big step for me to actually let them do it.

Of course every kid has their preferences...my son loves sandwiches, or any type of home-made sub, but not every day.  My daughter does not go for sandwiches, although once in a blue moon she will. Her favourite school lunch this year was taking leftovers from dinner.  She'll take leftover potatoes, leftover perogies or leftover pasta...and she'll eat it cold!  Other things the kids will take include home-made soup in their thermos, though thermos lunches have not gone over well this year.  They also love that "Wow Butter" made from soy.  It really does taste like peanut butter, but is completely nut free.

In the end no matter who makes their lunch, there are always days when all of the lunch comes back.  And what's the grossest part about school lunch?    Emptying their lunch kits at the end of the day.  The kids are getting better at this, but sometimes that stinky lunch bag sits in their school bag all weekend, only for us to deal with it on Sunday night.

Tips for making school lunches:

• Give your kids a choice of a grain, a protein, a fruit and/or vegetable and a treat
• Always pack a water bottle
• Take them grocery shopping, or if this is too painful, have them write down their ideas for lunches, and take that list to the grocery store
• Have them pack it the night before...it really saves you in the morning
• Use an icepack, or find a lunch bag with a built in ice pack.  We bought our lunch box from pods'n'peels (see link below), and we store it in the freezer.  Keeping stuff cold really helps keep it fresh
• Get your kids involved  

All in all, it has been a better "school-lunch-year", but I for one will not only be celebrating school being over, but will be rejoicing in 8 weeks of not worrying about school lunches!

http://www.podsnpeels.com/store/

Weight a Minute!

I am always trying to lose 10 lb, though this year it seems the "10" turned into 15 as I gained 5 at Christmas time. As I get older, it just gets harder and harder to do. Food is such a big part of my life, and I have no off switch! I eat if I am happy, sad, mad, angry....you name the emotion, and I can pretty much guarantee that I can find a food to make me feel better! Cheese, wine, cheese, cheese, wine....the list goes on.

But this time I feel I can do it, and maintain the loss (frick, I better, or I might get all depressed and eat a large bag of Ms. Vickies Salt and Malt Chips.......oh crap...why did I have to write that????)

OK...seriously, here are some tips for my 4th attempt at weight loss:

• I limit all white foods...white rice, white bread, cakes, pastries
• I include chocolate daily. Just a few chocolate chips in my home made trail mix of raw pecans and Thompson raisins....helps take the edge off.
• I have been trying to drink my water...this will be day 5
• I eat brown rice or quinoa instead of white rice or pasta
• I always make enough supper so I can have a good lunch the next day
• Yes, I am trying really hard to eat my fruits and vegetables
• Meatless meals.....try it once in a while.
• I don't typically snack after supper, though will allow myself to cheat once in a while
• Exercise...well...I started hot yoga, didn't I???

OK...that's enough for today. All this writing about food is making me hungry. Frick!!!!