{ 0 comments }
Someone please tell me why we eat things we know we shouldn’t? And I’m not badgering here cause I’ve been there. I can easily go back there. I guess it’s the memory of that first bite. That initial taste that we find so satisfying and continue to eat assuming it will satisfy every craving thats lingered. And so we indulge in something maybe we shouldn’t be indulging in. Anyone that knows me knows I like good food. Real (as in actual, not artificial) good food. And I don’t mean just plant-based food, though we all could be eating more of that. I mean cheese, chocolate, bread, chicken… real food. And I’m sure most would agree. But still our culture turns time and time again to foods we just know aren’t good for us. If you saw last week’s video I have up it should make more sense why out bodies reject, or aren’t always pleased with things like ice cream and candy. Often it just makes us all the more hungry for something real.
You hear someone say, as they’re polishing off a seven layer chocolate cake (from a well-known restaurant that will remain nameless,) “This is so good, I don’t even want to know what’s in it.” Of course they don’t want to know what’s in it. Who wants to know they’re paying top dollar to consume a cake drenched in sugar-laden mayonnaise? Then it won’t be so good. So we say “I don’t want to know” though we know we should. And typically we leave feeling stuffed, exhausted and lethargic. At some point we will discover the alarming truth. Better sooner than later.
Sometime last year I posted a video on food after reading Michael Pollan’s book when I was in NYC. His book “In the Defense of Food” exposes the horrific truths of what we accept as “food” and promotes a more plant-based diet for America. Jamie Oliver has certainly done his part leading this “Food Revolution” as well. (Though it’s sad we need a food revolution, when our world first needs a revolution in Christ’s love.) Jamie Oliver, as a ”celebrity” has a large audience already and is exposing America and many parts of Europe to truths that we decide to keep hidden.
In two weeks I’ll be teaching a class on healthy eating at Victory Church here in Lakeland FL. As I’ve been brainstorming on how and what to teach I’m realizing people don’t know or necessarily want to know what is in food. So that is where we will start.
Last week when I posted the ice cream video someone thanked me for ruining ice cream (commercial ice cream, that is – go eat your Breyers or Hagen Daaz 5) for them forever. Next, the chicken nugget…
{ 1 comment }
Recently a good friend from college e-mailed me that he’s made some drastic changes in his diet, lost 30 lbs. and I couldn’t be more proud of him! I’ll be bugging him for more info on his new lifestyle to share with you all, but first I want to share with you the video that did it for him. I never thought the guy who would always clean off a slice of 9-layer chocolate cake at Cheesecake Factory every weekend we’d go out would admit being picky about his ice cream.
Here’s why:
For the full video check out http://eater.com/archives/2011/06/06/watch-jamie-oliver-ruin-ice-cream-and-candy-forever.php
Thanks Aaron!
{ 0 comments }
1. Looking forward to the weekend and lazy (hopefully uninterrupted) breakfasts.
2. Already eagerly anticipating fall, layers and warm tones.
3. Wishing there were a greater demand for timeless music and performance.
4. Thinking about making slushies cause it’s so freak’n hot outside! (And I don’t even like slushies.)
5. So glad to have seen my friend who finally came home from being in South Korea all summer and brought me back a taste of the culture !
6. I’m a little confused at Congress’ means of motivation.
7. George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti and Philip Seymour Hoffman all in one film ???
Genius, or…
The Ides of March.
{ 0 comments }
Enjoy this interview with a 100 year old Doctor, still practicing and with no plans to retire. This man makes living to 100 not look too bad.
For more from this interview go to MSNBC.com
{ 0 comments }
Great:
I hate even calling this one great. Cheese can be a many savory, decadent, blissfully creamy things. But when it comes sliced, packaged and dyed bright orange it’s less than appealing in comparison to some other options out there.
Cheese, in nearly any form, is stock full of calcium. But most also are stocked full of fat, calories and sodium. Now you just have to choose how you want to consume that fat. There are many options out there that are healthier and cleaner option. You didn’t think I would abstaining from cheese altogether, would you? I tend to be partial to goat’s cheeses, for several reasons.
Something Greater:
Goat’s cheese is the epitome of all savory, decadent and blissfully creamy things. But getting to the facts…
Why Goat’s cheese is greater:
- Easier to digest
- Lower in fat
- Higher in calcium
- Higher in protein
- No additives
- No preservatives (typically – but check your label)
- No growth hormones
- Contains probiotics (the “good” bacteria)
Which all and all makes for a much tastier, much more enjoyable cheese. I’d say it’s worth the indulgence.
For more on goat cheese : Belle Chevre
{ 2 comments }
Shocker, I know. Not all sushi is healthy. But similar to my coffee, I manage to have a way of ordering sushi.
The weekend is getting closer and more than likely that means … sushi! It’s not every day I go out to eat (because A – it’s expensive and B – I just like my food better.) So when I go out to eat it’s typically Fish City or Gosh, here in good ‘ol Lakeland. So yes, fish plays a major role in my diet. I don’t know I how survived before without it.
Ordering unfamiliar items can be daunting enough, let alone trying to be healthy without seeming difficult or high-maintenance to your waiter. But hey, be difficult. It is your money and your sushi after all. (All those years as a Starbuck’s employee taught me well: the customer is always right. Just ask any close friend or family member; I have no shame abiding to this rule of thumb when it’s my turn to order.)
Here are some items you may be unfamiliar with and a little guide to ordering cleaner and healthier sushi:
Items you may not be familiar with…
Smelt roe – “poor man’s” caviar.
Yellowtail – a very buttery tasting fish, not fishy tasting. Similar to tuna. ( My favorite – though it’s not considered the most sustainable.)
Sashimi – raw fish, no rice.
Nigiri – raw fish over rice. A great option if you can stomach a lot of raw fish. Not so great when you go to a below Grade A sushi restaurant and they slap 5, 3oz pieces of raw tuna in front of you. Needless to say, it was a horrifying experience and a restaurant I’ve yet to return to.
Here are items to ask to be omitted for a healthier roll (if your dying to try to sauce, ask for it on the side and dip your chopsticks in it before picking up a piece)
Spicy sauce- typically a cream sauce that is either drizzled overor mixed into the fish.
Cream Cheese – a given; best to avoid.
Tempura – either means the entire roll or the fish is fried, or sometimesfried panko bread crumbs are crumbled on top of the roll (which can be a tasty alternative to a completely fried roll.)
Eel sauce – This is not a “fish sauce”, but usually a thick, syrup-y sauce that is likely loaded with calories. Best to avoid.
Japanese mayo – No, just because it’s “Japanese” does not mean it’s any healthier than American mayo (when served at an Americanized sushi restaurant, for sure.) Again, a given.
Coconut Shrimp – Means it’s fried.
Seafood Dynamite Mix – A cream, spicy mix of imitation crab, shrimp and fish. Delicious, yes but definitely includes some spicy mayo.
Glaze - A guaranteed sugary sauce, you want to nix.
To make your sushi a little healthier (and bring high maintenance to a whole new level), ask for …
- Half of the usual rice, or preferably brown if they have it ( but not all do, especially around here)
- No dairy – ask for avacado in place of the cream cheese, so much better
- Smaller slices
- No rice (sometimes they can do this, other times they need to add just a bit for the seaweed to stick together)
- Order a tempura roll, and ask for it not to be fried
Appetizers can also be an easy way to do yourself in before the rolls arrive so here are some healthy options to try…
- Shrimp Dim Sum (soooo good – makes me wish I was back in NYC)
- Steamed spring rolls (not fried)
- Seaweed Salad
- Edamame
- Ahi Tuna (pronouced – Ahhhheee! )
Hopefully that will help you along next time you’re ready to dive into your sushi rolls. Next time I’ll dig a little deeper into the sustainable fish, for all you animal lovers out there. But showing you a better way to order your sushi was priority.(As you will soon discover, to my mother’s and last roomate’s dismay, I’m not the most compassionate animal lover.)
{ 0 comments }
We like to see what people are eating. Blogs, which were first created to follow politics, style or self-discovery in the kitchen (aka Julie & Julia) has evolved to a world-wide gawking, spotting and eyeing every morsel of food people create and consume. I cannot deny being a major follower of this trend. What can I say, I like seeing what Snackface has been snacking on the night before and what concoction Healthy Exposures made. What can I say, it’s fun. Though if I would have discovered food at during college it may have been detrimental to my health.
While many food blogs featured on foodgawker or tastespotting (blogs that essentially are “a community visual driven potluck”) are a great resource to see what tomatoes is in season in Southern California or how an Aussie whips up a mean platter of chicken meatballs, food blogs also have created an outlet for every aspiring health counselor (and some self-declared, whether qualified or not) [click to continue…]
{ 0 comments }
Just recently I wrote about my cereal fixation. Though I’m an oatmeal kind of person, who appreciates a breakfast that is wholesome and satisfying, I’ve gotten my hand into some other healthy cereals in these hot summer months. While most of us believe a box when it tells us it’s “naturally sweetened, multigrain,” full of protein and fiber, cereal boxes can be very deceiving….
Here’s one that typically is considered super healthy:
It’s good, but here’s one a little better : [click to continue…]
{ 0 comments }