tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62895067904811996052021-12-05T12:39:17.645-08:00Know Food NowBetter nutrition comes from a behavior change you can make today.
<p>
</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger192125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-29160731167755467692021-12-05T12:39:00.001-08:002021-12-05T12:39:17.568-08:00Eating What's Available During Covid-19- Stuffed Bell Peppers and Bell Pepper and Tomato Soup<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jO_XATsgHKk/Ya0cO4-A4yI/AAAAAAAD2Z0/ZsIPvDtQTXM8VPt0dpgw6e70IJ-__VQzQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Stuffed%2BBell%2BPeppers.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jO_XATsgHKk/Ya0cO4-A4yI/AAAAAAAD2Z0/ZsIPvDtQTXM8VPt0dpgw6e70IJ-__VQzQCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Stuffed%2BBell%2BPeppers.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p>Maybe you have been to the grocery store and found that the items you need for your recipe are missing. A common problem these days.</p><p></p><p>My solution? Put the ingredients you have on hand into google and see what recipes pop up. If you are still missing ingredients? Improvise.</p><p>These stuffed bell peppers are missing onions, the called for cheese, and a few spices. I guess I could have shopped for these item, but then I wouldn't have been able to post this blog.</p><p>The result of using what I had on hand is surprisingly delicious.</p><p><br /></p><p>First I roasted my scooped out bell peppers at 400 degrees with 1T of olive oil for about 10 minutes. I eyed my available ground beef, about 1.5lbs, and sauteed it. Then I added quinoa cooked in vegetable broth, 1/2 can of diced tomatoes, and roasted cherry tomatoes I keep on hand to add flavor. I cubed some feta cheese that will expire next week and mixed that in too. Then I stuffed 4 bell peppers and returned them to the oven for another 10 minutes.</p><p>Why 4, because that is all the mixture I had. Costco bell pepper packages have 6 units. The remaining two orange roasted peppers I added to my Vitamix with what was left of my vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, and roasted cherry tomato mixture.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sg-8WxOcxdw/Ya0hp-SZIDI/AAAAAAAD2Z8/iizUAK-U5KQ5sWIwrQRdMZHpvoABN8cbQCNcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Plated%2BPepper.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sg-8WxOcxdw/Ya0hp-SZIDI/AAAAAAAD2Z8/iizUAK-U5KQ5sWIwrQRdMZHpvoABN8cbQCNcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Plated%2BPepper.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>My plated pepper does look lonely. I think I may see what green vegetables are on hand at the grocery to solve the problem. Complementary colors will make your presentation artistic.<div><br /></div><div>For more ideas, check out my <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2020/12/the-pandemic-pantry-cooking-what-is-on.html">post on the Pandemic Pantry.</a><br /><p><br /></p><p><br /></p></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-62366632909239644362021-09-22T15:13:00.017-07:002021-09-22T16:06:24.249-07:00Simple Food - Simmered <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGKxc0bV6Qw/YUujJhCyhUI/AAAAAAAD2Iw/B5tqvmkuQj4ELya4bCuRfG7Te6yrkor9wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/IMG_5572.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FGKxc0bV6Qw/YUujJhCyhUI/AAAAAAAD2Iw/B5tqvmkuQj4ELya4bCuRfG7Te6yrkor9wCLcBGAsYHQ/w320-h240/IMG_5572.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><b>For me simple foods are simple</b>. They are foods you can eat with satisfaction that do not need mega preparation and time consuming clean up. <p></p><p><br /></p><p>This elegant plate was prepared using simmering as the cooking method. The fish was added to a small fry pan that was partially filled with water, lemon slices, and dill. The asparagus was cooked in a double boiler. The pan and pot were covered so the contents could steam.</p><p>Fresh halved cherry tomatoes and minced red onions were combined with a vinaigrette and added to the cooked asparagus when it cooled. The salmon was also served cold. </p><p>Clean up of the pan and pot was easy because they did not contain cooked on foods. The vinaigrette is something I keep on hand.</p><p><b>Steaming</b>: This is a favorite cooking method of mine because it is very fast and does not add calories or fat to the food being cooked. To steam, bring water or another liquid such as wine to a boil, turn down the heat, and cover the pan. The items being cooked need to be suspended in a basket or double boiler, or elevated on a bed of herbs, so steam can circulate. </p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-82512206419773475312020-12-19T11:17:00.038-08:002020-12-27T10:35:47.811-08:00The Pandemic Pantry - Smart Shopping and Food Preparation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XXiY5nDBbnM/X-TCOd85BBI/AAAAAAAD0XA/uZchHuPPrfofdpuH7UhtsAxIMVO0RsydwCLcBGAsYHQ/s570/b1d046a53178277e36467ba8c199418e.jpg" style="clear: left; display: inline; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="570" data-original-width="570" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XXiY5nDBbnM/X-TCOd85BBI/AAAAAAAD0XA/uZchHuPPrfofdpuH7UhtsAxIMVO0RsydwCLcBGAsYHQ/w200-h200/b1d046a53178277e36467ba8c199418e.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><p></p><p>This post is designed to help you with your pandemic pantry, and to encourage you to stay home and cook what you have on hand. Read on for help to make sure you have on hand ingredients that add up to delicious meals!</p><p>Are you tired of eating the same food over and over? Type your favorite foods in the Google search bar and find new ways to prepare them.</p><p>Of course new recipes will require shopping. Maybe you have already honed your Costco shopping skills, or you use a food shopping service? However you fill your bare pantry, here are some keys to smart shopping that guarantee you will have healthy food to eat.</p><p></p><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Start with a list:</b> This is not the time to browse the supermarket and shop aimlessly for what looks good at the moment. You are shopping for what will be good to eat in the weeks ahead. Your approach should be targeted so you get in and out fast.</li></ul><ul style="text-align: left;"><li><b>Fruits and vegetables:</b> We love fresh and crunchy textures, but most fruits and vegetables need to be converted into items that can be stored in your freezer. Freeze fruit for smoothies. Prepare blended soups from vegetables. To save time and freezer space, buy canned goods. Or if you have freezer space, consider bags of frozen fruits and vegetables. Fruits and vegetables should cover <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2011/05/my-plate-plate-size-matters.html">half your plate</a> so stock up! <br /><br /></li><li><b>Starches: </b> If you have already eaten too much pasta, consider couscous, rice, dried beans, and quinoa. Kept in airtight containers, these items have a long shelf life. The potato and most root vegetables, are nutritionally starches and will last for months in a cool place.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Dairy:</b> Back to that freezer, ice cream can be kept there if you don't eat it all at once. You can freeze milk (use ice cube trays) to use in smoothies and baking. And in the refrigerator, hard cheeses like cheddar, Swiss and Parmesan can be stored for up to six months. Yogurt is good for up to two weeks in the refrigerator and two months frozen. <br /><br /></li><li><b>Protein:</b> Meats and fish can be frozen and defrosted when needed, usually for up to a 8 months. Refrigerated eggs last about five weeks. Nuts last as long as you can keep from eating them!<br /><br /></li><li><b><a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2013/07/ten-minute-dinners-with-low-calorie.html">Condiments and spices</a>:</b> Not a food group, but it's amazing what a little spice and vinegar will do to improve the flavor of food and they keep forever. Really.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Food Budgets:</b> Determine how much food you can buy at one time and keep in your home and shop accordingly to reduce your trips to the store.<br /><br /></li><li><b>Food Preparation</b>: Cooking more than you want? Consider casseroles, one pot/pan meals, and soups that can be prepared in advance to keep cooking and cleaning at a minimum. Use healthy oils in your food preparation. Click on Healthy Recipes at <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/search/label/Healthy%20Recipes">KnowFoodNow</a> for interesting meal ideas.</li></ul><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LrNFehqNNFo/X948i43U6UI/AAAAAAAD0VE/TRLibSYiHBkmiRsEtrArr6JO_rUIrj3hACLcBGAsYHQ/s637/G%2BLOGO.JPG" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a></div><p></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-83896779711905741652019-07-10T21:06:00.000-07:002019-07-10T21:09:07.743-07:00Red, White, and Blue Potato Salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd_nRz4AcE0/XSawMN7WULI/AAAAAAADo2M/0haUpeZuDbAXtzmcTZHken4g7dooFu9twCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_7109.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zd_nRz4AcE0/XSawMN7WULI/AAAAAAADo2M/0haUpeZuDbAXtzmcTZHken4g7dooFu9twCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_7109.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>4th of July barbecues have come and gone, but a colorful potato salad adds drama to a lunch or dinner menu any time of the year.<br /><br />This one is easy to make. The only caveat is to boil your Andean blue potatoes separately so they are the only ones that are blue. Baby red potatoes and baby white or Yukon golds make up the rest of the medley. <br />Be creative and marinate the red bell peppers with red wine vinegar, fresh dill, chopped red onions, minced garlic clove, and oil. Or be fast, and use your favorite Italian salad dressing and add it to the potato mixture once it is cool. Season to taste with salt and pepper.<br /><br />Be careful to combine the ingredients gently so as not to break the potatoes and you are good to go.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-4702823739067187172018-01-21T20:04:00.001-08:002021-07-26T08:48:05.489-07:00Pomegranates - Good Clean Fun <div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 28px; margin-bottom: 28px; margin-top: 28px;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdwGJTFWdnU/WmVGT_IKYkI/AAAAAAABqb4/ABaGqFh5UXskvZWpDMLzoZoH5R4jniCPwCEwYBhgL/s1600/pomegranate.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-small;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1200" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HdwGJTFWdnU/WmVGT_IKYkI/AAAAAAABqb4/ABaGqFh5UXskvZWpDMLzoZoH5R4jniCPwCEwYBhgL/s400/pomegranate.jpeg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">My friend Eileen took this amazing photo in Chennai, India at the George Town Flower Market. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Is it the iphone 8plus camera, or was she just able to stand her ground among the throngs of jostling shoppers to take the shot? Whatever, it worked!</span></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Pomegranates start off as a lovely orange flower. Technically a berry we are interested in eating the seeds. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">And no wonder! They are delicious, </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">have few calories and many nutritional benefits. They are known for f</span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">iber and vitamins C and K. </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Read more on google or </span><a href="https://draxe.com/pomegranate-seeds/" style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Dr. Axe </a><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"> for information on the benefits.</span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><br /></span></span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Unfortunately, as with most good things, you have to work for them. Seed removal can be messy and time consuming.</span></span></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><br /></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">Youtube has a myriad of how-to videos. You can choose what works for you. There are two main techniques that people discuss in their videos. There is the old fashioned submerge the fruit in water method. This is tried and true and possibly the least messy. However, it does take time and knife skills to score the fruit. An apron is de rigueur.</span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">Then there is the 10 second method which you can watch in 84 seconds <a href="https://www.google.com/search?q=10+second+pomegranate+seed+removal&rlz=1C1CHBF_enUS745US745&oq=10+second+pomegranate+seed+removal&aqs=chrome..69i57.8975j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8#kpvalbx=0">here</a>. The stars of this particular technique are primarily men as what happens is an attack on the fruit. <span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"> I will say that this method is the best of the "work for it" methods. It requires no knife skills, but a deep bowl and an apron is still a good idea. </span></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><br /></span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">If you don't have the time to watch, just read this:</span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">1. Score the outside of the pomegranate around the center. (If you are seeding several pomegranates, it would be worthwhile to just cut one in half instead of pulling it apart to see what happens.)</span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">2. Pull the two sides apart.</span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">3. Take each half and gently stretch the sides.</span></div><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;">4. Turn a half upside down in the palm of your hand, fingers spread, and whack the skin with a wooden spoon to loosen the seeds into a deep bowl. You will be rotating the half as you whack it.</span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><span face=""arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><br /></span></span><br /><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">My method is<span style="font-size: xx-normal;"> </span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">purchasing Pom Wonderful arils at Costco. </span></span><span style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif">A pre-pack of 4 - 4.3oz containers sells for $5.49. </span><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif"> </span></span></span><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Arils are often just the splash of color added to salads and vegetable dishes, but they are great eaten alone as a nutritional snack. Now that you know how to get at them, go for it!</span><br /><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><br /></span><span face="verdana, sans-serif" style="letter-spacing: 0.3px;">Or buy their juice.</span></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=kno0b8-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B004O4BB4W&asins=B004O4BB4W&linkId=0f960325d87035eb991cfe158ffa536f&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=15c000&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe> <br /><div style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.3px;"><span face=""verdana" , sans-serif" style="font-size: xx-normal;"><br /></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-53756783748498850232018-01-08T13:18:00.002-08:002018-01-08T13:21:07.999-08:00Fattoush Salad in Dubai<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WbmpG2vfCf0/WlPZ9ZkVTrI/AAAAAAABqbE/zdeNm84OjG4TNjVpbwXcxNhS-2SJQMAcQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0502.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WbmpG2vfCf0/WlPZ9ZkVTrI/AAAAAAABqbE/zdeNm84OjG4TNjVpbwXcxNhS-2SJQMAcQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0502.JPG" width="300" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">My friend Sherry and I, after a morning at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, went to the Arabian Tea House on Al Fahidi Street in old Dubai. We passed up the Bastakiya Restaurant which is right next door so we would not be tempted by camel burgers.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I ordered my favorite Fattoush salad which I usually consume at <a href="http://www.insalatas.com/">Insalalta's</a> in San Anselmo, CA. Of course every restaurant makes this salad their own, but I loved the tomato rose, pomegranate seeds, and many lovely chips that came with my salad at the Arabian Tea House.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Because you can pay for everything with a credit card in Dubai, I paid $10.89 for this salad and a drink, just a little less than I might have paid at home. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">But the experience was priceless! We were seated with ladies that lunched in black abayas and veils and men, at separate tables, wearing Emirati keffiyeh. Our table was white and the chairs were turquoise blue. We sat in an indoor courtyard under a tree. It was a delightful experience and I would return for their healthy food any time someone wants to use Mastercard to buy my plane ticket!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-69468484009769331942017-10-14T11:06:00.000-07:002019-03-25T19:20:35.158-07:00Quinoa: What the Ancient Incas contributed to Modern Astronauts<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpsWL_Ua97w/WeJDUybt5HI/AAAAAAABpds/Dk1m2gtPYzEMTxKW_xsslEFEf_DsKUTnACLcBGAs/s1600/Quinoa-Brings-Riches-to-the-Andes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="529" data-original-width="940" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EpsWL_Ua97w/WeJDUybt5HI/AAAAAAABpds/Dk1m2gtPYzEMTxKW_xsslEFEf_DsKUTnACLcBGAs/s320/Quinoa-Brings-Riches-to-the-Andes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d451rRpBkd0/WeJET3k9L0I/AAAAAAABpd4/GmxZul1YsYQ1eDmOC6Hq5yaepz68HXdjgCLcBGAs/s1600/o-ASTRONAUTA-facebook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="1600" height="160" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d451rRpBkd0/WeJET3k9L0I/AAAAAAABpd4/GmxZul1YsYQ1eDmOC6Hq5yaepz68HXdjgCLcBGAs/s320/o-ASTRONAUTA-facebook.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Really once we get to the moon or Mars, survival is all about the food.<br /><br />Hopefully future astronauts will not be caught up in Matt Damon's plight in the <a href="https://www.space.com/30776-math-in-the-martian-movie-explained-infographic.html">'Martian'</a> and have to grow their own.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">While Damon's potatoes have an Andean origin, the true super food from the altiplano is quinoa.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ancient cultures knew what was good for them. The Incas made a ceremony of planting the first quinoa of the season with a golden spade. In a <a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19940015664.pdf">1995 paper, </a></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19940015664.pdf">NASA </a>caught up and considers quinoa as a new crop for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK217836/">CELSS</a>, the Controlled Ecological Lifesupport System. It is the perfect in flight snack. </span><br /><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13.2px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">A "supergrain", the quinoa plant is a complete protein source because it contains a balance of the amino acids required for human health. Among grains, quinoa has the most nutrients per 100 calories. It provides almost 14 grams of protein per 100 grams of quinoa. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">It is also one of the trendy "gluten free" foods. Quinoa is a relative of spinach and Swiss chard, so a grain in name only. What we use is actually the seed.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">In 2015, Samantha Cristoforetti chose quinoa as a </span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">bonus food</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"> in her space diet. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRllv78Gax8">Watch her prepare</a> a mackerel, quinoa and leek cream tortilla in zero gravity. While mackerel may not be your comfort food, the psychology of eating and enjoying food in space is as important as the calories.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The challenge back on earth is to protect the livelihood of the Andean farmers in Peru and Bolivia so the benefits of quinoa are equally distributed here on earth. The c</span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">ompetition from advanced agricultural countries and <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2012/05/quinoa-does-this-trendy-food-have.html">the consequences to local populations </a> of consuming less nutritious foods as quinoa becomes too expensive for them are significant environmental and social costs.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">If only the indigenous population could find a moon rock on the lunar landscape of the altiplano these problems and many more would be solved</span><br /><br /><br /><div><br /></div><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><br /><h1 class="c-page-title" style="-webkit-box-flex: 1; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; flex: 1 1 0px; font-family: adelle-sans, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: calc(2.44141em); line-height: 1.2; margin: 0px 0px 0.6rem; padding: 0.6rem 0px 0px; text-decoration-line: inherit; vertical-align: inherit;"></h1><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ac&ref=tf_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=kno0b8-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B00IBZLIW0&asins=B00IBZLIW0&linkId=5e52b15e2615760154ca2dce0abd9f7b&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true&price_color=333333&title_color=15c000&bg_color=ffffff" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"> </iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-52052685070128433602017-10-14T09:36:00.000-07:002017-10-14T09:46:24.571-07:00So Many Juicers - Which One is Right for You!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYHcHTuXVfk/WeI4m-qIG8I/AAAAAAABpdI/sxXfI4wAZqAJKlSvWRokjjBuu7Yg4O8IwCLcBGAs/s1600/Bestyuice1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="683" data-original-width="1024" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hYHcHTuXVfk/WeI4m-qIG8I/AAAAAAABpdI/sxXfI4wAZqAJKlSvWRokjjBuu7Yg4O8IwCLcBGAs/s400/Bestyuice1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;">If your don't already </span><a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2013/06/juice-glorious-juice.html" style="font-size: 14.6667px;">juice</a><span style="font-size: 14.6667px;"> you are missing out on a healthy, fast and colorful way of consuming fruits and vegetables. With the season changing and fruits becoming more expensive, keep in mind the savory concoctions you can make from juicing vegetables can be equally delicious and less fattening than fruit juice. Heat your vegetable juice and you have soup.</span></span><br /><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; margin: 0in;"><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Once you decide on <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2015/04/juicers-centrifigal-masticating-or-slow.html">how you want to blend</a> your ingredients, centrifugal, masticating or slow juicers, you need to also take into account how much hassle you will tolerate to prepare your daily colorful drink. You do not want your new juicer to take up residence in an appliance shed or in the back of a cabinet because it is too difficult to use and clean. Size matters. Pick a juicer that makes the quantity of juice you need in one batch, works in your space without dominating it, and doesn't break the sound barrier.</span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Between </span><a href="https://www.reviews.com/juicer/" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">reviews.com</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;"> and </span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_3_7?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=juicers+best+sellers&sprefix=juicers%2Caps%2C224&crid=17LDM9LUIOV5N" style="font-family: verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">Amazon.com</a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: 14.6667px;">, you should finally be able to choose your hearts desire juicer. The reason there are so many juicers on the market is because the choice is a personal decision based on your needs and wants. There is no best but your personal best.</span></div><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div><br /><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"></span></span> <br /><ol style="color: #222222; direction: ltr; font-family: calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.375in; margin-top: 0in; unicode-bidi: embed;" type="1"></ol><div style="color: #222222; font-size: 11pt;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><div style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></div><div style="font-family: calibri;"><br /></div></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 11pt; margin: 0in;"><strong><br /></strong></div><br /><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;" />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-34582721788474702892017-07-26T07:50:00.000-07:002017-07-26T07:58:14.559-07:00Unusual Food Combinations that are Delicious<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BZNHPVejk7Y/WXih91MORhI/AAAAAAABpUc/RhPDFV10U94hUQz4sOqwD8PGbyzF1GMJACLcBGAs/s1600/Persian%2BCucumbers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="432" data-original-width="560" height="244" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BZNHPVejk7Y/WXih91MORhI/AAAAAAABpUc/RhPDFV10U94hUQz4sOqwD8PGbyzF1GMJACLcBGAs/s320/Persian%2BCucumbers.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNUEDBt4rhE/WXioZexXPKI/AAAAAAABpU4/r1NEd0EEENAAaXNYGh2hTfhvR1aPXNxQQCLcBGAs/s1600/Best%2BPineapple.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="164" data-original-width="308" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DNUEDBt4rhE/WXioZexXPKI/AAAAAAABpU4/r1NEd0EEENAAaXNYGh2hTfhvR1aPXNxQQCLcBGAs/s1600/Best%2BPineapple.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Often the most interesting salads <br />come from what is inside your refrigerator. </span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br />Combining foods that are sweet, crunchy and acidic can create delicious results.</span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /><b><br /></b></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><b>Pineapple Cucumber Salad</b><br /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Cut up fresh pineapple into 1" chunks.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Peel and cut Persian cucumbers to the same size. </span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Make a 60/40 mix: pineapple to cucumber, or as desired</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Douse with lemon or lime juice</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Optional: sprinkle with fresh cilantro or fresh mint</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">This recipe requires Persian cucumbers, not just baby cucumbers or the English variety. While one variety of cucumber can usually be substituted for another, not so with this fruit/cucumber combo. The Persian cucumber's crispness and lack of developed seeds is the secret behind this heavenly salad. It is amazingly refreshing. I'll never have simple pineapple again!</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Persian cucumbers are readily available at <a href="https://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutrition/trader-joes/persian-cucumber">Trader Joe's </a>year round. They are only 16 calories per cup. The pineapple is 82 calories per cup but packed with nutritional benefits. Pineapple contains high amounts of vitamin C and manganese.</span><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><br style="background-color: white; color: #222222;" /><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Enjoy!</span></span><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">Guest Editor: Janice Yohai</span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-23922355823658075382017-05-31T13:51:00.003-07:002017-05-31T14:09:06.091-07:00My Diet Isn't Working<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jG1Wtjob6_0/WS8mrxcx2uI/AAAAAAABpQ0/vgX-QPRnrQA4GzKEL7pg8y0EYiuv0D55ACLcB/s1600/bacchus.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="999" data-original-width="831" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jG1Wtjob6_0/WS8mrxcx2uI/AAAAAAABpQ0/vgX-QPRnrQA4GzKEL7pg8y0EYiuv0D55ACLcB/s320/bacchus.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Reubens Bacchus </td></tr></tbody></table><br />Obviously we can't eat, drink and be merry all the time. And for some of us, we can never indulge without risking an unhealthy Reubenesque body.<br /><br />You know that a poor diet, and lack of exercise are undermining all your efforts to get and stay thin. And you should know that you can't blame your weight on your family. Gene variations that influence weight gain do not impact the ability to lose weight according to John Mathers a professor of human nutrition at Newcastle University.<br /><div><br /></div>What may be "new" to you is that chemical exposures wreak havoc on your metabolism and hormones and greatly impact your dietary success. Dr. Leonardo Trasande, a NYU School of Medicine Professor, says this exposure is a third factor causing the obesity epidemic. To lose weight, you should reconsider pro-biotics and read up on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Microbiome-Diet-Scientifically-Restore-Permanent/dp/0738218111">microbiome diets.</a><br /><br />The June 6, 2017, <u>Time</u> magazine cover story, cites these researchers and others, and for once and all dispels the notion that there is any single diet for weight loss. The evidence is that blood sugar levels vary greatly from person to person even after they eat the same meal. and that this response can be predicted from an individual's microbiome.<br /><br />Get ready and be wary of all the new products coming your way to personalize your weight loss program.<br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-6985967721436351082017-04-01T15:38:00.001-07:002017-08-08T15:45:07.476-07:00Soup it or Smooth it - How to consume vegetables fast<div style="text-align: left;"></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0x49zjiB91Q/WOAd9eh_a8I/AAAAAAABo5A/NSrXUOwHyU8uqDhWlAPfbY-xY2HOhf9tACEw/s1600/VEgies%2Bin%2Bblender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0x49zjiB91Q/WOAd9eh_a8I/AAAAAAABo5A/NSrXUOwHyU8uqDhWlAPfbY-xY2HOhf9tACEw/s320/VEgies%2Bin%2Bblender.jpg" width="194" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lindawagner.net</td></tr></tbody></table>If eating vegetables has always been a problem for you, think of drinking your daily requirement as soup or juice.<br /><br />Nutrition coach <a href="http://lindawagner.net/blog/2012/01/healthy-blended-soup-recipes-for-weight-loss/index.html">Linda Wagner</a> offers up cold soups to preserve all the benefits of eating raw food. If you like her ideas, but with less chunk, think <a href="http://www.livestrong.com/article/533226-raw-vegetable-smoothie-nutrition/">vegetable smoothies.</a><br /><br />Or go traditional and make <a href="https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1017577-best-gazpacho">gazpachos</a>, <a href="http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/cold-cucumber-soup-yogurt-and-dill"> cucumber soups</a> and <a href="https://www.goodfoodstories.com/cold-borscht-recipe/">borscht</a> for summer. If you are old enough, check out the February/March 2017 issue of AARP and find a 4 step recipe for creamy vegetable blender soups<br /><br />Combine your soups or smoothies to achieve the lowest calories with this <a href="http://www.weightlossforall.com/free-food-calorie-counter.htm">chart</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=kno0b8-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B007TIE0GQ&asins=B007TIE0GQ&linkId=c1f6f1e48c95cb990e338fd3e83c9498&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe><br /><br /><br /><iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=as_ss_li_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=kno0b8-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=B008H4SLV6&asins=B008H4SLV6&linkId=eb5dd9b01c03f8bd4f38e635751734d6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;"></iframe>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-48450188632653627932017-03-28T17:03:00.001-07:002018-08-17T10:56:49.060-07:00Pea Soup - Make a fast, cheap and nutritious meal in three minutes!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3VeBuaA4Co/WNr3TmQ6QSI/AAAAAAABo4k/MYA07NN1PQQCueBcAlzuzXzkQMEO50f_gCLcB/s1600/Pea%2BSoup.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P3VeBuaA4Co/WNr3TmQ6QSI/AAAAAAABo4k/MYA07NN1PQQCueBcAlzuzXzkQMEO50f_gCLcB/s1600/Pea%2BSoup.JPG" /></a></div>Simple, nutritious pea soup is my go to spring meal.<br />Pea soup is fast, filling and low in calories.<br /><br />Anyone can throw frozen peas into boiling water. And almost anyone can quickly remove them. A colander for straining the water out, a blender for pureeing the peas, the slow addition of milk or cream as thinners, and you are done! With practice, this takes three minutes.<br /><br />Peas pack nutritional benefits that you <a href="http://www.realfoodforlife.com/10-health-benefits-of-peas/">can read about all over the internet.</a> For less than $1.00 you can make a healthy, colorful pea soup for two people.<br /><br />If you are into cooking and want to try an interesting variation on pea soup, think of switching your colors from green to yellow. This recipe for healing <a href="https://www.jenreviews.com/split-pea/">Yellow Split Pea Soup</a> is worth the time and effort!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-75125879849392314252016-06-24T13:18:00.001-07:002017-08-25T22:31:15.012-07:00Cuba and Food Presentation<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ONls9DpzE7w/V22RXQSXbUI/AAAAAAABmUg/fI9DP6VzqaET8_qfzHpiBrydqD5lt43_wCLcB/s1600/Cuba%2BFood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ONls9DpzE7w/V22RXQSXbUI/AAAAAAABmUg/fI9DP6VzqaET8_qfzHpiBrydqD5lt43_wCLcB/s320/Cuba%2BFood.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Pretty as a picture, this plate presented by Restaurant 1830 in Havana, Cuba puts their national tree, the Royal Palm, front and center. A friend didn't care for the asparagus, but I thought the effort made up for a canned vegetable. The main course was a white fish with rice, vegetables, and a whipped something resembling a potato. Dessert was cake with artful chocolate drippings.<br /><br />The beautiful colonial home had several formal dining rooms with large floral arrangements and a deck. The bathroom was self-serve, without the ubiquitous attendant parceling out paper. A pianist played Frank Sinatra, what more could you want?<br /><br />I found the food in Cuba so much better than expected that I brought my Wild Planet canned tuna home.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-7819849009841407972015-12-24T13:56:00.002-08:002017-08-25T22:28:26.580-07:00The New Food Rules (according to TIME 12/28/15)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxHxxUKG4x4/Vnx5BV8hITI/AAAAAAABmEw/UVmr3E9b6T0/s1600/Archimeldo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cxHxxUKG4x4/Vnx5BV8hITI/AAAAAAABmEw/UVmr3E9b6T0/s320/Archimeldo.JPG" width="289" /></a></div>I always love it when <i>Time</i> magazine writes my blog for me, or to give credit where due, Michael Pollan.<br /><br />The <i>Time</i> magazine article I read today says a "simpler saner way to eat is here." The thing is, it's been here. Michael Pollan's book <u>In Defense of Food, </u>published in 2008, says "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." on page 1. More can be found in the 2 hour PBS 2015 <a href="http://www.activevoice.net/portfolio/defense-food/">documentary</a> of the same name. As early as 1570, the Mannerist painter Guiseppe Arcimboldo showed us the same thing. Not much is really new.<br /><br />The simple question, what's for dinner has been complicated by the food industry and government. The food industry has created functional foods with "healthy" additives and <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2015/05/processed-foods-usda-says-any-edible.html">the government has redefined processed foods</a> to put Twinkies and frozen vegetables in the same category.<br /><br />If a food needs to be labeled, then it must be processed otherwise you would know exactly what it was by looking at it. To avoid food additives, Michael Pollan suggests that you stay at the shortest end of the food chain, farm to table. <br /><br />A companion piece to the previously referenced <i>Time </i>article called "Put An Egg on It" p.149, suggests that some food combinations can enhance the body's absorption of nutrients. For example, turmeric is absorbed better when paired with pepper and tomatoes and broccoli have stronger anticancer effects when eaten together. Other combinations that aided absorption of nutrients or reduced inflammation were eggs on top of salad, avocados on top of burgers, green tea with lemon, and spinach with orange.<br /><br />Really there's not much new when it comes to food. Newness is all in the preparation. Learn to cook! <br /> <br /><br /><br /><br /> <span class="citation_text">"The New Food Rules." <i>Time</i> 28 Dec. 2015: 145-48. Print. </span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-55687685629270896982015-12-18T11:54:00.004-08:002015-12-19T03:19:02.746-08:00Bite Size Desserts for the Holidays<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-otbf3CDqrXc/VnREyPKMXRI/AAAAAAABmDE/koElX6JL3FQ/s1600/gelato.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-otbf3CDqrXc/VnREyPKMXRI/AAAAAAABmDE/koElX6JL3FQ/s200/gelato.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIzkuhliZGQ/VnRE1bVcxEI/AAAAAAABmDM/XOwbFdbxLHA/s1600/Merangue.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-oIzkuhliZGQ/VnRE1bVcxEI/AAAAAAABmDM/XOwbFdbxLHA/s200/Merangue.jpg" width="200" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />'Tis the season and we are confronted with an array of delicious desserts that we might otherwise not have placed in front of us.<br /><br />I was treated to an amazing tasting menu at Benu SF - thank you Matthew - and probably should have had my camera out for the entire meal. <br /><br />The bite-size desserts I captured. Subtle flavors and the gorgeous presentations encouraged me to savor them. An incredible rose shaped pear gelato on pear ice was my favorite. The second offering was a tangerine meringue over a glazed cake.<br /><br />The take away: Less is more when it comes to food. When each bite is complex it pays to slow down, savor the moment, and not be concerned with the next bite.<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-63132813282484142312015-07-17T10:14:00.003-07:002015-09-02T11:35:17.186-07:00Watercress: The Healthiest Vegetable <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBQHvMEv5ko/VakjPbT76bI/AAAAAAABlwU/a9WLQ2TYe5o/s1600/watercress-850x340.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="160" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rBQHvMEv5ko/VakjPbT76bI/AAAAAAABlwU/a9WLQ2TYe5o/s400/watercress-850x340.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Don't take my word for it. <i>Time Magazine</i> July 13, 2015, "The Answers Issue" has this factoid and many others. In their pithy way they state "Watercress has the highest density of the 17 most important vitamins and minerals." Actually there are many more, but the <i>Time</i> list is probably recalling a study in <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/06/10/watercress-is-the-healthiest-vegetable-carrot-is-26-heres-a-chart-to-memorize/"><i>New Republic</i></a><i> </i>published June 10, 2014 in which the author, <a href="http://www.foodrepublic.com/2014/06/10/watercress-is-the-healthiest-vegetable-carrot-is-26-heres-a-chart-to-memorize/"><span itemprop="articleBody">Jennifer Di Noia of William Paterson University, looked at 17 important nutrients naturally occurring in food (fiber, protein, potassium, Vitamin A, B12, D) and calculated how much of those nutrients were found in a 100-calorie serving.</span></a><br /><br />To find every single nutrient, <a href="http://www.nutrition.gov/"> nutrition.gov</a><i> </i> provides a<i> what's in the food you eat</i> <a href="https://reedir.arsnet.usda.gov/codesearchwebapp/%28S%28duqqlarfnd52ec45zldjmz55%29%29/CodeSearch.aspx">search tool</a>. The tool lists amounts in grams and micrograms so there are many more than 17 nutrients.<br /><br />Dr. Di Noia created a <a href="http://time.com/2827608/41-superfoods-ranked-by-how-healthy-they-are/">chart </a> of the most nutrient dense foods with watercress at the top at 100 points. Kale eater alert - kale scores not quite half as much, 49.07. If you want to maximize nutrients per calories, you should consider watercress. This peppery leaf is easier to swallow that kale. It's not just sprigs on a plate, but should be considered a superfood.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/13_0390.htm">In another study</a> Dr. Di Noia found watercress contains more anti oxidents than 41 other fruits and vegetables. The important vitamins in watercress are K, A, and C. The key minerals are potassium, calcium and phosphorous.<br /><br /><b>Recipe:</b> Use watercress in salads, of course. And if you want a beautiful bright green soup, simmer stock, chopped zucchini and potato. Add watercress at the end of cooking to just wilt the greens. Chop in a cuisinart and for a smooth soup, finish with cream or creme fraiche. Try it hot or cold.<br /><br /><br /> <script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-23318086-1', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-37041647787432181192015-07-15T10:26:00.000-07:002015-09-02T11:35:52.137-07:00What's in your salad? - Stone Fruit Salads<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUFMVvTlAg8/VaaU9RtxNSI/AAAAAAABlwE/Sl0AEN1R8J8/s1600/Stone-Fruit-and-Burrata-Salad-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZUFMVvTlAg8/VaaU9RtxNSI/AAAAAAABlwE/Sl0AEN1R8J8/s320/Stone-Fruit-and-Burrata-Salad-.jpg" width="253" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://whatsgabycooking.com/stone-fruit-and-burrata-salad-2/</td></tr></tbody></table>Everyone is doing it, combining summer's bountiful stone fruits with greens and cheeses and serving the ingredients as salad.<br /><br />The new definition of salad is anything cut up, combined in a bowl, and served cold. Grains like farro and quinoa are making lettuce optional.<br /><br />Seasonal salads are always my choice because the ingredients are at their optimal flavors, abundant and reasonably priced at stores and farmers markets.<br /><br />Right now, stone fruits are really delicious. Peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, and cherries are all members of this group of fruits which have a large center seed. Stone fruits are loaded with anti oxidents and have the associated<a href="http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/274620.php"> health benefits</a> of reducing obesity and inflammation.<br /><br />Recipes abound, but using your imagination is key. If you need help, the <a href="http://www.yummly.com/recipes?q=stone+fruit+salads">Yummly </a>website is an amazing source of recipes which includes number of ingredients, calories and time to prepare.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /> This recipe<a href="http://whatsgabycooking.com/stone-fruit-and-burrata-salad-2/">recipe</a> <script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-23318086-1', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script> Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-70044818988066977662015-05-23T15:45:00.001-07:002015-06-15T17:20:44.073-07:00Processed Foods: USDA says any edible not raw is processed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B8j1cSRExs4/VWD_Ypa2XKI/AAAAAAABllU/KngFIbzufSQ/s1600/processed%2Bfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B8j1cSRExs4/VWD_Ypa2XKI/AAAAAAABllU/KngFIbzufSQ/s1600/processed%2Bfood.jpg" /></a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">A recent <a href="http://time.com/3888102/processed-food-sugar-fat/?xid=newsletter-brief" target="_blank">Time Magazine article</a> about processed foods that says the USDA classifies "any edible that is not a raw agricultural commodity" as processed.<br /><br />Since that puts Twinkies and frozen vegetables in the same category, researchers at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill designed a study that categorized processed foods as minimally processed, basically processed, moderately processed and highly processed.<br /><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">No surprise that people like the last two categories best and consume 61% of their calories from moderately processed foods and 16% from highly processed foods.<br /><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">The article falls down at the end when the researcher says no US study links processed foods to obesity and diabetes and doesn't explain this further. Considering the dependent relationship between the USDA and big food, maybe only privately funded researchers are studying this relationship? <br /><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">In a <a href="http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_151736.html" target="_blank">second article</a> about the same study, a different writer quotes the lead investigator, Jennifer Poti: </div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br /><div style="margin-left: 40px;"> "It is important that when we discuss processed foods, we acknowledge that many processed foods, such as canned vegetables or whole-grain breakfast cereals, are important contributors to nutrition and food security. However, it is the highly processed foods . . . that might potentially be related to obesity."<br /><br /></div>My reaction is disbelief. Medical research conducted by the <a href="http://www.diabetes.org/research-and-practice/patient-access-to-research/chemicals-in-processed-foods.html">American Diabetes Association, </a>shows chemicals found in processed foods called AGEs, advance glycation end products, contribute to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes. Studies about intestinal health show that a balanced <a href="http://www.health.com/health/article/0,,20859953,00.html">microbiome, </a>helps avoid the food cravings that lead to avoid obesity.<br /><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) </div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) </div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) </div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) </div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">Research suggests that tasty chemicals in processed food called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) may trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, damaging tissues and causing <span class="tooltip right" style="z-index: 1000;">insulin</span> resistance. - See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/research-and-practice/patient-access-to-research/chemicals-in-processed-foods.html#sthash.uDzeWli4.dpuf</div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">Research suggests that tasty chemicals in processed food called advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) may trigger inflammation and oxidative stress in the body, damaging tissues and causing <span class="tooltip right" style="z-index: 1000;">insulin</span> resistance. - See more at: http://www.diabetes.org/research-and-practice/patient-access-to-research/chemicals-in-processed-foods.html#sthash.uDzeWli4.dpuf</div><br />The <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2015/04/food-terrorism-or-food-babe.html">Food Babe, Vani Hari,</a> also from North Carolina, has gained traction and had decisive wins over food conglomerates like Kraft. She convinced Kraft to remove tartrazine, a yellow dye from their mac and cheese. Her mantra is "If you can't pronounce it, don't eat it." <br /><br /></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;"></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color: #073763; font-family: verdana,sans-serif; font-size: small;">It would be helpful for the USDA to redefine processed foods and work with the FDA to put information on Nutrition Labels that people might use. People living in impoverished neighborhoods where food choices are limited, and more likely to be processed than fresh, would benefit from being able to distinguish between highly processed and minimally processed foods.<br /><br /><br />Informed choice is what the consumer deserves.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-28613668404926878962015-04-30T12:11:00.005-07:002015-09-02T11:36:37.002-07:00How What You Eat Affects the Planet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T6cPUMaNZFk/VUJ531bzeeI/AAAAAAABlhw/jMlPnfiCU40/s1600/apple%2Bworld.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-T6cPUMaNZFk/VUJ531bzeeI/AAAAAAABlhw/jMlPnfiCU40/s1600/apple%2Bworld.JPG" width="290" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">http://www.humanmedia.org/dcc/pdf/foodguide.pdf</td></tr></tbody></table><br />We make choices every day about the food we eat. We think about what foods will make us healthy, what foods will make us slim, and what foods will be visually appealing and taste as good as they look.<br /><br />In our land of plenty, we never think of food as a dwindling resource. We have giant feed lots and farms producing food for the world. Or do we? <br /><br />Current factory farming trends for livestock add significantly to greenhouses gases that warm the planet. <a href="http://civileats.com/2013/01/11/the-diet-climate-connection-how-the-foods-we-eat-affect-the-planet-we-inhabit/">Damage to the environment</a> has occurred through deforestation to provide increasing acreage for animal feed crops. The methane gas from the animal waste products is another contributor.<br /> <br />Your vegetarian friends may be on to something. "Think global, act local" is an important grassroots effort you can participate in at your community farmers' markets. Locally grown organic fruits, vegetables and grains reduce the carbon footprint that is contributing to climate change because petrochemicals that degrade the soil and reduce biodiversity are not used.<br /><br />There is dissension in the ranks. Agriculture Secretary, Tom Vilsack, said in a recent <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2015/03/11/vilsack-dietary-guidelines-are-about-health-not-environment/">WSJ article</a> that his mandate was dietary guidelines for health, not the environment. Another government agency, the Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee which reports to HHS and USDA, was quoted in the same article. They said: "sustainable diets are key to making sure future generations have access to food and that current U.S. diets are too hard on land and water supplies, and result in the release of too many greenhouse gas emissions."<br /><br />And not everybody agrees that red meat is bad for the planet. Meat manufacturers are vocally <a href="http://www.eatdrinkpolitics.com/2015/04/20/tell-the-feds-yes-to-less-meat-more-plants/">opposed </a>to this idea and well-backed. Ridge Shinn of the <a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/comments-dietary-guidelines-2015.pdf" target="_blank">Sustainable Livestock Farmers</a> responds that not all red meat comes from corn fed cows. An alternative is <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2014/07/why-grass-fed-burgers-make-great.html">100% grass fed beef r</a>otationally grazed to increase soil fertility and combat climate change. You have a sustainable choice.<br /><br />Another factor for a sustainable planet is portion control. Not only what you eat but how much can also affect the environment. Eating everything you put on your plate reduces food waste. The <a href="http://homeguides.sfgate.com/can-eating-habits-affect-environment-79636.html">EPA calls the amount of food wasted </a>by Americans "staggering." In 2010, we threw 33 million tons of food waste into landfills. <br /><br />If you not sure how to go about changing the impact of your dietary choices on the planet, the free downloadable <a href="http://www.humanmedia.org/dcc/pdf/foodguide.pdf">Climate Friendly Food Guide</a> is a great resource. Or read<u> Diet for a Small Planet </u>by Frances Lappe and her daughter Anna Lappe's book, Diet for a Hot Planet: The Crises at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It. <br /><br /><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It ( - See more at: http://smallplanet.org/about/anna/bio#sthash.HL5g6Pi2.dpuf</div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It ( - See more at: http://smallplanet.org/about/anna/bio#sthash.HL5g6Pi2.dpuf</div><div id="stcpDiv" style="left: -1988px; position: absolute; top: -1999px;">Diet for a Hot Planet: The Climate Crisis at the End of Your Fork and What You Can Do About It ( - See more at: http://smallplanet.org/about/anna/bio#sthash.HL5g6Pi2.dpuf</div>Read them today. <script> (function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){ (i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o), m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m) })(window,document,'script','//www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js','ga'); ga('create', 'UA-23318086-1', 'auto'); ga('send', 'pageview'); </script>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-67803034869195300842015-04-22T10:56:00.001-07:002015-04-22T21:35:42.778-07:00Whole Grains - What They Are and Why they are Expensive<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaakS4oJwRc/VTfYskpUvQI/AAAAAAABlg8/xlqRYnFdTgE/s1600/QuinoaSalad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uaakS4oJwRc/VTfYskpUvQI/AAAAAAABlg8/xlqRYnFdTgE/s1600/QuinoaSalad.jpg" height="306" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinoa Salad</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />A whole grain is just that. It contains all three parts of the grain, the bran, the germ and the endosperm. Whole grains are healthier than processed grains because the essential protein, vitamins, minerals and fiber remain with the grain.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2015/04/whole-grain-rich-pasta-schools-USDA-temporary-exemption-from-whole-grain-foods.html">popular mindset for schools </a>when they attempt to introduce whole grains into children's diets is pasta and bread.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pu-HsQaOQmA/VTfc8hhbfbI/AAAAAAABlhI/FodC3Cpd_Cw/s1600/whole-grain-stamp.gif.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Pu-HsQaOQmA/VTfc8hhbfbI/AAAAAAABlhI/FodC3Cpd_Cw/s1600/whole-grain-stamp.gif.jpg" /></a>But even a quick review of the Whole Grains Council <a href="http://wholegrainscouncil.org/whole-grains-101/whole-grains-a-to-z">website</a>, shows an A-Z list of 26 possibilities to explore. Finding some of these items in your local grocery store can be a challenge, but the Whole Grains Council has <a href="http://wholegrainscouncil.org/find-whole-grains/stamped-products">stamped products</a> to help you.<br /><br />Schools have a problem because whole grains are more expensive than processed grains. There is the marketing cachet that creates demand and increases price. Additionally, whole grains have a reduced shelf life. The bran and germ contain oils that will go rancid without refrigeration. And then there are farm subsidies. <br /><br />Our whole way of life will have to change to get more whole grains on the table.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-26885544879618555972015-04-20T22:59:00.000-07:002015-04-21T10:09:15.322-07:00Whole Grain-Rich Pasta - Schools Can't Pass the Palatable Test<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-obGIR7xAU/VTXUr21UHNI/AAAAAAABlgs/w-hutKk-gN0/s1600/whole_grain_kids.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-obGIR7xAU/VTXUr21UHNI/AAAAAAABlgs/w-hutKk-gN0/s1600/whole_grain_kids.jpg" height="214" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: 10px;"> <a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=113908117&src=id" rel="nofollow">al1962</a>/Shutterstock</span></td></tr></tbody></table><br />State agencies that administer school meal programs can grant exemptions from the whole-grain rich requirement in meals to schools that can demonstrate difficulty in obtaining compliant whole-grain pasta products that children will eat. <br /><br />These schools would still have to meet the minimum requirement for school year 2013-2014, but they can be exempt for the remainder of SY 2015 and in SY 2015-2016.<br /><br />Whole-grains are significantly higher in fiber and nutrients than refined grains. They contain twice the amount of B vitamins and minerals. Schools only have to serve between 50 - 100 percent whole-grain foods. The remaining 50% or less can be enriched pasta. So what's the problem?<br /><br />Whole grain pasta is an acquired taste and must be cooked to perfection so it doesn't turn gummy. Combine these obstacles with kids that are notoriously picky eaters and leave food on their plates and you get complaints from both kids and their parents. For the schools, financial hardship, limited product availability, and poor quality are reasons they want to be exempted from providing the whole-grain healthy alternative to refined grain pasta. <br /><br />Schools could try various substitutes before eliminating pasta from the lunch menu. <a href="http://www.mnn.com/food/healthy-eating/stories/5-ways-to-introduce-whole-grains-into-your-childs-diet">Jenny Grover</a> on the Mother Nature Network, advises introducing new foods to children slowly and creatively. She suggests cooking pasta that is 1/2 whole grain pasta and 1/2 refined pasta. Throwing whole grain pasta into soups or stews is another suggestion from Jenny. <br /><br />Or schools could eliminate poorly cooked pasta altogether and provide the necessary nutrients for children from healthy sandwiches made with whole grain breads.<br /><br />The USDA has provided guidance to States to help them meet these exemption requests. Pasta not withstanding, there are requirements for substitutions that will provide whole grains in school meals. <a href="http://origin.drupal.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/cnd/SP20-2015os.pdf">School Food Authority's (SFAs) that receive an exemption must remain responsible for incorporating whole grain-rich products into school menus and must ensure that at least half of the grain items offered weekly is whole-grain rich.</a><br /><br />Bottom line, with the USDA's assistance, schools will just have to study harder to get whole-grain pasta done right by 2016. <br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-78324126936536099482015-04-20T09:37:00.000-07:002015-04-22T09:49:44.285-07:00Food Insecurity - What is it? Why it concerns you.<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fKC88lziWFM/VTPjNXg5m6I/AAAAAAABlgU/KO53zaCtFSA/s1600/slide1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-fKC88lziWFM/VTPjNXg5m6I/AAAAAAABlgU/KO53zaCtFSA/s320/slide1.jpg" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">www.foodbankcss.org</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />The USDA defines food insecurity as meaning “consistent access to adequate food is limited by a lack of money and other resources at times during the year.”<br /><br /><a href="http://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america/impact-of-hunger/hunger-and-poverty/hunger-and-poverty-fact-sheet.html?gclid=Cj0KEQjwpM2pBRChsZCzm_CU0t4BEiQAxDVFmqiK7jglctLKGjx3U6Nv0QiiwTUEnIlR4xgPHvDqKm8aAnSH8P8HAQ">In 2013, 49.1 million Americans lived in food insecure households</a>, including 33.3 million adults and 15.8 million children. <br /><br />You have to wonder how this can happen. One reason is that many families income eligible for SNAP do not <span style="background-color: white;">participate in benefits.</span> Although<a href="http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3744"> 83% of eligible individuals are served </a>by the program each month (2012 latest data), 17% are not. To be clear, 1 out of 6 people go hungry - approximately 8.3 million people in the United States. Outreach by <a href="http://www.feedingamerica.org/our-response/we-feed-families/snap-outreach/">Feeding America </a>helps these families apply for the SNAP program.<br /><br />Another reason people go hungry is the daily waste of food. The <a href="http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/27/283071610/u-s-lets-141-trillion-calories-of-food-go-to-waste-each-year">USDA estimates </a>that on a per capita basis 1,249 calories are lost per day (2010 data). The Natural <a href="http://www.nrdc.org/food/wasted-food.asp">Resources Defense Council</a> reports that in 2012, this represented a loss of 40% of all food. If this loss could be reduced by 15%, more than 25 million Americans could be fed.<br /><br /><br />Food insecure household are on average food insecure for <a href="http://www.ers.usda.gov/topics/food-nutrition-assistance/food-security-in-the-us/frequency-of-food-insecurity.aspx">7 months</a> during a year. Particularly for children the problem of hunger can become one of malnourishment if they don't eat food that provides the right nutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Developmental consequences from<a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2015/04/micronutrient-deficiency-undernourished.html"> micro nutrient deficiency </a>an include stunted growth and mental health problems.<br /><br />This concerns you from a humanitarian and political point of view. While SNAP is reducing food insecurity for many, the <a href="http://www.snaptohealth.org/snap/snap-and-obesity-the-facts-and-fictions-of-snap-nutrition/">question is</a> whether the program delivers healthy, nutritionally beneficial food.<br /><a href="https://agriculture.house.gov/press-release/reps-conaway-walorski-and-rouzer-express-grave-concern-dietary-guideline">Congress</a> is discussing the dietary guidelines for SNAP this session.<br /><br /><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK2fc9wgOHY">Watch</a> this video to learn how many children are hungry right where you live.<br /><br />Contact your Congressperson. <a href="https://agriculture.house.gov/contact">Make your opinion heard</a>.<br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-87722677895835960432015-04-18T17:20:00.000-07:002015-04-21T10:17:57.747-07:00Walorski Chairs First Subcommittee on Nutrition Hearing - SNAP<br /><h1 class="title" id="page-title" style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m30fWa8mZbY/VTL1hwS9saI/AAAAAAABlgE/5kwiMC5mvDE/s1600/Jackie.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-m30fWa8mZbY/VTL1hwS9saI/AAAAAAABlgE/5kwiMC5mvDE/s1600/Jackie.png" height="200" width="196" /></a></div></h1><div class="panel-pane pane-node-created" style="text-align: left;"><div class="pane-content">Feb 26, 2015 </div></div><div class="panel-pane pane-token pane-node-content-type" style="text-align: left;"><div class="pane-content">Press Release </div></div><div style="text-align: left;">WASHINGTON, DC – Today, Chairwoman Jackie Walorski (IN-02) convened her first Subcommittee on Nutrition hearing. The committee met to further examine the role of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in relation to other federal assistance programs in a hearing titled, “SNAP Recipient Characteristics and Dynamics”.</div><div style="text-align: left;">During the 114th Congress, the subcommittee will oversee food and nutrition related issues including the SNAP and domestic commodity distribution and consumer initiatives.</div><div style="text-align: left;">“I’ve seen hunger firsthand both as a missionary in Eastern Europe and in my own district,” Walorski said. “Over the next two years, we’ll explore the entire SNAP program and find ways to better serve families and taxpayers across the United States to ensure no child goes hungry.”</div><div style="text-align: left;">Today’s hearing provided members with background information from key experts to gain a better understanding of families and communities who depend on SNAP as they begin a full-scale review of the program and its recipients.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Witnesses at the hearing included: </b></div><ul style="text-align: left;"><li>Karen Cunnyngham, Senior Researcher, <a href="http://www.mathematica-mpr.com/our-people/staff/karen-cunnyngham">Mathematica Policy Research</a>, Washington, DC</li><li>Gregory Mills, Senior Fellow, <a href="http://www.urban.org/expert.cfm?ID=GregoryBMills">Urban Institute</a>, Washington, DC</li><li>Stephen Tordella, President, <a href="http://www.decision-demographics.com/about_bio.html">Decision Demographics</a>, Washington, DC</li><li>James P. Ziliak, Founding Director, <a href="http://www.ukcpr.org/about-us">Center for Poverty Research</a>, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY (Minority Witness)</li></ul><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Walorski’s Opening Statement as Prepared for Delivery:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Good afternoon and welcome to this year’s first meeting of the Nutrition Subcommittee. Thank you all for making time in your schedules to be here and thank you to today’s witnesses for your participation. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Today, I would like to give you a glimpse of what lies ahead for this subcommittee over the next two years as we review SNAP. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Before we begin, I want to take an opportunity for everyone here to understand my background and why this issue and this subcommittee is important to me. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>First and foremost, I am a lifelong Hoosier and I have dedicated my career to helping Hoosier families. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>After I married my husband, we made the decision to move to Romania where we created and ran a local foundation and spent four years providing resources to impoverished children across the country. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I know what starvation looks like both internationally and in my own district and how it affects families and communities. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>And when I read that one in six Americans is hungry, it reaffirmed my commitment to ensure no child or adult endures what I’ve seen others go through. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In order for us to be successful, it’s imperative that we first review the SNAP program to better understand what works and what doesn’t. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The full committee yesterday examined why a review of SNAP is so important – it’s the largest welfare program in both the number of recipients and the amount of spending, yet the program lacks a clear mission and the data reveals that it is not helping lift people out of poverty. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>It is my hope and expectation that this subcommittee, along with the work done at the full committee, will explore and gain a better understanding of the entire program and specifically its recipients to find unmet needs and areas of overlap.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>The SNAP program does not function by itself and many other factors contribute to its ultimate success. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>That’s why it’s so important that this subcommittee focus our efforts on understanding how SNAP can best serve families and children across the United States.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>What’s very clear to me, and what I hope becomes clear to you in the coming months, are the many layers of bureaucracy that exist within SNAP. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Currently 18 different programs provide food assistance, and while many of them do not fall within this committee’s jurisdiction, they do serve SNAP recipients.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In addition, a range of low-income benefit programs are offered at the local, state and federal levels. On top of that, a web of non-profits and community service providers exist to provide assistance. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>While I recognize the government’s role in this process, there are wonderful local organizations, like St. Margaret’s House and the Food Bank of Northern Indiana that help to feed Hoosiers in my district and provide support to families and children in need.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>This is why understanding the overlap and unfamiliarity of local programs will help us decide how to best provide support and services to families in need. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In the coming months we’ll be able to tackle these issues and more. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>But today is about understanding those families in need. Who they are, what has brought them to the program, and how long they have remained in the program so we better understand how to serve them. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Today is not about policy recommendations; it’s about understanding the diverse characteristics and dynamics of the more than 46 million Americans who receive benefits from this program each month.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Over the coming months, our review will include a range of stakeholder perspectives, including current and former recipients; non-profits, states and localities, the food industry, and nutrition experts to name a few.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Today we will hear from a panel of distinguished researchers who have all conducted well-documented studies using trusted government data sources. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In most cases, the research has been funded by the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service, which oversees the administration of SNAP. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I want all the members to know that I am always available if you want to offer any input as we move forward. </i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>I thank all of our witnesses for being here with us today and look forward to their testimony.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>Walorski represents the 2nd Congressional District in Indiana, where she serves as a member of the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, House Armed Services Committee, and House Committee on Agriculture.</i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>###</i></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-17302873714349942082015-04-18T12:58:00.001-07:002015-04-20T23:12:35.309-07:00Micronutrient Deficiency: The Undernourished Hidden Among Us<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oPyM4-hJXUo/VTK39Kz2rWI/AAAAAAABlfs/nyGp_nSrT0w/s1600/multivitamins-plus-bottle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-oPyM4-hJXUo/VTK39Kz2rWI/AAAAAAABlfs/nyGp_nSrT0w/s1600/multivitamins-plus-bottle.jpg" /></a></div>Poor, obese and malnourished. What seems like an oxymoron is an unfortunate truth in the United States. Poor people are eating foods that are laden with "crap" calories and lack nutrition. Called “hidden hunger” <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/nutrition-hunger-food-children-vitamins-us">according to Barbara Bush</a>, daughter of George W. "it robs billions of people the opportunity to reach their full potential." <br /><br />Hidden hunger means a lack of vitamins and minerals, or micronutrient deficiency. Despite admonitions to cover half your plate with fruits and vegetables, people do not. Or the quality of food they eat has been depleted of nutrients. <a href="http://www.nationofchange.org/ultimate-paradox-us-overfed-and-malnourished-nation-1372077901">According to Christina Sarich </a> "One apple today may carry half the amount of nutrients as an apple produced 50 years ago."<br /><br />A look at SNAP, the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Plan suggests that part of the problem is that food subsidies <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items">can be used to buy</a> soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream. Only an act of Congress can change the designation of eligible foods and Congress "concluded that designating foods as luxury or non-nutritious would be administratively costly and burdensome." The USDA says there are <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/arra/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf">no clear standards</a> that define a food as healthy or not. It is too complicated to rule a food in or out.<br /><br />Evidently, there is "<a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/arra/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf">no strong research-based evidence </a>to support restricting food stamp benefits." Rich people also make poor food choices so food stamp recipients should not "be singled-out." The USDA suggests incentives to purchase certain foods and better education. <a href="http://business.time.com/2013/11/01/5-surprising-things-you-can-buy-with-food-stamps/">According to Michael Simon,</a> unhealthy eating has helped fuel an American health crisis. Maybe the USDA should buy his book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560259329?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creativeASIN=1560259329&linkCode=xm2&tag=knfono0c-20"><u>Appetite for Profit</u>.</a><br /><br />Meanwhile, <a href="http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2015/feb/10/nutrition-hunger-food-children-vitamins-us">85% of Americans do not consume</a> the recommended daily intake of the vitamins and minerals necessary for physical and mental development. Currently, households cannot use SNAP benefits to buy multi-vitamins. <br /><br />If it's so hard to figure out the eligibility of the more than <a href="http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/arra/FSPFoodRestrictions.pdf">300,000 food products</a> on the market that Congress cannot act, you would think that making multi-vitamins "eligible" to be purchased under SNAP would be a simple solution for them. <br /><br />The one change behavior to make today for better nutrition for everyone is to write your Congressman and ask why multi-vitamins are not "eligible" to be purchased under SNAP.<br /><div data-canvas-width="590.414762294118" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 17.3491px; left: 142.206px; top: 933.434px; transform: scaleX(1.01796);"></div><div data-canvas-width="13.084704529411766" style="font-family: serif; font-size: 17.3491px; left: 732.456px; top: 933.434px; transform: scaleX(1.09039);">. </div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6289506790481199605.post-5431033850177279232015-04-15T18:03:00.004-07:002017-10-11T07:56:50.087-07:00Juicers: Centrifiugal, Masticating, or Slow Juicers<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r8m23XM6xPI/VS7_Q6QprvI/AAAAAAABlek/w6X6cXdSMPM/s1600/vitamix-blender1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r8m23XM6xPI/VS7_Q6QprvI/AAAAAAABlek/w6X6cXdSMPM/s1600/vitamix-blender1.jpg" width="183" /></a></div>If you already juice, or want to juice more and find that your equipment is not making product that you enjoy, <a href="http://cookingequipment.about.com/od/reviewsrecommendations/f/Masticating-vs-centrifugal-juicer.htm">this article</a> is for you. The best juicer is the one works to execute your needs.<br /><br />Juicers range in price from $40 or $400 and everything in between, so you should know whether features benefit you or not. <a href="http://cookingequipment.about.com/bio/Jessica-Harlan-41948.htm">Jessica Harlan</a> a cooking equipment expert at About Food explains how juicers break down fruits and vegetables is the main difference. The best juicers for you may not be at the top of the price range.<br /><br />Centrifugal force juicers separate the juice from the pulp by shredding and are great for pretty much everything except greens. If you want to get your vegetables in liquid form, the masticating juicer is better for that purpose. They are easy to recognize because their design is horizontal.<br /><br />Like the name suggests, they have a chewing action which crushes the food. Because they are capable of extracting more nutrients than centrifugal juicers, you do get more bang for the increased buck you are spending. The taste is better, too.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73MO-kacsZg/VS8KR9mXXVI/AAAAAAABle8/0PGMoXRwqB4/s1600/nutribullet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="230" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-73MO-kacsZg/VS8KR9mXXVI/AAAAAAABle8/0PGMoXRwqB4/s1600/nutribullet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />If the horizontal masticating juicer is not slow enough for you, there are slow juicers that masticate upright and supposedly provide the most nutrients.<br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Fresh juice is made to drink immediately. Despite some contrary literature, in my opinion, there is not enough heat from centrifugal force or enough time elapse from oxidation that you risk the loss of nutrients from the process of creating juice with a centrifugal force juicer.<br /><br /><br /> <br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBVm9CtH5sA/VS8IpRgpMfI/AAAAAAABle0/1bJoxN4JRBs/s1600/Waring%2Bblender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-IBVm9CtH5sA/VS8IpRgpMfI/AAAAAAABle0/1bJoxN4JRBs/s1600/Waring%2Bblender.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />Maybe you have been swayed by the Vitamix demonstrations at Costco or like the convenience of a Nutri Bullet.<br /><br />To be perfectly honest, I like my juice made with milk and ice and I like pulp. I use a Waring Blender, avocado green, that could easily be 40 years old. For that reason alone, I would recommend it.<br /><br />Real experts have put together a <a href="http://thejuicerdirectory.com/masticating-vs-centrifugal-juicers/">directory</a> of the best new juicers. Study this buying guide and <a href="http://www.comparing.guru/pages/nsearch?seedid=23&origin=bing">others</a> before making a purchase of the best rated juicer for you.<br /><br />If you don't already <a href="http://www.knowfoodnow.com/2013/06/juice-glorious-juice.html">juice</a> your are missing out on a healthy, fast way of consuming fruits and vegetables. I love the colors.<br /><br /><br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0