I've been working on this modification post for what seems like for-evuh, and I hope I cover enough considering that Thanksgiving is officially nipping at our heels!
Here are some suggestions on modifying your favorite dishes:
1. Use honey, unsweetened applesauce, and fruit juices instead of sugar and sugar substitutes.
2. Arrowroot powder can be used in place of flour for gravies, pie fillings and other sauces.
3. Skip the marshmallows and glaze on yams. Use nutmeg, cinnamon, clove and a bit of honey.
4. Roasted acorn squash is a great side if you find yourself in a sea of no-no eating at the relatives' house! Check out this recipe, just nix the grain for cauliflower pulverized in your food processor! If you MUST use a grain, go with quinoa. It's the least offensive of the grain group, and is more closely related to leafy greens like chard.
5. Stuffing may be difficult. I posted a great recipe on making your own paleo stuffing. If this is too much, bypass the stuffing altogether for a "rice" pilaf courtesy of Mark's Daily Apple.
6. Pies and sweets will also be hard. If you make your own paleo sweet treats, do not expect them to taste like their sugar loaded doppelganger. Check out this fruit crumble, via Caveman Food. Yummy stuff. Please also review some of the recipes on this blog.
Speaking of Mark's Daily Apple, here is a great collection of low carb substitutions which you may find helpful.
Good luck kids, if you slip up don't get down about it. Wake up Friday morning, take note of how badly eating like crap makes you feel and start a new day. Be safe, and have a great holiday!
ps....please add in recipes that you find amazing in the comments! Please!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Veggie of Week!
I've been so busy lately that Veggie of the Week has fallen through the cracks! Please accept my apologies!
Mel Posted a great bit on Okra and since this is one of my favorite veggies to cook, I decided to profile it here in the food blog. Just like brussels sprouts, this veggie has a hard reputation to overcome. Most people in the south eat it battered and fried (YUM) or stewed with tomatoes, but really, this little guy has so much more to offer....
What is it? Okra's origin is traced to the Ethiopian Highlands, and made its way gradually to parts of the world via trade routes. It came to the United States by way of the slave trade and is in the same family as hibiscus and cotton. Okra loves the southern climate and is very easy to grow.
Why should I eat it? 1/2 cup of okra supplies 2g of fiber and is abundant in these vitamins: vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and folacin. That same serving has 257mg of potassium and 50mg of calcium. It's good stuff.
How do I cook it? Very, very carefully! My mom made okra plenty of times when I was growing up and I never understood what the big deal about the sliminess was, until of course, I went to make it myself. The more I stirred, the slimier it got. The sliminess can be beneficial if you are making a stew, as the mucous acts as a natural thickener for stocks. I complained to her about my okra failure and she let me in on the secret: Be gentle. Don't stir.
Try out Mel's recipe! She's usually spot on with the goods, so don't delay!
The more you move the okra, the more you break the membranes thus releasing that slime that has turned you off for years and years. My favorite dish to make with okra is a kind of Indian beef pan casserole with a tomato base:
1 can tomato paste
1lb grass fed ground beef (or lamb)
1/2lb-1lb okra, cut gently into 1/2" pieces, set aside
1 bay leaf
seasonings: ground coriander, ground cardamom, curry powder, tumeric
Brown the beef and mix in the tomato paste. Add in water to thin the paste into a desirable consistency. Begin adding in amounts of the seasonings, careful to allow some time for everything to mix (ie- dash here, dash there, stir, simmer, taste). I usually start with a tablespoon each of the curry powder and tumeric, half a tablespoon of the coriander and cardamom, and move up from there. Now, once you've reached your appropriate level of flavor and consistency, gently take the okra and place it on top of the tomato/beef/curry, cover with a lid, turn the heat off and walk away from the stove for appx 10-15 minutes.
After 10-15 minutes, stir the dish and serve. The okra should be crispy but not raw, and should not be slimy. Pair with cauliflower "rice" (cauliflower pulverized in a food processor and cooked in a pan with olive oil). Yum. Yum.
How does this fit in with the Zone? 1c of okra has 9g of carbs (one block), which makes it a perfect option if you are running low on allotted carb blocks for your day.
Mel Posted a great bit on Okra and since this is one of my favorite veggies to cook, I decided to profile it here in the food blog. Just like brussels sprouts, this veggie has a hard reputation to overcome. Most people in the south eat it battered and fried (YUM) or stewed with tomatoes, but really, this little guy has so much more to offer....
What is it? Okra's origin is traced to the Ethiopian Highlands, and made its way gradually to parts of the world via trade routes. It came to the United States by way of the slave trade and is in the same family as hibiscus and cotton. Okra loves the southern climate and is very easy to grow.
Why should I eat it? 1/2 cup of okra supplies 2g of fiber and is abundant in these vitamins: vitamin A, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, and folacin. That same serving has 257mg of potassium and 50mg of calcium. It's good stuff.
How do I cook it? Very, very carefully! My mom made okra plenty of times when I was growing up and I never understood what the big deal about the sliminess was, until of course, I went to make it myself. The more I stirred, the slimier it got. The sliminess can be beneficial if you are making a stew, as the mucous acts as a natural thickener for stocks. I complained to her about my okra failure and she let me in on the secret: Be gentle. Don't stir.
Try out Mel's recipe! She's usually spot on with the goods, so don't delay!
The more you move the okra, the more you break the membranes thus releasing that slime that has turned you off for years and years. My favorite dish to make with okra is a kind of Indian beef pan casserole with a tomato base:
1 can tomato paste
1lb grass fed ground beef (or lamb)
1/2lb-1lb okra, cut gently into 1/2" pieces, set aside
1 bay leaf
seasonings: ground coriander, ground cardamom, curry powder, tumeric
Brown the beef and mix in the tomato paste. Add in water to thin the paste into a desirable consistency. Begin adding in amounts of the seasonings, careful to allow some time for everything to mix (ie- dash here, dash there, stir, simmer, taste). I usually start with a tablespoon each of the curry powder and tumeric, half a tablespoon of the coriander and cardamom, and move up from there. Now, once you've reached your appropriate level of flavor and consistency, gently take the okra and place it on top of the tomato/beef/curry, cover with a lid, turn the heat off and walk away from the stove for appx 10-15 minutes.
After 10-15 minutes, stir the dish and serve. The okra should be crispy but not raw, and should not be slimy. Pair with cauliflower "rice" (cauliflower pulverized in a food processor and cooked in a pan with olive oil). Yum. Yum.
How does this fit in with the Zone? 1c of okra has 9g of carbs (one block), which makes it a perfect option if you are running low on allotted carb blocks for your day.
Please Step Away From Your Salad
...and do something different with your veggies. Melicious sent me a lovely article last week detailing ways to cook fall greens. For those of you who are new to this world of sans corn and potatoes, I hope the article inspires some new dishes.
Cooking Fall Greens
Cooking Fall Greens
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Turkey Stuffing!!!!
I love bread stuffing, my mother's is to die for, but I'll be bringing my own for Thanksgiving:
FIRST: MAKE THE BREAD
Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 cups almond meal
* 1/3 cup powdered egg whites
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning, such as Bell's Seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup water
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 F.
Butter the bottom of a large loaf pan - if desired, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter or oil that as well.
1) Mix dry ingredient together (a whisk works well).
2) Add wet ingredients and mix well.
3) Pour into loaf pan.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until top is lightly browned (if you insert a toothpick into the loaf and it comes out clean, you can remove it from the oven.)
When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and break into large chunks. Let cool. At this point, I like to leave it out to dry for a few hours, or put it in a low oven. You can cut it into cubes first, if you'd like, or after it dries out a bit.
SECOND: MAKE THE STUFFING
Ingredients:
* 1 loaf low carb stuffing bread
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 6-7 cups chopped celery - about 2 small bunches
* 1 green Bell pepper, chopped
* 1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 2 cups)
* 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning, such as Bells
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* Salt - start with 1/2 teaspoon, or 1 T chicken or turkey soup base (see below)
* 1 cup water or broth, plus more according to moisture needed
* 1 - 3 eggs if baking it, and if desired (nutritional info includes 1 egg)
* 1 T cooking oil
Preparation:
1) Make low-carb stuffing bread, or use about 1 - 1½ lb loaf of low-carb bread if you have access to it. Different types of bread will bring different results, so you may have to adjust the amount of liquid, seasonings, etc. I based the nutritional information below on using my homemade stuffing bread. In any case, allow the bread to dry out for awhile, either on the counter on in a low oven. It doesn't have to be totally dry, just kind of stale-level dry.
2) Saute' onion, celery, and pepper until soft. Add parsley and cook for a minute or so, until wilted. Add seasonings. I include about a Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Soup Base at this point.
3) Mix together the vegetables and the bread. Add a cup of broth or water, stir, and taste. Adjust seasoning and moisture. If you're going to stuff poultry with it, leave it on the dry side because it will absorb a lot of juices during cooking. You can eat it just as it is, but if you bake it, the flavors will come together better. Adding egg will make it come together in more of a melded together form. I usually add one egg, but don't like it too melded. You can add 2, or even three eggs. Mix well and bake at 350 F. for about half an hour, or until browned on top.
FIRST: MAKE THE BREAD
Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 cups almond meal
* 1/3 cup powdered egg whites
* 1 Tablespoon baking powder
* 1 Tablespoon poultry seasoning, such as Bell's Seasoning
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
* 2 eggs
* 1/2 cup water
Preparation:
Heat oven to 350 F.
Butter the bottom of a large loaf pan - if desired, line the bottom with parchment paper and butter or oil that as well.
1) Mix dry ingredient together (a whisk works well).
2) Add wet ingredients and mix well.
3) Pour into loaf pan.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes until top is lightly browned (if you insert a toothpick into the loaf and it comes out clean, you can remove it from the oven.)
When cool enough to handle, remove from pan and break into large chunks. Let cool. At this point, I like to leave it out to dry for a few hours, or put it in a low oven. You can cut it into cubes first, if you'd like, or after it dries out a bit.
SECOND: MAKE THE STUFFING
Ingredients:
* 1 loaf low carb stuffing bread
* 1 large onion, chopped
* 6-7 cups chopped celery - about 2 small bunches
* 1 green Bell pepper, chopped
* 1 bunch parsley, chopped (about 2 cups)
* 4 teaspoons poultry seasoning, such as Bells
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* Salt - start with 1/2 teaspoon, or 1 T chicken or turkey soup base (see below)
* 1 cup water or broth, plus more according to moisture needed
* 1 - 3 eggs if baking it, and if desired (nutritional info includes 1 egg)
* 1 T cooking oil
Preparation:
1) Make low-carb stuffing bread, or use about 1 - 1½ lb loaf of low-carb bread if you have access to it. Different types of bread will bring different results, so you may have to adjust the amount of liquid, seasonings, etc. I based the nutritional information below on using my homemade stuffing bread. In any case, allow the bread to dry out for awhile, either on the counter on in a low oven. It doesn't have to be totally dry, just kind of stale-level dry.
2) Saute' onion, celery, and pepper until soft. Add parsley and cook for a minute or so, until wilted. Add seasonings. I include about a Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Soup Base at this point.
3) Mix together the vegetables and the bread. Add a cup of broth or water, stir, and taste. Adjust seasoning and moisture. If you're going to stuff poultry with it, leave it on the dry side because it will absorb a lot of juices during cooking. You can eat it just as it is, but if you bake it, the flavors will come together better. Adding egg will make it come together in more of a melded together form. I usually add one egg, but don't like it too melded. You can add 2, or even three eggs. Mix well and bake at 350 F. for about half an hour, or until browned on top.
Pork Rinds?
As your faithful recipe web crawler, I must submit this recipe for approval...
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
* 1/4 pound smoked ham, finely ground
* 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup fried pork rinds, crushed
* 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 2/3 cup blanched almonds
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions. Cook until light brown. Add ham, parsley, and spices. Mix well.
Combine mixture with pork rinds, eggs, wine, and almonds.
Serves 10. 4.2 net gram of carbohydrate per serving.
This is considered an Atkins original, low carb all the way, but pork rinds? Who is brave enough to test this? This isn't paleo by a long shot, but interesting nonetheless....
Ingredients:
* 1/2 cup butter
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onions
* 1/4 pound smoked ham, finely ground
* 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
* 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/2 cup fried pork rinds, crushed
* 2 large eggs, beaten to blend
* 1/4 cup dry red wine
* 2/3 cup blanched almonds
Melt butter in a large skillet. Add onions. Cook until light brown. Add ham, parsley, and spices. Mix well.
Combine mixture with pork rinds, eggs, wine, and almonds.
Serves 10. 4.2 net gram of carbohydrate per serving.
This is considered an Atkins original, low carb all the way, but pork rinds? Who is brave enough to test this? This isn't paleo by a long shot, but interesting nonetheless....
Friday, October 30, 2009
Fail to Prepare, Prepare to Fail
November programs at Crossfit Central started this week, and I know we have some new people (welcome! welcome!) running around. For some of you the nutritional component is daunting and somewhat confusing. There is a lot of information floating around, all extremely helpful, and you will hit your stride soon.
First, I'd like to direct you to a post by resident Crossfitter Catherine Hart regarding the importance of words and your success in living a healthy lifestyle. Speaking negatively also includes the use of words that may seem harmless in context, but have exceedingly negative connotations. Using the word "diet" is, in my humble opinion, the WORST word to use when referring to your new eating style.
Diets are always referred to as something temporary; something which will eventually end and a person can resume their way of life, presumably with a smaller waistband. Diets fail because they are not permanent. Looking for permanent results requires permanent change. You are not going on a diet, you are making a lifestyle change, prepare accordingly. This is not a time-out from life, it's relearning how to take care of yourself.
1) Remove anything and everything from your house that does not fit with your new menu. Alter your shopping list forever. Stick to the outsides of the grocery store. If you get the urge to grab a box of "impulse buy crap" do yourself a favor and read the ingredients. Do you know what 90% of that crap is? Me neither. Skip it and move on.
2) The first day is going to be easy. Days 2-5 may be a complete nightmare. Prepare accordingly. You may be slightly irritable. You may eat an entire bag of something, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE GREEN LIST PEOPLE. Eating handfuls of almonds, while high in fat, or carrots, is still miles and miles better than eating handfuls of chips/cake/candy/(insert crap food). See item number one.
3) Tomorrow is always a second chance. If you suddenly find yourself in the midst of consuming a half gallon of chocolate ice cream, do not freak out. You can always try again tomorrow, and eventually it will get easier. We all have our choppy moments, those will never go away. The goal is to have your moment and then get back up again, hopefully with a renewed sense of purpose. Feeling defeated will not help you.
4) Be patient with yourself and plan ahead. You don't have to go so far as planning an entire week's worth of meals, however, pre chopping vegetables and having zoned snacks ready for when you arrive home tired and hungry can save you from making a poor decision.
5) Begin eating fruit as dessert. Frozen grapes that have been mashed are pretty incredible. You can make a fairly convincing "ice cream" using almond milk and frozen fruit. Blend together as a thick smoothie and then put in the freezer.
6) Worried about fiber and calcium? Here you will find a table that lists a per serving amount of fiber for veggies and fruit. Ignore the pasta! As for calcium, please read THIS AMAZING ARTICLE on new developments in the calcium supplement debate. Calcium is important, but the notion that without dairy or supplements you are destined to live your elderly years hunched over and cracking bones raises my eyebrow of suspicion....
Ok. Those are my tips. I'm not going to delve into zone vs. paleo. vs. primal, you need to figure out which works best for you. Ask your coach, research each one online, and my personal favorite: try each for a few weeks at a time and see what works! Good luck, and as always, please post questions or additional tips and info in the comments!
First, I'd like to direct you to a post by resident Crossfitter Catherine Hart regarding the importance of words and your success in living a healthy lifestyle. Speaking negatively also includes the use of words that may seem harmless in context, but have exceedingly negative connotations. Using the word "diet" is, in my humble opinion, the WORST word to use when referring to your new eating style.
Diets are always referred to as something temporary; something which will eventually end and a person can resume their way of life, presumably with a smaller waistband. Diets fail because they are not permanent. Looking for permanent results requires permanent change. You are not going on a diet, you are making a lifestyle change, prepare accordingly. This is not a time-out from life, it's relearning how to take care of yourself.
1) Remove anything and everything from your house that does not fit with your new menu. Alter your shopping list forever. Stick to the outsides of the grocery store. If you get the urge to grab a box of "impulse buy crap" do yourself a favor and read the ingredients. Do you know what 90% of that crap is? Me neither. Skip it and move on.
2) The first day is going to be easy. Days 2-5 may be a complete nightmare. Prepare accordingly. You may be slightly irritable. You may eat an entire bag of something, JUST MAKE SURE IT'S ON THE GREEN LIST PEOPLE. Eating handfuls of almonds, while high in fat, or carrots, is still miles and miles better than eating handfuls of chips/cake/candy/(insert crap food). See item number one.
3) Tomorrow is always a second chance. If you suddenly find yourself in the midst of consuming a half gallon of chocolate ice cream, do not freak out. You can always try again tomorrow, and eventually it will get easier. We all have our choppy moments, those will never go away. The goal is to have your moment and then get back up again, hopefully with a renewed sense of purpose. Feeling defeated will not help you.
4) Be patient with yourself and plan ahead. You don't have to go so far as planning an entire week's worth of meals, however, pre chopping vegetables and having zoned snacks ready for when you arrive home tired and hungry can save you from making a poor decision.
5) Begin eating fruit as dessert. Frozen grapes that have been mashed are pretty incredible. You can make a fairly convincing "ice cream" using almond milk and frozen fruit. Blend together as a thick smoothie and then put in the freezer.
6) Worried about fiber and calcium? Here you will find a table that lists a per serving amount of fiber for veggies and fruit. Ignore the pasta! As for calcium, please read THIS AMAZING ARTICLE on new developments in the calcium supplement debate. Calcium is important, but the notion that without dairy or supplements you are destined to live your elderly years hunched over and cracking bones raises my eyebrow of suspicion....
Ok. Those are my tips. I'm not going to delve into zone vs. paleo. vs. primal, you need to figure out which works best for you. Ask your coach, research each one online, and my personal favorite: try each for a few weeks at a time and see what works! Good luck, and as always, please post questions or additional tips and info in the comments!
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Saucey!
Most of you read Mel's Blog, The Clothes Make the Girl, however, if do not currently check in on her please make it a daily part of your blog stroll. She's a stellar source for recipes.
This post is no exception to the rule.
This post is no exception to the rule.
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