The Breakfast Bar Quiz

I’m sitting in one of those breakfast spots in the hotel we’re visiting while in Lubbock for Stratton’s graduation!  Here’s what’s offered, going from left to right:

A bowl of apples, next to a bowl of the greenest bananas you ever saw.

A bread tray, offering bagels and English muffins, next to the toaster.

A bowl of individually packaged cream cheese and peanut butters.  Jams and syrups are in the next bowl.  Packaged oatmeal in the next one are sitting next to the hot water dispenser.

The cereal gizmos, with Fruit Loops, Special K, Corn Pops, granola, rice crispies and Raisin Bran choices.

A tray of individually packaged Otis Spunkmeyer “healthy” blueberry muffins the size of softballs.  I use quote marks around “healthy” because that is what is says on the package.  Isn’t it CURIOUS the package doesn’t include any nutrition facts?  

A waffle iron and waffle mix machine (aha!  That’s why they offer syrup!)

The milk fridge with 2% and skim milk on one shelf and small Dannon yogurts on the other.

The juice machine, offering orange and apple.

GO.  

What would you eat?

Protein choices (and remember you should ALWAYS look for protein choices for breakfast!) are pretty slim.  Peanut butter, milk and yogurt are the only options.

As usual, most prominently offered are starches, and as I sit here watching hotel guests load up, they couldn’t be happier.  One lady just walked away with TWO muffins tucked up under her arms...I guess for later?

Fruit choices are an apple, a green banana or a cup of juice.  Not surprisingly, 99% of these folks are going for the juice.  ARE whole fruits too much trouble?  (I was told once by a client that she never eats whole fruits because it’s too much trouble.  I am still baffled by that statement....

Here’s one lady that has obviously been working out and she is just backing away, scratching her chin as she sums up her options.  What do you wanna bet she goes for the oatmeal?  Yep!  While she’s fixing that, another lady just walked up and put an OS muffin in her purse!  hahahahahahahah

This is real life, day to day, trying to figure out how to treat our bodies with respect through our food choices.  Throw in a little people watching, and I could sit here all day!  But I have a date to watch my brilliant, adorable, clever and awesome STRATTON walk the stage for his COLLEGE DIPLOMA today! Sighhhh....I'm a proud, happy mama.

Wait. What? Chicken and Waffles?

Today, I went out to lunch with my work pals to celebrate a sweet young friend’s birthday.  We went to a DELICIOUS place in Ft. Worth called Buttons, that apparently is even BETTER at night, what with the dressed up crowd and the Frank Sinatra singer workin’ the crowd.  You should go.

But naturally, this post is about food.  It’s not that I don’t get out much---actually, the truth is, I hardly go out for lunch because that is when I work out (if you can call it that.) My lunch is eaten sitting at my desk afterward. 

So it never fails to ASTONISH me what (and how much) people eat.  It bears repeating---this food was divine.  But imagine a round platter.  On it, picture 4 halves (not quarters) of inch thick waffles, stacked all fanned out and fancy.  Strawberries, butter and syrup rounded out the “and waffles” portion of the platter.  Then on the other half sat a large hunk of what was presumably fried chicken.  I say that with a question mark because it was indistinguishable in shape because of the fried batter.  But wait.  There’s more.  Sitting atop the chicken must’ve been at least 1/2 cup of fried shoestring sweet potatoes.  (That were maybe the best thing I’ve tasted in a while.)

It was so massive that my friend who ordered it asked me to take a picture.  If I can figure out how to upload it, you’ll see for yourself.

FOR LUNCH.  Can you imagine what the dinner menu must yield?

People.  Peeeeeeople.  Please tell me you think that’s outrageous.  If there’s one thing I’d like you to take away from my rants and raves, it’s PORTION CONTROL.  (Go back to my early post about this very thing.)  It is just silly to think you can eat what you are served with abandon, and not expect the health consequences.   4 halves of waffles (I’m waffling-pun intented-on the thickness because these were monster waffles) equals at least 2 starches.  The 1/2 cup of fried sweet potato shoe strings is another starch.  The batter on the chicken...who can count that high.  The chicken was larger than a deck of cards, so I’m going to say at least 6 ounces.  Strawberries are such a good choice, and butter goes with waffles.  But when the butter plop looks like a golfball, instead of a pat (you DO know what a pat of butter looks like, right) then I’m calling that at least 3 servings of fat.....

Let’s remember this:  no matter what meal, no matter what snack, no matter what drink, portions COUNT.  If you feel guilty for paying for that much food without eating it, share a platter.  Or take home 2/3 of it for 2 more meals.  Just don’t give into the “what the hecks.”  Practice some of your skills and order/choose the best option (and don’t be afraid to ask for a healthier version, as I did,) then only eat what you know to be the right amount.

My shrimp and grits (albeit ordered fussily---I asked if my shrimp could be grilled instead of fried) were served with an egg over easy on top.  I will be dreamin’ about it tonight!

Happy Birthday, sweet Kristi!

Clean Food

I was en route from Lubbock weekend #1 on our normal menu planning day, so I left Joe to his own devices with very little input from me, believe it or not.  The only thing I requested was salmon one night and spaghetti pile-on another.  Beyond that, I was just so grateful that I got a bye from the chore, and that he was such a good sport about doing it solo!

Even though I'm not his mother, for Mother's Day, the man treated me to shrimp and pasta with champagne cream sauce, salad and garlic breadsticks.  He even bought fat free cream to add to the sauce instead of the real stuff.  Monday night, he fixed breaded cutlet parmiagiano with a 3 bean salad.  Tonight, we had baked salmon dijon and with a broccoli and corn casserole....

All so good.  And so thoughtful.  And so sweet in so many ways.

But you know what?  I want some clean food.  Bad.

Clean food is not food that's gone through the wash.  Rather, it's food in its normal, un-tricked up state.  Grilled salmon and corn on the cob, for example.  Or a delicious shrimp boil with a fiery horseradish-y red sauce and a green salad with red onion and a sassy little vinaigrette.

What comes to mind when I say "clean food?"  Do you curl your lip because it sounds boring or reminds you too much of your last diet?  Have you talked yourself into thinking that if a lovely piece of salmon doesn't have a buttery yellow sauce on it that it's pitiful?

Take a look at your menu this week.  (You DO have a menu, right?) Are you more like Joe, where everything has a topper and a casserole side dish?  Or are you more like me, where I could almost eat out of one of those old school cafeteria trays with compartments?  How about taking a MODERATE approach (and you know I know when I point one finger at you, I've got 3 pointing right back at me!)  How about a compromise?

Share with me what you're eating these days, folks!  I'm back, and I'm focused on talking about real things we can all do right now, today, to change our habits and get healthy.

P.S.  Thanks for the encouragement, friends!

A Call to Action!

I must say this topic today isn't so much about adopting a habit to help you gain your health and wellbeing BECAUSE of the food you choose as it is about asking for your thoughts and feedback on something that has been bugging the devil out of me for far too long.  And of course it comes with a background story....

I had a nice long visit with a cute little friend yesterday who is decades younger than me and therefore in a totally different phase of her life as a mama.  I adore hearing kid stories; that's the truth.  They don't bore me, they don't make me butt in and add one of mine...they just allow me to observe (and yes, remember) that season of life with those precious gifts, our children.

My friend has 2 kids in elementary school and while both are the same gender, they are vastly different.  Where one is blond, the other is dark.  Where one is outgoing, the other is reserved.  Where one is naturally thin, the other isn't.  (You see where this is going, don't you?)

Without going into detail, this sweet mama broke my heart yesterday as she tearfully described the perfectly healthy and appropriate typical daily menu she provided to both kids.  She added in all the extracurricular activities that provided ample opportunity for exercise for each.  She was at a loss at what is going on with her child and why this kid was already struggling, both physically and emotionally with weight.

Sighhhhh.  It makes me sad just to sit here and type this.  And it brought back memories.  Like I've said before, I don't remember much about my childhood, and no, it doesn't freak me out and make me suspicious (all you repressed memory theorists!)  One time, in 4th grade PE, we were asked to line up on the stage in the cafeteria so we could be weighed on a doctor's scale.  The adult weighing each of us would then tell another adult, who was the recorder of the weights, what little Susie's or little Bobby's weight was.  Only she was sitting out in the audience, monitoring the other three 4th grade classes sitting there waiting their turn to be humiliated and violated by these loud and public announcements.  So weigher on the stage is hollering to recorder sitting probably 30 feet away each time another child would step on that scale.  (I still just shake my head at the audacity, impropriety and sheer inefficiency of this system.)  Now for those of you who don't know, typical weights called out would be somewhere in the 60-70 pound range back then.  (It would be interesting indeed to see what a typical 10 year old weighs today, no?) 

And then it was my turn.  I weighed 93.  The weigher witch screamed it.  The beast taking down the weights yelled back, "HOW MUCH?"  And I swear you could've heard a pin drop when she repeated, in THAT tone of voice, "93!!!"  And at that, with literally 100 sets of eyes on me, I got off the scale and took my seat. Talk about a defining moment.....

So back to my friend.  She said she figured out that her child was spending money on extras during lunch at school.  She described the choices and the serving sizes that the kids were presented with.  And a bell went off.

I don't think there's any ONE solution to the rampant, disturbing and threatening trend of obesity that is here within our younger population.  (The headlines this week shocked me:  40% of our kids are obese.  Not just overweight.  Not chunky.  Not chubby.  OBESE.  That's nearly one out of 2, friends.)  But I do know this:  this is a call to arms.  We have to care.  We have to be the voice of reason and action to change this.  We must get rid of the junk offered our kids in schools.  We must be thoughtful and reasonable about what we feed them at home.  We must get them to turn off their technological toys and get them outside for some exercise.  We must set healthy examples so they can learn how to treat themselves well from an early age.

I'm stirred up.  I feel like if enough of us put some thought to this dreadful and scary state of affairs, we could change things.  Where do we start?  Sign me UP.

Overheard

Folks, there's a fine art to eavesdropping.  It is one of my gifts, and I can't tell you how many gems I have overheard...like this one....

I was just up at mom's helping her with lunch.  God love her, she's in a "memory care unit" for residents dealing with Alzheimer's or demetia-related issues.  I could go on and on about that, but for now, I'll just say that the mind is an AMAZING thing to behold, and I'm fascinated by what is playing out.  She's very chatty and happy, so it's a blessing that I still have to look forward to when I visit.  She doesn't know she has 2 kids, (don't feel sorry for me) but when they served her lunch, the 55-year-ago chief dietician at John Sealy Hospital in Galveston, Texas came out.  She remarked about the balance of lunch (chicken breast, 1/2 cup of broccoli, small green salad with ranch and a piece of Texas toast, whole milk and cheesecake for dessert, if you're wondering) and how lovely everything was presented.  She still has the manners of a Southern Belle too....thanking them graciously for the delicious meal and for having her.....my heart is smiling.

But this post isnt' about my precious mama.  It's about 2 of the wonderful aides that work there.  (If you don't think THAT'S a calling, you haven't spent any time in a nursing home lately.)  They were ordering pizza for lunch and they were going to split it.  They could agree on the topping (Meat lover's) but were arguing over what kind of crust. Here's where my ears perked up.

One said that she didn't care what kind of crust because it was the crust that was "bad" for you.  All she cared about was the extra meat, extra cheese and extra sauce.  The other one was stunned that extra meat/extra cheese lady didn't know that the toppings were why she had her "bodacious booty" and the crust was what was "good" for you.  And at that, she ordered deep dish.

Oh my goodness, talk about restraint.  I had to hold my lips together to keep from telling them both they were crazy wrong.

But it only convinced me further that people REALLY DON'T KNOW.  There have been so many crazy fads that have swept the nation that it's no wonder one is praising all protein and fat (no matter how much---I guess that's why she ordered "extra?") and the other is saying that the crust is "good" for her and if thin crust is good, then deep dish must be GREAT?

The truth is, it boils down to calories in.  Calories in your mouth.  Calories you swallow.  The formula is simple: calories IN, less calories BURNED (not necessarily in the gym) is calories you KEEP.  If you take more calories in than you use up, your body stores the extra.  If you don't take enough in, your body turns to the reserves to fuel itself.

There is a moderate compromise I could've offered, had I stuck my nose in their business.  I would've said, "thin crust, no extra meat or cheese, a few vegies on the top, and 2 pieces each."  But I didn't butt in.  (Amazing, I know!)

However, I couldn't get home fast enough to blog about it. Enjoy your beautiful Saturday, folks.  I'm going to walk around a gorgeous lake with one of my favorite people, then I have a hot date with sweet Joe tonight to celebrate some good tidings!

This Is What A Tirade Looks Like!

I can't let this pass.  I wish I could.  Really I do.  But I heard a news item on the radio this morning that picked my interest and got home to do a little research.  My feathers are so ruffled I have to vent....

There is a new restaurant coming to Dallas!  Woohooooo!

Except. Ummm no.

This restaurant is called "Heart Attack Grill."  I have to admit, the guy is genius.  The waitresses dress as nurses, they take your order on Rx pads, they give you a wrist hoochie that has your order on it to ID you,  the cooks wear scrubs.  The offerings are entitled, "Flatline fries" fried in pure lard (!) and the burgers are called bypass burgers. You can have a single bypass, double, triple or quadruple bypass burger.  The shakes are boasting the highest butterfat ice cream available, and even the owner says he stays away from them.

Oh and get this:  if you weigh in before you order, and you tip the scale at +350, you win!  You get to eat for free, so long as you order the triple or quadruple bypass burger, which sports an unbelievable 8000 (that's eight thousand) calories.

The company spokesperson, 29 year old Blair River, can't work for them anymore.  Because he stinking DIED.  575 pound - 29 year old young man - DIED.  As in, dead.  In the ground.

I'm horrified that there are THAT many people out there that have the "don't give a rips."  (Actually, if you know me at all, you know I"m cleaning this up.  If there's ever an appropriate time to use the 'don't give a sh*t' phrase, it would be here.)  I'm speechless that ANYONE would order a burger that has more calories than most people eat in days. I'm sputtering that, despite all the information to the contrary, someone would ADVERTISE that they fry in LARD.

People, people, people.  Please reassure me that the world hasn't spun off it's axis.  Please tell me this sort of restaurant, serving folks and their kids, will keep you up tonight.

And to the owner....who laughs it off saying that people are so tired of having healthy food "crammed down their throats," shame on you.

2 Women Who Inspire Me

A few tidbits tonight come to mind as I enjoy the smell of roasting garlic with my fresh cauliflower in the oven...

Sesame oil.  Hatsie, as you know, is blogging about cooking.  She is having the time of her life experimenting, sharing, researching and creating.  Along the way, she’s teaching me a thing or two as I read what she’s tried this week, so today when she gushed about sesame oil in her Tuesday night asian noodle dish, it made me a crazy lady.  I will own some sesame oil soon, folks.  I particularly loved this description, 

“It's nutty and rich and smells like peanut butter but with class.  I was blown away by the flavor it imparted.”

Huh?  Huh?  Besides how well she writes, (sorry for the obnoxious mama bear bragging!) doesn’t that make you want to own some?  For the recipe that she used, go here:   http://tworecipes.blogspot.com

Another thing.  I have an old friend that I’ve reunited with on Facebook.  My only real connection to her is that she married one of my childhood friends from the ‘hood, who was one of my brother’s best friends.  But that’s just where it starts.  I connect with her on so many levels apart from that:  she loves her kids as much as I love mine (definitely my kind of people,) she loves Glee and kids and musicals and creativity expressed in ways like drama and dance, she grew up around ranches and hunting and calls the Hill Country home (it touches my nostalgic nerve every time she talks about it as I think back to Bandera, Texas and the ranch) and most importantly, she wants to be on Oprah as bad as I do.  

Hello?  If you’ve been around me longer than 5 minutes, you’ve heard me raise that eyebrow and lock that jaw and say Oprah doesn’t even know how bad she needs me on her show!  (Huge, knee slapping, never-gonna-happen dream of mine.)  

But this ferociously tenacious woman has graciously included me (and anyone else devoted to reading her blogs) in an amazing journey as she’s lost OVER 120 POUNDS.   She’s done it the old fashioned way:  eat less, eat right, and exercise her booty off.  

I asked for her permission to link her blog to share with you, dear friends, for inspiration the next time you think whatever task before you is too great.  The next time you want to say, “I can’t...it’s too much,” go here:   http://shrinkingviolettheblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/abracadabra.html

I think I’ll close with that.  I have more tidbits to share, but I don’t want to water down the impact that I believe you’ll feel after reading a few of her posts....

And watch for her on Oprah!  She, in direct contrast to me, has a real shot!

Lullaby and Goodnight!

I read in USA Today that on average, tired people eat more.  Around 300 calories more.  This, from a study--likely a very expensive study--conducted by a team of experts who I guess were curious?  (You know it’s abuse to point out a problem without offering a solution, right?)

Could’ve saved them a whole lot of studying.  Think about the last time you were tired.  Or is it right now?  Can you think about fixing yourself a nutritious, healthy, nurturing meal?  

If you can, do you know that you have all the ingredients and won’t have to stop at Kroger on the way home?  

If you have all the ingredients, will you get home in time to cook, eat and clean up before it’s past your bedtime, which if you don’t meet will layer tomorrow’s tired onto today’s?

Only 2 ways around this, friends:

One is to get more sleep.  

Wow, brilliant, right? Yes.  Schedule it and with your red sharpie, circle it and star it and exclamation point it.

The other is to plan for tired.  That means you sit down and plan the week's menu and subsequent grocery list, all created at a time when you AREN’T draggin’ a**.  

It’s Friday night, and for all my good intentions, I couldn’t face the kitchen and the firey fish tacos tonight.  Guess what we ordered in?

Is It Worth It?

There are two kinds of people in this world.  Those that love it, and those that gag at the very mention of it.

Mayonnaise.

Which group are you in?

The reason I’m blogging about this is because today I had a wonderful lunch with the most delightful ladies, and we started talking about things we craved when we were pregnant.  One craved ice cream with her first, and baby dills with her second.  Another craved milk....2 gallons a day of whole milk a day, no less!  But the one that got me was the charming lady who told me that she wanted mayonnaise on EVERYTHING.  You name it, she wanted mayo on it.

Which make me shake my head a little, like this.  Because I’ve always held the belief that mayonnaise is good for one thing only, and that’s to hold stuff together.  Salads like tuna or chicken or dips like AJ’s sun-dried tomato mouthful of heaven.  So I have always bought fat free mayonnaise because I figure I’m mixing it into something that already tastes good.  When I need something spread-like for my sandwiches, I’m a mustard gal, the funkier the better.

Now who out there did I just lose?

Talk about your no-brainers for me.  What little taste I may have to give up is MORE than compensated by the SLAM DUNK WIN in the “saving unnecessary junk” game.  Have you looked at the nutrition facts for mayonnaise lately?  Go educate yourself.  I’m going to put this in perspective for you.... 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise has the same amount of fat grams as a whole 1/4 CUP of feta cheese.  (And that’s REAL feta cheese, not the reduced fat variety, which is pretty tasty, by the way.)  The day I choose mayo over feta cheese....well....come get me because clearly I’ve lost my mind.

You know where this is going, don’t you?  What I’m trying to do is light the fire in you to decide what’s worth it and what isn’t.  And to spark in you a curiosity to figure out just how much mayonnaise you spoon into your chicken salad or cole slaw...I would bet you it’s more than 2 T. (Ummm...that’s a whole HALF CUP of feta...just sayin’...)  These are things, once you know, you can never un-know.  And that’s a good thing.

So try this:  get you a jar of fat free mayonnaise and a jar of reduced fat.  (I’m assuming you already have the full lead kind in your fridge.  Experiment a little.  Figure out what’s best for your taste buds vs your health and keep a little tally sheet with two columns:  “this isn’t so bad” in one (these would be the surprises that you had when you used fat free or reduced fat mayo and couldn’t taste the difference) and then the other column, titled, “not worth eating without the real deal.” 

If you happen to live with a houseful of whiners and closed minded eaters, then either be slippery and figure out how to feed them your batch without their suspecting a thing, or make 2 batches of stuff.  I’ve done it; it’s not the end of the world. 

To LC--2 GALLONS?  Really???  That’s one for the “believe it or not” chapter!

Have You Wondered About This Too?

Let’s talk about allergies.  Can you BELIEVE how bad they are right now?  From Boston to Atlanta, from California to Texas, everyone I know is S-U-F-F-E-R-I-N-G right now with headaches, earaches, breathing struggles, sore throats and everything puny in between.  This, as you know, is a reaction to Mother Nature doing her thang.  And there’s not much to do but just wait it out and keep saline spray for your nose very close to your ibuprofin bottle!

But that brings me to another topic, related to food, naturally.  I’m sorta fascinated by this new phase of food phobia around gluten.  “Gluten free” are the new buzz words for guaranteed commercial success.  I tweet now (do you?  It’s such fun...follow me at alicia_haley and I’ll follow you back!) and one of the gals I follow, recipegirl was talking about a conference she’s going to in May.  Nosy rosy here googled the conference details, and the top billing for the whole dang thing was “Gluten Free Weekend.”  Huh?

Now you may know this already, but let me give me just a little background about what gluten is.

Gluten is a mixture of plant proteins found in cereal grains such as corn and wheat, and that gives dough its cohesiveness. Sensitivity to gluten can cause damage to the intestines.

I have worked with people who have a severe gluten intolerance, and believe me, my heart goes out to these celiacs.  (I apologize for the label, friends.)  I am very, very respectful of the special dietary needs these folks require, and am thankful therefore for the new “gluten free” craze sweeping the country.

But for the regular ole Joe (as opposed to my sweet Joe) who is going gluten free, I ask you, “Why?”  “What is your motivation?”  These are things I do not know.  And I want to.  

See.  My approach to food is simple.  I have to live in this world.  I have to feed myself 3 times a day, and my goal is to not feel like the ultimate food freak while doing it.  (I admit, compared to most, I’m pretty freakish already what with my no meat and no nut status!)  The moment you tell most people they CAN’T eat something, that something takes on a life of its own and oozes into the prohibited obsession category.  Ummm, like Pavlov’s dog, you say peanut butter and I start drooling.  I’m very bitter about this sad state of affairs....

I’ve said this before but no one has any power over you.  You make all the decisions, and thus, live with all the consequences.  If you can only decide what your goals are, then the rest is easy.  These goals might be to stop with the sugar junk, or to put down the cokes.  Or maybe your goal is to save money and eat better by reducing the number of times you go out to eat each week by half. 

It’s time to introduce one of my favorite words.  MODERATION.  Means no deprivation, yet no gluttony.  It’s such a simple concept, but is such a difficult thing to really own. Do you remember that old school Lay’s potato chip commercial that taunted us?  “Betcha can’t eat just one?”  Uh huh.  Mr. Lay’s was brilliant.  They played on this very topic of our inability to moderate ourselves.  One potato chip is nothing.  It’s a blip on the screen of your calorie and fat counters.  But the whole bag?  Another story altogether.  Same with a bite of cinnabon or 2 or 3 Dodie’s fries..  Likewise, 6 Hershey’s kisses or 2 cups of coffee would certainly never be considered excessive.  

The trick is, can you practice moderation around these things?  If not, don’t put your hand on the red hot burner.  It will burn you every single time.

Now I’m going to leave you pondering gluten and deprivation.  Moderation vs gluttony.  

But I have to share this with you.  This has nothing to do with anything other than I’ve “discovered” the best tasting apple in the whole wide world.  (Actually Joe brought them home from CM for me as a sussy because I love apples and he’s the nicest man in the world...)

Honey Crisp.  (Quite possibly just one word.)  Oh my.  Oh my!  Go find you one.  You’re welcome.

A Peek Into My Kitchen This Week!

It’s Sunday around here, and that means menu planning and grocery store duty.  For meals this week, here is the lineup...

Sunday:  Haley’s Special:  brown hamburger (or ground turkey) in an oven proof skillet with onion and garlic.  Drain.  Stir in a package of taco or chili mix and water and cook for 10 minutes.  Add some drained pintos if you like beans.  Take off the stove and add a layer of low fat shredded cheddar cheese, then top with a package of cornbread mix.  (I use Jiffy’s.)  Plop some jalapenos on the top if you like hot.  Bake in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.  This is a bean and cornbread night for me.  Yummmm.

Monday:  Cajun pasta with crawfish, found here http://tworecipes.blogspot.com/2011/03/spicy-cajun-pasta.html   With a green salad.  Sounds divine, and rich, no?  I am not going to trick this recipe up one bit the first time I try it.  

Tuesday:  Steaks and baked potatoes.  This is a baked potato with low fat cottage cheese night for me.  Have you tried that?  Oh my....  I think some roasted cauliflower would go nicely.

Wednesday, aka American Idol night #1:  Vegetable frittata with leftover chopped up potato from Tuesday and bacon for the carnivores.  You know how to do a frittata, right?  If not, read here: http://tworecipes.blogspot.com/2011/03/leftovers-frittata.html 

Thursday, aka AI Results night:  Crock Pot (CP) chicken stroganoff found here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Slow-Cooker-Chicken-Stroganoff/Detail.aspx served over rice with a spinach salad made with mandarin oranges and red onion.

Friday:  Fiery fish tacos and corn salsa found here http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Fiery-Fish-Tacos-with-Crunchy-Corn-Salsa/Detail.aspx and some crunchy cowboy slaw.

Saturday:  out on the town with my cute date!

What’s on YOUR PLATE this week?

Welcome to My Zoo!

I have a plethora of dogs in my life right now.  First there’s Dixie, who is the best hostess ever, welcoming other guest dogs with grace and love.  Then there’s Missy, my parent’s miniature Schnauzer.  Missy is old as dirt, profoundly deaf, and can’t see in the dark.  (She’ll just stand rock still until someone shines some light.)  Finally, Stratton’s dog Abby is spending her Spring Break at Mo’s.  (That’s me.)  Abby is a blue heeler who looks a LOT like a wolf with big ears and large teeth.  But she is the sweetest wolf-looking dog you ever met, and is the most active 3 year old dog in the world.

Now that you know the cast, I’m going to talk about hunger.  

Dixie is the very definition of a compulsive eater.  Once she gets the smell or taste of food in her mouth, she is frantic.  She’ll eat all the dry food, she’ll lick clean Rudy’s bowl (Rudy’s the large cat who deserves his own blog,) she’ll beg without shame for scraps from the kitchen while I”m cooking, then follow us to the table to beg for more, she’ll bug the dog out of me for a treat.  This dog has NO idea how to gauge hunger.  Period.

Then there’s Missy.  She only eats a few bites at a time, and never in front of the other dogs.  She’ll take her mouthful of food into dad’s bedroom and chew.  Then she’ll come out for another bite and go away to eat it.  I can only assume she does this gnoshing all day long, because she is plenty sturdy.  

And finally, there’s my Abby girl, who plays and runs and barks and chases and jumps ALL DAY LONG.  There’s no telling how many calories that dog burns, but she clearly doesn’t feel hunger.  She has to be called in for breakfast, but as soon as she’s eaten, she tears outside to bite that darn tree limb.  

Let’s talk about hunger.  Hunger shows up in people differently.  My adorable blogging daughter (www.tworecipes.blogspot.com) takes after her mama.  If we wait too long we get nauseated.  I don’t get the hunger pains first...I just get sick to my stomach.  Others get headache-y.  I have a friend who gets shaky but doesn’t know what a growling stomach feels like.  Another gets grumpier than all get out.   

My question to you is this:  how does hunger manifest in you?  Maybe I should start with another one....when was the last time you actually felt hunger?  

Do you take after Dixie?  Does the smell, sight or mere thought of food make you frantic?  Do you stop when you are full or do you eat till there’s no mo? 

Are you more like Missy?  Eating a little bit all day long so you don’t take the chance that you will feel hunger?  (leaving alone the behavior part for now---but did it strike a chord in you because you too might be a “closet eater?”)  

Or do you go all day long and run on fumes like Abby?   Have you ignored your hunger signals so long that your body no longer bothers to signal that it needs some fuel?

Want to know the simple fix?  Eat by the clock.  Set the time for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Then stick to it for 2 weeks.  I guarantee by the end of these 2 weeks, you will have trained that metabolism of yours to burn your fuel efficiently, then signal to you when it’s time for more.    

Tomorrow’s blog is going to talk about the second part of this equation:  stopping when you’re full.  For now, it’s time for lunch! 

To My Dear Friends

I won't tell you WHO, exactly, I'm talking about, but someone very close to me is having the time of his life with unabashedly, unapologetically, and more than likely inappropriate abandonment, and about that, I feel JOY.

Friends, let's remember one thing:  today is the only day we have.  With the grace of God, we hope to have tomorrow, but as we know from the unspeakable tragedies that we are witnessing in Japan hour-by-hour,  there is no guarantee.

Today, treat yourself with dignity and respect.  Make yourself proud of you.  Live your life with integrity and honesty.  Don't disregard your health.  Don't choose anything--substance or behavior--that you KNOW is going to make you feel ashamed or guilty about later...

When you lay your head on the pillow tonight, will you be able to say, "Well done?"

What's that old saying about character?  "Character is how you behave when nobody is watching..."

And if you get a chance, I hope you dance.......

It's Time!

If I stay true to my intent, (which was to suggest to anyone interested how to stop bad habits and pick up new ones to meet a goal of getting healthy,) I need to pay a little bit more than lip service to the exercise piece.

Exhibit A.  I knew it was happening, because he would tell me at the end of rushed conversations that he would call me back after the gym, but I guess I didn't give it the real 2 brain cells rubbing together to process that our son, Stratton, started working out.  Like he was on a mission. So when he walked in for Spring Break, and AJ said, "You look like you've lost a lot of weight," to which he replied, "I've lost 17 pounds this semester!" it hit me.

Doing nothing more than working out.  Not a single change in his (mostly liquid) diet.  "Just" working out.  Now that he had my attention, he replied to her inquisition, "a few laps around the track, 30 minutes on the bike, 10 minutes on the stair climber and a sauna to finish up the 45 minutes."

Boom.

Exhibit B.  My friend Courtney.  "Tired of the muffin top," she started doing a rigorous daily routine that is all the rage these days.  I'm sure you know someone who is doing it as well.  I've not laid eyes on her, so I can't attest to the physical change.  But what I HAVE done is keep up with her mental attitude (admittedly, through Facebook) and have to remark how positive, dedicated, bubbly and enthusiastic she is about her passion.  She cooks healthy food, she shares her healthy recipes, she genuinely wants to help others ignite the flame.

Now I hate exercise as much as the next person, and you wanna talk "busy," I'll stack my schedule against yours any day.  But look at it this way.  You find time for the internet; otherwise you wouldn't be reading my blog right now.  You find time to watch American Idol.  (You DO, don't you?)

Take a look at the simplicity of Stratton's routine.  Or take a look at the devotion of Courtney in front of her tv each day.  Why not meet somewhere in the middle of that?  Can you find time to walk 3 miles in the glorious Spring weather?  Now that daylights savings time has happened again and we have longer days, would it be possible to add 45 minutes outside before starting your inside routine?

Let's visit about this again....I think it's a big deal.  No, I know it is....

Happy Spring Break!

Ok, so maybe in your grown-up-ness, you don't get that little buzz when the thought of SPRING BREAK floats by, but it never, ever fails.  The month of March sets my foot tapping because I know that somewhere hidden in the middle, there's a whole week's worth of nothing on my mind but facing no responsibilities, no deadlines, no lingering "I shoulds";  I only have the "I want to's," or the "I get to's."

Oh wait.  I don't get Spring Break anymore.  Dang it.  My very generous, understanding employer doesn't recognize this holiday.  Bummer.  But try as I might, I can't keep the attitude down just because the boss makes me show up for work.

What does this have to do with healthy eating and good food choices, you ask?  Well...it's a leap, but I want to talk to you about how important our attitudes are when it's time to eat.  Let's talk about the "I want to," or the "I get to" as it relates to our food choices.

You are the only one who chooses what you put in your mouth, and how much you put in there.  No one has the right or the claim to decide for you.  You are always in charge.  No one is watching; no one is judging; no one really even cares. (They are too busy thinking about themselves, right?)

So do you have Spring Break mind when you eat?  That attitude that you don't have to do anything you don't want to?  Do you have the "give up"-itis:  That "oh well" sinking feeling that you can't do anything about your size or your cholesterol or your blood pressure because you are overwhelmed at the task?

You can open any book of inspirations and read a zillion quotes about the journey beginning with baby steps, but I want you to ponder this one dearly by my dear Dr. Seuss:

"Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better.  It's not."

Sink your teeth into the idea that it's up to you, baby.  It's your job.  It's a daily job, and lots of times, it's sorta no fun.  But there's no workaround.  I have spent a lifetime working with people who spend tonsssss of money on workarounds, only to conclude that there's no "quick fix" or "miracle" or even "diet du jour" that is the answer.  They come to me, whining and frustrated, because nothing "works" for them.  I hate the broken record aspect of this, but the truth - and the answer - is simple:  food works. Every single time.  The right food choices, in the right amounts, at the right time, works.

So it is with a Spring Break state of mind that wish this for you, dear friends.   Whisper it, write it on a notecard and tape it to your mirror, do whatever you do with your other inspirational messages.

"I want to take charge of my body today." "I get to choose food that will fuel my mission."

And to close with another wonderfully appropriate Dr. Seuss quote, "Today you are You, that is truer than true.  There is no one alive you is Youer than You."

Happy Spring Break!

Ash Wednesday

To those of you who already know this, you probably have your list ready.  To those who don't, here's an interesting little challenge to ponder.  Today is Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of the Lenten season, when Catholics and Episcopalians (and no doubt other groups) give up something for the duration as a reminder of the pain and suffering of our Lord.

As a child, I can remember giving up things like liver, brussel sprouts and spaghetti.  These were all things I despised.  This of course doesn't count.  It doesn't mean much if you give up something you're looking for an excuse not to do!

As a teenager, my gig was always Diet Cokes.  (Actually, Tab--Who remembers Tab?) In some weird, insignificant way, this was as much of a sacrifice as the small-minded, egocentric Alicia could fathom, and I felt very proud as Easter would roll around and I would finally get to have the first of another many cans of bad habit.  Until the next Lent.

But here's your challenge.  Since there's a group of people also giving something up, and having a support system is always easier, why don't you use this Lenten season to ditch something that needs ditching from your routine? Something that you KNOW you need to kick.  Here's a list of possible things you might possibly want to take a look at today as you ponder your give-up item...

Sugar
Eating between meals
Sugar
Drive through breakfasts
Fried food
Sugar
Store bought cookies
Real cokes
Alcohol
Sugar
Eating out at lunch

Enough ideas?  Give me some feedback...I'd love to hear your choices and your stories!

P. S.  Another angle, instead of giving something up, is to take on some new, really wonderful habit to improve your life.  You could always choose to walk a mile every day!

To the Brotherhood

Joe and I raised our family in Leave it to Beaver's hometown.  We lived in Abilene where our neighbors were our best friends, Little League was our social life from April through July (if we were very lucky,) the teachers loved our kids like their own and we never locked our doors.  If there was anything from the picture lacking, we didn't miss it. Truly paradise.  

One of the sparkles  in my memory was the time spent loving and worshipping in our church. The exquisite sanctuary and grounds, kept immaculate and traditional, were cared for by parishioners and a small staff who were honored to serve.  There were various guilds and groups, mostly dedicated to one particular function of the church. One of the most interesting groups was the Brotherhood of St. Andrew, a group of men who gathered for fellowship, community, service and food.

On Mardi Gras, when most people think of the revelry and devilry going on in fabulous places like Rio de Janeiro, New Orleans and even Galveston, I inevitably think of pancakes. Shrove Tuesday was the annual Brotherhood Pancake Supper, when lots of good folks of all ages would come out to eat and make merry before the austerity of Lent meant no more celebrations.  I can still close my eyes and picture our littles marching through the parish hall banging pots and pans and stomping, singing at the top of their lungs, "Oh when the saints....oh when the saints....oh when the saints come marching in...."

Yummmm!  Pancakes!  Who doesn't love them?  (What's not to love?)  I give you then Courtney's Pancakes, to enjoy tomorrow night on Shrove Tuesday.  With a couple pieces of turkey sausage and some low sugar syrup (or better yet, some *homemade fruit syrup) and a big glass of milk?  Have mercy! *Homemade fruit syrup is nothing more than berries, gently boiled with a little squeeze of lemon and a drop of vanilla until thickened.  Try it with blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, you name it!

Courtney's Pancakes

1/3 to 1/2 cup dry oatmeal
1 1/4 cup egg whites
1/2 to 1 smashed banana
1 tbsp crushed walnuts
Cinnamon 
Vanilla
Nutmeg

Heat skillet over med heat spray with nonstick cooking spray
Whisk all ingedients together
Pour into heated skillet
Flip
Top with 1tbsp raw agave or maple syrup

The Vitamin Debate

My sweet Joe is in Atlanta this weekend visiting his mama and both sisters, connecting as only the Haley clan can:  over a deck of cards and a large pot full of money!  So dad and I went out to eat last night, despite the fact that several hours earlier, I couldn’t lift my head off the pillow.  I caught whatever stomach crud he had earlier this week which knocked him flat for 3 days.  Thank goodness, after exactly 24 hours from the moment my head started hurting and my stomach started making that squirty, noisy sound, I got in the shower and felt human once more.

No, this isn’t about the stomach junk. This  blog is about vitamins.  Friday night, I knew I better not eat, (take my word for it) and went to bed around 7.  I did, however, take my vitamins because I figured if my poor defenses ever needed some back up, it was then.  

Do you take supplements?  

Disclaimer:  I am not a doctor.  Do NOT take my word for it and rush to the drug store to load up.  I’m just sharing my opinion...

The vitamin debate certainly polarizes folks.  Doctors, for example, must  have to sign an oath alongside the Hippocratic one, that they will pooh pooh vitamins forevermore.  My dad and I just agree to disagree.  His stance is constant--if you’re eating right, you’re getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Ahhh...that’s the opening I always look for.  “If you’re eating right?”  Who eats right these days?  And that implies that even if we ARE eating right, the food choices we are making will supply all the nutrients we need, right?

Uh, NO.  Back in the day, farmers would grow a crop.  After that crop was harvested, they would turn and work the soil along with Mother Nature until it was time to plant again, in another season. This working and resting of the soil is what gave the crop its rich supply of nutrients yielding a product worthy of its name.  

These days, agriculture is an exact science, often indoors under artificial light, yielding year round vegetables and fruits.  (When was the last time you went into the grocery and couldn’t find fresh blueberries or squash?)  While I enjoy these products year round, unfortunately I can’t shake the feeling that the bioengineered version pales in comparison to the original.

So, to ensure that I’m covering my bases, I take a multi vitamin.  Like clockwork.  I also take an extra calcium supplement along with a vitamin D one.  (Without vitamin D, your body can’t absorb calcium.)  This is because I’m old and my bones need the help, and my MD told me to.  That’s 3.  The 4th one I take is a B complex.  I don’t eat meat, and this seems reasonable.  (If you’re interested, read here.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_vitamins )

A couple words of caution:  I must admit, there’s no way of knowing how effectively your body uses these supplements.  (As my dad says, if I want to flush my money down the toilet, knock myself out.)  This is why anytime you can EAT these vitamins and minerals, rather than supplement with them, you should.

Also, in maybe one of the strangest twists about the FDA, the vitamin industry is NOT regulated.  You and I could form a vitamin company and market and sell our product.  This makes no sense.  So to ease my conscience about how sketchy this could be, I buy name brand supplements.  They’re more expensive, but somehow I justify this....

And then I remember to take them.  They do me no good sitting in the medicine cabinet.

You Shouldn't Have Asked My Opinion...

I’m bugged….

So all along my focus has been to promote HEALTH through our food choices.    Logically, “health” is a broad term, so I’m going to make a list of what I mean by it:   Lack of disease.  Each organ and part is put to its best use in the most efficient way within your machine that is your body. Quality of life.  Energy to live that life.   Restful sleep. A little sunshine thrown in.  Simple.

Did you notice that I didn’t include what you weigh?

Because (again, logically) if you are taking care of the business of eating what you should in the right amounts, weight takes care of itself.  Every single time.  It’s science.

In the absence of disease, when you eat (and drink) more calories than you use, you gain weight.  Conversely, when you eat (and drink) less calories than your body needs, you lose weight.  Simple.

To illustrate, if all you cared about was losing weight, I could put you on an ice cream diet, or a frito pie diet, or even a peanut butter on shoe leather diet and you would lose.  As long as you ate less calories than you burned up, you would lose weight.

Now.  Here’s why I’m bugged. Is that all people care about?

I was asked by a friend to comment on a diet that she’s following.  You may have heard of it, because it’s the diet du jour right now.  (What’s that phrase?  15 minutes of fame?)  The theory is to go back to eating what our ancestors, the cavemen ate.  Meat, vegetables and fruits.  No grains…nothing agricultural. The video clip is very interesting, and I must admit, convincing.  The founder of this diet is in his 70’s and (I kid you not) pulled his Range Rover out of his driveway by a rope.  He was asked “when was the last time you had a bagel.”  He responded, “What’s a bagel?”

For every 70 year old you show me who is the picture of health in spite of eating only meat, fruits and vegetables, I’ll show you a middle aged person eating like that in serious danger of a heart attack.  (To most people, a fruit means an apple and vegetables mean canned green beans.) The fact is grains are an important part of anyone’s diet, if only for the fiber.  But they also provide nutrients found only in grains.  (I’m blogging on vitamins soon.  Very soon.)  

Not to mention the headgames.  Geez.  How long can the normal person go without a piece of bread?  How long before the “that ain’t fair” kicks in, not to mention turning up the “want what you can’t have” volume, and it’s not long till we are in the “hide and watch” “you and what army” are going to keep us from that stinking piece of bread???

Dear friends, the very act of going ON a diet implies what?  Going OFF one, right?  When (oh when) will we all just get on board with eating right? Is it just not sexy enough?  Not trendy enough?  Not join the bandwagon enough? What if we all started a movement called, "The SANE way?"  

Mardi Gras Workaround!

Health BONUS for today:

If you work in an office, chances are you'll find one (or more) half-eaten King's Cakes celebrating the coming of Mardi Gras next Tuesday.  King's Cake is code for sweet roll with oooey gooey wildly colored sugary icing with a plastic baby hidden.  It comes around only once a year, it's true, so by definition passes my "I don't often get a chance to eat this" food.  But once I remember that it's a mere sweet bread that is available daily at Kroger, the feeling passes.

So to catch yourself from falling into the trap, take an orange to work.

Why a messy orange, you ask?

Because, first of all, they're DELICIOUS.  They're packed with vitamin C to ward off the crud that is going around. They smell DIVINE.  They take a while to peel, so you build up some anticipation for that first bite.  They drip and make you giggle.  Then, they leave a delightful aftertaste in your mouth that not much tastes good after except WATER.

BONUS!

Laissez les bon temps roulez!

Scattershooting

Landing in St. Louis, but no plane changing before the last leg to Boston, we were told we could de-plane if we wanted to for some “real food.”  (I guess as opposed to the Southwest free peanuts?)  The next thing the flight attendant said was, “There’s a Dunkin’ Donuts!”  Passengers bolted! There must be a shortage of Dunkin’ Donuts I was unaware of....

Have you tried that Greek yogurt yet?  I just read that the reason it’s so much thicker and has so much more protein than regular yogurt is because it’s been strained of all liquids.  Do you like the texture though?

I am irrationally afraid of blood clots, and airplanes make me crazy.  I’m also very short.  So my legs will stretch out in front of me, vertically, and not bother my neighbor in front of me.  If I lean forward though, it’s like a little exercise!  It pulls and strains my muscles as though I’m doing yoga.  I should develop a whole series of exercises to do while seatbelted into an itsy bitsy space!  Think it’ll catch on?  Nahhhhh.....me neither.

My sweet Joe bought a cookbook for his terribly clever blogger daughter who lives in a cracker box (her words, not mine.)  The kitchen, if you can call it that, is a corner.  No kidding.  It’s perfect for her, though, and she’s made lemonade out of this tiny space as she uses it for a springboard for her “Two recipes” blog, subtitled “One year.  Two recipes.  Three square feet kitchen.”  (I think that’s stretching it a bit!)  This cookbook, called “Gourmet Food from a Crappy Little Kitchen” has some interesting recipes (this is where I read about the greek yogurt) but really handy is her guide to useful kitchen gadgets with multiple functions.  Anyone with a kid in a small space kitchen could learn a thing or two; I know I’ve added a few things to Hatsie’s gift list!

Footnote:  on the last night of my visit instead of going out to dinner, she cooked for K and me.  She made “foolproof” spinach risotto that I’d stack up against any restaurant dish anywhere.  Oh my goodness....sister can COOK!  :)

So about 3 years ago, I developed an adult onset nut and seed allergy.  Who knows how long I’d been allergic to them, because I was always itchy in my nose and eyes, but just thought I was allergic to airborne stuff.   One weekend, I overdosed on almonds and nearly had sneezing fits, and STILL didn’t get link the two, until the next time I had some almonds and started sneezing violently.  Come to find out, the swelling in the roof of my mouth every single time I ate peanut butter (which was once a day like clockwork) wasn’t normal!  Anyway, I’ve got a blog about that in the future, but where Hatsie and I went out to dinner Friday night, I could hardly find anything---from breads to salads to entrees---that didn’t have some form of nut or seed.  When did this happen?

Boston is cold.  And you walk everywhere.  I told Hatsie that kind of weather would have us Texans hunkered down with a pot of chili in the slow cooker.  These Boston people think nothing of walking through the park, all hours of the night, in the snow, in high heels and mini skirts.  Beats anything I ever saw....great exercise though!  

I love to travel; I'm nervous if I don't have a plane ticket in my back pocket.  But coming home tonight, my sweet Joe has dinner ready and a glass of vino poured.  There's no place like home....

"I Couldn't Help It"

This morning, as I made my way to gate 6 at Love field, (headed for Boston!) I was overpowered by the delicious, intoxicating aroma of freshly baked cinnabons.  I had already eaten my breakfast, pre-crack of dawn, so I wasn’t hungry, nor tempted.  But it made me aware of several things all at once.  It’s the topic of today’s blog....

The “I couldn’t help it” confession.

Back to my original theory that most of us simply don’t know anything about what’s making us unhealthy, I present to you “Exhibit A.”  I sat next to a cute little older lady(these days, I don’t use “old” anymore, because it’s like the pot calling the kettle black) while waiting to board.  Her conversation to her companion went something like this:

Confessor, (giggling):  “I just ate one of those cinnamon rolls.  I had to...they were calling my name...  At least I didn’t get two!”

Friend, as she’s munching on that trail mix they sell in the airport little store, and feeling wayyyy superior that she’s eating “healthy”:  “Don’t I know it!  That’s why I bought these.  So I wouldn’t give in to temptation!   Oh well.  You only live once!”  So many ways to go here, that it's hard to concentrate.

But the "I couldn't help myself" excuse needs to be exorcised.

Yes.  Yes she COULD HAVE helped it.  

She shouldn’t have walked in hungry.  She should’ve eaten a decent breakfast at home. (Peanut butter on an English muffin is very quick and very portable!)  And if she HAD, by chance eaten already, she should’ve checked in with her stomach to see if she was um, HUNGRY.  (What a concept, right?)

She should’ve been aware that Mr. Cinnabon bakes those yummy concoctions timed so that the waft of cinnamon and yeast bread makes her crazy.  He’s no dummy.  It’s his business to sell her sweet rolls.  She is just exactly the sucker he gets up in the morning  for, then laughs all the way to the bank.  Remember, digestion starts first with the eyes and nose...powerful senses, these two.

She should’ve been armed with the facts.  She should’ve known that instead of the “only” one cinnamon roll she ate, she could’ve had a half cup of oatmeal with a few walnuts, an orange and a glass of skim milk.  (Fiber, excellent whole grains, the right kind of unsaturated fat, citrusy vitamin c, and some protein in the milk.)  And would’ve eaten less calories...  Look it up.  

Listen, for what it’s worth.  I have my moments.  I never want anyone to think I’m not just as human as this lady.  But I call a spade a spade.  I always, always make a choice, (good or bad) having taken a look at probable consequences.  A long time ago, I made an informal list of “instant regret” foods.  You know those foods that you eat and almost before you’re finished, feel crummy over?  Whether it’s a physical reaction or a mental one, foods on this list just aren’t worth it to me.  Donuts are on this list for me.  Instantly, I get this filmy greasy coating on the roof of my mouth that no amount of chewing gum or water will remove.  It requires brushing.  Other foods are on my "instant regret" list because they are just so unhealthy that I feel guilty for junking up my body.  Dodie’s seasoned french fries, for example.  Just so good, but sooo bad.

You only have this life to live.  It’s true.  So instead of viewing this as a reason to mistreat your body and make horrible food decisions, why on earth don’t you make mental and physical changes to ensure this life is long, disease-free, easy and happy?