Not Another Healthy Recipe Blog

Christmas: The Season for Procrastination

2011-12-22T15:28:00.000-05:00

'Tis the season ... to procrastinate.

If you're familiar with the tune Deck the Halls, you're probably saying, "That doesn't sound right." It is, nonetheless, true for many of us.

Mind you, some of the procrastination wasn't my fault. I spent about two weeks at the start of the month suffering from bronchitis.

This week, though, the delays are pretty much of my devising. So the cookies have yet to be baked; about one-third of the presents still have to be bought (Walmart and Target are my targets tomorrow) and my few written cards are going to be New Year's cards. And I'm going to try to get out some e-cards by Christmas Day!

Thanksgiving Week Was Filled with Lessons

2011-12-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

Lesson number one from my Thanksgiving week was simple: homemade isn't always better.

My aunt got a turkey dinner from Meijer this year and we all brought fill-ins. While the stuffing was nothing to write home about (though admittedly, I'm a harsh critic of any stuffing but my aunt's or mom's), it beat StoveTop. The side dishes were fine (I was particularly fond of the orange-cranberry concoction), but the turkey was the star. It was moist and juicy, which isn't always the case with store bought rotisserie chickens, and a nice surprise. Kudos to Meijer for that!

Lesson number two: you have to be a much more hard-core shopper to go into Kohl's and actually stand in line to buy something. I picked three items, looked at the line (even the jewelry counter was ridiculous, though I did have a jewelry item) and ended up putting them back. Kmart was not as insane, thankfully, and I got most of the really little kids' presents there, so mission accomplished, more or less.

I should have gone out shopping Saturday, but instead, I spent the time at a friend's "mini-Thanksgiving" where I ate my fill including an amazing lemon-infused boneless turkey breast as well as great desserts and played a "new" game (meaning new to me) involving quotations.

We had a lovely time, bringing me to lesson number three: friends who are like family are nice to have.

And Tati, if you're reading this, I want the recipe for those pecan tarts and the little chocolate tarts, too! (They may not qualify as healthy, precisely, but at least they're tiny.)

National Coffee Day: Most Coffee-Dependent Professions

2011-10-01T10:22:00.003-04:00

The Macomb Daily recently ran an article in its business section stating that writers and editors rank among the most coffee-dependent jobs in America. Trust me, that's an understatement. A lot of us are working from coffee shops these days.

The research, conducted by Career Builder and Dunkin' Donuts, was released for the made-up holiday, National Coffee Day, which I'm sorry I missed. (It was Thursday and I didn't see the article until Friday.) Dunkin' Donuts also is running a contest for "passionate fans" to compete to appear in one of the company's commercials; see details here.

Some of the other professions were equally obvious; in fact, when I first scanned the list, I thought, "Well, duh." The next thing that crossed my mind was that maybe The Macomb Daily was having a really slow news day.

Other heavy coffee drinkers include: marketing/public relations professionals and scientists and lab researchers.

Realistically, writers and editors and doctors should be higher up than they are. Trust me; based on my own experience in the business, newspaper people slug down a lot of coffee. And Paczki, too, when they can get them. In fact, one Fat Tuesday, my nickname for that day was The Paczki Goddess, since I brought the fatty, sugary delicacies to the office.

Waffle House Serves As Disaster Index of Sorts

2011-09-02T13:16:00.002-04:00

I seriously chuckled a few minutes ago when reading a Huff Post Food piece.

FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) agents can tell how bad a disaster is by what the local Waffle House is serving. It's called the "Waffle House Index." Seriously.

Quote from the article: "Waffle House's tenacity and preparedness are so watertight that FEMA Director Craig Fugate has joked that he watches a "Waffle House Index" of disaster magnitude. He can tell how bad a disaster's been by how much of its menu Waffle House is serving." It's even been studied and verified by Washington University Business professor Panos Kouvelis.

Check out the article. I'm still somewhat amazed and highly amused.

You're Kidding, Right?

2011-08-31T18:26:00.000-04:00

I just pinched myself when I saw the email about half an hour ago.

First, I thought they had to be kidding. Then I made sure it was a legitimate website before I went to a link on it (yes, I'm a trifle paranoid about unknown links in emails). Too bad. Deal with it.

But apparently I do have one of the top 100 healthy recipe blogs of 2011, as least as determined by healthcarecolleges.net. Wow.

There's now a pretty little logo I'm entitled to use on my website due to receiving this award. Still a bit stunned here. Any time that I'm at a loss for words is worth noting; just ask my friends! OK, I've recovered from my state of speechlessness now, and I'd like to thank the academy. Whoops, wrong award.

Vive La Difference: Perfect Ribs Made with Custom Equipment

2011-08-30T14:59:00.001-04:00

My most recent column in Brighton Patch featured ribs by Tom Coates. (I nearly put a capital R on them because they're so well thought of in the community; see some of the comments people have made on his grill website).

Tom is what some might call an extreme griller; an architect for 25 years, he decided to make his own artisan-style grill, which is a kind of hybridization of a wood-burning oven and a grill. His goal was to replicate the kind of food his father and grandfather, who were both accomplished at cooking over an open fire, used to make.

I think he's exceeded expectations. Tom also has started his own business making these grills; upon seeing it up close at work, I can tell it's a well-made grill that gets splendid results. He has a number of testimonials -- and the evidence of my eyes and nose -- to prove it.

I wish I could convey the ribs' look and smell ... it was fabulous. His other recipes on the website sound great, too. But smell-o-blogs, like "smell-o-vision" that Rachael Ray wishes she could invent, don't exist. Yet. I keep hoping it'll happen someday!

Tom provided me with the photo of the finished product, which looks fabulous! He says using his grill with charcoal and various kinds of wood truly brings out the flavor of the meat, which you can eat with various dipping sauces.

Unfortunately, I had to leave before they were done, but I want to try his ribs when he does another grilling and sampling session at either Leaf, Barley and Vine or The Wooden Spoon (both located in Brighton, Michigan) I plan to attend!

Website Gives Those In Need a Boost ... And Pizza

2011-07-13T13:05:00.001-04:00

Random Acts of Pizza is doing good ... one pizza pie at a time.

Here's the background, based on an article from Utah-based Deseret News.

ABC News reported that Daniel Rogers, a lawyer from San Antonio, Texas, came up with the idea a year ago while unemployed. He knew he was "depressed" and feeling "disconnected from society," so he thought of what might change that.

"Connecting down-on-their-luck pizza lovers with a steaming hot pie, he figured, might make people feel a little bit better," according to the Deseret News article. "'[A pizza] says someone's got my back, someone's looking out for me,'" he said.

For more information, or to donate, go to http://www.reddit.com/r/Random_Acts_Of_Pizza/.

This is an awesome idea.
What else would work to cheer the unemployed? I'm thinking deliveries of a bag or two of Lindt chocolates ... or maybe Dove chocolates. (You could stretch those out for a week or more!)

On a more practical note, people could donate their unneeded gift cards to places like Wal-Mart or gas stations so the unemployed could get things they need.
People don't just need help at Christmas and Easter, sadly. As the Bible says, "For the poor you have always with you: and whensoever you will, you may do them good: but me you have not always." Mark 14:7, Douay-Reims version.

'Top 10 Veggies' Are Cheap and Nutritious

2011-06-22T00:14:00.000-04:00

Two or three weeks ago, I saw an interesting link on AOL's home page: Top 10 Vegetables With the Most Nutritional Bang for Your Buck by Sally Deneen on WalletPop. It's worth the read, really, to find what she calls "the best, cheapest veggies."

Here's the list:

1.Cabbage

2.Collard greens

3.Mustard greens

4.Turnip greens

5.Carrots

6.Cauliflower heads

7.Brussels sprouts

8.Broccoli florets

9.Spinach

10.Cauliflower florets

Reading it made me want to make a pot of vegetable soup using as many of these as possible; since it was very hot, the feeling passed. Quickly.

Interestingly enough, aside from carrots, spinach and broccoli, they are all vegetables I didn't care for as a kid. What would you make with the veggies on this list? And how would you make them appeal to kids? Let me know.

'Another Reason to Believe': Jon Bon Jovi

2011-05-14T17:51:00.000-04:00

I knew there were a few good reasons that I have always loved Jon Bon Jovi.

Great musician? Check. He and Jennifer Nettles sing one of my favorite songs together (originally his alone)

For another thing, he's downright adorable. C'mon, girls, have you looked at him?

He even seems to be a fairly normal guy ... especially for a rock star. Sorry to disappoint you all, ladies, but he's taken. Jon Bon Jovi's been married since 1989 to his high school sweetheart and they have four children.

The fact that he's opening a pay-what-you-can restaurant mostly staffed by volunteers in Red Bank, New Jersey this spring called Jon Bon Jovi's Soul Kitchen makes it clear the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation is doing the right thing for those Livin' On a Prayer. It's an obvious living out of the ideal mentioned in Luke Chapter 12, verse 48, as quoted by John F. Kennedy, “For of those to whom much is given, much is required.”

Those who can afford it should pay a minimum suggested $10 donation (but they'll take more if you can ante it up).

I think Jon Bon Jovi just got cuter and gave me Another Reason to Believe.

(In case you'd like to go to the original source, I read about this in an article on Take Part's website.)

Restaurant Review: Niko's Place Restaurant

2011-02-10T11:28:00.001-05:00

On vacation this week. I went to Niko's Place restaurant in New Port Richey, FL, which offers numerous healthy options, for my birthday dinner last night with my mom, aunt and uncle. I had prime rib with mashed potatoes mostly sans gravy, maybe one tablespoon (yes, not the best choice, but I trimmed off all fat and had the soup and salad bar with it, which is fantastic!)

In fact, most entrees at Niko's, which is a family tradition when we are in Florida, include the soup and salad bar; it can definitely be a stand-alone meal.

My mother enjoys Tilapia Athena often; she says it's a healthy fish dish that gives you a choice of vegetables, sweet potato or potato as well as the salad bar.

If you travel in the Port Richey/New Port Richey, FL area, give it a try!

Niko's Place Restaurant
(727) 841-8151
6818 US Highway 19
New Port Richey, FL 34652

Win a 'Pantry Makeover'

2011-01-22T20:16:00.000-05:00

Whole Story, the blog for Whole Foods Market, is hosting a contest through Jan. 31, so hurry.

Quote about contest from blog:

"So tell us, what healthy eating changes do you plan to make in 2011? Where do you find your motivation and inspiration? We want to hear it all!

Share a bit about your approach to healthy eating in the comments below by January 31st for a chance to win." You do this in the comments section of the blog contest entry.

Contest winners get a $99 Whole Foods Market card and will be put in touch with one of the store's Healthy Eating Specialist to get a "pantry makeover" that helps them learn how to shop for healthy food at a reasonable price.

Reasons Detroit Food Rocks

2011-01-22T19:43:00.001-05:00

I slightly twisted a title from an article in Canada's version of the Reader's Digest called 9 Surprising Reasons Why Detroit Rocks for this blog post.

Number 5 in the article includes Detroit Eastern Market, a place where my dad always got steaks for Detroit Western International High School's staff picnic, which he organized for many years. He felt they were the best steaks ever. (We always got the leftover steak because he coordinated the picnic, and I agree with his assessment.) Another site the article recommended is vegan- and vegetarian-friendly Russell Street Deli, which I want to try.

One reason Detroit area food rocks is that many of the supermarkets here, supermarkets including Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe's, Kroger's and locally-owned Hiller's Markets, make it super easy to find healthy food. Hiller's also has a gluten-free foods section and a shelf tag system making it easy to choose Michigan products.

That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as Detroit area food is concerned. Check this blog for more great places in 2011.

Cookbook Review: The I Hate to Cook Book: 50th Anniversary Edition

2011-01-12T18:58:00.000-05:00

Peg Bracken was my hero from the moment I boughtThe I Hate to Housekeep Book for 10 cents at a used bookstore. I was in junior high and could totally relate to her sentiments, but that's an entirely different blog.

Shortly after that, I bought a paperback copy of The Appendix to The I Hate to Cook Book for perhaps 50 cents. In the back, I discovered a list of her other books, including The I Hate to Cook Book. I really don't hate to cook, but found the title hilarious nonetheless.

I scoured used bookstores and library book sales for years and bought the revised The Compleat I Hate to Cook Book when it came out (a combination of the two cookbooks) and vastly enjoyed her memoir, A Window Over the Sink.

Finally, a couple of years ago, I found a first edition copy of The I Hate to Cook Book at a used book sale. I wouldn't have dreamed of reviewing the book, though, because it was out of print.
Then, a couple of weeks ago, while visiting my friend, Tati (the only person I know who owns more cookbooks than I do), she dragged out a new treasure:The I Hate to Cook Book: 50th Anniversary Edition for me to check out. My first thought was "awesome!" My second thought was: "Now I can review this book!"

When I read the introduction by Bracken's daughter, Johanna, I almost busted a gut laughing. She's definitely inheirited her mom's sense of humor.

For those of you who haven't read anything by her, Peg Bracken is hilarious: I've read all of her books multiple times and they still make me chuckle. Her writing style is just about equally split between actual recipes and (sometimes snarky) editorial comments about cooking.

For example, right after her Stayabed Stew entry, she comments: "But as a rule, don't hesitate to cut the amount of seasoning way down, or leave it out, when you know it's one you don't like. ... I for one think rosemary is for remembrance, not cooking, and the amount of rosemary I have omitted from various recipes would make your head swim." Some recipes have asterisks next to certain ingredients stating the item can be omitted if desired.

That's probably why, even after slightly changing the ingredients, I've never made a bad recipe from this book.

My favorite recipe in the book, Skid Row Stroganoff, which I've abused with numerous substitutes, including using low-fat sour cream instead of regular, substituting dried garlic and onion flakes for fresh garlic and onion, low-fat cream of mushroom soup instead of cream of chicken soup and low-fat sour cream for full-fat sour cream.

Not one of these changes (or even making all of them at one time) impaired the recipe quality. I attribute the fact that these changes had no impact on Bracken's recipes to the extensive testing she did on her family, as mentioned by daughter Johanna.

I have read all of Bracken's books I've been able to find (most of which have been out of print for years) and love them. Her writing style was so conversational you almost feel as though you're reading a friend's letter. When she died in 2007 at the age of 89, I shed a few tears, in part because I knew there would never be another Peg Bracken book. Fortunately, I was wrong, even though it's an anniversary edition.

The best thing is that a whole new generation of people with different problems but who still have no desire to spend an incredible amount of time (or money) in the kitchen are introduced to this book's tried and true recipes featuring uncomplicated ingredients and great taste served with a side of humor.

In Pursuit of the Perfect Turkey Burger

2010-12-21T20:49:00.000-05:00

One of the complaints I've previously had about turkey burgers was that they were bland. It was as though it were a given characteristic in my head: turkey burger = bland. I've used turkey in everything else (chili, cutlets, breast, sloppy joes, spaghetti, Spanish rice and lasagna), but not in burgers. Well, not until today, that is.

My low opinion of turkey as a burger base probably stems from my first-ever exposure to turkey burgers. Kathy, one of my roommates my senior year of college, was helping her boyfriend, Craig, adapt to a bland diet. I was present for the debut of her turkey burger, which featured dill almost exclusively as a seasoning. (If I'm recalling correctly, he had to avoid anything spicy, even pepper, and couldn't eat beef. It wasn't awful, but I did have to resort to decorating the burger with huge amounts of ketchup, which is what I do to regular hamburgers.

Since that time, I've tried turkey burgers in restaurants and have found extensive ketchup to be a necessary evil, although it's garnered me some weird looks. (Apparently, turkey burgers are usually served in restaurants with a honey mustard or other mustard-based sauce, not ketchup.)

Then I started to watch Rachael Ray and had hopes that perhaps turkey burgers didn't have to be bland. Oddly enough, my first foray into an all white meat turkey burger was not one of her recipes. It was one clipped from the newspaper, which readers liked enough to ask the columnist to reconfigure it so it could be served as a meatloaf. So it sounded promising.

Again, it was a little bland, despite my having thrown in more pepper and oregano than the recipe called for and using egg as a binder rather than applesauce (it would not have held together otherwise).

The result? It didn't require ketchup, so it was better than average; however, I felt driven to invent a mustard/horseradish/yogurt "cream" sauce for it. And I'm not sure I can replicate as I didn't follow my usual rule of writing down — or even measuring — its ingredients. Oops.

But it did give me some lovely ideas for experimentation. (Mom and I discussed the possibilities of cilantro in addition to the spinach in it and yogurt sauce with dill, onions and cucumber, somewhat similar to the sauce used in Olga's Kitchen.)

As I can be rather stubborn once an idea takes hold of me, you probably haven't heard the last of my search for the perfect turkey burger.

New Healthy Cookbook Hits the Market for the Holidays

2010-12-21T20:14:00.000-05:00

I had my first-ever media contact today related to the blog. It was relating to something near and dear to my heart: cancer research.

You see, like many of you, I've lost a number of friends and family members over the years to cancer, the closest being my first cousin Elizabeth last summer. So I was excited to learn that To Your Health, a new cookbook published by The National Foundation for Cancer Research, started sales in time for 2010's holiday party season.

I haven't had time to check the book out yet, other than a few sample recipes, because I just became aware of it. But I will. The link for information needed to purchase the book is here.

According to the press release I received, the recipes in this book "are brimming with cancer-fighting ingredients, including antioxidant-rich fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and protein. The cookbook also features lifestyle tips, early detection methods, and other helpful information on how to further decrease your risk from cancer."

Sounds good to me.

You also might want to check out the Top 15 Healthy Holiday Tips from NFCR's spokesman, Executive Chef Charles Phillips of Nashville's 1808 Grille.

Have a safe and blessed holiday season.

And America's Healthiest Grocery Store Is?

2010-12-15T13:23:00.000-05:00

You're probably muttering, "Scrooge" under your breath now, but I'm not going to tell you in a headline who won the title of America's Healthiest Grocery Store by Health Magazine.

I'm not surprised, really. This store has just about everything you could need in terms of organic products, from prepared food to canned goods, baking mixes, toiletries and more. I can easily get lost in there for hours. Note to self: make sure not to get the frozen or dairy goods first. On a recent trip there, I had to buy an insulated bag so they stayed at the correct temperature. Now I just have to remember to take it with me next time!

Yes, I like Trader Joe's, too, and will go there for certain things (especially now that I know the TJ's in Ann Arbor is right down the road from Whole Foods Market, which officially has been named America's Healthiest Grocery Store). One of the things it's touted for is clear labeling of what's in its prepared foods. If you don't know what to do with that tofu or quinoa (pronounced keen-nwah, incidentally), you can get help from Whole Foods' extensive recipe database.

Critics will say it's expensive; that may be true, but what's your health worth to you?

Blog Review: Sustenance

2010-12-13T22:53:00.001-05:00

As mentioned in my last post, I love chocolate. Which got me to thinking: how healthy could I make chocolate cookies?

Before I had time to do much more than ponder, my friend Patty Maher, who has the blog, Sustenance, answered my question.

See her post regarding healthy chocolate chip cookies here. I highly recommend Patty's blog for anyone curious about the raw food lifestyle and/or concerned about healthy eating.

A journalist, who attended Central Michigan University and is one of my former CM Life co-conspirators, Patty is staying at Creative Health Institute, a raw food institute in Hodunk, Michigan. She is learning and adapting to this new life style with the intent of improving her MS symptoms. Her writing is engaging and thoughtful; I thoroughly recommend her blog.

Coffee, Tea and Chocolate: Health Foods?

2010-12-11T22:12:00.000-05:00

Thank you, Manhattan Transfer, for saying it first in Java Jive: "I love coffee and tea; I love the java jive and it loves me." I suspect I'm not alone in this, although most people have a strong preference for either coffee or tea. (I also enjoy chocolate, which the song doesn't mention.)

The best health news I can come up with is that my enjoyment of all three has some health value, depending on which articles I'm reading.

My particular fascination with coffee for the past few weeks happens to be at the new BIGGBY COFFEE in Hartland, MI (mostly things involving the sugar-free chocolate syrup). I wrote about the new business recently in Hartland Patch. The great thing is BIGGBY's also a Michigan company, with headquarters in Lansing.

I still like certain items at Starbucks. And yes, if there is a drive-through Starbucks within 40 miles of home, I probably know where it's located. (On a reassuring note: Starbucks really isn't the evil empire. The last time I checked, the company does pay health insurance for part-time employees who've worked at least 20 hours a week for a year.)

I'll make some generalizations about my recent reading about coffee, tea and chocolate.

-Both coffee and tea have antioxidants; how much depends on the variety you choose. Green tea is supposed to be amazingly good for you; what's unclear to me is whether or not you get the same benefits from decaffinated green tea.

-In moderation, caffeine can improve your memory and alertness level. I've cut my caffeine quite a bit, but I still will occasionally have some, generally in the form of tea. If I'm particularly exhausted in the morning, I'll have what's called "half caf."

-Dark chocolate has certain antioxidants that are helpful, but again, in moderate amounts. To give the best benefit, it should be marked 70 percent or higher. I favored Lindt, personally.

Like nearly anything you can name, coffee, tea or chocolate are not desirable in excessive quantities, so, while for the most part, you shouldn't be afraid to indulge a bit, keep an eye on your intake.

Feel free to do your own research:

Cleveland Heart Clinic on dark chocolate's benefits as well as a recent European study discussed in Philadelphia's examiner.com
CNN, Mayo Clinic and WebMD articles weighing in on coffee's benefits and risks
Science Daily and WebMD discuss the benefits of tea

Mocktails, Shaken or Stirred?

2010-12-11T21:19:00.000-05:00

Making sure that there are some non-alcoholic options is a good move for any host or hostess, because not everyone drinks. This time of year, AAA does a tremendous service: it promotes the "Great Pretenders" mocktail guide in time for the holidays.

There are people like me who, when they do drink, have what I call "fruity, girly drinks" because they don't like the taste of alcohol. I'd just as soon leave the alcohol out. Drinking a mocktail is more interesting than just having a pop, but I'm still assured that I can drive myself home safely. Non-alcoholic drinks often have fewer calories; they also are kid-friendly.

For the person who doesn't drink alcohol, regardless of the reason, see my prior blog post from just before the July 4 holiday, including some terrific links to mocktails. Additional links to check out include:

Healthy High's Mocktails! Page
A recent Info Barrel article
Mocktails for the Sophisticated Non-Drinker by CultureMob

Food for a Happy and Healthy Hanukkah

2010-12-05T16:13:00.002-05:00

There are two holidays that hold familiar favorites for me. Christmas is of course the obvious one; the other is Hanukkah. I have a number of friends and former coworkers who are Jewish; some of them are fabulous cooks who have brought in their extra Hanukkah treats.

My all-time favorite is Sheila's noodle kugel recipe. She doesn't make it regularly because it's somewhat fattening.

On Weight Watchers online site that there are some healthier Hanukkah recipes as well as a non-dairy kugel recipe made with coconut milk on About.com that I just might try.

Happy Hanukkah to Jeff, Sheila, Mara, Wendy, Stacey, Lance, Dale and Dorothy and their families!

Holiday Recipes

2010-11-28T00:14:00.000-05:00

You have my high school reunion to thank for this entry. One of my friends there mentioned he'd seen the blog online, which jogged my memory. Thanks, Tim.

Where's the blog been? you ask.

Thereby hangs a tale. Here are links to some work I've been doing for Patch.com, an online newspaper (in this case, the Hartland, MI edition). As some people do serve turkey and stuffing at Christmas, I am including links to two great holiday recipes from people I've interviewed for Patch.com in the past few weeks: stuffing and Roast Muscovy Duck. (The latter previously ran in the New York Times and is a good alternative to a turkey or ham, making a dinner for two to four people.)

Food as Idiom, or "In the Soup"

2010-11-12T16:14:00.006-05:00

I don't know if you have noticed, but there are many food-related idoms that have made our way into the English language (many via the French channel, which isn't surprising, given the Norman invasion and the one-time supremacy of French cooking as a symbol of refined taste). The origins of various words and phrases simply fascinates me, so you're in for it now.

I've always thought it was interesting to state someone's "in the soup" to mean that they are in trouble. I had always supposed it was because the soup was scalding or they couldn't swim. See Barry Popik's The Big Apple for some interesting details about the phrase, which possibly originated in a restaurant or on the baseball field, but (quel suprise) was popularized in New York due to a controversial election year.

Another descriptive (and similar) food metaphor is to say someone's "out of the frying pan and into the fire." According to Answers.com, it means "from a bad situation to one that is much worse. ... This expression, a proverb in many languages, was first recorded in English in 1528." The entry also notes similar idioms exist elsewhere. "Out of the frying pan and into the fire" also is a song title by Meat Loaf, circa 1993, a fact which I had forgotten.

For detailed comments about other common expressions, such as "the apple of my eye," "not worth his salt" and "a red herring," check out an August article in Smithsonian Magazine here.

You also could check out A Hog on Ice by Charles E. Funk, a wonderful classic on the topic of word and phrase origins, or the columns of my all-time favorite, Evan Morris, aka The Word Detective.

Putting Together a Healthy Potluck Lunch

2010-11-12T15:36:00.000-05:00

One of the pitfalls of trying to eat healthy is to put together a healthy lunch. This is especially difficult in the world of potlucks ahead of us during the holidays.

Here are some suggestions.

Ask beforehand what's on the menu; even if you can't find out, you can bring a healthy main dish (or side dish that can serve as your main dish) to fill up on.

Take half a sandwich and fill up on the salad, fruit and/or a little soup, depending on what's available. You can have some of the cream soup in moderation, especially if, as happened today at our women's group, it's a creamy vegetable soup.

Limit everything you eat to a total of 1 to 1 1/2 C. of food. This will ensure you don't have the "stuffed turkey" feeling you might get at a potluck or Thanksgiving.

Don't hang out by the food; if possible, serve yourself and go sit away from the serving platters.

In other words, don't do everything I did today, such as getting an eggnog latte on the way and going back for another serving of chicken salad croissants. It is, however, an improvement upon my funeral luncheon forays in April. Taking half a bowl of the creamy soup, eating extra spinach salad and limiting the dessert portion were some of the better ideas I implemented.

Crustless "Apple Pie" for One

2010-10-30T17:46:00.013-04:00

As I was already cooking Swiss Steak in the oven today (I called Mom, because I wanted to make her recipe, which I still couldn't resist tweaking), I decided to bake something.

My eyes lit on the Honey Crisp Apples I bought late last week at Colasanti's. I wanted something similar to apple pie without the crust, for several reasons. It's nearly Halloween and I'm entering the mad scientist/experimental cook stage again. How appropriate.

1. I am crust rolling impaired, so the crust always ends up with thin spots
2. Making a crust is too time and labor-intensive at this precise moment. If I attempt it, it will be on a day I'm inspired to bake.
3. Pie is eaten for the filling, as far as I'm concerned. I really don't care for most pie crusts

— whether from a mix, ready-made or scratch — that is, aside from cookie crumb or graham cracker crusts. (This preference has nothing to do with the fact that I don't have to roll those crusts. Really.)

4. I don't need the extra calories.

Crustless "Apple Pie" for One

Ingredients
1 large Honey Crisp apple
1/4 C. apple cider
1 T. real maple syrup
1/2 T. Smart Balance® Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax, cut in little chunks
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Take one large Honey Crisp Apple. Wash, peel if desired (I felt safe leaving the peels on because my apple is organic), core and cut apples. (I left them in long, slender pieces as though I were going to eat them raw.)

Place washed apples in a baking dish with a cover (I used the smallest of the glass Pyrex casseroles we have; probably a 1-qt. size.)

Pour in 1/4 C. apple cider over the apples (enough to keep them from burning in the bottom of the dish).

Sprinkle apples with 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice and 1/4 tsp. cinnamon. Dot with the small chunks of Smart Balance® Light Original Buttery Spread with Flax.

Drizzle 1 T. maple syrup over the top. Toss the apples with the apple cider, rotating the apple pieces so all are coated with a bit of the maple syrup and spices.

Bake at 325 for about an hour and 15 minutes ... until the apple slices are tender, almost breaking down but still identifiable as apples. The amount of cider in the bottom should be significantly reduced.

Depending upon how much liquid you have left, you may want to take the lid off the glass dish to reduce the liquid for the last 15-20 minutes of cooking time. (Very juicy apples may "sweat" out additional liquid, and if you don't take the lid off, you may up with sweet apple soup.)

My apple slices were fairly thick and I left the peel on; if you like your slices thin, it may cook more quickly. Check the dish at about 45-50 minutes if you made your apple slices thin and/or removed the peel.

Remove the apples with a slotted spoon and serve warm.
Serving suggestions: Serve topped with cider sauce; it's good over light vanilla ice cream. Or top apples and sauce with low-fat or fat-free lightly-sweetened whipped cream.

Yogurt Crème with Berries

2010-10-28T16:46:00.001-04:00

Did you ever decide to put something together that seems like such a simple idea, you're not even sure it qualifies as a recipe?

I did that today and decided that it doesn't matter; I'll share anyway.

Yogurt Crème with Berries.

Take about 1/2 cup to 2/3 C. fat-free yogurt,depending on desired tartness (I used Dannon).

Add several drops (to taste) of SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia (any flavor you like, but I used Valencia Orange).

Stir in 1/4 C. of raspberries (or your choice of berry) until they are incorporated into the yogurt mixture but are still chunky. Yogurt will be tinted by the berries.

This dish reminds me of the whipped cream mixture in trifle; it'd be great over angel food cake.

Product Review: SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Valencia Orange

2010-10-28T16:35:00.001-04:00

I use stevia in my coffee and oatmeal much of the time, and used to enjoy the former Starbucks Mocha Valencia, which was discontinued a few years ago, as well as Cafe Vienna instant coffee drink (another coffee with orange flavoring). I was intrigued enough by the idea of a Valencia Orange-flavored liquid stevia that I paid nearly $15 for a 2-oz bottle (supposedly there are 300 servings per bottle).
While it sounds pricey, but it's not so bad when you figure the average cost of a flavored latte at your favorite coffee shop. (In my case, that would be a soy latte, which is even more expensive!) Also, as you can see by the link on the left, it's probably cheaper on Amazon.com, assuming you get the free shipping deal.

SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia Valencia Orange works well, but I suggest you use the upper level of the recommended number of drops (5-8) to flavor your coffee, which definitely cuts down the number of servings it contains. I like the taste; however, please note that stevia is a little more likely to please the palates of those accustomed to artificial sweetener.

I've made as good or better orange or mocha orange "lattes" using Frontier Natural Flavors Alcohol Free Orange flavoring from The Better Health Store plus one packet of Stevia in the Raw, though I have to use 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. rather than 8 to 10 drops.

LÄRABAR: The Demise of Cocoa Mole

2010-10-23T23:59:00.001-04:00

My favorite LÄRABAR flavor recently was discontinued. It's a spicy chocolate bar made of all raw/natural ingredients that makes a good substitute for a small meal when on the run (it's even better washed down with a cup of soy milk). I am hugely disappointed that the company isn't making Cocoa Mole anymore.

Making my own version for my use is something I've meant to try for a while, but I've been putting it off. I will try to get some if they're still for sale anywhere to see how my version compares; otherwise, I'll have to go by memory.

Looking on the positive side, yet another company has given me an excuse to step away from the computer and attempt to reinvent a favorite. (The last one was Carob After Dinner Mint Tea, which had no satisfactory substitute for several years, but recently, I found a similar tea by Stash.)

I haven't hunted for other recipes yet, but anyone else has come up with a version of Cocoa Mole, feel free to let me know and I'll post the link to his or her recipe here. In the meantime, I'll keep you posted if I find one that's similar.

Product Review: Health Valley No Salt Added Organic Minestrone

2010-10-23T23:44:00.002-04:00

Soup is one of those things you'd think would be good for you, aside from high-fat cream soups. But have you looked at your average soup can label lately? Ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, monosodium glutamate (aka MSG) and, in some cases, about half the recommended daily allowance of sodium for the average adult are all too common on the labels.

One name I've always trusted in the health food business is Health Valley. I decided to try some of the low-sodium soups. The company features some soups with no salt added, just the natural sodium that is in the ingredients. In addition, the soups are organic.

Yes, it's a bit pricey, but overall, I would put this Health Valley No Salt Added Organic Minestrone (spiced up with a touch of my favorite addition, Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic) up against any canned minestrone I've tried. You can always add a pinch of salt yourself, of course, but try it without adding salt first. I think the organic ingredients really make a difference.

Product Review: Terra Krinkle Cut Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt

2010-10-23T23:30:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure what I was expecting, exactly, but what I got wasn't it.

Don't get me wrong, Terra Krinkle Cut Sweet Potato Chips with Sea Salt taste fine, but they're a bit like overcooked sweet potato fries.

This ridged chip is very crisp and a bit thicker than most chips. I like them a bit thinner and less crunchy. If you like thick, crisp chips, try them.

On the up side, they're definitely better for you than sweet potato fries.

One serving of 17 chips yields 160 cal, 90 mg sod, 3 g fiber, 3 g sugar, 1 g protein; 11 g total fat and 1 g saturated fat.

Chili Con Carne á la Mom

2010-10-23T23:12:00.000-04:00

My mom doesn't get nearly enough credit; she finds the best way to make something and sticks with it. Take her chili, for example. It's evolved over the years. Now she uses:

3 14-oz cans tomatoes (one with green chilies, one salt-free and one Mexican-style blend)
3 14 to 16-oz cans of beans (any kind of white bean, one can kidney beans and either seasoned black beans or seasoned chili beans works well. (Don't use more than one can of seasoned beans, unless you like really hot chili.)

1 1/4 pounds ground sirloin
1/2 onion, chopped fine

Saute onions, add meat and freshly ground black pepper in a large saucepan; saute until meat is no longer pink. Add tomatoes and beans, cook until thoroughly heated. (Usually, 20 minutes will do it, unless it's a double batch.)

This is a mild chili, depending on the brand of tomatoes used. Add more chili powder to season if it's not hot enough.

A Revolution in Snacking

2010-10-22T12:50:00.000-04:00

My all-time favorite appetizer is Olga's Snackers™. I was appalled to learn how much salt and fat are in those cute little pita crackers and the Swiss cheese spread that accompanies them.

I determined this afternoon that I'd make my own version. It's already 12:30 p.m. and I've made one and tried it. (Now that's a quick snack.)

First of all, I wanted them to look and taste somewhat like the original. Paprika mimics the red coloring, which probably was achieved from seasoning salt. So, after spraying with Olivio spray to make the seasoning stick and allow for some browning, lightly cover one half a whole wheat pita (but split it first) with enough paprika. Also sprinkle the pita with a bit of a of Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic and Lawry's Seasoned Pepper (at a guess, it'd be about 1/4 tsp of each spice blend).

Place on a rack in a toaster oven; set toaster oven to toasting option (or in the case of mine, on bake) and set the dial on medium. As toaster ovens are all a little different, watch the pita so it doesn't burn. Use about 2 tsp. Swiss cheese spread (I tried Kaukauna's version).

Product Review: Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2010-10-14T23:07:00.005-04:00

Bell peppers, chickpeas, garlic and tahini. Those are the only ingredients listed for Sabra Roasted Red Pepper Hummus on the company's website. I've tried several kinds of hummus and it's my all-time favorite. The garlic is in perfect proportion to the rest of the ingredients. (I find many hummus spreads to have a tad too much garlic in them for my taste.) Tahini is what gives the hummus a creamy texture, not unlike spreadable cheese or peanut butter. My favorite uses for this hummus are:
- spread it on crackers (low-sodium Ritz is a great choice)
- use it as a vegetable dip, especially for grape tomatoes, sliced red pepper and cucumbers

It would make an excellent substitute for cheese in a vegetable quesadilla. (I would suggest roasted or sauteed red pepper, mild onion and mushrooms as a perfect combination.)

I have tried other Sabra hummus flavors: Spinach and Artichoke and Supremly Spicy Hummus. (Both are good, but bear in mind the latter's label isn't lying; it brought tears to my eyes.) I look forward to trying other flavors, but I suspect my favorite won't change.

Review: Heart Smart Cookbook

2010-10-09T18:14:00.005-04:00

A classic cookbook which was published in 1991 by the Detroit Free Press/Henry Ford Health System, this was a recent garage sale find that I reacquainted myself with (my original copy disappeared somewhere between Novi and Mt. Pleasant more than 10 years ago); its contents take into account people's tastes while catering to the wisdom of the time.

Overall, it's a great cookbook. (How many cookbooks tell you how to make your own natural peanut butter and your own turkey breakfast sausage?) I've made quite a few recipes in it in the past. These are real recipes that people would make and eat.

The one thing that's a little outdated, perhaps, is the emphasis on total avoidance of egg yolks and minimizing all fat (including healthy oils, such as olive oil), but that's a small thing. The one bit of nutritional information it is missing is fiber, which wasn't considered as important to healthy eating as overall fat content in 1991.

What I didn't know until I tried to look up the original publish date of this book, is that a second one has been published. I hope to get a copy soon and see if Heart Smart II cookbook is even better.

What to Do with the Great (Meaning Big) Pumpkin

2010-10-09T17:35:00.001-04:00

Pumpkins are in season right now. The variations in size (and, to some degree, shape) can be enormous.

If you (or someone who you know) has a big patch of pumpkins that need to be used up this fall, keep this in mind.

-Pie pumpkins are not meant to be carved, they are intended to be eaten! Find a good recipe (such as Classic Pumpkin Pie with Betty White on Martha Stewart's website) and use it. It definitely tastes better than canned pumpkin. (Roasting a small pumpkin in the oven isn't a huge production; you just cut it in halves, take out the seeds and roast it. The pulp scoops out nicely with a large spoon.) Or you can simply eat it as you would eat squash. Allrecipes.com has an article showing how to bake, boil or microwave the pumpkin, along with links for several recipes.

-For the rest of the year, when fresh pumpkin isn't available, see some of Hungry Girl Lisa Lillen's recipes on her website using canned pumpkin.

An Apple a Day

2010-10-09T17:19:00.001-04:00

Found a tidbit about apples, which are in season. posted by Julie Freeman, RD, MA, LD on Visions Medical Center blog, reminding me why apples are so good for us. (It's a bit of a way down the page listing recent entries.)

Apples have insoluable and soluable fiber. Fiber can sweep away toxins, lower cholesterol and help you to feel full while eating. The flavanoids in apples can help to fight prostate cancer, and decrease the type of inflammation that inflames asthma and allergy attacks.

I highly recommend a sweet apple that's only available this time of year called Honey Crisps. I usually find them at Colasanti's Market in Highland or VG's Grocery (which has several locations). I'm going to get some before they're gone!

Product Review: Blue Diamond Nut Thins®

2010-10-01T16:22:00.001-04:00

Blue Diamond Nut Thins® are awesome crackers. You have eight flavors to choose from (I've tried three of them). The cheddar and almond are pretty decent, but my favorite is the pecan flavor. How can you go wrong with pecans as the primary ingredient?
They satisfy the need to crunch and have a delightfully toasted nut flavor that only improves the taste of smoky cheese (like Provolone) or sharp cheese (such as cheddar). Low in sodium with no cholesterol, these hearty crackers, which are 130 calories per 17-cracker serving, are a great choice for cracker hors d'oeuvres.

Some of my favorite things to pair with this cracker include:

-light cream cheese or cream cheese substitute (such as Toffuti's Better Than Cream Cheese) topped with homemade or deli-bought low-sodium salsa.

-low-sodium roast beef and low-sodium Swiss cheese (I prefer Boar's Head brand of both) with a light spreading of horseradish cream (mix lowfat sour cream with bottled fresh horseradish to taste)

Fundraiser for Gleaners & Other Food Events

2010-10-01T15:03:00.000-04:00

Ghoulies, ghosties and other things that bump in the night are all part of the fun in coming to the aid of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan this month. Here's your chance to get involved and have a good time at family-friendly events that feed our hungry neighbors:

The Haunt for Hunger in Melvindale runs through Oct. 31. It's described as an animatronics yard haunt.

Fight Hunger Community Hayride takes place Oct. 16 at Whispering Pines Golf Club in Pinckney.

Gleaners' calendar page also has links to other events, which may be found here. These were just the two that I found most interesting.

German cuisine, hayrides, cider and pumpkins also are part of the fun in southeastern and central Michigan in the next two weeks.

If you're willing to take a drive, go to Oktoberfest in Lansing's Old Town today and tomorrow (Oct. 1-2). German beer and food abound; this event's described as "Mid-Michigan's only authentic German festival."
Another nice drive with the opportunity to see fall colors is Zeeland Pumpkinfest, which started yesterday and goes through Oct. 2; closer to home, the South Lyon Area Pumpkinfest is in its 26th year of celebrating this yummy and versatile vegetable. Davison's PumpkinFest is next weekend, as is is the Tuscola County Pumpkin Festival.

A Healthier Fried Egg Sandwich (Thanks, Mrs. Dash)

2010-09-30T23:21:00.001-04:00

I try to minimize sodium and less healthy fats where I can. In general, I find Mrs. Dash salt-free seasoning to be a good way to add flavor and lessen salt in nearly all of my meals. I thought the original flavor was pretty good, but a year or so ago, Mrs. Dash Seasoning Blend, Tomato, Basil, Garlic flavor caught my eye. I've put it in many things since that time: English muffin pizzas, pasta sauce and, indeed, anything vaguely Italian. My favorite place to put it, though, is on my fried egg sandwiches.

Fried eggs in a blog about healthy eating? What kind of heresy is this? Start by spraying the pan with nonstick canola oil or olive oil spray and add just a few drops of sesame seed oil for a richer flavor. Heat up the pan slightly before cracking the egg into it (I set the electric stove burner between 4 and 5). Spritz a serving (five sprays) Olivio butter-flavored spray on the egg after cracking it in the pan and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash, Tomato, Basil, Garlic or your choice of salt-free seasoning.

Cook the egg the way you like it. (I happen to flip mine because I detest runny yolks, but to each his own. Usually, it takes between three and four minutes until it's the way I like it.) If you enjoy the taste of bacon but don't want the fat or salt, sprinkle about 1/2 tsp. of Bacos on the top of the egg as it cooks (if it sets sufficiently, it sticks to the top of the egg). Then use a healthy margarine (meaning non-hydrogenated with good fats in it) to lightly "butter" whole-wheat toast. It's vegetarian and tastes good without a boatload of salt. You may melt cheese or soy cheese over the top of the egg after flipping it over to cook the yolk solid; however, I think it would be rather messy to melt it over a runny fried egg.

Community, food-related events take place this weekend

2010-09-24T18:01:00.002-04:00

A few timely food-related events that are happening this weekend caught my attention.
This Saturday, Sept. 25, the Greening of Detroit 20th anniversary celebration takes place at Eastern Market. According to this week's 10 Things to Do in Detroit This Weekend in Crain's Detroit Business, it's intended "to celebrate local food and music in Detroit! Love Food." Cost is $35 at the door. For more information, visit the event's website.

Harvest Moon Celebration outdoors at the Sundquist Pavilion in Farmington's Riley Park gives autumn a jump start this weekend with beer and wine tasting, farmers market, pig roast, and more. I'm not sure much of it's healthy food, but it's all in what you pick. Cost is $8 at the door.

The 33^rdannual Rochester Area Heritage Festival takes place at Rochester College, 800 W. Avon Road in Rochester, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and includes food, music, family friendly fun and games as well as a chance to explore Rochester's history.

A New Rachael Ray Show starts Saturday

2010-09-24T14:24:00.002-04:00

Wow; twice today, I've found timely food news. This is much better news than my last post about the Granola Thins recall.

Rachael Ray has a new show debuting on The Cooking Channel (which, by the way, is Channel 232 on my Direct TV satellite system). I saw the ad the other day, but happened to be looking for the day and time of the show, which I couldn't recall. It's Saturday (tomorrow!) at 3 p.m. I'll be watching it.

I found an article on a blog called Everything Rachael Ray, which I think may become my new favorite blog to follow (thanks for the tip, Madeline!). The new show, called Week in a Day, uses the concept of cooking ahead for the week and simply reheating your meals when you want them. It's not a new idea by any means (I have a couple of 1990s cookbooks based on the same principles).

I like the idea that Rachael will be test-driving the recipes first; although I often make substitutions and (less frequently) errors in making her recipes, it's usually turned out well. (We won't, however, discuss the results of putting in too much minced garlic as a substitution for chopped garlic cloves!) Another "mistake" I made I'd do again on purpose. I turned a vegetable side dish into stoup by putting in an entire can, rather than just a cup, of chicken stock.

Recall Notice: Nature Valley Dark Chocolate Granola Thins

2010-09-24T13:50:00.023-04:00

Don't open that box of Nature Valley Dark Chocolate Granola Thins if you are allergic to peanuts!

This is sort of a weird recall, because a simple (presumably mechanical) error could cause serious illness or even death.

According to a WalletPop article, some Nature Valley Dark Chocolate Granola Thins boxes were instead filled with its Peanut Butter Flavor Granola Thins. "The only item subject to this recall are 10-count boxes of Nature Valley Dark Chocolate Flavor Granola Thins with this date code: 05JUN2011 YO 12," stated the article.
As peanuts are not among the ingredients listed on the Dark Chocolate boxes, someone with a peanut allergy could eat them ... and peanut allergies can be fatal. So far, according to the Food & Drug Administration, "no reactions or illnesses have been linked to the recall." I pray that remains true.

Island Chicken with Pineapple and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2010-09-20T19:24:00.002-04:00

I'm winging it again in the kitchen. (Yes, that was a bad pun, but it could be worse. Trust me.)

The chicken features tastes of the Orient (soy and sesame) with a hint of Hawaiian pineapple and a southern barbecue favorite, roasted sweet potatoes. Everything's cooked in the oven.
Island Chicken with Pineapple and Roasted Sweet Potatoes

While getting this ready, scrub, and put two skinny sweet potatoes (about 6 oz. each) in a preheated 370-degree oven for 20 minutes. (Make sure you stab them a couple of times with a steak knife so they won't explode and place in a small pan with a small baking rack in it to let them drip without messing up the oven, but don't cover them.)

Marinate 1 1/2 pounds of thinly sliced chicken (the kind I usually pan fry): in the following marinade for 5-10 minutes.

Marinade:
1/2 a medium-sized lime, juiced
Grated lime zest, if desired (I didn't do that this time)
a few drops of sesame seed oil
3 TBSP olive oil
about two TBSP. pineapple juice from a freshly-cut pineapple. (You can buy it cored and ready to slice.)
5 sprays of Bragg Liquid Aminos (if you don't have this, you may substitute 1/2-1 tsp. of light soy sauce). Just don't include any salt in the next step.

Put the following spices on both sides of the meat: a pinch of salt, ground pepper to taste (preferably freshly-ground mixed peppercorns) and a dash of McCormick's Perfect Pinch Roasted Garlic and Red Pepper.

Mix marinade ingredients thoroughly in a 9" by 12" glass oven-safe dish; place chicken in marinade for 2 to 5 minutes; turn and marinate for 3 to 5 minutes more. It's cooked in the marinade to create a light sauce.

Cover dish with foil and place in a preheated 325-degree oven for 35 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink in the center (check it by cutting the thickest piece in the center).
Spoon a couple of teaspoons of sauce over chicken; serve it with the pineapple and baked sweet potato.

Next time I make this recipe, I plan to brown the chicken slightly by taking the foil off for the last three to four minutes.

Website Review: Self.com

2010-09-16T18:32:00.000-04:00

One of the best listing of snacks ever was one I found on Self.com. It can be accessed here, and has a ton of sidebar links to explore.

This magazine isn't just about the new diets and exercise, though. It has an advanced recipe search feature, a beauty and style section and community forums.

Self.com promotes a healthy way of life in general by making all these things just one click away.

From recipes and menus, to blogs and articles about food and diet; this site has it all.

My favorite food on the snack list, by the way, is the Back to Nature Honey Graham Sticks.

Berry Good Fruit, Nut and Veggie Salad for One

2010-09-16T18:13:00.001-04:00

As promised a while ago, I have made a salad with a lot of fruit and veggies, but the star, of course, are the berries. I suspect this would also be good with thawed and drained frozen fruit. Use organic if you can; there's a real taste difference, particularly in the berries and the cherry tomatoes.

Berry Good Fruit, Nut, and Veggie Salad for One

5 large strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
1/4 C. blueberries, washed and stemmed
10 grapes, washed, stemmed and halved
5 small cherry or grape tomatoes, washed and halved
4 large leaves of romaine, washed and drained, torn into small bite-size pieces
1 oz. crumbled blue cheese
1 oz. chopped pecans
Bacos (if desired - to taste)

Take romaine; wash and drain it (either by using a salad spinner or shaking it). Gently tear into bite-sized pieces into a large salad bowl. Wash, hull and quarter strawberries; scatter evenly on salad. Wash and stem blueberries and grapes, halve grapes and put on salad between strawberries. Wash and halve cherry/grape tomatoes and put on salad. Top with chopped pecans and crumbled blue cheese. If desired, sprinkle Bacos on top.

Use your choice of salad dressing. (Sometimes I make a dressing and sometimes I use what's in the frig.) I prefer either fat-free honey mustard, blue cheese or a low-fat, somewhat weak vinaigrette dressing on this salad.

A Collection of Recipes to Try

2010-09-16T16:42:00.000-04:00

I haven't been doing nearly as much cooking as I want to be and thus have been collecting an incredible number of healthy recipes that I'm holding in reserve to review (and probably change out a bit here and there).

Two such recipes are from Alyssa Yeager at Kitchen La Bohème I love reading her blog; she's a very creative person on a mission to eat healthy and primarily vegetarian and vegan. I totally respect that, but I'm not sure I could give up eating my mom's pot roast and meatloaf (or bacon with my eggs). The links to Alyssa's blog entries are below:

EASY DELICIOUS VEGAN Pumpkin Spice Loaf with Maple Glaze
VEGANIZE IT Turkey Cutlet Sandwiches with Smoked Paprika Mayo and Roasted Bell Peppers

Last night, I also saw a re-run of Rachael Ray's 30-Minute Meals, which featured an intriguing "pizza." Why is "pizza" in quotes? Simply because its base isn't dough, but a portobello mushroom cap. I love mushrooms on my pizza. I think I also could learn to like pizza on my mushrooms by making her Portobello Pizzas recipe. I also liked the looks of Proscuitto with Pears and Arugula, another recipe in the same episode.

If anyone makes these recipes before I do, let me know how they turned out.

By the way, it appears The Rachael Ray Show is moving to ABC as of tomorrow, which I didn't realize until I didn't see her in her usual 11 a.m. NBC slot and did some research on the Web. I don't watch TV all that much, so I guess I missed the memo.

Product Review: EnviroKids' Organic Koala Crisp cereal

2010-09-11T17:34:00.000-04:00

I loved Rice Krispies and Cocoa Crunch cereals as a kid. As an adult, I have become concerned about the preservatives (and other undesirable ingredients, such as corn syrup) that randomly appear where they don't need to be ... such as in my cereal and wanted something that would be a good substitute.

A few years ago, I went through a phase where I did nearly all of my grocery shopping at either Whole Foods Market or Better Health Market. I was trying an elimination diet to see if gluten bothered me, so I was on a mission to find a cereal which didn't include it.

I bought a couple of other cereals with it. The buckwheat flakes weren't a notable success (although they did taste better when I put raisins in the bowl, too). The puffed rice needed serious sugar and milk to be edible. But EnviroKidz Koala Crisp Cereal by Nature's Path Foods was full of chocolaty goodness.
On the website, it's listed as being "Made with love and ...It's a little too good; actually, it's hard to eat just one serving. This fact led to my first major cereal mix in conjunction with the unsweetened puffed rice. (Try it with 2/3 Koala Crisp and 1/3 puffed rice and your choice of milk or milk substitute.)

Organic brown rice flour, organic evaporated cane juice, organic cocoa, natural chocolate flavor, sea salt, organic molasses.

Product Review: Jelly Belly® 100-calorie packs

2010-09-11T17:09:00.004-04:00

I was delighted to hear that earlier this year Jelly Belly® had entered into the 100-calorie pack war. I learned to love them when my best friend, whose husband was stationed at Great Lakes with the Navy at the time, worked fro the factory in Chicago.

Even the sugar-free kind taste better than the same old jelly beans in a bag that get scattered through Easter baskets. I was less enthused to hear that some of them had caffeine in them. (I do not need caffeine in my jelly beans, personally.)

Limiting the amount of jelly beans is a great idea, but I think that 100-calorie packs, are, in general, incredibly overpriced.

If you can't find the 100-calorie Jelly Belly® packs, which I understand were being sold singly, why not get one of the larger containers of them or bulk Jelly Belly® beans (available in a number of places, including bulk food sections of various markets)? Put enough different kinds in your bulk bag to be interesting. Wash and dry your hands well when you get home, and put enough jelly beans to be equal to the 100-calorie mark (or 2 Weight Watcher Points). If using the bulk jar, put the packs back into it.

For those people who are all about convenience, and won't bother with that idea, these 100-calorie packs or the small boxes you sometimes see are fine; whatever works for you!

Product Review: Breakstone's Reduced-Fat Sour Cream

2010-09-11T10:16:00.002-04:00

Originally, I was going to review Breakstone's Fat-Free Sour Cream, but I took another look at the label on Kraft's website to be sure I could recommend it. I found corn syrup listed in the ingredients, and went to a tastier alternative in the same product line.

Breakstone's Reduced-Fat Sour Cream is preferable in both taste and texture. In addition, it has only six ingredients. In a blind taste test, I could not tell it apart from the full-fat version (of any kind of sour cream I've tried (and I've tried most of them on the market at one time or another). It is my preferred full-fat sour cream substitute, although Daisy's low-fat sour cream, which is cheaper, is a close second. Either of these are acceptable for baking or stirring into Beef Stroganoff; however, I would suggest straining the water off the top first!

It does have 2 g saturated fat, which is common with all dairy products (aside from fat-free) but trans fats are listed at 0. For those interested in watching your sodium intake, it has only 20 mg sodium per serving, which, unaccountably, is given in grams, but eight ounces yields seven servings.

Shopping Review: BetterHealth Market

2010-09-02T20:00:00.001-04:00

BetterHealth Market is a good middle-of-the-road store with some great choices. It is a little bit more, I find, than either Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe's, but there are some things I get there that aren't readily available at either of those, one of which (sob) will be no longer. (I'm referring to the Cocoa Mole flavor of the LaraBar)!

Moving on ... The customer service I have experienced at the Novi store is wonderful. I can always get help if I need assistance finding something I want. It has a good selection of healthy foods minus the mind-boggling number of choices you'd find at a Whole Foods Market.

The prepared food section also is a good place to pick up a quick dinner if you'll be too tired to cook after shopping.

You can get some great loss-leader sales on certain items in the store. In addition, BetterHealth Market offers coupons. Some (which vary from 10 percent off your order to 20 percent off a single item) are sent to me in the mail. Usually, there are coupon books available with the flyer in the front of the store. Check these out before shopping to get the best possible deals!

Shopping Review: Trader Joe's Market

2010-09-02T19:45:00.003-04:00

A few years ago, a former coworker brought in some beautiful red peppers and hummus. When I asked her where she got them, she said "Trader Joe's; that's where I do most of my shopping."

Think of Trader Joe's as a decently-sized specialty market minus the specialty prices. While it doesn't have the extensive stock of Whole Foods Market (which is both an advantage and a disadvantage, depending on how pressed for time I am). It does feature a bit of everything without being a megastore. While I enjoy both Whole Food Market and BetterHealth Market (more on that later), I find that, when I'm in a hurry to grab something to eat on the run, and there's a Trader Joe's in the neighborhood, it's my choice. It includes some heavenly healthy choices, including some wonderful meats, vegetables and fruits.

Unfortunately for me, the closest Trader Joe's to Milford is just south of Eight Mile on Haggerty. That means I don't get there often. If I'm on my way home from the area before 9 p.m. (which, I believe, is closing time), I usually make it a point to go there and get some of my favorite things. The great thing about TJ's is that I can do a quick shopping job there in about 15 minutes!

Shopping Review: Whole Foods Market

2010-09-02T19:35:00.002-04:00

I have always enjoyed going to Whole Foods Market; it's a shopping experience. I've been to the one in Ann Arbor and the one in Farmington Hills. Probably my favorite one (which is likely by virtue of being the one I know the best) is the Farmington Hills location.

Cheese lovers and wine lovers alike can go wild there. Foodies everywhere drool over the prepared foods, including all-American favorites such as a luscious macaroni and cheese dish as well as Kosher foods, vegan choices, vegetarian fare and a terrific salad bar. I love the place.

That said, I frequently hear (or read) complaints that the chain is pricey. In some instances, that is true, but the biggest downside for me is that it's a megastore; with my penchant for label reading, a small shopping trip will take me at least an hour (usually closer to one-and-a-half hours). So I'd advise getting your perishables last.

As is the case with many other chains, there are some great loss-leader sales available. If you stick to bulk food section and specials, you can get some bargains, especially in terms of healthier snacks.

I strongly suggest reading the flyer before you start shopping and limiting your purchases of the fabulous premade foods (particularly baked goods) to healthier choices so you too can have a shopping experience that's great for both your waistline and your wallet.

Product Review: Keebler Right Bites

2010-08-28T16:51:00.000-04:00

Someone at the construction magazine I worked at introduced me to 100-calorie snack packs.

My favorite, by far, is Keebler Right Bites Fudge Stripes flavor in a 100-calorie pack. That's probably because the Keebler Fudge Stripes were the cookie of choice to be found in Gram's cookie jar as kids. I know it seems peculiar that the queen of homemade bread had those cookies in her cookie jar, but, as she explained it, "The way you kids eat cookies, it's the only way I can keep up." My cousins Todd and Sara and I used to stay with my grandmother in the summer and Todd was a human garbage disposal, with the exception of green beans (he loathed them).

Anyway, back to my favorite new cookie. The only problem I have with them is that I want to eat more than one 100-calorie pack, but that's life.

Healthy Snacks Revisited

2010-08-28T16:41:00.003-04:00

As we get back to school and head into fall, it's time to think of some healthier snacks.

One of my all-time favorites, which also is good in lunches are flavored (the ones without added sugar). There is a fabulous one that is Mott's Healthy Harvest; see prior product review here.

Another thing I enjoy is trail mix. Now here you have to be careful with the portion size: stick to 1/4 to 1/3 cup by dividing it into little snack bags. The best trail mix I ever made featured chocolate covered Raisinets, Chex Rice cereal, a small package of the Ritz peanut butter cracker sandwiches, pecans, walnuts, raisins and dried cranberries. Aunflower or pumpkin seeds also are good.

For some additional ideas, try this article from Self or another from Eating Well magazine as well as my prior post about quick snacks.

Avoid Brain Decay by Eating Berries, Walnuts and Bright Veggies?

2010-08-24T19:49:00.000-04:00

I'm thrilled; it seems as though my favorite fruits and vegetables — such as blueberries, blackberries, strawberries and colorful peppers — may be able to somewhat reverse the aging process.
Yes, you may have heard that these are good for you already in the media. But this news comes from a professional scientific journal: Science Daily. In its Aug. 24, 2010 edition, an article titled "Eating berries may activate the brain's natural housekeeper for healthy aging" gives the scoop: berries, walnuts and other, brightly-hued red, orange and blue druits and vegetables are high in polyphenolics. This means act as "housekeepers" in your brain cleaning up residue that otherwise would impede normal brain function.

I'll have to get back to you on the results, but I plan to make a salad with as many of these things as possible in it sometime soon.

Healthy Eating: Some Pitfalls to Avoid

2010-08-20T21:21:00.002-04:00

Does anyone else remember Pepsi Light, the first lemon cola? I know, it had saccharin in it, but still, we thought we were doing something good by not putting the sugar from cola in our bodies.

Here are some warped things I (or others I've known) have done in the name of "healthy" eating:

-Justified eating a double cheeseburger by washing it down with a diet Coke/Pepsi and a side salad.

-Had a cup of soup and side salad with an unlimited Snackers basket (and I mean solely for you, not shared with everyone at the table). For the uninitiated, Snackers are cracker-like pita wedges (I believe they're fried) served with a generous tub of a spreadable smoky Swiss-style cheese. So having unlimited Snackers is not good for you, no matter how much salad you ingest.

-Had a Boston Cooler made with diet Vernors Ginger Ale (or a "brown cow" made with diet A&W Root Beer).

-Convinced yourself that you can have a 1/4-cup portion of any side dish you want as well as a couple of desserts at your uncle's funeral luncheon.

-Drunk more white wine at a party than is desirable at a friend's house party because a glass of wine is only two points, making it better for you than one fruity alcoholic drink you really wanted. (At best, this will end in your sleeping on a friend's couch, in your clothes, getting a crick in your neck. At worst, you'll be sleeping (still in your clothes) in a friend's daughter's room when two other friends — coincidentally engaged to each other — plop on the couch in said room and proceed to have a loud, drunken argument when you're still too sloshed to drive home.

I'm naming just a few of the pitfalls my friends and I have dealt with in the past 10 years; what are your experiences?

Video Promotes Blog

2010-08-15T00:04:00.000-04:00

Yesterday, I learned something at The Oakland Press about how to shoot, edit and post simple video clips. I was lucky enough to have Karen Workman, a reporter at The Oakland Press who writes The Dog Blog show me and another blogger, Chef Stacy Sloan, who writes the Cooking from Scratch blog, the basic steps of taking, editing video and creating a finished product to put online.

It was a wholly practical exercise: Karen shot my video first, and then it was Stacy's turn. Stacy got to edit her video and create her video "movie" first; after that it was my turn, with considerable coaching from Karen. Ultimately, the video will be used in streaming to promote my blog). I was extremely excited to see the finished product and thank Karen for her patience.

I may attach a video clip to the blog soon!

Product: Review: Kellogg's Fiber Plus - Chocolate Chip Flavor

2010-08-14T23:47:00.001-04:00

Kellogg FiberPlus Antioxidant Bars, Chocolate Chip flavor lives up to its claim of being more tasty than Fiber One bars; indeed I consider it a great improvement over nearly any bar aside from Nature Valley Granola Bars (see prior entry for comments on this great product). Two other flavors are available to try ... one includes almonds, which I'm not at all fond of in large chunks or whole. I haven't tried that one yet, so I can't say if it uses small or large almond bits.

This is a filling snack and incorporates antioxidants, according to the package. It's a better choice than many because it doesn't include high-fructose corn syrup in its ingredient list.

The packaging claims that a serving incorporates 35 percent of recommended daily fiber, which is quite an achievement for a snack. Due to the high fiber content of the snack, I highly recommend a large glass of water or milk to accompany it. A major concern when you up the fiber in the diet is that most people don't drink enough water. (For example, for those on Weight Watchers, it's recommended that you intake 35 grams of fiber daily and drink at least eight 8-oz. glasses of liquid a day. It used to be water, but it was determined all liquid counts.)

Gram's Banana Bread

2010-08-13T19:06:00.002-04:00

Some people come from a long line of good cooks. Although there was more than one in my mother's family, most of them got their start by working with a great cook: my maternal grandmother, Ruth Magdalen (Bolen) LaBerge. Although she's been gone more than 18 years, I still can't figure out why neither my mother nor I (both of whom are considered intelligent women) can make her banana bread in quite the way she did.

When we made it at home as I was growing up, it was good but I just knew there was something missing. Gram's bread seemed even more moist and the nutty flavor was stronger. Maybe it's just a grandma thing.

Perhaps one of my readers can solve the mystery of the ingredient or ingredients that Gram, who rarely worked from a recipe, may have omitted when my mother asked her for a written recipe almost three decades ago. (Mom subsequently rewrote the recipe so we could read it in the years to come. It's amazing it was recorded with a pen, since my grandmother wrote most recipes in pencil.)

Gram's Banana Bread

1 3/4 C. flour
1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 t. salt

1/3 C. vegetable shortening (to make it healthier, use the non-hydrogenated kind; Gram used Crisco)

2/3 C. sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

1 C. fairly ripe bananas, mashed

chopped walnuts (optional)

(The amount of walnuts put in this recipe depends on how well you like them. Gram just put in the amount she had handy — that is, when she felt like it.)

Sift flour; measure and add baking powder, baking soda and salt. Sift again. Cream shortening, adding sugar gradually. Add eggs, mixing until smooth. Add dry ingredients alternately with mashed bananas, stirring just enough to combine thoroughly. Do not beat. Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees F.*

(*Use a standard loaf pan.)

Note: I had a heck of a time finding a good photo of Gram, as she hated having her picture taken; in the above photo, shot when she turned 80 (in April 1982), it's hard to say whether she was crying because she was happy or because we insisted on recording the occasion for future generations.

Product Review: Purely Decadent Dairy Free® Cherry Nirvana flavor

2010-08-08T21:04:00.000-04:00

Want ice cream but can't eat it because milk doesn't agree with your system? Never fear, there is a solution. More than one, but I'll share my favorite.

I probably have mentioned this in passing, but Purely Decadent Dairy Free® Cherry Nirvana flavor ice cream is my favorite non-dairy frozen dessert. It even tastes like ice cream.

I discovered it in the frozen health food section at Kroger about a year ago. I've tried other products by Turtle Mountain, but so far, this is the best non-dairy frozen dessert I've had.

If you don't like cherries or chocolate, there's no accounting for it; however, I'm sure one of Turtle Mountain's numerous ice cream subsitutes (some made from coconut milk and some made with soy milk) will appeal to your taste.

Healthier Eating Out at Applebee's?

2010-08-06T17:21:00.000-04:00

One of the places I often try to con my friends into going when they want me to eat out with them is Applebee's. I get consistently good food there, and the menu offers some lower-calorie/healthier options.

The company just starting marking items on its menus that have fewer than than 550 calories; it also has some items that show the accompany Weight Watchers® Points values.

My favorite is the Weight Watchers® Steak & Portobellos, which at 7 WW Points and 330 calories; it's great-tasting and in just the right portion size. It is just a bit high in sodium, though (1,610 mg). The best bet of the Weight Watchers items in terms of both calories and sodium is Weight Watchers® Italian Chicken & Portobello Sandwich w/fresh fruit (320 calories, 730 mg sodium and 7 Weight Watchers® Points). I'll think I'll try that next time!

When going to Applebee's® (or anywhere else, for that matter), it's a good idea to download the nutritional information (if available), look at the options and choose two or three possiblities that are fairly good for both you and your waistline. Some people don't like this approach because they say it takes away the spontaneity of going out, but I like to know what I'm eating.

Review: Recipe Rehab

2010-08-05T23:07:00.001-04:00

I always like it when an unhealthy favorite is made healthier, whether it's in Every Day with Rachael Ray or Taste of Home Magazine.

I found a new blog recently on the Web that does the same thing.

Tanya Zuckerbrot fixes recipes ... one at a time on Recipe Rehab, a That's Fit website feature. In her Chocolate Chip Cookies rehab, she goes a little into the history of chocolate chip cookies (which is very cool) and replaces some of the flour with whole wheat flour and replaces butter with a mixture of uses a Smart Balance 50 percent butter blend and fat-free sour cream. I plan to try it sometime. Other wonderful sounding rehabs she's featured recently include Homemade Hamburger Helper (with whole wheat pasta and ground turkey breast) and Raisin Rice Pudding. Fill out a form to have her make over your favorite here.

Chocolate and Peanut Butter No-Bakes

2010-07-31T14:12:00.001-04:00

Do you have any idea how many recipes there are for no-bake cookies (the chocolate, peanut butter and oatmeal wonders)? It seemed as though there were hundreds when I did a search last winter for a no-bake recipe to use in a cookie exchange.

One thing I realized, though, is that these marvelous temptations have way too much fat and sugar in them. I wanted to make something for my parents' 45th wedding anniversary.

So I checked out vegan chocolate no-bake cookies, again coming up with nearly 50 versions. The one I chose is on the Go Dairy Free website. The recipe I linked to was a success, despite my not completely following the directions and, in the first test batch, in yet another happy accident, I left out the chocolate. (Those taste a bit like oatmeal scotchies. In the second batch, I used agave nectar, rather than maple syrup. I found them a bit sweet, but that may be because those are the ones without chocolate.)

In both instances, I made a half batch and used natural, unsalted peanut butter. A few additional tablespoons of oatmeal was needed. I also adapted the cooking timing, based on prior experience.

I'd like to try these using less maple syrup mixed with water to make up the remainder (1/4 C. maple syrup, adding water to make 1/3 C). I found it a bit too sweet for me. Add the 3 T. cocoa to this recipe with the liquids and cinnamon, if you prefer a more traditional no-bake recipe. That's what I did when I used the cocoa and agave nectar.

Anne's No-Bake Wonders aka 45th Anniversary Cookies

These are the ones that taste a bit like oatmeal scotchies. I bet adding a little butterscotch flavor would make this even better.

1/3 C. maple syrup
1/8 C. vegetable oil (I use olive oil, but if you don't care for the taste, canola oil would be fine)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 C. natural peanut butter (you probably can use another nut butter, but keep in mind that if it's runnier, like almond butter, you will need a bit more oatmeal)
3/4 C. rolled oats (if you need to avoid gluten, use Bob's Red Mill certified gluten-free oats)
2 tsp. vanilla extract

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine agave nectar, oil and cinnamon. Using a spoon, stir over medium heat until thoroughly combined; once it starts to boil, turn down to low heat and add the peanut butter and stir until thoroughly absorbed into the liquid, followed by the oats and vanilla. It should take about 3 minutes. It should be starting to be a bit hard to move the spoon; if not, add more oats, 1 T. at a time.

On a greased cookie sheet, drop rounded teaspoons of the cookie mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and cool in the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before serving.

Makes 9-10 cookies, but can easily be doubled.

Slow Food

2010-07-30T17:31:00.000-04:00

I've heard bits and pieces about the Slow Food movement, but I really didn't think much about it until recently.

Today, I was reading Food & Faith: Justice, Joy and Daily Bread, a book I received as a gift when I worked at a Catholic newspaper a few years ago; it's a compilation of essays about food, spirituality and politics. In particular, I was reading an essay by nutritionist Marion Nestle called "Food Politics." She was talking about what constitutes a healthy diet and added that basically that a diet with plenty of vegetables, whole grains and fruits is the most healthy. I immediately wanted to say, "Duh!" Not a very erudite comment, certainly, but truthful. We all should know by now what to do; why is it so difficult?

The politics of food is such that each food industry has its public relations gurus trying to promote what it sells whether it's good or bad for us. (Think California Raisin commercials, "the incredible, edible egg" and other food campaigns.) We spend a good deal of our time reading, watching or listening to advertisements and so-called food studies promoted by various food industries telling us what to eat. A good many of the studies focus on too narrow a spectrum, because it's simpler, or because it serves the purpose of one segment or other of the food industry. (It's always a good idea to learn who's promoting a study before buying into its results.) Also, the focus of food manufacturers is on "value-added" products, such as potato chips, rather than potatoes, because they are more profitable products. In addition, adding fat, sugar and/or salt to food can make it more appealing to our taste buds.

Green living includes sustainable eating, which is at the heart of the slow food movement. Buying local food as much as possible, in season, is part of it: you're eliminating the middle man and supporting local farmers at the farmers' market or roadside stand near you. Food that travels a lesser distance is fresher and has more nutrients; it's not on a fast train from somewhere.

The Slow Food Detroit site gives a clear picture of the Slow Food philosophy: "Slow Food is good, clean and fair food. We believe that the food we eat should taste good; that it should be produced in a clean way that does not harm the environment, animal welfare or our health; and that food producers should receive fair compensation for their work". This site lists local events, as does Slow Food Huron Valley. (This website is under reconstruction, though, so it's suggested for timely updates to get on its mailing list.)

Product Review: So Delicious Minis Coconut Almond Bars

2010-07-30T16:08:00.000-04:00

I'm just working my way down the list of Turtle Mountain's list treats. When I saw the So Delicious Minis Coconut Almond Bars on sale at Kroger for 2.99 (normally they're more), I simply had to try them. I already adore thse company's soy frozen dessert (Purely Decadent Dairy Free® Cherry Nirvana flavor, if you're interested); why not see if the one made with coconut milk is any good?

It was excellent, with a creamy consistency rarely found in anything but the best premium ice cream available, tasting rather like an Almond Joy candy bar (but with creamy ice cream-like flavor) on a stick.

While Cherry Nirvana is my favorite frozen dessert, this comes in a close second. You'll have to buy your own, though. Mine's taken.

Cookbook Review: Rachel Ray Express Lane Meals

2010-07-26T18:50:00.002-04:00

As always, Rachael gives twists on staples such as hamburger, cheese and bacon in Rachael Ray Express Lane Meals.

Open Face Blue Moon Burgers sound wonderful, as does Cowboy Spaghetti, which is also rated five out of five stars on Food Network's website. I'll have to tweak it to include non-dairy cheese, but that shouldn't be too difficult. The Balsamic Chicken with White Beans and Wilted Spinach is one recipe I made. I highly recommend the chicken part. The wilted spinach is good, except that I added too much liquid and it turned into spinach soup (which was still good, but in a whole different way than I expected). If you use bottled minced garlic, make sure you use a bit less than the equivalent of four minced garlic cloves. It gets stronger as it sits in your frig!

I plan to make the Smoky Sweet Potato Chicken Stoup someday when it cools off a bit. I love the concept, although I'll have to buy chipotle peppers in adobo sauce just for this recipe.

Probably the absolute best part of this cookbook is at the beginning, where Rachel has a three to four-page section discussing her 70 "go-to" staples (and the quantities in which she keeps them). It's a very useful tool for new cooks unaccustomed to stocking a pantry/frig so it's not necessary to buy ingredients for every recipe you cook.

Knowing me, I probably won't need as much hot sauce as she does, but it's a guideline.
If there's something you won't eat, don't buy it! (Personally for me, that would be anchovies, thanks to the job of my youth working in a pizza place.)

Product review: Sahale Snacks Nut Blends

2010-07-24T19:38:00.002-04:00

I liked trail mix as a kid; however, many traditional mixes have something with corn syrup in them. Although they're still tasty, I'll pass on them these days. (In my opinion corn syrup is one of the more insidious additives to food ... pretty much ever. I don't want it, even in my soda pop, but some of the things it pops up in are surprising, such as clam chowder. Does that need to be sweet? OK, will stop ranting and get back to my post.)

I have tried out a few different kinds of Sahale Snacks, which are healthier, I think than your traditional trail mix with candies in it.

Valdosta (which has pecans in it) and Soccoro (featuring macadamia nuts) are my favorites, although I think they're all worth trying, as they are both healthful and tasty. Starbucks sells single-serve packs of these as part of its healthy snack entourage. Bon appetit!

Veggie pasta, with an emphasis on the veggies

2010-07-20T22:17:00.005-04:00

One of the things I loved as a kid was spaghetti salad. I still do, but prefer to vary pasta shapes and the dressing a bit.
Last summer, quite by accident, I made a pasta salad with the things I had on hand. People kept requesting it when I went to parties. I made it with fresh veggies; I made it with frozen veggies. I made it with brown rice pasta, wheat pasta, even a mixture of the two once. It didn't seem to matter. The trick was the dressing.

On Sunday, I learned (in yet another serendipitous "mistake") that you can make pasta salad and vegetable soup at the same time in the same cooking pot; see my earlier post.

I don't really measure the pasta, the veggies or the dressing, so I can't even call this a recipe. It's more of a suggestion to try for yourself. I know I'm probably driving some cooks crazy right now, though my favorite TV chef, Rachael Ray, will understand me if she ever sees this post. She's totally cool with the "dab of this, dash of that" school of cooking.

I use a base of approximately 1/4-cup Maple Grove Farms' sugar-free Bacon Vinaigrette, mixed with a few sprays of Bragg's Liquid Aminos (a soy product that I often use to substitute for salt-laden soy sauce), about 1 tsp. sesame seed oil, a dash of white balsamic vinegar, about 2 tsp. Maple Grove Farms' Vermont Sugar Free Syrup (or a tsp. of the real thing) and a pea-sized piece of Thai Kitchen's Green Curry Paste (just trust me when I say you want to thoroughly break it up and distribute it through the entire dressing). If you're not into sugar substitutes, use another brand of bacon vinaigrette (or make your own) and real maple syrup.

The dressing should taste like a vinaigrette with a touch of sweetness and a little smoky flavor. If it's too sweet to your taste, add either a little more Bacon Vinaigrette or a splash of white balsamic vinegar. You might want to add some of the cooked pasta water (a tablespoon or so); it helps make the dressing come together.

If you make the dressing more than a couple minutes before you drain the pasta and veggies and stir in it, you will need to beat the dressing again ... thoroughly. Toss the dressing with about 3-4 c. of your choice of a mixture of slightly cooked veggies and pasta. I suggest Oriental-style frozen veggies, which only require quick steaming (1-2 minutes, max), along with the Tinkyáda brown rice pasta, which keeps its shape better than most pastas. Make this dish a meal: add chopped, cooked chicken.

My preferred ratio for veggies to pasta is between 1 1/2 and 2 times to 1; more dressing clings to pasta than veggies, which may be why I get away with less dressing than you would use for a bowl of pasta salad.

Whatever pasta and veggies you choose, regardless of the proportions, make sure they are cooked al dente; otherwise, you'll have goopy pasta salad that mushes together.

(Note: Brown rice and whole wheat pastas tend to be an acquired taste. The photo and link I included is for large amounts of this pasta; try a single package first. I buy it in Kroger's organic area or at Whole Foods Market.)

When life hands you a defrosted freezer, make soup

2010-07-20T17:27:00.001-04:00

The recent meltdown of the kitchen refrigerator's freezer led to the urgent need to do something with all the vegetables that defrosted.

I tried my hand at a vegetable soup, containing:

-Pacific Natural Foods Organic Low Sodium Vegetable Broth (32 oz.)
-2 C. water
-one 28-oz can of chopped tomatoes
-1/2 package of Tinkyáda brown rice pasta shells (or similar whole wheat shells would work)
-1/2 package of peas and carrots
-1/2 package of peas
-8 oz. green beans
a whole package of California-style vegetables (carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower)
-a whole package of Oriental style vegetables (broccoli, mushrooms, carrots, red peppers and water chestnuts)
-Two kinds of Mrs. Dash: Original Blend and Tomato Basil Garlic (about a tsp. each or to taste)
-McCormick Perfect Pinch, Roasted Garlic and Bell Pepper flavor, approximately 1/4 tsp.

Start by boiling the broth/water mixture in a large soup pot or Dutch oven. When it comes to a boil, start to cook pasta per package directions. When it comes back up to a boil, put in vegetables and add the seasoning, stirring thoroughly. When cooked, if you wish, you may take about three cups of the pasta/vegetable mixture out to dress with your favorite pasta salad dressing. (I did this because I decided I wanted to add tomatoes to my vegetable soup.) Add tomatoes and simmer until warmed through.

I didn't calculate the number of servings, but it was made Sunday and we're still eating the soup. I've pretty much finished off the veggie pasta salad.

Blogging (and cooking) by the seat of my pants

2010-07-17T13:44:00.003-04:00

My first blogs were very well planned. I wrote them in advance in Word and edited them extensively. Then I realized something: many blogs are more or less spontaneous, reacting to what life throws at you.

For example, I'm typing this blog at the library and have about 18 minutes left before it shuts off because the recent storm knocked our power out Thursday. I do three blogs a week and I'm not letting a minor detail, such as a lack of power or no clue what my topic is, stop me.

A good portion of what was in the frig are in coolers with ice at present. I don't think I appreciate sufficiently how wonderful it is to have all that food handy until something like this happens. We're trying not to open the frig as much as possible to keep the stuff good.

I'm used to convenience. It's easy to want to get something like Hot 'N Ready Pizza at Little Caesar's or McDonalds when you're in a situation like this, but that's really not the way my family does things.

The Coleman stove is perched on the inert grill outside and I had oatmeal with soy milk this morning. It was good to stick to healthy eating. Hopefully, the power will be on tonight. Hopefully, there will be something good at the graduation party I'm attending. Otherwise, it will be whatever we can cook on the Coleman stove or sandwiches for dinner: whatever's easy (and healthy) to fix.

P.S. It must be my lucky day: not only was the food at the graduation great (chocolate fountain with fruit and goodies, anyone?), but only one freezer (the side door one in the older refrigerator) had to be majorly purged. The other frig and basement freezer were intact. I'll also be cooking a lot of things that thawed but were still cold and improvising ingredients like crazy. How does a big breakfast fryup of chicken sausage and veggie soup sound?

Green Cleanup

2010-07-17T13:34:00.001-04:00

Kitchen La Boheme, one of my followed blogs had a most excellent post on green products you can use in your kitchen. I thought it was an awesome post, and hope you read it!

It leads me to think of things we can do to make sure our cooking, eating and cleanup is greener:

A big one is to minimize the waste products we have by selecting items which use less packaging.

Certain cereal boxes, for example, are packaged with less waste than others, such as Cascadian Farm organic cereals, making them better for our bodies and the environment.

Overpackaging comes in things like 100 calorie packs. Count out your own 5 Oreo Minis from a larger package, put it on a plate, put away the package and eat it at the table.

Buy fresh fruits and vegetables and recycle the plastic bags/boxes in which you carry them to the checkout.

These are just a few ideas to get you started. If you have any more green shopping, cooking or cleanup ideas, feel free to make suggestions in the comments area.

Melons and berries, oh my!

2010-07-14T12:59:00.003-04:00

I am mad for melons and berries this time of year: cantelope, watermelon, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and the little blackberries in our treeline ... whatever's available.

It's truly amazing that I haven't turned some shade between red, purple and orange yet. If I do, I'll put a new, multicolored photo on the blog.

This is the best time of the year to get melons or berries, as far as I'm concerned. Check a grocery store, specialty market or local farmers' market near you. If you're not sure where to find a local farmers' market, see my prior post on the subject.

Mom's "Birthday Cake": Three Berry Shortcake

2010-07-09T20:36:00.001-04:00

Today is my mom's birthday. We had Three Berry Shortcake, because it's been hot and no one felt like baking.

Shortcake was made more or less following the directions on Bisquick Heart Smart®, except we used Splenda. They are about 2 to 2 1/2 inches in diameter and rather flat.

Three servings of berry shortcake consisted of:

Approximately 1 1/2 c. mixed berries, cleaned (1/4 c. raspberries, 1/4 cup blueberries and 1 c. halved strawberries)
About 2/3 c. Kraft Cool Whip Light (just enough to cover the berries)
Six thin "shortcakes," halved

To assemble each serving, put one half of one shortcake topped with some of the berry mixture in a serving bowl; repeat layers ending with berry mixture on top.

My parents and I all enjoy this dessert; I find I prefer to use only one split shortcake so I have a higher berry to shortcake ratio.

If you don't care for Cool Whip, you may use frozen yogurt, ice cream or a dairy-free frozen dessert (thaw it slightly first). It also works well with thin slices of angel food cake or one large store-made biscuit (again, cut in half), although you need to leave the berry mixture to soak into the biscuits a bit before serving.

Iced Tea and Company

2010-07-09T20:19:00.002-04:00

When I was growing up, sun tea was fashionable. Big glass or plastic jugs with tea bags in them sat on a quite a few porches in the neighborhood; often, it was steeped for a full day in the sunlight.

That wasn't my favorite tea: I favored Lipton premixed and sweetened iced tea. Now that I'm older, I don't particularly like sweetened tea, unless it's chai, fruit flavored or herbal tea. Most of them have too much sugar.

I've found a few I like iced:

Luzianne decaffeinated tea bags: two per tea pot.

Tazo Tea, nearly all flavors. (It's available in several places; it's also brewed by the cup at Starbucks). The sampler is a cheap way to try most of them.

I especially like Tazo Zen tea (unsweetened) as well as the Chai and Passion teas (with a little bit of stevia added). A decaf substitute for the Zen tea involves two decaffeinated green tea bags and one herbal mint tea bag.

FYI: A tea seller told me you should not brew green tea in boiling hot water (it should be about 170 degrees). If you don't want to use a thermometer, you can put one ice cube in the cup you're brewing it in or two or three to a teapot before steeping the green tea.

Premixed teas I like include Oregon Chai Concentrate and Tazo Chai Spiced Black Tea Concentrate. (It says you get four servings per 32-oz. package; I find it's more like six to eight, depending on how strong I want the tea to be.

For me, Oregon Chai has a slight edge over Tazo Chai, mostly due to the fact that the manufacturer gives you the choice of regular, decaf, slightly sweet and sugar free versions.

These all are great teas to have in your cupboard in case of unexpected company.

Healthier Lattes

2010-07-05T21:47:00.002-04:00

In case I haven't mentioned it yet, I'm a big fan of Starbucks coffee. I am not a big fan of the number of calories in a regular soy latte.

Today I got a cup of ice and a grande Verona coffee and made my own iced coffee. It was pretty good, and a bit cheaper than the iced coffee that's already made.

Some time ago, I made a discovery: a hot Cafe Americano with sugar-free or regular syrup (your choice) and a little bit of soy milk tastes just as good (I think possibly better) than a full-on soy latte. It also saves me about a dollar each time I do it. This choice is better for my waistline and my wallet.

It works with most Starbucks coffees, too. I prefer the bold blends. The only way I can tolerate Pike's Place coffee at Starbucks (which is, unfortunately, the type of decaf coffee the company sells in its stores here in Michigan is with (at a minimum) soy milk and either three Sugar in the Raw or a couple of Splenda packets in it. And sometimes I go for the decaf Americano instead (with or without sweetener, depending on my mood).

If you don't care for Starbucks, you still could get any of these drinks at your favorite coffeehouse. Or make them at home (Expresso Roast is a good substitute for the Americano).

Barbecue: A Historic Viewpoint

2010-07-04T13:15:00.002-04:00

Here's a little bonus about the history of grilling (which many of us are undertaking on this day celebrating our freedom). It's an excerpt from John M. Duncan, a Scotsman publisher/bookseller (1795?-1825) from Glasgow, called A Barbecue in Virginia. The description of it on the Library of America's story of the week follows: "Invited to join Busrod Washington
(a favorite nephew of George, and owner of Mount Vernon) for an afternoon
barbecue, Duncan discovered a cotillion-like 'rural fête.'"

It includes some historic explanation of barbecues in America as well as a link to the actual story, originally part of the 1823 work Travels through Part of the United States and Canada in 1818 and 1819, which is reprinted in O'Neill's bestseller, American Food Writing: An Anthology With Classic Recipes.

Happy grilling and a Happy 4th to all!

Cookbook Review: Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen

2010-07-03T18:20:00.002-04:00

Today, I review an oldie but a goodie (first printed in 1996 and reprinted 10 years later). Help! My Apartment Has a Kitchen was written about 10 years after I had the idea to do something similar: a dorm room cookbook (a project I never finished because I was too busy with college at the time).

I believe you could apply many of the recipes to college dormitory cooking. (We were only allowed to have either a single electric burner or a hot pot in our dorm room, so making our Sunday dinner was a challenge. Hot pots were difficult to clean, especially after making tuna noodle casserole. I understand some colleges now allow microwaves.)

Anything that involves slightly more difficult concepts than, say, making a peanut butter or grilled cheese sandwich is pretty much explained. There's also a section on cooking basics. The down side, which I find with many cookbooks, is the lack of nutritional information. In moderation, however, none of this food should harm you. Furthermore, it's "kid" tested and mother-approved.

Written by the son/mom team of Kevin and Nancy Mills, this cookbook features simple recipes (for the most part).

If you're new to living on your own, don't know how to do anything besides boiling water and cooking soup and don't want to eat out all the time, buy this book! Its uncomplicated recipes and simple, matter-of-fact approach to cooking is the real thing.

Magazine Review: Taste of Home Healthy Cooking

2010-07-02T12:05:00.003-04:00

maThe original Taste of Home magazine features great-sounding recipes that just aren't as healthy as I would like. I have about two years' worth of these magazines thanks to a friend who once gave me a gift subscription. She is a cooking professional, and knows her food, so I knew the recipes would be good.

Taste of Home Healthy Cooking magazine lightens new and classic recipes so that they can be made for every day meals. I know they will taste good and be healthier than many choices. How healthy your choices are in this magazine depends upon you: unlike a number of cooking magazines, you have access to the nutrition facts. (One of my main beefs with a number of magazines is the lack of nutritional information available.

Recipes for July 4 currently are featured on the Taste of Home Healthy Cooking website, which also offers one issue of any of the Taste of Home family of publications free.

Beyond Shirley Temples: The Mocktail

2010-07-02T11:37:00.001-04:00

I've never been much of a drinker, which is, in my mind, one good habit that affects the size of my waist. Besides, I tend to like what I call "fruity girly drinks," in which you can't taste the alcohol anyway. So mocktails eliminate extra calories and make me sure I can safely drive home.

When I'm not drinking water, tea or coffee, I'll select the non-alcoholic punch or mocktail, generally created from various fruit juices and seltzer.

When you either can't or don't want to drink alcohol, here are some links to inspire your own mocktails, taking you beyond the classic Shirley Temple (one of my favorite drinks).

Washington Post (This article makes a great case for the mocktail: kids love them, too.)

Everything Mom

About.com

Allrecipes.com

Food Blogs I Recommend

2010-06-26T19:52:00.001-04:00

I read a lot of food blogs before starting to write one myself. Some of my favorites are listed here by category.

Vegan/vegetarian/other special diets

Kitchen La Boheme
I love the artistic photos that go along with the food Alyssa Yeager writes about. It's fun and sassy. Takes quite a while to load up on dialup, though. (I know, I know. I must get into the 21st century soon.)

Vegetarian Times (self-advertised as the world's largest collection of vegetarian recipes).

Vote for up and coming chef finalists in a VT contest or enter the reader contest here. I have liked this magazine for years; the online version is equally good, featuring numerous resources.

General Healthy Food

Clean Eating. If I could have only one healthy food magazine, this would be it. The website gives a good sampling of what's available in each magazine. Also, see my prior review here.

Desserts

About.com features all kinds of dessert/baking recipes, including healthy ones. You simply click on the appropriate category or do a search. My friends from work and I found a bunch of recipes here for the cookie exchange we had last December. (I really wish I could recall which no-bake recipe I used, so I could give you the direct link. It wasn't the most healthy recipe, as it had a fair amount of sugar and butter, but it did have whole-grain rolled oats in it, at least.)

Random

Medieval Cooking. Jennifer Strobel has some thought-provoking entries. Currently, she's in the throes of planning an authentic medieval-style feast. Updates fairly regularly, but apparently not more than once, maybe twice a week.

Product Review: Zevia

2010-06-25T15:59:00.000-04:00

I've now tried pretty much every kind of Zevia cola, an all-natural zero calorie soda. It is sweetened with stevia, rather than aspartame or sucralose. None of them is overly sweet, as I find with most diet colas, and I feel the stevia is better for me. I've narrowed it down to my top five.

5. Orange doesn't quite match the flavor of Stewart's (regular or diet), but it doesn't have harmful sweeteners in it, either.

4. Ginger Root Beer tastes like an old-fashioned, bottled root beer.

3. Lemon-Lime has a fairly unique lemon-lime flavor; I like it as well as any diet lemon-lime flavor out there.

2. Ginger Ale is similar in taste to diet Canada Dry, to the best of my recollection. I haven't really used aspartame to speak of for about 10 years.

1. Black Cherry. This tastes nearly as good as Diet Rite Pure Zero Cherry Cola, but doesn't have Splenda® in it.

The only downside is the cost. (Regularly priced, it's about $1 per can for a six-pack.) The lowest price I've been able to find a six-pack in stores is $4 each when it was on sale at either Whole Foods Market or The Better Health Store. When I buy only one at the local health food store, I don't pay much more than I'd pay for a can of pop at the gas station.

Tailgating: What to Bring

2010-06-25T15:33:00.000-04:00

Your friends want to tailgate before a rock concert at DTE this weekend. You want to eat healthy.

Unless you bring your own healthy food, you're at the mercy of whoever's cooking. Need some ideas? Here are a few suggestions:

Make your own shrimp cocktail with thawed, large peeled and deveined shrimp. Use a small relish and dip dish that will fit in your cooler so you can keep it on ice. Use bottled cocktail sauce if you want to, but I prefer a mixture of organic ketchup (or at least ketchup without corn syrup in it) and horseradish sauce. (Make it to your taste. I usually start with 1 cup of ketchup and a teaspoon of horseradish and add a little more at a time if it's not hot enough. (Don't overdo the horseradish, or you will feel as though you are breathing fire out your nose.)

Combine brown rice or whole wheat pasta, cooked, with vegetables and your choice of an oil and vinegar or oil and lime/lemon juice dressing. Light mayo, Miracle Whip Light, or soy mayo also works, but you may need to doctor the latter with seasonings and either lemon or lime juice. (Soy mayo tends to be somewhat bland.)

Hard boil and peel eggs; bring in plastic wrap or plastic bags on ice as well as salt and pepper.

If there's a barbecue available, you can barbecue shrimp, chicken and/or veggies your favorite way. See Food Network's Top 10 Better-for-You Grilled Foods for more ideas.

Product Review: Amy's Brown Rice and Veggie Bowl (regular and light in sodium)

2010-06-19T23:30:00.000-04:00

I try not to eat a lot of frozen dinners because even the ones with "healthy" in their names tend to be rather high in sodium. I try to shoot for something that's between 250-500 mg of sodium; I think most of us get too much of it.

I have always liked the Brown Rice and Vegetables Bowl from Amy's. It comes close to the desired sodium range (540 mg). It is one of the best healthy dinners I've tried, with ingredients that I can pronounce.

One day, I accidentally grabbed Amy's Light in Sodium Brown Rice and Vegetables Bowl from the frozen section, which has about 250 mg. sodium. See meal description for this meal and Amy's other light-sodium selections here.

Both are excellent, but I have to give a slight edge to the higher-sodium version; however, the low-sodium version is great with the addition of just a little FRENCH'S® Reduced Sodium Worcestershire Sauce.

Mom's Fruit Salad

2010-06-19T23:02:00.000-04:00

Fruit salad dressed with a mixture of Cool Whip and Miracle Whip to bind it was the fruit salad of my childhood, sort of a Waldorf salad-type thing. That's really not necessary to taste good, as my mother proved with hers made for a recent family graduation party.

Mom's Fruit Salad

Serves between 30-35 people.

Mom prepares the salad the day of the party, as she doesn't like it to get a bit watery in the bottom. If you have to make it in advance, you always can drain it. (We were eating it for about four days after the party; I liked it better the second day.)

1 cantelope, cut into 1-inch squares
half a honeydew melon, diced into 1-inch squares
two center-cut pieces of a medium-sized seedless watermelon, cut into 1-inch squares
quart of strawberries, washed, hulled and each sliced in half
pint of blueberries, washed
2 C. red seedless grapes, washed and halved
1/2 of one cored, peeled pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch square pieces

Mix together into a very large mixing bowl. Additional fruit salad may be kept in the refrigerator in a large freezer bag to replenish the bowl as needed.

Cereal Competition: Go Lean Honey Almond Flax vs. Cinnamon Crunch

2010-06-17T15:30:00.007-04:00

I bought four different "healthy" cereals in recent months: Cascadian Farms Organic Cinnamon Raisin Granola, which I haven't yet dug into, Kashi Go Lean Crunch! Honey Almond Flax, Cascadian Farms Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Granola (see prior post), and Cascadian Farm Organic Kids Cinnamon Crunch.

Although tasty, I had some concerns about the Dark Chocolate Almond Granola because of the higher fat content, which is one reason I tried Cascadian Farms Cinnamon Crunch, the overall winner compared with Kashi Go Lean Crunch! It's organic and beat Kashi's offering hands down for both taste and texture. (Go Lean Crunch! is very hard. I have to leave it soak in milk for 15 minutes before I can eat it.)

Cinnamon Crunch (the photo is of a four-pack, by the way) does have less fiber (3g compared with 8g) and doesn't have as many different whole grains. It also uses organic sugar rather than evaporated cane juice, rice syrup and honey (why three sweeteners are needed in the Kashi product is a mystery to me); however, Cinnamon Crunch also has two additional servings per box, each of which has about half the calories of Go Lean Crunch! per 1-cup serving (110 as opposed to 200, not counting milk!), and lower sugars, overall carbs and sodium. Given that Kashi's slogan is "seven whole grains on a mission," these facts (and its product's rock-hard texture) make that claim hard to swallow.

Cereal Mixing Isn't Just for Kids

2010-06-11T12:14:00.001-04:00

The Cascadian Farm Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Granola box looked oh, so innocent (how bad can it be, since it's organic?); however, I knew that unless I did something drastic, I was going to eat more than the measly 2/3-cup suggested serving.

Which led me to my favorite Weight Watchers diva: Lisa Lillen, a.k.a. "Hungry Girl." Lisa has written three cookbooks about her pursuit of satisfying, lower-point food. I learned from reading her first cookbook that cereal mixing is not just for pre-teens anymore. It's a way to eat a larger bowl of cereal for fewer Weight Watcher Points. I'd already done it once, with my all-time favorite EnviroKids Koala Crisp cereal (sweeter, chocolate-flavored rice puffs) and plain puffed brown rice. (The proportions were about half a bowl of each kind of cereal.)

I picked up the bite-sized, unsweetened wheat squares. (I think it was Post's, but it's hard for me to differentiate between different brands ... let's see, was that wheat, wheat or wheat?) Three-quarters of a cup of wheat squares went into the cereal bowl with 1/4-cup granola and Blue Diamond's Almond Breeze® Vanilla non-dairy beverage (from the refrigerator case in the natural foods section). I usually get the unsweetened kind, but someone grabbed this one by accident. I won't complain since a) it was on sale and b) she was being nice by picking it up for me in the first place. Besides, it makes darned good café au laits and smoothies.

I mixed it together thoroughly and dug in. One cup of this mixture not only had the great flavor of the granola but it had a lot more bulk to it. I didn't need to eat again for nearly four hours! If I use unsweetened almond or soy milk another time, I'll probably add stevia to achieve a similar slightly-sweet taste.

Product Review: Dark Chocolate Almond Granola

2010-06-11T11:05:00.001-04:00

I was in Kroger a few days ago and saw that the Cascadian Farm Organic Dark Chocolate Almond Granola was about a dollar off, with multiple coupons on it, one for $1.00 off any cereal. I hadn't planned to get cereal, but I'd already picked up Luna Bars on sale. One of the coupons on the package was (I kid you not) a coupon for .75 off two Luna Bars. Needless to say, I bought it, saving about $4 total in the transaction. I plan to repeat the purchase because the sale is still taking place!
Expect subtle flavor from this granola with my favorite dark chocolate and almonds chopped finely enough to enjoy them in nearly every bite. The down side is that 2/3-cup not only has 4.5 g fat, but it also constitutes one serving. I'll address that issue in my next post.

Healthy Eating and Drinking While Out: Part I

2010-06-08T20:45:00.000-04:00

I've been engaging in healthy eating (and drinking) in some unexpected places this week.

First, I met a friend at Lil' Chef in Brighton, an institution that was closed in for a while and reopened in a new location. Healthy is not the first thing you think of this local hangout that, when I was the kid, was the only place open after going to a 9 or 10 p.m. movie on the weekends. Regardless, there are some good choices.

If you're in a mood for breakfast, the cooking will make pretty much any egg dish possible with the low-fat egg substitute (basically, egg whites, coloring and a stablizer). If you ask for your eggs with no salt, the staff there also will oblige. Special orders do not upset them. I have gotten a very healthy breakfast there once or twice. You just have to order it the way you want it.

I wasn't in the mood for breakfast, so I asked about the salad. Amazingly enough, when I asked, I learned there were three or four fat-free dressings from which I could choose. There were six salads (not counting your typical side salad) listed. I chose the Michigan Salad, which, strangely enough, didn't have dried cherries in it. I asked for it without the cheese (and should have asked for it without croutons, but I didn't think of it). What I got was salad mix, cherry tomatoes, turkey and evenly-spread real bacon bits with pretty good fat-free honey mustard on the side.

The second place was Starbucks in Milford. I was looking for something decaffeinated without sugar. I hit upon the Tazo Passion iced tea (Starbucks' only caffeine-free iced tea). If you drink it completely unsweetened, your mouth puckers up a bit, so I had my Venti ice tea sweetened with two Splendas. (Next time, hopefully I'll have the stevia packets in my purse.)

Product Review: Van's Waffles

2010-06-04T12:35:00.002-04:00

I wanted waffles one day. I didn't want to make them and I wanted something healthier than Eggos.

So, as I walked through the frozen section, I saw Van's waffles. I have one word of caution: do not thaw them before toasting (either in a toaster or a toaster oven). The result is not pretty and led to a thorough cleaning of the toaster, something I do as infrequently as possible without causing burnt toast.

So far, I have tried two kinds of Van’s waffles: Wheat/Gluten Free Totally Natural waffles and Organic Flax waffles. (These links include nutritional information.) Both are excellent spread with peanut butter and topped with a little maple syrup. I generally limit myself to one waffle. The peanut butter helps to ensure I'm not hungry for a while. I shouldn't even mention how good they are with Turtle Mountain's Purely Decadent Soy Delicious non-dairy frozen dessert in Cherry Nirvana. It's your call whether or not to try it.

Where to Find Organic and Natural Foods Coupons

2010-06-04T11:52:00.004-04:00

After addressing the "Dirty Dozen," or foods you should buy organic, I decided to give some explanation as to how you can buy organic food without blowing your food budget.

In my own experience, I've found some good deals on organic fruits and vegetables at both Meijer and Kroger, including romaine hearts, grapes, strawberries, grape tomatoes and bananas. Just take a glance around your produce section.

I'd like to direct your attention to a few resources:

Staying Lean in Oakland County had a blog post on this very topic yesterday which I could not have researched or written better myself.

Shannon at For the Mommas has a good post about Buying Organic on a Budget (published about a year ago). It's full of great suggestions, such as checking out your local farmer's market and gives links to several companies that feature organic food and have coupons. I didn't check all of the links, but tested the first two, which worked.

Also, in 2008, the Grocery Coupon Guide did an exhaustive article about where to find organic and natural food coupons, that, although it's more than a couple of years old, is still a good general resource.

Many of the foods you buy, such as Pacific Natural Foods, or So Delicious Coconut Milk products by Turtle Mountain, have signups for their coupons. In the case of So Delicious, I was unable to sign up (probably due to my lovely dialup), so I sent the company an e-mail explaining I wanted coupons. They asked for my address, and I got them in the mail within a couple of weeks.

Product Review: FIT KIDS Instant Oatmeal Cinnamon Toast & Chocolate Chip

2010-06-03T23:51:00.001-04:00

Great-tasting, organic food. Do you hear that combination mentioned often?

I don't, but it precisely describes my favorite organic oatmeal: FIT KIDS Instant Oatmeal, made by Country Choice Organic. Being made for kids, it has to taste good.

I've tried Chocolate Chip and Cinnamon Toast, which come in a combined pack. The chocolate chip tastes like a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie fresh from the oven; the cinnamon toast smells just like Gram LaBerge's cinnamon rolls. (Cinnabon can't even come close to those, by the way. Sadly, she didn't measure precisely, so I have yet to replicate them.)

Below are nutrition facts for Chocolate Chip; as you can see, the vital statistics aren't too bad, although the carbs are a bit higher than regular sweetened oatmeal, such as Quaker Oats. On the up side, it doesn't have artificial sweeteners or ingredients.

Serving Size 1 packet (37.0 g)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 150
Calories from Fat 23
Total Fat 2.5g
Saturated Fat 1.0g
Sodium 100mg
Total Carbohydrates 28.0g
Dietary Fiber 3.0
Sugars 13.0g
Protein 4.0g

Magazine Review: Clean Eating

2010-05-29T22:11:00.003-04:00

Clean Eating is a fantastic magazine; it's full of tips about how to eat healthier foods. In fact, it's the first place where first I read about the list of fruits and veggies you should eat as organic produce. Of course, it was the top 10 instead of the Dirty Dozen I addressed in a prior post, but it's the same concept.

The general concept involves eating more whole (unprocessed) foods, such as fruits and veggies and whole grains. "Acceptable" sweeteners include agave nectar, honey, stevia and evaporated cane juice rather than processed sugar. See sample Clean Eating menu (and actual recipes for a week) on the website.

For those who like shopping lists, everything you need to feed a single person from these menus is available (I assume that the four serving menu items could, theoretically, be frozen if you don't use all the leftovers). You can also print a clean copy from the website rather than tear it out of the magazine or photocopy it.

The recipes included in the two-week plan have nutritional information and there is a daily nutritional calculation. If you wish to deviate from the daily choices, you'll have to look up on the labels of what you're eating for the individual meals.

Tosca Reno (who is credited for the popularity of the eating clean movement) has written a couple of books that explain the concept in greater detail. One of them is The Eat-Clean Diet Cookbook: Great-Tasting Recipes That Keep You Lean.

Healthier Macaroni Salad

2010-05-28T18:23:00.000-04:00

Healthy macaroni salad sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it? Let's go with the word healthier, shall we?

1/2 package of whole wheat macaroni (your favorite kind), cooked, drained and cooled
1 Roma tomato
1/2 large red pepper
1/3 English cucumber (peel if desired)
1/2 small, sweet white onion
Miracle Whip Light
freshly ground pepper (1/2 tsp. or to taste)
celery seed (1/2 tsp or to taste)
2/3 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained (optional)
3 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and finely chopped (optional)

Boil water; throw in macaroni and cook according to package directions; rinse in cold water until no longer hot while in strainer.

While waiting for the pasta to cook and cool: Wash vegetables thoroughly; peel cucumber if you prefer. Chop all vegetables somewhat finely (not teensy-tiny, but you don't want big chunks), taking out the seeds of the pepper and tomato. (The English cucumber shouldn't have any to speak of, and they're edible, anyway.) Mix all vegetables (including optional ingredients, if desired) as well as the pepper and celery seed in a large mixing bowl with enough Miracle Whip to lightly cover the pasta and

This will serve approximately 8 people as a side dish, four if using a main dish with chickpeas and/or eggs.

Healthy Eating on a Road Trip?

2010-05-24T23:22:00.000-04:00

My attempts at healthy eating are not always perfect. Despite some good planning, my friends and I still ate a lot of junk when we were in Louisville this weekend.

Besides being in the car for about eight hours on Friday and Sunday, we were at the Kentucky Exposition Center (which is also the site of the state fairgrounds) for about 10 hours all told on Saturday; that day, healthy eating fell by the wayside, primarily because we didn't feel like hiking the length of the fairgrounds to go to the cooler in our car. I can find healthier food at the Tigers' Comerica Park! Someone could make a killing selling salad along with the pizza sold at the exposition center (that was a hint, by the way).

I did have trail mix in my purse, but it wasn't enough to stave off hunger for hours on end combined with sleeping under four hours that night, even with a decent 1/2 sandwich and salad dinner on Saturday night. We also hung out afterwards, having pizza at 1 a.m. Sunday as well as lunch at Buckhead Mountain Grill in Jeffersonville (just across the river from downtown Louisville) at 2:30 p.m. that day (where we also ate dinner Saturday night). There are some healthy things on the menu, and my entrees were not only excellent, but fairly good for me. Unfortunately, their rolls and cinnamon butter are also wonderful. Stopping at about 8:30 p.m. Sunday at a McDonald's in Ohio didn't help, either.

On the up side, I did stay away from the ice cream and the cotton candy that were everywhere the eye could see at the convention center. The healthiest things there were smoothies and pizza.

If I had to do it over again, I would have tried to get more sleep so I wasn't starving and walked to get the salad, fruit and hard-boiled eggs out of the cooler Friday night and Saturday afternoon. I'd also have skipped the pizza. I'll need to eat very healthy food the rest of the week and do a little exercise to make up for it!

Product Review: The Original Breakfast Cookie

2010-05-19T23:44:00.001-04:00

I know posting two food product reviews in one day is a little odd (see VitaTops entry from earlier today if my statement's confused you).

But go with me on this one. They're somewhat related, in terms of being reasonably good for you sweet treats.

The best-tasting and filling cookie I know of is The Original Breakfast Cookie made by Erin Baker's Wholesome Baked Goods.

When I first heard of these, some girlfriends from the construction magazine I worked for said they were great, and did I want to split a big order with them? I thought it soundly mildly crazy to pay about a dollar each for breakfast cookies, but my office mate, Becca, said they were "crazy good." She was right. (I defer to her good taste in nearly all food matters. Except perhaps sushi. I'm a California Roll kind of girl.)

We got a mixed batch, and I soon found my three favorites: Mocha Cappuccino, Pumpkin Spice (which is only available October through December), and Vegan Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk. I really recommend the Baker's Sampler so you can find your favorites. They also freeze well. The last time I checked, if you live in Michigan, you can only order Breakfast Cookies online. If that is no longer the case, please let me know where to buy them!

I suggest half a cookie as one serving because they're very filling. Also, after you read the package information, you'll see that half a cookie is much more in line with one serving. That said, an whole cookie is a quick meal substitute for breakfast or lunch.

Product Review: Banana Nut VitaTops

2010-05-19T23:03:00.002-04:00

Slightly crunchy and carmelized if it features a sugar or streusel over it, the top of the muffin is better than the rest of the muffin, which just crumbles merrily all over my clothing!

I've always thought Panera made the best muffin top, but hadn't really given any competitor a chance until now. I found one in the natural foods frozen section that runs a close second to their tasty muffin tops. The banana nut muffin VitaTops are darned delicious; they also have five grams of fiber.

I've heard other Weight Watcher members rave about various kinds of VitaTops for years, and never picked a package up until this week. They were on sale at Kroger for $3.99 (4 muffin tops per package), which is the best price I've seen in a grocery store. I grabbed the second-to-last package in the freezer.

Use the defrost function on your microwave to heat the VitaTop until the frost is removed and it is slightly heated (times will vary). I haven't tried the VitaTop Deep Chocolate flavor yet, but I hope to find it on sale soon in a store near me.

Stats:
100 Calories
2 g fat
0 g saturated fat
0 g trans fat
0 mg cholesterol
5 g protein
120 mg sodium
50 mg potassium
19 g total carbohydrate
5 g dietary fiber
3 g sugars
4 g sugar alcohol

Deceptively Delicious Review Part II

2010-05-18T19:31:00.002-04:00

To add on to my review earlier this month, as promised: Deceptively Delicious: Simple Secrets to Get Your Kids Eating Good Food's author Jessica Seinfeld started her deception because her family members wouldn't eat their vegetables and found them "'disgusting.'" She started with an idea of blending in pureed vegetables (butternut squash into mac and cheese for her first attempt) and it took of from there.

I believe the Sloppy Joe recipe I tried this past week alone is worth the price I paid for the book. I will say, however, that making the food purees right before the recipe (which I did) is not recommended. It added probably 20 minutes of prep time, for a total of about one hour from start to finish. Seinfeld takes about an hour making her purees for an entire week. I probably never would do that, because I have very rarely planned a whole week's worth of meals at one crack. But then, I don't have to juggle work, a husband and children, either. Whichever way works for you is fine.

The recipe calls for 1/2-cup sweet potato puree and your choice of either 1/2-cup red pepper (my pick) or butternut squash puree (which I might yet try next, as the red pepper was not fun to peel). I also added some paprika and garlic powder to it, because the garlic cloves it calls for were inadvertently left out and I felt it need a bit more kick. (I have never claimed to be any kind of domestic goddess. That's a good thing, because my family members would die laughing if I even implied such a thing, which would truly be a pity. I'm rather fond of them.)

The next time I make this, I might use pureed tomatoes rather than tomato paste, which means I'll need more of it and also will have to reduce the beef broth accordingly. Otherwise, the result will be sloppy joe soup, which would be just a little too sloppy for me.

I definitely believe that the downside to the cookbook is the lack of individual nutritional information for each recipe. The cookbook, does, however, include some general information about why certain fruits and vegetables are good for you. I did find a copy of the recipe on sparkpeople.com with calories, fat grams, etc. if you're interested in trying it out. It's probably healthier than most sloppy joes you'll be finding at any graduation party you attend, too.

Sorry, Charlie

2010-05-15T00:37:00.000-04:00

Was anyone else as amazed as I am by this article -- complete with recipes -- that I found in Eating Well's online magazine? Apparently, sardines are a better bet than tuna in terms of Omega-3 fatty acids and Vitamin E.

Sorry, Charlie.

I had no clue that you can eat the whole sardine, including skin and bones. Kind of an eww factor in my head thinking about it, but I'm not going to knock sardines until I try them, which I plan to do at the earliest possible opportunity.

It can't be worse than anchovies on pizza (much as I love Rachel Ray's cooking, I'm probably not going to try any of her recipes using anchovies as a result of that particular culinary adventure).

Apparently, fresh sardines are tastier than canned, and, supposedly are available at the meat counter. The article also contains recipes.

I'd like to know where in Metro Detroit you can purchase fresh sardines, since I've never seen them. Of course, I do live in the great wilds of northwestern Oakland County, which could explain this gap in my education. Let me know if you know. I'd also love to hear your comments about any of the sardine recipes you try.

The Dirty Dozen (and the Clean 15)

2010-05-14T19:45:00.000-04:00

We all need to know the Dirty Dozen. And I don't mean the movie.

I'm talking about this year's list of the 12 fruits and vegetables most likely to contain harmful levels of pesticides, as provided by Environmental Working Group's website. It is strongly recommended that you buy organic versions of these fruits and veggies. Dr. Andrew Weil says he uses the list to do his own shopping, and even endorses it in a video, which is also available on EWG's website.

If you sign up, you can get a printable PDF containing a little cutout for your purse or wallet when you go shopping, which also gives a list of the Clean 15, so you know the least contaminated vegetables. It also includes a more extensive list of 49 vegetables/fruits as well as their rankings in terms of being less or more contaminated by pesticides. And do try to buy organic versions of the worst ones if you can, so that getting your "five a day" will be even healthier.

Product Review: The best snack bar

2010-05-12T16:37:00.000-04:00

Nature Valley's Honey & Oats Granola Bar has been one of my favorite snacks since I was about 10. And to any smarty pants out there: yes, they did make it in the "dark ages," aka the 1970s, before MTV was a gleam in anyone's eye.

As the years passed, I realized I wanted something with a little more protein. As a kid, I liked Carnation Breakfast Bars for that purpose. I was horrified years later to figure out that they were between five and six Weight Watchers Points. The Tiger's Milk bars that I ate in my 20s thinking carob was better for me than chocolate had corn syrup! (I go on about corn syrup a lot, mostly because due to studies that state is largely responsible for the obesity epidemic in this country. Supersizing played a part, too, I'm sure.

I've tried Clif Bars, chewy granola bars with nuts, NutraGrain bars, South Beach Bars and Luna bars in my search for a good snack bar with more protein. (Until a couple of years ago, the latter I felt was the best one I had found, fairly healthy and only about three to four Weight Watchers points, depending on the flavor.)

If you are seeking a healthy snack bar with a short list of understandable ingredients, I've found it. It's called a LaraBar, made by the Clif Bar people.

A LaraBar is not a low-calorie food. The bars I've tried are all right around four Weight Watchers points. They are made of dried fruits and raw nuts ground together and mixed with seasonings to make the different flavors. The LaraBar that blows the other ones away (mind you, all the ones I've tried are pretty darn good) is the Cocoa Mole bar. It's sweet, savory and spicy all at once. The chili powder with the chocolate has a little kick to it. And, of course, it's chocolate. The only place I can find Cocoa Mole is at Whole Foods. If it's available elsewhere, I definitely want to hear about it.

Many grocery stores, including Kroger and Trader Joe's, carry other kinds of LaraBars. Banana Bread, Gingersnap, and Cherry Pie are all good. You can even carry them around as an emergency meal substitute.

I'm not the only one who's tried finding the best snack bar. Elaine Magee, a registered dietitian, has a systematic approach to pick the best bar. My second choice, the Luna Bar, made the list. (Iced Oatmeal Raisin, my former favorite, tastes just like a great oatmeal cookie in snack bar form.) It is a little cheaper than the LaraBar (about $1.29 on average compared with $1.59 to $1.79 for the LaraBar). The LaraBar did not make Magee's list. (I'm guessing that the fat of the nuts and the dried fruit's natural sugars made it too high in those categories to meet her criteria.) I still stand by Cocoa Mole as being better for me than a candy bar! It gets a rating of 5 on a scale of 1 to 5 in my book for a combination of taste and nutrition.

Help Stamp Out Hunger!

2010-05-07T15:34:00.000-04:00

This entry is not exactly about your healthy eating, but rather, someone else’s. The U.S. Postal Service’s letter carriers will be collecting food by our mailboxes … right here in Oakland County and around the country to help “stamp out hunger.”

That’s right: the Stamp Out Hunger! food drive is slated for this Saturday, as in tomorrow. Just leave a strong bag full of non-perishables that won’t break Saturday when your letter carrier picks it up while delivering your mail. Some good choices are canned, unsalted vegetables (including beans and tomatoes) healthy versions of soups/stews (preferably without corn syrup), canned fruits in natural juice, canned tuna and salmon, dried pasta, tomato sauce, etc.

The collection, now in its 18th year, is a joint effort. According to Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan’s website, the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) has the support of Campbell Soup Company, the U.S. Postal Service, Feeding America, Valpak, the National Rural Letter Carriers’ Association, the AFL-CIO, United Way Worldwide, Teamsters and Gleaners.

You can even get a reminder by texting STAMP 6 to 30305 so you won’t forget to put out the food.

Our neighbors to the west, in Livingston County, already did their part last Saturday, raising $11,000 and gathering 8,000 pounds of food, according to the Livingston County Press & Argus. I’m proud to say a friend of mine, Rick Beaudin, a local realtor, a.k.a. “The Pickney Pirate,” promoted the heck out of this event.

Let’s hope someday these efforts are truly successful and we accomplish the goal to Stamp Out Hunger!