Vote With Your Forks!

I have not read a book for pleasure in a long time. Finally, I figured out my ipod (who said Apple programs were user friendly?) and loaded the audio book In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan. It is so refreshing to hear a voice defending real food against the “edible food-like substances” of our time. Pollan advises a simple diet of eating high quality real food that consists mostly of plants. There are no restrictions in the way of real food; if you love potatoes, eat them every day. If you hate eggplant, you never have to eat one again and you can still be entirely healthy. The obvious issue with our society is HOW things are grown, raise, formulated and processed.

My favorite quote so far is “…a health claim on a food product is a strong indication it's not really food." This is referring to A) it is in a box/bag to advertise a claim and B) the claims are “low fat, no cholesterol, heart healthy, good source of whole grain, sugar free and high fiber. All of these latter claims are slapped on packages of fake food that can be synthetically altered to make such claims.

A great disservice has been done to food. Scientists create synthetic beta carotene and call it a carrot. Whether using this to create a vitamin or enriching an “edible food-like substance,” it is in direct violation of God’s creation and in turn our very bodies. Conspiring men believe and are good at making others believe that they can make foods better than nature. Our society is brainwashed into thinking fake foods are better than the real thing because they can formulate it and reformulate it to fit the fad of the season.

There was a really interesting section in the book where it talks about the evolution of food labeling. From 1938 to 1973 the term “imitation” was used on the product labels of fake foods posing as a real one. The FDA changed this law to one of broader interpretation; “as long as the new fake food were engineered to be nutritionally equivalent to the real article, they could no longer be considered fake.” This is when traditional grocery items like bread and yogurt were reformulated from a simple 2 to 5 ingredient lists to recipes containing 30 plus ingredients.

When I was growing up, my poor mother didn’t stand a chance, it was impossible to get foods grown without synthetic chemicals and pastured animals raised without pharmaceutical. Even most people growing/raising their own, had no idea it would be wise to avoid such mainstream practices. It is such a blessing in our day to be able to obtain real, high quality food. In Defense of Food reminds us that you can “Vote with your forks!” Support local, organic farmers and local, organic farmers will become more accessible.

Soy Story

I want to thank Jennifer for her question on my last post Vegetarian-ish. There are so many things I avoid in terms of food that I loose track of what I have covered.

When it comes to vegetarianism I believe soy to be the element that commonly gives this lifestyle a a downward spin. Soy is heavily relied on as a health food, especially where meat in avoided.

So here is why I avoid soy in a nutshell;

Almost all soy is GMO - they have this pesticide called "round -up" that is super toxic and kills everything in a field. They have genetically modified soy (and other crops) to withstand this harsh chemical. Aside from that gruesome fact, soy is super high in phytic acid, anti nutrients and inhibitors that create problems with mineral absorption and digestion, with longer term affects of cancer, infertility, thyroid problems, autoimmune diseases and stunted growth. When soy beans undergo processing, their fragile proteins are denatured. Toxins and carcinogens are formed along with MSG and aluminum.

There is tons of technical terms that I avoided that would add about 10 more reasons that it is bad for you. With fairytale marketers any food can appear to be an amazing super food. Do research, pay attention to your body, use new products in moderation and be skeptical of anything a company is pushing on you as they are in it for the money.

Vegetarian-ish

That's what I'm calling it. Not extreme like vegitarianism, but similar in principle. I make a conscious effort to generally center meals around whole grains/beans, vegetables and fruit. Good quality fish, eggs and dairy are all nourishing animal products that are often included. While the Lord gave us dominion over animals he also commanded that meat should be used sparingly and who knows how to nourish our bodies better than our own maker?

I took a trip back home to Iowa this month where hamburgers (grain fed beef) and sweet corn (GMO) is the meal of the season. We mixed it up a bit with a pork tenderloin or rotisserie chicken then ate fresh garden vegetables in between, but it sure was a lot of meat! And my body complained. Not good.

I make a conscious effort to avoid meat when possible, I use good quality meat in small amounts once a day or less. I am not fanatic, just conscious. Our society is so reliant on meat as a staple that it has become a disgusting industry all about producing the largest cow in the shortest amount of time. This is the kind of meat that adorns the dinner tables of most Americans and is best to be avoided when ever possible.

Be mindful on your journey not to compensate for lack of meat with more processed foods and soy replacements, this is a step in the wrong direction. TVP, tofu and soybean oil are all much, much worse than a juicy burger even though they are found in the health food section, health food they are not.

Check out my new link to the right to find recipes on my blog that are vegetarian-ish.

Deprivation

Remember those orange sherbert push-ups from the Schwan’s Man? In an effort from keeping my kids from feeling deprived, we have been making these treats from sugar free spinach and fruit smoothies (this one has blueberries in place of the banana and kiwi). The kids are ga-ga for them. I found the little contraptions at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Living a healthy lifestyle is a process that takes effort. It all starts with our desire, a personal conversion so deep that change is inevitable. Then we must dive into knowledge. Unlearning our bad habits and misinformation and replacing it with sound principles, our own discernment and truth. This learning seems to never stop but does become less overwhelming.

Now we are putting what we learn into practice. Little by little we apply more and more. Finally, we have gone so far past where our society lies and we are frustrated. The constant candy rewards, unhealthy refreshments at the end of events, party after party with nothing to eat but pizza, pop, cake and ice cream and the endless snack foods that are dished out all-you-can-eat style at every turn of the head.

Deprivation leads to rebellion from that which you are deprived. This is especially true for kids who haven’t had the chance to work it all out for themselves yet. This week we are attending a family reunion, which means lots of kids with parents throwing food (and I use that term lightly) at them to keep them happy. We will be going with a bag full of vegetables to off set the toxins they call food and a bag full of healthy snacks to set a good example. Wish me luck.

Cook Turns Farmer

This flowering kale is one of the reasons I could never go back to a small town. The grocery store in my home town doesn't even carry cilantro! There is so much available here, I didn't even know kale could be purple or white, I wonder how many other colors there are to be yet discovered. Some little farmer that grows unique produce for the joy of it, not the money they could be making by mass producing mainstream crops, won my heart when I found this at the market. I made my refreshing kale salad with it and found it had a pleasant floral flavor. After I blanched it some of the leaves turned bright blue--who knew a food could naturally be that color?

There is something so satisfying to me to grow my own food. I looked all over for kale seeds this year. I guess those have to be mail ordered. 2002 was the last time I grew a productive garden, since then my gardening attempts have been disappointing. I have the hardest time with squirrels. My plants will grow beautifully until the actual vegetables start to grow--then they are destroyed. They like my broccoli, cucumbers, zucchini, spinach and lettuce. Tried blood meal, having the boys pee around it, chicken wire and now netting. I don't know how they get in. I went to a gardening seminar this spring, hoping to get some new solutions. Though they had a lot of really good information, none about pests devouring whole plants. I do think their fertilizer is working though. These are pictures of the same zuchinne plant 13 days ago and today.

Health Food Store Deceptions

You think you are safe, but you're not. Even health food stores carry very unhealthy foods. UGH! You have to, have to, have to read labels...INGREDIENT LABELS that is. Even I get fooled. Take this week, for example. I have been wanting to make homemade english muffins for some time and just have not gotten around to it. So they have been on my mind lately and when I saw a bag of SPROUTS HONEY WHEAT ENGLISH MUFFINS in their bakery section, I tossed them in. They looked brownish with darker fiber flecks and the label was so generic (often a sign of fresh from the in-store bakery), Sprouts is known for health food. It's not like the bag had a big Wonder Bread sticker on it--then I would be suspicious. Well, I got home and took the time to take a lookie. YIKES!

Ingredients: ENRICHED BLEACHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, IRON, NIACIN, THIAMIN MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), WATER, YEAST, HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, WHEAT BRAN, CRACKLED WHEAT, RYE MEAL, WHEAT GLUTEN, HONEY, MOLASSES, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, DOUGH CONDITONERS (CALCIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM PEROXIDE, MONOCACIUM PHOSPHATE, ENZYMES, ADA, ABSORBIC ACID, CITRIC CARBONATE, AMMONIUM SULFATE, CALCIUM SULFATE),FUMARIC ACID CORNMEAL, CALCIUM PROPIONATE.

So when did honey become high fructose corn syrup?? I know white flour is refined WHEAT, but adding molasses for coloring and bran to give the fiber a boost, that is just trying to deceive consumers. Shame on you, health food stores of America.

The facts are, a vast majority of grain products being sold today are NOT whole-grain products. Even products targeted at the health food market are usually made mostly or only with enriched wheat rather than with whole-grain flour. Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products। Color is also not an indication of a whole grain. Brown does not necessary mean whole wheat or whole grain! When determining if a packaged food product contains whole grain or not, look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list, preferable first on the list. Also look for the Whole Grain Stamp A "good source" stamp contains at least 1/2 serving of whole grains while an "excellent source" contains at least 1 serving of whole grains. Or better yet, make it yourself.

Store to Store

When Fresh and Easy Market's popped up all over the place I was very excited. I heard it was like Trader Joe's so my expectations were high. My first experience was a huge letdown. I left without buying a thing, I was revolted by their packaging and the "cafeteria food" look everything had. Their produce was expensive and the grocery section was VERY limited, I've seen gas stations with better selections. It was all very ordinary from Heinz Ketchup to Honeycombs Cereal.

I thought I would never be back, but then I started hearing things like $2.99 for a case of 24 water bottles - that's cheap! And cans of beans for a great price with nothing added- not even salt! I heard about their discounted produce and was a little skeptical because I am a freshness freak and didn't want wilted lettuce and brown bananas. But I found things like pears and avocados that were perfectly ripe. Why not let them ripen on the store shelf instead of my counter?

The best part are the coupons that are EVERYWHERE. Most of them end up being twenty percent off if you spend the right amount. This makes each water bottle only ten cents a piece and perfect for food storage. Now that I go back fairly regularly I have learned to accept the store's quirks and embrace the good deals. My latest find is their organic heavy cream. I love to whip fresh cream for waffles and the only kind I liked was at Trader Joe's- a ways away for me to skip on by. The Shamrock Farms and store brands all have a nasty plastic taste to me. Fresh and Easy has pint sized carton of cream that tastes great and is comparable in price to the plastic kind.

Please leave a comment if there is anything else I should be checking out at this green market chain. If there is a place where you have come across some great finds, shoot me and email, I will check them out and report back.

Deertopia

We were up to our ears in deer last week. My dad sent me a cooler full of his latest hunt for valentines day (there has to be a reason right? Butchering is expensive.) Thanks dad! The kids love everything deer simply because it is from Papa. I was very creative and we ate well all week. I just prepared it in regular beef recipes and have found it really pleasant. I thought I would share some of my ideas on "gaminess."

First off, I have had free range meat in the variety of chicken, beef, fish and eggs (not exactly meat, but close). In these experiences I have found a hint of difference in the flavor (seaweed like). Yep, ALL of them have the same underlying difference in taste and guess what? That taste comes from omega 3's which has come to be known as a supplement nowadays. With the way meat is raised on most farms presently, the end product is basically protein and saturated fat, our taste buds are not used to the flavor of omega 3's found in free range and wild animal products.

Secondly, freshness is key. You know how fish gets a fishiness when it is old, has freezer burn or otherwise poorly handled? Same goes here, game gets a gaminess. I am a BIG fan of the vacuum seal and a good deep freeze. Another hint is going beyond salt and pepper to season the dish or soak it in a good marinade (by good, I mean homemade.) Another technique for moist, flavorful meat is under cooking. If you cook it until it is done, the carry over cooking time makes it overdone. So cook until slightly pink and it will end up perfect.

This is the extent of my trials:

Burgers--sauteed onions, and peppers mixed some in with the ground meat and used the rest on top along with guacamole, toasted homemade buns, cheese and lettuce. The grind of the meat was a bit fine so the texture was mushier than a typical burger. Of all the ways to process deer, I have found ground to be the most gamey, so season liberally.

Philly Cheese Steak--seasoned with spike, undercooked served with peppers onions and a cheese sauce wrapped in homemade flat bread. What a treat! One of Jarom's favorites.

Venison Stroganoff--made exactly as my beef version and just as tasty.

Canned--pressure canned for 90 minutes, have not tasted the results.

Steak--pan seared with steak seasoning rub, undercooked of coarse.

Fajitas--best preparation award, so I'll include the recipe.

Marinade:
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon freshly ground cumin seeds
1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped
salt and pepper
1 limes, juiced
1 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup olive oil

Thinly slice deer. Place in marinade and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Saute peppers and onions. Brown meat on high heat for 2 minutes. Serve in warm tortillas with lettuce, cheese and guacamole.

Snack-On

I had a number of requests for snack ideas and since my computer crashed yesterday I no longer have the fun posts I was working on for this week. sniff, sniff. I feel very strongly about feeding children well, not only for the immediate benefits but the lasting effects that learning good eating habits has on their future. I have strict guidelines in my house where food is concerned and have found great success in such consistency. Kids need snacks (heck, I need snacks) but hunger can stike at inopportune times, so preparation is the key. To me, a snack is simple AND healthy. If it has no nutrition or is only "enriched" with vitamins (therefore - fake food) it is a treat. If my kids want a treat, they compensate for it by eating roughly twice as much really healthy food first.

Our snacks start with a vegetable, if they are not hungry enough to eat a vegetable, they are not hungry enough for a snack. Too many kids (and adults) eat all day which causes our hunger cues to get messed up and leads to overeating, mindless eating and eating because we are bored.

These are our standard snack-on vegetables:

*cucumbers - I let them request the way they are cut (rounds, sticks, wedges, thinly sliced...) Giving choices increases their cooperation.
*peppers - only my oldest chooses these for snacks, any variety but green.
spinach - prewashed, organic, baby spinach that I can just toss in some dressing. Another thing I do with spinach is make what we call "super green food." This is blanched and pureed spinach. I think it is crazy how much it is requested--not because they like it, but because only 5 bites is a serving, so it is a fast, get-it-out-of-the-way-so-we-can-get-to-the-good-stuff vegetable.
sweet potatoes - diced, pressured for 3 minutes and sprinkled with cinnamon warm or cold.
*carrots - for ease we often get those organic baby carrots that are portioned out in little bags.
*edamame - I will buy packages of fresh and divide them into portion sized bags for easy grab and go. They freeze well and thaw fast (Brik likes them best frozen)
green beans - leave them whole, pressure them for 2 minutes and eat with salt hot or cold, especially good with hummus.
*freeze dried corn and peas - really great for long trips.
frozen peas and corn - yep, right from the bag.

Fillers are things my kids eat easily and help carry them to the next meal.

toast - usually with peanut butter.
beans - the kids really like S&W brand chili beans.
*string cheese
*nuts - raw almonds or walnuts.
avocado - diced and sprinkled with salt.
*tomatoes - little cherry or grape varieties.
egg - hard boiled or cooked for a couple minutes on a fry pan.
kefir/yogurt - plain, add honey or real maple syrup if needed. Flavored yogurts fall into the treat category--too much sugar.
leftovers - parts of meals that won't be useful in the next few days.

Fruit is like the dessert of a snack - it's what they are working towards.

*grapes, *raisins, oranges, *apples, melon, berries, *banana, pineapple, peaches, pears, mangoes...
ugly smoothies - these are fruit, kefir and spinach, we love them for special occasion snack desserts.

Kids are funny, they go through stages where they don't like something, then love it, then hate it again. Most kids resist new things (and rules) but if you stick to it, keep offering new things again and again and have a "just one bite" rule, they can learn to eat better. Try to simplify, most people would never dream of eating cold green beans or sweet potatoes or oatmeal, or sloppy joes...my kids prefer their foods cold. So save yourself the time and the harmful microwaves - let them try it straight from the fridge.

*Grab and go.

Health is More Than Just Food

My main focus here is nutrition, but enjoying good health has more to it than just food. Exercise is so important to maintain health, strength and avoid injuries that can lead to surgery, pain medicines and less exercise. Another side of enjoying good health is avoiding chemicals. Chemicals leach into food from poorly processed plastics, some metals and synthetic non stick coatings on pot and pans.

Chemicals also abound in cleaners from Windex to laundry detergent, bleach to hand soap. How many of you have started to feel nauseous, dizzy or a headache while breathing in fumes while cleaning? These fumes seep through their containers and contaminate the air in our homes. Think you are protecting your child from icky germs by wiping down his highchair with Clorox Disinfecting Wipes? Think again.

Next to cleaners, I am disgusted with the way doctors are trained to use chemicals disguised as medicine to treat every ailment known to man. There are so many natural remedies that are effective without the negative short term and long term side effects. The Enlightened Homemaker is an amazing blog that is dedicated to health as a whole. It’s author, Shari has such passions along the same lines as me. She is an advocate for everything good for you and shares tips, ideas and recipes that she has picked up through the years of raising her family.

While I am going to continue to focus on nutrition, I reserve the right to rant on anything in the nature of health.

In the Season Thereof

It’s no secret I love fresh produce. I will stand at a grocery display of green beans picking out the best of the pile one by one. I don’t buy something just because it is on my list. Here is some of my criteria:

1. smells good
2. firm, no bruising
3. heavy for size
4. good color, no browning
5. crisp, not wilted or wrinkled

I make a grocery list and go shopping with a few meal ideas in mind, but I do not hold myself to them. I roam the produce section and build new meal ideas on what is looking particularly pleasing. Good news is these beauties are most often the items on sale and on display with loads to choose from.

Have you ever noticed when you grow your own produce how long it lasts before it goes bad? A far cry from supermarket specimens that sometimes only have a few days left. I love watching my garden grow and enjoying the crop. Though it is not cost efficient, hard work and time consuming, it is also very gratifying to the deepest part of my soul. This time of year we love to enjoy the abundance of citrus and pecans that fall from Jarom’s grandparent’s trees. My body seems to crave them everyday. Yesterday we planted our own wee little orange tree. We also have a peach tree growing in my garden that grew from a peach pit that got mixed in the compost. So we are looking forward to 10 years from now : )For now I will get the soil ready to plant, pick oranges and pecans at grandpas and leave the watermelon to rot at the store…for now.

Fake Heat?

I don't know what it is about microwaves that give me the heebie jeebies. Maybe it's because of the warning signs on every teacher lounge door that tells you before you enter the room "Microwave in Use". I know there have been studies that say they are safe (and ones that say they are not, but who's looking at those?) but they just don't feel right to me. So I avoid them for all applications besides melting chocolate and heating up water. Even then I have guilt, something is wrong.

Real Food for Real People

I am strict on one thing; No fake foods. This would be the super processed variety with additives, preservatives and chemicals up the wazoo i.e. cans of cream of (fill in the blank) soup, boxed mixes, Velveeta cheese, Crisco, margarine and of coarse all the packaged snack foods that mothers of young children drown their shopping carts in. Let’s face it, these ingredients are called for in a lot of recipes that are quick and easy to make and taste good. This is why I put forth the effort to find replacements for these common fake foods. They may not have less calories, but these real food alternatives will guarantee better health. Even indulgent treats like brownies are worth baking with real food ingredients over a boxed mix.