Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Healthy Beer

August 21, 2008

A beer with all the benefits of green tea?

Maybe.

I stopped by a great restaurant today called Cafe Mao. It was a neat Asian-fusion inspired spot that seemed like a cross between fast food casual and modern café.

On the menu they advertised a new beer called Iki. After reading the description I just had to try it.

According to a Japanese recipe, it is brewed with green tea and the Yuzu fruit. It is supposedly very high in antioxidants. Iki is Japanese for life.

It tasted very good. It was light, but with a fruity accent.

So what about this healthy beer? Overall, I personally feel alcohol in moderation is a healthy habit. If you can add some more disease fighting antioxidants to the mix, why not?

Sure, curling up with a cup of green tea is comforting, but cheers to partying a little healthier too. I’d definitely have it again.

Oh my dinner was Yellow Vegetable Curry. It was amazing!

Carbs Really Aren’t That Scary

August 19, 2008

I’m traveling for the next few weeks so hopefully it is going to lead to some interesting insight and comparisons when it comes to fake foods. Right now I’m living it up in the Dublin, Ireland area.

I was sitting at breakfast this morning at the hotel. A really nice breakfast I might add. I had already decided to get the porridge (this variety was made with oats). It was available with the free breakfast by request.

When I ordered the waiter asked me if I wanted toast with it. I got to thinking about this as I watched groups of people walk back to their tables with mountains of breads on their plates.

The US is one of the only cultures that is carb-phobic.

Almost all other countries have staples of pasta, rice, potatoes or breads. The interesting thing is most of these cultures are a whole lot healthier than us.

Is it the wine, the fish, or the use of their feet for transportation? Lots of theories and even facts out there.

Believe me. I understand the need to limit carbs. I’m one of those people who can literally gain 5 lbs by just smelling fresh baked bread.

Sure, I’ve experimented with low carb diets before. I can still remember when I worked at a bread store in college. Women would come in during the morning and buy a loaf of bread for their families. I’d ask if they wanted a sample and usually the response I got was, “Oh no, I don’t eat carbs,” or “No thanks. I limit my carbs.”

That is no way to live!! Not for me anyway.

The past few years I’ve been on a mission to keep carbs in my diet in moderation, including the white varieties.

The result?

I need to take off a few more pounds without doubt. However, I have maintained a 25 lb loss for about 5 years now. What is even better is that I still get all those mood altering, serotonin building carbohydrates. I enjoy my food and I feel better.

So, yes, I took the toast this morning and I had an awesome cardio workout afterward.

Thanks carbs!

Since I’m on the road and food is such a huge part of traveling for me I’ll post some of my most interesting healthy meals. Some I hope to recreate once I get back home. Maybe they will serve as inspiration for some new ideas.

My lunch yesterday was a Roasted Chicken with Pancetta Open-faced Sandwich on Olive Bread, topped with mango chutney. It was very tasty, but I think it would have been better warm.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

August 16, 2008

I’m in the middle of some traveling so I have just a few to list this weekend. I thought these posts were definitely link worthy. Enjoy your weekend, stay in the moment and eat some chocolate!

:pastry studio posted what looks to be a fabulous recipe for a flourless chocolate cherry cake. Yum! I can’t wait to try it out.
Eat Well Anywhere talks a bit about the sugar content in tomato sauce. I was really shocked a few years ago when I learned about all the sugar in jarred pasta sauces. Here you’ll find a few tips on alternatives and how to add flavor.
Ever thought about endangered foods in the US? I hadn’t. Eat.Drink.Better. discusses a book called Renewing America’s Food Traditions. Definitely looks interesting. I’m all for keeping history alive when it comes to food.

Black is the New Green

August 14, 2008

We know that the color of the fresh foods we eat can indicate the nutrient value and black has been getting a lot of attention lately.

Not only is wearing black slimming, but eating it keeps you healthy.

I’ve always loved black beans and every summer I can remember I have overdosed on blackberries from my Dad’s garden.

I came across this article from Health magazine that outlines a few black foods and why you should eat or drink more of them.

Black Rice
Now this I have never had. 100% whole grain and may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. I hope to try it as soon as I can find some. Has anyone tried it before?

Black Beans
Love ‘em. I make beans and rice regularly. I also like mixing canned black beans with chopped red onion and green pepper, then topping it with cilantro and lime juice. Full of disease fighting flavonoids which act as antioxidants.

Black Tea
I can remember drinking black tea when I was younger, but once the green craze hit I left it behind. It looks like it may be time to bring it back. Lots flavonoids here, too.

Blackberries
I love blackberries. The ones from the garden are huge and bursting with sweetness when they are perfectly ripe. I eat them fresh in the summer, but I have to admit the frozen ones we keep for winter usually end up in a dessert like blackberry dumplings or cobbler. The polyphenols in these berries act as antioxidants. Some research from the University of Kentucky (where yours truly went to grad school and worked for 3 years) shows they may slow cancer cell growth too.

So I plan to add little more black to my dark green and definitely let me know if you’ve tried the black rice before.

Real Food of the Week: Butternut Squash

August 13, 2008

I know it is only mid-August, but once summer ends and the back-to-school commercials start airing I can only think of one thing – fall and the comforting foods that come with it.

Over the past year I’ve really gotten more acquainted with butternut squash and I love it. Personally, I think it is a neglected vegetable mostly because it does take a lot of time to prep, depending on what you make.

Winter squashes are excellent for our health and they are much more than just a pie ingredient, although that is good too.

Their orange color probably gives away that they are high in Vitamin A, specifically beta-carotene which is part of a group of very valuable antioxidant. Think disease prevention and anti-aging! In addition, these squashes also provide vitamin C, potassium, fiber and there are some omega-3 fatty acids and folate in there too.

In case you are wondering pumpkin, acorn, butternut, hubbard and turban squashes all fall under the category of winter squash.

I made one of my two favorite butternut squash recipes yesterday. I found this recipe for Butternut Squash with Cinnamon Soup a couple years ago and it has been a fall staple ever since.

The recipe is heavy so let me tell you how I change it a bit for my health-focused tastes. First, I don’t usually have all the spices listed so I just use cinnamon and the cayenne pepper and it turns out great. Second, I use way less cream/whole milk than it calls for. I only use about ¼ c to thin the soup some and get a rich, creamy look and flavor.

Peeling and chopping the butternut squash can be hard work. I guess you could use frozen puree or canned pumpkin, but one of the best parts of cooking it is when you sauté the squash with onion and throw in the cinnamon. The whole house fills with the wonderful smell.

Soon I’ll be making my butternut squash risotto adapted from a recipe I found a while back. This one is easy. Just split your squash in half, scoop the seeds and roast it in the oven or microwave until tender.

Sauté the Arborio rice in olive oil with chopped onion and make as directed with chicken stock. Once at the right consistency, scoop out the squash and drop the pieces into the rice, stirring to break it up. Stir in some freshly grated parmesan cheese and salt and pepper to taste. I could eat this every day!

Fall and all the foods that go with it are just around the corner. Do you have any favorite real foods this time of year?

Photo by kconnors, morguefile.com

Staying Focused through Mindful Eating

August 11, 2008

Mindful eating is a topic that really sparks my interest. It is a relatively simple concept, yet often it is incredibly difficult to master.

It basically has to do with being in the moment. I feel this is important for all life experiences, but can be beneficial to your mental wellness AND your waistline when it comes to eating.

One of my professors in grad school was really into this movement. We had several sessions where he went through some of his exercises with us.

We each got a carrot, a section of orange and a piece of chocolate. We took several minutes to eat each one, concentrating on the flavor and texture.

It is amazing how much more satisfying food can be when you are focused on it. I find this to be the case especially with chocolate.

I enjoy chocolate almost on a daily basis. I try to keep it dark in variety and only have a square or two. If I stay focused while eating it I am satisfied with just a little.

It is easier for me to practice mindful eating with real food. Since we tend to buy fake foods for convenience or when we are on the go, there were many times I would look down at the granola wrapper on my desk and couldn’t for the life of me remember when I had taken that last bite.

When I cook fresh foods I make more of an effort to enjoy them because of the work I just put into making it. Quiet restaurants are also supportive of more mindful eating for me.

On another note, I have to practice mindful selecting too. It has taken a lot of effort for me to stop before I grab something when I am hungry or shopping and evaluate if it is what I consider a fake food. If I think more about it, I’m much more liked to grab something fresh instead.

I’ve gotten to know myself well enough over the past few years that I can literally sense the change in my patterns as stress creeps up while I’m eating. Either I’m working on a difficult project, talking about stressful matters with my husband over dinner or I’m in a noisy atmosphere.

At these moments I catch myself shoveling the food in without thought.

I have to remember to put the fork down and taste. When I don’t taste, I don’t enjoy and I’m left feeling unsatisfied which leads to all sorts of bad snacking habits later on.

I am glad that I am able to recognize this in myself, but it is definitely an ongoing challenge to stay in the moment when it comes to eating and choosing food.

Do you have any challenges when it comes to mindful eating? Do you feel it is an important component for health?

Photo courtesy of Free Range Stock

Links to a Healthy Weekend

August 10, 2008

I am hoping to incorporate this post on a weekly basis. Link posts seem to be very popular in the blogging world and there is an unbelievable amount of great food, nutrition and wellness blogs out there.

I enjoy getting tips for links from others so I thought I’d provide some of my own. I’m just beginning my quest to search through some of the great information on a regular basis.

This time around it is posting a bit later than I would like, but each weekend I hope to share with you some great posts that further support my quest here at Fake Food Free and promote overall wellness.

Enjoy a great sweet this weekend that incorporates some veggies too. Carrots ‘N’ Cake shares a recipe for Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies.
I really like the explanation of why cathy at A Life Less Sweet continues to keep white table sugar in her family’s diet during their quest to eliminate HFCS.
When I used to give presentations about physical activity for my past job I would always incorporate how our convenience-driven lifestyles and technology affected our daily calorie burn. Stand Up & Eat from the Cooper Institute address this issue with some calorie charts for comparison.

Yogurt Is Tricky

August 8, 2008

Yogurt seems to be the go-to diet food. If you are healthy and/or if you want to lose weight, you eat yogurt. There’s research linking it to women who maintain a lower weight and to its help with weight loss.

I go through phases with yogurt. Sometimes I really like it and eat it daily, and then I have spurts where it is the last thing that sounds good.

I eat because it gives me protein and calcium. The probiotics in the version I buy are helpful too. I just question how real our yogurt in the local refrigerator case truly is.

There are quite a bit of artificial flavors and preservatives in most brands. I now steer clear of sugar free, fat free versions, but then you have to worry about the high fructose corn syrup. The full fat versions are much more satisfying and worth the calories and fat, by the way.

I know there are more natural brands out there, but you really pay the price for all that natural-ness.

This is one of those foods I struggle with when it comes to reducing fake foods. Most things point to it being a beneficial health food, but the industry messes that up by adding all kinds of fruit flavors and synthetic ingredients.

I’ve thought about getting one of those yogurt makers. Anyone have one or had the yogurt from one?

These types of things always seem to be the solution when it comes to fake, healthy foods. By controlling the ingredients we can make the food much better for us. The issue however is time, but when you put that up against long term health we all know who the winner should be.

I will also admit that stability has its perks. Although, I know those chemicals aren’t good for me, it is nice to know I’m not going to turn around every day to find something spoiled that I wasn’t able to eat quickly enough.

Transport Dilemma

August 6, 2008

With all the efforts around to maintain more environmentally conscious habits, I’ve had food transport on my mind a lot lately.

I read this post last week on Tonic News Network which talks about some recent research and the energy consumed through food production and transport.

It provides even more support for reducing consumption of processed foods, but that is not why it has me thinking.

Buying local is becoming more and more important to me as I gain knowledge about its benefits to both health and the environment. However, there are a lot of healthy, real foods I love which are not local. These foods I love must be transported to my local supermarket or even Farmer’s Market.

I enjoy eating in season, as it is often referred to, but what happens when a specific food is never in season near you.

Many of you know I live abroad right now so I have access to a lot of unique fruits and veggies. However, when I travel back, and in less than a year, move back the transport issue poses a huge problem.

Here are a few things I enjoy that won’t be growing in my neck of the woods in the US any time soon.

Oranges
Pineapple
Limes
Lemons
Peaches
Cranberries
Bananas

I mean, do I make the decision to never eat these foods again because of the amount of energy it takes to get them to me? Not only do I like these foods, but they offer many nutritional benefits.

I have to say, I would really be sad to see them go, especially the cranberries at holiday time. I love cranberries. But I also want to be environmentally friendly at the same time.

I am sure there are efforts out there to figure out a way to transport using less energy. I hope so anyway.

I am just wondering if anyone else is feeling like this. What is the solution to the dilemma of buying local, being green, yet still enjoying some pretty great foods that are great for you?

Photo by mconnors, morguefile.com

My Oatmeal

August 4, 2008

Over the past few years, oatmeal has become one of my favorite breakfast foods. I prefer the homemade version. I’ve played around with the instant versions, but they lack texture to me and often the flavors are too sweet.

Of course, since I am trying to eat less packaged foods I’ve pretty much eliminated the instant all together. I found this post on That’s Fit today. It got me thinking more about oatmeal.

Like many other packaged goods the instant is filled with flavorings and added sugar. Many companies have come out boasting that their version is enriched and fortified with vitamins and minerals, but it still can’t beat the real thing.

I remember talking about oatmeal at my office once (when I worked in a office) and my coworkers were discussing their favorite flavors. I volunteered that I made whole oats and they laughed and said, “We don’t have time for that.”

I was a bit confused after that because I microwave my oatmeal, too. It takes me maybe 30 seconds longer to complete my breakfast compared to opening a package and adding water.

My version has a few more calories, but they are healthy calories and will keep you full all day with a calcium bonus.

Simply take ½ c whole oats and mix with 1 c of skim milk. Microwave it for about 2 minutes (it boils over easily!). Then I add a little real butter, about 2 t of brown sugar and cinnamon. Sometimes I’ll add a few walnuts.

There is really no advantage to making the packaged version over the homemade. Although the packaged is easy to make at work, I have done that before. According to the research though it looks like it will just lead to more hunger throughout the day so I’ll stick with the old fashioned.

Photo by kahanaboy, morguefile.com