Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Links to a Healthy Weekend

November 8, 2008

Happy Saturday! I hope you are all having a lovely weekend. I hear it is snowy in many parts of the US so I thought a picture of warm sunshine might cheer you up if you aren’t too fond of it. I would love to see some snow about now and I am hoping for a white Christmas during my time home in December.

Here are a few things I really enjoyed reading this week. I hope you will too.

The Tangled Noodle had a really great post about cultural identity, ethnicity and food. It was a reminder to me how food can be a comfort and in some ways defines us. Sometimes I think this is forgotten when it comes to health. Food is such an important part of our lives we can’t remove it we should embrace it and work on developing a healthy relationship with it.

Back to the Fridge brought up an interesting question about the cost of food, wondering if it is still cheaper to eat-in with current times. My take is that for unhealthy foods, those dollar menus may make eating out less expensive, but for wholesome, healthy foods it is still less expensive to eat at home. Eating at home is one of the main ways my husband and I save money for travel.

That’s Fit had a what I consider a rather saddening post about the rise in prescription medications among children for obesity related conditions. I wish so much this was a problem that as a society we could get under control. Changes are moving in the right direction, but I fear we have a long way to go.

The ACSM released their predictions for the Top 20 Fitness Trends for 2009. Looking at the list not a whole lot has changed from last year, but this is a positive thing in my opinion. It is nice to see that we’ve come across tools and exercises that have staying power like the stability ball and group cycling. I’m definitely glad that number 1 and 2 will continue to be a priority.

Savory Squash and Healthy Supermarkets

November 6, 2008

I’ve really gotten into the pumpkin craze and have been amazed at all the recipes floating around. I still tend to lean towards sweet with my pumpkin and butternut squashes so I continue to look for more savory recipes.

I found this one for butternut squash, but I didn’t have it on hand at the moment. I decided to try it with pumpkin instead since I had some already roasted and waiting to be used.

I loved the combo although I think next time I will caramelize the onions before throwing them in. They needed to be more soft and tender.

Savory Pumpkin Side
Modified from Amazing Butternut Squash

2 cups roasted pumpkin puree
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup onion, finely chopped
1 egg
1 tsp brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ c crushed crackers, cereal or bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan
1 tbsp butter, melted

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl until combined well. Transfer to a baking dish. Mix butter, Parmesan and crumbs and sprinkle on top of pumpkin mix. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees F for about 35 minutes or until bubbly.

Did your favorite grocery store make the top 10? I got this article from Health Magazine yesterday. Top 10 include:

Whole Foods
Safeway
Harris Teeter
Trader Joe’s
Hannaford
Albertsons
Food Lion
Publix
Pathmark
SuperTarget

If you are located near a Trader Joe’s let me say I am so jealous and I hope you have counted your blessings. I love that store and have only been able to go when I travel. I keep telling my husband we should base our next move on their locations!

We had a SuperTarget near us when I was in undergrad and I loved that too. I was always able to find unique and fun things there. I was also able to visit a Harris Teeter while traveling in Alexandria, VA and really liked it.

What’s your favorite?

How Does Your Juice Rank?

November 5, 2008

1. Pomegranate juice
2. Red wine
3. Concord grape juice
4. Blueberry juice
5. Black cherry juice
6. Açaí juice
7. Cranberry juice
8. Orange juice
9. Tea
10. Apple juice

I was looking through some of my magazines this past weekend and came across this article about a recent study that looked at the antioxidant level of popular drinks and juices.

After my post about my fortunate access to açaí I had to write a post about this. I was so amazed to see it so far down on the list. However, I was very happy to see red wine up there and to know that cranberry juice made the top 10. I love cranberries!

Normally I like to go back and read through a study when I find research like this which brings me to one my biggest pet peeves in the research world. I understand that it is a money making business, but the prices of access to research journals are absolutely ridiculous.

What good are you doing for society when you produce great research, but no one can find it due to it costing a fortune? It does make me miss the days when I worked for academia and had free access to just about any research journal I wanted.

Anyway, I thought I’d also give a little update on açaí. I had heard that it is really caloric. Now, I know a ton of foods that have nutrient benefits that far outweigh the calorie content, meaning it is worth it because they are so healthy.

They often sell little packets of natural fruit pulp here to be made into juices. A friend of mine bought one pack of pineapple and one pack of açaí. This was just natural pulp, no sugar or anything.

The pineapple had 60 calories. The açaí…250 calories!! That is just in the berry itself. I found it quite amazing. The health benefits are probably worth it and I’m not giving it up, but I might need some extra time at the gym!

Did your favorite natural fruit juice make the list?

By the way, I didn’t have access to the whole research article, but here is the abstract if you want to take a look.
Comparison of Antioxidant Potency of Commonly Consumed Polyphenol-Rich Beverages in the United States

Photo by Emily Roesly, morguefile.com

A Quest for Pasta Sauce

November 4, 2008

After learning about all the added sugar in jarred pasta sauce a long while back, I really wanted to make the change to homemade sauces. Even though everyone seemed to rave that they were so easy to make, I couldn’t find one that I really liked or that was easy enough for me.

Moving to Brazil really threw my quest into overdrive because the canned pasta sauces here are not to my liking. They leave an aftertaste that is not appetizing at all. I finally gave up on them a few weeks ago.

The main problem I was having was that canned tomatoes were no where to be found. Seriously, I couldn’t find them anywhere. People kept telling me they had them in larger cities, but our stores here only had those not-so-tasty sauces.

To my delight about a month ago I spotted some on the bottom shelf. Grocery shopping here is like that. Something non-existent will randomly show up. Then you better stock up because it is sure to be gone again in a month. Quite frustrating when you are trying to plan meals ahead of time.

So I started throwing my own sauce together with canned tomatoes that I diced up myself. I’m really happy with the results.

Last weekend my husband said he had a craving for chicken parmesan so I decided to try an easy skillet version. I was surprised that it turned out so well. Not that this dish is incredibly hard to make, but it had been a really long while since I’d put it together. With my new sauce I find it to be even better.

Easy Pasta Sauce

One can of whole tomatoes, diced with juice
2 tbsp tomato sauce or paste (what I get here is like a mix between the two)
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
¼ tsp crushed red pepper

Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

About 6 very thinly sliced chicken breast pieces, or chicken cutlets
1 egg
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
½ tsp garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste
Tomato Sauce
¾ cup shredded cheese (I used a combo of parmesan and smoked provolone)

In a bowl beat the egg a bit. In another bowl add the bread crumbs and mix in the oregano, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the egg and then the bread crumbs. Place into a skillet coated with olive oil until nicely browned and cooked through.

Top chicken with pasta sauce and let simmer 2 to 3 minutes. Top with cheese while still hot and allow it to melt before serving. Makes 3 servings without pasta and 4 servings with pasta.

Do you have a favorite pasta sauce recipe? If so, I’d love to have the link or hear about it. My next step will be putting in the time to make it with fresh tomatoes.

Ready for New Nutrition Guidelines?

November 3, 2008

Looking around on the USDA web-site today I realized something. It is almost the end of 2008. Well I already knew that, but I had forgotten how close we are to 2010.

My point? The USDA and Health and Human Services release dietary guidelines every 5 years. That means the release of a revised set is right around the corner.

Like most people, I’ve had issues with our national guidelines in the past. That being said, I am grateful to live in (or I guess be from) a country where this information exists. It is at least a starting point and provides thought provoking information to reflect on.

I also think we’ve come a long way. For example, the importance of physical activity finally found a place in the 2005 guidelines. I’m actually really hopeful for changes to come.

I had a pretty cool job working in Cooperative Extension before our move abroad. I got to work on a project with other nutritionists and exercise professionals to develop a curriculum tool based on the 2005 guidelines.

This meant that I had access to notes and research that went into the development of those guidelines – two massive binders full. It was really eye-opening to see how much work and science goes into their creation.

While I was always critical of the old pyramid with all the carbs on the bottom, seeing the basis for the development of the 2005 guidelines I became more appreciative of their presence. It can be difficult to translate science into something usable and understandable to the general public. Change can be confusing and nutrition tends to be a complex subject with all those macro and micro nutrients to worry about.

Personally, I’m all ears about what is to come in the new guidelines. Even if I don’t agree with it all, I know it will give me new ideas to explore.

The committee will be holding public meetings in Washington DC (the first one was last week) for the next several months. The new/revised guidelines will be released in fall 2010.

If you have something to say regarding the 2010 revision, you can submit and view public comments by visiting the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion.

So how do you feel about government-based nutrition information? Do you use it to guide your choices or do you have other resources you rely on?

Photo by Heather Kitchen courtesy of Free Range Stock

Links to a Healthy Weekend

November 1, 2008

Happy November! I hope everyone is having a great weekend and recovering well from a night of Halloween fun.

There was some excellent reading this week around the web regarding food, health and wellness. These are a few of the things that I really enjoyed.

Fit Bottomed Girls reported on a new study released about the safety of Splenda. As you know, I gave it up a while back and I think as the results of these kinds of studies keep coming I’m going to grow more content with my decision.

The Discomfort Zone had an informative and entertaining guest post about the raw food diet. I learned quite a bit by reading it. While I eat a lot of raw foods I couldn’t go 100%, but I really enjoy learning about what works for other people.

The Art of Non-conformity offered a thought provoking and motivating post reflecting on the phrase “Today is the first day of the rest of your life.” Need some inspiration this weekend? Definitely take a few minutes to read it.

This non-American Life is one of my favorite ex-pat blogs. This week she reported on her recent trip to Italy and has some photos of the amazing food she ate there. Don’t click the link if you are hungry! You can check out the rest of the blog for more beautiful photos of her travels.

From French Fries to Flaxseed had one of my favorite fall recipes of the week – Turkey Mushroom Shepard’s Pie. I liked the healthier spin with turkey and the use of white cheddar.

Photo of Cape Meares, Oregon coast

Happy Halloween!

October 31, 2008

There are no jack-o-lanterns, candy corn or trick-or-treaters to be found where I am at, but that doesn’t mean I’m not celebrating! Halloween is the time when treats come to mind so I’d thought I’d share one of my favorites with you today.

When fall gets into full swing (or it seems more like winter from what I hear) I always start craving my Mom’s Caramel Corn. She has perfected the art of making it and it is often the go-to food gift when someone has something to celebrate in our circle of family and friends.

The best part is that it is so easy. You’ll need a little time to be around the house because it is in the oven for about an hour, but you can use that time to catch up on your food blog reading or do a few crunches in anticipation of the tasty treat.

Before I go on with the recipe let me share the 3 reasons why yours won’t look like mine (and why mine doesn’t look like my Mom’s). Brown sugar, corn syrup and a really hot oven!

The brown sugar in Brazil is heavy on the molasses with a much different flavor and consistency than that found in the States. The only corn syrup here isn’t quite as sweet and it is a light amber color, not clear. Finally, my oven only goes down to about 360 degrees F and the recipe calls for a 200 degree F oven.

All these factors lead to mine being quite a bit darker. It still tasted great, just a little different. I’ll make some when I’m in the States for the holidays and post some more pictures then.

Speaking of the holidays, last year I made this recipe, mixed some nuts in and then drizzled it with dark and white chocolate after it cooled. It made great Christmas gifts for friends and neighbors.

Caramel Corn

½ stick butter
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
4 quart pot of popcorn (about 1 cup unpopped)

In a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup, stirring often. Once completely melted add baking soda and vanilla. Stir until combined and fluffy.

Pour the mixture over popcorn and stir to coat well. Dump caramel corn onto a cookie sheet and spread evenly. Bake at 200 degrees F for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool on wax paper or foil. Once cool, break apart and enjoy!

Since I don’t have much going on for Halloween you have to tell me what you are doing today. Have a fun weekend with or without a Halloween celebration!

All That Holiday Eating Advice

October 28, 2008

Halloween is on Friday and it is, what many people consider, the start of the holiday season. It’s about that time when little blurbs of information pop up everywhere offering tips on how to maintain or lose weight during the holidays.

When I read the bounty of tricks for avoiding holiday eating my first thought is usually an accusation that the person writing has obviously never been to a holiday party, or at least the kind I’ve been to.

Most of the tips are just too simple and I begin thinking – why do we need tricks to fool ourselves into eating healthy? It feels a little dishonest and sneaky. Why is it wrong to thoroughly enjoy the holiday season even if it means putting on a couple pounds?

I do believe the information out there saying that weight gain overtime can be attributed to the small amounts that people gain year after year at the holidays which they never seem to take off. This makes sense to me. It becomes a serious problem if you never lose holiday weight.

I struggle like crazy with the holiday eating because for the past few years my husband and I have taken an all-inclusive vacation the week before Christmas. After all that eating and drinking we head right into Christmas and New Years. We balance two families in the same town so that usually means 2 – 3 massive meals in the same day, everyday. Explode much? It’s a lot of food!

So I started thinking about all those tips that don’t work for me and here are a few.

Eat before you go. This one makes me laugh every time because all it has ever done for me is resulted in two meals instead of one. I understand the idea of not feeling starved when you get there, but why would I want to fill up before getting to all that tasty food.

Arrive late. Have we really gotten so out of control with our eating that we must be rude to the host in order to control ourselves?

Fill your plate with veggies. Okay, this can work sometimes, but after the carrots I usually go back for the stuff I really want.

You can’t take the food out of the holidays. Enjoying (and cooking) these meals with family and friends are a huge part of what memories are made of. It doesn’t mean we have to overeat and gain weight, but it does mean we have to develop a healthy relationship with food (and exercise) so our thoughts and energy are focused on the experience and not the size of our waistline.

These are a few things that I try to incorporate around this time of year.

I start right now. I mentioned that yearly vacation right? I’m always motivated this time of year to hit the gym a little harder and cut out excess calories in preparation for things to come. I get a head start so I’m not left with a ton of weight to lose come January.

Practice mindful eating. Don’t mindlessly stuff your face with food as you talk and talk. Take a second to enjoy each bite and recognize when you are full. Appreciate this time and all the wonderful foods that go with it.

Choose what you really want. It has taken me several years to make this change. I used to eat everything and anything offered. Now I’ve begun to recognize what I can pass up. For example, rolls, chips and other unexciting things I can get everyday (if I wanted it) I pass on, but that special mac n cheese or pecan pie only comes around about once a year.

Exercise, exercise and exercise some more. Keep up the workouts. The only real way to curb weight gain while enjoying the foods of the season is to burn it off. The bonus is that it will also relieve that holiday stress many of us feel.

Eat real foods (you had to know this was coming). The holidays aren’t an excuse for me to indulge in processed, chemically-laden junk. I focus on the homemade stuff with real ingredients. Spare me the calories of the chips and store-bought cookies.

Stay away from the food table. Okay, this one is usually listed with most tips and for me it definitely works. If I take a seat away from the buffet of holiday goodness, I end up eating less.

Don’t skimp on actual nutrients. Make sure you are still getting those leafy greens, fruits and calcium which can sometimes be lacking in holiday foods. Don’t make your body go without necessary nutrients for healthy function. Decide how you can include them.

Accept and appreciate yourself. So you gain 5 lbs during the holidays? So what? The bigger question is – 1. did you enjoy the foods you ate? 2. did you enjoy the time spent with the people you love? Give yourself a break and commit to returning to a healthy weight as soon as the holidays are over.

How do you feel about holiday eating “tricks”? Let me know what works for you.

Photo by Marica Umland, morguefile.com

Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24: Country-Style U.S. Breakfast in Brazil

October 25, 2008

If there is one thing I’ve missed throughout my ex-pat experience it is waking up on a weekend morning to a table full of hearty breakfast treats. I’ve learned that few countries celebrate this meal the way we do in the US.

Most often breakfast in Brazil is bread with butter, coffee and maybe some fruit. Breakfast is a bigger deal to me. While I’ve been known to have toast now and then, eggs, oatmeal and yogurt usually join the mix. If it is a weekend, well, things get a little more extravagant.

After sharing stories of cozy weekends filling our stomachs with country breakfast favorites, we found that many of our new Brazilian friends wanted to experience it too.

With plans to have a breakfast party at some point the October Foodbuzz 24, 24, 24 event gave me the motivation to put things together and enter the idea.

Well, here we are! On October 25th we took part in this exciting event with a Country-style US Breakfast in Maringá-PR, Brazil.

Making your favorite foods in a new land is an interesting challenge. Not to mention the fact that when you are living in a place for only a short time (and can ship few things along) elegant dinnerware and serving platters are the first to go.

I made the best of it and along with my husband, a ½ size oven and some borrowed forks and knifes, we exposed our friends to some of our favorite foods from home.

Let’s start with the menu. I’ll warn you, it is a bit carb-loaded, but then again what great US breakfast isn’t. I wanted to give our guests a taste of many things without making a ton of separate dishes.

Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake
Ham and cheese sandwiches turn into a breakfast casserole in this recipe my mom received from a friend a few years ago.

Oven Home Fries
Potatoes, onions, and peppers baked topped with grill seasoning.

Pancakes with Maple Syrup
Pancakes made from scratch, topped with syrup brought to us by coworkers visiting from the US.

Homemade Cinnamon Rolls
Cinnamon sweetness adapted from a recipe at The Salty Cod.

Fresh Fruit Salad
In an effort to offer a healthy option, fruit salad in a watermelon boat made from fruits popular both in the US and Brazil – watermelon, pineapple, kiwi and bananas.

Mimosas
Orange juice and champagne to cool us from the summer heat.
(I think these were for me. Entertaining can be stressful!)

One thing we didn’t have is coffee.

I know, I know – breakfast without coffee?! I started thinking about this though and there was no way to make it like what I used to have back home. The coffee here is much stronger and taken in smaller does. Warm milk is added instead of any variety of cream. So I decided to nix it.

As a substitute we made spiced apple cider. No apple cider here either, but the nectar of apple sold as apple juice is much closer to apple cider than the clear juice available in the US. I added some cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice, warmed it up and it turned out to be pretty tasty.

Considering the fact that we would have some guests who only spoke Portuguese, I made some little signs for each food with both languages to clear up confusion and keep me from having to explain multiple times.

Prep started the night before with the breakfast casserole and cinnamon rolls, both of which rested in the fridge overnight giving me a lot less to do in the wee hours of Saturday morning.

The Ham and Cheese Brunch combines 4 favorite breakfast items into one dish – ham, cheese, bread and eggs. Unfortunately we had to make due with processed cheese. Good cheddar doesn’t exist around here. It wasn’t my first choice for keeping things focused on real foods, but what can you do?

Ham and Cheese Brunch Bake

16 slices bread (any variety would work, but I used plain ol’ white)
8 slices deli-sliced ham
8 slices sharp cheddar cheese
6 eggs
3 cups milk
1 tsp. brown mustard
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup corn flakes, crushed
1 small can sliced mushrooms, drained

Layer a large casserole dish with 8 bread slices. Top the bread with the ham and then the cheese. Layer the 8 remaining slices of bread on top. Mix eggs, milk and mustard. Pour over casserole, cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

The next morning add crushed cereal to the melted butter. Stir in the mushrooms and spread over the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Makes 8, main course servings.

I adapted the cinnamon rolls from a recipe by The Salty Cod. For the inside of the rolls I used what I had available here – brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon and some pumpkin pie spice (brought from home). I also took my chances cutting them with a serrated knife instead of floss.

Saturday morning was a frenzy of baking off the rolls and casserole, cutting fruit, chopping potatoes and pancake making. I am the worst pancake-maker you will ever meet, so this is where my husband came in and saved the day.

The original plan was to make pecan pancakes and while I promise I saw them around the holidays last year, they are no where to be found in supermarkets around here at the current moment.

Pancakes
from the Betty Crocker’s Cookbook Bridal Edition

1 large egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
¾ cup milk
1 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
Butter for the pan, if needed

Beat egg in medium bowl until fluffy. Beat in remaining ingredients (except butter) until smooth. For thinner pancakes, stir in additional 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk.

Makes nine 4-inch pancakes. We doubled the recipe and made small, silver-dollar pancakes.

Guests arrived at 10:00 am and included friends I have made during my time here (one who found me through my blog) and my husband’s coworkers/friends and their loved ones.

My first surprise was all the pictures. Everyone had their camera out to snap photos of the food. Next came the eatin’ and I have to say I was certainly happy with the response. I think enough was said in the fact that many of them went back for seconds and even thirds.

“Muito bom (very good)” and “delicioso (delicious)” were repeated many times.

We had a wide variety of guests – some had spent time living in the US, others had visited before on business or vacation and others had never been there before.

For some this breakfast brought back memories of their travels and for others it was a completely new experience. We’ve experienced so many new things especially regarding food since moving to Brazil and it was nice to be able to provide this opportunity to our new friends.

Kind of Like a Cherry

October 24, 2008

I got something interesting at our farmer’s market this week so I thought I’d go back to my “foods of Brazil” for this post. This week, many of the booths had bags toppling over, full of these little red fruits – acerola.

I’ve had acerola before in the juice form at the hotel breakfast here in town. Did I mention we lived in a hotel of a few months before getting into our apartment? Man, that breakfast got old!

Anyway, I had never ventured to try the actual fruit. I’ve only seen it at the market a few times and considering how fast they are going in my fridge right now, they aren’t the most stable of fruits.

Acerola appears to be pretty popular in the supplement world and is often sold in a powdered form. Its popularity comes from its utterly amazing amount of vitamin C content.

In a cup of the fruit there is 1644 mg of vitamin C! Compare that to 63 mg in an average-sized Florida orange. Wow!

How lucky am I to get to eat the actual fruit and drink the juice instead of sucking down a supplement!

Acerola is in the cherry family, but different than many fresh cherries I’ve had before. It is available in many other places in addition to Brazil. I saw some info that it is grown in California.

The texture to me was like a cross between a cherry and a peach. The flavor isn’t very distinctive. It isn’t overly sour or sweet, kind of bland. Each of the cherries has 3 seeds in it which makes it difficult to get to any of the flesh. I solved that problem by throwing it in the juicer.

It made a thick pulp to which I added water. It needed just a tiny bit of sugar to enhance the flavor and ended up being a great snack. I’ve still got a couple more cups in the fridge to finish. I’m stocked with vitamin C and ready to fight any infection that may arise!