Lori, Author at Fake Food Free

Açaí: The Real Thing

October 10, 2008

I had something incredibly interesting last night that I just have to share with my fellow health advocates so today I’m going to back to my ‘foods of Brazil’ theme.

You’ve probably heard about açaí a million times by now. I saw infomercials for it in the States last June and I think I get a spam email about Oprah and açaí in my junk mail box at least three times a week.

People go crazy over this little berry from the Amazon with its antioxidants, essential fatty acids (similar to that of olive oil) and its essential amino acid complex. It is a major powerhouse when it comes to healthy food.

Despite the fact that I am pretty far south in Brazil, it is quite the craze here as well. I’ve had the opportunity to try it in 100% juice form and mixed with other fruits. My favorite is açaí and grape juice.

Last night I got to try it in a way I never had before. It is becoming increasingly popular to eat açaí in a tigela. This is simply açaí in a bowl. They just opened a restaurant here that specializes in these treats along with juices and many fruits from the north of Brazil.

I’ve tried to figure out a way to describe eating açaí like this. The consistency is like a thick milk shake. In my selection a huge bowl of fruit – grapes, strawberries, bananas, kiwi, mango, apple, star fruit and chunks of coconut – were covered in the açaí and topped with granola.

It has to be one of the most interesting things I have ever tried. I wish I could find another word for ‘interesting,’ but I’m not sure how else to describe it. It was complex, yet simply amazing. I loved it!

There is so much açaí in it that the pigment turns your mouth practically black. Is it possible to overdose on natural antioxidants? If so, I think I probably came pretty close to the limit.

My Portuguese is awful, but the friend I was with inquired about how the açaí mixture was made. It turns out the pulp of the berries is mixed with organic sugar and guarana syrup.

In case you aren’t familiar guarana is another berry from the Amazon that contains about five times as much caffeine as coffee! There is actually a soft drink named for it that is popular here.

Considering I had my tigela at 5:00pm I didn’t sleep so well last night. I’m thinking it should really be a breakfast food.

Oh, the juice next to my bowl in the picture is cashew juice. I honestly had no idea that the cashew nut actually came from a fruit until I visited Brazil. Maybe I’ll cover that in my next ‘foods from Brazil’ post.

My Evolving Love for Avocado

October 8, 2008

I think my first encounter with an avocado was in guacamole from Taco Bell. Ugh! Its green color and slimy texture, the thought of it even makes me cringe today.

It was at that point that I decided I didn’t like guacamole or avocados.

Fortunately I became a little more open minded as I grew up and I started to get interested in the stuff when I learned that people actually make their own guacamole. Hooray! I wasn’t locked into eating that which came out of a pump at fast food restaurants.

Lately I’ve found that I use avocado a lot. I like it on sandwiches, chopped on my salads and I too make my own guacamole. Extra chunky though, I like it to have lots of texture.

I am glad that most of us are past our fear of the fat in avocado. It was one of those good-for-you things that the fat-free craze scared a lot of us away from.

An avocado is loaded with healthy fatty acids that have actually been shown to lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise good cholesterol (HDL). They are also full of potassium, folate and vitamin E.

Okay, enough of the healthy, yet boring stuff. Let me tell you why they came to mind this week.

I have felt the need to branch out of my traditional ways of using avocado and look for some new recipes. I had marked a recipe from an Everyday with Rachael Ray magazine from over a year ago. I finally decided to give the Avocado Salad with Cumin-Lime Dressing a try.

I was pleasantly surprised. It is super simple and it tasted so great! I’m always trying to figure out what kind of a side to have with tacos and this salad would be perfect. The cumin gives it a tex-mex flavor.

Instead of iceberg lettuce I used cabbage which made it a little crunchier and more like a slaw. I’d also plan to eat it within a few hours of making it. The moisture doesn’t hold up well in the fridge.

Any favorite avocado combos you want to share?

The Pumpkin Coconut Bread Experiment

October 7, 2008

Last night presented the perfect opportunity for some experimentation. I was in the mood to bake and I had two main ingredients to use up – puree from a pumpkin I roasted over the weekend and light coconut milk left over from vegetable curry recipe.

I’d made a pumpkin bread recipe in the past that used a package of coconut pudding mix, but considering my issue with that these days I thought I’d try to get the flavor with real ingredients.

I modified some recipes I have for pumpkin bread, adding and eliminating a few ingredients. I also adjusted the amount because I only wanted one loaf.

I was very pleased with how it turned out. The coconut flavor is subtle, but it keeps the bread incredibly moist. Next time I might try it with some whole wheat flour mixed in for the health benefit.

We can get finely ground coconut around here and I think it is best for this recipe because it only adds a little texture without making it chewy. If you can only find flaked, try chopping it up before adding it to the batter.

Pumpkin Coconut Bread

Makes 1 loaf (9.25×5.25×2.75 in)

8oz of fresh pumpkin, roasted, strained and pureed (or ½ of a 15oz can)
2 eggs
½ cup vegetable oil (I used soy)
½ cup light coconut milk
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ cup unsweetened flake coconut, chopped until very fine

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour loaf pan.
In a mixer combine pumpkin, eggs, oil and coconut milk. Add sugar and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl combine remaining ingredients. Stir into pumpkin mixture until combined. Pour into loaf pan and bake about 50 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool 10 to 15 minutes and remove from pan. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

Links to a Healthy Weekend

October 4, 2008

Just a few this time around. One of them is from last week, but I thought it was worth mentioning. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Enjoy the beautiful fall weather if you live in such places! This week was a bit on the frustrating side for me so I am looking forward to putting it behind me and starting a relaxing weekend.

The cost of healthy vs. junk food was always a topic of debate at my old job. Now some researchers have looked into it. Last week Stand Up & Eat from the Cooper’s Institute talked a bit about the Rising Cost of Low-Calorie Foods.

I first checked out Kevin’s blog a few weeks ago and he had just left for a trip to Greece. Needless to say, with my love of travel I’ve been anxiously awaiting a report upon his return. Check out Closet Cooking where he tells about his experiences including a donkey powered olive press and plenty of baklava.

I am loving all the new pumpkin recipes that seem to be popping up. Baking foods in the actual pumpkin is relatively new to me. This Pumpkin Packed with Bread and Cheese from Dorie Greenspan looks like an amazing addition to any Thanksgiving table.

The Great Sweetener Debate

October 2, 2008

Sugar and sweeteners. It is amazing how such a simple taste can be such a huge topic of debate.

Everyone has different views about which sugar, herb or manufactured product is best for their sweet foods and drinks. I know that a lot of people have turned to stevia after learning all the bad news about aspartame, saccharine, and for some, sucralose.

It is natural, right?

I’ll be honest. I’ve always been a bit skeptical. I’ve never used it simply because there has been some unclear info out there regarding its safety. Now, I don’t use hard research as a basis for every decision I make. Sometimes people are ahead of the research curve.

However, for some reason, in this case, I have listened to the research. Maybe it has something to do with being burned by believing that those fake sweeteners were good for me once upon a time.

I used to religiously subscribe to the Nutrition Action Health Letter published by the Center for Science in the Public Interest. I loved the newsletter and will probably subscribe again someday, but I admit (agreeing with some of my past nutrition professors) that the center can be a bit radical with overreactions.

I do think they have good research to back them up on some of their views, though, so I check their web-site out from time to time for new info.

I came across an article that was posted about stevia. Apparently rebiana, an extract from stevia is planning to debut in soft drinks soon. The big dogs are very excited about this. Here is a quote from the article:

“Coke, Pepsi, and other companies are excited about rebiana, because it supposedly tastes better than crude stevia, which is sold as a dietary supplement in health-food stores. After all the controversies pertaining to saccharin, aspartame, and other artificial sweeteners, the food industry expects many calorie-conscious consumers to eagerly opt for this natural sweetener.”

First, let’s point out that the soda companies are not excited that this could be a new healthy option for people. They are excited that we will probably buy more of their products. Big surprise there!

The problem is that some research out there indicates that the sweetener may be linked to mutations and DNA damage. This leads to speculation regarding the possibility of it increasing cancer risk.

Right now stevia is not considered GRAS. Okay, first of all I really don’t like this term. It stands for Generally Regarded as Safe according to the FDA. Knowing something is generally regarded as safe to put in my body causes a bit of concern for me. I still question foods that even make this category.

I am all for the use of alternative medicine, herbs and the like. It is true these things have been used throughout time to cure, sweeten and do just about everything. The problem is they were used in a manner unlike how we use them today.

Case in point, mass production in soft drink products. These days there are things we eat or chemicals in other products that these natural substances can react with making them unsafe. Just something I think about.

I bring this up only to inform. As I said, many people have differing views when it comes to sugar replacers. Personally, I use plain old white sugar in moderation. I have no problem with it and aside from its overuse being associated with weight gain and diabetes I feel it can be enjoyed in moderation. Yes, I do know about the addiction speculation, but moderation is key to me. I also use honey.

So tell me, what is your preferred sweetener? Why is it the best choice for you?

Photo of Stevia rebaudiana by Ethel Aardvark, Wikimedia Commons

Mock Foods

October 1, 2008

I just love it when you are trying to come up with a post topic and one just falls into your lap. My good friend just sent me an article on fake foods. Thanks Karen!!

The wacky world of fake food published on chicagotribune.com today.

This article is entertaining and full of information. It provides an interesting look at our food history from trying to make one food look like another to all those manufactured substitutes that have snuck into our daily routine such as sugar replacers.

Some of these things are actual food made to be other foods while others are those fake products a lot of us are trying to reduce in our diets.

One interesting thing it brought up is that some foods such as peanut butter have requirements regarding the percentage of an ingredient (peanuts) that must go into the product. Other things, can contain little of the product it is actually named for.

The example mentioned involves a lawsuit filed against Kraft and their Guacamole. Apparently it is less than 2% avocado.

It even gives some reasons why fake food has become so popular.

Here are a few:
impress
deceive
fun
religious reasons
nutritional reasons

Some of the things mentioned I have never heard of. Read the article to find out more, but here are some that either brought back memories or gave me a good laugh.

Ritz Mock Apple Pie
City chicken
Turkey Bacon
Cheese-food
Mock Lobster made of soybeans????

Hope you enjoy the article as much as I did!

Photo by Hillary, www.morguefile.com

Goiaba

September 30, 2008

I thought I’d revisit my promise to introduce more of the Brazilian produce I’ve come to enjoy. Today I thought I’d talk about goiaba (pronounce goy-aba), known in English as guava.

Guava is a popular ingredient in Brazil. Almost every menu will have a dessert option that involves guava. In this case it is usually the goiabada which is like a thick jam. Of course, it is full of sugar, but very tasty.

I have had the opportunity to buy fresh guava and I do so every few weeks. Guava is a fruit that is pink on the inside and is covered by a thin green skin which is edible. The texture is probably closest to a kiwi, or somewhere between a peach and an apple. The little seeds inside, also edible, are like Grapenuts cereal.

While the fruit has a distinct musty smell it is hard to describe the flavor except for unique. It isn’t overly sweet or sour. Many people slice guava into quarters and eat each section as a fresh fruit.

To be honest, I don’t really like guava fresh like this. There is something about the flavor of the skin and those crunchy nuts that I can’t get used to eating.

I have found one way I like it though – juiced so I can drink it. Putting the guava through the juicer produces a really thick pulp. I add a little water to it and maybe a ¼ teaspoon of sugar.

Earlier this year when I was looking around the USDA web-site I found some interesting information. Yes, the nutrition dork that I am and considering the fact that I worked for a USDA grant funded program for a while, I do search around there for the latest research.

What I found out was that when it comes to antioxidants – Blueberries #1 and Guava #2.

US and Thai researches determined that guava packs an amazing amount of antioxidants. What is even more exciting is that farmers in south Florida are experimenting with the crop. We’ll still have the pesky transport issue to deal with, but this might mean more availability of guava in the U.S. You can read more about the research here.

One thing I found to be funny in the article is this line, “…to meet rising consumer demand for unusual fruits.”

I think “unusual fruit” is a bit of a relative term. Not sure why it caught my attention. Probably the whole living abroad thing has made me more sensitive to these little things.

If you asked someone who has it readily available to them, I doubt they would call it unusual. Maybe exotic, delicious or healthy would be a better term. Looks to me like they were being a little non-PC with their produce talk!

P.S. Being south of the Equator it took me a little longer, but I got my foodbuzz packet last night. This stuff is great!!

Fall Flavors and Risotto

September 29, 2008

The first time I made risotto I was definitely intimidated. I was committed to putting in the time, but I thought it was going to take me forever to slowly stir in the warm chicken stock to create that creamy consistency the dish is known for.

To my surprise it wasn’t any more time consuming than most of my other cooking. I return to making risotto time and time again. I love how it gives you the satisfaction of a heavy, cream bases sauce when really it can be made to be very low in saturated fat.

I’ve mentioned how much I love butternut squash this time of year. Last week I pulled out one of my favorite risotto recipes. It turned out great once again so I thought I would share it.

I originally found this recipe for Butternut Squash, Olive and Parmesan Risotto submitted by Lindsay Olives. I made some adjustments to it, first removing the olives. I like olives, but I tried the recipe as is once and I didn’t like the flavor they added to the dish.

This is a good weekend meal. I often roast the squash earlier in the day so that it is completely cooled and easy to handle by the time I start the risotto. You can also roast it in the microwave to speed things up. I have done this before and it really doesn’t take away too much flavor.

Butternut Squash and Parmesan Risotto

1 small butternut squash, split in half and seeded
2 T butter or olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup of Arborio rice
1 quart of chicken stock, warmed
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Pierce the flesh of the squash with a knife and place cut side up on a baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees F until very tender, about 1 hour. To microwave, place cut side up in a microwave safe dish. Cover with a damp paper towel and cook until tender.

Let the squash cool. Scoop the flesh out and break into smaller pieces. Set aside.

In a large sauce pan or soup pot, heat butter or olive oil. Add the onion and garlic cooking for 3 minutes. Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil or butter. Begin adding the chicken stock about a ½ cup at a time. Stir constantly and add the next addition of stock after the previous has been complete absorbed.

Continue this process until all the stock is used which takes about 25 to 30 minutes. At this point the rice should be cooked and tender. Stir in the squash breaking the pieces up as you incorporate it into the rice. Stir in the cheese and salt and pepper to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Both Ends of the Spectrum

September 26, 2008

It seems that at any given time what one part of the population is fighting for, another part is fighting against.

Take food labels and nutritional information for example. For a long time those of us who are concerned about the health of our nation and our families have supported the fact that this information be made public so we can all make informed decisions. This is especially true for those not-so-healthy places that like to hide their nutrition info a bit.

Well this article originally posted in the Harvard Crimson tells the other side of the story.

By the way, how cool would it to be to write for a college newspaper and have CNN pick it up. Well, then again, she goes to Harvard so maybe it isn’t such a big deal. She’s probably already used to a lot of success and exposure!

The article talks about how parents have requested that nutrition information for dining hall foods be taken down from the hallways and dining rooms.

The reason? It contributes to the struggle of those with eating disorders.

I like to know what is in my food, but I have thought about this issue a lot. First, I think it is great that the school made the effort to supply the info. However, now I can definitely see how this is a concern for people who struggle with eating disorders especially in an atmosphere where the rates of such conditions are so high.

Those disorders aside, sometimes I think they can even have an influence on those of us who try to be healthy in general. It is so easy to become obsessed with food whether it is in a manner where you eat a lot of unhealthy stuff or if you are to the point where you are overly concerned with the nutritional benefit.

I consider thinking about food all the time to be a bit unhealthy. Enjoy food, yes, but constantly thinking about its benefit, burning the calories off, what will hurt and won’t hurt me can be considered a somewhat unhealthy relationship.

Well, and let’s be honest. Sometimes you just want to indulge a bit. In those cases, when it comes to nutrition information, I don’t wanna know!

So how do you feel about posting nutrition information and its influence on our relationships with food?

So How Do You See It?

September 25, 2008

I am recognizing that it takes a long time to change my desire for some specific fake foods. Some of these convenience foods have been so far ingrained in my head as healthy or a worthy splurge that I find it hard to break free of those thoughts.

So far I think I am pretty happy with the changes I have made in reducing my fake food intake. I am much less reliant on packaged foods. Overall, I am getting less additives and less sodium from these sources.

I think I am weakest on the weekends. Even though my weeks are busy I still enjoy doing all my cooking then. This was the case when I worked outside the home too. I am the type of person that likes to do absolutely nothing on the weekends. (No I don’t have kids yet.) Sometimes I will bake, but this hasn’t happened too often lately.

These are the times when it is easy to run to the market and pick up some chips or crackers, a frozen pizza or some packaged cookies.

While I am a long time advocate of everything in moderation, I am still trying to break that feeling of occasionally needing these things to fulfill a craving.

For me, it is the need to train my brain to want real food, even if that is something like a big brownie or cheesy lasagna.

I still buy some packaged foods, but I am always questioning the fact of whether I should really have it. I mean, it is not food. It may have started as a food, but has been manufactured in such a way that nutritionally it barely resembles the initial product.

Don’t get me wrong, I still believe in everything in moderation, but I think it should all be actual food. I decided to think about and list those fake foods I still struggle with the most.

I’d also like to know how you see it.

What are some of the foods you want to reduce, but are still very much attracted too?
Do you have any healthier varieties of the foods I’ve mentioned and why are they healthier? Maybe you’ll give me some ideas.

Crackers
Doritos – especially while watching sports!
Cereal – I choose the healthiest possible, but I still wonder about its real food qualities
Packaged Granola and Granola bars – mostly real ingredients, but often lots of sugar and some preservatives

Photo by jeltovski, www.morguefile.com