My Background and History Archives | Page 5 of 7

Strawberry Cinnamon Toast

May 29, 2009

Long before cinnamon toast became a popular breakfast cereal my mom was making her version of it for us. She likes to tell stories about how her older brother loved to make multiple pieces of it for himself while he was on babysitting duty and then refuse to share even one bit with the rest of the siblings.

We savored cinnamon toast as if it were a delicate baked good taking weeks to prepare. The truth is it couldn’t be simpler to make. The end result is toasted bread with a caramelized sugar top that is crisp on the top and soft and sweet in the middle.

I’ve made it numerous times myself and as my tastes and eating habits have changed over the years I find myself getting more creative with the process. This morning I headed out to the strawberry patch and was saddened to find that only a few remained. However, I had the perfect handful to create a Strawberry Cinnamon Toast.

I swapped the standard white sandwich bread for a hearty whole grain variety. While I left the white sugar along, I did change up the fat. Instead of butter I used organic extra virgin coconut oil. This is a product that I still need to do a post on and it is coming soon.

It turned out great and now I have the wheels turning out how I can use other fruits for this breakfast treat. It is such a simple thing with a flavor that far surpasses the effort put into making it.

Strawberry Cinnamon Toast

Slice of whole grain bread
¼ cup strawberries diced
Sugar and cinnamon
Extra virgin coconut oil

Toss the diced strawberries with about ¾ tsp of sugar and a few dashes of cinnamon. Set aside. Spread the bread with a light layer of coconut oil. Sprinkle a little more cinnamon on the bread. Top it with the strawberries. Give it one last sprinkle of sugar. Broil until browned and serve immediately.

Is Trying Enough?

May 21, 2009

When visiting DC with my family we found ourselves browsing around the Museum of Natural History at lunch time. I typically don’t prefer cafes connected to large tourist attractions, but unfortunately the café in the museum was our only option in the area so we ate there.

As we entered the line to go in, I was greeted by some running TV screens which stated that the cafeteria used locally grown ingredients. When we got inside I noticed that they were selling organic fruit. Although I don’t consider organic the end all and be all when it comes to my produce selection, and the price was pretty hefty, I did take the offering as a good sign.

Then we got to the drink station. Hello Coke! There was water available under the lemonade (although I’d paid almost $3 for the cup) and some unsweetened iced tea (not brewed) in the fountain so at least there were a couple options.

I complained to my family how frustrating it is that establishments boast about local and organic and yet sell out to soda companies. After my venting, I started to think about why this upset me so much.

Well, we talked a week or so ago about how in-your-face soda is, so that was one thing. The other thing was that they seemed to be proud of their healthy, environmentally friendly food practices, but ignored that when it came to beverages. Then I came back to the thought – Well, at least they are trying.

This then brought me to the question – Is trying enough?

I ask myself this question often when it comes to my food choices. I’m definitely changing – making more environmentally friendly choices, increasing my awareness about where my food comes from and what processes it goes through, and eliminating fake foods from my diet.

I am far from perfect, however. Although, I’m getting closer I doubt I will ever get to the point where every piece of beef I put in my mouth is grass fed and every piece of produce I consume is grown under ideal farming practices. I do see stopping at a famous or historic, local burger joint during my travels in my future from time to time.

It is easy to blame some of this on our society. In order for everyone to make these changes our society and the foods we are offered, say, when we are out to eat need to change too. I take full responsibility for my own actions, but if there is no place around when you are traveling that sells the good stuff you are used to buying at home you are kind of out of luck. While you certainly don’t have to eat fast food, there are times you are forced to make exceptions.

So then I consider if I feel that trying is enough for me, why do I feel the need to be so critical of eating establishments who are not perfect, but trying as well? That doesn’t seem fair.

I’m not always this critical. Usually if there is a healthy option I’m happy. However, as my knowledge grows and I strive to change my diet I find the temptation to be overly critical grows stronger as well.

Despite my attempts to give myself and the places I eat a break, I still wonder if trying is enough. In some cases I think it is. Small changes by many people can make a huge difference. However, if we always use little excuses like – well, I really like that even though it is a fake food or I’m too busy to make my own food – then we aren’t facilitating the changes that need to happen as a society which will result in the consumption of more nourishing, whole foods that we can get anywhere and everywhere.

So right now, I do think trying is enough, but long-term I wonder if I’ll ever reach perfection in this area or if that is even what I’m striving for.

Do you think trying is enough?

Setting My Own Guidelines

April 21, 2009

Lately my leisure reading time has been focused on the book Food Politics by Marion Nestle. The book is incredibly informative and revealing which is why I tend to cringe a bit each time I pick it up and progress through yet another chapter.

I have to admit that learning more and more about how food companies influence our government and the research which guides our nutritional guidelines as a country is discouraging. I would argue that it is even more discouraging to someone like me.

Why? Well, because I spent seven years of my life studying this very information; learning it backward and forward so that I could guide others in eating well and improving their personal wellness.

I wasn’t oblivious to the influences of corporations and food producers while in school. To be familiar with the USDA or work for them (indirectly) like I did, you know that food is an incredibly political topic which is influenced by many different powerful forces and talking dollars.

Marion Nestle’s book just takes things a step further for me and page after page I am continuously amazed by the fact that what we are told to eat is largely controlled, in one way or another, by food companies.

Don’t worry. I haven’t given up complete hope. I’ve known enough researchers at the university level to trust that there are people in this world who are focused on nutrition for the good of people despite the funding influences of companies.

I still think general dietary guidelines are a good place to start. I speak specifically of eating more fruits and veggies, whole grains and healthy fats. Those are all good things. What does bother me is the fact that some of the servings and suggestions of nutrients we need have ever so slightly been increased a bit to please the companies who produce such foods with those nutrients.

I’ve often felt that standards are bit high when it comes to nutrients. We seem to have reached a point where people feel they cannot get the nutrients they need without taking a fiber supplement or a vitamin of some sort. I get so disgusted with a certain fiber supplement commercial which suggests that the actor can’t possible get enough fiber from food alone or they would be forced to eat all day.

Aren’t we eating all day anyway? I think it is more the fact that we are eating the wrong foods.

I refuse to believe that we cannot get the nutrients we need from food alone. I don’t feel our bodies were designed to rely on artificial sources. It is about eating real food in the form and from the development that nature intended.

So I started thinking, since I’m having all these concerns about what other people are telling me to eat, perhaps I should come up with a set of guidelines for myself; things that I should strive to do when it comes to eating.

So here you have my personal dietary guidelines.

Reduce (preferably eliminate) all artificial and chemical sweeteners.

Use natural sweeteners most often such as honey and maple syrup.

Choose meats and dairy from humanely treated animals who consume the foods that nature intended them to eat. Don’t be afraid of the fats that come from these animals.

Choose local and in-season, naturally grown produce. Garden if you can.

Savor each bite. No excuses.

Celebrate food. It is meant to be enjoyed with others and represent family. There is nothing wrong with sharing in this practice together.

Make time to make your own food. Your health depends on it. Simplify your life to create more time for your health.

Eat from a variety of cultures and be adventurous with your food. Some countries have had it right for decades. Learn about their foods and see what you have been missing.

Avoid obsessing about guidelines. If you eat a variety of real foods from natural sources your body will get all of the nutrients it needs.

What are your personal guidelines? Have any to add?

This post has been submitted to Fight Back Fridays at Food Renegade.

Photo credit goes to my nature-loving niece, Abigail

Spring Cleaning

March 24, 2009

While I don’t think that cleaning should be reserved for just the spring, I got into the spirit of the season and decided to do a little spring cleaning of my own over the weekend. This cleaning wasn’t focused on my whole apartment though. My recipe file was my target.

I have this big folder in which I keep all the recipes that I tear out from magazines or jot down from who knows where. It was getting a bit out of control so I really needed to do a little updating. This is a good organizing task for me because I think my tastes change over time and what I once thought was a fabulous find doesn’t seem so appealing a year or two later.

What really surprised me as I went through my stack, though, was that it wasn’t so much that I wouldn’t like the recipe, but more so that I didn’t like the ingredients. I hadn’t realized how much my goal of reducing fake foods had influenced the appeal of recipes.

I threw away a good portion of dinner and dessert ideas that no longer interested me. The reason – because they called for fake foods. It really made me realize how much I’ve changed over the last year or so. These were some of the common culprits.

Cake mixes
Cornbread mixes
Pre-made cookie dough
Biscuit mixes
Canned soup
Instant gelatin and puddings
Whipped topping

Now I will be honest and say I didn’t toss every one that included an ingredient like this. (Well, except for the gelatin and pudding mixes. I’m just simply not into them anymore. It was an easy thing to eliminate.) Most of the things I did keep were special desserts that I’ve always enjoyed.

For example, my mom has a great rum cake recipe that starts with a yellow cake mix. I kept that because I love that cake around the holidays. My goal with these recipes is that one day I can spend some time re-creating them from scratch with more whole, healthy ingredients.

Have you experienced anything like this? How have your eating and food preferences changed over the last year?

A Little Me Time

March 15, 2009

I’ve found that I enjoy it when the blogs I read come to life, so-to-speak. I’m not one for sharing too much personal information, but I can easily get engrossed in a post where the author is telling me a little bit about themselves which usually includes something that has led to motivation for their blog.

So when Chef Wanabe left me this me-me I thought I’d take the time to write up a

bit this weekend. If you haven’t visited Anna’s blog you should take the time to head over there and check it out. Don’t forget to check out her About Me page where you can see some of her amazing art. Such talent!

I’m supposed to tell you 10 things about myself, so here is my list. Now, I know everyone feels a bit differently about me-mes, so I’ve decided if you’d like to participate then you have earned this award from me. Let me know if you did in the comments so I am sure to check out your post.

Working in a Great Harvest was my second job (first was working for my brother’s lawn company). I ended up working there on and off throughout college. I started at the counter eventually moving into production, including sweets and baking. I also worked in a bagel shop at one point.

For as long as I can remember I have struggled with my weight. Exercise and watching what I eat are not options for me. If I don’t do both I will gain weight without fail. I’m currently in the process of losing what I have gained since our move abroad.

I have a BS in Nutrition, Fitness and Health which was actually in the school of Consumer & Family Sciences. My MS is in Nutritional Sciences – Wellness/Sports nutrition.

I grew up with animals around me at all times – pony, sheep, goats, dog, cat, bunnies – were all part of the family.

My Dad is the most amazing gardener I know. I’ve never appreciated his skill and the fruits of his labor more than I do at this point in my life.

My Mom always ran a cake business out of our home including birthday and wedding cakes. She is extremely talented, skilled and self-taught. I have inherited neither her skill nor patience for this.

I am a product of private, Catholic school K-12. Uniforms were a norm in my life.

Travel is necessity for me. My husband and I try to travel to Europe, the Caribbean and various places throughout the US each year. I’m willing to give up a lot in order to have the money to travel.

Despite living in Brazil for almost 2 years, studying CDs, group classes and private lessons, I still have not learned to speak Portuguese sufficiently. I view this is one of my greatest failures, but what is life without a few failures along the way, I guess.

Food has a lot to do with culture for me. It is why you won’t find me eliminating grains such as white rice or meat from my life. I feel blessed that I do not have to, I might add. Cultures have survived on these types of foods throughout history. While the foods have changed drastically overtime, for me the answer is not giving them up, but going back to more natural ways of producing them.

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Last week I also received these awards from Brand New Sidewalk. Thanks Candice! I’d like to share them with Tangeled Noodle and Gastroanthropology. Two blogs about food and culture that inspire me and teach me something new with each post.

Awards and Some Words

March 6, 2009

I saw the Blogging with a Purpose award around the food blogging scene a while back and it immediately caught my attention. The reason is that I do my work, as we all do, for a purpose. My purpose is deeply grounded in my Christian faith, but it shows itself in the influences I aim to have on the health and wellness of others.

Since leaving my office job where I worked with a statewide organization in community health education, it’s has been challenging for me to find a place where I have the potential to truly influence people. By setting out to grow as a freelance writer I’ve been able to connect with others on, not just a statewide basis anymore, but now a global basis and I love it. My blog is a large part of this for me and I appreciate each one of you for reading and commenting.

With all that said you can imagine my delight when I realized that the wonderful Chef Bliss honored me with the Blogging with a Purpose award. Thank you! I am a fairly recent reader of her blog and I encourage you to stop by. You will love her Orange Star Cake!

I want to pass this on to two blogs I greatly enjoy and that are serving a great purpose in getting us all to eat more healthfully.

A Life Less Sweet shares her journey as her family eliminates HFCS. If you need some advice about HFCS and alternative foods that don’t contain it, head over and check out her blog. We had some especially fun discussion about her recent Gatorade – Revisited post.
What Does Your Body Good? is serving up outstanding recipes that are wholesome, natural and downright tasty. I repeatedly learn about wonderful dishes to try with lentils, hummus and whole grains including one of my recent favorites Hard Working Breakfast Grains.

Finally, here is my entry into the Eating Your Words Challenge hosted by Tangled Noodle and Savor the Thyme.

I needed to whip up a batch of my Breakfast Energy Bars this week and I thought why not spread the word (with prunes!) about physical activity because you will need some to burn off these, healthy, yet quite hearty bars. So Be Active!!

Let’s Talk About Blog Reading

March 3, 2009

I thought I’d take a short break from food and wellness and gather your views as a blog reader. Not necessarily as a reader of this blog, but just food and health blogs in general.

I’ve been reading (and writing) blogs for about 18 months now and I think I’ve developed a bit of a blog-reader personality. Things I like and dislike about blogs and communities, and qualities that make me want to come back. Everyone is a little different so I really want to find out about your blog-reader personality as well.

As one continues to explore, and more and more food and health blogs are being created, it is easy to wish there were extra hours in the day for reading. I read a lot more blogs than those that reside on my blogroll and there are so many additional blogs I would like to add to my daily reading list, but I often don’t have the time to get to them all.

It seems I’ve created categories of sorts. There are those I visit every day, unless I’m away from the computer for some reason. These are blogs I really enjoy and are the ones I’ve been reading the longest. Then there are those that I catch up on once or twice a week. It really isn’t that I like these blogs any less; it could simply be the fact that they came into my radar at a later time.

My visits also vary depending on the frequency of posts of the author. I may visit one every day and learn the writer only posts a few times a week at which point I’ll start checking in only once or twice a week to catch up. I do have to admit that when I read a blog where the author posts multiple times a day I end up missing a lot of content because I only have so much time to catch up.

So tell me, how do you balance your blog reading? Do you wish you had more reading hours in the day to stay caught up and explore new blogs?

That brings me to comments. I am a big believer that bloggers need to be involved in their comments. You don’t have to respond to each person, but getting in there and facilitating discussion is an important part of blogging for me.

If I find a new blog to read there are two ways a blogger can keep me coming back. First, there is the content, of course. Second, is acknowledging my comments either by responding on their own post or responding to one of mine. I don’t comment on every blog I read, but if a thought is sparked I make a point to say something to let the author know I did enjoy/agree/disagree with their post. That is what blogging is all about, in my opinion.

Now, someone doesn’t have to read my blog for me to like theirs, but if I find an author never responds to those who comment I do lose interest. I guess I just feel like blogging is a two-way street. Responding to comments is a way of showing respect and acknowledging that you have real people out there who took their time to offer their thoughts. It is something I really appreciate and my responses, no matter how short, are my way of showing this.

Plus, I simply want to foster conversation. I learn so much from my readers and I really want you to keep talking (typing) so I can learn more.

I understand the issue if you have a huge number of comments. You can’t respond to everyone, but I think a simple acknowledgement to your community in general or welcoming those you recognize as new readers is important.

I guess a big reason why comments are so important to me is that, especially in food and health, blogging creates community. As I continue my journey working from home as opposed to the office it is necessary to find human replacement for office mates even if it is screen-based. While I certainly don’t look to the web-world as a main source for relationships you all do my make work day a lot more fun and interesting. I think there is a common interest that links us in many ways.

How do you feel about commenting? Will you continue to return to a blog if the author never acknowledges your input?

Another Short Break

February 12, 2009

I’m sorry for my absence of posts the past few days. I’ve been taking another short break from blogging. My Grandfather passed away over the weekend and I decided once again to travel back to the US for a couple of weeks. This happens just three short months after the death of my Grandmother so life is a bit, well, strange right now.

This week has been a time of pondering all the wonderful memories of my grandpa, Pop, as we called him. I will miss him greatly. He had a sweet tooth that could be rivaled by few. I have no doubt that my own comes from him. I always had someone to eat the products of my hard work when I was back home and baking. I shared a lot of my baking with him over the holidays and he absolutely loved the Fruitcake Cookies I made and he was often the recipient of my Mom’s Caramel Corn that I shared with you last fall.

These are a few of the many things that will always make me think of him.

I’ll return to blogging (and reading your blogs) by next week. I’ve noticed I have several new readers in the comments and I want to say Thank You! I appreciate all my readers and each and every comment I receive. I will be back soon!

The Green Hypocrite

February 3, 2009

Being a hypocrite was a topic in one of my readings this week. That word always makes me cringe. I hate the thought of it, but I think many of us have filled the role at one point in our lives. Sometimes it can turn into a rewarding and humbling experience, other it’s just plain embarrassing.

I’ve learned that the more you speak out about your passions the more transparent you are and at risk for being labeled a hypocrite. Hypocrisy is a huge issue when it comes to health, but there is only one topic I can think of that beats it – being green.

I struggle with this a lot. When it comes to my green practices I typically do what I can without saying too much about it or getting on a soap box to say this or that is a good idea.

Why? Well, because often it feels like I am doing one green thing only to cancel it out by another green thing I’m not doing.

I unplug my chargers, but have been known to go over the speed limit. I may try to choose a more eco-conscious travel accommodation, but then I’m taking a plane to get there. I recycle and try not to do any excessive printing from the computer, but how long was my shower?

Green living seems to open the opportunity for being a hypocrite. There is always more you could be doing differently to help. Lately the media is giving us list after list of changes we need to make. You can’t help but feel guilty when you don’t do every one.

My practices have changed a lot since moving abroad. My favorite change, if you can call changes favorites, is the use of reusable shopping bags. When I got to Brazil and came home carrying 10 plastic bags for 8 items I knew this was the place to start bringing my own.

Aside from the environmental impact I love carrying them because I can pack the food in myself and they are so much easier to carry on my shoulder for 7 blocks. I will say I was surprised that I rarely saw anyone with their own bags when I was in my hometown in the US over the holidays. The bags are for sale everywhere, but no one seems to be using them.

My first encounter with the benefits of bringing your own bag came several years ago on my first trip to Europe. If you haven’t been, most grocery stores in major cities charge you for your bags. I recently read that Ireland charges 33 cents per bag and has reduced plastic bag consumption by 95 percent.

This made me remember that small changes make a big difference. I think this is key in protecting our resources for future generations and saving the polar bears. I am so sensitive to the influence our choices have on wildlife. Among other things, I couldn’t imagine a world without polar bears!

So I’ll continue to do what I can, but you won’t catch me as one to shout at the hilltops about actions you need to take to be greener. Why, because it is likely there are several I’m not doing myself.

Are you satisfied with the green changes you’ve made? Do you ever feel like a hypocrite when you do something that doesn’t fit the list of suggested changes?

Goats: The Green Way to Kill a Weed

January 22, 2009

I’ve got a bit of fun info for you today that is somewhat related to both food and the environment. For the last few months I’ve been trying to figure out a way to incorporate goats into one of my posts.

I enjoy a little goat cheese mixed into dishes although I’ve never used it at home myself. Then there is goat meat, but let’s not even go there. I’ve seen it on the menu in places like Jamaica, but I simply could never eat goat meat whether it means I’m not being open to other cultures or not.

And this is why:

Although I didn’t talk about it much at the time, when I was home visiting my family over the summer 4 of my parent’s goats were pregnant. I got to experience the birth of 6 baby goats including 2 sets of twins! I’m smiling now just thinking about how much fun it was.

I saw them over Christmas all puffed out to keep warm in the cold temperatures and this is what brought the topic of goats to mind again.

I was flipping through a magazine this past weekend and I finally found my goat topic – kudzu. Kudzu is a vine/plant that was imported to the US from Japan in the mid-1800s and was first used to prevent soil erosion. Soon it took off and got completely out of control, mostly in the southern parts of the US – Georgia, North Carolina, etc. Now it is considered a very annoying weed. Some states have even mandated that people remove it from their property.

This is where the goats come in. As you know, and I assure it is true, a goat will eat anything. So instead of herbicides which don’t work anyway, land owners are using goats to clear the kudzu from their property. Apparently the goats love it and nutritionally it is pretty good for them, according to what I’ve read.

When I came across the story it struck me as such a positive example of an environmentally safe way to eliminate a weed. No chemicals or dangerous materials, just a cute goat munching away. And of course, it gave me an excuse to share my photos.