...Now that I have your attention...I am feeling inspired to share the one habit I feel everyone must acquire in order to be truly healthy: cooking at home.
Before you dismiss this statement in a flurry of memories of triple fudge cheesecakes and double cheese lasagnas of meals past, let me explain. At home, you have the ultimate control over what you eat. You choose exactly how much oil or butter or salt or sugar to add (or to leave out). You can pile your plate high with broccoli and tofu or raspberries and Greek yogurt. When you dine or grab take out, you have no idea how much oil or salt or MSG got loaded into the dish you are about to consume. Typically, the calorie counts will be two to three times what you expect. It often doesn't actually taste that good - that "delicious" sensation you are experiencing is solely a reaction to all the fat, sugar and salt you are eating. You also don't appreciate a meal as much.
I feel like so many of our maladies nowadays are caused by disconnection. Disconnection from loved ones, our physical bodies and especially food. When food is simply something to be ordered and consumed, we forget how nourishing it can truly be. We want food cheaper, faster and richer. Our waistlines are bulging, our energy is lagging and we feel miserable when we should be feeling amazing.
To cook at home, you don't have to be a fancy cook...or even to love cooking. If you can boil water, you can make a simple pasta with some olive oil, garlic and baby spinach. This might not taste like much...but give your taste buds time. Add a little crunchy sea salt to enliven the dish. The more you eat simple foods at home, the more the flavour of real, natural foods will come alive. Consider this an investment in yourself and your family's health.
I thought I would share some of my favourite things to help inspire you to get connected with your food and get in the kitchen. Remember, it doesn't have to be fancy. Often, it is better if it isn't. Make a ritual of preparing good quality food simply and enjoying your nourishment.
If you haven't discovered my recipe blog that I write with my friend Heather, check out one of our favourite snacks here. To make the idea of cooking a pastime and not a chore, it doesn't hurt to treat yourself to a few pretty (or functional) gadgets. And if you can read, you can cook...but this cookbook is especially helpful for those new to the kitchen. This cookbook is a great one to introduce you to beans...one of my favourite foods. And if you really want to make cooking an event, sign up with your spouse, roommates or girlfriends for a cooking class or if you want to get fancy, a lesson in patissierie francais. And of course, you can't talk about a cook at home revolution without talking about one of my food heroes.
Stroll out to a farmer's market this weekend, pop open a bottle of wine and have a leisurely afternoon with friends in the kitchen.
Showing posts with label healthy weight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy weight. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Friday, January 13, 2012
Desiree on Global Morning News
I was on Global Morning News with Sophie Lui and Steve Darling today so I thought I would post the video if you missed it. I was promoting our new weight loss book for Choices Markets called Find YOUR Healthy Weight and I prepared my Pear, Feta and Beet salad from the book (delish!). Fast forward on the video to just after 12 minutes to see my segment.
If you are new to EDBH and found me on Global, welcome! Enjoy the site...
If you are new to EDBH and found me on Global, welcome! Enjoy the site...
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Eat...to find YOUR Healthy Weight
In my day job, I get to do a lot of cool stuff and this month is no exception.
I am proud to announce (shameless plug!) that I wrote a little weight loss plan for Choices Markets, our first ever, called Find YOUR Healthy Weight.
Before you go doubting my intentions...this is no fad diet. Find YOUR Healthy Weight is all about getting off the diet roller coaster (a familiar theme around here, n'est pas?) and eating whole food, plant-based diet to help you normalize your weight for life. Included in the book is a workout plan designed for us by Innovative Fitness, a 7 day meal plan, grocery shopping lists and 25 recipes to help get you started. The book is just $11.95 at your local Choices Markets.
We are also hosting an unprecedented amount of programming at the stores to support you on your path to health: nutrition tours, dietitian consultations, a weight loss club and seminars.
You can learn more in our newsletters and at the Find YOUR Healthy Weight home page.
If you want to hear me speak about finding YOUR healthy weight, you can do so at the following times and locations:
Thursday, January 5 7PM Choices Markets Kelowna
Monday, January 9 7PM Choices Markets South Surrey
Thursday, January 12 7PM Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace West 16th Ave @ Burrard
Tuesday, January 17 7PM Choices Markets at the Crest (Burnaby)
All seminars are $5 at the door.
Good luck to you as you make 2012 your healthiest year yet!
Desiree
I am proud to announce (shameless plug!) that I wrote a little weight loss plan for Choices Markets, our first ever, called Find YOUR Healthy Weight.
Before you go doubting my intentions...this is no fad diet. Find YOUR Healthy Weight is all about getting off the diet roller coaster (a familiar theme around here, n'est pas?) and eating whole food, plant-based diet to help you normalize your weight for life. Included in the book is a workout plan designed for us by Innovative Fitness, a 7 day meal plan, grocery shopping lists and 25 recipes to help get you started. The book is just $11.95 at your local Choices Markets.
We are also hosting an unprecedented amount of programming at the stores to support you on your path to health: nutrition tours, dietitian consultations, a weight loss club and seminars.
You can learn more in our newsletters and at the Find YOUR Healthy Weight home page.
If you want to hear me speak about finding YOUR healthy weight, you can do so at the following times and locations:
Thursday, January 5 7PM Choices Markets Kelowna
Monday, January 9 7PM Choices Markets South Surrey
Thursday, January 12 7PM Canadian Memorial Centre for Peace West 16th Ave @ Burrard
Tuesday, January 17 7PM Choices Markets at the Crest (Burnaby)
All seminars are $5 at the door.
Good luck to you as you make 2012 your healthiest year yet!
Desiree
Saturday, December 24, 2011
UnDiet...Week 52
Merry Christmas UnDieters!
This week, you have only one task: eat, drink and be happy. Get close to your loved ones; whatever food you choose to prepare as you celebrate, use the best quality ingredients possible and prepare foods with love. That way, you are guaranteed to nourish your soul (even if all not all the foods you eat this week nourish your body!)
Thank you so much for following along this year. At certain points, you might have strayed...at certain points, I have strayed! When beginning this project, I never realized the dedication it would take to keep going all year long - what a good reminder that any commitment you make to yourself requires passion, perseverance and willpower to keep it going. The lovely thing about an UnDiet is that there is no true beginning or end point: should you feel the need to reinvest in your health in 2012, simply start back at week one!
Health is a journey; no one (not even a dietitian) eats "perfectly" all the time or exercises religiously, gets enough sleep or manages stress all the time. The key is tipping the scale in your favour. Always strive to be healthier today, in any way that you can. That is key to true health.
I hope you enjoy the remaining days of 2011. Be sure to keep tuning into EDBH in the New Year for plenty more delicious adventures.
All the best of the season,
Desiree
PS - should you have any thoughts on what you would like to see on EDBH in 2012, let me know!
Saturday, November 26, 2011
UnDiet...Week 48
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| Santa is watching, UnDieters...drop that cookie! |
Hello UnDieters!
Just a few weeks to go in 2011...hope you are starting to enjoy the glitter of the holiday season without submitting to the all too pervasive stress of it all.
As the days get darker and we get more sedentary, I would like you to explore your nighttime noshing. Usually when we eat after dinner, it is for one of two reasons: we didn't eat nearly enough during the day or we are simply in the habit of snacking in front of the television. After a long day, we rush get dinner on, kids fed, bathed and tucked in and then we crash in front of the television to decompress. Potato chips in hand. And before you know it, you are passed out in front of The Office and the potato chips are gone.
It is exactly this kind of behaviour that can result in massive weight gain over time. At night, we are less likely to need those extra calories we are ingesting and far less likely to burn them off if we eat them. This week, let's try and break from routine. If you want to eat after dinner, eat only vegetables. You still get to engage in what is probably a deeply engrained habit but you will be eating healthy, low calorie food that contributes to making you a healthier human. We can capitalize on our propensity to overeat and work towards getting our 10 daily servings of vegetables!
To make this task easier, as you grocery shop this weekend, buy extra vegetables and then wash and chop them right away. Place the chopped veggies in an airtight container in the fridge so that if you have a snack attack, you have emergency snacks at the ready.
Ever tried to overeat broccoli? Trust me, you will thank me later.
To your health,
Desiree
Saturday, November 19, 2011
UnDiet...Week 47
Hello UnDieters!
Week 47....New Year's Day is just around the corner. Hopefully, with a year of UnDieting under your belt the one thing you won't be worried about come January 1st is how you are eating. This week I want to get you eating some more food to save your nutritional soul...greens.
"Kale!" is a routinely heard battle cry at the office. We shout "kale!" when things really rock. Don't laugh. Yes, I am a food geek. That is besides the point (or it is the point entirely.) Why should kale represent the height of my exuberance? Because kale and other greens are serious foodie medicine. So nutritious is it almost ridiculous to start naming names...all you really need to know is that you should eat greens every day. Even Canada's Food Guide, which is not always heralded as the most progressive of texts, recommends you get some daily greens. Who am I to argue?
Does a daily green food seem like an impossible task? Perhaps it is because you simply need more ideas on how to use them. First, let me start by counting the greens...
Black kale, purple kale, curly kale, red chard, rainbow chard, collard greens, mizuna, broccoli, bok choy, gai lan, beet greens, spinach, baby kale, arugula, broccolini, rapini, cilantro, parsley, basil, dandelion greens...you get the picture!
Next, here are 10 ideas on how you can use all of those delicious greens in your daily diet:
Steam collard leaves and use instead of tortillas.
Stew chard with onions and garlic as the base for a hearty winter soup.
Add de-stemmed black kale to a blueberry smoothie.
Saute your favourite green with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and chili flakes for a simply delicious side.
Make a salad with mizuna, baby spinach, cilantro and add Mexican flavours like chipotle simmered black beans, corn and queso fresco.
Stir fry gai lan with lots of garlic and add sriracha marinated tofu. Serve over rice noodles.
Layer steamed, sliced beet greens in a vegetarian lasagna.
Simmer broccolini with white beans, garlic and finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Make kale chips with your favourite kale by tossing pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and baking at 325 for 15-20 minutes...watch carefully!
Wrap dandelion greens with feta, pickled beets, hummus and grated carrot in a sprouted grain wrap.
See? It's easy being green...
Week 47....New Year's Day is just around the corner. Hopefully, with a year of UnDieting under your belt the one thing you won't be worried about come January 1st is how you are eating. This week I want to get you eating some more food to save your nutritional soul...greens.
"Kale!" is a routinely heard battle cry at the office. We shout "kale!" when things really rock. Don't laugh. Yes, I am a food geek. That is besides the point (or it is the point entirely.) Why should kale represent the height of my exuberance? Because kale and other greens are serious foodie medicine. So nutritious is it almost ridiculous to start naming names...all you really need to know is that you should eat greens every day. Even Canada's Food Guide, which is not always heralded as the most progressive of texts, recommends you get some daily greens. Who am I to argue?
Does a daily green food seem like an impossible task? Perhaps it is because you simply need more ideas on how to use them. First, let me start by counting the greens...
Black kale, purple kale, curly kale, red chard, rainbow chard, collard greens, mizuna, broccoli, bok choy, gai lan, beet greens, spinach, baby kale, arugula, broccolini, rapini, cilantro, parsley, basil, dandelion greens...you get the picture!
Next, here are 10 ideas on how you can use all of those delicious greens in your daily diet:
Steam collard leaves and use instead of tortillas.
Stew chard with onions and garlic as the base for a hearty winter soup.
Add de-stemmed black kale to a blueberry smoothie.
Saute your favourite green with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic and chili flakes for a simply delicious side.
Make a salad with mizuna, baby spinach, cilantro and add Mexican flavours like chipotle simmered black beans, corn and queso fresco.
Stir fry gai lan with lots of garlic and add sriracha marinated tofu. Serve over rice noodles.
Layer steamed, sliced beet greens in a vegetarian lasagna.
Simmer broccolini with white beans, garlic and finish with lemon zest and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Make kale chips with your favourite kale by tossing pieces with olive oil, salt and pepper and baking at 325 for 15-20 minutes...watch carefully!
Wrap dandelion greens with feta, pickled beets, hummus and grated carrot in a sprouted grain wrap.
See? It's easy being green...
Monday, November 7, 2011
UnDiet...Week 45
Hello UnDieters!
2011 is slowly drawing to a close and I want to ensure that all of you who have stuck with me through my ups and downs creating this Un-Diet plan finish off the year on solid footing. We have introduced so many different types of foods; skimmed the fat where it isn't necessary and added quality fats (by the measured spoonful, of course!) where they are. We have gotten up to our elbows in roughage and celebrated the harvest. So let's finish strong, with a focus on good food fundamentals.
Last week, we revisited the apple (or pear) a day challenge and I do hope you can keep going with it throughout the balance of the year. For this week, I want to introduce a habit that is also worthy of maintaining for the last 7 weeks of the year at the very least. Could it really be only 7?
Each time you sit down to eat, I am asking that you put your fork or spoon or chopsticks down in between bites. In our fastest-just-gets-there-fastest world, this seems almost ridiculous now. But what are we really rushing to accomplish? By physically getting in the way of hoovering your meal, you can stretch out the eating process for just a little longer. This is a good idea for your stress levels, your waist line and your overall health.
When the rest of our day is fast paced and stress filled, why not consider meal time as a break from the madness? If you are already making the commitment to nourish your body with food, why not go the extra step to truly nourish your body with a moment's respite from chaos? Doing so will actually help you maintain a healthy weight as well; eating slowly gives our body time to realize that it is full and satisfied before we over eat. A slower pace also helps promotes proper digestion and absorption of nutrients so that we derive all of the benefits of the food we eat and don't end up with an angry gas filled gut later on. We need a relaxed environment and state of mind for our body to do its best work.
So for the rest of the year, simply take a moment's pause. It's good for you. And if you want to be really bold, invite a friend to break bread with you. Use those pauses to reconnect.
Cheers,
Desiree
2011 is slowly drawing to a close and I want to ensure that all of you who have stuck with me through my ups and downs creating this Un-Diet plan finish off the year on solid footing. We have introduced so many different types of foods; skimmed the fat where it isn't necessary and added quality fats (by the measured spoonful, of course!) where they are. We have gotten up to our elbows in roughage and celebrated the harvest. So let's finish strong, with a focus on good food fundamentals.
Last week, we revisited the apple (or pear) a day challenge and I do hope you can keep going with it throughout the balance of the year. For this week, I want to introduce a habit that is also worthy of maintaining for the last 7 weeks of the year at the very least. Could it really be only 7?
Each time you sit down to eat, I am asking that you put your fork or spoon or chopsticks down in between bites. In our fastest-just-gets-there-fastest world, this seems almost ridiculous now. But what are we really rushing to accomplish? By physically getting in the way of hoovering your meal, you can stretch out the eating process for just a little longer. This is a good idea for your stress levels, your waist line and your overall health.
When the rest of our day is fast paced and stress filled, why not consider meal time as a break from the madness? If you are already making the commitment to nourish your body with food, why not go the extra step to truly nourish your body with a moment's respite from chaos? Doing so will actually help you maintain a healthy weight as well; eating slowly gives our body time to realize that it is full and satisfied before we over eat. A slower pace also helps promotes proper digestion and absorption of nutrients so that we derive all of the benefits of the food we eat and don't end up with an angry gas filled gut later on. We need a relaxed environment and state of mind for our body to do its best work.
So for the rest of the year, simply take a moment's pause. It's good for you. And if you want to be really bold, invite a friend to break bread with you. Use those pauses to reconnect.
Cheers,
Desiree
Sunday, October 30, 2011
UnDiet...Week 41
Hello UnDieters!
Are any of you still eating an apple a day? If you can remember back, oh-so-long ago, that was our very first challenge in this year of healthy eating. Sometimes the simplest missions are the best.
You would easily be forgiven if you had abandoned your resolve to eat a daily apple through the summer, with all of that blushing summer produce. However, now that the berries, peaches and plums have been either preserved or composted, it is time to get reacquainted with the fruits of fall labour. So as we get back in touch with our original goal, let's up the ante just a little bit. You are all now very well established UnDieters and it shouldn't faze you at all!
For this week, let's eat one apple AND one pear a day...and keep it up through New Year's Day. These beautiful fruits are the very best that BC has to offer right now. Crisp, sweet and packed with fibre, eating an apple and a pear everyday will help boost your intake of fruit and veg in a season when it can be all too simple to forget produce. Red skins will provide anthocyanins for a healthy heart; apples feature quercetin to support respiratory health and copper in pears helps build SOD, a super antioxidant in the body. Just what this busy season calls for, I think...
To your health!
Desiree
 |
| Don't those look good? |
Are any of you still eating an apple a day? If you can remember back, oh-so-long ago, that was our very first challenge in this year of healthy eating. Sometimes the simplest missions are the best.
You would easily be forgiven if you had abandoned your resolve to eat a daily apple through the summer, with all of that blushing summer produce. However, now that the berries, peaches and plums have been either preserved or composted, it is time to get reacquainted with the fruits of fall labour. So as we get back in touch with our original goal, let's up the ante just a little bit. You are all now very well established UnDieters and it shouldn't faze you at all!
For this week, let's eat one apple AND one pear a day...and keep it up through New Year's Day. These beautiful fruits are the very best that BC has to offer right now. Crisp, sweet and packed with fibre, eating an apple and a pear everyday will help boost your intake of fruit and veg in a season when it can be all too simple to forget produce. Red skins will provide anthocyanins for a healthy heart; apples feature quercetin to support respiratory health and copper in pears helps build SOD, a super antioxidant in the body. Just what this busy season calls for, I think...
To your health!
Desiree
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
UnDiet...Week 27
Hello UnDieters!
How did your ingredient reading experiment go last week? Any shocking revelations? Any happy reassurances? Hopefully you felt a little more connected to what is in your food...and going into your body.
This week is all about celebrating the harvest once more. It is time to eat tomatoes. Nothing beats the flavour of a tomato straight from the field, with nothing more than a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Aside from being gorgeous and delicious, tomatoes pack in a nutritional punch.
Packed with vitamin C to help support healthy skin through collagen production and vitamin A for skin integrity, tomatoes can even help defend your skin from sun damage thanks to the antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene also helps to support prostate health. For the most lycopene absorption, cook your tomatoes with a little healthy fat such as extra virgin olive oil. Tomatoes are also rich in potassium for healthy blood pressure and low in calories...making them the perfect summer food.
Taste summer this week and try and eat tomatoes (grown close to home!) twice this week. Go for something new and try chocolate, zebra or other heirloom varieties to take a break from the everyday hot house, mass produced varieties.
Shine on,
Desiree
How did your ingredient reading experiment go last week? Any shocking revelations? Any happy reassurances? Hopefully you felt a little more connected to what is in your food...and going into your body.
This week is all about celebrating the harvest once more. It is time to eat tomatoes. Nothing beats the flavour of a tomato straight from the field, with nothing more than a little salt and freshly cracked pepper. Aside from being gorgeous and delicious, tomatoes pack in a nutritional punch.
Packed with vitamin C to help support healthy skin through collagen production and vitamin A for skin integrity, tomatoes can even help defend your skin from sun damage thanks to the antioxidant, lycopene. Lycopene also helps to support prostate health. For the most lycopene absorption, cook your tomatoes with a little healthy fat such as extra virgin olive oil. Tomatoes are also rich in potassium for healthy blood pressure and low in calories...making them the perfect summer food.
Taste summer this week and try and eat tomatoes (grown close to home!) twice this week. Go for something new and try chocolate, zebra or other heirloom varieties to take a break from the everyday hot house, mass produced varieties.
Shine on,
Desiree
Monday, July 11, 2011
Cleaning up my act...
As a dietitian, I am under no illusion that making permanent lifestyle change is difficult. I work with hundreds of clients who share their challenges and their triumphs on the path. And I wouldn't dare say that I never have my own issues; I may know how to eat like a "saint" but I am human too!
In fact, over the last few months my own lifestyle habits have left a bit to be desired. I like to keep my healthy eating to 80-90% of my diet, leaving a little room for whatever is tasting good to me at the moment like poutine, red wine and ice cream. However, my healthy eating has looked a bit closer to 60-70% with a few too many chocolate bars and potato chips to name. And I haven't worked out in months. I can feel the difference. I just don't have the energy I usually do and when you get up at the crack of dawn (5AM!) and chase a little one around all day, it really hits you.
So I am cleaning up my act this week. We are in the middle of a move and a generally insane month. It would be easy to put it off but the time is now. My husband is off so he can watch E while I work out and I have a bit of extra time to make food. I already worked out this morning and had a great breakfast and am feeling motivated and ready to go.
This isn't a diet or a detox or a cleanse. This is just me refocusing on taking care of myself and eating the foods I love to and that love me back.
I just might share my menus with you all...both for interest sake and to keep me honest. Watch this space....
In fact, over the last few months my own lifestyle habits have left a bit to be desired. I like to keep my healthy eating to 80-90% of my diet, leaving a little room for whatever is tasting good to me at the moment like poutine, red wine and ice cream. However, my healthy eating has looked a bit closer to 60-70% with a few too many chocolate bars and potato chips to name. And I haven't worked out in months. I can feel the difference. I just don't have the energy I usually do and when you get up at the crack of dawn (5AM!) and chase a little one around all day, it really hits you.
So I am cleaning up my act this week. We are in the middle of a move and a generally insane month. It would be easy to put it off but the time is now. My husband is off so he can watch E while I work out and I have a bit of extra time to make food. I already worked out this morning and had a great breakfast and am feeling motivated and ready to go.
This isn't a diet or a detox or a cleanse. This is just me refocusing on taking care of myself and eating the foods I love to and that love me back.
I just might share my menus with you all...both for interest sake and to keep me honest. Watch this space....
Sunday, July 10, 2011
UnDiet...Week 26
Hello UnDieters!
Well, this is a special post: not only does it mark the halfway point in our UnDiet journey but it is also my 100th blog post on Eat Drink Be Happy! In just a year, this little blog has come a long way. From only a handful of my friends and family reading it to over a thousand of you checking it out every month. I can't wait to see it grow even more....and am eager to know what you would like to see here too. Feel free to send me an email or make a comment and let me know what kind of topics you are interested in seeing on Eat Drink Be Happy.
For this week on the UnDiet, I want us to explore our food choices by reading the ingredients on our food packages. I am not interested in having you "label reading" but INGREDIENT reading. There is an important distinction here; we can get caught up in the nutrients and become focused on eating more fibre, less salt etc. but these well intentioned goals can be co-opted by food manufacturers to make their processed, lifeless food seem healthier. Think Lucky Charms "made with 100% whole grain". "Cholesterol free!" potato chips. "Trans fat free" Oreos.
While you can makeover a food with differing nutrient profiles, you can't hide what is in your food in terms of ingredients. Most of the packaged food we eat today is a combination of just a few ingredients: processed sugar, wheat, corn and soy in their many derivatives. These foods just kind of fill us up; they don't really nourish our body the way modern life demands.
This week, please choose at least two days to read the ingredients on each and every food you put in your mouth. If they don't have ingredients on the package, try the internet. Most food websites will offer this info. Then really think about what you are reading. Do you understand all the names on the ingredients list? Is it a mile long or is it simple? Are most of the foods you eat little more than sweetened, salted flour? Think about the foods you are putting into your body. Perhaps after taking a close look at the ingredients, you may shift towards foods with very different ingredients lists. Or better yet, foods without ingredients lists at all. Now there is a health goal that can't be messed with!
In Good Health,
Desiree
Well, this is a special post: not only does it mark the halfway point in our UnDiet journey but it is also my 100th blog post on Eat Drink Be Happy! In just a year, this little blog has come a long way. From only a handful of my friends and family reading it to over a thousand of you checking it out every month. I can't wait to see it grow even more....and am eager to know what you would like to see here too. Feel free to send me an email or make a comment and let me know what kind of topics you are interested in seeing on Eat Drink Be Happy.
For this week on the UnDiet, I want us to explore our food choices by reading the ingredients on our food packages. I am not interested in having you "label reading" but INGREDIENT reading. There is an important distinction here; we can get caught up in the nutrients and become focused on eating more fibre, less salt etc. but these well intentioned goals can be co-opted by food manufacturers to make their processed, lifeless food seem healthier. Think Lucky Charms "made with 100% whole grain". "Cholesterol free!" potato chips. "Trans fat free" Oreos.
While you can makeover a food with differing nutrient profiles, you can't hide what is in your food in terms of ingredients. Most of the packaged food we eat today is a combination of just a few ingredients: processed sugar, wheat, corn and soy in their many derivatives. These foods just kind of fill us up; they don't really nourish our body the way modern life demands.
This week, please choose at least two days to read the ingredients on each and every food you put in your mouth. If they don't have ingredients on the package, try the internet. Most food websites will offer this info. Then really think about what you are reading. Do you understand all the names on the ingredients list? Is it a mile long or is it simple? Are most of the foods you eat little more than sweetened, salted flour? Think about the foods you are putting into your body. Perhaps after taking a close look at the ingredients, you may shift towards foods with very different ingredients lists. Or better yet, foods without ingredients lists at all. Now there is a health goal that can't be messed with!
In Good Health,
Desiree
Friday, May 13, 2011
UnDiet...Week 20
Hello UnDieters,
No...you didn't miss last week's post. It was, ahem, a week off. Every once in a while, you need a freebie. I will pretend it was premeditated and not a consequence of being blindsided by life. However, the break does nicely illustrate one of the key philosophies of the UnDiet.
One thing to remember when embarking on path of healthy living is that it is a marathon, not a sprint. What makes the UnDiet so special is that it is not about drastic measures. The UnDiet is about permanent change. We don't tend to be good at moderate. We like extremes. Starve yourself by following a hundred and one diet restrictions or go hog wild at a buffet because you already "broke" your diet at breakfast by eating a piece of toast.
This week, I would like to put your commitment to diet sanity to the ultimate test and introduce you to one of dietitians' favourite healthy eating "rules": the 80/20 principle.
This is a rule to live by: 80% of the time, eat beautiful, nutrient dense foods prepared fresh. That means really good food: whole grains, lean protein, tons of fruits and veggies. Muffins, luncheon meat and seasoned side dishes don't count. 20% of the time, indulge in whatever adds excitement and indulgence to your life. Whether indulgence to you is organic ice cream, mac and cheese or fried chicken, you cannot do harm with 20% indulgence when 80% of your diet is nutrient dense. If you tend to live by an all or nothing approach, this philosophy can be dangerous as a little indulgence could trigger a landslide. If this is what happens for you, take a step back to consider what is going on for you. Sometimes, it is worth talking to someone about it. Our relationships with food are complex.
For the rest of us, consider the 80/20 rule a reprieve from the bad/good mentality. Even if you have a generally healthy attitude to food, it can still be difficult to live in the grey area but it will help to reset your attitude to eating. If you need some more solid quantification, try 2 indulgence meals a week. Keep the size moderate; a buffet binge doesn't count as a single meal. Another approach to 20% indulgence could easily net you about 100-200 calories of treat a day depending on your size and activity level. For most moderately active women, keep it to 100 calories. For very active women or men, try up to 200 calories of whatever floats your boat be it triple cream brie or Cheetos.
What is your favourite indulgence? Let me know...mine? A tie between Salt Spring Island truffle chevre and black current tea truffles from Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.
Time to get radically moderate,
Desiree
No...you didn't miss last week's post. It was, ahem, a week off. Every once in a while, you need a freebie. I will pretend it was premeditated and not a consequence of being blindsided by life. However, the break does nicely illustrate one of the key philosophies of the UnDiet.
One thing to remember when embarking on path of healthy living is that it is a marathon, not a sprint. What makes the UnDiet so special is that it is not about drastic measures. The UnDiet is about permanent change. We don't tend to be good at moderate. We like extremes. Starve yourself by following a hundred and one diet restrictions or go hog wild at a buffet because you already "broke" your diet at breakfast by eating a piece of toast.
This week, I would like to put your commitment to diet sanity to the ultimate test and introduce you to one of dietitians' favourite healthy eating "rules": the 80/20 principle.
This is a rule to live by: 80% of the time, eat beautiful, nutrient dense foods prepared fresh. That means really good food: whole grains, lean protein, tons of fruits and veggies. Muffins, luncheon meat and seasoned side dishes don't count. 20% of the time, indulge in whatever adds excitement and indulgence to your life. Whether indulgence to you is organic ice cream, mac and cheese or fried chicken, you cannot do harm with 20% indulgence when 80% of your diet is nutrient dense. If you tend to live by an all or nothing approach, this philosophy can be dangerous as a little indulgence could trigger a landslide. If this is what happens for you, take a step back to consider what is going on for you. Sometimes, it is worth talking to someone about it. Our relationships with food are complex.
For the rest of us, consider the 80/20 rule a reprieve from the bad/good mentality. Even if you have a generally healthy attitude to food, it can still be difficult to live in the grey area but it will help to reset your attitude to eating. If you need some more solid quantification, try 2 indulgence meals a week. Keep the size moderate; a buffet binge doesn't count as a single meal. Another approach to 20% indulgence could easily net you about 100-200 calories of treat a day depending on your size and activity level. For most moderately active women, keep it to 100 calories. For very active women or men, try up to 200 calories of whatever floats your boat be it triple cream brie or Cheetos.
What is your favourite indulgence? Let me know...mine? A tie between Salt Spring Island truffle chevre and black current tea truffles from Chocolaterie de la Nouvelle France.
Time to get radically moderate,
Desiree
Sunday, May 1, 2011
UnDiet...Week 18
Hello UnDieters!
I hope you are enjoying the first day of May...
In Week 12, I talked to you about cleaning up the oils in your kitchen to ensure that you are eating healthful, anti-inflammatory oils. When it comes to healthy eating, quality is vital but quantity also counts when it comes to watching your waist line. I am not talking about trying to eat a low fat diet but I am a fan of watching the amounts of added fats in your diet. When it comes to oils and fats, a little goes a long way for health!
While whole food sources of fat like nuts, seeds and avocado are high in calories they also help to fill you up as you eat. However, that splash of olive oil in the pan doesn't do much to sate your hunger so an overly generous pour could set you up for extra calories (and extra pounds).
So this week, it is time to get out your measuring utensils once more. Whenever you are cooking or adding oils this week, measure them out instead of eyeballing them. I would aim for no more than 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of added oil per serving. A teaspoon of oil has 5 grams of fat and 40 calories, which is a great boost: enough to provide fat to carry flavour in your food, add texture and help you absorb all the fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants in your food without getting too high in calories. For salad dressing, a typical serving size is 1 tablespoon because it is not all oils.
To your health!
Desiree
I hope you are enjoying the first day of May...
In Week 12, I talked to you about cleaning up the oils in your kitchen to ensure that you are eating healthful, anti-inflammatory oils. When it comes to healthy eating, quality is vital but quantity also counts when it comes to watching your waist line. I am not talking about trying to eat a low fat diet but I am a fan of watching the amounts of added fats in your diet. When it comes to oils and fats, a little goes a long way for health!
While whole food sources of fat like nuts, seeds and avocado are high in calories they also help to fill you up as you eat. However, that splash of olive oil in the pan doesn't do much to sate your hunger so an overly generous pour could set you up for extra calories (and extra pounds).
So this week, it is time to get out your measuring utensils once more. Whenever you are cooking or adding oils this week, measure them out instead of eyeballing them. I would aim for no more than 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of added oil per serving. A teaspoon of oil has 5 grams of fat and 40 calories, which is a great boost: enough to provide fat to carry flavour in your food, add texture and help you absorb all the fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants in your food without getting too high in calories. For salad dressing, a typical serving size is 1 tablespoon because it is not all oils.
To your health!
Desiree
Sunday, April 24, 2011
UnDiet...Week 17
Aloha UnDieters!
Blame "island time" for the late post...I am currently feasting on mangosteen, macadamia nuts and other such local delights on the beautiful island of Kauai. I have got a whole handful of posts on the local food scene here that I will post next week, once I am able to upload my photos.
For this week, I want to attack a habit that undermines healthy eating for many of us (including myself), night time noshing. Most of us have heard the myth that eating anything after six makes us fat. That statement actually falls into the "well, sort of..." category. Technically (and scientifically speaking) you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want it and not gain weight and vice versa. However, what is true about eating at night is the following:
When you eat after dinner, it is unlikely that you NEED to eat. Extra, unneccessary food means extra, unneccessary pounds.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely that you will eat less healthful food...providing little nutrition and empty calories.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely in front of the television. When we eat and watch, we are likely to overeat...and pile on the pounds.
So this week, examine your after dinner habits and consider going cold turkey. If you are eating a good dinner, you don't really need to snack. You may find it helpful to keep some "food journal notes" in the evening about what and when you eat if you end up eating and what is going through your mind and what you are doing in the evening for activity.
If you find yourself going mental and craving a snack, consider distraction. If your favourite television show is your trigger to eat, consider turning the TV off (gasp!) and going for a walk or doing some other activity. If your absolute favourite show is on...it is the playoffs after all...try an alternative snack to keep your mouth busy. An evening cocktail can be an invitation to snack (and pack on the pounds themselves) so if you love a night cap, watch the munching.
Here are 5 night time options to keep you munching, without packing it on:
1. Try just drinking something, like water! Won't cut it? Try sparkling water or tea or coffee (easy on the sugar and milk). Go decaf if the caffeine interferes with your rest.
2. Snack on raw plain veggies, like bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. You almost can't eat too many! Loads of nutrition for very few calories.
3. Try plain, airpopped popcorn. It is an unsung, low calorie whole grain snack. Need a microwave alternative? Try an organic, low cal variety.
4. Chew gum, get flavour without the calorie punch. Go for a naturally sweetened variety like xylitol gum and avoid artificial sweeteners.
5. Warm skim milk is a great option, as milk's protein keeps you feeling full.
If you find that nighttime noshing is not just habit or craving but true hunger, have a healthy option as mentioned above and then examine where you are skimping during the day. Some people eat very little during the day and then gorge all night. There are plenty of ways this can happen and knowing your trigger is key to overcoming the pattern...
Scenario A: You are so busy from sun rise to sun down...it isn't until the end of the day that you start thinking about eating. If that is you, set yourself a timer for every 4 hours during the day to ensure that you eat at least a little something. Plan tons of healthy snacks for your desk drawer, gym bag, pantry so you always have something healthy and on the go.
Scenario B: You aren't hungry until lunch, making it pretty tough to make it up at lunch and dinner....if that is you, it is likely that because of your night time feasting, you really aren't hungry in the morning. Once you cut out the night time eating, your hunger should return.
Scenario C: You watch what you eat pretty closely and restrict yourself during the day (ladies, this is usually you!) and then get so hungry and lose all willpower at night, eating way too much in the way of treats. If this is you, it is time to eat more during the day. We typically have far more willpower during the day, so harness that energy to eat bigger portions of super healthy food so that you will be satisfied enough to resist the junk food party post dinner.
If you are still having trouble busting the habit after this week, consider keeping a detailed diet journal for a week or two. In addition to what and when you eat, writing down your mood and activities may help. If viewing your journal doesn't make your pattern leap off the page, try sharing it with a registered dietitian, who can help you get to the bottom of it. You can find a dietitian in your area on the Dietitians of Canada website.
Good luck this week...and if all else fails, chew celery!
Desiree
Blame "island time" for the late post...I am currently feasting on mangosteen, macadamia nuts and other such local delights on the beautiful island of Kauai. I have got a whole handful of posts on the local food scene here that I will post next week, once I am able to upload my photos.
For this week, I want to attack a habit that undermines healthy eating for many of us (including myself), night time noshing. Most of us have heard the myth that eating anything after six makes us fat. That statement actually falls into the "well, sort of..." category. Technically (and scientifically speaking) you can eat whatever you want, whenever you want it and not gain weight and vice versa. However, what is true about eating at night is the following:
When you eat after dinner, it is unlikely that you NEED to eat. Extra, unneccessary food means extra, unneccessary pounds.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely that you will eat less healthful food...providing little nutrition and empty calories.
When you eat after dinner, it is likely in front of the television. When we eat and watch, we are likely to overeat...and pile on the pounds.
So this week, examine your after dinner habits and consider going cold turkey. If you are eating a good dinner, you don't really need to snack. You may find it helpful to keep some "food journal notes" in the evening about what and when you eat if you end up eating and what is going through your mind and what you are doing in the evening for activity.
If you find yourself going mental and craving a snack, consider distraction. If your favourite television show is your trigger to eat, consider turning the TV off (gasp!) and going for a walk or doing some other activity. If your absolute favourite show is on...it is the playoffs after all...try an alternative snack to keep your mouth busy. An evening cocktail can be an invitation to snack (and pack on the pounds themselves) so if you love a night cap, watch the munching.
Here are 5 night time options to keep you munching, without packing it on:
1. Try just drinking something, like water! Won't cut it? Try sparkling water or tea or coffee (easy on the sugar and milk). Go decaf if the caffeine interferes with your rest.
2. Snack on raw plain veggies, like bell pepper, broccoli and carrot. You almost can't eat too many! Loads of nutrition for very few calories.
3. Try plain, airpopped popcorn. It is an unsung, low calorie whole grain snack. Need a microwave alternative? Try an organic, low cal variety.
4. Chew gum, get flavour without the calorie punch. Go for a naturally sweetened variety like xylitol gum and avoid artificial sweeteners.
5. Warm skim milk is a great option, as milk's protein keeps you feeling full.
If you find that nighttime noshing is not just habit or craving but true hunger, have a healthy option as mentioned above and then examine where you are skimping during the day. Some people eat very little during the day and then gorge all night. There are plenty of ways this can happen and knowing your trigger is key to overcoming the pattern...
Scenario A: You are so busy from sun rise to sun down...it isn't until the end of the day that you start thinking about eating. If that is you, set yourself a timer for every 4 hours during the day to ensure that you eat at least a little something. Plan tons of healthy snacks for your desk drawer, gym bag, pantry so you always have something healthy and on the go.
Scenario B: You aren't hungry until lunch, making it pretty tough to make it up at lunch and dinner....if that is you, it is likely that because of your night time feasting, you really aren't hungry in the morning. Once you cut out the night time eating, your hunger should return.
Scenario C: You watch what you eat pretty closely and restrict yourself during the day (ladies, this is usually you!) and then get so hungry and lose all willpower at night, eating way too much in the way of treats. If this is you, it is time to eat more during the day. We typically have far more willpower during the day, so harness that energy to eat bigger portions of super healthy food so that you will be satisfied enough to resist the junk food party post dinner.
If you are still having trouble busting the habit after this week, consider keeping a detailed diet journal for a week or two. In addition to what and when you eat, writing down your mood and activities may help. If viewing your journal doesn't make your pattern leap off the page, try sharing it with a registered dietitian, who can help you get to the bottom of it. You can find a dietitian in your area on the Dietitians of Canada website.
Good luck this week...and if all else fails, chew celery!
Desiree
Friday, April 15, 2011
UnDiet...Week 16
Good Morning UnDieters!
By the time you read this, I will be en route to Kauai and I hope to post some juicy tidbits about the local food scene there. Watch this space!
For this week, I want to introduce you (in case you haven't previously met) to veggie ground round. Many families use ground beef in their meals because it is cost effective, easy to use and versatile. It is also high in artery clogging saturated fat and calories. Beef loses more points from a sustainability perspective: raising cattle uses an enormous amount of resources in terms of grain for feed, water and fossil fuel inputs, not to mention the damaging methane release from high intensity feed lots.
So for this week, I would like you to experiment with veggie ground round in place of your ground beef in at least one of your meals. Veggie ground round is comparable in price and is made from soy and wheat proteins. It is low in saturated fat and high in protein, with added vitamins to make it nutritionally comparable to beef. It is also a crowd pleaser; while picky eaters may not enjoy tofu or other vegetarian proteins, veggie ground tends to win over even the biggest skeptics. This could be a great way to introduce Meatless Mondays into your family's routine!
Veggie ground round is a great transition food for those who are interested in eating more plant based meals because it is an easy swap you can make without a major overhaul of the type of meals you cook. For those of you who have already adopted a more plant based approach or who are avoiding soy or wheat, you may choose to use a less processed veggie protein such as tofu or beans this week. Want to learn more about veggie ground round ingredients and nutrition? Click here.
Here are 5 simple family dinners that lend themselves well to a veggie ground swap, in case you need some ideas:
1. Spaghetti with "meat" sauce (whole food option: lentils)
2. Veggie Chili "con Carne" (whole food option: black beans)
3. Taco Salad (whole food option: pinto beans)
4. Cabbage Rolls (whole food option: seitan)
5. "Hamburger" Soup (whole food option: lentils)
Aloha!
Desiree
PS...just in case your faith is wavering, no...Yves Veggie Cuisine did not ask me to post this. I just like veggie ground :)
By the time you read this, I will be en route to Kauai and I hope to post some juicy tidbits about the local food scene there. Watch this space!
For this week, I want to introduce you (in case you haven't previously met) to veggie ground round. Many families use ground beef in their meals because it is cost effective, easy to use and versatile. It is also high in artery clogging saturated fat and calories. Beef loses more points from a sustainability perspective: raising cattle uses an enormous amount of resources in terms of grain for feed, water and fossil fuel inputs, not to mention the damaging methane release from high intensity feed lots.
So for this week, I would like you to experiment with veggie ground round in place of your ground beef in at least one of your meals. Veggie ground round is comparable in price and is made from soy and wheat proteins. It is low in saturated fat and high in protein, with added vitamins to make it nutritionally comparable to beef. It is also a crowd pleaser; while picky eaters may not enjoy tofu or other vegetarian proteins, veggie ground tends to win over even the biggest skeptics. This could be a great way to introduce Meatless Mondays into your family's routine!
Veggie ground round is a great transition food for those who are interested in eating more plant based meals because it is an easy swap you can make without a major overhaul of the type of meals you cook. For those of you who have already adopted a more plant based approach or who are avoiding soy or wheat, you may choose to use a less processed veggie protein such as tofu or beans this week. Want to learn more about veggie ground round ingredients and nutrition? Click here.
Here are 5 simple family dinners that lend themselves well to a veggie ground swap, in case you need some ideas:
1. Spaghetti with "meat" sauce (whole food option: lentils)
2. Veggie Chili "con Carne" (whole food option: black beans)
3. Taco Salad (whole food option: pinto beans)
4. Cabbage Rolls (whole food option: seitan)
5. "Hamburger" Soup (whole food option: lentils)
Aloha!
Desiree
PS...just in case your faith is wavering, no...Yves Veggie Cuisine did not ask me to post this. I just like veggie ground :)
Sunday, April 10, 2011
UnDiet...Week 15
Hello UnDieters!
A little late in this week's posting...but I am not sending you to the grocery store, so not to worry! This week, I would like to get you thinking about what you put on your plate. Literally.
We know that portion sizes (and consequently, our stomachs) have gotten much larger over the past 30 years. As our portions have swelled, our view of what a reasonable serving size is has gotten pretty distorted. So I would like this week to be an exercise is conscious eating.
Because overeating starchy foods tends to be an Achilles Heel for many of us, whenever you are at home this week, I would like you to serve yourself any starchy carb (pasta, rice, quinoa, breakfast cereal etc.) out of a 1/2 cup measuring spoon. I am not asking you to cut down or limit your portions but simply to become aware of how many 1/2 cup portions of starches you typically serve yourself in a day. Keep a simple tally of each half cup serving you eat for at least 3 days this week. Not eating a measurable starch? A slice of bread, a half a pita, a small tortilla, or 100 calories of crackers or granola bar are all a portion for the purposes of the exercise. For all of you well acquainted with the food guide, these servings are a bit different but I wanted to simplify the exercise for you. If you want to measure the "correct" servings, take a peek at the guide here.
Our national food guide recommends 6 to 8 servings of starches every day, which is a good guideline for the average person. It sounds like a lot but if you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and some brown rice for dinner...you have probably reached 6 servings. If after completing this exercise, you feel like you may be eating too many starches, consider taking your portions down by a half cup at one of your meals each day. If this week has reaffirmed that you are on the right track, kudos to you!
Have a great week,
Desiree
A little late in this week's posting...but I am not sending you to the grocery store, so not to worry! This week, I would like to get you thinking about what you put on your plate. Literally.
We know that portion sizes (and consequently, our stomachs) have gotten much larger over the past 30 years. As our portions have swelled, our view of what a reasonable serving size is has gotten pretty distorted. So I would like this week to be an exercise is conscious eating.
Because overeating starchy foods tends to be an Achilles Heel for many of us, whenever you are at home this week, I would like you to serve yourself any starchy carb (pasta, rice, quinoa, breakfast cereal etc.) out of a 1/2 cup measuring spoon. I am not asking you to cut down or limit your portions but simply to become aware of how many 1/2 cup portions of starches you typically serve yourself in a day. Keep a simple tally of each half cup serving you eat for at least 3 days this week. Not eating a measurable starch? A slice of bread, a half a pita, a small tortilla, or 100 calories of crackers or granola bar are all a portion for the purposes of the exercise. For all of you well acquainted with the food guide, these servings are a bit different but I wanted to simplify the exercise for you. If you want to measure the "correct" servings, take a peek at the guide here.
Our national food guide recommends 6 to 8 servings of starches every day, which is a good guideline for the average person. It sounds like a lot but if you have a bowl of cereal for breakfast, a sandwich for lunch and some brown rice for dinner...you have probably reached 6 servings. If after completing this exercise, you feel like you may be eating too many starches, consider taking your portions down by a half cup at one of your meals each day. If this week has reaffirmed that you are on the right track, kudos to you!
Have a great week,
Desiree
Sunday, March 20, 2011
UnDiet...Week 12
Hello UnDieters!
March 21st is the first day of spring, so why not celebrate with a bit of spring cleaning? This week is your first cupboard clean up assignment: it's time for an oil change. You do it for your car...but what about your body? The days of low fat, high sugar living are over but you can't afford to overlook the quality of the oils you put into your body.
Why? Dietary fats have a multitude of influences on your health. Fats are incorporated into the membranes for all of your cells and can deliver a glow to your skin. The oils we eat can help raise or lower your cholesterol; they can deliver important fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants to help improve our health and they can cause or calm inflammation. Just as important, fats help carry flavour and provide a wonderful texture to the foods you eat.
This week, follow my 5 step plan to cleaning up your act...
Step One: Remove all products from your cupboards that contain trans fats. Don't look for trans fats on the nutrition facts as foods that contain small amounts of trans fats can still legally be labelled as trans fat free. Look for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" on all of your ingredients lists. If packages are unopened, donate food to your local food bank.
Step Two: Smell all of your cooking oils. The healthier an oil is, the quicker it turns rancid. If oils start to smell like paint thinner, it's time to toss.
Step Three: Toss out oils that are high in omega 6 fats, such as soy and corn oils and margarines. Also ban cheap vegetable oils that are chemically processed such as canola and sunflower oils. Our North American diet is already too high in omega 6 fats, which contribute to inflammation, a contributor to chronic disease.
Step Four: Stock the following: a small amount of butter (organic if possible) for occasional baking or as a treat on good bread. Keep it in the fridge. Buy extra virgin olive oil for everyday use (salads and sautéing) and virgin coconut or good quality peanut oil for high heat frying.
Keep your liquid oils in a dark, cool place. Not by the stove!
Step Five: Ensure you buy only what you can use in a couple of months. Use the sniff test often to ensure that your oils are fresh and healthful. If you want to buy value packs of oil, keep them in the fridge and leave only a small amount at room temperature. Note that olive oil will turn cloudy and semi-solid in the fridge. This will not affect the oil and can be reversed by bringing oil to room temperature.
Spring has sprung!
Desiree
March 21st is the first day of spring, so why not celebrate with a bit of spring cleaning? This week is your first cupboard clean up assignment: it's time for an oil change. You do it for your car...but what about your body? The days of low fat, high sugar living are over but you can't afford to overlook the quality of the oils you put into your body.
Why? Dietary fats have a multitude of influences on your health. Fats are incorporated into the membranes for all of your cells and can deliver a glow to your skin. The oils we eat can help raise or lower your cholesterol; they can deliver important fat soluble vitamins and antioxidants to help improve our health and they can cause or calm inflammation. Just as important, fats help carry flavour and provide a wonderful texture to the foods you eat.
This week, follow my 5 step plan to cleaning up your act...
Step One: Remove all products from your cupboards that contain trans fats. Don't look for trans fats on the nutrition facts as foods that contain small amounts of trans fats can still legally be labelled as trans fat free. Look for the words "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated" on all of your ingredients lists. If packages are unopened, donate food to your local food bank.
Step Two: Smell all of your cooking oils. The healthier an oil is, the quicker it turns rancid. If oils start to smell like paint thinner, it's time to toss.
Step Three: Toss out oils that are high in omega 6 fats, such as soy and corn oils and margarines. Also ban cheap vegetable oils that are chemically processed such as canola and sunflower oils. Our North American diet is already too high in omega 6 fats, which contribute to inflammation, a contributor to chronic disease.
Step Four: Stock the following: a small amount of butter (organic if possible) for occasional baking or as a treat on good bread. Keep it in the fridge. Buy extra virgin olive oil for everyday use (salads and sautéing) and virgin coconut or good quality peanut oil for high heat frying.
Keep your liquid oils in a dark, cool place. Not by the stove!
Step Five: Ensure you buy only what you can use in a couple of months. Use the sniff test often to ensure that your oils are fresh and healthful. If you want to buy value packs of oil, keep them in the fridge and leave only a small amount at room temperature. Note that olive oil will turn cloudy and semi-solid in the fridge. This will not affect the oil and can be reversed by bringing oil to room temperature.
Spring has sprung!
Desiree
Friday, February 25, 2011
UnDiet...Week Nine
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| The new Dietitians of Canada Cookbook...featuring a recipe by yours truly! Available in my Amazon store. |
Hello UnDieters!
This week, I want to appeal to the adventurer in you...your mission this week is to try a recipe that you have never tried before. Whether you hoard cookbooks that you rarely use (like me) or think that a big cooking day is boiling pasta, it is time to be bold. Make the effort. You can make something elaborate or search for a 30 minute meal that will help you survive the weeknight dinner crush. It is up to you: choose a recipe, shop for the ingredients, make something fantastic and have fun!
Life is busy; the effort involved in planning a meal with multiple ingredients can seem daunting but once you have mastered a recipe it becomes part of your repertoire and effortless to enjoy on a regular basis. Also, when you get stuck in a rut, healthy eating becomes boring. Way more boring than ordering a pizza. Weekends are the perfect time for a culinary adventure. You have got the time to browse recipes over morning coffee, make a shopping list and maybe even check out a farmer's market without the stress of trying to decide on how you are going to get dinner on the table after work.
So crack open one of your dusty cookbooks or browse online for a recipe...I know you are tempted to skip this week because "it isn't as important" as eating blueberries but believe me, I have your best interests at heart. Cooking is a critical skill for eating well and trying something new is important for keeping healthy eating fresh.
I have included a few of my favourite sites for you here so you have literally thousands of free recipes at your fingertips:
Get Cooking...let me know how your culinary adventures went!
Desiree
Saturday, February 5, 2011
UnDiet...Week Six
Whether you are vegetarian or worship at the temple of bacon, we could all use a little more veggie protein in our lives. While meat can be a healthy part of a good diet, we tend to eat way too much of it and forget that plants have protein too. So the challenge this week is to work a little of my favourite veggie protein into your diet: beans.
Yes, yes, it's the musical fruit...but it is also pretty close to a perfect food. Super high in fibre, beans are also a great source of vegetarian protein and slow burning carbohydrates. But it doesn't end there: full of magnesium, iron, B vitamins, potassium...and if you choose a richly coloured bean like kidney or black beans, chock a block with antioxidant pigments too.
Don't like beans because they make you gassy? News flash: a little gas is good for you. One of the benefits of beans is that their "resistant" carbohydrates become food for healthy bacteria which helps keep your gut happy. Your system will get used to beans the more you eat them. If you are bothered by gas, the kind that doesn't seem to want to pass on its own, you have options. The standard treatment is Beano, which actually works. A more holistic approach is Asafoetida, which is an Ayurvedic herb that complements beans nicely from a digestive perspective. You can find it at Indian food shops and remember...just a tiny pinch is all you need.
So this week, welcome beans into your world at least twice. Not so bad, right? I will even help you out with some ideas!
1. Eat hummus with chopped veggies as a snack. Buy a good quality hummus with no unpronounceable ingredients or make your own tomorrow to pack in your lunch all week. It's easy...try this recipe.
2. If you regularly eat soups for lunch, just toss in a half cup of your favourite beans, rinsed and drained to boost the nutrition and help you feel more full all afternoon.
3. Make your favourite chili with two different types of beans.
4. Making a marinara? Substitute half of your usual amount of ground beef with canned lentils, rinsed and drained.
5. Taco night? Saute up some black beans instead of your regular ground meat (or add beans to your ground...you carnivore, you!).
So long, gassy jack.
Desiree
Yes, yes, it's the musical fruit...but it is also pretty close to a perfect food. Super high in fibre, beans are also a great source of vegetarian protein and slow burning carbohydrates. But it doesn't end there: full of magnesium, iron, B vitamins, potassium...and if you choose a richly coloured bean like kidney or black beans, chock a block with antioxidant pigments too.
Don't like beans because they make you gassy? News flash: a little gas is good for you. One of the benefits of beans is that their "resistant" carbohydrates become food for healthy bacteria which helps keep your gut happy. Your system will get used to beans the more you eat them. If you are bothered by gas, the kind that doesn't seem to want to pass on its own, you have options. The standard treatment is Beano, which actually works. A more holistic approach is Asafoetida, which is an Ayurvedic herb that complements beans nicely from a digestive perspective. You can find it at Indian food shops and remember...just a tiny pinch is all you need.
So this week, welcome beans into your world at least twice. Not so bad, right? I will even help you out with some ideas!
1. Eat hummus with chopped veggies as a snack. Buy a good quality hummus with no unpronounceable ingredients or make your own tomorrow to pack in your lunch all week. It's easy...try this recipe.
2. If you regularly eat soups for lunch, just toss in a half cup of your favourite beans, rinsed and drained to boost the nutrition and help you feel more full all afternoon.
3. Make your favourite chili with two different types of beans.
4. Making a marinara? Substitute half of your usual amount of ground beef with canned lentils, rinsed and drained.
5. Taco night? Saute up some black beans instead of your regular ground meat (or add beans to your ground...you carnivore, you!).
So long, gassy jack.
Desiree
Saturday, January 22, 2011
UnDiet...Week Four
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| Water, Water Everywhere...photo of the Calanques in the Mediterranean. |
Good Morning UnDieters!
Time flies, doesn't it? Right about now, many people's New Years Resolutions are waning. Days of celery and chicken breasts are getting boring. And no one wants to slog out to the gym in the snow. You? You are coasting through the detritus of abandoned resolutions. You might even be enjoying the Hot Chocolate Festival and Dine Out Vancouver with nary a care in the world, knowing that you are on the path to better health.
We are already eating an apple a day, skimming the fat off our milk and getting comfortable with roughage. Now is probably a good time to hydrate. So what's next?
Water: some people love it, others hate it. Regardless of your opinion, water is critical to life. Our body is essentially a liquid medium and dehydration of even 2% can lead to significant declines in mental and physical performance. Feeling tired, foggy and sluggish? Could be dehydration. Feeling snacky? Could be dehydration. Skin slack and dull? Water might be contributing to that too. Last week's fibre not working that well? Try water. Water is critical for healthy bowel movement and dehydration can significantly slow things down, down there.
So this week, we are going to start drinking a glass of water before every meal. If you are already drinking plenty of water, pat yourself on the back and kick your heels up for the rest of the week! How do you know if you are drinking enough? Your urine should be clear or very pale yellow (except if you take B vitamins and then you might have a couple of day-glo voids) all the time. Drinking a glass of water before each meal may also help you to feel a bit more full after you eat.
Don't like the taste of plain water? Try a generous squeeze of lemon or lime. Need a bigger flavour boost? Add a splash of juice...and make it a good not-from-concentrate blueberry, cranberry or pomegranate to get some antioxidants in there. Need a bone health boost? Try a mineral water rich in calcium and magnesium, like Gerolsteiner.
Until next week...now that my big presentation is over, I might even try to get a midweek post done!
Desiree
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