Tag Archives: migraines

The Best Ever Salmon Patty Recipe!

March 6, 2015 Deidre 1 Comment

Hungry as a bear for salmon? Try this terrific recipe from Deidre's recipe book! — Hungry as a bear for salmon? Try this terrific recipe from Deidre’s recipe book!

There are just some things we always need to keep around and canned salmon is very high on my list! Ever had one of those days when you just wanted to pull something together really quick with little fuss?

Well, this could be the answer for you!

But what to call them? Maybe they are just humble patties. You know, like a hamburger patty; plop them on a grill or throw them into a pan….few minutes on each side…dinner is served. Last year, I may have briefly described my creation without benefit of a recipe as a “fritter.” Sounded more colorful; a little regional, perhaps. Countrified. Then, this month’s Southern Living magazine had a recipe for “Salmon Croquettes” which really looked like MY patties… or…fritters!

Goggling the moniker dilemma just sort of muddied things up. Both croquettes and fritters, apparently, are deep fried. Nay! Nay! Even Southern Living did not deep fry its croquettes! They are both also dipped in egg and breaded before frying.

Please, so much messy work!

So, I am left with my humble patties. “Croquettes” just sounds like a restaurant raising their price on patties by calling them something elite. “Fritters” just sounds….I don’t know, maybe deep fried in a converted gas station come greasy spoon restaurant.

I did not have the Greek yogurt Southern Living mentioned to fix up as a dipping sauce which I have done in the past; fortunately, these patties remained quite moist and did not demand a sauce. I will give you some ideas for the sauce, though. Cool thing is, this recipe can be adapted to a variety of ingredients at hand and measuring is not a must at all.

Southern Living’s recipe called for 2 – 14.75 oz. cans of salmon; I used just one. They called for 4 eggs which I actually used between 2 to 4, but I compensated by adding ¼ cup of coconut flour!

Unfortunately, I did not take pictures of this actual process and all the evidence is eaten, but I did have a couple file photos of a similar recipe to share. So here it goes from my memory for the Best Ever Salmon Patties!

Best Ever Salmon Patties

Ingredients:

1 (14.75 oz.) can salmon, drained
1 large celery stalk, finely chopped
3-4 green onions, chopped with green stalks
3 mini multi-colored bell peppers, finely chopped
½ small can water chestnuts, finely chopped
2 – 4 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. dill weed
Approx. ¼ cup coconut flour, as needed. to make the patties “stick” together

Method

Beat eggs in a large bowl.

Add the remaining ingredients, except the coconut flour, and mix well to combine. I do this with my hands while wearing latex free gloves.

Add the coconut flour if the mixture is too moist and needs some ‘glue’ to stick together.

Using your gloved hands, form mixture into approximately 1/2 cup patties, pressing firmly to mold.

Pan fry the patties on medium heat using about 2 Tbs. good oil of choice: olive oil, avocado oil, or coconut oil. When the edges start looking a little crispy, flip patties over. Cooking time should be 2-3 minutes on each side.

Ingredient ideas for dipping sauces:

Using a base of plain Greek yogurt add:

Dijon mustard, dill weed, lemon zest, lemon juice, pinch of ground red pepper

Or in a blender or food processor combine the following with the yogurt:

English cucumber, dill, salt, pepper for a Greek flair

The delicious end product - Best Ever Salmon Patties! — The delicious end product – Best Ever Salmon Patties!

Ingredients are easily substituted and swiped out. When there is fresh parsley around, I always add it for added spunk and flakes of greenness. No water chestnuts? Leave them out! I just happened to have a few green onions that needed to be used up; any kind of onion could be used.

Just keep a few cans of salmon around to “save the day.”

Enjoy-

Deidre

Remember to subscribe to this blog so you can be alerted via email when a new post is up. Just give us your email address!

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

New Year’s Resolutions and Reboots!

January 2, 2015 Deidre Leave a comment

Remember “gradual and consistent,” the concept that success comes from consistent small efforts over time will yield greater results versus giant goal-setting?

With the New Year upon us and with conversations whirling around us about resolutions, it would seem an excellent time to reconsider how we can apply this gradual and consistent concept to our daily health and life issues.

Just because the calendar page now says “2015” does not mean we have to reinvent ourselves. But in looking at the array of life issues we are handling, does it not make sense to make sure our minds and bodies are at their best so we can optimally approach our personal challenges? We cannot be creative, resourceful, cooperative, considerate or anything else we may strive to be if we feel awful physically or mentally.

Want to lose 50 pounds by June? Forget it! Just concentrate on how your next meal looks. Then concentrate on how the next meal after that looks. Want to tone up to wear a smaller size by a particular date? Don’t spend a week shopping for the right exercise clothes; what kind of push-ups or planks are you doing right now?

I think one of the biggest successes at health transformation is balanced blood sugar. This may be of particular importance now as we are coming off of holiday indulgences. Even gluten-free starches can add to the waistline. To paraphrase Dr. Mark Hyman’s article from December 26, 2014, here are three thing that we all can do to help end that need to roam around the kitchen looking for holiday delights.

1. Commit to booting unnecessary starch. Carbohydrates are an important macro-nutrient vital to body function, but we need to embrace plant carbohydrates and use nuts and seeds as healthy protein snacks. My immediate goal is to incorporate plant carbohydrates at every meal; half my plate is usually vegetables. Even at breakfast.

Prior to the holidays, I activated many bags of nuts to prepare for gift-giving and snacking. My recent reading about nuts have again reminded me that daily eating of walnuts is extremely beneficial as an omega-3 and anti-oxidant resource.

See article on activating nuts here.

Food-Talk-4-u-green-tea — Green tea permits many health benefits

2. Emphasize water and green tea consumption instead of calorie-laden drinks. Forget thinking artificial sweeteners are a caveat to this rule. There is a host of badness happening with those devils that I will share about in a coming post. At the very least, artificial sweeteners tell your body that glucose is on the way, and it’s not; many studies point to over-eating as a natural response to this conflicting communication with the body.

3. Make sure that every meal has high quality protein; especially the first meal of the day. Protein is a vital macro-nutrient that fills, satisfies, and energizes the body for the rest of the day. Do not start your day on an empty tank! From last night’s leftover meat to eggs, nut, seeds, nut butters, or a protein shake/smoothie, high quality protein will keep you going for hours and eliminate the need to roam to a snack machine. Also, use quality fat to cook that protein such as coconut oil, extra virgin olive oil, or ghee. A quarter of an avocado will also augment your power resources as well.

So, how to gradually and consistently apply these guidelines?

Start now! Don’t wait until everything in your kitchen is perfectly aligned or the last slice of (gluten-free) bread has been consumed. Whatever you are going to eat or drink next is what counts. Reflect on the adage from Alcoholics Anonymous, “One day at a time.” How about one meal at a time? One snack at a time? Such next-moment goal setting is a proven winner!

In a restaurant? Wave off the bread rolls, peel off the hamburger roll as you eat the insides, double-up on the veggies instead of having a baked potato, choose broiled seafood or fish instead of breaded and fried. You get the picture.

In the market? Stick to the perimeter of the store as you choose protein and veggies. Skip the isles which generally carry starchy packages of highly- processed “Frankenfood.” Better yet, stop by the farmer’s market for locally grown veggies picked that morning!

Plan for ease of success. I have really become partial to marathon cooking events. Many families gather in the kitchen during the weekend to share in advanced prep-work and actual cooking for the week’s menu. For instance, someone can peel the meat off of a rotisserie chicken in preparation for lunch boxes. Chicken is easily thrown on a salad for a handy meal at home or at work or school.

Freeze the bones for creating a rich broth (See THE BONES HAVE IT).

Today, I prepared a crock pot full of Italian Meatballs—recipe follows. A family could incorporate these in any number of meals or snacks. I will simply freeze half of them for future use. Gluten-free spaghetti is off the menu for a while, so pairing these meatballs with at least half of a plate of veggies and some good fat will more than fill our tummies.

Tonight, our plates will sport leftover collards, raw broccoli salad, and avocado. Mmmmm. When’s dinner?

Italian Meatballs

Food-Talk-4-u-meatballs — Yummy! Italian Meatballs!

For the meatballs:

1(ish) pound of ground turkey

1 pound of sweet Italian ground sausage (I used Johnsonville brand because it’s gluten-free and has the fewest ingredients)

¼ of a red onion minced and divided into 2 portions- one portion for meatballs, one portion for sauce

3 cloves of garlic, minced and divided into 2 portions- one portion for meatballs, one portion for sauce

2 eggs

2 tsp. Italian Seasoning (or to taste)

One handful of fresh parsley, chopped

1/3 cup grated Parmesan and Romano cheese

Few shakes of sea salt to taste

1/3 cup gluten-free Panko, Italian Style (I used Ian’s brand)

For the sauce:

1 tbs. extra virgin olive oil

One portion of the minced onion

One portion of the minced garlic

1 can tomato paste (6 oz.)

2 tomato paste cans of water

1 tsp. gluten-free fish oil (for that “je ne sais pas” or umami effect)

Salt to taste

Pepper to taste

Italian seasoning to taste

1 cup chopped Crimini mushrooms a.k.a Baby Bella mushrooms

Method

Food-Talk-4-u-Meatball-2 — Ready for the oven!

Put all meatball ingredients in a large bowl and mix well using gloved hands. Using a 1 ½ inch scoop, push a scoopful of meatball mixture into the side of the bowl to help pack it into shape. Eject the meatball into your other hand to gently finish and place the meatball on an ungreased baking sheet.

The 1.3 lbs. of turkey and 1 lb. of sausage yielded me just shy of 50 meatballs on two cooking sheets. Place cooking sheets into a preheated 350 degree oven or 325 degree convection oven. Roast meatball for 15 minutes, remove pans from oven, turn meatballs over, and return pans to oven for another 15 minutes.

While meatballs are baking, prepare sauce as follows:

Food-Talk-4-u-spice-stirring — Stirring spices into tomato sauce

Gently sauté minced onion in a sauce pan on medium heat for a couple minutes, add minced garlic, and continue cooking for 30 more seconds.

Add tomato paste, 2 cans of water, fish oil, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning.

Stir to combine.

Add chopped mushrooms and let mixture simmer.

When meatballs are done roasting, put meatballs and sauce in crock pot, making sure all meatballs have been coated in sauce. Set crock pot on low for longer cooking or on medium or high heat if dinner is to be sooner.

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

… and Visions of Macaroons Danced In Their Heads …

December 11, 2014 Deidre 1 Comment

I just read the title of the food section in today’s newspaper: “Sweeten up the Holidays!” Gadzooks! Do we really need lots more sugar? Now to be sure, Christmas cookies happen; but we should be looking for ways to celebrate using less sugar!

Medi brand knee highs

I want to share with you the results of yesterday’s cookie baking marathon! Thanks to my new Medi-brand maximum-support-knee-highs-without-a-prescription, I was able to happily crank out three batches of macaroons and not kill my legs. Seriously, a wise young Physician’s Assistant recommended these to me and I can genuinely recommend this leg-saving approach to all those who stand a lot. Save your legs NOW! These knee highs are super sheer and really have made the difference in my legs not getting achy and complaining. The best $45 Christmas present to myself … EVER!

Back to macaroons. After our daughter treated us to some designer coconut macaroons from a whole-food-type grocery store, I have longed to recreate some of that tastiness. I think I have found a recipe that can be tweaked in different flavor directions such as mocha, peppermint, cherry, and the like, that could become the centerpiece for your SANE-ish cookies.

Lemon Coconut Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

3 extra large egg whites, room temperature (save those yolks for scrambled eggs using egg whites from a carton)

3 Tbs. raw honey

2 Tbs. lemon juice (about ½ lemon)

Zest from a whole lemon

1 tsp. lemon extract

2 cups unsweetened finely shredded coconut

3 Tbs. all-purpose gluten free flour

1/8 tsp. sea salt

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Combine coconut, gluten free flour, and salt in a prep bowl.

Using the whisk attachment to a hand-held or standing mixer, whip egg whites to soft peaks. Gradually add the honey, lemon juice, zest, and extract while continuing to whip until the mixture is glossy and forms stiff peaks.

Pour dry ingredients in and gently fold to incorporate using a rubber/silicone spatula.

Use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to drop ball-shaped scoops of cookie mixture onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, depending upon the size of your scoop.
Yield is about 22 cookies if you use a 1 ½ inch scoop like I did. That size gives a good dimension that is not excessive (trying to hold things down for the holidays), but is enough for a treat.

Now, sugar and honey net the same bodily response. They both turn into glucose and cause an insulin response. My goal with a sweet treat is to keep the sweetness in rein so there is not a major swing in blood sugar levels. Many prefer the unrefined nature of raw honey as in the previous recipe, and that is good. I did use white sugar in the next recipe, but there is just 1/3 of a cup spread out over 20 small macaroons, so I am happy with that. I am sure the sugar could be replaced with honey (probably less than 1/3 cup) if you wish.

Chocolate Coconut Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

1 1/3 cup unsweetened coconut

3 Tbs. all-purpose gluten-free flour

1/8 tsp. salt

¼ cup cocoa

2 extra large egg whites, room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

¼ tsp. almond extract

Chocolate Drizzle: ¼ cup dark chocolate morsels melted with 1 tsp. coconut oil

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Blend coconut, gluten-free flour, salt, and cocoa in a prep bowl.
Using a hand-held or stand mixer with whip attachment, whip egg whites to the soft peak stage. Gradually add the 1/3 cup sugar and almond extract and whip until glossy and stiff peaks can be formed.

Gently fold in the dry ingredients using a rubber/silicone spatula until all is incorporated. Using a cookie scoop or spoon, place ball-shaped scoops of mixture onto prepared cookie sheet.

Bake about 25 minutes for 1 ½ inch scoop-sized macaroons which will yield about 20 cookies.

If desired, drizzle with melted dark chocolate.

I can easily see how this recipe could use espresso, mint, or finely chopped almonds to change up the flavors!

My third recipe? Well, always being one who is keen on the flavor of almonds, I bought my first-ever box of almond paste and I followed the recipe as printed on the box for almond macaroons. No coconut in these. The reason was, I really wanted to pipe these out with a pastry bag! But because they are sooo sweet (in my book), I made them quite small. You know, “a little dab will do ya’?” My sweet-aholic husband loved these the most, of course! The box’s recipe is follows:

Almond Macaroons

INGREDIENTS

1 carton Solo Almond Paste

1 extra large egg white

½ cup sugar

They called for maraschino cherries halves for the top, but after reading an article about what’s in those little delights, I decided not to. Yes, I will eat one once in a long while but not this time.

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Break almond paste into food processor, add sugar and blend together. Add egg white and blend until a dough ball forms.

Bam! That’s all, folks!

Form into desired shape. I used my largest star tip, (#1M), to create many little treats! Bake in prepared cookie pans. Time in the oven depends upon size. My little guys were done in 12 minutes.

I hope this helps you get into a festive mood to fix treats that aren’t so awful for your health. As you start heading off to holiday parties, remember to either eat correctly before going out and then just nibble at the best choices you can make at the party, or concentrate on the veggie and meat trays and eschew the sweets altogether. If gluten is an absolute no-no for you, remember most store processed meatballs are made with gluten-y bread. Also, no one would fault you if you brought your own gluten-free crackers for dipping or spreads.

Holiday exercise? What holiday exercise? I am trying to awaken my “sleeping bear” of a body now! Let’s not wait until January to fix the damage. Not a big deal, but in addition to the jog out to the mail box, I am dedicating coffee brewing time for a little bit of kitchen exercises: kitchen counter push-ups done in slow motion—eight will do, thank you. Eight slow motion squats. Eight palm-up, straight arm, slow motion arm “flaps.” It’s amazing how refreshing coffee-brewing time well used can make me feel!

Best wishes for a blessed, safe, health holiday season to one and all!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

“And the Beet Goes On…. “

November 9, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

We all were reluctant to bring our Designed Health Series to an end. After setting the ground work for a new way of thinking about our entire approach to what is the best for us to eat and why, we were smack in the middle of reconstructing our menu content and sharing recipes when time ran out! But our link remains here until we meet again for follow-up sessions.

Nope - The other moose — NOPE! THE OTHER MOOSE…..

Have you made any “Magic Mousse” yet? There is nothing to it! It really is: just melt the chocolate while stirring in the water and dash of salt, then beat the melted mixture in a bowl placed in an ice bath for several minutes with a whisk attachment to your mixer and “Voila!” mousse appears! Check the Halloween post for details. You can do it! Use regular whipped cream if you have to, but the Coconut Cream is so yummy and dairy free!

Our early sessions had to do with our mind-set. Everything starts with that ole’ central computer! All of what we do, really, is a habit, so we deconstructed what habits were and how they worked in order to understand how to “tweak” them in a more favorable direction for improved health. Understanding that a habit “trigger” could be just walking out to get the newspaper each morning, which could easily be switched to jogging out and back to the mail box. Not a big deal but a little something in the right direction. With this cooler fall weather, it’s a cinch to jog out and back to the mailbox. Then, maybe, once the daily quick jog is second nature, longer walks or jogs could be added; maybe just around the house before returning inside to read the paper. Most of us are using the initial swish of water first thing each morning to be our trigger to drink 1-2 glasses of water. It’s a habit now, with no real thinking involved.

Something I am working on is finding the motivation to start a load of laundry. True confession: I tend to let things pile up in that regard until I am faced with marathon loads. So, I am starting a load of laundry now as I make my path to the kitchen to start the coffee. No decision making. No conversation with myself on if I want to start a load. Just, “what am I washing today?” So far, this has been very successful for me to incorporate into my daily pattern. We agreed that the goal is not the “Goal” but the process of minute gradual improvements that are consistent.

We began following Jonathan Bailor’s explanation of the Calorie Myth concept wherein counting calories is pretty pointless if that process is in exchange for looking at the quality and content of our food. Clearly, 300 calories of candy bar will have a different effect on the body than 300 calories of leafy green veggies or 300 calories of protein. He cited studies and individual cases where simply reducing the number of calories consumed each day—and possibly exercising more—was actually a recipe for failure at long-term weight loss and control. Disaster, really.

We studied what major nutrients are derived from food and how they interact with our body. Starchy carbohydrates and sugary foods not only cause great swings in blood sugar, but can actually feed the craving for more starches and sugars through the stimulation of the opiate receptors in our brains. Thus, starchy and sugary foods are not satisfying in the long term.

What is satisfying? What can we eat to “hold” us for hours? Proteins, whole food fats from avocado, coconut, olives, nuts/seeds, and non-starchy vegetables. Class participants shared how a veggie-filled omelet held them past their usual lunch hour! No toast, no bagel—just protein and veggies cooked in a pan with “good” fat—“happy butter” from grass fed cows, coconut oil, or olive oil.

We looked at what constitutes an anti-inflammatory diet. With virtually all diseases having roots in the inflammatory process, not contributing to inflammation through our food choices seems natural, basic, and what we were designed to do. Sugar is inflammatory. Grains are inflammatory. Grains—that includes wheat, barley, and rye to eliminate the gluten, and the other grains as well such as corn, soy, rice, and the legumes to eliminate the phytates which block absorption of minerals such as calcium, iron, magnesium, and others.

While not everyone has the natural response to gluten which should be a total “no-go,” some of us have evolved to tolerate some level of the “poison” in our bodies. Which are you? How do you know for sure? There certainly are blood tests which are delineated on the Celiac.org website, but try going totally gluten-free for 30-60 days. Not only will you lose weight because of not eating starches at every meal, but you will likely discover a more pain-free body. Those achy joints won’t be crying out for more pain meds. You belly will be happier. Less bloating; less gas. Then, at the end of 30-60 days, see how going back to gluten works for you………….

One of my sweetest moments recently was when a Designed for Health class participant pulled me aside to show off her remarkably slimmer body; her decidedly slimmer face; and best of all, her ability to once again wear a ring! Getting off gluten and onto an anti-inflammatory diet clearly took away the inflammation in her previously swollen finger joints. She was joyous to don that precious family heirloom on her finger as a testament to how much better she was feeling!

One night in class, we changed the old IN-SANE food pyramid to create a SANE plateful of food:

We then started sharing how we were doing this. Recipes started flying around the room! Norman has much success grilling not only his meats but his vegetables—all coated with olive oil—even beets! Ellen described her carrot/beet/parsnip fritters. Someone else offered her recipe for chocolate pudding: ¼ cup cocoa, 1 avocado, 3 Medjool dates, ¼ cup coconut/almond milk all whipped up in a blender or food processor.

Food-Talk-4-U-Colander-R — Raw ingredients

Speaking of beets….with much fear and trepidation, I bought my first EVER fresh, raw beets to use in fixing Ellen’s fritters. My childhood exposure to canned, diced beets used to stretch left-over stew into something called “Red Flannel Hash” had left me permanently traumatized! It would be hard to appreciate what it took for me to “man up” right there in the green goods isle at Harris Teeter to look at, touch, and put three fresh beets with long stems and admittedly beautiful leaves into my basket! But with Ellen and Norman’s words ringing in my ears, I did it!

We were leaving the class the last night and Ellen was trying to remember all of the ingredients to her fritters, and I added some onion as well, so here’s our recipe”:

Carrot, Beet, Parsnip Fritters

2 carrots- peeled and grated

1 parsnip- peeled and grated

1 beet- peeled and grated

¼ of a large onion- grated

1-2 eggs

1-2 large cooking/serving spoons of coconut flour

Salt and Pepper to taste

Method

Place all of the grated vegetables into a bowl.

Toss/mix veggies

Add first egg and first large spoonful of coconut flour along with salt and pepper. Combine to incorporate all ingredients. If your mixture looks and feels like it needs more “glue” to stick together into patties, then add the additional egg and coconut flour. I did because the beet and parsnip seemed to be large.

Food-Talk-4-U-egg-flour-R — Adding in the egg and flour

Here’s the tricky part. I formed the patties by hand, squeezing a little extra as Ellen advised, but they still seemed a bit loose. Next time, I will be tempted to use a hamburger press. Just be aware that there will be beautiful red juice dripping out when squeezing and forming these patties, so have a juice catcher handy or squeeze over the sink. Amazing though. As beautiful and rosy red as the beet juice is, it never stained my counter tops! I’ve had strawberries stain my counter and I was prepared to have quite a time cleaning up, but there were no problems! Beets! My new friends!

Anyway, form the patties and place in a hot skillet with olive oil and fry a few minutes on each side.

In the meantime, slice up the beet tops and sauté in olive oil and season with a bit of crushed red pepper and sea salt.

When everything is done, you will have a beautiful serving plate full of color and nutrition! I was absolutely amazed at the mild yet wonderful flavor of the beet tops! And the fritters were such a treat.

This recipe ended up making a lot of fritters! I enjoyed them as-is as leftovers, but one thing I really loved was adding some of the fritters (or the crumbly parts that didn’t want to stick together enough) to my chicken soup. Turns out I was working on gradually eating a fresh “vat” of rich chicken bone broth soup that I have posted on before. By adding the beet fritters, not only did I add even more nutrition to my soup, but I instantly turned it into Borscht (Russian for beet soup)! What color! What flavor!

Beets are not just red. They are more like a deep raspberry red. What a great color! Now I have a new, powerhouse vegetable to love!

Until next time when I’ll share a great resource for kid-friendly recipes that are “Designed for Health” and two versions of gluten-free waffles. Just in time for a chilly morning!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

The Cycle of Stuff

October 8, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

I never thought I would really get weighed down by stuff. I am not a collector. Collecting figurines or a pretty series of don’t-eat-on-me plates just never appealed; maybe because, at heart, I detest dusting. I have learned through the moving process, though, we generally saved either the wrong stuff or, mostly, too much stuff.

Having moved into our home some 34 years ago, raising two wonderful children, starting and pioneering a video production company in Eastern North Carolina, returning to college for nursing, teaching for 17 years, collecting partial household goods from both sides of our family, and retiring from video and teaching, we have gathered a lot of stuff.

Stuff can eat you alive. It creeps in around you, slowly but surely getting a choke hold around your neck.

Eating too much of highly processed foods, oils, and truck loads of sugar can be like accidentally gathering too much stuff, too. You just know you don’t feel as light and free as you used to. You are literally weighed down by what feels like sludge.

While I exercised a throw-out mentality at least twice a year with the closet change of seasons, clearly I was not doing enough. Similarly, we all may be seen making brief spurts in “eating better,” only to return to gathering sludge.

As the participants in my Designed for Health class are learning, making small, sustainable changes in their eating and life styles is becoming a daily habit. Change is no good if done in a quick flourish with over-charged engines. Gradual and consistent. A couple glasses of water first thing in the morning. The “ah-ha” moment of enjoying a Keystone breakfast’s lasting energy until past lunch time– which begs to easily be repeated.

These are sustainable. And liberating. Lightening. Empowering.
Right now, I am in the throes of moving most of my “stuff” from one level of the house to another in preparation for installing new flooring throughout the main living level. Closets, too! With an installation date finally on the calendar, I have to take a back step on meaningful food blogs.

However, as I am seeing ways to sell and give away as much as possible—believe me, if I am not going to realistically be using or wearing something, it will not be returning to its original location in our living space—I can see a distinct parallel to eating pure, whole food that is easily digestible. Like the excess stuff, body sludge will be gone with better, cleaner food choices!

You may find a little closet and drawer cleaning to be liberating, too! I have vowed to my children not to leave them with our house stuffed to the rafters with “stuff”. Really, there will be no museum in my name to document every breath and possession. I have done that kind of post-mortem “museum” clean outs twice, now, and I wouldn’t wish that task on anyone.

Similarly, in taking better care of our bodies, we are lightening the load for our families as we maintain our health to enjoy their company, not to rob them of their energies taking care of the avoidable diseases we are headed for with unwise eating patterns.

So, whether you are just starting out, wishing you could afford good “stuff”, or you are just plum proud of the good “stuff” surrounding you, or you are over-loaded with “stuff” and wondering what to do with it all, I challenge you to understand what life is all about. At the end of our life, will we be wishing for more “stuff”? No. We will want more time with our loved ones.

It’s a matter of choice. Everything is. And it’s a responsibility. Choose to lighten your load. Your physical load and your material load. It just feels so darn good to be free of physical sludge and environmental clutter. Freedom!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Is Your Food Measuring Up?

September 20, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

As mentioned in the last post, developing Keystone Habits was described as a way to set our bodies up for success. The earlier in the day, the better. Drinking two glasses of water first thing in the morning is a great way to prime our bodies for adequate hydration which, in turn, facilitates smoother operation of digestive function. Isn’t that what better health from better eating is all about? To get the digestive system functioning the way it was designed to be?

In our second session of Designed for Health classes held in New Bern, North Carolina, at the First Baptist Church, we spoke about a second Keystone Habit of consuming a great breakfast. Knowing that many of us are on a grab-and-go mode as we rush out to work, we pretty much polished off discussions about the practicality and convenience of smoothies. Please check out last week’s post that reviews the “method of the smoothie madness.” Enough said.

We will next broach the topic of solid breakfast food but what is the measure? What is the goal for a Keystone Meal that will jump start your day? To paraphrase the approach used by the author of the text we are using in class, our measure will be:

– Is this food going to satisfy my appetite or will it just make me want more?

Starchy carbs and sweets actually are not very satisfying. Who does not want more pasta or dessert? Carbs actually contain FEWER calories and provide LESS energy. Remember how you and others react to a carb-heavy meal? Everyone wants to pass out in the living room. Time for a nap. Think about it.

– Is this food more likely to easily turn to fat?

We are talking about foods that require insulin to bring blood sugar levels back to normal. Insulin is the hormone of fat storage.

– Is this food packed with nutrition; meaning, the essential elements that will keep my body going: vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids?

Did you know there are NO essential carbohydrates? Really! Don’t get me wrong, we do not need to eliminate all carbohydrates, but given a diet totally devoid of any carbs, you would not die. There are societies around the world that have no carbohydrates for months at a time. Our body can cobble together carbohydrates, but it CANNOT make proteins or fats. That’s why we talk about ESSENTIAL amino acids and fatty acids; they are the building blocks of protein and fat; we have to get them from our food.

Regardless of the moniker we apply (SANE, whole food, nutrient dense, clean eating, or Paleo); our food must be of the highest quality possible to make our “engines” run the smoothest and at an optimal level. We were designed to process clean, pure sources of protein, natural fats, non-starchy vegetables, and fruit in moderation. Read the label of your favorite packaged food, and you won’t find that. Most of the words are unpronounceable, reflect a high level of processing, and are filled with chemical additives that try pitifully to restore the food values lost in processing.

But cooking takes sooooo long! Nonsense! My breakfast plate is usually always 50% veggies. If there are no left-overs from the night before, it will take me about 60 seconds to wilt two or three handfuls of spinach or other greens in a non-stick fry pan on medium heat in coconut oil, olive oil, or “happy butter” (from pasture raised cows, you know; Kerrygold rules!). Today, I added a bit of ground nutmeg to my baby organic spinach…yum! Transfer greens to the plate. Whip up two eggs along with a splash of unsweetened coconut milk with salt and pepper to taste. Cook eggs in the same pan used for the greens with a bit of butter; today, I added a teaspoon or two of homemade pesto to mine, and voila! No sweat!

My husband likes toast, so I served his eggs folded around his beloved cheese, and placed it on top of a slice of pan grilled gluten-free toast. No greens I know. Bless his heart!

So how did your breakfast measure up? Good protein? Fat with a good profile of Omega 3s? At least 1 serving of non-starchy nutrient dense greens? Dairy-free? Gluten-free? Sugar-free?

It’s also called an anti-inflammatory meal. Knowing that virtually all diseases are rooted in some kind of an inflammatory process, a meal like this will not contribute to inflammation. Without a big sugar hit from starchy or sweet carbohydrates, you are guaranteed level blood sugars throughout the morning; especially without the toast. Your mind and body will have the fuel needed to be at their best, and you won’t need a trip to the vending machine mid-morning.

Another big breakfast favorite of mine is an ever-changing version of Original Joe’s. There’s a story here. Back when I was growing up in San Jose, California, my dear friend introduced me to a great menu item in a downtown restaurant. Behold, Original Joe’s! A ground beef and onion mixture with small broccoli florets glued together with the addition of eggs! Oh, heaven! Only salt and pepper needed.

So simple.

Depending on the leftovers available, my Original Joe’s could have flaked baked salmon, diced up steak, diced up hamburger…you name it, combined with spinach, okra, sautéed onions and peppers, or broccoli, and finished off with a couple eggs. All with leftovers.

Heat up ingredients without the eggs to get everything hot, then pour on the eggs and stir occasionally to cook. This can all happen while the coffee is brewing. No special skills involved. One pan. With a really BIG pan, you could feed an army!

I will touch upon some solid foods that would still work for the grab-and-go crowd in a future post.

One of the class participants thought a weekly challenge would be a good idea. Without even being challenged, most of the class is drinking two glasses of water each morning already! Way to go, team! As we are not focusing on a major life goal, but are looking at very small, doable, and repeatable improvements, I recommend a Keystone Breakfast. Don’t concentrate on the other meals. Just breakfast. I think that how your Keystone Breakfast will make you feel will automatically make you want to “keep that lovin’ feeling” all day long! Feeling better is kind of sneaky like that!

Here’s to measuring!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Day 8 of The Plan

July 15, 2014 Deidre 2 Comments

I have two recipes for you that will fit both into the detox phase, (gluten, grain, dairy, sugar, and caffeine free); but also into the overall life plan of being gluten free.

First, I created an awesome smoothie combination which resulted in one of my all-time favorite blends of flavors just this past week after discovering mini melons at the fresh produce stand!

Here it is:

Melon-Mint-Coconut Smoothie

In blender put:

4-5 cubes ice

20-25 fresh mint leaves

¼ cup unsweetened shredded coconut flakes

1 peeled, seeded, and cut up mini melon – they are the size of a baseball and have light-colored flesh

2 scoops of whey protein

Big handful of greens – I used that mix of baby kale, chard, spinach, and carrot from Sam’s

Few drops of vanilla extract to taste

A pinch of salt, if desired

A sprinkle of cardamom to taste

Enough unsweetened coconut milk to make things flow

Blend. Pour. Enjoy.

This was enough for now and later!

Being gluten-free created a bit of a vacuum in terms of gravy. You know…good ol’ gravy? That was until I read a recipe in Penzeys’ catalogue last year! Oh, it looked and sounded so good! Could it really fill the bill? Well, I gave it a crack and, lo and behold, it really did the trick for me, was so easy to prepare, reheats well, and I usually keep some frozen.

Behold, Cashew Gravy:

Cashew Gravy

Ingredients:

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

3 large onions diced

¾ cup cashew butter (You can buy this nut butter found next to peanut butter at the store, or you can make it yourself by grinding cashews in the food processor- that’s what I do.)

½ cup wheat-free tamari

2 ½ cups water

¼ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. ground sage or Penzey’s Mural of Flavor

Method:

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until caramel in color, about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. As the onions become browner, stir more frequently. Add the cashew butter, tamari, water, and spices and cook until heated through.
Place in blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Be careful with blending as hot liquids tend to foam up—fill only halfway.

I have used this gravy on beef, turkey, and lamb. It would also work with chicken, I am sure. So if you feel like pouting because you don’t have a bun to go with that burger, don’t! Use some of this luscious gravy and the others around the table will get jealous! With this good gravy, I don’t even want a gluten free bun— just too much bread (read carbs). Makes me want to run to the store to get some extra onions so I can replace my gravy stock!

Speaking of running….How is exercise going for you? Have you tried any slow-motion squats? I am expanding upon my newly formed habit of doing a bent-knee plank during coffee brewing time, (my husband is still drinking coffee), and have added 6 slow squats this morning.

While waiting for the last of the brewing to finish, I added arm circles but with a twist. I learned from doing T-Tapp exercises (more on those later) that a big change in arm dynamics can come about with just a turn of the palm. Instead of arm circles with palms down, turn your palms up facing the ceiling and bring your arms as far back as comfortably possible! Really cool!

For standing exercises like this, according to T-Tapp, the proper stance is feet shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, tuck pelvis in, suck tummy in, shoulders back! Really works for better posture and general body dynamics.

The also works with progressive arm “flaps” where-by you pump your out-stretched arms at your side with palms up. Start by standing with arms straightened out as if you were making the letter ‘T’. Bring arms as far back as you can comfortably with palms up. Lower your arms just a third of the way down for 6-8 reps, then continue lowering and raising them about two thirds of the way down for 6-8 reps, then bring arms all the way down your side and back straight out for 6-8 reps. All done with palms facing up! I loved returning to this old exercise.

A gentle wake up and body activation all done while the java was brewing. Such a schedule is easier for me to maintain because that time is a fixed allotment every morning; it’s already there to make use of without scheduling something special later in the day.

Hope you enjoy these recipes and exercises! If you have any questions or comments, please do so below, and remember to share your success with others! You are doing great!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

In Times of Stress

July 11, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

What do you do in times of stress? How do you recover? What calms you? Where do you find peace?

I have disappeared because of a heightened family medical situation that has certainly taken a toll on all of us. The crisis of the other day is over, but we are facing the new “normal” and anticipating more downward changes. What was a logical future weakness has arrived and is no longer theoretical. Four and a half hours in medical offices one day, followed by appointments the next, really takes a toll.

My starch is all gone. Recharging is needed. Caregivers need to take care of themselves in order to take care of the loved one.

Reaching out to family and friends is vital to staying grounded, don’t you think? There are things you do not share with family, though, and that’s where friends come in! Thank God for both family and friends! Thank God for life and love itself!

I have had to step back from posting because, well, there was no time left, let alone energy. That is still somewhat the case.

I regroup in God’s creation as seen from my back porch! Feeding humming birds, cardinals, blue jays, mocking birds, and the like, as well as my beloved squirrels, is what keeps me smiling! Porch time is definitely needed. Being outdoors, watching, and listening to the plentiful activity is “soul sauce” for me!

Knowing stress really takes a toll on everyone experiencing it, makes me even more mindful of feeding my body only nutrient-dense food. This is no time for junk food… Not that there ever is any around here! Big Egg Scramble this morning with…You guessed it…Left over zoodles! Still lots of fresh veggies to go with lean protein at night. Never, ever any gluten!

Exercise should not be thrown out the door, either! Sometimes exercise is just what is needed to get the blood stirring around a little bit better and to engage the mind on something else. I literally have just paused from writing this and come back from doing 6 slow-motion non-weighted squats; ten count down, ten count hold, ten count up. Didn’t want to do it, but I feel better now! So simple. If the temperature outside doesn’t get to unbearable today, I’ll go for a walk, too.

Since the detox phase is breadless even if the bread is gluten-free, I will share with you an awesome all-purpose gravy recipe that goes great on all kind of meat. That will be in the next post.

Now, off to the porch for prayers of thanksgiving and to soak up God’s creation!

Deidre

Blogging for good health!

Day Two of The Plan

July 9, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

Last night’s half-serving of smoothie held me so well that I wasn’t even hungry for breakfast at all, so I didn’t eat until lunch and enjoyed a crouton-free chicken salad mixture on a salad with tomato, cucumber, and bell pepper at a favorite local restaurant. Salt, pepper, and a splash or two of balsamic vinegar were all that was needed on top. It was so satisfying and I still have a bit of the chicken left over for later. Dinner tonight will be leftovers from last night’s shrimp, chicken, asparagus, artichoke heart, and olive sauté served over zoodles.

Years ago I read an article, probably in the Reader’s Digest, describing the merits of exercising slowly. For instance, if you are lifting weights to exercise your biceps (arm curls), instead of going at things quickly and trying to get as many repetitions, (reps), and sets done as possible, the better method would be to do the movements very slowly and do fewer reps. Why? Well, that article and others that I am reading right now suggest, in moving a weight slowly, more muscle fibers are called in to get the job done. Try it. Flex your elbow holding a modest weight (3, 5, or 10 lbs.) and do it five times fairly quickly. Should be not a problem. You could go on for quite a few reps. Now, using that same weight, flex your arm very slowly taking a count of 10 to get to the fully-flexed position and then slowly extend your arm taking a count of 10 to get almost fully extended. Repeat for a total of five times. You should certainly feel the dramatic difference that slow movement creates!

What I am studying now indicates, shorter, slower workouts are much more effective—to the point that they only need to be done 10 minutes ONCE a week. That 10 minutes will not necessarily be a walk in the park; doing slower exercises can and should be a challenge. If 5-6 reps doesn’t tire you out, then the resistance needs to be increased—that’s the weight. If you can hardly complete the 5 reps, then maybe you need to start at a lower weight. Safety is first at all times. If a 2 lb. weight is what you need to start, then that’s fine. An extremely short period of intensity ONCE a week is fine by me!

This can all be done at home with weights easily bought at the store. There will come a point when I will need to transfer my efforts to a machine at a gym to help me increase the weight/resistance. But, for now, no daily trudging to the gym; and when I do decide to go to a gym, it will be a brief period once a week. I am learning there are only a few moves that we need to do that will incorporate the major muscle groups which will, in turn, take care of trouble spots, even without addressing them directly.

Remember always to consult a health professional before starting any kind of exercise program. Each one of us has certain limitations, and your health professional will be able to guide you. I am merely sharing what I am doing according to what I have learned.

One move that I will cover today is the squat. At first, you may need no weight at all, and in fact, you may need to be near a chair or counter in case you need added stability. Without a weight, a squat is done standing with feet spaced under your shoulders and arms extended out in front of you. Bend at the knee and hip, and as you begin to lower yourself into a sitting position, keep your knees no further forward than your toes. You lower yourself, optimally, until your thighs are parallel to the floor, but that may take practice. Just be comfortable and safe.

So right now, the weight you are dealing with is just yours. Do a few squats at regular speed just to get the hang of it. Now do them slowly: a ten-count down and a ten-count up. It’s a whole different game, now, isn’t it? Once your own weight does not challenge you for 6 reps, add a modest weight, holding it to your chest with both hands. Notch up the weight when six slow reps no longer challenge you. At the end of six slow reps, the goal is to have maxed-out your ability to do anymore. Not to kill you; but you certainly should know “that was enough.”

Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day, and a full series of basic exercises is to be done only once a week. We’ll cover another move in a few days.

Off to do some slow-motion squats!

Deidre

(1) Jonathan Bailor, The Calorie Myth

Blogging for good health!, Recipes

Day 1 of The Plan

July 7, 2014 Deidre Leave a comment

With a cup of hot mint tea, I greet you!

My breakfast was two scrambled eggs with a splash of unsweetened coconut milk, salt, pepper, and Bavarian Seasoning for special flavor. As a side dish, I also sautéed some fresh okra in some ghee. Ghee is clarified butter with the solids removed. The solids are usually what cause the upset for those using dairy. Make sure your ghee is made from grass fed cow’s butter for maximum benefit. I used to think that all okra needed to be breaded, Southern style, and deep fried, but no! They are wonderful just sliced and browned in a minimum of oil or fat and are a wonderful side dish to scrambled eggs.

Lunch looks like it will be a green smoothie made with ½ banana, ½ avocado, big handful of baby kale medley, whey protein, sweet spices, and vanilla, along with enough unsweetened coconut milk, to make things blend right. Leftover smoothie will be my after-dinner snack — I just can’t seem to shake wanting to have something to eat nearer bedtime. I know…people say not to eat for several hours before bed but there you are.

Dinner will generate lots of left-overs so tomorrow’s cooking will be easier—just a re-heat. Tonight, I will sauté some shrimp in pesto, add some cut up rotisserie chicken meat, olives, artichoke hearts, lightly sautéed asparagus, and serve over zoodles cooked in pesto! Might throw in some farmer’s market fresh tomato chunks just for added color and taste! If that isn’t enough, there’s a green salad with my name on it! I won’t leave hungry! The combination of protein and veggies works equally well thrown into a salad rather than on zoodles, too, if you would rather do it that way.

Today, I would like to share with you how to crisp nuts. Raw nuts need to be sort of… I hate to say … processed … in order to be more agreeable to our digestive tracts. See, animals protect themselves from prey by running. What do fruits, vegetables, and nuts do to protect themselves from being eaten? They have outer coverings that are disagreeable to those eating them. The coverings of nuts and grains are made of phytic acid (phytates). These phytates are the storage form of phosphorus and they actually bind to the minerals we ingest making them un-absorbable by our digestive tract; meaning, we will not absorb zinc, calcium, magnesium or the like.

Nuts and seeds apparently have enzyme inhibitors that prevent pre-mature sprouting. These enzyme inhibitors are also difficult for us to digest. This can be the reason we often have unhappy bellies or even bowels after eating unprocessed or not neutralized nuts. (1)

Neutralizing the phytates is the goal because we humans lack the enzyme necessary to do it on our own. How to do that? Soak in a brine, sprout, and/or ferment nuts and seeds and then dehydrate them.

Here’s how:

Dissolve 2-3 tablespoons of sea salt in a bowl with enough water to keep nuts covered.

Soak raw almonds, pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts for 8-12 hours.

Soak raw cashews 3-6 hours.

Drain and rinse nuts. I spread my soaked nuts out on a bath towel dedicated for this purpose. Nuts may stain the towel; which, by the way, is also my zoodle-drying towel. Roll them up for a bit, and put them on their drying trays in a single layer.

For a dehydrator, set the temperature at 105 degrees and dehydrate for 12-14 hours.

Using an oven, set oven at lowest temperature possible, (varies by make/model), and dehydrate for several hours, stirring and testing for doneness every hour.

The results will amaze you! Crispy and light! So much easier on the digestive system! A nut that will work with your body and not against it!

Congratulations and best wishes on giving your body a break from gluten, dairy, sugar, and caffeine!

Tomorrow, I will start sharing what I’ve learned about how to get more out of less exercise! How cool is that? Exercise is my personal weakness in terms of consistency, so the benefit of “The Move” portion of this self-improvement will definitely start right here with me, too!

Let’s do this together! Leave a comment on how you are doing and join our community by subscribing.

Stay cool –

Deidre

(1) Realfoodforager.com

Food Talk 4 You

Tag Archives: migraines

The Best Ever Salmon Patty Recipe!

New Year’s Resolutions and Reboots!

… and Visions of Macaroons Danced In Their Heads …

“And the Beet Goes On…. “

The Cycle of Stuff

Is Your Food Measuring Up?

Day 8 of The Plan

In Times of Stress

Day Two of The Plan

Day 1 of The Plan

Reclaim your health one meal at a time

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Reclaim your health one meal at a time