So, I've been getting bzzzzzz-ay the last few weeks. Bachelorette party 1, bachelorette party 2, wedding 1. Not much time to blog. But still eating healthy. And when home, putting together those quick staples that, luckily, I can never get enough of! Miso soup, lentil soup (organic boxed), PBJ with organic PB and high fiber bread. I can eat PBJ three meals a day and still want more.
Still, even when busy, it's easy to fit in a quick article here or there. Especially articles with pictures ...
Like this great photo summary from Huffington Post called the 12 Things You Should Definitely Buy Organic. It's a great summary of toxins to watch out for in foods and household products. And, they use data from one of my all-time favorite organizations, EWG.
March 20, 2011
March 16, 2011
No-Think Health Tip #1
So many ways to try to be healthy or healthier. Oy! The easiest way is the one we don't have to think about.
That's why I'm all for replacing brands of food I regularly buy with better/healthier versions. My brain doesn't have to think when I go to the store. And my brain likes it when I can think less about this stuff, and spend more time thinking about Criminal Minds and Sudoku.
That's why I'm all for replacing brands of food I regularly buy with better/healthier versions. My brain doesn't have to think when I go to the store. And my brain likes it when I can think less about this stuff, and spend more time thinking about Criminal Minds and Sudoku.
No-Think Health Tip #1: Replace your pasta with healthier pasta.
There are now many brands of whole-grain pasta. Brands I've never heard of. The pasta aisle in my grocery store is suddenly an array of weird crappy ol' brands announcing their healthy versions. So I checked out the nutritional breakdown on their packages, and guess what I found? Some brands "whole grain" versions we're nearly the same as their "non-whole-grain" counterparts. Of course, corporate liars and corporate greed. Some brands say whole grain but really, they're just a teeny pinch of little whole grain, maybe some ground up cardboard added in, and not much more.
But there are some brands that offer better options. Next time you go to the grocery store, read your labels. Find the pasta brand at your grocery store that offers (1) fewer calories for the same serving size (grams) and (2) more grams of fiber.
For example, consider a common brand, Barilla.
Serving size: 56 grams
Whole grain: 180 calories, 6 grams of fiber
Regular: 200 calories, 2 grams of fiber
Now that shows a difference that is pretty awesome. Three times the amount of fiber in the whole grain version!
There are now many brands of whole-grain pasta. Brands I've never heard of. The pasta aisle in my grocery store is suddenly an array of weird crappy ol' brands announcing their healthy versions. So I checked out the nutritional breakdown on their packages, and guess what I found? Some brands "whole grain" versions we're nearly the same as their "non-whole-grain" counterparts. Of course, corporate liars and corporate greed. Some brands say whole grain but really, they're just a teeny pinch of little whole grain, maybe some ground up cardboard added in, and not much more.
But there are some brands that offer better options. Next time you go to the grocery store, read your labels. Find the pasta brand at your grocery store that offers (1) fewer calories for the same serving size (grams) and (2) more grams of fiber.
For example, consider a common brand, Barilla.
Serving size: 56 grams
Whole grain: 180 calories, 6 grams of fiber
Regular: 200 calories, 2 grams of fiber
Now that shows a difference that is pretty awesome. Three times the amount of fiber in the whole grain version!
Here We Go!
For a while now, I've been thinking about writing tiny blog posts. Sometimes I like reading blogs that are like "Top Tips for Shinier Teeth" or "5 Silliest Things to Say on a First Date." They're hilarious and a fun read.
So, I am going to try one of those type o' blog posts! Here we go!
So, I am going to try one of those type o' blog posts! Here we go!
March 3, 2011
Roasted Root Vegetables
It's totally the time of the year to crave warm, baked starchy goodness. The nice thing about this recipe is that you get a wide variety of vitamins and types of vegetables. (Not just white potatoes)
When you cook this recipe for yourself, try to add in types of vegetables you might not eat as frequently along with the more common veggies (again, white potatoes are a pretty common food). Or think about throwing in types of vegetables that are different colors (and contain different minerals). With this recipe, you could easily add in cauliflower florettes, beets, turnips, celeriac root, fennel, or other dense vegetables.
Roasted Root Vegetables
I based what I did on this excellent and clear recipe from Wolfgang Puck. But I did a couple little things differently.
organic carrots
organic potatoes (Yukon)
organic parsnips
organic common sweet potatoes
organic Japanese sweet potatoes
organic cold-pressed olive oil
organic cold-pressed safflower oil
salt
pepper
1) Slice the vegetables into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3) Toss the vegetables in olive oil, safflower oil, salt, and pepper. Use just enough oil so that the vegetables are lightly coated.
4) Once you've tossed them, be sure to organize them so they all lay flat on baking sheet. I put them on three large cookie sheets. I used three because of the amount of vegetables I had. Use however many baking sheets you need so that all your vegetables lay flat on the baking sheet, single-layer. Avoid any piling or layering.
5) Cook for 45 minutes. Use a metal spatula to stir the vegetables every 15 minutes. Whenever you stir them, be sure to again have the vegetables lay in a flat array on the pan before returning to them to the oven.
Meaner, Greaner, Leaner
* Safflower oil. It's pretty cool. I'd never tried it before, but it's great when cooking foods for long periods at high temperatures. Also, recent studies show that it is high in linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. But since these are recent studies, I don't want to suddenly act like safflower oil is some super-oil. Therefore, I bought a small bottle and mixed it in this recipe with olive oil, which I know helps lower or manage bad cholesterol and increase or support good cholesterol.
More Pictures from the Process
When you cook this recipe for yourself, try to add in types of vegetables you might not eat as frequently along with the more common veggies (again, white potatoes are a pretty common food). Or think about throwing in types of vegetables that are different colors (and contain different minerals). With this recipe, you could easily add in cauliflower florettes, beets, turnips, celeriac root, fennel, or other dense vegetables.
Roasted Root Vegetables
I based what I did on this excellent and clear recipe from Wolfgang Puck. But I did a couple little things differently.
organic carrots
organic potatoes (Yukon)
organic parsnips
organic common sweet potatoes
organic Japanese sweet potatoes
organic cold-pressed olive oil
organic cold-pressed safflower oil
salt
pepper
1) Slice the vegetables into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2) Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
3) Toss the vegetables in olive oil, safflower oil, salt, and pepper. Use just enough oil so that the vegetables are lightly coated.
4) Once you've tossed them, be sure to organize them so they all lay flat on baking sheet. I put them on three large cookie sheets. I used three because of the amount of vegetables I had. Use however many baking sheets you need so that all your vegetables lay flat on the baking sheet, single-layer. Avoid any piling or layering.
5) Cook for 45 minutes. Use a metal spatula to stir the vegetables every 15 minutes. Whenever you stir them, be sure to again have the vegetables lay in a flat array on the pan before returning to them to the oven.
Meaner, Greaner, Leaner
* Safflower oil. It's pretty cool. I'd never tried it before, but it's great when cooking foods for long periods at high temperatures. Also, recent studies show that it is high in linoleic acid, which is an essential fatty acid. But since these are recent studies, I don't want to suddenly act like safflower oil is some super-oil. Therefore, I bought a small bottle and mixed it in this recipe with olive oil, which I know helps lower or manage bad cholesterol and increase or support good cholesterol.
More Pictures from the Process
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