Thoughts on balance and fullness

When people try to lose weight there are several obstacles they need to overcome. The first one is not being hungry all the time. There are so many factors that go into hunger. Is it real hunger? Is it emotional hunger?  Are you just bored? Is there just too much food around? Also it could possibly just be thirst…something we take for granted in hot weather.

Who has time to analyze these feelings and questions when there is a bowl of m&ms in front of you and everyone else is eating them.

Part of the problem is having too much food around. Summer is a time of celebrations, barbecues, and intense heat. People work out in different ways or less because it is simply too hot and sometimes they eat in different ways. Less cooked food and more raw foods. Less indoor cooked foods and more outdoor cooked or grilled foods.

But one thing we do is eat more and eat with others. And this is to be cherished, but keep it to once a week or weekend. Don’t beat yourself up about it and try not to weigh yourself on Monday mornings . During the week – keep to home based or home made and packed, balanced (vegetable, small amount of protein, small amount of grain at each meal) meals. Keep meat to small portions of 3 ounces or less (a deck of cards or your iphone is the size to keep in mind) and vegetables or fruits as half your plate.

Sitting at my family’s barbecue last night I was presented with this dilemma. A plate of raw vegetables next to a bowl of m&ms, crab dip, 7 layer dip (who even knows what was in that) hummus, chips and salsa and endive with goat cheese.

This was all before dinner. Have you ever been presented with this problem? I knew coming was hamburgers and hot dogs with buns, corn, quinoa salad and baked beans. I insisted on the vegetables – but with so many good choices, how does one create balance. It is not so easy.

The key is to get those vegetables in there. First. Get full on the vegetables. The fiber is filling. There’s less room for all the good stuff.

Also I made two desserts. One fruit with whipped cream. Real whipped cream with tons of cholesterol and saturated fat. The thing is – you can’t have more than a tablespoon of that stuff. I mean, you can, but its hard to really engorge on it. Sure, the fruit alone would have been better. But if you are going to a bbq, make sure you bring the fruit…and eat it.

Insist on bringing vegetables to a bbq. They go great on the grill or bbq them along with your family. Zucchini, tomatoes, eggplant, portabello mushrooms – they all go great on the grill marinated in a bit of olive oil, herbs and balsamic vinegar. Enjoy and focus on those fiber containing veggies for fullness.

I would personally never purchase m&ms…but when presented with them, its hard to say no. Count out 10 and eat them one at a time.

Get crackin’: All about eggs

So we’ve heard that eggs, especially egg yolks are high in cholesterol. But many recent studies and nutritional information by the USDA, one large egg actually has less than 300 mg of cholesterol, the daily recommended limit by the AHA. As well, several scientists claim that saturated and trans fats as well as increased refined carbohydrate consumption are to blame for increases in artery clogging fat (LDL) and not the dietary cholesterol found in eggs.

So, this is not to say that one should consume 9 raw eggs for breakfast like Rocky, but 1-2 eggs for breakfast two to three times a week is certainly a great way to have a balanced breakfast. Try them poached or hard boiled instead of fried in butter or try to make an omelet with just a bit of butter or olive oil in a non-stick pan. People give me a lot of flack about non-stick pans. I firmly believe if one takes care of their cookware using rubber or silicone utensils and not metal – that flakes of nonstick cookware will not flake into the food…but that’s my belief and not science.

So, here is a recipe.

Spinach omelet:

2 large or even medium eggs, cracked and beaten
2 tsp of butter (good quality organic, I like organic valley) or olive oil
1 handful of spinach
1 non stick 8 inch frying pan

Cooking time – about 1 minute

Directions:
1. Beat eggs in a small bowl with a fork – about 15 to 20 seconds
2. melt 1 tsp of fat in pan over medium to high heat
3. Add spinach and saute until wilts, set aside out of pot
4. add second tsp of butter to pan.
5. Add eggs and spread around. Using non-metal utensil like rubber or silicone spatula take sides of omelet and bring toward center as eggs set. This whole process should take about 30 seconds to 45 seconds and there should be no brown on underside.
6. When eggs are set. Add spinach to one side of flat omelet.
7. Turn omelet onto plate and fold one side over the spinach – voila!
8. Top with fine herbs, pepper and a drop of sea salt if you desire.

Enjoy!
2.

Dark Leafy Greens: A Why to guide

So I am a convert. A dark green leafy vegetable convert. I recently spent a week away from home at a conference in Salt Lake City, not the foodie capital of the planet. I began to realize just how much I miss being able to cook for myself as well as the kind of food I eat on a daily basis.

I am not talking about salads here. I am talking about kale sauteed with garlic, lemon and white wine or collard greens steamed in chicken broth with mushrooms or endless varieties of cooked greens either steamed or sauteed in either olive or coconut oil (the only two oils save sesame for flavoring) that ever enter my kitchen. So why leafy greens?

First: Leafy greens regulate digestion. At first if you aren’t used to them they may cause gas, but you will get used to them. Start slow. Eventually they will make everything right down there. Why? Its because of the fiber. More fiber than bread or whole grains.

Second: Leafy greens contain magnesium. Tons of it. That is what makes plants green. Magnesium is the center of the pigment molecule chlorophyll that makes plants green and helps them convert energy from the sun into food for themselves…and us. Magnesium is needed for bone health, energy creation, stress relief, immunity and so many more vital body processes

Third: Vitamin K, Vitamin C and Calcium. A cup of Kale has 600 mg of calcium. A cup of milk has only 300 mg. That’s twice the amount. And greens don’t have hormones, saturated fat and other substances that we still haven’t quite figured out what does to us out of infancy. So get on board. And make greens a part of your plate. All you need is a few teaspoons of olive oil, some chopped garlic or ginger and the greens. Saute them until they turn a bit lighter green. Watch my video for how to make a “greens stir fry“.

All about berries

So strawberry season may be over, but blueberry and raspberry season has just begun. So why do we care about berries? Well there are several reasons!

The first: berries are a terrific source of anti-oxidants! Well what is an anti-oxidant? It is a compound, naturally found in foods, that prevents oxidation of our cells. Whoa? What’s that? Essentially it is the premature aging and stressing of your cells. There is tons of evidence that links oxidative stress of the cells to cancer and inflammation.

The second: berries are filled with fiber. Fiber helps regulate our digestion and also keeps us full. Also berries are a low sugar fruit and low glycemic meaning that the impact on our blood sugar is minimal.

The third: berries are a natural way to get your sweet fix. Try just adding berries to your oatmeal or your gasp plain yogurt in the morning. They will sweeten both up without the need for added sugar. Good news for your waistline.

Check out your local farmers market today and get some fresh berries. Watch this blog for some berrilicious recipes soon!