There are so many classic signs of spring: from the first appearance of robins and daffodils to the latest short, spring fashions showing up on cute co-eds. But one of my favorites is the folding tables and crates dragged from trucks, laden with fresh vegetables and fruit. When the Farmers' Markets start up, my creative juices start competing with Pavlov to inspire me. While I love to peruse food blogs on any given day, I turn into a recipe stalker when this season hits.
One of my all time favorites is Smitten Kitchen. Deb's culinary explorations are not just delectable to taste, but also to visualize, thanks to the photos that accompany each recipe. She always includes a link to one shot of her unbelievably cute kid, which just adds to the appeal for me. Her latest offering features shaved asparagus, which she actually did in a similar post a while back, but on a pizza. I have plans to make that pizza very, very soon. (Like maybe, the next Saturday the Scientist is off geocaching and won't be home for dinner.)
Another great one to peruse is Marcus Samuelsson's page. His background really gives him an extra little edge, I think, when it comes to creativity. The guy was born in Ethiopia, raised in Sweden, and now lives in NYC. talk about being able to pull from several different cultural threads!
Of course, while eating healthy is important, especially for those of us who start behind the physical eight ball, you have to have a little bit of la Dolce Vita, right? For some really fun applications of it, go poke around at Bakerella. She has got some amazingly cool ideas, and most are simple enough for really anyone with a little time on their hands and an occasion to match.
So grab yourself some fresh, juicy fruit, or maybe some veggies and dip, and peruse a blog or two. Get inspired to use healthful ingredients in amazing ways that will make your palate spin for joy! And if you're so inclined, please let me know of other food blogs that I should be exploring. I can always read more!
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Pobody's Nerfect
I want to talk about a topic near and dear to my heart. Food. The bane of dieters' existence, the enemy of every scale, the villain in every triumphant weight loss story. That's right, none other than that which we cannot live without, and don't want to live with...food.
When physical limitations come into play, reducing the number and restricting the type of exercise a person can do, the relationship with food can be even more strained. The problem is the perception that food is the enemy. This has never been less true than it is today. The problem is not that we're eating, but we're eating the wrong things. Being healthy has never been about keeping a strict diet of organic lettuce and water. It's about making good choices, and doing your part to enhance the flavor of those choices. And yes, the occasional indulgence in the molten lava cake with the liquid fudge center (*cough* just an example, of course...*cough*) is included in that. No one makes the exact right food choices every single time; it's long past time to end the guilt ridden misery that comes from making the occasional unhealthy choice in our diets. If we focus on improving the overall picture of our nutrition, the little indulgences won't affect it.
There is absolutely an emotional component to the food choices we make, and we can learn to steer those emotions as well. If it's been a crappy day, and your emotional response is to reach for a brownie sundae, just stop. First, drink a glass of water. Then have a healthier option, with a piece of dark chocolate after. Savor it, enjoy it, revel in its richness. Your body gets the benefits of the nutrition, and your brain gets to have the indulgence as its end note. This takes some time before it becomes a habit, but it is absolutely doable. And the more this becomes a habit, the less guilt you'll have on those occasions when you make that conscious choice and eat a whole piece of cake.
There are no easy answers to the "perfect" diet. There's one based on blood type, low carb, no carb, low glycemic, high protein, high fiber, low cal, whatever. What it all boils down to is simple math. Calories in need to be less than calories out in order to lose weight. But how you get there is almost as important. After all, eating 1800 calories of chips, pizza and soda will have a much different effect on the body than the same amount of calories consisting of lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and complex carbs. If you aren't sure how good something is for you, read the label. No label? Google it. None of this is rocket science, people.
Learning some very basic cooking skills is a fantastic way to enhance your nutritional profile. Experiment with spices, textures, methods of cooking. A pork chop, pan fried to a nice shoe leather consistency, for example, is a completely different meal than a succulent pork chop brushed with an apricot ginger glaze and grilled. (Apologies to my mother in law!) Instead of complaining about the fact that your whiny, picky eater self just can't eat healthy, try actually being proactive and responsible first. You don't have to be a student at the Culinary Institute of America to make a delicious, healthy meal.
First and foremost, food is fuel. But as humans, we do get profound sensory delight from it. There is no reason not to relish the tastes and textures on our plate, as well as a beautiful presentation. It takes almost no time or effort to plate a meal in an attractive manner, but when do we take the time? We're in such a rush for that instant gratification that we fail to make even the smallest gestures. Slow down. Enjoy each bite. Feel the textures, consider the taste. What spices or flavors can you pick out on your tongue? Do you recognize the ingredients?
In order to improve our relationship with our food, we will need to put in some time, some effort, and a whole lot of love. I'd love to hear from others on what meals they like to prepare and the amazing feedback they get.
When physical limitations come into play, reducing the number and restricting the type of exercise a person can do, the relationship with food can be even more strained. The problem is the perception that food is the enemy. This has never been less true than it is today. The problem is not that we're eating, but we're eating the wrong things. Being healthy has never been about keeping a strict diet of organic lettuce and water. It's about making good choices, and doing your part to enhance the flavor of those choices. And yes, the occasional indulgence in the molten lava cake with the liquid fudge center (*cough* just an example, of course...*cough*) is included in that. No one makes the exact right food choices every single time; it's long past time to end the guilt ridden misery that comes from making the occasional unhealthy choice in our diets. If we focus on improving the overall picture of our nutrition, the little indulgences won't affect it.
There is absolutely an emotional component to the food choices we make, and we can learn to steer those emotions as well. If it's been a crappy day, and your emotional response is to reach for a brownie sundae, just stop. First, drink a glass of water. Then have a healthier option, with a piece of dark chocolate after. Savor it, enjoy it, revel in its richness. Your body gets the benefits of the nutrition, and your brain gets to have the indulgence as its end note. This takes some time before it becomes a habit, but it is absolutely doable. And the more this becomes a habit, the less guilt you'll have on those occasions when you make that conscious choice and eat a whole piece of cake.
There are no easy answers to the "perfect" diet. There's one based on blood type, low carb, no carb, low glycemic, high protein, high fiber, low cal, whatever. What it all boils down to is simple math. Calories in need to be less than calories out in order to lose weight. But how you get there is almost as important. After all, eating 1800 calories of chips, pizza and soda will have a much different effect on the body than the same amount of calories consisting of lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies, and complex carbs. If you aren't sure how good something is for you, read the label. No label? Google it. None of this is rocket science, people.
Learning some very basic cooking skills is a fantastic way to enhance your nutritional profile. Experiment with spices, textures, methods of cooking. A pork chop, pan fried to a nice shoe leather consistency, for example, is a completely different meal than a succulent pork chop brushed with an apricot ginger glaze and grilled. (Apologies to my mother in law!) Instead of complaining about the fact that your whiny, picky eater self just can't eat healthy, try actually being proactive and responsible first. You don't have to be a student at the Culinary Institute of America to make a delicious, healthy meal.
First and foremost, food is fuel. But as humans, we do get profound sensory delight from it. There is no reason not to relish the tastes and textures on our plate, as well as a beautiful presentation. It takes almost no time or effort to plate a meal in an attractive manner, but when do we take the time? We're in such a rush for that instant gratification that we fail to make even the smallest gestures. Slow down. Enjoy each bite. Feel the textures, consider the taste. What spices or flavors can you pick out on your tongue? Do you recognize the ingredients?
In order to improve our relationship with our food, we will need to put in some time, some effort, and a whole lot of love. I'd love to hear from others on what meals they like to prepare and the amazing feedback they get.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Up the yin yang
Yeah, ok, so my sense of humor is a little warped. No big surprise to those who know me, I'm sure.
There were some positives and some negatives yesterday, so I figured I would lay those out before I get to my planned topic for today.
I did make the roasted butternut squash soup, using a bit of vindaloo and substituting Greek yogurt for heavy cream to add protein. Woohoo! *snork* Not so much. Apparently, most of my family (sans one child) does not like butternut squash. The two guys tried it, gagged, and set it back down. One girl expressed great gratitude that she was away at college and missed it, and the other girl ate it, but didn't want more. I tried to like it, but failed. Yeah, that pot went down the disposal. Blech.
However, I did do my core workout, and I also used the foam roller to stretch out my back. This segues beautifully into today's topic, which is the idea of using some basic tools to adapt some exercises and also to protect injured or sore body parts.
To do any core work, I use a basic therapy ball. I couldn't for the life of me tell you the brand name, but it cost me around $25 at Target and looks something like this one:
This protects my lower back, and keeps me from having to get down on the floor and back up. And really, for my own body, it's more effective because I can start from a slight arch instead of 180 degrees, getting a better workout for my ab muscles. On adaptation I have made is to lie with my knees on the top of the ball and my hands on the floor. I can do push-ups this way, because it doesn't involve the leg strength and balance that traditional ones do. I definitely get as much of a work out as anyone else, considering I'm starting from nearly flat and then going down and back up. Works well!
Another cool thing I found and asked for at Christmas was this:
You can read the description here: https://www.rejuvenationrehab.com/product/alignment-mobility-kit. (Mine came from Target.)
Now, I have a dear friend who is an athletic trainer who nearly skinned me for using this on my IT (ilio-tibial) bands as shown above. Mine are a mess, but I was honestly stunned at the level of pain I experienced when I tried to use it to massage them. Wow. However, let me say that using this thing on my back, both vertically and horizontally, has been a-freakin-mazing. My back gets really tight really fast, and this has helped me stay loose. I love it. I can also use it on my quads/hamstring and my calves as well.
Let me be clear, though: I am by no means trying to say that people should run out and buy these items. I'm not about product endorsement or advertising or whatever. I am merely sharing what I am using to adapt some exercises and help my own body. If anyone has recommendations or options they'd like to share, I would love to hear them!
Tonight's plan is to do push-ups on the ball and then do all-over stretching. My joints and muscles have been tight, which just makes me more sore in the damp, winter weather.
There were some positives and some negatives yesterday, so I figured I would lay those out before I get to my planned topic for today.
I did make the roasted butternut squash soup, using a bit of vindaloo and substituting Greek yogurt for heavy cream to add protein. Woohoo! *snork* Not so much. Apparently, most of my family (sans one child) does not like butternut squash. The two guys tried it, gagged, and set it back down. One girl expressed great gratitude that she was away at college and missed it, and the other girl ate it, but didn't want more. I tried to like it, but failed. Yeah, that pot went down the disposal. Blech.
However, I did do my core workout, and I also used the foam roller to stretch out my back. This segues beautifully into today's topic, which is the idea of using some basic tools to adapt some exercises and also to protect injured or sore body parts.
To do any core work, I use a basic therapy ball. I couldn't for the life of me tell you the brand name, but it cost me around $25 at Target and looks something like this one:
This protects my lower back, and keeps me from having to get down on the floor and back up. And really, for my own body, it's more effective because I can start from a slight arch instead of 180 degrees, getting a better workout for my ab muscles. On adaptation I have made is to lie with my knees on the top of the ball and my hands on the floor. I can do push-ups this way, because it doesn't involve the leg strength and balance that traditional ones do. I definitely get as much of a work out as anyone else, considering I'm starting from nearly flat and then going down and back up. Works well!
Another cool thing I found and asked for at Christmas was this:
You can read the description here: https://www.rejuvenationrehab.com/product/alignment-mobility-kit. (Mine came from Target.)
Now, I have a dear friend who is an athletic trainer who nearly skinned me for using this on my IT (ilio-tibial) bands as shown above. Mine are a mess, but I was honestly stunned at the level of pain I experienced when I tried to use it to massage them. Wow. However, let me say that using this thing on my back, both vertically and horizontally, has been a-freakin-mazing. My back gets really tight really fast, and this has helped me stay loose. I love it. I can also use it on my quads/hamstring and my calves as well.
Let me be clear, though: I am by no means trying to say that people should run out and buy these items. I'm not about product endorsement or advertising or whatever. I am merely sharing what I am using to adapt some exercises and help my own body. If anyone has recommendations or options they'd like to share, I would love to hear them!
Tonight's plan is to do push-ups on the ball and then do all-over stretching. My joints and muscles have been tight, which just makes me more sore in the damp, winter weather.
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