Blogging Dilemmas

Most of you already know that I am in the process of starting up a food blog. The premise of the blog is going to be showing people that eating organic is doable without breaking your budget as well as posting recipes and giving detailed information about why you should be eating organic and unprocessed foods. I feel at a little bit of a stand still. The concept of the food blog is very much on my heart. It's a topic that I feel passionate about and I think most Americans need to be better informed about the ugly truths behind our food system. With that being said, I am scared to start the blog. I don't want people to feel annoyed with me or to feel that I am trying to tell them what to eat. The concept of food is such a difficult topic to discuss because so many of us are very sensitive about others telling us how to eat. I want to make sure that this blog will be filled with detailed, useful information and I want to make sure that all content is posted very well. I probably won't be able to have it up and running until this summer, but I do hope that my readers of this blog will support me in my new food blog.  I hope that I can post content that is useful without sounding holier healthier than thou. I am putting some concepts below so that you all can know what to watch for:

Organic, unprocessed meal plans on a strict budget

30 days of no processed food challenge- my family will be doing this and we want readers to join us!

Tons of recipes for healthy snacks, desserts, and meals

How to teach your kids to be healthy eaters

Why you NEED to eat organic

These are just  a few concepts. Putting everything together is a daunting task. I am really hopeful to have things up and running this summer so please stay tuned :)

Juicy Juice Juice

A lot of people have asked me why I don't give my daughter juice. I wanted to post this to explain my thoughts on the topic. After having Sophia, I made the decision to keep my kids away from juice for as long as possible. This does not mean that I will never allow my children to have juice, it simply means that I will try to hold off on introducing it, and once Sophia does discover it, I will limit her intake of it. Whenever I tell people that my daughter doesn't drink juice, they typically look at me in horror
(not an exaggeration) as though I told them my daughter isn't allowed to play with toys. "Oh my gosh, your poor deprived daughter!" "If she doesn't drink juice, then what does she drink?" "But juice is so healthy, she needs vitamins". blah blah blah. For years we have been told that after introduction of solids, we should add diluted juice to our child's sippy cup while weaning them off breast milk. No one has ever questioned this because people just assume that whatever your pediatrician tells you, must be what you are "supposed" to do for your kids.

Let me present you with two statistics about juice: Juice is the NUMBER ONE leading cause of dental caries in young children and the NUMBER THREE leading cause of childhood obesity. The problem with juice is that if you introduce it very early in life then your child becomes accustomed to it and they will not want to drink boring, plain water.   I have chosen to wait until my kids are old enough to take an interest in juice, and at that point we will discuss the importance of drinking mostly water and just a small amount of juice. For right now, my daughter drinks only water and a small amount of almond milk and she doesn't think that she is missing out on anything.

Is juice bad? No juice is not bad. 100% juice is healthy in moderation and provides a small amount of vitamin C. The "bad" thing about juice, is letting your kids drink it all day long and not teaching them the importance of whole fruits. The lack of fiber in the juice provides for a higher sugar spike and higher glycemic load.


Does juice count as a serving of fruit? that depends on who you ask. I personally do not count juice as a fruit, I count it as discretionary calories.   Unlike whole fruit, juice lacks fiber which contributes to feelings of fullness and satisfaction after eating. Although juice has Vitamin C, it is a miniscule amount. You see, vitamin C is a highly liable nutrient, which means it is very sensitive to its environment. When a carton of juice is packaged, it may provide 30% vitamin C for a 8oz glass, but after that juice sits on a shelf for a few weeks, the Vitamin C literally dissappears! That means most juice you drink, can have as little as 1% of your daily needs!!!! Shocking, but true.

To sum everything up, choosing to not give your kids juice is not cruel. Kids do not "need" juice. If you choose to give your kids juice at a young age, there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Every parent has to make their own decisions based on their child. Make sure you choose 100% juice and preferably organic so that your young ones are not drinking pesticides. I would also encourage you to monitor the amount of juice. If you are not careful, your kids could be consuming hundreds of grams of sugar each day just in their juice! Yikes!
For those of you who have been convinced that juice is an essential part of your child's diet, I hope this post will at least make you think a little bit:)

A New Endeavor, Herb'n Flavors

When James picked me up from the light rail this afternoon, I was completely famished! My mom just told me about a new restaurant in Tempe that is organic and local. I knew this would solve our problems for a quick and healthy lunch. We picked up Sophia and quickly headed to Herb'n Flavors for some delicious food. When we sat down, I asked our waitress what was organic on the menu and she kindly replied, "If its not organic and local, its not on our menu". I clarified this even further because it seemed too good to be true. "Okay so your beef is grass fed and your chicken is free range?" "Yep" This is amazing! How can it be that there is a restaurant that offers ALL organic and local? This is the first restaurant that I know of. There are several restaurants that offer a few organic options, but this place has it all. And the prices are very reasonable! If they are able to offer an entirely organic menu with reasonable prices and still make profit, then why are more restaurants not doing the same? I am trying to gradually stop eating at conventional restaurants all together because I am sick and tired of having to look at their disgusting kids menu full of junk food items and nothing but refined pastas and breads. I want to eat real food. ALWAYS. Not just at home. I believe that we deserve to eat fresh, real ingredients, the way that food was meant to be made. Is that too much to ask? Check out their food here

Hummus and dip platter included a vegan spinach dip that was seriously amazing!

My veggie and rice and bean pita. Delish!

James' turkey pita. Yep even their deli meats are organic!

I will be a frequent customer of this place! I want them to stay open forever!

This brings me to my next point. As you all know, I am CRAZY when it comes to food! I really am. I admit it. I think that in order to evoke change, it requires being radical and a little crazy. There is a food epidemic in our country. We are the only country that allows meat to come from factories rather than farms. People are very uninformed about what is in their food and I want to change that!!! I have a huge desire right now to start a website/blog devoted to unprocessed, organic eating on a budget. I want to evoke change in everyone around me and teach people that eating unprocessed foods doesn't have to be a daunting and expensive task. I want to get the message out there to my readers of the severity of conventional food items from a conventional grocery store. I haven't bought meat at a conventional grocery store in three years! All of my meat comes from farmers markets and I will explain why. I am way too busy with school right now to put this website into action. My goal is to start building it slowly and have it up and running in March. My question to all of you is what do you want to learn from the website? What are your areas of interest? Organic meat, factory farming, hormones, pesticides, wild salmon, refined oils, etc. I want to hear your thoughts on this endeavor!

Birthday Dinner

I have a confession to make. I am obsessed with delicious food! Most days of the week, I eat ridiculously healthy, but when there is a special occasion I like to eat my heart out! My birthday was this past Thursday. I really wanted to go to Postino's Winecafe, but due to our very tight budget, I knew that going out to eat was not a good idea. My genius husband had the amazing idea of recreating Postino's bruschetta in our very own kitchen. It really was an amazing idea because the end result was delicious! I honestly probably ate more cheese than most people should eat in an entire month! We started with a caprese salad loaded with fresh mozzerella and basil. I even impressed myself by making a balsamic reduction to drizzle it with. We also made a green salad because even though its a celebration, I am not okay with not eating my veggies! We modified a salad that we are obsessed with from Cibo. It is mixed greens with shaved parmesan, pine nuts, grilled potatoes, and cherry tomatoes with balsamic. YUM! Last but not least, we made bruschetta with brie, apples, and apricot preserves, and another bruschetta with an artichoke spread. We also drank two bottles of wine.... Is that too much?

Oh and want to know something awesome? One of my nutrition professors saw some of my food photos, and she told me they were "beautiful" and said maybe I should start a business on the side. Food for thought I guess....

Going Veggie

A few weeks ago, my sister inspired James and I to watch a movie called Forks Over Knives. This movie talks in great detail about how detrimental meat and animal products are to our bodies. There are all these crazy and extensive studies that show that a lot of meat can dramatically lower our life expectancy and increase our rates of numerous cancers.
After watching the movie, James and I decided to take the plunge and see how long we could last without meat. It has been about 4 weeks now, and in that time, I have only had meat twice. Let me remind you, that the average American eats meat for lunch and dinner everyday, which means consuming meat 14 times a week. That's a lot of meat!!! I bet even by slashing that number in half, you can dramatically reduce your disease risks.  I'm no doctor, but I do know that nutrition is a medicine that gets overlooked way too quickly. Eating a plant based diet can give you more health benefits than any pack of pills will ever do. Like I said, I have drastically reduced my meat intake these past few weeks, and I am proud to say that I don't miss it at all. I thought I would be hungry all the time, but I'm very satisfied with eating lots of beans, quinoa, etc.

This whole process has been really fun because it has allowed me to experiment so much with different foods that I would not normally try. I have found so many ways to use beans! I have also discovered tempeh- similar to tofu but very rough and grainy. Below I have posted some of my favorite recipes that we have enjoyed.

Tempeh Curry Stirfry: Modified from http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/tempeh-curry-recipe.html 

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds waxy potatoes quartered
2 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp organic butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 tsp curry seeds
4 tbsp curry powder
1 tbsp turmeric
dash of cayenne pepper
1 cup diced tomatoes with juice
1 can organic  light coconut milk
8 oz tempeh or tofu cut in strips
cilantro to taste

 Directions
Bring a few inches of water to boil in a large pot. Place the potatoes in a steamer (see head notes), sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of the salt and cook until tender throughout - about 20 - 30 minutes, depending on how large your potato pieces are.
In the meantime, in a large skillet, melt the butter in the olive oil, add the onion and cook over LOW heat until they are soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin seeds, curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne pepper, wait about thirty seconds, then stir in the tomatoes, coconut milk, and the other teaspoon of salt.
Once the curry is back in the pan, add the tempeh and bring barely to a simmer. Let the tempeh cook for 5 minutes or so, then add the potatoes when they are finished steaming. Transfer to a large family-style bowl, and sprinkle with cilantro before serving. Serve with brown rice or quinoa if desired.
Serves 4 - 6.


Ridiculously awesome veggie burgers :http://ohsheglows.com/2011/07/13/our-perfect-veggie-burger/
These burgers provide all the heartiness and substance of a normal burger and they are loaded with monounsaturated fats and tons of protein. Delish!!

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• Flax eggs: 2.5 tbsp ground flax + 1/2 cup warm water, mixed in bowl
• 1 cup oats, processed into flour* (other flours might work)
• 1.5 cups bread crumbs (I processed 3 pieces of Ezekiel bread until fine crumb)*
• 1 cup grated carrots
• 1 cup cooked black beans, rinsed and roughly pureed or mashed
• Heaping 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley (or fresh herb of choice)
• 1/3 cup almonds, chopped (toasted if preferred)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds, (toasted if preferred)
• 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tbsp Tamari (soy sauce)
• 1.5 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. oregano
• Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp kosher salt)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350F (if baking). In a large skillet, sauté onions and garlic in 1/2 tbsp oil. Mix your flax egg together in a small bowl and set aside for at least 10 mins while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
2. Place all ingredients (except spices and salt) into a large mixing bowl and stir very well. Now, add seasonings and salt to taste.
3. With slightly wet hands, shape dough into patties. Pack dough tightly as this will help it stick together. I made 8 medium patties.
4. Place burgers on a heated skillet. Cook on each side until brown. Apporximately 6-8 minutes per side.

Flourless, Eggless, Sugarless, Delicous!

This recipe is slightly modified based on http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/nikkis-healthy-cookies-recipe.html . I was very skeptical of this recipe. How can these cookies not have sugar in them and still taste good? For those of you who don't know, I take a lot of pride in feeding my family all natural foods including very limited sweets. I must confess, despite being a "health nut" , I have an incredible sweet tooth! Needless to say, I had to give these cookies a try. The end result is outstanding. The coconut brings a great texture that compliments the heartiness of the oats while the chocolate chips add the perfect amount of sweetness.

Here is the recipe below:

Enjoy!

3 large, ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/2 cups)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, barely warm - so it isn't solid (or alternately, olive oil)

2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup almond meal
1/3 cup coconut, finely shredded & unsweetened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder

6 - 7 ounces chocolate chips or dark chocolate bar chopped

Pizza Pizzaz!

The Loaded Bowl!

I came across this recipe from a girl at school. She was having a dinner party and described this recipe that she was making. It sounded delicious, so I of course had to look it up. I am all about making new recipes, especially ones that contain quinoa. Quinoa is one of my favorite "superfoods". Along with being high in fiber, it is also high in protein and unlike other grains, it supplies all 9 essential amino acids which means its a great protein source for vegetarians. There is quite a bit of chopping involved, but other than that, this recipe is quick and easy. I served it at room temperature and it was perfect! If you want to add a kick to it, add some cayenne pepper or tabasco. ENJOY!

Recipe:
2 avocados diced
3 cups cooked quinoa
2 lemons
3 limes
1-2 cans black beans rinsed
1 cup cilantro
1 pint grape tomatoes halved

Dressing:
1/4 cup EVOO
1/4 cup white vinegar
2-3 cloves of garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:
1. Cook quinoa according to directions. Set aside
2. Dice avocados, squeeze with lemon juice to prevent browning. set aside
3. In a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, cilantro, juice of lemon and lime.
4. In food processor combine EVOO, vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Mixture should become creamy.
5. Add quinoa to bean mixture. Drizzle with dressing. Garnish with avocado.

Bon Apetit!

Breast is Best!

When I had my daughter last summer I was amazed at the reactions I received when I told people my decision to exclusively breastfeed. Although some were very supportive, others told me I was crazy, or even that it was gross. Immediately after I gave birth, I had a very difficult time teaching my daughter to latch properly. I was truly a slave to my breast pump for her first few months of life. I would try to get her to nurse and then if she wouldn't, I would pump and give her the bottle. Finally when she was 3 months old, I did away with the bottles and forced her to latch. She finally got it down, and ever since then, nursing has been a joy for both of us. Nursing is the most intimate bond a mother can share with her baby. Anyone can play with the baby, give the baby a bath or a bottle, but only a mother can share in that special bond that comes with nursing. I don't judge mothers who give their babies formula, I just feel very strongly that if a mother is in good health, she should do everything in her power to nurse and avoid formula.

There is so much research out there about the benefits of breastfeeding. These are just a few from the American Academy of Pediatrics

Benefits of Breastfeeding:

Perfect combination of protein, Carbohydrate and fat for a baby
Reduced risk of SIDS
Reduced risk of obesity later in life
Reduced risk of breast cancer for mother and baby
Antibodies in breastmilk act as a shield against viral infections for baby
Reduced risk of postpartum depression for mom
Faster postpartum weight loss for mom
Natural form of child spacing, (typically a woman who exclusively breastfeeds is not fertile for the first 6 months after delivery)

Formula cannot offer any of these guarantees, no matter what the package may say.
My daughter just turned a year old and I plan on continuing to nurse her. Society frowns upon nursing in so many ways, especially nursing an older baby. Giving a baby formula would certainly be easier and less time consuming than nursing, but being a mother is about doing whats best for the baby and I believe that providing your baby with such great nutrition is most certainly nothing to frown about.

Tofu Tacos!

I'm really not even sure if anyone reads this blog! If nothing else, this will be a great keepsake for my family to look back on for years to come. I love writing about the things that are important to me.

One of my favorite things to do right now is cook healthy meals for my husband and I. We are trying very hard to build healthy habits while our daughter is still young so that she can follow our example. We have been eating mostly whole grains and lots of vegetarian meals. We made tofu tacos last night and they were a huge hit. I decided to post the tofu recipe because it turned out amazing!

Tofu Tacos
Approx cooking time 30 min
Yields about 4 servings (8 tacos)
Ingredients:1 package extra firm tofuapprox 1/4 C taco seasoning
1/4 C olive oil

Directions:
1. Remove tofu from package and put it between paper towels for about 15 minutes. Put a few books on top of tofu to help get water out. The tofu needs to be as firm as possible. The paper towels act as a sponge to absorb water.
2.Preheat skillet to medium heat. Add oil and let it heat up for about 10 minutes.
3. Slice the tofu in half length wise and then slice pieces paper thin. This is how I sliced mine:
4. Add tofu to skillet and sprinkle taco seasoning. Let it brown for about fifteen minutes before turning. The trick is to get it as crispy as possible. It takes about 30 minutes but the end result is worth it!


We decided to use crunchy tacos but I think soft would also work. We had a side of refried beans and guacamole which made the meal delicious. The recipe calls for a lot of oil, but you have to remember, olive oil is an excellent source of monounsaturated fats as well as the guacamole. Healthy eating does not have to always mean low fat. Eating the right kinds of fats is the most important thing. For tofu skeptics out there, give this recipe a try. You might just become a tofu fanatic like us! :)

Deceptively Delicious

Seeing as how I am studying to be a registered dietitian, I try very hard to cook healthy meals for my family. Having a small iceberg salad with dinner is not my idea of healthy. Since getting married and having a baby, I understand the importance of incorporating nutritionally dense foods into our everyday meals. I am known for doing things like "hiding" spinach in pasta sauces and whole wheat flour in cookies. I have almost mastered how to make things healthier without my husband noticing. I have tried so hard to encourage my husband to eat sweet potatoes. They are an absolute powerhouse of vitamins and nutrients. I have made sweet potatoes on several occasions but my husband always pushes them away and says they are too sweet! Last night for dinner, the light bulb finally went off. Just because sweet potatoes are naturally sweet, does not mean I can't add a little spice to them. I made sweet potatoes fries dusted with cajun spices last night and they were a huge success! They were so easy too. I julienned the potatoes fairly thin and then brushed them with olive oil and sprinkled sea salt and cajun spices. I cooked them at 425 degrees for about 25 minutes. This is a great way to encourage healthy eating to anyone who is picky. I can't wait until Sophia is old enough for sweet potato fries. Until then, her sweet potatoes go in the blender before they go in her tummy. :)