Quitting time is 10 pm

For as long as I can remember I enjoy a tasty snack - salty or sweet, sometimes both, and usually late at night or early in the morning depending how you look at it.  A couple of posts ago I introduced you to my Slobberin' Sal the Snacker.  Well one way I am try to kick my snacking habit (or at least take more control of it)  is to not eat anything after ten p.m.  For a lot of people this is a super simple rule.  However, I am a late night owl who loves to veg in front of the tv with a bag of chips (not for quite awhile) or a big bowl of ice cream (I will plead the fifth to that last discretion :) .  But I do get the munchies horribly late at night which is not good.  A book I am reading points out how our bodies don't require the carbohydrates at night especially enough to fuel a marathon. And I do love a carb overload kind of snack late at night in front of my guilty tv pleasures (reality tv at its finest!).  Also I tend to wash these snacks down with a wonderful carbonated diet beverage that I like to call pop :)  Another guilty pleasure I am trying to curb.  We are roughly twenty fours away from the Lenten season and though my denomination does not encourage a sacrifice during this Holy Season I believe it is a practice that I like to participate.  I find it challenging, comforting, and an opportunity to show God my weakness and connect with the Trinity in asking for strength to kick out unhealthy habits and unholy rituals.  And my drinking pop has sadly had its moments of idolatry.  So it is time for me to let go of this bit of unhealthiness at least for the Lenten season (Hurry up Easter!).  I tried last year to give up my diet soda and sadly I was too weak in the eleventh hour.  I just clung to my chemical, caffeine, carbonated liquid.  I have tried to wean myself off to avoid the withdrawal headaches if at possible. 

Hopefully (hands clasped), these two small diet changes will work together to lessen my cravings and continue to up my energy (and the compliments :)  My hard work is actually being noticed in the real world and that is so affirming.  It boosts my confidence, increases my pride, and drives my determination to kick some of  this extra fat to the curb for good.  I am getting compliments on my appearance which is nice but an even better affirmation is hearing enthusiasm in my own voice.  For instance, today I received a call from a program with my insurance.  Since I have some medical conditions (diabetes, high BMI, and blood pressure issues) that place me in the high risk category for poor health I have to speak with a nurse that checks in with me that I am keeping a close monitor on these conditions (meeting my doctor , aware of my "stats/numbers/readings", continuing to improve my exercise and eating habits.  This was our initial "meeting" and I was pretty pumped to talk about my health.   It feels good to say why yes I just met with my doctor last week and these are my awesome results.  A perfectly good stranger is proud of my progress.  Usually, I take these kind of programs and nod my way out of the conversation like a bobble-head.  Yup, yes, sounds good, nope no questions, yep will work on that, *nod* smile "great idea" yep I 'll get back to you.  But today I had answers to share, a smile on my face, and had no problems sharing the truth.  I didn't feel ashamed, embarrassed, or shy.  This is a pretty big deal for me.  She asked how I would rate my health ( poor to excellent).  I hate one word answers - black and white scales.  Say one number or one word.  I live too much in flux to say yes I am at a level 4 or a level 9.  Because if I answer that it is in that one second I can answer but you want an average.  Interviewers want one concrete answer to write in their survey for "accurate" results and clean averages.  Well life is messy, especially mine so you will always get an on the border reply.  I don't like to be caged in and just to keep your numbers neat and tidy isn't a good enough reason for me to lie.  I answered I would say a "high good" or "the brink of very good".  But as a nurse she is reading my ailments and my weight.  That does not compute or sounds like I am in denial.  So I continued my answer "  I finally feel like I have control of my nutrition and exercise."  And explained some of my number results and she was pleased with my progress.  Is there room for improvement - always!  But I am a long way from the person who started this HealthFULL Journey who took two days of debate to share my weight on my facebook status and after I did immediately signed off and freaked out at home.  Not checking back for twenty-four hours.  Now I am excited to talk about some of my experiences on my HealthFULL (Fully Understanding Life by Living) Journey; what I feel has been successful and what didn't really work for me. 

So off to a little television watching with no snack (because quitting time  is 10 pm) and a nice giant cup of water.  There is one pop can chilling in my fridge for my Mardi Gras Hurrah!  And with my pedometer closing out at 10,036 I feel it is time to bid adieu.

May your HealthFULL Journey include many affirmations that remind you the extra efforts (big or small) really are helping to shape the best possible version of you. 'Til we meet again. . .

Bringing more Green into the World

Think Green.  We use that color to explain so many things - clean environment, safe products, money, the color, someone is looking sick, jealousy.  We like this color, we use this color, we discuss this color.  But do you eat this color?  Oh I know you just blushed.  Because we love green green but many of us as kids decided that healthy green vegetables have no place in our world or our tummies.  But as an adult we are told these foods are "good for us" because they are so "healthy".  And our reactions range usually from "Blech!"  or if I must *take a bite with eyes closed super tight and nose plugged with other hand while other hand holds the fork ready to jam the green health food into our mouths.  I should preface most adults are like this who haven't really given "greens" a chance. 

Actually, they are quite tasty.  Are you thinking I am a pod person?  No I am one of you I promise.  Green vegetables to me used to mean no flavor or rabbit food.  But as I allow myself to use them more often I am becoming more familiar with their tastes and textures and what works for a meal (at least in our household) and what most likely won't be crossing the threshold of our home.  If you haven't guessed yet we ate Turnip Greens for the veggie of the week.  Quite tasty and now having sampled a variety I can share a little bit of their differences. 

We'll call them the Big Five Greens. (If for no other reason because our household has sampled all five and they are fairly common at popular supermarkets so you can too sample all five and pick your favorite :)

If you shop at Whole Foods they label produce with ANDI scores.  According to http://www.belsandia.com/andi-score-andi-nutrition-rating-system.html ANDI stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index developed by Dr. Joel Fuhrman which
basically identifies the most nutritional bite you can chew meaning high nutrients for less calories - this works high in the favor of greens but works against healthy fats (nuts, olive oil).  So though I find the information interesting and worth learning it - by no means should it dictate your diet completely.  Eat with knowledge is what I advise (and I am just a person with little nutrition background - more of a recent hobby and by no means have a doctor license.)

So our big five green choices: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, Collard, and Beet greens is what I plan to compare.  First off the first four listed: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, and Collard Greens have an ANDI score of 1000.  Which is the highest score listed on the ANDI.  Beet greens come in at a much lower number.  I think in the 300s but I had trouble finding the actual number online. 

My favorite green is the Turnip Green which we just tasted last night.  We cooked it typical southern fashion where you boil it down with spices and some tasty fat.  Not the healthiest preparation but I think is a great way to introduce yourself to the vegetable.  They have a bit firmer texture than collards but definitely not as strong as kale.  So the turnip greens hold up really well for a soup or the boil down method.  And then you can use the stock to create flavorful rice or soup.  The turnip greens have a great spiciness to the ending of their bite that allows it to incorporate with a smoky, salty, or sweet flavor.  We ate the greens with some cod and a little bit of rice and a cool cucumber salad.  Odd mixture but we were trying to finish up some odds and ends.  The greens mixed well with the whole meal. 

Second up for my favorite are beet greens.  They have such a delicateness to their leaves and sweetness as they carry some of the beet flavor into their red veins.  We wilt these down in a saute pan with a small amount of liquid (a flavored vinegar usually and some water just to wet the pan and allow the green's water to do the rest of the wilting) with a bit of salt and pinch of sugar (to really highlight the greens' natural sweetness) a bit of pepper or other "spice" and you have a delicious, nutritious, and super easy side.  I think this green is a great way to incorporate greens into a kid's diet (or the apprehensive adult).  The liquid clinging to the greens is usually tinged red which adds some color, beauty, and for the crowd who appreciates it a bright purply tinged blood :)

Third I will go for the much talked about superfood - Kale.  Kale is a strong leaf both texture wise and flavor.  Its dark color is from all the nutrients that call this vegetable home.  Kale is strong enough to handle some baking and many people I know brag about Kale chips.  I have it down as a recipe to definitely try ( I do warn you the smell in the oven is a bit strong - think burning leaves - but the taste is fantastic :)  We have had kale several ways.  Raw in some salads - such as a quinoa salad with some fruit to sweeten the salad.  We have also half wilted, half sauteed the leaves.  I prefer cooked kale vs. raw kale.  I feel it holds a bitter taste which I am not a huge superfan.  But have learned it can work when balanced against other flavor profiles. 

Collard greens are a staple around these parts of the country ( I am based in South Carolina).  I can honestly say I do not recall ever seeing Collard Greens let alone ringing them up (I worked in a grocery store for 7+ years in northern Minnesota) until we moved here.  And my husband remembers eating them for most New Years' Days.  For the last couple of years we have tried to uphold the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and our collard greens to bring us both luck and prosperity into our upcoming year.  I find the collards a bit more fragile than the hearty greens and a bit more mild. Kale has bitterness, turnips have spiciness, and beets have sweetness and collards just are collards in my opinion.  We have only had collard greens in the boil 'em down fashion.  Maybe worth trying a new method for these.

And my least favorite green are the Mustard Greens.  I truly believe this has to do with our preparing them like collard greens and drowning what I imagine to be a sour spicy flavor.  I enjoy true mustard taste as was quite disappointed that I didn't love these greens thinking these would be my most favorite.  Maybe I went into the tasting with too much expectation.  They also are pretty hardy for leaf strength - not quite like weight lifter kale but runner - up definitely.  I haven't given up on these leaves yet.  They deserve a second chance but with a recipe more their style.

Hope this gave you a new understanding and appreciation for the world of greens.  Don't be afraid of them (you are even stronger than kale.  Imagine how strong you would be if you ate kale  :)

May your HealthFULL Journey be filled with culinary adventures, active happiness, and inspiring motivation. 'Til we meet again. . .    

Nothing Like a Sweet Date

Oh have I got a fancy snack for you when you are looking forward to a romantic nibble.  Or just a snack that will impress your friends. It can be a bit pricey but oh so worth it.  Have you ever tried a fresh date?  They are delicious pieces of fruit, especially if you have a sweet tooth.  And once you take a bite you'll have a hard time believing these little treasures actually have a lot of health benefits. 

First what is a date?  They are fruits from certain palm trees that look like an oversized raisin with some plumpness.  At least the Medjool kind do.  The dates tend to run a bit expensive.  I usually have found them close to eight dollars for a pound or a little over a pound (Roughly thirty - forty dates).  However, on one of shopping trips in search of our new produce we found I believe the package is 18 oz for 4.99.  Well for that price we had to try these sweet jewels.  Yum! 

Now  a lot of sites on the web recommended eating them raw.  As long as you remove the pit.  You can keep the dates in a cupboard but if you store them in your fridge they last quite a bit longer.  Don't be scared of depitting these fruits.  Just start to  slit the tip as if you were slicing lengthwise.  But just starting to slice.  And you can open the slit far enough to slip out the pit.  The pit looks like a piece of a pecan.  Don't be tempted to taste it though.  They are inedible.  Most recipes recommending slipping in a nut or a cheese.  As dates are awfully sweet it is good to have a salty component.  Also dates by themselves contain NO sodium.  So if you  like your snacks to have some salt you'll have to add that component. 

However, being it was New Year's Day yesterday and our favorite team was playing we opted for a fancier snack.  Since you already have to remove the pit, you might as well stuff the date.   We bought some Brie cheese. Just a little dab into each date.  Then we chose to wrap the dates with a little prosciutto. Oh so good!  Prosciutto is an Italian ham. But not just deli ham.  There is a special process of curing/drying meat depending on the region and the slices are usually pretty delicate we have found.  Just a little bit of that rich fattiness to cover this sweet date filled with a smooth delicate cheese.  Italy meets the tropics meets France; what a beautiful world.  We put them in the oven on 375 degree F for roughly fifteen minutes.  This allowed the date to gooey its sweetness and allowed the meat to release its saltiness and the cheese to soften.  So delicious for a romantic game snack.  I liked the warmth to allow the flavors to blend and to soften the date.  Just handling the date to pit them you can feel the stickiness.  By wrapping the date, the sweet wasn't overpowering and yet had a luxurious texture. 

Some great benefits of the date include extremely small amounts of fat, obviously no cholesterol, some protein and yes it is mainly carbohydrates but a lot of that is fiber.  Because of other vitamins and minerals it includes dates are actually low on the glycemic index as they help regulate blood sugar.  So for those out there who have a sweet tooth but are worried about blood sugars this might be a snack to try,  especially if you stuff the date fruit with a nut.  Also a date is a good source of potassium, calcium, iron, and copper. (See http://www.nutrition-and-you.com/dates.html and http://health.howstuffworks.com/wellness/food-nutrition/natural-foods/natural-weight-loss-food-dates-ga.htm for more nutritional information.)

This was definitely a thumbs up pick for my hubby and me.  I have a sweet tooth and I was a little worried for how sweet the fruit may be.  But with the way we prepared it, even my hubby who prefers spicy or salty over sweet enjoyed this find. 

May your HealthFULL Journey include fun discoveries and moments worth repeating. 'Til we meet again. . .

The Tales and Fables of Nutrition Labels!

*Dunh duh duh* *Dunh duh duh* - of course this signifies scary music *Hear scream in the background* We are covering the scary world of nutrition labels. Have you taken the time to read even one of these lately? The food that we carelessly throw into our carts as staples of our everyday diet is scary stuff!!! Sure, you may know to glance at the calories, but are you applying basic math to multiply the servings? Pizza, bag of chips, and Ben and Jerry's not meant for one consumer? No way! WAY, my friend, or should I say WEIGH!!! Even the "healthy" stuff, not so healthy. As I am trying to discover a healthier lifestyle I am trying to make more conscious choices of what I eat as fuel. (Not that I needed the Label to tell me I haven't been eating so well.) Some of these labels you need to understand chemistry and I am proud to announce I didn't study that in high school. I did take Physics and do understand by eating junk food, my acceleration is low as I got a lot of gravity working against me :) So moving on. These unpronounceable ingredients don't exist in Nature. Or worse they do but have to be covered up by an 18 letter word. Not good signs people! A nutritional tidbit I have heard is that if you can't pronounce it, don't eat it! And the longer the ingredient list the farther away the product is from it's natural whole food state. Here are some of my findings while casually scanning the nutrition labels. My big holy batman moment ( I went with this saying because if you remembered the batman tv show when they would fight the bad guys the expressions Pow! Bam! Ka-boom! would appear and that's what I am picturing) was picking up a can of Hearty Tomato Soup. A Healthy go to lunch or a dinner alternative for those nights you don't want to have think or prepare anything. I'll fess up I would probably eat a whole can of tomato soup with a grilled cheese and call that a yummy almost healthful supper. Let's check the label and see what we find. Well the calories are great as eating the whole can would equal only 120 calories. Great! Fat grams equal the big zero. Healthy so far. Wait, Sodium percentage? That can't be right. There are two servings in this can of soup. And one serving equals forty percent of the recommended amount for the day?!?!?! So two servings equal eighty percent!!!! That's crazy people. This is how we easily consume on average twice the recommended amount every day! Unto our next label - what do I see in the ingredient list? Anchovies are in worcestershire sauce. I had no idea that fish were in a typical condiment. For some reason that blew my mind! What else would I discover as I donned my Sherlock Holmes duds? That "Light" added to a label is only in comparison to its own product line. Peanuts and milk could be in almost any product it seems as warnings were present everywhere. That there is quite the legend on many packages after warning (vegan, not vegan, K for kosher, no msg, etc) That Natural Flavors appears at the end of lists quite often without narrowing the subject down (couldn't almost anything be considered a natural flavor? ) Why are minerals being added to semi-healthy choices. Do you need (or want) calcium added to orange juice or applesauce? Speaking of applesauce I am not a gourmet chef, but I am confused to why is there more than two possibly three ingredients for apple sauce. To me all you need is apples and water maybe a spice (along the lines of cinnamon). I picked up five different brands of apple sauce and not one had a list of ingredients shorter than six ingredients. WHAT?!?! I also felt a company wasn't completely telling the whole truth and nothing but the truth when I picked up a raisins pack and only one ingredient was listed. Do you know what that one ingredient was? Raisins! Do raisins exist without processessing? No, because they start as grapes! With that theory Cake Mix could list cake mix as its only ingredient and be telling the truth. But we want more information. So raisins fess up. Share your journey so the public will be informed. This concludes the Tales and Fables of Nutrition Labels. Beware consumers of what you consume and for your health please Be AWARE!!! Tomorrow we'll chat about Phasing out the Bad by Welcoming the Good :)