Not just a movie anymore

Alright people we have tried okra to claim our southern living.  But we felt there was another produce that screams southern that we hadn't quite fried and tasted for ourselves (but have seen the movie :) - Fried Green Tomatoes.  They are delicious!  But then fried anything tends to always be an enjoyable guilty pleasure. 

Freshly sliced and awaiting the battering & frying!

At least it wasn't deep fried.  We used one of trusted recipe books and the recipe was super simple with a four step batter process.  I was the dipper and my hubby was the fryer.  First select firm green tomatoes.  I assume that's why the South chooses green tomatoes because of their firmness.  And I also think that you want the heat to help release the tomato flavor. 

I believe I admitted that in the Pearly Vine blog I am not the biggest tomato fan.  I love tomato based sauces and I enjoy when a tomato is heated to release the sweetness. But rarely do I enjoy straight up tomato.  These fried slices were tasty! 

Back to the actual prepping of this yummy side. Once you have the tomatoes you want to slice them generously - between 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.  Then begin the four step battering.  We dunked the slices into milk then dredged them in flour continued the process by letting the slices slip around in some beaten eggs and finally smothered with breadcrumbs -  Ummm yeah not oh so healthy (which I did promise my doctor I was going to try harder on that front - more later about that) but delicious!  After these slices were quadruple coated we let them sizzle in some olive oil.  I believe because of the weight of the tomato you wouldn't want to deep - fry because these slices weren't going to float but drown.  So we used olive oil (not too high of heat) and let the coating sizzle for roughly four minutes a side (let the batter get golden and crispy).  The process sounds lengthy but goes quickly and clean-up was all shallow bowls so they went into the dishwasher - voila!  And a quick wipe down of the pan after using it.  The rest of our meal included a steamer bag of vegetables.  Brilliant technology.  Great vegetable flavor and you take the bag from the freezer into the microwave and done!  The entree for our southern meal was grilled thinly sliced pork chops - fantastic!  Which is why clean-up was such a breeze. 

Again I urge you non-chefs and fearful boilers of water - little steps and you too can feel like a master chef in your kitchen.  I am still no Julia Child but my hubby and I find time to giggle, bond, and are more likely to eat at home (saving money, time, and calories) if we share apron duty :) 

So about that doctor visit.  My last appointment was Wednesday and blah!  Not awesome - there certainly wasn't no hug this visit but then I have been eating like a crazy ravenous tazmanian devil.  I crossed my fingers and hoped that my A1C(blood sugar average reading for the last three months) wouldn't jump to the 8's.  I started in October at 10.2 (horrible - uncontrolled full blown diabetic level reasons to have concerns).  Then in February with medication and healthier diet and some exercise my A1C read 6.1 (reason I got a hug from my doctor :)  May's reading was 7.1.  I felt blessed.  I have gotten my movement back up but let my eating slip for lots of reasons. Also a three pound weight gain from my Feb visit which isn't horrible for three months but then I also know that I had lost five to six pounds before the gain.  Which equals an eight to nine pound gain.  And honestly I had weighed myself a couple of weeks ago and had been up another four pounds.  So really there had been a 12 - thirteen pound weight gain.  Ouch!  But I lost four of those pounds which equaled a three pound gain on my doctor's charts.  I was very honest with my doctor that it was a diet issue most likely and let's not up the medication yet. She agreed but I promised better results in August.  Which means although the Fried Green Tomatoes were tasty they will not become a staple in our household.  For some of my choices the numbers (weight, A1C, blood pressure) could have been worse but I received a slight gift and I just need to get back on track. I think one of the big differences between visits is that  in October I was terrified.  That doctor visit was a huge wake up call!  And I took the process seriously which opened the door to great results - four point drop in my A1C and a 16 pound weight loss.  The numbers weren't in my favor but then I also hadn't put forth nearly as much of the effort. 

Small steps I have taken to ensure more success.  Taking my blood sugar more regularly.  Packing healthier snacks (I have honey roasted peanuts packed in snack bags according to actual serving size and sandwich bags of popcorn). Its somewhat working to have healthier options at the fingertips as I was hungry and grabbed some edamame (soybeans) instead of chowing down chips, candy, or other treats that I tend to take by the fistful instead of by the serving.  Also there are sliced strawberries and yellow peppers to eat plain, mix with some yogurt (just the strawberries on this one), or drop in a salad.  And I am back to accepting nothing less than 7000 steps on the pedometer hoping for more but that is my bottom out number.  Which means I fell asleep on the recliner two nights ago at 6000 steps and woke up and walked my last 1000 steps before actually retiring to bed.  Its the little choices that make a big difference.  I can't do it all in a day, but I can do something right now to keep me motivated and on track.

May your HealthFULL Journey share the wake up calls when you need them, encouragement when you're struggling, and applause for a success whether it be big or small because all successful steps lead to the big prize of you living as your best and healthiest version. 'Til we meet again. . .

Pearly Vine

We just had a wonderful family vacation.  And I could have made healthier choices but opted for indulgence.  In the moment indulgence is divine - but the aftermath not as fun.  I feel overstuffed, overcrowded, and out of sorts.  But when one is in New Orleans there are many yummy temptations and I tended to fall for everyone.  However we are back home and back on the healthfull track!!! Routines, familiar ground, and cozy comforts are within easy reach!  Our first matter of business was to have healthy produce at the ready which also meant produce of the week!  We spent the afternoon shopping after my son and I had a sleep in morning do to our vacation colds - BOO!  One of our quick purchases of today was pearl tomatoes on the vine from Trader Joe's. (love this place!!!)  For supper my husband baked a beautiful salmon, with roasted brussel sprouts (my fave - honest to goodness one of the best finds of our new produce of the week - definitely a staple around here!!!) and dirty rice.  I am not the biggest fan of dirty rice.  I enjoy it but feel it really doesn't satisfy me as an entree and rarely can think of a good meal where it can play side dish.  Tonight's dinner worked.  And to sweeten up dirty rice which texturally can be a little heavy and "dark" tasting.  I chose to just dice up the tomatoes real quick and threw one into my rice and delicious.  It added a sweetness and a bright note to the heavy side dish.  This is a great find for me.  Because I have an odd palate when it comes to tomatoes.  I like tomato based sauces but not a fan of just the tomato (unless of course it is Bob the Tomato from Veggie Tales in that instance - HUGE FAN!!!) .  I find a lot of tomatoes to be sour, sometimes bitter.  I like them as thin slices on a burger or the sweet little bombs in a salad.  But salsa, spaghetti sauce, pizza sauce, and of course ketchup - delicious!  There are just few tomatoes though that taste yummy out of the gate for me.  These pearl tomatoes on the vine were a great note to the supper.  They added a touch of sweetness, a dash of sour, and just lifted the heavy side dish. 

Also it is nice to add a fruit/vegetable to the mix without too much fuss.  That's when it becomes difficult to broaden our tastes.  If the healthy alternative costs too much, requires too much effort, or just tastes nasty we let the excuses and the negativity turn us off and choose the familiar junk food because its cheap, easy, and we have convinced ourself tasty (which if you turn off the tv, close your eyes and really focus on the choices we eat - you will be shocked how little you like most of those comfort choices.  I have been - (but still am guily of reaching for these items out of simple familiarity)!
However I try to focus on the positive.  I may stall out.  I sometimes even take three steps backward.  But I remind myself every moment I can do better.  If I lose my footing and trail three steps - I need to try to push myself forward at least four steps and take no less than three.  Little by little as the Little Engine that could proved I think I can I think I can eventually will turn into I did it -  I did it!!!

So lets crush these tomatoes and improve our health together.  Don't let the vines tangle you but carry you closer to your goals.  May your HealthFULL journey be full of pearls of wisdom, precious gems, and the occasional irritant that turns beautiful with a little extra effort. 'Til we meet again. . .

Getting Sloppy

This HealthFULL Journey is about changes.  Trying a variety of patterns and seeing what works, what sticks, and what can be forgotten.  Tofu has became a staple in our house.  I usually have a package or two in the freezer of Extra Firm.  Now I know for many of you TOFU is a four letter word.  Which is true but it doesn't have to sound like a curse upon your house.  Do you eat hamburger out of the pack uncooked, unseasoned?  Or chicken?  No, so treat Tofu as the base.  Yes you can eat Tofu straight out of the pack, but I wouldn't recommend it.  Let's start with what is Tofu.  It is a great source of protein without using any animal product.  Because Tofu is pressed soybean curd. You have several different textures which play into the savory or sweet side of meals.  Usually the silken tofu is used for dessert and the firm/extra firm sponge blocks are used for savory dishes.  It is relatively cheap and fills you up if prepared with a little extra TLC.  My hubby is a man who likes meat but has willingly tried and appreciated most of the dishes we have tried.  I have mentioned our tofu challenge in the past and might have even mentioned one of our favorites.  Which is what we ate for dinner tonight, Sloppy Tofu (think sloppy joes).  Delicious.  It is filling, it has lots of flavor, and a great introduction for those who haven't "really" tried tofu.  If you freeze the extra firm all you have to do is take the block out at the beginning of the day (great if you work) and drop it in your sink.  Again not animal byproduct so there isn't the contamination fear.  After eight hours it is thawed and you can begin to rinse and squeeze.  It holds quite a bit of liquid, it really does resemble a sponge.  So remove it from the package and run some tepid/cool water and begin to rinse the liquid it has been soaking up in the package.  From what I understand if you leave it in the fridge versus the freezer it gives a different texture.  I really like the freezer approach.  As we always have a block or two on hand and aren't tripping over it.  Then choose any method how to prepare the tofu.  Our household three favorites are spinach rolls (if you love Italian and stuffed shells - this is the way to go!), sloppy tofu (yum) and the all-time favorite tofu tacos (so easy, prepare exactly like you would your beef, pork, chicken, fish tacos but substitute tofu).  Once you are done squeezing out the moisture.  Place a paper towel around the tofu block and then place it between two plates and a heavy object to push down the tofu for about forty five minutes to an hour.  (great time to veg in front of the tv, homework time, take a walk).  And then you are ready to cook.  This is when you can cut slabs, or crumble, or marinade a little.  Your call.  But for the tacos and the sloppy tofu you crumble. *Great kid activity*.  They can crush until their hearts content with their hands.  Because the sponge like texture will pick up all necessary flavor when cooking.  I borrowed our sloppy tofu recipe from the site http://www.savvyvegetarian.com/vegetarian-recipes/tofu-sloppy-joes.php . So good and fairly easy. 

So that is my soapbox speech how good tofu can be and is so simple to add to the menu rotation.  Cheap, easy to prepare, and lots of nutritional benefits.  Also tofu recipes tend to mean I'm cooking.  Now hubby is a great sport but this is a win win for us.  He'll try it if I cook it!  Which is fair.  So today my exercise and food victory was me slaving in the kitchen, I did rounds and rounds of dishes and I prepared lunch, dinner, and extras (snacks, lunches) for the week ahead.  I don't know about you but delivery, fast food, and restaurants get more of our business than necessary.  It just sounds so tempting to let someone prep, cook, serve, AND DO THE DISHES for our family.  We tell ourselves it is okay the extra cost because it saves us time, energy/sanity, and tastes good.  But is it really worth the cost.  It takes us at least twenty minutes to decide on dinner, then usually 15 - 20 minutes to drive to dinner and another fifteen - 20 back.  Then it takes 10 minutes for fast food or roughly an hour for dinner at a restaurant. So we are looking at least an hour to two hours.  And delivery is usually an hour (between decision, order, and delivery). Our last five deliveries of dinner have either been disappointing in flavor, ridiculous time, or forgotten an item.  Our last several restaurant experiences have been costly, bad service, or just okay food.  Notice the trend?  Either my cooking is getting better or quality is going down (at least at the establishments we have visited).  Plus you don't know what it is in that food.  At home with a little planning you pay easily less than 25% of what you pay at a food establishment.  And most meals take under thirty minutes of active participation (when one can grab some uninterrupted time).  We say it is great to eat around the supper table as a family but maybe it is just as important to put the family to work in the kitchen.  With a little ingenuity everyone can have kitchen duty at the same time.  Or spend a big day of prep for easy put togethers during the week.  That's what I did.  Made some egg salad for quick sandwiches, caramel corn for lunch treats or a dessert snack, prep /dice veggies  for easy flavor fillers (pepper, onions, jalapeno) and steam some rice.  Yes we still have a menu to cook the night of, but at least with a menu and some prep work done we are much more likely to raid our pantry then pick up the car keys.

May your HealthFULL Journey include some focus, preparation (as opportunity is 90 % preparation), and ingenuity. Not only will you be ready for surprises but hope for them.  'Til we meet again. . .