Green beans with garlic

Spring brings with it an explosion of flavor in fresh produce. Farmers’ markets stock a dizzying array in nearly every color in the rainbow. Suddenly, eating your vegetables doesn’t seem like such a bad idea. One of my favorite veggies is the lovely green bean, or if you’re a little bit Southern you know them as snap beans. Low in calories and packed with vitamins and nutrients, green beans add a satisfying crunch to your salad. But you can only eat so many raw green beans before you crave a bit more flavor.

In my kitchen that flavor comes from oil, and growing up in an Italian household means there’s only one kind of oil on my shelf: extra virgin olive oil. I used it to sauté garlic and onions before turning them into marinara sauce, with a dash of lemon zest to create shrimp scampi, and as a dip for fresh bread. Thankfully, extra virgin olive oil is one of the good guys in the world of fats. This flavorful way to increase your good cholesterol is available in most supermarkets. Because oil standards are not heavily regulated look for the words “extra virgin” or “first cold press” on the label, avoid the words “light” and “mild”.

There are lots of ways to enjoy the heart-healthy benefits of extra virgin olive oil and the vitamin powerhouse green beans. You can dunk the green beans raw in just a little oil. You can combine the oil with a few other staples as a dressing for a lightly steamed green bean salad. One of my favorite ways is the recipe below, which blends the extra virgin olive oil with garlic. While this recipe is for green beans, you can substitute chickpeas, broccoli, or your favorite Spring vegetable.

Green beans tossed with extra virgin olive oil and garlic

2 cups fresh green beans
1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves (1½ teaspoons) chopped garlic

Wash green beans and prepare for cooking by snapping off the ends. Steam lightly using a steamer or blanch briefly in boiling water. If blanching, use a pot of ice water to stop the cooking process so the green beans remain crisp.

Place the green beans into the bottom of a large serving bowl. Add the next two ingredients, tossing to coat. Serve promptly or encourage diners to re-toss as the garlic and oil will collect on the bottom of the bowl.

(I love the strong flavor of garlic so when there’s no company coming to dinner, I use two tablespoons of garlic. Feel free to adjust the amount based on your own personal tastes.)

What are you finding in your farmers’ market? Got any new twists on the old favorites? Or any new finds that we all have to check out?
~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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It won’t kill you.

My father’s feet turned to clay when I was ten years old. Before then, he stood as a giant who protected me from everything. At 6’3” and 250 pounds, Dad held us up so we could reach the stars. But the year I turned ten Dad was diagnosed with diabetes. My invincible hero turned into a man with cautions attached to his life. The strongest caution accompanied food. I learned early in my Dad’s diagnosis that if he didn’t eat he would die. Being hungry would kill him. I internalized this message a bit too well, and never let myself go more than a few hours without food.

A funny thing happened when I was 29. I spent 24 hours without eating. It wasn’t by choice, there were other things on my mind at the time, not to mention doctors and nurses who ordered me to take only water. Not a single bite or drop of juice for 24 hours and somehow I survived. Since then I’ve disproven the lesson from my childhood over and over again. I’ve actually come to appreciate being a little hungry. It makes me savor my food, helps me look forward to it. Surprisingly, if I push away from the table still slightly hungry, I can go three or four hours before I need to eat again. I will admit to getting “hangry,” a word a friend made up meaning so hungry you’re angry at everyone, but I haven’t died yet.

Another unspoken family rule taught me that exercise wasn’t to be trusted. Exercise hurt. If you did too much, you would have a heart attack and die. If you escaped that fate you were sure to end up with injuries: torn ligaments, pulled muscles, and surely, broken bones. My Aunt who biked regularly had to have knee surgery. She became an example of why it was best to just avoid all of that danger.

I started running in my early twenties. I was (and am) super slow. In addition to surely dying, according to family and friends I risk a number of maladies every time I put on my sneakers: joint degeneration, back pain, knee problems, and (a personal favorite) any minute now my uterus is going to fall out. And yet, like being hungry, running hasn’t killed me. I’ve come to believe it won’t. I even own a t-shirt that says “Running won’t kill you. You’ll pass out first.”

Exercise makes me feel better. It clears up migraines before they really start. It soothes my moods and helps me form strong friendships with other runners. It teaches me that I can pick a goal and stick to it, no matter what. At the end of March Trish challenged us to set a goal and stick with it. I chose running every other day in preparation for a local 5K. In the month since then my grandmother died, I’ve dealt with job issues, and I had to revisit some old fears. Still I ran. Every other day, despite weather, exhaustion, and just plain lack of any desire to, I got out there. My 5K was the day after my grandmother’s burial. I ran. …and it didn’t kill me.

What lessons hold you back? If you took them out and looked at them, would they still be true? Are you willing to give up the security of those lessons to be healthy?

~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food, Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Sometimes Size Does Matter

Take a quick look at these two plates. Which plate has around 450 calories?

Surprise! Both plates have exactly the same amount of food. Okay, maybe it’s not a surprise, maybe you’re well aware that plate size influences how much we eat, but did you know that plate sizes are slowly increasing? The two plates above are my ‘good china.’ The plate on the left is a salad plate, something that used to be called a luncheon plate back when people thought you should eat less at lunch. It measures eight inches across, about the same size as my grandmother’s dinner plates. Today’s dinner plates are between eleven and twelve inches. As plate size slowly creeps up, so do portion sizes.

As writers we know the actual size of something doesn’t matter much compared to how it is perceived. An object can loom large or shrink into nothing when our hero fears it or needs to find it respectively. Unfortunately, your dinner plate uses the same magic trick on your feeling of fullness after a meal. Visual cues help us to gauge how full we are; if you eat off a larger plate you’ll eat more before you feel full.

A study published in Obesity Research asked subjects to rate how satisfied they were and estimate how much they had eaten after consuming a bowl of soup. However, some subjects were given ‘bottomless’ soup bowls that refilled via a pump hidden under the table. It turned out that if a subject’s bowl never emptied they ate 73% more soup. More importantly, after eating they didn’t rate themselves as more satisfied nor did they believe they had eaten more than subjects with a normal bowl.

How can a healthy writer cope? First, try eating off of smaller plates and bowls. You’re likely to eat less without even realizing it. I’ve found using bowls and serving dishes marked with the size to be helpful as well. I know I’ve eaten half a cup when half of the one cup container is empty, instead of just guessing. I have cheap Ziploc containers and durable Pyrex, both do a great job.
Second, stop and look at your food. When all the right words are flowing from my finger tips, I often eat with my eyes on the monitor and one hand typing. It’s great for my daily word count but it means I’m not visually processing how much I’m eating. Similarly, take your food out of its bag or package. It’s a lot easier to know you’ve had ten M&Ms if you counted them out and put them in glass dish instead of snatching a handful or two from the bag as you stand over the sink.

How big are your plates? Do you think plate size matters? Do you eat while typing too? Let me know in the comments below.

Curious to read that study? It’s here: Bottomless Bowls: Why Visual Cues of Portion Size May Influence Intake

Want to make the dish you see pictured above? It’s here: Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops with Red Pepper Grits

~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food, Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Tofu Shirataki Noodles in Beef Lo Mein

I’m a firm believer in real food. Thanks to a medical condition I can’t have artificial sweeteners, and I tend to avoid other artificial things like flavor or color. That eliminates a lot of dieting staples from my life: no sugar free soda, no sugar free pudding snacks, and almost no diet versions of regular foods. From time to time I’ll find a substitution that works for me, like swapping creamed cauliflower for mashed potatoes, but usually swaps don’t work for me.

Tofu Shirataki noodles are a swap that does work for me in a lot of ways. With only 20 calories per 4 ounce serving (that’s zero Weight Watchers points) these noodles satisfy a craving for pasta without the calories and carbs. Although a staple in Japan, at one point the Atkins diet made them easy find here in the US. They were stocked by Safeway and Costco. Now you’ll have to check with an Asian supermarket to find their guilt free goodness.

Because Tofu Shirataki noodles are made from tofu and yam flour they come packaged in water. The water tends to have a slightly unpleasant smell. To begin cooking, rinse the noodles thoroughly, then microwave in fresh water for two minutes. (If you don’t have a microwave, parboil in boiling water on the stove.) Drain and dry before cooking. They taste best when cooked in a flavorful sauce such as the recipe below.

Beef Lo Mein with Tofu Shirataki noodles

4 ounces per person of very lean Beef (in these photos I used top round beef)
1 bag (8 oz.) Tofu Shirataki, rinsed, parboiled, and dried
1 cup snow peas
1 cup green peas

Marinade for the beef:
3 tablespoons orange juice
3 tablespoons water
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon Mirin (Japanese Rice Wine)
1 tablespoon Japanese Rice Wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Sesame seeds
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch

Slice the beef thin, on the bias. Combine the first 9 ingredients for the marinade, altering to your taste. When it’s perfect, add the beef and refrigerate for at least two hours.

In a hot nonstick pan begin to cook the beef, pouring the marinade into a pot for later use. Steam or microwave the vegetables.

Place the marinade over medium heat. When it reaches a boil add the rinsed, microwaved, and dried Shirataki noodles. After five minutes remove the noodles from the sauce and arrange on the plate. Add the cornstarch to the remaining marinade, whisking to combine.

Arrange the beef and vegetables on the plates. When the marinade has thickened pour over the plates and serve immediately.

A complex recipe, but well worth it for the calorie savings. While Shirataki noodles have a bit of a strange mouth-feel, they taste like whatever you cooked them in. I’ll take a slightly rubbery or slippery bite to save roughly 160 calories per serving. What about you? Fake foods or no? Would you rather go without than try a substitute?


~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Sock it to me cake

Not every day can be a good day. Some days you get rejected and it hurts. Someone criticizes your work and it’s like they’re criticizing you. While I don’t condone emotional eating, I’ve never objected to comfort food. My comfort foods are exactly the ones I try to avoid on a day to day basis: baked goods, cakes, and cookies.

This cake is perfect for a night when you want to curl and cry a little. If you’re smarting from a failure, whether it’s writing related or not, rest assured that you don’t suffer alone. We all have stories of times when everything we did felt wrong, when nothing went our way, and then things got really tough. Part of being healthy is dealing with those hard times in ways that don’t hurt you like a favorite movie, a reasonable amount of comfort food, and the laughter of good friends. Keeping the amount of comfort food reasonable is easier when you share it with someone. So make your cake, but then invite a friend or two over to enjoy it, packing up the leftovers for them to take home or let yourself have one slice and then give the rest away to your neighbor.

An old favorite from the 70s, Sock-it-to-me Cake appears in my memories at thousand bake sales. It’s perfect for writers’ group get togethers and goes great with a cup of coffee. To make it just a little bit healthier, I make it with less than usual amount of eggs and omit the usual glaze. Even then it comes out decadent and rich. It’s one of only two things that I make from a box (Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, another great comfort food, is the other).

Sock-it-to-me Cake

(Based on the Duncan Hines recipe)

1 box butter recipe yellow cake mix
3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/3 cup oil
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon. brown sugar

Preparation:
Combine the 2 tablespoons of the cake mix with the cinnamon and brown sugar; set aside. (If you’re a chocoholic, or you just want to get rid of that left over chocolate bunny, you can replace the cinnamon filling layer with chocolate shavings.)

In large bowl, blend the remaining cake mix, eggs, sour cream, oil, water, and sugar. Beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Pour 2/3 of batter into greased and floured Bundt or tube pan. Cover the batter with the cinnamon sugar, then pour in the remaining batter, being sure to seal the edges.

Bake at 375° for 45-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Feeling really decadent? Add a glaze. Blend ½ cup powdered sugar and ½ to 1 tablespoon milk.

What comfort foods do you indulge in? How do you stop yourself from going overboard with them? How can you make your comfort foods healthier?

~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Broccoli & White Bean soup

The calendar reads March and the stores are filled with bunnies both chocolate and plush, but the view out my window is cold, gray rain. Dreary days are tough days for healthy eating. When the sky looks like slate and you need to turn on a lamp to see what you’re typing all I want is cake, muffins, and warm bread. Sadly, I’ve learned that carbohydrates are the devil for me. To stay healthy, I need to eat more protein and healthy fats, staying away from ‘white’ carbohydrates like flour, potatoes, rice, and pasta.

All of those are included in the soups I crave in bad weather. While diet plans encourage vegetable soups in light broth, for me a soup needs to be thick and hearty. Most cream soups are thickened with the flour I avoid. Other recipes get their creaminess came from pureed potatoes, usually the Yukon gold variety. Again, they taste great but they aren’t right for me.

After some experimenting I developed the recipe below that using cannellini beans to provide a creamy texture and lots of broccoli for a cheerful St. Patrick’s day green. With a little bit of a nutty flavor, lots of fiber, and lots of protein cannellini beans make this soup filling, smooth, and healthy. It’s easy to sip from a mug while I’m curled up under a blanket watching the rain and plotting how my hero will save the day.

Broccoli & White Bean soup

4 cups broccoli spears (including the stems, roughly chopped)
3 cups of water
1 14 ounce can of cannellini beans, rinsed
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp onion
Dash of salt and pepper

Bring water to a boil. Add broccoli and cook until tender. Stir in beans and seasonings. Simmer for one minute. Puree mixture in a blender, one cup at a time. Serve warm, with a garnish of cheddar cheese or tomatoes.

What are your favorite rainy day foods? Are they healthy? Could you make them that way? Don’t be afraid to experiment with your favorite recipes!

~~~

When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Hearts, Flowers...Chocolate?

By Anne McFarlane

Valentine's Day is one of those special occasions when it’s tough to stick to putting only healthy food in your mouth. So, I say, indulge a little. But don’t bring anything into the house that’s going to linger past Feb. 14. Ask for something red and naughty instead of chocolate from your significant other. I bet he’ll be happier with that choice, too.

So, what to make for a special dinner for just the two of you? Here’s a recipe for Beef Stroganoff from Weight Watchers that I’ve been making for over twenty years and it’s GOOD!

Ingredients:

8 ounces beef steak, cut into strips
1 tablespoon margarine
1/4 cup minced onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Dash each, salt & pepper
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup hot water
2 teaspoons each Dijon style mustard and tomato paste
2 packets instant beef broth and seasoning mix
3 tablespoons low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons parsley
2 cups cooked noodles (hot)

Directions:

1. Coat a non-stick 9-inch skillet with cooking spray and brown the beef strips, cooking until done in the middle; set aside.
2. In skillet, heat margarine until hot and bubbly.
3. Add onion and garlic, and sauté briefly, about 1 minute (DO NOT BROWN).
4. Add mushrooms, salt, pepper and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 minutes.
5. Sprinkle with flour and stir quickly to combine; gradually stir in water.
6. Add mustard and tomato paste, and broth mix and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture is slightly thickened.
7. Reduce heat, add sour cream and parsley, and stir to combine.
8. Add steak and cook until just heated through. Serve over hot noodles.

6 points per serving (about 300 calories)

You can easily double this recipe to feed four.

Now dessert poses a special challenge. You want to indulge a little bit, but you still want to feel good in that something red and naughty your partner has given you. I would suggest buying a couple of single slices of your favorite cheesecake or carrot cake at the bakery – or maybe something to share. That way you limit yourself to a single serving and you aren’t tempted to eat the entire cake or pie that’s sitting in the fridge calling your name.

However, maybe the kids will be around and they can help you eat the leftovers. So here’s a recipe that will satisfy anyone’s sweet tooth:

LO-FAT CHOCOLATE CREAM CHEESE PIE

1 (4-serving sized) package fat-free, sugar-free, instant chocolate fudge pudding mix
1 3/4 cups fat-free milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 of an 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese
1/2 of an 8-ounce container frozen light whipped cream (like Cool Whip)
1 (6-ounce) reduced-fat, chocolate-flavored crumb pie shell
1 cup fresh raspberries or blackberries
1 tablespoon grated semi-sweet chocolate

In medium bowl, prepare pudding mix as directed on package using the 1 3/4 cups milk. Stir in vanilla extract; set aside. Place cream cheese in large microwaveable bowl, uncovered, on high, for 15 seconds. Stir. Microwave on high for another 15 seconds. Beat cream cheese with mixer on medium for 15 seconds. Add half of the pudding mix; beat until smooth. Add remaining pudding mix; beat until smooth. Fold in half of the whipped cream topping. Spread mix in pie shell. Chill for 4 hours or until set.

Top servings with remaining whipped topping, berries and grated chocolate.

Only 180 calories per slice and 8 grams total fat. 4 points.

Anne MacFarlane is an aspiring romance writer living on the east coast of Canada. You can follow her writing journey at www.annemacfarlane.blogspot.com.

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The Joy of Vinegar

By Rachel Kleinsorge

I returned from vacation in Las Vegas with an unusual souvenir in my bag: a $20 bottle of aged balsamic vinegar. Balsamic vinegars are made from leftover grapes that will never be wine. In my house, balsamic vinegars are called “drinking vinegars” for their sweet-sharp flavor. I’d rather sip a shot-glass full of aged balsamic vinegar than malt whiskey. Before you judge me, give it a try; you’ll be surprised by the way a good balsamic vinegar brings out the sweetness of strawberries, the creaminess of avocado, and the crisp salty flavor of ham.

Others may argue about the supposed health benefits of balsamic vinegar, but my attention focuses on the flavor-filled burst it can give ordinary foods. With roughly 25 calories per tablespoon and no fat, a little balsamic vinegar goes a long way to adding life to boring entrees or so-so salad dressing. The recipe below is one of my favorites, a mix of herbs and balsamic vinegar that makes skinless boneless chicken into something special.

Herbed Balsamic Chicken Breasts

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts (roughly ½ a pound)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons orange juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon thyme
½ teaspoon garlic
½ tsp Onion Powder

Instructions:

Remove all fat and skin from the chicken. Press the breasts to a uniform thickness; set aside. Mix remaining ingredients in a shallow cooking dish. Marinade the chicken between 20 minutes and eight hours; flavor will intensify with longer times. Place baking dish (with chicken in marinade) in a 350-degree oven. Bake for 25 minutes or until the center of the thickest piece of chicken is 165 degrees.

Serve the chicken sliced over white rice with the marinade drizzled artfully on the plate, or chop the breasts into chunks and toss them with your favorite salad fixings. One of the beauties of the recipe is its flexibility. Thanks to the strong taste of the balsamic vinegar, the chicken is flavorful even if you’re in a rush.

Where do you use vinegar in your cooking? Are there any ways to enjoy good balsamic vinegar that I’m missing?

~~~
When she’s not cooking, buying, or dreaming about food, Rachel Kleinsorge writes steamy paranormal mystery romances. She is currently waiting for the call from her agent, the amazing Carolyn Grayson, while working on her next novel.

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Healthy eating, one day at a time

By Anne McFarlane

For the past 10 years, every New Year’s Day I vowed to lose the 30 or 40 pounds I’d gained over the years. Surely I didn’t eat enough for me to be this big? Oh, I started the year off right. I’d lose 10 pounds then put it all back on. One summer I even lost 20 pounds. Fortunately, I only gained 10 of those pounds back by the end of 2008. But my blood pressure was high and my hips were aching. If I didn’t want to end up on medication or having surgery, I needed to make permanent changes.

2009 started off with that same promise. I had to lose 33 pounds. I weighed more on Jan 1, 2009 than I did on Jan 20, 1990 -- the day before my daughter was born. When I was nine months pregnant!

The promise might have been the same, but my attitude wasn’t. This year there would be no rigid cutting back on food so I was hungry all the time or heading to the gym and exercising until I couldn’t move. I was going to view the weight loss as a healthy lifestyle choice. Rather than trying to shed the pounds as fast I could I would treat it as a year-long project. Every day I would try to make healthy choices and move more. If I had an off day or an off meal I wasn’t going to let it sink the ship. So many times in the past if I fell off the wagon I would give up. The new promise I made to myself is that there would be no giving up. No matter what I ate an hour ago, last night or all day yesterday, it was done. Over with. The only thing that mattered was the next meal in front of me.

Do you know what happened? When I gave myself permission to fail without beating myself up, I succeeded. A little bit like writing a book, isn’t it? You can’t write a whole book if every time you choose the wrong word or plot twist, you give up.

I lost 34 pounds last year. For the first time in years, I dressed for our RWA chapter’s Christmas potluck without trying to squeeze into something that didn’t fit – and wearing a loose jacket or cardigan over pants because I couldn’t do up the button.

Jan 1, 2010, I no longer had to make a resolution to lose weight. That doesn’t mean the struggle is over. Keeping the weight off is a new journey. Every day I have to choose wisely.

One of the big challenges is finding meals that are healthy and taste good. Eating salads and baked chicken and fish everyday can be boring. Sometimes we crave a certain food, maybe something sweet or crunchy. Substituting food with similar textures can help. I love nachos with toppings. I substitute baked chips, salsa, low fat cheese and sour cream. Or, if I have pita bread that’s a little stale I cut it in triangles, use an Olive Oil spray and bake them until they’re crispy. Team those with the salsa and sour cream and it makes a low-fat snack. To replace dessert I team low-fat yogurt with one of those low-ca, individually wrapped cakes or frozen fruit.

An additional challenge is healthy food that appeals to my daughters. And since my girls are teenagers, getting them to eat breakfast before they fly out of the house is tough. Here’s a recipe that started out as light banana loaf and I’ve changed it up to make banana muffins – and added whole wheat flour for a little more fiber and just a few chocolate chips to keep the kids happy:

Healthy Banana Muffins
Makes 16 muffins.


1 cup mashed bananas
1 tsp baking soda
2 large eggs
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In small bowl, stir mashed bananas and baking soda together. Set aside. Beat eggs in small mixing bowl until frothy. Cream margarine and sugar in large mixing bowl. Add ½ of the eggs. Beat. Add second ½ of eggs. Beat. Stir in mashed banana. Add additional dry ingredients and chocolate chips. Stir just to moisten. Don’t over stir. Spoon into medium lined muffin tins. Bake at 400 F for about 15-20 minutes until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.

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A Christmas Chuckle

For all of you who celebrate Christmas, I wish you a very Merry one today. And in the spirit of giving, I'm sharing this holiday humor with you. Just remember as you read it you can laugh, but to stay Healthy Writers in 2010, please do the exact opposite! :)

Holiday Dietary Rules

10. CARROT STICKS

Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

9. EGGNOG

Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. It's rare ... you cannot find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnogoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

8. GRAVY

If something comes with gravy, use it.. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy. Eat the volcano. Repeat.

7. MASHED POTATOES

As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

6. PRE-EATING

Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it.. Hello?

5. EXERCISE

Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a ten-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

4. SANTA COOKIES

If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

3. PIES

Same for pies. Apple, pumpkin, mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day? If your southern, substitute pecan for mincemeat, No true southerner would eat that anyway...

2. FRUITCAKE

Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards..

1. MOTTO

One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner. Remember this motto to live by:

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and screaming "WOOHOO! What a ride!"

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Looking for food contributor

As I listen to the waves crashing on the shore outside and dread heading back north to colder temps tomorrow, I'm working on the scheduling for Healthy Writer for the next several weeks. I've come to the conclusion that I'm not a very reliable blogger when it comes to the topic of healthy cooking. Michelle does a marvelous job every other Saturday, and I'm just...lame. So, I'm looking for someone who would like to take over the alternating Saturday healthy cooking/food posts. Any takers? I would love you forever. :)

Or if someone would just like to guest post on the healthy cooking/food topic one Saturday, we can work with that too.

If you are interested in either option, please e-mail me at trishmilburn AT yahoo DOT com.

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Resisting Food Pushers

In late summer, the management of the building where I work held an ice cream social. I had just returned from a work conference during which I had eaten way too much and was trying to get my eating back under control. I planned to skip the event.

Not one, not two, not three, but four people came by my office at different times to make sure I knew about the event and invite me to go downstairs with them. I was able to put off the first two by saying I was doing some work then but would try to go down later. The next two offered to wait for me and pushed hard to get me to commit to a time that I would go to the event with them.

Now, of course, I wanted to go eat the ice cream. I pretty much want to eat fun food whenever I have the opportunity, but I know I can’t do that and reach or maintain a healthy weight. I was really struggling with my weight loss in August 2009 and wanted to show I had what it takes to make this a success. I wish I could say this is a triumphant anecdote and I figured out a way to avoid going to the social. I went with the fourth person and had a big sundae. It was pretty tasty, and I gained more than three pounds that week.

It’s hard to resist food pushers - particularly when you combine their influence with your own desire to eat whatever they are currently shoving at you. This only increases during the holidays. Food pushers run amuck from Halloween through New Year’s Day. Thinking of strategies to resist their efforts can be very necessary.

First, you should plan how much you are willing to eat going into any given situation. You are ultimately in control of what you eat. You may want to figure out what treats you’ll allow and which ones you’ll avoid to try to balance out your calorie intake. This will make it easy to refuse the initial offers. You may get lucky and there is only one offer.

If the food pusher offers again or insists, you may want to expand on your simple no, thank you. You may say you had a big lunch and aren’t hungry. You could say you aren’t feeling well. You could offer many reasons why you can’t eat that big piece of cake.

Another helpful suggestion I heard was to say no and then change the subject. No, thank you. By the way, how is your kid, your favorite pet, or some other topic the pusher can’t resist talking about endlessly.

Another element that can make it harder to resist food pushers is if you are in a family situation where food is more than just food. I made this for my beloved daughter, niece, granddaughter, daughter-in-law because I know you love it. The implication of how can you refuse my culinary effort and my love for you can be a powerful force that convinces you to eat something you’d rather not. Or, you have a father like mine who just loves to order people to eat more for some reason. Understanding how the appeal to other emotions besides the desire for food can encourage you to overeat is helpful. You have to resist two powerful appeals at one time. Realizing this by being conscious of all that is working against you is very clarifying. Knowing that can help you find ways to resist eating more especially when you really are full, don’t want the food in question, or are motivated to keep up with your healthy journey.

I am getting much better at avoiding and resisting food pushers. Being aware of all the forces working against me and having strategies to resist them is extremely helpful.

Do you have any tips for resisting Food Pushers? What has worked for you?

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Living in the Land of the Unhealthy

During the past couple of weeks, I've seen so many news stories about poor health in the South, articles such as this one about obesity and diabetes rates. When lists of statistics come out regarding cancer rates, obesity and diabetes, the top 10 spots are overwhelmingly filled with southern states. These are the lists we don't want to be at the top of. But we are, and the causes are things we see from a young age. We see parents or other adults smoking or chewing tobacco; we deep fry anything that stands still long enough; and we consume way too many sugary sweets. We're the land of soft drinks, sweet tea and fried catfish -- the land of the unhealthy. I think this makes it even harder to commit to a healthy lifestyle. When you see everyone around you eating those yummy things that are, nevertheless, horrible for you, you feel left out.

Even views of exercise seem to be different here. Sure, people exercise, but it's not so obvious in the way communities are structured. For instance, I've been to Madison, Wisconsin, a few times to visit with my agent. I love it there because it is such a pedestrian-friendly city. There are paved paths and trails literally everywhere. You see people walking, jogging, biking and roller blading all over the city. In my subdivision, there are no sidewalks. I live on a cul de sac, but if I want to go walking around most of the neighborhood, I have to brave a short walk along a busy road (with no sidewalks, just drop-offs into deep ditches) to get to the main part of the subdivision where I can walk more easily. People who brave getting on their bikes here are honked at and the subject of much upset by those attached to their cars.

Some work is being done to create greenways around the city, but at this time it would take a drive to get to any access point. I got the feeling in Madison that you could hop on a trail with ease, like the city was a big wheel with many spokes shooting out from the center.

From my travels, I've noted that places like California and parts of Florida are better locales for those wanting to get into a healthy mindset, but I also know that we can't use the challenges as excuses. We have to just work a little harder and call on our willpower more to live the healthy lifestyle that will keep us out of those dismal statistics.

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Tami's Lists -- The Healthy Side of Lists

By Tami Brothers

I’m a list type of girl. Don’t believe me? Just check out my post over at the Petit Fours and Hot Tamales blog last week where I blogged about how I found a series of books that feed this silly quirk of mine (Did you see the part about me charting the dates I put out Kleenex boxes?).

Seriously, I make lists for everything: grocery lists, to-do lists, bill lists, book lists, and there is even that Kleenex list I mentioned. My house is cluttered with little scraps of paper with some type of list written on it. But that’s not really the point here. As much as I rely on my lists, it wasn’t until I read this blog and looked at several of the sites Trish refers us to that I even thought about listing the food I eat on a daily basis. Honestly, I never dreamed it would really matter -- until I charted that first day.

Day #1 Food Journal
Breakfast
Banana and milk 250 calories
Sausage Biscuit 380 calories

10:20 snack
Chocolate donut at work 250 calories

Lunch
Arby’s Chicken sandwich 400 calories
Cup of Sierra Mist 250 calories

Dinner
Cheeseburger (with the works) 770 calories
Potato Salad 350 calories
Soda 240 calories

Snack
Fudge bar 100 calories
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Total 2,990 calories

Okay, that was an eye opener! Here I thought I was doing fine eating a ‘healthier’ chicken sandwich and loading up the veggies on my burger. With these choices, I felt I could sneak in a few snacks throughout the day and they wouldn’t really be an issue. But 840 calories worth??? They definitely added up. And what’s with the 770 calories for a cheeseburger? I seriously had no idea I was putting this many calories into my mouth until I wrote them down.

Here is a more recent list.

Wednesday October 21, 2009
Bagel and light cream cheese 300 calories
Nips candies 150 calories
Fiber One Bar 140 calories
Healthy Choice Pot Stickers 380 calories
Flavored Water 40 calories
Fiber one Bar 130 calories
Salad with dressing 90 calories
Diet Soda 0 calories
Popcorn 50 calories
Slice of toast 60 calories
===========================================
Total 1,340 calories

See what I mean? Much better. There is still some snacking going on. Considering this is one of those days where I leave home at 7:30 a.m. for class in the morning, work for 6 hours and then head to class in the evening, and I don't return home until around 8:45 p.m., this was still a pretty good day. I’m more aware of just how much these little snacks and sodas add up and take this into consideration when I don’t have access to healthier foods.

There are still days when my office is filled with yummy things people bring in and the little voice in my head whispers about how ‘good’ I’ve been. On the days when I cave in to temptations, I write this down in my food journal and flag them with little colorful stickies that stand out when I look at the book. Then the next time I’m tempted, I look at the number of little ‘flags’ and debate with myself just how much I really want that chocolate donut.

As simple as this may sound, it’s tough to remember to do. Just typing this post has reminded me of the multiple days I’ve skipped. But when I do remember to journal my food intake, it really works. Not only am I holding myself accountable for each and every thing I put into my mouth, but I’ve also started looking at food differently. I no longer eat something just to eat it. Because my calories are limited, I need to make every item count. Trust me when I say I’ve actually found myself enjoying my meals a whole lot more than I used to.

Before I go, I wanted to share with you guys a neat site I found. Not only does it have some great tips and tricks on eating healthy, but it has some awesome recipes!!! Definitely check it out. AND don’t forget to start listing what you are putting in your mouth. You might just be surprised…

http://www.hungry-girl.com/

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My New Calorie Tracker

I mentioned a few days ago that I was trying out a free trial of a computer program to track my food and exercise. I decided to buy this program from Calorie King tonight because I like how it allows me to click and drag many common foods into sections for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and Snacks. I can also customize foods and add them to my listings if they aren't in the system. Not only does it tell me the calorie count but also things like fat content, carbs, fiber, protein, etc. And it shows me in a chart how many units of each of these I've taken in for the day and how that compares to my limit as determined by what I input for my weight, height, rate of activity and weight goals (whether I wanted to lose or maintain). I actually shoot for fewer calories than it's telling me I can have, but not below the 1,200 limit that I've seen mentioned many places as the low end of the safety spectrum.

The program also allows me to put in what exercise I've done for the day, how many calories that has burned, and how that affects my allowable calorie intake. There's a check-in function that allows me to put in weekly weigh-ins and other info if I want. It also lets me track my fluid intake and lets me know how much more I need in the day. If it only had a place to keep track of steps, but that's okay. I'll put that in the check-in area.

After I've been using the program for awhile, there's a function that will let me see progress charts over time.

How do you all track your food intake, exercise, etc.? A computer program? Spreadsheet? Write it in a notebook?

Oh, and I killed a pedometer today. When I got home from running three hours of errands, I looked at it to see how many steps I'd tallied only to find it was dead, dead, dead. Luckily, I had another and strapped it on. I sure wish I knew what the step count was before the other one died. I feel pretty confident I went over 10,000 today. I've had more than 2,500 on the second one, and that's just been since about 3:30 this afternoon. Most of my walking was before that.

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Portion Size

Since Tawny has her nose to the grindstone trying to meet a book deadline, I'm filling in on her Tawny Thursday today. Hope you all don't mind. :)

If you're like me, you're not exactly sure what a portion size actually is for most foods. So I found this article on WebMD's site very useful. I particularly liked how they used common items such as a baseball, four dice and a CD to illustrate correct portion sizes for specific types of foods. There's also a section of the site that has many more items listed than in the side show/article above. Click here to pick a type of food and see its portion size. You can even download a printable PDF portion size pocket guide.

Here's an article from the CDC on portion size.

And it seems someone else was thinking about portion size about the time I was because here's an article on the topic from the Denver Post.

Do you have any tips that have worked for you regarding portion size?
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Progress:

I've started using an computer program to track my calorie intake and exercise. I'm in the initial 7-day trial now before I decide if I want to buy the program. I'll let you know how it goes and what I decide.

I haven't met my 10,000 steps the past couple of days. Yesterday, I was pretty much restricted to my office since we had workmen here cleaning the air ducts. They were here for 10 hours, in and out of all the rooms, so I didn't even approach the exercise equipment. Today was better with 15 minutes on the bike and 1 hour and 15 minutes of cleaning the house (all that dust that came from the duct cleaning). I think the duct cleaning will be worth it this winter when the heat runs a lot. The ducts were -- oh how shall I say this -- gross! No wonder my allergies acted up every time the AC or heat ran. Duh. And if I can keep the allergies and respiratory issues under control, I'll feel better and be able to exercise more. Yay, me!

Calorie intake yesterday: 1,046
Calorie intake today: 1,376 (but burned 304 through exercise)

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Fast Food Tips

I was on the road again this past weekend, and that always gets me to thinking about the eating choices at fast food restaurants. We all know that fast food can torpedo a daily calorie count faster than just about anything, but it is possible to make some choices that don't involve consuming your entire daily calorie allowance in one meal. Luckily, most fast food restaurants have their nutritional information available online, and they're often included in calorie count books you can keep in your purse or the glove compartment of your car. If you keep your calorie counts lower for the other meals in your day, you can consume some fast food for one -- whether by choice or necessity. I have to admit sometimes I crave specific fast foods like Chicken McNuggets. No, it's not haute cuisine, but I like what I like.

I saw an article today that mentioned how fast food restaurants in New York are now not only making the nutritional info available online but also displaying it prominently in their restaurants -- very handy for customers trying to make the best decision possible. This article, which can be read by clicking here, also includes some tips for making better fast food decisions.
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Progress:

After a weekend at a writers retreat where I was speaking, I was afraid the scales would reveal a weight gain today. But it didn't! Awesome. I really need to increase the exercise though because I've hit my first plateau. I'm sitting at the 12 pounds lost mark, and I've been here for awhile. I want to hit the next milestone of 15.

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Tips from Around the World

It's a well-known fact that Americans are some of the fattest people in the world. No wonder when we're the land of fast food, buffets, and sedentary lifestyles. We don't have the healthiest relationship with food as a country. And in the South, where I live, I think it's even worse because we haven't met a food we didn't want to roll in batter and deep fry.

This outlook Americans have on food versus how the rest of the world views food is why I thought this article from Reader's Digest magazine was interesting. It explores some of the eating habits of people who live in parts of the world where citizens don't tend to be as rotund as Americans. One of the hardest tips to follow is the first one on the list -- Stop eating before you're full. For a variety of reasons, we tend to eat until we have to start unbuttoning our pants to get some relief. Seriously, that's not very smart. Food is supposed to bring comfort (and nutrition), not discomfort.

So, why not try some of these tips from around the world and see if it makes a difference in how you feel and in your outlook on food.
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Progress:

While I was away over the past few days, I admit I made some poor eating choices. I let desserts tempt me, and I had a couple of Cokes. However, because I had a friend along who has also been making the effort to lose weight and succeeding (we both arrived at the conference having lost 12 pounds since the RWA National Conference), I did get some good exercise. Two nights in the gym and one night of 2-3 hours of dancing. Tomorrow I go back to some serious exercise and back to logging my food intake in my food diary.

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A Healthy Relationship with Food

In the second stage of guided communication on eharmony (yes, it can be complicated), one of the questions you can send is:

How do you feel about food?

A. I consider myself a gourmand and love to dine on elaborate meals as often as possible.

B. I just eat to live, trying to be healthy and consume little.

C. I like to eat and occasionally enjoy large meals.

D. I eat three regular meals a day without much additional thought.

I’ve never received or sent this question, but it does get me thinking. What is a healthy relationship to food? I know my past relationship with it was not healthy. How could it have been since I was obese for more than a decade? While I could really enjoy it and have many pleasant memories of past meals I’ve had, I also now realize that I’ve used it to anesthetize emotions I could not or did not want to acknowledge. I’ve eaten for reward: I’ve eaten when I was not hungry; I’ve eaten with abandon. For years food has controlled me more than I’ve controlled it, and I’m trying to change that.

I’m not sure what kind of relationship I should be working towards though. Is eating just for nutritional means the healthiest relationship one can have with food? The thought that I can reach the point that food is just food is a hopeful one, but I also feel a little sad at the idea that I should not let it bring me any joy. I love having great meals at delicious restaurants. I really like cooking tasty meals for myself or eating those cooked for me by someone who cares about me. I have had moments when I have thought of my next meal as only a source of energy, but I’m not sure I want to feel that way about all my future meals.

What is a healthy relationship with food? Do you know anyone who has one? What does it look like?

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Inaccuracy in Labeling

Since I've been counting calories, I've paid a lot more attention to the nutritional labels on food products. So I was not happy to see an article today that talked about how testing has shown that nearly 1/4 of the labels are inaccurate to some extent. To me, there is something fundamentally and morally wrong with inaccurately labeling food products when consumers' health depends on the accuracy of such listings. This isn't just true of people counting calories in order to lose weight. My mom has to buy a lot of sugar-free things now, but according to the article, sugar was found in a pie labeled sugar-free at a major store chain.

If you'd like to read the entire article, you can see it here.

I guess until the labeling becomes more accurate, maybe I'll overestimate a bit on the calorie counts. When unsure, I tend to do that anyway. I'd rather overestimate how much I'm eating than underestimate. I've often wished there was a machine you could put a prepared dish into and it would tell you accurately how many calories are in it. Wouldn't that be awesome?
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Today's progress:

Calorie intake: 1,123

Exercise: I'm still recuperating from being sick, but I made myself get outside and walk for 30 minutes today. Sure, I was exhausted afterward, but it was a first step back toward my normal hour of walking. Hopefully, I can get up to at least 45 minutes tomorrow. And an extra bonus -- it was a gorgeous fall day today -- cool, clear blue sky, low humidity, breezy. Perfect walking weather.

Steps: 10,120

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