Cafe Thursday - Don’t Get the Seafood

Normally to celebrate Cafe Thursday, I include a fun recipe.  Today, however, I can barely think of food so I thought I would use today as a caution to all my friends and family who do read this blog sometimes.  And just what is my tip today?  Don’t order the seafood!

I used to think that if you went to an overpriced joint that specialized in seafood you should be able to order anything off the menu and not worry. . .right?  Oh boy, am I a fool or what?  (DBs, that is rhetorical. . please don’t answer.)  After eating at a very nice, expensive chain restaurant the other night, both DH and I came down with a very yucky, yet mild case of food poisoning.  My advice from now on is to. . well. . what can you order these days?  And from where?

I just heard on the news, while in bed with food poisoning actually, that a popular food chain in my area is recalling ground beef because it has issues.  It seems that tomatoes and spinach and peppers are all a bit risky now days, and of course seafood is among the worst offenders.  So I ask, what can we eat?  Even my vegan daughter is not safe if she orders a spinich salad.  Between the dangers of eating anything with high froctose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils and the fear of food poisoning in meat and veggies, what are we left with?  What can we eat with confidence that it will nourish us instead of kill us?  Do we all have to become farmers and raise our own stuff?  And if we did, would it matter?  Good Grief what have we done?!

(picture here Charlie Brown with his arms raised in frustration)

I am not really giving any answers here, I am more asking the question. . .what do you do?  I myself am now leaning toward believing that there is not much we can do but make the best decisions we can and trust God for the rest. . .

Cafe Thursday - 5 Somewhat Healthy Snacks

My DD and I are trying very hard to adopt a new healthy way of eating and snacking. After years of unhealthy habits, it is hard, but there are a few really delicious snacks that help us stay on track. I thought I would share them here, some are healthier than others, so eat at your own risk. . .

1. Veggies with Ranch or Veggie Dip - I know, the dip is a bit questionable, but come on, as long as we all are getting more veggies in us. . .let them have the white goo.

2. Chips and Salsa - Meijers has an organic blue corn chip with sesame seeds that are soooooo good, and relatively good for you. Put some salsa in a bowl with some diced alvacado and you have a healthy snack with lots of antioxidents.

3. Fruit - All the kids I know have at least one favorite fruit, so go ahead and fill up a bowl of their favorites and set it right in the middle of your table.

4. Smoothies - Now that summer is here, it is so easy to find fresh, ripe fruit that a sweet smoothie is super easy. I use 100% juice, yogurt (regular or soy), a banana and whatever fruit I have handy. If you add some whey protein to this it can even be a healthy meal replacement.

5. Nuts & Raisins - When I was growing up my Mom would mix peanuts and candy corn together for my dad and I love that snack. Now that I am older, I try to stay away from candy and don’t let my kids have it much either. But I have found that adding raisins to any healthy nut is a great snack that fills me up when I am out and about.

Book Review - The Hamptons Diet

I read this diet book in just two sittings, which is a new record for me.  For while I can devour fiction books, especially mysteries, it usually takes me months to finish most non-fiction literature.  I really wanted to get to the recipes in the back of this book, but found much of the medical information very informative.

I am not new to the whole low-carb diet craze.  About 5 years ago I lost 45 pounds and have kept most of it off by doing the Atkins Diet Plan.  The thing about the Atkins plan though that has always bothered me was the huge emphasis on fatty meat and dairy.  I also found that many of the meal replacements were my only option for times when I was away from home and these foods are loaded with additives and preservatives and all things man made. 

I am finding that as I get older, I desire a more natural diet.  I will no longer tolerate fake sugar of any kind, high fructose corn syrup or hydrogenated oils.  I think I liked this book so much because it agreed with me on the status of these foods and explained why they are so bad for us.  I like trying to find new ways to add vegetables into my diet and this book has some nice recipes to help do that.

There is no magic pill, diet or surgery.  The key to weight loss over the long haul really does seem to be a balanced approach; cut down on caloric intake and increase the excercise.  This book is no miracle cure, but if you are on the road to a healthier you, it is worth a peek if only for the recipes. 

All Natural Favorites

My DD and I have been dieting/fasting for over three weeks now, and I have to say that we are having a bit of fun. It turns out that we actually like the health food store, and we both like the challenge of finding the healthiest, most naturally made foods. It is especially exciting when they taste great. So I thought I would share with you today some favorite staples from the last few weeks.

1. For me has to be veggie chips. My favorite brand so far is EatSmart Veggie Crisps, but I also really enjoy the Good Health Veggie Chips. I have many more brands to try, but these are great, eaten in moderation of course.

2.  My brother turned us on to another natural snack that is fantastic, but you have to try different brands to find the one you like best.  Blue corn nacho chips are super good and can be made even better with some homemade guacamole.  The brand we liked the best was the Meijer Organic Blue Corn Chips with Sesame Seeds.

3.  Our local health food store has a smoothie bar and bakery in it, and they make some delicious little date ball things that are very good and great for the sweet tooth.  You could make these yourself by taking some ground nuts, dates and raisins, smushed bananna and rolling them into a ball and then dropping them in coconut. 

4.  Fresh fruit.  I can’t say it enough, I love fruit.  After being on the Atkins Diet on and off for over 7 years, it is such a joy to pick up an apple, orange, bananna or grapefruit and dig in.

5.  Fresh vegetable stir fry.  To me, it matters not what seasonings you use, stir frying fresh veggies with some oil and spices is pretty close to heaven.  Add these veggies to a plate of brown rice and one could really feast quite happily.

Have any great fresh or all natural food favorites?  I would love to hear them, we are trying to make this a healthy lifestyle change and need all the ideas and tips we can get.

Fasting for a Healthy Mind and Body

A few weeks ago my DB challeneged me to take part in a fast with him.  I wasn’t excited about it, but told him I would do it.  DD is also doing it, and her only stipulation was that we wait until after her birthday and Easter to start. 

 So it is that I find myself this morning beginning a 20 day fast.  We are doing the Daniel Fast, which is basically only fruit, veggies, nuts and water.  No animal products, yeast, or caffine, of course it is the latter that has me the most sad this morning.  I LIVE on coffee, I drink it all day long in fact.  I guess anything I am that dependant on must go, before it becomes some kind of idol, but boy this is harder than I thought it would be and it isn’t 9 am yet!

 I am interested to see if I feel any healthier or if some of my bad sugar and wheat addictions are cured after this fast.  I did the Atkins Diet 5 years ago and stuck with it for a couple of years and lost 50 pounds, and I know from that experience that once you get a week in, the cravings for sugar and carbohydrates do leave.  I am also taking this time to try and become more spiritual.  I want to focus on my faith and my family just a bit more.  I will be documenting my spiritual journey in my daily devotional blog.

Here’s to a quick and successful 20 days!

Finally Friday Fun - With the Flu?

I have the flu today, and it is really kicking my behind!  I got it last night after I got home from work and it had me in my bed by 6:30 pm.  I felt like a truck hit me!  I did not have any stomache trouble, it just started with a scratchy throat and by 6:30 had progressed to full body aches and a pounding head and feeling like I needed an ice shower.

I quickly took some medicine and went to bed.  One dose didn’t do it, but after taking another dose this morning and a nap I am much better.  I feel like I have a head cold now, but the debilitating body aches are gone.    What medicine did I use?  The one that always seems to cure me within 24 hours, Vicks NiQuel Cold and Flu.  I have been using it for years and it has never let me down.

A friend of mine wanted me to try some of her Colloidal Silver, but I was a bit skeptical.  Even more so after reading about Paul Karason, you know, the blue guy, on some news sites.

How about you?  How do you fight colds and the flu?

Y-ME for Us

I signed my DD and I up today for the Y-ME national Breast Cancer walk.  We will be doing the 3 mile walk, not the 5k quite yet.  This is the first time that we have participated, and I am so excited to be doing this.

My focus for this year is loving others, my kids, my family, my friends, and others.  This seems to be a great step in that direction.  Not to mention the fact that it is hard to wallow in self pity when you are focusing on how to help others, when you are trying to think of ways to reach out.

This even is way out of my comfort zone, as I don’t like crowds and I don’t like going downtown, and Sundays are for resting and relaxing. . .but I just can’t wait for this event.

I encourage everyone to pick and event, pick a cause, pick a person and get involved.  Love someone else a bit more today.  I think you will find that in the end, in spite of yourself, you will be happier too just because you tried.  I challenge you, if you are reading this, to think of a way today that you can get involved with a person or a cause and what you can do to beging helping.

If you are a friend, and feel like donating, please do.  If not, just think about the challenge above.  Here is my personal site for donating to my walk.

Beginning Running

I stared running daily recently, and thought I would share some helpful links and tips for starting a running routine.

1.  Start small and slow.  I am running at a slow speed for 20 minutes at least 5 days a week right now.  I don’t expect to loose weight or be able to run a marathon anytime soon, but I am doing something good for myself that will payoff eventually.  Right now, I can run/jog for 20 minutes so that is what I am doing.  I did find another plan that I would use if I wasn’t already well on my way with my own workout at the Cool Running website.

2.  Warm-up!  I didn’t do any warm-ups (I know, I know, very bad) the first two days I was running, and my back quickly reminded me that I am not in my 20s anymore.  I was able to find a routine that does work on my sore areas.

3.  I check the Runners World website regularly for inspiration.  I would someday like to run a race or something, but for now, I will just read about others who do and enjoy their stories and use them to inspire me to keep it up.  It is also a great place for finding running gear and the latest gadgets.

4.  I read my Women’s Health Magazine religiously.  This is a great magazine, really.  It has great articles, recipes and tips.  There is a new workout each month that you can do right at home, and there are also great articles on ways to be more healthy.  Check out their website to get a pretty good feel for the types of articles and tips they have.

5 New Healthy Changes for 2008

Not really a New Year’s Resolution, but my family and I are trying very hard to be healthier.

1.  We definitely want to stay away from hydrogenated oils.  If you have not read anything about this, I recommend that you do.  I am not sure I really think that it is the root of all evil, as some claim, but I do think it is an artificial substance that I can keep my family away from without too much trouble.

2.  We are also trying very hard to snack on and eat lots of pure fruits and vegetables.  This is not quite as easy in Chicago in the middle of winter as it is in the spring and summer, but it can be done.

3.  We are moving from drinking soda to drinking water, and the occasional healthy (100 % pure) juice.  I have never been a big water lover, and so neither of my children are either, but we are trying to change that this year.

4.  No more artificial sweeteners.  I don’t really care if they are the best thing since sliced bread or if they really are killing us, they are not natural and therefore we will stop consuming them.  I do know that if I have them, I get a certain stomach discomfort that I would rather avoid, and if DD consumes them, she gets headaches.  It could be all in our heads, but we feel better without them.

5.  Finally, we are gonna move.  My DD and I have pedometer and we are going to do at least 10,000 steps 5 days a week.  I am also hoping that some of those steps will eventually be at a running pace, but we are starting slow and just walking for now.