Not so 'super' market

We all need to eat.  We all need to get food in order to do so.  We pop in our car (or on a bike) and head off to the grocery store to get some good eats.

What awaits us is beautifully lined shelves stocked full of our favorite treats.  Bright colors, cool temps, wide aisles and more selections than there are women for Tom Cruise to choose from.  It's all designed to be appealing and trigger impulse purchases.

Do you know there are research and design teams whose sole purpose is to get us to buy their product, regardless of its' potential toxicity?  Companies who make their bread and butter from the average shopper don't give a rat's ass about what they are peddling.  They just want us to BUY, BUY, BUY, so they keep their job.

If you're a savvy shopper, you'll pick up on their ploys and put their product back where it belongs.  Well, ok...so it probably belongs in the trash, but seeing as how most grocery stores aren't keen on  shoppers throwing their goods in the trash...just refrain from buying their trash and put the item back where you found it.

As a savvy foodie (and savvy shopper) I have started looking at most grocery store food as nothing more than child's play.  Would I eat the play-doh french fries...um no, well why should I eat the real french fries?  They are equally nutritional.  Ever think of it like that?

The next time the donut box gets passed around at the office, try seeing the contents for what they are...fake food.  Feel like splurging on a sweet roll with your coffee?  Think again!  It's nothing more than disease, fat, high blood sugar, artery clogging causing crap.  It ain't food!  Most 'super'markets peddle fake food!  What's so super about that?

And don't think by shopping at Whole Foods you'll be as safe as a little kitten.  You still have to put your thinking cap on and discern the crap from the food.  My cap comes in the shape of education.  There are certain guidelines I follow when I'm shopping.   I always flip the item over and read the label.

LOOK FOR - 

• ORGANIC
• GMO - free (Genetically Modified Organism)
• 'Meat that is organic and no antibiotics and/or raised without antibiotics' (Prevention Magazine, November 2012, pg. 16)
• Very short ingredient list
• Coconut oil is a safe oil
• Short shelf life

AVOID - 

• Put item back on shelf if the ingredients read like a novel
• If I see the words 'soy' ANYTHING listed it automatically goes back on the shelf
• Avoid pretty much ALL oils (Safflower, Sunflower, Vegetable, Canola, even Olive)
• Drop item immediately if you see the word 'corn' in any form - usually it'll read 'corn syrup'
• Shop the outside aisles - produce is safe, meat and some dairy
• If something says it's 'low-fat/no-fat' this is an automatic NO-NO.  This will alter your metabolism and the sugar is most likely amped up to make up for the lack of taste.
• Watch out for trick words like "low fat", "no fat", "all natural", "healthy" - 'this will only tell you that no artificial colors or flavors have been added.  
• Don't trust 'anti-biotic free' or 'anti-biotic residues' - these are not USDA-approved terms for meat and should raise a red flag' (Prevention Magazine, November 2012, pg. 16)

Any questions, additions or comments....please share!

Friendly smack on the head!

Sometimes the sh*t hits the fan...it happens.  Guess what, all hope is not lost.  You are not defeated.  So you can't pass go.  So you can't collect $200.  So it has been too long since you've played Monopoly, I digress.

When you feel like throwing in the towel and saying, "It's too hard to be so good" just find something or someone who helps you get back on your savvy 'horse'.  Do not call your Debbie Downer enabler and wallow in the shallow water of pity...worse thing you can do.  Call up Positive Paul and get thee to a Whole Foods.  Smell the aromas of fresh Tarragon and regain control.

I've been having some doubts in my own abilities/capabilities and then, wouldn't you know, I got a call from a friend and I remembered why I'm still playing this savvy game.  

It's my life.  It's my health and damnit, no one else can do it but me.  

Press play and let the music inspire you...you've only got this one life.

Bring the 'beet' back!

My fabulous Veggie friend, Tambra Riddle, introduced me to a delicious spin on a burger,  (click on her name to check out her website which is chock full of other savvy ideas!).  She dropped the beets in this healthy burger and I was impressed with the yumminess so I cooked 'em up for the fam last night.  The results were overwhelmingly positive and now I'm passing the love along.

What's in a beet?  This powerful little phytonutrient (ala Belatins) provides a great source of fiber, potassium, vitamin C and iron...just to name a few.  They are also anti-inflammatory and give their consumers a boost of antioxidants.

"In recent lab studies on human tumor cells, betanin pigments from beets have been shown to lessen tumor cell growth through a number of mechanisms, including inhibition of pro-inflammatory enzymes (specifically, cyclooxygenase enzymes). The tumor cell types tested in these studies include tumor cells from colon, stomach, nerve, lung, breast, prostate and testicular tissue." -- http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49

The recipe also incorporates brown rice, flaxseed and lentils...more sources of fiber and protein.  What's not to love?  I promise, after you try one of these beets, you won't miss the meat.  Hey...I'm a poet and I know it!

What's in your burger?

The good stuff - 

These portions will yield (approximately) 12 burgers...I highly advise freezing any unused portion and then cooking them when the next meal comes around.

If you don't want to put this in the food processor, getting to this step was yummy enough for me to eat as is! 

12 Tbl water

6 Tbl ground flaxseed (you can also use ground Chia seeds)  - DO NOT SKIP THIS INGREDIENT, this is the binding agent

2 Tbl olive oil (divided) - I used more than 2 via eye balling 

2 cups crimini mushrooms, cleaned and coarsely chopped (I don't like mushrooms, so I skipped this)

1 cup yellow onion, coarsely chopped (I just used a small little onion, no measuring needed)

6 Tbl tamari (or low Sodium soy sauce, which is what I used)

2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp Dijion mustard

1 tsp salt (eye balled)

1 tsp ground rosemary (which, let me tell you is nowhere to be found, so I used 1/2 tsp all spice and 1/2 tsp coriander) 

1/2 tsp black ground pepper (eye ball)

3 cups cooked green lentils (drained)

3 medium sized beets finely shredded

2 3/4 cups cooked short grain brown rice, divided (p.s. short grain takes about 50 to cook)

This truly looked like raw meat, kind of made me think I could really fool some of my favorite carnivores...hmmmmm

1.  In a small bowl, combine water and ground flax or chia seeds.  Stir and set aside to thicken

2.  In a saute pan over medium heat, heat a splash of olive oil.  Add mushrooms and onion and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring infrequently, until onions are caramelized.  Add tamari (soy sauce), garlic, mustard, salt, spices and pepper.  Fold in lentils, beets and 1.5 cups of brown rice.

3.  In a food processor, add saute pan contents and seed/water mixture and process for (roughly) 20 seconds.  Transfer processed mixture into medium sized bowl.  Stir in remaining rice.

4.  In a saute pan or skillet over medium heat, heat remaining oil.  Once pan is hot, form small patties and cook 'em up.  Cook for 5 minutes until golden brown, flip, and then cook 5-7 minutes longer.  This time will varry.

5.  OR preheat oven to bake at 350 - place patties on a foil covered cookie sheet.  Be sure to put a bit of oil on the foil first!  Then slightly coat top of patties with olive oil.  Bake patties on one side for 20 minutes, take them out, flip them over and return to oven for another 10-15 minutes.

I put a bit of mustard on mine.  It's also fabulous with sliced avocado.  You can use a sprouted grain bun (or other types of buns). 

BRING THE BEET BACK!

Addictions

Are there some things in your repertoire of culinary habits you simply cannot kick?  For me there are three: coffee, chocolate and wine  I flat out refuse to give those three up.  Fortunately, each one is linked with some health benefits!!


So what to do to make them more savvy?  Here are some healthy options for gratifying your taste buds without sacrificing your waist line.


Black coffee is not something I can tolerate.  When I was a vegan (a four month flirtation) I trained my buds to get past the bitter taste.  After a year of drinking it straight black, my tummy said...yeah, we need to do something about this.  So I re-introduced half n' half.  I'm the kind of gal that REFUSED to put chemically enhanced creamers into my hot beverage, no matter if they were creme brulee flavored or otherwise.


I wanted to get away from dairy and I recently discovered a chocolate hazelnut non-dairy milk.  I am in heaven every time I sip my morning joe!!!  It's so delectable.  Where to find this amazing beverage?

http://www.amazon.com/Pacific-Natural-Foods-Non-Dairy-Containers/dp/B002BG38I2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332258469&sr=8-1

Whole Foods will sometimes carry the small four pack of this product, but I have to order it from Amazon.  I made it super easy for you...just click on the link.  Here's a link to Pacific Foods site for more information:  http://www.pacificfoods.com/our-foods/nut-grain-beverages/all-natural-hazelnut-chocolate-non-dairy-beverage-1

When I need some chocolate, I try to opt for dark chocolate instead of milk.  The taste has grown on me and now I actually prefer it.  My go-to for my fix is Lindt's Dark Chocolate with Sea Salt...hello lover!!
For four squares, which I reserve only for special needs, there are 190 calories, 13 fat grams and 24g of carbs.  I usually enjoy two squares at a time and certainly not everyday.  Moderation is key here.  Because it's not overly milky or sweet, two squares does the trick!  I stock up on these bad boys at Target!


And finally for wine, I absolutely love Our Daily Red.  It's an organic wine.  Organic wines are free from all the nasty 'cides' that their counterparts endure.  If you have ever had a negative reaction to wine (blotchy red spots on face, etc) that is mostly due to sulfites.  Guess what....organic wines do not have 'em!!  It's a pure wine and there are many out there for you to choose from!

http://www.amazon.com/2010-Our-Daily-Organic-750ml/dp/B006CGWN56/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1332259413&sr=8-1

As with everything, moderation is key.  But the key to success is knowing how to be savvier about your selections!  

If you tell yourself  'I can't, I can't, I can't' you may find yourself over indulging because you feel deprived.  Deprivation does not get you back into your skinny jeans.  Being savvy will!  Don't give up, just find ways to enjoy the things you love without a guilt trip!

What do you love?