Healthy Eating… According to my ‘Ideal’ Doctor
I am on strictly no-carbs this week to lose a few pounds that have snuck up on me. No-carb eating can be rough, I know this from experience, but it takes off pounds like nothing else I’ve found. So- an egg for breakfast, a salad for lunch, and a protein and veggie for dinner (tonight we’re having chicken and tomatoes stuffed with mozzarella). To drink: tea and water. It leaves one wanting a little more, but pounds drop off. I lost 15 pounds 2 years ago, and I’ve kept it off. So I know, when a few, and I mean 3, pounds sneak up on me- this works.
With that said, here is what my ideal doctor would say to me about healthy eating:
*ME: Should I cut down on meat and eat more fruits and vegetables?
Dr: You must grasp logistical efficiencies. What does a cow eat? Hay and corn. And what are these? Vegetables. So a steak is nothing more than an efficient mechanism of delivering vegetables to your system. Need grain? Eat chicken. Beef is also a good source of field grass (green leafy vegetable). And a pork chop can give you 100% of your recommended daily allowance of vegetable products.
ME: Should I reduce my alcohol intake?
Dr: No, not at all. Wine is made from fruit. Brandy is distilled wine, that means they take the water out of the fruity bit so you get even more of the goodness that way. Beer is also made out of grain. Bottoms up!!
ME: How can I calculate my body/fat ratio?
Dr: Well, if you have a body and you have fat, your ratio is one to one. If you have two bodies your ratio is two to one, etc.
ME: Aren’t fried foods bad for you?
Dr: YOU’RE NOT LISTENING! …Foods are fried these days in vegetable oil. In fact, they’re permeated in it. How could getting more vegetables be bad for you?
Q: Is chocolate bad for me?
Dr: Are you crazy? HELLO, Cocoa beans! Another vegetable! It’s the best feel-good food around!
I hope this has cleared up any misconceptions you may have had about food and diets.
AND…
For those of you who watch what you eat , here’s the final word on nutrition and health. It’s a relief to know the truth after all those conflicting nutritional studies.
1. The Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
2. The Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
3. The Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
4. The Italians drink a lot of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
5. The Germans drink a lot of beers and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than Americans.
CONCLUSION
Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.
*this has been adapted from one of those mass-forwarded emails that I seem to discover on Monday mornings
Mommy likes Escargot… No, not like SpongeBob’s pet snail- Gary
So we’re in the car, talking about food- 1 of my favorite topics.
My husband starts listing ‘funny’ names for food, and brings up escargot, you know, snails.
“Guess who loves to eat escargot.”
“Who?” My Little Man asked.
“Mommy.”
Then there was a moment of silence…
“You mean like Gary, SpongeBob’s pet snail?”
My husband and I quickly exchanged looks and realized that we were in that little cloud in a 5-year-old’s world where reality and pretend sometimes collide…
“Oh no!” I quickly interjected. “Gary is SpongeBob’s pet.”
Then my husband adds, “Plus, he lives in the ocean.” Like he’s safe from your carnivore mother because there is no way a person could get to a snail, or a crab, or God forbid- a fish, in the water.
“… Oh, okay,” My Little Guy said, in a tone that seemed he was not quite convinced, yet, at the same time, completely satisfied with our answers.
Ah, another question answered… not an example of superior parenting, but answered, none the less.
My Son Won’t Eat Mac n’ Cheese, But Olives- YES!
My son will not eat Mac n’ Cheese. He doesn’t like any kind of pasta…
I don’t know how he came from me. He doesn’t like a lot of icing on cake or cupcakes- that totally comes from me…
But yesterday was a new ‘You’ve got to be kidding me’ moment:
My son opened the fridge and saw black olives, “Mom, can I have a bowl of black olives for a snack?”
Ummm, okay. So I gave him a small bowl of olives, and he ate all of them. Then, as only a mother can do, I started thinking, ‘Are a lot of olives really good for a kid? Will it make his stomach upset?’
Stop it mom, he’s fine. A few olives never hurt anybody.
Avoid The Rush… Go Out The Night Before
It used to be pretty fun going out on special nights- New Year’s, Valentine’s Day; but as we all know: things change.
I’ve never been a fan of New Year’s Eve anyway, because it can rarely live up to the hype associated with it.
My answer: GO OUT THE NIGHT BEFORE.
I have now done this for New Year’s AND Valentine’s Day and it works great.
My husband and I now have a tradition of going out on December 30th- there aren’t the crazy crowds, babysitters are more readily available, and service isn’t rushed.
Fast forward to Valentine’s Day this year; we were planning on going out as a family for dinner to one of our favorite family restaurants on Saturday, February 14th…
then I got to thinking, ‘Everywhere is going to be packed, everybody’s going to be a little rushed’, and I quickly changed our plans-
We all went out to dinner on Friday, the 13th, had a wonderful dinner, the restaurant wasn’t very crowded
and then for Valentine’s Day we ordered chinese.
Moral of the story: Consider starting this tradition, it’s easier and then ‘ordering in’ the next night is a nice topper!
The Area’s Best Bakery – Woodmoor Pastry Shop
If you are driving through the intersection of University Blvd. and Colesville Road, you might miss the sign for the little bakery in Four Corners; if you do, turn around and go in.
The Woodmoor Pastry Shop is in the little strip mall at the intersection. There is parking in the front and a BIG parking lot in the rear. This place has been a family-owned and run business for over 50 years.
They have cookies, cakes, cup cakes, muffins, scones and GORGEOUS bread. But the best part: the taste. You just can’t find a better bakery and the prices are reasonable too!
My blogger buddy, A Parent In Silver Spring is a fan of this place… I first met her about a year ago and checked out her site
AND one of her first posts I ever read was extolling the virtues and tastes of this place. When I commented to her that The Woodmoor Pastry Shop is who made my wedding cake, I knew we would be fast friends.Then, a couple of weeks ago, we were over at my sister-in-law’s for dinner. They live way-out in Potomac. After dinner my brother-in-law brought out the most beautiful cupcakes and cookies I’ve ever seen…
I asked him where he got them;
“I always make a special trip down to The Woodmoor Pasty Shop in Four Corners for desserts; They’re the best.”
I told him they made our wedding cake and we laughed that we didn’t know that this place is both of our favorites for sweets and bread!
Joanna Gray, the owner, is usually there. Our family stopped by on Saturday for cookies and said hi…
The Woodmoor Pastry shop is an old-fashioned bakery, and they specialize in custom orders…
they can make you anything you want! Stop in and indulge yourself! They have out awesome Valentine’s Day treats right now!
The Woodmoor Pastry Shop, 10127 Colesville Road, Silver Spring. 301-593-7667
Remember to Drink… Your Water
A lot of people are trying to lose weight for their New Year’s Resolutions…
And when not trying to lose weight, the vast majority of people, especially women, are conscious of maintaining their weight, like myself.
**And for the people who eat and drink anything they want, all the time, and never gain weight, well, leave a comment and I’ll introduce you to each other, I think only a couple of you exist.**
With that said I was reminded the other day about how important it is to drink water…
I do not drink anything during the day except for tea and water; soda is empty calories. BUT, it is easy this time of year to continually sip nice warm tea or coffee, and then at the end of the day, realize that you are thirsty…
So- DRINK MORE WATER. If you are at home or in the car/SUV/minivan: have a glass or bottle of water on hand so you can sip it occasionally. Did you know that most Americans at any given time are dehydrated?
Drink some water. You’ll feel better. You’ll lose weight too.
Go ahead- drink!
Okay, I’m getting up to get a glass of water now…
Plum Pudding Has No Plums… Discuss
I had a music channel on TV, as I typically do. I usually listen to the ‘light classical’ channel but now have switched to the ‘sounds of the season’ channel since it is holiday time. Our Verizon Fios music channels feature factoids on the screen relevant to the music playing…
well, kinda relevant, for instance, this just came up:
‘The Traditional Holiday Dish of Plum Pudding has no plums in it. ‘
Really? Are you kidding me? This hit me as a bit absurd…
So I investigated.
Plum pudding is made from milk, soft bread crumbs, shortening, molasses, raisins, flour, finely chopped candied citron, ground cinnamon, baking soda, salt, allspice and cloves.
And it’s not really pudding, it’s more like a cake.
So why is it called ‘Plum Pudding’?
In the 17th century, plums referred to raisins or other fruits.
And there you have it! Get a good night’s sleep tonight, no need to toss and turn over the plum pudding question anymore,
Thank me later.
‘Kids Eat Free’ Nights!
Busy running around? No, me neither.
Take a break and go for dinner with your kids and your hubby to Austin Grill.
We went to Austin Grill last night for dinner. It’s quick, but not too quick, and the food is good.
BUT THE BEST PART is that ‘Kids eat free’ EVERY TUESDAY at Austin Grill,
at every location in Maryland, DC and Virginia.
Also right now at Cafe Deluxe, Kids get a FREE SUNDAE for dessert on TUESDAYS… at all 3 of their locations.
Our family loves going to Cafe Deluxe because the food is great, the service is wonderful and like Austin Grill, Cafe Deluxe is very kid-friendly.
Both restaurants have great kids menus and neither restaurant rushes you, yet keeps dinner moving so your child won’t get restless.
Enjoy!
And also a big thank you to A Parent In Silver Spring for first telling me about ‘Kids Eat Free’ Tuesdays at Austin Grill!
Thanksgiving Tips and Healthful Hints
It’s Thanksgiving Week! In honor of all our cooking and clean up
BananaBlueberry is talking with Andrea Astrachan, Consumer Advisor for Giant food.
Here are some helpful hints for moms:
Q. What foods are bargains this month… what can moms ‘stock up’ on and save money on right
now?Now is a great time to stock your pantry with items like canned soup and chowders, macaroni and pastas, baking items, canned fruit, maple syrup and stuffing mixes.
You may feel like you’ve had enough turkey for a while, but they are at their best prices right now. Buy one for Thanksgiving dinner and another to put in the deep-freezer – it will last six to eight months.
This is also the time of year when I stock up on supplies like aluminum foil, plastic bags and plastic wrap.
Q. What are some TIME-saving tips for making dinner?
• Plan meals for the week- make 2-3 meals and store in the refrigerator and freezer.
• Keep meals simple- shop for time savers like pre-cut or frozen veggies, grated cheeses, and bagged salads.
• On your way home, pick-up a cooked rotisserie chicken or turkey, or baked meatloaf; a loaf of whole grain bread; and a colorful salad from the salad bar.
• Try to cook one-dish casseroles or main courses like chicken cacciatore, meatloaf, and lasagna when you have more time; then freeze for later use.
• Dust off your crock-pot. Prior to leaving home, place chicken or beef, potatoes, carrots and onion with seasoning and water in the crock-pot. When you return, your dinner smells great and is ready to serve!Q. Can you suggest alternatives to unhealthy, as well as boring snacks for kids- like chips and pretzels?
Absolutely. Cutting back on the sugary, high-fat and high-sodium foods frequently offered in school cafeterias and vending machines is a great way to teach kids healthy eating habits early on. Some of our favorite alternatives at Giant include:
• Select small-sized fruits or serve fruit in different ways, like individual-sized fruit cups and applesauce cups
• Help kids get their “3-A-Day” of dairy with low-fat cheese, low-fat yogurt and string cheese
• Give kids a do-it-yourself project by giving them granola, trail mix, cereal or fruit as a “stir-in” for yogurt, applesauce or cottage cheese
• Popcorn – place it in fun bowels, snuggle up on the couch and call your family room a move theater
• Frozen yogurt – many are so creamy, you would think it was ice cream! (Look for the calcium fortified ones!)
• String cheese (Kids love to pull the strings!)
• Carrot and celery sticks in a clear plastic cup with low fat ranch dressing on the bottom as dip.
• Puddings made with fat free milk with a whipped cream smiley face
• Jell-O shapes – made with a cookie cutter
• Fruit salad – but for little ones, bring to the table singing the popular refrain, “fruit salad, yummy, yummy!”
• Frozen grapes
• 100 percent fruit juice pops
• Rice cakes – spread with peanut butter or soy nut butter on a rice cake. Make a face with raisin eyes, shredded carrot hair, dried fruit mouth or banana sliceNote: Popcorn, baby carrots and frozen grapes are choking hazards for children under the age of 4.
Q. Would you like to add any information or more tips for Moms?
For moms looking to get the best value as they shop, I’d offer these tips:
• Store brands are comparable (or better!) than national brands at a better value. Look for all of our Giant brand products: Giant Food, Nature’s Promise, Simply Enjoy!, Care One, and Companion Pet Food.
• Using the unit price on shelf tags helps you find the best value among comparable products.
• Try Big Buys. Meats in large quantities are not only great for large families, they help save money. Freeze portions for later use.
• Individual packages of snacks may cost more than larger packages. Repackage into single servings at home.
• Sometimes the salad bar is actually less expensive if you only need a small portion and the remainder of an entire package of the item will go to waste.Thanks Andrea and Giant for taking the time to give moms helpful hints this time of year!
Moms, Bloggers and Giant Food!
Yesterday I had the pleasure of attending a luncheon sponsored by
Giant Food. I got to enjoy a wonderful lunch, cool fellow DC Metro Mom Bloggers, and great tips on food and shopping from Giant.
Robin Michel, Executive Vice President of Giant, and a MOM, spoke to us, but more importantly, LISTENED to us about likes, and dislikes, and what would make our lives easier.
Giant is continuing to make their stores more ‘mom friendly’. Just look at the gift baskets they will be selling in all of their stores soon!
Aren’t they beautiful? And these will be reasonably priced. This translates to me= great, no-sweat gift to just pick up for a party/ housewarming/ pick-me-up for a friend!
The MOST IMPORTANT aspect of this luncheon was not that the food was delicious, (it was),
not that the company was great, (it was),
not that the information was helpful, (it was),
BUT that Giant food, is speaking 1-on-1 with mothers, their shoppers. Giant food is also recognizing the power of mom bloggers. I read just online yesterday that ‘mommy bloggers’ are taking over the world. And anyone who was at BlogHer DC in October can’t forget Leslie Stahl announcing that ‘blogging and the online community’- is the future.
Yes, we’re taking over the world, life is good, but like all mothers-
I must juggle world-domination with figuring out ‘what’s for dinner’. So, as Thanksgiving creeps closer, here are some helpful hints, courtesy of Giant:* Purchase ‘anytime’ items now (frozen food, canned food, beverages, decorations).
* Buy your turkey in advance and freeze it (just remember that a frozen turkey can take 2 to 4 days to defrost in your refrigerator)
* Use a meat thermometer to cook your turkey – to take the guess-work out!
AND PS- Giant is offering pre-made Thanksgiving dinners, if you don’t want to cook. AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, I may take advantage of this next one- pre-made/made-to-order SIDE DISHES for Thanksgiving…
I have a little secret– I ordered stuffing from the Giant deli YEARS AGO for Thanksgiving… and my father-in-law still raves about it (I hope he’s not doing a lot of online reading today, he still thinks it was homemade).
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