Life As It Is.

Eat Real Food.

No dinner post tonight. I promised Avery I wouldn't make turkey untll she was home to help. Since the girls are gone for the night and Seth doesn't care for turkey, I figured we'd just have leftovers. Instead though, I thought I would answer a couple questions that have come through my email this week.

First, a friend asked why I consider the BBQ chicken pizza unhealthy. Primarily that stems from my frustration with BBQ sauce. It is impossible to find a storebought BBQ sauce that is healthy. The first ingredient in BBQ sauce is always high fructose corn syrup or sugar (and a bunch of other unnecessary junk). When summer returns and I have an endless supply of fresh, organic tomatoes growing in my garden, I may experiment with making my own BBQ sauce. In the meantime, I just recognize that it is something that we don't eat very often, so I try not to fret over it. Secondly, the cheese. We used to eat a lot of cheese. We still eat cheese (especially since Sadie and I don't drink any milk), but we eat a lot less. For the pizza, I use one pound of fresh mozzarella for two large pizzas, so not too bad. The otherreason that I would say it isn't a healthy recipe is because most would make it with white flour....definitely no nutrition there. So, if I had a better BBQ sauce, I could put this in the healthy category because I have control over the flour and the cheese.

Which leads to another question that the same friend asked and that several people have asked me in the last few years, which is basically, "what do you keep in mind when making a healthy meal?"

There isn't a short answer, and honestly, the list grows as time (and my knowledge) goes on. I started with certain things and have gradually added more and more considerations. But here are some of the things I consider when feeding my family.

-Eat as many whole foods as possible. Food that grew in the ground or has a mama. Avery is hungry every couple hours. From the time she was old enough to tell us (or sign) she was hungry, we've had the rule that she can have all the fruits and veggies that she wants. If it is between meals, she knows she can grab a piece of fruit or some sliced peppers anytime. She has never met a fruit she doesn't like (and few vegetables); we always have a large selection of fruits and veggies available and in a variety of colors (eat the full spectrum of the rainbow and you get all those amazing nutrients/antioxidants your body is hungry for). Fiber is my friend.

-Whole grain or 100% whole wheat. I try to avoid the white stuff. No refined carbohydrates. If it has enriched flour, I put it back (most of the time). There is almost always an alternative that is whole grain. This goes for bread, cereal, crackers, tortillas, rice, pasta, etc. The 5 ingredient rule is a good rule of thumb when it comes to these items (see below). Just because you buy a whole grain option doesn't necessarily mean it is good for you, so watch out for things like whole wheat buns that have high fructose corn syrup in them (made that mistake once), oatmeal with sugar, whole grain cereal or granola bars that are highly processed with all kinds of junk. Look further than the "whole grain" stamp on the front of the box.

I try to buy as little processed food as possible. If it has ingredients that small children can't pronounce, we probably don't need to eat it (or I can make it at home with real ingredients). I prefer that our food be actual food (not manufactured, foodlike substances) and not just additives & preservatives that allow what was once a food to now have a shelf life. Real food rots. ("If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't."-Michael Pollan) The more ingredients listed on a food, the more likely it is to be processed, so look for labels with fewer than 5 ingredients (this is a generalization, but if you are a label-reader, you know the truth I'm getting at). Bread is a good example of this...next time you are at the store, try comparing the labels on bread. The best bread has 5 ingredients.

Avoid empty calories. I've always had the mindset that if I don't really enjoy a food (particularly something unhealthy), I don't want to waste my calories on it. Seth calls it "picky" but it really isn't so much picky so much as that I don't see the point of eating empty calories unless it is worth the taste. (He bought a bunch of junkfood to fill my Christmas stocking (funnyman); now he is seeing it appear in his lunchbox. He can't figure out why I wouldn't eat raspberry milano cookies- the taste just isn't worth the calories to me. Newman's Own PB cups, on the other hand....worth it to me occasionally).

If we buy something with a label, we read said label. We avoid high fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils, ingredients we can't pronounce, derivatives of corn and soy, foods that contain any sweetener in the first few ingredients (there are something like 40+ sweeteners to watch for)....

Homemade treats. I enjoy treats. Baked goods are comforting. The thing is, they can be nourishing too, if we make them at home. I have no problem eating treats or allowing my kids to have treats; I just want them to be homemade so that I can decide what goes in there. That way I can use whole grain flour; a natural, unrefined sweetener; no dyes or preservatives or other chemical crap. I can use oats, raisins, fruits, veggies, etc. to make it a treat that still has some value in it, despite being a treat.

I want my family to enjoy what I cook, so my goal is to make the food tasty, but make it as nutritious as possible at the same time. So I look for substitutions I can make, I decrease unnecessary fat, sugar, etc. I look for more nutritious , value-added ingredients that will allow us to partake of the foods we love and not feel deprived, but also be the best source of fuel for our bodies. I'm trying to teach my kids why we make the choices that we do and they sincerely love learning and understanding what we're doing and why. They enjoy checking labels for sodium, partially hydrogenated oils and HFCS, or whatever else. I don't want to demonize fat, carbs, or calories to my children, but I don't have a problem with demonizing HFCS, partially hydrogenated oils, or excessive sugar or sodium. There are certain things that our body just has NO need for. I try to cook with the real version of things, not a version that has been processed to make it lowfat, light, etc. Better to have the real thing in moderation than a frankenfood (think butter/margarine).

So, there is part one. Eating healthfully is priority. The next consideration I make involves buying organic when possible. "Organic" doesn't make it healthy. There are plenty of "organic" foods that are highly-processed and/or have no useful nutritional content. So when I buy organic, the same rules above apply...I'm just looking for organic whole foods. Make sense? Buy organic bananas, not organic soda.

Buy local when possible. I'm honestly not very good at this yet, with the exception of produce. You have to ease into some of these things because it can be expensive to buy organic & local across the board. But I'm working on it.

I know I've mentioned Michael Pollan several times, but if you want a short, easy book that gives lay-person rules for eating healthfull (as opposed to his other books which are in-depth and scientific), get "Food Rules". You can read it in an evening and is a great launching pad for eating wisely.

Thanks for putting up with my soapboxes. I realize that my enthusiasm for certain topics can come across as preachy, and while that isn't my intent, I can understand that perception. When I find something that makes my life better in some way, whether it is my personal relationship with God, the joy I find in being a parent, or my enthusiasm for nutrition- I can't seem to help but want to share that with people I care about. Seth has a philosophy that you don't give a person a gift that they want, but a gift that you have and love. I guess I want to gift you with the things I consider to be gifts in my life...whether you want them or not. :)

Real food.

I just wanted to mention a couple blogs that I've been enjoying with regards to eating whole, unprocessed food. Written by the mom of a family who has committed to eating "real" food for 100 days (you can read their "rules" defining real food). If you are familiar with Michael Pollan's books, this will be nothing new to you. They have a blog documenting their experience of eating unprocessed food for 100 days, and a second blog that often has recipes made with healthier ingredients. I love getting new ideas for healthy meals to make my family that use the alternative ingredients I try to use (we've been eating from Jillian Michaels' cookbook a lot and we have some definite favorites), so I wanted to share those blogs with those of you that might enjoy them.

Food Revolution.

The Fine Print.

Rant ahead. Consider yourself warned.

So I mentioned that I would be posting about "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution", a new show that premiered a couple days ago. When I saw the previews for the show, I knew I would enjoy it, but I also knew it would probably frustrate me, and indeed it did.

I have given myself a couple days to try to compose my opinions into a meaningful and thoughtful post, rather than just running on at the mouth about a personal pet peeve in a way that might offend someone. I cannot guarantee that I will be successful in that endeavor. I will acknowledge also that some of my strong feelings may have been a result of having learned minutes before watching the show of the passing of the health care bill.

The premise.

"I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It's time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!" -Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver (a chef) is taking an initiative to revolutionize the way that people think about food and therefore, change what we eat in an effort to take on our nation's epidemic of obesity and disease. Jamie's efforts begin in Huntington, WV, which has the title of the unhealthiest city in the nation. Much of the first show was dedicated to detailing the challenge Jamie had at hand when it came to addressing the school lunch program in the school district.

I was appalled at the food that was on the menu set out by the district in accordance with the USDA's guidelines. Not necessarily surprised, but definitely appalled. These children are eating two meals a day at the school and so little of it had any real nutritional value whatsoever. Pizza for breakfast and chicken nuggets for lunch. I found myself wondering (in anger) if a nutritionist got any say in what food is given to these kids. The importance of adherence to the guidelines was quite evident, yet there didn't seem to be an understanding of the spirit behind the guidelines. The food on the school menu was packaged, processed, preserved...lacking in nutrient content. And the excuse/explanation was that it was quick to prepare and the children eat it. (Ex: flavored milk vs. lowfat plain milk, sugary fruit cocktail vs. raw fruit, white grains vs. whole grains, fried vs. roasted)

If it doesn't grow in the ground or have a mother, don't eat it.

As Jamie sets out to change the meals offered, the school cooks were adamant that the children wouldn't eat fresh, healthy options. At this point my blood was boiling. SO WE AREN'T GOING TO FEED OUR CHILDREN REAL FOOD BECAUSE THEY DON'T LIKE IT?!! SERIOUSLY? First of all, they don't want to eat it because their taste buds are so bombarded by salt and sugar every time they eat that fresh food tastes bland and boring. If they didn't eat those things on a regular basis, they would be able to better appreciate the flavors of fresh, real food that was grown in the ground rather than made with a machine. You have to teach them what to eat. Don't make all the junk an option, because of course that will be what they choose if they have the choice. But if the options are fresh, wholesome and nutritious, and that is the ONLY choice they have, they will eat it if they are hungry!

Give the children some responsibility. Teach them about why those choices are better. Explain how their bodies use that food and why it is important to feed your body the fuel that it needs to operate properly. Explain why whole grain offers your body what it needs while all the "white" options have been stripped of everything that might be useful to the body. Give your kids some credit, they can start making good choices for themselves no matter what the age. I'm not saying they shouldn't have choices. But the choice can be: broccoli or carrots? chicken or turkey? 

Eat less, move more.

I think we need to raise the awareness of the impact of our food on our bodies. I don't know if we take for granted that people will just know this stuff, or if people do know and just choose to ignore it, but whatever the issue, we need to take responsibility for our health. So many of the diseases that we are suffering from and dying from are a direct result of the food we eat. Let's start to battle health care costs by first taking responsibility for the things we have control over. Eat nutritious food. Move your body. 

Heart disease with a side of diabetes, please.

I've been learning more and more about the preservatives, chemicals, hormones, additives, etc. that we've made a part of our daily diet and how they change the way our bodies work, resulting in a multitude of metabolic implications. I've been shocked to learn how greatly all these items contribute to many health problems beyond the usual ones we're all aware of. I wish I had educated myself about these things sooner.
And I would be less than forthcoming if I didn't admit that at times I've wondered to myself if these things had any hand in my mom's cancer, or Sadie's tumor, or a host of other things. I don't waste my energy dwelling on those things, but they have crossed my mind.

I was talking with my grandma on the phone today and she was asking me if I'm still eating organic food. She told me that when she was young and living in New Mexico, the food that they farmed didn't have anything sprayed on it or added to it. We don't live that way anymore. If you want to eat that way nowadays, you have to make a conscious effort. I wish that weren't so.

90/10

Now I like the tasty but nutritionally useless items as much as the next person, but I'm doing my best to teach my children by example that those choices should be treats, things we eat once in a while, not as staples. I in no way want to make my kids think that they "aren't allowed" to eat sweets or white bread or chocolate milk, I just want them to make enough good choices that the occasional bad choice will have minimal impact (90%healthy, 10%treat). We try to make many of our treats from scratch so that we can make them out of healthier ingredients and we know exactly what is in them. I eat the whole grain options on a daily basis so that I can occasionally have a cajun turkey sandwich (which is served on a white roll) at Roosters or club mex on challah at Einsteins. :)

Children need to be educated on how to make healthy food choices. Adults need to be educated for that matter. When you know better, you do better. Or at least that is what I choose to believe and I know that it is certainly true in my own life. 

Thank you, Jamie.

I guess I should probably end it here because I could go on and on, and besides, I just remembered how irritated I am that physical education is being removed from schools. That could be an entire rant in itself. So I'll wrap it up here, despite the fact that I know I'm forgetting half of what I had bottled up. I invite your feedback. I'm certainly not a nutrition expert. Just a girl with a lot of opinions. I am thankful for shows like this that challenge us to do better, raise our awareness, and hopefully educate us.