Momma doesn't always know best...

I recently traveled to Savannah Georgia for a mini vacation.  I’ve heard so many good things about this city so when I had the opportunity to go, I did.  In addition to its history, beauty, and culinary highlights, the underlying motivation to visit this destination was… Paul Deen.

I know the internal praises are being sung – great personality, sweet southern accent, uses butter in everything, etc.  I also know the external criticisms are flying – overrated, responsible for the obesity of American children, uses butter in everything, etc.  Even though some (you choose) of those criticisms are absolutely correct, there are plenty of people who are in love with the “Queen of Southern Cuisine” from Savannah,  and I’m one of them.   

...from Congress Street

...waiting room

She began her culinary empire in this town and still lives on one of the exterior islands.  Her renown “Lady and Sons” restaurant is located in a wonderfully quaint area of the city, but unfortunately it’s within this location where one of those criticisms in particular is applicable.

Leopold's - Fantastic B-day Cake Ice Cream!

I had heard from friends and townies themselves that this place is overrated, so while I made sure to stop in to say I saw the place, I opted to dine at other less-famous and more locally known establishments.  After all, I believe it’s in this type of eatery that you will find the best local cuisine any town has to offer (Vinnie Van Go Go's and Leopold's!). TV has its celebrity chefs, whom are great, but too often their flagship restaurants can’t support the hype.

This principle was also manifested in the Paula Deen product line into which I bought.  I purchased the Sweet Potato Biscuit mix from a local shop on the river as a way to commemorate my trip, and because I love sweet potato biscuits.  However, once I got home I realized the error of my ways.  This mix contained flour, sugar and baking powder.  That’s it.  Are you kidding me?   

I still had to try it as not to waste my investment in the queen’s empire, and I was even more disappointed with the finished product.  I had made sweet potato biscuits before, from scratch, and the PD biscuits had a strange, metallic taste to them.  Not pleasant.  With the remainder of the ingredients (yogurt, mashed sweet potatoes) I bought to use with this mix, I promptly made another batch from scratch using my own organic whole wheat flour, organic turbinado sugar, and baking powder. 

 

That’s more how I like it.  These were delicious.  The funny thing is - this recipe is part of the Deen empire as well.  Paula’s sons, Jamie and Bobby, published this recipe that I found on Dr. Oz’s site.  Let the family feud begin.

I don’t know what PD was thinking with that pre-made mix (not that she was standing at the conveyor belt putting the ingredients together), but her boys definitely got it down with their recipe.  I’m certain it has everything to do with type and quality of ingredients, but I’m not a fan of the product line.  I am however still unabashedly a fan of the matriarch, and that won’t change no matter how much butter she uses.

The Restaurant Menu Highway...

I’m an English major and an editor.  I work with words daily.  I love adjectives, and I like to think I know how to use them.  “Edible product” corporations know how to use them as well.  Modifiers including, but no limited to doused, drenched, slathered, and smothered permeate commercials and menus everywhere.  This post stems from a radio advertisement I heard yesterday from the advertisers at a very popular food chain.  It featured “skewers smothered in sauce.”  Since when did that kind of hyperbolic modifier heighten appetites?  

A nationwide waffle eatery takes its adjectival employment to the extreme.  This chain offers potatoes that can be scattered, smothered, covered, and/or chunked in additional to various other descriptive versions.  As if the simple carbs of poor-quality white potatoes aren’t bad enough, this joint gladly tops this side choice with fat (fried onions), more fat (cheese), and even more fat (sausage gravy).  How ‘bout them adjectives?

...pick your potato adjective

But this should be something that can be easily avoided… barring any cravings or out-of-necessity nourishment when this chain is the only option… at the last exit on the highway… and the next exit isn’t for 100 miles…  Other wise be sure to steer clear of this road hazard!

The tricky adjectives sneak their ways in with “Prius-like silence” under the guise of foods that sound healthy.

Too many people think they are making a healthy choice when taking the salad exit off the restaurant menu highway.  The trouble is this exit still typically leads them into Calorie township, a part of Sugar city, which is in Saturated Fat county.  The salad is usually doused in dressing!  Solution? A helpful tip when deciding on an entree salad from a restaurant is to order the dressing on the side.  But that’s old hat.  Take it a step further and keep the dressing on the side.  Simply dip an empty fork into the dressing each time before you fill it with more salad and when the salad plate is empty, be amazed at how much dressing is left in that ramekin!

...some salad with that dressing?

I want to be healthful…aka full of health… which is not what I’m full of after downing smothered spuds or a soaked salad.  No one is safe when an eating establishment is permitted to prepare sustenance, so the best option is to stay local!  Leave the car in park and explore the world of healthier culinary adjectives with every home-cooked meal.

Vacation Bites...

I just got back from a few days off from work and spending some time at the beach.  I experienced great weather and the relaxing euphoria of sunshine, sea breeze, vocal seagulls and rolling waves.  What’s more?  I love indulging in snacks and “once-in-a-while” foods while I’m on vacation including Annie’s Graham Bunnies, Back to Nature lemon cookies, fresh apricots and juicy peaches. 

Vacation is a great time to relax from work of all kinds.  I live a very healthy lifestyle, including a fairly strict food intake, nine days out of ten.  When I know vacation is coming up, I start saving that “tenth day” so I’m eating healthy 100% of the time before vacation.   It’s my justification for pigging out for a few days straight… and it’s worth it.  Let’s face it, everyone needs vacation from work, and everyone also deserves the chance to indulge the palette. 

Sweet snacks on the beach, boardwalk pizza, salt-water taffy, and homemade ice cream, were had by all… or maybe just me.

Those quintessential treats are rudimentary to a successful beach trip, and new discoveries keep things exciting.  I love sampling fudge and picking out fresh taffy on the boardwalk.  My favorite new find was at George’s Ice Cream Shop in Ocean City, NJ.  I’ve been very familiar with George’s Candies all my life because of their macaroons.  A few years ago, George opened an ice cream shop next door to his candy shop that dips some fantastic homemade ice cream.  There are some inventive flavors: Macaroon, S’mores, Motor Oil (Dark Choco Cream with fudge swirl and espresso beans), and my favorite: CAKE BATTER.  Whenever a shop has cake batter, I have to sample it to see if it’s worth having a whole dish.  This was worth it. 

I thoroughly enjoyed my vacation time for many reasons, but the food is always my favorite part of getting away.  I am happy to have found a great new ice cream parlor and excited to have some treats to last throughout the rest of the week. 

Great food during a great vacation – the cherry on top of my cake batter sundae.  

Get out, Stay Local, Eat Well...

It has been a while.  But what can I say?  I’ve been out and about enjoying the summer weather and the many edible treasures this season offers.  We’re in the peak time for blueberries, peaches, melons and numerous veggies (my regulars are romaine, green beans, corn, broccoli, zucchini and carrots).  Cherries are on their way out, but I’m just starting to see apples at my weekly market.  Check out a harvest calendar to see which produce are available throughout the year. 

A few months back, I saw Martha Stewart on the Today show display some vegetable tarts and pies.  I loved the look of one in particular and immediately looked up the recipe online.  Check it out.  It’s a Cherry Tomato, Bocconcini, and Zucchini Pie, and it’s delicious.

After keeping the recipe bookmarked for many months, I finally had the chance to try it out.  Like I said, I loved the look of it before I ever got close to making it because that picture is stunning, and what Ms. Stewart had to offer on the show looked just as good.  Well of course mine turned out to look not quite as pretty as the picture, but it sure did taste great. 

I went to the market last Saturday to get the bulk of the ingredients – organic zucchini and sugar sweet cherry tomatoes along with fresh mozzarella.  That’s all I needed.  The other main ingredients are sugar, flour, butter and parmesan. 

While the filling of this pie is nothing groundbreaking – a few things set it a part.  Sauteeing the zucchini with shallots gave them great color and flavor, and released a lot of the liquid, thus concentrating that flavor even more.  The homemade Cheese Crust Ms. Stewart uses as an additional recipe is a fantastic way to clothe these ingredients.  It was another reason to use my Kitchen Aid processor, and it came together really well with whole wheat flour as my only adjustment. 

By the way, I’m going to go half whole wheat and half all-purpose flour next time as the whole wheat was a bit overpowering.  I also suggest rolling out the crust on a baking sheet of some sort, so it can be easily transferred to the pie plate.  I did not do this, and the pics show it!  All in all, I was happy with the end result.

Visit a farmer’s market this weekend and get some additional, specific ingredients to try a new recipe like this one.  Get some of the freshest produce available, prepare it in a new way, and feel good about eating it!

Easter Egg Hunt...

Most of my posts deal with healthy foods, ingredients, recipes, and topics that address local farmer's markets and the restaurants that feature them.  However, there is a time and place for all things in moderation.  While this blog will never promote the imported, low-quality meats of the drive-thru or the empty calories of a frappuchino, there are some times when necessary to call attention to some of life's indulgences.  

I love Easter candy.  I don't know why, but I look forward to this time I year for the myriad treats and wealth of sugar it has to offer.  I know, it's nothing to make into a habit, and that's why it's good that this candy is only around for a few weeks each year!  

There are two reasons why I can justify posting such seemingly atypical content on this blog:

1. Easter candy is seasonal (I use that term loosely)

2. One of my favorite candies is locally made

I came home yesterday to a large mixing bowl of Easter candy.  Aimee knows how to surprise me this time of year.  Here's what I found:

The "golden egg" out of this sugary selection is the pink box in the middle - Zitner's Buttercream Egg

Zitner's is a Philadelphia-based confection company that has been around for over 85 years and deserves a locavore shout out just as much as the local farmers.  They make some great Easter candy and their buttercream egg is the belle of the ball.

Even though it's local and "seasonal," I don't encourage to make the indulgence of Zitner's treats a frequent occurrence.  It's all about moderation, and I don't think life is worth living without the occasional indulgence!

For a Limited Time Only.

It’s April, which means it’s the time of the year when the air begins to warm, the flowers begin to show, and the Easter candy hits the stores.  Everyone knows it’s time to indulge in chocolate bunnies and Cadbury Cream Eggs, but does anyone know what fruits and vegetables are in season right now?

The odd thing about this statement is that seasonal Easter candy is the absolute norm.  We wait with anticipation for a over 300 days just to get our hands on these temporary treats but could care less about which vegetable are ripe for the plucking for just as limited time.

This is all because America’s grocery stores and cross-country shipping industries have made us accustomed to the “seasonless” availability of produce.  If I want fresh tomatoes in December and winter squash in June, I can get it all at the local store.  Much like chocolate bunnies are only around for a short time, strawberries are only in season for 3-4 weeks each year, from late May to late June in Pennsylvania.  While many people look forward to this narrow window for berry picking, I would make a bet that many more await the sugary, chocolaty offerings of April. 

The tragedy of “seasonless” produce is that we lose sight of how special and unique each type of fruit and veggie is during its natural peak of freshness.  There’s nothing wrong with looking forward to the different seasons of the year and waiting for the treasures they yield.  Unfortunately, this country’s inhabitants are too face-paced and demanding to ever go back to the way it used to be. 

Be mindful of the seasons and get out to the local farmer’s markets as they begin to open within the next few weeks for the summer season.  One of my produce vendors brought his first batch of spinach on Saturday – one of the signs all that seasonal spring and summer produce is just around the corner!  …but only for a limited time.

Seek and Ye Shall Find...

Here's to just a bit of success I had over the weekend.

Aimee and I have started to make stromboli on Sunday for lunch after church.  It's tasty, easy to make, and there's even some sentimental value in this meal as it was the first thing I ever made for her.  Naturally, (no pun intended) I made it my mission to find the best possible ingredients not only for taste and nutritional value, but also because it better be of good quality if it's something we're going to make a habit of eating. 

When I made this dish in college, I would use a prepared pizza crust from the tube, good ol' shredded mozz, and run-of-the-mill pepperoni.  Over the past few weeks I've experimented with a few different things, but now with fresh, whole wheat pizza dough made with unbleached and unbromated flour, fresh mozz, and the ingredient of the hour: uncured pepperoni.

I have been searching high and low for this last, prized piece to my rolled up puzzle, and I finally found it this weekend.  I know everyone will roll their eyes when I say Whole Foods was the last place I looked, but it was.  Of the local health food stores, my Whole Foods is the most inconvenient to get to, but after I had inquired at my usual places and come up empty-handed, I ended up at Whole Foods to be pleasantly surprised.  

I was looking for uncured pepperoni.  I was willing to settle for anything as long as it didn't have all the sodium preservatives (namely sodium nitrate), MSG, BHA, or BHT.  I came upon a fantastic option, although not ideal only because it's made with beef and pork, as opposed to turkey which typically has 50% less fat.  Despite that fact, I'm very happy and can eat my stromboli with a clear conscience.  The added bonus with this brand is that the beef and pork used to make this pepperoni is raised without hormones or antibiotics!

I'll be honest, when compared by taste in the strombolis, these two versions of pepperoni don't very much differ.  But I'm big on being educated about what I feed my body, and this new option allows me to feel much better. The fresh dough and cheese really make a difference in the taste, so that is highly recommended for those who desire to try it out:

Ingredients:

One ball of whole wheat pizza dough

Freshly Shredded Mozzerella

Uncured Pepperoni

Direx:

Allow the dough to get to room temperature.  Stretch out into a large rectangle on a lightly floured service, about the size of a cookie baking sheet pan.

Once stretched, cover with a layer of the mozz and about a dozen pepperonis evenly dispersed.

Throw a few torn up fresh basil leaves over this as well if desired.

Roll dough starting with one of the short sides of the rectangle.  When picking it up to place it on a lightly oiled or corn meal dusted cookie pan, give it a stretch so it is about as long as the pan. 

Place on the pan and bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until dough is cooked through.

Now that I've made these qualitative changes in ingredients, I only wish stromboli was actually a healthy thing to eat so frequently...

Antioxidants vs. Free Radicals - Let the Battle Continue.

Everyone has heard about antioxidants, but what are they?  Most people have heard about free radicals, but what are they?

The truth is, the two terms I just mentioned have been diametrically opposed since the beginning of time.  It's a battle of good vs. evil, light vs. darkness, the empire vs. the republic.  I've known about these two separate things for years, but I just had this epic clash-of-the-titans concept introduced to me.  They are remarkably interrelated and it has opened my eyes to another reason why choosing organic foods is so important.

As Dr. Colbert states in Eat This and Live!, "Antioxidants are to free radicals what water is to a fire."  

Free radicals are introduced into the body every second of every day.  Eating, working, and even breathing bring in and create free radicals.  In a nutshell, free radicals are molecular-level disruptions, mutations, or deficiencies in cells.  Antioxidants are the force that is needed to combat the bad guys and neutralize the negative effects of free radicals.  Guess which foods introduce the most free radicals: hormone-packed red meats, pesticide-laced produce, and "dead" foods.  Guess which foods augment antioxidant power: fresh, organic veggies, raw nuts, and organic chocolate.

Here's where choosing organic proves itself once again as the best option for optimum nutrition and health.  

When choosing antioxidant-rich foods, insisting on the organic version is crucial.  I've heard too many people talk about having a glass of wine or OJ "for the antioxidants."  The trouble with that is the fruits used to make these beverages are covered in pesticides, so anyone who has passed grade school math can understand the problem.  It's not that the antioxidants aren't there, but the positive impact of the antioxidants is negated by the free radicals taken in due to pesticides and chemicals on the foods used to make the product.

That's just a nugget of new info I learned today, and I thought I'd share.  Again I say when possible, choose organic.  When trying to boost antioxidant intake, the best result will only be attained when beginning the battle with the best army of antioxidants possible: one that is not already crippled before it even starts to fight.  

The Dairy Police (ADPD).

Does America have any other edible products that are recognized as a type of food? Ok, that's incredibly vague – let me explain and simultaneously introduce my topic. What’s the deal with American cheese? 

Cheese. I can’t think of another food with which American has staked such a monumental claim. Sure, we have the cross-country icons of burgers, fried chicken, and tacos. We even have the foods that are staples within America’s borders: New England clam chowder, Philly cheesesteaks, San Francisco Sourdough, Louisiana Po-Boys... The thing is, not one of these items can declare “American” as its modifier.

Cheese. America loves it. There are thousands of types of cheese in the world and I know I have only ever tasted maybe a few dozen varieties.  I have had American cheese, and I am not a fan. 

Why does the American version of a worldwide dietary giant have to be so… gross?  Unfortunately, it is just another manifestation of all American food products.  The type of cheese that we have named our own is a fake, processed, “cheese” product that is a few molecules away from the plastic in which it is wrapped.  Look at the label, because it truly says something similar.  Scary.

Cheese.  Other countries brag about the raw, natural state of their home-grown dairy pride that is better with age and prepared following traditional recipes and practices.  American cheese is made in factories, overly processed, full of empty calories and concocted in such a way to be highly modifiable and versatile. 

Cheese.  It’s great because there are so many versions.  There is a type of cheese for any cuisine, any meal, sweet or savory.  Sadly, America made a generic blend of cheesiness that has no individuality, no personality and is just plain bland.  It’s just not for me, even though it’s my homeland’s dairy mascot.

So what else can I say?  I think I’ve successfully portrayed my feelings toward American cheese.  This week, as long as a Wegman’s, Trader Joe’s, or Whole Foods is nearby, take three minutes, comb through the cheese section and try something new!  There are too many varieties out there to stick with the multi-purpose cheese “cure-all” that is American.  Don’t worry, it’s not a crime, it's not "unpatriotic."  Grab a chunk of nutty parmigiano-reggiano, a wheel of gooey brie, or a tub of mild, smooth chevre.  There’s no budget for an American Dairy Police Department (ADPD) anyway.   

Vegan Police on the other hand…

Vital Vittles: Part 3.

Even during the winter months, my daily dinner menu occasionally benefits from some out-of-season, local produce.  I was able to snag a few things toward the end of summer to last me through the cold.  Canned, local organic tomatoes and frozen organic spinach.  Sure, it’s not as good as fresh, but it works. 

Here’s what I made with some of my preserved produce – it has become one of my favorite chicken dishes.  Ellie Krieger’s Garlic-sautéed chicken topped with a honey-balsamic tomato chutney and sautéed spinach.  Savory.

I have to face the fact that my palette isn’t as excited in winter, so this is a great way to carry some summer veggie love into the chilly months.  Check with the vendors at local markets to see if they offer any of there produce canned – it’s a great way to savor the summer when it’s cold outside.

Legible Foodie Review: Part 1.

Food is alive. 

Well, not all food.  In fact most of what many of us eat is very dead... (insert Dickens' simile).  Therefore, I propose an amendment to my initial phrase:

Food should be alive. 

I recently went to the Barnes in search of a book that would assist me in choosing foods that will improve my health instead of maim it.  I found what I was looking for in Dr. Don Colbert’s Eat This and Live!

Here’s the deal – I eat a lot of food in one week, and I want that food to mean something.  I want it to aide my body and provide it with needed nutrients instead of pummeling it with wasted, harmful calories.  What I eat matters to me, and my body will react when it doesn’t get what it needs.  Most of the time when I’m hungry at 8 or 9 at night, looking for pretzels, crackers or my ultimate downfall – ice cream; it’s because I had a lousy dinner of “dead” food, as Colbert would say.  My body is not hungry just for food, it’s hungry for the certain nutrients and vitamins it never got at 6 o’clock. 

That’s the big difference between food that is dead and alive.  Food that is alive is raw, whole, fresh, and in or close to its natural state.  Dead food is processed, preserved, and void of nutritional value.  Before I began to read, I thought I was already doing pretty well at eating food that is alive, because I strive to be a locavore as much as possible and eat a very well-balanced diet.  Surprisingly, I found I didn’t fully understand the concept of living food, and I still have much room to improve.

Here’s what Colbert has to say on the subject:

“Living foods – fruits, vegetables, grains seeds and nuts – exist in a raw or close-to-raw state and are beautifully packaged in divinely created wrappers called skins and peels.  Living foods look robust, healthy, and alive.  They have not been bleached, refined, or chemically enhanced and preserved.  Living foods are plucked, harvested, and squeezed – not processed, packaged, and put on a shelf.  Living foods are recognizable as food. 

Dead foods are the opposite.  They have been altered in every imaginable way to make them last as long as possible and be as addictive as possible.  That usually means the manufacturer adds considerable amounts of sugar and manmade fats that involve taking various oils and heating them to dangerously high temperatures so that the nutrients die and become reborn as something completely different – a deadly, sludgy substance that is toxic to our bodies.”

Most of the above makes sense and is not ground breaking to me.  It’s just a necessary reminder and kick in the pants to start or continue to eat better, living food.  The part that was very interesting to me deals with the excessive heating of oils and the toxic products that result in these all-too-common practices – and that topic deserves its own post at a later date.

In order to make my favorite high school English teacher wince as I write my last paragraph:

In summation, make your food count.  This is one of the reasons for the recent shift toward whole grain everything, and “natural” this or that.  Eat a colorful salad, forego the drive-thru and bypass that morning doughnut.  Incorporate a high-fiber breakfast into your routine, switch to whole grain, unbleached, unbromated flour for baking, and for cryin’ out loud, eat an apple!  Foods should be alive, and they are the foods that should dominate our food lives, fridge, cupboards, and stomachs.  Eat them, and live!

Eggs-cuse me?

When I can’t make it to my twice-a-month local winter farmer’s market this time of year (the subtext here is that I can’t wait for summer when the market goes back to weekly), I pick up organic eggs from my local food store.  This is the best option under that roof, but I’m still amazed at the difference between the store-bought eggs and the farmer’s market-bought eggs. 

I eat an egg every morning, pan-fried in some olive oil, add some melted raw cheddar and throw it on two pieces of Ezekiel wheat toast.  This past summer, I bought eggs from the farmer’s market for the first time.  When I went to crack the egg into the pan the next morning, I was greeted by a strong, thick shell, firm yolk and white consistency, and dazzling yellow-orange yolk. 

“Ok, what’s the deal,” I thought, “Seriously?  What’s so good about these? I thought I was already getting the best.”  I went online to research the meaning behind this and compare to my previously store-bought organic eggs.  The reasoning for these characteristics is simple:  Let the chickens be chickens.

Unless under a rock, everyone has heard some form of how the edible product corporations house chickens confined without room or sunlight and force-feed them with corn, soy and animal byproducts.  These poor creatures produce eggs that are just as unhealthy as they are.  It’s like putting my Honda’s economy 82-octane fuel into an F-16… will the end result be a desired one?  Unfortunately, organic does not mean the chickens are required to live in the open pastures, develop as God intended, and produce fabulous eggs.  No doubt organic still means the chicken’s diets and living conditions are better than average, but we can still do better. 

Here’s what I needed to see, to see the light:

In my opinion, this is an apples and oranges situation – even though the corporations attempt to make it look like I’m splitting hairs in this comparison.  The other main difference between these ovum is the strength and feel of the shell.  I'd also justify that I'm not splitting hairs because I thought organic would have gotten me closer to the best than it has.  Like I said, I do my best to get the best, but it’s sad to think that the store’s organic eggs are that vastly different.  

So let the chicken be a chicken.  Get out into your community and support your farmers.  Your local farmers are the ones who know how to treat their birds properly to get the best results.  Buy the eggs of these organic, pasture-raised, bug-eating, field-roaming, sun-bathing, God-fearing chickens, and feel good, be satisfied, and live more healthfully.

Vital Vittles: Part 2.

Valentine's Day.  Aimee and I have decided to keep it small this year and do a few different activities over the span of a few days around the 14th.  Saturday, we went to a class in Lancaster to learn the secrets of making the perfect Whoopie pie.  Tomorrow we're going to a the soft opening at a new, local farm-to-fork restaurant (I can't wait and I'll be sure to write about it), but tonight I made dinner for the two of us.

I have been waiting to make a certain Tyler Florence version of Chicken Cordon Bleu, so I did.  I had never made this dish before, but I have been a fan of eating it for quite some time.  It's a fairly easy meal to prepare, but a bit time consuming.  This can be a very basic entree, but Tyler's interpretation utilizes some of the best ingredients available to spruce up the classic dish.  Truly high-quality ingredients can take any old meal to another level.

I pounded out a few organic chicken breasts to be very thin, layered on some prosciutto di parma, and sprinkled a healthy dose of freshly shredded Gruyere on top.  Once rolled up tight, the roulades get coated with some flour, egg, and whole wheat bread crumbs.  Bake for about 30 minutes at 350.  Done!

Some simple swaps for better ingredients can really transform a classic

We loved it.  The prosciutto was a fantastic substitute for the usual ham, and I'll take Gruyere over Swiss any day.  Give it a try!  The side was a simple favorite in the Reif house, blanched, organic green beans with sauteed shallot.  Who knew making such an easy dish could look and taste this good.

It's a Mini-revolution - Count on It.

American restaurants are doing it.  The biggest chains are on board with it.  Why?  Some people are actually beginning to care about how many calories slip under the radar in each meal they eat, and the restaurants are catering to that.  I just hope it’s not a fad.

Applebee’s under 550 – great to have these options for a full-plated meal out

Friendly’s under 555 – bravo, but that not-so-friendly, triple-scoop sundae isn’t included in the count!

TGI Friday’s “Right portion, Right price” - although it’s not a new campaign, this is a section of the menu features low-carb and/or low-fat entrees

Seasons 52 - continues to be the best choice in this club because every item on the menu is under 475 calories

 

Keep in mind, staying in and being the master of your own waistline will always win.  All of these options still allow a “cook” to decide the fate of what the establishment’s patrons ingest, but nonetheless it is encouraging to see this shift in commercial eating. 

See, not all of my posts are negative.  I can acknowledge progress when I see it!

Last year, Philadelphia officials implemented a new law that dramatically impacted its diverse food neighborhood: All restaurants with a Philly address must clearly display caloric amounts of each menu item.  I’d like to think some people changed their usual, uneducated choices after seeing this information.  There’s nothing like a four-digit dissuasion staring back when tempted to order that #3 meal… super-sized.  This is a particularly unique change, not to the food or preparation itself, but to the information provided to consumers - aka education.

Even the red-headed, fast food queen introduced French fries that are “naturally-cut” and seasoned with sea salt.  The trouble with that one?  It just causes me to think, “If they weren’t cut ‘naturally’ until now, what was the process before?”  I’m sure I don’t want to know.

Although I will not be seen in these restaurant chains (save Seasons and maybe the occasional Frosty) the aforementioned points are victories for America in the grand scheme of things.  When I’m hearing news reports on obese America or its diabetic tendencies every week, these calorie-restrictive menus offer a glimmer of hope in the increasingly darkening world of this country’s health.

A mini round of congratulations is in order for some restaurants of “the fast-food nation.”  Now if we can only shed that stigma…

I promise, I'm not a racist.

This morning, an anchor on the local news program I watch on weekdays made a horrifying statement, and I became sad for her.  She and the weatherman had a brief exchange about PB&J as they wrapped up a segment, and the female anchor proudly exclaimed, “I love having my PB&J on Wonder bread.”  O dear.  The weather man made his rebuttal: “I have mine on whole wheat.”  The anchor fired back, “What!?  It can't be on whole wheat. You HAVE to have PB&J on white bread!” I hope the majority of viewers agree with the weatherman instead of taking heed to that little white lie.

About three years ago, I first learned to axe white flour, sugar, and rice.  I wasn’t sure of the reasoning, but I eventually conducted some research to find out.  The negative, common denominator for these foods that makes them all white is bleach.  Meet me in the laundry room and we’ll have a glass!  

bottoms up!

Since the age of vast industrialization in America, edible product conglomerates have been adding various bleaching agents to flour, rice and sugar – three extremely common foods.  Of these three, flour is the most widely utilized ingredient and therefore warrants much of my attention.

Flour is enhanced (using that word extremely loosely) with these chemicals not only to improve rising capacities and structural integrity, but also to make bread appear more “pretty” on the shelves, because typical flour is tinged yellow after the milling process.   There’s nothing like putting Americans’ quality of life at risk for the sake of a sale.  Then, because this flour is so hopped up on chemical additives and produced with a “profit” in mind instead of “people,” it is stripped of its nutritional value. 

So what are the trigger-happy lab technicians logically going to do in their “bakeries”?  Add the faux-nutrition back in, which gives way to enriched flour.  This fortification process was federally mandated in the ‘40s when it was proven that the newly-industrialized milling and baking processes produced a weak, nutrition-free bread.

“What’s so bad about enriched flour since the nutrients have been added back in?”  I asked myself this question, too.  Overall, I suppose it’s not a terrible end result, but what it comes down to for me is that I don’t want some chemist in an industrialized bakery being responsible for giving me the proper amounts of vitamins and minerals in my bread.  I try not to be so trusting with the caretakers of my food, and ultimately my overall health, which is the main reason for my locavore-ness.  I love to talk to the butcher who just packed my ground beef the week prior, and the farmer who was late to the market that day because he was harvesting the green beans I’m about to buy (which has actually happened to me!).

The final and perhaps most notorious additive is Potassium Bromate (PB).  This chemical is added to further increase the flour’s strength and ability to rise.  Under correct conditions and baking time, all of the chemical compound will be used up.  (Here we go again with letting so many people, so far away prepare our edibles)  However, if residue remains, this little additive can pack a powerful punch of toxicity to humans.  Good old Wikipedia states, “Bromate is considered a category 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans).”  Phew, good thing this country has tax-paid positions to watch over this type of issue.  Wait, wait sorry.  While Europe, the United Kingdom, China, and many South American countries have banned PB, the home of the brave has yet to do so.  Aside: many other countries have also banned the use of chemical bleaching agents in food.  I understand everyone wants to be different, but why doesn’t the US get on board with this?

The king is the way to go for all baking needs

So until it is illegal, we must take these considerations into our own hands and not allow others to decide what goes into our bodies.  This is why I will never allow bleached, enriched, and/or bromated flour into my house, and elsewhere, I will do my best to ingest as little as possible of these unbiased killers.  Read bread and flour ingredients carefully and stick with King Arthur brand flour, because white bread is dead bread. 

Adventures at the Winter Market

Over the spring and summer seasons, I look forward to going to my local farmer’s market every week. In the chilly months, I have two wait two weeks for the die-hard vendors to brave the elements and bring their goods.  By the time two weeks have passed, I’m excited to get there.

Today’s visit was met with crummy weather, and one less vendor than usual.  There are typically only 3-4 farm families that can justify making the trip to the winter market for a lot of reasons, so when one is unable to make it, I’m bummed.  However, overall this winter I am in luck because my favorite produce and protein farm Livengood Farm of Lancaster, still makes the trek every two weeks, and for that I heartily thank them at each encounter.  I was also happy to pick up eggs from the best dairy farm around, Spring Creek Farm of Wernersville, PA.

Here are my treasures from this adventure.  I always pick up eggs, ground beef, and potatoes - I grabbed a pint of fingerling blues, and a few yellow sweet potatoes.  This week, I also bought a nice parsnip and leek.  I love parsnips.  I just like to cube it and roast it with a bit of olive oil and salt.  

Now the leek is on the wild side for me.  I have eaten it before, a few times, but I have never prepared it.  I found a very simple recipe in last month’s Food Network mag that I want to try – I’ll have to post about that later this week, but only if it’s a success!

That’s all for now… for two weeks…

Vital Vittles: Part 1.

This is my first entry entitled "Vital Vittles."  I intend to post regularly something similar, or whenever I experience (at least partial) success in the kitchen... FYI.

I only cooked for one tonight, and I was ready for it.  As part of my last food purchasing escapade, I made a fantastic discovery while amongst the soups: Amy's Organic Chili.  Why is this fantastic?  In college, one of my staple meals I made for myself was nachos.  Classic college brain food, right?  The reason why I'm excited about this find is that it's a much better version of the chili I used back then.  I haven't made nachos for myself in years, since I began to realize how lousy that chili was for me.  Now, I have a justification for indulging in this entree every once in a while.  Hey, I never said every meal I eat is Jillian Michaels approved.

Now reincarnated as a healthier (I said healthier, because I know it's not exactly healthy!) form of an edible part of my past, here is the finished product.  I place some of Amy's chili on a bed of organic, blue corn tortilla chips, add some cheddar, spoon on a whipped combo of avocado, lime and Greek yogurt, and finish with some green onion.

Success.

Fare Trade.

My interest in eating locally, organically, and with purpose has increasingly dictated my food life over the past two years.  Most recently, this idea has manifested in swapping out some ingredients and edibles in my fridge and cabinets for better options. 

But better how?

As a result of my research into what foods and ingredients I should avoid, I have also unearthed what I need to purchase instead.  I made some shocking discoveries while going out with the old and in with the new.  It’s scary that I’ve been consuming these ingredients for most of my life, but as they say, “you have to start somewhere.” 

A few of my swappable foods are posted below - retirees on the left, and green horns on the right.  It’s almost comical how ridiculous some of the ingredient lists are, but then I realize how detrimental these seemingly innocent items can be.

Single: Syrup. 

Double: Juice.

Triple: Butter/Margarine.

Home run: Bread crumbs.

Like I said - scary.  I listed the bread crumbs as a "home run" for a reason, 30+ items versus four.   As far as butter is concerned, I've had the philosophy for years that it's more healthy than margarine.  It's still butter, but this at least puts the difference into perspective.  The syrup is an easy swap to make, and the first pic of juice shows "21% juice."  If it IS in fact juice, what is the other 79%?

So here we go - just in case the comparative pics aren't enough...

Some questions I ask when comparing products at the food store:

The beginning of the ingredient lists:

Are the first few ingredients recognizable or unpronounceable?

Is a form of sugar listed?

The end of the lists:

Are various sodium ingredients listed?

Does the word “preservative” appear?

The overall lists:

Can you pronounce the ingredients?

Is the list eerily long for such a simple food?  (like bread crumbs?)

Three tips when comparing products’ ingredient lists:

(1) go with the shorter list of ingredients

(2) favor that which you can pronounce

(3) choose organic when possible

Choosing organic food is usually the easiest way to avoid having to be so conscious of the ingredient list… usually.  Many organic foods will also exclude GMOs, preservatives, artificial additives, and of course the unnamed ingredient i.e. pesticides.  I know it means spending more money, but what is preferable - investing in food, and ultimately the body, now, or fixing what is broken later on down the road and pay for medical bills? 

Make the swaps, the sooner the better.