We have treated ourselves to the best pizza I have ever tasted, all inspired by my idea to "makeover" some traditional comfort foods.
We went with a seafood theme since seafood fills the list of depression buster foods. Shrimp and iron-packed clam were the features.
I know that as a health food type, I shouldn't have the word "hot dog" on this blog. However, I found a really good one. If you need a hot dog, this is most definitely the hot dog to buy.
Applegate Farms makes a dog that is nitrate-free and comes from grass fed and finished beef. The grass fed beef used to make the hotdog means that the dog is going to be higher in Omega-3 fatty acids than a regular dog.
I have tasted "healthy" hot dogs before and really don't know why people bother. This one is special. It's juicy, rich, and has the flavor of an actual hot dog. It is lower in fat, according to Applegate, and to its credit. When you bite into the dog, the juice that bursts out is just filled with good flavor. No fat runs down your lips and your chin. I don't mind a bit of fat, but I believe that the lower fat version actually improves the hot dog eating experience.
I don't eat hot dogs or other processed meats often because the processing does reduce the nutrient value of meat. For the same calories, I can get more nutrients from a steak from my freezer. But the hot dog is a nice treat.
Have it on a whole grain bun or whole grain bread.
I purchased mine at Whole Foods.
It is always a trick to make something that children recognize as dessert and adults recognize as healthy. Custard-based desserts are a good bet, but so are these muffins. Oh, I mean "cupcakes."
It's hard to find a grain-free dessert that fits the "cake" category, but this is a good one. For this recipe I use grandma's glass pie plate but one of the newer small ones would work too. The whole process is pretty forgiving.
We made this cheesecake as a "birthday cake" back on Frederick's "half birthday" over three years ago. We celebrate half birthdays in this family because my sister and I were born 18 months apart and rather than breed birthday-envy among siblings, my parents developed the half birthday concept. And as far as I'm concerned, we should all have as many birthdays as possible.
A week or two ago I reported that a study found alcoholic drinks such as tequila as high in antioxidants. I suggested we make our own brew to boost the antioxidants in our diet. My preferred "brew" is a drink called water kefir. Missy asked about my water kefir process.
The trick is going to be finding the grains. There are internet communities where people share them.
Continue reading "Homemade Sodas: Water Kefir Drink Recipes" »
We travel through orange country a couple of times a week. Porterville, Terra Bella, and Lindsay produce a whole lot of oranges. Lindsay is the location of a pesticide drift study released last week. Before giving up conventional oranges in light of the apparent pesticide drift, Frederick and I made some orange ice cream.
Whole chickens are a great dinner choice. You get the first meal, the leftovers, and then the soup from the broth (that may have still more leftover meat).
For our family with three adults and a child, we usually cook two chickens and enjoy various parts for the better part of a week.
Lately my mom has been experimenting with this Latin rub, courtesy of "Uncle Fred" (her brother). It's easy and tasty.
Eggs are a great source of protein and the yolks are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids (Omega 3 eggs), particularly if the eggs come from hens eating bugs and weeds or on a diet of flax or fish meal. We are always looking for new ways to use eggs. Below is mom's recipe for a "sweet omelet." It is a lot like a crepe, but is entirely egg-based. As a result, it is great for people on a grain-free diet.
Mom writes:
Continue reading "A Sweet Omelet: Grain-Free Crepe-Like Food" »
Life has been full of travel lately. When I am absolutely unprepared with food but do not want to go to restaurants, I hit Trader Joe's or a market for prepared salads. But I discovered another super easy option: vegetables and dip.
I make a meal much like that displayed in my post about To-Go Ware in which, basically, I mix sour cream, canned fish, and salt or an herb mix (to taste). Clams are a super source of iron; salmon a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids. These are my top picks, but I am still making my way through the canned seafood world, so we'll see where I end up. You really can't go wrong with your dip, though some herb mixes may be better than others.
When I hit the road, I bring and/or buy the following items:
• Sour cream
• Canned seafood (clams, salmon, etc.)
• An herb mix
• Washed and cut vegetables for dipping
• Can opener
• Food storage container
Sometimes I have all of these items at home and can put them in the cooler. At other times, I buy most or all of these on the road. (We keep a couple of herb mixes we should post recipes for that work in this instance.) On the road, I mix the sour cream, seafood, and herb mix (to taste). I use the food storage container in lieu of a bowl. Any extra stays in the cooler nicely.
It makes a great meal for me and I don't end up feeling like I have been eating out too much. If I could pack a gym into the cooler and then actually use the equipment, I would really be set.
That's the To-Go Ware in the picture below, a nice option for carrying this very dish.
As we head south this weekend, I thought I would write a quick post about how we survive on the road without partaking in the junk food offerings along the Interstate. The list starts from most ambitious to least and we usually use a mixed strategy with any one trip.
Pack Leftovers in the Cooler
This is a good strategy for a well-prepared household. The limitation is that not all leftovers make a decent cold meal. My mom would tell you that all you have to do is warm your food up on your dashboard a few hours before you want to eat. But with the risk of foodborne illness, I thank mom for the suggestion and pack foods that taste good cold. My favorites are the following:
Buy it on the Road
Note with the list above, that you can purchase any of those items on the road.
Our child would eat almost nothing if we were not creative. He plays and plays until he is so tired and hungry that he has a meltdown. We are always looking for ways to engage him in his eating experience. We cook with him and follow him around the house with food.
One successful strategy involves a metal food steamer. As Frederick says “It can be a bowl and a plate too.”
The first picture here is the steamer in a closed position. That’s where you put the food and say “I wonder what’s in there.” The “bowl” position is the steamer half-opened; the “plate” position is the steamer opened flat.
Give it a try. You might even get him or her to eat some salad. We’re still working on that ourselves.
Thour we don't have a strong Easter tradition in this household, we do attempt to do something a bit special on Easter Sunday. This is a special food item that would work well for a brunch and fight depression at the same time. Eggs are a great source of protein and the yolks are a great source of Omega 3 fatty acids (Omega 3 eggs), particularly if the eggs come from hens eating bugs and weeds or on a diet of flax or fish meal.
Mom writes:
Visit the Rebuild website.
Nutrient tools to alleviate depression.
