Daily Menu
Breakfast
Shredded wheat
2 c. Milk
2 Clementines (YUMMM!)
Lunch
Black bean soup
2 T shredded cheese (1.5 Pts)
1 oz. dried persimmons (.5 Pts)
Dinner
Ham (from TLC Ranch)
Baked potato with 2 t. olive oi, fat free yogurt, and onions
Baked squash (from Full Belly Farm)
Broccoli and 1 t. lemon olive oil (broccoli from Full Belly Farm, oil from St. Helena Olive Oil Company)
Snack
1 slice Vital Vittles Persimmon bread with butter (4 Pts)
1 c. Milk
WPA (Weekly Points Allowance) points used today: 6
WPA points available: 31
Activity points today: 2 (1 mile Walk Away the Pounds)
Activity points this week: 2
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies, 5-9 servings a day - yes
2. Whole grains - yes (Shredded wheat, kamut, barley)
3. Milk, 3 servings a day - yes
4. Healthy oil, 3 teaspoons a day - yes
5. Protein - yes
6. Limit sugar and alcohol
7. Water - 8+ cups
8. (Prenatal) Multivitamin - yes
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Resolutions
School is over, the holidays have passed, and it's time for me to get back on track with both my locavore and Core resolutions. I haven't done as poorly as I expected over the holidays, but I certainly haven't been as on track as I need to be. So here is my New Year's resolution for this and every year: I'm going to eat the 8 healthy guidelines every day. I'm going to support local agriculture by buying as much of my food locally grown as possible. And I'm going to blog regularly to keep me accountable!
I have even more important reasons than weight loss to be healthy these days: I'm pregnant! If all goes well, I'm expecting a new addition to our family this summer. My doctor has approved my Core eating plan while I'm pregnant with just two adjustments. I need 3 teaspoons of healthy oil and 3 servings of lowfat, not fat free, dairy per day. Core is such a sensible and healthy guide for eating that my doctor felt it was perfectly safe to continue, and I can lose weight while pregnant so long as everything progresses normally. I cannot continue to Weight Watchers meetings while pregnant (they don't allow it), so it will be me and your comments of encouragement to keep me on track.
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5-9
2. Whole grains
3. Milk - 3 servings a day
4. Healthy oil - 3 teaspoons a day
5. Protein
6. Limit sugar and alcohol
7. Water - 8+ cups
8. (Prenatal) Multivitamin
If you're pregnant, please consult your doctor before considering any weight loss program.
I have even more important reasons than weight loss to be healthy these days: I'm pregnant! If all goes well, I'm expecting a new addition to our family this summer. My doctor has approved my Core eating plan while I'm pregnant with just two adjustments. I need 3 teaspoons of healthy oil and 3 servings of lowfat, not fat free, dairy per day. Core is such a sensible and healthy guide for eating that my doctor felt it was perfectly safe to continue, and I can lose weight while pregnant so long as everything progresses normally. I cannot continue to Weight Watchers meetings while pregnant (they don't allow it), so it will be me and your comments of encouragement to keep me on track.
Daily 8 - the 8 Healthy Guidelines
1. Fruits and veggies - 5-9
2. Whole grains
3. Milk - 3 servings a day
4. Healthy oil - 3 teaspoons a day
5. Protein
6. Limit sugar and alcohol
7. Water - 8+ cups
8. (Prenatal) Multivitamin
If you're pregnant, please consult your doctor before considering any weight loss program.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
The storm before the storm
This week is really, really busy with school winding down, a visiting 3 year old through Sunday, family drama, and Christmas preparations, and I am hopeful that once things get back to normal (ha!) I'll have more time for posting. Finals are next week, and after that I assure myself that I'll have a chance to breathe and eat more than a peanut-butter sandwich on the go (not Core, of course!)
The other night, I made a pork stew with sweet potatoes and leftover buckskin beans. It was okay but not fantastic so I won't share the recipe. Tonight we're having pasta with marinara sauce, orange slices, and hard boiled eggs - in no way a particularly exciting meal, but one that is fast, easy, and kid friendly for my nephew. We'll return to regularly scheduled blog fun in a few weeks.
The other night, I made a pork stew with sweet potatoes and leftover buckskin beans. It was okay but not fantastic so I won't share the recipe. Tonight we're having pasta with marinara sauce, orange slices, and hard boiled eggs - in no way a particularly exciting meal, but one that is fast, easy, and kid friendly for my nephew. We'll return to regularly scheduled blog fun in a few weeks.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Buckskin Bean Burrito with Chard, and a daily menu
Tonight's dinner is deeeelish! I made Buckskin bean burritos with chard. Not Core, but very healthy and a good way to get some greens into Jax. It would be good over brown rice or wheatberries instead of in a burrito, sans cheese or bacon, to make it Core.
Buckskin Bean Burritos with Chard
serves 8
For the Beans:
2 c. buckskin beans, soaked, rinsed and picked over (black beans would be a good substitute if buckskin beans aren't available)
2 slices of bacon, or 2 t. healthy oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 T oregano
2 t cumin
4 c. water
Fry the bacon over medium heat in your pressure cooker. Once it is crisp, remove and reserve. Pour out all but about a teaspoon of the fat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bell pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the spices. Add water and cook at high pressure for 22-25 minutes or until the beans are tender. You can puree some if you like or leave them whole. (There will be lots of extra beans. You can scale back or have leftovers, your call.)
For the Burritos:
1 head chard, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. salsa
8 whole wheat tortillas
While the beans are cooking, saute the chard until wilted but not done. Crumble the bacon and add it to the chard. Warm the tortillas in the microwave and fill each with a scoop of the beans, a scoop of chard, a bit of cheese and salsa, and wrap up seam side down in a greased 8"x8" pan. Top with more salsa and cheese and bake for 15 or so minutes so the cheese can melt.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Baked oatmeal
Lunch
2 c. milk
Turkey, veggies, and rice
Dinner
Burritos
Orange slices
Buckskin Bean Burritos with Chard
serves 8
For the Beans:
2 c. buckskin beans, soaked, rinsed and picked over (black beans would be a good substitute if buckskin beans aren't available)
2 slices of bacon, or 2 t. healthy oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 T oregano
2 t cumin
4 c. water
Fry the bacon over medium heat in your pressure cooker. Once it is crisp, remove and reserve. Pour out all but about a teaspoon of the fat. Add the onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and bell pepper, and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the spices. Add water and cook at high pressure for 22-25 minutes or until the beans are tender. You can puree some if you like or leave them whole. (There will be lots of extra beans. You can scale back or have leftovers, your call.)
For the Burritos:
1 head chard, sliced into bite sized pieces
1 c. shredded cheese
1 c. salsa
8 whole wheat tortillas
While the beans are cooking, saute the chard until wilted but not done. Crumble the bacon and add it to the chard. Warm the tortillas in the microwave and fill each with a scoop of the beans, a scoop of chard, a bit of cheese and salsa, and wrap up seam side down in a greased 8"x8" pan. Top with more salsa and cheese and bake for 15 or so minutes so the cheese can melt.
***
Daily Menu
Breakfast
Baked oatmeal
Lunch
2 c. milk
Turkey, veggies, and rice
Dinner
Burritos
Orange slices
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Baked Oatmeal recipe
I made a pan of baked oatmeal yesterday and what a great treat it was to wake up to this morning! I've been in an oatmeal mood lately and this was a nice twist on my standard bowl.
Baked Oatmeal
Serves 12
4 c. oatmeal (rolled oats, steel cut, or the hot cereal mix from my grain CSA)
1 c. fat free yogurt
1 c. water
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. apple, peeled and shredded
1 c. frozen berries, thawed
2 t. vanilla
1 t. each cinnamon and ginger
1 c. milk
4 eggs
1/4 c. canola oil (or other healthy oil)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. flax meal (optional)
sweetener (optional, to taste - I didn't use any and it was very subtly sweet from the applesauce. Next time I'll add a little honey.)
Soak the oats in the yogurt and water for at least half an hour. They can soak overnight. Combine all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir in the oats and their soaking liquid. Pour mixture into a 9"x13" baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray (I use a Misto sprayer with canola oil in it). Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
It comes out with the texture of a medium-dense cake, but is Core (except the flax, which does not even add 1 point per serving.) It's tasty, filling, and very healthy, with a full serving of whole grains and healthy oil per serving.
Baked Oatmeal
Serves 12
4 c. oatmeal (rolled oats, steel cut, or the hot cereal mix from my grain CSA)
1 c. fat free yogurt
1 c. water
1 c. unsweetened applesauce
1 c. apple, peeled and shredded
1 c. frozen berries, thawed
2 t. vanilla
1 t. each cinnamon and ginger
1 c. milk
4 eggs
1/4 c. canola oil (or other healthy oil)
1 t. baking powder
1/2 c. flax meal (optional)
sweetener (optional, to taste - I didn't use any and it was very subtly sweet from the applesauce. Next time I'll add a little honey.)
Soak the oats in the yogurt and water for at least half an hour. They can soak overnight. Combine all the other ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir in the oats and their soaking liquid. Pour mixture into a 9"x13" baking pan sprayed with non-stick spray (I use a Misto sprayer with canola oil in it). Bake at 350 degrees F for an hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
It comes out with the texture of a medium-dense cake, but is Core (except the flax, which does not even add 1 point per serving.) It's tasty, filling, and very healthy, with a full serving of whole grains and healthy oil per serving.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Daily Menu and the Farm Bill
Michael Pollan's book "The Omnivore's Dilemma" changed my life, really making me look at where my food comes from for the first time. If you haven't read it and are at all interested in food, I highly recommend it.
After reading it last year, I decided not to eat industrial meat, and have been industrial meat free for almost a year. The book put local eating into the spotlight for me, and because of that, my family eats fresher, more whole, tastier, more environmentally friendly foods, and we're all healthier for it. It would be easier for more people to make the eat local plunge if local, seasonal, sustainably and humanely raised meats and dairy and vegetables were available to everyone in the grocery store at prices comparable to conventionally grown, but with current farm subsidies, it is cheaper for big businesses to raise feedlot animals that destroy the environment, cheaper to produce high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats, cheaper to pump into our supermarkets all the things that make us unhealthy than it is to raise real, honest to goodness food.
Pollan recently wrote a piece about the farm bill in the NY Times that is worth reading.
Daily Menu
Breakfast
2 egg omelet with 1 piece bacon (1 Point), bok choy, and red bell pepper
tea
orange
Lunch
Curried lentils with brown rice
steamed broccoli and cauliflower
2 c. milk
Dinner
Bean and barley soup (beans from Phipps in Pescadero, barley from grain CSA, veggies from Full Belly Farm)
After reading it last year, I decided not to eat industrial meat, and have been industrial meat free for almost a year. The book put local eating into the spotlight for me, and because of that, my family eats fresher, more whole, tastier, more environmentally friendly foods, and we're all healthier for it. It would be easier for more people to make the eat local plunge if local, seasonal, sustainably and humanely raised meats and dairy and vegetables were available to everyone in the grocery store at prices comparable to conventionally grown, but with current farm subsidies, it is cheaper for big businesses to raise feedlot animals that destroy the environment, cheaper to produce high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated fats, cheaper to pump into our supermarkets all the things that make us unhealthy than it is to raise real, honest to goodness food.
Pollan recently wrote a piece about the farm bill in the NY Times that is worth reading.
Americans have begun to ask why the farm bill is subsidizing high-fructose corn
syrup and hydrogenated oils at a time when rates of diabetes and obesity among
children are soaring, or why the farm bill is underwriting factory farming (with
subsidized grain) when feedlot wastes are polluting the countryside and, all too
often, the meat supply. For the first time, the public health community has
raised its voice in support of overturning farm policies that subsidize
precisely the wrong kind of calories (added fat and added sugar), helping to
make Twinkies cheaper than carrots and Coca-Cola competitive with water. Also
for the first time, the international development community has weighed in on
the debate, arguing that subsidized American exports are hobbling cotton farmers
in Nigeria and corn farmers in Mexico.
Daily Menu
Breakfast
2 egg omelet with 1 piece bacon (1 Point), bok choy, and red bell pepper
tea
orange
Lunch
Curried lentils with brown rice
steamed broccoli and cauliflower
2 c. milk
Dinner
Bean and barley soup (beans from Phipps in Pescadero, barley from grain CSA, veggies from Full Belly Farm)
Monday, December 3, 2007
Applesauce Oatmeal
Here is a satisfying way to start the day! It is hearty, warming on chilly mornings, and keeps me full all morning long. With milk, fruit, healthy oil, and whole grain, this breakfast has everything you need and it tastes great, too.
Applesauce Oatmeal
(serves 2 hungry grown ups and 1 hungry toddler!)
1 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 cup water
1/2 t. each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
raisins (optional)
3 t. flaxseed oil (optional)
In a big, microwave safe bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the oil. Microwave, covered, for 2 1/2 minutes, then stir. Microwave, covered, another 2 1/2 minutes and stir again. You may need another minute or two, depending on your microwave. Divide into servings and top each serving with flaxseed oil and more milk if you want it.
Applesauce Oatmeal
(serves 2 hungry grown ups and 1 hungry toddler!)
1 1/2 cup rolled oats (not instant)
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup fat free milk
1 cup water
1/2 t. each cinnamon and ground ginger
1/4 t. nutmeg
raisins (optional)
3 t. flaxseed oil (optional)
In a big, microwave safe bowl, mix together all the ingredients except for the oil. Microwave, covered, for 2 1/2 minutes, then stir. Microwave, covered, another 2 1/2 minutes and stir again. You may need another minute or two, depending on your microwave. Divide into servings and top each serving with flaxseed oil and more milk if you want it.
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