Busy for the Holidays

Hi there!

I'll be writing a bit less over the next few weeks due to holiday business.  Stay tuned for more after the New Year.

- Monica

The Microwave Oven Controversy & How It Changed My Life

How safe is the food we prepare?  Where can we go to get good information?  Answering either of these questions when it comes to microwaving versus conventional cooking can be extremely difficult. However, it is worth taking a look at some dearly-held opinions about food.

Let's begin with the basics of cooking food.  Cooking at its most basic level is simply the process of creating a chemical reaction in food through the application of heat.

Conventional cooking means the application of heat from an outside source resulting in a chemical reaction in out food.  As you increase the temperature of food, the molecules within it move faster and faster and begin to collide.  These collisions produce can cause changes in molecules or can produce completely new molecules with properties unlike their unchanged predecessors.  These changes can include variations in taste, color and texture.  This process can also lead to the malformation and destruction of certain food molecules.

Due to these changes, some people prefer to consume their food in its raw state.  They claim that food retains more of its nutrients and other healthful properties if left uncooked.  This is the most basic reason people have become interested in raw diets popular today.   It's also the reason fresher foods are better for you.

Microwave cooking is unlike conventional cooking in many ways.  As opposed to cooking by simply applying heat, microwaves cook food by agitating the molecules which causes enough friction to generate heat from within.  This molecular friction can be so intense that the molecules are damaged - ripped apart or deformed. While overall the process of cooking through microwaves is considered to be more gentle to food, molecular breakdown still occurs and it happens in a different way than conventional cooking.

While it is true that all forms of food manipulation through cooking can cause harmful molecular breakdown/deformation (burned or charred meats, for example, contain carcinogens like heterocyclic amines (HCAs)), the kinds that result from microwave cooking are different from those created by conventional cooking. That is probably the only thing we can confirm factually.  Some people have attempted to link microwaved food to poor nutrition, lymphatic disorders, cancer and lowered DHL (the good cholesterol) levels, however not much has been yet proven.

The microwave oven was banned in Russia in 1976 due to concerns regarding the impact on health.  The ban was lifted after Perestoika.

After the World War II, the Russians also experimented with microwave ovens. From 1957 up to recently, their research has been carried out mainly at the Institute of Radio Technology at Klinsk, Byelorussia. According to US researcher William Kopp, who gathered much of the results of Russian and German research - and was apparently prosecuted for doing so (J. Nat. Sci, 1998; 1:42-3) - the following effects were observed by Russian forensic teams:

• Heating prepared meats in a microwave sufficiently for human consumption created:
• d- Nitrosodiethanolamine (a well-known cancer-causing agent)
• Destabilization of active protein biomolecular compounds
• Creation of a binding effect to radioactivity in the atmosphere
• Creation of cancer-causing agents within protein- hydrosylate compounds in milk and cereal grains;
• Microwave emissions also caused alteration in the catabolic (breakdown) behavior of glucoside - and galactoside - elements within frozen fruits when thawed in this way;
• Microwaves altered catabolic behavior of plant-alkaloids when raw, cooked or frozen vegetables were exposed for even very short periods;
• Cancer-causing free radicals were formed within certain trace-mineral molecular formations in plant substances, especially in raw root vegetables;
• Ingestion of micro-waved foods caused a higher percentage of cancerous cells in blood;
• Due to chemical alterations within food substances, malfunctions occurred in the lymphatic system, causing degeneration of the immune system=s capacity to protect itself against cancerous growth;
• The unstable catabolism of micro-waved foods altered their elemental food substances, leading to disorders in the digestive system;
• Those ingesting micro-waved foods showed a statistically higher incidence of stomach and intestinal cancers, plus a general degeneration of peripheral cellular tissues with a gradual breakdown of digestive and excretory system function;
• Microwave exposure caused significant decreases in the nutritional value of all foods studied, particularly:
• A decrease in the bioavailability of B-complex vitamins, vitamin C, vitamin E, essential minerals and lipotrophics
• Destruction of the nutritional value of nucleoproteins in meats
• Lowering of the metabolic activity of alkaloids, glucosides, galactosides and nitrilosides (all basic plant substances in fruits and vegetables)
• Marked acceleration of structural disintegration in all foods.

- from Dr George J Georgiou, Ph.D.'s research into microwave cooking

It is important to recognize that this information from the research is applicable to the food itself.  It does not refer to the affects on humans, nor does it contrast the effects of cooking foods conventionally.

There have been numerous projects and bits of research done regarding the safety of microwaved foods, however it is unclear as to whether any of the information can be trusted.  This is because many people out there are looking to prove their point one way or another.  There is also the question of suppressed research by major corporations who have much to lose should microwaves be declared unsafe.  MANY myths and half-truths abound on the internet regarding the truth.  Unfortunately it is extremely difficult to get an accurate, unadulterated view of how microwaves truly affect human health.  Most of what you'll find is horrifyingly scary accounts of the severely unsafe microwave balanced by a common-sense view of exactly the opposite.

As for me, I decided to try an experiment for myself instead of relying what others say.  I decided to stop using my microwave for a few months to see what would happen.  Here's how it went.

The first week I had to explain to my significant other (SO) why we weren't going to use the microwave any more.  This was met with cries of protest and derision for my opinion that the microwave might not be as safe as we think.  It took several days, but eventually I convinced him to just give it a try.


Mostly I had used the microwave to heat up leftovers and to cook veggies.  I almost never cooked a meal in it unless I was at work and usually that meal consisted of a frozen vegetarian lunch.  Though these were the only real uses I had for the microwave, it did get used frequently.  

The first few weeks were probably the most difficult.  I found myself mindlessly popping leftovers into the microwave without thinking.  I agonized over what to have for lunch at work.  (I hate plain old sandwiches.  I usually took leftovers to work with me.)  I gnashed teeth over it and cheated a lot at home.  At work I eventually figured out what to take for lunch that could be eaten cold or room temperature or went out to eat if I wanted a hot meal.


About a month in I decided in order to stop temptation I should take the microwave out of the kitchen.  I took it into the basement and hooked it up there at the request of my SO.  I did so and soon I found I was eating my leftover food cold.  I didn't bother making veggies at all.  Yep.  I was that lazy.   Over time, though, I realized I had two perfectly capable tools for heating up leftovers - the toaster oven and *gasp* the stove.

As I began to get used to heating up my food in the frying pan or in a metal bowl/pan in the toaster oven, I began to realize something: Leftovers heated up in this way didn't take too much longer and they tasted WAY better.  I got better and better at doing it.  Next thing I knew I had learned to reheat food a variety of ways, almost all of them superior to having been reheated in the microwave.   It's true I also learned to burn fried rice to the bottom of a pan or two and I was guilty of charring a slice of pizza or two.  As with many things, it just took practice.

Since I did want to start eating veggies again, I began to learn to cook them in new and exciting ways.  I was much more comfortable standing in front of the stove and had a new appreciation for it.  I started looking for new recipes and tried all kinds of new things.  The steamer basket for my big pot suddenly was very useful.  I learned to dry saute.  I found out you could boil veggies without destroying them.  Roasting veggies in the oven was delicious.  All in all I found that removing one simple way of doing things led to several slightly harder but much more rewarding ways of doing things.

At work I began to prepare more fresh foods like salads and cold pastas.  I developed sandwich alternatives like bringing what I'd normally eat on bread in separate containers so they'd stay fresher.  For example I'd bring pita chunks separate from the hummus with carrots and cucumbers to dip.  The variety of my lunches improved greatly.  Since I wasn't eating frozen boxed foods, I figured my work food was probably more nutritious and lower in fat.  Co-workers began to get jealous over what I was bringing in because it looked so good.


In addition I learned to plan my meals at home and for work more carefully and considered how much time things would take.  Since I knew that cooking took a little more time, I didn't wait until the last second to cook food.  I began to plan for when I would be hungry, rather than let my hunger dictate to me.  That change was a big one for me, especially since I had been having issues with my blood sugar.  There was less stress about cooking and eating since I had already taken care of it in my head before I was hungry. 

A few months more passed.  I had happily forgotten about the microwave.  Though my SO was still sneaking down to the basement occasionally to heat up mashed potatoes, he had all but given up on it, too.  What I noticed about myself is that I had shed a few inches from my waistline and was generally feeling better.  My SO had noticed the same thing about himself.

While I can't say with any certainty that microwaved food was bad for us, there was an undeniable change in our health for the better.  I had learned that I didn't need the microwave and that other cooking methods were far better.  Why settle for rubbery food that may or may not have been healthy for me?  Was it really worth the 5 minutes I saved?  Simply answered, it was not.

I decided to keep my new way of preparing food.  I prefer it.  The microwave now sits in a niche in my living room where it is only used to heat up buckwheat therapeutic pillows in the cool months.  Overall I feel more confident in my ability to make food and reheat my leftovers.  I am happier knowing there is zero controversy regarding my food preparation.  I don't worry that my food preparation method is more likely to give me cancer or cause me any harm.  I like the improvement in my diet and have come to love cooking.  (I even got more counter space out of it!)  There is no way I'd ever go back to using the microwave.

Looking back, I believe it was abandoning the microwave that had the greatest effect on my health of anything I ever did.  It was not that I had removed a potentially harmful way of cooking from my life, but rather it started me on my journey to becoming a good cook.

The moral of this story is that when we think about things instead of just accepting the status quo, there can be immense benefits to be gained.  Regardless of whether or not science can support commonly held beliefs, we can make decisions that have a positive outcome.  Perhaps it is worth taking a closer look at all the other 'safe' things in our life and deciding it is time for a change.  Why not live the healthiest, best way possible?  Is it really that much harder?  For me that meant getting back to basics and taking more time for me.  What does it mean in your life?

One Success Story

I saw this article on CNN and thought it was worth sharing.  People often have to work to find the right path to fitness for themselves.  This is one woman's solution.

From fat to gym rat, woman loses 200 pounds By Steve Almasy, CNN

My favorite quote  is this:

"I tell clients and people in my classes that when you can look me in the eye and say, 'Oh my gosh, I had brownies and ice cream last night, and it was so good,' that's when you have it," she said. "If you pick it up and start to eat it, and the negative self-talk starts ... that's when you put it down and say, 'No, thank you.' "

Cooking and Your Imagination - Plus a Beef Stew Recipe

No doubt you've often heard people refer to cooking as an outlet for their creativity.  Certainly it can be if you let it.  Cooking makes use of our ability to imagine what certain ingredients will taste like together.  It can be hard sometimes to figure out which tastes go best together, but with experience and a little help from millions of home cooks who've come before you, you'll get quite good at combining flavors.

If you are a fan of watching cooking shows, it is probable that you have a good 'food imagination'.   When you watch watch Chef So-and-So drop garlic into the sizzling pan, you can almost taste it.  When the spices come together you can just about smell their aroma.  You can use this ability to your advantage.  Imagination is an important quality for a cook.  It allows you come up with dishes of you own or customize the recipes you find in books or on the web.  You've probably done this already when you've left out an ingredient you don't like from a recipe and added something you thought would be better.  Even if you think you don't have a good 'food imagination', you know what you like to eat and that is an important thing to know.

The way I see it, learning to cook is like learning to dance.

First you learn about the equipment.  In dance it's your body; You learn how to stretch and how to move.  In cooking it's your utensils, gadgets, kitchen machinery and your pots and pans; you learn to how to use them and make things work.

Next you learn the basics.  In dance you learn the steps one-by-one.  In cooking you learn the various techniques of preparing food like how to chop vegetables or how to sauté. 

Next you get a little experience putting things together.  In dance you learn combination of steps and how to do a few things at the same time like turning while performing a step.  In cooking you learn more advanced techniques that combine skills together like making a roux or a sauce.

After you know all the basics and get a good handle on some of the intermediate things, you can start to improvise.  You use little combinations of techniques you've learned to make something appealing.  Once you've mastered the techniques, you can use what you know to make something truly amazing happen.  However the best things happen when someone who has a mastery of skills uses her imagination to create something exciting and new.

As in dance, the more you practice the better you'll become at different techniques.  The first couple times you try to sauté something could result in something less than desirable.  It happens.  You still eat the food an think of what you'd do differently next time.  In the worst cases, the failed attempt goes in the trash.  It happens even when you are a 'good' cook.

Using your creativity to try to imagine what tastes good together is the same way.  You need to practice it to get good at it.  When I find myself cooking the same thing over and over again, it gets really easy.  It also gets boring.  I like to revisit my old standby recipes and try using new and different flavors once in a while.  You can change the flavor by varying the ingredients, herbs/spices, or cooking methods.  An exercise I like to try is using a standard basic recipe and trying different combinations of herbs each time I make it.

Feeding your mind is a great way to feed your creativity.  For me this involves cooking recipes from certain traditions and then using little combinations from those recipes.  I also pay attention to the flavors that almost always accompany the main ingredient I'm cooking such as meat, chicken or special vegetables.  It can help to have little themes or stories for your seasonings.  This helps you recall groups of ingredients that taste good together. 

Flavors grouped by ethnicity might include:

• thyme, garlic and wine - France
• oregano, basil, garlic and Italian parsley - Southern Italy
• curry, turmeric, ginger and fenugreek - India
• cumin, cilantro, lime and jalapeño - Mexico
• ginger, mint, lime and cilantro - Thailand
  

You can also group things by traditional main dish associations:

• for poultry - parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme (like the song!) and sometimes celery seed or paprika
  
• for pork - parsley, sage and basil
• for white fish - butter, lemon, dill and pepper

By utilizing these combinations and ones like them with basic recipes, you can create very flavorful meals.  The next step is finding basic recipes to use as a springboard for your creativity.

A great source for basic recipes is the The Joy of Cooking.  I use the 1997 version as it has most of the older recipes unchanged from their original state, but includes many ethnic dishes.  What I like about the recipes in this book are the no-nonsense, not jazzed-up versions provided.  These recipes are no-frills and you can add whatever you like.  If I had the older versions of the book, I'd probably use them.  This book is absolute MUST HAVE in the kitchen.  If you don't have a version of this book, I recommend getting one right away.

The following is the basic beef stew recipe from The Joy of Cooking.  I like it because it gives you the technique to build any stew.  My favorite herb to use with this recipe is thyme.  I almost always add red wine when I do.  When I get tired of thyme, I pick another herb from the list and build my changes to the recipe from there.  Here's a few variations:

version 1 - French thyme & wine, leaving out parsnips, extra garlic
version 2 - English thyme (more bitter) & beer, using all veggies but no garlic
version 3 - 1/2 oregano, 1/2 basil, using beer, adding 8 oz sliced crimini mushrooms, no leeks

These variations may seem subtle, but they do produce different results.  Try out your own and see what you like best.  I almost never make the same dish exactly the same.

Basic Beef Stew
 6 to 8 servings 

By altering the vegetables or the proportions, the recipe variations are limitless. For a fresher flavor, add more vegetables or herbs toward the end of cooking.  For a deeper flavor, use a few spoonfuls of Meat Glaze to enrich the sauce.


Pat dry:
2 pounds boneless stewing beef, such as chuck, short rib meat, or bottom round, cut into 2-inch cubes


Season the meat with:
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried herbs (thyme, marjoram, savory, oregano, and/or basil)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


Dredge the meat with:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour


Shake off any excess flour.  Heat in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat:
2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil, bacon fat, beef drippings or other fat

Add the meat in batches and brown on all sides, being careful not to crowd the pan or scorch the meat. Remove with a slotted spoon. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the pan (add more if needed).

Add:
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped leeks (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped garlic (optional)

Cook and cover, stirring often, over medium heat until the onions are softened, about 5 minutes

Add:
2 bay leaves
1/2  to 1 teaspoon of the same herbs used to season the meat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper


Return the meat to the pot and dd enough to cover the meat at least halfway:
2 to 3 cups beef or chicken stock, dry red wine or white wine, or beer

Bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat, cover and simmer over low heat until the meat is fork-tender, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.


Add:
2 to 3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 or 4 boiling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
2 parsnips, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks

Cover and cook until the vegetables are tender, 35 to 40 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and skim any fat from the surface.  Taste and adjust the seasonings. 


Garnish with:
Chopped fresh parsley

My own additions from time to time:

8 oz sliced mushrooms
1 cup pearl barley
cooked egg noodles
a handful of green beans

Serve with warm rolls and a salad. You can also serve over egg noodles for a nice one-pot meal.  This dish is fun and easy to make.  The results are always a crowd-pleaser.  Give it a try.  :D

Buckwheat Pt 1 - Pancakes!

I was never really interested in buckwheat until I started working for a company that specialized in buckwheat pillows.  Even after working there for quite a while and learning all about the coolness that is buckwheat, it still took me forever to give it a try.  One day I did and now I'm hooked.  It's delicious.  I am still looking for ways to include buckwheat into my diet, but I always come back to my favorite buckwheat dish - buckwheat pancakes.

Let's do things backwards today.  Before I get into the details of buckwheat, how about a recipe?

Spiced Buckwheat Pancakes
(for 2 or 3 people)
1 cup buckwheat pancake mix (I use Bob's Red Mill Buckwheat Pancake Mix)
1 organic egg, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetable oil (canola is a good choice)
1/4 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon organic cane sugar

filtered water
real unsalted organic butter (no margarine or butter substitutes)

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl except for the water and the butter.  The mixture will probably get very thick and gummy.  Add about 1/2 cup of water to get the batter evenly moist and mixed.  Add more water 1/4 cup at a time until the batter is of the consistency you prefer.  I like my pancake batter liquid, but not watery.  These pancakes tend to puff up a bit so you may want your batter slightly runnier than traditional pancake batter.  If in doubt, try making a pancake with your batter thicker and see if you like.

Warm a large skillet on medium heat.  Add a little bit of butter, let it melt and swirl it around the pan.  Pour a small amount of batter into the pan so that the final size of the pancake is about 3 or 4 inches across.  (Small pancakes like these cook faster and are easier to handle without ruining them.  If you feel confident you can tackle bigger pancakes, go for it.)  Let the pancake cook until the edges start to solidify.  The batter will bubble a bit and when the bubbles have gotten bigger and deeper, you should start thinking about flipping them.  They need a minute or so on the other side.

Serve the hot pancakes immediately.  They can be served with regular syrup, but as syrup is typically made of high fructose corn syrup you may want to try some other options.  In our house we prefer real maple syrup, used sparingly.  The traditional way to eat buckwheat pancakes is with applesauce.  You can also try a bit of molasses with them for a rich, vitamin-packed treat.

So while you are munching away on your easy, delicious pancakes, let's talk about buckwheat and why it is good for you.

Buckwheat, also know as Fagopyrum esculentum, is native to parts of Eurasia and was first cultivated about 6000 BC in Southeast Asia.  It was subsequently grown all over Asia, Europe and Africa.  It was also one of the first crops cultivated by Europeans in North America.  These days buckwheat is grown all over the world.

Buckwheat is not wheat (although sometimes it is mixed with wheat flour so be careful if you have a wheat allergy).  In fact buckwheat isn't even a grain.  It's the seed of a grass-like plant related to rhubarb.  Buckwheat's name comes from the fact that it resembles beech nuts and is used in a fashion similar to the way wheat is used.

This tasty little seed has been used in cooking all over the world and has played a major role in the cuisine of many countries.  Japan's famous soba noodles are made of buckwheat as is kasha from Russia.  Breton gallettes feature buckwheat flour crepes.  Northern Italians enjoy polenta made with buckwheat.

Since buckwheat is not a grain, it contains no gluten, making it a good choice for folks with wheat allergies.  You can even find beer made with buckwheat malt that contains no wheat.  (Look for gluten free beer.)

Buckwheat is high in magnesium, which contributes to healthy muscles.  Buckwheat proteins contain eight essential amino acids.  It is high in lysine.  Buckwheat is also a good source of Alpha-Linolenic Acid, which is one of the two essential fatty acids necessary for human health.  Buckwheat is a great source of fiber, which can lower 'bad' cholesterol levels.  Another great property of buckwheat is that it contains rutin, which is a compound that helps strengthen the walls of capillaries, thus reducing the likelihood and occurrence of hemorrhaging in people with high blood pressure.

As if all that wasn't good enough, buckwheat grows best in poor soil.  In fact if soil is fertilized, it may reduce crop yields.  Buckwheat is drought resistant, pest resistant and it doesn't require a long growing season.  Most buckwheat is grown without any fertilizers or pesticides.  Much of what is available for purchase is organic, although it is rarely certified as such.  Simply put, this is a crop that is ideal for a small planet.

You can find whole buckwheat groats (the whole interior seed, hull removed) or buckwheat flour at most health food stores.  If you live someplace with easy access to Whole Foods or a food coop you can also find it there.  You may also find buckwheat at Russian/Eastern European food specialty shops.  Soba noodles can be found at many grocery stores, and definitely at Japanese and Korean groceries.

Buckwheat is all-around good for you and for the planet.  There's no good reason not to be eating it.  There are lots of ways to enjoy buckwheat.  At some point I'll revisit buckwheat and get you some more recipes.  In the mean time, if you are hungering for more ways to cook buckwheat, try looking for kasha, or soba noodle recipes.

Eating For More Than Hunger

Ask most folks why people eat and after the funny look they'll answer something like: "So they don't starve." or "To stay alive."  While those are the most obvious reasons people eat, another reason that is nearly as important is to improve or maintain health.  Of course people eat for other reasons, too, ranging from pleasure to boredom, but we aren't as concerned with those reasons today.

Way back before the advent of modern medicine,  people were using food to modify health and treat illnesses.  The first books of medicine were actually cook books.  This was not because there weren't medicines available (there were lots of herbs in use) but rather that there is no other factor that determines as much about a person's health as what they eat.

Every time we eat a meal, we have an opportunity to please our taste buds or to please our bodies.  It's also possible to do both at the same time.  Pleasing the taste buds and the body simultaneously is the only real way to improve health when eating in my humble opinion.  What that means is that good-for-you can and should equal good-tasting.

It's no secret that a most diets fail.  In fact nearly 95% of dieters regain the weight they've lost.  In the United States people spend more than $33 billion per year trying to lose weight with diet programs, special foods and diet beverages.  How could so many of us fail so often?

The answer lies in the fact that diets just aren't the way to get or stay healthy.  Not only do they have a terrible connotation, but the restrictions to calories, fats and other taste-enhancing components can cause foods to be terribly unsatisfying.  Instead of dieting, try changing your eating habits permanently for the better.  Making changes to your way of eating instead of following a fad diet offers a much more reliable and flexible option.

Changing the way we eat can be a daunting task.  It's definitely not the easiest work to undertake.  It can be helpful to take small steps to reach the goal of eating better everyday.  An easy way to start down that path is to begin asking yourself if what you are eating is pleasing to taste buds or pleasing to the body or both.  Sometimes we aren't necessarily sure if what we are eating is good for us or not and that's ok.  There are definitely things we know aren't good for us at all and things we definitely know are better for our health.

'Bad for you' foods are made to appeal to the most basic human desires - usually the craving for fats and/or sweets.  Fats and sweets were at one point a rare part of the human diet.  We crave them because our bodies need them to run but were historically difficult to find.  Our desire for them isn't a bad thing.  It's just the way we're wired.  However over the course of human development, cooks have been able to exploit the resources available to them and make abundant the very things which were once so rare.  The same things that are beneficial in small amounts have become detrimental because they are eaten in excess.  What that means is not that we should avoid fats and calories altogether, rather we should learn to incorporate them in our diets in moderation.

The next time you're in a restaurant, look at a menu and examine the foods you find appealing.  What kinds of foods are they?  Would you consider these foods to be healthy?  It's ok to find foods typically considered 'bad for us' appealing.  After all, most of the time when we go to a restaurant we are going there to eat for pleasure, and not with our health foremost in our minds.

At this point, you have a choice - eat something 'healthy' that might be less appealing or eat something 'bad' that really appeals to you.  In some cases you can be lucky enough to find something 'healthy' and appealing, but often this is not the case.  Sometimes there is a happy medium and sometimes there isn't.  However using your wits you can manipulate your meal a little to get better nutrition and reduce some of the 'badness'. 

Here are some examples:

Scenario 1 - Burger Craving
You are craving a cheeseburger.  You have lots of options with this one.  You can get one from a fast food joint, from a pub or you can make one at home.  You can have french fries with you burger or soup or salad or nothing at all.  You can accompany your burger with beer, soda, or water.

The fast food burger is naturally the worst choice.  It has little nutritional value and is highly processed.  The norm in the fast food restaurant is to serve it with fries and a soda.  Fries and a soda are definitely not the healthiest thing you could be eating.  If you must eat at the fast food place, try skipping the soda and fries.  Have water to drink and in place of fries perhaps add something a bit healthier to your meal like a salad or fruit.  You still won't be eating an optimal meal, but you've gotten rid of some of the worst parts.

The pub may offer a better solution.  You can get a better quality burger that will have a better nutritional value and you can opt to have salad or soup with your meal instead of fries.  Salad is good because it is fresh and provides vegetable nutrients.  Soup can either be good or ok, depending on type.  Cheese soup is not as good of a pick as minestrone, but it is likely better than fries.

Making the burger at home may be the best solution as you can control the type of meat you are using, what toppings you use and what you eat it with.  If you are interested in low carb diet, you can omit the bun and fries and never even be tempted by their presence on your plate.  You can add all the veggies you want.  You can drink water with your meal or any other favorite beverage.  It's a win-win situation.

Scenario 2 - Breakfast
You go to a restaurant for breakfast and you want something satisfying, but you are keeping an eye on your health.

You could have muesli with fruit and yogurt.  Though you like how healthy the meal seems, you know you'd be missing the breakfast you really want to eat.  You might even eat a second breakfast at home later or make up for it with an extravagant lunch.

You could have pancakes, but really they are nothing more than fried refined flour with lots of syrup on top.  There isn't a lot of fiber or nutritional content in them and they are high in sugar.  They may be good for the taste buds, but your body will suffer.  You'll experience a jump in blood sugar that will be followed by a loss of energy.  You will probably be hungry again in a short while.

You could have bacon and eggs with hashbrowns.  Though this meal offers significantly more nutrition than the pancakes, there isn't much in the way of fiber or vitamins from vegetables.  You're missing out on micro-nutrients and variety.  Your meal may also be high in saturated fat.

You could have an omelet.  It includes the meat you might crave, but it also features sauteed vegetables.  It comes with whole-grain toast and fruit instead of potatoes.  This choice is kind of a happy medium since you are still eating a satisfying breakfast that makes you happy, but it includes some vegetables which offer more nutrition and a little more fiber from the toast. 


The moral of this story is that when you are just starting out on the path to changing your eating habits, you can simply make choices to improve a meal.  Take one step at time to get where you are going.  Ask yourself, "Is this the best choice I could be making?" and answer honestly without beating yourself up.  Then ask yourself, "Can I make this a better choice?"  It's up to you to decide when and how you start making changes in the way you eat.

The biggest hurdles to our goals are usually found in our own minds.  Be generous with yourself and patient with yourself.  By starting to think about what might make an optimal meal and making small modifications, you are preparing yourself for bigger changes to come.  It takes time and learning to see where and how you can improve is an important part of the process.  You can do this.  Nothing about the process is difficult.  It only requires you to want to make the necessary changes.

The Fabulous Egg

It seems like it wasn't that long ago that eggs were considered to be white orbs of death.  Being chock full of cholesterol, they supposedly caused high cholesterol and all kinds of problems in humans.   However eggs contain HDL cholesterol - the 'good' cholesterol we hear so much about - and have not been found to increase 'bad' cholesterol levels at all. Thankfully these days the egg has resumed its rightful place as a delicious and nutritious part of a good diet.  Among other things eggs contain all kinds of nutrients and a fair amount of omega-3 fatty acids (if the laying hens have been fed a certain diet).

Eggs are a great source of riboflavin, B12, and choline.  They are rich in selenium, lutein, and zeaxanthin (which helps protect the eyes from macular degeneration.)  Eggs abound with vitamins in the B family, along with vitamins A and D.
 
Essential fatty acids are a necessary part of the human diet.  Most Americans could benefit from including more omega-3s in their diet.  It is recommend to eat at least 2 grams of essential fatty acids per day.  Omega-3s reduce the risk of heart disease, increase HDL cholesterol, help control high blood pressure and can even prevent the accumulation of a certain protein in the body linked to Alzheimer's Disease.

Although fish oils and flax seed are usually considered to be the best source of Omega-3 fatty acids, not everyone likes those foods or knows how to include them in their diet.  People should probably still try to pursue sources of Omega-3 other than eggs, but eggs can help boost your intake.

To get the most nutritional value out of an egg, you need to start with the hen.  Hens that are fed the standard commercial diet and kept in crowded cages simply cannot provide eggs worth much nutritionally.  Hens that are fed improved diets augmented with flax seed, greens or insects are much more likely to pass those nutrients on to you.

If you've looked around any large grocery store lately, you've likely been dazzled by the variety of egg designations there are.  They refer mostly to diet and to the conditions under which a chicken has been raised.  It is important to note that there is little government regulation of these designations and that they have been adopted voluntarily by the egg producers.  Here's a quick guide to the most common designations:

Cage-free hens: Hens that have not been kept in cages.  There is nothing else that can be inferred from this designation.

Free-range hens: This is a tough one.  Free-range essentially means that the chicken is given access to the outdoors.  However, there is no regulation of when this happens or for how long.  Since chickens develop the habits they keep throughout life when very young, if they are not given access to the outdoors before a certain period of their life they will not do so.  There is no guarantee that a free-range chicken has ever seen the light of day.

Humanely-raised: "This is a totally unregulated definition, although organizations are springing up to try to come up with common definitions. The most prominent organization, Humane Farm Animal Care, has a certification process, which includes no cages, and hens having at least 1.5 square feet of floor space. Free-range hens must have outside access, and doors to the outside "must allow more than one hen at a time to exit". De-beaking is allowed, but some of the more barbaric practices common to traditionally-raised hens (such as "forced moulting" where hens nearly at the end of their laying are deprived to food, water, and light for days to weeks to produce one more bout of egg-laying) are not." - Laura Dolson

Natural or All Natural: This simply means “no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed.” This refers only to the finished product, not the animal while living.  Again as this designation is not regulated, anyone can put it on their packaging. This claim has no clout.

Vegetarian fed: Refers only to an animal’s diet and does not guarantee the animal was pastured or raised humanely.  It does not equal organic, as feed can be treated with commercial fertilizers and pesticides.

Organic eggs: Unlike the other designations, this one is regulated by government.  Organic eggs may only be called organic if the hens are fed a diet of organic feed (feed produced without the use of chemical pesticides or fertilizers) and have not been treated with antibiotics or hormones.

Pastured or pasture-raised hens: According to the USDA Trade Descriptions, "birds are raised outdoors using movable enclosures located on grass and fed an organic diet (without hormones or non-organic additives) and/or raised without antibiotics (drugs that are intended to prevent or treat animal illnesses)".

Pasture-raised hens are able to eat a wide variety of the natural food of chickens -- greens, grubs, etc. These eggs are typically the most nutritious and not surprisingly the tastiest.  Of all the designations, this is probably the most important and the most rare.

You can read more about these designations here: http://www.ams.usda.gov/AMSv1.0/poultry

As with any cooking, the quality of the ingredients directly affects the quality of the finished product.  Use the best ingredients available as often as you can.  After all, you are what you eat.  Eat well and your body will show it.

To celebrate the awesome egg, I'll show you my cheater's technique for making the perfect omelet.  It involves none of the flipping that trips most people up.  With a little practice, you'll be making amazing omelets to rival those found in restaurants.

Today's recipe: Super Easy Nice 'n' Cheesey Omelet
Ingredients
2 organic eggs (preferably from pastured hens)
shredded organic Parmesan cheese (or any cheese you prefer)
1 teaspoon milk
1/2 tablespoon butter
salt
pepper
 Equipment
non-stick oven-safe omelet pan or small skillet (with a metal handle - no plastic parts!)
oven with broiler function
stove top

Turn oven broiler to high.  Heat butter in the pan over medium heat on the stove top until it melts.  Meanwhile lightly beat two eggs and add the milk.  When the butter has melted, swirl it about in the pan so that the bottom and sides are coated.  Pour the egg mixture into the pan.  As it cooks, the egg will start to bubble up and set. Let it cook for about 3 minutes or until the bottom just begins to brown.  Do not burn the bottom of the egg!  Add a small handful of Parmesan cheese to taste, sprinkling evenly over the omelet. Transfer the pan to the oven and broil until cheese is completely melted and the egg is no longer liquid (about 2-3 minutes).  Remove from the oven using a pot holder or oven mitt.  Use a spatula or fork to loosen the omelet from the pan and slide it onto a plate.  If you've done things correctly, the omelet should easily slide out of the pan.  Add salt and pepper to taste, fold in half and serve immediately.

Variation
1 - For bigger appetites or to serve without accompaniments, you can make this omelet with three eggs.  Just add another egg, no need to change anything else.
2 - Before starting your omelet, chop up some of your favorite veggies like onions, bell pepper, mushrooms, spinach or tomato.  You don't need a whole lot.  Saute them in a separate pan and set aside.  Add veggies when you add the cheese to the omelet, distributing them evenly.  Broil the omelet as usual and you have a perfect veggie-cheese omelet. 

 Images courtesy of public-domain.zorger.com

The Continuous Kitchen and How to Make Brown Chicken Stock

The continuous kitchen is a concept that seems lost to the sands of time.  Once upon a time, when most of the cooking was done in the home from scratch, kitchens ran with a certain amount of reliance on whatever had been prepared earlier in the day, week or month to save time and effort.  Home cooks didn't have to spend as much time in the kitchen prepping for certain meals, nor were they forced to rely on commercially prepared ingredients like canned stock.   They weren't really making things from scratch every single day, rather they were riding on a few days worth of work already done.  Often they did this prep work when it was easy to do - while they were already preparing another meal.

Modern cooks who want to replicate old recipes or old ways of cooking often need to spend a lot of time preparing elements and ingredients to cook with instead of focusing on just the meal at hand.  Old style continuous kitchens would likely plan days or weeks at a time and have the necessary ingredients already prepared, making the preparation of a wholesome meal much less time-consuming.

I try to run my kitchen in a continuous fashion, but usually I'm not that successful.  It's definitely something I'm trying to work on.  I think I need to do some more research on the subject and see what else I can learn.  I've been able to get my kitchen to run continuously for a day or two, but not much more than that.  I'll have to find more tasks that can be done over several days.  I'll describe the one attempt that has been successful so far.

The Weekend Chicken-to-Stock-to-Soup Continuity

Friday - I'll buy a whole roasted organic chicken from the market.  I love rotisserie style chicken and since I don't have a rotisserie setup at home, we buy ours.  It's great to get a break from cooking a whole meal - a treat to myself.  When we're feeling extravagant, we get a few side dishes also from the market and dinner is served.  A whole chicken is more than the two of us can eat so there are leftovers that head to the fridge.  We save the bones and extra skin from the meal and put them in the fridge for later use.  (This works just as well with a chicken you've roasted at home.)

Saturday - When I wake up, I'll put on the kettle for tea and start boiling filtered water in a stock pot.  While I wait for them to boil, I pick the remaining meat off the carcass and reserve it in a bowl.  The carcass itself goes in the pot, making sure there is enough water to cover it completely.

I peel and quarter an onion, chop about 2 or 3 stalks of celery into 2-inch chunks and toss in 2-3 carrots also cut into 2 inch chunks, along with their green leafy tops.  (Carrot tops are similar in taste to parsley and can be substituted for parsley as long as they are well-cooked.  Some people are sensitive to raw carrot tops.)  If I've been to the store, I'll add 1 pack of fresh organic poultry herbs.  If not, I head out to my modest herb garden and snip a few sprigs of thyme, some sage leaves and a few sprigs of rosemary.  All this is simmered together in the pot for at least 3 hours.  I add water periodically to keep the carcass covered.  If I have the time, I'll let the pot simmer for up to 5 hours.

Often I'll chop vegetables for soup right after I get everything going and place them in the fridge.  I do this at the same time I am preparing breakfast.  This way I can clean up everything right away and have no dirty dishes hanging about.  The only thing tied up is the stock pot and one burner, leaving everything else free for whatever else I might be doing like cooking breakfast or lunch.

Usually I am at home doing chores on Saturday so it isn't hard to keep an eye on the pot.  I stir it once in a while and make sure everything is going well.  If I need to run to the store or go on a short errand, I make sure the heat is turned down, but I can leave the pot cooking on the stove for a bit without supervision without trouble.

At the end of 3-5 hours, I have a nice stock ready for whatever purpose I have in mind, usually soup.  A stock of this kind made from a roasted chicken carcass is often referred to as a brown stock.  When I'm ready to make the soup I saute the veggies I chopped earlier and then add them to the stock.  I can also drop in the chicken meat I removed earlier.  I let the soup cook about 40 minutes more.  The result is a rustic style chicken soup with homemade stock that doesn't really take a lot of time or effort.

Sunday - The soup is eaten again, either as lunch or dinner.  Sometimes the soup will last til Monday, but that doesn't happen often.  :)

Variations
Sometimes I'll use half the leftover meat for another dish (like chicken lettuce wraps or chicken sandwiches) on Saturday and save the soup for Sunday night.

The types of continuous kitchen tasks you can implement are varied.  Since we are not used to one kitchen task leading into another, it can be hard to figure out what to do.  Try to think of what kinds of meals can lead to other meals.  Once you get good at doing certain tasks in sequence, you'll know what ingredients you need to have on hand to complete the steps.  Master it and you can have a series of delicious home-cooked meals for significantly less time and effort.

And now... a recipe:

Brown Chicken Stock
1 roast chicken carcass, meat picked off and reserved
enough filtered or purified water to cover the carcass
1 pack fresh organic poultry herbs
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
2-3 stalks celery, cut into 2 inch chunks
2-3 whole organic carrots, cut into 2 inch chunks (stems and all)

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot and simmer uncovered for at least 3 hours and up to 5 hours.  Strain with a metal colander.  If making soup, saute veggies first then add to the pot along with the reserved chicken meat and cook for another 40 minutes.  If simply making stock, remove from heat and let cool.  Freeze or refrigerate stock for future use.

Ways to Enjoy Veggies Pt 1 - Roasting

Let's get to the fun part, shall we?  I'm talking about the recipe part.  I'll be sharing my favorite recipes from the web, from cookbooks and from my family.   After all, what fun is a blog about food if you can't eat what you are learning about?

There is no question that vegetables in general are pretty darn good for you.  Almost everyone could benefit from eating more of them.  I am lucky enough to have been raised eating lots of fresh veggies straight from the garden.  I've almost always liked all the ones that people typically dislike: broccoli, asparagus, brussels sprouts and lima beans.  In fact there are few veggies which make me as happy as the ones I just listed.

However, I know there are quite a few people out there who loathe everything I just mentioned and shudder at the thought of eating anything that didn't run around on four legs.  While I can't guarantee I can convince you to try them if you really really hate vegetables... I can give you ways to cook them that might be a bit more palatable.

One sure-fire way to make almost any veggie tastier is oven roasting.  Roasting is basically cooking a vegetable without any liquid, save for a light coating of oil to keep the tender flesh from charring.  It's super-easy and the results are undeniably delicious.  You'll need a baking sheet, roasting pan or pizza pan for most recipes,  and the veggies of your choice along with some type of vegetable oil.

Roasted  Carrots
2-4 large carrots, peeled and trimmed but left whole or cut into 1-inch chunks*
2 or 3 tablespoons olive oil
salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Toss carrots with olive oil until lightly coated.  Sprinkle with a little salt.  Arrange oiled carrots on a baking sheet or roasting pan (or whatever shallow flat oven safe metal pan you have).  Cook the carrots in the oven for about 20 minutes and then check on them.  The carrots are done when easily pierced with a fork.   Don't be afraid to let the carrots brown on the edges - they can get quite sweet.  Serve immediately.

*If you have very thick carrots it could take longer for them to cook.  If you want to speed up the cook time, slice in half lengthwise.


Roasted Brussels Sprouts
1 pound brussel sprouts
4-6 tablespoons olive oil
salt
pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Trim bottom of brussels sprouts, and slice each in half top to bottom. Toss brussels sprout halves in half the oil.  Heat the remaining oil in cast-iron pan over medium heat until it shimmers; put sprouts cut side down in one layer in pan.  Sprinkle with salt.

Cook, undisturbed, until sprouts begin to brown on bottom (10-15 minutes, sometimes less) and then transfer the whole pan to the oven.  Roast until sprouts start to brown and are tender when pierced with a fork (about 1/2 hour.)  If you like, you can roast them a bit longer - until they are quite brown.

Remove pan from the oven, taste a sprout, and add more salt and a bit of pepper if necessary.  Transfer to a glass dish and serve.  They are best served warm, although they are eaten quite happily at room temperature or even chilled.

I often bring this dish to potlucks and dinners and get people who don't like brussels sprouts to try them.  They are shocked to discover a salty-sweet little cabbage with a hint of bitterness.  Most folks like them and wind up eating a bunch.  I'm always surprised at how many people really love them when prepared this way and in many cases we run out of sprouts well before any other veggie.

If you're feeling adventurous, you can include whole peeled cloves of garlic when roasting brussels sprouts.  You can also try sprinkling the roasted sprouts with balsamic vinegar.

There are tons and tons of roasted vegetable recipes out there.  The most frequently roasted vegetables include potatoes, onions, carrots, brussels sprouts, turnips, parsnips, rutabagas, eggplant, and sweet potatoes.  Pick your favorites and look for recipes.

Roasting is fun, easy and delicious.  You'll find veggies are way more flavorful and sweet than you ever thought.  Enjoy!

Food Combining

Food combining, also known as trophology, is a theory that claims that certain types of foods should be eaten only in specific combinations. As yet there is little scientific research to support the claims, but anecdotal evidence abounds regarding the improvements in digestive health experienced by those who have tried it. It is not designed to be a system of eating that promotes weight loss, rather its purpose is to help get the most benefit and nutrition from food.

Basically proponents of food combining believe that carbohydrate-rich foods (carbs) such as bread, pasta, carrots, potatoes and cereals should not be eaten in combination with protein-rich foods such as meat, eggs, dairy and nuts. Fruits are to be eaten alone, waiting 20-30 minutes before consuming anything else.

The idea behind this is that amalyse, the enzyme which converts carbohydrates to sugar, works best in an alkaline environment. Pepsin, the enzyme responsible for breaking down proteins, acidifies digestive juices. In effect the two neutralize each other, diminishing the effectiveness of digestion. This can reputedly lead to poor digestion, drowsiness after eating, and gastrointestinal symptoms.

My own experience with this is that foods do break down rather quickly and easily if combined as recommended by trophologists. However this often leads me to feel hungry again fairly quickly. In some cases I don't ever feel full. I feel that although this can perhaps be a good way to digest your food more completely, it might not be practical for every day eating. Most people hate feeling hungry and it can lead to snacking at inappropriate times.

This theory is also a bit at odds with some of the concepts discussed in the South Beach Diet, which is in part based on the idea that carbs need to be consumed with a sufficient amount of fat in order to slow the process of converting carbs to sugars. (This keeps spikes in blood sugar from happening and thereby reduces the amount of carbs converted to fat for storage in the body.)

However many people suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrone and other such ailments claim some relief of symptoms by following the food combining regimen.

If this seems like something of interest to you, I suggest reading more about it. You could try Fit for Life which is likely the most famous book on the subject or The Complete Book of Food Combining: A New Approach to the Hay Diet and Healthy Eating which is a more recent book that treats the subject slightly differently.

If you are doing more research online, key words searches could include 'food combining', 'Herbert Shelton', 'Hay Diet' or 'natural hygiene'.

Happy Thanksgiving

It's no coincidence I decided to start writing a blog about food and cooking just before the American Thanksgiving holiday. Holidays are special times meant to be shared with our family and friends. At the center of many holiday celebrations is my favorite part - the feast.

Home cooks spend hours laboring over delicious meals, often of many dishes. No matter what ethnic or cultural background we come from or what kind of food we serve, moms, dads, grandmas and grandpas, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends gather in or near the kitchen waiting for the tempting goodies to head out to the table. Since holidays are typically times show love and gratitude for one's favorite people, it is no surprise that cooking a meal is often seen as an expression of love.

With all the busy hassle of modern life we sometimes forget that love. The next time you prepare food for yourself or the people you care about, try remember that food is love. Even better, try to keep this in mind every time you make a meal. The better tasting and more nutritious the food, the more love you can show. Treat yourself well and make the best food you can make, every single day you cook.

Likewise every time you eat a home cooked meal, be sure to appreciate that you are accepting the love of the person who made the meal. Make sure the cook knows you appreciate the time and effort to make something for you. A little thanks goes a long way.

Switching gears a little, I wanted to share my favorite book for Thanksgiving recipes. It's called The Thanksgiving Table: Recipes and Ideas to Create Your Own Holiday Tradition. I had the good luck to work at a really fabulous shop here in Seattle that had the most amazing gift items. This book was included in the Thanksgiving gift section about 5 or 6 years ago and I decided to pick one up for myself. Every year since then I have made dishes to bring to Thanksgiving from this book. Every year I get compliments.

What I really love about this book is that there are many recipes to choose from, and almost all fit into my way of eating these days. Naturally most are a little more extravagant than what I would usually prepare (I spent hours shelling 2 pounds of roasted chestnuts for a soup yesterday), but there are many that are quite easy. If you are an accomplished cook, you'll be able to cook anything in the book. A beginner could handle quite a few, if not most of the recipes. The results are typically fantastic.

The Thanksgiving Table provides recipes for classic dishes with a twist. Tired of your old stuffing? There are several wonderful recipes to try that Italian Sausage stuffing, Mushroom and Sage stuffing, Chestnut stuffing, and Fresh Herb Bread Pudding. And as if all the recipes for Thanksgiving day weren't enough, there's a nice section at the end of the book with suggestions for using leftover turkey. From hors d'oeuvres to desserts, this book has every course covered. If your Thanksgiving meal could use a face lift, don't miss this book.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! I hope yours is a good one.

Building Blocks of the Body

Good cooking and good eating starts with a basic understanding of the chemical makeup of food and how it is absorbed into the human system. It is the understanding of this knowledge that helps us know what the most nutritious and healthful foods are for our bodies.  It is the manipulation of this information that helps us create good meals.

There are literally thousands and thousands of explanations of how the body converts food to useful 'building blocks' online. I could write an explanation of my own, but with so many great resources out there, I am going to simply post one from Merck and encourage you to do more research yourself if you feel so inclined.


From the Merck Manual Home Edition:

Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are digested in the intestine, where they are broken down into their basic units: carbohydrates into sugars, proteins into amino acids, and fats into fatty acids and glycerol. The body uses these basic units to build substances it needs for growth, maintenance, and activity (including other carbohydrates, proteins, and fats).

Carbohydrates

Depending on the size of the molecule, carbohydrates may be simple or complex.

Simple carbohydrates: Various forms of sugar, such as glucose and sucrose (table sugar), are simple carbohydrates. They are small molecules, so they can be broken down and absorbed by the body quickly and are the quickest source of energy. They quickly increase the level of blood glucose (blood sugar). Fruits, dairy products, honey, and maple syrup contain large amounts of simple carbohydrates, which provide the sweet taste in most candies and cakes.

Complex carbohydrates: These carbohydrates are composed of long strings of simple carbohydrates. Because complex carbohydrates are larger molecules than simple carbohydrates, they must be broken down into simple carbohydrates before they can be absorbed. Thus, they tend to provide energy to the body more slowly than simple carbohydrates but still more quickly than protein or fat. Because they are digested more slowly than simple carbohydrates, they are less likely to be converted to fat. They also increase blood sugar levels more slowly and to lower levels than simple carbohydrates but for a longer time. Complex carbohydrates include starches and fibers, which occur in wheat products (such as breads and pastas), other grains (such as rye and corn), beans, and root vegetables (such as potatoes).

Carbohydrates may be refined or unrefined. Refined means that the food is highly processed. The fiber and bran, as well as many of the vitamins and minerals they contain, have been stripped away. Thus, the body processes these carbohydrates quickly, and they provide little nutrition although they contain about the same number of calories. Refined products are often enriched, meaning vitamins and minerals have been added back to increase their nutritional value. A diet high in simple or refined carbohydrates tends to increase the risk of obesity and diabetes.

If people consume more carbohydrates than they need at the time, the body stores some of these carbohydrates within cells (as glycogen) and converts the rest to fat. Glycogen is a complex carbohydrate that the body can easily and rapidly convert to energy. Glycogen is stored in the liver and the muscles. Muscles use glycogen for energy during periods of intense exercise. The amount of carbohydrates stored as glycogen can provide almost a day's worth of calories. A few other body tissues store carbohydrates as complex carbohydrates that cannot be used to provide energy.

Glycemic Index: The glycemic index of a carbohydrate represents how quickly its consumption increases blood sugar levels. Values range from 1 (the slowest) to 100 (the fastest, the index of pure glucose). However, how quickly the level actually increases also depends on what other foods are ingested at the same time and other factors.

The glycemic index tends to be lower for complex carbohydrates than for simple carbohydrates, but there are exceptions. For example, fructose (the sugar in fruits) has little effect on blood sugar.

The following also influence a food's glycemic index:

• Processing: Processed, refined, or finely ground foods tend to have a higher glycemic index.
• Type of starch: Different types of starch are absorbed differently. For example, potato starch is digested and absorbed into the bloodstream relatively quickly. Barley is digested and absorbed much more slowly.
• Fiber content: The more fiber a food has, the harder it is to digest. As a result, sugar is absorbed more slowly into the bloodstream.
• Ripeness of fruit: The riper the fruit, the more sugar it contains, and the higher its glycemic index.
• Fat or acid content: The more fat or acid a food contains, the more slowly it is digested and the more slowly its sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream.
• Preparation: How a food is prepared can influence how quickly it is absorbed into the bloodstream. Generally, cooking or grinding a food increases its glycemic index because these processes make food easier to digest and absorb.
• Other factors: The way the body processes food varies from person to person, affecting how quickly carbohydrates are converted to sugar and absorbed. How well a food is chewed and how quickly it is swallowed also have an effect.

The glycemic index is thought to be important because carbohydrates that increase blood sugar levels quickly (those with a high glycemic index) also quickly increase insulin levels. The increase in insulin may result in low blood sugar levels (hypoglycemia) and hunger, which tends to lead to consuming excess calories and gaining weight. Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index do not increase insulin levels so much. As a result, people feel satiated longer after eating. Consuming carbohydrates with a low glycemic index also tends to result in more healthful cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of obesity and diabetes mellitus and, in people with diabetes, the risk of complications due to diabetes.

In spite of the association between foods with a low glycemic index and improved health, using the index to choose foods does not automatically lead to a healthy diet. For example, the glycemic index of potato chips and some candy bars—not healthful choices—is lower than that of some healthful foods, such as brown rice. Some foods with a high glycemic index contain valuable vitamins and minerals. Thus, this index should be used only as general guide to food choices.

Glycemic Load: The glycemic index indicates only how quickly carbohydrates in a food are absorbed into the bloodstream. It does not include how much carbohydrate a food contains, which is also important. Glycemic load, a relatively new term, includes the glycemic index and the amount of carbohydrate in a food. A food, such as carrots, bananas, watermelon, or whole-wheat bread, may have a high glycemic index but contain relatively little carbohydrate and thus have a low glycemic load. Such foods have little effect on the blood sugar level.


Proteins

Proteins consist of units called amino acids, strung together in complex formations. Because proteins are complex molecules, the body takes longer to break them down. As a result, they are a much slower and longer-lasting source of energy than carbohydrates.

There are 20 amino acids. The body synthesizes some of them from components within the body, but it cannot synthesize 9 of the amino acids—called essential amino acids. They must be consumed in the diet. Everyone needs 8 of these amino acids: isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, and valine. Infants also need a 9th one, histidine. The percentage of protein the body can use to synthesize essential amino acids varies from protein to protein. The body can use 100% of the protein in egg and a high percentage of the proteins in milk and meats.

The body needs proteins to maintain and replace tissues and to function and grow. If the body is getting enough calories, it does not use protein for energy. If more protein is consumed than is needed, the body breaks the protein down and stores its components as fat.

The body contains large amounts of protein. Protein, the main building block in the body, is the primary component of most cells. For example, muscle, connective tissues, and skin are all built of protein.


Fats

Fats are complex molecules composed of fatty acids and glycerol. The body needs fats for growth and energy. It also uses them to synthesize hormones and other substances needed for the body's activities (such as prostaglandins). Fats are the slowest source of energy but the most energy-efficient form of food. Each gram of fat supplies the body with about 9 calories, more than twice that supplied by proteins or carbohydrates. Because fats are such an efficient form of energy, the body stores any excess energy as fat. The body deposits excess fat in the abdomen (omental fat) and under the skin (subcutaneous fat) to use when it needs more energy. The body may also deposit excess fat in blood vessels and within organs, where it can block blood flow and damage organs, often causing serious disorders.

Fatty Acids: When the body needs fatty acids, it can make (synthesize) certain ones. Others, called essential fatty acids, cannot be synthesized and must be consumed in the diet. The essential fatty acids make up about 7% of the fat consumed in a normal diet and about 3% of total calories (about 8 grams). They include linoleic acid and linolenic acid, which are present in certain vegetable oils. Eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, which are fatty acids essential for brain development, can be synthesized from linolenic acid. However, they also are present in certain marine fish oils, which are a more efficient source.

Linoleic acid and arachidonic acid are omega-6 fatty acids. Linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosahexaenoic acid are omega-3 fatty acids. A diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids may reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Lake trout and certain deep-sea fish contain large amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. In the United States, people tend to consume enough omega-6 fatty acids, which occur in the oils used in many processed foods, but not enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Kinds of Fat: There are different kinds of fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated (see Coronary Artery Disease: Types of FatSidebar). In general, saturated fats are more likely to increase cholesterol levels and increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Foods derived from animals commonly contain saturated fats, which tend to be solid at room temperature. Fats derived from plants commonly contain monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids, which tend to be liquid at room temperature. Palm and coconut oil are exceptions. They contain more saturated fats than other plant oils.

Trans fats (trans fatty acids) are a different category of fat. They are man-made, formed by adding hydrogen atoms (hydrogenation) to monounsaturated or polyunsaturated fatty acids. Fats may be partially or fully hydrogenated (or saturated with hydrogen atoms). In the United States, the main dietary source of trans fats is partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, present in many commercially prepared foods. Consuming trans fats may adversely affect cholesterol levels in the body and may contribute to the risk of atherosclerosis.

From: http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec12/ch152/ch152b.html

Basic Kitchen Equipment

What I have found in my own kitchen is that if you have the proper selection of quality equipment, you can tackle just about any recipe.

If you are new to cooking, you may not have the things you need. If you already cook frequently, you could have too much - it might be the time to weed out what you've got. Since quality seems to make more of a difference than quantity, it's worth spending your money on a few good items and dontaing the items that aren't going to work as well to the thrift store.

There are millions of kitchen gadgets out there designed to help the cook do less work, but what I've found is that whatever you save in work time you make up for in cleaning time. There are a few gadgets worth having around, but those are few and far between. In reality the basic equipment we already know and love is all you really need to be a fantastic cook. Getting back to basics may well be the best way to master kitchen skills.

A basic kitchen includes the following:

• quality, non-aluminum pots and pans without a non-stick coating
• wood, rubber, bamboo, silicon or metal utensils compatible with your pots and pans
• metal or glass mixing bowlsin 3 sizes
• a set of 2 or 3 quality chef knives
• a large non-plastic cutting board (I recommend bamboo)
• Glass Measuring Cupfor liquid measurements
• Stainless Steel Measuring Cupsfor dry measurements
• Metal Measuring Spoon Set
• Metal Perforated Colander
• glass storage bowls with tight-fitting lids
• an uncoated roasting pan or pizza pan
• a metal grater (any kind will do)
• 2-Quart Glass Baking Dish
• Glass Citrus Juicer
• Fruit and Vegetable Peeler
  

You'll notice I don't include any plastic in the list above. Why? Plastic was not meant to be a part of the human diet. No matter the quality, plastic utensils leave trace amounts of plastic in our food. Additionally some common kitchen plastics are porous - they can stain easily, absorb food particles or even leech chemicals into food. (Plastic lids that don't come in contact with food are OK.)

Sure, we're told plastics are safe and for many people they are. For others thousands of nameless toxins collect in the body from exposure to plastics and other chemicals that over time wreak havoc on the delicate human system. However we live in a time that provides us with so many better choices there is no need to take a chance. Personally I prefer the feel of wood/bamboo for most of my utensils anyway. Utensils made of natural materials are readily available in almost every kitchen shop and supermarket these days. There isn't really a good reason to use plastic.

Additionally all utensils wear out over time. Throwing out useless plastic items contributes to a greater problem modern societies are facing - storage space for trash that doesn't biodegrade. If you use wood, you can toss your worn out utensils in with your yard waste.

The other thing you probably noticed is that I prefer to use pans without a non-stick coating. Again, Teflon (the major component of non-stick coatings) and its ilk are not meant for human consumption. Yet non-stick coatings wind up in food all the time. This means it also winds up in our bodies. A 2008 study of 45 nursing mothers in Amherst, Massachusetts revealed perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA, a type of PFC) as the second most frequent contaminant in breast milk, present in every single one of the study's participants. While the amount of this chemical ingested by babies from breastfeeding is considered 'safe', what does that say about what is inside the mother's body?

Incidentally if you own parrots, burning up a non-stick pan could be fatal to your birds. You've heard of a canary in a coal mine, right? Well animals as sensitive as birds can die from exposure to those chemicals found in your cookware. If it can kill birds, why take chances with your own health?

Most people opposed to non-coated cookware are concerned that cleanup can be a pain. Honestly, I am terribly lazy and I haven't really had much trouble cleaning up mine. The other argument is that non-stick pans allow you to use less fat when cooking and people don't want to add more fat. It's true that more fat is used in traditional cookware, but I'm not really positive that using less fat to cook is as beneficial as many people claim. I'll write more about that later.

Lastly all aluminum cookware should be avoided as long term exposure to aluminum has been linked to Alzheimer's disease. Additionally aluminum and copper cookware are considered to be 'reactive' cookware, meaning that in some circumstances the cookware could discolor soups or sauces and impart a metallic taste.

Ultimately the choice of what to use in your own kitchen is yours alone. However if you are making a big effort to work on your health, starting with cookware seems like a logical choice.

Theories on the Best Way to Eat

You may be asking yourself, "So how do I know what I should be cooking or eating? What is the optimal diet for me?" There are a number of theories that address those questions, many of which have been written down and tested. Making sense of these theories is up to you.

There is a great deal of information available on how to eat today.  So many books and articles have been written on achieving the best diet possible for weight loss, overall health or for specific ailments.  However, everyone is different and it is very likely there is no single best answer to the question, "What should I eat?"

The other issue that is commonly ignored when dealing with diet and lifestyle change is, "What do I think and why?"  Too often people are given a command to follow a particular regimen with little regard as to why.  Understanding the concepts behind the commands are important as it frees people up to decide for themselves.  We are much more likely to participate fully in a program we design for ourselves since we know ourselves best.

The challenge is then twofold:

1- To prepare yourself for the challenges ahead.

and

2- To arm yourself with information.

Self-Work
I've found that combining concepts from several sources of information can be better than just sticking to one method.  This requires that you experiment a bit and that you know your own body better than the average Joe.  It also requires you to think and make judgments about the information you receive.

Another quality you must possess is patience.  Many food programs require time to work.  It simply isn't possible to see results overnight and anyone that says otherwise is probably selling something.  Be patient with the routines you adopt and patient with yourself.  Making mistakes is part of being human.  There is no need to punish yourself for failing.  It happens.  Gently pick yourself up and try again.

Becoming a good cook and a good eater also requires you to be an active participant in your own well-being.  Leaving the decisions to someone else may be easier, but ultimately you are the one responsible for what you pick up and put in your body.  You also might need to become a skeptic and question concepts that come from traditionally trusted sources like doctors, governments and other such institutions.  This doesn't mean you should avoid advice from those sources, but understanding what factors contribute to certain advice can be very telling.

Perhaps the single most essential personal quality required for success is the desire to improve.  By visiting this blog and reading this far, you've already proven that you are ready for change.  In reality that's what is required of someone wishing to become healthier - making permanent changes for the better.   The difference between losing weight and becoming healthier is that weight loss is often associated with temporary changes in diet or activity.  Lifestyle change is what's required for maintenance of the healthful improvements to one's life.  However no matter what anyone says, without the sustained desire to really help yourself there is no real way to succeed.

Books to Start With
The two books that have influenced the way I eat the most are Eat Right 4 Your Type: The Individualized Diet Solution to Staying Healthy, Living Longer & Achieving Your Ideal Weight
by Peter D'Adamo and The South Beach Diet: The Delicious, Doctor-Designed, Foolproof Plan for Fast and Healthy Weight Lossby Dr. Arthur Agatston MD.

Eat Right 4 Your Type suggests an optimal diet based on blood type and includes lists of foods most appropriate for each of 4 types.  The South Beach Diet recommends control of blood sugar by carefully combining certain types of foods.  Both books have an explanation of the concepts behind them refuted by scientific research.  They are a great place to start for anyone interested in improving their diet and subsequently their health.  Combining the styles of eating that these books suggest gives you a solid base from which to start experimenting.

These are two books that have worked for me.  While they can be great introductions to some of the concepts I stick to, I urge you to go out and do some research of your own.  You certainly don't have to stop at two books.  Make learning about food a priority.  Ask the people around you what has and has not worked for them.

(Images courtesy of public-domain.zorger.com )