The Perfect Turkey

So, I don't have a picture to share or perhaps I do, but I wouldn't even know where to begin to look for one. Either way this turkey is absolutely amazing! It is so moist and flavorful. I have tried multiple methods of cooking turkeys over the years and have found that this final combination is my favorite. Because I am will not be roasting a turkey this year, I hope someone will find this recipe very useful this year. You can always adjust the brine ingredients to suit your preferences. There is an amazing apple cider brine that works wonders too. Infused with cinnamon and allspice it is a lovely alternative to the traditional herb flavored birds. So, please enjoy!

Brined and Roasted Turkey
Brine
3 cups coarse salt
5 cups sugar
2 medium onions, chopped
2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and chopped
2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
4 dried bay leaves
3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 Sprigs Rosemary
3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns
10 or more cups water
In a large stockpot combine brine ingredients, bring to a boil. Cook and stir occasionally until salt and sugar dissolve. Remove from heat and cool to room temp.

Turkey
1 whole turkey--about 15 lbs
3 sticks butter (1 softened, 2 melted)
Fresh Ground Pepper
1 cheesecloth
2 cups dry white wine

Rinse turkey inside and out, remove giblets and neck. Place turkey in brine bag placed inside a large pot or cooler. Cover turkey completely with brine and close bag. Store in ice or at 40 degrees for 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 with rack in lowest position. Combine melted butter with wine. Soak cheesecloth in melted butter/wine mix. Remove your turkey from the brine, rinse well inside and out and pat dry. Tie legs together. Place turkey on a removable rack in roasting pan and tuck wings under bird. Rub softened butter all over turkey and under skin over breast. Sprinkle turkey with black pepper and a little salt. Lay soaked cloth over turkey covering the breast and part of the legs. Reserve remaining soak for basting. Place turkey in oven, legs first. Roast 30 minutes. Baste cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temp to 350. Continue to roast basting every 20-30 minutes. Don't let the cloth dry out. Continue this process for 2 hours of roasting. When your butter/wine mix runs out use pan drippings to baste. After 2 hours, remove turkey from oven and carefully remove cheesecloth. You may have to baste it one more time before removing it so it doesn't stick to the skin. Baste the skin and return turkey to oven. Cook for about an hour more. Check the temp of the bird by placing a thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh. It must read 180. If you hit bone, try again. Let turkey rest for about 30 minutes before carving. Use pan dripping for gravy. Total cook time should be about 15 mins per lb.

Avocado and Kale Salad

The general rule of thumb for lettuces and greens is the darker the better. Iceberg lettuce does not pack the same nutritional punch as spinach. In fact, I never buy it anymore. I really hate washing and prepping a head of iceberg. It is just not worth the effort for its lack of flavor and nutritional value. I much prefer dark leafy greens. That being said, there are some leafy greens most people will not touch dressed much less buy fresh and undressed at the grocery store. Kale and collards are intimidating for most people even though we all know they are packed with nutrition. In fact, Kale contains compounds that produce enzymes that fight cancer and is used in anti-cancer diets. It eases congestion, contains powerful anti-oxidant properties, aids in digestion and is a great source of calcium, iron and vitamins A and C. Still, Kale just never appealed to me with it's rough edges, tough texture and bitter flavor. It's just one of those vegetables we know is good for us, but don't eat because we just aren't sure what to do with it. Recently, I tried it raw in a salad form and was really surprised at how delicious it was. Because it is a tough green it stands up well to acidic dressings that can wilt spinach to mush in a matter of hours. It's even tastier the next day. So, here is my version of the delicious salad I tasted and loved.

Avocado and Kale Salad

1-2 bunches of raw kale, washed trimmed of stalks, and chopped into bite size pieces
1 ripe avocado
4 green onions chopped
juice from 1/2 lime (plus or minus for flavor)
salt to taste

Mash avocado with lime juice, salt and onions in a small bowl. In a large salad bowl add chopped kale and toss thoroughly with avocado dressing. Allow to sit and marinate for about 30 minutes before serving.

This recipe is really easy and delicious. My husband is willing to try anything I make, but when I mentioned kale salad he made sure I wasn't going to be offended if he didn't like it. Well, the skeptic gobbled it up and went back for seconds. Even my 3 year old daughter ate two bites without spitting it out! I did have to bribe her with promises of a cookie to try it. Whatever works, right?

A Not-So Triumphant Return

Being very aware of my absence here on Blogger, I must apologize for my lack of effort. However, I do have a good excuse. As most of you who read my blog know I was recently hired by a retail grocery chain specializing in natural foods and products. As part of my employment agreement I am not allowed to promote or disparage the store in any way. So, I was unsure of how to proceed with my food blog. I will not mention the name of the store here, but I will share with you some of the wonderful things I am learning.

My recent job search seemed endless because I was just not getting much of a response, but it turned out well in the end. I am very happy to be working in an industry I love and beginning to feel very passionate about. Eating healthy and enjoying natural non-processed foods is the direction I want to take my family and my friends. My job is definitely a natural fit for me, and I am very excited about my future with the company.
One of the most valuable things I am learning is that it really does not have to be expensive to eat healthy. You just have to get creative and find a store with valuable resources to guide you along the way. There is also no need to feel intimidated by specialty natural food stores. Just because they are special does not always mean they are expensive. Most specialty grocers offer inexpensive products along with specialized foods. If you plan your shopping trip and stick to your list you can find everything you need and not break the bank. It is usually all the wonderful little extras you don't plan for that get shoppers into trouble at the checkout line.
So, if you are lucky enough to have a natural grocery store in your area it is worth checking out. Most stores offer customer service to help you navigate the store and find exactly what it is you need and also offer nutrition and meal planning advice to help you get on the right track. If you still don't think you are ready or motivated to start eating natural foods I suggest watching one of the many great food expose documentaries. Food, Inc. is the most popular, but Fast Food Nation is an eye opener and though I have not seen it yet I have heard Our Daily Bread is also a stomach turner powerful enough to make the biggest junk food junkie read a label. Trust me, you will never look at food the same way again. Happy shopping!

inner-eco™ | dairy-free coconut kefir

Awesome new product I picked up today. Probiotics without the dairy!

inner-eco™ | dairy-free coconut kefir

Ground Turkey Shepards Pie

One of my favorite dishes of all time is a mouth watering Shepard's Pie. The problem is that this dish is usually reserved for special occasions due to its usually ridiculously high fat content. Since I love this dish so much I decided to take a stab at a lighter version in hopes that I could re-create it without losing so much wonderful flavor. Shepard's Pie is traditionally made with ground lamb, but Americans often substitute ground beef. I took it one step leaner and made it with lean ground turkey. I also vowed to make it as simple as possible and using very few dishes. Anyone who has ever made Shepard's Pie knows the dishes can pile up quickly. In place of starchy Russet or Idaho potatoes I use red potatoes and leave the skin on. I cut corners by using frozen mixed vegetables and add flavor to the meat with grated onion and garlic. I cut out the butter and used extra virgin olive oil instead and used 1% low fat milk instead of whole milk or cream. Before you go running from this recipe I suggest you give it a try. My husband raved about it, and he is my very own personal food critic.

Ingredients

1 lb or 6 or 7 medium red potatoes, skin on, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, grated (with a cheese grater)
3/4 c frozen mixed vegetables (corn, peas, carrots, green beans)
2 teaspoons worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Sea Salt and pepper
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup skim or low fat milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 425. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add potatoes to cook for 10 minutes or until tender. Heat a large skillet over medium heat, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add grated onion and garlic. Saute until onion is golden brown (2-3 minutes). Add ground turkey and increase heat to medium high. Stirring until turkey is browned (8-10 minutes). Add flour and mix well. Add worcestershire and broth until it thickens. Add vegetables and salt and pepper to taste (about 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp salt). Pour mix into 2 quart casserole dish.
Drain potatoes and return to pot. Add remaining oil and begin to mash. Add additional oil by the teaspoon if necessary. Measure out your milk in a large measuring cup and thoroughly mix in egg yolk. Add milk mix slowly while stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper to taste (about 1 teaspoon salt). Top meat mixture with potatoes. Bake at 425 for 30 minutes. Turn on broiler for another 5-10 minutes to brown the top (watch closely). Top with fresh parsley. Serves about 6. We managed to get about 8 servings total.

Effects of the consumer's voice

Just when you think your voice doesn't count when it comes to the nutritional value of processed foods...PepsiCo will cut sodium, sugar, fat in drinks, chips. Way to go PepsiCo and Frito Lay! They have a LONG way to go, but it is a perfect example of how consumer dollars really do make a difference. Continue to make healthy choices in the checkout line and help to enforce change!

10 Things the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know - US News and World Report

10 Things the Food Industry Doesn't Want You to Know - US News and World Report

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Hidden nutritional pitfalls...in plain sight

A friend of mine recently asked me about ingredients to avoid when shopping for food and reading labels. While I could give her a few answers I was unable to give her a definitive answer because I really don't know all the nutritional pitfalls to avoid on a label. Thus began my research to understand more about ingredient lists. Between my fairly short attention span (my husband likens it to that of a house fly) and trying to entertain a demanding two-and-a-half-year-old I will limit this topic to 5 specific items to avoid, but I promise to return to this topic . I also learned that if the product you are buying has more than 10 ingredients (with the exception of items like soups with lots of real ingredients or bags of frozen vegetables with 10 plus kinds of vegetables) on the label you should probably put it back, especially if the majority of those ingredients are unpronounceable.

High Fructose Corn Syrup
If you have been actively reading this blog you are aware of my recent disdain for this product. I have a rule: if these words are present on a label, I will not buy it. Basically, it is a cheap substitute for sugar that is broken down in such a way that your body gains no nutritional value and doesn't even have to work to break it down. It has been shown to be detrimental to the health of your liver and is believed to be a major contributing factor to rapidly increasing rates of obesity. It is found in everything from sodas and ice cream (yes, Blue Bell too) to bread, salad dressing, granola bars, canned vegetables and even hot dogs. Basically, it can be lurking anywhere even in your favorite flavored morning latte (crying a little).

Partially Hydrogenated Oils (trans fats)
This should be an obvious one, but it unfortunately is not. Where this ingredient surprises me most is that it can be found in products we consider to be healthy or low-fat. Some natural no-stir peanut butters contain this ingredient leaving the consumer to believe they are buying a healthier product than the more popular "unhealthy, sugary" peanut butter. Butter substitute spreads are another big offender often containing "partially hydrogenated soybean oil" all the while labeling the product as having less saturated fat than butter.
So, why is this product so bad? Trans fats raise LDL (bad cholesterol) and lower HDL (good cholesterol). This deadly combo increases one's risk for heart disease, the leading killer of men and women. By adding hydrogen to vegetable or other oils through a process called "hydrogenation" the oil becomes more solid and stable helping to add shelf life to the product. That three month old box of crackers in the back of my pantry is proof.
The other misleading statement is "trans fat free" A product that contains less than 0.5 grams of trans fat per serving may label their product as "trans fat free". So, even if it contains partially hydrogenated oils it can be labelled as "trans fat free". The problem here lies in this: if you eat more than the recommended serving, you could be getting trans fats and if you eat several different items throughout the day containing partially hydrogenated "trans fat free" foods you could actually be exceeding your daily limit of trans fat and not even realize it. This might explain why so many of my well meaning "low fat" product diets have failed me!
Mayo Clinic recommends eating foods containing Monounsaturated fats such as olive, peanut , grapeseed and canola oils. I say, if you like the taste of butter, use butter. At least you know what you are getting. I reserve butter for baking and use Monounsaturated oils for cooking.

Food Colorings and a number (Blue 2, Green 3, Red 3, etc)
As a kid growing up eating M&M's I remember the color red being noticeably absent from the bag. The general assumption was that red M&M's caused cancer due to the use of Red Dye #2. In truth, Mars stopped making red M&M's for fear of the association people might have with their product and the dye banned in 1976. The triumphant return of the red M&M occurred in 1987.
Although, Red Dye #2 is still banned for use in food products there are still concerns over artificial food colorings. Studies have shown the use of some of these popular artificial dyes can cause behavioral problems (such as Attention Deficit Disorder) in children who are sensitive to the chemicals. Granted, not all kids are sensitive, but it is a safe bet to eliminate foods containing artificial dyes. Whether I fully agree or not, I'm looking for dyes on labels now and putting many products back that I thought were healthy. The irony is that candy is colored with these dyes, but try diverting your kids' attention away from a bright red sucker.

Refined Soy
Say it ain't soy! This one really surprised me. I have NEVER thought of soy as unhealthy. Soy milk, tofu, soy based formula, edamame, and soy burgers are ALL good for you, right? The stories of busy body wives trying force tofurkey down their "meat n' tater" husbands are all too common. I found surprising information on how soy affects our health in adverse ways. To Google this subject still leaves fairly sparse information and much of it is contradictory. Some might speculate that the mighty subsidized soy industry has a "chilling effect" on the topic, but who knows. I will, however, offer a few examples of soy concerns.
Soy contains plentiful amounts of isoflavones (estrogen-like compounds). These are the same compounds that are beneficial to our health helping protect us from diseases like cancer and heart disease. As little as 38mg of isoflavones (less than the amount in two glasses of soy milk) can depress thyroid function in women. Soy infant formula contains very high levels of isoflavones for their low body weight so soy fed infants are recieving very high doses of estrogen daily. "Dr. Mike Fitzpatrick, a New Zealand toxicologist estimates that an infant exclusively fed soy formula receives the estrogenic equivalent of at least five birth control pills per day." Soy, The Darker Side of America's Favorite "Health" Food.
Basically, the rule for soy is to eat it in moderation. The problem lies in that soy is found on ingredient labels all too often. Examples include bread, buttery spreads, ice cream, frozen potatoes, and chocolate. If you are eating soy in whole food form like tofu or edamame you are probably not going to suffer major adverse health effects. If every processed food in your pantry includes processed soy in some form you may want to clean house and commit to limiting your purchases of products containing refined soy. Our goal is to keep our little girl a little girl as long as nature will allow, so I am going to strictly limit the amount of soy that comes into our home. As for soy milk...we'll just stick to good ol' cow's milk.

Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA)
This sounds like a serious and threatening disease of unpronounceable body parts, but it's just another additive. This is an ingredient of which I was totally unaware. It's usage is limited by the FDA to less than 0.02% of fat content in foods and less than 0.1% in chewing gum, so maybe that is why it is not commonly known. Plus, it is another unpronounceable word people tend to forget or ignore (which is my case). It is basically a preservative used in oils or fat containing foods as well as some cosmetics and rubber and pteroleum products. In short, BHA has been found to have carcinogenic effects on animals and scientists are still largely unaware of what levels can be toxic to humans. For me, I'll just pass over products with those two words on the label...just to be safe.

There are a million things to look for on labels before tossing items into your grocery cart, but this would become a very long blog post and I am not captivating enough to keep you reading to the end. Navigating labels is really common sense. If it seems the label is rife with chemicals, sugars, fats and salts it is probably best to put it back on the shelf for the the next unsuspecting consumer. I know some people might think this is all a little crazy, that maybe scrutinizing ALL of our food is just too much. For me, this food revelation has been enlightening to the actual amount of these ingredients we have been consuming. If we continue to buy foods containing ingredients we do not want to consume then we are telling the food industry that it is OK to continue to short change the quality of food and our health. The government does not have the power to control this industry nor should they. WE should. As consumers, we VOTE on what we want to eat by the purchases we make. Your grocery list is your ballot, so make it count!

Farfalle with vegetables, tomatoes, feta and bacon

This recipe was actually inspired by a really tasty looking recipe from Food and Wine. Being the mother of a two year can have its consequences while grocery shopping. I often leave the store without all of the items on my list, thus leaving me short when it comes to preparing the recipes I have chosen for the week. On the other hand, it also forces me to get creative which is what happened here. I originally planned to make Farfalle with Tomatoes and Green Vegetables, but without the spinach, ricotta salata and green tomatoes I had to improvise. You might be wondering why I added bacon to an otherwise vegetarian dish. Bacon tastes good! If you don't eat meat, you can just eliminate the bacon and cook your veggies with a tablespoon of olive or grapeseed oil. This makes a very easy and light dish...and yes, my 2 year old even ate a bowl of it without complaint! (Serves 4)

1/2 lb farfalle pasta
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise
1 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
8 asparagus spears, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
4 slices center cut, lean bacon trimmed and chopped
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced or use a garlic press

Cook chooped bacon over medium heat until crisp. While bacon is cooking, bring large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta to cook for about 7 minutes. Remove the bacon w/ a slotted spoon and set aside on a paper towel. Using tongs to hold a crumpled paper towel, wipe up all but about 1 tsp of the bacon fat. Add sliced zucchini to pan and saute until almost tender, add garlic and tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes are just heated through. Remove from heat.
After pasta has cooked for 7 minutes, add asparagus and cook for one more minute. Reserve 3/4 cup of the pasta water and drain pasta. Return to pot and add zucchini mixture, green onions, and reserved pasta water to pot. Toss and place in serving dish, top with feta and bacon.

The Cheeseburger's Threat To The First Amendment

As much as I would like to keep my blog light-hearted and hopefully a little funny, I decided to write about a very serious issue that threatens our First Amendment rights. It is a topic of which most Americans are completely unaware: food-disparagement laws.

Have you ever said, "Don't eat that (insert perishable junk food product here). It's so bad for you."? Well, you just broke the law in 13 states. Hard to believe, right? You broke what is commonly referred to as a food libel law or veggie libel law. Thirteen states have laws on the books preventing individuals, media and businesses from disparaging perishable food products.

Remember Oprah's beef rancher lawsuit? She was sued by cattle ranchers in Texas for an episode of her talk show about "mad cow disease". She made the comment, "It has just stopped me from eating another burger!". Cattle prices tumbled and she was subsequently sued for "false defamation of perishable food" and "business disparagement". After spending 1 million dollars defending the suit she won, but the Texas law remains unchanged. She also no longer speaks publicly on the issue.

Most of us generally know what is good for us and bad for us to eat. We make our choices and justify eating it in some way or another. In no way am I some sort of food "Nazi" screaming that everyone should ban all junk food. That would make me a hypocrite or very skinny. I LOVE a good cheeseburger and fries! As my "journey" to a healthier lifestyle for myself and my family continues I'm sure I will detour here and there to indulge in the American decadence that is junk food. But my point is simply this: we should all be allowed to question and/or criticize the food we eat. I'm not willing to eat a burger that came from a cow with mad cow disease. Is it wrong to be given the information to make that choice? According to Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Texas it is illegal to provide any information that may disparage perishable food items unless you have deep enough pockets to defend yourself.

So, what can we say and in what context can we talk about food safety? Basically, if you can't back it up with reliable data you could be responsible for paying restitution to whomever you may have offended. If I were to imply that beef is bad for you I could be sued. Sure, I can back it up with all sorts of information regarding some of the negative effects beef has on the body, but beef has many positive qualities too. It is really all in the eye of the beholder. The data regarding food can be twisted in any direction to suit the argument. In the majority of food libel cases the burden of proof falls on the defendant. Ultimately, this causes a "chilling effect" meaning that food critics will remain silent regarding certain topics for fear of retribution in the form of a very costly lawsuit.

What about the First Amendment? Does it not afford every American the freedom to speak freely with out fear of retribution? Here's a refresher:
"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."
Food libel laws challenge the very fabric of the First Amendment. They leave the door open for all industries to move towards legislating opinions about their products. Can you imagine poor little Calvin getting slapped with a lawsuit for urinating on the Ford or Chevy emblems? We are a free consumer nation and should be allowed to question our consumer goods and share those questions and concerns with others.

When mother and Food Safety Advocate, Barbara Kowalcyk, was asked in an interview for Food Inc., whether or not she eats meat anymore she would not answer for fear of a lawsuit. Why would a Food Safety Advocate be prompted to answer that question? In 2001 her two-and-a-half-year-old son died 12 days after eating a hamburger tainted with E. coli. In her case, she would probably win that lawsuit, but she still would have to bear the burden of litigation costs. When faced with plaintiffs with very deep pockets and teams of lawyers a mother on a fixed income doesn't stand a chance making it through a trial with her shirt on much less winning.

So, what does that mean for my little mutinous junk food blog? Well, I will choose my words carefully. I will continue to post recipes I try and like. I will continue to blog about current food issues that affect my family and happily dole out advice to my inquiring friends about food. I do not presume that all the food I buy at the grocery store is completely safe for my family nor do I presume that agribusiness is out to poison us all to meet their bottom line. I will just continue to learn more about the food we eat, try to make the best choices for my family, and share those choices and ideas with anyone who might be listening.

Simple Baked Chicken Nuggets

Yes, I am guilty of buying chicken nuggets in a bag to conveniently store in my freezer for quick and easy access to a lunch that is guaranteed to be eaten by my two year old. I always buy all-white meat nuggets, but that provides little reassurance to my conscience. My daughter loves chicken nuggets and of all the things she could be eating it is not the worst. Still, it weighs on me to serve them to her. So, today I decided to experiment with my own version of homemade baked chicken nuggets.
I know there are a billion healthy chicken nugget recipes out there and it is always daunting to think of the process of breading and baking or frying your own nuggets. I do not profess to have the greatest tasting or the easiest version. This was really more about an experiment. They turned out pretty good, so I thought I would share.
My plan was simple: to create really easy baked nuggets my daughter will eat. I grabbed a couple of boneless, skinless breasts, pounded them out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut them into 1-2 inch pieces. I tossed the pieces in flour and dredged each piece in an egg mix and finally Panko bread crumbs. Threw them in the oven to bake. The dip is a simple mix of mustard and honey. She asked me for ketchup and I told her this was better. She tried it and liked it! I didn't include salt in my recipe, but you could salt and pepper your chicken pieces before breading for more flavor. If your child likes honey flavored nuggets you can add a tablespoon or two to the egg mixture.
I baked these nuggets on parchment paper for easy cleanup, but sprayed them using my Misto (a handy little tool that no kitchen should be without). Again, I am not really sure what you get with cooking spray so I try to use my Misto filled with either olive oil or grapeseed oil. For extra golden color I broiled both sides of the nuggets for about a minute after baking. To freeze for later just allow them to cool completely, place them in a ziploc freezer bag, and lay flat in the freezer. This recipe makes about 30-40 nuggets depending on the size of the chicken breasts and the size you cut your pieces.
I hope you and your kids will enjoy them. We did!!

Ingredients
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1-2 cups Panko Japanese bread crumbs (I used a little more than a cup)
1 egg
1/4 c Milk
1/4 c flour (whole wheat would be a healthy alternative)
parchment paper
olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place your chicken breasts in a large ziploc or between plastic wrap and pound out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut chicken breasts into equal 1-2 inch pieces. Pat dry with a paper towel. Toss chicken with flour in a bowl or bag. Mix egg and milk in a small bowl. Place breadcrumbs in a shallow dish or plate. Dip in egg mix and dredge in breadcrumbs. I just use the assembly line method by lining up all of my plates. Place each piece on a cookie sheet lined with parchment, not touching each other. Lightly spray the nuggets with olive oil. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes. Remove and turn over. Spray the other sides with olive oil. Bake for about 5-10 minutes. For added color broil each side for about a minute. Serve with homemade honey mustard (mustard and honey).

Save our kids from toxic food!

We all have memories of the horrible food we found ourselves forced to eat at school growing up. There is a valid reason that food was so unpalatable...it's toxic! If you haven't caught an episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution you need to set your DVR to record ABC on Fridays at 9 PM Eastern Standard Time (8 PM Central) and get watching. He is on a crusade to improve the quality of our food in this country, especially for our children. Nuggets, tater tots and chili dogs do not qualify as nutrition in my opinion, so I signed the petition. If you feel the same way sign it!

The trashcan runneth over

This morning my 2 year old daughter asked me for some oatmeal. Nothing unusual...she often asks me for oatmeal. A few weeks ago I purchased some strawberry oatmeal that promised low sugar content. I proceeded to fill the tea kettle with water and turn on the stove. The whistling of the tea kettle is a novelty for my daughter and I think it may be the real reason she asks for oatmeal. I looked for a pack of the strawberry oatmeal and found we only had cinnamon flavor. Not thinking this would make much of a difference, I prepared her oatmeal. She was unhappy her oatmeal was not pink, a feature of the strawberry oatmeal. So, I thought I could just add some strawberry syrup. But first...I read the label. The ingredient list started with "high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, water, sugar, etc...". I grabbed the red food coloring instead and that bottle of strawberry syrup found its way to the trash bin.

Of course, this prompted me to take stock of my pantry. I was not surprised to find the chocolate syrup had basically the same ingredient/nutritional makeup as the strawberry syrup but included cocoa. I'm pretty sure the benefits of cocoa don't outweigh the detriments of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Next, I grabbed my generic box of honey nut cheerios. I was pleased to find there was no HFCS. Sitting next to my cheerios was a box of Keebler Multi-Grain Club crackers. Now, I didn't suspect my multigrain crackers to contain HFCS, but at this point I had made it my goal to check every item in the pantry. Sure enough, somewhere in the middle of the ingredient list included those four little words. To the trash can! Now, I'm worried. Please oh please, tell me the whole grain goldfish aren't polluted too! Whew...no HFCS. My daughter's snack of choice is safe.

I was on a mission to rid my pantry of this poison. So, on to the baking goods section where I found two cans of bread crumbs, regular and Italian style. Surely, these are just bread crumbs. As I turned the can around I was surprised to see a countless number of unpronounceable words. I scanned the list and found those four dirty little words again. I vowed to replace them with panko at my first opportunity as I tossed them into the trash.

Of course, I found a few other items in my pantry that surprised me and a few that didn't. I did find it interesting that the "light" pancake syrup was basically made of HFCS and flavoring. I was even more surprised to learn the Karo Dark Corn Syrup was just dark corn syrup and refiner's syrup (a byproduct of sugar cane processing). Of course, light corn syrup was no surprise with corn syrup sweetened with high fructose corn syrup. Molasses was just molasses which was a relief and a bit surprising. The worcestershire sauce consisted of basically three things: vinegar, molasses and HFCS. I never even considered worcestershire sauce to add any calories to a dish much less contain HFCS. My husband might be upset to come home and find there are no condiments for his micheladas (a tasty beer concoction), so I'll hold off on tossing the worcestershire until I find some without HFCS.

This prompted me to ask the question, "What is the difference between corn syrup and high fructose corn syrup?". I found my answer here. Corn syrup is created by mixing the corn starch with a weak solution of hydrochloric acid and heated. Through this process they can create varying degrees of sweetness. Wait a minute, back up...hydrochloric acid? Really? Ok, now I am starting to get a little creeped out. But wait...there's more. Regular corn syrup contains dextrose and must be converted to fructose in order to be sweet enough for use in foods such as soda and catsup. Dextrose, sucrose, fructose....all sugar and sweet right? Well, there are remarkable differences that seriously affect our health and weight. I will try to explain without getting complicated here. Dextrose is basically the same sugar as glucose which is the energy all the cells in your body need to function. Sucrose is basically table sugar and fructose is fruit sugars. Your body breaks sucrose down into two forms: glucose and fructose. We know the glucose is good but what about the fructose? Ask your liver. It carries the task of metabolizing the fructose. In HFCS the glucose and the fructose are not bound together so your body does nothing to separate the two and the fructose goes straight to your liver. Glucose is used by nearly every cell in your body and the fructose turns into fat. That's the basic gist of it, but there is a wealth of scary information in This Addictive Commonly Used Food Feeds Cancer Cells, Triggers Weight Gain, and Promotes Premature Aging. A very informative article and I highly recommend taking 10 minutes out of building your Facebook farm/zoo/cafe to read it. Take special note of the 76 Additional Ways Sugar Can Ruin Your Health. For men who are not convinced, number 53 was pretty enlightening, "increasing estrogen in men". I guess that solves the mystery of the 'fried egg boob'.

Why is fructose harmful to your liver? Basically, the more fructose you consume the fatter your liver becomes. Think of foie gras made from ducks who are force fed corn to fatten up their livers. I was surprised to learn it can even cause what is called scarring of the liver (a precursor to nonalcoholic cirrhosis). The corn industry was quick to point out that one particular study included several forms of fructose. I guess if that lessens their liability, good for them. But, thankfully, the liver has regenerative properties and can recover if its owner can change their eating habits. That's a relief because my liver has endured its fair share of metabolic tasks over the years, and I shudder at the thought of a medical examiner referring to my liver as pate.

So, what do we eat if everything in the pantry contains this toxin? I don't have the easy answer, obviously. The key is moderation (as is with most things we enjoy), but I think different people define the term in vastly different ways. My solution for my family is this: trash all items containing HFCS, carefully read all labels before purchasing anything and moderate the sugar consumption. I'm not ready to eliminate sugar entirely, but I promise to myself and my family that I will limit the amount of sugar that ends up on our table and I promise to try to eliminate HFCS altogether.

Because I can't help myself...

For the full version click here.


Found this to be very interesting and wanted to share...please give credit to Online Schools for this invaluable if not bizarre info.

Red Pepper Turkey Meatloaf

Sorry kids, no picture this time, but here's the recipe. I borrowed this recipe from Real Simple with a few changes. Here is my version.

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds lean ground turkey
* 1 small yellow onion, grated
* 1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
* 1 egg, beaten
* 1/2 cup grated part skim mozzarella
* 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
* 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped
* 1 7-ounce jar roasted red peppers, diced
* 3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press
* sea salt and pepper
* 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
* 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 6 cups mixed greens

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400° F.
2. Combine the turkey, onion, bread crumbs, egg, Parmesan, 2 tablespoons of the mustard, the parsley, red peppers, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a large bowl. Shape the meat into an 8-inch loaf and place in a baking dish.
3. Bake until no trace of pink remains (internal temperature should be 165° F), about 45 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest 15 minutes before slicing.
4. Whisk together the remaining mustard, the vinegar, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl.
5. Divide the greens among individual plates and drizzle the vinaigrette over the top. Serve with the sliced meat loaf.

I should also point out that the original version says it serves 4. It can easily serve 6-8 thereby reducing the calories per serving substantially. I also used part skim mozzarella instead of parmesan and reduced to 1/2 cup which also reduces fat and calories. I added garlic to my version to make up for some of the flavor lost by not using parmesan.

My revelation or rather...re-awakening

First, let me make the point that I am no stranger to eating healthy like many of my fellow Americans. My childhood was not mired in fast food culture, potato chips and white bread. We rarely ate anywhere but home with Friday nights often reserved for veggie pizza at Godfather's. Fast food was a rare treat and usually only on long road trips in the car or with friends and their families. We ate whole wheat bread, fruits and vegetables, chicken and fish, the occasional burger. I thought white bread was for rich people never realizing until much later that my parents just didn't like it and actually spent more money on the wheat bread. Whole milk was never an option in the years I remember. In fact, the taste of whole milk was so strange to me that if it was the only thing available I watered it down and added ice. The only couple of vices my parents had were Cokes and chocolate, but in the scheme of what we ate on a daily basis those vices seemed pretty mild. As a kid I always felt I was missing out on the wonderful sugary goodness so many of my friends enjoyed. As an adult, I am grateful to my parents for feeding us better.
Living in a food rich state (Texas) with our tempting barbecue and delicious Tex Mex, it can be very easy to slip into a taste coma and forget to eat healthy. All the while hearing that nagging voice telling you to stop indulging. My five year absence from this amazing food has driven me to go a bit overboard in the past few months. I admit I have a weakness for slow smoked brisket, enchiladas, and chicken fried "anything". A major weakness. Knowing all of this is bad for me that nagging voice has been louder than ever and I have simply been ignoring it most of the time. "Give me a break, I have missed my Texas cuisine!" However, my reunion with Texas fare has finally landed on my scale and that nagging voice suddenly became the voice of reason. With that voice of reason also comes the re-awakening to the horror that is the American Food Nation. Anyone who has ever counted a calorie knows what I am talking about.
For me, my first revelation to just how frightening American food has become occurred about four years ago. Before I got pregnant with my daughter I started working out with a trainer who made me evaluate everything I put in my body. At first, it was terrible having to take stock of everything I ate and report back to him. But after I started seeing results and really noticing how the food affected my results it began to click. I became obsessed with tracking calories, fat, sugar and I watched every bit of food I put in my mouth. I scrutinized everything I ate and what everyone around me ate. When I look back I realize I had a mildly unhealthy attitude towards food during this period. But this was the first time I really took stock of what was actually in a quarter pounder or french fries or even a sub sandwich. After I became pregnant, I allowed myself to indulge a little more, mainly because I simply couldn't fight off certain cravings. But after a distressing diagnosis of gestational diabetes I was back to counting carbs and calories but still longing for some chocolate cake. Nine months of denying your body what it craves can take its toll. Once my daughter was born, I conveniently forgot all about my food revelation.
Maybe a quarter pounder with cheese isn't so bad by itself with only 500 or so calories to its credit. You can eat three a day plus dessert and stay within a 2000 calorie budget. But how many of us can say we only eat the burger? Tack on a coke and fries and that 500 calorie lunch turns into 1000 or more calories. According to Calorie King you would have to jog for 114 minutes to burn off that one meal. That's insane.
Even in the face of a national food revolution and pressures on fast food chains to provide better choices we are still seeing new ways to expand our waistlines even further. My re-awakening to this fact occurred during a KFC commercial for the ultimate fast food abomination, the Double Down. The official KFC description is, "This one-of-a-kind sandwich features two thick and juicy boneless white meat chicken filets (Original Recipe® or Grilled), two pieces of bacon, two melted slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese and Colonel's Sauce. This product is so meaty, there’s no room for a bun!". My curiosity drove me to the KFC website to investigate further. At 540 calories and 32 grams of fat who can resist? Thirty two grams of fat and not even a slice of tomato to give it some redeeming value. Let the Double Down be the first on my list of foods to censure in my food mutiny. Will you join me?