Nutrition is like fashion. Yep. While you may not immediately think to compare an organic apple to a Burberry jacket, the similarities are there. The superior products are more expensive, there are imitations everywhere, and what is considered cool and acceptable is frequently changing; only to repeat it the next decade. Remember in the 80s when low fat diets were in? (I don’t, I was only 5 years old in the 80s…but I read all about it once I started studying nutrition). Or how about in the 90s when we banned Carbohydrates? I remember “Carb Free” aisles in the supermarket. Carbohydrates were removed from any product you could think of, wrapped in a bow and put on display to practically dance around. In the 1950’s, we pushed red meat and potato diets. That is, until we all started dropping dead from heart attacks. See, it’s all about “what’s in”. Since nutrition is considered a young science, there are always going to be new studies done to sway us into a particular eating habit. Remember for every purchase you make, someone somewhere gets paid. Who is really benefitting when you decide to “Got Milk?” it. For every article you can find saying vegetarian diets are the way to go, you can find the same number of articles telling you a vegetarian diet is foolish. Both will have loads of “studies” to back themselves up. So it all comes down to how much you try to educate yourself on food, and what you decide to believe. This makes food not just like fashion, but kind of like religion. And yes, sometimes when I go into deep food thought, little light bulbs go off in my head just thinking about how the sun and soil give me the foods that are best for me. I don’t really know how the sun and soil got here…but naturally born food seems to fit well into the grand plan, whatever it may be.
Moral of the story? Just like fashion, stop trying to be trendy and stick with what we know works. It is not cool to give up carbohydrates. It may be the trend every few years, but we know that whole grains, rice, (and even fruits, Mr. Atkins) are great for us. Carbohydrates should be about 50% of your daily calorie intake. They are the primary way our body receives energy, and we need to break them down first and foremost. Select wisely. White bread is a whole grain that has been stripped of 2 out of its 3 parts, and then bleached. It is an imitator. It contains calories, but no nutrients. Choose whole grains, a variety of products, and ones that have been processed very little.
Just like religion, it is not about what is wrong, what is right, or who is going to win. It is about faith and that inner feeling some of you have about knowing what to do. You will come across articles, tv shows, news specials, you name it; that tell you processed foods are just fine for you, high fructose corn syrup is no big deal etc. Does this sound right? What do you think is better to put into your body? Food is what makes our body function (no exaggeration here). So how do you want to function? Stay as close to nature as possible, and when that is impossible, stay as close to “food” as possible.
Is it weird that I compared food to religion and fashion today? I don’t think so. Some of you value cashmere, and some of you wouldn’t know what to do if your church were to be taken away. We may come from different cities, countries, parts of the world; but everyone knows what food is. Food brings us to the table. And while I may not speak the same language as you, we can still enjoy the same meal together needing no words to connect. It is, in my opinion, the common ground.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Friday, March 25, 2011
March is National Nutrition Month!
I am late on that announcement. But before the month is over, I do want to write a blog that goes along with this month’s theme of nutrition awareness. So this week I have decided to write about my teenagers who I eat with once a month. Once a month I head up to a certain neighborhood in Manhattan, set up a folding table, lay out my ingredients, and teach about 21 teenagers how to prepare a healthy snack. Every month the snack is different, but the teens stay the same. They don’t always like what I bring to the table, but my small steps forward with them have gone a long distance over the last few months. Since starting, I have had 2 kids try Almond Milk. I had almost a 100% approval rate on drinking smoothies that had no ice cream, or added sugar in it. We dipped fruit in yogurt and crushed graham crackers, and when I admitted they weren’t getting caramel as an option to roll it in, they ate them (and enjoyed them) anyway. I have one girl who is lactose intolerant and she has agreed to try a soy yogurt cup that I am going to bring for her next time. Each time I go, I push a few more buttons. (mwa ha ha, my hidden agenda of making them nutrition enthusiasts is revealed). You see the first time I went there; I don’t think they cared for me at all. I knew though, that with each month I returned they would start to trust me a little more. It is this trust that I rely on, when I bring something more risky each time. My goals are clear. Introduce teenagers who have had no prior nutrition education, and are dealing with a wide range of health issues, to new foods that they can easily prep at home, and foods that can improve their health. Teach these teenagers that healthy food does not mean “taste like cardboard.”Empower them to prepare food themselves, so they can shy away from depending on bodegas and fast food restaurants to give them a meal. My last goal is that when they eventually move on from this program, they grow up to be open to trying new foods, and that they understand “you are what you eat”.
Since community nutrition is determined by the people who make up the community, changing the numbers relies heavily on education interventions, in addition to improving access to, and affordability of foods. This is why when I am there, I don’t want to make the food for them and ask them to eat it. I want them to touch the food, smell the food, and well…play with it. I want them to learn how to measure out diced garlic, and see that food does not come from a person behind the drive through window. This has been challenging for me. Typically, they rush the table because they know they are getting a snack, but they’re more eager to “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” me than they are to actually learn. They are all about the instant “yuck” or “yum”. We are working on that. What am I giving them in April? Well, I am taking a leap of faith this upcoming month. White bean bruschetta, with goat cheese and arugula. To me, it sounds amazing. To them? We will see. But this no cook, light snack is going to introduce them to a few new foods, and if they enjoy it…then their diet is once more varied. As for you, go ahead and give this one a go at home. I have faith that at least a few of you will enjoy it.
4 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 garlic cloves diced, and salt and pepper to taste, whisked in a bowl and poured over giant white beans. Toast your whole wheat crostini bread pieces for a minute or two. Remove the bread and spread with goat cheese. Top with Arugula, and finally scoop the bean mixture on top to complete.
Since community nutrition is determined by the people who make up the community, changing the numbers relies heavily on education interventions, in addition to improving access to, and affordability of foods. This is why when I am there, I don’t want to make the food for them and ask them to eat it. I want them to touch the food, smell the food, and well…play with it. I want them to learn how to measure out diced garlic, and see that food does not come from a person behind the drive through window. This has been challenging for me. Typically, they rush the table because they know they are getting a snack, but they’re more eager to “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” me than they are to actually learn. They are all about the instant “yuck” or “yum”. We are working on that. What am I giving them in April? Well, I am taking a leap of faith this upcoming month. White bean bruschetta, with goat cheese and arugula. To me, it sounds amazing. To them? We will see. But this no cook, light snack is going to introduce them to a few new foods, and if they enjoy it…then their diet is once more varied. As for you, go ahead and give this one a go at home. I have faith that at least a few of you will enjoy it.
4 tablespoons of olive oil, 3 garlic cloves diced, and salt and pepper to taste, whisked in a bowl and poured over giant white beans. Toast your whole wheat crostini bread pieces for a minute or two. Remove the bread and spread with goat cheese. Top with Arugula, and finally scoop the bean mixture on top to complete.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
To my kitchen: “are you ready for your close up?
So, if I were in an episode of MTV Cribs (which, based on the size of my apartment, would probably not be able to fill up the 30 min time slot that the show allows to tour ones home); there would be a critical point of the episode where the camera crew would ask to peek into my refrigerator. I would open the freezer probably first and show off my frozen veggie burger collection, before taking the cameras to the fridge where you would see yogurt, milk, salsa, and leftovers from whatever Seamless Web delivered to me the night before. Recently I have received a few emails from friends with nutrition questions. When I came home from the food store tonight and unpacked the groceries on my counter, I thought “hey now…this is what I eat.” Then, I took out my camera…and my own little “Dear You (reader), this is what is behind my cupboard…with love, the future dietitian” experiment began.
It is true that I don’t buy that much of a variety when I food shop, (and variety is key to a healthy lifestyle) but there are two reasons for this! 1. I only food shop for one (that’d be me) and 2. I am never home. Both of these reasons lead to 3. When I buy too much it usually goes bad before I can finish it and I end up throwing it all away. So I have learned how to stick to my basics, on my budget, while making some important right choices. Here is what you see in my grocery picture below:
Cascadian Farm Cereal (whole grain squares, low in sugar, high in fiber and whole grains. Keeps me very full each morning)
Organic Non Fat Milk (to have with the cereal every morning, but of course)
Cans of beans (both red, and black beans this week). Beans are my favorite source of protein since I don’t eat meat. I eat some form of beans everyday whether it’s with veggies and rice on a plate, in a salad, or in a burrito. If I have time I will make beans from “scratch” (sold in the giant bag, not pre cooked, must soak for 24 hours before cooking them) but with my schedule I rarely have time for this. Canned will do for now, but I always rinse them off first since canned products are typically high in sodium.
Cous Cous/Rice Pilaf/Brown Rice (and camera shy, Quinoa). These are my grains. The cous cous cooks in 5 minutes and comes in all sorts of flavors I enjoy (this week, its roasted garlic and olive oil). The brown rice boils in 10 minutes as well and is 100% whole brown rice. Quinoa is high in protein, low on the glycemic index and also pairs well with vegetables, beans, veggie burgers, soups, etc. All are under 5$ per box but give me about 2 meals.
White Peach Tea: For days I am tired of water and coffee, and when it is too early in the day for it to be socially acceptable for wine. No sugar added.
Triscuits: More whole grains (I like my whole grains. They are good for my heart and keep me full, and since I am active, using the gym consistently, I always feel like I need the energy from my positive carbs. Carbohydrates should be about 50% of your daily calorie intake ( I should put that statement in bold for all my no carb diet readers). I eat these with a cheese stick (more on this snack later) and tomato slices.
The Frozen bags of Veggies! Frozen vegetables are just as great as fresh vegetables, since they are flash frozen sometimes just hours after being picked from a farm. All the nutrients are still locked inside and frozen means no sodium had to be added as a preservative. (Frozen veggies > Canned Veggies). The good news is I can stock them in my freezer and not worry about them going bad. I usually only buy fresh vegetables if I am buying them for a meal I know for a fact I am making that same day. I hate when I buy fresh produce, and then don’t see my apartment for 16 hours a day and forget to eat it. I do, however, like to pick up apples and bananas fresh because I know I will eat them when I wake up in the morning with my cereal. The frozen vegetables, I place in a pot with a teeny bit of water, cover and steam for anywhere from 3-7 minutes depending on the veggie. I add garlic, a pinch of salt, or sometimes nothing at all before eating.
Almost every time I go food shopping, the above items end up in my cart. Some items that I didn’t pick up this night, but usually do most of the time include: Oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, fruit, stoneyfield yogurt cups, veggie burgers, arugula, & hummus.
This food list usually doesn’t go over 50 dollars and can give me breakfast and dinner for approx a week. I tend to eat lunch out every day, (guilty) but before I leave my apt, and when I come home at night…these foods can really last. AND they are easy to cook for just me. If I am cooking for more than just me, I go to whole foods that day and buy exactly what I need to cook for 2 (or more) so that I am prepared, but once again not wasteful. It’s tough cooking for one, on a budget, with a schedule that would make some go insane. I hope tonights blog can be of help to recommend some great brands, in addition to quick and affordable meals. Keep the questions coming.
Remember, when all else fails: “Eat food, not too much, mostly greens”—Michael Pollan
It is true that I don’t buy that much of a variety when I food shop, (and variety is key to a healthy lifestyle) but there are two reasons for this! 1. I only food shop for one (that’d be me) and 2. I am never home. Both of these reasons lead to 3. When I buy too much it usually goes bad before I can finish it and I end up throwing it all away. So I have learned how to stick to my basics, on my budget, while making some important right choices. Here is what you see in my grocery picture below:
Cascadian Farm Cereal (whole grain squares, low in sugar, high in fiber and whole grains. Keeps me very full each morning)
Organic Non Fat Milk (to have with the cereal every morning, but of course)
Cans of beans (both red, and black beans this week). Beans are my favorite source of protein since I don’t eat meat. I eat some form of beans everyday whether it’s with veggies and rice on a plate, in a salad, or in a burrito. If I have time I will make beans from “scratch” (sold in the giant bag, not pre cooked, must soak for 24 hours before cooking them) but with my schedule I rarely have time for this. Canned will do for now, but I always rinse them off first since canned products are typically high in sodium.
Cous Cous/Rice Pilaf/Brown Rice (and camera shy, Quinoa). These are my grains. The cous cous cooks in 5 minutes and comes in all sorts of flavors I enjoy (this week, its roasted garlic and olive oil). The brown rice boils in 10 minutes as well and is 100% whole brown rice. Quinoa is high in protein, low on the glycemic index and also pairs well with vegetables, beans, veggie burgers, soups, etc. All are under 5$ per box but give me about 2 meals.
White Peach Tea: For days I am tired of water and coffee, and when it is too early in the day for it to be socially acceptable for wine. No sugar added.
Triscuits: More whole grains (I like my whole grains. They are good for my heart and keep me full, and since I am active, using the gym consistently, I always feel like I need the energy from my positive carbs. Carbohydrates should be about 50% of your daily calorie intake ( I should put that statement in bold for all my no carb diet readers). I eat these with a cheese stick (more on this snack later) and tomato slices.
The Frozen bags of Veggies! Frozen vegetables are just as great as fresh vegetables, since they are flash frozen sometimes just hours after being picked from a farm. All the nutrients are still locked inside and frozen means no sodium had to be added as a preservative. (Frozen veggies > Canned Veggies). The good news is I can stock them in my freezer and not worry about them going bad. I usually only buy fresh vegetables if I am buying them for a meal I know for a fact I am making that same day. I hate when I buy fresh produce, and then don’t see my apartment for 16 hours a day and forget to eat it. I do, however, like to pick up apples and bananas fresh because I know I will eat them when I wake up in the morning with my cereal. The frozen vegetables, I place in a pot with a teeny bit of water, cover and steam for anywhere from 3-7 minutes depending on the veggie. I add garlic, a pinch of salt, or sometimes nothing at all before eating.
Almost every time I go food shopping, the above items end up in my cart. Some items that I didn’t pick up this night, but usually do most of the time include: Oatmeal, whole wheat pasta, fruit, stoneyfield yogurt cups, veggie burgers, arugula, & hummus.
This food list usually doesn’t go over 50 dollars and can give me breakfast and dinner for approx a week. I tend to eat lunch out every day, (guilty) but before I leave my apt, and when I come home at night…these foods can really last. AND they are easy to cook for just me. If I am cooking for more than just me, I go to whole foods that day and buy exactly what I need to cook for 2 (or more) so that I am prepared, but once again not wasteful. It’s tough cooking for one, on a budget, with a schedule that would make some go insane. I hope tonights blog can be of help to recommend some great brands, in addition to quick and affordable meals. Keep the questions coming.
Remember, when all else fails: “Eat food, not too much, mostly greens”—Michael Pollan
Monday, February 21, 2011
forget regret, or life is yours to miss.
Last Friday it was 65 degrees out. And at 7pm I was on 86th and Lexington in a spring jacket with no scarf or gloves on, practically dancing down the street. Almost tempted to even buy a Tasti-D-Lite frozen yogurt, I ultimately decided against it. I need to be wearing a dress for my first frozen yogurt purchase, it’s only right. Fast forward to Monday morning, and I am woken up at 6am by the sounds of men shoveling snow outside my friends apartment building in Astoria. Yes, at 25 years old I am still having sleepovers with my girlfriends. They’re better than the ones I had as a kid, because now a bottle of red wine is a part of it in addition to the pizza pie, mud masks, and movie rentals.
On Friday night I felt myself temporarily coming alive again, and by Monday morning my dreams of spring were put on the shelf as I found myself jumping over puddles and freezing on the subway platform. The winter never bothered me in the past, but what is it about this year that is driving me so crazy? We complain when it is too hot outside, and we complain when we get too many snow storms. Where is the satisfaction? I’ve decided the weather really does matter to all of us.
To set the record straight, I actually love having four seasons. I love when the summer is ending and the first time you feel relief from the heat with a nice September breeze. I love when the leaves change color, and when I buy apple cider from a farm stand on Long Island after a day of pumpkin picking. I love the Thanksgiving Day Parade, even though it is usually chilly outside…especially since that’s the day the radio starts playing Holiday music. I enjoy a good snow storm, making hot chocolate, sitting by a fire with someone you love, (or a great book…either will do), and wearing socks that come up to my knees. And when winter breaks, and the sun comes back out; the look on all of our faces when we realize sundresses and light coats are acceptable again. We can walk home from the restaurant because we won’t freeze doing so. The slushy, grey streets are no more and Central Park is filled with roller bladers, strollers, dogs, and couples literally falling in love, in public. There is definitely a cycle to our seasons, and just as much, I feel a cycle with our own personal lives. Our lives can change like the sun can rise and set. It’s supposed to happen this way.
Remember when Peter Pan instructed Wendy, John, and Michael to “think happy thoughts?” Well, if ever given the opportunity to fly with Peter, I know exactly what my happy thought would be. It’s me sitting on a beach early in the morning with a giant cup of coffee, wearing a sundress and watching the ocean. Other thoughts include (but are not limited to) a Central Park picnic in May, and eating pastries in a Paris café just like a local. Perhaps rather than wave a giant white flag to winter this year surrendering our pleasant moods….we should all be channeling our inner Peter Pan.
So, just like the seasons come and go, problems come and go too. I have learned to accept that life will not be perfect every day and every year. We have a good year, we have a bad year. Sometimes a series of wonderful things happen to us, and other times no matter how hard we try we just can’t catch a break! Transition is a part of life. But nothing is forever. And if this winter decided to trip me on 23rd street and have me airborne before falling on my side into a puddle of snow, slush, and the pavement…then so be it. Good pedestrians came over and helped me up, proving it’s not all that bad. Embarassing, yes. But not all that bad. The weather has affected my mood a few times this season, but I am feeling optimistic. We are just a few shy weeks away from March 21st, Spring Equinox. And when the snow melts away this year for the last time, we will all delight in the fact that we made it through another winter. In the meanwhile I am keeping my head up, because deep down I really do believe in all the good things. I believe in summer, wine, love, friends, family, culture, and adventure. Turns out, for a New Yorker…I’m not that sinister. So winter 2011, you can suck it. (How’s that for classy blog writing?)
Until we all thaw out,
Jess
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Leftovers & Life
Wednesday night turned into leftover night. On the menu: Sautéed spinach in garlic, mashed potatoes, and lentils. What made this meal great is that it is a combination of 3 different dinners I’ve had over the last few nights. They all came together perfectly for me after 2 minutes in the microwave on the same plate. Sometimes, dinner needs to happen this way. I am typing this blog as I eat my leftover masterpiece.
So last night while out to dinner, I was told “you think a lot about food”. My response? “Well, yea. That’s why I went back to school for it”. His response: (head nodding) “…good point”. So yes, I guess I am somewhat a “foodie”. I do think about food consistently throughout the day. My brain is always counting my vegetable servings, my dark leafy green numbers, and guilty…I watch what you eat too. I don’t judge, I just observe. Yet, with all my love and passion for food, your health, and nutrition education, I still sometimes feel like the weakest link in my program at school. It’s on days when the professor walks in and asks “did you guys all read about (food subject) and the (new food law) that happened two days ago?” So many times I have absolutely no idea what he/she is talking about, yet all the other hands go up. Now I read my nutrition news when I can, but what newspapers are all these people reading? Are they on some secret website I don’t know about? I belong to the American Dietetic Association, I am on the nutrition list serve at NYU, and I over do it on Google. How the hell does everyone else always know everything!? I sometimes want to turn around and say “don’t you people have jobs? Or a yoga class to get to? Or a pitcher of Sangria to finish by the time the week is over?” Still, in my little free time that is left after the homework is done, and the sangria is finished…I do read nutrition articles, because frankly it is what I love. And I say this all half joking. I go to school with a lot of smart, lovely people. I work hard, but sometimes I just need to throw my hands up in the air and laugh. There will always be someone who knows more than you, and most of the time there will always be someone who knows less than you as well. Oh Life.
So last night while out to dinner, I was told “you think a lot about food”. My response? “Well, yea. That’s why I went back to school for it”. His response: (head nodding) “…good point”. So yes, I guess I am somewhat a “foodie”. I do think about food consistently throughout the day. My brain is always counting my vegetable servings, my dark leafy green numbers, and guilty…I watch what you eat too. I don’t judge, I just observe. Yet, with all my love and passion for food, your health, and nutrition education, I still sometimes feel like the weakest link in my program at school. It’s on days when the professor walks in and asks “did you guys all read about (food subject) and the (new food law) that happened two days ago?” So many times I have absolutely no idea what he/she is talking about, yet all the other hands go up. Now I read my nutrition news when I can, but what newspapers are all these people reading? Are they on some secret website I don’t know about? I belong to the American Dietetic Association, I am on the nutrition list serve at NYU, and I over do it on Google. How the hell does everyone else always know everything!? I sometimes want to turn around and say “don’t you people have jobs? Or a yoga class to get to? Or a pitcher of Sangria to finish by the time the week is over?” Still, in my little free time that is left after the homework is done, and the sangria is finished…I do read nutrition articles, because frankly it is what I love. And I say this all half joking. I go to school with a lot of smart, lovely people. I work hard, but sometimes I just need to throw my hands up in the air and laugh. There will always be someone who knows more than you, and most of the time there will always be someone who knows less than you as well. Oh Life.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
"Makin' Banana Pancakes, Pretend Like Its The Weekend Now..."
Two weeks ago I found myself at a crossing. I had been doing well on my 2011 "no more junk food" resolution (since this last holiday season, I took no prisoners when it came to cookie consumption). On the other hand, I was about to enjoy my last weekend before returning to classes again, and I will admit I was feeling some anxiety. So, being out of town for the weekend, and feeling the need to sort of throw my hands up in the air, I caved and brought with me the ingredients necessary to make pancakes. And I want to say that 1. I have no regrets, and 2. It turns out, I make awesome pancakes. Adding another skill to my rookie resume; I make awesome gluten free pancakes. And when you are in the middle of the woods in Pennsylvania, spending days and nights doing nothing but enjoying a fireplace, having some drinks, and watching Old School, I think you must say yes to Sunday Morning pancakes, no matter what your new years resolution. When those who are eating with you are gluten intolerant, you show them first hand why it is so awesome that you have the skill to make them this classic breakfast without making them ill. For the record, you do not need to be gluten intolerant to enjoy gluten free pancakes, (just like you do not need to be lactose intolerant in order to drink lactaid milk, or soy milk).
There are many people who believe adapting a gluten free lifestyle has multiple health benefits regardless of whether or not you are intolerant or allergic. I am not one of those people. I believe in the importance of whole grain consumption (and as you may or may not know, gluten is a protein derived from wheat, barley, or rye so those unable to consume it, are also unable to have that diet rich in "whole grains"). Thats not to say I havent enjoyed trying some new foods and learning to prep some though. So much of our country is developing intolerances/allergies to gluten, that food products now are required to put this information on their label as a warning if it is an ingredient. As a future dietitian, I see this as just another topic I should be well versed on (along with type 2 diabetes, and juvenille obesity). These are our leading themes which unfortunately seem to be growing at an insane pace in our population. Bottom line in my opinion, if you can't have gluten, my dear then do not eat it. If you can however (like me)eat it without having a terrible stomach ache after...please eat whole grains; they are good for your heart.
Below is the recipe I used for "brekky" this day (in Australia, breakfast is called "brekky", and all it took was me studying abroad there for 5 months to permanentely take on this term). I chose to make banana pancakes with this mix, since I think regular ol gluten free mix can at times taste like its...missing something.
1 ½ cup of Bobs Red Mill gluten free “waffle/pancake mix”
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
2 bananas
I use my electric beater to blend the above ingredients (including one of the bananas, this is my little tip on making the pancake batter taste better, and giving it a better texture)
Use a ladle to scoop the batter onto the greased griddle. Keep the stove at medium to medium high heat. When you see little bubbles start to pop on the pancake, test the outer rim with your spatula to see if it is ready to flip. If the bubbles are there and the spatula is easily sliding under the pancake, then FLIP. (While I am waiting for the bubbles to appear, I take my second banana which I have sliced into small circles and drop one or two pieces onto the pancake). Now my pancakes have banana mixed in the batter, but also some nice visible pieces cooked into the middle of them.
I made about 10 pancakes, put them on a large plate and topped with the remaining banana pieces. After the maple syrup was heated in the microwave and the coffee was brewed...breakfast was served. And I can't think of much else I'd rather be doing than enjoying pancakes and coffee in the countryside on a sunday morning, with such wonderful company.
Enjoy the recipe, and enjoy your sunday mornings. <3
There are many people who believe adapting a gluten free lifestyle has multiple health benefits regardless of whether or not you are intolerant or allergic. I am not one of those people. I believe in the importance of whole grain consumption (and as you may or may not know, gluten is a protein derived from wheat, barley, or rye so those unable to consume it, are also unable to have that diet rich in "whole grains"). Thats not to say I havent enjoyed trying some new foods and learning to prep some though. So much of our country is developing intolerances/allergies to gluten, that food products now are required to put this information on their label as a warning if it is an ingredient. As a future dietitian, I see this as just another topic I should be well versed on (along with type 2 diabetes, and juvenille obesity). These are our leading themes which unfortunately seem to be growing at an insane pace in our population. Bottom line in my opinion, if you can't have gluten, my dear then do not eat it. If you can however (like me)eat it without having a terrible stomach ache after...please eat whole grains; they are good for your heart.
Below is the recipe I used for "brekky" this day (in Australia, breakfast is called "brekky", and all it took was me studying abroad there for 5 months to permanentely take on this term). I chose to make banana pancakes with this mix, since I think regular ol gluten free mix can at times taste like its...missing something.
1 ½ cup of Bobs Red Mill gluten free “waffle/pancake mix”
1 large egg
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
¾ cup milk
2 bananas
I use my electric beater to blend the above ingredients (including one of the bananas, this is my little tip on making the pancake batter taste better, and giving it a better texture)
Use a ladle to scoop the batter onto the greased griddle. Keep the stove at medium to medium high heat. When you see little bubbles start to pop on the pancake, test the outer rim with your spatula to see if it is ready to flip. If the bubbles are there and the spatula is easily sliding under the pancake, then FLIP. (While I am waiting for the bubbles to appear, I take my second banana which I have sliced into small circles and drop one or two pieces onto the pancake). Now my pancakes have banana mixed in the batter, but also some nice visible pieces cooked into the middle of them.
I made about 10 pancakes, put them on a large plate and topped with the remaining banana pieces. After the maple syrup was heated in the microwave and the coffee was brewed...breakfast was served. And I can't think of much else I'd rather be doing than enjoying pancakes and coffee in the countryside on a sunday morning, with such wonderful company.
Enjoy the recipe, and enjoy your sunday mornings. <3
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Kevins Blog
The greatest job I ever had was when I was working as a tutor in an East Harlem public school. I was there to help students improve their math and reading, but I was already a student at NYU taking my first nutrition courses. With my real interest being in public school nutrition, I asked if I could eat lunch with the kids every day. For an entire academic year I taught children math and reading, while observing what they ate between 8am and 3pm, as well as observing their behaviors before and after meal time. One day, I will write a book about these experiences. For now, I want to stick to the story of one, very special child.
It was when one of my students became emotionally upset after gym class one day, that I feel I first became prepared for my career. We teach children that fruits and vegetables make us “big and strong”. And In third grade, children are aware of themselves. This student, short and overweight for his age was one of the brightest kids in class. It didn’t take him long to realize he was shorter than some of the other boys, and that vegetables may help him become “big and strong”. This student, named Kevin, also loved to play basketball. During recess he would run around the pavements with the other kids, always seeking a sport to jump into. After Kevin lost a game in gym class one day, he became emotionally distraught and began misbehaving. Later that afternoon, after I caught him giving the art teacher an eye roll, I took him out in the hallway to ask him what was wrong (and sort of reprimand him for giving the art teacher an eye roll). I started with “Kevin, do you know you scored a 100 on the math quiz this morning? Do you know how smart you are? You are having a great day today, may I ask why you are so sad?” He started crying. He cried about losing the game in gym. I explained that it was only a game, and that he should be proud of how he did in math earlier in the day. His response?
“I don’t want to be a (hiccup) math star, I want to (hiccup) be a basketball star!” (I tried so hard not to laugh at this moment. As heartbreaking as it was, this kid was hilarious).
I then went on to say that he could still be a basketball star if he wanted to, but the tears kept flowing and what came next gave me a pit in my stomach. Kevin was now sobbing about what was most likely really bothering him. The child switched from basketball talk, to home life. With his hands clasped together, and his head faced down, he told me that he asks his mother to buy fruits and vegetables at the food store, but how he must eat both breakfast and lunch in the school cafeteria since mom can only afford to cook one meal a day for the kids at home. Since Kevin qualifies, he can eat breakfast and lunch at school every day for free. He continued to explain that the food at school “gives me a belly ache”. As Kevin cried that he wanted more vegetables in his diet, I started to think about just how smart he really is. What 8 year old cries because he wants vegetables? And not just any…because I asked what he would love to have and his response was “I don’t know…a cucumber? Zucchini?” (Again,I love this student with all my heart).
I believe Kevin was at an age where he was becoming aware of his height and weight. These first insecurities along with a basic nutrition education had left Kevin feeling like if he could grab a vegetable, it would only be a matter of time before he was an NBA star. As this scene played out in a hallway right outside the Art classroom, I didn’t know what to do. I was caught off guard, but I gave him a hug and told him I was proud of him for being such a good boy and listening to his mom. I promised to eat with him at lunch that day, and walk him over to the salad bar in the cafeteria so we could find some acceptable food for him to eat. I finished by telling him that his mother loves him very much, and that eating at school has nothing to do with how much she loves him, or how much she wants to do for him. We finished by skipping the rest of Art class and walking back down to his classroom where his teacher kept granola bars stocked. I gave him a granola bar, and some cantaloupe I had brought in that day and allowed him to calm down at his desk. “Do you feel a little better?” I asked. He nodded his head yes, and I smiled over the granola that had mixed with his tears and caused a sticky mess all over both hands.
The talk I had with Kevin in the hallway that day was only the beginning. Kevin will be my motivation for a long time to come. Kids are kids first. They are not doctors, or teachers, or machines. They need real food to grow, not food products; and they depend on us as adults, teachers, and care takers to get it for them. Kevins mom is doing the best she can, but the food crisis in our country is worse than many of us realize. Currently, one in seven homes in America is going to bed hungry. The school I worked in had over 50% of the student population relying on breakfast and lunch at school for meals. A single person living in New York City who relies on the SNAP program (aka “food stamps”) gets 46 dollars a week to assist in food purchases. If you live in New York, you understand how difficult that number is to swallow. Currently, we “super size” empty meals (no nutrients), subsidize unhealthy foods to sell to school lunch programs, and have a 66% overweight population (33% being obese). And when I asked my second grade class in the Bronx 2 years ago where food came from, their first two responses were “cans” and “McDonalds”. In addition to all of this over eating, super sized insanity, we are still hungry? It’s a backwards situation as I like to call it. Whether I have 21 followers on this blog, or 2,100…I like to write about this. Because we need to be aware. And Kevin wants a cucumber…or zucchini…..so lets get it done.
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