Holding in the lower '70s, new raw yummies, and organic club experience

Okay, so I'm fluctuating in the low'70s, which is better than fluctuating in the mid or high '70's as I had been all year. Today, 272, which is actually a relief, since I had steamed dumplings, Ma Po Tofu, and Egg Drop Soup yesterday for dinner, meaning oodles of salt. I think without the salty Chinese food, I might have stayed a pound or more lower. The fruit I had for a snack must have helped balance the sodium, too. I normally go up 3 lbs or more with Chinese food.

So, today, I got up very late--5:30 pm. I've been going to bed in the AM when hubby is getting ready for work, and sleeping till some time in the PM. The asthma started its summer excacerbation last month, on and off, depending on how stormy. Started getting wheezy last Thursday and had a bad weekend, but a bit better in the past two days, though not normal. So, I've been trying to eat more "whole" for the nutrients to fight the immunological and respiratory weakness.

So, today, for my first meal, I had pear juice (no sugar added), raw bell pepper soup (very refreshing, sort of like a non-tomato gazpacho), and raw vegan "angelhair marinara), which was surprisingly delicious. My new fave raw entree from VEGGIEMUNN. The raw sauce was perfect and the angelhair way of making strings out of the yellow squash was even nicer than the thicker raw pasta primavera that had been my fave of theirs previously. That one (the latter) had no tomatoey sauce, but a veggie blend and herb one.

I was disappointed they didn't have the Mango Lassi raw pie this week. Last week, I got one, and it was so amazingly good, I wanted to order a bunch this week if available. But they made a puree/pudding in the Mango Lassi style, and it just wasn't the faboo thing that the pie was. The pie had actual slices of mango in the spiced sauce (with cardamon and rose water). The texture makes a big difference, plus the pie just is more mangoey. If you're in the South Florida area and like raw foods, you might want to check out VEGGIEMUNN, and try the Mango Lassi raw pie!

Yesterday, I picked up my organic coop box (full share and an added two shares of fruit, as I love fruit, especially summer fruit). So, I'm loaded for produce to fight the summer respirator blues. I plan to have nectarines, raspberries, strawberries, cherries, grapes, watermelon, and a mango later with my next meals/snack. I have kale I can roast and fresh green beans to saute. I also have tasty sweet onions that I can put into an omelette for dinner, along with organic spinach and zucchini. I might make a smoothie out of the berries, so I can get some calcium.

It's been interesting being part of an organic food coop. It forces me to try new stuff, since you don't pick and choose. They do. I never had fresh peas, or beets, or kiwi. (I still don't like kiwi.) Most of the stuff I get is useful to me, and hubby has a very limited produce palette, so it's mostly for me. I do find I enjoy it more in summer, as the fruit is terrific. before that, you mostly got berries, pears, and apples. I also get to meet new people, which I don't normally do, being so much of a recluse.

I did fine with Pilates on Monday, despite not being 100% respiratorily. My trainer commented on the improved upper body strength, which I did notice myself, so that felt good. I'm officially into my second year at this form of exercise, and I wonder how much better my strength and flexibility will be next summer. I hope I can be at least 25 lbs lighter then, too. I don't set big goals anymore. I never make them, so forget it. Too stressful.

Now, if only hurricanes can stay away, and my bronchii can buck up, my summer may not be unpleasant. :)

Hope everyone out there is well.

The Princess's Bad Eating Pattern and Beeeyoootiful Produce Bonanza!

Good, good...all to hell.

That's my pattern of eating. I do a virtuous breakfast. I do a decent lunch. Then at dinnertime, I go nuts.

This is not a new pattern. It's old and ingrained and very, very, very hard to break.

But I gotta.

So, yesterday I was having my egg white omelette for bkfst, coffee (black, Splenda), a carrot juice. Lunch was a nice salad with fabulous herb chicken (grilled) and mixed greens with artichoke hearts in balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

Then comes dinnertime. I feel like this crazed monster in the kitchen. I go and heat up some onion broth and add, not a discreet amount of cheese. No, I add a huge wad of cheese--it would choke a rhinoceros-- and croutons. Then, as if that wasn't enough to clog every artery in my body, I have a dessert hubby bought unthinkingly, cause he knows I adore Napoleons--when they are fresh. Only when fresh. This one was fresh.

So, I told him, flat out--do not buy me desserts, sweets, candies, etc. Just don't. I know you love me and just want to please me, but I cannot resist a fresh, flaky, cream-filled Napoleon that's sitting in the fridge calling my name. I can't have that in the house. It's like the Siren Song to me. Tie me to the mast!

I did give myself a head-start on a more healthful week of meals:



Today, after meaning to for weeks, I skipped sleeping (am just about to nod off as I type here) in order to go to a farmer's on the Hollywood Beach Broadwalk in South Florida called Josh's Organic Garden.

Unbelievable.

It was a wonderland of gorgeous, fresh, fragrant, vividly colorful stuff. Anyone who likes greens would have had an instant veggiegasm. It was piles of fresh--and I mean picked YESTERDAY locally--greens and assorted garden veggies and fruits. I took four canvas shopping bags and filled them all to the brim with arugula, spinach, lettuces, peppers, strawberries, bananas, tomatoes, carrots, celery, pears, apples, tangerines, grapefruit, broccoli, cauliflower (so beautiful white ones, like an alien bridal bouquet), potatoes, onions, cucumber, zucchini, mushrooms, and assorted herbs. ALL ORGANIC. ALL FRESH.

If any of you live near enough Hollywood, Fl so that you can get to it, it's on the broadwalk, you can see the beach right there, the ocean, the air smells wonderful. You'll find it almost right behind the Ramada resort, just on the corner of Harrison and the beach promenade. You won't be sorry. The produce is lovely. The fresh juices and smoothies are superyum.

Yay, I now have a lot of good, healthful stuff in the house. FINALLY!

To add to and round out my bounty:

On the drive home, I stopped at Whole Foods to get eggs, cheese, Ezekiel bread, whole wheat nan, organic tortillas (wheat for quesadillas and corn for breakfast and dinner tacos), those raw fruit pies I like (mango and mamey), and, happily, I stocked up on my beloved Gardenburgers. I hadn't had one in months, so I'm looking forward to my Gardenburger with a slice of cheese on Ezekiel bread lunch sandwich. One of my fave homemade sandwiches. Hubby got beef stew from the deli, and I got a vegetarian dish (the Indian lentils).

So, what did I eat today?

For breakfast, I had a freshly made smoothie of fresh berries, bananas and apple at Josh's Farmer's Market. Hubby had fresh-pressed apple juice. For lunch I had whole wheat nan, a cup and a half of the lentil stew, and a cup of papaya slices. Mmmmm.

It's so nice to have fruits and veggies once again in the house.

I do need to get some organic chicken breasts and pork tenderloin for some suppers, and maybe some lean ground beef for homemade tacos (I got some locally produced guacamole made by Glaser Organics, who specialize in raw vegan foods made on a farm way south of me). I was in a hurry at Whole Foods (and so tired), that I rushed and just got a few essentials. Not meat this time.

Now, if I could just tame that night gorging monster. It really is my major time-of-day weakness for overeating.

So, how are y'all doing? Did you get to the grocery store for good food? Did you go anywhere pleasant this weekend? Are you resting enough? Any other night overeaters out there?

Happy Sunday. Let's make this a healthful week.

Oh, and remember that this week Oprah focuses on helpful stuff on her show, including weight loss (as we all know, by now, due to her regaining 40 pounds) and finances. Might be worth a look.

Answering a "Fruits and Veggies" Question for "Fluffy Donna"

Donna of Lose the Fluff asked for advice on including more produce in her diet. (She admits to being one of those 3 to five servings eaters).

Note: Any advice given here is from MY experience and reading on the subject. If you have medical conditions, you may have to modify your diet in very precise ways. This is just me passing on info I've picked up or experienced, not me being your dietitian. Blogs are blogs, not medical or scientific journals. :)

Let's start with some stats from Medical News Today:

The CDC report found that in 2005:

33 per cent of adult Americans ate fruit two or more times a day, with:
- men eating more fruit than women,
- seniors eating more fruit than 35 to 44 year olds,
- Hispanics eating more fruit than other racial/ethnic groups,
- non-Hispanic whites eating the least,
- college graduates eating more fruit than those with lower education levels,
- people earning more than 50,000 US dollars a year eating more fruit than those earning less, and
- people neither obese nor overweight (Body Mass Index, BMI, under 25) eating the most and obese people (BMI over 30) eating the least amount of fruit.

27 per cent of adult Americans ate vegetables three or more times a day, with:
- men eating fewer vegetables than women,
- seniors eating more vegetables than 18 to 24 year olds,
- whites eating more vegetables than other racial/ethnic groups,
- Hispanics eating the least,
- college graduates eating more vegetables than those with lower education levels,
- people earning more than 50,000 US dollars a year eating more vegetables than those earning less, and
- people neither obese nor overweight (BMI under 25) eating the most and overweight people (BMI 25 to 30) eating the least amount of vegetables.

Those are pathetic. Only about 1/3 of Americans eat fruit 2 to 3 times a day, and just over 1/4th of Americans eat veggies 3 or more times a day.

Most Americans aren't getting the recommended minimum of FIVE a day.

More importantly for fatfighters, look at the stats for the fat folks: they eat the least in fruits and veggies. Confirms the adage that you don't get fat on fruits and veggies. Quite the opposite.

There are a multitude of health-promoting benefits in produce (especially minimally processed to raw ones). The enzymes. The vitamins. The minerals. The phytonutrients.

I remember years ago someone I know saying they hated veggies and would just pop a vitamin to cover their bases. I said, "Science isn't all-knowing. They'll find more things in fruits and veggies than we realize we need for good health."

That was in the 80's. Nutritional science HAS found more micronutrients and compounds in produce that are highly beneficial to human health, and you've probably read articles about such things. You hear about resveratrol, anthocyanins, lycopene, etc.

Imagine what's in that produce that they have not isolated yet? A supplement is not a bad thing. It does help cover bases; but good food in a variety of groups and colors is vital.

And for dieters, fruits and veggies are BULK: they fill you up. They're necessary, unless you can stand having tiny amounts at meals.

I know I need to get my intake up, cause that's the only way I can feel FULL and lose weight. Otherwise, I feel deprived and hungry.

Ever seen those articles that show how differently, say, 400 calories looks if it's cheese cubes versus apples? Or chocolate donuts versus garden salads?

You get more bang for the calories.

And fruits can substitute for a sweet craving quite well on many occasions (though, granted, not all). A baked apple is better for you, or a homemade sugar-free apple compote over half a cup of organic frozen yogust, than apple pie with a fatty crust with tons of butter. A frozen banana dipped in a bit of chocolate syrup is better than a banana cream pie.

The more you stay close to a fruit or vegetable's natural form, usually the more you chew, and the more filling it is, often even better for you nutritionally. Ditto veggies. (Although tomatoes give more lycopene when cooked.)

I think getting into the habit of eating raw or minimally processed produce at EVERY MEAL is a beneficial one for health and helps keep dieters feeling more tummy-full. I mean, sit down and eat a small portion of grains and some protein, but eat a lot of zucchini and asparagus with it, then eat an apple and a pear, and tell me you don't feel that tummy-comfort of volume. But zucchini and asparagus are zero-points veggies, and an apple (unless its ginormous) is one point, and so is a pear (ditto about size). You've only added 2 points, but you've gotten FOUR fruits and veggies and made your insides feel like they ate tons!

If you just say you don't like veggies or many fruits, you have to slowly retrain yourself. It can be done. Think of what you wouldn't eat as a kid, but you enjoy now. Taste buds are flexible.

Try new recipes. Be bold.

My hubby, when I met him, only ate iceberg lettuce and celery. That was it. Now, he eats green beans, carrots, asparagus, spinach, romaine and mesclun, peas, and I'm still working to get him to expand his vocabulary (still too restricted).

I mean, it's not like I'm asking you to eat liver or pancreas or animal guts! It's beautiful, colorful stuff that God originally intended us to eat in abundance. (Read Genesis' opening chapters to see what God told them to eat, those perfect new humans. It wasn't cupcakes or burgers.)

So, how to do it? Just start buying stuff and learning how to fix it in ways you like. Make a point of adding two to each meal (to get to six a day), then work up to at least 9 a day. If you can handle more, then more. If you fill up on healthy produce, maybe you won't want the junk, cause you won't have room. :)

And don't allow yourself a processed treat--a diet cookie or popcorn or baked potato chips--until you have something unprocessed that's green, red, purple, blue, yellow, or orange.

Breakfast is a great time to get one veggie or more and one fruit. Regular or Egg white veggie omelettes are probably the best breakfasts for a dieter (low carb or low-fat or Clean Eating). Why? Studies show eggs give you a sense of fullness. You can put as many veggies as you like and want. One of my fave combinations: zucchini, red and green peppers, onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomato. I'll even sprinkle something cheesy on top, sometimes--parmesan or low-fat cheddar. Have an orange or grapefruit or some berries, and there you go. A bonanza of produce!

If you prefer a cold breakfast, get a quality, high-fiber, no-sugar cereal and add lots of berries, or cut up peaches, or a banana and some dried cranberries or raisins. Don't just have grain and milk. Have the fruit. Then take some cut-up veggies with a low-fat dip or some low-fat cheese (string cheese) or an apple and some peanut butter to work for an afternoon snack. (Low fat is actually better than nonfat for a dip, cause you absorb nutrients from veggies better with the presence of some fat.)

Apples, bananas, grapes, and pears make year-round work-friendly snacks. Try plums and peaches in the summer, and cherries!

Try something scary-looking to produce uninitiates: kale, collards, eggplant, weird mushrooms, radicchio, leeks, okra, pomegranates, bean sprouts, bok choy, sugar custard apple, sapote.

Give them all a try!

What f/v's did I have yesterday (my first day trying to get back to my higher counts):

papaya (two servings with my breakfast eggs)
artichoke hearts (adore em)
tomato
lettuce (two servings)
green peppers
eggplant
portobello mushroom (two servings)
watermelon (2 servings for dinner's dessert)

Processed f/v's:
pasta sauce, fresh (poured on the eggplant and meatballs)
apple juice, bottled

Today, I plan to have fresh carrot juice and plums with my veggie scramble breakfast (got up late), and I'll have a salad with lunch (or maybe lightly saute a big honking mess of bok choy and have vegan dumplings, mmmmmmm).

If I had cantaloupe, I'd love some. Makes for a great breakfast fruit, and with some cottage cheese, make a delightful light breakfast or lunch, I find. (I wish I had some.)

Soooo....

Let's gobble up that produce. This is one place where it pays off in good health to be wanton. :)

~~

UPDATE: Since Donna can eat apples and citrus, I'm hoping she can also eat spinach and can try (and tweak as needed) the following recipe:

Apple and Spinach Salad

Donna might like this lite apple and sweet-potato bake.

Mangoes are still abundant (and cheaper) out there. This roasted mango sorbet allows one to enjoy a cooked fruit as a dessert treat.

Plums have been great this year, and they can be BAKED with cinnamon!

Along with veggies, fruits can be roasted/baked with chicken breasts and pork, such as peaches and apricots, pears and grapes, pineapple (great with ham). EXPERIMENT!

What Healthful Foods are in Season?

Well...these:

Artichokes, Asparagus, Avocado, Cabbage, Carrots, Celery, Chicory, Chives, Citrus Fruits, Collards, Fennel, Green Beans, Greens, Horseradish, Kale, Leeks, Lettuce, New Potatoes, Peas, Radishes, Rhubarb, Scallions, Shallots, Spinach, Strawberries, Turnips, Watercress

And if you want to maximize your shopping bucks while minimizing your exposure to pesticides, take a look at THIS LIST. Save money and buy conventional onions, kiwi bananas, pineapple, frozen corn, frozen peas, cabbage, broccoli, and mangoes. Spend extra for organic peaches, nectarines, bell peppers, cherries, raspberries, grapes, potatoes, celery, apples, greens.

hat tip to Cheap Healthy Good blog's sidebar