It's too expensive to eat healthy??...here's how to learn to make it affordable & GREAT

Alright, so there's a fascinating article from the Denver Post (Spoiled system: Eating healthier comes with a price for families) and its pretty straight forward in discussing "what" the problem is...I want to help you figure out "HOW" to solve the problem...but before we do that, lets summarize "what" the problem is:

• "We've made the unhealthy choice the rational choice," said Merrick Weaver, who, as executive director of Partnership for Healthy Communities, works to improve nutrition among lower-income families in Commerce City....In short, "You can buy more calories for your dollar if you buy bad foods," Weaver said.

• Between 1995 and 2009, the U.S. Department of Agriculture handed out $245 billion in subsidies to farmers...the payments come through a variety of programs that insure against catastrophic weather, set price floors and offer incentives for growing certain crops — and not growing others....And the fruit and vegetable growers?..."They don't get direct subsidies," said David DeGennaro, legislative and policy analyst for the Environmental Working Group...."It's always been that way, ever since the subsidies structure took shape in the '30s and '40s," DeGennaro said.

• ...fruit- and vegetable-growers — who are eligible for some, but not all, USDA programs — haven't so much missed out as they haven't asked to participate....Fruit and vegetable producers aren't unified the way corn growers are, and some even view other produce growers as competition, DeGennaro said.

• If all 309 million Americans suddenly decided to live by [USDA nutritional recommendations], we'd quickly run out of fruits and vegetables..."the U.S. food system supplies 24 percent fewer servings per person than the five daily vegetable servings recommended for a standard 2,000 calorie diet."

• If Americans suddenly started gobbling twice as many fruits and vegetables, "growers wouldn't ignore that. They'd plow up what they have and plant more tomatoes, and spinach, etc.", however; if growers of wheat or corn who get subsidies suddenly switched to zucchini or lettuce, they would face financial penalty, under current subsidy rules.

So if that's the problem, the "answer" to be healthy is to be creative and savvy with your food budgets:

• Have a plan to use fruits FIRST vs. buying fruits and then figuring out what to do with them when you get home. Have a plan and places like Costco can save you money when you buy in bulk (i.e. purchasing 8 pints of strawberries for $6 in Costco vs. $3 to $4/pint!!!)
• Purchase fruits and vegetables on sale in your local markets and cook them immediately / package them as soon as you get home for use the next day.
• Vegetables that freeze well for me are dense vegetables, such as Broccoli, Cauliflower, and diced Bell Peppers, Carrots. Or, purchasing frozen vegetables can be a cost savings alternative, such as peas, corn, broccoli. NOTE: Fresh is better than Frozen, but if Fresh is too expensive, go for it with the frozen.
• Strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple freeze very well. Besides, they make great snacks on a hot day or are perfect fillers for smoothies (strawberry, blueberry, soy milk and vanilla protein powder of your choice - INSTANT BREAKFAST!)
• Grocery stores now sell packages of spinach which can go a long way to adding healthy nutrients instantly (Trader Joe's sells a package $2.00 that has 8 servings of spinach). Spinach is more versatile than lettuce because you can eat them raw in a salad, or add them to a saute' dish at the last minute for vibrant color and vitamins.
• Zucchini is a very versatile dish and works great in Italian and French and Greek dishes. A great dish is to cut zucchini into "penne shapes" and saute with dried organo and olive oil and penne pasta is a hearty dish that goes a very long way while getting your serving of vegetables - a 10 inch by 1 inch diameter zucchini is equal to 2 servings of vegetables. Asian markets sell a package of 6 for about $2.00 and Trader Joes sells a package of 4 to 5 organic zucchini for about $2.50.
  
• Melons are great ways to purchase value sized fruits. If you seed and peel the melons yourself, one large melon can provide up to 12 servings of fruits. Purchase your melons at Costco or your favorite market - get the most dense melon for its size.
  
• And if you can get to a farmer's market, you money can go a long way when you purchase fruits and vegetables that are in season (purchase 3 extra large leeks for $4 vs. 2 small leeks for $2 in the stores). Know what fruits and vegetables are in season in your area and plan your meals around that produce to get the most bang for your dollar!

Being creative and savvy means being determined to find a solution to find ways to infuse more health into your diet without paying unnecessary premiums for fruits and vegetables. If you can make a difference with government policies, by all means, please pursue them to make positive change. But if you can't make an impact on prices for fruits and vegetables, learn produce seasonality, make a plan to prepare meals with fruits and vegetables, and continue make fruits and vegetables apart of your diet.

So the people who can save us from obesity are...???

The following article puts a "fun spin" on the battle between "Health officials vs. Processed Foods/ Fast Food Officials" (Why Activists Alone Can't Stop Obesity). Here's what we know:

• Healthcare officials (doctors, nutritionists, medical researchers, etc.) are saying we need to reduce intake of processed foods and foods scientifically proven to be unhealthy
• Fast food industry officials are trying to market their previously labeled "good for you" foods as "we've made changes to the foods and now they're good for you" foods
• Processed foods industry officials are fighting regulators for the amount of salt they put in foods because they won't taste good, even though the amount of salt they have put in a small snack bag is roughly half the amount recommended by the FDA

But what we don't know and is still unclear to us - "who do we listen to and how do we get healthy???"

The end of the article states:

...So is there anyone left who can make a serious dent in obesity? Can consumers be the ones who step up? Tune in next time...

The writer asks "who can save ourselves"....say this statement again...."WHO - CAN - SAVE - OURSELVES???"...Ourselves!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Take the best from both sides and make it your own information to make your "informed" decisions. Learn about the ingredients in your foods / cook your own foods so you know what is in the foods you're eating / read the labels of the processed foods (the ingredient at the top of the list is the one that is most abundant in that package) / understand what the nutrition information on the labels do for your body (carbohydrates, sugar, fats, fiber, protein, etc.). What's my point?

We as a society is looking to one group or entity to tell us what to do to be healthy. This mentality is what got us in trouble, because we "only listened" to the fast food / processed food industry feed us information that you need more convenience to have a great life. And this mentality has produced an obesity epidemic and the highest rates of diabetes and heart disease in our nations history. But if we listen to the healthcare group completely, we get a lot of data and graphs and information that we don't understand and get turned off before we get to the part that tells us, "eat this vs. not that" or we get caught up in trying to challenge a billion dollar industry to make changes to their fast food conveniences.

The REAL ANSWER is to depend on information from both to make informed choices and depend on OURSELVES to make our lives healthier. If we wait for someone to tell us what to do, we will be unhealthy, in the hospital, and living a miserable life. But if we take the initiative to take back our own health and do what we have to do to listen to healthcare officials and while having the taste we get from convenience foods we can strike a balance for what we need to do for a great life.

Here are some great links to check out more information to make informed decisions for taking responsibility for your own health:

1. First lady to chefs: "It's got to be a collaboration"
2. New Data Prompt Renewed Calls for Public-Health Initiative to Cut Salt in US Diet
3. Type 2 diabetes called 'public health humiliation'
4. 40 Desserts That Can Kill You
5. Japan, Seeking Trim Waists, Measures Millions

Why do snacks have to have "guilt" associated with it???

So here's this article from USA Today about "Baby carrots take on junk food with hip marketing campaign." This article basically is saying that carrot growers are launching a marketing campaign to try to create "news" for baby carrots the same way junk food producers have been hyping their products. Sounds like a great idea, right? I think it's a great idea!..Why?:

• Your using the same approach with kids to make the baby carrots fun
• Your using fun packaging to get the kids thinking "fun + carrots = good"
• The carrot industry is learning to "if you can't beat them, join them" regarding the marketing campaign is concerned.

What troubles me, however, is the comment at the end of the article, which like anything else, is the last impression you have when reading this article:

Consultant Kate Newlin says she wants to like the idea. She loves the fact that carrots are the color of Cheetos and make the crunch of Doritos. But she says she is not quite buying the premise of carrots mimicking junk food. "The guilt is missing," says Newlin, author of Passion Brands. "I don't think Frito-Lay will be trembling."

An "expert on this subject" is saying, "you need to have "guilt" to market junk food." And the whole point of this article is that the baby carrot growers are "using the marketing strategy" of the junk food producers by making carrots fun and approachable for kids. And as parents, "whatever you have to do to get your kids to eat their vegetables" is what goes through the minds almost every day. And if it doesn't cost too much or make that much of a difference, parents are looking for any angle to get more fruits and vegetables into their children's diets. I know, my nephew refuses to eat carrots, but if you make it fun and exciting, he miraculously changes his stance and tries it. We need to make food fun for kids and I applaud the baby carrot producers for making this attempt.

Only time will tell if it works. But lets take the "spirit" of the baby carrot producers and "make food fun for kids" so they try the foods. Of course, the best quality foods are always best, but I guarantee you, organic carrots at a farmer's market taste a whole lot better than packaged "carrots" (no offense baby carrot producers!). The reason is because it's fresh and its grown to be a "carrot" instead of a mass-producing commodity. So here's what I suggest - take your children (yourself, while you're at it!), and go to the farmer's market and look for some carrots. Talk to the farmer and ask them to tell you about their carrots and taste them. You'll love the crunch; after a while, you'll love the sweetness; and then your body will thank you because the vitamins will make it strong and try to shed some fat for you from the fiber you're giving it. And that's just eating them raw!...Here are some ideas for getting more carrots into your diet and even having your kids try them too:

• Apple-Carrot Sauce (Stewed apples and shredded carrots, add a cinnamon stick, add lemon juice, agave, and some water; slowly stew the mixture until very soft, to bring out the natural sugars in both the apples and carrots; then put them in a blender and now you have apple-carrot sauce!)
• Roasted Carrots with balsamic vinegar (cut your carrots into bite size pieces, then boil some water and then place the carrot pieces in until they are fork tender; strain them and then allow the heat to steam themselves dry; place them in a bowl, 2 pinches each of salt & pepper, olive oil to coat, fresh rosemary or thyme or oregano, drizzle balsamic vinegar; roast in 400-degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes - the sugars in the carrots will get sweet, the balsamic vinegar will get sweet; the herbs will create an aroma that will make everything wonderful)
• Carrot and Zucchini salad (using a vegetable peeler, peel around the cores of 2 medium carrots and 1 medium zucchini - discard the cores, add a handful of arugula, some dried cranberries, blue or feta cheese (or pitted olives if you don't like cheese), juice of one lemon and a drizzle of olive oil. Pinch of salt and pepper, toss with your hands, and voila!)
• And of course, Carrot cake - Jameson Style:

Citrus Olive Oil Carrot Cakes

Serves 6 to 8 @ 3 oz portions

Dry Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup spelt flour
• 1 Tbsp ground coriander
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

Wet Ingredients

• 1 cup light olive oil
• 1 cup light agave nectar
• zest and juice of 2 medium oranges
• 1 medium carrot, finely grated
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp Harvey's Sherry or Grand Marnier

1. Preheat your oven to 400-degrees. Spray your muffin mold / cupcake mold with non-stick spray.
2. Mix your dry ingredients and make sure to whisk any lumps. Mix spices thoroughly in flour mixture. Set Aside
3. In a small bowl, zest and juice the two oranges. Grate you carrots and put into orange juice/zest mixture. Set aside
4. In a large mixing bowl, add olive oil and with a whisk, mix the agave, vanilla extract and sherry.
5. Slowly add 1/3 of the flour mixture to the liquid and mix until just incorporated (do not over mix). Add 1/3 of the orange-carrot mixture and lightly mix. Repeat flour / orange-carrot mixture until everything is mixed together.
6. Spoon / Piping Bag / Pour batter into your molds and bake for 5 to 7 minutes or until the tops are golden and a crust is starting to form. Using a toothpick, poke the center - if it comes out clean, remove from the oven. If the toothpick comes out moist, turn off the oven and leave the cakes inside with the oven door closed for another 2 to 3 minutes or until the toothpick method comes out clean.
7. Remove from the oven and allow the cakes to cool slightly before you take them out of the molds. You want the cakes to cool and set otherwise, you could break the cakes while removing them from the molds.
8. Allow the cakes to cool on a baking rack.
   

Aren't we forgetting something???...Learn how to cook!

So when i talk to people about their health and nutrition, almost everyone knows:

1. I need to be healthy
2. I need to eat healthier foods
3. I need to lose weight

But the real issue is the inevitable statement that comes next:

"...HOW do I become healthy, HOW do I eat healthier foods; HOW do I eat and have a meal plan to lose weight..."

And looking at this article, "30 Ways in 30 Days to Stretch your Fruit & Vegetable Budget", from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), it's the "How" that is really missing... Lets take a look at the Top 5 of this list:

1. Calculate an appropriate Healthy Food Budget for your family...this step indicates "What" and fortunately, provides a website to show us "How"
2. Cook enough for several meals and freeze leftovers...How????
3. Create a meal plan for the week that uses similar fruits and vegetables prepared in different ways...How????
4. Buy fruits and vegetables in season at farmers markets...What fruits & vegetable are in season???
5. Grow your own vegetables. Invest a little in seeds to get a lot of vegetables in return...The CDC provides a link on "growing vegetables" but it doesn't provide "practical applications" of growing vegetables...How do I grow vegetables in an apartment???...Which vegetables are easy to grow???

What's my point???...We have almost every "healthy authority" telling us we need to be healthy; we need to eat healthy; we need to get fresh foods; we need to do better with our food. And they even provide recipes for those who do not know what to eat. But there are very few resources from these healthy authorities on "HOW" to eat healthy or in more plain terms "How to cook"...and that's the problem...almost everyone I talk looks at cooking as novelty, or a special skill, or a gift, when it really is about making an attempt to prepare foods we like and practicing those attempts until we get the flavor we want while providing the health and nutrition we already know we need...so in my opinion, the first rule to better stretch our budgets and incorporate more fruits and vegetables into our lives:

"...Take a beginning cooking class, read beginner cookbooks, learn from people who do know how to cook, watch Food Network or the Cooking Channel..."

After you've made the initial effort to learn How to Cook, allow me to offer my help on "HOW" to be healthy with the CDC Guide to "30 Ways in 30 Days to Stretch your Fruit & Vegetable Budget":

1. 5 ways to develop a meal plan from the Iowa State University Extension (ISUE): http://www.extension.iastate.edu/foodsavings/mealplanning/thriftyweeklymenus.htm
2. If you're single, prepare meals for 2 servings...most recipes are made for 4 servings, so simply cut the recipe in half and reduce the times for cooking by 25% (i.e. instead of 10 minutes, cook for 7 1/2 minutes)
3. Here's a link/pdf for a 5-day meal planner from ISUE: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/NR/rdonlyres/A5F9EC88-4D97-4964-89F6-D9C0EF59D601/0/fivedayplanningworksheet.pdf
4. This is a great resource to learn about fruits and vegetable seasonality charts: http://www.cuesa.org/seasonality/
5. And here's one website for indoor gardening for possible rosemary, thyme, & tomatoes for indoor growing: http://www.ehow.com/way_5167248_tips-indoor-gardening.html
   

Make an investment in your health by learning how to cook...take a class, pick up a bargain cook book at your nearest bookstore (by the way, my best cook books were reduced priced / bargain priced), and grab some of your friends who also want to cook and make it into a party...whatever you do, start cooking, and then go and do the other things you need to do be healthy and have a GREAT life!

A simple way to create "balance to your meal plan"

Do you have a meal plan???...some of us have financial plans to help us make the money we want for our lives and lifestyle...some have educational plans to get smart and achieve success in life...but do you have a "meal plan" to keep your body strong and vibrant to have the strength and means to enjoy the financial and lifestyle successes we are all working so hard to achieve???

If you don't have a "meal plan" then lets get you a simple one:

1. More fiber, vitamins, and minerals through fruits, vegetables, and whole grain foods (AKA, foods with lots of color and substance).
2. Have some protein through lean meats, dairy, nuts and beans...
3. Minimize your fats, sodium/salt intake, processed foods, sugars and sweets

So to give you an idea of what a meal looks like that implements this plan, here's my idea:

"Simple Quesadilla with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Mozzarella & Parmesan Cheese with Basil Threads":

2 quesadillas = 1 serving
Prep Time = 5 minutes
Cook Time = 5 to 7 minutes

• 2 corn or flour "homestyle/handmade" tortilla
• 4 oz of shredded "low-fat" mozzarella cheese (one handful)
  
• 2 oz of grated parmesan cheese (one spoonful)
  
• 6 oz of sun-dried tomatoes (julienne/sliced thin)
• 4 oz basil leaves (sliced thin)(about 12 basil leaves)

1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees and line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Place both tortillas on the baking sheet and layer 2/3 of the mozzarella cheese & the parmesan cheese evenly between the two tortillas. Evenly distribute the sun-dried tomatoes with both tortillas and sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese over the tomatoes.
3. Bake the tortillas for 5 to 7 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the edges of the tortilla are slightly crispy.
4. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the basil over the tortilla. Allow the cheese to cool slightly and enjoy.

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!

When an inconvenience becomes a serious health problem...

So allow me to set the stage: a neighbor of mine is in his garage and I just pull into my garage next to his...I ask him, "How have you been / how was your weekend / how are you?" and the response he gives me reminds me why we need be healthy and have better eating habits...

"I was in the hospital over the weekend / I had chest pains and pressure in my chest / I underwent an angiogram (medical procedure to using a colored dye in your blood to visually see blockage problems in your heart)..."

No one should have to respond to "how was your weekend" like that...the unfortunate reality is that many of us are currently putting ourselves in that position through our daily eating habits and food choices...it is our "human nature" to only deal with a problem when we can see it, feel it, hear it, when it truly becomes an inconvenience. And the consequences of our actions include hospital visits, medical procedures and the possibility of needing to take medications since we cannot win the fight to incorporate health into our lives...

So "How do I prevent this condition from worsening / reoccurring again???..."

"The doctors told me to eat healthy...."

And that's the blunt truth of it all...if you want to avoid the hospital, or unncessary doctor's visits, or avoid undue stress related to lingering diet related health problems, we need to eat healthy...BUT HOW????...

For this particular situation, without knowing the specifics, most doctors & nutritionists want us to lower the amount of bad cholesterol in our diet, eat more fiber from fruits, vegetables and whole grains, and eat smaller portions to lose weight and lower our risks for these diet related medical conditions...In terms of food ideas, here's my take on getting our bodies back on track through healthy & great tasting meals:

• Roasted Butter Nut Squash w/ Roasted Shrimp and Garlic
• Saute Eggplant, Peppers, and Sun-dried Tomatoes with Chicken Breast
• Herbed Chicken & Apple Burgers with Arugula, Grape Tomatoes and Whole Wheat Pita Sandwiches
• Zucchini, Cauliflower & Chicken Breast Stuffed Bell Peppers
  

Here's the recipe for the Stuffed Bell Peppers:

Serves 4 (1 serving = 1 stuffed pepper)

-4 medium red bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
-1 tsp olive oil
-salt & pepper to taste

-2 medium sized zucchini, finely diced - 1/4"
-1/4 head of cauliflower, finely chopped
-8 oz chicken breast (cut into 1/2" slices)
-5 basil leaves - chopped
-1 Tbsp Herbes de Provence
-1 Tbsp Light Olive Oil

-1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
-1 tsp Light Olive Oil


Preheat oven to 375-degrees & line a baking sheet with rimmed edges with foil. Cut the tops off the red bell peppers and remove the stems and seeds. Place on the baking sheet and drizzle the inside of the peppers with olive oil, and season lightly with salt & pepper. Set aside.

On low heat, heat your oil with the basil leaves - do not burn - we want to extract the oils from the basil to infuse the olive oil. Meanwhile, prep your veggies and chicken breast. Once the basil oil starts to "sizzle" (about 10 minutes on low heat), increase the temperature and saute the chicken breast slices. Light season with salt & pepper. After the chicken begins to brown, remove from the pan and begin to saute the veggies. Lightly season with salt & pepper. While veggies are cooking, finely dice the chicken, and add back into veggie mixture. Add Herbes de Provence and continue to cook until zucchini is just turning soft (5 to 7 minutes). Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Remove the chicken veggie mixture from heat and spoon into the the bell peppers. Make sure to pack in as tight and as evenly as possible. Sprinkle the panko crumbs onto each stuffed pepper and drizzle the olive oil on the crumbs.

Place in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until the peppers are soft but not burnt. Make sure to watch the panko crusts to keep from burning.

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly for 5 minutes after removing from the oven.

We need to make changes and it starts with Intention...

Alright, I've just come back (actually last week), from a trip to the White House (yeah THE White House), where I am supporting an effort to fight childhood obesity and promote a healthy eating lifestyle...lets take a strong look at the words "healthy" & "lifestyle"...what does that mean?...it means creating a "life" of healthy eating; where our daily habits are centered around healthy living; where we are happy and content with the peace of mind that our bodies are strong and vibrant; where both the mind, the body, and the soul are "balanced"...Unfortunately, as a nation, are eating habits are not balanced and we are at a tipping point as a society to make changes or face serious consequences in our immediate future.

So "why" is America's eating habits so imbalanced???...(click on quote to read entire article/ at least the first 2 pages!):

According to the U.S. Department of Health, nearly two out of three American adults are overweight or obese. It’s also estimated that millions of Americans suffer from anorexia or bulimia. One could call this an epidemic of “eating disorders,” but I prefer to think of the problem as an increasingly unbalanced relationship to food. One of the primary causes of this imbalance is a lack of an essential human nutrient: mindfulness. Mindfulness is the act of paying full, nonjudgmental attention to our moment-to-moment experience. We can use mindfulness to free ourselves from unhealthy eating habits and improve our overall quality of life.

So the next logical question is "how did we get "imbalanced???"...as a country, Americans do NOT pay attention to what we're eating...how do I know???...just read what people from around the country from nationally syndicated news agencies and studies are saying (click on the headings to go to the actual article):

1. The Institute of Medicine—part of the federal National Academy of Sciences—issued a report in April that called on the Food & Drug Administration to require food packagers to gradually reduce the sodium content in food. "The patchwork of voluntary approaches that have been implemented over the years have not worked," the report concluded, noting that the average American consumes 50 percent more sodium each day than is recommended. (Businessweek)
   
2. Health experts say there is no shortage of reasons why poverty is a predictor for obesity. Overall, it comes down to food options: Poverty not only limits choices, but it also can discourage healthy decisions, they say. (Detroit Free Press)
3. UC Davis public health researchers have found that children, who are already saturated with television messages about unhealthy food choices, are the targets of a new medium used to sell high-fat, high-sugar foods: advergames. (ScienceDaily.com)
4. It makes one realize that despite everyone's best intentions, getting kids to eat right is more complicated than it seems. Nonetheless, after seeing how enthusiastic these children were, how open to new foods and tastes (they produced a cookbook and took the microphone, many of them fearlessly, to pronounce their favorite dishes) and how proud to receive their diplomas, it's hard to imagine that some of what they've learned here won't remain. (Wall Street Journal)
   
5. While cigarettes can be addictive, people don't need to smoke to live, and advertising and clean-air restrictions curb tobacco's presence. People must eat, however, and sugary drinks and fatty snacks are everywhere, Kelder and others said. (Associated Press)
6. If you let TV ads determine what you eat, you'll end up with huge amounts of fat and sugar but precious few vegetables and fruits in your diet. (US News)
7. Since processed foods account for most of the salt in the American diet, national health officials, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York and Michelle Obama are urging food companies to greatly reduce their use of salt. Last month, the Institute of Medicine went further, urging the government to force companies to do so.(New York Times)
8. These days, the average American consumes a whopping 22 teaspoons of sugar each day, totaling about 350 calories. Thus, in the context of a national obesity problem, it's no surprise that food manufacturers have begun introducing sugar-free versions of otherwise-guilty pleasures, including cookies, cakes, pudding, sodas, gum, sorbet, chocolates, candies, pie crust and syrup. (Los Angeles Times)

So we have tons of reasons "why" we are so imbalanced and why we need to eat healthier...and remember, this is the United States; considered the country with the most resources and ability to do what we need to do "if" we make an effort to make the change...and that is the SECRET to "how" we can make the lifestyle changes we need to become balanced and healthier as a society...it's INTENTION...it's DESIRE...it's EFFORT...it's WILL-POWER...

And as Michelle Obama says, "It's a collaboration...[it's not going to be easy]"...

No one said it was going to be easy...but anything that is worthwhile in life, is never easy...most of the time, the road is long and challenging, but when we get to the destination, we always say, "it was worth it!"...so learn about food (ingredients, fruits, vegetables, meats, fats, starch, grains); learn about nutrition (antioxidants, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals); learn how to cook (make pasta, saute, roast, baking, how to peel/cut/slice everything); learn about flavorful cuisines (Mediterranean, Latin American, Southwestern, French Country-Cooking, Italian Country-Cooking, Indian, Korean, etc.)

Everything I have previously mentioned starts with INTENTION to change our lives to become healthier and allow ourselves to have a chance for a GREAT life...and INTENTION starts a trickle down affect for all of the things we have to do to make the changes...THINK about how a healthy-life will be; BELIEVE a healthy life can be ours; ACT to make a healthy life our reality; and EXPECT the rewards that a healthy-life will give all of us...

And I'll finish with this...(youtube video from Michelle Obama's speech at the Launch of LetsMove campaign)

Michelle Obama hits the nail on the head as to how food affects our lives and how food can improve our lives, and why we must improve our eating habits to improve our lives...

As a chef, I have the knowledge and skills to prepare foods for others to eat...but what is more remarkable, is that I have the "power", as Michelle Obama put it, to make other people's lives more fulfilling around the dinner table, and sustainable by providing nourishment for both the body and the soul...and as a chef, I have the responsibility to turn back the statistics that paint a grim picture of our current situation and share what I know with my community to help children, parents, and anyone else who wants to make their life better...and I'm going to do it, One Meal at a Time!


Be GREAT!
Jameson

Snacks???...Mascerated Berries to the rescue!!!!

So a "decided" friend of mine asked me, "James, I get hungry a little bit before lunch and right before dinner; what are some good snacks that I can have besides chocolate???" This is the question almost everyone in America and around the world is asking themselves wanting for more....more flavor, more taste, more energy, more than just the "snack machine" in the office lounge...

Lets make one thing clear...stay away from this "thing" you call a "snack machine"...it is NOT your friend...NEVER has been, because:

• it always takes your money
• it's just "available" and gives you "quick-energy" instead of "long-lasting energy"
  
• and you have to work harder, as in "go to the gym to work off the extra weight you are about to gain."

So if I should stay away from the snack machine, "How do we get a small meal/ a small morsel/ a small "something that will carry me through the in-between-meal times", without ruining my appetite for lunch or dinner????...Simple...eat "whole foods" (no, not "Whole Pay-Check")

"Whole Foods" are food stuffs that have not been chemically, genetically or on any other way, tampered with. They are natural, raw produce of nature. Whole foods carry out all the requirements of good diet - absorption, assimilation and elimination, and these are the basis of a healthy body system.

Whole foods provide you with long-lasting energy...and if prepared properly, can make you happy, because you're eating something that not only feeds the body, but the great flavors you'll be enjoying also nourishes the soul because it tastes GREAT!

So here's one of the snacks that I like, berries and citrus, because its Nutritious, Tasty, and most of all, simple!...But before I show you how to make it, lets understand why this snack is good for you...

Strawberries, Blueberries, Citrus
Lets get to know them from a "Good for my Body", point of view (NOTE, click the headings for more detailed information) :

• Health & Nutrition Information for Strawberries
  

  The Romans prized wild strawberries for their medicinal properties. Ounce for ounce, strawberries have more Vitamin C than citrus fruit. According to the American Cancer Society, foods rich in Vitamin C may lower the risk of cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

• Blueberries are an excellent source of vitamin C.
  In fact, a serving contains about 14 mg or almost 25% of daily requirement for Vitamin C. Vitamin C is needed for the formation of collagen and to maintain healthy gums and capillaries. It also aids in the absorption of iron and promotes a healthy immune system

• Orange Juice Has Among The Highest Nutrient Content

  A new study shows citrus juices provide more nutrients per calorie than many other commonly consumed 100% fruit juices.¹ The USDA 2005 Dietary Guidelines encourages you and me to eat more nutrient-dense foods because they contribute to a healthy diet that offers important benefits such as reduced risk for a number of chronic diseases, support for normal growth and development of children, and health promotion for people of all ages

So lets recap, I need snacks that are 1) Good for my Body; 2) Tastes GREAT; 3) Simple....So now you're thinking, "Ok, I know they're good for me, but now what do I do???"...alright, lets make "Tasty Magic" happen:


Citrus Mascerated Berries w/ Mint
Makes 4 to 6 servings

1 pint Fresh Strawberries, tops removed, quartered
1 pint Fresh Blueberries
16 oz of fresh squeezed citrus juice (use Oranges or Tangerines if you like)
Zest of the citrus fruit (4 oz.)
Handful of Mint, sliced

NOTE: if you need more sweetness, add 1 Tbsp agave nectar or 1 Tbsp Palm Sugar to the citrus juice and combine completely (these are Good Sugars, when used in moderation)

Wash all of your fruit. Remove the stems of the Strawberries and quarter them, place in a plastic or non-reactive, sealable container. Add your blueberries, mint, and citrus zest. Pour your Citrus Juice over the berries. Close the container and carefully mix the berries with the juice and the mint. Allow to sit for at least 6 hours to allow the flavors and oils to combine. Serve chilled.

BONUS: save the juice and add soda water to make a refreshing drink or your favorite clear spirit (white rum, vodka, etc.) to make an outstanding cocktail

What's the moral of the story??? Make this refreshing, healthy, and tasty, and sweet snack on a Sunday, bring it to work on Monday, and scoop a small bowl worth of this snack to last you the whole week!...And remember, a GREAT Snack needs to be: 1) Good for your Body; 2) Taste GREAT for your Soul; 3) Simple to make!...So "Just say NO " to the Snack machine, and take control of your life for healthy and flavorful eating!

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!
Jameson

Add some spice and flavor to your life with Coconut Oil and Florida Flavors

Alright, so here's another way to incorporate healthy coconut oil into a dish...oh, and by the way, incorporate a "great flavor", namely, Floridian flavors with pasta! This dish will help you lose weight, improve your immune system, healthier skin, and fight against heart disease (to name a few), great tasting (tropical flavors, spice, and bright flavors), and looks great....Sounds good?, Lets get to it!...

So you take your basic pasta recipe - pasta sauce, pasta, and maybe a protein or veggie to go with it...so for the people who don't like their veggies, I'm doing you a favor by making it into a sauce...and if you want something that makes you say, "hmmm?", we're taking what Floridian flavors of citrus, garlic, cumin, tropical fruit, and jalapenos (scotch bonnit peppers, actually, but I can't handle that kind of heat!)(it doesn't make me a bad person, hahaha!)...ok, focus!....

So take your pasta sauce recipe that you like, add the Floridian flavors, and you have something really good...BUT...to make it GREAT, lets add coconut oil and make this actually healthy for you without sacrificing flavor...treat the coconut oil like you would butter, and enjoy!

Floridian Inspired Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce with Rigatoni and Shrimp

Serves 4

Sauce:
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes
8 cloves of garlic
4 oz light olive oil
2 tbsp tomato paste

Salsa:
3 tbsp light olive oil + 1 crushed garlic clove
2 shallots - finely diced
1 to 2 jalapenos (1 = light spicy / 2 more spicy)
*authentically, you need a scotch bonnit pepper or even a habanero
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup pineapple, finely diced
2 oz lemon juice (use lime juice if you have it)
1/8 tsp cumin
1/4 coriander
salt and pepper to taste

2 tbsp coconut oil, unrefined/virgin

16 oz rigatoni pasta, reserve some pasta liquid, if needed

12 ea medium sized shrimp, peeled and devined (frozen or fresh)

2 tbsp, finely chopped Italian parsley

Make the sun-dried tomato sauce, in your food processor, add the garlic, olive oil, tomato paste and sun-dried tomatoes, puree until smooth. Set aside.

Cook your pasta to al dente in salty boiling water - time your pasta accordingly - you want your pasta done when your salsa is done.

Make your salsa, add your olive oil and infuse the oil with the crushed garlic on medium heat, 5 minutes. Remove the crushed garlic and mince into the rest of the garlic. Add the shallot and saute on medium heat until translucent, 2 minutes. Add jalapeno, garlic and saute, 2 minutes. Add pineapples, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, and 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper (watch your salt!) cook for 2 more minutes. Add coconut oil and stir until oil is melted into salsa, 2 minutes.

Combine your dish. Add sun-dried tomato to salsa and stir to combine, cook for 2 more minutes, you want to have a slight cumin flavor, so add more if you need it. Adjust seasoning again as needed (again, watch the salt). Add pasta and reserve some pasta liquid if you need it. Toss pasta and aerate the sauce with the pasta. Turn off heat, and add shrimp and continue to toss until shrimp just turns pink. Add parsley to garnish and enjoy!

If you have crusty bread, use it to pick up the sauce at the end of the dish!

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!!!
Jameson

Coconut Oil...not your average saturated fat!

Alright, I haven't done a post for a LONG time, so lets get cracking...

Just back from a trip to Florida and boy, did I eat GREAT!...but more importantly, the flavors of the "Floribbean Diet" are outstanding, in particular, Coconut...and lets concentrate on Coconut Oil..

So lets talk about the flavor first...ahhhhh, "it tastes like coconut????"...No...actually, coconut oil doesn't really give you a "taste",per se, but what it does do is give you the "aroma" of coconut and is very subtle...as long as you use it with other mild flavors, the coconut aroma will be present...as long as you keep your mouth closed (similar to wine tasting), as you breathe, you will experience the coconut aroma to the foods you're eating or cooking in this case...so it's really a treat to all of a sudden have a "pina colada moment" while you're enjoying your sauteed fish or chicken...NOTE: please use the "unrefined or Virgin" oils...and it's a "medium heat cooking oil" so no deep frying...treat it exactly you would with butter...

Now to the health benefits:

Check out this website Organicfacts.net, for more detailed information:

• maintaining cholesterol levels
• weight loss
  
• increased immunity / antioxidants
• proper digestion and metabolism
• relief from: kidney problems, heart diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, HIV and cancer, dental care, and bone strength.
  

So what's my point???...Without getting in trouble with trademarks, but, Coconut Oil "tastes great, less filling"!!!!...Lots of Flavor with even more Health Benefits!...need to work on that slogan!...

So look for Coconut oil in your stores, and treat it like butter in your cooking, baking, etc. And you'll also be doing your body a favor by making it healthier, stronger, and happier!!!!...

Here's a dish I made that was inspired by my trip:

Sauteed Mahi Mahi in Coconut Oil with a Lemon, Cumin, Cayenne and Shallots, with Roasted Potatoes and Broccoli


Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!
Jameson

Take something and make it "better"

So there's an adage, "if it's not broken, don't fix it..." However, there's nothing in that statement that says, if you want something more, go make it better!!!....So I'm sharing my brownie recipe from a girl from college who told me that brownies from a box are gross...and i believed her and I've been making this recipe for years!...I don't know why, but I share this recipe with others in the past, and they can't get it, so I don't know...I've changed it a bit to suit my current tastes and new knowledge that I've picked up along the way...so my recommendations are to look for products like these to substitute and increase the nutrition in your brownies and add flavor at the same time:

• Nut flours (i.e. Almond Flour)
• Coconut Flour
• Whole Wheat or Whole Grain Type Flours
• Nut Oils (La Tourangele has an excellent line of nut oils to add flavor)
• Palm Sugar or Agave Nectar to keep the GI of the dish down without using artificial sweetners
• Add citrus zest to add more flavor and depth to your chocolate based desserts
• Experiment with coriander, cardamom, and nutmeg to add more layers of flavor to your baking
  

The point of this post is not to show off a great brownie recipe, but it's to demonstrate that with a little information about healthier ingredients, you can take something that is already good, and make it "gooder!!!!" by using healthier and flavorful ingredients!...

Jameson's Brownies


Dry Ingredients:

• equal portions whole wheat flour and almond flour to make 3/4 cup
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt (or 2 small pinches)

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 Tbsp of water
• 3/4 cup of Palm Sugar (this sugar has a lower GI than regular sugar and just as sweet)
• 9 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (60% or higher)
• 1/3 cup walnut oil (butter substitute)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Vanilla Extract (use real extract in lieu of imitation)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp Sherry Wine (Harvey's Bristol Cream)(or Baileys or Kahlua or Godiva Liqueurs)
• 1/2 Tbsp Orange zest ( you want the orange smell from the oils)
• 2 large eggs, brought to room temperature (this is key to make sure you're add ingredients together at relatively the same temperature)
  

Pre-Heat your oven to 325-degrees, line a 9x9 or any other baking dish of comparable size with parchment paper so that you can easily take it out afterwards with no brownies sticking.

Mix your dry ingredients. Measure and sift your flours and add the salt and baking soda. Set aside

Take a sauce pan and add to it the water and sugar and bring to a boil. When the caramel starts to bubble, add your walnut oil. When the mixture is boiling, turn off the heat and add chocolate and stir into mix. When the chocolate is completely melted, add vanilla, sherry and orange zest mix into chocolate.

With an empty heat proof bowl and a silicone heat proof spatula, pour the chocolate into the bowl. Crack eggs into a separate bowl and make sure no shells go into the mix. With a whisk in hand, add the eggs to chocolate and whisk quickly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Add dry ingredients and whisk into chocolate mixture until just incorporated (try not to over whisk to keep the brownies moist instead of chewy). Pour mixture to baking dish and heat on 325-degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. It's important to set your time to about 15 minutes and then check it periodically to prevent burning and thorough cooking in the center.

Remove and allow to cool. Cut and serve with "Agave Dream" Vanilla Ice Cream (low GI sugar used to make ice cream)

Serves 9
Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!

Add some spice in your life...Creatively Make Something Your Own

So as far as cooking is concerned, it's not about how well someone can follow a recipe, it' really how well you use the recipe as a guide to make the dish reflect who you are and what you want to express to other people...this concept is common throughout the creative art world - you take a technique and then add your personal touch...you mix and match the best of what you like from a couple of different dances and turn the mix into your own unique dance style...you combine different types of music - classical and techno for example - come up with your own brand of music...the same rings true in cooking...as my mother used to say, you use "a recipe" as a guide and then you add your own personal touches to make it your own...so here's an example:

From my cookbook, "Mediterranean Food of the Sun", the "Bananas with Lime and Cardamom Sauce" recipe calls for limes, butter, a strange foreign sugar...and since I'm a health conscious kind of guy, I replace the butter for Almond Oil, the strange foreign sugar with Palm Sugar that helps keep your blood sugar levels low, and continue to use limes or lemons...But here's where I put my spin on it: I add cinnamon to the mix to also aid in lowering blood sugar levels and a another layer of flavor, and then I want to add another fruit to the mix, so I diced some pears to add contrast in flavors and textures with the bananas, and then for another layer of contrast, as Emeril Legasse puts it, "I kicked it up a notch" by adding a dash of cayenne pepper which leaves a very mild heat on your palette that makes you want to crave for some vanilla gelato!!!!...

And what do you have???...a completely different dish from the cookbook that is similar but now is completely my own because i used the recipe as a guide and put my own personal creative touches to express who I am and what I want to impart on whomever I'm going to serve it to...

So here's my recipe as adapted from the cookbook I am using for you to try and enjoy:

"Be Great, Bananas with Lemon and Cardamom Sauce

• 6 small bananas - sliced lengthwise and in halved (now you have 24 pieces)
• 1 Pear - cored and diced into 1/4" pieces
  
• 4 Tbsp of Almond Oil Extract
• 1 tsp cardamom-powder
• 2 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup flaked/ slivered almonds
• Half a Large lemon, to zest and one 6-inch peel for garnish
• 1/4 cup Palm Sugar or Low GI sugar substitute
• 2 Tbsp Dark Rum

-In a saute pan, add half the almond oil and bananas and saute until golden brown. Make sure you leave them alone to allow the sugars in the bananas to carmelize and give you a crust...As Tyler Florence says, color means flavor...Add half the cinnamon and distribute evenly throughout the bananas. Once golden, remove and place in a heatproof dish.

-Use the same pan and add the remaining Almond oil and almonds and cardamom until almonds are golden-pay attention because the almonds will brown fast and will burn on you if you're not watching them.

-Once their brown, add the palm sugar and lemon juice and lemon zest and allow the sugar to carmelize...reduce the heat, and add remaining cinnamon and cayenne pepper and continue to stir to incorporate.

-Take the pan off the stove and add the rum (you must do this to avoid uncontrolled flame outs), continue to stir...add the diced pears and cooked bananas and turn off the heat and fold the fruit into the sauce, careful not to break the bananas.

-Return all of the mixture to the heatproof dish...take the lemon peel, and twist and garnish...serve with vanilla ice cream/ gelato.

this should serve 6 people

Be Great, One Meal at a Time!

Law of Attraction-Attracting Great Nutrition with Great Fitness

I am a big believer and practitioner of "The Secret" (book by Rhonda Byrnes) and the "Law of Attraction" on how what you feel and think will attract those same things into your life...if you feel lousy and think that you're unworthy, well, that's what you are going to have in your life...but if you CHOOSE to actively think and feel that your are worthy, that you are somebody, that you are special, and start feeling good about yourself by doing things in life that are good, then guess what?...your choice to change your thinking and feeling will change your life and you will attract more of those good things into your life that are in line with what you're thinking and feeling...it really is that simple...

And for myself, at a friend's party, I introduced myself to Kristen Nolan who is a personal trainer (I LUV My Body Fitness) and she is a firm believer in making active choices to include fitness and exercise into your life to feel and "be" better in life...She also believes that good nutrition is an integral part of a healthy life and spreads this message to her clients. I believe in fitness and exercise and you know, I love food and believe that great food and great health can be one and the same. Believe this or not, I don't care, but I believe my feelings and her feelings attracted each other and put us in the same room at the right time and the right moment...I hope to connect with her and share my passions for great health and great taste with her passions for great fitness and exercise for healthy, strong and meaningful lifestyles...what's my point???...

My point is that if you want a GREAT life, you have to think that you're life is Great, that you are Great, and do the things that are required to have the rewards of a Great life...And if you do, you will attract people who think like you and feel like you and slowly, you will surround yourself with positive people who are in line with what you believe and I promise you, life will look and feel Great!!!!...Both Kristen and I have realized this concept for ourselves; she's spreading the word of exercise and fitness and I'm doing the same thing by combining great nutrition and great taste to make other people's lives Great...and hopefully we can help each other help more people together!

So I'd like to share a link to Kristen's website and blog and a comment I made to her Jan. 22 blog posting for 11 ways to include simple nutrition into a busy life.



Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!
(Sauteed Cod with Mediterranean Sage and Lemon Sauce-Rosemary Roasted Veggies-Olive Oil Toasts)










Kristen Nolan - I LUV my Body Fitness
Website - http://www.sanfranciscofatloss.com/
Blog - http://www.kristenfitness.com/

My Comment (in blue italics) to Kristen's Jan. 22 Blog Entry:

11 Healthy, Quick and Easy Snacks for Busy San Franciscans

1. 5 Whole Grain Crackers with cheese. I recommend Ak Mak or Raincoat Crisp Crackers

2. 1 cup Plain Yogurt with 1/2 cup blue berries mixed in. I love the brands FAGE and Saint bonnet
-Try the Greek Gods greek yogurt brand - the flavoring is already mixed into the yogurt for added convenience and consistent flavor throughout yogurt.

3. Handful of almonds and dried fruit (no added preservatives)
-Buy one bag of each and buy mini-tupperware containers that are 3/4 cup servings and place half-and-half nuts to fruit in each. For added flavor, add 1 tsp of cinnamon and 1 tsp of a log GI sweetner that can be shaken in the tupperware to incorporate with mix.

4. Preservative free granola or dried fruit and nut bar such as Kind Bars and Lara Bars

5. 3/4 Cup baby carrots and 4 Walnut halves

6. 1 Slice cheese with 1 apple or any piece of fruit

7. 1 Apple with 1 tbsp peanut or almond butter
-A variation of this would be to core and slice the apple into 1/4" slices, and toss with 1 Tbsp of Lemon juice, 1 tsp of cinnamon, and 1 Tbsp of Agave Nectar and place on one piece of whole grain bread and spread the peanut/almond butter on the other piece and combine as a sandwich. For texture, you can grill it like a panini or toast in a toaster oven.

8. 1 piece of celery with 1 tbsp peanut or almond butter

9. 1/2 cup soybeans with 1/4 cup dried fruit

10. 1/4 Avocado on 5 whole grain crackers or 1/2 slice of whole grain bread
11. 1 Tomato with Fresh Mozzarella cheese and basil
-Combine #10 and #11 - Toss in a small bowl 2 Tbsp of Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4 Avo, 1 Plum tomato, seeded and diced, Mozzarella that is cubed into 1/4" pieces, 4 basil leaves that are cut into thin ribbons (or shred by hand), and 1 Tbsp Parmesan cheese and 1/2 tsp black pepper. Put salad into a sandwich sized tupperware/Gladware and eat with toasted whole grain bread.

Want to feel better about yourself and your life-8 steps to bring your life into focus

There are times in our lives when what you see, hear, and watch determine what we think about life...but that's A$$ BACKWARDS!!!!....YOU should be determining what you think about life and live YOUR life accordingly with what you VALUE!!!...so how do you get back to thinking about what YOU think is important instead of what other people tell you what is important????....follow these 8 steps and start them NOW and try it for a month:

1) READ from a really good book 15 minutes a day (The Secret by Rhonda Byrnes, The Money Book, Young, Fabulous, and Broke by Suze Orman, Rick Pitino or Lou Holtz Business coaching books, a book that stimulates your way of thinking)

2) Turn off the "Electronic Income Reducer" AKA your T.V. to be effective with your precious time...

3) Stop listening to the radio in the car and put a great book audio CD in your car and listen to it in your car!

4) Read less newspapers

5) ASSOCIATE with Like-minded, POSITIVE people...this will indirectly inject more POSITIVE energy into your life through association (join a club, team, group of people who have common goals and beliefs as you do that makes you feel good about yourself after you meet with them)

6) DRINK more WATER...take your weight divide by 2 and that is the number of OUNCES of water you need to drink...i.e. 192/ 2 = 96 OUNCES of water = 12 cups of water to drink per day or 3 full containers of my 32 oz Nalgene bottle

7) EXERCISE - do whatever - gym, riding you bike, walking, pilates, swimming, whatever...be more physically active

8) 15 minutes of REFLECTION: on what you want to do with your life, where you want to be with your life, how to improve areas in your life that make you feel bad...while you're in the shower, when you wake up/go to sleep, taking BART/train/bus, whatever...think about your life and how you can make it better...

Try these 8 things for 1 month and see how you feel, how you look, how you think, and how your life is going...if you like what have, try it again for another month and see what happens...if you don't, then that's okay too...Bottomline is to take control over your life and your thinking and your future as best we can...and if we can have a feeling of more control over our lives, then that's a GREAT start to having more meaningful lives...

Do you know you have the FREEDOM to choose what you eat and drink???

I am doing detailed research into diabetic and renal disease diets...if you thought going on a diet to lose weight was hard, that's a "walk in the park" compared to what you have to do if you have diabetes or kidney disease...what's my point???...once you have a diet-dependant disease, what you "should" do to be healthy now becomes "mandatory and restricted"...think about that for a bit...you HAVE to eat healthy and you HAVE less to choose from...

I have a diet dependent disease called GOUT...many Filipinos have this disease and with medications, it can be controlled...however, we cannot over indulge in the foods and drinks that we love, otherwise, our joints get inflamed and the pain that follows lasts for at least 5 days or more and is one of the most excruciating arthritic pains (at least that's how it works for me)...but for every lapse in judgment when I decide to have a Japanese beer because it will go great with sashimi; every time I decide to have one more glass of wine to have with my meal; every time I decide to indulge in Texas-style BBQ, my body will remind me what happens when I do not eat in moderation...and the rest of life (Friends, family, sports, music, etc.) outside of great eating and drinking is put on hold because my body is out of commission...so in some respects, my GOUT is a painful reminder of what happens when I don't eat a balanced lifestyle between great health and flavorful enjoyment...and striking a balance; "isn't that the point to being on a diet???"...to eat a certain way to allow ourselves to change our bodies, maintain our bodies, or sustain our bodies...but when the CHOICE to implement a diet is taken away from you and is then replaced with a MANDATE (follow this or suffer the consequences), you start to question yourself and you then realize, you want to have the ability to CHOOSE for yourself...again, let me spell this out for you: do you want the ability to CHOOSE the dietary lifestyle you want to do the things you want or do you want this FREEDOM taken away from you and then live a RESTRICTED dietary lifestyle???....think about this concept....the FREEDOM to CHOOSE the dietary lifestyle you WANT???...

I want to wrap this up on a positive note...WE ALL HAVE THIS FREEDOM TO CHOOSE UNTIL WE DECIDE TO GIVE IT AWAY!...if you don't know what healthy eating means, go look it up...if you want to know what a "restrictive lifestyle" means, go ask someone who has a diet-dependent disease...if you want to eat healthy, but want "flavorful enjoyment", go look up a Mediterranean Diet and what the people of the Mediterranean have been eating since the beginning of time...combine that with daily exercise, outdoor activities, and group activities, the Mediterranean peoples are probably the most liveliest people on the planet...I will learn more about the Mediterranean Diet and Cuisines I will be as "lively" as they are through healthy foods and flavorings that have stood the test of time...in my opinion, Healthy Food + Enjoyable Flavor = a GREAT DIETARY LIFESTYLE...go realize YOUR greatness and keep your FREEDOM to choose the foods and drinks you want with responsible portions...and when you're done eating GREAT and drinking GREAT, you can then proceed to enjoy a GREAT LIFE!...

Be GREAT, One Meal at a Time!....