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!