Being Different

August 5, 2013 / ktbuchs87

For most of us, we like feeling like we fit in. Most of us don’t like to feel like we are the lone wolf, although some of us do enjoy that. People like to feel they are a part of a group in some way, whether that is a small group, like a reading club or band, or a large group, like whole cultures. Not all of us like to be a part of the “mainstream” crowd, but I believe that we all do have a longing to fit in somewhere and in some way.

It is rough being different from others, especially when it comes to eating. Have you noticed how a lot of our culture is centered around food? In the summer we have BBQ’s and cookouts, we roast marshmallows over campfires, and we go to state fairs where you can get pretty much any type of food fried and served on a stick. Come fall time, we gear up for Thanksgiving where food is a central focus. Then come the winter holidays and the parties and gatherings with cookies and candy canes, oh my! Right when you don’t think you can put one more bite in your mouth, Easter rolls around and we’re all chowing down on chocolate bunnies and Cadbury eggs. Even if you don’t take into account all the holidays where we eat, most of us meet up with friends and family at restaurants or some one’s house where they have cooked an elaborate feast. Our culture is CENTERED around food, and that is alright. Eating is one way we connect and share with others, and each culture has their own unique way of eating.

The problem is that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is not ideal and it isn’t making any of us healthier. The bigger problem I want to address today is how for those of us who have chosen to eat in a way contrary to the SAD, it can be difficult for us to fit in. I have experienced this many times and while it isn’t fun, I have learned how to deal with it and adapt, and want to share some of my tips and advice. Hopefully it will help those of you trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle, as well as friendships and a social life.

Research and Prepare- Whenever you find that you are going to be in a situation that includes food, find out what type of food will be offered. If you are going to a restaurant, many times they will have their menu’s posted online that you can view, or call them up and ask about their menu. Check out what food they have and if they offer anything you can eat. If not, call the restaurant and ask if there is any way that a menu item can be modified to fit your eating style. Many times managers will be happy to work with you, especially if you take care of it in advance. If you are going to a party at someone’s house, talk with the host and find out what will be served. If there is nothing you can eat, offer to bring a dish to share that you can eat. NEVER demand that they change their menu just for you.

Always be kind and gracious- Ever heard the phrase you attract more bees with honey than vinegar? People will be much more willing to work with you and accommodate your needs if you approach them in a kind and gracious manner. I know that I hate to be a burden on anyone. I chose to eat a certain way, and it was not forced upon me. Therefore, I don’t expect everyone to just bend to my will and provide me with everything I need. People don’t like to be treated like short order cooks and they don’t want to be bossed around by you.

Be patient- Don’t expect everyone to understand your eating style immediately. It has taken you a long time to find the right way to eat for your body, so don’t expect others to get it the first time either. If you’re a vegetarian, don’t get frustrated if people are always asking you if you can eat this or that. If you have Celiac’s, try to stay calm when someone asks for the umpteenth time if something has gluten in it. Many times, people really are trying to be kind and learn what you can or can not have, and they are not trying to get you riled up. This was the thing that I struggled with the most, and I still do. When I first changed the way I ate, everyone was constantly asking me, “Can you eat this? Can you eat this? How about this?” I just wanted them to leave me alone and stop putting their focus on how I ate. Now I just take a deep breath, and realize they are just trying to make sure I am taken care of.

Seriously. Don’t be that guy…

Don’t lecture- This is not the time to start lecturing people about how their diet is awful. This is not the time to become egotistical and think that your way of eating is far superior to others. Instead, think of this as a chance to enjoy other’s company and possibly educate them about how you eat. If someone approaches you and asks about how you eat, by all means tell them. Tell them how you have been trying to find the best way to eat for your body and your health and answer any questions that they might have and then move on. Don’t shove your beliefs in their face unasked and don’t judge them. Remember, you have no idea what their story is.

Enjoy yourself- This is another area that I struggled with, but I am getting better at. At family functions I would get so exhausted and frustrated with everyone asking what I would be eating, that I would never enjoy myself. I felt like everyone was watching me and judging the way I ate. I missed out on a lot of fun times by constantly getting flustered at events where there was food. Now I try to move the focus away from me and food and onto the people around me and the memories being made. I don’t worry about what others think, because I know that I feel healthier than I ever have. Instead of feeling overwhelmed, take a deep breath and really keep yourself in the moment. You will remember the good times you had far longer than you will remember the food served at an event.

It is hard to eat different from the majority of the population. You can feel like a pretentious weirdo or burden. You can feel like it isn’t worth it to be different from everyone else, and that it would just be easier to blend in when it comes to food. When you start feeling that way, remember why you started on this journey in the first place. You wanted to get healthier, you wanted to feel better, you wanted to live in the best possible way that you could. For me, I always remember that not only do I want to be healthier, I want to help others be healthier too. You won’t always see eye to eye with others about food (or any topic for that matter) and sometimes it will be difficult. I promise you, it is all worth it!

The Kitchen: Not so Scary

July 29, 2013 / ktbuchs87

I have talked a few times about cooking. Clearly, I love all aspects of food. I love the buying, prepping, cooking, eating, and nutrition that food gives me. I probably wouldn’t write this blog if I wasn’t passionate about food and all that it entails. I want to talk about the kitchen yet again and make a simple, yet important plea: Get back in your kitchens people!

This past week, I read about how Dr. Mark Hyman worked with a family that had major health issues due to obesity. In short, this family relied on packaged, processed meals or fast food for the majority of their diet. They admitted that they really didn’t know what to do in the kitchen and it was so much easier to just open a package than to cook their own food. I have heard a lot of excuses about why people do not cook their meals: too busy, don’t like to cook, too long, they’re bad at cooking, etc. I have even heard that people really don’t know what to do in the kitchen, so this article didn’t totally shock me. Then I really started thinking about it. As we rely more and more on packaged food or restaurants, there is an entire generation that is missing out on learning how to cook. Children know how to work the microwave like a pro, but can’t boil water and make pasta.

I don’t want to sit here and play the blame game on this issue. In all honesty, blame can probably be evenly distributed to all concerned parties. The parents, food companies and industry, eating establishments, pretty much all the usual suspects. I’m not going to waste my time here demonizing anyone, as plenty of other people have done that for me. What I really want to get across is the importance of bringing the slowly disappearing tradition of cooking back. As Dr. Hyman stated in his article, it could be one of the keys to getting healthier.

When you eat a meal out or pop a store-bought dinner in the microwave, you really don’t know all the ingredients that go into that food. That can be a very dangerous game to play. McDonald’s recently released an ingredient list for their french fries and it wasn’t pretty. It had 17 ingredients, with one of them being an anti-foaming agent. Last time I checked, french fries only need about three ingredients (potatoes, oil, and salt) and none of them were an anti-foaming agent. Yes, McDonald’s fries are like crack and taste good. They are also really easy to obtain, but they do absolutely NOTHING good for your health. It is really simple to make your own french fries right at home and they will be a whole heck of a lot better for you. Plus, you will get the satisfaction of creating something with your own hands that does not contain 17 hard to pronounce, dangerous ingredients. This can be applied to so many other meals as well. Some of the food that you are paying other people to make for you, can easily be made at home for less money, have better health benefits, and be much tastier dishes. Below is the ingredient list and nutrition facts for a Lean Cuisine BBQ Chicken Enchilada. Another simple dish that shouldn’t have more than 5 or six ingredients, has a huge ingredient list. Do you really want to be ingesting some of those ingredients or would you rather know exactly what is going into your food and you by making it yourself?

Ingredient list for Lean Cuisine BBQ Chicken Enchilada

More than just eating better and healthier food, cooking at home can be valuable time spent with your family. Kids get to spend quality time with their parents, learn new things, and create something the whole family can enjoy. Even if you don’t have kids, cooking with your spouse can be a great time to catch up on your day while preparing a delicious meal to be shared and cooking with friends is a fun way to share stories as well as recipes. Your kitchen can give you so much more than just good health, it can give you good memories and lift your spirits. It is fairly simple to learn how to make quick meals and there are so many benefits that can be gained. I’ve said it before, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel in the kitchen. You don’t have to be creating new and fancy meals every single night or slave over a hot stove preparing dishes with exotic ingredients. Find a few recipes (maybe one of mine, I post a new recipe each Wednesday!) that you can handle and really learn how to make those well. Once you have those few dishes down, you can branch out to others, or tweak the recipe with new flavors or ingredients. By just having 3 or 4 core recipes under your belt, you can improve your eating habits and your health.

The kitchen isn’t scary, it might seem intimidating, but it is just begging for you to come in and learn how to prepare delicious, healthy food. Don’t let an entire generation grow up without learning how to make at least one meal without the help of boxed food. Cooking is an important aspect of a healthy and happy life, and I hope that my blog helps that just a little. Most of my recipes take less than 20 minutes to make and are made of simple ingredients that are easy to find and use. I don’t want to intimidate you with my meals, I want to invite you to join me in the kitchen and cook up a healthier life!

Turmeric Scented Mushrooms and Brown Rice Noodles

July 24, 2013January 27, 2016 / ktbuchs87

This was a meal that was really easy to put together and I made it with stuff that I already had in my kitchen. Those are pretty much the best meals ever, minimal work and minimal shopping. Not that I am lazy or anything… This dish also is packed with good for you spices and vegetables. Turmeric is a powerhouse of good things as is spinach and mushrooms!

Turmeric Scented Mushrooms and Brown Rice Noodles

1 package of mushrooms, sliced (you can use whatever mushrooms you would like, I used baby bella)
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
zest and juice from 1 large lime
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dill
1/2 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp sesame oil (or more olive oil)
Salt

1. Prepare your brown rice noodles according to the package and set aside while you put everything else together

2. In a large skillet or wok, heat your olive oil and sesame oil on medium high heat. Add the turmeric and toast for about 1 minute. Next add your mushrooms and sprinkle with a little salt. Turn the heat down to medium-low and cook until they are soft and brown. Add the garlic, onion, rice vinegar, lime juice and zest and dill. Saute for about 3 minutes, then fold in the spinach and cook until the leaves have wilted down. Put your noodles in a bowl and cover with mushroom stir fry!

This meal was good the first time around, but it was even better as leftovers. That extra time really let the flavors come together deliciously. It also tastes just as good cold as it does hot, so try it both ways! Enjoy!

Calories in, Calories out

July 22, 2013 / ktbuchs87

It is a simple idea, which makes it so attractive/popular to the general public. In one way or another we have been told that losing weight really boils down to taking in less calories than we burn. There are of course other factors, but this is the major key to all our weight loss dreams… or is it?

We are slowly, but surely, learning that the science of nutrition is far more complex than we once believed. As our understanding grows, scientists are finding that calories might not be the only key to losing weight. As recently as last May, researchers discovered that the calorie count in almonds (one- ounce serving = 160 calories) was actually lower, at 129 calories per serving. Yes, we may all rejoice that they overestimated the calories rather than underestimated, but the more important part of this study was the reason the calorie count was lower. They found that the body could not completely break down the almonds and use their full energy as fuel. This discovery has lead many scientists to believe that the current method of determining calories might not be the most accurate.

If you have been reading my blog for any period of time, you know that I am a firm believer in the individualization of nutrition. What works for me and my health might not necessarily work for you and your health, and scientific researchers are starting to see this as well. I am not a huge supporter of religiously counting calories and making sure I am eating a set number for each meal, mostly because when I did do this I never felt any healthier. I always felt like I was being deprived and this led to overeating. I understand that for some of you out there, counting calories is the easiest way for you to achieve your optimal health, but I want you to also think about the kind of calories that you are putting into your body. It’s not just a number, it is the benefits that those calories gives your body that really count to feeling your healthiest.

Look at it this way, 300 calories worth of food at McDonald’s is going to make you feel a lot different than 300 calories worth of fresh fruits and vegetables. Both foods have 300 calories, but the fresh foods will provide your body with far more vitamins, minerals and nutrients that you can use to fuel you throughout your day. Your body will also use those calories in totally different ways. While the fat and sodium content of your Happy Meal might get stored as fat in your body, the vitamins and minerals from fruits and vegetables can be used to instantly nourish your body and help you function. Don’t get me wrong and think that only eating fruits and vegetables will provide you with the best health, there are so many foods out there that could help you be as healthy as possible.

Nutrition facts for McDonald’s cheeseburger

Nutrition facts for 3 stalks of broccoli

The message I really want to get across is that the amount of calories you put into your body is only a piece of the puzzle that makes up your health/weight loss. I don’t think that this is insignificant, as making sure you eat enough is highly important, but I do believe that there is so much more to feeling (and looking) your best. When you eat a meal, concentrate on how it makes you feel afterwards. Do you feel sluggish? Like you have ton of energy? Do you feel hungry only an hour after eating a meal or were you so stuffed that you didn’t feel like eating the rest of the day? The kinds of food you eat will give you much more information about your health than an arbitrary number on the back of a package. As nutrition research progresses, I hope we see a major overhaul in the way we view food. Food is much more than a number, it has the potential to truly shape our health. As Hippocrates so famously stated, “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.”

Chili-Spiced Polenta with Avocado Sauce

July 17, 2013 / ktbuchs87 / 4 Comments

On Friday’s in our house, I usually try out a new recipe. I usually have a little more time to make dinner and it’s fun to try something new! I have made polenta before, but I forgot how easy and how delicious it really is! This is a pretty simple meal to throw together and it tastes fantastic!

Chili-Spiced Polenta with Avocado Sauce

For Polenta:

3 1/2 cups water
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp chipotle chili powder
1 tsp cumin

For Avocado Sauce:

1-2 medium avocados
juice and zest of one lime
1 tbsp fresh cilantro
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp water

1. First prepare your polenta. This can be done ahead of time so it will be ready come dinner time! Bring the 3 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. While pouring the cornmeal into the water, keep whisking so that no lumps form. Turn heat down to a simmer. Keep stirring the polenta every so often scraping the bottom of the pan so none sticks. The polenta will be done when it is nice and thick and no longer sticks to the side of the pan. Add your spices and pour the polenta into an oiled bread pan (or whatever dish you have handy. Just make sure it has high enough sides so polenta won’t pill over) and place pan in fridge to set.

2. While your polenta is chilling in the fridge, dice your avocados and place into a food processor or blender, I used my ninja. Add the rest of your ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.

3. After about 30 min, take polenta out of the fridge. Now you can do one of two things. You can slice up your polenta and eat it cold or you can heat it up. I like it heated up because it gets a nice little crisp to it. Turn oven to 4o0 and line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Place polenta slices onto baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil. Place in oven and bake for 10 min, flip them over and bake for 10 more minutes.

Once the polenta is done you can top it with the avocado sauce. I also like to put homemade salsa on top. I’ve also topped with pinto beans and corn. You can do whatever you like, it will be delicious no matter what! Enjoy!