" WE ARE WHAT WE EAT!! "

[scottinpa]

I like to hear what everyone is doing for dinner... and I don't mean this thread to replace that one. But I was hoping we could have a thread about eating healthy. A place to share ideas and recipes etc.

I know Christa is thinking about becoming a vegetarian, I saw her post somewhere earlier but I cant find it now and I bet she will have lots to contribute here in the coming weeks too. So I am giving this a shot and we will see how it goes. 

 

 

What started this was when I read an ingredient list for a product and thought to myself, " I wonder how many people actually read these and understand them? "  I did not want to hijack another thread so I am posting my thoughts here.  I hope it helps someone out or at least makes you think...

 

 

 

This is an ingredient list and it got me thinking about how these things read some times...

-------------------------------------------------

Ingredients:

Potato ingredients (potato

flakes, potato starch),

Sunflower, safflower and/or

canola oil, rice flour,salt.

________________________________

 

,... I am always looking at ingredient lists to see what is out there that I can

eat with my diet restrictions. Well this one is a NOT for me because I do not

eat corn products. This ingredient list has a few interesting elements to it and

I thought I would translate this ingredient list for you all just so you are aware.

 

Reading an ingredient list 101

 

First of all ingredients lists are in order where the first ingredient is the biggest part of the food, and then it follows down to the last ingredient that would have the smallest amount in the food. Usually when there is a sub title "Potato ingredients" what follows in the parenthesis would not be at the top of the list like this. Note that by doing this they also got the word Potato into the list three times, its all a mind thing. My guess is that oil would be the second ingredient and that would turn most ingredient readers off.

 

Another thing where you see the choice of three oils... Well this just means that they can use any one of the above. But don't believe for a second that they are using anything other than the Canola oil. This and/or is used to get some good oils into the list, and since they can then put the 3 oils in any order, it pushes the canola oil further down the list. It is all a Mind game, we want to feel good about what we consume... Sunflower and Safflower oils are to expensive to use in this manner (see below). Canola oil is just a crappy vegetable oil that is mostly corn oil and it is a cheaper oil to use in bulk.

 

Dont quote me, this is all JMHO... but I bet the igredient list if written

accurately without the bells and whistles would look more like this.....

------------------------------------

Ingredients:

Potato flakes, canola oil, rice flour,

potato starch, salt.

________________________________

This product would be a not for me because I do not eat corn products. It is not a chip, but a processed potato snack that has better ingredients than alot of them. If you do eat these, as far as snacks go, it would be far better than a lot of things out there!

 

 

 

A note on the oils....

 

I have a link below about Safflower Oil and some of the benefits of using it, Sunflower oil also is very good if you want to google that one too.

 

It was always my understanding that all the benefits of using Safflower Oil were lost when you heated it, so I only use it in cold cooking ( salad, hummus, tahini etc. ). Look into it for yourself and make up your own mind but there is some really good reasons to use this and other oils. There is a lot to know about Oils, be careful because some of them are not meant to use for cooking and can be bad for you if you use them for cooking. Always check the temperature range for any oil before cooking with heat.

 

Check out some of the benefits below,,, very interesting. 

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-benefits/oils/safflower-oil.html

[leahcaR]

Good I need to start eating healthier as a goal when I hit 6 months which is approaching. So yay for the thread and hopefully recipes!

[JackiMac]

OMG was just researching eating healthly so I can gradually lose weight, my exercise regime is building up now its time to cut out crisps and chocolate, so armed with a shopping list for tommorow and lots of fruit and veg and some green tea, which I believe is very healthy, almonds to snack on and chocolate dipped banana's to subdue those sweet craves

[Jenny]

OMG was just researching eating healthly so I can gradually lose weight, my exercise regime is building up now its time to cut out crisps and chocolate, so armed with a shopping list for tommorow and lots of fruit and veg and some green tea, which I believe is very healthy, almonds to snack on and chocolate dipped banana's to subdue those sweet craves

Cut out crisps??!!!   Have you gone mad!!

 

I know I need to as well.....but I love them so.

 

 

here I am last week out with some friends.  I never believed you were what you eat until I saw the pics.

 

[Colleen]

OMG was just researching eating healthly so I can gradually lose weight, my exercise regime is building up now its time to cut out crisps and chocolate, so armed with a shopping list for tommorow and lots of fruit and veg and some green tea, which I believe is very healthy, almonds to snack on and chocolate dipped banana's to subdue those sweet craves

Frozen bananas and frozen grapes are really good.  I like sugar free Popsicle's too.  I am more of a salty crunchy craver though, pretzels.  

[Colleen]

Cut out crisps??!!!   Have you gone mad!!

 

I know I need to as well.....but I love them so.

 

 

here I am last week out with some friends.  I never believed you were what you eat until I saw the pics.

 

Which one are you? 

[Jenny]

Sour Cream and Onion.  )

[Ladybug]

A tread about healthy eating............I would love that Scott!

 

I changed our way of cooking and eating a few years back. There comes a time, when you realize that you just can't handle food anymore the way you did when you were young. I love to cook and my husband loves to eat...it'a a dream combination :-)

 

He has high blood pressure and he was a little bit overweight...and I realized that I harm him with the way I cook.....so I educated myself and I learned a lot about food, food labels, Oils, organic food, healthy side dishes, carbohydrates and so on.

 

I changed our diet and we both hated it lol. I wasn't born as a rabbit....so why eat like one?

 

Eating healthy is fine, but requires more planing and cooking. I love to eat....and love good food. Healthy food can be good and very tasteful (better be or I am not going to touch it) you just have to be willing to give it a try. 

[leahcaR]

Frozen bananas and frozen grapes are really good.  I like sugar free Popsicle's too.  I am more of a salty crunchy craver though, pretzels.  

omg frozen grapes... I LOVE them.  gotta try frozen bananas... I love bananas.

[Colleen]

Sour Cream and Onion.  )

I thought Red Hot, but then I saw it was a guy, oops..If we had PhotoShop we could switch them.

[Colleen]

A tread about healthy eating............I would love that Scott!

 

I changed our way of cooking and eating a few years back. There comes a time, when you realize that you just can't handle food anymore the way you did when you were young. I love to cook and my husband loves to eat...it'a a dream combination :-)

 

He has high blood pressure and he was a little bit overweight...and I realized that I harm him with the way I cook.....so I educated myself and I learned a lot about food, food labels, Oils, organic food, healthy side dishes, carbohydrates and so on.

 

I changed our diet and we both hated it lol. I wasn't born as a rabbit....so why eat like one?

 

Eating healthy is fine, but requires more planing and cooking. I love to eat....and love good food. Healthy food can be good and very tasteful (better be or I am not going to touch it) you just have to be willing to give it a try. 

LB I tried your cheese chips about a week ago.  I didn't use light cheese, and they were so delicious.  I think I used a mexican blend I had left over from Taco night.

[scottinpa]

OK,, this may not be the healthiest thing... but it could be a lot worse...

It is good and I can eat it... It is a quick and easy snack... and not real expensive either.

 

 

Queso de Freir.. It is a frying cheese, you dont even have to bread it just. just cut it to the size you like, put a little good oil in a pan and fry each side until brown... really good!!

 

 

I am going to bread, and deep fry some for the appetizer plates on Easter Sunday.. I am not sure what else will be on that plate but I guess I will figure it out soon.

[scottinpa]

Broccoli Salad with

Sesame Seeds & Cranberries

 

( OK.. not the lowest in calories, but you can use lite mayo and sour cream )

 

 Ingredients

• 2-3 broccoli crowns, just the florets, finely chopped (5-6 cups)
• 1/2 pound 1/2 inch cubes Tropical Queso Blanco cheese
• 1/2 cup shreaded cheddar cheese
• 5  bacon slices, crisp-cooked and crumbled
• 1/3c red onion, diced
• 1/3c sesame seeds
• 1/3c dried cranberries, chopped (golden raisins are equally good)
• 1/4c sliced green onion  
• 1/2c mayonnaise
• 1/4c sourcream 
• 3Tbl apple cider vinegar
• 3tsp sugar
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Into a large bowl with lid, add broccoli, both cheeses, bacon, onion, seeds, and cranberries. In a small bowl, mix mayo, sour cream, vinegar, and sugar. Pour dressing mixture over salad and toss to coat with lid on bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve (at least one hour, over night is better).

Notes

You may want to add more mayo vinegar etc. depending on the consistancy you prefer. I prefer mine on the dryer side.  almost all of the ingredients can be omitted or subsituted with alternates, I have used red wine vinegar and have used all cheddar cheese. Make it your own with what you like.