The Healthy Kitchen: It's a marathon not a race

I have spent decades fighting the scale. Trying diets, exercising, then inevitably giving up. Over and over again. Atkins, Keto, low carb, weight watchers...Ive tried them all with varied success. But inevitably when I stopped it all came back. It just wasn't sustainable. Something I could maintain long term. In my journey I have found some things that have really helped me. I am proud to say my weight loss journey continues but I believe it is now more sustainable and can see continuing this way long term. It feels more like a lifestyle not just a fad. It just took a few small changes that seem to have helped me a lot.

1. Eat less fast food

Moving out of town into a smaller community has really helped with this. I have less fast-food options to pick from. I'm not saying I never eat fast food but cutting back and choosing more sit-down type restaurants has helped. I'm sure it is a combination of what's in the food and taking my time to eat instead of eating on the go while I'm driving. 

2. Cook more meals at home 

This goes in hand with eating less fast food. Eating out less in general has helped. Cooking at home with less processed foods has helped and even making my own sauces, seasonings, and dressings have helped me limit the amount of sugar I am consuming unknowingly. This is very important for me specifically as a diabetic. It also allows me to control the amount of salt I include in seasoning blends like chili powder. 

3. Cheat days

I allow myself cheat days. I can have a piece of cake, or some ice cream, but not every day. For me cheat days are usually on the weekend either Saturday or Sunday. These are days when I am out running more or have parties and events to attend. I may treat myself to a latte and a quiche for breakfast. I don't feel bad for allowing myself these days and it makes eating well during the rest of the week easier. Not always easy I'm not going to lie and say it's easy all the time. But it is easier. Never is a bad word...instead maybe not tonight. I feel like this has been what has caused some issues when I am so strict on a diet or eating plan that I don't allow indulgences on occassion then you get burnt out or tired of always denying myself. Every day is a new day. If you don't eat great today, then tomorrow starts over fresh. 

4. Portion control

I cook differently than you would think being a single person. I still cook enough for multiple people. However, I am fine eating leftovers. Not everyone is and this is up to each person. I will make enough for a few meals. This also means I am not cooking every night. Then when done cooking, before I even eat my meal, I box up all the leftovers, so I am not tempted to go back for seconds. This has really helped me maintain portion control. I also use measuring cups when making things like oatmeal to make sure I am not making and consuming too much. 

5. Eat a small lunch

I do my main cooking for dinner. That means I have my carb heavy meals in the evening for dinner. Mostly rice, but occasionally noodles. I don't want to eat 2 carb heavy meals in a day, so I make lunch my smaller meal. A low carb sandwich, some soup, a salad, or a charcuterie plate are all things that I often eat for lunch. Also, by making my own salad dressings I can cut back on my sugar intake and can have more dressing than I could of traditional dressing you buy in the store that are usually loaded with sugar. Some people like to have their big meal at lunch and their smaller one at dinner. This can be adjusted based on how you like to eat. 

6. Make some items from scratch

As mentioned before, I have started making some things from scratch like marinades, dressings, and seasonings. You can even make your own coffee syrups or flavored creamers. If you make things from scratch, you can control what is included like sugar, salt, gluten, nuts, etc. This is usually more cost effective too than buying all the processed food. 

7. Dessert/sweets are not the enemy

As I mentioned earlier, I do allow myself a cheat day, but even on days when I am not cheating, I still allow myself dessert. It just looks different than on a cheat day. Cheat days are for sugar heavy muffins, cakes, pies, and ice cream. For me on a non-cheat day I get my sweets from fruit, specifically fruit crisps are one of my favorite desserts to make and I can make them no sugar added or with very little sugar added. I also have made my own fruit crisp topping that keeps in the freezer so I can dish up a spoonful as needed. Another great sweet alternative for me is sugar free pudding. There are many ways to adjust sweets for non-cheat days. You just have to do some research and find what works best for you.

8. Drink more water

High sugar drinks add a lot of empty calories, carbs, and sugar and do not really give you any kind of nutritional value. Limiting these drinks helps to lead to a healthier lifestyle especially if you are replacing them with water. This was not always easy for me and it was definitely a process. Not everyone likes the taste of water, especially if you have bad water like I do. Buying a water filter helps and I have learned I prefer cold water to warm. If I am trying to drink more water, it has to be cold. 

9. Don't be too hard on yourself

Lastly, I have learned the only way to be successful at any kind of change to a healthier lifestyle is to give yourself a break. Just because you slip up one night and eat a whole pint of ice cream in one sitting, does not mean you have failed. You just have to get into the mindset that tomorrow is a new day. With each new day comes a new opportunity for success. I had heard this many times over the years and it did not sink in the first time or the first dozen times but eventually I learned to give myself a break. If I am really trying to be healthier than eventually, I will succeed. It may take time but eventually. I will meet my goal. It is still a work in progress for me but I am still progressing toward my goals. 

The Global Kitchen: restaurant review of The Traveler's Kitchen

 

                

Yesterday a friend and I had the pleasure of checking out a new restaurant in town called the Traveler's Kitchen. It is a restaurant that specializes in authentic Gambian cuisine from West Africa. They offer a range of dishes from the region. They use high quality ingredients and traditional cooking techniques to bring unique flavors and aromas to your meal. Their menu's feature meat, fish, and vegetarian options and they also offer some gluten free and dairy free dishes as well. 

The meal was amazing and so full of flavor! I love spices and having flavorful food to enjoy, and this restaurant definitely exceeded my expectations. My friend and I both had the Benachin with chicken, jollof rice, and vegetables. She ordered a side of plantains and I order a couple samosas. The chicken was cooked perfectly and just fell off the bone. The rice was delicious and full of flavor with a little bit of spice to it. I have always wanted to taste authentic jollof rice and now I have! The vegetables were the biggest surprise for me. I tend to be really picky about vegetables so was pleasantly surprised with how good they were. There were a mix of vegetables like onion, corn, beans, lima beans, peppers, and carrots. The veggies had a sweetness to them that was a great contrast with the spiciness of the rice. The samosas were delicious but were huge! Next time I will just order one. The samosas are a flaky crust triangle filled with ground beef and vegetables. The ground beef had some spice to it and the vegetables gave it some substance. It is definitely one of my favorite types of samosas. The plantains were very good and were cooked to a soft texture. If you prefer your plantains a little crisper you could probably crisp them up in an air fryer easy enough (if you have leftovers).

The meal itself was plentiful and the portion size was enough to take some home for leftovers. As I mentioned before the samosas were much bigger than I thought so keep that in mind if you decide to try them. Speaking of the leftovers, the rice and veggies heated up the next day still tasted amazing and were so good. I wish I had more of the chicken left to go with it.

The restaurant staff was very friendly and even took time to talk to us about what was in the food we were eating. I asked what meat was used in the samosas and my friend talked to them about her experiences with West African cuisine (Ghanian). 

I highly recommend you check out this new restaurant in Springfield, IL. If you are local to the area it is located in the old La Bamba restaurant. If you are not sure where that is, you can locate the restaurant at 1731 S MacArthur Blvd. Springfield IL 62704. They are open Monday through Saturday 11am-10pm. There are some dishes that they only offer on the weekends. The price point is not bad. you can expect to spend around $15-20 but as I mentioned you get quite a bit of food so you really could get 2 meals out of this. For the authenticity of the cooking, the flavor, and the portion size I think the price point is well worth it. 

Support a local new business and check out the Traveler's Kitchen if you would like to try something new and very good, in my opinion. 

*This restaurant is also on Door dash if you would like to order it to be delivered or for pickup*

The Classic kitchen: Pot Roast with carrots and potatoes in the multi cooker

 Tonight, I made a classic recipe...Pot Roast in the multi cooker with carrots and potatoes. I've made pot roast before, but it has never tasted as good. 

The recipe was simple and easy to put together on my lunch and only took 5 hours to cook on HI. 

The ingredients:

Round Roast 2-3 lbs

1/4 C flour

3 large carrots peeled and cut into pieces

6 small red potatoes quartered

1 tsp of onion powder

3 C of beef stock

1/4 C of soy sauce

3 tsp of thyme

2 tsp of rosemary

1 tsp of sweet paprika

2TBSP of cornstarch

2 TBSP water

Directions:

Place the beef on a plate or cutting board and coat with flour on all sides then place in the cooker with all other ingredients except for the cornstarch and water. 

Cook on Hi for 5 and a half hours

When there is an hour left, make a cornstarch flurry with the cornstarch and water and slowly add to the cooker in order to thicken the sauce as needed. 

When done cooking, meat should fall apart, and allow to sit for 15 minutes to allow the cooking liquids to be absorbed. 

Salt and pepper has been omitted. You can season as needed after as I did or you can add to the cooker as needed. 

I added some bread to the pot roast and allowed the juices to soak in. Yum!

For added flavor, you can sear the roast on both sides before putting in the slow cooker. 

The Sustainable Kitchen: Seafood

 Sustainability has three pillars that we look at: environmental impact, social aspect, and economics. The importance of sustainability in seafood is that we are mindful about the seafood we choose to consume so that the food we rely on for food thrives and is available for years to come. I am not saying we can't eat seafood. I am saying we should be mindful of what seafood we consume. Just like in everything there are the good and the bad. 80% of our fish are harvested at or above maximum sustainable yield or have already collapsed. 

Things to consider environmentally are things like overfishing- are we consuming certain species to the point of extinction? There are certain species like Bluefin Tuna that are now endangered due to overfishing. It is a popular ingredient in some sushi and as a result has had a huge impact on their numbers. They are an important part of the marine ecosystem because they are a top predator in the marine food chain.  Another issue is Bycatch- having to do with how fish are caught. Large trawlers often catch and kill other animals other than intended like sea turtles. Other issues that can arise from some fish farms are pollution and habitat destruction can be an issue when catching certain species as well. 

So how do we be mindful of the environmental impact and how do we as consumers make sure we are purchasing a product that is sustainable? First, look on the packages at the store for lables that indicate it is sustainable and has either an MSC label for wild caught or an ASC/BAP label for farm raised. Don't feel bad about asking if the fish you are interested in is sustainable (your server or person at the store). Y+ou can also look up the fish on the Seafood Watch page. This page allows you to enter a fish you are interested in and it will tell you the best choice or acceptable choice to buy that is sustainable.

Think F-I-S-H when shopping at the market. This acronym will help you when shopping for seafood to purchase sustainably caught or farmed seafood. 

F-Farmed. This specifically is for mollusks and shellfish, excluding shrimp. They are considered the most ethical form of seafood. They filter nutrients from the surrounding water and do not need to be fed. They grow a meaty muscle meat that is rich in omega-3's but do not have the mercury levels found in other fish. They also absorb carbon to make their shells. Most farmed finfish are best to be avoided. They tend to be raised in ways that can lead to disease and pollution, they are less healthy than wild caught, and they also contribute to depletion of wild fish due to wild fish caught for their feed. These subpar versions have also been known to escape and they then threaten the health and stability of the wild fish populations. 

I-Investigate. Don't be afraid to ask where you fish is sourced from. Is it wild caught or farm raised? Is it from the USA or China. Different countries have different regulations and that can make a big difference in the quality. As mentioned earlier look for the MSC (Marine Stewardship Council) and ASC (Aquaculture Stewardship Council) or BAP (Best Aquaculture Practices) labels. These indicate sustainable sources and have fairly strict standards. 

S-Small. The smaller the fish the better. They tend to be the healthiest (rich in omega-3's). They contain fewer toxins, such as mercury, because they are lower on the food chain and the chemicals have not been accumulated. Also environmentally, harvesting smaller fish uses less fuel so it is a lower carbon option. Shrimp however should be avoided in general. I do not say this lightly because I do love shrimp. It is the most popular seafood in the US. However, they are the least sustainable small seafood species by far. They are caught using trawlers that often catch other species and also have caused a lot of damage to the ocean bed. These trawlers destroy much of what is in its path. 

H-Home. Buying fish that has traveled the least distance is always best just like everything else. In the US the oversight for fish stock is managed well and only 18% are considered to be overfished whereas globally this increased to 34%. Socially, the labor practices on fishing vessels in the US are much better than found in other countries of the world. Imported fish are also less transparent in their practices and are harder to trace. It is safest to buy American and that means you are helping out local fishermen. 

Like I mentioned earlier, I am not saying no shrimp. It is the most popular for a reason it is healthy and tastes great. I am just saying there are ways to be more mindful of where we get out shrimp that are better. For shrimp, avoid those farmed in Latin America and Mexico, instead look for shrimp caught in Alaska for the best option, or any caught in the US or Canada are good as well. Another substitute for shellfish that you could try are oysters, clams, and mussels. 

Another very popular seafood, and one of my favorites, is salmon. If is one of the healthiest seafood options. However, Atlantic salmon have been hard hit by overfishing, pollution, and climate change. Farmed salmon should be avoided because of inhumane practices, harm to the local habitats, and unhealthy levels of contaminants. A better option for salmon is wild salmon caught in Alaska as the best choice, and wild salmon caught in Oregon, Washington, or California are also good. Another cheaper option is Artic Char. It has a similar flavor profile. 

Tuna is the 2nd most popular seafood in the US with canned tuna making up the majority. As mentioned earlier, the Pacific Bluefin Tuna is really struggling. Their numbers have decreased by 96%. Another major concern is that they have concerning levels of mercury. When looking for tuna you should avoid Albacore, Bluefin, Skipjack, and Yellowfin. If you purchase USA troll/poll caught Albacore, Skipjack, and Yellowfin these are best. All tuna should be consumed in moderation due to mercury levels. A good alternative to tuna is canned wild salmon, trout, and sardines. 

Cod has had decades of overfishing so there are now set limitations on cod fishing in Atlantic waters. However, there is a relative abundance of Pacific cod. When looking for cod, avoid Atlantic cod and any cod from Japan or Russia. Instead look to buy Pacific cod. A good alternative to cod is Alaskan Pollock or Pacific Halibut. 

Chilean sea bass is now on the endangered list and as a result sale of it on the black market has become an issue. It also contains a higher level of mercury and should be eaten in moderation. You should avoid any unlabeled Chilean sea bass and instead look for sea bass with the MSC label. An option you can try instead is black cod, striped bass, or freshwater trout. 

So, how about my favorite indulgence...lobster? There have been some concern with Maine lobster particularly due to an endangered whale species getting caught in nets for lobsters. However, the MSC does have some American lobster that have been sustainably sourced. The bottom line is when shopping at the store look for the MSC label. If it has a MSC label it was sourced sustainably. All of these above guides are just that guidelines and it is ever changing. There are some species that may be more at risk but what the MSC looks at is if the stock of the fishery or habitat is sustainable. The good news...there are many sustainable stocks of lobster so I can still have lobster and steak on my birthday! Yay!

The Family Kitchen: Grandma Hazel's Texas Hash

 A few weeks ago, I was able to go through my Grandma's old recipes and cookbooks and found some I wanted to try. Tonight, I made her Texas Hash with a few adjustments, and it was really good!

I made a few adjustments of course. I added diced potatoes and red and yellow peppers instead of green. I used brown rice instead of white cooked in the rice cooker with chicken broth. I also made my own homemade chili powder. 

                                         

                                         

I also got to try out my new Ninja Possiblepot with the recipe making it truly a one pot meal. I was able to brown the hamburger and cook everything in the same pot (except for the rice). Then place the pot in the oven to finish cooking for 25 minutes. The cleanup was so easy and it was very convenient. The best part...leftovers!

The Global Kitchen: Japanese Yakisoba

 A friend of mine introduced me to yakisoba years ago and I've wanted to try cooking it on my own since. It is easy enough to make with the noddle and seasoning pack I found at the Asian Market. 

             

I also found some teriyaki beef skewers on sale and bought those to make with the yakisoba. You cook the meat on the stove. Add chopped veggies like carrots, cabbage, peppers, etc and stir fry.  Then add the noodles and stir fry all together. At the end add a bit of water and the seasoning packet and mix all together. Voila...Yakisoba!

                                      

Yakisoba is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish. Usually made from buckwheat flour or wheat flour. It is typically flavored with Worcestershire sauce. The dish first appeared in food stalls in Japan around the 1930's. It is typically served with chicken or pork. The vegetables typical of the dish are cabbage, onions, and carrots. 

In Okinawa, the dish is popular with locals as well as the US service members stationed on the island. 

Kickoff to the Old Capitol Farmers Market is May 17th!

May kicks off one of my favorite seasons! Farmers Market season! In Springfield IL our Farmer's Market kicks off for the season on May 17th. It is considered to be the most popular farmers market in Central Illinois. The market supports small farmers and local growers by providing an open-air venue for them to sell their products. The local economy is supported by providing access to healthy products at a reasonable cost. The market is a great community meeting place. In preparation for that event, I am compiling some information you may want to know. 

First where is it located? The Old Capital Farmers Market runs on every Wednesday and Saturday morning starting May 17th in downtown Springfield, IL at 4th Street and Adams. It runs from 8am to 1230pm. The market runs through the end of October for the summer market.

What produce will be available in May? You will be able to find great produce like cabbage, cherries, lettuce, strawberries, and others. See the graphic below for all produce that will be in season and the benefits of the produce. 

What other items can you find at the farmers market? It is not just a place to find produce. You can find things like coffee, baked goods, soaps, olive oil, cut flowers, plants, eggs, meat products, and many other things. 

What type of payment do the vendors accept? Cash, credit, and debit are accepted as well as LINK is accepted and matched. 

My favorite vendors to check out are: 

Itty Bitty MicroFarm- I love their microgreens on sandwiches and salads, also they sell cat grass which my kitties love!

Calhoun Produce- they have the best peaches!

Hilltop Community Gardens- they just always have good stuff.

Hodgson's - mom always said they had the best cantaloupe.

I like to make a morning of it. Grab a friend, meet for breakfast (my favorite places to go are Boones and Cafe Moxo), then head to the market. Even if you don't end up buying anything ( I mean that never happens) it is great to get out among the community with friends and get some fresh air. 

The original red meat

The better red meat argument is on for our post today. Is there a better alternative to traditional cattle? 

Well, there are many sides to this argument. Health benefits, cost, sustainability, and taste are among the different sides that will be weighed. So what is this alternative source you may ask? Well, it is Bison. The question is, does Bison make a better option than beef. If not better is it an alternative that is just as good. We are going to look at various sides of the argument and I'm going to cook with some Bison to see how well it cooks up at home. 

First a little history. Bison are bovine same as cattle. We will be looking at the American Bison which is found only in America. They are known for living in the Great Plains but historically covered much more area including the Eastern US and parts of Mexico. It was hunted close to extinction during the 19th and 20th centuries but has since become more stable. It is no longer considered endangered, but this does not mean it is secure. Genetically pure Bison number only about 20,000 and require active conservation efforts. At one point bison were numbered in the millions. So, my main concern would be after decades of being hunted to near extinction and making a comeback. Is bison a sustainable product for human consumption? An article in the NYT indicated that bison shows no sign of overtaking beef due to sheer numbers. There are about 90 million cattle in the US compared to 500,000 bison, according to the Dept of Agriculture. Of those 500,000, about 60,000 are processed per year. Cattle are processed at a rate of 125,000 a day. Their argument is that bison will never replace beef, however, it is an alternative for those who want a healthier beef option. Currently, American's only eat about a tenth of a pound of bison per year on average compared to 65lbs of beef. 

That brings us to health. What are the differences between beef cattle and bison? Bison is leaner than cattle. It has nearly 25% fewer calories and has less total and saturated fat. Due to its lower fat content it has finer fat marbling, so it is a softer and more tender meat. Because bison is a game meat it has slightly less cholesterol. Since bison are more active this leads to lower saturated fats. Also producers of bison meat do not give antibiotics or hormones to bison because it is not needed since bison are a heartier animal that has adapted to this environment. Bison also has more protein than beef as well as more zinc, iron, vitamin B12, omega 3-fats, and selenium. Bison is equal to salmon in the amount of omega 3-fats. Bison is a rich source of beta-carotene (an antioxidant) and grass fed bison has 4x's the amount of Vitamin E than grain fed beef. Bison also has the highest known levels of conjugated  linoleic acid and is thought to be an anti-carcinogen and fat blocker than can reduce risk of diseases like diabetes, cancer, obesity, and other immune disorders. 

So, how does eating bison affect the environment compared to cattle? Bison are allowed to roam freely for most of their lives. Some cattle are raised this way as well but there are others that are not. Bison and cattle both emit methane but bison have other benefits that offput the small amount of methane it emits. Since they are nomadic, they do not devastate areas by overgrazing. As a wild native species they are important for our ecosystem. Their urine and manure fertilize the grasslands, their hooves help stir the seeds into the ground as they roam, and they keep native vegetation in check.  Also the animals themselves have qualities that makes bison more sustainable. It takes longer for a bison to be ready to process 24-30 months compared to 14-20 for beef. Bison live longer and females may produce calves for their entire lifespan up to 35 years, cattle only produce calves for around 15 years.

I know what you're thinking...what's the cost? In today's market, cost is a major factor I know. It is more expensive than beef due to a couple factors. First, the number of bison is much less so there is a limited supply. This will drive the market up. There are much fewer bison ranchers so less product reaches the market. Second, they are raised in smaller herds on less land, so they are more expensive to raise. However, you have heard the old adage you get what you pay for? For cost comparison, a lb. of 85% lean ground beef at Harvest Market will cost $6.39/lb. whereas, 14oz. of ground bison costs $16.49. Another thing to consider is the ground bison sold at Harvest Market is regeneratively sourced (better than organic) so you may be able to find ground bison for less elsewhere. You may not be able to completely switch to ground bison but if you wanted to try a healthier red meat alternative you could swap it for your ground beef on occasion. 

Lastly, the big question is how is the taste? Is it easy to cook? How does it cook compared to beef? Tonight, I made a bison burger seasoned with salt, ground shallot, a little garlic, and rosemary. It tasted good, but I could have cooked it a bit better. Bison is easy to overcook, the inside was cooked well but the edges were a bit overdone. I will definitely be trying it again though. I will say I have had bison at restaurants and have loved them. I have not had Bison steaks or stew meat though but I look forward to trying them in the future. 

The four tips to cooking bison are: less time, less heat- cut out the guesswork (buy a good meat thermometer if you don't have one)- keep it simple (don't over season the meat)- patience (let your bison rest for 5-10 min to seal in the juices).

Bison is best when cooked to medium rare (between 135-145 degrees), this is where I went wrong. It was still good but slightly overdone. The other thing to remember is bison will look different when cooked it has a redder color to it when done and does not brown like ground beef does, this is due to the higher amount of iron. 

Overall, I think I will be incorporating more bison into my recipes. I like the healthier option and even though it is more costly I don't mind splurging every so often for a better alternative.

In the future, I will be digging into the idea of regenerative sourced meat. There is a company called Force of Nature, which is the brand of bison I bought at Harvest Market. It is considered to be better than organic and is a very interesting concept since they use regenerative agriculture. They have a whole new approach to raising meat for consumption. They are sustainable and treat their animals with the utmost of respect and care and in their opinion that means that they have a better product. 

The Family Kitchen: Grandma Hazel's recipes and all other Kentucky inspired dishes

Saturday, I had some friends and family over for a small derby party. We watched the derby, had a nice visit, and ate some of my Grandma Hazel's recipes plus some Kentucky favorites.

For an appetizer, we had cheese, summer sausage, crackers, homemade pimento cheese spread, pickles, olives, and my original recipe of a hot brown cheese ball! The cheese ball was inspired by the Hot Brown Sandwich that is a Kentucky favorite. 

                               

                               

For dinner, we had my Grandma's Taglorini (baked spaghetti with corn topped with cheese slices), a salad, and rolls.

                   

For dessert, we had two options. My Grandma's Butter Creme Pie with cool whip instead of meringue and chocolate chip derby pie squares with a buttery pecan crust.

                  

               

 

We also had a Bourbon Mint Lemonade cocktail made with Woodford Reserve Bourbon which was the sponsor of the Kentucky Derby. Not being a big drinker, this was a great cocktail. I did play around with the recipe so it was more to our tastes.

                                     

All the food was very good (if I do say so myself). There are a few tweaks I would make with the cheese ball but overall it was great!

Recipes are included below.

Taglorini- Grandma Hazel's recipe

Butter Cream Pie- Grandma Hazel's recipe

Pimento Cheese Spread

                                                        Mix all ingredients together

Chocolate Chip Derby Pie

Hot Brown Cheese Ball

Bourbon Mint Lemonade

3-4 C of lemonade

1/2 C Bourbon

1 spring mint

Mix together in pitcher and refrigerate.

Enjoy some of my family's favorite recipes and some local southern and Kentucky regional recipes and my new original Hot Brown inspired cheese ball! I hope you enjoy them!