First off, although this has nothing to do with the blog subject, I hope your Easter weekend was as good as mine! I enjoyed the celebration of Easter! It is something to be happy about--what other god has come down to Earth in human form and died at the hands of his creation, for his creation. What other god loves that much?
Today's breakfast consisted of egg fried rice with Chai tea latte. I fried two eggs in a teaspoon of palm oil and stirred in the rice while the eggs were still very runny. I stirred in a 1/4 teaspoon of salt and removed the pan from the fire while the eggs were still cooking. I topped the rice with some chopped lettuce and dug in! "Yumm!". That's what the goergous chef exclaimed without tasting it. She could tell just by it's appearance and aroma.
Do you eat anything for breakfast that strays from the American norm? Please post your comments below.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Friday, April 22, 2011
A Good Friday Breakfast
Ah the plans I had for today...reading my Bible, making breakfast for the family, buying some bike shoes (for me) and going for a bike ride with my son.
The weather today was cool 41 F at most, rainy, overcast. I was not deterred. I was still going riding! Hmmm.
The Bible reading went great! I found some new treasures as read the story about Christ's crucifixion.
For breakfast, I made buttermilk biscuits with crispy bacon (yikes...the price of salted pork!) and served them with two kinds of honey and fresh cut pineapple. The biscuits were fluffy and had a good crumb. Biscuits are basically fat and white flour with a little sugar and salt Maybe that's why they are so good!! The two types of honey we had were creamed honey--with its rather flat taste--and honey in the honeycomb with very bright flavor.
Once breakfast was over, I called a friend to see if he wanted to ride. Well, after much deliberation my friend told me that his stomach hurt and he was out of commission for the day.
My son and I went to the KLM bike shop to pick up my bike and to buy a pair of bike shoes. I was excited! I've never had a pair of bike shoes. I found an excellent pair of shoes that should last a while. The salesman asked "What about your son...doesn't he need shoes?" Hmm...well...I was thinking about it...OK! My son picked up a pair of Specialized shoes as well. The salesman made the analogy to buying hockey equipment or baseball equipment. He had a point. Besides, my son isn't into many sports. Over his lifetime, I've only bought him a pair of soccer shoes and a karate outfit . So this latest purchase seemed reasonable.
We took our bikes and new Specialized shoes for a ride in the neighborhood around KLM. It was long enough to realize that bike shoes give you tons more power for your pedal stroke and that it was uncomfortably cold and wet. I told my son, as I tried to squeeze the numbness out of my fingers, "Let's wait for another day to go riding."
So much for plans. The weather made me think of the weather on the first good Friday--dark and foreboding but the beginning of a new era for man and God. Thank you God for this special day.
The weather today was cool 41 F at most, rainy, overcast. I was not deterred. I was still going riding! Hmmm.
The Bible reading went great! I found some new treasures as read the story about Christ's crucifixion.
For breakfast, I made buttermilk biscuits with crispy bacon (yikes...the price of salted pork!) and served them with two kinds of honey and fresh cut pineapple. The biscuits were fluffy and had a good crumb. Biscuits are basically fat and white flour with a little sugar and salt Maybe that's why they are so good!! The two types of honey we had were creamed honey--with its rather flat taste--and honey in the honeycomb with very bright flavor.
Once breakfast was over, I called a friend to see if he wanted to ride. Well, after much deliberation my friend told me that his stomach hurt and he was out of commission for the day.
My son and I went to the KLM bike shop to pick up my bike and to buy a pair of bike shoes. I was excited! I've never had a pair of bike shoes. I found an excellent pair of shoes that should last a while. The salesman asked "What about your son...doesn't he need shoes?" Hmm...well...I was thinking about it...OK! My son picked up a pair of Specialized shoes as well. The salesman made the analogy to buying hockey equipment or baseball equipment. He had a point. Besides, my son isn't into many sports. Over his lifetime, I've only bought him a pair of soccer shoes and a karate outfit . So this latest purchase seemed reasonable.
We took our bikes and new Specialized shoes for a ride in the neighborhood around KLM. It was long enough to realize that bike shoes give you tons more power for your pedal stroke and that it was uncomfortably cold and wet. I told my son, as I tried to squeeze the numbness out of my fingers, "Let's wait for another day to go riding."
So much for plans. The weather made me think of the weather on the first good Friday--dark and foreboding but the beginning of a new era for man and God. Thank you God for this special day.
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Community Supported Agriculture CSA
While the Midwest and other parts of the nation are in the throw of winter,take some time to look at what community farms in your area are offering. You may find that organic, hormone free products can be deliveered near your home for a fraction of the cost of what you pay in the grocery store. Why joining a CSA, you will also support your local economy and small businesses!
Here's a convenient search engine to find CSA's in your neck of the woods.
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Here's a convenient search engine to find CSA's in your neck of the woods.
http://www.localharvest.org/csa/
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Bad Food Day--October 4
The Bible says "in all things give thanks". And I am thankful for every meal--even the not so good ones. This probably sounds like whining, considering that everyday, people go to bed hungry. So let's see...what is the best way to say that you had a "bad food day"? I had a bad food day.
It started off well--fried eggs with feta cheese and kalamata olives on whole grain bread (and a little mayo) for breakfast. Water and a cup of joe to wash it down.
Lunch was pushed late in the day due to a busy schedule. I had a taste for a burrito so I found a plaza with two options--Rio Wraps and Taco Bell. I decided to try the Taco Bell. It was newly built--a very modern looking building with southwestern architectural details. As I looked at the drive through menu, I was amazed at the number of ways it was possible to spin the same basic ingredients--beans, tortillas, beef/chicken, rice and more beans. Like every other fast food place, they offered multi-fruit drinks that promised to satisfy the thirsty.
I ordered two bean, rice and cheese burritos with a limeade and had food in my car in about 26 seconds. I'm sure someone measures these things.
I added one of their new hot sauces to my steaming burrito. As I unfolded the tortilla to apply the sauce, I wondered how they were able to make the cheese look like Elmer's wood glue. I was hungry and quickly ate one burrito. I took a sip of the once tantalizing limeade. My stomach began to hurt. The drink tasted like lemon lime soda pop with a touch of lime Kool-aid.
What? You say I'm harsh? Well, tell that to my digestive system! I didn't feel that great for the rest of the day.
For dinner, the really gorgeous chef prepared cured collard greens and pasta with white sauce. Dessert was two artisan roasted frosted cherry pop tarts. By the way, cured means "a lot of salt".
The following morning I woke-up with a fuzzy head. Not fuzzy due to not shaving but rather, fuzzy feeling. I deduced that this was due to a sodium overload the day before. As the day wore on and after I drank a few glasses of water, the fuzziness went away!
Summary:
Breakfast--two eggs over easy with Kalamata olives and feta on whole wheat with mayo
Lunch--Taco something burritos and toxic lemonade
Dinner--cured greens and bow tie pasta with white sauce.
It started off well--fried eggs with feta cheese and kalamata olives on whole grain bread (and a little mayo) for breakfast. Water and a cup of joe to wash it down.
Lunch was pushed late in the day due to a busy schedule. I had a taste for a burrito so I found a plaza with two options--Rio Wraps and Taco Bell. I decided to try the Taco Bell. It was newly built--a very modern looking building with southwestern architectural details. As I looked at the drive through menu, I was amazed at the number of ways it was possible to spin the same basic ingredients--beans, tortillas, beef/chicken, rice and more beans. Like every other fast food place, they offered multi-fruit drinks that promised to satisfy the thirsty.
I ordered two bean, rice and cheese burritos with a limeade and had food in my car in about 26 seconds. I'm sure someone measures these things.
I added one of their new hot sauces to my steaming burrito. As I unfolded the tortilla to apply the sauce, I wondered how they were able to make the cheese look like Elmer's wood glue. I was hungry and quickly ate one burrito. I took a sip of the once tantalizing limeade. My stomach began to hurt. The drink tasted like lemon lime soda pop with a touch of lime Kool-aid.
What? You say I'm harsh? Well, tell that to my digestive system! I didn't feel that great for the rest of the day.
For dinner, the really gorgeous chef prepared cured collard greens and pasta with white sauce. Dessert was two artisan roasted frosted cherry pop tarts. By the way, cured means "a lot of salt".
The following morning I woke-up with a fuzzy head. Not fuzzy due to not shaving but rather, fuzzy feeling. I deduced that this was due to a sodium overload the day before. As the day wore on and after I drank a few glasses of water, the fuzziness went away!
Summary:
Breakfast--two eggs over easy with Kalamata olives and feta on whole wheat with mayo
Lunch--Taco something burritos and toxic lemonade
Dinner--cured greens and bow tie pasta with white sauce.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Quick and Simple--October 3
I don't like cooking on Sundays and neither does the gorgeous chef. We're always in a tremendous rush in the morning to get everyone up, dressed and out of the door. Breakfast is usually quick and simple. This morning it was instant oatmeal with some added raisins, juice and coffee. After attending church, everyone wanted to go to McDonalds. I have nothing against McDonalds but I'm not crazy about fast food. That was especially true today. I turned down an extra big mac that we got with a coupon. I decided I wanted to used those 550 calories on something else. I don't count calories but perhaps I consider them every now and then. The gorgeous chef pulled a wee piece of cheese out of her purse and graciously offered it to me. It looked like a dog treat (it wasn't). I graciously accepted it.
Once we got home, I heated-up some beef and vegetable stew the gorgeous chef had prepared the day before. I had a taste for fruit so I looked in the fridge and saw some "picked too soon peaches" and watery apples. What do you do with tasteless fruit? I usually make it into something--in this case, a peach milkshake!
Later in the afternoon, I had a couple of pop tarts. Remember what I said earlier about junk food. That doesn't apply to pop tarts.
I may have some popcorn before going to bed. Goodnight.
Breakfast--oatmeal, coffee
Lunch/Dinner--beef & vegetable stew, peach milkshake, pop tarts
Once we got home, I heated-up some beef and vegetable stew the gorgeous chef had prepared the day before. I had a taste for fruit so I looked in the fridge and saw some "picked too soon peaches" and watery apples. What do you do with tasteless fruit? I usually make it into something--in this case, a peach milkshake!
Later in the afternoon, I had a couple of pop tarts. Remember what I said earlier about junk food. That doesn't apply to pop tarts.
I may have some popcorn before going to bed. Goodnight.
Breakfast--oatmeal, coffee
Lunch/Dinner--beef & vegetable stew, peach milkshake, pop tarts
Michigan's Best Pizza--October 1
I've started to receive some feedback from this blog. Some have asked "Why are you doing this?" The answer is simple and uncomplicated. I've had many food conversations with strangers and friends that I considered as daily jibber jabber, only to discover later that something I said really helped someone. I remember telling a friend about all of the health benefits of eating flax seed. When I saw him a year later, he said he had been eating flax seed for a year and that it really helped him. I didn't even remember that I had told him about it! Others have made comment about the fact that I haven't put on weight as I've aged, noting that it must be due to heredity. That could have something to do with it but I know it is more than heredity. There was a time when I ate a lot of the prepared foods available at stores like Costco and Sam's Club. Although tasty, these foods are laden with fat, salt and sugar. At the same time I was shorting myself of fresh vegetables. Finally, I was drinking a fair amount of soda pop and fruit juice. This was before the escalation of excitement around corn syrup sweetened juices.
If I had counted calories back in that day, I would have discovered that I had too many coming from fats and sugars and not enough coming from grains and vegetables. I was eating too much meat and too many sweets. But wait, these foods are enjoyable to eat. That's why we eat them!
So...what to do?
Ahhh, this is the reason I'm writing the blog. To share my food journey--which is the way I've learned to eat to keep the pounds off, to keep the blood pressure and cholesterol low. I have taken this food journey with my wife, who I refer to in this blog as the gorgeous chef. I gave her this name because they does most of the day to day cooking that helps to keep the family healthy.
Today I had the pleasure of eating an excellent pizza in my friend's restaurant, Mancino's Pit Stop, in Oscoda, MI. You may know that several pizza empire entrepreneurs--Dominoes, Little Ceasers, Hungry Howies, Buddy's. Well, my friend's restaurant, though co-located with a gas station, has the best pizza I have tasted since I had Ray's pizza in New York city many years ago. I also had a small cup of Manhattan clam chowder and a root beer. I ordered a 10" personal size pizza of which I ate two pieces. I've included a picture of it below and was told that I needed to mention that the pizza had been sitting 20 minutes (it was still hot and tasted great).
My friend's son shot a doe earlier in the week so I went home with a few pounds of venison steaks and about ten pounds of smoked venison sausage links. Yum!
Breakfast--fried egg, fresh parsley, orange juice, coffee
Lunch--couple of slices of pizza (pepperoni, green bell pepper, sauteed onion), Manhattan clam chowder, root beer
Dinner--couple of sausage links with shredded cabbage and whole wheat pita bread.
If I had counted calories back in that day, I would have discovered that I had too many coming from fats and sugars and not enough coming from grains and vegetables. I was eating too much meat and too many sweets. But wait, these foods are enjoyable to eat. That's why we eat them!
So...what to do?
Ahhh, this is the reason I'm writing the blog. To share my food journey--which is the way I've learned to eat to keep the pounds off, to keep the blood pressure and cholesterol low. I have taken this food journey with my wife, who I refer to in this blog as the gorgeous chef. I gave her this name because they does most of the day to day cooking that helps to keep the family healthy.
Today I had the pleasure of eating an excellent pizza in my friend's restaurant, Mancino's Pit Stop, in Oscoda, MI. You may know that several pizza empire entrepreneurs--Dominoes, Little Ceasers, Hungry Howies, Buddy's. Well, my friend's restaurant, though co-located with a gas station, has the best pizza I have tasted since I had Ray's pizza in New York city many years ago. I also had a small cup of Manhattan clam chowder and a root beer. I ordered a 10" personal size pizza of which I ate two pieces. I've included a picture of it below and was told that I needed to mention that the pizza had been sitting 20 minutes (it was still hot and tasted great).
My friend's son shot a doe earlier in the week so I went home with a few pounds of venison steaks and about ten pounds of smoked venison sausage links. Yum!
Lunch--couple of slices of pizza (pepperoni, green bell pepper, sauteed onion), Manhattan clam chowder, root beer
Dinner--couple of sausage links with shredded cabbage and whole wheat pita bread.
Friday, October 1, 2010
Fooled by Food
What did you eat today? Did you enjoy it? Did it make you feel good mentally, physically? What drove you to make the food choices you did? Sorry. I've just started this blog and now I'm interrogating my audience. That's not my intent!
I do want to challenge you along the way. And I'd like you to challenge me. Hey, I'm no expert. I just like to make observations--lots of them--and draw conclusions. I've learned to listen to my body. It has a language and it speaks. You can ignore it or listen and be the better off for it.
Today I started with a couple of glasses of water. I always drink water first thing in the morning. You see, the body has been fasting while resting.
I found myself at Panera again. Hmm, that sounds mystical! Actually, I drove myself there. I had a medium coffee--yes with nutmeg. This time I also purchased an egg and cheese on ciabatta sandwich. My daughter can make a better one, albeit with much more grease. No breakfast sweet treats today.
At lunchtime I strode to the cafeteria. While I was striding, I decided what I wanted--pizza with whole grain crust. Our foodservice provider recently relinquished their white flour stronghold on us and started offering whole grain foods. My opinion is that you should minimize the amount of nearly nutrition-less white flour you put in your body. I grabbed a slice with four cheeses. I also opted for a cucumber and red onion salad. I strode back to my desk to eat it because I had to join a conferenc call.
My gorgeous personal chef prepared dinner--kale simmered in vegan broth, sweet and sour eggplant and grilled beef rib tips. Yes, you read it right vegan broth seasoned to taste like meat and real meat all in the same meal.
I read somewhere that 40-something males should have about four ounces of protein a day. If you know where I can find that study, let me know so I can burn it. Anyway, I think I had about 3.5 ounces of protein in this meal--about two small beef ribs.
Tonight was date night with the gorgeous chef. We went to see a movie of her choosing. It was pretty good. We shared a very short bag of popcorn and a slushy. She brought two macaroons she purchased from the health food store. I ended up eating both of them! She thought they were too sweet. They were but that didn't stop me. I read the package afterwards and learned that each cookie had 300 calories. Well, I guess those cookies fooled me. They didn't taste like they had so many calroriess. Anyhow, I don't count calories. Good day and good night.
I do want to challenge you along the way. And I'd like you to challenge me. Hey, I'm no expert. I just like to make observations--lots of them--and draw conclusions. I've learned to listen to my body. It has a language and it speaks. You can ignore it or listen and be the better off for it.
Today I started with a couple of glasses of water. I always drink water first thing in the morning. You see, the body has been fasting while resting.
I found myself at Panera again. Hmm, that sounds mystical! Actually, I drove myself there. I had a medium coffee--yes with nutmeg. This time I also purchased an egg and cheese on ciabatta sandwich. My daughter can make a better one, albeit with much more grease. No breakfast sweet treats today.
At lunchtime I strode to the cafeteria. While I was striding, I decided what I wanted--pizza with whole grain crust. Our foodservice provider recently relinquished their white flour stronghold on us and started offering whole grain foods. My opinion is that you should minimize the amount of nearly nutrition-less white flour you put in your body. I grabbed a slice with four cheeses. I also opted for a cucumber and red onion salad. I strode back to my desk to eat it because I had to join a conferenc call.
My gorgeous personal chef prepared dinner--kale simmered in vegan broth, sweet and sour eggplant and grilled beef rib tips. Yes, you read it right vegan broth seasoned to taste like meat and real meat all in the same meal.
I read somewhere that 40-something males should have about four ounces of protein a day. If you know where I can find that study, let me know so I can burn it. Anyway, I think I had about 3.5 ounces of protein in this meal--about two small beef ribs.
Tonight was date night with the gorgeous chef. We went to see a movie of her choosing. It was pretty good. We shared a very short bag of popcorn and a slushy. She brought two macaroons she purchased from the health food store. I ended up eating both of them! She thought they were too sweet. They were but that didn't stop me. I read the package afterwards and learned that each cookie had 300 calories. Well, I guess those cookies fooled me. They didn't taste like they had so many calroriess. Anyhow, I don't count calories. Good day and good night.
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