My Food Revolution: Frozen Foods

It's inevitable, there are going to be times when we need to grab a frozen meal and have it for lunch or dinner. But that doesn't mean it has to be filled with chemicals, we can still make good food decisions when we grab something to eat. Now usually that means forking over more dough, but it's well worth it. It can also mean more caloric intake, but it might not be awful to intake more calories that are healthy than binging on cookies later due to hunger.

Amy's Organic Kitchen is a great brand found at most grocery stores. The products are vegetarian and organic as well as steep in price. However, Amy's is often on sale and that's the best time to stock up. Now sodium wise their dishes are comparable to Lean Cuisine but they do have great low sodium meals that are just as wonderful. Let's compare Amy's Mac & Cheese to Lean Cuisine's Mac & Cheese (which I've had, and it's nothing to write home about.)

Amy's Organic Kitchen Mac & Cheese:

This dish has one ingredient with three parts and then six other ingredients total. That's it. Total sodium? 290 mg. The calories are higher but the dish is actually tasty instead of a waste of calories.

Lean Cuisine Mac & Cheese:
Trying to count the number of ingredients in this dish made my heard hurt. Some ingredients had multiple ingredients which had their own ingredients. This isn't food, this is science. And while science has made great leaps I'd rather have food than science when it comes to lunch.

And that's not all Amy's has, there's snacks and soups, breakfast burritos and salsas. When I went to compare Amy's Cheese Pizza Rolls with Totino's I couldn't even find the nutritional information available on Totino's site. No list of ingredients or caloric inventory, just information on how to cook them.

My Top 27 Songs - Part Two

Sometimes picking a song is so easy - you know where you were when you heard it for the first time or when it finally clicked. Or maybe it's a lyric or a sentiment you share, something that connects you to the song. But other songs, they're more difficult. Yes you like the lyric, but why does it speak to you? Maybe the song just makes you happy no matter what is going on with your life and you turn to it whenever you're down but you never realized it before. The associations we have with music are strong and complex, and the reason behind picking a song isn't as straightforward as I once thought. So here's the second part of my top 27 songs, tomorrow will round it out.

Augustana - Boston

I remember when I first heard this song, and when I had to give up free concert tickets to their show to cover a shift for a coworker. I absolutely love Augustana, their music is light, sweet and fun. This song is the song that introduced most people to their music, their breakthrough hit. I love the piano arrangement and my favorite part of this song comes at 1:54 in the song. It's for anyone who has ever wanted a do over, though most of us are too scared to ever follow through. When I finally saw Augustana play live it was at the Basilica Block Party - we got caught in the downpour and I was sick for weeks afterwards, but it was so worth it. The picture to the right was pre-rainstorm.

Michael Jackson - Billie Jean
Michael Jackson may have been crazy or misunderstood or sad or genius depending on who you ask. But whatever your personal opinion of him might have been there's no denying his musical talent. This album is filled with amazing songs yet Billie Jean is the one that I love the most. Thriller, while great, gives me slight anxiety at not being able to dance the dance and thus often do not participate on the dance floor when it comes on. Billie Jean, on the other hand, is perfect for rocking out on the dance floor with your friends. Growing up my Dad lived in Merville, IN and during his summers home from the College of St. Thomas he worked in the steel mills. He actually worked with Joe Jackson and when Joe was bragging about his kids all of Joe's friends used to tell him that his kids weren't talented and would be going nowhere.


Tim McGraw - Where the Green Grass Grows
I have such a love for this song and out of all the country songs I have this is the one that makes me smile no matter what. Back in high school I discovered country music my Senior year. It was actually Tim McGraw's song 'Something Like That' that I used to make fun of (until I heard the actual song and not just a clip that is) and his other song 'I Like It, I Love It' that had me wandering down the country path. And while I can think of plenty of other country songs that hold so many memories for me this is the only one that I sing along to without even thinking, push replay and think of first. Considering Tim McGraw was so integral in my discovering country music it just seemed odd not to have him on here. Go ahead, listen to this entire song and try not to smile, I dare you.


Queen - Somebody to Love
My favorite part of this song is the end, not that the song is over but the chanting 'Find me somebody to love' - it's a fun song that always has me singing. I know I listened to Queen growing up, my Dad was on a mission when I was younger to get the Billboard Top 10 hits for every year from the late 50s to the mid 80s. I remember searching for the years, the look on my Dad's face when he found it and how embarrassed I was when he shouted joyfully in a Blockbuster that he had 25 years of Rock and Roll Top Tens. But I loved those cds, and I would play them in our five disc cd changer on shuffle, trying to see if I knew the year the music was from. So when Anne Hathaway and Jesse McCartney redid it for Ella Enchanted I went to my iTunes and listened to the original. And when Glee did it last year I listened to all three versions. I love this song, and while I really do like the remakes, the original is just classic.

Simon and Garfunkel - Bridge Over Troubled Water
I love Simon and Garfunkel, they were always part of my childhood as my parents both loved them. As I went through my Pop phase I didn't listen to them as much; once I turned 21 and was in the bars my love for them was rekindled. I remember hearing Cecilia at Bootleggers one night. I knew it was the from the second the song started and once I got home I had to play all of their music. Like any artist there are songs you like but skip, songs you just skip and songs you need to listen to more than once. Bridge Over Trouble Water is so soothing it was always my favorite of all their music.

Don McLean - American Pie
I listened to this song all the time as a kid, my Dad used to tell me what the lyrics meant and how they referenced history and other songs. It's that song that is always kind of in the back of your head, you know you love it but its length can sometimes cause you to leave it off of your playlists. When I originally created this playlist I didn't instantly think of it but upon glancing at the music I had on my iPhone I added it immediately. I don't think there are lyrics that are better written, more meaningful, or as intricate as these.

The Beatles - Hey Jude
Why this song over other songs? How many other songs can have the first three minutes be about going for it in a relationship and then at the 3:00 mark use only the words 'better, hey, Jude, na, yeah' and still keep you listening the rest of the remaining 4:02 of the song? None. The Beatles are unparalleled in their music, period. Quite simply put, I love this song because The Beatles CAN do what they want and it's still amazing. They've proven they can have a song that's 2:05 and be perfectly succinct in Yesterday and then they can have a song that's 7:02 and have more than half of the song without real lyrics, yet few people press skip after the first three minutes.

Don Henley - The Heart of the Matter
I always knew this song, but never really paid attention. Then Sex and the City the movie came out and India Arie redid it, it was interesting but it sent me digging into my iTunes library looking for the original. Later I would lose a few relationships and there was a lyric in this song that always stuck with me. Something that reminded me to remember the good times with a smile as well as to be thankful the relationship ended because it obviously wasn't good for either party involved. That lyric? 'There are people in your life who've come and gone. They've let you down, you know they hurt your pride. You better put it all behind you babe, because life goes on. You keep carrying that anger, it will eat you up inside.'

Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody
There are so many fun memories associated with this song for me, whether it's the first time I heard it or the Mountain Dew commercial that emulated it this song is iconic. The reason it's on here is because of Shout House and a former friend. We were at Shout House for our roommate's birthday and the two were feuding (who knows why) we were standing with two guy friends when this song came on. My two guy friends and I started singing, she stood there quiet. We all looked at her incredulously, she had never heard the song before. I gave her such grief for it and even worse when she told people I was making fun of her for not knowing the song 'Bombs Over Baghdad'. Yep, that's what she called this song, and hearing it today just brings fresh that memory of fun times Senior year of college with friends, and how much fun you can have with your friends with a drink in your hand and some classic rock blaring.

Top 27 Songs for (Almost) 27 Years

I turn 27 this year, a scary thought to think about. I'm approaching the end of my twenties and it doesn't appear I'll be settling down any time soon. Amid my panic moment I thought of all the good times I've had, and how this is just the beginning. I realized just how many songs are tied to memories and I decided I wanted to see what songs evoked the most memories in my 26.75 years (well, let's be honest no one remembers the first few years, but whatever.) So here's the first nine songs of my list along with the reason I picked each song.

Journey - Don't Stop Believin'

I can't have a favorite songs list without this song. This is my all time favorite song. I still remember when I had gotten my Mariah Carey cd and she had redone 'Open Arms', I loved it. My dad heard the remake and pulled out his Journey cd making me listen to it instead. It took some time for me to truly appreciate how great Journey was; there wasn't a single moment that it clicked I just appreciated their music. It feels like it's just been a part of me for so long and when it got popular again like everyone else was let in on the secret of how awesome they truly are.

Ben E. King - Stand By Me
This song was originally written by King for someone else and when they didn't record it that could have been the end of this great song. This song has been redone by so many people, yet there's no one who does it quite like King. Short, sweet, no synthesizers, just music. The way it should be made. I can't imagine going the rest of my life without being able to listen to this song.

The Righteous Brothers - Unchained Melody
I remember learning this song on the piano - I loved playing it because it was so soothing and beautiful. I loved the instrumental long before I loved the words. When I finally heard the recorded version I remember thinking how moving the words were and how beautiful and sad it was at the same time. I can close my eyes, listen to this song on repeat and feel completely relaxed and at ease.

Justin Timberlake and Charlie Sexton - Hallelujah
I know that Justin didn't write this song nor was he the first to perform it. I've loved this song since I heard it by Rufus Wainwright. I've listened to Jeff Buckley and Leonard Cohen's versions but I always preferred Rufus, that was until the 'Hope of Haiti' concert when Timberlake and Sexton gave this raw, emotional and all together moving rendition. The music isn't as forceful and there just seems to be so much more feeling in the song.

Van Morrison - Brown Eyed Girl
There isn't a song I remember more than this one. Ever since I could remember I always loved this song, an anthem for the girls with brown eyes. You never hear someone say 'You have such beautiful brown eyes' and I was often jealous of my green eyed and blue eyed friends. I don't think there has been a wedding where I haven't danced to this song with my father. This song reminds me of love, weddings and my Dad.

The Beatles - Yesterday
My Dad loves The Beatles, I mean LOVES The Beatles. Growing up he had their albums on vinyl and slowly added the cds when they came out as well. People often marvel at how this song is so short, yet so perfect. Whenever this song comes on the radio or my playlist I always stop and just listen. It takes me back to a place I've never been before, where music is art and lyrics mean something. I love listening to this song, I just don't necessarily like people trying to cover it, it was perfect as is - no need to cover it.

John Lennon - Imagine
Imagine is one of those songs that just grabs hold of you. I wasn't alive when Lennon was, and until I was older I didn't know he had been murdered. I think a moment that changed the way I listened to this song forever was September 11th. Listening to the lyrics preach of tolerance, love, freedom and peace which at the time felt so far away. I cried to most of the songs they used for 9/11, but this one was somehow optimistic. I remember watching Glee last year and the episode 'Hairography' came on. When the show choir for the deaf school started signing 'Imagine' and the cast joined in singing and signing with them I started crying. This song for me just strikes something deep within me, it's why it connects to generations who weren't alive when Lennon passed away yet alone played.

Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten
This song takes me back to Hawai'i every single time I hear it. That's more than enough reason to put it on this list as Hawai'i was the best month of my life, ever. The song's lyrics talk about no one else can feel anything for you, that you have to go out there and live your life. I did a lot of living in Hawai'i and I don't regret a second of it. Whether it was swimming in the ocean off Waikiki at night, swimming with dolphins on my off weekend, dancing with my friends till the wee hours, eating new foods or surfing it was all worth it. The part about 'feel the rain on your skin' makes me laugh; when we were in Hawai'i we'd often avoid the beach because where we were was raining. On the last day of our time there they told us the valley where we were had 86" of rain per year and the beaches got about 0.5" of rain a year. Often it wasn't raining on the beach and we had missed some opportunities to lay out because of the crazy island climate.

Glee - I Feel Pretty / Unpretty
What girl hasn't felt like she was the most beautiful girl in the world? And on the flipside, what girl hasn't felt so low that she wanted to change everything about herself? There are people who can influence how we actually feel about ourselves and this song just spoke to me and most of the women I know. There are days I wake up feeling absolutely disgusting and there are days when I have a one of those 'on top of the world, feel like a princess' moment. This mash up is done perfectly and when it first came out I listened to it on replay for two days straight.

My Food Revolution: Gorgonzola Salad

The wider variety of food we eat the better off we are; diversification is good for us and that includes changing up the veggies we eat. Different foods give us different nutrients but more importantly changing it up hopefully means you won't get sick of the good stuff and head back for the unhealthy foods. Here's another salad recipe I love eating.

Gorgonzola Salad:
Hearts of Romaine
Purple Onion - 2 slices of the onion then chopped to desired size
Cherub Tomatoes
Gorgonzola Crumbles
Pepper to taste
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste

I threw this together for my family one time and ever since then I'm in charge of making the salad when we get together for holidays. It's easy, light, simple and even healthier for you than my favorite salad.

My Food Revolution: Simple Salad

Who doesn't need an easy, healthy salad in their recipe book that is easy on the budget? Here's a great one for just that.

Simple Salad:

Mixed Baby Greens

Cherub Tomatoes

Salt and Pepper to taste

Homemade Croutons
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinaigrette to taste

I called this my 'Simple Salad' but it's also known as my 'running low on ingredients' salad or maybe 'running low on cash' salad. Fewer ingredients, easier to make, it's a good alternative if you're a little lazy but still want a good salad to eat. It's a good idea to only have Ranch (or whatever your naughty salad dressing is) once a day. If possible, once every few days. The more often you can use Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinaigrette the better.

My Food Revolution: Terminology is Tricky

One of the reasons participating in a Food Revolution is so difficult is because of the language surrounding food. It seems every way you turn the food industry is trying to trick the consumer into believing they are making healthy choices when they may not be. Maybe you're not into reading labels like I am, I know a lot of people avoid labels for their own reasons and I respect their decision to do that. Then there are the more neurotic types like me who want to know every ingredient that is in their food before they buy it. I'm sure the average person out there is a happy medium of the two, checking some of the food typically called 'junk food' and reaching for the 'healthy food' without even a second glance. But they come up to the egg aisle and they see all these different labels on the carton and thinking they're picking the right thing grab a cage free, all natural egg. It costs more, it makes them feel good, and yet it does nothing to ensure the chicken lives in a way that is beneficial to you or it. This article was sent to me by a friend and it deciphers the jargon written on your egg cartons.

So don't just buy the brown eggs because you think they're better; make sure they're pasture raised if possible and organic. If you can't find pasture raised eggs (as I'm having a difficult time doing) make sure you're getting free range not cage free. Most chickens live in a hut but that doesn't mean the hut is sanitary or safe but it's still sans cage. Make sure you know what things mean, otherwise you might as well just get the regular eggs rather than paying 50% more for something that isn't that much better for you.

Chanel's Food Revolution: Blue Buffalo

Long before I switched over to eating healthy my dog Chanel has been on the 'Organic Food' regimen. Part of the reason for her switch was the trouble she was having with regular dog food. I had two options: Pay more for dog food or spend a good deal of time cleaning up stains on the carpet. I choose the former, opting to give my pup what her digestive system clearly needed and save myself from gagging at the ruminants of bad dog food. In the search for finding what suited her particular dietary needs I tried a few foods, and some where downright awful whereas others were pretty good. I came across Blue Buffalo at the suggestion of a friend who had the same breed of dog, in fact she got her dog from the same breeder I got Chanel. Once I gave Chanel Blue Buffalo, she was hooked; clearly this was a match made in heaven! She's been on Blue Buffalo for over two years now, and we haven't had a 'digestive issue' since!

Last week I was picking up dog food for her and noticed that Blue Buffalo had two other types of recipes. They had their usual diet which Chanel had been eating as well as a 'Limited Ingredients' diet and the new 'Wolf Diet' - both were on sale for $5-$10 off. The newest 'Wolf Diet' caught my eye, not only did it offer food with Duck in it, the food was also 100% grain free. I dragged that 40 lb bag to the counter and didn't turn back.

Dogs only live for so long, shouldn't every moment of their life be healthy, happy, and chemical free? For a special treat I add water to Chanel's food. It softens the food and creates a gravy if you swirl it. No chemicals, no preservatives, no subsequent digestive issue. It's a win-win-win.

My Food Revolution: More of What I'm Eating

Earlier this month I told you what I was eating, and I thought two weeks later might be a good time to share some more recipes I've been using with you. The more I learn about what I'm eating the easier it is to keep eating healthy. I found that many homemade dinners can be easily altered with a healthy substitute that tastes fabulous and isn't processed. Here's a few pointers.

Ditch the Texas Toast:

Ever look at the back of your garlic toast box and look up the ingredients? It's not pretty and what's even worse is how coated in yellow the toast is. It's probably not even butter but whatever it is, it sure is delicious. How are you supposed to cut that out of your diet? Easy enough if you have the right tools.

Garlic Ciabatta Bread

Healthy Snacking:
Every good intention can be undermined by buying pre-made snacks. Forget the calories, count the ingredients. If there are more ingredients than the number of fingers or toes you have it's probably not the best thing for you. The best snacks are ones that are simple and delicious. It's not always so easy to bring fruit with you so grab something else that's great for you! For a great on the go alternative make your own trail mix.

Courtney's Trail Mix

When I told you about LARABAR I didn't tell you they were about $1.50 - $2.00 each. For some people that's just not doable. The other recipe I was given is a little more putzy than this one which I found on Prevention.com so I share it with you now.

Prevention's Granola Bars
When I was little I used to call asparagus ass-per-gas and refused to eat it. Then one day a friend's mom made a quiche with bacon and asparagus in it. I cut a small slice and was determined to eat it to be polite. After the first bite I was hooked, I loved asparagus. While I've had asparagus in the quiche several times since, I've only recently ventured out to eating it in a healthier way.

Asparagus

Change is CONSTANT:
Even after two weeks I continually change what I'm eating. I've replaced Lay's Potato Chips with homemade Popcorn, an apple and string cheese at lunch. For an after dinner treat I eat organic strawberries and blueberries OR I hanker down with Haagen Daz Chocolate Ice Cream and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. Why Haagen Daz? Each ice cream previously mentioned has five to six ingredients without compromising taste. This is old fashioned style ice cream, the kind that even your grandmother's grandmother would recognize as ice cream when reading the ingredients. It's so rich and heavenly you can eat less and feel satisfied. It's a win-win.

My Food Revolution: Asparagus

Asparagus:
Asparagus Tips
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Black Pepper

To make this in oven place the asparagus on some aluminum foil over a cookie sheet. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Drizzle the olive oil, garlic salt and black pepper over the asparagus. Bake for fifteen minutes.

*To make this on the grill combine the asparagus, olive oil, garlic salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix well. Place on the grill, turning over once one side has browned. Average cook time is five minutes.

My Food Revolution: Prevention's Granola Bars

Prevention's Granola Bars:


2 C Granola
3/4 C Almonds
3/4 C Chopped Dried Fruit
1/2 to 3/4 C Dark Chocolate Chips
1/3 C Sugar (half brown, half white)
2 Egg Whites
2 TB Whole Wheat Flour

Pre-heat the oven for 300 degrees. Mix all of the ingredients together before placing on aluminum foil covered cookie sheet. Bake for 45 minutes, let cool before cutting into bars.

*Make on Sunday to enjoy the following week for breakfast while running out the door to work.
**Try mixing and matching as shown in the picture.

Check out the video from Prevention.com here.

My Food Revolution: Trail Mix

Courtney's Trail Mix:

- Almonds

- Dark Chocolate Chips

- Dried Plantane (what we assume to be dried Banana)

- Raisins

- Peanuts

- Sunflower seeds (without the shell)

*Add the amount of ingredients which you desire.

My Food Revolution: Garlic Ciabatta Bread

Garlic Ciabatta Bread:

One loaf of take and bake Ciabata Bread
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Garlic Salt

Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the Ciabatta bread on aluminum foil on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil and brush all over the top. Sprinkle garlic salt on the top. Bake for 10-15 minutes.
*After bread has cooled cut leftover bread and then wrap in tinfoil before placing in the freezer for later use. When you want to eat it again simply let it defrost. Voila! You have bread that isn't stale!

Punch Pizza: Free Mozzarella di Bufala

Every time I go to Punch Pizza I get the same thing: Napoli with proscuitto done doppio style but cut. Meaning, double helping of Mozzarella di Bufala and twice as much extra virgin olive oil. This week the good people of Punch Pizza are giving away my favorite cheese until they run out. So you better download this picture to your phone OR print it off.

You know what I'm having for lunch tomorrow :)

My Food Revolution: One Month Anniversary

It's been a month since the fateful day that changed my life. Last Friday was my one month anniversary free of soda and this past Saturday was my one month anniversary free from fast food. It's been a journey, made more difficult by not being at home and being in complete control of my own diet but there are ways to avoid eating things you don't want to eat.

What I've learned:
- Read the labels. If there's things you can't pronounce or your grandmother's grandmother wouldn't recognize, skip it.
- You can find healthy alternatives to almost everything in your diet. It won't be exactly the same but that doesn't mean it has to taste like cardboard.
- Leftovers of home cooked meals are your friends. Freezing meals is even better. When you're lazy and just want something quick this prevents you from grabbing fast food or a frozen meal.
- Tell people about your changes, it helps to be held accountable and to receive encouragement from time to time.

New goals:- Use the Farmers Market. Now that the weather is nice it's time to take advantage of local produce.
- Give up plastic Tupperware. It's bad for my health, it's bad for the environment.
- Try new recipes. Good friend Sarah from CWGAP has sent me a ton of recipes. I'll report back on how some of them turned out :)

My Blog Vacation

I apologize for being away for over a week. Not this previous Thursday but the Thursday before that I left Minneapolis to see my cousin Ted graduate college from Charleston. Prior to the trip I dog sat for two nights before returning to stay at my place for two nights. The I left for vacation and upon returning home I stayed at my place for two nights, dog sat for two nights and then stayed at home before driving three hours for a wedding. We left that same night (last night) and drove back. I ended up getting home at 2:30 a.m. Suffice to say these past two weeks I have been out of sorts. So I do promise to blog more frequently now that I have no travel plans until August.

My Food Revolution: Fuel Your Education

I think it's important to know what you are talking about if you are going to believe in something. All too often we hear what is said about something and don't delve deeper. It isn't until our curiosity is sparked that we frantically 'Google' everything we can on the subject. When I saw the commercials for Jamie Oliver's 'Food Revolution' my interest was piqued, especially recalling images of morbidly obese people in my day to day life as the preview discussed obesity and how our food industry has us knocking on death's doorstep with our current diet. I missed the live episode but watched it online the following night. I was rocked to say the least, disgusted with the way Americans live and sad for humanity. It made me question things and I was intrigued that is for sure, but I still had Burger King the following night. It was that night that I watched Food Inc. and gave up fast food, limited soda and as many processed foods as possible. I have never felt more ashamed of myself for my eating habits, I was disgusted.

Since those pivotal moments I have sought out documentaries and books. I recently finished Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, and suffice to say have strengthened my resolve to eat as healthy as possible.

Here is a short list of some books and documentaries you should check out.

Books
An Omnivore's Dilemma, Michael Pollan
In Defense of Food, Michael Pollan
Food Rules, Michael Pollan
Fast Food Nation, Eric Schlosser
The Eat Clean Diet, Tosca Reno
Real Food: What to Eat and Why, Nina Planck

Documentaries
Food Inc.
Fast Food Nation
The Future of Food
Earthlings

Michael Pollan also has articles on his website. Both Michael Pollan and Jamie Oliver can be found discussing sustainable agriculture and healthy school food on TED Talks.

My Food Revolution: Dealing with the Pushback

There have been a lot of benefits to learning about how food is made, where my food comes from, and even how to eat better. I feel better, I look better, and I know what I'm doing is better for me and the environment. It's been a constant struggle to encounter people who not only treat me like I'm crazy but also the ones who treat me like I'm manipulated and stupid for changing my ways. Even though I'm the one who has been reading the books, watching the documentaries, I'm the one who knows the least. And once that's known, it then becomes about how all of those books and documentaries are slanted and pure propaganda. I think there is a very big piece of the puzzle missing from most of the conversations where I experience 'push back' - it's called common sense. Let's throw out what the experts have found and just take a look at growing trends and try to see what could attribute to it.

Resistance to Antibiotics
There's this saying, 'You are what you eat' but as Michael Pollan brought up in his book In Defense of Food, 'You are what you eat eats.' This saying had me thinking about more than food, about antibiotics. For years Doctors had warned against using too many antibiotics for fear of resistance to antibiotics in the future. There was a time when Doctors wrote a prescription for every ailment, that time has come and gone and now we are seeing a stricter grip on recommending antibiotics. It stands to reason that resistance to antibiotics is bad, that these superviruses and superbacteria are evolving to survive antibiotics, and this is a problem for the health care industry and for us. Would it not make sense to also cut back on eating food that has been fed antibiotics as well? If our food is fed antibiotics to deal with the living conditions it's a fair assumption to make that there are superviruses and superbacteria that are evolving that target chicken and cows as well. By giving so many antibiotics instead of relying on the evolutionary process and the defenses their bodies have could be weakened, causing the need for more antibiotics. If we're so concerned with the amount of antibiotics we put in our own bodies, we should be equally as concerned about the amount of antibiotics we put in our food.

Natural Woman?
These days girls are menstruating at a younger and younger age. What used to start at age 16 is now beginning at age 9. What is the change in this, how can this be changing virtually over night? One could make the argument that the hormones (rBGH) used to increase milk production could be affecting as well. While it might seem unnatural to do so, let's take a look at things from a common sense perspective. Before the 1960s there was no to limited manipulation by food companies with their products. The average age for a girl developing was in the range from 13-18. After the 1960s we started changing our food, processing it, adding hormone, antibiotics, etc. In this day and age there are cases of pre-teens having babies and children as young as 9 starting their menstruation cycle. We are literally speeding up the process of aging, and given how many women wish to have children in their late thirties after they pursue a career starting their period at nine will make it that much harder. Evolution doesn't change things over night, these children should not be getting their period or having the ability to make a baby at such a young age, yet they do. This change is caused by something and my money is on hormones in our food.

Case Study: Margarine
Back in the day when margarine came out my Grandpa Pop said hell to the no was that going in his stomach. It didn't taste right to him and he refused to let my Grandma serve it. Now we know that the thing most food marketing tells us is deadly and bad for us is Trans Fat. Back in the day margarine had the deadly Trans Fat. I have a theory on man-made vs. made by nature/God and it basically is this: man is limited by what [s]he knows and often we find [s]he doesn't know enough. Just like with margarine which was introduced to take the place of butter as something much healthier for us, Heroine was developed by researchers as a safe alternative to Morphine. Patients had become addicted to Morphine and these doctors and researchers developed Heroine as a way to help them out as they believed Heroine was not addictive. It was later found out that Heroine was exponentially more addictive than Morphine. I am not saying science does nothing right, in fact Novocaine is an altered form of Cocaine that does not cross the blood-brain barrier thus it is not addictive and can be used as a local anesthetic so scientists have gotten some things right and some things wrong. What I am saying is until we know what is truly in this scientific food it might be best to leave it be.

Think before you eat something that has ingredients you cannot pronounce. Think before you eat meat that isn't free range, grass fed. Think before you purchase groceries, think before you go out to a restaurant. Even if you don't go as far as I am going in my quest for health just take a moment and think about what you are putting in your body. If you have more questions than answers about the food you are eating, chances are it's not something you want to put into your mouth.

Can Vespas Save the World?

I saw this article on Mashable about scooters and the reduction of gas consumption and emissions. Now reading this article it plainly reveals its bias as the company organizing the data and promoting it is Vespa. They have a vested interest, to say the least, in scooter/motorcycle sales and the accompanying policies that go with encouraging cities to become more scooter/motorcycle friendly. That being said, it doesn't detract from the fact that those numbers are staggering.

We all know that America is not necessarily built for mass transportation, it was built for a horse and carriage that then converted to cars (plus a bunch of other steps in between.) There just aren't enough people taking mass transportation to service varying routes if you don't work downtown. In fact it takes me ten minutes to get to work by car but an hour and fifteen minutes to get to work by bus. Even with the best intentions of trying to reduce my carbon footprint a two and a half hour commute compared to a half hour commute is just too big of a difference to take the bus. What Vespa is suggesting is to change some of our habits to help the environment, which is the same thing the bus suggests. The difference? Everyone can add a Vespa (well everyone who can afford it) whereas taking the bus just isn't an option for some of us.

Take my Uncle for example. He has an SUV and lives on the Lake. During the winter months he uses his snowmobile, during his summer months he uses his Vespa. The SUV gets approximately 12 mpg. The Vespa? 75 mpg. He takes it to the grocery store, the gas station to grab a newspaper, or basically anywhere that doesn't require a highway. He loves that the Vespa is not just beneficial for the environment but also economically beneficial.

We should all care about the one planet we have and want to save money. It's just smart to save money by practicing environmentally friendly actions, period. Whether it's introducing a scooter to your household or simply walking more often, the end result is money saved.

My Food Revolution: Don't Drink Your Calories

Long before I had ever heard of this 'Food Revolution' my sister Shana kept telling us not to drink our calories. That if something was calorie filled it probably wasn't good for us. My sister was also one of the first I know on the natural foods movement, she watched the documentary Food Inc. three years before I did. Shana and her husband Mark have not only changed their eating and drinking habits, they've also removed plastic from their lives when the rest of us thought it was wacky. As I've previously stated, my sister is Libertarian, this isn't a Left vs. Right thing it's about learning what is going on out there and choosing our health. Now we're learning why plastic is not only bad for us, but bad for the environment (more on that this week.) So when I started My Food Revolution I knew two of the things I had to give up were fast food and soda, I've already seen the benefits but here's how I get through the day without soda.

Now I never drank diet soda, to me it just tasted funny and I couldn't stop gagging when drinking it. It was not what we 'knew' about artificial sweeteners in diet soda that concerned me as much as what we didn't know, and my taste buds told me that I shouldn't trust it, so I never did. Giving up soda is a painful decision, every time I see someone drinking a Mountain Dew I have a moment. You and I both know what that feels like when dieting, when you want something so badly but you know how bad it is for you. It's not torture, it's just a moment and it goes away after awhile. While giving up soda made with High Fructose Corn Syrup wasn't easy, every time I read a book on food or watch a documentary it just reaffirms my decision to leave it from my diet.

While I can't give anyone any tips on how to give up soda as it really is that hard, I can give tips on how to increase your water intake. The trend in my office had been bottles of water, then we got a UV filter through the Culligan to make our tap water purified. Once that filter came to our office there was an increase of us drinking water from a glass, and I did drink a fair share of water. I am a firm believer of knowing how much water you are drinking, I think it motivates you to have at least 64 oz every day.

A recent trend in our office has been the Camelbak BPA Free water bottles. These water bottles hold 750 mL or approx. 25 oz. They come in many different colors and their biggest selling point is the straw. To drink from this water bottle you have to bite the rubber mouthpiece and then take a sip. One of the reason I love this is working out (which I haven't done for some time to be quite frank.) Whenever I was on the treadmill or elliptical and desperately needed a drink of water I wouldn't dare drink it for fear of taking a sip and having half the bottle drench me. These bottles don't do that, you don't even have to tip them back, just simply bite and sip.

On most days I find myself drinking anywhere between 64 oz to 125 oz of water. Harder to drink your calories when you're drinking so much water. On days when I do decide to have a Coca Cola (from the glass bottle of course) I make sure I've already had 64 oz of water. Most days it postpones my Coca Cola consumption assuming I do drink it. I've been using Simply Orange as a late night treat, sweet to drink and much better for me. What are your tricks?

My Food Revolution: Granola Bars

I think the most frustrating thing about my journey on this 'Food Revolution' is that things we thought were healthy for us actually are packed with chemicals and processed. It feels like there's evasive language at every turn and figuring out what we can actually eat is a battle in and of itself, let alone eating right.

When starting this journey towards better eating I went to the grocery store and headed towards my usual sections, reaching for boxes and turning them over to the back. Based on the few chapters I had read in Michael Pollan's In Defense of Food, I had some basic tools to figure out what I needed. I headed to the produce section picking up organic lettuce, green onions, cucumber, summer squash, tomatoes, bananas, apples, and grapes. I felt good about that and tried to figure out what to eat for breakfast and lunch.

Grocery Granola Bars:
I turned over every single granola bar box at the grocery store looking for just one box without twenty to forty ingredients and void of soy bean oil (I'm anti soy bean oil because of Monsanto, if you remember. Most soy bean and canola crops are genetically modified and are sprayed with Round-Up as soon as they are planted, in fact the amount of pesticides is enough to make your skin crawl.) I could not find a single granola bar that was anywhere close to what I wanted. Frustrated I picked up a regular Nature Valley box and made a bargain with myself to find an alternative.

Homemade Granola Bars:
My friend Sarah from Chicks Who Give a Puck sent me a semi-complicated recipe for granola bars that looked better than what was offered at the grocery store but still used Canola Oil. For all that effort it still had something I wanted nowhere near my food. Deciding it was better than nothing I resolved to try the bars but before I could test them out my coworker told me about Lara Bar.

Lara Bar:
Lara Bar is named after their founder, Lara Merriken. The idea for Lara Bar came about while Lara was hiking the Colorado Rocky Mountains. What started as a small operation now carries over twenty different varieties of breakfast bars, most are dairy and soy free, completely vegan. These bars have anywhere from two to nine ingredients. That's it, they aren't packed with ingredients you can't pronounce or oils that are loaded with chemicals. The only ones that are not guaranteed to be soy and dairy free are the ones with chocolate. Even though the chocolate chips used in them are vegan they are made at a facility that makes regular chocolate chips so there may be some contamination.

What you should remember when you are in the grocery store is Michael Pollan's rule - stick to the perimeter of the grocery store and buy real food void of any stickers of health claims. Things that claim to be healthy often aren't real food but chemically laden scientist made food like substances. Which means be weary of most cereals, choose to instead make a fresh breakfast for yourself and your family or to grab a Lara Bar.

My Food Revolution: What I'm Eating

So I tweeted last night that I had lost weight and even dropped two inches in the ribcage area. Most of my friends asked for a few simple recipes I've been using. If you read some of my previous posts you can find my salad recipe and the type of bread I'm using. Going 'whole wheat' is not enough. Buying bread fresh that lasts 7-10 days and contains about five ingredients is what you need to be doing. I've switched to free range, grass fed beef and chicken as well as eggs. I am eating organic fruits and vegetables and try to buy local at all times.
For breakfast I eat a banana and granola bars (which I will be replacing!), for lunch I have my new bread w/naturals peanut butter, honey from a glass jar (that's made in Minnesota), string cheese, chips (Lay's only have potatoes, oil and salt), and a salad. I eat something listed below for dinner and then try to have grapes or an apple for dessert before eating a piece of chocolate or making on the stove popcorn (I use olive oil to pop it and then real butter with salt to top it.)

By removing fast food, soda and 'Lean Cuisines' I have felt better, enjoyed eating, and as noted dropped weight. This isn't a diet, this is a lifestyle change. It's time we take our health back and tell the food industry we are worth it.

So here are some simple, recipes anyone can do.

Garlic Pepper Chicken

Oven Roasted Potatoes

Sautéed Summer Squash

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Summer Vegetables

Oven Baked Salmon

My Food Revolution: Oven Roasted Potatoes with Summer Vegetables

Oven Roasted Potatoes with Summer Vegetables:
Potatoes, peppers, onions, garlic and summer squash in a pan, preheat oven to 400 and lightly drizzle olive oil. Season w/pepper, garlic salt, etc. Heat for at least 45 minutes.
*Or grill on low for an hour on top of aluminum foil or in a Reynold's Aluminum Foil 'bag'.
**Feel free to add additional vegetables.

My Food Revolution: Sautéed Summer Squash

Sautéed Summer Squash:
(Yellow zucchini aka summer squash)

Cut like cucumber.
Drizzle enough to barely coat pan olive oil
Place a few slices of squash and lightly season w/garlic salt. Turn over after a while. I like mine more brown, has more flavor.

My Food Revolution: Oven Baked Salmon

Oven Baked Salmon:

Pre-heat oven to 350

Place salmon on tinfoil.
Squeeze fresh lime juice onto salmon. Let sit while oven preheats
Sprinkle garlic salt onto salmon
Cook for 20-30 minutes.
Squeeze more fresh lime juice on salmon before eating (doesn't taste as fishy)

My Food Revolution: Oven Roasted Potatoes

Nothing beats a great potato recipe, and this one is sure to please.

Red or Idaho potatoes cut into smaller pieces.

Drizzle w/olive oil
Sprinkle w/Thyme, Basil, Garlic Salt and freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.
Heat oven to 400, bake for 45 minutes, in the last five minutes add freshly grated Parmesan on top.
(These are AMAZING but you should have a spoonful or two no more)

Thanks to my roommate's step-mother for sharing this recipe!

My Food Revolution: Garlic Pepper Chicken

Garlic Pepper Chicken:
Chicken defrosted (I use organic free range grass fed but I know that's not an option for everyone)

Olive oil (maybe 1 Tablespoon at most just a light drizzle)
Sprinkle with garlic pepper (or garlic powder, salt and pepper)
Heat oven to 430 and cook for thirty minutes.

Great by itself or over brown rice.