Monday, February 15, 2010
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
The Classic PB&J- Is it Zone Friendly?
I have been on a quest to eat healthier- Zone friendly- without measuring portions, since Christmas. So how 'bout that classic go-to pb&j that is so easy to make the kids and then, well, why not eat one myself real quick?
I have the healthiest of breads, Ezekial, no sugar added jelly, 'fruit spread', if you will, and almond butter.
So let's see if it is even close to putting me in "the Zone":
2 slices of bread= 30carbs, 1g fat
11/2 tablespoons fruit spread=15 carbs (I'm estimating on how much I used)
1 tablespoon almond butter=4g protein, 3 carbs, 8g fat
Total carbs:48g to
Total protein:4g
total fat: 9g
Wow! Carb load!PB&J's are a no-no when trying to be in the Zone! Mom's of young children- read this and beware! I ate these for lunch for years before I realized the calorie content alone was not a healthy return. But calories aside, which we do not worry about when doing Zone because favorable Zone foods tend to be lower in calories anyway (natural foods are naturally low in calories, i.e. veggies and fruits and lean meats), this go-to meal has hardly any protein! That is why- get this if you haven't already!- peanut butter/almond butter is not a protein! It is a fat because more than anything, it has a lot of fat!
With this sandwich alone, I had twice the amount of fats that I need in one meal, I need 5 times more protein than I ate, and I had three times more carbs than I need. I hope I said all of that right. In case I didn't and that doesn't make sense to you, readers, if you exist! :), here's what it should look like- what I actually need for a 3 block meal:
Total carbs:27g (3x9g)
Total protein:21g (3x7g)
Total fat:4.5g (3x1.5g)
My solution to balance myself out so that I don't have a terrible mid-afternoon crash and need to take a nap but can't because I will have 3 children under the age of 7 that must be supervised at all times so that they will not get hurt or hurt each other and because they have lots of needs? I must eat a piece of chicken.
I have the healthiest of breads, Ezekial, no sugar added jelly, 'fruit spread', if you will, and almond butter.
So let's see if it is even close to putting me in "the Zone":
2 slices of bread= 30carbs, 1g fat
11/2 tablespoons fruit spread=15 carbs (I'm estimating on how much I used)
1 tablespoon almond butter=4g protein, 3 carbs, 8g fat
Total carbs:48g to
Total protein:4g
total fat: 9g
Wow! Carb load!PB&J's are a no-no when trying to be in the Zone! Mom's of young children- read this and beware! I ate these for lunch for years before I realized the calorie content alone was not a healthy return. But calories aside, which we do not worry about when doing Zone because favorable Zone foods tend to be lower in calories anyway (natural foods are naturally low in calories, i.e. veggies and fruits and lean meats), this go-to meal has hardly any protein! That is why- get this if you haven't already!- peanut butter/almond butter is not a protein! It is a fat because more than anything, it has a lot of fat!
With this sandwich alone, I had twice the amount of fats that I need in one meal, I need 5 times more protein than I ate, and I had three times more carbs than I need. I hope I said all of that right. In case I didn't and that doesn't make sense to you, readers, if you exist! :), here's what it should look like- what I actually need for a 3 block meal:
Total carbs:27g (3x9g)
Total protein:21g (3x7g)
Total fat:4.5g (3x1.5g)
My solution to balance myself out so that I don't have a terrible mid-afternoon crash and need to take a nap but can't because I will have 3 children under the age of 7 that must be supervised at all times so that they will not get hurt or hurt each other and because they have lots of needs? I must eat a piece of chicken.
Monday, February 8, 2010
Baking with Almond Flour
I just made my new favorite cookie with Almond flour! (Yes, you have seen several 'sweet' blogs lately...) I am super excited that I have found a cookie fix for my chewy chocolaty cravings that satisfies me! I can go overboard eating cookie dough, but made with almond flour, I got my fix without eating too much! This cookie has a great consistency and a wonderful balance of sweet and salty. Amazingly, it has no eggs, either! The cookies come out chewy and chocolaty! She called for chilling the dough for 20 minutes. I forgot to do this and they still turned out great. Check out the gluten and dairy free recipe on www.elanaspantry.com. She also has a recipe that calls for butter instead of the grapeseed oil, if you prefer. If you're wondering about the grapeseed oil, check out my post called "Oils" coming up soon.
Elana's Tips:(I highly recommend her cookbook- check it out on her blog)
Storing Almond Flour: in a jar in the frig or airtight in the freezer for several months
The fats are less likely to go rancid and last longer if you buy it from a vendor that refrigerates it.
Now, here is the deal on almond flour vs. white wheat flour:
Almond Flour has 21.94g of Protein, 19.44g carbs, 10.4g fiber, and is <1 on the glycemic index
White Wheat Flour has 9.71g protein, 76.22g carbs, and 2.4g fiber, and is at 71 on the glycemic index
The higher the # on the glycemic index (out of 100), then more it adversely affects your blood sugar. The lower this number, the better. These two flours can be used to make the same foods, yet are extremely different on paper!
The negative side of almond flour? It has a ton of calories, so although it may be heart healthy, it can still add on the pounds if you pound 'em!
Eat Responsibly.
Good luck.
Elana's Tips:(I highly recommend her cookbook- check it out on her blog)
Storing Almond Flour: in a jar in the frig or airtight in the freezer for several months
The fats are less likely to go rancid and last longer if you buy it from a vendor that refrigerates it.
Now, here is the deal on almond flour vs. white wheat flour:
Almond Flour has 21.94g of Protein, 19.44g carbs, 10.4g fiber, and is <1 on the glycemic index
White Wheat Flour has 9.71g protein, 76.22g carbs, and 2.4g fiber, and is at 71 on the glycemic index
The higher the # on the glycemic index (out of 100), then more it adversely affects your blood sugar. The lower this number, the better. These two flours can be used to make the same foods, yet are extremely different on paper!
The negative side of almond flour? It has a ton of calories, so although it may be heart healthy, it can still add on the pounds if you pound 'em!
Eat Responsibly.
Good luck.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Sunday Morning Breakfast for the Kids
French Toast:
Ezekial Raisin Bread-4 slices
2 eggs
2/3 tsp butter per fried slice
Agave Maple Syrup Blend
1 slice dipped in egg=
18g carbs-2 blocks
6g protein- almost 1 block
2 blocks fat from butter
1 cup milk to drink-1 block of protein and 1 block carb
Total: 3 blocks carbs, 2 blocks protein, 2 blocks fat
Now add the syrup that has 53g carbs per 1/4 cup and your out of the Zone!
I'm not recommending you eat this breakfast, but if you or someone you love wants a sweet breakfast sometimes, then these are the best of the best ingredients. :)
So what did I eat? Half of my eggs left over from yesterday morning: Scrambled eggs with feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. Yum! My Sunday morning treat was to put a pack of hot cocoa in my coffee for a homemade mocha! Not a good source of carbs for sure, BUT, I still achieved a balance of protein, carbs, and fats in my breakfast this morning...I'll feel good for a while until the sugar crash. :)
Ezekial Raisin Bread-4 slices
2 eggs
2/3 tsp butter per fried slice
Agave Maple Syrup Blend
1 slice dipped in egg=
18g carbs-2 blocks
6g protein- almost 1 block
2 blocks fat from butter
1 cup milk to drink-1 block of protein and 1 block carb
Total: 3 blocks carbs, 2 blocks protein, 2 blocks fat
Now add the syrup that has 53g carbs per 1/4 cup and your out of the Zone!
I'm not recommending you eat this breakfast, but if you or someone you love wants a sweet breakfast sometimes, then these are the best of the best ingredients. :)
So what did I eat? Half of my eggs left over from yesterday morning: Scrambled eggs with feta cheese and cherry tomatoes. Yum! My Sunday morning treat was to put a pack of hot cocoa in my coffee for a homemade mocha! Not a good source of carbs for sure, BUT, I still achieved a balance of protein, carbs, and fats in my breakfast this morning...I'll feel good for a while until the sugar crash. :)
Saturday, February 6, 2010
Favorite Chocolate Desserts
Sophie said it ever so well at the table during Wednesday night church last week: "My mommy's weakness is chocolate." I don't deny this. In fact, I am going to tell you 3 of my favorite "healthy" desserts with chocolate- really!
#1 I just had myself some Greek Style Vanilla nonfat yogurt (Trader Joe brand) that almost has a 3 block balance! It has 18g of protein to 30g of carbs per 1 cup! Remember, if you are calculating Zone proportions, 7g is one block of protein and 9g is one block of carbs. The not so great part is that because it is vanilla flavor, there is 26g of sugar. Remember, I have been making better choices as opposed to doing strict Zone. In my last post, I said I was becoming more motivated to being strict. Obviously, todays not that day. So if you are striving to enjoy life's simple pleasures in a balanced way, then by all means, try this vanilla yogurt! AND THEN, put some coco nibs in it! Now you've got a very satisfying alternative to chocolate chip ice cream! Really! I really love this desert!
#2 I recently had a girls' weekend getaway to celebrate a dear friend's 30th birthday. We got snowed in at her house in the woods! It was beautiful, quiet, and relaxing. And the best part was my Pots de Creme! Ha! There were lots of best parts. Actually, everyone there loves to cook and knows how to do it right! But, I did have to make sure we had some sort of chocolate on the premises, so I did my part. This is soooo easy and so back to basics:
Pots de creme (similar to mousse, but heavier): to serve 8
1 twelve oz bag of semisweet chocolate pieces (I used a combination of semi sweet and bittersweet)
4 tbs. of sugar- take it or leave it, I left it
dash of salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cups scalded milk
You can also add 3 tsp of dark rum or kahlua- totally optional
Put all ingredients in a blender except the milk. Scald the milk (stir it on med high until it becomes bubbly) and then pour over ingredients in the blender. Blend one minute. Then pour into glasses and chill several hours. You can even chill it in one container and then scoop it like icecream, but the first way works best. Top with whipped cream or mint or berries.
#3 I recently had the best healthy cookie I've ever tasted at my friend Amanda's house. The base of this chocolate chip cookie is banana and it has no sugar added to it. It also calls for almond flour. Jack wanted 2nds (he's 7 years old). Here's the link to Amanda's blog called the beams.
Eat responsibly. Enjoy your chocolate. :)
#1 I just had myself some Greek Style Vanilla nonfat yogurt (Trader Joe brand) that almost has a 3 block balance! It has 18g of protein to 30g of carbs per 1 cup! Remember, if you are calculating Zone proportions, 7g is one block of protein and 9g is one block of carbs. The not so great part is that because it is vanilla flavor, there is 26g of sugar. Remember, I have been making better choices as opposed to doing strict Zone. In my last post, I said I was becoming more motivated to being strict. Obviously, todays not that day. So if you are striving to enjoy life's simple pleasures in a balanced way, then by all means, try this vanilla yogurt! AND THEN, put some coco nibs in it! Now you've got a very satisfying alternative to chocolate chip ice cream! Really! I really love this desert!
#2 I recently had a girls' weekend getaway to celebrate a dear friend's 30th birthday. We got snowed in at her house in the woods! It was beautiful, quiet, and relaxing. And the best part was my Pots de Creme! Ha! There were lots of best parts. Actually, everyone there loves to cook and knows how to do it right! But, I did have to make sure we had some sort of chocolate on the premises, so I did my part. This is soooo easy and so back to basics:
Pots de creme (similar to mousse, but heavier): to serve 8
1 twelve oz bag of semisweet chocolate pieces (I used a combination of semi sweet and bittersweet)
4 tbs. of sugar- take it or leave it, I left it
dash of salt
2 eggs
2 teaspoons of vanilla
1 1/2 cups scalded milk
You can also add 3 tsp of dark rum or kahlua- totally optional
Put all ingredients in a blender except the milk. Scald the milk (stir it on med high until it becomes bubbly) and then pour over ingredients in the blender. Blend one minute. Then pour into glasses and chill several hours. You can even chill it in one container and then scoop it like icecream, but the first way works best. Top with whipped cream or mint or berries.
#3 I recently had the best healthy cookie I've ever tasted at my friend Amanda's house. The base of this chocolate chip cookie is banana and it has no sugar added to it. It also calls for almond flour. Jack wanted 2nds (he's 7 years old). Here's the link to Amanda's blog called the beams.
Eat responsibly. Enjoy your chocolate. :)
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
White Beans and Cornbread- A Balanced Meal?
My dad's favorite meal has always been white beans and cornbread. When my mom made it, it exhibited love. As I have been reading about balanced proteins, I stumbled upon this paragraph in Wikipedia:
"For example, grain protein has a PDCAAS of about 0.4 to 0.5, limited by lysine. On the other hand, it contains more than enough methionine. White bean protein (and that of many other pulses) has a PDCAAS of 0.6 to 0.7, limited by methionine, and contains more than enough lysine. When both are eaten in roughly equal quantities in a diet, the PDCAAS of the combined constituent is 1.0, because each constituent's protein is complemented by the other."
This lysine and methionine they are speaking of has to do with some of the essential acids that our bodies need. Essential acids are provided in proteins. What is a good protein? Well, meat sources tend to be complete on their own. Vegetable proteins, such as corn, and grain proteins, such as flour, and bean proteins, such as soy, and legume proteins, such as peanuts, all have amounts of protein, but alone are not balanced. That's why it is good to pair them up to make the essential acid elements more balanced. In short, proteins are made of essential acids and our bodies make half of them and then half of them we must eat.
Here is the conflict: If you are working out several times a week or have a physically strenuous job, then meat protein sources are best because they release glycogen. But that is for another post. Most relevant for this post is to remember that when eating the Zone diet, we are striving for the 40% carbs, 30%protein, 30%fat. We achieve this through the block system of counting. A half cup of white beans has one block of protein (7g) to almost 2 blocks of carbs (16g). This creates more of an insulin response than desired for hormonally balanced nutrition. I love talking smart! Believe me, I am no robot. This does not come easy. But it does come, when I am diligent. And then, I feel better. I am motivated to acheive this Zone balance right now because I miss "being in the Zone". SInce Christmas, I have tried to make healthy choices without the precision. I won't say that I have failed, and I will say, the measuring was driving me crazy and taking over 1/2 my mental energy every day, BUT, I will also say, that I miss the benefits of knowing exactly what and how much food I put in my body. When I am attempting to stick to the guidlines and proportions, I feel better. Here's how I have felt lately:
-bloated, yuck!
-tired
-acne breakouts
-and another one I can't remember...oh yeah, cloudy thoughts, less productive during the day
I am tired of these things, so I think I will go back to what I know, and I am so glad that I know what will work!
My husband says it best, "Even if you aren't competing, wouldn't you rather have all the benefits of eating better?"
Read the link to "protein sources". I found it extremely helpful and insightful as I sought to understand what exactly is a "balanced protein?"
"For example, grain protein has a PDCAAS of about 0.4 to 0.5, limited by lysine. On the other hand, it contains more than enough methionine. White bean protein (and that of many other pulses) has a PDCAAS of 0.6 to 0.7, limited by methionine, and contains more than enough lysine. When both are eaten in roughly equal quantities in a diet, the PDCAAS of the combined constituent is 1.0, because each constituent's protein is complemented by the other."
This lysine and methionine they are speaking of has to do with some of the essential acids that our bodies need. Essential acids are provided in proteins. What is a good protein? Well, meat sources tend to be complete on their own. Vegetable proteins, such as corn, and grain proteins, such as flour, and bean proteins, such as soy, and legume proteins, such as peanuts, all have amounts of protein, but alone are not balanced. That's why it is good to pair them up to make the essential acid elements more balanced. In short, proteins are made of essential acids and our bodies make half of them and then half of them we must eat.
Here is the conflict: If you are working out several times a week or have a physically strenuous job, then meat protein sources are best because they release glycogen. But that is for another post. Most relevant for this post is to remember that when eating the Zone diet, we are striving for the 40% carbs, 30%protein, 30%fat. We achieve this through the block system of counting. A half cup of white beans has one block of protein (7g) to almost 2 blocks of carbs (16g). This creates more of an insulin response than desired for hormonally balanced nutrition. I love talking smart! Believe me, I am no robot. This does not come easy. But it does come, when I am diligent. And then, I feel better. I am motivated to acheive this Zone balance right now because I miss "being in the Zone". SInce Christmas, I have tried to make healthy choices without the precision. I won't say that I have failed, and I will say, the measuring was driving me crazy and taking over 1/2 my mental energy every day, BUT, I will also say, that I miss the benefits of knowing exactly what and how much food I put in my body. When I am attempting to stick to the guidlines and proportions, I feel better. Here's how I have felt lately:
-bloated, yuck!
-tired
-acne breakouts
-and another one I can't remember...oh yeah, cloudy thoughts, less productive during the day
I am tired of these things, so I think I will go back to what I know, and I am so glad that I know what will work!
My husband says it best, "Even if you aren't competing, wouldn't you rather have all the benefits of eating better?"
Read the link to "protein sources". I found it extremely helpful and insightful as I sought to understand what exactly is a "balanced protein?"
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Beef on Fat
Today, I am folding laundry and watching Guy Fieri on the Food Network. He is cooking a potato salad with a creamy dressing and bacon, using the bacon fat to cook with, some sort of sandwich that is golden fried (and oh so good looking!). He's having fun, he excited, he is going to have a good meal in a little while, and the question comes to my mind: "What is really the big deal with fat? Why is it considered to be so bad for us?"
Bacon is a natural food. Butter is all naturale. What happens to our organs when it has to break down fat? Here I stop to investigate on the web...
Fats (also called lipids) are broken down in the body by enzymes (called lipases) produced in the pancreas.
Fats are important because they aid in the digestion, absorbtion, and transportation of vitamins A,D,E, and K.
Also, like my past post about proteins, fats are a source of essential fatty acids, which are essential to the body to function.
Saturated and Trans fats are not good for us- there is a lot of explanation concerning molecular structure that I skimmed over...
So, our bodies need good sources of fats, but not too much, for the above mentioned reasons. I would venture to say that Guy Fieri should enjoy his meal, but not eat it very often. And if he didn't want to suffer from an insulin spike and have to take a nap afterwards (or maybe he does), then he could leave off the bun and find an alternative to the potato salad. Cauliflower salad might work?...
I recommend reading the full page of this link in Wikipedia concerning fats. Whether it's bacon, butter, or oil, everything is better with fat! When I follow Zone measurements, I find that my idea of how much I need is usually WAY off from what my body needs.
Bacon is a natural food. Butter is all naturale. What happens to our organs when it has to break down fat? Here I stop to investigate on the web...
Fats (also called lipids) are broken down in the body by enzymes (called lipases) produced in the pancreas.
Fats are important because they aid in the digestion, absorbtion, and transportation of vitamins A,D,E, and K.
Also, like my past post about proteins, fats are a source of essential fatty acids, which are essential to the body to function.
Saturated and Trans fats are not good for us- there is a lot of explanation concerning molecular structure that I skimmed over...
So, our bodies need good sources of fats, but not too much, for the above mentioned reasons. I would venture to say that Guy Fieri should enjoy his meal, but not eat it very often. And if he didn't want to suffer from an insulin spike and have to take a nap afterwards (or maybe he does), then he could leave off the bun and find an alternative to the potato salad. Cauliflower salad might work?...
I recommend reading the full page of this link in Wikipedia concerning fats. Whether it's bacon, butter, or oil, everything is better with fat! When I follow Zone measurements, I find that my idea of how much I need is usually WAY off from what my body needs.
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