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Healthy dieting and top meal ideas.

  
  

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Alex's Grandma
09:29 / 14.10.07
'Eel on toast'

Find an eel and kill it. Slice it up. Fry the meat with herbs and garlic.

See also;

'Fox on Toast'
 
 
Kali, Queen of Kitteh
19:58 / 15.10.07
THIS terrifies me.

And the idea of that a simple chicken salad could also have that many calories? Equally horrifying.

Good thing we like to eat a little, if not better, than that, don't we?
 
 
Olulabelle
19:08 / 18.10.07
I didn't know whether to put this in the Gives me a happy thread or here. It should definitely be there, but it's also suited to here. Anyway,

Lunch in a box. It's so wicked.

Oh, and Hi there Bob. Thanks for the helpful advice. Perhaps you could go away and only come back in the unlikely event that you feel the desire to contribute in a positive way?
 
 
zedoktar
22:31 / 18.10.07
Heres a recipe for ya.

Shaolin Spicy Peanut Noodles

Make a batch of noodles. You can use Ramen without the flavouring if you like.
Make a simple sauce with peanut butter and water, and a dash of Szechuan hot sauce (or hot sauce of choice)
Mix it all together, garnish with peanuts and shredded carrots, and eat it in Horse Stance.



Hemp seeds are also super good for you, and delicious to boot. They go with basically everything.

Also, look up Junan Taiso. You can find PDF's of the whole thing online. Its what the Bujinkan uses as a warmup and conditioning routine, its similar to yoga in a lot of ways.
 
 
ibis the being
00:41 / 19.10.07
My husband (!) and I have both lost a lost of weight (50lbs his, 30lbs hers) in the last year. We're mostly veggie but eat eggs and occasional seafood. We don't eat much soy, mostly fruits & veggies and whole grains.

He eats more than me (of course, being bigger) and snacks more, so for work he packs a PB & J, an apple, some grapes, a banana, pineapple (canned off-season), a bunch of roasted soynuts, and a few homemade cookies (whole wheat). I bring to work a PB & J, one piece of fruit, a large handful of almonds, and a homemade cookie or two.

We eat probably far more than the "recommended" amount of nuts and seeds, which are on paper very fattening, and yet we have had an incredibly easy time reaching & staying at healthy weights. Believe the hype about good fats.

We are careful to avoid processed food almost completely. The only non-whole things we eat are commercial bread and cereal, and there we avoid HFCS and other additives. Most snacks are just plain bad for you, and the rest are empty calories. I'm a big believer in making everything you eat count for something, whether that's consuming essential nutrients or sometimes satisfying (but not overindulging) a need for sweets.

The best snacks will always be fruits and nuts, I think. You may not like carrots (although, try a fresh market carrot and you may change your mind) but everyone has a fruit they like....
 
 
illmatic
07:54 / 19.10.07
What's a PB & J? Peanut butter and jelly, I'm guessing?

I've just had an omlette and salad on my way to work as I was out so missed having a proper dinner last night. I do find it hard to eat decent stuff when I am eating on the go before going out.

Anyway, with the sad awareness that any hope of not sounding like a nutrition bore has long gone, I had an interesting conversation with a friend last night, who's lost a stone. She's been following something calld the GL Diet (Glycemic Load) - pretty similar prescriptions to the ones given here. Very few simple carbs, wholegrains when you do eat them, eating every few hours, so your metabolism keeps active and doesn't go into storage mode. Some mild exercise (half an hours walk a day, plus using a stepper) and that's it. Obviously, a massive study group - one of my friends, but it all seems to make sense.

If you are interested in the science behind it, here's a link to that Gary Taubes book I mentioned: Good Calories, Bad Calories. Not sure if it's available over here yet, but it's a pretty important "state of the art" book.

Have a look for the New York Times article he wrote a couple of years ago. I think it's called "What if it's all a big fat Lie?" A cursory google doesn't bring it up, but I'ms ure it's out there somewhere (like the truth)

Here's Marks Daily Apple covering the same key issues
 
 
illmatic
08:03 / 19.10.07
Some of the blurbs for the book are really striking: easily the most important book on diet and health to be published in the past one hundred years !

Could be a real "paradigm shifting" book, I think.

Another issue that bears on all this which I'm not sure if Taubes touches on, (Mark Sissions does) is the degree to which grain producing agriculture is subsidised. I believe it's one of the most subsidised industries in the world, and this huge surplus of wheat and corn has to get used some way, right?
 
 
Olulabelle
08:48 / 19.10.07
I do agree with you about the agricutural industry in some ways, but then I think about the fact that we've eaten bread for thousands of years. I know that's nothing compared to the length of time we were making prehistoric food choices, but it does mean we're at least habituated towards bread goods I think. We must in a tiny way over the bread eating years surely have evolved towards using them correctly in our bodies?
 
 
illmatic
08:57 / 19.10.07
Well, I was wondering the same thing about rice - it's a such a staple part of the diet in a lot of Asian countries. I don't know, in short....

Certainly the heavily processed crap we eat has only been around for the last couple of decades though.
 
 
Triplets
18:38 / 19.10.07
We must in a tiny way over the bread eating years surely have evolved towards using them correctly in our bodies?

Possibly? But there's no pre-bread people around to test, no matter how far you look yeast or west...
 
 
ibis the being
23:15 / 19.10.07
Ah, everyone here has to read Michael Pollen's The Omnivore's Dilemma. The omnivore's dilemma refers to the idea that, unlike specialized eaters like the koala or the blue whale, omnivores and particularly humans face the confusing problem of having to decide what to eat - what's good for you, what's not. He addresses that problem by taking a close look at where food comes from and how it's made. It is unbelievable... my new bible.

Bread, I think, is not a problem, but I agree that subsidized agriculture is... and specifically, especially in the US, corn is the problem. Corn is so heavily subsidized that it's almost impossible to find a "food product," including the vast number of commercial breads, that doesn't include unhealthy processed corn products like high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oil, ascorbic acid, xanthan gum, etc., etc.

Carbs are not evil... the human brain gets all its energy from carbohydrates and you NEED to eat them. I think it's just that the most common forms of carbohydrates are refined, processed foods containing additives that are horrible for you. I love bread and pasta and eat plenty of them, but they're all whole wheat and never contain HFCS or hydrogenated oil.

I am obsessively passionate about this topic and am actually compiling info to start a blog about nutrition and food... and yes, PB & J is peanut butter & jelly!
 
 
Olulabelle
09:12 / 21.10.07
Ibis, can you please post your recipe for wholewheat cookies?
 
 
illmatic
14:18 / 21.10.07
For anyone who missed it: Previous thread on Michael Pollan (which could probably do with reviving, actually.)

I am obsessively passionate about this topic and am actually compiling info to start a blog about nutrition and food.

Sounds like a great project - what will your focus be? Please keep us all informed.


Carbs are not evil... the human brain gets all its energy from carbohydrates and you NEED to eat them.

I totally agree. I'm never going to be able to stop eating even simple carbs - particularly if I keep exercising as I am at the minute. "Carbs" as a category is is pretty broad though, and I suspect that a lot of us rely too much on simple carbs to fill us up. I think it might be worth experimenting with their exclusion if you really want to lose weight. I don't personally - the opposite if anything - so I'm fine with eating the wholegrain versions presently.

I think it's just that the most common forms of carbohydrates are refined, processed foods containing additives that are horrible for you. I love bread and pasta and eat plenty of them, but they're all whole wheat and never contain HFCS or hydrogenated oil.

I read Felicity Lawrence's Not on the Label a year or two ago and it really put me off eating processed bread. Like any conscientious consumer I'd brought brown bread from the supermarket for years, thinking that brown was the healthy choice over white, but I'd never really considered why these loaves were so light. Lawrence give the full details of their manufacture and shows how the manufacturers save time and money by cutting out overnight proving (saves electricity, believe it or not), instead of proving the loaves are mixed together in a contraption like a big industrial tumble dryer. The actual wholemeal wheat content is also slashed (= more bread per pound of wheat) but the loaves are actually so unstable that the the only way they can be made look like normal loaves in terms to shape and structure is stuffing them full of hydrogeneated fats. They're mostly fat and air. I'd rather not eat bread at all than eat that, I think.

Lawrence's book is great on a myriad of other topics, by the way - I wholeheartedly recommend it. She has a good look at the industries underlying our food production and what she uncovers isn't pretty. Here's an extract from the book investigating the ubiquitious supermarket bagged salads.
 
 
ibis the being
16:26 / 21.10.07
Ibis, can you please post your recipe for wholewheat cookies?

Gladly! I actually just go through my Betty Crocker cookbook and make substitutions. I find whole wheat flour adds more flavor and depth to my cookies but doesn't make them too heavy. I also often often substitute all brown sugar for regular granulated, which I know is still sugar, but I like the taste better - and I'm still experimenting with succanat. Here are a few of my favorites with my substitutions....

Peanut Butter Cookies
1 c brown sugar (or, 1/2 c brown, 1/2 c succanat)
1/2 c all natural peanut butter
1/4 c non-hydrogenated veg shortening
1/4 c softened butter
1 egg
1 1/4 c whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
additional brown sugar or succanat

Preheat oven to 375 F. Beat sugar, pb, shortening, butter and egg, then stir in flour, soda, b powder, and salt. Shape into 1 1/4 inch balls, place on ungreased cookie sheet. Flatten in crisscross pattern with a fork dipped in the extra sugar/succanat. Bake 9-10 minutes.

Snickerdoodles
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c softened butter
1/2 cup non-hydrogenated veg shortening
2 eggs
2 3/4 whole wheat flour
2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 F. Beat 1 1/2 c sugar, butter, shortening and eggs. Stir in flour, cream of tartar, soda, and salt. Shape into 1 1/4 inch balls. Mix 1/4 c sugar with cinnamon and roll dough balls in the mix before placing on cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes.

Thumbprint Cookies
1/4 c packed brown sugar
1/4 cup non-hyrogenated veg shortening
1/4 c softened butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg yolk
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg white
1 cup finely chopped nuts
about 6 TB jam

Preheat oven to 350 F. Beat sugar, shortening, butter, vanilla, and egg yolk. Stir in flour and salt. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. In small bowl, whip egg white slightly with a fork. Dip each dough ball into the egg yolk and then roll in chopped nuts. Place on cookie sheet and press thumb lightly into each. Bake about 10 min, remove from oven, and fill thumbprints with about 1/2 tsp of jam.
 
 
Ticker
12:54 / 22.10.07
I know this is a thread for recipes rather than products but I was very excited to try a new yummy treat. It helps when I'm running around like a crazy person this last weekend trying to fix busted things and find something healthy to cram into my head.

I just found these lovely omega fat rich things at my healthfood store.
I have to eat them as treats as I'm not supposed to go overboard with dried fruit but they are pretty spectacular especially the banana choclate chip. (which is vegan, dairy/wheat/soy free)

I'm not really supposed to have things like banana bread in its normal form so this is a pretty great replacement. They are made in my state by a family business I'm told.

I'm going to mail some to my siblings who have the same food issues.

For recipe folks I found this low fat vegan fig bar recipe online that looks like a great thing. I'm going to make some to try!

Skinny Figgy Bars

Filling:

8 ounces dried figs (one round package)
4 ounces pitted dates
2 tbsp. silvered or chopped almonds (optional)
2 drops anise extract (optional)
1 tbsp. agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
2 tbsp. water
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ginger

Snip off the figs' stems, and put the figs, dates, and almonds into the food processor. Grind to a coarse paste. Stir in the remaining filling ingredients and process until mixed. Set aside.

Crust:

1 cup regular or quick oats, ground in blender until fine
1 cup regular or quick oats, uncooked (not instant oatmeal)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces unsweetened apple sauce
3 tbsp. agave nectar (or other liquid sweetener)
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir in the wet ingredients, mixing well to a thick consistency. Press half the crust mixture into the bottom of an oiled, eight-inch square cake pan (use a wooden spoon or your hands). Spread the fig mixture evenly over the crust. Smooth the remaining crust mixture over the filling. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Allow to cool completely before cutting into bars.

Icing (optional):

Mix powdered sugar (about 3 tbsp.) with a little water (Start with 1/2 tsp.) until the right consistency. Add vanilla or almond extract to taste (just drops). Drizzle over top of bars before cutting.

Makes 16 bars. Each bar (with almonds) contains: 117 Calories (kcal); 1 g Total Fat; (10% calories from fat); 2 g Protein; 26 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 67 mg Sodium; 4 g Fiber
 
 
illmatic
07:44 / 28.10.07
An interesting article for the guy I mentioned above, Gary Taubes, disputing the intuitive idea that exercise makes you slimmer: Linkity link.

I haven't digested it fully yet (pardon the pun), but according to him, it's carb restriction not exercise that makes one thinner.
 
 
Olulabelle
13:57 / 28.10.07
That's actually a very interesting Roy, thank you for posting it. It's a bit scary to find that all the 'cut out the carb' Atkins diet people might be right because I thought the Atkins diet was horrifically bad for your body. Perhaps I was wrong.

Ibis, I'm struggling to know what "non-hyrogenated veg shortening" is over here in the UK. Is that like margerine?
 
 
ibis the being
20:17 / 29.10.07
Ibis, I'm struggling to know what "non-hyrogenated veg shortening" is over here in the UK. Is that like margerine?

It's a little different. It's also known as Crisco in the US, and (according to Wikipedia) Cookeen is a popular UK brand of the stuff. I buy non-hydrogenated because hydrogenated oil & trans fats are associated with a variety of health risks.
 
 
Olulabelle
20:51 / 14.11.07
I'm going to buy a steamer, but I feel overwhelmed with all the steamers on the market and all their 'vitamin boost' functions. Has anyone got a steamer they would recommend?
 
 
Spaniel
11:54 / 15.11.07
We steam all our stuff in a wooden basket thingy, despite the fact that we own a much more expensive electric wotsit. The wooden one is easier to use, easier to clean, more energy efficient (when put over a pot containing items being boiled, like rice), and just less finicky.

Others experience may differ, of course.
 
 
Ticker
12:37 / 17.12.07
So I embarked on a new whole food diet thingy advocated by the traditional whole food diet people. It's been a little over a week and not only do I feel kickass but indeed the weight is departing (I have a moderate activity level in the winter). I'm sure there is a veg version of this out there somewhere. It also is a no snacking diet with the goal of retraining to eat for non entertainment/boredom and promote use of food by the body. It is designed for weightloss not sustaining a healthy weight.

breakfast:
4 oz. of animal protein and fat
1/2 cup (measure dry) steel cut oatmeal or soaked overnight whole grains
1 cup of fruit

lunch:
4 oz. of animal protein and fat
1cup cooked veg w/butter
1cup raw veg w/oil
1cup broth

dinner:
4 oz. of animal protein and fat
1cup cooked veg w/butter
1cup raw veg w/oil
1cup broth
portion of sauerkraut (raw ferment for the probiotics)
1cupfruit

It's actually a lot of food even though the calorie count can fluctuate depending on choices. 4 oz of cheese is around 400 calories compared to cooked bacon which is 240.
For broth I have been using packets of miso but I believe the ideal one is meat based.
 
 
Hallo, Paper Spaceboy
16:58 / 17.12.07
Has anyone got a steamer they would recommend?

I really have to echo the Boboss on this one -- bamboo steamers all the way. Among other things, they're usually reasonably compact and easy to store as well as contributing the general tastiness.
 
 
ibis the being
22:21 / 17.12.07
Another vote for the bamboo steamer. But WATCH OUT FOR THE STEAM! Me using this for the first time was a like a bad animal experiment in which the animal fails miserably at trial & error: Bamboo doesn't get hot, I will pick this up with bare hands OW STEAM! Wood is not hot, I will just touch the wood OW STEAM OW! etc.
 
 
Less searchable M0rd4nt
22:38 / 17.12.07
How does it not go horribly mouldy on the draining-board though?
 
 
Hallo, Paper Spaceboy
23:32 / 17.12.07
Generally, advisable to hand-dry it right after washing. Plus, they're fairly cheap and easy to replace. And biodegradable!
 
  

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