Coal and Holly: Kirstin's dogs

Dogs have allergies just like people have allergies.  Scratching, dry skin, ear infections, skin irritations, sneezing, hormonal imbalances, thyroid complications, gas, vomiting, and diarrhea are all symptoms that may indicate that the food you’re eating or the diet you are giving your pet are wrong.   And, most (or nearly all) of the symptoms can be dramatically reduced or eliminated by removing common allergy causing foods.

Four of the top food allergens for people and dogs are… dairy, corn, wheat, and soy.

Many people don’t realize they or their pets have a food related allergy because the reaction or symptoms aren’t instantaneous.  Experts have found that it can take 12 – 16 weeks after elimination from the diet to impact symptoms caused by a food allergy or intolerance.   Therefore, you often won’t see instant results by removing the food from the diet for only a few days.  It could take months to see complete results for you or your dog.

The best way to know how each particular food item impacts you or your dog is to remove them completely, then after several months, add them back into your diet.  Keep a detailed food diary noting any changes you see after you have eliminated them and what items are impacted when (or if) you add them back in.

Personally, I have found a great impact in my own personal health after eliminating dairy and wheat products from my diet.  I also found that even a minor amount of dairy causes my mixed breed dog, Coal major stomach distress.  And when he’s distressed, I am distressed!

Also, even if your vet has recommended a particular food for your dog, be sure to read the label and make an informed decision about what you are feeding your pet.  If the first ingredient isn’t a major protein source, you’re already in trouble.  Dog food littered with fillers such as corn, cornmeal, wheat, preservatives, artificial flavoring, or coloring are simply not good for your pet.  And, if they are in your food, that’s not good, either.

Take control of your life, your health, and the health of your pets.  They’ll love you for it.

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Cocoa Krispies boost your immune system, Kellogs claims.

Cocoa Krispies is Not Healthy?

San Francisco attorney Dennis Herrera has challenged Kellogg Company suggesting that Cocoa Krispies does not “support your child’s immunity” as the cereal boxes previously claimed. If you’d like to read the more serious version of this issue, go here: S.F.’s Dennis Herrera Stands up to Kellogg.

Is Kellogg so stupid that it thinks we will believe that a brown sugary rice cereal that turns your milk an unnatural color is good for your immune system? Please. And are we, as consumers, stupid enough to believe it? I’d like nothing more than for Cocoa Krispies to be good for me. But as Jack Lalanne said, “If it tastes good, spit it out.” Some of you may question whether Cocoa Krispies does taste good and I will allow you that. I’m more of a Cap’n Crunch man myself anyway. But most of the children in America… would place a vote of confidence in the tastiness of Cocoa Krispies.

For the past few years, I only eat cereal that looks and tastes like sticks or bark. Otherwise, I’m afraid I’ll get cancer or that my intestines will bind up. So, I’ve eaten none of that sugary breakfast goodness I enjoyed in my younger years.

But even as our country gets healthier, the food industry keeps peddling crap and tries to convince us that it’s healthy crap.

We should all stand up to these corporate idiots like Dennis Herrera did and demand a change. Lets join together and tell them, “We’re not eating your crap until it tastes like crap.”

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Though, of course, the reason for the opening of Nourish restaurant in Scottsdale in March is to help the good food taste good and not like crap.  So, if you want good food that TASTE good to you… be sure to visit us.  And, if you’re not sure what “good for you” food is anymore, we’re happy to do a “food makeover” for you and teach you exactly what you should be eating.  We will even create a Nourish personal meal plan for you.

Owner Kirstin Carey shows off the new vinyl sign located on the Nourish restaurant window.

Nourish...coming soon!

The first real sign that Nourish will be opening soon in Optima Camelview Village is now displayed on one of the west side windows of the restaurant.

Stay tuned to see what happens next!

COMING TO OPTIMA CAMELVIEW VILLAGE
MARCH 2010!

Nourish brings you more than just a place to sit and eat.  You get:

• Casual style restaurant serving delicious comfort food with a healthy twist
• Nourish Express – prepackaged meals to-go including beer and wine options
• Delivery to residents of Optima Camelview Village
• Catering for local parties and events
• Full service bar in restaurant serving wine, beer, and cocktails
• An internet bar complete with easy access electrical outlets and free wi-fi
• Two full-sized outdoor patios
• Private dining room with its own private patio
• Nourish Personal Meals – Created based on your goals, needs, and lifestyle – available for pick-up or delivered right to your door.

See a .pdf version of the menu…

Optima Camelview Village: Home of Nourish

Milk does NOT do a body good.

Milk…it does NOT do a body good!

If you have challenges with gas, bloating, cramps, or other stomach ailments, lactose may be the cause.  Just check out this USA Today article published August 30, 2009 on how many people around the world cannot digest milk.

Chances are, you are one of them….

Click here to go to USA Today article…

Flatout Flatbread

I’ve discovered a fabulous new product that I encourage you (unless you have a wheat or gluten allergy) to try.   It’s called “Flatout Flatbread.

Though there are only 100 calories per wrap, it’s incredibly high in fiber (8 grams!), a good source of protein, low in carbs and low in sugar.  They’re extremely versatile, and taste great.

Reading labels is good for your body, mind, and soul!

Below is the recipe for a healthy dish (easily made vegetarian) I whipped together the other night for dinner using this product and a bunch of leftovers in the fridge.  I call it: Toasted Grilled Steak and Veggie Confetti Wrap.

Obviously, you can exchange the steak for your favorite protein or replace any of the veggies with your favorites. 

Have fun.

Toasted Grilled Steak and Veggie Confetti Wrap

INGREDIENTS:

• grilled steak, chopped into small pieces (or whatever protein you prefer)
• yellow onion, finely chopped
• garlic, finely chopped
• carrots, shredded
• zucchini, shredded
• eggplant, chopped,
• red bell pepper, chopped
• fresh spinach, chopped
• mushrooms, chopped
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper
• Flat Out Flatbread

DIRECTIONS:

Saute the onion and garlic with all the veggies in a little bit of olive oil and some salt and pepper for about 3-5 minutes.

Spoon sauteed veggies and some shredded chicken onto the center of a Flat Out Flatbread.   Roll the short side of the flatbread over about 2 inches (like a burrito) and roll the flatbread once lengthwise.  Fold the other side in and roll lengthwise again.

Place rolled stuffed flatbread, flap side down, onto silverfoil lined baking sheet and place under broiler for 1-4 minutes until top is toasted and browned.  Cut in half and serve.

Veggies and some other tweeks make this classic dish full of flavor, but low on guilt!

For the past two nights, I craved Mac & Cheese.  Seriously, I was obsessing about it.  So, to avoid doing something really terrible like buying a prepackaged commercial brand of the stuff and regretting it the second I swallowed the last bite, I had to take on the project myself.

Mac & Cheese  has to be one of my all time favorite dishes.  Though, I’ve nearly given up the dish as the good ones are loaded with saturated fat and calories that just don’t seem worth it.  Well, until now.  Last night, I took on this classic dish and spruced it up with enough healthy ingredients, that I didn’t regret eating one single bite.  (Did I mention that I had seconds?)

Of course, I also wanted to make sure that I didn’t destroy the great taste and comfort of the dish which has made it a classic at dinner tables and parties for so many years.  I’m all about making dishes healthy (or healthier) but if they don’t taste good than WHAT’S THE POINT?

Click below for the recipe for this made-over classic with a bunch of veggies, lots of color, and a lot less guilt.

Mac & Cheese with Veggies (and Less Guilt)

INGREDIENTS:

• box (12 oz) of elbow pasta (multigrain when possible)
• 1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
• 3-4 cloves of garlic, chopped fine
• 1/2 head of cauliflower, chopped into tiny pieces
• 2 zucchinis, shredded
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 3-4 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
• 6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (NOTE: using extra sharp cheddar allows you to use less cheese, but keep the flavor)
• 8 oz reduced fat sour cream
• 1/2 c soy or almond milk (or fat free cows milk)
• 1T stone ground mustard
• 4-5 slices of multigrain bread
• 1/2 c flat leaf parsley, chopped
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

You may also add or substitute with:

• broccoli, chopped into tiny pieces
• red bell pepper, chopped fine
• eggplant, chopped fine or shredded
• (someone suggested peas, which I find appalling, but if they make you happy, then go for it.)

INSTRUCTIONS:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Cook pasta according to instructions on box and drain.
• Saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 3-5 mins.  Add salt, pepper, cauliflower, carrots, and zucchini and saute another 3 minutes.  Add spinach to top of sauteed veggies, cover, and remove from heat.  (Spinach will wilt from remaining heat.)
• In food processor, pulse torn bread with parsley, salt, and pepper until crumbled.
• In extra large mixing bowl, while pasta is still hot, mix with shredded cheese.  Add sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper and mix.  Add in milk.  Mix in sauteed veggies.  Taste to see if additional salt or pepper is needed.
• Spread cheesy pasta mixture into large, shallow casserole dish and top with bread crumbs.
• Bake 12-15 minutes until breadcrumbs are toasted.
• DIG IN!  DON’T BE SHY!

Fantastic Eggplant Parmesan that will have you begging for more!

When Eggplant Parmesan is made well, it’s fantastic.  Sadly, the good ones are few and far between.  Even reputable restaurants serve soggy or mushy eggplant dishes.

Why bother with eggplant?

Eggplant is a wonderful source of dietary fiber, potassium, manganese, copper and thiamin (vitamin B1). It is also a good source of vitamin B6, folate, magnesium and niacin. Eggplant also contains phytonutrients such as nasunin and chlorogenic acid.  It’s great in protecting against free radicals and helps boost brain power and lower cholesterol.

Now that you know why you want to eat eggplant, here’s how you make it taste great without being mushy.

Non-mushy Eggplant Parmesan reqires the following three items:

1. Right Thickness
2. Sweating Step
3. Baking and Not Frying

What you need:

• An eggplant free from blemishes and cuts.
• 1/2 cup of unbleached white flour
• 1-2 eggs
• 1 cup of breadcrumbs (with Italian seasonings)
• 16 oz of your favorite tomato sauce.  (About one jar.)
• Shredded Italian Cheese or cheese alternative
• 2-3 handfuls of fresh spinach, chopped
• Cookie sheet and wire cooking rack.
• Casserole dish.

Instructions:

RIGHT THICKNESS:

First, cut the eggplant into thin slices no more than 1/4 inch thick.  The thicker the slice, the more likely your dinner will have the consistency of slop.  Of course, cutting slices too thin can cause it’s own problems, so don’t go crazy.

SWEATING STEP:

Next you need to “sweat” the slices.  Lay the slices flat onto paper towels and sprinkle each slice.  Cover the slices with another paper towel.  Let the slices sit for about an hour.  This will help draw out much of the immediate moisture in the vegetable, which is culprit in soggy dishes.

NOTE: If you can’t wait an hour to sweat the eggplant, you can put the slices into the oven at 275 degrees for about 7-8 minutes.  The challenge with this method is that is depletes the eggplant of much of its amazing nutrients.

BAKING (NOT FRYING):

Frying the eggplant sounds like a great idea, but it generally just makes the eggplant greasy, which will make the eggplant soggy once it sits for a few minutes.  Plus, there’s no reason for the added fat.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Pat the slices dry and pat off excess salt.
3. Coat slice with flour, tapping off excess flour.
4. Dip the floured slice into an egg wash (egg whisked with a tablespoon of water) coating both sides.
5. Coat slice with breadcrumbs on both sides.  (Use Italian seasoned breadcrumbs, or add Italian seasonings to plain breadcrumbs.)
6. Place slice onto a cooking rack that sits on a cookie sheet.  (The rack is crucial to baking the slices evenly on both sides and further eliminating the sogginess problem.  If you put the slices directly on a cookie sheet, moisture seeps out making the bottom of the slice wet.)
7. Bake breaded slices for about 10 minutes.  To crisp slices, put slices under broiler for about one minute to brown.  Do not over do-it here.  You don’t want your whole dish to taste burned.
8. Layer slices in rows in a casserole dish overlapping each slice about 1/2 – 3/4 of the slice with the next, but without covering each slice completely.
9. Cover with chopped spinach.
10. Spoon a thick stream of tomato sauce over center of each eggplant row without covering the slices completely with sauce.   Sprinkle a mixture of shredded Italian cheeses (mozzarella, Romano, parmesan, provolone) over dish.
11. Pop dish into oven and bake for 10 minutes at 325 degrees.

Serve with a side of additional tomato sauce, a fresh salad, whole wheat pasta, and/or garlic bread.

NOTE:  If you want crunchy eggplant, bake the breaded slices for 15-20 minutes and omit casserole dish step.   Place several eggplant slices on each plate and top with heated tomato sauce.  Sprinkle with cheese and serve immediately.

Though fruit is commonly believed to be "healthy" it may be working against you.

Jason, a frustrated friend, who has been faithfully going to the gym and lifting weights five days a week has been building muscle, but was having difficulty trimming down.  He was also feeling tired and sluggish during the day.   He stopped by the other night to chat about his eating.

Though Jason had been following a strict meal plan, it was sabotaging his efforts in several ways.

First, Jason was following a “common knowledge” type of diet made popular by lots of advertising.  Sadly, without even realizing it, most people learn nutrition information through commercials or from false information passed around for decades.  Things like “fruit juice is good for you” or “carbohydrates are bad” or “protein drinks will make you lose weight”.

FRUIT IS GOOD FOR YOU
Jason was eating fruit with nearly every meal and he was drinking lots of fruit juice and adding fruit to his protein drinks.   Though fruit sugar is different than refined sugar, your body still reacts to it the same way.  Sugar is sugar.  If you are trying to lose weight or become more lean, then sugar (in any form) isn’t helping you as they are empty calories.  The sugar in the fruit was also spiking Jason’s energy levels, then dropping his energy, which was why Jason was feeling sluggish during the day.

CARBOHYDRATES WILL MAKE YOU FAT
Next, except for fruit, Jason wasn’t eating very many carbohydrates as he thought carbohydrates would make him gain weight… which is only partially true.  Bad carbs will hinder weight loss.  Good carbs (which contain lots of great fiber) will help.  The lack of good carbs in his diet was another reason for his sluggishness during the day.  Good carbs such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, and whole grain bread release more slowly into your system helping you feel more full and energetic throughout the day.

Some easy ways to tell good carbs from not-so-good carbs are:
1) If there’s lots of sugar in it, it’s not good.
2) Good carbs have at least 3 grams of fiber per serving.
3) White carbs (sugar, bread, rolls, rice) are not good.
4) If you are hungry within 2 hours of eating, the carbs weren’t good.

PROTEIN DRINKS SHOULD REPLACE MEALS
Nothing should replace real food.  Drinking your meals may help for a brief period of time, but you need to learn how to eat to sustain long term weight loss.  Protein shakes are great in a pinch and are always better than stopping at a fast food restaurant but most of them are loaded with sugar or (even worse) with fake sugar (a.k.a. poison) such as saccharin or Splenda which cause all sorts of physical and mental ailments.

Also, when you only drink your food, rather than eat it, you are missing a major piece of nutrition – the satisfaction part.  Your brain isn’t satisfied and feels “cheated” if you are only drinking your food.  Give your meals the time they deserve and eat them.  You will feel more nourished and satisfied, which makes a big difference.

Jason went home with some adjustments to his nourishment plan.  He was going to add healthy, fiber filled carbohydrates to his meals, drop the fruit juices, and only use protein drinks sparingly.  He’s also going to increase his cardio from a 10 minute warm up to at least 30 minute workout and decrease his gym time from five to four days a week.  He’ll report back over the next couple of weeks on how these changes are working for him and we’ll make adjustments as needed based on his results.

If you are struggling with your food intake and want some suggestions on an nourishment model that works for you, shoot me an email.  I look forward to hearing from you.