Category Archives: family

Unplugging For Mental Health

by Mirafamily, gratitude, habits, health

by Mira Dessy, The Ingredient Guru

Keeping yourself entertained and keeping your mind active is important to overall wellness and mental health. In fact, I would argue that it’s more important now than ever before.

Most people are home by themselves or with a limited number of people. During this challenging time it’s easy to get sucked into the temptation to spend the entire day on the phone checking Facebook and Instagram every 10 minutes in case some posted something new. Or to veg out completely and binge watch Netflix for 12 hours a day.

As fun as that might sound for a little while, a steady diet of this is not good for your mental healthy, not to mention our eyeballs. Anne Lamott has a great saying, “Almost everything will work better if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” So here are some great activities to help you disconnect from the electronic tether. Take a break from the television, your phone, your iPad, your computer, whatever electronic devices you’ve got and just unplug for a little bit. You’ll probably feel better after you do.

Connection and Conversation

How fortunate are we to have uninterrupted time where we can actually talk with the people we are sheltering in place with (that’s assuming you’re not alone and it’s not just you and the dog or cat). Instead of everyone running in different directions taking care of their own busy lives, sit down and connect. Talk about how you’re feeling, plan a vacation, share your dreams of what’s next. There are lots of wonderful conversations you can have. If you’re stuck getting started try one of these.

Reading is fun!

I love books. There are so many wonderful books out there. Fiction or non-fiction, it’s your choice. But there’s an endless supply of wonderful things to read. If you’re an e-reader person I’d encourage you to try paper, just so you can unplug for a while. And who knows, if you look around at home you may find books you bought that you meant to read but hadn’t got around to yet. Use this as an opportunity to cut down on your tsundoku pile. Looking for a good book recommendation on health and wellness? Consider joining The Healthy Readers Book Club.

Art Projects

This is a great time to reconnect with your artistic side. We are ALL artists (here’s an article that describes my feelings on this topic exactly. One of my favorite ways to create is to doodle. Whether it’s painting, drawing, coloring books, collage, knitting, sewing, anything, let your creative spirit soar. And the best part is that this doesn’t have to be a solitary practice. If you’re sheltering in place with other people, why not take time to be creative together?

Creative Writing or Journaling

We’ve gotten away from the art of journaling. Many of us think we’re too busy to take the time to set pen to paper. But now? Well, why not take advantage of the time. You can share your thoughts about this time in history, write a story, write poems, or even share stories about your life. You may discover a reconnection to your inner thoughts when you take the time to slow down and actually write. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to be a Pulitzer prize winning essay. Just write from the heart and express yourself.

Board Games

When was the last time you took the time to play a game. To get caught up in the fun and laughter of a board game, or card game, or some sort of game? Why not haul out those boxes, dust them off, and make it a new family habit. Who knows, you may have so much fun that this becomes a regular weekly practice that you take forward into your new normal when this shelter-in-place situation is lifted.

Whatever your choose for your unplugging time, one of the best benefits is the healthy distraction from the cacophony of media overwhelm. At this point we’re all on the verge of burnout from the ever-increasing noise of the media. Not to say that you shouldn’t be informed, but let’s take a break, some emotional down-time, and unplug, just for a little bit.

Favorite Instant Pot Tools

by Miracrockpot, family, Gifts, habits, health, questions, shopping guides, Uncategorized

I was a little late jumping onto the Instant Pot train, but now I really can't remember what I did without it! It is my absolute favorite tool in the kitchen. Pressure cooking made easy-as-pie (hmmm... I haven't tried making a pie in my pot yet...) The ease alone would be enough but Instant Pot takes it even further - a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer and sauté pot, and that's just the 6-in-1 model. The 9-in-1 model also makes yogurt, cooks eggs, sterilizes AND makes cake. All this multi-tasking, no hogging my kitchen counter space - it's a keeper. So I've given my Instant Pot it's very own drawer, to store all its handy accessories. Here are my favorites.

TEMPERED GLASS LID
A clear glass lid is perfect for when slow cooking, sautéing, keeping food warm, or even serving direct from the pot.
Instant Pot Tempered Glass Lid

STAINLESS STEEL INNER COOKING POT
Having a second inner pot makes it really easy to prepare multiple dishes. I find it especially handy when I’m meal-prepping. I can make a main dish, and then quickly pop in a new inner and make quinoa, rice a veggie and such. It’s almost as handy as having two Instant Pots.
Instant Pot Inner Cooking Pot

SEALING RINGS
The Instant Pot lid sealing ring is made of silicone. It’s really durable and will last you a long time. It can, however, hold onto food odor. I wash mine in my dishwasher after each use. I also periodically “steam-clean” it in the pot - toss a couple cut up lemons and a cup of water into the pot and cook on manual high pressure for fifteen minutes. I do have a second ring to use when I make a neutral or sweet dish and I really want to ensure no savory aromas are transferred.
Instant Pot Sealing Rings

STACKABLE INSERT PANS
Stackable insert pans are great when you have more than one dish you can cook at once – steaming, cooking veggies and rice. Or cooking two dozen hard-boiled eggs at a time. These make reheat leftovers in the Instant Pot so easy and fast, a much better choice than using a microwave.
Stackable Stainless-steel Insert Pans

STEAMER BASKET
A steam basket or rack is essential for Instant Pot cooking. I especially like one with moveable sides so it can adjust and accommodate food of all shapes and sizes. I like the extendable removable handle on this XOX model, it’s handy when lifting hot food from the pot.
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Steamer with Handle

TRIVET-RACK-STAND
I use a taller trivet in addition to the trivet that comes with the Instant Pot, so I can cook in several layers. I’ll often cook things like sweet potatoes on the lower level and place an entrée in a pan above on the higher level. If you do this, take care that the height of the tallest item is not higher than the pot’s maximum fill line.
Trivet Rack Stand

HOT POT GRIPPER CLIP
Sort of like a hot pad’s much stronger studier weight-lifter cousin. Just clip the grip end onto the hot pot, or pan or basket and lift it from the Instant Pot. My friend Coleen, an Instant Pot veteran, gave me these when I first got my pot. She was absolutely right about how much I’d love them!
Hot Pot Gripper Clip

CHEESECAKE PAN
Perfect for cheesecake, tarts, quiches and more cheesecake. This pan was designed with Instant Pot cooking in mind, it has a handle for lowering into and lifting out of the pot. The only problem I have found with this pan is that it is too easy to make cheesecake. It's very tempting to have cheesecake every week. LOL
Stainless Steel Cheesecake Pan

YOGURT MAKER CUPS
My Instant Pot doesn’t have the Yogurt function (sad face) so this yogurt maker cup set is on my wishlist for now. When it’s time to give my pot an Instant Pot sister, it will be the yogurt-making 10-in-1 model.

COOKBOOKS: Now that I have an instant pot and love the versatility of this device I realized I needed a couple of cookbooks to help me find delicious recipes as well as instructions for standards like chili. Here are the ones I have: The Ultimate Instant Pot Cookbook and Dinner In An Instant

If you loved this list, be sure to check out my Favorite Kitchen Tools list. I've done the research so you don't have to!

Affiliate Disclosure: Recommendations I share on my website may contain affiliate links. If you click through my referral link, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase. I only recommend products and services I use myself and would share with friends and family. Your purchases from these companies through my links helps me continue to bring you free information on my site.

Favorite Kitchen Tools

by Mirafamily, Gifts, habits, health, questions, shopping guides, Uncategorized

Good kitchen tools can help make cooking easy, delicious and fun. I've put together a list of a few of my favorites, the ones I find myself reaching for over and over again. Some are new discoveries and some are my dependable old friends.

CHEF'S KNIFE
Everyone needs a good chef’s knife. With an 8” blade and perfectly balanced, this is my favorite and I use it all the time. When I was displaced by Hurricane Harvey for a few months the one thing I missed the most was my knife.
Wüsthof Classic 8-Inch Chef's Knife

FLEX EDGE BEATER
I love my mixer and all of the attachments that come with it. Especially this scraper mixer blade This is an amazing mixer because it makes short work of beating, mixing, and blending. I even use it to mix my meatloaf.
KitchenAid Flex Edge Beater

IMMERSION BLENDER
This is the handiest dandiest tool in my kitchen. Perfect for making mayonnaise, blending soups and sauces, making applesauce, I also use it for making a bulletproof style boosted tea.
All-Clad Stainless Steel Immersion Blender

CUISINART
My mother bought me one years ago and I remember thinking “What the heck am I going to do with it?” Now I don’t know how I’d live without it. I use it to chop everything, including making chopped salads in the summer.
Cuisinart 14-Cup Food Processor

JULIENNE BLADE
Perfect for making julienned vegetables and especially for ‘zoodling’ zucchini, butternut squash. I’ve even used it to julienne apples for a shredded apple dessert.
OXO Good Grips Julienne Peeler

ECO-FRIENDLY FOOD STORAGE
I'm a big supporter of the movement to reduce plastic, especially one-time use plastic. I do my best to use eco-friendly products. In my kitchen, I’ve moved away from plastic wrap to Bee's Wrap for food storage. Made of organic cotton, naturally antibacterial sustainably harvested beeswax, and organic jojoba oil that help keep food fresh. Each cloth is washable, reusable and compostable. Even their product packaging is sustainable, made from 100% recycled paper and biodegradable cellulose.
Bee's Wrap 3-Piece Sustainable Reusable Food Storage

VITAMIX
I Iove my Vitamix. It was an investment for sure, but there's good reason that foodies, home chefs and restaurant kitchens around the world are loyal to Vitamix. Mine gets used almost every day. Sure, it’s perfect for making smoothies, but it’s also great for blending NiceCream (“ice cream” made from frozen banana), homemade almond milk, coconut whipped cream, soup, and more.
Vitamix 7500

INSTANT POT
I’ve had my Instant Pot for less than a year now, and I really can't remember what I did without it! It is my absolute favorite tool in the kitchen. Pressure cooking made easy-as-pie (hmmm… pie. I haven't tried making a pie in my pot yet…) The ease alone would be enough but Instant Pot takes it even further – a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, warmer and sauté pot, and that's just the 6-in-1 model. The 7-in-1 also makes yogurt, and the 9-in-1 cooks eggs, sterilizes, makes yogurt AND cake. All this multi-tasking, no hogging my kitchen counter space – it's a keeper. So I've given my Instant Pot it's very own drawer, to store all its handy accessories. I have so many favorites I've made a favorites list for Instant Pot Tools too. You can read that list here.
Instant Pot

LE CREUSET PAN
I adore my Le Creuset pan. It’s cast iron and enameled. From eggs for breakfast to sautéing veggies for dinner, this pan practically lives on my stovetop because we use it so much.
Le Creuset Signature Iron Handle Skillet, 9-Inch

MANDOLIN SLICER
Fabulous for slicing things at any time of year it’s great for salads, frying, canning, and makes quick work of different cuts for a wide variety of foods
Mueller Austria V-Pro 5 Blade Adjustable Mandolin

SHAMELESS PLUG
If you’re giving gifts for the kitchen this holiday season why not share a copy of my book The Pantry Principle: how to read the label and understand what’s really in your food? This is a fabulous resource to help you learn more about your food, so you can make healthy choices. Available in Kindle or paperback, it’s an essential guide for anyone who eats, in other words, it's an essential guide for everyone.

Real Food In A Small Space

by Misty Humphreyfamily

In a recent conversation with my dear friend and colleague Misty we covered a wide range of topics. From eating for wellness and our careers as holistic nutrition professionals to dreams of a more connected-to-our-food life and making real food in a small kitchen.

We had a delightful conversation and she shared some really wonderful thoughts and memories. I asked her if she'd be willing to share some of that with you. I'm really pleased to share her article with you.

Pursuing the Farm Life Dream

As a young girl I grew up on a small farm in the country. Once I married and had children, I was faced with the decision to leave my farm life completely and sell my horse.

I was busy with small children and while having a farm was the life I knew, it seemed a distance memory of a future dream that I would not attain as a young wife and Mother. I live in Northern California and the property values are great. This dream just didn't seem possible until my husband and I agreed that if planned simply, this dream can in fact become our reality.

My husband and I had become increasingly nervous about living down river from what is known to most as “Wine Country.” While there are several organic vineyards in the area, most were large commercial wine grapes that surrounded us and our lovely little river. Our water came from this river and the thought of what chemicals were likely entering this water supply during wet weather run-off was frightening. Growing up on a farm, I was used to having our own well and never had I depended on a public water source.

Just 3 years ago while the housing market was still in flux, we began looking for our piece of the farm pie. We didn't have the money for a developed farm or even a piece of property with a home on it. We are resourceful, hard-working people and decided that we would just build our home. We decided to begin looking outside of our increasingly expensive county and found a 40 acre parcel at a price point we could afford. It seemed too good to be true and I knew the breaking point on the cancellation of this escrow would come out of my water test. Imagine my excitement when my water test not only came out clean without over growth of bacteria’s but to my surprise, 100 mg of magnesium per liter of water!

As a nutrition professional, I am keenly aware of the importance of fresh air, clean food and a solid water supply. While we knew it would take some time to build our home, the sacrifices would be huge but we swallowed our pride and decided to purchase a large 5th wheel travel trailer to use as our temporary home.

Imagine standing at the top of the mountain with views for miles and miles with the vision of your little piece of heaven. It was a glorious thought and an exciting feeling.

My husband and I have had our share of life's ups and downs as young parents so we're fairly hearty and solid as a couple. The thought of living in a trailer temporarily didn't frighten me and in fact, it was a sacrifice I was willing to make for 40 acres with a prolific spring. Yes, my very own water supply and it’s a natural spring containing the minerals we needed and missed after years of consuming water from a public supply. My parents thought I was crazy. My commute isn't an easy one and in fact, there are 2 miles of dirt road just to get to my driveway. I know they thought I had lost my mind but I know what I have, for I feel like the richest Woman on earth!

Adjusting to a Simpler Kitchen

I moved into our little trailer slowly and eventually gave up my newer custom built 1800 square foot home. My biggest fear was telling my Dad because he helped build it and I felt like I was giving up a piece of him. It's crazy I know but the time, diligence and love that he put into it meant the world to me but I really needed more. More room, more sun, more freedom and the ability to walk away from "the grid". Yes, we are sustainable which means I have no public power, water or sewer so we're on our own. Currently we run off of solar panels and a gas powered generator so imagine my disappointment when I realized my slow cooker would become a distant memory.

We've worked out many kinks and I've figured out how to successfully make my bone broth with an Instant Pot pressure cooker for now. I look forward to the outside kitchen we plan to build with a brick oven and fire burning stove so that I can have my slow cooked broth, but simmered traditionally.

My girlfriends laugh because I have successfully brewed Kombucha and Kefir, fermented vegetables and even made sprouts in my tiny little kitchen. I have an area right behind my sink that is approximately 2 square feet and when the entirety of your home is about 300 square feet, this is quite a lot of space to give up to the ferments and fruit flies. Don’t forget, I also use the Instant Pot so processing the broth in my smaller than usual sink is also a bit of a chore but I now have a system and I don’t have to give up my favorites due to a bit of inconvenience in space.

Embracing Sustainability

This all seemed so overwhelming in my previous huge kitchen but what I realized is, we have drifted as a society from the independence of home grown and fresh preparation of our foods. What we sacrifice in return is knowledge of ingredients, lack of education for our younger generations and ultimately, our health. We seem to be involved in a rat race that chases wealth first and health last. It is my wish that we stop and consider what we put into our bodies, what decisions we can make to take a few more minutes each week to gain independence from the chemicals in both our food and water. What small changes can you make to ensure your family has access to the cleanest food and spring water possible? As you read above, it’s not as difficult, nor is it a distant dream if you consider micro gardening, preservation of that food and obtaining water on a smaller scale.

If you have small spaces, rather than flowers, consider planting seasonal food in planters. Easy choices include greens, herbs & spices, strawberries and tomatoes. You can easily dry herbs and spices as well as sun dried tomatoes on a window screen, freeze your strawberries or just pick and eat. Once you have your little herb garden, and step out to grab your “pinch” while cooking, you’ll wonder why you never maintained this fun, dependable practice in the past.

If you have a larger space but can’t find the time, share your space with a friend, relative or neighbor who might really love the idea of helping you plant and maintain the garden for an equal share of the harvest.

I mention above the idea that our water supply might not be the healthiest choice so consider a whole house filter, a heavy duty filter such as a Big Berkey, purchasing spring water or even better, locating a spring by visiting http://www.findaspring.com/. In my study of minerals, it has come to my attention that with the incorporation of public water systems, our mineral intake has decreased a great deal. When nature provides for us, it’s usually in perfect harmony. Not so much when Man is involved with this process. From water to the soil, these changes are increasing our need for supplementation so if you have access, it is wise to consider obtaining spring water. If not, you can purchase a multi-mineral supplement and add it to your water to replace what has been lost.

No matter your sourcing, if you can etch out a bit of sustainability in your little world, I promise you the reward is worth the effort. This is especially important if you have children. We now live in a world where our children have no idea how to prepare meals and intimately know how to use a microwave.

As a child, I have great memories of picking blackberries, gardening and subsequent baking and preserving with my now deceased Grandmother. I plan to give my grandchildren those same warm memories.

I’m off to source non GMO seeds for the family garden we are planning for the first time in the 3 years we’ve been on Snow Mountain.

If you'd like to know more, Misty can be found online at Healthy Transitions.

Word Of The Year: Balance

by Mirachange, family, healthword of the year

Last year with the encouragement of my friend Sue Painter I chose a word to focus on for the upcoming year. It was the word inspire. And last year was definitely a year of inspiration, change, and huge personal growth.

I enjoyed the process so much that I decided to do it again. Oddly enough it's not that easy to pick a word. When you stop to consider that this word is a guiding focus for the year ahead, to think about how to condense all of your goals and hopes into one single word, it can be a bit overwhelming.

After much careful consideration I've chosen the word balance. The dictionary defines it as:

bal·ance (ˈbaləns/Submit)

noun

1. an even distribution of weight enabling someone or something to remain upright and steady.

synonyms: stability, equilibrium, steadiness, footing

stability of one's mind or feelings.

"the way to some kind of peace and personal balance"

SAILING
the ability of a boat to stay on course without adjustment of the rudder

2. a condition in which different elements are equal or in the correct proportions.
synonyms: fairness, justice, impartiality, evenhandedness, egalitarianism, equal opportunity

ART
harmony of design and proportion, the relative volume of various sources of sound.

3. an apparatus for weighing, especially one with a central pivot, beam, and a pair of scales

synonyms: scale(s), weighing machine

the zodiacal sign or constellation Libra

4. a counteracting weight or force

synonyms: counterbalance, counterweight, stabilizer, compensation

the regulating device in a mechanical clock or watch.

5. a predominating weight or amount; the majority.

6. a figure representing the difference between credits and debits in an account; the amount of money held in an account.

the difference between an amount due and an amount paid

synonyms: remainder, outstanding amount, rest, residue, difference, remaining part, an amount left over

verb

verb: balance; 3rd person present: balances; past tense: balanced; past participle: balanced; gerund or present participle: balancing

1. keep or put (something) in a steady position so that it does not fall

synonyms: steady, stabilize, poise, level

remain in a steady position without falling

2. offset or compare the value of (one thing) with another

synonyms: weigh, weigh up, compare, evaluate, consider, assess, appraise, judge

As a word nerd, I love the fact that it's both a noun and a verb. But even more, I like what it stands for and how my focus in the year ahead, my intention, is to seek balance, find balance, be balanced, and to provide balance for others.

As part of how I practice I assist people with their health goals, that brings them into balance with their bodies. As a holistic health practitioner I support them in looking at all aspects of their current state of being, that brings them into balance in many different areas of their life, a "way to some kind of peace and personal balance." That really resonates with me; I hope to be the rudder that helps others find the balance they need.

On a more personal note is the idea of balancing so that "different elements are equal or in the correct proportions." As I focus on the year ahead I need to be mindful of balancing my own healing journey with my food sensitivities, my personal commitments, my clients, time with friends, spiritual growth, focus on family, and personal development. That balancing act is never easy, but I believe it's worth focusing on.

Wishing you a happy, healthy, peaceful year ahead!

Sugar For Pregnancy

by Miraadditives, family, ingredients

We consume far too much sugar in this country. Manufacturers shove enormous amounts of it into a wide variety of foods making the amount that the average American eats shockingly high. According to information found at the Department of Health and Human Services, 200 years ago Americans ate an average of 2 pounds of sugar per year. Now, thanks to modern food production methods, combined with cheap and easy access to sugar, the average American eats 3 pounds per week! That's the equivalent of about 6 cups of sugar or approximately 1,500 calories worth (it varies depending on the type of sugar). The American Heart Association recommends no more than 6 teaspoons of added sugar per day for women (9 teaspoons for men). Six teaspoons times seven days brings the total suggested consumption to 42 teaspoons or less than 1 cup of added sugar per week, an enormous difference.

The effects of excess sugar consumption are well known, weight gain, diabetes, cavities, gum disease, suppression of the immune system and a number of other issues. Obviously it makes sense to try to avoid excess sugars as much as possible.

One area where it especially makes sense to reduce sugars is for those who are pregnant. Excess sugar consumption by the expectant mother not only affects her health, but also that of her unborn child. Unfortunately this does not stop manufacturers from using excessive amounts of sugar in products aimed specifically at pregnant women.

I was shopping with a friend at a maternity store last week. As we waited at the checkout I noticed a few “impulse buy” products near the registers. Being the Food Ingredient Guru that I am I could not resist the impulse to pick them up, flip them over, and #ReadTheLabel. Here are the results of two of the items I saw:

Marketed specifically as candies for pregnant woman, this has 12 grams of sugar per 3 pieces. And the ingredients are not a healthy choice: dried cane syrup, corn syrup, citric acid, natural flavors, and natural colors. Breaking this down we have two kinds of sugar, one of which, the corn syrup, is most likely to be genetically modified. We also have citric acid which is often made from corn and therefore probably genetically modified. Natural flavor is often code for monosodium glutamate. I'm not sure in this instance as they talk about essential oils, but it's an ingredient that I feel would be best avoided.

The other product was a pregnancy “boost” bar with 8 grams of protein. It's important to remember that many protein bars are just glorified, grown-up candy bars. They're often not a healthy choice due to the high levels of sugar. This bar is no exception.

I find this one especially frustrating because the packaging specifically calls out health claims such as “bone health for mom and baby”, “supports baby's healthy brain function”, and :enhanced immune function”. However 13 grams of sugar per bar are not going to be supportive for the immune system.

The ingredients in this product are as follows:

Brown rice syrup, oats, milk chocolate (sugar, cocoa butter, milk, chocolate liquor, dextrose, soy lecithin, vanilla), soy crisp (soy protein, tapioca starch, salt), toffee (evaporated cane juice, butter [cream, salt], crisp rice [rice flour, sugar, malt extract, salt]), brown rice crisp (brown rice flour, rice flour, distilled monoglycerides), soy nuts (soybeans, sugar, natural flavors, sunflower oil, salt), soynuts, almonds, vegetable glycerin, cocoa butter, cocoa powder, pear juice concentrate, non-fat dry milk, natural flavor.

Fortified with: calcium carbonate, magnesium citrate, cholecalciferol (vit D3), potassium iodine (iodine), choline bitartrate, ascorbic acid (vit C), zinc oxide.

The company does claim to use non-gmo soy however

The dextrose is from corn and probably genetically modified.
Sugar appears five times on the label.
The listed dairy products are not organic and therefore are likely to have added hormones, antibiotics, and potential pesticide residue and/or genetically modified on the feed given to the cows.
The soy crisp, rice crisp, and brown rice crisp are all exploded grains and as simple carbohydrates are quickly broken down impacting the blood sugar.
Malt extract and natural flavor are potential sources of MSG.

All of these combine to make this an unhealthy option. Consider instead having a real food snack such as an apple (if you're looking for something sweet), or a clean source of protein such as a handful of raw nuts or an organic whole milk yogurt with some fresh berries.

Remember that whatever the claim on the front of the package it's always important to Read The Label.

I Love Latkes!

by Mirafamily, holidays

Hanukkah and pancakes!

It's that time of year again. Hanukkah! The festival of lights. Part of the holiday celebration calls for eating foods fried in oil to celebrate the miracle of the oil the burned for eight days. Latkes, or potato pancakes, are a favorite. Everyone loves them and everyone has their own recipe.

I only make them once a year (although they're great anytime). Mostly because we don't tend to eat a lot of fried foods in our house. Every year my husband asks me not to make latkes because they're so greasy. And every year, as we're eating them, he says, “I'm so glad you made latkes, they taste so good!”

A special treat

Latkes taste amazing. I actually think they taste better because we only get them once a year. If we ate them all the time it wouldn't be that special. Or that healthy. They're a treat and we enjoy them fully. And at the end of the day, that's a part of what really matters when it comes to our food. Yes, we want to make healthy choices, yes we need to get rid of the chemicals and additives in our food, but yes, we also need to celebrate with special foods. And in my book latkes falls into that category.

Cooking with friends

This year I got together with a bunch of friends and we made latkes together. Four different kinds! That kitchen smelled a-m-a-z-i-n-g when we were done — potatoes, potatoes with carrots, potatoes with zucchini, and sweet potatoes. I have learned from past experience that you can't mix regular potatoes with sweet potatoes because they cook at different rates. It's also important to note that when you add things into the potatoes it changes the cooking time and sometimes requires you to turn down the heat a bit so you don't burn the latkes.

You can make latkes however you like. I've seen recipes that call for green apple to be shredded into the mix, I've heard of adding jalapenos, using herbs, making them with other root vegetables, it's all a matter of personal preference.

In our family we tend to be traditionalists and prefer the plain potato latkes served with organic sour cream and unsweetened apple sauce. Here's my favorite latke recipe. And may there always be light in your home and your life.

Mira's Favorite Latkes

2016-12-20 16:35:11

Save Recipe

Ingredients

3 pounds of russet potatoes, scrubbed, peeled and shredded
1 large vidalia onion peeled and shredded
1 large egg
1/4 C. gluten free flour
sea salt to taste
grapeseed oil (enough for frying)

Instructions

Mix ingredients together
Heat oil in a pan
Drop mixture by very large tablespoons into pan
After 2-3 minutes flip to other side and cook another 2 minutes
Remove from pan and drain on paper towels

Notes

I use grapeseed oil for frying as it has a higher smoke point. Normally I might use coconut oil but in this particular instance I do not care for the flavor when mixed with the latkes. For those of you who have The Pantry Principle, the chart of oil smoke points is on pages 72-73.

By Mira Dessy

The Ingredient Guru, Mira Dessy https://theingredientguru.com/

Mom-advocate

by Mirafamily, lunch, unhealthy, USDA

Social change happens slowly. Sometimes it's difficult because the organizational mountain that is entrenched does not want to be moved. With the second season of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution well underway we are once again seeing the challenges that many parents face trying to get better choices for their children at school. As this video from the last meeting for the National School Lunch Program shows, manufacturers and lobbyists are extremely prevalent (although not always very visible) in making school food decisions. These standards are only revised once every five years; with this highly politicized structure, our children are the ones who suffer the consequences.

A friend of mine, P.W., shared her recent frustrations with her school district, the mixed messages kids are getting, and the challenges of helping adolescents to better understand nutrition and health so that they can make better choices.

In order to protect privacy names and identifying information have been removed. These letters were edited for clarity.

P.W. wrote to her school district:

Our daughter saw “Super Size Me” today in health class at school and it really made an impression on her. Talk about NOT practicing what you teach! Good nutrition is so highly tied to academic success and yet my daughter's options for a school lunch are absolutely dreadful. Our daughter has access to multiple fried foods with a Gatorade every day. Your lunch program conditions them to a high fat, high calorie junk food diet. The lack of nutrition causes them to crave more, as well as affecting their overall development. I do not understand why the schools are able to teach the  horrors of a junk food diet and then NOT offer them a sensible lunch that will provide the nourishment they need. It grieves me to think that this may be the only decent meal some of these kids have each day and it is junk!

This is something that has bothered my husband and I since our children were in grade

school. To see this hypocrisy is more than I can take.

I am certain that you must know what a good nutritional diet really looks like. I can only assume that there are other factors that are causing the schools to fail our children this way. What do I need to do to help you fix this problem?

[In order to protect the words and privacy of the Health Teacher I am summarizing their responses]

The teacher wrote to my friend explaining that there has not been a fryer in the school kitchen for 10 years, that all hot food is either steamed or baked. The school does have a conveyor oven that gives a crisp texture without frying.

The school is not allowed to serve any product over 23 grams of fat and follow strict portion sizes.

The nutritional plan has changed to allow for higher fiber, lower sugar, lower fat foods.

Cucumber slices and green bell peppers are offered during the week, fresh fruit is available on each school line every day and beverage choices available daily are water, 100% fruit juice and low fat milk.

The teacher remarks that there is a challenge in providing healthy menu choices that the kids will want to eat within their budget.

P.W. was invited to research the nutritional information of the food online at the school's website. The Health Teacher also suggested that the child should be educated at home about portion sizes and healthier choices.

P.W. responded:

It is encouraging that our daughter is learning about better nutrition,  recognizes the value of fresh produce and is making an effort to make better  choices. I appreciate her having access to fresh fruits and vegetables  at school. It is also somewhat comforting that you are limiting the amount  of fat and using a cooking process that avoids frying. However when I researched  the menus and nutritional information on the Parent Access site, the hot meals are all basically junk food and do not have much variety.

I sympathize  with your challenge of balancing a budget with high product and labor costs,  but I believe that we should offer a better and more varied menu and it can  be done without breaking the budget. My concern is that the junk food  offered daily, even though it is a “healthier” variety of junk food, clearly  needs to be a small percentage of our diet and yet it is the majority of  what is offered. Although you are making an effort to serve lower  fat/higher fiber items, they still have the appearance, taste and texture of  high fat. I don't see that they have much access to a home-style hot meal  that isn't highly processed or available on a daily basis.

From the menu, it  doesn't appear that much is made from scratch, much less from local products  and it largely looks to be heat and eat. Preservatives and chemicals are just  as much an issue as the empty calories of fast food. From what I hear,  much of the fruit offered is not fresh either, which translates into a much  lower nutritional product. I also don't understand why our kids are only  offered 1% and skim milk, when whole milk would be a better choice for most.  Adding a full fat live yogurt to the menu would be a great addition, as well  as seasonal melons, berries, grapes, and citrus.   

The other issue I have is that my daughter is on 4th lunch. This means that by  the time she gets to have lunch, the cafeteria is out of certain things,  others are over cooked or burned, or the lines are so long that time  prohibits her from even eating some days. This cannot be considered acceptable.

  In this age group, peer pressure and the school  experience trumps whatever is being taught at home. It is a huge challenge  for us to feed our kids well at home when their taste buds become conditioned to a fast food diet when attending school. Years ago, I had the  privilege of being in a school kitchen that prepared food and distributed it  to all the area schools. This district must be large enough to be able to support  such a venture and be able to better utilize seasonal and local products, as well as to create a fresh high quality meal for our kids and staff. You have an  enormous responsibility to our kids and I respect your challenges and  appreciate your response, but I can't say that it provides me the assurances  I was looking for and hope that a new approach is being considered.  

P.W. Wrote me privately and shared:  

Another thing that really upsets me is that when I was in school, there was a wash basin for the kids to wash their hands when entering the cafeteria. None of the schools here have that and supposedly, the teachers are taking the kids by the bathroom to wash up before lunch, but I don’t believe it. They have staph and other contagious diseases running rampant all the time and good hygiene is essential. There should be a state law that requires hand washing before meals in schools.

My take on all of this:

I frequently find myself very frustrated by school districts serving fatty, sugary, nutritionally deficient foods and then claiming that it is the parent's responsibility to teach their children to eat better and make better choices. Many families that I know do teach their children these things and do provide much better choices at home. However in the school environment there are not too many children who are going to choose from the highly limited often not-really-that-healthy option over french fries and pizza. I believe the school has ice cream and cookies and fast food options because those are the more profitable items.

I know several children who are vegetarians and have heard disturbing stories of the distasteful looking or even empty salad bars that the cafeteria staff refused to replace or refill leaving that child with no viable option.

Earlier in the year I had the opportunity to speak with my local Great Harvest Bread company. They had received an opportunity to bring whole grain bread, preservative free sandwiches into the school system. However after a short period of time their contract was reduced to four schools and cut back in the number of days that they were allowed to provide. They believe part of the reason for this reduction was because the school wanted to bring in Chick-Fil-A more times per day as that was a more profitable option for the school district. Great Harvest was not allowed to send notes home to parents letting them know that this healthier sandwich option was available.

I believe it is an unfortunate truism that most children, even those who have received more nutritional education at home, will opt for high fat, high sugar foods because they are enticing. By having an overabundance of these products the school virtually guarantees that they can feed children the least nutritious, cheapest foods and make large profits.

In defense of the school system I do agree that they have a difficult job trying to feed as many children as they need to with the minimal federal dollars allowed. However this should not be an excuse to allow Pizza Hut, McDonalds and Chick-Fil-A lines in a school cafeteria.

I believe another part of the problem is that school districts simply do not want parents to be involved in the decision making or to have input into the nutrition served at the cafeteria. School lunches have become a profit center, if not for the school then at least for the food service corporations. Moves such as this one in Chicago disallowing lunches to be brought from home make me highly suspicious of the intent. I believe, unfortunately, that many schools are marketing to a captive audience and can therefore preach one thing and do another.

I applaud P.W. and many others like her all around the country who are rallying on behalf of the kids. Change is happening all across the country. From the Edible Schoolyard to the Renegade Lunch Lady, Two Angry Moms, Better School Food, Local Food Dude and more, we need to push for the children to have decent nutrition and take back our cafeterias.

Gluten-free In An Rv

by Miraadditives, breakfast, eggs, family, gluten free, immune system, pantry, recipes, vacation

Increasing numbers of people have food allergies, sensitivities or intolerances these days. There are a lot of theories as to why this is, but the bottom line is that it can make it very difficult for folks to eat outside their home. Maintaining a healthy pantry is critical for these folks, as is an awareness of what to look for when eating on the road.

Now that summer is over and the kids are back in school, it's time to get back to the regular routine while daydreaming of summer vacations. My friend Tina recently shared the story of her family and their ability to take a long-awaited cross-country family vacation. It's wonderful that they were able to achieve this dream, and a definite testament to how much advance preparation they had to do to be able to make this trip a reality.

Traveling gluten-free and dairy-free definitely changes what you do and how you do it. Our family has dreamed of a cross-country trip for years. Those dreams were challenged by the fact that my husband is very sensitive to gluten and dairy… even a crumb or drop can leave him with asthma and GI problems for weeks. We decided that the best way to travel would be to take our kitchen with us and do most of our own cooking. With the help of a friend who lent us their RV we were able to do finally make our dream come true and take this trip.

Starting from CT, going across the northern states, down California, then returning via the southern states and up the eastern coast it was a wonderful adventure. We were so happy our dream could become a reality and we had a great time. However we definitely had to consider how we would feed my gluten and dairy-free husband along the way.

Carefully considering our menus we pre-stocked the kitchen with gluten and dairy-free staples we knew we could have a hard time finding on our travels across the country. Not every area of the country offers a wide range of dietary choices and not every store has things like:

rice/potato pastas
gluten-free pretzels
gluten-free bread crumbs
gluten-free bread
dairy-free buttery spread
gluten-free chicken broths
gluten-free, dairy-free cold cuts
gluten-dairy free brownie mix
gluten-dairy free cake mix (we had some birthdays to celebrate along the way)
corned beef without anything added in (in the midwest a lot of stores only sold corned beef with everything already added in and we couldn't trust it)

Our dinner meals were usually a meat (chicken, steak, pork, burger), sometimes breaded with veggies or a stir-fry with brown rice.

One family favorite is a breakfast that we usually have in the winter before spending the day snowmobiling out in the cold. It's tasty, filling, and an easy on-the-road breakfast.

The Berge's Hash and Eggs

Can of corned beef (plain, no potatoes added)
4 potatoes (or as many as you feel is adequate for the # of people you have), diced
3-4 T. olive oil
1 onion, diced
ground pepper, to taste
onion powder (optional)
eggs (1 or 2 per person)

Put the onion in a frying pan with a 1 T. oil until softened.
Add the potatoes, more oil if needed, and cook until potatoes start getting soft.
Add the corned beef and brown it all (no need to add salt since the corned beef has it already)
Season with pepper and more onion powder if needed

When the hash is browned remove from the pan and set aside
Cook the eggs (we like sunny side up)
Place eggs on top of the hash and serve

It's so delicious and for lunch you can get by with just a piece of fruit and some nuts or other light meal… works great when you're travelling around for the day.

My husband's diet influenced us in other ways as well. We ate “out” at a restaurant only twice during the five weeks we were on the road. Before being seated we would ask our server lots of questions about whether they could accomodate us; if they said they could, we would try it. However there was always that feeling of playing “Russian Roulette” with his GI system since you're never really “sure” that the chef and wait person “get it.”

While we were on the road we would seek out health food stores and would be in heaven if we found a gluten-free bakery or somewhere with treats (we were on vacation after all!). We were surprised to find that out west people do not know what italian ices are. There's a market to be tapped there, for sure!

We talked a lot about how it would be great if there were some quick, healthy drive-thru type places where gluten and dairy free people could find food. Unfortunately it doesn't exist, even the salads are usually tainted with croutons and/or cheese. It was eye opening how much harder it is to travel when you don't fit into the majority.

Travelling with food allergies can be a great experience if you plan ahead on how to find or make foods that work. Yes, it would be nice to be able to eat out a little more often while on vacation (food is half the fun of vacation!) but we were able to manage. The good news is that the States seem to be getting more aware of food allergies and it is definitely easier to find gluten-free and dairy-free foods than it was 10 years ago.

photo courtesy of: Bill Ward's Brickpile

Green Tomatoes

by Mirafamily, preserving, tomatoes, vegetables

I was recently visiting family in the Northeast where they have been hit badly by the tomato blight. All over the area farmers and home growers are ripping out plants and throwing them away because of the blight. Although cherry tomatoes and plum tomatoes seem to hold up better they are certainly not immune.

When I went with my sister-in-law to her beautiful community garden plot everything appeared to be growing well. The garden was lush, greenly fragrant and productive, even the tomatoes looked good at first glance. But the blight had obviously damaged the plants and the fruit. As she began to pull out the plants I realized that many of the fruits were still unscathed. Remembering the years we lived in Vermont (which Shep Ogden, owner of Cook's Garden, jokingly says should be referred to as the Green Tomato State) I knew that there was a lot we could do with the fruit. My sister-in-law agreed to give it a whirl and we began to hunt for all of the un-blighted fruit we could find.

After the patch was cleared and we headed back to the house with bags full of green tomatoes we began to search for recipes. There are so many things you can make with green tomatoes; more than just the familiar fried green tomatoes. We usually don't use them because we are so conditioned to eating them when they are fully ripe. According to the USDA the nutritional profile of green and red tomatoes is almost the same. Green tomatoes have twice the vitamin C, more vitamin K, and more calcium. Red tomatoes have more vitamin A, E, and potassium. Apparently they have the same amount of lycopene and it is believed that the chlorophyll in the green tomatoes hides the red pigment which indicates a lycopene-rich food.

Our cooking and canning foray took two days (in part because we also canned zucchini, but that's another story) and we made green tomato cake, green tomato pickles, green tomato salsa, and some really fabulous green tomato relish. Now when their family sits down in the middle of those cold New England winters they'll still be able to have a jar of summer goodness on the table to enjoy.

Green tomatoes are versatile and can be made into pie (it's delicious, trust me), pasta sauce, and all manner of preserved goods. While I'm not sure if the farmers in those states affected by the blight will be able to harvest and sell their green tomatoes I sure hope they do. And I hope that people realize just how tasty green tomatoes are. Who knows, it might start a new demand for green tomatoes.

photo courtesy of wikimedia.commons.org