The Skinny on Fat

Along with many other things in the American diet, I think we need to reevaluate the role fat plays in our lives. It came to my attention yesterday when I heard a girl comment on how disgusting her friend’s protein shake was because he added peanut butter to it. I could understand if you didn’t like peanut butter, but she said it had too much fat. 

She commented on how high in calories it was because of the peanut butter. He responded with the fact that he wasn’t worried about the calories because they were healthy calories and he had run 8.5 miles that morning. I silently agreed with the man, and laughed to myself as the girl went on about how high in fat and oil the peanut butter was. I finally said: but it’s good fat. She replied: it’s still fat. So today I would like to present to you the skinny on fat.

I read somewhere that, "eating fat does not turn into fat in your body the same way that eating brains will not make you smarter." It sounds pretty simple since most people wouldn't eat brains, but why does fat get that bad rap?

All fats are not created equal. Just like carbs, there are beneficial fats and detrimental fats. In general, “bad” fats are the ones you find in processed foods: french fries, candy bars, ice cream, etc. “Good” fats are the ones you’ll find in pure, natural foods: nuts, pure nut and plant oils, fish, and vegetables like avocados and olives. Pretty simple, right?

Healthy fats benefit you. Unsaturated (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) fats and Omega-3 fats provide great benefits to your body. They help regulate your blood sugar, improve your mood and cognitive function, protect your joints and nourish your skin. It has been proven that two servings of fatty nuts can alleviate mild depression. Most of these are best eaten raw, though. Even oils commonly used for cooking such as olive and canola are no longer beneficial once exposed to heat. These work best at low heat or when used as a salad dressing. 

Eliminate trans fats and saturated fats. Things that are processed, pre packaged or deep fried usually contain one or both of these types of fat. If you're worried about the fat from adding some avocado to your burrito, you might want to worry more about the lard in the tortilla. High fat meat and dairy also fall into these categories.

Read labels: anything “hydrogenated” is not going to benefit you. This process takes fats and infuses them with hydrogen to make them more shelf stable. This process makes the products difficult to digest triggering an array of problems from heart disease to cancer. The maximum daily amount of trans fats anyone should consume is 2 grams, but the FDA only requires labeling if the product contains more than .5 grams per serving. Considering this, a person could consume 4 servings of things claiming to have “0 grams trans fat per serving” and reach or exceed the healthy limit without knowing it. This is why it is so important to read the ingredients on packaged foods. If it has no package (i.e. fresh produce, nuts, beans, etc.) it’s probably free of bad fats.

Pair fats with carbs. WHAT!?!? No, we’re not talking donuts, here. We’re talking fruits, vegetables and whole grains - duh! Simple sugars are absorbed into the bloodstream very quickly, but pairing a simple sugar (like fruit) with a healthy fat (like nuts) lowers the glycemic index of the food helping your body absorb it more slowly and providing you with a steady stream of energy for longer.  So add some peanut butter to your protein shake, all fats are not created equal.

More information on good vs. bad fats. 

Day 31

Our days of vegetarianism are officially over but we did learn a few things in the process. At home it wasn't a big deal at all but eating out was a hassle. That is good in a way because it prevented us from going out too much. We decided we might continue to eat a few vegetarian meals per week and when we do eat meat, continue to make vegetables the focus instead of the other way around.

Here is a picture of our last veggie meal of the month: green salad with fresh tomatoes, onion, and bell pepper with lentils, barbecue tofu and feta cheese. YUM! I was sad to realize the dishwasher had not been run so we had to toss the pretty meal in a bowl. Oh well it was still delicious.

Bed Snack

This recipe was one my parents used to make when I was growing up. It's so simple and tasty I just had to share it.


When I was little, my parents would read a book to my brother, my sister and me while we ate a snack before bed. This snack we admirably named "Bed Snack" was made for us once in a while and was always our favorite.

All you'll need:

• Regular sized marshmallows
• Crackers

My parents made them with plain old saltines but I wouldn't pass up the chance to incorporate a few more whole grains so I used kashi 7 grain crackers. The whole grains help to lower the glycemic index since marshmallows have an alarming amount of sugar in them. The package I bought listed a serving as 4 mallows with each serving having 19 grams of sugar! Topping a carby cracker with a gooey mound of sugar probably isn't the best idea before bed so this might make a better mid-afternoon snack... especially if you're feeding it to your children.

What to do:

1. Preheat the oven to about 300
2. Lay out the crackers on a cookie sheet or pizza pan and top each cracker with a marshmallow. Be sure to center the mallow because they puff up in the oven and if it slides off you'll have a gooey mess.
3. Bake until the marshmallows are puffed up and light golden brown on top - about 5 minutes.
4. Remove and allow to cool before eating.

This is an easy one for the kids to help with (not putting them in or taking them out of the oven, of course) and they will love watching the marshmallows grow as they cook. People of all ages love a good sweet, salty, crunchy, melty treat once in a while!

Sandwiches

Update on the vegetarian experiment: still going strong.

We have learned that America is less-than accommodating to non-carnivores. After attending a party for my husband's work, a friend's baby shower, and dining out a few times; we've had a hard time avoiding meat in public. The restaurants we've been to have maybe maybe an item or two without meat. On the other hand, we found some pleasant surprises in some places! Before this challenge, I would have assumed that if you didn't eat meat you wouldn't go to a burger joint or a steakhouse. Recently I realized that just because you don't eat meat doesn't mean your friends are that way too! People go out just to be social, so why exclude anyone??

Buffalo Wild Wings has a boca burger on their menu and you can substitute a black bean burger for the meat on any of their signature burgers. Who knew??

Panera Bread has a satisfying hummus and vegetable sandwich.

Moe's Southwest Grill has a tofu option as well as gluten free and low cal menu choices. Even if you're ordering their "regular" items, they serve grass-fed, hormone free meats and fresh vegetables - even their cheese is organic! 

You can find a listing of more vegetarian-friendly restaurants in your area and around the world here.

Now to tackle another problem we've had with this challenge: sandwiches. Dinner hasn't really been a problem, other than some new recipes we tried that were a total flop and were not worth posting. Lunch on the other hand has been difficult. We eat a lot of sandwiches. I stopped buying lunch meat over a year ago because I felt the nitrates weren't worth the price. When my hubby came back from deployment we started buying it again so he could have sandwiches for lunch. This experiment has forced us to open our minds to new sandwich combinations and I would love to share some.

Today I had a variation of a Caprese salad on a sandwich. We were out of hummus (my new go-to sandwich staple) but we had some left over vegan mozzarella which is surprisingly delicious! Thus, my caprese sandwich was created.

You will need:

• Bread
• Mozzarella
• Tomatoes
• Basil

Optional:

• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic
• Onion
• Balsamic Vinegar
• Other spices that suit your fancy

I lightly toasted 2 slices of Ezekiel bread, then sprinkled a little vegan mozzarella on top with some garlic powder and basil then melted in the microwave for 20 seconds or so. This "cheese" gets really gooey when it melts. Then I added some sliced onion, tomato and green peppers we had left over from pizza the other night to one side of the bread. Top with the second slice and voila!

This cheese I bought at the health food store to make pizza with is by Daiya. We haven't been avoiding dairy really but the amount of cheese thats on a pizza sometimes causes stomach cramps but this stuff is fantastic! It's gross fresh out of the bag but it takes on a wonderful taste and texture when melted - perfect for pizza! I took a picture of it but my camera's dead so I'll have to post it later.

The full list ingredients for the "cheese" is as follows: filtered water, tapioca and/or arrowroot flours, non-GMO expeller pressed canola and /or non-GMO expeller pressed safflower oil, coconut oil, pea protein, salt, vegan natural flavors, inactive yeast, vegetable glycerin, xanthan gum, citric acid (for flavor), titanium dioxide (a naturally occurring mineral).

More sandwich creations soon to come. Enjoy!

Let's Get Crunchy...

Many people are aware these days of the potential toxicity of household products. We work to reduce the toxins we are aware of in our food and in our cleaning supplies but what about... deodorant??

Commercial deodorant / antiperspirant does two things: prevents odor and moisture. Sweat is a natural process of cleansing the body, it doesn't actually smell. Foul body odor is created when the moisture reacts with bacteria on the skin. Many scented deodorants (like other fragranced items) don't eliminate the odor but simply overpower it. People like the feeling of staying "dry" because they associate sweat with stench. If  there are toxins in your body they will come out through your pores and it will probably smell. If a person consumes adequate amounts of water throughout the day and limits the bacteria causing "junk" they ingest the sweat will be odorless.

Aluminum is the targeted ingredient in many antiperspirants because it has been linked to skin allergies, cancer and alzheimer's disease along with other ailments. Preventing the release of sweat can cause a buildup of sebum inside the sweat gland resulting in a painful and unsightly cyst. The yellow stains in the pits of your white shirts are not from sweat but from the reaction of the sweat with the antiperspirant. 

Another common but known dangerous branch of ingredients called parabens are widely used in cosmetics to increase shelf life. Nobody wants to smell bad, and when the thought of giving up deodorant is mentioned certain images come to mind; it doesn't have to be like that.

You can make a powerful yet gentle deodorant with ingredients from your kitchen. If the ingredients are safe to eat, you can bet they won't increase your risk of cancer or degenerative diseases. 

You will need:

• Coconut Oil (found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores)
• Cornstarch
• Baking Soda
• Fine ground salt (optional)
• Essential oils (optional)
• A container to put it in

To Prepare:

Start by measuring out the coconut oil (CO). You will need different amounts depending on the size of the container you are working with. I'd start with 1-2 Tablespoons. 

Coconut oil is used because it is an easily accessible plant based oil that is solid at room temperature. It is very gentle and moisturizing on the skin. Side note: also great for cooking at high temperatures and is full of healthy fats!

Coconut oil with baking soda and cornstarch added

Heat the CO in the microwave for 15 - 30 seconds until softened. It doesn't have to be completely melted. Add equal amounts of both cornstarch and baking soda i.e. if you used 1 Tbsp CO use 1 Tbsp each of baking soda and cornstarch.

Baking soda works as a natural deodorizer while cornstarch absorbs moisture. This will not keep you 100% dry, however, I have found it works much better than the "natural" deodorants I have tried.

If you'd like to add a little salt at this point you can add about 1/2 tsp per 1 Tbsp of the other ingredients. Too much will be too drying and it will have a grainy feel. You can stop the process here if you prefer an unscented deodorant. Most likely you won't stink, but you won't smell nice either. 

Salt is also a natural deodorizer, it helps absorb moisture and has antibacterial properties - further neutralizing odor. 

After the dry ingredients are well mixed with the CO you can add a few drops of pure essential oil. I like to start with a drop or two of tea tree, peppermint, and lavender because of their soothing scent and antimicrobial and antibacterial properties. Remember: if there's no bacteria, there's no stink. 

 You only need a few drops! I use about 2 drops of each oil because they are very powerful and too much can sting or irritate your skin. 

Voila! Let the mixture cool to room temperature and its ready to use. This 2 oz container lasts me about 2 months. I apply a small amount with my fingers after I shower and I'm good. I haven't timed the longest it has worked for me but I'd say at least 12 hours. 

I put it to the test a few weeks ago when I sat at an outdoor tennis match in the Florida heat and humidity; I was sweating like crazy and was sure the deodorant wouldn't hold up but it did. I was definitely hooked after that. 

It even helps soothe razor burn and irritation so there's no reason not to try it. It melts quickly in the heat and becomes very solid in the cold but neither affects its effectiveness. You can always move it from fridge to microwave to find what works best for you.

More information on aluminum, sweat, and deodorant can be found here and here. 

Warm Lentil Salad

Dinner on Day 3 got our hopes up again. We made a warm lentil salad and it was delicious.

First I thought I'd share with you a minor tofu mishap I had at lunch:

I was making a sandwich and I thought I'd use up some of the leftover tofu we had so I got my sandwich all ready while it was cooking with some hummus and fresh veggies but when I went to put on my slice of tofu the disaster occurred. Luckily I had more and the dog wasn't interested but it was still funny.

Onto this Lentil Salad...

The recipe I had called for 2 cups cooked lentils but when I went to the cupboard I only had 1/2 cup dried lentils so I substituted half brown rice and it was awesome so you could use either. 

You will need:

• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 cups cooked lentils ( or 1 cup lentils, 1 cup brown rice)
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 Tbsp spicy mustard
• 1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries
• 1/4 cup roasted pistachios
• 2 Tbsp chopped mint
• 2 Tbsp chopped parsley
• optional crumbled feta

To Prepare:

1. Cook rice as directed
2. While rice is cooking, chop onion
3. When rice has about 20 minutes left, add lentils with equal amount of water; along with vinegar, mustard and onion
4. Once cooked through (about 20 minutes) add pistachios, cherries / cranberries, mint and parsley
5. Season with salt and pepper, top with crumbled feta and serve

Here is the final product:

This dish really got us more excited about the no meat thing. It was filling, with a good combination of salty, sweet, tangy and crunchy. We'll definitely be eating this again and I recommend it to everyone.

Seitan Stir Fry

Day 2 was stir-fry. We eat a lot of stir fry anyway because it's cheap, easy and nutritious. You can season it differently to get a variety of flavors. We could have just done vegetable story fry but I wanted to experiment a little.


Seitan is a vegetarian protein made from wheat gluten. It has a firmer texture than tofu, giving it a more "meat-like" texture. It also, like tofu, has no flavor of its own.


I started with noodles (you could also use brown rice) and cooked them as usual. In a small fry pan I added a little oil, the seitan, and a little lemon juice.

In a larger fry pan I cooked the frozen stir fry vegetables. When the veggies were almost finished I added some stir - fry sauce. Once the noodles were done, so was just about everything else. I scooped some noodles and vegetables into a bowl and topped with a few pieces of seitan and Ta-Da!

The seitan wasn't terrible I would probably do it again. The thing that caught us off guard was that it looked just like chicken, but it had a texture very unlike chicken so you think you are eating gross chicken. But if you keep in your mind that it is wheat gluten, all is well. It didn't taste bad, in fact it just tasted like stir fry sauce. The texture is something I'd need to get used to, though.