Blogging about our visit to Whole Foods in my last post got me thinking about a question of the week for my readers. I would love to hear different things you all do to cook and eat more healthfully and/or naturally. I was never much of a "health nut" but over the past few years, I am slowly trying to incorporate more healthy foods and use less packaged and processed stuff. Here is a list of some of the ways I am working to make healthier choices for our family:
- Make more from scratch. I have always made most of our "goodies," such as cookies and bars, from scratch, but now I've also started making most of our bread, and also granola or Amish baked oatmeal for breakfasts. I've found it isn't that hard . . . and it is extremely rewarding!
- Read more labels. We try to avoid hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup, and MSG, to name a few things. We don't freak out if some of these things occasionally make it into our diet, but we do try to be careful.
- Use real butter. OK, I don't know if this really counts as being "healthy," :) but I like the idea of using real butter as opposed to margarine, and I also think it tastes better. It is worth it to me to spend more for the real thing.
- Use mostly only canola oil or olive oil instead of vegetable oil. We use extra-virgin olive oil a lot, and really like the flavor.
- Eat a lot of yogurt. Well . . . at least the kids do. :) Our kids are not big milk drinkers, which is fine with me, because they love yogurt, and that is even better for them. I think we should buy stock in Stonyfield Farm. :) I like yogurt, too, but I don't eat it near as much as I should.
- Try to drink a lot of water, and not a lot of juice or soda.
- Eat lots of garlic, fresh herbs, and (hopefully) lots of garden-fresh foods this summer and fall!
Speaking of baking, Rachel had mentioned in a comment about wanting to try making hamburger buns. Here is a link to a recipe I've tried with very good results. I usually use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose flour. Also, even though I cut the proportions down to where it was supposed to make 15 buns, I only ended up with about 8, because we like to make our burgers pretty big. There are some other good looking recipes at RecipeZaar, as well--just do a search for "homemade buns."
So, now it's your turn! Please share your tips for healthy cooking and eating (and if it's frugal, that's a plus, too!). :) Looking forward to seeing what you all have to say!
8 comments:
Thanks for the link, Carrie. I will be sure to check it out. The ones I made the other day were good but more like a sandwich roll. Michael agreed that I should try and see if I can get them lighter and fluffier:). I also LOVE the ideas that you mentioned. This topic is so much fun and I'm glad that you are getting other's feedback:).
Ideas...hmmm...
1. I make pots of pinto beans and navy beans and freeze them into more manageable portions.
2. Purchase lots of chicken breast and fish when it's on sale. If it's hormone free chicken, all the better!
3. Use ground turkey or pour boiling water over cooked ground beef to remove more of the fat - yuck!
4. I have incorporated sucanat into some of my baking. It's $2-$3 a lb. though.
5. Use good flour - King Arthur is my favorite:). In addition to that, I will sneak in the white whole grain flour, oatbran and wheat germ where I can.
6. Substitute applesauce or yogurt for some of the fat in a recipe.
7. I have been using Smart Balance in place of some recipes that call for butter. It's a versatile product and it's supposed to be good for you. It's non-hydrogenated also.
8. In general, trying to eat foods that remain as close to their original form as possible.
9. Not purchasing the "junk" so there is no temptation to binge on it.
10. Trying to incorporate one healthy change at a time and gauge how my family responds.
11. Challenging myself to make healthy foods taste good - that's my hubby's only requirement is that it taste good:).
12. Try to cut up my produce ahead of time for easy prep later on in the week.
13. Things I'd like to add to our way of life in the future:
- fresh herbs
- olive oil (that doesn't taste like o.o. - it's kind of "heavy")
- stevia
- purchasing whole grains to add to baking
- sticking with making kefir
- more homemade soups
I am certainly not perfect in this "area" but I, like you, am trying to make healthy eating part of our family's routine. Every little bit helps:) Thanks for the awesome post - I can't wait to read what other's say! Have a super Friday.
I don't have time right now to share many of my thoughts, but I would like to quickly mention that I visit a blog called Overwhelmed With Joy, which hosts a feature called Favorite Ingredient Fridays. Today, the theme of that feature is Healthy Eating. You might find a few new recipes over there.
Favorite Ingredients Friday Healthy Eating Edition
Well, I wouldn't be what you'd call a "health nut". Probably, I'd be far from it. :) But I guess I do a few things in the interest of being healthier, especially with the kids.
We use real butter, real sugar, etc. I think it's healthier in the long run and it tastes better, too! I only buy Stonyfield yougurt, too. It tastes better and is natural. My kids eat it for dessert at least once a day. My kids drink milk at lunch and supper. I only buy hormone-free milk, which most of it is anyway. But if the store brand doesn't specifically state no hormones, I don't buy it. My kids drink juice with breakfast (one cup only) and I always buy 100% juice. No Kool-Aid in this house! (and I was raised on it!) My kids are big water drinkers. We won't discuss my habits...;) I buy King Arthur flour, too. I don't know if it's healthier, but hubby likes it, so I buy it. We hardly ever eat beef. I use ground turkey instead of ground beef. The Italian kind is very yummy and tastes like sausage in lasagna. I do cook with olive oil (I agree extra-virgin has the best taste). Once we move to a house with some land (Lord willing!), we want a vegetable garden. I can't wait to get lots of fresh veggies and herbs.
One area I struggle in is healthy snacks for the kids. I think I have influenced them to be little carb lovers. :) I would love to hear some ideas if anyone has any!
Some ideas for your friend Mindee in regards to healthy snacks.
1. Dried fruit - Wal-Mart has excellent choices and is economically priced.
2. Trail mix - again, our Super Wal-Mart has great buys and the selections are excellent.
3. Homemade fruit pops
4. Jello Jigglers using unflavored gelatin and 100% juice
5. Whole grain crackers (Goldfish come in whole grain)
6. Fresh fruit slices
7. Veggies and dip (if needed)
8. Make homemade fruit bars - they are similar to Nutri-Grain bars but don't have all of the "junk" in them. I have a recipe that I have adapted that my husband and son can't get enough of. I'll also use 100% fruit preserves (no sugar) to make them really healthy. Trust me - these are great!
9. Tortilla chips w/ homemade guacamole or refried beans (we call them sauce) :)
10. Homemade banana, apple, zucchini, etc. bread with some whole grain flour, wheat germ, etc. sneaked in.
11. Yogurt, cheese etc.
Well, that is all that I can think of for now. I almost always eat whatever I serve to Michael while he is eating it and "talk it up". This generally works but there are some things that he doesn't care for. Sometimes, he'll dislike it one day only to LOVE it the next day. Strange child...:)
I am definately not the healthiest of moms, but in my quest to lose weight and be more thrifty on my grocery budget we have been in the process of eating healthier.
1. I make my own whole wheat noodles for spagetti, and lasagna.
2. Mahed Califlower instead of potatoes or mixed in with them -- My kids can't tell the difference.
3. Today I made pizza on whole wheat pitas topped w/ spinach, mushrooms, and carlic (chopped and sauted in Extra Virgin Olive Oil).
4. Make my own bread (and will hopefully be milling my own wheat by the end of the summer).
5. Substitute applesauce in cake recipes in place of the oil (you can do it in cookies also, but they become more cake like).
6. We drink fruit and yogurt smoothies for snacks
7. and about the 500 different squash recipies I have been trying in order to find one my kids like (OK, so I exaggerate a bit but I have squash coming out my ears from my garden and I didn't even plant it).
Hi Carrie!
I have been trying to do more from scratch lately and cook healthfully for my husband, who has been eating lunch most days at his desk. Rather than leaving him to rel on delivery or fast food like so many of his co-workers, I've been trying to make healthy meals for him to take. Beyond th eusual sandwiches, I've been making veggie & cheese quiches with homemade pie crust (and substituting yogurt for cream in the recipes), tasty cold bean salads, grain salads (like tabbouli) with bean spreads and breads, and lots of cold soups (carrot-ginger, squash soup, gazpacho and creamed bean & veggie soup are all nice for summer too).
Also, I've been thinking about joining a CSA (community-supported agriculture) for some locally grown veggies & local cheese & meats. Is there anything like that near you? There are 2 in southern AZ so far, and one delivers to your home.
Hi Carrie,
Here is the information about the kefir. I have no idea what her price is but I get the vibe that she only charges shipping costs. I am sure that you'll find out more of the details. She was very prompt in returning my email and seems easy to work with. Let me know if you have success with her.
lvhall44@aol.com
Irene V. Hall, LPN
3291 Co. Rte. 57
Oswego, NY 13126
-will have kefir ready on Monday, 7/16.
Just a few ideas off the top of my head:
* Like you, I’m pretty sure that realistically, I’m never going to eliminate white flour and white sugar from our diets. I think I’m pretty balanced in what I do. I am finding that as I learn more and more about processed foods, I’m being a lot more careful about what I buy and a lot more vigilant about reading labels.
* I subscribe to the Nutrition Action newsletter, which is a great publication for demystifying food labels and does lots of good research as to the healthiest (and least healthy) products out there.
* I find myself looking more and more to the natural foods area of our supermarket for cereals, granola bars and crackers that do not contain a lot of fat or high fructose corn syrup. I have noticed that Kashi cereals and granola bars (which are delicious and healthy too) are available in Walmart in their regular cereal aisle for quite a bit less money.
* I do love King Arthur Flour, particularly their White Whole Wheat. I don’t make all my own bread, but do make most of our French bread and some of our rolls, muffins, biscuits, etc.
* I use olive oil and canola oil as much as possible instead of other oils or fat. I use canola oil in my pie crusts and wherever possible in sweet baked goods like cakes, muffins, etc. I will often substitute canola oil for melted butter. I use olive oil for just about everything else, and usually use less of it than the recipe calls for. 1 tablespoon of olive oil is usually enough to saute´an onion in, for example, even if the recipe calls for 2 or 3 tablespoons.
* I always use less cheese than a recipe calls for. If it says “2 cups shredded cheddar”, for example, I usually use just 1 cup. (This saves money as well as fat.) If you think the recipe won’t be flavorful enough with less cheese, you can try using a sharper cheese, which will add more flavor.
* I also use less ground meat in a recipe than the recipe calls for (except in something like meat loaf or meatballs, where the amount of meat is really quite important). In a casserole or soup, I will often cut the amount of meat called for in half.
* I’m sort of inconsistent about turkey products. I use turkey kielbasa and Italian sausage, but I don’t use ground turkey that much because I’ve read that some brands include things like ground-up turkey skin. From what I understand, the way around this is to use the ground turkey breast. And that’s pretty pricey.
* I watch for good sales on things like ground round and boneless chicken breasts. There are some good buys out there, especially at smaller local markets which often stake their reputation on the quality of their meats.
I almost always cut down the amount of sugar called for in a cookie or dessert recipe. (I wouldn’t dare do this in a layer cake, though -- except maybe a carrot cake -- because I think I’ve read that cutting down the sugar too much would cause the layers not to rise enough.) I believe you can cut the sugar in a cookie or dessert recipe down by 1/3 and no harm would be done. But if you don’t want to mess around with figuring this out, just don’t fill your measuring cup all the way with sugar. Fill it about 3/4 full -- that’s what I do and it works out fine.
* In salad dressings, I find that recipes often call for twice as much oil as vinegar or lemon juice. For example, 1/4 cup oil and 2 Tblsp. vinegar. I usually switch that around and use 1/4 cup vinegar and 2 Tblsp. oil. If that sounds too acidic to you, try substituting water for part of the oil. I have done that and it works great. So, in our example, that would mean 1/4 cup vinegar, 2 Tblsp. oil and 2 Tblsp. water.
* I make my own dry mixes for Italian and ranch dressing, taco seasoning, onion soup mix, and the like. It is much, much cheaper and you are in control of what is in the mixes.
* Sometimes I make my own condensed-soup substitute which cooks up in a saucepan like a white sauce. These days I will often buy the reduced-fat or healthy versions of cream of chicken or mushroom soup to use in the occasional recipe. But I will always make my substitute for specialty canned soups like cheddar cheese and cream of shrimp. Much cheaper and tastes better too!
* In my young-mom days, I made my own yogurt, mayo, ketchup, etc. (But please, don’t ask for my mayo recipe -- it was made in a blender using a raw egg and would never be considered safe today!) I also used, in baking, something called the Cornell Triple Rich Flour Formula. It’s a way of adding food value to baked goods made with white flour. Before putting any flour into the measuring cup, place in the bottom of your 1 cup measure: 1 Tblsp. soy flour, 1 Tblsp. dry milk, and 1 tsp. wheat germ. Then fill the measuring cup with flour to make 1 cup. Do this for each cup of flour the recipe calls for.
* I don’t routinely serve dessert with meals (anymore -- years ago, I did). For me, dessert is pretty much something I only eat when we have guests or are eating at someone’s home or a church potluck. Mr. T keeps ice cream in the freezer and I usually have a tin or two of cookies stashed in there too, so he has his dessert in the form of a bedtime snack!
I guess those are all my ideas for now! I’ll probably think of more after posting this!
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