Saturday Morning Breakfast: Banana Nut Muffins

I hate wasting food, but I and my family are not big fans of eating brown bananas. The obvious thing to do with them was to make banana nut muffins, and they were delicious. Luckily I had a package of biscuit mix on hand (I just have to remember to replace it), and I always keep walnuts in the pantry. This recipe is super easy and adapted from my trusty Betty Crocker Cook Book:

Preheat oven to 400° F

2 large or 3 medium smashed bananas (you should have a cup to cup and a half)
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large egg (have you noticed that "large" eggs are not nearly as large as they used to be?)
1/3 cup sugar
2 cups biscuit mix (I use a package of Weisenbergers biscuit mix, produced in Midway, KY.)
chopped walnuts or pecans (optional - but I use at least 3/4 cup of walnuts)

Mix well and place a couple Tbsp of batter in a 12-muffin pan (medium sized). Either grease the bottom of the cups with butter, spray, or oil, or use paper liners.

Cook about 15 minutes, or until golden brown on top. Check to see that they are cooked through by stabbing a large one with a toothpick. I shared this trick with my daughter this morning.

Remove from oven and let cool a few minutes.

Enjoy with milk and fresh fruit.

The worst things I ever did to my diet

Before I get started, I’d like you to know there are a few points of very personal information in this post. If you are not interested in my digestive system, then you may want to hit the little “x” in the top right corner. But ever since Oprah, Dr. Oz, and other personalities have gotten real about health, and poop, and everything else icky that goes on in our bodies, I feel the need to be real as well. Also, if you would like the skip all the history and details, go straight to the bottom for my conclusion.

A few posts ago, I shared how I had gained some weight back over the past two years because I let my old habits creep back into my life (Time for a Wake-up Call).  While not happy, that’s life. I know my triggers when it comes to overeating and not wanting to move beyond my office chair.

But this time last summer, my stress levels were out of control. I was away from home a lot because of work and all the kids’ activities, and I wore myself down. It made me sick. Very sick. Sick enough for several trips to an ER and an infectious disease specialist. I was treated for Lyme disease with a ghastly antibiotic, and I am convinced it did me more harm than good. After 3 1/2 weeks on the couch and in bed, I finally started to feel better. While Lyme disease was never confirmed and there was never an official diagnosis, I suspect I had the recently named Heartland Virus.

Why is this important? For one, I gained 8 pounds over the course of that sickness. Lucky me. The constant fevers wreaked havoc on my metabolism, and I started feeling a bit depressed and wanted to do something about it.

Unfortunately, I did not think that doing what has always worked for me in the past was good enough this time – eating less processed and fast foods, and working 20-30 minutes of exercise into my daily schedule. I started watching infomercials and reading about the latest gimmicks, and let a company convince me that I was not to blame, it was my aging body. Going against everything I believe, I bought some dumb supplement that supposedly convinces your body not to process carbs into stored fat.

I took these pills, full of cinnamon bark and other herbs, before every meal. After a month, I found that they did not deliver any results and my belly started to ache. I quit taking the supplement, and my gut continued to ache, nearly every day. Some days, the pain was not so bad, and on others, it was excruciating. I wasn't sure what was to blame. Was it the supplement? Was it from being sick and taking the antibiotic and eating ibuprofen and acetaminophen like it was candy? Was it stress? Was all of this causing me to get an ulcer?

During this entire time, and even now, I never once decided to take myself to a doctor. That was probably mistake number one. But the whole scenario reminded me of a conversation I had with John Moody, a local/whole food advocate who once shared a stage with me to debate GMOs. He told me that he had developed a very painful duodenal ulcer, and it healed once he removed processed foods. Great. Remind yourself that I work for corn and wheat farmers, which is in most everything that is processed. I was starting to let the “all processed food is bad” Kool-Aid work its way into my head.

In month 5 of my belly dilemma, I traveled to South Africa with my leadership class. I got to experience some wonderful food, and I had absolutely no belly aches the entire trip. So I began asking myself, “What did I not eat in South Africa that I regularly eat at home?” I had wonderful vegetables and meats, but even processed GMO corn in the form of “pap” was on my plate every day.  While there was not as much bread, I ate pizza and pancakes, and still no pain. What was missing was milk. I was not eating my regular breakfast cereal with cold milk as I do most every day of my life. Was milk the culprit?

Soon after my return to the US, the belly pains returned, and I decided that maybe milk was not helping my situation, and I could possibly be eating too much gluten (everyone is jumping on that bandwagon these days, so why not check it out). So I took a few no dairy or wheat days. I was shocked at how flat my stomach was within those days. No gas, no bloating. I even lost a few pounds. The pain was less intense, but my bowels were not moving. I was getting plenty of fiber from fruits, veggies and oatmeal, and drinking a half gallon of water or more each day. I had to resort to over the counter medication, and it did not help much. Once I started eating bread and fiber cereal again – with soy or almond milk – it was smooth sailing. New realization: wheat is still my friend.

My focus was back on milk. Maybe I had become lactose intolerant. Or maybe it was whey intolerance, or casein protein intolerance. I read about so many food intolerances over the course of a couple of weeks my head was spinning. And if you have ever read the symptoms of gluten intolerance, anyone and everyone have experienced one of those symptoms probably over the course of a week. No wonder everyone wants to cut it out of their diet (before those with Celiac disease jump all over me, I do realize that is a real problem).

I tried Lactaid milk, and found it absolutely disgusting and very expensive. It spoils very quickly as well, making it even more expensive. I called the local dairy group to see if any research had been done or if they had any resources about dairy intolerances. I did not like replacing my regular milk with soy or almond milk because of all the added sugar.

My belly pain once again started to diminish. One morning I felt pretty good, so I thought I would experiment and have a glass of milk. I was in so much pain that day – all day. Yup, it’s milk. Or was it the four chocolate covered donuts I ate throughout the day? Hmm?

I then resorted to keeping a food journal. That was about 3 weeks ago. I found that it was actually my healthier meals that were giving me the most trouble. After doing this for two weeks, I was able to narrow it down to one thing: cinnamon. And going back to when my troubles started… I was taking those super concentrated cinnamon supplement pills. Even when I stopped taking them, I still ate a lot of cinnamon because it is supposed to be good for you – cinnamon every morning in my oatmeal and on at least 2 sweet potatoes a week. I can't believe I had missed something so obvious. 

I finally decided to bring a small amount of milk and dairy back into my diet. My belly is not as flat for obvious reasons, but my bowels are the happiest they've been in a long time. I've decide the good outweighs the bad.

Conclusion

I have not eaten any cinnamon in the past week, and have not had one bit of belly pain. Now I’m going to dig out those supplement pills from the back of the pantry and ask for a refund. What I’m not going to do is tell everyone to get rid of cinnamon in their diet. Everyone is unique. I am surprised, however, at how quickly I was to blame so many other things and rushed to eliminate entire food groups out of my diet because of something I read. We are told regularly that quick and drastic diet changes are not good for our pets, so they are probably not so good for us either.

Based on my experience, here is my advice:

1. If you are experiencing any type of digestive issue, a trip to the doctor should be at the top of your list. I have yet to do that, but it has taken me 8 months to figure out and address my problem.
2. Keep a food journal, writing down everything you eat and when your pain/annoyance is the greatest. But keep it simple. If you are eating a lot of processed foods with many ingredients, it will be very difficult to narrow down the culprit.
3. Ditch the gimmicks. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I let a fancy sales pitch play to my emotions – I was feeling bad about myself and wanted to be convinced it was nothing I was doing on my own. Just write “fool” across my forehead!
4. Get rid of the stress in your life! You are the best to figure out how to do that, but stress doesn't do anyone a bit of good. Letting stress take over my life paved the way to a number of problems.

Thanks for reading, and may peace be with you.

It's National Chili Day - My Favorite Recipe

I have always loved chili, especially during the colder months. In honor of National Chili Day, here is my favorite recipe, developed over time with inspiration from my Pop, mama and husband (he introduced me to Rotel). I have been using venison steak only for the past few years, as I just think it makes it more rustic and more Kentucky!

Brown cubed venison or beef (venison will not need to be drained of fat)
Add a cup of chopped onion during browning
1 can of Rotel tomatoes with chiles (original)
1 15 oz can of petite diced tomatoes
1 regular can of tomato sauce (I fill can with water and add to chile - I like a thinner consistency)
2 can dark red kidney beans
Season with your favorite chili powder mix (I like McCormick's)
Cook on medium heat for about 20 minutes, then reduce to low for another 10.

My family insists on me adding spaghetti noodles. I will add about one serving size, al dente, just a few minutes before serving, sometimes. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. A dollop of sour cream if you wish.

Time for a Wake-up Call

Thank goodness for time to reflect. Last week I was feeling pretty lousy. Worthless, actually.

My daughter needed a few immunizations to be up to date with school. While at the doctor, they performed the various battery of tests for her 11-year checkup. I was thrilled that her weight was well within the “normal” range for her height, despite her genetic obstacles from both sides.

However, we were told she had glucose in her urine, which prompted a blood sugar test. It was higher than it should be. I was told that since this was not a fasting test, that we should not be too alarmed, but something to be careful about. A myriad of excuses went through my head: they fed her a bad lunch at school, she wasn't drinking enough water, and maybe she is just intolerant of refined carbs. Of course not one of these was based on any medical expertise, but I just could not muster that it was anything I had any control over.

The doctor then said that if any of the other tests were concerning, they would call and let us know.

I got a call the next day. Her cholesterol level was just a few points shy of being “high.”

My heart sank. I felt like a worthless parent. It had to be me. I got lax. I slowly started to let too much fast, fatty, highly-processed food back into our diet because we are just too busy. I wasn't encouraging play time and exercise as much as I should, because I was not making time for myself. I was doing exactly what I write about not doing. What a fraud I had become.

Now I guess anyone can see why this blog has taken a back seat for the last year. My heart just was not in it. I wasn’t practicing what I was preaching. And it shows. I worked very hard to lose 35 pounds by just eating better and exercising more over the course of 18 months. Fifteen of those pounds have crept back on the past 12 to 18 months. And I am weak. I could easily do 25 push-ups (real ones) and run three miles. I can no longer get through my favorite Jillian Michaels video taking periodic breaks. She would be screaming in my face.

But this is not about me. Who cares if there was no way in Hades I was going to take a bathing suit to my trip to South Africa earlier this year. This is about my children. They are so important to me. To feel I have contributed to their bad health make me feel as if I am the worst mother in the world.

While I really wanted to crawl in a hole, I have instead pulled on the muck boots to make a plan. Or, I guess, revisit the old plan (Reinventing Our Plate) . There was absolutely nothing wrong with what we were doing before. I just let too many other not-as-important things move their way to the top of the list.

So here’s to a rebirth and unfailing commitment. My daughter seems to be all for it. She’s not fighting the healthier dinners, and we have a plan for one cheat meal a week, as long as we keep portions under control. The little one is happy no matter what food I put in front of him.

Last night we had turkey burgers sans bun, baked sweet potato fries and steamed broccoli. I will need to be creative tonight, as we have Karate practice (something new for son, but daughter said she also enjoyed the trial class), a small window for dinner, followed by a 4-H meeting. But I’m up for the challenge, again. 

This Mom is Thankful for Frankenfood

Yes, I work for farmers who choose to grow genetically modified corn and soybeans. I am able to read research defending the benefits of modified crops to farmers, the environment, and ultimately the growing human population. I also have friends who work for Monsanto, as well as other seed companies, who sell and market genetically modified hybrids. I smiled when I saw that environmental activist Mark Lynas changed his position from condemning genetically modified foods to celebrating them. But in the end, I am NOT defending GMOs or “Frankenfoods” for these reasons. I have a better one.

I have witnessed a huge shift for the better in our food system in the past few years. I see more people interested in food and wanting to know how it is produced. I see more people wanting to purchase food from small, local or organic farmers, and this shift is providing a wonderful opportunity for those willing to provide these foods.  Others want to produce their own food, which is also a step in the right direction to foster future food security.

Having options is good for both the consumer and the producers. Competition is good for business and the economy. I don’t necessarily like that it takes people screaming with fear to have this change happen, but nonetheless, we are moving in a great direction for agriculture. I will continue to share as much information that I can to help others make informed decisions.

And I am sure there are many out there who do not or will not share my glorified opinion of GMOs, and I am fine with that. If someone is looking for non GMO, I will gladly point them in the direction of an organic farmer. I want to see them prosper as well.

My 3-Year-Old Son Used the “F” Word

The word is probably not what you are thinking, but nonetheless, it appalled me. Where did he learn to use the word “fat?”

I was watching a Discovery Health show about a 600-pound mom while my son was playing in the floor. He looked up at the television and said, “Wow. She’s really big. She’s fat.” Aack. My first reaction was to tell him, “Yes, she is big, but it’s not nice to say that someone is ‘fat’. It can hurt their feelings.”

I had been so very careful when raising my older daughter to never use that word when referring to anyone, and I scolded family members who did use the word in front of her. I never wanted her to judge anyone by their appearance or worry that someone may use that word to describe her appearance. People rarely use that word to describe someone they like, so it is not a word in our vocabulary.

So have I become more lax? Do I need to reinforce my expectations with caregivers and family who are with my kids? I was not ready to have this conversation with my son, but I guess it could have been worse.

My inquisitive boy began to ask more questions. “How did she get like that?”

“She ate too much food, and food that was not healthy for her,” I replied.

Then I was able to turn it into a conversation about what is healthy food.

“What types of food are good for you?” He said he thought Craisins, milk and nuts were good for him.

“What are types of bad food?” He said pizza and candy. Then he sat there a minute and asked, “Then why do you let me eat pizza?” Great, he turned it around on me.

“Well, I don’t let you eat pizza all the time, and I don’t let you eat a lot of it.” Thank goodness that was the end of the talk, but I know it will come up again. In fact, this morning he informed me that his current cereal of choice was not healthy. I have decided not to share it because I don’t know if I want anyone to know that I purchased it.

In the end, I am still sad that he learned what the word means and felt the need to use it. The good news, however, is that this was one more opportunity for us to talk about healthy eating, and I’m proud that my preschooler is thinking about it. I praise God every day that I was blessed with good eaters and we have no food allergies in my house. I also praise God that I am able to set good examples for them and provide the food they need.

But my mission is now to find the culprit who taught him that awful 3-letter word and give them a lecture about loving others and themselves.

Reducing Your Environmental Footprint and Waistline: STOP USING THE DRIVE-THRU

I do not abhor the fast food industry. In fact, I use it way more than I should because of the convenience. However, the more I sit in drive-thru lines the more I start to realize how awful this “convenience” is for our environment and our health.


How much pollution is poured into the atmosphere during idle time? How much energy are we wasting by going absolutely nowhere? How easy is it for us to mindlessly eat when all we have to do is stick our arm out of the car window and demand food? I don’t know the real answers to these questions, but I am sure it is unbelievable.

Therefore, I am making a pledge to stop using the drive-thru. If I need to use a restaurant, I will make myself park and walk in. I also pledge to not eat in the car (something I was never allowed to do in my grandparent’s car as a kid). It will make me think more about what I and my family are eating as well as improve safety conditions. How often do we choose food that is “easy to consume while driving” instead of opting for a more healthy choice? I also admit that it will keep me honest; I can’t tell you how many times I have gone through the drive-thru needing an emotional pick-me-up and have then hidden it from the husband and kids. BAD, BAD, BAD!

I also want to take this time to scold all the husbands out there who sleep out in the grocery store parking lots in idling cars. GO SHOPPING WITH YOUR WIFE! It will save you gas money, improve the air, and allow you to spend quality time with the Mrs!

So, drive-thru days for me are over. What about you?

• More about being Idle-Free - Proud of what is being done in my hometown! 
• Birthplace of the drive-thru bans them to curb obesity
• Spoiled and Lazy? - Previous Food, Mommy post about convenience food: 
• Supporting Local Farmers Through Fast Food? - my post on Kentucky Food & Farm Files

Don't Count Me Out

It has been a while since I've posted. I regularly see bloggers apologizing for having long periods of absence, but I don't want to do that. What I needed to do was regroup and figure out what my real goals were and how to best achieve them.

Therefore I have been devoting my time to a new project which feels more professional and less personal; this is really what my slightly unsocial personality needed. You can see what I've been up to at www.kyfoodandfarm.com. While I am not a die-hard locavore, I do enjoy promoting agriculture within my state. I LOVE KENTUCKY!

The better news, however, is that my nine-year-old daughter Eden wants to start writing for "Food, Mommy!". In all honestly this makes perfect sense. She and her brother are the one's demanding food from me and I'm sure she can offer an interesting perspective. While she would really love to have cookies and cake at every meal, she really knows that is not what is best for her. This also let's me encourage her writing skills... she is pretty darn good at it. She'll be posting very soon, and already has a schedule for drafts, revisions and publishing dates. She must get that from her engineer father.

I will still post, when something moves me. You can also find me on Pinterest now (darn that site). Follow me at http://pinterest.com/kyfoodandfarm/. Twitter: @foodmommy Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FoodMommy

And, let us know if there is something you want us to write about. We will be glad to take requests.

Cheers,

Oops, I Did It Again!

Teaching Your Kids to Have Life-long Healthy Habits

It's amazing what my kid will eat. This is a
raw "Sunny Delight" squash from our garden.

This entire summer, I have made less than 10 attempts to exercise. I quit working on my push-ups and can now only do 10. I gave in to my 9-year-old daughter's constant objections to our daily exercise routine of jumping jacks and sit-ups. We planned to walk the 3 mile loop in the neighborhood nearly every evening, but several 100+ degree days put a stop to that as well. I also quit getting on the scale so I would not remind myself that I once again fell off the "work out" wagon. And I may preach a big "eat healthy most of the time" game, but I have found myself running through the drive through way too many times the last few months.

Why is it so hard for me to stick with what I know is good for me and my family? Quick answer: These are not habits I have followed my entire life.

My point here is not to blame the habits I created in childhood on my parents or grandparents, or school lunches or fast food--it may quite possibly have as much to do with how my brain is programmed--but what I do know is that I need to start creating healthy habits in my children TODAY and EVERY DAY. The more important part of this challenge for me will be sticking with it. I don't want my children thinking it's okay to "give up" on something because it is not easy.

So with renewed conviction, my kids and I will map out a plan this evening that works for our family that includes daily exercise, less convenience food and NO EXCUSES!

I would love to hear how you are working to create life-long healthy habits for your kids.  Comment here or visit me at www.facebook.com/foodmommy.

Tools and Resources:

Nourish Interactive - Healthy Habit Goal Tracking Sheets

American Heart Association - Help Children Develop Healthy Habits

Sesame Street - Healthy Habits for Life

Super Healthy Kids - http://blog.superhealthykids.com/

Wordless Wednesday - Maybe I Won't Spray the Squash

This is what I found this morning in my little garden. In fact, most of the blossoms were sporting 2-4 bees. I was given a reminder of why it may not be best to spray insecticides in every situation. The cucumbers beetles are not in great numbers at the moment, so I'm just squishing the ones I find. 

I'm still not sure how my harvest will turn out, but for now I will enjoy all of  the buzzing.
The bees seem very happy!

Related Posts: Outsmarting Nature

Outsmarting Nature

Many people would like to see food production go “back to nature,” and I think that sounds like a fabulous idea. But where I live, Nature could care less if my family eats. I have tried raising backyard chickens for eggs, and vegetables in a small garden, and I have been met with challenge after challenge. My latest challenges have more than two legs.

Rest in peace, girls. :(

I’m posting this because my chicken coop has officially become a playhouse for the kids. The last of my beautiful, jumbo-egg laying hens are gone, becoming another meal for the local wildlife. I commented on an article in my local paper about urban chicken farming, saying that maybe an urban backyard may be the ideal place for raising chickens, since my woodland home has become a banquet hall for hungry predators. Someone was quick to “educate” me, telling me I needed to provide them a coop so they would roost. Thanks for the tip, but my chicken mansion had Fort Knox-like security at night. It provided not an ounce of safety, however, for my free-rangers during the day from coyotes and hawks. If I try it again, the days of go-where-you-want will not be an option for my girls. And some wonder why commercial chicken producers keep their birds in houses. Hmmm – cruelty or protecting your investment and the food supply?

Cucumber beetles. Thank you, Ric Bessin, entomologist
friend at the University of Kentucky, for the photo.

In addition to my latest chicken chapter, we also attempted a small garden. It is close enough to the house that the deer and rabbits have not been visiting, but the Cucumber beetles absolutely love the squash and cucumbers that I have provided for them. Since I do not have to rely on this garden to feed my family, I have not used any chemical pesticides. I would go out occasionally and knock them away, but didn’t discover their damage early enough. They were clipping off all the blossoms. No blossoms, no fruit. Did I mention that I also have a mysterious, volunteer gourd growing near the garden? The Cucumber beetles really like that one, too.

I obtained the vegetable seeds from Seminis, which is currently marketing a much-talked-about genetically modified hybrid sweet corn called Obsession II. I asked their marketing team recently if any of my seeds were genetically modified, and they said, “no.” I put in a request for beetle resistant squash. If that does not happen soon, and I expect to have any decent harvest, I believe I’ll have to go to chemical warfare. Maybe organic methods work in other places and growing systems, but I have yet to be successful with them. I even had a conversation with an organic farmer in Nebraska explaining that I have had no luck growing cabbage. And to my surprise she said, “That’s why we don’t grow cabbage.”

My chewed up cabbage from last year. Something enjoyed it!

Our final challenge this spring and summer has been the insects that feed on me and my animals: ticks, mosquitoes, horse flies, deer flies and chiggers, as well as the diseases they are known to carry. I've tried just about every product and method available, and the only real relief comes from dousing my kids head to toe with Deep Woods Off every trip outdoors. I can only imagine what that stuff is doing to our bodies as we breathe and soak it in. Nothing works for the horses (but our bond grows stronger every summer because they know I am pleased to provide them a good scratch or squash a juicy horse fly). I am waiting for some smart person to develop a pill or injectable medicine to keep the little bloodsuckers off our skin. 

My challenges are not unique. Our farmers face similar adversity every day, and they are using technology and better management methods to help keep nature from destroying the food supply:

• Crop rotation and natural predators
• Crop protection products
• Structures for plants and animals
• Conventionally-bred hybrids
• Irrigation
• Genetically modified varieties that withstand drought and pests, and allow more efficient pesticide use
• Vaccines and antibiotics that keep animals healthy
• Maintaining wildlife refuge areas

And I even know of a vaccine that controls horn flies on cattle (www.flyvax.com) that could significantly reduce their stress. 

Are there any of these methods that you approve of? Any you don't? Are some okay to use when maintaining a lawn or golf course, but not on food? If you do not want antibiotics used for meat animals, does that mean you would forego the same medicine for your child or pet to manage antibiotic resistance? If you don't want any trace of pesticide residues on your produce, does that mean you don't use manufactured pharmaceuticals in your own body. Are their methods you feel do more damage than good?

On one hand I appreciate technology—where would be without it? Hungry, diseased, dead?—but on the my semi-misanthropic hand, I sometimes blame technology for growing the population in the first place, thus providing us the challenge of finding, using and growing the resources to sustain weaker selves. And I understand why some blame technology for creating more challenges or environmental problems, like antibiotic resistance or reductions in beneficial insect populations.

Did I happen to mention one of these
ran 25 ft. behind me and kids on Saturday
night? I've had just about all of "nature"
that I can stand.

Some believe going back to basics (no pesticides, no manufactured fertilizers, no genetic modification, no animal confinement) will put the Earth back into a more natural balance, as "God intended." This philosophy may actually work for some farmers and gardeners. And these food producers have a pretty good base of customers and supporters in our current day. 

But is going back to the beginning really the answer? Do we sit back and pray for the best, or do we use the minds that God gave us to continually outsmart the nature He created in order to flourish?

The biggest issue I have is that some are encouraging our lawmakers and regulators to restrict the use of technology and dictate how food should be produced. Based on my experience, I don’t think there is any way we could produce enough food for our increasing population using 19^th century farming methods. I also know that some technologies may need to change — or get better — to protect the Earth and future generations.

What I find as the silver lining here is that I think we can have it all – enough food for everyone, today and in the future, with less strain on our environment. I believe environmental responsibility is a value shared by all farmers, whether they are USDA certified organic, heritage seed savers, or the 3000-acre corn farmer using the latest genetically-modified variety so she does not have to spray as much pesticide or use as much fuel. I see a future of farmers working together for that common goal, and it may be as simple as a crop farmer having a conversation with his bee-keeping neighbor to manage when is the best time to spray any insecticides. But farmers must be able to choose what works best for their climate and the nature-created challenges on our changing planet. At my house, that may be GMO squash and a shotgun.

In the end, I believe that nature will continue to change, and organisms will continue to adapt. The winner will be the one that adapts the quickest. And if a manufactured technology is what it takes to prevail, I will not pass judgment. Nature is a beast, and I want to survive! 

Feel free to follow me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/FoodMommy or on Twitter: @foodmommy.

Friday Forward: “No Antibiotics Ever” Does Not Equate to Safer Meat

Last night I was watching my local NBC affiliate news. “You’ll want to hear what could be in your meat when we return,” caught my attention. It was a good 15 minutes before the story appeared (a tactic no doubt to get me to stay tuned – reminds me of the Saturday Night Live skit many years ago). The segment was the health reporter repackaging a story released by Consumer Reports about antibiotic use in meat and food labels. I was very unhappy with what I saw and heard, so I just had to respond. This is what I sent to the reporter:

Hi, XXXX. I appreciate all of the health info you cover, but I was a little disappointed about tonight’s “Antibiotics in meat/superbugs” story that aired tonight. I think it was very misleading (wish I could refer back, but the video is not offered online - UPDATE it is not featured on the homepage, but I'm not sharing a bad story!).

While I don’t believe anyone can discredit that routine feeding of antibiotics to animals, as well as overuse and misuse of antibiotics in humans contributes to resistance, my “take-a-way” from the story was that superbugs occurred in meat only from animals that were fed antibiotics any time in their lives. You led the viewers to believe that if they purchased meat that says “No antibiotics ever” or “Organic,” this would be a safer option.

I have talked to a local meat processor, and I learned that superbugs can be in any meat from anywhere, whether they were given antibiotics or not. But, I did not hear the Consumer Reports lady say they tested any meat and found superbugs. In fact, she didn’t say she tested meat at all. While contamination can occur, meat is routinely tested. This would have been an excellent opportunity to stress that all meat should be cooked to the recommended internal temperature. Food safety is critical. It would have also been helpful to relay that all animals must be antibiotic free when they arrive at the processor. USDA routinely checks this and removes any contaminated product they may find. In fact, they have stepped up their monitoring process.

I also noted the comment that routine antibiotics are given because of “unsanitary conditions”, another assumption. Have you ever visited a commercial poultry house? I have, and could not get over how much cleaner and less stinky it was than some more “natural” operations I have visited. (I have also now learned that routine antibiotic use is no longer industry practice - 40 years of industry experience offersopinion about antibiotic use in livestock.)

Lastly, I would like to encourage you to utilize the knowledge of our many Kentucky farmers for stories about food. Get a farmer’s perspective on why he or she may need to give antibiotics (I would be more inclined to eat a healthy animal than one that has been sick). Ask how antibiotic use has changed and how the livestock industry is addressing this issue. If you ever need help finding the farmers to talk to, I would be glad to put you in touch with them.

Here is a great post from John’s Custom Meats  – farm and meat processor in Bowling Green – that explains the issue at hand: http://www.johnscustommeats.blogspot.com/2010/09/increased-federal-beef-oversight-needed.html#more

I hate thinking this story was a way to get people to stay tuned to the end of the broadcast. It got my attention, but I wish the story was covered from all sides. I’m afraid people will be led to believe certain meat products are safer, when in fact they are not.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Elwell
Blog:  “Food, Mommy!” www.foodmommy.net
Twitter @foodmommy

I was also able to call on Kentucky farmer and meat processor Amy of John’s Custom Meats to tell me more. She offered this:

FSIS (USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service) is revamping the residue testing program. There is a new (and more accurate...better) test available that they will be using. In addition, they are increasing the amount of testing being done.

Here's the link to the FSIS press release http://www.fsis.usda.gov/News/NR_070212_02/index.asp

Translation: This is a good thing! The new test method can test for a whole multitude of residues all from one sample. This will provide a more accurate baseline to zero in on the main problem residues. What will result from that is focusing in on the main problem areas and increasing sampling in those areas. Eventually, leading to the source of the issue or just finding there is no real issue to begin with.

NOTE: On Friday’s, I will select a topic that I feel was “forward worthy.” Find many more posts and articles I have forwarded on my Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/FoodMommy - or Twitter account (@foodmommy).

Speaking of encouraging news reporters to talk with farmers, I have to forward this post as well. Another farmer/blogger acquaintance Ryan Goodman has been a recent and popular fixture on CNN’s Eatocracy – No Bull: Start a Conversation with a Farmer 

Reinventing Our Plate

All of the information about portion size and what we should be eating must be sinking in, because I’ve got a new way of loading up my family’s’ plates. Vegetables and fruits take center stage while the meat, dairy, and grains play side dishes.

The sweet potato and fresh-from the garden squash and beans play the main role on this plate.
We got a few more veggies in by adding a small salad.

As I became more concerned about the nutrition in our household, I realized that we may not be getting enough of the recommended vegetable servings in our diet. I try very hard to always provide something plant-based and colorful at lunch and dinner, but I’m thinking it’s time to step it up and at least follow the USDA MyPlate suggestion: Half your plate should be fruits and vegetables. I’ve been consciously doing this for a little over a year now.

Here are a few ways that we have increased on fruit and veggie intake:

• You can’t leave the breakfast table without having at least one fruit, but two is better. I always try to keep bananas and berries on hand. I like grapefruit and usually eat it 3 times a week. I’m not a juice person, but will drink it if I’m running behind on time.
• Have a serving of fruit at lunch and one at dinner or for a snack. I always have 4-5 different kinds of fruit on hand depending on what is in season or on sale. Bananas and apples are always around (my husband gets very unhappy if they are not), and I will pick others depending on what is in season or on sale. Frozen fruit is great for smoothies, and canned fruit is a last resort, but I keep it in the cupboard just in case.  When buying apples, I like getting the bags of small apples. Occasionally, I can only find the large apples that are worth eating. In those cases, we share. I also keep dried cranberries or raisins around; they are a great substitute for candy.
• Think "Veggies" at lunchtime. Load sandwiches with spinach and other vegetables like cucumbers, pickles, peppers and more. Then add a baked sweet potato or a few baby carrots instead of chips. If chips are easy, opt for corn chips and chunky salsa (limit the chips – don’t let your kids eat out of bag). I also make sure my kids finish the salsa (1/2 cup serving). You can also serve a salad as the meal with different types dark green lettuces and 2-3 other veggies or fruit.
• At dinner, serve at least two colorful vegetables. White potatoes and sweet corn are counted as starches in my kitchen, but a better option than white bread. Sweet potatoes have become a family favorite and very easy to cook. I actually prefer to cook them in the microwave.  In fact, the microwave or steamer is my preferred way to cook most my vegetables.
• Figure out how to add more veggies to your standard recipes. I have started adding squash, peppers and onions to my spaghetti sauce. I add a can of black beans and onion to my taco meat. Fajitas are a favorite because you can cook the meat with onions, peppers, squash and more, and then add salsa and avocado to finish. Stir-fry dishes are also easy to add lots of veggies to. Think about trying veggie-full soups. On pizza night, I limit my kids to one slice, and we add a salad or baby carrots and a fruit.

For additional tips, I found these resources at http://www.choosemyplate.gov/healthy-eating-tips/ten-tips.html:

• Add More Vegetables to Your Day
• Focus on Fruits
• Smart Shopping for Veggies and Fruits
• Liven Up Your Meals with Vegetables and Fruits
• Kid-Friendly Veggies and Fruits

Size Matters

One thing that we all need to be careful to do as we are adding vegetables and fruits is to decrease the portions of the other foods. Taking a cue from the 250 to 400 calorie frozen meals like Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice, I serve most of our meals on a 7-inch plate or a soup bowl (daddy is excused from this). I get the bigger plates out when I want to add more veggies, but know that I don’t have to cover it entirely – keep food out of the outer rim.

For anyone who needs a visual guide to help them fill a healthier plate, there are several “portion” plates on the market:

Find your Zen when eating: www.thebalanceplate.com

Functional and beautiful: www.slimware.com

For the educational approach: www.theportionplate.com

Last year I rated USDA’s new My Plate, and did not give it a very good review - I Give the New USDA Dietary Guidelines a C Minus - but now realize that the My Plate is a good place to start for better eating, and is best used with the store of healthy eating tips on its website: www.choosemyplate.gov

Wordless Wednesday: Our Foodie Summer

Our summer has been full of food milestones:

We were asked to take part in a sweet corn taste test. The corn is a genetically-modified hybrid developed by Seminis to protect the crop from insects. It was fabulous! I'm all for reducing pesticide use if possible. 

My first homemade banana nut muffins. It was a great use of too-brown bananas.

I hate throwing away food! While the bananas were obviously not local, I used a packet of Weinsenberger Mills Biscuit Mix instead of Bisquick (which my Betty Crocker cookbook called for). Weisenberger Mills is located in Midway, Kentucky and purchases grain from many of my farmers!

We put out our first official garden. I prepared the spot with my trusty garden claw and some of my horse manure. Then we just stuck in some seeds. We planted tomatoes, cucumbers, scallop squash, carrots, and beans. The beans emerged first, followed closely by the squash and cucumbers. The cucumber beetles have really enjoyed our garden, but they seem to be gone now. Keeping the weeds out is also daily work.

This mysterious plant cropped up about two feet behind the garden in the hard clay. We are still unsure what it is. Someone suggested it may be a gourd. We will see. It's getting bigger by the day.

Our first harvest. Not enough to feed a family of four, but I did cut up the squash and add it to some spaghetti sauce. I am about ready to harvest a few cucumbers.

The wild blackberries are thick at our house. There are about 50 or more bushes on our property. I loaded the kids up with Deep Woods Off and bowls and off we went. I am amazed they have grown so well without human intervention. It has been very dry here this spring and summer, but I guess we had just enough rain.

The first of many blackberry cobblers. It was so delicious. I'm also thinking about trying my hand at blackberry preserves. For breakfast the other morning, I added them on top of a whole wheat tortilla and peanut butter. Roll it up and you've got a great on-the-go meal.

I lost all of my original laying hens to coyotes and hawks.I purchased two new hens and they did not take to the coop. We have yet to catch them, but I recently found where they were laying their eggs... in my hayloft. They are half the size of what I was getting before. I sure do miss my girls. If I try chickens again, I will have to put up a fence. So much for free-range chickens. 

Do you have any good summer food stories? 

Share them here or on Twitter - use #summerfoodfun and tag me - @foodmommy. 

My Meatless Monday: Broccoli Cheese Soup

If you’ve read my other posts, such as “Why I choose to eat meat,” you know I’m a full-fledged omnivore, and not the least bit interested in trading in my steak knife. Occasionally, however, I do think it is perfectly acceptable to have a meat-free meal as I believe in providing a variety of proteins in my family’s diet. But be forewarned: my broccoli soup is far from vegan. The dairy cow was my best friend in helping me achieve this delicious, kid-approved meal.

Finally, My Perfect Broccoli Cheese Soup

I learned to love broccoli cheese soup after having it at several restaurants. It was also a food I never had a problem getting the kids to eat. I’ve tried a few recipes, but never quite got one I loved until this one. I started with a recipe I found online, and modified it a bit after trial and error (believe me, I had lots of errors. The last time I made it, I accidently used seafood stock instead of chicken stock – my sensitive-palleted husband was not happy).

Ingredients:

Large broccoli crown or 2 small crowns – You need about 3 cups of chopped broccoli
1 medium onion
1 large carrot
3 Tbs. butter for onion
½ stick butter for rue
½ cup wheat flour
2 cups milk & 2 cups heavy cream (or use 4 cups half and half)
4 cups of chicken stock
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Involve your kids! Learning to cook encourages them to try new foods.

1. Sautee’ a medium white or yellow onion in 4 tablespoons of butter. Set aside.
2. Chop broccoli into fine pieces (about 3 cups). Set aside.
3. Grate a large carrot or several baby carrots. Set aside.
4. In a stockpot, melt a stick of butter (1/2 cup) and add 1/2 cup of all-purpose flour, stirring constantly for 3-5 minutes on medium heat.
5. Slowly add a mixture of 2 cups milk and 2 cups heavy cream while stirring.
6. Add 4 cups of chicken stock and simmer for 20 minutes. You may need to turn up the heat a bit, but be sure to stir often.
7. Add the broccoli, onions and carrots. Cook for 20-25 minutes.
8. Salt to taste (my kids don’t like pepper, so I don’t use it). I also learned something from seeing the Voltaggio brothers (Top Chef) at the Incredible Food Show in Kentucky. “If something doesn’t taste quite right, you probably only need to add salt or sugar.”
9. Add 1 cup of sharp cheddar cheese and 1 cup of Monterey Jack cheese, and stir until melted.
10. Serve with your favorite bread, another serving of veggies, and fruit for dessert.

What Does Healthy Look Like?

Today was the moment of truth. I gave myself until the end of the month to be able to complete 25 real push-ups simultaneously, AND I DID IT! My arms felt like they were going to fall off, but I did it, and I am so proud of myself. I am now wondering what my next little fitness goal should be – run the distance between the house and bus stop and back in under 8 minutes, or run two miles on the treadmill in 20 minutes or less. Honestly, I need to work on my flexibility – I’ve never been very flexible, and it seems to be getting worse as I age. So maybe I will try to fit yoga into my routine a couple days a week so I can touch my knees with my forehead.

This entire period of goal setting and exercising with the kids encouraged me to pose this question: What does “HEALTHY” look like? I know that I am medically “defined” as being overweight – 10 pounds shy of being at the high end of an optimum BMI – but does that mean that I am unhealthy? I am hoping not.

Instead of going by physical aptitude, physicians’ tests, and the like, most people today tend to dole out the “healthy” adjective to those that look a certain way. She will hate me for doing this, but the photo is of my little sister two years ago when she was competing in a Natural Physique Council bikini contest. Yep, she looks healthy to me! I could be envious and say that I was duped out of getting those good genes, but I know she worked really hard to look that way. She also has a degree in health and fitness and is a certified personal trainer. The interesting thing about her journey to that awesome body is that she said she would never tell a client to eat the way she did for good health. Food choices are very limited. She ate plenty, but her diet was not varied at all. And you should see what all the competitors ate the day of the competition…SUGAR, SUGAR, and more SUGAR.

It was not that long ago – it must have been before the rise of the supermodel – when somebody was referred to as “healthy” it meant they had some meat and fluff on their bones. Parents were worried if their kids were getting enough to eat, and having a little extra in the middle and on their cheeks was a sign of getting plenty. But where is the line between healthy and unhealthy? Can we really tell by “looking at a person?”

I try to remind myself on a regular basis when talking with my child that I need to focus on fitness and quality of diet - not what they look like or the numbers on the scale - but it has been a real struggle for me worrying about how they will be perceived by others.

I was shocked at my kid’s last checkup when my pediatrician called attention to my 3-year-old son’s numbers – he is in the 75th percentile for height and 85th for weight. “I don’t really worry about those things at this age, but we may look at it in the future,” she said. Really? LOOK AT HIM! He is solid as a rock and extremely healthy! So now I’m thinking all this number business needs to be thrown out the window as well. BMI, ideal weight, muscle mass, body fat percentage, waist to hip ratio? What is the real determination of “healthy?” We are unique individuals, and what is healthy for one, may not be healthy for another.

When I was in high school (late 80s/early 90s), I remember hearing a commercial on the radio for a weight loss product while I was riding with other students to a Quick Recall meet. The commercial was a conversation between two teenage girls who were making fun of another girl who weighed 150 pounds. I remember feeling like a complete loser, because I weighed about 160 at the time. “Do they think I weigh that much,” I fretted? “I’ll just have to lie if someone asks me how much I weigh.” And thus the reason why most men think any woman, who is “trim,” no matter how tall she is, weighs 120 pounds or less. WE’VE BEEN LIEING ABOUT OUR WEIGHTS FOR YEARS! I would be thrilled to be 150, or even 160 again, and I know I would look pretty darn good!

I always find myself comparing myself to the Biggest Loser contestants. "I weigh that much, and look nothing like that." "They must be much shorter than I am." "Honey, do I look like that?" Finally, I told myself to get over it. We have a wide-screen TV.

My new philosophy is that “healthy” is a feeling, and right now I’m feeling pretty healthy. Will it make me live longer? I don’t know, but at least I’ll be happier than if I was constantly worrying if my dress or pant size makes me an adequate human being. I hope to instill this in my kids as well.

Things We Like Thursday: Fuji Apples

Of all the produce I buy, I think most of my money goes to apples. Unfortunately, we are pretty picky about them, and our favorite - the Fuji - is among the most pricey.

We love them because they are crisp, super sweet and rarely mealy (nothing ruins my day more than biting into and then throwing away a mealy apple). I have noticed, however, that late summer is not a good time to buy them... grocery stores are trying to move the previous year's harvest, and they may not be the best quality. My suggestion is to try to buy apples from a local orchard at this time of the year.

Learn more about the Fuji apple.

Having been to a local orchard and talking with apple growers, I know it is tough to get the nice looking apples that we enjoy. Last month, I talked with a friend who grew up on a apple orchard in Ohio. You can view the interview below.



So what is your favorite type of apple?

First Inspiration

While I am not at all a fan of politics or expressing which party I hang my hat, I am a fan of the First Lady’s efforts to improve the health of this country. In fact she has inspired me to do two things:

1) Push-ups

I did not see the show, but I saw the coverage of the push-up contest between Ellen DeGeneres and Mrs. Obama. Michelle was able to complete 25 push-ups – real ones – live on the show. I can do 25 sissy push-ups fairly easily, but I admit I have not attempted many of the other lately. I worked on it in my college days, and I think I got up to about 10. The challenge is ON for me to get to 25. After about a week of working, I can do 15 (some of the time). I hope to be at my goal by the end of the month. I also expect to keep it up throughout my life. I just hate hearing my back crack and pop at every attempt. I am sure it will get better, though.



2) Scheduling Joint Exercise Times with the Kids

I finally came to the realization that if I want my children to exercise regularly, I am going to have to do it with them. If I’m stuck in my office working, they aren’t going to be beating down my door wanting to run and play; they sit and play in front of the TV. This week we came up with a regular exercise routine and will also schedule time for “fun” activity several days a week. Our goal is to complete 300 jumping jacks, 30 squats, 30 push-ups (girly-ones count for now) and 30 sit-ups before the end of the day. We have also been working on completing the half-mile round trip between our home and the stop sign down the road. The hills make it quite a bit of a challenge. Playing tag, jumping rope, and riding the horses have also made the list of things to do more often. Unfortunately, my schedule and rising gas prices are going to make getting involved in organized sports somewhat difficult, so we will be happy with activities we can all enjoy.

I am looking forward to these challenges, and making plans is something my daughter enjoys (must be those engineer genes my husband gave her). If we stick with it, I definitely expect a healthier and happier family on the horizon.

Things We Like Thursday: Green Juice

I always worry that someone will think I am being paid to endorse a product, but that is never the case. I do however want to give a shout out to our favorite things in this household. Who knows, you may discover something you have never tried before.

This first "Things We Like" post goes to green juice, at least that is what my kids call it. Naked's Green Machine looks terrible and smells weird, but it tastes wonderful. It is an awesome way to get some fruit and green veggies into your child's diet. I do admit that it is a little on the pricey side, but I'm a believer in paying for nutritional content.

Check it out at http://nakedjuice.com/our-products/juice/green-machine.

Bolthouse Farms makes a similar product - Green Goodness - and usually one or the other is on sale.
http://bolthouse.com/our-products/beverages/smoothies/green-goodness/detail