Get Out Of That Winter Rut and Bask In Obscurity

Winter’s Bounty  –  Obscure Root Vegetables

Aside from the usual root vegetables like carrots, potatoes, onions, and garlic that you see in the produce section and farmers markets, come the winter months, you will also likely see a number of “unusual” and “obscure” vegetables that are guaranteed to add some flavor, color and texture to your winter dishes should you be bold enough to take them home and experiment with them in your kitchen.

While spring is not far away, we felt this was a great opportunity for you to expand your culinary repertoire, AND stick to eating seasonally, with the wonderful winter bounty available from your local farmers.

Like most winter vegetables, these “strange” root vegetables are all deliciously sweet when harvested after the first frost. They are all great storage vegetables. Refer to this pdf for great tips on how to store your fresh fruit and vegetables, to ensure optimal nutrition and shelf-life.

Always, when considering your own health, that of your family and that of Mama Earth,  purchase your vegetables organically and locally if you can, leave the skins on and eat the leaves (that’s where a large portion of the micronutrients are)!

Some of my favorite winter root vegetables:

Turnip Brassica rapa

Turnips are actually close relatives to radishes and arugula. Like radishes, they have a mild to strong “bite” dependent on size and age. Small turnips are a great addition to a salad when used similarly to a radish, while the larger ones make a great addition to a roasted vegetable dish, soup or puree. When selecting turnips, look for firm, creamy-looking bulbs with a violet-hued ring around the top. Smaller turnips may not have the violet color and will look somewhat like a white radish. The turnip greens are often removed in winter months, but in fall and spring you likely will find them with the greens still attached. DO NOT throw these away. They are excellent, nutrient-dense greens that you can add to your weekly dishes. Turnip root is high in vitamin C. The turnip greens are a good source of vitamin A, folate, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium and lutein.

Purely Primal – Coconut Creamed Turnip Greens

Jicama (Mexican Yam, Mexican Turnip, Yam Bean) Pachyrhizus erosus 

Jicama is the tuber of a native Mexican vine.  It has the uniquely sweet crunch much like a water chestnut, lending itself well to raw dishes such as salads, salsas and vegetable platters. It can be cooked and seasoned like any other root vegetable, though you will often find it paired with hotter spices and Mexican or Asian cuisine. Three ounces of Jicama has about 7 grams of carbohydrates, mostly in the form of fiber (2 grams) and prebiotic sugars known as oligofructose inulin (or FOS). It is 86-90% water and contains vitamins C, A and B, along with calcium and phosphorus. Jicama is a round, somewhat flat ball and looks much like a potato. They can often grow quite large. Those tubers larger than grapefruit-size, often have started to convert sugars into starches and make the root a bit more woody.

(SW)EAT Exercise and Nutrition  – Jicama Hashbrowns

Gone Raw – Raw Jicama Fries

Jen’s Gone Paleo  – Jicama Salad w/Cilantro-Lime Vinaigrette

Rutabaga (Swedes, Swedish Turnip) Brassica napus 

Rutabagas are round and waxy with yellowish flesh and ridges around the neck. A rutabaga has a soft sweetness and flavor that is reminiscent of both cabbage and turnip, of which it is said to have been conceived. Rutabagas are good raw, julienned and served with dip, grated into a  coleslaw or any other type of salad. When cooked the yellow flesh turns orange. They are fantastic roasted, steamed, stir-fried, pureed or stewed. Add them to stews and soups. Bake them in the oven as chips or fries. Go ahead, just try them!

“Fish and Chips” from Fast Paleo – Bacon Wrapped Halibut over Rutabaga Chips

Brooklyn Paleo – Roasted Vegetable Salad with Anchovy-Parsley Pesto

Parsnips Pastinaca sativa

Parsnips resemble carrots, but are muddled white in color. They have a buttery, sweet, slightly tangy flavor when cooked. In order to enjoy a nice rich flavor, make sure the parsnips have gone through one good frost. Nutritionally, parsnips are low in calories, about 130 calories in one 9″ in length. They are richer in nutrients than carrots; especially rich in potassium, folic acid and calcium, vitamin A and C. Parsnips also contribute vitamins B1, B2, B3, iron, and zinc. Parsnips have a high sugar and starch content and contain more fiber then most other vegetables. Parsnips can be roasted, boiled, sauteed and steamed. Really, anything you can do with a potato, you can do with a parsnip. No need to peel them, just give them a good scrub and you’re on your way.

Nom Nom Paleo Cauliflower, Carrot and Parsnip Puree

Celeriac (celery root) Apium graveolens 

Also known as celery root or knob celery, this root vegetable is not something that you choose for it’s looks. Yet underneath that gnarled, ugly exterior is a beautiful white flesh that has a milder, sweeter flavor than that of celery. Unlike many other root vegetables that are high in starches, celeriac is only about 5-6% starch by weight. It contains only 30 calories per half cup, no fat, and is a great source of fiber. When selecting fresh celeriac, choose one of small to medium size that are nice and firm to the touch. Look to see that the greens are not wilted. Celeriac is great when grated as a raw salad (see recipe below), julienned and baked in the oven like a french fry, roasted with other root vegetables, chopped up in a hearty soup, or served as a puree alongside a nice cut of meat and luscious greens.

BBC – Pot Roast Loin of Pork with Celeriac, Shallots and Pancetta

Green Celeriac Salad with Lemon and Capers (GF-Paleo)

from the Kitchen of Big Sister              serves 4

Ingredients:

• 1 large celeriac (celery root), peeled and grated
• 1 large lemon (juice and zest)
• 1/4 cup capers, drained
• fresh ground pepper and sea salt, to taste
• 1 large handful arugula, sliced thin
• 1 large handful parsley, sliced thin
• 1 handful fresh roasted pecans (optional: lightly crushed or chopped)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp. raw coconut vinegar
• 1 tsp. raw honey

Directions:

Peel celeriac and grate. Sprinkle a tablespoon of lemon juice over the grated celeriac mixture to prevent the celeriac from browning. Stir well to coat. Lightly season with sea salt and fresh ground pepper. Whisk the remaining lemon juice and zest with the oil, honey and vinegar. Toss with the celeriac, capers, arugula, parsley, and pecans to coat. Taste and adjust. Serve and Enjoy!

January Health Challenge – Go to your local farmer’s market or grocer and pick up one of these obcure vegetables, one that you’ve never tried before. Make one of the recipes provided or create your own. We’d love to hear what you try!

Menu Plan for 2 Weeks

Wow, what a busy time in the life of the Lil’ Sister! This week is my husband’s birthday, and Two Sisters’ parents are flying out to California this week as well. Because of all of my “extra-curricular” activities, I decided to make 2 weeks of menu plans today, so I can spend more time with my family while they are here!

Week of Jan. 29

Sunday – Cauliflower Bacon Soup  & Paleo Butternut Squash Lasagna

Monday – Shredded Chicken with Jalapeno Cream Sauce

Tuesday – Curried Shrimp & Spinach

Wednesday – BBQ Crockpot chicken

Thursday – Blackened Salmon with Tomato Gravy

Friday – leftovers

Saturday – Everyday Paleo Pizza

Week of Feb. 5

Sunday – Grilled Game Hens, Cabbage on the Grill (spread about 1 tsp. ghee (or your fat of choice) on each 1/4’d cabbage, sprinkle with salt, pepper & garlic powder, wrap with 1-2 slices bacon, wrap in foil. Grill on medium ~40 minutes until tender) & Sweet Potatoes with Coconut, Pomegranate & Lime

Monday – Salmon with Paleo Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto (health-bent) & Citrus Kale Salad

Tuesday – Enchilada-spiced Beef Wraps  & Red Cabbage Slaw with Vinaigrette Dressing

Wednesday – Seriously Tasty Paleo Meatloaf

Thursday – Curried Leek & Butternut Squash Soup

Friday – Caprese Chicken with Bacon  & Butternut Squash with Cranberries

Saturday – Creamy Mushroom Stew & Baked Chicken

Curried Leek & Butternut Squash Soup

I finally got to experiment in the kitchen again, and this was one of my successes this last week! We had a wonderful dinner with some friends a couple weeks ago, and this recipe is a take on a soup they had made for us. (I had a massive butternut squash… if you have a smaller one, cut the recipe in 1/2)

Curried Leek & Butternut Squash Soup

• 2 Tbsp. your fat of choice (bacon fat, lard, butter, olive oil, ghee, coconut oil, etc…)
• 2 medium leek, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise & sliced thin
• 2 celery, diced
• 1-2 tsp. fresh ginger, minced (see tip below)
• 5 lb. butternut squash, large diced, with skin on
• 2 apples, cored & 1/4’d
• 1 Tbsp. curry powder
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric
• 1/4 tsp. cayenne
• sea salt & pepper to taste
• 3 c. chicken stock or bone broth
• 1 can coconut milk

Heat a large soup pot and melt fat. Add leeks, garlic and ginger. Saute until soft. Add all spices, stir well. Cook for about 1 minute. Add squash, apples and chicken stock. Bring to boil, then simmer until squash is soft (~10-15 minutes). Let cool slightly, add coconut milk, and blend all ingredients (you may have to blend in multiple batches). Mix together and serve!

Tip: If you purchase a large ginger root, peel the whole thing and store it in the freezer for longer shelf life.  This also makes it much easier to grate (when it’s frozen).

Amazing Giveaway Reminder

How are those goals coming along?

Just a little reminder to send your goals to us at twosistersgf@gmail.com or post a comment on one of our New Year Revolution posts with your name and goals by January 31st (next Tuesday) so we can enter you into the giveaway. Once we receive your goals we will send you an email invite to join the online discussion forum (the New Year Revolution Community). We would love to share with you on this journey!

Share with us your commitment to embrace change in your life. Craft your revolutionary goals (craft at least four solid health-related goals for yourself – a 1-month, 3-month, 6-month and 1-year goal), adapt our simplified eating plan, pay attention to your lifestyle choices, and create positive change in your health and your life! Let us help you stay accountable, and upon achieving your goals, be entered to win one of three great prizes.

Keep working on your goals throughout the next 6 months (January 2012 through July 2012). Everyone who has met at least one of their 1-month, 3-month or 6-month goals will be entered in the giveaway. And because we really want to support you in achieving ALL your goals, successfully achieve one goal in each category (1-, 3- and 6-month) and you will get 2 additional opportunities to be entered, for a total of 3 chances to win. Keep us posted as to your progress on our blog, our New Year Revolution Community group, and/or via email.

So, are you ready to join our New Year Revolution?

Why not enlist a friend to join with you… share this on facebook, via twitter or any other means. Join us in creating a healthy 2012 and beyond for all your friends and family! Keep up-to-date on the New Year Revolution posts by following Two Sisters on Facebook or subscribing to our email feed.

And PLEASE invite others to join in this Revolution!

Menu Plan #4

Wow, this month is flying by! Two Sister’s parents are coming in early February, so I am super excited about this, and it is my husband’s birthday at the beginning of the month! So much fun coming up in the next few weeks!

But, before we get to the next few weeks, I guess it is time for another menu plan – without further ado, here is Lil’ Sister’s Paleo Week 4 menu.

[Just a quick note: I am not sharing a few of the recipes, 1) because I am actually planning on creating a couple this week; 2) because I am recipe testing for a new cookbook coming out by Ginger Lemon Girl, so I have promised to not share them with ANYONE, and that includes you. I know, so sad… but at least it will give you ideas!

Week of January 22^nd – Menu Plan

Sunday – Paleo pizza with sausage and veggies. I use this recipe for my crust, make my own sauce with tomatoes, herbes de provence and garlic, and throw whatever veggies and meat I happen to have in the refrigerator. I am surprised that cheese seems like it just wouldn’t even fit on a pizza like this. I know, sacrilege!

Monday – Crockpot Tomato Braised Pork (this is one of those recipes I can’t share, but that you should be able to find in the cookbook coming out by Ginger Lemon Girl soon!)

Tuesday – Paleo Blackened Salmon with braised greens

Wednesday – Chili made with beef and chorizo (I am going to be creative here and try to come up with a new recipe… if it’s good, I’ll share it later!)

Thursday – Bacon Crock Pot Roast with mashed cauliflower and greens. Okay, so this is my husband’s favorite dish lately, and he is good at making it. So, since he has the day off… he gets to cook!

Friday – Turkey Meatballs with a Tangy Apricot Sauce (this is another one of those recipes I can’t share, but that you should be able to find in the cookbook coming out by Ginger Lemon Girl soon!)

Saturday – Leek and Butternut Squash Soup with Roasted Venison Tenderloin (this is inspired by a great dinner with friends we had this week… can’t wait to play around and have another creativity day… again, if they turn out good, I’ll share the recipe!)

Enjoy your week of food… I know I will!

What About Fruit?

There’s no denying that humans love sweet things. Sugar is a simple carbohydrate that occurs naturally in foods such as grains, beans, vegetables and fruit. So one might think if sugar is naturally occurring then it must be healthy. Well, there is no simple yes or no answer here.

We are a society that has become increasingly reliant upon convenience foods and restaurants for our daily meals. This means more hidden “sugars” and other additives, due to the highly processed nature of such foods. These are major contributors to the increase in inflammation and disease we see today. Our taste buds no longer know what the true taste of food is. We must retrain them to taste the natural complexity within whole (real) foods.

This is what the New Year Revolution is all about – changing perspectives about what real food is and re-discovering the abundance of textures and flavors we have available to us in these whole foods.

But what does this have to do with fruit?

Fruits and vegetables are by nature, carbohydrates. They also contain water, vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients. We often find fruits and vegetables lumped into the same category on food pyramids. This can mislead people into thinking that eating 5 servings of fruits a day is the same as eating 5 servings of vegetables each day. BUT, fruit is significantly higher in sugar, mainly in the form of fructose, than its vegetable counterparts. Equally, while fruit obviously has more nutritional value than the empty calories we eat from the added sugars in anything from cookies to ketchup, all fruits are not created equal (in respect to sugar content).

Sugar Stacks has created an incredible visual aid to show the varying amounts of sugars in a number of common fruits:

“A strawberry may, in fact, be healthier than a grape,

even though they are both natural.”

Red Seedless Grapes                                               Strawberries

1 serving (126g – 4% waste)                                         1 serving (147g)

Sugars, total:  20g                                                 Sugars, total:   7g

Calories, total: 88                                                         Calories, total: 47

Calories from sugar: 80                                               Calories from sugar: 28

Another concern arises in the form of fruit juices and other sugar-laden processed fruit drinks. According to the Harvard Health Letter, in the early 20th century, Americans consumed an average of 15g of fructose, mostly from fruits and vegetables. In 2011, the average was a hefty 55g per day, due in large part to the increased consumption of sugary fruit drinks, sodas and other beverages.

“Pediatric endocrinologist Robert Lustig, of the Bitter Truth, says that when you consume fructose in fruit, you’re fine, but he cautions against drinking juice and advises you avoid manufactured versions of fructose that is a part of so many soft drinks and other processed goods. Fruit contains fiber, which contributes to a sense of fullness; this is why fiber is called self-limiting. You can eat a little bit and be satisfied, which is not the case with beverages. Eating fiber also helps you absorb fewer carbohydrates, including fructose.”  – Livestrong

Physiological Repercussions

Sugar, in its many forms, often travels through your digestive tract for processing. Fructose, on the other hand, skips a step by being routed through your liver, which has an effect on how that sugar is utilized… your bodily systems… obesity… insulin resistance… fatty liver disease… look at This Common Food Ingredient Can Really Mess Up Your Metabolism (Dr. Mercola)

Additionally, those with infections, parasites and candidiasis should absolutely avoid fruit all together as any form of sugar can hinder treatment and healing of such conditions.

Most fruits can be eaten raw; but for some people, certain fruits are easier to digest when cooked.

Conclusion

While fruit is certainly a good food to incorporate into one’s diet for the beneficial fiber and nutrient content (especially the antioxidants and phytonutrients), increased awareness is necessary regarding the sugar content and quantity of fruits eaten. Some fruits are lower in fructose, while others are markedly high. Tropical fruits and dried fruits typically have the highest levels. Check out the Fruit Nutrition Facts on Fruit Pages website.

Often those fruits lowest in sugar are some with the highest nutritional value. Berries like raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries are rich in antioxidants, and contain 5 – 11g of sugar per serving. Sour citrus fruits like lemons and limes are low in sugar at 0-2g per serving, whereas oranges are significantly higher at 14g of sugar per serving.  Grapefruit has 11g of sugar per serving. Stone fruit such as peaches and nectarines have 11-13g of sugar per serving. Bananas on the other hand have a whopping 19g of sugar per serving. Don’t forget about the more obscure fruits like avocados (0 grams), coconut (15 grams+) and tomatoes (2 grams).

January Health Challenge:
Eat 1-2 fresh fruits per day (maximum), preferably from the low-sugar list (low-glycemic). Choose vegetables over fruit whenever possible.

Additional Resources:

A fantastic read: The Question of Seasonality in Fructose Availability

Must see: Dr. Robert Lustig on Interventions to Reduce Sugar Consumption

Check IN

Does this sound like an all too familiar statement, “Oh, I’ll start on Monday” or “I will start on the 1^st of the month”? Well, I’m telling you NOW is the ONLY time to start!

If you don’t start, it’s certain you won’t arrive.

As you look upon the goals you’ve drafted for yourself, envision the ideal (and realistic) picture of your health and life, 6 months from today. Have you taken this into account in creating your goals? This is an opportunity to venture outside of that which you’ve always known. Create the life you’ve always wanted!

“Developing the confidence to pursue goals is one way that personal power becomes an agent of personal change.” – Caroline Myss

Revisiting Your Why

I’m repeating myself here, but you MUST consider your Why.

WHY - The Missing Piece

Your Why needs to be bigger than you. It should affect you on all levels and be in alignment with your personal core values.
If you have a BIG enough Why, nothing can get in your way of achieving your goals – not finances, not peer pressure, not temptations, not long work hours, not even that nagging voice in your head.

So, what do you want good health for?

What do you intend to do with this healthy body/being?

This isn’t about just “being thin” or “having more energy”… Truly consider what achieving these goals will bring to your life. What will get you through those times when you’re too tired or just not sure what to do, when you’re traveling or staying with family and feeling ‘unable to control’ what you eat and what your schedule is, or other people are sharing their unwarranted opinions? I have little doubt that you will encounter one or many of these challenges along the way, that’s why I am stressing to you that you must develop a BIG enough Why to support you through these times.

My personal Why is “to be able to run around with my grandchildren and meet my great-grandchildren, to share with them what Life was like in my day – the successes and the challenges. Mind you, I don’t even have children of my own yet at 34, so taking care of my body and mind, at this stage and onward, are of the utmost importance. I want to be the healthy vessel that carries my beautiful healthy children into the world, nourishing them every step of the way. I will make this happen.“

So what’s your Why?

Take some time, dig a little deeper, and really discover your personal Why. You know what it is, even if it feels like you don’t. Give yourself the space, away from your day-to-day, and let the words flow organically.

“Too much change that happens too rapidly can be overwhelming, so we try to manage our own empowerment by taking on only one challenge at a time. As we do, one by one, the changes we undergo form a pattern in our journey toward personal power.” – Caroline Myss

Step By Step – PPOA (Personal Plan of Action)

Breaking down your goals into smaller, achievable tasks

This is about making a list of small steps (the number of steps will vary dependent on the goal) that you can start doing now to work toward achieving your health goal. Be very specific with these steps. (for example: if better quality sleep is one of your goals – turn off the TV, phone and computer 2 hours before bed tonight.) Initially you may want to focus on one step per week. Continually move toward your goal.

Get a planner and start allotting time for these small steps. This has been an invaluable step for me. If I say, “I will go for a jog in the morning”, I can already hear the voices in my head saying, “…or I’ll just lie here a little longer and go after work” knowing full-well that I won’t have the energy or else some new excuse will arise. But once I put it into my planner, and devote a specific time to it, I am much more apt to follow through. We all have more time than we think we do.

Don’t forget, that “Change is constant.” Be ready to flow with it! There may be days where things just fall apart, no matter how prepared you are. That’s OK. Get up, brush off, and start anew.

Food Journals

What’s the big deal with food journaling? Why should we food journal? Is there really a purpose behind it?

Believe it or not, food journaling can be a crucial tool in regaining health, losing weight, gaining vitality, and ridding yourself of irritating symptoms. It is a great tool for self-reflection and for learning more about your habits and food issues.

Our health, our moods, our mentality and our fitness are all affected by the food we eat. Our bodies (and brains) are made up completely of molecules that we have obtained from the food we eat, the air we breathe and the water we drink. The quality of the materials that you ingest affects the quality of the molecules in your body, how well they function, and possible dis-ease states. It is quite likely that changes in our food and environment affect our health, our mental health and our overall fitness.

The food we eat can also affect us in many other ways, from food allergies and sensitivities to indigestion and heartburn, fatigue and energy. Unless you have a true food allergy, most food reactions take a few hours to a few days to occur. So, when your eczema flairs up, it may not be what you just ate, but something you ate a day or two ago that is actually causing it. Keeping a food journal can help you to start making those connections, and can help you experiment with your diet to learn more about the foods that you react to.

Another important part of the food journaling process is finding out which foods work for you. Each of us requires a slightly different intake of the main macro-nutrients protein, fat and carbohydrate. While I do much better on a moderate protein, higher fat, and low-moderate carbohydrate diet, you may do much better eating a lot more carbohydrates and a lot less fat. Each of us reacts differently to these macro-nutrients, and keeping a food journal to track our food intake, energy, moods and various symptoms can help us learn what our ideal intake is.

While it is very important to be honest with this process, it is also crucial to be forgiving with yourself. The food journal is not a tool to make you feel guilty, but to help you learn your own trends and habits and to help you learn how to move beyond them to a healthier relationship with food.

So, first… find a template that works for you. There are numerous templates out there on the web that can be used. I have searched through a bunch of them, and taken the parts that I find most useful to create this template. Food Journal Template

How to fill out the food journal.

If you decide to use this template, print out at least a week’s worth of sheets so that you are ready for the week. Put them in a binder so that you can keep track of them, and so that all of them are in one place for when you start your analysis. Give yourself at least a week of keeping a food journal before you start trying to analyze your patterns or symptoms.

It is best to fill out your food journal immediately when you are done eating each meal or snack, as it is easy to forget your thoughts, feelings and symptoms surrounding each meal if you wait until the end of the day. When you start filling out for one meal, you can finish from the meal before if you noticed any symptoms or shifts.

Take a few minutes to fill out your journal.

1. Meal: When you eat a meal, enter what you eat with basic amounts and the time you ate the meal. Be specific: instead of saying steak and broccoli with salad, say 6 oz. steak with peppercorn sauce, ~1c. broccoli and small bowl of spinach salad with vinaigrette dressing. Don’t worry about measuring, just use a guesstimate. Ratio: Then make a quick guess on the ratio of your meal: was your meal about 50% carbohydrate and 50% protein and fat, or was it closer to 75% protein and fat and 25% carbohydrate. Don’t worry about being exact, just give yourself a basic measure. This is important to work with your satisfaction and other symptoms to determine your ideal ratio of carbohydrates [CHO] and protein/fat [Pr&F].

2. Mood: How are you feeling? Stressed, anxious, happy, sad, angry, annoyed? Keep track of these and if they change throughout the day. Food can affect our moods to a large extent! When I eat sugar, I become very self-critical. When I eat dairy, I get irritable and I don’t like myself. Keep track of your moods… you might start to notice a connection between certain mood shifts and the foods you are eating.

3. Energy Level: Keep track of how you are feeling right after a meal and for a few hours afterwards. Do you always get sleepy a couple of hours after eating? Do you have even energy throughout the day?

4. Situation: Where are you eating, and what are you doing? Are you sitting at the table with your family? Did you just get in a fight, and you are eating at the counter? Are you in your car, driving to work? These can all play into your ability to digest, and also your level of satiety.

5. Hunger Level: Rate how hungry you were when you started your meal. On a scale from 0-5, with 0 being not hungry at all, and 5 being starving and I feel like I haven’t eaten in days!

6. Satisfaction: Do you feel like you are full, are you still hungry, do you want to snack or are you craving something sweet? Keep track of these feelings. If you are craving something sweet, you may have eaten too much protein and fat and not enough carbohydrates. If you are still hungry or want a snack, you may not have eaten enough food, or may have eaten too many carbohydrates. Pay attention to the symptoms and you can help determine what a more ideal intake is for yourself, and also to make corrections for your next meal.

7. Symptoms: Pay attention to your body. Start reading how your body is reacting. Your body has infinite wisdom. If you learn how to read it, you will learn a lot about your diet, your health and your food. You can have physical symptoms such as fatigue, sneezing, headaches, stomach pain, indigestion or muscle cramps, or more emotional symptoms, which would fall more into the mood category.

8. At the end of the day, make sure to enter how much water you have taken in throughout the day (I like to cross off a cup or two at a time, as I find it easier to keep track that way), and record any exercise you have done. Include notes on how you felt, fatigue, motivation, etc… And then give yourself a minute to reflect on the day and your food intake. Note any habits that have come up or anything you have learned from the exercise. Keep track of these so that you can make a shift tomorrow.

Here is a sample food journal for me (from today!)

Analyzing Your Food Patterns

After a week (or more), take a few minutes to sit and look over your food journals. Start to notice any trends that may reappear.

• Do you tend to eat a heavier lunch?
• Are there any food groups that are completely missing?
• What types of foods are you eating – whole, fresh, processed, packaged?
• Have you noticed any recurrent symptoms, and can you connect them to any specific food or type of food?
• Do you tend to overeat if you are really hungry before a meal?
• Do you skip meals?
• Notice which days you felt the best and look at what you ate on those days. Is there a correlation?
• Do you eat the same thing often?
• How much variety are you getting in your diet?

Grab the template, print a few copies and get started! You will be amazed at what you learn about yourself, and how easy it is to start making small changes once you are more aware of your habits.

To Healthy Living!

Menu Plan – 2 Weeks’ Worth

Getting a little crazy here at Two Sisters! Yep, I am posting two weeks’ worth of menus today. This week has been crazy hectic. I started a new job, and I commute just over an hour each way every day. Wow, that adds a lot of time to the day that I could be doing other things! But – my job is awesome (even if it is completely overwhelming at the moment), and it is what I have been wanting to do for a long time now (hence why I got my Masters degree in the first place!).

With that (and the fact that I am working this weekend as well to make up for a pre-planned vacation in the middle of the week) I am in need of posting this now. When my husband and I go on vacation, we are going dark! For an entire week! No phones, no computers, no school, no work! Just us, hanging out, eating good food, playing, reading and lots of sleep!

So, without further ado, here are my menus for the next two weeks (you will notice that some of them are a little more involved… that’s because I’m on vacation, so I can spend a little more time if I want to! And we’re renting a fully furnished cabin with a kitchen, so that is even better!) You may also notice that the vegetables I am using tend to be repeated fairly often. That is because I try to eat as seasonally as possible, so the veggies that are in season are the ones that I use the most!

Week of Jan. 8

Snacks for the Week

• Chipotle Meatballs  or Garden Fresh Meatballs
• Citrus Kale Salad (minus the honey and dried fruit)
• Asian-style slaw (I will season this with some chili sauce, rice wine vinegar and probably some toasted sesame oil)

Sunday

• Dinner – Roasted Chicken with Sauteed vegetables

Monday

• Lunch – BLT Chicken Salad with leftover roasted chicken (chicken salad with sauteed onions, garlic, bacon, shredded chicken with homemade mayo & mustard served over lettuce and tomatoes)
• Dinner –  Leftovers from last week (I was a little over-zealous, so we still have a bunch of leftovers!)

Tuesday

• Dinner – Sirloin Dijon  with sautéed greens and cauliflower mash

Wednesday

• Dinner – Seriously Tasty Paleo Meatloaf  with roasted Brussels sprouts (I had planned this for last week, prepped it and stuck it in the freezer, but because of poor planning (or good planning) on my part, never got to it. And – I made two, so I get one for next week too!)

Thursday

• Dinner – Mushroom Hazelnut Stuffed Chicken with Sage Pan Gravy

Friday

• Dinner – Salmon Cakes with Ginger Mayo

Saturday

• Dinner – Sausage Pumpkin Cream Soup (I’ll be using a roasted pumpkin in lieu of the pumpkin puree)

Menu for Week of Jan. 15

Snacks for the Week

• Sweet potato mash with pecans
• Cabbage, carrot and greens slaw with a vinaigrette dressing (1 part mustard [homemade or Dijon], 1 part, red wine vinegar, 1 part olive oil, 0.5 part lemon juice)

Sunday

• Dinner – Ortega Burgers with Chipotle Mayo, sweet potato fries and roasted broccoli

Monday

• Dinner –  Grilled Brats and Cabbage on the Grill, grill tri-tip as well for easy snacks (for the cabbage on the grill, I’ll use bacon grease in lieu of butter, and no parmesan)

Tuesday

• Dinner – Moroccan Chicken Salad

Wednesday

• Dinner – Primal Beef Chili (This is actually leftovers that I had put in the freezer… makes it handy for a busy day!)

Thursday

• Dinner – Tomato Basil Crockpot Chicken

Friday

• Dinner – Seriously Tasty Paleo Meatloaf  with roasted Brussels sprouts

Saturday

• Dinner – Damn Fine Chicken

Eat Your Vegetables

Based on the Simplified Eating Plan we laid out in our post on December 31^st, the first critical step to improve your health is to:

Increase your vegetable intake, period!

Vegetables are the foundation of a healthy diet. They are nutritious and health giving, providing a great deal of vitamins and minerals that protect us from disease. They also add texture and variety to our diet. Vegetables may be eaten raw or cooked, in dishes or alone.

Most of us are not getting nearly enough vegetables each day, especially the dark leafy green ones! More than any other vegetables, dark leafy greens really deliver. The dark, vibrancy of the leaves is indicative of the high-quality nutrients within. Eating dark leafy greens helps with weight loss, detoxification, clear skin, pH balance, and blood nourishment (due to the chlorophyll, which is highest in dark leafy greens).

But let’s not focus on all the benefits of eating greens and other vegetables – we all know the proven health benefits. Let’s just add them to our personal health-regime! The bulk of one’s diet should consist of vegetables. This doesn’t mean you suddenly have to become a vegetarian. Simply start to design your meals to include more vegetables, preferably half of your (medium-sized) plate.

Make a commitment to start steadily increasing
your intake of dark leafy greens and vegetables!

Here are 4 simple ways to start increasing your intake:

1. If you’ve never eaten vegetables, especially dark leafy greens, aim to include them 2-3 times a week then work toward having them at least once a day. This is a perfectly realistic and achievable goal within 3 to 6 months. Ultimately your aim should be one vegetable source at each meal. Remember, vegetables are naturally low in calories. You can eat loads before feeling satiated and not worry about ‘getting too much.’ If you don’t like vegetables, you certainly ought to make an effort to learn.

JANUARY GOAL:
Aim for ONE vegetable AT EVERY MEAL

2. Pick up a different green, or vegetable, from the market/grocery store every week and incorporate them into your favorite recipes. There are so many amazing and wonderful vegetables out there. Don’t let ‘not knowing how to cook them’ discourage you. Do a search online. Start with simple recipes. Delicious food does not have to be complicated. If you use fresh, quality ingredients, the natural richness will provide ample flavor, requiring very little tweaking. There are countless ways you can use greens (or any vegetable for that matter). Don’t try greens on their own, right off the bat. Let your taste buds adapt. Try them braised with onions, lemon and garlic; in an egg scramble or quiche; added to your favorite soup… Take note of the recipes you like and start a collection. Use these when you start creating your weekly meal plan.

Vary the type of vegetables you eat each day so that you don’t get sick of the same old stand-bys. All vegetables have some unique and healthy benefit. Variety will help to ensure that you are getting lots of fiber and all of the vitamins and minerals you need.

Recipe Link: Braised Collard Greens with Bacon

Stay tuned for our upcoming post on Trying New Vegetables
(How to Cook Obscure Vegetables).

3. While we emphasize the importance of breakfast, we also understand that due to personal life/career choices, many people either skip breakfast entirely or grab something quick that they can eat on the go. One smart way to ensure you eat breakfast and get your greens is to make a smoothie. This is not a ‘green juice’ – we want you getting all that beneficial fiber. A good blender is crucial to achieve a smooth and palatable texture. (Check out Vitamix or Ninja). There are many Green Smoothie recipes online. I suggest starting with a milder green such as spinach until your taste buds have adjusted to the flavor and textural quality of greens. I’ve often heard people say, “Oh, I don’t like kale,” but then I give them a smoothie with kale in it and they are shocked that they can’t even taste it.

Recipes: Green Smoothie

Great piece on Are Green Smoothies Actually Bad For You, by Renegade Health and check out the follow-up post, Green Smoothies Can’t Be As Bad As Cocaine

Be Patient, Be Adventurous, and Be Open!

4. When eating greens raw, use the darker, high-quality lettuces, preferably organic. Get them in whole form (as a head), as these are better quality and actually cheaper than the packaged variety. You will have to do more thorough cleaning (though I recommend washing even those greens that come prepackaged. They are often dipped in a light-chlorine bath to kill microbes). A good salad-spinner is quite affordable and requires minimal clean-up. It’s worth the extra effort.
NOTE: While salads are a great addition to a meal, I encourage you to continue to strive for one dark leafy green a day as one of your daily vegetable servings.

Recipe: Citrus Kale Salad

Cooked Versus Raw

With all the differing opinions on cooked versus raw food, I suggest that you Listen To YOUR Body. Your body is the Authority. It knows All. We simply need to learn to understand its language and listen to it. More and more individuals are struggling with sensitive digestion and would do best to focus more on cooked vegetables as they are more easily broken down and utilized. As healing gets underway, one can slowly begin to introduce some raw vegetables as the body allows.

These days, there are many people that use the microwave oven for convenience and quick results. While quality research has yet to be done regarding the effects of microwaved foods on our health, we do know that microwaving does, in fact, diminish some of the important vitamins in our food, as well as damaging fragile polyunsaturated oils (prevalent in pre-made foods). It’s best to avoid using the microwave oven for your cooking and heating needs. Reheating with the stove-top, or oven, the old-fashioned way, takes more time but is well worth the health-saving benefits. Try instead to use some of these quick and easy techniques: toaster oven, water sauté, steam, quick boil, sauté, and stir fry with oil…

Make slow, steady changes. If you rely heavily on the microwave currently, aim to decrease your use to three times a week. Get a toaster oven. Work toward ending your reliance upon the microwave and find the joy of cooking once again.

For more in-depth research into the hazards of microwave cooking, check out these articles:

The Hidden Hazards of Microwave Cooking by Anthony Wayne and Lawrence Newell

Microwave Ovens Destroy the Nutritional Value of Your Food by Mike Adams

The Dangers of Microwave Ovens Everyone Needs to Know The Body Ecology

Seasonal Support

Purchasing seasonal vegetables is an important step toward improving your diet. If you are still wondering why seasonal is better, go try a tomato (likely a beefsteak) from your local grocer today. Likely you will find it to be mealy and relatively lacking in flavor, as tomatoes are not a winter crop. (Write down your findings somewhere that you can refer back to at a later date). Come mid-summer, try a ripe tomato from the farmer’s market. Tell me you can’t immediately taste the difference.

Every season brings with it a richness of colors and flavors, enhancing our enjoyment of food. There is a dramatic difference in the nutritional quality of foods that are grown in-season and in soil that has not been depleted and chemically altered for years on end. This difference is obvious in the taste and will completely change the way you feel about vegetables and fruit.

Seasonal produce is more affordable than produce that is out of season and grown elsewhere around the world, requiring shipping and chemicals to encourage ‘proper’ ripening and color. There are many ways to shop seasonally, and locally for that matter. Check out local farmers markets and CSAs near you. If these are not available, check the local produce section at your local grocer. Consider writing to them to let them know that you are interested in getting more local produce available in your area. Recruit others to do the same. Grocers are more likely to support this change when they know that people are ready for it.

If you focus on nothing else from what was shared above, at least take this one message home with you:

When committing to your health,
the first step is to make sure fresh vegetables are part of every meal!

Links:

Berkley Farmers Market Guide to Vegetable Storage

Non-GMO Shopping Guide

Dirty Dozen Clean 15