We had a gelato order today, so I stayed at work longer than planned. I had to go to Walmart to get some frozen strawberries, so I thought I'd get something for lunch there. This was easier said than done.
I generally avoid PHOs in most things and HFCS in things that are supposed to be healthy (like bread, vegetable soups, ketchup) and have been known to gasp loudly whenever I come across a food that contains one of these ingredients, particularly if I wanted to buy it. I considered throwing a tantrum when I realized that ALL of HyVee's french toast sticks contained PHOs. (Did I need french toast sticks? No. Do I LOVE french toast sticks? YES.) Dexter and Keriann don't really like grocery shopping with me anymore.
Recently, I've realized that almost all low-priced canned soups contain HFCS (although I've only really looked at ones that don't contain meat broth). So, I skipped to the frozen foods aisle and found the Healthy Choice section. The meal I picked up had PHOs in it. So did a California Kitchen individual pizza. I'd finally settled on a potato/broccoli/cheese frozen dinner, but then I turned around and saw Green Giant's individual sized "Weight Control" mix. (I'm not super concerned about my weight, I just hoped this would indicate "healthy.") It was only $1.48, so I looked at the ingredients. Sugar snap peas, edamame, black beans, and carrots tossed in butter and salt. I went for it.
I microwaved it and eventually opened the package by pulling on the parts of it that said "pull." (My college degree which includes a reading specialization didn't serve me as I opened the package.) It was delicious! I felt healthy! I got 10 grams of fiber! I got 10 grams of protein! I felt satisfied when it was gone!
At home, I got a $.50 coupon here.
I know that prepared foods aren't the most economical thing in the world, but I was happy to find something that would meet my last-minute food needs more cheaply and healthily than fast food. And I am really tired of peanutbutter sandwiches.
I rounded out my lunch with a Kashi bar (chocolate plus 5 more grams of fiber) and an apple (3-4 grams fiber). I'm really not obsessed with fiber--I just happened to notice that they were key players on the nutrition labels of all the foods in my lunch today. I'd also been thinking about them since Leah and Alicia recently posted about fiber.
Do you have any favorite/healthy/easy/cheap food secrets?
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label healthy. Show all posts
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, February 23, 2009
Yogurt
One of my favorite breakfasts is yogurt and granola. It’s up there with oatmeal with pumpkin, brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. Or with fried eggs on toast. It’s simple, but so delicious.
Unfortunately, HFCS has invaded many mainstream brands. Even in brands that don’t use it in vanilla yogurt, it shows up in fruity flavors. Other problems for people with animal cruelty concerns are the source of the milk and that much yogurt contains gelatin. What’s a health-conscious vegetarian girl to do?
One day I wondered, “Could I make yogurt in a crockpot?” I did a google search and found the. best. website. ever. Maybe not ever, but it’s awesosme. It’s got step-by-step yogurt-in-your-crockpot instructions, as well as a ton of gluten-free crockpot recipes.
LR tried making yogurt using the instructions on this website before I did. I bought my milk before she did, but I let it expire in my refrigerator. She inspired me to get serious about trying it.
The awesome thing about this yogurt? I did it wrong, and it still came out as yummy yogurt. Instead of cooking the milk in my crockpot for 2.5 hours on low, I cooked mine on high for 1.5 hours and on low for 2 hours. (I have a problem where I read directions, but not very well.) It came out fine, with only a few bits of milk skin that didn’t stir back into the milk. This is incredibly easy to do. The hardest part for me was to find a time when I’d be home at the key points, since the process takes so long.
I sweetened the batch with honey (lightly whisked it in so the yogurt wouldn’t get too runny) and ate it with granola every day. I will make this again and again. Next time I make it, I’m going to do the math and figure out how much it costs per 6 ounce serving.
The Crock Pot Lady suggested starting out with whole milk until you get the hang of it because lower fat milks may produce runnier yogurt. She suggested adding gelatin to thicken it up. In her post about making jam, she used pectin (plant-based) as a thickener. I plan to experiment to see if this helps runny yogurt.
I haven’t tried making granola yet. Does anyone know if it really ends up being cheaper than buying? Nuts and dried fruit can be expensive, so I’m wary. Also, the other day, Walmart had some Cascadian Farms granola with “$1 off if you buy 2” coupons stuck to them. Also, the banana and date flavors of Sunbelt’s granola cereals are PHO and HFCS free. (These sell for $2.50/box at Walmart and a little more at HyVee). Their other two granola flavors are polluted. I was so mad when I read the nutrition facts, I’m thinking about writing a letter.
Unfortunately, HFCS has invaded many mainstream brands. Even in brands that don’t use it in vanilla yogurt, it shows up in fruity flavors. Other problems for people with animal cruelty concerns are the source of the milk and that much yogurt contains gelatin. What’s a health-conscious vegetarian girl to do?
One day I wondered, “Could I make yogurt in a crockpot?” I did a google search and found the. best. website. ever. Maybe not ever, but it’s awesosme. It’s got step-by-step yogurt-in-your-crockpot instructions, as well as a ton of gluten-free crockpot recipes.
LR tried making yogurt using the instructions on this website before I did. I bought my milk before she did, but I let it expire in my refrigerator. She inspired me to get serious about trying it.
The awesome thing about this yogurt? I did it wrong, and it still came out as yummy yogurt. Instead of cooking the milk in my crockpot for 2.5 hours on low, I cooked mine on high for 1.5 hours and on low for 2 hours. (I have a problem where I read directions, but not very well.) It came out fine, with only a few bits of milk skin that didn’t stir back into the milk. This is incredibly easy to do. The hardest part for me was to find a time when I’d be home at the key points, since the process takes so long.
I sweetened the batch with honey (lightly whisked it in so the yogurt wouldn’t get too runny) and ate it with granola every day. I will make this again and again. Next time I make it, I’m going to do the math and figure out how much it costs per 6 ounce serving.
The Crock Pot Lady suggested starting out with whole milk until you get the hang of it because lower fat milks may produce runnier yogurt. She suggested adding gelatin to thicken it up. In her post about making jam, she used pectin (plant-based) as a thickener. I plan to experiment to see if this helps runny yogurt.
I haven’t tried making granola yet. Does anyone know if it really ends up being cheaper than buying? Nuts and dried fruit can be expensive, so I’m wary. Also, the other day, Walmart had some Cascadian Farms granola with “$1 off if you buy 2” coupons stuck to them. Also, the banana and date flavors of Sunbelt’s granola cereals are PHO and HFCS free. (These sell for $2.50/box at Walmart and a little more at HyVee). Their other two granola flavors are polluted. I was so mad when I read the nutrition facts, I’m thinking about writing a letter.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Are you a turnip eater?
I didn't grow up eating a wide variety of vegetables. Potatoes, corn, green beans, and raw carrots were the staples. I learned to love broccoli, to my mother's chagrin, at my grandma's house, and am currently making strides with tomatoes.
Every once in a while, I'll remember a vegetable mentioned in a book I read as a child or have seen at the grocery store, and realize that I've never eaten it and possibly have never talked to a real live person who regularly eats that vegetable. (I recommend reading The Pea Patch Jig by Thacher Hurd in order to instill vegetable curiosity in your children.)
I don't know where my imaginary connection to turnips is coming from. I'm wondering if Rabbit grew turnips in his garden in Winnie the Pooh. Or maybe Frances refused to eat them in Bread and Jam for Frances. Did Molly eat turnips on the first page of an American Girls book that I've never read? Either way, I've had turnips and parsnips on the brain and decided to buy a bag of turnips for experimentation.
My first turnip attempt was roasting. I love other vegetables roasted and thought it would be a sure fire way to get myself to love turnips. That was a flop. My first mistake: roasting them alongside potatoes. Roasted potatoes are just too simple, comforting, and delicious to allow other vegetables to shine at all. My second mistake: roasting turnips in the first place. They turned out mushy and bitter.
I almost gave up hope but didn't want to throw away my four remaining turnips. I threw one into Sarah's potato soup and it was completely masked by the soup's creamy delightfulness.
I'm about to try my wildcard turnip recipe, which I found at allrecipes.com. If you go to the HC house church, on Sunday, along with a delicious chana masala and a tantalizing chicken Indian dish, you'll be experiencing Kashmiri-Style Kidney Beans with Turnips. Brace your taste buds, folks. This is going to be interesting.
While I've been doing all this experimenting, I've started to wonder if eating turnips is even important. Maybe it's one of those vegetables that tricks you in to thinking you need to eat it because it's a vegetable, when really it has little nutritional value. What I've found out is that turnips have fiber and Vitamin C. Turnip greens, which had been removed from my turnips, contain large amounts of Vitamin A and lutein, which can prevent cataracts and cardiovascular disease.
I don't know that turnips will become a staple on our household menu, but I'm glad to have experienced turnip week. I'm still curious, however, if and how other people eat their turnips.
Every once in a while, I'll remember a vegetable mentioned in a book I read as a child or have seen at the grocery store, and realize that I've never eaten it and possibly have never talked to a real live person who regularly eats that vegetable. (I recommend reading The Pea Patch Jig by Thacher Hurd in order to instill vegetable curiosity in your children.)
I don't know where my imaginary connection to turnips is coming from. I'm wondering if Rabbit grew turnips in his garden in Winnie the Pooh. Or maybe Frances refused to eat them in Bread and Jam for Frances. Did Molly eat turnips on the first page of an American Girls book that I've never read? Either way, I've had turnips and parsnips on the brain and decided to buy a bag of turnips for experimentation.
My first turnip attempt was roasting. I love other vegetables roasted and thought it would be a sure fire way to get myself to love turnips. That was a flop. My first mistake: roasting them alongside potatoes. Roasted potatoes are just too simple, comforting, and delicious to allow other vegetables to shine at all. My second mistake: roasting turnips in the first place. They turned out mushy and bitter.
I almost gave up hope but didn't want to throw away my four remaining turnips. I threw one into Sarah's potato soup and it was completely masked by the soup's creamy delightfulness.
I'm about to try my wildcard turnip recipe, which I found at allrecipes.com. If you go to the HC house church, on Sunday, along with a delicious chana masala and a tantalizing chicken Indian dish, you'll be experiencing Kashmiri-Style Kidney Beans with Turnips. Brace your taste buds, folks. This is going to be interesting.
While I've been doing all this experimenting, I've started to wonder if eating turnips is even important. Maybe it's one of those vegetables that tricks you in to thinking you need to eat it because it's a vegetable, when really it has little nutritional value. What I've found out is that turnips have fiber and Vitamin C. Turnip greens, which had been removed from my turnips, contain large amounts of Vitamin A and lutein, which can prevent cataracts and cardiovascular disease.
I don't know that turnips will become a staple on our household menu, but I'm glad to have experienced turnip week. I'm still curious, however, if and how other people eat their turnips.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Starving
Between now and my last post, I've realized that I have an addiction-like issue with food. I eat it when I'm bored, when I'm sad, and even after I decide not to eat it because I'm not hungry (and then I realize I'm eating it when I'm putting it in my mouth or when I feel yucky because I'm too full). When I'm at student teaching and I'm bored, I start thinking about when the next recess or special class will be and what I'm going to eat then. My choices for those times are usually healthy, so thinking about my banana or carrots isn't that bad. But I just get uncomfortable when I realize how much time and energy my thoughts about eating are eating up.
At school, my thoughts seem to be, "Will I have time to eat? What if I don't get to eat enough? What if...gasp...I get really hungry?!" I'd been thinking about fasting a day or skipping a meal to help myself get over my irrational dread of hunger. I don't know why I have this fear because I've never had a serious lack of food at any time in my life.
God must have agreed with me and knew that I wouldn't follow through on the fasting front, because I left my lunch at home today. I couldn't think of any fast food places nearby and didn't want to eat school lunch because it had meat in it, so I decided to take it as my opportunity to experience and survive hunger.
Luckily, I had a bowl of yummy home-made oatmeal with soy milk and pumpkin puree in it for breakfast, so when 10:00 rolled around and my students were at recess, I could tell myself I didn't need a snack, even if one was available. I even resisted the Nilla Wafers my students had as a snack because of their PHOs. I was so proud of myself.
Lunchtime came and I was hungry. I bought a chocolate milk from the cafeteria to tide me over and drank plenty of water throughout the morning. We left for a field trip at 12:30 and I still felt hungry but not sick or crabby, which is how I usually feel when the word "need" can start to come into play with food. It wasn't until about 2:00 that I began to feel really really hungry, get a headache, and have crankiness creep in.
I'm glad I have the Holy Spirit, because I don't know how I would have otherwise dealt so patiently and nicely with sitting by "the naughty kid" on the half-hour bus ride back from our field trip (which involved smelling an unpleasant smelling nut he'd acquired on the trick, lots of rock paper scissors, and saying "Sit down! Sit down on your bottom. Turn around. Leave Riley alone," more times than I can count) or reading Spot books on the floor to ten arguing first graders while both my legs fell asleep. Instead, I was even able to be pleasant to my husband, who usually experiences the brunt of my hunger-induced moodiness, which probably increased his sympathy for me and made him happy to warm me up a plate of squash/butter/milk/cheese noodle leftovers.
So, I've learned that when I get really hungry, I get awful headaches and my whole body aches and the aching lasts for a really really long time. However, almost anything can induce this type of headache for me, so hunger is by no means the only enemy. I think I'll take my lunch to work tomorrow, but I feel like I've at least conquered part of my mental battle.
At school, my thoughts seem to be, "Will I have time to eat? What if I don't get to eat enough? What if...gasp...I get really hungry?!" I'd been thinking about fasting a day or skipping a meal to help myself get over my irrational dread of hunger. I don't know why I have this fear because I've never had a serious lack of food at any time in my life.
God must have agreed with me and knew that I wouldn't follow through on the fasting front, because I left my lunch at home today. I couldn't think of any fast food places nearby and didn't want to eat school lunch because it had meat in it, so I decided to take it as my opportunity to experience and survive hunger.
Luckily, I had a bowl of yummy home-made oatmeal with soy milk and pumpkin puree in it for breakfast, so when 10:00 rolled around and my students were at recess, I could tell myself I didn't need a snack, even if one was available. I even resisted the Nilla Wafers my students had as a snack because of their PHOs. I was so proud of myself.
Lunchtime came and I was hungry. I bought a chocolate milk from the cafeteria to tide me over and drank plenty of water throughout the morning. We left for a field trip at 12:30 and I still felt hungry but not sick or crabby, which is how I usually feel when the word "need" can start to come into play with food. It wasn't until about 2:00 that I began to feel really really hungry, get a headache, and have crankiness creep in.
I'm glad I have the Holy Spirit, because I don't know how I would have otherwise dealt so patiently and nicely with sitting by "the naughty kid" on the half-hour bus ride back from our field trip (which involved smelling an unpleasant smelling nut he'd acquired on the trick, lots of rock paper scissors, and saying "Sit down! Sit down on your bottom. Turn around. Leave Riley alone," more times than I can count) or reading Spot books on the floor to ten arguing first graders while both my legs fell asleep. Instead, I was even able to be pleasant to my husband, who usually experiences the brunt of my hunger-induced moodiness, which probably increased his sympathy for me and made him happy to warm me up a plate of squash/butter/milk/cheese noodle leftovers.
So, I've learned that when I get really hungry, I get awful headaches and my whole body aches and the aching lasts for a really really long time. However, almost anything can induce this type of headache for me, so hunger is by no means the only enemy. I think I'll take my lunch to work tomorrow, but I feel like I've at least conquered part of my mental battle.
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