However, I wanted to take time to share some photos from my and Michelle’s day at Lewisburg, WV for their annual chocolate festival.

There will be a more in depth blog about this at “The Break Up Note“, so keep your eyes peeled!

Image by TheGirlsNY via Flickr

Yes, I took a short hiatus from writing to enjoy the little bits of spring we were getting.  I’m also doing a lot of other projects now, which is a side effect of living a healthier lifestyle – you want to do more stuff.

Many people has requested my white sauce recipes for pasta.  If the people want white sauce, the people shall have it!

Over the course of the past three weeks, I’ve worked with a couple recipe ideas I found posted on the internet.  Basically, I wanted an alternate way to make a white pasta sauce without the cream and saturated fat you would find in, say, Alfredo sauce.  I researched and then worked up two methods:  The steam cauliflower method, and the tofu method.

First, we’ll talk about the steam cauliflower method.

Cauliflower is a very healthy vegetable to eat, but isn’t particularly flavorful.  Many people may not know this, but you can steam cauliflower and mash it into a puree.  Basically, I used this to make a white, creamy pasta sauce.  Here are the ingredients:

1 head of cauliflower

1/2 to 1 cup of almond milk

zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon of nutmeg (or more if you want)

1 clove of garlic, chopped

1 tablespoon of unsalted butter (lowfat if you want even less calories, or you could omit it altogether and use olive oil)

salt and pepper (to taste)

1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon olive oil

First, melt the butter in a pan with the chopped garlic.  Turn the heat off before the garlic browns.  This will bring out the sweetness in the garlic and take away a lot of the less desirable “bite” that raw garlic has.  Then, break the head of cauliflower into florets and steam them using whatever steaming apparatus you happen to have.  Once the cauliflower is fork tender (meaning you can stab it with a fork and pull out the fork without picking up the cauliflower), put it in a bowl with the garlic and butter, half the milk, and then mash it.  Keep mashing and adding milk until it is as fine a consistency as you can get.  Then, pour the cauliflower mash, along with the olive oil, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest, into a blender (or food processor).  You may want to let it cool before blending (some blenders don’t do well with hot food).  Blend until the texture is smooth and creamy.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

For the tofu method you simply replace the steamed cauliflower with a block of silken soft tofu and omit the milk unless you want a thinner sauce.  That’s up to you.  Cook the garlic just like you would for the steamed cauliflower method, and blend all ingredients except the salt and pepper.  Then heat it in a sauce pan and add salt and pepper (and anything else you may want to add more of) to taste.

As you can imagine, these sauces have a light, delicate flavor, and way less unhealthy fat and calories than a traditional Alfredo sauce.  I like to serve this sauce with angel hair pasta and some sauteed or steamed peas, or red and yellow bell peppers.  As for you, be creative!

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When I was a kid, all you ever heard was “fat free” and “low fat”.  Yes, my memory is a little hazy but it seems like the diet trend back in the 90s was “low fat”.

Anyway, I used to perceive fat as something that, when you eat it, goes to your belly forever.

Nowadays, I don’t worry so much about “fat”.  I watch sugar, more than anything.  Nonetheless, here are some tips about fat for when you’re looking at the nutritional labels:

1.  Some fat is good; some fat is bad.  Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat is healthy for your heart.  They actually help in lowering cholesterol.

2.  Saturated fat is to be avoided, except in small volumes.

3.   Trans fat should be avoided all together.  This is an engineered fat that doesn’t occur in nature, and doesn’t sit well with our bodies.

4.  If the label only says “Fat” and doesn’t specify what kind of fat, look at the ingredients.  Any type of “hydrogenated oil” is, by definition, trans fat.  Fat from oily fish like sardines is generally very healthy for you.  Also, olive oil as a fat source is mostly polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat.

5.  Don’t eat too much of any fat.  Watch the percentages based on a 2,000 calorie diet.  I generally don’t stress too much over fat, but even so, too much of anything can be bad for you.

6.  At the same time, you need fat.  Your body needs it.  As a matter of fact, eating the right amount of healthy fat can help you maintain a healthy weight.

In summary, one of the best choices you can make, concerning fat, is to cut back on foods high in saturated fats, and completely forbid yourself from eating foods with trans fat.  Trust me on this one, trans fat is gross.

Related Articles

• Fat Content in Food: What You Need to Know (brighthub.com)
• Deepak Chopra: Weekly Health Tip: A Big Fat Question (huffingtonpost.com)
• How to Read a Nutrition Facts Label (sheriffemily.wordpress.com)
• Are you getting enough fat in your diet? (poweredbyzija.com)
• Good Fats, Bad Fats (everydayhealth.com)
• Low Fat Does Not Equal Weight Loss or Health (eatdrinkbetter.com)

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I have to say, protein bars can be amazing.  If you’re in a hurry, and need something nutritious, they can be really handy…just be sure to pay close attention to the labels, because most of the protein bars I’ve seen on shelves are full of grossly unhealthy things.

Here’s a few guidelines I use when choosing a good protein bar:

1.  If it has more sugar than protein, it’s a sugar bar, not a protein bar.

2.  If it’s covered in chocolate, tastes sweet and delicious, and boasts having 0 sugar, check the ingredients for carcinogenic sweeteners such as sucralose.

3.  Watch out for TBHQ in the ingredients.  http://www.feingold.org/Research/bht.html

4.  If it’s more than 400 calories in one bar, than it most likely either has more whey protein than is healthy to consume all at once, or it has too many simple carbohydrates from processed sugars.  http://diet.lovetoknow.com/wiki/Side_Effects_of_Too_Much_Protein_in_the_Diet

5.  Don’t eat it if it has more than 10 grams of sugar (especially if it isn’t sugar from a natural, unrefined food).

Once again these are just guidelines I go by.  I want a protein bar to nourish my muscles and my appetite without spiking my blood sugar or giving me a temporary energy fix with sugars.  If you aren’t careful, your protein bar could be just as bad for you as a Snicker’s Bar.

In general, I don’t take protein supplements of any kind, whether it’s a shake or a bar, unless I’m missing my protein from my regular diet that day.  Now that Michelle and I have raised the bar on the meats we buy, we aren’t eating as much meat.  So, when we’re going through long periods without meat I’ll use whey protein a lot more.

Anyway, I just felt like sharing this after seeing a new protein bar on the shelf today, which looked healthy at a glance, but upon closer examination turned out to be horrifying:  TBHQ, more sugar than protein - all the above listed red flags were present in this particular bar.  It just goes to show that you have to be careful even when buying “health foods”.  Companies will slip grotesque ingredients into them and market them to people seeking to change their lifestyles.  Be a prude about food! 

Related Articles

• Protein: What You Need To Know (thefitnesspump.com)
• Sugar Free, Low Carb And High Protein. (veggiefitness.wordpress.com)
• Home made protein bars (kellypriebe.wordpress.com)

Well, I’m down to my last 100 days of healthy blogging, and while my actual posting isn’t nearly as frequent, the pattern of health goes on.  Michelle and I no longer have to deal with cravings for things like fast food and soda.  “Splurging” involves eating at a nice restaurant, perhaps a good Indian dish or steak from a trusted eatery.  We’ve taught our palettes to desire things that are wholesome, and have curbed our taste for overly sweetened “snacks”.

Working out regularly has become a part of life, when even on the most dire of droughts we still have to squeeze in at least one good workout a week.  Michelle is even using her healthy energy to be more organized by cleaning and decluttering everything.

We’re known in our community now as ‘health-nuts”.  A title I used to chide at is now a source of pride and accomplishment for me.

But, the best part is this:  It’s no longer a thing that we have to think about much.  After a long, hard fought battle, being healthy comes very naturally to Michelle and I.  So, here’s a little encouragement for those of you who might be feeling overwhelmed:  You can make it to the promised land, where the enjoyment of health is full and real.

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I haven’t posted any recipes up in a while, so here yuo go. This will be quick. Since Valentine’s day is coming up, I have been thinking about dessert, which for some reason is a big deal this time of year. Here’s what I did, today. We’ll call this recipe “Valentine Bananas”. First, I took four bananas (100, calories each I would estimate) and cut a slit in the peels down the insides of the curves. Then I took a tablespoon of dark chocolate almond butter (Maranatha brand, I bought it at Kroger’s, about 90 calories per tablespoon), and stiffed it in there, and spread it up the length of the banana. Then I baked those a 450 degrees for ten minutes. When they came out, they were all melty and sweet. So I carefully scooped them out of the peels and into a martinit glass. I mushed them up a little, and drizzled about a half teaspoon of honey over them. Then, I finished them with a sprinkle of cocoa powder (unsweetened). The recipe makes two servings at about 450 calories a serving, so dont’ be making this every day!

Is all that worth having to give up weekly McDonald’s or Burger King?  Think about all the good things you’ll miss out on, like frequently ordering pizza.  Think about all of the fine, carefully crafted food you’ll miss out on like Big Macs and onion rings.

Let’s consider the pros and cons of each.

Healthy Life (pros):

- You feel better.

- You enjoy everything more.

- You stay healthy at an older age.

- You can do more.

- You look better.

- You inspire people.

- You are more positive.

- You will have higher standards for the food you eat.

Well, I don’t really have enough room on my page for the full list so we will go with this.

Health (cons):

- You will have to be active and not spend most of your time doing nothing.

- You can’t waste your life.

- You won’t be able to just eat anything you lay eyes on.

- You have to care about yourself and value yourself.

- You will have to give up on low grade meats and foods high in saturated fat and processed sugar.

Unhealthy (pros):

- You can devalue yourself and have lower standards, which are easier to meet… so less work.

- You may have a chance to qualify for shows like “The Biggest Loser”.

- You will be free to smoke, drink excessively, and eat low quality cheap foods!

- You can waste all the time you like by doing nothing!

- You can have an excuse not to get out and do anything.

Unhealthy (cons):

- You will have high risk of heart disease.

- You will constantly struggle with weight.

- If you get to big you will have to buy two plane tickets to fly anywhere.

- You will feel pretty bad.

- You will have to settle for less.

- It will be hard to do simple things like walk up stairs, push a shopping cart, or tie shoes.

- You will probably not be able to enjoy your time on this Earth as much.

- You won’t be able to do as much.

Well, I suppose I could go on.

By this point people should be aware that I’m being facetious.  This is a ridiculous question, “Is it worth it?”.  Of course it is!  How warped is it that people aren’t willing to give up their fast food, sodas, cigarettes, and junk in order to live an awesome life?  I can’t even describe to you how much better it feels.  Sometimes I just get mad over how long it took me to realize just how much “worth it” it is to rebel against this culture and choose life and health over cheap junk!

There is nothing good about constantly being unhealthy!  Nothing!  There’s no justification for it, and no right reasoning.  It’s self-mutilation.  It’s morally questionable to junk yourself into oblivion.  Is it not wrong to destroy yourself with poor quality junk food and laziness, then raise children and model that to the children, and take part in raising a generation of apathetic people?  Is it not wrong to build a nation where corporations can flourish on our poor countenance?  Who wants to be a part of that?

People can argue that there are those who can’t afford to live a healthy lifestyle.  I won’t disagree, either!  What’s wrong with the picture when junk food costs less than good, wholesome food?  Don’t you see that we’re to blame?  Companies sell what the people demand, and we have demanded, for the longest time, to have food as cheap as possible without considering any of the consequences.

Well, I’m just going to stop for today.  I’ve been on a rant for days now so maybe I should step back and take a breath!

Have a good one and see you all soon!

Related Articles

• Taste is Worth Dying For! (awgilani.wordpress.com)
• Frugal Grocery Shopping on a Budget: Five Helpful Tips (personalbudgeting.suite101.com)
• Opt out of snack food for ‘#20ate’ days (mnn.com)
• Junk Food May Be as Addictive as Heroin (fitsugar.com)

I got tired of looking in the mirror and not liking what I saw, and then pointing the blame for it at society, or the media, or my childhood, or whatever else is out there other than myself.  I especially got tired of trying to cover it up with clothes.

I got tired of being tired all of the time, of having to catch my breath after walking up some stairs, or putting on a pair of socks, of not being able to run or be active.

I got tired of being jealous of all my friends who lived healthily while mocking them for their right and wise decisions.

I got tired of throwing my money away at companies that would make the world sick in order to line their pockets with cash, of choosing to be controlled and told what I like and do not like.

I got tired of rejecting knowledge, of shamelessly reasoning on behalf of my poor decision-making, and of being totally desperate.

I got tired of being sick.

Our whole culture is in peril.  You can’t even crawl out of bed without taking a shotgun blast to the face full of gluttonous excess.  On top of that, it’s being glorified!  Has anyone ever seen “The Glutton Bowl” on television before?

Fast food chains everywhere are half-trying their healthy menus (McDonald’s “fruit and yogurt parfait” is crap) while constantly upping the ante of grossly unhealthy, nutritionally blank gut-fodder.   Burger King’s has a new burger.  You know, right?  It’s the one with a burger patty with cheese inside the patty?  It has 47 grams of fat and almost 1400 milligrams of sodium.  Ugh!

We’ve got stark-raving evil companies out there stuffing their garbage down our throats saying they are going to “end world hunger”.  Recently, Whole Foods Stores put out an email talking about how they basically support the deregulation of Monsanto’s GMO crops.   Oh, we can thank Monsanto for their fine work on “Agent Orange”, by the way.  Good job guys.  Let’s just up and let them spray their “Round Up” deep into the soil of every crop in the country, why don’t we.  Now there are weeds growing that can resist “Round Up”,  so what do we do?  We get a stronger herbicide to use.  Duh!

All of these things going on (to name a few) and we wonder why the next generation will have a lower life expectancy than we do, why diabetes is on such a rise, why obesity is an epidemic, why heart disease is on a rapid rise, and so on, and so forth…

Well I got sick of it, and I decided that I will have as little to do with it as I possibly can.  It has been a long, straight, and narrow (albeit rocky) road.  But I’m here.  I’m in the best health and shape of my life today, and I feel good about myself.  I feel good about the standards of my household.   Everything feels more… right, to me.

Now I’m fighting for the other team.  I depend on good, ethical farmers to provide nutritionally dense food for me and my household.  I get so mad when I think about how our government keeps making it harder for those good farmers out there, while making it easier for wicked, filth-farming corporations to spread their gnarly rot from sea to shining sea.

Somewhere down the road, people started demanding cheaper food, which is understandable.  Well we have plenty of cheap food, all right, but at what cost?  Our health?  Our dignity?

When are we going to draw the line?

Related Articles

• “The Organic Elite Surrenders To Monsanto: What Now?” and related posts (planetwaves.net)
• Call President Obama: Stop Monsanto’s GMO alfalfa (ynative77.wordpress.com)
• Monsanto’s Roundup Triggers Over 40 Plant Diseases and Endangers Human and Animal Health (nwoandsecretsocieties.wordpress.com)
• Organics vs GMO Debate: Whole Foods or Not. Whose On Your Side? (chicagonow.com)
• BREAKING: Deleted Monsanto cartoon panel, leaked! (twilightearth.com)

1.  I was unmotivated.  I’ve definitely been through a rough patch as of late.  Ever since I got a nasty allergic reaction to cashews (see previous posts on this topic), I’ve had a hard time bouncing back.

2.  I got sick again.  I got a sort of flu-like illness this past week.  It seems to be going away, now.

3.  I’m coming to the end of my 365-day blog, and I had to take some time to reboot and get some fresh ideas.

Having said that, do not worry.  I’m far from finished, here.

Now, onto the post!

I wanted to take a minute to talk about one of the most sacred parts of a healthy lifestyle, the morning routine.

The morning routine consists of  a series of steps you take when you first wake up, which will govern the quality of your health, and your day. Do not take it lightly.  If you find that your routine when you first wake up involves being rushed and unorganized, then you might want to consider a few steps to alleviate that.

I used to wake up, throw cloths on, and run to work immediately.  Then I would eat breakfast at the school, which was gross. By the time my first wave of students came in, I typically hadn’t awakened yet.  I consistently felt terrible at work, and would crash the moment I got home.  Those days were horrible, all because of my warped morning routine.

I started to take melatonin at night to help myself sleep more regularly (a good topic for another post).  This made it easier for me to wake up in the morning.  Now, I like to have at least an hour to relax in the morning, aside from getting dressed, fixing breakfast, preparing a lunch, warming the car, and packing my things for work.   It usually starts with an awesome breakfast that I cook, and a nice cup of coffee (some people will argue that drinking coffee in the morning isn’t ideal, and they’re probably right, but oh well).  I put on some light music, get dressed and ready, go online to browse the headlines and check on some things, think over my day at school, and sometimes do some light exercise.   I can’t tell you how important it is to not be rushed when you first wake up.

Even if your entire day is a frenzy, do yourself a HUGE favor and protect that morning routine.  It is sacred. There should be one part, at least, of your day that isn’t rushed, and if it has to be just one part, it had better be the first part.  Let me give you some ideas on how to slow down your morning.

1.  Play music in the morning.  Music creates an atmosphere for you.

2.  Get up like you need to leave for work an hour earlier than you actually do.  It sounds crazy, but if you can get into that habit it will take away the rush of morning.

3.  Stop eating late snacks.  If you start getting hungry after dinner, here’s a thought:  Maybe you could go to bed, so that you can wake up early for breakfast!

4.  Add several things into your morning routine that you deeply enjoy. I enjoy my coffee.  It  makes me excited about waking up.

5.  Develop an order for which to do things in, which will help you be organized and efficient with your time in the morning.  Doing so will give you more time freedom in the morning, and create a slower, better start to your day.

If you’re like me, you’ve probably struggled a lot with regular sleeping habits, and mornings.  If that’s you, then you should know that getting up early to start the day nice and steady feels amazing, and it will improve your entire day.

Weight maintenance can be tricky.  When you’ve been in weight control mode for so long, and trying to get down to a reasonable weight, it’s pretty hard to shift back.  Even still, I wonder if I’m backsliding sometimes.

However, since Michelle and I have finished “Insanity” I’ve slowed down my working out and increased my intake.  I found after weeks of intense training that I needed to eat a lot more than I used to in order to maintain my current weight.  It’s something to think about, really.  If you love to eat (like me), there’s a healthy way you can do that.  Get your butt in shape, build up your activity level, and you’ll be able to eat a lot more food!  As a matter of fact, you will have to eat more food to keep up with it.

I hope nobody clicked this expecting a secret diet whereas you can eat more food and still lose weight.  No such diet exists.  This is just to remind people out there like myself, who love eating lots of food, that there is in fact a way to do that without being harmful to your health.  Once you’ve reached your target weight, and gotten yourself in good shape,  it’s time to move on to the promised land!

So, if you like eating extra, take these steps so you can get to that point where eating more is healthy:

1.  Lift weights.  building muscle mass will cause your body to require more food.

2.  Cardio.  Become a cardio machine, and you’ll have to be an eating machine to keep yourself fueled.

3.  Eat the right food.  No, you can’t just wolf down Big Macs and expect to maintain yourself.  A good machine needs the right fuel.  However, once you’ve achieved your goals, a moderation of certain “banned” foods from before will then suffice.

4.  Water.  This one works both ways.  Staying hydrated will keep your cravings at bay, but it will also increase your metabolism.  “Increased metabolism” is weight-maintenance language for “eat more”.

5.  Sleep.  Getting plenty of sleep does wonders for your body chemistry.  It makes a healthy, hungry machine.

In general, being healthy allows you to eat more (healthy still, mind you) food.  But the main components of this is increasing muscle mass and activity level.  Think about it.  A car that drives longer distances will need more gas than one that sits in the driveway all the time.  Also, a car that has a lot of power will need more gas, as well.  See?  It all makes great sense!