Complaint?

I have this grievance to air. Well, it's not exactly a grievance. I'm a bit perturbed by it, but it's not all a bad thing. It's hardly a catastrophe or anything. Really, it's more of an annoyance than a complaint. Even then, the issue has redeeming qualities.

Maybe I should just start at the beginning.

You see, a couple of years ago I bought a pair of sweatpants. I needed something a little roomier than my usual size (as you do when you're six months pregnant). They fit fine and I wore them for the rest of my pregnancy and for quite some time since. All was well.

Then this past summer, I really made a go of the whole low-carb diet and I started to drop some serious weight. In fact, as of yesterday, I'd lost more than 90 lbs since I'd bought those sweatpants.

Only, I wore those pants yesterday. Out of the house. Same pants: no pins, no stitching. Granted, they were roomy, but they weren't falling down around my ankles.

Which brings us to the crux of my quasi-complaint. On the one hand, it's fabulous that I've been able to continue wearing the same clothes as I've been losing weight. I certainly can't be running out to replace my whole wardrobe every 15 lbs, so the fact that this one pair of sweats has lasted me all this time is really a good thing.

On the other hand, it's a little disheartening that I've lost nearly 100 lbs and I'm still wearing the same pants!

Chocolate Research

According to this study in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, "Based on scientific findings to date, acute doses of chocolate-derived procyanidins can induce transient cardioprotective effects in humans ... More research is needed to identify the amount and specific class or composition of flavonoids in cocoa/chocolate that exhibit beneficial health effects."

Sadly, there is no mention of where further research is being done and how I can sign up to eat chocolate for science.

The Sunday Sermon and Other Notes

I cried in church today. It's been a while since that happened. What set me off today? A single line.

You can never beat yourself up enough
to get rid of the guilt.

Last night I finished reading a book. The main character gets herself into some serious trouble trying to stay on top and in control of her increasingly overwhelming life. I could really relate. That scared me. She wasn't really somebody with whom I was pleased to identify. I'll get a review up in the next day or two.

Meanwhile, did I mention that I found a local source for Pecorino Romano, Manchego, and goat's milk cheddar and mozzarella? It's prohibitively expensive, of course, but at least I know where to buy them now. I did actually pick up a block of mozzarella this afternoon. We're having pizza for dinner! Yum.

We took a family trip to the library yesterday. We got a selection of DVDs (how cool are free movies from the library? I mean, really, does it get better than this?) and the original Mary Poppins book by P.L. Travers. This is the first chapter book we're trying to read to our daughter. It's only been in the last year or so she's really shown an interest in books and she's been mostly into books she can interact with (i.e. books with lots of bright colorful pictures). My only real concern is that the movie strays significantly from the book, so the story won't quite be what she's used to from Mary Poppins. I guess we'll just have to see how it goes. I'll let you know what she thinks once we've finished.

Finally, a sermon illustration this morning made me think of the song "Beautiful in My Eyes" by Joshua Kadison. You can listen here. Even though I know this song is written from a man to a woman, I like the image of God saying to each of us, "You'll always be beautiful in My eyes."

Vegan Cream of Broccoli Soup

While I don't follow a vegan diet, I often look at vegan recipes or purchase vegan prepared foods because they are sure to be made without milk. The original recipe on which this soup is based calls for fewer vegetables, but also adds cheddar cheese at the end. I think this one is great all on its own, though if you aren't vegan or allergic to milk, a little cheddar on top could be yummy, too.

click photo for larger image       

1 T oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (approx. 1 c)
1 stalk celery, coarsely chopped (approx. ½ c)
1 clove garlic, crushed (or 1 t minced)
3 T flour
¼ t each salt and pepper, or to taste
dash of nutmeg
1¾ c vegetable broth
3 c steamed broccoli florets, divided
1 c soymilk

1. Sauté onion, celery, and garlic in oil over medium high heat until soft. Add flour and spices.
2. Cook, stirring constantly, until flour begins to brown. Add vegetable broth and 1 c broccoli.
3. Reduce heat to medium and simmer until quite thick, stirring occasionally.
4. Remove from heat and blend until smooth, adding a bit of the soymilk if it’s too thick to blend.
5. Return to pan and add remaining florets and soymilk.
6. Heat through and serve.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2/3 c (303 g) Serving per Recipe 4
Amount per Serving Calories 121 Calories from Fat 43
	% DV
Total Fat 5g Saturated Fat 0.5g Monounsaturated Fat 2.5g Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 226mg Total Carbohydrates 14.5g Dietary Fiber 5.5g Sugars 4g Protein 7.5g	7% 3% 0% 9% 5% 22%

The Food Experience Meme

I got this at Queen of Dirty Laundry, where I appropriate most of my memes. Thanks, Lori!

Have you ever tried

• Venison? Nope. I have a personal rule against eating cute animals.
  
  
• Nettle tea? Not on its own, but I've had a pregnancy tea with nettle in it.
  
  
• Huevos rancheros? Sorta. I've had some kind of tex-mex egg casserole wrapped in tortillas.
  
  
• Steak tartare? Yep, though I didn't know I'd ordered it at the time.
  
  
• Crocodile? Nope.
  
  
• Black pudding? Ugh, no.
  
  
• Cheese fondue? Yup, back before the dairy strike.
  
  
• Carp? Probably not. I'm not much for seafood.
  
  
• Borscht? Or beets.
  
  
• Baba ghanoush? Yep. I prefer hummus, though.
  
  
• Calamari? I was probably made to bite a fried ring once, but ewwwww!
  
  
• Pho? I had to look this one up. I think my sister and I made a chicken version once about 10 years ago.
  
  
• PB&J sandwich? Is this on here just to make sure everybody gets a chance to answer "Yes"? (Though, I suppose if you have a nut allergy, peanut butter wouldn't be an option.)
  
  
• Aloo gobi? No, but I love the line from Bend It Like Beckham, "... and she made lovely aloo gobi last week."
  
  
• Hot dog from a street cart? Hot dog, no. Pretzels, ohh yeah. Mmmmm.
  
  
• Epoisses? Who? Had to look this one up, too. Nope.
  
  
• Black truffle? Only the chocolate kind.
  
  
• Fruit wine made from something other than grapes? Yup. Pear and, I think, blackberry.
  
  
• Steamed pork buns? Like pot stickers? Otherwise, no.
  
  
• Pistachio ice cream? Yum. Yes.
  
  
• Heirloom tomatoes? Maybe. If so, it's not something I intentionally set out to go eat.
  
  
• Fresh wild berries? Yup. We once made ice cream out of wild blueberries.
  
  
• Foie gras? Blecch. No.
  
  
• Rice and beans? Red, black, and pinto.
  
  
• Brawn, or head cheese? I had to look this one up as well. Ew. Along with the "cute animals" rule, I have one about no eyes in my food.
  
  
• Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper? Nope. I'm not much for hot peppers. Good food shouldn't hurt.
  
  
• Dulce de leche? Yes. More things to miss in a dairy-free lifestyle.
  
  
• Oysters? I had a bite of a fried oyster po'boy once.
  
  
• Baklava? Yes. Yum!
  
  
• Bagna cauda? Ba-whosa what-a? Nope. Not a big anchovy fan.
  
  
• Wasabi peas? Nope, doesn't fit in with my ideals about good food not hurting.
  
  
• Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl? Clam chowder, yes. Sourdough bowl, yes. Together, no.
  
  
• Salted lassi? So, now that I've looked this up, it's just iced yogurt with salt and pepper. Ick. I do did like mango lassis (lassi? lassie??).
  
  
• Sauerkraut? Yup, though probably only on a reuben.
  
  
• Root beer float? Oh, yummy. Yes, and one more thing I can't really have anymore.
  
  
• Cognac with a fat cigar? Yes to the first, and no-ugh-yuck-gross to the second.
  
  
• Clotted cream tea? Mmmm. Devonshire tea. And they say British food is bad.
  
  
• Vodka jelly/Jell-O? Nope.
  
  
• Gumbo? Yup. They don't let you out of Louisiana 'til they've watched you down some gumbo (or so they told me).
  
  
• Oxtail? Certain parts of the animal just weren't made for eating. (That would be a "no".)
  
  
• Curried goat? I sure did. It wasn't nearly as bad as I would have though.
  
  
• Whole insects? Ick, no.
  
  
• Phaal? (After a quick google search) Do I need to keep on this not hurting thing?
  
  
• Goat's milk? Only in cheese and yogurt.
  
  
• Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$130 or more? Highly doubtful. Maker's Mark only costs about $25.
  
  
• Fugu? I don't generally eat computer programs--oh, wait, you mean the fish? No.
  
  
• Chicken tikka masala? I'm guessing I have at the Indian buffet. Their food isn't labeled very clearly in English, so I'm not sure.
  
  
• Eel? No, thanks.
  
  
• Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut? Yes. Yum. Right off the conveyor belt, even.
  
  
• Sea urchin? No.
  
  
• Prickly pear? Yup. Breaded and deep fried.
  
  
• Umeboshi? Pickled fruit. Hmmm, no.
  
  
• Abalone? Ick. It was bad enough when I thought this was fish.
  
  
• Paneer? Does Panera count? I may have had it in something at the Indian place, but not to my knowledge.
  
  
• McDonald's Big Mac Meal? Yup. They'll even make it without cheese if you ask.
  
  
• Spaetzle? Homemade by a woman of German descent (or is she Swiss? I forget).
  
  
• Dirty gin martini? Nope. I don't like green olives.
  
  
• Beer above 8% ABV? Apparently not. Guinness is the strongest I've had.
  
  
• Poutine? Another Google search. Only if smothered and covered hash browns at the Waffle House count.
  
  
• Carob chips? Yup. My parents used to substitute them for chocolate chips. Probably would have worked better if the carob chips were sweetened.
  
  
• S'mores? Yum. My new favorite is coconut marshmallows with dove dark chocolate.
  
  
• Sweetbreads? "Sweetbreads a la Gusteau ... in an anchovy-licorice sauce." In real life, no.
  
  
• Kaolin? Yes. I ate paper as a kid.
  
  
• Currywurst? Ick. I'll stick to bratwurst on a bun with a zig-zag of plain ketchup, thanks.
  
  
• Durian? Nope. I hear it tastes good if you can get past the smell though (I don't expect I could).
  
  
• Frogs' legs? No, I think frogs are cute.
  
  
• Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. I've also had zeppoli, the Italian version of fried dough.
  
  
• Haggis? No. Cute animals.
  
  
• Fried plantain? Yup. Good sweet or savory.
  
  
• Chitterlings? No. Not interested. (Shudder.)
  
  
• Gazpacho? Bread soup? Hmmm. No, I think I'll stick to bread pudding.
  
  
• Caviar and blini? Yes, but not together.
  
  
• Louche absinthe? No.
  
  
• Gjetost, or brunost? No, but after looking it up, it actually sounds like something worth trying.
  
  
• Roadkill? Not as far as I know.
  
  
• Baijiu? Had to look this one up, too. No.
  
  
• Hostess Fruit Pie? Yum. Yes, but not for many years.
  
  
• Snail? No. Ick.
  
  
• Lapsang souchong? Yet another Google search. Tea that smells like a campfire? No.
  
  
• Bellini? Peach is my favorite.
  
  
• Tom yum? No. Too much seafood. I've had Tim Tams, though. Can I count that instead?
  
  
• Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant? Nope. I can't afford that many stars. (And, just for the record, why is a tire company awarding stars to restaurants, anyway?) (Ooh, here's why.)
  
  
• Kobe beef? No, but this I might actually try.
  
  
• Hare? Cute animal.
  
  
• Goulash? Not since I was a kid, and it was a church potluck recipe, so I don't know how authentic it really was. We didn't have any Hungarians at our church.
  
  
• Flowers? Yup. In salads a few times.
  
  
• Horse? Ew. No. Besides, it's a cute animal.
  
  
• Criollo chocolate? Nope.
  
  
• Spam? I'm sure I have on some camping trip or another.
  
  
• Soft shell crab? No. I think I've had crabmeat, but, again, not a big seafood fan.
  
  
• Rose harissa? Rose who? (Google is sure getting a workout tonight.) Nope.
  
  
• Catfish? Yup. Deep fried. Wasn't half bad.
  
  
• Mole poblano? Chocolate and peppers ... that's pushing it just a little bit, don't you think?
  
  
• Bagel and lox? Bagels, yes. Lox? Ugh, no.
  
  
• Lobster Thermidor? So, looking it up, it's basically a lobster omelet. Nope. I've had lobster, though.
  
  
• Polenta? Yum. Maybe that's what I'll make for breakfast.
  
  
• Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee? Nope. Not a big coffee drinker.
  
  
• Snake? No.
  

Heigh-ho the No Dairy-o

Stuff I want, but can't have because it has milk in it.

• pan pizza from Pizza Hut
  
• dreamsicles
• nachos
  
• quesadillas
• asiago bagels with hazelnut cream cheese
  
• soft pretzels with cheddar cheese dip
• string cheese
• deep fried macaroni and cheese from TGI Friday's
• cheeseburgers
• chili cheese fries from Fuddruckers
• buttermilk biscuits
• chicken broccoli fettuccine alfredo
• pesto
• macaroni and cheese from Noodles & Company
• baked potato with cheddar and bacon
• chicken fried steak with white gravy
• garlic mashed potatoes
• Cinnabon cinnamon rolls with extra frosting
• buttermilk pancakes
• cheesecake
• Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby ice cream
  
• pretzels dipped in vanilla custard-style yogurt
• peanut m&ms
  
• donuts
• chocolate chip muffins
• french toast
• cheese blintzes
• Ferrero Rocher
• grilled cheese
• cream of broccoli soup
• chocolate-dipped ice cream
  
• mochi ice cream
• Doritos
• cheese crackers
• Cheetos
• chewy caramels
• carrot cake
• milkshakes
• Hint of Lime Tostidos
• seven layer bars
• cream of chicken and wild rice soup
• pão de queijo
• belgian waffles
• crumpets
• tapioca pudding

I'm not in the mood to see the positive right now. So, please, if you have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. Just let me pout at my little dairy-free pity party here in peace. Don't tell me how I can make most of this stuff at home. Don't offer sources for alternative products that are "almost" or "just like" it. I want the real thing. I don't want a copycat recipe. I don't want to make it at home. I want the real thing and I want to have it made for me.

Should I add, "So there" and stick my tongue out?

Fruit-Topped Waffles

This post originally appeared on By Hook or By Cook.

While this isn't the best D.A.S.H. recipe I've created (too much butter--check out that cholesterol content *shudder*), it's not too far off the plan. If you're careful the rest of the day, you can make it work. I haven't worked much with applesauce or other oil substitutions, so if you try that, definitely let me know how it works.

click photo for larger image       

1 c flour
1 c whole wheat flour
½ t salt
1 T baking powder
1 t sugar
3 eggs, beaten
1 c milk
¼ c butter
12 strawberries (½ lb)
48 blackberries (1 pint)

· Stir together dry ingredients until well blended
• Add eggs, milk, and butter, mix well
• Bake in waffle iron according to manufacturers instructions
• Top each serving with 3 strawberries and 12 blackberries

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2 waffles (199 g) Serving per Recipe 6
Amount per Serving Calories 237 Calories from Fat 35
	% DV
Total Fat 4g Saturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 1g Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Cholesterol 123mg Sodium 304mg Total Carbohydrates 41.5g Dietary Fiber 6.5g Sugars 7g Protein 11g	6% 5% 41% 13% 14% 25%

D.A.S.H. Serving Information

Each serving contains:
1 grains serving
1½ fruits servings
2 oils servings

Allergies and Substitutions

This post originally appeared on By Hook or By Cook.

I can't remember just now if I've blogged about it before (and I'm too lazy to look it up), but both my daughter and I are allergic to cow's milk. Over the years, I've found a number of pretty decent substitutions that I can just throw in a recipe measure for measure.

Milk
My basic go-to milk is Silk^® Soymilk. I've tried just about every commercial soy brand out there and this one comes the closest to the taste of cow's milk. Even my dairy-loving husband agrees.

For cooking, Silk works great as well. I've also tried both Almond and Hazelnut Non-Dairy Beverages from Pacific^® Natural Foods. They are nice if you're looking to add a bit of nuttiness, such as in a quick bread recipe. I found that I tasted them a bit more than the Silk, though in sauces and other milk-based items.

One of the few items I'd still really like to find a good source for, but haven't yet, is dry milk powder. I haven't looked too hard for it yet, since it's not something I use that much, but I'd love to be able to make a hot cocoa mix, for example, that I could just add water to and drink on these cold winter days!

Yogurt
My daughter's favorite is Silk Live^TM Soy Yogurt. I like the price, as it's usually the cheapest of the soys, but the taste, especially plain and vanilla, are a little off for me. I prefer WholeSoy & Co.^® Soy Yogurt for myself. Unfortunately, it generally costs half again as much, so I'm as likely to eat the Silk as not.

Redwood Hill Farm Goat Milk Yogurt is tasty, but extremely cost prohibitive. It usually costs about twice as much as Silk. I save this for special treats.

I have tried making my own yogurt with Silk, but I can't really see that it's worth the effort on a regular basis. Maybe if we had a yogurt maker ...

Cheese
I get most of my cheeses at Trader Joe's. They tend to have the best prices for goat and sheep cheeses. Here are some of my favorites (and how I use them).

• Basque Shepherd's Cheese (sheep's milk)--this is a nice semi-soft cheese. I use it like cheddar or mozzarella, though it is quite a bit tangier than the latter. My favorite uses for this cheese are baked pasta dishes, pizza, and Pears and Cheese.
• Pecorino Romano (sheep's milk)--this is a hard cheese, wonderful for grating. I substitute this whenever Parmesan is called for in a recipe. The taste is slightly tangier and saltier, but there is little enough difference that when I serve it to others, they don't comment on the flavor.
• Manchego (sheep's milk)--the absolute best on wheat crackers! I'm guessing it's classified as a hard cheese, though it's not as hard as Pecorino Romano. This cheese stands well on it's own, as a cracker topping, with fruit, or in sandwiches. I'm not sure I've had any success melting it, though. Correction: Manchego melts beautifully. I just had it in an omelet a few weeks ago and it was fabulous.
• Chèvre, also called Goat Cheese (goat's milk)--I use this soft cheese in place of cream cheese. It is slightly tangier and a little stiffer (sometimes I thin it slightly with milk) but generally it holds up to anything from cheesecake to bagels to blintzes. I also use this for stuffed pasta dishes, such as manicotti or lasagna. It is definitely tangier than ricotta, but if you're using a spicy tomato sauce, the difference is negligible. I rarely use fresh goat cheese as a crumbled topping to salads, but it works well for that, too.
• Goat Cheddar (goat's milk)--I've been going back and forth on this one. Depending on the shopping trip, I seem to get nice mild cheddar or very strong goat-y cheddar, even within the same brand. The first is yummy, and a perfect substitute for cow's milk cheddar. Unfortunately, the second is a bit overpowering. I'm not sure what makes the difference.
  
• There is only one vegetable-based cheese I've tried that I can recommend: Tofutti^® Better than Cream Cheese. I don't like it as well as Chèvre, but for a bean product, it does pretty well. I had the best luck using it for the baked pasta dishes. As with goat cheese, it is a bit tangier than cream cheese, but not dramatically so. If you like tofu and it is a regular part of your diet, you probably would have no problem using the Tofutti on bagels or anywhere else you might otherwise use cream cheese. I found it a bit too strongly flavored of bean for those purposes.
  

Cream, Butter, Half-and-half
Because I have problems with the whey (protein), I am able to eat real whipping cream and butter made from cow's milk, since they don't contain enough protein to cause me problems. I have learned, however, that there are several brands of cream that are called "heavy" but contain milk proteins. It's just a matter of learning to read labels with care.

Generally, when a recipe calls for half-and-half, I simply substitute half whipping cream, half soymilk.

I have also evaporated my own milk to use in place of half-and-half (see below).

Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk
For evaporated milk, I generally just use cream, cup for cup, or make my own, starting with 2½ times the amount of evaporated milk called for and boiling it down. I wouldn't recommend evaporating soymilk for sweet recipes, however, as the soy flavor becomes concentrated as it evaporates. One of the nut milks or perhaps an oat milk would work better for most desserts.

Sweetened condensed milk could probably be made the same way, just add sugar (1½ times the amount milk called for in the recipe) while you're evaporating. I've never tried this through. If you have, please let me know you're results. I have substituted coconut milk in a few recipes, but my success has been somewhat varied.

Football and Updates

Yes, there is something sad about "your home team" (whether that's where you currently call home or not) losing and losing big. Congratulations to all the Colts fans out there. Your team did a much better job than ours did. Enjoy your bragging rights.

And to my home team, the Bears. You started out great! We were all cheering with that Devon Hester return in the opening seconds of the game. How exciting! But after that first quarter, everything sort of fizzled. Your play, our excitement.... Next year, let's make it back to the big BOWL and win, darn it.

Now, on to the updates, I promised.

About that job I was offered...I turned it down. Politely but firmly. After Adam was offered his new job, I realized the only reason I was considering taking it was because of the money. Now, with that need lessened, I had no desire to take the job, just a small fear of looking bad or being thought of poorly if I didn't accept. But, in the end, that wasn't a problem at all. In fact, I've actually been offered a completely different job with an organization I did some temp work for years and years ago. It's much more up my alley and a specified amount of work a few times a year. I'm probably going to accept that one, but I'm waiting for the answers to a few questions first.

I still haven't gotten the dvds I was working on to work yet. Thanks to my friend Mark (well, okay, mostly Adam's friend Mark) for all his advice. I may have to e-mail you for some additional pointers, since what I've been trying so far hasn't been successful. I haven't had the energy (or the level of tolerance for frustration) for the past several days, but I expect I'll start working on it again this week sometime.

As for my new year's new diet plan, it's not been going so well. Vegetables aren't much of a comfort food when they're not bathed in bread crumbs and deep fried. Actually, they're not much comfort then either, but they are yummy. I think part of my problem is motivation. I'm not sure how to motivate myself to accomplish something that I've never successfully completed before (though I've failed many times) and is going to take a very long time. Any diet ideas out there? How can I keep motivated when the going is slow? And what helped you get used to a new eating program without feeling deprived?

We're doing a bit better on the crib sheet front. It's still up and down, though--no pun intended. I got home from a day away this past week (I'll write more about that in another post) to find that our daughter had stripped off her clothes and diaper in her crib; relieved herself in, ah, solid form; then proceeded to smear it on her fingers, the sheets, and the sides of the crib. Yuck. Since then, however, she's kept her diaper on.

Hearty Granola

This post originally appeared on By Hook or By Cook.

I created this recipe to fit within the guidelines of the D.A.S.H. plan. D.A.S.H. stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. And it's not just a recipe, but a Works-For-Me Wednesday tip.

click photo for larger image       

3 c rolled oats
1 c raisins
½ c dried blueberries
½ c dried halved cherries
2/3 c almonds
¼ c honey
2 T oil
(variation below)

·Preheat oven to 350°F
·Melt honey in microwave on high for 30 seconds or until bubbly
·Mix oatmeal, fruit, and almonds in a large bowl
·Stir in melted honey and oil
·Spread granola on a large jelly roll pan
·Cook 10-15 minutes, stirring every five minutes

NOTE: Take care to place the pan directly in the center of the oven rack. Edges of the pan which are too close to the sides of the oven may burn.

Nutrition Facts Serving Size 2/3 c (113 g) Serving per Recipe 8
Amount per Serving Calories 295     Calories from Fat 72
	% DV
Total Fat 8g      Saturated Fat 1g      Monounsaturated Fat 4g      Polyunsaturated Fat 2.5g Cholesterol 0mg Sodium 3mg Total Carbohydrates 48.5g      Dietary Fiber 7g      Sugars 11g Protein 10.5g	12% 5% 0% 0% 16% 27%

D.A.S.H. Serving Information

Each serving of granola contains:
     1 grains servings
     1 fruits servings
     ½ sweets serving

Suggestion:
Serve with ½ cup milk or yogurt (adds ½ serving dairy)

Variation:
Reduce raisins to ½ cup. Replace blueberries and cherries with ¾ cup chopped dried apple, ½ cup chopped dried pear, and ¼ cup broken banana chips. Replace almonds with chopped walnuts.

For more tips and advice visit Rocks in my Dryer. This week's theme is healthy eating.

A Pinch of This and a D.A.S.H. of That

One thing I've been trying to accomplish for most of my life is to reach and maintain my ideal weight. Lately, I've also been concerned about my blood pressure. While I was pregnant with my daughter, my BP was elevated at every midwife appointment. I'm sure this can be attributed, in part, to the so-called "white coat effect". Still, losing weight and eating more healthfully overall should help my BP to regulate at a more normal level.

In an effort to start afresh with the new year, I've decided to begin the D.A.S.H. plan again. D.A.S.H. stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. I tried this over the summer and found it worked well for me. I didn't feel much like I was deprived of food, since you're actually expected to eat quite a bit. In fact, many days I had trouble getting in enough fruits and veggies to meet my quota.

I started developing some recipes that were in line with D.A.S.H. guidelines. Over the next several weeks, I'll be posting these over on By Hook or By Cook. If you're interested, I created a weekly food diary to help me keep track of what I was eating, how many servings of any given food group I may have left, and so forth. I also set it up to keep a running total (for daily calories, protein grams, carb grams or whatever you may be watching) and included a column for drinking water. You can view the PDF here--for those of you who like to be warned about such things, the link is set to open a new window.