Greens for Breakfast?

     It may be hard to see yourself sitting down to a plate of greens and eggs in the morning but let me tell you it is a great way to get your day started. Greens are full Beta Carotene, Vitamins A &C excellent sources of antioxidants. Also a good source of folate, vitamin K and Lutein. That is how I start several mornings a week. I chop and saute greens in less than 10 minutes. If you plan ahead just a little, you can be enjoying them too.
      There's two ways to do this. When in season I love fresh spinach, kale, bok choy, collards and swiss chard. Sometimes I mix several greens together, others times one by itself. For this meal my girlfriend kindly let me raid her garden of bok choy, kale and collards. But, when these are not available I turn to Walmart. There, I said it. I do shop Walmart for certain things. They carry a specific bag of mixed greens by New Star that has spinach, bok choy, baby red and green chard already clean and ready to cook. (I always rinse them) These are a staple in my diet.
     This is how it's done. For one large helping, If fresh, I chop 2  or3 large leaves of each green very thin with or without their stems. If using the bagged variety I use 3 or 4 handfuls. Greens cook down to 1/4 their original size. Set aside. In a frying pan of a tbsp. of olive oil, I chop 2 cloves garlic, maybe a little onion and brown. Then add 1/2 cup of chicken stock or Swanson's 99% fat free/no MSG stock and blend. Add the chopped greens, tossing them so they become evenly coated with the mixture. Sometimes, I cook 2 pieces of bacon, remove bacon and pour off all but a tbsp. or two of the grease. Then use this as my base for sautéing the garlic, onion and greens. Pines nuts are a tasty addition too. If you've never eaten greens in the morning, this is a great way to ease yourself into them. When greens are done cooking I chop the bacon into pieces and mix in. Then sprinkle feta cheese on top. Plate it and garnish with an egg over easy. Yummy yum yum!
     Greens aren't just for breakfast either. They make a nice side with any animal protein. Larry likes these with a spoonful of Rotel diced tomatoes and green chilies mix in or with his favorite stand by for all foods, hot sauce.
      Try them and tell me how you like em'.

DAY 14 Let's Talk Salt

DAY  14

A pet peeve of mind is serving a plate of food to someone and before they even taste it they have the shaker above it raining down salt. Why do people do that? It takes all my willpower not to say something snippy. But, really how do they know it isn't seasoned just perfectly when set in front of them?
    And so begins discussion on salt. Have you ever wondered what differences, if any between regular Morton salt and all the new salts we're seeing in stores. Sea Salt seems to be a popular buzz word. I have taken liberty to borrow the answer from The Mayo Clinic's Website. Here's their answer.

from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.

     Sea salt and table salt have the same basic nutritional value, despite the fact that sea salt is often marketed as a more natural and healthy alternative. The most notable differences between sea salt and table salt are in their taste, texture and processing.
     Sea salt is produced through evaporation of ocean water or water from saltwater lakes, usually with little processing. Depending on the water source, this leaves behind certain trace minerals and elements. The minerals add flavor and color to sea salt, which also comes in a variety of coarseness levels.
     Table salt is typically mined from underground salt deposits. Table salt is more heavily processed to eliminate minerals and usually contains an additive to prevent clumping. Most table salt also has added iodine, an essential nutrient that helps maintain a healthy thyroid.
     By weight, sea salt and table salt contain the same amount of sodium.
Regardless of which type of salt you prefer, limit total sodium to less than 2,300 milligrams a day — or 1,500 milligrams if you:

• Are 51 or older
• Are black
• Have high blood pressure, diabetes or chronic kidney disease

Do you agree with what Katherine says? Do all salts have the same basic value?

Comment below.

DAY 13 I'm Feeling Down

Day 13

     Feeling a little down today. Maybe it's leaving the security of our home and friends to go to a rental house for a month., Maybe it's the angst of leaving my elderly friends who seem so frail.  Maybe it's the gray skies that have loomed overhead for several days now or maybe it's the wet basement were leaving behind after all the rain. I'm sure it's all of that however,  part of it is the worry over the nonchalance of so many about wanting to make even the smallest changes in their eating habits which could help change their lives.
     Don't get me wrong, the initial 5 girlfriends who signed up are still hanging with me. Some have made extraordinary changes in their diet while others are making smaller strides but see that change is necessary and are trying. Ku-doos to you all. I love hearing the changes you've made from sugar filled cereals to granola and blueberries. Putting away white breads for 100% whole wheat bread or pitas. Choosing fresh vegetables as side dishes rather than baked potatoes with the works. Yogurt and fresh fruit over ice-cream. It's Great! Keep up the good work. I really appreciate having you as support.
     It's those who look sick, fat, swollen, who often talk bout their arthritis aches and pains, bad knees, backs and hips, no energy, tired and depressed that want to cling to the comfort foods that are making them sick in the first place. I understand it is hard to give up what we've known all our lives because I've been doing this for years now.
     Nixing off bad foods one at a time until I got to where I am today. 90% of the time I eat fresh fruit and veggies. I don't do white much of anything except rice noodles. I've had the same bag of sugar in my cupboard for 5 years and it's half full. I've made huge changes in diet but am still working on ridding myself of those things like anything gluten, too many potatoes, nitrate filled bacon and sausage and ice-cream. I am also working on portion control. But, when people who know because of Dr. Oz or their doctors warnings that what they eat has a real baring on how bad they're feeling yet, they continue eating poorly unabated using the excuse "I'm not ready." Is so sad to me and makes me sad for them. 
     What is it about us Americans who are willing to go on powerful drugs for years, have major surgeries on our knees and our backs, for problems directly caused by being overweight. We rove from doctor to doctor spending tons of money to find fixes. But, when the doc says we must change what we're eating. It's off to another doctor because we don't like the last ones answer. Why? It's like what Joe Cross says in his movie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, "he was willing to go through all the above but was terrified to change what he was putting in his mouth." Because that meant taking charge. Buckling down. Thinking before eating. Yet he knew that was the answer.
     I'm not asking you to go on a 30 day juice fast or no carb diet. We're just saying to start somewhere. Exchange the potato chips for carrot and celery a few times a week. The white rice for brown rice. Canned corn or green beans for fresh or at least frozen. Instead of a latte mocha chia double double switch to a coffee and cream or tea for a day. Instead of a 10 oz steak with baked potato have a salad with grilled steak slices with strawberries. Make some effort to treat you body better. You have to start somewhere. And if you started and have been at somewhere for some time, do another little something. Each day the choices get easier. You will have more energy, feel happier and in control.
    

DAY 12 Summer Travel

Day 12  
 
     Larry and I are packing up and heading to Michigan on Saturday for a month. My insatiable need to see and interact with our grandkids has gotten the best of me. Hopefully this visit will curb that craving and leave indelible memories on my heart and mind so when we return home these memories will keep me happy until the next time.
      As many of you know I am a Photographer wanna-be, so expect some vacation pictures to be included in future post. It is my plan to continue posting each day however, I am using my cell phone as my internet source while in Wolverine Lake so service and internet connect will only be as good as the towers allow. If for any reason I can not post, I apologize ahead of time. For you who are a part of our Mobile Texts posts, you will still receive your morning tags albeit a shortened version.
     I've heard from some that they are commenting on the Blog but the comments are not posting. I don't know what the deal is with that, I will be checking into it but, please don't let that stop you from trying again. Your comments inspire me to continue posting. It's the only way I have to know that you are finding inspiration to get healthy from them, which in turn motivates me to keep on keeping on, too.  I would love to hear about small or great changes you have made or are making in your choices of food. We're always looking for menu ideas and recipes. Please share.
     For you Twinsburg/Bedford Friends DON'T FORGET: we have our 10 Day Challenge Get Together To See How We're All Doing date, Friday at my house at 6:00 sharp. We will be watching 1/2 of "Food Matters", then having discussion after. BYO healthy snacks. I will supply pop-corn and flavored water. Please text me if you are coming so I can get a count.
     Check the EVENT page once in a while to see what's coming up.
  
                                    Todays inspiration are the two pictures below.  

  
  Keep a log of everything you put in your mouth over the next three days. Everything. You may be surprised. What's one easy healthy thing you can do for yourself today?

DAY 11 Busy Days

DAY 11    

We all have days we've packed full. Starting early in the morning and ending when you drop in the recliner unsure if you'll make it to bed. Yesterday was one of those days. Having to be downtown Cleveland to my son's workplace before 8:00 a.m, driving a van and hauling a trailer, meant being up by 6:00 on the road by 7:00. My inclination was to grab a travel cup of coffee and hit the road. But, knowing that I encouraged all of you to eat your breakfast made me feel a responsibility to live up to what I preach. "It's been over 10 hours since you last fueled up, and your body needs some gas to get moving. You talk the talk, you going to walk the walk?" I thought.
     Quickly I made up a bag of raw almonds, walnuts, sprouted pumpkin seeds, wusabi edamame (love the touch of heat) dried cranberries and my cup of joe. Larry grab his usual banana and we made a mad dash. Munching on them during the trip made rush hour easier. I don't know how people start their mornings and end there day sea of automobiles. You who do, should NEVER ever miss breakfast. The patience and skill of operating a vehicle in rush hour requires a lot of a body, mind and soul. You don't want to be running on fumes while dealing with a situation that demands so much energy.
     We're home and starving by 11:00. A couple weeks ago we would have stopped at Arby's or Wendy's and grab some lunch. Not these days.
Larry wanted a sliced chicken sandwich topped with spinach, red onion, mayo on the only bread he'll eat, a whole wheat hamburger bun. It's gives me a sense of pride taking time to feed the two of us better.
     I'm not doing much bread these days so I had a salad. On a bed of spinach I chopped cabbage,  pepper jack cheese, rotisserie chicken, cherry tomatoes and very thin sliced red onion with vinegar and oil dressing. Dash of salt and pepper. As a last minute thought after taking the picture I sprinkled pretty heavily a ground mix blend of flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame seeds and gogi berries.  I love this stuff for salads, yogurt, cereal. Made by Linwood. It's a super healthy food and gave the salad a woodsey taste. Loved it.
      Barely done with lunch my daughter, husband, who are passing through town headed home to Detroit drop the 3 grandkids (ages 6, 2.5 and almost 1) off to play with Yaya and Grandpa for a few hours. Entertaining three young kids, when your not used to it, is exhausting especially when your doing it in 90 degree heat. By the way, our living without AC ended today.
     When the parents returned Imperial Wok Chinese Food was on their agenda. "Oh, oh! I haven't gone OUT to eat for the last over two weeks." I think. Chinese food although I love it is loaded with calories and MSG. What would you have done?  It's not like I'm never going to eat out again. Got to learn how to make good choices when dining out to. What better way to test my ability.  So we went.
     I chose the chicken lettuce wraps. I went light on the hoisin sauce and drank plenty of water. I made what I think is the healthiest choice available on the menu but, am a little nervous to see the scale this morning.  Do you ever notice when you wake up the day after Chinese food, your hands and feet are swollen, your mind seems foggy and your joints are stiffer than normal? Blame the salt/MSG. Although FDA claims of safety, more and more information of it's side effects is available. But, the best estimate of it's effects is your own body. Read them closely.
     Gaining back anything would be discouraging but not a total surprise. Sometimes we make choices that may set us back but, that's ok. Tomorrow is a new day. Get back on the horse and gallop through the next week making choices that will keep you on the road to better health.
     After dinner we finished unpacking the trailer and van of all the contents hauling everything inside. Setting up book cases, taking others down, moving furniture upstairs and downstairs, sorting books and cleaning it all up afterward. My brain and body said i'm done, pooped out.
     I couldn't go to bed without doing one more thing. To help my kidneys work out all the salt I made a 6 oz. glass of water with 4 tablespoons of 100% cranberry concentrate. It's very cleansing.
     The lesson of todays post is make the time to feed your body something healthy in the morning, don't let yourself get so hungry that you grab junk just to fill up and if you fall short, get up and get over it. Get back on track in the morning.
     
    

Day 10 The Scale Tells No Lies

DAY 10

     Well Ladies we made it. We stand here at Day 10 of the Ten Day Challenge with what I hope is a clearer vision of how to improve your health. If you stayed the course not only should you be thinking more clearly, feeling a little lighter on your feet, enjoying a confidence in yourself for following through, you probably have shed at lease a couple of unwanted pounds.
     I stepped on the scale for the first time during the challenge on day 5 (which for me was really day 10 because I started earlier than the official start date) I just had to know where the number would stop. Low and behold it read 195.3.  Remember my start weight was 198. 198.5 to be precise. I love the newer scales because they not only tell weight but ounces too. "Oh honnn-nneeey? I've lost not just 3 pounds but 3.2 pounds, thank you very much." I felt exuberant. I really am doing this for health but you can't eat healthy and not loose weight. That's one of the perks. It is also a great motivator.
     Oh, I know there's some of you saying "that's just water weight." The fact is if a person is retaining 3.2 excess pounds of water, over and above what your body generally needs to function then you are inflamed. Inflammation is the absolute leading cause of illness. It means your cells, which are our foundation to health are having a heck-a-va time fighting to keep your bodily system up to snuff. It means your kidneys are working overtime along with many other organs.
   

      If you don't think that's a problem or that 3.2 pounds of lost water is not an accomplishment then I suggest Google-ing Lasix (Furosemide). This is the chosen drug used to help those whose bodies can not eliminate enough water normally.  I am not sure how many  Americans are currently on it but, I think it's safe to say that YOU know at least one person, maybe more who are. The culprit for water retention is to much salt. Lord knows were a salt crazed country. It's in everything from fruit drinks to baby food. Let's just say, if it isn't in the form in which God created it (on the outside perimeter of the grocery store aisles) then it probably full of salt. That's not to say that whole foods don't have any salt content. They do, but it is miniscule compared to processed, canned, packaged foods. Just another reason to rid our shelves of all the stuff. 
     Sorry got off track for a moment. Long story short, upon waking Day 7 the scale registered another pound lost, Day 8 another and yesterday Day 9, and this is where those ounces really help, another .8 pounds for a total just over of 6 pounds. Needless to say I am encouraged. 192.2
     However, with the excitement comes trepidation, for this is Day 10 of our 10 day challenge. Who will stick with me for 10 more days and who will quit. If nothing else you've learn you can take control of what's eating you. Oops!  What I meant to say is what your eating. Or did I?  You've taken positive steps to curtail the crazy mindless eating and learn to make better choices. I hope this is not just my beginning of a quest to better health. My husband Larry and I are not here to convince you we want to Inspire you. You are not alone in the maze. Are YOU up for the next 10 Days?

     FYI...  The tolerable upper level of daily sodium intake 2300 mg. 85% of Americans exceed that many times over. More than half of all Americans are predisposed to health issues, high blood pressure, heart disease, and should have no more 1500 mg daily. There is way too much salt, MSG, natural foods flavorings, all which contains salt in our diets.
    Example: Applebees Bacon Cheddar Cheesburger has a whopping 1610 mg of sodium. Add a side of fries for an extra 740 mg. That's just one meal. YIKES! For you Homemade Mac and Cheese lovers, One cup serving has nearly a 1000 mg. Boxed M &C per cup is 786 mg. HOLY CANNOLLI!        

 1/4 teaspoon of salt    =  500 mg
 1/2 teaspoon of salt    =  1000mg                               
   1  teaspoon  of salt   =  2000 mg

DAY 9 Dog Day Afternoons

DAY 9
    
     The hot days of summer have arrived. We're trying not to succumb to the 90 degrees by turning on the AC. If it gets much hotter I may loose this battle. The house seems hottest in the late afternoon around 3:30 - 4:00 when we like to eat our biggest meal.
     I was all set to have my husband grill us some burgers which I intended on smothering in mushrooms, onions and green peppers but, as the temperature went up my zeal for standing over the stove went down.
     What kind of cool and delicious foods can we conjure up on days too hot for soup?  Just about the time that thought popped into my head I heard the familiar bird call letting me know I had a text message. Received from my daughter was picture above with the message LUNCH.  After seeing that, I got such a hankering for chicken salad, I had to whip up a batch for my husband and I.
     The rotisserie chicken intended for soup stock now became our chicken salad lunch. It didn't dawn on me until we were licking our plates clean that I should have taken pictures too. Shucks! It wasn't as pretty as Leah's above but I am willing to say it was almost as good. Why do I say almost? Because Leah took the time to make her own mayonnaise. Boy, she's good.
     We are making great strides to eat well here at The Barnett household. Over the next few months i'm sure our "diet" will see many changes but, I don't know if i'll ever get to the point of making mayo from a recipe. We use it so infrequently that I am unconcerned at this point about the fat content. The only concern I have with it the natural flavorings. We all know that means MSG. The sugar content on label is so little that it doesn't appear in the Nutritional Facts. I have thought about trying the Veganaise from the health food store but i'm not convinced it's that much healthier and that mayo in small amounts is that bad.  It's the binder that holds chicken and tuna salads together. That's my opinion for now and i'm sticking to it.

     Speaking of salad dressings. What? I thought someone mentioned them. Many of you may not be at the point in your healthy lifestyle changes where you question salad dressing, and that's ok. My suggestion to you is instead of pouring dressing all over your salad, put it in a small dish and dip your salad into it. Better yet, just dip your fork in the dressing before spearing your salad. It's amazing how much less dressing you eat but still enjoy your salad.
     Some salad dressings, while tasty, are often full of fat, sodium and sugars that you don’t need when you’re trying to slim down and get healthy. But there are alternatives that are healthier for your body yet still taste good.

     One option is to mix olive oil or flaxseed oil with red wine, raspberry infused or balsamic vinegar.
You need one part oil to one part vinegar a pinch of salt and pepper and shake ingredients together.
     While olive oil and flaxseed oil have fat and calories, they are a healthy source of fat that your body needs. "In fact, flaxseed oil is used by so many organs of your body that it’s almost impossible for it to be converted into fat cells."-- Jillian Michaels

Julie's Chicken Salad
(depending on what's available in the house)

2 breast of rotisserie chicken
1/3 - 1/2 cup mayo (I don't measure so I'm unsure)
1/2 stalk celery chopped very small
1 green onion and stalk
15 seedless grapes halved (red or green)
and a good shake or two of Mrs. Dash Original

The chicken salad was piled on two large Romaine leaves that had vinegar and oil spritzed on them.
My husband gave it a 10.