In living color

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swiss chard

I’m beginning to understand why some people are obsessed with food photography.  Food is beautiful, especially wholesome, natural food.  I look at the colors in the package of rainbow chard from Trader Joe’s (oh, when will you open in Salem???).

To see a great blog and pics about Swiss Chard, click here

I see green, red, yellow, white, and even purple.  All these magnificent colors richly blended together and without the use of red dye #40 or anything artificial.

When I see these amazing gifts from nature, I have to ask myself what the appeal is of the “white stuff”??  It is all the same color.  I know in my mind that the pretty pink flowers atop a birthday cake can only be possible when a myriad of chemicals are added to lard and sugar…so what is the appeal?

When  I created this simpe meal, Swiss chard scramble, I allowed myself to be wooed by the bounty of Mother Nature and not food by the Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing game that the junk food plays all the time.

By the way, this one is low carb AND gluten-free, if that is your thing:

Swiss Chard scramble

1/2 bag of Swiss rainbow Chard (about 1 bunch chopped)
2 tbsp water
1 small tomato, diced
4 cage-free eggs
1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste.

In a large skillet, on med heat, begin to  cook the water and chard, stirring frequently.


Once the chard is warmed, add the eggs and scramble for 5-7 minutes, until eggs are done.  Add the tomatoes and spices, to taste.  I also added a few pieces of left-over new potatoes to my dish, just as a variation.

Serves 2-3

swiss chard scramble

Why fiber is my friend

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I’m fired up about fiber right now, so how about a fiber focus.

What is the big deal with fiber, you ask? Well, for one, if I’m seeking foods with fiber, I’m usually in the realm of “off-white” foods, and therefore don’t have to worry as much about the junk like HFCS, hydrogenated oils and my nemesis: refined sugar. There just isn’t a lot of foods that mix fiber and junk: it’s a conflict of interest.

Also, fiber makes me feel full and helps me digest and keep things a movin’. Fiber is also like the “junk magnet” in the body: it can carry out toxins, poor quality nutrients and other “stuff” we don’t really want getting into our bodies and hanging out for too long. Eating fiber speeds up the elimination process, so our food isn’t lingering in the gut.

In an ideal world we would get like 35 grams of fiber/day, which is much MORE than what the average US adult gets (10-15g/day is typical).

So, let’s aim to boost our fiber. Research shows that just 5g/meal of fiber can help balance blood sugar, which is a major player in weight gain/loss + diabetes, etc. 5g of fiber is about 1 apple.

Here are some tips for getting in your fiber:

  • have at least 5 servings of fruit/veggies per day. Berries, apples, kiwis, sweet potatoes, and broccoli are examples of foods with at least 4g of fiber per serving.
  • Eat breads or crackers with AT MINIMUM 3g of fiber per serving. Watch the HFCS too. You’re basically left with either fresh, local whole grain breads, or breads like Ezekiel.
  • Get some beans in your diet. A cup of black beans has about 20G of fiber per serving. Garbanzo beans and lentils are high in fiber too.
  • Eat cereals with at least 5g of fiber and less than 10g of sugar. Again, you’re limited to things like Puffins, Kashi, All-bran, and stuff that doesn’t have a cartoon character on the label.
  • Even random things like Molasses, soy milk, almonds, dates, chocolate (YES! A good piece of chocolate has 2-4g of fiber/serving) are sources of fiber.

Recipe: Fiber-fest oatmeal

1/4 cup whole oats
1/2 cup hot water
1 tbsp chopped almonds
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, to taste
1/2 small apple, finely chopped
1 tbsp flaxmeal, ground

Cook the oats on the stove on low-med heat, stirring frequently. Add the apples, almonds, spices, and molasses in at the end and cook for about 1 more minute, covered. Add flaxmeal in just before serving. You don’t want to heat flaxmeal too much.

Serves 1, but it’s a hearty serving. Should keep ya full for while.

Happy eating and happy digesting!

Eating that humble pile

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chillin

Today I ate some humble pie.  No, I’m not talking about some great recipe I concocted in the kitchen.  I’m talking about facing my own ego and battle with getting off the white junk.

Let me explain:  This past Sunday I was feeling sorry for myself because I cancelled some afternoon plans.  So, obviously, the way to rectify is to make cookies for your husband and start eating all the dough, right.  Yes, that will fix it, for sure!

Well, here I am, one hand in the bowl and the other in the computer checking my email.  And there it is – my gift from above: an email from a dear friend in San Diego.  She’s talking about how grateful she is that we were friends and how proud she is of me for this whole off-white thing, and how it inspires her.

Gulp.  Whoa!  What was I doing?  Total breach of my connection to what matters to me.  Was the cookie dough REALLY going to make it easier to cope with my feelings of guilt about cancelling some plans?  hmm….nope.  So, I had to make a choice.

Thankfully I chose the ‘right’ path, which was for me, letting go of the bowl and getting moving with the business of life. I had a lovely evening of golf with my husband (my first time), and dinner with a friend.  None of that would have transpired if I would have dove into  the dough one step further.

So, thank you to my dear friend.  you know who you are. I love you!

Hummuna Hummuna hummus – your anti-vending machine agent

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vending machine

Hummus ROCKS!!!!!  I love it.  I keep using it as a tool to help myself and my clients have something tasty to eat on veggies or whole grain breads etc.

The deal is; if you have some good foods around that are easy to access, you can easily eat well.  Its when we are starved, and staring down an empty fridge that it makes those cupboard raids (and does anything really GREAT come out of those cupboard raids?) and the frustration that comes with them, a regular habit.
Consider this recipe your insurance against vending machine runs at 3pm.

Ingredients:
1 pound (1 can organic or fresh) each: white beans and garbanzo beans
3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
4 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil
¼ tsp salt
½ tsp cumin
2 tsp parsley (fresh, if possible)
In a blender or food processor, combine half the beans, the lemon juice and blend.  For a thinner dip, add some of the bean liquid or water.  Process, scraping down the sizes for complete mixing.  Add the second half of the beans, the oil, and the cumin.  Process until smooth.  Place in a serving bowl, adding salt and parsley to the top before serving

Variations: Add balsamic vinegar after processing

Serve with: whole grain breads/crackers, sliced peppers, carrots, cucumbers, jicima.

Other serving options: hummus makes a zesty sandwich spread, toast spread, or addition to a garden salad

Quick…we need for lunch tomorrow!!

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skillet greens + spelt pilaf = YUM

Its about 7:30pm at our house on Sunday night. We’re tired. We’ve been painting ALL DAY and have just enough energy to stare at a TV and drool at dream kitchens on HGTV.

Then it comes to me. We need something nutritious to eat the next couple days at work. We both work long days and there are not many food options, except a marginally decent Safeway, and its hard to find good off-white options from the deli.

So we get cookin! The menu: Sauted collards + Kale, spelt pilaf and turkey burgers.
why this menu: First, we have all this stuff at home and need to cook the greens before they go bad, and second – this is typical fare in our world. It becomes easier to eat dark greens and non-wheat grains when you plan ahead, have some good recipes and invest the time. Any chance I can get for some dark greens, I take it. I had some white bread this weekend (here comes the nutritional confessional!). Not a big deal, but i really do feel like crap when I eat ‘white stuff’. Dark greens help detox the body.
Apparently Julius Cesar ate collards after attending royal banquets – I tell ya, those Greeks were smart people 😉

Okay, on with the recipe:

Collards/Kale saute
1 bunch each: kale + collard greens, deribbed and chopped

deribbed greens (these are the ribs that are left over – you can certainly be Martha Stewart and make stock with them, but I don’t).

2 tbsp EVOO or grapeseed oil
1/2 onion, chopped
juice of 1 lemon
salt, to taste

On a Med skillet, brown the onion w/1 tbsp oil. Next, add the greens and other oil and saute on med heat for 10 minutes, stirring frequently so all the greens get coated w/oil and get some of the heat. Add lemon + salt for another 3-5 minutes of saute.
Enjoy! Serves 3-4.

Dunkin Donut Democratic Disaster……

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Dunkin Donuts

So this morning I had to work early, and part of my job is getting our wellness center ready for AM customers. I turn on our TV’s, and see some shocking news.

They were listing the amount of $$ certain politicians were spending. One campaignee (no names mentioned because I just don’t want to get political) spend over TEN THOUSAND DOLLARS on Dunkin’ Donuts.

Whoa. Back up…. This is a SCARY fact. Donuts are just about the harshest thing you can have to get your going in the morning. Full of refined carbs, poor quality sugars and basically nothing nourishing whatsoever, donuts are a sinister species of junkedness. Why is it that people who are working hard to elect the next leaders of the “free world” are eating garbage, and having it PAID FOR by the campaign.

This gets me so mad. Have any of you every been on a sugar high, and then a sugar crash? I certainly have and it ain’t no mindset to be in when you are making major decisions. And you KNOW these folks are working hard, ’round the clock, to get the votes. They need nourishment! They need sustainence! They need REAL food!!!!

So, in reaction to today’s news, I  have decided to make my top 10 list of foods that I would serve to my campaigners if I were to be running for prez:

  • Herbal and green teas would ALWAYS be available, along with agave nectar, honey and stevia for sweetening
  • Fresh fruit and veggie trays would be purchased in Lieu of Donuts. Truthfully, donuts aren’t that cheap anymore (maybe if you’re going to be president you get a discount??), so I’d spend a few extra $$ on some produce. I don’t want my staff sluggish, constipated or on their way to diabetes….
  • How about some whole grains? : A nice fresh loaf of whole grain bread from a local bakery with some REAL butter, maybe nice jam, maybe even some yummy coffee (if you’re into that sort of thing).  That would be a real way to get connected with the locals too.  For instance, if I was here in Salem, OR, I’d get some goodies from Great Harvest Bread Co and support the small business.
  • Even places like Baja Fresh are better options for mid-day or late night grub. Heck, even your local taqueria or falafel house is probably a better bet than Donuts. I’d go there instead.
  • Let’s make a run the nearest Trader Joe’s and pick up some black bean chips, hummus, fresh salsa, and bean dips…..cheap and feeds lots of people.
  • Not that I LOVE bagels as an option, but some small, whole grain bagels with some rockin smears, and even lox if I’m feeling generous that day.
  • Even Pizza would make my list: even pizza with meat.  But it would be from a local, wood-fire kind of place and it wouldn’t be daily.
  • Last time I checked, grocery stores are in every city and they all have delis, fresh produce sections and usually a natural food section.   I guess you wouldn’t be on my campaign if you couldn’t stand the idea of brown rice cakes + almond butter and a kiwi as a quick breakfast.
  • Larbars
  • I’d also MAKE my staff drink TONS of water with lemon. We’re going to be working hard. We’re going to be stressed. Junk food WILL creep in during the campaign, so how about keep it flushing out so we don’t have a coronary just about the time we get elected.

Okay, I officially live in a euphoric world.  But c’mon….we can do butter than 10K on donuts, can’t we?  What does that say about how we value health and the ability to achieve it when we are busy?  Life is never going to get any slower, we have to learn to make it possible to live well and healthy despite our choices to be very busy active people.  Think about that the next time you bring snacks to the office board meeting.  What does your snack say about what you value when health and work start to tango?

Get your calcium – no milk needed!

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We’ve all heard for years about the importance of calcium for strong bones. For year’s its been the same slogan: Eat 3 servings/day of dairy for getting in that calcium! Well, what if your body doesn’t handle dairy too well (like mine!). Are you destined to frail bones – no way!

In fact, I like non-dairy sources of calcium because this usually means fruits, veggies, legumes and grains – all which also contain other phytonutrients and FIBER. Think about it: if you eat 3 servings of dairy (no fiber), that is dairy at every meal, basically. That means 1 major part of every meal is already void of fiber. This is no good.

If you look back at Eastern medicine (AKA 5,000 year old knowledge), it suggests that limiting dairy in the diet is a good idea because of its “congesting” nature – it constipates, it creates mucus, it mucks things up. Even our everyday wisdom tells us to avoid dairy when we get a cold because of the phlegm factor. This seems to me like a good thing to just not OD on no matter what, because…who needs more “congestion” in their GI tract. Most of us already have a hard enough time keeping things moving, so let’s find some creative sources of Calcium that won’t leave you feeling backed up.

The sweetest part of what I’m going to reveal: these non-dairy foods are usually also naturally good sources of Magnesium too, which is needed for proper Calcium absorption. So, to get that recommended 1200 mg/day of Calcium without dairy, consider the following “off white” options:

Collard greens: 1 cup = 266 mg
Oatmeal: 1/2 cup raw = 326 mg
Figs: 10 medium = 269 mg
Northern beans + Navy beans: 1 cup = 121 mg
Tofu: 1/2 cup = 248 mg
Edemame: 1 cup = 175 mg
Spinach: 1 cup = 291

Even Salmon and Sardines have calcium. Yea, I know they aren’t veggies/beans but they aren’t dairy either. Salmon kicks in with 180 mg/3 oz and Sardines rock the house with 325 mg/3 oz.

Okay, so my FAVORITE discovery about Calcium is Molasses. Blackstrap Molasses, to be exact.

Just 1 Tbsp of Blackstrap gives up 172 mg Calcium. That is awesome! Molasses is a great topper for oatmeal (which also has the calcium), great in baking, and even works nicely as a sauce to sweeten white meats (mix with a little olive oil and a little chili powder and baste some chicken – YUM!).

Recipe: Becky’s Backcountry Bars (gluten free)

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So this past weekend my husband embarked on a little journey into the great outdoors to do some avalanche training (yep, we like the mountains!). Just to set the stage, here’s a little pic of us doin’ our thing matt and rebecca on the mountain

Okay, back to the recipe…

Anyway, the night before he left I got a wild hare to try and make some low-sugar, gluten-free “energy bars” so we could avoid buying some and I could feel good giving him a healthy treat. Turns out these bars are mighty tasty:

1/3 cup organic unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup wheat-free baking mix from Bob’s Red Mill (not sure if it 100% gluten-free, but no gluten flours are in it)
1/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 gtsp baking soda
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup REAL butter
1/3 cup blackstrap or Barbados Molasses
1/3 cup almond butter
1 lrg egg
1 1/4 cup mashed bananas
1 1/2 cup oats (gluten-free or regular if you can have regular oats)
2/3 cup raisins
2/3 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350. Lighlty grease a muffin tin (about 18-20)
Stir together: flour, spice, soda and salt in a med. bowl and set aside.
In a laarge bowl, beat: butter, molasses and egg. When mixed, add banana and almond butter. I mixed with a ghetto hand-held mixer and it works just fine
Add flour mixture, beat on low until well-blended. Stir in oats, raisins and nuts. Mix.
Fill muffin cups 2/3 full. Just like this:

matt making bars

Bake about 20-minutes. They do not rise a whole lot. If you want them to rise, use 1 1/3 cups of spelt flour instead (it has gluten).

Backountrybars

Enjoy at elevation or sea level! You could also add things like carrots, dates, other nuts, figs, almond butter.

PS: please don’t call me Becky. My name is Rebecca, but Becky just made the alliteration part work. Only people who knew me in 6th grade get to call me Becky.

Is this thing on????

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Helloooooooooo World!

dagoba.jpg This is my first post on Off White and I welcome you with chocolate.

Being that it is Valentine’s day (okay I technically started this on 2/10, but I knew I’d share it with the world on V-day, I bring you my most favorite treat… CHOCOLATE!

You might be asking, why would I have a site dedicated to the education, advocacy, and community of whole food nutrition (namely white sugar/flour free) be talking about CHOCOLATE??

You see, that is going to be the magic of this place. I will show you that there is a life after “health” and that it can include your favorite foods. My personal MO has been that I rebel and binge on junk food if I feel deprived or restricted, so I’m always trying to find ways of integrating foods that make my body feel good and soothe the soul. As time goes on, I meet more and more people like me: overwhelmed by the choices we have and yet unclear about the best way to take care of our bodies with our food. “Off White” is about embracing the limitless opportunities for eating well, caring about what goes into the food, and creating community with others who want a better life than what the status quo, mind-numbing pseudo-food world has to offer us.

So, on this day of love, trying loving YOURSELF a little with this sweet treat:
Guiltless Hot chocolate for 1. Share with your sweetie and make it hot chocolate for two. I thank Wonderslim for their cocoa powder, which I just recently found at Lifesource in Salem.

wondercoca.jpg10 oz Almond Milk or Rice Milk
1 tbsp of Wondercocoa, by Wonderslim
.5 tsp Stevia powder
1 tsp each cinnamon, nutmeg
The Secret Weapon: 1 tsp shredded baking chocolate or dark chocolate, such as Dagoba New Moon bar (74% cacao – hardly any sugar at all).

Heat milk on med heat in small saucepan. Do not let it boil, it spoils the flavor.
Add cocoa powder and stir thoroughly
Add stevia, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Just before serving add optional chocolate.

Enjoy with a smile on your face. If I could, I’d make each and every one of you a cup right now and we could sit and chat.

Hugs,
Rebecca