It's ALIVE!!!

Greetings, everyone!

It has been a LONG time since my last update and I do apologize. Life in the non-cyber world ran away with me, I'm afraid. I'm back now, though, and I do have some new recipes and information that I hope you'll find interesting.

For starters, I want to tell you about a terrific book that I find really valuable for cooking with alternative ingredients. It's The Food Substitutions Bible by David Joachim. Fabulous! As it says on its cover, there are more than 5,000 suggested substitutions for a really staggering aray of ingredients and equipment.

What if you are fresh out of kefalotyri? What if, like me, you didn't even know what it was? Well, no problem. It can be interchanged, ounce for ounce with pecorino romano or parmesan, just to give you two options. There are even more listed in the book!

What if you are in a pastry sort of mood but don't have pie weights? Try dried beans. Just that simple.

I particularly like that the book is set up in simple, sensible alphabetical order. Just look up the ingredient you need to change out and you'll have a list of alternatives before you. It can't take care of every possible change you might need, but it is a big help. It can trigger all sorts of ideas, too. Once you see how some ingredients can be switched for others, you might be inspired to try some changes of your own.

I picked up my copy at Border's Books and it is available from Amazon.com, as well. Give it a look and tell me what you think!

In the meantime, let's go eat that!

Introducing or Reintroducing Foods

You know, I meant to talk about this after my post about peppermint. Instead, I got all excited about the things I was reading about ginger and nearly forgot about introducing and reintroducing foods into your diet. Let’s rectify that right now.

Okay, so you’ve identified some foods that are problematic for you. You may have done this on your own by trial and error or perhaps you’ve been tested by your doctor or allergist. This is good information and you’re altering your eating habits accordingly, right? But what about all those foods you haven’t tested? What about foods you’ve never encountered before? Are these to be avoided because you don’t know how you’ll react? Probably not. However, let me say this again because I really don’t think it can be said too often. CHECK WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL , FIRST. If you are cleared to give some new foods a try, great! But how? If you’ve ever fed a baby new solid foods, you have your answer. If not, or if it’s been awhile since you had that pleasure, let me go over it with you.

The process of introducing a new food into your diet can take several days. During this time, it is prudent to be very cautious with your food to be sure that all other foods you eat are known to be perfectly safe for you. Do not try introducing more than one food at a time. If you should have a reaction of any kind, it is important to be able to identify just what you ingested or were exposed to that could cause the reaction. If you are sampling several new foods, it will be impossible to know which might be your culprit.

Okay. So you’ve chosen the food you’ll be introducing. For the sake of our discussion, let’s say you are trying to add peaches into your food repertoire (which, by the way, I recently did so this is real-life experience I’m passing along). Don’t settle down on Day One and eat roasted chicken with a peach glaze and follow it up with a large serving of peach cobbler for dessert. Sadly, that’s just not a wise way to go about things. Rather, begin with a small serving that is about ¼ of a regular portion. That’s right. Start with a quarter peach. If all goes well, Day Two will see you enjoying a half peach. Do eat these portions on consecutive days. You want to see what you can tolerate as it builds in your system. In some cases, you will find that a single, small portion of a food will do very well but eating that same food on consecutive days will not (Yes, I am again speaking from personal experience. My ability to get along with iceberg lettuce, as an example, is limited.). Again, if all goes well, Day three will be ¾ or even a whole peach. Day four would be another whole peach (or the equivalent serving) and Day Five would be one and a half peaches. If you can tolerate an oversized portion such as this, after several consecutive days of eating the food, you are very likely able to tolerate it.

Is this a guarantee? Nope. I’m afraid it isn’t. You will always need to be aware of your foods since, as you probably know from your own experiences, food allergies and sensitivities can develop suddenly. A food that was just fine last month might not go at all well today. Be aware and trust your body.

So, with all that in mind, be Food Brave and let’s go eat that!

More Food for Thought and Healing

We’re coming again to that season. The season of colds, sore throats, stomach bugs and flu. The cooler weather and shorter days send us indoors and the kids are all back in school. We spend more time closer to more people so it is inevitable that we share more germs. Yay. If you are prone to allergies, you may find you are also more susceptible to the various illnesses making the rounds. That being the case, I thought it might be worth our while to spend a bit of time on the healing foods. Don’t worry, though. I’ll still have some fun recipes to mix in. I’ll just add some information about foods that can enhance your health.

Last time, it was peppermint. Great stuff, right? Headaches, stuffy noses, even stomach discomfort. This time, we’ll talk about something that is equally terrific – ginger. Obviously, if you are allergic to ginger, it won’t be terrific for you. Exercise your good judgement, of course.

Perhaps the most commonly known use of ginger aside from its obvious use in recipes is to soothe and upset stomach. A bit of ginger ale (let the fizz go just a little flat) or a cup of ginger tea can do wonders for a queasy stomach. Did you know that ginger can also help ease the aches of arthritis and even reduce the pain of ulcerative colitis? Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that can be very beneficial for these conditions. Wonderful, isn’t it? Natural and soothing.

Studies are being conducted to determine if ginger has even farther reaching benefits. While it is too early to say for certain, it seems possible that ginger may be able to help reduce cholesterol levels and reduce blood clotting. Still other studies are examining components in ginger that may have anticancer properties. For more on this, have a look at the article on the University of Maryland Medical Center’s site. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/ginger-000246.htm You might also like to have a look at these sites. http://arthritis.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=arthritis&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fnews.bbc.co.uk%2F1%2Fhi%2Fhealth%2F1665874.stm and http://arthritis.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?zi=1/XJ/Ya&sdn=arthritis&zu=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.stevenfoster.com%2Feducation%2Fmonograph%2Fginger.html

Ginger is available in tea bags, tinctures, extracts and oils in addition to the fresh ginger in the produce section and powdered ginger in the spice aisle. However, as with any supplement or herbal remedy, caution should be used. Do you take blood thinners or have a bleeding disorder? If so, be very sure to talk to your doctor before adding ginger as a therapeutic treatment. If you suffer gall stones, ginger might not be for you, either. Again, be sure to consult your doctor. Ginger in larger amounts can cause some heart burn. If so, you might do better to try your ginger in capsule form. Ginger can also interact with some prescription medications. Once more, I’m going to remind you to consult your doctor before you start add ginger to your daily regimen.

Given the remarkable possibilities of ginger, it is worth that talk with your doctor. It is worth trying that cup of tea or that extra glass of ginger ale, don’t you think? Certainly, it is worth keeping on hand for those inevitable upset stomachs. Of course, we can always enjoy ginger’s wonderful flavor in our recipes.

So, let’s go eat that!

When Foods Can Soothe, Calm and Heal

Living with food allergies and sensitivities is, first of all, learning what you should not eat. After that, you begin to learn not just what you can eat but also what foods can be more than just nutrition. You get to know foods that can soothe, assist, boost and otherwise enhance your body and your overall well-being.
Is this unique to people with special diets? Nope. But I think it is safe to say that those of us who pay more attention to our diets tend to be more aware of the ‘beyond-eating’ aspects of food. So, just as I occasionally address what it is about a food that can be a problem for a person, I think it is worthwhile to take a look at foods that have more to offer than a full stomach.

To that end, today we’ll look at peppermint. This is probably familiar to most of us but did you know that the study of peppermint has gone beyond things our grandmothers told us or what our neighbor’s aunt used to say? Let me give you a couple of links. First, have a look at the University of Maryland Medical Center site and what they have to say about peppermint. http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/peppermint-000269.htm#Supporting%20Research Also, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has weighed in. http://nccam.nih.gov/health/peppermintoil/

Reading both these sites, it becomes apparent that the most common use for peppermint is to soothe the stomach and aid digestion. I can attest to the efficacy of this. Feeling a little queasy after a big, beautiful meal? Say hello to an after dinner mint. Personally, I prefer something a bit stronger and, if possible, sugar free. However, the important part is the cooling, soothing sensation of the peppermint. However, I can also attest to the potential for acid reflux. Overdoing the peppermint can certainly be a problem and if you have GERD, be sure you ALWAYS FOLLOW YOUR DOCTOR’S DIRECTIONS with regard to peppermint. Of course, this is always the case, no matter what your situation. I have never tried enteric peppermint but I’d be very interested in hearing your experiences. Anyone have any light they can shed on this? Let’s hear from you.

Peppermint for headaches is a winner, too. Definitely. The cooling sensation on the skin when applied topically, is wonderful. The scent is calming and a big help when trying to ease tension, whether it is causing the headache or brought on by it. Again, a nice cup of peppermint tea can provide real relief.

So, do you turn to peppermint to calm, soothe or relieve? Tell us about it. How do you use it? How does it work for you?

Of course, for those of us with allergies, some caution should be exercised when trying out a food for it’s medicinal benefits. Proceed with caution and gradually. In fact, I think I see the subject of the next entry here. Next time we’ll talk about the right way to introduce a new food into the diet of a person with food allergies or sensitivities.

Until then, let’s go eat that!

How Cool Is This?

How is this for a cool birthday gift? In addition to some really great new cookwear and gadgets (which I'm sure you'll hear and see more about in coming posts), a subscription to Cooks Illustrated, all sorts of great books and some really beautiful pottery, I received a subscription to "Living Without" magazine. This magazine is devoted to people with allergies and food sensitivities. I admit, I'd never seen this one before and I can't wait to delve in and see what it's all about. A quick glance showed a TON of information on all sorts of allergies and plenty of good-looking recipes.

So, if you've never seen this magazine, go check it out. I'd love to hear your opinions!

Oh-So-Adaptable Pasta

If you have any sort of restricted diet, you have to love pasta. It’s enormous adaptability is a relief, isn’t it? There are so many combinations of ingredients that can be mixed with pasta. Additionally, you can serve it hot or cold. All-weather food!

There are plenty of options just in the pasta, too. You can find whole grain pasta, pasta with vegetables in it, pasta with supplements such as fiber and calcium, low carbohydrate pasta and even gluten free pasta. With so many options, it is much easier to add variety to your diet with this very simple food.

Now, I have a significant tomato allergy and I need to avoid dairy so the traditional tomato and cream sauces aren’t on my menu. But that doesn’t mean I need to skip pasta altogether. The picture above was dinner last night. Now, my son and husband are very fond of marinara sauce so their pasta was served that way. Mine was tossed with diced red onion, diced celery, fresh parsley and roasted almonds with just a drizzle of olive oil. Flavor, texture and color all together and it was great! I could toss it with vegetables and a prepared salad dressing, chill it and have a great pasta salad to serve as a side dish. In fact, I will probably do that for our Indoor Birthday Picnic on Sunday. I’m thinking my favorite Greek dressing will make a great pasta salad.

This is why pasta is such a great meal for families with dietary considerations. Each serving can be personalized to suit the needs of the person eating. Any vegetable combination, any sauce, cheese, no cheese and any other ingredient you can imagine can be served up and the entire family can sit down together. Kids can help prepare and choose their own pasta toppings and tossings. I think we all know why this is a great thing, right? Kids need to learn to cook and learn about the food they eat so as to learn to make wise food choices throughout their lives. Plus, the time spent preparing and eating the meal together is good for everyone.

So, let’s hear it for Super Adaptable Pasta! It’s a great lunch, dinner or side. Let’s go eat that!

When Eating Out Really Works

Here I am, back from my conference! As I said before I left, I had already done my research and made my plans so I anticipated having few problems finding foods I could easily eat while away from home. I have to tell you, it worked out even better than I had hoped. Let me pass along some well-earned praise and tell you what happened.

I was in Chicago this past week and the conference hotel was the Hilton Chicago. First of all, this is a beautiful location and, knowing that they pride themselves on service to their guests, I took advantage of this fact. I asked for substitutions in my meals as needed and they were extremely gracious. The conference had already made arrangements with the hotel catering staff to provide special plates for me for the opening dinner and keynote luncheon I was attending. By making a point of keeping my request quite simple, it was a simple thing for the caterers to accomodate. At the dinner, I had a simple grilled chicken breast and steamed spinach. It was done beautifully and the servers, knowing it was a special plate due to food allergies, could not do enough to be sure I had whatever I wanted. Seriously, lots of applause for the service staff at the Hilton Chicago. They are TOP NOTCH. At the keynote luncheon, they had planned a pasta bar but none of the sauces and toppings were going to work for me. Again, I opted to keep my request super simple and they brought me a plate of plain pasta tossed with extra virgin olive oil. Tucked in my tote bag, I had a can of dry-roasted, salted almonds. I added a handful of those to my pasta and had a lovely lunch. The waiter was only too happy to substitute a nice fresh apple for the salad I couldn't have and that even took the place of dessert. Perfect! At the hotel restaurant, I was able to order with only a few, minor alterations which they were quite happy to make for me.

I also took a side trip to The Plaza At the Park Grill in Millenium Park. What a lovely place! The Park Grill is open year round but The Plaza is a warm weather place. In winter, the area is a pretty ice rink but summer makes it a pleasant place for outdoor dining and people watching. It was casual and the menu was varied. This variety in the menu meant it was a simple thing for me to order a meal and ask for only a few, simple changes. In my case, I ordered a very nice Kobe beef burger and only had to ask that they leave off the gorgonzola and the bun. Again, it was simple and they were very happy to accomodate so we had a very nice meal.

I did have the hotel put a small refrigerator in my room so I was able to keep some snacks and small meals right there in my room for times when I didn't really want the bigger restaurant food.

So folks, there it is. Proof. A bit of preparation and a willingness to ask for minor changes makes it an easy thing to go out for dinner and to go on vacations without worrying about what and how you will eat.

So, get out there and let's go eat that!

Traveling and Eating Out On a Specialized Diet

It’s hard enough to eat in a restaurant when you are concerned about calories, fats and cholesterol. Thankfully, more and more of our favorite places are offering healthier alternatives on their menus and the occasional meal that doesn’t precisely meet our caloric goals needn’t be a serious problem. However, when you must consider food allergies, sensitivities, diabetes and other less forgiving dietary needs, it can become a real challenge to eat away from your own kitchen. For many of us, it really is such a bother, fuss and even a risk that we simply don’t. It’s unfortunate and not a lot of fun sometimes but it can feel as if there is no other choice.

Here’s the good news. There are plenty of choices if you are willing to do just a bit of research, speak up at the right moment and can be just a bit flexible. Let me explain what I mean by starting with a vacation.

The first thing I do after we choose our destination is find out about restaurants in the hotel or around where we’ll be staying. This sort of information is readily available online and in guidebooks. The fast food chain restaurants are easy to research since most will list their ingredients on their websites. This means you can plan at least some of your meals before you even leave home. In the more traditional, sit-down restaurants, you can call ahead and ask about their ability to accommodate special requests. Most establishments are happy to cooperate and provide their patrons with a meal that will suit special dietary needs. A word of advice on this, if I may. When you do arrive for your meal, be considerate and keep your requests simple. Asking for basic dishes that have been adjusted to your needs will make it easier and more pleasant for all involved. Also, be prepared with your request and don’t make the server play Twenty Questions with you to figure out what the chef should prepare.

Just checking into surrounding restaurants will likely take care of your concerns. However, there are additional options. If you will have a refrigerator and maybe even a microwave where you will be staying, plan to have at least some of your meals and your snacks in your room. When you arrange your accommodations, you can ask about markets and grocery stores in the vicinity. Now, before you start chucking imaginary tomatoes my way, hear me out. I know having to do all the cooking and cleaning up on a vacation isn’t really what most of us have in mind. However, planning to have breakfast or lunch in the room each day really isn’t such a hardship, is it? Even an occasional dinner in the room can be relaxing after a full day of sight-seeing and the like. As an added benefit, just consider the savings over eating three meals a day in restaurants. Even if your hotel charges an additional fee to have a refrigerator in your room, you will still end up saving more than you spent and will have the convenience of having at least some of the foods you need right at hand.

I promise you, this is really very easy and it works. A recent trip to Disneyland was made very easy by the ingredient lists available everywhere, even the small snack carts scattered around the park. Remember to ask at any fast food location, even if you couldn’t find their ingredients lists online. They will be able to provide you with the information right there in the restaurant.

Of course, going to restaurants in your home town is even easier. Just a few local calls will give you a list of places where you can go to have a great meal made to suit your needs. You don’t need to be afraid to ask. If they can’t or won’t accommodate your dietary needs, you didn’t really want to eat there anyway, right? Just remember, try to keep your requests as simple as possible, know what your restrictions are so as to be ready to explain them succinctly and be as flexible as you can.

I’ll be on a brief hiatus for the next week or so since I’ll be out of town at a conference. And yes, I did call ahead and do my research. The conference staff has most kindly helped arrange special plates for me at keynote luncheons and dinners, the hotel has arranged to provide a refrigerator in my room and the conference staff helped me locate a grocery store that is walking distance from the hotel. I won’t have to worry about finding safe, healthy meals on this trip and it required only a few emails, a bit of time online and a phone call.

Don’t let your special diet keep you from the fun of a vacation or an evening out with friends and family. Let’s go eat that!

Finding Alternative Uses for Ingredients

In the spirit of making the most of the food we eat, I think it is a good idea to make our food multipurpose whenever possible. What do I mean by that? I mean, as often as you can, find some way to use a food or an ingredient beyond what might have been intended or what is common.

Let me give you an example. If you are fond of oatmeal, Cream of Wheat, cornmeal mush or some other hot cereal for breakfast, you probably already know now much the flavor and texture benefit from adding a bit of cream or milk. Nothing can turn oatmeal into a rich, decadent treat like a nice dollop of whipped cream.

Of course, if you are lactose intolerant or allergic to dairy, this isn’t such a grand idea, is it? Or is it? You know, you can still have your creamy oatmeal. Obviously, a dollop of non-dairy whipped topping can drop right into your bowl and you’re good to go. However, if you’d rather add the cream or milk into the cereal, why not try some non-dairy creamer (whichever type you like best)? Most kinds are available in at least a few flavors and that’s fun, too. Good in your coffee (Try it in tea if you like your tea with milk. If you’re a tea expert, please don’t be angry. I really mean no insult to the tea and I’m just looking for an alternative.) and good in your oatmeal.

Another example is what I did with the ribs the other evening. I’m allergic to tomatoes so barbeque sauce is sadly right off my list. Furthermore, my husband has found that the sugar in most sauces is too much for him due to his diabetes. Now, that might make you think that there really isn’t a lot of point in trying for ribs anymore, right? Nope. We just looked for an alternative and found…

Salad dressing.

Yep, the same Greek salad dressing I used in our pouch dinners not so long ago made a great marinade and grilling sauce for our ribs. The ribs were full of flavor and totally without any ingredient that could offend my immune system or his pancreas. Perfect!

So, my challenge to you is to examine your refrigerator and your pantry shelves. What do you have that can be used in some other way? How can you get your food to do double or even triple duty and increase the variety in your diet?

Find it, tell us about it and let’s go eat that!

Soy Facts Versus Soy Hype

So, have you heard? Soy protein will reduce your cholesterol, prevent breast cancer, help you lose weight and, for all we know, it does laundry and windows. The fantastic claims about soy protein seem to be endless. And to think, we’ve been feeding this wonder food to cattle for years. Hunh.

Okay, so how much is real and how much is hype? A bit of reading will help clear this up and I’ll give you some links for you to check out.

Let’s start with the claims about soy isoflavones and lowering cholesterol. According to the Mayo Clinic and WebMd sites, this particular claim about soy is hype. That’s unfortunate because it seemed such an easy answer. However, they qualify this pronouncement. They report the American Heart Association study shows that while there weren’t any cholesterol lowering benefits directly attributable to the soy, substituting soy for proteins with higher saturated fats is a worthwhile part of a heart-healthy diet. Have a look at the article. http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/soy/AN01289

So, can soy prevent breast cancer? This one is less clear cut. While it does seem that women who have had, throughout life, a soy-rich diet may be less susceptible to breast cancer, women who have not but have begun taking soy isoflavone supplements experience no particular benefits. In fact, according to an article appearing in Shape Magazine and on the WebMd site, there may even be an increased risk of developing breast cancer in women already considered at risk. Confusing? Just a bit. However, I want you to have a look at the information yourself . http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/truth-about-soy

In the end, what does this mean for those of us using soy as a substitute for other proteins and dairy products? In my opinion, it doesn’t need to mean a lot. It seems it is safe to say that soy should be approached in the way we see all foods. Everything in moderation. Substituting soy for some of your higher fat meats from time to time seems like a good idea. Using soy milk and cheeses should be okay in the same way. Of course, you should consult your doctor regarding any possible risks just as you would for any other major dietary change.

Knowing all this about soy protein is great but how do we eat it? There are obvious ways, of course. Aside from the soy milk and cheese we’ve already mentioned, there is the more straightforward source of the bean itself. Edamame is very, very popular in our household. In fact, we have to keep an eye on our son because he can power through a pound of steamed edamame (in the pods) by himself if no one stops him. What about tofu? Many of us are familiar with the rubbery cubes tossed in with the salad greens or when it is mixed in a great stir fry. This is not a food to be underestimated. Tofu is very adaptable to other flavors and a variety of uses. Try it as a substitute for plain yogurt in a dip or a smoothie.

Soy appears in a lot of foods in other ways and if you do have a soy allergy or are cooking for someone who does, you really need to be aware of this. Vegetable oil and shortening is usually soy based and is found in many, many packaged products in your grocery store. Many margarines rely on soy, as well. Again, you need to be very vigilant about reading labels.

I have several tofu recipes I’ll post over time and I am confident there are many more out there. Whenever you come up with a great new use or find a good recipe, I hope you’ll let us in on it.

Until then, let’s go eat that!

Why Use Olive Oil?

While you stuffed on the alternative egg rolls, did you stop to wonder why I told you to use extra virgin olive oil instead of peanut or canola or plain ol’ vegetable oil? Did you go ahead and use one of those oils anyway? No need to hide. I won't be sending the Oil Police to your home to confiscate your oils and levy fines for your unauthorized oil activities. In terms of cooking the egg rolls, the only difference is the taste. But I think that’s a big consideration and there are other important considerations when choosing a cooking oil.

So, why did I use olive oil?

There’s been a lot of buzz about olive oil, particularly extra virgin olive oil, lately. Many are touting the health benefits of the Mediteranean Diet which is rich in olive oil. Others are singing the praises of the miraculous polyphenols which are found in higher quantities in extra virgin olive oil. Polyphenols are natural antioxidants and thought to help guard against degenerative diseases, heart problems, and general aging. Since olive oil is a monounsaturated fat, it is considered a healthy fat that can help reduce LDL cholesterol in the blood (for that info, have a look here http://health.yahoo.com/experts/weightkoch/17461/the-benefits-of-extra-virgin-olive-oil/). I even read one article from the BBC that talked about research that suggests there might be an anti-inflammatory property to olive oil (I’m not making this up, I swear. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/4204076.stm).

These are all good reasons to use it, don’t you think? But let’s get back to that first important reason I mentioned. Taste.

Extra virgin olive oil has a distinct flavor. Granted, it isn’t always the flavor you want in your food so there are times when it is definitely not the appropriate choice for cooking. I once sampled some gourmet potato chips that had been fried in olive oil. I was excited about these because I like olive oil, I like potato chips and I like the idea of anything that will make potato chips at least sound healthy. The reality was not so exciting. These chips (and no, I don’t remember the brand) were rather heavy and tasted more strongly of oil than I really cared for. I’ve since fried up my own version at home in olive oil with better success but we’ll talk about that more in a moment. Also, that distinctive olive flavor may not really be a good choice for something as delicate, say, as an omelet. To some degree, you’ll have to experiment and find out what tastes good to you and what doesn’t. However, you should always remember that olive oil is still a fat and use it accordingly.

As I said with regard to using whole grains, when cooking for special dietary needs we have to make the most of the foods we can have. We need to go after the most flavor and nutrition possible. In other words, we can’t just settle for ‘okay’ food. Limited food choices shouldn’t mean limited flavor and benefits. So, choose every ingredient carefully, even your cooking oil.

Oh yeah. And if you’re allergic to olives, please disregard this entire thing. *waves cheerfully*

And I haven’t forgotten about those potato chips fried in olive oil. Here’s what I did:

First, I washed and sliced (nice and thin) a medium potato. I like to leave the peel on rather than lose that texture and the nutrients by peeling. If you don’t care for the peel, take it right off. No big deal. Then, I lightly salted the slices with celery salt. You can use plain salt or any other flavored salt you like. I heated a larger skillet (at least 12”) and coated the bottom heavily with olive oil. It wasn’t deep enough to measure but it wasn’t a light layer, either. When the oil was hot, I carefully laid the slices of potato in a single layer in the pan. Don’t leave these to do something else because they will burn and you’ll have an awful mess to clean up. Not to mention, you won’t have any potato chips to snack on and that would just be tragic. Once they were browned on one side, I flipped them (a fork will do for this) and browned the other side. This goes really quickly which is good because they smell great. Remove the chips from the pan to a plate lined with paper towel. Let them cool only enough to keep from burning your tongue to a cinder. These are best warm. If you don’t eat them all, you can save them and reheat as leftovers. This, however, is a completely foreign idea to me and I don’t believe you’ll ever have leftovers. You can certainly do this same thing with yams, by the way.

I have also done this after cooking meat in the skillet. Instead of deglazing the pan (getting all those good bits of flavor stuck to the bottom by using some sort of cooking liquid), I toss in my sliced potato. It might need a bit more oil added. The potatoes will take on some of those wonderful flavors left behind after you cooked your meat and you haven’t dirtied up another pan. Two plusses, as far as I can see!

Enjoy and until next time, let’s go eat that!

Getting In the Grains

I don’t think I need to tell you why it is important to eat whole grains, do I? We’ve been hearing about the benefits for a long time. Extra fiber and a natural source to boot, higher nutrient value, potential to lower harmful blood cholesterol – there’s quite a list. But for people with food allergies, sensitivities and special dietary needs, there is another important reason.

If your dietary choices are already limited, you need to make the most of food that you do eat. It’s that simple. Now, if there are grains that are problematic for you, that’s different and you should go ahead and avoid them. But the grains that are okay in your diet should be eaten in their whole forms whenever possible and not just for their healthful benefits. Whole grains add flavor and texture to otherwise basic foods. More flavor and texture makes a somewhat limited list of food choices much more enjoyable. Last time, I passed along a recipe for chicken coated with wheat germ. While wheat germ is not whole grain, it is an important bit of the grain so that is one way of adding the texture and flavor of grains to your meals. A few other very simple changes can be made in your next trip to the grocery store.

Can you eat oats? Can you find an extra fifteen minutes in your morning routine to cook blade cut oatmeal instead of heavily processed, instant oatmeal? How about wheat? This one is even easier to add in because of the number of whole grain foods available. Try whole wheat tortillas and whole wheat frozen waffles. There are loads of options for whole grain and multi-grain bread, too. Simple change, right? But these foods have an entirely different layer of flavor as well as the added nutrition. You didn’t even have to do any extra cooking aside from a few more minutes for your oatmeal. But wait! There’s more!

Choose brown rice over white rice. Again, there isn’t really significant extra preparation but you’ll get more flavor and texture bang for your food buck. Once in awhile, instead of rice, try substituting wheatberries as a dinnertime side dish. Season them with your favorite herbs and a bit of butter or margarine. Cook wheatberries and serve with milk or a dairy substitute in place of oatmeal if, like me, oats are not on your list. Add barley to a vegetable soup instead of noodles or rice. You can bake with whole grain flour, too. I don’t recommend whole grain for a light and fluffy cake but it will make a very satisfying cookie. You’ll have to experiment a bit to find which recipes are best for using whole grain flours. We’ll talk about that more in the future.

Getting the idea? Over time, you’ll hear so much from me about getting the most out of your food that you might begin to think me a bit touched in the head. But let’s be honest. We are working with a limited diet (and no, I still don’t like to see it in a negative light but that doesn’t keep it from being true). We can’t afford to lose flavor, texture and nutrition by using food that has been processed beyond what is really necessary. Personally, I believe the same goes for how we cook the food. In the end, I think food is best eaten as near to its natural state as is safe and practical to eat. No, you will never see a recipe for any sort of steak tartare in this blog. I’m afraid I don’t care from my meat to be even remotely rare. But you get my point. Steamed vegetables, not boiled and raw is even better. Whole grains whenever possible. Seasonal and locally grown for best freshness.

We’ll touch on this more as we go. For now, make your grocery list and pad it with some new whole grain options you haven’t already tried and, until next time, let’s go eat that!