Because we are each unique, it makes sense that the individual paths to good health are a bit different for each of us.
One fact remains: eat better, move more. And you will live longer. The equation is quite elegant, and eloquent.
I can't afford to lose any of you to an early death that could have been prevented. Let's all keep helping each other, and staying on target.
Love you too Emma !
I am determined to eat better.... some days are better than others, but I know that I will feel better. Weight loss is not an issue for me. Staying fit and eating well are my goals.
Now if I could hire AV or WWM to be my personal chef.... well, wouldn't that be a dream world ?!?! ;)
awwww 2P.... here's a healthy receipe I made last night that is soooooo tasty and healthy:
Sauteed Kale with White Beans and Bacon
Ingredients:
2 strips lean bacon
1 vidalia onion chopped fine
1 can white beans drained and rinced
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
salt/pepper to taste
2 tlbs. olive oil
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 bunces fresh kale, rinsed and destemed
Method:
In a large pot sautee balcon in 1 tlb olive oil until almost crisp about 2 min. (it will continue to cook as you add the other ingredients); add the onion and cook until translucent about another 2 min. add garlic cook another min. add red pepper flakes and stir... add remaining tlb of olive oil, then fresh kale, and salt/pepper to taste. Turn cale with tongs to mix well with bacon, onion and oil... do this for a minute or so. Add drained white beans and chicken stock. Cover and let simmer on stove top until kale has cooked down, is tender and all flavors have married well... about 30 min.
This makes a great side dish, or is hearty enough to serve with a nice piece of cornbread and call it a meal!...... and don't worry, you are only using 2 strips of lean bacon (can use turkey bacon, but I like regular best) and 2 tlb. oil..... so you are adding very little to the over all dish, but the flavors are amazing!.......and this method can be used on ANY greens - collards, mustards, turnips, what ever you like!
I have to admit - I have never had kale - or any other 'green' for that matter. My trainer has mentioned it now, a couple of times. Guess it's time to try it. I'm so NOT a cook... I have never used garlic gloves so will learn about those. And a newbie to chicken stock. LOL Geez - I feel like I've been living under a rock or something! Not a huge fan of onions - is a vidalia onion a mild onion? Could I substitute a sweet onion?
I discovered greens this year! They are very easy to cook. (I do like to cook and have been doing more experimenting this year so I might be a little ahead of 2P, but well behing others here is experience. )
Things I learned with greens:
They shrink! A lot! what looks like a huge pile of leaves on the counter becomes a small mound cooked.
They must be rinsed really really well.
Then just toss in a fry pan with a little olive oil and some garlic. Sprinkle with a little shredded parmesan. I have also stired in a variety of other seasonings and veggies - onions, carrots, soy sauce (lite).
2P -- I buy the jars of minced garlic, it says on the label how many tablespoons make a clove.
Posted 2 years ago by TrufflesMom #
It's Mum's birthday...she'd saved me a piece of birthday cake...well, it
would have rude not to, right? I've managed to resist Chris' piece, leaving it wrapped up for him!
And tomorrow morning, I am going to the gym. Yes.
Posted 2 years ago by MadcatwomanintheUK #
TM - glad I'm not alone LOL Minced garlic in a jar... I will look for that. All I have right now is garlic powder and garlic salt. I learned about the 'shrinkage' with spinach.... and 'growth' with pinto beans !! I knew rice expanded, but beans were a surprise. lol So much to learn !
one clove of fresh garlic = about 1/2 tsp minced garlic you would buy in a jar. Greens are some of the best sources of vitamins, minerals and nutrients that you can possible get..... the trick to greens is to get them to taste good, not bitter - cooking them in chicken stock, and adding garlic, onion and bacon, along with with a can of white beans really cuts the bitterness..... and yes, a viadilia onion is absolutely the mildest, sweetest onion there is.... but a regular "sweet onion" will work too.....and yes, TM is correct, you must wash them well and cut out the big stems.... however, many groceries sell them prewashed and chopped in large bags, so maybe start with those!...... good luck, I think you'll like them!
... as a matter of fact, spinach falls into the "greens" category, and is probably the sweets of the bunch..... do the same method, and a little fresh parmesean at the end would be great!.... maybe start with these....
Escarole! That's the green Mr. K uses that I couldn't think of the name of. I tell you, my head is more like a sieve every day.
He dices up a bunch of garlic (you could use jarred garlic I'm sure, and lets it sit in some olive oil in a pan for a while (I think he thinks it infuses the flavor into the oil), then sautes the garlic for a few minutes until it become aromatic (as in "smell it all the way down the hall" aromatic), and dumps in a huge bunch of well-washed escarole. Turn the escarole several times to coat with garlicky oil, then let simmer, stirring occasionally. YUM!
And I second TrufflesMom about a. washing greens really well and b. don't be surprised at how much they shrink when you cook them, it's amazing
Um, hi, me again. Peeping over the fence at all my healthy littermates.
I'm starting Weight Watchers on Wed. Right now my heart is still so fast and erratic that I can't walk, but I'm working with my dr. to get that under control.
So I won't be going as far or as fast as the rest of you. But I really, really, REALLY need someone to cheer my baby steps.
For now it's back to taking a nasty beta blocker until my heart slows down. Losing weight will help. My long term goal is simple: avoid ever having a pacemaker. It may not be possible...but it seems like a prize worth chasing!
Lisa, having a goal like that is a BIG help. I'm determined to never have to take pills for my blood pressure, which I've been threatened with a couple of times (I'm convinced that it's just being in the doc's office that makes it go up). It's a great motivator. And we will cheer every step, no matter how small!
Oh, and I forgot an ingredient in the sort-of recipe I posted for escarole; after the escarole cooks down, add 2 cans of drained, rinsed cannellini beans. This dish is YUM!
Lisa, goals are great and even baby steps are steps and they add up! I went to an aerobics class for I think it was 6 months before my but came even a little off the ground in a lower body crunch. It felt great the first time you accomplish a goal.
Greens -- one of my problems/adventures with greens is my sister and I are splitting a share in a local CSA and the bag would include "assorted Greens, kale or spinach or..." we would pull it out and go what do you think is that kale? Assorted cabbages have been the latest surprise -- kohlrabi anyone? I have been trying to use everything or at least some of everything but some have been failures.
Posted 2 years ago by TrufflesMom #
Isn't kale fantastic? I have been eating it a few times a week for years. And a huge bunch is pretty inexpensive. My cats love it raw. (BTW, it really is good raw, too.) I don't eat piggy, but I love sprinkling it with toasted pine nuts and red pepper flakes...after it has been sauteed in small amount of butter and olive oil. And like AV said...beans and greens are SO good. Portuguese kale soup is one of my favorites.
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