Category Archives: Meal Kit Tips

Bulk Cooking – Winter Week 4: Therapeutic Use of Cinnamon, Save Time with Frozen Broccoli

February 02, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Greek Yogurt with Maple Fruit Salad + 1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Week 4

By the 4th week of guided bulk cooking, I hope you are finding your own style and methods of organizing your own kitchen to make it personalized and doable for weeks 5 and longer.  I hope you are also experiencing the benefits from having your meals planned and prepped before it’s time to eat.

My single biggest tip for increasing the nutrient-density of your diet each day: be prepared for your next meal before it’s time to eat. Befriend planning, prep, and cooking.  To enjoy health you must first enjoy time in your kitchen.

Here’s my notes from Week 4 which will hopefully help you enjoy you next cooking session even more.

Maple Fruit Salad – You will never be able to buy ‘fruit-on-the-bottom’ yogurt again

  • Thanks go out to Joanna C. from MN who wrote to tell us she  started adding 1/2 tsp of cinnamon, per serving, to her Greek Yogurt with Maple Fruit Salad breakfast after reading my tip that this amount helps control blood sugar.  Brilliant! And delicious!
  • I used banana in my salad this week (had an extra on the counter I wanted to not waste).  The vinegar and lemon juice protect the banana and the apples from turning brown.
  • I ran out of yogurt with 1 serving of maple fruit salad left so enjoyed it with kefir.

Pureed Broccoli Soup – One of my favorite soups from all the kits

  • Biggest tip: use frozen broccoli.  Allow to thaw overnight to make easier to chop.
  • When using frozen broccoli, reduce cooking time to just 3 minutes after you add it (vs. the 6-8 min needed for fresh).
  • For more presentation, you could use cilantro and parm as a topping at the time of meal vs. mixing in at end of cooking.
  • I used farro instead of quinoa since that is what I had frozen from my week 2 bulk cooking session.
  • Might be helpful to read my shopping notes on which sweet potato I like to use for soups (light skinned).
  • Two options of when to add edamame: 1) adding with white beans will make them softer; or 2) adding at end will retain more texture (which my husband really likes since it is a pureed soup – gives a little more bulk to each bite).
  • This soup is similar the week 3 split pea soup in heartiness and portion size.  It’s ok to reduce the portion size and serve as a side dish if desired or as a balanced snack.
  • Brassica veggies (like broccoli) and also be harder to digest until your system gets used to increased fiber.  If you experience this, I recommend reducing the portion size and gradually increase your intake.

Italian Meatloaf – Topped with Fresh Herbed Tomato Sauce

  • I had three fresh tomatoes on the counter I wanted to use up so pureed them – just as is in my blender – and used instead of the called for tomato sauce.  It worked very well.
  • I also had fresh thyme in my crisper left-over from week 3 bulk cooking; added ~2-3 tablespoons minced in addition to the rosemary.
  • This is one of my husband’s favorite recipes.  You can easily turn this mixture into meatballs or crumble and brown and use over grains or with roasted veggies.
  • When I first developed recipes, I differentiated between cooked weight and raw weight for what a serving size was for various proteins.  Beef was 1.5 oz raw or 1.0 oz cooked to equal 1 serving.  I’ve since adopted a more flexible system making all serving sizes the same as cooked (making beef a 1.0 oz regardless of cooked or raw).  The added simplicity  of this is more beneficial than precision of grams.
  • How this impacts this recipe: using the simplified system, this meatloaf would yield 5 portions vs. 4.  Portion according to what works best for your health and weight goals. Bottom line: don’t let this confuse you.  Either portion will contribute to a balanced diet – if you have specific question, please just let me know.

Everyday Greens Mix

As you go through these recipes, be sure to let me know if you have a question that I didn’t answer.  Have fun cooking! ~Teri

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Benefits of Using Frozen Produce: Nutrition, Cost, Convenience

January 31, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Costco - 4 lbs./ $5.99 ($1.50 per lb.)

Benefits of Using Frozen Produce

In the age of local and raw, most healthy cooks are either confused about whether they can still use frozen fruits and vegetables or they’ve been overlooking it since the days when only sliced carrots and peas (or of course the mix of both) were available.  But today, there is significantly increased variety, many organic and even local frozen winter CSA options, and a health crisis demanding we eat more produce.  This makes frozen fruits and vegetables an attractive option.

Nutrition

  • Comparable to fresh and potentially higher: Depending on storage conditions of fresh (including how long and at what temp you stored it at home), frozen produce can retain more vitamins than fresh produce.
  • Phytonutrients are largely more susceptible to heat than to cold:  Even the 1-3 minute blanching that is used in processing frozen vegetables causes only minimal loss.  In fact, blanching reduces total cooking times of things like soup further protecting nutrients.
  • Real vs. ideal: In the end, the only nutritional consideration is what gets you to eat more produce. The ideal side of the spectrum is eating that piece of broccoli raw within and hour of picking, but we live in real.  And if organic frozen broccoli allows you to eat it 3 times per week versus the 1 time per month (or year) you can ensure it’s been picked within 1 hour – buy the frozen.  It’s assumed that you will still have fresh, too, for variety.

Cost

  • Less expensive for out-of-season: Frozen berries in January will be less expensive than imported fresh – and will taste better.
  • Even less expensive in bulk: Wholesale stores like Costco are increasing their offering of organic frozen produce.
  • Less waste: Increased flexibility of when to use them; decreased spoilage and waste.
  • Conducive to bulk cooking: Total food spend decreases with bulk cooking; frozen produce reducing prep time encouraging you to do more bulk cooking.
  • Decreases your hourly rate: Have you ever calculated an hourly rate – for yourself – for household tasks?  It’s an interesting process.  Ask yourself things like: what price would I pay for an extra hour of free time with my kids? If I saved an hour in the kitchen, what bigger project could I put that hour towards – maybe your own business that you make greater than $60 per hour at? These are the same types of questions I personally use to justify the investment of bulk cooking.  One 4-5 hour session in the kitchen will easily save me an additional 5 hours during the week.

Convenience

  • Significantly reduce prep time: No stalks to peel, onions to dice, pods to remove, or washing needed (most can go straight from bag to pot, be sure to allow for the quickly reduced cooking temp in things like soup; some can be chopped even frozen – but larger pieces should be thawed first for safety).
  • Increased flexibility: Your schedule isn’t dependent on what fresh produce you have to use before it spoils.
  • Decreases cooking time: As mentioned, blanching frozen vegetables helps reduce their total needed cooking time.

Which Applications are Better for Frozen vs. Fresh

  • Frozen: cooked dishes like soups (freezing alters the cell walls and can affect texture); purees (cold or hot); smoothies (frozen fruits and veggies like broccoli (handful is wonderful in smoothies) eliminates need for ice cubes); last minute adds to stir-fries (no excuses for not having a mix of veggies with that pasta).
  • Fresh: when the texture is important – salads, fruit salads, Picco de Galo, salsas, pesto; when in-season and time permits; when just as easy as frozen to ensure variety and daily intake of fresh – pre-washed greens, sprouts, fruit.

At the Store Tip

  • Walk through the frozen aisle and compare it against your shopping list – be aware of what frozen substitutions are available (this will vary widely by store) before picking up everything fresh.  What options are there for lightening fast stir-fry mixes to have in your freezer for ‘those’ days? Are there items on sale? Just watch for (and avoid) those with heavy sauces.

~Teri

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Shopping – Winter Week 4: Varieties of Sweet Potato, Purpose of Kudzu Root, Benefits of Crimini Mushrooms

January 30, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Varieties of Sweet Potatoes - Linden Hills Co-op

Which Variety of Sweet Potato Works Best

  • I prefer the lighter skinned variety (pictured in the center above) of sweet potato.  It has a meatier, mild tasting flesh that withstands cooking in soups well.
  • The darker skin variety which have the very rich orange flesh, often sold as ‘yams’,  work well for fries or whipped (this could be used as a home-made puree used as a substitute to pumpkin in the Pumpkin Lasagna).
  • My bottom line: the varieties are largely interchangeable, but play with different ones. Often when people think they don’t like sweet potatoes, they just haven’t found a variety yet that they do like.
  • If you associate sweet potatoes with marshmallows and Thanksgiving, give the lighter flesh variety a try in more savory dishes. Rich in fiber, beta-carotene, and an anti-oxidant known as sporamins, sweet potatoes are an important addition to a healthy diet…all year.

Crimini Mushrooms

  • Crimini mushrooms are a member of the common ‘button’ mushroom family.  You will find crimini mushrooms refrigerated beside the more familiar white button mushrooms.  They are baby (less mature) portobello mushrooms and will have a darker skin.
  • Button mushrooms (including crimini), once thought to be nutritionally less significant than their more exotic cousins like shiitake, have taken the spotlight recently as their immune enhancing, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties have been uncovered.  They are also significant sources of the mood enhancing amino acid tryptophan.
  • White button can be substituted for crimini; however, I prefer crimini mushrooms because they have higher mineral content including significantly higher amounts of selenium (the same nutrient found in Brazil nuts).
  • Costco often has crimini mushrooms in larger (well priced) containers – perfect for the 6 cups needed in the Mushroom and Artichoke Heart Topped Tofu (Winter Kit – Week 4).

Kudzu Root

Kudzu Root (also spelled kuzu) is well worth the search; be sure to start it early so it have it in time for Friday’s dinner.

  • I was first introduced to kudzu root during my Therapeutic Use of Whole Foods class in graduate school.  It was introduced to us for it’s healing properties to the digestive system, with a secondary benefit of being an incredible thickener.
  • After I began using kudzu root more after graduation, I also learned that it is high in isoflavones.  These are the same phytonutrients found in soy and flax that have anti-cancer properties.
  • Kudzu root – with it’s many nutrition and therapeutic properties – makes a wonderful alternative to cornstarch.
  • Kudzu root is located in the Asian section of better health food stores.  You can try asking department managers to carry it if your store doesn’t.  If you still can’t find, I recommend buying it online: VitaCost Kuzu Root.

Broccoli

  • I found organic frozen broccoli at Costco for only $1.50/lb. – this will work perfectly in the Pureed Broccoli Soup (and save prep time).

Have fun shopping, exploring the store, and trying new ingredients!  As always, if you have questions – just let me know! ~Teri

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Bulk Cooking – Winter Week 3: Using Extra Pumpkin, (Very) Hearty Split Pea Soup, Chill Patties to Form

January 26, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Pumpkin Lasagna Ingredients - papillion sky photography

Pumpkin Lasagna

  • Collard greens: My bunch was closer to 8 cups shredded; it’s fine (and works well) to use that entire amount.
  • As I mentioned in my shopping notes, I used one can of pumpkin + one can of sweet potato puree. I was happy with results.
  • 2 fulls cans of pumpkin (or mix with sweet potato puree) equals 3 cups; the recipe only calls for 2.  There are two good options: 1) you can simply use the extra cup in the lasagna, what it would add in macro servings throughout 8 servings would be insignificant; or 2) add the extra cup to your next batch of buckwheat pancakes.  I did this with mine and was excited about the results. I reduced both the buckwheat and the oats by 1/4 cup to account for the pumpkin, used the full tablespoon of cinnamon, and kept everything else per the recipe.  Great way to add more produce servings (and vitamin A) to the pancakes.
  • I tested more cinnamon in this recipe, too (also used higher amounts in Wk 1 buckwheat pancakes).  I used 4 teaspoons to ensure ~1/2 tsp per portion.  This is the amount used to start having positive affects on blood sugar control.  If you like cinnamon, this amount worked well (but it is noticeable so might want to work your way up to the full amount).
  • Noodles: when you are ready to start layering the lasagna and you’ve drained the noodles, it’s ok to give them a quick rinse with cold water to make them easier to handle (otherwise they are rather hot to the touch).
  • Ricotta cheese: this would work equally well to have the ricotta cheese it’s own layer if you preferred it that way (rather than mixing with pumpkin).

Split Green Pea Soup

  • As the soup cooks, you might want to add additional broth or water.  This is a very thick, hearty soup.  Add liquid as needed to match your taste preferences (it will also thicken as it cools).
  • 3 cups is a very hearty portion.  If you find it too hearty, reduce the portion size to2 cups.  This would reduce one portion to 2C, 0F, ~1P.  As one customer requested, you could add a little nitrate-free ham to add additional protein + have a piece of fruit as a sweet finish.  Or a hard-boiled egg could be diced  on top of the Everyday Greens Mix for a little extra protein + clementine slices. Or simply enjoy as a lower protein evening meal with Everyday Greens with extra-virgin olive oil as indicated in the meal plan.
  • Be sure to stir the soup as it simmers, this will help break down the peas.

Soy Patties

Soy Patties

  • Making these for the first time can seem a little tricky, but you just need to find out what works best given what type of blender of food processor you have.  Two ways work best for me: 1) do as suggested in the recipe and mix all ingredients in a large bowl and then mix in small batches in a blender or food processor; or 2) mix in parts: cilantro first with salt and lemon juice, then everything except quinoa, then quinoa. Once you find what works best for you – they really are easy to put together.
  • I use all of the ginger – including the peel.  I just give the ginger root a rough dice before putting it in the blender.
  • Forming patties: chill the mixture well before trying to shape them. When the mixture is room temp or warmer, it will easily lose its shape.  If you brown them, you will also notice they can break apart if you don’t let each side brown thoroughly.
  • Store by layering each patty between parchment paper (shown above).  Either place in freezer bag or in plastic container in the refrigerator.
  • It was asked on Facebook whether these are to be enjoyed cold or warm.  They can be used either way.  I like them browned as indicated in the meal plan with fruit or I’ll break them up and put over a salad with fresh veggies.  The mixture is also good cold and used like hummus.
  • And remember how incredible their nutrient profile is – these are one of those items that if I didn’t make them ahead of time, I wouldn’t get to take advantage of the variety of nutrients they provide.  I love when I know I’ve made these in a  bulk  cooking session and have them ready to go for a quick breakfast or lunch.

 Kale Chips

  • Green or red curly kale works best – I tried using pre-washed baby kale but it was too tender of a leaf.  I like curly kale for chips and dino kale for salads.
  • Have fun with spices, too.  Cumin, garlic powder, chili powder – many work great.

Hope you are continuing to enjoy your time in the kitchen bulk cooking!  Are there benefits you’ve noticed? Tips you’ve learned? Please always feel free to share! ~Teri

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Why We Love Our Soy Patties

January 25, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Soy Patties - Mixture of Black and Yellow Whole Soy Beans

Nutrients and Bioactive Compounds (Phytonutrients) in Our Soy Patties

As you prepare for your upcoming bulk cooking session and Week 3 meal ideas, we’d like to take a minute to quickly tell you way we are so excited about the soy patties for breakfast.  Everything that we have in the meal plans, from the Greek Cilantro Topping and Pico to the Soy Patties,  contain a wide variety of ingredients each with their own unique nutrient profile.  And we combine these ingredients in our meal plans to ensure that you get as much benefit as possible out of all of them.  For example:

Garlic- contains Allium (a sulfur compound)- Implications to health:

  • Antimicrobial, potential reduced cancer risk,  antioxidant capabilities, increases immune function, anti-inflammatory, and heart protective
  • Reminder:  It’s ideal to allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before using to allow chemical reactions to occur which increase allium content: also best to minimize cooking time whenever possible

Ginger root-

  • Very soothing to digestive system (alleviates intestinal gas and irritation, as well as, nausea and vomiting)
  • Anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties
  • Reminder: the active enzymes in ginger are also susceptible to heat and minimal cooking should be used when possible

Whole Soybeans- contain Isoflavones, Protein, Essential Fatty Acids, Fiber, Vitamins and Minerals- Implications to health:

  • Cardio protective: Isoflavones may lower LDL cholesterol while magnesium acts as muscle relaxant, Omega 3 Fatty Acids are anti-inflammatory
  • Potentially bone protective in menopausal women
  • Good source of Fiber: 1 cup = 11 grams
  • Source of tryptophan (precursor to serotonin), iron, magnesium, and potassium
  • Important to remember: this is whole, unrefined soy products (like soybeans, edamame, tofu, tempeh, miso) NOT isolated soy protein isolates used in refined soy products and meat substitutes
  • Moderate use of unrefined soy can be a very healthy addition to any diet

Quinoa-  Gluten-free grain with amazing protein and nutrient profile

  • Complete protein- unique in non-animal protein sources- contains all nine essential amino acids
  • Good source of magnesium (smooth muscle relaxant- helps lower blood pressure), iron and tryptophan (more serotonin precursor)
  • Antioxidant properties

Fresh Lemon juice-

  • Source of Vitamin C (along with fresh fruit served with patty) which assists in the utilization of iron found in the soy and quinoa
  • Fresh squeezed is definitely worth the few minutes of extra time for both nutrition and taste

Tahini (or Sesame Paste)- Sesame seeds (which are ground to make tahini) are rich source of many nutrients

  • Bioactive compounds known as lignans which have cholesterol and blood pressure lowering ability, as well as, protecting the liver from oxidative damage
  • Copper and manganese (important in antioxidant activities)
  • Magnesium (another great natural source of magnesium)
  • Calcium: 1 Tbsp = 68 mg
  • Zinc and Fiber
  • Reminder: As with all oils and nut butters, it is best to store them in the refrigerator or in a dark cool place to avoid oxidation of the fragile oils

Cilantro- 

  • Anti-bacterial and  Anti-oxidant
  • Just 2 tsp provides over 8% of daily fiber and 3% calcium

Not a bad way to start your day!  We hope you enjoy these patties as much as we do.  Have fun with your Week 3 bulk cooking session and as always- please let us know if you have any additional questions we can answer for you.

~Teri

 

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Getting Started – Customer Q’s: New Meal Plan Each Month or Repeat, Are All Seasons Available Now

January 22, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

New With Questions – Getting Started with the Meal Plan

* I’m assuming the Winter menu is repeated each month or do you provide a different monthly packet each month? I’m trying to figure out if we will be doing this same ritual next month or if there will be new stuff to figure out.

Each seasonal kit includes a suggested 4 week meal plan.  At week 5, you can either repeat and start the 4 week plan over; or, what is more probable, is that you will create your own weekly plan which includes the recipes that worked best for you.

By week 5, my hope is that you will have gone through the 4 guided bulk cooking sessions and then graduate to learning how to modify prep to best suite your lifestyle so that you continue to implement these changes for a lifetime. Many users have told us that it only took 2 or 3 guided sessions for the light bulb to go on and for them to build a foundation to be better organized their own kitchens and schedules for better meal prep.

You might find that doing a once-a-week bulk cooking session continues to work best, or you might see how breaking it up into two or three mini bite-size sessions is best. You will also begin to bring in your own recipes.  After using the portioned recipes provided in the kit, you will begin to effortlessly convert other recipes you’d like to add to your weekly meal plan. You can also bring recipes in from other seasonal kits and just modify based on what produce you can find in-season (more on that below in the next question).

And hopefully some reassuring news is that I will continue to guide you through weeks 5 and beyond.  I will continue to post how I approach my weekly meal plan, what recipes I include, what I find at the store, and how I plan to prep each week.

* Also, do you update each quarter annually or could someone download all four quarters right now?

You can absolutely download all the seasons now.  As mentioned above, when I start taking you through week 5 I will pull in recipes from other seasons that can easily use in-season produce.  I do this because I, too, love using Perfectly Produce recipes that are already portioned and ensure a variety of produce.

I hope another advantage of using other seasons is that it helps you further learn how to make easy substitutions – whether for in-season produce, to make the recipes better match your own taste preferences, or to make serving size adjustments for weight-loss goals.  I also hope this helps you learn to modify any recipe you want to include.

As I mentioned above, the goal is for you to effortlessly learn how to portion and increase the nutrient-density of your own favorite recipes.  This is what is going to allow you to make a whole foods, plant-based diet doable – for a lifetime.

*Wondering if you have already or have given thought to creating some sort of menu review system for users?

I think this is a great idea and will continue to explore it as we grow and have the resources to expand the tools we are able to offer all users.

I love when we get emails with a subject line like: “New With Questions”.   It provides an opportunity to make this even more doable – for all of us.  I learn new ways to simplify things from the observations you make in your own kitchens. So please keep them coming, whether as an email, a comment to these blog posts, or wall posts on Facebook.

~Teri

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Grapefruit: Interactions with Drugs, Other Sources of Lycopene, Better Prostate Protection

January 22, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Recent Customer Question – Grapefruit and Interactions with Medications

* Neither of us can eat grapefruit due to conflicts with medication. I see it’s coming up on menu plan. I understand that we could substitute another fruit equivalent to 2C, but am wondering if you have any specific recommendations that may include some of the micronutrients we’d be missing in the grapefruit? Out of curiosity, do you know what it is about grapefruit that interacts with medications? I ask only because I’d obviously want to avoid that same compound in any substitutions.

The Mechanism – Grapefruit Drug Interactions

Grapefruit contains certain phytonutrients that influence the speed of the livers first phase of detoxification. There are three phases of liver detoxification and all three are strictly dependant on one another.  All chemicals, including medications, are processed and metabolized through these pathways.  Every chemical, including medications, must first go through phase 1 detoxification then progress to phase 2 and finally to phase 3.  If any one phase is working faster or slower than a subsequent phase, there will be a bottle neck. This is very harmful to the system.

Grapefruit slows down the liver’s ability to process certain drugs which causes the drug’s concentration in the blood to increase – easily to toxic and even fatal levels.  Bitter oranges like Seville and Pomelos have the same effect.

Nutrient-Drug Interactions

Drug interactions with foods, individual nutrients (i.e. magnesium, iron, vitamin K), and herbs need to be taken very seriously.  Always talk to your doctor or pharmacist to understand the precautions you should take.  Also, be sure to consult with your doctor or licensed nutritionist before taking isolated nutrients.  A qualified practitioner will always look up any potential nutrient drug interactions before making a supplement recommendation.

If you are provided any supplement or herbal recommendation, question the practitioner to ensure they have considered any potential nutrient-drug interactions.

Substitutions for Grapefruit to Ensure Same Nutrients

The main nutrients in grapefruit are vitamin C, lycopene, pectin, and phytonutrients that stimulate DNA repair.  Another way to get this combination of micronutrients for 2C would be to have 1 kiwi (vit. c) + 2 dried apricots (lycopene) OR 1 small clementine (pectin).  Continuing to enjoy a variety of brassica vegetables as suggested in the other meals will continue to provide support for DNA repair (in addition to other nutrients provided by other foods).

Significant sources of  lycopene include:

  • cooked tomato products (tomato paste, ketchup, tomato sauce)
  • watermelon, pink or red grapefruit, guava, papaya, apricots

Note about Lycopene and Prostate Health – Green Tea Makes it Work Better

Research suggests that having a cup of green tea at the same time as lycopene containing foods has a synergistic effect against prostate cancer.  These two compounds (catechins in green tea and lycopene) work better together than separately.

How to get the men in your life to do this:

  1. Refreshing juice/fruit puree blend: brew double strength green tea (6-8 bags/quart of water), blend with one of the fruit juices listed above (or the fresh fruits when in-season), serve over ice
  2. Matcha: Matcha is a very finely powdered green tea that can be bought loose in bulk bins of co-ops and healthier food stores.  1-2 tsp of matcha can be stirred into tomato-based sauces or tomato paste.  Matcha powder could also be added to fruit juices mentioned above instead of brewing.

There is small amounts of caffeine in green tea (20-40 mg per 3-5 minutes brewing time),  so use caution when adding to foods later in the evening if you are sensitive to caffeine to avoid any interruptions to sleep.

Fortunately, even when you or a loved one is told to avoid grapefruit due to interactions with medications, nature generously provides natural alternatives to ensure you still receive the beneficial nutrients it has to offer.

~Teri

 

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Shopping – Winter Week 3: Why Watercress, What is Bragg’s, Benefits of Black Soy Beans

January 21, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Fresh Watercress with Roots

Watercress – Helps Protect from Cancer & Reduces Inflammation

Watercress is a member of the brassica (also called cruciferous) family of vegetables.  This elite group of foods include:

  • watercress, uppercress, landcress, arugula
  • horseradish, radish, daikon radish
  • cabbage, bok choy,Brussels sprouts, Chinese cabbage
  • broccoli, cauliflower, rutabaga, turnip, kohlrabi
  • kale, mustard greens, collard greens

Health Benefits: Brassica foods contain nutrients including phytonutrients that are important additions to our diet for three reasons:

  1. Enhance and support all three phases of liver detoxification
  2. Reduce inflammation
  3. Repair cellular DNA

There are benefits to enjoying both raw and lightly cooked brassica foods – when cooking, light steaming and minimum (<1 minute) of microwaving is best.  Watercress provides a flavorful, peppery way to enjoy a raw variety of brassica in the Everyday Greens Mix.

Selecting: I prefer watercress that still has its roots attached (pictured above).  Simply snip roots off with kitchen shears and rinse well with water or lightly soak with mild vinegar solution (about 2 tbsp per gallon of water).  If I can’t find watercress with roots, I like to buy arugula or more kale to use throughout the week.

Bragg’s Liquid Aminos – Gluten-free Soy Sauce

Bragg’s is simply an alternative to traditional soy sauce.  Like soy sauce, Bragg’s is derived from soy beans (non-GMO varieties).

Bragg’s is processed to be gluten-free vs. traditional soy sauce which is processed with wheat (unless buying wheat-free tamari).

I personally have both tamari and Bragg’s in my spice collection.  I put Bragg’s in the meal plan to introduce both a taste and gluten-free alternative to you. Bragg’s, in my opinion, is a bit softer tasting than the more robust traditional soy sauce.  Although you can easily substitute soy sauce, I do recommend buying a small container of Bragg’s (even once) to see if you like the variety it brings sprinkled on veggies and whole grains.

Bragg’s can be found in the Asian section of your supermarkets.

Black Soy Beans – Higher in Antioxidants than Traditional Yellow

The only whole canned soy beans that I could find this week where black soy beans (versus traditional yellow).  I’m really excited to make the soy patties with the black soy beans tomorrow.  Black soy beans (similar to black beans) have a higher concentration of antioxidants than their fair yellow-colored cousins.

If you have problems finding these canned, you can certainly make your own from dried soy beans (not to be confused with ready-to-eat dry roasted soy beans used in the trailmixes).

When time permits (which honestly isn’t as often as I would like), I like to make my dried beans using a pressure cooker.  Cynthia Lair, one of my former cooking instructor, provides easy to follow instructions for making beans from scratch.  It really is a tremendous money saver and environmental boon.

Pumpkin + Sweet Potato Puree – Beta-Caroteine Rich Lasagna

I’m so excited that it’s pumpkin lasagna week!

When I was getting ready to go to the store, I saw that I had a can of sweet potato puree in the cupboard.  The recipe needs 2 cans of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix), so rather than buying 2 cans of pumpkin, I am going to try substituting my can of sweet potato puree.  The nutritional profile will stay the same; pretty excited to see how it goes!

I hope as you use the recipes, you, too, will see how flexible they can be.  And once you learn the basics of portion sizes and what foods fall into which categories, you’ll be able to adjust and make substititions for any recipe!

Have fun shopping! ~Teri

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Everyday Greens Mix (Kale, Watercress, Spinach, Lettuce): 3 Easy Methods, No More Excuses

January 20, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Dino Kale - Papillon Sky Photography

The Secret to Easily Eat Greens Everyday:

  1. Always have greens cleaned and ready to grab
  2. Get in the habit of having a handful at each meal (even one a day is a respectable start)

If you wait until after you walk in the door at 5:30 to clean and prep that kale you bought two days ago – you aren’t going to do it.

If you think the only way to eat greens is by having  a cold salad everyday – you aren’t going to do it.

Greens like kale, collards, Swiss chard, and watercress are far from just for salad anymore.  I shared a few ideas in an early post about how easy it can be to add something green to each meal.  This is what I love about the Everyday Greens Mix and why I included it in each season of the meal planning kits.  The mix allows you to have a variety of greens, prepped before it’s time to eat, so you are encouraged to use them…easily and unlimitedly.

But as mentioned above, if you don’t have the mix ready to go before 5:30 – you aren’t going to do it.  The good news is that there are three methods to make sure you do have greens ready to eat everyday.  Pick the one that best matches your time availability and buying preferences – and which method is best will likely change depending on the week.  And that’s good; having flexible options will ensure you do it each week – not just the ones when all the stars align.

Method 1: Buy Pre-Washed

The variety of packaged, pre-washed organic greens is booming.  Baby Kales, Baby Lettuce, Half-n-half Spring + Baby Spinach, Arugula – so easy to find and reasonably priced.  Some delicate greens like watercress (which I always recommend buying the variety with the roots still on) are harder to find.  And on those weeks were convenience is needed – it’s ok to just have baby kale and spinach.

Pros: No Prep*, Competitively Priced, Always Ready

*Whether to wash pre-washed produce is a personal decision – CBS reviewed this and posted some comments from manufacturers.

Cons: Not Local, Compromise with Flavor (nothing like fresh picked greens)

Method 2: Store Greens in Salad Spinner – Keeps them Fresh and Easy to Grab

If I have the room in the fridge, I like to wash all of the various greens together by placing in the (very clean and sanitized!) sink.  Then, I place them all in my salad spinner and just store on the top shelf.  It’s still easy to grab individual types of greens (like lettuce for tacos) or a mix for salad. Stays nice and crisp for up to a week.

Pros: Can buy Local, Easy to Grab

Cons: Increased Prep Time with Cleaning, Bulky Storage

Method 3: Wash and Store in Plastic Bags in Crisper

When space is limited, then I ‘wrap and roll’ them for storage in the crisper. You can wrap them mixed, or wrap them individually by type- whichever works best for you. This method is great for reducing storage space, but aren’t quite as accessible and might limit grabbing those extra handfuls.

Pros: Reduced Storage Space, Can buy Local

Cons: Longest Prep Time, Not as Readily Available (could decrease frequency used)

—-Storage Note: All methods will keep them fresh for about 5 days in a ~40 degree fridge (if greens were fresh when bought: watch use-by dates on pre-washed, especially if they are on sale)

And finally, for the meal planning kit users, here are the visual instructions for how I describe to roll the greens in paper towel when doing Method 3.

Step 1: Place the bunch of cleaned greens at top of paper towel strip

Step 2: Roll-up in paper towel

Step 3:  Place 1-4 individual rolls in large storage plastic baggie, gently remove excess air, seal, and store in crisper (see pic above)

I always love hearing new ways that you find to ‘throw a handful of greens here’ and ‘a handful of greens there’.  I’d love for you to share your ways to eat greens everyday! I think you’ll be surprised at how good they taste outside of the salad bowl!

~Teri

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WebMD Fat-Fighting Foods: 21 in Just 8 Perfectly Produce Meals

January 16, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

 

WebMD Fat-Fighting Foods: http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-fat-fighting-foods

Fat-Fighting Foods: The List Reads Like an Index  of the Perfectly Produce Recipe Books: and They Come with Daily How-To Help

January always starts with various food lists being published – what’s in and what’s out of the culinary and diet worlds.  The best three that I’ve seen so far include two from Huffington Post; the first titled “7 of the Healthiest Foods You Should be Eating But Aren’t” and  the second “12 Foods to Add to Your Diet in 2012″; and the recent WedMD slideshow titled “Fat-Fighting Foods”.

I get so excited when I see these lists because they essentially read like the index of any one of the Perfectly Produce Seasonal Meal Planning Kits. The recent WebMD list was the most comprehensive, most targeted to weight-loss, and best chance to highlight just what I mean. So using just the Winter Meal Planning Kit, I challenged myself to find the most fat-fighting foods in the fewest meal ideas. The result: 8 meal ideas to use 21.

The Super 8

1. Greek Yogurt with Maple Fruit Salad

  • Greek Yogurt + Oatmeal + Almonds + Apple + Apple Cider Vinegar

2. Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Pancakes

  • Berries + Milk + Cinnamon + Egg + Nuts + Oatmeal

3. Chicken Breakfast Bake with Rio Star Grapefruit

  • Lean Meat + Oatmeal + Eggs + Grapefruit

4. Kale and Adzuki Bean Frittata with Pear and Dates

  • Egg + Beans + Pear

5. Fennel Citrus Salad with Fresh Mozzarella

  • Greek Yogurt + Raw Vegetables + Salad

6. Hearty Chickpea Stew with Wasa Crisp

  • Crispbread + Beans + Cinnamon + Raw Vegetables + Sweet Potato + Soup

7.  Pureed Broccoli Soup

  • Soup + Sweet Potato + Cayenne (Hot Peppers) + Beans + Quinoa

8.  Sesame Shrimp Salad with Dates

  • Salad + Fish + Quinoa + Crispbread

There are many wonderful cookbooks available which provides recipes on how to use ingredients like quinoa and legumes, but here’s what makes Perfectly Produce’s recipes different:

  • Portioned: Each recipe and meal idea are balanced using a simplified macronutrient exchange system to help regulate blood sugar and keep you feeling full – this will make you feel more in control of your hunger during the day.
  • Seasonal: Each recipe book is seasonal which keeps the cost of the produce down and the flavor at it’s peak.
  • Daily Help: Each recipe book comes with a complete set of tools including shopping lists and cooking guides to help you stay organized and not overwhelmed with daily preparation. Plus, you have daily access to a licensed nutritionist through this blog as I do weekly bulk cooking and prep real-time with you.
  • Simple: And my greatest hope is that each kit makes it simple for you – no thinking or organizing lists on your own.  I hope they provide you a comprehensive starting point – a foundation to learn, with me, how to use whole foods daily.

I hope you’ll agree. ~Teri

January 18th, 2012: Update to original post

As I find other links that support the foods included in the meal planning kits, I will post them here.  I like these links because they provide a clear reason for why these foods should be eaten – their purpose-  like we try to do within our recipes.

Huffington Post: The Super 7: Foods with Benefits

 

 

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Bulk Cooking – Winter Week 2: Ancient Grains | Portioning Roast | Increase Anti-Inflammatory Properties of Chickpea Stew

January 15, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Fennel Citrus Salad: Winter Meal Planning Kit - Week 2 (photo: www.papillonskyphotography.com)

My Notes from Winter Bulk Cooking – Week 2

Bulk cooking shouldn’t be overwhelming. If it ever is, let me know. Bulk cooking when practiced doesn’t add more work; it should consolidate and find efficiencies in the work you are already doing – eliminating the need for you to think about meal prep everyday.  The most motivating part of bulk cooking for me is that it puts me back in control of the kitchen.  I get to work from a place of being ahead versus always feeling like I’m just trying to catch my breath – just to stay healthy.  Tomorrow at 4:30 I’ll be deciding how to spend my evening – not what to make for dinner.  Yup, that’s motivating.

Fennel Citrus Salad

  • This is one of my favorite salads from all of the meal planning kits (oh, that dressing!). I love the combination of red onion, citrus, and lemon-maple dressing.  And every time I make it, I am reminded how much I love fennel. Keep this simple dressing tucked away to use on other salads, including Everyday Greens, or as a fruit dip for kids.
  • My husband loves it, too, so I doubled the recipe.  I didn’t buy enough fennel for 4 complete portions, so I used the remaining celery I had left-over from the chickpea stew.  I also decided to add a handful of kale with the spinach.
  • If making this for on-the-go, you have 2 options: 1) make the dressing separately, pack in a small container, and not add until you eat it, or 2) you can dress it right away and the salt, lemon, and dairy will act as a ‘marinade’ on the spinach which will wilt it overnight.  I did option 2 and dressed it right away. I’m ok with less volume at lunch and this helps do that (and my husband likes that he can take a smaller container for his salad to work).

Bulk Grains – Farro

  • Inspired by Robyn’s question about ancient grains this week on Facebook, I decided to make farro (related to einkorn and spelt) this week instead of oats.  Both work equally well.  Oats are lovely, too, I just needed to satisfy my craving.  I hope you also take liberties once you get comfortable.  Using whichever grain you want to experiment with is encouraged.  In the end, you’ll still maintain the variety that I want for you. Variety ensures you get all the various fibers, phytonutrients, and lignans that whole grains have to offer.
  • I cooked my grains in home-made vegetable broth this week for added flavor.

Roast with Rosemary and Root Vegetables

Bison Roast

  • As I mentioned in my shopping notes this week, I decided to splurge on the bison roast.  Any cut of beef can be used (ideally grass-fed and as lean as possible). I do also trim any excess visible fat before cooking. (You can also substitute red meat in the plan)
  • This week for time-savings, I decided not to sear the roast prior to cooking.  I think searing can be optional – some people swear by it to enhance flavor (not moisture), but for me it does come down to time and so I didn’t bother.
  • My roast was over 4 lbs.  so I portioned it according to the bulk cooking guide + had 1, 12 oz package that I froze for next month + 2, 6 oz portions that I’ll use for sandwiches next month. It really helps me to weigh and pre-portion left-overs before I freeze them.  Like we talked about last week, this has 2 significant benefits: 1) keeps total food budget down, and 2) helps manage weight and overall health by not having larger servings than needed here and there.
  • Before portioning, I refrigerate the roast and veggies overnight then skim off saturated fat that has hardened. This bison roast was very lean and very little fat surfaced, but still a helpful step.
  • In the morning after portioning the roast, I put the roasted  veggies through a colander to save the beef broth that was created; labeled it and froze it for later use (probably in the stew I’ll make next month).

Hearty Chickpea Stew

papillon sky photography

  • A tip to peel fresh ginger: use a soup spoon to scrap off the peeling exposing the flesh which can be sliced or minced
  • For added anti-inflammatory and digestive properties, add the garlic during the last couple minutes of cooking and the ginger at the time of serving. Beneficial enzymes in ginger are lost when heated.
  • You could also reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes to make the veggies fork tender (vs. 20 minutes on the recipe).

Chicken Breakfast Bake

  • I really like small pieces of broccoli in this so I actually use my Ninja (or food processor) to dice it – it will still work with a metal mesh steamer and ensures it will cook within 3 minutes (protects the myrosinase – a cancer fighting phytonutrient in broccoli).
  • Leaving the oven door open while broiling will help avoid burning – be sure to watch it close.

I hope you find my notes on Winter Bulk Cooking – Week 2 helpful. If you cooked this weekend, let me know how it went. ~Teri

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Shopping & Prep – Winter Week 2

January 12, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

The Plan

The Shopping

I really do enjoy going to the store – more when I have time to take my time – but do to some extend each time I go.  And today was no exception.  With Week 2 shopping list in hand, I headed off.  Here are a few notes I took that I thought might be helpful.  As always, if you have questions about something that mentioned here, please comment.

Produce

Maradol Papaya

  • Papaya: Whole Foods had them available as halves and my local co-op had very under ripe ones available.  Since it isn’t needed until Fri., I left both stores empty handed and decided to try back later in the week.  I’ve posted more details on papaya here.  It is a beautiful fruit and worth the search for a good one.
  • Belgian Endive: The three that I found tonight were too wilted and browned to buy.  I bought an extra container of “baby lettuces” to substitute
  • Texas Rio Star Grapefruit: There are two kinds of grapefruit in my mind; 1) Texas Rio Star, and 2) all the others.  Texas Rio Star are pink fleshed, naturally sweet (no added sugar please!) and in-season now.  This pink pigment is lycopene (studied in prostate health).  The same antioxidant found in cooked tomato products, watermelon, guava, and papaya. Enjoy them, often, while they are available.

Texas Rio Star Grapefruit

Proteins

  • Beef roast: Any cut of roast can be used. I like round or even trimmed chuck.  Tonight, I did decide to splurge a bit so I chose a beautiful bison roast.  And it’s ok if your roast is under 4 lbs.  Future meals that call for the made-a-head roast can easily be substituted for chicken or even soy products.
  • Chicken breast: Bulk packages are always cheaper.  I bought a 4 lb package and will individually wrap them in 12 oz portions and freeze for future use.
  • Scallops: reminder that they aren’t needed until the end of the week; I will follow the tip sheet and pick them up later.

The Prep

  • Tonight I’ll spend about 1/2 hour in the kitchen prepping for tomorrow’s bulk cooking session. In addition to cleaning and getting containers ready, I’ll get the chicken frozen plus put the grains on to soak. Remember, you want to soak them first in water, then rinse, then cook in stock for best results.

I was surprised at how much I had missed bulk cooking and daily meal planning over the holidays. It was nice experiencing my ‘second list’ again.

Happy shopping! ~ Teri

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Eat8: Planning and Bulk Cooking

January 11, 2012   perfectlyproduce   2 Comments

Parsnip Fries for Roasted Chicken with Parsnip Fries and Herb Mashed Peas - Winter Meal Planning Kit

Produce Tally & What Worked for Mon. Jan. 10th

Goal: 8 servings | Actual: 10 servings

What worked today to help me eat more fruits and vegetables:

  1. Planning & Bulk Cooking: This past weekend, I finally began using the winter meal planning kit in it’s entirety for the first time since the holidays. Even though I did pretty well at maintaining my goal of 8 servings of produce per day (mostly fruits) during that time, it is wonderful being back to increased variety and lots more greens and vegetables!

Sources:

  • Breakfast: 1 serving (banana blueberry buckwheat pancake)
  • Lunch: 3 servings (roasted chicken apple pomegranate salad)
  • Snack: 1 serving (home-made trailmix with prunes + dried edamame)
  • Dinner: 5 servings (parsnip fries + herb mashed peas + pomegranate)

2012 is off to a good (very tasty!) start!

~Teri

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Bulk Cooking – Winter Week 1: Fortify Your Grains, When to Buy Rotisserie, Don’t Round Servings

January 08, 2012   perfectlyproduce   No comments

Blueberry Banana Buckwheat Pancakes :www.papillonskyphotography.com

5 Hours in Exchange for 14 Dinner + 6 Breakfast + 10 Snacks & Lunch Prep

I don’t love to cook.  What I do love is prioritizing what I eat during the week to make sure I protect my health, am more productive, more creative, and just happier.  And…I have to be able to do this efficiently; I don’t want this to take hours everyday. 

Eating healthy isn’t all that you should have time for; eating healthy is what should allow you to finally find time to do all those things you want to do – your daily distractions.

This was my motivation for developing the seasonal meal planning kits.  I wanted a guide that took all the thinking out of it for me, too.

I really enjoyed my time in the kitchen yesterday afternoon.  It felt purposeful.  I invested 5 hours in the kitchen at once to save 10. Below are a few of my specific notes for each item in the bulk cooking guide.

Grains: “Fortify” Yourself with Home-made Bone Stock

  • Take the advice in the bulk cooking guide and always double or triple the amount of grains you make at one time.  They freeze well and ensure you always have a whole grain ready to go – faster than pasta.
  • When following the directions to soak: soak first in water, rinse, and then add new liquid to cook.
  • I always cook my grains in broth or stock.  Adds so much more flavor.  And when using your home-made bone broth, you add all those lovely additional nutrients like collagen (needed for healthy joints and skin), calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium. That’s using whole foods therapeutically!

Herb Roasted Chicken: Pro’s & Con’s to Substituting with a Rotisserie Chicken

Pro’s of using Rotisserie Chicken:

  • Time savings!
  • Hormone-free, organic options now available
  • Cost for convenience is reasonable
  • When buying organic, can still freeze the bones to use for home-made bone broth

Con’s of using Rotisserie Chicken:

  • Typically larger chickens when buying raw – could need 2 rotisserie chickens to make the suggested meals; makes the overall cost per pound cheaper to roast your own
  • I got 6 meal-size portions of chicken for soup + 4 lunches + 2 dinner servings = 12 meals from 1 home-roasted chicken
  • Flavor & freshness – stores could rotate older chickens to use in the deli + can be a little dry from being held on warmers
  • Miss out on the gelatinous mixture formed from home-roasted which is a rich source of collagen and adds tremendous flavor to home-made chicken soup

In the end, it depends on what kind of week I’m having.  When I plan, I roast my own.  When I need last minute ideas, I’m thankful for the wider selection of deli rotisserie chickens.

Cheesy Beef Skillet: Don’t Round! 1 lb. is 16 oz.  This Recipe Only Calls for 12 oz.

  • A tip that I will repeat often is: don’t round servings – meat, produce, grains or fats! Throwing in ‘that little bit’ left in the bag, or thinking that “there isn’t enough left to do anything with” is the mindset that gets us in trouble.
  • If you go to the meat counter and ask for “1 lb. of grass-fed ground beef” for this recipe, you are buying 4 oz extra – an entire meal + 1 snack over in protein and fat! (4P + 4F over)
  • These incremental amounts will sabotage three things: 1) your weight, 2) your food budget, and 3) the quality of food you buy.  This is one of the first things I talk with someone about when they tell me that they can’t afford higher quality food.  First, look at (true) serving sizes

I, out of habit, did ask for 1 lb of beef.  So, I saved the extra 4 oz. and made 2, 2oz hamburgers  that I used to make yummy Cheeseburger Salads for dinner tonight.

Recipe: Cheeseburger Salad: 2 portions -  3C, 3F, 3.5P each

The warm rice eliminates the need for a bun.

  • 2, 2 oz grass-fed beef patties (4P, 4F)
  • 2, 1 oz cheese slices (2 P, 2F)
  • 1 1/3 cup cooked long-grain rice (2/3 cup per portion) (4C, 1P)
  • 8 cups of Everyday Greens Mix  (4 cups per portion) (or Baby Kales) (2C)
  • 4 tablespoon Tomato Basil No-Oil Dressing from Whole Foods  (2 tbsp per portion) (found refrigerated in produce aisle)
  • Unlimited diced veggie toppings (whatever you’d put on your burger!) (n/a)

Cook patties, place cheese on top to melt.  Warm up rice – set aside.  Toss greens with dressing.  Top greens with rice, cheeseburger, and veggies.  Enjoy.

Bone Stock

  • Even when you don’t have time to make stock, save your organic chicken (or beef) bones in the freezer.  You can easily make a larger batch when you have the bones from 2 or even 3 chickens.
  • I typically make stock when I have 3 frozen (making >16 quarts of stock at once). I like to think that it honors the animal when we respect and utilize all the nutrition they have available to offer us – this certainly includes their mineral rich bones.
  • Making home-made stock helps justify the cost of buying organic, pastured chicken: I get 6-8 quarts of stock from 1 chicken (that saves over $12 from having to buy prepacked broth – which lacks both in flavor and nutrition)
  • I paid $10 ($3.50/lb) for my organic chicken and got a total of 12 meals + 8 quarts of stock

Buckwheat Pancakes

Stacked with Parchment Paper - Ready for Freezer

  • You will notice that the batter is thin.  I tested several variations and found this was best for avoiding a too-thick, muffin type pancake like I’ve had with others made from buckwheat.  If you let it sit overnight, that will help it thicken and essentially soak the grains.
  • If you do pre-make the batter and use fresh each morning, you will need to give it a good stir before using.  It will thicken and separate as it sits.
  • You can also freeze the batter – works great if you want to make a double or triple batch but don’t have time to pre-cook them.  Just be sure to freeze batter in smaller batches to suite your weekly needs
  • Rather than using 1 tablespoon of oil at the start of cooking you can use 1/2-1 tsp. of oil per pancake.
  • Another method I tested was to simply add the oil to the batter and use olive oil spray on the pan when cooking – worked really well.
  • If you like cinnamon: increasing the cinnamon to 1 tablespoon per batch (vs. 1 tsp) will provide about 1/2 tsp per pancake.  1/2 tsp is the amount being studied for blood sugar control.
  • Wrapping them for freezer: the recipe indicates to wrap them individually; however, I’ve since started just using a piece of parchment paper to separate them in a freezer bag (pic above). Great for mornings – parchment paper goes straight in microwave (~1 1/2 min if frozen, 30 sec if thawed).
  • Recipe Note: The ingredient list states baking soda – which is correct. The instructions state baking powder which is a typo – sorry for any confusion!

If I’ve left something out that you questioned as you cooked, please just leave a comment and I’ll do my best to answer.  More to come Week 2! ~ Teri

 

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Shopping – Winter Week 1: Customer Q’s: Nut Butters, Which Whey, Finding Edamame, No Red Meat

January 06, 2012   perfectlyproduce   2 Comments

“I haven’t seen macadamia nut butter at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, or MS Market. Do you know where I can find it?”

Mara Natha used to be the brand that was most easy to find.  I, too, am finding it hard to find now.  There is a new brand at the Linden Hills co-op called Wilderness Poets (pictured above) that makes a variety nut and seed butters including a macadamia nut blended with Brazil nuts (wow!).  It’s very tasty, but pricey ($13.99/jar).

Honestly, what I recommend and do myself is make my own.  Macadamias, with their higher fat content, are really easy to blend at home.  Be sure they are at room temp, then just blend in a good blender, food processor, or Ninja blender. You could add a touch of water if you needed, but I haven’t had to do that.  The beautiful thing is that this works well for all nut butters.  Try almond macadamia or walnut cashew – the varieties are endless.  For a special treat, play with making home-made nut butters and add a touch of 100% maple to them as you blend…yea, just be careful – it’s addictive!

You could also easily substitute another nut when needed.  Just watch serving sizes and maintain variety.

“I have never used whey protein powder before and just bought chocolate flavor. Is that okay, or am I supposed to stick to a non-flavored type?”

I prefer plain, organic whey to avoid added sweeteners and flavorings. Plain whey also gives you the most flexibility because it can be added to almost anything without being noticed (smoothies, yogurt, stirred into steel-cut oats).  With that being said, flavored varieties can be used if you watch the ingredients label and nutrition facts. Much like other labels, you should be familiar with the ingredients listed.  Some type of sweetener will be used, be sure it’s at least stevia and not artificial sweeteners.  And watch carbohydrate servings.  Generally it will be zero, but depending on the sweetener it could contribute something.  Remember the half rule: if it’s greater than 7 grams of carbohydrate per serving, count it as 1.  If it’s less than 7 grams, you don’t need to count it.

My favorite brand of whey (whether plain or chocolate) is Tera’s Whey.  This is the supplier I use for Wellies and they are now available in several stores including Whole Foods.

“I haven’t been able to find roasted edamame and wondered where to find them.”

These do tend to be a little trickier to find.  Here is a previous post I did on both edamame and dried roasted soy beans.  I hope it helps.

“I was looking at Week 2 to prepare and see that pot roast is a recipe. I don’t eat red meat, at all, and would like a substitute recipe. I see that the leftovers are used in Weeks 3 and 4 as well, so if you have suggestions for those meals I would appreciate it. Do you have plans to create alternate meal plans for clients with dietary restrictions such as mine?”

I do intend to create recipe booklet with specific considerations as our community continues to grow and resources allow.  Until then, I am more than happy to provide suggestions on how to customize the recipes to best suite your individual needs.  I’m confident that the recipes are simple enough to be substituted easily.  For example, ground turkey or chicken can easily be used instead of ground beef in the Cheesy Rice Skillet and upcoming Meatloaf.

As for the pot roast, a pork tenderloin could be prepared with the same vegetables and used in subsequent weeks just as is indicated for the roast.  Another alternative would be to roast tofu with a selection of vegetables for the primary meal in Week 2 and then to again use tofu or edamame (or rotisserie chicken) in Weeks 3 and 4.

I hope this provides you with enough suggestions.  If not, please let me know how I can help further.

Thanks for the questions and opportunity to address them! ~Teri

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Meal Planning Kits – Getting Started: Shopping Week 1 – How Many, How Much

January 05, 2012   perfectlyproduce   2 Comments

My Cart - Winter Week 1

Perfectly Produce Meal Planning Kit – Getting Started

My first tip to getting started with meal planning is to bookmark this page and remember that this blog is your resource for asking questions as you go. Whole foods cooking does require planning and more prep than you might currently be used to – and this is the opportunity!  But until you find how it will fit into your schedule, you need to remember that you have a community to help you navigate through the maze of trying to fit an additional thing into your schedule. Ask me for help when you need it – and even more importantly, ask each other.  All comments and questions are helpful to both the active engagers and the silent observers.  Some of my best tips have come from clients, friends, and family as they personalize the meal planning kits to what works best for them.

I actually do the meal plans myself each month.  I will post my notes as I go.  These will include ingredient notes (like what’s available and where to find it), substitions I might make (and why), and how I organize a few minutes each day to ‘be prepared for my next meal, before it’s time to eat’.

So, are you ready? Great.  The first stop is the store, and using your first Shopping List (be sure to click here and see a detailed example of the shopping list).

Is the shopping list only enough food for one person? Or a family? 

The shopping lists, meal plans and allocation of made-ahead portions (left-over’s) assumes that one person will be following breakfast, lunch, and snacks and that dinner will be shared with one other person (or 2 portions used per meal).  We have found that this allows families of various sizes the most flexibility and ease in determining what recipes need to be scaled up (or down in some cases).

For example, if two adults will be following all meal ideas then I suggest you double the shopping list and simply freeze the additional portions of bulk meals that you will make (in some cases this will be several servings, so double check your freezer space).  If you and the other person primarily only eat dinner together, then follow the shopping list as is.

My recommendation for larger families is to double the shopping list for week 1 to get a feel for compliance by the entire household and to ensure that a manageable amount of produce is bought until familiarity increases with the bulk cooking sessions.

I was wondering about the expense at the grocery each week… Since you do more bulk cooking the first week, is that week always more expensive?

As for anticipated costs, the first weeks are more expensive than subsequent weeks.  Many people find that they need to restock their pantries with higher quality ingredients- and this is an investment.  But it’s important to remember that you will also be following correct portion sizes – this will mean these higher quality ingredients will go further.  Eating the proper quantities of foods allows you to eat higher quality varieties.  Also, as you begin to freeze bulk recipes you will see a weekly decrease in grocery by week 3 and 4.

I have also found wholesale shopping places such as Costco to provide a nice selection of items used in the plans.  These locations are beginning to increase their selection of organic produce and items such as frozen wild blueberries and organic grains like quinoa.

What I urge customers to do is watch for a decrease in total food expenses for the month once other “on-the-go” foods (the multiple last minute trips to the store, take-out, coffee shop snacks, vending carts at work, etc.) are replaced with the made-ahead meals and snacks.  I hope you find this to be true.

Be sure to watch all the category tabs in How-To Make It Doable for more tips through-out the week. I announce all new posts on Facebook and Twitter so be sure to follow there or subscribe (or just check back) to this feed to stay connect.  Knowing you aren’t the only one dedicating time to cooking again should provide some relief on those nights you are minutes away from take-out!

~Teri

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Define Your Daily Distraction

January 02, 2012   perfectlyproduce   10 Comments

Is Your New Year’s Resolution List Complete?:

  • Lose weight – check!
  • Eat healthier (more produce + watch portion sizes) – check!
  • Exercise 5 days a week – check!
  • Daily distraction – Feel good enough to {fill in the blank} each day – check?

Daily distraction – huh?

A distraction should be just that, something that provides a positive distraction from a more challenging goal. It’s a mini-goal. A goal that’s obtainable – each day – while you achieve the big goal over several months.  It’s what you would enjoy – each day – as you benefited from making positive health changes.

Here are some real examples from my clients:

  • “I would like to feel good enough to read for even a half hour before bed each night.”
  • “I want to start writing again – even just 20 minutes a day to get started again.”
  • “I want to have the energy to refinish my deck before the end of summer.”

It’s all about enjoying the journey.  I get that a great part (and a huge motivator) of losing weight is to look better.  And, yup, you will. But my hope for you is that you find a daily motivator – a distraction – to keep you on that journey for a beautiful, sustainable, long lifetime.

Here’s my offer: Until noon (CST) Tues. Jan. 3rd, I’ll give everyone that shares their distraction by commenting to this post a free meal planning kit. No strings. No further commitment. Just a chance to try something new this year.

To 2012- ~Teri

(Code for free kit will be emailed to email address provided while commenting. Email addresses are not shown as part of the reply below and are never shared.)

 

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Trail Mix Ingredient: Dried Edamame

December 22, 2011   perfectlyproduce   No comments

 Dried Edamame and Dry Roasted Soy Nuts

Attached is a picture of these products to help you in your search.  Dried edamame and dry roasted soy nuts are typically sold in the bulk or ‘healthy snacks’ sections of grocery stores.  Oddly, sometimes not together.  At Whole Foods – Minneapolis, I find dried edamame by the snacks and dry roasted soy nuts by bulk.

  • A Must Watch on the Ingredients List:  Ensure that they are DRY roasted, several varieties have added oils (which you do not want)

Both products can be used equally well in any of the seasonal trail mix recipes from the meal planning kits.

Online Source: Seapoint Farms Dried Edamame – Amazon. Need to buy 12 pouches at a time, but at only $18 it’s a good price.

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A Secret to Diet Success: Bite-Sized, Doable Meal Planning

November 11, 2011   perfectlyproduce   2 Comments

Bulk Chickpea Stew - Winter Kit (www.papillionskyphotography.com)

Be Prepared for Your Next Meal Before It’s Time to Eat 

If you are ready, really ready, to make dietary changes that work this time – you are going to have to befriend meal planning.  It is an unrealistic expectation to put on yourself to think that at the end of a long, time-starved, day you are going to spend 20 minutes first cleaning vegetables, then 20 minutes chopping and preparing them, then 30 minutes cooking them…and this assumes you already knew which recipe you were going to make, which you probably didn’t until you got in the car and were driving home- oh, and that wasn’t a pleasant drive since your first two picks you knew you didn’t have the ingredients for and there is no way your stopping at the store tonight.  So it’s no surprise that cereal, pasta, hot dogs (even if organic), pizza or take-out becomes the foundation of your next meal.  I get it.

I get it because I’m only a nutritionist part of the time. I’m also a time-starved small business owner, a member of a household that has a personality of its own (why can’t houses stay dusted looking or vacuumed for longer than 4 hours), and a woman who wishes she had more time for friends, hobbies, and work life balance.  So I get it.  And I know the only time that I stay successful is when I commit to planning.  You are going to eat everyday, so befriend and commit to a process that makes you eat smarter.

1st – Commit to Just 2 Bulk Recipes that You Will Make within the Next 3 Days

A doable bit-sized start is just to make 2 bulk recipes (a bulk recipes makes at least 6 servings – if a recipe doesn’t, just double it).  This will ensure that you have healthy, cell nourishing meals over the next 4 days while you continue to regroup.

I’d love to see us commit to this together by responding to this post with the 2 recipes that you will make.  And no judgements on which recipes – we’ll work on quality next, first we need to focus on planning and just getting in the habit of making them.  Because, this really is the secret to diet success. ~ Teri

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