Planning to Lose

The Diet continues.  As mentioned in my Facebook page, I'm down 17 pounds from the beginning of the year (with a few side effects--the benefits of a more vegetable-based diet).  That's the easy weight, however.  The real challenge begins now.

This is good.  I'm establishing the habits of awareness and am far more cogniscent of what I put into my body.  I've always taken pride in cooking from scratch and using whole foods as much as possible, but now I also look at quantity and diversity of what I eat.  Whereas, in my previous diet, I would eat all of the whole grains (quality carbs) and proteins (primarily lean meats) I wanted, now I eat a tremendous quantity of leafy greens.  Kale is my new BFF.  Lentils, other legumes and beans provide complex carbs, proteins and iron.

My plate and my biological functions have become more colorful.

Now I'm adding exercise.  Like budgeting for money or calories, budgeting time is also a challenge.  The question of how to spend a limited resource forces one to cut back in some areas to make room for something new.  Unlike money or calories, however, additional time cannot be created.  (You can take on another job or work extra hours for more money.  Exercising burns calories that are then available for extra gluttony.)  The time budget is therefore essential.

One thought: multitasking.  I am essentially a lazy person who loves his leisure time.  I'm not a huge TV watcher, but I love movies.  I can easily combine many calesthetics and simple weight training with movie watching time.  I am walking my dog a little more than 3 miles during lunch. (Added bonus: I eat less during lunch and have smaller healthy snacks throughout the day.)

Overall, however, I think I will have to make some time for concentrated, focused exercise.  30 minutes a day?  45 minutes?  I'm not sure yet.  I'll keep you posted.

For snacks, try these nutritional delights:

Baked Kale Chips
This is an adaptation of a recipe suggested to me by a very good friend.  Thank you SO MUCH.  I love this. 
zest and juice of one Lime
Salt (I prefer Table Salt, here)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 bunch of Kale

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line a cookie with parchment paper.

Seperate the leaves from the coarse and fiberous, stem-like midrib.  Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.  Wash and use a salad spinner to dry.  Toss with olive oil (a little goes a long way--2 tablespoons works well), zest and sqeeze of 1/2 of a lime (a whole lime maybe needed if it's not very juicy).

Lay the leaves out flat on the cookie sheet.  Be sure they don't overlap much.  Sprinkle lightly with salt.

Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until dried and crispy.

These will keep in a well sealed container in a cool location for up to a week.  You'll eat them in an afteroon.


Granola Bars
These are delicious, easy and cheap.  You can vary the ingredients to your heart's desire. 
3 cups Rolled Oats
1/2 cup Sliced Almonds
1/2 cup Raisins
1/2 cup Dried Apples, diced
1/2 cup Dried Banana Chips, crumbled
1/2 cup Sunflower Seeds
1/2 cup Wheat Germ
1 cup Honey
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
3 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, Margarine or Vegetable Oil (or a combination)
2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the oats, almonds, sunflower seeds and wheat germ evenly on a cookie sheet.  Bake for 15-20 minutes until arromatic and toasted.  (Stir occassionally to keep from burning.)

While the dry ingredients are toasting, heat the butter, salt, honey and brown sugar on medium high heat until it starts to bubble.  Then reduce the heat to a simmer.  Again, stir.  This time constantly until the brown sugar is completely melted.  Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray.  Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.  Stir until well combined.  Pour the mix out into the baking pan.  Using the back of wooden spoon or a heavy flat spatula, press the mixture as flat in the pan as possible.  It needs to be densly packed to hold together.

Bake for 25 minutes.  Remove from the oven and let cool for 15 minutes.  Cut into sections (I got 15 pieces).  Let cool some more, then remove from the pan, separate the pieces from each other and place on waxed paper.  After an hour or so, wrap in waxed paper for individual treats and place in a cool dry place for up to a week.

They make a great breakfast treat or quick snack.


Fruit and Nut Pizza
I tend to have pizza dough on hand. It keeps in the refridgerator for a while, but it tends to ferment--like sourdough.  Use what you need and keep the rest for later.  Just let it come (mostly) to room temperature before using it. 
Pizza Dough
4 1/4 cups Bread Flour, plus extra for kneading
1 teaspoon Salt
2 packages Yeast
2 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Warm Water (think bath temperature)
1/4 cup Olive Oil

Filling
1 tablespoon Raisins
1 tablespoon Sunflower Seeds
2 teaspoons Wheat Germ
1 teaspoon Kasha (roasted and cracked buckwheat)

Toppings
Honey
Cinnamon and Sugar
sliced Apple (Granny Smith)
sliced Banana
sliced Almonds

To make the dough: stir the yeast and brown sugar into the water until disolved.  Let it foam up (about 10 minutes).  Combine the flour and salt in a stand mixer with a dough hook.  Start on the lowest speed and pour in the wet ingredients.  Mix until it comes together in a ball.  Turn out onto a floured counter and knead.  Place in a warm, still location and let rise for an hour (or until doubled in volume).  Punch down.

(If you've been refridgerating the dough, let the dough warm up and start from here.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Tear off a hunk of dough about the size of the palm of your hand. That's good for 1 person.  Flour the counter top and spread the dough out from the center until it's rather flat.  Sprinkle the fillings into the center and knead.  The fillings will fall out and push through.  It's ok.  Keep kneading and incorporating what falls out.  Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out turning and flipping to try and keep a round shape.  Transfer to a dusted silicone cutting mat.  Dock the dough (poking it all over with a fork) to keep it from poofing up too much.

Sprinkle liberally with cinnamon and sugar.  Arange the apple, banana and almonds.  Drizzle with a little honey and sprinkle with a little more cinnamon and sugar.

I use a pizza stone, but if don't have one, use a cookie sheet.  Transfer the pizza to either the stone or the cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes. 

Surprises Can Be Good

As a financial advisor, I visit networking groups now and then. On occaision, to illustrate the difference between me and advisors who are not me, I provide this analogy:

"You can't swing a dead cat without hitting a financial advisor in this town. But like a great cook, a great advisor is a rare and precious find. So what separates a good cook from a great cook? The ingredients available to one are there for the other. I think it's patience and creativity. A great cook knows that some ingredients need to be added at different times to develop the flavors. It can't be rushed. And finding new ways of combining the same old ingredients may yield plesantly shocking surprises."

And I am a great cook.

That's a fun (and dare I say accurate!) analogy, but it reminds me of the problem with many restaurants. Specifically, this is why I don't eat at any of the large chain restaurants. It's not that these places are bad. Many have found great ways of giving back to the communities in which they are a part. It's not that the food is bad. Each chain I'm picking on today uses high quality ingredients and increasingly often, fresh rather than frozen or canned. No, the reason for my distain begins with the corporate training for their cooks. (Yes. I said "cooks" not "chefs.") The masses who frequent these chain restaurants have lauded the two elements which are the enemy to any artist: low cost and consistency. (Think Rembrandt vs Bob Ross.)




The food prepared at one point of sale in a chain is expected to be identical to any other point in that chain. An order of eggs over easy, a slice of ham, hashbrowns and 2 pancakes will not only have the same flavor from store to store, but will even be arranged on the plate to look identical. And to keep the prices as consistent and competitive as possible, they order the same ingredients for every location knowing exactly how much of each ingredient goes into each serving. Henry Ford's principles applied to the kitchen.

It's easy to get up on my soapbox. We demand that there be no accidents that could spoil an otherwise consistent dinner. We are willing to sacrifice surprise. But let me phrase this another way: "It's easy for ME to get up on MY soapbox." I don't have kids. No growing teenagers who need an All-You-Can-Eat Buffet. When one has the luxury of time, then one has the ability to hunt for locally owned establishments. I get to know the waitstaff and chef. I can stay late and talk during the off-peak hours. I try to tip well and say thank you and tell the manager how much we enjoyed ourselves. I don't mind paying $10 more for a tab at a Mom-and-Pop restaurant if it's high quality and they are working to offer something unique.

Instead of The Olive Garden, I go to Stellas. Instead of Applebees, I go to the OLI.

Go to the chains if you have to, but I encourage you, when you have the time, take it. Follow the road less traveled. Make friends with people who take care of you. Search out people and restaurants who have a a passion for food. In short, reward yourself with a few of the finer things in life. You deserve it.

For some pleasantly shocking surprises try:

Homemade Pizza

for the Dough:
4 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour + more for kneading
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 tablespoons dry Yeast
2 tablespoons Agave Nectar (or honey)
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
1 cup of warm Water (+ more if needed)

In a stand mixer (preferably) or a mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Stir to combine. In another bowl combine the nectar, oil and water. At a low mixing speed with a dough hook, add the wet into the dry ingredients. Continue to mix until the dough comes together in a rough shaggy mass. turn out onto a floured counter. and knead, adding flour as necessary until the dough is smooth.

Return to the bowl and cover with a warm damp towel. Let rise for 45 minutes. Punch down, turn and let rise for another 45 minutes.

Make your sauces:

Tomato
1 clove of Garlic sliced very thin (think of the scene in Goodfellas) or pressed
1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil (yes, the good stuff--it matters here)
1 can Tomato Sauce
2 tablespoons Sugar
1 can Tomato Paste
1 tablespoon each of dried Basil, Oregano

Heat the oil in the pan on medium high heat. Add the garilc until it nearly dissolves. Reduce the heat and stir in the sauce, sugar and paste. Stir until smooth. Add the herbs. Add a pinch of salt if needed.

Preheat the oven to 45 degrees for a thin crust pizza or 425 for a thick crust. After the dough has risen a 2nd time, divide into 3 equal parts for thin crust or 2 parts for thick crust. I like rolling the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. It makes transferring and clean-up MUCH easier. Prick it all over with a fork to keep it from getting bubbles. Coat with a thin layer of olive oil, then sauce. Add toppings. Bake it in the oven until the edges are golden brown and the cheese in the center is bubbly but not crusty (about 10 minutes thin crust, 15 min thick crust).

Some of the toppings to try:

Pepperoni
Ham
Ground Beef
Chicken
Anchovies
Sausages
Shrimp
Pork
Bacon

Mushrooms
Asparagus
Artichoke
Bell Pepper
Chili Peppers
Onions
Rosted Garlic
Pineapple
Mandarin Oranges
Apples
Tomato Slices

Spinach
Basil
Rosemary


Pesto
Alfredo
Sweet and Sour
Tomato
Olive Oil (with a little Balsamic Vinegar)



Anything else you want to try--it's yours to experiment




Banana Chicken Tacos


1 tablespoon Olive Oil
2 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts
Salt
2 tablespoons Chimayo Chili Powder
1/4 teaspoon Cardamom Powder
1/8 teaspoon Cumin Powder
1 Banana sliced
6-8 Corn or Flour Tortillas


Slice the chicken into 1/4 slices and saute in hot olive oil. When it starts getting brown on all sides, reduce the heat to medium or medium low. Add the spices and continue to stir until evenly coated. Add the banana. If the banana is ripe enough, it'll become a sticky sugary sauce.


Serve it up in the tortillas with grated cheese, chopped tomato, shredded lettuce, salsa, sour cream, etc.