Resolution Ideas For the Eater In All of Us

It's such a cliché, but where did the year go? It's been a big one. I graduated from college, started graduate school, moved to a new city and got to know my inner germ-a-phobe. Let's not forget about starting this blog. Epic. 2011 was good to me. I hope 2012 will be just as giving. While on Christmas holiday, I've settled into my childhood bedroom where I will stay for the next few weeks. This acclimation process was short and simple, however, a couple things have become glaringly obvious.  I am way more mature than the 18-year-old hoodlum who used to live in my room. The fact that I have high school yearbooks still sitting on my bookshelf is an embarrassment. While my mother tries to convince me to gut the room, I continue to argue that I still need my Doc Martins, slap bracelets and a dusty one-eyed Furby. As we head into January, I will continue this battle, all the while listening to New Year's resolution babble from just about everyone.

New Year's resolutions are a bit of a joke these days.  At least I think so. What makes January 1st so special? Do you really need a whole new year to turn over a leaf in your life? Nine times out of ten, most resolutions revolve around health.  Shouldn't you want to lead a healthier life each day?  Ugh enough.  I am so above you, I cannot even write on this topic any longer. Instead, I thought I would give you a new way to look at these so-called resolutions. I don't personally do them, but if I did, I would do something along the 'more-is-less' line.

I find most people resolve to choose some form of restriction when it comes to leading a healthier life. I will loose weight, I will eat less, I won't eat dessert anymore, I will stop biting my nails, I will give up fried foods, etc. To me this sounds so exhausting, not to mention it's ultimately a set up for eventual failure. I am here to save you. You can use my name to bail you out of the tired commitment to deprivation. Replace that limited mindset with something you actually long for: surplus.  No, I don't mean eat more sugar or drink more beer. Read on sweet child.  

If I were to make a New Year's resolution I would want to pick up a healthy 'habit', not focus on eliminating an unhealthy one. Just some suggestions:

1. I will eat more fiber - shoot for the recommended 20-35 grams each day
2. I will eat more fruits - eating at least 3 servings a day
3. I will eat more vegetables - have one snack consisting of baby carrots, bell pepper strips or cucumber slices 
4. I will increase dairy intake - drinking a glass of low fat milk with one meal a day or eating low fat cheese or yogurt
5. I will drink more water - shoot for five, 8 ounce glasses a day if the idea of downing 8 glasses makes your bladder hurt

It doesn't take a genius to figure out what I'm doing here.  If you load up your day with more fruits, vegetables, and fiber you're going to wind up feeling full more often. Where will you fit in your 3pm Dorito snack time? Adopting one of these five suggestions may make it more difficult to indulge in some less-than-favorable behaviors. Maybe not. Is this little trick a cure all? Heck no.  But it is a start and we all must learn to walk before we run.  Some poor souls attempt dietary overhaul when January arrives. Personally, I think that is too much to handle for most sane individuals.  It might last for a day, a week, a month, but it will come to a screeching halt the moment you get a) bored, b) tired, c) anxious, d) upset, e) constipated...you get the idea. 

If it's weight loss you seek, this surplus approach may seem counter productive.  It's not. Weight loss doesn't have to equal starvation. Your best ally is going to be capitalizing on satiety and always keeping your hunger in check. If I am driving home from work, riding the subway home from school or making dinner in my kitchen and find I am ravenous, I'm never above reaching for a piece of fruit or some vegetables. Eat a little low calorie, high volume nosh and take the edge off.  It might be the difference between a third piece of pizza or a second scoop of chili.  The goal is to fill you up without filling you out.  

Lifestyle changes have their merits and if you are bold enough to try one then I support you one hundred percent, no matter how much I trash talk New Year's resolutions. God bless and good luck.  

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On an unrelated note, I am about to get political on you. Centers for Medicaid & Medicare Services determined that preventive services for obesity could only be furnished by primary care providers in the primary care setting. Meaning they are going to exclude Registered Dietitians in the prevention/treatment of obesity in terms of direct billing.  This will seriously hinder patients' access to qualified individuals. Those of you, who think dietitians need to be directly involved in reversing the obesity epidemic, sign this petition! We're almost there and there is only one week left!

Gabby's Crazy Oats: Deliciousness Like You've Never Tasted Before

I was going to make this the Product Placement of the Month for December, but I chose not to for two reasons. First, I think those posts cheapen the product. I like the Product Placements because they familiarize all of you with products I enjoy, but these posts sometimes feel like low quality work. Not to mention they also get less foot traffic. Second, Gabby (of Gabby's Crazy Oats) is a very dear friend of mine and I just couldn't do that to her culinary creation. Before I get the ball rolling on this one, let me just tell you she ships. So if you live outside of the St. Louis area, don't leave just yet!

Based on the post title and that opening paragraph, you may have deduced by now that Gabby's Crazy Oats are in fact oatmeal cookies made by Gabby herself. Let me tell you, this girl makes some serious cookies. I like to think of her as a Keebler elf who makes wicked good human-size confections. A few years back, she was making these delectable treats for family and friends.  People quickly caught on to how unique these oversized cookies were so in 2009, she made it official and set up her own company at the encouragement of her loyal clientele. During that same year she partnered with Straub's Market, a gourmet grocer in St. Louis. Today, you can find her cookies in all four of their stores' bakery sections. What was once just a pipe dream has become this entrepreneur's reality. Did I mention she did all this while we were lowly nutrition undergrads at Saint Louis University? Needless to say, I was insanely jealous and super impressed. Now heading into the fourth year of business, Gabby's Crazy Oats are carving out their own niche in the gourmet baking world of St. Louis.

This picture doesn't do them justice.

Much to the delight of her customers, she has expanded the variety of oatmeal cookie flavors and sizes offered over the years. One thing that hasn't changed is her tried and true dedication to real, quality ingredients. I've said it on this blog numerous times, but an ingredient list can sometimes tell you more about a product than the nutrition facts label. If I can't pronounce it, I'm not eating it. Well, these cookies are no exception to that rule. Each one of Gabby's Crazy Oat cookies is made with the same basic dough recipe: rolled oats, flour, brown sugar, butter, eggs, pure vanilla, baking soda, spices and sea salt. That's the order they appear on the label. For those of you who may not know, all food labels list the ingredients in order of weight. The ingredient with the greatest amount of weight is listed first; the ingredient with the least amount is listed last. Notice the first ingredient in these cookies isn't sugar or butter; it's rolled oats. Those of us the nutrition world like to see this. But don't let this fool you, Gabby's Crazy Oats are still dessert and shouldn't be misconstrued for a breakfast item. However, should you want to eat one for breakfast, no judgment here.

What's more is these cookies are never frozen. Buy them in the store or have them shipped to you, they will never see the inside of a freezer. That's a guarantee. Aside from their quality and freshness, there is something I love even more about Gabby's Crazy Oats - they are incredibly unique. We've all had an oatmeal cookie before. But Gabby takes it to the big leagues with flavors like Chocolate Peanut Butter, Cranberry Orange Almond, Dark Chocolate Cherry Walnut, and Espresso Dark Chocolate. These aren't your grandmother's oatmeal raisin cookies, that I can promise you. Straub's Market describes the six-ounce cookies as 'honkin' big beauties' and they are exactly right. They are large, in charge and absolutely scrumptious.

Gabby's Crazy Oats are the perfect holiday treat. They have a wow-factor all their own and are sure to be a hit at any holiday party. They also make wonderful gifts for Christmas or New Years! Don't want to spend your weekends slaving away in the kitchen? Wrap these up and give them out, just be sure to keep them in their packaging to ensure freshness. With their homemade quality, your family and friends are sure to be impressed. Gabby's Crazy Oats tagline reads: "Everything you want in a cookie and more...". And let me tell you, it couldn't be more right.

Flavors Include:
Chocolate Chip, Raisin, Cranberry Orange Almond, Espresso Dark Chocolate, Sweet and Salty, Chocolate Peanut Butter, Dark Chocolate Cherry Walnut, M & M, White and Dark Chocolate Macadamia Nut

Cookie Sizes: *Priced per dozen
6oz. (the big ones)...$24.00
3oz. (typical cookie)...$12.50
1oz. (mini cookie)...$ 5.50

She asks for 3-5 days for local orders, so be sure to give her enough notice! You can also hop on over to your nearest Straub's and pick one up today. If you live outside the St. Louis area, contact her by email at berragm@gmail.com to place your order. You'll thank me later.

Sage Advice For Holiday Eating From Someone Who Knows Nothing

It's that time of year again. When we head over to Aunt Sheryl's, load up those red plastic plates with horse ovaries (more commonly known as hors d'oeuvres), hunker down on a fireplace hearth and wait for the self-loathing and regret to kick in. Trust me. We've all been there. Why did I eat that ninth macaroon?  Who poured me this fourth glass of eggnog?  How did I get pieces of gingerbread down my bra?  Sooner or later though, the holiday feasts reap what they sow and sweatpants suddenly seem like appropriate work options. Enter in New Year's resolutions.

Well, this year that will not happen. This year will be different. This year I will control myself - I will eat only half the ham, seven turtle cookies and limit myself to three hot toddies. Take that Saint Nick! I am not perfect, nor do I pretend to be. I believe the holidays are a time to enjoy the wonderful foods we, and the people we love, churn out. However, enjoyment does have to equate to perpetual gluttony. And so, to save you from yourself, I present to you...

Kimberly's Strategies for Surviving the Smörgåsbords

1. Don't Go To The Party Hungry

This is the kiss of death.  You've been running around all day trying to find that Pokémon bean bag chair your eight-year old god son wants, you perform your Mariah-Carey-5-minute-costume-change at the house, grabbed your keys, your significant other and are out the door. Sure enough, as the car pulls out of your driveway you realize that snack bag of Bugles you ate for breakfast and lunch may not have been enough to power you through the day. Suddenly your stomach starts talking like Kimmy Gibler from Full House, you're light headed and you need sustenance...fast. Cut to you licking the crumbs off your fourth (stupidly small) appetizer plate as you walk it to the trash can.  The presence of others is all that stops you from reaching into the garbage and polishing off that half-eaten piece of fruitcake sitting right there on the top.  

I've been there. I am a firm believer of never getting overly hungry.  Whenever I hit that point of blinding hunger, I end up reaching for foods I will a) regret and b) over-eat.  It's for those reasons I never leave home without snacks.  At any given time, my purse/book bag/satchel looks like a go-go-gadget of munchies.  

Holiday parties are wonderful.  You get to see half-drunk people you sort of like in dim lighting while you all stuff your faces with the hostess' provisions. This suggested 'rule' hardly implies showing up to a party puffer fish full.  Just don't arrive to the front door seeing spots and drooling unconsciously. I find I make wiser food choices when I arrive any place where free food is in abundance free of that malnourished feeling. I will actually select the foods I really want to try and not simply reach for anything containing cheese whiz. Not only that, I won't suffer the all-too-common conundrum of overzealous food selection. This doesn't mean you can't go up for seconds, but arriving semi-full will allow you to be selective and therefore, more aware of how much you're eating. 

2. Be The Change You Wish To See In The World 

By this I mean, bring a more healthful dish.  If I had a dime for every time I went to a party where the only vegetable served qualified as great Aunt Rebecca's bloomin' onion or the olive in my martini, I'd be a less poor woman.  This does not mean you have to bring a vegetable tray.  I curse those things. I am working towards becoming a dietitian and even I hate eating raw broccoli flowerets. Surely there must be some middle ground. Off the top my head - tomato bruschetta, edamame hummus, roasted potato wedges with sun-dried tomato pesto, Caprese on a stick (tomato, basil, mozzarella), kale chips, maple glazed Brussels sprouts. BAM! Vegetables don't have to be gross. And don't worry, just because you're bringing a 'healthy' dish doesn't mean everyone else is going to do the same.  You will still get your true holiday fix in at the party, mark my words. You're dish will just lighten up the spread. 

3. Mind What You're Swilling

God, to talk about calories here is just too boring. It's also been done a million times. What I can't stand is when some health nut writer tells me to avoid booze at holiday parties. Has she never been to one before? Sometimes a social lubricant is required for survival at these kinds of functions.  Your ex-boyfriend is avoiding you like the bubonic plague, your girl friend is crying the bathroom because 'if one more person asks her when she plans to start having babies, she's going to adopt a Himalayan whistle kid by March', and your mom commented that your eye makeup made you look like an extra in an off-Broadway production of the Grinch as you walked out the door.  

All I will say is this: booze has calories; it's not a 'free food'.  As we all learned in D.A.R.E., alcohol also impairs our judgment. Those repulsive deep-fried Oreos you first saw when you walked into the party might suddenly look downright appetizing after four glasses of mulled wine. So easy does it.  Plus, the person who has raced to the end of the night by 8pm never goes home or wakes up a winner.  I can sadly say this from experience.  Lastly, if you plan to drive home, do not drink. It's a no brainer, but it would feel irresponsible to endorse moderate drinking at holiday parties to those who may go on to be designated drivers.  But Kimberly, you told me it was okay! I have only you to blame for my poor decision-making. No! Not on my watch. 

4. Back Away From The Food Table

Okay, I'll admit this one is easier said than done.  The act of walking away from mountains of appetizers can, at times, require the Jaws of Life. Unless you have the will power of a much stronger man, standing near plates of copious amounts of food is like going to Mexico and never wearing sunscreen. You will burn yourself time and time again. After you've had your fill, thrown away your plate and utensils comes Act II of the night. It opens with the scene titled "Grazing" and concludes with you unbuttoning your pants on the car ride home. Don't act like you're better than it because you're not. 

From personal experience, I've found that removing myself from the vicinity of all the foods that taunt me to have the greatest effect. After I've eaten and I am feeling full, I try to migrate to a different room.  However, I do realize the kitchen is often a congregation location. So instead of wandering into the host's personal office or sitting alone with the cat watching reruns of the Match Game, put those Crescent dogs out of arms reach. At the heart of it, we're all lazy.  Maybe all it takes is the required extra four steps to snatch the last smoked salmon quesadilla to deter you from overindulging. 

5. Return to Normalcy 

Hypothetically, let's say you decided to ignore strategies one through four and ate until it hurt. The next day you arise thinking, "Today I will eat less to make up for last night."  Please, please, please don't do this.  Food isn't about atonement and the holidays shouldn't be filled with self-induced regret. So what? Last night didn't go so well. You came home, popped the Pepto and woke up every two hours mumbling "never again". That's probably a little dramatic, but you get the idea. Nobody is perfect. So instead of skimping on calories following an epic holiday bender, just get back to normal. Wake up, eat some breakfast and go about your day as normal - eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're full.  Besides, if you decide you're going to start a 'diet' on December 17th you, my friend, may just be dumber than first grader. Don't even get me started on diets.  That's for another day.  There's nothing quite like intentional self-denial while all those around you indulge in the very thing you've sworn off.  Say hello to crying in the shower and aggressive journal entries. 

Bottom line here: when we decide we're going to enter into Calorie Deficit Land in an effort to amend for last night's destruction, nine times our of ten we wind up hitting 3pm ravenous. And the cycle repeats.  The biggest favor you can do yourself is to wake up and kick your metabolism in the pants with some breakfast.  

Zucchini Banana Nut Muffins

Welcome back.  I hope you all survived the holiday with your dignity and jeans still intact. Mine was lovely, thank you for asking.  I picked up a head cold but powered through.  I think it probably had something to do with the 13 kids under the age of ten on my flight home.  Upon landing on Missouri soil, I felt compelled to update my Facebook status to: "One airplane. 13 kids. 3 hours. For the price of one plane ticket, I bought 5 years of birth control." True story. 

As promised, I am here to deliver my Zucchini Banana Nut Muffins. As many of you already know, I had a slight farmer's market mishap back in Boston before I left for break.  It involved one vendor, three vegetables and a humbling experience on how pushovers never fully get what they really want.  Luckily, my failure to rectify the situation lead to some tasty kitchen creations. First it was the roasted vegetable frittata and now I give to you a great breakfast option or on-the-go snack idea. 

This recipe is a hybrid of about two or three I found online.  I like 'healthy' muffins just as much as the next girl, but I am also a dirt-poor grad student so I demand normal ingredients from recipes I wish to try.  No evaporated cane juice crystals, pomegranate molasses or arrowroot powder for this penny scraper. If you want to make these into a dessert, I would recommend folding chocolate chips in with the nuts.  Yum.

Zucchini Banana Nut Muffins 
Makes 12 muffins

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1 egg

¼ cup honey

1 1/2 cups grated zucchini 

1/4 cup canola oil

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

¾ cup all purpose flour 

¾ cup whole-wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F.

Grate zucchini (either by hand or using a food processor), then squeeze grated zucchini to remove some of the water. Measure 1 1/2 cups zucchini and mix with the mashed bananas.

In a medium-sized bowl, beat egg and honey. Stir in the grated zucchini-banana mixture, then the oil.

Into a separate bowl, sift together flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Add to the zucchini-banana mixture and mix until just combined. Fold in walnuts.

Spray individual muffin cups with non-stick spray, then divide batter evenly among cups to make 12 muffins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thought I'd do a little post today in honor of my favorite holiday. There is a great Native American saying that goes - “Give thanks for unknown blessings already on their way.” Just something to think about on a day where we gather together the people we hold most dear and enjoy a labor of love.

Have a wonderful (overindulgent) Thanksgiving!

An Easy Weeknight Dinner: Part One

With Thanksgiving break approaching and my return to the Midwest on the horizon, my food shopping for last week was scant. In an effort to reduce wasted food and the precious green paper in my wallet, I made a small grocery list and tried to survive the week. To say it was a week of leftovers would be an understatement. It was more like a week of scraping out my refrigerator and cupboards for bits of food I could compile into a meal. Was it enjoyable? Not really. Was it cost effective? Yes. Luckily, my super frugal mentality lead to this creation.

This dish is as easy as it gets and it tastes divine.  All you need is some lettuce, one grain/vegetable based burger and one whole egg. It's also sure to impress should you want invite someone over to join.  I picked up a quinoa cake from Whole Foods.  You can find them in the pre-prepared section.  I'm sure any grocer will have something similar.  Black bean, brown rice, chickpea burger - you name it, it will work. Trust me.  If you're a kitchen super star, here is a recipe for quinoa cakes. However, I haven't tried them so make at your own discretion.

On to the main event.  Quinoa is a great grain to get familiar with.  It's a complete protein, meaning it contains all nine essential amino acids. Virtually no plant food contains all nine. Animal proteins are always complete, but plant foods - not so much. I was actually pretty impressed with myself after assembling this little number. The quinoa cake was on sale and I needed to eat the cup or two of lettuce  left in my refrigerator. Giving you an ingredient list on this one after reading the recipe title seems silly, but you can never be too safe. 

Quinoa Cake, Poach Egg with Mixed Greens 

Serves One

1 egg

1 quinoa cake

1-2 cups mixed greens

Pepper

Poach the egg in water. Place mixed greens on plate.  Top with quinoa cake, followed by the poached egg.  Crack some fresh black pepper on top and dig in! 

A Farmer's Market Mistake Turns Into Stomach Gold

My weekend routine is beyond predictable: wake up, do homework/study, run, food shop and relax. I love graduate school, but when this is what your schedule looks like Saturday, Sunday and Monday, it can take a lot to break out of the monotony.  Being the rebel that I am, this past Saturday I threw caution to the wind and went to the farmers market bright and early.  I like to think this act of revolt was purely motivated by spontaneity, but it was mostly due to a hang over. Trying to focus on schoolwork while your head pounds like a 1980's techno dance song is easier said than done.  

In lieu of studying for my approaching nutrition epidemiology exam, I laced up my shoes, zipped up my coat and headed for the subway.  If you've never been to Boston, Haymarket is an outdoor farmer's market located next to Faneuil Hall.  It's by far the best market I've ever been to. I spent $5 and brought home 5 bananas, 4 honeycrisp apples, 3 zucchini, a pint of blueberries and a red bell pepper.  Needless to say, my crisper drawer is full. 

By now you must be thinking, what does a single girl need three zucchini for? She doesn't. One stand was selling three zucchini for a dollar.  I asked for one zucchini and she bagged three mammoth size vegetables.  I thought about correcting the situation, but they were only a dollar. Why bother? My produce mishap turned into my stomach's reward.  I made this little frittata and it is delicious! I really just threw this one together, so my dried herbs, salt and pepper went unmeasured- use at your discretion.  I also think it would be great with goat cheese. Enjoy!

Roasted Zucchini, Tomato and Ricotta Frittata

Serves: 4

2 zucchini, quartered, sliced

1-pint cherry tomatoes

½ cup part skim ricotta

½ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 eggs

2 egg whites

1 tsp. basil
1 tsp. parsley

1 tsp. minced onion

Salt pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

Toss zucchini in olive oil, season with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 until tender.  Coat tomatoes in PAM, toss with salt and pepper. Roast at 400 until wrinkled/burst.

Beat eggs and egg whites. Add ricotta, ¼ cup Parmesan, zucchini, tomatoes, parsley, basil, minced onion and season with salt and pepper.  Pour into 8x8 coated in cooking spray. Top with remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until the edges are golden and eggs have set in center. 

Cool for 10 minutes on rack.  
Cut and serve. 


Coming soon: Zucchini Banana Muffins (aka- what I did with the third zucchini) 

Because I'm a Native St. Louisan

Epic

Coming Soon: Fall Fun

Cheers :)

Shameless Product Placement of October

Before we dive into this post, let me catch you up to speed. After all, it's been almost a month since you last heard from me.

I am going to be completely honest right now. I'm tired of studying and have had it up to here (makes motion to knees) learning and talking about nutrition. Don't worry Mom and Dad, I'm not dropping out of school or changing my major. I'm merely burning out. Not a big deal.  It's only October so there's no need to be concerned.  Furthermore, MLB playoffs are cutting into my sleep time and I've become addicted to online Scrabble. Thanks to Hasbro, I now have it on my phone and I am playing it EVERYWHERE. For instance, waiting in the check out line at Trader Joe's. I'm even to the point of asking random strangers on the T (Boston's subway) how to spell labyrinth. True story. My scrabble addiction shamelessly knows no bounds and it's actually inviting people into my life. Why?! How I am able to concentrate on a word game while riding the T is beyond me. Lately, my inner germaphobe has become quite ripe and freaks out about touching those hand poles. I'm beginning to feel like Monk. I mean, other people are noticing.

This Just In: "A girl was found on the T last night, selling her Trader Joe's groceries to anyone willing to lend her their pocket dictionary. Authorities are concerned online gaming could be a gateway activity for much more reckless hobbies like bocce ball, table tennis and charades. No word yet on whether she got a triple word score using plankton. And coming up, why she had twelve hand sanitizers in her backpack. Stay tuned."

This is honestly what my life feels like. I think this Scrabble frenzy is really just a vehicle for diversion.  When you take five graduate level classes in a semester, I think screws slowly start to come out. You decide you have to start reclaiming your life by placing imaginary boundaries where they shouldn't be. I'm sure further posts will explore my (delusional) school rules surrounding not doing homework between the hours of three and five pm, mandated Wheat-Thins-eating while I do weekly biostatistics assignments and compulsive bathroom studying to avoid the constant distractors one finds in a 300 square foot apartment.

It is this very burnout you have to blame for my lack of posts.  Time is an obvious finger-pointing factor for my blog's slow death.  More so, it's my exhausted nutrition mindset that is entirely over reading, writing and talking about food. To help get my creative juices flowing, I actually looked up burnout in the dictionary...

"To be completely consumed and thus no longer aflame. To ruin one's health or become completely exhausted through overwork."

I am no longer aflame! This is serious. Graduate school is like a Bill Cosby sweater.  You put it on, where it out and feel pretty great about it until that one person starts talking about JELLO and you realize you made a huge mistake. That simile made no sense at all. And on that note, I should probably get to the point of this post. So let's talk about, ugh, food.  Shoot me. 

Instead of discussing enzymes, glycogen, adipocyte formation or ketones, I'd like to make this post about a product I love. KIND Bars. In the tradition that is October, I thought I would post my version of a candy bar.  Don't get me wrong; I can get down with a Snickers, Milky Way or 100 Grand any day of the week. But when I'm feeling calorie or ingredient conscience, this is what I reach for.

By now you can probably guess what I like most about KIND Bars. It's their short and simple ingredient lists. You can see everything in the bar that is on the label.  No unpronounceable additives or hidden preservatives. They come in wonderful flavors like Apple Cinnamon Pecan, Fruit & Nut Delight, and Almond & Apricot.

You're inner sweet tooth junky is either a) screaming or b) crying right now.  She said it was like a 'candy bar.' Anything that contains a fruit shouldn't fall into that category. You're ruining the one thing I love in an attempt to make it healthy! Settle down. My favorite of all the KIND bars is the Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew.  It still has fruit, but you're going to have to get over that because the thing is coated in dark chocolate.

One (1.4oz) bar has 180 calories, 9 grams of fat and 14 grams sugar.  For fun let's compare that to a Snickers. One (2oz) Snickers bar has 270 calories, 14 grams of fat and 28 grams of sugar.  Truly though, there's no need to sell you on this point because no matter how much better the nutrition profile is on Kind Bars, they are downright delicious.  I wouldn't go as far as to say they are nutritious, but when compared to a Snickers, they are less damaging.

Let me put it to you this way. If, due to my erratic behavior, ceaseless rambling and overall odd behavior, I were banished to a deserted island where I could no longer inflict myself upon others and I was allowed three things, a life time supply of KIND bars would be on that list.  A girl needs reliable sustenance after all.  No, but seriously, they're that good.

I'm still working on the other two items. I've been mulling this one over for a while and all I come up with are items in lifetime supply quantities.  Can I do that? What a difficult question.  I've heard people say they would bring a photo album of their friends and family and that makes me laugh right out loud.  I mean if you want to survive, you're wasting your genie wishes on perishable nostalgia. Mark my words; those photos will be used as kindling within the first week.  Plus I have this theory that if you were dumb enough to bring photos, the people would start disappearing from them. You know, like what happened to Marty McFly's family photo in Back to the Future. Items I've considered more seriously include toothpaste, tents, and duct tape - remember - in lifetime supply quantities! Not that toothpaste will save my life, but I've got a thing about dental hygiene so I view that one more as a psychological aid.

Kind Bars can be found in Whole Foods, REI and should be available in your neighborhood grocery store. Check them out! They are worth it.  For more information about Kind Health Snacks check out their website here.

I Am Boosting the Economy One Frozen Dinner At A Time

While trying to bend with a learning curve that comes with graduate school, I am discovering what it means to forsake oneself for something bigger. Although my nutrition knowledge pool may be on the rise, my diet has gone to the gutter. Amid hunting for my normal foods, learning to run errands by subway, bike or on foot and trying to tackle the mountain of homework that calls my name each and every night, my dietary world feels to be in shambles at the moment. Oh, and let's not forget my new Game of Thrones addiction. Say what you will about literary adaptations, but that show makes True Blood look like a tacky bargain bin romance novel meant for those without taste. Game of Thrones makes me want to put on a forty pound dress, learn how to ride a horse, shoot a bow and arrow and eat a turkey leg...simultaneously. Word to the wise - get HBO. If profanity, nudity or gore offends you - don't get HBO.

Long ago I found my freezer can be my greatest ally in the kitchen. Gone are my days of lounging, cooking, and baking. I am still batch cooking, just on a smaller scale. Thanks to my time and space constraints, my traditional food choices have been slightly compromised for the sake of my own sanity. Lucky for you, my total anguish and partial melt down has paved the way for your body's betterment. Rest assured, I receive no monetary compensation for this blog so the products spotlighted here are purely of my own opinion. There is no exchange of money for product endorsement. Just ask my depleted bank account.

Like so many people around our great nation, I am pressed for time. My coursework is demanding, homework is unrelenting and I live two blocks from Fenway Ballpark so you better believe I am getting used to living with noise. Perhaps my greatest Boston rival to date has been eating on a budget. Holy bagel sandwiches! Food is expensive out east. My conservative mid-west food spending days are over.  When my plane flew over the Pennsylvania border, there was no turning back. My new home city is awesome but high-priced.

Frozen Dinners - often times these words next to one another makes the health conscience cringe. Understandable. For MANY years frozen entrees meant three things: high sodium, high fat and no vegetables. Over the last decade however, the food industry has made some pretty substantial improvements in these pre-made meals. Still, at times walking through the freezer section can feel like a bad movie preview you can't look away from because your intelligent inner self just wants to see if it can get any worse. Well that and those twenty milk duds you just ate make you think the lead actor looks like your gym teacher minus the unisex polyester gym shorts.

Enough schticking. There are two important things to remember when opening that freezer door:

1. Not all frozen meals are created equal.
2. Just because the word 'healthy' is on the cover doesn't necessarily make it your waist or heart's friend. 

Below are three more favorable choices I find to be both nutritious and delicious. Because, let's be honest, no matter how nutrient packed a meal is, if it tastes like crap from a dumpster that been rotting in the sun for four days, I sure as heck ain't eating it.

PRODUCT #1
Amy's Light in Sodium Vegetable Lasagna 

Yes, it's a vegetable lasagna. Get over it. With stacks of organic lasagna noodles layered with tomato sauce, roasted vegetables and low fat cheese, this one is unapologetically delicious. One serving has 290 calories and 8 grams of fat. The real thing about Amy's Vegetable Lasagna that gets my heart pumping (in a good way) is its sodium content. With 340mg per nine-ounce piece, Amy's makes Stouffer's like a bottle of soy sauce. Most traditional frozen lasagna pieces run around seven ounces, pack 350 calories, 12 grams of fat and carry between 600 to 800 mg of sodium. You're body and taste buds will thank you.


PRODUCT #2
Kashi Mushroom Trio and Spinach Pizza

With a whole grain and flax crust topped with a tomato Parmesan sauce, baby portobello, champignon and shiitake mushrooms, spinach, mozzarella and provolone cheeses you really can't go wrong. One serving (1/3 the pizza) has 250 calories and 9 grams of fat. The sodium content on this one isn't a bragging point, however, it does bring a sizable amount of dietary fiber (4 grams) and protein (2 ounces). Enjoy it for dinner and heat up the leftovers for lunch the next day. Yum, yum!

PRODUCT #3
Amy's Light & Lean Bean & Cheese Burrito

It's like a fiesta in your mouth. This burrito has a whole-wheat tortilla filled with pinto beans, Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, brown rice and a tab of chili sauce. One serving contains 280 calories and 5 grams of fat, 8 grams of fiber and nearly 2 ounces of protein. Does the word burrito make you flatulent simply reading it? Well, take your Beno, drink some water and put the dog outside. No but really, for some, beans require practice. With practice will come tolerance. It may not be pleasantville, USA the first time around but it does get better with time.

Note: If you can't find the Light & Lean version, the traditional bean and cheese burrito is just as good and honestly, the nutrition profile is not greatly different.

One final frozen dinner tip. Add vegetables. Toss up a side salad. Roast or steam vegetables. The possibilities are endless. The frozen dinners can be on the smaller end and rightfully so for the sake of calorie, fat and sodium control. The trick to making sure they are both filling and nutrient dense is to add some color either directly into the dish or on the side. 

Happy Heating!

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Where was I? If you've been keeping up with my blog or know me in any way, then you're aware I am now living in Boston. Allow me to apologize again for the month of August. There was no Shameless Product Placement and ONE measly post for the entire month. Talk about slacking. See the opening paragraph of the last blog post for further explanation. Bottom line: August, like that three year old I babysat when I was twelve, totally got away from me. At least I had hurricane Irene to welcome me to New England.

I am happy to report I am alive and well.  Finally settled into my apartment, I've taken the subway, navigated the city streets on my bike and walked my mid-west butt all over the 2 mile radius that surrounds my overpriced, frat-house adjacent apartment. This new (terrifying) chapter in my life may have repercussions for this blog. I didn't move to Boston solely for the beautiful Fall foliage and 'wicked' clam bakes. Obtaining a MS in nutrition and completing my dietetic internship are all on the docket for the next sixteen months. Hello anxiety.

I'm not one of those people who pretends to have it all together while the pieces of her life crumble internally. I'm more the openly paranoid, borderline neurotic, caffeine dependent type. One finals week during my college career I actually attempted to sleep in a lecture auditorium to negate the time wasting activities of driving, eating, and bathing. It was going pretty well until the janitor showed up around mid-night and called the department of public safety on me.  Armed with nothing but Twizzlers, notecards, and 4 one-liter bottles of Mountain Dew, the three officers set me free with a warning for loitering. To this day I wonder why three officers were corralled. The greatest danger I posed to anyone in the immediate area would have been a legendary sugar crash. Moving on, I'm afraid the days of weekly blog posts may be on strike for a bit. My obligation is to school and the Stafford Loans keeping me here. I am hoping to continue the blog so don't loose faith. I only ask for patience. 

My relocation has already brought some new challenges in the area of, you guessed it, food. Don't get me wrong, Boston has some pretty amazing food to offer.  But this girl is as single as it gets, not to mention on a budget, so you better believe I'm not wining and dining every night. Well, maybe a little wine. I have discovered that cultivating some of my familiar favorites isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Not only that, my apartment sqaure footage has been chopped in half and yet I'm paying more in rent. Location, location, location. Yeah, I know. Did I mention my kitchen is less than ten square feet? And with no dish washer, I am quickly adapting to what it means to be kitchen efficient.

Over the last five years I've perfected batch cooking. The whole idea is to give myself some options when it comes time for dinner. It goes a little something like this. I make recipes that typically feed six or eight, divide it up into single portions, stick them into tupperware and freeze. Cashew burgers, lasagna, homemade spaghetti sauce, chili, and chicken enchiladas are just a few of the various dishes I have on hand in my freezer at any one time. This eggplant parmesan is about the easiest thing in the world to make. It freezes, defrosts, and reheats without a glitch. Making it in my tiny kitchen was no easy feat so if I can do it, so can you. 

Easy Eggplant Parmesan

Serves: 6-8

1 medium-large eggplant

1 egg beaten plus 2 TBS milk

Dried Italian bread crumbs (at least one cup, may need more)

8 ounces mozarella, sliced

1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

4-5 cups of marinara sauce 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch slices. (NOTE: if you wish to peel the eggplant, do it before you start slicing)   Dip each eggplant slice into eggwash, followed by breadcrumbs. Place onto cookie sheet and bake for 15 minutes or until underside is golden brown.  Flip slices over and repeat for another 15 minutes.  

Remove eggplant from oven.  In a 13x9 baking dish, cover bottom of pan in marinara.  Next arrange eggplant slices in one layer (some overlapping may be necessary).  Top each eggplant piece with a slice of mozarella, cover with marinara and top with parmesan cheese.  

Bake for 20 minutes. Serve hot.

Recipe Note:  I used a combo of italian breadcrumbs and panko breadcrumbs and it turned out very good.

Happy Cooking

August's Nutrition Hot Topic: Weighing In On Food Scales

First off, allow me to apologize for the lack of posts. This month has been a crazy one. Wrapping up my receptionist gig, moving back in with my parents, getting sick, and preparing to move to Boston are all things taking place during the turbulent month of August.

Now then, if I may say so myself, you are in good hands with me. I think I have been doing an all right job at this whole blogging thing, but on August fifth my suspicions were confirmed. The opening page on MSN.com was...

Booya. In the words of SportCenter's Kenny Mayne, "It must be a homer Simpson because the pitcher just went D'oh!"

I just want to say to my few, but dedicated readers, you are well informed...at least for now. The gluten conundrum was discussed right here on this very blog back on Cinco de Mayo. Cinco de Mayo people! Olay indeed. Let's not even address the decline in the stock market. That man's face says more than any of my Neanderthal rambling could ever convey. As for JWoww, Mr. Bean, and polar bear violence - more on that later.

While August gets on with itself, I am currently in the midst of my first week of summer vacation.  It is a lot of lounging and Food Network watching. I hope it's not just me, but watching the Food Network actually makes me hungry. Either that or it makes me think I am hungry. I think it's more of the later if you want to know the truth. Much like Cheech and Chong, watching television while (over) eating are two things that go very well together. So as a reminder to all of us that portion control is important, it's time to discuss food scales.

Most of us are relatively familiar with volume measurement - maybe not visually, but rather conceptually. Weight is more of a black box area. During college I decided to purchase a food scale more out of curiosity than necessity. What does two ounces of pasta really look like? What about four ounces of chicken? Generally speaking, there are two kinds of people out there. People either over- or underestimate what a serving size actually is.

I've mentioned it here before perfection is overrated.  For a while I obsessively measured every gosh-blessed thing I ate. Looking back, it was annoying. However, I did gain one skill from that brief period of lunacy. I am now much more comfortable measuring out foods and ball parking their quantities.  

Health professionals try to come up with all kinds of tricks to help the average Joe deduce serving sizes.  

• Three ounces of meat = size of a deck of cards
• 1 medium apple or orange = size of a tennis ball
• 1/4 cup dried fruit = one small handful
• 2 tablespoons of peanut butter = size of a golf ball

What the what?! These guess-timations are not applicable for someone like me. I instantly start to perspire as I work to recall what a tennis ball even looks like. Here is where the food scale comes in. I never weighed my fruit or peanut butter, but dry pasta, natural cheese (goat or feta) and meat were all fair game. After so many times of weighing a given piece of food, you'll eventually come to realize you already know about how much is there. In the beginning, however, you may not be so confident or knowledgeable.

Food scales can be found just about anywhere these days. Your local grocery store, Target, Wal-Mart, and most kitchen supply stores such as William Sonoma carry food scales. They start around  $4 and go up for there. The one I own was around $20 at the time of purchase. I'd go for a digital model if you can. The four-dollar variety is more of a manual scale. It involves zeroing the scale out and rotating the dial for each use. That's just too much physical labor for me. The digital models bring two buttons and that's it: On/Off and Tare/Mode. The answer is instantly given, no squinting-at-eye-level-to-read-the-dial required.

Most scales can read in ounces, grams or pounds and the average digital scale reads up to 11 pounds. Handy when you bring your newborn home from the hospital and want to track its growth. That right there just gave me away - its growth. They're not human. Oh brother. Reason number 743 why I should not look to conceive in the next five years.

Portion control, that's the whole reason to dive into the world of food scales. Should you start measuring everything you eat?  No. Is it good to learn and become more familiar with portion sizes? Absolutely. Over-sized portions are an all-too-common culprit for weight gain.

Being more cognizant of the foods we put into our mouths is an important part of a healthy mind and body. It is not always fun, but it does help one become more aware of where their calories are coming from. Mindless eating is the devil's playground when it comes to your waistline. In 2004, a study done by Cornell University's Department of Nutrition and Psychology was published in the Journal of Nutrition. The study found that the more food young adults were served, the more they overate. The bottom line of weight gain is this: if you eat more calories than your body needs in a given day, you gain weight.  It's just that cruel.

When people learn I am a nutrition major, the conversations take either one of two directions. Option A: they tell me about someone they know in the field. Option B (my favorite): they want to discuss the weight loss diet they are currently trying to follow. More times than not, B trumps A. So this means one thing to me - most of us want to loose some amount of weight. I will say this though - count your calories, measure out your food, eat your fruits and vegetables, work out - it is important to always have realistic expectations of yourself.  More on tips for Mindful Eating to come...

In the meantime, I encourage you to venture into the painfully accurate world of food scales. Some days you'll love it; other days you'll hate it. Mark my words. But food is fuel and knowledge is power and if I could think of one more cliché here, I'd be really happy. None the less, as a true realist I'll give you one final alternative use for your beloved food scale should you purchase one, hate it, and not be able to refund your precious dinero. My mother also doubles hers as a scale for mail. Never again will the question, does it need more than one stamp, trip you up.

July's Nutrition Hot Topic: In Season Local Produce

Summer is upon us. You know it has arrived when the smell of charcoal is misconstrued for food. I actually did that. It's not something I am proud of. It was only the fifth most embarrassing thing to happen to me. Numbers one through three I refuse to discuss. The fourth being the time I fell into the stingray tank at Sea World when I was nine. The tank was only a foot deep and there weren't technically any stingrays in it at the time, but they had to send a rescue team in after me. Something to do with my quote 'unwarranted fear and inability to move'.  Well, that and I soiled myself while immersed in the tank. In my defense there is something unsettling about 20 tourists taking pictures of you with waterproof disposable cameras while four people wearing foam Shamu hats pull you out of what feels like a kiddie pool.

Moving on, as the summer scorcher settles in and my sweat glands make known their ardent disapproval, I am happy to report that these summer months bring some pretty amazing food. During our remaining weeks of this sweltering season, I encourage you to venture to your local farmer's markets and explore what wonderful foods your state has to offer.

This topic was inspired by a few things.  First, local produce is going gang busters right now. Secondly, I'm feeling lazy. Thirdly, Ina Garten is my hero. Hero may be too strong of a word. If I could afford Tivo, it would be programmed out the gills with this woman. There is something about observing Ina in her Hampton house kitchen that makes me want to buy a house, gut the kitchen, install marble counter tops, purchase some Viking appliances, and stock the cabinetry with All-Clad pots and pans and a set of stainless steel mixing bowl. As a girl who recycles zip lock bags to save money, did I mention I intend to win the lottery? Getting back on tract, her show is straight up aesthetically pleasing. One of the countless things I like about watching this woman work is her avid use of local foods.  Produce, meat, fish, cheese, bread - you name it, she's buying it. Sure it's staged, but I suppose it's the message that counts.  Buy locally!

During various times of the year, towns across the country have different local produce to offer their citizenry. Pop on over the National Resources Defense Council's website to identify which fruits and vegetables are sprouting up in your area. The website even contains a link for locating farmer's markets near you! Good, good stuff. 

I thought I would highlight three items on the massive list of in season produce found in my area for the month of July.

BLUEBERRIES

   Ahh, my little blue friends. These things are wondrous. At 80 calories a cup, this fruit is focused on your health. Blueberries are one the most antioxidant rich foods out there. I've mentioned it here before, but antioxidants are crucial in optimizing health. They reduce free radicals and thus protect cells (and their DNA) from damage. What's more, one serving of blueberries contains roughly 30% of your daily vitamin C requirement. Support for the immune system, collagen formation, and aid in calcium absorption are all benefits of vitamin C. Lastly, one cannot ignore their dietary fiber. One serving of these bad boys gets you to 15% of your daily requirement with 4 grams per cup.

Eating Tip: On top of your cereal, in your yogurt, or simply by the handful.

BROCCOLI 

   This cruciferous vegetable is one to pick up weekly.  I swear, I pick up a head or two of it every weekend. In my humble opinion, it's one of the simplest vegetables to prepare and eat. It also goes with just about anything. Burgers, chicken, fish - you name it, broccoli is a perfect side dish to just about any protein. As part of the cruciferous family, these vegetables are aptly categorized by their flower's petal shape. Cruciferae, New Latin for "cross bearing", refers to the pedal's - you guessed it -cross-like shape. 


One cup of chopped broccoli delivers a healthy dose of vitamins K (116% of DV), C (135% DV) and  A (11% of DV). Like blueberries, broccoli is also a decent source of dietary fiber with three grams per cup. What may come as a surprise to some is that broccoli is also a good source of calcium. With 43 mg per serving, this green vegetable can help you get a slight leg up on your calcium consumption. 

Eating Tip: Steam it and top with olive oil, salt and pepper. Cut off stems, peal, cut into stalks and dip into hummus or Ranch dressing.

PEACHES

Last, but most certainly not least, the luxuriously sweet peach. If there is a fruit I identify most with summer, it would have to be the peach. Hands down. One large peach has about 70 calories and like broccoli wields about 3 grams of dietary fiber, vitamins A (11% of DV) and C (19%).  Peaches are to summer what apples are to fall. Make crisp, bake them into pie, or eat this summer stone fruit right off the pit. 

Eating tip: Peach Melba was something my Nana made each summer we went to visit. All you need is one cut up peach, some vanilla ice cream and raspberry sauce and you're golden. It's the perfect summer dessert on those nights when the heat seems unrelenting. 

There are numerous benefits to eating locally. Reducing the carbon foot print and supporting your local farmers are the two obvious benefits. But one advantage of eating locally that often goes unnoticed is the decrease in time it takes to get food(s) from the farm to the table. The less time a fruit or vegetable sits on a truck the better. Where produce is concerned, nutrient loss is a by-product of storage. The further your zucchini has to travel, the less vitamins and minerals it will deliver upon arrival. Just something to think about.

If you don't have a farmer's market nearby, look in your grocery store for local produce. Two grocery chains in my area have displays of local produce in their lobbies during various times of the year. One chain brags,

"All [produce] items are picked fresh from the stalk, vine or tree and delivered to Dierbergs stores within 24 hours – and in many cases, sooner than that."

In the midst of an obesity epidemic, noshing on low calorie, nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables is crucial in keeping the pounds off. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, and fiber - fruits and vegetables are just the weapons you need to protect your body and your health.

Shameless Product Placement of July

This weekend marked the beginning of the end. I have officially commenced packing up my apartment in preparation for my move at the start of next month. I will be living like a slight nomad for 3 weeks. My apartment leases didn't align, so my parents will be taking me in for what's sure to be an interesting 21 days. Cue eye roll. I can't really run with this one because one of my future roommates is also my editor. But I will say this - deciding what to pack, what to take home, and what to throw away has been entertaining. Will I need twelve rolls of Scotch tape during my stay in my childhood habitat? What about my emergency Saturday Night Fever 'Staying Alive' flashlight? Needless to say, this past weekend felt like some weird marathon of Minute to Win It. Should it stay? Should it go? Decide now!

I'm still unsure what this month's Hot Topic will be. While dragging my feet on all things 'life', I thought I'd give you the Shameless Product Placement of July. . .

Amy's Quarter Pound Veggie Burger

I know what you're thinking - this granola loving, tree hugging, birdseed eating chick is trying to make me eat cardboard. I promise you, my feelings toward vegetable burgers were lukewarm at best before I discovered Amy's. If you're a devoted meat eater, these veggie burgers are not trying to resemble meat. Something about vegetable based products that attempt to resemble meat grosses me out. For instance, Tofurkey. Why? If I were so repulsed by the act of eating turkey, be it morally or biologically, why would I want to even touch a piece of tofu trying to pass itself off as the animal protein it's clearly not.  

Although the burger's ingredient list is not exactly short, it is 100% readable. I don't have the time to develop and make a decent veggie burger that isn't loaded up with grain. One thing that erks me about homemade veggie burgers is they are often oat or rice based. Why bother? Being grain based, there's a clear lack of protein and I'm just going to put it on a bun! I'm not anti-carb, but come on. Putting a rice patty on a bun is like putting macaroni and cheese on top of pizza. At some point it's like okay, let's just eat a loaf of bread and be done with it.  

So what makes Amy's so remarkable you ask? 

One, 4-ounce burger brings a lot to the table. Let's start with protein. One burger is nearly three ounces of protein. Amy's does make other veggie burgers, but the Quarter Pound packs the most protein - hence the name. Trying to get in an adequate amount of protein is a common predicament I find myself in when trying to go vegetarian. Cottage cheese, eggs, nuts, and beans just don't cut it when they must be eaten on a daily basis. And one of these burgers gets me halfway to my daily protein allotment.

These burgers deliver in both the protein and fiber departments. With six grams of fiber per burger, they don't shy away from getting your bowels movin'. The average adult should aim for 25 grams of fiber a day.  Most of us don't even come close to that number, so every little bit helps. I've mentioned it here before, fiber is an important part of our diet and should not be over looked. Return to The Shameless Product Placement of April for a fiber refresher. 

Lastly, one of these burgers contains a mere 210 calories, 30 of which are from fat. Beside the all-too-common down fall of being grain based, many veggie burgers are often loaded with nuts and seeds. There is nothing wrong with fat, but sometimes a girl just wants to eat some protein and nothing more. These beautiful, delicious patties are 75% organic, kosher, diary-, lactose-, and cholesterol free. They're also vegan, but who cares.

The only aspect of these burgers that I don't care for is their sodium content: 600mg per burger is a wee bit steep. One burger is equivalent to two teaspoons of soy sauce. However, if I'm being totally honest, I was unaware of this small detail until I sat down to write this post. So reader, thank you so much for ruining this for me.  Stupid nutrition facts labels. 

Moving on, I like to put these burgers on either a whole wheat bun or one of those whole grain 100-calorie sandwich flats.  Top them with hummus, spinach and tomato for the perfect lunch. I also enjoy them coated in barbecue sauce. Simply pop them in your microwave for a minute or two and they're ready to go.  You can heat them in the oven or on the grill, but I don't have the patience for all that hoopla.

Hop on over to Amy's Website here.  Take a look all the wonderful items this company has to offer. Amy's products can be found in most grocery stores or specialty health food stores (i.e. Whole Foods). Pot pies, soup, salsa, cake, or pie - this company is one to put stock in and I mean that figuratively. 

Homemade Granola

Last weekend was in-sane. Similar to most twenty-three year olds I know, my weekends are a spectacle. And by spectacle I mean my book club is getting out of control. You put too much paprika in the deviled eggs and the claws really come out. Not to mention the fact that on Saturday twelve, eighty-something year-olds received their disappointment of 2011 when I ruined the ending of this month's book. In my defense, I think we all knew how A Farewell to Arms was going to turn out. The unrest that followed grew intense, then disorganized, then confusing and ultimately ended with my dismissal. It was both aggressive and unanimous. When Hester left to go to the bathroom for the fifth time that hour, my one ally, much like her bladder control, was gone. The room managed to become so cold and damp that during the vote stalactites began to descend from the ceiling.

I should have seen this coming. The lipstick stained denture club, better known as Delores, Cecelia, and Ruth, have never been my biggest fans. After the Stephen Hawking/Stephen King debacle of January 2008, my forced departure was merely impending. All the old bags wanted to discuss was the Big Bang and I didn't read The Shining for nothing! Book jockey vigilantes. Looking back, it was a recipe for disaster. Then again, I've always been one of questionable judgment and taste. I like to think the Naked Gun films are O.J.'s greatest legacy and Ringo is my favorite Beatle. While keeping this in mind, I promise olive oil granola isn't as crazy or as gross as it sounds.

This granola is my favorite (to date). It's simple, but delicious. The thing about most homemade granola is it often comes coated in butter and sugar. Instead, I've made one that is both heart healthy and tasty to boot. So I present to you Kimberly's Olive Oil Granola. Bowl, spoon and milk - enjoy this stuff the traditional way as the perfect breakfast or evening nosh. Use it to top your yogurt or ricotta cheese and add some fresh berries for a great afternoon snack. Stir into ice cream for a little extra crunch. Add pretzel pieces and dark chocolate chips for the best trail mix EVER. The possibilities are endless. You are so very welcome.

Kimberly's Olive Oil Granola

Dry:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon

Wet:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 frothy egg white

Add Ins:
1/2 cup raisins, dried cranberries and/or apricot pieces

In a large bowl combine oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds, walnuts, shredded coconut and cinnamon.  In a smaller bowl mix oil, maple syrup, honey, and salt together. Add wet mixture to larger oats bowl. Stir to combine. Fold in frothy egg white. Spread onto cookie sheet with a lip that has been lined with parchment paper.

Bake at 300F for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.  Allow to cool. Add raisins and store in airtight container(s).