A Food Fight with Darth Vader February 27, 2012

I just finished “feeding” my son this morning. He is now taking his morning nap, and I have a moment to survey the scene left behind us in the kitchen. I feel like it takes a lot of equipment to feed a baby! My kitchen sink is piled up with bowls, spoon, sippy cup, high chair tray, high chair tray cover (that is supposed to keep me from having to clean the tray – not!), dirty wash cloth, bib, and cutting board. It feels like we had a food fight, and Jackson looked like he was a contestant on Double Dare. He sounds like Darth Vader because my little guy has his first cold. =(

I believe we had a break through this weekend with eating, however. I introduced him to sweet potatoes. I’ve been putting off the orange veggies because they are “sweeter”, but I think I needed some encouragement that we were getting somewhere. So yesterday we tried taters and I think he liked him. He at least didn’t make that awful, I-don’t-like-it face when I spooned it into his mouth.

Our progression of food thus far is: raw avocado (mixed with milk), zucchini, asparagus, and sweet potatoes. For each of these I have given him spoonfuls of the pureed version and also large spears of the raw version to gnaw on. I think it’s important to have Jackson discover food through his own way of playing with it (always supervised, of course). I also like presenting him with options while he eats. Maybe this is because I like to eat this way. As an example, this morning I had pureed zucchini and sweet potatoes (I put a small bit of both on the spoon) and asparagus spears. I am putting his sippy cup on the tray as well so he will begin to associate drinking water with eating. He loves his cup! I don’t think he’s getting much water out of it but it’s the right idea.

I’ve included 2 different add-ins, as I like to call them, to his food so far. I’ve dipped his puree into his powdered probiotics since this is a flavor he is very familiar with. That seemed to work well for increasing acceptance. Today, I tried sprinkling a little of  Garden Blend Juice Plus+ over his sweet potatoes for extra immune-boosting power and that also went over well.

Jackson and I are flying together later this week, for the first time. I’m a little nervous about it. Do any of you have good travel tips for babies??? I could really use them. With that said, I’m not sure how this will impact his eating progression. I would like to do another new veggie later this week but it may not happen. Peas are next on my list, to be exact. I think I will bring along a couple of jars of organic peas and see how it goes.

I’m starting to think that using organic, frozen veggies are a great way to go for making your own baby food. Freezing preserves all the nutrients so if you don’t get to cooking your produce right away, as happens to me often, no nutrients are lost. Frozen peas are on my grocery list this week.

I realize that this post will only benefit a small number of you that have babies. But hopefully you enjoy reading about my daily attempts of healthy living. Now it’s off to my living room for some home yoga and then I’m fixing a vegetarian lunch for my friend.

I hope you have an awesome, veggie-filled, high energy day!

On the Road Again January 15, 2012

I love love love a good road trip. My hubby and I have done many of these through our relationship. We are just getting back into the traveling saddle now that we have figured out our little man. It’s so fun to go places together!

Traveling presents many challenges to the healthy eater. For those that have been following me for a while, you know that I love eating at fascinating places when we travel – often indulging in whatever is the local fare. (For the low-down on my food-changing travels to California, check out my June 2010 posts.)

This weekend we are visiting our college stomping grounds and dear friends in Tallahassee Florida. It’s always good to be back here, especially with a little more money in our pockets (than when we had in college at least) to enjoy the restaurants. Last night we ate at Midtown Filling Station and finished with dessert at Food Glorious Food. I had fish tacos, the best tator tots I have ever had, and milk chocolate peanut butter pie. It was all delicious but the company was even better.

Back to the topic at hand (I’m so distracted by talk of yummy restaurants)… so staying “on target” (thanks Mom for those great words to think about this year) is tricky with so much tasty food around. When I travel I try to have at least one thing planned as my “anchor” for the time. On this trip I had 2 strategies. 1- We brought veggies and raw nuts in the car yesterday to munch on so we started off on the right foot. 2- I brought my chocolate Juice Plus Complete nutrition shake mix to have either as a meal or snack every day. This is something I know my body loves and is healthy and filling. It has protein and fiber in it too, which is something that is harder to get when munching on snacks with friends.

I find having one or two “anchors” in your travels, or even your day-to-day routine, helps you stay engaged in your healthy lifestyle. You never want to completely disconnect from your healthy eating strategies, EVER! So pick your anchors (i.e. lots of water, fruit with breakfast, healthy snack, etc) and use them to have a successful trip and return back to every day life.

Healthy Travel Tips – Action News Morning Show November 17, 2011

The holidays are hard enough to navigate when you are home. Add in traveling, and it may seem impossible to eat healthy and maintain your weight.

This morning I made an appearance on Fox Action News Morning Show and shared some tips for eating healthy while traveling. Here they are below. Enjoy!

Traveling can be crazy so be as prepared as possible with your food. Remember the journey is not the party.

1. Eat breakfast before you leave. Include protein to give you lasting energy and manage stress. Examples: EggBeaters just whites mug scramble; Greek yogurt with granola and spoon in a to-go bag; oatmeal made with milk for extra protein.
2. Pack snacks to take with you. Be prepared if your plans change and you don’t have the time you thought you would to eat. Bring fruit (apples, oranges pack well), almonds or your own trail mix, 100 calorie packs and snack bars.
3. Use smart phone apps to help locate the best eating options. Gate Guru, AroundMe, Restaurant Nutrition and Lose It are very helpful.
4. Drink water!! Flying, especially can dehydrate you. Dehydration can mask itself as hunger. Bring an empty water bottle through security and fill up at water fountains to save money. Watch out for calorie-filled seasonal beverages. They are often a lot more calories than you think.

Another Farm Visit January 23, 2011

This weekend I have been in Ft. Lauderdale Florida visiting friends and family. My mom discovered a lovely farm/market for us to visit this morning, Marando Farms. Apparently they grow and produce most of their own stuff. All the food is labeled for origin and type. The selection was pretty incredible; the prices were high though.

This “farm” was also a sensory experience as you can walk through their hydroponic growing areas, chicken coops, and pig pasture. Nothing gets me more excited than a good farmers market. The energy around this place was contagious. You could tell people loved coming here. I give 2 big thumbs up.

Here are some pics from my experience:

Marando Farms

Golden Beets - Still don't really like beets but these are beautiful and hard to find.

 

I bought a couple of their herbs displayed here.

 

Veggies growing hydroponically

 

It's pretty fun to pick your own eggs out from this thing.

Beautiful rainbow carrots. So many people have never seen these beauties before.

Pigs!!!!

One of my very favorites, purple potatoes, along with avocados.

I love that we can get strawberries in January in Florida.

Haiti September 2, 2010

I have realized that I haven’t posted anything else from my trip to Haiti. It’s hard to believe that just over a month ago I was in this beautiful country. It’s too easy to get back into the minutia of life and forget the things that impressed my heart.

One of my greatest impressions from Haiti was how happy the people were. They didn’t seem to think anything was really wrong or out of place with their lives. It was simple and good. I loved the sense of community that villages had. No one had to plan to go get coffee or go out to lunch to see each other. You saw your neighbors every day going about your business and often took the time to sit on their porch and chat. It was beautiful.

One of my favorite things I had to privilege to do was travel to a tent city. Everyone in the city had been displaced from Port au Prince due to the earthquake. The tents seemed sturdy and many had “landscaped” the front. I was able to converse with a few people and again, was so amazed by how happy they were. One gentleman was just so thankful that he was alive. A lady we visited invited our whole group into her front porch area, served us a meal and sang us songs. It was a moment I will never forget and reminds me of what heaven may be like.

On the food front, there were highs and low. At Mission of Hope we ate a lot of shelf-sustainable foods and not my typical diet (i.e. I am ok never eating a Pringle again). I just prayed that God would turn my white bread PB & J into broccoli as it went down the hatch. =) We ate a few meals of local food and they were delicious. Two times we had roasted chicken in a lovely red, mild jerk sauce. It was served with mostly rice and some beans and fantastic plantains. Once we had a cabbage salad that was also really tasty. We didn’t get many fresh fruit and veggies during the week so anything raw was awesome!

Brian and I loved Haiti. It really is so beautiful. We hope to find ourselves going back sooner than later. Thank you to all who supported us and prayed for us while we gone. We are forever grateful.

At the tent city

Being sung to

Outside our new friend's home

Thoughts on Haiti August 2, 2010

I’m not 100% sure of what just happened to me last week. My week in Haiti seemed to fly by and here I am again back in my life, in Jacksonville. Many others before me have taken this trip and many more will. My experience is somewhat insignificant in the grand scheme of things except that now my heart is deeply pressed with the images and people of Haiti.

I am finding that as more days pass, different things stand out to me about my experience. It’s interesting. I don’t think I can even write the whole story now. There’s too many details to tell and too many pictures to remind me. So I think I will slowly work my way through the memories and pictures for you. Hopefully you will get a little taste of the reality of Haiti – it’s beauty, mostly.

Maybe There is a Good Reason to go to Gainesville… July 13, 2010

For the past few days I have been at the Florida Dietetic Association’s Annual Symposium and have heard some great speakers. Today I had the pleasure of hearing Chef Bert Gill, of Gainesville, talk about his 3 restaurants and his commitment to using local and sustainable ingredients. It was really cool to hear his passion for this purpose but also hear about his struggles in convincing people that it’s important. So, if you every find yourself in Gainesville please visit his restaurants and support his cause. From what I hear, the food is excellent. Check out the websites because he has a tons of great recipes and even video demos. If anyone has been to any of these restaurants, please post some comments.

www.mildredsbigcityfood.com

www.tiamogainesville.com

http://www.newdealcafegainesville.com/Default.aspx

The Final Day of California Cuisine June 21, 2010

Today is bittersweet. We are ready to be home but it has been an amazing 10 days. Today we tasted some true Cali cuisine. I have to admit that I actually ate a real cheeseburger. Not a turkey burger or veggie burger, but a beef cheeseburger. (This happens about once a year). Brian’s last food request was to go to In-n-Out Burger. Has anyone had this before?? The best we could equate it to is Five Guys. It’s the same idea – only burgers and fries on the menu and a focus on high quality ingredients. I was pleased with what I saw on their website yesterday. Since Brian was not overly excited about my French restaurant pick yesterday, we had to go. I will say that it was actually a good burger. It was not greasy at all and the veggies on it where fresh  and crunchy. For my once-a-year burger, I’d say this was a good choice. This also completely meets my goals of 1- food I would not normally choose and 2- food that is taboo for me.

In-n-Out Burger

I was most excited about our choice for dinner. While we were in Napa, someone who used to live in San Diego recommended we try the Coronado Brewing Company. (http://www.coronadobrewingcompany.com/) It is a microbrewery that is local to Coronado Island. It was soooo delicious. I had the coconut crusted mahi with veggies and mashed potatoes and Brian finally ordered some fish tacos. Both were excellent. On the beer end, we ordered a Coronado Golden and an Orange Ave. They were delicious!! Wish we had these in Florida.

Coconut Crusted Mahi

Fish Tacos

As I reflect back on our trip, I realize that it truly has been amazing. I have seen and eaten so many incredible things. I recommend everyone travel to California. I am inspired to try some new things in the kitchen based on the ingredients and combinations I have experienced. If you are not able to travel afar, try a new cuisine out at home to broaden your horizons. I picked up 2 cookbooks at Borders yesterday ($4/each) and plan to make some Mediterranean and Indian dishes that I have never tried before. Can’t wait!!

Cali Day #7 June 19, 2010

Today we drove from Newport Beach through Laguna Beach and ended up in San Diego. We stopped in a cool Main Street kind of area in Newport for lunch at a place called the Panini Cafe. We both got great sandwiches. I ordered a veggie hummus panini on multi grain bread. It was really unique though because it had roasted eggplant, hummus, pesto, tomatoes and MINT. The mint was an amazing addition. It just popped with great flavor. Here’s a pic but it doesn’t do it justice. I also had their house made lentil veggie soup.

The Panini Cafe in Newport Beach

We have been anticipating the great food in San Diego for a while. Many people have suggested we go to “Old Town” and go to an authentic Mexican restaurant. There were many in this area, and I’m not sure I picked a true “authentic” restaurant, but it was very good. I wanted to order a tamale because I have maybe only had one in my life. I recently watched Alton Brown make them on Good Eats so I wanted to try a good one. I ordered a Baja fish taco (amazing) and a black bean tamale.

Cafe Coyote

I realized tonight that I have only had seafood on this trip, with the exception of one hotdog at the ball game. I haven’t done this on purpose, it just happened. The seafood here is amazing though and always available. I’ll think about trying something else in the next couple of days. What can I say though?! I love fish and shrimp!

Cali Day #6 June 19, 2010

So yesterday was more about driving then it was about the food. It was a long day and I just didn’t get to posting anything. Sorry about that. The 2 fun things about yesterday were that Brian and I had a picnic on a beach in Monterey and we ate at a fun restaurant in Avila Beach. The picnic was food we bought in  Napa – excellent cheddar cheese, gourmet crackers and organic strawberries. So tasty!

In Avila Beach we ate at a restaurant called the Custom House, because at one point it was a US Customs building. I had a tasty take on ahi tostadas. Each one was one a chip so it was a perfect portion. I also finally got to try Fat Tire beer on tap, which I had heard was a great beer. I really enjoyed it. It was heavier than light beers but did not have a strong bite. I’m thinking I heard that this is mostly found on the west coast. Bummer.

And I have to throw in a scenic picture from our beautiful drive down the PCH yesterday.

Today we drove through LA and down to Newport Beach. We ate at a seafood-mexican twist place and I had a lobster taco. It was tasty but nothing super special. Hoping for a better story from tomorrow.