I think I'm a relatively healthy eater and a good cook--I can definitely be a bit arrogant and prideful about my cooking and food display. I follow the belief that a colorful meal is a healthy meal. So, sure, come on over and I'd be happy to show off for you and force food down your throat. Bwa ha ha!My Favorite Lambson Dinners
(some of our own recipes we like to repeat)
• Oven-toasted, Open-faced Tomato, Onion, Swiss & Chicken Sandwiches on Pugliese Bread w/ Whole-grain Mustard (see photo above)
• Braised Lamb Shank
• Stir-fried Anything
• Home-made Hamburgers (see below--we were out of bread and made my friend Thomas's fry-bread recipe.)
• White Bean & Spinach Stew
• Coconut Curry w/ Chicken, Red Bell & Cauliflower (an attempt at Sam's dad's standard)
• General Conference Chili
• Pasta Fagioli (Sam's Italian dish with pasta cooked in tomato, onions, bacon & butter beans)
• Tilapia or Salmon w/ Sauteed Veggies
• Whole-wheat Pasta Tossed w/ Garlic, Shrimp & Spinach
• Enchiladas w/ Black Beans & Corn or Salad
We try to eat a lot of fresh vegetables, salads, fruits, and nuts to complement whatever else is on the docket. Our favorite veggie concoctions with dinner:• sauteed asparagus with spices, onions and balsamic or lemon juice
• roasted cauliflower with olive oil, salt, and cracked pepper
• chopped, sauteed brussel sprouts (fresh, not frozen) with slivered almonds and dried apricots
• sauteed green beans with onions, garlic, spices, and balsamic
• basic Caesar or Greek salads
Favorite snacks:
• pistachios
• yogurt
• whole grain crackers w/ cheese
• slice o' fresh bread w/ butter
• orange slices
• chocolate chip cookies (Mmm.)
• apple crisp
• rice cake
• hummus
More Protein
Although I've attempted to be a vegetarian in the past and have always tried to "eat meat sparingly," just in the past few weeks I've been trying to eat more meat and fewer starches. This isn't a total Atkins diet at all, but simply a restructuring of portion sizes at dinner: half plate veggies, quarter plate protein, quarter plate (or less) carb. I'm finding that eating an actual portion of chicken, lean beef/pork, or fish actually fills me up much faster than eating the same amount (or twice as much) starch with a smaller portion of meat. So before, rather than eating less overall, I would replaced my protein intake with carb intake. Upping protien is the current experiment, especially as I've been working out more and it seems to give me more energy.
Portion Control
But the BIGGEST help has been simply not eating as much as Sam does. Sam weighs more than 100 pounds more than me at 6'5", so, naturally, eating as much as he does (which was the habit in early marriage) meant explosive weight gain para mi. No quiero.
I'm much better at portion control now, especially when we cook at home versus when I'm eating out or traveling. In the fall, we did absolutely zero eating out (with the exception of fish and chips with Mal while she was visiting) as a pact to save money after our very expensive 10-day rental of our friend Zio the beagle. This was really good for us and we tried a lot of new and tasty recipes during that time.
What I Avoid
Otherwise, I try to maintain other healthy eating habits I've tried to keep up since living with various healthy roommates in college (Angel, your chicken nuggets and Fanta were an exception). Here are some things I avoid:
• artificial sweeteners, sketchy preservatives, MSG, hydrogenated veggie oil, etc.
• high fructose corn syrup (but I love ketchup no matter how it comes)
• super sugary food
• bleached white flour
• pre-packaged foods w/ long ingredient lists
• stuff I can't imagine my grandma eating in her day (frozen pizza/burritos/ramen?)
• pre-made frozen meals
• excessively cheesy or creamy meals
Here are things I don't avoid:
• herbal teas with a touch of honey
• fish & shrimp
• sausage (In my mind, sausage has no calories.)
• whole wheat bread and pasta
• meals from scratch as often as possible
• slow-cooked bean and veggie soups
• fresh ingredients!
• olive oil!
While I absolutely am not keeping up with my gourmet sister by far, and I'm not at all the best example of self-control, I do feel good about our efforts to eat fresh, eat well, eat simply, and eat tasty. Mmm.
6 comments:
Liz, you could shove some of that food down my throat anytime you want. It sounds and looks delicious! Good for you for taking the time to cook rather than just microwave whatever you can buy in bulk at Costco. Kudos!
Do you share recipes? All of those dishes sound so good! And I've tasted your cooking quite a few times so i don't doubt they taste as yummy as they sound. I love these health view posts by the way!
thanks for the herbal tea shout out! And liz, don't lie, you don't avoid creamy meals. Sam's pasta with that heavy cream. Give it up, cream is the best!
Oooh, slam! I DO like creamy pastas so much! Talk about vice! But since the extreme waist expansion of 2008, I've avoided buying whipping cream and hope Sam won't notice. Sausage, however, I can't seem to let go.
But in honor of your comment, Syd, I'm going to write the post of my favorite fatty foods to keep it real.
These recipes sound so good. You should post some. Or if you don't want to post it, email me some :) I feel you with the eating less than the man. I use a salad plate and dish up Brian's on a full size plate. That's helped a lot cause my plate still looks full.
The salad plate! That sounds like a good idea. I do remember you, Amy, of course! I remember the reception. It was beautiful. Glad to be in touch!
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