I purchased the book, The Daniel Plan, and started trying to incorporate the principles of faith, food, fitness, focus and friends. A group of friends join me each Wednesday morning to watch the video of the week and discuss the material. In addition, I have more folks in an online Facebook support group. We have found that it really is easier to stay on track with friends supporting you.
Delving into the world of "real" food has been an adventure for this country girl. The book says, "If your great-grandmother didn't know what it was, don't eat it." Well - not only did my great- grandmother not know what some of this stuff is-- I don't either! I found myself searching the grocery store aisles for hours looking for articles listed on the shopping list. Not only did I not know what they were, I had no idea where to find them! I bought some things for the first time in my life - and that's a long time :-) Some things I had no idea how to pronounce and I used herbs and spices that I previously had no idea how to use. At least it made for some humorous conversations with grocery store employees.
I pride myself on being a good cook. In fact, I am well known for my recipes for yeast rolls, apples and cheese, and chicken spaghetti among other things. But those things would not be on the list for "real food" would they?
So here is the Country Girl's guide to this stuff. Maybe it will help if there are any others out there like me (I can bet no one is as bad as me.)
Quinoa - first you have to learn how to say it - KEEN-wah. See it's not at all as hard as it looks.
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| Guinoa |
A 12-oz. box of traditional white sells for $4.39 at Walmart (in the rice section). Or they have a red variety for $6.48. I don't know why, but I didn't see the white kind so I purchased the red. I cooked it in my rice cooker and it came out just right, I guess. How would I know? I should have added a little salt, even though the cooking directions did not tell me to. It was pretty bland. We had it plain one night with grilled salmon. The next morning I used a recipe for breakfast bake, adding eggs, cinnamon and milk hoping it would change the flavor. It didn't do much to it.
The history of quinoa is rooted in South America, in the Andes region that is currently divided up between the countries of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Columbia, Ecuador, and Peru. The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations has singled out quinoa as a food with "high nutritive value," impressive biodiversity, and an important role to play in the achievement of food security worldwide. Some of the beneficial properties are:
- certain antioxidant phytonutrients
- two flavonoid—quercetin and kaempferol—are now known to be provided by quinoa in especially concentrated amounts (more than cranberries).
- anti-inflammatory phytonutrients
- small amounts of the omega-3 fatty acid, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA).
- complete protein source.
- gluten-free
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| Jicama |
Anyway - I DO like jicama. It is one of my favorite finds in this new venture. It is sometimes called Mexican yam or Mexican turnip. It is a root vegetable grown in the warm climates of Central America, the Caribbean, the Andes Mountain regions, and Southern Asia. It is very similar in texture to a turnip with a taste closer to an apple, and has a crisp, white, solid flesh. Jicama skin is thick and tough--that's how I knew I should peel it. They can be stored up to four weeks in a cool dark place and in the refrigerator after being cut. Chopped, cubed, sliced into fine sticks, raw or cooked, jicama is versatile and great in stir-fries, salads, slaw, soup, and with other veggies and fruits like oranges, apples, carrots, and onions, as well as meats and seafood. A favorite Mexican recipe is chilled jicama slices sprinkled with chili powder, salt, and lime juice. The benefits for jicama are:
- low in calories
- provides one-quarter of what's needed daily in fiber per serving
- promotes bone health by enhancing absorption of calcium from other foods, protecting against osteoporosis
- promotes “good” bacteria growth that maintains both a healthy colon and balanced immunity
- because it has a very low glycemic index, jicama is a great food for diabetics
- excellent source of fiber and vitamin C - 44% of the daily value per serving
- powerful antioxidant that zaps free radicals to protect against cancer, inflammation, viral cough, cold, and infections
- healthy amounts of potassium - linked to lower risks of heart disease.
- contains important vitamins like folates, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, and thiamin, and the minerals magnesium, copper, iron, and manganese.
- like potatoes, they should be used sparingly due to the high carbohydrates content.
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| Edamame |
Benefits:
- rich in fiber
- has as much protein as it does carbohydrate
- it contains around 10% of the Daily Value for two key antioxidants; vitamins C and A
- high in iron; it has about as much as a 4-ounce roasted chicken breast
Kalamata olives - The Kalamata olive is a almond-shaped, plump, dark purple olive with a smooth, meaty texture named after the city of Kalamata in southern Peloponnese, Greece near where they are grown. Often used as a table olive, they are usually preserved in wine vinegar or olive oil. They have a rich and fruity taste. My use of these olives was in a delightful raw kale salad. I thought I was on a sun-drenched Greek isle. 7 oz. for $3.21 at Walmart.
Tahini paste - a paste made from ground, hulled sesame seeds. Tahini is served as a dip on its own or as a major component of hummus or baba ghanoush (huh?). Evidently these items are favorites in Middle Eastern restaurants. This would be a good item to split with a friend since it is a little on the expensive side in my opinion and you don't use much in each recipe. Publix has a pint jar of this for about $6.99. Tahini is a good source of fiber, iron and protein.
Baba ghanoush - is a Levantine dish of eggplant mashed and mixed with olive oil and various seasonings. The Arabic term means "father of pestle" ("baba" means father and "ghanuj" derives from "ghan", stone for pressing cheese or grain). Got that? Can't wait to make me some.
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| Chia Seeds |
Chia seeds - I found chia seeds in a 6.7 oz. container at Publix, for $6.49 (in the nut/seed department). I had recipes for chia coconut brown rice bake, chia coconut oatmeal and oatmeal/peanut butter/chocolate chip cookies with chia seeds, but I didn't know what the chia was for. This is what I found out.
- Help weight loss. Chia seeds are popular for weight loss. They reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. This blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper.
- Feel fuller faster: They can also help your diet by making you feel full. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.
- Hydration for athletes: They are also great for athletes because the "chia gel" can hydrate the body.
- Reduce your blood pressure: There's evidence to suggest they can reduce blood pressure.
- Omega-3: They are the richest plant source of Omega-3 (the vital fats that protect against inflammation—such as arthritis—and heart disease). In fact, they contain more Omega-3 than salmon!
- Benefits for diabetes: Because chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. This leads scientists to believe chia seeds may have great benefits for diabetics.
- They are easier to digest than flax seeds, and don't need to be ground up.
So you see folks, this country girl had a lot to learn about foods that I have never heard of, never purchased and never prepared. Goes to show you are never too old to learn and you CAN teach an old dog new tricks!
