Should Auld Habits Be Forgot

Like millions of other people, I spend the first days of the Happy New Year berating myself for the sins of the holiday season. I was pretty stoked that I hadn’t put any extra weight on by Christmas; thanks to great weather I was still biking most days of the week, and I was convinced that extra 30 minutes a day was keeping the pounds at bay. So I had that extra cheese, that third beer at the party, a few of those cookies, and well that cake was homemade, so…. I had a doctor’s appointment December 29th and noted I was up two pounds; January 1st I stepped on the scale and saw three more and freaked out. I should say it wasn’t just the number on the scale; I felt pretty gross. “How did this happen?” I asked myself, but I knew how. Some sneaky snacking had crept on during December. Where did all my good auld habits go so fast? It’s funny how committed we are to practicing negative habits, like chastising ourselves for overdoing it in December, rather than remembering it takes the same amount of energy to just get back on track with eating. When I was a Weight Watchers meeting leader, I used to remind my members (and myself) that we didn’t get activity points for bitching ourselves out. So January 3rd, I brushed off the Champion juicer, made some fresh grapefruit juice with ginger and a few clementines and focused on getting back on track. And the best way to get back on track with eating, I find, is to focus first on vegetables (and fruits), because they have magic powers over my eating habits, and it’s one thing I know I can do that will affect everything else. I can play the sneaky game too; I’m the 007 of stealth vegetable eating—sneaking veggies in at all mealtimes in ways even a master veggie detester would enjoy. I realize there are some folks who say they hate vegetables. To them I say, really? ALL vegetables? And then I ask them about how long they’ve had this prejudice—because the fact is vegetables come in many different tastes, and it can take a bit of practice to acquire a craving for something. Getting fruit in isn’t hard for many folks, and I once dated a guy who figured he had his veggies covered by eating a baked potato every day, and putting a slice of tomato on his sandwich. Let’s face it: we can treat the green stuff like something punitive, putting it off like a tiresome chore, forcing ourselves to eat massive doses of salad in penance, or unusually large portions of broccoli, only choked down by drowning the oversized portions in fatty dressing or sauces. Although I actually like vegetables I still find the best way to get my minimum of five servings a day of fruits and veggies (that’s only a half a cup for most, and a cup for leafy greens) is to sneak some in to every meal. Yes, including breakfast. When I am getting more green vegetables (especially raw ones) I not only feel better, I also find my appetite tends to focus on healthier things and it’s loads easier to reject sugar and refined carbs. A go-to way to start the day for me is a green smoothie. It’s a great way to try going raw, and you’ll be amazed at how eating more raw (uncooked) veggies impacts how you feel and what you crave. So here are 3 ways to sneak greens in. The smoothies are great for breakfast, or a snack, the chilaquiles make a great anytime meal. And btw, thanks to great greens, I’ve got those 5 pounds off already. So can you.

Barney Shake

Dinosaur (Lacinto) Kale, 2 large leaves or 3 small

fresh mint leaves

Pineapple, fresh, chopped into pieces, ¾ cup

Frozen blueberries, ½ cup

fresh ginger, grated (keep your piece of ginger in a baggie in the freezer for this)

apple cider

(optional, add protein powder)

Rip kale into pieces and put at the bottom of the blender. You can use the ribs, but if it’s your first time doing this and the kale is freaking you out (They call it dinosaur kale ‘cause it looks like dinosaur skin. Sorry. I’ll stop now.) just strip the leaves off and discard the ribs. Take three or four springs of mint and strip the leaves, adding to the kale. (You want the greens on the bottom so they blend more easily.) Atop the greens add the pineapple, then the frozen blueberries. Using a microplane grater, shave yourself some fresh ginger. I love the stuff, so I tend to shave about a Tablespoon, but you can eliminate it altogether if you want. A friend taught me that keeping the ginger frozen makes grating it much easier and keeps it fresh longer too.  Add about 6oz of cider and blend the smoothie for about two full minutes. It will be a purplish color. If it’s a bit thick, add more cider or pineapple. Adjust portions to your taste. If you use fresh blueberries, wait until the shake is well blended and then add 2-3 ice cubes. (You want to add them last otherwise the heat of the blender will just melt them and make you a watery drink rather than a smoothie.) Drink it down and pat yourself on the back for getting in 3 servings of fruits and veggies.

Green Smoothie #1

½ banana, frozen

½ cup frozen Mango or Peaches

fresh spinach leaves, 1 cup, packed tightly

soy milk (or almond milk, but soy has more protein), or coconut water

almond butter, 2 Tbsp (preferably raw and unsalted)

cinnamon

vanilla extract

As usual, put your fiber (the spinach) at the bottom of the blender where the blades can pulverize them first. Top with the frozen fruit, dollop the almond butter atop that, sprinkle with some cinnamon (about ½ tsp, or to taste), and then pour about 6-8oz of soy milk or coconut water in and blend until smooth. You can use vanilla soy milk or light soy, although if using unsweetened you may want to add a packet of stevia or splenda, but that depends on your fruit freshness. You can also add ice, per above directions, but if your fruit is well frozen, the shake with be smooth, cold and creamy. Yes, so it’s Kermit green. Muppets are way cool. Close your eyes, if needed, and then wonder aloud that you can’t taste the spinach, not at all. In fact, it’s amazing how the almond butter and cinnamon and fruit have made some entirely new, delicious flavor. Perhaps you feel the need to get online and comment on it. Feel your spirits lift as you realize you could probably drink this every day, except you know you gotta get out of that food-rut mindset; okay, maybe three days. Maybe you’ll even try that scary kale one I listed first. Yes, I know, you’re “working your way” there, one vegetable at a time.

Spinach Chilaquiles   (Serves 1)

2 eggs (or 1 egg + 1 egg white)

1 ½ cups spinach, chopped into strips

1 small onion, thinly sliced

½ cup salsa, jarred or fresh, fat-free, as spicy as you like

3 small 6” corn tortillas, fresh (meaning, no fried stuff, please. We’re trying to keep it healthy, yes?), and cut into strips or triangles

olive or canola oil

non-fat Greek yogurt for topping

cilantro, optional

diced avocado, optional

hot sauce, always a good idea, unless you don’t like spicy

In a non-stick pan, sauté the onion in a tsp of oil over medium heat (you can also use Pam). I dig onions, and not moderately, so if you feel it’s too much, cut back. Coward. Anyhoo, as soon as your onion starts to sweat, add your raw tortilla strips and toss with the onion. Cook for a minute, stirring occasionally to help the tortilla absorb the moisture a bit, then add the chopped spinach and cover. Cook another 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally until spinach is wilted and tortillas are softened. While that’s cooking, crack your two eggs into a small bowl (or one egg +one white if you’re watching WW points or cholesterol), and whisk them with a bit of salt and pepper. Add eggs to the pan, giving it a quick stir, and cook, lid off, stirring a bit as eggs start to scramble. When eggs are almost fully cooked, add about ¼ to ½ cup salsa, stir to distribute, and cook another minute or two until mixture has dried out a bit and is heated through. Yes, it’s kinda messy looking, but it tastes awesome. Put it on a plate, top with a dollop or two of Greek yogurt, and yeah, sure, you could put cheese on, but I swear you won’t miss it.  This dish is gonna fill you up and keep you satisfied for a long, long time. Loads of protein between the eggs and yogurt, and heck you got spinach, onion and salsa going—that’s about 3-4 servings of veggies right there. Like cilantro? Sprinkle some on top. Fresh avocado diced on top? Now we’re talking healthy fats.