Afternoon Sugar Hit

Apologies for the quick and dirty post. It's been super hectic at work lately with lots of crazy late nights and tight deadlines.  Today is yet another day where I have barely had time to breathe. 

Amidst the chaos of my day, one of my lovely co-workers shared with me two amazing treats:

1) A Chocolate Chip Cookie Covered Oreo- ya, that's right.
2) A Potato Chip Cookie- salt & sweet amazingness!

I will try and get the recipes to share with you because both cookies were absolutely to die for. A much needed sugar rush during my otherwise energy-sucking day.

Kamut Woot Woot!

Me and Italian food go together like white on rice.  We’re a match made in heaven (if all you do in heaven is eat delicious food guilt-free, which is exactly how I imagine it to be). So, I am sure you can imagine that eating gluten free (mostly*) for me has not been easy for this very reason, among others.

Yes, I know that risotto (also a favourite) does not contain any wheat, but who has the time to make it, especially on a weekday???  

In an attempt to replicate one of my all time favourite pasta recipes, I headed back to the organic/health/allergy aisle at the grocery store to pick up a wheat-free alternative to regular pasta. And there I found it: kamut pasta.  And it was delicious!

Like quinoa, kamut is an ancient grain super packed with protein. This complex carb does contain gluten, however apparently it’s a lot easier to digest than most wheat products.  Tested and true.  My delicious Italian dinner for two was not accompanied by a glutard attack. 

I wish I had taken a picture of the pasta dish for you because it looked as awesome as it tasted.  For now, the recipe will have to do.

Kamut Fusilli in a Garlic and Olive Oil Sauce

2 servings

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of kamut fusilli pasta

• ¼ cup of olive oil

• 4 gloves of garlic, minced

• 2 basil leave chopped

• 3 oz Buffalo mozzarella cheese

• 3 sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Directions:

Boil pasta according to package directions.  While pasta is boiling, heat olive oil in a skillet on medium heat.  Add garlic and sauté until golden brown (be careful not to burn the garlic). Drain pasta and toss in the skillet with the sauce. Remove from heat.  Add basil and tomatoes, top with cheese and serve hot.  Enjoy! 

*I have decided that G-free ain’t for me.  One day a week I endure a massive stomach ache so that I can gorge myself on all the wheat products I love. Sorry tummy, this Fat Girl in a Little Coat needs her non-complex carbohydrate fix every now and again.

Super Bowl Memories & Leftovers

The Super Bowl has always been an important event for me.  Each year, on the first Sunday of February, my family would go to my uncle’s house for a Super Bowl party extraordinaire.  We’d order both pizza and Chinese food, make bets on the game (I’m talking a toonie, MAX) and spend quality time together as we cheered for our favourite team and watched the halftime show.

In February 2004, my uncle lost his battle with cancer.  Since then, Super Bowl Sunday has been bitter sweet.  It’s the time of year I miss him most, but it brings me comfort to carry on the tradition that I had always cherished as a kid.  I never miss a Super Bowl party and will continue to carry on the legacy of the first Sunday of February. 

This year, all the necessary elements were in place.  I made a bet with my dad and my younger brother that the Patriots would win (thank you fiancé for steering me in the losing direction!), invited some of my favourite people over, and cooked a Super Bowl feast that was sure to please.

I always like to make traditional game time foods, and this year’s menu was no exception: guacamole, bean dip, salsa and slow cooked pulled chicken sandwiches and of course, beer.  Dee-lish! 

(*side note: Madonna was amazing.  I don’t care what the 10,000+ TPS (tweets per second) had to say.  Madonna=awesome. Period. )

We went to bed that night with full bellies and another awesome Super Bowl memory to add to my collection.  

…We also ended up with a fridge full of leftover pulled BBQ chicken.  

And so, last night’s dinner took leftover chicken to a whole other level:  Pulled Chicken Hash.  Yes, that’s correct.  Potatoes, meat and a runny egg…what could be better??? 

Pulled Chicken Hash

2 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato diced

• 2 cup of leftover BBQ pulled chicken

• 2 eggs

Directions:

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender. Place potatoes in a large heated skillet and sauté until golden brown.  In the meantime, prepare easy-over eggs in a separate skillet.  Plate potatoes on two plates, top each with 1 cup of heated BBQ pulled chicken and place the easy-over egg on top. Serve with a side or roasted brussel sprouts and enjoy! 

 Try it. You’ll thank me.  

Being G-Free: Part II

I am losing my battle with gluten.

Friday night I ordered pizza as a sort of farewell to gluten.  I knew it was a bad idea, but I did it anyway.  Bad idea indeed.  It was not a great start to the weekend as I spent the remainder of Friday night in pain and filled with regret. Truth be told, it was the best damn pizza I’ve ever eaten.  Was it worth it? I’m undecided. 

As a result of my impromptu gluten binge, I promised myself a fresh start to the week and headed to the grocery store yesterday as I typically do on Sunday mornings.  I found myself staring at a freezer full of “Glutino” products.  Who the hell wants to buy a loaf of bread that is frozen, not fresh and called Glutino?? Not me.  The bread looked super dense, was super small, cost twice as much as normal bread and had twice the calories, fat etc.  Result= no bread of any kind for me.  Gluten- 1: FGIALC-0.

I then proceeded to the organic, gluten-free, yeast-free, egg-free, taste-free section of the store to buy some snacks. If I can’t eat anything with wheat, I am going to need some snacks to help me through this…right? Wrong.  I could not bring myself to buy a bag of G-free pretzels for $8.99…wasn’t going to happen. How can you even justify a handful of pretzels for $8.99?!?! Gluten-2: FGIALC-0.

Round 3: family dinner at my fiancé’s aunt and uncle’s house. Dinner went well as there was no wheat around to tempt me.  I filled my plate with salad, broccoli, meatballs and brisket (a Jewish staple food) and was quite content…that is, until dessert was brought out.  Loblaws white-on-white cake.   My kryptonite. I don’t know anyone who would dare say no to this cheap, children’s birthday party, sugary, white-trashy cake.  It’s the best.  And of course, I had a piece.  Fast forward an hour later…I’m home, on the couch, with stomach cramps.  Gluten-3: FGIALC-0.

Lessons learned:  
1) I have no willpower
2) Gluten substitutes suck
3) I am not cut out for this no-wheat-nonsense

The battle continues…

Being G-Free

I will caution you that this post is the result of a Dr. Oz show I saw last week.  So, for those of you that think Dr. Oz is full of shit, you do not have to read on.  

I’ve admitted before that I am a closet Dr. Oz fan.  I know he’s an alarmist but sometimes his show provides some useful information. It is not rare that when I do watch his show I project his diagnoses onto myself and automatically think something is seriously wrong with me.  It’s usually my fiancé who talks me off the ledge, but last week’s episode did not ignite the hypochondriac in me.  Rather, it opened up my eyes to the fact that I can potentially live my life migraine-free, bloat-free and without the major stomach issues I’ve been having over the past couple of years. 

I have been a migraine sufferer since I was 16.  On top of that, I have spent the last 2 years suffering from stomach issues, extreme bloating and lately, fatigue. I had done some reading on these symptoms as they have gotten pretty bad over the last month or so.  I’ve pretty much had a headache for a month straight, am extremely tired and have been walking around super bloated and with terrible stomach upset. All my readings suggested that I should probably give up gluten but I was in denial until I saw the same list of symptoms on Dr. Oz.  The solution: eat G-free.

So many people walk around feeling like complete crap as a result of consuming gluten.  Why? Gluten as well as many other grains are super hard to digest and are quite hard on our stomachs.

The thought of giving up grains altogether pains me.  There is nothing like a fresh croissant on a Sunday morning with a cup of delicious bold coffee and a crossword puzzle. Friday night won’t be the same without ooey-gooey pizza to accompany the movie I’ve been waiting to watch all week.  The Montreal-style bagels that I grew up eating will surely be missed.  But, I want to feel better and if that means giving up gluten, I will try it.

Goodbye breads, pasta and couscous…Hello G-free alternatives.  Ugh. Woe is me. 

I’ll let you know how the journey goes and I'll be posting some recipes for gluten free alternatives soon.  Next up…kale lasagna (because I ain’t giving up cheese!).

Fuck Calories.

It has certainly been a long while since I’ve posted anything to the blog; my sincere apologies dear readers.

I started a new job two months ago and it’s been quite hectic getting used to a new routine and finding time to do the things I love: read, write, cook, exercise, socialize etc.  Holidays came and went and my promises to post in the New Year seemed quite empty.  But, I am back.  I have found my footing and feel way more in control of my daily routine.  

If you read my blog you likely read other food blogs and are interested in health, fitness etc.  So, like me, you are probably sick of hearing everyone’s views on dieting.  Dieting goes hand-in-hand with the start of a new year. New Year’s Resolutions give way to a flood of dieters and people swearing to shed the 5-10 pounds they gained over the holiday season.

I wish I could shake all those people that swear off carbs, count their calories or drink their meals and tell them this:  Just eat real food. It really is that simple. 

Our bodies need all four food groups to function properly and swearing off foods from any of those groups is merely depriving your body of what it needs.  Calorie counting is bullshit.  Sorry, but it is.  And, you can’t get REAL nutrients from chemically composed meal replacement beverages.  

A friend of mine sent me this little book called "Fuck Calories" and I truly think it is quite insightful.  Read it.  It’s only 45 pages.  You can download a PDF version directly from the link. Everyone struggles with weight or body image in one way or another.  Dealing with it in a healthy way is important both for our physical and mental well-beings.