Step Outside the SALT





Alright! So, I have mentioned before that I'm a "Southern Belle" and I appreciate ALLllllLL the flavor and comfort southern food has to offer.  However, it is not conducive with this transition.  BUT, my food CANNOT and WILL NOT be bland. BLAH!!! That is so boring! Therefore, I have found ways to J FLAV my meals without all the sodium, sugar, and calories.  Through trial and ERROR (lots of error lol) I have a list of products I MUST have in my kitchen.  "Must Have" simply means if I run out, I must run out and stock back up.  So, I have a list of things that you MUST have in your cupboard or kitchen cabinet to keep your food full of flavor and comfort! I have divided the list into two, one with pictures, and the other without. Also, I will provide some tips when shopping and finding that lil' "hmmpph!"for your dishes! 

 

 



 

This... Well, this I don't cook with.  HOWEVER, its great to keep in your kitchen AT ALL TIMES lol!

This is a great alternative to using plain salt or other seasonings.  It has less than 300mg of sodium and adds great flavor to any dish!

I prefer FRESH vegetables because its a flavor that you cant match.  Also, I like being able to cut them up myself.  However, on those busy days you get home late (especially if you're a mother) you can pull this out and create a quick, easy, healthy stir fry.

This is a GREAT spice! It helps with metabolism, cleanses the liver, and much more.  Its a tad spicy, NOT MUCH, but adds great flavor to veggies, stews, and meats.  Of course, I've done my research and have spoken with my physician.  However, DO NOT TAKE MY WORD FOR IT! Please, Please, PLEASE do your own research.  I will help you begin, start HERE ---> Turmeric

Less than 100mg of sodium and only 59 calories. I L.O.V.E Worcestershire sauce.  I, personally use it when I'm in a hurry and need to sauté vegetables.  I add it in with freshly ground pepper, coconut oil, and ginger. You can pretty much use it to bring out the flavor in any dish.

I don't use canned foods often especially since I now make my own spaghetti sauce.  However, if you are strapped for time or just don't feel like cutting shit up (yes, WE ALL HAVE THOSE DAYS. Trust).  This is a great alternative.  It can easily be added to any dish to provide extra nutrients and color.  However, I soak it a little just to get rid of some sodium.

While there is nothing that will taste exactly like Caesar dressing other than Caesar dressing, THIS is a close second! Trust me when I say this dressing is great! It does not have to be this brand but look for yogurt based alternatives.  As you can see from the nutritional facts, its low in sodium, sugar, AND calories!

This is Ginger (excuse the picture, my flash got excited). Ginger is great in EVERYTHING! You should have fresh ginger root AND ginger in powder form.  The powder form in great for quickly adding to dishes.  The fresh ginger root is better for adding it to your smoothies and water.  Yes! I add fresh ginger root to my water.  Here are its health benefits ---> Health Benefits of Ginger

I use EVOO for EVERYTHING, even our hair!  I fry with it.  I sauté with it. I use it in some of my sauces.  Health Benefits of EVOO

Like EVOO, I use coconut oil inside and outside the kitchen.  I love the flavor it gives to sauté vegetables.  Though, it seems as though it would be sweet, it is not.  Health Benefits of Coconut Oil

I will NEVER buy peanut butter again.  I absolutely LOVE Almond Butter! It does not have as much sugar as peanut butter.  In fact, some brands have 1g or less of sugar.  It is FANTASTIC in smoothies.  A tbsp gives it so much flavor.  Quick recipe: I add a tbsp of almond butter and a tbsp of brown sugar to my daughter's steel cut oats.  She loves it!

Health Benefits of Almond Butter.  You can decide for yourself, read up on it here---> Peanut Butter vs. Almond Butter



I simply use this instead of Pam. L.O.V.E this!

 

Now, the list that I do not have pictures for:

 

Fresh Mint-- Great in water and smoothies

 

Fresh Herbs (parsley, oregano, and cilantro)-- I also add these to my water.  The health benefits from it steeping overnight in your drinking water is great.

 

Cinnamon Sticks-- add this as well as cut up apples in your water and let it steep overnight. Great burst of energy.

 

Fat Free PLAIN Greek Yogurt-- Its less than 200 calories, contains less than 10g of sugar, and less than 100mg of sodium. Great probiotic and is a GREAT alternative to sour cream and heavy cream.  Also, it is good in smoothies.

 

TIPS:

1. The international aisle in the grocery store WILL surprise you!  I actually find myself going to that aisle first.  A lot of their canned items have ALOT LESS sodium, calories, and sugar!  Also, its inspirational. You get great ideas for your dishes and ways keep them exciting.

 

2. When your MUST HAVES are on sale, STOCK, STOCK, STOCK!

 

3. Lastly, I don't care what your MUST HAVE list is or how you come about creating it, ALWAYS READ THE NUTRITION LABEL! After you read, compare brands.  Some brands have less sodium or calories than another.  You have to pick the lesser of the evils that work for YOU. 

 

 

HEALTHY SHOPPING! 

 

 



I will NEVER buy Tomato Sauce again...!

My sincere apologies for the hiatus. I've been dealing with.... LIFE and a computer virus.  Nonetheless, here I am. I have tons of tips and great information! So, I have been exchanging recipes with my mother.  She and my father are also on the "Whole Foods Diet" journey (unsure of what that is, I have a link at the bottom!)

Anyway, we were talking a couple of months ago and I casually asked, "whatcha doing"? My mother casually answered, "making tomato sauce".  She continued with some random conversation as if she had not just informed me that she was making something from scratch!  Although my mother is a health freak, if there is a shortcut she will take it!  Apparently, she learned how to make tomato sauce from some cooking show. Now, I'm thinking its some extravagant task.  It indeed is NOT.  I'm just dramatic (lol).  She told me what to do and I DID THAT!

Pinterest

And you can too!  Simply, cut up tomatoes ( I get my tomatoes from Trader Joe's OR Wegman's) and arrange them on an oven safe dish.  Then, drizzle the tomatoes with olive oil, add salt and pepper to taste, garlic, and whatever else your little taste-bud hearts desire!  The oven should be up high enough to roast the tomatoes.  The tomatoes should be taken out once the they begin to caramelize (burn a little)  and the skin is easy to peel.  Once you allow the tomatoes to cool, transfer them to a pot, mash, and stir.  I added fresh parsley, garlic, and oregano.  

Quick tip:  add some (1-2 tbs) of tomato paste  BUT pay attention to the nutritional facts!  Also, add a little sugar or agave or honey or WHATEVER you use to sweeten things.  NOT enough to make the sauce sweet (unless you like it that way) but just enough to bring all the flavors together.  

The reason I will NEVER buy tomato sauce again is because I can control what goes in my sauce.  For someone watching their sodium intake or sugar intake.  Most store bought sauces add sugar.  However, when you do make your own sauce you can add or not add whatever you want.  It tastes fresh and is so GOOD! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have! 

Still curious about eating REAL FOODS (Whole Food Diet)?!  Well, this blogger breaks it down!  Though I am providing you with this link please, Please, PLEASE do your own research and find out what works for you. However, this blogger is a GREAT start.  I believe in support fellow bloggers so check it out! Adapting a whole food diet.

The JOLLY Green Giant

When I began my weight loss journey in 2010 I searched for a community that would hold me accountable for my goals.  I finally found a weight loss center that required me to come in once a month to get weighed, provided a B12 shot, AND prescription pills that suppressed my appetite.  I only took half of the pill because taking the entire pill left me jittery and sped up my heart rate... HATED the feeling.  Now that I'm looking back I should have ditched it all together.  My eating habits changed drastically but was so boring -_- ! Needless to say I played it safe and ate basically chicken, fish, and broccoli. Though it was boring I was still excited about being "IN CONTROL".  As I am reflecting on this particular journey I feel that my lack of SPICE and ADVENTURE played a major part in me lacking the motivation to get back on track.  So!, this time around I was determined to not fall victim to the redundancy of poultry and the go to veggie, broccoli. However, it was not as simple as I'm making it sound.  I have a way with words (lol).

I spent hours upon hours on Pinterest searching for "healthy meals" but would get nowhere.  I even had my supervisor, whom of which is a vegetarian helping me.  She would talk about how she would create meals without meat!  Can you believe that?!  This thick sistah from the south could not wrap her head around the idea of not eating meat.  I mean, without meat could you really have a balanced meal?! No, not according to me grandmother.  As far as she is concerned you cant trust anyone who does not eat meat.  So, how the hell did I, this meat loving chick from the south get to the point where she would go 2-3 days without eating meat?  Well, the answer to that question is still a mystery to myself.  But I can tell you who planted this seed.

As I scrolled through Instagram one late night I came across a photo posted by Chrisette Michele (<-----direct link to her Instagram).  She is currently writing a book of recipes titled, Fat Vegan. Her food looked sooooo good! So, I researched her and came across an interview she had done for The Breakfast Club (a radio show).  For those of you who would like to view the interview I have provided the video for you.

Long story short, she talks about juicing and how empowered she felt by consuming raw, fresh foods. So, I gave myself two weeks, TWO to try this thang out.  I had to try it for myself because it just aint possible for a black girl from the south to bad mouth meat! Nonetheless I researched green smoothie recipes.  Ms. Michele juiced but I prefer smoothies so I found a recipe that gave me an idea of where to start and put my own little spin on it. Yep! Gotta give my food some J Flav!  In my smoothie was: Kale, Spinach, Green Apple, Celery, Parsley, 1/2 cup of Aloe Juice, 1/2 cup of Almond Milk (unsweetened), 1 tbs of plain Greek Yogurt, fresh Ginger, 1 tbs of Almond Butter, banana, blueberries (or whatever fruit), and a DASH of Honey (local). I LOVED IT!!!

For two weeks I drank a green smoothie for breakfast and tried to eat at least two meatless meals a day. Surprisingly, it was not as difficult as I thought.  I found new ways to cook my veggies and went CRAZY. When my trial period was up I forced myself to be alone with my thoughts.  For the first time in a long time I listened to my body.  Not only did my body love me for all the extra attention I had given it, mind and soul did as well.  I felt spiritually lighter and felt more in control of my emotional well being ( I will discuss this in a future post).  Now, its second nature for me to make a meal and not incorporate meat.  HOWEVER, when I'm gathering with loved ones for family functions I partake in the beasts and enjoy myself (part time vegetarian). Then, I'm back to my fruit and veggies on Monday.  Its not hard or difficult because this time around I'm not on a "fad" diet and my body, mind, and spirit wont let me forget it!

One BIG OL' mess hunni!

Prior to finding out I was pregnant in January of 2011 I had lost 50 pounds!!! Yeeeeeah baby! It had taken me a year to do so.  However, I was so elated that I had taken control of my body and actually followed through with my weight loss goals.  I had been battling with my weight since I was 5 years old!  Unfortunately, my second trimester hit me like a ton of bricks! I was trying to finish graduate school, was in Chicago without my family, completing my internship, AND I WAS MAKING A BABY! Needless to say I gained all that damn weight back! 

Now, I figured that I wouldn't worry about it.  I planned to lose the weight after I dropped that load.... *crickets* Yeah, that AINT happen! I was emotionally drained from the demands of being a new mother and going through a breakup.  Shit got out of control and I was ROUND.  No matter what I did I could not get the motivation to lose the weight.  The stress from a new job, moving, and trying to live up to my own expectations was killing me, literally.  So, I began from the inside out.

I sought out to repair my emotional and mental self.  I needed to be happy with me REGARDLESS of my weight.  For the past year I have faced my mirror and damn if it was UGLY! (lol).  I began peeling back the layers of one stank ass onion and viewing myself in its rawest form.  This process has been emotional, rocky, and draining but uplifting and necessary!  It has taken a year for me to find motivation and boy oh boy did I find it!  

This time around I set no "goals".  Specifically,  I do not have an ideal weight to reach at an ideal time.  Also, I'm not going to pretend that I didn't eat "THAT" because I DID! I remind myself that I am human and that I am attempting to change 26 years of unhealthy habits.  That shit aint happening overnight and if you think so, STOP LYING TO YOURSELF! "Oh #$%!, I cheated embraces my attitude towards this movement.  You cheated? okay! GET OVER IT and try again tomorrow.  From a meat lover to part time vegetarian, I am changing my lifestyle one day at a time!

June 13, 2010... pre-baby

July 2011...On the way to the Taste of Chicago... ROUND

January 2012...post-baby...face is FULL as &^%$

July 4, 2013... Long way to go BUT LOVING THE PROGRESS!