A: The cereal aisle stresses me out. Soo many choices and colors and all different serving sizes that force you to do MATH right there in the middle of the store. How rude is that?  I’m not going to tell you that the sugary, milk-color-changing cereals doesn’t taste sooo good. I’ll admit, I am a cereal junkie and stare longingly at cocoa krispies on the regular.

The problem with those sugary ones is not only the sugar content. It’s also processed and fake ingredients, additives and preservatives. As if all that wasn’t bad enough, guess what else is in there: TRANS FAT! Sadly, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, Froot Loops, Corn Pops and Honey Smacks are all culprits. So anything that says “partially hydrogenated oil” gets but back down on that shelf.

Even trans-fat free, the cereal aisle’s a complicated place. So here’s a little cereal aisle guidance for ya:

Look at…
1. The ingredients.
This is from Vanilla Special K with Almonds:

 

• First ingredient: Whole grain or whole wheat
• Within the first 3 ingredients: NO sugar or it’s counterparts- brown sugar, corn syrup, maltodextrin, high fructose corn syrup (ingredients are listed in descending order of weight)
• No partially hydrogenated oils (Read: Trans fat!)

Then we move up to the nutrition facts:

2. Fiber

• Less than 8g added sugar

Cereal	Serving Size	Calories	Fiber (g)	Sugar	Protein
Kashi GOLEAN Original	1 cup	140	10	6	13
Kashi Honey Sunshine	3/4 cup	100	6	6	2
Fiber One	1/2 cup	60	14	-	2
Fiber One Honey Clusters	1 cup	160	13	6	5
Barbaras Ultima High Fiber	1 cup	170	12	9	6
Barbaras Puffins, original	3/4 cup	90	5	5	2

Those are the ideal solutions. But if you just want some friggin cereal from the cereal aisle at Stop and Shop (although Kashi is usually available…), I wont hate on ya. These are better options:

Share the joy and sing about milk and cereal, cereal and milk all weekend – but please, chicks, do not go cuckoo for cocoa puffs… if for nothing else, then for me. xo

It’s not just another Epicurious (although it does include their recipes) because on Yummly you can totally individualize your search.

Have specific ingredients you do or don’t want? Maybe lentils have been staring at you from the cabinet for a few months and that broccoli is on the verge of going bad. Find out how to use ‘em from a database of over 450,000 recipes from all the big recipe sites like Epicurious, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, AllRecipes, etc.

You can also make tons of preferences based on personal diets. Like when you’re having your bf/gf’s sister over, who’s a total pain in the ass in general, and then you find out she’s both vegan AND gluten-free and you’re clueless.  Just select your preferences and end up with a list of recipes perfect for your dinner. Now all you have to worry about is the wine selection.

For all you babes on budgets (both financial and time), that’s also an option. Every single recipe has a prep time AND cost per serving. So, dolls, you have no excuse not to eat well and make use of that (teeny) kitchen space and hand-me-down pots and pans.

But it doesn’t stop there… All the recipes in their database have been tested for “taste”. If you have certain tastes that you can’t stand or can’t live without, just slide the bar to your preference.

There are lots of other ways to search: course, cuisine, holiday,etc. Then you can even edit and customize recipes to make them your own, and link to friends (called TasteBuds- amazing). So next time you don’t know what to cook… Yummly to the rescue!

Doesn’t it always work out that you get stuck gifting the single person you barely know in Secret Santa? Well this year it’ll be easy, because everyone’s a foodie in one way or another. Here’s a list of some great little gifts for everyone from the 80′s lover to the bitter/heartbroken foodie, all under $75 (but mostly under $30!). Trust me, these’ll be way less awkward then getting someone the wrong size lingerie or a boring I-dont-know-you Bath & Body Works basket of lotions…

1. For the dieting foodie: Olive Oil Mister $20 – Spritzing is nothin new around here, but this one is cool because you can infuse it with herbs and spices.

2. For the sweet foodie: How adorable are these Heart Shaped Egg Fry Rings? Set of 4 – $15

3. For the angry/bitter/heartbroken foodie: The Ex Knife Holder  $69.99. Tape a picture on, and I think it’s worth every penny.

4. For the hippie grow-it-yourself foodie: Aerogarden starting at $49.95 (I’m obsessed – we have 2 types of basil, cilantro, chives, parsley and lemon balm growing)

5. For the party-thrower: Keep track of your drink, and keep your tables clean, with Slate/Chalkboard Coasters, 4 for $35

6. For gadget lovers: Immersion Blender on sale for $29.95, my sister swears by this to easily blend soups…

7. For the green foodie: You can never have enough eco-friendly water bottles. Especially if you tend to leave them everywhere. I Heart Water bottle $18.95

8. For the boozing foodie: Stick Whiskey Stones in your drink to make it cold without diluting it – 9 stones for $19.95

9.  For the 80′s obsessed: Rock out to Journey while using your Rubik’s Cube Salt & Pepper Mills, $15

10. For the baker: You cannot go wrong with NinjaBread Men Cookie Cutters $12 for three. Hi-YA.

If you’re a total nerd (like me and my sister) you might be intrigued by these Apple Sweaters, which are somehow selling for $20 each. More healthy gift ideas later this week. Stay warm!!

 

Disney >>> divorce. SO the other day I was wandering the farmer’s market when I spotted a veggie that I really don’t care too much for. Even if it is packed with nutrients, especially vitamin C, cauliflower is the blah-est vegetable out there. Or so I thought, until I saw it in purple and orange.

 

I talked to one of the farmers, who assured me that purple cauliflower is not dyed and it’s not due to genetic engineering. It’s purple color is due to a nutrient called anthocyanin – same as what’s found in red cabbage and red wine. So I guess it’s time to give an old veggie with a new hue a shot. Try this purple cauliflower soup…

1 1/2 – 2 pound purple cauliflower, green leaves removed, washed and cut into chunks
2 shallots, peeled and cut into chunks
2 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed
3 – 4 cups veggie stock, how much you use depends on how thick you want the soup, I used 3 cups
2 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt to taste
good quality olive oil, for garnish
paprika, for garnish

Directions
1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add shallots and cook, over low heat, until soft, about 3 – 5 minutes, depending on temperature.
2. Add cauliflower, veggie stock and garlic.  Turn up heat, bring to a boil;  then lower heat to a low simmer, season with salt to taste.  It will depend on how salty your stock is.
3. Cover your pot with a lid and cook until cauliflower is soft;  about 25 – 35 minutes, depending on how large the chunks of cauliflower are.
4. Remove from heat, let cool about 15 minutes.
5. Puree in a blender or food processor, in batches, until smooth.
6. Return pureed soup to cooking pot and gently reheat over low heat.
7. Ladle into serving bowls, drizzle with good quality olive oil and sprinkle with paprika.

This is the perfect project for a cold weekend – or could be especially useful if you find yourself entertaining / babysitting kids this holiday season (or have kiddo’s yourself). Have a great weekend!

So it’s less than 24 hours til Turkey Day!  Did you know that the average American eats 4300 calories and 229g of fat on thanksgiving? If you’re interested in what you’d need to do to burn that off, check out this article I wrote on the top 5 foods you should skip for seconds.

But in the mean time, here are 5 things you can do on Thanksgiving so you don’t put your hot bod into a food coma:

1. Get movin’! A morning Turkey Trot, a little football, a walk around the neighborhood with your siblings/parents/neighbors…

2. Eat breakfast. Going into the big feast and NOT being famished will keep you from inhaling your mom’s stuffing, mashed potatoes, and then rounds of pie.

4. Load up your plate with the protein (turkey) and veggies first. And I’m not talking about the mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes. As I said in the article at OneResult, where there are women, there are healthier/lighter options, so dig into those.

5. ENJOY and don’t feel guilty. And leave behind leftovers.

Ok, ok, “calories don’t count on holidays”. FINE. But they do count the day after… and for the following 5 weeks until New Years! So don’t let this Turkey Day be the start to a 36 day binge! xx

How do you open a banana? By trying to break off the stem part, or maybe wedging a fingernail in there,  then ripping the peel downwards, and probably losing a good portion of the ‘naner to mushiness?

Turns out, we’ve been doing it totally backwards. Monkeys actually flip it and peel from the bottom end.

Just pinch the tip end (I know what you’re all thinking…) and it’ll naturally split. TA DA, peel away, with less messy weird strings. If you need more of a visual, check this vid for a how-to… plus the dude is pretty cute.

http://player.vimeo.com/video/5801497
How to eat a banana like a monkey from Patrick Simkins on Vimeo.

I love finding out that I’ve been doing something backwards for my whole life. So go get your banana on…. and don’t forget, size matters! FINE… that’s what she said.

 

…but this comparison is pretty outrageous. Check out these pics taken by Dario D. on Fast Food Ads vs Reality via Alphaila: 

Even though, duh, fast food looks gross because it is really, really gross, isn’t this false advertising? Too bad he didn’t do a comparison of french fries… bc then you’d be way more likely to make these delicious looking and way, way healthier ones at home:

Throw on some rosemary and it’s perfect replacement for buttery mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving – but more on that later… Have a lovely non-fast food filled day!

In case you live in a bubble, GUESS WHAT HOLIDAY IS COMING UP IN TWO WEEKS?! Only the best day of the year. Yeah, my big 2-5, but there’s also a little something that you can look forward to, too! THANKSGIVING!

So while you’re getting your menu ready and picking out the turkey, or more likely, watching your parents do it, here’s some food for thought via Serious Eats and Sustainable Table…

This year, pick a local Heritage turkey (above) instead of the standard Butterball or what ever your grocery store conventional turkey (below).

WHY? Glad you asked. Because traditional turkeys like those pictured above have to be ARTIFICIALLY INSEMINATED to reproduce. No, there is no male + female = baby turkeys. Brings a whole new meaning to the turkey baster, right?! haaaa Plus they are raised on factory farms and given hormones and antibiotics then overfed to make them extremely heavy to the point that they can barely walk.

Is you still don’t care, consider this… those mass-produced turkeys are then injected with freaky chemicals like saline solution, oils and faux flavors to improve the tasteless-ness and texture. SO GROSS!! Interested in finding out more? Read this op ed a la NY Times from a few years ago.

So whats a smart cookie like you to do??

Convince the T-giv shopper in your fam or pseudo-fam to buy a Heritage Turkey. Not only do they reproduce sans needles (crazy, i know), they get to walk around outside and eat natural foods they are supposed to. They’re also genetically diverse. Look for these breeds: The Standard Bronze, Black, Black Spanish, Slate, Jersey Buff, Narragansett, White Holland, Bourbon Red, Beltsville, Small White, and Royal Palm. 


They might be a little pricier but just think, Thanksgiving is only once a year… They’re tastier, plus you’ll be supporting sustainable / local farming! And it’s a totally perfect go-to dinner convo for those awkward moments when your republican third cousins start talking politics…(only kidding… but incase that does happen, check out What the F-ck Has Obama Done So Far?)

You can even order them online; could they make life any easier?

Heritage Foods
D’artagnan
Mary’s Turkeys (Also available @ whole foods)
Or find a local one via Local Harvest

Not willing to fork it up for a Heritage turkey? At least go for a free range, organic gobble gobble guy from your grocery store.

Wanna do something above and beyond?? Then Don’t Eat a Turkey, ADOPT A TURKEY and save a little guy/girl’s life! No, I’m not joking. Last year us Brownies even made vegan desserts cuz were cool like that; I know you’re jealous you missed it. 14 days til Adopt a Turkey day!!  :)

I always have to remind myself that although we’re from the same gene pool, it doesn’t work the same for me. Maybe because I really like wine and crackers too, but half a block of cheese regularly and a) my jeans will be trouble and b) my fingers will be fat from too much salt.

Unless they’re going in an omelette or on something masking their lack of flavor, lower fat cheeses tend to taste and feel like rubber. So here’s the (really kinda sucky) rule to keep in mind, especially with holiday parties coming up:

When it comes to hard cheeses, a 1.5 oz serving has ~170 calories. That’s 3 dice.

But you know what, let’s not take this as totally evil. Instead, take it as the opportunity to enjoy a few pieces of your fave cheese (aged Gouda, love you) without mindlessly munching on the tasteless or less-delicious ones (Swiss, meh, don’t really love you). If it’s your shindig, add in some fruit like grapes or sliced apples to have some healthier things to munch on. If you’re at a party and you need to mindlessly munch, after your few dice-worth, sit your booty infront of a plate of veggies til dinner.

Sidenote: I found this out recently, and it sounds like an oxymoron, but not all cheeses are vegetarian; many have an animal product called rennet in them. If you want to find out more, here’s some info and a list of vegetarian cheeses.

 

Now, back to the good stuff: Harder cheeses like Cheddar, Gouda and Gruyère are usually slightly higher in calories (~115 calories/1 oz) than softer cheeses like Brie or Goat cheese (~95-100 calories/1 oz), but the hard cheeses also have a little more calcium. And for real, 20 calories is nada unless you’re multiplying it by way more servings than you should. So eat what tastes good! You can have another 3-dice-worth tomorrow. And plus, now you wont have to blame your roommate or husband/wife for it magically disappearing – instead you’ll have cheese for days and days. That sounds heavenly.

Well I was going to say that cheese for breakfast sounds like a great plan, except my lovely sister really did eat it all… but she knows she was just doing me a favor. Oatmeal it is. (love ya sis xx)

 

But did you know it also means National Peanut Butter Lovers Month & National Vegan Awareness month? And BIRTHDAY!!! Turns out, I really like peanut butter, I (usually) respect vegans, and I love birthday cake.

 

In spirit of vegan awareness, lets talk Skinny Bitch. I get asked about this book more than any other, and I’m the first to say, Skinny Bitch is really freaking funny if you don’t take it too seriously. It has a lot of valid points about becoming aware of what you’re eating and where it comes from. They call soda “liquid satan” and call you a total moron if you follow the atkins diet, neither of which I’ll argue with. But even if the writers say it’s not a diet book, Skinny Bitch made vegan into a fad diet and brought the huge misconception that going vegan/vegetarian will help you lose weight much more mainstream. I will happily tell you from experience, just as easily as you overeat chocolate chip cookies, you’ll overeat the less-delicious vegan versions. And you’ll annoy the crap out of whoever you’re dating.

 

Here’s my vegan story: After I first got into nutrition, I read a lot about the meat industry and gradually went from being a chicken addict to a vegetarian to a full on vegan- which means no meat, fish, poultry, dairy or eggs. It was freaking HARD! I did it for a few reasons, the biggest one being all the freaky hormones and antibiotics animals are pumped up with so they grow at unnatural rates. But I was definitely aware that if I couldn’t eat most things at dinner or at parties, it’d probably be easy to either maintain or lose weight. And I was also aware of the environmental (and karmic) benefits….

One of the hardest parts of sticking to being a vegan is getting psychotic with label reading (second only to explaining yourself to closed-minded people). I’d estimate that over half or three-quarters of packaged foods have some sort of animal product or milk derivatives like whey/casein. Frosted Mini Wheats, gummy bears and marshmallows  contain gelatin (an animal product), the color red in a lot of candies (skittles, m&m’s) are made from animal derived dyes, creamy salad dressings, breads, and crackers (Goldfish.. sadness) usually contain milk or eggs and most medications and vitamins use gelatin capsules. Strict vegans wont eat anything with honey. Milk chocolate is obviously out. Really good Bloody Marys usually use anchovy paste. Headache!!

At the time I was conflicted because I still wanted to rock Frye boots and I couldn’t just give away my suede/leather bags but I felt like that made me a total hypocrite. After a year, I realized I was not fun to go to dinner with, I didn’t feel well, I felt guilty about having a few peanut butter m&ms, and I was generally a pain in the ass. A few gentlemen might argue that that quality still exists, but I swear it was magnified as a vegan. Finally one day I had a bite of Gouda cheese that changed my life and I haven”t looked back.  Now I don’t categorize myself as anything and it works sooo much better for me. I love fish, I have half and half in my coffee every day, and occassionally if I want it I’ll have a bite of fresh turkey or  steak.

 

Skinny bitches, listen, I think it’s possible to be healthy and vegan, but it’s not easy. You have to be really good about taking vitamins like iron and B12, and you have to have access to a lot of fresh fruits and veggies. Being vegan is NOT a good way to lose or maintain weight. Unless you are a tofu-master, you’re getting very little protein, and at dinner parties you’ll end up sticking to the bag of Tostitos because it’s the only thing there without milk or eggs. Not a healthy substitute for dinner.

While being vegan isn’t the right lifestyle for me, it taught me so much about becoming aware of what I’m eating, where it’s coming from, and the enormous portions of meat we’re served. So I was genuinely shocked and impressed when my good friends at OneResult told me they decided to see what this whole vegetarian thing is about for the month of November (minus Thanksgiving – understandable). They’re determined not to lose weight and to gain muscle. We disagree on the amount of protein shakes they’re consuming, but overall I think it’s awesome they’ve decided to cut back on all their meat intake. You can follow them through their experience in their forum: Vegetarian for a Month and harass them with questions.

And lastly, if you’re in the NY-sizzzle, check out this list of NY Mag’s Veggie Heavens – the Vegetable Movements Must-Visit Restaurants. I didn’t see either of my faves, Candle Cafe or Gobo on there… so apparently we have a lot of eating out to do. NOMNOMNOM. Time for a peanut butter break!!