Clean Counters = Healthy Habits

Clean Counters = A Stress-Free Kitchen = Making Healthier Food Choices

Welcome to my kitchen. It's tiny, what you see here is pretty much all the counter space I have. No fancy island. No dish washer. Very little counter space. Very little storage. But here in the above picture, that counter space is actually clean & uncluttered (well, uncluttered for us!) The dishes are washed and put up. The counters have been spritzed & wiped with cleaner. I have my lunch for tomorrow prepped and waiting for the main ingredient to come out of the oven. This for me is a stress free and much healthier kitchen.

Crumbs gone. Food put away. A clean kitchen offers a lot of opportunities for creativity. It means I don't have to do dishes when I get home. It means I have to discipline myself every evening to take 20-30 minutes to wash the dishes, put them away. So far this week I've managed this 4 nights in a row. Seriously that's a record. I think I've managed doing this an entire week before... but it's never been a habit I've kept up. Normally my kitchen looks like this so my goal this week has been to keep my counters clean. Not only to wash the dishes, but put them up as well. Put things away. It's not that I'm a slob, or a really messy person... it's because life is busy and clean counters aren't always at the top of my priority list.

Yet it makes sense to me that keeping my counters clean will not only make life easier for me every day when I get home from work... but it gives me a clean, fresh space to cook when I get home. All my utensils are clean, I have plenty of room to work, so I really don't have a good excuse not to make a healthy meal.

More often than not, it's when the counters are dirty that we resort to going out to eat or ordering take out. When the counters are dirty, I look at my tiny kitchen and sigh. I don't feel creative. I just want to turn and run. Spaces that are stressful make me anxious, yet it's all too easy for me to fall into the habit of a not keeping up with my dishes.

Since I'm working on learning how to eat well, learning how to read my body/hunger signals (Am I really hungry? Am I satisfied? Do I really just need something to drink? See this post), I figured this was a good time to start practicing other healthy habits.

Michael gave me this "waving kitty" at Christmas for the kitchen and I love it. 

It matches nothing else in my kitchen and I'm perfectly okay with that!

What healthy habits would you like to start? How have you made healthy habits permanent in your life? Do you feel like having a clean kitchen makes a difference in cooking healthy meals? Share your thoughts!

Thoughtfully,
Carrie

The Hunger Scale

Hungry Vs. Tired/Sad/Depressed/Mad/Bored


The past few weeks I've been working on learning when I'm truly hungry. Only eating until I feel satisfied and actually stopping at the point of "feeling" satisfied.

For some people this probably isn't an issue. You're probably wondering what I'm talking about. You mean you eat when you're not hungry? You keep going when you're full? Well yeah. That would probably explain the plus size jeans...

Emotional eating. I do it. And over the holidays and through the past 6 months I did it a lot. There were some stressful weeks over the past few months... but it really wasn't all because of stress. And it's not because I was sad or frustrated or even mad... but bored? Quite possibly. Because it's a habit? Definitely. 

I know how to eat well. But actually making healthy eating a daily practice is often quite a challenge. And I get off track. It's almost like a bad "on again - off again" boyfriend that you just can't seem to shake no matter how unhealthy the relationship is. Yeah I had a few of those too.

But thanks to good friends like Erin Elbertson of Gluten Free Fitness  and Meghan Telpner of Making Love in the Kitchen... I'm trying to let go of that "on again - off again" bad boyfriend eating habit for good.

Meals lately have been simple. I'm focusing on lean proteins (so GLAD my body likes eggs, I'd be so sad if I couldn't eat them!), nuts, beans, fresh vegetables and fruits. I'm still eating carbohydrates, but I just keep an eye on how much I eat.

Last night my dinner was a veggie sandwich on Udi's bread. I very thinly spread some mayo (don't judge me, I'm working on cutting my southern girl mayo habit! lol) & some dijon mustard on the bread, and then I piled up sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced cucumbers, shredded carrots, and some fresh spinach. It was exactly what I wanted. It was satisfying. it was crunchy from the carrots and toasted gluten free bread. It was soft & a tiny bit sweet from the tomatoes. I'm trying to learn to eat fresh vegetables when my body craves them. I'm trying to be a better listener to my internal signals of what my body really needs.

But I also wanted cake. So I made a gluten free cake mix. I used egg whites, applesauce, and cut the oil in half. I made a loaf cake, which is so pretty it doesn't need icing. I had 2 small slices. I sliced up the rest of the cake and froze the slices so that they were not immediately accessible. I made a lower-fat version of the chocolate cake. And it was delicious. And I had just enough. It's still a process. 

I'm keeping a journal that includes my food intake/activity/water intake every day. I really stink at making sure I get enough water. I just never feel thirsty!

But I know that's part of the journey. I know that sometimes my brain tells me I want food when my body actually just needs some water. It's all a process. I'm learning. It will take time for this to be permanent. Erin is helping me learn that to make REAL & healthy habits stick it will take time. I need to start with small changes. So that is what I am doing.

Here is an excellent PDF that explains the hunger scale and how to start listening to the signals from your body: http://medweb.mit.edu/pdf/hunger_scale.pdf

How are you doing? Tell me about how your day is going? Do you keep track of your "hunger scale?"

Thoughtfully,
Carrie

How to Make Old Fashioned Black-Eyed Peas

photo courtesy of "Frankly Southern." 

On the 2nd day of 2011 I made a big pot of black-eyed peas. Some say you should eat them on New Year's Day for good luck (along with greens for money!) but we just eat them because they taste daggone good. And it just so happens that today is National Bean Day! Make sure to stop by Thomas' blog "The GF/CF Experience" for Slow Cooked Turkey Chili!

The Broth Process: 

Basically to make a pot of really good, old-fashioned black-eyed peas, it can be a two day process (well if you got up late like I did... lol). First you need the broth. I had a leftover ham bone in the freezer that I made my broth with. We ate ham for Christmas, I saved the leftover bone & meat just for making black eyed peas on New Year's! All the healthy nutrients from the bone and leftover meat are released in the broth as it's slow simmered in water. Make sure to defrost your ham bone. Pull it out of the freezer a day before you plan on making your broth.

Basically place your defrosted or fresh ham bone in a large stock pot. Fill the pot 3/4 full of fresh, filtered water. Place the pot on a back burner of your stove and allow it to come to a boil, then turn the heat down and allow it to gently simmer until the liquid has reduced down by 1/4. (This will take several hours -- if not most of the day!) If you want a more concentrated broth (more flavor) you can continue to reduce down the liquid to the amount you need. As this process does take a long time, it also works great in a slow cooker if you'd rather not have your stove on all day long. If you use your slow cooker, you don't need as much water since it will not evaporate quickly.

Dried Beans VS. Frozen Beans: 

You can use dried black-eyed peas or frozen black-eyed peas. The dried variety are a more frugal option but they do need to be soaked overnight (or at least 8 hours) to be ready to cook. Frozen black-eyed peas offer the convenience of not having to soak the beans as they are already hydrated and ready to cook.

If you're not used to cooking with dried beans, I recommend using frozen. Dried beans, while much cheaper, can often take longer to cook than the fresh/frozen black eyed peas available, even after the soaking process.

For my batch of black-eyed peas this year, I used 2 bags of frozen black-eyed peas.

**A very instructive guide for soaking & cooking dried beans.**

Cooking the Beans: 

Once your broth has cooked down to the amount of liquid you'd like (about half a stock pot) you have several options. First you'll want to remove the ham bone & strain the stock to remove any impurities. You can then refrigerate the broth overnight (or at least for several hours) or you can cook your beans immediately. I like to refrigerate the broth so that the saturated fat in the broth will rise to the top and harden. You can then spoon off the fat to remove it and you will have a low fat (but very flavorful) broth to cook your beans in.

When you're ready to cook the beans, simply add them to the broth. Place the broth on a back burner and allow the bean & water to come to a boil. Then turn down the heat to a gentle simmer. Now, you can basically cook the beans as long as you'd like. The package of frozen black-eyed peas said that they needed to cook for at least 15-20 minutes in boiling water. Now, I've cooked frozen & dried beans for years and I can tell you you'll have very hard beans if you only cook them for 20 minutes. Beans are often made in the slow cooker because they can withstand long cooking times.

I cooked my black-eyed peas at a very gentle simmer (low heat) for at least 3-4 hours. If it looks like the liquid is evaporating a little too quickly add more water or broth to the beans. I used an entire half stock-pot full of broth by the time my beans were finished.

While the beans are cooking make sure to season them with flavors you like! We added:

• 3 whole cloves of minced garlic
• 1 finely chopped onion, which I sauteed on the stove in a little olive oil
• the leftover meat from the ham bone
• a little tomato sauce for color
• 3-4 tablespoons of freshly chopped cilantro (this is also pretty sprinkled on your bowl of finished black-eyed peas!) 
• salt & pepper
• a tiny bit of cayenne pepper

The beauty of dishes like this is that you rarely make them the same way twice, but they always taste amazing! The slow simmer, the anticipation of waiting for those perfectly cooked beans, the amazing flavor of the slow cooked broth... for such a simple dish, this is one of my favorite and I'm determined to make black-eyed peas more often this year. 

Of all the dishes I've made in the past few months, I think this was my husband's favorite. He had three bowls. He just kept saying, "I always forget how GOOD black-eyed peas are." He didn't want anything else with them. Just a hearty bowl of beans. 

And if you have "windy issues" afterwards, Phazyme Gas Relief is gluten free! lol But honestly we didn't have any trouble digesting these. 

A dish like this is filled with love. Simple, hearty, tasty, nutritious, and filling. 

Now go make a pot of beans! 

Thoughtfully,
Carrie

My Favorite Gluten Free Recipes of 2010

Taking a lead from one of my favorite bloggers, Jill of Hey, This Tastes Good, here is a roundup of some of my favorite recipes from the past year! I hope you enjoy them!

Michael and I started January 2010 off with a hearty skillet meal of ground beef, cabbage, and pasta. I love easy, simple, one pot skillet meals like this!

Jan 2010 - Hearty Cabbage & Beef Casserole

In February 2010 I recreated one of my favorite recipes from my childhood to be gluten free. Popovers! I remember the recipe from the Winnie the Pooh cookbook. One of my favorite hobbies is recreating old recipes from my favorite cookbooks! I hope you'll enjoy these popovers as much as we have. They are even prettier now that I own a popover pan and they become very high and golden in the oven!

February 2010 - Gluten Free Popovers

In March 2010 I baked loaves upon loaves of bread. My favorite recipe that was for Honey Oat Bread. A very simple bread that's light & fluffy, but takes on a sweet whole grain appearance!

March 2010 - Honey Oat Bread

During April 2010 we made cookies. The ease & simplicity of peanut butter cookies made without gluten, eggs, dairy/casein, or soy. I don't think there could ever be too many cookie recipes! :-)

April 2010 - Classic Peanut Butter Cookies

In May 2010 I shared a recipe for one of my favorite easy soups (an American-Asian favorite) Egg Drop Soup. I love the fresh greens and the use of chickpea miso tamari, which adds a healthy dose of natural probiotics that aid in digestion.

May 2010 - Egg Drop Soup

Beginning in mid-June 2010 I started a 30 day series entitled "30 Days Gluten Free: Quick & Easy Meals." This series kept me on my toes having to prepare posts for 30 straight days. I could not have done it without the help of over 25 blogging friends who shared their recipes with me. One of my favorite recipes was for Kat's Slow Cooker Chicken with Artichokes. A simple easy crock pot meal! Make sure to check out the entire series for 30 days of quick & easy gluten free meals!

June 2010 - Kat's Slow Cooker Chicken & Artichokes

In July 2010 I shared a several posts on gluten free baking & cooking ingredients. I shared why I preferred certain gluten free ingredients other others and I also shared this post on a gluten free chocolate protein smoothie. I love fruit & green vegetable smoothies, especially in the heat of the summer. This chocolate smoothie was a nice alternative to a banana smoothie and offered a great source of vegetable protein.

July 2010 - Chocolate Protein Smoothies

August 2010 was an exciting month for Michael and I. We traveled to Seattle, Wa. for the 2nd International Food Bloggers Conference. It was our first time flying across the country and our first time on the west coast. We had a wonderful time and I shared several posts on our experiences while we were there. But I also shared some really delicious recipes during the month. One of my favorites was for this French Toast Casserole, a recipe originally from my wonderful friend Betty B. that she made gluten free just for me!

August 2010 - Betty B.'s Blueberry French Toast Casserole

September 2010 was "back to school" month. Michael and I both work for universities, so as classes start back in the fall our jobs become hectic & busy. It's a good time for soups & stews, for chocolate muffins, and for more experimenting with gluten free (and vegan) breads. September is one of my favorite months and I love these double chocolate muffins and how easy they are to make using my Revised Gluten Free Master Baking Mix.

September 2010 - Double Chocolate Muffins

In October 2010 Michael & I celebrated our 6th wedding anniversary. I can't believe I've had the privilege of being married to my best friend for over 6 years! Instead of taking a big trip on our anniversary (and after the expense of Seattle!) we took the weekend and went to the beach instead! I also created these super cute & grain free peanut butter cupcakes one evening while we were visiting Michael's parents. This is one of my favorite recipes of the year!

October 2010 - Grain Free Peanut Butter Cupcakes

In November 2010 it was time again for our favorite family holiday, Thanksgiving! I tried several new recipes this year including a brined & basted turkey breast that I was truly proud of! But even more than the turkey, I loved this corn-free "millet bread" that had a very similar texture to cornbread. I learned very clearly this year that my body doesn't tolerate corn products well, so for the most part I avoided all products with corn in them. This millet bread version of a "corn-bread" was delicious and I loved the aroma of texture of this gluten free quick bread.

November 2010 - Quick Millet Bread (Aka - Mock Cornbread)

And finally in December 2010, I participated in Amy Green's (author of Simply Sugar & Gluten Free) holiday series, "A Gluten Free Holiday." I shared a favorite recipe for a breakfast quiche with a mock hollandaise sauce. It was a busy month for us, as I'm sure it was for everyone, but I did manage to squeeze in a few of my new favorite cookies for the holidays. These gluten free spritz cookies were a welcome addition to our holiday bakied goods. I haven't had this type of shortbread cookie in nearly 5 1/2 years and they were quite good!

December 2010 - Gluten Free Spritz Cookies

Here's to another great year of gluten free recipes! If you have suggestions for recipes you would like to see this year on Gingerlemongirl.com, please contact me! Happy New Year to you and your family!

Thoughtfully,
Carrie

Thoughts on living well in 2011

I've been thinking for several days what to write about to bring in the new year. This post has nothing to do with the gluten free diet, with recipes, or even really with food. This year I've been more contemplative than excited. My husband and I used to write out resolutions, but we decided several years ago it seemed rather silly since often those resolutions were broken by the end of January or at least by February. It wasn't out of a lack of discipline, or a sudden decision to revise our resolutions... it was often because they were unrealistic. 

Each January for several years I've attempted to follow new plans towards weight loss. Either by cutting out sugar, trying a vegan diet, trying a vegetarian diet, following a fast, going on a "South Beach" diet... you name it... and I've most likely tried it and blogged about it.

This year, this grand year of two thousand and eleven... we're choosing to be kind. Yes, I need to lose weight. I have healthy goals I want to reach, but I've slowly learned that setting unrealistic goals and having unrealistic limitations doesn't work for me.

Here are a few things I'd like to do this year. Not necessarily goals or resolutions... just a few comtemplative ideas to bring wellness & health into our lives:

• Take more walks. Not even for physical health reasons... just to walk. To relieve stress, instead of baking every time I need to relieve stress... take more walks. Cookies are good and I will still make them, but it would also be nice to enjoy the fresh air a little more than I do now. 

• Read more books. I love to read and I haven't spent nearly enough time doing so. Real. Physical. Books. (Well okay, if a kindle walks into my life I certainly wouldn't turn it away! lol) But I've got tons of books that have been rather lonely this year on our shelves. It's time to change that. Have you read any good books lately?

• Have a little more grace towards others. Grace is huge to me. I wouldn't be who I am today without the absolute grace of a loving God... but more often than not I'm judgemental, petty, and have a hard time letting go of anger. It's a pretty lousy example of my faith. And it's not who I really am. It's time to be more willing to share the grace He's given to me.

• Pen handwritten letters and cards. A real, personal, handwritten letter complete with spelling mistakes, sentences that may need a little work, and yet written out of true thoughtfulness can mean more to people than any gift ever could. When I was about 9 years old, our local postmistress, a dear, kind woman told me that if I wanted to recieve a letter, I needed to write one. She became one of my favorite people. She would ask me about the people I wrote too, she would even call me and let me know I recieved a letter if I didn't make it to the post office for a day or so. 20 years later, thinking back on those days some people might think that postmistress was just a bit odd or nosy... but I think she looked forward to those letters as much as I did. She was a friend. She cared about me. She was a vibrant part of my community and she cared about the people in her mail district. I miss her. So if you'd like a letter, write someone. They will appreciate the thought and time you put into it more than you will ever know!

• Be a little more kind to yourself. While I'm running the risk of sounding like a self-help guru here... I need to be a little nicer to me. I think even without realizing it, I'm constanting beating myself up. Yes I know I'm overweight, I know I need to exercise more, I know I'm wear plus size jeans and I get really frustrated with the whole double chin thing. I always have a running "to do" list tabulating in my thoughts and I get frustrated with myself on the things I haven't done or haven't accomplished... (Hello? I'm 32... shouldn't I have made it further along in life by now? Shouldn't we have kids now? Be more prosperous? Know what I really want to be when I grow up?) Anybody with me here? But I also need to learn to be okay with that. Yes, there are things about myself and my life that I'd like to change, but I also need to accept myself right now, right here... plus size jeans, double chin and all. Because really, we're blessed just to be here. Right now. We need to remember that.

Do you make resolutions? Do you create new goals? What are you looking forward to in 2011? Welcome to the new year! Let's make it a good one!