Are you tired of traditional dieting?  Maybe, maybe not.  It does work.
But it does seem like work.  Have you seen Jillian and the contestants on
The Biggest Loser?  She does motivate people to lose weight, but
where is the joy and the freedom?  And what happens to those people
when the diet is over?  Are they secretly plotting revenge and planning
on eating all of the forbidden foods again?  Even Valerie Bertinelli, who
is adorable and still looks good after Jenny Craig-ing it, is starting to fill
out a little.  Who can maintain counting calories or eating only packaged
food in a world where good food is so prevalent and junk food even more
so?
If you are looking for a saner, more livable solution to eating the foods
you love and fitting into your favorite clothes, then you are at the right
place at exactly the right time.  Look  no more.  Relax and allow yourself
to make a few small changes in your approach to food and not only will
your favorite jeans fit, but you will have made peace with a huge part of
your life, because we do have to eat to live!  But I think it is more fun to
find a way to live to eat!
First, you must let go of the solutions (diets) that worked in the past.
It is always tempting to harken back to past soutions to present problems,
but if you are finding yourself  repeating the same problem, now is the time
for a new and permanent solution.  The operative word is NOW.  Make
the commitment to start today, especially when it comes to changing
eating habits.  Don’t make the mistake of procrastinating and eating all
the forbidden foods today and gaining a pound or two, because I guarantee
you won’t feel any more motivated to start tomorrow.  You will only feel
worse about the situation because you will be and feel heavier.  The goal is
to be and feel lighter, so let’s get started now.  The nice thing about this
plan is that there are NO forbidden foods.  How exciting is that?
Enough rambling – let’s get started!

1.  Throw away your bathroom scales!  Yes, I am giving you permission
to toss them out the door or window, or better yet give them away.  Stop
measuring yourself, stop measuring your food and just start eating the
foods you love in a way that makes you feel in control.  I will get to the how,
don’t worry.

2.  Pick a pair of your favorite jeans or pants and use them as your guide to
becoming the size you want to be.  Now instead of weighing yourself, try on
the jeans and if they fit and they are the size you desire to be, you are eating
in balance.  Just keep doing what you are doing and remember to try on those
jeans every couple of days or so to let you know if you are on the right eating
path!
If your jeans are snug or you can’t even pull them over your ankles, don’t
despair.  There is hope and it starts right at this moment!  You are going to
make a shift in the way you eat.  You will not deny yourself any of your
favorite foods, so don’t make a mad dash to the pantry and start getting in
a last minute “before the diet begins” snack fix.  You won’t enjoy what you
are eating and then you will feel guilty and heavy and the negative cycle
begins again.  Instead, make a firm commitment to not put anything in
your mouth outside of a “meal”, which leads to step 3.  Make a “pact” with
yourself to stop eating out of the pantry.  We’ve all done it or do it, so no
need to be hard on yourself, just gradually stop going to the pantry and
grabbing the chips or cookies and eating while standing.  It just does not
seem to register in your brain that you have eaten something if you stand
and eat.  If you are having a hard time breaking the snacking habit, have
a certain time each day, say in the afternoon where you go to the fridge and
pull out a bowl of fresh cherries or a box of raspberries or even do the vegetable
thing and sit down to a huge bowl of raw carrots, celery, broccoli, cherry tomatoes
and have a field day, eat as much as you want.  This will actually be very good for
you as we need the vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and the caloric content will
low.  So, make a date with yourself everyday and eat the fruits and vegetables,
but make sure to gradually shift from eating out of the fridge to sitting at the table
or at least sitting down with a plate or bowl instead of a sack! 

3.  Begin right now planning in your mind what you would like to eat at
your next meal.  Don’t go with the “shoulds”!  Think of what sounds really
good to you and find a way to prepare it, purchase it, or even more fun
go out and eat it!  I tend to do all three in the course of a week.  I love to
cook and go out to eat, but there are many good choices of prepared foods
at the grocery these days, so don’t waste time if cooking is not your thing.
But do think about what you would like and go to the store and buy it and
leave off all of the extras.  You will notice that your budget will be streamlined
as well when you buy only what you need, then use what you buy!
Now, once you have decided what you are going to eat, plan on eating a
whole portion, that is, prepare your plate with a generous serving and do
eat the whole thing!  This is very OK to do.  You will feel a sense of wholeness
as well as fullness.  Enjoy every bite.  Clean your plate.  Then stop and put
a parenthesis,  if you will,  around your meal time.  If it was something you
enjoyed, then it will be even easier to wait until the next mealtime to eat
again.  However, if it was not as satisfying, do not keep eating, instead have
the mindset that “no worries, I will have exactly what I want at my next meal.”
You must commit to zipping your lips until the next meal.  Just stop eating,
and yes that quick little bite of chips or candy out of a candy dish does count.
You will be amazed to see what a difference it makes just to stop putting those
extra bites here and there in your mouth.  I almost think that if you just made
that one change and ate what you wanted at a mealtime, only, you would have
no problem fitting into your favorite jeans or any of your favorite clothes.
So remember to eat only at a mealtime!

4.  Eat only what you crave!  Do not waste calories on foods you do not want
or like.  I don’t mean to compromise your health by eating only potato chips
if that is the only food you like, but if you are craving a good bowl of pasta and
you are not fitting into your clothes, then eat the bowl of pasta, a good size bowl
and eat every bite!  But leave off the salad with the heavy dressing and the basket
of bread and butter!  The point is to satisfy your craving and leave off the “should”
food or the foods you won’t really miss.  If I go to my favorite sandwich place
because I am craving a “caprese” sandwich on good french bread and I am served
a bag of chips with it, then I eat the whole sandwich and leave off the chips
because they are just extra and I don’t mind leaving them off.  I would rather save
my calories for foods that I do want, such as having a piece of chocolate in the
evening!  It is really important that you feel satisfied with the food you eat or it
will lead to mindless snacking at some point in the day to try and fill that “hole”.

5.  Get moving!  This is essential to being the size you want to be.  Instead of
obsessing about a goal weight, pick the size you want to be and then start
moving.  Just go outside and walk if no other  form of movement comes to mind. 
Notice I did not say go to the gym, because I have seen people go to the gym and
not really move!  If you love going to the gym or at least don’t mind it, then by all
means go, but make sure to do something that gets you moving.  Lifting weights
is surely good for your muscles, but it doesn’t get you moving.  You need to feel
your energy moving, because any time we become stagnant, negative energy gets
invited into our lives.  So movement is not only good for our bodies it is supremely
good for keeping positive energy flowing in our lives!  And positive energy leads
to positive thoughts and feelings which “attract” all kinds of positive experiences.
And who does not want that?

6.  Finally to the last step which will lead you to being the size you desire and are
meant to be!  Keep the small changes you are making in your eating habits to
yourself!  This is an important step because in our enthusiasm for doing something
positive, we naturally want to share this with others and surprisingly our enthusiasm
might be met with a form of skepticism or criticism.  Yes, even from your best friend.
Not taking it personally needs to be your first response if this is your experience,
but you will find that keeping your small changes or big changes to yourself will
ensure that your success is not diluted or polluted! 
When you have made the positive changes an integral part of your being and daily
life, then and only then begin sharing with others how to eat and how to be!!!
Many wishes for your success and enjoyment of your new lifestyle!

Hope you will give this one a try while the corn is very fresh!

corn and tomato bow-tie pasta

8 ears of fresh corn, peeled and kernels cut off and rinsed
12 small tomatoes or 3-4 large, rinsed, dried and cut into cubes
1 yellow onion, diced
1 pkg. bow tie pasta (farfalle!), cook in salted boiling water 10 min.
and drain, reserving 1 cup pasta water
1 cup pesto
olive oil, enough to saute the corn and onion separately,  (7-8 tbsp.-ish)
1 cup pine nuts, toast dry in a small pan on top of stove over
medium heat 1-2 minutes, stir once and watch
as they go from golden to burnt quickly!
1 pkg. feta cheese, cut into cubes

Hmm….  I love being in the South.  Home for a good, long visit and
wondering what to make for dinner at the end of a long, hot summer
day spent at my brother’s pool.  Too hot to go shopping, my mother and
I were reviewing what we had in the fridge.  We remembered the pan
of sauteed vegetables that we had somehow forgotten to eat the night
before.  Too excited by the mushroom (baby bella and shitake) risotto,
we left the pan on the stove!  So we began with what we had and together
made our best pasta yet!  My brother, Stephen, who video taped most of
the cooking and some of the eating and enjoying, would agree.
See if you agree as well.

vegetable and pancetta pasta

6-8 tbsp. olive oil
4-5 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
4 oz. pancetta, diced
2 stalks broccoli, cut into small pieces
1 red or yellow bell pepper, cut into julienne strips
3-4 tomatoes, cut into cubes
1/2 box whole wheat spaghetti, cook, reserve 1 cup pasta water, drain
1 cup white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
handful fresh basil, given a “rough chop”
2 tsp. salt, 10-12 grinds fresh black pepper

hunk of parmesan for grating at the table

If we stay true to the original making of the recipe, heat 3-4 tbsp. olive oil
in a saute pan over med. heat and saute the broccoli, bell pepper, and
onion for 10 minutes.  Cover and remove from heat.  Cook the pasta,
remove 1 cup of  pasta water, drain, and  set aside.  Heat 3  tbsp. olive
oil over med. heat and saute pancetta for 3-4 minutes, until begins to
brown, then add garlic and saute 1-2 more minutes until garlic is golden.
Add cubed tomatoes, pan of vegetables, spaghetti, white wine, basil, and
parmesan cheese, then turn on heat to med. high and stir, season with
salt and pepper, add pasta water if too dry.  Serve hot and enjoy with a
glass of red wine and parmesan at the table for grating.  Yum!

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This cake really is easy and very delicious.  And it is like

a simple black dress – can be dressed up or down depending

on the occasion.  I have made this cake for birthday parties

with colorful M & M’s on top and for no reason at all other than

wanting a special treat at the end of an ordinary day.

Don’t be afraid of separating, beating and folding in the egg

whites.  You won’t mess it up.  I use a separate hand held mixer

for the egg whites and my orange (yay!) Kitchen Aid stand mixer

for the rest of the ingredients.  Have fun!

flourless chocolate cake

1 stick and 1 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp. sugar

In a stand mixer beat butter and sugar until pale in color.

I sometimes leave it blank, but M & M’s are always fun!

icing*

1/2 cup heavy cream

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Stir together cream and chips in a small sauce pan

days.)

Hmm…. late Saturday afternoon, overcast skies, a canceled outdoor
dinner party due to rainy weather, no plans in sight and
next to nothing in the fridge.  Ordinally I would run to the store or
order take out, or why not just go out to eat?  With my husband out of
town on a quick business trip, my son over at his best buddy’s house
and after splurging the night before on a spontaneous get away meal
at my favorite restaurant in Minneapolis, Salut, I decided to create
a dinner out of what I had, which on the surface, did not appear to be
much.  A quiche sounded good, but with only one slice of swiss cheese
and no spinach in the freezer, that was not an option!  I can usually whip
up some kind of  pasta, but all I had was one zucchini with both ends cut
off, some spring onions and garlic in the vegetable bin and no cheese to
speak of.  One more check in the pantry revealed some cans of albacore
tuna.  A salad nicoise would be good, but no green beans or tomatoes
precluded that outcome, however, I could stretch things and make
a salad out of tuna and zucchini.  Why not?  I used what I had and
made a delicious meal,  rounded out with a bowl of tortilla chips.  Yum!!

Next time it appears you are on empty, take another look in your pantry
and enjoy being creative, using what you have. 

tuna and zucchini  salad

1 zucchini
4 spring onions - cut off dark green ends, root ends and dice
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 can albacore tuna
1 tsp. dijon mustard
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
3-4 tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
fresh dill (remembered I had some in our small garden!)

Make the dressing first – put mustard, mayonnaise and vinegar
in a glass bowl, then whisk in olive oil.  Season with salt and
pepper and add minced garlic, chopped dill and diced onion.
Cut the ends off of the zucchini and cut in half lengthwise, then
into 1/4 inch slices, wash, pat dry and add to dressing.  Drain
tuna and add to sauce, then gently stir together.  Serve with
good bread,  crackers or chips.  Enjoy!

I am on a mission to get people cooking and eating
more greens!  You will feel so good.  Isn’t that reason
enough to go buy some greens?  Try a different kind
each time you go to the store.  I found this rainbow
chard at the “Good Food Store” here in Rochester,
but I was in Manhatten last week for my daughter’s
college graduation (congratulations to all Barnard grads!)
and one of my favorite lunches was from the Whole Foods
salad bar in Union Square!  How simple and economical is
that?  We each made beautiful salads (mine included sauteed
collard greens!) and found a shaded park bench to enjoy
them with my daughter’s best friend!  How fun was that?

swiss rainbow chard

2 bunches swiss rainbow chard
olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 -3 tbsp. water
1 tsp. salt and freshly ground pepper

Cut the very brown, dry ends off of the chard and
discard.  Then cut stems into 1/2 inch chunks 
and rinse in a colander.  Heat  2-3 tbsp. olive oil
over  med.  heat and saute the end pieces about 7 min.,
then add garlic and saute 1 more min.   While ends are
cooking, cut the leaves into strips and rinse in a colander. 
Pat dry with a paper towel and add to pan with cooked
stems.  Add 2-3 tbsp. water, cover and let steam 3-4 min.
over low-med. heat.  Season and serve.  Your body will
thank you!

Don’t you love the thought of finding buried treasure?
I do.  Whenever I am in the mood for something new,
instead of immediatedly lurching for my wallet and
heading to the shops, I go for a treasure hunt in my own
home.  What a concept.  We all have buried treasures,
literally and more importantly figuratively, and it is really
fun to see what can be uncovered if you take the time to
look.  What I discover depends on what I am in the mood
to find!  Last week I found a cute purse and a fun pair of
earrings in the side pocket of a purse hiding in the back of
my closet.  I feel like I have a brand new handbag.  How fun
is that!  So take the time to rediscover what you already have -
and then use what you have!  How green  is that?

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This is a cookie you can feel really good about
eating!

supremely good for you cookies!

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. vanilla
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 cup oatmeal
1 tbsp. cocoa
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 bar dark chocolate (one square to top each cookie!)

In a stand mixer, beat butter until soft, then add sugar,
vanilla and eggs.  Follow with dry ingredients, ending
with bag of chips.  Place the mixture in the fridge or freezer
for 10-15 minutes (this will keep the cookies rounded shape
while baking).  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place a sheet of
foil or parchment paper on baking pan.  Scoop out dough
with a soup spoon and use your hands to form a ball.  Place
balls of dough (I make 8 or 9 per batch) on baking sheet,
then top each with a square of dark chocolate.  Bake in the
middle of the oven for 20-22 minutes.  I set the timer for
20 minutes, then maybe bake as long as 6 more minutes,
checking after each minute or two.  Let cool on a rack, then
place each cookie in a baggie to keep fresh.  Enjoy!

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I love this sauce.  If you make a large pan of it, count
on having several different dinners.  I made it last night
and served it with whole wheat penne pasta.  Yum!
Tomorrow night I will use the sauce as a filling for pastry
turnovers.  I combine the sauce with grated cheese and
make quiche dough, which I cut into squares and fill, then
fold into triangles and bake until I have beautiful, golden,
savory turnovers.  Yum!  Another favorite is lasagna, which
calls for a bolognese sauce, a white sauce, grated cheese and
no-bake lasagna noodles!  So pick your favorite shape pasta
and make a simple bolognese.  It freezes well too!

simple bolognese

2 pounds ground sirloin
2 tsp. salt and  1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced (largish pieces are fine!)
2-3 carrots, peeled and diced
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 cup red wine
1 pkg. brown gravy mix (stir into 1 cup water)
24 oz. jar marinara sauce (high or low end!)
salt, pepper to taste
fresh thyme, if available, is always good!

Dice and mince the vegetables first and place on a plate.
Mix the ground beef with salt, pepper, and flour in
a large bowl.  Heat the oil in a large heavy pan over
med. high heat and add the beef.  Saute and stir to
scrape up browned bits.  I usually turn the heat to
medium and let cook 15 minutes until the meat has
a nice brown color.  This takes time, patience, stirring
and scraping, but it is worth it not to have grayish
colored meat in your sauce!  If there is too much oil,
use the lid and drain out the excess before adding
the onions, garlic and carrots.  Saute meat and vegetables
on low medium for 7-9 minutes (stir and scrape occasionally),
then add wine, let cook a minute and stir, add brown
sauce, let cook a minute and stir, and finally add the
marinara sauce and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  Season
with salt and pepper and stir and scrape occasionally,
adding water as necessary if the sauce is too thick.
Enjoy with your favorite pasta!

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I told you, I don’t really cook strictly with the seasons.
This week we have eaten tomatoes with fresh mozzarella
three times.  In Minnesota spring is just now unfolding and
fresh  tomatoes are a long way off, however I am loving the
tomatoes on the vine I am finding in my favorite high and
low end grocery stores!  There is something so satisfying
about eating a very simple meal.  I have served the
tomatoes with homemade guacamole and good chips as
well as a roasted chicken.

platter of tomatoes and mozzarella

4-6 tomatoes on the vine
1 bunch of fresh basil
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, cut into cubes
salt, pepper
olive oil

Wash, dry and core the tomatoes, then slice horizontally
into thirds.  Place the tomatoes on a platter, sprinkle with
salt and pepper.  Wash and dry the basil with a paper towel,
then cut into julienne strips and place some on each tomato
slice.  Top each slice with a cube of mozzarella and season
again with salt and pepper.  Drizzle olive oil onto the tomatoes
and serve!  This is really good with bruschetta – just slice french
bread thickly, drizzle with olive oil and bake 5-10 minutes at
400 degrees.  Yum!