tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29492357128139865602024-03-05T05:36:11.148-06:00t h i n k . s i m p l e .Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.comBlogger89125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-88141863236400803332012-07-26T02:29:00.000-05:002012-07-26T02:29:37.824-05:00Weighing in: food vs exerciseA research group investigated the metabolic rate of a hunter-gatherer tribe and found it comparable to people that live a modern lifestyle, providing evidence for the theory that the food we eat - the type and quantity - matters more than exercise in overall body weight.
Hunter-Gatherer Energetics and Human Obesity
Hunter-Gatherer Clue to Obesity as reported by the BBC, with some quotes from Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-84191337364936859442012-07-03T14:15:00.001-05:002012-07-03T14:15:38.056-05:00Organic tomatoes win!Organic strawberries have been found to have higher levels of important nutrients, and a recent study has shown the same for organic tomatoes. Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-50700762457797643332012-06-28T06:29:00.000-05:002012-06-28T06:30:21.715-05:00Chocolate Chip Quinoa CookiesAdapted from foodconfidence.com.
1 c cooked quinoa
1/2 c chopped blanched almonds
1 c old-fashioned oats
1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
2 T honey or maple syrup
1 t vanilla extract
2 T nut butter
1/3 c chocolate chips
1/4 t salt
If you quinoa is still hot, it will melt the chocolate chips when you mix it, so plan accordingly: if you want the chips to be whole, let the quinoa cool. Mix Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-47835399491436343832012-06-04T07:23:00.001-05:002012-06-28T06:30:21.710-05:00Notfried Pinto Beans1 lb dry pinto beans
3 bay leaves
1/2 tsp cumin seed
1/2 tsp salt
1 green bell pepper
1 onion
ground cumin, oregano, salt to taste
Soak pinto beans and cook using your preferred method, with the measured salt, cumin seed, and bay leaves. When the beans are done, preheat oven to 400. Chop finely the onion and bell pepper and place each on a baking sheet (no oil needed). Roast Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-34545298968762481172012-06-01T06:16:00.000-05:002012-06-01T06:20:22.385-05:00Summer Reading ProgramsHalf Price Books: Read 300 minutes in a month, earn a $5 book credit. Runs June 1 - July 31.
See link for downloadable reading log and more information.
Barnes & Noble: read 8 books, choose a free book from list. Grades 1-6.
Reading journal & more information available at link.
Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-80237523377614257942012-05-09T18:54:00.002-05:002012-06-01T06:18:53.416-05:00Rhubarb Custard Pie
Crust
5 dates, chopped roughly
1 c old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. pecan meal
2 T flax meal
3 T water
Preheat oven to 400. Mix flax meal and
water in small bowl; set aside. Chop dates in food processor until
very fine, then add oats and pecan meal and process until a coarse
meal has formed. Add the flax mixture and combine. Press into
oiled pie plate.
Filling
2 c. milk of Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-46168608127924444782012-04-06T20:43:00.000-05:002012-04-06T20:43:21.196-05:00Non-food items to hide in plastic eggs
coins
erasers or other small desk items
ribbons for hair, ponytail holders, etc
puzzle pieces (thanks, Estelle!)
poems about spring (in entirety, or cut into verses to sort later)
funny poems for children
notes to child
scavenger hunt clues
fortunes (fortune egg, instead of fortune cookie!)
comic strips
homemade coupons for fun family activities
homemade coupons for special privileges
Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-10816782863779465292012-03-07T20:00:00.000-06:002012-03-07T20:08:00.174-06:00Navratan Korma
Adapted from 660 Curries by Raghavan Iyer. This was excellent and much easier than I expected. Modifications: ghee eliminated; roasted tofu subbed for paneer; vegetables increased and adapted for what was available; roasted instead of boiled.
The tofu:
1 lb tofu, drained, pressed, cubed, and roasted at 400F for about 30 minutes.
The vegetables:
1 c cauliflower florets cut to 1/2 inch across Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-71877144063646068922012-03-02T09:12:00.001-06:002012-03-02T09:15:04.359-06:00Whole Grain Pancake MixThis is a mix I used prior to our less-flour eating. It is a useful blend to speed baking and cooking, and also is infinitely adaptable to introduce kids (and adults!) to different whole grain flours and flavors.
It greatly speeds the process of making multigrain pancakes as there are just a few things to combine at cooking time. Put the mixing instructions on a label right onRosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-86568464402838024322012-02-23T14:29:00.000-06:002012-02-23T14:29:34.775-06:00Wednesday Soup: Roasted Vegetable Pinto Bean Soup
The roasted vegetables leave a fabulous aroma in the house and lend great flavor to this simple bean soup. Estimated cost for the pot of soup: $4.65 - about 6 servings at $0.78/each, plus extra cooked beans for another meal - huevos rancheros, or burritos, or to add to salads.
1 lb dried pinto beans, soaked and drained
2 bay leaves
Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-50018584386630877222012-01-30T07:00:00.000-06:002012-02-23T14:29:45.206-06:00PFCs and immunityThe Atlantic, reporting on a recent article in JAMA, said today that "PFCs, found in pizza boxes, fast-food wrappers, popcorn bags, certain clothing, and more, have been tied to a lower level of antibodies in kids."
This may be of particular concern in the eastern Twin Cities region, where groundwater contamination has occurred.
Alarmingly, the impact of the PFCs was worse than for Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-78719798515260418192011-12-09T14:51:00.001-06:002011-12-09T14:52:42.994-06:00Wednesday's SoupI've started a new activity for the winter, which is Wednesday soup and open craft time for my friends. I'll make a big pot of soup each week, and enjoy the company of whoever is available that day while we work on projects together after lunch. Leftover soup is never a problem in this house... I like to eat it for breakfast and lunch, and Lavender takes it for lunch, too.
This Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-71156121738022006162011-10-24T22:10:00.000-05:002011-10-24T22:10:24.278-05:00Halloween and the never-ending stream of candy and sugarThe constant availability of sugar in many forms has to be a large part of the current obesity epidemic. Everywhere we go, someone is offering Lavender or all of us candy, a cookie, or some other flour- or sugar-based item. It makes me crazy. Food does not need to be a part of every activity in which we participate!
And now it's nearly Halloween, just one of the sugar-dominatedRosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-31835533981349033742011-10-20T07:44:00.000-05:002011-10-20T07:44:51.290-05:00Cell Phones and KidsLavender doesn't carry a cell phone, but we are a cell-phone-only household and so she occasionally uses mine, usually on speaker mode. However, when I see a study like this, I pay attention:Cellphones Exceed U.S. FCC Exposure Limits by as Much as Double for Children, Study Findsexcerpt: "The paper notes that the industry-designed process for evaluating microwave radiation from phones Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-48873302442371851852011-10-19T08:40:00.000-05:002011-10-19T08:40:52.613-05:00Arguing about Starchy VegetablesThe Senate stood up for potatoes and corn this week when the Obama administration proposed limiting starchy vegetables to 1c/week in school lunches (how did corn ever become a vegetable, anyway?). Simple solution: serve them, but don't count them as vegetables, but rather toward the grain portion of the meal, which is often overloaded anyway. Non-starchy vegetables have higher nutrient Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-22172224789883296822011-10-16T15:24:00.000-05:002011-10-16T15:24:31.299-05:00Quinoa for breakfastQuinoa is a seed that is treated as a grain, and which is cooked exactly like white rice (1:2 ratio, cook for 20 minutes after bringing to a boil). It has a light, fluffy texture much like couscous. Rinse and cook 1 c. quinoa for 4 breakfast servings. Add butter, or fruit and nuts, milk and cinnamon, or cooked greens with whatever else your taste buds fancy. Refrigerate orRosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-83963801017331585042011-10-12T17:57:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.718-05:00Summer Wrap
This wrap is loosely based on summer rolls, the fresh and delicious, not-fried rolls that are on the menu at some Thai and Vietnamese restaurants, made with rice paper wrappers.
per serving:
1 tortilla of choice (not corn) - mine were 6" so if you use very large tortillas, adjust quantities below accordingly
1 Tbsp peanut or almond butter
1/4 tsp tamari or soy sauce
1/4 c shredded Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-75455177963245982952011-10-10T09:25:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.719-05:00More homemade school lunches, with cost estimates Cream cheese and jam on sprouted whole grain bread ($0.50), carrot and cucumber sticks ($0.25), olives ($0.25), prune plums ($0.25). Total $1.25.
Homemade chicken spaetzle soup ($1.00), carrot sticks ($0.25), pickles ($0.20), and homemade apple crisp ($0.10 - from homegrown apples). Total $1.55.
It was difficult to estimate the cost of the soup since the stock and Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-26082176577193637802011-09-30T21:47:00.001-05:002011-10-14T05:46:10.289-05:00Food this weekIt's fall harvest time - roasted root vegetables are a favorite. Tonight, parsnips, beets, and carrots, cut into strips to maximize child interest and dipping ability. Lavender liked all of them plain ("I have so many favorite foods!" she said) ... but decided that they were even better with ketchup.
Now for a few of this week's packed lunches and how they compare to school lunch at Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-88824150734244027972011-09-23T22:52:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.719-05:00Updated Menu I finally updated the "menu" following completion of the allergy elimination diet. As you will notice, bread is still mostly off the list - completely, for me. We all found the food listing to be a handy reminder of good things to eat during the elimination - it reduced the tendency to fall back on typical snack items. Lavender particularly likes to look at the menu when Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-18157401694710782032011-08-30T16:24:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.720-05:00Allergy Elimination Diet ResultsIt's been over 4 months since we began the elimination diet, and all foods have now been tested. I did not find any allergies, but I did learn about some food sensitivities that I never would have uncovered had those foods stayed in regular rotation. I also lost about 15 pounds (even though I was within normal BMI range), primarily from the elimination of flour and sugar. This Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-20946154412323524232011-07-02T05:45:00.001-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.720-05:00Natural and organic processed meats and "naturally occurring nitrates"If you're paying premium prices for natural and organic hot dogs, with "no added nitrites," read about happens to the "natural nitrates" from the celery juice powder that is typically used - and, alarmingly, how high the levels are.
"Applegate and other natural companies have proposed alternate wording to the U.S.D.A. in the past without success. They say they are confident their Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-78689768558234142122011-06-23T05:50:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.721-05:00Easy fresh gingerAfter cooking a recipe that called for using a blender to combine fresh ginger with water, and finding that it had an incredible flavor compared to mincing the ginger before cooking, I decided to prep all of the ginger that I bought this way and freeze it in ice cubes. 1-2 cubes add lots of gingery flavor to the average stir-fry or curry!Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-61896824227023261892011-06-08T14:24:00.000-05:002011-06-08T14:24:05.119-05:00First garden harvest of the yearThe asparagus did not like the cold, wet spring (it snowed at least 5 times in April), but we had some delicious Red Russian kale last week. Up next: probably the strawberries or radishes.
Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2949235712813986560.post-979444614358103432011-06-04T21:50:00.000-05:002011-10-14T05:47:17.721-05:00New Foods in Week 6 of the Allergy Elimination DietInstead of the full list of this week's menus, I'm just going to list new items.
Breakfasts and lunches were the same as previous weeks, until we introduced eggs on Friday. We had hard-boiled eggs with our lunches - quite a treat after all these weeks.
The only new dinner was a Mexican-style rice with kidney beans and green beans, which made some extra lunches as well.Rosemary Evergreenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02483193911394773123noreply@blogger.com0