DISH’IN NUTRITION: “Make It and They Will Come”!

        Ladies…ever felt like a short order cook?  Sure you have. After all, more often than not, it’s the woman of the house who first decides to set her sites on a ‘zero to hero’ speed course in new, healthy eating routines. This of course leaves the rest of your family, friends (and various other loved ones), just a few options if they choose to dine with you at the table tonight - or tomorrow morning for that matter. It’s just that scary!

First: Having witnessed this type of behavior before, they’ve convinced  themselves that if they wager on “having what you’re having”, they’re signing up for a nice sized serving of Tofurkey (that’s tofu , molded into the shape of a turkey) with a refreshing side of seaweed and a wheat grass energy drink to wash it down. They’ll skip it and ask for something else that you’ll end up making.  

Second: They can make their meal on their own, but having spoiled our families the way we do, that’s not really much of an option to be seriously considered now is it? But in all fairness;

They’ll make their own dinner or go hungry instead.  

Third: Your kids can call your husband at work and fill him in as they hatch a plan to have him do a fast food drive by. It goes like this. He plans a route where he can swing by just fast enough to pick them up and escape, but not disruptive enough to distract you from your “scary kitchens concoctions” and make a smooth getaway before you know they’ve flown down the highway to their favorite fast food joint and filled up!

The Escape and make a run for “fast food” option.

Fourth : YOU CAN STILL CHOOSE TO PICK WHAT’S BEHIND DOOR NUMBER FOUR !  There is a fourth option. It’s the most beneficial for all and it involves everyone eating the same food - at the same table - at the same time. IMAGINE THAT! No more cooking two dinners, one for mom (the adventurous ‘foliage eating foodie’) and the other for the rest of the family who likes to recognize their meals. 

Healthy eating begins and ends with reasonable subtle changes that everyone will enjoy. When it comes to making healthy eating a part of your entire family’s existence, do so by making dishes that has them asking, “Hey, can I try some of that”? When this happens, Trust me….you win! Better still, “Hey, Can I HELP you make that”? Then you win for life my friend.

  

While on our trip to Hawaii a couple of weeks ago I tried this out on my husband. He’s not against eating healthy food mind you; he couldn’t be and live with me - but then again…he’s not going to carve up a Tofurkey for next Thanksgiving either.

I went into the kitchen and started making my favorite “South West - Egg White Salad” for lunch. I’d made it for myself several days before he’d arrived and I asked him if he’d like to see what I was making.

“That looks great Candace, what’s in it”? I explained and he added “wow it really looks good. Do you have enough for two”?

I was pleased to serve my Kane (Hawaiian for MAN) and I made us each a bowl and we sat on the Lanai watching the surfers and gobbled it up. The good news: He loved it! Better news? He wants it again and the best news of all…he was FULL when he finished!

SO, start out easy moms AND dads, with your children AND with each other too. Make healthy food that looks appealing and tastes good too. This particular dish is one of my favorite concoctions. It serves up a huge 20+ grams of protein and banks in at ‘just shy’ of 200 calories - with less than a single gram or trace of fat.  You gotta love that. Protein takes longer to digest than simple carbohydrates, so try this one as a quick wake up call for your metabolism by serving it for breakfast too.

Breakfast, Lunch or dinner…my “South West - Egg White Salad” will do the trick.

Recipe: “Southwest - Egg White Salad”

Boil and remove the yoke from four or five egg whites. Cut the whites into quarters and toss the yolks to the birds or into your compost heap.

Chop two small tender cucumbers and two small to medium ripe and firm, plum tomatoes.

In a medium bowl, combine the boiled egg whites with the cucumbers and tomatoes. Toss with a few Tablespoons of your favorite salsa. Making sure it has no more than 10 Calories per 2 Tablespoons as a serving size.

Line a small glass bowl with the large washed leaves of fresh butter lettuce.

Add your egg white, cucumber, tomato and Salsa mixture to the center surrounded by the lettuce leaves.

Sprinkle with low sodium salt and a dash of pepper and ENJOY!

Don’t be surprised if you’re not able to eat the whole thing -

Bon Appetite and until next time….

POWER ON,

Candace