Christmas Gift from the Kitchen

Christmas.  The Holidays.  Though I was raised in a Jewish household, my connection to the weeks surrounding December 25 goes back to the sixties and seventies.  As Andy Williams sang, "It's the Most Wonderful Tme of the Year."  I love the music, the communual joy in everyone's greetings, from people you recognize from your daily Starbuck's run to strangers holiday shopping in the mall.   And the winter holiday season is about sharing favorite dishes, family traditions or new favorites, with friends and family.

In my last post, I advised "stepping away from the cookie plate."  I've reconsidered. Within reason!

On a recent rainy Sunday afternoon, I got together with some dear friends to play pokeno and toast the holiday season over pretty pink-hued cocktails, caprese-inspired quiche, a tasty pomegranate salsa, and desserts.  These girls nights out are a highlight of my month, a chance to unwind with some great women.  Each month, we coordinate dishes and a cockail to go with our selected theme.

As the resident nutritionista, I generally come up with some sort of dish involving kale or quinoa.  This month, after some consideration, I thought I'd mix it up.  I had planned to make these addictive fruitcake cookies from the Barefoot Contessa.  You know -- a pound or so of unsalted butter, white flour, tubs of those candied emerald green and ruby red fruits.  The caveat?   The candied fruits were nowhere to be found.  And the dough needed to be chilled for an hour and a half. After a long day of work, that wasn't going to happen.

I glanced over at the supermarket holiday baking display, set up front center by the entrance.  You know by now that I am a from scratch kind of girl.  I avoid processed foods even when we're talking tarte tatin.  But, I was exhausted and famished.  That box of Krusteaz shortbread mix was my salvation. 

In addition to my passion for nutrition, I am a bit of an armchair food trivia buff.  I remembered Krusteaz was started by a Seattle area bridge group back in the 1930s who had come up with an easy at home piecrust mix.  Since I'd be baking treats for my game night friends, I relished the nostalgic connection.

Inspired by Ina Garten's recipe, I wandered over to the produce section where I found pomegranate-flavored dried cranberries.  Next stop, baking aisle for some dark chocolate chips and crushed toffee. 

I returned home to whip up two boxes of shortbread mix with 3 sticks of unsalted butter, adding in my extra ingredients.  Dropped by tablespoons onto a cookie sheet and baked for 10 minutes.  Voila!

The cookies have become my go to recipe for the holiday season!

To celebrate the holidays, I share with you two recipes from my game night friends.  A pomegranate/corn/black bean salsa my friend Michelle and a killer Passion X champagne drink from my friend and cocktail master Fran.

Happy Holidays!

Love,

Beth

Michelle's Fruit Salsa

(PS You know I had to tweak to avoid GMO corn, additional sodium and add avocado!)

1 bag frozen organic corn
1 tub pomegranate seeds (Trader Joe's)
1 can low sodium black beans
1 avocado, cubed (optional)

Mix in a bowl.  Serve with organic tortilla chips.

Fran's Pink Passion Cocktail

1 bottle X-Rated Fusion Liquer
1 bottle sparkling wine or champagne
1 bottle club soda or seltzer
quartered limes

Pour one part X-rated Fusion Liquer with one part chanpagne. Top with sparkling water and serve with lime.

Cheers!

Step Away from the Cookie Plate!

We're in the thick of the holiday season.  Radio stations in Southern California and Muzak in stores are playing round the clock "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" and "Feliz Navidad."  Your inbox is likely filled with a gifting special of the day.  Need a sweater for Uncle Bob?  Take 20% off at Banana Republic! What about a festive cocktail dress for the office party?  Drive around the mall parking lot for an hour just to get a spot. Then, come home to wrap all the gifts, surrounding yourself with Scotch Tape, reams of giftwrap and ribbon. Invited to a cookie exchange? You'll need to bake five dozen of your favorite treats. 

Throw in some obligatory holiday gatherings where you'll need a grab bag or white elephant. Your kid's holiday show.  Decorating the tree or frying latkes. As much as I enjoy the festive spirit, I'm inclined to shout, "Bah, Humbug!" and dive under the covers to watch a Hallmark Christmas romantic comedy!

That cookie basket at the office or the dozens of iced sugar cookies in the kitchen are looking more tempting by the moment!  Thinking about dipping your finger into the icing bowl or shoveling clumps of raw cookie dough into your mouth when nobody's looking?

Sugar and Fat.  The homecoming couple of the holiday season.  When they're together, they're an irrestible duo.  Try saying "no" to that iced gingerbread man or holiday cupcake.  And we're not just talking about the white granulated or powdery stuff.  Simple carbs or what we nutritionistas refer to as "high glycemic load" carbohydrates give you that quick energy buzz only to leave you exhausted on the couch listening to Bing Crosby.

Steaming bread and butter.  That order of fries from the drive-through or filched from your son's plate.  Pasta and butter, straight from the pot before you serve to the family.  An assortment of flaky hors d'oeuvres wrapped in filo dough, moments earlier filling someone's freezer.

Instead of surrendering to the inevitability of an extra five or ten pounds along with the crumpled gift wrap, ornaments and decorations to put away till next year, what if you could indulge in some of your favorite yuletide or Hanukkah treats in a balanced way while still fitting into your little black dress or skinny jeans?  What if January magazine cover diet programs offered no more allure than a computer tech manual or how-to guide to changing your car's oil? 

Have you resigned yourself to buying stretch pants to accomodate the extra helpings of the fat/sugar duo for the next few weeks?  Perhaps you've already started the holiday pound stampede with mountains  of buttery mashed potatoes peaked with gravy, leftover stuffing picked apart while you were standing before the alter of the fridge.  Maybe you've already forked your way through the remainders of the pumpkin pie or raided the gift baskets filled with exotic crackers and processed cheeses.  The good news?  It's not too late to dodge the advances of the notorious creeping waistline with these tips!

1. Water.  Thirst vs hunger can be more confusing than a calculus problem to someone who hasn't studied math since high school.  Next time you feel like diving into a plate of mediocre Christmas sugar cookies in the office breakroom, try drinking a tall glass of chilled water. 

2. Picky eater. Parents of toddlers or preschoolers will remember the days when Chloe or Noah survived on Cheerios or buttered pasta.  I'm not suggesting you limit yourself to bland white food but be selective! Choose your indulgences wisely.  Forego that packaged cookie. Indulge in a homemade version or your favorite holiday hors d'ouevre.

3. Eat first. Don't skimp on your eating all day to save calories for hors d'ouevres and cocktails. Instead, start the day with a light meal of egg whites and whole grain toast or oatmeal with a splash of almond milk.  Enjoy a salad with some protein for lunch.  Snack on half an apple with almond butter or a piece of string cheese before you head out the door.  An growling stomach only leads to a path of unwise food choices.

4. Dance! Take an activity break from your hectic holiday schedule.  Invite a friend for a brisk walk instead of meeting for happy hour.  Stop by the yoga studio for some downward dog.  Pop in a workout DVD or dance around the living room to your favorite tunes. 

5. Share the love. Prepare a healthy vegetable-based recipe to bring to a gathering or potluck. Almost everyone will appreciate the option. In the next weeks, I'll be posting some "clean" recipes to add to your repertoire!

Happy Holidays!

Beth

The Thanksgiving Plate: A Side of Gratitude

 Photo by Quentin Bacon

Thanksgiving is the official kickoff to the season of indulgences.  Pile the plate high with 1950s cafeteria-style classics like green bean casserole, candied sweet potatoes topped with marshmallows, maybe a turkey leg and some of Aunt Susie's dressing.  During a Thanksgiving special on Food Network, one of the celebrity chefs noted holiday desserts needed to be prepared with extra flavor since everyone would already be full from dinner.  Thanksgiving is an eating marathon followed by a month of Christmas cookies, gourmet food baskets, hors d'oeuvres, baked brie, latkes, egg nog, baked brie, candy canes, and office potlucks.  No wonder we start seeing ads for weight loss programs and gyms before the first of the year!

Am I suggesting we forego all the fun; have celery sticks and quinoa, will travel?  Not at all!  Celebrations almost always center around food.  Sharing a traditional family recipe or something new from Bon Appetit with family, co-workers, and friends is a wonderful part of the season!  I'm grateful for the people in my life and all the delicious dishes they prepare.  (Though, I could do without the jello mold!) 

Temptation cannot be denied, only delayed.  Nurse a club soda by the cocktail party crudite display while your friends toast with champagne or a martini and sample hors d'oeuvres.  A few hours later, you'll be digging your spoon into that pint of Ben & Jerry's in back of the freezer or horror of all horrors, a leftover cupcake from someone's August birthday!  So, allow yourself an indulgence or two.  Better yet, bring along a delectable yet healthy dish to round out the menu!

Orange Braised Parsnips and Carrots
(From Barefoot Contessa Foolproof by Ina Garten)

1 pound carrots with the greens attached
1 pound thin parsnips
1/3 cup small-diced shallots (1 large)
2 teaspoons grated orange zest
1¼ cups freshly squeezed orange juice, divided (3 oranges)
1/3 cup good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees.

Trim and scrub or peel the carrots and parsnips. If the parsnips are thick, slice them in half or quarters lengthwise so they are about the same width as the carrots.

Place the carrots and parsnips in a pot or Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset, that’s large enough for the vegetables to lie flat. Add the shallots, orange zest, ¾ cup of the orange juice, the olive oil, thyme, red pepper flakes, 2 teaspoons salt, and ½ teaspoon black pepper.

Place the pot on the stove and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover tightly with a lid or heavy-duty foil. Transfer to the oven and cook for 1½ hours, until the carrots and parsnips are very tender. Discard the thyme bundle. Sprinkle with the remaining ½ cup of orange juice and the parsley and season to taste. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Lunchbox Nostalgia

As Hostess Brands files in Bankrupcy Court and the "creme"-filled torpedoes, frosted pink domes, and butter-topped bread no longer roll off the assembly line, many of us face a revived nostalgia for the chemical-laden fluffy foods of our school day lunchboxes.

I was a child of the seventies.  My mom occasionally packed my Partridge Family lunch box with bologna on Wonder Bread, a Twinkie or Drake's Coffee Cake, and a thermos of water spiked with Hawaiian Punch. More often, I'd lunch on leftover brisket and ketchup on the bread that promised to "build healthy bodies in 12 ways."  Leftover brisket, meatloaf, or chicken cutlet sandwiches were usual fare. 

My mother made dinner almost every night except Saturday when she and my dad would go out.  My brother and I would get to choose a favorite frozen dinner at our local A & P.  Fish sticks, Tater Tots, Swanson's fried chicken TV dinner, or my favorite, Morton's Macaroni & Cheese.  Baked in the oven, the macaroni would come out bubbling hot, enveloped in a thick layer of melted cheese.

As Hostess fans madly dash to the grocery shelves in search of the final boxes of CupCakes, Ding Dongs, and Devil Dogs, I suspect nostalgia trumps the taste of these fluffy confections. 

As Proust said, "Remembrance of things past is not necessarily the remembrance of things as they were.”  Of course, this is the same Proust who so eloquently penned an homage to the madeleine, the buttery scalloped Parisian cookie. 

During a recent trip to New York, I ducked into a neighborhood shop for a cup of coffee, I eyed a familiar package from my childhood.  Butterscotch Krimpets. I looked forward to sharing my technique of peeling back the salty-sweet panel of icing with  my 11-year old daughter.  I pulled apart the plastic to reveal my long-ago lunchbox favorite.  My daughter wrinkled her nose and assessed, "This smells like floor cleaner,' her usual response to anything with with an ingredient list resembling shampoo or that chemistry lab kit your brother had as a child.  The eternally-moist confections of our youth have nothing on a homemade birthday cake with buttercream. 

My daughters have been raised on a predominantly plant-based diet with occasional forays into the world of home-baked birthday cupcakes and Cavatappi with Four Cheeses.  School lunches include carrots with a side of hummus and GMO-free chips.

I wonder if my daughters will develop nostalgia for quinoa pilaf or organic tofu stir-fry...

Healthy Candy? More Trick Than Treat

Halloween.  The kick-off to the season of binging and feasting.  When your ghosts, goblins and superheroes come home with a pillowcase filled with your candy favorites or you've bought one of those Costco sacks of mini-chocolate bars, how can you make a healthy choice?

As I commented to my teenaged daughter, "Define healthy."  When my 16-year old dumped her stash on the kitchen table, we decided to go through the ingredient lists.  Bah humbug!

Since GMOs have been in the news and in our consciousness, we started with a search for soy and soy derivatives.  We were unable to find a single candy without soy lechitin or labeling denoting ingredients including "soy products."  Soy lechitin is an emulsifier derived by chemical or mechanical separation during soybean oil production.  In simple English, emulsifiers keep the cocoa and cocoa butter from separating in many of your favorite chocolate candies, from Hershey bars to Heath Bars, Butterfingers, Three Musketeers and Milky Way.  Why should we worry about soy lechitin?  According to the website Fooducate, unless a food is designated as organic, the odds are it's derived from genetically modified soy.  If you're on the fence about the safety of GMOs, check out my previous blogs or watch "Genetic Roulette" on You Tube.

Disappointed that we were unable to find any chocolate favorites without soy, we moved on to candy choices recommended by more than a few weight loss articles and websites.  If we're weighing the options, low calorie and low fat doesn't necessarily equal healthy.  Remember the 90s when we eschewed extra virgin olive oil only to binge on Red Vines and Snack Well cookies?  Our collective BMI and pants sizes went up faster than your portfolio during a bull market!

Let's take a look at one of the "lower fat" options straight from the candy pile.  Six Tootsie Roll midgies weigh in at 140 calories with 3 g of fat.  Nothing some extra treadmill time can't handle, right?  The problem isn't in the calories in vs calories out.  It's in the ingredients. Sugar, corn syrup, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, condensed skim milk, cocoa whey, soya lechitin, and natural and artificial flavors.   For starters, we have the GMO factor.  When sugar isn't listed as pure cane, it invariably is derived from sugar beets, one of the top GMO crops.  Corn syrup, soybean oil, soya lechitin?  Bingo!  More of the same.  Corn syrup is essentially corn starch converted with enzymes to form a sweetener less expensive than sugar.  Corn, the commodity bankrolled by our friendly government and you've got it, likely GMO.  Partially hydrogenated oil?  AKA trans fat!  There's little disagreement in the medical community that trans fats do a one-two punch on your cholesterol, increasing your LDL or "bad" cholesterol while lowering your HDL or "good cholesterol."  An iceberg wedge with blue cheese dressing followed by a juicy Porterhouse might just be a better option!

I could probably write a book about the harmful ingredients in candy but I suspect you've gotten the point.

Am I suggesting you pass out celery sticks and raisins to Trick or Treaters? Nope. For some, chocolate is a food group and a panacea for all that ails.  Binging on chocolate or some other comfort food isn't going to solve any problems.  Nevertheless, I believe in moderation and choosing your temptations wisely.

So, if chocolate is calling your name, select organic dark chocolate such as Green & Black's Organic Chocolate, Kopali Organics Chocolate Cacao Nibs available on Amazon.com or Endangered Species Organic Dark Chocolate with Almonds. 

As Charles M. Schulz once said, "All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt."  Just make it organic, dark chocolate!




  

Energy Drinks for Kids?

 

 

According to a recent article in Forbes, energy drinks are the largest growing segment in the beverage industry.  Most of this growth can be attributed to popularity with teens and preteens.  Despite a warning label for consumers under 18, the beverages are marketed via sponsorship of sporting events and other campaigns which create a caffeinated buzz among kids.

 

Energy drinks have been on the front page since the parents of 14-year old Maryland teen Anais Fournier have sued Monster Beverage after their daughter died from a heart attack caused by caffeine toxicity after drinking just two cans of the beverage.

 

Last week, my 12-year old daughter attended a bar mitzvah where she said kids were drinking two or three cans of Red Bull.  While bartenders wouldn't serve a 12 or 13-year old beer or a cocktail, they seem to have no problem serving the equivalent of five cans of Diet Coke to tweens or teens.

 

Are energy drinks safe for kids? 

 

According to The Official Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics (February 2011), "pediatric healthcare providers need to be aware of energy drink consumption by children, adolescents, and young adults and the potential dangers caused by inappropriate use."  The Journal recommends physicians screen for use, especially in athletes, children with high-risk behavior and with certain health conditions including diabetes, hypertension, ADHD, cardiac problems, anxiety, poor nutrition and sleep disturbances.  Unless longterm studies prove energy drinks are safe for children and adolescents, the Academy advocates regulation similar to tobacco, alcohol, and prescription medications.

 

How are energy drink manufacturers given the green light to include mega-doses of caffeine and how are the manufacturers able to evade including caffeine content in labeling? 

 

Since energy drinks have been on the shelves and in mini-mart refrigerator cases, the FDA has allowed manufacturers to sell as supplements rather than foods, a category that requires less regulation with regards to caffeine content and labeling. For reference, one 16-oz. can of Diet Coke contains approximately 45 g of caffeine.  A 24-oz. can of Monster contains 240 mg of caffeine. 

 

A recent NY Times article states FDA officials did not find enough evidence about caffeine's safety to prompt further action.  The burden of proof is left to the energy drink manufacturers who are motivated to sell more drinks. 

 

How much caffeine is safe for healthy adults?  Many physicians and medical professionals suggest no more than 300 mg per day or the equivalent of  three 'short" coffees.  How much caffeine is safe for children or adolescents?  The verdict is still out.

 

Most parents wouldn't dream of giving a 12-year old four No-Doz tablets chased by a double espresso.  Yet, post-soccer game or at a party, kids can be found chugging 240 mg or more of caffeine in an energy beverage.

 

Just say no!

GMO Foods: Getting Them Off Your Plate and Out of Your Shopping Cart

In my last blog, I shared the details of how crops from genetically modified seeds have grown to play such a significant part of our food supply.  In less than two weeks, California voters will go to the polls to decide the outcome of Prop 37. Should food processing companies be required to label foods containing ingredients derived from genetically modified seeds?  Do we have the right to know what we feed our families?

As I write this blog, I am listening to a No on Prop 37 ad paid for by the Council for Biotechnology Information whose members include Monsanto, Dupont and other GMO companies, warn voters of  "millions of government dollars wasted" and rising prices at the cart if GMO foods are labeled.  Both claims have been invalidated by third parties including Emory law professor Joanna Shepherd-Bailey who has testified before the US House of Representatives.

Companies change labels all the time to reflect New and Improved. It's doubtful the cents per person will be passed on by the grocery companies who will aim to keep customers buying GMO products. 

If California voters believe Monsanto or if you live in a state where labeling is not required, how can you avoid these bioengineered foods that have never been safety-tested before being released into our environment and in our grocery carts?

1. Purchase Organic-Certified foods which may not intentionally use GMO-derived ingredients.

2. Look for the "Non-GMO Project" label, third-party verified non-GMO foods.

3. Download the "Non-GMO Shopping Guide" or app on your i Phone or smart phone.

4. Avoid Aspartame (NutraSweet, Equal), an artificial sweetener in process of being rebranded as "AminoSweet," a genetically modified sweetener.

5. Be aware of the following foods, ingredients or derivatives.

Corn: Conventional corn, derivatives including high fructose corn syrup, corn oil, maltodextrin, corn meal.  Conventional popcorn is not currently a GMO crop.

Soy: Non-organic soy, tofu, soy sauce, soy derivatives including soy flour, soy protein, soy lechitin, texturized vegetable protein.

Oils: Cottonseed, corn, canola oil.

Sugar Beets: Non-cane sugar, processed from Roundup Ready sugar beets.

Hawaiian and Chinese Papaya

Some conventional zucchini and crookneck squash

6. Focus your diet on the outside aisles.  Fill your cart with organic fruits and vegetables.  Avoid processed foods.  According to reknowned journalist and author Michael Pollan, over 45,000 foods containing corn or corn derivatives line the grocery shelves.

7. Buy only non rbST or organic dairy.  Bovine growth hormone or rbST has been connected with rising rates of breast and prostate cancer as well as tumors, infertility and other significant problems in lab animals 

8. Purchase organic and free-range poultry, beef, pork and dairy products.  Livestock fed GMO feed may pass on the DNA and genetic manipulations to those who consume their meat and milk.

Avoiding GMO-derived groceries can be challenging, especially without labels.  But, as long as food companies play this dangerous game of polluting our food supply with GMO foods associated with a myriad of health problems, we will need to be responsible for our own education and health, a worthy goal for all of us.

GMOs: A Horror Story

What if a multinational biochem company started inserting foreign genes derived from bacteria or viruses into DNA and cloned these cells into new genetically modified organisms? What if that same company created entirely new plants, unfound in nature, resistant to the same company's weed killer Roundup, allowing farmers to use drastically increased amounts of that company's pesticides on their crops?  What if that "trusted" company had a long history of selling such toxins as DDT, PCBs, and Agent Orange?  What if former attorneys and officers in that company became stakeholders in government agencies and branches including the FDA, EPA and US Supreme Court?

What if the company acquired seed companies and licensed genetic modification technology to other large chemical companies?  What if by 2015, genetically modified crops were expected to dominate the market with new non-commodity GMOs introduced into our food supply?

What if 94% of conventional soy, 86 % of conventional canola (grapeseed) pressed into oil, 75 % of conventional corn and most sugar beet crops were grown from the company's GMO seeds?  What if no human clinical trials had ever been done to prove safety of these genetically altered crops in our food supply?  What if the only published independent study of the GMOs showed the transfer of the altered DNA into the intestinal lining of subjects, potentially creating super strains of antibiotic-resistant diseases?

What if the rates of allergies, autism, cancer, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and other inflammation-related diseases have escalated since the introduction of genetically modified plants into our food supply?

What if after one week in 1999, the majority of European food manufacturers committed to non-use of GMOs?  What if forty countries worldwide, including Russia and China, required labeling of GMOs while our own FDA does not?

What if the same biotech company introduced a synthetic hormone that increased milk production in dairy cows along with mastitis, an increase of antibiotics found in milk, a 7% spike in ductile breast cancer and a 4% spike in prostate cancer?  What if the biotech company and a biotech lobbying group aimed to stop labeling in rBST dairy products because that might cause Americans to question its safety?  What if after consumers stopped buying milk and dairy products with bovine growth hormone, corporations including Walmart and Yoplait stopped buying dairy from farmers who used rBST?

What if voters in California had the opportunity to vote to require labeling of GMOs so consumers could make an educated choice when grocery shopping for their families?  What if the biotech company, grocers' lobbying group and huge food corporations donated millions of dollars to fight consumer knowledge and awareness?  What if ads inflated the costs of labeling to consumers just to sell more seeds and control the food supply?

This sounds like a political thriller but it's the story of Monsanto. 

If you are a California voter, support labeling of GMO foods by voting for Prop 37. 

In the meantime, purchase organic foods which cannot be derived from GMOs.  Avoid conventional corn and soy as well as any derivatives including oil, high fructose corn syrup, guar gum, texturized vegetable protein. Exchange corn, soy, vegetable and canola oil for olive oil.  Purchase pure cane sugar instead of sugar made from sugar beets. 

In my next few blogs, I will provide links to non-GMO grocery shopping lists and apps and more information on GMOs.

We deserve to know what we feed ourselves and our families.  We need to be educated consumers and eaters.

Clean Your Plate

Clean Your Plate!

For many of us, this mere comment brings us back to the childhood dinner table. Maybe you were the kid who shoved the peas under the placemat or furtively tossed a slice of steak to the family dog. Or maybe your experience was more like mine. "Do you think you really need to eat that?"

Food is more than calories, fat grams, fiber, vitamins, minerals. It's your mom's apple pie, grandma's kasha varnishkes, the lasagna your friend always brings to potlucks. It's a slice of pizza or bag of chestnuts eaten on a New York street. A salad and gossip shared with a friend or guacamole and chips and a margarita with rocks, salt enjoyed at an after work happy hour. It's a Thanksgiving table groaning with an 18-pound turkey and all the fixings. It's rolling out cookie dough and decorating Christmas cookies with your kids. It's a chef's famed recipe enjoyed at a candlelight dinner with a handsome first date or to celebrate an anniversary. It's french fries at the beach or macaroons eaten on the Champs Elysees.

Food is also nourishment. Finding the way of eating that brings you more energy and wellness. As Hippocrates said thousands of years ago, "Let food be thy medicine and medicine thy food." When we fill our bodies and satiate our appetites with clean, unprocessed food, we experience increased energy and vitality. We look and feel better.

I'm glad you're joining me on this blog journey. Food, like life, is about balance. I'm not going to suggest some quick fix bikini diet where you're toting celery sticks in ziplocks to a holiday party because you "can't eat the food." I'm going to give you information on integrating clean foods into your life and to your family table. I'll bring you tips on how to encourage kids or even significant others to make healthier choices, one step at a time. I'll show you how to navigate the grocery or health food store, the farmers market and a restaurant menu or two.

Newstands, bookstores, the Internet are all filled with confusing and contradictory messages about what we should eat. Eat more eggs. Don't eat eggs. Ditch the carbs. Count your fat grams. Join a diet program. I recently saw an ad advocating a feeding tube diet.

I'll help navigate you through this minefield of information so you can make healthy choices. And, of course, I'm a girl so I know you also want to know about how to look good in a bikini or turn heads in that cocktail dress!

And because I believe we can change the world one plate at a time, I'll bring you the latest news in nutrition, the environment as it relates to nutrition and food, and other global issues with my take on them.

Clean Your Plate! is a community of people who want to learn to make healthier food and lifestyle choices. I welcome comments and interaction. I want to know your challenges and victories. We are here to support each other!

So, Clean Your Plate!

Beth