She put the lime in the coconut [soup]

It's true, we are coconut crazy 'round here.  Over the last few months Kristian has made coconut butter, we have been cooking with coconut oil, coconut milk or cream has been making it's way into many dinner menus, and to top it off this coconut body butter from trader joes is my favorite smelling and cracked-skin- eliminating lotion. Ever.

We came up with this soup as part of our coconut craze.  It has slightly taken the edge off of old man winter's sting here in Utah.  Last month the temp had a 1 in front of it for weeks and just like with age, after you have experienced the teens you feel a lot more settled and comfortable in the 30s.

Lentil coconut curry soup

Ingredients:

• 2 T. coconut oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 large carrot, or 10 small carrots, diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 T. curry powder (add more to taste)
• salt and pepper (add to taste)
• 1 17oz. package of lentils*
• 1 14 oz. can of  broth (chic or veg)
• 1 14 oz. can of coconut milk
• 1 lime (optional)

Saute onions, carrots, and celery in coconut oil for 10ish minutes.  Add curry powder, salt, pepper and cook for 1 minute more.  Add entire package of lentils, broth and coconut milk and cook on medium for another 5 minutes until it all comes together and finish with the squeeze of half a lime.  Is there anything else that you would add to make this soup more you?  I enjoy this is as, sans meat.  Kristian has added bacon to his portion in the past.  And for more protein you could add some chicken to it, if you like that sort of thing.

*If cooked lentils are not available you can soak them over night and then put them in a crock put with chicken or veggie stock for a few hours until they are tender.

In our efforts to eat less simple carbs, this recipe has become a go-to for dinner at our house and is a nice way to have a balanced meal without any bread or pasta in the mix.  

Friday link love [on food]

Microwave popcorn - I have had a long and taste-bud-satisfying relationship with microwave popcorn until a few years back when I realized it is covered in hydrogenated fats.  I recently discovered a new way to make it cheaper, better tasting, and healthier: in a brown paper bag!  I put 1/2 cup of popcorn kernes in a bag, fold the top of the bag down a few times and in my microwave I cook it for 2:25.  Then I can control what goes on my popcorn, real butter is better for you as mentioned in our post earlier this week, and your taste buds will love it.

Pinterest - Have you cooked or baked anything via a pinned recipe?  I have not tried every single recipe that I have pinned, but all that I have tried have been great.  If you are interested in following us on pinterest, here are the links to my boards: breakfast, savory, and snacks, and Kristian's food board.  We try to stick to the 80/20 rule.  80% of the time we focus on eating for health, and 20 % of time it's all about eating things because they rock our world.  You only live once.

Mastering the art of french cooking - Julia Child was a fascinating, driven, and inspiring person.  A few years back Kristian gave me her cook book that was made more famous to our generation in the movie Julie and Julia.  I have not cooked my way through it, but I have tried a few recipes and one of our favorites is the recipe for cream of onion soup on page 14, it is the best I have ever had.

Before we left Portland and moved here [Utah] in 2010,  a friend of mine and fellow foodie, gave me the book My life in France which Julia Child wrote herself.  She is a fantastic writer, and her passion for food is infectious.  I would highly recommend it.

Yelp - This site is a great resource to look up reviews about many things, but our favorite foodie way to use it is for reviews on restaurants.  The reviews are written by anyone that wants to write one.  I love to use it when I am about to purchase a groupon, living social, or restaurant.com gift certificate.  A great deal to a shot-in-the-dark mediocre restaurant isn't worth it, but a great deal at a restaurant that gets great reviews is a foodie-on-a-budget's   para.   para.    paradise.


Seriouseats - This link comes highly recommended courtesy of Kristian.  I just checked it out and I can see why.  The photography is amazing, warning: don't go browsing hungry or you might suddenly feel that your life's mission is to take the next flight to NYC, go straight to the east village with hopes that you make it while breakfast is still being served. Here are some two of their posts that caught my attention:

•  A Downton Abbey dinner party - This is my kind of dinner party, if you are going authentic that means dressing like you are in the Great Gatsby, and that your paid live-in help will prepare and serve dinner.  This idea is sounding better and better.

• DIY grape soda - It's never to early to start putting all of your warm weather hosting day dreams to work, and making some perfect-for-summer drinks at home.

And finally, maybe I will surprise Kristian this weekend by making this burger!

Meet us back here next week for some DIY projects, and music we love.

10 Healthy Snack Ideas

Hi All,

This week is all about nutrition and a major part of that is healthy snacking. Yes, I know, healthy and snack are two words that should never be seen together. But so are heart & attack. Plus, eating healthy doesn't have to be what I call B squared, Boring & Bland. So here are 10 yummy snack ideas with recipes.


1. Peas - We put this on here simply because we love the peas. The best part, they don't even need anything. Nature's goodness wrapped in a little present of joy.  I could snack on these all day long.

2. Smoothies - in all their assorted glory.

Power smoothie.  We make this every morning for breakfast. But it could be a healthy mid-afternoon snack. Particularly good on a hot day.

• 1 Banana
• 1 handful of fresh spinach
• 1 cup of frozen berries [blueberries are our favorite]
• 2-4 cups of Almond Milk [depending on how much smoothie you want]
• Directions: Combine all ingredients into your blender and blend until smooth.   

Coconut Strawberry Smoothie. Coconut is awesome. You can eat it, drink it, cook with it, use it for a bra, and even use the oil for everything from frying to skin care. It is basically the polymath of the food world.

• 1 cup frozen fresh strawberries [is frozen fresh an oxymoron?]
• 1/2 cup frozen fresh mango 
• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup water
• Little pinch of salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp of extra virgin coconut oil [can omit if you like]
• 1 organic raw egg [for frothiness and protein. If you don't like raw egg just omit]
• Directions: Blend all ingredients except the coconut oil and raw egg. Blend till smooth and creamy. Then add coconut oil. And finally add the raw egg and mix till blended. Don't over blend the egg. Pour in a tall glass [not a plastic cup] sit back and enjoy. If you are daring and bold sprinkle a little unsweetened toasted coconut flakes on top. 

Simple Coconut Fruit Smoothie [yes, we like smoothies]

• 1 can of coconut cream or milk
• 1 cup of frozen fruit of choice
• Directions: Blend. Drink. Relax. To mix it up add other ingredients, cinnamon, vanilla, unsweetened coco powder.

3. Cauliflower Popcorn - We got this from the NY Times. I know,  the NY Times right? They  have awesome little nuggets now and again. 

• 1 head of cauliflower 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Sea salt or to taste 
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper or to taste



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Directions: Heat oven to 400 degrees. Crosscut across head of cauliflower to make thin slices. Parts will crumble off. It's ok. Lay the thin slices and crumbled bits on a baking sheet. Brush with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook until tender and starting to brown. About 30 minutes. Take out, put in bowl. Sit down and enjoy a good movie with a healthy snack.

4. Dark chocolate almond cherry clusters - Protein, antioxidants, and a bit of sweetness all in one.  Say  what?  Say yum.

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5. Cashew cluster with almonds and pumpkin seeds - another Kirkland brand, Costco shout out.

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6. Chobani yogurt - Full of that protein-pick-me-up you need to combat that "2:30 feeling."

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7. Apple + peanut butter/almond butter - This is the go-to after school snack for our kids.  Protein and fiber, a great combo to keep you full.

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8. Hummus + carrot sticks - This brand and flavor of hummus is the best we have found since leaving Portland.  Portland is the land of great hummus. And hippies. Which might be why they have great hummus. I wonder what they put in that hummus to make so good...so addicting. Anyway, hummus is great with carrots or other veggies.  Costco carries it and if you go through a large container quickly, that is the place to get it.  But if you don't go through a huge container of it fast enough most regular grocery stores carry it as well. Also, make sure to check you local farmer's market. You'll probably find some great hummus plus you will be supporting a local farmer/hummus maker.

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9. A Lara Bar - These bars are fantastic.  Most of them consist of only fruit and nuts with no sugar added, and they have a good amount of protein.  And then of course there are the more rich ones that do have sugar added, and those are always the ones that our 5 year old always wants to buy.  They can be a little pricey at  $1.39 each, but our grocery store often has them on sale.  

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10. Banana "ice cream" - Our 2 year old does not play well with most dairy products so I discovered that this was possible when doing research about ice cream alternatives.  You start by chopping up a few peeled bananas and putting them in the freezer for a few hours.  Once they have a good freeze on them put them in a food processor or heavy duty blender with just a sprinkle of almond  milk and it turns into a creamy dream.  It is very tasty without anything else but it is also delicious with some peanut or almond butter added, and is more of a dessert with some hazlenut spread added once you have pureed the banana.  Do you have any other suggestions out there for what could be added to this to make it even more amazing?

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BONUS: Water!  Sometimes hunger can be confused for thirst.  Before you go for any snack make sure you are getting enough water.  How much is enough?   You'll know because you won't be thirsty.

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Now that we have shared some of our favorite healthy snacks with you we would love for you to share yours by making a comment below!

The Skinny on Fat

Are you sitting down? 'Cause I am going to tell you something that is going to totally rock your world. At least it rocked mine.

Ready?

Here it comes...

...Fat doesn't make you Fat. 

What!? I know, it is kind of hard to believe.  {Read with me for a bit to find out why this is so, or skip to the bottom to see a great infographic explaining why Fat doesn't make you fat.}

This simple truth is hard to believe because all we have been taught for decades is: Fat is bad. It increases cholesterol,  hurts your heart, and turns your belly into a flabby donut. Fat is practically a poison, right?

We have heard this constant refrain from teachers, parents, advertisers, the government, friends, doctors, strangers, scientists, and a whole host of health groups. 

Unfortunately, all of this well intentioned advice is wrong. Not just slightly wrong but demonstrably wrong.  

To be fair, the issue is not black and white. The problem is all fat has been lumped [pun intended] into a "bad for you" category. That is simply not the case. There are good fats [most of them actually] and bad fats [ones made in a laboratory].

Let's talk for a moment about why it's time to pass on the low fat foods and pick up a slab of fatty bacon. Mmmm bacon. 

Let’s start out with what makes us fat. The shocking answer is: it’s not fat. Recent studies are returning to the idea that sugar and simple carbohydrates are the real culprits behind weight gain. 

Did you notice I said "are returning to"?  In fact, it was only recently that the idea fat is bad for you became popular. For well over a century if someone wanted to loose weight the medical community would recommend a high fat low carbohydrate diet. But in the 50's science began looking at the causes of heart disease and looked at saturated fats as one of the causes. Before the link could be proven the media and do-good government types ran with the story. The only problem? It's never been definitively proven.  {Here is a good read that pools together data from 21 studies which tracked 350,000 people for 14 years and concludes there's no relationship between the intake of saturated fat and incidences of heart disease or stroke}

So what's wrong with Sugar and Carbohydrates? Let me answer the question with a question. What do farmers use to fatten up cows? They certainly don't use fat. Rather, they use low-fat grains. 

I am not going to get into all the technical details, but the simple answer is sugar and simple carbohydrates increase your insulin level. This increase in insulin tells the body it needs to store more fat. Which the body then does. Now, this is way over simplifying things but the reality is if you eat a lot of processed foods, sugars, and breads you are more likely to gain weight than if your eating lifestyle is made up of mostly vegetables, fruit, nuts, and meat.

Insulin molecules

For most of my life I have heard that weight is determined by calories in calories out. And that low fat calories are better for you. But as it turns out, things are a little more complicated than that.  What science has found is a calorie is not necessarily a calorie. Sounds confusing right?

Let me tell a story, I find stories always help me make better sense of confusing information.

Amanda and Amber are sisters. In fact they are more than that. They are identical twins. They are so much alike that sometimes even Amanda and Amber get confused about which one is which. 

Amanda and Amber decided it was time for a nice little get-a-way.  It was time they finally took that trip to Hawaii. And since it was an especially cold winter in their home town, Hawaii was sounding nice. 

Hanauma Bay, O'ahu

Oh they were so excited. But the excitement quickly gave way to the dread that they would need to get into beach shape. It being winter and all they had packed on a few extra "fat keeps me warm" pounds.  

Even though the sisters are very much alike and did almost everything together they disagreed on the best way to shed those winter pounds.

Amanda had always heard the best way to shed weight was to eat less and move more. Which seemed simple enough. Why go to the trouble of creating a whole new diet when you could just ease back on what you already ate.  

Amber had never really bought into the eat less move more theory. Mostly because she had tried it several times and never found lasting success. So instead she decided to do something a bit more radical.  Amber decided to change her whole diet. She would eat more veggies, nuts, meat, and fruit while completely eliminating processed sugars and all grains.

What both sisters agreed on was their exercise plan and caloric intake. They would work out together doing the exact same routine and eat exactly 2,000 calories a day.

Amanda and Amber have 8 weeks to get into rocking beach shape. And they are diligent. They work out everyday. Amanda eats less and Amber eats only meats, veggies, nuts, and fruits. At the end of the 8 weeks both girls are pretty impressed with the progress they've made. But it is very clear that Amber is going to look a little better at the beach. Amanda is frustrated. Why does her twin sister look a little fitter than her. They both exercised the same, ate the same number of calories, and were genetically identical to each other. It made no sense to her. But there it was. Amber looked like she belonged on the cover of Fit magazine and Amanda looking like she belonged on the cover of How to Loose those Last 10 Stubborn Lbs.

We need to ask why one sister had better results than the other? Scientific thinking for a long time has been weight loss occurs when you are burning more calories than you take in. If you want to loose weight you lower your caloric intake and increase your movement. While that is true, it's not the whole story. 

They both have the same calories but which is better for you

Our bodies are designed by nature to process natural foods better than processed foods, which makes sense. I mean evolution is not stupid. Our cave man brothers and sisters couldn't run down to the Kwik-e-mart to grab a bag of chips, a Twinkie, and a diet Coke. They subsisted on diets made up of largely meat and vegetables. With some fruits and nuts thrown in. So their bodies [which are now our bodies] naturally adapted to eating those types of foods. It is interesting as scientists gain a better understand of the health of our prehistoric brothers and sisters they are finding that they were much healthier than us. Even though they were eating a lot of saturated fats.  In fact, our bodies need fats to function. If we didn't eat fats we would die. Our brains thrive on energy from fats. Fats make up ½ of our cell membrane structure. Fats also contain more energy than sugars, which is why our ancestors craved them. I mean chasing an antelope all day takes a lot of energy.  

Here is the key,  there are good fats and bad fats. So how do you tell the difference? It is pretty simple. Made by nature is good, made by some guy in a lab coat is bad. If you ever see the words hydrogenated, partially hydrogenated, or trans fat on a package drop the package and run like an angry mama bear is chasing you. That stuff is deadly.

Coconut Oil. The good kind of fat.

Ok, let’s wrap this all up. Roughly 80% of our weight is determined by what we eat. Grains and Sugars trigger the body to increase Fat Production. To be a little healthier make sure a majority of your diet is made up of veggies, meats, fruits and nuts. Eliminate or at least significantly reduce any intake of processed sugars and processed/whole grains. And make sure to stay as far away from trans/hydrogenated fats as possible.

I know this all sounds crazy. Fats don't make you fat. It goes against everything we have been taught.  I would highly recommend you do your own research. A good place to start is reading Why We Get Fat by Gary Taubes. Also the documentary The Perfect Human Diet has some good info. 

Now I’m off to cook up some bacon and eggs. 

But before I cook that bacon here's a fantastic Info Graphic. I wish I could take credit for it. But alas, I can't. You have to thank the chaps over at Massivehealth.com.  

  

Check back in later in the week when we talk snack ideas and recipes.

Spice up your Spice Rack

Em and I have a friend named Taryn [name not changed to protect the innocent, because Taryn is wonderful]. A few years ago her husband hit the ripe old age of 30. Thirty is a significant birthday. It’s officially the age when you become an adult. I know, 21 is the official government recognized age of adulthood, but most folks in their 20’s are still in college, single, and blissfully unaware of coming responsibilities. But something happens at 30. I can’t really explain it. You feel like it is time to move into a new phase of your life. To shrug off the things of your youth and step into the life of adulthood.

From comic Poorly Drawn Lines

Taryn, being a wonderful wife, threw her husband a great 30^th birthday party. She rented out a cozy little place, secretly invited all of his friends, and whipped up the delicious food for the evening. It was a wonderful moment for him. Here he is, surrounded by close friends and family celebrating a significant day in his life.

What does this have to do with spice racks you ask?  Stick with me for a few more sentences and all will become clear.

Last year Emily turned 30. You'd hope that I would have followed in our friend's shoes and properly celebrate Em's day. But I didn't. I dropped the ball. I was the complete opposite of Taryn. I didn't do anything special. I didn't make a big deal of her big day. In fact, I don’t even think I gave her a gift until the day after her birthday. And that gift was something I spent 10 minutes on [a quick trip to World Market to pick out a necklace. It was a cool necklace…but still…] Emily was, how can I put this delicately, none-too-pleased. I mean I blew it. I totally muffed. I was a very bad husband.

Clearly this year I had some making up to do. SIGNIFICANT MAKING UP. It was the Mount Everest of making up.

Everest, smaller than the trouble I caused myself.

I couldn't erase the disappointment I caused last year. But I knew if I put some thought, heart, and soul into her birthday this year, I would be able to at least create a memory that will hopefully be longer lasting than the sad and disappointing memory I gave her for her 30^th birthday.

To make up for my sad showing I employed a three pronged strategy. Friends, Food, Function. Guys pay attention.