I have absolutely no idea where the time goes. Does that sound like you? I do want to write and I have much to say. But somehow, those on my email list get all of the comments I have about the world. I must begin to bring them here.
Ah well ...... right now, I am timing the color on my hair. And it is just about time. It was terribly yukky this morning: not white, not silver, not even a real grey, although the dead center top is getting more and more pure white, not me at all. Were it that color all over, I would leave it as is. But it isn't and I am cooking it as we speak.
I have been thinking today about food again. True enough. I have lost another three pounds. I am very thankful, but oh, it goes so slowly. There are days when I think that I haven't eaten enough calories; and yet, other days I almost eat too much; therefore it cannot be that.
To explain, I post everything I eat at Myplate.com and that totals calories, grams carbohydrate, grams fat, grams protein, grams fiber, grams everything. Most days, I see that I have gone over the suggested amount of protein and fats and am under the suggested amount of carbs. Surely, that wold be easy enough to change. All I need to do is eat more veggies; but some days I can eat NO MORE veggies. As it is, I spend an hour eating that 3 or 4 cup salad every night. I suppose that I could just eat all afternoon!
I am learning several very good tips about dieting, such as eating an ounce or so of nuts about 30 minutes before my evening meal. Now, that is supposed to blunt the appetite by giving the body a small amount of fat and protein; and you know what? I think it works. Three or found ounces of protein at a meal is just about all I want to eat ... unless something is super delicious and I haven't had it in a very long time.
It is very difficult to leave half a sirloin strip steak for another meal; and it is almost as difficult to leave a beautiful piece of grilled orange roughy. Besides, when things cost that much, I want to eat it as the peak of its perfection, not as a left over. Grilled chicken is not so difficult to leave.
I do have a wonderful recipe for that fish and I will try to remember to stick it on at the end of this. And there are several vegetables that should be lightly cooked before eating them, even though I really prefer them raw. The various nutrients in them need some cooking to make them bioavailable. But raw spinach is so much better than cooked.
Yet, I have yet to eat properly prepared bitter greens. I read over and again that the best way to do that is to quickly sauté them in a tiny bit of very hot olive oil containing garlic and onions and perhaps a bit of red pepper flakes; and then to add a tablespoon of liquid and steam them for a couple of minutes. It sounds so good; but I have not yet done that. Somebody tell me just how good it all is and I will try.
You know, I want to eat bitter greens, not because of the low calories, but because they have so much antioxidant and other plant nutrients we may not even know about yet. The more I study, the more I know that plant foods have so much more in them than simply the vitamins and minerals which we have all known forever that we need. Of course, there are vitamins, with lots of the B vitamins and many minerals such as magnesium, calcium, and iron. Why, calorie for calorie, leafy green vegetables like spinach with its delicate texture and jade green color provide more nutrients than any other food.
Did you know that the anticancer properties of spinach flavonoids have been sufficiently impressive to prompt researchers to create specialized spinach extracts that could be used in controlled studies? One called kaempferol had a 40% reduction in risk of ovarian cancer. Additionally, friendly bacteria in our intestines convert vitamin K1, which spinach brings us, into vitamin K2, which activates osteocalcin that helps build strong bones! Further, spinach contains lutein, a carotenoid protective against eye diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and folate is needed by the body to help convert a potentially dangerous chemical called homocysteine that can lead to heart attack.
Now, you see why I want to learn to eat lightly cooked fresh spinach. And I will. Yes, you see, I am teaching or leading a class here at the apartments on Aging Gently, including reversing and repairing damage done by years of incorrect eating and other poor lifestyle choices. And we are doing it. Several have told me that they have changed shopping habits at the grocery, going more to the fresh vegetables and raw fruit.
And not corn, potatoes, bananas, and apples only. Those are good. But we now know that because each of the rainbow of colors our fresh foods contain has different plant nutrients, we have to eat a wide variety to get those things that G-d has provided for our health and our healing, for us to remain young and in His service as long as we can.
I, for one, am trying as much a variety as I can in order to remain as young in body as I feel in spirit. And so, I am eating a combination of strawberries, blackberries, banana, pineapple, grapes, cherries, peaches... Doesn't that sound good? Watermelon? Oh yes!
And my salads contain spring mix lettuces, romaine, baby spinach, sweet onion, celery, cucumber (I prefer the pickling cukes), cauliflower and broccoli florets, cherub tomatoes. It is all soooooo good. And I have my very own special vinegarette that adds a wonderful dressing to those veggies. I know that the broccoli and cauliflower should be lightly cooked, but they are oh so good in there with the others.
Were you wondering why no carrots? I don't like vinegar with carrots; I really prefer something with a mayo base for carrots and so I make a veggie slaw based on broccoli slaw to which I add shredded red cabbage and carrots in equal amounts. Oh yum! I love that one and the ingredients last longer in the fridge than the more delicate lettuces.
Okay! That's what I needed to say about foods today. Tomorrow, I will probably write about freedom of speech again. Who knows?
And now, for the recipe:
Okay, I take fish filets, more often tilapia as it is less expensive and has more Omega 3 oils than the fish I really prefer, orange roughy. Since they are usually frozen, I put them in the fridge for a short while to thaw.
After I take them out, I pat them dry with paper towels and sprinkle them with unrefined sea salt and black pepper. Then, I coat them in egg white.
Next, I dust them with a light flour coating and put them into a plate with the following mixture: finely chopped pecan pieces, panko bread crumbs, garlic, paprika, parsley, whatever you would like .... and press those into the flesh.
At this point, if you have time to refrigerate them for an hour to let the coating become firm and a part of the fish, it is best. (Over night is wonderful and so sometimes, I prepare several pieces at the time to have them for two nights.)
I get a cast iron or stainless skillet hot, add a little olive oil and a little butter; and when that melts, carefully lay the fish into the hot fat.
I let it brown there about 3-4 minutes, turn it carefully with a wide spatula, and after turning off the heat, let it cook there in the still hot skillet for about 2 minutes or until it is brown on the other side.
The usual piece of fish will then flake as it is quite done, but not in any way, over done. In fact, it is crisp and delicious. A squeeze of lemon is all you could add.......
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