Seasonal Eating

As the title of my blog says, it is all about local, in season food. I will have to admit though, up until a week ago I didn't have the first clue as to what was really in season in my part of the world. I figured that if it wasn't in season, like Hood Strawberries, you just couldn't get it. This, my friends, is not the case. 

As my husband and I were peering over our grocery receipt last Friday, we were wondering how on earth we could have spent what we did. "It's only vegetables!" I exclaimed. "Well, the asparagus was $10," he said, much too calmly for my liking. "But it is in season... isn't it?" I asked. This conversation, like so many in our house, sparked a wave of research. Yes, asparagus was in season, two weeks ago. The season is now over and it is time for local strawberries. 

So, you may be asking, what does this have to do with eating clean and green? Well, quite a number of things:

1. Eating seasonally is good for your health. Fresh, local produce is the way nature intended us to eat. Cold storage, shipping, and processing takes out nutrients we can never put back.
2. Eating seasonally is good for the environment. Less shipping = Less pollution.  
3. Eating seasonally is good for the local economy. Supporting local agriculture helps put money back in other local businesses, not giant corporations.
4. Eating seasonally is good for your bank account. Local, in season produce is generally cheaper than its hot-house grown, shipped around world counterpart. 

Below is a list of what is in season for the Pacific Northwest. If you aren't in Oregon or Washington, you can Google what is in season for you.

As we move forward, a lot of recipes will be tailored to the season, or have sections that say "Choose whatever fruits and vegetables are in season." Our Muesli Oatmeal is this way. Today it was nectarines, plums, strawberries, and banana. In a month it will be totally different. So enjoy the seasons! Eat what is fresh and eat what is local.

Until next time...

- Melissa

Are you getting enough protein?

When I tell people I don't eat meat, pretty much the first thing that comes out of their mouths is, "Then how do you get enough protein?" It is like we are all brainwashed by the ranchers and dairy farmers that the only way anyone is going to get enough protein to survive is to eat a steak every other night, and a chicken breast on the days in between. Yet, the western diet isn't lacking in protein. In fact, most doctors would tell you that most Americans are getting way too much protein. Yes, there is such a thing.

So, now you are asking yourself, "Well, how much protein do I need?"

According to the USDA, most adults should be getting 10% to 35% of their daily calories from protein. So lets do the math, 1 gram of protein = 4 calories, based on a 2,000 calorie diet, the average adult needs 50 - 175g of protein.

Personally, I believe we really only need about 25-90 grams of protein, or about 5-8% of your daily calories. This does depend on how active you are, your age, and how healthy you are. If you feel good, and are full of energy, you are probably getting enough. If not, I would talk to your healthcare professional or nutritionist about exactly how much you should be getting.

So, now you are asking, "So, where do I get this protein from?"

Here are my Top 10 Green & Clean protein sources:

1. Beans (dried or fresh). 1 cup, cooked, has up to 20 grams. I try to incorporate as many beans in our diet as possible. I even make our own hummus and bean paste. 
2. Seed grains such as Millet and Quinoa. 1 cup, cooked, has up to 10 grams of protein. 
3. Whole Raw Nuts. 32 grams has up to 10 grams. 
4. Peas and lentils. 1 cup has 8 grams. 
5. Rice. 1 cup, cooked, has 5 grams.
6. Hemp seeds or powder. 1 cup has 4 grams of protein containing all 10 essential amino acids! Bonus, it is full of Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. We take 1/8 cup daily. 
7. Avocados. 1 avacado has 4 grams. Avocados do not last long in our house. They go into salads, smoothies, wraps, and, of course, guacamole.
8. Kale, chard, and spinach. 1 cup, cooked, has 3 grams. 
9. Organic, cage-free, local eggs. 1 egg is 6 grams of protein. We tend to eat eggs for breakfast about twice a week, plus one or two used in a recipe.* 
10. Grass-fed, organic, whole pieces of meat and wild-caught seafood. Yes, I said meat. Once, or maybe twice, a week we have a nice piece of meat. It is usually lamb, which we bought from a farm near Vancouver, WA, or wild-caught salmon.*

*Animal protein (from meat, fish, dairy, eggs, etc.) should never make up more than 10% of your daily protein requirement. Consuming more than that has been shown to increase your risk of cancer. 

Your best bet for getting enough protein is to eat a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, seeds, beans, nuts, and other plant sources. You can also supplement with plant based protein powders like Hemp and Spirulina. Hopefully, this answered all your questions about protein. If not, leave a comment.

Until next time...

- Melissa

Navigating Restaurant Menus

I love to go out for dinner. I love socializing and having a great time, enjoying food I didn't have to think about or prepare. My husband barely tolerates the activity. I understand his view though, as it can be downright horrid to try to cobble something we feel we can eat from most restaurant menus. Case in point: Last night my Mother organized a family dinner. I, of course, agreed to go immediately. It has been months since I've seen everyone all together. The restaurant of choice: Red Robin. Not my favorite, for sure, but I knew it would please everyone.

So what did I do? Red Robin is a burger joint. I know that, heck, everyone knows that. Burgers = Gluten + Dairy + Meat. So how did I eat green and clean there? How do you?

1. Let go. Do the best you can, knowing you won't ever know everything that was put into each item. 
2. Do your homework. Look up their menu online, and took a look at their allergen information. You can do this for most big, chain restaurants. For smaller ones, take a look at their online menu anyway.
3. Watch for key words. For me they are: Buttery, creamy, cheesy, or the item description has ingredient that is meat, wheat, or dairy. 
4. Pick your best option. This will be different for everyone. Pick what sounds healthiest and tastiest to you. Stay away from your key words as best you can, but make it something you like to eat.
5. Order it how you want it. While you may get more than one funny look, order the item your way. Most restaurants are happy to make you happy. 

Use these 5 simple steps and you'll navigate most restaurant menus. Granted, some will be easier than others. Last night, I ended up with a Garden Fresh Hummus Plate (no bread) and a Avo-Cobb-o Salad (No meat or cheese) which I used salsa for the dressing. Yes, I ate fries, dipped in BBQ Sauce (probably not gluten-free), ketchup, salsa, balsamic dressing, or hummus (we had a whole sauce station going). Did I get some gluten, probably. Did I get some weird additives, HFCS's, and other junk, definitely. Did I have a good time, oh yes. Though next time, we are grilling in our backyard.

Until next time...

- Melissa

Coconut Oil is, well, Magical.

My mother, bless her, is always having some issue with something. I, like any good daughter, try my best to help her. This week, it was was a bruise she didn't know how she came upon. I suggested to put Coconut Oil on it. She looked at me funny, of course. So I went into detail about how I use the stuff. "It's magical", she said. That's how this post was born.

Coconut Oil is magical. It is Anti-inflammatory, Antimicrobial, Antifungal, Antiviral, and Improves nutrient absorption. You can use it for just about anything. To see hundreds of uses for Coconut Oil click here.

We use it to pan fry fish, as it doesn't change even in high heat, and in our oatmeal. We use it in baking, and next week I'm going to try it out in a pie crust. It pretty much replaces butter and oil. It is vegan and gluten-free.

Besides cooking, I use it for as a facial moisturizer, hair conditioner, and lotion. It is also great on cuts, scraps, and burns to help condition skin and prevent infection. My husband uses it to prevent nose bleeds. I love it for the occasional zit to take out any redness or infection and prevent scaring.

We use Dr. Bronner's Magic Certified Fair Trade & Organic Fresh Pressed Virgin Whole Kernel Coconut Oil. You can find it at New Seasons, Fred Meyer's, Thriftway, Whole Foods, Food Front, and even on Amazon.com. So, I'd suggest going out and buying a jar, or two, today.

Until next time...

- Melissa