Staying Healthy Through the Stress

[despejado]

Warning: This topic contains conversations about weight (both loss and gain) due to stress, etc. and may be sensitive material.

I don't know how successful this topic will be, but here goes.

Over the last couple weeks, the stress of knowing and not knowing where I stand in terms of admissions have had both positive and adverse effects on my weight depending on what kind of news I'd been dealing with.

So how has everyone been doing in staying healthy? I've gained a few pounds, and thought it would be cool to have a place for us to share concerns and recipes and ideas, etc.

Edited March 6, 2014 by despejado

[gk210]

This is something I've definitely wrestled with for sure within the past 7 months. As an ex- competitive athlete, fitness regimens were an essential part of my daily life for the past 19 years up until I was 23 (I was a swimmer). That didn't stop after graduation...I wanted to be fit for the summer so I kept on with the 4 mile runs, green smoothies, and cross-fit.

 

However, as grad preparation rolled around starting from GRE season, I found myself having less and less time to go to the gym. Around the same time I began prepping for grad apps around August last year, I got hired at an office (total green light for weight gain, sitting in cubicles all day) all the weight I was able to keep off I slowly started to gain back. One day of missing the gym would turn into 2, then three, then four, then eventually there'd be weeks where I'd go without exercising. It all caught up to me, slowly but surely. My body wasn't used to being sedentary. 

 

And of course the stress didn't help...I'd find myself turning to "comfort food" (lots and lots of carbs) or having that extra half-pint of ice cream that I didn't need. It was all in small increments over time, as weight gain usually goes. I'd say that stress itself probably contributed to 25% of the weight I actually gained. Stress would also keep me up at night, and I know not getting enough sleep can also contribute to weight gain.

 

Stress led to a lot of drinking for me as well at times.  I'd also turn to alcohol at times when I'd go out with friends...and it's no secret that alcohol is another great area for potential weight gain, since I'm a little prissy bitch at the bars and I like drinking fruity drinks. Beer also doesn't help...bottles of empty calories? Make it a double! 

 

Now that apps are all turned in, I've been consistently attending the gym again, thanks to the free time I have now. Maybe not every day as I did in the summer, but I force myself to at least go 3-4 times a week. I also found that there are better ways to relieving stress than recreational smoking, drinking, and fatty foods, and that is working out. Going to the gym to just workout all your stress is great, and exercise releases endorphins that cheer me the hell up (thanks Legally Blonde!) After receiving 3 rejections yesterday, instead of crying into my bowl of Haagen Daasz, my best friend dragged me to the gym and I just poured out all my stress into my 2 favorite types of cardio: swimming and running. There's nothing like putting in 4 miles on the treadmill with some upbeat tunes blasting through your earphones and just sweating out all your stress and frustration. 

 

I know the type of person I am and how I deal with stress and being down in the dumps from rejection. I feel like I can be sort of a weak person which is why I tend to indulge in terrible things when I'm not happy. This time in my life is no exception, and I'm sure there are a lot of people who can relate. It's up to ourselves to decide how we can de-stress in healthier alternatives. We can do it!

Edited March 6, 2014 by gk210

[despejado]

Oh, gk210, the similarities!

I was a competitive gymnast for 12 years, so I know what you mean about weight being an ever-important (and fluctuating, and disheartening) part of your life. For the first year after I stopped competing, it didn't occur to me to change my eating patterns along with my exercise ones. This resulted in a 25-pound onslaught in weight gain that I didn't really notice until my sophomore year of undergrad when I happened to step on a scale at my grandparents' house. Yikes. Since then, I've managed to keep myself at a weight I'm very happy with, and with very little maintenance required (thank you mother, for your metabolism). However, since app season began, Ive started to see this weight fluctuate and gradually rise - something it hasn't done this much in a few years now.

I'm sure most of it is stress. Also, I have tons more free time than I've had in any other semester, and I often get fed at work (bad, terrible, atrocious, delicious pizza and BBQ and fried chicken. WHY). With all of this free time and my nerves continually set on edge, I've been reaching into my bag of trail mix, or even worse, in my freezer for the ice cream, every time some kind of bad news turns my way. These eating habits have finally turned into the realization that HEY!, you're putting some pounds on. You should proooobably chill the fuck out. So I'm back in the gym 3-4 times a week as well, and you're right! I forgot how good it feels to have Kendrick Lamar tell me to Hol' Up while I'm shreddin miles on the treadmill. Yeah right, just try and hol' me up.

What about your eating habits? I've been trying to calorie count, but I find it depressing that even when I watch what I eat, I only manage to stay JUST under my goal. I can only imagine what I consume in a normal day when I'm not paying attention at all.

Edited March 6, 2014 by despejado

[shortstack51]

I actually struggle with the opposite problem. I have the unfortunate combination of a fast metabolism and a minor health issue that makes it so I can't eat a lot of foods (I tend to live on hummus, junk food, guac and spaghetti). I struggle to stay at a healthy weight. People tend to ask why I mind and that I'm lucky, but being at a low weight leaves me pretty susceptible to illness (I caught a regular cold and it lasted two weeks and took me out of class for 3 days-at which point you could see my ribs in my back by my spine). It also makes me tired a lot of the time. I also tend to drop pounds when I'm stressed. Not a fun combo. If anyone has any suggestions for foods that help you gain weight, please let me know (simple carbs get digested too fast and I can't eat red meats very often).

Also, maybe we should put some sort of trigger/content warning at the beginning for any folks who might find discussions of weight triggering?

[gk210]

Eating habits are always tricky, because 75% of weight loss progression is all what you put in your mouth. It was definitely tough going from being able to devour plates and plates of food after a 4000 calorie burning day (double swim practices plus weights/early morning 6AM gym during college swim season and club swimming practices my whole life) so having to watch what I ate definitely sucked! I missed eating my weight in food then stepping on the scale only to find out that if anything, I LOST a few lbs. It was AWESOME. I definitely took that for granted. 

 

I never found calorie counting to ever really work that well in my favor. I'm not really sure what it is, but counting calories would stress me out and if anything cause me to relapse and binge eat eventually. I've just learned to avoid salt and sugar. I never relied on "low-fat" food either. I'm also careful about not eating outside so much. I absolutely adore cooking for myself in my own kitchen, and I find that restaurant portions in America are insane...they heap on twice as much food as what's necessary for the human body's consumption. When I went to Asia last fall, their food portions were so much smaller than the U.S. and my what a difference that made! You also don't know what exactly is going into your food since you aren't preparing it, so watch out. 

 

As everything in life is, moderation is key I guess, to a healthier eating habit. AVOID SODA! (Diet Coke used to be my FAVE in high school), and just drinking water only is something that's probably had the most impact on my diet. It made such a huge difference in my weight. I lost 20 lbs in about 5 months just from cutting out soda completely. Carbonated soda is the enemy, I cannot stress that enough. Drinking green tea really helps too, which is a good thing because I absolutely adore hot green tea.

 

I've tried this no bread/flour thing or at least, cutting out a lot and I feel like that's really helped too. On the days I'm not working out, I eat less because my body doesn't need that much energy to burn. After workouts I'm always sure to go for a green smoothie to replenish the water I've lost. Not eating at all is unhealthy though!

 

I also started eating peanut butter a bit more. Snacking rather than having huge meals helps, and instead of the usual chips I used to go when I'd get hungry I'd reach for some green apples and peanut butter, celery + peanut butter, carrots+peanut butter, bananas+peanut butter. I will literally stick anything in a jar of Skippy. Yes PB tends to be caloric but at the same time has high amounts of protein plus they keep you feeling full a lot longer. Peanut butter on wheat in the morning is a great way to stay full till lunch, or at least make your brain into thinking it's full. 

 

Making small substitutions is great as well...healthy alternatives are ALWAYS there, believe me. Go online and you'll find TONS of ideas.I opted for quinoa (Living in santa cruz made me really appreciate quinoa a lot more), and swapped white bread for whole grain or whole wheat. I love the Farmer's Market, so I'd also learn to stock up. Fresh produce is relatively cheap, and this way you have a better chance at getting organic vegetables rather than the ones with a ton of chemicals and pesticides and crap. That's another thing I learned in grocery shopping. I also don't eat any pre-packaged, pre-frozen foods or microwave foods. I know that one could be tough especially when you don't have time to prepare food for yourself and you want something quick. 

 

Blood pressure and cholesterol levels are also pretty important to regularly check during app season when we're gaining weight left and right. It isn't always just about weight gain, but to get the rest of your body checked out and that everything is functioning well. I don't eat meat, (only animal I consume is fish) so lucky enough when I went to the doctor a few weeks ago, my blood pressure is relatively low and at an okay rate (128 I believe?)

 

Food is something that we should be able to enjoy and not have to stress over. If everything is too complicated for you guys, I guess this line sums it up the best: "Eat food. But not a lot. Mostly plants." 

[despejado]

Shortstacks: You're right.  I put a warning at the very top, so hopefully that's helpful. And wow, I'm really sorry to hear that. I usually always go to carbs as a source of weight gain, but since those digest too quickly for you, I'm not sure what to suggest. Protein, especially if you eat meat, can be a good source of lean muscle mass. I wish I had more insight on the situation and was more qualified to comment on a suitable diet for you... I will do some scientific googling/referencing friends for advice (if you don't mind, of course), and get back to you on that one.

 

GK: Calorie counting sucks. It actually does tend to trigger binge eating for me, personally, but I have a hard time believing that I'll hold myself accountable or eat reasonable amounts of food any other way. I will wean myself off of the calorie counter and onto the peanut butter (I do not believe this will be hard. Peanut butter and apples are my favorite). For the record, you should try pears dipped in Greek yogurt. Or, Greek yogurt mixed with Hidden Valley Ranch Packets + cucumbers. So much better for you than with sour cream, and tastes exactly the same. It was a lovely discovery. 

 

I am a sucker for cranberry trail mix with dark chocolate chips, which I think has been my downfall lately. Carbs carbs carbs, and even dark chocolate is still chocolate. This is something I will try to get away from. Shortstacks, this might actually be something you should pick up. Addicting.

 

"Mostly plants," is the hard part for me, I guess. I'm really good at not consuming soda, and I have only had maybe 3 in the last few years. Keeping myself from getting cinnamon dolce lattes every morning, especially when it's cold out, is one of the hardest parts of watching what I put in my body. All that delicious milk and sugar is not doing me any good. 

[Katia_chan]

I had a lot of luck with calorie counting, especially last year--managed to take off almost 30 lbs (very, very slowly).  A good way, for me, to avoid the stress and binge-eating was to be pretty easy on myself.  If I screwed up one day, big deal.  I didn't have to make up for it by eating less the next day, so I never got on the evil catch-up cycle, I just said "alright, today was a bust. Tomorrow can be better."  It kept off the hating factor, and made counting easier.

 

I need to get back to it...

 

I haven't put on a *ton* during app season, and honestly, for me it's been more about the sub0 winter we've been having up here.  Not so much stress eating as wanting-to-be-warm eating.  As my friend put it "I just want to lay in my bed and eat bagels until April."  So I'm hoping the carb cravings will lessen as the temps climb back into sane person range.  I also have an awful metabolism, so this isn't helping.  Was on a lot of sterroids for a transplant when I was a teenager, and it just kind of effed my metabolism.  But with spring, and a little more effort, hopefully I can dodge the weight bullet--I'm so close to a weight I'm happy with; want to get there.

 

I have a big problem eating plants as well.  I don't drink much pop--one or two a month, when the coke craving overtakes me, and I drink a lot of tea with just the occasional coffee.  But there aren't a lot of veggies I like.  There are many I tolerate, but never have I wanted a salad more than a sandwich, or a cucumber more than crackers.  And I'm shit in the kitchen, so I put off cooking whenever possible, and when I do try to prep my own vegetables, half the time they are kinda gross.  I tried doing stuff like adding grains and such, and do a lot with whole-wheat bread.  Quinoa does sound awesome though, and I intend to pick some of that up soonest.

 

As for any workout ideas...I'm very lazy and hate doing it.  But I've started doing Yoga, which is bloody fantastic for my brain, and also downloaded the Zombies, Run app for my phone.  It's like reading a post-apocalyptic novel while I sit on my stationary bike (see above about frigid winter).

 

Anyway... I guess this was just posting to share in the misery/suggestions.  Love the peanut butter idea.  My friend also uses butter made from sunflower seeds.  The concept blows my mind, but she says it's good, and it's got lots of magnisium and such.

 

And lastly, Shortstack, my friend has a similar problem with needing to put on weight, and she uses the ensure shakes--there are some that are meant to pack on the calories.  She just eats them *and* her normal daily food.

[despejado]

I had a lot of luck with calorie counting, especially last year--managed to take off almost 30 lbs (very, very slowly).  A good way, for me, to avoid the stress and binge-eating was to be pretty easy on myself.  If I screwed up one day, big deal.  I didn't have to make up for it by eating less the next day, so I never got on the evil catch-up cycle, I just said "alright, today was a bust. Tomorrow can be better."  It kept off the hating factor, and made counting easier.

 

This is good to know! I tend to stop calculating as soon as I know I've gone over my limit for the day haha. I don't want to know EXACTLY how much I've gone over, I just know I have. Congratulations, by the way, on the 30 pounds! That is amazing and requires some serious dedication. I'm having trouble getting rid of 3. I think I'm going to try your lax attitude in regards to avoiding binge-eating. Sounds like a really good way to handle it.

 

Just thought I would point out: Yes. Bagels. And YES, QUINOA! I actually recently found a recipe for quinoa pizza dough. I will be trying it soon.

 

I'm taking a yoga class this semester to fill a kinesiology requirement, and it is awesome. So relaxing, and not so much pressure on the body. However, I do love a good run and collapsing right afterward. Also, sunflower butter (?) sounds kind of awesome. I will try it and let you know how I feel about it 

[Katia_chan]

I tried being strict.  And I just got cranky with myself and gave up.  So making sure to forgive yourself, while still being dedicated and firm, works really well.  Also, IMO it's harder to take off those tiny bits of weight than it is bigger amounts.  We'll both get there!

 

She swears by the "sun butter".  Says it's even better with just a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on it--not much, just for flavor, since it's not sweetened.

 

And you must post results of this pizza dough!  I haven't done much with quinoa, and I'm...very very curious.  It sounds too good to be true.

[despejado]

I tried being strict.  And I just got cranky with myself and gave up.  So making sure to forgive yourself, while still being dedicated and firm, works really well.  Also, IMO it's harder to take off those tiny bits of weight than it is bigger amounts.  We'll both get there!

 

She swears by the "sun butter".  Says it's even better with just a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar on it--not much, just for flavor, since it's not sweetened.

 

And you must post results of this pizza dough!  I haven't done much with quinoa, and I'm...very very curious.  It sounds too good to be true.

 

I will! On the same website, I also discovered a recipe for vegan, gluten-free sweet potato brownies. I actually gasped when I saw it posted there. These are both things I will be trying over spring break... I found them on the DeliciouslyElla app, if you're wondering

 

That's really sound advice. Where I tend to get caught up is snacking; every five minutes I want a handful of something, and that always puts me 100-200 calories over where I want to be. I clearly have very little self-control, but I'm working on it. I just threw out a half-full gallon of ice cream that was in my freezer to rid myself of the temptation.

 

I may or may not go to the supermarket tomorrow, grind my own (I've seen these devices before but never used them: EXCITEMENT) "sun butter" with cinnamon, but maybe minus the sugar, and then use it to make apple slice-sun butter sandwiches. I'm looking forward to tomorrow already.

 

Also: Trust in the quinoa. You have to surround it with other flavors because it doesn't taste like much on its own, but it's a wonderfood.

Edited March 6, 2014 by despejado

[igetstuffdunn]

I've actually lost a ton of weight during the application process. I find that being meticulous and a little anal about my nutrient and calorie counts helps distract me from the stress of applications (especially during the waiting process). The gym is a really great place to work off some stress, just get into the cardio and space out with some music. Plus the endorphins make it a little easier to feel positive. While I was working on applications the gym was the only break I let myself take, so it started feeling like a reward rather than a pain. Always better when there's something good on the gym TV too.

 

That being said, I've only changed my eating and working out habits for the last few months, and I'm sort of a big girl, so the weight really WANTS to come off me right now. Every time I think about ice cream it just reminds me of the 2 hours I'd have to spend at the gym for it. Not worth it. But being sore and exhausted also means I'm not worrying about UW or Iowa too much. I also love trying to get out of the gym and going hiking with my dogs. No reception in the wilderness means no checking email on my phone, spending more time with the girlfriend and when we get back even the dogs are tired. Then again I'm lucking I'm in San Diego, CA so the weather permits hiking and trips to dog beach.

[Eternal Optimist]

First of all, I have an important question. My sister and I were wondering how a bagel tastes. We have never tasted one and would like to know if it tastes sweet or doesn't or if it depends on the flavour. I tried googling. Didn't find any answer that clarified my doubt.

About staying healthy and my weight, I have put on a lot of weight in the past two years. I am an extremely lazy person. But somehow I have been following a a healthy routine for the past month or so. I go to bed around 11 and wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning and go for a jog. I have not started to lose weight or anything but I feel a lot better physically.

I am incapable of being on a diet. I love food and no matter what the consequences, I cannot make a compromise in that department. Plus I am back at home (with my parents) after 3 years of staying away. So, enjoying every bit of my parents' cooking.

[MedievalMadness]

I'll chime in here.

I'm a long distance runner, though after my marathon back in October I injured my knee and have been off it up until last week. I didn't actually gain any weight but I definitely /feel/ heavier. Ugh. I'm pretty sure I lost muscle and gained fat, so there wasn't much of a change on the scale but my pants feel tighter. Now that I'm back to running, it's going to be a very slow progression back to my old pace.

For me, eating healthy isn't so much a calorie-counting or carb-counting game. It's staying away from preservatives and sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, blech). So, I tend to stick to produce, beans, fish, etc. My husband and I go to the farmer's market most weekends (it's year round! Huzzah). They sell not only veg and fruit, but honey, fish, baked goods, salsa, eggs, cheese, etc. It's a whole grocery experience.

I'm not much of a meat eater and never have been. So, I stick to fish, beans, eggs, etc. for my protein. My one major guilty pleasure here are those Tofurkey and Morningstar types of 'fake meat'. I know they're heavily processed, but I kind of love them. I also avoid a lot of sugar. No soda (blech), no sugar in my peanut butter. Seriously, if you switch to simple peanut butter (the only ingredient is the peanut!), you will never miss the sugar stuff. Now Jif tastes like frosting. Honestly.

Favorite meal these days: grits with sauteed kale and a poached egg. Sooooo good. Kale is just the best food. Lots of nutrients packed in and its delicious. (GK: I'm guessing kale makes an appearance in your green smoothies?)

Anyway, my big health issue is over-eating. I eat pretty healthy, but I eat tons of it! I blame this on the running and before that I used to row. I've always had a big appetite, so when I'm less active I tend to gain a little. Oh, and recently I've been consuming a lot of pupusas and beer to cope with the stress. I am going to the gym more again, but nothing can really combat the pupusas. So tasty.

[MedievalMadness]

First of all, I have an important question. My sister and I were wondering how a bagel tastes. We have never tasted one and would like to know if it tastes sweet or doesn't or if it depends on the flavour. I tried googling. Didn't find any answer that clarified my doubt.

About staying healthy and my weight, I have put on a lot of weight in the past two years. I am an extremely lazy person. But somehow I have been following a a healthy routine for the past month or so. I go to bed around 11 and wake up at 4 or 5 in the morning and go for a jog. I have not started to lose weight or anything but I feel a lot better physically.

I am incapable of being on a diet. I love food and no matter what the consequences, I cannot make a compromise in that department. Plus I am back at home (with my parents) after 3 years of staying away. So, enjoying every bit of my parents' cooking.

Eternal Optimist: Bagels can be sweet, but also can be savory. It really depends on the flavor. They come in all sorts of varieties: blueberry (sweet), chocolate chip (sweet), onion (savory), everything (savory -- tends to have onion, garlic, poppy seeds, and other things), egg (savory), etc. What makes bagels so delicious is that after the dough rises a bit, they boil it before baking it. So the 'crust' is like that of a soft pretzel. You should definitely try it at some point!

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Weight managment: More than a science, more than an art. Some people can eat and eat and not see much gain - others can hold off on eating and struggle to lose any weight.

So with that said - seek advice but do what your body responds well to (caveat about mindful living).

I've been in both situations - wanting to gain and wanting to lose weight. Several years ago I got my (23 year old 5' 10")  self to 10 stone 9 pounds. Last year with weight training I got my (then 26 year old) self to 14 stone. 


For me:

 

Weight Loss : Lots of cardio. Hearty grains and lots of veggies. One of my favorite meals that kept me full was veggie lettuce wraps. Homemade salsa + black beans + grilled veggies (aubergine, Zucchini, Onions, and Peppers) + cooked barley. I'd toss it all together and put it in a lettuce wrap... I have a picture of it. I'll come back and share. Occasionally meals would get skipped in favor of a protein drink. I also found using the free livestrong "myplate" app helped a bunch. I'd count the calories before I ate them - and occassionally change my meal because "woah! that's dense" there is something to be said about seeing how the top slice of bread of your reuben sandwich adds another 122 calories. I'm also a former professional chef - so I like cooking and I like to mix things up.

Weight Gain : Well I exercised a bunch and forced myself to eat a bunch. I cut sugary things out (I usually don't eat much sugar but I began to eat less) because I approached this thing like Bruce Lee - good food in = good results. I'd eat several wholesome calorie dense meals a day. I'd avoid oily things and "stick to your ribs" type food during the day because they make it hard to be active. I ate a lot of open faced tuna sandwiches. Before bed I'd generally eat some sort of cheese dish - sometimes just a crostini with carmalized sweet onion and blue cheese. Other times I'd make a goat cheese and mushroom puff pastry.

So that's me. Another little caveat - I fast once a week so just take that into consideration.
 

Edited March 6, 2014 by BowTiesAreCool

[Eternal Optimist]

Eternal Optimist: Bagels can be sweet, but also can be savory. It really depends on the flavor. They come in all sorts of varieties: blueberry (sweet), chocolate chip (sweet), onion (savory), everything (savory -- tends to have onion, garlic, poppy seeds, and other things), egg (savory), etc. What makes bagels so delicious is that after the dough rises a bit, they boil it before baking it. So the 'crust' is like that of a soft pretzel. You should definitely try it at some point!

Thanks for th detailed response! I will definitely try it. Sounds delicious.

P.S. I do not know what a pretzel tastes like either

[despejado]

Weight Loss : Lots of cardio. Hearty grains and lots of veggies. One of my favorite meals that kept me full was veggie lettuce wraps. Homemade salsa + black beans + grilled veggies (aubergine, Zucchini, Onions, and Peppers) + cooked barley. I'd toss it all together and put it in a lettuce wrap... I have a picture of it. I'll come back and share. 

 

YES, share! This sounds delicious. Especially the homemade salsa... Tips?

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Thanks for th detailed response! I will definitely try it. Sounds delicious.

P.S. I do not know what a pretzel tastes like either

A well made toasted bagel is wonderful.

Have you had steamed dumplings?

Bagels are soft and chewy - sort of like a mix between Naan and steamed dumplings.

The flavor of a plain bagel is akin to a well developed bread.  There is an undertone of sweetness to a bagel - certainly sweeter than Naan.

What I really enjoy in a bagel is the outside "crust". A well made bagel has a beautiful sheen to it and when toasted the outside bubbles these tiny little bubbles.

Soft pretzels aren't far off from a bagel but a soft pretzel has a deeper "earthier" flavor - perhaps even an astringency... think of dark english tea without milk and without floral notes.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

YES, share! This sounds delicious. Especially the homemade salsa... Tips?

Depends on what you want.

I love salsa verde.

High heat, hot oil. In jalepenos. In onion. in habenero. Salt. 

stir stir stir.

in chopped fresh tomitillos.

Stir. as they start to break down they release some great fluids and wonderful sweetness. You'll want to wait till the sauce looks wet before adding the next stuff.

in a touch of apple cider vinegar. In lime juice. In cilantro.

Taste for seasoning. if it needs more salt (it will) add a touch of natural soy sauce.  If it needs more acidity add a very small touch of vinegar.

Cool and serve.

I also love me some picco but you need to use wonderful ingredients.

Ugly Ripe tomatos,

Spanish onion

fresh cilantro

lemon or lime (I prefer lime because I always have some around the house for my gin)

a pinch of ground corriander seed.

I don't like my pico real wet so I let the fresh tomatoes drain a bit while I chop everything else. the drained tomato water (it certainly isn't juice) adds a wonderful freshness to a bloody mary.

Also - I don't like to refridgerate my pico... I agree it needs to rest to let the flavors develop but I'll let it rest at cellar temp.

 

[despejado]

Depends on what you want.

I love salsa verde.

High heat, hot oil. In jalepenos. In onion. in habenero. Salt.

stir stir stir.

in chopped fresh tomitillos.

Stir. as they start to break down they release some great fluids and wonderful sweetness. You'll want to wait till the sauce looks wet before adding the next stuff.

in a touch of apple cider vinegar. In lime juice. In cilantro.

Taste for seasoning. if it needs more salt (it will) add a touch of natural soy sauce. If it needs more acidity add a very small touch of vinegar.

Cool and serve.

I also love me some picco but you need to use wonderful ingredients.

Ugly Ripe tomatos,

Spanish onion

fresh cilantro

lemon or lime (I prefer lime because I always have some around the house for my gin)

a pinch of ground corriander seed.

I don't like my pico real wet so I let the fresh tomatoes drain a bit while I chop everything else. the drained tomato water (it certainly isn't juice) adds a wonderful freshness to a bloody mary.

Also - I don't like to refridgerate my pico... I agree it needs to rest to let the flavors develop but I'll let it rest at cellar temp.

Haha yes! Salsa verde is my absolute favorite, especially on enchiladas...

Thank you so much. I think I will ask you for tips on several things until I am a professional chef myself.

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

Haha yes! Salsa verde is my absolute favorite, especially on enchiladas...

Thank you so much. I think I will ask you for tips on several things until I am a professional chef myself.

By all means! It's good practice trying to give easy and straigthforward instructions.

It'll help me transition to professional teacher.

 

[despejado]

By all means! It's good practice trying to give easy and straigthforward instructions.

It'll help me transition to professional teacher.

 

This is a good point. For some reason I want to ask you about enchiladas but I'm supposed to be eating better.

 

Do you have a favorite recipe for eating healthy, other than your lettuce wraps?

[iExcelAtMicrosoftPuns]

This is a good point. For some reason I want to ask you about enchiladas but I'm supposed to be eating better.

 

Do you have a favorite recipe for eating healthy, other than your lettuce wraps?

Well it's cool freezing up here so most of my recent food has been soups, stews, curries, etc.

BUT - stir-fry... seriously it's probably my favorite meal. Fresh veggies (broc, califlower, celery, carrots, bean sprouts, etc). Whatever meat is on sale (usually lean towards chicken or even meatless). 

It's really about proper prep technique more than anything. I'll PM you some deets later this evening if you'd like.

Of course a few days after that I spoil myself and make a small helping of chicken parmigiana.

 

[despejado]

Well it's cool freezing up here so most of my recent food has been soups, stews, curries, etc.

BUT - stir-fry... seriously it's probably my favorite meal. Fresh veggies (broc, califlower, celery, carrots, bean sprouts, etc). Whatever meat is on sale (usually lean towards chicken or even meatless). 

It's really about proper prep technique more than anything. I'll PM you some deets later this evening if you'd like.

Of course a few days after that I spoil myself and make a small helping of chicken parmigiana.

 

 

Of course I would love the details. I always want to make stir fry, but I don't own a wok.. It's tragic.

[Katia_chan]

You could share a curry recipe too...that would be awesome.

 

Last time I tried to make it I accidentally burned the curry powder and basically maced everybody in my kitchen. (remember what I said about being shit at cooking?)

 

Also, Des, once I find it I'll post a blog here that I was sent--healthy ways to cook.  Blackbean chocolate cake, avocado brownies... Not necessarily low calorie, but also not stuff that's awful for you.  And some of it sounds incredible.

 

Now, if you'll all excuse me, I just got invited out for wood-fire pizza.  Healthy, what?...