Fuel Values

When you see a white dinner roll in your mind’s eye do you see a pile of sugar? You should. White flour is a simple carbohydrate that quickly turns to sugar in the body. If it is not expended as energy it gets stored as…wait for it: FAT. When you look at a plate of pasta, pizza crust, white breads, white rice, tortillas, crackers, cookies, and pastries, you should identify their primary component—white flour—as a sugar. (This is in addition to the sugar that is added to the cookie or pastry as a sweetener.) Why is it important to see food as belonging to a group? Because in order to become free of eating issues we have to identify foods properly into the groups they belong. Only then can we effectively fill in the missing gaps. When all the gaps are filled and we have the full spectrum of nutrition required that day, we become balanced—without restriction. And, balance means you have a metabolism that hums along rapidly burning fat for fuel instead of storing it on the belly.

Here is the good news: Sugar is not bad. Acknowledging its presence merely allows me to balance my body with metabolic-boosting ratios. A diet of primarily plant fuel (think vegetables, legumes, whole grains, and fruits), augmented with a small amount of proteins, dairy, oils, and treats (sugars), will usually ramp up a metabolism and fortify all systems. Yes, treats and fats are part of a healthy day. However, using sugar, or any other food for that matter, in a disproportionate manner will eventually get our bodies out of balance and slow our metabolisms. Just as too many cookies will make me bloated and out of balance, I remember several times when I gained weight eating nothing but salad and tuna fish. On a diet of 1000 calories a day I had too much from the veg group and too much from the lean protein group. As I deprived myself of the full bounty of healthy fuel values I slowed my metabolism to a snail’s pace—and suffered the weight-gaining consequences. In addition, diets of lettuce and tuna fish are not a lot of fun. Just as I need whole grain, vegetables, hydration, and lean protein, I also need treats, oils, dairy, and fruit. It takes diversity to fuel my body which is a Ferrari, not a go-kart.

Identifying all fuel groups (not just sugars) helps me to honestly round out my day with those groups that I am lacking. For instance, if I have lots of granola for breakfast, I may not need nearly as much bread or grain at lunch. If I have lots of leafy salads and greens over the course of a day, the next day I may need less greens and more proteins. If this week I eat lots of hollow Easter chocolate bunnies, some of Aunt May’s Lemon Cake along with those ghastly marshmallow Peeps, I may need to have fewer sugars the next day. There really is no bad food, only an imbalance of fuel that might not give me the wealth of nutrition required to supply my body with energy and health.

By thinking in terms of groups, I can more readily identify what I have had, what I still need, and then pinpoint what sounds good from the absent categories. Our bodies talk in colors. When you need vegetables and your body longs for red, you might reach for juicy strawberries, red bell peppers, radishes, or plums. If green sounds good some spinach or broccoli might fulfill your needs. A craving for crusty whole grain brown bread smeared with butter might be delivered with a very clear need for brown grain. This approach of using logic and then asking the body what sounds good connects us to our bodies in a permanently healthy way and keeps us free from food issues. Try it. Note the foods you eat today and their corresponding groups. Did you discover any imbalances? Were there more grains than vegetables? Did you have more dairy than you needed? Is your food so processed it becomes hard to tell? Did you experience a critical absence of chocolate? It could happen…I’m just sayin’.

Tres Hatch is the author of Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy

Raspberry-Almond Tart (Bake-Well Tart)

Bake-Well Tarts

Makes 2 9-inch Tarts

This recipe was demonstrated for me by my dear Brittish friend Aimy Kersey, extraordinary mother, wife, actor, cook, and a pretty good salsa dancer. These traditional English tarts are a particular favorite at tea-time and during the Holidays. The buttery almond flavor combined with sweet jam is heady stuff. Feel free to make your own pastry crusts, but store-bought work just fine. Aside from spreading jam on the bottom of the crust and mixing up the filling in the processor, this recipe is so quick and easy it all but bakes itself.

Ingredients

2 frozen pie- crusts in 9-inch shells

Filling

3 tablespoons jam (raspberry, blackberry, marionberry, or a combination)

2-ounces raw almonds (about 1/3 cup)

4-ounces sugar (about ½ cup)

2-ounces flour (about ½ cup)

4-ounces unsalted butter (1 stick)

2 eggs

1-teaspoon pure almond extract

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Using back of spoon, spread jam uniformly over bottom of each frozen pie- crust. In a food processor, grind almonds with sugar and flour until finely ground. Add butter, eggs and almond extract and continue to process until mixture is whipped and fluffy. Spoon almond mixture over jam, extending all the way to the crust, encasing jam completely.

Bake in preheated oven for about 30-minutes, or until knife comes out clean. If desired, glaze tart by painting it with warmed jam and decorate with sliced almonds. Cool refrigerate until ready to serve. Can be frozen in pie tin in sealed storage bags for up to 1 month.

Tres Hatch is the author of Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy

Whole Grain Chili (Meatless)

My dear coaching client—Marilu in Gig Harbor, Washington—recently sent me a recipe for Meatless Mexican Filling. As she claimed ownership of her body and began to hear its signals, she began to crave high-flavor, meatless, dishes. Those plant-food cravings resulted in this fantastic whole-grain and lentil pilaf that lends itself to endless flavor profiles and combinations. I modified it slightly and added plenty of suggestions for ways to enjoy it as part of your favorite dishes.

Although I don’t like to make “alternative” dishes by substituting out the meat or fat, in this case I find the taste inherently delicious. I don’t consider it an adaptation but rather, a contemporary spin on rice. Whole grains have a rustic, nutty flavor and when cooked al dente have a toothy mouth feel, similar to ground meat. Could you add a little pork sausage or beef? Sure, but with plenty of flavor and texture you just don’t need it. This preparation stands alone.

Meatless Whole Grain Chili

Makes 12 cups

Although red quinoa is less widely available, it is lovely in this dish because it keeps the appearance darker—more like chili with meat. Swap in other alternative grains such as: teff, kamut, spelt, millet, hemp seed, or chia seed. Feel free to use this basic mixture as a foundation for many different flavor profiles. Instead of chili flavorings try using Italian herbs and garlic, Indian curry spices with peas and coconut milk, Moroccan spices with almonds, carrots, squash and garbanzo beans, or any other flavors you like. Serve this hot with sour cream and corn bread, as burrito filling, or as a delicious stuffing for squash, cabbage, pork loin, or peppers. Alternately, try it cold piled on top of salad with avocado, tomatoes, cheese, and ranch dressing.

For Grains:

1 cup lentils

1 ½ cups brown rice

½ cup yellow or red quinoa

½ cup barley

½ cup whole oat groats (*optional)—available in bulk bins at many markets

2 teaspoons salt

For Chili Flavoring:

3 Tablespoons olive oil

1 large onion, diced small

2 large bay leaves

3 Tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons lemon pepper

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons sweet paprika (smoked or regular)

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon—or to taste of dried ground hot chili (arbol, cayenne, New Mexico, pasilla)*optional

1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes (or 1 ½ cups diced fresh tomatoes with juices)

1 cup water or vegetable stock

4 cups fresh spinach, washed, dried, and coarsely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

In a rice cooker prepare grains with salted water according to manufacturer’s directions, or use 2 cups water for every 1 cup grain. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large lidded pot. Add onion and dry spices and sauté until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and water and stir to deglaze pan. Set aside until grains are cooked.

Stir cooked grains and lentils into the onion-spice mixture. Add spinach and stir. Simmer on low heat for up to 2 hours. Correct seasoning with salt and pepper. Add more water or tomatoes if mixture becomes dry. Serve immediately, or refrigerate up to a week. Freezes well.

Tres Hatch is the author of Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy.

5 Healthy Tips for Busy Folks

In order to live healthy and in harmony with our bodies we need to fuel our marvelous machines with “high-grade fuel;” the kind of fuel that powers a Ferrari, not a go-kart. That said, few of us come equipped with a Jetson’s-style kitchen that produces exactly what we need at the touch of a button. What are we to do when life gets too busy to cook? The following tips are designed to help us fuel up our engines with delicious food and get us out of the kitchen and back into life with a minimum of fuss.

1) Cook in bulk. Instead of making just enough for today, prepare multiple pieces of cooked vegetables, fish, tofu (yes, tofu tastes great cooked with seasoning) or chicken at one time. Bag up extra servings in individual airtight bags or containers. Freeze or refrigerate.

To prepare: Season with your favorite spice mixtures, and sear in a little butter and olive oil in a frying pan. When brown, transfer the same pan to a 350-degree preheated oven to finish cooking. This method ensures moist, juicy results. Make extra brown rice, brothy soups, scrambled egg, and other healthy cooked items. A mound of brown rice on a salad, with slices of sautéed chicken, tomato, and avocado makes a super quick healthy meal. Top with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of olive oil for heart-healthy and tasty salad dressing.

2) Prep in advance. Wash and spin-dry greens as soon after bringing them home from the market as you possibly can. Prep enough for the week if you can. They keep for about 5 days in an air-tight bag. Wash, peel, and chop carrot, celery, radishes, cucumbers, and other firm vegetables to throw in a salad or stir-fry. Try to include seasonal vegetables—asparagus in spring, green beans in summer, zucchini in fall, and root vegetables in winter. Grab a handful of veggies on your way out the door or when the urge to snack hits you. Wash large baskets of berries or fruit to keep out on the counter throughout the week.

3) Keep tasty dip and salad dressing at the ready. They encourage us to think about including raw vegetables in our diet. A big plop of buttermilk-sour-cream dressing does not negate the high fuel value of the vegetables. Try the recipe below from my book: Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy . It features three variations of creamy dressing on the same base (Blue Cheese, Ranch, & Green Goddess).

4) Incorporate whole grain bread as your standard bread. Life presents lots of instances outside of our control where our meals contain white rolls, white-flour crackers, sandwiches on white bread, and white tortillas. You can keep your primary intake coming from whole grain by purchasing only bread with the words: 100% whole grain, on the label. Remember, 100% wheat flour is still white flour. The inclusion of the word “whole” confirms your bread contains the bran and germ of the grain. Whole grain is the foundation of a healthy diet and is powerful fuel.

5) When in doubt, go for brothy soups and sauces. Avoid fried food. A creamy corn chowder just cannot compare to the lean fuel of minestrone or chicken noodle. Any dish with a “cream sauce” will generally contain less plant product and have more processed fats (think hydrogenated fat out of a foil packet). Order the shrimp with tomato salsa instead of Fettucine Alfredo. Go for the chicken-broccoli stir-fry with soy sauce and ginger instead of the deep-fried egg rolls.

Homemade Blue Cheese Dressing

with Green Goddess and Ranch Dressing Variations

Makes 2 ½ cups

Use equal parts sour cream and buttermilk as a base for a myriad of creamy salad dressings. Be creative.

Green Goddess Variation: Omit bleu cheese, garlic powder, and cayenne. Add chopped capers, walnuts, sweet pickles, and parsley for a delicious Green Goddess dressing.

Ranch Variation: Omit the bleu cheese, cayenne, and garlic powder, and add 2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives.

Blue Cheese Dressing

1 cup sour cream

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup cottage cheese

6 ounces good quality bleu cheese (like Maytag, Stilton, or gorgonzola), crumbled

2 tablespoons onion, very finely minced

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

pinch of cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon dried dill

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Whisk all ingredients together. Adjust seasoning with more salt and pepper if desired. Thin with milk if too thick. Chill for at least four hours. Can be kept in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Tres Hatch is the author of: Miracle Pill 10 Truths to Healthy, Thin, & Sexy.