Okay, so this is what I want for Christmas:
Jawbone’s $100 Up wristband in the color Silver or Blue
Apparently, this little wristband can track your steps, sleep and connects to a cool app to track your meals. Sweeeeeet! Check out this great article for more information. 
It’s my last day in Hillsborough, NC. The best part of house caring this summer in North Carolina is that there is always somewhere lush and green to go wandering through. Brief daily walks in the woods beside the hous
es has done wonders for my well-being. Although I wouldn’t exactly say that I’m ready to make the next leap…camping in the wild, I will say that it has been nice to roam the trails with companions (human and animal) somewhere nearby. I’ve never had an experience where I could regularly find myself strolling through the woods for exercise. It was always a big outdoor adventure or something you planned for. Instead, I mostly grew up exercising in the dance studio, gym or freshly mewed soccer field. Here in NC, with nature all around and a sense of privacy that I’m very unaccustomed to, it took me a long time to relax enough to know that I’m safe in the wild. Yes, I might have walked through cobwebs with spiders at work, seen copperhead snakes, gotten bitten by who knows what kind of bugs and discovered mysterious scrapes and bruises all over my body. None of them hurt me though. So it is possible to live closer to nature and still be okay. Although logically I knew that, I just hadn’t wanted to test it. That’s what this summer has given me.
Another lesson I learned is that trust is important for well-being too. I have come to admire the way these homeowners live. They still leave their doors unlocked, windows open wide and cars with the keys left in the 
ignition. They live with a sense of security and trust that I’ve never seen before living in the city. It’s surprising how people allow complete strangers to come into their homes while they are away and live as if it all belonged to them. It’s wild…maybe even more wild than being in the wild. Anyway, I’m thankful, surprised and curious about how I will be when I am a homeowner too. I hope I can be as trusting, generous and open as these homeowners have been to me. Overall, it’s been a great summer enjoying the sound of the crickets, bird watching, quacking with the ducks, cooking in other people’s kitchens, watching movies, playing music, relaxing in the screened-in porches and sun-rooms…slowing down. I couldn’t tell you the last time I slowed down. Thank you, NC & the families who took lengthy vacations, for this wonderful down time.
Another snack bar review…
thinkThin Crunch
Flavor: White Chocolate Dipped Mixed Nuts
Nutrition Perks: Gluten-free, low sugar
Ingredients: Peanuts, Almonds, Soy Crips, Coating (various additional ingredients), Chicory Root Extract, Cashews, Maltitol, Brown Rice Syrup, Honey, Gum Arabic, Soy Lecithin, Natural Flavors, Sea Salt
Nutritional Facts: 190 calories, 12g fat, 10g protein, 3 g sugar
Overview: This bar is scrumptious for sure, but it’s not perfect…for me at least. Although it tastes just like eating a nutty candy bar and I love that it is Gluten-free as well as super low in sugar, I don’t like how they don’t take the step towards creating products that are organic and/or vegan. I’m not vegan, but I feel like this bar would be great for accommodating a sector of our population that are vegan just by a little more ingredient experimenting and making it in a factory that doesn’t process eggs. I also wonder why they didn’t take the step towards using organic products too. Why didn’t they go the extra mile? Anyway, this bar does taste good and it’s 
great if you need extra protein in your diet, but I’m not thrilled about eating this on a regular basis. Instead, it’ll be a treat.
Note: I lost 7-8 lbs. I haven’t hit my 100 lb. goal weight, but I’m much closer! Woo-hoo!
My Confession: I love double and triple Belgian ales. They really tickle my taste buds. I’m not a huge beer drinker, but when I sip on one, I want something rich, full in flavor and oh-so-very smooth. Although I can occasionally enjoy a dark like Guinness (only in Ireland) and Negra Modelo (with lime), my real weakness is Belgium’s beautiful bubbling brew. Give me a Duvel or Chimay Triple any day.
Unfortunately, when I was advised by my gastroenterologist to avoid anything that hurt my stomach such as wheat, sugars, strong spices, ect. I was completely bummed about giving up my 
Belgium beer attachment. While I like my tasty imports, they really don’t make me feel very well afterwards. I recall on more than one embarrassing occasion literally being doubled over in excruciating pain just because I drank a bit of beer. Geeze, it wasn’t that way in college! Who knew I could develop such allergic-like reactions to beer in my 30s!?!? One would think that because I was experiencing such torturous stomach pain I’d stop indulging in the doctor’s big no-nos. Well, I do try. Though sometimes I slip up just hoping that my stomach might cooperate with me for one evening.
Just when I thought I’d be doomed beerless, breadless and sweetless forever….something wonderful happened! I discovered GLUTEN-FREE BEER! Alleluia! My first Gluten-free spotting appeared on a drink list at a restaurant in Durham, North Carolina’s Tobacco Warehouse Historic District. I nearly fell out of my booth with excitement. There were three Gluten-free options listed. Not one, but three! And two of them came all the way from my beloved Belgium!
The company of the two Belgian beers listed is called Green’s. It’s actually owned by a British brewer, but it’s brewed and bottled in Belgium. I don’t mind. He obviously knows a good thing when he tastes it too. Anyway, tonight, I chose to try Green’s Belgium triple named Quest. Their website describes this beer as: “fairly light body for beer of this strength; spice and herb nose with flavors of candied fruit. Aromatic, long finish.” I’d agree 
with their apt description. And I’d like to add that it is so very close to drinking the “real deal” too. I was shocked as to how entirely different ingredients could produce such similar tastes. It’s pretty miraculous in my book. Green’s beers do not contain any of the allergens that affect people who suffer from Celiac disease or other people (like me) who experience similar Celiac-like symptoms when consuming wheats, oats, ryes and barleys. In the brewing process, Green’s beers are not made of: Gluten, Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Peanuts, Soya beans, Milk, Lactose, Nuts, Celery, Mustard, Sesame seeds, Sulphur dioxide or sulphites. Instead, they make their beer out of four little ingredients: Sorghum, Millet, Buckwheat and Brown Rice. Amazing, huh?
Honestly, I didn’t even look at what the third beer on the list was because I was too excited about my new find. I know it was a gluten-free pale lager though. I wonder if it was Bard’s Tale? After discovering Green’s, I had to look online to see if there were more Gluten-free beer options out there. Apparently, Bard’s Tale is the first American made on the market. They also claim to be the first beer to be made from 100% malted sorghum. Their ingredient list is short too: sorghum, yeast, hops and water. Pretty cool find, eh? I’m stoked about it and look forward to trying some others soon. ‘Till I have more great things to share…Cheers, you guys!
A review of another snack bar:
REAL LIVE FOOD
Flavor: Banana Bread Flax Bar
Nutrition Perks: Certified Organic, Raw, Vegan, Gluten Free, Wheat Free, Nut Free, All “Live” (dried under 95 degrees), All Seeds Sprouted, No GMO’s, No Trans Fats, No Cholesterol
Ingredients: Sprouted Flax Seeds, Banana, Coconut (unsulphured), Dates
Nutritional Facts: 120 calories, 5g fat, 4g protein, 9g sugar
Overview: I feel like I’ve been given bird seed for a snack. It has the strangest fruit roll-up kind of rubbery texture. I wouldn’t call it terrible…it’s just an acquired texture. I could get used to it though. The best part are the nutrition facts! It’s a great 120 calorie snack for on-the-go with little sugar and a decent amount of protein. I would feel alright munching this down right befo
re doing something important if I didn’t have time to eat beforehand. Another good thing about it is that it I know it wouldn’t hurt my stomach. I could get the nutrition I needed quickly because it’s super light…if not too light. I kind of feel like I didn’t even eat anything though. Unfortunately, I don’t remember the price I paid for it, but I hope I didn’t pay more than a couple bucks because it went fast. I wouldn’t say this bar was bursting with flavor either, but there were definitely hints of banana and a nutty-bready taste from the sprouts. I also like that the company is family-owned, products are hand-made and all done within a raw kitchen.
On the subject of kitchens, I’m always so curious how these companies find places to produce their products without ingredients bleeding over from one to another. It’s good to know this company cares for their products enough to keep them separated from high temperatures and other kinds of industrial cooking facilities. The advertisement video on their website, GoRaw.com, pretty much sums up exactly what the company is all about simply and succinctly. They make it sound so easy that I think I could make this flax bar too. Hmmm…not a bad idea. I suppose I need to learn about sprouting though. Okay, that just sounds weird. 
My Confession: Disappointingly, my 21-day meditation challenge is not going so well. I haven’t been able to make time to consistently devote myself to it. There are so many distractions and I find it very difficult to sit still. Dogs begin barking at the neighbors to let me know they are there. My husband interrupts to ask a question. Nature calls as soon as I get comfortable. The phone rings… If it’s not one thing, it’s your mother! ;-P How on earth do people tune out the world and their own thoughts for longer than a minute or two? It seems nearly impossible.
Although I’m really very far behind and I’ve failed the “challenge” miserably, I think I can catch up and get myself back on track. Luckily, all the previously missed meditation lessons are available on Chopra’s website for those stragglers like myself. I only hope that I can jump back on the wagon because I would really like to know what all the hooplah about meditating is about. Collette’s Meditation Challenge Take Two!
On a different subject, lately I’ve been shopping at an awesome health food coop in Hillsborough, NC called Weaver Street Market. They are focused on natural foods. Everything is organic and much of it is local. Yay! (Oh, check out the fantastic Eat Local sign you can find on shop windows all over the Triangle area of North Carolina!) At Weaver Street, I started looking through the section of the store with pre-packaged nut bars, energy bars and “live” bars. I’m curious about them because I’m looking for something to help get me through my mid-afternoon snacking. Sometimes, when I get preoccupied (like choreographing a new show!!!), I’ll either forget to eat and then discover that I’m starving hours later OR I’ll grab a handful of nuts. Sometimes it’s just easier than peeling an orange.
So, from Weaver Street Market, I picked up a Raw Revolution, Luna Bar and a Real Live Food bar. Also, I recently discovered at Starbucks a delicious Gluten-Free granola bar made by Two Moms In The Raw. Only moments ago, I placed an order online for several of Two Moms other products that I just can’t wait to try! Yummy!
Anyway, my hope is that I’ll like one or two of these snacks well enough to keep around for when I’m on-the-go. Of course, I’d prefer to make my own, but since I’m without a kitchen at the moment, I’ll taste test some of these. I’ve noticed that so many of the pre-packaged bars sold in stores and health clubs are packed with protein (which is great), but they’re way too many calories for someone as little as I am to consume in one sitting. Plus, the amount of sugar in them is just stupid high. They seem more for the hiker or triathlete looking to keep/put on weight than for a girl interested in keeping her girlish figure. The reason I’m telling you this is that since I’m taste testing a bunch of this stuff, I thought you might be interested in the newer products found on the market that weren’t there a decade ago. If you have any suggestions for others to try, please let me know! I’m interested.
Here’s my review of the first bar:
RAW REVOLUTION
Flavor: Hazelnut & Chocolate
Nutrition perks: Certified Organic, Vegan, Kosher, Raw, No refined sugars, Non GMO, Soy free, No Artificial Ingredients, No Preservatives, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Made in the USA
Ingredients: all look simple and good. Agave nectar is the only ingredient that concerns me. It adds a bit of unnecessary sugar to the bar to help make it taste good. I’d prefer to keep all kinds of sugar that aren’t found in the natural ingredients out of my diet if possible. Just because Agave Nectar is natural, it’s still in high concentrations. Why not just add agave itself and just skip the nectar?!?! Anyway, sugars seem to hurt my stomach and mess with my energy levels fairly quickly after eating it. Agave Nectar, though natural, is not an exception.
Nutritional Facts: 280 with 18g fat, 28g carbs, 8g protein, 15g sugar
Overview: This bar is tasty for sure. It’s a little too high in calories for a simple snack. This would be more like a meal replacement. However, if you chopped the bar into three sections to around 93calories per serving, then maybe it would work as a light snack. The hazelnut and chocolate give it a good rich full flavor, but you would need to eat this baby slowly to feel like you’re eating at all. One bite too large and you would finish your serving before you knew you had anything to eat. All in all, RAW REVOLUTION definitely has a lot of good stuff going for it. I’ll be trying other flavors soon. The agave nectar might put it lower on my list after I’ve tried others, but right now, I give it the thumbs up. Now the only other question I have is whether the packaging is recyclable. I don’t see any markings on the package.
My Confession: I was nearly fooled at a farmers’ market. Yes, there are markets out there who aren’t always looking after your personal notion of what is healthy. This past week, I took a trip to Nashville and went to a Farmers’ Market located behind their beautiful Capital Building. This market is HUGE! I’m talking about more food options than I’ve ever seen at a Farmers’ Market…even those found in NYC! It kind of struck me as odd that so much food could be there in such a wide variety and still be a local farmers’ market. That’s where I was wrong. This one isn’t catering to only locally produced foods. Instead, this market stays open seven days a week and 
362 days a year. They sell gorgeous looking food regardless of what’s in season. And although I know a farmer can’t grow food, harvest, drive to Nashville and sell it every single day of the week (even if they alternate vendor days) the amount of food being sold at this market is still bordering on ridiculous. This market could not possibly expect to sellout of everything without having it go bad first. It seems so very wasteful — so there must be something more going on…like perhaps the left-over is being sold to grocery stores or restaurants or something of the like. I don’t fully know where each vendor sells their products, but it doesn’t seem right for the “organic and local” shopping experience I hope for at a place advertised as Nashville’s local Farmers’ Market
. Don’t get me wrong, there ARE great locally grown food here and their farmers are ready to answer all your questions too. I fully support them and what they are selling. They have my business any day. However, to paint the picture of this market…The Nashville Farmers’ Market is more like a local farmers market mixed with many vendors operated by food wholesalers who get their foods from places only God knows where. Because of this, the consumer has to be more careful and choosey about who they buy from.
If I were a newbie at this kind of thing, I might have thought I was in heaven and hit the mega-jackpot of all local farmers’ markets; however, luckily, I’ve been to more than a few markets and was not completely fooled by the rows and rows of colorful deliciousness. 
“The Farm” section of the Nashville Farmers’ Market isn’t off-putting in that there is fresh food in abundance and it’s veggie centric. I just find it a little deceiving in their lack of informing consumers what is or isn’t “local”, “organic”, “grass-fed”, “free of pesticides”, “free of antibiotics”, etc. It was only after looking at their website did I discover that they sell regional as well as International foods too (outside of the “International Market” store in the facility). So what’s the difference between shopping here and shopping at my super market?
While some of the produce may come from within the 100 mile local radius (like Smiley’s Farm), others obviously do not. When was the last time you saw a banana tree in the USA?
My bone to pick with this market is the lack of (by several vendors) letting the consumer make educated decisions through offering information about their products. We need some signage, people! Because they don’t do this well, it is even more important to ask the guy/gal (as I wouldn’t exactly say every merchant is a farmer) selling the food your questions about where the product comes from and how it was grown/made. I suppose eating any fresh produce is better than the alternative, but I wish people would be a little more honest and stop treating consumers like dummies.
The other divisions of the market include about a dozen small restaurants/prepared food stalls, a flea market, garden center and the aforementioned International Market. One could spend quite a bit of time strolling about these closed and open-aired buildings. I only suggest that you buy with caution. Personally, I would feel more secure about shopping at this farmers’ market if there were some changes to the regulations placed upon the merchants to make the market more of an educated, healthier, ethically and economic-friendly experience. 
Note: If you’re going to plan a visit, be sure to take along the list of merchants and do some research on what produce is in season to help you decide which products are really local and of a quality you feel good about consuming/supporting the merchant.
My Confession: I don’t know how to meditate. My Mom has been telling me for years that it would do me some good, but I’ve never taken the time to learn. For me, I keep a busy lifestyle full of movement; constant mental and physical engagement. It is hard for me to relax because I feel like there is always something productive that I need to be doing. I know there are great health benefits in relaxing, silence and human connections — all of which haven’t been huge priorities for me in the past, but now that I’m committed to “choozling a healthy lifestyle for the long stretch” and I am giving
meditation a try. Yesterday, I signed up for a 21-day long meditation challenge hosted online through The Chopra Center. So far, so good. It’s just day-two. I’ll keep you posted on its health benefits as I go through the program and discover what meditation does for me. If you care to join me in this challenge, please do by clicking the link above! Namaste.
It’s Saturday morning — which means Farmers’ Market Day! I was tipped off that there was a really wonderful
farmers’ market in downtown Durham, North Carolina. It is apparently known to the locals as one of the best in the North Carolina triangle. With having just a few weeks left in North Carolina, I had to visit this market to see if it was all that it was hyped up to be. Road Trip!!!
Actually, Durham isn’t very far from my current temporary residence. I was glad to hop in the car and explore a new city just a half hours drive away. As I made my way into the American Tobacco Historic District downtown, I immediately was 
impressed by how industrial, urban, unique and walkable the downtown really is for such a small city. The grand Lucky Strike Tobacco Factory continues to stand as a monument for a time when tobacco was North Carolina’s economic bread and butter. Even after tobacco’s hay day, the factory remains open as a new sort of space. Now, it is a beautifully designed, re-purposed group of buildings that are converted into loft apartments, restaurants and business offices. The architectural design is 
awesome and really something to visit. Flowing through the middle of everything is a waterfall. The front section of a train remains on a track floating above the stream. The exceptional structural design uses brick, metal and concrete to create an urban feel that flows seamlessly together. For those who have visited New York City recently, imagine Durham’s factory to be like a cleaner slice of the meatpacking district, but without the clothing shops.
Even if tobacco isn’t exactly “healthy,” today the factory homes several companies that are into healthly living. Many of Duke’s offices are based here as well as the corporate 
headquarters for the natural products created by Burt’s Bees. Plus, the WUNC public radio studios broadcast from here too. Also, the Durham Performing Arts Center neighbors the tobacco factory providing this downtown district with a place where art, culture, education and healthy living mingles. Throughout the week, the area is bustling, but on the weekends it’s much more quiet. This Saturday afternoon, I enjoyed strolling around and taking in its history and beauty without seeing but a few other people doing the same thing.
My real reason for going to Durham was really for fresh food though. Luckily, the Durham Farmers’ Market is all within walking distance from the factory too. With recycled grocery sack in hand, my first introduction to the market was walking past several mobile type concessions that 
offered a mix of local and non-local foods. Many of these businesses wouldn’t even be considered “healthy” though. Moving quickly past “Pie Pushers,” hot-dog stands, kettle corn and sweets of all varieties, the market is the real attraction. The vendors were selling all sorts of local, fresh and handmade products. To write details for each stall would be too much in one post. Even my favorite vendors deserve a blog post unto themselves. So…I thought what better way to take about a great farmers market than by showing a photo tour of my highlights on this fine (and rainy) day. I hope you enjoy!
Awe, and my husband bought me some gorgeous local flowers! I couldn’t be more delighted. Durham’s farmers’ market is about more than just fresh food. This one is special in that the vibe is about meeting up with old friends, making new friends, being involved in a community, supporting the local farmers, helping each other out, selling great products, serving the needs of a community and exchanging knowledge. I really loved visiting Durhams’ farmers’ market and will enjoy my goat cheese, handmade ravioli, basil, oregano, sweet onions, spicy sausage, dried apples, freshly baked pepper bread and beautiful flowers this week…and I definitely look forward to going back again soon.
My Confession: I’m considering changing my diet by increasing the amount of raw food I eat to somewhere above 50% of my daily consumption. The statistics for how many nutrients and natural enzymes are killed in heating foods over 118 degrees Fahrenheit is kind of freaking me out. I’ve read that there is somewhere between 30-80% nutrient loss (depending on how long you cook your food). Just three minutes of cooking anything above 118 degrees kills 100% of the natural enzymes in the food too. Our bodies need this stuff (vitamins, enzymes, fiber, etc…) to keep everything working properly. I firmly believe that it’s not just the environment or genetics that is contributing to diseases, illnesses and the various cancers, but that much of it comes from not caring for our own health. We have control over our health by controlling what we put in our mouths, how we live and what we do.
In my case, several months ago I was diagnosed with spastic colon, also referred to as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) after dealing with painful food allergies closely related to celiac disease — because I wasn’t eating properly. Cookies for breakfast, pizza for lunch and Chinese for dinner was not doing me any service while living the hectic lifestyle of NYC for the past decade. Now that I’m focused on eating better and increasing the amount of raw foods in my daily diet, everything seems to be much much much better. I only notice problems when I slip up.
Eating raw doesn’t mean you have to eat everything cold. You just heat things up to temperatures ranging between 110-118 degrees. It’s hard to do with today’s modern kitchen appliances, but there are ways to cook like this. 
For example, getting familiar with using a dehydrator or turning your electric stove on the lowest temperature possible while keeping the door cracked open. I imagine the man to create a 110-118 degree oven is going to have a prosperous business as people start realizing that WHAT and HOW we eat is how we can gain control over our overall health. The phrase “you are what you eat” is not anything new.
Unfortunately, it seems like every recipe I come across says to pre-heat your oven to 375-400 and cook for 45 minutes. That’s really hot! I’m not saying that fresh zucchini or carrot bread right out of the oven isn’t divine. It is! But monitoring our diet doesn’t mean denying ourselves these treats. It means eating less of the thoroughly cooked stuff and increasing raw food consumption for better health. Period. Need proof?
While living in NYC, I had the chance to work on a film as a Production Associate which involves several case studies about how eating raw foods and juicing cures some of the most deadly diseases. The documentary is called “Rethinking Cancer” and was sponsored by an organization called F.A.C.T. (Foundation for the 
Advancement in Cancer Therapy). The stories I heard told by survivors and advocates for nutritional medical treatment were astounding. The results of changing the way you eat can heal the body from the inside. Unfortunately, modern medicine often causes more problems than we expect. Food has the capacity to help heal the body and give the body what it really needs to be strong and healthy. If you or you have a loved one dealing with a disease or illness, I strongly recommend you do some research on nutrition. It’s our own responsibility to take care of ourselves. That’s what I’m trying to do now…by starting to eat above 50% raw!
Note: Want more information on eating raw? Check out this link.
My Confession: I took a road trip to scope out the adorable Asheville, NC this past weekend and my health went out the car window on the way. Asheville, often referred to as the beer capital of North America, is known for their independent distilleries and brewing companies. So, I did what so many before me have done and indulged in some delicious beer. Even though I noticed an organic beer choice or two on the menu at many of the pubs and restaurants, I opted for the “local” instead. Thinking about it now, I regret not even trying the organic version; but I didn’t feel as guilty about my Asheville drinking binge by “choozling” the locally made beer.
Anyway, dressed in my favorite drunk pink elephant attire (literally tipsy elephants and martini glasses dancing all over the fabric of my dress) I realized one thing about being health-conscientious for so many weeks, months, years of my life…I am very much a light-weight. A half-pint and I’m feeling good. This might seem like a bad thing in some social circles, but in mine, it’s not bad at all. Looking at the perks of being a light-weight, I am a cheaper date who gets to feel the much sought after tipsiness quicker than those who build up a tolerance. I consume fewer calories. My palate isn’t accustomed to the flavors within the beer so I can enjoy tasting-testing and distinguishing the flavors within every sip. And, anyone I’m drinking with inevitably gets free booze by finishing off my remaining drinks. Not too embarrassing now, eh?
Now moving on to the real health-buster…enjoying the family-friendly drinking atmosphere, I wolfed down a big-fat-meaty-cheesy-kickin-fresh calzone. My first fresh one ever! I’ve tasted a bite or two of a calzone sitting in the pizza shop window for several hours before, but to get my hands on a freshly made one was absolutely scrumptious for the first few bites. Then I started looking at it and everything in it…as cheese oozed out, I noticed that it wasn’t even the good kind of cheese. This was the oily-doily processed mozzarella kind that globed together. Then I noticed the olives had no flavor whatsoever. They were also processed and kind of rubbery in texture. I peaked at the Italian sausage too. Although it was perfectly spicy and looked alright, I know it didn’t come from around these parts and I’m not really sure who made it or how the animals were treated. All of my health-conscious decisions and extreme pride in knowing how to eat well came crashing down to this one thing that was supposed to be awesome, but just wasn’t. In fact, it was awesome-less in so many ways.
I find it funny and mildly irritating how “good” bad-food can be heightened to the level of good-food — and sometimes even “nutritious” food. Looking at My Fitness Pal, this fresh calzone cost me 3 to 4 days of getting back on track with my health goals. We’re talking around nearly 950 calories out of my 1200 calorie daily intake! Plus, it absolutely killed my stomach. My bowel control went AWOL as my IBS kicked me hard in the gut. The rest of my time in Asheville was ruined with my body screaming at me about what I was feeding it. If my brain didn’t catch onto how unhealthy I was eating until way too late, my body sure set the record straight. In Asheville, I didn’t choozle very wisely. The ironic thing is that Asheville is full of healthy options. They have farmers markets, health food stores, yoga, public arts and cultures, a good school system, nature out the wazoo, community activity and more. It sort of stands as a center for both healthy-living and wonderful beer-drinking capital of North America. I guess I’ll have to go back and explore the healthier sides of Asheville next time.
My Confession: I like meat. Lots of it. I grew up in the South eating the best competitive BBQ one can imagine. If ribs didn’t fall off the bone, something wasn’t normal. If the the pulled pork wasn’t incredibly juicy and tender, everyone “stop eating right now! We need a new pork butt!” The BBQ restaurant my stepdad helped start looks more like a trophy shop than a restaurant. Over the years, it has chained out into a much bigger beast than any of 
the original Whole Hog BBQ guys ever expected. Although I’m partial to the original store in downtown Little Rock, if you’re into eating some good smoked pig, be sure to stop by the Whole Hog Cafe at one of its twelve locations to get your fill of some of the best BBQ in the world! You might think I’m the biased daughter, but just don’t take my word for it…look at all those impressive trophies glistening everywhere! I’m not the only one who likes it.
That being said, this blog is about being healthy. Does eating meat fall into that category? I think so. I know I could never be vegan, but there are ways to be a responsible consumer and possibly more animal-friendly than eating whatever is on the supermarket shelf. The important thing is knowing what you are eating and where it comes from. For example, you can buy meat from the local farmer, make sure the animals are/were treated well and with respect, ask if the animals were fed natural foods instead of being pumped full of antibiotics or forced foods to fatten them up, question their living conditions and so on. For me, I eat meat because my body seems to need lots of protein to feel strong and healthy. Other people may not need as much protein as I do, but “health” is very personal and individual thing. Everyone is not created the same.
Last night I cooked dinner and watched a movie. The dinner was local North Carolina pork sausage with a delicious local veggie wedge salad. The movie was the documentary “Food Inc.” I highly recommend this movie to anyone who needs a healthy swift kick in the bum on the lesson of KNOWING where your food comes from. It’s becoming harder and harder to find out the answers to all of our food questions from shopping at the grocery store. All we have to go on is the label. Even THAT can be deceiving…so we must investigate and be smarter consumers. Learn about the companies that provide our food. Use the internet. Meet the farmers at the local farmers markets. Support local foods, organic foods and responsible farmers. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
Impressed by the health conscientious community paper for the triangle area in North Carolina called the Independent Weekly, I clipped out the section on dates and times for local farmers markets in the region. This morning, with recycled bags in hand, I drove to the nearest market which happened to be in Wake County. According to the listings, there are thirteen local farmers markets to choose from in Wake County alone. I chose the one I thought might be the most convenient to visit for the remainder of my time in North Carolina this summer. Their website also boasted of roasted coffee beans, fresh breads and regional chicken and pork products.
After about a six minute drive, I arrived at the Cary Downtown Farmers Market (located in the center of the triangle) around 11AM. At this time, the market looked fairly sparse with maybe four or five vendors and a half dozen cars in the parking lot. It was definitely “small beans” in comparison to New York City’s Union Square or Upper West Side Farmers Markets that I had grown so accustomed to over the past several years. However, this one in Cary did indeed provide.
Although, the pickings were slim upon first glance and the quantity was smaller than I’m used to seeing, the quality of the food was spectacular and the variety was impressive! Quickly, I loaded up on locally grown eggplant, tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, basil, squash, cucumber and corn. I passed on several other vegetables this trip, but will definitely try them in the future. There were baskets of peppers of all colors, shapes an sizes. Huge watermelons were incredibly tempting and the potatoes were sure pretty too.
If I had arrived earlier in the morning (say around 9AM) then maybe I would have been able to buy a dozen farm fresh eggs for the week. Sadly, they were gone by 9:30AM. Doh! Also, I was really looking forward to meeting the local coffee roaster. Their stand was nowhere to be found. Perhaps I was too late for that too as the Market’s website specifically mentioned her presence at today’s market. I had questions about where she gets her beans and what machine she uses to roast them. I was hoping to find some low-acid coffee beans as regular coffee beans tend to upset my stomach and make me feel icky. Also, my mother and husband turned me into a cappuccino snob, so I’m interested in which espresso machine coffee connoisseurs find to be the “best” for pulling espresso. Maybe I’ll catch her next week.
Admittedly, I could have planned my trip to the market a little better, but I was still able to purchase some beautiful vegetables. I’m about to go make lunch using most of what I picked up today so I’m off the the kitchen…
My Confession: I made peanut butter chocolate chips cookies today. Ahhh! Well, I modified the recipe a bit so 
I guess I haven’t fallen off the horse completely. (Not to forget to mention that I ran 45 minutes on the treadmill again today too.) Anyway, for starters I made half of the recipe. Really, who needs several dozen cookies sitting around? Also, I substituted sugar with Splenda’s brown sugar blend, eggs with egg whites, regular chocolate chips with the tiny baking ones and used only half the butter called for with an additional tablespoon of canola oil. Not too bad. Applesauce would have been a better
substitute for the butter and oil, but I didn’t have any around.
Homemade chocolate chip cookies right out of the oven are my weakness – so I’m on the lookout for the perfect low-calorie version. This particular recipe wasn’t exactly low-cal, but it was lower-cal than most that I’ve seen. I didn’t want to spoil my healthy dinner completely so I ate two cookies. I think that’s a fair amount. Two cookies can kick a craving better than one. Three or more cookies… well, that might do too, but two is definitely a craving satisfy-er. 
Well, other news from the kitchen is that I made a lovely salad dressing only out of a bit of virgin olive oil (brought back to the states from Greece), salt, pepper and fresh lemon juice. It was refreshingly good. Balsamic, although not too unhealthy, wasn’t even missed on my salad this afternoon. One tablespoon of balsamic = 30 calories. One tablespoon of lemon juice = 4 calories. Nice trade.
My Confession: I’m going broiling crazy! From summer vegetables to pork chops, I’m whipping up 10 minute broiled lunches that would make an Iron Chef cry. Okay, maybe that’s a little bit of an exaggeration, but they are some deliciously healthy meals that are super-duper low-calorie. With my new 75/25% rule in play, vegetables abound in my refrigerator that must be eaten asap. Cutting them up, throwing a little olive oil, salt and pepper on top, maybe a dash of Parmesan cheese, toss them in the oven for a few minutes and Voila…delicious food at its very best…the natural way!
So many of us have become accustomed to the taste of vegetables NOT tasting like vegetables at all. We douse them in dressings and seasonings that when eaten alone we are shocked by the flavor of the food in its natural state. For example, Iceberg lettuce is delicious all by itself. It’s cool, crispy, juicy, light and refreshing. When did iceberg turn into the uncool lettuce anyway?
If you have munchie cravings for the crunchy, cut up a head of lettuce, eat some raw carrots, slice up a cucumber or grab hold of a celery stalk. It will be a lot healthier than a bag of pretzels or chips. And, you get to eat more of the good stuff than you should of the processed stuff. If you like it really crunchie, why not pop it in the broiler? Okay, I don’t know how these particular vegetables would do in the broiler, but I do know that zucchini, squash, eggplant, tomatoes, onions and others do wonderfully well getting a little toasted. If you have trouble telling what vegetables to stock up on, ask your local produce man what’s in season if you aren’t sure. Buying foods that are in season taste much better than those that are out of season. When you begin to eat vegetables in their natural state and in season, you start to refine your palate to a degree that most three Michelin star foodies can’t comprehend without some heavy cream, butter sauce, meaty jus or eggy foam smothering it.
