Kelly Donlea's Blog

The core mission of Organizing Dinner is to help you figure out dinner for your family in your own kitchen. Because your family has unique tastes, allergies and schedules only you can truly decide what goes on your table.

Most food blogs and services tell you what to eat when. We’re here to say managing it all on your own is easier than you think.

There are two main strategies that can help you WIN at dinner:

1 – Don’t be distracted by the store.

  There are SO many options to choose from. Banners announcing certain items, coupons touting another. Things like the mustard in this photo strategically placed for you to grab and go. What all the promotions and “buy me” tactics at the store add up to is a cart full of this-and-that. Did you ever get home from a full trip to the grocery store and still feel like you don’t have ingredients that add up to dinner? It happens. A lot. Because we are busy, packaged food companies have taken charge of telling us what to buy. Take back control. It’s easy.

 

2 – Know your 10

Either write it out, or just mentally gather a list of 10 dinners your family will eat any night of the year. I do this with my cooking classes. At my last one-on-one class, her list included:

 

pork chops
salmon
pasta
hamburgers
meatloaf
baked chicken
grilled chicken
tilapia
stuffed baked potatoes
salad

Her new strategy was to fill her grocery cart every week with these items and things to complement them. The result is there will be little room for other “ingredient clutter”, and there will always be WINNING ingredients on hand at home for dinner. The salads, potatoes and pasta and meat courses can be mixed and matched for many variations on these themes. Remember this is weeknight dinner, not special-event menu planning. So don’t over-complicate it.

One person I consulted about dinner told me “All we ever want are Sloppy Joe’s and I never have tomato paste or ground beef”.  Her homework was easy. I sent her to the store to stock up on tomato paste and ground beef (like these freezable 1-pound packs of 100% Grass Fed Ground Beef from Aldi). I told her to even grab a few bags of buns and put them in her freezer. This example shows how truly simple it is to Win at Dinner when you take control away from the packaged food companies promoting their ingredients and buy just what works for you. In addition to saving tons of $$ by not buying things you won’t use!

Know your family’s 10 (or even one if you’re like my friend with the Sloppy Joe’s, or somewhere in between).

Go to the store with a game plan.

Use the 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store cookbook for inspiration and/or if you don’t know where to start, and Win at Dinner!

 

The post Back to Basics — Know Your 10 Dinners appeared first on Smart Ingredients Blog.

This is one of many “food stories” that define people today. In addition to a desire to eat well, most people desire to eat healthy. But it can be hard. We are a BUSY society, and being too busy to is a common issue. Following are words from guest-blogger Julia Curry, a food psychologist with some truths about how our subconscious may play more of a role than our schedule. Thanks Julia!

By Julia Curry

Typically, the more health conscious you are, the more guilty you feel about your eating patterns when they don’t meet up to the ideals you strive for. Likely you have a wealth of nutritional information and have tried several different approaches to eating, but sometimes wonder why its difficult to put things into practice. This can feel very discouraging. What if I told you that there are really good reasons why you eat the way you do, and it has little to do with lack of willpower or not enough time and more to do with what you believe about yourself and life? What if I told you that eating on the run, grabbing a high carb snack when you feel lonely or feeling major resistance to cooking healthy meals might not be the problem but rather a symptom of something else? Often there are underlying reasons why we resist shifting patterns that are worth taking a look at. For a pattern to shift, we first need to notice our individual patterns and underlying beliefs. Once patterns are seen they cannot be unseen. Then we can have a choice to adopt a new perspective. Below are a few examples of whats at the root of this symptom we call “Im too busy.”

1) Hunger for Slow

The pace of our culture places demands on us that can leave our body feeling exhausted, our mind fragmented and our soul empty. I’ve heard it called the disease of speed. Many of us struggle to slow down and be present in our relationships or to carve our time for our own nourishment. This will reflect in how we approach our eating. Despite our best intentions, we often go for the quick fixes when it comes to eating and managing our health. I get it. I am a busy mom, wife, coach, friend and daughter. Sometimes it feels impossible take time to slow down and trust that I can achieve more by doing less. Our body is wise and is always attempting to restore a sense of balance or homeostasis. Sometimes when we reach for less than healthy food, we are really looking for a way to buffer the stress and regulate our emotions. For example, we may be too busy taking care of everyone else, so we grab the quickest processed meal at the drive through. This tastes and feels good in the moment and becomes a substitute for the care we ourselves need. The scales of self-care often don’t tip in our favor, so sweet food, for example may be the only nurturance and pleasure we receive when we don’t experience enough sweetness in our lives. The way we approach food often mirrors how we approach life. Author and teacher, Marc David points out that as we practice slowing down enough to cook and connect with the eating experience, “this then symbolizes how we relax into life, our body, career, fears, desires and anything life brings. It’s about reclaiming our time, our dignity and the sanctity of self care.” Practice- Give yourself the gift of time. Practice cooking a simple healthy meal and actually sitting down to eat without distractions. This might meanyou have to schedule this in place of other activites. Simply notice the taste, texture, smell and relax into the experience. If you normally eat standing up, graze or don’t often enjoy the meal, you may feel a bit of resistance at first. Gently approach this as a practice. If you usually eat in 5 minutes, try eating in 10. Set a timer if that helps.

2) Hunger for Quality

As we slow down in life, we begin to notice and value the quality of experiences more. One of the greatest nutritional strategies that improves your health and regulates weight more than any other change is food quality. The issue many people have is that quality food costs more. It can feel stressful to increase the grocery budget as the cost of living rises. My family is on a budget and it took me awhile to see the benefit of paying that extra few bucks to get the higher quality food. We made this transition in stages and began it while we were a single income family. As we assigned a higher value to food quality, our visits to the doctor significantly decreased. My daughters skin sensitivities and asthma cleared up. It became real health insurance. Secondly, my family began to experience the taste difference in better quality food and therefore value healthy eating more. We also enjoy high quality treats too! Today’s woman is savvy and I trust you can find reasonably priced organic food at a variety of places. We had fun sharing a quarter grass fed cow with another family and joining a food co-op to get fresh local veggies at a decent price. Im amazed at how places like Aldis are now offering organic options. It helps me to remember that each time I buy organic, I am voting. I am advocating for more sustainable and humane farming practices that burden this planet a little less. The result is real foods that have more vitamins and minerals and less xenotoxins. As an added bonus, when your body takes in the added nutrients that local, fresh food provides, you won’t need as much food to meet nutrient requirements. Your brain will register full and the body will feel satisfied with less food. Our great grandparents ate real food grown locally. We are simply learning to return to the quality of food our ancestors knew. Practice: Elevate the quality of food by taking one item you eat on a regular basis and buying a higher quality version of it.

3) Hunger for Love

Our relationship with food is quite intimate. Food was equated with love from the time we were nursing infants. It has a powerful effect on our mind/body, and it can alter our emotional state very quickly. We can predict how food will make us feel more so than our relationships. In our genetic cellular memory, food = love. In this hurried world, it makes a lot of sense that we would either abuse food or resist allowing food to nourish us on a deep level based on what we believe about our worthiness. Food = nourishment, pleasure, love and satisfaction. Many of us feel a bit uncomfortable with allowing ourselves to fully receive these gifts. Our food behaviors reflect this. We can tend to distance ourselves from food by ignoring it or use it to fill a void. We also can try to control it and make it behave. The good news is that the eating experience can be a pathway to healing and a practice of learning to how to receive nourishment and love in a new way. Cooking and sharing food can become a sacred act and spiritual practice as well as a practical function. Rather than fight it, we can think of curating healthy meals as a way to love and nourish our lives and those we feed. Practice- Create a nourishing atmosphere when you cook once a day. You will likely be cooking anyways. Might as well add in some pleasure! Play some music, light a scented candle, and pour a glass of wine or sparkling water. Cultivate connection by inviting others to cook with you. As cooking becomes a more nourishing for the soul this literally brings health to the body. These valid needs for slowness, quality and love aren’t a luxury, but a biological requirement. We are wired for all of these. Biology will always trump our best intentions. When we ignore these crucial needs, symptoms will manifest in a variety of forms. Stress related Illness and unhealthy eating are some of the most obvious signs that a belief and pattern may need some attention. Symptoms act as lights on the dashboard trying to restore us back to what really matters. If we are deficient in relaxation, healthy pleasure, quality and love, this will be mirrored in our relationship with food and our body. Part of healing is learning to notice what your subconscious stories are around your worthiness. Reflection- Whats the story around allowing for more love, slowness, pleasure and quality in life? What patterns of avoidance, resistance or defensiveness do you notice come up when it comes to honoring these needs? Your relationship with food and overall health will mirror all of this in some way. What would I need to believe about myself and life in order to trust that taking time to feed myself and my family in a nourishing way is a valuable use of time? What beliefs would I need to let go of? Rewrite Let’s begin to rewrite your food story now. Let’s trade in the old scripts like “I’m too busy to eat healthy.” Instead, practice saying: “I’m learning how to nourish my body and elevate my relationship with food so I can have more energy for life. I am making more conscious choices that support my grander mission in life. My relationship with food serves that mission.” If you need more support in rewriting your scripts, graduating out of habits that no longer serve you and awakening into more freedom, I would love to support you on your journey. Email me to schedule a Discovery Session at no cost to you. You will walk away from this conversation with more insight and a sense of what is within your reach.

XO Julia Curry

Julia Curry is an Eating Psychology Coach, Wellness Advocate, and Speaker who guides women (and men) to transform their relationship with food, make peace with their bodies and discover a more confident and joyful life in alignment with the truth of who they are. Coming from earlier careers in college campus ministry and massage therapy, Julia later received formal training at The Institute for the Psychology of Eating and The Center for Strategic Intervention. She has found that her own struggles with emotional eating, anxiety, and poor body image have been her best teachers. Her experiences have ignited a passion to facilitate experiences where people can heal the hurts they face within themselves and walk into deeply nourishing, healing, and supportive relationships with others. Julia currently lives in Indianapolis with her husband Garrett, two children and fur baby. Email Julia at info@juliacurry.com.
Check out some other Essays by Julia:
http://directory.psychologyofeating.c...
http://rebelstorytellers.com/damsel-d...
http://directory.psychologyofeating.c...

The post I’M TOO BUSY TO EAT HEALTHY appeared first on Smart Ingredients Blog.

I presented Intentional Eating at the recent Hearts at Home National Conference, and I have to admit I was scared.

Scared that people wouldn’t want to hear what I had to say (ignorance is bliss!).
Scared people wouldn’t be able to digest the enormity of the situation and feel that they could make change.
Scared of positioning myself as an agent of change against the machine that is processed food companies.

But thanks to you, the awesome, smart, strong and people who are trying to figure out how to feed their families, there was nothing to fear. Hundreds of women from all walks of life and levels of education on food proved to me we are collectively ready for the challenge of no longer being duped into eating antifreeze and weed killer just because we got a coupon in the mail or saw a commercial for the product on TV. Everyone easily understood and accepted that we have allowed ourselves to become a society that is brainwashed by TV commercials that say families who eat Toaster Strudels, Hamburger Helper and bottled salad dressing are the happiest families on the planet (are they not?). And those who drink soda pop and eat Cheetohs are winners (at what?). I was pleasantly affirmed that we are ready and willing to fight back.

We discussed ingredients that are harmful and hidden in processed foods.

Here is a snapshot:

MSG – Causes weight gain, brain damage, depression, headaches. Found in seasonings, broths and packaged foods.
—Aspartame – A carcinogen, erodes the brain. Found in diet foods and gum.
—High-fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) – Causes weight gain, tissue damage, diabetes. Found in sweets, breads, salad dressings, condiments and more.
—Azodicarbonamide* – AKA yoga mat material. In breads of almost all fast food chains. Known to induce asthma.
—Propelyne Glycol – AKA antifreeze. Cake mix, salad dressings, low-fat ice creams and dog food.
—Food dyes* – Cause hyperactivity and brain cancer. Found in so many items, the not-so obvious ones include kids’ medicines, vitamins, pickles, muffins, salmon.
—Brominated Vegetable oil* – used to stop carpets from catching fire.  Sport drinks and citrus pop.
—BHA & BHT – Carcinogen. Found in cereals, dehydrated potatoes, gum and plastic serveware.

It’s scary and it’s overwhelming, but it has to stop. Read the following article to see how one MIT scientist discovered that the glyphosate toxicity levels now in our foods from the use of pesticides will lead to half of our grandchildren having autism. 

http://healthimpactnews.com/2014/mit-researcher-glyphosate-herbicide-will-cause-half-of-all-children-to-have-autism-by-2025/

We cannot sit idly by and watch this happen to our society. The food companies are not going to have a reversal in practice out of pure consciousness, and since they support the government with funding,  we can also not expect radical change from the top down. We are the only ones who can change this, and we must. We can. Dollars speak. We are the ones with the purchasing power that has the strength to change the climate of America’s food.

What you can do now, today:

Stop buying foods with harmful chemicals. Understandably some habits are hard to break. But start somewhere. Change something. Small steps lead to better lifetime habits.
Make your own. Get in your kitchen and start making cleaner foods for your family. It can be breads, condiments, dinners, it’s up to you. Start somewhere, every change adds up.
Read labels. Following is one of thousands of examples that show how simply reading labels can save you from harmful chemicals. The seasoning on the left is pure MSG. The seasoning on the right is all-natural ingredients. They are in the same price category and perform the same function.                                     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stay tuned to our blog for information on what not to buy, recipes for delicious meals that avoid preservatives, add more antioxidants to your diet and eat intentionally!

The post Intentional Eating appeared first on Smart Ingredients Blog.

[image error]

Kelly will be a featured speaker at this year’s Hearts at Home National Conferences in March in Illinois, and November in Minnesota.

Dr. Gary Chapman, author of the 5 Love Languages, and many other effective titles is the keynote speaker. Kelly will be leading two breakout sessions aimed at helping people make sense of cooking for their families, and making conscious, healthy choices when it comes to food.

Hearts at Home is a nationwide organization whose mission is to encourage, educate, and equip every Mom in every season of motherhood.

The conferences are intended to educate but also help Moms:

Feel refreshed and ready to embrace the challenges of motherhood.
Experience a sense of encouragement and camaraderie with other Moms.
Improve your time management and run your home more smoothly.
Make proactive parenting decisions, rather than “knee-jerk” reactions.
Remove the guilt of not being a perfect Mom.

We are very excited to be a part of this large event and expand the reach of Organizing Dinner. Visit the link below to learn more about the conferences and registration, and please consider joining us for a weekend of learning and fun!

2015 National Conference Workshops

Organizing Dinner will also be part of another R&R Retreat at the Springs in Indiana. These retreats, Know Your Story, Love Your Body, Eat for Life are a weekend full of yoga, clean cooking classes, art therapy and personal story mapping that help you determine where you are today on your life’s path and what you can focus on for a better you in the future. The weekend is a refreshing, fun getaway with fabulous, food, fun and community. New at this year’s retreat from Organizing Dinner: Not only will you learn how to make clean, delicious organic meals for your family, you will take home several frozen meals for them as well. The upcoming retreat is the weekend of April 25th at The Springs in Oldenburg, IN. Visit www.thespringsindiana.com or email info@organizingdinner.com for more information about the weekend.

It’s never too late to turn over a new leaf. Especially when it comes to eating. It is, after all, something you must do every day to survive. It’s not like exercise which you can brush to the side and say you’ll get to while carefully sidestepping for a day, or two, or a month. You must eat daily. It is of course what you eat that makes the difference, but each day is a new chance to get it right. Each season that is upon us and even each trip to the grocery store is a new chance to make good decisions. Our methods of changing how you eat are not the all-or-nothing kind. We want you to make small changes slowly that can last a lifetime. Rather than starve today and pig out tomorrow, do everything in moderation. Educating yourself is an important step, and making a conscious effort to implement the changes are the necessary follow through.

For 2015, we recommend these simple fresh starts for kitchen success:

Make conscious choices in what you eat. For example, skip the sugary foods and find an alternative. When you eat sugar, blood sugar levels spike and insulin is secreted to drop blood sugar levels. Then when blood sugar falls rapidly (sugar high crash), the insulin is stored as fat AND your body craves a return to the sugar high from more sugar and just makes you more hungry in general. You can find things like almond milk, pure dark chocolate and honey-based sweets that can satisfy your sweet craving but not harm your body with processed sugar. See the recipe below for  delicious, sweet, homemade granola.

Read labels. You may be surprised to find how many foods you buy have offenders like red dye #40 and aspartame in them. These are easy to recognize and spot, but dig a little deeper. Educate yourself on things like Sodium Nitrate and Propylene Glycol (aka antifreeze) that are proven cancer-causers and in everyday things like processed meats and bottled salad dressing.
Commit time to the kitchen. As you prepare your schedule for the upcoming season, make conscious choices that allow you time to cook homemade food. I know some of you don’t like to, but to get away from processed foods, it’s an important commitment. And we’re here to make it easier for you. If you haven’t already, stock your kitchen with a copy of 70 Meals, One Trip to the Store, and stay tuned to our blog. We have a lot of information and new products and strategies coming your way in 2015.

Homemade Granola

Ingredients

4 cups oats (can be quick cook or regular)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup chopped nuts of your choice
1/2 cup shredded coconut (optional)
1/2 cup flax seed

Homemade Granola

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spread on large baking sheet with sides or baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 – 15 minutes, stirring at least once and watching closely. Remove when lightly browned. Stir again and let cool. Store in airtight container.

Are you scared of what the coming school year means for feeding your kids? I know I am scared at the temptation of all the mini-packages that could easily ensure my kids get their fill of red dye, corn syrup and preservatives at lunch.

I want you to be scared too. We all should be. I want you to feel repulsed when you see pre-packaged foods because the preservatives, dyes and processed sugars and flours they include really do affect the health of our kids. And the fear can be the inspiration you need to get in the kitchen and change the way they eat.

This back-to-school season I will focus on strategies to help us all keep our kids healthier, more alert, and less anxious by eating clean. Like many of my strategies, this one revolves around stocking up on Smart Ingredients – key core ingredients that add up to mealtime success. I will post one recipe per day on the Organizing Dinner facebook page that uses one or more of these ingredients and I’ll do a weekly recap via this blog. Some recipes will use barely more than what’s on this list. Many more will use the pantry stocking list from the 70 meals, One Trip to the Store cookbook so most of you will have everything you need anyway (as you know we try to get the most flavor out of the fewest ingredients). And all the recipes will be things you can feel great about feeding your kids. I’ll give you recipes for sweets to replace preservative and corn-syrup-laden packaged cookies. Great easy dinners, and creative items to pack in their lunch. I wish you the best on keeping it clean this school year!

Here is the “Top 10” list for this year’s back-to-school shopping for clean eating. These are the items you can buy in bulk and stock in the pantry or freezer. Or, stock up one at a time when you find a good price, i.e. ground beef is at its summer low price, and/or you find a great deal on one of the items:

Ground meat – ground beef or poultry is one of the most versatile items to keep on hand for dinner. It is inexpensive, goes a long way at mealtime and is the basis for so many classic favorites such as burgers, meatballs and tacos. I keep several pounds in my freezer at all times, stocking up when I find a great sale.
Flax seeds – flax seed has one of the highest nutritional components of any food. You are doing your body a great service every time you eat it. In the 8th century, King Charlemagne believed so strongly in the health benefits of flax seed that he passed laws requiring his subjects to consume it. I personally think today’s governing officials should look to this kind of enforcement to keep down the costs of healthcare.  Flax seed owes its primary healthy reputation to three components: omega-3 essential fatty acids, lignans and fiber. The health benefits of these include heart health and lower cholesterol. Below is a picture of whole flax seeds if you’ve never seen them before. You can usually find them in the bulk dry goods section of your store or with the health foods. Milled flax is also a fine substitute, and can be found by flours and baking items. 
Chicken – another inexpensive and extremely versatile meal base, chicken breasts are a great item to stock up on and keep on hand in the freezer for weeknight meals.
Quinoa – loaded with minerals and antioxidant qualities, protein to boot, quinoa is one of the healthiest nutritional component foods out there, and by far a superior substitute to pasta or white rice. I also find that it is extremely versatile, as you will see in the recipes to follow this post, from binding burgers to enriching salads, to making a healthy dessert.
Greens – my favorites are kale and spinach because they have HUGE health components and freeze well, but feel free to substitute whatever greens you prefer. I don’t think I even need to touch on why we need these on our menu. They’re green, so ‘nuf said, right?  Buy (or grow) a large bunch of either kale or spinach, keep 2-3 servings in the refrigerator, and freeze the rest by compressing it into individual baggies.
Oats – the health benefits of oats are an article all in themselves. Click to read some great testimony from a non-profit food health organization of their health impacts. In summary, look at it like this: if you are feeding your kids prepackaged breakfast and snack foods with a base of genetically-modified flours, sugars and preservatives, you are putting them at a risk of higher cholesterol, heart issues and diabetes. Whereas a preservative-free item based on something as wholesome as oats, does the reverse.
Tomatoes – if you are growing some yourself right now or happen to be the lucky recipient of a batch of tomatoes this harvest season, do yourself the favor of canning them for the rest of the year. They can be a great base for many a quick and easy meal for your family.
Black beans – canned black beans are ok, but if you don’t mind taking the time to soak beans, buy bags of dried ones. Rinse the beans and place them in a large pot, covered in water and let sit overnight. The next day, rinse and replace water, add 1 tablespoon of salt, bring beans to a boil, reduce heat to simmer, and cook for one hour or until tender.
Sweet potatoes – these spuds are an excellent source of Vitamin A (beta carotene) and Vitamin C, and are known for reducing inflammation and restoring cells. These antioxidants can also help conditions such as arthritis, asthma and diabetes, as well as aid to prevent conditions such as emphysema, heart disease and even colon cancer. And they taste great. The Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) ranked the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables. “Points were given for content of dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugars and complex carbIn mohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium. Points were deducted for fat content (especially saturated fat), sodium, cholesterol, added refined sugars and caffeine. The higher the score, the more nutritious the food.”
Dark chocolate – we all know the kids like a sweet treat, and dark chocolate has wonderful health properties. Stock up on the chips (which you can also find dairy free) for many great recipe uses. And/or if your kids are like mine – straight up chips are a good snack too. Good quality dark chocolate contains fiber and tons of minerals. Yep, dark chocolate lowers the risk of heart disease. Yum.

Clean it up! Was the theme of this Spring’s cooking classes, with a lesson on Intentional Eating. Intentional eating is the practice of being conscious that your body gets the healing nutrients it needs every day from food, much as you would take a daily vitamin or medicine for an ailment. Hippocrates is still quoted today for his wisdom to “Let thy food be they medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.”

Simply summed up: Eating healthy foods keeps your body healthy. Eating packaged processed junk food works against good health.

Foods such as fruits, vegetables, herbs, whole grains are what our bodies need to sustain good health. Be conscious that you get them into your and your family’s system each day.

General Electric Smart Cooking demo

At demonstrations both at the Life of Christ church in Algonquin, and GE Healthcare I talked about the importance of eating this way, and made salads rich in healthy foods to demonstrate just how good it can taste to do so. When you set your mind to eating this way, approach it like any other sport or game:

Have a game plan.

You don’t need a huge strategy playbook. I don’t want you to spend weeks gutting your cabinets and writing out meal plans. Overdoing it can be a way to set yourself up for failure. I want you to add one new habit at a time, as quickly as works for your lifestyle, and slowly but surely change the way you eat for life. For instance, one thing we discussed at the GE Healthcare presentation was Chia Seeds. Someone in the audience asked if I use them. I don’t. Gasp! They are truly this year’s Superfood. I cannot argue that they are one of the best ingredients on the planet and that, according to their nutrient structure which can be viewed at this link: http://authoritynutrition.com/11-proven-health-benefits-of-chia-seeds/

That they are calorie-for-calorie one of the best sources of important nutrients. But I don’t like them. I know they are tasteless, it’s a texture thing. So to me they are a waste of money and work against me eating healthy. Flax seeds, the Superfood of 2009,  on the other hand, are the number one Superfood on my menu. I love the nutty taste, the crunch they add to my salads and granola, and of course, the nutrition component. They are equally high in Omega-3 fatty acids as Chia Seeds and are also one of the best calorie-for-calorie.

Play to Win

Practice cooking and eating this way, and you WILL get better at it. Shop with common sense, and have somewhat of a plan to use what you buy. For instance, don’t buy every vegetable you see in an effort to eat healthier, and then feel like a failure if they go to waste. Focus instead on a few key ingredients that you know your family will consume. For example, I buy kale, blueberries and grapefruit everytime I go to the store, and use all three in smoothies and salads all week. Make an effort to prepare the healthy foods you buy, and be intentional about eating better. Step by step you will be treating your body with the best medicine around – healthy food.

Superfood Salad

Following are links to the popular Superfood and Black Bean Asparagus Salads made at the demos:

http://organizingdinner.com/recipes/2013/02/kale-quinoa-and-blueberry-salad/

http://organizingdinner.com/recipes/2010/11/black-bean-asparagus-salad/

 

 

Aromatics are vegetables used for seasoning many savory dishes. Common aromatics include onions, garlic, celery, carrots, peppers, and fennel. Many folks at my cooking classes say they give up on cooking because what they make lacks flavor. Learning to use a base of aromatics can be a simple way to win in the flavor department.

One of my favorite combinations is mini sweet peppers, onions and garlic.

Often, instead of dicing these vegetables, I make a puree because 1) it saves me the chopping time and 2) it can hide chunks of vegetables from picky eaters.

I use a mini express chop from Ninja (shown below, just $24.99 at Target) chops in seconds, and is super easy to clean.

Photo credit: target stores

Then I sautee the aromatics in olive oil, and they become the perfect meal starter.

The other night I used half of this puree as the seasoning base for my main course Shrimp and Chorizo in Adobo Sauce, and the other half as the base for a flavorful rice pilaf.  There are many other recipes that can gain flavor from an aromatic puree starter. Add 3 cups tomatoes, basil, oregano and 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar to make tomato sauce. Use as a started for your favorite soup. Add 1 cup quinoa and 2 cups water to aromatic puree for a healthy, flavorful side dish. Aromatics are a great exercise to add to your “Win at Dinner” game plan. With practice you will become an expert at adding flavor to everything that happens in your kitchen.

RICE PILAF

3 tablespoons aromatic puree
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Once the vegetables started to turn a nice golden brown, I removed half of them from the pan into a separate pan for the chorizo. I added a splash more olive oil and one cup of rice. I stirred the rice in the oil and vegetables over medium-high heat until the rice started to turn a golden brown. I then added one cup of vegetable broth, and one cup of water. I brought this combination to a boil and then reduced the heat to simmer, stirring occasionally until the liquid was mostly absorbed. I then stirred in the cheese and continued to cook until the pilaf achieved a nice thick consistency.

SHRIMP AND CHORIZO IN ADOBO SAUCE

3 tablespoons aromatic puree
1 pound shrimp
8 ounces chorizo
2 tablespoons adobo sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Brown aromatic puree in 1 tablespoon olive oil until golden brown. Add chorizo and cook until mostly browned. Add shrimp to pan, for 2 minutes until browned. Remove shrimp and set aside. Add remaining ingredients to chorizo, stir, and cook for several minutes more until sauce thickens. Add shrimp back just to heat, and serve over rice pilaf.

After many years of just providing cooking instruction I am now headed into the restaurant world. I will be making food for PURE Organic Juicery in downtown Barrington, opening this Monday, November 18th! The menu is gluten-free, dairy-free, and made with organic, non-GMO, preservative- and additive-free ingredients. In a world full of food options that are bad for you, I am thrilled to bring you food that has nothing bad for you – and added goodness.

The opportunity to cook for PURE came at the perfect time. I noticed a dramatic change in the amount of people who came to my cooking classes looking for ways to cook healthier for their families. People were no longer just asking how to cook, they wanted to cook “right”. And the “right” answer was to me an ever-moving target. So I set about to take a deeper look into processed foods, and educate myself to a higher level of healthy eating.

 

I spent time with my holistic doctor, Dr, Sherry Bresnahan, in Algonquin, IL to learn about how food additives relate to disease. I delved into books about healthy eating, favorites including “Food Rules” by Michael Pollan, and “Eat Yourself Super” by Todd J. Pesek, M. I subscribed to several blogs by people or organizations who were really deep into uncovering the harm of additives preservatives in our food, including Food Matters and Food Babe and added the Buycott and Non-GMO project apps to my phone to help me shop smarter for groceries.

What I learned was alarming, and eye-opening. And in no small way overwhelming.

I learned things like “natural flavoring” comes from anal glands of a beaver, and the compounds that make up Silly Putty and antifreeze are some of the mystery ingredients in McDonald’s French fries, and Diet Coke (only in the U.S.), and that most frozen chicken nuggets contain butane. I’ve learned that many popular sports drinks contain bromine, a poisonous chemical that is considered both corrosive and toxic and has been linked to major organ system damage, birth defects, growth problems, schizophrenia, and hearing loss, and that it is banned in Europe and about 100 other countries. That many U.S. flour manufacturers bleach their flour with a foam called

Azodicarbonamide, which is also used to make yoga mats. This chemical is not only banned for use by food manufacturers in many countries, but has a 15 year prison penalty attached if used in Singapore. Food colorings are linked to ADD and are made from coal tar. You know the other major consumer product that uses coal tar? Lice shampoo. Also that BHA, found in many cereals, is cancer-causing and hormones in non-organic milk have been

linked to breast, prostate and colon cancers.

The facts are shocking. Likely you know someone with cancer, diabetes, gluten or dairy intolerance issues. You’ve also likely wondered why there’s an increase in our generation. Usage of harmful additives and preservatives has increased tenfold in the past 50 years. We are in a dangerous position of being the test generation for food companies using any way they can to streamline profits. According to Dr, Sherry, what we ingest is one of the three factors that contribute to

disease, the other two being absorption (such as inhaling pollutants) and stress. The good news is we can make a change.

Follow these bullet-point guidelines when you shop:

Read labels – a popular guideline among holistic health practitioners is that if something has more than 3-5 ingredients, avoid it.
Speak with your dollars – Why do other countries ban the ingredients used in the U.S. A greater collective conscience and refusal by customers to buy and eat additives and preservatives.
Eat organic – Grow it, shop at farmers markets and seek out organic food whenever possible. Yes, it’s more expensive, but organic foods are free of pesticides and genetic modification.
Eat real food – In Food Rules, Michael Pollen says to give it the Great Grandma test. If your great grandmother would recognize it as food, (citing examples such as tubes of colored gel – such as Gogurt) it’s ok.
Educate yourself – Do not be led by food company advertisements. If something has “healthy” or “fat-free” on the label, this in no way means it’s good for you.

I get that this is all very overwhelming. Many times at my cooking classes and cookbook demos I’ve been told “I just want you to cook it for me.” And my reply used to be “I want you to learn it yourself, so you can cook better for life.” While I still believe in that, I also want to help change the food scene and can make an active change by offering you alternatives to unhealthy food. So yes, in addition to continued food education through blogs, cookbooks and classes in your home, I will cook it for you!

PURE Organic Juicery is located on Cook Street in dowtown Barrington, just South of Lake-Cook Road. The owner, Mary Chlystek is very into juicing for health and will offer many detox and cleanse programs. I will be making salads, wraps, dips, raw foods, and baked goods like muffins and cupcakes that will all be gluten-free, dairy-free, preservative and additive-free and made with non-genetically modified ingredients.

Come in for a taste and know that anything you choose at PURE is chemical and additive free, and loaded with the best organic ingredients around.

Each one of our cooking classes is more fun than the next. This Fall is no exception. Recently we had a cooking class bridal shower, for the adorable Kaitlin Fahey, who is marrying the son of  Barb and Tom Stine of Antioch, IL and is the assistant to Tammy Duckworth in Washington D.C.

The guests (including the guest of honor shown above) helped make Black Bean Asparagus Salad, Beet Salad with Goat Cheese, Chicken Salad with Apples and Perfect Pasta Salad for the guests’ meal. They played it up with kitchen utensil favors, and a cooking theme and loved eating what they made.

Next on the schedule are two cooking & yoga class days at the beautiful hOMe studio in Barrington Hills, IL.

On October 21st, we will offer:

Heaven and Hell: From Sinful Salivation to Healthful Salvation

After a group yoga class, together guests will make (and eat!) three delicious dishes made two different ways. First Allison Murray will lead us in a flavor feast loaded with sweet, savory, and sinful ingredients. Then Kelly Donlea will show how to make those same dishes more healthy by substituting lower fat/sodium/cholesterol and unprocessed/pure ingredients.

On November 4th we will offer:

Cranberry Fest

This bountiful fruit of the harvest season is actually a health-boosting antioxidizing ingredient and tastes great too. Learn how to enjoy and use cranberries in unique ways in your cooking, from savory dishes to sweets, main courses, side dishes and more. This class will also follow a group yoga session. 

 

 

Also coming later this Fall, classes at the new PURE Organic Juicery in downtown Barrington, IL. Organizing Dinner will be providing food at this new juice bar and eatery,  and will have cooking classes to teach you how to cook healthy meals with great taste.

 

We are now booking our holiday appetizer and fall soup cooking parties. If you are interested in booking a cooking class, email info@organizingdinner.com. For more information on classes open to the public, visit the Events page of the organizingdinner.com website.