Political Nutrition

It's been a long Thanksgiving Day. My girls are far away and the empty nest gets just a little emptier on holidays. Plus I have to curb my appetite for destruction on days like this. So I got up, had coffee and watched the Macy's parade. Only half-heartedly of course. The whole idea that the retail giant is opening their doors on Thanksgiving to make even more money leaves a really bad taste in my mouth, making it hard to enjoy even Snoopy. Redesigned of course. So then I made some Almond Fudge topped Brownies . Makes the kitchen smell good and gives me a reason not to over do the pecan pie later. Went walking with my mom, one reason to give thanks... that I can still go walking with my mom. Came back and called our children. Caught the younger one during potato peeling time... not a great time to chat. Caught the other during some free time, which was great. I was attempting again the nefarious Apple Pie and needed to be talked down from the Chef's Ledge. She accommo...

Not only are the holidays pushed on us earlier and earlier every year (thanks Macy's) but we don't have to go there. The day after Thanksgiving for many is Black Friday. A day to shop. All hail shopping. But wait. There is no more Black Friday. Thanksgiving is no longer the Holiday we give thanks in preparation for our shopping extravaganza. It's just a day we try to shovel in some food real fast so we can get to the store. WHAT? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU PEOPLE DOING? I say it every year. Your 2 year old does not need or give two shits about that doll you have to have. Your 13 year old's smart phone is fine as it is. Your 19 year old should be out job hunting not camping out for an XBox. Your partner doesn't need anything except you by their side, hopefully in good health. And whether it's a beautiful Golden Turkey or a beautiful Vegan meal that is the centerpiece, makes no difference. Thanksgiving is about giving thanks to whomever... the gods, mother natu...

I used to jump on the elliptical to work off a mad. Now I bake it off. Today's Mad Mary's recipe? Chocolate muffins. Simple, not too heavy, not to sweet. Just enough to take the edge off. Simple Chocolate Muffin. Perfection. Just adapted from the Cinnamon muffins. The idea was so remarkably simple. Delete the cinnamon and throw in the cocoa. And then to tone it down and remove the bite... some delicious cream. 2 cups Almond flour 2 teaspoons BAKING POWDER 1 teaspoon vanilla 4 large organic eggs 1 stick melted (half cup or 8 tablespoons) organic butter, unsalted, or Ghee. 1/3 cup Cream 1/3 cup sweetener (depends on how sweet you like your muffins)  Swerve 1/3 cup Cocoa Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin tin (12) with paper liners. Sift all the dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl. Add the Butter, then Vanilla, eggs, one at a time, then mix till well blended. Stir in the cream slowly so as not to whip it. Note: add some chopped bits of dark choco...

Hey all you fellow Type II Diabetics! The ones who sneak those sugary snacks... a bite here... a bite there... I know you're out there cause I'm there too. But not so much anymore. A few key rules and you can keep that glucose number down. First, controlling sugar levels if you're Type II isn't so bad when you make some effort. Like cook it yourself. Bake it yourself. And use the right ingredients. Now this is optional, but I got rid of grains. Totally. Wheat, Oat, Barley, Corn... whole grain or processed... doesn't matter because in the end, it's sugar. So you ask what the hell can you eat? Lots. Tons. And it's all good. Today's feature, in honor of the sweet tooth which need no longer be banished? The Nut Butter Cups. They seem to be a favorite among my low-carbing, grain-free, gluten-free, diabetic and non-diabetic friends. Super Easy. Find the Recipe here. If you are a chocoholic, and love peanut butter snacks, I'm going to...

Cranberries. Gotta have them with my Turkey. But what kind of cranberry sauce has no sugar! I've made a decent one with Splenda, but only with a little sugar too. This time we're going whole hog... so to speak. I'm testing out a nice cranberry spice jelly with Swerve. And if you've never made your own Cranberry sauce... it's incredibly easy. Do not buy the canned... please people... if you can boil water you can make your own. 1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon Nutmeg 3 cups cranberries 1 cup water 1 cup Swerve (might use the powdered, as it tends to granulate after it's chilled) or Splenda... even Sugar or whatever you use. If splenda I recommend a 50/50 blend (1/2 cup). I've used only Splenda and didn't care for the results. Bring the sugar and water to a boil. Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and stir until well blended. Add cranberries and return to a boil, then simmer gently for about 10 minutes stirring occasionally. The cranberries will...

Everyone has their favorite foodie blog to tell them what to eat and how to eat it. I've got one of my own that I write... does that make me right? Maybe. Maybe not. Here's the key. Don't just assume that because someone says it's fabulously nutritious and prevents every ailment in the modern world... well.. that it's true for you.  Take Kale. Nutritious? Probably. So are most plants to someone. For me, since it can promote blood clots, really bad idea to eat it. And stomach issues. If you're prone to any gastric issues... don't eat it. Oh wait... but it prevents cancer! Cancer won't kill you if you're already dead of a heart attack. In other words, not all super foods are super for everyone. And everything in moderation.  If you can tolerate Kale, great. Have it a few times a week at most. Not all day every day. Nothing is good for you in high doses, and the more nutrients a food packs, the less you need to eat of it. This isn't som...

A few facts about SNAP. The Supplemental Nutritional Assistance program. The Federal program that ensures "the welfare of the citizens" as instructed by our cherished constitution.  Friday they cut 5 billion dollars from that program. Let's count shall we? That's about $10 per person in the program receiving aid. Which they spend on food, which translates into $17 per person reinvested in the economy. 5 Billion cut has now reduced the circulatory impact of each dollar by the original 5 billion, plus the 8.5 billion recirculated into the economy. Remember our economy is based on a full impact in a healthy market where 1 dollar translates into 7. Using that model, a 5 billion cut in SNAP dollars is actually 40 Billion impact on the economy.  Photo courtesy of Hin255/freedigitalphotos.net Bad idea. But that's just money people.  Now, try to feed your family on $1.40 per meal. A healthy meal. One that won't encourage medical issues or childhood obesity...

So headed off to Nebraska for work for a week. Not a bad trip.. get to see old friends and my mother-in-law is there as well. Plus a taste of winter. But when it comes to food, I gotta say it truly isn't a healthy eater's paradise. Now in all fairness, I don't live there now, haven't for well over a decade. But the decade I spent there I learned the meaning of absolute gluttony. Seriously. Prime rib was served by the pound, not up to a pound. Buffets had a little bit of salad and a whole lot of dessert. They have some excellent food by the way, just not very good for you. So I'm sure some of it's changed but eating out is hard enough in Tucson, where healthy food is at least available. Not so sure in Nebraska. I don't want to take any chances. So, while I'm sure I can get some good salads to sustain me, my ever-present sweet tooth will demand satisfaction. So I have to bring my own. I just put a batch of Almond Butter Cups in the freezer, that's...

Halloween. The demon word for diabetics. I get to dole out candy to about 100 little ghouls, princesses, warlocks, space invaders... everyone but me. I was going to make my own Almond Joys... and I could... but I totally spaced it off and didn't have the almonds. Please... Almond Joys without Almonds? Might as well have a Mounds. If you're finished snickering.... again, it's Halloween and candy is just everywhere. Even my fingers can't help typing those nasty words. So I thought what can I do? I need something to get me through. I need a fix. I need... cookies. but finding a cookie recipe made with Almond Flour is nearly impossible... unless you can use chocolate chips. Would someone please explain the purpose of using Almond Flour for a low carb healthy grain free cookie and throwing commercial chocolate chips in???? So for no apparent reason, though I can conjure up a few paranormal explanations, my grandmother's love affair with Pecan Sandies popped into ...