“Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.”  Thomas Fuller

I’m often asked the question, “So, what’s in your refrigerator?” As a wellness coach, I’ve helped clients “alter” what they keep in their cupboards and refrigerator. However, I thought our readers might enjoy seeing what I keep on hand.

So Jerry pulled out our trusty little Flip Video Camera and we filmed a new video series for you.  Please note that I didn’t go out and shop before we did this, so the refrigerator isn’t overly full. But you’ll get an idea of some of the staples I use in food preparation.

Today is the final installment of our look inside our refrigerator. We begin with raw milk, mild cheddar cheese that I buy from a food co-op. I buy a five pound block and then cut it into smaller pieces that I then wrap and freeze. I also keep a soft goat cheese on hand for use in salads and other recipes. Organic dried cranberries are also a staple in our refrigerator. I refrigerate all of the dried fruit to keep it fresher longer. Without preservatives and sulfur dioxide added, dried fruit can develop mold if left unrefrigerated.

Eggs are always in our house and I use them lavishly. (And for those of you who are new to our blogs, eggs do NOT cause “high cholesterol.”) I buy eggs from a local source where the hens are allowed to bask in the great outdoors. You’ll see some leftovers this time. Leftover chicken and vegetable soup and leftover squash pie grace the shelves. We both enjoy leftovers so that’s always a treat to have more of a good thing. As I said, the squash pie was a savory dinner pie as opposed to a dessert pie.

Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans, rice, and barley. It’s a thick, dark brown paste used for making soups, sauces, and spreads. It is one of the few fermented soy products that I use in my kitchen. I also use organic sour cream to make my own salad dressings since there are so few commercial salad dressings with favorable ingredients. Lastly, you see the organic, sourdough spelt bread that we use, when I don’t take the time to bake my own. I made our own bread for many, many years and only recently began buying the spelt sourdough bread. Along with this bread, I also recommend buying Ezekiel or other sprouted grain bread.

It’s been fun taking you on a tour of our refrigerator. Perhaps I’ll do the freezer or the pantry at some point. Or maybe I’ll produce some videos of making certain recipes. Let me know what you’d like to see.

Prayer Power
Father, we are so blessed by our readers and by their comments and their interest in what we’re doing. Bless them abundantly this day.

Blessings on you as you continue to clean out your refrigerator!

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“If we are what we eat, with all the genetically modified and imitation foods we now eat, what the heck are we?”  Anonymous

What would be your answer to the above question?

They all fool and defraud each other; no one tells the truth. With practiced tongues they tell lies; they wear themselves out with all their sinning.  (Jer. 9:5; NLT)

If you’ve been reading Daily Grams for any length of time, you’ve heard us repeat time and time again, know what you’re putting in your mouth — read the labels.  How many times have you heard, “if you can’t pronounce it, you don’t want to eat it?”  Well, here’s another one for you…”If it ain’t what it says it is, you don’t want to eat it.”  [Excuse the use of the word which my English teacher said never to use because it ain't in the dictionary, but it's in dictionary.com, so I guess it's OK now.]

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“What three things do you want to accomplish this year? Write them down and place them on your refrigerator for inspiration all year long.”  Unknown

I’m often asked the question, “So, what’s in your refrigerator?” As a wellness coach, I’ve helped clients “alter” what they keep in their cupboards and refrigerator. However, I thought our readers might enjoy seeing what I keep on hand.

So Jerry pulled out our trusty little Flip Video Camera and we filmed a new video series for you.  Please note that I didn’t go out and shop before we did this, so the refrigerator isn’t overly full. But you’ll get an idea of some of the staples I use in food preparation.

Today is our third look at what’s in our refrigerator. I will do half of the shelves this time and will finish the set in the next Daily Gram with one final peek inside. Again, I didn’t shop before doing this video, so the refrigerator is not overly full.

I’m introducing you to what I’ve coined as “nutola.” Since granola is made with grains, and I consume very few grains, I created nutola. (I still sometimes desire a cereal-type of food but choose to not eat commercial cereal.) For nutola, I chop up nuts that I’ve soaked and dried and then add ground flax seeds and coconut. We eat it with warmed coconut milk. The nuts are still raw with live enzymes.

I also mention Vegenaise as the mayonnaise I recommend. Honestly, there is no perfect mayonnaise. Most all commercial mayonnaise is made with soybean oil which I avoid. There are various options of Vegenaise which is made by Follow Your Heart. I recommend the one with the bright purple lid and label, as it is made with grapeseed oil.

You’ll see my spelt sourdough starter that is used to make sourdough spelt bread. I also show you coconut oil that’s solidified. When coconut oil is cold, it will harden and turn white. I keep a small jar in the cupboard for everyday use. In the winter months the oil is soft but still white. As temperatures warm up, the oil will become an almost clear liquid.

I’ve written Daily Grams on Kombucha. It’s a great beverage for supporting overall intestinal health. Try some today. I recommend the plain (blue label). Jerry calls it “high-test.”

You’ll also see that I recommend organic, whole milk yogurt — NOT low-fat. And I buy plain, not flavored. Even the organic fruited yogurts contain sugar, I’m sorry to say. If you want a sweetened yogurt, buy the plain and add some honey, or stevia and vanilla extract. Just this evening, I  made us a quick dessert by blending plain yogurt, slightly thawed organic strawberries, and a pinch of honey and vanilla. It was yummy!

Prayer Power
Father, thank You that You desire for us to be healthy and well and that You provide food for us that will nourish us and not cause harm.

Blessings on you as you decide what changes you can make with what’s in your frig.

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“Some people immediately descend on the dishes the moment they have been set down. Wolves do that.”  Desiderius Erasmus

How long do your meals usually last?

Wear your traveling clothes as you eat this meal, as though prepared for a long journey. Wear your sandals, and carry your walking sticks in your hands. Eat the food quickly, for this is the LORD’s Passover.  (Exod. 12:11; NLT)

Do you eat too fast?  Is your dinner table a place for family time or is it more akin to a race track?  Both Sharon and I tend to eat far too fast.  Sometimes she will spend 20-30 minutes preparing a great meal and 5-10 minutes later it’s all gone.  Sometimes it’s because we’re going somewhere, but not usually.  It’s often just a terrible habit of eating too fast.

We sometimes remind each other that we’re “wolfing” our food down, and that will slow us down for a couple of minutes, but then the habit takes over again.  I found a great post that describes a technique called “Fork Down.”  I’ve included it as the Link of the Day.

What brought all this up was the great video below.  Katie Hilton, one of our great house guests last week left this for us.  (Wonder if she was trying to tell us something?)  Anyway, I know you will enjoy it.  The star of the video does a great job of modeling a slower eating style.  Next time you find yourself “wolfing” down your meal (pun intended), remember our video star here.

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for the blessing of great food.  Help us to slow down and enjoy it even more.

Link of the Day
How To Slow Down Your Eating

Blessings on you as you take time to “smell the roses.”

“Never pride yourself on knowledge. Remember; even a head of iceberg lettuce knows more than you do. It knows whether or not that light really does go out when the refrigerator door shuts.”  Unknown

I’m often asked the question, “So, what’s in your refrigerator?” As a wellness coach, I’ve helped clients “alter” what they keep in their cupboards and refrigerator. However, I thought our readers might enjoy seeing what I keep on hand.

So Jerry pulled out our trusty little Flip Video Camera and we filmed a new video series for you.  Please note that I didn’t go out and shop before we did this, so the refrigerator isn’t overly full. But you’ll get an idea of some of the staples I use in food preparation.

Today we’re continuing with our second installment of what’s in my refrigerator.  We’re peeking into the produce bins.  We find organic apples, oranges, one lonely pear, one lonely kiwi, and some avocadoes.  I point out the organic produce number on the pear.  Organic produce always begins with the number 9 and is a five-digit number.  Commercially grown produce begins with the number 4 and is only a four-digit number.  Hopefully you won’t see any produce beginning with the number 8.  If you do, DON’T buy it.  That means it’s been genetically engineered or altered.

In the remaining produce bin we find organic baby spinach and organic baby romaine lettuce.  I always buy organic spinach as spinach is high on the pesticide list. I normally buy the large, one pound containers of each allowing us to eat salad at least once a day.  I ran out of the one pound containers and went to the nearest supermarket in order to have greens for the day.  I mention that the red peppers were hot house grown without pesticides.  They were very tasty, which is a good indication that they’re loaded with vitamins and minerals.

Celery is another vegetable that I always buy organic.  It also is one of those on the list of highly sprayed with pesticides.  It is sometimes difficult to find organic bunches of celery, but organic hearts are fairly easy to locate. Cabbage is another vegetable staple.  It’s great in soups, stir fry, and coleslaw.   Next time we’ll explore the refrigerator shelves.

Prayer Power
Father, bless our readers with peace, joy and delight.

Blessings on you as you purpose to eat more fruits and vegetables.

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“The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”  Albert Einstein

How long should someone try to do the same thing before deciding to take a different approach?

In 1971 President Richard Nixon declared war on cancer.  Almost 40 years later, cancer is poised to surpass cardiovascular disease and become America’s leading killer.  Approximately 70% more Americans will die from cancer this year than did in 1971.  Maybe it’s time to try something new?

In 1977 a Senate subcommittee released the report, “Dietary Goals for the United States.”  That report declared fat as the primary enemy of good health.  As a result, the National Institutes of Health declared a war on fat some seven years later and garnered the willing and gleeful support of the food industry.  Now, after 25 years of no fat and low fat, the rate of obesity has gone from a steady 13% through the 60’s and 70’s to an alarming and growing 25% while 70% of Americans are now classified as overweight.  Maybe it’s time to try something new?

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“If it weren’t for the fact that the TV set and the refrigerator are so far apart, some of us wouldn’t get any exercise at all.”  Joey Adams

I’m often asked the question, “So, what’s in your refrigerator?” As a wellness coach, I’ve helped clients “alter” what they keep in their cupboards and refrigerator. However, I thought our readers might enjoy seeing what I keep on hand.

So Jerry pulled out our trusty little Flip Video Camera and we filmed a new video series for you.  Please note that I didn’t go out and shop before we did this, so the refrigerator isn’t overly full. But you’ll get an idea of some of the staples I use in food preparation.

I began with the refrigerator door. You’ll see that I use organic, unsalted butter, which thankfully is becoming easier to find. I mention organic agave nectar which I use on the rare occasion I make dessert. I show raw almond butter which I use instead of peanut butter, since peanut butter is actually a legume, harder to digest and contains a carcinogenic mold called aflatoxin.

I show various types of vinegar. Organic, raw apple cider vinegar is a stable I use often. A well-known food TV star abbreviates extra virgin olive oil with the letters, EVOO. I’ve often thought that organic apple cider vinegar should be called OACV. What do you think? The other vinegars I mention are used for various recipes. Balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, brown rice vinegar, and ume plum vinegar each bring a distinct flavor and uniqueness to a recipe. Balsamic vinegar is commonly used. I always buy organic balsamic vinegar to avoid added sulfites.

Even though I do like and prefer fresh garlic, there are times when it’s just not possible. So, I do use organic, diced garlic from the jar. I also show the various mustards, relish, and other condiments I keep on hand.

Stay tuned to find out what else I usually keep on hand.

Blessings on you as you examine what’s in your refrigerator.

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“For a product to carry a health claim on its package, it must first have a package, so right off the bat it’s more likely to be a processed rather than a whole food.” Michael Pollan

Do you tend to believe or doubt the health claims made by food manufacturers?  Why do you feel that way?

…they resorted to deception to save themselves.  (Jos. 9:4a; NLT)

They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. I guess that means that those of us who are labeled “foodies” by some, are becoming more and more of a culture-shaping influence. Maybe we’re actually winning.

Have you noticed how organic food used to be something only the fringe people of society bought and consumed, but now almost every grocery store in the land is selling some amount of organic produce. The arguments that organic is no better for you are tired and worn out, and people have begun to see through the sheer lack of logic in such an argument. Hence, industrial agriculture is scrambling to lobby for legislation that reduces the standards of organic in order to preserve market share.

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“In fact, the slew of nutrients in an egg yolk is so comprehensive that a few a day would offer better insurance than a multi-vitamin. Most importantly, the yolk contains most of the nutrients in an egg.”  Chris Masterjohn

How many eggs are you eating per week?

People complain when there is no salt in their food. And how tasteless is the uncooked white of an egg! (Job 6:6; NLT)

Even though I’ve written several articles before on the amazing benefits of eggs, I’ve recently realized that many people still believe the deceptive lie that eggs are “bad for you and cause high cholesterol.” During a coaching call last week with an intelligent, middle-aged man, I was again reminded of this very fact. When exploring what he typically eats for breakfast, I asked him if he ever eats eggs. “I try and stay away from them since I have high cholesterol.” When I began educating him on the health benefits of eggs and sharing with him that eggs do NOT elevate cholesterol and that they are very healthy food for us to eat, he exclaimed, “really?” He had believed a lie.

I’ve also noticed a trend even in some nutritional circles, touting to eat the egg white and throw the yolk away! I was appalled. Throw the best part of the egg away? Mike Geary says it well, “By throwing out the yolk and only eating egg whites, you’re essentially throwing out the most nutrient dense, antioxidant-rich, vitamin and mineral loaded portion of the egg. The yolks contain so many B-vitamins, trace minerals, vitamin A, folate, choline, lutein, and other powerful nutrients… it’s not even worth trying to list them all.” I totally agree, Mike!

He goes on to say that, “In fact, the egg whites are almost devoid of nutrition compared to the yolks. Even the protein in egg whites isn’t as powerful without the yolks to balance out the amino acid profile and make the protein more bio-available. Not to even mention that the egg yolks from free range chickens are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids.

“Yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg. In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids.”

So, be deceived no longer. Eating egg yolks is good for your health…and NO they do not elevate cholesterol levels.

Prayer Power
Father, we thank You for the wonderful egg, complete with yolk and white. May our readers learn and understand the truth.

Link of the Day
Are Whole Eggs or Egg Whites Better for You?

Blessings on you as you enjoy the whole egg.

Photo by me and the sysop

“Today we have a nation that is addicted to sugar. In 1915, the national average of sugar consumption (per year) was around 15 to 20 pounds per person. Today the average person consumes his/her weight in sugar, plus over 20 pounds of corn syrup.”  Macrobiotic Guide

How much sugar do you consume per day on average?  Are you sure?

Honey seems tasteless to a person who is full, but even bitter food tastes sweet to the hungry.  (Prov. 27:7; NLT)

Sugar is sugar. How very profound. A little sugar is good (I suppose some would argue with that, so let’s just say a little is probably OK), but a lot is way too much.

Our culture is literally obsessed with sugar. Today’s link contains an alarming video documentary produced by CBCNews (Canadian Broadcasting Company) that asserts we are literally “slaves to a sugar-based diet.”

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