Food Additives

Thanks to Mark Bittman at the New York Times, I got to read the USDA's official list of all the things processors can legally put into food. (PDF) The most interesting parts to me were the parts you don't even have to declare on the list of ingredients. For example,

"secondary direct food additives are substances whose functionality is required during the manufacture or processing of a food and are ordinarily removed from the final food. Although residuals might carry over to the final food, residuals must not exhibit any technical effects"

Gotta say, compared to an aqueous solution of peroxyacetic acid, hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, and 1- hydroxyethylidene-1, 1- diphosphonic acid, those bird droppings in the garden don't sound bad at all.

Guacamole animation

This is my new favorite guacamole recipe. I particularly love the diced onions.

The FDA speaks

The Onion News Network has a video about health recommendations from the Federal Government on their "Daily Briefing" channel. I sometimes wonder if the people at the FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services ever actually think things like this, while they're making politically acceptable pronouncements.

Warning: contains vulgar language.

Mark Bittman's Food Manifesto

Mark Bittman at the New York Times has published an excellent article about the principles we should keep in mind as our food system evolves. While I'm not sure the government is the right organization to implement some of his ideas, all of his ideas are good ones. The part I particularly like:

Encourage and subsidize home cooking. (Someday soon, I’ll write about my idea for a new Civilian Cooking Corps.) When people cook their own food, they make better choices. When families eat together, they’re more stable. We should provide food education for children (a new form of home ec, anyone?), cooking classes for anyone who wants them and even cooking assistance for those unable to cook for themselves.

Economists have shown that the main reason our diets and health have gotten so screwed up lately is that it's just too easy to eat bad food. People have to give up a lot of convenience to eat well.

Another way to go vegetarian

Taco Bell is being sued because its "beef" is only one-third beef. Most of it is basically oatmeal and soy. It sounds like it would only take a little more push, to make that stuff actually good for you! (Tip of the hat to Prof. PZ Myers.)

Taking Down WW

One of the funniest writers on the internet signs up for Weight Watchers.

Do you remember Cracked magazine? Back in the '60s, it was just a cheap imitation of Mad, but things have changed. Cracked made the jump to the Internet, and just keeps getting better. Mad is pretty much defunct. Anyway, enjoy.

From the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, "Goldfinches are among the strictest vegetarians in the bird world, selecting an entirely vegetable diet and only inadvertently swallowing an occasional insect." I know how they feel.

What the world eats

Time Magazine has some great photos. 16 families from around the world pose with one week's worth of food.

Holiday Cooking Session

People always ask me to do one session to show them how to make a certain dish, dessert, a certain cuisine. I usually do that only as part of my coaching programs. But because so many of you have been asking for these sessions, I decided to offer them throughout the holiday season to help you plan a healthier Thanksgiving dinner.

How does it work? Contact us via email or phone (all available at www.zizania.biz) We will discuss what type of cooking you would like to do. Make an appointment or us to come to your house to prepare the dishes. The session lasts 2 hours. Depending on the difficulty of the recipes, we can make 2 to 4 recipes.

So what are you waiting for? Surprise your guests this thanksgiving with a cabbage salad smothered in miso-ginger dressing, a succulent dip made with leek-confit and fresh peas, butternut squash soup, peanut soup, coconut-lime cake, Tarte Tatin, and many more.

How to Peel a Pumpkin

Pumpkins are not just for carving. They are colorful, chuckfull of vitamins and minerals, and fiber. Best of all, they cost nearly nothing both in price and calories. Not as hard as you think. The important part is to have a stable cutting board, a sharp chef's knife and some elbow oil. Once you have these tools aligned, just watch this video for the tutorial.

No More Diabetes

Just 3 months on the Zizania program and I am no longer diabetic. I cannot express my gratitude in words to Dominique Hoffman for putting such an innovative program in place, for her patience and in-depth knowledge of nutrition, food, and her ability to assist me in changing my eating habits.

I have been diabetic for 10 years, I did not believe that it could be reversed. I have lost 20 lbs. My hands and face use to be swollen and puffy, they now look normal. One morning I woke up and I felt my toes. It just occurred to me that I have been living with neuropathy for God knows how long and did not know it. But the best part is the food was amazing and I did not feel deprived one day! I stopped snacking on cheese and crackers, I ended by afternoon visits to the candy bowl, and because I no longer eat packaged food, take outs, and restaurant meals, my grocery bill has reduced by 30 %.

It is simply wonderful to feel healthy every day and so easy to get used to feeling good.

From Lana
Springfield, VA

Recipe Make-Over

Send us your grandmother's, mother in-law's, or other vintage recipe that is heavy and high in calories. If it is selected for a make-over, you will win $20 and your recipe will be printed in our next newsletter.

Here is how to play:
Visit our website www.zizania.biz
Click on Contact Us
Send us a message with your contact info, how you heard about us, anything you want us to know about you.
We will reply with a fax number so you can either type and email the recipe or fax it if it is already on a piece of paper or too long to type.

Let's get cooking !

Gina's Recipe Make-Over

Ingredients
1 med. onion, diced
1 Tbsp. oil
1 clove garlic, minced (more if you want)
2 vegetable bouillon cube
1 c cannelloni beans, soaked overnight in 6 cups of water and 1/2 t baking soda
1 c navy or great northern beans, soaked as above
5 dried Santa Fee peppers, hydrated in warm water
1 can (4 oz.) diced green chilies
1 ½-2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. oregano
1/4 c lime
Salt and pepper to taste
6 c water -preferably filtered
1 ripe and diced avocado for serving

Method
Heat oil in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion, sautee for 2 minutes then add garlic; Cook 2 more min. Add oregano, cumin, salt and pepper, stir for 1 min. or so then deglaze with lime juice. Add the water, bring to a boil. Add the bouillon cubes and rinsed beans. Lower the heat to a simmer.
Process the Santa Fee peppers in a blender to make a puree. Add to the beans. Cook for 45 minutes or until beans are cooked.
Take 2 cups of beans and process in a blender until creamy, pour back into the pot. Add the chilies. Turn off the heat and stir to combine.
Serve topped with avocados.

New Blog Contributor

Hello all, My name is Terri and I signed up with Zizania in mid-June. I am working to reverse my Type 2 diabetes and get healthier overall. Dominique was referred to me by two of her other clients. No sooner had I met Dominique that I ended up in the hospital for a week and had to delay the program. I didn't know it, but I had a bone infection that was affecting me systemically. The whole time I was in the hospital I was eating from their "diabetic" menu. I still can't believe the diabetic-unfriendly items on their menu. My blood sugars were over 300 everyday.

Dominique came to my home the day I was released from the hospital and we made our first recipes. My blood sugars reduced significantly everyday after making the change to a healthy dietary plan. In a week my blood sugars were in the 120 range. I also lost 16 pounds in 4 weeks, very exciting and very promising! Working with Dominique and Brandi has been such a great honor and a pleasure. Both of them are so "real" and make the program fun; I have learned so much.

I hit a rough spot about four weeks into the program when I had to have surgery. It was traumatic for me and left me feeling very depressed and seeking old comfort foods. Then I was too embarassed to submit food journals. Although the last three weeks have been rough, I hadn't given up completely and still primarily adhered to the diet. Dominique and I had a long talk this week and I am back on track. She and Brandi are always so supportive and helpful.

I add this information about the rough spot to give encouragement to others to keep going with the program even when the stressors of life may contribute to deviations in your plan. Life is full of ups and downs. Eventually it will be up again so I keep moving forward; hopefully you will too. :)

Lost 6 lbs in 1 week

I'm doing very well! 6 lbs off as of this morning and loving it! Energy is high, stayed thoughout the weekend. I bought a blender that also came with a food processor so this is going to help a lot with all the smoothies and the chopping that's done. Sat with my SO and he was having roasted potatoes with ketchup. I read the ingredients on the bottle and was amazed at the high fructose corn syrup and corn syrup loaded into those ingredients! Next step is to take instructions from Dominique to sustain this life style after the detox - which, by the way, I'm continuing this next week as well.

Author: Noel Weller, Alexandria, VA.

Skinny Dipping

That's what she calls her top 10 vegetable dips for hot summer days.

Delicious Treats for the planet

Who said desserts can't be healthy? Come see our Vegan Bake Sale, in participation with World Wide Vegan bake sale organized by Compassion4animals so come on out, bring a friend and little ones if you have them, and join us for some delicious and healthy treats.
Mention this post and get a free cookie!
address:
1452 North Point Village Center
Reston, Virginia 20194-1190
time:
2:00 to 4:00

Protein Drinks Show Contamination

The Washington Post reported today that Consumer Reports tested protein drinks and found that all 15 showed at least one sample containing arsenic, cadmium, or mercury. For three of the drinks, you would exceed recommended maximum limits if you drank three of them in a day.

Heavy metal belongs in your earphones, not your diet. Fortunately, there's an easy solution: don't drink these things. They're expensive, and almost no Americans need more protein in their diets, anyway.

Class: Going with the Grain

Can you name 5 grains that you know? Now, how many of them do you eat regularly? This class will show you grains that you may have heard of but never tried: sorghum, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, amaranth, and more. You will learn new sources of calcium, protein, and fiber, which have amazing taste without even seasoning.

Date: Thursday September 23rd
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: 6910 Richmond Highway. Alexandria, VA
Registration: Call 703 639 7063

Class: Sweet and Light

Dessert! You can enjoy healthy, delicious, and amazing desserts that will actually boost your immune system, give you many nutrients, and help you gain energy, with all the pleasure of dessert intact. Here are a few, just to caress your curiosity: blueberry chocolate mousse; chocolate silk pie; fruit cobbler.... Date: Tuesday September 21st Time: 7:00 PM Location: 6910 Richmond Highway. Alexandria, VA Registration: Call 703 639 7063