Whole Foods Lifestyle - Super Foods

I have been trying to eat more healthy and searched for the list of super foods by Dr. Pratt. I thought I would share this list from the super foods website. Does anyone here try to eat any of these foods each day? I have been trying to get in something each day. Lately I have been on a frsh blueberry kick with my oatmeal.

Also are sweet potatoes and pupkins close enough to be consider having the same benefits?

The following is cut and paste from the website:

SUPERFOODS RX focuses on foods that are high in micronutrients (vitamins, minerals, phytonutrients) instead of macronutrients (fats, carbs, proteins).

The fourteen SuperFoods and their possible benefits:

Beans – lower cholesterol, combat heat disease, stabilize blood sugar, reduce obesity, relieve hypertension and lessen the risk of cancer.
Blueberries – lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer, and help maintain healthy skin to reduce the sags and bags brought on by age.
Broccoli – boosts the immune system, lowers the incidence of cataracts, supports cardiovascular health, builds bones and fights birth defects.
Oats – lower cholesterol, reduce the risk of coronary heart disease & Type II diabetes, high in fiber and protein.
Oranges – support heart health and prevent cancer, stroke, diabetes and a host of chronic ailments.
Pumpkin – helps lower the risk of various cancers (lung, colon, bladder, cervical, skin, and breast) and supplies nutrients necessary for healthy, youthful skin.
Wild Salmon - lowers the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Soy – helps prevent cardiovascular disease, cancer, and osteoporosis, and helps relieve menopausal and menstrual symptoms.
Spinach – decreases the chance of cardiovascular diseases, a host of cancers, age-related macular degeneration and cataracts.
Tea – boosts the immune system, helps prevent cancer and osteoporosis, lowers the risk of stroke, promotes cardiovascular health.
Tomatoes – lower the likelihood of cancer, raise the skin’s sun protection factor and seem to play a role in preventing cataracts and age-related macular degeneration.
Turkey – a perfect example of a Twenty-First Century "healthy" protein source, extremely low in fat, and provides multiple nutrients which help build a strong immune system.
Walnuts – reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Yogurt – promotes strong bones and a healthy heart, another health promoting protein source, and a great source of calcium.

Here is the website:
http://www.superfoodsrx.com/fulldescription.html

Hi Dolly....a great reminder, thanks! I attended a seminar on healthy eating a few weeks ago, and all the items you listed were included in his presentation with the exception of turkey and pumpkin. I def. have more of the anti-oxident fruits and veggies now.

I've seen a list that was similar, but with a couple of different foods such as asparagus and almonds, if I recall correctly. :chin:

I eat 10 of those on your list regularly, with maybe 5 or 6 on a daily basis. I'm not supposed to eat oranges or tomatoes (doctor's orders), and I haven't had pumpkin for years, unless you count the not-too-healthy pumpkin loaf that I sometimes give in to. ;)

I definitely don't think you can go wrong with any of those foods, including sweet potatoes.

I was just thinking.. i dont think ive EVER had pumpkin that wasn't either in Pie form, or some yummy bread form. I dont suppose that is quite what is meant though..

How do you eat pumpkin?

Very Similar to the Abs Diet it sounds like...is anyone familar enough with the two to comment ???

How do you eat pumpkin?

I would like to find out the same thing. I know pie and bread (unfortunately) but I wonder what is another way to cook it with out high fat and calories.....maybe mashed like other squash? Sprinkle some cinnamon on it?
Let me know if you find one. A search on the food network produced little non-dessert recipes or low cal recipes.

I actually called my grandmother on this one.. she said mashed pumpkin is very good with some salt and butter.. im probably not gonna be game to try that one though..

Here's something I came up with :) :

Baked Pumpkin Custard

1 large can pure pumpkin (I think it's 29 oz)
1 1/2 cups low or nonfat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups Splenda
1 1/2 cups Eggbeaters
2. teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process all in the food processor until well-mixed and smooth. Spray six custard cups with PAM. Divide mixture equally in cups. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Nutrition Info per serving

110 calories
1 g fat
12 g carbs
13 g protein

Here is a pumpkin thing that I love especially in summer....

1 TBSP. SF/FF Vanilla Pudding
1 C. FF Cool Whip
1/4 c. Pumpkin

This is how I make it because I like the flavor...of course it can be changed a little with more or less of any ingredient....IT is yummy !!!

yum.. that sounds much better than .. mashed.. :)

Cyclone, do you mean a cup of Cool Whip and a tablespoon of pudding? Or the other way around? :)

wow, I never knew that you could eat pumpkin any other way besides the pies and breads! I don't know if I'd be able to try it mashed though :P

I recently made 6 small foil loaf pans of basically pumpkin pie filling without the crust (I used the recipe on the Libby's Pumpkin can). I just used evaporated skim milk and Splenda instead of regular sugar. I used regular eggs instead of egg beaters (only because I didn't have any), and each serving has just a little over 200 calories. It makes a VERY heavy/filling snack. I looks, Meg, like yours basically just uses cottage cheese instead of the evaporated milk--might cut back the calories even more.

Here's something I came up with :) :

Baked Pumpkin Custard

1 large can pure pumpkin (I think it's 29 oz)
1 1/2 cups low or nonfat cottage cheese
1 1/2 cups Splenda
1 1/2 cups Eggbeaters
2. teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt

Process all in the food processor until well-mixed and smooth. Spray six custard cups with PAM. Divide mixture equally in cups. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Nutrition Info per serving

110 calories
1 g fat
12 g carbs
13 g protein


I tried this yesterday. It was good! Thanks for posting it.

I'm reading the Superfoods RX book now. I'm trying to to add more servings of these foods each week.

I think I got this recipe from a post here somewhere....it's pumpkin pie without the crust...I don't really miss the crust...

Ultimate Pumpkin Pie

1 (15 oz.) Can Pure Pumpkin
5 oz. Fat Free Evaporated Milk
1/2 Cup Splenda Granular
2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
2 Eggs
Fat Free Cool Whip (optional)

Combine all ingredients. Spray a pie pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Pour pumpkin mixture directly into pan. Bake @ 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool Completely. Serve with 2 Tablespoons of Fat Free Cool Whip if desired.

Serves: 8
Per Serving: 60 Calories; 1g Fat (19.0% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 9g Carbohydrate; 2g Dietary Fiber; 47mg Cholesterol; 40mg Sodium. Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 1 Vegetable; 0 Fat.
With egg beaters - 40 calories

I have been trying to eat more healthy and searched for the list of super foods by Dr. Pratt. I thought I would share this list from the super foods website. Does anyone here try to eat any of these foods each day? I have been trying to get in something each day. Lately I have been on a frsh blueberry kick with my oatmeal.

Also are sweet potatoes and pupkins close enough to be consider having the same benefits?



Yes, me! I've posted several times that I credit that particular book with completely changing my life. My goal is to eat 10 different super foods a day. Don't stress too much about eating pumpkin, if you read the book, the author identifies the 14 super foods and then almost every food has "sidekicks" which offer similar health benefits. For example, walnuts are the super food but almonds would be a side kick. Spinach is a super food, but other dark leafy greens are sidekicks. Pumpkin is the super food, but carrots, orange peppers, butternut squash and sweet potatoes are side kicks :)

Alpha carotene - all 1 cup
Pumpkin cooked 11.7 mg
Carrots cooked 6.7 mg
Butternut squash, cooked 2.3 mg
Orange bell pepper .3 mg
Collards cooked .2 mg

Beta carotene - all 1 cup
Sweet potato cooked 23 mg
Pumpkin cooked 17 mg
Carrots cooked 13 mg
Spinach cooked 11.3 mg
Butternut squash, cooked 9.4 mg

He doesn't list them, but I would add mangos for 3.9 mg of beta carotene per cup and their delicious taste.

The author recently published a second book advocating a healthy approach to life (adding stuff like meditation and exercise). He also added a few more super foods: honey, pomegranates, kiwi, onions, garlic, dark chocolate, avocado, olive oil, spices and a few more I can't think of off the top of my head (I didn't buy the second book, just checked it out of the library).

I love the first book and refer to it all the time :) Definitely one of my best purchases EVER.

Here are all the super foods and their sidekicks:

beans - all beans are included, pinto, navy, great northern, lima, chickpeas, green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas

blueberries - purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen, dried berries

broccoli - brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard

oats - super sidekicks - wheat germ, ground flaxseed, other sidekicks - brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur, wheat, amaranth, quinoa, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous

oranges - lemons, white/pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes

pumpkin - carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell pepper, carrots

wild salmon - alaskan hailibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, seabass, oysters, clams

soy - tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso

spinach - kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine letuce, orange bell peppers

tea - no side kicks, green or black

tomatoes - red watermelon, pink grapefruit, japanese persimmons, red freshed papaya, strawberry guava

turkey - skinless chicken breast

walnuts - almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, mcadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews

yogurt - kefir

I try to eat 10 different super food groups a day. For example, if I eat blueberries for breakfast and cherries for a snack, that counts as 1, since they are both in the blueberry group. Same thing with watermelon and tomatoes or carrots and orange pepper. My goal is 10 different super foods every day! Check out my Fitday, I'm usually pretty good at meeting the goal :)

These sound really yummy! I'm gonna have to try at least one of your recipes...

Here's another one, then.

Pumpkin brown rice pudding
Makes 12 servings

4 cups 1 percent milk (I have always used skim milk)
1 (15-ounce) can solid pack pumpkin
3/4 cup sugar (I use real sugar, but reduce the amount slightly)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 eggs, beaten
3 cups cooked long-grain brown rice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Toasted pumpkin seeds, optional garnish (haven't used these, but they sound awesome)
Whipped cream, optional garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine milk, pumpkin, sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Stir about 2 cups of pumpkin mixture into the eggs; whisk well, then return all to the saucepan, stirring constantly. Bring to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in rice and vanilla.

Pour into a 9- by 13-inch pan that has been sprayed with nonstick vegetable coating. Bake, uncovered, 45 to 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Per serving (without optional garnishes): 162 calories (12 percent from fat), 2 grams total fat (1 gram saturated), 34 milligrams cholesterol, 31 grams carbohydrates, 5 grams protein, 97 milligrams sodium, 2 grams dietary fiber.

I'm going to copy this for my next shopping trip. Thanks!

Glory, thanks for adding the sidekicks list. It was VERY helpful! I hope you don't mind if I use it to create a post in Mediterranean. Of course I'll link to your original post.

Jayde

oh.. I would probably add a few things to the list... like seaweed all kinds... it has a lot of iron, calcium, magnesium etc... I wonder if it would be a sidekick to something else or have it's own category

Glory, thanks for adding the sidekicks list. It was VERY helpful! I hope you don't mind if I use it to create a post in Mediterranean. Of course I'll link to your original post.

Jayde

oh.. I would probably add a few things to the list... like seaweed all kinds... it has a lot of iron, calcium, magnesium etc... I wonder if it would be a sidekick to something else or have it's own category

Of course not! I don't remember the author mentioning seaweed but I can easily check when I get home tonight (love the book, but don't bring it to work every day ;))

I love all the pumpkin recipes, I will have to copy them and try a few. I bought a can of pumpkin the last time I was at the store, wanting to find something to make with it that was low calorie, but haven't made anything with it yet. I eat a lot of the things on the superfoods list, but I really don't care for yogurt, maybe if I mix it with something else where I don't taste it I could get it in once in awhile.

Of course not! I don't remember the author mentioning seaweed but I can easily check when I get home tonight (love the book, but don't bring it to work every day ;))

Thanks, Glory. I'd think you'd keep this book in your back pocket! :D

I almost bought it the other day. Now I am glad I didn't as I didn't realize he has a newer one. I'll make sure to buy the newest one...

They might not be super foods according to Pratt's definition but here are a few other things that I'll be adding to my super foods list:

olives (shouldn't olives be on the list if olive oil is?)
the seaweed (kombu, wakame, or nori.. they are all good)
garlic, onions, chives, scallions, leeks, etc
hot peppers.. fresh and dried
sprouts... I think sprouts have a lot of power in them
vinegar and wine...
ginger
apples
what about asparagus?

Thanks, Glory. I'd think you'd keep this book in your back pocket! :D

I almost bought it the other day. Now I am glad I didn't as I didn't realize he has a newer one. I'll make sure to buy the newest one...

They might not be super foods according to Pratt's definition but here are a few other things that I'll be adding to my super foods list:

olives (shouldn't olives be on the list if olive oil is?)
the seaweed (kombu, wakame, or nori.. they are all good)
garlic, onions, chives, scallions, leeks, etc
hot peppers.. fresh and dried
sprouts... I think sprouts have a lot of power in them
vinegar and wine...
ginger
apples
what about asparagus?

I actually much prefer the first book to the second, the second was really redundant. I own the first one in hardcover and checked the second book out of the library (I did photocopy all of the good recipes out of the second book before I returned it). He does group foods by "season" in the second book which makes it handy figuring out what will be available when.

Here's a link to the books:

SuperFoods Rx : Fourteen Foods That Will Change Your Life - Book 1 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060535687/qid=1152737672/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-2807099-2151360?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)

SuperFoods HealthStyle : Proven Strategies for Lifelong Health - Book 2 (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/customer-reviews/0060755474/ref=cm_cr_dp_2_1/102-2807099-2151360?ie=UTF8&customer-reviews.sort%5Fby=-SubmissionDate&n=283155)

I don't remember him mentioning seaweed, but in the second book he adds additional super foods: garlic, onions (and leeks/shallots etc as sidekicks), honey, apples, olive oil, pomegranates, spices (don't remember the exact ones), kiwi, dark chocolate, avocado (I think asparagus was an avocado sidekick, but I'll have to doublecheck). He does not mention hot peppers or olives - maybe because they are pickled/salted? It's possible he mentions red wine in the first book in the blueberry section, I'll have to double check.

[...]but I really don't care for yogurt, maybe if I mix it with something else where I don't taste it I could get it in once in awhile.I don't force anything down me that I really don't like, but if you want to sneak some yogurt in, try mixing some into a shake or smoothie. It also makes a great base for a salad dressing or dip.

I eat most of those foods on a daily basis too, Jayde, though seaweed is probably more like once a fortnight.

No mention of seaweed in the index, but he does talk about red wine in the blueberry section. He basically says that limited amounts of red wine may be beneficial but he is hesitant to recommend alcohol. Instead he talks about drinking juice (but making sure to take the calories into consideration).

No mention of seaweed in the index, but he does talk about red wine in the blueberry section. He basically says that limited amounts of red wine may be beneficial but he is hesitant to recommend alcohol. Instead he talks about drinking juice (but making sure to take the calories into consideration).

Glory, thanks for looking this up. Before I head to the bookstore let me make sure I understand. If you didn't have either of these books you would still buy the first one and then borrow the second, right?

I read the reviews you linked for both books and it seems that a lot of people thought his second book was redundant... was it redundant in itself or just with what it already said in the first book?

Hey Jayde, I definitely preferred the FIRST book. In the first book, he identifies the 14 super foods and has a nice chapter for each super food talking about the sidekicks and the studies that back up his theories for why the particular super food is particularly healthy. Each section has recipes.

The second book was focused on total health, which is good. The emphasis is on a healthy lifestyle and he adds sections on meditation and exercises. He divides the book into "seasons" - winter, spring, summer, fall. Where it gets redundant is he mentions all the previous super foods AGAIN while adding mroe super foods to each season. So (for example, I don't have this book at home) the winter chapter might talk about 3 super foods from the previous book (with an abbreviated look at the studies) and then add 3 more super foods (with abbreviated studies).

The second book wasn't terrible, there were a LOT of good recipes (which I photocopied), it just didn't have the same WOW I must buy this book factor that the first book had (for me).

I would definitely want to keep the first one on hand. I might buy the second one when it comes out in paperback, but I didn't want to shell out dollars for hardcover.

Glory,

Could you say more about how the book changed you life? Thanks,

Paula

No mention of seaweed in the index, but he does talk about red wine in the blueberry section. He basically says that limited amounts of red wine may be beneficial but he is hesitant to recommend alcohol. Instead he talks about drinking juice (but making sure to take the calories into consideration).


I LOVE grape juice but it is high in calories/sugar. I recently tried Welch's Light Grape Juice Cocktail made w/ Spenda and loved it! I have a hard time drinking it in moderation, though, so I don't think I'll be buying it too often. Nice to know it's an option, though.

Hey Jayde, I definitely preferred the FIRST book. In the first book, he identifies the 14 super foods and has a nice chapter for each super food talking about the sidekicks and the studies that back up his theories for why the particular super food is particularly healthy. Each section has recipes..

Thanks, Glory. I was going to stop at the bookstore on my way home from work today but I wanted to see your response first. Since I am not allowed to go into "chat' sites at work, I had to come home first. I'll be headed back out in a sec to purchase the FIRST book. :D It must be nice to be able to peek in 3FC while at work. Sometimes I wonder about my job. :dizzy: :dizzy:

I love the first book and refer to it all the time :) Definitely one of my best purchases EVER.

OK Glory, I'm sold. I've read several posts you've written about this, and curiosity is getting the best of me. I'm ordering the book online right now. :)

OK Glory, I'm sold. I've read several posts you've written about this, and curiosity is getting the best of me. I'm ordering the book online right now. :)

I'm going to the bookstore, Phantastica.. I bet I get my book before you! :p :p

Reading this make a great addition to the Med forum, don't you think....

I LOVE grape juice but it is high in calories/sugar. I recently tried Welch's Light Grape Juice Cocktail made w/ Spenda and loved it! I have a hard time drinking it in moderation, though, so I don't think I'll be buying it too often. Nice to know it's an option, though.

Yeah, he points out the calorie issue. He also says it's a good idea to add splashes of juice to water/selter water. He particuarly mentions pomegranate juice (which I adore).

Glory,

Could you say more about how the book changed you life? Thanks,

Paula

Sure, I posted my whole story here (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=84601) but I can focus on the Super Foods aspect.

There were a lot of events that happened around the same time in my life. I had just returned from a work trip where I was constantly surrounded by food/treats and I had eaten non stop for about 4 days. I remember leaving a conference room and grabbing brownies and snicker bars and eating them all. As a result of my all out food binge at the conference, my size 18 jeans got tight. When my ex-boyfriend recommended buying bigger jeans, I didn't want to buy size 20 jeans. My mom wanted me to visit for Christmas and I didn't want her to see me at 200 lbs (I hadn't been home for about 3 years, mostly because of shame over my weight). I sat down in a public bathroom stall and cut the outside of my leg on a metal trash receptacle - I realized I was getting too big for a normal stall.

While all this was swirling around in me, I found the Super Food book at a bookstore. I always loved diet books (especially success stories!) and loved looking at them. I picked it up and started flipping through it and it made such sense to me. It really talked about food as a method to fight disease and to prevent age-related deterioration. Considering all 4 of my grandparents had died relatively young (cancer, cancer, diabetes, complications of alzheimers, respectively), I was fascinated by the idea of food as a preventative.

The author stated that lots of foods were good for you, but some foods were especially good for you. He listed 14 main foods (and their side kicks) and backed up each food choice with extensive studies. The book made the science of nutrition very accessible to me. Spinach for eyes, blueberries for the brain, yogurt for the gut, nuts for the heart, tomatoes to reduce the effects of aging and protect the skin from sun damage. For the first time, I started thinking of a "diet" where I focused on what TO eat instead of what NOT to eat.

I realized I liked most of those foods, eating them wouldn't be a problem (at the time I didn't eat any chicken/turkey, but it wasn't too hard to incorporate, since I liked turkey sandwiches and salads with chicken). I changed my life that day (no more huge weekend blowout in preparation of a Monday diet that I would never actually start). That day, I decided I would try to eat as many super foods as possible every day. The super foods are mostly whole foods, cold turkey I gave up the majority of processed foods, packaged foods, fast foods, sugar, booze, chips, pretzels, candy and all the other crap I ate every day. I wasn't really trying to do this, but when you're trying to fit in as many super foods as possible during the day, there just wasn't much room for junk.

I had immediate results. I wasn't counting calories, now I realize I was probably eating too few calories a day but the initial quick loss motivated me to keep going. My goals have evolved slightly over time. My first goal was just to eat 1 food from at least 10 of the super food groups every day. I didn't really know a lot about nutritional, my idea of the "yogurt" food group was Yoplait fat free yogurt (full of high fructose corn syrup and not containing a high number of yogurt cultures - the truly "super" aspect of yogurt). After awhile, I started reading labels to make sure my bread wasn't just "whole grain" but it had good fiber per serving and it wasn't made with high fructose corn syrup. I started off with packages of sugary instant oatmeal, I slowly evolved to Quaker oatmeal with dried blueberries.

I started counting calories to be sure I was eating ENOUGH and tried to stay over 1400 every day. I started paying attention to the ratios and realized that although there is NOTHING wrong with carbs, I probably wanted to eat more protein and healthy fat (changed the ratios to at least 20% fat, 30% protein).

The best part was the radical and immediate change to my energy levels. I had been a sluggish, depressed person. I used to fall asleep in my office every day. I used to not like myself very much. I quit taking care of my personal apperance, just let my hair go gray, get long and curly (no styling, blowdrying). I wore the same pair of jeans everyday (didn't want to buy anymore, I wasn't STAYING at a size 18, although I wore them for over 3 years). One pair of black loafers, one black purse, no jewelry, no make up. Switching from processed junk to whole foods was a huge, noticeable difference. My skin looks better, I have 100 times more energy, I don't fall asleep in my office anymore. I got a promotion at work :)

I started on July 15, 2004 (almost 2 years ago!!) around 200 lbs (I didn't weigh myself at first, I was afraid of the scale) and by my Christmas visit with my mom I weighed 150 lbs. I now weigh 127 lbs. I have been sick one time since I started eating super foods (just a weird cough). I had a health screening and the examiner just couldn't get over my great numbers for blood pressure, glucose, cholesterol.

Super foods definitely changed my life. I still eat at least 10 a day :)

Thanks, Glory. I was going to stop at the bookstore on my way home from work today but I wanted to see your response first. Since I am not allowed to go into "chat' sites at work, I had to come home first. I'll be headed back out in a sec to purchase the FIRST book. :D It must be nice to be able to peek in 3FC while at work. Sometimes I wonder about my job. :dizzy: :dizzy:

Sorry! I'm west coast, I posted while eating breakfast this morning, but I probably missed you.

I wanted to add something else I just thought of. Previously, I had been a yoyo dieter. My goal was to lose weight and I would restrict calories. Two things always happened 1) I would restrict too much, binge, feel like a loser and quit 2) I would actually reach a goal weight and go back to the unhealthy eating habits that had made me heavy in the first place.

I think one of the reasons I was so successful long terms with the super food approach is my change in focus, I LIKED losing weight, don't get me wrong, but my focus was to be HEALTHY. To be healthy, I needed to eat enough and get plenty of nutrients. My goal was to eat as many nutritionally powerful foods as possible while avoiding foods that had little nutritional value. I did reach my goal weight, but that didn't effect WHAT I was eating, since I still wanted to eat healthy foods so I could be as healthy as possible.

So, for the first time, I reached my goal weight and just kept doing what I was doing. I did increase calories to a level more inline with maintenance for someone of my height/weight/age/gender/activity level, but I just ate more of the same healthy foods that had helped me feel better and lose the weight.

My goal from the first day was long term health. That had never been my goal before. I think it made a big difference to my long term success. I think the super foods changed my life because it helped me stop 20 years of yoyo dieting, where I would lose weight, gain it back and then gain more weight. I have never maintained weight loss before. My goal was always "to lose weight" I had no goal or plan beyond losing weight, so when I lost weight, I just stopped. Now, my goal is to "be healthy" - since I'd like to be healthy for my entire life, there is nothing to stop, this is just how I eat now. Now when I hear people say they are going to lose weight, I always think in my head "and then what?" Figuring out the step AFTER weight loss was key for me.

Sorry! I'm west coast, I posted while eating breakfast this morning, but I probably missed you.

Glory, I think it was the other way around.. since I'm on the east coast I was already working hard at work by the time you woke up. :D

Besides, I wasn't expecting a reply before I left for work... but I sure was hoping for one by the time I got home.. and there it was!! From you. :)

I have the book now.. so... I'll be back later.. of course..

Also want to thank you for taking the time to tell us on this thread about your success and how it is connected specifically to the super foods. I read your goal thread (gosh I hope I congratulated you then :o if not... that is where I'm headed.)... but it also helps to hear the message over and over again.. especially when the light bulbs are flashing and we are ready to hear about things we might have overlooked the first read. :cool:

I must say Glory that you are really inspiring. I was telling my husband tonight about you. We had already discussed incorporating super foods in our diet but have only done it sporatically and only a few. I told him that while we are eating much healthier now, I think that we need to take an approach like you have and try to get something out of each super food group everyday. Thank you for your inspiration and I will be joining the super food beleivers.

Trish

Thanks Glory for all this. I also read the longer version too. I really appreciate you sharing all your success.

I was reading the lists and seeing that my children eat these superfoods all day long. I also eat wuite a bit of them, but I get into ruts where I want sugar -- like the current post-vacation rut. I love the outlook of focussing on what you SHOULD be eating instead of what you SHOULDN'T be eating.

THanks so much.

Okay, now MY curiosity is getting the best of me!! I'm going to check out that book myself!

BTW, last night's dinner was all super foods--chicken, sweet potato and brussel sprouts! :)

I have to admit I am going to buy the book as well :) I am interested in the recipes mostly as well as the general information.

Thanks Glory for adding so much great information to this thread. You are inspiring. I have to say since I have been here at my sisters I have been trying to make eating choices that include many of the super foods. Granted I am on vacation and can not control what and where we eat each night 100% but I try my best. I am happy to say I have lost a pound from the beginning of the week. I might just get the second book for my sister so I can use it as a reference here while I am staying with her. She seems interested in it as well even though she is petite and not over weight. It is always good to try to eat things which are not porcessed. I am going to see if I can find an online source to order dried fruits as we can not get dried blueberries or cherries on the base in Seoul. I also have a good recipe for a smoothie which I am going to modify for super foods.

Here it is: (I got it from AOL.)

2 cups vanilla low-fat frozen yogurt
1/2 cup vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/3 cup cubed soft silken tofu
1 tablespoon creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed (optional)

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a blender; process until smooth. Sprinkle with flaxseed, if desired.

I bet if you did it with plain organic yogurt and added some kind of berry to it you would have a pretty good smoothie....(maybe leave out the peanut butter??)

I have smoothies a lot, Darlene. My current fave is LF plain yogurt, soft tofu, ½ a frozen banana, frozen rasps and blueberries, and skimmed milk to thin it down a bit. It really is thick and luxurious, less so if you leave out the banana. I find the fruit makes it plenty sweet enough for me, but everyone else I've made it for prefers it with honey.

Congrats on losing whilst you're away. :cp: You're doing great!

Wow, there's lots of enthusiasm for the Super Foods deal. Is there a designated Super Foods forum?

I still haven't gotten the book yet, but plan to very soon!

Not a bad idea eh??? What do you think Sandi?

Wow, there's lots of enthusiasm for the Super Foods deal. Is there a designated Super Foods forum?

If this evolves I think it would be great to put it as a subforum with Mediterranean.

I still haven't gotten the book yet, but plan to very soon!

I'm on part II in the oats section. So far this book is worth every penny!

My goal is to strive to eat healthy foods and if there is a book out there that can give me an explanation on the benefits of certain foods, I'd be happy to read it. I'd also be happy to incorporate any recipes it has.

I'm also big on smoothies. Something I bought recently is "the ultimate meal" meal powder. You make smoothies with it and it has a good amount of protein, carbs and fat. The down side... your smoothies are green.

Previously, i've made smoothies with protein powder, berries (blueberries or strawberries), fiber powder and water. Sometimes I'd add some soy milk as well.

My latest goal is to cut out all artificial sweeteners (and not replace them with natural ones) but I have found it is hard. The past week has also been caffeine and meat free. I am thinking of trying to remain caffeine free and also reduce my intake of red meat. This would basically mean I drink only water or iced tea I make in order to remain caffeine free and artificial sweetener free.

Not a bad idea eh??? What do you think Sandi?
Sandi is one of the moderators. I thought maybe she could let us know about the separate group for superfoods.

I finished the book last night. As I read I created a spread sheet in excel.

Super foods in one column, recommended servings per day or week in the next, a list of side kicks, and then 7 skinny columns for each day of the week.

Like Glory I plan on trying to get in a certain amount of superfoods each day. Again, following her example, if I've eaten something from one category and then have something the same day from the same category I will still count it as one. As I color in the daily square in that row, I also circle the exact superfood or sidekick so I can see at a glance if I am getting a variety or eating the same sidekick over and over again. I'm not sure what my goal will be. Right now I am tracking to see how many I would normally eat since many of these foods I eat regularly now anyway. I have 24 superfoods listed. 10 more than the original book since I don't know if the foods Glory mentioned from the 2nd book are superfoods in their own right.. or side kicks for something. But this is just what I have so far until I figure it out.

So out of these 24 I ate
13 on Wednesday
8 on Thursday
14 on Friday

I also added seaweed as a superfood. I know one of Pratt's conditions was that superfoods be foods that are readily available and mainstream. There are lots of 'exotic' foods that are so good for you but if they are not easily available what is the point of putting them in his book. Seaweed to many may seem out of the ordinary but it is really just another staple to my family.
At first I thought of putting it in as a spinach side kick.. then I realized that while some of the nutrients are the same.. many are different. So until I do more research I put it in its own place.

Of the 3 types of seaweed we eat, I don't know which is the most nutritious so I just listed seaweed as the superfoods and three types as side kicks..
wakame, nori, kombu ... aka miyok, kim, dashima.

I also had a little reservation about the turkey breast as a superfood. The information in that section just didn't convince me. I mean as a better protein choice.. of course it is.. but I don't know that I would actually say it is a "superfood". I have to reread and do a bit more research.

I also have to find time to get to the library to look at the second book.

In the meantime, I'm enjoying my steel-cut oats with blueberries, cinnamon, flax seed, and soy milk. That's a lot of superfoods right there! Wanna bite?

My latest goal is to cut out all artificial sweeteners (and not replace them with natural ones) but I have found it is hard. The past week has also been caffeine and meat free. I am thinking of trying to remain caffeine free and also reduce my intake of red meat. This would basically mean I drink only water or iced tea I make in order to remain caffeine free and artificial sweetener free.

Nelie, I applaud your efforts to cut out the artificial sweeteners. Good for you. You've made a lot of changes! Take it slow to make them permanent.

You are cutting out caffeine? Is this for a particual health reason? Tea actually has quite a bit of caffeine. Even green tea has some. Actually decaffinated tea even has some though not as much.

Also, congrats on your success! Your stats are great!

This is a funny regarding seaweed......because it depends on where you live in the world....as to what is readily available.... LOL

The local super market has an entire aisle devoted to different types of seaweed. 7 Eleven even sells it as a snack right next to the dried minnows, potato chips and popcorn.

Seriously though seaweed from what I have heard is also a GREAT source of iron. Is that true?

This is a funny regarding seaweed......because it depends on where you live in the world....as to what is readily available.... LOL

The local super market has an entire aisle devoted to different types of seaweed. 7 Eleven even sells it as a snack right next to the dried minnows, potato chips and popcorn.

Seriously though seaweed from what I have heard is also a GREAT source of iron. Is that true?

It's absolutely a great source of iron which is why in Korea it is served as a soup to women who have just given birth. It's called miyok-guk. I only cook with the three forms I mentioned earlier though I have eaten many different kinds.

I use kombu .. aka dashima on an almost daily basis adding it to soups and even my oatmeal on occasion.

You are lucky to live in a place where it is so abundant in so many forms. Though in most major cities in the US it can be found... you just have to know where to look.

OK, I haven't gotten Super Foods Rx yet, as I ordered it online, but while at Half-Price Books today I got impatient and bought SuperFoods HealthStyle. I haven't started reading it yet, but I will as soon as I get done prepping lunches for the week.

I just went and bought the superfoods RX book and have started reading on the drive home. DH was driving. It looks good so far.

Nelie, I applaud your efforts to cut out the artificial sweeteners. Good for you. You've made a lot of changes! Take it slow to make them permanent.
Thanks, it has been a gentle transition over the years on my eating habits but it is worth it.


You are cutting out caffeine? Is this for a particual health reason? Tea actually has quite a bit of caffeine. Even green tea has some. Actually decaffinated tea even has some though not as much.

Also, congrats on your success! Your stats are great!

Well I think I've decided to slow it down on caffeine a lot. I have realized I have come to depend on it and get massive headaches if I don't drink it. Instead of being an every day thing, I'm thinking of once or twice a week. I said I will drink iced tea I make myself that way I know it is caffeine free, which basically means herbal iced tea :) I did have regular iced tea (but unsweetened!) yesterday but I didn't drink very much of it and I did enjoy it a lot.

Edited to add:
Something I almost forgot to mention is that it is super easy to decaffeinate tea yourself. Caffeine comes out of the tea leaf pretty quickly, so if you brew tea with tea leaves/bag (although I think it tastes better if it is leaves), then rebrew with the same leaves/bag, your tea will almost be free of caffeine.

The interesting thing is on my recent trip to China I noticed that they always decaffeinated their tea before drinking it. When I was being served tea (on many occassions, I love tea), they would brew the first cup, throw the tea out, then brew a second cup which was meant to be drank. When I asked the reasoning for throwing away the first cup brewed, the answer I received was "it's not so good". I don't know the other reasons for throwing out the first cup of tea made from leaves but I know it would take most of the caffeine out for one.

I got impatient and bought SuperFoods HealthStyle. I haven't started reading it yet, but I will as soon as I get done prepping lunches for the week.

Oh, good…Then I can bug you about ‘splaining the details to me! Hurry up and read it! :D

I just went and bought the superfoods RX book and have started reading on the drive home. DH was driving. It looks good so far.

Well I hope you weren’t doing the driving! Your post gave me a chuckle. Thanks.

The interesting thing is on my recent trip to China I noticed that they always decaffeinated their tea before drinking it. When I was being served tea (on many occassions, I love tea), they would brew the first cup, throw the tea out, then brew a second cup which was meant to be drank. When I asked the reasoning for throwing away the first cup brewed, the answer I received was "it's not so good". I don't know the other reasons for throwing out the first cup of tea made from leaves but I know it would take most of the caffeine out for one.

That is really interesting. I learned something new today.

I also have to be careful about caffeine. I don't avoid it.. but I do watch it as getting too much will trigger horrible headaches. Getting too much also turns me into a crazy person even without the headaches.

Come to think of it, sometimes I'm crazy even without the caffeine. :p

I just found this great new dressing at Safeway called "Marie's rasberry vinagerette" it is 45 cal per serving and 1 g fat. I use it in a salad with a chicken breast, spinich, diced mango and a little bit of motzerella cheese. It is so good! :)

Glory -- I don't know if you've explained it before, but what kind of yogurt do you eat? I was patting myself on the back for eating yogurt, but I eat the Yoplait fat-free and am willing to consider something else!

BTW, I really find your attitude and story inspirational! I love your focus on health and that has informed my own journey.

Finally, wrt these superfoods, it looks like I regularly get in 4-6 a day -- maybe more -- but I think I want to take a look at the book too!

Great thread!

Hey Wyllenn, I have two favorite yogurts at the moment. I love Horizons organic fat free plain yogurt. It has 5 different active yogurt cultures (the part about yogurt that is so beneficial to health). I would eat it if it weren't fat free, it just happens to be fat free.

Stonyfield Farms (http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/LowfatYogurt.cfm) is another good variety - 6 active cultures.

My other favorite is Greek yogurt. Trader Joe's has Fage 2% (http://www.fageusa.com/2_yogurt_info.html). It only has 2 yogurt cultures, I love Greek yogurt because of the consistency, it's like...a really thick cool whip (the consistency, not the taste). Blackberries mixed into Greek yogurt is a heavenly experience. Fat and calories are a little higher than the yogurt I typically eat, but it's worth it and definitely fits into my calorie/fat goals for the day.

The drawback to all these yogurts is price - more expensive than Yoplait. The Greek yogurt is especially expensive, I usually buy that as my "weekend" yogurt and consider it a treat and not an everyday thing (a treat because of price, not health).

I started out eating the Yoplait fat free, but I didn't like the high fructose corn syrup (which I know some people say is just fine, but I try to limit).

Glory, you can make your own greek yogurt with regular yogurt. Just get a cheesecloth and drain regular yogurt in it. When I did it, I got a bowl, put a strainer over the bowl, then put a cheesecloth over the strainer. Dump the yogurt into the strainer overnight in the fridge and you get thick, greek style yogurt.

I also eat nonfat plain yogurt. As I am not eating any sweeteners, plain yogurt is really the only one I can eat. I generally add some type of fruit including blueberries.

I like 1% plain yogurt. Usually it's easier to find 2% plain and nonfat plain, so I usually buy one of each (whatever brand .. Old Home or Dannon, usually) and I mix them to make 1%.

How does one determine how many active yogurt cultures a particular brand has? Is this listed somewhere?

Every brand I've seen lists the cultures some place on the package. If you look at the links I posted, Stonybrook lists the cultures in the ingredients section:

CONTAINS: SIX LIVE ACTIVE CULTURES INCLUDING: L. ACIDOPHILUS, BIFIDUS, L. CASEI, AND L. REUTERI.

Fage lists them in the product description section:

L. Bulgarious and S. Thermophilus.

Cool tip about the home made Greek yogurt!

Glory -- Thanks for the info! I kind of knew there were differences between yogurts and that Yoplait wasn't as "cultured" as some others, but I never even looked for the corn syrup...

Thanks for the tips. I will think about trying some next time I go to the store. If it's like all the other changes I've made in my life, it may take a while to get used to something new, but I'm liking the results I see from the healthier lifestyle, and it's often worth the transition!

I like my flavored yogurt -- but I think it might be really great to add some of the many berries I'm eating these days to plain yogurt. Like I said, I'm willing to give it a shot and let you know how it goes!

I used to eat flavored yogurt, but I switched to plain with berries and a little bit of stevia (a natural non-caloric herbal sweetener). After a few months I weaned myself of any sweetener at all, and now I just eat it plain with fruit, nuts, and cereal (a little Barbara's GrainShop).

I had my first superfoods breakfast today. I had oatmeal with wheat germ sprinkled on top and raisins sprinkled in it and then a cup of green tea. I feel great having done this.

Trish

I definitely didn't go straight to plain yogurt with berries, it was a really slow process. First I ate yoplait fat free, then I switched to Fruit on the bottom horizons or stonybrook, then I started doing the plain yogurt sliced fruit combo. When I first started, it wasn't sweet enough, so I used to add about 1/2 tsp (that's really all it took) of dark honey. Now I can eat just the yogurt and fruit and I think it's very sweet.

Of course, it's more work. No more just grabbing 5 yogurts and I'm set to go for the work week. If I buy strawberries, they have to be sliced and put into baggies. Berries are so perishable, I usually buy them a couple of times a week, so it means more trips to the store. Plus, fresh berries are really reasonable now, but I'm probably going to have to switch to frozen in the winter - can't pay 4.99 for 6 oz of blackberries! I do keep a bag of frozen blueberries in the freezer, if I put them into a baggie in the morning, they are usually thawed and ready to be in yogurt as a snack in the afternoon.

I eat yogurt most days and my fave is Dannon Coffee but I'd like to get away from the sugar. I'm trying to figure out how to make my own coffee-flavored yogurt w/o much success. Like Glory, I like the Fage Greek yogurt for the texture and agree that it is too pricey to eat every day. Thanks for mentioning those other brands, Glory. And count me in as jumping on the "superfoods" band wagon. I'll be buying the book this week (as soon as I can find that 15% off Barnes & Noble coupon I got in the mail - where IS that darn thing?) I think this new focus is just what I need to jump-start my weight loss efforts.........

Thinking about the superfoods, I think I have been getting more in than I thought. Here's how I did today with superfoods and sidekicks.


beans - all beans are included, pinto, navy, great northern, lima, chickpeas, green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas

-- YES! In -- kidney beans in the the chili I'm making

blueberries - purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen, dried berries

-- YES! Blueberries on my cereal and in a fiber one muffin

broccoli - brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard

-- Nope

oats - super sidekicks - wheat germ, ground flaxseed, other sidekicks - brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur, wheat, amaranth, quinoa, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous

-- YES, some spelt and wheat. no other.

oranges - lemons, white/pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes

-- NO... though I squeezed the juice of a lime on some mushrooms I cooked... but I don't think it would count...

pumpkin - carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell pepper, carrots

-- YES. Carrots in my salad

wild salmon - alaskan hailibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, seabass, oysters, clams

-- YES. Wild salmon in my salad, leftover from the weekend.

soy - tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso

-- NO.

spinach - kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine letuce, orange bell peppers

--YES -- spinach in my salad

tea - no side kicks, green or black

-- No.

tomatoes - red watermelon, pink grapefruit, japanese persimmons, red freshed papaya, strawberry guava

-- YES. Tomatoes in my chili.

turkey - skinless chicken breast

-- YES. Ground turkey in my chili

walnuts - almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, mcadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews

-- YES. Sesame seeds on the salmon and sunflower seeds in the salad

yogurt - kefir

YES! Yogurt for a snack.

Wow, *I* got 10! And I wasn't really trying! Though, I'm not completely sure what constitues a serving. I may check out the book too. I'm a freak for anything that talks about research!

Uh oh, I better check my day out too:


beans - all beans are included, pinto, navy, great northern, lima, chickpeas, green beans, sugar snap peas, green peas -- no

blueberries - purple grapes, cranberries, boysenberries, raspberries, strawberries, currants, blackberries, cherries and all other varieties of fresh, frozen, dried berries -- no

broccoli - brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, swiss chard -- no

oats - super sidekicks - wheat germ, ground flaxseed, other sidekicks - brown rice, barley, wheat, buckwheat, rye, millet, bulgur, wheat, amaranth, quinoa, kamut, yellow corn, wild rice, spelt, couscous -- no

oranges - lemons, white/pink grapefruit, kumquats, tangerines, limes -- yes, orange with breakfast

pumpkin - carrots, butternut squash, sweet potatoes, orange bell pepper -- yes, carrots with dinner

wild salmon - alaskan hailibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herring, trout, seabass, oysters, clams -- no

soy - tofu, soymilk, soy nuts, edamame, tempeh, miso -- no

spinach - kale, collards, swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine letuce, orange bell peppers -- yes, a mixed-green and spinach salad with lunch

tea - no side kicks, green or black -- no

tomatoes - red watermelon, pink grapefruit, japanese persimmons, red freshed papaya, strawberry guava -- no (does a minimal amount of pizza sauce count?)

turkey - skinless chicken breast -- yes, if chicken thigh meat counts

walnuts - almonds, pistachios, sesame seeds, peanuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, mcadamia nuts, pecans, hazelnuts, cashews -- yes, all-natural peanut butter on toast for breakfast

yogurt - kefir -- yes, raita with lunch

Well, I had six! Not too bad. :)

12! Just needed oranges and salmon :)

tofu (soy), bok choy (broccoli), cherries/raspberries (blueberries), sugar snap peas (beans), tea, chicken (turkey), orange pepper/carrots/butternut squash (pumpkin), grape tomatoes/salsa, romaine (spinach), whole grain bread/brown rice (oats), natural peanut butter (walnuts), yogurt

Just wanted to point that it's a little easier for me because I am eating maintenance calories. I can more easily fit in 200 calories for peanut butter and 100 calories for yogurt, etc. When I was trying to lose weight, I sometimes had to make choices in order to fit below my calorie goals for the day.

Wow, I just read this book and there are people talking about it.

I feel TOTALLY overwhelmed trying to figure out how to fit all this stuff in. I don't know how to plan my week! I'm glad I'll have a place to come for ideas and inspiration.

Glory -- I know what you mean about having enough calories to get it all in, though I am still eating around 1800/day... I think if I want to keep going, I'll need to lower it a bit more.

I feel TOTALLY overwhelmed trying to figure out how to fit all this stuff in. I don't know how to plan my week! I'm glad I'll have a place to come for ideas and inspiration.

Don't feel overwhelmed! I bet you eat lots of those foods all the time anyway. You don't have to make a crazy goal like I did (10 different groups), maybe you can make your goal just 10 in the whole day (counting strawberries and blueberries separately for example). A no pressure approach is definitely for the best!

I'm actually a big cheater, I get 6 every day without even trying. That's because I bag up the same veggies every day for snacks. On Sundays, I buy a carton of grape tomatoes, bag of carrots, bag of sugar snap peas and a red or orange or yellow pepper. I divide them up into 5 days. Right away - that's pumpkin (carrot), tomato, bean (sugar snap peas). I drink tea, every day. I eat the same things for breakfast every day (either oatmeal with dried blueberries, whole grain toast with natural peanut butter or whole wheat tortilla wrap with spinach leaves, eggbeaters and salsa). I know whatever combination I have for breakfast, I get at least 2 more.

If I don't have peanut butter for breakfast, I plan to eat nuts some other time during the day - either by themselves or in salad or stir fry or trailmix. I love yogurt and berries, so that's an easy way to add another 2. Leafy greens are a must - either in salad or on sandwiches. Spinach is actually easy to stick anywhere - in pasta, in stir fries. It wilts down fairly unobtrusively.

The hard ones for me are: salmon (I love salmon, but I kind of have to be planning to eat it), broccoli (try try try, but still not wild about it, can't eat it raw at all), soy (tofu and edamame are good, I just don't get them as much as I should) and oranges (eat one everyday when Tangelos are in season, but I tend to follow produce in season, so right now it's berries, mangos, watermelon).

One of the big things that helps me is going to the grocery store once a week and planning my meals/snacks for the week. Then, I like to do my Fitday several days in advance. I can see at a glance if I'm hitting all my goals!

The best thing about trying to fit in so many super foods every day - no room for junk! That's how I cut out all that processed junk and sugar - nearly by accident. I just needed to make room for super foods :)

Question! Pratt added these Superfoods to the list in the second book. Are they sidekicks for an already established category or are they Superfoods on their own?

apples,avocado,beans,cinnamon,dates,extra virgin olive oil,garlic,honey,kiwi,yogurt,onions,and pomegrantes

apples,avocado,beans,cinnamon,dates,extra virgin olive oil,garlic,honey,kiwi,yogurt,onions,and pomegrantes

I don't know why beans is here... I lifted this from Amazon.

Nicole -- If you're overwhelmed take a step back. Many of us find a "baby steps" approach helps (though others jump right in).

If you want to try to incorporate these foods, another way to go might be to focus on a different group each week. Think about extra places you could incorporate berries, for instance, and just do that for a week. The next week pick another one.

OR, start by just tracking what you ARE doing, and pledge to increase by one super food a day... then after a while add another one...

This approach works for all sorts of lifestyle behaviors, not just Super Foods. I was overwhelmed too in general (though, to be clear, Super Foods were not my focus, and still aren't per se...), but I just made small changes. Last summer I started by thinking about food and portion control and moving a little more. After a month I started serious calorie counting. Later I added exercise. Over the rest of the year I made other changes, generally small at the time. For instance, now that much of my plan has become routine, I have decided it's helpful for me to add more protein to my diet and am finding new ways to do that. And I am trying to find more variety, and starting to finally do some baking again!

Wyllenn -

Great new avatar! You look AMAZING!

Thanks! I posted before and current pics in the mini-goals section!

Question! Pratt added these Superfoods to the list in the second book. Are they sidekicks for an already established category or are they Superfoods on their own?

apples,avocado,beans,cinnamon,dates,extra virgin olive oil,garlic,honey,kiwi,yogurt,onions,and pomegrantes (should also include dark chocolate).

I don't know why beans is here... I lifted this from Amazon.

I think they're in there because of the way Pratt divided the second book into seasons and mixed old and new super foods in each chapter. The person reviewing included some new super foods in the old group and some old super foods in the new group (beans and yogurt are incorrectly added to the new group, whereas dark chocolate is added to the old group).

They are super foods in their own right (they have their own sidekicks). If someone has the second book, it would be great if they could add the new super groups and their side kicks to the list.

Personally, I love all the foods on the second list and actually bought some dark, buckwheat honey after reading the second book. But, for me personally, I already had a system of counting the 14 original super foods and wasn't really interesting in a goal of eating honey and dark chocolate every day (not that I don't like them and think they are good for you). I love pomegranates, but the fruit is very seasonal (available in the winter) and I'm not into drinking calories so pomegranate juice is out. I already eat plenty of onions, garlic and olive oil. I have started adding more guacamole when I go to Qdoba or Chipotle! I like apples, but they aren't my favorite fruit and kiwi are just kinda weird - fuzzy, seedy and squishy.

So, I decided not to count them, although I do think about them.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information on super foods!

I have a question about the salmon. Does the book specifically mention "wild" salmon as opposed to farm-raised salmon? I have a tough time ever finding the "wild" salmon and when I do it is usually a lot more expensive. Does anyone have an opinion on the health benefits of "wild" versus farm-raised salmon?

There have been a lot of issues raised about farm-raised salmon. I've basically given up salmon as it is hard to find wild salmon or it is very expensive.

The best information I found concerning this is something called "Seafood Watch" provided by Monterey Bay Aquarium. They basically say to avoid any farm raised Salmon.

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=17

Health concerns:
Salmon farmers may use pesticides and antibiotics to control outbreaks of disease among the fish. When consumers eat this fish, the residues from the chemicals may affect their health or interfere with medicines they’re taking. The Environmental Defense has issued a health advisory for Farmed salmon due to high levels of PCBs and dioxins. For more information, visit their Ocean's Alive web site.

Overall summary:
Salmon are farmed in open pens and cages in coastal areas. Waste from most farms is released directly into the ocean. Parasites and diseases from farmed salmon can spread to wild fish swimming near the farms. And feeding farmed salmon actually uses more fish than it produces, which puts more pressure on wild populations. Farmed salmon generally uses three pounds of wild fish to grow one pound of farmed salmon.

Segments of the salmon farming industry are improving their practices but the environmental impact is still increasing because production has risen more than 400% in the last decade. In the market, there is currently no way to tell which salmon are coming from more-sustainable farms, so for now we ask you to avoid farmed salmon and choose wild-caught salmon instead.

Thanks to everyone for the helpful information on super foods!

I have a question about the salmon. Does the book specifically mention "wild" salmon as opposed to farm-raised salmon? I have a tough time ever finding the "wild" salmon and when I do it is usually a lot more expensive. Does anyone have an opinion on the health benefits of "wild" versus farm-raised salmon?

He specifically recommends wild caught salmon (the name of the chapter is Wild Salmon). Supposedly, it is the marine diet that wild caught salmon eat that make them so nutritionally powerful. The author says that canned wild caught salmon is just as good, so if fresh wild caught salmon is not an option in your location, try canned. He says you can add canned salmon to a salad or make salmon burgers.

There are also sidekicks! For salmon, the author recommends alaskan halibut, canned albacore tuna, sardines, herrings, trout, sea bass, oysters and clams.

They are super foods in their own right (they have their own sidekicks). If someone has the second book, it would be great if they could add the new super groups and their side kicks to the list.

Thanks Glory. I looked for the book in the used bookstore today (Barnes and Nobels had been getting too much of my $) :dizzy: But it wasn't there... so I guess I buy the book.

Phantastica has the new one.. hey Phantastica.. how goes the read?

The author says that canned wild caught salmon is just as good, so if fresh wild caught salmon is not an option in your location, try canned. He says you can add canned salmon to a salad or make salmon burgers.


Canned wild salmon is great. The wild Alaska sockeye red salmon can be pricey.. but it is worth it. In addition to the ways you mentioned.. sometimes I add a bit to a stir fry. Heating it up only enough till it's warm but doesn't break apart too much.

Got a can.. staring me in the face right now. :D Ingredients: sockeye salmon, salt.

The salt is added to enhance the taste.. or so the can says. I wonder what it would taste like without it.

I haven't gotten Pratt's book yet (Barnes & Noble will be getting my money, too, Jayde!) so I'm wondering, does he address the question of mercury in fish? Maybe most of the kinds he recommends are less likely to be high in mercury, but I seem to remember reading that albacore is higher in mercury than "light" tuna. Something about the larger the fish, the more concentrated the mercury level.

His shopping list in the back of the book, though, gives brands that don't specify wild salmon. I thought that was interesting.

I bought the book on Sunday. It's very interesting. I really wish there were more cites re: the research to support the assertions he makes about some things. Sometimes the "studies show" needs a little backup for me.

Regardless, none of the foods he touts can be *bad* for you. So, I'm in. I do have a lot of processed snacky "diet" foods that I don't want to throw out, so I'm making a slow switch. Where I can, though, superfoods will be the first consideration.

I haven't gotten Pratt's book yet (Barnes & Noble will be getting my money, too, Jayde!) so I'm wondering, does he address the question of mercury in fish? Maybe most of the kinds he recommends are less likely to be high in mercury, but I seem to remember reading that albacore is higher in mercury than "light" tuna. Something about the larger the fish, the more concentrated the mercury level.

Yes.. because of mercury he recommends that not more than one can of tuna be consumed a week. He also gives a list of fish to absolutely avoid: swordfish, shark, tilefish, king mackerel.

I eat mackerel but not king mackerel. It's actually called mackerel pike which is very different.

He lists other fish that are not superfoods but are low in mercury and gives a website to check out WWW.epa.gov/mercury/fish.htm

Oh.. and you are right about the mercury in larger fish.. the higher on the food chain they are the more mercury because they contain the mercury from the fish they ate and the fish that that fish ate etc..

Hope this answers your concerns.

His shopping list in the back of the book, though, gives brands that don't specify wild salmon. I thought that was interesting.

I've purchased different brands. The can I was just staring at was Bumblebee.

Also the larger fish live longer and have more chance to absorb mercury.

beans -- no
blueberries -- yes
broccoli -- no
oats -- yes, if my sprouted-grain breads/tortillas count (Ezekiel brand)
oranges -- yes, orange with breakfast
pumpkin -- no
wild salmon -- no
soy -- no
spinach -- yes, a mixed-green and spinach salad with lunch
tea -- no
tomatoes -- yes, in middle-eastern salad and in salsa fresca
turkey -- no
walnuts -- yes, all-natural peanut butter on toast for breakfast
yogurt -- yes

So that's seven for you on one day, Phantastica.. Good for you!

I'm looking over my spreadsheet for the past week. I'm only going to report on the original 14 as I need to get the facts on the second book first.

These are the areas where I could be doing a lot better: broccoli, oranges, tea

These are areas where I'm doing "ok" but need more variety in sidekicks: pumpkin, spinach

I eat kimchi (a fermented cabbage with hot pepper flakes) almost daily so I probably could count it with the broccoli, but since it has beneficial live cultures I prefer to add it to yogurt section. It is a wonderful health food but I wouldn't really recommend it unless you make it yourself (I do) or can be assured of the ingredients and quantity of salt.

I'm going out of town.. but taking my spreadsheet with me.. I wonder how I do away from home. :o

Thanks, it has been a gentle transition over the years on my eating habits but it is worth it.



Well I think I've decided to slow it down on caffeine a lot. I have realized I have come to depend on it and get massive headaches if I don't drink it. Instead of being an every day thing, I'm thinking of once or twice a week. I said I will drink iced tea I make myself that way I know it is caffeine free, which basically means herbal iced tea :) I did have regular iced tea (but unsweetened!) yesterday but I didn't drink very much of it and I did enjoy it a lot.



I just wanted to add to this by saying this summer I have tried to wean myself off of caffiene. I am like a a big strong mug in the mornings to get me going. I been starting out with Maxwell House Lite coffee. If you read the label it is basically half decaf and half regualr. When I get back to Korea I am going to mix two bags of starbucks and slowly add more decaf than the other. I did not realise how much I was stick on caffiene until I got a massive headache trying to go cold turkey. Yesterday I was wound up beyond belief when I had regular coffee at the hotel we stayed in. Made me think about it....I saw difference and also needed a nap in the afternoon after it and a piece of blueberry crumb cake. I was way in over my head. I do have to say I am on vacation and am NOT beating myself up over things. I am going to throw away everything in my freezer and "CLEAN" my refridgerator.

I checked my Trader Joe's yogurt this morning and it has 4 active cultures in it. I buy TJ's nonfat plain yogurt because it is basically the cheapest I can find. Fortunately, it is organic and good for you :)

I eat kimchi (a fermented cabbage with hot pepper flakes) almost daily so I probably could count it with the broccoli, but since it has beneficial live cultures I prefer to add it to yogurt section. It is a wonderful health food but I wouldn't really recommend it unless you make it yourself (I do) or can be assured of the ingredients and quantity of salt.


A couple of Kimchi questions:

What live cultures do you mean? The ones that form from fermentation or when the maker adds the seafood (oysters/small fish)to it?

Also how do you make your own kimchi?

I eat kimchi almost everyday in Korea. We have a brand that they sell on the base and I also get a local brand at the E-Mart store. My boyfriend is very conscious of the ingredients so he reads all the labels before I buy it. (He is Korean.) I know there was a big Kimchi controversy very recently in Korea concering Kimchi made in Korea verses Kimchi made in China. Koreans were beginning to look for korean made kimchi in restaurants.

Also you referred to Mi-yuk Guk. The seaweed soup. I eat frequently. Do you have a recipe for that as well?

I checked my Trader Joe's yogurt this morning and it has 4 active cultures in it. I buy TJ's nonfat plain yogurt because it is basically the cheapest I can find. Fortunately, it is organic and good for you :)

Thanks! I just checked my stuff and it only has two. I'll get my yogurt from TJ's from now on.

Hmm, I have always preferred "light tuna" to albacore (probably a holdover from childhood) but I guess it wouldn't qualify as a superfood? In addition to preferring the taste, texture and price, I like that it comes in those foil packets. Easy to transport for lunch and no draining needed. But maybe albacore comes in those packets, too? I'll have to check this weekend when I shop.

Hmm, I have always preferred "light tuna" to albacore (probably a holdover from childhood) but I guess it wouldn't qualify as a superfood? In addition to preferring the taste, texture and price, I like that it comes in those foil packets. Easy to transport for lunch and no draining needed. But maybe albacore comes in those packets, too? I'll have to check this weekend when I shop.

I've seen the albacore in foil pouches with Starkist...the pouch is HUGE though--not sure if it is the same kind of serving amount as a can, though....

Speaking of albacore, I am having some today for lunch!

Is anyone able to post a list of the additional super foods and their side kicks from the second book? I think if we could have a good list with the 14 original super foods, their side kicks and then the additional ones, it'd be nice.

Last night, I found canned turkey at Costco. I think I'll be using that somehow. I also have some canned wild salmon which I can use.

I found this recipe from Health magazine while at the dentist's office:

Salmon Salad with Dill Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 (6 ounce) cans boneless skinless pink salmon
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 cup chopped cucumber
1/2 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 (1-ounce) slices French bread (serve with, don't add to salad :) )

I inquired about a Super Foods forum and was told they are not adding any right now. We should just continue to post here and share our information.

:carrot: Yesterday I tried to eat superfoods and had a great day. I do know I need to drink more water but I got at least ten super foods in. Does anyone know where the eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, scallions and cucumbers fit in? I also had olive oil. I think Glory said it best when she said to focus on what you can eat not what you can not eat.:carrot:

beans - Hummus

blueberries - Blueberries and cherries

broccoli - None but..add eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, scallions, cucumbers

oats - oatmeal

oranges - Lemon on fish?

pumpkin - Pumpkin seeds in a Kashi Trail Mix Bar?

wild salmon - Bluefish

soy - none

spinach - orange bell peppers

tea - none

tomatoes - Tomatoes

turkey - turkey

walnuts - almonds

yogurt - none

I went to Trader Joe's yesterday and Wild Salmon was 6.99. Trader Joe's sales generally last a while but I'm not sure how long it will be that price. I bought two packages.

I also bought some hummus because I've been eating my veggies with laughing cow cheese wedges and I wanted something a bit different. I like hummus but I don't always buy it. I plan to make it one day soon.

Regarding superfoods, I just read in Health magazine (while working out on the elliptical this morning before work - YEAH!) that wild blueberries have even more of the "good stuff" that makes blueberries a superfood than do regular blueberries. Apparently you can get them frozen, if you can't get them fresh. I don't have too much experience with frozen fruit, up 'til now I've pretty much only eaten fresh, but I plan to check it out next time I'm food shopping. And I'm going out on my lunch hour today to get the SuperFoods book at Barnes & Noble! Will I be able to find the 3FC book there as well?

:carrot: Yesterday I tried to eat superfoods and had a great day. I do know I need to drink more water but I got at least ten super foods in. Does anyone know where the eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini, scallions and cucumbers fit in? I also had olive oil. I think Glory said it best when she said to focus on what you can eat not what you can not eat.:carrot:


pumpkin - Pumpkin seeds in a Kashi Trail Mix Bar?

spinach - orange bell peppers



Pumpkin seeds would count in the walnut group, but if you had orange peppers you can count them in the pumpkin group :) Some foods count in more than 1 group - like bok choy which counts into spinach and broccoli.

Eggplant, mushrooms, zucchini and cucumbers aren't super foods. While mushrooms are high in selenium, the other foods are GOOD but are not nutritional powerhouses. Don't get me wrong, they are GOOD FOODS and I definitely eat them. Scallions would fall into the onion super food group from the second book.

Here is an interesting link (http://209.196.51.230/ME2/dirmod.asp?sid=17E09E7CFFF640448FFB0B4FC1B7FEF0&nm=Reference+Library&type=AWHN_Foods&mod=Foods&tier=1) where you can look up the nutritional value of foods. If you look up eggplant, zucchini and cucumbers you can see they are kinda "eh" in the nutrition category. Still, they are definitely good foods!!!

For example:

Eggplant is not high in any single Vitamin or Mineral. However, it is very filling, while supplying few calories and virtually no Fat, and its "meaty" texture makes eggplant a perfect vegetarian main-dish choice.

Regarding frozen foods, I've read many articles that say frozen fruits and vegetables are better for you than fresh just because that they are frozen when they are picked and don't lose their nutritional value. I still like fresh vegetables but I have no qualms about frozen fruits or vegetbles.

I've heard that about frozen, too. For me it's just habit ... I'm in the habit of eating fresh veggies and fruits and I just don't think about buying frozen.

I use frozen fruit a lot more in the winter. I just can't afford fresh berries in the winter (considering how much I eat).

You guys are bumming me out, I have salmon in the fridge ready for consumption and i don't think it is "wild". I know for next time. Having had two kids I was aware of the mercury. Anyhoo, thanks for the recipe Nelie I might try that tonight, hopefully I will make it through the night after I eat this "not so good for me salmon" ha ha... :p

Filter feeders are an interesting topic and I figure there must be issues with that (clams, oyster etc...) Anyone have info on those? I like to eat can oysters on crackers with salt, lime, and hot sauce. One of those experimental things that has stuck.

Has anyone noticed that when something has blueberries in it, it is usually stamped by the American Heart Assoc. I was shopping around for organic cereal and noticed that. Of course I bought one with blueberries (hey, if they stamp it then it must be good).:^:

Just got back from lunch. Scored both Superfoods and the new 3FC book! I REALLY wish I could read books (I am able to read magazines) on the elliptical. On the other hand, I probably don't want to get either of these books all sweaty..........!

Anirtak - I mentioned before that I use Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch for general information on good seafood to eat and not so good seafood to eat. They give the thumbs up to both Oysters and Clams. Of course they don't give "good for you tips" but more it isn't bad for the environment or for your health in general.

http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=19

I also wouldn't worry about eating what you already have. I'd go ahead and eat the Salmon that you have. I also had some farmed salmon in my freezer when I found out about health concerns and environmental concerns. We ate the salmon but just hadn't had any since.

What live cultures do you mean? The ones that form from fermentation or when the maker adds the seafood (oysters/small fish)to it?

The live cultures in kimchi are formed from the fermentation itself. There are many types of lactobacillus one which is associated with rotting vegetables. In case you wanted to do more research on it, the Korean term for the live culture is 젖산. It's the same as what you would find in authentic saurkraut. I don't know if the computer you are using supports Korean font, but if it doesn't, I'm sure you can read it when you return to Korea.

Also how do you make your own kimchi?

There are of course many ways to make kimchi. And many different kinds of kimchi. I don't add oysters or fish to mine but instead use a "fish sauce". This ingredient is easily accessible to me as it is used in many Asian countries. I don't trust kimchi sold in stores even if it is made by the shopkeepers themselves. Of course at a restaurant I eat what is served, but for home I like to be in control of the ingredients and process. This is the way I am with most things we eat at home, not just kimchi.

As for Korean foods coming from China.. I avoid them as much as possible. Did you want me to tell you in detail about the kimchi I made.. or is the info above what you were asking?

Miyok-guk is easy. I posted how I make it this thread a few months ago.http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/showthread.php?t=85606&highlight=seaweed+soup
This is the simpliest version since I was trying to help someone unfamiliar with Korean food and cooking. I also frequently add cubed tofu to miyok-guk. It gives the soup more color, more nutrition of course, and also a different texture. (Of course it is one of our superfoods too. :D )

I'm glad to hear you like Korean food. It is a wonderful experience to both prepare and eat.

There have been many lists of "super foods" over the years. Most have many of the same families of things listed, though the specifics may change from list to list -- berries, greens, oats, nuts, tomatoes, broccoli, beans, citrus, deep water fish. Sometimes whole grains and soy are added to the list as well as a few other "regulars" like tea. It's a great way to focus on the healthiest of foods.

On the pumpkin discussion:

Pumpkin stews are really good. Some of them are "served in a pumpkin" which means you make the stew, then put it in a hollowed-out pumpkin, and then bake the whole thing together. As you serve up the stew, you scrape some of the pumpkin flesh into your stew. (much easier than trying to pare and cut up the pumpkin to add to the stew in the first place, though you can do that, too if you want). Here are some stew recipes
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,pumpkin_stew,FF.html

For those who do smoothies, pumpkin is a good addition. I use pumpkin butter (like apple butter) instead of jam or jelly, though it's still rather sweet. Often, when I'm going to be baking anyway, I add pumpkin -- pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin muffins.

And of course, one of my absolute favorites is curried pumpkin soup. Very easy to make, too, 'cause it uses canned pumpkin. Here are some pumpkin soup recipes.
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search?q=pumpkin+soup

As to the Salmon/sidekick discussion:

Sardines are easy to add to salads. Just chop them up. Or mash a few of them into your dressing if you make your own dressing. I like kippered herring with thin slices of onion on Rykrisp crackers. I LOVE herring in sour cream. And of course, albacore tuna is easy to find in the store.

Synger,

Thanks for the smoothy idea using pumpkin. I think I will try it. I bet it adds a nice thickness.

I made this last night and it was pretty good.

Black bean salad (4 ? super foods)

1 cup black beans (drained)
1 cup whole kernel corn (I bought frozen, then heated slightly in microwave)
2 tomatoes, diced
1/2 bell pepper, diced (I used red, you could use orange)
2 green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp cumin (or more)
salt and pepper to taste

I make a black bean salad at least once a week. I throw all that stuff over a big bowl of Romaine lettuce (to add another superfood!). My whole family loves it! (Although they all add dressing to it--I just do the lemon juice.)

Just checking in. I'm soon to be incorporating the SuperFoods into my daily menu and truly appreciate all of the input from you guys! After reading the book, it can be a bit overwhelming. But this thread is a lifesaver to help break it all down into bite sized pieces!

I just made myself the yummyiest smoothie for breakfast and it incoorporated 4 of the super foods plus then I had whole grain toast and a cup of green tea. 6Superfoods for breakfast yay. Here is the recipe for it in case you want.


Orange Blueberry Soy Smoothie

2 C Minute Maid, Home Squeezed Style Orange Juice with Calcium & vitamin D
heavy pulp
1 C 8th Continent Light Vanilla Soy Milk
1 C Dannon Lowfat Vanilla Yogurt
1/2 C Blueberries, frozen (unsweetened)unthawed
1 C Peaches frozen
1/2 C Strawberries, frozen, unsweetened, unthawed

Fat: 1.2g
Carbohydrates: 31.9g
Calories:155.3
Protein: 5.5g

mix all of the ingredients in a blender or smoothie maker pour and enjoy.

Number of Servings: 4

Sounds DEE-LISH! I'm gonna try that!

Went to the store today to stock up on Super Food supplies. Out of the 29 items all were superfoods or sidekicks except 7! I was suprised.

I looked for canned pumpkin....but couldn't find it.. and the store was way too busy to bother asking. In the fall it seems like that stuff is on every endcap.. so where did it go?! Maybe I'll have better luck next time.

I did find edamame... right there in the frozen food section right where some sweetie on this thread said they would be! :hug: Thanks.

Another new find was Kefir. Until Gloria mentioned it and then I read it in the book, I had never heard of this. So I bought 2 bottles.. one blueberry and the other plain. I'd like someones opinion to see if this is considered a lot of sugar for Kefir.

The brand is Lifeway ...

blueberry:
LowFat Blueberry Kefir
Ingredients: Cultured Lowfat Milk, Nonfat Milk, Organic Cane Juice, Blueberry Juice Concentrate, Natural Flavors, Inulin (A Natural Dietary Fiber), Red Beet Juice For Color, Vit. A Palmitate, Vit. D3

NUTRITIONAL FACTS
SERVING SIZE 1 CUP (240mL), SERVINGS 4
Calories 174 Fat Cal 20
Total Fat 2 g
Sat Fat 1.5 g
Cholesterol 10 mg
Sodium 125 mg
Total Carb 25 g
Fiber 3 g
Sugars 21 g
Protein 14 g

Vitamin A 10%, Vitamin C 4%, Vitamin D 25%, Calcium 30%, Iron 0%

The nutritional data for the plain is the same except it only has 12 g of carbs and 8 grams of sugar.. That seems to be a big difference. Also the ingredients for the plain are only:

Ingredients: Cultured Lowfat Milk, Nonfat Milk, Inulin (A Natural Dietary Fiber), Vit. A Palmitate, Vit. D3

As far as taste goes.. the blueberry is a bit sweet. I'll let you know about the plain when I finally open it.

oh... wait.. There are 10 live cultures in this Kefir! 10!

I looked for canned pumpkin....but couldn't find it.. and the store was way too busy to bother asking. In the fall it seems like that stuff is on every endcap.. so where did it go?! Maybe I'll have better luck next time.


Another new find was Kefir.

Did you find the pie fillings? In my grocery store, the canned pumpkin is with the canned pie cherries (and all the other pie stuff). I've never tried kefir! I am now inspired :)

Did you find the pie fillings? In my grocery store, the canned pumpkin is with the canned pie cherries (and all the other pie stuff). I've never tried kefir! I am now inspired :)

Yes.. there was blueberry and apple... but no pumpkin. I got fresh butternut instead. It looks pretty on the counter... prettier than a can of pumkin would be! :D

I was actually very shocked to find the Kefir. I wasn't really looking for it.. just glancing around at some cheese and there it was. Calling my name!

I used to eat flavored yogurt, but I switched to plain with berries and a little bit of stevia (a natural non-caloric herbal sweetener). After a few months I weaned myself of any sweetener at all, and now I just eat it plain with fruit, nuts, and cereal (a little Barbara's GrainShop).

Phantastica.. thanks for mentioning that Stevia was natural.. I'd heard that word over and over and just dismissed it as another artificial sweetner I had to avoid. I did a little research on it.. it sounds pretty good.. now.. where to find it?

I think they're in there because of the way Pratt divided the second book into seasons and mixed old and new super foods in each chapter. The person reviewing included some new super foods in the old group and some old super foods in the new group (beans and yogurt are incorrectly added to the new group, whereas dark chocolate is added to the old group).

They are super foods in their own right (they have their own sidekicks). If someone has the second book, it would be great if they could add the new super groups and their side kicks to the list.

Phantastica is the only one I know who has the book (I think I gotta hold out for the paperback.) So... how is the reading coming, Phantastica... (my buddy! :^: )

I haven't gotten Pratt's book yet (Barnes & Noble will be getting my money, too, Jayde!)

Hm... Maybe Breaking Free has it by now... hmmmmmm? :D..oh wait.. she got the first book, right?

Phantastica.. thanks for mentioning that Stevia was natural.. I'd heard that word over and over and just dismissed it as another artificial sweetner I had to avoid. I did a little research on it.. it sounds pretty good.. now.. where to find it?

At our commissary (grocery store) Stevia is located with the other sweetners and sugars.....HHHHMMMMM............ Might be the same in a regular grocery store.

oh... wait.. There are 10 live cultures in this Kefir! 10!

Is this a type of yogurt?

At our commissary (grocery store) Stevia is located with the other sweetners and sugars.....HHHHMMMMM............ Might be the same in a regular grocery store.

I'll look for it in the commissary.. (that's where I was today) :D

Is this a type of yogurt?

It is related to yogurt.. but how they are different I don't know.. except that this is liquidy.. but I've seen liquidy yogurt too..

Good question.

Is this a type of yogurt?

Supposedly, it's like thin yogurt. Kefir (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kefir)

In Korea we have these ladies who push these yellow carts and wear yellow outfits with big yellow visors. They are yogurt ladies. If I could read enough and understand enough Korean I bet there is something similar on thier carts and they would deliver yogurt to my door! I am sure they have something that would be beneficial as far as live culture yogurt goes. They probably have a kefir type drink as well.

Dolly
I don't know about Kefir in Korea.. I only just learned about it.. in Korea the little liquid yogurts are sweet but do contain live cultures (as far as I remember).. if we have Kefir in our commissary here.. I'll bet you have it there.. Though I bet it would be great to get it delivered to your door. Heck.. I'd like delivery too. :cool:

Oh,.. you want a great drink with live cultures? Try mackoli...oops I bet alchohol is not what you had in mind.. hehe

As far as yogurt vs Kefir, many websites are either too technical or perhaps biased.. but I found one that seems to be a good and simple reference. This exerpt is taken from this site: http://www.aldo.com/sgt/TesslerOnKefir2.htm

You might want to read the whole article or similar articles to get a clearer picture.


"Yogurt is made by culturing fresh milk (previously boiled and cooled) with a bacteria starter. The starter, usually containing two or three beneficial bacteria, comes from a previously made batch of yogurt. Yogurt must ferment in an environment warmer than normal room temperature (about 110 degrees), for a fairly specific amount of time (about 8 to 16 hours), in order to develop properly. The culture bacteria in yogurt have only a limited lifespan and must be renewed regularly with new culture.

In contrast, kefir is made by culturing fresh milk with live kefir grains. These grains are actually colonies of more than 30 bacteria and yeasts that are bound together in a stable, symbiotic relationship.[2],[3] Kefir ferments at room temperature, and has a wider range of acceptable fermentation periods (from about 12 hours to two days). Kefir grains stay alive and robust indefinitely. They also grow in size and number during the fermentation process. After the milk is fermented, the grains are filtered out and added to new milk for another batch of kefir."

Hi everyone,

What a great thread! You all have inspired me to seriously start incorporating super foods into my life. I actually went out and bought both books this past weekend. Anyway, I'm looking forward to sharing ideas with you all.

I know that someone requested the new superfoods and their side kicks from book 2, so here it is:

Apples: pear (1 a day)
Avocado: asparagus, artichoke, extra virgin olive oil (1/3 - 1/2 avocado multiple times a week)
Dark chocolate (100 cal a day)
Extra virgin olive oil: canola oil (1 tablespoon most days)
Garlic: scallions, shallots, leeks, onions (to taste, multiple times a week)
Honey (1 - 2 teaspoons multiple times a week)
Onion: garlic, scallions, shallots, leeks, chives (multiple times a week)
Kiwi: pinneaple, guava (any kind)
Pomegrantes: plums

I know that there's some repetition with the garlic and onion groups, plus it was a little confusing with the recommended consumption, as they're both different. Anyway hope this helps you all.

I'm so glad to see some my staples on the list xtina posted: evoo, garlic, onions and, my favorite fruit these days: pineapple!

The recommendations are interesting -- even though I use it frequenly, I don't think I get a tablespoon of olive oil in just about any day! I use it quite sparingly. I guess that means I'm not getting enough to be useful? Or, does he say anything about the calorie level he's assuming most people are using??

I know that someone requested the new superfoods and their side kicks from book 2, so here it is:

Hey! Thanks a lot! And you added the suggested consumption measure.. wow... The garlic/ onion components do look redundant.. but it still makes sense.. For example in a day if I have scallions.. and then I have chives.. I can still count it twice instead of once. .. I have the variety and the servings.

I eat onions, garlic, and scallions nearly everyday. Many times in the same dish.
Welcome aboard.. my new buddy. ;) with the book.

Kefir is a fermented milk drink (like thin yogurt) much like lassi (indian) or kumis (mongolian) or even good old cultured buttermilk in the US.

The Wiki for yogurt gives a good run down of different kinds of yogurt, and includes instructions for making your own.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yogurt

xtina, thanks a lot! I eat a square of dark chocolate a couple times a week so I'm happy that is on the list :)

Jayde, I have an interesting recipe for Butternut squash that is pretty good. I think you can also use other squashes as well but here goes:

Chilean Butternut Squash Casserole

1 large butternut squash
1 cup chopped onions
2-3 cloves garlic, crushed
1-2 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1-2 dash cayenne pepper
1 cup red bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 cup green bell peppers, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups corn kernels (fresh or frozen)
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

Cut squash in half lengthwise and scoop out seeds.
Bake cut sides down at 425° 45- 50 min.
or until very soft at thick end.
Let squash cool and scrape out of the shell; mash as smoothly as you can.
Meanwhile, sauté onion, garlic and spices in olive oil until onion is translucent.
Add peppers and salt, stir, cover and leave on low heat 5 min.
Preheat oven to 350°.
Stir beaten eggs into mashed squash.
Add corn, sautéd veggies and grated cheddar; stir to mix well.
Bake 20 min. covered; uncover and bake 20- 30 min. more.

My notes tell me that I got this one from recipezaar.com.

Hey gals! I bought the book yesterday, but haven't started reading it yet.....hoping to start today!

The recommendations are interesting -- even though I use it frequenly, I don't think I get a tablespoon of olive oil in just about any day! I use it quite sparingly. I guess that means I'm not getting enough to be useful? Or, does he say anything about the calorie level he's assuming most people are using??

Hey Wyllenn, I used it pretty sparingly enough while I was losing weight. Now that I'm maintaining and using Fitday to track my "percentages" I noticed that I was always very low in healthy fats (usually around 15% a day). Now, I use more olive oil, eat more peanut butter, feel okay to put avocado on sandwiches. I get around 25-30% from fat now, much healthier and more in line with recommended daily amounts.

It really helps to have an extra 300-400 calories a day to play with. The books are really not about weight loss, they are about healthy living - so, living healthily and maintaining weight. When I was losing weight, sometimes I had to make choices - did I want to eat almonds or eat a yogurt? It was hard to get all the super foods in that I wanted. Now, I have a lot more flexibility since I get more calories a day.

I've also switched from low fat or non fat dressing to full fat dressing (healthy oil based). I also make my own dressing (got some fabulous walnut oil from Trader Joe's). For example, when I'm making blackened salmon, I rub about a tbs of oil on both sides. I would never have done that when I was actually losing weight, I probably would have lightly sprayed it with PAM!

Hm... Maybe Breaking Free has it by now... hmmmmmm? :D..oh wait.. she got the first book, right?

Yup, I only have the first book and I'm up to "Oats."

One thing I have some concerns about, he's recommending that so many things be kept in the fridge (oats, wheat germ, nuts, etc.). I don't have enough room in my fridge for all that plus the "regular stuff (milk, yogurt, fruit)! I usually keep my nuts and oatmeal in my pantry. Thoughts?

I figure I eat the nuts so quickly - they can live in the pantry. The only thing I refrigerate is wheatgerm, it looks so perishable!

I did have some pine nuts go rancid on me. Didn't notice until AFTER I had tossed them into some quesadilla filling. Oops!

Hey Wyllenn, I used it pretty sparingly enough while I was losing weight. Now that I'm maintaining and using Fitday to track my "percentages" I noticed that I was always very low in healthy fats (usually around 15% a day). Now, I use more olive oil, eat more peanut butter, feel okay to put avocado on sandwiches. I get around 25-30% from fat now, much healthier and more in line with recommended daily amounts.

It really helps to have an extra 300-400 calories a day to play with. The books are really not about weight loss, they are about healthy living - so, living healthily and maintaining weight. When I was losing weight, sometimes I had to make choices - did I want to eat almonds or eat a yogurt? It was hard to get all the super foods in that I wanted. Now, I have a lot more flexibility since I get more calories a day.

I've also switched from low fat or non fat dressing to full fat dressing (healthy oil based). I also make my own dressing (got some fabulous walnut oil from Trader Joe's). For example, when I'm making blackened salmon, I rub about a tbs of oil on both sides. I would never have done that when I was actually losing weight, I probably would have lightly sprayed it with PAM!


Glory -- Thanks for the perspective check! You're right about the framing of the book!

Though, I don't eat a very low number of calories compared to most others it seems (sitting at 1800/day or so right now), and DO rub oil on chicken and fish before grilling (though I know it's less than 1 tbsp per side right now). But I do hope that I can increase by a bit the amounts of some of these foods. For example, I do sometimes put olive oil and vinegar on salad, but usually only 1/2 - 1 tsp of oil right now. We splurge on nice olive oils, it would be nice to taste them a bit more!

I agree about nuts being in the cupboard. I guess they might lose a little nutrition without being in the refrigerator, but in terms of taste I go through them quickly enough that they seldom spoil.

Earlier in this thread (I think it was this one) there was a discussion about yogurt. I went to Trader Joe's to look at and buy some yogurt. I was happy that none of the ingredients on any container was high fructose corn syrup, but I was amazed that the calories were so high. I'm used to eating a 6 ounce Yoplait (fat free, I think) for about 100 calories. Most of what I found at Trader Joe's was up over 200 calories for 8 ounces. I did buy a couple, but I think I'll go back to Yoplait at least until I lose these last few pounds.

Nelie, thanks for the recipe! I was wondering what I was going to do with the squash instead of just staring at it each time I walked into the kitchen. I had all the ingredients except the green peppers.. so I bought some when I was out. I’m making this tonight.. actually I might not wait till tonight.. I might make it NOW!

Jen- Glad you have the book. Now you can catch up to the class! At first I thought .. "Hey.. if I just know what the foods are and their sidekicks I won't need the book." I am glad I didn't listen to myself as the book had stuff in it I needed to read. So when the second comes out in paperback I'll buy it too.

Heather- I know I get that much olive oil in.. cause I use it all the time. For some reasons when I made Asian dishes that required vegetable or sesame oil I never thought to use olive. Now I use both the sesame and olive.. I also use it for rubbing on salmon, marinating other meats (shrimp marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and spices then grilled is to die for!), and of course in pasta dishes, salads or other vegetables.

I don’t think I go over board with it as it seems when I am really taking care of myself I have to be careful that I am eating enough… really odd since when I am not being good to myself I could eat all day and still not be satisfied.

Breaking free- Up to oats.. it’s a good book isn’t it! Ok.. as far as refrigeration goes.. I don’t have this problem as I have a side by side frig/freezer in the house, as small frig in the garage for drinks (honey’s beer and coke for guests, extra storage for soymilk and now kefir that hasn’t been opened..etc), plus I have a large “kimchi” refrigerator placed in the dining room that holds lots of veggies in the drawer and an extra “room” that I use for fruits.. so good for storing apples and oranges! So I refrigerate a lot of things that probably would be fine in the pantry. It is humid here so I don’t want to take the chance of things spoiling..

Ideas? Let’s see.. I don’t store my oats in the frig.. I keep them in a very dark pantry that is cool and use them quickly. If I didn’t have space for nuts I would probably buy smaller bags (kind of an expensive proposition) or buy the large bags I get at Costco and then divide them up between myself and neighbors and friends. Just like I sometimes do after a trip to the farmer’s market.. my friends also reciprocate when they find a good buy. If I didn’t have the storage space I’d probably just keep them in the pantry although I prefer not to do that since I don’t want to be concerned about what is in there that might be getting too old too fast. Pine nuts?. I keep them suckers in the freezer. They would go rancid too quickly and are so expensive!

Well I went back to the store today (aka commissary) to get the peppers.. whaddaya know.. I found the canned pumpkin right where it was supposed to be! I must have been blind! I didn’t find the stevia though.. makes me wonder if I have selective sight or something!

Jayde, let me know what you think of the recipe. I made it once and it was pretty good. It makes a lot though (plenty of leftovers).

Allison, I mentioned Trader Joes yogurt but I should specify that I only buy nonfat plain yogurt tubs from TJs. For my lunches, I put half a cup of nonfat plain yogurt in a 1 cup tupperware type container and then I add berries or some type of fruit. I will also sometimes add the yogurt to smoothies I make. If you are looking for premade snack cups, I'm not sure about the TJ selection.

I forgot to mention that I received the book. I started reading it and it is interesting. I am glad that I have a good list of veggies and their side kicks :)

I used to always buy the plain variety. I like it--especially with fruit and a little granola. My DH recently decided he wanted yogurt daily, but he likes it flavored, so we've been doing the yoplait. I guess I should just go back to plain (but it is nice to have that sweetness with the flavored variety--it really satiates my sweet tooth!).

Trader Joe's has my favorite yogurt--it's Fage 0% (plain, nonfat) Greek yogurt. It's so good! Don't know if it comes flavored, but I put in sugar-free DaVinci syrup and berries anyway. Unfortunately, it's a 45 min. drive from where I live. Supposedly you can get it at Krogers (Fred Meyers here), but I haven't seen it in any of the grocery stores in my town of 53,000. TJ's also has salmon patties that are just salmon. I fry them up in a little olive oil, and eat them like a hamburger. And they have the best wild-caught canned salmon I've tried, and I eat a lot of it.

Sheila -

I love FAGE yogurt, too and have tried the 0%, 2% and full fat (which is DECADENT!). I have never seen a flavored Fage in stores but believe they have a few flavors on their website. One that I've seen here does come w/ some honey on the side to mix in. Unfortunately, I have not seen Fage at my Kroger, maybe I should talk to the manager...... I can get it at Whole Foods and another speciality market here.

Hi everyone! I'm new here and am reading the SuperFoods books. I have a couple of questions...I haven't been through the whole thread, but searched and didn't find anything close so I hope I'm not repeating!! :o Here goes...

Does anyone use steel cut oats? I have heard these are best and I'm not sure if that is true or if you can get them in any form that cooks faster than 45 minutes or so.

Salads: Do you make up a large salad, say the SuperFoods salad, and just grab some when you need it? If so, how long does it last? I usually shop once a week and sometimes my spinach/lettuce doesn't last that long.

Any tips are appreciated!! :hug:

Nelie- That squash was absolutely delicious! You'd never know by looking at the recipe how naturally sweet it would be. We had it for dinner.. I mean just the casserole.. nothing else. My honey didn't even notice that it wasn't a "full meal" according to his definition. :D And for someone who hates to eat leftovers especially the very next day .. he sure asked my in a hurry to put the rest in his lunch box. jeeze.. no leftovers for me..:(

Question about the recipe though.. I worried that the squash would stick to the pan so I put a little oil on it.. um..it sizzled a bit.. so I wonder if I should have done that....

You know this recipe has so many superfoods-sidekicks in it! squash, onions, garlic, yellow corn, olive oil, cayenne pepper (my additional superfood), ...

Not sure about the cumin as I don't have the second book. Also wondering about a "red" pepper.. vs.. orange.. or yellow for that matter... can the red pepper be counted as if it were orange? in the same category or in the tomato category with other red stuff? :dizzy:



Does anyone use steel cut oats? I have heard these are best and I'm not sure if that is true or if you can get them in any form that cooks faster than 45 minutes or so.

Hi Ellen.. I buy McCann's steel cut oats.. $5.99 for 28 ounce can at the commissary. It cooks faster than 45 min in a pressure cooker.. but I prefer to cook it overnight in a slow cooker (crock pot).. I refrigerate the rest of the batch and just heat in the microwave when I want some. I always have steel cut oats ready to eat. .either in the frig.. or fresh in the slow cooker.

Just posting to add... we didn't eat the whole thing by ourselves.. we had guests that dropped in unexpectedly... they liked it too.

Just didn't want you to think I gorged myself.. cause it does make a lot.

Sheila -

I love FAGE yogurt, too and have tried the 0%, 2% and full fat (which is DECADENT!). I have never seen a flavored Fage in stores but believe they have a few flavors on their website. One that I've seen here does come w/ some honey on the side to mix in. Unfortunately, I have not seen Fage at my Kroger, maybe I should talk to the manager...... I can get it at Whole Foods and another speciality market here.

Our local King Kullen had a couple of flavors of Fage yogurt. I got the full fat with strawberry. It comes in a little container with compartments. I really liked that yogurt. The other flavor I believe was honey.

Does anyone use steel cut oats? I have heard these are best and I'm not sure if that is true or if you can get them in any form that cooks faster than 45 minutes or so.

The steel cut oats, or Irish Oatmeal, is about as close to whole oats as you can get (you can get oat groats, which is the whole grain, but it's hard to find). It's just oat groats that have been cut into smaller pieces. Like wheat berries or brown rice, it tends to need a lot more time to cook.

The "regular" or "rolled" or "old-fashioned" oatmeal you can buy in the big Quaker container is still whole-grain oats, but it's been steamed, rolled, and flaked so they cook more quickly, about five-seven minutes.

"Quick oats" are a little thinner than regular oats, so they take only a 2-3 minutes to cook.

"Instant oats" are very thin and are precooked. You just add water to make the oatmeal, rather than cooking it. They don't ahve the chewiness or flavor of longer-cooking oats, and can't be used in recipes the same way.


I used to take regular or quick oats, and whir them up in the food processor with some skim milk powder, splenda, flax seed meal, and cinnamon, and take that to work as my own "instant oats". I'd have to let the hot water soak into the oats for a minute or so longer than already-prepared instant oats, but it was nice and tasty, and I knew EXACTLY what was in it.

Jayde, it does make a lot :) And it is good. I made the recipe a couple months ago, didn't add any oil and found that it didn't stick. I think it has enough water naturally not to need oil. I have been wondering about red peppers myself. They are packed with vitamins but he specifically picks out orange peppers? I don't know.

Ellen, my opinion is that oatmeal is awesome whether it is steel cut or rolled. Although some people prefer large rolled oats to the standard rolled oats (quaker). I would avoid any store bought oats that are quick, instant or somehow claim to have sped up the cooking process. The only reason is "they do something to the oats" and as a result, they change how our body reacts to it. I've never pressure cooked oatmeal (interesting idea), but that could be worth a shot or just make a ton of it when you make it so you can easily reheat it. I make a ton of brown rice when I cook it so I can easily reheat it.

Last night, I went grocery shopping before dinner and bought something I've never bought before... papaya

Dinner last night was:

Salad with romaine lettuce (sf), tomatoes (sf), carrots (sf) and cucumbers. My dressing contained honey (sf).

Fruit salad with papaya (sf), kiwi (sf), banana and lemon juice (sf).

Bean salad with 2 kinds of beans (sf), green onions (sf), tomatoes (sf), corn (sf), red bell peppers (sf?) and lemon juice (sf).

Brown rice (sf)
Tilapia
Cauliflower (sf)
Avocado (sf)
Corn tortillas (not sf but is made from sf corn)

I almost thought about making Wild Salmon instead of Tilapia just to make everything basically a superfood but I didnt :) So basically dinner had 15 superfood items (some repeats) and what I'd call 2 borderline superfood items. When I showed the superfood list to my BF, he was quick to point out that he had real iced tea for dinner while I had herbal iced tea.

Jayde, it does make a lot :) And it is good. I made the recipe a couple months ago, didn't add any oil and found that it didn't stick. I think it has enough water naturally not to need oil. I have been wondering about red peppers myself. They are packed with vitamins but he specifically picks out orange peppers? I don't know.


He picked orange peppers because of the beta/alpha carotene, they are in the pumpkin group along with all the other orange stuff (pumpkin, butternut squash, carrots). I believe orange peppers might also be in the spinach group. Red peppers are a great food and chock full of vitamins, but the whole premise of the book is there are a lot of foods that are good for you but some foods are SUPER and red peppers aren't on the list. That doesn't mean I don't eat red peppers, I love them and eat them all the time, they just aren't a super food (per this author, if you want to count them as a super food for you, do it!!!)

Hi Ellen.. I buy McCann's steel cut oats.. $5.99 for 28 ounce can at the commissary. It cooks faster than 45 min in a pressure cooker.. but I prefer to cook it overnight in a slow cooker (crock pot).. I refrigerate the rest of the batch and just heat in the microwave when I want some. I always have steel cut oats ready to eat. .either in the frig.. or fresh in the slow cooker.

Jayde -

Could you please give specific instructions for cooking steel cut oats in the crockpot? Thanks!

Jayde -Could you please give specific instructions for cooking steel cut oats in the crockpot? Thanks!

I put in a cup of oats, 4 cups of water, some kind of dried friut (either raisins, cut apricots, rasberries.. ), and cinnamon. And turn the crockpot on before going to bed.

In the morning the house smells great and breakfast is hot! I eat it just like that or with a splash of yogurt, soymilk, or now Kefir. Sometimes I add walnuts or almonds. I also might add freshly ground flaxseed on top of the soymilk (so the flaxseed won't get hot). I absolutely love it so much this is what I have for breakfast nearly every morning.

Since we are on the subject of oatmeal.. Who has tried the oatmeal at Cracker Barrel? I really am curious as to what they use for oats. It is not chewy like steel cut but some of the oats are thick like you'd find in an Asian market. If I am "forced" to go out for breakfast this is where we go and this is what I order (I usually give the muffin it comes with to my son later). So does anyone know what kind of oats they are?

Glory- thanks for the info on the orange peppers. It makes sense.

Nelie- My gosh that is a lot of superfoods!!!!! Don't you think you could have squeezed in a few more? ;) :D

Jayde -

Muchas gracias for the steel cut oats cooking directions. One more question, if I may? When I make my old fashioned oatmeal in the microwave, I use milk or half milk and half water. Do you think I could use milk in the crockpot overnight?

I also love dried fruit w/ my oatmeal - currants, raisins, orange-flavored Craisins (dried cranberries) plus pecans or walnuts. Lots of SuperFoods and sidekicks make for a good breakfast! I think I'll be adding flaxseed and wheat germ to my arsenal shortly.

Can't help you with Cracker Barrel. I've only been there once and didn't have oatmeal. I generally don't order oatmeal in a restaurant because my mom used to have a rule that "If I can easily make it at home, don't order it in a restaurant!" LOL.

You girls and guys are awesome....I can not get over how long this thread is getting!! I have learned so much here!

Jayde -

Muchas gracias for the steel cut oats cooking directions. One more question, if I may? When I make my old fashioned oatmeal in the microwave, I use milk or half milk and half water. Do you think I could use milk in the crockpot overnight?

You sure are welcome.. but I don't know about the milk and the crockpot.. I don't buy milk so I wouldn't know.. hopefully someone else will know. If putting dairy in I prefer to add cold yogurt .. something about the variety of flavors, textures, and temperatures in the oatmeal when I eat it.. I mean the first bite before it all melds together I get sweet from the fruit, crunchy from the nuts, chewy from the oats, hot from the oats, and cold from the yogurt.

Cranraisins.. ah yes.. I have them in my "arsenal" too. :cool:

I generally don't order oatmeal in a restaurant because my mom used to have a rule that "If I can easily make it at home, don't order it in a restaurant!" LOL.

ok.. funny I can relate to this.. when we used to go to Cracker Barrel years ago my husband would get annoyed if I ordered oatmeal. He doesn't eat it so he has no reference for knowing how GREAT the oatmeal is there.. it is 10X better than oatmeal I used to make (before I discovered steel cut). Though I wanted the oatmeal I used to order something else because it kind of made sense.. order something I don't cook. Finally one day I just ordered it.. he said something and I told him if he didn't want to see me sitting there eating NOTHING.. he'd be quiet and let me enjoy my oatmeal. :tantrum: He has never said anything about it since.. and when we go to Cracker Barrel that is all I order.. that and tea. I can still see his eyes roll invisibly in his head. :D Really their oatmeal is sooooooo good. With a touch of maple syrup and some pecans.. YUM!

You girls and guys are awesome....I can not get over how long this thread is getting!! I have learned so much here!

And whooooooooooo started this monster of a thread? ;)

Didn't somebody ask if this thread could be turned into a support group on it's own? It makes sense to me to do it!

BTW, Nelie, what a FABULOUS Superfoods feast!

Really their oatmeal is sooooooo good. With a touch of maple syrup and some pecans.. YUM!

Hmm, I'll have to try Cracker Barrel oatmeal, I guess. My best friend has one right around the corner from her and the last time I visited we went there for breakfast. It was the first time I'd ever been to one. Sure is popular, there was quite a wait.

Maybe your husband's mom had the same rule mine did!! My new rule is "Eat what you're REALLY hungry for." :p

- Hi Ellen.. I buy McCann's steel cut oats.. $5.99 for 28 ounce can at the commissary. It cooks faster than 45 min in a pressure cooker.. but I prefer to cook it overnight in a slow cooker (crock pot).. I refrigerate the rest of the batch and just heat in the microwave when I want some. I always have steel cut oats ready to eat. .either in the frig.. or fresh in the slow cooker.

JAYDE Thanks for this info~ I am going to see if I can find McCann's and give it a try. I have heard of this brand...now to find it!

Synger and Nelie Thanks to you too!

This is all great info. I am new to this site and still learning how to use it. Jayde How did you get 2 quotes in your post??

This is all great info. I am new to this site and still learning how to use it. Jayde How did you get 2 quotes in your post??

You can do quotes 3 ways:


Click the quote button to reply which captures the quote and the poster's name (like I did above, I just cut out the text I didn't want to quote)
Use the quote command, which is [q.uote]text[/q.uote] (without the periods).
If I wanted to be extra fancy, I could make it look like you quoted it by saying: [QU.OTE=Ellen2BHot]text[/qu.ote] (also without the periods).


Like these examples.

this is the way to quote using the second example. I'm really not quoting anybody, I'm just using the command

this is the way to quote using the third example, you never actually said this, but I can quote your posts without clicking the Quote button with this method. Very good for the middle of a post

Ellen, its just like Glory explained; after clicking the quote button you just have to isolate the text and make sure the quote commands are around what you want. To quote from 2 different people in the same text I just isolate one quote, copy, go to the next post.. push the quote button, isolate what I want there and then paste the first quote I made. Whallah..

Don't feel like a newbie.. it will wear off.. I had no clue about making even one quote when I first joined. :dizzy:

Don't feel like a newbie.. it will wear off.. I had no clue about making even one quote when I first joined. :dizzy:

Cool! You guys are really helpful! I feel welcome. THANKS!! :carrot:

You can do quotes 3 ways:

Click the quote button to reply which captures the quote and the poster's name (like I did above, I just cut out the text I didn't want to quote)
Use the quote command, which is [q.uote]text[/q.uote] (without the periods).
If I wanted to be extra fancy, I could make it look like you quoted it by saying: [QU.OTE=Ellen2BHot]text[/qu.ote] (also without the periods). Gotta quote Glory too!! ;)

:wave: I'm getting the hang of it!

:bravo: Glory, I saw your before and afters. COOL!

Maybe your husband's mom had the same rule mine did!! My new rule is "Eat what you're REALLY hungry for." :p

I like your new rule! My mother-in-law's rule... not even close to your mother's. Her rule was why the heck would you even want to go to eat in a restaurant when the food at home is economical, fresh, delicious, and made with love. She absolutely abhored restaurants.



Way to go on the quotes, Ellen!;)

I had another pretty good super food dinner last night so I figured I'd share:

Salad with romaine lettuce (sf), tomatoes (sf), carrots (sf), cucumbers, avocado (sf) and artichokes (sf).
Dressing had honey(sf) in it.

Wild Salmon (sf), lemon juice (sf), garlic (sf)
Black beans (sf), Kidney beans (sf), onions (sf)
Brown Rice (sf)
Kale (sf), lemon juice (sf), olive oil (sf)
Iced tea (sf)

So basically 17 superfoods with cucumbers really being the only thing that wasn't a super food.

The funny thing is that I haven't changed the foods I've eaten, I just realized that the foods I eat are generally on the SF list. I think I am making some effort though to keep foods that are on the list and use the list as a guide on things to buy.

I've been reading the book, although slowly. I was just reading about Broccoli last night. I think I realized that the book really tries to make the idea of eating good an exciting idea. Although I would restrict myself somewhat with the things he suggests just because I am trying to lose weight as well as eat healthy.

My mom's rule is Why eat at all? My mom has always been borderline anorexic so we never got food. She would always forget to cook breakfast and lunch. We usually got dinner but sometimes not till 9 or 10 at night, so I have really had to change my way of eating and learn how to eat.

I think I realized that the book really tries to make the idea of eating good an exciting idea. Although I would restrict myself somewhat with the things he suggests just because I am trying to lose weight as well as eat healthy.

I was definitely excited when I read the book, so I know what you're saying.

My mom's rule is Why eat at all? My mom has always been borderline anorexic so we never got food. She would always forget to cook breakfast and lunch. We usually got dinner but sometimes not till 9 or 10 at night, so I have really had to change my way of eating and learn how to eat.

Oh, trishn222, that must have been awful for you and your sibs. Kudos to you for really working on changing your eating for the better.

My mom's rule is Why eat at all? My mom has always been borderline anorexic so we never got food. She would always forget to cook breakfast and lunch. We usually got dinner but sometimes not till 9 or 10 at night, so I have really had to change my way of eating and learn how to eat. Trish, I am so sorry to hear this. Hugs to you for changing your life. My mom.. I am not ready to discuss her.. let's just say I sort of understand.

I think I realized that the book really tries to make the idea of eating good an exciting idea. Although I would restrict myself somewhat with the things he suggests just because I am trying to lose weight as well as eat healthy.

I absolutely agree. I mark a superfood on my spreadsheet even if I am not consuming his recommended servings. There is just no way I would try to eat all that he recommends in one day. The other day I had a single bite of salmon (from a salad) I counted it on my chart.

Want a perfect example though... yogurt.. Now how am I possibly going to consume 2 cups of yogurt or Kefir DAILY. I only started eating yogurt since joining 3FC... and I like it.. but that is just too much. :)

And the verdict is in..................................

Plain Kefir is good too! Not as sweet as the blueberry of course but good in its own way. I might have to keep buying blueberry for my son who likes it.. but something tells me he ain't gonna like the plain. He has baby tastes still. ;)

I didn't find a good peanut butter at Costco today (I was looking for a natural brand..) the only "natural" kind there had palm oil in it.. I think I can do better than that!

Anyway, to my shock when I looked in the fresh seafood frig there were two kinds of salmon.. the regular light orange-pinkish kind that is of course farmed and next to it a very colorful red WILD Sockeye Salmon from Alaska. I have never seen that at Costco. I couldn't help but to compare the two. The Wild of course was more than $2 a pound more expensive than the farmed, had a very different color and even a different look about it.. I mean the meat itself had a different texture...

Of course I bought a nice fillet.. then.. I started to think.. This guy was once roaming the free cold waters when he was caught.. ok.. but what of all his friends.. if the demand for wild salmon becomes too great what will happen to them.

I never questioned this when I opened a can of sockeye salmon.. the cooked meat in the can though there were bones and skin didn't resemble this fresh fillet I picked up.

But yes.. I bought it.. and yes I still have it on my mind.. and yes I will eat it tomorrow.. and yes it will probably still be on my mind... but yes I will probably enjoy it thoroughly anyway....

Still I will be thinking about it for awhile....

I buy quite a lot of wild salmon. I've always loved fish. Anyway, for any Canajun SuperFooders, Save-On have frozen wild salmon on sale for $4 per pound right now.

I just stocked up on Wild Salmon last night at Trader Joes. The prices ranged from 5.99/lb to 6.99/lb, depending on the type. I bought 3 different types. I also bought some whole wheat pizza dough from Trader Joes (.79 each, wow) which I will make some pizza in the next couple days.

Nelie- I am totally jealous that you have so many salmon choices. The Wild Sockeye I bought was $7.99 a pound even at Costco.. worth every penny yes... but wow...

I got in my dark chocolate super food today.. Had a small piece.. yup.. loved it... I had other super foods too. :o

I tried the steel oats in the crockpot. They were great. It made about 5 servings and some of my family ate it as well. I added raw blueberries to mine and ate fage yogurt with it. It was good. I am not sure if I can get those kinds of oats in Korea but for now I am enjoying it! Thanks for the recipe Jayde!

I'm glad you liked the oats, Darlene. Just in case your commissary doesn't have them, buy a couple of tins and take it with you. I did my last visit to Korea. And if the commissary doesn't have it, request it.. and get a friend or two to do the same. It usually works.

Put me on a desert island, but give me my oats! :T

Hi All -

I've just finished reading all the way through this thread (good-bye lunch hour :lol: ) and have learned a lot. I read the first Superfoods book after reading Glory's weight lost thread, and liked a lot of the ideas in there. I've been working at incorporating these superfoods in my eating plan. Though this week, there's not been a plan! I seem to have fallen face-down into the slough of gluttony. How did that happen?? :shrug: Anyway, I'm stumbling out and shaking off. This weekend will involve a bunch of planning and shopping (that's part of what happened - was gone last weekend and never got to the store for "the good stuff.")

We've always eaten a number of the superfoods, and so far I've added or increased the use of:

steel-cut oats (Great tip about the crockpot.)
orange peppers
natural pb (prying my fingers off the Jif :lol: )

Jayde, I posted to you on another thread about wild salmon. It is the best! Of course, you can all hate me because I have access to it without buying it. I was going to say free, but of course, buying all the stuff to go fishing is not cheap either. :) But so far this month, I have put into my freezer 1 King (Chinook) salmon, 15 Red (sockeye) salmon, and 7 Silver (coho) salmon. :D That is plenty for DH and I for the year, plus we'll take some home to New England when we go for Thanksgiving.

Anyway, thanks for the information, and I'll be posting here more often. :wave:

Aaaaaah! WaterRat Pat! I am soooooo jealous! Both because you are enjoying BEAUTIFUL Alaska AND because you can just go fish for great salmon!

DH, DD and I went on a 6 week trip visiting all of the western states. Our next stop is...Alaska! I can't wait!

I just began eating my superfoods today! I just bought 7 pounds of whole (guts removed) wild salmon at Pathmark for $2.99 a pound. I bought something from every group, but couldn't find any ground flaxseed. I did get wheat germ, though.

I'm trying to see how to get everything into my meals! It's a LOT of food!

Come on up - it is beautiful here, though most of you would find it kinda chilly! :) We've lived here since 1973.

Oh, great price on the salmon! We never see it that cheap here. (And don't ask what we pay for chicken or beef :eek: )

Oh, but what I wanted to say was that I find ground flaxseed by Bob's Red Mill in the cooler in the natural foods section of my grocery. If you go to their website (bobsredmill.com) they have a store finder. Don't know where in PA you are, but looks like lots of Acme Markets carry BRM products.

Thanks! I was going to get to Acme yesterday, but after spending close to $200.00 at two other markets, I just went straight home! I'll get to Acme this weekend. Thanks so much!

Thought I'd share a recipe with yall! I saw this on Barefoot Contessa on FoodTV months ago. I tried and loved it. It's not too incredibly sweet with the plain yogurt, so I made it with vanilla yogurt. When I was thinking of a good topping for my SuperFood yogurt, I pulled up this recipe again. Lo and behold, it contains quite a few SuperFoods! Enjoy, and tell me what you think. My topping is baking in the oven as I type!

Fruit Crunch Sundae

Ingredients:

• 1 cup quick-cooking (not instant) rolled oats
• 1/2 cup sweetened, shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 tablespoons good honey
• 8 to 10 strawberries, small-diced
• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 1/4 pineapple, small-diced
• 2 cups plain yogurt

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Toss the oats, coconut, almonds, oil, and honey together in a large bowl until they are completely combined. Pour onto a sheet pan and bake, stirring occasionally with a spatula, until the mixture turns a nice, even golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool, stirring once.

Combine the strawberries, blueberries, and pineapple in a bowl. In 4 ice cream sundae glasses, layer first the fruit, then the yogurt, and the cooled granola alternately until you fill the glasses. Serve with a long spoon.

(Source: Barefoot Contessa)


**I love pecans, so I substituted them for the almonds the first time I made this. Today, all I have are walnuts. So I chopped them up and used them instead. I also added cinnamon and nutmeg before I baked it. Couldn't find my coconut to save my life! Oh well... I doubled the recipe so I would have plenty for the week as needed. As far as amounts, without my coconut, this made 3 3/4 cups at 2383 calories! I just ate 1/4 cup on top of my yogurt and fruit and I believe the topping alone was around 158 calories (2383 calories divided by 15 [1/4 cup servings]). I also added a sprinkle, that I forgot to measure, of wheat germ after I baked it. If anyone has any ideas of how to lower the calories that come from adding the vegetable oil (720 calories), please post! Substitutions?? Omitting it??**

***And if I counted correctly, there's 6 SuperFoods in this:

1..oats
2..nuts
3..honey
4..strawberries/blueberries
5..pineapple
6..yogurt

Oh, and I should mention what SuperFoods I got in today...my FIRST day!

1. Blueberries, Cherries, Strawberries
2. Romaine lettuce
3. Tomatoes
4. Asparagus
5. EVOO
6. Garlic
7. Honey
8. Oats, brown rice, wheat germ
9. Yogurt
10. Nuts
11. Tea (about to drink shortly!)
12. Soymilk (about to drink shortly!)

I'll do better tomorrow! I was kinda stumbling through, not sure how to get it all in AND watch my calories at the same time. Tricky, tricky, tricky. My total calories is appx. 1398! I'm trying to stay around 1400 or 1500. Pretty close!

Anyways, I have just about all of the superfoods and/or their sidekicks in stock, so I should be able to mix and match tomorrow and will get more in.

THIS IS FUN!!!!!!!!! And I feel GREAT!

**How did you guys link your FitDay to your signatures? How do you do that without people having to input a password? Did you have to upgrade to FitDay PC? Thanks!**

I went grocery shopping this evening, and here are the superfoods/sidekicks I bought: beans (3 kinds of lentils), grapes (?), strawberries, broccoli, oranges, yogurt, spinach, kale, tomatoes, tomato soup, salmon (canned Sockeye), ground flaxseed.

I already had these at home: apples, cinnamon, dried superfruits, EVOO, garlic, honey, oats, onions, pumpkin, soy, tea, wheat germ.

Today I had wheat germ, tomatoes, onions, romaine lettuce, and kidney beans.

Hi Water Rat.. you read this entire thread over your lunch hour? I hope you still managed to eat! I do hate you. Not just because you don’t have to buy your salmon but because you have so many choices… Chinook, Sockeye, AND Coho! I have a feeling I’ll be lucky to find fresh wild when I want it.. and when I do there won’t be choices.

Olivia. I don’t know what kind of wild salmon that was but at 2.99! Wow! 12 Superfoods in one day is great. Lately I’m getting an average of about 14 a day but I was eating many of these foods before and I’ve been at this for several weeks.

I also want to mention that I don’t try to get in Pratt’s recommended portions. If I do, I do but sometimes I just want some of whatever it is.. It does seem to be a lot of food if you always try to get in the recommended portions at the frequency he suggests.

About the flaxseed. I don’t buy it ground because then it would have to be refrigerated and consumed quickly. I buy it whole and then crush it in a marble mortar each time I need some. I’ve heard that whole flaxseed will last a long time if kept in a dark cool pantry. Besides the act of crushing it takes physical effort and is a mindful activity.

Steel Cut Oats Question: How many calories in a 1/2 cup of cooked oats?

According to Calorie King's calculator, 1/2 cup of cooked Arrowhead Mills steel cut oats is:

Calories.......320
Fat..............6g
Sat Fat.........0g
Cholestero....0mg
Sodium........0mg
Carbs...........54g
Fiber..........16g
Sugar..........0g
Protein.........12g
Calcium........40mg
Potassium.....260mg

I also want to mention that I don’t try to get in Pratt’s recommended portions. If I do, I do but sometimes I just want some of whatever it is.. It does seem to be a lot of food if you always try to get in the recommended portions at the frequency he suggests.

Yeah, I'm learning that! As long as I get SOME of the SuperFood in, I'm happy!:D

About the flaxseed. I don’t buy it ground because then it would have to be refrigerated and consumed quickly. I buy it whole and then crush it in a marble mortar each time I need some. I’ve heard that whole flaxseed will last a long time if kept in a dark cool pantry. Besides the act of crushing it takes physical effort and is a mindful activity.

Thanks for the suggestion! I'm going to Acme today to see if I can find some WHOLE flaxseed. I'll give my arms a workout yet!

And I'd LOVE to trade places with WaterRat (Pat) for a week...maybe a month! I'd fish my heart out!

Well, you do know you can only fish for a salmon a few weeks in the summer, right? :) And the cost of the rest of our groceries makes up for getting cheaper salmon. :lol:

I meant to mention for those wondering about storing nuts that I keep the majority of mine in the freezer. I buy the larger bags at Costco and then just keep about 1-2 week's worth out in the cupboard. I haven't had any problem with them getting rancid. My niece who lives in Florida sent us pecans (in the shell) for Christmas. DH had quite a time figuring out how to crack them and keep them in halves, or at least reasonable size pieces!

I'm off to the grocery store in a little bit, and will stock up on some more superfoods. The calorie count Olivia gave for the steel-cut oats seems high. I need to look at the Bob's Red Mill ones I got.

I thought the count was WAY high too! Please post the BRM number. I bought Quaker Oats Steel Cut Oats and loved them. I can't find them in the cabinet though. And I think it only listed the pre-cooked caloric count of 1/4 cup. Anyways, let me know what you find out!

Olivia, wow 2.99/lb for wild salmon... that is astonishing (as ms pat from alaska has confirmed). The cheapest I have ever seen it is 5.99/lb and thought I was incredibly lucky at that. Even farmed salmon usually isn't that cheap, so I'd say good job on your find.

I made a superfoods dessert recipe for my future in-laws today and they liked it although it wasn't their normal type of dessert. The book does have some interesting recipes which I plan to try more of but I figured since I don't usually eat dessert, making one for someone who does would be a good thing. I am making progress on the book and I do really like it more than I thought I would.

Usually, Pathmark's sale price is around $3.99/lb to $4.99/lb. Once, they overbought salmon and sold it for $1.99/lb! I racked up on it! The other day, the fillets were $4.99/lb and I was going to buy them, until I saw the incredible low price for the whole fish! And like I said, that didn't include the head and guts. And the lady scaled it and cut it in half for me. I baked it yesterday and the thing couldn't even fit in my pan good! The tail was hanging over.

Before I even read this book, my fish person (fishman Dan I call him) at the market got me eating wild caught over farm raised. It was much duller in color and wasn't as 'pretty' as the farm raised, but it had such a great flavor! I only buy wild now. Though, I don't know why type of wild salmon it is. I'll ask next time I go there.

That is interesting considering that I've found that the wild salmon I buy has a deeper color than the farm raised. I remember the farm raised having a very dullish pink color and the wild caught I buy has a much deeper darker pink. It might be the type of wild salmon more than whether or not it is farm raised or not.

Other news:
I'm rid of another 1.5 pounds! This has been just in the last couple of days of me counting my calories and eating SuperFoods. I feel wonderful from the inside out! I LOVE my food choices and never, ever feel hungry. I'm incorporating a combination of The French Diet (light breakfast, 4 course lunch, light dinner, low GI carbs, lean meats), SuperFoods and Calorie Counting. It's not as difficult as I thought it was going to be to mix them all into a customized eating plan for myself. Soon I'll add in my daily walking, but I just want to focus on my eating for now.

Superfoods for yesterday:
1. Blueberries, strawberries
2. Grapefruit
3. Dark Chocolate
4. Oats, wheat germ, brown rice
5. Yogurt
6. Salmon
7. Asparagus
8. Romaine lettuce
9. Tomatoes
10. Soymilk
11. Nuts
12. Cannellini Beans
13. Broccoli
14. Tea
15. Honey
16. EVOO
17. Garlic

Sounds like a lot, but I don't force anything that I don't want, and it fits into my daily caloric intake perfectly! Total calories for yesterday was 1491. This is THE plan for me. I eat this way anyway, so there really isn't too much to adjust to.

Notes:
I need to get more calories from protein, and less from fats. My first day had 51% of my calories coming from fat! I'll add more protein today.

I need to get more from the Pumpkin group in! A baked yam sounds good today!

That is interesting considering that I've found that the wild salmon I buy has a deeper color than the farm raised. I remember the farm raised having a very dullish pink color and the wild caught I buy has a much deeper darker pink. It might be the type of wild salmon more than whether or not it is farm raised or not.

The farm raised salmon that I usually see is like a brilliant reddish orange. It has a very rich color to it. The wild salmon looks more pink. The first time I looked at them side by side, I thought the wild was older salmon that they were trying to get rid of! I took a chance and tried it, though.

Geez, I hope I'm not buying some inferior quality salmon! It is always very fresh and tastes really good. This is worth looking into...

**Edited to add: I just called Pathmark and was informed that it is the Alaskan Wild Caught Chum Salmon. Chum sounds awful! Is this crappy salmon or ok quality? WaterRat, my Alaskan friend, where are you??? Please help me with this!**

Olivia! Glad to hear that you are feeling great inside and out! I also never feel hungry (except during PMS.. but then it isn't hunger.. its dissatisfaction and not knowing what I want or need :D )

As far as the salmon goes.. I don't know .. I want to hear from our very own Alaskan expert too! :hug: I've been eating canned wild salmon for a long time but this fresh is a new encounter for me. Obviously the wild red sockeye salmon has a richer color than the farmed.. among other things it must be the nature of the type of salmon.

But as far as farmed salmon looking better than some wild, I supspect it could be the nature of the type of salmon itself but also could be food additives added to farmed salmon the same way coloring is often added to our grocery sold beef. If you've ever seen fresh beef from the slaughter house you will see the difference from what the grocery has to offer.

If the salmon you are buying is good wild salmon then you are really getting a deal!

I've gotten 6 superfoods in this morning.. just with a simple breakfast:

steel-cut oats cooked with cranraisins and then topped with plain Kefir and crushed flax.. small glass of fresh squeezed orange juice lotsa pulp

Hi Jayde! I remember my fishman telling me that the farm raised did have additives that enriched the coloring. I'm happy with the salmon I've been eating, so I'll continue, especially at $2.99/lb! And the sale is still on, for anyone who lives near a Pathmark! And like I said, it's fresh and good!

6 superfoods is a GREAT way to start your day! I had pineapples, yogurt, wheat germ & my oat topping (oats, honey, walnuts). Very satisfying!

Someone told me just last night that farmed salmon is better for the environment, because eating wild upsets the ecosystem. ?? Has anybody heard this before? I haven't researched it yet.

How do you guys use flaxseed? Ground, or whole, and in what?

My breakfast this morning was yogurt, frozen cherries, cereal, almonds, and ground flaxseed.

I did the muesli, plain non fat yogurt, blueberries, teaspoon of dark buckwheat honey for breakfast - loved it! Needed a break from peanut butter toast :)

Someone told me just last night that farmed salmon is better for the environment, because eating wild upsets the ecosystem. ?? Has anybody heard this before? I haven't researched it yet.

How do you guys use flaxseed? Ground, or whole, and in what?

My breakfast this morning was yogurt, frozen cherries, cereal, almonds, and ground flaxseed.

Hey we are all getting in lots of superfoods! I forgot to type "almonds".. ok.. now its 6! :D

Phantastica, I worry about a negative impact on the environment by eating wild salmon.. but I know the negative impact on raising and eating farmed is a whole lot worse. For the environment, the quality of life for the fish themselves, and our health.

So when I buy salmon.. as with any animal food I do my best not to waste it. Of course if lettuce goes bad in my frig I feel bad for the waste.. but not the same way as if it were an animal product. I believe if we eat them, we have an obligation to eat/use all of it.

oh.. flaxseed.. I grind it in a marble mortar just before using it. I put it in yogurt, on salads, an on top of steel cut oats after I've added cold yogurt or soymilk.

I've even chewed it .. but I don't recommend this. Its so hard to get out from between the teeth.

Ha! Love all the salmon discussions. :)

Chum salmon, also called Dog salmon, is much paler and has a softer flesh than the "Big 3" (i.e. chinook, coho, sockeye). It's just as good for you.

As for fishing wild salmon being harmful to the environment, hmmm? I'd be interested in knowing more. Wild salmon are caught several ways. First is by commercial fishermen. These salmon are caught in the ocean, and conceivably this lowers the number of salmon since they reproduce by leaving the ocean and entering rivers/streams and swimming upstream to the "birthplace" and spawning there. Once they spawn, they die. However, this fishery is tightly controlled as to how long it's open, how many boats are licensed to fish, and how many fish each boat can catch. Second is subsistance fishing. This is done in rivers, often near the mouth where they run into the ocean, using either fishwheels or nets. This is what DH does, he uses a dipnet to catch fish in the Copper River. His seasonal limit is 60 fish, plus 10 more for each household member. However, this year we took only 16, which when added to what we've caught with a rod, is plenty for the two of us. The third fishery is sport fishing, i.e. rod and reel. This is what most people think of when they think fishing. We fish this way, as well. The limits are set per day ont this type of fishing, and the seasons are shorter (though the time the fish are in the streams where sport fishing is done is shorter too). So far this year, we have: 1 king (chinook) caught dipnetting (the limit is 1 per season); 15 red (soho) caught dipnetting; 7 silvers (coho) caught with rod/reel.

The last fishery is done by eagles and bears! :) Eagles pretty much eat spawned out, dead or dying fish. Bears do the same, but whenever they can, they catch living salmon on their way upstream to spawn. National Geographic actually has a webcam on the McNeil River (the most famous for bear watching) so you can see them catching the migrating salmon. I just looked and there are a few bears there now. I think the migration is slowing down, but you might be able to see some. http://www9.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/wildcamgrizzlies/index.html

oh.. flaxseed.. I grind it in a marble mortar just before using it. I put it in yogurt, on salads, an on top of steel cut oats after I've added cold yogurt or soymilk.

I've even chewed it .. but I don't recommend this. Its so hard to get out from between the teeth.

:lol: ROTFLMBO! I don't know if you meant this to be funny, but I cracked up at the thought of you trying to get the flax seed out of your teeth! I WON'T be chewing it! Thanks for the advice!

Chum salmon, also called Dog salmon, is much paler and has a softer flesh than the "Big 3" (i.e. chinook, coho, sockeye). It's just as good for you.


So, I've been eating Dog Salmon???? Oh well, it sure tastes GREAT! Thanks for clearing that up for me! Is it one of the least desirable types? Or does it really matter, particularly to Alaskans who can fish for the other types?

I've been following this thread with interest, even though I'm not part of this group. I tried the Fage yogurt today, even though I'm not a huge yogurt fan. I had plain low fat with blueberries and strawberries. The texture was much better than Dannon plain. Thanks for showing me something good that's good for me. I hate milk so I'm always trying to find calcium foods.

Speaking of yogurt, I went to Trader Joe's today and picked up Strawberry Kefir. I also bought Strawberry Lo-fat yogurt, Odwalla blueberry smoothie, organic blueberry spread, soynuts, dried blueberries and Ghirardelli dark chocolate. I saw the Sockeye salmon for $9.99/lb! Whew...I'll stick with my Chum/Dog Salmon!

I then went to Giant market and found Kefir in Blueberry, Raspberry, Plain and Peach. They were $2.99 each. Trader Joe's only had the Strawberry.

Haven't tried them yet, but my cousin (who is starting SuperFoods tomorrow) did and loves it. So does her pre-teen son!

Superfoods today:

pineapple
oats, wheat germ
honey
nuts
yogurt
salmon
lettuce
cherries
asparagus
soymilk
tea
beans
tomatoes

Have a wonderful day, night and rest of the weekend!

Oh, WaterRat, thanks for that live webcam info! I FINALLY downloaded the RealPlayer that I needed and played it for DH, DDs & me to watch. That was soooo cool! There had to be atleast 6 to 8 bears that we could count. One finally caught a salmon and was followed all the way up the hill by another bear. The follower eventually turned away and the bear was able to devour his catch! I love it and will tune in to it from time to time. It's the closest I can get to actual salmon fishing!! I'll live vicariously through the bears...and you and your DH!

Talk to ya soon,
Hope

Phantastica, farmed salmon is actually very bad for the environment. The Wild Salmon isn't. Atlantic wild salmon is nearly extinct but pacific wild salmon is doing better. I believe that I read somewhere that the reason atlantic wild salmon is doing poorly is due to salmon farms having a negative impact on them.

If you want to read more about the environmental impacts of farmed salmon as well as many other fish, you can look at one of a few websites that reports on it. I always go to Monterey Bay Aquarium's website for information on fish that we eat.

Here is something specific to salmon:
http://www.mbayaq.org/cr/SeafoodWatch/web/sfw_factsheet.aspx?gid=17

I've been following this thread with interest, even though I'm not part of this group.

Once you post your in! Welcome.

Pat! Everything I wanted to know about Salmon fishing and more! The webcam is so cool.. I think I’ll keep it open from time to time and watch the bears fish. Jealous of them… jealous of you. Thanks.

Olivia.. your dentist thanks me too! ..oh.. about the Kefir.. let me know how you like the strawberry. My son was ok with the blueberry but he just shook his head at the plain… it is safe in the frig for just li’l ol’ me.

Nelie, thanks for the link. I got this from the site:

“Fish farming can be done responsibly but not all fish farms are created equal. For example, it's best to farm fish that are omnivores (plant and protein eaters) rather than carnivores (protein eaters). Carnivores, like shrimp, salmon and tuna, require feed that's made from wild fish (either converted into pellets or processed as whole fish). Instead of alleviating pressures on wild fish, farming carnivorous fish actually creates a new demand that wild fisheries can't meet.”

Today's new superfood was a Japanese persimmon.. whole dried.. I was cleaning out the freezer and realized they were hiding behind the walnuts. My husband usually eats them but now he has competition!

What exactly do you do with a dried persimmon? :shrug: Inquiring minds would like to know. :)

Glad you all liked the webcam.

There is now a whole foods forum.

Here is the link:
Wholes Foods Lifestyle (http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=209)

What exactly do you do with a dried persimmon? :shrug: Inquiring minds would like to know. :)

A dried persimmon is sweet and actually very "meaty"... not juicy but soft and thick. We just eat it.. biting around the hard stem which sits in the middle. Sometimes we use it in a rice dessert or special dried persimmon tea. Mostly we just eat it as it is.

http://www.hongikhoe.com/images/userdif/goods/11374748532.jpg

This pic shows the colorful orange dried and the grayish white. Both are delicious..

Darlene... :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: There is a whole foods lifestyle forum :carrot: :carrot: :carrot: (can't you tell I'm excited?)

I see you guys already found the whole foods forum. Would you like me to move this thread over there??

Yes please Sandi :)

I vote yes ... and thank you!

Wild fishing kills a lot of other Wild...Life, I think that's why the farms were started. Seals, turtles, otters, dolphins, etc getting stuck in nets. I don't know what the right answer is, other than to not eat fish, which for me is not an option. I will stop eating fish when they stop tasting so good!!!

Also, I have not read all 15 pages of this thread, so I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but there is a guy on PBS here in the States, and his cooking show is all about the Super Foods. I thought of you guys. He made cedar plank salmon, spinach salad w/grilled tomato & onion, turkey sausages over a 3 bean ragu, and blueberry cobbler & for the crust on that he made pumpkin dumplings. It was all I could do not to lick the TV screen. :lol:

The 13 episodes of “Healthy Flavors” will be released in the middle of April 2006. PBS Station Managers and the Satellite Service state that “Healthy Flavors” should be in more than 100 million homes, making the show the largest distributed PBS cooking show this year.
The chef's name is Jim Coleman. It was a good show.

Hope, I remembered to look at my BRM steel cut oats this morning. Here's the nutritional info for 1/4 cup dry (which is 1 serving cooked - though the directions are for making 4 servings - 1 cup - at a time):

Calories - 140
Fat - .5 g
Cholesterol - 0
Sodium - 0
Carbs - 27 g
Fiber - 4 g
Sugars - 0
Protein - 6 g
Vit A - 0
Vit C - 0
Calcium - 2%
Iron - 10%

And I found the Whole Foods Thread last night, and I vote for moving this thread over there. :)

Also, I have not read all 15 pages of this thread, so I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but there is a guy on PBS here in the States, and his cooking show is all about the Super Foods. I thought of you guys. He made cedar plank salmon, spinach salad w/grilled tomato & onion, turkey sausages over a 3 bean ragu, and blueberry cobbler & for the crust on that he made pumpkin dumplings.


We bought cedar planks quite a while back for grilling salmon but haven't done it yet. Seems like now would be a good time to start!

Also, I have not read all 15 pages of this thread, so I don't know if anyone has mentioned this yet, but there is a guy on PBS here in the States, and his cooking show is all about the Super Foods. I thought of you guys. He made cedar plank salmon, .......

The chef's name is Jim Coleman. It was a good show.

Ah.. I stumbled on his show one day while he was cooking the salmon on a cedar plank... it was a whole foods show.. I couldn't watch the whole thing as I was busy but I enjoyed watching him cook that salmon. It gave me the idea that when I cook salmon on the grill I don't have to turn it over... always been a problem.. fish baskets are hard to clean and are hard on the fish .. flipping breaks it anyway...

So since that show I put the salmon on a metal grate with little round holes, cook it slowly, and when its finished place the whole thing ...grate and all on a large thick wooden cutting board to serve.

The cedar planks sound great, though they are expensive.. Jim Coleman... Thanks for the info!!

Hope, I remembered to look at my BRM steel cut oats this morning. Here's the nutritional info for 1/4 cup dry (which is 1 serving cooked - though the directions are for making 4 servings - 1 cup - at a time):

Calories - 140...............

140 calories sounds a lot more reasonable for a serving of 1/2 cup cooked


Sandi, thanks for offering to move this thread to the new Whole Foods Forum. I vote yes ..

Thanks for the info, Pat! And Jayde, so true! Much more reasonable!

SuchAPrettyFace, I am really anxious to see that cooking show & to try some of those recipes! Thanks for sharing.