Better health

[SimplyMe]

So my recent freak out just reminded me what I already know ... I don't take good care of myself. Which, when you think about it, this is the only body we get and being an emet you'd think that health would be something I'd be diligent about. However, I know I don't eat properly, often times not even because of emet but because of convenience, etc. I don't exercise, I don't drink enough water, ... you get the picture.

Anyhow, I don't think I'm the only one that feels this way and wants to do something about it. So, how about if we just use this thread to encourage each other, share exercise routines and recipes for healthy, emet friendly, (and preferably easy lol) meals.

I will add a couple of recipes later today, right now I have to get off my butt and get ready lol. Hmm most of my recipes are junk LOL but I will drag out a few goodies.

[lyntess]

I love this idea! So many diet programs involve food that emets just CAN'T "stomach", or pills that cause side-effects we refuse to handle. Even drinking gallons and gallons (okay, 8 glasses... but it feels like gallons) of water can sometimes prompt nervousness.

I love love love the idea of sharing recipes, too. Pretty much the only thing that I do right now to make a stab at health is buy low- or no-fat things whenever possible. I hate exercising and I just get so flipping complacent that I don't bother cooking, just eat whatever looks safe in the fridge. :-P

My other sticking point, as an emet, is dishes. I hate handling dirty dishes too much-- the smell from the sink just makes me n*, and blending smoothies and things like that generates SO MUCH washing up!

[SimplyMe]

Eww, yeah I hear ya on the dishes. I LOVE the dish washer lol.

OK I can add a recipe or two now. This one, if you don't like tuna you probably won't want to make it but I'd imagine canned chicken or even hard boiled eggs could work, OK here we go:

Tuna (and whatever ingredients you prefer to make it with, mayo, mustard, onions etc)

Pasta of choice (egg noodles and bow ties seem to work best)

Cheese of choice (shredded or sliced and broken into pieces)

Pretty simple, prepare your tuna to your liking, meanwhile cook the pasta. When both are done add tuna to pasta and sprinkle cheese on and through out pasta and tuna. Microwave for a minute or tow (until the cheese is smooth melty, not dried to the pasta melted). And YUMMY! It's super easy, you get all the food groups (assuming you put some sort of veggie in with your tuna lol) plus you get omega 3 from the fish. But like I said if you don't like tuna ... you could supplement with something else, even beef I'd imagine if you prefer.

[lyntess]

Too many pots and pans in that one for me... It sounds tasty though!

One of my favourite quick things to do is get a rotisserie chicken (cold but cooked) from the supermarket. I put on gloves and tear off whatever I want to use (especially for easy salads and things) and zap it on a paper plate 'til it sizzles to make sure it's "safe". Then I throw away the first plate, place the hot (slightly dry) chicken on a new one, and cut it into the size I want for the dish I'm making.

As I only cook for one, right now, one chicken will last at least four days, and because I follow the ritual of microwaving it, I feel like it's okay to eat. PLUS it cuts out EVER having to have raw chicken in the house, which is HUGE for me.

[prncesspnk]

hey guys, i love this!
how do you feel about sweet potatoes? they're a comfort food for me
and so nutrient-rich... not to mention- there's essentially no clean-up! i
just pop mine in the microwave and hit the "potato" setting and it cooks
perfectly in like 5 or 6 minutes. yum!

[lyntess]

I LOVE sweet potatoes!! I hardly ever buy or cook them, though... I guess I just automatically associate them with "holiday food" (and we all know, holiday food is one of the scariest and most improperly handled type of food!)-- but you're totally right, doing one for yourself in the microwave is BRILLIANT!!

Mmm, I'm looking forward to grocery shopping already. :-D Do you eat yours with margarine or anything?

[SimplyMe]

Mmm, I love sweet potatoes! I forget about them too. And am also curious what you put on it?

lyntess, it is alot of pots/pans lol. The chicken idea is brilliant! I never thought to do that, rather I torch my chicken lol.

[lyntess]

I'm way too lazy to use a two bowls, a pan for boiling, a cutting board, knives, spoons, forks, strainers, lids, plates-- all that for ONE meal! Unless I'm cooking for sixty people. :-P

I might be tempted to use those instant Ramen noodles in the cups instead of boiling noodles in a pan-- I know they're not healthy, but if you drain off most of the "soup" part you also get rid of a lot of the fat, and then you have room to mix in dry tuna, sprinkle the shredded cheese on top and microwave. :-D Cheating, and probably SUPER unhealthy, but still tasty. ;-)


The chicken idea probably wouldn't be very cost-effective or convenient for a whole family.. but for one or two people, it works brilliantly. My hubby and I LOVE the rotisserie flavour, too (and he very patiently puts up with my obsession with over-cooking).

[lyntess]

Here's another of my favourites: Microwave Mac & Cheese

Boil the noodles as you would normally, but while they're cooking, take fat-free cottage cheese and microwave it with extra-sharp cheddar cheese and a little bit of skim milk, stirring every few minutes, until everything's melted. BEST EASY CHEESE SAUCE EVER. You can also toss in some fresh (or frozen) broccoli during the last five minutes or so, to add some colour and veggie value.

Drain noodles, then dump melted mixture in with them and stir thoroughly, let sit for a couple minutes and serve. You can adjust this to feed one person or a gazillion (...), and it's SO much cleaner and easier than making a "proper" cheese sauce in a pan. Also very simple to add any proteins you fancy-- chicken, tuna, scrambled hamburger, whatever-- as well as loads of different vegetables.

[SimplyMe]

Mm that sounds yummy! I have a lot of unhealthy recipes, like desserts lol which is what propted me to post this ... I'm a MESS LOL!

[wackydeli]

I've never had a microwave so all my recipes require pots and pans and dishes, haha. Unless I'm just making a sandwich.

But hey, fruits and veggies are good and generally don't require any pots or pans or cooking in general if you eat them raw. ^_^

[lyntess]

Wacky, my problem with raw veggies lately is that we've had SO many salmonella scares! Spinach, tomatoes, peppers... I'm scared to chew anything that hasn't been cooked to death, vegetable or meat!

[SimplyMe]

Speaking of veggies, they make those great microwave frozen bags of veggies, it steams them or something and they are DELICIOUS (and no dishes except the one you dump them into after they are done).

[wackydeli]

It is pretty scary lately with all the salmonella stuff going on, but I find the long term effects of unhealthy foods kind of scarier.

[harttride]

Awsome idea!! I'll likely be getting recipes ,instead of giving,(i havent cooked in almost 2 yrs.!!!)But im sure i''l remember some from when i did cook ,they were easy recipes of course. It's mostly do to the space that i dont cook anymore.I dont really have a kitchen ,so to speak.And if i clean my plates, pans ,etc, they'll "touch" something that will make me sick ,if "contaminated".So my diet consists as of now and the past 1-2 yrs, frozen prepackaged fully cooked food. Or Fully cooked prepackaged refridgreated foods or any dried packaged foods, like ramen noodles, or cereal. I know they are full of fat and sodium but im just to scared to even try to cook.

Wackydeli:i'm scared about all the raw vegetables and fruits being contaminated also, so no fruits and veggies have been in my diet for years, unless in the packaged foods.Even before the recalls, i didnt want to eat them either because i'm scared that just rinsing them wont kill any or take any germs away.Edited by: harttride

[grgygrl]

Ive read so much bad stuff about microwave ovens being bad for you and pretty much contaminating my food, that I hardly use one anymore. I walk for at least 1 hour everyday. Ive started to drink lots of water and I hear purified is the absolute best for the body. Im also trying to stay away from prescription and non-prescription meds. If my tummy is acting up, I still take Reglan but not as much as I used to. Ive read that walking is the best exercise. Its hard to exercise at a gym or at home but walking is so very good.

[wackydeli]

I've also read the same about microwave ovens, which makes me glad we never had one in my house.

The whole contaminated fruits and vegetables thing is really unfortunate considering how they provide the most and best vitamins and nutrients our bodies need to improve our immune systems and actually prevent us from getting sick.

I try to be brave and just eat them anyway, since I figure the health benefits would be better. So far no sickness, thank goodness, LoL.

But there are other foods with those things. Like, enriched cereals, maybe with an ultra pasteurized milk, or soymilk (my favie). A lot of packaged food products are enriched with vitamins today so maybe something like that could help.

[jkl81]

I know some of you guys avoid seafood, but it's healthy and fairly safe as long as it is good to begin with and cooked thoroughly. I love salmon and its available in good condition just about everywhere. You could go easy or hard with it. Easy is take a fillet, drop it in a preheated conventional oven at 375*F and cook it at least 10 minutes per inch of thickness or until it flakes. You could use some lemon juice, cranberry juice, sea salt, pepper, whatever on it. I've also pan seared salmon, you want to skin it, and get the pan very hot, use a little bit of canola or olive oil. I hit one side with sea salt, black pepper and garlic, then sear it for awhile until I start to see the edges begin to cook, then flip it. I repeat this until it is thoroughly cooked and I verify this by cutting it open and seeing that it has changed color all the way through. I finish it with a touch of brown sugar on top, may not do much for the healthy bit but it sure looks and tastes good!