Farmers

Not sure of the  original source of the photo but I really enjoyed seeing this on a feed earlier today.

Monkey Bread

Considering the previous post was about "Gramma's cooking" it is no wonder I have been thinking about monkey bread. It is hands down the best thing -food wise- at the holidays in our family. It hasn't been around the last few years so I made up a lazy recipe- ensuring it's eventual return to the table next to the cheese-ball.

 

I'd imagine by now you've figured out I ain't about that measurement thing. It's 4 ingredients, if you're really struggling with the concept of "winging it"...look at another blog.

Procedure:
1. Shape biscuit dough into globular shapes, roll in cinnamon sugar and line a pie pan with them.
I used 2 store bought containers of dough (vacacation is no time to make dough from scratch).

2. Bake in a 350 degree oven. About 12-15 minutes
3. While baking melt butter in a pan. Add leftover cinnamon sugar mix from rolling biscuits...if you used that up feel free to use brown sugar. Melt down sugar-let it bubble make sure it doesn't burn.
4.Remove delicious biscuit wreath from oven

5. Pour butter/sugar mixture over delicious biscuit-wreath

6. Try to let cool before devouring

These little nuggets are obviously the best. Biscuit, butter, sugar. The risk of developing pre-diabetes is a risk I'm willing to take.

I made this for my Mom while we were at our cottage. It's a miracle any made it through the night and into the car for the ride home. The second it was done it was being devoured. We got our fingers dirty, we ruined out appetite for dinner. We did not care.

Gramma's Cooking

 Gabriele Galimberti took photos of Grandmothers with their families signature dish. Hard to pick a favorite out of the bunch.

Delicatessen with Love

Mindless Eating

 Brian Wansink, a professor at Cornell University, is doing some of the coolest research!

  His book Mindless Eating has been a favorite for some time and is a solid go to when coming up with presentation ideas. I have presented many of his studies and tips for eating more thoughtfully several times and each time is keeps the audience engaged and laughing because some of the outcomes of pretty shocking. In addition it's empowering to know research shows a lot of people make the same mistakes when it comes to overeating- especially when they're busy. A few tips can go a long way on cutting down consumption.

For example this article deals with the foods we choose after fasting. When we're hungry we typically pick high caloric foods because we want to refuel our bodies. But if someone routinely skips meal and buys food on impulse the "only this time" indulgence in starchy food can become a habit. A second more more recent article deals with grocery shopping when hungry. Simple steps like having a healthy snack before driving home or grocery shopping can curb the desire to eat or buy too much. If this doesn't work Wansink reports in his book some people even go out of their way to change their routes home so they're not exposed to the temptation. Whatever works to make it home to a healthier meal!

Although sometimes small in size Wansink has performed dozens of studies related to eating behavior, marketing, and social cues related to consumption. Each one is more interesting than the next!

TED Talk, Jamie Oliver

My Mom and I both have a spot for Jamie Oliver in our hearts. Talking passionately about food with an accent. What's not to love? PLUS he's working on making a difference.

This video is clear, bold, funny, and inspiring.

Death Row and Final Meals

Photographer Henry Hagreaves recreated the final meals of several inmates about to be executed for their crimes. In a separate article Hagreaves explained the potential of what someone could learn from the meals. For example was the man who asked for a single olive somehow trying to create an association with an olive branch...a symbol for peace? We may never know.



Link to article



Henry Hargreaves Website
Who has quite a few food related projects!

Health and Indulgence

It's hard to find a "focus" for this blog since everything about nutrition interests me. Health and wellness with tasty fruits and vegetables interests me as much as the indulgence of sweets and gourmet food.
The breakdown of nutrients in the body is inspiring. Which sounds odd to say but I am often reminded by how incredible our bodies are as they break down what we eat to such small components and use them as building blocks. The human body is an outstanding machine, and as much as I want to fuel mine with the cleanest of fuel...those indulgences leave me wanting and disregarding any consequence.

Nutrition itself is constantly changing and becoming more complicated. Yet food and cooking should be so simple. Transforming raw products into dishes healthy or otherwise is magical.


This being said I can't really say this blog is anything but an adventure. It's all over the place much like my life at the moment. Healthy and active, indulgent and lazy, bold but doubtful. I'm hoping one day to find a healthy balance between all of the things I want to be. But with so many options, much like nutrition, it is going to take lots of learning, trial and error, and acceptance.