So simple and yet so rewarding, this is a summer constant in my work lunchbox and snack around the house. Only three ingredients that pack an all-out taste power punch: creamy for the tongue, crunch for the teeth, and salty herby for the psyche pleasure zone.
We eat this primarily as a dip on good fibrous tough stuff crackers or I love it as a sandwich on wheat or rye bread. Middle-of-the-night Afternoon Tea, anyone?
An added pleasure is anytime the cukes come from your own garden. Sigh. The best part of summer is the garden!
Continue reading "Good AND Good for you: Creamy Cucumber Dip" »
One of the things I've been changing about the way I eat since I've been following the Mediterranean Diet path is the way I approach breakfast. Like a lot of people I either tend to skip breakfast or eat all the wrong things. For example, I work the night shift so when I get off shift in the morning I'm starving and ready to eat pretty much anything and everything. Technically, for nightshifters, the a.m. is our dinner time. We eat breakfast when we get up around 4pm, lunch at 1am, and dinner for breakfast, but I've really been trying to get back into a more traditionally routine eating pattern even when I work, especially since working 12 hour shifts, we don't work a five day work week.
What I've found through experimentation is that when I choose wholesome whole grained foods for breakfast that also contain a serving of fruit and/or veggies I have a much better day over all whether I'm up or sleeping for the day. We all know basic nutrition. Whole grains and fresh produce last longer in our systems because they're nutritionally dense and take longer to break down, creating a more even supply of glucose instead of the normal sugar/caffeine high and low of Krispie Kremes, Cocoa Puffs, and Caramel Mocha Coffee. Weight Watchers call these nutritionally dense foods simply "filling" foods. I'm experimenting with a lot of different things but I'm finding, so far, that egg dishes with fresh veggies and cereals like Irish oatmeal or Grapenuts with a side of fruit hit the spot and last all morning.
Continue reading "Breakfast Starts the Day off Right. Right? Right! Cornbread Frittata" »