My maiden name is McCarthy, I’m sprinkled with kisses from the sun (freckles) and I’ve actually kissed the Blarney Stone (now that shouldn’t surprise you) and I’ve lived in Chicago and seen the river dyed green – but when it came to writing about Irish food and St. Patrick’s Day I actually drew a blank. Even after searching Google.
St. Patricks Day Myths
What I learned is that much of the American hoopla about St. Patrick’s Day is just that – American hoopla. Until recently, St. Patrick’s Day was a religious holiday in Ireland. And we all know it was to celebrate driving the snakes out of Ireland. Right? Except there were no snakes in Ireland. Those snakes were most likely heathen symbols.
And ready for this? St. Patrick wasn’t Irish. He was actually born in Scotland or Great Britain in 373 A.D., was enslaved in Ireland as a youth and returned in adulthood as a priest when he probably took the name Patrick or Patricus. Oh Well! Why ruin a festive celebration with facts? I think we just needed a celebration in March – a month that is frequently without one. So what to make?
Of course, most traditional Irish plates include potatoes (although that didn’t begin until after the great potato famine) and are very simple – meat, potatoes, vegetables. You can do a great corned beef in your slow cooker or a lamb stew. There boxty which is an Irish potato pancake (rhyme). There’s fun potato and sausage dish called a Dublin Coddle. But my personal favorite, Colcannon (mashed potatoes with onion, kale and bacon), is traditionally served at Halloween.
Easy Recipe – No Bake St. Patrick’s Pops for Kids
For the kids, I found this great, fun, easy no bake idea to help celebrate – St. Patrick Cookie Pops. Now this is celebrating!
So on March 17, I’ll wear my green (the shamrock was a symbol of rebellion in Victorian times), have a Guiness (my one per year) and say Erin go Braugh! (Ireland Forever) with all my other American Friends!
Ok, so the day I found out I was celiac I was stunned. Like most people, I’d never heard of it. Unlike most people, I had absolutely no symptoms at all. So we double checked the test results and even checked to determine if I carry the gene (it’s genetic). And it turned out to be true.
Yummy Roast Vegetables!
And I was depressed. I felt doomed – and I didn’t even feel sick.
I’m a carb girl at heart (ok so not all carbs contain gluten, but it feels like it at first). Being celiac, in broad strokes, means I can’t eat anything made with wheat, barley or rye (corn, rice and quinoa are ok). In one fell swoop I cut out half the aisles of the grocery store. Most tragically –great fresh bread and pasta – my personal favorites.
So I decided to try living gluten free. I bought the cookbooks and the flours and read labels even more carefully than usual. And I got about 90% of the gluten out of my life. 100% is hard because it hides in strange places like malt vinegar and soy sauce ingredients. Here’s a link to a pretty good summary of what’s in and out. And after about a month, I have to admit, I did feel better. I had more energy, less bloating and felt generally healthier.
I started buying everything gluten free I could find so I didn’t have to make it, but let’s face it, a lot of it doesn’t taste very good or have very good texture. My family refused to eat it ( gluten free moms click here), and I started cooking two of everything – with and without.
Then I got virtuous. All the gluten free stuff was a pain to make and bake and fairly caloric – so I did what you have heard me preach so often – I went to naked food. If it’s fresh and pure, it’s probably gluten free. And it was so much easier, and generally fewer calories. I even lost about 10 pounds.
But…naked food is boring. There are only so many plain chicken breasts one can eat. I readily get in more than my five fruits and vegetables a day. My staple in the fridge is a huge dish of roasted vegetables sprinkled with Over-the-Edge Herbed Spinach Blend. So you know what happens when you deprive yourself…you break down and binge!
So, now I have come to grips with it. Most weeks are good, and some are terrible – and my body knows immediately. The best thing that happened is that a younger good friend of the family also turned out to be celiac, and started finding all of the best gluten free products to recommend.
I also found that a staggering number of friends also could not tolerate gluten, and mutual support and information sharing is great. (Believe it or not about 1 in 100 people are celiac). But as we age there are just as many people who can’t eat salmon, or high cholesterol foods, or salt or dairy….this list goes on, we’re not alone.
The good news is that over the past three years, gluten-free products have skyrocketed and can be purchased now in most regular grocery stores. Information is on all labels and is ready available from manufacturers. (By the way, our Consultants have allergy information on all of our products). You no longer have to make a big fuss about dining out (unless you want to invoke guilt or sympathy). Most restaurants can accommodate you. There are some great gluten-free blogs, online stores and cookbooks.
So what’s the upside? I pay more attention to what I eat. I eat better overall, not just avoiding gluten. I’m also a better cook. As with all issues we deal with in life, you can rule it, or it can rule you. Some days I can even feel a little smug.
But, I did put back on at least five pounds finding a balance.
Hmm! Cold gray day! No one home! Too much travel! A good book is calling!
Sounds like a day for comfort food. Mac and Cheese or Chili! Grilled Cheese or Butternut Squash soup! These are some of the things that come to mind immediately.
Comfort food by definition is a simple food, usually home made, that has an emotion significant to a person, frequently tied to childhood memories. They are also usually creamy, hot, and frequently fattening! So who cares- you can’t deprive yourself all the time!
So I sent an email out to family and friend to see how we mirror the rest of the nation. In the US, peanut butter and jelly, grilled cheese sandwiches, mac and cheese and meatloaf are right at the top of the list. ( Top 25 comfort foods) In our family, we did have a lot of votes for mac and cheese, but then we had some other for hot dogs and beans, pepperoni pizza and We also had our share of outliers like raclette (melted cheese and potatoes from Switzerland, Nasi Goreng (see Scoop and Nuke night post) – but those will have to wait for other posts.
OK – my personal favorite is mac and cheese. It’s hard to make a change when the family gold standard is a 99 cent blue box. But with age, improvements can be made! For starters, you can just add Outrageously Garlic to the finished product. If you want to get fancy, though, my family has now voted Mac and Two Cheese with caramelized shallots as top of the heap.
What are some TSG versions of the American Classics
Want comfort food, but don’t want to pay the consequences for all that good stuff – figure out how to take some of the calories out of your regular favorite. Substitute some of the key ingredients, like milk for cream, or low fat versions of sour cream, lean meats. Roast that skinless chicken instead of fry. If that doesn’t work, look here for some low fat comfort foods.
Remember though – comfort is the operative word. You can indulge, just occasionally.
Then there is that other part – exercise- Uggghh! I know, I imagine all of those young, fit women wearing spandex clothes, working out and smiling at the gym with their makeup perfect. And I am not one of those!
Them! Me
Even I Exercise Regularly
Now in all fairness, that used to be my response, but over the past 10 years, I have gotten to the place where I exercise at least 30 minutes, 5 days a week and I really do feel better. There are two crystallizing factors – I don’t want to be like many grandmothers and aunts whose falls in older age can be the precursor to their demise. We’ve learned enough to know that exercise keeps bones strong.
Then, our health plan started giving a discount for healthy learning. The measure was 10,000 steps a day. Do you know how much that really is? That’s about 5 miles a day. While I know running up and down the stairs with laundry feels like that, it really isn’t.
Start Walking
It turns out that for me to take 10,000 steps a day on a relatively regular basis, I have to do 5,000 steps on the elliptical in 35 minutes in the morning.
Also, I learned I can cope with stress and everything else better thanks to exercise – plus I’m helping the old heart muscle. My attitude now is “have sneakers, will exercise” (but I still hate running). I travel a lot, but exercise clothes are always in my carry on – believe me, it makes me a nicer, happier person to work with.
Find what you like to do and what works best for you. Walking starts with a single step, and it’s a great way to keep up with friends. I have some who make it a habit to go walking with their friends after the bus stop or around the parking lot at lunch. If you actively try to move, you will find a way. But there are other options – classes, swimming, kayaking, nature walks with your children– why not make it a family event?
Exercise at any age!
And you know the energy part? Doctors are right! You get more when you exercise. And it’s never too late – my mom is 88 years old and started going to the gym last week so she could move better and be more stable. She’s noticing a difference! You’ll be interested to know that studies have shown that with exercise, older people (even starting at age 85) can improve their muscle tone significantly in only six weeks. Of course, everyone should check with their physician before starting a rigorous exercise program.
I know I’m personally dieted, exercised and stretched to the point of exhaustion on a bad day. But in my heart of hearts, I know the answer is very simple. Move it or lose it!
I can’t count the nights that I don’t begin to think about dinner until I open the refrigerator door and everyone starts asking me “What’s for dinner?” Of course with TSG, we like to think you can add a little excitement to any meal you make by going to the Recipe Box and looking up your favorite TSG products…..
But if you aren’t that fortunate, we have found some help. At My Fridge Food, you can actually click on your favorite ingredients and it will pull up recipes for you to choose from. I put in cheese, salt and pepper, eggs, milk, pasta and chicken and it pulled up nearly 100 recipes ranked by the percentage of required ingredients I had on hand. It also gives the number of ingredients, time and number of calories in the dish. Truth be told, I probably had the missing ingredients in most cases…..but it’s fun to see what creative things you can make with so little!
Tell me, what’s in your ‘fridge and what do you do with it?
At the end of the holidays, I don’t know about you, but my fridge needs a good cleaning – so I can see the shelves again. If you feel the same after weeks of treats and leftovers, you might enjoy this. On the lighter side, here is a photo essay on what your fridge says about you! For a good laugh and some self awareness!
Of all the silly things, you know how when you pull out a long sheet of aluminum foil, the cardboard tube pops out of the box? Well apparently the company does too! There are instructions on the end of the box to push in a little tab that holds the roll in place so it doesn’t fall out and roll all over the kitchen floor!. While that makes the dogs happy, it doesn’t do too much for me – so problem solved! See the photo that led me to it.!
Cooking Your Turkey: Thanksgiving Help!
And while you’re getting ready for Thanksgiving – if you have a question or a crisis, don’t forget the Turkey Helpline from Butterball 1-800 –Butterball (1-800-288-8372) or check out their top ten questions. They answer more than 100,000 Questions every November and December – so I’m sure they can handle your as well!
I find it ironic that the month that kicks off the biggest eating binge of the year with Thanksgiving, November, is also National Good Nutrition Month. ( Mind you, it is also Georgia Pecan Month, National Peanut Butter Lover’s Month, National Pepper Month, National Pomegranate Month, Raisin Bread Month and Vegan Month!). November 1 is National Deep Fried Clam. I live in a geography where it costs more NOT to have your food deep fat fried – what is wrong with this picture?
So I want to spend a little time talking about my lifetime obsession – that twisted relation of health/weight/food. The national obsession and information overload on health and weight management is confusing. I’m actually going to break it into two parts, and I bet you know what they are – DIET and EXERCISE.
Part I -Diet
Help Tracking your Diet
We all have good intentions – and most of us mom’s try to put balance of good food on the table (although many are tied to the old food pyramid). The government has put together a really good site to explain this, and plan and track your progress to eating well. Give it a look see and gets your kids involved in planning.
Reality is we will all eat a little of everything – and that ‘s the key – A Little!
When you look at the portions in quick serve restaurants, they are full of fat, salt and calories – even a salad can contain a whole day’s worth (we all watch morning TV and have seen the expos). And heaven knows on a cold day I’m the first to line up for Mac and Cheese, or a cup of steaming hot cocoa with whipped cream, and that’s ok as an indulgence. But you can’t really live that way.
Our nation has an epidemic of obesity, starting with our children. We owe it to them to improve. If you really knew what a portion was, you could probably cut your food budget down – the man at the fish counter is always trying to sell me a ½ pound per person, when a portion is 4-5 ounces – half the amount. And the right portion for a toddler is ¼ that of an adult.
I spend a lot of time on the road where I do my best to piece together something clean and simple to eat – and I succeed about 60% of the time. All you have to do is look at my wardrobe to see the yo-yo battle. I used to make excuses, but the only person I’m fooling is me.
Manage Your Family’s Diet and Budget
The good news for managing your family’s diet and budget in these time is:
Cooking and eating at home is 1/3 less expensive than eating out.
Fresher/less processed food is generally less expensive.
Coupons are great, but are they helping you purchase the healthiest food for your family? Many processed foods are convenient, but may not have the best nutritional value – sodium and fat are two things to watch. (If you don’t know it – check this out for retailer coupons).
Cooking and coming together for a meal is a great way to connect. –whether within your immediate family, or everyone bringing potluck for Thanksgiving.
Eat as many fruit and vegetables as possible, serve food that is as close to fresh as possible, exercise and you’ll be fine.
If you eat in balance and control your portions– you can eat almost anything! What’s your favorite way to stay in control? Pass the dark chocolate please, it’s good for my heart!
Ok, I give up. My carefully laid plans ran aground again. We all had different schedules–my son had an afternoon crew practice, my daughter an evening ballet class and I had a late, late meeting. Thankfully, my husband was home to feed the dogs! Let’s face it, on a night like this it’s impossible to sit down together for dinner.
But there’s an easy solution! Make it a “scoop and nuke night.” What’s that?…. Here’s the easy recipe:
An easy, no fuss, semi–nutritious meal. It’s so quick that I had time to prepare it before the after school frenzy.
One pan cooking. After all, no matter what time I get home that pan will be waiting for me in the sink.
Make a lot. I always planned on leftovers, but never got any.
A meal that everyone will eat!
My family isn’t picky too about food, but like everyone their appetite depends on the day. My daughter couldn’t eat a heavy meal before dance, but my son was famished. My husband still thinks he plays college varsity soccer and I require just one dish–fast.
Ideas for What to Put on the Dining Room Table:
Soup with fresh bread – Make a pot of whatever is left in the refrigerator from the weekend – add broth.
Chicken stroganoff. A little heavy for the dancer, but one of her favorites and she could have some before and after class.
Spaghetti. If I boil the noodles and mix with sauce before leaving for my meeting (one pan remember?)
Tacos. Smorgasbord of cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes, except for the meat with sauce which can be “nuked” as needed.
Or ask friends! Our all time family favorite is an Indonesian spicy rice dish called Nasi Goreng (fried rice). You might think we picked this up when we lived in Asia, but no, we never do anything the easy way.
We first heard about this lifesaver on a ski trip with our best friends, who are Dutch. Apparently, Dutch cooking is replete with Indonesian and Malaysian influences, as they were a global trading power in the 1600’s. In fact, the rijstafel (rice table) is a frequent Malaysian occurrence – an assortment of Asian dishes, largely including or served over rice and named by the Dutch.
Anyways, we stayed in a rental apartment and everyone was tired from skiing all day. Yvette, my friend, was graciously in charge of feeding the troops that night. The pot filled with Nasi Goreng must have been as big as one of the best lobster pots, but 30 minutes later it was empty.
Nasi Goreng Recipe: Try it with your family!
Spice mix. I found the Dutch store and bought the Nasi Goreng by Conimex packets. For added interest you can also purchase Ketcap Manis (something like sweet soy sauce), to be truly authentic.
Cook rice. Mix with spice, add onion and chicken (optional). Then it’s ready to go!
Low and behold, a few years later my family was transferred to Asia. The first day there, my son saw Nasi Goreng on the menu and was thrilled to see something he both recognized and loved!
Well, let me tell you – the original native is not what comes out of the bag. After the first bite, and many tears of disappointment, I had to find the closest Dutch store and revert to our mix. We still horde it in our cupboards!
Share your scoop and nuke meals–and how they save your family!
Want some history on the Dutch East India Company? Makes for interesting dinner table conversation!
Ok, well that’s not really me, but it was my Mom when she was first married. I honestly think that between us, we would have made one great housewife – I cook and she cleans. My father-in-law would have shriveled up without a microwave, and some surprisingly astute business women I know claim kitchen disability as well. But I think the truth is that they don’t want to cook – not that they can’t.
Now I confess that learning to cook can have it’s ups and downs. (We will not talk about the inedible disasters that have graced my garbage can.) I know for a fact that my son learned how to cook before he left home, but the first time he prepared dinner in his college room, he turned the burner on high, threw in the chicken breast, and set off the fire alarm – then he didn’t try again for a year.
Dinner Disaster
Worst case, anyone can boil some water in the microwave, add instant rice and slice pre-cooked chicken on top, open a jar of apple sauce for a side – and voila!. Just don’t try to get me to eat it. That might count as instant dorm food, but not dinner.
How to Bake Like a Pro
Right out of the starting gate you can impress everyone by baking – dare I say with a little TSG beer bread (just add beverage). You can even go to the website and download one sheet with over 15 variations, and you’ll be a master chef right away. Branch out –steam some fresh vegetables and spring with Tearless Onion and Chives – then you can add the precooked chicken breast – and you’ve come a long way in one day.
Learn How to Cook
To learn to cook, I recommend you find a friend who knows you well and start simple – like spaghetti
1. For entertainment as well as ideas you can go to You tube and watch “how to cook for men” videos on a step by step to make ramen spaghetti
3. You can also bone up on you skills from online sites so you look like like a pro when your mother-in-law arrives.
4. There are lots of food shows on TV that can help, like Semi Home Made with Sandra Lee. This is sort of an updated Campbell’s soup approach mixing some cooking with already prepared foods for a polished look that will help you gain confidence .
Personally, I’d go buy a book, – but sooner or later you just have to take the plunge and start !
Most nights I think we all secretly wish that someone would come take over the kitchen detail for us. And then when it happens, I think we are all a little sorry, because…….
My husband loves to cook, and fortunately, he’s very good at it. He does have some specialties though – anything that can be cooked on top of a barbeque (yes, even in the winter). In the 30+years we’ve been married, I can probably count on two hands the number of times I have had to cook on a weekend. Not bad, you say, but it does come with some caveats:
It’s most frequently some form of beef and potatoes (although in the last few years with the advent of planks, we have a lot of fish too!)
Someone has to go to the store for some ingredient.
All dishes are in the sink at the end of the meal.
There’s a lot of crispy crust involved.
All in all, this isn’t a bad list of details, it’s just the result of what happens when someone enters what is typically “MY” domain, the kitchen. I am, after all, a creature of habit – mine not his.
1. Husbands can learn how to grill fish with planks.
Grilling Planked Salmon
Barbequing with a plank is a great way to tackle more delicate foods and add flavor. At almost any grocery store, or store that sells barbeque equipment will have them. Just soak the plank in water for a couple of hours, and place the fish (usually) on the plank to add flavor while it cooks. The fish won’t have to be touched until done – meaning it will stay in one piece. Here are some easy steps to follow. (more…)
I can’t count the nights that I don’t begin to think about dinner until I open the refrigerator door and everyone starts asking me “What’s for dinner?” Of course with TSG, we like to think you can add a little excitement to any meal you make by going to the 
Most nights I think we all secretly wish that someone would come take over the kitchen detail for us. And then when it happens, I think we are all a little sorry, because…….
