Sunday, August 26, 2012

Finding nutritionally beneficial dining options on the road

With the plethora of fast food options out there, it can be challenging to find fresh ingredient, vegetarian, and vegan options out there. This is where a little research at your destination using social media can help out.

For example, try a yelp.com search for "fresh food restaurants", "vegetarian restaurants", or "vegan restaurants" in the local zip-code and review what comes up. I suppose you can do the same using your favorite search engine or a  Facebook search, too.

It's sure better than the just "driving around" and "lucking out (maybe)" approach!

Another good resource & cookbook

I've been checking out this resource book which I found on Amazon.com's free Kindle lending library. The book is also available from some public eLibraries, via the Overdrive client:

The 200 Super Foods That Will Save Your Life, Deborah Klein

This book is a good resource on the nutritional benefits of various fresh vegetables, fruits, spices, etc. It also has recipes that are helpful in preparing nutritious meals from fresh ingredients. Furthermore, it's affordably priced, so if you borrow the book and like it, you can have your own copy easily.



Saturday, August 11, 2012

Aromatics (spices and herbs)

I have this personal hypothesis that adding aromatic spices to our foods may have beneficial effects. I've seen some indications of this in the press, although I haven't seen much hard science to back up the claims.

Anyway, adding spices to your diet can at least improve flavors and enjoyment, if nothing else!

My personal thought is that certain fresh spices may have beneficial effects, including the following:
  • Basil
  • Cilantro
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Nutmeg
  • Oregano
  • Parsley
  • Rosemary
  • Thyme
  • Turmeric
  • Black or other ground peppers
Try some of these in various meal preparations; for example, in a hummus wrap, or salads.

Caveat: Some of these spices may be aggravating to some people's digestive tract or should obviously be avoided if there's a food allergy issue. Use your experience and judgement! Furthermore, massive doses are unnecessary; a little is better than maxing out. Remember, spices are for enjoyment - not for using as a hammer.

Nice cookbook

After doing some hunting around of veggie/vegan cookbooks in my local library and on-line, I found this one which I really like:

The Mediterranean Vegan Kitchen, Donna Klein

Check it out; the recipes use generally available ingredients, are fairly easy to prepare, and produce good tasting and healthy dishes.

Even more cool, you can get the Kindle edition, which really works well in the kitchen.