Nutritiously Curious

Can working out too hard kill you?

2012-03-19T22:08:00.000-07:00

I am in a state of bliss right now. I actually have a group of friends, and we have been friends for years, who are starting to race. They are getting intense with half marathons and triathlons and even zombie runs! It's awesome to see friends embrace something you have loved for so many years. I never thought I see the day.

Last night, I saw my best girl friends in the world. We are a group of ambitious women who can have fun and create shenanigans. They teach me something something every day even though I don't get to see them more than twice a year. One day, we will all be done with school and be working professions but one thing will stay the same...they were with me at one of my toughest time in my life in college. They hold a great chunk of my heart and gosh darn it, they have the greatest hugs in the world! :)

Evelyn, Monica, Michelle, Me, Sylvia

So besides pouring my love for my girls, I learned one more thing from Sylvia. She is the quirkest, smartest girl who will help me train my future puppy or kitten but she also introduced me to "rhabdomyolysis".

Rhabdomyolysis medical condition that results from direct muscle injury or an altered metabolic relationship between energy production and energy consumption in muscle. Source

I have been trying really hard to get back onto my training schedule and with weekly (almost daily) infomercials to Insanity, PX90 and other exercise "miracles", I have been thinking of doing something intense to kick start the regiments. This is until Sylvia told me about rhabdomylosis. When it is physical activity related, it is often caused by muscle trauma and physical exertion.

While this is RARE, it has happened where muscle breaks down and the broken down products circulate the blood. This can been seen in triathletes, marathon runners and individuals who take part in PX90 and Insanity. There is often an increase of myoglobin in the blood but there not enough protein damage to have kidney problems or failure. Myoglobin is a protein that binds oxygen in the muscle to help you get through your workouts.

There are four key features to note when you are experiencing rhabdomyolysis:

Muscle pain, stiffness, weakness and occasional cramps.
Myoglobinuria (myoglobin in the urine) - Rhabdomyolysis often damage red muscle tissues where after it is damaged and it dies (necrosis), it will release myoglobin. When it is released into the urine, it will produce a dark brown urine. There can also be a low urine output.
Creatinine Kinase/Creatine Phosphokinase - This creatinine is the same creatinine the body builders tend to ingest in powder form or supplement form. The Kinase/phosphokinase is an enzyme that breaks down the creatinine. So when your muscles are damaged and broken down, there is increase in enzymes that breaks the muscle down. Between 2-12 hours, your levels can rise to 20,000-30,000 Units/Liter (normally it is 2-200 units/liter).
Malaise, tachycardia (slow heart rate), fever and nausea and vomiting. It can also involve altered mental state such as confusion.

There can be complications when there is continual damage and physical exertion where kidney damage and failure can occur. In a year, it has been reported with 7-10 cases so while it is low, it can happen to any exercise enthusiast. Physical activity is a great method of improving your overall lifestyle but stay safe and note your symptoms while eating well! Don't forget to hydrate too!

Maybe Coffee Shops Should Turn ON the Lights!

2012-03-04T23:42:00.000-08:00

I just had the most productive 5 straight hours of work done. No Joke. No Coffee needed either! Magic!

So I have fallen in love with Literati Cafe this weekend with gross amount of work done especially with Winter Quarter finals around the corner. Nothing more magical than falling into deep concentration mode even in the midst of rowdiness. As I left at 8:30pm, I realized that not only was I not hungry, I was also not tired. After reading about Circadian Rhythm on WebMD.com, I realized that I fell into the category of Non-24 Hour Sleep-Wake Disorder - Sleep a normal pattern but life a 25 hour day...I wish! Simply said, I don't fall asleep or wake up the same time every day. The life of a grad student. The perks! ;)

As I strolled back to my car, I wondered...

Would I be hungrier or would I have been less focused if Literati actually turned on the lights where I sat?

During the time I was there, I worked through the transition from sun up to sun down. There is an adaptation that transferred from the light through the window to light from my screen and keyboard. How was my circadian rhythm affected?

Located in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN), it regulates our biological functions and activities on a 24-hour basis. More importantly, it determines your sleeping patterns. Those who have structured schedule, even if it's chaotic, can release hormones, change brain waves and regenerate cells on a more consistent basis. In return, this consistency can illicit hunger signals, sleepiness and tissue regeneration in a more predictive manner (internally). A part of me believes that the human body is like a Type-A personality. It loves structure, consistency and control. Lack of it, sends it into a frenzy. This is also why dietitians suggest proper sleeping patterns and consistent meal times for individuals trying to lose weight.

Sources:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12781167
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8220654
http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/guide/circadian-rhythm-disorders-cause

Studies have been done on individuals who are shift workers. For these individuals, their "lunch breaks" may be at 4pm and their "dinner breaks" at 9pm. Their work schedule is rarely the same every day. Just like a grad student. Circadian rhythm are certainly inconsistent. These workers recorded meal patterns and records for analysis. While the total calories consumed were relatively the same in these individuals working early shift, middle-of-the day shifts and late shifts, there was significant changes in nutrient intake and food selections (starches and sweets). In other studies, savory and sweet items were craved in different patterns throughout the day. Circadian rhythm as related to the activities throughout the day affects our appetite.

So...with that information at hand, I also have to take into account my confounders: I ran 8 miles that may have suppressed my appetite with no opportunity to eat until 3pm. For the last 7 days, my schedule didn't allow me to consistently have breakfast, lunch and dinner in regular, intuitive meal times (ex: 7a, 12p, 6p). So not only was my rhythm messed up, sitting at my lovely Literati further threw me into a loop. Sitting in the dark, not knowing the time and having a late "lunch", I did not recognize when dinner time was and the darkness around me helped me focus only on my computer screen and nothing else. Studies have also indicated to limit screen time before sleeping since light from screens (TV and computer) can affect your sleep patterns and your "awakeness". What's worse, while I sat in a cafe, no one around me had dinner either. Conversely, on Saturday, a hungry gentleman decided to cut into a steak underneath bright lights. I was certainly craving dinner on Saturday. The smell of the food and the consciousness of time signaled my system that it was time to eat...even though I didn't eat "lunch" until 5pm that day.

http://www.photobiology.info/Roberts-CR.html

So for Literati and other amazing coffee shops I have yet to discover in LA, would their food sales increase if they had clocks to indicate time of day and bright lights to indicate that we are still in "day" mode? Metabolism would also be stimulated through thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) which would rev up our digestion rate, hence increase hunger. So may be the late night munchies after a long night of studying was not really because we worked harder but our metabolism continued to work at a high rate. Any thoughts?

PB Make-Over?

2012-02-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

So I recently watched the Today Show and saw this video of 'great' tips to cut calories.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

PB2 struck me the most because I am a HUGE almond butter fanatic - the stir kind and none of that hydrogenated sheningans. But PB is making a good return. Yes, many kids are allergic to it and yes it is a source of Omega-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid (PUFA) which can lead to inflammation with excess intake. But we do need it in a good ratio with Omega-3. But this is what the Peanut Institute had to say about peanut butter:

"Healthy Fats: Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fat
When you think of healthy fats, you can think of peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut oil. That is because at least half of the fat in peanuts is heart-healthy monounsaturated fat, the kind found in olive oil and avocados. And over 30% is polyunsaturated fat; another good fat important in a healthy diet."

So the idea behind PB2 is the amount of fats taken out of this product. This is the comparison that the company makes:

Traditional	PB2
2 Tbsp – 190 calories	2 Tbsp – 45 calories
Calories from fat - 130	Calories from fat – 13
Saturated fat – 3 grams	Saturated fat – 0 grams

And this is the full profile:

PB2: Powdered Peanut Butter
Ingredients: Roasted peanuts, sugar and salt.

Serving size: 2 Tablespoons (12 grams)
Servings per container: 15
Amount per 2 Tablespoon serving (when mixed with water):

Calories: 45
Calories from fat: 13

Value and (% Daily Value*)
Total fat 1.5 g (3%)
Saturated fat 0 g (0%)
Trans fat < 0.01 g
Cholesterol < 0.01 mg (0%)
Sodium 94 mg (4%)
Total carbohydrate 5 g (2%)
Dietary fiber 2 g (8%)
Sugars 1 g
Protein 5 g
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

So I did a little more comparison with another product on the shelf that has been around for decades. Laura Scudder's is a non-hydrogenated pb and this is their profile.

Ingredients:

ORGANIC ROASTED PEANUTS, CONTAINS 1% OR LESS OF SALT.

Disclosure Information:
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 2 Tbsp (32g)
Servings Per Container About 14

Amount per Serving
Calories 210 Calories from Fat 150

% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g (25%)
Saturated Fat 2.5g (12%)
Trans Fat 0g

Cholesterol 0mg (0%)

Sodium 45mg (2%)
Total Carbohydrate 6g (2%)

Dietary Fiber 2g (9%)
Sugars 1g
Protein 7g

According different institutions world wide there are different recommendations in the amount PUFA that we should have (omega-3 and omega-6). WHO recommends 5-8% of Omega-6 (and 1-2% of Omega-3) of your daily energy intake. In my calculation based on 2000kcal, that would translate to 25-40g of Omega-6 that is needed. So looking back, PB2 would only provide 1.5g per serving while Laura Scudder would provide 16g.

Yes, you can probably eat more PB2 to get the same amount of calorie and essential fat but with Laura Scudder, it's a traditional. I certainly don't suggest eating the whole jar of either product nor do I promote excessive eating but peanut butter is definitely brought to a different level minus a lot of fat. I love my fat, in moderation. I rather have less processed foods and how do you suppose they took PB2 fat out? Which one would you choose? Choice C: Skippy the non-stir PB?

Martha Stewart Got Nothing On Me...Except for Butter Cream.

2012-02-16T19:45:00.000-08:00

I have always wanted to make a birthday cake. A two-tiered birthday cake with frosting and filling....just like all the baking shows that I watch. My Mom always got me a birthday cake. I never really liked to eat them. I just like the look of them. I just needed someone to have birthday and some time to make the cake. Besides, Martha Stewart has an awesome collection of cupcakes waiting to be transformed into a birthday cake. I chose the Meyer Lemon Raspberry Cupake recipe. Hers looked like his:

I refused to add the layer of sand sugar and the raspberry. The raspberry wouldn't of held up to the condition I was going to make it go through. Decorating the cake will be on my next mission. This time...I just needed to learn how to make a two-tiered cake. How was it? I under estimated the surgical skills that comes with making a cake.

Just a few fun facts before we start!

1. Meyer lemon is not your typical lemon. Meyer lemon is a cross between a regular lemon and an orange or mandarin. They should be sweeter. Did I use it? No, I did not. I break rules when I cook.

2. I made the cake and froze it on Sunday but really I needed it on Wednesday. Have you had a child come to you and ask, I need 3 dozen cupcakes tomorrow morning? I never did it, my Mother would just look at my funny and take me to the store. But, if you make a cake, bake it, you may FREEZE it directly immediately. What will happen is that the WATER content in the cake will freeze and lock in the moisture! How fantastic! You can prep AND you have a moist cake. I'm down! You do not have to defrost the cake before you ice it too. In fact! If you ice without defrosting, the moisture of the cake will be locked in by the layer of butter cream frosting. Food nerdiness at it's max!

So what are some lessons I learned from this cake that really kicked my butt?

Sugar & Egg Yolks. The color is so magnificent.

1. I tried to find lemon curd so I didn't have to make my own. But making lemon curd is much easier and an interesting science project. I LOVED that the stores didn't have lemon curd. Now I can say I know how to make lemon curd. It's an empowering task!

Stir till it thickens.

Finished Product!

Vanilla Bean Pod

2. My new interest is to use new flavors such as spices and vanilla is a new one. I have never used a vanilla bean pod but the black specks that is distributed throughout my batter makes it happy. There is so much flavor and a sense of authenticity. There was nothing special to the cake batter recipe. I have never used sour cream in my cake batters before but the purpose is to increase moisture and density. It has since been included in pound cake as well.

After mixing the batter, I divided the batter into two cake pans, glistened with butter. I did not want a hot mess of cake since it needed to be frozen and frosted after being baked.

3. When it was ready to be frosted, I feared that the cake would be too difficult to carve into a flat surface so I defrosted the cake over night in the fridge. I am curious if I can carve a cake when it was frozen though. I did not have a serrated knife but it something worth learning for next time when a birthday girl is not in need of a birthday cake. :)

I can certainly eat the cake as is. Just imagine warm vanilla pound-like cake with tangy/sweet lemon custard. mmmmm!

4. My biggest battle of them all? Frosting the cake. It was not an easy feat. I made a mistake of making this in advance as well. Letting that warm up took wayyyyy too long. I was desperate enough to nuke it in the microwave 20 second increments to ensure I did not have a fatty, melty mess on my hands. It would have been much better if I just make the frosting the day of.

Finished product.

It would have also been better if I have better surgical skills in carving the cake to smoother surfaces. It took me equal amount of time to make the batter as it did to ice the cake. I definitely need to invest in a cake pedestal if I choose to make more birthday cakes.

End Result? It thought the frosting was wayyyy too sweet for my taste buds. It was too fatty for my liking as well. Some cakes are just meant to be cupcakes. After all, it is easier to frost a cupcake than a two tiered cake. I would have a happy girl just eating the cake and using the custard in a jam-like manner. But a birthday is not like a birthday unless you have candles and frosted cake.

Happy Birthday Diamond!

Michael Buble's Singing Warms My Heart Like Mac N Cheese

2012-02-11T22:08:00.000-08:00

I was in Chapel at Loma Linda one Wednesday morning and during one of the first worship songs, I looked around me to see how the experience of singing made some people feel. There was a general sense of calmness and in a group of students who are mainly in the competitive health field, it was a great sight. As I saw this happening, I remembered a song I listened to on the way to school that morning that my friend wrote. Listening to his song gives me the same feeling each and every time. Happy. I can imagine the story line in my head while listening to it, the same story each and every time. It's the same feeling that I get when I bake something, when I enjoy my meals, and when I share the meals. My curiosity is...do music and comfort foods illicit the same brain stimulation?

The key word here I COMFORT. I can certain attest that bitter foods make children cringe, foods highly salted can be offensive and overly doused sugary foods can make you fear for a cavity. As I digest my mac n' cheese, the ultimate American comfort food, I feel a sense of relaxation on a Saturday night. Now, many of you can say, well, it is a Saturday and she might have had a great day. I did. But I also just fought thru 1.5 hours of Los Angeles traffic in the rain. There is also a general sense of stress a doctoral student, however immune I may be.

Through general research, this is what food does to your brain....

Complex Carbohydrates (whole grain breads, brown rice, some fruits) can raise the level of serotonin in the brain and give a calm and relaxed feeling.
Fats (avocado, almonds and nuts, salmon, lobster) increases endorphine levels. This is what we refer to as "healthy" fats. All fats are necessary but we are talking more of the fats that come naturally from foods rather than from your fried foods.
Protein (meats, tofu, Greek yogurt, nuts) can stimulate the production of dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine.

Does this make sense? From my Mac N Cheese, I had my carbs (noodles), my fats (milk) and my protein (cheese and milk) and I get a sense of relaxed and calming feeling. But what do these hormones and neurotransmitters really do? They are released with or without the help of foods so let's break them down:

Norepinephrine/Noradrenaline - It is released from the amygdala where attention and response are controlled. It is also a stress hormone which illicit flight-or-fight response that increases oxygen to the brain, heart rate and releases glucose from the storage tanks.
Epinephrine/Adrenaline - It is also released from the amygdala where flight-or-fight response is also fired. It increases heart rate and increases oxygen intake thru dilation of the airways.
Serotonin - It is found in the gastrointestinal tract from esophagus to your colon as well as platelets and central nervous system. It contributes to the overall sense of happiness and well-being. Fun fact! Serotonin is needed for male mating behaviors where they may leave their food to find a mate.
Dopamine - It covers a larger role in the brain but it plays a big role in reward-seeking individuals. It has been proven those who are more extroverted have higher levels of dopamine. It is also released when partaking in many highly addictive drugs such as meth and cocaine. Can you think of any foods you are "addicted" too. Any connections?

So we now know that food affects your mood and it's no surprise that the foods the people love are connected to a release of neurotransmitters and hormones which affect our mood. It's also no surprise that a warm baked cookie makes us ooey-gooey on the inside as well. But are the same neurotransmitter and hormones released when we listen to our favorite tunes?

Michael Buble

When listening to music, the amygdala is also stimulated to release adrenaline. In fact, memories of the initiating experience are strengthened. This explains the repeated story line while listening to a love song or my connections with Memoirs of a Geisha every time I hear Norah Jones. The same neurotransmitter can also illicit a warm feeling when eating mac n cheese. There is a signal from the body to the brain to instruct how much adrenaline is released into the brain which in turn changes our bodily functions such as increase oxygen to the brain, increase air flow to the body and increase heart rate. So if you are a huge Michael Buble fan, maybe listening to his music will increase your heart rate. Similarly when I listen to the song my friend wrote, I can run a little faster but I am also happier. Double whamy!

This is definitely not a simple subject to blog about because the brain and the signals to and from are so complicated. Simply said, music and food improves our mood. Can either illicit the same feelings? Seems like it. Can music replace food? Probably not. I would not suggest it either. Food is too good to give up! Moreover, there are individuals are immune to some of these feelings because their daily activities stimulate the release of the neurotransmitters such that they are immune and would need a higher dose to cause the same reaction as someone who many not be as stimulated. Didn't I say this was complicated? It is definitely worth looking into!

So as we progress through this Valentines weekend, think about the foods are consuming. Think about the food feelings that people get when eating chocolate, warm souffle cakes and hearty pastas cooked to perfection. What feelings are we embracing besides love?

MY 3 Favorite Songs of the Moment. Enjoy! Tell me what you all think of #3. :)
1. Just a Kiss
2. I Won't Give Up
3. At Last

A Blast from the Past

2012-01-20T23:35:00.000-08:00

While many Westerners get into the 2012 groove, Easterners are gearing up for the groove of the Dragon. Chinese New Year is Monday (1/23/12) so this weekend is a hustle and bustle for many Asians (in my case Chinese) to get ready for the New Year. The Lunar Year is our version of Thanksgiving. After talking to my Mama on the phone tonight, I had moments of flash back of what it's like to stick to all the festivities of the Chinese New Year. The best one of all is the Red Envelop. As a child, it's feeding your piggy bank by wishing your elders of great fortunes for the year. My parents often prepped me for my top 5 fortunes to say to my relatives so I had some variety. People filled beautifully decorated envelops to show that they are able to sustain their givings and they are generous people. To have (money and generosity) is better than not. While Thanksgiving is a weekend of festivities with a break in the middle before Christmas....the Chinese in China (at least) have a week off from work. Fantastic! (I live in California so that doesn't apply...fail.)

What is better than money and fortunes is the FOOD! Every year around this time I reminisce about my Grandma's snacks and goodies. Flour and sugar can go a long way...it is especially better when it is fried. Delicious! What I love about the Chinese is our ability to connect with a meaning to our foods. While our dinner tables look like a smorgasbord of deliciousness, each food item is prepared for a reason....down to the number of dishes we have and why we have leftovers. The name of the food is often an homonyms of the fortune that we wish for. Here are just a few:

Candied melon (good health and growth)
Melon seeds (happiness)
Lychee nut (strong family ties)
Coconut (friendship and unity)
Peanuts (long life)
Longan (many good sons)
Lotus root seeds (many children)
Fresh kumquat (gold and prosperity)

Source: http://www.grandparents.com/gp/topics/chinese-new-year-food.html#ixzz1k4b9QSca
These are small bites of snacks and candy placed in a well decorated candy box with different compartments. These boxes can often be familial heirlooms.

Dinner time is a wonderland at the table...here are a few traditional dishes but each family has a recipe or types of foods they choose to eat similar to different stuffings, turkey recipes and desserts that my American traditions call for.

1. "Jai" - it is a vegetarian dish that has a menage of fribrous roots, vegetables (carrots, cabbage and mushroom) and a hair-like algae called "fat choi". Fat choi is no longer available due to the unsustainable cultivation but while it is not sold, I know individuals with dried crops (form that is sold) that is hidden in their cupboards. ;)

2. Nian Gao: it literally means "year high". It is glutionous, sticky, sweet "cake" (more like pudding) that is sliced, dipped in an egg batter and fried. It comes out crispy on the outside and ooey-gooey on the inside. This is our pumpkin pie of the Chinese New Year.

The three dates are not often on store bought versions but the three dates in this picture is for sweet fortune reasons.

3. Fish: in Cantonese, it is pronounced "yu" which is a homonym for "surplus" in Cantonese.

4. Taro and Turnip Cake: These are often found on dim sum carts but the fact that they have the word "gao" (cake = high - the higher the better...right?) in their name, they are always welcomed to the table. These are made from glutinous flour with shredded taro or turnip and other items such as dried shrimp and fermented vegetables. First they are steamed to perfection and consumed hot and fresh or they can be cooled and sliced before they are fried. When fried, Taro and Turnip cakes often look really similar. The only difference? Taro cakes have a darker tone to them.

5. Uncut Noodles: Day after Thanksgiving is turkey sandwich, we have noodles with our leftovers in my family. The key word here is Uncut. Why uncut? A noodle that goes on and on indicates longevity and a long life. How thoughtful is that?!

Many of my friends know that I am a big fan of desserts. Not to eat but to make. I have had the Sesame Seed Red Bean Balls on my mind for a while. It is a round, fried goodness covered with sesame seeds (my favorite!) that protects a thumb size of red bean paste surprise on the inside.

While they look like a simple doughy ball of goodness, I do not know how to make them without frying them. Why are they so significant? I still remember the rhyme that I heard in third grade Chinese school. Because they are fried, they produce a golden color that symbolize gold (prosperity). The rhyme insinuates that by eating this mouthful of goodness you will have a house-full of gold. I will eat to that!

This is just scratching the surface of food and traditions of Chinese New Year. As with most cultures, each family develop their own as they grow up and marry into new families. So as we end off this year of the Rabbit, I welcome a world of fortune, good health, and longevity in the year of the Dragon.

新年快樂!!!

Tag, You're It!

2011-12-28T14:52:00.000-08:00

Have you ever wondered what those bread tags meant besides their "Sell-By" date or their "Eat-By" date? I clearly didn't but my friend Brian asked me that on our most recent get-together and asked....

"What does the color of the tag mean on the bread bag?"

Most of us were baffled at the question since most of us didn't think it had a meaning. But these colorful tags have more a significance than I thought.

Most bakeries follow the concept of assigning each color to a day that the bread was baked. So besides the "Best-By" date, the color of the tag indicates which day of the week the bread was delivered.

Before you decied to follow the dotted lines and cut out this handy-dandy clip-art, just note that the colors are alphabetically ordered based on their color:

Monday = Blue

Tuesday = Green

Thursday = Red

Friday = White

Saturday = Yellow

So just remembering the color and where they fall in the alphabet, you can determined when your bread was baked and by what date you should finish your bread. Notice that bakeries do not bake on Wednesdays and Sundays? According to Snopes.com, these are two days that bakeries traditionally do not bake so the if you were to buy bread on Wednesday and Sunday, the freshest bread would have a Green and Yellow tag, respectively. REMEMBER, while most bakeries follow this standard, not all bakeries do.

Here are 3 main rules to know if your bread is fresh:

Squeeze the bread and no, do not let your child do it for fun. Soft bread means it's fresher than firmer breads.
Check the "sell-by" date on the tags/sticker.
Again, the color of the tag indicates the date the bread was DELIVERED.

Cookie Challenge 2011...Continues

2011-12-26T10:34:00.000-08:00

As promised, I have met the challenges of my baking extravaganza for Christmas 2011 and there was the good, the bad and...is that a even a cookie?!

In my Cookies Around the World post, I talked about the Nanaimo Bar. A blast from the past, it was definitely easier to eat this cookie than to make this. It was not as challenging as the Christmas Candy-Stripe Cookie. Before unveiling my lessons learned...let's enjoy the final product.


Final Product

But what were the challenges?

1. Do not forget the egg when melting the chocolate and the butter. Of course I did so what do you notice? Your crumb cookie does not set and you get one crumbly HOT mess. Solution? If you do forget your egg, toss the crumb mix back into the double boiler and get-ready, set, and STIR your egg into crumb and make sure your egg doesn't cook and coagulate.

2. The recipe asks only for one egg but I say, add accordingly. If you don't see enough moisture in the crumb cookie, it will not set and it will make subsequent steps more difficult. Start with one egg and have another egg ready on deck.

Add more egg to crumb cookie

3. While the recipe asks for chocolate chips, it was definitely not in my kitchen as most chocolate chips are cultivated in unfair trade methods from my grocery store. So instead, I used my sipping chocolate from Theo Chocolate. Sipping chocolate was meant for hot chocolate but looking at the recipe, I was able to substitute it for the chocolate chips.

4. The Peanut Butter section was the most difficult. Even with room temperature PB, it was not as spreadable as I would love to create an even layer. Solution? Use the back of a spoon and start from one end of the pan with a hunk of PB and drag it slowly to the other end of the baking pan. While it still picks up some of the cookie crumb and create a gaping hole missing cookie crumb, it is definitely easier than using a butter knife to spread it. Another reason why I need to get a spatula.

5. After the frustrating PB layer, I definitely knew the chocolate layer would give me some troubles. Even before trying to spread this luscious, Fair Trade Chocolate layer....I just pour it over the frozen PB and Cookie Crumb layer and tilted the pan side to side until the whole baked good is covered. This ensure an even layer even if everything underneath is not so even.

Chocolate layer.


Dissecting the product.

The good, the bars are awesome and easy to cut after you freeze it. The bad, I need to not forget the egg and make an awesome cookie layer so I can create an even PB layer. Something to try for next time? Use Almond Butter with slivered almonds (I substitute almonds for toasted walnuts).

Happy Baking!

Don't Text and Bake

2011-12-24T23:59:00.000-08:00

In a new town, a new home and a new stretch of my 20-something, I felt the desire to create a new tradition. The Christmas Eve Cookie tradition where I try something spectacular and challenging to test my skills of a baker. In the past few months, I have found baking to be my comfort zone. I bake better than I cook. But I still have a lot to learn about baking and Ms. Martha Stewart brought her "A" game to play today!

There were two cookies on deck today, both from Martha and while one will be revealed its fate tomorrow as the dough is still setting, the 2nd challenger was a doozy. Candy-Stripe Cookie Sticks were challenging and I wish Ms. Martha would give me a few pointers out or any baker for that matter on how to perfect this cookie.

I was supposed to reproduce this....

Perfect, beautifully piped and rolled to perfection. Only I got this....

Well, it really looked like this...

They were neither light or crispy, not perfectly rolled and piping...I forgot to pipe a batch while talking on the phone with my Sister and my Brother-In-Law. Never talk and bake.


Batch #2

So what happened?

The batch on the left were my 2nd batch and they came out more like the first picture. The only thing missing is the red piping that could have definitely be done better shown on the right. Moreover, because there were two cups of sugar and baked to bubbliness, cleaning the cooking sheet reminded me of my childhood days when I had to scrape the ice off the car windows. Worse off, they were more difficult to clean as time passed. Solution? Run your baking sheets under water and scrap with a butter knife CAREFULLY! I am lucky my baking sheets survived another day.

Lesson learned: Parchment Paper is a MUST!

My third batch looked more like this:

Batch #3

What I have learned is instead of making them into pirouettes, I should just bake them into wafer cookies. Notice the uneven coloring? If I decide to make this again AND use baking spray, I would consider baking them until a Crisp Golden Brown color. I realized that while baking is an exact science, measuring out cookies to its dimensions and thickness are not my forte. This brings nervousness to my cookie for tomorrow but I am sure, they will turn out better than these little guys!

Lessons learned:

1. Use parchment paper.
2. Piped lines can be closer together.
3. Use a spatula to even out the batter to a thin, even layer.
4. While it asks for piping gel, I don't see why I can't just use food coloring.
5. These are just as good as a wafer cookie than being pirouettes.

Ms. Martha Stewart, awesome bakers out there? What can I do to make this a thin, rolled to perfection cookie for next time?!

Christmas we ALL share

2011-12-23T16:11:00.000-08:00

The Holidays are a special time. It is one holiday that starts around December 1st for most people and for Americans, it starts the moment we finish the last bite of our turkey at Thanksgiving. At Costco, I think celebration can start as soon as September?!

No matter when and where you celebrate, Christmas, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah happen around relatively the same time. At the end of the year, most people become nostalgic to family traditions or to the amazing year that they have survived. It's one time in the whole year where we are celebrating the gift of giving and time with family close and afar.

Like most cultures, food is the center of attention during this time. While most countries concoct different foods to celebrate, there is one on my mind that differ but still the same in each country: COOKIES. Flour, sugar, butter and a pinch of salt can make MAGIC happen. The secret is the baker and add-ons....what are these add-on's?

1. Sugar Cookie - Buttery and yet versatile, this cookie can be anything: Santa Claus to Candy Canes....even Spider Man. This seems to be a staple in the American cookie Jar.

http://rcakewalk.blogspot.com/2010/09/daring-baker-challenge-september-2010

2. Krumkakes - How smart are those Norwegians?! Who doesn't love an awesome waffle cone with their ice-cream? Think warm and light piped with luscious cream and dusted with sugar. Traditionally, they are imprinted on old cast irons with signature stamps over a hot stove. Today, they are easily made with an electric iron.

http://tabletalkny.blogspot.com/2011/07/as-promised.html

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Speculaas-Molded-Ginger-Cookies

3. Speculaas [spekyˈlaːs], Flemish Dutch biscuit where they are molded to tell a story. They are used to celebrate St. Nicholas Feast in December 5th (Netherlands), December 6th (Belgium) and Northern France. While there are various styles, all are spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, cardamom and white pepper, the leavening agent differs between the Germans (baker's ammonia) and Dutch & Belgians (baking soda). The cookies are molded with wooden frames where each shape is part of the story of St. Nicholas. Americans know them as Windmill cookies but I honestly love the rustic Dutch version.


http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/kolaczki.htm

4. Polish Tea Cookies is very similar to what we know as Thumbprint Cookies with Jam. While we often make them round, the cookies can be square or diamond shape. The dough can also be flaky or yeast risen. The jams vary from pineapple, raspberry, prunes or sweet cheeses.

5. At first I looked at these without a second look but the more research I did, the more these came up. I HAVE to embrace my Canadian character. Not only do Canadians have Poutine (more about that later) but they have NANAIMO bars. I think I walked by them in the bakery as a kid and hoping my Mother will get them for me. Thankfully, she did not indulge my sweet tooth in that way. But I did indulge in them when they were at holiday and school parties. This no-bake cookie bar sandwiched with peanut butter and glazed with chocolate freezes well but let's be honest...there will be NO LEFTOVERS! I even remember the chocolate glaze to be laced with minty goodness at times. The picture says it all!

http://www.foodnetwork.com/holidays-and-parties/2007-cookies-from-around-the-world/pictures/page-7.html

Whether you are a baker, an eater or a little of both, I hope that these cookies will stimulate your sweet tooth! Cookies are always better with company and I'm sure Santa will enjoy these tantalizing cookies and more on Sunday night! ;)

Happy Holidays!

McDonald's - the good, the bad and the familiar.

2011-12-20T22:01:00.000-08:00

Every Sunday, before my Dad got up, my Mom, my sister and I would walk to the local McDonald's in Hong Kong for breakfast. We would get the Big Breakfast but never eat the English Muffins.....those were left for my Dad to chomped on with little packets of strawberry jelly. I was 4 years old.

At 28, I still have a relationship with McDonald's. Is it good? Sometimes. Is it bad? Sometimes. Is it familiar? Always. There are so many facets to this corporation where I am almost at lost as to where I should start. So let's start with the interesting facts:

Santa Monica McDonald's only hold enough food for a few hours in storage therefore they get delivery of goods two to three times a week.
There is a HOLIDAY PIE with a custard filling.
Their salt shakers for their fries is portioned so you don't over salt. One basket of fries can fill up to 16 small orders.
McDonald's washes their small utensils in a whirlpool-like washer every 4 hours.
Frying oil is filtered and recycled.
While apples with peel has a higher fiber content, they are also choking hazards, therefore they are peeled.
In the latest egg scandal, McDonald's has since dropped their supplier and replaced it with another. Corporate noted that they 'absorbed' the cost to prevent fluctuation.
In California, 60% of their food supplies come from within the state.
The Filet-O-Fish is made of 100% Pollock. They source their fish from Marine Stewardship Council Certified Fisheries for maximum sustainability.
A machine measures the chicken prior to butchering it so that the chicken breast can be maximized.

We are all familiar with McDonald's. In fact, in some observational studies, most people, or most kids are more likely to recognize the Golden Arch than some vegetables. It was something I grew up with and most of us either had it or knew of it. But what do we really think about it?

As a health care provider and educator, I can see how it is one of many contributors of obesity. As an individual, I see it as a way to fuel and eat on a budget (with a few exceptions). I do have a soft spot for Mickey D's - they are the first to be blamed and criticized but at the same time, they always fight back with some sort of change. The latest is including fruit in each happy meal and reducing the size of the French fries order. This leaves us with essentially two sides: (1) Do we fight to get rid of or extremely restrict McDonald's and the likes? (2) Do we allow them to continue their money making quest? Afterall, they never signed up to educate us. Their goal is provide fast-food and keeps us coming back. That, they have done very well. Where does the responsibility lie?

My most recent McDonald's experience was with corporate (Operations Division), public relations (Porter Novelli), a nutrition consultant hired by McD's, Bonnie Modugno and the franchisee of Santa Monica. McDonald's is looking to be a sponsor of Los Angeles Dietetic Association, a district of California Dietetic Association. Our meeting allowed for an open forum between the two parties to ensure understanding and open communication.

Obesity was a hot topic where Bonnie indicated the organization offered obesity classes to the community and in parenting classes. While McD's are doing great community work with obesity, I couldn't help but consider their financial support on their top 4 political issues on Capitol Hill. OpenSecrets.org recently published an article indicating that McD's is #5 on the top 10 list of corporate giants to fund political issues. With $1,120,000 used this year, McD's top issues were immigration reform, corporate taxes, affordable health care and nutrition label. I am curious about each of these issues as to where they stand with special interest to the nutrition label. Many studies have recently indicated how nutrition labeling and facts have not been as successful as some people had hoped. But for those who want to know, it has certainly changed the method of selection. Some chain restaurants have even altered their preparation methods to avoid caloried loaded dishes.

The source of their food is also of concern from the environmental perspective to the quality of the food. Some of you may have seen their latest commercial as part of their "Farm to Front Counter" campaign. The video hints at the notion that McDonald's is sourcing their supplies one a personable farmer when in fact, McDonald's sources their potatoes from various large suppliers. The same applies to lettuce and beef.

With the mass amounts that McDonald's consumes, it took years just for them to launch their apples slices or parfaits (berry mixes). McDonald's can create a ripple effect in our food system good and bad. While it may take years, I can see them as a leader in many areas. For example, if McDonald's woke up one day and wanted all their fruits and vegetables to be organic (we are not even talking about meats and sorts), I am certain that I would have a few birthdays before the supply chain can sustain but once it did, I am sure their competitors will soon follow....see!

At the end of the day, it's not about McDonald's being right or wrong. It should not be about health care providers pointing fingers. But it's about what the consumers are looking for and how we can accommodate accordingly. With dietitian's expertise on nutrition and McDonald's experts on taste and consumer satisfaction, I honestly believe that we need to have a partnership to work together and battle this obesity epidemic to change the way we produce food and how we see it. It's much like what Dr. David Katz said in his talk at Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo 2011 (San Diego), each one of us are sand baggers when we fight this obesity battle. One sand bag will never stop a tsunami of problems that come our way. But if we work together and build a wall of sand bags, we are more likely to see this problem resolved. This is also why in some studies of obesity we don't see "statistically significant" results. Uni-modal interventions will never work. We need to build a healthy community and provide a healthy environment in order to continue this fight.

Be Your Own Boss of Your Food Choices

2011-12-05T21:30:00.000-08:00

Recently, I ran into a colleague at lunch. This was a person who I have not seen in a while. During the conversation, and this bugs me to my wits end, this individual chose be more mindful of the little things in life: their phone and their surroundings. While I am not tooting my own horn thinking I'm that exciting (cuz I'm not), it made me wonder why they even came to talk to me. More importantly, my stance on them was forever changed. The trust was no longer there (the little that was left). Trust is a very vital part of any relationship. Just thinking of the relationships in my life, my high school best friend Ruchi and I have a trusting relationship that one day, when we have a free moment, we will catch up with each other. And when we do, it's a relationship that I can go blindly into. Without this trust, some relationships were merely a +1 on a Facebook profile. Trust brought the good to my life and helped mend the bad.

Now think about this with your food. We trust our big box stores to fill our grocery stores with food that we did not choose. We trust our big conglomerate companies to manufacture foods based on our food and taste preferences. Yet when we are in this epidemic of chronic disease and obesity being high on my list, why do we continue to trust those who provided us with all this crap (food and information)?

I must admit that consumers have the ability to choose whether they are going buy the product or not but when the lay population is bombarded with products that all look about the same and the research results conflict on a daily basis, there is a confused mess out there. So how do we alleviate this? Education? Policy? Community Intervention?

Food Co-Op.

While this alone does not fix all of our problems, it allows me to be a socially aware consumer. But first, what is a Food Co-Op or a Cooperative, in general? These are businesses owned and run by consumers or the workers that adopt a high level of social responsibility. Many function on the 7 Principles of Cooperatives also known as Rochdale Principles. The following is a revised (1966) version developed by International Cooperative Alliance (ICA):

Open, voluntary membership.
Democratic governance.
Limited return on equity.
Surplus belongs to members.
Education of members and public in cooperative principles.
Cooperation between cooperatives.
Concern for community.

I never really understood Food Coops until I saw a table at the Occidental College lecture I went to a few weeks back. Thankfully, my friend and fellow blogger Elizabeth (@HEALing Foodie) is well-versed in the topic. At the same time, we met Patrick Reagan of Arroyo Food Co-Op. I have seen food co-ops at UC San Diego (my Alma mater - GO TRITONS!) but I never put two thoughts into it besides thinking, they have awesome food. Well of course they do! They, like many other food co-ops have Product Resourcing Guides that doesn't just allow everything into the store. The people who run the co-op (consumers or workers) get to choose what goes in. The freedom to say no and the freedom to bend the rules puts the ball back in our court.

Furthermore, it allows all participating members to use their talents to contribute to the project. At first, I thought, business minded people and foodies would be top priority in this project but I was sorely mistaken. After hearing about the board members of the Arroyo Food Co-Op and then read about them on their webpage, I suddenly found myself very interested. I started to wonder what a dietitian, health educator and an interested public policy minded individual can do. Lots. In fact, the Arroyo Group involves an engineer, a lawyer, a production manager and a writer where each brings their talent to the table to handle the IT problems, to iron out the by-laws of the city, and their experiences of food co-ops. What ties them all together - the passion to bring something wholesome to their community and to bring food into their soles that feeds them whole-heartedly and not just take their money and leave them with a hot mess of chronic diseases.

It's time that we embrace the notion that WE make the choices for our health care, our food choices and the changes we want to see in our society. There are direct effects to each of the choices we make and don't make. While 20 years ago, we all thought that Meg Ryan in "When Harry Met Sally" was crazy and some of my friends think I do the same but I want what I want. Notice how Sally chooses REAL whip cream and not from a can? Knowing what you want and how you want it is not being snobby or being a pretentious foodie. There are times where I feel you need to let the chef be creative but when I want a quick dinner MY way...I will have it my way...cuz I paid for it. The same goes with your grocery store. It's time that we requests of what we want and how we want it because we are going to pay for it: with our health, with our wallets and with our social ideals.

Support your local Food Co-Op or Support Arroyo Food Co-Op by being an owner!

Sustainable - Practical - Empowering

Field Day...or Orchard day on Arsenic.

2011-11-30T12:36:00.001-08:00

Many of you may have already heard about the link between arsenic and apple juice. The levels are significant enough where we shouldn't be drinking buckets full of it and dilution is possibly an answer. But besides knowing that arsenic is a carcinogen, has anyone ever thought of what it exists to begin with? I truly believe that everything in our environment exists for a reason and besides the appendix, there are few things that will not be missed if we don't have it. Curiously, I did some digging.....

Chemistry minded individuals know that Arsenic is a trace element that is found almost every where. Most adults consume 12-50mcg/day where the daily recommended amount is suggested to be between 12-25mcg/day. It seems like we consume it unknowingly so where does it come from? The American Cancer Society discussed briefly an array of food sources that include arsenic: seafood, rice, cereal, mushroom and poultry. Before you think you are doomed, what else is arsenic found in? Treating cancer. That's right a carcinogen is effective in the treatment of leukemia (acute promyelocytic leukemia). There are other use of it but there is insufficient evidence as indicated by WebMD - Uses. The medication is available only by prescription so let's get back to the food.

Arsenic, as Dr. Oz mentioned on the Today Show, has two types: inorganic and organic. What does that mean? Inorganic has been found in rice and mushrooms and Organic has been found in seafood. In a study written in 2009 by Discovery News, indicated that inorganic has been linked to cardiovascular disease and cancer while organic, has been deemed safe. As a result, organic arsenic has been less and less regulated. In the same article, the researchers were interested in seeing the metabolism and excretion of arsenic.

There were 6 brave souls who signed up for the study where they ingested pure form of arsenic in liquid form. Four of the 6 individuals excreted 85-95% of the arsenic via urine on the first day. One individual excreted only 15% and the remaining individual excreted only 4%. Where that arsenic when, the researchers were unable to locate. But it's in there somewhere. Physiological and environmental factors dictate the rate of metabolism and the process of metabolism hence different results for each individual. Either way, accumulation of arsenic is not good news. Within the organic category, it can be naturally-occurring or synthetically-made. Synthetic, organic arsenic has the ability to convert into toxic substance once it's metabolized in the body.

European Food Safety Authority considered regulating all types of arsenic with similar understanding. While more needs to be done, the 2009 article was titled: "Arsenic in Seafood May Pose Health Risk - Once thought harmless, certain forms of arsenic that appear in seafood may be toxic". In 2011, the report on arsenic in apple juice by Consumer Report was titled: "Arsenic in your juice - How much is too much? Federal limits don’t exist".

So at what point do we know enough to do something about this and establish some strict guidelines, not just for the apples juice but for the rest of the foods? More importantly, we are truly in harms way if we don't over consume these products? I am especially interested in the seafood as I had some curiosities about those little creatures...but more on that later!

What is Nutritiously Curious?

2011-11-26T14:19:00.000-08:00

"Once there is seeing there must be acting, otherwise what is the point of seeing"
~Buddhist Monk

I have realized recently that as I slowly uncover the truth about our food system, the more skeptical I become. The more Nutritiously Curious I become. I can no longer look at a piece of chocolate or a bag of coffee as just a commodity. I wonder how it may be unfairly cultivated and produced. Eating organic is not only for the benefits of my own health but for the health of the farmers who harvested the crops for me. And I do not see a piece of meat without thinking about the workers who slaughtered them and treatment of the animals for the sake of our large consumption of meat in the United States. The quote (above) encourages me to start the change from within. Mahatma Ghandi said it best, "Be the change you want to see in the world".

Recently, I was honored to meet (again) Mr. ...I mean Dr. Eric Schlosser at the Occidental College where he received his honorary degree. Author of Fast Food Nation and muckraker, Schlosser inspires me to look at our food system differently and find the Upton Sinclair in all of us. To question our food manufacturers and producers, not always in the negative light but with inquisitive endeavors.

In a recent trip to the grocery store, I heard a man on the phone asking, "what is the difference between butter and margarine". This is what our food system has become. Similar yellow substances coming together in one market where one is made from ingredients our grandmothers would recognize while the other may be a contributor of heart disease. While some of you may think, well, "I know what the difference between butter and margarine is", but can you imagine how many more of these questions are out there that tickles us with Curiosity?

"What does being Nutritiously Curious mean?", my friend, Brian asks. In a strange way, it's like being that annoying kid who just kept on asking why? Pick up any random product and try to pronounce all the words on the label. Go to your local farmer's market and just explore. Ask simple questions like, "where does your food come from". My greatest pleasure comes from reading snippets whenever I can while enjoying my fair trade chocolate and coffee and exploring further what interests me. Some are silly, others serious and some are just head-tilting interesting. As I continue to peel away the layers of our food culture, I am inspired every day to practice MY food rules that I can sustain to nourish my body and to feed my Nutritiously Curious soul. I am excited that I can use my blog as an outlet to share my passions and to share my curiosities. I hope you will join me and explore this journey with me!