Healthy Mind

Healthy Mind

A Food Fight for Scleroderma

May 13, 2014

I thought with my last post being about my new love for butter, that this post should be about one particularly spectacular food event that I'm sure relied heavily on butter and fat. And I'm so glad it did.

Two Sundays ago, I got the privilege of attending a fundraiser that could not have been more up my alley. It was called Food Fight.

It’s intention: to raise awareness and money for Scleroderma.

The concept: Pair top Chicago chefs against each other and let the guests decide whose dish wins the Food Fight.

My reason for attending this event was by word of my good friend who has had one too many people in her life affected by the disease. I have to admit – I really knew very little about it myself. I soon found out that unawareness is a big part of the problem. So for everybody reading today, we can at least fix that part by reading on. 

SCLERODERMA: An autoimmune disease in which a person's body attacks its own tissue.
THE CAUSE: Unknown
AWARENESS: LOW
THE EFFECT: Life-threatening
A CURE: Not yet

The ladies who put on this event call themselves Two Daughters on a Mission. Stephanie and Jennifer's mom was diagnosed with Scleroderma back in 2005. As they so eloquently put on their website and in the event video, their response was, "What the heck is that?" With little treatment of the disease available and a lot of questions unanswered by the medical community, they made it their mission to raise money and awareness. Although their mother lost her battle in 2010, their mission lives on. In honor of their mother's love of cooking, they created Food Fight.

The event was perfect. It was small enough to talk with strangers, but big enough to make an impact. I could tell that everybody in attendance was there for the right reasons. I didn't cross one person who didn't seem genuinely happy to be there, and somehow personally invested in the cause.

Good smells, great chefs and food gurus were everywhere. From the MC, Amanda Puck who was the former host to Channel 11's Check Please, to the wonderfully gifted Chicago chefs making their dishes on stage for all to see. I was in my element talking to people like Rick Gresh, the James' Hotel's head chef and Chef Heather Terhune, Executive Chef of Sable Kitchen & Bar and recent contestant on Top Chef Texas. I may have even jumped into a picture with all of the chefs onstage (above). They called for chefs and food bloggers so I really had no other option.

Here’s what was on the menu.

Lobster Bruschetta with Pistachio and Grapefruit

Grapefruit = sweet, citrusy and summary, Lobster = rich, buttery and summary, Pistachios = crunchy, earthy and summary. This reminded me of being on a yacht with P. Diddy wearing white linen pants and sipping a beachy concoction. And I liked it a lot.

Spring Vegetable Ragout, Creamy Goat Cheese Grits, Kale, Balsamic Reduction

Creamy and cheesy with pops of fresh greens from the peas and a hearty bite from the kale. This was my clear winner, but even more impressive was it was also my meat-eating boyfriend's first choice (major props to Heather Terhune for being able to get his vote over lobster and duck). 

Duck Terrine, Pecan Toffee, Pickled Ramps, Citrus and Lavender

I love nuts in pretty much everything, but add them to duck and it's like cheating it's so good. I didn't taste the lavender as much as I would have liked to. But overall, a solid dish and I love the neon green speckled plate.

One last thought before I leave you. It blows my mind that people like Stephanie and Jennifer's mom had to go through multiple diagnosis before they arrived at the correct one, all because many doctors don't recognize Scleroderma's symptoms. It just shows you how low awareness of a disease can negatively affect it just by not giving the medical community enough reason to do research and find out more. I hope by reading this post that, at the very least, your awareness stays with you. Could we do one better, though, and pass it on to somebody else? 

Visit the Scleroderma Foundation website to learn more. 

Thanks for reading – As always, I appreciate it. 

 

Healthy Mind, Healthy Reviews

The Joys of Being a Girl at LUNAFEST

March 2, 2014

I absolutely love my boyfriend to death. We have this crazy relationship where we actually enjoy spending time with each other. He’s one of the most energetic people I know, and it never ceases to amaze me how he can take an unplanned Sunday afternoon and turn it into a crazy adventure. On top of that, his endless knowledge of current events, and my passion for deep conversation, could keep us talking for hours. We spend A LOT of time together. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

Because of this wonderful man in my life, I often forget the importance of girl time. You know, chit-chatty, dream sharing, clothes obsessing, emotionally charged, GIRL TIME.

Take that as a warning that I’m about to get pretty mushy on you.

ENTER: LUNAFEST

The film festival put on by women, for women, and about women. It is, of course, sponsored by that delicious nutrition bar, we all know and love that is specifically formulated for women (LUNA Bars).

This past week I got the honor of attending LUNAFEST as a health food blogger. Besides attending the event itself, I was also provided with LUNA gift packs to giveaway to you guys (see MAKE IT UP MEAL CONTEST!).

I’d like to play it cool and act like this happens all the time for HealthyStacey.com. But it totally doesn’t. So can I just say, in all seriousness…YAY!!!

LUNAFEST was established in 2000 by LUNA to simultaneously promote women filmmakers, raise awareness for women’s issues, and support women’s nonprofit organizations. Best of all, 100% of the net proceeds go to charity.

I felt good vibes from the moment I stepped through the door. The room was absolutely packed with women and healthy food and drink and laughter. After an hour or so of mingling and eating (including food from LYFE Kitchen – a place I’ve been dying to blog about; it is so nutritiously good), we sat down for the film festival portion.

There were 9 films total. From a team of women in their 70’s playing competitive basketball, to an adorable story of unrequited love with the mailman, each story made an impression on me. But my favorite one would have to be Flying Anne.

Flying Anne is a story about beautiful 11-year-old Anne, who is lanky and awkward just like we all were at that age. But her discomfort with her body is triggered by more than just puberty; Anne suffers from Tourettes Syndrome. Throughout her day, she twists and twirls and even licks nearby objects because of an uncontrollable function of her brain.

Her favorite thing to do is “fly.” Flying could mean riding her bike, climbing the monkey bars or shimmying up fences. It’s only when she’s up high or gliding through the air that she feels free because nobody is around to judge her.

Ever since I saw this film, I can’t help but think about the long and hard road to self-confidence. I am 28 years old, and I am JUST NOW feeling comfortable in my own skin. I love the way I look, I love the way I feel, and I know how to treat my body to keep it that way. But holy shit did that take a lot of work (and I still continue to work on it). If I had to add an uncontrollable twitch or twirl in to the mix, or any physical or neurological disorder, I’m not sure I would have made it.

As the film progresses, you see how this little girl copes. You see her pain and embarrassment, but you also see her happy moments (including an adorable little boy with a big crush on her). At the very end, she is asked if she could get rid of her Tourettes, would she? And she oh-so-maturely says, “No, because then I wouldn’t be Anne anymore.”

Wow. I’m impressed. This 11-year-old just schooled me. It’s taken me a lot of years to figure that out for myself. But I know now, with all of my flaws, anxiety and weird idiosyncrasies, that I wouldn’t want to be anybody else.

MUSH ALERT, I know.

But this is what I’m talking about. Every once in a while, we need to get emotional and mushy and be girly. So if you’d like to join me in this girl time, I’ve compiled the websites of the films here so you can see them for yourself. Not all of them had a website, so a few are just links to articles or website mentions. My top recos would be Sidewalk (animated story of a woman's changing body), First Match (heart-wrenching story of a young girl determined to wrestle with the boys and impress her father), and Tiny Tiny Magic (sweet story of an unexpected love connection with the mailman). 

Last but not least, thank you so much to LUNA Bar for hosting my MAKE-IT-UP MEAL recipe contest. Congratulations to the winners…

  • Maggie Bronny for her Bowl of Randomness
  • Margaret Hutson for her Mega Sandwich
  • Michelle Fairbrother for her Vegetarian Roasted Mediterranean Salad

So go watch a rom-com, make a healthy lunch and eat a chocolate brownie LUNA Bar. In the words of a wise group of scantily-dressed British women:

GIRL POWER!

Healthy Mind

The Class That Is Changing The Way I Think About Food

January 28, 2014

Guess what?! I am taking a class on Food Chemistry. And being the geek that I am, I couldn’t be more excited about it. I am only one week in and I can already say that I have already learned A LOT. The thing is, it’s not what I expected. It’s better. Let me explain.

I had full intentions of finally finding answers to all of my burning health food questions…

Can we get all of our nutrients from our food or do we need supplements? Is a vegan diet fulfilling enough to our health? Is gluten-free healthy or necessary? What are the best superfoods? Is dairy good or bad for us?

But I can already tell you that the answers to these questions do not lie in a yes or no, a better or worse, but rather a very factual concept. Better said, it lies in science. 

Taught by three esteemed professors from McGill University’s Office for Science and Society, the course is intended to teach the science of food, and moreover, clarify the confusing question: what is healthy eating? After 32 years of teaching this course, Dr. Ariel Fenster, Dr. David N. Harpp and Dr. Joe Schwarcz have seen every fad diet, health claim and miracle food to hit the media. And what they have to say about it all blew my mind.

In a nutshell:

  1. There are no right foods. Just good diet.

  2. Most health claims on food has not been proven scientifically.

  3. When it comes to our diet, we should always be cognizant of who is delivering the message, what they are saying and where they found their information.

I realize that this nutshell leaves a whole lot of room for explanation. And honestly, I’m a little overwhelmed as to how to deliver it to you. I’m still trying to wrap my head around it. Ultimately, I’ve decided that breaking it up into short lessons is best. So over the course of my class, I would like to cover the following topics* with you:

  1. Vitamins and Minerals
  2. Carbs, Fats, Sugars and Proteins
  3. Food additives and sweeteners
  4. Chocolate
  5. Diets
  6. Health Food {C}{C}

*As always, I may stray a little off course depending on what I learn and what I think you will find interesting

In the meantime, I have to say that this new perspective has lifted a huge weight off my shoulders when it comes to my own diet. I know I will always be a healthy eater because it’s ingrained in my soul, and in my taste buds (I seriously don’t like the taste of junk food). But I do let my health obsession get the best of me at times.

The topics I have learned in this course have already taught me that I must not put too much pressure on my diet. For example…

Just because there are additives in my almond milk, doesn’t mean I should stop drinking it,

The hormones in meat are not toxic chemicals to be avoided at all costs,

And microwaving food actually retains nutrients, as opposed to the common belief that it releases them.

With every lesson, I honestly felt my breath get slower, my shoulders get lower and my mind loosen its death grip over the state of my health.

Best part: Food has never tasted better.

So I thought it fitting to share some of the healthy, but non-obsessive food decisions I’ve made lately:

Instead of my usual salmon order, I splurged for the Duchess Filet Mignon at Bavettes in River North. The good thing about eating meat sparingly, is that when you do, it is powerfully good.

Instead of my straight black coffee with a tiny splash of skim milk, I went for the beautiful creamy latte at La Colombe in the West Loop. If you live in the area, I highly recommend this place. They take their coffee very seriously, but in a very friendly way. It actually reminded me a lot of Joe The Art of Coffee in New York.

When Marta and I were feeling adventurous at lunchtime, we discovered the most adorable bake shop, Baker Boys in Northbrook, owned and run by two hard-working pastry-loving men (the Baker Boys). Marta said, Pumpkin Scone? I said YES. 

When my mom asked for my assistance in the kitchen to make homemade granola, I happily made huge batches, taking home a big Ziploc for myself. Even something as healthy as granola had always scared me because of its high sugar content and overabundance of fattening nuts. But my new mindset helped me throw that notion out the window. Besides, that’s the benefit of homemade. You know exactly what you’re putting into it. And at the end of the day, granola is not going to kill me. 

BONUS: This one was so awesome that I had to share the recipe with you. The smell alone is worth making it. See below.

I can’t wait to share what I have learned with you all. Until then, how do you perceive healthy eating? Is it something that you keep in mind, or is it something you find yourself obsessing about? Please comment 🙂

Margaret’s Granola 
(thank you for the recipe Margaret – we LOVE it!)

PREP TIME: 20 minutes

COOK TIME: 20 minutes

YIELDS: About 15 servings (i.e. take a snack bag-full every day for the next few weeks)

INGREDIENTS
Dry Ingredients For Bowl:

  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • 3/4 cup of wheat germ
  • 3/4 cup of oat bran
  • 1/2 cup of sunflower seeds
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped pecans
  • 1/2 cup of finely chopped walnuts
  • Fill in the blank and exchange these nuts for what you like – pistachios, cashews, whatever!

Wet Ingredients for Saucepan:

  • 1/4 cup of maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup of honey
  • 1/4 cup of agave
  • 1/2 cup of applesauce
  • 1/4 cup of coconut oil
  • 1/2 TBSP cinnamon
  • 1/2 TBSP vanilla extract

Mix-Ins at the End:

  • 1 cup of dried cranberries
  • 1/2 cup of dried raisins
  • 1/2 cup of unsweetened shredded coconut
  • Fill in the blank here – add what you want/take out what you don’t!

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F
  2. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper (we only used one here, but if you like your granola crispier, I highly recommend using two cookie sheets).
  3. Combine all dry ingredients in one large bowl
  4. Stir together all wet ingredients in a saucepan
  5. Bring saucepan to a boil over medium heat
  6. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir to coat
  7. Spread mixture evenly on baking sheet(s)
  8. Bake for 10 minutes, then take out and stir/turnover with spatula
  9. Bake for 10 more minutes
  10. Cool for 5 minutes
  11. Stir in Mix-Ins before eating or storing in a container

Healthy Mind

Chicago Winter Challenge Update: Ice Skating, Sand and Sleepovers

January 17, 2014

I’m halfway through January and I’ve already tackled two activities and a BONUS on the Winter Challenge list. Feeling pretty good. Here’s what went down.

#4. Go Ice Skating

I left the office, in the middle of a cold winter day, to go ice-skating at the Glencoe community rink – an activity I haven’t done since I was 11 years old (one time). This experience could not have been more out of my comfort zone, but I’m so glad I did it. Because of our limits on time, it was short and sweet. But just the act of stepping on the ice and feeling as if I was walking for the first time, was incredibly exhilarating. I definitely had a huge grin on my face on the rink and returning to the office – which doesn’t often happen on a winter day. This feel-good high confirmed my theory that part of the reason I’m down is that I don’t move around enough – not because it’s cold. Hmmmm. What else can I do to move around during my lunch hour?

#5. Get Out of Dodge

I feel incredibly lucky to have had the opportunity to go to Cancun for a weekend – an unusual treat for me at any time of the year. The fact that my trip occurred the same week we hit record lows in Chicago was just a really lucky coincidence. Feeling the sun on my face again and flip-flops on my feet was an indescribable high. Walking the coast for a whole afternoon with my feet in the sand and the ocean splashing my ankles was a surreal moment. And sitting ocean-side on the hotel porch with a Corona in hand, by my boyfriend’s side, listening to Van Morrison was pure bliss.

Here is where I am tempted to say that everybody should try their best to go some place warm during the cold dark winters, but I’m not going to because:

A) I know what it’s like to be too broke to travel, no matter how desperately you want to get out of town.

B) Traveling to an exotic island kind of defeats the purpose of my winter challenge.

Of course leaving town made my weekend better. But coming back actually set me back from my healthy Chicago mindset. All it made me want to do was leave again. I will try to attempt this task again – this time, not leaving the Midwest so I can give a more realistic sense of how it helps to Get Out Of Dodge.

Bonus. Get Out Of Routine

I did not include this on my original list, but looking back on it, I wish I did. I think that another downfall of winter is that it discourages adventure and encourages staying at home in your comfort zone. Therefore, along with my Winter Challenge mindset, I am also trying to say “Yes” to more invitations from friends and co-workers. That said, I am very excited for this Friday. My closest friend at work and I have decided to have a Pancake Sleepover. That means pajamas, creative recipes and good conversation. She, like me, loves to eat healthy and find alternative ways to make traditional recipes. We plan to explore Garbanzo Bean flour, Zucchini Bread, and a few other treats. I can’t wait to recap on this one because I’m thinking it will include some good recipes for you fine people.

Until next time!
Stacey

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