Team Lunch at Blue Bird Bistro

We had a team lunch at Blue Bird Bistro, an organic and all-natural restaurant in a quaint little part of town. We were all extremely hungry and ready to try all the delicious meals on their menu. Among the group, we all ordered different items, with two people who decided to split their sandwiches to try even more. 

It was a wonderful and healthy lunch. We all not only enjoyed the food but also the company. The pizza overall seemed to be the best, with the bison burger at a close second. 

Scott taking a bite of the Bison Burger

PIZZA

Sweet Potato Hash - Yum!

Splitting the burger and chicken wrap

Jane went with the salad

Jeff enjoying his livers

Cutting out waste

I have always tried to use a cup or reusable bottle for my water through out the work day instead of the paper cups offered. And it has been a lot easier when using my lovely Kashi Camelbak bottle. 

Another way I thought I would cut the paper cups is with my morning coffee. I started taking my own mug to the coffee bar at work to cut back on not only the cups, but lids and sleeves. 

Potluck Party!

Last week us few of us got together to have some yummy super food recipes for lunch. When we got the immersion assignment, I thought it might be fun for us to do a potluck so we all got to share in trying new recipes and taste all the yumminess!

Kara, Angela, Hannah and Megan get ready to dig in! Not pictured - Lauren + Julie

We had salad, an appetizer, and a dessert. Here's all the yummy stuff we ate:

• Salad by Angela - Roasted beet, sweet potatoes + pumpkin seeds (similar to this one:)  http://www.adashofcompassion.com/2012/10/roasted-squash-and-beet-salad-with-shallot-dressing/
• Risotto by Me - Farro risotto w/ Cannellini beans, although I had a shopping fail - no Farro to be found at my grocery store, so I subbed regular Arborio rice + it was still delicious.  http://familystylefood.com/2012/10/farro-risotto-with-cannellini-and-basil/
• Raspberry Chocolate "Pie" by Kara - full of yummy raspberries + blackberries + hand whipped topping! http://wellnessmama.com/858/guilt-free-raspberry-chocolate-pie/

Our yummy lunch! Salad, risotto and "pie"

Yesterday I wanted an afternoon pop (yes, I'm from Iowa, soda=pop) and instead of reaching for my typical DDP, I grabbed a Diet Sierra Mist Cranberry Splash with NATURAL flavors. And I must say, I like it! Looks like I might have a new favorite. :)

In an attempt to get away from over-processed foods, I've gotten back to my chef roots and turned the kitchen into something of a fromagerie. Considering that there are basically only a handful of ingredients needed to make almost every cheese out there, the hardest part of the job is patience. These are a few we've produced in the last month (at various stages of the aging process).

Crushing Weight

Good news everyone. My back squat is up 82% over my last PR. Wonder what today's WOD is? I hope it doesn't include wall balls or HSPUs.

Oops. Sorry about that. I've been doing CrossFit for about six months now (I'm the guy in the blue shirt hanging awkwardly from the bar) and get a little caught up in the lingo.

Truth is, I started CF because I was bored and needed a shock to the system. I needed a way to push myself and really test what the body could accomplish. So far, I like it. But CF is a lifestyle thing. From the beginning, they say its a waste without the diet. And the diet is the only part I haven't bought into. I'm a bit of a struggler. I'm good then bad then good then bad again. I get lazy, I think I deserve certain horrible meals and other times, I just don't care.

But I pay for it. Every morning. The worse I eat, the worse it hurts. I'm writing now as a bit of a check in. As an admission. Soon. Soon I will finally change my diet. Because you're not fully bought in until you're diet comes around. And I want to be bought in.

I really do hate wall balls though.

Going Green

So I'm doing a bit of a beverage overhaul....several months ago I made an effort to stop drinking diet soda because it is so bad for you, and I'm doing pretty good. I now only have the occasional one now and then - I love the carbonation!

Then, per my previous post, you'll see that I've started the hot water/lemon/cayenne mixture in the mornings - I really love this. So many benefits, and I definitely notice a boost and a sense of clarity/energy from drinking it.

My other new beverage of choice is Green Tea - I know, nothing revolutionary. But, it is new for me and I'm trying to make it a habit. I have been a coffee addict, and with the brewing debate as to whether coffee is good for you or not, I've decided to give it a go on swapping my Joe for tea. With all its health benefits - the antioxidants and metabolism boost. I also like having the hot drink that I can sip on, and it helps me not think about any cravings I may be having. I like it - currently I'm doing a cup a day, which I may or may not keep up, but either way I will definitely make sure that this is a regular part of my daily intake so I'm reaping all the benefits!

Let Food Be the Medicine

As a group we watched the documentary Forks Over Knives. It was very eye-opening and made me rethink some of my food habits. It connects many of the more serious diseases (cancer, heart, etc) with the foods we eat, especially those on an animal based diet. I usually limit my meat intake, but might start having more meatless days in my diet. One thing I don't think I will be able to cut out is milk, but if I do drink it, I plan to continue to buy organic.

Here is a link to their blog, with a lot of additional articles: http://www.forksoverknives.com/articles/

And tonight, I plan on going home to make these sweet potato fries - yum!

Sunchoke happiness

Full disclosure, I am a former chef and love to experiment with foods. I came across this dish last weekend while trying what to do with some sunchokes I had bought on a whim. Turned out to be a terrific decision:

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2009/05/braised_goat_shoulder_stew_with_sunchoke_puree_and_harissa

New Heath Tip - Hot Water + Lemon w/ Cayenne Every Day

One new health tip that I've found and tried out is drinking hot water with lemon (and sometimes cayenne) everyday. I've mostly been doing the lemon part since I don't always love cayenne in the morning. Accordingly to this blogger, you should drink this mix every morning first thing, 30 minutes before you eat anything. I've done it for several days now and am hooked.

Below is her post about all the benefits of this morning concoction. Check it out!

http://foodbabe.com/2011/12/27/habits-for-the-new-year-and-beyond-1-drink-lemon-water/

Wheat Free Diet - Day 5

For the past several months I've felt sluggish, tired,  had terrible allergies, was crabby and found myself  constantly craving sweets. I've also been eating a lot more carbohydrates and less fruits and vegetables than my typical diet. Knowing that my cousins have a sensitivity to gluten, I considered going on a wheat-free diet. At about the same time we kicked-off our "holistic immersion" project at VML and one of the items was to incorporate a new healthy step or approach to your lifestyle. So I thought... why not give it a try? 

On day 5, I've found a few things difficult - saying no to the piece of cake at work or the boxes of Kashi granola bars. I'm also finding it hard to determine if everything has wheat. I was happy to be able to snack on Indigo Morning! I've replaced a lot of the carbs with potatoes, squash, nuts, seeds and oats to keep me full and add variety to my diet. Last night I made spaghetti squash with light butter, salt, pepper and spices! And lunch today tried quinoa and veggies at Cafe Gratitude with the team. Yum! 

I've done some research and know that I shouldn't expect results right away or really until 3-6 weeks after starting. I've also reduced the amount of soda that I drink to 0-1 cans per day. Whether it's the wheat-free, reduced caffeine or placebo effect, I already notice that I am more energetic, despite the fact that I haven't worked out as much as usual or gotten as much sleep as usual this week! 

My goal is to try to follow the diet for at least 3-4 weeks to see if I notice any results. I think my biggest challenge will be Thanksgiving & the holiday season. Wish me luck! 

Restaurant Review - Cafe Gratitude

Today us AM ladies (Kara, Megan, Hannah, Jennifer and I) set out to try a nearby vegan restaurant - Cafe Gratitude. Its an organic vegan restaurant that has all kinds of good healthy foods, with raw and gluten free offerings.

We were definitely a little skeptical going in - none of us are vegans - and we were a little surprised to find that the menu items were named things like "I am greatful, or I am warm hearted." But, quite a few things on the menu looked good and I think we were all pleasantly surprised!

Hannah ordered us a hummus appetizer, that had homemade crackers made out of flax seeds, carrot...and I'm sure lots of other healthy stuff. Personally, I liked the crackers but some other parties didn't quite enjoy them as much :)

For my entree I ordered one of their specials - spaghetti squash with flax seed pesto, polenta cakes (i think), cashew cheese, with fresh herbs and veggies. It was really good! Good flavor and definitely warm and hearty. I was surprised how filling it was since I was expecting to leave still hungry.

Hannah with the Hummus + Homemade Crackers

My entree - "I am warm hearted" - Spaghetti Squash, flax seed pesto, cashew cheese, polenta cakes - it was good! 

Bottom line - definitely worth a try! I would go back to try some of their other menu items. They have breakfast, as well as all kinds of juices and vegan milkshakes. Lots of good veggies + unique nutritious ingredients here!

Just adding some fuel to the compost bin...

Silk and Cookies!

The VML Kashi team took a Friday afternoon timeout out to have an oreo or two, paired with Silk and Horizon. Yum!

Reading: The Food Movement: It's Power and Possibilities

This afternoon I took a little mental break to read France Moore Lappe's essay The Food Movement: Its Power and Possibilities. It's an interesting and positive article. I was surprised the first half focused on the plight of the farm worker and their poor conditions. They are definitely a piece of the picture I know I myself never think of, so a great way to help keep perspective on the cost of food. Also something new to me - reading about the IAASTD report that debunks the fact that productivism is helping keep the world fed - I'm going to have to track that down and read that too!

Forks over Knives is on Hulu...for free. Streaming below or go here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/279734