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Food Diary (November 18, 2011)
Breakfast: Toast
Lunch: Pizza
Dinner: Lentil, carrot and onions with rice
Yesterday I mentioned my foray into the world of sekespare cookies, the Turkish syrup soaked cookies. I did not get the syrup right and as a result the cookies were syrup coated rather than syrup soaked. But still delicious. This was really bothering me so since I had some leftover dough I gave it another try today. We learn from our mistakes, we should anyway. Today I was careful to not overcook the syrup. But it still didn’t work, the cookies were even more syrup coated. Yesterday I cooked the syrup until it turned light brown but the syrup remained liquid once it cooled. Today the syrup was still clear but it hardened when it cooled. Syrups are complex and they seem to have a mind of their own. I think I need more practice to be able to connect with them and understand them better.
What is important is that sekespares were delicious, yesterday and today. As I am writing this I wish a had a few sitting close to me.
Today's Favourite Photo
Vanilla bean and blueberry mini cheesecakes
Today’s Favourite Blog
8 Healthy Eating Myths Debunked.
1. Eating at night makes you fat: There’s no proof for this myth! Scientists at Oregon Health & Science University carried out tests on 47 female monkeys and found no link between when the animals ate and whether or not they put on weight. Dr Judy Cameron of the study concluded that calories count, whenever you eat them. Personally I wonder about the explanations. It has been tested on monkeys not humans. We generally sleep at night so the energy gets stored, not used up. However I am not a scientist so what I said probably has not rationale
2. Caffeine is unhealthy: Moderate amounts of caffeine (about 300 milligrams, roughly three cups of coffee) apparently cause no harm in most healthy adults.
3. Eating eggs raises your cholesterol levels: The cholesterol in eggs (dietary cholesterol) doesn’t effect the cholesterol in your body–they are two different things. The culprit in raising your body’s cholesterol is certain saturated and trans fats. Eggs contain relatively small amounts of saturated fat. Meanwhile, egg protein is said to be the highest quality food protein known, second only to mother’s milk
4. Organic produce is no better than conventional produce: Many people have claimed that organic produce has higher nutritional values, and just as many have claimed that’s not true. While it seems that organic and conventionally grown produce might have about the same level of nutrients, the fact remains that organic fruits and vegetables are less likely to have traces of pesticides and other chemicals.
5. To get enough iron, you need plenty of red meat: Some people, such as menstruating women, don’t get enough iron. But according to this CBS news article, many Americans get too much, which can trigger the production of free radicals, rogue chemicals that can contribute to cancer and speed the aging process. In addition, iron overload can increase the risk for heart disease. Fortunately, you can get nonheme iron (iron that is more absorbable when your body is low in iron and less absorbable when you already have enough) from green vegetables and beans.
6. Meat is the only “complete” protein: Proteins are long chains of amino acids, and your body needs a complete set of the acids in order to build body tissues. Meats contain them all, making them “complete” proteins. Most plant-based proteins are incomplete but incomplete proteins can be combined to provide adequate amounts of all the essential amino acids. Recent studies show that eating a variety of vegetables, nuts and grains can combine to give your body the complete proteins it needs.
7. Cooking olive oil destroys its health benefits: Not true! Even delicate extra-virgin oils can take the heat without sacrificing nutrition. Heart-happy mono-unsaturated fats aren’t unfavorably impacted by heat. And new research is showing that the phytonutrient compounds responsible for giving olive oils their complex flavor profiles as well as other healthful properties are surprisingly stable, as long as the oil isn’t heated past its smoking point, which for extra-virgin olive oil is pretty high, about 405°F
8. Eating healthy is too expensive: A survey by the USDA found that, by weight, bottled water is cheaper than soda, low-fat milk is cheaper than high-fat, and whole fruit is cheaper than processed sweet snacks. Preparing homemade food may be slightly more labor-intensive than popping a frozen pizza in the oven, but a pot of lentils is cheaper and healthier than packaged, processed macaroni and cheese.
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Look at those lovely luscious cheesecake...
ReplyDeleteLoved reading the 8 food facts... I can my late night food without so much guilt....
When we sleep is also when our body reenergizes and repairs itself, so I would think some amount of energy is used then. I guess eating right at dinner or supper would be wiser than not eating at all.
ReplyDeleteI agree - we learn from our mistakes. Glad that yours were yummy.
ReplyDeleteI'm really skeptical about these myths debunked. I think you get to a point where everything can be proven or disproven!
ReplyDeleteI don't want to boast, but for once I feel proud reading your health news: I knew every single point! The last one is soooo obvious! I remember watching an American program about poor and fat people in the US. There was a family of four (two children and parents, all obviously obese) the journalists followed through their daily meals: they were almost crying saying how food is expensive and that they are forced to go to fast food chains. After they spent 15 dollars at McDonald's or something similar, they were filmed in a supermarket, where they were showing courgettes or aubergines (I don't remember) and saying with sad faces: "see we can't afford these!". The price was visible: 1,50 for a kg, 1$ for a kg of potatoes... ground meat was surprisingly cheap too. I counted they would probably have at least three healthy meals for the 15$ they had spent on the fast food fattening lunch. Pathetic. Oh, and the mother was saying she didn't have time to cook (she didn't work and her children were at school every day). Such revealing programs could be made in every country I think.
ReplyDeleteYour pizza looks great! Have you made it on your own? There is something yummy in the crust, am I right?
Your pizza looks so good. Thanks for sharing those food myths with us. I especially like the first two!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I really appreciate you writing about those food myths. THere is so much conflicting info out there, that sometimes its hard to know what to believe.
ReplyDelete*kisses* HH
Love today's photo....great mini cheesecakes! And I'm so glad to hear that it's OK to saute with olive oil...I've been doing it for years, but thinking I was destroying some of the nutritional value. Have a great weekend~
ReplyDeleteReem: thank you
ReplyDeleteping: good point, I didn’t think of that. And I agree, better to eat well than not eat, even if there is a risk of gaining weight (which according to the article is not a risk).
Hotly Spiced: thank you
Lorraine: agree, but those myths backed by facts or logic is worth considering
Sissi: great, I didn’t know some of them such as heat not destroying nutrients in olive oil.
That US program is interesting. I am not surprised that many people think fast food is cheaper than cooking at home. The marketing guys have done a great job, and many people don’t think.
That pizza is home made, it has flax seeds in the crust.
Elaine: you are welcome
Heavenly Housewife: thank you
Lizzy: I was pleased to hear that about olive oil also.
Hang in there for the syrup,it is a difficult thing to achieve. I new about many of these wrong myths too, the one about sleeping I know does not make you gain weight but sleeping on a full stomach, a digesting one, can bring on a not as restful sleep.
ReplyDeleteLoved reading those healthy eating facts! Sekespare cookies sound good!
ReplyDelete