Ask Mary: How do I Start Eating Healthier

Dear Chef Mary,

Congratulations on the Communities. I’m hoping that it will be a great success. I juggle a full time job as an accountant and I have two young kids. I really feel like I just don’t have the energy or the money to eat right or exercise. I am not horribly over weight but I constantly struggle at 170+/- depending on the day. I also lack motivation to do anything about it, yet there is still a part of me that searches the Internet at night for a change while my kids Olivia and Michael are asleep. They are young and with out going into too much detail I can see that my inactivity is affecting them.

Constantly Searching,

Pattie

Dear Pattie,

Thank you so much for the encouragement, I’m hoping that we’ll be a great success as well. You’re not alone, Pattie, we all have busy lives, but the truth is that change starts within and by writing this e-mail you have taken the first step in doing something about it. Everyone constantly has an inner voice saying do this do that and it’s telling us that we don’t have time to make a significant change in our life. But Pattie, let me tell you; today, is the first step of the rest of your life. Getting into the gym or initiating that walk can be challenging but after you work-out you feel amazing.

“Endorphins are mood elevators. Sometimes you just have to start a 10 minute walk, which can make a huge difference.” Said Cindy Larson a National Fitness Instructor Certified Personal Trainer- Nation Academy.

I have two simple words of encouragement to help you begin.

1. Small Changes- Understand that in the beginning little changes like walking instead of using the elevator, eating an apple instead of a candy bar, drinking more water instead of soda, these small successes will help your brain switch from negative thoughts to positive thoughts. These positive thoughts will help you feel better about yourself, which ultimately will help you make a big change. In the beginning you may think about how you want that candy bar, but one day you won’t have to think about it, and choosing NO will be your way of life.
2. Baby Steps. I want you to make one change a day, and when that feels comfortable move on to something else. Sometimes it takes a little longer to teach an old dog, new trick. Not that you’re an old dog but sometimes we feel set in our ways. It doesn’t mean that it can’t be done, it just means that it may take a little bit longer. I want you to make a life change.

So hang in there Pattie. Keep reading. I will be offering more tips in the future on ways to eat healthy and spending less. Make your self an example for your kids. Remember actions speak louder than words. So if your kids see you exercising and eating healthy foods, they will want to do the same.

“Your participation will be infectious to your children” Larson said.

Or at least it will begin to feel comfortable to them. In the long run we all want to raise our children to be healthy adults.

You are so welcome! Thanks for your notes and letting me teach at your school!

Chef Mary's Tips on Steaming, Sauteing, & Grilling

Steaming, Sautéing, Grilling Techniques

Today is the day I will give you three basic cooking techniques- steaming, sautéing, and grilling which will start you on your culinary journey. These three culinary techniques, if done correctly, can decrease the amount of fat in your dish.

When I began cooking I had a fear of burning, over seasoning, or just plain ruining something. I tried to manage those fears by following the recipe to the T. The feeling of needing a recipe and needing to follow it to its every last word is a common fear for many. The ability to conquer those fears will allow you to maneuver the kitchen with ease- leaving the recipe behind. By leaving the recipe behind you will have more enthusiasm to cook. Cooking allows you to be in control over the foods you eat, leaving you less opportunities to eat high calorie foods. Each of these cooking techniques, steaming, sautéing and grilling, consist of cooking methods, and each method is basically the same no matter what you are cooking.

Three Cooking Techniques- Steaming, Sautéing, Grilling

Steaming-

Steaming is a basic cooking technique and it’s usually a client favorite. This technique allows you to cook a vegetable or protein through steam; steam can be created by water or broth. By using broth or even a court bouillon (mixture of white wine, lemon, onions, garlic and herbs) you can give the vegetable or protein another level of flavor with out the fat. Clients always favor steamed vegetables in a court bouillon because it’s a healthy and delicious way of cooking, plus it sounds gourmet. A simple technique that leaves a big impression!

Steaming Method-

. Fill a pot 1/4 of the way with a liquid of your choice

. Place steaming basket inside

. Close the lid and wait for it to start steaming

. Once the pot is steaming, place the items inside and start cooking (this should take anywhere from 5-10 minutes!

Sautéing-

No matter what time of year, sautéing is always available and acceptable. It’s preferable to use olive oil, a monounsaturated fat (olive oil, peanut oil, grapeseed oil), to make the dish better for you. Remember that it’s all about moderation and balance. You can use about a tablespoon of olive oil to sauté. You can also try using spray olive oils so that it coats the pan and you will use less than pouring it. My favorite sautéing trick is adding water 1/2 way through the cooking process. It will release the delicious brown coating (fond) on the bottom and infuse it into what you are cooking and prevent your food from burning. Keep a glass of water next to you while you are cooking.

Sautéing Method-

. Add monounsaturated oil to a pan

. Heat stove to medium high

. Salt and pepper your protein or vegetable

. Lay gently into the pan

. Cook for, 2-3 minutes (if it starts to burn turn the heat down and add a little more fat or use my trick by adding a little water to decrease the fat you put into the pan)

. Once the first side is completely brown, flip or stir and continue to cook (turn down the heat a bit if you want to cook it thru on the stove)

Grilling-

I adore grilling, and with a hot seasoned grill you can limit the amount of fat that you have to put on to the item that you’re grilling. Vegetables usually require close supervision on the grill so they won’t burn. I typically make thick grill lines on both sides and close the lid so the item can cook through. The only exception is asparagus; I never cover asparagus because I don’t want it to over cook.

Grilling Method-

. Season* the grill with oil

. Lightly coat the item with a light brush of olive oil

. Sprinkle salt and pepper on the item

. Heat grill to medium high

. Lay the item on the grates and cook for three to four minutes (time may vary depending on what you are cooking)

. Rotate the item counter clockwise a quarter turn and continue to cook

. Flip and repeat steps five and six

. Keep lid closed while cooking (accept with asparagus)

*Season- lightly coat the grates with olive oil. Lightly coat a rag with olive oil and when the grill is hot rub the oil onto the grates. The heat will allow the oil to flow into the expanded metal and coat it so that anything placed on the grill does not stick. Do not pour the oil directly on to the grates.

For more great Chef Mary's Cooking Tips- Please go to Washington Times Communities- Hail Mary Fod of Grace or to find out more information about Chef Mary please go to her website www.marypaynemoran.com or email her questions for Ask Chef Mary Friday's at mary@hailmarysinc.com.

Also Check out Chef Mary's New Webisode on You Tube at channel chefmpm about Supporting Local Farmers!

You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter!

Hail Mary Food of Grace

I challenge you to live a healthy life one day at a time. I encourage you to make good decisions minute by minute so at the end of the day you succeed. In a world that is saturated with misinformation about the best ways to lose weight no wonder we feel helpless. Billions of dollars are spent on advertising for the quick fix-gimmicks (No carbohydrates, only proteins or eat low fat) for the Million Dollar Question: How do we lose weight? I believe in the no diet- diet. When you take it upon yourself to eat better (lean proteins, vegetables, whole grains) and refrain from eating poorly (fatty meats, fried foods, processed snacks) then you will ultimately make your life better. Look at every day as a new opportunity and empower yourself by becoming your own advocate. The ultimate fix is within you.

As a professional chef I help people lose weight through my cooking and, as a nutritionist I guide them through my words. The truth is it’s easier for someone to lose weight when I am in control of the cooking, but it is more important in the long run to teach someone how to cook for themselves. I understand that losing weight is challenging and that life is tough, and we are all juggling an agenda but it is time to empower yourself.

I recently encountered two very young women who chose to get their stomachs stapled rather than educating themselves on how to eat properly. This is just another example of how someone can make a decision based on trend or fad vs. hard work and education. When we fall into these traps remember, we can start a new day and begin again. Eating whole foods, smaller portions, leaner proteins, making sure to hydrate yourself, exercise regularly and sleep as consistently as possible is the way to go. No matter what you have tried this is how to live your everyday life.

Life has become easy and hard in the same breath. There are drive-thru windows so we can eat in a matter of minutes. Beware, those are usually empty calories that can make you feel satisfied for a moment and then worse than you did before you ate. We send text messages and expect a response in a matter of seconds. We are a society in a hurry.

Choose to have a diet filled with fresh vegetables like kale, spinach, peppers, and broccoli rather than canned vegetables. Brown rice is a great carbohydrate to add rather than a large bowl of pasta. Eating a chicken breast without the skin grilled, or a nice white fish is better for you than a fatty t-bone. But if you love the canned vegetables, the pasta, or the T-bone how can you make it work? Try eating these things every few weeks and make the portion smaller (about the size of your palm) and remember life in moderation. Try eating it every few weeks and make the portion smaller (about the size of your palm) remember life in moderation.

Diet food doesn’t have to taste bad! In fact you don’t have to think of it as diet food at all. It can be amazing and refreshing and leave you with tons of energy whereas heavy takeout meal will leave you heavy and lethargic. The key to eating healthy is making it flavorful. Using citrus, vinegars and spices like Herbs of Provence. Layering flavors like garlic, caramelized onion and leek will leave you asking for more. These help to develop richness to a simple grilled chicken breast. Like creating sauces out of yogurts, reduced vinegars and tomato sauces. These are techniques that can be learned.

I challenge you to live your life one day at a time. I challenge you to take three minutes out of your day to make a plan for your meal. I challenge you to join me in my column and learn how to enhance your life through food. Let’s grow from where we have been, and let us return to the balance for tomorrow. Fast food really doesn’t make life easier- it creates more problems than it solves. I will be giving recipes, tips and information from farmers, chefs, fitness instructors, doctors and actors that live healthy lives but still eat delicious food.

The Washington Times Communities Section also features this article. I will be writing with them every Monday, Wednesday and Friday

Check it out! Click on the Link Below and Find Hail Mary Food of Grace

http://communities.washingtontimes.com/

Cooking with Chef Mary: Pond Hill Farm- Reasons to Support Local Farmers

Pond Hill Farm -

http://www.pondhill.com/

(231) 526-3276

5581 S Lake Shore Dr, Harbor Springs, MI 49740

Special thanks to Farmer Jimmy and his family and Farmer Tim

The Washington Times Communities!

Look whose on the front page of the Communities with the Washington Times. The communities is officially launching on Monday, so check back in everyday to read all about health and nutrition.

http://community.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/hail-mary-food-grace/2009/oct/30/vegetable-vitality/

Thank you to Casady School! The winners from the coloring contest with Hail Mary's Vitamin Heros

No Name
Sarah
Sally
Kate
No Name

Cooking with Mary, New Webisode Pond Hill Farm

Pond Hill Farm Webisode Coming of Soon!

Ways to get your kids to eat their vegetables

Kids are always trying to find ways to avoid eating their vegetables, from secretly feeding it to the pet dog or have it magically appear in their napkin. So here is something you can do to get your kids to get their daily dose of vegetables such as celery, carrots, and broccoli.

1. With adult supervision let your kids play with the vegetables so that the vegetable seems less scary.
2. Toss them into a dish like Vegetable Steam Fry or Shepherds Pie
3. Use a microplane to mince the vegetables and add it them to sauces

Recipe of the Day. Shepherds Pie

Shepard’s Pie

Ingredients-

1. 1 lb Ground Beef 15% or 1 pack soft Tofu
2. 2-3 ea organic potatoes
3. 1/2 C warm chicken stock
4. 1/4 low fat milk, heated
5. 1 can tomato paste
6. 1 Yellow Onion
7. 10 baby Carrots (round slices)
8. 1-Cup Chicken Stock
9. 1 Bag uncooked Spinach
10. 2 Tbsp Butter
11. Pinch Salt

Steamed Spinach- How to Sauté

1. Heat up sauté pan with 1 inch of water in pan
2. Add spinach once it starts to steam
3. Use spatula to move around
4. Cook for 1-2 min
5. Remove from pan
6. After removed it continue to Cook-

Potatoes-

1. Peel the potatoes and chop up to equal pieces. (Smaller pieces for faster cooking)
2. In pot bring to a boil then simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Once they’re tender dump out the water, add back to the pot and cook out the water on medium heat.
3. Once the water is cooked out, turn off heat. Then heat up 1 tbsp butter, chicken stock, and low fat milk. Once warm, slowly incorporate into the potatoes, mashing with a potato masher. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ground Beef or Tofu

1. Dice onion & carrots very small and in a sauté pan heat tablespoon of Olive Oil
2. Sauté the onion till soft and golden brown
3. Add the ground beef
4. Cook ½ way then add tomato past and Chicken Broth
5. Chef pinch of salt
6. Let Simmer for 10min.

Directions-

1. Get Baking Dish
2. Bottom of dish add Ground Beef or Tofu
3. Spinach
4. Top with Mashed Potatoes
5. Cover completely with Mashed Potatoes
6. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-25 minutes

What Types of Chickens do We Eat?

When I was on the farm with my dear friends at Pond Hill Farm they showed me around their chicken coup. Farmer Tim told me all about the different types of chickens. My video from Pond Hill Farm will be coming soon, and you can learn all about their amazing and educational farm.

When it comes to chickens, there are several different breeds used for different things. These breeds fall into one of three categories egg, meat, and the dual-purpose breed. Chickens such as the Ameraucana, Ancona, and Andalusian are used primarily for producing eggs. These breeds are known for being lightweight birds whose hens do not go broody.

While the Bresse, Cornish Game, and Ixworth are preferred for meat alone, though the commercial broiler market is currently monopolized by the Cornish-Rock (a hybrid of the Cornish and Plymouth Rock). Duel purpose chickens on the other hand are the generalist breeds used in barnyards the world over, good at producing both meat and eggs. Though some may be slightly better for one of these purposes, they are usually called dual-purpose breeds.

Mary on Parties Extra

http://www.newsok.com/multimedia/video/44963176001

Breakfast on the Go!

Dear Mary,

I’m a college student from OU. With exams, sports, clubs, and every other aspect of the college life I’m always moving. Got any quick and easy recipes for a college student who is always on the run?

Best, Ann

Dear Ann,

There is nothing easy about college including eating healthy, but even though you are in a hurry you should always try and eat a good breakfast. Try these simple ideas.

• 1 cup of Greek yogurt with 1/4 C blueberries and 2 tbsp granola with flax seed
• A protein shake with 9 grams of protein powder.
They’re high in protein and low in sugar and it’s a great way to start the morning because eating a healthy breakfast is essential for good health.

Good Luck Ann

Sincerely,

Chef Mary

College- Ways to Eat Healthier. Keep off the Freshmen 15!

Funny College story-
Some believe the Freshmen 15 is an urban legend, a myth while in fact it’s a real thing. When I was a freshmen in college I went to an all girls school in Virginia. I only stayed for a year but the year really made an impact on my life. Saturday morning I would wake up at the usual 11 am and make my way down to the cafeteria, getting the last of the breakfast buffet. As I would sleepily stroll into the cafeteria, I would see walls of waffles, bagels and delicious morning desserts lining the walls. Though I didn’t know there was also tons of fruit, whole grain cereals, wheat toasts and yoghurt. Yes, I was not always the healthy person that I am today. I completely indulged on the waffles and donuts and everything else sweet, and fattening. Unfortunately I gained the freshmen 15 and then some. I have learned from experience that the freshmen 15 is no lie, but with proper eating you can avoid the extra weight.
1. Eat breakfast daily, even if it means having a protein shake.
2. Eat white proteins (fish, chicken, lean pork)
3. Don’t eat after dinner
4. Eat whole foods- Apples, whole grain breads, broccoli, chicken breasts
5. Have only healthy snacks (refer to my blog) in your dorm room so that if you must eat you know what you are eating is healthy
6. Go to sleep at a regular time
7. Sleep at least 8-9 hours
8. Learn how to maneuver the grocery store, and stay away from the frozen food isle
9. Make a play list that is 30 minutes and walk from the start to the finish
10. .Have one day a week where you splurge on fattening foods.

Recipe of the Day. Salsa and Guacamole from OU Cooking Tour

Salsa

1. 2 c diced deseeded tomatoes ( about 6 roma tomatoes)
2. 6 garlic cloves minced (chopped really fine, or put through a garlic press)
3. 1/2 Jalapeno (deseeded)
4. 1/2 red onion small dice
5. 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
6. 2 limes juiced
7. chef pinch (three fingers) salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients and serve with chips! Please be kind to your guests. No one wants to eat huge chinks of onion, so be kind please chop fine!

Guacamole-

1. 3 avocados
2. 1/4 c of the salsa from above
3. Add more salt and pepper if you need it

Remove seed from avocados and slice avocado into squares. Mix avocados with salsa mixture from above.