Childrens Eating Rules for Good Health

Chef Wendell’s Ten Commandments of Healthy Eating for Parents

1.     Thou shalt not force, bribe or coerce thy child to eat.

2.     Thou shalt set a good example by eating at least five fruits and vegetables, three who grain products and three low-fat dairy servings per day.

3.     Thou shalt make mealtimes pleasant.

4.     Thou shalt encourage thy child to help in meal planning, preparation, and clean-up.

5.     Thou shalt back off when mealtime becomes a power struggle.

6.     Thou shalt accept the fact thy child is an individual and thus will dislike certain foods. (and there are many)

7.     Thou shalt accept food ‘binges’ as phases that will eventually pass.

8.     Thou shalt not give up on introducing thy child to new foods. Thou shalt realize it sometimes takes ten tries to get a child to accept a food.

9.     Thou shalt use this division of responsibility for eating: As the parent, thou art responsible for deciding when and what to serve. Thy child is responsible for deciding how much, if any, will be eaten.

10.   Thou shalt give thy child a food-based multi-vitamin / mineral supplement, not Flintstones, if he or she is a picky eater.

Fruit Salad from China...sigh!

     As I read the label, my eyes widened, the heart began to pound, and suddenly my brain liquefied into a slurry of bewilderment and disbelief! If there’s a microcosm of the nutritional complacency extinguishing America’s health equity, it was staring me square in the face; plastic, hermitically sealed, supposed-to-be-good-for-you ‘fresh’ opaque cups of fruit salad in the grocery produce section.
     We’ve descended onto the shadowy sea bed of laziness. Red, white and blue unhealthy Americans are either embarrassingly addicted to convenience or too lazy to lift a knife. So much that Americans are buying carb-heavy Del Monte and Dole fruit cups of fruit salad which were harvested, hopefully washed, peeled, chopped, mechanically packaged and shipped from, yep, China and Thailand who have dissimilar interpretations of sanitation and chemical usage.
     We squawked about the deadly Chinese melamine scare, their toxic pet food, tainted infant formula and fraudulent vitamins shipped to us, but in a hazy stupor of suitability Americans still robotically disregard food labels and, without caution, grab and snarf cups of pre-made fruit salad.
Fruit cheaply harvested 10,000 miles away then shipped for weeks on end aboard a boat is DOA. The idea of an alleged ‘fresh’ fruit salad being delivered from Asia should be upsetting to you. First, your temple doesn’t deserve old, dead food lacking nutrition and second, it stimulates the economy of a politically competitive country on the opposite side of God’s green earth. This cup-o-crapola has sailed the bonny seas for weeks, even months. What part of this is logical? Can’t we take time to make a fresh, colorful fruit salad brimming with the living nourishment the Universe provided or have we become comfortably numb to what is essential to steward the health of our holy temple?
     The best way to store fruit till you use it is with the heavenly wrapping left on, rinds and peelings intact. Once the protective peels or coverings of fruits are cut, the fruits begin to degrade and lose their healing energy. This nutrient loss doesn’t occur immediately because it takes up to five or six days to show any major vitamin loss as long as cut, unpeeled fruits are stowed in the refrigerator, not an undulating transport tanker. After weeks and months, it decomposes into lifeless calories and the protective vitamin C and carotenoids become useless bilge.
     To receive the most disease preventing mojo, pull out the cutting board and a chef’s knife, wash, cut, prepare and then tightly seal your beautiful fresh fruit salad the day of the purchase to insure you’re getting the truest flavors and health restoring nutrition. Savor the moment.
Once prepped, due to oxygen, nutrients begin to flee. After a day or two languishing in the fridge, they’re probably aesthetically unpleasing, especially bananas and strawberries, so prudently prep only as much as your gang eats at one sitting. Be sure you keep it stored in air-tight containers in your refrigerator overnight. If you add blueberries, and I hope you will, use them as the final garnish. As you mix the salad they break up leaving little dark blue, eye-offending bits.
      Having fresh cut fruits ready to eat in your refrigerator makes it easier to make healthy choices at snack attack time. Try a mix of oranges, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, strawberry, and pineapple. To prevent indigestion, melons should always be eaten alone.
Now really? Do you honestly want your loving family to eat fruit cups that say “Made in China or Thailand?” I didn’t think so. Then return to the joyous, blissful act of cooking from scratch and support your local community farmer’s markets and family farms.
Fruit salads from China … sigh. Gimme a break.

Bacon Worship: A bunch of bologna!

Meat and potato audiences get defensive when I present them the current science declaring bacon, yes, the quintessential all-American breakfast icon and sandwich condiment, is dreadful for the conservation of the health of the human temple. Well-meaning, yet naïve friends still jeer at my revulsion to pieces of preserved pork parts. You’d thought I’d run over Smokey, the family dog.

Seriously, it’s no joke, so please don’t kill the messenger. The dangers associated with cured meats aren’t pretty. The American Institute for Cancer Research says the lung cancer risk from processed meats is comparable to smoking ciggy butts. If you regularly eat cured meats, you’ll eventually end up needing to be cured yourself. Folks joke about and fiercely defend their misguided birthright to eat it till it oozes from every pore, but is it really ‘bacon love’ or greasy self-destructive denial for a fleeting moment of oral pleasure?

When informed of the dangers of eating smoked products, an intelligent, well dressed professional gentleman told me, “Well, you gotta die from something. So quit pooping in my punch bowl.” You need to wave the white flag and give up on this one, however, and simply love them with all your heart.

Curing meat as a method of preserving dates back more than hundreds of years and was used in almost every region of the world. Long before refrigeration could be used to keep meats free from the ill effects of unhealthy bacteria, the process of smoking or curing meat sufficed.

Unfortunately, as long as there have been cured meats, there have been health problems caused by this process. Ancillary epidemiologic studies show a higher diffusion of stomach and colon cancer in persons or communities eating frequently smoked meat or fish.

It’s no bologna: there’s no safe level of consumption, says The American Institute for Cancer Research. Unless you are fond of cancer, the study recommends avoiding all processed meats like bacon, ham, sausages, salami, jerky, lunch meats, prosciutto, and smoked salmon or lox.

Caveat Emptor my friends. Our friends at The American Institute for Cancer report the nitrates in smoked meats create adverse reactions for asthma and allergy sufferers, contribute to esophageal cancer, migraines, COPD, and stomach cancer. Oh boy.

Nitrates used to preserve color, meat fillers such as gluten, and preservative agents are potential cancer-causing agents. The un-holy, man-made chemicals in smoked animal parts contain lofty levels of tyamine that can trigger migraines and react dangerously with certain medications. Got hypertension? If you don’t and desire high blood pressure, cured meats are overloaded with sodium.

To further illustrate the insane proliferation of aberrant chemicals in our food supply, my jaw dropped with a thud recently reading a grocery store pre-made Sushi label listing carbon monoxide as a color-preservative: insane on any level. If you’ll excuse the pun, after reading it I was ‘exhausted’.

How could this be allowed to happen to a loyal, trusting, patriotic citizenry of the greatest country on earth? The love of money, extended shelf-life, aesthetics, and soulless corporate Fat Cats who brand us ‘’The Little People” and who are acceptable losses in their at-all-cost pursuit of the almighty dollar.

Americans don’t deliberately eat poorly, they just do; it’s all they know. Safeguard your loving family, since there’s no doubting the scientific validity. Anyone who disagrees is either working for the meat industry, hopelessly behind the times with their nutritional IQ, or has a death wish.

Be compassionate with yourself; your body is your buddy.

Quinoa Fritters with Sweet Potato and Avocado

One out of 100 unsuspecting Americans have Celiac Disease; a severe allergy to wheat gluten. Celiac disease can leave a person susceptible to many health problems. The American diet of dead, processed food contains way too much wheat gluten and corn.

This fibrous, gluten-free appetizer will please anyone with gluten & dairy allergies. No animal products are used, so our vegetarian viewers will be pleased.

• 2 cups cooked quinoa-high protein and fiber

• 1 batch gluten-free, dry pancake mix-just follow instructions and omit egg

• 3 Tbs. ground flaxseed meal to replace egg-fiber and omega 3 EFA’S

• 1 cup mashed, steamed sweet potato with skin-antioxidant

• 1 Tbs. tomato paste-Lycopene

• 1 Tbs. wheat-free soy sauce

• 1 tsp. dried basil leaf

• 1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaf

• 1/2 tsp. ground cumin seed

• 1 tsp. ground coriander seed

• 1/2 tsp. paprika

• 1/2 tsp. raw garlic-cardiovascular health

• 4 Tbs. potato starch

• Sea salt & pepper to taste

1. Cut sweet potato into cubes and steam till fork tender; mash

2. Heat a non-stick frying pan on med. low

3. Blend all ingredients in a bowl or food processor

4. If you have time, chill the mixture for an hour or so before forming into patties, for a firmer patty.

5. Divide burger mix into 8 equal portions and form into 3 inch patties

6. Fry in a little oil on medium heat, 5 - 10 minutes each side, until browned and firm

• Note: Do not fiddle and flip your fritter till it’s brown on the down side or it will stick and break apart. Be patient; just like pancakes, wait for the bubbles to appear.

Garnish with:

In a food processer blend: 1 Avocado, 1 tbs. chopped onion, a squeeze of lemon, 1 clove chopped garlic, 1 tsp. cumin, and ½ tsp. cayenne powder.

Asian Noodles with Coconut Milk and Vegetables

Mouthfuls of explosive flavor wait in the highly nutritious Asian pasta dish that brims with protein and colorful fresh vegetables. Another veggie-licious way to enjoy and increase your intake of  health-restoring vegetables. You’re doing great.

Serves 4

12 oz Barillo Plus spaghetti (or however much you think you need!

1/2 green/red/yellow pepper, julienned

1 carrot, shredded

1/2 cabbage (Napa or red. Depends on your preference)

1/2 onion, julienned

1/2 c organic peanut butter (Meijer carries a nice one)

1/4 c soy sauce

2 tbs. sesame oil

2tbs. Ground flax or Chia seed for FIBER

2 tbs. cider vinegar

2 tbs. Raw coconut oil

¼ cup coconut milk (Shake the cans contents vigorously before opening)

1 tsp. Sea salt

½ tsp. Pepper flakes

2 tbs. sesame seeds (toasted if you have time)

1 scallion, chopped

2 tbs. chopped peanuts

1. Set a large pot of water on to boil Add salt followed by the spaghetti; cook al dente according to package instructions.

2. Slice (julienne) all the vegetables. (Note: you can really put in any veg you like. It all works!)

3. Whisk together the peanut butter, soy, sesame oil, and vinegar. Taste it! You might want to add more of one ingredient depending on your personal preference.

4. Heat the oil in a medium pan to medium heat. Add vegetables, hot peppers, then salt and hot pepper.

5. Drain the pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking liquid. Add the vegetables and sauce to the pasta. Combine all the ingredients and add some of the reserved water or more coconut milk if the sauce is too thick.

7. Plate the dish and sprinkle with the chopped dry roasted peanuts and scallion.

Protein

Patriotic American lemmings have been trained to eat the biggest, reddest, greasiest, bloodiest slab-o-meat no less than three times daily, “… if not, you’re a Commie!”

The Western Hemisphere is obsessed with protein; more is mistakenly perceived as better, macho; a symbol of prosperity, so “Don’t dis my meat, dude!” This concern is misplaced. Although protein is unquestionably essential in the way our temple functions, humans don’t innately require humongous amounts, yet they demand it. In reality, human omnivores need only small amounts. Only one calorie out of ten we take in needs to come from protein. The average American eats 50 percent more than they need. Why don’t we have more than two canine teeth?

Most Americans placidly picture happy cattle munching grass on undulating pastures, chickens pecking worms and bugs outside quaint red barns, and pigs gleefully gulping food at the trough. Unless locally grown by a true steward of God’s green earth, those days are toast. Today’s genetically altered, hormone seasoned chicken, pork, and beef come from factory farms. Factoryfarming.com is a web site everyone should visit as well as renting an enlightening movie “The Earthlings.”

Next to water, proteins are a major part of your temple. Proteins build and repair body tissues, create essential hormones, form enzymes and body chemicals, regulate body processes, provide energy, hormones, and antibodies that empower the temple to fight infection. Protein is a significant building block of muscles, bones, cartilage, blood and skin. The health mojos of protein are contingent upon its quality and authenticity. Are the proteins you supply your family high or inferior in quality; garbage in, garbage out?

There are distinctive animal proteins, each performing a unique function in the body. This broaches cleanliness, originality, purity. Where did it come from, a local gentle family farmer who fed them green grass, or a factory farm where they were fed other cows, corn, or processed with carbon monoxide and red dye, or a chicken farmer who allowed his poultry to eat delicious bugs and meandering worms as our creator planned?

Eating too much protein, as we’re constantly urged, especially with too little complex carbohydrates creates ketosis; when the temple metabolizes body fat for energy purposes instead of the usual glucose-from-carbohydrates. An Endocrinologist’s dream. This process leaves behind carbon particles called ketones which cause loss of appetite and loss of water weight. Eating too much protein with no exercise, however, will not increase strength but will definitely increase stress levels. According to Mayo when someone suffers from a high level of ketones in the blood, they’ll begin to suffer from both excessive thirst and more frequent, foul-smelling urination.

An easy way to calculate your daily protein requirement according to the USDA is to multiply 0.36 (grams) by your body weight. That translates to about 44 grams for a 120-pound woman and 54 grams for a 150-pound male. An ounce is 28.4 grams.

Need another reason to dial down your meat consumption? You may have a higher risk of cancer if you eat too much meat injected with growth hormones given to cattle to help them grow larger. These hormones remain in factory meat and upset hormone balance leading to an increased risk of breast, pancreatic, and prostate cancer. Hormone residues found in beef and milk are being blamed for bringing on early puberty in young girls. This risk can be reduced by only eating hormone-free, organic meats.

AARP studies report people who eat the largest quantities of red and processed meats are 20 percent more likely to die of cancer. Recently red meat’s been associated with increased risk of overall mortality.

Sigh…. Unholy cow!  Your body’s your buddy, my dear readers. Keep reminding yourself, less is more, less is more.

Vegan Auyrvedic Kitchari

Kitchari, an easy-to-digest traditional rice and bean dish, is a comfort food of India. A five-day kitchari fast, with just some chopped cilantro leaves added, will cleanse the temple and strengthen memory.

1 cup split yellow mung dal/moong dahl, or red lentils

2 cups cooked Indian basmati rice, quinoa or long grain brown rice

3 tablespoons of Organic, Unrefined, Coconut Oil

1 inch piece of fresh ginger (root), peeled, chopped up well

1 tsp caraway seeds

1 tsp fennel seed

1 tsp cumin seeds

3 cinnamon sticks

1/2 tsp turmeric

Pinch of Cayenne

1 cup washed, RAW veggies: peas, carrots, cauliflower, etc. cut into a 1/4” dice, keeping shapes uniform

Garnish with cilantro leaves

2 bu. chopped green onions

• First, wash and strain the mung dal and rice well. In sauce pan, heat 9 cups water until it boils; add in the mung dal & rice. Cover and cook for 25 minutes. Drain off any excess water.

• While that’s going, crush the three seeds (caraway, fennel & cumin). In saute pan, heat the organic, unrefined coconut oil over medium heat; add the ginger, seeds, turmeric, and cinnamon. It should smell really good by now!

• When adding the washed veggies, add them ‘RAW’ to the grain once the spices are roasted.

• Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onion; gently mix and serve.