I had the best patients over the weekend. Nice. Appreciative. Compliant. They may seem like simple requests as far as personality traits are concerned, but you’d be surprised. It made the nights fly by. Another thing that made the nights go by nice and smooth…books.
You see, when it comes to night shifts, they can either be crazy and chaotic (ER admissions, codes, etc.) or super slow (eyelids drooping, head nodding). I prefer middle of the road shifts with a moderate amount of activity, but beggars can’t be choosers. Such being the case, it’s good to have some reading material on hand just in case. I used to (superstitiously) think that storing books in my locker was setting me up for horribly busy nights (Murphy’s Law). But after one too many nights of watching the second hands of the clock tick away, I decided to hell with signs and superstitions. And so I’ve also been bringing reading back into my life.
I used to read a couple of books a month, but once my subway commute went out the window, my monthly page count took a serious hit. I think that’s the only thing I miss about NYC. And maybe a few restaurants too…
Anyway. Here’s the book I read on Saturday night. I literally read the entire book in one night. It was SO interesting. Clearly the relationship between diet and disease is one that’s close to my heart, but it’s nice to read about others who are equally as fired up about it.
There are so many points in the book that I want to discuss in detail. I wish everyone read it so we could all gawk over the stats together like one big nerdy food blog book club. For now, I’ll just say that Ann Cooper and Lisa Holmes are brilliant and inspiring. It is horrible that such a pathetic amount of funding goes into school lunch programs and that we expect our kids to learn healthy habits for life on 50 cents.
Taking processed crap from the lowest bidder is the norm for most of the country. How hideous?! Would we ever accept that in any other part of our lives?
I could list facts for days that would blow your mind, but you really should get the book and see for yourself. I can tell you I took a TON away from it – and I consider myself to be fairly in the know on these issues. The key thing I will share with you all is the value in making your own lunches. As someone who does this every single day, I can attest to (1) the money I’ve saved and (2) the poor quality food I’ve avoided.
The area I need to work on, is not making this a habit for me and me alone. Why shouldn’t Kyle get the same treatment? I’m not sure he wants to dig into seitan salads and oats between his business school classes, but he might! Recently we discussed it and he actually wants to start eating more of the same meals as I. It’s not like this will be a huge area of change. He already packs his lunches 75% of the time which include everything from salads to Clif bars to nuts and fruit…but he also wants to start upping the tofu and minimizing the animal sources in his diet. Now that’s something I can definitely get on board with.
For those of you with significant others, how do you deal with meal time prep. Lunch Lessons emphasizes not acting like a short order cook and making separate meals for each member of a family. Allergy issues aside, I can see the authors’ point. Kyle’s a good cook, so we have a good system down (plus we have such different schedules it’s rare that we eat meals together). It’s going to be something the hippie household starts to take into effect. So how do you do it? Feel free to share your own systems!
Anyway. My food for the night included a dried fruit and nut sampler from Woodland Foods (Expo West swag) as well as a seitan topped salad. The mini nut and fruit mix had dried pineapple and papaya. The serving size was pretty small, but it was perfect for a night shift (eliminating crazy sugar highs and lows). I used to buy dried pineapple rings by the ton but found my sugar cravings have been more for fresh fruit lately. Whatevs. The almonds were also great because they were not overly roasted but still slightly salty :)
Of course apples and candied ginger were prominent players as well. Lately galas have been on the pathetically small side, so braeburns have been my pinch hitters.
The salad was a mix of the random veggies we had in the fridge, including spinach, alfalfa sprouts (love!), carrots, bell peppers, and seitan.
After work I came home and slept for a bit and then woke up craving cereal like nobody’s business. It’s not that I didn’t want oats, but I craved crunchy, not mushy.
Granola is pretty much the crunchy version of oats anyway, right?
Step aside oats, there’s a cooler breakfast in town. All I did was chop up a golden delicious apple, add a LOT of Galaxy Granola and submerge the entire bowl in almond milk. Vanilla clusters plus apples? YUM.
It got even better though…once I realized the flavors were spot on, I decided to microwave it a bit (to soften the apples and let the oats absorb the milk), then I added even MORE granola…which led to a mega bowl with textures varying from super crisp and crunchy to slightly soggy and loaded with milk.
Perfection! Moderation be damned. I had two more bowls, (sadly) leaving the bag of Galaxy Granola with little more than crumbs remaining.
After brunch I wandered into the guest bedroom to clean it up and noticed a new item.
No, my grandpa isn’t in town. Any guesses as to what disaster this photo represents? Hint: our neighbors are screwed. If they thought the jumping jacks from 4 am Jillian routines were bad…oh boy.
I didn’t need anything more than a snack between my afternoon run and dinner. Enter graham crackers dipped in coconut peanut butter.
Dinner was divine, but left my stomach in knots. Vegan fried rice from the WF hot bar was the base of the dish, which may have been the source of my GI woes. Fried food is not my intestines’ bestie. Far from it, in fact. One of the main reasons I eat such clean food is because foreign grease wreaks havoc on my system. But I craved it! Darn IBS.
Since it was already 7 pm and we were at WF doing a massive grocery run, it seemed natural to treat ourselves to the hot bar. Lazy wife. :P
My hot bar ADD was at it’s peak, and after 53 laps around the rows and rows of foodie heaven, I finally got down to business.
I started with veg fried rice and picked as many of the broccoli florets as possible. Then I added in extra peas.
Dear Whole Foods,
Please make fried rice with brown rice every once in a while. I don’t hate on white grains every once in a while, but I prefer brown.
Thank you,
A Loyal Hippie
And since I’m on SUCH a mega seitan kick right now, I caved and bought some of my favorite Healthy Times brand.
Which I then chopped and added into the rice.
It tasted GREAT in the moment, but caused quite a bit of GI distress. Nothing a little candied ginger and tea couldn’t handle though.
Love the sound of the book; going to have to give it a read.
Sorry to hear about the rice dish causing issues; ah the joys of IBS! I’ve noticed actually that for me broccoli, peas and sweetcorn aggravate my IBS because they’re quite gassy so maybe it was those items that were a problem? IBS is so individual though, isn’t it.
Btw, those Dr’s Best digestive enzymes are amazing!!!! I bought some after your giveaway and they’re the best I’ve encountered. The danger is that I am tempted to use them at every meal but don’t really like relying on supplements.
xxx
The book sounds like it should be required reading for parents, educators, …everyone! Meal time in my casa is easy because my boyfriend will eat anything I make! He was raised a vegan in Sweden so I imagine that anything is an improvement over that lol. What’s in the suitcase?! A trampoline??
I eat tons of things (well not as much anymore) but they taste great going down and i PAY the price later…big time. My latest was 1/3 box Mary’s Crackers which really isnt’ that many…but for 2 days was in agony b/c of the unground flax. I posted about it. lol
Lunch lessons sounds like a great book. I remember watching Jamie Oliver’s show, so sad what kids eat these days at school. I try make a my boyfriend’s lunch, usually it is leftovers from the night before. I need to get more creative.
Me and my husband have been trying to eat more meals together which is tough as I’m vegan and hes a fussy meat eater! I tend to make similar dishes and just change up the ingredients to suit each of us, like sausage and tomato rice with tofu sausages for me. It works for a few meals each week, its nice not to have to make two completely seperate dishes!
Interesting read, I need to get my hands on that one. If I had to guess, I’d say what you have there is a typewriter. I’ve got a similar grandpa suitcase in my closet. 😉
Adding the book to my list- thanks!
This book sounds amazing. Thanks for the recommendation! It’s truly frightening how much processed foods are consumed by everyone…children, adults, etc., in America. Tragic!
i have the same issues with fried and very processed foods. does not make my belly happy at all– yet some people think it’s all in my head!
That book sounds awesome. I’ve been reading Eating Animals like three pages at a time for MONTHS now, but once I finally get the kick in the pants to finish it, that book is on the list. It’s definitely an interesting and important topic.
I just bought seitan the other day and can’t wait to make taco salad with it 🙂
One big nerdy food blog book club? Please don’t tease me with such an awesome idea.
I’ve just dropped that book into my Amazon cart buy later. Thanks for the recommendation! I also think that one big nerdy food blog book club sounds like an excellent idea. If only because my friends/boyfriend are going to strangle me if I continue quoting facts at them. I read John Robbins “Food Revolution” on our ski trip to Tahoe and couldn’t help spouting fascinating and horrifying facts as I read them.
i know, right? its such a pointless feat trying to figure out the root of the cause when really it could be nothing more than the mood my GI tract was in. annoying. as for the veggies – for me that used to be true more than now (unless i eat HUGE amounts of broccoli) but i dont have that problem with peas or corn. you’re right though it is totally individual. This reaction wasnt just gassy/bloating, though, it was something more. i do think that building a tolerance helps though in terms of repeated exposure to fiberous veggies and beans and the likes. nowadays i can have much more broccoli and hummus without hardly any of the side effects that i previously did. im so glad the dr. best enzymes are working for you. they really did help me, but i know what you mean about getting into the habit of taking them every day. i have to force myself to make sure i only supplement moderately for fear of dependence.
i can totally relate! fortunately my fam and friends are on the same wavelength…but still…kyle can only handle so many horrifying facts, i have to bite my tongue after a while
Thanks for the book review. I immediately bought the ebook and plan to spend the day curled up with a green tea reading it. With three children in elementary school it’s so important to me how they eat. We normally send lunches but some are purchased through the school. We live in Canada and our school is quite strict on its menu guidelines however how healthy can cheeseburger pizza really be? They do serve fresh fruit and veggies with every meal and there’s no junk food per se on the menu but a lot of processed items. Anyway thanks again for the book information. I’m looking forward to reading it.
if only people understood. theres no effing way this was in my head. ugh. its so frustrating to have such a misunderstood health problem. i can hardly explain it myself so how am i supposed to describe it to others! i feel your pain girl (literally and figuratively)
i have to read that one still!
haha. i WISH it was a trampoline. that would be fun for me. this will be a bit more painful for my eardrums. 🙁 youre right that book SHOULD be a pre-req for educators and parents!
i know. jamie oliver is the face of a lot of what this book discusses…i mean, seriously, did you know that ketchup is considered a vegetable in schools?!?! thats completely unacceptable!
i love that you make your boy’s lunch. youre doing your part!!
oooooo, good guess! its not a typewriter though!!
thats closest to what we do too
I’m anxious to read that book now! I just finished The China Study.
I pack my own lunch every day and get such weird looks from people I work with, but I enjoy knowing I have a healthy, nutritious option. I can make sure to get enough fats, proteins, and carbs in my meal!
And foreign grease upsets my stomach too. It’s so hard to eat at restaurants that use so much butter and oil!
That book sounds like a must-read. Thanks for the review! Also, now I want graham crackers & milk.
Any tips for adjusting to working nights? I am graduating as an RN in May and will soon start working nights. I’m more than a little nervous!
Hey Gina, Thanks for commenting. I’d be very interested in hearing how Canada differs from the US in the school lunch funding. Let me know what you think after reading!
I don’t have any great tips, but jut try and listen to your body. Don’t feel like you have to eat certain meals at certain times because your body isn’t doing the typical routine anymore. That said, this doesn’t mean you have license to eat whatever at all hours of the night/day and say you are “listening to your body”…it’s a tricky balance, and it takes some trial and error. I generally eat a meal before heading into work which holds me over for the first few hours…then after I’ve given meds and done assessments, I can eat another meal between 930 and 1030. Sometimes I’m not hungry yet, so I’ll just wait until I am. I try to make sure my appetite is satisfied before midnight though, and then don’t generally eat again until early morning once I get hungry. It’s tricky, but you’ll get used to it. Are you only nights? Because if youre not flip flopping back and forth between day and night shift like I am it will be MUCH easier for you to establish a schedule that works for you. Hope that helps!
it’s so sad that packing your lunch is the abnormal. ugh. keep doing the damn thing and maybe others will catch on to the economic, convenient, and nutritious habit!
Thanks for the tips! I’m not entirely sure yet. I’m in the process of applying for a couple of positions which are all night shifts only, but they could throw me a curve ball and ask me to do days as well. You just never know. Thanks again 🙂
I definitely know the intensity of IBS 🙁 I too suffer massively from bloating, distended stomach, pain but luckily I’ve been feeling better thanks to a pill my physician prescribed. I hope it’ll start going away for you little by little. Love your granola + apple combo 😀
Isn’t it astounding how people acting like normal people can be a treat? I deal with a lot of cranky people at my job (people on short term disability) and it’s always noteworthy when someone just treats me nicely.
I started taking Align per my doctor’s recommendation and it has been working wonders on my belly problems. I hate to take “medication”, but this probiotic seems to be worth it for me. I was taking Trader Joe’s brand for a while but it wasn’t having much of an impact.
Thanks so much for the rec, I’ll definitely look into it. Currently I take Doctor’s Best Digestive Enzymes for IBS and they are working really well for me.
And yes, it’s sad that patients acting like normal people is such a treat.
Just out of curiosity, what is the medication you were prescribed?
No prob!
I’m interested in what you said about building up a tolerance to gassy veg and hummus. I eased off them for a while which helped massively. I’m tempted to slowly bring than back in now that my GI tract is relatively stable (famous last words!)… Especially as I love hummus and broccoli. Do you find that fresh onion and garlic aggravates your IBS at all? I’ve cut back on those too which helped a lot.
I’m guessing what’s in that lovely suitcase is a beautiful ACCORDIAN!!! Inlaid pearl on the keyboard……….faux fur lining the case!! I’m old. I’m a grandma. I used to have to play one of those things when I was 6 or 7! My mom would sit me down, lay that on my lap and I had no choice but to practice because I couldn’t move!!!
Can’t wait to read that book! I watched Jamie Oliver’s show–and he only scratches the surface–so I can only imagine the details in this book!
I ususally don’t make lunches for my boyfriend and now I’m thinking maybe I should more, as he eats out most days. But we do have different tastes in some regards, so I can see it being a little challenging. It can’t hurt if I make more of an effort, though. Or even encourage him to pack his own. He’s definitely not ready to give up meat and up the tofu, but you gotta start somewhere!
Why not start a book club?? It would be so much fun, and I’m sure plenty of people in the blog world would want to read the same books!
On another note, I’m lucky enough to have a boyfriend who makes my food before work everyday. Usually a smoothie, a salad and something else like soup or leftovers.
He has a less set schedule than I do so he just makes food for himself throughout the day. He was awesome enough to go vegetarian when I went vegan though.
My husband and I do not eat the same. It makes for tricky meal prep and more expensive grocery store trips. I’m not a vegetarian, but don’t like meat and chicken 90% of the time. He complains I don’t cook for him, I complain he doesn’t try my foods. That’s the ongoing debate here. We try to do what I call “dinner two ways” where we share a base, like pasta, and dress it ourselves.
Only when we get into the “what are my children going to eat one day” debate does it get obnoxious.
They gave me Amitiza for bloating and IBS related to constipation. I honestly have less pain now then before
I’ve been craving seitan recently! I need to go to Whole Foods and pick some up. I’ve never cooked with it myself- only had it in restaurants 🙂
YES!!!!! haha, you got it!!! lord help me as kyle learns to play it 🙂
oh its so easy to make at home! i swear, follow my log seitan recipe and youll be amazed at how simple it is…but wf does have some good seitan too for lazy moments 🙂
got it. i was rec’d that but i never tried it. im glad it works for you!
yup. kids will be the wild card.
wow. hes a keeper for sure!! thats so sweet!
baby steps 🙂
no, ive never had any problems with garlic or onion, but i have to be honest they arent my favorite things to cook with…broccoli and beans are the most gaseous for me, but like i said, its less than before because i increased them in my diet slowly…although i do avoid raw broccoli because thats still a bit rough for me. if you add kombu to beans when you cook them its helpful too. also, if you buy canned beans, rinse them thoroughly because the liquid has a ton of fiber which is the main cause of the bloating.
Oooh I must pick up this book! I can’t even TELL you the crap that my kiddos eat at school – it’s amazing they can learn it all after lunchtime.
Also, I am the same way…I make my lunch every day but rarely think about Meeker when I prepare everything – he could get used to salads and such. 🙂
I love seitan too- I’ve gotta try making it soon!
I would love to hear more about your nursing career! I’m in my second semester of nursing school. So please tell me about how your shift goes etc… f your up to it of course!
i totally thought of you at several points throughout this book. you and meeker seem like youre a lot like me and kyle in the food realms
I can totally relate to the eating separate meals thing. The husband is supportive of my diet, but not super into veggies. Mac & cheese and pizza are more his speed. He’s also in school and works full time so I gotta give him some slack. But it’s kind of sad that we can’t always share a meal together. Something to work on for sure.
I’m definitely getting this book. Thanks for sharing it with us!
That book definitely sounds like my kind of read! It really is amazing what passes for foods these days, isn’t it? And the fact that children are left with so little healthy options is just plain sad! I take my lunch to work everyday and listen as my co-workers complain about their foods from the hospital cafeteria. You WOULD think a hospital would serve relatively healthy options, but 90% of the meals that are served fried foods and others that are loaded with preservatives. The only thing they regularly serve that goes under the title of “Healthy Dining Meals” are usually reminiscent of pre-made boxed dinners and they are practically tasteless…plus the cafeteria workers dish out about 2-3 servings per person! Doesn’t that kind of defeat the purpose?!
Your warm and crunchy granola bowl sounds fab! And hmm, could that be an old record player perhaps?
There is a food blog book club called the Kitchen Reader. http://thekitchenreader.wordpress.com/
You might be interested. 🙂
I added this book to my list of “books to read and review.” I think it would be awesome if more people participated in The Kitchen Reader (kitchenreader.wordpress.com). They have set out the spring lineup already and it is one book per month. I have lots of great books on my list from them!
I love your food pictures and you’ve given me great ideas over the past year (or more) of combinations to try and whatnot. I always love reading your blog!
Pingback: Booze & Border « hungry hungry hippie
THANKS! and thanks for the website, too. ill definitely check it out.