Better Replacements

I got to test something out today:

One of my Chic Energy Bars (Pre-Workout). Ok, so this was my first attempt at this experiment, so I didn’t expect it to be too fantabulous…it wasn’t. It was just ok.

Observations:

• I wanted these bars to be a bit more cake-y than oat-y but also vegan (thanks for correcting me readers!) vegan-able – as in easy to make vegan (I think it’s easier to sub a vegan sweetener for honey than to sub something for eggs). Alas, they were a bit on the dry side. I wonder if baking powder may help get more air into the bars?
• Also, I used some local honey, which is great, but very flavorful…in a…whoa…that’s a lotta flavor kind of way. I don’t want the bar to be overshadowed by one of the ingredients. Perhaps brown rice syrup would also help bind the bar more?
• The dates were ok chopped, but since I was trying to let the dates be one of the sweeteners in addition to being a fruit, I think I may need to run the bar through the food processor to get it more evenly distributed.

Back to the drawing board!

Post work, it was time to get my ZUMBA on! I led Blue Jeans tonight and messed up on my cueing, but luckily the song is easy and the participants are rock stars. It was all gravy. 🙂

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Better Replacements

Hubby has asked me before why some things I used to eat are not preferred/ok to eat any more (think . I say the difference is education. I don’t mean I went to school recently, but I’ve learned a lot more about foods and what to eat and what not to eat (I don’t have many “no” foods, but there are definitely some) just from reading the news, magazines, and books. I think that it’s great to keep an open mind and an open ear. I prefer to be ready to learn something new and will often times apply learnings in the form of lifestyle changes – beyond just food choices.

Here are some better replacements/changes I’ve made recently and strive to make:

• Store-bought bread for Great Harvest bread – GH is a bit more expensive but free of the chemicals, preservatives and other bogus ingredients in the grocery store stuff. Do I want to eat bread made with 20 ingredients or 5? I think I’ll go 5. Not to mention – they grind their own wheat! How cool is that? This is a great buy as I try to eat closer to the source.
• Local grocery store for farmers market – many products at the grocery store are shipped in from afar – from different states and even different countries. Think about how someone had to harvest your fruits/veggies/etc., pack it, ship it, and unpack it at the store. Nutrients are lost after fruits/veggies are picked. Farmer’s market produce is often picked the day before the market or even the same day! Plus, I like to support my local businesses by shopping local.
• Aluminum foil for parchment paper – there aren’t really any studies showing aluminum foil is bad for you, but parchment seems like a more natural product. Plus, if you use parchment paper, you don’t have to use non-stick spray. Score!
• Saran wrap for plates – ever heard that story about how if saran wrap touches your food while it’s cooking in the microwave that chemicals will seep into your food? Yea, I heard that one, too ,but I’m not sure if it’s true. Either way, I’m not taking chances. Especially since I can just as easily cover a bowl of soup with a plate instead. No plastic required!
• Bottled water for a reusable bottle – not only is this more eco-friendly, but it’s MUCH more cost-effective. Sure, some water bottles are expensive, but at $1-2 per bottled water, you’ll easily make your money back in a month or less. Plus, you can ensure you get a safer, BPA-free bottle if you get the reusable version.
• Standard bags for reusable totes – so eco-friendly. This is a no-brainer.
• Conventional meats for free-range/grass-fed meats – choose the latter and chances are good the animal had a better life and will also provide more nutritious, higher quality product.
• Conventional for Organic – there are many arguments for why organic is better than conventional. Mostly, I think organic foods are more nutritious, don’t have the icky pesticides and are more earth-friendly in general.
• Fake Sweeteners for more natural sweeteners – Here are some “no foods” for me: aspartame, sucralose, and other crazy-fake sweeteners. I avoid them as much as possible. There are too many great, much more natural products: honey, maple syrup, agave, sucanat…
• Bleached/processed flours for healthier flours – there’s a reason I’ve been playing with different flours outside of all-purpose: spelt, oat, brown rice, teff – they are often more nutritious and definitely interesting to try out.

In general, I guess I’d just rather have less of something and a higher quality, and I’d rather be as eco-friendly as possible.

Other things catching my attention:

• Canned food – have you seen this study? Scary stuff! Alternatives – I think I’m going to lean more heavily on frozen foods and try cooking my beans from scratch. Now…where can I find a good pressure cooker?
• Organic clothes – need to do more research. Seems like a good idea.
• Plastic containers – besides BPA, plastics are not good for re-heating food. I think I’m going to lean more towards using class or Pyrex type stuff. I wish Pyrex would bring back some of their vintage goodies.

What are some changes you’ve made recently or are in the process of making?