MUFA's

I have to admit, I am totally bored with the food I eat log. I keep thinking of a line in the movie, How to Loose a Guy in 10 Days! I will keep it up but as the additional info and try and make the meat of the blog more interesting and helpful.

I had a question/comment on my last blog that I am going to answer today. In the original posts for Way To LIVEit, I explained what MUFA's are and that you need one at every meal. MUFA stands for Monounsaturated fatty acid. In short, good fat!

We have been told "fat" is the devil, when indeed you need it for all your body processes to properly function. Too much of anything is "the devil" I guess but there are ESSENTIAL fats that you need to eat at every meal in small doses. They have wonderful, amazing side effects as well. They are foods most of us love and have been told we have to avoid even completely eradicate from our lives. When we add them to a meal, we feel Satisfied, almost like we are cheating. To add them regularly 4 - 5 times a day to your life means that you begin to enjoy every meal and never feel deprived.

The other absolutely unbelievable truth and effect about MUFA's is that in small doses at every meal they don't add to your body mass they actually eat away body fat. Your middle, your midriff, your thighs... Wherever fat cells have accumulated they will begin to melt away.

The KEY is small portions ( 1/4 cup, 2 tbsps, 1 tbsp...) 4-5 times a day with meals.

They are:

Oils- Safflower oil labeled "High-Oleic"contains the most beneficial MUFAS, followed by Olive Oil, and then Canola Oil. 1 tbsp drizzled on your salad or mixed with lemon juice, etc. as the dressing. 1 tbsp drizzled over hot pasta, 1 tbsp. to sautay your veggies with or "fry" up an egg... on and on.

Olives- black or green, salty, sweet, or spicy, as tapenade to spread on your "whole grain" cracker.

Nuts & Seeds- They have high levels of protein, fiber and antioxidants and they eat away your fat cells!!!! Sprinkle on yogurt, salads, cereal, just eat a palm full. The reason I say palm full instead of hand full is that we have become quite adept at getting way more than we need in our hands. In most cases you want to limit nuts to a 1/4 cup. If you choose to get your nut quotient at any meal as a spread, voila Peanut Butter becomes a staple of your diet. Now who among us couldn't eat healthy if it meant a PB&J every day. Peanut Butter for most of us is the ultimate "comfort food." You can even forgo the sandwich and eat 2 tbsps right from the jar. Who hasn't always thought that was "cheating."

Avocados- Okay for you non Californian's maybe this isn't a staple but for many of us it is and we have relished that taste and texture in salads forever. I love to just eat it plain with crackers and what is Mexican food unless topped with a little guacamole!!!! Portions for av0cado are 1/2 of small, 1/4 of large at a meal. I'll tell you a secret, that well they don't save well so I'll have to eat the whole thing is malarky. Cut an avocado into sections with the skin on and save in frig in plastic baggie with seed intact and just remove a section from the seed and put the rest back. Any area not touching the seed or covered by skin will get a teense scabby but just remove it and underneath is still absolutely wonderful.

Dark Chocolate- Are you swooning yet? Now I know for many of us it is "milk chocolate" that we crave. I promise you that is just a meager learning curve. Try it you will love it! Semisweet and other dark chocolates are low enough in sugar and high enough in MUFA's. The higher the Cacao content are darker, less sweet, especially when compared to milk chocolate. Go slowly, gradually your taste buds will crave the dark chocolate in exactly the same way it has the milk. I don't have to tell you how to incorporate chocolate into your daily food intake do I? Portion wise you are looking at 1/4 cup of chocolate chips, 1/3 of a bar or count it out by squares, 2 at a time.

7/26 - 7/31 - went pretty much as you have come to expect. I cooked this week and those recipes might be of interest. I made a luxurious favorite of mine. I usually only make it at Christmas time but I had crab that had to be used. I make a crab casserole. Cook whole wheat pasta and combine with good, lite mushroom soup and lots of natural, lower in fat cheese. I use cheddar and a little non- fat milk or soy unflavored, unsweetened to add moisture. You can top with some great whole grain topping or just more cheese. Serve hot with a fresh veggie and a bit of dark chocolate for desert!!!

It is too hot to walk to work these days, so I have been trying to walk in the early am and again at night when I get home. Now I live a block off main street in a small town and main street is long and well lit and well patrolled. If you don't have that kind of security, don't walk at night alone, not even with your dog.