Monday, March 1, 2010

BLT & Avocado on Whole Wheat, is it Healthy?

Is a BLT healthy? Not so much,  but make it with high quality, fresh ingredients, don't indulge every day or even every week, and you will be fine. And remember, bacon can be made from pork, beef or tofu.

No need to be a health fanatic!
An apple and trail mix, or falafel from 7-11, breakfast burrito or grilled chicken sandwich from Carl's Jr, not the end of the world, and reasonably healthy. Have them hold the mayo, and special sauce, skip the bun and ask for extra lettuce, stay away from the high fat, and high sodium,  fried dishes. 
Perfect is the enemy of good, and healthy eating is not about fanatical perfectionism. Most of us will be faced with eating away from home, the trick is to make healthy choices, and this really can be done almost anywhere you go. Fast food restaurants all have healthy selection areas on their menus, it's up to you to order with your head and not your belly. Many Los Angeles 7-11's actually carry fresh apples, bananas, fresh normal (not the absurd oversized 'gourmet' meal and a half sandwiches so popular now) sized sandwiches, and my fave, 'Got Kosher's locally made, fresh falafel with awesome hummus, veggie burgers, and all at very reasonable prices. 
Fancy and expensive does not always equal healthy. Don't be a food snob! That $40.00 fat drenched, oversized duck breast at the fancy restaurant is much worse for your health and bank balance than the simple single serving sized, $2.50 tuna on whole wheat- made this morning- sandwich from 7-11. 

What is bad all the time? Daily bad habits. Candy bars, yes, even the mini candy bars, and even if no one sees you eat them, the stale butter cookies in the break room, the sugar and 1/4 cup of half and half in your morning coffee, if it's a daily habit it is undermining your health. Remember, granola bar is really just another word for candy bar. Nutrient depleted foods are always a poor choice, or as one of former, and very brief,  Om patron insisted on doing, eating rotting food, yes, you read that correctly, rotting, decomposing food! As I tried to explain, ever so gently,  fresh salad greens are not fresh if they have turned black and are slimy, cooked beef or chicken refrigerated for 7-10 days or more is no longer fresh or edible!  Food stored to this point is lacking its original nutritional value, disgusting, and very possibly dangerous, and is anything but fresh. Penny wise, but health foolish 

Fresh and fab cafe at Pico and Roberstson
Shabbat Meals
 Take-Out and Holiday Meals
Hollywood Bowl Basket
Got Kosher also available at 
select Los Angeles 7-11's
LAX
Burbank Airport

Ceviche in NoHo

The foundation of any Ceviche is seafood, chilies, and citrus juice.
Lime, and lemon are the most commonly used citrus juice, but grapefruit juice, and bitter orange juice are also popular. Jalapenos, seranos or habenero chilies are the universal favorites. Tomatoes, mango, bell peppers, carrot, onion, garlic are all optional
Pictured: Baja Ceviche
Tilapia, squid, mussels, crab, scalop, tomato, red onion, lime, cilantro, jalapeno, habenero, and garlic....garnished with carrot and radish

Jon's Market

 Cactus pads, to banana leaves, fresh yoghurts, extensive produce, and great prices make Jon's a foodie paradise. Independent grocers, such as Jon's, are a great way to shop while supporting your community