Kasia the Expert

     The other day, I realized my mental recipe box totals seven recipes.  This means that every week or so, I cook the same, tasty and familiar meals over and over again.  I bet most of us cook just a handul of family-friendly meals and because we're pressed for time, rarely update our culinary repertoire.  Here is my new menu that not only fits my family's busy schedule, but also provides a great food variety, as recommended by MyPyramid guidelines.  Each meal includes a recipe and serving suggestions to ensure menu items offer food from every MyPyramid food group: Grains, Vegetables, Fruits, Milk and Meat & Beans.  Now, not only can your family enjoy a tasty meal, it's MyPyramid-friendly as well!

Sunday Brunch.  Cajun Egg Sandwich.  To boost MyPyramid food groups, top the sandwich with an ounce of your favorite shredded low-fat cheese and serve with orange juice.

Hustling Monday.  Szechuan Barbecue Pork and Vegetables.  Maximize MyPyramid by adding brown rice, mandarin oranges and milk.

After-School-Sports Tuesday.  Mexicali Turkey Wraps.  This recipe offers ingredients from every MyPyramid food group!  Keep the athlete in your child hydrated by serving water or milk.

Kids' Wednesday.  Spicy Spaghetti with Beef and Vegetables.  The red wine vinegar gives this kid favorite a new twist.  Boost MyPyramid food groups by serving non-fat chocolate milk and sliced pears.

Express Thursday.  Island Turkey Salad.  This refreshing salad calls for mango but can be just as delicious when mango is replaced with canned peaches.  Build up MyPyramid food groups with chilled brown rice and vanilla yogurt sprinkled with coconut flakes for dessert.

Relax Friday.  Start with whole grain crackers and low-fat cheddar cheese as an appetizer, followed by Broccoli and Egg Stuffed Baked Potatoes.  MyPyramid can be complete when this meal is served with your family's favorite 100% fruit juice.

Saturday Night!  Rent a movie, make this Citrus Kissed Snack Mix, give yourself a break and forget about MyPyramid until Sunday morning!

     For my best friend's birthday last weekend, I attended a gourmet cooking class.  While it was delicious, I can't eat this way every day because for me, "gourmet" food is much too rich in price as well as calories and fat.  However, it got me thinking about ways to re-create the flavor of some of the recipes, while reducing the price and improving the nutritional content as well.  I know I'm not alone in my quest for great tasting foods that don't break my budget, since, according to IFIC Food Insight, "taste" and "price" continue to top American consumers' list when purchasing foods and beverages.  So, if you're like me and want to take some of the "richness" (money and calories) out of gourmet cooking, you may find these tips helpful.

• Sub-in different choices of meat.  Sure, the recipe calls for filet mignon, but I have found that chicken breast is just as tasty and much cheaper!  (I've even wrapped it in bacon for an added twist).  To give you an idea, according to my local supermarket, 4 ounces of chicken is priced at $1.00, whereas 4 ounces of beef tenderloin is priced at $3.50.  An added bonus?  Opting for chicken will cut your calorie, total fat and saturated fat content considerably, while giving you the same amount of protein!
• Choose frozen and canned produce.  Does the recipe call for produce such as string beans, broccoli flourets or diced tomatoes?  Frozen or canned produce is less expensive and offer great nutritional benefits.  For example, canned tomatoes contain greater amounts of the antioxidant lycopene than fresh tomatoes.
• Check out the dollar store.  I've seen everything from $60 bottles of wine to authentic spices all priced the same--99 cents!  Often times, the quality matches that of which you'll find at any regualr supermarket.  Just be sure to check expiration dates.

     I still plan to occasionally indulge in gourmet cooking, however, with an eye to my budget, waistline and tastebuds, I'm happy to experiment with my own style of gourmet in the meantime!

Ham sandwich? Tacos? Iced tea? Often times, on my way home from work I get a quick bite to eat or dinner. One day, while stuck in traffic, I actually counted how many food joints I drive by. It turns out that a two-mile stretch is packed with 15 full-services restaurants and 18 quick-service reaturants with a drive-through option (my favorite). That doesn't even include the food sold at multiple gas stations and stores. My observation made me think about how this easy access to food can affect the feeling of hunger and ultimatly, weight control.

If you are like me and maintain weight by balancing moderate portions of various foods (energy in) while staying active (energy out), knowing the difference between physical and emotional hunger can be helpful. There are many ways to describe the difference, but personally I look for these signs:

• Gradual vs. sudden hunger. True physical hunger developes gradually; feeling of hunger that appears suddenly while stuck in traffic or feeling stressed may indicate emotional hunger. I keep a mental record of my meal times. If I feel hungry and know it's been hours since I've eaten, then, often times, on my way home from work, I choose to get a quick "small bite" or a "snack size" option offered at many drive-thru restaurants.
• Below the neck vs. above the neck. Does the signal to eat come from my stomach or my brain? When I can hear my stomach growl I can trust myself it is due to physical hunger rather than just having a craving for food.
• Wait a few minutes. Cravings pass but true hunger doesn't. Allowing even two minutes to discern hunger from craving can help.

A person's weigh is a result of many factors, including healthful eating and staying active. Are you really hungry or full but have a craving for food? Learning to recognize the difference between physical and emotional hunger has proven to help my weigh control!