Questions for the Cooks Among Ye

As this winter drags on, I'm growing a little weary of barbecued chicken and taco soup, which are the two primary things I cook. Well, there's also Christmas cookies, but I've got about 10 months before I can make those again. :)

I've been watching the Food Network for some ideas, but to be honest, those people cook foods I either don't like, don't want, or probably can't afford. Except for that Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives show. They've got lots of stuff I'd love to prepare at home. :)

So I'm turning to you guys, the experts in healthy, affordable fare, for answers to these burning (no pun intended) questions:

1) Kroger had a clearance sale on Organic Coconut Oil, and since I've seen it mentioned (if only I could remember where!) as an alternative to other types of oils, I bought a jar. Now I'm wondering what I might do with it. Do I use it in the same measure as other types of fats (which would be sparingly, of course)?  Got any good tips, tricks, or ideas for using coconut oil in cooking?

2) I've got a couple of recipes calling for egg whites only, and I don't really care to a) fool with separating eggs or b) purchase egg white substitutes. And then I remembered my friends, the vegans. There must be a substitute for egg whites out there somewhere. (In fact, I have some elusive memory floating around in the fuzz that is my brain.)  Any ideas?

3) I'm wanting to do something with chicken that's not barbecue or taco soup-related. Anyone with a good chicken marinade recipe or anything interesting (and exceedingly easy) to do with chicken breasts?

Many thanks, in advance, for your help!

Rant: This Post May Have Been Stolen

Please pardon this departure from my normal fluffiness, but I'm feeling a tad cranky.

If you are reading this post on any site that does not have "tippytoediet" in its URL, then you're most likely reading stolen content.

If you are reading this post on a site with the words "thighs" and "thinner" in its URL, then you are definitely reading stolen content. The owner of that site has been contacted by yours truly numerous times since November 2009 and is no longer responding to cease and desist requests. GoDaddy and AdSense have also been notified of this copyright infringement, which is in violation of their stated policies, not to mention a direct violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and International Copyright Law.

And a certain indicator of bad breeding.

Sharing content around the blogosphere is absolutely acceptable, with proper attribution. It's how we share information and learn about other blogs. The more appropriate way to do it is to post a blurb about the article of interest and then provide a direct link to the original content.  It is a great big no-no to publish other bloggers' content in its entirety and present it as your own without express written permission. (Most people add "posted with permission" or words to that effect.). 

If you're a blogger whose content is being scraped onto a just-for-profit blog, there are steps you can take to stop the offender. The folks at NetConcepts.com have compiled a very useful article on how to stop copyright infringement. (See how easy that is?)

An easy way to find out if your content is being published elsewhere is to include the name of your blog in each of your posts or RSS feeds and then set up a google alert with your blog name in it.(You'll want to put the name of your blog in quotes, like this: "The Tippy Toe Diet" to make it an absolute reference.)  You can set your alert to notify you with each occurrence, daily, or weekly.


So, Mr. Content Thief, let's see if you scrape this post as you have done with all my posts since November 2009. As you do with the posts of many other bloggers.

Shame.

Thank you, lovely readers, for your patience in allowing me to take care of this little bit of annoyance. I'll be back tomorrow with my normal fluffy, perky self. Or as close as I can get on a Monday. :)

The Week That Was

This was one of those weeks that peaked on Tuesday and then kind of tumbled and stumbled to a dismal finish. Nothing horrible at all, for which I'm humbly thankful, but a couple of disappointing turn of events, a root canal with feverish complications (I look like a chipmunk!), the apparent death of my treadmill, and endless gray days have me very much looking forward to a fresh new week!

On the plus side, nutrition and exercise were pretty decent this week. When my treadmill went into a coma, I learned that my parents still had an old stationary bike I'd purchased years and years ago, so I hauled it to my house. It's pretty pathetic, as cardio equipment goes, but after I put on my 10-pound ankle weights, I was able to get in a good workout on it. Where there's a will, there's a way, eh? :)

Also on the plus side, I "discovered" a really cool international food market near my house that has fruits and veggies I never even heard of. It's been there for several years, and I only drive past it every two or three days, but I'd never bothered to stop until yesterday. My goal of trying new foods every few weeks just got a whole lot easier.

Another bright spot to the week was that a number of new-to-me bloggers dropped in to comment, and now I have some fun new blogs to check out! Following other people as they achieve their goals always inspires me to keep chasing my own. Funny how that works, isn't it?

Finally, these articles also brightened my otherwise gray-ish week:
- Kat over at BodyIncredible.com shared How to Boost Your Metabolism in 3 Minutes 29 Seconds (Caution: If you need to pee, I suggest you do it before watching the accompanying video.)

- The folks at Wisebread posted some great tips on Frugal Gluten-free Living. While I'm not gluten-free, I know some of you are, and these seem like pretty good ideas.

- Healthy Theory had this informative post: Not All Sugars Are Created Equal.

- MakeUseOf clued me in on this free online food diary, exercise, and weight loss tracker.

And last, but far from least, DumbLittleMan had an awesome post on 50 Ways to Create a Better Day. Today I'm focusing on #27 and NOT wallowing. :)

Hope you're looking forward to an amazing weekend!

~~~

Fight Those Moody Blues with Food

One of the common threads these days among the blogs I read is that many of us are just about up to here with winter and are counting the days/hours/minutes until it's over. As the progression of gray, dismal days extends, our spirits tumble lower and lower and lower.

And then this happens:

If you haven't already figured it out, these are NOT the answer. Trust me. I tried Girl Scout Cookie Winter-Blues Therapy for years, and while it provides a temporary boost, it's not particularly helpful in the overall scheme of things.

That's not to say there are no foods that will help combat the moody blues. Quite the opposite, in fact, and by following a few eensy, teensy guidelines, we can use food to change that blues-y beat to something much easier (not to mention more fun) to dance to:

Fill up with fruits and veggies - Loaded with nutrients and antioxidants, fruits and veggies influence all our bodies' systems and improve overall energy levels. We just feel better when we eat them. (Seriously. I'm munching on an apple now, and I'm actually humming. In February.)

Boost your Vitamin B12 and folic acid - Known to prevent mood disorders and reduce symptoms of depression, these two nutrients are easy to add to the winter menu. B12 is found in meats, poultry, fish, and dairy. Folic acid is found in greens and beans. Think: leafy green salad topped with grilled chicken and black beans. Or a nice bowl of chili with beans (or taco soup), topped with a smidge of melted cheese. Or how about a spinach omelet? The possibilities are endless.

Seek out selenium - This critical mineral boosts both mood and mental performance. Lucky for us, it's found in lots of tasty places: beans & legumes, lean meats, dairy, and nuts and seeds. In fact, ONE brazil nut has twice the RDA of selenium. Who knew?

Get your daily dose of Vitamin D - The best source of Vitamin D is the sun, but when it's in short supply (see: February), we can supplement our diets with cheese, egg yolks, and fatty fishes like tuna, mackerel, and salmon. These are all good sources of Vitamin D and will help fight off those nasty mood swings.

Opt for Omega 3s - Our little fishy friends are loaded with Omega 3 fatty acids, which reduce the symptoms of depression. Tuna, salmon, herring (ick!), and sardines are good sources of Omega 3s.

Splurge on an itsy bit of chocolate - A small serving of chocolate boosts our brain endorphins and give us a sense of well-being. This is definitely NOT a case in which "if one works, two (or twelve) must be better." A 1-oz. serving is plenty for these purposes.

So. Those are the foods that we should seek out. It follows naturally that there are foods we'd be better off avoiding or limiting: caffeine, sugar, saturated fat, and alcohol, which have all shown to have negative effects on mood and/or sleep patterns.

In addition to choosing mood-boosting foods, and limiting mood-depleting ones, exercise and proper rest will go a long, long way in improving our mental outlook and enabling us to hang on until warmer weather arrives.

Your turn! Are you pining for Spring? How are you fighting off the winter blues? Do tell. Please. :)

~

For now, I'm off to boost my mood with a trip to the hair stylist!

Happy Healthy Hearts

February is American Heart Month and National Heart Month in the U.K. and Canada. It's a great time to learn about or recommit yourself to heart healthy strategies. I blogged about Heart Month on this date last year. Check it out to learn more about heart disease, especially as it affects women. (Note: As far as I can tell, the HEART for Women Act is still stuck in some Senate committee and has not been passed.

Friday, February 5, is National Wear Red Day (February 11th in Australia. Show your support for women's heart health--Go Red! Get your co-workers to do the same. My office did it last year, and it was soooo energizing to see how many people--women and men--showed their support. You can see me in my red finery by clicking here.

In New Zealand Annual Appeal Week will be held February 8-14th. I'm not sure exactly what that is, but it sounds like a fund-raiser to me. So if you're in NZ, give early and/or often! :)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

In other news, my heart is very happy today! Lots of reasons, but not the least of which can be found at #11 on my List of 10 Things That Make Me Happy. If you recall from the aforelinked post, I had entered Chocolate-Covered Katie's Vitamix Giveaway and in a burst of positivity (and general silliness), added it to the list of happy-inducers at the last minute. Well, guess what?

I won!

Yeps, out of the gazillion people who entered, my name was chosen. (Bless you, Katie! and thanks to all of you who cheered!) After years of pining, I will soon be the proud owner of a Vitamix 5200.

And with fresh strawberry season just around the corner...

Be still, my heart.

Wait! I don't mean that literally. My heart should keep on pumping like it's supposed to, only happier and healthier. :)

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Wishing you all. a heart-healthy and heart-happy February!