Happy Friday FitFeat Friends!
After a bunch of rain and dreary weather (with more on the way) we have a brief bit of sunshine right now. I am thrilled! Regular readers of this blog know that I run on SOLAR POWER and too many days of clouds zaps my ZIP! So I’m throwing on the sneakers in a minute and heading out for a WOG to soak up some rays.
I know I said my next post would be about water kefir and yardio … but this morning while researching some recipe stuff I came across something so ironic that I couldn’t help but share this with you guys!
I happened upon a recipe on a popular recipe sharing site. In the notes, the author states:
“Your kids will eat their spinach when you serve this creamy and delicious side dish. It’s easy enough for family dinners and elegant enough for company and holidays.”
Now take a look at the INGREDIENTS in her recipe:
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon white pepper (optional)
- 1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of celery soup
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 3 (10 ounce) packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
- 1 (6 ounce) can French-fried onions
- 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Lady, if this is what it takes to get your kids to eat a little spinach, I think you’ve got bigger problems! Or you certainly will when they become obese with heart disease and/or diabetes.
Yikes.
I hate to sound judgmental, but this kind of stuff just really fires me up. It kills me that kids who have to rely on what their parents feed them are forced to eat this stuff (and under the guise of ‘healthy’ because it has spinach in it??) Hey real butter and real cheese are fine (in reasonable amounts) if they are from a quality source and free of hormones and antibiotics. But have you looked at the ingredients lately in condensed cream soups or french-fried onions?
I even feel bad for the spinach.
I’d LOVE to hear your thoughts on this! Talk to me. Does it make you nuts or do you think I’m nuts? 
– Shari B. =)
#1 by Joan on May 21, 2011 - 10:19 am
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I think you are right on! That recipe is a disaster and there any tinsy health benefit is blasted out of the boat with all the garbage she adds into it to get them to eat it. Poor kids to grow up thinking that’s good food. Those kind of recipes do make me nuts too.
Joan recently posted..Kale for Bees
#2 by Cindy on May 20, 2011 - 4:24 pm
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Hey Shari, it’s G, Talking about heart disease…….cardiologist has me on crestor, baby aspirin, and CQ10……cholesterol was double the max, whats a guy to do, I love the tasty foods, and realize a change is in order but don’t like the taste of some of these so called heathy foods, and appreciate your posting recipes for those of us who need some help in the LDL and HDL department. Keep up the good work!
On another note, we have a question on how to keep food from sticking on stainless steel pans, would love to hear your suggestions. ; ) G
#3 by Shari B. on May 21, 2011 - 11:24 am
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Hi G! It is my belief that a healthful diet fights all different types of ailments. The body has an amazing ability to heal itself if it is treated with care. My idea of a healthful diet is based first off of low-starch vegetables and leafy greens, fruits, a small amount of starchier veggies and legumes, an even smaller amount of whole unrefined (preferably non-glutinous and pre-soaked) grains like quinoa, amaranth, millet, etc and a healthful dose of good fats via nuts/seeds/avocado (including a little of the healthy oils). And high-quality animal products in moderation. I think the body has a definite need for some of the nutrients we can get from animals, which is why I still eat pastured eggs and wild fish, and occasionally I take dessicated liver tablets for my iron/B12 to try to keep my anemia at bay. But I think that the animal products aren’t the main thing on the plate. Think of them more as a side dish or condiment if you feel you need them on your plate.
Plants have all kinds of phytochemicals in them that do wonders for the body, probably more micronutrients than we even know exist – do you feel you eat a wide variety and large amount of plants each day?
Pectins in general are supposed to be helpful with cholesterol, so add some green apple and pear to your diet as they are high in pectins. (Green apples are lower sugar than other apples so better for your blood sugar control.)
You need to be eating fiber rich foods that will carry out the cholesterol in your waste too. Guess what has lots of fiber? PLANTS!
Now yes, wheat/sugar/corn etc are plants. But when things have been processed and refined they don’t have any more fiber so they don’t count anymore!
My best advice is to take the time to learn and educate yourself about it – see what calls to you and commit to it to giving it a go. Check out Dr. Joel Fuhrman’s “Eat to Live”, Dr. Ed Bauman’s “Eat for Health”, things like the “Engine 2 Diet” and “The China Study”. Or if you prefer movie format check out “Eating”, “Fat Sick and Nearly Dead” and maybe “Forks Over Knives” (I’m going to see that last one today, but I know what it’s about so I’m sure you’d benefit from its message!). Some of these are vegetarian plans yes – but what you should take away from them is the message of how and why plants heal the body, not necessarily that you can’t have any meat. We can do a consult call too if you want to get some ideas on what you can eat if you feel at a loss of what to do next or how to increase your veggie consumption without it being too painful.
As far as cooking in your stainless steel pans, are you using too high of heat? And what oil are you currently using? I cook with oils that can handle medium heat (coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, grapeseed oil, almond oil) but I never put olive oil in my pan. And I rarely cook anything higher than on medium heat unless I’m trying to boil water.
#4 by Julie on May 20, 2011 - 12:12 pm
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My sediments exactly Shari! I work around school children and I always feel so bad for the kid who is obese and outside eating alone because it is SO apparent to me that they are ashamed, I wish I could just point out to their parents of how miserable they are and to do something about. Okay, I’ll get off my soap box now!
#5 by Cindy on May 20, 2011 - 11:05 am
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OH MY GOSH SHARI
go see what I made for dinner last night.
I just cleaned up a tuna noodle casserole by replacing the cream of mushroom soup, and the crunchy french fried onions.
JJ would never eat creamed spinach, but he drinks plenty of it in a smoothie.
You are not nuts. I am sure that recipe tastes good. It sounds rich and creamy but I still doubt my son would eat it. If its a mush of green on his plate he just automatically says ICK.
I don’t jump on every health band wagon there is…I try them, I consider them and I may even experiment, and to each their I own….but that said
I agree if you have to cheese and fatten up every vegetable just to serve your kids….oh my!
xo
#6 by Shari B. on May 20, 2011 - 11:15 am
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Whoa Cindy! We are scarily having the same train of thought on that – I just read your post! NO WAY!
Great minds think alike, eh? Oh my gosh, dehydrated onions are the bomb! Those ones we made in school will burn your nosehairs off but BOY do they taste amazing!
#7 by Nancy on May 20, 2011 - 10:09 am
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No you are not nuts, Shari! Take a look at all the fat ingredients!!!, just so you can give your child spinach?
There is plenty wrong with that, give them something else besides spinach then! (this comes from a mom with 3 very picky boys, one of which you are married to, and
he was the pickiest as all in the family know!!!) But look how wonderful he turned out and he eats so many different & healthy foods now!!! There is a testimonial somewhere there for you!! Thx Shari!! Love ya sweetie!!!
#8 by Shari B. on May 20, 2011 - 11:22 am
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Aw Nancy – thank you!
I think maybe that’s why that recipe got under my skin so much!
Love ya too!