Simply healthy eating

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Daily meals go back to basics

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By Sara Rae LancasterFad diets gain popularity like a forest fire, and then disappear as quickly as a lit match. Still, some women try them all.

But as three southeastern Wisconsin women discovered through different circumstances, improved health doesn’t come in magic pills or quick-fix promises. Good health requires permanent lifestyle changes.

Foods in simple form

Liz Leahey, of Kenosha, follows a “clean eating” lifestyle, which focuses on eating foods in their simplest form. Processed and artificial foods are replaced with whole grains, raw nuts, lean protein, fresh fruits and veggies.

Leahey started experimenting with clean eating in 2000 when she became pregnant with the older of her two sons. She was in her early 30s at the time, and she wanted to have energy to do things with her children.

To keep up with her boys, Leahey relies on flourless sprouted grain bread (also known as Ezekiel bread), fresh fruits, broccoli, avocados, raw nuts and, her personal favorite, Greek yogurt.

“I use a lot of Greek yogurt,” said Leahey, who enjoys it topped with raw nuts for breakfast and uses it as an oil substitute when baking. Greek yogurt differs from regular yogurt in the way it is strained, which results in a thicker consistency and higher protein content.

Because she quickly felt the benefits of clean eating, she said it wasn’t difficult to stick with it. If anything, food began tasting better.

“So much of our food is artificially sweetened. If you have everything sweet, your palate then expects that everything you put in your mouth will taste sweet,” she said. “It’s about teaching your palate to taste food again and being in touch with how you feel. You can still have the occasional treat if most of the time you’re eating healthy.”

Remembering the basics

Carole Crawford, of Pleasant Prairie, also follows that philosophy.

“Have fun things when you need to,” she said. “I believe in chocolate and other goodies — just remember the basics.”

For Crawford, nutritional balance became a priority in the mid-1980s. She was single, paying her way through school and dealing with the loss of both parents.

“I was reeling and trying to stay in one piece,” she said.

Previously, she’d volunteered at local women’s shelters where she taught basic nutrition training, stress reduction techniques and exercise guidelines. Now, it was time to give back to herself.

“I did research through the 1980s and ’90s on organic food, vegetarianism, the use of carbohydrates versus protein,” she said. “I started listening to what my body wanted and cutting out chemical-laden foods and drinks.”

Avoiding food allergies

But other women, like Catherine McConnell, of Kenosha, didn’t have a choice. For her, changing her eating habits came on suddenly with the diagnosis of her infant son Isaac’s food allergies.

“He was reacting to food proteins coming through the breast milk,” McConnell explained. “It started out being just a milk allergy. Then it was also soy.” Because McConnell wanted to continue breastfeeding, her only option was to eliminate dairy and soy from her diet. That meant preparing everything she and her husband ate at home.

“I never had a big interest in cooking, so it was a huge lifestyle change and very stressful,” she said.

To cope, McConnell approached the challenge as an experiment.

“I’d see what I had in the house, type in the ingredients online and see what recipes I could find,” she recalled. “It made it fun.” Her searches lead to new dairy- and soy-free favorites including pumpkin bread, veggie pancakes and tuna noodle casserole.

Now at 15-months, Isaac is weaned and some of his allergies have subsided, but McConnell isn’t returning to her previous eating habits.

“I had this idea that I’d be eating Oreos and enjoying my mochas, but I have no desire,” she said. “I’m so much more aware now of the ingredients in our foods that when I look at the package I think, ‘I just can’t put that in my body.’”

Finding a balance

In this case, good habits are hard to break. Crawford has stuck to her regimen for more than two decades and stays true to it even while traveling extensively for work. She eats one salad a day “no matter what, from no matter where.” She sticks to clear dressings — which usually are oil and vinegar based — and is sure to use lots of colorful vegetables. She also enjoys whole-grain cereals topped with honey and sliced banana. No matter where she is “a solid breakfast is vital, and greens/salads once a day is a must for balance.”

No matter what situation brings a woman to adopting healthier eating habits, achieving balance in her new lifestyle is just as important as the food choices.

“It’s in our best interest not to use fake things such as processed foods or all fat-free foods,” said Anne Sprenger, a registered clinical dietitian at Shorewood Counseling Associates in Shorewood, Wis. “But in terms of being 100 percent whole foods or all organic, personally, it’s going to make things difficult.”

Sprenger cautioned that being too rigid could lead to feelings of guilt and anxiety over food. “And then eating isn’t fun anymore,” she said.

Leahey seems to share Sprenger’s stance.

“Eating healthy isn’t about trying to be a size two,” she said. “It’s about being healthy and having energy.”

Carole’s recipes

MIXED FRUIT AND BERRY SALAD WITH GINGERSNAP DRESSING

1 quart fresh strawberries, sliced

1 pint blueberries

1 pint raspberries

1 1/2 cup fresh pineapple or unsweetened chunk pineapple, drained

1 cup Mandarin oranges (see Note)

for dressing

1/4 teaspoon dried ginger, or 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1/3 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon allspice

Whisk dressing ingredients, set aside at least 30 minutes.

Rinse all fresh fruit, drain remaining fruit of juice, toss all fruits together lightly (be careful not to bruise raspberries).

In mixing bowl, drizzle dressing over fruit. Let stand 15 to 20 minutes, then toss gently. Cover and refrigerate.

Note: Dole brand Mandarin oranges are preferred, or, if in season, section fresh Clementines

WHOLE WHEAT PENNE WITH SPINACH, SUN DRIED TOMATO, SWEET PEPPERS AND PARMESAN CHEESE

for the penne:

1 pound whole wheat penne pasta or regular (wheat preferred)

2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth

Salt to taste (see Note)

Extra virgin olive oil

for the sauce:

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded and sliced

2 cups fresh baby spinach, washed

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/4 cup fresh basil

1/2 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes, with 1 teaspoon oil from tomatoes included

1 cup vegetable or chicken stock/broth

1/8 teaspoon sugar

3/4 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon dried oregano

1 cup grated Parmesan, pecorino, or other sharp, white, fragrant cheese

For the penne: Heat large kettle/dutch oven with the broth and enough water to fill the kettle to three-fourths full. Add salt (if needed). Bring to boil. Add pasta, stirring as you add to prevent sticking. Lower to simmer. Cook penne to point of chewiness; do not overcook. Take kettle off heat, let stand 3 minutes, then put penne into colander to drain. Drizzle with olive oil in colander after draining. Let stand.

For the sauce: Heat the olive oil and cook the onion and yellow pepper until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic. As garlic softens, about 2 minutes or so, add oregano, salt, tomatoes with oil, sugar and broth. Heat through, about 2 minutes. Add wine, simmer another 3 minutes or so. Add pepper flakes and spinach; cover and cook on low heat about 5 minutes, until spinach is wilted. Add the basil, cook about 2 minutes, stir. Turn heat off and set aside until guests are ready to eat. Then return the oiled penne from the colander to the kettle and toss with the sauce. Gently heat. Sprinkle with grated cheese. For more color, chop extra fresh basil to add with the grated cheese.

Note: This is elegant, tasty, reheats like a dream with a little broth and is perfect for Ziplocks to provide healthy take alongs for kids and you too.actually better the second day. Also for busy cooks; this sauce can be made and kept covered to use on other pastas, or rice, for 5-7 days refrigerated. Just gently reheat (in a pan, not a microwave) and add to tossed cooked pasta.

Keeps well and gets better stored overnight.

Note: If using 100 percent broth, no salt should be added; if 50 percent or less broth to water, taste the water for enough salt.

Liz’s recipes

FRUIT & NUT ENERGY BARS

Cooking spray

1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

1/2 cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds

1/2 cup ground golden flaxseed meal

1/4 cup whole-wheat pastry flour

1/2 cup dried apricots

1/2 cup raw almonds

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup pitted dried dates

1/2 cup powdered nonfat dry milk

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

2 large eggs, beaten

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.

Place all ingredients except the syrup and eggs in a food processor and pulse until the mixture is finely chopped. Add the syrup and eggs and pulse until the mixture is well combined. It will resemble a coarse paste.

Transfer to baking pan and spread evenly. Bake until just done, about 20 minutes. Cut into 20 rectangles.

LEMON YOGURT POPPY SEED MUFFINS

1 cup brown rice flour

1 cup oat flour

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

8 ounces plain low-fat Greek yogurt

2/3 cup granulated sugar

1 egg, separated, plus 1 egg white

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1/4 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice

grated zest of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

1 tablespoon poppy seeds

3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Sift or whisk flours and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Combine yogurt and sugar in a medium bowl, then stir until well-blended. Add egg yolk, milk, 3 tablespoons of the lemon juice, lemon zest and lemon extract. Stir to blend.

Beat the 2 egg whites in a medium bowl until stiff peaks form. Fold into yogurt mixture. Fold flour mixture into batter. Add poppy seeds, then stir gently to blend. Spoon into muffin liners, filling each almost to the top. Bake for about 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together remaining 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice and confectioners’ sugar. Pierce holes over muffins with a toothpick and spoon glaze on top of each muffin. Cool completely.

Catherine’s recipes

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

for the cream of mushroom soup

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup mushroom, diced (not canned)

1/4 cup yellow onion, minced

1 serrano pepper, finely minced

3 tablespoons shortening

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon white pepper

1 1/4 cups rice milk

for the casserole

8 ounces egg noodles

12 ounces canned tuna

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup rice milk

1 cup frozen peas

Cook the egg noodles according to package instructions. Rinse with cool water and put aside.

Heat the olive oil and saute the mushrooms, minced onions and serrano pepper for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

Melt the shortening. Add the flour, corn starch and pepper, whisking to get out any lumps. After a minute or two, add the rice milk. Continue to whisk until it begins to thicken (which will happen quickly). Put the sauteed vegetables back in the pan and heat for a minute or two. Add more rice milk if it gets too thick. Remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a deep casserole dish, combine the soup, rice milk and onion. Next add the tuna and peas. Finally, add the noodles, carefully folding them into the rest of the mixture.

Bake covered for 30 minutes and uncovered for no more than 10 minutes.

TILAPIA AND GINGER-SESAME ROASTED VEGETABLES

2 tilapia fillets, rinsed

3 small red potatoes, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, diced

1/2 red onion, diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon minced ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine olive oil, sesame oil, lime juice, pepper flakes, salt and ginger.

Place potatoes, bell pepper and onion in a Pyrex-type baking dish. The dish should be about 2-inches deep and just long enough to fit both fillets. Toss the vegetables with the oil-spice sauce. Bake for 25 minutes, stirring once.

Remove from oven and push the vegetables to one side of the cooking dish. Place first fillet in dish and cover with the vegetables. Push vegetables aside to place other fillet in dish and cover it with the remaining vegetables. Bake for another 20 minutes or until tilapia is thoroughly cooked. It should flake and still be very moist.

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