Food & Fitness

5 Takeaways From Thanksgiving Dinner Preparation

December 1, 2018

I have 5 takeaways from preparing the Thanksgiving feast to help me prepare our next holiday dinner.

5 Takeaways From Thanksgiving Dinner Preparation

Before we get any further into December, I want to share my 5 takeaways from preparing the 2018 Thanksgiving dinner Cathy style. With the widely publicized Salmonella outbreak prompting a turkey recall and the recent instructions to not eat any romaine lettuce, food safety was front and center when I went to prepare the feast. Good food is always front and center, so my 5 takeaways from Thanksgiving dinner involve food safety and a fabulously tasting meal.

Here are the 5 takeaways:

Preorder the fresh turkey for pickup Thanksgiving morning. This takes care of the proper thawing of the turkey and eliminates the need for the turkey to be in my refrigerator, potentially contaminating any surface in there. By streamlining the process there is less chance of contamination by the raw turkey. I have a large stainless steel sink that I removed the racks from to place the double plastic bagged bird in once I got it home from the grocery. I did not rinse the bird and carefully lifted the bird out of the bags and placed it on the prepared rack inside the roasting pan. I then basted the turkey and put it in the oven to cook. Closing the plastic bags and tossing them out kept the turkey prep simple and contained.
Kept a stack of kitchen towels and washcloths handy for liberal use. I’ve never used so many towels and washcloths to prepare a meal! I washed down my surfaces often and just tossed the used towels or washcloths in the washing machine. I also grabbed a fresh towel often as I washed my hands and surfaces frequently. My purpose for this was to decrease any chance of cross contamination during my food preparation. Better safe than sorry is my motto. Especially for those of us on immunosuppressants.
Testing the temperature of the cooked turkey in multiple places. I tested the temperature of the cooked turkey in 5 different places as I wanted to make sure it was completely cooked. I’ve always used an instant read thermometer, but this year I really checked the bird out. What I learned is that the temperature can vary quite a bit in different parts of the turkey, especially if it is a large one.
Adding squash to the sweet potato casserole. This was an idea I won’t repeat. I added an acorn squash and a butternut squash to the sweet potato casserole thinking I could up the nutritional value of the dish by the variety. Plus they were from my husband’s organic garden, so I thought it would be fun to incorporate them. I didn’t like the mixed textures. It was fine to eat, but not the excellent texture of sweet potatoes only.
Skipped the stuffing. How could I do such a crazy thing? I figured we had all the other traditional Thanksgiving foods, and plenty of them, and I wanted to avoid gluten. None of us are celiac, but I do think we may have some sensitivity, so I took it upon myself to make this very bad decision. I ended up making stuffing for the leftovers! I will try gluten-free bread crumbs for the Christmas dinner!

I’m always trying new ways of doing things in the kitchen, my medicinal kitchen! I’m always thinking of nutrition, presentation, tradition, anti-inflammation and most of all taste! I’m also very aware of food safety. These 5 takeaways from Thanksgiving dinner preparation will be put to use in a few short weeks when we celebrate Christmas.

I’d love to hear of any helpful hints you may have!

And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

XXOO Cathy

Photo credit: Jim Digritz from Unsplash

Why Do You Want to Eat a Beet?

November 15, 2018

Roasted beets are nutritionally power-packed and add lots of color for a beautiful presentation! Yum!

Why Do You Want to Eat a Beet?

To eat a beet is to give yourself a sweet and nutritious treat. In addition to fiber, vitamins and minerals, the beet is a unique source of betalins, a phytonutrient with antioxidant properties. For someone with systemic inflammation like I have with my rheumatoid arthritis (RA), this is all good news!

What I choose to eat is an important piece to my anti-inflammatory lifestyle. I’ve experienced the benefits of limiting processed foods, carbohydrates and sugar. Even before my formal diagnosis, I made these changes to my diet with noticeable improvement in how I felt almost immediately. Enough so to give me encouragement to keep it up. My theory is to give my body the best chance to fight the inflammation and prevent further inflammation by limiting foods that can potentially cause inflammation.

“Medications alone aren’t enough. I manage my RA with my *FRESH* lifestyle.”

I aim for eating a variety of fruits and vegetables, fatty fish, lean meats and poultry, nuts and seeds. This week I roasted beets to add vibrant color, an earthy taste and interesting texture to my salad. The main reason I like to eat a beet is for the nutrition it provides. Here are some of the nutrients in a beet:

folate
manganese
copper
potassium
phosphorus
magnesium
vitamin C
iron
vitamin B-6
phytonutrients contained in the beet.

I try to eat a green salad at least 5 times a week because I have found I simply feel and think better if I do so. When I see a pattern in how I feel when I eat certain foods, I take notice. Eating green salads with different toppings and dressings are a great example of eating what makes me feel good. By changing up what I add to my greens, I don’t tire of the goodness the ingredients offer. The beets can be diced or sliced for a beautiful presentation. I love the rings exposed in a sliced beet. It adds interest to the salad.

Some of my favorite things to put with the beets and greens are candied pecans, goat cheese, orange slices, blue cheese, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and pomegranate seeds. I dress it with simple vinegar and oil, then grind some salt and pepper to top it. Yum!

Here is how I roasted the beets, which came out of my husbands organic garden.

Wash the beets to remove any dirt on them
rub olive oil on the beets
place in a dutch oven so they do not touch each other
cover
roast at 375 degrees turning the beets every 20 minutes until done
do not over bake
let cool a bit
remove peel ( I do this with my hands, but they do end up purple! )

You want to eat a beet because of the nutrients they contain, in particular the phytonutrients that have antioxidant properties to help the body help itself. A healthy diet will nourish the cells in our body to be able to do their job. I believe that helps the body to best fight the inflammation.

And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

XXOO Cathy

Day Two Think Spring

April 16, 2018

Asparagus harvesting is a sure sign of spring

Asparagus is our Day Two Think Spring surprise. Asparagus is harvested in the spring and speaks springtime to me. It is always considered when planning our Easter dinner. I’m trying to bring something into our life each day for 5 days that evoke that springtime feel. It is definitely needed today as it is still snowing. Oh my!

Asparagus grows wild in Wisconsin. You can find it where there is full sun, like in a ditch or at the side of a country road. If you are asparagus hunting, just make sure you aren’t trespassing on private land! I’m not sure the asparagus could even be found today with the amount of snow we have on the ground.

Asparagus is packed with all sorts of nutrients. Those of us with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would be pleased to learn these nutritional benefits. According to the University of Wisconsin Extension here are some of the goods this bright green veggie contains:

Vitamin A- good for vision and healthy skin
Vitamin E- strengthens immune system
Vitamin C- a powerful antioxidant fighting free radicals
Vitamin K- involved in blood coagulation
Fiber- soluble and insoluble. The body digests fiber slower making you feel fuller. The fiber also helps with constipation
Folic Acid- prevents birth defects

This vegetable that is full of good-for-you vitamins can be roasted, grilled or steamed. I’m keeping it simple by steaming the stalks and drizzling butter over the beautiful veggie. I will top it off with zest from a lemon. Yummy for sure!

Now days asparagus is available year around. For me it is still a springtime treat. I associate it with this time of the year. This is how I am bringing spring into my life today. It is still cold, gray, cloudy, snowy and on and on here in Wisconsin. The robins are even confused by this weather. I have to play a “mind game” to keep spring in my thoughts. I need my mood lifted to better my mental and emotional health. That in turn helps my body deal with my RA better. And that is using Arthritis Wisdom!

Have a fabulous Day Two Think Spring! And take good care of yourself!

XXOO Cathy