Baby's got a brand new bag

Many thanks to all the followers, commenters and readers of my Lunchmeat blog since it's birth. I will be continuing to blog but posting on my website JessicaProcini.com.  I won't be deleting this blog so you can still come back and find the recipes you love. See you on the new site :)

The JIF Myth

In a previous post, when referring to JIF peanut butter, I said, “you’re better off drinking a bottle of Windex”.  Because you really are. Not ready to give up your JIF just yet? Maybe this breakdown will help you reconsider.

Let’s take a gander at the ingredients...
1. Roasted Peanuts: peanuts are the #1 pesticided item. Do you enjoy chemicals with your peanuts? I don’t. Whenever choosing a peanut butter, choose organic. (All natural doesn’t count) You’re worth a couple extra pennies.
2. Sugar: this is the straight white stuff that will spike your blood sugar and then leaving you crashing an hour or too later making you reach for MORE peanut butter, candy or unnecessary calories. Also, sugar = weight gain.
3. Molasses: another sweetener.  If you’re trying to switch from Jif to the organic-no-crap-added peanut butter you’ll notice it’s not as sweet. Jif cheats and adds TWO sweeteners.
4. FULLY Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil: When a vegetable oil is hydrogenated, hydrogen is added to turn liquid oils into solids. This hydrogenation process is highly unnatural involving high heat, high pressure and the use of toxic substances, such as nickel, as catalysts and alters the shape of the molecules. Even though fully hydrogenated oils may contain no trans fat, such oils contain lots of free radicals, which can cause serious damage to body cells.
5. Mono and Diglycerides:  additives that are used to blend together two ingredients that normally wouldn’t blend well, such as oil and water. That is why most peanut butters without additives have all the oil at the top.  When you purchase it, give it a super duper good stir when you get home and put it in the fridge. You’ll never have to stir or see the gross oil bath at the top again.
6. Salt: because JIF wants you to bloat after you enjoy their peanut butter

Trying to get a JIF lover off peanut butter is like trying to get a cigarette smoker off cigarettes. It’s tough. One tactic you can try is what I like to call the Half and Half: Have your Jif lover mix half of their JIF with half of their organic peanut butter. Half is better then none. Once the Jif runs out, purchase a bottle of Windex instead.

Nutrition Nugget

I get a lot of questions from people (keep them coming!) and this is one I get asked a lot so I'd like to share it with the masses :) 


Betty writes:
Jess! How are you??? i LOVE your blog! Random question (and I guess maybe a blog post request???). I'll be traveling soon for 5 days for a conference. It's pretty easy to find healthy foods for lunch and dinner while on the road, but much more difficult to find healthy breakfasts. I'm assuming that means I have to bring stuff with me. Any ideas for breakfast on the road (without a fridge)? Thanks!!!


Great question! Traveling can be an automatic 'eject' button out of our healthy eating bandwagon but if you pick out your meals or snacks just like you do your outfits, it'll be like a seatbelt when that eject button launches. 


If you're traveling by car or train I recommend getting a cute lunch bag, packing it with a few ice packs so you can make your own mini fridge of goodies. I usually pack a green smoothie, hard boiled eggs, carrots and hummus for the following morning. 1 day of a healthy breakfast is better then zero.  


If that isn't an option my go-to easy travel buddies are:

• an avocado (it will keep you full! but be sure to pack a knife and spoon to eat it)
• bananas and apples (with almond butter or organic peanut butter) 
• nuts - any kind you fancy
• Larabars - check out their minimalist ingredient list
• Silvers Power Balls

If you have no time to prepare your best bet is finding a Starbucks, because they're everywhere. Skip the coffee and grab a hot green tea and their Protein Bistro Box. It contains a hard boiled egg (protein!), cheese (for those who can eat it), some fruit and muesli bread with peanut butter (more protein and healthy fat to keep you full). If you're still hungry, buy two.  My last option would be their oatmeal with nuts (no brown sugar!) as it has more additives then the protein box. Please note that Starbucks food is not the greatest option but when you're in a pinch it's better then a doughnut or bagel with cream cheese. 


But remember, traveling is about stepping outside your comfort zone and exploring new places. So don't stress over trying to stick to your normal eating habits.  It's not going to happen.  But, do keep a few things in your freezer so when you get home you can jump right back on the bandwagon and don't have to order pizza. 


If you have a question, send it to me (Jessica@JessicaProcini.com) and you may see it's answer here! 

An Invitation...

Weigh Less and Live More this Holiday Season!

Food, festivity and stress are three major 'gifts' during the holiday season. Research shows that the average American gains around 7 to 10 pounds between the time of Thanksgiving and New Years, setting themselves up for a weight loss New Years resolution. Discover how to survive this holiday season without weight gain and unbearable stress. I will share tips, tricks and recipes to help you get through your to-do list and enjoy the festivities without guilt or overindulgence so you find yourself entering 2012 still being able to zip your pants.

Monday, November 28th at 7:30pm
At Juju Salon (Next to Essene Market)
728 South 4th Street, Philadelphia

Please call 215-238-6080 to reserve your spot - it's free but space is limited and filling up!


See you there!

Label This.

"What are you?" is hands down the most common question I get. Followed by "Are you vegan? Vegetarian? Do you eat meat? What DO you eat?" Here's the answer: I eat what is right for my body and I don't believe that I should fit myself into someone else's stipulations aka label. (GASP) Vegan, pescatarian, lacto-ovo vegetarian... Your body needs different things based on it's physical activity, what climate you live in, what your age is and male vs. female. And to top it off, it all changes from day to day. So what happens if you eat outside your label's standards? Do you still consider yourself a part of that label?
For a while I didn't cook meat at home. I'd freely eat it out at a restaurant but cooking it just wasn't my thing anymore. But recently my body has been extremely tired, lethargic and craving meat. So I flipped through my favorite recipes and found this guy. It re-energized my body and made me feel ready to take on this cold weather (snow in October?! really?!) Talk about the perfect fall (or does snow=winter?) chili and it's easy to make. If you've got a busy week up ahead it's leftovers are just as fantastic as the first day, so make a huge pot and enjoy throughout your week.

Turkey Pumpkin Chili


Makes about 6 servings and takes about 45 minutes to make, start to finish including cleanup


Need:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, cored, seeded and chopped
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 pound ground white meat turkey
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin purée (I roasted a pumpkin like I did for the Pumpkin Bars)
1 cup water
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 (15-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained (I used Eden Brand)


Do:
Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.

Enjoy!

Recipe via Whole Foods and image via Jess' iPhone