Intermittent Fasting: Short-Term for the Holiday Season and Long-Term to Prevent/Reverse Disease and Increase Longevity

With one food-centered holiday behind us and the mother of all eating holidays just starting this may be a good time to educate yourself on intermittent fasting.  Intermittent fasting is a general term referring to diets that cycle between periods of eating and fasting.

Fasting is not a new concept and the idea of dietary restriction has typically had a religious association.  Closer scrutiny of history records reveals fasting for therapeutic reasons or the application of fasting for health reasons.

The modern idea (last hundred years or so) of dietary restriction has undergone close experimental and scientific scrutiny which was probably initiated by the famous physiologist, Dr. Francis Gano Benedict, in his book, The Study of Prolonged Fasting.  More recently, in the documentary, Eat, Fast, and Live Longer, British author and journalist Dr. Michael Mosley documents his journey with fasting in an attempt to see if it might improve his health (he was borderline diabetic, his cholesterol was high, and his doctor wanted to treat with medication).  

Fasting, as it turns out, has long-term health benefits most are already seeking; reduced cancer risk, cardiovascular health and longevity.  What Dr. Mosley discovered was what appears to be the driving force behind most disease is we eat too frequently!  In other words, when our bodies are in constant "feast mode", we forgo much of our natural "repair and rejuvenate" programming.

Intermittent fasting, however, is not about severe calorie restriction rather promoting regular eating on some days and dramatically cutting calories on others.  Newer research shows that intermittent fasting has the same benefits of more severe fasting practices.

So how do you start an intermittent fasting program?  Some people naturally eat this way; i.e., my brother has never been a breakfast eater and regularly has his first meal at lunch, usually 1pm, and will be done eating by 9pm.  But for most of us, it takes a little practice, discipline and seeing if this dietary restriction can even fit into your lifestyle.  

I am a morning exerciser and usually need some calories to get me through an intense workout or endurance run so I practice intermittent fasting on the weekends when I have a less structured work out schedule.  Eating within an 8 hour window is manageable for me on these days, usually having my first meal around noon and having my last meal before 8pm.  With the holidays coming up, I may need to stretch my first meal out to 1pm if I know we have a holiday party to go to and I may be nibbling away until 9pm or so.  For me that is the beauty of this version of fasting, it is so flexible and it's not all or nothing.

While I could keep writing on different ways to start intermittent fasting, I defer to Dr. Mercola's article on different types of intermittent fasting as well as his own personal experience, cautions for some individuals, and other great info on the dietary plan.

He refers to Mark Sisson, the paleo/primal guru who's website The Daily Apple is one of my favs on all things nutrition, health and fitness.  Sisson is just as much an advocate as Mercola on calorie restriction for good health, weight loss and/or maintenance.  He wrote a great six part series on fasting and here is Part 1-Weight Loss.  If you scroll to the bottom of the article you'll have easy access to the rest of the series.

Now that you are armed with a boatload of information/plans for intermittent fasting and faced with a month of whirlwind gatherings, traveling, and shopping give this method of managing the holiday season a try and you just might find it may become your new lifestyle.  If anything, you won't need New Year's diet resolutions this January instead focusing on other positive lifestyle changes.

Diary of a Wimpy Foodie: Fear of the Thanksgiving Turkey

November 16th, 11 days til turkey time

Traditional?  Southern-style with cornbread? Jazzed up with chorizo?  Boxed?  Homemade?  And to think this is only the stuffing!

Feeling a little anxiety right now; ok, ok get a handle on yourself!  It's just stuffing.  Ha!  Probably as important or even more important than the turkey to most people.

How hard can it be?

Maybe some input would be helpful.....

Ok- hubbie "suggests" that it should be traditional and I think I found the one!  Someone posted the original Betty Crocker Bread Stuffing recipe on Food.com and then I found it on the Betty Crocker website.  I think I'll use Sami's Bakery's sourdough millet-flax bread, add some sliced mushrooms and moisten with chicken broth the stuffing that will go in the oven (not the one stuffed into the turkey).

Ok- check!  stuffing handled.

November 17th, 10 days til turkey time

Popped into Trader Joe's this morning filled with a little bit of trepidation as I think today is the day I will BUY THE TURKEY!

There they are- all snuggled in tightly next to each other.  More importantly there is Freddie, my fav TJ helper.  Fielded my many questions like the pro that he is: What size for 17 people?(20 lbs is good especially since you said father-in-law is bringing a ham);  Are you sure a fresh turkey can be in the fridge this long? (yes, the use-by date is Dec. 1st); How is that possible? (TJ's packaging and the birds are brined to help preserve them longer); Brined? (a soak in salt solution makes lean meat like turkey juicier and flavorful); Where to store it in fridge for maximum coldness? (bottom shelf in the back is the coldest area of a refrigerator).

Turkey bought!  Thank you Freddie!

November 18th, 9 days til turkey day

Still in avoidance of how to cook the big bird, I think I'll spend some time on the perfect wines to pair with my perfect turkey (optimism is the foundation of courage!).

I'm a big fan of Pinot Noirs for most Thanksgiving foods and especially the turkey.  Sunset Magazine agrees with me and I love their article on the whys of choosing pinots and other wines (chardonnay is not on the list).

Had to check Food and Wine and found a keeper of recommendations, all under $15!  Considering the long guest list this year I could use some affordable but good wines.

I think a wine buying trip is now in order with a couple wine tastings prior to next Thursday; have to make sure there are no losers in the bunch!

November 19th, 8 days til turkey day

This is it.  I have to figure out how to cook my turkey and what to season it with.  Mom out of the country until Tuesday so can't have her advise yet and I am leaving for west coast this Friday.  Today is the day and gonna get it done!

I am glad I swiped a copy of Trader Joe's Fearless Flyer which has this handy dandy Turkey Roasting Chart:

Does it get anymore self-explanatory for this highly visual foodie?  

I'll also reference TJ's Turkey Roasting Guide, because Yes!  I want to "Become a Roastmaster in 7 Steps". Plus it's just my kind of humor- "Chop half a package each of fresh Sage, Rosemary & Thyme (Parsley is vacationing at Scarborough Faire)"- ba! ha! ha!!!  I just found my Turkey Day Bible! 

I like the simplicity of the herbed butter recipe in said Roasting Guide, but I also like Bon Appetit's Roast Turkey with Sausage-Apple Stuffing and Pan Gravy recipe, mainly so I can make a giblet pan gravy from scratch.  Surprisingly, Bon Appetit's roast turkey ingredients are almost identical to Trader Joe's.  Let's just say traditional is traditional and not to be messed with.

There is, however, a Food and Wine recipe, Apricot-Glazed Turkey with Fresh Herb Gravy, that appeals to my sweet-savory tendencies.  I can get my "herb fix" in the gravy; sounds like the best of both worlds to me!

Decisions!  Decisions!  Traditional? or a bit of a twist?  Hmmm....that is the question (although can I really go wrong with either one?).

Whew!  I am feeling much better about hosting Thanksgiving for 17 people and my fear is almost gone. It might just be because I AM PREPARED!  On that note, one last cyber-reference and I'll sleep well next Wednesday night: 10 To-Dos Before Thanksgiving.  

I mean you can't be too prepared, right?

Move Over Pumpkin Pie! There May Be Some New Desserts At The Table This Year!

Pumpkin Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting

I am intimidated by all things baking and tend to gravitate toward very easy recipes that I do not need to roll out, crimp, use a pastry bag or spend all day making.  There are times, however, when I wish I was an accomplished baker and Thanksgiving would be one of those times.

I'll largely stay in my comfort zone for this post but will provide some links of desserts I can only dream of making.  Hopefully many of you are more experienced in this area or, more importantly, more adventuresome than me with rolling pins and ganaches.

With Thanksgiving less then 2 weeks away I have had a tweet from Food and Wine Magazine favorited and on my mind to test: Pumpkin Tiramisu.  I know, I know, fall obsession pumpkin paired with Italian decadent tiramisu...how could I NOT make this.  Look at it!

Pumpkin Tiramisu

Here is the link to Pumpkin Tiramisu.  I am going to make it tonight, as the lady fingers need to soak in the expresso overnight.  If you have an all adult Thanksgiving guest list, how about subbing the espresso with an espresso liqueur (try the Italian Illyquore).  I will report back as to its deliciousness but I have a feeling this will be gracing my Thanksgiving feast....and pumpkin pie?  what's that?

Another twist to traditional pies are crumbles and crisps which highlight perfectly fall's best fruits; apples, pears and cranberries.  The Whole Meal's library has recipes for both: Ginger Pear Crisp and Apple Cranberry Crisp.  Make one or both to either replace a traditional pie or alongside as an alternative. And don't forget the vanilla ice cream!

Ginger Pear Crisp

There are so many great sites to find luscious dessert inspiration, but I have a few favorites depending on what I want as my final outcome.  Let's tackle them in this order: pure decadence and way out of my league sweet miracles to tweak a favorite to a healthier version.

Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake

I have a crush on Food and Wine Magazine; I stalk their Twitter feed, subscribe to their magazine, and check out their online site on a regular basis for always cool and interesting food experiences. Their Pumpkin Cake with Caramel-Cream Cheese Frosting, Chocolate Truffle Layer Cake, and Frozen Maple Mousse Pie with Candied Cranberries are what dreams are made of when you envision your perfectly showcased dessert table.  Eye candy and taste bud tantalizer for sure!

Pumpkin Roll

Came across Pinch My Salt blog and all I can say is Yum! and Drool! to this 2013 post on alternatives to pies.  Pumpkin Souffles with Maple Pumpkin Ice Cream, Pumpkin Latte Caramel Flan, and Pumpkin Roll are just a few of the out-of-my-league but makes-me-happy-to-think-about seasonal desserts.

Fine Cooking nailed it when they said "To some, Thanksgiving is just one big excuse to eat pie" (and one pie-lover shall remain nameless- ha!).  They cover it all so pick and choose although I found the Chocolate Espresso Pecan Pie particularly tempting.

Pear Cornmeal Cake with Rosemary Simple Syrup

I love this 20-something year old's site as she makes food fun and covers it all.  Kita of Pass the Sushi is a true foodie but an accessible and friendly one; i.e. you will actually want to make her desserts and realize you can.  Do not be fooled, however, as they are pretty impressive in the simplicity and pairing of ingredients.  Wow your family and friends with humbleness.   Her Pear Cornmeal Cake with Rosemary Simple Syrup,  Pumpkin Cream Cheese Swirl Bars (I actually have all these ingredients in my pantry now!)  and Irish Apple Cake with Boozy Custard are perfect examples.  Good luck deciding which one to make!

(No Bake) Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake

Have you all discovered Chocolate Covered Kate?  Her photos are great and her recipes even better if your aim is to find a healthier alternative to classic desserts.  I usually find inspiration here for everyday treats and dinner party wows.  For Thanksgiving I like this (No Bake) Cinnamon Swirl Cheesecake and her Healthy Pumpkin Pie if your aim is to have a great dessert without the guilt.

Are you all jazzed up to include one or more of these amazing alternatives to pumpkin pie?  I know I am!  The hardest part will be wittling down your list, but just 4 weeks later you'll be able to bake away again for your December holiday celebrations.   Happy baking and happy Thanksgiving! May your table be blessed with family and friends, good food and better traditions.

Should We Listen To The Science Rather Than The Long-Held Beliefs On Saturated Fats?

Saturated fats and the role they play in heart disease, diabetes, and obesity have been in the news lately from The Big Fat Surprise: Why Butter, Meat, and Cheese Belong in a Healthy Diet by Nina Teicholz to the June 12, 2014 Times Magazine article, “Ending the War on Fat”.  Both Teicholtz’s book and the Times’ front cover- worthy article and other publications feel the American public has been duped into believing that saturated fats clog arteries and create heart disease. 

It’s been 53 years since Anzel Keys, the founding father of the low fat diet, was on the front cover of Time Magazine vilifying saturated fats and changing our mindset to one of hate for cholesterol and LDL (the “bad” cholesterol; LDL collects in the walls of blood vessels, causing the blockages of atherosclerosis) and possibly setting the stage for our current love/reliance on statin drugs.

An increasing number of studies are surfacing despite the decades’ long backlash against what was considered indelible information.  The studies suggest that there may not be a correlation between saturated fat and heart disease.  The most recent and visible research* published in March 2014 in the Annals of Internal Medicine involved 76 studies with over 650,000 participants and concluded that “current evidence does not clearly support cardiovascular guidelines that encourage high consumption of polyunsaturated fatty acids and low consumption of total saturated fats.” 

A meta-analysis published in 2010** already concluded that “there is no significant evidence for concluding that dietary saturated fat is associated with an increased risk of CHD or CVD”.  This analysis consisted of 21 studies involving 350,000 people following their diets from 6 to 23 years.

What else is science showing us about saturated fats?

• They help to raise beneficial HDL cholesterol, improving your triglyceride/HDL ratio—a key marker of cardiovascular health. 
• Food high in saturated fats also helps to change your LDL cholesterol pattern, from small dense particles that can clog your arteries to large “fluffy” harmless LDL particles.  
• They reduce the levels of a substance called lipoprotein (a) that correlates strongly with risk for heart disease. Currently there are no medications to lower this substance and the only dietary means of lowering Lp(a) is eating saturated fat.
•  Saturated fat is required for calcium to be effectively incorporated into your bones; i.e.; stronger bones.
•  Your brain is mainly made of fat and cholesterol. Though many people are now familiar with the importance of the highly unsaturated essential fatty acids found in cold-water fish (EPA and DHA) for normal brain and nerve function, the lion’s share of the fatty acids in the brain are actually saturated. A diet that skimps on healthy saturated fats robs your brain of the raw materials it needs to function optimally (keep an eye out on the recent interest in the role of fats and Alzheimer’s disease).

What foods are high in saturated fats? Beef, pork, lamb, and poultry with skin, cream, butter, cheese, eggs, whole milk, dark chocolate, some nuts, palm and coconut oil; a list of foods that many of us have been actively avoiding, either under the direction of a physician or out of an I-thought-this-is-good-for-me belief.  It is also a list of foods we love! 

The science backs that saturated fats should have some kind of a role in our daily diets and we do not need to drastically reduce or eliminate saturated fat in order to lose weight or prevent heart disease( with evidence actually pointing to the contrary).  We do need to eat better quality food, consume correct portions at meals, and still make vegetables and fruit the main focus. 

Consuming foods high in saturated fats that are found in the fast food industry, packaged foods, and high heat oxidized fats (deep fry, etc.) from less than healthy animals will have quality compromised and will cause inflammation in the body.  Rather, consume your saturated fat sources from clean, organic, free-range sources to reap the benefits detailed above.

The takeaway from all this data is to breathe a sigh of relief that you can have a grass fed burger pan fried in coconut oil with a slice of raw or organic cheddar cheese (maybe not with a highly processed wheat roll rather try it over a mix of field greens and a medley of fresh raw vegetables or caramelized onion and drizzled with olive oil and vinegar) and follow it up with an ounce of 70% or higher dark chocolate.

Don’t be an extremist and think you have carte-blanche to just eat saturated fats, rather be an advocate of REAL FOOD (start with perusing The Whole Meal's library of whole foods based recipes) whether it be grass fed meat, organic and raw cheese and butter, healthy carbohydrates like root vegetables, steamed rice, or quinoa.  And consume less of what is really the culprit of the diseases that plague modern America- sugary foods and drinks, highly processed carbohydrates, refined flours and oils.

I’ll save that topic for another day.

*Here is link to the March 2014 research abstract: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24723079

**Here is link to the 2010 meta-analysis abstract:  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20071648

Dinner and a Book- Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Are any of you in a book club or thinking of starting one?  I love my monthly book club as it inspires me to read an entire book cover to cover (I've always been an avid reader but life has really gotten in the way and reading seemed to drop off until I joined my neighborhood book club). I also get together with interesting and funny women who I may not have met otherwise, and believe it or not, it is not all about the book, rather the food and wine!

So I thought I would start a new blog series on book clubs and matching your menu to the theme of the book.  I hosted our book club last night and our October read, Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley was a lot of fun for me to stay in theme. So if you want a classic novel that's well written, short, thought provoking and easy to match food to here is what I did:

I love all things Halloween so it was a great excuse to "dress the part" as Bride of Frankenstein.  It's not a requirement but some book clubs have the members dress in theme.  I don't think it necessary, but I could not resist as the hostess with Halloween only one day away:)

Staying in Character

I won't be a spoiler and give away anything about the book, but I will say the only food references were nuts and berries.  Nuts made their appearance as appetizers (I love Trader Joe's spiced nuts and the hits last night were Thai Lime Chili Cashews, Roasted Rosemary Marcona Almonds and Sweet and Spicy Pecans) and the berries were served fresh with whipped cream for dessert.


Most of the book takes place in Switzerland so Swiss Cheese Fondue made its way to the appetizer table.  Served in a fondue pot with one day old cubed bread stayed true to Swiss eating.

Here is the recipe I used:


1 large garlic clove, sliced in half (leave 1 half whole and 1 half minced)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
 8 ounces Emmentaler cheese, shredded
 12 ounces Gruyere cheese, shredded
 1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot
 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
 1 loaf of French bread, cubed (preferably 1 day old)

Heat fondue pot to medium-low.  Rub interior with cut garlic clove half, disgarding it when done).  Pour the white wine and lemon juice in to the pot.  Add in minced garlic.  Stir in the shredded cheeses a handful at a time, stirring constantly until all the cheeses are melted and the sauce is smooth.  Whisk together cornstarch, nutmeg and vinegar; stir into the cheese.  Continue to heat while stirring.  Keep fondue warm over low heat.  Serve with bread cubes.

Swiss Fondue

Some other classic Swiss foods I served were grilled sausages, sauerkraut and a pasta salad called Teigwaren.  Last but not least, couldn't forget Swiss chocolates:)

Here is the link to the pasta salad recipe: Swiss Teigwaren Pasta Salad

It was fun playing off Mel Brook's hilarious movie Young Frankenstein.  "Abbey Normal's" brain showed up as the centerpiece (tinted with a red food coloring and glue paste and housed in a trifle bowl) and the grilled sausages were labeled as "freshly dead" (poor Marty Feldman!).

Abbey Normal Centerpiece

I've already volunteered to host next October and I get to pick the book....Dracula anyone?