If you haven’t read the earlier posts, you can read Part 1 here and Part 2 here.¬†

Part 3 is about grains, carbs, and starches. Of course, if you ever read this blog you already know that I am already referring to whole foods and not processed and refined foods. So, if you are on a mission to lose weight and are wondering what grains or carbs you should eat to help your mission, then you are in the right place.

Certainly, cutting out carbs does a lot for losing weight, controlling blood sugar, and reducing inflammation in the body. In fact, many of these things are tied together and one impacts the other. So if you are focusing on losing weight, then you definitely want to be careful which carbs you are eating, but I think you can effectively lose weight while keeping carbs in your diet.

Some stellar winners in the carb category that you should become acquainted with are buckwheat, quinoa, millet, and amaranth. 

When it comes to carbs, Buckwheat is the number one recommendation for people trying to lose weight as it has so many benefits. It is actually the seed of a fruit and not a true grain, but it can be used like one. Buckwheat’s protein characteristics and minerals make it a low glycemic food that helps to control blood sugar levels (very important when trying to lose weight). Buckwheat is also unparalleled in its ability to lower bad cholesterol (you should already know that I am a fan of good cholesterol and saturated fat). There is more, buckwheat actually has a fair amount of antioxidants as well and studies have been done combining it with traditional wheat and wheat breads to boost the antioxidant value. Also, buckwheat is virtually gluten free which makes digestion easier for most people (even people who are not allergic to gluten will digest it easier).

So. You can see why I am such a fan of buckwheat… besides, it tastes so good. Buckwheat pancakes and crepes are so good. You can experiment in all sorts of baked goods and the inclusion of it in even partial amounts boosts the nutritional aspect of the food and will help you in your quest. Now, I know we are talking about controlling blood sugar and losing weight, but I just have to say that I have made buckwheat chocolate chip cookies that totally ruled! Some of the best cookies that I have made. Of course I used unrefined cane sugar. You can find buckwheat flour in health food stores or in the “natural” section of several grocery stores. Read the ingredients and make sure that it is just buckwheat flour… as different things can be added… and it is good to always read the labels.

Quinoa is the next carb I would like to highlight. It contains all nine essential amino acids (buckwheat contains 8 of the 9) and so it is a complete protein. Quinoa also is not a true grain, but is the seed of a plant… although it is used as a grain. It is especially high in the amino acid lysine which is essential for tissue growth and repair, and thus, quinoa is the choice of many athletes and those with heavy workout routines.

Prone to migraines? Well, first you should probably be drinking a lot more plain water. BUT, you can also eat more quinoa. Since quinoa is high in magnesium it helps to relax blood vessels and can reduce the frequency of migraines and hypertension. You can use quinoa in so many different ways… just like you would use rice.¬†

Well that’s all the space I am going to devote to highlighting better options for grains and carbs. In general, if you are trying to lose weight, substitute all of your wheat products for something like buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, and millet. Spelt flour is also better than wheat (it’s basically an older form of wheat). If you have spelt and wheat products it is best to have them either soaked or sprouted (sprouted grain breads)… or fermented (sourdough breads). However, it will be easier to lose weight if you use buckwheat and quinoa.

Now a quick word on what to avoid. Avoid the whites! Ha. Avoid white flour, white sugar, white salt… etc. In general all of these have been processed and refined and many times bleached to look pure when in reality the good stuff has been taken out. Flour is not pure white. Sea salt usually is a little gray or has some speckles in it (depending what area/ocean it is from), and real sugar is definitely not white.

Stay tuned next week for part 4. I’m out.

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Foods For Weight Loss – Part 1
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 2
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 4
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 5
Foods For Weight Loss – Part 6

Woops… sorry for the strange title. I am so used to writing “What To Do About…” whatever that it just came out. I decided to leave it since it is appropriate in this case.

I have always wanted to make some good bread… sourdough bread. I have just had my first success. Check it out:

Sourdough made completely from scratch. I think the coolest thing about making sourdough is using the yeast and bacteria that are in the air without adding any yeast. If you have never made sourdough bread before I will give you some pointers.

First you need a starter. The starter is basically your yeast and bacteria that you have captured from the air and keep alive in a batter or dough. I think a batter is a little easier to maintain so I use that instead of a dough, but you can use either one. So grab a glass jar or container and add 1 cup of flour and 1 cup of water (this will make a batter). Let it sit out at room temperature for several days. It is good to pour half of the mixture out and add fresh flour and water (1/2 cup each to replace the half you poured out). This fresh feed is just that… it is fresh flour for the bacteria and yeast to feed on.

The starter should become yeasty, beery, soury, and maybe bubbly. It should have a pleasant fermenting aroma. You may also notice a hooch. That is the layer of alcohol that is on the top. I usually just mix it back in but you can pour it off… whatever. Once you have a nice fermenting starter, place it in the fridge to drastically slow down the process and keep it till you are ready to make your bread. You can keep it for a very long time… it would just be good to take it out and feed it every now and then.

Once you are ready to make your bread you need to proof the sponge. So take a bowl and add your starter. Then add a cup of flour and a cup of water. Now let that set until it is bubbly and fermenty and soury, and pleasanty (I realize I made most of those words up)… you get the idea. This process goes faster than the original because you already have your starter which ‘starts’ the fermenting. It should be proofed in 6-8 hours. Some are ready in 2 hours…. others can sit overnight. The longer it proofs the more sour it will be. It is an art, not an exact science.

Once you have your proofed sponge you can make your bread. Add 2 cups of it to your flour till you get the consistency of dough that you are looking for. (Let’s say 3-4 cups as a guide). Depending on the type of bread I am making I may add olive oil, honey, rapadura, sea salt, etc. For the bread that is pictured, I rolled it out and then put butter, raisins and cinnamon on it after the first rising (let it double in bulk). The rolled it up with those ingredients and let it rise again in my bread stone baking pan. Once it doubled in bulk again I popped it in a 350 degree oven and baked till it sounded hollow… about 35–45 min. I think It was on the longer side though… actually 45-55 minutes. Keep an eye on it.

Well I have to go. Hopefully you can make some wonderful sourdough for yourself. I think I will talk more about ingredients to use tomorrow or tuesday.

Out

I ate some pretty darn good oatmeal this morning. I don’t have a picture for you though… you know how I like to look at pictures of my food.

Oatmeal is an all around pretty decent food. I know, I know… so many people laud the praises of oatmeal. I think it is good, I just don’t think it is excellent. It has decent amounts of vitamins, minerals, and protein (when compared to other grains), but it is still a grain that many people can have a hard time digesting. Sprouting and/or soaking grains makes them easier to digest and therefore makes the nutrients more bioavailable as well. Having said that I don’t always soak my oats the night before… I should.

Some excellent grains that I would recommend you do some reading on are: buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa, and millet. My favorite of these is buckwheat. I always digest buckwheat really well and like using it for pizza crusts, pancakes, and cookies. Yes, I just said cookies. In the future I will have to highlight some food I make with buckwheat but in the meantime check out what you can find on it. I am sure I will talk about it more.

Anyway, just so you know… this is how I like my oatmeal: Organic rolled oats, butter, organic maple syrup, sliced banana, and some almond butter. Wow is that good. I need to get some Scottish oats though… make a note.

Out

I am in the car as I write this blog and no joke…. I just saw a dude chasing a rooster on the side of the highway. Yeah he was out of his car and the rooster was running along a fence on the side of the highway and the dude was chasing it as fast as he could but he couldn’t catch it. Now I wonder if he ever did… but onward we go to Ohio to see the famiglia for Easter.

So I guess I am just excited cause my sister is making some amazing lasagna. I always look forward Easter food cause usually we have really good pasta. Maybe I can get a picture of it for you.

Now ideally all of your grains would be sprouted or soaked as this makes them easier to digest. Many times I do this but when it comes to pasta I must say I cheat a lot. I am half Italian remember? I simply have not been able to find a sprouted pasta that comes close to the excellent taste. So instead I having been getting organic whole wheat. This is much better than the refined wheat as it contains the whole grain and is free of pesticides. Organic whole grain spelt is decent… better for your digestion than traditional wheat but I don’t think the taste compares.

I will most definitely be talking more about pasta and everytime I will probably remind you that sprouted grains are better… but I will still cheat. If you cheat it is recommened that you do some things to help you digest the grains better. There are several things that you can do:

-CHEW your food… especially as pasta is easy to swallow in chunks it is important to chew it well and help your digestion

-eat herbs that aid in digestion with your pasta (basil, anise, fennel, ginger, turmeric)

-drink something that aids in digestion (like ginger beer or kombucha… ‘member this article?)

-take probiotics with your meal

-take digestive enzymes with your meal

These are things that are beneficial for your digestion with any food. I just notice that personally I have more trouble with grains and due to the insulin response they cause, they can be damaging to your health… which is why I only eat unrefined, and whenever possible, organic and sprouted grains.

That’s all for now. Have a great Easter!