The raw diet comes to an end…

by Melissa, January 29, 2010 | Permalink

Our raw eating experiment comes to an end this week.  Although I’m not sorry to incorporate some fish, cooked grains and sauteed veggies, I will absolutely keep drinking green breakfast smoothies and eating huge salads for lunch (well, some of the time anyway.)  This is a sentiment echoed by just about everyone participating - although 100% raw doesn’t seem like a doable lifestyle for most of us, we have all been made aware of how advantageous it is to eat more raw fruits and veggies!

For me, the most exciting and rewarding part of this adventure was the shared experience we all had.  It’s fun to have diet buddies to share recipes, favorite products and food with!  Not only did the experience bring us all closer together, but many other team members embarked on healthy life changes of their own, incorporating healthier foods (whatever they may be) and exercise into their daily routines.  All of these changes fall in line with Whole Food’s new healthy eating iniative- go to www.wholefoodsmarket.com/nutrition/ and see what all the fuss is about!

I’ll leave you with a couple of diary entries from two of our raw foodists.  Next week we’ll post some of our favorite recipes and product reviews!

Sarah’s Raw Adventure

So when I first started the raw diet I thought it would be difficult…but not the worst. I’ve been following a vegetarian lifestyle for over 2 years and a lot of my diet includes a lot of raw fruit, veggies and nuts. However, 2 days into the diet I realized that even though I don’t eat a ton of breads and pastas. I eat enough to crave it when I remove it from my diet! Thankfully, the cravings for sugars from pasta and bread went away after the third day.

If anything, I think the diet gives me more energy than I would have had I not been on it. I also feel a lot peppier than normal, and my mood seems a little lighter than normal.

Raw foods can fill you up, and you don’t eat as mindlessly. You become a much more active participant in your eating and it’s a lot harder to unplug and just shovel it in. You take mindful bites, which I think in the long run makes your eating experience much more satisfying. You don’t end a meal feeling like you stuffed yourself, therefore walk away much more comfortable!

I really enjoyed doing the raw diet and I think I learned a lot from it.  From now on I will be much more aware of filling my plate with more veggies and letting the other stuff be the “sides”.

And now for Shawna’s experience in the raw!

This has been a great challenge for me both mentally and physically. I have lost a few pounds and have noticed minor changes in how I look. I also seem to require less sleep which is something unexpected.  I didn’t expect to lose much weight, because I was already eating pretty healthfully.  I knew I would benefit from decreasing my tea consumption, increasing my water intake and also reducing the amount of pasta, bread, and cheese I eat on a weekly basis!

As far as new products go, I discovered sprouted mung beans, which are a great snack and pack 10g of protein for just 1/4cup!  Nama Shoyu, a live unpasteurized soy sauce, tastes delicious as a salad dressing on my salad!  Because it is unpasteurized, all the enzymes and lactobacillus are still living  and offer great health benefits.

Halfway through the diet, I chose to skinny back my RAW foods.  I have never been a fan of foods pretending to be something they are not, and a lot of raw recipes I’ve come across do exactly this (for example finely chopped parsnip pretending to be rice.)  I  do all of my shopping at Whole Foods market and have been doing so much longer than I have worked for the company.  The Raw lifestyle is very time consuming and difficult when feeding a family of 4.  I found I was buying twice as much food every week, and the family was not completely on board with this “mom” project, still craving their Rib Eye Steaks that I gave up almost 17 years ago.

I did implement some changes to our diets that we will stick to! A fruit smoothie in the morning with flax, or Raw cacao powder is a winner in our household, as well as fresh pressed carrot juice.

In the end, I’m reminded of what my mom said growing up: “everything in moderation.”  She was so right!  As an Italian American, there is no substitute for my olive roll and delicious pasta dish with grated Parmigiano Reggiano on top… in moderation of course! Buon Appetito!

Our Raw Journey Continues…

by Melissa, January 27, 2010 | Permalink

Fear not!  We have not all fallen off our raw mission - we were just busy chewing

The beginning of week two has seen quite a few folks dial back on their raw goals for a number of reasons:  budgetary concerns (eating all raw and organic veggies can be pricey - and you have to eat  A LOT to feel full!), time issues (cooking for a family in addition to separate raw meals is a lot of work) and plain old “I wanted a piece of bread.  So I ate it.” dilemmas.  On the whole, everybody is feeling quite a bit healthier due to the volume of fresh veggies and fruits that they’ve been consuming - whether they’re part of a 100% raw diet, or as a supplement to a normal diet.

I’ve kept things almost 100% raw, and I feel pretty good!  I wouldn’t say that I feel abnormally amazing, but it definitely feels good to get more fruits and veggies into the diet.

Today we have Jen reporting with a little perspective on her raw food diet adventures.  Enjoy!

Roza…Raw!

by Melissa, January 21, 2010 | Permalink

Hello, Day 4!

It seems that most us are in fairly good shape today.  Not only did our bodies have to adjust to eating a very restrictive diet, but we had to adapt to a whole new method of food preparation, which often involves a whole new set of ingredients!  The raw folks are reporting some weight loss (between 2 and 5lbs.) and improved energy and mood.  Right now I’m munching on a mix of sprouted wheatberries, mixed veggies, and a “living salad” that Patrick, one of our prepared foods team members, made in honor of our diet!  Not only is it nutritious, but totally delicious!  Today Roza, a team member and raw foodie, is our honorary guest blogger.  Hit it, Roza!

P.S. - we have the living salad in our case today!  Come in buy some - it’s SO GOOD!

Hi Everyone - hope you enjoy my raw food story!!

I’ve been eating raw for a little over two weeks now. There has been a lot of information lately on how what we eat affects our bodies, and I’m beginning to think differently about nutrition. When I first heard about the raw diet, I was curious to know more about it. The articles I read about the raw diet explained how it affected and changed people’s life. I wanted to do it too, but I didn’t want to give up exercising every morning for an hour, or not having the energy to do my job; both at both work and at home. I used to think that if I didn’t get animal protein every day, then I wouldn’t be strong enough to live my busy life. The curiosity of how this diet would affect my body won, and I decided to go for it!

The first day I started with a green smoothie (green veggies and fruit) right after I completed my hour of exercise. I felt good and full, but I wasn’t sure how I would feel later, so I packed a lot of fruits and nuts in addition to lunch. I estimated that I’d be starving in 30 minutes, but to my surprise, 3 hours passed and I was fine! When my stomach started growling, I ate an apple, 1 teaspoon of nuts and drank a lot of water. I felt great until lunch which was kale salad and a piece of fruit.

Dinner was so hard! I had to prepare Panini on homemade focaccia bread for my family. OMG, as soon as the smell of caramelized onions and parmesan cheese hit my nose, I was tempted to take just a tiny, little bite, but I took a deep breath and started slicing mozzarella cheese, then tomatoes. The temptation was even stronger when I had to make pesto sauce, and press the sandwiches! I couldn’t resist any longer, so I set a timer and went upstairs to avoid the smell. When I came back my husband had taken Panini out, and I made my raw spinach soup, which was delicious.

The second day and beyond was so much easier. I felt great, had energy not only to exercise and to do both jobs (day job and professional mother), but also had more energy at the end of the day to boot! Now, I can stay awake to read before bed!

Being part of the raw diet has made me food and eating much differently. My body is responding very well, and my family is trying and enjoying some of my raw recipes. From now on, I’m going to try to include at least one of the raw recipes at their daily meals.

Roza

Here are a few of us raw food folks at Whole Foods Brighton!

Day 2…Rawsome?

by Melissa, January 19, 2010 | Permalink

This is officially our second day of the Brighton goes raw diet.  Although I can’t speak for everyone, my brain feels like it’s crawling through a desert that’s totally devoid of sugar, caffeine and carbs.  Well, except for carbs from fruit, but those don’t really count - right?  More than a few of us are dragging, a little short tempered and, well, adjusting!  One of our participants found out that she’s allergic to almonds (!!) and everybody else is noticing changes in energy levels, mood and health.

It seems that going raw makes it less likely to eat out of boredom.  I’m ashamed to say I’ve found myself at the bottom of a bag of tortilla chips more than once without being ravenous to begin with - it’s much harder to do with a kale salad or green smoothie!  This article in Science News discusses satiation levels and junk food: http://bit.ly/6EqUML.  One benefit of the raw diet is that it’s hard to eat mindlessly for pleasure!

Brighton’s going RAW!!

by Melissa, January 18, 2010 | Permalink

In the spirit of our new healthy eating initiative, 15 of us have decided to go on a raw food diet for 2 whole weeks!  Now, of course, a raw food diet isn’t the only way to kick off 2010 in the healthiest way possible, but we all thought it would be a fun challenge and a great way to try some new foods.  Over the next two weeks I’ll be posting recipes, progress, product reviews and guest posts from our raw foodies.

Technically, today is the first day of the challenge, but I’ve been ramping up the raw veggies, fruits, nuts and grains in the interest of not totally shocking my system.  Here are a few observations so far:

• Preparing your own raw food can be time consuming!  It’s much easier to prepare a big batch of something rather than trying to make it fresh every day.  This is great for things like nut milks, dehydrated crackers and breads and sprouted grains.
• I don’t crave junk anymore!  It’s weird, but true!  I’m not sure what the reason is, but somehow filling my diet with nutrient dense foods has eliminated cravings for junk food.
• The first two transitional days were pretty tough - we’re talking hunger and general irritability.  Now, not so much, but I find having emergency fruits and healthy snacks around “just in case” is crucial!

• That glow they talk about is no myth.  All the information I read on raw diets mention a “glow” that you get when switching over to raw foods.  It is TOTALLY true, folks!  Not only do I notice a certain rosiness in my own cheeks, but the other raw foodies are also a-glow!

I’ll leave you with my favorite new food recipe:  massaged raw kale salad!

Massaged Raw Kale Salad Recipe

1 bunch of raw kale - any kind.  Even the tough curly stuff!

2 teaspoons of cold pressed oil - anything you want

1/2 teaspoon of sea salt or more to taste

juice from 1/2 of a lemon or lime

1 teaspoon agave nectar or raw honey

sesame seeds

Clean kale, shred leaves from stems, and shred into bite sized pieces.  sprinkle with oil, salt and citrus juice.  Rub the kale between your hands for 5 - 10 minutes, grinding the salt and citrus juice into the leaves to break them down.  Stop massaging when the kale looks “cooked” and tastes yummy!  Add agave or honey and sesame seeds.  Toss together and eat!  This is especially good mixed with sliced cabbage.

A conversation about local food & farming

by Melissa, August 7, 2009 | Permalink

Last night, the Brighton store hosted its first ever “Local Food Lovers Tweetup”!  You might be wondering: “What exactly is a ”tweetup”?  Don’t be embarrassed.  I didn’t know myself until about 2 months ago when I got an invitation to one.  A “tweetup” is a meeting of people that gets arranged on Twitter creating an opportunity for “tweeters” who follow one another to meet face-to-face (ie. the old-fashioned way of networking).

About a dozen people came out on this beautiful August evening to mingle, talk about local food, farmers markets & CSAs and, of course, enjoy locally produced foods (Maine Root root beer and ginger ale probably got the most rave reviews).  John Lee, general manager of Allandale Farm in Brookline facilitated a very interesting discussion about CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), since this is the first year that he has implemented this model of business on his farm. 

Attendees discussed their experience as CSA members along with the pros & cons of buying shares from a farm.  What if you love ALL vegetables but your significant other detests brussels sprouts and anything that came into contact with the dreaded crucifer?  Should the farmer pack boxes of produce for his customers or is it better to allow the CSA members to pick & choose each head of lettuce, bunch of basil, tomato, etc allotted each week ?  John chose to do the former this year but has set up a “swapping station” where people can leave behind what they don’t like and exchange it for something else.

Members of the Red Fire Farm CSA, who pick up their weekly share every Friday afternoon in the Brighton parking lot, seem to be an adventurous bunch.  I have overhead conversations in which fellow members swap recipes they prepared the prior week and suggest ways to prepare unusual items like kohlrabi.  The farm also does a fantastic job of keeping their members informed about happenings on the farm, sending out harvest updates and sharing delicious recipes for seasonal items.

The topic of tomato blight affecting many New England farms also came up in conversation.  Allandale Farm will incur loses because the fungus has left behind many ugly tomatoes in its wake.  Despite the cold and wet weather, which hasn’t bode well for the nightshades; John said the farm’s revenue was up so far this season due to the bumper lettuce crop.  The raised beds they have implemented this year has saved a lot of his plants from the rain.  While ”it looks like Venice in  my lettuce fields,” he is pleased with the new ‘technology.’  The weather has not been kind to corn but his root vegetables & beans are top notch - and are available for sale to the general public at Allandale’s farm stand.

If you are interested in finding out more about local food and when the next “tweetup” will be then you’ll just have to follow us on twitter! @WFM_Brighton

Are you “Special”?

by Melissa, July 29, 2009 | Permalink

It seems that most people these days are abstaining from one or another food (or food additive) including, but not limited to, the top 8 allergens: milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat.  While some folks have life-threatening allergies, others claim to feel better when they don’t eat certain things.  There is no need to be ashamed or embarrassed by special dietary needs when shopping at Whole Foods Market.  In fact, we are happy to offer you lots of choices, provide information and even walk you over to specific products that’ll suit your needs & preferences.

If you are one of those people who likes to hit the ground running when you get to the grocery store, then make sure to check our our website for newly updated shopping lists for some of the most common special diets (ie. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Low Fat).  We have worked hard to verify that products which make “free” claims are in fact safe for the most sensitive consumers.  These lists are a work in progress and will be continually modified as we gather more information and put new products on the shelf.

Another great way to shop efficiently and save money is to have a specific recipe in mind before leaving home.  You could blindly ‘google’ for allergen-free recipes.  However, I’d recommend performing an advanced search at wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes or simply download the Whole Foods Market iPhone app.  Both allow you to specify a special diet and other handy parameters.  Plus, the results are sure to be naturally delicious because they use only ingredients which meet Whole Foods Market quality standards and have been rigorously tested by our culinary team members! 

Looking for a gluten-free, dairy-free, low-sodium and high fiber that is sure to hit the spot on a hot, humid day?  Then check out this recipe for Indian Chickpea Salad.

It’s Wild Salmon Season!

by Melissa, July 11, 2009 | Permalink

The wild Alaskan salmon season is short but sweet (kind of like the local strawberry season).   Previously frozen fish is available year round but is a poor substitute for fresh, in my humble opinion.  The state of Alaska, which is where we get our precious wild salmon, is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) due to the stringent regulations imposed by the government on the fishing industry.  We should be thankful for the state’s focus on rebuilding healthy salmon stocks since we might not have any today if it weren’t for the state’s responsible leadership.

I was personally grateful last weekend when I sat down to a delicious meal of sockeye salmon.  The color of the fillets were so striking compared to the farm-raised variety and all the other white-colored fish in the case that I couldn’t resist (I passed up some of my favorites which were on sale).  When I got home and opened up the package, which was tightly wrapped by a conscientious seafood team member; I observed how firm and lean the wild salmon was.   Like a human coach potato, farm-raised fish are “flabby” from lack of exercise.  This was not the case with the wild sockeye I purchased.

The most interesting thing about the wild fish was the way in which it cooked.  After about 8 minutes, I opened up the oven door to check on the specimen.  I was shocked to see that the fillet had curled up taking the tin foil lining the baking sheet with it.  How bizarre?  It wasn’t until I started eating that I realized what the matter was.  There were little white “ligaments” - for lack of a better word - in the tail which had contracted in the oven causing the piece of fish to curl.  I’m sure some people would have gasped at the sight and been foolish enough to throw the salmon away.  But I was enthralled and delighted.  I thought to myself, “this fish actually used its tail to propel itself through the icy waters to spawn during its lifetime.”   I’ll eat to that!

Another distinct difference between this wild sockeye salmon and the farm-raised Atlantic variety was the way in which the fat was distributed.   An Atlantic salmon fillet is a nicely “marbled” piece of fish, kind of like a good steak, with layers of fat tucked in between layers of its muscle meat.   The wild species’, on the other hand, accumulate fat just below their skin to protect it from the icy ocean temperatures.  The fat and even the skin was so mild in flavor (not fishy at all) that I didn’t even bother to cut it away.

Wild Salmon is one of nature’s finest healthy “fast foods” - chock full of healthy omega-3 fats & protein and ready to eat in just about 10 minutes.  Enjoy it while it lasts. 

Here’s how I prepared it:

1 (approx 8 oz.) piece of fillet - I prefer the tail end which has few to no bones

1/2 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence

1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest

1 - 2 teaspoons olive oil

salt & freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat ove to 425 degrees.  Place salmon in foil-lined baking sheet (which makes for easier clean-up).  Sprinkle with herbs and zest.  Drizzle with olive oil then season with salt & pepper, to taste.

2. Cook for about 10 minutes (cooking time will depend on the thickness of the fish), until it is just cooked through (I like to underdo it a little but not everyone likes a slightly raw interior).

3. Enjoy!  with or without fresh lemon wedges.

The Latest Way to Shop for Groceries

by Melissa, July 1, 2009 | Permalink

Who would have ever predicted that a single techno-gadget could revolutionize the way people behave and even impact shopping habits?  The iPhone has proven to be the sensation that Apple promised before the first generation was released two years ago.   Subsequent technical improvements and cleaver apps have sustained its popularity and kept it on the cutting edge.  

I remember when the first generation of cell phones was released back in the 80s.   You remember, those clunky things which you would dock on the car console.  This was the era before text messaging and bluetooth headsets.  You actually had to hold the phone up to your mouth.  Who would have guessed that consumers would be using their mobile phones as a personal assistant to organize their lives, watch movies, log the number of miles they run per week and much more!

The apps that excite me the most are the foodie ones.  I enjoy downloading anything having to do with recipes, restaurant reviews and nutrition.  You don’t have to be a Whole Foods Market team member to love the new Whole Foods Market Recipe app.  You can search for recipes using various parameters to fit your lifestyle.  Use the filter to find gluten-free, vegetarian, kid-friendly and other categories that suit your needs.  In a hurry?  No problem, just look up recipes that are ”Quick & Easy.”

If purchasing an iPhone was a significant financial burden, then you’ve got even more reason use it to help you save money on groceries.  Since the internet is accessible just about everywhere, check out the store specials and create a shopping list for yourself before you get to the store (Traveling to another city?  The iPhone app can help you find the nearest Whole Foods).

My favorite strategy for saving money is to use as many ingredients that I have on hand as possible.  I keep track of expiration dates on perishables in my fridge and have an organized pantry so meal planning is pretty easy.  Did you know that Americans throw away about one-quarter of the food they purchase?  Think of all the money that could be saved if people ate all the food they bought!  Download the Whole Foods Market app for FREE and start making the most of your groceries!

“Mother Grain”

by Melissa, June 23, 2009 | Permalink

Quinoa (pronounced “keen-wah”) is often referred to as the “Mother Grain” in Bolivia where it has nourished the indigenous people for over 5000 years.  Packed with amino acids, iron and other minerals, quinoa makes a nutritious side dish (or entree if you prefer to get your protein from plants rather than animals).  Quinoa has become a godsend to those with celiac disease who can not digest gluten and anyone looking for delicious ways to include more whole grains in their diet (OK, quinoa isn’t exactly a grain but it cooks up like one).

Readers who have already become pros at cooking quinoa and memorized its nutritional stats are probably wondering what could make it worthy to blog about.  Well, have I got news for you!  Whole Foods Market now sells Fair Trade certified quinoa.  Alter Eco(TM), which offers a complete range of Fair Trade products, has partnered with a cooperative in Bolivia to support sustainable development in addition to ensuring that quinoa growers get a fair wage.  They have invested a portion of their profits in organic farming methods, certification programs and a processing facility which allows them to export their product directly.

To get the complete culinary story of quinoa, check out the Whole Story blog.

And to taste some delicious quinoa, stop by the “Taste of Allston Village” this Sunday, June 28 where the Brighton store will be sampling Pineapple Quinoa Stir-fry!