Is My Watermelon Ripe?

It's best to buy your watermelon from a Farmer's Market as those are picked the morning of at the
peak of ripeness.  Commercial watermelons are picked prior to ripeness so they ripen during transport.  If you're stuck buying commercial, here are some telltale signs of readiness...

1. Yellow or light bottom
2. Tape it, it sounds hollow
3. Heavy for its size

Plants Love Green Water!

If you've been practicing my tip on Rehydrating Greens, you may have noticed how green the soaking water gets.

That green coloring is actually from the micronutrients in the greens, enriching this water greatly!

If you use a salad spinner to soak your greens, each bowl will yield about 1 gallon of water.

So, don't pour that liquid gold down the drain; instead give it to your plants - they will love you for it & you won't be wasting water ($$$)!

Hoff Hit: Stop the Splatter!

My walls know all too well when I am attempting to pour things like spaghetti sauce.

But, here's a trick to avoid that dreaded splattering!

Pour the sauce over a  mixing spoon and that shall cut down on your clean-up!

Quick Ripen a Persimmon!

Persimmons are a unique soft fruit with Chinese origins, that when ripe, taste like caramel...mmm.

The only problem is that they take forever to ripen (up to 3 weeks)!

To trick this tasty treat into giving up the goods quicker, place a whole Persimmon in the freezer for 10 hours.  Allow to thaw and what you will get is something resembling a water balloon.  That's when you know that your Persimmon is ready!

The frigid temp tricks these little guys into maturing faster!

Eat as you would an apple.

In my neck of the woods (northern hemisphere), Persimmon season is from September through to December.

Fruit Flies Must Die!

I don't mean to sound so harsh, but fruit flies are really annoying!  Is my face the Big Ben Parliament
of the fruit fly world?!?

Here's a super simple trick to bring an end to these little pests.

In a small bowl, mix together a couple of drops of unscented Liquid Dish Soap with about a 1/2 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar.

The scent of the Vinegar will attract these suckers, while the soap will assist them into their next life...

Fruit flies check in...but they don't check out.

And you're welcome.
The Hoff

Chopping Cabbage

Now you've done it - bought a giant head of cabbage and have no clue how to handle it.  Or you're like me and got a boulder size head from you're CSA and have no idea how to cut it.

I did some research and turns out cabbage is pretty easy to deal with.

Here's what you do...


Tools:

• 1 Large Knife
• 1 Medium Knife
• 1 Large Cutting Board

 Directions:

1. Peel off any bad leaves

2. Using the large knife, cut cabbage in half, starting at the top and slicing through to the stem

 

3. Then, slice each half in half

 4. Using the medium knife, at a 45 degree angle, cut out the stem of each wedge

5.  Starting at either end of the wedge, thinly slice

That's it - you've got perfect cabbage for sauerkraut, stir-fry's, anything you can think of!

You don't even want to know how I used to hack up cabbage before learning the proper way...

Stop Produce Rot! Part 2 of 2

This post sources a New York Times article: Coping with Summer's Bounty of Vegetables

More ideas to combat produce rot:

1. Roast chopped veggies in an oven as soon as you get home, 375 degrees on a large roasting pan, sprinkle with a little sea salt
2. Remove any ties or rubber bands on vegetable bunches; the closer they are packed, the faster they will rot
3. Trim off the leafy tops of vegetables like carrots and beets, but leave an inch of stem on to prevent them from drying out
4. Don’t store any vegetables in airtight plastic bags: poke holes in the bags if necessary to keep air circulating
5. Vegetables and fruit should be stored separately, because the ethylene emitted by ripening fruit can damage vegetables
6. Bananas not only will ripen quickly, but their presence will speed the ripening of nearby fruits, keep them segregated

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/18/dining/coping-with-summers-bounty-of-vegetables.html?_r=3&pagewanted=all

Stop Produce Rot! Part 1 of 2

This re-post is courtesty of: Fooducate

Veggie Stress – 10 Tips to Win the Race Against the Rot Clock

Here are some helpful suggestions to make the most of your produce:

1. Buy smaller amounts of produce more frequently.

2. Wash leafy greens before storing in the fridge.

3. Don’t wash herbs, berries, and mushrooms until usage – they will rot even faster.

4. Store fruit and vegetables separately. As fruit ripen, they release ethylene, which increases the rate of ripening/spoilage for nearby vegetables. (You can also use this to your advantage if you need to ripen an avocado overnight – place it in a brown paper bag with 2 apples on your counter top)

5. Some produce does not ripen any more once refrigerated – stone fruit (not cherries), melons, mangoes, apples, pears, avocados and tomatoes. Consider moving them to the fridge once they are ripe enough.

6. Knife skills. Buy an expensive chef’s knife that won’t dull after 2 weeks. Practice your cutting skills so that you won’t be intimidated by prep time required to make a salad or sauteed vegetables. A bit of practice and you can reduce your veggie preparation time by 50%-75%.

7. When in doubt – use sliced and diced veggies as a colorful addition to pizza topping.

8. Smoothies – many an overripe banana, strawberry, etc… are perfectly fine for consumption but for the yuck factor. Throw them into a blender with low fat yogurt, ice cubes, and as little honey as you can, for a yummy tasty treat.

9. Schedule the day/hour of your veggie purchase to when you have some free time to care for them. Weekend mornings, for example.

10. Pre-cook as many of your veggies as you can the day you get them – peel, place on a roasting pan and drizzle some olive oil plus salt, then roast until soft. Now your veggies are ready to be added to any dish during the week.

This re-post is courtesty of: Fooducate

Extending Berry Life

The only bad thing about berries is how quickly they turn on you.

I was raised to never, ever wash berries unless you were prepared to eat them ASAP!  Avoiding this sage advice would surely result in a moldy, mushy mess within a day.

Recently, however, I came across some advice that went against this ancient wisdom with one little twist - adding vinegar to the water.

Here's the deal...

As soon as you get your precious berries home, soak them in 10 parts Water to 1 part Vinegar (white or apple cider).  I don't like to measure so I just coat the bottom of a bowl with Vinegar and then fill the rest with Water.  Soak just a few minutes then: drain, rinse, dry & store in fridge.

It's believed that the vinegar will kill any mold spores and other bacteria that might be on the surface of the berry that could cause it to rot quicker.

While the berries this season have been too good for me to keep them in the house long enough to test this theory, I can tell you that they won't taste like vinegar.  Reports say that raspberries will last a week or more and strawberries will last almost two weeks before turning on you.

And when you are ready to chow down, try mixing the berries with a little water and Vanilla Sugar or just go straight for the chocolate!

Berry On!
The Hoff

Shucking Corn - You Have to See This!

Check out this ingenious way of shucking corn so you don't have to deal with all those pesky threads.  I had to watch this twice just to believe it!  I love the music!

This guy rocks!

Shucking Corn - Clean Ears Every Time

DIY Window Cleaner

For an all-natural Window Cleaner, mix together:

• 1 cup Water
• 1 cup Rubbing Alcohol
• 1 tbsp White Vinegar

Store in a re-usable or re-purposed spray bottle and you're good to go!

Happy Spring Cleaning!
The Hoff

Easy Trick to Drink More Water

Struggling to chug down those 64oz of water we all need daily?

Try a straw!

Drinking with a straw naturally causes you to consume more water. Partly because you can continue to breathe, allowing you to suck it up for as long as you want!  Partly because you can suck more water, than you can sip.

I put this theory to the test at work.  I always bring two glass jars full of water - about 20oz each. Typically, I only finish one, far from my goal.  When I used a straw, both waters plus my daily smoothie were polished off by the time lunch was finished!

Suck It!
The Hoff

Healthier Pizza Tips

It happens to the best of us - you've had a hard day, you're tired and you have zero motivation to cook.  You don't feel like leaving the house, so what do you do?

Pizza Guy to the rescue!

Check out these healthy tips courtesy of Hungry Girl before you pick up that phone.

HG's TOP Tips for Pizza Ordering

1. Thin crust or Neapolitan is almost always a better choice than Sicilian or pan pizza.
2. Repeat after us: "Easy on the cheese."
3. Load up on veggies. Just make sure they're not breaded and fried!
4. Beware of fatty meats! Sausage? Skip it. Bacon? Buh-bye. Pepperoni? Please. To feed these cravings, turn to HG's slimmed-down recipes (like this one)!
5. There's no shame in pizza blotting. Blot the oil off your pizza. Do it.
6. Don't JUST eat pizza -- have a small salad too (dressing on the side; dip, don't pour)! Then you can enjoy a slice or two without feeling deprived and still hungry.
7. Options to avoid: deep dish, stuffed crust, and specials with the word "Supreme," "Ultimate," "Works," or "Lovers" in the title... unless accompanied by the word "Veggie." Also avoid doughy side dishes. (What is the point of eating cheesy breadsticks dunked in marinara sauce WITH pizza? It's just more of the same!)
8. Options to indulge in: whole-wheat or whole-grain crust (especially thin-style), fresh veggies, red pepper flakes, sliced olives, grated Parm (just a few sprinkles!), garlic powder, extra tomato sauce, jalapeño slices, and hot sauce. (Sensing a theme? Spicy foods slow down your eating and bring big flavor without big calorie counts!)

From time to time, The Healthy Hoff will indulge in a delivered pizza as well.  To minimize the damage, I go for a thin crust (whole-wheat when I can get it), veggie lovers, extra sauce, hold the cheese, please!

The pizza sauce and dough at Chuck E. Cheese, Little Caesars, and Papa John's are vegan, while Pizza Hut uses vegan sauce, and its Thin 'n Crispy and dessert crusts are vegan, its other crusts are not.

Don't Forget to Tip!

The Hoff

You are dehydrated.

Well, maybe not everyone, but the vast majority of you are.  I know this because all I drink every day is water and I "attempt" to get the recommended 64 ounces of water a day and it wasn't until recently that I actually kept track through a typical day and I was lucky if I consumed half of that.

Here's the problem with this:

The body, on a typical day losses 10 cups of water through urine, sweat and breathing.  If you are very active or the weather is scorching, you will lose even more water throughout the day (aim for an additional 20 ounces of water on those days).

Just by eating, you will regain 2 cups of water from food.  This leaves another 8 cups to make up for and this is why the daily recommendation is to drink 64 ounces or 8 cups of water every day.

Lets put this into perspective:

Photo Courtesy: How Stuff Works

"Up to 60% of the human body is water, the brain is composed of 70% water, and the lungs are nearly 90% water. Lean muscle tissue contains about 75% water by weight, as is the brain; body fat contains 10% water and bone has 22% water." Source: USGS, "The Water in You"

I don't know about you, but I don't feel like short changing any of those areas and we don't get to decide where the water goes.

So how do you ensure you replenish?

Dedicate a water pitcher to your daily intake (don't share) - either one that can hold 64 ounces of water or half that and refill (anything beyond two refills and you are likely to lose count) and use it to fill a water bottle that you carry with you.  I like to use re-purposed Snapple bottles (I prefer glass over plastic) which are 16 ounces each - once I have had four of those I know that I have hit my quota for the day and anything beyond that is a bonus.

Bottoms Up!
The Hoff

Eating Out: The "Healthy" Way

Eating out can be challenging when one wants to do so while not sabotaging their healthy ways.  It's for this reason that I make the majority of my meals.  But that can get boring, mountainous and some days you just don't feel like cooking!

Then there are the days when your friends/co-workers say, "lets go to lunch!"  You can't resist because sometimes you need a break and you crave social interaction (totally understandable).

So when these times kick in for me, I do two things:

1. Demand to know where we are going beforehand (usually people just let me pick, it's easier)
2. Check out the menu for said destination to determine my order based on nutrition info and not menu description

When a non-chain, local restaurant is chosen (my fav), number two is no longer an option.  So, I hit the internet and do a Google search for the healthiest things to eat for that certain cuisine.  I just so happened to run across a nice little list from BeachBody (P90-X), so I thought I'd share it with you.

Enjoy!

The Hoff

Reposted courtesy of BeachBody:

Chinese

Get steamed: Order steamed rice, not fried, and go with brown rice if they have it—it has extra fiber.

Veg out: Look for the dishes that are mostly vegetables and are steamed rather than fried. If you order dishes like beef and broccoli, ask them for extra broccoli.

Soup it up: Egg-drop, wonton, and hot-and-sour soups are good low-cal, low-fat options (although they usually have plenty of sodium, so no extra soy sauce!). Fill up on some soup and put away half your entrée for later.

Grease: Stay away from deep-fried dishes like egg rolls, crispy orange chicken, General Tso's chicken, sweet-and-sour pork, etc.

Lay off the sauce: Watch out for sauces made with corn syrup or oil. Request low sauce or no sauce. An order of kung pao chicken seems healthy but it's sautéed in enough oil that it can have up to 76 grams of fat—more than an entire day's worth. If possible, ask how it's prepared.

Pass up the salt: Ask for low-salt options. Don't use the full-sodium soy sauce packets that come with your meal. Instead, invest in your own bottle of low-sodium soy sauce. Also, make sure your restaurant is one of the many that no longer use monosodium glutamate (MSG) in their dishes.

Switch it up: For dinner combos, see if you can substitute healthier options for the normal items. For example, at my Panda Express®, they'll give me an extra serving of steamed vegetables instead of the side of starchy chow mein or fried rice that it typically comes with.

Pizza

More veggies: Load up on veggie toppings like peppers, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, fresh garlic, jalapeños, etc.

Less fat and/or less cheese: Ask for low-fat cheese, or ask them to use half the cheese.

Defeat the meat: Try to stay away from fatty meat toppings like pepperoni, meatballs, and sausage. Instead, try leaner options like Canadian bacon, chicken, or shrimp.

Bust the crust: Not all pizzas are created equal, and neither are their crusts. Most pizza chains list nutrition info on their Web sites. So make sure you take a look before ordering to ensure the smartest choice.

Thai

Lighten up: Many of the same tips for Chinese food apply to Thai food as well. Try to get steamed brown rice and lots of vegetables and stay away from heavy sauces and high-sodium dishes.

Don't get saucy: Satay is a good option, but try not to use too much of the peanut dipping sauce, if any; that's where your calories will start to add up.

Don't go (coco)nuts: Watch the coconut milk. It's delicious, but usually extremely fattening. Try to look for dishes flavored with ginger, citrus, curry, or chilies instead. Or ask if they can prepare your dish with low-fat coconut milk.

Hold the milk: Thai restaurants offer a lot of delicious low-fat soups that you can fill up on. They also have some soups that are high in fat because of coconut milk. Try and order soups that don't include it. And as with all soups, keep an eye on the sodium.

Green and lean: Thai cuisine includes many salads that are a meal in themselves, such as Yum Nuah (beef salad) or Pla Goong (grilled shrimp salad). Many of these have simple lime juice dressings that are low in fat. But, as with American salads, caveat emptor, and ask the restaurant what's in the dressing.

Go fish (or tofu): Check out the fish and tofu options. Even more than their Chinese counterparts, Thai restaurants have lots of dishes that feature seafood and tofu. And if you don't care for either, the Thai spices might just help you overcome your aversion.

Keep It Healthy While Traveling

Going away for a vaca or business and worried about maintaining your vegetarian or vegan desires?

Do a little research before departing.

Check out Happy Cow or Trip Advisor to search by location and dietary preferences.

With just a few minutes of homework, you'll get a list of diet friendly restaurants to suit your personal needs.

I recently did this for a summer vacation spot that I have been hitting for years.  Having a list of vegan friendly restaurants in my back pocket not only made the trip less stressful but it also put a whole new spin on a town I thought I knew.

I also searched my home town and found some treasures I wasn't even aware was in my backyard.

Fun Fact: Headed to Vegas?  Check out the Wynn and Encore hotels.  Steve Wynn, the owner is vegan - so he made sure every restaurant in his hotels has vegan options!!! 

Click here for more tips

Travel Well!
The Hoff

How Do You Wash Your Veggies?

As soon as I get home from the store or Farmer's Market, I throw all fruits and vegetables into a salt bath.

I fill up the sink with cold water and grind sea salt into the water.  I say grind because you're supposed to use sea salt powder, but I can't find that anywhere.  You can't use the whole sea salt because it will take forever for the salt to dissolve.  So, I say ground sea salt is the next best thing.

Then I throw everything into the bath and let it soak for about an hour.

You will see a film appear on the surface of the water - this is the germs, pesticides, waxes and general dirt lifting off your precious cargo.  You may need to take a vegetable brush to certain items such as potatoes.

Next, wash each item off in cold water and either dry with a paper towel or allow to air dry before tucking them into their new temporary living arrangements.  In the summer, I like to throw my produce into a dish strainer to dry.

When I'm short on time or only have a few things, I will spray each item down with 100% white vinegar, let sit for a few minutes and then rinse with cold water.  I keep a spray bottle filled with vinegar for such tasks.

Be sure to remove those pesky stickers before soaking - once wet, they can be a pain to remove.  I just learned that those stickers are edible - I don't care, I still don't want to eat them.

Now your fruits and veggies are readily available at a moments notice!  One less dreaded chore to slow down your meal preparations - trust me you're going to love it!

Be Clean My Friends,
The Hoff

P.S. You may have noticed that I had my watermelon and cantaloupe in the bath.  You may not eat the rinds of these types of items, but once you cut into the rind, you drag whatever was lurking on the outside all the way through your produce via the knife...that guy who didn't wash his hands after using the facilities and fondled each melon in search of the perfect one, those spiders that crawl into the crates during transit, the mice...need I go on?  And to that I say eww.

Quick Meal Idea: Teriyaki Salmon

I used to enjoy this super quick, lost cost meal during my Prescetarian days (a vegetarian who eats fish).

This meal feeds two for dinner or makes a great work lunch for two days.

Ingredients:

• One Bag Uncle Ben's Brown Ready Rice
• One can Green Beans (rinsed and drained)
• Two packets of Bumble Bee Teriyaki Salmon

A Meal For Two:

1. Cook Rice according to package
2. Divide Rice into two portions (one package is about 2 cups)
3. Heat Green Beans divided into two portions
4. Heat Salmon
5. Plate and Eat!

For Lunch:

1. Divide Rice into two containers (I like Pyrex or Anchor Hocking glass containers)
2. Top with Green Beans divided into two portions
3. Top with Salmon, allowing the marinade to flow over the Green Beans and Rice

No need to heat any of this ahead of time.  Simply heat the meal all together once lunchtime rolls around.

Bon Appetit!
The Hoff

Quick Tip: Stretching Hash Browns

Don't have enough Hash Browns for the entire crew or just looking to add some extra veggies into your day?

Add an equal amount of Sauerkraut to the Potatoes and cook and season as usual.  For me that entails a cast iron skillet and Garlic Powder, Cumin, and a touch of Mustard.

I had this for breakfast with a side of blueberry pancakes, but this could easily be worked into a side dish for dinner.

Tip: To reduce the sourness of the Kraut, rinse and drain before using.

Enjoy!
The Hoff

Witch Hazel for Sunburn?

I always thought aloe vera was the only way to go for sunburn, but apparently pure Witch Hazel (no alcohol - check the label) is just as effective.

Keep Witch Hazel in the frig and soak a wash cloth to apply as a cold compress.

Finish by applying aloe to lock in the moisture.

You should be able to find Witch Hazel at any local Health Food Store.  I gravitate towards the Thayers brand.

Witch Hazel also works well as a Toner, Acne relief, on Bug Bites, for Minor Cuts, on Poison Ivy/Oak and to speed up the healing of Bruises.

Get a little Witchy!
The Hoff