I was looking at the labels on different butter spreads the other day and realizing that I could not pronounce most of the ingredients listed. This is a HUGE red flag for me. I am really starting to believe that we need to be aware and pro-active in what we put into our mouth. Just because the product is low calories or screams other such marketing from it's colorful packaging. You really just need to turn it around and read!
To give an example: here are the ingredients from two butter spreads I used to use all the time:
INGREDIENTS: WATER, VEGETABLE OIL BLEND (LIQUID SOYBEAN OIL, PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED SOYBEAN OIL), NONFAT YOGURT* (CULTURED NONFAT MILK), SALT, GELATIN, VEGETABLE MONO AND DIGLYCERIDES, SOY LECITHIN, (POTASSIUM SORBATE, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA) USED TO PROTECT QUALITY, LACTIC ACID, ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, VITAMIN A (PALMITATE), BETA CAROTENE (FOR COLOR).
NATURAL OIL BLEND (PALM FRUIT, SOYBEAN, CANOLA, AND OLIVE OILS), WATER, CONTAINS LESS THAN 2% OF SALT, WHEY (FROM MILK), VEGETABLE MONOGLYCERIDES AND SORBITAN ESTER OF FATTY ACIDS (EMULSIFIERS), SOYBEAN LECITHIN, POTASSIUM SORBATE, LACTIC ACID (TO PROTECT FRESHNESS), NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA, VITAMIN A PALMITATE, VITAMIN B6, VITAMIN B12, VITAMIN D, VITAMIN E (DL-α-TOCOPHEROL ACETATE), BETA-CAROTENE COLOR
Here are the ingredients for butter: Cream, Salt
Why would I put all of those other ingredients on my toast! Butter has gotten a bad rap in the past. But you can't argue that at least you know what it's ingredients are! The problem with butter is it is hard to spread so I did a little research and found that if you blend real butter with some healthy oil- canola or olive oil. It makes a spreadable butter, right from the fridge AND you are cutting the saturated fat in half.
So now I am making my own butter spread. I still have to practice some self control- since I have a weakness for butter but I think this is a much better, whole, real food product! And that is what I am all about these days. Real food, eating things my great grandmother would recognize and not being deceived by all the food marketing mumbo jumbo!
Enough Rambling... Here are the easy directions!
To make your own. Take 1 cup real butter and 3/4 - cup canola or olive oil. Blend in blender, food processor or with a hand mixer. It will be a sloppy runny mess. Pour this into a container with a lid and refrigerate. Soon the butter will re harden and you will be left with yummy spreadable butter with ingredients you can pronounce!
Sunday, March 21, 2010
It has been way too long since my last post!
It has been to long since I have been able to make the time to post on my blog! Life just gets in the way sometimes doesn't it. This month has been a tough one for me. In some ways I had lost some of my drive for my goals and was starting to feel very overwhelmed with life. In other ways I have been trying hard to find some balance so I can accomplish my goals!! What a double edged sword life can be!!
The Good...I can honestly say I have stuck to my no sugar/white flour goal as best as I can. It has really become a way of life for me. I only have trouble when having to make a choice when eating out-which we rarely do anymore- or when eating at someone's house. However the trouble has not been whether to make the right choice or not but more which is the best choice to make! Sometimes you can't get nutritional information on everything so you just have to go with the best options available. So I just try to do my best! One thing that has become easy is to not feel deprived when others are eating dessert and I am not. That is HUGE for me. I must say though that if I didn't have some dark chocolate occasionally, I would be a mess!! I have also developed a liking to high quality dark chocolate! No more Hershey or Dove for me anymore. Thank goodness our local food co-op stocks lots of delicious options. My son picked out a dark chocolate bar with ginger in it!! Super YUM
As far as exercise is concerned. I have been biking, and getting better at it! It has been a struggle to deal with my current bike, and I am excited to be getting my new road bike this week. But I have proven to myself that I can do things that I didn't think I could. It is a struggle to balance getting a good workout in every day- with all the other things in my life.
The Bad.... It have not been as strict as I was with keeping track of my food. I am sure that is why my weight loss has been slow or non- existent the past few weeks. Although I am still making healthy choices, I need to be more careful that my diet is balanced and that I don't have too many or too few calories. Recording my food on livestrong.com is the key and sometimes I just get too busy to make the time to record. However I am starting to see that I must make time if I want to reach my goals!
In the world of Exercise.... Spring Break got the better of me, and I let the change in schedule keep me from doing the things I should have been doing! I did get in 2 good rides, but that is pretty sad considering I have been pretty consistently exercising 5 or 6 times a week. However the official training starts this week so no more slacking off for me!!
The Ugly... Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how I tend to live my life on an emotional roller coaster! Just imagine being my husband! Well the lack of performance with my current bike sent me on a big up and down emotional ride! I wanted it to be the bike that was keeping me back, and even though I knew that was the case and even had friends backing me up, I still started doubting myself and my abilities. That sent me for a serious downward spiral into what my hubby and I call "my hole" I have spent a good deal of time in 'my hole' over this silly bike. Thoughts like "What if I buy a new bike and still am slow" or "Why doesn't my husband go and buy me a new road bike, TODAY!", "When is someone going to help me around here" "What was I ever thinking, this goal is too much for me to do! " etc...You get the picture. I spent way too much time, worrying, crying, yelling and pretty much being a bratty child instead of just explaining my problems and finding a solution! Thanks to the world's most patient husband. I now have most of what I want and the gear I need to be successful with this bike ride. Now it is up to me to do the work!! I think I am out of the woods so to speak.... but I better stay buckled and seated cause you never know when the loop-de- loop is coming round again!
I will try to update my blog as much as I can throughout the next 12 weeks! I am excited and nervous for the training. SO glad I am doing it with such great friends, and I think I will feel so empowered when it is all over!!
The Good...I can honestly say I have stuck to my no sugar/white flour goal as best as I can. It has really become a way of life for me. I only have trouble when having to make a choice when eating out-which we rarely do anymore- or when eating at someone's house. However the trouble has not been whether to make the right choice or not but more which is the best choice to make! Sometimes you can't get nutritional information on everything so you just have to go with the best options available. So I just try to do my best! One thing that has become easy is to not feel deprived when others are eating dessert and I am not. That is HUGE for me. I must say though that if I didn't have some dark chocolate occasionally, I would be a mess!! I have also developed a liking to high quality dark chocolate! No more Hershey or Dove for me anymore. Thank goodness our local food co-op stocks lots of delicious options. My son picked out a dark chocolate bar with ginger in it!! Super YUM
As far as exercise is concerned. I have been biking, and getting better at it! It has been a struggle to deal with my current bike, and I am excited to be getting my new road bike this week. But I have proven to myself that I can do things that I didn't think I could. It is a struggle to balance getting a good workout in every day- with all the other things in my life.
The Bad.... It have not been as strict as I was with keeping track of my food. I am sure that is why my weight loss has been slow or non- existent the past few weeks. Although I am still making healthy choices, I need to be more careful that my diet is balanced and that I don't have too many or too few calories. Recording my food on livestrong.com is the key and sometimes I just get too busy to make the time to record. However I am starting to see that I must make time if I want to reach my goals!
In the world of Exercise.... Spring Break got the better of me, and I let the change in schedule keep me from doing the things I should have been doing! I did get in 2 good rides, but that is pretty sad considering I have been pretty consistently exercising 5 or 6 times a week. However the official training starts this week so no more slacking off for me!!
The Ugly... Anyone who has known me for any length of time knows how I tend to live my life on an emotional roller coaster! Just imagine being my husband! Well the lack of performance with my current bike sent me on a big up and down emotional ride! I wanted it to be the bike that was keeping me back, and even though I knew that was the case and even had friends backing me up, I still started doubting myself and my abilities. That sent me for a serious downward spiral into what my hubby and I call "my hole" I have spent a good deal of time in 'my hole' over this silly bike. Thoughts like "What if I buy a new bike and still am slow" or "Why doesn't my husband go and buy me a new road bike, TODAY!", "When is someone going to help me around here" "What was I ever thinking, this goal is too much for me to do! " etc...You get the picture. I spent way too much time, worrying, crying, yelling and pretty much being a bratty child instead of just explaining my problems and finding a solution! Thanks to the world's most patient husband. I now have most of what I want and the gear I need to be successful with this bike ride. Now it is up to me to do the work!! I think I am out of the woods so to speak.... but I better stay buckled and seated cause you never know when the loop-de- loop is coming round again!
I will try to update my blog as much as I can throughout the next 12 weeks! I am excited and nervous for the training. SO glad I am doing it with such great friends, and I think I will feel so empowered when it is all over!!
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