Mutant Apples

So, I recently purchased 100 of Real Food by Lisa Leake. I have followed her website for a while, but I am a bibliophile, so I love the book (which is a compilation of sorts of her blog...http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/). I had been reading it while on vacation, so couldn't wait to get home and jump in.

I was immediately inspired to try "Apple Sandwiches" (http://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/08/21/how-to-make-an-apple-sandwich/), because I was considering going gluten-free with my oldest son (#1) to better manage his seizures, starting on the first, but also because my kids probably don't get the servings of fruit they should be getting. Anyhow, I ended up in Harris Teeter and saw these puppies (see photos below), and knew today WAS THE DAY!

I sliced these thick on my mandolin (so, I'm a lazy chef, the darn things WERE almost too big!), and they were about the same size as a bagel slice. I am not kidding! I smothered mine in almond butter and dried cranberries, and was able to persuade "the Young One" (#4) to try them, too. She had peanut butter and raisins (there really is no accounting for taste). We also managed to get #1 to eat one, and then two. Then "the Dramatic One"(#3) wanted to know what the hullaballoo was about and she slathered one, up as well. "The Artistic One" (#2) was no where to be found. A win for me, because this proved to be an excellent substitute for bread, which this family completely over consumes. I recently passed a "One Sandwich a Day" moratorium. I could easily see cream cheese, or even turkey and cheddar slipped between these gigantic mutant apple slices. I went back yesterday and picked up some more.

Regular Show Free Cake Clip

My 17yo said I HAD to share this...

Free Cake and other Delicacies

So, I'm all about health, ummm, mostly...I am a human being, and my daughter actually reminded me yesterday after shaming "candified yogurt", that I can appreciate yogurt in a tube just as much as the next guy.  Why did God give us children?? To humble us, each and everyday.

Health aside, I like cooking, but I love baking...So what is a baker to do, when she can't eat her goods?  Bake for others!! I also need to keep my skills sharp, you know, and I wanted to see if the products I learned to make at school are scalable to my home kitchen, and if they translate well.  I am pleased to announce, they do.

So here are the cakes I made today: 

2 Chocolate Sponge Cakes with Chocolate Buttercream Icing. (1 went to my friend , Sue, and a slice of the other, well, it went into Ma Belly!)

2 Vanilla Sponge Cakes with Vanilla Buttercream Icing. (1 went into my friend Sue's freezer for a rainy day, all decorated, the other into my freezer, nekkid, no photo for modesty's sake, jeez...)

This past week I also made about 10 dozen cookies for Scouting events, chocolate chip, chocolate vanilla chip, and gingerbread.

So, keep this in mind, you don't have to stop baking just because you're living healthy, though someone who needs to avoid gluten may have to get creative, you just need to have friends to share with.  Now, in my case, word has gotten out I know my way around a cookie recipe, so I plan on having no shortage of friends I can gift cakes, cookies, and pies to.

Food Shaming, Week One

So, this is the page of my future personal chef business. It's been sitting here for a week, just collecting views. I'm sorry to have disappointed you all with no content, so I'm gonna make it up to you.

WEEKLY PRODUCT SHAMING
Why? Because I can. This week's product is:

YoCrunch yogurt. Yogurt with candy in it. To tell you the truth, this product was the inspiration for wanting to shame products weekly.

Honestly, I should have taken a photo of the nutritional information, but I was too stunned to think of it. I went to the website and saw that this product is on par with other similar products, so nutritionally I wasn't as big a disappointment as I expected. However, I am still really struggling to get my head around candy in yogurt, granola and dried fruit makes sense, even cookie crumbs doesn't sound like a stretch...but candy?

In my opinion, I feel we are trying too hard to make healthier foods appeal to the masses. Also, as a mother of four children, I see the candy getting eaten and the yogurt getting thrown away, kind of how all those Michelle Obama school lunches get handled.

I confess, and my husband will collaborate, that I love fancy yogurt. I eat a lot of yogurt, so I have to mix it up. I eat the stuff with the steel cut oats, the whipped stuff, the "desserty" stuff. But in my defense I regularly plain minimally tapered with Greek yogurt, and have been known to make my own.

Granted, this whole candy yogurt thing, is likely born of "a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down" thinking. But maybe if we stopped camouflaging the good nutritious food in junk, it would be accepted as what it was, good nutritious food.

Just my two cents, share it with anyone and you're likely to get change.

Nominate your own product for shaking, message me with it, or leave a comment.

The Jaded Chef Introduction

-Who is The Jaded Chef?
Me. No seriously, it is I, Judith Gorsky.

-Why am I jaded?
I am jaded because I was taking medications I didn't need for a long time. These medications actually made me sicker. These medications were for a problem I didn't have. Now, I have trust issues when it comes to health and wellness.  But, I always kind of had trust issues, I'm pessimistic, cynical, and sarcastic, I know this sounds counter intuitive traits to look for in a coach of any kind, but these traits makes me honest, a straight shooter.

I have a great doctor now, but I try to examine what I'm doing and what I'm eating before I go in to see him. Lately, I have been seeing him for Boy Scout physicals. I like it this way, I think he does, too.

Also, green is my power color, so even though "jaded" may have a negative definition, green is my power color.

-So, what DO you do?
When your doctor says you need to cut out sugar (or gluten, or sodium, or whatever...) many people get overwhelmed. The first time they go to the store after, and start reading labels is a nightmare. Your doctor is not going to go to the store with you and show you how to shop for your health. I do that.

I help you clean out your cabinets, and restock them, or start restocking them with better food choices. I can demonstrate different methods of cooking. I can show you what substitutions may be beneficial.

-Okay, so what DON'T you do?
I do not offer medical advice. If you think you have an allergy, sensitivity, or chronic condition, see your doctor first. I don't recommend supplements, vitamins, or products. I share them as part of my narrative, but this is not an endorsement.

Also, I do not clean kitchens, I just clean out the cabinets.

-Where's your street cred?
I have a (mostly) well managed stress/anxiety disorder. I went from being severely chronically depressed/anxious and having chronic respiratory illness to good health. I took me a couple of years.  I fixed myself under the guidance of a doctor and nutrapath with food and exercise.

In the three years I have proactively managed my health, I have ditched prescription drugs, lost approximately 70 pounds, started running 5Ks (4 as of 12/2014, and a Rugged Maniac scheduled for 3/2015), got healthy and confident enough to buy a motorcycle, turned my anxiety/depression around and received an Associates in Psychology, and decided to go back to school for Culinary Arts and major in Sports and Nutrition.

All this while being a full time mom to four children, two of which have special needs. I also am very blessed to have the love and support of my husband of 20 years, Paul, in my every endeavor.

-What happens to all the food that doesn't find it's way back into my cabinets?
That food gets donated to a local food bank. The only thing I dislike more than cabinets full of processed food, is wasting food. To date I have donated 68 pounds of food.

-You're okay with donating crappy food to the poor?
No. But everyone's need is different.

How can I secure your services?

-Call me, email me, message me...We can set up an appointment to talk about your goals, and see if my services are what you need.