Picadillo - Cuban (ish) style

I think I've shared that we are in a Meat CSA.  Have I said that I am now the CSA coordinator for said CSA? Yes! I am the first ever Meadow Haven CSA coordinator.  whoohoo!  Of course the CSA only started out about six months ago, so it's not like there was a lot of coordinating going on.

Anyway, in our meat share we get a lot of ground beef.  No complaints, I love ground beef because it is so versatile and there are so many ways to cook it.  And, you can get a flavor of a country just by adding spices or other ingredients to create a whole new dish.  We've had South African, Italian, Spanish, Indian and so on. Aside from the not so basic burgers that the BF makes for us, as he makes great burgers.

Picadillo is a fairly common name for a Latin American and Filipino dish made up with (usually) ground beef .  The dish comes with a variety of flavors based on the country of origin.  I even found one in a Tex-Mex cookbook but it looked so boring compared with this version that I didn't even write it down or try it.  But, once you have a great recipe it is very hard to muck around with a blander version.   The dish is usually served with rice or as the filling in a taco - but we just eat it straight from a bowl. Best of all, if you double the quantity, it reheats great for work.

Another good thing is that you can add almost anything to it to meet your tastes.  The idea is a sweet, salty, beefy combo.  The BF likes cashews and we added that for a bonus crunch.  The original recipe is from Three Guys From Miami who also have a cookbook that has some great recipes.

Picadillo

1 cup diced onion
1 cup seeded and finely chopped bell pepper
butter/fat for sautéing
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lbs. ground beef or ground round
1 1/2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped (or one can of chopped tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/4 cup chopped olives  (optional - green or black)
1/6 cup raisins
Salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup raw cashews (optional)

Melt butter/fat in a large frying pan. Sauté onion and green pepper for about 5 minutes, until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and ground beef. Cook until the meat is browned, about 5 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, and oregano. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes.  If you don't want any sauce, cook it uncovered.  You may still have to simmer it longer to reduce the liquids if you used canned tomatoes.

Add olives and raisins and simmer 5 minutes longer. Salt and pepper to taste.

While the olives and raisins are cooking.  Heat up a frying pan with butter, toss in the cashews and stirring constantly wait until lightly brown.  Then toss them into the pan.

Asian inspired ground beef

I've been on a hunt for ground beef recipes because our CSA provides a lot of ground beef and one can eat chili and burgers so many times.

It's probably just me. :)  I really have trouble eating the same dish multiple times and if I've made it once, unless it's requested again I probably will forget about the dish. I know, it is very odd.  But, I like to make new things and try new flavors - hence the blog.  So, that I can recall a really good dish and do it up again.  And, you thought I was writing for you. uh?

Ok. I was writing for anyone who is willing to put up with my random moments of writing. And for the people I love who really don't need to hear about me going on and on and on about food. ;)

The thing I love about this dish is that you can add any veggie you want to it and I had some cabbage and spinach.  So, I tossed it in.  The original recipe is from This Primal Life which I haven't tried anything but this recipe.  It looks cool and I'm hoping to wander around her site some more.

Asian Ground Beef

1 lb. ground beef
3 tablespoons butter/ghee
1 bell pepper, sliced - red/yellow/orange - something to make it pretty
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 small onion, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup cabbage, shredded (optional)
1/2 cup spinach, chopped (optional) 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Sauce:
3 tablespoons almond butter or peanut butter
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

Mix the ingredients for the sauce and set aside.

In a warm skillet, melt some butter/ghee.  Add onions and cook until softened.  Add garlic and ginger, cook about a minute or so.  Add ground beef and cook until browned.

Once the beef has browned, add veggies (carrots, spinach, peppers, etc).   Once the veggies are cooked to your taste, I like it a bit on the al dente side so there is a crunch.  Add the sauce. Give a quick stir.  Turn off the stove, add the cilantro.  Serve.

Yum!

Notes on the recipe:

•  I cook my onion as I don't like the sharp bite of onion. You do not have to do so. And, in the original recipe it is not cooked early. 
•  If using cabbage, you can put it in with the ground beef depending on how much you like cabbage. The earlier you put it in, the less the cabbage flavor will show through in the dish. Since the BF isn't a big fan of cabbage, I chopped it up into tiny bits and cooked it earlier in the process.
• While I say use "pretty" peppers, this really isn't that attractive of a dish. Yummy! but not pretty. But, I figure taste wins! And, as long as I don't do this up for company... we're all good, right? 
• Now, you can put these in lettuce leaves and serve. I'd suggest Boston or even the dreaded Iceburg which both have nice big leaves. But, we just ate it up right from the bowl.

Pork Chops Saltimbocca with Sautéed Spinach

We had this for dinner tonight... I was going to post on something else but it was SO GOOD that I just had to share.  Sorry I don't have any pictures buts we just ate it way too fast... it is that yummy.

I've made this twice now and I think the modified version is much better.  But then again I love prosciutto and while I thought the original recipe from Gourmet is very good - I just needed more cheese and prosciutto. :)

Note about the cheese:  Apparently there is Fontina and Fontinella, do not confuse the two, they taste very different.  Although both will melt well and if you accidentally brought Fontinella (which I did the first time I made this) it still tastes good. Fontina is much richer and creamer, so I think it tastes better. ;)

Pork Chops Saltimbocca with Sauteed Spinach

• 2  pork chops - boneless works easiest, but I've done it with bone-in as well.
• 2 sage leaves, finely chopped (can use dried - about a 1 teaspoon)
• 2 very thin slices Italian Fontina 
• 2 thin slices prosciutto (1 ounce) 
• 3 tablespoons butter 
• 1 large garlic clove, finely chopped 
• 1 (10-ounce) fresh spinach, stems discarded (or less depending on how much you like spinach)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces 
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle.

Pat chops dry and cut a deep, wide pocket in each pork chop.  Sprinkle sage into each pocket and stuff pockets with cheese and prosciutto. Season with 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. (You don't want to over salt as the the prosciutto is quite salty as well)

In a ovenproof skillet, heat butter and cook one side of the chops until it is golden brown.  Flip over, put on some more prosciutto (a slice or so), cheese and a bit of sage.  Stick into the oven to roast.

Roast until cooked through, about 5 minutes.

While chops cook:
Heat butter in a 5-qt pot over medium heat. Sauté garlic until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add spinach and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season with salt.

Plate pork and spinach.  Drizzle a little bit of lemon juice on both.  Serve.

Chicken Paprikash (sort-of) with Bell peppers

I made this for my sis, Coco, for dinner as she is in surgery recovery mode.

A great recipe that re-heats well and has that warm, comforting feel to it.  We don't eat it with pasta or rice so it's more like a soupy stew...but you can put it on top of something if you feel the need. I know the sis is going to do so. :)

Anyway ... Coco.. here is the recipe like I promised you.

Chicken Paprikash with Bell Peppers

• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 3 teaspoons paprika 
• 1 chicken (3 to 3-1/2 pounds), cut into serving pieces (skin off or on, depending on what you like)
• 4 tablespoons fat/ghee for frying 
• 1 medium onion, sliced 
• 2 medium red bell peppers, cut into 1-2" squares 
• ground pepper to taste 
• 1-½ cups chicken stock 
• 1 cup yogurt or sour cream or creme fraiche

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a bowl, mix salt and paprika.  Toss in chicken and coat.

In a dutch oven, heat up fat on high/medium high heat.  Add chicken to pot, being careful not to crowd the chicken .  You may have to do several batches.  Once all the chicken is browned (see picture).

Reduce to medium heat and put in the onions and bell peppers.  Saute until onions have softened, about 5 min.    Add black pepper and anything you may have left over in the bowl you had placed the chicken in.  Do a quick stir.  Add chicken stock and chicken.  Bring up to a simmer.  Just before placing into oven, add yogurt.   If using sour cream or creme fraiche, wait until chicken has cooked and add at the end as I'm not sure how either of those will cook down in the oven. 

Place pot into the oven and bake for about 50 min. 

Serve... in a nice bowl or with something traditional like spaetzel. 

Gambas al ajillo (Shrimp in Garlic)

This is one of the quickest and easiest dishes.  I'm not even sure it really needs a recipe!

After all the key ingredients are garlic, parsley and shrimp... not too much to it.  I know a lot of recipes that have you put the whole thing in a terracotta dish and place it in the oven.  This is not one of those recipes... because, as you know, I'm lazy.

So, what do you need?  Ideally a really good cast iron pan, as it just gives that great flavor and holds up the heat well.  If not, a good frying pan will work. 

Gambas al ajillo

Shrimp in Garlic 

• 1/2 pound shrimps or prawns, shelled and de-veined
• 1 handful of italian parsely, roughly chopped (1/4 cup approx)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon (more or less) of red chili flakes
• 3 cloves garlic (more or less),  crushed
• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 6 tablespoons butter

Heat up the butter.  Add shallots and salt, cook until shallots are soft (about 1 or 2 minutes).  Add garlic and chili, and give a quick stir.  Add shrimp and cook until pink / cooked. If you cook it too long, shrimps get rubbery, so keep a close eye on it.   It should only be 2, maybe 3 minutes.   Pull off heat, toss in parsley and put in a serving dish (so that you don't keep cooking the shrimp from the heat of the pan).

Peas and pancetta...

We made peas and pancetta for dinner the other night and it was SO YUMMY!  As you can see, in the top left corner,  the scallops were the main.

I do love how quickly one can cook up scallops and have a "nice" dinner.  You know, the dinners that you go out and pay heaps of money.... and think...yummy!

This is one of those meals. And, quick too! How much better than that can you get?  I will say the meal itself is a bit on the salty side - since pancetta is salty and well... so are scallops.  But, flavor wise, a great combo - especially with the creaminess of the scallops in mushroom cream sauce.

I got the recipe from Michael Symon's cookbook "Live to Cook" - which I thought was a great name and so had to buy it.  Ok... so I did look inside first to see if there was anything that I would be willing to cook and eat.  Lucky for both of us -- there were heaps of stuff that looked yummy! After all, how can you not buy a book that has a whole chapter dedicated to pickles?! :)

Peas and Pancetta

• 1/4 pound Pancetta, thickly sliced and then diced
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1 tsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup peas (I used frozen and thawed but I would love to taste this with fresh peas)
• 1/4 cup flat leaf parsley (chopped)
• Kosher salt (or sea salt)

In a saute pan, cook the Pancetta until crispy.  about 5 min. Add shallots and garlic - sweat  - about a minute. Add peas, if using thawed peas - just until they are warm. If using fresh, until they are cooked. Remove from flame, toss in parsley.
Taste - add salt if needed. 

Now, Michael Symon uses orange juice in his version. I'm sure it is good but we were/are avoiding the extra sugar. And, I don't really think this needs the sweetness.  He also suggests putting this dish with fish such as grilled salmon or halibut.  But, since we have scallops - well - you know how that goes.

Here is a picture of the finished product.... thanks to the BF for both pictures. Otherwise, you would have none. I'm really trying to get better about taking pictures... sigh... but ... this involves planning... or some such thing. ok... it needs a camera too.

The two little round things... are tomatoes from the farmer's market.  They are called sun gold tomatoes which were last weeks favorite tomato.

This week...... well... I guess, I'll have to take pictures and let you know. :) 
 

thai chicken vs. thai basil chicken

I've made multiple versions of Thai chicken now and I still don't see a significant difference between Thai basil chicken and Thai chicken (from the recipes I have tried).

Here is one I like best which is from The Atlantic (I think but I cannot find it on their site anymore).

Thai Meat Salad

• 5 ounces lean pork or chicken, hand-minced, This is an important step, and takes about two minutes with a sharp knife. Chop until meat is very fine and resembles ground chicken or pork. The texture will be much better than machine ground meat.
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 3 shallots, chopped fine
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 large handful fresh mint, coriander and spring onions, in roughly equal parts, chopped OR 1 cup of Thai basil or holy basil (Italian doesn't taste right but can be used if you wish) slivers
• 1 Kaffir lime leaf, rolled up and then sliced into tiny slivers (optional)
• 2 tablespoons lime juice (more, if you like it sour)
• 1.5 to 2 tablespoon good fish sauce (I use a bit less since I don't like fishy)
• ½ teaspoon roasted chili powder
• a handful of cashews (optional)

Heat stock and garlic in a small pan and season with some salt (and sugar - if you use sugar - I do sometimes put in a drop of honey if it tastes like it needs sweetness but for the most part I don't bother)
Add minced meat and cook quickly, stirring, until the meat is fluffy and cooked through--about 3-5 minutes is all you'll need.
Remove from heat and add lime juice, fish sauce, chili flakes, and taste. There should be a sweet, salty, spicy and sour balance. If not, adjust.
Toss with fresh herbs and shallots. Cashews if you wanted to have a crunch.

serve immediately.

If you are pressed for time... the minced chicken works well enough.  It really does taste better if you chop up the meat yourself - but this is such a nice quick meal - I have totally slacked on occasion and used ground chicken instead of doing it up myself. :)

You can put these in lettuce - for lettuce wraps.  Or eat it plain like we tend to do.  Boston/Butter lettuce works well as it has nice big leaves.

A nice side to this is a cucumber salad.  We got a lovely Persian cucumber from the farmer's market last week and I have to say it is one of my favorite variety of cucumber.  I just slice it up with some rice wine vinegar, a drop of honey and some shallots diced up.  If you have some nice tomatoes that would be lovely in there as well.

New Orleans duex

We had some andouille sausages I wanted to use and as you know, I'm in a New Orleans kind of mood. So, I was browsing the Gumbo Pages and found this recipe that uses andouille sausage. Now, I have to admit to being very bad and hardly following the recipe at all. I was planning to and I will do so next time. But, this version came up pretty darn good.

Black Eyed Peas and Andouille Sausage Soup/Stew

• 1/2 pound black-eyed peas
• 2 Andouille Sausages  - pan fried and cut into bite size pieces
• 5 oz ham (I had some left over in the freezer from a dinner we had done up a bit ago)
• 6 cups beef stock (well that was what I had in the fridge since we had just done up some beef stock)
• 2 tbsp Cajun spices (I used Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning )
• 1 large onion - chopped finely
• 1 large bell pepper - chopped finely (red since the BF doesn't like green, go figure)
• 2 bay leaves handful of parsley leaves - roughly chopped
• butter to saute

In a hot pan, saute the onions and bell pepper in butter until onions are softened, about 5 min.

Add Cajun seasoning and give it a quick stir. Add bay leaf, stock, black eyed peas - simmer for about 10-15 min.

During the simmering time, cook up the sausages and cut them into bite size pieces.

Put in sausages, ham and parsley.

Simmer for a few min - until the black eyed peas are done to a consistency you like.

We did eat it with a wee bit of sourdough bread that I got from Gene's. Best sourdough I've bought outside of San Fran.

Chicken Makhani

Butter Chicken - aka - Chicken Makhani is the BF's favorite dish.  It works really well as a stew-like dish.  Since we don't eat grains, this is one of the few Indian dishes that translates well into a low-carb meal.  I shred up the chicken after it has cooked up so that it has a bit less liquid/curry.

I like to buy a whole chicken and cut off the meat.  This gives me the bones to use for making stocks and it is very economical.  I freeze the bones, wing, skin - whatever I haven't used for the curry in a ziplock bag.  Then, when I have collected enough chicken bones - we have a chicken stock making day.  A nice weekend event. :)  Last go, we ended up with 24 cups of chicken stock for the freezer.

Chicken Makhani

• 2/3 cup plain yogurt
• 1/2 cup ground almonds
• 1/4 teaspoon ground bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder (cayenne)  - or less as it is quite spicy
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 4 green cardamon pods
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon crushed garlic
• 2 cups canned tomatoes
• 1 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/4 lb skinless, boneless chicken, cut up in chunks
• 6 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 tablespoons cream (optional)
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

In a large bowl, mix almonds, yogurt, chili powder, ground spices, garam masala, ginger and garlic. Add tomatoes and salt, to bowl and mix. Add chicken, mix well and set aside

On medium heat, melt butter in a large pot (a stock pot works well). Add onions and cool slowly until browned, about 10 - 15 min, stirring frequently. Add chicken mixture and cool until chicken is done, stirring occasionally.

Once its all cooked up, if you had placed any bones, pull them out. Take two forks and shred the chicken if you wish. Add the cilantro, mix well.

If there is still a little too much liquid, cook on low heat until you have the desired thickness. Once it's at the consistency you want, add the cream if you wish.  This gives it a richer taste.

Notes:

1. Yogurt: The best yogurts for this are thick, either Greek style or full cream like Brown Cow (which I prefer for Indian food).   
2. Ground spices:  I tend to grind all the ground items together in a coffee grinder and then dump it into the curry, which makes all the spices uniform. 
3. Chicken: If you are cutting up a whole chicken for this dish, save off the wings or the leg bones and cook them in the curry, pulling them out before serving. 

This dish went over really well with the family last weekend and if you are having a lot of people it is a pretty frugal meal for a large crowd.  And, if you make rice for your carb eating guests - there is even more chicken for you!

Quick Meals for those tough days

I was talking to my sister today. Badgering? Chatting? driving her crazy...about switching her food options to less processed food and lower carbohydrates. Her take was that I had heaps of time and therefore was able to keep and maintain the life-style we have chosen.

I was thinking about that... but the reality is that I don't.

However, I love to cook, it relaxes me and re-connects me to what I feel is important in life. And, I am lucky that we aren't tied to eating times and the BF is very flexible on when and what we are eating. I've had days where all of a sudden I've decided that I just don't want what I had planned for dinner and go out shopping. And, we've eaten at 10pm. I know this is not possible when one has children.

And, this particular posting isn't about those days where no one cares how long it is going to be before one ea. It is about the days where I come home and all I want to do is eat and sleep.

And, here is what we do on those days.


Hamburgers (sans bread) with a side salad (avocado and tomatoes)

Tuna with green goddess dressing on a salad


Scallops in cream sauce with salad

fish (grilled or pan fried) with a salad

...ummm.. .I think there is a theme here. ; )

Steaks with green beans (or salad, I'm sure that will work too. *grin*)

Chicken strips with veggies. I use chicken pieces so that it cooks fast but if you have time chicken cooked on the bone is much tastier. But, I've never cooked the chicken recipe below with chicken on the bone - as you may recall, this is my "OMG! I just wanta go to bed recipes." :)

As for veggies, we steam or stir fry in butter the following: broccoli, carrots, green beans, mushrooms. Other options that just don't make it into the house because of the BF (but I may find ways in the future to sneak them home!): eggplant, cauliflower, cabbage, bok choy...etc. The list of veggies are endless - and most cook up fast. Unless, you are trying to be sneaky with the veg in question - in which case we are back to "work" :) Well, at least until you have found a recipe that may or may not be quick and easy. I'm just saying that while I may think that butter makes everything taste good, not every one agrees with me. *shocking* I know.

OK.. so here are some recipes.

Scallops - ok.. fine... this isn't the one from the picture because....well, that one isn't so quick. but it looked and tasted too yummy for me not to put it up. I'll put up the recipe in the future.

However, here is a quick scallop recipe which is very yummy as well.

Scallop Provencal

• 1 lb. fresh bay or sea scallops
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
• ½ cup chopped shallots (2 large)
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• ⅓ cup dry white wine (optional)
• 1 lemon, cut in 1/2

If you're using bay scallops, keep them whole. If you're using sea scallops, cut each 1 in half horizontally (or not). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
In a very large saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the butter over high heat until sizzling and add the scallops in 1 layer. Lower the heat to medium and allow the scallops to brown lightly on 1 side without moving them, then turn and brown lightly on the other side. This should take 3 to 4 minutes, total.
Melt the rest of the butter in the pan with the scallops, then add the shallots, garlic, and parsley and saute for 2 more minutes, tossing the seasonings with the scallops. Add the wine (or not), cook for 1 minute, and taste for seasoning. Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice.

Chicken

• 1/2 pound or so strips of chicken (you can cut up a breast of chicken or buy chicken already cut up into strips)
• 3 tbs butter, melted
• 1 tbs basil and oregano (dried)
• salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl mix herbs, salt and butter. Toss in the chicken and mix to coat. In a skillet, add enough butter to coat the pan. Once hot, add chicken and cook through.

See how fast that is? you are done! I love to make this on a grill pan - which I was very lucky to get this past Christmas. If you are lucky enough to have one, heat it up while you are preparing the chicken.

This is also one of those recipes which you can add or remove ingredients on what you feel like or have on hand. I've tossed in some grated cheese. Used rosemary instead of or with the basil and oregano. You can add whatever flavors you like at the time and I think it will turn out good.

Green Goddess Dressing

• ½ avocado
• 3 tablespoons mayonnaise (optional - we don't use it because I can't be bothered to make mayo and well, I don't like the stuff from the stores)
• 3 tablespoons plain yogurt
• 1 tablespoon water
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped (well, if you feel like chopping - I just toss it all in)
• 1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon tarragon, chopped
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon pepper

In blender, combine avocado, mayonnaise, yogurt, water, scallions and garlic. puree until smooth. Add basil, parsley, tarragon, lemon, salt and pepper. blend until combined. Or, if you couldn't be bothered to chop the herbs (like me) just blend it for a bit longer so it's all nicely chopped up for you.

There are so many quick and easy options. It isn't a case of not having time because a lot of processed foods take as much or more time. And, if you are a planner - you could do so much better than I do about getting dinner done up in no time.

And, I love stews, roasts and soups - which take a lot of time but little work. So, if you can stick something in the oven or in a crock pot and do whatever else you need to do. Those are great options as well.

I think the most important thing is to break the cycle of processed fast food. Of thinking that real cooking takes time and more energy than a tossing of pasta with some sauce. Or a pizza in the oven. OK, perhaps a bit more energy than the pizza in the oven. ;)

But, honestly, I have gained so much more energy by removing processed food and high amounts of carbs from my life. I feel better about what I eat, knowing where it comes from and how it was treated/grown/cared. Versus, eating a box-o-meal, where I know nothing about the product. Where, I do not know all the ingredients or how it was made (aside from in a factory).

Do I eat carbs? yes, sometimes. Nothing like I use to do. Which, when I was a vegetarian was every day, multiple times a day. And, the highs and lows were so extreme. If I forgot to eat on a regular schedule, I would randomly tip over. I kid you not! The BF had gotten so use to me tipping over that he thought it was normal behavior for me. And, it didn't matter the type of shoes I wore or the terrain. It was my blood sugar levels - which were spiking and falling.

Do I eat out? yes, sometimes. And, while I will try to eat at sustainable restaurants. Or, choose better options at regular restaurants (however, not fast food restaurants - they are still plain nasty). Some days, a pizza is just too good to pass up. (like tonight! although I do stick the toppings from a few slices on to 1 pizza crust. The BF, just eats it sans crust --- which is yummy too).

The thing for me is not giving up everything - just not eating it often. I find that I don't want bread or cake or pizza (ok, maybe not pizza) as often as before. And, that by giving up changing the food I eat on a daily basis, I am in better health now than I have ever been.