How to Mix, Match & Multiply Your Food-Fits

Do you know anything about the fashion wardrobing concept of mix, match and multiply? If you own a handful of key core items you can create numerous outfits! You see this principle at work when you page through a fashion magazine or when you work with a personal wardrobe consultant. But...did you know you can use this same concept to create food-fits?

My top ten food picks, my food wardrobe, if you will:

fruit: apple, berries
vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower
starchy carbs: brown rice, sweet potato
lean and clean protein: chicken breast, salmon
fashionable fats: almonds and olive oil

Wha-lah, with the wave of my magic nutrition wand I have combined these ten basic foods to form a variety of different meals for which the whole is greater than the sum of their parts!

• Apple berry salad; grilled chicken; brown rice with steamed broccoli florets
• Stir-fry chicken with brown rice, broccoli and cauliflower; baked apple
• Grilled salmon topped with apple coulis; sweet potato garnished with almonds; berry fruit smoothie
• Baked chicken breast dusted with crushed almonds; roasted sweet potato wedges; fresh berries
• Baked and shredded sweet potato and apples topped with slivered almonds; grilled salmon; broccoli grilled in olive oil
• Baked salmon dredged in olive oil and topped with almonds; mashed cauliflower; warm apple berry compote
• Stir-fry salmon with brown rice, broccoli and diced apple; berries garnished with almonds
• Shredded apples, broccoli, cauliflower with diced chicken; sweet potato fries
• Pounded chicken breast with brown rice and chopped apples rolled inside; steamed broccoli

• Sweet potato soup garnished with almonds; stir-fry brown rice with broccoli

I invite you to come back regularly for ideas for more food-fits, but if you are up for the food wardrobe challenge here are some tips for building your own:

Pick two fruits, two vegetables, two starchy carbohydrates, two lean proteins and two fats and mix, match and multiply them in the following ways:

o Vary the cooking methods (bake, grill, sauté, steam, etc.)
o Vary the shape (strips, patties, etc.)
o Vary the size (whole, chopped, grated)
o Vary the consistency (whole, pureed)
o Vary the temperature
o Alter which food serves as the main course
o Create a meatless meal
o Season differently
o Use fruits to create sauces for grain or protein dishes
o Add vegetables and fruits to grains to add flavor and texture
o Create salads, soups or stir-fries
o If you also allow yourself to use a handful of staple pantry items you can create many more meals. For example: use eggs and whole wheat bread crumbs and mix with shredded vegetables or flaked fish to make veggie or fish patties.

So, if you are in the mood for simplifying your food without resigning yourself to eating the same foods cooked in the same way meal after meal, applying wardrobing concepts to your food makes perfect food-fit sense!



The Food That Fits

Green is the New Black

While fashion always leaves us guessing as to what color will be this season's "new black," the increased awareness around eco-friendly eating definitely lets us know that green is the new black in food. Eating in simpatico with the environment will score you everlasting style points. 

The Environmental Working Group (EWG) just released an update to the Shopper's Guide to Pesticide in Produce. For any of you who are unfamiliar with this resource, EWG estimates that if you avoid what they refer to as the "dirty dozen" from conventionally farmed sources, you can minimize your toxic exposure from pesticides and chemicals by as much as 85%. Conversely, the "clean fifteen" list represents the least contaminated sources of conventional produce and while organic is rarely a bad way to go, it provides you with more flexibility in your purchasing options.  Consider loading the complimentary "Dirty Dozen" app for quick reference while shopping.  

Without further ado, the lists...

Dirty Dozen (buy organic when possible):
1. Apples
2. Celery
3. Strawberries
4. Peaches
5. Spinach
6. Nectarines - imported

7. Grapes - imported

8. Sweet bell peppers

9. Potatoes

10. Blueberries - domestic

11. Lettuce

12. Kale/Collard greens

Clean Fifteen (lowest in pesticide):

1. Onions

2. Sweet corn

3. Pineapples

4. Avocado

5. Asparagus

6. Sweet peas

7. Mango

8. Eggplant

9. Cantaloupe - domestic

10. Kiwi

11. Cabbage

12. Watermelon

13. Sweet potatoes

14. Grapefruit

15. Mushrooms

*  A full list of 53 foods listed in descending order from highest to lowest pesticide content

People often ask me if a peeling on a fruit or vegetables acts as a barrier against pesticides. While it provides some protection, it is not a guarantee. Pesticides can be sprayed at any time during the maturation process of a plant and if a plant is exposed to a chemical at an early stage in its life cycle, it will absorb and retain those chemicals. 

Lastly, just in case you are thinking it is fashionable to avoid eating fruits and vegetables to limit your exposure, you will be limiting your exposure to fiber, antioxidants and phytochemicals too. Many, including EWG, agree that it is better to eat your fruits and veggies first and foremost and when you can be eco-choosy, it's all the better for you, the environment and your enviro-friendly style!

The Food That Fits

Sizing up Choose My Plate

I applaud Michelle Obama and her team of expert's efforts to provide people with an easier-to-read and easier-to-translate visual tool with the launch of ChooseMyPlate.gov. I appreciate that she chooses action over complacency. The debut of this new visual has created discussion, controversy and increased awareness from individual eaters to organizations.

It is always easier to criticize than it is to create. Imagine the challenge it is to create a one-size-fits-most graphic that pleases everyone. Most people can't agree upon what's for dinner, much less the perfect plate to feed America.

I was recently asked to comment on "the plate." First and foremost, I do prefer MyPlate to its predecessor, the pyramid. But, since it is easier to criticize than it is to create, I have some criticisms as well.

• I initially assumed the Grains category included starchier vegetables such as winter squash and potatoes, but upon further investigation of ChooseMyPlate.gov, these foods are included in the Vegetables category. While they are vegetables, lumping "low calorie density" vegetables with "higher calorie density" vegetables may spell trouble for many eaters. I know a lot of Midwesterners who would choose corn and potatoes over broccoli and asparagus everyday of the week.


• The website encourages whole grains but the plate dropped the word "whole."


• There is no allocation for healthy fats - no pretty color or category on the plate. The website, again, has more information but chooses diplomacy over strong recommendations about the healthiest fats to consume. Americans could translate the absence of fat to mean "I should avoid fat." Research and health recommendations have moved away from avoiding fat and toward the health benefits of eating the right fats.


• The website allows you to click on a "food gallery" for visual examples of specific foods and their portion size. I hope the stated portion size of 1 cup of white rice OR 1/2 cup of brown rice is an oversight and not intentional.


• There is an obvious presence of diplomacy on the website which is, no doubt, an effort to not rock the boat of food manufacturers or industry.

So, if Michelle Obama asked for my take on the plate, here are a few of my ideas:

• A fashionable red for the protein category to symbolize red meat but also to serve as a "stop" sign to avoid over consumption of this category. Less animal protein is better for many people and it equates to a lower carbon footprint.


• Group the starchy vegetables, grains and grain products into one category.


• Add an eight or a nine inch diameter line to the plate noting the actual length to emphasize that eating from a plate that is too large no matter how it is divided will result in too much food.


• Rename the "food gallery" to "portions gallery"and add the average calorie content of the stated portion size. Calorie awareness is a necessary and important tool for weight control.


• Pictures versus terms for food groups are implicitly multi-lingual.

The blogosphere has captured many relevant and interesting points since last week's launch of ChooseMyPlate. It's not perfect and there is only so much information it can convey. Yet, it has us talking about food and if we keep talking about it, that alone raises awareness. Thank you, Michelle Obama and your team of experts, for starting the conversation.



The Food That Fits