You from the Future

I'd like you to join me in a small thought experiment. Allow your mind to drift to the future. Where do you see yourself in a few years?

What if you could talk to yourself? Would you even want to listen to what your future self had to say? I think most people would say yes.

Keep picturing yourself. What do you look like? Maybe a little like your mom or your dad? No - that's nonsense. Well, I just hope you've aged more gracefully than Joan Rivers (sorry Joan).

Continuing... What thoughts will you have? What questions do you wish you could ask your future-self?

Now, snap out of it!

I talk to my future-self almost every day (and no I'm not going crazy). I'm talking about my parents.

How many times have you heard this... "Oh my god, I'm turning into my dad/mom." No kidding. When you're younger you don't want to admit it, but do you have certain tendencies that you inherited from them like; personality traits, lifestyle habits and interests.

Through the years, I'm learning where I get certain habits from: my interest in health and fitness from my dad and my thirst for adventure from my mom. I've even caught myself saying things my parents would say. Has that ever happened to you?

If you can accept that you and your parents have similar tastes and preferences than is it that much of a stretch to think that they are an older version of you with more experiences? They are you from a different generation. They are shaped by different environmental pressures, but they still are as close as you can get to you.

Next time you have a difficult decision to make, and you wish you could see in the future and find the "right" answer, realize that you can ask your parents. And most are more than willing to give an opinion.

What does your future self think about that new business you want to start? The relationship you are in? The job you want to change? Do you care what they may or may not have to say?

They might not always be right, but they are very good at telling you what you don't want to hear. Be stubborn if you want, but I have learned to respect what my parents say because they are as much a part of me as I am them.

Your Guide to Paleo Cooking

The blogosphere is filled with people who are passionate about their health, fitness and food. But in the niche segment of the paleo lifestyle, there are tons of brilliant and knowledgeable people contributing to a flourishing community. Everyone is here to interact, share and learn (with varying degrees of each). And while we may only know each other by our online personas this is the first time I have ever truly felt part of a tribe. Our common interests bond us, and being able to share my experiences and relate to others has peeked my interest in the field of health and nutrition. 

It’s great to talk about the more popular bloggers such as Mark Sisson or Robb Wolf, the latter of which got me turned on to the paleo diet. But the community has much more depth than that. As I dive deeper into this subculture, I am continuously finding everyday people doing spectacular things. Over the past few months I have been fortunate enough to interact some of these great people. 

One such blogger in the paleo community is Sébastien Noël over at Paleo Lifestyle Diet. Sébastien is a gifted writer, but where he really shines are his recipes. A few weeks ago, I was given a copy of his newly released eBook to review, and I must say that I am very impressed. I have a ton of cookbooks, but this was my first electronic cookbook. I was a little intimidated, because the PDF is 395 pages - that's a lot of recipes. I thought about going to staples to print out a copy, but a color copy of his recipe book would have been over $200 (c’mon staples).

Don’t Be Afraid of the eBook
Usually, while reading, I like things printed and in my hands, but having an online version makes the recipe book very searchable. It is easy to reference and browse recipes. I just typed in what food I had and the search showed me all the recipes containing my ingredient. In addition, Sébastien did a great job with the organization; the book is broken down by category and really well layed out. The design of the PDF is clean, easy to read, and aesthetically pleasing.

As far as taste goes, I'm not sure I could speak any higher of Sébastien. I made his Beanless Texas Style Chili that blows away Mark Sisson's Bison Chili. The great thing about his recipes is that they are simple. Most have less than 10 ingredients and he doesn't use anything that you'll have to find at an uber fancy grocery store. The combination of spices just work.

I also tried his Pork Chops with Apple and Onions and his Guacamole recipe both with success. But the one that really won over me over was his Baked Salmon with Asparagus and Roasted Beets. My mom made this the other night, and the salmon was so tasty my dad could not stop taking about it. The fish was so moist it almost melted in your mouth, and the asparagus was perfectly crispy. The beets came out a little undercooked, but the rest of the meal made up for that. I will definitely be cooking that again.

Just Try It
All in all, my family and I have loved cooking with Sébastien's recipes. He makes them very easy and approachable, but that doesn't mean they lack flavor. Check out his website where he has a ton of free recipes to try like Sweet Potato And Sausage Soup, Spicy Pulled Pork, Kale Chips, and a ton more. If you like what you see then take a look at his eBook where he compiles over 350 recipes, as well as cooking tips, a meal plan, and an herbs and spices guide (that is beautifully designed). Sébastien is doing great work over at his blog, so I am happy to recommend his recipes. They are simply delicious.

Go Barefoot in the Office

There are many benefits of barefoot running including: helping develop a natural gait (stride), strengthening muscles, tendons, and ligaments, improved balance, improved ground feel, and reducing injuries. But, as much as I would love to go barefoot all the time - most of us (including myself) have jobs that require us to wear shoes. But if you don't work from home (or have one heck of a hippy boss) there is still hope. The next best thing is a minimalist shoe. This is a shoe where the heel is thin enough so you can "feel" the ground, but thick enough to provide protection. An example would be Vibram's Five Finger shoes. They are minimalist in the sense that they have a 4mm sole, and yet they provide protection from modern surfaces (pavement, concrete). These work great but are pretty wacky looking.

When I'm at home, I love wearing my Vibram Five Finger Bikilas. I got them for running last June, and I will never go back to traditional running shoes again. They are fantastic, but they are also not work appropriate. Can you imagine Bill from accounting wearing a button-up, nice slacks, and some gorilla feet? They are eye catching, and while that's great for the track, or even the gym, it's not the kind of attention I want all the time.

Quest for a Classy Shoe
There must be other companies with similar shoes that I can wear to the office, yet, on first look, the options are limited and expensive. A company called Terra Plana has the most shoes with a couple of them bordering on being work-appropriate (Dharma and Oak for men). Yet, I think they are ugly, and if i'm paying $140 for shoes they better be pretty slick looking.

Is it too much to ask for a minimalist dress/work shoe that is both attractive and reasonably priced? It just may be too early in the product life cycle. These types of shoes are still in the hands of the fanatics and early adopters and have yet to hit mainstream. I can tell this from the reactions that I get when I wear my Bikilas to the gym. People have heard of them, but most of them have never even tried a pair on. Why not? Aren't you curious? Please don't tell me you're lumping them in the same category as those wacky Sketchers "Shape Ups"? Look at this ridiculous commercial.

Do it Yourself
After being disappointed by the lack of options for minimalist work shoes I decided to rip the soles right out of my dress shoes (disclosure: I've had these shoes for about 9 years, so I had no guilt what so ever). By removing the insoles I reduced the heel by around 3/4 of an inch. That's a considerable amount. I could tell right away when I stepped in the shoes. I felt like I was walking on the ground, and I noticed the height difference. They weren't nearly as comfortable as they used to be after years of molding, and the back of the shoe started digging into my heel. I wore these shoes to work for the past couple days, and I could tell it wasn't such a struggle to keep my posture in line. This was a fun experiment, but it was missing something.

Every shoe can be Minimalist
This got me thinking. What if we could design a heel insole that could mold to your foot, but would have a predisposition to be thin. Basically, what we would need is a replacement for the insole that we removed from our shoes. So, instead of limiting ourselves with the few and expensive choices available on the market, we could convert other shoes to mimic a minimalist feel. Granted, this will not work for shoes with heels, or some shoes where the insole is hard or impossible to remove. But I think there are a good number of shoes that have removable heels. You could just remove the heel as I did, but it is not very comfortable. I am thinking of an insole that would fill the gaps around the outsides of your feet, yet stay very thin. Ideally, they would also absorb some sweat, and maximize ground feel.

Now, I have no knowledge of shoe materials to know if this would actually work or not. But I think there is a market for it. This would open up the possibility of using a wider range of styles while still gaining the benefits of a minimalist shoe. It's just a different way of making money from the same paradoxical problem. Do we need shoes or insoles to become more barefoot? Normally no, but if your day is spent mostly in the office, I say yes.

Does anyone think this is even possible? Or do you know of any minimalist shoes that are attractive, and not overly expensive? Let me know, I would love to hear about that as well.

A Sleep Aid that Works... Too Well

I'll Have What He Had

I don't know about you, but I tend to get giddy when trying new supplements. I suppose it's because I don't know what to expect until I try it. I'm not sure how my body will react. My body is the experiment, but I am also the scientist. I am the guinea pig and the administrator. I'll gladly put my body on the line for the sake of myself. Will it work? Will I feel anything? Any hardcore drug user would laugh at the thought of tinkering with your calcium levels, but that's exciting enough for me.

For this experiment, I decided to try Magnesium Citrate. It was recommended by Robb Wolf (author of The Paleo Solution) as a way to balance out your calcium and magnesium levels, and as an added bonus, it puts you to sleep faster than Diane Rehm reading you a bed time story. I found Natural Calm, by Terry Gillham in the supplement isles of Whole Foods. It was roughly twenty dollars for a container. I opted for the un-flavored variety.

Day 1
After twisting the cap, a burst of white powder fills the air. It smells citrusy. I want to know more. I measure one teaspoon and mix it into a glass of hot water. To my delight, it fizzles and cracks as the white powder diffuses into the water. Here is goes; I take a sip. Not too bad. It tastes like lemon tea. 

I sit back on my bed and continue to read more of "The Hitchhicker's Guide to the Galaxy." As I turn the pages, I begin to feel eerily at ease. A slight numbing sensation envelopes my body. It's similar to the feeling of playing outside in the snow and then going inside to sip hot chocolate by the fire. It is oddly comforting, and initially I am enthralled by it. Success! I think to myself, and moments later I am passed out in my bed.

Day 2-14
I continued to use the product and my sleep was fantastic. I even wrote a post after waking up a 6am, which I never do, wide awake and ready for the day. But that day was an anomaly, and I could not repeat the success of waking up in the morning feeling so refreshed. Not only that, but I was beginning to feel a little more relaxed during the day. All day long. I am normally a low-key person. It takes a lot to get me excited, and this supplement was making me even more relaxed. I suppose I should have seen this coming. It does claim to be an anti-stress drink.

Conclusion
I welcome relaxation, especially when I am prone to anxiety, but this was too much. My mind felt slow. I was lethargic. Words were hard to find, and I just felt generally off. But my sleep was excellent. Was it worth sacrificing my waking life for quality time spent in the sheets? Heck no.

Ultimately I did not want that trade off. Magnesium supplement works - maybe too well - at relaxing your body and your mind. I would rather have marginally worse sleep and still have an active mind then vice versa. But all is fair in experimentation. My goal was to try it out. I wanted to know if it would work for me as it did for others. My results seem uncommon, and through research I was unable to find results like mine (where someone feels mentally dull as a result of Magnesium). But now you have at least one documented case.

This is not meant to scare you from trying it. I offer my findings, so that you may better inform yourself when looking to Magnesium as a sleep aid. I've tried a lot of different things to get better sleep, but the one that works the best: a pitch black room. I'd like to see GNC try to put that in a store.

Review of Mark Sisson's Bison Chili

It's Game Time
Every winter, recipes for chili litter the internet. Teasing and taunting people to choose themas the recipe for a holiday or Super Bowl party. Chili is a crowd favorite, because it's so easy, and it's usually pretty cheap. The latest recipe taunting me was from Mark Sisson's “The Primal Blueprint Cookbook” and was simply named “Bison Chili”.

Mark runs a wildly popular blog about primal eating (similar to paleo), and this book was made from the contributions of his devoted readers. With food all-stars like bison, cocoa powder, and everyone’s favorite - bacon, I had high expectations for the recipe. I didn't mind the hour that it took to prepare. Nor did I mind the hour it simmered in the crockpot, because I thought it would be worth the wait. 

Missing the Mark 
This recipe let me down on multiple fronts: the carrots were still crunchy, the consistency was watery, and somehow the bacon was underwhelming. - I could hardly taste it. It smelled like a dish caught between a stew and a chili. Unable to choose a side it didn’t satisfy either craving. Also, the proportions were uneven for my taste. A surplus of meat overwhelmed the other ingredients. The carrots were sparse and overshadowed by mountains of ground bison; it was a vegetarian’s nightmare.

The worst part was not the disproportion of meat but was the combination of spices. In the cook book, he describes this chili as "not very spicy” – which is true. Although, bland is a more accurate adjective. The spices did not complement each other well. Paprika is a favorite spice of mine, and a trusty companion for chili, but the rest of the spices do nothing for the dish. Most of all, I am disappointed in the cocoa powder. It adds nothing to the complexity of the dish except a bitter after taste.

Cognitive Dissonance 
Don't get me wrong, I'll finish the 3lbs of chili that this recipe made, but I will not make it again. There are too many other good chili recipes to try. Even ones that aren't quite “paleo” can be altered. It's as simple as subtracting the beans from most recipes.

Did I choose the wrong cookbook this Christmas? I figured this book would keep my diet in check, but, I didn't want to sacrifice taste. Maybe I would be better off finding more recognized recipes and substituting. Maybe those physicians had it right when they chose this book as one of the worst cookbooks of 2010.

There are Always Alternatives
This was the first recipe I tried of his, so I can't be too harsh. After all, this blogger really seemed to like it, as did the reviewers on Amazon. Perhaps, there are other redeeming recipes in his book. I'll give it another shot, but this was not a good first impression. If that was my introduction to a paleo/primal meal, I would never be going back for seconds.

For a quick and tasty chili alternative try this one from allrecipes.com it uses salsa as the tomato base, which is genius, so you don't have to chop a ton of vegetables. It’s simple, cheap, and delicious.

If Willy Wonka Could Make Vegetables

Umpa, Lumpa, Dippity-dee

When I saw this striking vegetable in the supermarket, I wondered how it managed to hide from me all these years. Maybe it was more me hiding from them. But now that I am exploring vegetables these leafs screamed "Look at me!" I'm a sucker for color; I had to grab a bunch. But how should I prepare them?

I found a delicious and easy recipe for swiss chard from a YouTube channel called Hungry in Brooklyn. The video itself was nicely edited, and I would have believed it if she said this was a new web series for the cooking or travel channel.

In her video, Shea Hess talks to a Chef and a famer to find out some tips on this psychedelic vegetable. Here are a few things to know about swiss chard:

- It is pronounced CHard like Chocolate
- Leafy vegetable similar to spinach
- Member of the beet family
- Spring/fall are the best times to buy

Here is the recipe she used:

Sautéed Swiss Chard with Shallots and Garlic

Strip leaves from the rib (stem)

Cut off ends of rib

Cut the ribs into small 1/4in pieces

Chop 2 shallots

Chop 2 cloves of garlic

2 tbs of olive oil

1/4 cup of white wine

1 tbs of butter

Directions:

Toss olive oil, Chard ribs, shallots, and garlic into pan

Add a little salt

Add the leafs of chard (blanch two minutes before hand)

Add white wine

Cook it down, so the alcohol evaporates

Add butter

The recipe was a little time consuming, only because she says you should blanch the vegetables to reduce bitterness and to prevent burning. Total time to cook was about 25 minutes, but the results were fantastic. Not only were the colors bright and vibrant, but it tasted phenomenal. The center rib from the chard gave the dish a crunchy dimension, and the leaves tasted like a wonderful shade of spinach.  

It was an excellent side dish to steak. The crispy outside of the steak and the crunchy ribs were a good pairing. Also, if you’re looking for a dish to give your dinner a little liveliness, then chard is the way to go. It looks like something out of the Willy Wonka factory, but it tastes so much better.

One thing to note if you are having company or want left overs: the leaves cook down a lot, and I was left wanting more. A whole bunch of chard easily boiled down to about two cups. This was fine for me, but if you’re having guests, or you want to have left overs I would recommend cooking two bunches. 

Check out more of Hungry in Brooklyn’s videos here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/hungryinbrooklyn

Mustard, the New Superfood?

Let Me Paint You a Picture

Imagine a typical American kitchen. An middle aged woman is stirring a pot, and she looks a bit concerned. Then a voice from off screen says, "Is that chili too boring? Why don't you spice it up with a little French's?" The scene changes to another woman making macaroni and cheese, "Spice it up with French's!" A third shot reveals yet another woman and her daughter looking at some plain chicken (apparently only women can cook). "It's even great in a marinade!" the voice says, and the family agrees as they smile at each other. We pan back over the family eating and laughing. Looks like French's really brought the family together and saved the day! Then, as the container of mustard flies around the room, the slogan is revealed: “Happy Starts Here.”

No, I didn't make this up. I wish I did. I saw this commercial last night while watching the Food Network. I instantly turned off the TV after that line. It reeks with a lack of imagination. The phrase falls flat despite the elaborate portrayal of mustard as the hero of tonight’s dinner. 

I am disgusted at marketers today. Can’t you come up with anything original? (and mustard on mac and cheese isn’t original, that just sounds nasty) Happiness? Really? If you think your happiness comes from mustard then I want to know what you think sadness comes from, purely out of curiosity. Toast? Lite-Brite? Justin Bieber? 

What is Your Happiness Worth?

Tying an emotion to a product is not a new concept. Even capitalizing on people wanting to be happy isn't new. Look at this list of slogans from Prlog.com

1) Coca Cola:  Open Happiness 
2) Lay's (a unit of Pepsico): The Happiness Exhibit 
3) Unilver: Share Happy 
4) Best Buy: Buyer Be Happy 
5) Ben & Jerry's: Scoop of Happiness 
6) City of Baltimore: Find Your Happy Place in Baltimore 
7) Nivea: a) Happy Sensation Lotion; and b) Touch of Happiness Body Wash 
8) Golden Coral: Help Yourself to Happiness 
9) French's Mustard: Happy Starts here 
10) Adidas: 2010 FIFA World Cup Soccer Ball is Named Jabulani (Share Happiness in Zulu) 
11) Rita's: a) Ice - Custard - Happiness; and b) What Flavor is Your Happiness? 
12) Hershey's Chocolate: Hershey's makes S'more happiness. 
13) Comcast: Happiness is Only a Power Button Away 
14) IHOP: Come Hungry, Leave Happy 
15) Edible Arrangements: Happiness is Always in Season 
16) HomeGoods: a) Be HomeGoods Happy; and b) Spread Happiness 

It bothered me when Coke came out with “Open Happiness” which is the most egotistical slogan I’ve heard to date. But when mustard is the source of our happiness, that's when I put my foot down. Companies are taking this too far. 

How can we possible expect to channel our happiness though a condiment? That's what they want. They want the association between their product and our emotions to be so strong that when we think about that swirling line of mustard on our hot dogs we'll think we've won the lottery. Maybe that's a bit strong. That would be a best case scenario. But this commercial doesn't even come close to that fantasy; it is horrible. The family is happy, and they really came together tonight, but let's not forget the hero of tonight’s dinner. The freaking mustard!

Maybe I'm Being a bit Harsh on French's.

After all, marketing a product as lame as mustard must difficult. I can see a team standing in an office huddled around a dry erase board, 

"And then, out of nowhere, the mustard flies out of the cabinet. And the parents are shocked, but not too shocked, because someone has rescued them from the drudgery of cooking."

OOOooo and AHHhhs fill the room

“Then what?” someone asks.

“Why then he'll fly around shooting magical lines of mustard all over the kitchen, and dinner will be saved because we smothered everything in mustard."

“You’re a genius.”

“I know, I know.”

"Should we give it a cape?" 

"Don’t be stupid.”

So, if not Happiness, What Then?

What would I associate mustard with? Well, I don't enjoy mustard so this might be difficult. But I'll give it a shot. Mustard isn't the hero that it's portrayed in this ridiculous commercial. It's more like a close friend (the one you ignore but is always there when you need them). It knows ketchup and you are best friends, and it doesn’t want to break you up, but it still wants your attention. Standing next to the mayonnaise and relish silently screaming “Try me, try me!” You finally opt for mustard, and a clique montage ensues.

When you win the first softball game for your work league, and ketchup is busy with the first basemen, mustard is there to dress your hot dog. When you’re sick you can turn mustard into a homemade sore throat relief, and when those pesky kids won't stop stealing the beer from your garage you can hit them with a mustard stink bomb. You high-five mustard. “That will teach them a lesson” Then you politely close the door on mustard as you and ketchup watch the rest of Gilmore Girls. Mustard waits patiently outside. It’s raining, but it doesn’t care. It knows someday you’ll be back for more of that spicy golden goodness. You look outside and close the blinds.

Could French’s Pull it Off?

Would they want to? Who knows? But they have a better chance at injecting a little humor than making their mustard the beloved savoir of all things dinner. As David Gianatasio for Ad Week puts it, "Sure, you're getting '40% more free,' but it's just mustard. How much can any one family consume? It's not like the stuff tastes good on cereal or swirled into coffee." Sorry French's, mustard is unlikely to overtake ketchup as the condiment of choice any time soon. But you might have better luck changing your marketing tactics, because happiness isn’t working for you.

Ps. Who’s your condiment best friend? Mine used to be a savory, bold sauce named B.B.Q.