Pam Gross Q & A
In wrapping up our month dedicated to adapting healthy recipes from the website The
Bread & Buddha, Pam Gross shares her valuable insights in a Q & A.
Q. What do you think is the biggest barrier to people preparing a healthy from scratch dinner?
A. Not planning ahead. My mantra is: Plan. Shop. Cook. People often jump right to cooking and are scrambling to get a meal together. I encourage my clients to plan out their week ahead on Saturday, and to keep it simple! Shop and cook on Sunday/Monday to stock their fridge for the week with cooked foods to mix and match and main ingredients for other meals. Once you start cooking regularly, you begin to stock your pantry and have a go-to shopping list. Then, if you want to make something at the last minute, you surprisingly will be prepared. It’s all about creating healthy habits.
Q. I love that your approach is not a directive and designed to teach us about how “your unique body needs to be fed”. With that in mind, where Meg is moving towards a transition with her children leaving home, I move into back-to-school territory” with my kids, what suggestions do you have for a good start to their day (and mine!) to fuel their little bodies and brains. My girls are 7 and 9.
A. Stay away from sugary/carby breakfasts (cereal, bagels, donuts, scones, waffles, yogurt with fruit jelly on the bottom). No matter how many vitamins and minerals they cram into cereal, they still offer very little in supporting your body for a healthy day. Protein is the best way to stabilize your blood sugar for the day – no 10:30 AM crashes. Eggs are truly the best for breakfast. If I have a busy week ahead, I will make mini frittatas (mix sautéed veggies with 10 eggs, distribute in prepped muffin tin, cook at 350º for 20 minutes) to reheat in the AM. You can hard boil eggs to have on-hand too. I also love a piece of Udi’s gluten-free bread with fresh ground almond butter. Add some fresh berries and you have the perfect combo of protein (stabilize blood sugar), fat (feed the brain) and fiber (keep you satiated) to start your day. *
* Q. Cereal, especially oats, is a staple at our breakfast table. How do you feel about oats?
A. Oatmeal is ok because of the fiber. But I would still mix it up with protein on other days.
Q. I notice that you don’t include dairy in any of your recipes. Which non- dairy alternatives, and brands, are your favorites.
A. I use a lot of organic light coconut milk. Whole Foods canned brand is just fine. I also use 365’s unsweetened organic almond milk for chia pudding or a splash in my coffee (Like you Jane, I like Peet’s Major Dickason’s blend!). Blended avocado can also be a good substitute for cream-based dressings. Nuts work great in blended soups to create a creamy base. Recipes for these are on my site, www.thebreadandbuddha.com.
Q. We love herbs and spices! Do you have any favorite ones which you always have on hand and what do you use them for?
A. For pure spices, I go to the Spice House in Evanston. I love how their staff is covered in spices from head to toe. The spices I use most often are curry powder, cumin, chili powder, oregano, and Italian seasoning – for tacos, chili, curry dishes, marinades. I’m also hooked on my Himalayan pink salt for seasoning after a dish is prepped (use Kosher salt for cooking). The pink salt is packed with minerals. For fish, I use an organic dry rub from Vital Choice, where I buy all my wild fish – it’s far superior than anything you can buy locally. Use this link and code VCAF14 to get 10% off your first order.
I’ve just started experimenting with Zen Slow Cooker Spice Blends! I recently made a Southwest Fiesta avocado purée and a cauliflower rice “dal” with your blends. They were both outstanding. I’m posting those recipes on my blog…www.thebreadandbuddha.com…soon!
Zen Moment
