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We have introduced "Rawr!" to our website - a place for our customers to offer their snaps and shout-outs to Mighty Bites! and our products.
Check it out to see what our customers are rawr-ing about!
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
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Thursday, March 31, 2011
What To Do When You Crave Baklava
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I am a self-professed Cookie Monster. I am a self-professed Sucker-for-Anything-Sweet. It is a truth that took me a long time to admit, but when I was able to step away from the pastry counter and assess the sugary damage, I can now admit, with little shame, that I am a sugar addict.
My perspective on my addiction has changed dramatically in the last few months, as I came to terms with the actual amount of sugary goodness that I consumed in an average day in my "previous life." I did not eat birthday cake on a regular basis, nor did I keep cookie dough in a mini-fridge near the foot of my bed. But I ate fresh fruit regularly (healthy, right?) and I would indulge on the occasional pastry or slice of dessert. I rarely drank drinks loaded with un-godly amounts of ooey-gooey syrups, and I rarely ate condensed sugars in the form of candy bars and bags of sweet-n-sour delights. I never considered myself a sugar addict. I definitely did not over-indulge. I definitely did not NEED it. I just did not see a need for me to reduce the amount of sugar that I was consuming, because it was not a problem.
Everything changed when I responded to a challenge to live my life with full awareness of what I was putting into my body (good fuel? bad fuel? stuff-that-will-get-me-through-the-day-but-I-won't-thrive fuel?) and how I felt as a consequence. Everyone has a food weakness - too little of a good thing, too much of a bad thing. Outside observers remarked that my weakness might be sugar - this was said gently by my significant other from across the table while I was noming on a cream cheese danish and a glass of fresh-squeezed juice, I admit that there were daggers in my eyes. I was advised to take an account for how much glucose, fructose, and other -oses I was consuming and how these ooey-gooey delicacies were affecting my mood, mental acuity, bodily function, body composition, sleep patterns, etc.
So I did it: I cut sugar out completely. That's right - COMPLETELY. The most miserable thirty days of my life. If you have ever tried to cut something out of your life completely, whether or not it is good/bad, right/wrong, person/place/thing - it is not easy. And if you talk to someone who is going through the "pain-period" of abstinence (of any kind), they will advise you AGAINST it.
But, like any good moral-ed story, I found that the pain period, while painful (obviously!), was necessary. I admit to the moments when I would curse at my empty freezer (no ice cream??), the pastry counter, and the dessert menu. I got close to breaking down and stuffing my face with Swedish Fish, Chocolate-covered Pretzels, and baklava. But I didn't. Good gracious, there were moments when I wanted nothing more than to jump the counter at the local coffee shop and ... I will not finish that thought. But I didn't. Instead, I suffered: suffered the cravings, suffered the anger that followed the cravings, and suffered the shame following the anger.
I also "suffered" from better moods & less mood swings; my chronic headaches and migraines stopped; I had greater mental acuity, slept better, looked better and just overall felt good. Really good. Because the good consequences far outweighed the constant sugar cravings, I wanted to keep it up - so I continued my sugar-free crusade and battled my cravings.
After about two months of crusading, I came across the terrible news that I needed to reintegrate sugar into my diet - I am training for an endurance event, and we need to have sugar supplements on our person to consume during the races. Overcome with panic, I reeled at the thought of having to find a way to reintroduce sugar without opening the floodgates to my old friends (double-fudge brownies and the crew of devilish delectables). I did some research, I worked within certain restrictions (unprocessed, natural foods) and I got creative. I broke out my food processor and tried lots of things. Some recipes were disastrous. Some were decent. Some had potential. And then one, one was superb!
I introduced the Loco Cocoa Mighty Bite! to my family and friends, then my teammates, and now to anyone who wants to try. And, so far, I haven't had a taste-tester who did not like them.
So, with some perspective and distance from the baklava that is currently staring at me from behind the pastry counter at a local coffee shop in Davis, CA - I can tell you what I learned as a recovering sugar-monster. When you crave baklava, and NEED bakalva, do the sensible thing: think natural, think unprocessed, think good fuel. And get creative! You never know when you might make something that is better than a cookie.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
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 |
| "Good" Cookie. |
My perspective on my addiction has changed dramatically in the last few months, as I came to terms with the actual amount of sugary goodness that I consumed in an average day in my "previous life." I did not eat birthday cake on a regular basis, nor did I keep cookie dough in a mini-fridge near the foot of my bed. But I ate fresh fruit regularly (healthy, right?) and I would indulge on the occasional pastry or slice of dessert. I rarely drank drinks loaded with un-godly amounts of ooey-gooey syrups, and I rarely ate condensed sugars in the form of candy bars and bags of sweet-n-sour delights. I never considered myself a sugar addict. I definitely did not over-indulge. I definitely did not NEED it. I just did not see a need for me to reduce the amount of sugar that I was consuming, because it was not a problem.
Everything changed when I responded to a challenge to live my life with full awareness of what I was putting into my body (good fuel? bad fuel? stuff-that-will-get-me-through-the-day-but-I-won't-thrive fuel?) and how I felt as a consequence. Everyone has a food weakness - too little of a good thing, too much of a bad thing. Outside observers remarked that my weakness might be sugar - this was said gently by my significant other from across the table while I was noming on a cream cheese danish and a glass of fresh-squeezed juice, I admit that there were daggers in my eyes. I was advised to take an account for how much glucose, fructose, and other -oses I was consuming and how these ooey-gooey delicacies were affecting my mood, mental acuity, bodily function, body composition, sleep patterns, etc.
 |
| Bad Cookie. |
But, like any good moral-ed story, I found that the pain period, while painful (obviously!), was necessary. I admit to the moments when I would curse at my empty freezer (no ice cream??), the pastry counter, and the dessert menu. I got close to breaking down and stuffing my face with Swedish Fish, Chocolate-covered Pretzels, and baklava. But I didn't. Good gracious, there were moments when I wanted nothing more than to jump the counter at the local coffee shop and ... I will not finish that thought. But I didn't. Instead, I suffered: suffered the cravings, suffered the anger that followed the cravings, and suffered the shame following the anger.
I also "suffered" from better moods & less mood swings; my chronic headaches and migraines stopped; I had greater mental acuity, slept better, looked better and just overall felt good. Really good. Because the good consequences far outweighed the constant sugar cravings, I wanted to keep it up - so I continued my sugar-free crusade and battled my cravings.
After about two months of crusading, I came across the terrible news that I needed to reintegrate sugar into my diet - I am training for an endurance event, and we need to have sugar supplements on our person to consume during the races. Overcome with panic, I reeled at the thought of having to find a way to reintroduce sugar without opening the floodgates to my old friends (double-fudge brownies and the crew of devilish delectables). I did some research, I worked within certain restrictions (unprocessed, natural foods) and I got creative. I broke out my food processor and tried lots of things. Some recipes were disastrous. Some were decent. Some had potential. And then one, one was superb!
I introduced the Loco Cocoa Mighty Bite! to my family and friends, then my teammates, and now to anyone who wants to try. And, so far, I haven't had a taste-tester who did not like them.
So, with some perspective and distance from the baklava that is currently staring at me from behind the pastry counter at a local coffee shop in Davis, CA - I can tell you what I learned as a recovering sugar-monster. When you crave baklava, and NEED bakalva, do the sensible thing: think natural, think unprocessed, think good fuel. And get creative! You never know when you might make something that is better than a cookie.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
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Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Movin n' Shakin'
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Welcome to the new Mighty Bites! site - we are happy to have you!
Our little effort is growing - exponentially! Within a week of unveiling the C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket projects, we raised $1,000 for LLS and commissioned an entire project - PROJECT MATT is 100% commissioned and 45% complete. We are now well into our fund-raising effort for our second project - PROJECT ROB - and, as of this morning, we have raised $468 for LLS in honor of Rob Randolph and have commissioned 46% of Rob's blanket.
At C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket, we have opened Nominations for Projects, so that you can nominate someone from your Community to receive receive a comfort item. We have also added Projects to our repertoire, so that when you nominate an Honoree you can choose from multiple Projects (to be commissioned for the Honoree) based on her/his needs! We have also created a space for our Events - so check back often for announcements about Instructional Classes, Project Parties, Fundraising Socials, and more! ... it is getting crazy around the C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket office, but we are excited for the momentum propelling our fundraising efforts forward.
In the same instant, our Mighty Bites! are being devoured (nomnom!) as soon as they are packaged. In the last week, our orders have gone from a few dozen a week to a few dozen a day - and based on the feedback we are receiving from those that have tried (and tried again) our Bites!, we expect orders to continue to fly off the shelves.
So with this, we wish you a "bonjour" from our new home: http://mightybites.blogspot.com.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
Welcome to the new Mighty Bites! site - we are happy to have you!
Our little effort is growing - exponentially! Within a week of unveiling the C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket projects, we raised $1,000 for LLS and commissioned an entire project - PROJECT MATT is 100% commissioned and 45% complete. We are now well into our fund-raising effort for our second project - PROJECT ROB - and, as of this morning, we have raised $468 for LLS in honor of Rob Randolph and have commissioned 46% of Rob's blanket.
At C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket, we have opened Nominations for Projects, so that you can nominate someone from your Community to receive receive a comfort item. We have also added Projects to our repertoire, so that when you nominate an Honoree you can choose from multiple Projects (to be commissioned for the Honoree) based on her/his needs! We have also created a space for our Events - so check back often for announcements about Instructional Classes, Project Parties, Fundraising Socials, and more! ... it is getting crazy around the C.U.M.F.O.R.T.S. blanket office, but we are excited for the momentum propelling our fundraising efforts forward.
In the same instant, our Mighty Bites! are being devoured (nomnom!) as soon as they are packaged. In the last week, our orders have gone from a few dozen a week to a few dozen a day - and based on the feedback we are receiving from those that have tried (and tried again) our Bites!, we expect orders to continue to fly off the shelves.
So with this, we wish you a "bonjour" from our new home: http://mightybites.blogspot.com.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
Nourishment: Necessities for existence, maintenance, and vitality.
Nu·tri·tion [noo-trish-uhn, nyoo-] -- noun
1. the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished.
2. the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.
Synomyms:
1. Food: nutriment, nourishment, grubbery, goodies, bites, comestibles, provisions, viands, chow, fare, feed, entrée, slop.
2. Sustenance: necessities for existence, comestible, livelihood, maintenance, nourishment, provision, subsistence, wherewithall.
3. Nutriment: nourishment, maintenance, support, aliment, pabulum, provender, viands, victuals, vittles.
Origin: 1551 (nutritive is recorded from c.1400), from L. nutritionem (nom. nutritio) "a nourishing," from nutritre "nourish, suckle." Nutritious is first attested 1665, from L. nutricius "that which nourishes, nurses," from nutrix (gen. nutricis) "a nurse," from nutrire. First record of nutritionist is from 1926.
Nutrition has been an important consideration for me as I continue with my training for the marathon portion of my involvement with Team in Training - on June 18th, I will be completing a full marathon (that is 26.2 miles, people!) in Anchorage, Alaska. I am also recovering from a herniated disc in my cervical spine (a painful neck injury), and proper nutrition can only help me on my way to a speedy recovery. Because of these considerations, my relationship with food has changed significantly.
Food has played many roles in the many scenes of my life: alternating between comforting, nourishing, and toxic (sometimes all three at the same time!). But my treatment of food has always been unbalanced, unfocused, and undirected. I never took the time to analyze the fuel I was injecting into my body - food that was directly proportional to the nutrition that my body would (or would not) be able to extract. It was not until I took 30 days to "clean" up my nutritional input, so that I could properly account and evaluate the effects of nutrition on my daily performance. And those 30 days were HARD - to be perfectly colloquial, they SUCKED. For 30 days, I ate healthy veggies, fruit and meat (because to be healthy, we have to consume healthy foods) and some nuts - trying to align my nutritive choices with optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. I have to admit, the trained physiologist in me really geeked out on this stuff! And while my soft body and my primitive mind thought it "SUCKED," my body-in-training and rational mind found something completely different. I realized the possibility of altering my output by directly altering my input.
I am still learning, a meer "seedling" when it comes to understanding and implementing the science of positive, clean eating - but I do know that I feel different. The fog has been lifted, and just in time! My recovery and training insist upon better fuel for better healing and performance. To push myself the extra mile, to ensure that my body is strong and healthy; I need to take care of the building blocks for those activites: my muscles, joints, bones, blood, and brain. And the building blocks for those building blocks: the nutritients that I absorb from my food and integrate into my own chemistry - like a mama-bird building her nest.
I really contend with the current connotation of the word diet, which usually implies some temporary change in what you can/cannot consume to lose weight. I prefer the primary (the first listed) definition "food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health." So... With this new diet, I have become conscious of what I am and am not putting into by body as fuel for my daily activity. I have also considered adjustments for my healing. And further adjustments for my fueled endurance activities. Most runners rely on quick (and portable) energy in the form of bars, gels and supplements. But these, largely artificial, sources of energy are out of the equation for me. So where do I turn for good quality, naturally composed, and "healthy" quick and portable energy? I make it myself, of course!
I spent some time researching good energy sources, what I might need to consume pre- & post-workout, and delicio-sity. I came up with a chocolaty nugget - a tasty little treat. I originally produce these treats with the intention of nourishing my body as I powered through my workouts, and then through my intense stretching sessions with my physical therapist; I stockpiled these nom-noms in my fridge. My official taste tester suggested I share them with others who were trying clean eating, or were skeptical that clean eating could be tasty. So I shared them. And then, why not share them with my teammates also in training? At this point, it was suggested that I use sell these nuggets - an idea I was not particularly comfortable with, because I would rather cook a meal and share it than be the chef preparing/distributing a meal (perhaps a phobia from my years in food service). Buuuuut... "How about as a fundraiser?"
Today, I am proud to introduce Mighty Bites!, which are mighty simple & mighty delicious all-natural Energy Bites. These Bites! are made from natural ingredients, mostly dried fruit and nuts. They are low-glycemic, gluten-free, soy-free, lactose-free, vegan and raw. Our original flavor, which we have dubbed "Loco Cocoa" is made of (and only of) date, fig, coconut, walnut, cocoa powder, natural vanilla, and honey. We are currently developing our "24-Carrot Golden Delicious" Bites!. Our Bites! are still made in my kitchen, packaged in recyclable glass jars, and distributed by Mighty Bites! friends and fans, fondly known as our Troopers from Mighty Bites! Troop 17. Our Troopers bring these delectable healthy treats directly to you - or will meet you half way! - with samples and pre-packaged orders. If you would like to try the Bites! or just hang out with a Trooper, drop them a line.
We are recruiting! Members of Troop 17 receive a free Baker's dozen of their choice of Mighty Bites! for every $75 raised - that is a $15 value! That means, if you purchase $75-worth of Mighty Bites!, you automatically qualify to be a Trooper. If you are interested in joining Troop 17, please contact Jessica.
Stay healthy, my friends! If you don't have a handle on your health, then you don't have a handle on your life. Take the reins, be your own master, [insert a slew of other inspirational-clichés here] ... If you want to chat me up about my foray into the nutritional wilderness, I would be happy to talk with you - leave me a message on my facebook, twitter, etc.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
1. the act or process of nourishing or of being nourished.
2. the process by which organisms take in and utilize food material.
Synomyms:
1. Food: nutriment, nourishment, grubbery, goodies, bites, comestibles, provisions, viands, chow, fare, feed, entrée, slop.
2. Sustenance: necessities for existence, comestible, livelihood, maintenance, nourishment, provision, subsistence, wherewithall.
3. Nutriment: nourishment, maintenance, support, aliment, pabulum, provender, viands, victuals, vittles.
Origin: 1551 (nutritive is recorded from c.1400), from L. nutritionem (nom. nutritio) "a nourishing," from nutritre "nourish, suckle." Nutritious is first attested 1665, from L. nutricius "that which nourishes, nurses," from nutrix (gen. nutricis) "a nurse," from nutrire. First record of nutritionist is from 1926.
Nutrition has been an important consideration for me as I continue with my training for the marathon portion of my involvement with Team in Training - on June 18th, I will be completing a full marathon (that is 26.2 miles, people!) in Anchorage, Alaska. I am also recovering from a herniated disc in my cervical spine (a painful neck injury), and proper nutrition can only help me on my way to a speedy recovery. Because of these considerations, my relationship with food has changed significantly.
Food has played many roles in the many scenes of my life: alternating between comforting, nourishing, and toxic (sometimes all three at the same time!). But my treatment of food has always been unbalanced, unfocused, and undirected. I never took the time to analyze the fuel I was injecting into my body - food that was directly proportional to the nutrition that my body would (or would not) be able to extract. It was not until I took 30 days to "clean" up my nutritional input, so that I could properly account and evaluate the effects of nutrition on my daily performance. And those 30 days were HARD - to be perfectly colloquial, they SUCKED. For 30 days, I ate healthy veggies, fruit and meat (because to be healthy, we have to consume healthy foods) and some nuts - trying to align my nutritive choices with optimal digestion and nutrient absorption. I have to admit, the trained physiologist in me really geeked out on this stuff! And while my soft body and my primitive mind thought it "SUCKED," my body-in-training and rational mind found something completely different. I realized the possibility of altering my output by directly altering my input.
I am still learning, a meer "seedling" when it comes to understanding and implementing the science of positive, clean eating - but I do know that I feel different. The fog has been lifted, and just in time! My recovery and training insist upon better fuel for better healing and performance. To push myself the extra mile, to ensure that my body is strong and healthy; I need to take care of the building blocks for those activites: my muscles, joints, bones, blood, and brain. And the building blocks for those building blocks: the nutritients that I absorb from my food and integrate into my own chemistry - like a mama-bird building her nest.
I really contend with the current connotation of the word diet, which usually implies some temporary change in what you can/cannot consume to lose weight. I prefer the primary (the first listed) definition "food and drink considered in terms of its qualities, composition, and its effects on health." So... With this new diet, I have become conscious of what I am and am not putting into by body as fuel for my daily activity. I have also considered adjustments for my healing. And further adjustments for my fueled endurance activities. Most runners rely on quick (and portable) energy in the form of bars, gels and supplements. But these, largely artificial, sources of energy are out of the equation for me. So where do I turn for good quality, naturally composed, and "healthy" quick and portable energy? I make it myself, of course!
I spent some time researching good energy sources, what I might need to consume pre- & post-workout, and delicio-sity. I came up with a chocolaty nugget - a tasty little treat. I originally produce these treats with the intention of nourishing my body as I powered through my workouts, and then through my intense stretching sessions with my physical therapist; I stockpiled these nom-noms in my fridge. My official taste tester suggested I share them with others who were trying clean eating, or were skeptical that clean eating could be tasty. So I shared them. And then, why not share them with my teammates also in training? At this point, it was suggested that I use sell these nuggets - an idea I was not particularly comfortable with, because I would rather cook a meal and share it than be the chef preparing/distributing a meal (perhaps a phobia from my years in food service). Buuuuut... "How about as a fundraiser?"
Today, I am proud to introduce Mighty Bites!, which are mighty simple & mighty delicious all-natural Energy Bites. These Bites! are made from natural ingredients, mostly dried fruit and nuts. They are low-glycemic, gluten-free, soy-free, lactose-free, vegan and raw. Our original flavor, which we have dubbed "Loco Cocoa" is made of (and only of) date, fig, coconut, walnut, cocoa powder, natural vanilla, and honey. We are currently developing our "24-Carrot Golden Delicious" Bites!. Our Bites! are still made in my kitchen, packaged in recyclable glass jars, and distributed by Mighty Bites! friends and fans, fondly known as our Troopers from Mighty Bites! Troop 17. Our Troopers bring these delectable healthy treats directly to you - or will meet you half way! - with samples and pre-packaged orders. If you would like to try the Bites! or just hang out with a Trooper, drop them a line.
We are recruiting! Members of Troop 17 receive a free Baker's dozen of their choice of Mighty Bites! for every $75 raised - that is a $15 value! That means, if you purchase $75-worth of Mighty Bites!, you automatically qualify to be a Trooper. If you are interested in joining Troop 17, please contact Jessica.
Stay healthy, my friends! If you don't have a handle on your health, then you don't have a handle on your life. Take the reins, be your own master, [insert a slew of other inspirational-clichés here] ... If you want to chat me up about my foray into the nutritional wilderness, I would be happy to talk with you - leave me a message on my facebook, twitter, etc.
stay tuned! stay healthy! rawr!
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