Apple Ginger Tart Reinvented…ish

So I hit a couple snags when it came to producing my new and improved apple ginger tart last week.  My partner was out sick and we had 3 large parties booked so I was not able to play around with the cannelles, etc the way I had hoped.  Que triste!  However, it did get my production techniques down to a science.  Here’s a picture below of the final version of the tarts- these are the extras I made for family meal.  I made Bourbon whipped cream instead of vanilla ice cream and had to use these ugly plates because of the large volume of guests, but aside from that everything is the same.  I guess I’ll have to make time to play around with everything else another time!

Rustic French Apple Ginger Tart

I’ve been working on this dessert for one of my classes at school. It’s a student-run restaurant and I’m currently on the breads/ desserts station. I L.O.V.E. making bread! There’s something very satisfying about making something out of basically nothing. But anyways, back to the dessert.

So it’s getting colder here in Chicago so I thought that making something comforting and familiar would be nice for our guests. So my dessert is a Rustic French Apple Ginger Tart. I had to add the ginger to make it a LITTLE different. And I love the combination of flavors there- I think they work really well together.

Originally, I served it with some vanilla ice cream that we made, then changed the garnish to Bourbon whipped cream and now we’re back to vanilla ice cream again. Which reminds me, I need to make more creme anglaise aka Nectar of the Ice Cream Gods.

In the apple mixture is fresh ginger, lemon zest and juice, sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. I wanted to keep it very simple and let the flavors of the apples shine. The puff pastry was egg washed and sprinkled with sugar before baking and the vanilla ice cream is just the classic version. We topped it off with caramel sauce,  freshly grated nutmeg and dried white chocolate powder (gotta love that molecular gastronomy)!

Underneath are thinly sliced Granny Smith Apples that I caramelized using some sugar and a blow torch. Any excuse to play with a blow torch, right!?!?

Here’s a picture of the dessert as we served it last week:

So, there’s a lot of room for improvement here. This week we’re going to cannelle some of the ice cream in advance, placing them on a frozen half sheet tray and storing them in the freezer (duh) until service. I think this will be a huge improvement over the melon baller technique we used last week. It was worth a shot, but didn’t quite work out the way we’d hoped. That’s half the fun of experimenting, though, figuring out what works and what doesn’t!

Also, the apples need to be moved out more, so that you can see them. And I think I’m going to try to dry them out a little in the oven before sprinkling them with sugar and turning the blow torch on them (Yay! Blow torch! Such a fun kitchen toy). Last week there was too much moisture in the apples to make caramelizing the sugar an easy task.

We also considered using the anti-griddle for the ice cream, but I’m not sure we can get the shape we want out of it. Perhaps I can get the creme anglaise into a nice disc shape and prop it up on the tart? This will require more experimentation, for sure. Which is fine with me because in my world the only thing more fun than the blow torch is the anti-griddle!

So, check back for an update of how these changes worked or didn’t work and I’ll be sure to post a picture of the final product.

Hot oil packing Jiardinere

I just discovered a fun new canning technique using hot oil and an oven instead of boiling water!
First, we prepped our veggies (red and green Bells, jalapenos, olives, carrots, cauliflower and onions) and then let them sit in a brine (champagne vinegar, water and salt) for 48 hours. We drained them, but did NOT rinse them.

Then we sanitized our jars and kept them on the rack over the stoves to keep them hot. We filled them with our jiardinere and poured 200 F degree extra virgin olive oil into the jars, being careful not to squish the veggies together. The temperature of the oil is very important- maintain it at 200 F constantly.  Too hot and the oil will begin to break down, too cool and the veggies will be soggy, not crisp.

Then, using a wooden skewer we carefully moved the veggies around in the oil to remove any air bubbles. Wipe off the rim of the jar (being very sanitary) place the lid on top as you would with regular canning methods. Of course, this means you don’t tighten the lids all the way.

After that we put the filled jars into a hotel pan and popped them in the oven for around 7 minutes.  Then we took them out and made sure they sealed properly.  We let them sit on a cooling rack overnight and in the morning double checked to make sure they had sealed.  They had, so we tightened the lids all the way. And that’s it!  It’s SO easy and a fun alternative to the regular canning method.  Here’s a pic (below) of the finished jars.

Jiardinere!

My Thai Fruit Carvings

Shameless Ploy

DISCLAIMER: The following is a shameless ploy to convince the Sammic Scholarship Board to pick me.  Will it work?  No idea.  Will I go to almost any lengths to give myself an edge over everyone else?  YES.

(For this site I will keep the full names of my chefs/instructors confidential).

To the Sammic Scholarship Board,

I would like to present Meghan Vandette to you as a top culinary student.  She is currently pursuing her Bachelor’s degree in Culinary Management.  Her obvious passion for fine dining and classical cuisine has caught the attention of many of our chef educators.  Her ablility to understand the necessity of learning the classics first in order to pursue her fine dining career sets her apart from her fellow students.  She has spent coutnless hours working one on one with the entire culinary and management faculty.  Her commitment has been one beyond compare.  After 23 years in the field of culinary education I’ve never seen a more tireless student reaching for every crumb of knowledge that the culinary world and school can provide.

She has worked closely with Chef Robert, a world champion ice and vegetable carver.  Chef Robert has mentored Meghan to perfect her vegetable carving and begin the intensive process of learning ice carving.  She has gone to numerous events with Chef Robert and shows a natural talent and drive to learn these special skills.

She has also worked closely with Chef Carol, our Asian Cuisine chef.  Chef Carol has traveled around the world perfecting her Asian Cuisine skills and comes from a family of Asian cuisine restauranteurs. Chef Carol has expressed her amazement and respect that Meghan has spent many weekends going to Asian markets and events to learn more on her own time.  She has also given up even more of her free time to assit Chef Carol as a teachers’ assistant.

Her mornings are spent with me perfecting skills and techniques that exemplify the drive of top chefs and students.  She has been dedicated to working with each chef on her butchering abilities by learning how to break down primary and secondary cuts of meat.  She has perfected these skills on leg of lamb, fabrication of chicken and boning, and fileting/ skinning/ portioning of fish.  She assisted me in taking down two entire deer. She has seamed and cleaned inside rounds of beef, taking them down to steaks, stews, hamburgers and stock- useable products. Lastly, I want to say that she has even been able to achieve a high level of success fabricating veal chucks down to scallopini, paillards, stewing pieces and veal farces.  She understands the need for efficiency in the kitchen and always strives to find use for as much of the product as possible so that nothing is wasted.

Meghan is commited to her fitness and the fitness of her customers by working hard on the nutritional side of her culinary education.  She also shows many traits of a leader both in and out of the kitchen.  Other students look to Meghan in classroom discussions and homework assignments.  Her leadership skills are apparent in the kitchen, helping her fellow students reach their goals with smiles on both faces.  It is so impressive to watch one student give without asking anything in return in such a positive way to her fellow students.  She is always clean and neat.  She shows respect for the culinary codes by always dressing in proper uniform and following safety and sanitation guidelines to the letter.

It is obvious to me that this young lady is extermely organized and motivated.  She is at school 10-12 hours daily and much of that time she is not required to be here, but comes in on her free time so she can work with as many chefs as possible.  Despite this rigorous schedule, she maintains a 3.9 GPA and has volunteered to work in several kitchens.  She has worked as an assistant chef to the Garde Manger and Pastry Chefs at the Michelin starred restaurant, Naha.  Also,  she has successfully completed an internship at the patisserie Julius Meinl.  She has her own catering business and also does consulting for a variety of advertising agencies in the Chicago area.

This highly motivated young chef shows a can-do attitude, is full of life, and has excellent teamwork abilities as well as a propensity for leadership.  She always surpasses the expectations set for her and then strives to achieve even more.  She will represent your organziation as shining example of a future fine dining chef.

Thank you for your consideration of this excellent student.

Sincerely,

Chef Mark

SHAMELESS PLOY #2:

April, 13, 2011

To Whom it May Concern,

I have known Meghan Vandette for approximately one year through the International Culinary School of the Illinois Institute of Art-Chicago.  Meghan has been my student in two courses: Food and Beverage Operations Management and Viticulture and Enology.

Meghan is an individual who I have gained an immense degree of respect for in such a short period of time.  She is incredibly organized, efficient, extremely competent, and has an excellent rapport with people of all ages.  Her communication skills, both written and verbal, are beyond exceptional.

I can assure you that Ms. Vandette is an upstanding student who is professional, articulate and incredibly focused on both academic and professional success. Throughout the time I have known Meghan, she is a student who always shows up to class—ahead of time, well prepared and ready to participate.  Many of the students have the fortunate ability to benefit from Meghan as a classmate as she connects and relates many of her life experiences to the content being taught.  Meghan is an enthusiastic, caring, passionate and compassionate individual.
I highly recommend Meghan Vandette as the recipient of this award of practical study.  Her entrepreneur spirit and mature mindset will be a valuable asset to any situation or organization she chooses to be a part of—either now or in the future. In summary, I highly recommend Meghan for any position or endeavor that she may seek to pursue.

Warmest Regards,

John
The International Culinary School of the Illinois Institute of Art
Sommelier/Management Instructor

You Are What You Eat

Hi!  It’s been a while since I’ve posted anything- sorry about that, life was keeping me pretty busy there for a while.  And even now all I have to offer you is a paper I wrote for school.  The assignment was to write about a recent event relating to the culinary world.  The article I read and my paper below contain some really great information on a trend that has been growing and gaining more popularity every day.  Check it out!

Making Humane Food Choices

The aptly titled article of Today’s Diet and Nutrition magazine ‘You Are What You Eat’ describes how and why Americans should be making informed decisions when purchasing meat and dairy products.  In this article we learn that our purchases are like votes for or against products that come from humanely raised animals.  These products effect not only the animals themselves, but our health as well.  With the long reaching effects of our votes (purchases) it is important for people to educate themselves on exactly what they are buying and consuming.

Some people may wonder why all farmers don’t simply raise their animals humanely.  In this article Adele Douglass, founder of Humane Animal Farm Care (HAFC), answers that it is a matter of money.  Many farmers have a very small profit margin, but she believes that “if producers can circumvent the factory farm and still be profitable, they’ll do it.”  So once again it comes to what we as consumers choose to buy.  As in any other industry, the farmers will produce what ever sells the most product.

Another reason to purchase food items from humanely raised animals is because of the positive effect it has on humans’ health. According to Dena Jones of the U.S. office of the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) studies have shown that organically raised meat and dairy products have a higher level of nutrients.
However, factory farms regularly inject their animals with growth hormones and antibiotics.  In fact, according to this article 70% of the antibiotics administered in the U.S. are given to farm animals.  Not only do these hormones and antibiotics pass on to humans when consumed, but the over-use of them has been fueling antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.

As the article points out, these are only some of the many reasons why consumers should buy organic, humanely raised animal products.  So how are we to identify them?  According to Ms. Jones “if the product has no label and it’s in a mainstream supermarket, chances are good it came from a factory farm.”  The worst place to buy products from is Wal-Mart, the world’s largest food retail store.  Unless otherwise labeled, all of their meat and dairy products come from factory farms. Often the food labels will note that the item is “natural”, but savvy consumers know that this has nothing to do with animal welfare and only means that there are no preservatives, dyes or additives.

The best place to find organic and humanely raised items is Whole Foods.  Also, many local grocery stores now carry some of these products due to increasing demand.  The public should look for labels that say “USDA Organic”, “Certified Humane”, “Free Farmed”, “Pasture Raised”, “Animal Welfare Approved”, “Grass Fed”, “Free Range” or “Cage Free”.  Each time we buy one of these items we are voting for a better, higher quality of food for ourselves and our families.  John Fiscalini of the humane and organic Fiscalini Farms says it best: “As part of an affluent society, people are becoming more aware of how their food is produced.”  From this article it is clear that the trend of demanding high quality food is here to stay and will only continue to gain momentum as more and more people become aware of the many benefits of humanely raised farm animals.

History of Wine

Wine In Ancient History

Throughout history wine has played a subtle yet undeniably important role in almost

every culture and every generation.  From influencing travel and trade to use as

medicine, wine has worn many hats.  It has also been an important part of many

religions, no matter how varied they may be.  For many cultures in the ancient world, as

in todays world, wine has played some role whether small or large. Wine was a

significant part of ancient Egyptian culture, as is revealed by hieroglyphs.  The Greeks

used wine for medicinal purposes as well as a part of societal ceremonies.  The

Romans developed the beginnings of the wine culture that is familiar to today’s world

and were a large factor in the spread of wine throughout the world.  This relatively

simple beverage has played a very large part in the history of human culture as well as

helped to shape the world as we know it today.  As is usually the case with things of

such import to human life, it all began in a land far, far away in a time long, long ago.

It is estimated that wine production began in modern day Iran and Georgia in 6,000 to

5,000 B.C.   As the legend goes, wine was discovered by a woman in the

harem of a semi-mythical Persian king, Jamsheed (who might be the man we know as

Noah).  This woman tried to commit suicide by drinking fermented grapes which were

believed to be poisonous.  Luckily for her, this seemingly magical elixir not only did not

take her life, but she found herself “lively and rejuvenated”.  Thus, humans’ fascination

with all things wine began.

While this legend of the discovery of wine is both mysterious and dramatic, its true

beginnings were probably due to another factor that was even more

important than wine to early humans’ life (and continued survival): pure dumb luck.  The

leading theories state that the “invention” of wine occurred accidentally when crushed

grapes were left out at room temperature or at the bottom of an animal skin container

and fermented naturally. However it came about, from the time wine was first discovered

it became an increasingly important ingredient in the lives of each new culture to come

across it.

The earliest evidence of wine production is found in Hajji Firuz Tepe, a region in Iran.

The first known wine press and amphora (a large vase used to store wine or olive oil)

were both found here.  Wine spread to Egypt around 3000 B.C.

where it quickly became a big hit in Egyptian ceremonial life.  They knew this new

beverage was something special and began cultivating it as such.  Ancient Egyptians

created several things we still use today: notations of the vintage, vineyard and

winemaker of each bottle.  In short, the wine label.  They also were aware of and

debated on the variances of wines grown in different regions.  In ancient Egypt

vineyards were planted in the fertile Nile delta.  Wines there were most likely made from

the Muscat grape and produced a white wine.  Egyptians immediately began inventing

new technologies to accommodate the growing popularity.  They not only stored wine in

large vats, but began perfecting bottling methods.  Soon, kings were buried with bottles

of wine, likely to ensure they have a little fun in the afterlife.

While ancient Egyptian kings decreed that wine progressed not only from Earth to the

afterlife, it also progressed from Egypt to many other cultures. The credit for sharing this

gift with the rest of the known world goes to the Phoenicians.  The Phoenicians literally

took wine and ran with it.  Or, to be more exact, sailed with it.  As seafaring explorers,

Phoenicians were the perfect people to transport a variety of goods from place to place,

wine included.  They traveled the world as they knew it and spread wine production to

many cultures, teaching the new people they met the techniques of winemaking.  One

of these strange new peoples were the Greeks.

Wine almost immediately became an integral part of Greek society.  They would

organize social gatherings called symposiums at which they would discuss

philosophical subjects while drinking wine.  Wine was always diluted with water and the

ancient Greeks believed that wine in moderation would help them achieve a higher level

of spiritual awareness and intellectual clarity.  Wine was also considered a staple food,

as described by Hesiod in the 8th century B.C.  Hippocrates, the father of medicine,

prescribed wine as an antiseptic and sedative as well as a diuretic and menstruum (a

solvent used to extract drugs from plants).  Wine was also used to treat many other

ailments, including broken or dislocated bones.  After it was set, a wine compress was

applied to aid in healing.

While the Greeks were busy healing their sick and injured with wine, they were drinking

it as well.  They quickly realized the importance of terrior, (the unique characteristics of

wine grown in a region that is determined by the soil, weather and farming techniques).

From this observation came the Appellations of Origin, a system that was taken very

seriously, to ensure the authenticity of the origination of wines that were sold and

traded.  Strong penalties were imposed on those who broke the laws related to the

Appellations of Origin.  As the Greeks continued to work on perfecting their wines, they

increased the amount they sold or traded.  The Romans were one such group to benefit

from the Greeks’ hard work.

While the Greeks laid the foundation for viniculture, the Romans are credited with

developing wine culture as we know it today.  Romans began classifying wine by grape

varieties and colors.  They identified diseases and soil type preferences, observed and

charted ripening characteristics.  They also improved many techniques in cultivation by

establishing plantations and storage.  They were skilled at pruning and increasing yields

by irrigation and fertilization techniques.   The best vineyards were identified and wines

rated accordingly.

Ancient Romans could be what today we could call “winos”, drinking wine at every

meal.  However, because the alcohol content was much higher than modern day wines,

it was always mixed with water.  To add some variety to their wines as well as to mask

undesirable flavors, they would add what today would be considered unusual

ingredients.  Chalk was added to reduce acidity, salt water was mixed in for a more

bitter flavor and herbs and spices were also often added.  However odd modern man

may find this, the Romans did exhibit good taste with discoveries that we no doubt

appreciate very much today.  They preferred wines aged 10-25 years, stored in tightly

closed containers.  Romans were the first to store wine in wooden barrels and may

even have been the first to use glass jars and corks for convenient storage.

Luckily for the rest of the ancient world, Romans were eager to capitalize on their

acquired knowledge of wine.  From the greatest wine port of Roman Italy, Pompeii, wine

was shipped to Spain, France, Germany, Britain and even back to

Greece.  Pompeii was a major center for trade and culture at the time.  In fact, in A.D.

79, when Mount Vesuvius buried Pompeii in volcanic ash and lava more than 200 wine

bars were buried.

Many of today’s wine regions can trace their origins back to Roman vineyards.

As wine spread from Greece throughout the known world, it influenced every culture on

Earth in one way or another, especially where religion is concerned. For some religions,

such as Christianity, it was an important part of their worship from the beginning.  For

others, such as Muslims, it was a forbidden drink.  Today wine remains an important

part of many cultures.  Although the techniques and knowledge surrounding viniculture

have improved with technology, the wine culture itself has not changed very much in

thousands of years.  In much of the ancient world, as in much of todays world, wine is

viewed as an important food staple to be enjoyed in moderation.  We also recognize the

health benefits of wine, although the application and technique may have changed.  We

gather at wine bars or share a bottle of wine over a meal with family and friends, just as

the ancients did.  The course of wine throughout history is a perfect example of the

saying “the more things change, the more they stay the same”.  Undoubtedly, wine will

remain an integral part of human society and will always be an important part of our

past, present and future.

Declaring War on Fast Food

NEWS FLASH: processed foods are bad for you.  Bet ya never heard that one (repeatedly) while watching the news, reading the paper or listening to the radio, huh?  This must be brand new information, right?  Yeah, I didn’t think so.  Pretty much everyone is aware to some extent that eating processed foods is bad for your health.  But WHY do they have to be so bad for us???  They’re convenient, taste good and last a really long time.  And what exactly qualifies as “processed” anyways?

The answer to that last question is simple: if the item has been modified in any way from its original form, it’s considered processed.  Of course, that is an extremely general description.  Things you buy at the grocery store like fresh pre-cut pineapple slices aren’t a concern when compared to canned pre-cut pineapple slices.  Technically, both have been processed in some way, but the canned version likely contains added chemicals and sugars to help preserve it and give a consistent flavor.  Some other examples of processed foods to watch out for include basically anything you buy at a fast food restaurant, potato chips and other high calorie snack foods, microwave dinners, pre-boxed meals (like Hamburger Helper or Mac and Cheese), processed meats (like hot dogs or bologna), canned goods (yep, even veggies because of the high sodium content), sugary breakfast cereals and white bread or pasta (go for whole grain instead).

But you just named everything I love to eat!  What’s in this stuff that so bad?

Processed foods, especially fast foods, contain a variety of chemicals that I not only can’t pronounce but would have a hell of a time trying to type correctly here are included in many items.  Go look in your kitchen, grab a few items and see how many ingredients are included in them that you have never heard of before.  Some reports even name some very odd ingredients in processed foods such as fertilizer (Subway bread) and sand (Wendy’s chili).  Another dangerous additive to processed foods is their high sodium content.  People only need about 1,500mg of sodium (or just under a teaspoon) of salt per day.  Some processed foods have much more sodium per serving than that daily allowance.  And when was the last time you had just one serving (about 10 chips) of Doritos? Trans fats and high fructose corn syrup are other major health offenders in processed foods.

Another factor to consider is this: how can something that is supposed to be good for you sit on a shelf for months or even years and still look and taste the same? That Twinkie is not lovingly made by a grandmother and placed on the shelf an hour before you buy it.  It’s made in a huge factory by people who don’t give a damn what negative effects it has on your body.  It’s a combination of the obvious ingredients and plenty of chemicals to act as preservatives.  Real food doesn’t maintain itself like that.  It’s not natural.  It’s weird.

OK sure, but it’s not like eating a burger and some chips is gonna kill me, right?  Throw me a freakin’ bone here!  Preferably one with some meat on it!

In a country where the average household contains 90% processed foods and only 10% fresh, it’s nearly impossible to completely avoid processed foods especially if you enjoy them.  However, it’s best to limit your intake as much as possible.  An occasional fast food meal obviously won’t cause immediate death (well, probably not anyways), but consistently eating fast foods and other processed foods will add up to a variety of health problems.  Processed foods are directly linked to cancer, heart disease, diabetes and obesity.  Diet related diseases are the number one killers of Americans and processed foods are right smack dab in the middle of that problem.

What’s your problem with fast food?  It’s cheap, convenient and consistently tastes good.

Fast food restaurants catch a lot of grief from health advocates and recently have spent a lot of money defending themselves and their practices.  There is good reason for this.  Fast foods are probably the most processed food in America. The reason your McDonald’s burger tastes the exact same no matter where in the world you go is because they add chemicals to make sure there is no change in flavor, texture or taste as well as to preserve the “meat”.  But don’t think you are safe ordering the chicken or fish instead- they are all processed just as much.  And we all know that no major fast food joint is out there trying to do the right thing for the American public while never making a buck for themselves.  They don’t care about your health any more than those Twinkie people.  So what do YOU think they put in that burger that allows them to only charge $1.00??? You get what you pay for and when you eat at a fast food restaurant that’s more than you bargained for.  The health problems caused by fast foods could end up costing you thousands in health care down the road. America is one of the fattest nations in the world not just because we have an excess of food, but because of the type of food most of us eat.  Let’s face it: fast food and many processed foods are closer to science experiments than actual food.

Fine, Ms. Fast Food Nazi.  What SHOULD I eat then??

The best rule of thumb when trying to figure out what foods are better for you is simple: eat foods without labels.  Will it take slightly longer to cut up an apple than it does to open a bag of chips?  Yes.  But the many benefits to your health as well as the environment easily outweigh the convenience of turning to processed foods.  Also, look at ingredient lists on packaged items. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient on the label, don’t buy it! These two very simple guidelines cover a wide variety of foods that are not only good for you but taste great too.  Mother Nature does a fantastic job growing plenty of incredibly tasty food- try it sometime.

Portion Distortion

Hello Everyone!  Sorry it’s been a while since my last post but I’ve been busy with my second quarter of culinary school (which continues to be almost more interesting than I can stand).  Since I know that most of America  has made the typical New Year’s Resolution to get back in shape and lose some weight, I thought I would write about portion size.  This is one of the biggest contributors to weight gain and most certianly affects people who are trying to lose extra weight.

American portion sizes have been steadily increasing over the past few decades to the point where most of us have absolutely no idea what they actually should be.  The plate sizes in restaurants are bigger, too which may not seem like a big deal at first, but when you stop to think about it that absolutely contributes to our perception of how much food we are eating.  If there’s a lot of empty space on your plate you may feel as if you’re not getting enough even though the amount of food is exactly what you really need.  And Americans have become somewhat obsessed with getting the most for their money, especially in this economy and especially when it comes to food.  The problem is that while you may get more food for less money, the quantity and quality of that food will cost you more in the long run in the form of extra weight, health problems and medical costs to fix those problems.  And if you get suckered into trying one of those fad diets you’ll waste even more money on the random crap they have you buy than if you just simply ate the right foods in the right amounts.

Take the portions at any fast food restaurant.  Not too long ago a large drink was 16oz. and now that is considered a small drink.  The same goes for the burgers and fries as well.  Another thing to consider when eating fast food is this: if they are only charging you $1.00 for an entire hamburger, what are they putting in it that costs so little?  You know they’re making a profit off everything they sell, so what type of “meat” is in that burger? (I’ll write more about the science experiements they call food at a later date).    The point is that when you eat out at a fast food restaurant or a buffet it may seem like a great deal at the time, but it’s important to sit back and really think about how much and the quality of food you’re putting in your mouth.  It will cost you more in the long run to stuff yourself with cheap, low quality foods.

If you are reading this then it’s highly unlikely you are currently or ever will be in any danger of actual starvation.  We are very fortunate that we never have to worry about where our next meal is coming from.  So there is no reason why we should stuff ourselves at every meal just in case it’s our last for a while.  Remember that our battle is with self control. And personally I would rather have that problem than worry about being able to provide enough food for my family or myself.  Be thankful that your food related problem is something YOU CAN CONTROL: not overeating.

In order to control our impulse to overeat we first need to know how much is enough.  Make a fist and look at it- this is about the size of your stomach.  Consider this when you are eating.  It’s not the end of the world to make your stomach a little bigger after a meal, but if you’re eating enough food to fit into 3 or 4 fists, that’s too much.  Below are the actual portion sizes of typical foods you might eat on a daily basis.  Because I bet that most of us don’t eat enough fresh vegetables and fruit I will simply say to eat as much as possible of both, although we can estimate average serving sizes as the size of a baseball.  Keep these in mind when you’re eating and I can guarantee you’ll lose some weight.

Meat, poultry or fish (3oz.)= a deck of cards

Peanut butter (2 Tbsp.)= a ping pong ball

Cereal flakes (1 cup)= a fist 

Cooked rice or pasta (1/2 cup)= 1/2 a baseball

A slice of bread (1 serving)= a deck of cards or bar of soap

Cheese (1.5oz.)= 2 slices of cheese or image 4 stacked dice

Ice Cream (1/2 cup)= 1/2 a baseball

Margarine or other spreads (1 tsp.)= 1 die

I encourage you to go to www.mypyramid.gov to find out how many servings of each food group you should be eating per day.  It’s free, taylored to each person and you don’t have to give any personally identifying information like your email address or name.  This is quick, easy and will help you jump start your new liefstyle more easily than doing some fad diet. 

I understand that many people think they have to starve themselves to lose weight and this is absolutely NOT TRUE.  You should never wait so long between meals that you feel lightheaded or sick.  It’s a matter of eating the right foods in moderation.  Below are some more tips that may help you to get your eating habits on the right track.  Good luck to you!!!

Before any meal drink a hot liquid such as tea or a broth-based soup.  Or even just a whole glass of water.  These items have no or very low calories and will help you to feel more full and therefore you won’t want to eat as much during your meal.

Eat slowly. It takes your brain about 20 minutes to get the message that your stomach is full.  So enjoy your meals!  Chew thoroughly and consider the flavor of the food. 

Eat only when you are hungry. Don’t eat because you always have lunch at noon- wait until you actually feel hungry!  Some days you may feel hungry more often than others.  Pay attention to your body and don’t let your meals become robotic.

Stop eating when you are full.  Sometimes easier said than done, right?  If you’re eating something so good you don’t think you can stop at least wait 15 minutes or so from the point you realize you are full before you take another bite.  Odds are you may not want to continue eating after that.  And remember, the food will be there for you to enjoy later.  That’s not the last brownie sundae or Big Mac you’ll ever have.

At restaurants, request they box up half your meal before they bring it out to you.  No, you won’t look stupid and yes, lots of people do this.  This will discourage you from eating double portions (which most restaurant serving sizes are) AND you’ve got leftovers to eat the next day!  It’s a win win situation.

At home, use smaller plates. Trick your eyes!  As I mentioned earlier, if you have a very full smaller plate you will probably feel better about how much food you’re getting than if you see a big plate with lots of empty space. 

Don’t use food to cope.  This is a biggie.  If you’ve had a bad day and absolutely NEED some Rocky Road ice cream, then by all means have some!!!  Just don’t eat the whole pint.  Eat 1/2 a cup and then go for a walk or punch a pillow or break plates, whatever floats your boat.

Remember YOU ARE IN CONTROL OF WHAT AND HOW MUCH YOU EAT.  You control the food, not the other way around!