Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Protein


Mark and I went to the Mexican grocery (Mi Pueblo) near our home a couple of days ago to buy some short ribs (*see note), and in the deli section along with the all-ready cooked pulled pork and ribs and chicken wings they had these kidneys and hearts! I had never seen them before, and at first didn't recognize them for what they were, until I looked closer. Hmmnn....are those kidneys? I asked Mark what he thought and he agreed! Yup, those are kidneys, and heart! I had never had kidney, and, for sure, had never had heart....so what the hell, it's protein right?


We bought 1 heart and 2 kidneys....not bad! I sliced it up and tossed it with my salad, and Mark had it in his egg and veg stirfry.


I try and include some sort of animal protein with 2 of my 3 daily main meals. I would have to say that, flavor wise, I prefer pork and beef, but chicken is the most convenient to cook as I make all of my own stocks for soup, which I also eat everyday, and for that reason I always buy whole chickens, cut them up and bone them myself, so a whole chicken gives me quite a bit of meat. Pressure cooking has given me the luxury of cooking big inexpensive pieces of meat in practially no time, which works perfectly for me to have the leftovers in my fridge to add to salads, stirfrys. Most times them most inexpensive cuts of beef and pork also have bones for stock making, one of my favorites is smoked ham shanks, which gives me a smokey flavored stock.


I don't think a day goes by that I don't use some sort of meat stock. Using it for soup is obvious, but I use it for rices, risottos, polenta, quinoa, chilis/beans, gravys and sauces. (and stuffing at Thanksgiving time...yum-my) I love the extra nutrition I know it must add, and just as important, using the bones along with all of my onion, celery and carrot scraps reduces waste, and cuts the cost of buying stock to zero! As much cooking as I do I have what I call "the scrap heap" in my freezer loaded with these vegetabe scraps that sometimes build up more quickly then the "bone yard" so I make vegetable stock in the PC in about 15-20 minutes!
I don't eat enough seafood only because seafood doesn't keep uncooked for more than 1 day in the fridge, and/or cooked for more than 1 day, so seafood protein doesn't fit my lifestyle of precooking and preparing in advance many of my meals. And although I love eggs (especially "real" eggs from pastured chickens), I don't digest them well. I'll eat eggs mostly soft and hard boiled, either diced into my salads or on their own.


The way I eat doesn't come from a nutritionist point of view....in other words I don't count grams of proteins, carbs, fats, sugars, sodium, calcium or any other nutients or vitamins etc....if I count anything it's calories....which I don't do much of either these days. Since I prepare and make most all of my own foods, using fresh, natural ingredients, I trust that everything my body needs it gets....how could it not? I admit to a cookie or candy binge every once in a while, yes, the kind with fake fats and fake sugars, but I do try to make better choices when I feel I can.



* I started to get all hung up and obsessed with eating strictly organic, but thank goodness I'm getting over it! I've said it once, and I'll say it again, I managed to lose over 100lbs., and become one of the healthiest people I knew never eating anything organic. In fact buying most of my meat and produce at the Vietnemese and Mexican markets near my home because of the money I saved versus grocery stores like Safeway. Currently I shop mostly at Farmers Markets, Whole Foods and Molly Stones, but I refuse to beat myself up anymore and stress out about being "perfectly organic". I know there are alot of reasons, other than nutrition, to buy local, seasonal and organic, but good Lord, stress is more toxic to my body than eating short ribs from Mi Pueblo! (I also recently renewed my Costco membership after 2 years...you know they carry alot of pretty good brands of foods these days!)

11 comments:

Diana said...

You can't go wrong with a nice big hunk of meat! OK, that came out wrong! I like my elk, buffalo and venison-oh what the hell, anything with 4 legs is good to me!
Can't do seafood either-allergic to most of it. My diet staples are eggs and meat. Throw in some fruit for the "sweetness" (because the mini tootsie rolls don't always do it!) and some veggies and life is good!
The price of airfare would easily account for your 2 hour session after your HKC!!! Too bad I work that weekend, it's been a long time since in the state of CA! What's up with them kitties??? How's that flex arm hang crap coming along???!!! :-)

Mark Reifkind said...

'but good Lord, stress is more toxic to my body than eating short ribs from Mi Pueblo!'

nothing more true than that my love.we eat good.you cook great, real food everyday for me, thank you :))

Tracy Reifkind said...

Diana,

Mini Tootsie Rolls....it always surprises me how many calories are in those damn little things....or maybe it's that I can't just eat a couple....yikes!

I'm hoping my two hour session will turn into a DVD, and it'll be the template for my book! Much less expensive than a plane ticket!

The kitties are coming for a visit this weekend (we still seem to have dual custody with Gabe's girlfriend, Lily). They moved out a week ago after they were nuetered and got their shots.

As far as the hang goes....how's yours these days? Still training it? I just got serious about it because I gave myself the 3 month deadline, which is in a couple of weeks. In fact it's the 'motivation' I was referring to a couple of blogposts ago.

I'll be writing about it soon, as I'll have to keep training it along with the freakin' pull up if I expect to attend (and pass) the Level 2 next year (whoops did I really say that out loud?)

Tracy Reifkind said...

honey, can you believe when we first were married almost 22 years ago the only thing I could cook was....what could I cook? LOL

the way to your heart was not through your stomach, I had to go a different route!

Mark Reifkind said...

beleive me you took the right route :))

Diana said...

100 calories in 6 of those damn little gifts from God called Tootsie Rolls! I have that drilled into my brain!
Yay, dual custody of the cats, I love it!
A DVD??!!! Put my name on the "pre-sale" list for sure!
I haven't "hung" since I did it for Brett! I hope, for now, to never see a "bar" again. I've got some great "lats" lately though from all the waiter walks-absolutely LOVE those (no sarcasm) and figure it's great practice for the "grad" workout of the RKC!
I too had a slip of the tongue today. I made mention of my goal to run a full marathon within the next 2 years. If I can pull that off, you can pull off the RKC 2 easily! My motivation just rocks, still after all this time-comes from having such great success with training with kettlebells. THE best thing ever created since tootsie rolls! LOL!
Give them kitties a hug for me!
"Hang" tough!!! Hahaha, did I say hang?

Shelly said...

Hi Tracy, I have been reading your blog for a month or so. Yesterday I had an experience that has prompted me to "delurk" because reading your blog is probably part of the reason I did what I did. I had the day off yesterday so I decided to take 2 classes at my gym that I have never taken before. The first was kettlebells then beginner yoga (I had an hour break in between). Well, I bit off a litTle bit more than I can chew. I am SO SORE today. I am used to being sore from working out, but this is way more than I am used to. Well, if it doesnt kill you it will make you stronger! I am definitely going to add yoga classes to my life (don't know about the kettlebells).

Tracy Reifkind said...

Hi Shelley,

Wow! My KB classes for beginners are only 30 minutes long beccause I know it can sneak up and practiaclly cripple someone the next day (usually the back inner thighs).

How did you decide to stay with yoga and not KB's? What about kettlebells was unattractive to you?

Whichever exercise anyone choses, the most important thing is to be consistent. Consistency is the only thing that changes health and fitness levles....you gotta show up....the kettlebell doesn't swing itself, lol!

PS Let's not forget diet, of course. I always say, "The amount and types of food I eat is responsible for the SIZE of my body, and KB's (exercise) is responsible for the COMPOSITION of my body"

Tracy Reifkind said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Shelly said...

Tracy,
there aren't very many kettlebell classes, and I can't get there when they are scheduled. I don't know enough to do it without instruction.
I went into the yoga class with a "this will be good for me" attitude, because I don't have very good flexibility or balance. I enjoyed the yoga more than I expected! So for now, I will work on the yoga.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Shelly,

Flexibility, balance, and stability...so important. The good news is you'll also build strength using your own bodyweight as resistance.

I'm always amazed at how I can do a 90 minute yoga class, and then have trouble balancing on one leg to get my shoes back on, LOL