The First Rule of Rules

I'm a teacher. As a teacher I set rules. The first rule in making rules is to be positive. Your rules shouldn't be "Don't ____." They should be an imperative statement. So instead of of a "Don't run in the hall." rule you should have a "Walk in the hall." rule. You need to tell kids what TO do, not what NOT to do. It's easier that way. You're telling them what you expect, not what you don't expect. When you give a "Don't" rule, you're leaving the option of the "do" up to them.

It's the same with eating healthy food, as I found out this weekend. I was at Sam's Club with my dad/Stepmom. My Stepmom and I were talking about what foods are OK to eat since she's been trying to eat a healthier diet. She said her nutritionist is telling her not to eat all kinds of thing (similar to what I do here, I guess) but now she knows what NOT to eat, but not what TO eat. So I've decided to blog about things TO eat, not what NOT to eat. So, as Michael Pollan says, EAT FOOD!

It's always best to eat organic food, but it's not always possible. I said a good rule of thumb is to eat lots of fresh food, but she was concerned about GMOs. I told her to check for that PLU codes starting with an 8, which does indicate a GMO, but then I found out that it's OPTIONAL to add the 8 so you can't assume that if it doesn't start with an 8 it's not GMO. The good news is that very few US grown produce is GMO, except for Hawaiian papayas, some zucchini and yellow squash, and corn on the cob. If you don’t buy these organic, they *may* be genetically-modified (or they may not be).

Whole grains are always good. This includes rice (brown and wild), millet, quinoa and oatmeal. I found that the Raisin Rack all of these in bulk (not wild rice).

If you eat meat and/or dairy, look for grass-fed or pastured. Cage free, isn't the same thing. The organic label is always good here too. There aren't factory farms in Canton, Ohio so if you're buying locally raised meat, you're probably in good shape too.

Here's a good fall recipe that meets all the "Do" rules:
Brown and Wild Rice Pilaf in Acorn Squash
Ingredients:
2 TBSP olive oil
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 c brown rice
1/2 C wild rice
1 TBSP minced fresh rosemary
2 1/2 C boiling water
1/2 tsp sea salt
black pepper to taste
1/2 C dried cranberries
1/2 C chopped pecans or walnuts
1 acorn squash

Directions:
Heat oil in saucepan. Stir in onion and saute 5 min. Add celery, rice and rosemary. Saute 10 min. Pour boiling water over rice. Add salt. Cover and simmer 35-40 minutes or until water is absorbed. Season with black pepper. Stir in cranberries and nuts.

To make the squash:
Wash and put whole squash in slow cooker for 8 hrs. OR, cut in half, brush with olive oil and roast, face down, in a 375 oven for one hour.

Fill 1/2 squash with pilaf (of you want to unhealthy it up a little you can add some honey or brown sugar).