Walmart joins the movement to cut antibiotic use in food

Walmart apparently has heard people’s concerns about antibiotics used in food production. The country’s largest food retailer last week asked suppliers to limit antibiotic use in meat, seafood, dairy and egg to medical uses.

Start with white meat chicken. Cut it into bite-sized cubes. — Walmart is telling suppliers to get antibiotics out of chicken, meat and eggs

Widespread concern exists about the public health implications of giving animals antibiotics for growth purposes. Concerns center around overuse prompting antibiotic resistance for diseases contracted by people who consume meat and poultry filled with such antibiotics.

The Food and Drug Administration is trying to collect data on the amount of antibiotics used to promote growth in animals. Continue reading “Walmart joins the movement to cut antibiotic use in food” →

May 28, 2015 1

How much fat and salt is in McDonald’s new sirloin burger?

McDonald’s has a major advertising blitz going on for its new third-pound sirloin burger. Emphasizing the use of sirloin positions the burger as better somehow, at least that’s what McDonald’s must be hoping.

McDonald's third-pound sirloin burger has too much salt and fat for me to eat it. — McDonald’s third-pound sirloin burger has too much salt and fat for me to eat it.

But a quick check of its nutrition information on the McDonald’s website shows it’s not something anyone worried about salt and fat intake can eat, unfortunately.

I say unfortunately because I miss hamburgers dearly. The ones I eat now I make at home with either 96% lean ground beef or ground white-meat turkey and they’re just not the same because fat tastes good and so fattier beef tastes better than lean beef. Continue reading “How much fat and salt is in McDonald’s new sirloin burger?” →

May 27, 2015 0

The No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar Journal hits 25,000 views in five months!

This blog, the No Salt, No Fat, No Sugar Journal, has reached another important milestone — we’ve had 25,000 views through the first five months of this year, nearly as many as it took us all of 2014 to achieve. So we’ve doubled our audience this year.

We also now have 96 other blogs following us, 194 Twitter followers and 265 Facebook followers, all representing wonderful growth from when we started in December 2012 with a mere 57 views for the month!

Cooking up more healthy foods for you in my outdoor kitchen. Thanks for reading all my posts!

If I could have a celebratory cake I would, but since I can’t, I’ll say thank you to everyone who has come to read and enjoy the posts here.

This blog began out of desperation when I discovered my angioplasty in 2012 meant I could no longer eat any of the foods I loved. I had to create a new eating and life plan. It began with completely cleaning out my pantry of all high-salt, high-fat, high-sugar foods and starting over.

Along the way, I’ve developed new recipes, found new ingredients, come up with new ways to shop healthier, and shared that all with you, hoping I can help you as well.

Thank you for being part of this new journey.
John

May 26, 2015 0

A slow-cooked salmon recipe with chickpeas, mustard greens

Salmon has become a mainstay of my low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar diet. I wrote earlier this week of five ways to prepare it for a Memorial Day feast, or any day you expect a large number of people for dinner. Today, another salmon recipe, this one from the website Epicurious.

What intrigued me about this recipe is it’s slow-cooked. Salmon cooked in a 250-degree oven, a bit different from the 450-degree oven I used for my latest salmon creation. Continue reading “A slow-cooked salmon recipe with chickpeas, mustard greens” →

May 26, 2015 0

Memorial Day salmon, 5 ways

Memorial Day is the traditional start of the cookout season but it’s raining in Chicago, so I’m going to adapt a cookout recipe to make in the oven today, salmon done five different ways.

Start with a large piece of salmon, mine was about two and a half pounds. Cut it in half and then cut one of the halves into fourths.

My Memorial Day salmon with corn, these are two of my five preps for the salmon.

For the first prep, slice two lemons thinly and line a piece of aluminum foil with them to make a bed for the larger piece of salmon. Put the salmon on top, then coat with a lemon-infused olive oil. Cover that with a salt-free spice mixture. I used a Greek spice mix bought from our local Spice House. Wrap that one in aluminum foil and it’s ready to go. Continue reading “Memorial Day salmon, 5 ways” →

May 25, 2015 9

Edamame pasta? I sampled and liked it

Edamame is a favorite snack or meal side dish of mine. So I was intrigued on a recent Costco trip to see a free sampling being offered for edamame spaghetti.

A new find at Costco, I will report back when we make it.

The sampled variety was made simply by boiling it, with a bit of cheese and possibly olive oil on it. I found it tasty and not sticky or stiff to the palate. I tried it several times and then bought a box if it, something I rarely do after sampling products for free. Continue reading “Edamame pasta? I sampled and liked it” →

May 21, 2015 2

Walmart’s fat-free devils-food cookie passed my taste test

Fat-free cookies have become an indulgence of mine since having an angioplasty in 2012. Indeed, I think they are a major reason I have regained about 10 of the 30 pounds I lost in the year after the surgery.

Walmart's fat-free devil's food cookies match up well with similar products from others. — Walmart’s fat-free devil’s food cookies match up well with similar products from others.

SnackWells are the brand version of these fat-free chocolate cookies, but tend to be expensive, so I keep searching for store brand alternatives. A local dollar store had one variety but doesn’t seem to carry it now. Continue reading “Walmart’s fat-free devils-food cookie passed my taste test” →

May 20, 2015 3

‘Fresh’ Mexican food doesn’t mean low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar

Fresh and natural have become restaurant buzz words these days that people mistakenly think will always mean healthier. Sadly that is not the case, and can be far from it.

A recent lunch at Café Mexicali in Fort Collins, Colo., reminded me of that.

As fresh as its gets doesn't equal low-salt, low-fat or low-sugar. — As fresh as its gets doesn’t equal low-salt, low-fat or low-sugar.

The place is a favorite of students at nearby Colorado State, the university that helps give Fort Collins its quaint vib. A niece suggested we go there because the place makes everything from scratch, including its own tortillas which I watched them create. Its website talks about its goal as providing Mexican food “as fresh as it gets.” Continue reading “‘Fresh’ Mexican food doesn’t mean low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar” →

May 19, 2015 0

Maddie’s for breakfast — a modern-day Denver gold strike

Denver is a city we’ve visited quite often in recent years for nieces’ and a nephew’s graduations, first from high school and more recently from college.

Maddie's is the type of local place there just aren't enough of these days. — Maddie’s is the type of local place there just aren’t enough of these days.

Suburban Denver, where we tend to spend most of our time, has the usual assortment of national chain restaurants, which means few low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar offerings. Eating there is always a challenge for me.

So I was thrilled on a recent trip when a niece promised to take us to a unique local place in Denver itself for breakfast one day.

Maddie’s truly is a Denver gem, if our experience there is any indication The tiny place is known for its blueberry pancakes and has some fun-looking potato pancakes as well. I avoid all that because of worries about how much salt is in them. Continue reading “Maddie’s for breakfast — a modern-day Denver gold strike” →

May 18, 2015 0

Here’s how to save money while shopping for low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar foods

Eating healthier definitely costs more than eating highly processed, high-salt, high-fat, high-sugar offering these days. But that doesn’t mean you have to always pay more. Here’s where smart shopping comes into play, and it’s the reason I launched a smart shopping page here.

Know what items you want from which stores in your area and pounce on those items when they go on sale. I recently did that on a shopping trip to my local supermarket, Jewel, and saved 30% from the normal prices of what I purchased. Continue reading “Here’s how to save money while shopping for low-salt, low-fat, low-sugar foods” →

May 12, 2015 5

Month: May 2015