Time for an oil change

I don't use a lot of cooking oil but for the times that I do, I use a better quality oil that hopefully won't be too damaging to our hearts. Sure they cost more than the cheap stuff but that's money well spent in my opinion. And a bottle of oil will last you a long time; it's not an item that should be out on your kitchen counter every time you prepare dinner.

There are 2 oils I buy; Becel and Crisco. The Becel is canola and sunflower oils, the Crisco is soyabean. Both are a source of omega-3s. Neither have any flavour and I certainly can't tell the difference between them. I tend to use the Becel in recipes and the Crisco for frying.

I'm guessing you've got cooking oil in your house, and if you've got a few less-than-ideal habits that you're trying to modify as you head toward a healthy lifestyle and a healthy body weight, changing the oil in your cupboard is a simple improvement you can make right now. Look for a product that is a source of omega-3 and - obviously - has no Trans fats. Keep an eye on how much oil you're using when preparing your meals and cut back when you can. If cooking oil is on your shopping list more than once every few months, you've got other work ahead. But an oil change right now is a good start.

Cut the soda, and save your money and your health

I'm not a pop drinker. We never had it in the house when I was growing up, and after hearing what it did to your teeth, it was never something I was remotely interested in reaching for when I was older and doing my own grocery shopping. 

But I realize that pop is in a lot of households so if you didn't see this article, give it a quick read. Then cross pop off your grocery list for the coming week. And the week after that and the week after that until you form a new habit of not buying the stuff at all. 

3 Surprising Reasons to Give Up Soda

Healthy bodies and health lifestyles are the culmination of a bunch of little habits; good eating habits, good exercise habits. Letting go of your soda habit is a good move in the right direction, one little change that carries a big benefit.

Red potato fries

You're looking at delicious french fries.

I could live without french fries but it's not all about me so over the years I have tried various products in the endeavour to serve edible fries for dinner. Not much luck. The no-name frozen fries weren't that bad so I used to buy those, fry them up in the pan and pretend they were ok. Once I tried the McCains SODIUM REDUCED frozen fries and they were so salty only my husband could eat them. I never bought them again.

Then one day when I was buying the no-name frozen fries, I started to think about the plastic bag they were in, the manufacturing process to peal, slice and package the potatoes, the salt and oil that the company added to coat the strips of potatoes and I began to get annoyed with myself. Was I so incredibly lazy that I couldn't wash and cut a few potatoes myself? It would be cheaper and healthier. And I'd much rather support the farmers directly than some manufacturing plant.

I put the bag of frozen fries back in the freezer and returned to the produce section to buy some big red potatoes and support those American growers (Ontario reds were not in stock).

Now any of you who have made fries from scratch know that it takes forever for the potatoes to actually cook in the oil. No matter how thinly you slice and how high the temp, you're looking at an hour of stirring and turning, minimum. So try this method instead, you'll be thrilled with the results and think nothing of whipping up these potatoes at the drop of a hat:

Red Potato Fries

• wash potatoes, do NOT peal!!! Most of the vitamins and good stuff are in the skins and right near the surface. You want to eat that part!
• cut potatoes in wedges. If the potatoes are small to medium in size, 4 wedges per potato, otherwise 5 or 6 so the wedges are not really thick
• spread in microwave, cover and cook on high for 4 mins (until wedges are cooked)
• heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat.
• remove wedges from the microwave and place in the hot oil, cut side down
• brown one cut side, then turn to brown the other cut side. Don't bother trying to brown the outer skin side
• put a napkin (or paper towel) on your serving plate and lay fried wedges on the napkin, cover with another napkin (or paper towel) to keep them warm
• continue to cut potatoes, microwave, then fry the wedges in oil until you've made enough for everyone. Then make some more, I'm not kidding, there won't be left-overs.

Oh my gosh, they are amazing. And for some strange reason, the potatoes do not absorb the oil. You will see a lot of oil soaked into the napkins, and if you don't use a napkin on your serving plate, you will see the excess oil left behind on it's surface. Who'd a thunk eh?

Red potato fries are simple to make, and healthier and cheaper than store-bought fries. Do yourself and a farmer proud and serve some up tonight.