All posts tagged: fruit

Mindful Eating, Or- How I lost 35 pounds by enjoying my food more

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Like many people, I found myself overweight in middle age. Quite overweight, in fact. With a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 30, I was more than overweight. My fasting blood glucose levels were still in the normal range, barely. My mother continued to remind that I have Type 2 diabetes in my family. What to do? As a scientist who has studied obesity and body weight regulation, I knew that dieting was not an option. The starvation response/ diet induced obesity, and all that. So… I decided to take my own advice. Background: There are two kinds of things that influence how much we eat: “Head Factors” and “Gut Factors”. Head Factors are “psychological” things such as how appetizing the food looks and smells. Social cues or influences, emotional situations, habits and conditioning (e.g. always eating a snack at 4 PM) are also powerful influences on what and when we eat. Gut Factors are signals from the gut (and/or liver) that convey the gut’s opinion about how much we should eat, and may also influence …

Tiramisu with Fruit

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In the U.S. we always think of Tiramisu as a tasty and maybe decadent dessert. But in Italy it is often eaten as an afternoon “pick-me-up”. Well why not? It has espresso, chocolate, and marscapone (Italian-style cream cheese). So, stimulants and protein! We like to add fruit for a refreshing tang, appealing color, and of course: micronutrients and anti-oxidants. Of course! That’s why we eat Tiramisu- for the antioxidants. I have adapted this recipe from a blog called “Cooking for Engineers”. The blog describes the experience of comparing many different recipes and concluded this one was the simplest one that tasted like real Tiramisu. Traditionally it is made in a casserole dish but we like to put it in trifle bowl because it is nicer to see the layers. Tiramisu with Fruit 8 oz. heavy whipping cream 8 oz. marscapone, at room temperature (it is easier to fold into the whipped cream than when it’s cold) 1-2 Tablespoons marsala (Italian sherry) 1-2 Tablespoons vanilla 1/3 – ½ cup dark chocolate, grated About 8 oz. (or …