I recently made the trek back to New Jersey to attend a family reunion hosted down at the lovely New Jersey shore (not to be associated with the TV show, thank you very much). It was a crazy weekend, jam packed with what resulted as too much time in the airport and not enough time doing what I love… spending time with my favorite people, and sharing fun recipes and health facts with ya’ll!
Every year the family gathers in from Manhattan, San Diego, Florida, New Jersey, Austin, New Hampshire, and even Thailand, so it is always pleasant (and hectic) to see 28+ of us in one place.
While we are all scattered about throughout the weekend, the one thing that connects us, and has always connected us, is food.
There is never a shortage of food at our family get-togethers.
Never.
Family gatherings of this type seem to warrant the “o.k.” to indulge in the All-American diet. With the family consuming immeasurable amounts of pizza, hot dogs, burgers, cheese and chips… I tend to stick out, just ever-s0-slightly, like a sore thumb. If you ever run into this situation, which I assume many of you will, especially as summer gets into full swing…
Try not to worry…
There are some “easy” remedies for feeling ‘out of place’ at an All-American foodie function.
Remedies…
1. Ask your host to put aside some undressed salad for you. My family knows to do this already without me even having to ask. A couple of years ago though, they looked at me in disbelief—now it is just common knowledge that I will probably be dressing my own salad. Why ask them to put aside some naked greens? More often than not, salads are dressed with prepackaged and/or creamy dressings. These dressings have a number of unwanted ingredients you will probably want to steer clear of (even the homemade ones).
- Easy “American” dressing… mix olive oil with the mustard available on the hot dog dressing table. If there is any honey on hand, you can easily sweeten it up with a touch of honey, raw agave (or… if your like me and carry NuStevia with you, Stevia!) *Get 15% off your NuStevia order by typing in BLG710. Offer expires today (07/01/2010).
2. Bring along a ripe avocado, or a little of your favorite olive oil, or dressing. Carry in a small Tubberware and stash in the fridge when you get there. If I am just bringing olive oil, I don’t bother storing it in the fridge. If salad is the only healthy option, pop on the avocado and/or dressing.
3. Offer to bring something for yourself and the guests to share. Explain to your host that you hate to be a pain, but would love to bring something because… you have allergies, or certain dietary restrictions, or you’re a vegetarian, or (fill in the blank). Tell them to please “not to worry” about you… and that you think he/she will absolutely love your (fill in the blank). Tell your host that you are so excited to get her/his feedback on this dish, and even more excited to see them!
4. Don’t get caught up in the guilt of not indulging in something that doesn’t suit you! My uncle makes delicious smelling organic muffins, cakes, everything… I love breathing in their sweet and creamy aromas, but I do not eat them. I cannot be stressed about someone being offended that I will not be able indulge in their labor of love. I hate to disappoint, but there has to be another way to show my love, rather than eat a muffin that will leave me feeling weighed down. They do smell marvelous though.
4. Bring along your own healthy dessert. I always carry dark chocolate. I bring enough to share, just in case someone asks! (They always do!)
5. Want to feel apart of the crowd? I love condiments (ketchup, and BBQ sauce). One of the ways I have always prevented myself from feeling “left out,” is by dipping my grilled veggies into my favorite condiments. Many people are surprised to find that they crave the sugary condiments more so than the food that they are using to dip into it. Ketchup, and the like, are not healthy (they are all sugar), but I like to keep life fun (and yes, you can do this with ketchup. I swear!)
6. If you are at a family function, where you may have more say in the way food is being managed, help in the kitchen and make do with what you have (or what is close by). Some of the most commonly grilled veggies of the summer are zucchinis and summer squash. With a simple carrot peeler (all that was on hand), you can whip up a fun summer salad that is worlds more exciting than your typical mixed greens. Snatch some sun-dried tomatoes from the anti-pasta dish, garlic from the kitchen, and toss in some of your other favorite raw veggies. If burgers are on sight, you better be sure that there are onions (and tomatoes) too.
7. Bring along your favorite raw nut bar! I am not a huge fan of packaged goods, but to be on the safe side, and to avoid starvation if there is nothing available to you… stash a (enter: favorite healthy, raw, snack bar here), or dried apple chips in your bag.
Lucky for me, I had the luxury of making a trip to the local grocer, but I tried to use ingredients that would be more likely to be readily available at a summer BBQ.
Makeshift Raw Anti-Pasta
2 zucchini, shredded with a carrot peeler
1 summer squash, shredded with a carrot peeler
1/3 cup sliced red onion (snatched from the hot dog station)
14 sun-dried tomatoes, soaked for 30 minutes, rinsed, and chopped, (especially if they are marinated in an unknown substance)
2 handfuls of mixed greens on hand, (I used arugula)
1 garlic clove, chopped
Toss with 2 tbsp cold pressed olive oil, add in avocado, (if you choose, and then lower the amount of olive oil used), and balsamic vinegar (optional)
Sea Salt to taste
And there you have it… a raw “American” makeshift anti-pasta
P.S. I did not have the luxury of having a blender, but if you do… combine the sun dried tomatoes, olive oil, and 2 tbsp of water in your blender or Magic Bullet. Blend until creamy and smooth, and toss with your remaining ingredients. Easy and delicious!!
What do you do to stay healthy at a outdoor “All American” function??
