Posts for category ‘food & drink’

When I was diagnosed with diabetes a little over a year ago, in my conversation with my doctor all I heard, from way down within the bowels of my deepest fears, was: “No more bread.” Okay, she didn’t actually say that, but I needed to lower my blood glucose, and carbohydrates are one of the major things that raise it, and all that is good and right about carbs comes to perfect union and glory in bread. (cue choir of angels)

In order to cope with and simplify the task of getting my blood sugar under control, I renounced most heavy-duty carbs for a time. Because of my disordered eating past, going cold turkey was the only way I could find my bearings in my new reality. Emotionally, I could not deal with even a taste, could not deal with being around them, because it only reminded me of a disease I was struggling to come to terms with (diabetes) on top of the one I was already managing (binge eating disorder).

Longtime readers of this blog may remember my forays into bread baking using Jeff Hertzberg and Zoe Francois’ book Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I even interviewed them! But then we had to break up. I mean in my head. When they sent me their newest book, Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day*, it was like an old hot boyfriend was inviting me for a spin on his Harley (not that that’s ever happened to me…). I filed the book away on my shelf and carried on bravely with my broccoli and chicken breast stir-fries and my nuts and berries. I even unfollowed @ArtisanBreadin5 on Twitter because it was all too painful. I had lost faith in bread, and faith in my ability to eat bread.

But now that my numbers are in control and my new eating and exercise habits are firmly established, and after making a searching and fearless moral inventory of how each and every food and exercise affects my blood sugar, I have invited bread back into my heart as my personal Lord and—oh, wait, I’m getting carried away.

What I mean to say is that I now have a right relationship with bread. I can eat it sometimes! In limited quantities! And though all kinds of carbs raise your blood sugar, no matter if they are “good” carbs or “bad” carbs (it is a common myth that diabetics “can’t” eat sugar and “can” eat all the fruit they want) it makes more sense to eat the good kind. The rise is more gentle, and the coming back down is nice and steady, too. No crashing. Also, if you happen to be 5′2″, three months from 40, and in a career that involves sitting on your butt most of the day, you can only eat so many calories. It makes sense to make them count, nutritionally.

So as I began integrating bread back into my diet, I recovered Healthy Bread from the shelf and made out with—I mean, read it. And baked an awesome but small loaf of 100% Whole Wheat Flax Bread (to which I added a little whole rye flour, because I love it). What I love about Zoe and Jeff’s method is how you can make one little roll or a loaf to feed a family without having to do much thinking or planning, and that also makes it easy to have an appropriate quantity on hand to eat and not overdo it.

Also, when you get into buying fancy bread from Whole Foods that doesn’t have this and doesn’t have that and has fiber but not a bunch of scary sounding stuff like maltodextroendosoygritsase, it is spendy! Making it myself will be so much cheaper. My calculations confirm what Jeff came up with, that a 2-oz serving of the 100% Whole Wheat Flax bread has about 21 carbs, 4 grams of fiber, and 5 of protein. There is no added fat or sugar. More importantly, it is delicious.

The book also has recipes for gluten-free breads.

Jeff & Zoe online
Follow them on Twitter / @ArtisanBreadin5
Zoe online

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(*Full disclosure for blogger-ethics-police: Yes, I got the book for free from a publicist. This is no way tainted my opinion of the deliciousness of the bread.)

- This is cool: Over the Rhine is working on a new album, with Joe Henry producing. Joe Henry’s Blood from Stars has been one of my most-played albums of the last six months, by the way, and I’m excited for this collaboration. But the really cool thing is that OTR started their own label and are inviting fans to help fund the new album by ordering it before it’s recorded. Linford explains it all here. Or, if you’d rather cut straight to the chase, go here. I, being impatient, went for Own It and am listening to demo versions RIGHT THIS VERY SECOND. Beautiful stuff, as you would expect.

- New post from me at Teen Fiction Cafe for In the News week, in which I discuss the special absurdities of local TV news. (Saw it on the news, the TV news / In a black and white video / Do you know what blood looks like in a black and white video? / Shadows, shadows…**)

- This is my neighborhood chocolate shop. Seriously, I go by this place like every day. I don’t go in every day, of course, since chocolate no longer has that place in my life, but I was in one day when they were filming and had to sign a waiver. I don’t have cable so can’t watch it myself. You can, though! Maybe you’ll see me buying a dark chocolate lemon creme.

*At first I titled this “Some Links,” which made me think of E.B. White and “Some Pig,” which made me think of other things Charlotte wrote in her web. (Now I kind of want breakfast sausage…sorry, Wilbur!) Random bit of Sara trivia: Trumpet of the Swan is my favorite E.B. White book. Ever since reading it for the first time, I’ve thought Billings, Montana sounds pretty exotic.

**Lyrics from John Prine’s masterpiece of a song, “Lake Marie.” It’s usually playing in my head at some point during any given week.

This weekend I got to see a dear friend rip into many exciting bridal shower gifts, spent quality time with writer friends Sara Ryan and Alan Gratz, and ate eggs Benedict at a new restaurant in town that all you locals should try out—Pago, in the 9th and 9th neighborhood. Their motto is “Artisan, Local, Farm Fresh.” The eggs benny were perfect, and the chef took my word for it when I said no runny yolk (they don’t always). The accompanying potatoes could have been crisper, but they were good, too. There’s an open kitchen and seating divided into a couple of areas so it’s not too noisy. I’m just happy there’s a new lunch place near my office!

As if all that socializing and food happiness were not enough, when I got to my computer this morning I found out that Once Was Lost received its first official review, and it’s a goodie from Publishers Weekly, with a star. As my editor and I were emailing this morning, we assured each other that we would be proud of the book no matter what the reviews said but, in conclusion, the star is good for our fragile egos. And it helps make up for all the crying in January and February during final revisions! Here’s my favorite little bit:

“Beyond delivering a gripping story, Zarr has a knack for exposing human weakness in the ordinary.”

If you’d like to read the whole thing, it may be found here. Or, if you’re like me and prefer to know as little as possible about a book before reading it, never mind! It is safe to click though—PW did a good job being thorough with their review without plot spoilers, for which I’m grateful.

But, life goes on. I’ve got a clogged sink and a list of errands and another book to write. Have a great day!