Avoid food products containing ingredients that a third-grader cannot pronounce.
—Michael Pollan
Feeding nine billion people in a truly sustainable way will be one of the greatest challenges our civilization has had to confront. It will require the imagination, determination and hard work of countless people from all over the world. There is no time to lose.
—Jonathan A. Foley, director of the Institute on the Environment, U of MN
The surest way to capture the flavors, colors, and textures of a culture is by using authentic products.
—Lidia Bastianich, from Lidia’s Italian-American Kitchen
The most important habit you can develop is to taste as you are preparing something. Take a sample and taste it critically at different stages of the cooking, then correct the seasonings…
—Marion Cunningham, from Learning to Cook
Plant a vegetable garden if you have the space, a window box if you don’t.
—Michael Pollan
Mind Your Macros – there’s an app for that
We are living in a time where information, not all of it reliable, about anything in the world, is available in an instant. That same sentiment for immediate gratification permeates all aspects of our lives, including our kitchens. Convenient food, 5-minute abs, and the promised magic of a weight loss pill lure us away from the true value of our health, and the amount of time and effort we should be devoting to it.
Do you find yourself, as I have, overwhelmed by the over-abundantly available and seemingly contradictory health and diet information? If you want to take ownership of this information and what it means for you, here are three different apps that can help get you started. If, like me, you are curious to know the why, take a look at the suggested reading list at the bottom of the page.
My Fitness Pal
WHY WE LOVE IT: My Fitness Pal, by Under Armour, may be the most popular food tracker on the market, and for good reason. It’s free, user friendly, and has a variety of helpful tools to keep you motivated. If you decide to upgrade to premium for $50/year, there are many additional, customizable features.
FAVORITE FEATURE: You can enter custom recipes (available on free version, too!)
Macrostax
WHY WE LOVE IT: Macrostax focuses on macronutrient ratios and prescribes customized macro-nutrient totals and meal-by-meal suggestions based on workout vs rest days.  If you have never focused on your macros before, I suggest starting with My Fitness Pal to see what your normal diet macros look like. This way you will have a good baseline before tracking with Macrostax. There is no free version, but there is more guidance and support than My Fitness Pal.
FAVORITE FEATURE: Their team of nutritionists is on standby – message them any time with a question or app feedback, and they will respond within a couple of hours.
Working Against Gravity “WAG”
WHY WE LOVE IT: Of the three apps reviewed, WAG provides the most personalized and supportive platform. You are assigned a personal nutrition coach, who provides you with a formal, weekly (virtual) check-in to discuss what is/is not working and make adjustments. They are also available any time and will reply to spontaneous inquiries within 24 hours. If you are interested in optimizing your diet, but feel overwhelmed and want guidance, WAG is the app for you.
FAVORITE FEATURE: Accountability, flexibility, and personalized guidance
Armor yourself with information: log meals, read books, keep food and sleep journals, and measure your blood sugar. If you’d like to start logging with any of the above tools, you should buy a kitchen scale. I have this one, which I like because you can pull out the screen to prevent shadowing from large bowls or plates. This is another good option.
Suggested reading:
- Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf
- Enter the Zone by Barry Sears
- How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy by Paul Chek
Recommended Cookbooks:
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
- Well Fed IÂ and Well Fed II by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys
- Against All Grain by Danielle Walker
Recommended Recipe Websites:
Until next time,
Corrie Austin
Posted: 4-7-2019
- Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf
- Enter the Zone by Barry Sears
- How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy by Paul Chek
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
- Well Fed IÂ and Well Fed II by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys
- Against All Grain by Danielle Walker



My Fitness Pal
WHY WE LOVE IT: My Fitness Pal, by Under Armour, may be the most popular food tracker on the market, and for good reason. It's free, user friendly, and has a variety of helpful tools to keep you motivated. If you decide to upgrade to premium for $50/year, there are many additional, customizable features. FAVORITE FEATURE: You can enter custom recipes (available on free version, too!)Macrostax
WHY WE LOVE IT: Macrostax focuses on macronutrient ratios and prescribes customized macro-nutrient totals and meal-by-meal suggestions based on workout vs rest days.  If you have never focused on your macros before, I suggest starting with My Fitness Pal to see what your normal diet macros look like. This way you will have a good baseline before tracking with Macrostax. There is no free version, but there is more guidance and support than My Fitness Pal. FAVORITE FEATURE: Their team of nutritionists is on standby - message them any time with a question or app feedback, and they will respond within a couple of hours.Working Against Gravity "WAG"
WHY WE LOVE IT: Of the three apps reviewed, WAG provides the most personalized and supportive platform. You are assigned a personal nutrition coach, who provides you with a formal, weekly (virtual) check-in to discuss what is/is not working and make adjustments. They are also available any time and will reply to spontaneous inquiries within 24 hours. If you are interested in optimizing your diet, but feel overwhelmed and want guidance, WAG is the app for you. FAVORITE FEATURE: Accountability, flexibility, and personalized guidance
- Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf
- Enter the Zone by Barry Sears
- How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy by Paul Chek
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
- Well Fed IÂ and Well Fed II by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys
- Against All Grain by Danielle Walker



My Fitness Pal
WHY WE LOVE IT: My Fitness Pal, by Under Armour, may be the most popular food tracker on the market, and for good reason. It's free, user friendly, and has a variety of helpful tools to keep you motivated. If you decide to upgrade to premium for $50/year, there are many additional, customizable features. FAVORITE FEATURE: You can enter custom recipes (available on free version, too!)Macrostax
WHY WE LOVE IT: Macrostax focuses on macronutrient ratios and prescribes customized macro-nutrient totals and meal-by-meal suggestions based on workout vs rest days.  If you have never focused on your macros before, I suggest starting with My Fitness Pal to see what your normal diet macros look like. This way you will have a good baseline before tracking with Macrostax. There is no free version, but there is more guidance and support than My Fitness Pal. FAVORITE FEATURE: Their team of nutritionists is on standby - message them any time with a question or app feedback, and they will respond within a couple of hours.Working Against Gravity "WAG"
WHY WE LOVE IT: Of the three apps reviewed, WAG provides the most personalized and supportive platform. You are assigned a personal nutrition coach, who provides you with a formal, weekly (virtual) check-in to discuss what is/is not working and make adjustments. They are also available any time and will reply to spontaneous inquiries within 24 hours. If you are interested in optimizing your diet, but feel overwhelmed and want guidance, WAG is the app for you. FAVORITE FEATURE: Accountability, flexibility, and personalized guidance
- Wired to Eat by Robb Wolf
- Enter the Zone by Barry Sears
- How to Eat, Move, and Be Healthy by Paul Chek
- Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon
- Well Fed IÂ and Well Fed II by Melissa Joulwan and David Humphreys
- Against All Grain by Danielle Walker
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School of the New American Farmstead - Press Release

ArtsRiot | TRUCK STOP May 17 - Aug 30
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Bronwyn Dunne and Judith Jones Prepare Two Potato Salads at Bryn Teg. See the recipes
Gateau de Crepes- In Molly’s Kitchen.
See recipe from the Smitten Kitchen
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- The Venerable Shojin Ryori Cuisine of Japan by Hiroko Shimbo - Aug 2014
- Better than Summer Camp: Summer Programs in Cheese Making, Fermentation, Charcuterie, Draft Horse Farming & Food Writing at Sterling College - May 2014
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- A Very Important Birthday: Judith Jones Celebrates Her 90th Birthday! - Mar 2014
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- After the Barn Fire Fundraiser Dinner to Benefit Maple Wind Farm – Tues, Jan 28 at Hinesburgh Public House - Jan 2014
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- A Recipe for the Holidays from Shelburne Farms - Nov 2013
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Wow! Always keeping us up-to-date. Great information!