I try my hardest not to put any white colored food into my body. Most white or beige colored foods are highly processed and full of sugar. On occasion, I will throw a teeny tiny scoop of basmati into my curry but that’s as far as I go. The healthier alternative to white rice has always been the brown version. Brown rice is a better option because it contains more fiber and lipid-soluble antioxidants (the really good ones) than white rice.  White rice is simply brown rice with the outer shell removed.  When the shell is removed, so are some nutrients. I personally don’t care for the taste of brown rice so I forgo it all together. But now I have another choice: Black Rice. Sounds sort of sexy and exotic doesn’t it? In the east it was commonly referred to as ‘forbidden rice’ because only the royals were allowed to eat it. It was thought to be much more superior to white rice. Turns out they were correct.

Like most purple-hued foods, black rice contains anthocyanins, an excellent antioxidant food source that is a perfect component for cancer prevention, is linked to a decreased risk of heart disease and helps with improving memory. One spoonful of black-rice bran – or 10 spoonfuls of cooked black rice – contains the same amount of anthocyanin as a spoonful of fresh blueberries but with less sugar content, according to a study presented at the American Chemical Society, in Boston.

Okay, now we know it’s super healthy but how does it taste??  Truthfully, the flavor is not going to be for everyone. It’s chewier than brown rice and has a deep, nutty flavor with a hint of floral. Hmm, sounds kind of like a wine review. It’s also not as adaptable a side dish like it’s white and brown versions. Try it with this recipe from Epicurious with sweet potatoes or this one with shrimp from Food & Wine.

It’s important to remember the health benefits of black rice lie in the bran, so choose whole-grain varieties when shopping.  Look for “whole black rice” at the top of the ingredients list. Try it and let me know what you think!

Written by Lea Barlow • Leave a comment

Pre-kiddos, there were two items that I never bought knock-off versions of: handbags and sunglasses. In my hey day I had quite a collection of designer shades. Now the rose-tinted Diors, gold framed Versaces and gigantic black Gucci shields look comically out of style. But yet I still haven’t handed them over to the kids dress-up bin. It would feel like a betrayal to my former self. This week, Grayson put the final nail in the sunglass case when he skied across the kitchen tile wearing my last remaining (and favorite) Tom Fords on his foot. With a heavy heart I have vowed never to buy sunglasses priced over $10 until my children are fully grown. Enter the Forever21 sunglass collection…

Compare this gorgeous Tortoise frame shade from Gucci for $295 to…

Forever21′s similar frame for $5.80.

With a strong willing suspension of disbelief and the fact that these come in well under my $10 budget I think I could see myself wearing them.

Take these cat eye frames priced from Gucci at $275 and compare to…

Forever21′s version again for…$5.80. As an added bonus, these come in hot pink too. Actually, all of their sunglasses are $5.80 unless they are on sale. Then you can pick-up a pair for under 3 bucks.

Yes, Gucci’s $265 silver aviator’s are pretty hot but they look way too snappable to put anywhere near my toddlers. So…

I will opt for Forever21′s version. Maybe not as sleek but a hell of a lot easier to handle and replace when found tortured and twisted on the floor.

Written by Lea Barlow • 1 Comment

A couple weeks ago I picked up this blouse from Nordstrom and am so pleased with its versatility. You can obviously pair it with the wide-leg khakis above or….

Opt to show a little leg with these shorts.

Perfect choice for a beautiful spring evening.

I have also worn it with my new Ferris Flare Hudsons.

I was a little nervous trying on wide-leg jeans because I was certain I would look horrible in this type of cut. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I love them. I need to remember the sage advice from Yo Gabba Gabba…”Try it, You’ll like it!”

Complete the look with the ‘Christie’ heel from Enzo Angiolini.

These super-sexy heels will make your legs look a mile long when paired with the shorts. Just remember to tan the gams first.

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Meet Sam the steer. Sam is your average bred-for-consumption cow.  He started life munching on heavily fertilized, weed killer soaked grass. He was then shipped off to a massive feed-lot where he was stuffed with a hearty diet of pesticide-treated corn and soy.  While there, he was injected with synthetic hormones to help him grow big and fat.  Not long after, Sam went to steer heaven and his remains were shrink-wrapped and shipped to your grocery store.  While I feel bad for Sam, I feel worse for my family.  Up until a year ago, my only deciding factor when selected beef was that I didn’t want it to be brown.  Now, after much research on the matter, we only eat 100% grass-fed beef.

Traditionally, all beef was grass-fed.  It seems obvious because, well, we all know that is what cows eat.  But in the spirit of high profit, farmers switched to feeding their stock grain to make them fatter faster.  This is a very unhealthy practice for both the cow and the consumer.  In many cases, the cows digestive system reacts negatively to the unnatural diet and is regularly administered antibiotics. This type of consistent, heavy dosing can lead to the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.  Not good.  Luckily, for us and for Sam’s relatives, many farmers are switching back to the 100% grass-fed feeding method.  Just make sure to have your butcher point you in the right direction next time you are picking up the beef for those burgers.

Benefits of Grass-Fed Beef

1. Less overall fat and calories: A six-ounce grass-fed loin has 92 fewer calories than grain-fed. This saves an average American 16,642 calories each year.

2. More Omega-3: Grass-fed beef has 2 to 10 times more omega-3s than grain-fed beef and a healthy ratio as little as 1:1. Grain-fed beef is as much as 14:1.

3. More CLA: Grass-fed beef has 2 to 5 times more CLA than grain-fed. CLA supports immune and cardiovascular growth and lean muscle mass.

4. More Vitamin E: Grass-fed beef contains 3 to 6 times more vitamin E than grain-fed beef.

5. More Carotenoids: Grass-fed beef has up to 4 times more beta-carotene than grain-fed beef. Carotenoids promote eye and macular health.

6. More B Vitamins, CoQ10, and Zinc: Grass-fed beef has more B vitamins, CoQ10, and zinc than grain-fed beef.

Sources: alsearsmd.com, Food & Nutrition Board, time.com

Written by Lea Barlow • 2 Comments