The Biggest...What?

When the show "The Biggest Loser" debuted, I was put off by the title and immediately decided not to watch it.  I figured it'd be along the lines of "The Swan" (HORRIBLE concept for those who remember it), "Big Brother", "The Bachelor" or some other cringe inducing let-me-exploit-myself-to-the-point-of-stupidity TV show.  Please understand, I'm not against all reality shows (I LOVE "Survivor"), I just think acting like an idiot as a means to be famous is not my bag (ok, so they may do that in Survivor too...but I still love it...)

So, it may have been a visit from Grandpa (my dad) & Abuela (my step-mom) a few years ago that got me to change my mind about The Biggest Loser.  As we gathered in the living room, Abuela suggested we watch it.  Being the polite hostess (haha!), I bit my tongue and turned it on...and was surprised at how much I liked it.  It's more than just watching severely overweight people being tortured by a couple of trainers, while learning about food & nutrition, how to fuel, and avoid temptations from addictive foods like donuts, cakes, pizza, etc.  You can actually see these people transform their lives physically, emotionally & mentally - sometimes it's corny, but for the most part it's incredibly rewarding to witness.

You may already be familiar with the scary statistics out there:














(Diagram illustrates the % of the population by state who are obese)

- Two thirds (190 MILLION) Americans are overweight or obese!  (source)
- 19.6% of children age 6 - 11 are obese
- 18% of adolescents age 12-19 are obese (source)

OBESE!  We're not talking a few pounds overweight...we're talking "an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health". Definition of obese

The most alarming thing to me is the statistic regarding kids - they're not getting that way on their own.  When they grow up and have to make those decisions for themselves, they're going to go with what they learned as kids - and perpetuate an already vicious cycle.  Why is it that food, particularly highly processed, fatty and nutrient deficient seems to hold such power over all of us?  I guess that question opens up a whole new can of worms, worthy of a few more blog entries in the interest of keeping this one short of a novel.

....Until next time....

Pan-Seared Salmon on Baby Arugula
Serves 2 - Epicurious.com

2 6oz center cut salmon fillets**
1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tablespoons olive oil
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

For the salad:
3 cups baby arugula leaves
2/3 cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup thinly slivered red onion
salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar

1. Place the salmon fillets in a shallow bowl. Toss well with lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Let rest for 15 minutes.

2. Cook the salmon, skinside down in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, shaking the pan and carefully lifting the salmon with a spatula to loosen it from the pan.

3. Reduce the heat to medium. Cover the pan and cook until the salmon is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes more. The skin should be crisp and the flesh medium rare.

4. Meanwhile, combine the arugula, tomatoes and onion in a bowl. Just before serving, season with salt and pepper and drizzle with oil and vinegar. Toss well.

**NOTE:  Use only Salmon which is wild caught from the Pacific - "farmed" (even organic) or "Atlantic" salmon has been shown to have a much higher concentration of pollutants and antibiotics (source).