Stream of Consciousness Sunday: FOOOOOOD!

I actually get excited to eat here in Rio de Janeiro. I'm not talking about fancy or exotic food. I like the regular old Brazilian meal.

Today we went out for lunch with some friends. We got a mix platter so that we would have to decide between yummy meat, delicious chicken, chicken hearts, or anything else for that matter.

Here comes the food: rice, farofa, the salsa mixture that I ADORE but can never remember what it is called, chicken hearts, squares of fried cheese, chicken, and meat. My bloated belly is brewing gas as we speak.

But if you think about it, minus the lack of vegetables, it's a damn good meal. It's real food! This was a meal my Grandmother would call a meal, if you know what I mean.

And that is what I love about eating here. You go to someone's house or out for lunch you aren't going to get some fru fru crap. Oh no, Brazilians eat real hearty food! There are flavors, a hell of a lot more garlic than we are used to, and plenty of salt.

I for one am a happy camper. That reminds me, I need to go buy some garlic...

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A Little Less American

Today I am a little less American. I don't know how or when Brazil did this to me but it has officially started happening. 

I splurged on Doritos cheddar cheese dip and dipper chips at the gas station while on my way home from teaching. I have made it through half the medium sized bag of chips and not even a fourth of the fake cheese and am already full!

Let's not even mention how I can't eat McDonalds anymore without getting sick to my stomach. 

I am going to go check my email to see if the Consulate has written asking for my passport back. 

What is Farofa?

Farofa confused me the first time we met. There I sat at a table filled with beautiful foods and a bowl of course-looking flour. I asked Mr. Rant what it was and of course he exclaimed Farofa, just as he would say duh.

That's when he remembered I was still in the beginner's course of all things Brazilian. Hell, it was my first ever meal in the country.

Mr. Rant, being Mr. Rant, broke down the eating of Farofa in a very politically correct way that went something like this: Everyone has a personal preference when it comes to their farofa. Some keep their rice, beans, and farofa separated. Others mix it all up in a pile. Some like the farofa with just the beans and others only use it to dip their meat into. You have to figure out how you like your farofa.

That was impossible to do in one lunchtime so I just copied him. Beans on rice and farofa right next to it. I mixed with each bite and fell in love with the salty grainy goodness.

So what is farofa? Well, there are countless versions of this Brazilian delicacy. Sometimes it's made with bananas, sometimes sausage, and even eggs. Basically the key is a lot of butter, garlic, and farinha de mandioca (cassava flour). All the rest is extra.

It's the farinha de mandioca that makes all the magic though. The sand-like texture messes with your mouth as the seasoning plays with your taste buds. Not to mention, it's gluten free.

But I'm getting off target. The point is that it makes farofa. Farofa comes with just about every classic carioca meal. It's the step-sister of black beans, which in Brazil means they are cousins. It's just how it's done here people.

Now I have my own personal farofa style. I enjoy putting my beans on top of my rice for maximum bean juice absorption, a dabble of hot sauce, and farofa on the top. Then comes the mixing. Now that is one big pile of stomach bloating goodness.

On that note, I'm going to have to let you go now. I have some leftovers in the fridge who are now calling my name.

Do you like Farofa? If so, how do you take yours?

A Typical Lunch in Rio de Janeiro

Todays lunch of rice, homemade black beans, farofa, broccoli, and chicken hearts

I have to say, it took me awhile to get used to the eating rhythm in Brazil. The big lunch and the lighter evening lanche (snack) was weird for a while.  I wasn't used to being so full in the afternoon.

Of course, there is something you should know about me. If there is food in front of me, I will eat it. Some call this compulsive eating, I like to call it not offending the food. If you were food, wouldn't you want to be eaten?

A part of me felt like I was experiencing that fabulous Saturday lunch every day. Actually I was! Rice, beans, some kind of protein, a vegetable or two, a bit of farofa, and maybe a salad. It's a smorgasbord!

Of course, my feelings for it had to adjust once again when I became responsible for cooking all the stuff. We are talking time and planning. I'm not necessarily good at either one of these qualities, especially in the kitchen. But what can I say, I'm a chameleon when I have no choice and I have now adjusted.

And my boys are total Brazilians. Every day we eat some kind of full meal for lunch (unless I'm feeling lazy but you'll never hear about it because I'll practically be stoned by the family).

I tell you this, you sleep better on a lighter stomach. Plus you are less snacky in the afternoon. All and all, I think the Brazilians hit the nail on the head when it comes to this custom. Hell, if I ever get to nap again after lunch, I'll be in pure Brazilian heaven!

My youngest chowing on chicken hearts. FYI: before you think 'wow, your kids eat so well' know this: My 2 yr old only ate the farofa, a smidgen of rice and beans, and chicken hearts. My 4 yr old only ate rice, beans, and farofa. The broccoli was totally avoided at all costs!


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Important Information (to Rachel that is)

It may not seem like much to all of you but this is 100% golden information for this girl right here.

You see, I'm freakishly addicted to good candy. Here in Rio that's not always a good thing. You see, Brazilian candy blow serious ass when in competition with American candy. First off, everything is bite sized and secondly, there's no caramel and peanut butter!

Well, there's the one "foreigners" box of candy they sell at Lojas Americanas, but if you're like me you don't want to have to bust out R$8 for an entire mixed box of candy when you are only looking for one thing... the Holy Reeses Peanut Butter Cup.

That and if you buy a whole damn box of candy, you'll eat it all.  World, my ass is only requesting one, thank you very much.

So my husband has showed me the light, or totally corrupted me in yet another way, as I am addicted to a Brazilian substitute of the cup. I tell you this, it's not as creamy but is pretty damn good.

Without further ado, my new cup substitute is the Hershey's Paçoca candy bar. Oh yes, they have taken this Brazilian time honored peanut treat, made it into a bar, and have covered it in chocolate. And you all said that Brazil doesn't have 1st world qualities in it.

So if you want a Reeses, and are open for something close but not quite right, I recommend the Paçoca bar. Let's face it, sometimes as expats you just have to make due with what you got. At least this time it's a damn tasty way to do it!

Have you found a substitute for your favorite candy?

One of the Beauties in Being an Expat...

There are many beauties in the lives of us expats.  We get to learn about new cultures, travel, and sometimes learn new languages (yes this is a blessing). One of the unexpected beauties for me came in the form of all the other great expats I would meet. I mean, we are drawn to each other like Mr. Schwarzenegger's hand to an ass! And let's not forget that he's an expat in his own right. 

Take today for instance. This American expat went to the home of a Mexican expat and learned to make real corn tortillas from scratch! Mexico, your secret is out of the bag! And you know what, it's not that hard if you don't count the fact that they don't sell the flour you need in Rio de Janeiro. 

And I had a blast! Good company, fun activity, and it ended with a damn good snack. Throw in the adorable baby cheering us on and you have got yourself a great afternoon away from the kids... mine anyway. 

The thing is, we expats kind of end up sticking together. There's a comradery there because of our similar situations. We are all far from home, we are learning about the same new culture/lifestyle, and we can speak to each other in English (or whatever language is your preference)!

It's a part of expat life that I've only just started exploring in the past couple of years or so. And I love the random mix of friends from different places, backgrounds, and lifestyles. At the same time, I think I'm making some friendships that will last a lifetime.

I know I'm getting corny. Don't feel bad for getting nauseous, I just threw up in my mouth a bit too. 

But the point is, I like this part of life here. It's fun to know and meet a new group of people.

By the way, you get total brownie points if Mexican food is involved! 

The American Store in Rio de Janeiro?

I've always wanted to open one of those little markets with American/European grocery items and other random stuff.

It all started years ago when it was impossible to find even crap peanut butter in Rio. It only got worse when I was expected to use an old school can opener. You know the one that is a glorified knife with a handle on it. I almost took off a finger and definitely lost some skin! Thankfully civilized ones are now readily available.

I just imagined all the things I would stock on the shelves, at reasonable prices of course. At the time though, Rio wasn't the HUGE expat center that it is now. We expats are everywhere. Hell, I think the foreigners of Leblon have taken over that neighborhood like Brazilians did Orkut.

So now I have the demand but I don't have the store. But here's the real tricky part, what would I stock? With the influx of foreigners there has been a decent increase in foreign products. You can even find horribly expensive large marshmallows if you are willing to put in an effort. Dude, Lojas Americanas has a box of candy that includes the ever popular Reese's Peanut Butter Cup. I'm not even sure if I have an angle in the marketplace anymore.

None-the-less, I can still think of a few items I would want. For example: Quality teas, trash bags, Lays Potato chips, Lawrys seasoning, Triscuits, Carpet cleaner solution (and the handheld machines), real ice cream that does not cost R$22, and assorted candies.

What would you request that I stock on my shelves? 

Recipe: Stuffed Pumpkin!

Not only did I get a WONDERFUL long weekend away with friends this Easter, I also got a great new recipe! Stuffed pumpkin!

My friend, and fellow blogger, broke down how you make this tasty (and very pretty) dish.

For starters you need a pumpkin. Since I baked the above pumpkin for just me and Mr. Rant, I purchased a half a pumpkin. Over Easter my friend bought a full pumpkin and cut it in half to create two to stuff.

So put your pumpkin half(s) upside down on a baking sheet. No need to take out seeds or anything. It's easier after baking.

Leave pumpkin on low heat (about 180 degrees C) for upwards of an hour. Be careful not to burn it or to take it out too early. If taken out to early the pumpkin meat is kind of hard.

That leaves the filling. I like to think of this as a junk pumpkin. You can fill the bad boy up with anything you like! In the above pumpkin I used a yummy combo of leftovers.

It has: Bacon, spinach, ricotta, pesto sauce, capers, 7 grain rice mix, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

When you make your filling, pre-cook whatever needs to be cooked. I fried up my bacon pieces then mixed in my spinach to cook it. I then added the pesto sauce and capers and let that simmer. I mixed in the olive oil and ricotta with salt and pepper. At the very end I added in my already cooked grain mixture.

Mix the filling well.   Once the pumpkin is done in the oven, carefully pull it out and scoop out the seeds. Put your mixture into the center of the pumpkin and pop back into the oven for another 5 minutes or so.

Take out, put on a plate like the above picture, and serve!

Yummy, pretty, and you look like freaking Martha Stewart! 

Pancake Tuesday

Photo by: http://www.blondeshotcreativeblog.com/2009_11_01_archive.html

My boys woke up this morning and requested pancakes. That would normally be a total pain-in-the-ass request at 630am but I found it endearing. It's an American food! My boys requested something American!

I'm a sucker and am fulfilling their request for homemade pancakes. I can't help it, it's a good breakfast and it's a piece of my childhood. As much as I love their little lives here, I do like them having a bit of a taste of what I knew and loved as a kid.

And you know what, that is coming in the form of little circles of goodness. Of course my pancakes are homemade and contain grains and a vegetable. My childhood pancake came in a box and was smothered in syrup and powdered sugar.

Mmmmmmmm Maple syrup and Powdered sugar...

Anyway, you can find my recipe here: mmmm pancake recipe

I've since started adding oatmeal and ground flax seeds. Not too much and not too little.

Add a little juice and you have a good start to your day. 

RECIPE: Grandma's Homemade Cough Syrup

Vovó Zilca meeting my youngest and her 5th great-grandchild

So Grandma was nice enough to share her cough syrup recipe with me and now I will share it with you.  Look at how efficiently this train of information works! You ask, I deliver.

Diabetics beware! This is an old school recipe. That means that it comes with a lot of sugar! I'm just happy it doesn't have something crazy like whiskey in it.

What you need:

2 Cups Sugar
1/2 cup water
Well washed leaves from 1 stem of Ruta graveolens (also called common Rue)
2 tablespoons of bee honey (I don't know of any other kind of honey but since she specified...)

How to Make it:

• You first need to caramelize the sugar in pot on the stove. Be careful not to burn it! It can not be burnt! 
• Once nice and caramelized, add 1/2 cup of water. Mix well over low heat.
• Now is the tricky part. Take the leaves and mash them into the caramelized sugar and water mixture. We are talking serious mashing. I don't know how the woman does it but you can't see any leaf in there when she's done. 
• Let cool a little
• Add in the 2 tablespoons of honey and mix well

And there you have it! Something tells me that it's not as easy as it seems. The stuff is the perfect consistency. It's amazing. Then again, after making a few thousand batches I bet it becomes second nature.

Finally, put it in a glass jar and this bad boy will last you for a while. Here's a picture to see what my fresh batch from Grandma's kitchen looks like:

Disclaimer: I have never actually made it. It would be a bitch slap to the Grandmother's face if I didn't call her and request it. She has called me twice since this morning to discuss the syrup.  When it was finished she said that she would find a way to get it to me tonight. Since it was late and raining, she did not expect me to come over with the boys. I told her I would be there first thing in the morning. 

A half hour later she called back. She told me she loved making the syrup for her great-grandson and that I was to call her for anything and everything I need.  

Then asked to talk to my husband. 

She told him was sending his cousin to bring the syrup so that my youngest could start taking it first thing in the morning. 

Sweet and stubborn, just like I like my Grandmothers-in-law! 

Feira Friday

I love going to the Brazilian Farmer's Market,or feira, first thing on Friday morning.  I always arrive right at the beginning, as the last pieces of fish are being laid out for display.

There's a calm to the early morning feira.  The workers are chatting amongst themselves and laughing as they help each other tie tarps up over their produce. It's pleasant out at the moment but the sun will not be so forgiving in a few hours.

The entire street smells fresh. This is amazing seeing that this particular street normally has a strong smell of urine. Somehow the clean leafy greens, fresh seafood, and newly cut watermelon cover up the nasty.

I like to stroll along with my boys, letting them point out and lightly touch the fruit. The vendors encourage it and offer them samples of fruit that I can't even name in English. One boy always says no and they other always says yes.

And then we start to buy. My vegetable man calls me dear and shows me the American broccoli. My fish guy already knows which cuts my kids like and he gives me a little discount. My chicken person asks how my in-laws are doing, by name, as she was their chicken person when they lived in the city. My fruit man laughs when my youngest grabs a berry and offers him another.

We top off our early trip to the feira with a visit to the pastel stand. My two boys walk home happily eating a cheese pastel half the size of their heads.

A lovely way to start a Friday. 

Recipe: Amish Hash Browns Brazil style

Photo by: http://www.foodonthefood.com/food_on_the_food/recipes/

Dinner time was coming close and I had no idea what I was going to make for the family.  Since I hate throwing away food, I usually look in to see what will go bad first. I had some old potatoes and collard-greens (couve in Portuguese).

Since my boys hate mashed potatoes, the weirdos, I had to come up with something else. Thank you www.allrecipes.com!

I found my inspirations: Amish Hash Browns. This is particularly great since I love me some breakfast for dinner. Here's their recipe:

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

5 cups peeled and shredded potatoes

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

1 onion, minced

1/4 cup vegetable oil

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, salt and baking powder. Add potatoes, 1/3 cup of oil, eggs and onion and mix until evenly blended.
• Heat 1/4 cup of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drop heaping tablespoons of the potatoes into the hot oil, flattening slightly. Cook until browned on the bottom and then flip and cook on the other side. Keep in a warm oven while frying the rest.

Since the whole point to this was to use the ingredients I had in the house, I substituted the cornmeal for farinha de mandioca. I also washed and finally chopped my couve (collard-greens), pre-cooked them a bit with some filtered water and olive oil in a pan, and mixed them into the mixture. Nothing makes a Mom happier at dinner than her kids eating something green. 

I also cooked ONE semi-heaping tablespoon so that they weren't too big.  That also cut down frying time. 

Served with  a side of meat and BAM dinner is done!  Both kids and Mr Rant ate everything and gave rave reviews!

Wow, just one more reason to love the Amish. 

Wordless Wednesday: Brazilian Food

Here are some of my favorite types of Brazilian Food:

 Bife a parmeggiana: Breaded beef with sliced ham and cheese. Cooked in a tomato sauce. 

 Bolinhos de bacalhau: Cod Fish balls. Seriously! A must try when out for beers. Great with olive oil

 Pastels: The above kind come with cheese or meat. A great snack morning, noon, or night. Best when bought at the farmers markets.

 Chicken hearts!

 Cozido: Meat and veggies cooked to death in a big pot. Can't explain it and it's an exact science. Eat at a good place because there definitely are good and bad cozidos

 Picanha: Only the best meat ever. Eat it rare and let the juices slide down your neck.

 Mmmmm Meat!

Classic rice, beans, and farfoa: Only Brazilians could manage to make something so simple taste so damn good. Regardless, I still can't eat it every day. 

Panquecas: Kind of like a blend between a super weird pancake used to roll enchiladas in.  I rarely get to eat this but I love it!  You can also eat your panquecas with basically anything else in the fridge.

Why You Should Drink Fresh Coconut Water

I love the water in a cold freshly opened coconut. It's seriously good stuff. Now, Brazilians believe that this water is the cure all for everything.  When in doubt, drink some coconut water.  This goes double for the poops, dehydration, vomiting, and hangovers.

You know what, they have a point!  Check out these coconut water facts I found:

• Coconut water is more nutritious than whole milk.  It has no casein and a good balance of magnesium and calcium.
• Rich in Vitamin C
• Acts as a natural diuretic and helps cleanse the liver and kidneys.
• Reduces problems for infants helps with GERDS, failure to thrive  and other intestinal disorders
• Also helps other digestive problems such as indigestion, colitis, gastric ulcers, and diarrhea,  
• It's an antioxidant, scavenging many types of destructive free radicals and protecting hemoglobin from nitrite-induced oxidation
• Chelating properties the coconut water contains "gold: and "silver" and sulphurated proteins, which is crucial to detox mercury and other heavy metals out of the cells and membranes.  It also has certain fatty acids and sulfur holded amino acids to attach to the mercury. It is said to be water which contains  nature's own "trick".
• Found as a blood plasma substitute because it is sterile, does not produce heat, and does not destroy red blood cells and is readily accepted by the body.
• Coconut water was used during World War II in emergency transfusions.
• Kills intestinal worms.
• Aid the body in fighting viruses that cause the flu, herpes, and AIDS
• Helps prevent osteoporosis
• Helps eliminate Candida yeast infections
• Inhibits the growth of mycoplasma
• Helps eradicate eczema
• It contains sugar, fiber, proteins, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and provides an isotonic electrolyte balance, making it a nutritious food source. It is used as a refreshing drink throughout the humid tropics, and is used in isotonic sports drinks. It can also be used to make the gelatinous dessert nata de coco. Mature fruits have significantly less liquid than young immature coconuts, barring spoilage
• Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks..
• Coconut water has less sodium (25mg) where sports drinks have around 41mg and energy drinks have about 200mg!

Chicken Recipe: It's what's for lunch

http://www.stephaniemetz.com

I thought I'd take a stab at posting a recipe. I feel it shows a little bit of my domestic side. Per magazines and photoshopping, I will only be showing my good side.


I found some chicken legs on sale at my local supermarket yesterday. I know what you are thinking, SCORE! Questionable chicken for dinner!  


Anyway, I like me quick and easy food. Nothing that will create stress and/or leave me trying to finish up with two children biting at my ankles.  I went to www.cooks.com and found what looks like a fast, tasty, and with ingredients I have in my kitchen.  It goes something like this:


6 chicken legs and thighs, skinned and trimmed of fat
Skim or low fat milk
1/2 c. plain bread crumbs
Vegetable oil spray
1/3 c. Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dried parsley flakes, crumbled
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place chicken pieces in shallow bowl or pan; cover with milk. Let soak for 15 minutes or longer in refrigerator.

In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, cheese, parsley flakes, and pepper. Dip soaked chicken pieces, one leg at a time, in breading mixture, coating on all sides. (As you can tell, I don't know how to follow directions. It's part of my charm)

Set the coated pieces on a greased baking surface, preferably non-stick. Lightly spray chicken with vegetable oil spray.
Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 45 minutes. Delicious and simple with the flavor of fried chicken, but without the calories.


Bom Apetite!

Breast milk Ice Cream hits stores

I think this just takes breastfeeding to an all new and unneeded level!  Breast milk ice cream?!  Well, it came out at the Covent Garden Store in London a bit ago. Apparently it's flavored with lemon zest and vanilla and is just the new Cat's Pajamas.

They found very good and healthy breast milk donors online. And that's great because we all know how strict quality control is when you find it online, especially with people.  Of course it's screened, pasteurized, and range free.

That is according to them. I really don't consider most people range free. We may have a long leash but we're pretty tied in anyhow. Not to mention the drugs, chemical exposure, and questionable food intake. I mean, let's be honest, I doubt any healthy, hippie woman is selling her extra breast milk to make rich people ice cream. Nope. It's the crazy lady with 25 kids and 23 different Daddies who's 6 yr old just gave up the boob and she needs beer money.

The hippie would probably be nice enough to find a donation program to give her extra milk to children who need it. You know, the thing people would ideally do with their extra breast milk.

I would almost be offended by this whole thing if I didn't find it so damn amusing.  I know breast milk is good for babies but I fail to see the need to cash crop that golden liquid.  It's like looking for another "other" white meat.  Apparently breast milk is going to be the new soy.

And how will they regulate? I guess they are pretty lucky that Jews will now consider all milk Kosher. At least that one is taken care of.

As for if I would try some, sure I'd take a taste. I wouldn't seek it out but if a friend bought some and asked me if I wanted a taste of her's, I'd go for it. I really see no issue in sharing her spoon if I'm already eating someone else's frozen milk.

How about you? Would you buy it? Try it? Do you dig it?

If you'd like to read more on it, check out this article from NPR: Breast Milk Ice Cream

* Thanks for the tip Sara!


** Photo courtesy of http://lezbfriendz.tumblr.com/post/2914150869/cant-go-wrong-with-ice-cream-and-boobs-edit

Low Carb no Sugar = No Fun

I have a couple of Brazilian friends doing the low carb no sugar diet.  They are on a  plan that lasts a couple of months, keeping track of inches as opposed to pounds. It sounds all well and good. A manageable way to lose a couple of those lingering, unwanted holiday added increments to your diameter.

Of course, I have an issue with willpower. I am not one to use it regularly when it comes to food.  While I'm not as bad in Brazil as I am at home in the states, but there are a few special items that make this diet impossible for me.

Rio de Janeiro is like a big pitcher full of fresh squeezed juices. They are everywhere, they are tasty, they are cheap, and I like them.  Just imagine 95 degree weather and a freshly made mango juice. How am I going to give that bad boy up?!  Let's not forget watermelon juice, orange juice, papaya juice, and real purple grape juice made on demand.

Then there's the fresh baked french bread. It calls to me like a lady of the night in Lapa. I can't resist.  It's beautiful, fulfilling, and a decent price.  Put a little queijo minas on top and I'm in sugar/carb heaven.

Then there are the novelty items. I don't eat these on a daily basis but if I get the opportunity, and have a couple of Reais in my pocket, they are all mine.  These special treats are esfihas, pastels, churro with dolce de leite, and popcorn. After writing, this I may just have to get a sample of each and every one.

Of course, it's about balance.  If you balance correctly in Rio de Janeiro, you can have a very healthy diet. Sure, it'll be full of carbs, salt, sugar, garlic, onion, and oil but that's not so bad.

So congrats to those who can follow these diets! And to those who can't, have a juice on me!

My Husband is Starving

Once upon a time, this little wife did not make a full on Brazilian lunch. I know, shame shame on me. Don't worry, I already put myself in time out.

You see, I had my pregnant self and a toddler who loved PB&Js.  I didn't think anyone would find out so I allowed him to have one for lunch.  I think Brazilian Social Services would come and take them away if they ever found out. Heaven forbid it wasn't served with a side of rice and beans.

To my horror, Mr Rant came home for lunch.  It was totally unannounced. Thankfully though, he took the sandwich in stride.  But I didn't get off that easily.

What caught him off-guard was my lack of prepared food in the fridge. There was nothing ready for him to eat! What do you mean you can't spontaneously pull together a 3 piece lunch?!

And before you say he's spoiled, let me correct you. He is not only spoiled, he's Brazilian.  I swear, he would keel over and die out of shock if he ever showed up at his Mother's and she couldn't just fix him a plate. Hell, the day his Mother can't randomly pull a carne asada out of the fridge, have rice already made (just in case), and beans a bubblin' on the stove is the day I will have a heart attack.

It's just the culture. Any good Mother would have something available in case any child should even think about food.  Even if it's not her making it, she's paid someone to make sure it's there.  And lunch is the holiest of occasions for food consumption.

The fact that there was nothing to heat up was just unheard of.  Personally, I was stoked that I could finally bust out the PB&J and fend for myself later.  But it just comes down to habit.

In Brazil, when you eat lunch you EAT LUNCH. This is your big meal. Pack it in baby.  Some offer a dinner in the evening, especially when there are kids. A lot of people just lanche, aka sandwiches.  Lanche is a wonderful thing where people run to the bakery for fresh french bread. Add in cold cuts, a salad, some other finger foods, and you have yourself a lanche. We must not forget the coffee chaser.

So that was an adjustment for me. I love me a big breakfast and a substantial dinner. I'm all over that. The big lunch needed some growing into. Ironically, when it did, my breakfast and dinner shrank.

In addition, I've never again allowed a fully empty fridge.  I now have 3 Brazilian men, 1 big and 2 halfies. They all expect food in the afternoon. Something filling and warm.  What can I do? I've been out voted. Of course that does mean I can transfer my occasional laziness to the evening. And let's be honest, evenings are the best time to be lazy!

Lazy and then bed go together as well as good old PB&J. 

You are What you Eat... When you are 3.

I twittered upon this article today talking about the association between processed food in early childhood and IQ. I find these kinds of articles particularly interesting because I see the difference between the diet my boys have in Brazil vs the US.

Now, I know we all have a "choice" in what we feed our kids. It's obvious that the 2 year olds aren't going to the fridge, popping a pizza in the microwave, and cracking open a cold Bud.  We need to feed our kids good old fruits and veggies, salads (Bwahaha! Get that in my toddler), and such.

The article said:

"The results showed that a predominantly processed food diet at the age of 3 was associated with a lower IQ at the age of 8.5, but that a healthy diet — high in salad, fruit, vegetables, rice and pasta — was associated with a higher IQ at the age of 8.5. Dietary patterns between the ages of 4 and 7 had no impact on IQ."

Personally, my kids can consume an alarming amount of rice and pasta. It goes down like my red wine on a cold and stressful day.  I like to top them with homemade black beans and BAM, you've got yourself something healthy-ish to eat.

The thing is, my options of convenient and affordable foods differ greatly from those in the states.  Nothing microwaveable is affordable, not by my definition at least. And don't even get me started on the cardboard they call overpriced frozen veggies around here. Hell, the only reasonably priced canned food I can get is corn and peas.

And that is different enough.

Of course, I should mention how the normal Brazilian kid drinks Coke (and many other sodas) from a very early age.  Everything, EVERYTHING, is available fried (in the amount of oil I use in 1 months time).  But surprisingly, the obesity didn't really seem to jump until the "convinience" food arrived. Plus McDs and such.

Yet regardless of the fact that my kiddos are friends with the snacks that the Brazilians do love, they jump decently in weight after a visit to Grandma's house in the USA.  Obviously, they get to snack more, as Grandma is a sucker when it comes to whines of kiddos, but overall they eat less.

At my house, my kids are little meal eaters in addition to 3 or so decent snacks. Of course, we have our good days and bad days and plenty of non-optimal sugars and fats are consumed.  But in the US, they eat very little of their meals in comparison to here and still put on weight.

Since my children are lean but healthy boys, I enjoy the jump in weight. A little wiggle room for my active little wannabe crack babies. But it makes one ponder, what is it in the food there that is filling in their tiny tummies?

Of course, according to the studies, I don't have to worry about my 4 year old. He's as smart as he's going to get from food. We can just forgo the healthy items and lay on the sausage.

And that is what I love the most about these kinds of things. Of course it's great to know more about how our body works. It's awesome to reach out to parents and teach them a better way to feed their kids.  But really, I doubt the woman using lard in her lasagna and serving it with boxed chicken nuggets is reading this and stressing that little Jr's IQ may be a couple of points lower than the annoying Hippies down the road.

I can't give any suggestions on how to do it, nor how to feed your kids. The only thing I can control is what I put down in front of mine.  My philosophy on that is balance. Good food, fun snacks, healthy options, and a little McDonalds when Mommy is over being a cook for the day.

I like it Hot. If I say it enough, I will believe it.

It's hot. Seriously, it's freaking hot down here. The sun is shining, the sky is a gorgeous blue, and my white ass skin is being burnt off.

So dealing with this kind of "wonderful" weather takes some mental focus.  You have to remember the positives. Yes, there are positives to skin melting heat.

For starters, your clothes dry super fast!  I have to hang my clothes to dry and in this heat it takes about 3hours for the light stuff and 5 hours for the heavier things. I'm not even really exaggerating too much here. It dries faster than hell.

No more drying dishes. I wash and leave them to air dry in all of 15 minutes. Awesome blossom.

It's easier to eat healthy in excessively hot weather. Crisp green salads look especially tasty and anything creamy looks like death. Hello two sizes smaller, good to see you again.

You really get to know your body slathering it with sunscreen twice a day.  My saddlebags and I haven't been this close in a long time.  It's good to reconnect with those normally ignored parts of the body.

You can sleep naked and maybe your spouse will think you have back your 20s body confidence. Plus, nude sleeping makes a little something something all that more likely to happen.  Plus your preschooler will now realize that Mommy's boobies are in fact different than Daddy's.

You can drink sweetened homemade iced tea by the bucket full. Is there anything better than that?!

Let's also not forget the 5 minutes you save each morning not putting on make up. Why bother when it's going to melt off anyway.

So there you have it. I like to say these things aloud each morning before my pose and I face the hell of the hot that is Rio de Janeiro summer.  It's like a mantra: I like this weather. It's good to be active. I like this weather. I will leave the house.

What positives can you find about this kind of ridiculously hot weather?