Portion Distortion, Pumpkin Pancake recipes

Today’s Re-Powering Information: Yesterday Laci shared an e-mail with her group that I thought was passing along. It has to do with what I call Portion Distortion. We have supersized our eating and therefore our bodies. Keep in mind that your stomach is the size of your fist (or at least it should be). A serving of protein should be the size of the palm of your hand or a deck of cards. Startch carbs (rice, pasta, bread, cereal) about the size of a computer mouse and fibrous carbs (most veggies found in salad) the size of two handfuls. You should not be adding fat to anything, but eating foods with good natural fats such as nuts.

Check out the sizes of a typical coffee, chocolate milk, cola and chips – the and now!

Also scroll down for 2 great recipes. We made the apples today and had the pancakes on Sunday morning!

Portion Size: Then and Now
by T. Kallmyer
How does one cut portion size when in most of the western world portion size has grown exponentially in the last 20 or so years.
I remember when the 7-Eleven Big Gulp came on the scene in 1980 and how everyone was amazed that you could actually purchase a drink that size. It was 32 ounces back then, now you can buy a Super Big Gulp that's a whopping 64 ounces.
No wonder there's such a weight epidemic in many developed countries as people are constantly enticed with ever growing portions.
Here are some illustrations of just how portion sizes have changed in the last 20 years.
Take-away Coffees
Over 20 years ago before the concept of the coffee house, a takeaway coffee would generally come in a 7oz/200ml Styrofoam cup, so with some sugar and cream it averaged around 85 Calories. Now a consumer can be enticed with a 16oz/470ml version made mostly with milk which can top 480 Calories depending on the drink ordered.
Chips
Twenty years ago a small pack of chips (left) was just an ounce(30g) and yielded 150 Calories. Now most packs are either 1.8oz/50g with 250 Calories (center) or 3.5oz/100g containing 500 Calories (right).
Flavored Milk

Chocolate milk used to be sold in 10oz/300ml bottles 20 years ago containing 220 Calories, but now the norm is around 20oz/600ml yielding 440 Calories.
Soft Drinks



20 years ago is was common to only get a 12oz/390ml soda from a vending machine containing 160 Calories, but today it is more common to find machines dispensing 20oz/600ml bottles giving 245 Calories.
Why has this happened?
Amanda Clark, the Author of Portion Perfection, believes that it was driven by nothing but the almighty dollar. Companies realized if they increased portion size, they could increase the cost of the item. The larger portion size would entice the customer to spend more money causing the profit margins on the product to increase a lot while the company's expenses on marketing, design, labor etc. only increased slightly. In some cases a consumer could get 50% more product for only 16% more money. Who could resist?
Unfortunately, as these portion sizes increased so has western society's waistline.



Pump-cakes
High-Protein Pumpkin Pancakes!
These are bodybuilding pancakes, but you can make them in saller servings so there are less calories.



7.5 oz (212 g) of canned pumpkin
1/3 cup (27 g) oatmeal dry
1/3 cup (40 g) multigrain or whole wheat pancake mix
1 scoop (26 g) vanilla (or plain) protein powder
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
Sweetener (brown sugar, stevia or splenda): Optional
Yield: makes 2 large (5 inch wide) pancakes
Nutrition information for 2 pancakes, unsweetened
Calories: 507
Protein: 44.1 g.
Carbs: 69.7 g.
Fat: 5 g.

BAKED APPLES
SERVES 4

4 medium Bramley, or other cooking apples; 55g sultanas; 55g dried unsulphured apricots, finely chopped; 25g currants; 25g dried figs, stalks removed and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon pure fruit apple and pear spread (or no added sugar jam); 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/gas mark 4. Mix the filling ingredients together (everything bar the apples) and leave for 20 minutes. Wash and core the apples, then cut in half.
Place the apple halves, skin side down, on a baking sheet. Top with filling, cover with foil and bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes, until soft.
Have a wonderful day!