Lin Carson, Author at Eat Bread 90

April 29, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

I’m SO Not Fun to Travel With: Day 27

I booked an appointment with the production lead at Grand Central Baking Co’s first location today. I wanted to capture a Facebook LIVE event showcasing the bread at their first location and also pick up some awesome sourdough bread.

The display at Grand Central Baking Company.

We started our day with a walk to a nearby Skillet restaurant. Skillet started as a food truck in Seattle, and has grown into a restaurant chain. Did I mention you can judge a restaurant by its bread? I had the Serious Toast, and it was made with a smooth and rich brioche bread. It was UNBELIEVABLY heavenly!

Skillet’s Serious Toast is made with molasses custard soaked thick cut brioche, local pit ham, raspberry jam, powdered sugar and scrambled eggs.

Just look at that toast!

Since this meal came with egg and ham, I gave those away to both my high school friends (who are still puzzled why I am eating so much bread). I couldn’t finish the double decker French toast, so I had to doggie bag it. This was half (over 250g) of my day’s consumption of bread right there. I finished them up later in the day.

A visit to Grand Central Baking

After breakfast, we made it over to Pioneer Square. Toured the first Grand Central Baking location, then wolfed down some pastries and more bread. Michael, the production lead at this location, gave me a potato roll which I finished within 12 minutes during the FB live recording. The sour of this roll was so smooth and soft.

Easy to say, that was the best-tasting potato roll I ever had. Why? Because they take a Yukon potato, skin it, cube it and mix it into the sourdough. Who in the world takes the trouble to do this? Doesn’t it show you how much passion they have for the thing they love most – making the best bread in the world? I get impressed by Grand Central Baking every time I talk to them. Their passion is evident why they remain successful.

Fresh baked pastries line their bakery case at the first Grand Central Baking Location in Pioneer Square.

We walked a whole 8 miles! This cost me 800 calories. Which meant that I could eat some more bread for dinner! I told my friends (both Asian) that we cannot eat at any noodle or rice restaurant, and one of them replied “you are so not fun to travel with at this time; can’t you just drop your bread diet?” So we compromised on Agrodolce in Fremont, an Italian trattoria which served handmade noodles and pasta.

Grand Central Baking Rye sourdough slices with Agrodolce’s antipasto misto.

They brought out their Focaccia bread. Mama Mia! This was real Focaccia! What did I say about judging a restaurant by its bread? Agrodolce not only made delicious pasta, they really knew how to make a great Focaccia as well! While my friends both had pasta, I had antipasto misto, caramelized broccoli (which was out of this world) and tomato and fennel soup with my Rye Sourdough from Grand Central Baking. We also celebrated 30 years of friendship with Prosseco and Port (not such a great idea after looking at my calorie count).

Here’s what I ate on Day 27 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Skillet’s Serious Toast	2 slices (100g)	900
Grand Central Baking Rye Sourdough	4 slices (50g)	560
Egg	1	300
Ham	1	105
Macaroons	2 pc	120
Potato Roll	80g	120
Meat plate		300
Tomato Fennel Soup	1/2 C	75
Caramelized Brocolli	1 1/2 C	150
Tiramisu		250
Prosecco	1 glass	90
Port	1/2 glass	50
Coconut Water	2 cups	90
London Lavender Fog		150
Walk 8 miles		-800
Total		2460

« Previous Post

April 28, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

The Sisterhood of the Travelling Loaf: Day 26

I looked at my half-eaten loaf of Sonoma Sun bread from Alvarado St. Bakery and said, “You’re coming with me.” I have to go to Seattle this weekend to meet a couple of my convent high school friends, one of whom I haven’t met for 30 years. I packed my bread up and headed to the train station.

The traveling Sonoma Sun loaf in my bread bag.

The accompaniments in the bread bag.

I have to admit, I was fearful and excited at the same time. I had never boarded an Amtrak train before and I really don’t know what is proper train etiquette. Plus, this is the first time I am traveling on a bread diet. You know how diets are ruined with travels!

lin - eat bread 90

I started the day really disciplined, until I saw Ivar’s clam chowder soup at the Bistro car. Yes! My mind was saying no, but my taste buds were screaming for a taste of delicious creamy and chunky clam chowder. So, this happened.

Ivar’s Clam Chowder with slices of Sonoma Sun bread is the ultimate Amtrak combo!

That was truly a bad choice for my diet, but I doubt it would be the last bad choice I’ll make this trip.

I immediately went for a 2 mile run upon reaching my destination. Wished I could do more, but I had to meet another friend of mine for dinner at Anchovies and Olives (a seafood tapas restaurant). My challenge was to make sure that I consumed the rest of the bread in the restaurant.

Grilled sun choke salad with Aioli, scallion and mint (top left), smoked fish crostini with pickled onion (top right), and grilled macrina foccacia with bang caudal (bottom): my meal at Anchovies & Olives.

Did you know that you can judge a restaurant by the bread it serves? This restaurant had no clue what a foccacia is. Their grilled focaccia was a glamorized ciabatta with grill marks. I could hear my husband say, “Don’t be a bread snob,” and I really needed to consume my fill of bread for the day, so I had to eat it—regardless of whether or not it met my standards of foccacia. It just puzzled me why they can’t just call it grilled ciabatta.

Here’s what I ate on Day 26 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Brioche French Toast		800
Grand Central Baking Rye Sourdough	4 slices (50g)	560
Egg		300
Ham	1	105
Macaroons	2 pc	120
Potato Roll	80g	120
Meat plate		300
Tomato Basil soup	1/2 C	75
Caramelized Brocolli	1 1/2 C	150
Tiramisu		250
Prosecco	1 glass	90
Port	1/2 glass	50
Coconut water	2 cups	90
Walk 8 miles		-800
Total		2210

« Previous Post

April 27, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

Food Trucks and Donuts: Day 25

Sonoma Sun from Alvarado St. Bakery.

The Sonoma Sun loaf from Alvarado St. Bakery was my bread of choice today. The bakers at Alvarado St. Bakery sprout their own grains to make their Sonoma bread. I tried it with something different today: Avocados. My nutritionist Connie wants me to eat avocados (listen to podcast #2).

I’ve never liked the bland taste of avocado, and I felt it is best eaten in guacamole. I am surprised that it is so rich in potassium and it helps me counteract my sodium levels. So today I mixed it up and tried avocado slices with Greek cream cheese on Sonoma Sun Bread.

Avocado with Sonoma Sun Sprouted Bread.

Today, I had friends from out of town visiting me and I brought them on a food truck tour. Unfortunately this time, I had to skip most of the eating. However, when we stumbled on the poke bowl shop, I had to try one. Can I say, it was a taste explosion in my mouth!

What’s a Poke bowl? It’s rice and raw tuna mixed with fish roe, seaweed greens and sesame brittle with a sweet sauce. The Poke originates from Hawaii, so it has that tangy and sweet taste to it.

A colorful Poke bowl with bigeye tuna, roe, sweet onion, avocado, sea salt, sesame brittle, cucumber, mixed seaweed and classic Hawaiian sauce.

Our last stop was Blue Star Donuts. The thing about Blue Star that is not known to many people, is that if you buy three donuts, and you’re really nice to the cashier, they give you an extra donut (yes, do that next time). Their donuts range for $3-4 apiece, but these are my favorite donuts in town. They have by far the best (brioche) dough, and the highest quality fillings and toppings. If I were to bring a box of Blue Star to you, you’d know that you’re special.

$Valhorna Chocolate Crunch (bottom center) is a custard filled donut.\$

Valhorna Chocolate Crunch (bottom center) is a custard filled donut. It is truly the star of this bunch from Blue Star Donuts.

Here’s what I ate on Day 25 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Alvarado St Bakery® Sonoma Bread	5slices (43g)	600
Sprouted wheat bread	200g	420
Banana	1	105
Dickinson’s® Lemon Curd	2 Tbsp	120
Tilamook Butter (Salted)	2 Tbsp	200
Homemade Pesto	1 Tbsp	80
Avacado	1/2 cup	184
Greek yogurt spread	1 Tbsp	22
Blue Star Donuts	1	200
Poke Bowl + Chips	1	150
Steamed Brocolli	1C	30
Calcium Supp
Bike		-100
Total		2011

« Previous Post

April 26, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

Be Passionate About What You Do: Day 24

Artesano® bread by Sarah Lee is probably one of the most favored bread here in the Pacific Northwest. It is a white bread, without a gummy texture. I can eat this toasted with butter all day. Why do I choose this bread? Mainly because I wanted to try what it feels like just to eat white bread all day. I love it. No guilt here. Just pure indulgence into my favorite food in the world, bread. White bread.

Sara Lee’s Artesano bread.

We also recorded our 4th podcast today sponsored by Manildra, co-hosted by David Deblauwe and I. Our guest was Scott Baker (yes, he is a real baker), CEO of 5 generation bakers. They make an amazing raisin swirl bread under the label Jenny Lee®. Talking to Scott really gives me hope for this industry.

Passionate Baking

His success story is about being really good at something, repeating that, and growing it by leaps and bounds. Scott is a genuine baker. He chose to be really specialized at producing one thing, and that’s raisin swirl bread. The way he broke down his process (which I feel is a really difficult process), how he cared about the quality of his bread, and how that affected his growth decisions indicated to me that he really cares about his bread. I was excited to have found a commercial baker who is successful after starting from ground zero and growing his bakery to a multi-million dollar business. Above all, I love seeing passion being rewarded. Look for this podcast on iTunes (coming soon).

“Skills are cheap, passion is priceless” – Gary Vaynerchuk

It is true, you should always be guided by your passion if you want to grow a successful bakery. This can be seen with the success stories of 5 Generation Bakers, Grand Central Baking Co., Dave’s Killer Bread and Blue Star Donuts. If you bite into any of their products, you will feel the passion. It is what keeps your customers from coming back again and again.

Here’s what I ate on Day 23 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Sara Lee® Artesano	11 slices (38g)	1100
Ricotta Cheese	2 Tbsp	50
Artichoke Bruchetta spread	2 Tbsp	67
Sugar Free Strawberry Jam	4 Tbsp	80
Salami	6 Slices	180
Apricot Sugar-Free Jam	2 Tbsp	40
Dickinson’s® Lemon Curd	2 Tbsp	120
Orange	1 orange	45
Nutella	2 tbsp	200
Tilamook Butter (Salted)	1 Tbsp	100
Kale Soup	1 C	48
Marie Biscuits	10 pieces	150
Banana	1	105
Calcium Supp
Bike		-300
Total		1985

« Previous Post

April 26, 2017August 10, 2017 by Lin Carson

Bread Recipe Roundup

If all this talk about bread is making you hungry, why not give a shot at making your own?

There’s no reason to be intimidated by baking your own bread. I know, it’s so easy to just go pick up delicious artisan loaves off the shelf. However, there are hundreds of easy, tasty recipes that will make it hard to ever go back to store-bought bread again. From sweet to savory to classic and everything in between, you could be baking (and enjoying) bread today. Here are just a few recipes I found:

10 Delicious Bread Recipes

bread recipe sourdough french rolls no knead bread

1. Easy Bread Recipe

An easy, simple bread recipe that’s a great place to start. Plus, there’s no kneading involved.

http://www.alexandracooks.com/2012/11/07/my-mothers-peasant-bread-the-best-easiest-bread-you-will-ever-make/

2. Simple Crusty Bread Recipe

With just a few ingredients and few steps, you’ll have a bread with a crusty crust that’s bursting with flavor.

https://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1018203-simple-crusty-bread

3. Sweet Bread

Sometimes you just need something sweet. In just five minutes, you can whip up this sweet bread, perfect for breakfast or dessert.

https://julieblanner.com/sweet-bread-recipe/

4. Simple Whole Wheat Bread

If you’re looking for a more healthy option, you’ll want to taste this whole wheat honey loaf.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/6773/simple-whole-wheat-bread/

5. Hearty Whole Grain

Whole grain products are rising in popularity, so stay trendy with this recipe for a satisfying bread that allows you to experiment with different whole grains.

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/hearty-whole-grain-bread/

6. French Bread

A classic loaf, and staple for some meals, is french bread. If you own a food processor, this is the recipe for you!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/french-bread-235423

7. Pumpkin Brioche

Who says you have to eat your bread in a loaf? These brioche rolls are as unique as they are tasty!

http://www.bakerpedia.com/baking-recipes/pumpkin-brioche/

8. Rosemary Avocado Quick Recipe

Vegan? No problem! Here’s a rosemary avocado bread everyone will enjoy!

http://www.thefussyfork.com/rosemary-avocado-quick-bread/

9. Bacon and Cheese Bread

While we’re adding things to bread, why not go all out with with this savory loaf that has BACON!

http://www.eatwell101.com/bacon-and-cheese-bread-recipe

10. Sourdough Bread

And last but not least: the classic but irresistible sourdough bread.

http://www.food.com/recipe/basic-sourdough-bread-34753

Do you have a favorite bread recipe? Let us know in the comments.

0 comments

heart-healthy-weight-eat bread 90-lose weight with carbs

April 24, 2017August 10, 2017 by Lin Carson

Can I Eat Carbs and Lose Weight on this Diet?

Lose weight? Even if I’m eating carbs in the form of a pound of bread a day?

When I am running errands and people see me munching on my bag of bread, I get some strange looks. When I smile and tell them I am eating a loaf of bread a day for three months, they look at me like I am nuts and always make a comment about how fattening bread is and that I am going to gain so much weight. I invite them to subscribe to my blog to track my progress, and I seriously hope that I will prove them all wrong.

Maybe I will even lose weight! The calories in the food we eat are used to fuel our bodies at rest and in motion. What we eat is digested and converted into energy we can use. Catabolism involves the breaking down of molecules into smaller parts to be sent to our cells where they are converted into energy.

In contrast, anabolism uses energy to build simple molecules to create larger complex molecules, which allow the body to construct and maintain muscle cells and tissues.

Lose weight by understanding calories and digestion

To function properly, our bodies use more or less stable number of calories to run all their essential processes from keeping our heart beating and circulating blood to digestion. The rest of the calories are used to fuel our daily activities and physical exercise. If we consume more calories than what we burn each day, the excess is stored and eventually we gain weight.

lose weight exercise diet calories

If overall calorie intake remains the same, but the types of foods we are eating changes, our digestion will be affected.

We all know that there are foods that make us feel bloated and drowsy, and others that keep us feeling energetic for hours. We have all experienced increased bloating and gas from eating certain foods, and know that there are some foods that are more easily digested than others.

Bread, like any food made up of several ingredients, contains protein, vitamins, fat and carbohydrates. When you take a bite of a sandwich, digestion of the bread begins in the mouth when food is mixed with saliva. As it’s swallowed and continues to the stomach, the components are further broken down.

Carbs in bread

Each nutrient has a unique process for being digested and converted into energy. For example, lipid catabolism breaks down fats using lipases in cells, which are enzymes that break the fats down into glycerol and fatty acids to release energy. The type of bread we eat and its fiber content impact digestion and overall metabolism.

What I can say for sure is that I am eating constantly in order to finish a delicious loaf of bread a day. I am also drinking more water than usual to help my body with digestion. I am never hungry and the constant eating is keeping my metabolism revved up all day long. I would not be surprised if I end up losing weight. After all, fat burns in a carbohydrate flame means that your body simply cannot burn fat on its own.

0 comments

April 24, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

SAVE THE BEES!! Day 22

The Honey Oats & Flax made by Dave’s Killer Bread has a strong honey aroma. Unlike many honey wheat or grain blend breads, DKB’s Honey Oats and Flax has a light texture. Together with the oats and flax, it packs 24g of whole grains in every slice. That is why I’m delighted in consuming Dave’s Killer Bread bread—every bread I have consumed has just been packed with whole grain goodness.

Dave’s Killer Bread Honey Oats and Flax.

Guess what’s the sweetest part of this bread? When Dave’s Killer Bread launched Honey Oats and Flax, they partnered with SAVE THE BEE, a non-profit set up by Glory Bee (their organic honey supplier) to promote education and awareness about Colony Collapse Disorder.

Co-founder Richard Turanski started GloryBee Honey in 1975 due to his love of bees and his role as an active beekeeper. With the concern of declining bee populations throughout the world, GloryBee advances the SAVE THE BEE mission through fundraising and education. Join their efforts today!

Remember, the next time you crave for a honey wheat bread, reach out these Honey Oats and Flax to SAVE THE BEES!

Here’s what I ate on Day 22 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Dave’s Killer Bread® Honey Oats and Flax	11 slices (42g)	1210
Tilamook® Butter	2Tbsp	200
Smucker’s® Sugar Free Strawberry Jam	2 Tbsp	20
Skippy® Peanut Butter	1 Tbsp	95
Tillamook® sliced cheddar	1 Slice	45
Apple	1	95
Sauteed Chinese brocolli	1 C	48
Nutella®	2 tbsp	200
Ricotta Cheese	1/4 C	100
Deli Chicken Breast	3 Slices	50
Calcium Supp
Total		2063

« Previous Post

April 24, 2017January 15, 2018 by Lin Carson

Got Milk? Day 23

Today’s bread is Franz Organic 100% Whole Wheat bread—delicious and nutritious! Talking about nutrition, I was listening to the second episode of our podcast ‘Pitching a Loaf’ with my nutritionist, Connie Evers, where she reminded me that my calcium and potassium intake is rather low. I guess if there is truly a weakness to my diet, it’s the inability to consume enough dairy products for the calcium.

Franz Bakery’s 100% Whole Wheat bread.

I was lactose intolerant growing up, and therefore never really developed a taste for dairy products. I don’t like yogurt, I cannot get low fat milk past my nose and I don’t eat pizza, so I probably consume cheese or dairy products like once a week. Well, unless its ice cream or baked into some heavenly goodness with a foreign sounding name (like Tiramisu).

Getting my calcium

So when Connie said, “You have to increase your calcium intake, Lin” I was quite panicky and I told her what my problems were. She proceed to lecture me on the effects of aging on bone loss and the need for calcium to prevent osteoporosis.

It’s true, I’m a head taller than my mom, and two heads taller than her mom. They have experienced significant bone loss over the years. I see my future, and it is not looking good. She told me to avoid cream cheese since it contains almost no calcium, and to add almond milk and ricotta cheese to my diet.

Honestly, I have not tried ricotta cheese by itself. I thought it would taste like cottage cheese, but I am pleasantly surprised. It actually doesn’t have much taste to it. I scored! I started using it as a spread like mayo. I soon realized that it is an “extender.” When mixed with pesto, jam, nut butters or Nutella (my favorite), it gives these combinations a fuller body and I need less of the high-sugar or high-salt spreads. Why didn’t I discover this sooner! My whole world has changed. Or at least for the next 77 days!

Here’s what I ate on Day 23 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Franz Organic 100% Whole Wheat	11 slices (43g)	1100
Ricotta Cheese	1/4 C	100
Justin’s Nut Butter	2 Tbsp	190
Sugar Free Strawberry Jam	4 Tbsp	80
Ham	2 oz	60
Homemade Pesto	1 Tbsp	80
Avacado	1/2 cup	184
Orange	1 orange	45
Calcium Supp
Bike		-100
Total		1739

« Previous Post

April 23, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

Week Three Weigh-in

Now, before you go running down the street yelling, “She’s gained weight. Oh My God, she’s eating all this bread and she’s gained weight!!” Remember, the body does fluctuate over a pound every day. My body reacts similarly to everyone’s in terms of fluctuations.

Two weeks ago, my weigh in was 147.4 lb. Last week’s weigh in was 147.0 lb; this week is 147.8 lb. I feel this is within the standard deviation of my weight. So no alarm here. I haven’t gained weight with this bread diet (maybe I shouldn’t eat any desserts…nah).

My weight at the end of week one.

My weight at the end of week three.

« Previous Post

April 23, 2017June 28, 2017 by Lin Carson

The Calorie Police: Day 21

Franz Bakery’s 100% Whole Wheat bread.

Ok, look. I’m not shy about what I eat, or reporting the sinful things that I eat on this blog. I was at a reception today, and was about to take a bite into a delicious fruit tart when a friend said “Are you supposed to eat that? This doesn’t substitute your bread consumption, right? You can’t cheat that way.”

People, people, people, relax! I’m not cheating. I’m still eating a pound of bread, and this luscious and sinful dessert is counted on top of that.

The usual response I get after explaining my diet is, “how do you get to eat so much? Doesn’t bread take up all your calories for the day?” The answer to this is NO. The calories from a pound of bread is about 1100. That leaves room for dessert cheats within the range of 300-400 calories. If I threw in a 35 min cardio in there, I could still safely consume another 1000 calories on top of a pound of bread. This gives me plenty of options to consider while consuming my bread throughout the day.

Bread every day

So, while I do appreciate your concern about my diet and policing me on it, also know that I eat a pound of bread every day to meet the minimal requirements of this bread eating challenge. Remember, every day, for 90 days.

Today, I finished up my whole grain white bread, and opened a new bag of Franz® Organic whole wheat bread. I wanted to compare eating a whole grain white bread to a whole wheat. After all, they should be similar.

The difference is very subtle. If you closed your eyes, or if you’re color blind, you’d be hard pressed to tell the difference because these two breads taste very similar. So yes, you are getting the whole wheat goodness in both bread.

Here’s what I ate on Day 21 of EB90:

Food	Portion	Calories
Franz Organic Whole Grain White	4 slices (40g)	400
Franz Organic 100% Whole Wheat	6 slices (43)	700
Tilamook Butter (Salted)	3Tbsp	300
Smucker’s Sugar Free Strawberry Jam	2 Tbsp	20
Tillamook sliced cheddar	1 Slice	45
Orange	1 orange	45
Sauteed Spinach	1 C	48
Fruit Tart	1	300
Smucker’s Sugar Free Strawberry Jam	2 Tbsp	20
Fried Fish Dinner	1 C	300
Banana	1	105
Run		-300
Swim		-200
Total		1783

« Previous Post