Pride and Glory

Filed under: Movie Review

For those of you who read my Friday blog last week, I promised to actually get back on the wagon and do a movie review. So this weekend I actually got off my ass and went to the movies and saw the big Oscar winner Slumdog Millonaire. I am a huge fan of Danny Boyle and I have been meaning to see that since before it came out, but I have somehow not managed to get to the movies lately. That movie was awesome and you should all see it, but I think that is already a given. I am not here to discuss this fantastic fim though.

This weekend I also saw another film I had wanted to rent. I am the world’s biggest fan of Edward Norton and I try to see everything that he makes, as he always gives a solid effort and rarely makes a poor movie. Lately though, Im not sure where he is going, and Pride and Glory does nothing to change that.

Though there is nothing inherently wrong with this film, it just always feels like it is trying so hard to be something more than it is. It is trying to be this really smart, dark, complex police drama with a lot of turmoil simmering under the surface. Instead it is just a moderately smart, quite dark police drama that just looks like it is trying to make a case for underlying themes that just really aren’t there.

The direction was pretty good, the acting was solid all around, though no one gave an A+ effort (with a cast of Norton, Colin Farrell, Jon Voight, and Noah Emmerich you expect a little more) no one disappointed either. I felt the same about this movie as I did about Black Hawk Down. Looked good on paper, good cast, good director, should be a good story, and they were both just eh. It is entertanining, and might be worth a rental if you are a fan of anyone in the movie (like me), but other than that it is just another movie on the rack. Overall I would give this movie a C+, probably around a 77/100.

My Favorite Food

Filed under: Nutrition

If you know me like my fiance does, then you already know what will be discussed today. My favorite food, partly for its nutrient composition, partly for its versatility, but mainly for its ease of use. Today I am talking all about the glory that is cottage cheese. I specifically wanted to discuss my favorite cottage cheese, Friendship Digestive Health.

All by its lonesome, cottage cheese is clearly not the most appealing of foods. It has an odd texture and a rather bland taste. That bland taste though, allows for lots of creativity with recipes that can be used at any time of day. Cottage cheese takes on the flavors of whatever you add to it, making it a very versatile food. I use it as a base for lots of my recipes, and I often consume it at least twice per day.

Moving on to the nutrition of cottage cheese, this one in particular, there is a lot to discuss. First, it is a protein source of the highest quality. Dairy protein is top notch, consisting of 80% casein and 20% whey, a beautiful blend that supports growth. Friendship brand cottage cheese have the greatest amounts of protein and the least amount of sugars of any cottage cheese I’ve seen, another reason why I tend to prefer them. This one in particular has 14 grams per 1/2 cup, very solid.

Second, this particular cottage cheese is a good source of fiber. Not just any fiber, but a fiber that is also a prebiotic, helping to nourish the healthy bacteria in your gut that are so important for digestion and immunity. This particular fiber, inulin, and actually a specialized oligofructose-enriched inulin at that, has been shown to increase the absorption of of calcium and magnesium, and serves to fuel beneficial bacteria, like Bifidobacterium, stimulating its growth and activity.

Healthful bacteria like Bifidobacterium reside primarily in the colon. It is known to aid in the production and absorption of vitamin K and biotin among others, and utilize non-digestible fiber (like inulin) for food. Increasing the number of healthy bacteria in the gut serves to help prevent harmful bacteria like H. pylori and E. coli from getting a foothold while also increasing the absorption of nutrients and the overall health of the gut.

Cottage cheese is also a good source of calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus and the ever important, cancer fighting selenium. It is also low in lactose and is usually well tolerated by people with mild lactose intolerance, especially with the addition of inulin and bifidobacterium.

In summary it may not be the world’s superfood, but it is a solid addition to almost everyone’s diet, can easily be used as a base for many fantastic recipes and improves the health of our gut, an area we are discovering to be of more importance to our health than ever previously thought possible.

Bonus: Jen Heath’s Protein Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups Friendship Digestive Health cottage cheese
• 2 cups old fashioned oats
• 1.75 cups egg whites (12 egg whites)
• 2 scoops Vanilla Low Carb Metabolic Drive
• 1/2 cup water
• cinnamon to taste
• 1 cup frozen wild blueberries

Mix all ingredients in a blender until smooth. This may take a while, and I suggest not putting in the oats and cottage cheese first, or at least separate them with the egg whites. The batter will be very thick. Add the blueberries after blending and stir by hand. Makes 6 medium to large absolutely delicious pancakes. Enjoy.

Nutrition Info (per pancake)

• Calories = 225
• Protein = 24.3
• Carbs = 25.1
• Fiber = 5.2
• Fat = 3.3