One of my favorite ways to start the day is with a big bowl of oatmeal. This is not only because it fills me up for a long period of time, but I love the versatility that oatmeal offers. I really can't think of another meal where you have the options of 'add ins' that you have with oatmeal.
raw, local honey.
ground flax seed
gogi berries
fresh fruit
hemp seeds
cinnamon
raisins
walnuts
seeds and nuts
milks
rolled oats are a great thing to have around the house for other baking options..
Monday, November 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
For the Veggie Lovers
The basic idea behind this recipe is to combine whichever vegetables you like, and enjoy them over a grain of your choice. This is one of my favorite dishes for a number of reasons...
1. There are no rules. You can put in or omit anything that you like or don't like.
2. It is quick and easy.
3. It is perfect for the days that you don't know exactly what to cook, but you do know that you have a fridge full of random vegetables starting you in the face.
4. You can get almost a full days serving of recommended veggies.
5. It is a beautifully energetic meal, leaving you feeling full but not sluggish.
6. It always changes.
Still interested?? So here's the story:
The only step that might add a little more time to this recipe is cooking the grain. I tend to cook a large amount of one grain at the beginning of the week, and then keep it in the fridge to use whenever it can be incorporated it into a dish. Whole Foods has a wonderful selection of grains in their bulk section, as well as a guide to explain prep and cooking time.
http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/departments/bulk/index.php
Once you have your grain prepared;
Put some garlic in a pan with some olive oil, and sautee for a few minutes until golden brown.
Add some sliced onion, only if you like onion of course.
After about a minute, add your more heartier vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes etc...) and a little water (or vegetable broth) and cover to steam them.
After a few minutes, add the rest of your medley (the leafy greens).
Stir everything together and let it cook for another minute or two.
After all of the vegetables look tender, add some salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste, and mix everything one last time.
Place it over your grain, and enjoy!!
1. There are no rules. You can put in or omit anything that you like or don't like.
2. It is quick and easy.
3. It is perfect for the days that you don't know exactly what to cook, but you do know that you have a fridge full of random vegetables starting you in the face.
4. You can get almost a full days serving of recommended veggies.
5. It is a beautifully energetic meal, leaving you feeling full but not sluggish.
6. It always changes.
Still interested?? So here's the story:
The only step that might add a little more time to this recipe is cooking the grain. I tend to cook a large amount of one grain at the beginning of the week, and then keep it in the fridge to use whenever it can be incorporated it into a dish. Whole Foods has a wonderful selection of grains in their bulk section, as well as a guide to explain prep and cooking time.
http://wholefoodsmarket.com/stores/departments/bulk/index.php
Once you have your grain prepared;
Put some garlic in a pan with some olive oil, and sautee for a few minutes until golden brown.
Add some sliced onion, only if you like onion of course.
After about a minute, add your more heartier vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, tomatoes etc...) and a little water (or vegetable broth) and cover to steam them.
After a few minutes, add the rest of your medley (the leafy greens).
Stir everything together and let it cook for another minute or two.
After all of the vegetables look tender, add some salt, pepper, and olive oil to taste, and mix everything one last time.
Place it over your grain, and enjoy!!
Sunday, November 13, 2011
becoming a bargainista
One of the biggest complaints (and excuses) I hear from people about shopping for their wellness is the cost of healthy foods. We have been brought up in a culture that spends an extrememly small percent of our paycheck on food, and unfortunately, the accesibility of cheap food makes many believe that we should be getting simple nourishment for less money.
This would obviously be ideal, however, I don't see the cost of sweet summertime organic strawberries ever being able to compete with the cheap industrialized prices of the McDonalds hamburger. I can't argue that this doesn't have an effect on your wallet, but in this post, Kris Carr gives some great tips for cutting some costs when shopping for your bodys well being.
Check them out, and try to incorporate a few tricks into your shopping routine, as well as a few new veggies :)
http://www.drfranklipman.com/how-to-be-a-bargainista/#more-9627
This would obviously be ideal, however, I don't see the cost of sweet summertime organic strawberries ever being able to compete with the cheap industrialized prices of the McDonalds hamburger. I can't argue that this doesn't have an effect on your wallet, but in this post, Kris Carr gives some great tips for cutting some costs when shopping for your bodys well being.
Check them out, and try to incorporate a few tricks into your shopping routine, as well as a few new veggies :)
http://www.drfranklipman.com/how-to-be-a-bargainista/#more-9627
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
My Tuesday Morning Smoothie
I have decided to call this my Tuesday Morning Smoothie because it is, in fact, Tuesday morning, and I am sooo happy to be enjoying it's refreshing and energizing flavor after a weekend of daydreaming about it.
I spent the weekend in NYC at a conference hosted by The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Among the speakers was Dr. Andrew Weil, who has been a long time favorite of mine, and who has one of the most sustainable and realistic approaches to diet and lifestyle (at least in my opinion). As many of you know, it can be pretty tricky maintaining a healthy diet when on the road. This weekend was particularly challenging because of all of the traveling I was doing, all of the health talks I was listening to, and especially, because I knew that my new Vitamix blender (THANK YOU TIM!!) was sitting on my kitchen counter away from my use.
I have always been a fan of fruit smoothies, and after realizing the tremendous health benefits associated with green smoothies, I started to experiment with both fruits and veggies. There are some wonderful recipe's out there, but this one is one of my favorites because it is simple and easy, yet still offers you a tremendous amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and plain ol' wholesome goodness.
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk (or whatever you personal 'milk' preference is)
2 cups fresh spinach, washed
1 cup strawberries (preferably frozen)
1-2 bananas (preferably forzen)
Blend and Enjoy.
Some sidenotes:
I like to wash the strawberries and cut them in half before placing them in the freezer. I will also peel a few bananas, cut them into pieces and put them in the freezer as well. If you do this in bulk, it is a great way to cut fruit preparation time in half. It works best to store them in a ziplock freezer bag or a plastic tupperwear container. Or you can simply buy frozen berries at your local health food store.
Of course, if your fruit is not frozen, you can still enjoy this drink. Feel free to add some ice along with the ingredients or just enjoy the smoothie at room temperature.
I spent the weekend in NYC at a conference hosted by The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Among the speakers was Dr. Andrew Weil, who has been a long time favorite of mine, and who has one of the most sustainable and realistic approaches to diet and lifestyle (at least in my opinion). As many of you know, it can be pretty tricky maintaining a healthy diet when on the road. This weekend was particularly challenging because of all of the traveling I was doing, all of the health talks I was listening to, and especially, because I knew that my new Vitamix blender (THANK YOU TIM!!) was sitting on my kitchen counter away from my use.
I have always been a fan of fruit smoothies, and after realizing the tremendous health benefits associated with green smoothies, I started to experiment with both fruits and veggies. There are some wonderful recipe's out there, but this one is one of my favorites because it is simple and easy, yet still offers you a tremendous amount of vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber, and plain ol' wholesome goodness.
1 cup water
1 cup coconut milk (or whatever you personal 'milk' preference is)
2 cups fresh spinach, washed
1 cup strawberries (preferably frozen)
1-2 bananas (preferably forzen)
Blend and Enjoy.
Some sidenotes:
I like to wash the strawberries and cut them in half before placing them in the freezer. I will also peel a few bananas, cut them into pieces and put them in the freezer as well. If you do this in bulk, it is a great way to cut fruit preparation time in half. It works best to store them in a ziplock freezer bag or a plastic tupperwear container. Or you can simply buy frozen berries at your local health food store.
Of course, if your fruit is not frozen, you can still enjoy this drink. Feel free to add some ice along with the ingredients or just enjoy the smoothie at room temperature.
Friday, October 7, 2011
The Joys of a Neti Pot
The cold is finally here... and along with this kind of weather comes a stuffy, runny, and sometimes irritated nose. Many people immediately reach for their cold and sinus medications kept in the closet from the year before, but before you do that, I recommend trying out this simple and cheap method.
The Neti Pot has been around for a number of years. It began as an Ayurvedic medicine technique in ancient India, and was referred to as Jala-Neti, which translates to "to cleanse the nose with water". It has since been adopted into other cultures as an 'at-home' remedy to prevent and relieve conditions such as allergies, colds, and mild sinus infections. I have been using mine for the past few years to alleviate the stuffy nose that I get this time of year, and it has made a world of a difference.
This process may freak some people out at first (because it does require flushing the sinuses with water), but I assure you that once you experience the benefits, the results are much worth the process.
Check out this video for a visual explanation on the procedure...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsZeILCedRw
You can pick up a Neti Pot along with the proper salt as your local health food store.
The Neti Pot has been around for a number of years. It began as an Ayurvedic medicine technique in ancient India, and was referred to as Jala-Neti, which translates to "to cleanse the nose with water". It has since been adopted into other cultures as an 'at-home' remedy to prevent and relieve conditions such as allergies, colds, and mild sinus infections. I have been using mine for the past few years to alleviate the stuffy nose that I get this time of year, and it has made a world of a difference.
This process may freak some people out at first (because it does require flushing the sinuses with water), but I assure you that once you experience the benefits, the results are much worth the process.
Check out this video for a visual explanation on the procedure...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsZeILCedRw
You can pick up a Neti Pot along with the proper salt as your local health food store.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Ahhhh... A simple pyramid to follow
Flashback to 9th grade health class...
I remember receiving the USDA Food Pyramid as a tool to determine how to create a healthy, balanced diet. Simple. Eat mostly carbs, little to no fats and sweets, and mix in some fruits, veggies and meat. Nothing that was too difficult to understand.
As I have gotten older, these guidelines have gotten a little more confusing, and a lot more controversial. Since then, the USDA released a new pyramid, firstly to not show favoritism to any particular food industry (thanks for fighting that one meat and dairy), and secondly to include the importance of exercise. Hmmm... now I don't have any understanding of what I am supposed to eat, but at least I do know that I should be climbing stairs??
Everyone has their own opinions on the matter (personal and political), but discussion of such is not my intentions here. These food pyramids are consistently referenced by many speakers in my studies, so I was obviously led to poking around about the topic.
I found a few renditions, some personally constructed and some poking fun at the USDA, but I did find one in particular that I thought was fantastic;
I remember receiving the USDA Food Pyramid as a tool to determine how to create a healthy, balanced diet. Simple. Eat mostly carbs, little to no fats and sweets, and mix in some fruits, veggies and meat. Nothing that was too difficult to understand.
As I have gotten older, these guidelines have gotten a little more confusing, and a lot more controversial. Since then, the USDA released a new pyramid, firstly to not show favoritism to any particular food industry (thanks for fighting that one meat and dairy), and secondly to include the importance of exercise. Hmmm... now I don't have any understanding of what I am supposed to eat, but at least I do know that I should be climbing stairs??
Everyone has their own opinions on the matter (personal and political), but discussion of such is not my intentions here. These food pyramids are consistently referenced by many speakers in my studies, so I was obviously led to poking around about the topic.
I found a few renditions, some personally constructed and some poking fun at the USDA, but I did find one in particular that I thought was fantastic;
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Wonderous Leafy Greens
Growing up, our parents always told us to eat our greens. Sometimes we listened and gobbled them down, and other times we wondered why our parents were choosing to torture us with food. Some of the healthiest leafy greens are not always the most appealing in flavor. So even as we have gotten older and learned that there was more behind these greens then just the color, we can still have some trouble incorporating them into our diet.
Dark, leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, bok choy and spinach, offer an array of benefits. They all have high levels of calcium and magnesium (yes, we can get calcium from non-dairy items), fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins such as vitamin C and beta carotene. They also help lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and help to protect the immune system. These greens are also fairly cheap, and pretty easy to prepare.
So how can we eat these magical foods if we, or our loved ones, don't like the taste or texture of these leafy greens??
I was put to this test when I began cooking dinner for two. Personally, I have always loved my vegetables; the more greens the better. So I was shocked (and a bit nervous) to hear that Tim didn't share the same feelings. What was I going to cook?? Not being a meat eater, vegetables are really all that I know. But more importantly, WHERE WAS HE GOING TO GET HIS VITAMINS AND MINERALS???
So I began to get creative.
I knew he enjoyed eating salad, so I began to chop up kale very finely and added it in along with romaine lettuce. He couldn't tell. In our pasta dishes, I added finely chopped spinach into the red sauce along with basil. He didn't notice it. In soup, I began adding chopped up bok choy along with the celery. Same story. As long as Tim didn't know the vegetable was there, he was fine eating it. Brilliant!
Tim has since caught on to my scheme, but he is ok with it. Now that he understands how important these kinds of greens are for his overall health, he appreciates that I go the extra step to make sure he is getting some kind of exposure to them.
So get creative! And if you are fine with the taste of these leafy greens, even better. Start incorporating them into your meals to give yourself the vitamins, minerals, and strength that your body needs.
Dark, leafy greens, such as kale, collard greens, bok choy and spinach, offer an array of benefits. They all have high levels of calcium and magnesium (yes, we can get calcium from non-dairy items), fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins such as vitamin C and beta carotene. They also help lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and help to protect the immune system. These greens are also fairly cheap, and pretty easy to prepare.
So how can we eat these magical foods if we, or our loved ones, don't like the taste or texture of these leafy greens??
I was put to this test when I began cooking dinner for two. Personally, I have always loved my vegetables; the more greens the better. So I was shocked (and a bit nervous) to hear that Tim didn't share the same feelings. What was I going to cook?? Not being a meat eater, vegetables are really all that I know. But more importantly, WHERE WAS HE GOING TO GET HIS VITAMINS AND MINERALS???
So I began to get creative.
I knew he enjoyed eating salad, so I began to chop up kale very finely and added it in along with romaine lettuce. He couldn't tell. In our pasta dishes, I added finely chopped spinach into the red sauce along with basil. He didn't notice it. In soup, I began adding chopped up bok choy along with the celery. Same story. As long as Tim didn't know the vegetable was there, he was fine eating it. Brilliant!
Tim has since caught on to my scheme, but he is ok with it. Now that he understands how important these kinds of greens are for his overall health, he appreciates that I go the extra step to make sure he is getting some kind of exposure to them.
So get creative! And if you are fine with the taste of these leafy greens, even better. Start incorporating them into your meals to give yourself the vitamins, minerals, and strength that your body needs.
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