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The Number One Super Secret Magical Feel Good Look Good Solution!

May 10, 2012 By

Magic potion It doesn’t matter how much or little weight you want to lose.  It doesn’t matter if you run marathons every week or walk around the block once a day.  I don’t care if you are a young-un or if you’re older than Methuselah!  No matter what your condition or ambition, there is one most important thing you need to incorporate into whatever your plan may be.

While this important thing is not the onliest thing we need for overall well-being it is one of the top two things that are just not negotiable.  Substitutions don’t suffice.  The sooner we all accept this thing, the better, healthier, more vibrant, energetic, and beautiful we will all become.

It’s not a pill, it’s not a potion, or a gadget.  What is it!?  It is a fairly simple and easy to access item.  It’s plants.  Nutrient dense, high fiber plants.

Eating plants is the answer.  But wait, don’t go away yet, keep on reading! (WARNING: Food porn ahead)  I do not promote vegetarianism, veganism, raw veganism, or any other ism for that matter, but I have nothing against them.  I believe that it just doesn’t need to be that complicated.  A mainly (90%) plant based diet (which includes unprocessed vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains) is the answer to pretty much all diet-related ailments.  And all this plant eating can be done with great pleasure.  Sadly, the average American diet is made up of less than 15% unprocessed plant based foods. All of this translates to: we need to eat lots and lots more vegetables.  Vegetables pack the most nutritional punch without breaking the calorie bank.  Fruits come in second, since fructose adds calories.

Vegetables don’t need to be those horrible, gray, soggy, salty canned crap many of us were force fed as children.  I’d never been a fan of vegetables (I can’t stand the word “veggies”) in the past, I only tolerated them.  But when I took the time to discover the exciting, colorful, sweet, sensuous, full of life combinations of flavors that can be created, everything changed.  EVERYTHING.  I’ve made it my job to find the most fantastically delicious way to eat well, with REAL food for REAL foodies. [Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: How to Make Broccoli Rice au Gratin (Video)

April 2, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is my first cooking video!  I’m so happy to be showing off in my new kitchen too.  This was edited by my talented 13 year old daughter. Enjoy.

UPDATE  4/18 – You can add half a teaspoon of turmeric to the water when cooking the rice for more antioxidant nutrition and nice yellow color.   Also, I’ve gotten several requests for the pureed cashew recipe.  It’s very easy.  Just take a cup or so of whole raw cashews and put them into a food processor on high speed until completely crumbled.  Then slowly add chicken or vegetable broth until the mixture is smooth.  Voila, there you have it.

Food Love Sundays: Fake Food Upgrade–Broccoli Rice Au Gratin

March 24, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I wanted to taste a childhood favorite again.  Uncle Ben’s Broccoli Rice Au Gratin.  Even back then I would add broccoli to it close to the end of the cooking time because there is very little broccoli in that box.  I am no longer temped to buy these kinds of things to experience them again because my taste has changed and I can’t stand all the salt and powdery cheese.

So I re-created the dish from these ingredients, listed by quantity:

Fresh broccoli, brown basmati rice, cashew puree, organic cheddar cheese, gruyere cheese, onions, garlic, organic low sodium chicken broth, olive oil, black pepper and sea salt.

The family tore it up!  You’ll have to stay tuned for a recipe with exact amounts because I didn’t measure anything.  The only change I might make is to add a little bit of turmeric for color.

Here is the ingredient list for the Uncle Ben’s version:

[Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Weekly Healthy Food Prep for Busy People

March 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment

So you’ve decided you are going to change your eating habits for the better.  You have embraced the idea of eating for nutritional density. At this point you are trying to figure how you are going to eat green leafy vegetables (one raw and one cooked), some beans, and fresh fruits every single day.   Or how you will manage to eat only whole grains, which take eons longer to cook?  How are you going to do this after work, exercise, homework, etc.?  Never fear.  A little bit of prep work twice a week will make this so easy.

 

  • Saute several days worth of aromatics and store in the refrigerator.

I noticed that eating pretty much all fresh food I am using lots more aromatics.  Aromatics are vegetables like onions, garlic, celery, or peppers as well as herbs that are used to create the base flavor for a dish.  According to Fine Cooking,

These basic mixtures go by different names in different cuisines, but they always play an important part in the character of a dish. A French mirepoix, an Italian soffritto, or a Portuguese refogado will each provide a foundation of flavor that will ultimately distinguish a dish from a similar one in another cuisine.

[Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Easy 100% Whole Wheat Biscuits that Actually Taste Good!

February 26, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I have to give huge props to Lisa Leake over at 100 Days of Real Food for this fantastic recipe.  Go check her out!  She has loads of valuable and easy to understand information about how to get away from eating  janky processed foods.  You all know I am an advocate for eating real food and I ran across her site and love it.  I whipped up these biscuits in 20 minutes flat, and they taste delicious.  Great with honey, jam, sausage or anything.

Whole Wheat Biscuits

  • 2 cups whole wheat flour (She uses King Arthur’s white whole wheat organic flour; I used Bob’s Red Mill organic stone ground white whole wheat pastry flour)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup milk (any kind)

In a medium sized bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well with whisk or fork. Cut the ½ stick butter into little pea sized pieces and then mix the pieces into the flour mixture. Using a fork, try to mash the butter pieces as you mix it together with the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. It is okay if the outcome just looks like the same pea sized pieces of [Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Real Spinach Dip

February 19, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Spinach dip should more be green than white.

  • 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 1/2 c plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 10 oz pkg frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
  • 2 Tbs radishes, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbs red onion, finely chopped
  • 2 Tbs red bell pepper, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1/4 tsp dried tarragon
  • 1/4  tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp ground mustard
  • 1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Combine cream cheese and yogurt in a medium bowl.  With a hand held electric mixer, mix on low speed until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and enjoy!

Dieting over the Holidays–A Survival Guide*

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment

*First of all, the word diet is not a verb so forgetaboutit, and you’re not gonna die from a smidge too much eggnog and fruit cake either.

Next, I’m not about to give you a list of dumbass cliche “holiday survival” tips that will make you feel like a mean ole’ winter troll at the party, but none of us wants to look like a fluffy town polar bear come springtime either. So check out my reasonable ideas to help you keep it together.

  1. If you come to my gathering with a store-bought platter of carrots, celery, and some jank “veggie dip” your’re getting tossed out into the snow, head first.  Instead, why not just bring a bouquet of flowers and eat a light meal before the party and only enjoy little decadent dessert when you get there. [Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Spinach and Swiss Chard au Gratin

November 6, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I know you all need some food love right about now.  I found this recipe on the New York Times website and altered it slightly for my own taste and convenience.

1 pound Swiss chard, washed and stemmed

1/2 pound spinach, washed and stemmed

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 large garlic cloves, minced

House Tuscan Seafood Sprinkle to taste

3 large eggs

1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated gruyère cheese

1 cup cooked basmati brown rice [Read more...]

Up and Running Again!

October 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Hello there.  I’ve been away for a while.  I didn’t mean to kick you all to the curb but I was busy having my janky old kitchen converted from this:

(that’s my friend Lucy in the pic above–she does not cook but she’s always up in my kitchen, to my delight) to this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, now that the work is almost finished, I can focus on creating fresh, decadently  nutrilicious meals for the fam.  And, I also have space to move about and updated equipment to work with, so I will be hosting my own cooking videos from time to time.  Hmm, wondering what I should name the show…suggestions are welcome.  Thanks for your patience and stay tuned.

Everyone Can Benefit from a Little Porn

September 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mmmmmm, oh, look at this, in all its fantastical glory!  Trust me, you won’t be able to look away for even a brief moment.  You want this, yes you do, and you know it!  Don’t worry, I promise I will not let your secret out.  Get your mind out of the gutter!  It’s nutrilicious FOOD porn! Feast your eyes on this fresh colorful and juicy salad I had for dinner last night.  Just makes me want to go back for more.  Why am I teasing you with food porn?  Well, just like the (ahem) other kind of porn this can really get your juices flowing (salivary!).  If you want to train your palate to accept, enjoy and savor fresh nutritious plant based foods, you need to look at these items in a certain way.  Who would not want to experience this magnificent combination of firm fresh spinach (mostly not visible, on the bottom of the bowl), sweet mango, succulent strawberries, nuts and dried cranberries, topped with a warm and moist grilled salmon filet.  The low fat citrus dressing was so delish I asked them for a container to take home with me.  I guarantee the most avid nutrition hater would dabble in this beautiful dish.


“Wholesome” Fake Food Makes NO Sense.

September 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The thing speaks for itself:

Betty Crocker Hamburger Helper Wholesome Whole Grain Stroganoff

Ingredients:
Enriched Pasta (Whole Wheat Flour, Semolina Wheat, Durum Wheat, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Ferrous Sulfate, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Corn Starch, Enriched Flour (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Whey, Salt, Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein (Corn, Soy, Wheat), Tomato (Dried), Calcium Carbonate, Artificial Color, Sugar, Lactic Acid, Citric Add, Maltodextrin, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Mono and Diglycerides, Calcium Lactate, Natural Flavor, Nonfat Milk, Onion Powder, Parsley (Dried), Mushroom Powder, Yeast Extract, Spice, Beef Stock, Mushrooms, Corn Syrup (Dried), Disodium Guanylate, Disodium Inosinate, Whey Protein Concentrate, Lactose, Garlic Powder, Soy Sauce (Soybeans, Wheat, Salt) (Dried), Egg.
Now, the following recipe would take only about 10-15 minutes more than the box crap above if you can buy the meat already cut up or use ground turkey instead.  Are you REALLY in that much of a hurry?  Seriously?

Simple Beef Stroganoff with Fresh Herbs and Garlic [Read more...]

8 Ways to Cut Sugar without Pain and Suffering

August 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Sugar is toxic, you’re gonna diiiiiiie!  It causes cancer, diabetes, obesity, liver disease, tooth rot, ugliness, hair loss, etc.  I know, you don’t want to hear all that alarmist propaganda again.  I will say, however, that sugar is in just about every single processed food item sold in the U.S., and therefore, if you are eating anything more than a tiny amount of processed foods, chances are, your sugar intake is way too high.  The science has already been written on this topic and I am not interested in rehashing.  We all can agree though, that our sugar intake needs to be reduced.

By sugar I am talking about all sweeteners, even natural honey, molasses, agave, high fructose corn syrup, fructose, sucrose, etc.  According to the World Health Organization, based on a diet of 2,000 daily calories, no more than 50 grams of sugar should be consumed per day.

Start slow and gradually cut the sugar intake to an acceptable level. Here are a few ways to reduce sugar in the diet with minimal drama and discomfort: [Read more...]

Guest Post at Leaving Fatville

May 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Leaving Fatville is a fantastic blog about weight loss and life:

60 pounds gone, a whole lot more to go! Follow me on this crazy road trip to learn how to be healthy and happy! (Not hungry!)

Be sure to stick around and check out her other posts.  They are very informative and entertaining.

Struggling with Weight?  Try a Food Attitude Adjustment

Basic Cookie Base Recipe (Slightly healthier version)

May 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This cookie recipe can be used to make oatmeal and raisin or walnut chocolate chip (or all of the above) cookies.  It is slightly healthier with the use of some whole grain and less sugar and butter but please be clear:  you should not eat these cookies without abandon.  However, these will satisfy cookie cravings without doing too much damage to your healthy eating plan.  You will need:

  • 2 cups white whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 cup Splenda Blend or raw sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup light butter (no fake butter!  This is butter and canola oil blend)
  • 1 tbsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg beaters type substitute
  • 1 tsp baking soda

First mix dry ingredients, then add wet ingredients and mix (don’t beat it too much).  Now add to taste any combination of uncooked old fashioned oats, semi-sweet chocolate chips, golden raisins, and/or walnuts.  Note:  adding oats makes the whole grainines more tolerable.  Drop 1 inch portions on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown.  If you prefer flatter, crisper cookies, pat them down on the cookie sheet with a spatula after about 4-5 minutes of baking, otherwise they will be softer and cakeier.

Enjoy!

 

Food Love Sundays: Quinoa Tabouli Salad

May 1, 2011 By Leave a Comment

This is a Lebanese dish altered to contain more protein, and for those who don’t like the taste of bulgur wheat. This is a cool and refreshing treat for a warm spring or summer day.  To add an extra-nutrient kick, serve wrapped in romaine lettuce instead of pita bread or over a bed of fresh raw spinach.

You’ll need:

* 2 cups water
* 1 cup quinoa
* 1 pinch salt
* 1/4 cup  2tbsp  olive oil
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* 1/4 cup  3 tbsp lemon juice
* 3 tomatoes, diced
* 1 cucumber, diced
* 1 bunch green onions, diced
* 2 carrots, grated
* 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped

Directions

1. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add quinoa and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool to room temperature; fluff with a fork.
2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine olive oil, sea salt, lemon juice, tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, carrots and parsley. Stir in cooled quinoa.

Nutritional Density: Let me break it on down (Part 4) Broccoli has More Protein than Beef, Key to Weight Loss

April 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Let me explain.  Right now I am reading a great book (review to come) about nutrition.  I have been studying nutrition since I was around six years old, when I found my then university student mom’s books.  I was a bookworm and a budding foodie back then.  I thought I knew all about nutrition until I read this way of measuring nutritional values and making comparisons.

When measuring the amount of a nutrient in a food based on equal volumes or weights of the food, we don’t get an accurate picture.  Instead, if we measure the nutrients in the foods based on a set number of calories, there is a better idea of what to eat.  For example, did you know that 100 calories worth of broccoli contains more protein than 100 calories worth of beef?  How about 5 grams more!  The catch is that 100 calories worth of broccoli is a lot.  Maybe 3-4 times more than the portion that would be served in a typical restaurant meal.  100 calories worth of beef is tiny.  [Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Super-muffins!

April 10, 2011 By 5 Comments

This recipe is a pumped-up, slimmed down version of my already nutritious banana blueberry muffins.  Just try this and give it to your kids, they’ll have no clue that these fiber-rich are muffins are very low in sugar, lower in fat, and full of what?  Vegetables!  Bwuaaaahahahaha! My daughter’s school friends beg for these delicious muffins that taste kinda like zucchini bread:

  • 1/2 cup fat free plain Greek yogurt
  • 2 eggs or 1/2 cup egg substitute
  • 1 and a half cup pureed fresh raw zucchini
  • 1/4 cup Splenda/sugar blend*** or 1/2 cup raw sugar
  • 1/4 cup oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup raw chopped (matchstick style) carrots
  • 1 cup fresh blueberries
  • 3 tbsp ground flaxseeds
  • 2 cups white 100% whole wheat pastry flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
 
 

[Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Chili

March 27, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The weather forecast for today was calling for snow, cold rain, and just raw conditions.  I planned by Thursday to stay home all day and make chili and take a nap.  So much for that, I’ve been out all day, didn’t get any nap, and actually today was quite nice and partly sunny.  Nowhere near the arctic temperatures they were calling for.  But I did make the chili anyway.

Chili is kind of like a “curry”, in that it varies greatly depending on your region, and is highly personalizable.  I am fairly sure that chili has its origins in the southwestern US and Mexico but since I’m from PA, and haven’t done formal research on it, your guess is as good as mine.  But what I do know is that you can make your chili mostly any way you like.

There  are only two things that can really mess up some chili.  Too much salt, and undercooked meat/overcooked beans.  I never put salt in my chili because I use canned beans (one of the VERY few things I’ll eat from a can), and because if we eat them with cheese or tortilla chips, there is no need for salt.  The dish is so super flavorful that nobody has ever missed the salt.  Some people add a little sugar. I don’t.  [Read more...]

Food Love Sundays: Moqueca (Brazilian Seafood Stew)

March 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I love this dish.  It comes from one of my favorite cookbooks, The New Internationalist Food Book.  One of my friends has given up all meats except fish for Lent and asked me if I had any recipes.  It took me two weeks to think it up but here it is, Will!  Now this dish is very exotic, but the recipe is very easy.  In fact, I even have an extremely easy quick lazified version for times when you just don’t have time or if your cooking skills are terribly lacking.  I’ll reveal this at the end.  You can use a variety of seafood, including firm fish and shellfish.  I like to use tilapia, large shrimp, and fresh scallops.

  • 1 1/2 to 2 lbs of fillets of firm white fish such as halibut, swordfish, or cod, rinsed in cold water, pin bones removed, cut into large portions
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 4 Tbsp lime or lemon juice
  • Salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • Olive oil
  • 1 cup chopped spring onion, or 1 medium yellow onion, chopped or sliced
  • 1/2 yellow and 1/2 red bell pepper, seeded, de-stemmed, chopped (or sliced)
  • 2 cups chopped (or sliced) tomatoes
  • 1 Tbsp paprika (Hungarian sweet)
  • Pinch red pepper flakes
  • 1 large bunch of cilantro, chopped with some set aside for garnish

Put the stuff in a covered casserole and simmer in the oven on 350 until tender.  Garnish with cilantro. Serve in a bowl or over rice.

Lazified version:  Just throw the fish in the casserole dish with some fresh pico de gallo (salsa without the sauce).  You can buy fresh pico in a plastic bowl in the refrigerated section of many grocery stores.

Ready for Spring? Sensual Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching Groups Forming Now

March 9, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Get healthy and enjoy life at the same time!

What if you could take the misery and drama out of maintaining a healthy body and mind? You can, with our playful work on creating an individualized, holistic approach to living, you will get healthy, prevent illness (such as diabetes or high blood pressure), or lose fat.

Most (but not all) of my clients hire me to help them lose weight.  They are very successful because in this program they don’t sit around all day obsessing about trying to lose weight.  They move, they grub, and before they know it, BAM! their clothes are too big.

This is what we do:

  • Get real about your fitness and weight goals and align them with the honest amount of effort you wish to exert, without any judgment;
  • Develop a sensual eating style around nutrilicious foods that please your palate;
  • Explore exciting and realistic movement options that fit your interests and physical ability;
  • Elevate your self esteem by sharing the journey with supportive, positive, adoring Goddess peers;
  • Prevent relapse into past unhealthy habits;
  • Let loose and act a damn fool!

The program works like this: [Read more...]

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