The other day my new next door neighbors left a basket of tomatoes on my back porch. They had too many in their garden and they didn’t want any to go to waste. Lucky for me that I live next door. Now I had to decide what to do with them – the pressure was on!

I left the cherry tomatoes for snacking, but I wanted to try something new with the larger ones. I came up with a light sauce, perfect for summer to go with my basic meal formula. Seasonal and delicious, you can use this antioxidant-rich dressing as a substitute for salad dressing or as a light sauce for white fish.

Even though most grocery stores sell tomatoes year-round, they are staple at the Farmer’s Markers in the summer. They are known for their lycopene content, a carotenoid notorious for its antioxidant qualities. To maximize lycopene in your produce, buy organic.

The picture above starts with a bed of steamed Swiss chard. Then I piled on a mix of steamed and sautéed vegetables including zucchini, broccoli, and mushrooms. I topped it off with white beans, a sprinkle of quinoa and my tomato dressing.

Ingredients:

2 cups tomatoes

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

½ teaspoon thyme

1 tablespoon MatoZest

1 clove garlic

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 tablespoons water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender or food processor and blend completely

You just finished working a full day – whether that means back-to-back meetings at the office, studying for midterms or carpooling your kids around town – and you’re tired and ready to sit down, unwind with your favorite TV show while you fold laundry and pay bills. But before you can do that you need to figure out what’s for dinner. You haven’t been to the grocery store in a few days and are feeling tempted to order takeout from your favorite restaurant. Sound familiar?

Before you reach for the menu and your phone, consider this: You don’t have to be Bobby Flay to make a delicious meal or Rachel Ray to do it in 30 minutes or less. Besides, eating clean, real, simple food is one of the easiest ways to feel your best for the long haul. All it takes are a few basic foods in your pantry, freezer or fridge and you have a delicious healthy meal in no time.

So let me show you how this works in real life…

Now that I’m back in school and working with clients, my time in the kitchen is budgeted (on time and pennies). I spent most of the day studying for an exam, well actually two exams, and my sister called to make plans for dinner. She had spent the day on campus and was tired too. Sometimes you just aren’t in the mood to cook a 3-course dinner.

Step 1: Get a grain going. Brown rice, quinoa, kasha, whateva – pour it into the rice cooker, hit the switch and let it do its thing. This usually takes the longest to cook so it’s a good idea to start this first.

Step 2: Decide on a protein. Beans are my typical go-to so I always keep a supply of canned beans in my pantry for these “I don’t wanna” days. Just remember to check the ingredients listed on the back of the can to make sure there aren’t any surprises. Experiment with new beans to keep your meals fresh. There are so many to choose from. On this particular evening, my sister came over with tempeh so that was our protein. We chopped it into cubes and tossed it with some spices (paprika, tumeric, etc.) and a little olive oil and popped it in the oven.

Step 3: Veggies, veggies and more veggies. Seriously, you can’t make enough vegetables. We steamed kale, cabbage and carrots. Frozen or fresh, it doesn’t matter. Just eat ‘em!

Step 4: Get saucy. Sure you can eat your rice, beans and veggies plain or you can add a little something on top to spice things up. The right sauce will not only add flavor, but more nutrients to your already nutrient-dense meal. We used split pea soup as our sauce that I had made earlier in the week. The soup is delicious and thick – makes for a perfect topping or is great all by itself. No time to make soup? Try some hummus or a few avocado slices instead. Or try my favorite avocado spinach sauce (pictured below).

Avocado Spinach Sauce

Ingredients:

1 avocado

2 tablespoons tahini

Juice from 1 lemon

Parsley – small handful (optional)

Spinach

Directions:

Start by blending the avocado, tahini, lemon juice and parsley. Then add a small handful of spinach and water – it’s easier to blend if you add the spinach gradually. Stop to blend after each handful of spinach. Keep adding water and spinach until you get the flavor and consistency that you want.

Now doesn’t that look pretty and colorful!

So there you have it. Clean, simple, real, good food made on the fly. You are what you eat and who doesn’t want to be clean, simple, good and real, right?

Lets start with the basics. What is gluten? Gluten is a protein found in wheat and other grains. Similar proteins in barley (hordein) and rye (secalin) are generally added to the gluten umbrella since they can also cause adverse reactions in those who are gluten-intolerant. Gluten is tough and sturdy which explains why cakes, breads and cookies have their solid and uniform structure.

Being tough and sturdy has its downside – it is difficult to digest! On one end of the spectrum is celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder in which the person is extremely sensitive to gluten and the autoimmune system responds by causing damage to the small intestine and an inability to absorb some nutrients from food. On the other side (and much more common than celiac disease) is gluten-intolerance in which the person suffers from fatigue or general lack of well being from consuming gluten.

Ok – so why the buzz?

First of all, celiac disease and gluten-intolerance is on the rise. Weston A. Price estimates that celiac disease affects 1% of the US population. According to Better Nutrition, gluten-intolerance affects one in seven. It is important to see a doctor if you think you might have celiac disease or some level of gluten-intolerance.

It’s no wonder that more and more of us are getting stomachaches when we eat gluten. Gluten is used as a thickener or filler in many processed foods. Cooking for yourself is the only way to really know what is in your food. Even Weston A. Price agrees, “homemade is always best”.

So is being “gluten-free” healthier if you aren’t gluten-intolerant? Nope. Gluten-free snacks and baking mixes still have fat and sugar like their gluten-containing counterparts. Eliminating processed foods, whether they contain gluten or not, is really the way to go if you are looking for a health boost. Just like with any fad diet, “gluten-free” will eventually fade away and be replaced by something else.

Fad diets don’t work in the long run because they are quick fixes and never address the underlying problem. The key to long-term health and weight management is finding what works for you for the long haul, and I can promise you it doesn’t come in a box. 

Pop quiz – which has more protein per calorie; oatmeal, ham or a tomato? You may be surprised to learn that all three items actually have the same amount of protein per calorie. However, you get added benefits from the oatmeal and tomato (fiber & disease-fighting nutrients) and no benefits from the ham, just cholesterol and saturated fat. [Eat To Live]

We get protein from vegetables, legumes, seeds, nuts and grains – not just animal sources as many people believe. A diet rich in vegetables and nutrient-dense foods gives us all of the protein we need and as an added bonus we also get loads of fiber and phytonutrients. Phytonutrients can only be found in plants and they stimulate enzymes in the body that detoxify and eliminate carcinogens before they damage cells. Basically, they have great health protecting qualities. Many phytonutrients haven’t even been discovered yet so you can’t get them by taking supplements!

According to Joel Fuhrman, MD, “It is almost impossible to consume too little protein, no matter what you eat, unless your diet is significantly deficient in calories…. If there is a valid concern about protein consumption in America, it is that too many Americans are trying to eat more of it when they are already eating too much of it.”

Check out these common foods and their protein quantities.

Almonds (3 ounces) – 10g

Banana – 1.2g

Broccoli (2 cups) – 10g

Brown Rice (1 cup) – 4.8g

Chick Peas (1 cup) 15g

Corn (1 cup) – 4.2g

Lentils (1 cup) – 16g

Peas – frozen (1 cup) – 9g

Spinach – frozen (1 cup) – 5.4g

Tofu (4 ounces) – 11g

Whole Wheat Bread (2 slices) – 7g

* Provided by Joel Fuhrman, MD

Protein per 100 calories:

Romaine Lettuce = 11.6g

Broccoli = 11.2g

Kale = 9.46g

Sirloin = 5.4g

* Provided by Joel Fuhrman, MD

Notice how sirloin has the least amount of protein when compared to 3 green vegetables. Surprised? I was years ago.

Countless studies, most notably The China Study, one of the most comprehensive nutrition studies ever conducted, suggest that animal protein consumption is linked to many common cancers including breast and prostate cancers.  By reducing or eliminating animal proteins and increasing vegetable consumption in your daily diet, not only will you be reducing your cancer risk but you will also increase your vitamin, mineral, fiber, and antioxidant intake. 

Carbohydrates are one of the most misunderstood nutrients, an easy way to gain and lose weight and maintain your energy levels – the key is picking the right carbs.

I’ve come up with a few “rules” to help.

Not all carbs are bad for you

Many fad diets have scared us into thinking that we’ll blow up if we eat even the smallest bite of a carbohydrate. The fact is we need carbs for energy – they are our body’s preferred source of energy. We need carbohydrates, along with proteins and fats, to have a well-balanced and healthy diet.

Not all carbs are created equal

Complex carbohydrates like vegetables, fruits and whole-grains are the type of carbohydrates you should focus on including in your daily diet. So what exactly is a whole-grain? These are grains that have been produced from unrefined grain, which is grain that still retains its outer bran layers and inner germ and endosperm. Basically, these grains still have all of their nutrients (dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins). These grains will be absorbed more slowly into your blood stream, keeping your blood sugar level, which will keep your energy and mood free from spikes and crashes. This leads me to rule #3.

Avoid products that are “Enriched” or “Fortified”

Whole-grains are just that – whole. “Enriched” or “fortified” grains are refined or processed grains. They have become so processed that key nutrients were lost during the processing and now need to be added back. These are the grains that will make your energy unbalanced because they are absorbed into your blood stream very quickly.

Here are a few easy steps you can take to make sure you are eating the right carbs.

If it’s white, don’t take a bite

The color of your food is a good way to tell if it is made with refined grains. If it’s white, it’s probably refined, unless of course it’s cauliflower or any other white vegetable…

Read your food labels

Don’t you want to know exactly what is in your food? Take a look at the label. If the grain is whole it will likely be the first ingredient listed. Many whole grains (but not all) will use the word “whole” before the name of the grain. Common whole grains include quinoa, whole-wheat, millet, whole oats and brown rice.

Fruits and Vegetables are where it’s at

These guys provide more nutrients than whole-grains and should be your main source of carbohydrates. If you’re going to eat a grain, that’s fine – just make sure it’s whole and your portions are reasonable.

With all of the fad diets out there, it’s no wonder that carbohydrates are the most misunderstood nutrient! We know that carbohydrates are essential nutrients. The key is finding the right quality, quantity and proportion with proteins and fats in order to obtain optimal health. So stop being so scared of them and dig in!