Spring

12 Days

Monday, April 9th, 2012

 

12 days until my wedding day! Just 12 days. After a 16-month engagement it’s hard to believe my wedding day is actually almost here.

 

During the last few months, adding new posts on this site has been irregular at best and lately nonexistent. In between clients and my other health coaching commitments, my days have been packed with wedding planning, especially during the last few weeks when we officially hit the homestretch. From start to the almost-finish, I’ve honestly had a blast and I know many brides might not say the same about their own experience. Mainstream media tells us that planning a wedding includes smiles, laughter and love accompanied by anxiety, tears and arguments.

 

When Ryan and I decided to celebrate this milestone in our lives with our friends and relatives, I made a resolution to myself that I was not going to let this major event consume my life. We would keep logistics as simple as possible, keep stress to a minimum and remember everyday what we were actually doing, which was making a commitment in front of our family and friends to spend the rest of our lives together. A wedding should be beautiful and magical, and I’m sure mine will be, but to me, the marriage is more important. Among other things, a wedding is a celebration, a dance party and a happy occasion so it should be fun from the early planning stages through the last dance.

 

This doesn’t mean I never felt stressed or anxious while planning my wedding. I might be a health coach, but I’m still human. I just tried to keep things in check as often as possible and to the best of my ability. I’m naturally an anxious person and I think these 5 things have helped me keep my cool these last 16 months.

 

1. Limiting/Avoiding caffeine and sugar – It doesn’t matter if it’s tea instead of coffee, or sucanat instead of raw white sugar – my body is sensitive to all of it and any food that makes my body perk up unnaturally always makes me more anxious.

 

2. Being realistic about what I can accomplish each day – I set realistic goals every morning of what I want to complete. I love making lists, but what I love even more is crossing items off of my to-do lists!

 

3. Exercise most days of the week – This is a great outlet for me for any stress I’m feeling. A Bikram yoga studio near my house offers a great deal for first-time students and I’ve been able to go to a class 2 or 3 times a week for a very reasonable price. The heat totally clears my head because all I can focus on is my breathing and keeping sweat out of my eyes. My body is exhausted but relaxed after each class. On days that I can’t find time for a 90-minute yoga class, I make sure to get to the gym for a good cardio workout, stretching and occasional weight lifting.

 

4. Following a sensible diet – I’m not spending as much time as usual creating new recipes, but I am making sure that what I am eating is still clean, whole and delicious food.

 

5. Having a good support system – My mom and I have worked together side by side from day 1 of planning. I have also leaned on my sisters, cousin and girlfriends for good ol’ fashioned venting as well as guidance and advice for many things ranging from wedding bands, tuxedos and hairstyles.

 

So what does a soon-to-be bride eat? Usually a big bowl of greens, vegetables and beans topped with a homemade sauce, hummus or avocado. My family fondly nicknames these bowls of wholesome goodness “bachelorette bowls”. Like I said, simple but clean and naturally delicious food.

 

 

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (compliments of http://www.myrakornfeld.com/)

Ingredients:

2 heads garlic

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil plus a teaspoon for the garlic

4 roasted red ball peppers or 2 cups roasted peppers from a jar

2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

3/4 teaspoon

salt

black pepper

cayenne

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375  degrees. Peel away the excess paper on the garlic. Cut the top fifth off the heads and place garlic on top of a piece of foil. Drizzle about a teaspoon of oil and a pinch of salt over the exposed area. Cover with foil and bake for about 40 minutes, until softened. Let cool a few minutes. Squeeze the garlic into a blender jar.

Add the peppers to the garlic along with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and a pinch cayenne.

Blend until smooth. Taste and adjust salt if necessary.

Place in a small pot and heat just until warm.

Delicious on top of greens and other steamed veggies.

 


 

Mini Banana Muffins (sugar free)

Ingredients:

2 cups almond flour

3 very ripe bananas

2 eggs

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

 

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease mini muffin pan

Combine all ingredients and use electric mixer to blend thoroughly

Use large spoon to fill each muffin space ¾ of the way full

Bake for 30 minutes until tops are brown and firm

Cool before removing

 

Simple steamed veggies

 

Fresh vegetable juice

 

Life will be back to normal in May. Until then, wishing you all a wonderful start to Spring! Thanks for your patience and love.

Posted in Baking, Caffeine, Cooking Basics, Health Coaching, Self Care, Spring, Stress, Sugar, Yoga | No Comments »

Baking first thing in the morning? Sure, why not.

Tuesday, June 21st, 2011

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Life has been busy, especially since I moved to Cincinnati in March, but the last few weeks have felt really cranked up. I’m definitely not complaining – these are all exceptionally happy circumstances. I am almost done with the semester – my very last semester before my certification exams and the completion of my Master’s degree in Nutrition (wahoo!). But that means projects, papers, studying and finals. My mom was in town for a few days to help me with some projects in the new home and to go wedding dress shopping (happy to say that I finally found a dress!).  So you get the idea. Busy. Busy.


I picked up a few zucchinis at the farmer’s market with the intention of making zucchini bread, but by the end of each day it never managed to happen. On top of all my other responsibilities sometimes the “nice to do’s” like zucchini bread easily get tossed onto the to-do list for the next day, then the next day… Am I alone here?


Well I finally had enough, plus I was getting worried that the zucchini was going to go bad soon, so this morning as soon as I woke up I headed to the kitchen and took care of business. It only took 15 minutes to prepare and then it was in the oven. Yes, working from home has its advantages, but even if I was heading out to an office I could have showered and put myself together in the amount of time the zucchini needed to bake and pop it out of the oven on my way out.


Baking in the morning may seem a little unconventional, but hey, now I have some yummy bread made with real ingredients to enjoy and I didn’t waste any food.


Here’s the recipe.


Ingredients:

1 cup almond flour

3 cups rolled oats, processed in blender to create flour consistency

1 large zucchini, grated with skin intact

1 cup honey

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon arrowroot powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Grease bread pan

Combine dry ingredients in bowl and mix well

Add honey and mix with spoon until ingredients are completely blended

Pour batter into bread pan

Bake for approximately 50 minutes or until top is golden brown and inside is fully cooked (stick a toothpick to test)

Allow to cool completely before slicing and serving

Posted in Baking, Cincinnati, Eating Local, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

My first trip to the Farmer’s Market in Cincinnati

Sunday, June 19th, 2011

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In mid-April the farmer’s markets opened in Asheville, NC. In case you hadn’t heard, Asheville is notorious for their cuisines and sustainable lifestyle. Needless to say, I was spoiled rotten in the food department when I lived there for two and a half years. As much as I love Cincinnati and have been enjoying this new adventure, I miss the food in Asheville – the grocery stores, restaurants and farmer’s markets…unbelievable and so affordable! Talk about a win-win!


Anyways, imagine my surprise when I learned that the farmer’s market closest to my new home wasn’t scheduled to open until mid June! Spring is the best season to eat seasonally, in my opinion anyway, so I am thrilled that the market is finally open.


A trip to the Hyde Park Farmer’s Market makes for a really wonderful Sunday morning. From speaking to the vendors I learned that this is the first year the market is in the Hyde Park square – previously the market took place in a nearby parking lot. So it’s a good sign that this market is growing. Yea Cincinnati!

 

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The market is small enough that you can walk through it fairly quickly, but large enough that you have enough options of local vegetables. There are a few booths for baked goods, one booth for coffee, another booth for crepes and waffles, kumbucha and other fermented goodies, and lots of vegetables.


At the market I was introduced to garlic scapes, which are part of garlic plants. Garlic grows underground and the bulb starts out soft. When it gets harder, this is the garlic that we recognize in the grocery stores. A shoot pokes through the ground, which is long, green, thin and curls. As growth continues, the scape hardens and transforms from green to the white color of a garlic peel. Here is some more information if you are curious.

 

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The flavor is incredible. It’s not as sharp as garlic, and has a softer but richer garlic flavor. We cut them up and put them in a stir-fry with other local veggies from the market and it was delicious. The farmer had a sample of garlic scapes on display with sautéed onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, which I imagine tasted pretty awesome.

 

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If you’ve tried this delicious vegetable before and know what I’m talking about, I would love to hear about your experience.

 

Here are some other goodies that we got at the farmers market. Do you see the dirt on the lettuce and how different the eggs look from what you find in your grocery store?

 

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Shopping for food in a farmer’s market is such a different experience from the grocery store. I love farmer’s markets for many reasons, but one of the most important reasons is that I have learned how to reconnect with my food – I am reminded of how many hands are involved in this process and I am grateful.

Posted in Cincinnati, Community, Eating Local, Meat, Spring | 2 Comments »

Drink up!

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

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Pools are open, teachers and students are counting down until the school year is over, wedding season is in full swing, and the sound of lawnmowers fill the air in my otherwise quiet neighborhood. This can only mean one thing – summer time, baby! Yea! Even though the summer solstice (Here’s a quick refresher – that’s the longest day of the year because the Sun reaches its most northern point in the sky. After summer solstice, the days start getting shorter.) isn’t until June 21, the heat is already up, the sun is already out, and we are, hopefully, already spending more time outdoors and moving around. This is the perfect opportunity for me to talk with you about something super important to our health and well-being that often goes unnoticed but can make a huge difference in how you feel. Drinking water!


Let’s start with a little background information. Our bodies are about 75 percent water and water is needed for many essential functions in our body like transporting nutrients, neurotransmitters and hormones. Water helps our body’s cells maintain their structure and proteins and enzymes (the catalyst for many body reactions) function efficiently. These vital functions may be decreased or even lost if our bodies are chronically dehydrated.


When our body is not receiving enough water, it relies on a water-rationing system to make sure that our vital organs have enough water to function properly. The neurotransmitter, histamine, redistributes water throughout the body. The order of circulatory importance is the brain, lungs, liver, kidneys and glands. The muscles, bones and skin are at the bottom of the list. When histamine becomes active to jump-start our water-rationing system, we experience symptoms that are misunderstood for other disorders like allergies, asthma, constipation, joint pain and migraines. Dry mouth or thirst is actually not the first sign of dehydration!


There is no substitute for water. Soda, caffeinated drinks including coffee and tea, and alcohol are diuretics, resulting in more water lost than the amount consumed. Heartburn, back pain, migraines, arthritis, dyspepsia, fibromyalgia and angina may all be related to chronic dehydration. Dehydration is the biggest trigger of daytime fatigue, nausea, headaches, lethargy and constipation.


The easiest way to know if you’re drinking enough water or if you’re dehydrated is to look at the color of your urine. Urine that is “very pale yellow”, “pale yellow” or “straw colored” indicates that you’re well hydrated.


So get outside, enjoy the warm weather, move your bodies, but don’t forget to drink water!

Posted in Spring, Summer | 2 Comments »

Spring Time Pasta

Monday, May 2nd, 2011

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I’m thrilled that the end of my Master’s program is finally in sight, but since I’m taking more classes this semester than I have since I was an undergrad, my plate is fully loaded and time management is more important than ever. Leftovers are key. This pasta dish will take care of us for a few meals. The light garlic-based sauce and green veggies make it perfect for spring.

 

Ingredients:

8 ounces whole grain, whole wheat, brown rice or quinoa pasta – I used Ancient Quinoa Harvest spaghetti style pasta

2 heads garlic cloves, peeled (about 25-30 cloves)

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 head broccoli, chopped

½ cup fresh peas

3 kale leaves, finely chopped

12 cherry tomatoes, halved

Grapeseed oil

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place garlic cloves on tinfoil and drizzle with grapeseed oil. Enclose the garlic in the foil and roast until tender – about 25 minutes.

Fill a medium-size pot with water and bring to a boil. Cook broccoli, cherry tomatoes and peas for about 90 seconds and strain. Rinse with cold water. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package instructions. Before you strain the pasta, add chopped kale and cook for remaining 1 or 2 minutes. Strain pasta and kale.

Use a blender to puree the roasted garlic, vinegar, lemon juice and extra-virgin olive oil.

In medium pot, add strained pasta, broccoli, peas, cherry tomatoes and kale. Pour sauce and coat evenly. Serve warm.

Posted in Quick & Easy, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Spring Means Greens!

Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011

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It’s officially spring! Even better, it actually feels like spring! Bring on the flip flops and sundresses! Ok, ok, may be I am getting a little ahead of myself…but what we can talk about right now, at the start of spring, are green veggies – specifically dark leafy greens.


Mother Nature knows that we gain weight when it’s cold out; this used to be a mechanism of survival, and spring is a time to shed our coats, literally and figuratively. Leave it to Mother Nature to provide us the perfect antidote for the harshness of the winter season – spring and all of the gifts that come with it!


Spring is a time of growth and renewal. It’s time to clean out those dust-bunnies, both in our homes and bodies! Green vegetables are the foods most missing in modern diets. Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorous, zinc and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are crammed with fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other important micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.

 

Benefits from eating dark leafy greens:

* Alkalizing

* Blood purification

* Cancer prevention

* Improved circulation

* Strengthened immune and respiratory systems

* Promotion of healthy intestinal flora

* Improved liver, gallbladder and kidney function

* Cleared congestion, especially in the lungs, by reducing mucus (Where are my allergy sufferers?!?)


So you get it. Greens are important. But how can you incorporate them into your daily routine? Here are my top two favorites.


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Try green juice or a green smoothie. Blend raw greens with fruit and water for the perfect start to your morning or as an afternoon snack. Juicing is a great way to load up on nutrients that are easily digested and immediately absorbed into your bloodstream. This “liquid nutrition” provides an instant shot of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, protein and oxygen. To avoid a blood sugar spike and to maximize the benefits of juicing, use three vegetables for every piece of fruit. Drink your juice or smoothie on an empty stomach and wait at least 30 minutes before eating solid food to maximize the digestive process.


In case you’re wondering, buying a pre-packaged bottle at the store isn’t the same thing and provides very little, if any, benefit. Pasteurized juices are cooked at a minimum of 145 degrees and have a longer shelf life, but lack the enzymes needed to make any positive impact on your health. If you check the ingredient list, I bet you’ll also find lots of artificial stuff added to your juice like sweeteners, colors, flavors and preservatives.


I’m loving this recipe for my morning green smoothie.

Ingredients:

3 stalks of kale

About 4 inches of a cucumber chopped into slices

1 banana

A handful of frozen blueberries

1 cup of water


Directions:

Tear kale into big pieces and place into a blender. Add remaining ingredients and blend thoroughly.

Pour into glass. Add some ice to your glass if you prefer it chilled.

 

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Make greens the main part of your meal. Notice how much space the greens take up on the plate compared to the rice and fish. This southern-style inspired greens recipe is very flavorful and can go with just about anything. I added a spoon full of brown rice and salmon baked with garlic and lemon juice. Simple and delicious. Who says you have to be a gourmet chef to make a tasty meal?


Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth

1 head collard greens

1 head swiss chard

1 red onion, coarsely chopped

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

2 teaspoons paprika

3 cloves garlic, chopped


Directions:

Pour vegetable broth into large pot and add high heat

Chop onion and garlic. Add it to the pot.

While the broth, onion, garlic mixture is heating, get started on the greens. Remove the stems and cut the leaves into large bite size pieces.

Once the broth is boiling, turn the heat on low. Add the paprika and apple cider vinegar.

Add the greens and use a spoon to coat the greens in the broth. The greens should start to wilt.

Simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.

Posted in Digestion, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »

Asparagus Hummus

Friday, July 23rd, 2010

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Is it just me or is hummus becoming more popular by the day? It’s a staple at any hors d’œuvre table, the perfect topping for any sandwich, and hits the spot for a mid-afternoon snack with most fruits or vegetables.


Hummus is not only versatile but good for you too! The chickpea is a bean, and we all know that beans provide an excellent alternative to meat for protein. Plus you get a whole bunch of other good stuff you from beans that you can’t find in meat (antioxidants and fiber to name a few). I think that chickpeas sometimes slide under the radar of the bean “stigma” because they are used to make hummus, and who doesn’t love hummus. The formula may change, but the foundation is always the same – chickpeas, tahini and olive oil.


Hummus is one of my favorite foods and I love how popular it has become. Growing up I don’t think most of my friends knew what hummus was and I felt that it never tasted as good as it did in Israel. Now the manufacturing companies are getting the hang of it. My hummus “habit” can get pretty expensive with the frequency that I like to eat hummus so I now make it at home. It’s a lot less expensive, plus I don’t have the preservatives and other chemicals that many food companies add to preserve “freshness”, which is kind of ironic.


This recipe is for asparagus hummus. Swap the asparagus for another vegetable for variety or skip the extra vegetable all together for the old-school style hummus.


Ingredients:

3.5 cups Chickpeas, cooked or canned

½ cup tahini

2 cloves of garlic

1 bunch asparagus, steamed and chopped

1.5 teaspoons paprika

½ cup olive oil

½ cup water

½ teaspoon sea salt


Directions:

Combine ingredients in blender or food processor and combine thoroughly

Posted in Quick & Easy, Recipes, Snacking, Spring, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | No Comments »

Asparagus Tabouli

Friday, June 11th, 2010

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I have never had a session with a client where we did not talk about cravings. Our cravings are not something to ignore. There are many reasons why we have them, but one that we often forget about is our ancestry. Where we come from, and the foods our ancestors used to eat can play a role in the type of foods we crave today.


Many of the foods that I crave most can be traced back to my Middle Eastern roots. For example, tabouli used to be a favorite before my UC diagnosis. Tabouli is a very popular Middle Eastern salad, but is typically made with wheat (bulgur), which is a substance that my body does not digest well anymore. When I came across a tabouli recipe on 101cookbooks.com, I decided it was time to try my own version of tabouli.


To satisfy cravings for foods of your ancestors, try a healthier version. This tabouli recipe has a similar consistency to the Middle Eastern favorite, but is a little more nutrient dense. Asparagus is in season right now and is an excellent source of vitamin K, folate and vitamin C. It is good for the heart and digestive system. Asparagus makes a great snack – I like to dip it in hummus, go figure.


Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa, cooked

1 bunch asparagus, chopped into ½ inch pieces

1 cup frozen or fresh peas (not canned)

1 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped


Sauce:

Juice of 1 lemon

¼ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 teaspoons brown mustard

1 teaspoon water (if desired)


Directions:

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil.

Boil asparagus pieces and peas for 30 seconds – just enough so they soften outside but remain crunchy on the inside.

Strain and let cool.

While the asparagus and peas are cooling, combine lemon juice, extra virgin olive oil, and brown mustard in a small bowl. Add 1 teaspoons of water to get desired consistency.

Combine asparagus, peas, quinoa, and chopped walnuts into large bowl.

Stir in dressing and serve.

Posted in Digestion, Health Coaching, Quick & Easy, Recipes, Snacking, Spring, Ulcerative Colitis, Vegetarian / Vegan, Wheat Free | 1 Comment »