People sometimes have this misconception that I cook intricate, time-consuming, healthy meals every single night. Unfortunately, I do not; like many of you, my lifestyle is not conducive to that. I have a 9-5 job in addition to my holistic health counseling practice, my daily exercise regimen, and important relationships that I nouirsh. There are only so many hours in the day!
I'm very conscientious about not consuming a lot of packaged foods, but there are some options that are free of crazy additives. For this recipe, I use Trader Joe's light coconut milk and Thai Kitchen's red curry paste. Isn't that great that even the simplest meals can be healthy?! I like whipping up this Thai dish. So simple. Shannon's Simplest Thai (Serves two)
Get your rice cooker going with 1 cup brown rice and 2 cups of water!
Chop 2 heads of broccoli into small florets.
Steam the broccoli for 8 minutes
Meanwhile, rinse 18 pre-peeled and deveined shrimp
Chop 3 cloves of garlic into tiny pieces
Sautee garlic in 1 Tablespoon of sesame oil for 1 minute.
Add shrimp and cook until it turns pink.
Toss in broccoli.
Mix 1 Tablespoon of Thai red curry paste with 1/2 cup of lite coconut milk and pour over shrimp and broccoli.
Many of you already know that I am not a huge fan of soy. In fact, it really irks me when companies promote and tout soy as an ever-so-amazing health food. It's not; not the way we have come to use it here. Most soy products on the market today are genetically engineered--government subsidies have enticed farmers to convert many of their crops from “real food” to soy. What does this mean for food manufacturers? Because soy is a subsidized crop, it is CHEAP, so all packaged food companies jump on it and USE it! It is hard to find a packaged food product that does not contain soy.
Soy has harmed me personally. I was a vegetarian for 12 years. As I launched my career in holistic health back in 2002, I was simultaneously suffering from severe abdominal cramps that would at times paralyze me. After eliminating foods, I found that when I didn't eat soy, I didn't get those abdominal cramps! I had a soy intolerance! It was then that I became skeptical of soy. I learned that it wasn't healthy after all; that it raises estrogen levels and that because it's genetically engineered (when it's not organic), it can create a whole host of problems.
Interestingly, when I consumed soy, I had a horrible problem with ovarian cysts...and guess what? High levels of estrogen cause cysts! These days, I have eliminated all foods that have high estrogen levels (no more morning cups of Joe).
Today, seven years after my departure with soy, research continues to reveal the dangers in excess soy consumption. The latest: consuming large amounts could have harmful effects on female fertility and reproductive development.
I advise you to keep your soy consumption in check. If you are going to have it, choose the fermented types such as miso or tempeh and make sure it's organic! If you want to read more about the latest soy research, check out this article from Environmental Health News.
Earlier this week, I had one of those REALLY long days at work, where somehow, a million distractions came my way, and at the end of the day, my "To Do" list had maybe one or two things (out of 20 +) crossed off. I came home that night, and all I could think about was making a soup. Sometimes I am in no mood to make soup, as it does require a lot of effort (chopping and so forth). But there are times, when I think the meditative motions of chopping, slicing, peeling, etc. can be extremely therapeutic. I made this borscht recipe and served it warm with grilled cheese(organic local sharp cheddar on local multigrain). It's autumn and what better way to feed your body than with an antioxidant-rich soup? With the swine flu scares, we need to keep our immune systems strong!!! So this was a double-dose of therapy for me. Making the soup and consuming it!
Thanks to my friend Judy for sending me this recipe!
Russian Vegetarian Borscht
1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used extra virgin olive) 1 tablespoon butter (I used ghee) 1 onion, chopped (didn't have an onion, so I didn't use it) 3 medium size carrots, peeled and sliced (I used 5--more vitamin A) 1 small parsnip, cut into thin 2-inch strips (I used 3) 3 medium size beets, cut into thin 2-inch strips 2 large garlic cloves, finely minced (I used 6 cloves---great anit-viral properties) 1 bay leaf 1 tablespoon sugar (no sugar for me) 6 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I used 8 cups Pacific Mushroom broth) 1 small cabbage, cut into 2-inch chunks 3 medium size potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch pieces (I used 4) 1/4 cup tomato puree (I used 1/2 cup) Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste (no salt as there was some in the broth) 1/4 cup Balsamic or red wine vinegar Sour cream for accompaniment (I used yogurt) Directions: In a Dutch oven, heat oil and butter over medium heat and saute onion, carrots, parsnip and beets until onion is translucent.Stir in the garlic, bay leaf and sugar and cook for 30 seconds. Add broth, cabbage, potatoes and tomato puree, salt and pepper. Simmer, covered until vegetables are tender, about 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. To serve: Ladle cold soup into bowls and place a dollop of sour cream (or yogurt) on top. Serves 6.
Like many of you, the flu that is spreading like wildfire struck me! After several meetings with contagious co-workers, I contracted the flu despite my almost-obsessive efforts to prevent it (taking vitamin C, zinc lozenges, colloidal silver, vitamin A, eating tons of vegetables, and homemade chicken soup, washing my hands every half hour).
I had to live with Mr. Flu for about a week, but my symptoms were not nearly as severe as most people I know, probably due in part to avoiding sugar, drinking lots of kombucha, and continuing to eat a lot of vegetables.
The two things that comforted me the most were the Netti Pot and Epsom salts. Many grocery chains (like Whole Foods and Wegmans) as well as local health food stores sell Netti Pots. You fill it with warm water and add a teaspoon of sea salt (I’d add less at first because it can be harsh). You stand over a sink and tilt your head to one side, pouring the Netti into the nostril opposite the side you are tilting toward. The water will drain out the other nostril. And then repeat with the other nostril. This is such an effective method of decongesting your sinuses! Every night I took a hot bath, adding a cup of Epsom salts. Epsom salts have magnesium, which your skin will absorb, soothing aches and pains.
If you are struck with the flu, take good care of yourself. Nurse yourself back to better health; soon your blah feeling will be a distant memory!
Most of us know that the amount of calories, fat, sugar, and fiber we consume combined with caloric expenditure (i.e., exercise) play a large role in weight loss. The latest news is that Vitamin D plays a role in weight loss too. Turns out women with low levels of Vitamin D in their blood tend to be, on average, 16.3 pounds heavier than those women who have a sufficient amount of Vitamin D.
It's very difficult for your body to access vitamin D through food. Some food choices that help your body to produce vitamin D include: salmon, egg yolk, and fortified foods. Your body is better able to manufacture vitamin D when it is exposed to the sun for 10-15 minutes a day without sunscreen. Who knew?
We all hear about healthy alternatives to unhealthy food choices, but sometimes the tradeoff is taste. Who would ever want to trade in a delicious homemade chocolate chip cookie for one of those 100-calorie snack packs? Here are five delicious healthy alternatives to not-so-healthy common food choices.
1. Swap Spaghetti Squash for Pasta
Spaghetti is made from refined durum flour; and though tasty, it is a carbohydrate that is lacking nutritious qualities. Whole wheat, brown rice, and even quinoa pastas are available as an alternative, but the taste is definitely an acquired one. Good news: spaghetti squash is a delicious alternative to pasta. It looks like spaghetti and even tastes like spaghetti. Here are just some of the amazing nutrition facts about spaghetti squash: it’s high in dietary fiber, high in vitamin C and even boasts a fair amount of niacin, vitamin B6, potassium and manganese.
2. Swap Quorn™-style Chicken for Chicken
Sometimes eating chicken just gets old. Quorn™ has a vegetarian chicken substitute, which has less cholesterol, fat, and calories and more fiber than poultry. It is made from mycoprotein, a natural protein found in mushrooms. Don’t get me wrong skinless chicken prepared properly is a nice lean protein, but the best news about quorn is that it lowers cholesterol. Their mock chicken products eerily resemble the real thing. I was a vegetarian for 12 years and developed a soy allergy; this product is excellent for vegetarians because it is soy and meat free!
3. Swap Fruit Juice and Seltzer for Soda
Did you know that 16 ounces of soda has more than 10 teaspoons of sugar? And diet soda isn’t the answer either; researchers have discovered that diet sodas though calorie-free can make you gain weight. I satisfy soda cravings by mixing a mere three ounces of fruit juice with 12 ounces of seltzer water. One juice I particularly enjoy using in my concoction is V8’s V-Fusion Acai Mixed Berry.
4. Swap Grilled Portobello Mushrooms for Hamburgers
Red meat is okay to consume on occasion, but consuming it regularly can lead to high cholesterol, weight gain, and in the long-term, heart disease. A recent study conducted by researchers at John Hopkins University found that replacing high-density foods like red meat with low density foods like mushrooms could fight obesity. Grilled Portobello mushrooms have a delicious meaty taste. If I can get my meat-loving husband to devour a Portobello burger, they must be scrumptious!
5. Swap Baked Sweet Potato French Fries for French Fries
French fries are one sure way to increase your waist line, especially when they’re deep fried. Why not try baking sweet potatoes, a much healthier option. A recovering French fry addict who I know finds these sweet potatoes fries to be just as satisfying. They’re easy to make too—preheat the oven to 450 and simply cut a sweet potato in ¼ inch strips (keep the skin on for fiber). Toss the strips in a teaspoon of olive oil. Scatter fries on a baking sheet, sprinkle about ¼ teaspoon of sea salt over the fries and bake for 25 minutes or until crispy.
I created this recipe a couple of years ago as an alternative to commercial nutrition bars. I could only stand the Lara Apple Pie bars for so much longer. Since creating these, I have shared them with athletes that I coach and also with kiddies that I teach...and both groups LOVE them. They are high in protein and fiber. I will say that they are slightly high glycemic, so not the best choice for those who have diabetes. However, endurance athletes need high glycemic carbs and a decent amount of protein immediately before, immediately after and during (especially you cyclists out there) exercise to keep the energy levels stable and to prevent glycogen depletition. This is also a great snack to take when hiking! Sticky, but fun!!!
Ingredients:
- 1 ¼ cups Old Fashioned Rolled Oats
- 1 ¼ cup brown rice kipsie cereal
- ½ cup oat bran
- 3 Tbs ground flax (optional)
- ¾ cups nuts of choice
(dry roasted slivered almonds work great as do chopped walnuts or pecans)
- ½ cup dried fruit of choice
(dried cranberries or cherries have been favorites among many..dried mango is great..and sometimes I'll add in 1/4 cup of dried coconut when I use the mango)
- 1 cup brown rice syrup
- 1/8 cup date sugar, beet sugar, succanat, or natural cane sugar
- 2 Tbs vanilla extract
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl, except for the last three. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, heat the brown rice syrup with the “somewhat-healthy” sugar of choice until it boils. Remove from heat, add vanilla extract and mix well. Pour this over the dry mix and stir well. Pour the mixture into a non stick pan and flatten using a metal spatula with olive oil cooking spray sprayed on it. Let sit for 45 minutes and the cut into bars.
