A Case Against Coupons

“American food-and-beverage producers spend $36 billion annually to advertise and market their products, but practically none of this goes to promote fruit and vegetables—a few million dollars a year compared to the tens of hundreds of millions used to promote any single soft drink, candy bar, or breakfast cereal.” ~ Marion Nestle, What to Eat

I admit it; there is a frugal side to me. In graduate school, I not only read the SundayNew York Times, but also read the local paper just so I could clip coupons. And I used those coupons too for everything from toilet paper to canned soup (ick—I can’t believe I used to unknowingly consume MSG). Anyway, you would think that I would ditch frugality once I learned how to eat healthier, but I did not do so immediately. I did refrain from clipping Sunday paper coupons because I didn’t eat that stuff anymore nor did I use chemically-laden beauty products. Instead though, I would jump at a product in the natural food section of the grocery store that had coupons on the box (and I confess, I’d grab a couple off from other boxes as well). I’d also readily grab those little booklets of coupons that highlight organic foods (not just one or two booklets, but like five). I did this up until about six months ago.

I would look through my coupons every time I wrote my grocery list. I’d add two boxes of Kashi cereal to my list because I HAD A COUPON! I’d add two boxes of Cascadian Farms granola bars because I HAD A COUPON…and so on. Then one day, I reflected on this and decided to ban coupons from my life. You never see coupons for produce (okay, maybe once in a while you’ll see one for bananas, but first you have to buy a sugar-laden cereal that is made with genetically engineered corn. No, thank you.). And those organic food-focused coupons, those are no good either. Why? They get you hooked on processed food. Do you notice that you usually have to buy two or three of something to get a discount? I don’t know about you, but if I didn’t have a coupon, I certainly wouldn’t buy two or three boxes of granola bars!

Since I’ve weaned off my coupon addiction, I rarely crave processed food. I’d take homemade granola over boxed cereal any day! And fruit and veggies have become my favorite snacks. I kid you not. Am I still frugal? Yes, I am when I have to be; hey, I’m not rich! In my next couple blogs, I will share with you ways that you can eat outstandingly healthy and still SAVE!

You Ain't Gonna Find a Cucumber Like This at Whole Foods

I remember when I first discovered Whole Foods; it was the summer of 1999, a few years before I began my adventure into holistic nutrition counseling. I was in complete awe of the fruit and vegetable arrangements; the beauty of the peppers in orange, red, yellow, and green stacked to perfection astounded me. I had a friend who lived near Whole Foods and was completely irritated to learn that she couldn’t get Crisco there; I thought the concept was kind of cool and that was before I even learned that Crisco was nothing more than trans fat grossness!

So at first, I thought Whole Foods was pretty darn awesome even though it didn’t quite welcome those with budgets like mine; I was a graduate student after all and absolutely agreed with the nickname “Whole Paycheck.” As I began to learn the differences between organic and conventional vegetables and fruits, I developed an aversion toward Whole Foods. I could not BELIEVE that they made people believe that because they shopped there, they were eating healthier foods, when in fact, the majority of their food was pesticide-laden conventional foods. Yes, they do offer plenty of organic, but it’s not all organic.

At any rate, I recently bought the most delicious, organic cucumber I have ever had. Where did I get it? I bought it from my CSA, Wyllie Fox Farm, for $1.00. It was so big that I was able to use it in two different salads. Try this recipe. So delicious. And to think, you can get such a gorgeous cucumber for less than a cup of coffee, isn’t that great?

Brent shows off our awesome cucumber!!!

Shannon’s Dilly-Wonder Salad:

Ingredients:

SALAD

- 1 cucumber sliced thinly (or in the case of a cucumber as big as mine, you only need half)

- 5 cups baby salad mix

- 1 cup shredded carrot

- ½ cup chopped dill

DRESSING

- ¼ cup lemon juice

- 4 Tablespoons olive oil

- ¼ teaspoon Herbamare or sea salt

- 2 Tablespoons agave nectar

- Ground pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix the salad ingredients together. Toss in the dressing.

Supermarket Blues

Usually, I write enthusiastically and I attempt to inspire and encourage you all to jump on the healthy lifestyle bandwagon. I apologize in advance that this blog entry is more of a blues-song-type entry. It’s going to be a free-write of complaints, but knowing myself, I may just be able to turn it around in the end.

I hate grocery shopping; I really do! If I had my druthers, I’d live on a farm and grow my own food and would barter with nearby farmers for various organic goodies. But, we can’t all live that way; it’s quite unrealistic. And the urbanite in me would miss the city!

Why do I hate grocery shopping though? Because I’m CONSTANTLY reminded of how our food is so chemical-based, so industrialized. I’m sorry, but the thought of eating food that’s packaged in an assembly line grosses me out. I want food that is as natural as can be; that’s given to us from Mother Earth. Food is supposed to nourish us, not poison us!

I cook almost all of my meals and I do get the majority of my food from the farmer’s market, but like you, I’m busy and I need some easy options. The other night my husband mentioned this cannellini bean, collard green, and rice recipe I used to make with Trader Joes Goddess Dressing. Well, we no longer live in driving distance to a Trader Joe’s. I can’t tell you exactly what’s in Trader Joe’s goddess dressing, but I’m a manic label reader so when I used to get it, it had to have been of decent quality.

My search for a healthy goddess dressing, or ANY dressing for that matter was so horribly disappointing! Soybean oil as the first ingredient---c’mon, if we want non-homemade dressing, we have to poison ourselves with genetically modified soy? And if it did not have soybean oil, it had canola oil, which is such a scam. Canola isn’t even a plant; this oil comes from the rape seed and the company who created it (Mazola) created it in Canada, so they called the oil a more appealing name, canola oil! What happened to good ol’ heart-healthy olive oil? To my dismay, I had to make this dish without goddess dressing, but it still tasted delicious with dulse and herbes de Provence sprinkled in it for flavor!

That was such a disappointing trip to the super market. And don’t even get me going about breads. High-fructose corn syrup? Enriched wheat flour? How much more processed can they get? I stick to the bakery for now, but I’m inspired to go back to my bread-making days! And all the pre-packaged hummus out there is made with canola oil! C’mon! I remember when they used to make it with olive oil! But canola (ummm…I mean rape seed) is genetically modified, government subsidized and cheaper, so they use that instead! So, needless to say, I have befriended my food processor and make my own hummus again!

It’s hard, isn’t it? When you prioritize your health, you have to devote a lot of time to it! BUT if we consumers keep demanding QUALITY, maybe we will see the tide turn! Maybe we can start a revolution!!! Please join me in these efforts! And if you know of a non-homemade quality goddess dressing or hummus, comment here and let us all know! And all you Californians and residents of super-eco-conscientious communities, I envy you! I even miss my NYC days and the abundance of natural health resources!

How NOT to Neglect Fruit and Veggies

Do you ever go an entire day without eating more than maybe one or two meager servings of fruit and veggies? I have! Once you’re used to nourishing your body, the effects of fruit and veggie neglect can feel awful rather quickly…slumping energy levels, major lack of motivation (do I really need to go the gym today?), and tendency to downward spiral into an unhealthy eating pattern every day. Don’t allow this to happen to you! Here are some easy ways to get in your fruits and veggies.

• Add berries to your morning cereal.

• Add sliced cucumber, alfalfa sprouts, parsley, or cilantro to your sandwiches.

• Keep a fruit bowl filled with seasonal fruit in your home and at your office.

• If you have limited time to whip up a healthy dinner, do the pasta thing, but add shredded carrots and shredded zucchini. This is one reason why I have fallen in love with my Cuisinart food processor.

• Keep some dried fruit on hand (make sure they are sulfate-free); have them combined with some raw nuts to keep your blood sugar balanced.

• Aim for originality when snacking. Lately, I’ve been buying the pre-washed and trimmed snap peas, which I keep at the office and eat with hummus.

• Try juicing or smoothie making! I do this whenever I need a major veggie or fruit boost. Awesome for detoxing after a weekend of unhealthy eating (or drinking).

Five Healthy, Tasty Alternatives to Common Food Choices

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.

As Promised - My Betther than Rice-n--Beans Recipe

This is a quick meal I prepared after becoming quite hooked on whole grains again during my quasi-10-day cleanse. Because I only had 1 cup of quinoa and 1 cup of millet in my pantry, I decided to mix the two and was extremely pleased with the result. This is better than rice any day! This meal was made with some healthy prepared foods (like canned beans and salsa), so it's excellent for those nights when you want to make something quick and easy. And don't let these whole grins intimidate you. They are widely available in most grocery stores, especially those with a decent organic section.

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of millet rinsed
- 1 cup of quinoa rinsed
- 4 cups of water
- 2 cans Eden brand Aduki beans, drained
- 1 jar of organic salsa of choice (I like Newmans)
- 1 zucchini chopped in small cubes and steamed for 5 minutes

Directions: Bring quinoa, millet and water to a boil in water. Once boiling, turn to a simmer. Simmer for 25 minutes. Immediately transfer grains to a big mixing bowl and fluff with a fork. Add beans, salsa and zucchini, and voila! You can add a small amount of part-skim cheddar if you are a cheese fan…and put it in a tortilla if you are more in the mood for a burrito. Any way you have it; this is a tasty, easy way to get in good, hearty whole grains.

Q+A # 1: Produce Junction --Yeah or Nay?

I have been receiving a plethora of emails lately with questions from prior clients and/or community members asking basic questions about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. I have decided to feature some of these Q+As on my blog in hopes of helping many people understand some simple steps they can take to achieve a helathy lifestyle.

Question: I have a huge dilemma. Produce Junction just opened near me. I can get bulk produce, fruits, and flowers for such low prices. For instance, 3 lbs of carrots = $2; carton strawberries = $1.50; 3 huge romaine lettuce = $2; 3 huge beets = $1; 3 bunches bananas = $1; 6 small avocados = $1.

Since the opening of the store, I've been going there religiously, often splitting the bulk produce with my friend. With prices like this, I eat tons of salads, brushed off the dust from my juicer to make green juice, and afford to throw all sorts of fruits into my smoothies. One problem... I don't see the magic word "organic" anywhere!

So this is my dilemma, I can now eat tons more fruits/veggies but they're not organic vs. eat minimal amounts of fruits/veggies but are organic. I know about the sermons on why we should eat organic and I have been since you educated me but... I have the opportunity to buy tons of produce for such little money. I've never been in the position to eat this much green before in my life, WITHOUT breaking the bank. These financial times are making the scale tip towards buying bulk fruits/veggies to get as much greens into the diet as I can. Ugh... help.

Answer:

Dear Hooked on Produce Junction:
You are not alone. I have heard dozens of people rave about the low cost of produce from Produce Junction. I know how difficult these financial times are for the majority of us and yes I do think the more veggies and fruits you can eat, the better your overall health will be for years to come.

With that said, I do have some concerns with those fruits and veggies you get from Produce Junction. I will address these concerns and will offer you a smarter way to shop at produce Junction if you choose to continue doing so and will offer a couple of alternatives to shopping at Produce Junction.

My first concern is that all the produce at Produce Junction comes pre-packaged. In this day and age, regardless of our financial hardships, we have to try to be as green as possible. Think of the millions of gallons of fossil fuel used to produce all of that packaging!

I have also heard stories of many people finding that half of the pre-packaged fruit from produce Junction to be rotted and they end up throwing it away. So is that really a value? I would say no.

If you can get past the thought of all of the pre-packaging, then continue shopping at Produce Junction but do so in a smarter, healthier fashion. The biggest step to take is to AVOID purchasing the conventional foods that have been ranked to have the most pesticides: Find out here: http://www.foodnews.org. There are fruits and veggies that are okay to purchase conventionally here too (those with the least amount of pesticides), including tropical fruits, avocados, and onions. And I have to admit the prices you found for avocados is unbeatable! If they are already getting soft, be sure to store them in the fridge to keep them fresher longer. Avocados are extremely healthy in this day and age to in order to get a good dosage of mon-unsaturated fats and a decent amount of Omega-3s.

I think the best alternative to your weekly shopping trips to Produce Junction is to join a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). From May until November, you will be able to get fresh local produce for a VERY low cost. This also forces you to get creative with your food prep and cooking. It becomes exciting to get new fresh produce every week! Find out about CSAs near you by visiting http://www.localharvest.org.

Lastly, I want to express deep empathy for all of those who are suffering in this tough economy. It’s impacting all of us. However, our health should honest-to-God continue to be our # 1 Priority. By eating healthfully today, we can ward off diseases like cancer and heart disease. So, in the long run, we can save a lot of money and we can likely protect ourselves from extreme suffering. When you get a chance today, I encourage all of you to make a list of what you can do for your health today. Are you constantly bombarded with worries? I’d encourage trying yoga or meditation or going for a peaceful walk. Are you eating out a lot? I’d encourage you to try some simple recipes and cook at home. You will save tons of money this way too.

Hang in there everybody! We will get through this together!!!

Finding Europe in the U.S.A.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am equally obsessed about healthy eating and green living: always desperately in search for the freshest food and constantly tweaking my lifestyle in a way that will be kinder and gentler to our earth. My latest effort has been a grand attempt to avoid purchasing plastic. For those of you who take my classes, you know that I refuse to buy plasticware so you taste my food samples using real silverware.

My deep love for Europe stems from the fact that I have always found fresh organic produce in open-air markets whether in Paris, London, Florence, or small towns throughout Switzerland. And I actually loved the fact that a dear friend of mine was reprimanded for not having a shopping bag with her years ago when we were grocery shopping in Ireland. I love that my friend in Paris dries her clothing on a dry wrack and bicycles everywhere. It seems that everyone there has the same obsessions as me!

Yes, I have found communities throughout the United States that share my obsessions. I am incredibly happy that here in the Lehigh Valley, PA I have access to healthy organic local food with the abundance of farms in the area. Happily, my community also values recycling. Near my hometown in Central New York, Ithaca boasts an AMAZING farmer’s market and even has its own currency: Ithaca Dollars.

This past week I traveled to the Bay Area, California and it was dreamy. I praise that community for prioritizing healthy living and the planet. So many bike lanes and so many people commuting via bicycle…in the RAIN! Wineries, such as Frog’s Leap produce delicious organic, sulfite-free wines. The area in a sense “invented” local eating long before it became trendy. Alice Waters opened Chez Panisse in Berkeley in 1971 and from the very beginning provided only the freshest, local foods, as she was inspired by her dining experiences in Paris.

Then there are the small conscientious matters that may go unnoticed in the Bay Area. For example, Brent and I brought our own bags when we went shopping, but didn’t have a bag when we had an impromptu shopping excursion at Buffalo Exchange (where I got CUTE Dansko shoes for a mere $30). We had them pack all of our clothing into one plastic bag, and get this: it was biodegradable. Yes, at a clothing store! I was impressed.

Everywhere we ate there wasn’t only a garbage and recycle container to throw away your plates, bottles, cans, etc, but also there were containers to put away items that were biodegradable, and also a place to put stuff that could go into compost. I don’t think we had to throw one single thing into a garbage bin. Everything was biodegradable-plates, forks, cups; it was fantastic.

And the cherry on top is this: My friends Lizette and Jon took us to a bar in Oakland called Café Van Kleef. Now I’m not much of a liquor drinker but I must confess that their signature drink, a freshly squeezed greyhound, was divine. The grapefruit was so tasty and fresh – it was amazing.

So the next time I daydream about Europe…I know that in actuality I can get the same experience without leaving this continent! And the scenery Brent and I saw on our drives through Napa and on Highway 1 were quite comparable to many drives I’ve experienced in Europe.

The Importance of Keeping a Pantry

How often are your eating habits influenced by convenience? At the office you’re craving a snack and the vending machine is your only option. After a long day at work you opt for ordering in Chinese food or a pizza, or popping in a microwaveable meal, because it’s the easiest thing to do for dinner.

I’ll save “Eating Healthy at Work” strategies for another entry. For this entry, I’ll focus on keeping a pantry at home, so that no matter what, you can maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle.

I’ll use myself as an example. Below is a list of fresh, dry, and frozen goods that I always keep on hand. This strategy has benefited my husband and I tremendously. I can not tell you how many times we’ve been able to throw together a quick healthy meal, simply because we have a wonderful array of ingredients stowed away specifically for those “I’m too tired to shop or make anything elaborate” nights.

Dry Goods:
Red and green lentils (lentils cook super quickly and are loaded with protein and fiber)
Quinoa
Millet
Steel cut oats
Barley
Buckwheat
Almonds
Walnuts
Pistachios
Pecans
Filbert nuts
Raisins
Dried Cranberries
Sun-dried tomatoes
Various seaweeds (a quick and easy way to boost nutrients in a soup or salad)
Organic popcorn kernels (Brent makes a mean popcorn – and what a nice healthy snack it makes)
potatoes
Gnocchi
Soba Noodles
“Healthy” pastas (whole wheat, Jerusalem artichoke, quinoa pasta)
Nature’s promise whole wheat tortilla
Sprouted bread
Trader Joe’s pre-made polenta
Kashi Heart to Heart cereal

Jarred and Canned Goods:
Annie’s Gingerly Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
Canned beans (cannelloni, salad bean mix, refried beans, chickpeas, and red kidney beans)
Canned artichokes
Canned diced green chilies
Newman’s salsa
An organic spaghetti sauce
Organic tomato paste
Organic crushed tomatoes
Various Trader Joe’s Indian style Sauces
Low-fat coconut milk
Organic chicken broth
Organic vegetable broth

Fruit bowl:
Granny Smith apples
Bananas
A pineapple
Avocados

Condiments:
Agave nectar
Maple syrup
Rice vinegar
Balsamic vinegar
Apple cider vinegar
Bragg’s Liquid Amino Acids
Extra Virgin Olive oil
Lots of spices
Onions
Garlic

Refrigerated Goods:
Almond Butter
Fruit-juiced sweetened jams
Thai red curry paste
Mustard
Organic low fat plain yogurt
Rice milk
Trader Joe’s organic hummus
Free range eggs
Lemons
Limes
Organic red peppers
Carrots
Baby carrots
Organic salad mix
Organic baby spinach and/or arugula
Organic celery
Goat feta cheese

Frozen goods:
Spinach
Organic frozen pie crusts
Frozen veggie stir fry mixes
Frozen shrimp
Frozen fruit
Our sin: Always an organic, fair-trade dark chocolate bar for emergencies!

By keeping these things on hand, I always have something to whip up. The salad greens and sometimes the bananas and avocados are the only items that may not last an entire week. With these items in my pantry, I can easily whip up a quiche, chili, a barley and veggie soup, dahl, and Thai shrimp with red curry sauce to name a few things. If I’m super tired, I can resort to pasta and sauce (I usually throw in shredded carrots for good measure) or a refried bean burrito. For snacks, I like crudités with hummus, fruit, an almond butter and banana sandwich, and sometimes a fruit smoothie.

Improvisation in the Kitchen . . . and the result a Mediterranean Frittata!

My New Years Resolution this year is a simple one: really walk my talk. I am passionate about healthy eating and healthy living. I have committed so much time, attention and effort over the years to helping others prioritize their health and wellness. And I proudly assert that I usually prioritize my health and wellness too. But this year, I am going to do so with passion. 2009 is the year that I can say I transitioned my life into a most amazing balance. So what have I been doing so far: more yoga and meditation, retaining sermons from church, plenty of exercise, quality time with my family, friends, and dog, and lots more home cooking.

Home cooking all the time isn’t easy, trust me I know. It can be a challenge, but it’s one I take with joy! So, last night, after a long day of work, I was ready to make a quiche. In fact, for the past six months or so, I have made a weekly quiche. My pantry makes it easy; I always have healthy frozen pie crusts on hand, fresh farm eggs, low-fat organic plain yogurt, mustard, an organic cheese and vegetables. But last night, there was one dilemma: the yogurt I had was bad! Ack – what to do??!! It was already 8:00 PM; there was no way I was going to make a grocery store run! I improvised using what I had on hand…and this is what I came up with. It took a little more time and effort that a quiche, but it was in fact healthier, more wholesome, and oh so delicious!

Mediterranean Frittata
(Serves 4)

Ingredients:
- 6 farm fresh eggs
- 4 organic cloves of garlic minced
- 4 organic red potatoes, cubed
- 2 teaspoons dried mint
- 1 can artichokes, quartered
- 1 red pepper, diced
- Handful of Kalamata olives, chopped
- 3 packed cups of fresh organic spinach
- 2 Tablespoons of olive oil
- sea salt and pepper to taste
- 4 ounces of French sheep feta…YUM!

Directions:
First, chop the potatoes and then boil them for 10 minutes in a pot of water, until they are just about tender. Wile they are boiling, chop all other veggies. Drain the potatoes. Heail 1 Tablespoon of olive oil on an iron skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic. Stir for one minute. Add the potatoes and stir frequently for about 12 minutes or until they become almost crispy. Add the chopped red peppers and artichokes, stir for 5 minutes or until the peppers start to become soft. Add the mint, olives, and spinach. Stir well until spinach wilts. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Remove veggies from pan. Beat all six eggs (I did it in my Kitchenaid Mixer). Heat the second tablespoon of olive oil in the same iron skillet. Add eggs. Let cook over medium heat until eggs begin to solidify by top is still slightly liquefied. Pour vegetables over the eggs. Sprinkle with feta. Place skillet under your broiler for 5 minutes.

This was So so so tasty, and because it’s just Brent and me, we had it again for breakfast this morning!

Dumpling Heaven

The first time I ever had a dumpling was in the fall of 1999. My dear friend Rhonda and I decided to take a road trip from Philadelphia to Amish country. After a long day of sightseeing, we stopped off at

an Amish restaurant for dinner. As this was during my vegetarian phase, I was quite

disappointed that the only options open to me at the buffet were pickled corn and apple dumplings. Thankfully, the dumplings were very pleasing.

Since then I’ve had the desire to make dumplings. So much about the wonder of food is the texture. Texture is the reason why I am enamored with chickpeas, cassava, and grits…and dumplings! Can you believe it has taken me over nine years to make dumplings of my own? I was inspired by this tasty root veggie soup recipe from Eating Well. Root vegetables are very grounding and warming in the winter time. Such an awesome recipe. Aren’t root veggies so pretty?

Book Review: The Newman's Own Organics: Guide to a Good Life

Paul Newman may no longer be here with us, but he has left his activist mark on earth and I am ever so grateful for that. His presence is very apparent in my home. Brent and I use Fig Newmans, yes Newmans not Newtons for our cycling fuel! Sadie induldges in her Paul Newman peanut butter dog treats daily. I can thank Paul Newman for Sadie's latest skill - learning how to shake, with BOTH paws!

The recent passing of Paul Newman inspired me to grab a book off my shelf that I have skimmed through yet hadn't read fully. It's a book written by Paul Newman's daughter, Nell Newman. I ended up staying up that night to read the book in its entirety. The book is The Newman's Own Organics: Guide to a Good Life: Simple Measures that benefit you and the Place you Live. In the book, Nell shares with us how she convinced Paul of the importance of eating organically by surreptitiously preparing him an organic Thanksgiving meal. She brought an organic turkey and the "works" on a plane packed in ice from her California home to New England! Paul marveled the meal and Nell revealed to him that it was ORGANIC! And so began the Newman's product chain, an amazing company that donates all of its royalties to charities. And those Fig Newmans that I love so much were the first fig bars to ever use organic figs!

Okay on to the book review: This book is an essential guide, especially for the newbie environmentalist or the newbie holistic health enthusiast. Newman shares with you easy ways that you can lead a healthy lifestyle and simultaneously reduce your carbon and water footprints (buzzwords not of hers, but of the media these days). The chapters are organized by such topics as: food, transportation, shopping, pet care, and cleaning.

While I have wholeheartedly practiced many of her suggestions for years, I still found the book useful in reminding me of the importance of some practices that I have neglected to some degree. For instance, no longer am I a vegetarian and I am fine with that (my body and mind function way more optimally with some animal protein), but I was reminded of WHY a a primarily vegetarian based diet is better for the environment. Here's what Nell has to say "Producing meat and other animal products taxes our planet unduly. Seven calories of vegetarian food must be consumed to create a single calorie of animal protein. It takes the equivalent of seventy-eight calories of fuel to create a single calorie of feedlot beef. When you consciously choose to eat less meat and more grains, vegetables, fruit, and legumes, you are helping to reduce the burden of food production on the earth." Plus, you FEEL better when you eat more vegetables!

I have committed to some more environmentally-friendly practices since reading this book. For instance, when I put leftovers in the fridge, I now REFUSE to use plastic wrap. Instead, I put them in a container with a lid. If I am out of containers, I put the leftovers in a bowl with a plate over it.

Oh, and I was ever so pleased to find out that zucchini is a great snack for dogs. I've been giving it to Sadie for a while - and she loves it. I also give her the carrot pulp leftover from carrot juice making. Nell says that carrot juice itself is an excellent supplement for our doggie pals.

So if you are new to the environmental movement or a total know-it-all, I guarantee you will enjoy this book! Pick it up today! Try to find it in a USED bookstore or check it out of your library!

Getting Creative in the Kitchen

If you and your significant other need more intimacy, there's no better place than in the kitchen! Oops, sorry - that's not really where this blog post is going. This blog post is a response to my post last week, where I informed you that I'm dedicating myself to more cooking these days!

I thought it would be nice for me to share with you all the sort of dinners I usually create for my husband and I. Here's a look at last week. He actually made the dinners on Thursday and Friday, so he gets credit too! This way you can see how two BALANCED health freaks eat!

MONDAY: VEGETARIAN MEAL # 1: Indian dahl with prepackaged naan and steamed kale with sauteed garlic, 3 juicy fresh tomatoes chopped and olive oil. Dahl is so easy to make, saute a chopped onion in a generous amount of olive oil. Add 1 part lentils and two and a half parts water. Bring to a boil. Simmer and mix many times. Then season. I add cumin, Herbamare salt, ground pepper, a bit of cayenne pepper, and a sah of balsalmic vinegar (gives it a nice little bite).

TUESDAY: Thank you Eating Well. CHICKEN THIGHS WITH SCALLIONS, COLLARD GREENS, AND PEARS OVER BROWN RICE. If you've already clicked on the link to the recipe, you can see that I changed it up a bit. I like to do that. I didn't have currant jam, so I used lemon and it made quite a wonderful combination. I added the collard greens because this recipe defintely needed some more green. I used two pears instead of one and I used kuzu instead of cornstarch as it's a healthier alternative. And I simply enjoy scallions more than leeks! Might I add that this was my first time ever cooking chicken thighs, it took me about 40 minutes just to cut the fat off. I wasn't too grossed out though and the flavor of this dish was amazing. I couldn't imagine it with chicken breast instead of thighs.

WEDNESDAY: VEGETARIAN MEAL # 2 Thank you again Eating Well for the idea anyway. In their latest issue, there was a recipe for Sweet Potatoe and Red Pepper Pasta. It sounded tasty minus the pasta, so I put a healthy Moroccan spin on it and served it with millet instead (kind of like couscous), and I also added raisins, which added a VERY nice sweetness. Also, I used WAY WAY more parsely than they suggested in order to get in some more greens!!!

THURSDAY: This was an "easy night" for Brent and I. Both of us had crazy schedules, so we just threw together a "healthy" taco kit. We used ground turkey and added shredded lettuce from the farmer's market, chopped cherry tomatoes from the farmer's market, and sliced avocado. And we only used half of the spice packet - it still tastes fantastic and then we don't have all the added salt. We had a nice hearty mixed green salad on the side too. YUM!

FRIDAY: VEGETARIAN MEAL # 3" Brent's absolutely delicious homemade pizza. I can't say enough about his talent in pizza making. This time he used sauteed spinach, lots of garlic, basil, sauce (obviously), ricotta cheese, pecans and peaches!!! It was so tasty!

So, as you can see, we aren't PERFECT eaters, but we try very hard to get in healthy nutrients daily. Lately, we've been trying to do vegetarian meals every other night and it's working out quite well.

BACK TO THE ASHRAM

Are you curious about my blog title? What I'm referring to is not an actual ashram, but my home environment. I was away visiting my family in central New York for the past few days and now I'm back home and back to the grind (I hate that phrase, but it's true in a sense, I have A LOT of clients to catch up with, calls to return from organizations who would like to book me to speak at various functions, and many writing/editing deadlines to complete).

But the most important factor is that I feel RELAXED and FOCUSED. Some may say that it was my time away that rejuvenated me, but no, that's not it. My home soothes me. I'm burning Nag Champa incense. Brent made me a tasty omlette with fresh farmer's market tomatoes, asparagus, potatoes, basil, and olives. I'm eating the omlette over greens that I picked up when I was visiting my family. Finger Lakes lettuces are incomparable--I swear they're tastier than lettuces I've had in France, Italy, and Switzerland!

I'm drinking a big glass of water with sliced lemon. I'm playing ultra cheesy lifestyle music (thanks to satellite radio, which I'll thank even more when I change the channel---ahhh, even nicer, Celtic harp music). My shutters are open and a nice breeze is soothing me yet not blowing my papers all over the place. The flourishing house plants make me smile, and I'll feel even happier when we welcome a new doggie into our home.

How is your home environment? My clients sometimes look at me funny when I ask them such questions. "Aren't you supposed to be my nutritionist?" they may think. But I address nutrition holistically, which goes way beyond the food you eat. Healthy food is critical and is a BIG PART of achieving balance. Trust me, I wouldn't feel so relaxed and simultaneously focused right now if I were slurping down a diet coke and chomping on a cheeseburger!!! But beyond food, you want to feed yourself things that uplift you! A healthy home environment is KEY! How do you feel in your home? People are a part of your home too - make sure you nurture those relationships. If you are in a shaky roommate situation - get out! If you are living with a "former" significant other b/c you can't afford rent on your own, trust me, you'll feel a million times better if you get out and prioritze your health and sanity. Make your home your ashram; it feels amazing!