tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52234072424411133472024-02-02T04:32:38.435-05:00What does your body good?Because drinking soda is soooo 1993.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.comBlogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-81599772681176835242009-03-25T11:19:00.003-04:002009-03-25T11:26:02.376-04:00We're moving folks. Pack your RSS feeds and let's go! There's a free giveaway on the other side.That's right, this is the last post for What Does Your Body Good. The site has been quite a happy success for me in the past year and a half as I've gone from newbie blogger and health-curious to actually creating a new life and business for myself. So, to celebrate we've undergone a huge makeover and name change – I hope you'll follow us to <a href="http://www.findyourbalancehealth.com">FindYourBalanceHealth.com.</a><br /><br /><b>When you get on over there you'll find out about my first blogger giveaway – a free Kripalu cookbook. Woohooo let's go people I've been working hard on this new site for ages :-)</b>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-1132746483259230202009-03-23T15:18:00.004-04:002009-03-23T15:50:10.324-04:00Easy Peasey Breakfast Bars and a blogger meetup<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3577/3380203330_3f3f66521f_o.jpg"><br />There are a lot of great recipes out there, but the ones that have me running to the kitchen are those that have only a handful of ingredients. The recipes that are "I can make this right now" kind of easy. <br /><br />So it's about time I brought you one of those, since my last recipe (though delicious) had an ingredient list to beat the band. <br /><br />Today's breakfast bars are (very) inspired by these <a href="http://www.sonofgrok.com/2009/03/recipe-caveman-bnbs-banana-nut-bites/" target="_blank">Banana Nut Bites,</a> which were brought to my attention by <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/" target="_blank">Kristen at Food Renegade.</a> The only change I made was to replace some of the nuts with seeds and oats, in the interest of saving money, and added a sprinkle of cinnamon on top. Ready? I think it will take me longer to type this than it will for you to prepare the batter:<br /><br /><b>Easy Peasey Breakfast Bars</b><br />2 ripe bananas<br />1 cup nuts (i used almonds)<br />1 cup sunflower seeds<br />1 cup rolled oats<br />1 cup unsweetened, dried coconut<br />2 eggs<br />cinnamon<br />(optional: raisins or other dried fruit)<br /><br />1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.<br />2. In a food processor, spin nuts and seeds down to a powder. Add oats and coconut, blend. Finally add bananas (and dried fruit if you are using, which I didn't).<br />3. Mix in eggs. Blend well. <br />4. Pour mixture into greased pie plate. Sprinkle with cinnamon.<br />5. Bake for about 30 minutes. Let cool, then slice into bars.<br /><br /><i>These aren't particularly sweet or rich, but they are a satisfying way to start the day or good for a treat. Far better than buying power bars, the nuts and eggs in this recipe provide a good amount of protein. And for anyone with a gluten intolerance, using nuts/seeds in place of oats is the way to go.</i><br /><br />So, aside from cooking up some breakfast bars and continuing to work on my new website (totally under construction but you can sneak peek it <a href="http://www.findyourbalancehealth.com" target="_blank">here</a>), I spent some time last week with fellow blogger, NAOmni of <a href="http://notanotheromnivore.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Not Another Omnivore.</a> She was visiting Boston so we hung out and traded secret nutrition tips. Not really. Actually, NAOmni was kind enough to spend an hour with me completing a health history consultation. It was neat to talk to someone in person after so many blog posts and comments between us! We even took a picture:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3571/3380203382_ac9038247c_o.jpg"><br /><br />For any of you out there who are interested in the idea of holistic health counseling, I encourage you to get in touch because I do most of my work with a magical voice-throwing device. Over the phone, that is. A free initial health history consultation could be the first step towards feeling all sunshine and rainbows in your life and achieving some health goals. If you'd like to sign up for a time slot, send an email to <a href="mailto:michelle@findyourbalancehealth.com">michelle@findyourbalancehealth.com.</a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-80987735807100595502009-03-18T10:51:00.004-04:002009-03-18T11:44:46.880-04:00It's ALL vegetable, baby<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3560/3365693902_c3e1b43f89_o.jpg"><br />It's been one heck of a busy but awesome week. For not working, I sure am working a lot. I'm starting up my business officially as Find Your Balance Health Counseling and Yoga. Like I mentioned before, the site will be up soon but until then all my blog posts will remain here on Blogger. (Conveniently, because you are already here.) And at the end of this post there is an invitation for all of you in the Boston area to come to my new Sunday Cooking Club and some info about an awesome yoga retreat with my friend Lauren.<br /><br />Despite all the work, I've made time to cook. Max really loved these burgers, declaring them the best thing I ever made. Wait, what? What about my homemade raviolis? My soups, my cookies? Well, I have to agree these were amazing. I ran across the recipe on <a href="http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2007/08/mushroom-burgers" target="_blank">Gourmet magazine's website,</a> but of course changed a few things to keep costs down.<br /><br />The biggest change I made was to serve the patties over whole rye instead of sandwiching on rye bread. Call me crazy but it worked out great, and sauerkraut was a perfect match to round out the meal. You might look at this and say, "Hey Michelle, Miss Health Counselor, where's the vegetable?" And I will tell you, it's ALL vegetable, baby.<br /><br /><b>Mushroom Kasha Burgers with Chipotle Mayonnaise</b><br /><i>adapted from Gourmet Magazine</i><br />For rye:<br />2 cups whole rye kernels<br />4 cups water<br />1 sheet nori, finely cut with scissors<br />olive oil, apple cider vinegar, tamari and S+P to taste<br /><br />For burgers:<br />2/3 cup water<br />1/3 cup coarse kasha (whole roasted buckwheat groats)<br />8 oz portabella mushrooms, including stems<br />24 oz. white mushrooms<br />1 cup finely chopped onion<br />1 cup finely chopped red cabbage<br />3 tablespoons unsalted butter<br />2 garlic cloves, finely chopped<br />3 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley<br />1 teaspoon tamari<br />1 and 1/2 cups panko or breadcrumbs, divided<br />1 large egg, lightly beaten<br />1/4 cup ghee, butter or olive oil<br />1/2 cup mayonnaise<br />1 tablespoon Tabasco chipotle sauce, or any spicy sauce you have<br />1 cup sauerkraut<br /><br />1. Optional but recommended: Soak rye in a bowl of water overnight with a splash of vinegar. Drain and rinse before cooking. <br /><br />2. Add rye to a pot with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until all water is absorbed, about 1 hour. While you wait, prepare the burgers.<br /><br />3. Bring water to a boil in small pot, then stir in kasha. Cover and reduce heat to low, then cook until kasha is tender and water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool.<br /><br />4. Break mushrooms/portabellas into a food processor and pulse until finely chopped, then transfer to a bowl. You may want to do this in batches.<br /><br />5. Cook onion and red cabbage in butter in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 min. Add chopped mushroom mixture, garlic, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until any liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to a large bowl, then stir in kasha, parsley, tamari, and 1/2 cup panko. Mix well. Cool 10 minutes, then stir in egg until combined.<br /> <br />6. Get a cookie sheet ready. Put remaining 1 cup bread crumbs in a shallow bowl.<br /><br />7. Form mushroom mixture into a 3/4-inch-thick patties (3 1/2 inches in diameter), then dredge in panko, knocking off excess, and transfer to cookie sheet. Chill patties in refrigerator for about 1 hour.<br /><br />8. Heat ghee in cleaned skillet over medium-high heat, then fry patties, turning over once, until deep golden, about 4 minutes total. (You can also use oil but I prefer ghee which has a higher smoking point and creates less drama with the fire alarm). Carefully transfer patties to dishes or a platter. They will be soft, but if they crumble its ok, they still taste good!<br /><br />7. Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise and chipotle sauce. Add oil, vinegars and seasoning to the rye once it's done cooking and stir well. Serve burgers over rye with chipotle mayo on top and sauerkraut on the side.<br /><i>Serves about 4.</i><br /><br /><b>Ok, onto the invitation for all of you in the Boston area!</b> I am going to start hosting a Sunday Cooking Club, held once per month. The upcoming dates are April 5th and May 3rd. If you are interested check out <a href="http://findyourbalancehealth.com/sundaycookingclub" target="_blank">http://findyourbalancehealth.com/sundaycookingclub.</a><br /><br />And you are all invited to check out my friend Lauren's yoga retreat for June 25th - June 28th. It will be held in New Hampshire at Newfound Lake. If you'd like more details see <a href="http://www.laurenegavian.com/studio.html" target="_blank">her website</a> or contact Lauren at <a href="mailto:info@laurenegavian.com">info@laurenegavian.com.</a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-37488103594575542442009-03-14T17:30:00.004-04:002009-03-18T10:37:20.448-04:00Six hours to simmer and other benefits of unemployment<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3432/3354023481_b93e8f7a24_o.jpg"><br /><br />Some amazing things are happening. I wake up easily. I'm not craving snacks. Doors of opportunity are opening. Unicorns are appearing in my living room. Ok, not that last one. But seriously, since my last post things are really going unexpectedly awesome.<br /><br />A few days ago I was able to attend a meeting of a local group called Medford Health Matters. Since the meeting was midweek I was only able to attend because I didn't have to go to work! It was great to interact with real people trying their damndest to make a difference in the town they live in. (A far cry from the fancy 20th floor conference room meetings in my old advertising job about the best way to make a product sound healthy without actually making health claims because they aren't true.)<br /><br />The group seemed authentically happy to have me there and we are working on ways to collaborate and bring some whole body health programs to our town. We met in a community center that was only a 5 minute walk from my house. I had never even known it was there! I met the guy who runs the center and now we are talking about me teaching a yoga class at the center.<br /><br />Finally I am happy to announce that I think I have found my very first health counseling client! Hopefully we will start working together next week. I'm grateful to have more time in my day to focus on this and go through all the steps for the first time. <br /><br />Ok, I'm ready. Where are the unicorns? I feel like anything could happen next.<br /><br />But let's get to the talk about food, shall we? One of the other awesome things about not working 9-5 is I was able to use a lamb bone in the freezer to make some truly amazing soup, pictured above. I had no idea what I was doing and it turned out to be perhaps the tastiest soup I've ever eaten.<br /><br />But where'd I get that lamb bone? I actually bought meat, yes, 1.25 lbs. of bone-in lamb the other week. Max and I made an Indian style stew with the meat and then of course the bone got put to good use. Both were excellent recipes, so read on:<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3383/3331395605_708ca3611d_o.jpg"><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Subz Gosht</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">This apparently means 'lamb with onions, tomatoes, yogurt and veggies' in Indian. I doubled the recipe and am giving you the big doubled version here. But instead of doubling the amount of lamb (At $9/lb.? No way!) I added lentils. For the lamb and all ingredients please use the best quality, sustainably farmed, organic options you can find and afford.</span><br /><br />3 Tbl. olive oil<br />1 tsp. cumin seeds<br />4 garlic cloves, minced<br />1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes, or more for more spice<br />1" piece of ginger, peeled and minced<br />2 onions, chopped fine<br />1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes<br />1 cup plain yogurt<br />1 tsp. sea salt<br />1 Tbl. curry powder<br />1" fresh turmeric root, peeled and minced (or use powdered)<br />1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper<br />1.25 lbs. bone-in lamb, cubed (keep the bone in the freezer for future use)<br />1 cup frozen peas<br />2 cups butternut squash, chopped small<br />2 carrots, chopped small<br />20 green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/2" pieces<br />4 potatoes, cut into 2" chunks<br />10 oz. sliced white mushrooms<br />1 cup red lentils<br />3 cups water<br />Juice of 1/2 lemon<br />1 cup chopped cilantro<br /><br />1. Heat oil in large stock pot over med-high heat. Add cumin, red pepper, garlic and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds then add onions. Saute, stirring, 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes. Add yogurt and stir continuously for another 5 minutes.<br />2. Add the salt, curry powder, turmeric, and cayenne. Cook for 1 minute then add lamb cubes and cook in sauce for 10 minutes. Add all veggies, lentils and water. Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 1.5-2 hours. Mix in lemon juice and cilantro. <span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Serves 8ish. Tastes even better the next day!</span><br />Approx. cost per serving: $3.15<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Michelle's Homemade Lamb Broth Soup</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Making broth from animal bones is a great way to get minerals like calcium. The longer the soup simmers, the more nutrients will swim out into your broth.</span><br /><br />1 Tbl. olive oil<br />1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes<br />1 onion, quartered<br />12 cups water<br />5 carrots, chopped into fourths<br />4 red potatoes, cubed<br />1 lamb bone or any odd animal bone/part<br />2 Tbl. sea salt<br />2 cups red cabbage, chopped fine<br />2 whole garlic cloves<br />3 cups arugula leaves and stems, chopped roughly<br /><br />1. In large stockpot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions and red pepper and cook until onions start to turn translucent. <br />2. Add water, bone, carrots and salt. Bring to a boil, then turn heat very low and cover. Simmer for as long as you've got – I did 5 hours. <br />3. Then add cabbage, potatoes and garlic cloves. Simmer another hour. <br />4. Add arugula and mix, the leaves will wilt instantly. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Serves 8ish.</span><br />Approx. cost per serving: $0.65Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-65074534277392111182009-03-11T19:28:00.003-04:002009-03-11T20:00:54.099-04:00It's apples to apples and an announcement<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3549/3348064636_5a923af4a9_o.gif"><br />As if all apples are created equal! Please. I think we all know a thing or two about organic produce vs. conventionally grown stuff.<br /><br />For starters, pesticides and chemical fertilizers. These are no good for us or for the environment. Here's something interesting: google "umbilical pesticides." Scary, no? What else...hmmm...what about genetically modified foods? The most common GMOs are corn and soybeans but GM versions of other foods exist for sure. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genetically_modified_food#Development" target="_blank">Check out this handy chart.</a><br /><br />In response to CulinaryWannabe's recent comment on <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/03/whole-foods-not-whole-wallet.html" target="_blank">this post</a> I am very intrigued by The Environmental Working Group's new guide to buying fruits and veggies. <a href="http://www.foodnews.org/EWG-shoppers-guide-download-final.pdf?key=28253190">Here is a downloadable PDF</a> you can keep in your purse to remind you of what produce is best bought organic, and which are ok to buy conventional if you have to. Thanks to Marion Nestle at <a href="http://www.foodpolitics.com" target="_blank">Food Politics</a> for this link! <br /><br />I am going to print this puppy out and take it with me next time to the store. It's a great way to know where to cut a few pennies, like maybe go ahead and buy the cheaper, conventionally grown broccoli if it makes sense for you.<br /><br />Related to saving money, I am happy to share that I will soon be spending a lot more time focusing on health counseling, cooking and yoga because I was laid off from my job in advertising yesterday. It's never easy to lose a job but in this case I think it's a blessing. There's so much I want to do in this field...I'm off to the kitchen right now to start a new recipe...! And now's as good a time as any to announce that I will soon be moving this blog over to a wordpress platform and new business site. This is just a warning that's it's coming soon but when it's ready I will make it abundantly clear to change your RSS and email subscriptions. I LOVE the community that has begun to grow here, so I hope you all join me for the next leg of the journey :-)Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-11781123185821494322009-03-10T10:22:00.004-04:002009-03-10T11:38:14.313-04:00I like cookies for breakfast<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3306/3313449999_3d55f5edbb_o.jpg"><br />I like cookies for breakfast, a mid-morning snack, lunchtime treat, before dinner snack, dessert with tea...<br /><br />It's a problem. <br /><br />After a long bus ride down to NYC last weekend I wanted a little something and ended up eating a cookie from Starbucks. I wish I hadn't. Sugar before bed stinks and I'm convinced that it's the white/cornsyrupy sugar things that make my gums flare up. I've got these gums that just want to recede and I don't know why. Sometimes they get all red and pissed off, threatening their retreat. Have you ever had a gum graft done? I'd like to avoid this in the future. Send me your gum-health secrets. Um, if those exist?<br /><br />But I digress.<br /><br />After my moderate success with <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/search?q=christmas+cookies">christmas baking</a> and the more recent <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/02/whipping-up-batch-of-apple-clusters.html">Apple Clusters,</a> I've decided a good cookbook I should write someday will be called Cookies for Breakfast. And all the recipes would be healthy enough that you could eat 'em first thing in the morning and not feel too guilty. What do you think? <br /><br />If I'm going to make cookies into a food group, they'd better be healthy. So this version uses whole grains AND whole grain flour, fruit AND vegetables. Whoa.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sweet Potato, Apple and Banana Cookies</span><br />1/4 cup millet<br />3 Tbl. butter<br />1/4 cup peanut butter<br />1/4 cup honey<br />1 egg<br />3/4 cup Sweet Potato Apple Spread<br /><a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/02/peanut-butter-is-new-black.html">(see recipe within this post)</a><br />2 cups whole wheat flour<br />1/2 tsp. baking powder<br />1/2 tsp. salt<br />1 Tbl. ground flax seed<br />1 banana, sliced fine<br />1/3 cup raisins<br />1/3 cup chocolate chips<br /><br />Add 1 cup of water to millet in a small saucepan. (Why don't recipes ever say "in a pot"? It's always a "saucepan") Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer until millet has absorbed all the water, about 15 minutes. In a large mixing bowl combine all wet ingredients. Add flour 1 cup at a time, then baking powder, flax and salt. Mix to combine. Fold in banana, raisins and choc chips. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes, until browned.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-8856018394015029702009-03-06T09:51:00.002-05:002009-03-06T12:00:27.039-05:00Whole Foods, not whole wallet<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/3324732968_0f8a26d979_o.jpg"><br />Time and time again I hear the same story: "I want to shop at Whole Foods [or other health food grocery store] but it's too expensive." <br /><br />Let me start by saying this: Food Should Cost Money. The only thing in your life more important than food is water. Not TVs, not cars, not even heating your home. Not even that cute little dress in the catalog that came in the mail yesterday. The one with the V-neck and shirring... wait... No. Food and water.<br /><br />Ok, so I understand the shopping dilemma. Milk and Cheerios at the conventional grocery store cost less than their counterparts at Whole Foods. But what if it's more about shopping habits than the store you happen to shop in? When you really start to shop smart you'll find that it is the conventional grocery stores that cost you more. The photo above is a week's worth of food for Max and I from Whole Foods. It was actually a big shopping week: $75. I don't usually buy a bottle of organic olive oil, or boxed cereal, or meat. (The week before was just $35.)<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">So start planning, sista</span><br />This is maybe the most important step to eating well/spending less. Before you hit the store, decide what you are going to cook and make a list of things you need to buy. Do this in your kitchen so if a recipe calls for garlic you can look and see if you already have enough. And this is a great point – make your meal plan around things you already have in the house and you will need to buy much less. And learn from my mistakes...the list only works if you remember to bring it to the store! This photo is last week's grocery list. Luckily, it doesn't have to be pretty.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3633/3324732972_614e20ae3f_o.jpg"><br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />Spinach or arugula? Who cares?</span><br />Let's say your handy list says to buy a bunch of spinach. But at the store, arugula is on sale for half the price of spinach. Buy the arugula. I'm betting that the recipe will turn out just fine and you'll save a few bucks. You may even find yourself getting more creative and eating new foods this way. Don't be afraid to be flexible and creative with your plan. If you REALLY think ahead you can create meal plans based on your store's weekly sales. Then you are a money saving ninja!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Ditch some nice-to-haves</span><br />Last week I bought meat for the first time in a very, very long time. Meat is expensive. Buy less and save money. But this week I decided it was a must have. That means other things became less important: crackers, cookies, or that yummy tea. Those were nice-to-haves that I didn't absolutely need. So I got the meat, but it meant sacrificing a few other things. Makes sense, right? Audit your shopping cart as you go.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Buy less. Duh.</span><br />I used to buy a lot of fruit because I wanted to eat more fruit. But over the course of the week I'd forget to eat it, or ultimately go for the cookies instead. The fruit would go bad. That is not money well spent. Now I buy less fruit and if we run out, I buy some more.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I love bulk, unless it's my thighs</span><br />Now here's an example of why you might choose to shop at Whole Foods or another health food store. The bulk section is amazing. Instead of spending $8 on a whole bottle of dried tarragon, I can just buy the 1 tsp. I need. Forget buying more because you might need it later. Unless it's a staple item just buy the amount you need NOW.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">And now the obvious stuff...</span><br />Well, at least I think it's fairly obvious: buy the store brand whenever possible, buy more fresh ingredients and less processed or prepared food, and don't shop when you are hungry!<br /><br />So why do conventional grocery stores actually cost more? Well, when you are shopping for healthy food at the A&P you will be lucky to find it. Say, whole wheat flour. And when you do find it, they will probably only have one brand and one size. So immediately you are going to buy a more expensive brand and way more quantity than you need. So the overspending begins...<br /><br />Let's go back to our original example of milk and Cheerios. If you follow the guidelines here, you'll buy organic milk and spare your body the hormone and antibiotic additives. Instead of a processed food like Cheerios you'll buy organic rolled oats in the bulk section for half the price. In the end your spending the same amount of money on much, much better food choices. Happy Shopping!<br /><br />Need some frugal recipes? Try these:<br /><a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/03/go-go-gadget-veggie-salsa.html">Six Veggie Salsa</a><br /><a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/02/genius-of-hummus.html" target="_blank">Taco Style "It's Just Like Hummus"</a><br /><a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2009/01/recipe-that-works-for-you.html">World's Most Flexible Chili Recipe</a><br /><br />This post is part of <a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/03/nourishing-frugal-recipe-carnival-2.html" target="_blank">The Nourishing Gourmet's Frugal Recipes Carnival.</a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-29775225700880090902009-03-02T15:33:00.006-05:002009-03-03T12:17:23.187-05:00Go go gadget veggie salsa!<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3554/3314273456_34b5ee7429_o.jpg"><br />Seriously, a lot of my recipes come from sheer laziness. In this case I wanted to eat a lot of varied vegetables, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if I'm going to cook up 6 different dishes! <br /><br />Do you have time for that? I do not. Please, I did not even have time to watch Lost or Battlestar Gallactica last week :-) I use my Franklin Covey planner to help me keep everything organized and make the most of my time. Last week Mr. Covey clearly said to me, "You are doing too much. Make a lot of 1 recipe and eat leftovers." I always listen to Mr. Covey. <br /><br />So, I sent Max to the store with a grocery list full of vegetables. By the way, we've been doing really well this month keeping our weekly grocery bill to under $70. I think the best way to do that is to:<br />1. Eat what you have in the house already<br />2. Don't waste anything<br />3. Buy things that don't come in a package<br /><br />What resulted was a lip-smackin', hip-shakin' veggie salsa that hit on pretty much every nutrient in the book. I served it over brown rice and black beans, but you could also add it to a broth for some soup, or mix it with marinara sauce and serve over pasta. It never hurts to have a big bowl of chopped veggies in the fridge for whatever comes up. So the question is, does this even count as a recipe? Probably not since I just sort of made it up as I went along!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Six Veggie Salsa</span><br />5 carrots<br />2 tomatoes<br />1 head swiss chard<br />1 cucumber<br />15 brussel sprouts<br />1/2 butternut squash<br />1 onion<br />1 head cilantro<br />1/2 bag frozen corn, defrosted<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">for dressing</span><br />1 lime<br />pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste<br />approx. 1/4 cup each apple cider vinegar, umeboshi plum vinegar, olive oil and tamari<br /><br />Chop all veggies (except corn) into tiny pieces or shreds. In large pan, cook onion and butternut squash until tender. Allow to cool. Toss everything with dressing and allow to sit for 1 hour so acid from dressing can break down chard and sprouts. Serve as you would salsa.<br /><br />P.S. Head on over to Food Renegade for <a href="http://www.foodrenegade.com/la-cense-grass-fed-beef-giveaway/" target="_blank">a chance to win free La Cense Grass-fed beef.</A> It's the only meat I'll advocate – go for it!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-70168055561347696302009-02-27T10:26:00.004-05:002009-02-27T11:54:43.563-05:00Breakfast, you're fired!<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3336/3313449823_851251fe86_o.jpg"><br />My breakfast can be kind of lazy. I mean, I do all the work. I boil the water, measure the oats, chop the fruit...and then I do all the eating and digesting! What does my breakfast do? It just kinda sits there. Well, breakfast, times are tough and we've got to make some changes around here so we're gonna have to let you go. Time to bring in a morning meal that works a little harder so I don't have to.<br /><br />I think I've found a perfect candidate. I'll still be eating a mixture of whole grains each morning, like oats, millet, amaranth and quinoa. But things are gonna be different around here:<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">1. My new breakfast grains have overnight hours. </span><br />Here's something I didn't know until recently: whole grains like brown rice and oats contain phytic acid as a natural part of the grain's bran. Phytic acid gets cozy with minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc and prevents their absorption in the intestinal tract. Boooooo<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">2. My new breakfast grains do more of my work.</span><br />When I saw <a href="http://www.newtrendspublishing.com/SallyFallon/aboutSallyFallon.html" target="_blank">Sally Fallon</a> speak last weekend she talked a lot about how to aid digestion in the preparation of food. Her suggestion was to add a splash of lemon juice or vinegar to the soaking water of oats. In a sort of pre-digestion process, the oats start to break down and are later easier to digest. This means my body does less work and I have more energy. See this is what I mean by my breakfast doing some work around here!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">3. My new breakfast grains get creative.</span> <br />Fruit and raisins are good. But I've been thinking of ways to diversify for the sake of my tastebuds and nutrient intake. Try this: shred a few carrots into your grains about halfway through cooking time. Carrots are naturally sweet and work well with a few raisins and pecans. Breakfast comes out tasting like a carrot cake!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Hard Working Breakfast Grains</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Serves 1</span><br />1/3 cup mixed whole grains (try oats, millet, amaranth or quinoa)<br />1 cup water<br />splash of apple cider vinegar or lemon juice<br />Optional mix-ins: raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg, shredded carrots, chopped fruit, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, maybe a tablespoon of ghee if you're feeling decadent<br /><br />Soak grains overnight in a bowl with a vinegar or lemon juice. In the morning, strain and combine with water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 20 minutes. Halfway through cooking time, add your choice of mix-ins. <br /><br />You might notice that your oats/grains taste lighter and more fluffy than usual. I thought that even without fruit they tasted sweeter.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What do you like to eat for breakfast?</span><br /><br />Also, I'd like to promote a great idea for a <a href="http://foodsthatfit.wordpress.com/blogger-cookbook/" target="_blank">blogger cookbook from Foods That Fit.</a> I'm going to contribute and you should too!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-72280976716012798432009-02-24T12:26:00.004-05:002009-02-24T13:26:16.211-05:00The Genius of Hummus<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3326/3268308950_a2c27daa82_o.jpg"><br />Have you noticed that most people don't like beans? Bring up the idea of eating beans and they'll wrinkle their noses right up. But have you also noticed that people love hummus? As a dip or a spread or a pita filling, people love it so much that companies have come out with tons of hummus variations with red peppers or garlic, etc.<br /><br />So...hummus is made from beans...people love hummus... Ha! <br /><br />It's just genius. Because beans are really, really, really good for you. I mean, you know that. But how often do Americans break out a can of beans with excitement? What I love about 'em is how versatile they are. Beans can go in everything, but to get people on board with the idea, start with hummus.<br /><br />Making it at home is super easy. Recipes vary but always include chickpeas, olive oil, tahini and garlic. But I like to mix it up. You can use different beans and seasonings but the main idea is the same. Tell everyone, "It's just like hummus!"<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Taco Style "It's Just Like Hummus"</span><br />1 can organic pinto beans<br />1 tsp. cumin<br />1 tsp. chili powder<br />1/4 cup olive oil<br />1/2 tsp. salt<br />handful of cilantro<br />Juice of 1 lime<br />1 tsp. ground flax seed (optional)<br />1 clove garlic, chopped<br />1/2 onion, chopped<br />1 Tbl. olive oil<br /><br />Soak the beans in water if you have time (like, a few hours). This will help them digest more easily. Discard soaking water. In a small pan, heat 1 Tbl. olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent. Add garlic and cook for a few more minutes. Put all ingredients except olive oil in a food processor. Blend, adding oil a little at a time. Serve as you would hummus. <br /><br />I brought this to a party but made extra for myself and ate it throughout the week as a snack and as part of a full meal.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What are some other ways to make beans taste great?</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-24664421637403178932009-02-23T10:11:00.002-05:002009-02-23T10:22:48.919-05:00And now a word from somebody elseJust got back last night from New York – another super inspiring weekend at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Once I have time to let it all soak in I can't wait to share with you all some of the things I learned from Sally Fallon. (Are any of you already into raw milk?) Aside from school, I also had a great meal with an old friend at <a href="http://www.gustorganics.com/" target="_blank">Gusto Organics</a> near Union Square. It wasn't cheap, but the beef was grass-fed and the beet-parsnip soup was delicious.<br /><br />Alas, I haven't even had time to unpack and it's already Monday and back to work. So here's a video I'm sharing with you until I get to writing a full post of my own! I'm a big fan of Mark Bittman already because of his cookbook <a href="http://www.amazon.com/How-Cook-Everything-Vegetarian-Meatless/dp/0764524836" target="_blank">How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.</a> Enjoy!<br /><br /><object width="446" height="326"><param name="movie" value="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true" /><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><param name="bgColor" value="#ffffff"></param> <param name="flashvars" value="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/MarkBittman_2007P-embed-PARTNER_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/MarkBittman-2007P.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=263" /><embed src="http://video.ted.com/assets/player/swf/EmbedPlayer.swf" pluginspace="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" bgColor="#ffffff" width="446" height="326" allowFullScreen="true" flashvars="vu=http://video.ted.com/talks/embed/MarkBittman_2007P-embed-PARTNER_high.flv&su=http://images.ted.com/images/ted/tedindex/embed-posters/MarkBittman-2007P.embed_thumbnail.jpg&vw=432&vh=240&ap=0&ti=263"></embed></object>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-38559570689076652242009-02-18T15:36:00.005-05:002009-03-04T12:18:12.577-05:00Deliciousness on the cheap<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3502/3267485159_0eb3587a0c_o.jpg"><br />Last week I challenged myself to make a week's worth of food for as little money as possible. If this sounds familiar, start by taking a gander around your pantry. In our case we had a few pounds of mung beans and plenty of brown rice. Another goal for this meal was to include sweet vegetables in an attempt to curb my nighttime sweet tooth. <br /><br />Beware, this isn't the simplest recipe and it makes A LOT. We ate it for a week. Be sure to cut everything in half if you aren't prepared to fill a bunch of tupperwares with leftovers! It was worth the effort though. One of my coworkers shouted out of his office as a walked by with a piping hot plate, "Michelle, that smells amazing!"<br /><br />And it was.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Indiasian Mung Beans with Veggie Rice</span><br />Serves 10<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">For the beans</span><br />3 cups dried mung beans, sorted and soaked overnight<br />3 Tbl. toasted sesame oil<br />3 Tbl. unhulled sesame seeds<br />2 Tbl. minced chives<br />S+P<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">For the rice</span><br />3 cups brown basmati rice, soaked overnight<br />4 Tbl. ghee<br />4 Tbl. olive oil<br />2 large onions, chopped<br />3 carrots, chopped small<br />2 small Delicata squash, unpeeled and chopped small, seeds washed and reserved<br />1 bunch Dinosaur kale, sliced thin, including stems<br />2 tomatoes, chopped<br />3 tsp. garam masala<br />2/3 cup water<br />2 tsp. tamari<br /><br />1. Cook mung beans until just tender by bringing to a boil and simmering for about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.<br />2. While beans cook, heat smallish skillet over medium heat and add the seeds from the squash. Keep a close eye as they toast, occasionally tossing. When toasted, add tamari and mix. Allow liquid to cook down. Scrape seeds out of pan and set aside.<br />3. Bring a pot of water to boil and add the rice. Return to a boil then lower heat to simmer 10 minutes. The rice will only be partially done at this point.<br />4. Add the ghee and olive oil to the largest stock pot you own, something with a tight fitting lid. When the ghee and oil are hot, add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally for 10 minutes until browned. Add carrots, tomato, squash and garam masala. Sprinkle with S+P and 2/3 cup water.<br />5. Wrap a clean kitchen towel around the pot's lid so the corners are on top and come nowhere near the burner. Add the rice and cover the pot. Heat should be at medium high. After a few minutes it will start to sizzle and you can reduce heat to low. Cook undisturbed for about 20 minutes.<br />2. While you wait, heat sesame oil in the largest skillet you own over medium high heat. When hot, add the mung beans and gently toss to coat in oil. Cook until they start to pop. Add sesame seeds and mix. Add a drizzle more of the sesame oil and remove from heat. Stir in the chives, salt and pepper. Set aside. <br />6. Add chopped kale to rice mixture and stir. Cook another 10 minutes.<br />7. Remove carefully from heat. Spoon rice onto plates to serve, topped with mung beans and toasted seeds.<br /><br />(And yes, the challenge was met. I spent only $35 at Whole Foods and fed Max and I for a week. Plus, we cleaned out some of our pantry items. It would be interesting to see what else we could make out of the food already in our house...anyone have a recipe for sardines and raisins?)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">How do you save money and still cook healthy meals?</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-24680869079467576542009-02-15T17:17:00.005-05:002009-02-23T12:22:10.053-05:00Peanut Butter is the new black<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3503/3282095371_1f39dfa8f1_o.jpg"><br />Every Wednesday we get together with friends to watch the latest episode of Lost. (Any Lost fans out there? Time travel is getting cra-zy. Leave theories in the comments!) Each week it's someone's turn to host the group and make dinner, usually something like Mac'n'cheese or chili or burritos, something relatively inexpensive to feed a group. But last week was the cheapest of them all: PB&J. Entertain a crowd while watching your budget? Yes.<br /><br />I wasn't so sure about this at first. But peanut butter is pretty good for you, right? It was a good fit for our group of combined meat eaters and vegetarians. And then it got really interesting because of all the Fixins. That's right: Fixins. This is a new term in American language, appealing to children and adults who act like children. So it was perfect. My contribution was a spread to accompany or replace peanut butter in the sandwiches – I also think it works well as a dip for fruit slices. Here's the recipe:<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Sweet Potato Apple Spread</span><br />1 can sweet potato <br />(the only ingredient on the can should be "sweet potatoes")<br />8 oz. tofu<br />2 Tbl. maple syrup<br />1 granny smith apple<br />4 Tbl. olive oil<br />1/8 tsp. each: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves<br /><br />Chop apple into tiny pieces and cook in a pan over medium heat until soft and fragrant. Combine all ingredient in food processor and blend.</blockquote><br /><br />We filled our sandwiches with things like apple slices, celery sticks, honey, Fluff, bacon, pickles, jalepenos, etc...most things tasted surprisingly good, though I did not try the jalepenos... The nicest part was the homemade whole wheat bread that we piled it all on. Or maybe the nicest part was how we grilled 'em up after we were done constructing our masterpieces.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/3282916332_44b2197729_o.jpg"><br /><br />All in all a fun time. And I think we may have all learned a few good lessons. Like, peanut butter and pickles is a delicious combination. And, food combining is an important science that should be taken seriously to avoid stomach upset for the next 4 days. Don't look at me...my somewhat healthy sandwich is the one pictured up above with fruit and 1 experimental piece of bacon. But Max's...he even included the non-fixin items like rice krispie treats that were meant for dessert. You've been warned.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3589/3282095471_9dda19d911_o.jpg"><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uM2YdqKg2sn_tZ7sXzT5uYkb8EseD_LMHyYqyY2FQGB7okVHwgpvYAGn9obqGJ08ATCi57OrHLX7mX_psc1XU77YaN86S2m4gIITiRrEc9e11A47sGRt31154eDHsGN7l9H9vd8mlw8/s320/PBE_contest.png"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5uM2YdqKg2sn_tZ7sXzT5uYkb8EseD_LMHyYqyY2FQGB7okVHwgpvYAGn9obqGJ08ATCi57OrHLX7mX_psc1XU77YaN86S2m4gIITiRrEc9e11A47sGRt31154eDHsGN7l9H9vd8mlw8/s320/PBE_contest.png"></a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-46572538533884435402009-02-09T20:15:00.007-05:002009-02-12T10:17:03.396-05:00Super Natural Recipes Galore<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3474/3267485201_4b8e814864_o.jpg"><br />I love Heidi Swanson's recipes like no other. I picked up her cookbook on a whim awhile ago and loved reading every page. Serious food nerd alert – reading a cookbook cover to cover!! Then I started visiting her blog, 101cookbooks. Now she's got a new widget/website, the <a href="http://www.supernaturalrecipes.com" target="_blank">Super Natural Recipe Search</a> where you can search for recipes and submit your own. Find it in the right column of my site – I'm all tech savvy like that :-)<br /><br />I do have to pause and point out that the name Super Natural Recipes sounds like Supernatural Recipes, as in recipes for ghosts. Which actually could be very cool but that's not what these are at all about :-)<br /><br />As a tribute and to help kick off her new search engine, here's a list of some of my favorite tried-and-true recipes from Heidi's archives.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/cashew-curry-recipe.html" target="_blank">Cashew Curry Recipe</a><br />This one is pictured above because I just made it the other night. So what if I substituted pistachios and added about 4 cups of pumpkin? Recipes are jumping off points for me, and this was a great one. I never really think on my own to use coconut milk or curry. And, hooray for one pot meals!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/roasted-pumpkin-salad-recipe.html" target="_blank">Roasted Pumpkin Salad</a><br />This was one of <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/10/if-only-i-had-hacksaw.html">my first encounters</a> with cooking squash but it set me up for a great winter full of yummy squash-centered meals. I loved the flavor combination in this dish. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/saltkissed-buttermilk-cake-recipe.html" target="_blank">Salt-kissed Buttermilk Cake</a><br />I felt like a real Food Network star or something <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/07/salt-kisses.html">when this came out of the oven.</a> Loved it. It's a real classy cake.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/garlic-soba-noodles-recipe.html" target="_blank">Garlic Soba Noodles</a><br />Holy awesome. <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/03/yummy-good-takeout-style.html">It was like fast food or really bad for you food,</a> except it wasn't. Know what I mean? All delicious as if I should feel guilty. It was great on a rainy day watching movies on the couch kind of food.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What are some of your favorite recipe sites?</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-72434291528843463172009-02-09T19:29:00.004-05:002009-02-09T19:44:00.993-05:00Whipping up a batch of apple clusters<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3411/3267381543_fb2e86a76d_o.jpg"><br />I came home starving today. Starving. Kick the cat out of the way and head straight for the kitchen starving. Does that ever happen to you? I ate a full healthy breakfast and lunch with a snack of carrot and celery sticks. And on the way home instead of thinking about reheating dinner I had visions of baked good dancing in my head.<br /><br />One of my health challenges is my love affair with cookies. When I don't have the baking bug I end up eating organic oreo-type cookies, or maybe fig newtons. But I much prefer homemade cookies because after all the work of baking I'm a bit more likely to make them last. :-) And, of course I almost forgot, because I can make something satisfying with whole ingredients.<br /><br />Today's creation: Apple Clusters. Despite being a "treat" food they are made of whole grains and natural sweeteners. If you like 'em sweeter, sprinkle with sugar before baking. Me, I like them as a sort of cookie/granola hybrid snack.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Apple Clusters</span><br />1/2 stick butter<br />1/3 cup peanut butter<br />1/2 cup date sugar (granulated dried dates)<br />1/2 cup honey<br />1 1/2 cups spelt flour<br />1 cup rolled oats (not instant)<br />1/2 cup quinoa<br />2 eggs<br />1 apple, chopped tiny<br />1/2 cup milk or soymilk<br />1/2 tsp. vanilla<br />1/2 tsp. cinnamon<br />2 tsp. baking powder<br />pinch salt<br /><br />Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In mixing bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, date sugar and honey. In a separate bowl, beat eggs with milk. Add the rest of the ingredients one at a time to the butter/sugar mixture, alternating with some of the eggs/milk. Combine, adding a little water as needed. Drop tablespoon sized clusters onto baking sheets and bake for about 15 minutes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">What do you like to eat as a snack when you get home?</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-36390789900868883162009-02-05T13:36:00.003-05:002009-02-11T14:05:29.574-05:00Speaking up and offending people. My specialty.<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/3256446894_9b0fddafe6_o.jpg"><br />Yesterday at work I saw a sign announcing an event for the American Heart Association's Go Red campaign. It's nice to see the company supporting heart health...supporting it so very much actually, that they are giving out FREE SUNDAES to anyone that bought a pin! Anyone catching on to the irony yet? Here's the discussion that followed:<br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Email from me to 2 high ranking people in my company who I thought might be involved in this event:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"I think it's great to promote awareness of heart disease. But I'm having trouble with the idea of incentivizing people to come by giving away sundaes. It sends a mixed message, don't you think, since saturated fat from animal products is a leading cause of heart disease? Are you guys the right people to talk to or is someone else managing the actual event?"</span></blockquote><br /><br />At this point I was feeling nervous about having sent this email. I anticipated a negative response, or no response at all.<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">First response:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"You raise an interesting point. Maybe we serve healthier food! Mau, what do you think?"</span></blockquote><br /><br />After reading that someone saw my point and had taken it under consideration, I felt great! What a win!<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">Then this, from a woman at the front desk. She is a long-time employee, somewhat of a grandmother figure. Someone must have forwarded my message to her. Turns out she is involved in the event:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"Ice cream – very lo-fat, strawberries – no sugar added meaning they are healthy fruit and I mashed them myself in my kitchen, the chocolate sauce is fat free - I have kept this healthy and inexpensive since money is at a premium for these events that people want us to have but put on WORKLIFE budgets.<br /><br />This is a fundraiser – we want to give the American Heart Association some money – if the kids here are worried about their health – that is their personal choice – they do not have to buy a pin or eat the sundae – and personally – I would not do anything to jeopardize their health - SUNDAES ARE FUN!!!<br /><br />We are also trying to save money – I am not charging for the strawberries, or the M&M peanuts (some healthy item there), I am donating all this to save money – it’s a charity that is “close to my Heart” no pun intended – "</span></blockquote><br /><br />After reading this I was extremely frustrated. Clearly she means well and seems to feel insulted by my thoughts on food. But how to explain that even though SUNDAES ARE FUN, it doesn't mean it's the responsible thing to do? I decided that I'd said enough at this point and at least had a small win with the first response.<br /><br /><blockquote><span style="font-weight:bold;">I replied:</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">"I just could not live with myself if I didn’t suggest a healthy alternative for food. Ice cream is certainly the kind of processed food/animal product that causes heart disease, although I respect your attempt to keep it all low-fat and such. I’m still interested in the mixed message it sends to combine a heart-healthy event with ice cream. It’s a point that can be taken, disregarded, or simply considered next time! Thanks for responding."</span></blockquote><br /><br />Speaking my truth was exhilarating, truth be told. But what could I have done better? How could I have handled this in a way that would have made a real difference? And have you had experiences like this, speaking out about food choices in a way that maybe offends other people? Please share in the comments!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-20143672281522097732009-02-03T14:24:00.005-05:002009-02-03T16:56:08.943-05:00There's no place like home, especially for meals<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3066/3248568015_2d8268a089_o.jpg"><br />Lately I've been a bit of a gypsy going back and forth to New York for my weekends of school at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It's ironic that during these weekends I'm forced to eat some of my least healthy meals, often while riding on a long bus ride! Not exactly the loving home cooking that is recommended...<br /><br />Sometimes I do a really good job of finding real food. Sometimes I cave to whatever is available. The way I see it, every meal is an experiment. Here are some of my very scientific discoveries!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pictured above, top left:</span><br />This was a surprisingly good Harvest Rice Bowl from Au Bon Pain that I ate on the bus ride down to New York. Have you been to Au Bon Pain? As food court food goes, Au Bon is one of my favorites. There are a few vegetarian options and this salmon curry rice bowl had brown rice and no dairy of any kind. Pretty sweet.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Meal grade: B</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pictured above, top right:</span><br />This meal I'm very proud of. Using <a href="http://www.yelp.com" target="_blank">Yelp.com</a> (a fab resource) I hunted down the tiny Green Symphony market and found myself amidst a buffet of all natural dinner choices. All the ingredients were listed, making choosing easy. I went with some kale, beansprouts, chickpeas, and a turkey meat hawaiian meatball. Random! But it was a great meal costing only $5.50.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Meal Grade: A</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Pictured above, bottom left:</span><br />I've written about <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/11/harmony-on-nyc-dinner-plate.html">Souen</a> before so just let me reiterate how much I enjoy their food! The thing about eating a macrobiotic meal is that you know you are going to get an excellent variety of real, whole food. In this case I went with their Planet Platter and a side of pickles. No fear of scary sugar/fat laden sauces or anything that would upset my stomach. Score!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Meal Grade: A+</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Picture above, bottom right:</span><br />Ok, ok. I had this awhile ago but I need to confess. During the holidays the only place open at the highway rest stop was McDonalds. I was curious about this Big N' Tasty burger...seemed like a stab at a slightly healthier burger option. Turns out they just stick an extra large piece of lettuce on it. Way to go, Mickey D's!<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Meal Grade: D<br /></span><br /><br />When you travel, how do you handle food on the go?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-57356354837928122102009-01-29T13:03:00.006-05:002009-02-02T20:34:25.917-05:00A recipe that works for YOU<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3310/3220521358_11ed688b20_o.jpg"><br />You know how sometimes you find an interesting recipe but, oh man, I wonder if we have any red curry paste in the house? Maybe we should just get pizza instead. Or, hmmm I don't have time to pick up parsley and I really can't make this without parsley...<br /><br />How about a recipe that works WITH you. It works FOR you. You tell it what to be, what it's going to include. Forget takeout, forget packaged food. You DO have all the ingredients. Readers, I give to you...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">World's Most Flexible Chili Recipe</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Step one is to mostly ignore this recipe. If you don't have something, leave it out or substitute something else. Be creative. The more ingredients you have, the more it will taste like, well, regular chili. But the more you substitute the more likely you are to discover a really awesome chili-type thing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The major players:</span><br />(Use any combination major player ingredients, but about this much)<br />2 15 oz. cans of beans (kidney, black, pinto, whatever)<br />4 cups chopped vegetables<br />1 lb. ground meat<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The flavors:</span><br />2 Tbl. olive oil<br />5 cloves garlic, chopped<br />2 onions, chopped<br />salt & pepper<br />2 Tbl. red chili powder<br />2 Tbl. cumin<br />1/2 cup vegetable or any stock<br />1/2 cup dark beer<br />1/2 cup tomato paste<br />15 oz. can crushed tomatoes<br />2 Tbl. apple cider vinegar<br />2 tsp. oregano<br />1/2 cup parsley, chopped<br />1 jalepeno pepper, chopped<br /><br />1. Heat oil over low to medium heat, saute garlic and onions for 5 minutes.<br />2. If using meat, add now and cook until no pink remains (7-10 min). If using uncooked vegetables that will need time to cook fully, add now (like squash, eggplant, mushrooms). Otherwise skip to next step.<br />3. Add the rest of the "flavor" ingredients and mix. Eyeball measurements.<br />4. Bring to a simmer, turn heat down to low, cover and cook for 45 minutes.<br />5. Add beans and any pre-cooked or quick-cook veggies (like frozen corn, leafy greens). Keep on heat for another 15 minutes.<br />Serve with sour cream, Tofutti, grated cheese, olives, you name it! Feeds 4-6.<br /><br />Here are two variations I just made recently:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Manly Yet Healthy Chili</span> (pictured above)<br />Use 1 lb. 100% grass fed ground beef, 1 can black beans, 1 can kidney beans. Include about 4 cups total of chopped kale, mushrooms, green peppers and corn. Use all "flavor" ingredients as listed. In step 5, add 2 Tbl. instant espresso.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Pumpkin White Chili</span><br />Use 5 cups pumpkin, chopped into 1" pieces (keep skin on). Use with pinto and kidney beans. Leave out tomatoes and tomato paste. Add 1 extra jalepeno pepper. In step 5, mix in 2 Tbl. creamy peanut butter.<br /><br />What are some of your favorite chili variations? Next time I'm going to include seaweed somewhere in there...<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><br />By the way this recipe is part of <a href="http://www.thenourishinggourmet.com/2009/01/nourishing-soups-and-stews-carnival.html" target="_blank">The Nourishing Gourmet's Soups and Stews Carnival.</a> Thanks Kimi!</span>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-27142474580099005472009-01-23T10:24:00.005-05:002009-01-23T11:13:42.223-05:00Ayurveda, Skincare, and Not Slipping in the Shower<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3340/3220521428_55fc10ceba_o.jpg"><br />Sorry for the grainy photo – the light isn't great in my bathroom! I've been wanting to bring you a post on this topic for awhile because it's such a happy part of my recent beauty and wellness routine. <br /><br />I'd been searching for an affordable natural skin moisturizer, something that had no chemicals and ingredients I could pronounce. Around the same time I had an Ayurvedic consultation and was advised to help balance my Vata dosha with a sesame oil massage daily. Perfect! So I've been using nothing but sesame oil on my face and body for the past 5 months and my skin looks and feels great. <br /><br />Ayurveda is yoga's sister science – a truly holistic approach to health. The practice of oil self massage (called abhyanga) is one of many ways to bring balance to the body. <br /><br />Here's what I say: It's a low-cost, easy and effective way to moisturize skin and smooth away wrinkles! I certainly don't have time for a full body massage every day, but at the very least I rub a little bit onto my face and feet at night before bed. Who needs expensive night creams? Sometimes if I have time to lounge around, I layer the oil on thick, especially on my face, and let it sit for a good long while.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">I'm happy to introduce a guest blogger helping me out today: Lauren Klatsky, a friend and fellow yoga teacher. Lauren holds a professional certificate from the Kripalu School of Ayurveda.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> So Lauren, what exactly is this oil massage business all about?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> Anointing the body with oil may seem exotic and indulgent, but it is an ancient practice used to promote health and beauty. Ayurveda recommends applying oil to the body on a daily basis. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> Ok, so how does one go about giving themselves a full oil massage?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> The oil should be heated to just above body temperature to make it comfortable and soothing for the nervous system. Shut off the radio and remove other distractions so you can place your undivided attention on the motions and emotions that arise from the act of self-massage.<br /> <br />Beginning with the head, work your way down the body applying gentle to moderate pressure as you rub the oil into your pores. Use up and down strokes on the long bones of the arms and legs and circular movements over the joints. You may wish to pause as your hands circle the chest and pass over the heart. When massaging the abdomen, do so in the clockwise direction following the natural direction of peristalsis.<br /> <br />Always finish the treatment by generously rubbing the soles of the feet. The whole process should take fifteen to twenty minutes to complete. It’s beneficial to allow the oil to stay on the skin for another ten to fifteen minutes and apply heat to the body by taking a bath or sauna.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> Sesame oil is good for winter months, but can you say more about what types of oils to use for different people and times of year? <br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> While sesame is the most commonly recommended oil for abhyanga, it is not appropriate for all individuals and seasons. Because sesame oil is heating, individuals with Pitta constitutions or imbalances should use almond or coconut oil instead. Coconut oil is great for summertime because it is extremely cooling and can be used to relieve painful sunburns. Kapha benefits from mustard oil which is heating but not quite as heavy as sesame. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> Should the sesame oil be organic? Refined or unrefined? Or, do you have any recommended brands of Ayurvedic oils?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> Organic, expeller-pressed, unrefined sesame oil is preferred. However, conventional unrefined oil will do the trick. (Just make sure not to purchase <span style="font-style:italic;">toasted</span> sesame oil) My favorite brand is Banyan Botanicals, a company that specializes in Ayurvedic herbs and products, which you can order from their website.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> How can I give myself an oil massage and not make a huge mess or slip in the shower? How much oil should I use? Should I soap it off when I'm done?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> Using just enough oil will minimize the slipperiness of the whole ordeal. For most people, a quarter cup is about the right amount. I like to keep my oil in a plastic squeeze bottle so I have better control over how much I use. After lubricating yourself, it is best to allow 10-15 minutes in a warm moist environment before showering. Some people like to soap the excess oil off their skin. Because sesame oil has antioxidant and antibiotic properties, I prefer to rub the shower's hot water over my oiled body and just use body gel to cleanse my armpits and genitals. Whatever you do, be careful so you don't slip in the shower - you may want to consider putting a non-skid mat in the tub or shower floor. It is also a good idea to designate towels specifically for drying off after self-massage with sesame oil. After a while, the oil will coat the terrycloth making it no longer able to sop up moisture.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">WDYBG:</span> It sounds great, but what if I only had 5-10 minutes to do this? What areas of my body would be most important to massage with oil?<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">LK:</span> At least do your head and feet. Focus on the bottom of your feet and give attention to each toe. A nice little foot massage before going to sleep is also a great idea. Put on a pair of little booties afterwards and let the oil soak in overnight.<br /><br />Visit Lauren and learn lots more at <a href="http://rasarx.blogspot.com" target="_blank">Rasa Rx.</a>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-52843702510052500782009-01-14T21:58:00.006-05:002009-01-28T13:38:48.573-05:00Squash Fritters and Starting School<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3500/3198414880_e2e0d8e271_o.jpg"><br />It happens all the time – despite my best intentions, food goes to waste because I only need, say, HALF an onion or 1 cup of cauliflower instead of the whole head. The remainders sometimes sadly are forgotten until they go bad and with a heavy heart I toss 'em in the trash. Which reminds me I need to figure out how to compost, apartment-style. Anyway, with 3/4 of a butternut squash aging in the fridge, I was determined to find an easy recipe to use it up tonight. No one recipe was quite right so I combined a couple of ideas and came up with some quite delicious veggie fritters! Kickass.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />Butternut Squash Fritters</span><br />2 cups butternut squash<br />1/2 onion<br />1/4 cup amaranth<br />8 oz. tofu<br />1/2 cup cashew pieces<br />1 cup whole wheat flour<br />2 eggs, lightly beaten<br />2 Tbl. olive oil<br />1/2-1 cup soymilk<br />S+P to taste<br />Ghee, for frying<br />Tamari, as dressing.<br /><br />Preheat oven to 275. In food processor, grind cashews. Add tofu and combine. Set aside in bowl. Again in food processor using grating blade, grate squash and onion. Add to cashew mixture and blend. Add amaranth, flour, eggs, oil and S+P and mix well. Finally, add enough soymilk to create a sort of batter. It should not be runny at all, just moist enough to hold together. <br /><br />In cast iron skillet, heat 1 Tbl. ghee over medium heat. You could use oil instead but the smoking point of ghee makes it less likely that your fire alarm will go off. Drop ice cream scoop-fulls of veggie batter onto skillet and flatten with a spatula. Cook for a few minutes and flip. Cook until browned. Since you will be working in batches, keep cooked fritters in the oven to stay warm. Serve with tamari and a green salad or green veggie side dish!<br /><br /><i>Part of my reason for using up extra stuff in the fridge is because I'm going away for 3 nights to start school at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition in NYC! It's going to be once or twice a month until July and at the end I'll be certified as a holistic health counselor, ready to work with individuals and groups. It's so exciting! This is a field I am (obviously) so interested in and committed to. It feels awesome to start something fresh and do something I believe in. So, the travel back and forth to NYC might be rough but I'm going to do my best to stay sane and get enough rest so I actually make it through my classes. So much more to come about this, I will surely be writing more in the future about the program. Biggest news for weekend #1 is that <a href="http://www.whattoeatbook.com/" target="_blank">Marion Nestle, author of What To Eat,</a> will be speaking. Stay tuned and in the meantime, use up that leftover celery in the fridge, would ya?</i>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-16735467972477077252009-01-06T13:51:00.006-05:002009-01-09T13:49:05.049-05:00Taking Care of Number 2<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3102/3175176738_6f9e78cf70_o.jpg"><br />There are a lot of good blogs out there about health and wellness, food and exercise. But you know what I've yet to come across? A blog post about something incredibly important to everyone, from babies to senior citizens, meat eaters and raw vegans. I've never seen a blog post about having a Proper Bowel Movement (PBM).<br /><br />Yikes! I said it. That's right. Poo. Shit. Crap. Dookie. Whatever you call it, or maybe shy away from calling it, it happens. Right? And it's also an extremely important part of good overall health that seems to get ignored. Yet we have an aisle full of Pepto and Immodium at the drugstore so I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one who has suffered from digestive difficulties.<br /><br />So what constitutes a PBM? I'm no doctor and everyone is different. But here are some general guidelines I've picked up along the way.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Frequency</span><br />Three times per day is great. Two times per day is good. Once is ok. Any less than that, consider yourself constipated. Why is that bad? Your body is full of toxins. ("Toxins" are a nice way of saying putrefied foodstuffs and chemicals).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Size, shape and texture</span><br />A PBM should be soft, but formed, and easy to move. A nice medium brown is what we're going for (unless you've been eating beets or other colorful foods). Finally, a PBM should be pretty large. A newborn baby has a small yet perfectly clean colon – what comes out is still sizable. If your BMs are skinny or small amounts, your insides are clogged up. This can make you feel tired and even lead to disease. Putrefied food wants out. End of story.<br /><br />So, obviously our bodies don't always move things along like we wish they would. When was the last time you had 3 PBMs in one day?? Ok, you don't have to answer that in the comments unless you really want to...<br /><br />There are lots of colon cleanses out there, things like hydrotherapy, laxatives and enemas. I personally have not tried any of these so I can't speak to how they work. In my mind, it's always better to at least start with natural, common sense techniques. Here are some things you can do to create PBMs for yourself. Start now and you could see a difference in just a few days.<br /><br />1. Eat lots more fresh fruits, vegetables and beans, especially things like fiber-rich kale. Eat plenty of RAW items.<br /><br />2. Eat less meat and dairy. Eliminate greasy, processed and sugary foods. Pretend your insides are metal pans and your intestines are doing the dishes. Eat things that clean up easily. (Hint: it's not animal fat) And as an older gentleman I used to know would say "cheese is a plug." He was right.<br /><br />3. Try adding ground flax seed to your food. It's got good fat to keep things inside well-oiled, in addition to extra fiber. Start with 1/4 tsp. every day and see how it goes. Also try drinking hot water first thing in the mornings, maybe with a little lemon.<br /><br />4. Kick caffeine. Our adrenal glands are necessary for PBMs, so you may be becoming dependent on your latte habit for your morning movement. Let your adrenal glands work as they are supposed to and you'll have many more PBMs to, er, look forward to. <br /><br />5. Drink plenty of water. Drinking after meals instead of before helps because you are not diluting the acid and flora of digestion.<br /><br />6. Exercise. Movement on the outside makes movement on the inside. Literally. In yoga, twists and inversions are especially helpful.<br /><br />6. Finally, just notice each day the quality of your output. Gross as it seems, it's an excellent indicator of your overall health. Plus, it's hard to be Little Miss Sunshine when your insides are tied in knots.<br /><br />I'm sure by now your New Year's Resolution is for awesome PBMs! I mean, how could you not be psyched about this??? If you have any additional tips for natural laxative alternatives, please leave in the comments.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-35990439419043945112009-01-05T14:00:00.006-05:002009-01-05T14:38:04.812-05:00The travel bugI've had some really terrible experiences traveling due to illness. And not major illness, but minor things like headaches, dizzy spells, lethargy. I mean, I flew all the way to Brazil a few years ago, and ended up sleeping in the hotel for a huge portion of the week.<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3088/3170742773_3937d085d2_o.jpg"><br />Is this my version of the travel bug? There has never been a real sickness, just an overall sense of being wiped out from the effort and stress of traveling, combined with an icky-feeling belly filled with foreign and not-terribly-healthy food. I think my system is just very, very sensitive and gets knocked off balance. What fun.<br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/3171574050_9957753dbb_o.jpg"><br />Needless to say, I was nervous that our trip to Puerto Rico would be more of the same. Since I really, really didn't want that to happen, Max helped me with some measures that kept my sanity intact and belly calm. It worked! We had a great week. Not once did I feel dizzy or lethargic, and we did all sorts of things like snorkeling, kayaking at night in the luminescent bay, and hiking in the rainforest. Plus, I was able to enjoy and not utterly regret some amazing local food! Pictured above is a Mofongo con pulpo (Fried mashed plantains with octopus). Sorry for the bad photo, it was taken on my phone!<br /><br />I'm wondering if any of you have had similar experiences with your health while traveling? Here are some of the ways I kept myself in balance during our trip:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. Eat a familiar, healthy breakfast</span><br />I couldn't boil whole oats in our hotel room, but I did buy a box of Ezekial sprouted grain cereal, soymilk and fresh fruit. This way I'd get some fresh fruit and fiber to start my day, and that at least one meal wouldn't include animal products or sugar, since both tend to slow me down.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Keep hydrated</span><br />Why is it that on vacation it's hard to get enough water? Is it just me? In many cases I don't want to drink the tap water, so it's important to stock up on bottled water. Sounds obvious but so often we'll spend the day in the sun, have dinner with wine, and then get a few drinks afterwards...by the next morning I'm dying of thirst. In my experience, restaurants outside the US don't bring water to the table unless you ask, and even then the glasses are tiny. So, I gotta make hydration a priority!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Breathe. Breathe.</span><br />My nerves have all sorts of reason to act up on vacation – catching flights and hoping the luggage isn't lost, finding our way around on new roads and getting lost, dealing with language barriers, etc. I took time this vaca to stop and breathe slow, deep breaths any time I started to feel stressed. Just like when I'm home and at yoga, breathing techniques work on a deep level to bring me back to center.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">4. Balancing Vata</span><br />According to Ayurvedic medicine, traveling puts Vata out of balance. Since I'm already a Vata type traveling during the Vata time of year, it was important for me to bring oil for massage during the trip. The practice of abhyanga (self oil massage) is a great way to care for yourself and bring Vata back into balance. I'm planning a blog post about abhyanga coming up shortly to talk more about it! And if all this sounds crazy, well, it kind of is but it's also pretty awesome.<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />5. Getting rid off expectations</span><br />Sometimes we try to do too much, in life and on vacation. I tried this time around to keep my expectations to a minimum. Maybe we find our way to the rainforest, maybe we'll get lost and find a neat place to eat instead. Maybe we'll love snorkeling off the catamaran, maybe we'll get seasick, but either way it will be an experience. I found it helped to lose the expectation of perfectly executed plans.<br /><br />How were your holiday travels? Even traveling short distances can knock me off balance, so I'm interested in how you dealt with driving to grandma's or flying to wherever home is. And if your traveling is done, welcome home and happy new year!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-36588395174969334552008-12-28T19:16:00.004-05:002008-12-28T19:34:52.203-05:00Post Holiday Detox and a Sunny Segue into 2009<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3238/3145871024_5c5c548196_o.jpg"><br />The reason it was so important for me to make my <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/12/healthyish-christmas-cookies-part-3.html">holiday cookies healthier</a> is because I tend to eat a lot of cookies. And I must have eaten even more than usual because I'm up a few pounds and not thrilled about it. (btw, they got mixed but mostly good reviews from the family) Frankly, I haven't been getting to yoga as often as usual and that's probably got a lot to do with how I'm feeling too. <br /><br />Besides the scale getting me down, I spent the holidays eating a lot of meat at relatives' dinner tables and of course en route to these tables at McDonalds on the Massachusetts Turnpike...sigh...my digestive system is still working it all out. Boooo. I'm going to chalk it all up to a reminder about eating well because I really don't feel great. Kinda grumpy. Kinda glum.<br /><br />All I really felt like eating yesterday and today was salad. Nice leafy greens to wash it all away and leave me feeling a little lighter! Pictured above is a salad I made with lettuce, dinosaur kale, tomatoes, avocado, lemon juice, olive oil, cayenne pepper and ground flax seed. Also, a sandwich using leftover sundried tomato spread (a Veganomicon recipe!) and sprouts on sprouted grain bread. My belly said, "This is more like it!"<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/3145870966_ed36929be6_o.jpg"><br />In addition to detoxing from the holiday food coma, Max and I are packing and getting ready for our trip to Puerto Rico! We're leaving in two days and will be back in 2009. I like that it's sort of a farewell to 2008 and sunny segue to the new year. But it's too bad about having to wear a bikini in a few days... When I get back I'm considering going raw for awhile, to get a fresh start on the inside :-)<br /><br />What are you doing as 2008 wraps up, and to commemorate the new year?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-14739031570547175712008-12-23T21:59:00.004-05:002008-12-23T22:19:04.354-05:00Healthy(ish) Christmas Cookies: Part 3<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/3131665097_e173a2aab4_o.jpg"><br />'Twas two nights before Christmas and I just finished assembling my final recipe redo of the year. I'll be bringing all of my Christmas cookies down to the fam on Thursday so we'll see how everyone appreciates (?) these new takes on my grandma's classic cookies.<br /><br />So finally we come to the simple butter cookie. My grandma would use her cookie gun to create shapes, then match them together as sandwiches filled with jelly. Then the sandwiches were dipped into chocolate and sprinkles and were just delicious and super professional looking. At least I always thought so!<br /><br />My recipe conversion went like this:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">1. Replace.</span> White flour got the boot in favor of whole wheat pastry and spelt flour. Goodbye margarine and white sugar, hello organic butter, maple syrup and Sucanat. And instead of the notion that if you are 'just baking with it' to get the cheapest ingredients, I got quality plum fruit spread sweetened only with fruit juice.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Eliminate.</span> Since there's plenty of sugar in the recipe I simply ditched the chocolate and sprinkles. If I were catering more towards kids I would have kept it, but for me this time of year, cookies tend to be breakfast so I went chocolate-free.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Add value. </span>In perhaps my trickiest move yet, I mixed ground flax seed into the plum spread. You can't even tell it's there but your colon can. I mean, in a good way.<br /><br />Perhaps a bit plain, these are still stunning because of my grandmother's hardworking cookie gun I'm lucky enough to have snagged.<br /><br /><img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3244/3131665123_cf6de18869_o.jpg"><br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Butter Cookie Sandwiches</span><br />1 lb. butter<br />1/2 cup maple syrup<br />3/4 cup Sucanat (a non-refined cane sugar)<br />2 organic/free range eggs<br />2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour<br />2 cups spelt flour<br />1 tsp. aluminum free baking powder<br />1 tsp. salt<br />2 tsp. vanilla extract<br />1-2 cups naturally sweetened fruit spread of your choice<br />5 Tbl. ground flax seed<br /><br />Cream butter with sugar in a large bowl. Add maple syrup, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Add all dry ingredients and blend. Use cookie gun to create shapes on cookie sheets. You may need to bake in two batches as this recipe made enough to fill two sheets twice. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. They are thin and can burn easily to keep a close eye on 'em! Let cool on baking racks. In a bowl, mix fruit spread with flax seed. When cool, assemble into sandwiches with a small amount of fruit between the butter cookies.<br /><br />Happy, healthy holidays to everyone!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5223407242441113347.post-69249633017030606112008-12-19T21:10:00.007-05:002008-12-20T11:39:16.373-05:00Healthy(ish) Christmas Cookies: Part 2<img src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3202/3121899922_b5dc8f174c_o.jpg"><br />Moving on to another of my grandma's recipes! Her Italian Sesame Seed Cookies always had a really understated elegance. It's as if to say, who needs chocolate? Who needs icing? They sort of fall in that Stella D'oro category of cookies that seem perfectly acceptable for breakfast and are excellent with a cup of coffee. (And when I say coffee I mean organic green tea...ok, maybe coffee but just 1 cup!)<br /><br />Following my patented (not really) 3-step method I converted this white sugar/white flour recipe to something that tastes even better and feels like real food:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;"><br />1. Replace.</span> Instead of 3 cups of white flour, I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour and 1 cup of rye flour. The wheat flour is necessary for gluten. I think. I'm no scientist. The rye flour I thought would complement the seed theme. Mostly it was a guess. As for sugar, I ditched white sugar for a combination of raw unfiltered honey and date sugar. (The date sugar was a surprising and happy find – pure ground dates!) Then, the baking soda became aluminum free and the eggs organic/free range. Finally, instead of regular sesame seeds I chose the unhulled variety for extra fiber. So lots of replacements here.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">2. Eliminate.</span> I got rid of 100% of the white sugar and flour in this recipe. Enough said! <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">3. Add value.</span> I added poppy, chia and caraway seeds. Together these seeds are a powerhouse of calcium, copper, manganese, zinc, fiber and more. I'm sorry, what was that? <a href="http://doesabodygood.blogspot.com/2008/03/calcium-rumors-prove-true.html">Calcium in a non-dairy product?</a> YES, yes that's right.<br /><br />They came out fantastic. Reminiscent of my grandma's cookies, absolutely. But with way more full bodied flavor from all of the quality ingredients. I'm in love.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Toothdigger Seed Cookies</span><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Considering all the seeds, you should have floss handy</span> :-)<br />1 cup unsalted organic butter, softened<br />1/2 cup raw unfiltered honey<br />1/2 cup date sugar<br />2 organic eggs<br />1 tsp. organic vanilla extract<br />2 cups whole wheat pastry flour<br />1/8 tsp. salt<br />1 cup rye flour<br />1 cup of seeds, poured into a shallow bowl (Combination is up to you, I had a mixture of unhulled sesame, poppy, chia and caraway)<br /><br />Cream together butter, honey, and date sugar. Add eggs and vanilla and mix well. Add flour and baking powder. Blend to create dough. Shape with hands into 1.5" long log shapes, about 1/2" wide. Roll cookies in seeds. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly browned.<br /><br />I'm entering these into Food Blogga's <a href="http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/2008/12/eat-christmas-cookies-season-2-round-up.html" target="_blank">Eat Christmas Cookies</a> <a href="http://foodblogga.blogspot.com/2008/11/announcing-eat-christmas-cookies-season.html">(enter here).</a> <br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhsxytRHkCPQyN-O5ckcrFUaKACLevHD-K_LoN9808wVtr2_C9JuVSqwb2D-uyIleLscbx853NGGbfNwIYeAtCjHFEFe2j_7fuF1eBGVsabPu2M8FWX3rsL8d_Y7k4N9l_GJ2lFHvkAXTU/s200/Food+Blogga+Cookie+Logo.JPEG">Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07407895896789400014noreply@blogger.com6