Healthier & Happier for the holidays: The importance of self care

Hello all. Sorry for the several week gap in my posts.Life has been nuts and I'm working hard to stay healthy and keep my "Life in Balance". We bought a new house Thanksgiving weekend and have been gradually moving. So needless to say we've been busy, not to mention the holiday season activities with family and friends.   For me, part of keeping balance is deciding  what are my priorities each week.  Priorities aren't just the activities I pursue, it also means taking time to take care of myself and actually schedule self care. May sound a bit crazy but it really helps to keep me sane and more relaxed.

Self care is a is exactly what it sounds like: taking some time to be good to yourself and it can be done in ton of different ways. You also don't need a lot of time to practice it.WhenI have a full day off, I definitely take advantage of it, but thats not a typical amount of free time for most of us.  Instead try to plan 2 things a day. They don't have to be long activities either. Check out some easy and quick things you can do to help take care of your body:
 
1)First step of self care: Banish the guilt. I spent way too many years of my life as a workaholic. Guilt used to be my middle name. Believe me, if you feel guilty about taking time for yourself, it kind of defeats the purpose. Life is meant to be enjoyed. This means that if you're tired it is ok to take that nap, you'll feel better. If you need to recruit the help of friends and family to get 10 or 15 minutes of "you time" thats ok too. When they realize you are a nicer person to be around when you have a few minutes to relax, they'll be happy to assist and they will want to spend more quality time with you as well.

2)Part of my self care is of course taking the time to cook myself healthy and nourishing foods. I love seeing my family over the holidays but I can't help but notice the insane amount of carbs ingested and lack of veggies at holiday mealtime. (A huge thank you to my sister in law Eriko for making my brussel sprout slaw on Christmas eve, it was much appreciated!) So all week I've started my mornings off with a nice green smoothie.

3) Next up hit the showers, or if you have time, enjoy a nice soak. While in there, a sugar or a salt scrub will not only help your dry skin, but its really relaxing too. Meditations in the shower are also a great way to relax.  While the running is running down your skin visualize not only, the grime of the day washing away, but also anything that stressed you out or got you upset. Literally, wash your cares away. For you Reiki practitioners out there, infusing Reiki energy into your shower head is a very energizing and soothing tool as well.  When you hop out be sure to moisturize. When your skin is still damp is the most effective time for your body to absorb that nice lotion. For other spa like experiences at home check out my  previous post : Treat Yourself to a Spa Day.

4) Treat yourself & Celebrate! No you don't have to have a party...we're reducing stress remember?! Once a week, if not daily, I reward myself for accomplishing my goals. I have various things I'm working on posted on little notes around the house. When I get to take one of these notes down because I've accomplished it I treat myself. Sometimes its an nice hour of restorative yoga other times I might buy myself something. Today for example, I'm treating myself for getting back in touch with this blog and attacking the massive pile of laundry that is amassing in my basement. So I used one of the gift cards I received to buy myself a compost pail for my kitchen and a cookbook I've wanted for some time. Rewards don't have to be things to be bought. Some days I jam out to a favorite cd or call a friend I've been missing. The idea is to give myself a warm fuzzy just for accomplishing the day to day tasks that make up life.

5) Another part of my self care is paying attention to my physical health. With some preventative maintenance I find the holidays (which can be rather stressful) can be a lot easier, to not only get through, but actually enjoy.  Over the past month I've been doing my annual checkups, just to be sure if there's anything I've been neglecting. Happily I received a clean bill of health. And with some of the new modifications I've made in my eating habits this year, some of my "not so nice" numbers actually have gone down.

SO, as you can see self care isn't hard. The hardest part is reminding yourself to do it. Its nice to get a pat on the back, especially when you're giving it to yourself.  I hope you each take a few minutes for yourself today any have a happy new year 2012!

Next post: 2012 is an exciting year, I'll be talking about all the great posts to come.

Belated meat free Monday Post- Yummy fall sides

Hello everyone and Happy almost Thanksgiving.  I always liek to try new sides and recipes. This time of year there are a wealth of them. I recently started watching a show on ABC called "The Chew". ITs a nice daytime show that's centered around food & family, which I love. The fact that one of the 5 co-hosts is Mario Batali (fav celeb chef), doesn't hurt either.  What's refreshing about this show is that the daughter of the famous Dr. Oz, Daphne Oz, is also one of the cohosts. I like this because she keeps the balance of the other chefs and keeps a healthy focus running throughout it.

Below are two recipes that I have recently discovered, one from an episode of "the Chew" and the other from Wegman's. Both are a healthy ( and vegetarian) side dish option using leafy greens that taste fantastic, and are not covered in a ton of fatty sauce, such as a certain green bean cassserole that so many enjoy this time of year. We've started making these regularly at home. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Mario Batali's Stuffed Acorn Squash

Wegman's cocounut cream kale has captured my heart & my tummy. i know it sounds weird... And no, it is not sweet. Check it out for yourself :Wegman's Coconut Cream Kale

Hope these recipes help you have a tastier holiday weekend that is also better for you!

Woohoo! Its October!

October is here and it is by far, my favorite month of the year. There are so many great things to love about October: the weather starts getting a little chilly but not quite cold, nature brings forth all of my favorite produce,  the leaves change, and it has my favorite holiday, Samhain (or Halloween to all of the muggles reading this post). Fall weddings are always so pretty and I just got to celebrate one of my best friends getting married on the Eastern shore  of Maryland this past weekend. October is also Vegetarian awareness month and Breast Cancer awareness month.So, needless to say, I find October to be a stellar month.

Doesn't my friend look amazing?! And you can't even tell that I was crazy sick in this picture (I'm the brunette)

Tonight I have the apartment to myself  while my hubby is at school and thought I'd enjoy the quiet.... by raiding the local farm around the corner and celebrate a belated meat free Monday. Besides, what is a better way to celebrate vegetarian awareness and help fight cancer than eating a super veggie laden meal?!

In a baking dish I diced up some brussel sprouts, a sweet potato, a beet, sliced kale, some squash and a handful of cranberries. I tossed them all together with some olive oil and sea salt. Then I covered the dish with some foil and roasted everything for about 45 minutes on 350. This is what I ended up with.

Its delicious and filling! I'm sitting back enjoying my dinner while watching "Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead". Its making me feel that much better about all the green drinks I've been enjoying at breakfast.
Well, I'm going to get back to my relaxing, stay tuned throughout the month for some great veggie dishes as well as info on breast cancer awareness month.  Tomorrow morning I will be experimenting with oats and chia seeds. I'll let you know how that goes. Happy October Everyone!

Keepin' It Green

Happy Meat Free Monday Folks! I woke up this morning feeling a little under weather. I think I have a cold coming on. My solution, blast my body with lots of fruit and vegetables  and help it to heal itself. 


In trying to keep up with eating breakfast every morning, I started off  my day by having a green smoothie for breakfast.   Green drinks are something I've been wanting to try for a while. On the advice of some of my classmates, I've been experimenting with different fruit and veggie combinations. They look weird, but taste really good.   Ideally, using fresh veggies & fruit is the best way to enjoy these drinks. Leaf vegetables are typically low in calories, low in fat, high in protein per calorie, high in dietary fiber, high in iron and calcium, and very high in phytochemicals such as vitamin C, carotenoids,lutein, folate as well as Vitamin K.These drinks are a great way to get kids to enjoy vegetables too.

The Basic Green Smoothie Recipe


This is what I recommend for starting out (makes about 1 quart/1 liter).


1 or 2          ripe bananas
1/2 cup       of another fruit: (pineapple, blueberry, apple, peach, mango)
1 1/2 cup    fresh greens:   (~2 chard leaves or ~1 handful spinach/kale)




~ 12 oz water (or to desired consistency)

If you don't have a blender or juicer, or you're short on time, you can buy pre-made green drinks and smoothies.  The fresh ones are best, just be sure to read the ingredient labels to make sure there aren't any additives and that you are truly just getting blended fruit and veg.   I like Naked juice and Odwalla brands, if I have to grab a smoothie on the run.


For lunch I had some spicy black bean soup. It really helped clear up my stuffed up sinuses. I finished clearing them out when I got home from work with the aid of my netipot.


For dinner I tossed some whole grain pasta, in homemade basil pesto with some Kale, spinach, broccoli & I tossed in some cannellini beans for some added protein.  It was really yummy and super easy to make. 

Now I'm nursing a cup of green tea, with a hint of honey from the farm around the corner to soothe my sore throat.   It may not be the instant feel good cure for a cold, like some of the pills and remedies in the drug store, but I have peace of mind that I'm giving my body the tools to help it heal itself. .... Now if that can just be sooner than later so I can be healthy enough to enjoy being in my best friend's wedding this weekend.... :-)

Reinventing the Way We Pack Lunch

About a year and a half ago, I decided to rid my life of as much disposable plastic as possible. I was sick and tired of constantly hearing about our country's dependence on foreign oil and how much plastic was not getting recycled or even ending up in a landfill, but strewn across the land and  in our natural bodies of water, endangering animals.

I had already ridden our household of plastic grocery bags by switching to cloth ones and we'd switched to aluminum water bottles sometime ago.....but I knew there was something bigger I was missing. It hit me when my husband spent one of several weeks out of town for work. he decided to pre-pack several days worth of lunches to save money and also because he didn't know what was available.  My husband is a very tall guy and has a big appetite. I watched him spend an hour making PB & J sandwiches, portioning pretzels and stuffing all of it into those little plastic bags. He was using about 5 of those bags a day for one lunch. It drove me nuts thinking about the fact that  he spent several dollars on something that was going in a trash can as soon as it was no longer protecting his sandwich...several hours later. We tried gladware for sandwiches too, but I still wasn't happy about it being made of plastic and the possibility that even though I chose to place it in my recycle been when it outlived its life it may not actually get to where it was supposed to go.

About this same time, I had started planning my wedding. Knowing my passion for living as green as possible, one of my mom's friends had given me a gift that she saw in a new eco-friendly store in her town. It was a reusable sandwich bag (they call them lunchskins), by a company called three green moms. Genius! I thought what a great wedding favor......that was until I researched the cost on this little bag. These bags are easily cleaned just turn them inside out and place them in the top rack of your dishwasher.

I decided that even if I didn't use these for the wedding, I needed to track down more of these and at a better price point.  The other disadvantage of my first bag was that it was too small. We like big sandwiches and it just didn't hold them without smashing the sandwich. When I have something in mind that I'm searching for that doesn't seem to be available in conventional stores, my go to place is Etsy.

When I searched for reusable sandwich bag I had thousands of hits. I went through several tries finding just the right size and type of bags and now hopefully you can benefit from my trials and errors. Here are my criteria for a nice sandwich bag
1) Material
In trying to avoid plastic, I don't really like the use of oilcloth on the inside of these bags.  I've learned that wraps and bags made of cotton on the outside with nylon on the inside work really well. I also like ones with multiple layers of cotton.  Both of these types can be thrown in the washer with my other kitchen towels if they get dirty. I definitely prefer velcro or snap closures as opposed to the snack bags with zippers as well.

2) Size
We've learned that for our hearty sanwiches we prefer using a sandwich wrap instead of a bag.  They are big enough for one of my husband's gigantic sandwiches.  They also double as a placemat on your lap while noshing on your sandwich.  For our snacks the snack bags are good for little things, but the "sandwich size" bags work better for bigger things like chips.

3) Fun colors and prints

There are hundreds of different bags and wraps on Etsy, handmade by a ton of very talented people. You can even look up to see if any of them are in your local area. So, not only can you pick fun prints that suit your personality, you can also support the US and potentially your own local economy.  Kids (and your inner kid too) love all the fun colors and prints. It really makes their lunches personal. (My husband especially loves his batman wrap and his smiley faced one.) I think his next one will be a Pittsburgh Steelers wrap.

Now that you may be thinking, These are pretty cool, where do I find one?, never fear I've got some links to my favorite etsy shops. Definitely give them a try you won't be disappointed. I also recommend looking at lots. For example, one of my favorite shops Mada's Place, offers discounts if you buy 5 sets at once, you pick the prints from the choices she has in her store. I ended up doing this  and getting a different set for each of my bridesmaids in my wedding and it saved me a ton of money! A few more good choices include:
-Zenbot baby they have a wide variety of prints and styles, including some cool modern looking ones, also where I found my cool tiki one... I love tikis!
-Moja Creations
-RKEM designs

I hope this gives you some ideas on where to look if you think this solution to "greening" your lunch is for you. In the coming weeks look for a post on how to make packing lunch fun again. I kind of miss the fun notes and cool things my mom did when packing my lunch, don't you? here's a hint:

Phineas Sandwich from Hawaii's Bento Box Cookbook for Kids

In the meantime, be good to yourselves...

Sprouted Grains & MFM Recipe: Eggplant Lasagna

Happy Meat Free Monday all! In my post last night I mentioned I was having a sprouted grain bagel with almond butter for breakfast this morning. I did and I added some sliced banana on top and it was delicious!
But what is exactly the difference between a sprouted grain bagel and a regular one?

Until about a hundred years ago, humans harvested their grains, tied them into sheaves, and left them in the field until they were ready to thresh the grain. Inevitably, with this exposure to the weather, at least some of the grain would begin to sprout.

First, a quick primer on what sprouted bread is, and how it differs from white and whole-wheat bread:
Whole-wheat bread is made by grinding wheat kernels -- comprised of a vitamin-rich germ, a protein- and carbohydrate-dense endosperm and an outer shell called the bran -- into whole-wheat flour.
White bread is made by removing the wheat kernel's germ and bran, grinding up only the endosperm into flour.  Sprouted-grain breads are made from wheat kernels (often called wheat berries) that are allowed to sprout and then ground up and baked into bread. Because the kernels are not ground into flour, such breads are often referred to as "flourless." (Sprouted-grain breads do, however, contain gluten -- so they are no easier to metabolize for people who are unable to digest this wheat protein.)

Sprouted-grain breads made from an array of grains and legumes can provide a complete set of amino acids, the building blocks of proteins Sprouted-grain breads may also be slightly higher in protein because some carbohydrates are lost in the process of sprouting -- resulting in a final product in which protein represents a greater fraction of the sprout than it did in the germ.  Sprouting grains increases many of the grains' key nutrients, including B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and essential amino acids often lacking in grains, such as lysine. Sprouted grains may also be less allergenic to those with grain protein sensitivities.


So that is the cliff notes version of sprouted grains.  I was in a good mood and determined continue my healthy day but hadn't had time to pack lunch. Lunch out on meat free Monday is always a challenge but is still doable. Today I headed to Wegman's and raided their salad bar. I was pleasantly surprised to find a lot of really good whole grain salads there today. I tried a barley & wild rice salad that had raisins and cranberries. I also tried a red quinoa salad that had some cranberries and blueberries, accompanied by some fresh spinach.  It was yummy, filling and I got in more whole grains and fruit for the day.

my yummy lunch

Dinner in our household on meatless days is always a challenge.... I eat just about everything, but my husband on the other hand, can be quite the picky eater. I settled on a meat free lasagna. I made it by layering eggplant that I had sliced thin, mozzarella cheese, fresh sauteed spinach, whole wheat fresh pasta and a ricotta filling. For the ricotta filling I used 1 egg, a quart of part skim organic ricotta, about 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and a bunch of dried Italian herbs. I tossed in a handful of Parmesan cheese and mixed everything together.

A note for you gluten free folks, The sliced eggplant can be used instead of lasagna noodles when making your layers. I learned to do this years ago while on a no carb diet and its really tasty. You won't even notice the pasta is missing.

In between my layers I used a spicy tomato sauce to give it a bit of a kick. It turned out really tasty and we'll be enjoying the leftovers in our lunches.  Lasagna really hits the spot for me on chilly nights.  Well that's it for tonight gang.  My next post will be about ways to pack a greener lunch. I'll also be continuing my breakfast experiments throughout the week. Until next time... Bon Appetito!

New Beginnings

Did you ever notice how starting a new school or course of study tends to change your outlook on life and how you see the world? I remember at about this same time of year back in 2009, I began a journey at the Mt Nittany Institute of health to become a life coach. Part of the basis of the program was that we learned techniques to help people discover aspects of their lives that have been dormant, by going through the program ourselves. The program gave me an entirely new perspective on how to practice the often neglected art of self care. It also helped me to understand biases I had developed over time and gave me a new way to interact with my fellow humans. Throughout the program there were some stumbling blocks as I tried new things both in my daily practices and in my life at home. As I worked through each of these stumbling blocks, I discovered my life becoming increasingly rewarding with each new step.   Now, I find myself in a similar starting point.

I have recently started on a new journey at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. I am really excited about this new path and already started implementing some new daily habits. One aspect of the program that I'm most excited about is learning about many of the different nutritional theories and diets out there. As with much of my studies at Mt Nittany, this too is an immersion program with many new practices to add to my daily life.

One of the beginning exercises of the program is a special journal with some checklists to be filled out each morning and each night. I'm currently sitting in bed marinating on the wonderful day I spent with my hubby today: we went to a local winery and enjoyed the chilly air and sunshine along the wonderfully winding country roads in our area.  Then I began reflecting on what my eating habits were like today......massive fail.  This is especially a shame because I did great all week and my energy and attitude definitely reflected my eating choices.  I do tend eat very healthily and mindfully in general, but what I'm discovering about myself is that I only do it when I have time/ it feels most convenient. This is a habit I need to change. The biggest violation of that consistency is my breakfast habits.

So, dear readers, my next several posts/ recipes are going to be focused on trying some new things.  I can be your own personal Guinea Pig on all those weird health crazes you've hear baout/ wanted to try. So if you've heard of something you're curious about drop me a line. I'm trying to expand my personal food boundaries.   My first experiment will be tomorrow. Later in the week I will be seeing if I like Chia seeds and attempting Vegan overnight oats which I've read about on the Oh She Glows blog (really good recipes there).

Hopefully, I'll discover some new breakfast favorites that I'll be able to make in advance or in a hurry so I can develop some better morning habits to help me get through the rest of my day.  Tomorrow's breakfast: a sprouted grain cinnamon raisin bagel with almond butter. Yum! More details coming tomorrow. Good night. 

Have a Fiesta Friday!

Its crazy in the world out there lately. A few weeks ago we experienced a hurricane and an earthquake all in the same week. I was trying not get caught up in everyone's doom & gloom, especially when people were yelling at me at work for situations I can"t control (the entire east coast had sold out of sump pumps and I'm a kitchen designer at Lowe's)...

Anyway, amidst all of that negativity,  my hubby & I decided to have fiesta Friday.  We made up some sangria and some nice turkey tacos. I was determined to get some more veggies on our plates and didn't want to have unhealthy refried beans (besides I really don't like them), so I came up with a nice black bean salad instead. We both really enjoyed it. I love having leftovers to use in burritos & salads the next two days as well. Below are the results.


This experiment turned out surprisingly well for a last minute idea and it was great to use up some of my leftover bits in the fridge & pantry.
Toss together all the following ingredients and let marinate at least 30 minutes before serving.
1 can of black beans, drained & rinsed
2 cups corn kernels (we used leftover from the local farmers market, but thawed frozen kernels work well too
1 red bell pepper diced
1 green onion sliced
1 cup diced jicama 
1 Tbsp lime juice
spice blend I used: cumin, paprika, cilantro, red chili pepper, garlic and a smidgen of sea salt

***Note: if you're not familiar with Jicama its kind of a cross between a potato with an apple or a pear. It is usually found in the produce section of your grocery store or favorite Latin market.


This weekend we are "rained in". We live in central PA and the flooding has been way worse than anyone expected. So instead of being grumpy about it, we're reveling in having time to actually be home together for a long weekend. We'll be cleaning & organizing to give ourselves some stress relief, have some laughs while playing our favorite games and of course, I'll probably be cooking up a storm as usual. Not sure what I'll be making to keep the dark clouds away, but I'll be sure to post the results. Happy Friday!

Fresh Gazpacho- Summer In a Bowl

As soon as the weather gets warmer, my body craves veggies & fruit like you wouldn't believe. I am definitely, and always have been, a seasonal eater. When its hot I prefer the majority of my meals to be of a chilled variety and that usually means heavily vegetable based. My favorite of these meals has always been a cold bowl of fresh gazpacho.

I recently celebrated Lammas, an old festival day celebrating the first harvest of the year. I was debating on what to make for a special dinner and then Gazpacho popped in my head. I had a ton of cucumbers, peppers and tomatoes from my parents garden to use up and as a city dweller, that is about as close to a first harvest as I'm going to be able to do. I accompanied my meal with a whole grain zucchini corn bread. Since today is my MFM post for vegans I'll post that recipe later....In the meantime, make up a batch of this easy to make and delicious chilled soup. Serve it up with some good crusty bread and I guarantee you'll be hooked. Gazpacho also works great for all of you out there that are raw food fanatics as well, since it involves zero  cooking. All you need to make it is a good knife or a food processor.

You'll need:
4 large ripe tomatoes
3 medium cucumbers, peeled
1 red onion
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 small can tomato juice
2 red bell peppers

Cut the vegetables into large chunks. Place all the ingredients in your food processor or blender and pulse until is the same consistency as a chunky salsa.  Chill in the refrigerator for one day to let the flavors marinate before serving. 

Note: this is a good recipe to make at least one day in advance as it tastes so much better once the flavors have had a chance to marinate together for a bit.

Holy Zucchini Batman!!

I love summer produce and getting food from the garden, but right about this time every year I get overwhelmed. There is so much produce I don't know what to do with it all before it goes bad. I can only can & preserve so much of it. This week I feel like Bubba Gump, but instead of 50 ways to serve shrimp, I'm coming up with ways to use up an insane amount of zucchini. Just look at all this veg in my fridge.....awesome, but I need to seriously cook like crazy.  Especially, considering my parents are giving us another load this weekend when we visit them on the eastern shore.

So, I woke up this morning feeling motivated, but I've learned that in order to keep up my momentum I need to reward myself....what better way to do that than have a nice breakfast. I sauteed some zucchini in garlic & olive oil, tossed in some eggs and a hint of milk to make an omelette. Top that off with some sliced grape tomatoes, italian seasoning (harvested from my patio garden of course) and a smidgen of parmesan cheese. What I ended up with is a super yummy, mediterranian inspired omelette. I also got my protein and first serving of veg in for the day.

BTW, a small side note: I cooked this in my eco-friendly nonstick pan (they use ceramic instead of that nasty PFOA that is used on traditional nonstick pans), that is made by Cuisinart. It works fantastic. We received it as a wedding gift and my husband likes it so much he's been cooking breakfast almost every weekend for me. 

I still have a ton of zucchini left so here's how I'm using it:
-Its not summer without zucchini bread. I make several loaves, slice them up and then store the slices in the freezer so I can enjoy the summery snacky goodness for a few months. ITs also great for breakfast on the go.
-On the indulgent side, I love making chocolate zucchini bundt cakes. The zucchini keeps the cake super moist and whats more decadent than chocolate cake with chocolate chips baked in?!
-Breaded & baked zucchini fries are always a yummy snack. I like to served it with homemade roasted  tomato ketchup or a good marinara for dipping sauce.
- Here's an awesome recipe from Gourmet magazine that we love for parties: Zucchini Bacon Fritters
-We also love grilling off the zucchini and other veg with some fresh mozzerella to make paninis. The grilled vegetables also freeze surprisingly well.
-There's a family dish I love in the summer that my Great Aunt Jeanette calls LOMO. We have no idea where the name came from. Essentially all you do is saute about 2 sliced onions with some ground beef (I prefer ground turkey to cut the calories & fat).  Drain the excess fat from the pan.  Then add about 4 diced Roma tomatoes, 2 whole zucchinis (sliced into rounds), garlic, rosemary & oregano.  Let this cook covered until the juices reduce down and form a kind of stew. Then add a handful of Parmesan cheese.  This is a great way to use up extra zucchini from the garden as well as tomatoes. We usually will make batches of it and store it in seal a meal bags in the freezer. When we heat it back up, its great served over rice.

I hope this gives you a few ideas on how to enjoy your own zucchini explosion at home. I'll be posting form Maryland's eastern shore this weekend, who knows what I might get into to post about..
After that, the long awaited wedding wrap up (I finally got my wedding proofs). Hope you have a great weekend and can stay cool in all this extreme heat this week. Happy Summer!

Happy Bastille Day!

Yup, I'm celebrating French independence day.  Why? because that is where my father's family is from.... and also I'll make any excuse to cook my favorite comfort food recipes from my ancestral heritage.  Also, this is the 3rd day in a row I'm stuck at home nursing a sinus infection. When I am stuck at home & get a dose of cabin fever or if I am really upset about something, I cook. Any of my dear friends and family have witnessed this because I channel my grandmother during tough times and then feed everyone way too much food until whatever the current storm in my life passes over. Cooking calms me down, gives me a project to work on by myself providing time to think  and also some sort of peace knowing that a little bit of myself is in every dish I make and that the people I care about most in this world will get to enjoy it.

So for today, I've  made two things: a triple berry pie because I have berries from Strite's orchard that I refuse to go to waste and they happen to be the patriotic colors of the French flag as well. I also am making a variation of Ratatouille.

My grandmother and her sister, my great aunt Jeanette, grew up in a tiny farming village in the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. They ate simply growing up, living off the land. this was not because it was the right thing to do, but it was because that was what they had to do.  One of my favorite stories from their childhood, was that often it rained, they ran out in the grasses outside, picked snails and enjoyed escargot for dinner.  I always found it funny how dishes that many American think of as fancy French food, actually started off as peasant fare.  Ratatouille is one of those dishes that a lot of folks in farm villages ate. It consists of summer squashes, tomatoes and eggplant with garlic and herbs cooked together until it forms a stew. To me, it is the taste of summer on a plate.

Michelle's Ratatouille Pasta

• 2 eggplants (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 4 onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• coarse salt to taste
• 4 yellow squash (1 1/2 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 large red bell peppers, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 8 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 7 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 1/2 pounds penne rigate (with ridges) or fusili
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil

I actually halved the above recipe since its just myself & my hubby enjoying this tonight. Traditionally this dish is a vegetarian one, but since my hubby wanted some more "oomf" to it, I also added some spicy andouille sausage sliced up.We also used whole grain & vegetable fusili. This time we tried Hodgson Mill brand & its not bad.  If you have a gluten free diet, this dish is excellent on its own and really doesn't need the pasta, I just use it to turn it into a full meal as opposed to a side dish.

Preheat oven to 450°F.

Stir together eggplants, onions, 1/4 cup oil, and kosher salt in a large roasting pan, then roast mixture in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Stir in squash, bell peppers, 2 tablespoons oil, and more kosher salt and roast mixture, stirring occasionally, until bell peppers are tender, 25 to 30 minutes.

While vegetables are roasting, simmer tomatoes, garlic, thyme, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, and kosher salt in a heavy saucepan, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 12 to 15 minutes. Stir tomatoes into roasted vegetables and season ratatouille.

Cook penne  in a  pot of boiling salted water until al dente (to the bite) and drain. While pasta is cooking, stir parsley and basil into ratatouille and season. Toss pasta with 1/3 of ratatouille and serve topped with remainder. Enjoy with a nice light red wine and a crispy hunk of a baguette.

Getting tired? I tend to keep myself  going with some inspiring tunes. Today I'm enjoying the sounds of Edith Piaf and Maurice Chevalier while I'm relaxing and then maybe I'll play some French house music later when I have to motivated for the cleanup.


Triple Berry Summer Pie
Ok so first things 1st, the pie.  In France they usually eat tarts or free form pies called galettes, as pie is more of an American dessert. Unfortunately  I'm out of almond flour  to make a proper crust, and galettes are a huge mess in the oven, so pie it is!  First I tossed a mixture of blueberries, blackberries and raspberries together with 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup cornstarch and about 1 and a half teaspoons of cinnamon.  You can use any mixture of berries you like, these were just what I had on hand.  I added 2 hearty splashes of Cointreau (Note: Cointreau is an orange flavored liquor, using Grand Marnier will give you the same flavor profile) liquor (about 2 tbsp),    and then tossed the mixture with my hands. when its was mixed it looked like this:

Next I poured this mixture into my pie dough shell which I had already formed in my stoneware pie plate. Incidentally my mom always taught me to keep homemade pie dough in the freezer, ready to go. If you're not this fortunate to have it on hand, the ones in the refrigerated section of the grocery store work too. For those of you with Gluten intolerance, Wegman's carries some great ready to use gluten free pie shells in their frozen section.  I took a second piece of pie dough and cut it into strips to make a lattice.  Once I placed this on top I baked the pie for 35 minutes at about 350F in my convection toaster oven.  (I didn't want to waste the energy of heating up an entire oven and the apartment for just one pie).

Et voila! We're sure to be enjoying this later tonight with some vanilla ice cream while watching some of our favorite french inspired films. I think Pixar's Ratatouille & French Kiss will be our movies of choice. I hope you have as nice an evening as we will and happy summer!

Lactose Allergy? Don't Worry. You can still have your cake and eat it too!

Just because you have chosen to live a vegan lifestyle or you have a dairy allergy, does not mean you shouldn't be able to eat the foods you love the most.  An old grade school pal of mine that I recently reconnected with (thank you facebook!) has been doing great with most aspects of her new dairy free diet, but she really misses the sweets.  After all, everyone deserves  to have a good brownie or piece of cake after a really tough day.

In recent years, there has been a lot of new information and recognition about food allergies. Along with that, a lot of cookbooks, recipes, and bakeries have become available to those living with food intolerance. The results in many cases are very good. 


The hardest part of eliminating dairy is learning what you can use in place of eggs, milk and butter while still getting similar results in your favorite treats. Here are some great posts about easy substitutions you can make to convert your recipes to lactose free/ vegan versions:
1) The savy vegetarian's notes on   Vegan Baking Substitutes & Dairy Free Desserts
2) The post punk Kitchen has some good ideas after trial & error on how to Lose the eggs ,milk & butter from your favorite recipes
3) Here's another great article I found on about.com  on baking without butter

Nervous about converting over your own recipes and want to try some that have already been tested? Never fear, there are a ton of great cookbooks out there. So take a trip to your local Barnes & Noble or peruse the online shelves at Amazon to find some of these great books.  The easiest wat to find themis to look for Vegan baking books.  One of the most popular, now that they have bakeries across the country and are frequently on national television is Babycakes bakery. They specialize in vegan and gluten free yumminess.  Here is a recipe for banana bread from their website that I thought turned out surprisingly well:

Babycakes NYC Banana Bread Recipe

from the Babycakes website

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour (gotta be Bob's, no sub)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoons xanthan gum
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/3 cup oil
2/3 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup rice milk
2 tablespoons of good quality vanilla
1 1/4 cups mashed bananas
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Brush your loaf pan with oil and set aside.

In a medium bowl, measure in flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon and whisk. Add oil, agave nectar, rice milk and vanilla and then mix again. Fold in bananas until nicely distributed.
Pour batter into loaf pan (only halway!) and set in the oven. After 20 minutes, check on the loaf and continue baking until it passes the toothpick test. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes.






Don't have room for more cookbooks? (Much to my husband's chagrin, mine are taking over the apartment), there are a ton of specialty blogs out there. One of the best ones I've found is Vegan Baking.net . they have a huge wealth of information, a ton of recipes & even a bake-off contest. It is definitely worth your time to check it out. I'm looking forward to making the Tropical Paradise bars. 

I know this is a lot of new information for many of you to swallow but once you restock your pantry with a few new ingredients, dairy free baking is fairly easy to do and still tastes great. Since I 'm a chocoholic and peanut butter addict  I'll leave you with one of my favorite dairy free dessert recipes:

Peanut Butter Agave Cookies

adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar 

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romera

1/2 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup creamy or chunky salted peanut butter
2 tbsp nondairy milk
1 tbsp ground salba ( or ground flaxseeds)
2 tsps pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the agave nectar, brown rice syrup, oil, peanut butter, nondairy milk, salba/ flaxseeds, and vanilla and almonds extracts until smooth, about 3 minutes.  Sift in flours, baking soda, and salt and mix to form a soft dough.
3. Drop large, generously rounded tablespoons of dough 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets.  Flatten the cookies to about 1 inch using the back of a measuring cup.  Lightly spray the back of the cup with non-stick spray if the dough starts to stick.  Then use a fork to press a crosshatch pattern onto the tops of cookies.
4. Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are golden.  Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.  Store in a tightly covered container.

Channel Your Inner Popeye

Happy Meat Free Monday gang! I received an email from a dear friend yesterday who is a vegetarian. She’s had a number of health problems but has maintained her choice to keep her diet meat free. Her latest issue wearing her down is dealing with anemia. She was concerned she’d have to start eating meat again to get enough iron in her diet. This is not necessarily the case..  So today I’m going to talk a bit about ways to get iron back into your body without having to eat a huge steak.

Iron is in a ton of foods.  Organic produce is also has more  iron  than the veggies coming from mass produced commercial farms.  Some of the most iron dense foods include dark leafy greens such as collards & spinach, egg yolks, dried fruit such as prunes & raisins, chickpeas, artichokes, soybeans, lentils, beans and iron enriched cereals (read the labels). For all of you pescetarians out there, most mollusks are an excellent source of iron as well (oysters, scallops, mussels & clams)    Being anemic myself, once of the first tools I learned was when you eat iron rich foods pair them with foods that are rich in vitamin C, this will help your body absorb them better. So pairing your favorite iron rich foods with some citrus or broccoli can really be helpful.  One thing to watch out for when eating iron rich foods: try not to pair them with a lot of dairy products, such as milk & cheese. These products can actually inhibit absorption of iron.

Another myth about anemia is that it is only cause by low iron in the blood, this is not necessarily true. It can also be caused by a deficiency in B12, so it was no surprise to me that one of the biggest side effects of anemia is exhaustion & fatigue. One of the easiest things I do to help combat this is to take a b complex vitamin everyday. IT makes a world of difference in my stress levels and helps my energy level remain steady through the day. 

A lot folks ask me about iron supplements. Yes, iron supplements are available but they have their downside.  There are several different types available. The drops that would be diluted in liquid such as water seem to be the easiest to take. One thing I’ve found is that all iron supplements seem to make my stomach really uncomfortable.  It is much easier, and a lot tastier just to try to get the iron in my diet naturally.

Here are a few iron rich recipes to get you started: 

-the lime juice in this Three bean salad recipe serves as the vitamin C to help your body absorb all the great iron in the beans. Its also a great way to clean out your pantry or freezer. It also makes a nice summer side dish at all those fourth of July bbqs coming up. 

-Fire up the grill and enjoy these awesome & easy to make  artichokes

-This Firecracker Spinach Salad is a hit in our home & I love the orange dressing.

-Don't grimace at the thought of brussel sprouts, they're a great source of iron! check out this slaw recipe that we enjoy at home from one of my past posts  : Brussel Sprout Slaw

I hope you can use these tools to pump a lot more iron into your diet and still have the option to do so in a meat free way.  Coming up soon, by request, some yummy desserts for those folks dealing with lactose intolerance.  Hope you all have a great week. Be Good to yourselves!

Black Bean Tacos with Cabbage Slaw

There are three types of foods that I crave once the warm summer weather hits, lots of fruit, tropical inspired dishes and Mexican inspired dishes. i live in Arizona for  few years when I went to culinary school out there. My favorite meals were ones made at home and taught to me by my Mexican roommate.  He taught me a lot about his heritage and the best ingredients to make some truly amazing food.(His tamales will always be my absolute favorite!)

I was thinking about him when I was working on today's meat free Monday recipe. It is by no means truly authentic, but it does use a lot of the flavors I enjoy most when cooking with him. This recipe is great not just for vegetarians but also for people watching their waistlines. Its a low calorie meal with a ton of fiber. I hope you enjoy it!

You'll need:

• 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 5 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 2 cups coleslaw mix
• 1 jalepeno, seeded & chopped superfine
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 4 white or yellow corn tortillas
• 1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
• Bottled chipotle hot sauce or other hot sauce, I use Chalula brand.

Place beans, jalempeno, garlic, 1/2 of the lime juice and cumin in small bowl; partially mash. Mix 2 teaspoons olive oil and lime juice in medium bowl; add coleslaw, green onions, and cilantro and toss to coat. Season slaw to taste with salt and pepper.

Heat 3 teaspoons olive oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add tortillas in single layer. Spoon 1/4 of bean mixture onto half of each tortilla; cook 1 minute. Fold tacos in half. Cook until golden brown, about 1 minute per side. Fill tacos with feta and slaw. Pass hot sauce alongside. Makes 4 servings or if you eat like my husband does, 2.  

How green is your sunscreen?

Summer is here and I can't be outside long enough to keep me satisfied. Whether you are headed to the pool or just going to work in your garden, one important kindness you can do for your body is wear sunscreen. A kindness you can do for our planet is make sure that your sunscreen doesn't do any additional damage to our ecosystem while it's protecting you.

We don't think about it but many of the oils in sunscreens and tanning lotions come off of our skin and wash into the marine ecosystem when we go swimming in natural bodies of water. In tropical climates this is a huge problem for the coral reefs. The oils in the water settle on the reefs & have the same effect as an oil slick, suffocating them and bleaching them. Our sunblock is partly responsible for slowly killing the world's coral. Oxybenzone, an ingredient used in a number of sunscreens has also been known to potentially cause feminizing of fish.

The way I see it, if it's going to harm the planet, it could potentially harm me. It goes without saying that I don't want to put it on my body's largest organ, my skin.


 My husband is literally part albino, so having a good sunscreen is key to our having a nice vacation.  In preparation for our honeymoon we tried several eco-friendly sunscreens and below are our results.

Mexitan- kind of greasy. just worked ok. It had a whitish tin we didn't like and we found we had to apply it a little more often than normal. It also had an odd smell to it.

Soleo- we thought this was a bit greasy and despite wearing the block, my husband still got a little bit burnt. Smelled a little funny too.

Alba Botanicals- worked well, smelled nice and doesn't seem to bother those with sensdative skin & allergies.  we did have to apply it rather frequently but a good sunscreen. It was a little more expensive than its competitors. 

Loving Naturals- worked well , but not really a good choice if you're in and out of the water frequently. this one smelled nice & wasn't greasy. We did have to reapply it more often than normal. It tends to leave a bit of a white tint on your skin.

Badger- this sunblock really worked fantastic. it was definitely our favorite. It took some extra rubbing in but it wasn't greasy and pretty much odorless. This also was wonderful in the water. We wore it surfing and didn't get burnt at all, after two whole hours. The only sunburn we received was on the back of our knees and that was because we forgot to put it on there. All right, you can say it, what king of moron goes surfing and forgets to block on the backs of their knees right? i highly recommend this sunscreen.

Anyway, that is our two cents on the best green sunscreens out there. I hope you have a fun, safe and healthy summer!

Meat Free Monday Recipe: Summer vegetable ragout over polenta

At my wedding we made a dish similar to this with ratatouille over grilled polenta triangles.  This is a modification of a recipe I tried from this month's issue of Self magazine. As today is the second Monday of the month, this recipe is a vegan & gluten free version. I hope you enjoy it!

• Vegetable oil cooking spray
• 2 cans (15.5 ounces each) navy beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 pound plum tomatoes, chopped
• 1/2 cup basil, chopped, plus 15 leaves for garnish
• 1 tube (18 ounces) prepared polenta, cut into 16 slices
• 1 pound zucchini, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 pound of japanese eggplant, sliced
• 1 bottle (7 ounces) roasted red peppers, drained
• 2 roasted garlic cloves, chopped
• 10oz rice cheese, mozzarella style diced (you can find this in most natural grocery stores)

Preparation

Heat grill. Fold four 18-inch-long pieces of foil in half; unfold and coat inside with cooking spray. Combine beans, tomatoes, chopped basil, 5 oz rice cheese and garlic in a bowl. . Place 1/4 of bean mixture in center of 1 half of each piece of foil. Working 1 packet at a time, place 4 slices polenta in an overlapping circle over beans. Top with 1/4 of zucchini slices, 1/4 of red peppers and 1/4 of remaining 5 ounces rice cheese. Fold foil to close and crimp edges to seal packets; place on grill; close lid; cook until packets are fully puffed, 10 minutes. Carefully cut foil to open and garnish with basil leaves. Serves 4.

Eating in Oahu

I'm one of those travelers that when I visit a new town, I really want to get to know the local people and culture. I generally despise tourist traps. A great way to get to know a local culture, I find, is through it's food.

I currently am on a vacation in Oahu, Hawaii. There are two main things I love about this place, the respect for and incorporation of nature in the city and all the amazing food. Nature I will get to in a separate post, but today I'm talking about the Ono food (Ono means really good).
NOTE: This post was actually written back on May 29, 2011 while on my honeymoon. I had some trouble with internet access to get it up, I apologize for the delay.

A  coconut curry of local shrimp & Opa (one of the local  fishes that was caught that morning)

The first thing that struck me at our first meal when we arrived in town, is how proud the people are that their food is locally sourced. We admittedly headed to a tourist trap around here called Duke's. It's located right on Waikiki beach. I honestly didn't expect much & for it to be crazy overpriced. Surprisingly enough neither was true. The service was impeccable. The food was amazing and surprisingly healthy.  I didn't even ask, but the waiter volunteered that the chef could create anything to suit vegetarian or special needs. We were told which fish was the freshest and was caught earlier that morning. And seriously, who has ever heard of a tourist trap that serves burgers made of local, grass-fed beef served on a homemade taro bun (we went back later in the trip for lunch one day & let me tell you, it was as good as it sounds). 

 They also offered beers from local breweries too. If you make it Hawaii try the pale ale and red lager from Kona brewing company.  We also enjoyed the Walua Wheat beer.  And seriously, who has ever heard of a tourist trap that serves burgers made of local, grass fed beef.

Our second day we started the morning off rather indulgently. I had banana macadamia nut pancakes with coconut syrup. As you can see from the picture they were huge and oh so delicious (man I love local food when it's in a tropical climate). We headed to the spa for some traditional lomi lomi massages to ditch our stress and tight muscles from the crazy long flight. We walked a bit before going out for the dinner of a lifetime.

Chef Alan Wong is a major celebrity when it comes not only to preparing traditional Hawaiian cuisine, but also educating the public as well as promoting local farmers. We were fortunate enough to be in town when he hosted a farmers market series chef's tasting dinner. Dinner was 5 courses of incredible food that was completely comprised of locally sourced ingredients. In addition to Chef Wong being there, the farmers who grew the ingredients were on hand to answer questions we may have had, including the Hawaiian fish council.

One of the people we enjoyed Meeting the most was the owner of Kuahiwi Ranch, who raises cattle for local grass fed beef. They started raising British White cattle, as opposed to Angus. He was saying not only is the flavor incredible ( it really was very tender) but the cows have such a different temperament. Have you seen the commercials for happy cows? Well, these ones really are. They're sweet & loyal. He likened them to having the attitude of your favorite pooch. Another highlight of the meal was the Poke (pronounced pokay) made from Nairagi, a striped marlin. I am addicted to poke and tried as many varieties as I could on this trip. Unfortunately, my husband's camera went wonky and the pictures of the beautiful food at this dinner did not turn out. Dessert was outstanding as well, , a Kaffir-Lemongrass Jasmine rice pudding, surrounded in produce from the Makaha Mango farm.

Other stops on our trip included Leonard's bakery. This is enjoyed by the locals but tourists have caught on, so there is always a long line out the door. They make the most amazing Portuguese doughnuts called Malasadas.  They are served  super fresh & piping hot. I think the one filled with coconut custard was my favorite, but the original style is perfect for dunking, even after a day or two.

Another fun stop was Puka Dog. I had seen them featured on Tony Bourdain's "No Reservations" and had to check them out for myself. I was not disappointed. These dogs (polish sausage or a soy dog) are inserted vertically into a toasted bun (they had wheat buns available too ;-)  ).  I could enjoy hot dogs with pineapple relish and guava mustard for the rest of my life and be a happy gal. My husband preferred his mango jalepeno relish.  They now ship their sauces, so I have a feeling I'll be ordering these regularly. 

 If you make it to the north shore keep your eyes peeled for all the local shrimp trucks. (yes I bought food on the side of the road, but this is not like the roach coaches we find here on the mainland.) The farm shrimp locally and then stir fry them up in a garlicky scampi style sauce. One of the best one's is Giovanni's. If you're up there around dinner time check out Jameson's By the Sea for a great sunset view (sit downstairs, not up, which is contrary to what people will suggest). We went there for lunch after our surfing lesson. I had a curried chicken salad served in a papaya that was incredible. We also really enjoyed the Thai shrimp summer rolls.


One advantage in Waikiki to all the Japanese tourists being everywhere, is that you can get great and authentic Japanese food very easily. Try to look in unusual places (as opposed to the ones on the main shopping stretches).  We found a wonderful Ramen shop (the real kind) tucked in the back of  the underground floor of  a shopping mall. We knew we had found a winner when we discovered we were the only non-Japanese people eating there.  I had mine with Hawaiian salt pork... so yummy!

We enjoyed amazing food everywhere we went. The fresh pineapple that was served as a garnish on just about every plate didn't hurt either. There is so much great food to be had. So if you make it to Oahu, skip the tourist restaurants on the strip, like Jimmy Buffet's & the Cheesecake factory, and see what you can find by exploring. You will not be disappointed.