Category Archives: Health

May 31, 2013 · 12:34 pm

Simple Summer Side Salad

Friends! I know it’s been awhile. I’ve missed you.

Well, happy Friday, for starters!

I wanted to send you into the weekend with this fun little recipe. It’s the perfect summery side dish or snack.

Best part? It’s healthy! (Obviously.)

Second best part? It’s easy!

Now, who doesn’t love that combination?

Okay, here we go…

ORANGE COUSCOUS

INGREDIENTS
  • 1 cup whole wheat couscous
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 cup orange juice (freshly squeezed is best)
  • 1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar
  • 10 dried apricots, chopped* 
  • 2 tablespoons dried raisins*
  • 3 medium carrots, shaved and chopped
  • 1/4 cup pine nuts
  • drizzle of olive oil at the end (optional)
  • 2 persian cucumbers, chopped and added at the end (optional)

*Dried fruit should be organic, unsulphured and with no added ingredients – just apricots or raisins

DIRECTIONS

  1. Pour couscous into a medium-sized bowl.
  2. In a small pot, combine water, orange juice, and vinegar. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the dried fruit. Let simmer for about 1 minute.
  3. Give it a quick stir and then pour the liquid mixture over the dry couscous. Stir to eliminate any dry pockets. Add the carrots on top and then cover with a plate or towel to keep in the heat.
  4. The couscous will cook in 15 to 20 minutes.
  5. When the couscous is cooked, stir in the carrots and add in the pine nuts and cucumber. You may opt to drizzle olive oil on top.
  6. Best served cold or at room temp.

Now, some people don’t love couscous. That’s okay. For example, in my house the Hubby doesn’t like it so that means more for me. No complaints. :)

While couscous works best in this recipe, if it’s not for you, you can choose a different grain…or non-grain. Buckwheat is a heartier choice and arguably even healthier.

Why? Well, it’s gluten-free because it’s not actually wheat, despite its misleading name. It’s a seed related to rhubarb and it’s a great source of protein, fiber, complete essential amino acids, zinc, magnesium, and B vitamins. Plus, it’s whole grain and very versatile, great in a sweet or savory dish.

I recommend Eden Organics Buckwheat. You should cook the buckwheat first (takes 30 minutes) or make it in advance. Then add the ingredients to it as you would uncooked couscous and the results should be similar. BUT, you should reduce the liquid substantially, since the buckwheat is already cooked. I’d say probably 1 tbsp of water, 1/4 cup of orange juice and 1/4 tsp of vinegar to 1 full cup of cooked buckwheat. You don’t want it liquidy. Let it chill in the fridge for a bit and add more buckwheat if it’s still too wet. If you like couscous, though, the recipe works better with it.

Also, I’m not the biggest lover of raisins, so sometimes I make this with just apricots, which I do love. Works great and I don’t feel the need to up the amount either. Plenty of sweetness here.

I’ve also been known to throw in some fresh herbs, too. Parsley and basil from my garden add a different flavor that I like sometimes. Herbs are super healthy, so that’s always a bonus. Just depends on my taste buds on any given day. Get creative!

And as always, all ingredients are organic. You know me. That’s how I do!

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Filed under Fruit, Gluten-free, Health, Organic, Recipe, Snacks, Vegetables

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April 13, 2013 · 10:27 am

One Seriously Tasty Weekend

Happy Weekend!

It is for HCJ & Co! My super cute, amazing dad is having a birthday and that means I’m going all out…in the kitchen.

As requested, Birthday Brunch will be a repeat of what I did for my Mom’s big day.

I was buying my Petit Pain Pascals at Trader Joe’s today and I bought so many that the checkout guy asked if I’d be using them for soup bowls.

My eyes went wide and I said, “No! French Toast! They are amazing as french toast! I make a french toast casserole that’s incredible!”

Like my dad, I’ll eat the Pascals any which way – plain, toasted with ghee, with avocado, or as french toast. This weekend, these little loaves have one fate only: they’re getting cubed up and into my 11×15 pan. It’s going to be legendary.

But last night I got the opportunity to do something I’ve been planning for quite some time. I made a seafood feast with seafood from I Love Blue Sea, a company out of San Francisco that sources the best sustainable seafood from small fishing operations around the country.

The Result?

Amazingly fresh, delicious seafood because it’s flash frozen immediately after it’s caught.

My selections included Wild Sockeye Salmon fresh from Alaska and lobster tails from Maine.

No fishy taste at all. Doing right by the taste buds, the body, and the environment. That’s an HCJ trifecta.

Now, the pièce de résistance was the lobster pasta. Dad LOVES pasta. And lobster.

And I love Dad.

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So here’s the informal recipe…

I boiled the lobster tails – takes about 5 minutes.

I cooked up DeBoles Organic Fettucine (not whole grain but this was a special occasion ;) and Dad LOVED this pasta) for 7 minutes, rinsed and added:

*chopped organic cherry tomatoes (which are ridic right now, btw)

*2 tsp of ghee

*a few shakes of organic dried basil

*and about 1/2 cup of low sodium organic chicken broth.

I let that all cook for about 2-3 minutes, until tomatoes looked slightly cooked.

Then I added chopped up meat from two lobster tails and topped it all with a whole lot of organic spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted – it’s just a couple of minutes.

(I was careful not to overcook because the pasta was done.)

I poured it all into a bowl and added some olive oil and mixed it up. You can add (organic) parmesan straight in but I did a little dish on the side.

HUGE hit.

Hey, Dad. I know you’re reading this. The good news is that there are still two lobster tails in the freezer so we can do this all again soon. And the other good news is that french toast is happening tomorrow. Happy, happy, happiest of birthdays to you. You’re the best dad in the history of the world (no offense, other dads) and I love you so much.

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March 29, 2013 · 10:59 am

Let’s Go Shopping!

As a health coach, one of the things I do is give grocery tours. Since not all of my readers are local, consider this your free online grocery tour of Trader Joe’s!

“But Trader Joe’s is so healthy!” you say. ”Can’t I buy anything there?”

No, my friends. Not all Trader Joe’s offerings are created equal. Many products contain soy and other iffy ingredients or far too much sugar to be healthy. One of the best things you can do for your health is to learn to read labels.

One tip I’ll give you right here, right now is this: the fewer ingredients, the better.

That being said, Trader’s does offer some wonderful products for amazing prices. So let’s get to it, shall we?

1. Organic Petit Pain Pascal 
Trader Joe’s made a winner here. With only 3 ingredients – organic whole wheat flour, water, and salt – this bread is organic, whole grain and so delicious. You’ll find it in the day bread section, which means they deliver them each morning and not every store gets them every day.

Fyi: Do not confuse it with the Pain Pascal demi-loaf. The Petit Pain Pascal is much softer and moister than it’s cousin the demi-loaf, which I found to be obscenely large and rather dry, but serviceable in a pinch.

Check with your local store for the deets. Oh and did I mention it’s $.99?

Makes you wonder why so many companies add more ingredients when only 3 taste this good…

2. Frozen Organic Berries

Screen shot 2013-03-29 at 10.18.52 AMIn my germ-fighting post, I mentioned the importance of eating plenty of berries to stay healthy this time of year. I love that Trader’s has a frozen mix of blueberries, raspberries, strawberries and blackberries. This combo-pack really elevates a bowl of oatmeal.

Their frozen berry selection is seasonal, though, so at times you’ll find the mixed berries or wild organic blueberries or organic raspberries. All get my stamp of approval on taste, health, and price. $2.99 (rasps)/$3.49 (mix)/$3.99 (bluebs)

3. Power to the Greens Mix

Screen shot 2013-03-29 at 10.44.50 AMSeveral months ago, one of my favorite bloggers, Erika from Raw Green Fitness, brought this product to my attention. And I am so grateful! This bag of mixed greens (baby kale, baby spinach, and baby chard) is super healthy and gets a good mix of different greens into your meal. Cook or eat raw. Each bag is $1.99.

4. Organic Chicken and Brown Rice Dog Treats
Screen shot 2013-03-29 at 10.20.15 AMI’ve yet to meet a pooch who doesn’t dig these tasty treats. And at $2.99 a bag, you can feel good about feeding your four-legged bestie good stuff for a great price.

5. Cheapest. Therapy. Ever.

Screen shot 2013-03-29 at 10.19.47 AMI am flipping over their daffodils right now. One bunch of these bright yellow beauties is $1.29, lasts about a week, and makes me smile every time I pass by the vase. Find a bloom that brightens your day!

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Filed under BPA, Fruit, Health, Organic, Product Review, Products, Tips and Tricks, Vegetables

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March 8, 2013 · 11:22 am

Deliciousness = Full and Happy Bellies

In my last post I mentioned it was my mom’s birthday. Well, being the health coach that I am, I had to make sure we ate healthy on her special day, so I cooked up an organic brunch complete with Barefoot Coffee. Now, you know healthy doesn’t mean it can’t be delicious. Because it was. And we all agreed that I should write a post about it.

Now, I’m tooting my own horn here because I really knocked it out of the park this time, you guys.

And just for letting me toot the horn, I’m sharing these two insanely good recipes with you.

Super simple. Super delicious. Super healthy.

The first was an egg casserole, loaded with veggies. The second was a baked french toast that was dairy-free and had only low-glycemic coconut sugar. Both recipes are completely organic, with the exception of the salt, as salt is not organic. Instead of topping the french toast with syrup, we had fresh fruit, and it was the perfect compliment.

As usual, there were no GMOs here and everything was prepared with safe cookware. See my post on what I like to use to avoid BPA and chemicals from non-stick cookware.

I really should have a picture of this feast, but there was no time for pictures. I couldn’t wait to dive in. Forgive me.

And without further ado…

EGG CASSEROLE
Ingredients:
8 eggs (I used 4 whole, 4 whites)
1 1/2 bags of spinach
1 box of mushrooms
1 tbsp of ghee
1 tsp of turmeric
Seasoning: pink salt and/or pepper and/or Italian Seasoning to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. Chop up mushrooms and any other veggies you love.
Tip #1: always let veggies sit for 5 minutes after cutting and before cooking to let the freshly broken enzymes do their thing.

3. Scramble eggs in a bowl with turmeric, a pinch of salt, and seasoning (I used a bit of Italian Seasoning). Use whatever combination of whole eggs/egg whites you prefer.

4. Heat the ghee in a pan.

5. Sautee mushrooms in ghee with a splash or two of water – you want just enough for a juice so they don’t stick and burn, but not too much that it’s really saucy. Once cooked (give it about 4 minutes), add spinach. and cook until wilted, not longer.

6. Line a 9×9 casserole dish (stoneware or glass) with unbleached parchment paper and spread the mushroom/spinach mixture evenly along the bottom. Pour the egg mix over the veggies.

7. Bake at 375 for 30-35 minutes (until egg sets).

8. Tip #2: always sprinkle pepper (any kind will do) on your eggs to break down the glairy mucus from the whites.

Enjoy!

RIDICULOUS BAKED FRENCH TOAST

Yup. Ridiculous.

Ingredients:
1 lb of organic whole wheat bread (I used 1 1/2 loaves of Petit Pain Pascal from Trader Joe’s – it’s in their day bread section and it’s fantastic)
1/2 cup of ghee, melted
4 large eggs
3/4 cup almond milk
1/3 cup coconut sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract (non-alcohol) + 1/4 tsp of ground vanilla
1.5 tablespoon cinnamon (use 1 1/4 in the mixture, 1/4 sprinkled on top)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon pink salt
Fixins on the side: 1/2 cup each of blueberries and banana slices

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

2. Line an 11×15 inch pan with unbleached parchment paper. Melt the ghee on the stove on low and allow it to cool so you don’t curdle the milk or cook the eggs.

3. Cut the bread into 1 inch pieces and place on the parchment paper, making sure it all fits along the bottom without too much stacking.

4. Mix ghee, eggs, almond milk, coconut sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pour over the bread. Make sure to wet every piece gets wet. Pour a little extra milk if necessary (you may even need to make additional batter if there’s not enough for sufficient soakage), sprinkle with a little sugar and cinnamon on top. Put a few pieces of unmelted ghee across the top. Cover with foil and let soak for 4 hours in the refrigerator.

5. Bake for about 30 to 35 minutes. It will brown but don’t overbake because you want it moist. Some pieces should be a little toasted but there will still be some liquid in the center.

5. Serve yourself a big honkin’ piece and top with blueberries and banana, or any other fruit you like. This does not need syrup or additional sugar.

6. Tip #3: go back for seconds because sometimes we just need to enjoy ourselves.

You’re welcome. :)

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Filed under BPA, Fruit, GMO-free, Health, Low-glycemic, One Pot Dish, Organic, Recipe, Tips and Tricks, Vegetables

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March 1, 2013 · 12:03 pm

Holy Smokes! (Aka Endings and Beginnings)

Well, I didn’t know what to name this blogpost so I gave it two names.

I know. I’m wild and crazy like that.

It’s been a big few weeks for me and although I’ve missed you all and I KNOW you’ve all missed me just as much ( :) it’s been far too long since we’ve had a post from me…my apologies) I’ve had my plate very, VERY full.

I feel a little like a machine that was out of order due to maintenance. But now I am rebooted and ready to roll!

It’s been an exciting time full of both beginnings and endings.

I should tell you that I don’t do well with endings. I used to cry on New Year’s Eve. Seriously.

Luckily, these days, the beginnings have helped me through the endings. But it’s been bittersweet. When it comes to chocolate, bittersweet is great. In life, maybe a little less so.

Now that I’ve spoken in generalities, I’ll get a little more specific. Last week I bid farewell to a place I called home for several years. It was my first real home as a “grown up” and it was a beautiful, warm, and cozy home. I now live in a much different home, beautiful in all different ways, in a neighborhood that is much more peaceful, or as the hubby calls it, “Paradisical.” Love that. Love him.

Here’s a picture of “Paradisical” because blogposts need pictures to be fun.

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So what this all means for you is that as I settle into my new surroundings, I will be posting more.

Exciting, right? I know!

Now I want to take a moment and give a shout out to The Institute for Integrative Nutrition for what they are doing to change the world and all the many ways in which they facilitate an incredible experience for their students. Becoming a Certified Health Coach is one of the greatest things I’ve ever done and IIN completely changed my life, helping me get to where I needed to be on so many levels.

If you’d like to get on board with changing the world or changing your world, let’s chat. I will be rolling out some programs this year so that you, too, can get to where you need to be. It can be as simple as learning how to easily prepare healthy meals for your family or as complex as radically changing your diet for pregnancy.

It’s about where you want to be. And I can help you get there.

And on a final note, I want to wish a very happy birthday to my amazing mom. She’s incredible, folks, and today is her day. She deserves all the love and pampering that birthdays bring…and then some. Happy Birthday, TM! I love you so much!

Have a fantastic weekend, all! I’ll see you next week…

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