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Archive for the ‘Health & Wellness’ Category
Sunday, April 4th, 2010
Brandy and I had so many lovely submissions for our All Through the Year Cheer Easter event…please check out the beautiful round-up and winner here!
Giveaway: Just in time for Earth Day (April 22) I recently received a gift package from Green Giant through My Blog Spark, containing a coupon for a free package of Green Giant frozen vegetables, a mini herb garden, a bamboo utensil set, and a 100% recyclable grocery tote.
 For over 100 years Green Giant has worked hard to reduce the carbon footprint it leaves. A few of the things that Green Giant has done include reduce the amount of land and water needed to grow vegetables, team up with growers to install a more efficient irrigation system that can reduce water usage, and switch to a more earth-friendly paperboard to package frozen vegetables. This year Green Giant is celebrating Earth Day by giving $200,000 to The Nature Conservatory to help fund a project to encourage greener farming practices to protect the Root River, one of Minnesota’s (where Green Giant is located) best trout streams. If you’d like to win the same prize pack, just leave a comment on this post telling me what you do to help the environment. The giveaway will end on 4/10 at 9PM EST, when I’ll use a random number generator to determine a winner.
 Book Review: The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged! by Tosca Reno: Since I loved Tosca’s Eat Clean Cookbook I was thrilled to recently receive a copy of this book to review. This book has over 50 healthy recipes, but the majority of the book is devoted to describing the ins and outs of “clean” eating. One of the most impacting things I got out of the book was what Tosca calls the “Body Beautiful/Body Healthy Formula.” According to this formula, a beautiful and healthy body results from 80% nutrition + 10% training + 10% genetics. Tosca put it best when she said “nutrition is far more responsible for creating your shape and your health than you ever could have imagined”!
 In the book, 8 principles of clean eating are discussed; a few of these principles include eating more throughout the day, eating breakfast, eating a combination of lean protein and complex carbohydrates at every meal, eating enough healthy fats every day, and carrying a cooler packed with clean foods each day. From my own personal experience, I have noticed that eating breakfast is the most important eating habit for me, not only to start up my metabolism early in the day, but also because it sets the tone mentally for the food choices I make throughout the rest of the day.
 Throughout the book Tosca gives a lot of helpful information, such as lists of lean proteins, starchy complex carbs (from both whole grains and vegetables), carbs from fruits and vegetables, and healthy fats. A quick reference is given to show healthy portion sizes. Tips for clean shopping are given, including information on how to decipher nutrition labels. Tosca discusses how to eat clean in any situation, including eating at the office, at restaurants, and at parties. To decipher a menu when eating out, Tosca suggests looking for the following key words: baked, grilled, dry-sautéed, broiled, au jus, roasted, poached, or steamed, and avoiding the following: breaded, au gratin (with cheese), casserole, carbonara, creamy, sautéed, tempura, gravy, fried, or bisque.
 Tosca describes her cooler plans in detail. Each cooler plan is meant to be a day’s worth of food. There are three different week-long cooler plans listed: (1) hardcore eating plan for rapid results, (2) strict eating plan for best long-term results and year-round maintenance, and (3) a plan to get used to the idea of eating for health and life.
 In the book there is a whole litany of benefits that can be expected from clean eating, including a natural detox, lean physique, and constant energy. I think the best motivation for eating clean can be summed up in this quote from the book: “Just as cars do not operate properly on dirty gas, the human body does not function well on poor fuel. Eating foods devoid of nutrients stimulates your craving for more of them, and there is never a real sense of satisfaction in what you have eaten.”
 The Recipes: The recipes portion of the book includes the following sections: breakfast, starters, salads, soups/stews, proteins, sides, complete meals, and desserts. Just like Tosca’s Eat Clean Cookbook, the recipes here are simple, focusing on quality ingredients that don’t need a lot of preparation or fuss to make into a delicious dish. I love how a lot of the recipes really seem to teach you the method of making something, but have a lot of leeway for customization. For example, I can imagine any variety of veggies in the Picante Frittata, a multitude of different fruits in the Ultimate Smoothie, and just about any type of legume in Lentil Spread.
 The Recipe I Made Right Away: The first recipe I made from this book was Power Balls, which basically look like healthy truffles. I made several substitutions and alterations, mainly to work with what I had on hand (the only substitution I made because of preference was to use honey instead of agave). This recipe was easy to make an only took about 25 minutes from start to finish, including the time it took to roll the balls. They were delicious with a gooey texture and a flavor that reminded me of peanut butter cookie dough.
 Power Balls (Adopted from Tosca Reno’s The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged!)
(Yield: 18 (1 TB) balls)
1/2 c unsalted sunflower seeds
1/2 c rolled oats
3/4 c dried apricots
1/4 c honey
1/4 c natural, unsweetened peanut butter (I used Smucker’s)
1/4 c sesame seeds
In the bowl of a food processor, combine sunflower seeds and oats; process until they form a grainy powder. Add the apricots and process until they’re completely integrated with the seed/oat mixture. Add the honey and peanut butter and process until the mixture forms a dough-like consistency. Scoop the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and roll in sesame seeds.
Tags: All Through the Year Cheer, Giveaway, Power Balls, Recipes, The Eat-Clean Diet Recharged, Tosca Reno
Posted in All Through the Year Cheer, Book Reviews, Giveaways, Health & Wellness, Recipes | 43 Comments »
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
You might remember a while back when I posted my review of Tosca Reno’s Eating Clean Cookbook. Tosca was kind enough to do a Q&A session on clean eating. Many people’s resolutions involve “getting healthy” (whether it’s by exercising, losing weight, or just cleaning up their eating habits), so this comes at a good time! Thank you, Tosca!
For anyone out there who isn’t familiar, what is the basic premise of eating clean?
Eating Clean is eating the way nature intended. You eat the food our bodies evolved to function best on, which is why you feel and look fantastic. When you Eat Clean you eat six small meals each day. You eat lean protein, complex carbs, and healthy fats, which keeps your blood-sugar levels stable and your hunger under control.
What was your biggest inspiration for coming up with the “eat clean” idea?
I can’t take credit for the idea of Eating Clean. This is the way that bodybuilders and fitness athletes have gotten ripped for competitions for decades. The inspiration for my books came from my Oxygen readers – they often wrote in asking for diet and fitness advice so I thought I would make the information available to them in one concise package.
 In your Eat Clean Cookbook, I noticed several recipes that would make wonderful additions to holiday meals; can basically any recipe be remade into a clean recipe?
Most recipes can be made Clean, so long as they don’t contain any processed ingredients. Even then, substitutions can be made. The focus of Eating Clean is on real food – the more natural, the better.
Where do you get all of your incredible recipe ideas?
Sometimes I get recipe ideas from family and friends, and occasionally from readers, but most of the time it’s just from experimenting in the kitchen. I have a large family and I love cooking healthy, wholesome foods that everyone will enjoy.
 What are some of the benefits of seasonal eating, in addition to superior taste?
When you choose fruits and vegetables that are in season, you not only ensure that you are eating a wide variety of nutrients throughout the year, but you also save money. Purchasing produce that is in-season is a cost-effective way to Eat Clean.
 What are the best ways to cook vegetables to retain as many nutrients as possible?
Although I eat a lot of vegetables raw or steamed, you can also bake, grill, broil or roast your vegetables. So long as you are eating your veggies without sauce or melted butter, you’re good to go.
What are three staples that are always in your refrigerator?
Eggs, grilled chicken, and brown rice.
 How can someone follow the clean eating plan when eating at a restaurant or at someone else’s house?
In restaurants, make friends with your server and let them know you’d like your food prepared without added sauces, gravies, butters, fats and oils. Ask for meats to be grilled or “dry.” Request your vegetables to be steamed and served without sauce or butter. If the restaurant you are at serves sweet potatoes, whole grain pasta, or brown rice, feel free to enjoy a serving, otherwise ask for a double portion of vegetables.
Eating Clean at someone else’s house can be more difficult but it’s not impossible. If you know your host well you can explain your dietary concerns before the meal, or offer to bring a dish to share (if the situation is appropriate).
 What are some clean protein sources, in addition to beans and tofu?
Chicken, tuna, bison, beef, tuna, salmon, chickpeas, eggs, nonfat plain yogurt and kefir, fresh fish, low fat cottage cheese, lentils, lean ground turkey, tempeh, edamame, unsalted raw nuts, natural nut butters, textured vegetable protein, natural protein powder – the list is quite long!
 How many nights a week do you think it’s beneficial to eat vegetarian (both for our health and environmental purposes)?
At my house we make a point to have at least one meatless meal (and sometimes more) for dinner each week. I rely on protein powder, beans, lentils and other vegetarian proteins quite often.
Are there any vegetables that should be avoided or eaten minimally when eating clean?
When you Eat Clean you can feel free to enjoy all vegetables. Starchy vegetables such as carrots, sweet potatoes, potatoes, radishes, split peas, and yams should be limited to two to four servings each day. Other vegetables, especially leafy greens, have no limitations.
 Why do many people frequently crave sugar?
People crave sugar because it’s addictive. In my opinion, sugar is a legal drug – addictive and destructive. Eating sugar provides an immediate energy spike, which is why people turn to it when their blood-sugar levels are dipping. By Eating Clean and keeping your blood-sugar levels stable, you can prevent sugar cravings.
Which clean foods are good for reducing and/or eliminating sugar cravings?
The best way to reduce sugar cravings is to cut sugar out of your life cold turkey. You wouldn’t suggest to an alcoholic that they wean themselves off of alcohol and sugar should be treated in the same way. In a couple of weeks, the cravings will disappear and you’ll begin to appreciate the natural sweetness of foods such as berries and apples.
What’s your all-time favorite meal?
I love a bowl of filling oatmeal topped with ground flax seeds, wheat germ, and bee pollen. I eat it every morning! Served with a side of scrambled egg whites, it’s one of my favorite breakfasts. 
I had so much fun with this Q&A! Thanks again, Tosca!
Tags: Author Interview
Posted in Health & Wellness | 25 Comments »
Thursday, December 3rd, 2009
Book Review: The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones: A Holistic Approach by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.: Recently I received a copy of this book to review. With its wonderful insight and knowledge regarding health and nutrition, this book had me hooked right from the beginning. The first paragraph of the Foreword is profoundly thought-provoking; it reads in part:
Today we are faced with unprecedented challenges for the health of our bodies and of the planet. And the most powerful tool we have at our disposal to change our health, our environment, our politics, and our economics is our fork (emphasis added)…Putting six ounces of meat on our table from a commercial livestock feeding operation takes sixteen times as much petrochemical fuel and produces twenty-four times as much greenhouse emissions as growing a cup of broccoli, a cup of eggplant, a cup of cauliflower, and a cup of rice.
That right there made me want to put down my fork to think about that for a minute! While this book is focused on bone health, it’s no surprise that bone health and overall health are inextricably linked. This book is helpful no matter what your age, since an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
In this book, Dr. Colbin discusses risk factors leading to bone fractures and the causes of osteoporosis, the nutrients need for bone health, and the factors that deplete calcium and other minerals. I thought it was very interesting to learn that factors such as sugar consumption, caffeine consumption, lack of (or excessive amounts of) exercise, and even consumption of some vegetables (those known as nightshade vegetables, including potatoes, tomatoes, eggplant, bell peppers, chile peppers, and tobacco) can lead to depletion of calcium and other necessary minerals!
Dr. Colbin goes through the standard suggestions for strengthening bones (such as milk and soy consumption, bone density testing, medication, and hormone replacement therapy) and explains what works and why. It’s fascinating to learn what the most nutritious foods are for bones…and believe me, you might be surprised!
Something I’ve always thought was interesting is that many people believe eating large quantities of meat is necessary for bone health, and health in general. This book contains quotes at the beginning of each part, and at the top of Part I was the following quote, which I thought was pretty enlightening:
One farmer says to me, “You cannot live on vegetable food solely, for it furnishes nothing to make bones with;” and so he religiously devotes a part of his day to supplying his system with the raw material of bones; walking all the while he talks behind his oxen, which, with vegetable-made bones, jerk him and his lumbering plow along in spite of every obstacle. Some things are really necessaries of life in some circles, the most helpless and diseased, which in others are luxuries merely, and in others still are entirely unknown. – Henry David Thoreau, Walden
This book provides a fantastic explanation as to how various aspects of health, including physical (such as diet and exercise), mental, emotional, and spiritual all come together to affect our health. Through a case study, Dr. Colbin even shows how it is actually possible to regain lost bone.
The Recipes: While this book isn’t primarily a cookbook, it does contain 85 nutritious, well-rounded recipes for good health. I was surprised to see that very few of the recipes include dairy products…this really helped to dispel the idea that I had that dairy was the best source of calcium. I think this really goes to show that nutrition for good bone and general health may be different from what is expected!
There are quite a few recipes that I’m familiar with (like basic garlic greens, baked buttercup squash, simple roasted chicken, French tart with greens and leeks (this looks similar to quiche, but without milk or cream), chicken soup, and creamy polenta), but I was very excited to see so many recipes and ingredients that are new to me. There are quite a few recipes that call for Asian ingredients that I’ve never cooked with before (but am excited to try!), like agar (a flaked, colorless seaweed product), kombu (another form of seaweed), and shoyu (a sauce similar to tamari, except that it contains wheat).
Looking through the recipes, there were quite a few that I’m interested in making: stir-fried bok choy with shrimp, salmon frittata with fresh dill, portabella beef stroganoff, Mediterranean herbed chickpeas, tempeh in coconut milk curry, cilantro egg drop soup, miso soup with wild mushrooms and garlic, oat-dulse crackers, coconut cream, cashew cream, and sardine spread.
The Recipe I Made Right Away: I decided to try the sardine spread first. Let me first tell you that in general I am not a big fan of sardines. Actually, I don’t like them at all…they’re just so fishy (I know, what do I expect considering they’re fish, right?…ironically, I really enjoy most other types of fish). Also, to be 100% honest, the looks of them scare me a little…and by scare me, I mean they make me shudder just to think about them.
Anyway, I really wanted to push out of my comfort zone and give them a try because my husband loves sardines and eats them regularly. Plus, I thought that all of the other flavors in the recipe might help to mellow out the sardines’ flavor. I’m happy to say that once this recipe is made, the spread looks quite appetizing (it looks like a tuna fish and mayo salad more than anything else). Since there are quite a few other strong ingredients in this recipe (like the grated onion, lemon juice, and tahini), the sardines’ flavor is definitely mellowed (hubby said that this spread is much less fishy tasting than plain sardines). I wouldn’t say that I now love sardines, but I would say that I did enjoy eating this spread and at least I got to try something new!
Sardine Spread (Adopted From The Whole-Food Guide to Strong Bones: A Holistic Approach by Annemarie Colbin, Ph.D.)
1 can (about 4.5 oz) sardines (packed in oil or water)
1 TB grated onion
1 TB lemon juice
1 TB tahini (optional)
1 1/2 TB chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp sea salt
Pepper
About 1 TB chopped black olives (optional; this is my addition)
Crackers, for serving
Drain the sardines and transfer them to a bowl; add the onion, lemon juice, tahini, parsley, and salt and mash with a fork until blended. Serve on top of or alongside crackers, with a grinding of pepper and the olives (if using) on top.
Tags: Book Review, Recipes, Sardines
Posted in Book Reviews, Health & Wellness, Recipes | 16 Comments »
Sunday, November 15th, 2009
Check out Brandy’s fantastic recipe for Pear Crisp with Vanilla Brown Butter…don’t forget to get your Thanksgiving-themed recipes ready to submit to All Through the Year Cheer later this month. There will be a great prize!
Book Review: Eat Clean Cookbook by Tosca Reno: Recently, I was lucky enough to receive a copy of Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook to review. The book is nicely organized by recipe type, and it even includes a chapter called “Baked Goods and Treats” (oh yes, you can eat clean and still enjoy delicious confections like tofu crème brûlée, carrot cake, chocolate walnut brownies, and rice pudding!).
This is a really gorgeous cookbook to read through, with beautiful color photos of every recipe. There is a short narration for each recipe, which is typically a personal story related to the recipe or more detailed information pertaining to certain ingredients in the recipe; I enjoy reading these anecdotes and I think they help to give a more complete view of each recipe. I love how for each recipe the prep time, cook time, and nutritional information are listed.
There is one small thing that I would change about the format of this book to improve its functionality (it’s really a very small thing!)…the ingredient amounts are listed in fractions, which are shown very small. It’s no big deal really, but when the cookbook was on the counter while I was making something, it was hard to just glance down to see the amount listed (and I have good eyesight…I don’t wear glasses or contacts). The fractions are that small that I had to stop and go in for a closer look. That being said, everything else about the layout/format of this book was completely user-friendly.
 The Eat Clean Recipes: On to my favorite part…the recipes! Many of these recipes are basic (and beginner-friendly) recipes for healthy cooking. If you already cook healthy, there will probably be several of these recipes that you are familiar with. I found that there are quite a few recipes that I make fairly regularly, such as everyday breakfast porridge (love my oats!), roasted plum tomatoes, no-cook colorful bean salad, roasted summer vegetables, homemade polenta, beef barley and vegetable soup, chickpea stew, and sautéed garlic spinach. On the other hand, if you rarely cook or are just starting to cook healthy, then each and every recipe in this book will be a lifesaver for you.
Even if you’re familiar with healthy cooking this book is still a wonderful asset. It can help you give your favorite recipes (such as vegetable lasagna, chili, fajitas, 7 layer bean dip, and brownies) a healthy makeover. There’s also a multitude of recipes that are unfamiliar, new, and exciting, such as nasi goreng, hollandse rooie kool, and Persian beef. Not to mention all the healthy ingredients that might be unfamiliar (even if you’re a healthy eater) but are definitely worth trying, like bison, wild rice or manmoomin, and kefir.
Thumbing through the cookbook, right away I knew I wanted to make a few things…lifestyle bars (more on those in a minute), sunflower seed spread, oat tea (!), Moroccan pumpkin soup, tagine beef stew, cream of wheat pudding, and hazelnut espresso cookies (these cookie actually look like almond lace cookies!). I decided to start with lifestyle bars…
And of course, since it’s less than two weeks away and I’ve got Thanksgiving on my mind, I noticed that so many of these recipes would be absolutely perfect for Thanksgiving (or any holiday) dinner. Here are just a few: breakfast corn pudding (I know it says breakfast, but it’s savory and I bet would be fabulous as part of a dinner spread!), herb and garlic roasted baby potatoes, baked deep-dish butternut squash (this is topped with a mixture of apple butter, pecans, and breadcrumbs…it looks incredible!), lemon and cinnamon sweet potatoes, and baked cranberries and apple.
 The Recipe I Made Right Away: When I was looking through this cookbook, I was immediately drawn to these “lifestyle bars” because of their interesting name. As you probably guessed, the name of these bars comes from the fact that these days everyone leads such busy lives and from time to time we all need help with meals. Instead of ordering fast food, why not have healthy fast food waiting for you in your fridge?
I love how these bars contain the components of a healthy breakfast: protein and fruit. Plus there’s even coffee in them for a little kick, and who doesn’t enjoy that with breakfast?! These bars are so delicious it’s hard to believe they’re healthy. Although their consistency isn’t chewy, the density of these bars and all the mix-ins actually reminded me of peanut fudge.
 Let me give you a little notice though, these bars are very calorie dense. Tosca recommends getting 9 bars out of this recipe, each with 419 calories (and be careful if you’re watching your calories because the actual portion size for the 419 calorie bar isn’t nearly as large as it appears in the cookbook’s photo). I decided to cut this recipe into 16 bars, each bar with slightly over 200 calories. That way, I figured I could use these bars as a snack when I need a little pick me up, or I could incorporate them into a healthy breakfast by pairing them with yogurt or cottage cheese and a piece of fresh fruit.
I made a few changes to the original recipe (I noted my changes below) just to utilize ingredients that I already had on hand. Despite all the changes I made, I have to say that this is a very forgiving recipe…the bars came out perfect!
In the photo in the book, these bars were wrapped so beautifully in waxed paper and twine…since the holidays are nearly here I thought waxed paper and ribbon would be festive and pretty!
 Lifestyle Bars (From Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Cookbook)
(Yield: 9 bars)
½ c raw, unsalted slivered almonds (I used sunflower seeds)
½ c pecans (I used walnuts)
¼ c coconut butter, or 1 TB butter + 1 TB olive oil (I used coconut butter)
½ c natural almond butter
2 TB unsulfured blackstrap molasses
1 tsp honey
Pinch sea salt
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 TB instant coffee granules
¼ c ground sesame seeds (I used golden flaxseed meal)
½ c golden goji berries (I used a mix of dried cranberries and sultanas)
½ c chopped dried apple slices
8 by 4-inch baking pan (about the size of a bread loaf pan)
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and arrange the almonds and pecans on the sheet in an even layer. Toast the nuts in the oven until just golden (about 8 minutes), stirring halfway through. Allow them to cool slightly, then coarsely chop the nuts either by hand or in a food processor. (Instead of toasting the nuts in the oven you can do it in a dry pan on the stovetop.)
In a mixing bowl, combine the coconut butter, almond butter, molasses, honey and salt. Heating this mixture slightly (either over a double boiler or in the microwave) helps to combine everything. Stir in the vanilla and coffee granules, then stir in the nuts, ground sesame seeds, goji berries, and chopped apple.
Press this mixture into an 8 by 4-inch baking pan and refrigerate until set. Cut into bars, wrap in waxed or parchment paper, and store in the fridge.
Tags: Book Review, Nuts, Recipes
Posted in Book Reviews, Health & Wellness, Recipes | 32 Comments »
Thursday, June 4th, 2009
Like most women, I enjoy switching up my workout routines to keep my body on its toes (so to speak). I hope this will inspire someone out there to step out of their comfort zone and try a new form of exercise.
A couple of years ago I was looking for a new way to change up my workout routine, when a friend of mine suggested belly dance. At first I was a little skeptical (actually a lot skeptical), mainly due to the fact that I have absolutely no dance experience. My friend loaned me a belly dance workout video (it was The Goddess Workout – Intro to Bellydance with Dolphina), and I agreed to give it a try in the privacy of my own home. I tried it, loved it from my very first workout, and bought my own DVD the very next day. There are actually four different training routines included in the video I got (Intro to Bellydance, Warrior, Veils, and Finger Cymbals). There is no special equipment needed for this workout (unless of course you want to work with veils and/or finger cymbals).
Belly dance works out so many different muscles, it’s really a one-stop-shop workout. It tones arms, legs, back, and abs. I speak from personal experience when I tell you it massages away back pain and cramps, and it’s a great way to relax your muscles and unwind your mind with deep-breathing. Recently I discovered a new belly dance video (The Goddess Workout – Cardio Bellydance with Dolphina), which is an amazing core workout (the first time you watch it don’t be surprised if you keep asking yourself how Dolphina moves like that). Once you get into it and get over your self-consciousness, it’s actually a lot of fun!
Unlike some forms of dance (such as ballet, which I think is grace and beauty personified, but unfortunately mangles the feet and wreaks havoc on the body’s skeletal system), belly dance is low-to-no-impact, easy on the joints, and comprised of movements that come naturally to the body. Belly dance is actually used as preparation for childbirth, since it strengthens the muscles used during childbirth. For more information on belly dance, see here, here, or here.
If you’re looking for a new and exciting workout (or if you can’t afford a masseuse or you’re just sick of paying for Midol), you might want to give belly dance a try! Like Dolphina says, “Bellydance is not just for the belly!”
Tags: Belly Dance, Exercise, Workout
Posted in Health & Wellness | 1 Comment »
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