Veggie Mexican Bowl

Ok y'all - this is a really good recipe. Promise.

My hubby asked me to make this every week. It's super easy, even he could make it ;)

An added bonus - it's really healthy. Full of fiber, protein, vitamins and nutrients. Great if you are trying to lower cholesterol or lipids.
It's dairy free, gluten free, and vegan. Even though we aren't completely vegan, we try to eat lots of vegan food and mostly avoid dairy and animal products. Try making one of your meals vegetarian every week. I bet you'll end up eating more veggies!

I came up with this because I wanted to eat at Moe's, but I was already at the grocery store, and figured I'd try to make a burrito bowl (minus the tortilla).

Grocery List:

• Brown Rice
• 1 Cucumber (Chopped in small pieces)
• 1 Avocado (Chopped in small pieces)
• 1 Bunch Cilantro (Chopped)
• 1 Can Olives (Chopped)
• 1 Can Black Beans (with or without sauce)
• 1 Jar Salsa

Cook the brown rice. (boil 2 1/4c. water, then add 1 c. brown rice for 30-45 minutes)
Add the brown rice to the bottom of the bowl.
Add your toppings (chopped cucumber, avocado, cilantro, olives, beans and salsa). I used extra, extra cilantro because I love it. Plus, it has some amazing properties - aids in digestion, anti-inflammatory agents, and even reduces mood swings and cramping associated with PMS. Check out more about the amazing power of Cilantro! Here's another article on cilantro and detoxing.

Easy enough?

Happy health!

I ate it with blue corn chips. YUM                            Hubby ate his in about 5 minutes.

Eating Seasonally and Gazpacho Recipe

Eating seasonally allows you to eat the freshest and tastiest foods, based on where you live. It also helps you sync up with your environment. 
Historically, people grew and ate their own foods, and needed certain nutrients and foods depending on where they lived.  Their gardens and farms provided what they needed. For example, someone living in Alaska may not do so well eating a raw food diet (cooling foods), whereas someone in Jamaica, may feel better eating more raw fruits and veggies. 


Today, we can do that with local farmers markets and growing veggies in our garden. Though we can get just about any food we want from anywhere in the world, it's good to eat locally as much as possible. 
Next time you're grocery shopping, notice where your produce comes from. Try to buy locally - or at least from the US. It will limit your options, but is an interesting experiment. 


I love soup, but  it's getting a little warm to be eating hot soup. Gazpacho is a great option - it's a cold soup and won't make you feel like an inferno when your eating it in the middle of summer. 


Check out this super easy and delish Gazpacho soup recipe from  Grow It First Blog. It's a great way to get in your veggies. 

I could eat the whole pot.

http://growitfirst.blogspot.com/2012/03/grow-it-first-with-ck-worley-gazpacho.html

Gazpacho:

http://growitfirst.blogspot.com/2012/03/grow-it-first-with-ck-worley-gazpacho.html

One seeded tomato, cucumber and pepper chopped
Chopped celery, carrot, onion and bunch of parsley
2 chopped garlic cloves and a bunch of arugula chopped.
1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper
Splash of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and worcestershire sauce.
Combine the ingredients together - cover and refrigerate 
*You can use any color pepper you’d like
*You don’t have to seed the tomato if you don’t want to
*Use scallions, red onion or sweet onions
*Optional: Add some sweet corn. 
*Use balsamic, red or white wine vinegar
*Refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight 
*If you don’t like an ingredient - don’t use it


My little Lilly Kate loves vegetable soup!! Kid approved recipe 

Dr. Mark Hyman Shares Information on Nutrition, Toxins and Vitamins

Very interesting interview with natural MD, Dr. Mark Hyman. Definitely worth reading.
Click here to read: Dr. Mark Hyman Shares Information on Nutrition, Toxins and Vitamins

Dr. Hyman heals thousands of people with integrative medicine, using nutrition as a major modality to do so. He recommends eating a 90% plant based diet.
He tells us that most are a vitamin deficient society - largely in magnesium, omega 3 and B vitamins.

*Reminder: Hemp seeds contain 48% of your daily intake of magnesium plus 3 grams of Omega 3's. Hemp is an easy way to get in two of these nutrients. Hemp also has 23% of your daily intake of zinc (crucial for male fertility) and 11 grams of protein. It's an amazing super food.

Order Hemp Seeds at Amazon.com here

For more info on Dr. Hyman visit his page at http://drhyman.com/

Happy health!

Here's the beginning of the article, but please click on the above link for its entirety.

_______________________

(NaturalNews) This interview is an excerpt from Kevin Gianni's The Healthiest Year of Your Life Program which can be found at (http://www.thehealthiestyearofyourlife.com) . In this excerpt, Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D. weighs in on nutrition, toxins and finding the right vitamins.

The Healthiest Year of Your Life Excerpt with Dr. Mark Hyman, M.D., a best-selling author, a respected medical consultant and a leader in the field of functional medicine.

Kevin:Let's talk a little bit about the raw food and vegan diet and how it fits into this type of functional medicine.

Mark:Sure. I think everybody is different and I don't think there's a one-size-fits-all diet. Some people thrive on a vegetarian diet. Other people are extraordinarily sick on a vegan or vegetarian diet. I've had many patients on raw foods and vegan diets who are extraordinarily malnourished. Then I've seen people who manage it quite well.

I think you have to look at what's right for each person. So I don't think that any general recommendations are helpful. I also think it depends on where you live. If you're living in Manitoba, a raw food diet is probably not the best thing. If you're living on the island in Fiji, you probably could thrive on a raw food diet. It's also "think locally, eat locally". I think it's a very important thing. What's local? What's native to your area? What's going on with your own biology and genetics and body. I think you have to be careful if you're doing a raw food, or vegan diet. It's easy to become malnourished and you have to supplement, I believe, with nutrients and really be smart about it.

Kevin:Anything specific?

Mark:What I would say is that probably 90% of your diet should be a plant-based diet. Whether it's cooked or uncooked, I think Michael Pollan said, "Eat food, meaning real food." Not too much and mostly plants. Plant foods have all the phytochemicals and nutrients and things that your body needs to thrive and without them you don't. The phytochemicals that are from colorful fruits and vegetables in plant foods that are essential for life.

Kevin:What are some of the most potent toxins that you encounter?

Mark:I would say probably without a doubt, the most serious threat to our health in terms of toxins is mercury. It's something I see and treat every day that affects, I would say, the majority of my patients in one way or another. It's important to identify. It's mostly ignored and it's relatively easy and safe to treat.


Learn more:http://www.naturalnews.com/023392_food_diet_health.html#ixzz1t43zJgPn

"Dirty Dozen & Clean 15" - a guide to savvy shopping

According to EWG.org, below is the list of "Dirty Dozen" and "Clean 15". The dirty dozen are the fruits and veggies with the most pesticide residue. Their website has a lot of great other tips and information. 

Tip: Eating fruits and veggies is more important than not eating them - so if all you have access to is conventionally grown (non-organic) - eat them anyway. This is just a guide to help you in your shopping. Buy organic when possible and affordable. More often than not, I can't bring myself to pay the $6 price tag for organic strawberries (though their price does decrease a little at the peak of their season). 

Do what you can. Do not obsess. 

Note: Corn is a highly genetically modified food (GMO). I recommend buying organic corn whenever possible. 

EWG's Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce

Dirty Dozen

Buy these organic

1

Apples

2

Celery

3

Strawberries

4

Peaches

5

Spinach

6

Nectarines
– imported

7

Grapes – imported

8

Sweet bell peppers

9

Potatoes

10

Blueberries
– domestic

11

Lettuce

12

Kale/collard greens

Clean 15

Lowest in Pesticide

1

Onions

2

Sweet Corn

3

Pineapples

4

Avocado

5

Asparagus

6

Sweet peas

7

Mangoes

8

Eggplant

9

Cantaloupe
- domestic

10

Kiwi

11

Cabbage

12

Watermelon

13

Sweet potatoes

14

Grapefruit

15

Mushrooms

The 10% Rule - Self Care is Crucial

When it comes to finances, most of us understand that we should be saving at least 10% of our income when we receive our paychecks. Others suggest saving even more. Bottom line, if we don't save, or pay ourselves, we won't have any money in the future. We will be financially depleted. Most of us will agree that this is not an ideal situation. 

My husband recently related this to self care. One day when I was feeling overwhelmed and tired, he asked me what I have done for myself lately. With work, parenthood, school and other responsibilities, it's easy to forget the importance of taking time to mindfully relax and practice self care. 

Self care is defined as just that - taking care of yourself. It is not selfish to take time for yourself, to exercise, to breath, to mediate, to pray. It is absolutely essential. If you do not apply the same financial 10% rule to yourself, you will, like your finances, become depleted. 

What is the 10% rule? 

My husband described it as giving 10% of your day to yourself. If you work 8 hours a day (480 minutes) - take 10% of that - 48 minutes. 

48 minutes to yourself. Sound difficult? Break it up. Spend 30 minutes on a walk or exercise class, 10 minutes in prayer or silence, 8 minutes mindfully eating (no cell phones or tv!)

If you give and give of yourself to others, and do not pour anything into your emotional savings account - you too, will become depleted. Whether that depletion manifests in illness, fatigue or anxiety and depression, it will manifest. We want to grow old and have an abundant "savings account". We need to preserve our health, our relationships, our strength. If you are constantly giving of yourself, without refueling, you will be left with nothing - an unhappy martyr. 

Self care can also be seen as an investment. Investing is a smart move, financially or emotionally. When you invest in an exercise or nutrition plan, you are not only taking care of yourself, but you are investing in your future. Self care allows you to invest in your relationships. When you are a happier mother, father, wife, husband, employee, boss, friend, you will have fuller, more satisfying relationships. Self care is crucial. 

Think about healthy people in your own life, even religious figures - they all probably take some alone time, to recharge. 

If 10% seems too drastic of a step at first, take baby steps. Start with 5 minutes. Add a few minutes weekly and see how you feel. 

Implementing the 10% rule is my goal for 2012. Join me in my journey towards greater self care! 

Thank you for reading. For more information about implementing the 10% rule in your life or mindful eating, email me at theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com

Green Smoothie Time

Banana, Peach & Spinach Smoothie

Here's another green smoothie - it's creamy and really good!

As you eat more leafy green vegetables, you will experience great mental clarity, increased energy and better overall health. Smoothies are a really good and easy way to get in your veggies. Kale can sometimes be a difficult one for people to get used to in a smoothie, so try spinach. It has a milder flavor and is easier to disguise for those who aren't thrilled about drinking their greens.

Ingredients: 
1 banana
3/4 can of peaches (or more, or less) - can use fresh when they come in season again
3 tbsp. Hemp  seeds
Ice
1/2-1c. coconut milk
big handful of spinach or baby spring mix - 
Note: I love Organic Girl - it's always fresh. I have also used their 50/50, which is 50% spring mix, 50% spinach
water as needed
Blend

Baby approved!

 Who needs a milk mustache when you can have a green one?

Thanks for reading! For more information about how you can add leafy greens into your diet, email me at theplantbasedhealthcoach@gmail.com

Vegan Mexican "Pizza" Rollups

Here's a quick and easy dinner that kids and adults will love... 

Health perks:

• Low fat
• Low cholesterol
• Vegan
• Gluten Free

Grocery list:

Can of refried beans

Organic corn tortillas (I like 365 brand frozen tortillas - no GMO verified)

Can of olives

Avocados

Salsa 

Lettuce

Line a baking sheet with tin foil (for easy cleanup) Place the tortillas and spread the refried beans

Top with sliced olives and bake on 325 for about 10  minutes

Top with salsa (I used a mango salsa from Costco), avocado and lettuce 

Roll them up and eat them! Yum!

Save Time - Make Your Cooking Count

Most people don't have time to cook nutritious foods every day for every meal. That's why it's important to learn how to make your cooking count. When you cook foods, try to multi task and make multiple meals out of a few ingredients.

Here's some ideas of how to do this and make 2 meals in 60 minutes. (Vegetable Bean Soup and Black Bean & Quinoa Burgers with baked sweet potatoes)

Gather all of your ingredients

Chop all of your veggies

Boil 2 cups water and cook 1 cup quinoa for 10 minutes. 

Stick the sweet potatoes in the oven - (pierce them with a fork and cook 400 for about 45 min)

Put the chopped veggies in a big pan to saute for the soup and whatever other veggies left over in another pan for the burgers (I added kale because I had some extra)

Let them all cook at once and keep track of time (but even if you don't, you can't really mess up these dishes too badly). 

Once the quinoa is ready, follow the recipe to make the burgers. And add the rest of the ingredients to the soup pot. 

The more you practice cooking, the easier it becomes. 

I decided to food process some of the soup and sweet potatoes for the baby. 

Once it's pureed, put in ice cube trays, freeze, then take the cubes out and put in freezer bags. Store for up to a month. 

 Happy cooking!

Got Milk? No? Good.

Milk: Doesn't really do a body too much good. 

The subject of dairy is sometimes a controversial one.

Good or bad, here's one truth:
Cow's milk was meant to fatten up a 400 lb. calf to a 1500 lb. cow. The proteins are designed to do just that. So... how are we supposed to be thin if we drink a calf's beverage?

The media and our society, and the American Dairy Association has lead us to believe that milk is the perfect beverage, for perfect families. Recently, Salma Hayek is in the dairy commercials reminiscing about her sweet mother calling her as a child to "Drink your milk, Salma". And now she is now doing the same for her child. Nice marketing, milk.

No other species besides humans drink milk beyond toddler years and no other species drinks the milk OF ANOTHER SPECIES. 


Just a few other tidbits about milk. 

• Cows are artificially knocked up over and over. Why? Because they only produce milk for about 300 days (you know, to feed their calf). If they do not have babies, they are not lactating. When any animal is pregnant, they produce excess hormones... Estrogen. Guess what hormones we are getting an extra dosage of? That's right...estrogen. There are studies that prove that some cancerous tumors are hormone sensitive. Even ORGANIC milk is taken by pregnant cows. 
• Bovine Growth Hormones and antibiotics. These are found in non organic milks. Cows get sick, they get antibiotics. They need to get bigger, faster, they get hormones. Guess what other delicacies we are ingesting with that big bowl of icecream? 
• Metabolic Acidosis: This is when the body becomes too acidic. Animal products causes this. Therefore, our body (smart as it is) tries to fix it. However, to do so, it must take minerals (calcium) from the bones. Ever wonder why we drink so much milk in the US, and we have some of the highest levels of Osteoporosis? 
• Casein (a milk protein) is addictive and carcinogenic. In The China Study, Dr. Campbell details the connection between nutrition and disease. 
• Most people are lactose intolerant. 

Check out this article: 10 reasons to ditch dairy

The media, the lobbyists, the animal corporations have been tricking us. Maybe not intentionally, or cruely, maybe so, but it's helpful to know the other side of things and consider what we are putting into our bodies. 

Unless you live on a dairy farm, and enjoy raw milk, free of hormones and antibiotics, you may want to consider cutting back.

I'm a big believer in enjoying everything in moderation. Gradually lean into dietary change. Usually, completely cutting something out of your diet will lead to bingeing and abandoning of the original endeavor. Sometimes you may really want a good piece of cheese. So.... 

If you decide to eat dairy, try to enjoy dairy in smart ways. 

www.manitobohavest.com

• Find a local farmer and ask about how he/she treats the animals. Local farmers markets are a good way to find farmers.
• Eat dairy as a special treat - maybe even once or twice a week.
• Switch to a non-dairy alternative such as almond, coconut, rice or hemp milk. 

Note: Hemp milk (no, it does not have THC) is awesome. It contains Omega Fatty Acids, all 10 essential amino acids, 4 grams of protein, Vitamins A, E, D, B12 and many more. Check out this article about hemp milk. Benefits of Hemp Milk

When we drastically reduced our dairy (occasionally we will have high quality eggs or cheese), my husband and I experienced: 

• Better digestion
• Clearer skin
• My baby and I both had eczema and it went away.
• Feel better- more energized. 

There are lots of other ways to get Calcium: leafy green veggies, sesame seeds, calcium fortified drinks and more. Even if you continue to drink milk, please consider switching to organic, or choosing one day a week to avoid dairy. "Milk-less Mondays" 

Cheers!

Sources:

Integrative Nutrition - Rosenthal

http://www.vegsource.com/julieanna-hever-ms-rd/10-reasons-to-ditch-dairy.html 

http://www.thechinastudy.com/ 

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/benefits-of-hemp-milk/ 

Planting Seeds and 2 Great Ways to Eat Your Kale

Plant Your Seeds!

One goal I have this summer is to grow a garden. I've always had tomatoes and herbs, but I want the big stuff! When you grow a garden, you have no excuse not to eat healthfully. Plus, garden veggies are free, and organic - can't beat that.

Here is a great, free, and super creative way to start a garden from CK Worley's Grow It First Blog. Plus, you are recycling your eggshells - and they help the seeds grow.  If you have kids, this is a fun way to get them involved in gardening.   

Grow It First Blogspot on how to start your eggshell seedlings

Planting Kale in Your Garden? 

I am always looking for great recipes to use this incredibly nutritious vegetable. I promise that this kale salad is really, really good. I always test out my recipes on my husband - he'll tell me if it's good enough to share. This one got his approval. 

Kale packs in tons of vitamins and minerals, helps to detoxify the body and helps lower your risk of cancer. Remember that ADDING healthy foods into your diet is the first step towards creating lasting nutritional changes. Cutting foods out of your diet can sometimes be too drastic of a step, and will often lead to bingeing. Kale is definitely a good one to add into your diet. 

This recipe is from Whole Foods. It's Vegan, healthy and low fat. Mediterranean Crunchy Salad

www.wholefoods.com

Ingredients

1 (15-ounce) can no salt-added garbanzo beans 
1 cucumber, chopped 
1 cup small broccoli florets 
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved 
1 cup finely sliced kale, tough stems removed 
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion 
2 tablespoons finely chopped Kalamata olives 
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar 
1 small garlic clove, minced 
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Method

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Chill at least 1 hour before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving: 130 calories (35 from fat), 4g total fat, 0g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 140mg sodium, 21g total carbohydrate (5g dietary fiber, 3g sugar), 6g protein

This recipe is also from Whole Foods... I haven't tried it but it looks amazing! Kale Pesto

www.wholefoods.com

Ingredients

1 (8-ounce piece) 365 Everyday Value Feta Cheese (half of the 16-ounce block), drained and patted dry 
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for the baking dish 
1 1/2 teaspoons 365 Everyday Value dried Rosemary 
1 bunch kale, thick stems removed, leaves roughly chopped 
1/3 cup 365 Everyday Value Unsalted Pine Nuts, toasted 
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped 
2 tablespoons lemon juice 
1 whole wheat or traditional baguette, sliced 

Method

Preheat oven to 400°F. Place feta in a small oiled casserole dish with rosemary scattered on top. Bake until warm throughout, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, pulse kale, pine nuts and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, drizzle in oil and lemon juice to make a pesto. Spoon pesto around feta and bake 5 minutes more. Serve with baguette slices.

Nutrition

Per serving: 300 calories (110 from fat), 12g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 15mg cholesterol, 680mg sodium, 36g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 1g sugar), 13g protein

Sources: www.kalenutrition.net

www.wholefoods.com