Feed your belly, feed your skin

With this fresh and sweet summer salad.

A couple of handfuls of Organic Girl supergreens*  (I find these at Publix in my area).

1/4 ripe avocado, cubed

toasted walnuts

a sprinkling of organic dried cranberries

about 1/4 cup of fresh blueberries, preferably organic

crumbled gorgonzola cheese

Ken's lite raspberry walnut vinagrette goes great with this as does Bolthouse Farms raspberry merlot vinagrette, also found at Publix.

The only downfall to this salad is that the blueberries roll off your fork. I may try eating this with a tablespoon next time!

This salad is very low in fat and calories, especially if you keep the dressing down to 1 tablespoon and is loaded with antioxidants and phytonutrients to feed your skin and organs. And of course, it's high in vitamins.

*I recently found out that chard is in the beet family. Beets are a fabulous food to incorporate into your diet as they are especially good for your liver and blood vessels. Eat them often if you have blood pressure issues.

Chicken and Avocado tacos

Here's another meal you can used your leftover grilled chicken in. 

Chicken and Avocado tacos

This is simple stuff. Sliced chicken breast, sliced avocado and a chunky Pico de Gallo style salad on sprouted corn tortillas.

I actually premeditated making these and bought the tortillas at the health food store a couple days ago. I wanted corn tortillas and I didn't want to eat ones made from GMO crops.

I give these Food for Life sprouted corn tortillas  five stars. They were hearty and chewy without being too tough and had great rustic corn flavor. I wanted them grilled and had a small cast iron skillet so heated them up in that, but if it had been during the day I would have thrown them on the gas grill outside.

But first I made this salsa/salad with some grape tomatoes, a slice of diced red onion, 1 diced fresh jalapeno pepper, a handful of fresh cilantro, chopped and the juice of one lime.* And a pinch of kosher salt. I didn't measure anything- just add ingredient quotients to your personal taste.

*kitchen tip: cut the lime in half and squeeze it between the crotch end of a pair of kitchen tongs.

My goal with this blog is to teach people that not only is real food pretty, but it also tastes good. I want people to reconnect with and enjoy preparing and cooking their food. Appreciate  the process of washing the leaves, slicing vegetables, appreciating the perfect beauty of nature. Take the time to prepare fresh food for and with your family, even if you can only do it once a week. 

If you only have one day off to spend time cooking, then cook a few things that you can incorporate into meals. If you have kids buy fruit and cut it into chunks for easy and quick eating. Grill a package of chicken breasts which are then available through the week for slicing into sandwiches or topping salads. Chop up summer veggies and some fresh herbs and drizzle with olive oil and your favorite vinegar. This will keep in the fridge for a few days. Cook in large batches so you have leftovers for another day, or perhaps for the freezer.

Today I was pressed for time and suddenly starving before heading to the supermarket. I had cooked quinoa and a summer salad sitting in the fridge. I threw some together into a bowl and topped with feta cheese and poof- quick, easy and healthy and out the door in no time.

If you take the time to prep and cook some food then you will have healthy things on hand when you're on the go and even if you cut your bad eating habits in half you will be making a huge contribution to your long term health, as well as probably saving money. 

Some items to keep on hand to put together quick and easy meals:
-Tortillas or wraps- a great way to use up leftovers. Throw some salad and/or veggies and left over meat or grains into a wrap, add a little low fat dressing and roll up. You can even take it out the door with you.
-Low fat cottage cheese. It's filling and goes great with salad or fruit.
-Nuts and dried fruit*. Again, if you have kids you can bag up mixtures of fruit, nuts and seeds (sunflower or pumpkin) into sandwich bags and have them ready to go. You can even add some chocolate chips (preferably dark) to satisfy a sweet tooth craving.
-Bananas. Nothing is quicker, easier and more portable.
-Bagged fresh spinach. Add to sandwiches instead of lettuce or put some leftovers on a bed of it. The heat from your food will wilt it and make a nice addition to your meal and nutritional content.
-Bottled juice smoothies. Yeah, they're expensive and high in sugar, but at least they are nutritious, especially the green blends. Buy a few when you find them on sale. You can grab one on the go and it will sate your hunger until you can eat something healthy.
-All natural nut butters. Spread some peanut or almond butter on a hefty slice of whole grain bread and top with sliced fruit. High in fat, but again, nutritious and filling.
-Hard boiled eggs. Good for salad toppers as well as eating out of hand. Instead of making egg salad with all that mayo try slicing the egg onto a sandwich. One of my favorite sandwiches is jalapeno tofu cheese, sliced egg and fresh spinach. A little dijon mustard along with a little mayo, or better yet, sub the mayo for sliced or mashed avocado. 
And finally, don't keep junk food in the house. If you have to absolutely have something then go out and get it, but don't keep it handy.

Start with subbing out some bad choices for healthier ones.
I KNOW that once you've been "eating clean" for a few weeks you will not only stop craving junk, but will crave healthy food. You will feel better and look better and optimally have a healthier body and life.

*I only buy organic dried fruit because I heard a guy on Dr Oz one time call raisins "pesticide pellets".

Ten things you can do for yourself...

...to become healthier. 

1. Don't drink soda.
2. Don't eat fast food.
3. Try to avoid processed food.
4. Drink alcohol in moderation.
5. Breathe deep.
6.Don't eat processed meat.
7. Don't hate.
8. Avoid saturated fats
9. Do something physical every day, preferably outside.
10. Love yourself.

Chill out with Mocha Almond Iced coffee

I guess I'm a thrifty person. I am totally of the reuse, recycle frame of mind and I like things to be used to their fullest extent. So I sometimes freeze my leftover coffee in ice cube trays. 

I am a highly caffeinated person. I love good coffee and I like it strong. I also live in Florida and work evenings at a restaurant, so iced coffee in the afternoon makes perfect sense.

Find a container with a tight fitting lid. Shake up a few coffee ice cubes with your leftover-in-the-pot coffee and a scoop of some good hot cocoa mix (I have Ghirardelli premium hot cocoa) or some chocolate syrup. Then add cold almond milk and shake again for a nice foamy drink. Pour over ice into a tall glass. Mmmm.

BTW, I am a big fan of Starbucks mocha java ice cream. This drink will satisfy a craving for that with a whole lot less fat and calories. 

Quinoa is an ancient grain (or grain like food) that is high in protein and amino acids. It can be substituted for rice or pasta in dishes, supplementing a high nutritional content. It has a rather bland, but slightly nutty flavor and a fine texture.
Cooking it is simple, especially if you buy the kind that is pre-rinsed*. You can cook it in broth to add more flavor. 

Put your quinoa in a saucepan that has a tight fitting lid. Measure the ratio 1 part quinoa to 1 1/2 parts liquid. In other words, if you are using 1 cup of quinoa, use 1 1/2 c. of liquid. Bring it to a boil, turn down, cover and simmer for 15 min. When that time is up take the pot off the heat and place a clean, folded dish towel over the top and put the lid back on to absorb excess moisture.

Once you have cooked quinoa you can use it to make many different recipes: pilaf, salads, etc. 
In the above picture I have used it as a simple backdrop for my piccata style swai and it was a perfect complement.

To cook the swai I heated a non stick skillet on medium and melted a bit of butter in it with a couple drops of olive oil to keep it from burning. I washed the swai and seasoned one side with salt and pepper. When my pan was ready (the butter will stop sizzling) I added the fish, seasoned side up. I then grated the zest of 1/2 lemon (I wash my lemons) and squeezed all the juice onto it. I had to turn my pan up to high at this point. After a couple minutes I turned the fish and the butter was sizzling back up nicely, with the water content evaporating. I turned the fish one more time and then added about a tsp of capers.

The squash medley I made last night. My friend signed up for a fresh produce co-op and brought me a basket of several different kinds of squash. Well, there's no sense in letting fresh veggies get old in your fridge, so I cooked it all up, sauteing it in olive oil with some onion and both fresh and dried herbs and a little salt and pepper. I've eaten it twice and still have more for another meal, which is a plus as far as I'm concerned.

Here's a little tip to help control your eating: Take your supplements before you sit down to a meal with a full glass of water, it will help to fill up your belly. Or, take them after your meal to keep you from going back for seconds, as I do. I admit, I devoured that entire plate of food pictured and it barely made a dent. By time I take my vitamins and drink down the water I will be full. :)

*Afternote: rinse your quinoa in a fine mesh strainer. I used the pre-rinsed kind today and after eating it have noticed a slightly bitter taste in my mouth.

Let's talk about oatmeal.
We all know it's a grain and that it is good for our cholesterol levels, but some of us still despise the slimy bowlful. I converted my boyfriend to loving oatmeal and he detested it for 56 years.
I believe there are two keys to yummy oatmeal. No. 1 is salt. And a good bit of it. 
No. 2,  you must pour the oats into boiling water, on the stove top. It changes the texture. No microwaved oats for me, thank you.

So- measure out your water in a pot and start it to boil. Measure out your oats, I actually prefer store brand oats, I usually buy organic, either old fashioned or quick oats. The quick oats have a finer texture.
I pour the oats into a bowl while I'm waiting for the water to boil and pour a bit of salt into the palm of my hand, probably a 1/4 tsp or so for one serving. Add cinnamon, as much or as little as you like and any other favorite spices. Pour the oats into the boiling water and stir, immediately turn down the heat to simmer (if you have a cooktop stove, which I now do, this takes a bit of practice with the timing so the oats don't boil over), then add your favorite dried fruit. I like to buy organic dried fruit: cranberries, cherries, raisins, chopped prunes or apricots, currants. 
Cook according to package directions (1 min for quick oats, 3 min for old fashioned). I like to top my oats with chopped, toasted nuts. I used to put some brown sugar, but my palette has changed since I've gone off the sugar so I'm happy with a bit of almond or coconut milk which is lightly sweetened. If you need sweetener try a little honey or maple syrup. I recently discovered a wonderful alternative to brown sugar. I chopped up some dates with some roasted almonds very fine and it was sweet, crunchy and delicious and my sweet toothed boyfriend was happy without the sugar. (Whole dates remind me of dried out palmetto bugs, but once they are finely chopped with the nuts they are visually appealing. :)

Start your day off with this breakfast several times a week and you are well on your way to your healthy diet switch over.

So many people struggle with their weight. People diet, deprive, binge and yo-yo. I've seen people go on extreme diets, severely limiting caloric intake and possibly compromising their health. Certainly not aiding long term weight loss, which is, of course, their goal. And we all know that being obese or very overweight puts us at risk of disease and shortened life span.

I am writing this because from time to time I hear women (and men, though they don't seem to care as much) struggle with their weight and diet. "Diet" doesn't mean restricted food and calories. "Diet" means what we live on for food and sustenance. I would love to see people throw the notion of "diets" out the window and instead refocus on feeding their bodies healthy food. 

I am not here to discuss "health food" or vegetarianism, raw diets, gluten free or whatever. Don't eat things you dislike or make you sick. However, I would like to espouse the theory of us going back to the good old days when we prepared food from scratch. We bought whole foods at the store: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables and grains- and made meals from them. Throw out the notion of eating pre-packaged foods that are thrown in the microwave. When you prepare your food yourself you know exactly what ingredients are in it. 

You will never have to "diet" again. Retrain your way of thinking: instead of seeking out the comfort food that will fill you up and make you feel good, or worrying about cutting out carbs, instead focus on stuffing as much fresh produce down your gullet that you can every day. Colorful produce is full of the vitamins and antioxidants that our bodies need to fight disease. 

Don't deprive yourself of foods you love, just limit the unhealthy ones to 10% of your diet.
Cook your food in a healthy manner: grilling, baking or sauteing in olive oil or other healthy fats. Deep fried foods will not only clog your arteries, but also create acrylamides, a substance that may increase your risk of cancer. http://www.livestrong.com/article/440500-why-frying-food-is-unhealthy/
Trade in the Doritos for fresh or dried fruit and nuts. Try to eliminate sugar. After 10 days of detoxing off white flour and sugar your cravings will subside.
Don't drink your calories. Soda is just not good for you, diet or otherwise.
Move, move,  move. Yeah, you've heard it said before, now listen. Park far away from the store. Do isometric exercise while driving or sitting at your desk. Maximize your movements everyday, every little step adds up. Dance to the music. Dancing in your chair is great for your abs! Have sex.
Eat a well balanced diet. Eat high fiber, you burn more calories simply digesting it and it will boost your metabolism. High fiber foods have 2 grams or more of fiber per serving. 
Read your labels and ingredients. Look at the calories and fat and pay attention to the serving sizes.

Make your changes slowly. You didn't gain 50 lbs in 1 month so don't expect fast results. Let your taste buds change gradually, too. The more healthy food you eat, the more you will crave. 

Appreciate the beauty of the whole foods you buy and prepare. Eat the rainbow. Your dinner plate should not be full of brown and beige. Don't eat neutrals, eat color.