WTF?

It recently occurred to me that, since the opening of the second studio, I have totally neglected my blog posts!  Although I am beyond ecstatic for the opportunity to share more yoga and other wellness options, I also enjoy putting my thoughts, ideas and projects onto paper (so-to-speak :)

Since the timing of getting back into posting is smack dab in the heart of freezing cold temperatures, I thought it only appropriate to share a recipe.  Drum roll please… Winter Salad.  WTF you may be saying, how it that a recipe for making us feel better about freezing cold temperatures!?  Allow me to explain my insanity.

I absolutely love fresh fruits and vegetables, but I find it especially difficult to add in cold dishes or drinks during this time of year.  So, I play a sort of mind game by tricking the body into getting fresh veggies by incorporating warm veggies at the same time.  What is this sorcery I speak of?  Well it starts by preparing roasted vegetables of some sort. This can be any mixture, with any number of spices to change up the flavor.  I prepare a big batch each time so that I can use them for sides at dinner during the week and as my secret weapon when creating a winter salad.  I also like to cook up dried beans (*see post from March 16, 2012 for dried bean prep), lentils or quinoa.  Again, prepare a large batch and store leftovers in 1 cup freezer proof baggies.  Preparing large batches at once saves time and ensure you have them on hand, after a quick defrost and warm up you are good to go.  Methods of defrosting and warming are numerous so I will save that for another post ;)  Once you have your veggies, beans, lentils, quinoa or whatever you decided, continue on with your Winter Salad creation.

Make your salad interesting and colorful.  By using colors and lots of options you will again "trick" the mind into actually wanting a salad in the winter.  There is no reason to settle for boring salads since that will not make eating enjoyable.  Food sustains us, can either heal or kill us, so I personally believe food should taste great and be something you look forward to.

Roasted Veggies
Serves 6-8 (or one several times throughout the week)

Ingredients:
1 medium onion, chopped
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
2 organic red bell peppers, seeds removed and chopped
1 bag of small purple potatoes, washed and cut in half
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 Tbsp. unrefined olive oil
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 Tbsp. dried thyme

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 400.
2.  Coat a large baking dish with 1Tbsp. oil, add all ingredients, toss to mix well.
3.  Drizzle remaining oil over top, mix.
4.  Roast veggies for 45-60 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

While veggies are roasting begin preparing the rest of your salad.

Smashed Avocado/Balsamic Dressing
Serves 1

This dressing is loaded with healthy fats which help to boost metabolism, increase carotenoid absorption, decrease inflammation, fight heart disease, regulate blood sugar and if that's not enough, it adds fiber, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin B6, vitamin C, copper and folate.  Wow, all this in one little piece of fruit!

Ingredients:
1/2 avocado, room temperature (pit removed, squeeze or scoop the inside into a small bowl)
2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar (it is best to splurge here on a high end vinegar, the flavor is sooo worth it)

Directions:
1.  Smash avocado in bowl, add vinegar, mix well.
2.  Place the other half of the avocado in an airtight container in the fridge to maintain optimum freshness and delay browning.

That's it.  Were you expecting more?  If this is just too easy you could always add some spices if you want :)

Winter Salad
Serves 1

Ingredients:
2 c. greens of choice, chopped (the greener the better)
1/4 c. organic red bell pepper, seeds removed and chopped
1/4 c. garbanzo beans, cooked
1/4 c. carrots, chopped
1/4 c. organic cucumber, chopped
1/4 c. tomato, chopped
1/2 c. warm roasted veggies
1 serving Smashed Avocado/Balsamic Dressing

Directions:
1.  Using a large plate or bowl, add all fresh ingredients, toss to mix.
2.  Add roasted veggies and dressing, toss to mix well so all ingredients are incorporated and the roasted veggies warm the fresh veggies.

Now, go sit by the fireplace and enjoy your warmed Winter Salad!

Puppy Love Recipes

Continuing from my last post "Puppy Love", I thought I would share some recipes.  Even if you do not want to switch your fur babies to home cooked meals, these recipes offer a nice treat for them that is quick and easy for you to prepare.

With it being summer, and the fact that dogs body temperature runs hotter than ours, what better way to keep them cooled off then with smoothies or pupsicles?  Keep in mind, if you have just had them working out and they are panting profusely, I do not suggest giving them ice cold items.  Instead, give them cool to room temperature water so you do not shock their system.  Once they've cooled down enough, then you can cool them off even more with an icy cold treat :)

Banana Smoothie & Pupsicles

As a smoothie, give 1/3 cup serving at a time.

Ingredients:
8 oz. coconut water
1 frozen banana (peeled and broken into smaller pieces)
1 tsp. spirulina powder
1 Tbsp. peanut butter or sunflower butter
1 Tbsp. raw, shelled hemp seeds

Directions:
1.  Place all ingredients into high speed blender in order listed.
2.  Blend until smooth and no banana pieces are visible.
3.  Pour into dish and serve immediately or pour into ice cube trays, cover and freeze for an icy treat later.


Watermelon Smoothie & Pupsicles

As a smoothie, give 1/3 cup serving at a time.

Ingredients:
8 oz. coconut water
1 c. previously frozen water melon pieces (smaller chunks)
1/2 c. frozen strawberries
1 Tbsp. raw, shelled hemp seeds

Directions:
1.  Place all ingredients into high speed blender in order listed.
2.  Blend until smooth and large pieces of fruit are visible.
3.  Pour into dish and serve immediately or pour into ice cube tray, cover and freeze.

As always, if you are not sure about which foods are safe for your pets, visit PetMD or ask your vet.  I hope your babies enjoy these as much as ours do.  Having four pups, these treats do not last long in our house!

Puppy Love

For a few years now I have been researching and experimenting with making the switch to healthier foods for my fur babies.  Being a plant-based family I just could not shake the thought, if it's good for us, can it be good for all of my "other" babies?  I knew giving them raw meats was not going to happen.  Not only would it make me regurgitate, but I did not want to introduce pathogens, harmful bacteria/virus or worms into our home and bodies.  I also realized that giving them dry food was not a natural thing to do either, not to mention how boring it must be to eat the same food every single day for your whole life.  Correct me if I am wrong, but I do not see any dry dog food trees growing in the wild.  So my search for the best product to give my babies was underway.

Exploring various high quality brands, three years ago we finally landed on Natural Balance® due to finding out Mya, our Mastiff/Great Dane mix, had food allergies (with the main culprit being gluten).  Making the switch to a grain free brand seemed to do the trick.  Mya was no longer bringing her meals back up, the inside of her ears were no longer bright pink and the acne on her chin had vanished.  

Having Mya diagnosed with food allergies was my first wake up call that what we put in and on our fur babies matters for them just as much as it matters for us.  I felt like, DUH! It still amazes me how we, myself included, accept things as normal just because we have been doing them for decades.  I won't go all political by giving examples of things in the past, that were deemed "normal" for the time, but are now against the law.  The point I am making is that it is okay to question and educate oneself on things, even if that means going against norm.

I started questioning more and more if what we were doing for our babies was the best thing for them.  After moving to grain free, the next step was to get rid of the packaged treats, so I started making their treats.  I learned to tweak our recipes to make them muffins, pupcakes, cookies and dehydrated sweet potato chews.  This was not only healthier than the processed treats, but it was fun and actually a cost saver.  After this, I began investigating vegan and vegetarian options for dogs and cats.

I decided the next move would be to switch to a plant based dog food.  This led me to find V-Dog™, a plant-based dry kibble made in California by a family owned business.  I made sure to make the switch gradually, mixing the new with the old to avoid any upset stomachs.  They took to the new right away and seemed to actually prefer it over their old.  The problem I ran into was that none of our local stores carry V-Dog so I had to order it online.  It was free shipping and the cost was pretty close to their previous brand, but my orders were ending up on back order.  Good news that more people were trying to feed their pups a healthier choice, but bad news for me because then I ended up having to buy a different brand which led to some upset stomachs due to switching them on the fly.  I knew this arrangement of ordering their food on-line was not working for us so I went back to Natural Balance (who, by the way, does carry a vegan option, but it is not grain free).

One of our pups, Chevy, has an extremely weak stomach so if anything is different he gets sick.  We are very strict about what they get and the only processed thing they were eating was their dog food.  I still could not stop wondering if this was the healthiest, so I kept digging.  With Chevy having such a weak stomach, I wanted to find foods that would be gentle for him, especially when he would get into something outside that wreaked havoc on his body.  I knew, from experience, that bananas, oatmeal, rice, and probiotics helped to calm his body so this made me even more curious.  If whole foods could heal him when he is sick, then it should stand to reason that they would keep him healthy and sustained if given all the time.

For me, switching the cats over to plant-based is not an option at this time due to them being predominately carnivorous.  I have lots more to learn before, and if, I decide to switch the kitties.  Cats are highly sensitive in that if their bodies do not have specific minerals or too much of something they become sick quickly, which can be fatal.  For this same reason, I only use a limited number of essential oils that are highly diluted for the cats (but that is a post for another day :)

Dogs are actually omnivorous by nature, so I knew switching them to a predominately plant-based diet would not be life threatening.  As long as they were getting a varied and balanced diet, I knew they could thrive on whole foods similar to us.  There are a number of vitamins, minerals and amino acids that they require, but I found that reading too much into this was making things more confusing.  Just as we need certain nutrients, they do as well and those can be found in all the whole foods we eat.  Most people do not make it their mission to track every gram of each nutrient needed on a daily basis so why was I getting so concerned over knowing it for my babies?  To feel at ease in making the switch from processed to whole, I knew I had to learn the basics of what they needed and did not need instead of getting caught up in how much of each nutrient.

Knowing the basics…

They need a varied diet full of rich protein sources (peas, beans, lentils), dark leafy greens, red/orange/yellow veggies (bell peppers, carrots, pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes), whole grains (rice, oats, quinoa), nutritional yeast, high quality oil (unrefined coconut oil or flax seed oil), a daily probiotic, know-the-source eggs, a handful of unsalted seeds and some fruits.

They do not need and should never have chocolate (the darker, the worse), xylitol (nasty little sweetener added to many products), avocados, macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins, onions and garlic, these can all be life threatening, causing diarrhea, vomiting, lethargy, seizures, eventual kidney/liver failure and/or death.

So now that I knew the basics, the next part would be switching them gradually from dry to whole foods.  I do not even need to tell you how much they are loving the whole foods. Janie and Chevy will eat just about anything, so the real test was my picky eater, Mya. She was eating the whole foods, but turning her nose to the dry.  I was putting the whole food on top of the dry, but ended up having to mix it to get her to eat up the dry.  I knew this was the right thing to do.  Even if it meant spending a little more time preparing meals, they are worth it.  They get breakfast and dinner, with snacks/treats in between.  Having so many options with whole foods, and the fact that it is cleaner eating, it's hard to pinpoint an exact amount to give them per body weight.  To start, I increased the amount I was giving them by one half.  For example, Mya was getting 4 cups a day of dry (2 in the morning, 2 in the evening) so I switched her to 6 cups whole foods.  She seems to be thriving and not hungry.  Of course, I will still take them to their checkups and ask for blood work to ensure they are healthy and safe, and I will post results as to their progress.  Some recipes for homemade treats can be found in the back of my book, I'm The Chef Of This Kitchen.

More posts to follow regarding natural pet health so check back soon!

*Disclaimer - This information is not meant to replace your veterinarian. I cannot be held responsible for any results to recommendations contained in this information so I suggest each person seek a veterinarian (preferably holistic) for specific conditions that might warrant expert treatment.

I'm The Chef Of This Kitchen

It's no secret that I love food and everything related to it.  I mean, who in their right mind gets excited about a new cookbook?  Once home, I head to a comfy and quiet spot, crack open my latest purchase, and literally read it like a novel.  I make notes throughout the pages and begin my grocery list of the recipes I want to try first.  I am happy and content for the time being.

After returning from the grocery store I am armed and ready to get started on the newest recipes.  For me, each cookbook is like a present with more layers of gifts inside.  Each time I try a new recipe I am eager to see how the "present" will unfold.  Even for the most experienced cooks and bakers, each new recipe brings about trial and error.  There are so many factors that play into how the recipe may, or may not, turn out.  That's the joy of being in the kitchen for me.  As much as I may enjoy this, the realization that there are many people who do not feel the same hit me.  Whether it be an adult who wants to be healthy, but cannot stand the kitchen, or a child just learning the basics of how to prepare themselves a snack, I knew that there needed to be something for them to turn to.

Although I have always had my kiddos in the kitchen at an early age to "help", they did not know how to create their own masterpieces of health.  I wanted them to have something more than just going to the cupboard for a snack.  Yes, grabbing a piece of fruit or veggie from the fridge is easy and healthy enough, but let's face it, who wants that same thing everyday?  Throughout the years I have kept track of my own creations and so I started with that notebook to see which recipes they could do on their own or with little supervision.  What I found was they were truly eager to be in charge in the kitchen and to see, and taste, the end result.  Not only were my children learning how to fend for themselves in a healthy way, but they were also learning kitchen safety, math concepts and the rewarding feeling of accomplishment.

Besides having quick and easy recipes, another component of the book that I wanted to incorporate was a resource for those with dietary restrictions.  I have become extremely adept at making the necessary substitutions to accommodate a plant based, gluten free lifestyle for my family.  Making substitutions really has become second nature for me, however, my oldest would get frustrated because she would want to try a recipe but would be overwhelmed as to all the adjustments she needed to make.  Knowing how she felt, I knew that there must be other people feeling the same way.  So often I hear people say they want to eat healthier, but that it is just too hard.   This only encouraged me to keep creating my book.  I understand that not everyone may agree with my views when it comes to what foods to eat, but I also understand that even those who disagree want accessible healthy options when they feel the need.  

My journey over the past two years of creating an allergy friendly cookbook has only reaffirmed my belief that healthy does not have to be difficult, frustrating or boring.   I do still try elaborate recipes when I am in the mood, but I find myself turning to my quick and easy recipes more.  With this book being my first attempt at publishing, I must say that I am quite pleased with the end product, and the fact that now my children can get creative in the kitchen on their own, without feeling frustrated.

Being an amateur, I have learned many things regarding publishing my own book and know that I definitely want to start on the next one in the near future.  So first things first, for my birthday I will be requesting a professional camera ;)

I'm The Chef Of This Kitchen, An Allergy Friendly Cookbook For Kids and Adults will be available in a few days through Amazon.com, Amazon Europe and CreateSpace eStore.

Bon Appetit!

You're Fired!!!

Hopefully those resolutions have become less of a resolution and more a part of your daily routine.  Living healthier doesn't have to be boring, bland or torturous.  However, stacking the odds in your favor of maintaining this healthy streak will make the transition that much smoother.  You've taken the first step already by deciding on a healthier you. The next step is to take roll call of what assists you in this endeavor and what you need to give the pink slip.

This brings us to the most important room of the entire home, the kitchen.  Whether you are a gourmet chef or a drive through style cuisinier, taking inventory of what is in your fridge and cupboards is a much needed and empowering move.  You are the boss, everything in your kitchen either works for you or it doesn't (pun intended).

Entering the kitchen can feel like entering the abyss.  What are you looking for?  What assists me and what doesn't?  Here are some ground rules to makes things less painful.  

Ground Rules for those new to the healthy highway:

On a budget...

1.  Make changes gradually.  For instance, once you use up the cholesterol laden butter and milk, replace it with a healthier choice like coconut spread and a nondairy milk instead.  There are many nondairy choices out there, so if you don't like one you can use it up in baking/cooking and then try another, that way you won't feel as if you're wasting money.  

2.  Even on a budget, you can add in more produce and less processed or fast foods.  Bananas, kiwi, watermelon, oranges, carrots (peel them prior to eating), avocados, pineapple, tomatoes, asparagus and eggplant are all good options that don't necessarily need to be organic. 

3.  Start a savings for necessary equipment such as a juicer, food processor and a good blender that can grind frozen fruits and ice easily.  Ask family and friends for their Bed, Bath & Beyond coupons to get added savings on these items.   

4.  Once you run out of the boxed, frozen dinners and other processed items, do not replace them with more.  Instead, stock the kitchen with whole foods such as rice, quinoa, lentils, beans and fresh or frozen produce.  

5.  Also read below regarding replacing oils and sugar.  

Budget not a factor...

1.  Start by pitching or composting items.  For items that are unopened you can donate them to local charities or shelters.  

2.  Replace oils that are the most damaging to the body.  These would be any refined oils, read the labels to find out.  Replace these with unrefined oils, such as extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil.  Another way to reduce damage from oils is to use less and cook at lower temperatures.  For example, in baking, if a recipe calls for 1/2 c. of canola oil use 1/4 c. of melted coconut oil and 1/4 c. of applesauce or some kind of pureed fruit or veggie.  

3.  Next, toss the refined sugars.  White sugar, brown sugar and corn syrup definitely need to get fired!  Seriously, don't listen to the commercials.  Sugar is not sugar, it damages the body.  Although organic sugar does not have the added chemicals, it is still garbage to your body.  Instead, opt for coconut sugar, you can use it 1:1 in recipes. Coconut sugar looks a lot like brown sugar, actually contains small amounts of minerals and won't leave you feeling sluggish.  Being the eco conscious god or goddess that you are, make sure you purchase sustainably grown and produced coconut sugar.  If you're not addicted to sugar, try eliminating or using less sugar than the recipe calls for.  For example, if the recipe calls for 1 c. of sugar, use 1/2 c. coconut sugar and 1/2 c.  of mashed very ripe bananas.  

4.  Get rid of all the processed junk and then stock up with more whole foods such as rice, quinoa, lentils, beans and fresh or frozen produce. 

5.  Purchase necessary equipment such as a juicer, food processor and a good blender that can grind frozen fruits and ice easily.  Bed, Bath & Beyond, Costco and Target carry a wide variety of each. 

Now that you are armed with what to look for, get in there, take charge and fire all those slackers!    

I Resolve To...

Wow! It's been awhile since my last post.  Taking time off from blogging to focus on my cookbook was a difficult, but much needed decision.  The book is in the final stages of editing and adding photos, so I am back and ready to share ideas, goals and recipes.

With a New Year upon us, many people experience different feelings.  Some feel relieved, energized, renewed, while others feel stressed or depressed.  The cause of such feelings are often linked to the long standing tradition of New Year resolutions. Many view the resolutions as a fresh start, but for some, those same resolutions create anxiety.  Resolutions can be fun and jump start people in the right direction, but all to often this is a short lived "high", and this is where the anxiety comes in.  No one wants to think of themselves as quitters or failures.   Not completing or sticking to a resolution can lead to these negative views of ones self and this does not do anyone any good.

The problem I find is that people usually make unrealistic resolutions.  Their intention is all well and good, but they are setting themselves up for potentially disappointing results. Now I agree that if you don't try something you'll never know if you can accomplish it or not.  However, I also agree that when setting a challenging resolution you also need to prepare your mind for that challenge.  In preparing mentally, you increase your chance of completion and maintenance of the resolution and also strengthen the psyche to accept when we fall short of that same resolution.  In this instance, we also increase the chance of getting back on our feet to try again.  Preparing mentally can happen in a number of ways.  For me, the best way is by practicing meditation.  Meditation can be challenging in and of itself.  If you find it challenging, or are new to the concept, start out with just a few minutes every day.  Here are some tips to get you started…

1.  Pick a time and quite place to practice.
2.  Be comfortable. This may mean wearing comfy clothing, sitting on a mediation cushion or folded blanket.
3.  Allow yourself fresh oxygen simply by sitting up nice and tall, no slouching :)
4.  Decide if soft playing music or instrumentals will help, test it out.
5.  Determine if having your eyes closed or having them open and focusing on an object is better, test it out.  Some people like to focus on the flame of a burning candle.
6.  Set a meditative goal.  Start with just 2 minutes.
7.  Use a soft, peaceful timer so that you're not constantly looking at the clock.  There are a number of free apps on the phone or computer you can use.
8.  Some people like to empty the mind of all thoughts, while others like to focus on a single idea.  In the case of the latter, focus on your resolution and envision yourself completing and maintaining that resolution.
9.  Once you're comfortable with your meditative goal, try increasing the time little by little.

In addition to mentally preparing yourself for your resolution there are a number of other things you can do in setting yourself up for success.  DO NOT attempt more than one resolution at a time.  If you want to quit smoking and change your eating habits, pick one to start with and then, more likely than not, the other will naturally fall into place due to your new healthy habit.  Also, reinvent the labeling of your resolution.  The word itself can conjure up all sorts of negative images and doubt.  Empower yourself by stating "I resolve to…" instead of "my resolution is…".  By changing how you refer to the resolution may seem silly, but go ahead and try the two scenario's and see which one makes you feel empowered to the change and which one makes you feel like your just hoping. Finally, look at the resolution as a goal in your life style adjustment, rather than a temporary aim that, upon completion, is forgotten.  For instance, if you want to change your eating habits, don't think that once you drop a few pounds you can immediately go back to the way you used to eat.  When this happens, we initially feel elated, but then the weight comes back and we feel defeated.   By viewing this type of resolution as a lifestyle adjustment you are more likely to reach and maintain that goal.

At the top of most peoples resolution list is health and that typically has to do with our eating habits.  So, stay tuned for my next post, "Kitchen Revamped", where I'll discuss some helpful ways to accomplish this goal.