Vegetarian or Vegan Stuffed Peppers

I get a lot of requests for Meatless Monday recipes so this is one of my favorites that I love to share!  The meal pictured here is vegetarian because I included Parmesan cheese, but you could absolutely make it vegan by omitting the cheese, or make it with beef should you want to eat meat.  Any way you choose, this recipe is great to clear the fridge and pantry of leftover items! Below is a loose recipe I created hastily during a weeknight. Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients:

Bell Peppers, seeded and sliced in half through the center (it's easier to stuff them this way)

Rice, or rice and beans combo, cooked

1 medium red onion or white onion, diced

2 carrots, diced

1 bag of frozen spinach, thaw it by putting in colander and running warm water over it-then squeeze out water after thawed with your hands

1/4 to 1/2 cup of canned pureed tomatoes 

Parmesan cheese

salt/pepper

cumin

paprika

ground mustard

chili powder

Method:

Cook your rice according to the package.  You could use this...

...which is what I used. This way you get the complete protein combo (not that you need it, but still) of the rice and the beans in addition to the seasonings.  If you are limiting your sodium, you could use just plain basmati rice and the seasonings I listed above.  Either way, cook this first. 

While the rice is cooking, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Then, slice the peppers in half through the stem and take out the seeds.  After the peppers are emptied, put them in a large casserole dish and fill the dish with a little bit of veggie stock or carrot juice or tomato juice or anything that can impart flavor into the peppers.  Cover the dish with foil and pop the peppers into the oven for about 20 minutes.  This will make them softer and easier to fill. 

If the rice finishes before you've gotten the veggies cooked and ready just set it aside until you need it!  Same goes for the peppers.  Next, pour a little canola oil in a pan (or you can skip it if you want to avoid oil) and add the onions and carrots.  Saute them for about 5 minutes on medium high heat until they are softened a bit.    (Add beef here and cook until browned if you are making with meat.)  Then, add any seasonings you want, the spinach and the tomato puree.  Stir well and cook for a minute or two.  Then add rice and mix well.  The mixture should be the consistency you'd want it to be inside the peppers! If not, add wine or more tomato puree until it is.  Then add Parmesan cheese to taste.

Once you've pulled the empty peppers out of the oven it's time to stuff them.  Take your finished rice mixture and stuff it in there.  Then sprinkle a little more cheese on top (optional).  Throw the peppers back in the oven uncovered for about 30 mins, then serve! 

This is a great make-ahead meal as you could complete all the steps except the final one, ahead of time! Hope you enjoy :).

Fabulous, Light and Healthy Fish for Your Family

Many people who are looking for a healthier, less fattening form of protein to incorporate into their diet (that is NOT chicken) will likely enjoy halibut.  It is a large flatfish that swims sideways with the largest halibut recorded at more than 8 feet in length and weighing in at more than 500 pounds.  The picture below is provided by the Alaskan Department of Fish and Game.  It is kind of scary looking but I figure if you're going to eat it, you should know what it is and where it comes from! 

It is sold in thick white filets or steaks and doesn't taste fishy at all.  It has a denser, flakier texture than say tilapia, but is not as fishy or rich as salmon.  I'd say it's a nice in between fish.  

More than likely if you are eating enough calories in your diet, you are getting enough protein.  Most people are commonly deceived by fad diets or fitness articles into believing they need more protein than they actually need.  Because there is no protein storage "warehouse" in the body, any excess that is consumed is stored as fat. FAT, not muscle.  So the key to a healthful diet, whether vegan or otherwise, is to maintain a balance of calories in to equal the amount of energy you are expending (or energy out). I'm not a fan of counting calories by any stretch so I'd never really advocate that.  Rather, what I'm trying to explain is where fish like halibut might fit into your diet.  If you are just trying to get more bang for each bite you take-ie the most nutrition with the least amount of negative stuff-choosing fish over steak might be a nice option for you.  Of course things like quinoa are always an option for vegans and vegetarians, but omnivores I'm talking to you! 

Here's the breakdown of what a 3 oz portion of halibut might look like nutrition-wise if prepared using the recipe I'll provide below (sorry it's blurry):

Note that it's about 178 calories with about 1 gram of saturated fat.  Steak cooked in a similar fashion would have about 284 calories with about 8 grams of saturated fat.  

These small changes, collectively, over the days, weeks and months, can add up to big differences in your health.  Fat is not bad! I actually am not a proponent of Fat Free products or alternative fats because of all the added preservatives, sugars and salts used to replace flavor in those products.  I also believe that minimizing saturated fats can help you maintain or lose weight and prevent many modern diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes and more (supported by scientific data not listed here-y'all are smart, you can find it everywhere!). In this meal alone, swapping red meat for fish saves you 7 grams of sat fat!!! Woah!

So with all that said I'm going to give you a recipe for Halibut Cacciatore that was used in my Food Production class at school, but with a few changes I've made to amp it up a bit.  Hope you enjoy!

Ingredients  Serves 2

8 oz Alaskan Halibut cut into 1 inch chunks
Flour for dredging
2 Tbsp canola oil (measure this out! it makes a difference calorie-wise)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 oz of mushrooms, chopped (or about a third of a 12 oz container)
1 8 oz can of organic canned tomatoes (with the juice)
1 tsp oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 pkg of angel hair pasta

Method

1. Dredge fish in flour and heat 1 tablespoon oil in sauté pan. When oil is hot, sauté fish in pan until browned (about 2 minutes max). I just flipped the pieces once or twice. Set aside. Don't worry if they cool, you will be reheating them to finish cooking in a few steps.

2. Get some water boiling for the pasta.

3. Add 1 more tablespoon of oil to the pan.  Saute onion, pepper, garlic and mushrooms in the pan for a minute or two. Then add oregano (and a few red chili flakes if you like!) and tomatoes and season on a low simmer for about 10 minutes.

4. After you start this simmering, drop your pasta and cook until al dente or for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and put on serving plate.

5. Add fish to sauce mixture, cover and simmer for about 5 more minutes until fish is cooked through (145 degrees) and flaky.

6. Once fish is done, toss pasta in sauce and pour into serving dish. Enjoy!!!

Thinking of Eating More Veggies or Ditching Dairy Altogether? Here's how to start!

Ways to Jump-Start Your Vegetarian or Vegan Eating Habits

Eating healthy doesn't always have to involve cutting out FLAVOR from your diet, while cutting out meat and/or dairy.  The above dishes are completely vegan (no meat or dairy/eggs) and no oil!  We were able to make those cheaply, quickly and most of all tastefully using some great tips I'd like to share.  

There are a million books on the subject, so if you'd like to take the time I'd read any written by Dr. Joel Fuhrman, Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, Rip Esselstyn, Dr. Neal Barnard and Dr. T. Colin Campbell.  

Rip Esselstyn and I at my "Forks Over Knives" pre-screen

All are amazing inspirations with backgrounds and science to support their health claims.  If you don't have the time to read those books, or want to supplement their info, this blog post is for you.  I get countless requests for help on how to transition a family's diet over to one that minimizes or eliminates meat and/or dairy.  So I've put together a "starter kit" to help you all navigate through the first few weeks.  They are undoubtedly the hardest, but you can do it, and it is absolutely worth it.

On a side note-if you are wanting to know more about why we are cutting meat and/or dairy out of our diets for health, that is in a different blog post and also in my "Basics…" section, along with a book called "The China Study."  Please see any of those places to get a better understanding of why making these changes will optimize your health.

Revamp Your Kitchen and Pantry

Changing foods means changing gears, literally sometimes.  If you don't have the proper tools to help you cut or prep veggies and execute recipes, you are going to be one miserable and HUNGRY person.  So let's make sure you have the essentials.  And PS, this may sound like it will cost you a fortune, but you will actually SAVE MONEY once you transition into your new lifestyle because you'll be buying in bulk and eating lots of yummy leftovers.

For actual appliances and cookware you'll need the following:

-Blender, preferably a really great one like a Vitamix
-Food processor, or food chopper
-Sharp knives
-Peeler
-Colander
-Good pots and pans

Now let's tackle your pantry. I spent countless hours developing this stuff for Whole Foods Market when I worked there as a Healthy Eating Specialist.  I'd be silly not to utilize those amazing resources we created.  So here is a link to an amazing website with a lot of the info I'm giving you below, and much more.

Pantry/Freezer Staples:

-A variety of cans of no-salt-added, BPA-free beans.  I love Eden Organic and usually stock pinto, garbanzo, kidney, black and navy beans.
-Whole grains stored in glass jars.  So buy a package of each of the following: old fashioned oats, quinoa, brown rice and barley.
-Whole wheat pasta. Always just keep a pound or two on hand.
-Whole wheat tortillas.
-Ground flaxseed. Store in fridge so they stay good longer.
-Canned Tomatoes. It sucks because these are a necessity but it's hard to find them without BPA in the can and tomatoes are particularly susceptible for absorption.  Go organic and do the best you can here, but I usually buy at least two big cans.
-Low-sodium vegetable broth. You really can't have enough. I usually get a package of the little 1-cup containers as well as a few bit containers.
-Almond milk.  A couple of boxes of unsweetened almond milk will work wonders for you and is better than soy and rice milk nutritionally because it has more absorbable calcium and won't contain arsenic (rice) or nutrients that turn into estrogen in your body (soy).
-Tahini. This is just ground sesame seeds and is amazing for making homemade hummus and adding flavor to things.
-Peanut Butter. Unsalted. A few jars kept in the pantry, not fridge please.
-Nutritional yeast.  They are yellow flakes that are made from yeast and they taste and look like cheese when cooked! Yum! Find them in the bulk section or the organic section of your supermarket.
-Raw nuts. Unsalted, roasted if you want.  I usually get cashews, almonds, pistachios and macadamia nuts.
-Dried apricots, dates and raisins. Un-sulfered and unsweetened.
-Dijon mustard.
-Salsa. A great, flavorful one.
-Soy sauce. Low sodium.
-Frozen hash browns. Unsalted.
-Frozen fruit. Unsweetened organic. Get whatever you like!
-Frozen spinach.
-Spices. Freshen up those spices that have been sitting in your kitchen for a decade. Seriously.  Get some new ones like ground mustard, paprika, cayenne, cumin, black pepper, rosemary, thyme…you get the picture.

Ok I'm sure I probably left out some things but these are items you always want to have on hand in addition to the fresh veggies and fruits you'll be buying regularly.  Now you may need to shop more to keep fresh produce in your house, but you'll be spending less because you'll only be buying a few items each time, rather than doing big shops. Make sense?

Now that we've got your kitchen set up it's time to change out those same seven recipes you cycle through (you are not alone!) each week to healthier options.  I'm posting a few go-to breakfasts, lunches and dinners that I use that will make your new eating habits not only healthy, but quick and easy. Most of the recipes are linked below but if not, I'll post them in future blogs! All recipes are vegan because I figure if you are not vegan, you will just add cheese or meat to the recipe where you want to.

Basic Breakfast Recipes-Click here for a week-long guide I posted a while ago

Breakfast Burrito
Oatmeal
Pancakes
Vegan French Toast
Cereal with Fruit
Whole Wheat Toast with Nut Butter

Lunch Recipes

Tomato/Avocado Sandwich
Soup and Salad
PBJ
Veggie Sushi
Chili

Dinner Recipes

Veggie Stir-fry
Pasta with Veggies
Vegan Stuffed Shells
Veggie Paella
Quinoa Tacos
Vegan Lentil Burgers 

I gave quite a few links and recipes to try above.  Please let me know your thoughts, questions and challenges. I hope this helps!

Clear Out Your Cupboards Chili!

Simple Pantry Chili!

As we all continue to hibernate (or many of us anyway), I thought it might be nice to post a standard chili recipe (there is a great butternut squash/kale recipe in a recent previous post) that you can make without leaving your home AND that's packed with IRON, FIBER, PROTEIN, CALCIUM and tons of other vitamins and minerals.  It's also made in one pot, with about 5 minutes of prep and little babysitting! I was able to fold the laundry while this cooked.  And if you still needed another reason to make this-it tastes even better then next day! 

Ingredients (and remember use what's in your pantry-substitute where necessary)

1 onion, diced
2 small sweet peppers, diced
1 can unsalted kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can unsalted black beans (drained and rinsed)
1 can unsalted navy beans (drained and rinsed)
1 14 oz can of organic crushed tomatoes (i used fire roasted)
1 lb ground organic beef (can be left out-i just had some on hand)
2 Tbsp chili powder
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cumin
pinch of garlic powder

Method

Heat a little olive oil in a large saucepan (like a tsp) and add the onions, peppers and spices.  Saute for a few minutes until translucent, then add beef.  Saute on medium until browned.  Add beans and can of tomatoes and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20-30 mins covered. DONE!

I added hand-grated cheddar cheese because my son loves it, but feel free to leave out both the meat and cheese for a vegan delight! You can add avocado instead! 

Hope you enjoy this great weeknight meal!

Use the leftovers to make fantastic breakfast burritos or as a topper for nachos at snack time!

Surprisingly Awesome Cauliflower Salad

I got a HUGE head of cauliflower in my CSA (community supported agriculture) this week and was getting sick of just adding it to mashed potatoes.  So I looked for a new way to incorporate this cancer-fighting cruciferous vegetable into my daily diet!  Below is the inexpensive, easy way to do so.  I know many are afraid of raw cauliflower, but it really is an amazing, balanced salad! Give it a try!

Recipe source: epicurious.com

Ingredients

1/3 cup olive oil
1 tsp fresh rosemary, minced
2 Tbsp FRESH lemon juice
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
2 1/2 tsp lemon zest
salt and pepper
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into small florets
1 (15 oz) can of unsalted navy beans, drained and rinsed
2 heads of Belgian endive, trimmed, halved lengthwise and then thinly sliced crosswise
1 Tbsp FRESH chives, chopped
2 tsp FRESH parsley, chopped
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (3 oz)

Directions

Infuse the olive oil with the rosemary by stirring it over medium heat for about a minute or until fragrant. Set aside and let cool.

Whisk lemon juice and zest, vinegar and salt and pepper in a bowl and set aside.

Combine cauliflower, beans, endive, chives, parsley, and rosemary oil in a bowl and toss.  Then mix in the cheese and toss again.  Then add the lemon mixture and toss one last time. Serve.

Cauliflower Stats! (sourced from whfoods.com, one of my fav sites)

Ignoring the amazing nutrition of the other ingredients in this salad, ie protein from beans and vitamins from endive, cauliflower (especially raw) has a ton to offer you besides fiber to keep you regular.  Here's a look:

vitamin C 85% of your daily value!

vitamin K 20%

folate 15%

choline 11%

vitamin b6 10%

potassium 9%

And for very few calories! Cauliflower in and of itself only has 26 calories!! Wow! Enjoy!

Pancake Perfection!

Again, I'm featuring a breakfast food because, well, it's my favorite meal of the day AND I also wanted to show you that there are tons of different ways to eat a healthy breakfast.  Today I'm talking about pancakes.  I typically hate pancakes.  The pancakes I remember eating at restaurants as a kid were doughy, sugary, artificial tasting and covered in syrup that also tasted artificial.  Sound familiar to anyone?  Not tasty and CERTAINLY not healthy.  

In this post I offer you a quick, inexpensive and healthy alternative to the infamous pancake.  First, the dough.  I'm posting two pics of the pancake mix I used, one of the package and one of the ingredients.  We'll go over both.

I like Nature's Path Multigrain because they do the best they can at using the best ingredients.  It is not only ORGANIC but also NON-GMO certified, which these days is very important.

So the ingredients...Overall, I'd rate them about a B on the A to F scale.  I love that they use whole wheat flour but am not too thrilled about the cane juice, whey powder or monocalcium phosphate (which is added calcium and phosphorus for leavening).  The sodium bicarbonate is just baking soda. So besides making the batter yourself-with whole wheat flour, this is the next best option in my book!

So the instructions are simple: 

Again, I stole this picture because my son ate the pancakes I made before I could snap a pic. I'll do better next time! Thanks cheekykitchen.com!

Ingredients

Pancake mix
Canola oil
Ripe banana
Slivered almonds (raw, unsalted)
Carob chips (or chocolate chips if you want, I just went with a vegan option)
Shredded coconut (unsweetened)
Vanilla extract

Options: any other random fruits or items you like to eat. peanut butter might be good in there as well!

Directions:

Follow instructions to make the basic batter. I believe it's 1/2 cup of dry mix to 1 3/4 cup of cold water plus 2 tbsp canola oil-but I may be wrong so just check.  It's super easy and I usually double it for my batches.

To the bowl with the batter, add all the rest of the stuff.  Stir it until mixed well and banana is all mushed up in there.

Spray a non-stick pan with cooking spray or use butter or whatever you like to grease it up.  Use a spoon to dollup the mix in there and DON'T TOUCH THEM until the sides are bubbley.  Then it's ok to flip.  The other side cooks quick so have a plate ready.  I would regrease pan before next batch.

Once they're done I just serve them up as is. No frills, no anything needed.  Fresh berries would be a great side or maybe some added coconut, but really they can stand alone.  That is why I love them!

Build a Better Breakfast!

I'm constantly being told by a wide variety of folks that there isn't enough time to make a healthy, wholesome breakfast.  Sometimes that can be the case; most times I would disagree. Here's how to make a quick, healthy breakfast for you and your family that's tastier than anything packaged and will cost you a fraction of what you'd pay at the store.  

My go-to simple breakfast is oatmeal!  I'll give you the recipe in a second, but first I want to show you why getting those microwavable oatmeal pouches isn't the best option. They are pricey, and have some yuckiness inside.  See below.

Here's a look at the product I'm referencing. I used to eat something like this as a kid.   

Focus here not on the nutrition label, but on the ingredients. THAT is the secret to picking healthier processed foods. By looking at the product's ingredients I see that it has salt, artificial stuff and little nutritional value other than the oats themselves.

So in the grand scheme of things this product isn't horrible.  It is cholesterol free, fast-cooking (like 60 seconds in microwave) and a whole grain. BUT it costs $3 for one pouch!!! Woah. I don't know about you but feeding a family can be pretty costly and I can't afford to spend $9 for just oatmeal for my three family members.  Instead, I'll offer you my nutritious, inexpensive fix for this issue!

Totally not my pic, I forgot to take one this morning so thank you google for sharing this with me. You guys get the idea.

Recipe:

Ingredients

1 cup Uncle Bob's Rolled Oats

2 cups water 

1 box (or if you have these in your pantry-a scoop) raisins

cinnamon

fruit

1 tbsp ground flax

1 scoop walnuts

Optional add-ons include: chopped dates, coconut, carob chips, almond milk, etc. etc.

Directions

Add oats and water to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add everything else. 

Then lower to simmer, stirring frequently, for about 5-10 minutes.

Serve. 

Super easy and bulk oats cost about $.89/lb. YUP, per POUND! So if you're like me and have the rest of the stuff in the pantry, you can use local/seasonal fruit and this dish will cost you at most $1, while providing you a nutritious breakfast.

More specifically:

~Oats provide long-lasting energy and stable blood sugar for hours!

~This is a cholesterol-free, dairy-free meal which means it contains only the good fats, and has very little sodium.

~By using fruit, unlike the packaged kind, you add flavor and sweetness that enhances taste and packs a nutritious punch.

~Using flax and walnuts provide the necessary omega-3 fatty acids needed to maintain balance and to fight inflammation in our system. 

This recipe is really just a base for you to use your imagination! Have fun and let your kids help. You'll be surprised and how awesome this simple grain can taste!

Sweet Smoothie Success

Smoothies! They are crucial to weight-loss and health success (in my opinion).  But don't get me wrong, they don't have to be complex, time-consuming drinks, rather, they can be easy, inexpensive ways to get your nutrition while clearing out the fridge! And as you can see with my son above, you are never too old or young to develop your love for smoothies.

Here are the keys to smoothie success, with corresponding recipes:

1) Have a few base ingredients, and always have those in the house. You, of course, don't have to use them every time but as you get started it'll help with efficiency and taste.  My go-tos are almond milk, ground flaxseed and banana.

        Recipe

Ingredients
Almond milk
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 ripe banana
1 orange (peeled)
Strawberries

Blend!

2) Don't be afraid to mix things up! Use your base ingredients (or not) but also try new things. If you have extra pineapple to throw in, do it! You never know what might work in a smoothie. I've successfully hidden broccoli in a smoothie before!

       Recipe

Ingredients
Almond milk
Vanilla coconut milk yogurt (or any yogurt you like)
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
2 oranges (peeled)
1 banana

Blend!

3)  Taste as you go! It's just a smoothie, so sample and add as you go.  Need to thicken it? Add ice.  Need to thin it out? Add more milk or juice.

      Recipe

Ingredients
Almond milk
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
1 banana
1 apple
1 orange
3 or 4 leaves of de-stemmed kale
1 carrot
1 blueberry coconut milk yogurt
Strawberries

Blend!

Hope these ideas help keep sugar out of your smoothies and set you up for an easy way to pack the most nutrition into each sip. Cheers!

Hearty Butternut Squash Chili

'Tis the season for campfires, apple cider and hearty, warm dishes that fill your belly on a cool night. That tasty bite up there is my latest creation, a yummy use of butternut squash as a one-pot dinner. Super simple, seasonal and inexpensive. Here's what you need:

Ingredients

olive oil
1 butternut squash, peeled and cubed
1 red onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp chili powder
3 tsp cumin
Pinch red pepper flakes
Pinch of cinnamon
3 cans navy or other white beans, drained and rinsed
2.5 cups low sodium veggie broth
1 14 oz can of diced fire roasted tomatoes
1 small bunch of swiss chard, rinsed and roughly chopped

I also have sage that I occassionally add in.

Preparation

Heat about 2 Tbsps oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and garlic and saute until golden for about 7 minutes on medium high heat.

Add squash and spices and cook stirring constantly for about 2 minutes.

Stir in beans, stock and tomatoes (oh i added a bay leaf too). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer for 25 minutes. Uncovered.

Add the chard and simmer another 8 minutes. 

Season with some fresh ground pepper and serve with some crusty bread!

You could also add meat and or cheese to this but I dont think it needs either so why add the fat and cholesterol?! Enjoy!

Not Your Average Side Dish

I've been away for a while dealing with some life craziness but I promise to make more posts more consistently when we get into our new house! Meanwhile, here's one I thought you would enjoy for the 4th of July weekend.

Instead of just bringing a standard fruit salad as your side dish to pass, how about wowing them with some extra pop that will leave people wondering, "wow, what made that so good?"

This salad can be used as a side dish or dessert for any meal, but it also makes FABULOUS leftovers to use for breakfast. The best part is that if you use local, season fruit (besides the honeydew) it will cost you almost nothing to make! Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups, papaya, chopped
2 cups, cantaloupe, chopped
1 cup blueberries
1 cup strawberries, sliced
2 kiwis, peeled and chopped
1 banana, sliced

For the dressing:

1 cup honeydew, chopped
2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon, lime or any citrus you like (I LOVE blood orange juice in this)
1 to 2 teaspoons poppy seeds
2 to 3 dates, pitted (use local honey or agave here if you don't dig dates!)
pinch of ground cinnamon
pinch of ground ginger (don't skimp on this, it is soooo worth it and yummy)

Method

Chop all the fruit for fruit salad and put in a large serving bowl.

In a blender, add the dressing ingredients and puree until smooth. Pour over fruit and toss gentley. Serve. Can also be chilled for added flavor and then served.

***KID TIP***

This can also be made into a fun family friendly dish! Instead of putting the fruit in a bowl, ask your kids to put it on wooden skewers. Then they can dip the fruit in the dressing.

Just as fun as chicken nuggets without the grossness.

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY!!

The Truth About Sports Drinks and Your Family's Health

I'm not trying to make Gatorade the enemy here, however I wanted to explain something I've been saying for the past two years, that was just written about and covered by MSNBC, among other news stations. If you check out the article here, you will notice that the reporter, in the limited time he or she had to writeup the story, didn't really explain why sports drinks are bad for most of us. Energy drinks-it's kind of obvious-there is caffeine in them and your kids shouldn't have them. Sport drinks...do you know why they're contributing to our childhood obesity epidemic? No. Didn't think so and that's ok, I'll break it down for you and then you can choose what's best for you and your child.

First, a little background and science. Sports drinks were designed to QUICKLY replenish valuable energy depleted by vigorous exercise (Gatorade was formulated for the Florida Gators football team to enhance practices and speed up recovery time between them). This is important because when you run a marathon, workout in extreme temps or participate in other energy-draining activities you use up your glycogen store (your stored energy in the body). You need to fuel up again quickly to repair muscles and fuel your body for recovery and normal function. More science ahead, but you get where the need comes from?

So the science. How sports drinks are supposed to work is that when you exercise vigorously (I keep stressing vigorously because taking a walk around the block doesn't cut it) your body uses the glucose already available in your body. It is a naturally occurring sugar that is formed from carbohydrates (which is why I always stress getting the right carbs is key to a healthy diet) in your food. Then it is further broken down to give you energy. (Almost done with the science stuff.) If you are eating a healthy diet you will have a healthy store of glucose in your body so you will need to replenish quickly. If you overeat and/or eat a poor diet, you will have excess glucose in your body that will be stored in your liver, muscles, etc. as fat. Obviously not good.

So here's the problem.

More and more people and their kids are gulping down these sports drinks instead of water for hydration. Yet, exercise has fallen by the wayside and TV and video games are the mainstay. So if you are putting all these sugar and carbs in your body and not utilizing them for exercise they will turn to fat. SIMPLE.

Let's analyze the Nutrition Facts from one 32fl oz. bottle of Gatorade Glacier Ice. At first glance you might think the stats are not that bad. Only 50 calories, 100mg of sodium, 14g of sugars. BUT, THERE ARE 4 SERVINGS PER BOTTLE!! That means there are actually 200 calories, 440 mg of sodium (1/3 of your daily intake in just one drink) and 54g of sugars. WOW.

Again, sugar, salt and carbs are needed for endurance athletes. But you can see why this drink will pose a problem for a kid who's popping chicken nuggets and playing grand theft auto all day.

Let's go into another issue-the ingredients.

Initially when Gatorade was made for the football players, it was pretty much straight glucose and water-pure natural sugars that were readily absorbed by the body to refuel. It tasted gross but did the trick. Then Pepsi bought the drink and changed it for the masses. Now here's a look at what this "sports drink" is filled with:

Water, Sucrose Syrup, Glucose Fructose Syrup, Citric Acid, Natural Flavors, Salt, Sodium Citrate, Monopotassium Phosphate, Ester Gum, Partially Hydrogenated Soybean Oil and Partially Hydrogenated Cottonseed Oil, Blue 1.

Ok let's ignore the glaring offenses of the ambiguous "natural flavors" and sodium citrate and focus in on the insanely unhealthy ingredients listed above. HYDROGENATED OILS!! I know you know these and that you should avoid them because they are TRANS FATS. Yes, in gatorade, aertery-clogging, carcenogenic trans fats. Oh but if those don't get you how about some blue dye. I hear that's good for the kidneys and liver.

By now I hope you're seeing why it's not just about ragging on a sugary drink. It is in fact all about fueling our inactive kids with drinks filled with sub-standard ingredients that are built to make them fat (purposefully or not-you decide).

The alternative. Good, old WATER! Lots of it. And a healthy diet. You can also use Vita-Coco Coconut Water for a natural hydrating drink that replenishes 3 more electrolytes than Gatorade and has only one ingredient: Coconut water.

Oh and PS-this will save you a whole lot of money...:)

The "Dirty Dozen," a reminder!

Hey all-as our favorite fruits and vegetables start coming into season, I wanted to send out a clear message on the "Dirty Dozen." For those of you who don't know what that is, it is a list provided by various sources (like foodnews.org, msnbc, etc.) that details which top 12 fruits and vegetables you should avoid if you can NOT find organic.

Here are my thoughts. The "Dirty Dozen" is an important list and makes an equally important point. There is no need to buy all organic, especially if you can't afford it, and especially if you can find a great local farm that produces great crops without the use of pesticides but just didn't have the money to get certified. Just know your source. BUT, if you do find yourself wanting the plants listed below, pay the extra $.10 (sometimes they may actually be cheaper) to get organic because you will be keeping yourself and your family away from the highest levels of pesticide residue. Here are the foods that have high amounts when not organic:

1. Peaches
2. Apples
3. Sweet Bell Peppers
4. Celery
5. Nectarines
6. Strawberries
7. Cherries
8. Pears
9. Grapes
10. Spinach
11. Lettuce
12. Potatoes

So there you have it. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE don't use this as an excuse not to eat these wonderful foods. Because at the end of the day the goal is not to give up foods or deprive yourself, but to EAT MORE PLANTS. However you can. eat. more. plants.

A Healthy Drink for Body and Mind

Thanks to the blogger meltdown this week, it took me a little while to post this but wanted to make sure you all got the recipe because it's amazing!

This drink is a non-alcoholic, vegan, gluten-free, refreshing summer "spritzer." being pregnant, it not only quenches my thirst and gives me something other than water to drink (because I don't drink juices unless I make them at home), but it also soothes my unstable stomach and puts my mind at ease!

It will literally take you 2 minutes to make. Here you go:

Ingredients:

ginger, a piece fresh from the root
1 lime
1 bottle of sparkling water
ice

Method:

Peel a piece of fresh ginger that is the size of a penny or nickel. It is easiest and least wasteful to peel ginger while holding it in your handing and using a spoon to remove the skin. Once the ginger is peeled, use a microplane or small grater to grate it into a glass. Use a little at first, because you can taste it and add more if necessary.

Then cut the lime in half and slice one round off and put it in the glass. Squeeze the lime juice into the glass. Add ice. Pour in sparkling water and you are good to go!

***Note: I like to also add a little sweetness to this. You could add a dash of coconut water or milk to add a sweetness or even peach nectar!***

Alternative drink

Another great non-alcoholic, vegan, gluten-free summer drink that I just learned how to make is a homemade pina colada! All you have to do is blend coconut milk (from the can, unsweetened) with pineapple and ice. AMAZING!!

Enjoy these yummy, refreshing summer drinks. Hopefully they will inspire mother nature to bring us summer weather!

For Those Craving Chocolate!

Here is the recipe for my VEGAN CHOCOLATE MOUSSE. Yes, you read correctly. It is chocolate mousse that is healthy (and not the pretend kind of healthy where they make it "fat free" and there's all sorts of crap in it), inexpensive and easy. Here you go!

Ingredients

2 ripe (we're talking very soft) avocados (just trust me)

2 to 3 tablespoons of raw cacao or cocoa powder

vegan chocolate chips if you dare!

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

1 dash of honey (you can leave this out if you wish)

some sliced strawberries for topping

shredded coconut for topping

Method

Peel and pit avocados and put in blender or food processor. Add the rest of the ingredients, except for the toppings, and process until smooth and chocolatey. Top with strawberries or other fresh fruit and shredded coconut. Serve.

OMG it's amazing! You'd never believe it! And the whole time you are getting the healthy fats your body needs from the avocado without the cholesterol-packed, fattening dairy products. Yay for you!

Healthy Dessert? Yup.

...and I'm back!

It's been a while since my last post, reason being, I recently found out I am pregnant!! About 8 weeks at this point and feeling great. It's amazing what the body can do when it's healthy. We weren't even trying!

So the cool thing is, as I've said before, I won't become a garbage disposal just because I'm pregnant. I value my healthy diet even more now than before. I also want to instill healthy habits in my future child! One thing that has always helped me to do this is to have dessert after every meal.

Yes, that's right, dessert after every meal. I'm not talking about sugary, processed stuff that will send your blood sugar into a tizzy, pack on the pounds and keep you wanting more. I'm talking about nature's dessert-FRUIT! There are tastey, quick and inexpensive ways to curb your sweet tooth after a meal. Here's the first recipe of many on fruity desserts:

Sweet Strawberry Banana Smoothie

1/2 cup (ish) frozen strawberries

1 banana

1 Tbsp ground flaxseed

1/2 cup (ish) of almond milk (or any milk substitute you like)

Blend and enjoy! You will need to add ice if you use fresh strawberries.

And note, there is no cholesterol, very little fat and tons of calcium (from the almonds), omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants in this dessert. Can your ice cream, cake or cookies do the same? I think not!!

Just give it a try! :)

Quick Quinoa Tacos!

First, what is Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wah) and why should you eat it?

Contrary to popular belief-you can get all your protein from plant sources, including this complete source, found in the grain family, although it is a seed. A complete protein means the food contains the 9 essential amino acids we can't make in our bodies, in proper proportion for easy absorption. Most people think you need to get all your amino acids from one source and that that source should be meat. However, quinoa has a similar amino acid profile-meaning it is a complete protein packed with what you need to build muscle, etc. Also, on a side note, you don't need to get all your amino acids (the building blocks of protein) from one source. Our body is built to put varying aminos together to build things-so diversifying the sources in your diet is no less nutritious than getting them all from one food.

Quinoa was eaten by the Incans back in the day before battle. Yes, men, warriors ate it. So you can feel manly without the meat. This food will give you long-lasting energy throughout the day, stable blood sugar and protein to build muscle without saturated fat, casein (a known cancer-causing animal protein), excess sodium or sugar. It is also GLUTEN-FREE!!

And guess what-it's cheap, easy and yummy!! It only took me 1 hour to prep, cook, eat and cleanup after this meal. Doesn't get any easier.

Here's how I prepared it:

Quick Quinoa Tacos

Ingredients Serves 2 to 4

1/2 cup red quinoa (uncooked)

1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock

1/2 yellow onion, chopped

1/2 red pepper, chopped

pinch of cayenne

pinch of cumin

3 cloves garlic, minced

your favorite guacamole (or make your own by just smashing up some avocados)

your favorite salsa

1 can low-sodium black beans

1 lime

1 package whole wheat flour tortillas

Method

Saute the onion, pepper, garlic and spices in a sauce pan until translucent and cooked. About 3 to 5 minutes on medium high heat. Add the 1/2 cup of quinoa and toast, while stirring constantly for about a minute. Then add the broth, bring to a boil, cover, reduce to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes stirring occassionally.

While the quinoa is cooking, open the black beans, drain and rinse. Heat if you prefer. Chop tomatoes and heat your tortillas if you want as well. I also used this time to steam some broccoli for the side to this dish. (To do that just buy some broccoli, break off the little stems into a colander, put the colander in a sauce pan that you can fill with about an inch of water without having it touch, cover and steam for about 12 minutes).

Then, once the quinoa mixture is done, build your tacos! Put the quinoa, beans, guacamole, salsa, lime and tomatoes on your tortilla and enjoy!

Random Recipe to Love!

I thought you might need another vegan, gluten-free soup to try this week so I wanted to share this one from the Vegetarian Times. It's super easy to make, cheap and only gets better overnight. It also is PACKED with protein, calcium, beta carotene and so many other yummy vitamins and minerals. Let me know what you think or if you added any of your own twists!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon olive oil (or if you are eliminating oil from your diet, just use water)

1 white onion, chopped (about 1 cup)

3 cups kale, chopped (I used a whole head of lacinato or dino kale)

1 yam, diced (I left the skin on for added nutrients)

1 tablespoon smoked paprika (or just use regular if that's what you have)

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 bay leaf

4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

2 15.5oz cans of no-salt-added Northern or Navy Beans

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Method

First, heat the oil or water in a saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and cook on medium high heat for 8 minutes, or until lightly caramelized, stirring often.

Then add the kale and cook for about 4 minutes or until it's wilted. Stir in yam, paprika, curry powder and bay leaf, cooking for 1 minute more.

Add broth, and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 30 minutes or until kale and yam are tender. Puree 1 cup of the beans with 3/4 cup of beans in a blender or food processor. Add puree and the rest of the beans to the soup and simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add the vinegar and serve!

Yum! This soup has:

165 calories, 9g protein, 2.5g fat, 0mg cholesterol, 300mg sodium (it says more on the veggie times website bkz they use regular beans!), 10g fiber

Enjoy!

Meatless Monday-What's for Dinner?

Meatless Monday is a great tradition to adopt if you are looking to improve your family's health. It is potentially the one-and-only day all week where you don't eat meat. The goal on this day is to pack your body with nutrient-rich foods such as vegetables, beans, whole grains and fruit, while leaving out the artery-clogging cholesterol, high-blood-pressure-making sodium, and obesity-causing saturated fats that are in meats, cheeses and processed foods. Don't get me wrong though, only one day of eating vegetables a week is not nearly enough to see the cholesterol-lowering, pound-shedding effects this eating style can provide you BUT, it is a great start and is worth every mouth-watering moment!

The key here is to make good choices for dinner on this night. Choosing fake meats or processed foods as an alternative to meat is not beneficial because they still have the fat, sodium and then sugar that you should avoid. Instead, try easy recipes using real ingredients to wow your tastebuds and fill you up. Try this recipe below-it's one of my favorites because it's quick, tasty and stays in the fridge for a few days for lunches! It's also inexpensive and you can totally multitask while it's cooking! Enjoy!

Veggie Paella

Ingredients (Vegan, Serves 6)

1 onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1.5 cups quinoa (uncooked, use red quinoa for a nuttier, more savory flavor)

1/4 teaspoon saffron, crushed (this is what makes any paella great!)

2 teaspoons Spanish smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

dash cayenne

1 14oz can of diced tomatoes (no-salt added, very important)

1 red or yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 14oz can of red kidney beans (no-salt added), rinsed and drained

2 3/4 to 3 cups of low-sodium vegetable broth

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced

1 cup frozen peas

1 can artichoke hearts, rinsed and cut into quarters

Method

Put the quinoa into a large bowl and cover with water, stirring well to wash the grain. Pour off the water (through a seive) and repeat. Leave the drained quinoa to the side for a second.

Saute the onion and garlic in a deep non-stick pan with a little water (in lieu of olive oil) until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the quinoa and saffron, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Add paprika, cumin, cayenne, tomatoes, peppers, beans and 2 3/4 cups of vegetable broth to the pan. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cook covered for 15 minutes.

After 15 minutes, check to see if more broth is needed. You'll know because the mixture will look dry instead of vibrant and moist. If dry add 1/4 cup broth. Now place the zucchini on top of the quinoa and re-cover. Cook for about 5 minutes more until the quinoa is done. You'll know because it will turn translucent-ish and will have little spiral-like tails coming from each seed. When done, remove the cover, stir in the peas and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes. Arrange the artichoke hearts on the top and serve!

Nutrition Facts PER SERVING: 288 calories, 3g total fat, 13g protein, 0mg cholesterol, 150mg sodium, 10g fiber

Soups at Home Save on SODIUM and on Your Wallet

This soup looks familiar right? Amy's Organic soups can be found in Whole Foods Market, Wegmans (in the Nature's Market section) and all across the country in health food stores.

So why should you care about Amy's soups?

Because if you want to lose weight and live a healthy lifestyle you need to keep your sodium intake to 1500mg or less a day, as regulated by the USDA. (I would suggest keeping it to even less) And considering

ONE TEASPOON OF SALT=2200mg of sodium

you might want to watch how much sodium is in your food.

And please don't say to me "Well, I'm good-I NEVER add salt to any of my foods." PLEASE. Even if you don't, you're not off the hook. So please, please, please read on to see how you can make simple changes that can have dramatic effects on your health.

Also, I also want to clear up confusion about Sea Salt, Himalayan Salt and other types of salts that are supposedly healthy. Salt is salt folks. If you are getting too much sodium in your diet, using a salt that has nutrients in it won't make a difference. Instead, get your low amounts of daily sodium from nuts, seeds and other plant sources that will offer you way more nutrients with each bite.

Ok so processed foods are jam-packed with sodium. After all, salt is what was first used to cure meats and preserve them for a while back in the day right? What do you think is happening now? Salt, chemicals and other things are being used as preservatives and we are feeling the effects. But the reality is, we are all busy and often need to have certain processed items in our pantry. Let's now check out one that is presumably healthy.

1. First, take a look at the nutrition label on this can of Amy's Fat Free Chunky Vegetable Soup. Check out the "servings per container," there are 2!!! That means if you eat that whole can (which most of us would) you need to double all of the information on the label. Sneaky...

2. Second, let's check out the sodium. It is 680mg for only ONE SERVING. If you were to only eat half the can of soup, you would be ingesting HALF of your daily allotment of sodium. Better hope you don't eat much else that day. But who wants to starve for half a can of soup? Ew. Now imagine if you eat the whole can of soup, 1360mg of sodium in only one can. That is all you can have ALL DAY. Bummer. Or make a better choice. Do the math and limit your sodium intake to 500mg per meal per day OR just eat lots of fruits, veggies, nuts, seeds, beans and grains and you won't have to worry.

3. Third, check nutrition labels on all processed foods. You'll be surprised what's hiding. Today we focused on sodium, in the future we will go over other things!

Right now you may be asking-what's the big deal about eating salt or taking in too much sodium anyway?!

Well, if you don't think hypertension (high blood pressure), weight gain, obesity, increased risk of heart disease and stroke, among other things, are a big deal, then you don't have to worry. Otherwise, just be conscious of what's going in your belly.

To help get your soup fix and save on both salt and money, try making soups at home, then freezing them! Here's a recipe that I love from Whole Foods Market with only 190mg per serving and lots of flavor!

Ingredients

1 ounce (about 1 cup) dried porcini mushrooms or other dried wild mushrooms

3/4 cup unsalted cashews

6 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

3 rutabagas, peeled and finely chopped (or just use potatoes)

1 onion, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

zest and juice of 1 lemon, divided

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Method

Put mushrooms in a bowl, cover with 1/2 cup boiling water and set aside to let soak 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cashews and 2 cups of broth and blend until very smooth, about 1 minute. Pour cashew mixture into a large saucepan and add rutabagas (or potatoes), onion and remaining 4 cups broth. Remove mushrooms from the bowl with a slotted spoon, cut them into bite-size pieces and add them to the pot; carefully pour in the liquid the mushrooms soaked in, being sure to leave behind any grit that has settled in the bottom of the bowl.

Bring the soup to a boil over high heat, lower heat and simmer uncovered for about 20 minutes. Add bell pepper and lemon juice and simmer 3 minutes longer. Serve garnished with chives and lemon zest. Enjoy!

Per Request-What to Eat! Lose Weight and Lower Your Cholesterol in the Process

We get and give a ton of information on what NOT to eat but that then begs the question:

WHAT DO YOU EAT?!

Good question and if you haven't read Michael Pollan's "The Omnivore's Dilemma," I highly recommend it because he explores just that question. In the meantime, I can help steer you onto a healthier path because, after all, eating for me is about all the things I CAN enjoy, never about the things I can't. That's where fad diets fail! How about finding a happy, healthy way to live your life without the stress, expense and roller coaster rides in between diet binges? Yes.

Let's plan a week of breakfasts first. Please deviate as you see fit or as you need to but this will give you a good idea of how to eat healthy without breaking the bank! I'll explain a little bit as to why I've chosen the foods I'm about to list, but for more detailed information please see "The Basics" section of my blog. I detail all the good stuff there!

Monday-oatmeal with berries (either frozen or fresh), ground flaxseed and raw walnut pieces

How to:

All you need to do is measure out 1/2 cup of oats to 1 cup of boiling water. Mix well, add the other stuff and let sit until the water is absorbed. Done! Try not to add milk (unless it's dairy-free) or sugar to this. By keeping those things out, you will save on calories, potienially harmful animal proteins and refined ingredients that will leaving you feeling hungry and tired.

The reasons:

• Oats (no matter how they are cut, as long as you don't buy them in a bag prepackaged with seasonings) are a whole grain that stabilizes blood sugar and provides long lasting energy throughout the day. It's packed with fiber so you feel full fast and it helps you to absorb all the great nutrients.
• By adding fruit to your oatmeal you are adding powerful antioxidants that will help get rid of all the bad stuff (or "free radicals") floating around in your system. They will also provide you with vitamins, minerals and natural sugars to curb your sweet tooth!
• The flaxseed and walnuts are key to providing you with essential omega-3 fatty acids that we don't make in our bodies (that's why they're called essential). We need these to keep things moving in our body, to help with brain function and cell repair, among other things. Many people get these from supplements and/or fish oil. In my opinion, this a better, healthier, tastier, cheaper way.
• This breakfast will cost you about $.50 to $1 to make. It's fast too!

Tuesday-Vegan French Toast with Fruit

How to:

Get your favorite Whole Wheat Bread (hint, check the ingredient label because there are a lot of breads out there that pretend to be whole wheat and are in fact not. The first ingredient should say "Whole Wheat Flour" and no other variation.). Then in a bowl mix one ripe banana with some almond milk (or whatever milk alternative you like), tsp of vanilla extract and a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg. Preheat a griddle or non-stick pan. Spray with cooking spray. Dip bread into banana mixture and put on hot griddle at medium-high heat. Cook for about 4 minutes and flip. Do the same on this side. Serve! I usually just cut up a bunch of fruit to pour over it. It's easiest to make a nice fruit salad on shopping day to use throughout the week. Again, no sugars, syrups or butters to keep it light and healthy.

The reasons:

Same as above! Also, by omitting eggs you save on cholesterol! The amount of cholesterol in our body is directly depending on how much cholesterol we take in. Cholesterol only exists in animals and animal products. Therefore, if you cut these things out or minimize them-you can drop your cholesterol fast and healthfully. Simple!

Wednesday-Whole Wheat Bagel with Hummus and Veggies

How to:

Just get a great Whole Wheat Bagel and toast it. Then get your favorite hummus (oil-free if you can because this will save you on calories and fat) and spread it on top. Next add some of your favorite veggies. I find sliced tomatoes, sprouts and fresh ground black pepper work well here. Enjoy!

The reasons:

Again same as above. Notice there is no cholesterol (as long as you have vegan bagels), very little fat, good calories and carbs (we need carbs-that a whole different blog post, stay tuned!), and veggies! Talk about nutrient dense! Beans are your best friend too because like whole grains they stabilize blood sugar, provide long-lasting energy AND also, beans are packed with protein, calcium and other nutrients. Enjoy these a bunch! (About two weeks after you amp up your bean intake your ahem, side effects should subside).

Thursday-Oatmeal again or if you are feeling up to it a Breakfast Burrito

How to:

You already know the deal with oatmeal. A breakfast burrito is just as easy, well almost. Get frozen hash browns at the store, ones that just have potatoes, a lil salt and citric acid in the ingredients. Then follow the directions on how to cook them. Usually you just throw them in the oven for a few. As that's happening, pull out some black beans, a tomato, an avocado, some hummus or salsa and a lime. Throw all ingredients in a tortilla and enjoy!

The reasons:

This burrito offers a hearty breakfast and a nice alternative to your routine. It also is super flavorful without the unhealthy fats and cholesterol. A huge win!

Friday-Super Smoothie with Whole Wheat Toast

How to:

Smoothies are actually super easy, nutritious and a great way to use up your ingredients in the fridge. If you're a person who doesn't like salads I suggest you try a green smoothie in the morning. Just blend 1/2 cup fresh spinach, 1/2 cup almond milk, 1/2 cup frozen blueberries and ground flaxseed. It sounds gross but you can't taste the spinach! Or if you want a fruitier smoothie just blend 1 orange, 1 banana, some almond milk and some berries. Yum! For your Whole Wheat Toast-just toast it and add some jelly without high fructose corn syrup or spread some dates that you've soaked overnight and smushed. Either is great.

The reasons:

Same as above. You get the drift. Green smoothies are a must for folks who don't eat salads or veggies regularly and are also great for folks who get sick of the afternoon salad. Try various fruits and veggies for added flavors and impactful nutrient punches!

Saturday-Peanut Butter and Banana Sandwich with Fruit Salad

How to:

Spread some peanut butter (without oil or added sugar) on your favorite Whole Wheat bread, then add sliced banana. Add some cinnamon for added flavor. Serve with a side of fruit salad. Yum!

The reasons:

Same as above. Nuts also are packed with fiber, calcium, protein and other nutrients to fill you up, give you energy and help you fight disease. Get in the habit of eating nuts everyday.

Sunday-Oatmeal, Burrito or any other options you can think of

How to:

Sundays are a great day to experiment with your own recipes, try new things or stick to an easy plan. Have fun here!

The reasons:

You had a great week of healthy breakfasts. Celebrate your success and commend yourself. Enjoy how you feel. Keep working at it and if you cheat or have a setback, recognize it and move on. We are not perfect. Instead of trying to be with your diet-foster a healthy relationship with food. It makes things a lot more enjoyable and a heck of a lot easier!

Stay tuned for future healthy lunches, snacks and dinners!