Healthy On The Go

Hey there! It's been so very long since I've posted anything. I've missed you all and have loved all the emails I've been receiving. I haven't quit, I've just been fighting with food. I have been
cooking for my kids, ignoring my own hunger, or drowning it out with coffee. Here's the kicker, I've gained weight even though I've been eating much less frequently.

I talked to a nutritionist and here is what she told me. Apparently by fighting with my food, I've also picked a fight with my metabolism. Because I haven't been eating regularly, my metabolism has slowed down going into a sort of fear of starvation mode. Basically, because I haven't been eating regularly, my body thinks it's in danger of starving and then when I do finally eat (usually dinner) it hoards all the calories and fat by slowing down my metabolism. And because I haven't eaten all day I end up eating more than I normally would and making really unhealthy choices. I'm pretty sure that a lot of people are in the same boat, we're too busy or preoccupied and then when we do eat, we end up grabbing false energy foods, caffeine, sugar etc.

So now that I know what's wrong, what's next? Make sure to eat regularly, not skipping health meals and wait a couple months for my metabolism to go back to normal. I have to say it is so much easier to eat healthy when you aren't ravenous from not eating all day. But It's not always easy eating regularly, especially if there are certain times of the day that you are just not hungry. For me that is breakfast, usually I grab my coffee and I'm good. Since that's not an option anymore I've found a fruit drink works for me (and some coffee, I haven't given it up yet - I'm working on it!).

BANANA ALMOND MILK
makes 1 drink

3/4 cup almond milk
1 banana, broken into pieces

blend the ingredients together. If you want a smoothie like consistency you can either freeze the bananas, and/or add ice
I use and immersion blender. It's really easy and quick. A regular blender would also work and would probably be a better choice if you're using ice.

If you don't like almond milk or you have a nut allergy you could use a low fat milk or soy milk. I haven't tried coconut milk but I would imagine that would be tasty. If you try it let me know.

Here is a quick snack or lunch that is easy to take along. It tastes kind of like an adult peanut butter and jelly. I make it for my kids as well now.

ALMOND BUTTER AND DATE WRAP
this makes 1 wrap

1 whole wheat tortilla
1 - 2 tablespoons almond butter
1 dried date, chopped

Spread the almond butter on the tortilla, sprinkle with chopped dates and fold or roll up.

There is nothing fancy about these recipes, but they are great, low maintenance, simple alternatives to the fast junk foods we might otherwise grab.

My fight with food is officially over, next week I'll post all about the makeup sex I've been having with asparagus, yum!

Lentils with Spinach

I was planning on sending out a post on a lovely spring salad today, the first day of SPRING!
However, I look out my window to see a very wet snow shower and temperatures cold enough to make me thankful I don't have to go outdoors. Doesn't it seem that the cold weather feels amplified after the first taste of the warm days to come? Instead I thought I would post a comforting warm dish that might come in handy to those of us in the Midwest this weekend.


Lentils with spinach. These are so easy and so very tasty! I think my favorite way to have them is topped with wild salmon, if I'm feeling a bit decadent I might make a horseradish cream sauce to accompany it or some toasted horseradish breadcrumbs. Topping the lentils with a poached egg (or fried if I'm in a hurry) is a close contender for favorite topper. My kids love it topped with a mildly spicy chicken sausage. It is also really great on it's own. This is definitely a great recipe to have in your repertoire.

Lentils with Spinach
makes 4 servings

1 generous cup lentils
4 cups vegetable stock
1 onion chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 potato, peeled and cut into 1/3 inch cubes (optional)
3 large thyme sprigs
2 cups baby spinach, coarsely chopped

In a stock pot add the lentils and vegetable broth, cover and bring to a boil.
Over high heat, heat a large skillet and add vegetable oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, potato if using and thyme, saute until softened, a little less than 5 minutes.
Add the contents of the skillet to the lentils. Cover and cook until the lentils are tender, about 20 minutes.
Stir in the spinach and salt to taste.

Click here to print

Avocado and Grapefruit

Is it me or has this winter seemed never ending? I feel like I've been under a snow blanket for entirely too long. Until spring foods are here again, I turn to the bright flavors of citrus.
This is a fantastic, fresh, quick salad that requires no actual cooking.
It's one of my go to recipes when life keeps me out of the kitchen.



Avocado and Grapefruit
2 servings

2 red grapefruit
1 avocado, thinly sliced (I use Hass avocado)
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
sea salt to taste

Remove the grapefruit segments (see below) from the pith, making sure to remove all of the white.
Place the grapefruit, avocado and onion onto a plate. Squeeze the grapefruit membrane over them, then top with cilantro and sprinkle with salt to taste.

click here to print this recipe


To remove the grapefruit segments use a pairing knife or other small sharp knife

Cut the top and bottom of the skin off exposing the flesh, then cut off all remaining skin making sure to remove all of the white.








Cut the segments out by slicing along each side of the white membrane.

Oatmeal, Almond, Cocolate Cookies sweetened with Banana

I've been on the lookout for sweet little treats that are wheat free and are not loaded with sugar or even worse sugar substitutes. I've been intrigued with using fruit purees in place of sugar. I would often use apple sauce in place of eggs when I would bake for my vegan friends and always thought that this might make it possible to eliminate any added sugars.

I found a recipe for Nikki's Healthy Cookies Recipe on Heidi Swanson's fantastic website 101 cookbooks. In the recipe she uses oats and in place of sugar she uses mashed banana, just what I've been looking for! You might be thinking healthy cookies can't possibly be good. According to my grandma and mom, white flour, real butter and sugar are what make a cookie good. Even if this is your belief, I urge you to try these. They are so easy to make and they truly do taste good. It satisfied my sweet craving as well as my kids. Plus there is nothing to feel guilty about after you eat a couple of these, who doesn't love that?

Because I apparently have an inability to follow a recipe I changed a few things. I omitted a few ingredients. I added more nuts to up the protein and cocoa powder to get in some extra antioxidants. I was so happy with the results. They had a nice chocolate flavor that was complimented by the sweetness of the banana. What a wonderful afternoon treat with a cup of tea or coffee. When I make these again, (and I will be making these again, very soon) I might add some larger pieces of almonds for added crunch and maybe try it without the chocolate chips to reduce the fat and make it sugar free. Adding dried cranberries might add some interest... so many versions to try!



Oatmeal Almond Chocolate cookies Sweetened with Banana
makes about 40 cookies
adapted from Nikki's Healthy Cookies at 101 cookbooks

1 1/2 cup mashed banana (about 3 large, ripe bananas)
1/4 cup coconut oil warmed to liquid state (you could use olive oil)
2 cups oats
1 cup almond meal*
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
6 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (if you want to make these vegan omit, or use vegan chips)

In a large bowl combine the oats, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt, set aside. In another bowl, combine the banana and oil. Add the banana mixture to the oat mixture and stir to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips. On a lightly oiled cookie sheet, place leveled tablespoons of the dough about an inch apart.
Bake at 350 degrees fahrenheit in the center or upper third of the oven for 12 - 15 minutes.

*you can make this by pulsing almonds in a food processor until it is the texture of sand, don't go too far or you'll get almond butter

click here to print this recipe

Black Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

Every year around the Super Bowl I have this craving for chili. It doesn't make sense to me because I don't watch the Super Bowl, actually I usually don't even know who is playing. All I can think is I'm somehow being subjected to subliminal chili propaganda. Or the fact that I read ridiculous amounts of food related content and they must usually feature chili as Superbowl fare. It makes sense because it's easy. You can make it ahead of time and it can almost effortlessly feed a crowd.
(I know that this year the Saints are playing because the majority of food sites are featuring gumbo. If I develop a good gumbo recipe in time I'll post it for all you Saints fans and Gumbo fans)

It's pretty cold where I live which makes it perfect chili weather. This chili is fantastic if a little nontraditional. The fact that it's healthy is just a bonus. I love the classic combination of black beans with orange things, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, pumpkin... The addition of spinach came about after I had come across some baby spinach in my refrigerator that had to be used and I'm so glad it did! While it only adds a very subtle flavor, it adds lots nutritionally. By the way, my 2 and 4 year old love this.



Black Bean Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Spinach

olive oil
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
2 medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 tablespoons ground cumin (you could use chili powder)
3 15-ounce cans black beans, drained
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes in juice
8 ounces baby spinach (you can use regular spinach, just remove the stems and coarsely chop)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic, saute until tender and golden. Add squash and cumin. Cook until fragrant about 2 minutes. Stir in beans and tomatoes with juices and bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered, until squash is tender, about 15 minutes (if it is too thick for you, add up to 2 cups of water at this point) . Stir in spinach and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Ladle chili into bowls and serve with cilantro, chopped red onion, sour cream and cheddar to garish.

Click here to print this recipe

Beet Dealer

After the almost unavoidably indulgent holiday season, I am reminded of the negative physical effects of unhealthy eating. Fatigue, bloating, crankiness, weight gain, did I mention fatigue? YAWN I'm pretty sure the amount of excess we partake in this time of year makes us all more conscious of the relationship between what we eat and how we feel. It's no wonder one of the most popular New Year's resolution is to eat healthier.

There is a quote I love by Shunryu Suzuki "Each of you is perfect the way you are, and you can use a little improvement" I'm not trying to completely change my eating habits. I'm simply trying to become more aware of what makes me feel good and do more of that, and eating healthy makes me feel good.

With that in mind I made a really tasty, pretty beet and lentil salad with a cumin vinaigrette.


I absolutely LOVE beets. Unfortunately so many people are only familiar with the canned variety, I do NOT like canned beets. It's a shame that so many people say they don't like beets when all they ever tried came from a can or jar (or boiled, which is not much better). If this has been your only exposure to beets then I wouldn't blame you for thinking you don't like them. But I think you owe it to yourself to give fresh beets a try. Just one bite, what could it hurt? Go ahead, roast one up, maybe start with a golden beet which has a more mild, subtle flavor, sprinkle it with a little salt and take just one. little. bite.

Beets are delicious little balls of earth candy. I think my favorite way to have them is roasted. Because they are so earthy, I like to pair them with something sharp, feta, vinaigrette, feta and vinaigrette... and I love them with cumin, it adds a delicious toasty flavor to their earthiness.
I've always wanted to use the beet greens because 1. they are delicious, similar in flavor to spinach and 2. it seems so wasteful throwing them away. Unfortunately my local grocery store usually has bunches of beets that have very, very wilted greens. I finally went to the nearest Whole Foods and found beautiful organic beets with equally beautiful greens. Finally!



Beet and Lentil Salad with Cumin Vinaigrette

3 red beets with their greens
3 golden beets with their greens
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup lentils (I used red, but you could use regular lentils)
salt to taste

Preheat oven to 400 Fahrenheit. Cut the greens from the beets. Place the beets in a pan, add about 3 tablespoons water, a drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle with coarse kosher salt. Cover the pan with foil and put in the oven until they give a bit to the touch, about 1 hour. Let the beets cool until you can handle them. Peel them and slice into bite sized wedges.

Remove the stems from the beet greens and thoroughly wash them. Stack the greens and thinly slice them. In a pan, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat and add the greens and salt to taste. Saute until they start to wilt, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile cook the lentils. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add 1 cup lentils and boil until tender, about 5 minutes. Drain the lentils.

For the vinaigrette
In a pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil, add finely chopped garlic and cumin and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Add balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Salt to taste.

In a bowl combine the lentils, greens and beets. Add the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Adjust the seasonings if needed.

Orange, Beet and Pomegranate Salad with Feta

Last night I was going through my overflowing "recipes to try" file and I came across an orange, beet and pomegranate dish. They sounded like the perfect ingredients to add to a winter salad and coincidentally, I had just roasted some beets. I love when that happens!
This is a very pretty salad loaded with big, bright flavors. If you don't like feta, I imagine goat cheese would also be good or you could just leave the cheese out.




Orange, Beet and Pomegranate Salad with Feta

4 medium beets
2 medium oranges
1/2 of the seeds from a large pomegranate
1/2 small red onion coarsely chopped
1/2 head of Romain lettuce
5 ounces of feta crumbled or cut into desired size
chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Juice from 1/2 orange
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/4 cup walnut oil (or olive oil)
salt and pepper to taste


Place beets in a pan with about 3 tablespoons of water and a sprinkling of salt. Cover the pan with foil and roast beets in a 400 oven until they are just tender, about 50 minutes. Once they are cool enough to handle, peel the skins off with you fingers. Cut into bite sized pieces.

For the oranges you have 2 options, you can cut the skins off removing all of the white pith, then slice the oranges 1/2 inch thick and cut the slices into quarters or you can peel the orange, separate the segments and cut the segments into thirds. (this is what I did since I already had roasted beets and was in a hurry)

After you coarsely chop the onions you can place them in a bowl of cold water for a minute or two. This takes away some of the harsh raw onion flavor. If you do this, drain the onions before using and give them a squeeze in a towel.

For the vinaigrette, combine orange juice, rice vinegar, walnut (or olive) oil, and generously season with salt and pepper.

Tear the lettuce into bite size pieces, top with beets, oranges, pomegranate seeds, onions, and feta. Pour vinaigrette on top and toss together. Sprinkle with chopped walnuts if you're using them.

Cranberry Sauce

I would like to apologize for the lack of pictures. I always like to see the end product of a recipe and I'm sure I'm not alone. I seem to have misplaced my camera. Hopefully it will turn up soon!
Anyway...on to cranberry sauce -
I'm pretty sure the only reason I ever ate turkey was so I could use it to put large quantities of cranberry sauce on. I love homemade cranberry sauce. It's easy enough for my kids to make which is great because they are very eager to contribute to our Thanksgiving dinner this year.
I've made so many different types of cranberry sauces over the years, my favorite additions probably being cardamom and ginger. But for Thanksgiving I try to keep it simple. There are already so many flavors at the meal. I've found that a traditional, simple cranberry sauce is best.
This way you're adding a nice bright flavor without being overwhelming.


Cranberry Sauce
1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon orange zest
pinch of salt

Combine water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add cranberries, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes. Remove from heat, add orange zest and salt.
You can make the cranberry sauce up to a week ahead of time.

Chiffonnade Brussles Sprouts

I'm one of those strange people who have always loved Brussels Sprouts. My grandmother would always serve them on Thanksgiving, and while it was a dish I'm sure many of my family would have been happy to see go, it wouldn't have felt like Thanksgiving without them. Take the turkey, but please don't touch the Brussels sprouts! Grandma would boil them, usually until they were overcooked which is a tradition I am happy to see go :)

I was determined to make everyone love them as much as I did which meant finding a new way to cook them. I came across shredded Brussels sprouts on a menu of a restaurant that sadly, is now long gone. They served their sprouts sauteed with shredded Parmesan. I've opted to leave the Parmesan out and roast them.

The Brussels sprouts are not really chiffonnade, but they give that appearance when they are thinly sliced across their width and, well, it sounds better than sliced Brussels sprouts.



Chiffonnade Brussels Sprouts
3 pounds Brussels sprouts, the tough outer leaves removed
1/3 - 1/2 cup olive oil
coarse salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400.
Thinly slice across the width of the Brussels sprouts discarding the stump. (Alternatively you can use a food processor, make sure to remove the stump first.)
Toss the sprouts with the oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Place on a large baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes.



I like to let these roast until some of the sprouts get dark and crispy. It's a matter of preference, this is even good raw!
This is an excellent dish for people who think they don't like Brussels sprouts I've converted many people with this recipe. Confession, I'm also one of the annoying people that more or less forces you to try something even after you tell me you don't like it, convinced that you simply haven't had it prepared like this or if you have it wasn't done well or maybe your tastes have changed. (If I've done that to you, I'm sorry. I would like to say I won't do it again but that is probably not true.)

If you have any leftover which I never do (I've even made extra hoping for leftovers!) you can toss the roasted Brussels sprouts with pasta and a little Parmesan. So simple and so good!

Curried Butternut Squash soup with lemon

Once the weather gets chilly I seem to develop a constant craving for soup. This particular soup is one of my favorites. I have a bit of an obsession with squash, so I usually have all of the ingredients on hand.
An immersion blender really simplifies the process but if you don't have one, a food processor or a blender would work as well.
The curry in this soup is subtle and the lemon adds a nice bright note. This soup is a perfect example of how little needs to be done to good, in season produce. I used Butternut squash
because that is what I happened to have on hand but you could certainly use another variety.



















1 small butternut squash
1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 teaspoons curry
2 cups good tasting vegetable broth or water
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
salt to taste

Cut squash in half. Place cut side up on a baking sheet, rub the surface with a little olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast at 400 until it is soft to the touch, about 45 minutes - 1 hour. Let it sit until it is cool enough to handle. Scrape out the seeds and discard them. Scrape the flesh out of the skin and set aside, you should have about 2 cups.

In a hot pan add a little olive oil. Add onion and saute until it is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and curry, saute for another minute or two. Add squash and broth or water. Simmer for a few minutes.

Puree the soup using an immersion blender or in a blender/food processor. If you would like the soup thicker, simmer until it reaches the desired consistency. Stir in the lemon juice, salt to taste.

10 minute Black Bean Soup

This weekend my family, friends and I are walking in the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation fundraiser. After the walk we are all coming to my house for chili and games. I haven't even begun to get anything ready.
The deadline for my Cigar Press article and recipe is Monday, and I have a serious case of writers block.
My daughter came home with a cold and about an hour later my youngest son woke up from his nap with a cold.
I don't have time for dinner tonight... With 3 young kids, that's not really an option so I looked in the cabinet and threw together black bean soup. It was literally done in 10 minutes, and it is really tasty. My daughter Lola has declared it her favorite. Success.

In a food processor chop
1 onion
2 carrots
Throw into a hot pot with a little oil and saute for a couple minutes

In the food processor finely chop
1 jalapeno (with or with out seeds)
3 garlic cloves
Add to pot with 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cumin and saute until fragrant, about 1 min

Add and bring to a simmer for about 5 minutes
1 14 oz can diced tomatoes (with the liquid)
2 14 oz cans black beans
2 -3 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup orange juice
salt to taste

Smash some of the black beans to thicken the soup a little

Top each serving with a generous amount of chopped cilantro, diced avocado, crumbled feta (unless your making it vegan) and a bit of fresh lime juice.