A Lovely Millet Mash
Life is busy -- work, class, clients, love, the ups and downs and the ins and outs of everyday life. Does it ever slow down? I guess it depends, but when you really think about it, life is busy AND life is good! One struggle I deal with daily in this hectic and busy life is finding time to cook the healthy meals I love and enjoy. When it comes to finding the time, it usually boils down to Sunday evening. Sunday, with a little bit of planning, can be the best day to fit in cooking for a week's worth of eating.
This weekend I bought Andrea Beaman's The Whole Truth, a healthy eating and recipe guide. I bought her book after completing her in person cooking class: Eating for Sexual Vitality & Fertility. Yup, that's right. It was such a fun class! But that is a story for another time. Anyway, I was thumbing through her book and found a recipe that made its way onto my table last night, with enough leftovers to last 2-3 more meals...now that is time and money well saved! The dish (or side, depending on how you want to eat it) is called MILLET MASH, which was perfect because millet has been on my "to try" list for some time. Millet is considered the 6th most important grain, so being a health coach, it's simply something I must know about! And it is pretty good by the way...
Andrea Beaman's MILLET MASH
(with some additions)
1 Cup Millet
3 Cups Water
1/2 - 3/4 Head of Cauliflower
1 Onion
2 Tbsp EVOO
1 Tbsp Butter
Sea Salt to taste
Add-ons: Chopped Parsley & Sun-Dried Tomatoes
The recipe is simple...Cook the millet in water for 25-35 minutes. Saute the onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add the cauliflower florets w/ 3 Tbsp of water and cover for 10 minutes, until they are soft. Once the millet and the cauliflower are done, combine in a large bowl, sprinkle with some salt, add 1 Tbsp of butter and mash away! Add on the parsley (2-3 Tbsp) and sun-dried tomatoes (about 3 Tbsp) and mash a little more. Voila. Delicious and healthy.
Just a little more on millet, wonderful millet. As I mentioned it is considered the 6th most important grain in the world. It has been around forever, and it is even referenced in the Bible. Millet, along with rice is a traditional grain of Asia. It is gluten-free, high in fiber and protein, and has a plethora of important minerals like manganese, phosphorus and magnesium. It even has tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is needed to synthesize protein. Besides synthesizing protein, we all recognize tryptophan as a Turkey Day special. Tryptophan helps us to sleep better, it regulates our eating, and it enhances our moods (www.whfoods.com). Ahhh, isn't millet wonderful?
These are some great links to check out if you would like to learn more about millet:
Pizza & Yoga & On the Go!
Pizza and then some yoga...that is how the night progressed. I wouldn't recommend it in that order necessarily, but nonetheless, it happened and it was very pleasing. First there was the pizza, but not just any pizza -- it was healthy pizza. Of course it was. I only had an hour to eat, change for yoga, and then drive to yoga....so the eating as well as the prep time had to be fast. For the quick and healthy pizza, I reached for a spinach wrap...and then put to use whatever veggies I could find -- minced garlic, arugula, and fresh tomatoes...
Quick, Easy & Cheese-Free Pizza
Wrap of any kind
Veggies of any kind
Tomato sauce of any kind
Salt & Pepper or spice of any kind
An oven at a high temp
I had the oven at about 475 degrees. I toasted the pita on both sides for about 2 minutes. Then I spread out the sauce and decorated the pie. Then popped it back in the oven for about 5 -8 minutes. Voila.
And then there was yoga...
My sister and I went to Yogaworks for a "Yoga Basics" class and it was fantabulous. We got some great stretching in and some very nice (and slow) instruction. When we arrived for class the lights were dimmed and there was tranquil spa-like music playing. The lights came on for class and then as class ended they dimmed again and the music came on to close out the evening. It was lovely and relaxing and oh so enjoyable. And now...with the eleven o'clock hour fast approaching, it is time to get some shut eye.
I'd love to know...what are some quick and healthy meals that you turn to when you are on the go? I think a lot of people struggle to eat healthy foods when the the clock is ticking against them. It would be so great to have options that are 1) healthy 2) easy and 3) tasty....
The End of the Eating Season...
So Long, Farewell...
As the Easter holiday comes to a close, it is time to celebrate or mourn the end of the eating season. The weather is getting warmer, the birds are chirping and it is time for the animals and us humans to emerge from hibernation. It is time to shed our winter coats and the extra pounds our bodies embraced in the colder months. As we spend more time outdoors under the sun, our natural inclination for heavy, hot and filling meals declines. Thank God. Our bodies now crave lighter, cooling foods, like fruits, vegetables and of course the dreadfully irresistible ice cream.
This is the time of year to embrace our bodies natural tendencies to want to lighten up --both physically and mentally. Take advantage of the great outdoors -- soak up some of the sun's mood-enhancing vitamin-D. Go for a run, go for a bike ride, plant a vegetable garden. Enjoy lighter foods like fresh pineapple, cantaloupe, mango and strawberries. Eat more salads. Drink more water! And yes, maybe, just maybe, an occasional bowl of ice-cream. Now is the time when the body and mind actually work in our favor...
So let today be the day you eat your last jelly bean or chocolate bunny or Robin's Egg. It's time to shape up, ship out and shed some layers...
What is one food that you will say farewell to this month? What is one new food you cannot wait to enjoy in the warmer months?
Recipes
Nothing like a Wednesday night and a little recipe reorganization...
Breakfast Foods
Vegetable Dishes
Snacking Foods (Sweet & Savory)
Desserts
Smoothies
Banana Smoothie (like a daiquiri only healthier)
Green Smoothie
Be A Fruit Whore
Why is fruit so amazing? Well, for one, it is low-fat and low-calorie.** Fruit is water based, hence it is hydrating. Because of the high water content, fruit moves through the digestive tract quickly, cleansing our system, while also nourishing it with vitamins and minerals.
Fruit does contain sugar, but if sugar were ever good for you, it is good when it comes in the form of fruit. Fruit is naturally sweet, unlike the sugar you find in packaged snacks and candy. The fiber in fruit, slows the absorption of the sugar into the bloodstream. The slow absorption of sugar keeps blood sugar balanced, rather than spiking it up high, and then dipping it down low. Candy on the other hand, is high in concentrated sugar and most of the time processed sugar. It never contains any vitamins and minerals. In fact, high concentrations of processed sugar, like high fructose corn syrup, leach nutrients from our body.
What kind of fruits should you be eating? The answer is obvious, right? -- All of them! If you are eating a lot, aim to eat fruits that have a high water content like apples, grapes, kiwis, pineapples, strawberries, and melons. And as a note, fruit is always healthiest in its natural form, either blended in a smoothie or eaten just as is.
What is your favorite fruit and/or smoothie recipe?
Yum!
**Avocados and olives are two fruits that contain fat -- and a lot of it for that matter. The fat is all healthy and good, but as we know, too much healthy fat can become bad if our body is consuming too much to burn it all off. Moderation is key when it comes to these two fruits.
** What about coconut? Coconut is not technically a fruit, but a nut. And, it sure is fatty. It contains the good fat, which the body quickly puts to use, but again moderation is best when you're dealing with a nut of any kind.
A Sunday To Recover... & PB Winner!
Happy Sunday! The weekend weather has been absolutely beautiful in NYC and those that were running in today's half marathon certainly lucked out weather-wise. I wish I had known about it because a half marathon is something I would enjoy and survive (I am not so sure I feel the same about a full on marathon). And timing worked its magic because instead of running the marathon, there was brunch to be had at the Atlantic Grill. Eggs Benedict to be exact. Breakfast was enjoyed with my sister, her fiance and Jimmy. We all thoroughly enjoyed our brunch as we were recovering from last night's 3-bottle-of-wine-dinner celebrating my sister's engagement.
Last night was a night to forget about fat, carbs and calories and a night to enjoy some of the best food in the city. We received the royal treatment at Eleven Madison Park and I have to say that there is no better restaurant in NYC when it comes to food, service and overall experience. Jimmy certainly thinks so, and he has written a review on his blog, Golden Eats. Truffles, lobster, prawns, pork, chicken, amuse-bouches, butter from France, macaroons, complimentary cognac...these are just some of the foods we enjoyed. It was a perfect night with perfect flavors and perfect company. So today is a day to recover and of course, a day to plan for a week of healthy eating!
I'd like to pose a question... Are there moments or occasions in your life when you let go of your healthy ideals? And then afterwards, what do you do to get back on the healthy track?
For me, there is nothing like the power of a green drink to get back on the healthy bandwagon. It revitalizes the system and shoots it with much needed nutrients, especially folic acid. Candle Cafe has a fantastic Green Goddess drink with mixed greens, apple, lemon and ginger. Today it is calling my name....
And with that, I want to announce the winner of the Peanut Butter and Co. Give Away! Congratulations to Naomi of One Fit Foodie whose homemade protein bars are not only creative, but also delicious, easy to make and most importantly, healthy!! I love the incorporation of the chia seeds and protein powder. My question to Naomi is, what protein powder do you recommend for this recipe? And do you have a link to the recipe on your blog for exact measurements?
Off for a Green Goddess!
Essential Oils vs. Purell
Last weekend at IIN I was chatting it up with some new found friends in the bathroom. As we were leaving the bathroom for the start of class, I walked over to the Purell Hand Sanitizer and pushed twice, dispensing 2 dollops of the clear liquid gel into my hands. Before I could enjoy the disinfecting bliss, I heard a loud shout, "NOOOOoooo!" My heart jumped. "NOOOOoooo!" It's 8:30 in the morning on a Saturday! Why was my new acquaintance yelling at me? What could I have possibly done? Little did I know, I was about to get a lecture on Purell Hand Sanitizer: the hows and whys that it is terrible for you. I left the bathroom thinking I was going to die because I had used it. Perfect...
So here is what my new friend told me:
1) The alcohol content in Purell is SOO high that it is toxic, especially when absorbed through your skin. She even went as far as to say that the alcohol is absorbed into our organs and poisons them.
2) Purell kills all the good bacteria on your hands as well as the bad.
3) Howie Mandel's (aka germaphobe) excessive use of hand sanitizer has made him highly susceptible to warts and other fungal bacteria on his hands.
4) Use essential oil, like lavender, or softer forms of packaged disinfectants (see Burt's Bees) to naturally sanitize your hands.
When she finished her rant, I was officially horrified by my history of Purell use and decided that some research must be done to substantiate my concerns. Here is what I found....
The alcohol content in Purell is 62%, which is the necessary amount needed to kill bacteria. "Two ounces of Purell is equal to 4 shots of alcohol" (www.homespalady.com) or 120 proof liquor...so already, if you ingest it, the alcohol content is considered potentially harmful, and more so life threatening to young children. The only information I could find about organ toxicity was on the Skin Deep website. This information was enough for me to want to do a switcheroo to more natural forms of hand sanitization. Click here to be brought to Skin Deep's page on Purell.
Purell does in fact kill both the good and the bad bacteria. While, it is good to kill the bad, it is not so great to kill the good. The good bacteria protects our body from infection as well has helping it to fight the bad bacteria. If we get rid of the good, how will we fight the bad??
As far as the Howie Mandel claim, I have not found any information talking about his susceptibility to warts due to Purell overuse. I did read that he wears rubber gloves, but only to avoid the germs from day to day contact with surfaces and people. Supposedly.
In researching essential oils as natural antiseptics, I discovered that this claim is true! And not only is lavender a natural disinfectant, but so are clove, cinnamon, rosemary, thyme and pine. There are a lot of interesting websites out there that talk about the use of essential oils for home cleaning and air purification in addition to their antiseptic qualities. I will list some of these sites at the end of this post. I do feel obligated to question whether or not a medical professional would support the use of these "natural" or "holistic" disinfectants in a hospital. I HIGHLY doubt it, and so with that said, please use essential oils as you see them pertaining to your life. For me - a person not wanting to kill the good bacteria - I tested out lavender oil and plan to try Burt's Bees product for potential use after my rides on the NYC subway.
To summarize my thoughts on this subject:
Purell = BAD FOR EVERYDAY USE
Essential Oil/Natural Health Store forms of hand sanitizers = BETTER & FUN TO TEST OUT
I now use lavender essential oil and my boyfriend likens me to some kind of witch, or potion maven apothecary. Whatever. It smells good and it is soo relaxing! I have taken to dabbing a bit behind my ears and on my neck before bed and it is lovely.
There are lots of ways to enjoy essential oils other than as sanitizing agents. They relax and energize, and can be used to support our health in many ways. This is just the tip of the iceberg - I plan on reading more and more on this subject and promise to share the interesting tidbits along the way.
Here are some of the interesting sites I stumbled across:
Stream of Consciousness
Essential Oils - Their Properties
The Real Essentials
Do you use essential oils and if so, which ones and why?
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