Healthy Hoboken Girl

Morning Run

2012-02-28T16:07:00.000-05:00

This mild winter weather had me remembering how much I enjoy getting out early and moving around. One of the sunny mornings, I put my sneakers on and took off.

I paused for a beautiful park gate, that looked a bit like myself....rusty and beautiful all in one. It had been a while since I ran and my body was telling me.

I continued to put one foot in front of the other and soon found my stride.

My Thursday morning workout ladies and I enjoyed a tray of carrot coins and almond butter. What a colorful and tasty treat....I was getting tired of apples and almond butter, so decided to switch it up. The combination is delicious and so easy to prepare. Speaking of easy to prepare....the Easy Bake Oven!

This week was full of sunshine and sweet memories. My cousin Susan had the week off from school, so we had some fun in the city on Friday. The toy store FAO Schwarz is celebrating their 150th year in business, so we checked out their gallery of nostalgic toys. We saw their original sales ledger, all hand written, old Crayola crayon boxes, GI Joe and Barbie dolls, and my personal favorite the original Easy Bake Oven! I always wanted one, but never got one. I survived my scarred childhood, thanks to my best friend and neighbor next door, Jenn had one. We shared that magical experience of baking mini cakes with a light bulb together. I wish dinner and dessert was as easy as that to put together these days...some days it feels like so much time and effort.

Susan and I were also desperate for a healthy snack...and I forgot to come prepared. We found ourselves at Whole Foods Market and quickly set up an apple almond butter snack. We felt like two kids in the after school program who were waiting for their parents to pick them up. Happy apple crunching 'children' sharing a table and conversation.

I hope all of you had a wonderful week and you found your breaks of sunshine in many forms. A simple bouquet of flowers, a phone call with a friend,

Maybe in a fresh juice

Exploring nature and breathing in the fresh air while hiking along the Hudson River.

Remembering that winter will end and spring is right around the corner. Come quickly!!

May you find gratitude in your heart for all of life's blessings big & small.

Cut & Color

2012-02-18T18:04:00.000-05:00

So the other day I realized...woops I have forgotten to get my haircut and now it's out of control. Life just got super busy, so it was just easier to throw it up in a ponytail and forget about it.

Well...I finally got it cut. It was one of those quick decision, that I regret. Half way through the haircut I remembered why I don't use this hair stylist anymore....she starts talking about her latest trip to AC (Atlantic City, for all you non-Jersey folk) which I could care less about and then keeps cutting my hair much shorter than I thought! Now I know it needed a trim, but come on!! Can you please stop talking and pay attention to my head, would ya!!
So today it's back up in the pony tail and we are back to square one. Good thing my hair grows like a weed...I should be back to normal by next week.

With no time for a 3 hour color ordeal....I opted for my color in the form of vegetables and grains. This weeks color red quinoa and golden roasted butternut squash.

I made a red quinoa salad to have in the fridge for lunch. It was easy to put together, and made lunch so easy the rest of the week.

A fun trip to Trader Joe's made me try organic pea sprouts in my salad. They are delicious and add a nice crunch to this tangy vegetable and grain salad.

Don't let cooking quinoa intimidate you...it's very easy. Following the directions on the back of the bag it takes about 15-20 minutes to cook and then you fluff it up with a fork like cous-cous. Quinoa is such a super grain, it has double the protein of brown rice. This salad will keep you full all afternoon...amen!

Still making time to play with my food! Lots of beautiful green in this salad...lime juice, cilantro and jalapeno.

Hello lunch....you're looking good so far.

Easy dressing of lime zest, lime juice, cilantro, garlic, cumin, olive oil, salt & pepper

A super healthy lunch...black bean quinoa salad topped with avocado, a side of roasted sweet butternut squash and orange slices...here's hoping all that orange will help keep my 'oh so natural' auburn hair...ha!

Red Quinoa Salad

Light, colorful and fresh this salad is packed with protein and healthy fats. The fresh lime juice makes a tangy dressing that will have you dreaming of spring and summer. Perfect to pack for a healthy lunch or a light dinner. Feel free to add in any veggies you like, you can’t go wrong with this recipe. Prepare this beautiful salad one day and have it ready and waiting in the fridge for you after a long day at work. This salad was adapted from Angela at the beautiful blog Oh She Glows. Check it out, she is such an inspiration for me!

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes Cook Time: 15-18 minutes

Yields: 6-8 servings

1 cup uncooked red quinoa

1-14 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red pepper, chopped

1 yellow or orange pepper, chopped

1 cup of pea sprouts, chopped

¼ cup of cilantro, chopped

2 scallions, chopped

1 small avocado, pitted and chopped

Dressing:

1 tablespoon of lime zest

4-5 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, (juice of two limes)

1-2 cloves of garlic, minced

¼ cup of fresh cilantro, chopped

1 teaspoon of cumin

¼ cup of olive oil

Salt & pepper to taste

1. Cook the quinoa according to package.

2. While quinoa is cooking, prep all the veggies.

3. Whisk together the dressing in a small bowl.

4. Allow quinoa to cool (5-10 minutes) and fluff with a fork. Add beans and vegetables and toss well.

5. Drizzle dressing over salad and toss well. Season with salt & pepper. Serve on a bed of greens for a delicious meal. Enjoy!

This weekend is looking like a great one....three days and lots of fun stuff planned.

It started off wonderful with the grand opening of a new zumba studio in town. Sassy Cap Dance & Fitness with the beautiful and talented Jeannine Severino. Where I shared some homemade goodies and fresh fruit after our 90 minute class. We danced our butts off, it was so much fun!

It wouldn't be a good three day weekend without some dark chocolate nut ballz!!

These were gone in a about 30 seconds!

If you're free Thursday night, Feb 23rd, and live in the area, I have a only two spots left for my healthy cooking class. It's a terrific menu and fun group of women. Come join us, menu and recipe can be found on the Cooking Class page of this blog.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Heart Beet Juice

2012-02-10T23:24:00.000-05:00

Valentine's Week is well underway here in our cozy nest. We're breaking out all our red in the form of vegetable juice. Have you ever tried beet juice? It's so good for you, and has a sweet taste combined with all the other fruits and veggies. I had so much fun sharing this ruby red beet juice with my Thursday morning workout girls. Everyone got a shot...and their faces were all smiles.

We've been trying to pull the juicer out every weekend, and this week it made a few more appearances.

It's always worth the time spent cleaning and washing out the machine...the juice is so fresh and delicious.

I save the ~~best~~ beets for last....they are a beautiful color, a rich earthy red!

Here's beautiful Rumy snapping a few pictures of our little spread.

The beet juice was just to wash down the raw chocolate macaroons...it was a chocolate love-fest after our killer workout! This was just a little part of the cooking/baking I did this week...the other recipe I worked on was homemade whole wheat fig bars.

They started out with some chewy figs and fresh orange zest.

And became a simmering soft figgy filling... of figs, orange zest, and agave nectar

Whole wheat flour and oat crust...easy to whip up

Spread the bottom crust in an 8x8 pan

Spread the cooled fig jam on top

and then the top crust....ready for the oven!

Almost ready to eat! Needed to make a quick lunch in between.

The last of the lentil soup and avocado goddess toast.

And an orange on the side...for a nice burst of color

Ta-da!! Homemade Fig Bars are ready!!!

These little babies are moist and tasty...not very sweet, but a soft gooey 'made with love' dessert. I took them to a fun clothing swap party at my friend Megan's store. I came home with some great clothes and enjoyed meeting all the other women.

I hope you got a chance to do something you LOVE this week. Creating and sharing my recipes with all of you and my friends makes me so happy. Thanks so much for taking the time to read my blog!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone...do something nice for yourself and someone you love!

(keep checking back...will be posting the fig bar recipe soon...'recipe page' is under construction)

Soup-erbowl!

2012-02-03T07:29:00.000-05:00

My little city is bursting with pride for the Giants and fans are gearing up for the superbowl, but here in my apartment I've been bursting about my rock'in red lentil soup! This beauty is all about health and wellness. It is a perfect pot of warm, creamy and delicious soup for all of your family and friends. Make it on Sunday and enjoy the game in a healthy way.

It makes a huge pot, so plenty of big bowls of steamy soup!

Very simple ingredients and not a lot of time...a winning combination for busy cooks.

Red lentils cook really fast right in the soup pot and are packed with protein.

One large onion...makes my cry..tears....wahhh!!!

Having fun playing with my food....carrots, 2 red potatoes and garlic, easy right?

Sauting onions with spices...smells amazing!

Add potatoes and carrots, cover and cook until tender.

Add in all the good stuff...stock, lentils, fire roasted tomotoes, cover and let cook for a bit.

Attack those soft veggies and lentils with an immersion blender (the best $14. I ever spent) if you don't have one buy it today...they are so handy...get it?!!!

Ahhhhh....soup's on!!

Top with fresh cilantro and lunch is done!!

As we cheer for our local team the New York Giants on Sunday, the big blue as they are often refered to here in Hoboken...we should also remember another giant known for something blue.

Good old blue eyes himself....our Frank Sinatra!!! He's everywhere in town.

And as far as football goes....

Hail Merry's aren't just a pass on the field...

They're a fun little bag of macaroons!!!

Have a Soup-erbowl Sunday everyone!!

Rock’ in Red Lentil Soup

This warm and hearty winter soup will keep you full forever. It’s packed with protein, tons of vitamins, minerals and toasty spices like turmeric which works as a natural anti-inflammatory, garlic which lowers cholesterol and blood pressure. Your healthy body is crying out for you to make this soup!! Go ahead give it a try, you’re so worth it!! This recipe was adapted from ‘Edible Nutmeg’ Magazine.

Yields: 8-10 generous servings Prep Time: 15-20 minutes Cook Time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons of olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2-3 cloves of garlic, diced

1 tablespoon ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 cup of carrots (2-3 carrots) chopped

1 large or 2 medium red potatoes, diced (skins on) or sweet potato-(no skin)

2 cups of red lentils, rinsed and drained

8 cups water, vegetable or chicken stock

1 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used fire roasted)

Salt & fresh ground pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until soft, 5-10 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring continuously until fragrant, about 2 minutes.

2. Stir in all the spices, turmeric, coriander, cumin, and cayenne. And take a big whiff…it should smell amazing!!

3. Add chopped carrots and potatoes; stir to combine with all the onions and spices. Partially cover and cook for about 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Add lentils, tomatoes, and stock stir to combine. Bring heat up to a low boil, and then back down to a low simmer, uncovered. Lentils will cook very quickly. Let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

5. Add salt and pepper to taste. You can enjoy the soup, like this or I prefer to puree it with an immersion blender, so it is creamy and smooth.

6. Top with diced avocado, cilantro and scallions and you will feel so good putting all those fresh, healthy, whole foods in your body. Enjoy!

More Polenta Fries Please!

2012-01-28T20:48:00.000-05:00

It was a winning combination....the most amazing polenta fries I've ever had, my niece and sister-in-law and a great shopping day in the city.

What a wonderful week! We started out on a complete mission for my sister-in-law Barbara to get a 'mother of the bride dress'. (Even though she's so young, you'd think...no way, she can't have a daughter old enough to wed).

After trying on a million dresses in Bergdorf Goodman's (one of the most beautiful stores in the world!) and seeing Barbara do a million strip tease acts...clothes were on and off and dresses flying everywhere. We had a better idea of what she wanted, but no dress in our hands. We bundled back up and we were off....

We headed to Candle 79 for lunch. I was so excited about eating there...I had read great things about this vegan restaurant, and was dying to give it a whirl.

I basically wanted everything on the menu...but decided on the pumpkin black bean burger with polenta fries and a side salad. A very good choice.

When I tell you delicious....it doesn't even do it justice...I need to go back very soon!!!

The rest of the week was terrific. School work is going well, I love listening to my lectures and learning more about nutrition and health. I'm back on my overnight oatmeal kick again.

It's just too easy to make and prepare in the morning. Love it... 1/3 cup of raw oats and 1/2 unsweetened almond milk. In the fridge overnight and ready for toppings in the morning. The best part no caked on oatmeal pot to clean!

Pretty mid-morning melon snack. Doesn't it look better in the ice cream dish?!!

Prepping for another cooking class....my veggie base for my Quinoa Vegetarian Chili.

Perfect comfort food for a cold winter night.

And Thursday night's cooking class, 'A Healthier New You' was such a fun night! Here's Cousin Susan showing off the food stations to Megan.

The table was set and ready to go.

Bonus recipes sprinkled throughout the table along with dark chocolate squares.

Chili Station ready to go...

Thanks to everyone who came! Such a nice group of women and a fun night. I think the dessert was my favorite part...deep dish chocolate chip cookie pie, warm out of the oven.

Can you believe these are made out of chickpeas and oatmeal? But taste like a gooey chocolate chip cookie pie. If you want this recipe check out Chocolate Covered Katie's blog. She makes the best desserts.

Hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful weekend. What do have cooking this week? Hope you're planning out some fun meals and getting ready for the Superbowl. Hoboken is already making blue bagels for our boys of blue, the NY Giants. Be well!

Errands & Exercise

2012-01-20T19:39:00.000-05:00

How's your motivation to exercise these days? Are you feeling like you want to crawl in a hole and hibernate?!!!?

Lately, I've been curling up with extra covers in bed and wanting to stay there and sleep. It's been so cold outside.

However, I also know how great I feel after a good sweaty workout. So I've been trying to stick to my routine and get to the gym. This week I planned out my workouts, but also included some extra walking into the mix. I had lots of little stops to make along the way, and it felt good to bundle up, catch some (vitamin D) sunshine and check things off my list.

Since parking in Hoboken can be a challenge, sometimes it's easier to just walk or bike around town to get your errands done and sneak in at least an extra 30 minutes to an hour of walking a day. A great way to lift your spirits during these dark days of winter.

So here's some of my favorite exercise tips for getting through the winter months:

Be Prepared! Bundle up...warm coat, scarf, hat, sunblock, of course a cool pair of shades, and maybe a fun, new lip gloss.

Buddy Up! Walking and/or exercising with friends can make it so much more fun. Even though it's harder to get yourself outside, knowing that your friend is next to you, makes it all worth it. Maintaining social connections and exercising also protects us from depression....and there's certainly enough of that in the world. Let's stay on the positive side of life!

Try Something New! If we have to be inside anyway...try a different class or workout. Maybe yoga, spin, pilates, indoor rock climbing. You never know until you try something, you might really enjoy it. It also keeps your body guessing, and works out a different set of muscles. It's always important to change routines.

Comfort Food! Prep and Plan something comforting to come home to. Once you've gotten out in the cold, you want to come back and reward yourself with a hearty, healthy meal. Today I've been testing out my latest chili recipe. Delicious! Packed with tons of veggies and beans, I can't wait to dive into a big bowl soon!

Tunes! As you walk outside, sometimes listening to music or pod-casts can make the time go so fast. It can transport you to a different place and relax you, or you can learn something new, which is always smart.

I hope you find these tips helpful, get out there and walk. You'll be surprised how much it can change your mood. Wishing you all a wonderful weekend...we're all excited to see some snow tomorrow and cheer on our 'Giants' on Sunday! Be well!

Chocolate Donuts...oh yes!!

2012-01-15T16:41:00.000-05:00

Do you see that chocolaty goodness?!!!

Healthy Hoboken Girl left the planet for a short period of time and enjoyed every chocolaty morsel of this sugary, glazed, moist, cake-like donut!! Well, I always tell myself, life is all about balance...and this my friends is well worth the splurge.

They came from a small bakery in Massachusetts, where I traveled for a few days visiting my brother, George and his family. (Thank God, these things are hours away!!) Every time we visit them, I have to stop at Mrs. Murphy's Donut Shop in Southwick, MA for my absolute favorite treat. I don't know what comes over me....I can pass on donuts everywhere else, but something about Mrs. Murphy's calls to me like a sugary goddess...my car automatically turns into the parking lot. I'm totally nuts about about them!!

So now, that my major sugar fix is over, I'm back home and ready to cook some healthy meals again. I started out my day, back at Zumba, dancing away those extra calories, and seeing some friends.

Then it was all about a raw beet salad.

Raw beets you say....never had them? Don't knock'um until you've tried them. Not only are they super good for you, they are surprisingly sweet and are cleansers and builders of the blood. Packed with vitamins A, B & C. This is a wonderful salad to pack up and take with you to work, or use as a quick healthy lunch or dinner.

Peel and chop beets and prepare them for the food processor.

Using a grater attachment, or a box grater, grate beets. They make a complete mess, and stain your hands, but that's ok. It's all worth it, check out all that beautiful ruby, red color!

Next, wash and cut your kale into thin tender ribbons of healthy leafy greens.

follow the recipe below to complete this wonderful 'chocolate donut' cleansing salad...

Raw Beet, Kale & Pistachio Salad

Prep time: 20 minutes

Yields: 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

2 or 3 large beets

1 large shallot, or red onion, minced

2 cups of raw kale, stems removed, and cut into thin ribbons

1 cup of broccoli slaw, (found in most produce sections in any grocery store)

1 can of red kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup of chopped pistachio nuts, divided ( 1/4 cup into salad, 1/4 cup as a garnish)

2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon of olive oil

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced

1 tablespoon of fresh rosemary, chopped

1. Remove the stems form the beets and trim off the top and bottom. Peel the beets and the shallot.

2. Using a box grater or food processor with a blade attachment, grate the beets and mince the shallot.

3. Transfer grated beets, shallot and all other ingredients to a large mixing bowl and toss to combine.

4. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Top with the rest of the pistachio nuts as a garnish and enjoy!!

This salad yields quite a bit, so you can store it in the fridge for a few days, and prepare one day but enjoy for many! I hope you give this one a try...it's so colorful and flavorful with the fresh herbs and tangy flavors.

Wishing you all a wonderful long weekend! Stay warm, have fun watching all those football games! Let's hear it for those NY Giants!!! Go big blue!!

Be well!

'Date Night' Date Bars & Pantry Raids

2012-01-06T17:57:00.000-05:00

Sounds exciting, right? Date night date bars & pantry raids...it really was just a beautiful, quiet Saturday evening at home after the first week back to work for the New Year.

It was time to clean house, pantry and all, and test out a new easy recipe!! Delicious no-bake date nut bars. More on that soon....the pantry raid continues.

I needed to get back in the swing of things and make a menu plan for the week, so I needed to get in there and see what we had, before heading to the store.

Just typing that makes me think I'm quickly becoming my Dad. He would have spurts when he would raid the kitchen. Finding doubles or triples of things, all either opened or expired, and this would drive him crazy. My Mom wasn't the most organized chef, so this was perfectly fine to her, I think the thought of feeding all those kids every night, was enough of a chore.

Anyhow, I took everything out and realized, we had a lot of food. What could I create this week? My mind started envisioning warm, home cooked comfort meals, and I got excited!

Somehow over the holidays...crazy things made there way into the pantry. We had lots of parties over the past few weeks, so that totally explains the ~~junk food~~ mysterious items. Things like....potato chips, pretzels, wheat thins, cheez-its, cookies and candy!

It was time to purge.

Ahh!!! Sanity restored! Junk is gone. Once the pantry was organized, I got so into the date bars, that I forgot to post an after shot....oh well. Feel free to use your imagination...think the Container Store ads.

Ok....so these bars are too good to even write about....a total must try! They were adapted from the recipe from the blog, Oh She Glows. She is a vegan blogger, and creates beautiful recipes. You will find this no bake date bar recipe and much, much more. My only change was that I added ground flax seed, but you can add a bunch of different ingredients. Dried coconut, dark chocolate chips...the list is endless.

I had to restrain myself from eating the whole pan...the oatmeal nut topping and sweet, googy middle from the date jam are the perfect combination. The bottom crust holds together so well...and they are completely no bake!! A perfect breakfast treat or after school snack, they are sure to please the whole family.

Speaking of family...my cousins and I had our annual Cousin Christmas get together on Friday at the Hoboken Bar & Grill. They gave us the whole downstairs, and it was perfect!

Susan and I got a little crazy setting up and I pretended to be a rocker....playing my air guitar with the menu.

We all had a great time....my friends Joy & Brian wearing their crowns.

And cousins Peter and Heather

And the rest of the table...

It was a nice night.

Wishing you all a great week ahead. Carve out some time to make those bars, they are truly worth it. Be well!

Ice Ice Baby

2012-01-02T18:09:00.000-05:00

Get a load of these giant ice cube trays I got from my sister-in-law, Barbara!!

They are awesome....and keep your drinks cold for hours! So Happy 2012! I hope you all had a wonderful new year and are ready for a fresh, new start to the year ahead.

After enjoying a restful vacation week, my body was ready for some new recipes, healthy smoothies and hot tea.

I even got my husband Joe to start drinking green smoothies....this is a huge turn of events in our household! I'm so proud of you babe!

So I hope you're sitting down....I've found my new favorite dish....wait for it.....

Meatless meatballs!!!! And believe me, you will not miss the meat! These little balls of goodness are warm, tender and delicious covered in tomato sauce.

I've been working my way through Sarah Methany's book, 'Peas and Thank You' and this meatball gem came from her book. You can find her beautiful blog at peasandthankyou.com. They are made of lentils, oatmeal, onions, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, and other spices.

Here's my lentils cooking away in the pot, I only had green, so that's what I used.

hello my little lentil friends....come to mama!! They soon go from just cooked lentils to

flavorful, lentil oatmeal mush....

which then quickly turns into healthy mini baked meatless meatballs!!

And then I inhaled them as soon as possible!!! These are 'amazeballz'!!!( for all you Giuliana Rancic fans out there!)

Next time, I'm making a double batch to freeze and keep on hand. Go check out Sara's book, it's already at our library, or pick up a copy on Amazon....you will love it! She has a great story, and makes wonderful meals for her family. She seems like someone you'd want to have as your friend, and love to hang out in her kitchen and have a cup of coffee.

Well, this new year's party post is over....good luck with getting back into the work week ahead! Make a plan and have healthy options at your fingertips, or in your fridge ready to go. Give these meatless meatballs a try, they are sure to please.

If you are in the Hoboken area, feel free to sign up for my healthy cooking classes. The next one is on Thursday, January 26 from 7-9pm.

the menu can be found on the 'class' page of this blog

Pre-registration is required. Feel free to email me to hold your spot. Limited to only ten people, and they are going fast. Thanks!

Be well!

Clementines & a Cool Cat

2011-12-28T21:40:00.001-05:00

Well, it's been a long time! Hello there blog world. Happy New Year! I've been enjoying a wonderful break from work and life, relaxing after all our holiday family visits and festivities.

Is anyone else as exhausted as I am? I've been sleeping more than I can ever remember and yes coming up with creative ways to play with my food.

Hello clementine Santa..you handsome devil.

Also during this vacation week...putting my feet up, and being ok with not sending Christmas cards out this year. Friends... consider this your holiday greeting, my stinky toes, love you all!

So much has been going on lately so...let's back up a bit, this past week has been filled with baking, shopping and preparing for Santa's arrival.

Cranberry oatmeal bars for my gym ladies, all wrapped and ready to go.

Fried ravioli's for Christmas Eve appetizers, always a crowd favorite!

Kid's table all set and filled with fun toys and activities.

Adult table perfect with a clementine for a pop o' color. Easy & edible!

Wine and water on the table with a special blessing to me...

It was a a wonderful weekend of celebrating and eating. Now Joe and I have been having peaceful week off with lots of movie watching, playing with root vegetables

making yummy whole wheat oat carrot cake muffins

to have with our coffee

and climbing over tables in our storage unit.

as we managed to already pack up our Christmas stuff yeah!

This cool cat is done with cooking & entertaining and ready for a day in the city in her new coat from Santa!

I'm outta here!

Three Wise Cakes

2011-12-18T15:13:00.000-05:00

Happy Holidays everyone! I've been very busy in the kitchen this past week, and here's some of the homemade goodness I've been working on. These deep dish cookie pies are a fun holiday dessert that will keep you in your skinny jeans and out of those stretchy pajama jeans. Believe it or not, this is a vegan delight. It is taken from the healthy dessert blog, Chocolate Covered Katie , and guess what's in it?!!!

Yes, that's right....oat, chickpeas, applesauce, chocolate chips and a few other ingredients, (minus the candy canes). Eat this vegan dessert through the holidays, and your pants will thank you later. This chocolaty, googy cookie pie is the answer to all your dessert prayers. It's amazing, a must try! Thanks Katie!!

This week has been so busy, with lots of running around, parties, and gifts to wrap. So I needed to prepare some easy meals, fast snacks and keep fresh vegetables on hand so I limited my reach for the cookie tins.

I've been mixing up my green smoothies lately, with a handful of spinach, banana, ice, almond milk and ground flax. Creamy and delicious, a perfect drink for a busy gal! Ahh!

Also on hand....colorful, crunchy veggies and berry bowl. Ready in minutes, looks pretty and full of vitamins and fiber.

I couldn't resist a photo opp in Whole Foods, yes I do 'heart' veggies!!

Fresh fruit platter for the girls at Zumba class. This was devoured in minutes!

And finally a fridge full of lots of wonderful veggies to roast.

I'm glad my meal planning is done for the week, because my Christmas cards are not!! Getting to those now. Wishing you all a very happy, healthy holiday season!

Enjoy the celebrations with friends and family.

As I look back on this year, I'm so thankful for this blog, and all the wonderful blessings it has brought into my life. What a gift it is to share recipes, thoughts and ideas with so many wonderful people.

Thank you all for following and reading. Can't wait to see what 2012 brings...stay tuned!

Christmas Baking with the Pro's

2011-12-14T17:49:00.000-05:00

A few week ago I was honored to be part of a charity New York City Blogger event called 'Cookies for Kids' Cancer'. It was such a delight to be with some really creative bakers, cookbook authors and other talented foodie bloggers.

It was great to watch a room full of proud bakers carefully and creatively plate their cookie works of art, and share it with others in their community. We all had to make a batch of cookies and make a place card with our cookie name, our names and our bakery and/or blog we represent. They had so many wonderful cookies, sweet and savory, and provided us with a killer bar-b-que lunch. Amazing!

And wait there are more cookies.....

So fast forward to this past weekend, and I hosted my own cookie swap. It was so much fun. Lots of food, friends and yes more cookies!!

hey there....Rudolph!

So how do you balance out all that sugar? ~~eat more sugar~~ Why a healthy salad of course, for the party I made my wheat berry and sweet potato salad, that went over really well. It was very satisfying, a perfect combination of sweet potato and crunchy toasted walnuts.

It got me thinking about other combinations of salads using wheat berries. So here's today's recipe....

Winter Wheat Berry Edamame Salad

makes: 6-8 prep time: 20 minutes cook time: 20-25 minutes

Ingredients:

3 cups of water or vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry wheat berries
1/2 or 1 can of black bean, rinsed and drained
1 cup of frozen edamame, shelled and thawed
1 cup of tomatoes, diced ( I used cherry tomatoes)
1/2 cup of red onion, finely chopped
2 scallions, chopped
1 cup of assorted colored peppers, diced, (whatever colors you have on hand)
2 tablespoons of cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 tablespoons of red wine vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

1. In a medium size saucepan, combine water/stock with the wheat berries. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and cook for about 20-25 minutes. (*most recipes call to cook them much longer, I prefer mine on the chewier side, but feel free to cook to your liking)

2. After cooking, drain in a fine mesh strainer, and run under cold water to cool quickly.

3. Combine wheat berries with all other ingredients, and salt and pepper to taste.

I know since it's winter, I should be posting more warm, comfort foods, but these are the types of salads and lunches I need to grab during this busy holiday season. If you have it prepared in the fridge, lunch/dinner can be served in minutes, and the colorful plate and zesty flavors make it a delicious meal. Happy Holidays everyone. Enjoy!

Seasonal Eating: Winter Grain Salad

2011-12-06T20:03:00.001-05:00

Need a quick, already prepared lunch or dinner after a shopping outing? This is a go-to grain salad, that will keep you full and ready to tackle all your holiday projects. It will be your friend in the fridge, or a perfect packable lunch for work.

Hearty Winter Grain Salad

prep time: 5-10 minutes cook time: 55 minutes serves: 6-8

1 cup of kamut or wheatberries (or 1/2 cup of each)
3 cups of vegetable broth or chicken stock
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 large sweet potato, boiled and diced into small cubes
1/4 cup of chopped toasted walnuts
1/2 bunch of kale, chopped or chopped fresh spinach*
2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons of olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1. Wash grains. Bring stock to a boil.
2. Add grains and salt.
3. Reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 45 minutes, or until grains are tender, cooked and water is absorbed.
4. Fluff with a fork, and let sit covered for 10 minutes.
5. While the grains are cooking, prep the other ingredients.
6. Dice the onion and saute with olive oil, until soft, about 7 minutes. Add minced garlic until fragrant.
7. Dice up the sweet potato into small bite size chunks.
8. Toast the nuts on a dry, small cookie sheet at 350 degrees, until toasted, about 5-8 minutes.
9. Blanch the kale in a small pot of boiling water, and blanch for a few minutes (3-5)*
10. Transfer the grains to a large bowl, add all the other ingredients and mix gently.
11. Add vinegar and oil, salt & pepper to your taste and enjoy!

*if using fresh spinach, you can chop it up and add it in to the mixing bowl with the sauted onions and garlic. It doesn't need to be cooked separately like the kale.

I know this recipe has a number of steps, but it's so worth it! Your taste buds and body will thank you for all your hard work and effort. Go plants!!

Seasonal Eating: Winter Foods

Load up your shopping basket with these seasonal foods:

chestnuts, grapefruit, kale, leeks, lemons, oranges, tangerines,
radicchio, radishes, rutabaga, and turnips

Be well and enjoy this holiday season!

'You don't have to cook fancy or complicated masterpieces-just good food from fresh ingredients.'
-Julia Child

What's in my purse? Healthy Snacks for Santa's Elves

2011-12-02T23:10:00.000-05:00

Well, here we are in December, how did that happen?

Tomorrow is an important day, my Cousin Susan and I go on our annual Christmas shopping adventure. We head out early and shop 'til we drop..we try to get most of our list checked off and enjoy a fun lunch out. Oh yes, and we usually find a few things for ourselves too...thanks Santa!

As I'm preparing for the holiday season, I know there's a lot of go, go, go!! So I wanted to offer some tips to help you stay away from the food court line at the mall-scary, or the giant cookie/cupcake staring you in the face as you pass the corner bakery.

Here's what's in my purse for a shopping day out. I go packing....

Water, Burt's Bees lip balm, fruit, veggie sticks, Lara Bar, Kind Bar,

shopping list,

shades, wallet, and hand sanitizer

I don't eat all my snacks, but it's nice to know I'm prepared to tackle my shopping mission. And if it's been awhile since my last meal...I have lots of healthy choices.

And my fun cousin, Susan!!

This year I decided to make some homemade snack bars, oatmeal cranberry banana, to keep on hand as I'm running all over town.

These are really great bars, the recipe came from Angela's blog Oh She Glows. She a wonderful vegan blogger, that has lots of beautiful recipes, ideas, photos and stories. She is such an inspiration. And if you have two ripe bananas hanging around, this is the recipe to use 'um. You can easily change the mix around to make whatever bar you like. I'm working on one that has almond butter...coming soon.

Good luck with your holiday shopping, make sure you go 'packing' and prepared for a successful trip. Happy Weekend!

Put a fork in me...Thanksgiving Day is done!

2011-11-29T18:35:00.000-05:00

I can't believe Thanksgiving has come and gone. Last week I was so busy cooking, baking and preparing that the week flew bye. This year our holiday was a quiet one, just a few around the table, and that was just fine.

Lots of leftovers, and way too many desserts...lots of homemade, yummy apple pies! Pumpkin ice cream, chocolate dipped biscotti (thanks Susan), and chocolate cream pie.

I came up with this crazy idea for a table runner. Since usually the football games are on, I thought it would be fun to make a football field table runner. Not that anyone was paying too close attention to the games, but it made for a colorful and unique Thanksgiving table.

I really enjoyed making it, I felt like I was back in seventh grade on my hands and knees on the floor painting each yard line. It felt great to be creative in this way. To have a vision in your head, and then to watch it appear before your eyes. Magical! Very healthy for the soul.

Whistle on the play...orange leaf down on the 30th yard line...oh no ref, it looks like just a decoration...ha!

Enough silliness...back to the food....Joe did a wonderful job on the turkey, it was moist, flavorful and made the whole house smell heavenly. I think I was so busy with the side dishes, I forgot to take a picture of the poor bird! Oops.

I made lots of delicious food, but some of my favorites are my apple pie, cranberry orange walnut bread, and my mom's sage and onion stuffing. It wouldn't be turkey day without all these fabulous flavors.

After turkey day, on Friday, I went to a really fun Zumba class called the 'Turkey Burn'. It was a two hour class to help you burn off some of the pie overload. It was so much fun, I really can't say enough about this type of exercise, the music, the teacher (Jeanine, you are a rockstar) and energy in the room is so positive and motivating. A great way to keep the holiday spirit all weekend.

I hope all of you had a beautiful Thanksgiving. Keep making the time for your workouts, you're worth it, and continue to eat clean...I'm working on some recipe posts, and January classes, so stay tuned!

Be well!

Staying Healthy through the Holidays

2011-11-21T22:25:00.001-05:00

Besides doing online shopping, and trying to check off my holiday list early, I'm going to make a conscious effort to stay healthier this holiday season. With all the hustle and bustle, and extra errands a girl has to stay focused on her real goals of health and wellness. Here are my top ten tips, that I hope you will find helpful.

1. Keep up with your workouts.
Carve the turkey, and carve out time for yourself. I know you're rolling your eyes right now...but stick with me. That way you'll have energy to get all the shopping,baking, and partying done.
My group fitness classes and walks, are also a social thing, and it makes me feel connected with my friends and the community.

Exercise is a natural, drug free stress and depression buster. Make that the number one gift you give yourself all year long, the rewards are unbelievable!

2. Stay present and enjoy time with friends and family.

This is my nephew Ed...love you and can't wait to hang out with you and the rest of the family this holiday season!! This is what makes the holidays, spending time with the ones you love. Cooking traditional foods, that can bring you back to when you were young. I made my mom's pumpkin bread today, and I treasure all the beautiful memories of her and all the time we spent preparing for the holidays in the kitchen. I love you Mom, you are always close in my heart.

3. Get plenty of sleep.

     This one is for you Joy....sleep gives your body time to repair itself. It makes you more alert and reduces stress. On the weight loss front, a lack of sleep impacts the balance of hormones in the body, that has an affect on appetite.

4. Drink lots of water and herbal teas.

      Staying hydrated will help your whole body function better, and not to mention make your skin glow. It helps with constipation and digestion, and weight loss. Drink plenty of water during the day, and your body will thank you.

5. Meal plan and prepare healthy meals, so you have many options at my fingertips.

When you care for yourself, and are committed to staying healthy, you want to have a plan. There's nothing worse than standing in your kitchen, starving and grabbing for everything and anything!
Roast a ton of veggies, and pre-cook grains ahead of time and store them in the fridge, so you can prepare a meal/salad in minutes. Buy prepared sliced fruit, salad greens, and have them ready to go.

6. Wash your hands!!

Wash those germs down the drain. I do this all the time, I'm always washing my hands. It's the first thing I do when I walk in the door. Especially living in a city, touching subway grime, living closely with others, we come across lots of germs everyday.

7. Learn to say No...
You won't possibly be able to attend every party invitation. Try your best, and partake in the ones that truly make you smile.

8. Reduce your caffeine.

This is a tough one, I do enjoy my morning caffeine ritual. Here's the run down on caffeine, it is very taxing on the liver. Too much caffeine can slow down the livers ability to efficiently burn fat and cleanse out toxins in our systems.

9. Watch the alcohol.

I know it's nearly impossible to expect to stay away from all alcohol through out the holidays. However, all women can relate to bloating..and too much alcohol can cause bloating and sugar imbalances in the body. And we all know, when we drink too much...we decide we can eat whatever we want...wrong! Try and give yourself a one or two drink maximum, and enjoy the party and no hangover the next day.

10. Ask for help.
This one is a tough one for me...this year is the first year I'm ordering some prepared side dishes for Thanksgiving. Every year I kill myself in the kitchen, and work for days...I'm getting older and wiser. I'm making the dishes I enjoy making and leaving the rest to Whole Foods. Thank you Whole Food elves....I really need a hand!

Happy Holidays Everyone...stay healthy and safe!

Fall Colors and Fig Bars

2011-11-17T19:22:00.000-05:00

Even though I live in the city...I'm taking notice of the fall colors all around me.

And the colors that land on my plate.

A quick warm lunch, using leftover pasta, marinara, and roasted 'whatever I have hanging out in the veggie-bin' vegetables. It was so filling and delicious, on a cold day.

I'm getting so excited about Thanksgiving next Thursday. I'm hosting a small group of family and friends, and Joe is getting ready to brine his turkey.

Lately, I've been cooking and baking a ton...take a look at what I've been up to.

Happy figs....or I should say poor figs, right before I chopped them up to make whole wheat fig bars.

These bars are so good, a perfect breakfast treat, or lunchbox dessert! I shared them with my Thursday morning exercise group, and they loved them. Thanks ladies...you all make me smile. I adapted the recipe from the vegan cookbook, 'Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar' by Isa Moskowitz & Terry Romero. I added pumpkin, cinnamon and nutmeg for more of an autumn flavor.

Speaking of pumpkin....let's not forget the pumpkin ravioli with brown butter and crispy sage leaves. I had to test this recipe out for a cooking class, tough assignment, right? It was warm, creamy and perfect for a chilly night. This recipe takes minutes to put together, a great weeknight meal.

And let's not forget the pumpkin spice cupcakes for another job I did earlier in the month.

Good thing I can still fit into my jeans. Most days.

And my new apron....happy cooking everyone!

To work off all that amazing food, a long walk down by the waterfront was in order.

Hello New York....can you smell all these delicious smells from Jersey??

Butternut Squash Soup

2011-11-08T07:46:00.000-05:00

After a long weekend of work and play, my body was telling me to slow down and fill yourself up with good home made comfort food.

I decide to plan out my menu for the week, as far as dinners go, and then I always like to have a few lunch options that are prepared and ready to go in minutes. Usually salad fixings or a soup. Whether I'm packing them to go, or heating them up at home...I need meals to be ready fast.

This week, I used my new cookbook from William Sonoma, 'Eat Well' that my brother and sister-n-law got me for my birthday.

This book is beautiful, and has so many wonderful recipes with amazing photography.

Since I was feeling a bit run down, I decided on the beta-carotene boost of butternut squash soup, it was simple and easy to prepare and luckily I had most of the ingredients.

I was short on time yesterday, so I picked up the already prepared cubed butternut squash. Major time saver!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup with coconut & lime

Very fragrant, sweet and spicy, the soup will warm you up, and make you feel great. It's very simple, so feel free to experiment and add other nutritious add ons...next time I'm thinking kale and cannellini beans.

yields: 6 servings
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1-2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 shallots, sliced and diced
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, grated or minced
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
9 cups of butternut squash cubes (I used two pkgs of pre-cut)
3 cups of vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 teaspoon thai red curry paste
3/4 cup of light coconut milk
2 teaspoons of lime juice
salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat olive oil in large pot over medium heat. Add shallots and cook until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, and cook until fragrant, about one minute.

2. Add squash, salt, broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to remain a simmer, cover and cook for about 20 minutes, or until squash is fork tender.

3. Put curry paste in a small bowl with the coconut milk, and whisk together until smooth and combined.

4. Add curry paste mixture to soup and stir to combine.
5. Pulse soup with immersion blender until creamy and smooth. If you don't have an immersion blender, just transfer small batches of soup into a regular blender, and blend until smooth.

6. Add salt, pepper and squeeze of lime juice and enjoy a warm and delicious soup!

Hope you all will try this soup soon. This is Hoboken's restaurant week, so I'm looking forward to trying out some new places and supporting my community.

What's cookin' at your house? Crack open your cookbooks and find something that inspires you! Have a wonderful week!

Small Steps with some Spice

2011-11-03T20:37:00.000-04:00

I snapped this photo while outside running the most boring errand of the week, no not cleaning the bathroom...the dreaded dry cleaner run!

At first, I saw all the beautiful pumpkins, then it suddenly went from a boring walk doing errands to new blog post idea. I shot the cute little pumpkin steps, and as I looked at the photo, I kept staring at the steps. It got me thinking about taking small steps...

Sometimes it's easy to stay cozy and safe in old surroundings, or places and jobs that are easy. However, it's when we take small steps outside of our comfort zone is when life begins to get interesting. This new place can lead us to our true purpose and passion, and bring us great joy.

Everyday we take lots of steps, our feet move us in many directions. Our energy that we carry into every situation is very important. Just as in life, we make steps forward (and sometimes backwards) on our path towards a better life.

Whether your path is leading you towards better health, a new job, a new career or just a better life in general, it's worth it to take small steps first in that direction. Go ahead...put one foot out there and see what happens. Send that message out in the universe.

My path is always moving me towards healthy, delicious food, and sharing that with others. I love talking and reading about health, wellness, and great tasting, healthy food. Being in my kitchen, testing out recipes brings me such joy. I hope you are finding what brings you joy in your life.

Lately, I've been interested in adding more spices to my cooking. Over the weekend, we took a road trip to the Savory Spice Shop, in Westfield, New Jersey. The place smelled amazing, as soon as you stepped in the door.

Not only did they have everything organized really well, but they had recipe cards next to the spices, so you could be inspired right away to try something new. Remember small steps...

I picked up a Chai Spice packet that had a great recipe for a Sweet Potato Bisque Soup. I'm hoping to try it out soon. Stay tuned for the recipe and review.

Our little day trip got Joe and I thinking about other road trips we could take to change things up, see new places, and try new restaurants in our local area. Again small steps in a new direction feels good. Joe even suggested that I blog about it...I like when he's thinking about my blog!

What steps have you taken lately? Are you ready to try something new? Don't be shy...just go for it. If you want something to happen in your life, you need to do it yourself.

Go ahead add some serious spice into your steps...
I'd love to hear what you're up to these days.

Trick or treat!

2011-10-31T22:49:00.000-04:00

What a wonderful way to celebrate the end of October..

Halloween in Hoboken is a blast, even with no kids! I met up with my friend Joy, watched the parade, and tagged along as her children enjoyed trick or treating. Everyone was smiling...except these two..eek!

My neighbors really got into the spirit! It was so fun! Great candy, creative costumes, fog machines and everything.

I even had some adorable little ghosts and goblins at my door, as I poured myself a pumpkin ale.

Joe found this ale over the weekend. It was mentioned on the William Sonoma Blog, and it's delicious. (I'm so glad I'm not the only one reading blogs in this house.)

I decided to put out some appetizers while reheating leftovers for dinner. After all, it is a holiday.

Sweet potato and beet chips...I had to limit myself to this small bowl, but could have easily devoured the entire bag! These are so good...and they go with today's color scheme...orange!

After dinner, relaxed on the couch and enjoyed a few more treats.

Healthy Hoboken Girl is having quite a night! That's it, I'm done, put a fork in me!!

Until tomorrow morning, the party continues with whole wheat zucchini muffins!

(the recipe for these muffins can be found on this blog, in an older post titled 'All smiles for Zucchini Muffins') Still working on posting all my recipes...thanks for the patience.

Happy Halloween everyone...hope you all had a fun night!

Fall Colors

2011-10-29T10:06:00.000-04:00

Fall colors make me think of warm and hearty comfort foods.

This week I made homemade chicken soup in the crock pot. It was great, super easy and made my house smell wonderful.
The recipe came from my blogger friend, Erin at The Grass Skirt Blog. She has a beautiful blog, and gives some great recipes and ideas for busy week night meals.

I also had the pleasure of visiting Abma's Farm Market, in Wyckoff, NJ.

A truely special place to go this time of year. They have a wonderful market and bakery.

If you live in New Jersey, you have to go to Abma's Farm!!

Lots of halloween gourds, pumpkins and mums.

and a health barn....I love it!??

locally grown carrots

and beautiful beets

And tons of apples, cider and yes, apple cider donuts. I think of was so excited taking shots of the veggies, I forgot to shoot the apples...oops!!

I hope all of you are enjoying the weekend so far...

We have a halloween party this afternoon, and then we're carving pumpkins tonight with friends!!

Happy Halloween everyone...be safe & fill up on real food, fruits and veggies before your hand goes into the candy bowl.

Your body will thank you...

Pumpkin Muffin Top

2011-10-25T07:52:00.000-04:00

Good morning all! This is type of muffin top I love.

I was craving a warm breakfast today, so I made pumpkin oat bran in under two minutes.

Over the weekend, I made some whole wheat pumpkin muffins...they were a huge fail. Wahhh!!

They look great...but were very dry.

Not the pumpkin muffin I was hoping for, so I'm trying not to waste all of them. I've toasted some...that tasted great! Then this morning I added a muffin top to my oat bran.

The mix: oat bran cereal, water, 1/2 banana, chia seeds, cinnamon & pumpkin muffin top.

This was a fast, easy breakfast that will stick with me throughout the morning. After a beautiful and busy weekend, (more to post on that later) I have a full day.

I wish all of you a great week. This is my favorite time of year, lots of pumpkin treats and my birthday! I'll keep working on my muffin recipe, and post a good one. Until then, I leave you with a quote.

'The world is always reflecting the energy you're putting out.'

What energy are you bringing into your spaces today?

Smile, have a great day and stay positive!

Kitchen Kraziness

2011-10-20T22:09:00.000-04:00

Thursdays always put a smile on my face! Early morning, I share a healthy recipe with my workout ladies. Today was Cherry Chocolate Nut Balls...amazing! A big hit! Thank you Susan for the extra tough workout this morning...I'm feeling the soreness in my legs already!! Ouch!

Then, once my teaching is done, I usually spend some time in my kitchen, testing recipes or preparing food for the weekend.

This seems to be the week of cooking contests, because I was preparing for this Friday night's Lasagna Cook Off, sponsored by a local church here in Hoboken, until I found out it was cancelled...wahhh!!!

I found out it was cancelled...wait for it..yes, half way through cooking the darn thing!! Ugh!! That's alright, I'll consider this one a trial run, and work on perfecting my Roasted Vegetable Lasagna. Anyone want to host a party, I'm ready?!?!

I roasted some eggplant, red peppers, red onion, garlic and then, while the pan was hot from roasting, I just added some fresh spinach and stirred to combine.

So here's what I'm thinking...a healthier version of your grandmother's style lasagna. Still creamy, cheesy and delicious, but swapping out some of the usual white pasta, beef and sausage. (Sorry guys, I know they're your favorites!)

Instead using 100% whole wheat pasta noodles, lots of roasted vegetables and local Fiore's Mozzarella (it's the best cheese in town).

That cute little pumpkin keeps sneaking into the photo shoot!!

Another little snack for the chef...keeps me moving in the kitchen.

And ta-da....hours later..cheesy goodness!

Now thankfully, the sink full of dishes are done, and everything is put away.

I can stare lovingly at my creation. I know what you're thinking, all my vegan friends, I'm trying to lay off the cheese, but it's so good!!

Next up, chocolate pumpkin bread. What are you cooking these days?

Happy Weekend!

An Apple 'Crisp' a Day Keeps Me Full!

2011-10-18T22:20:00.000-04:00

Oops...my belly hurts from going a little overboard on tonight's apple crisp trial, and eating a few too many spoonfuls...while perfecting a recipe for the Attune Foods October Cooking Challenge.

I hate trying to go to sleep on a full belly, it's so uncomfortable, but the apple crisp tasted so good. It was all warm and cinnamony, the apples were very tender and sweet, it was a party in my mouth!

Ok, cereal lovers here we go...after many attempts in the kitchen, here's my Attune Foods Apple Crisp Recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as I did, just try it well before bedtime, and you should be all set.

Lynda's Erewhon Cereal Apple Crisp

Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6-7 apples (3 granny smith & 3/4 macoun) or whatever apples you enjoy using to bake.
juice of one small lemon
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons butter or vegan butter
Cooking spray

topping:

2 cups of Erewhon Brown Rice Cereal (divided)
1 cup processed in the food processor or blender to a fine powder & 1 cup regular cereal
1 cup of raw old fashioned oats (divided)
1/2 cup processed with the cereal & 1/2 cup regular oats
1/4 cup oat flour (or any other flour you have)
3 tablespoons of raw sugar or brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 egg
4 tablespoons of melted butter or butter-like spread

1. Start by making the topping, using a medium size mixing bowl and food processor. Combine 1/2 cup dry oats and 1 cup of cereal, oat flour, cinnamon and raw sugar into bowl. Add remaining 1/2 cup oats and 1 cup cereal into the food processor or blender and pulse until mixture is a fine powder.

2. Add the oat and cereal mixture to the mixing bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Prepare a small baking dish by spraying it with cooking spray.

4. Cut the apples into bite size chunks, (I left the skin on the apple, but if you prefer to peel them, go for it) and add to the prepared baking dish.
Toss with cinnamon and lemon juice, until all apples are coated.
Drizzle with honey and dot the butter on top. Set aside.

5. Back to the topping. Using a small bowl, melt the butter, in the microwave
for about 30 seconds, watching carefully.
Add that to the flour mixture bowl and then add the egg.

6. Stir until combined, this mixture should be wet and smell delicious.

7. Place the crumb mixture on top of the apples, spreading out evenly.
Sprinkle with addition cinnamon or honey to your liking.

8. Bake at 350 degrees for about 25-35 minutes, depending on your oven.
Topping should be golden brown, crispy, crunchy and apples bubbling!

This is the tough part, waiting for it to cool down so you can dive into all that warm cinnamony goodness!

Thanks Attune Foods, for letting me make multiple, delicious apple crisps with crunchy, healthy toppings. Here's to Attune Foods and Apple Crisp Season!!

Happy Fall everyone!!

All statements about Attune Foods, its products, or the Cooking Challenges Recipe Contest are my own. This post is part of-and made as a condition to- my entry in the
Attune Foods Cooking Challenges Recipe Contest.

Ants in my Pants

2011-10-15T00:08:00.000-04:00

Fridays...are so cool. The start of the weekend and Zumba class! If you haven't taken a Zumba class, it's like cheerleading camp meets a latin dance party! I sweat up a storm, so I consider it a workout...but it's really just cool and fun! I never look at the clock, I smile and laugh at myself, I've met so many nice, new dancing friends, and the positive energy on Friday is contagious. Everyone is hooting and hollering, having a great time, and our teacher...Jeanine is such a rock star. She is so positive and she can dance like no other. A very talented, beautiful, strong women.

source

Today was very productive, it feels great to finish work and wrap up the week, with some fun exercise and try out some seasonal home cooking.

I tested a recipe for the Attune Foods Cooking Contest...October Challenge. More to come on that next week.

Made a roasted vegetable and lentil soup, from my friends over at

the Sisters Running the Kitchen blog.

Check out their blog for the recipe, and lots of other wonderful ideas. Thanks Mary and Christina, what a great, hearty, fall soup. It filled me up and tasted delicious.

While I cook I usually have the radio on. I find it really relaxing to listen to music, sing and cook at the same time. Especially after my Zumba class...I usually have leftover ants in my pants from shakin' it about. So my cooking goes a lot faster because I've got my groove on, and I can't wipe the smile off my face. Now that all this is done, and the dishes are clean, my weekend can begin.

I hope all of you can find your groove this weekend and enjoy yourself. Don't be afraid to shake it up in the kitchen, if you know what I mean.

'Dancing faces you towards Heaven, whichever direction you turn.'

-Sweetpea Tyler

'Kneading' Therapy

2011-10-09T23:00:00.001-04:00

There's just something about working with your hands, that can be very soothing. I found that to be true yesterday, as I kneaded some soft, homemade pretzel dough. I've been meaning to try this recipe for quite some time, and Saturday afternoon was perfect.

We sort of made it into a mini Oktoberfest...with pretzels and beers!

The ingredients were very simple...just wheat flour, yeast, water, salt and honey.

Mixing all the ingredients together, until a dough forms. This was the best part! Kneading the warm, soft dough in my hands felt very calming and peaceful. I remembered why I love to be in the kitchen creating healthy food. Turning and pushing down the dough with my hands, feeling the satisfaction of creating something from simple ingredients. Thinking about my life, forgetting about any worries, and feeling proud of myself for taking the time to do something that makes me happy.

While I was kneading, looking at my hands, I can remember parts of my Mother's hands, and can see part of her hands in mine. It's the coolest thing, but can also feel bittersweet, because I miss her. It's so hard to lose someone that you love so much. However, seeing part of her is a nice reminder that she is a part of me, and is never too far away.

I got through the five minutes of kneading, remembering Mom, and smiling about our many good times in the kitchen together, then....

I covered up the dough, and let it rest for ten minutes...good night!

After ten minutes, I got some frustration out by punching down the dough, and cutting it into pretzel strips.

Cracked open some beers...

Shaped the dough strips into pretzel shape, brushed with egg wash and sprinkled course sea salt on top. Patiently waited until cooked...only 15 minutes.

And TA-DA!!! Pretzel Time!!

We were so excited to try these suckers, that I toasted glasses with Joe, put my beer on the table, and then by accident knocked my pint all over the floor!! It smelled like a frat house, and honestly it was my first sip...you would have thought I had a few drinks, then knocked it over. We started to laugh so hard, as we were on our knees cleaning up beer, just trying to enjoy our hot and toasty pretzels.

It was just the sort of therapy that I needed...laughter, a new beer, and soft salty homemade pretzels! A perfect Saturday afternoon. Happy Oktoberfest everyone..hope yours is filled with beer,belly laughs, and fond memories of people you love!!

Recipe will be added to my recipe page this week. This one would be great to try with young children...minus the beer of course! They would love to play with the dough, and it comes together in minutes.

Cash Challenge Part II

2011-10-07T01:24:00.000-04:00

Ok folks...I'm more than surviving...I have five dollars and change and today is Friday!! Boo-yah!! And there is still more food to be eaten. Thanks for all your comments and support, it's wonderful to hear your feedback.

I got a sweet surprise in the mail today, Joe received this free drink card, from Starbucks. I think I'll be treating myself as a reward for all my efforts, he won't miss it.

This week has gone really well, it was fun carrying my cash, and keeping a closer eye on my spending.

I discovered some ~~old~~ new things in my freezer, that I haven't looked at in quite some time.

And my pantry and I got ourselves reacquainted. What's going on in there, oh yeah look what I found....more food??!!

It made me focus on what we have, and how to be creative with leftovers. And also to work through my fruit bowl.

I even bagged up my ingredients for my morning smoothies, so I was drinking my goddess smoothie even faster in the morning. It was great to be so prepared and organized, but it also allowed me to use up all of my greens in the vegetable bin...no waste! That was my mission.

The other night, dinner was made really fast. Turkey burgers (actually mini meatballs), green beans and sweet potato fries. I only had to buy the sweet potatoes, all the rest was from the fridge or freezer. *Notice the english muffin bun..I thought you did!!

I ate some fries before snapping this photo..that looks a little sad. I can't get enough sweet potato!!

I hope this week has inspired you to take your own cash challenge. I know I'll be trying it again soon. It was a wonderful reminder for me to pause and remember how very lucky and blessed I am to have so much food at my fingertips.

'Now is no time to think of what we do not have. Think of what we can do with what there is.'
-Ernest Hemingway

Cash Challenge

2011-10-04T19:46:00.002-04:00

I'm feeling extra creative this week, so I've come up with a fun little 'experiment' or cash challenge. Since it's the first week in October, and most of us just shelled out a mortgage/rent payment...I thought everyone would appreciate trying to have a little more green in their pocket. I'm going to attempt to only spend $20. dollars total at the food store all week, and really use up what I already bought in my fridge and pantry.

Sounds fun, right? not! Well let's give it the ol' college try, and see what happens.

This challenge was sparked by me having gone to the store so much last week, and having tons of leftovers/stuff in our tiny kitchen apartment, and then my sweet, adorable husband Joe bringing home two, fresh packages of english muffins on Saturday morning, when we already have four packages in the fridge/freezer! Ugh!! Help!

Other then english muffin pizzas, anyone have any creative ideas for english muffins??? I'm about ready to feed them to the park pigeons!!

Ok, so far so good...breakfast was my green goddess smoothie. Creamy and delicious as usual.

The mix:
kale, almond milk, half a green apple, half a banana, half an orange, parsley, and ice = Yum!!

Lunch was tomato soup and homemade croutons, made from leftover sourdough bread from the weekend.

Snack: mini apple pie Lara bar..staying with the season

Dinner Menu:

Beef short ribs with quinoa & brown rice (Joe) leftovers from dinner party
Lentil tart (Lynda) thanks Cinnamon Snail truck...you are the best food truck in town!!
Roasted acorn squash...out of this world!!
Asparagus
Oatmeal apple crisp

So far day one of this challenge...I'm eating like a queen! I hope I can eat this well all week. Stayed tuned for more!!

No more money down the tubes...

What do you have in your pantry? Come take the twenty dollar challenge with me!!

Chick-o-licious!!

2011-09-30T19:53:00.000-04:00

Roasted Chickpeas are just about the perfect snack. They also are delicious served warm and crunchy on top of your next salad. These protein pellets are sure to please! Whip up a batch today, you can do it...they're really easy, and probably right in your pantry.

Roasted Chickpeas
yields: 3 servings or just fun to put out at a party!

Ingredients:
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2-3 teaspoons olive oil
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Place chickpeas on a rimmed cookie sheet. (you don't want to loose any of these babies!)

3. Dry peas well with paper towels or clean dishcloth.

4. Drizzle olive oil over chickpeas. Toss in the olive oil, so they are coated.

5. Sprinkle salt & pepper.

6. Place in oven, checking after 15-20 minutes. Give them a shake so all chickpeas get crunchy and delicious!

7. Roast until they are a light brown and crunchy. Maybe 5 to 10 more minutes, depending on your oven.

8. Let cool slightly, before serving. Place in a serving bowl, or keep in the fridge for purse size snacks on the go.

Hope you all have wonderful plans for the weekend! I think fall weather will be coming our way. I had a beautiful week, work went well, my cooking class was so much fun, saw an old college friend, and even had a nice date night with Joe. Life is good!

'Life begets life. Energy creates energy. It is by spending oneself that one becomes rich.'

Clap Your Hands!

2011-09-27T20:13:00.000-04:00

Hey there!! I feel honored to have been chosen for a 'I Dig Your Blog' award from my dear friend and fellow blogger, Erin who blogs at The Grass Skirt.

So along with this award come duties...I have to share three new things about myself, and then nominate five other bloggers, that I really 'dig'! So let's get this party started!

Ok...three things new to share about myself....

1. I've flown small Piper airplanes while living in Connecticut. Crazy, huh? And so much fun! It was the summer after my mother died, and I was missing her so much, that I just needed to do something to help the ache in my heart. A friend in my town, was a pilot, and he was always asking me to come fly with him. I was ready to try something so completely new and exciting. The rush of taking off and landing were amazing. My favorite flight was flying into Block Island on a dirt runway, right near the beach. Feeling like a celebrity with my shades on, popping out of the airplane, and hanging out on the beach for a relaxing few hours. Then enjoying a nice island dinner, then hopping back into the plane and flying home. Those days were just what the doctor ordered, and I'll never forget them!

2. Not nearly as exciting as flying...but fun, are my Zumba fitness classes! I started taking them last spring, and have not stopped. It's like a dance party, you don't even know you're exercising because you're having so much fun! The girls and I leave the room, dipping with sweat and smiling! It's one of my favorite workouts of the week. Give it a try!

3. And lastly...this might not come as a complete shock, I won the Home Ec award in high school! I have such great memories of high school, in my small town of Tolland, Connecticut. Cooking in those mock kitchen stations. I always cooked so well, that everyone wanted to be my partner, only to get a good grade, and maybe have a little fun too! At home, I cooked and baked with my mom, helping her with meals and experimented in the kitchen making yummy, fresh baked goods. I still enjoy testing new recipes, and creating a meal to share with friends and family.

And the nominations go to....five, very talented women bloggers

Dana @ danatreat.com
Toni @ runninglovingliving.com
Juliette @ finishyourbroccoli.com
Ashley @ frecklesandspice.com
Jillian @ sprinklemassacre.com

Clap your hands ladies and pay it forward!!! Keep doing amazing things, I'm so happy and proud to be part of such a wonderful and supportive community.

A Slice of Heaven

2011-09-23T00:09:00.000-04:00

The other day while I was driving through the city, I caught a slice of heaven! I was lucky to be first in line at the red light, and noticed just how beautiful and blue the sky looked...it was a great slice, don't ya think?!!

It got me thinking about other great slices I've had...like this whole wheat zucchini and goat cheese pizza.

And this slice of creamy avocado, asparagus and melon at lunch.....

Sliced sweet summer fruit....

Having slices of friends next to you....

Slice of peach cobbler with oatmeal.....

However, there are some slices that are not so good....

Poor Liberty Bell!! Wahhh!

What slices are you enjoying these days? Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy all the healthy slices that come your way!

Why Do I Have to Be a Grown Up?

2011-09-21T08:13:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I wish I was back in Mrs. McLeod's kindergarten class, eating my graham crackers and drinking my paper cup of apple juice and not dealing with all that comes with adult life and responsibilities. How I long to be back in her class, listening to that Marlo Thomas record, (and by record, I mean the actual album on a record player) 'Free to Be You and Me' as I hummed along. My only thought being, if my nextdoor neighbor Jenn could play after school.

But today..a 'few' uhmmm, years have passed, and I have...you know a mortgage, bills, dirty laundry, a messy kitchen, car repairs, and lots of other responsibilties of adult life. All of which, at times are managable and normal, and I feel very fortunate on so many levels, however, sometimes can feel a bit heavy and overwhelming. My head is also swirling a ton of information because I visited a school a few days ago, thinking about going back for a nutrition degree. It was exciting and fun.

I had the pleasure of being invited to go the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, by my dear friend Barbara. While there, I heard Deepok Chopra speak about leadership, and what it takes to be a strong leader. He told us there were questions you should be asking yourself every so often. I won't bore you with the entire list, but here are a few that stood out...

who am I?
what do I want?
what is a peek experience to you?
what is my life's purpose?
what are my unigue skills & talents? and how do I use them?
who are my heros?
and....what is my story?

Pretty heavy questions for a work week? I know, but as our grown up life moves along, I think it's important to take time to ask yourself these big questions. Do you know where your life is going? Are you fulfilling your hopes and dreams? I think as adults we can easily distract ourselves, with day-to-day nonsense/stuff and wonder why things are not happening the way we want them to. What path are you on....

Today's recipe: Make a plan, create a list, write down a goal for yourself, journal your thoughts. See what comes out and take a small step towards something that scares you. Do something each day that makes you smile! Oh, and eat more plants, they're good for ya!!

Have a great day everyone!!

Saturday Snack Attack

2011-09-17T11:59:00.002-04:00

So far the weekend has been wonderful, a dinner date last night with the best couple, Ivan & Meghan. Just got back from a beautiful crisp walk with my friend Joy, and retrieved my bike that I left down at the pier last night, when my feet just wanted a quick cab ride home.

I wanted to post some easy snack ideas, that you can pack in your bag for work, or keep in your purse for an emergency hunger attack.

First up, the mini Lara bar...

These babies are delicious and I can read and understand all the ingredients!!! And yes, ladies they are available at your local Target...yes, I know I said Target!! So while you're stocking up on paper towels, pick these babies up as well.

Next, it's all about fruit...

I've been savoring these fuzzy ripe beauties for the last few weeks, and they are so juicy and sweet!
I also keep a large fruit bowl stocked in my kitchen, with kiwi, apples, bananas, mango or whatever else looks ripe and ready. Fruit is so good to put into our bodies, it's a natural cleanser, and supplies us with energy. Your body and skin will thank you for eating it!

Sometimes, I love a good crunchy snack too.....

Nothing beats a rice cake and nut butter, smack two of these together and it's totally portable for work, or on the go. And it takes seconds to put prepare.

If your anything like me, I need chocolate every few days...it just makes me happy.

This lovely jar of dark chocolate bark came from Tamara's Treats, she's a local woman that I met in town, at the store, Peper Apparel and she makes the most beautiful chocolate creations. Available online at tamarastreats.com. I've been munching my way through this jar of goodness all week! A little goes a long way..yum!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend....headed into the city for a fun day! Take some time this weekend, to think about what you're putting into your body. Be kind to yourself, it really makes all the difference in the world. Be well!

'Health, contentment and trust are our greatest possessions, and freedom our greatest joy.'
Buddha

Look Mom...No Hands!!

2011-09-15T13:55:00.000-04:00

Remember letting go of the handlebars on your bike, when you were young. It always felt so cool to move along feeling the breeze on your face, and the excitement of balancing on two wheels.

Letting go of summer doesn't quite feel as good, it's not that easy to shift gears and head back to our regular routines of work or school. Giving up those long summer nights of hearing the crickets, walking all over the city, down by the pier and eating outdoors. I'm just not ready to say goodbye to summer yet.

I had the pleasure of being in a wonderful yoga class the other day, and the teacher said something that really stuck with me for the rest of the day..and even long enough to blog about it. He said, "Letting go frees us, holding on binds us." Sometimes, it's healthy to just let go, release and move ahead, swim with the stream of life. Just like the handlebars on a bike, letting go, about many situations of life, can feel like such freedom.

However, before we can totally let summer go and embrace all things fall...I have to share with you an amazing summer tomato salad I made last week. I think I was an old Italian lady in a previous life, because I 'can' fruit, and make Panzanella salad with day-old bread! This is a good one, grab some of those gorgeous tomatoes that are all over the place this time of year, and enjoy while you can!

Panzanella Salad (Summer Bread & Tomato Salad)
Yields: 6-8 servings
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Inactive prep time: 30 minutes

This salad was adapted from the Edible Jersey Magazine, Summer 2011. I switched and added a few more things to make it healthier. Instead of Tuscan white bread, I used whole wheat-sunflower bread I got from the farmers' market, and I added beans to increase the protein punch. I brought this to a party last weekend, and it was a big hit.

Ingredients:

3-4 large tomatoes, diced or 60 cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 medium red onion, diced
small to medium loaf of whole grain bread, cut into half inch cubes
1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
fresh bunch of basil, torn
freshly grated Parmesan cheese *optional topping

Toss all ingredients together, except the basil in a large bowl. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Wait for it......

Bread will break apart, a little, that's fine..it's soaking in all those flavors!!

Me getting really happy and excited to try...

Hooray.....here it is.....

Ok summer, I think we can start to say goodbye. Fall does bring with it beautiful things as well. Give this salad a try, and savor the sun ripened flavor of the seasons best tomatoes. I leave you with a quote of the day...

'All that we send into the lives of others comes back into our own.'
Edwin Markham

Sloppy Joe = Sneaky Lynda

2011-09-09T10:30:00.000-04:00

Last week Joe and I both ended up grocery shopping, so we had a few doubles of things. I hate to see things go to waste, especially food, so I was determined to make use of all the celery, carrots and peppers hanging out in my vegetable bin. I juiced some of them, but I needed another creative idea.

Enter....Sloppy Joe night!! This is a great way to sneak in more veggies without your man knowing he's eating them! You can add any combination of vegetables with this tangy mixture of vinegary tomato sauce, on a soft whole wheat hamburger bun, and you have a winner for dinner!

Sloppy Joes
Yields: 4-6 servings
Prep time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup minced carrots
1 bell pepper, diced (whatever color you like)
1 cup onion, chopped
2-3 stalks of celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 pound of lean ground turkey or beef

The Sauce:
2 cups of tomato sauce or 15 ounce can of tomato puree
1/2 cup of low sugar ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoon brown sugar
pinch of ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt and pepper
whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Heat olive oil in a pan and saute carrot, onion, celery and pepper for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic during the last minute and stir. Remove veggies to a bowl and set aside.

2. Add turkey meat to pan and brown for around 5 minutes, or until no longer pink. Add salt and pepper to season.

3. Return the veggie mixture to the beef mixture. Add tomato sauce, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, brown sugar, and spices and stir to combine.

4. Bring the sloppy joe mixture up to a low boil by turning up the heat to medium high. Then return to a low simmer. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, and you are ready to serve.

The beauty of this meal is that, if I know I'm short on time, I can make this in the morning and just reheat it for dinner later that night. It's a total make ahead meal. I've even made it a day in advance.

Hope you try this easy dinner idea soon, it's a favorite at our house. Wishing you all a beautiful weekend.

Remembering all those Americans lost ten years ago in the 9/11 attacks and wishing their friends and family our thoughts and prayers on this anniversary. They will never be forgotten.

Under a Rock

2011-09-07T08:01:00.001-04:00

Hi, so here's the rock I just popped out of....

People have told me for years, that they put a whole chicken in the crock pot, and that it's out of this world! And for years, I just listened and must have just tuned them out....but not anymore!!

Last week, I was really short on time, didn't want to be in the kitchen long, and had no idea what to make for dinner. So, I had all the fixings for a chicken in the crock pot, so I gave it a go.

And look, there he is, all seasoned and ready to start!!!

The Easiest Chicken Dinner You'll Ever Make!
Yields: 4-6 servings or (2 very hungry large men)
Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Cook Time: 6-8 hours

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken
3 red potatoes, cut into wedges
1 small onion, chopped or 1 bag of frozen pearl onions (I had them in the freezer)
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
3 sprigs of fresh rosemary, 1/2 chopped,
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup of white wine or chicken stock
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons of Old Bay Seasoning
salt & pepper

1. Place half of the onions, celery, potatoes and carrots on the bottom of the crock pot.
2. Wash and dry the chicken, and place it on top of the vegetables.
3. Season the chicken with any spices you like, Old Bay, salt, pepper, garlic, rosemary, paprika, etc..
4. Add the white wine.
5. Add the rest of the vegetables around the chicken, and cover the crock pot.
6. Cook the chicken on low for 6-8 hours.

Your house is going to smell wonderful, and people will think you slaved all day! Heee! Heee!

The chicken will be so juicy and tender, it will fall apart as you try to remove it from the crock pot. I just arrange the chicken, and all the goodies on a large platter.

Hope this helps you all get through 'back to school week' a little easier!
And to my beautiful niece and nephews just starting kindergarten...Aidan, Alexandra and Conner, I'm so proud of you! Have fun!

'We are indeed much more than what we eat, but what we eat can nevertheless help us to be much more than what we are.' -Adelle Davis

Green Power Juice

2011-08-31T23:00:00.000-04:00

So, I'm always on the look out to add even more leafy greens into my diet. (I know I'm a freak, you don't have to say it.) Then, as luck would have, my new 'Eating Well' magazine arrived in the mailbox the other day.

Soon after opening, the crisp glossy pages, I was thrilled to see a recipe called 'The Green Smoothie' on page 40. I got even more excited to know that I already had all the ingredients, score! It's a creamy blend of dark, leafy greens, green apple, orange juice and banana.

Green Smoothie
yields: 1 serving
prep time: 5 minutes tops!

Ingredients:

1 ripe banana
1/2 green apple, chopped into small cubes
1 cup kale or spinach leaves, stems removed
1/4 cup orange juice
1/4 cup cold water
4-6 ice cubes
1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed
*you can swap out kefir for the orange juice, makes it extra creamy
* I added the drinkable aloe vera juice for the water

Place all ingredients into the blender and blend until smooth.

This is so light and refreshing, it makes me smile a green mustache. I hope you'll make this for yourself today. This is a great way to begin September.

'Leave the drugs in the chemist's pot if you can cure the patient with food.' -Hippocrates 420BC

Vegetable Baked Ziti

2011-08-29T10:34:00.000-04:00

Hurricane Irene has come and gone, and we are thankfully all doing well. We enjoyed a relaxing day, expecting to stay in, and not move too far from the couch. However, curiosity got the best of us, so we had to check out our neighborhood.

Pretending to swim...here's me on our corner that always floods... it's a lovely shade of toxic green....yuck! We started to see people walking about and more cars making there way back into town.

Since we were recovering from our hurricane party from Saturday night, we had decided to use up some leftovers from last week...a lovely vegetable baked ziti. I was trying to use up all the vegetables hanging around in our fridge. This is a great way to enjoy them up and sneak them into your husband's diet. You can use any combination of veggies, whatever you have is perfect! On the side, I added a spinach salad and some bread and roasted garlic olive oil and dinner was served!

Vegetable Baked Ziti

serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1 pound of whole wheat pasta (I used rigatoni style)

1 zucchini grated

1 orange pepper, diced

1 red pepper, diced

1 medium onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon Italian seasoning

2 eggs

1 18oz tub of ricotta cheese

1 large ball of fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed

1/2 cup of bread crumbs

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 25 oz. jar of marinara sauce, or homemade tomato sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook for 7 minutes, stirring often.

2. Meanwhile, start to prepare all the vegetables. Heat up a large skillet, with the tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat. Grate the zucchini, dice up the peppers and onion. Mince the garlic. Add peppers & onions to the pan, saute 8-10 minutes until soft. Add tablespoon of Italian seasoning, and stir. Then add the garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. And then add the zucchini. Cook for another 3-5 minutes and remove from heat.

3. In a large mixing bowl, crack 2 eggs and whisk together. Then add the ricotta cheese, 1/2 of the mozzarella cheese, cubed and 1 cup of marinara sauce and mix together.

4. Once the pasta is done, drain it and add to the cheese mixture. Then add the sauteed vegetables, and stir to combine.

5. In a oven safe pan, spoon a 1/4 cup of marinara sauce and spread along the bottom. Add the pasta and cheese mixture to the pan.

6. Add 1/2 cup marinara sauce on top of pasta, and spread the remaining mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs on top. Cover with aluminum foil.

7. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove foil and finish ziti for another 20-25 minutes, or until cheese and breadcrumbs are toasty brown.

Dinner is served!! Sorry we ate it so fast, I forgot to take pictures of the finished product. You'll have to trust me on this, it's beautiful! You will love this dish, and the leftovers are fantastic!

Wishing you all a great week! Give this a try for dinner, your family will love it. Be well.

Moving Forward

2011-08-26T09:18:00.000-04:00

Do you ever feel that life is moving forward very fast?!!! I swear it was just Memorial Day and the kick off to summer, and now I smell the crispness of fall moving closer.

I like this idea of moving forward, looking ahead, staying positive. It has been a mantra I use very often. It's nice to look back, and remember, but it can take away from living fully in the present moment. Recently I went back to the town I grew up in, lovely little Tolland, Connecticut. A quiet cozy, corner of New England. Joe & I were on our way to a friend's wedding up in New Hampshire, and since we were passing right through I had to see it again!

As I pulled off the highway, it was all too familiar. I knew each curve of Mile Hill Road, and when I got to the house I grew up in, it was just as I remembered it. Hello, old friend. Since both of my parents have passed away, we sold the house years ago, so it's a bittersweet feeling to go back. Looking at the house, and remembering the past, and all that has changed, is a good reminder that life moves fast and you need to make the most of everyday.

As I ride my bike all over Hoboken, and feel the soft, summer breezes, I'm grateful to be young, happy and healthy. Each day I make conscious choices to take care of myself, eating well and exercising so I can live life to the fullest.

How do you make the most of each day? What are some of your healthy mantras? Please feel free to leave a comment. I'd love to hear from you.

Yesterday, my cousin Susan & I had a wonderful lunch. It was our 'Fieldtrip Thursday', and we had a busy afternoon planned. It all started with a colorful lunch.

This was so delicious, leftover black bean and mango salad, (I'll be posting this recipe soon) topped with roasted asparagus, avocado, lavender sea salt, and a side of fruit! Yum! I love using whatever I have in the fridge and creating something beautiful. Pairing leftovers with something fresh and healthy, takes only minutes and is good for your body and your budget.

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend! We are bracing ourselves for Hurricane Irene with a dinner party Saturday night. Woohoo!! Be well & stay safe.

Healthy Living Summit 2011: Philadelphia City of 'Sisterly' Love

2011-08-22T13:54:00.000-04:00

Feel so blessed and fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the Healthy Living Summit in Philadelphia, PA this past weekend. There were 225 healthy living passionate people...mostly bloggers there to come together as a community and meet one another face to face.

It kicked off Friday night with a wonderful cocktail party at Reading Terminal Market, where most of us newbie bloggers got star-struck meeting the 'celebrities' of the healthy living blog world.

I finally met Kath from Katheats....amazing!

And lots of other wonderful and talented women. Some of my new blogger buddies are:

Toni of Running Loving Living (shout out to my Long Island girl)

Ashley of Coffee Cake and Cardio

CJ of Happy Healthy Whole

Erin of the Grass Skirt Blog

Alli of Alli Learns Life

Brittney of Life in Holding Pattern

Tanya of Vegan Faith

Kelly of Foodie Fresh

Stephanie of Food and Fitness 4 Real

Andrea of Thin and Sweet

Heather of Running with Sass

Mary of Sisters Running to the Kitchen

Barbara of Bodyworks Integrative Health

No Philly cheese steaks for us, but pictures...absolutely!!

Lots to see and do, the weekend was packed with a full schedule of events. We were treated to a wonderful lunch with sandwiches and fresh baked bread from Great Harvest Bread Company. It was so delicious and wonderful to have everything made for you and prepared so nice.

The keynote speaker was Dawn Jackson Blatner the author of the new book 'The Flexitarian Diet'. She was outstanding. We all learned so much from her presentation and enjoyed hearing about her passion for living a healthy lifestyle. I even won a copy of her book and got her to sign it. She was a delight to meet in person, very funny and down to earth.

Saturday night dinner with the all the ladies! It was so great to be with others that take pictures of their food!

Ended with creamy, lovely gelato...yum!

hazelnut & chocolate for me, please

Sunday morning started with a 5K run/walk/talk to the Rocky steps and the summit ended with an delicious, warm oatmeal breakfast sponsored by Quaker Oats. Wonderful!

Have you had your oats today?

Lots to catch up on I'm outta here..

Be well!

Warm & Toasty

2011-08-19T07:44:00.000-04:00

My new favorite breakfast sandwich...thanks to Mama Pea and her wonderful new cookbook 'Peas & Thank You'.

Think grill cheese meets almond butter, cinnamon, banana and strawberries. Yum! This warm & toasty sandwich is a beautiful way to start your day. The recipe called for just strawberries, but I added banana and a little nutella. It was so wonderful...you must make this immediately!

There are really just no words to describe this gooey goodness....you need to make this today!!

Happy Friday everyone, have a wonderful weekend! Headed down to the Healthy Living Summit. I'm sure I'll have some great information to share with you next week.

Be well.

Black Bean Burgers

2011-08-15T23:10:00.000-04:00

Tonight was a first....made my own homemade veggie burger!

It was so much fun! The recipe came from my new 'Peas & Thank You' cookbook. Very easy to put together, the flavor was perfect, however it came out a little too mushy. The recipe called for 1/2 cup of ground oats, but I think it could have used a bit more. You can make veggie burgers with just about anything. Ours had black beans, oats, mushrooms, onions, garlic, cumin, soy sauce, lemon juice, and lots of other spices.

On the side a wonderful and refreshing watermelon, tomato & mango salad with a white wine vinegar dressing.

Don't you just love a good summer burger night?!

Hope you all are having a wonderful week...get into your kitchen, crack open a cookbook and try making your own unique burger.

Have fun & be well!

Eat your Peas & Thank You

2011-08-14T09:16:00.000-04:00

Happy rainy Sunday morning...a perfect time to blog about my new favorite cookbook.

This cookbook is written by Sarah Matheny who is another healthy living blogger/lawyer/mother of two.

I can't wait to try all these beautiful recipes. The photography is just gorgeous. This week I'm excited to have my two nieces staying in town, and they want to make the black bean and oat burgers (p. 136). Stay tuned for our post.

So far we've been having a fun day in Hoboken...lunched at The Taco Truck..great avocado & lime salad. Sorry I ate it so fast, I forgot to snap a photo. Walked around the waterfront.

Made a stop at LePore's Chocolates...for a few goodies.

And then to round out (us) and our food tour of Hoboken....

Johnny Pepperoni's for dinner!

Hope you all are having a wonderful weekend.

Pick up a copy of 'Peas and Thank You' it will inspire you to make new,delicious, healthy meals for your family.

Summer Oats

2011-08-10T14:09:00.000-04:00

I'm completely hooked on overnight oats! It's a cool and satisfying breakfast that will keep you happy all morning. If you haven't heard about them, I'll explain.

Overnight Oats

This does require thought and preparation the night before, but it takes minutes...and is so worth it in the morning!

The mix: 1/3 raw old fashioned oats & 1/2 cup of milk (or almond/soy milk)

Combine in a container the night before cover and refrigerate.

In the morning...add the rest of the yummy toppings. I usually add sliced fresh fruit, chia seeds, buckwheat groats and cinnamon. Lately I've also been crumbling a small slice of zucchini bread on top...oh my it takes it to a whole different level!!!

Give this a try for breakfast tomorrow. It's a wonderful way to start your day.

Let me know what you think?

My favorite part, no messy oatmeal pot to clean!!

A Peaceful Plate

2011-08-08T12:31:00.000-04:00

Back Home in New Jersey...and missing Vermont. It's such a peaceful place that people spell it out for all to see....

Lake Champlain was so pretty, we biked about 10 miles, and saw some wonderful views.

Renting bikes was the best, a great workout for your legs & outdoor activity to share with the ones you love.

The bike path was easy to follow, filled with shady places to keep cool.

As I fall back to my normal daily routine here in Hoboken, I'll try to keep calm and remember the peace and serenity of Vermont, with her gentle summer breezes and clean mountain air. I'll fill myself with the fresh produce of the summer...that looked so pretty in my basket at Sobsey's Market.

And I'll feel good about eating clean non-processed foods, salads and summer tomatoes!!!

Have a great day everyone, have lots to catch up on....get outside and enjoy!

What's your favorite summer fruit?

Greetings from Vermont!

2011-08-02T18:15:00.000-04:00

I'm just peachy up here in the green mountain state...loving the fresh AIR and summer breezes.

Ahhhhh!!!!! We cooked out on the grill and made smores last night, fun times!

On the menu, rosemary roasted potatoes...

Summer spinach salad with lavender sea salt, red peppers, cucumbers, avocado and tomato.

and corn in a pot....limited dishes up here! Hope you're having a great week....
Tomorrow's plan: Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and biking at the lake in Burlington. Be well, and try to get in all the beautiful colors and flavors of summer!

Family Fitness

2011-07-27T15:48:00.000-04:00

My brother Kevin is such an inspiration to me. Age wise we're twenty years apart, (thanks Mom!) and he's an amazing person and excellent runner. We recently ran a race on Long Island where we both walked away medal winners! This was my first medal ever competing in a race, and even through it was months ago...I'm still so proud of myself. I won 3rd place for my age group (and I'm on the top of that bracket), and Kevin won 1st for his age group!! Must be in the good genes.

I exercise regularly each week, but I don't train or prepare for 5K's. I just get out and run my heart out, clear my head and listen to my tunes...like 'ET' by Katy Perry, a great song to move to! I find that having all those other runners around me gets me really motivated. Their energy and spirit help keep me going and stay positive.

Try to find a 5K in your area, walk it or run it, ask a friend. It's a great way to help your community, raise money for charity, and get a workout in.

Post Run Fuel:

1. overnight oats or
2. whole grain toast/english muffin, nut butter, banana slices, chia seeds & cinnamon! Ahhhhhhh!!

Happy Running!

Cool as a Cucumber Juice

2011-07-22T19:22:00.000-04:00

Short on time, and need something to keep you cool....just juice!

With temperatures hot enough to bake cookies on your dashboard!!!....you need a cool and refreshing juice to keep you comfortable. Joe & I have been pulling out the good old Jack La Lanne Power Juicer, and we love trying all different varieties of fruit and vegetable juice. I know you have one, somewhere way back in a closet somewhere....probably a wedding shower gift that is still in the box. Well, it's time to bust it out and try this Green Goddess Juice, it will taste great, and it's an easy way to drink your vegetables.

The mix: 2 cucumbers, 1 green apple, 3 to 4 celery stalks, 1 kiwi, 1 zucchini and 1 lime.

This makes enough for 2 servings...maybe even 3, the cucumbers make so much juice! If you don't have a juicer...try this......

Kombucha!!! It's the best, bubbly and refreshing, with all kinds of healthy greens mixed in ready to drink. Stay cool and hydrated this weekend.

Health & happiness always!

Just Peachy

2011-07-18T08:17:00.000-04:00

A perfect weekend, a beach day, dinner out, and a bike ride along the water.

My cousin Susan and I are teachers, so we share the summer off and came up with 'Fieldtrip Thursdays'. Every week we plan out our adventures, and all of them include some type of food stop. Last week we toured through Eataly in the city. It's a wonderful Italian market. Susan inspired me to make these grilled peaches after buying almond honey.

The mix: peaches, honey, raw almonds, cinnamon, yogurt.

Honey Almond Grilled Peaches

1. Start by cutting open peaches, and removing the pits.
2. Toast raw almonds on a small cookie sheet at 350, for about 10-12 minutes or lightly brown. Set aside.
3. Add 1/2 the almonds into a small bowl of honey and combine.
4. Grill the peaches (on a non-stick grill surface) cut side down, or place them on a grill pan.
5. Grill them until you see nice grill marks, usually 5-7 minutes.
6. Place the warm and delicious peaches on a serving plate and drizzle the honey almond mixture over the top.
7. *optional if desired, add cinnamon and yogurt on top and enjoy!

This photo is not the best, but this dessert is......it's summer on a plate!!! You must try it! Have a wonderful week! Get outside and enjoy all the fruits of summer.

All smiles..for my zucchini oat muffins

2011-07-13T17:43:00.000-04:00

Happy face cooling rack for my yummy whole grain zucchini oat muffins!

Healthy Zucchini Oat Muffins

2 small zucchini, 1 cup shredded

1/2 cup canola oil

3/4 cup raw sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups of whole grain flour (I used oat & spelt)

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with paper cups. Yields: 12

2. Grate the zucchini using a box grater, or food processor. 1 cup

3. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Beat vigorously with a whisk until pale and creamy.

4. Add in the shredded zucchini and combine until blended.

5. In another bowl, prepare the dry ingredients. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, baking soda, and nuts. Add the flour mixture to the zucchini mixture and stir until combined.

6. Fill the batter into the prepared muffin cups, about 2/3 full.

7. Bake the muffins for 15-20 minutes depending on your oven. Check them after 15mins.

8. Remove from muffin pan, and let them cool completely on a wire cooling rack. *Smiley face optional

Enjoy them for a snack, or with a piece of fruit for a tasty breakfast treat!

Bye Bye Blackberry

2011-07-08T16:50:00.000-04:00

I have moved on....it's all about the I-Phone for me, and I'm loving it!

I'm also loving summertime, and that means bbq sauce. We held a little taste test at the gym, and more of you went for the flavors of BBQ sauce...B! This was a blueberry infused sauce, that would go perfectly on grilled chicken. Some of you have been asking for a low sugar sauce, so this sauce is sweetened only with the fruit, apple juice, and honey. Delicious!!

Homemade Healthy BBQ Sauce

1/3 cup blueberries
1/2 cup apple juice
1 tbs honey, or raw sugar, or agave nectar
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 onion, grated or minced
1/2 tbs olive oil
2 tsp liquid smoke
1 tbs worcestershire sauce
5 tbs tomato puree
pinch of cayenne
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp lemon juice

1. In a small saucepan, heat up olive oil on medium heat, add the minced onion. After about 4 to 5 minutes, add the garlic until you can smell that beautiful fragrance...continue to stir.

2. Then add all the rest of the ingredients, stir and heat up to a low boil...watching it closely. Once it has boiled, reduce heat to a low simmer. Use the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to smash the blueberries. The sauce will thicken up. After about 15-20 minutes, remove from heat, and let cool.

That's it, super easy and ready to be used at your next cook out.
Give it a try, and let me know what you think.
Have a wonderful weekend! Get out there, smile & enjoy the sunshine.

Feel the Summer Sunshine

2011-07-01T11:36:00.000-04:00

Took a walk this morning to feel the warm energy of the summer sun....and found someone else doing the same thing. I love this city, and the calm before a big 4th of July holiday weekend. My cousin Susan and I started celebrating early by making a tomato tart last night. The inspiration came from my friends Joy & Brian, and the Barefoot Contessa's recipe for a tomato & goat cheese tart, but I had to switch things up for a healthier version.

We put caramelized onions, fresh thyme, white wine, goat cheese and tomatoes into a whole wheat tart crust. And topped it with a little more cheese and fresh basil. It was under an hour from start to finish, and we loved it!

Pair it with a green salad, friends, a cold drink and you have all you need for a wonderful weekend celebrating the start of July. Wishing you all a happy & healthy holiday weekend.

City View

2011-06-27T18:47:00.001-04:00

I love summer in the city....

Hope you all had a relaxing weekend. Central Park was buzzing on Saturday...music playing, picnics, and everyone smiling enjoying the amazing weather. Makes me want to picnic & eat salad...

Today I made a 'what's in my vegetable bin salad'?

and a side of watermelon.

Just a mixture of all kinds of veggies, beans and some homemade croutons made with day old, organic wheat bread. It was delicious! I coated the bread with a little olive oil, and toasted under the broiler, and tossed it with the beans & veggies so it soaked up the vinegar dressing-it was off the charts good! Placed it on a bed of mixed greens and chopped up some fresh basil...thank you summer for all these fresh flavors.

What's in your favorite salad?

Summer Reads

2011-06-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

I just started reading a really wonderful book called 'Food Matters, a Guide to Conscious Eating' by Mark Bittman. It's packed with some interesting information, and last night I read the chapter on meat and farming. I never realized how much meat we consume as a nation. Yikes!

And today, after reading all about the meat industry, I'm happy to eat a vegetarian lunch and catch up with an old friend. Today will be all about a ladies lunch, veggies, grains and fresh fruit! Can't wait to see Stacey and her beautiful twin babies!

Here are some other titles on my reading list:

Spark, a Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain by John J. Ratey, MD

The Food Bible, by Judith Wills

Freedom, by Jonathan Franzen

What are you reading this summer?

2011-06-23T07:07:00.001-04:00

Feelin' Fruity

2011-06-21T17:49:00.000-04:00

Welcome Summer!!
We've missed you....and are so glad you're back! I hope everyone is enjoying this first day of summer. I can't get enough of all the wonderful colors in a fruit salad. I always try to add a variety of colors through out my day, I hope you are too. I also add variety to my workout routine...tonight free yoga at the pier, yippee!!

health & happiness,
Lynda

Garlicky Goodness

2011-06-20T18:41:00.000-04:00

Roasted garlic olive oil is super easy to make, and is a wonderful, homemade hostess gift to give your friends & family. It all starts with a few bulbs of garlic, olive oil, salt & pepper.

Now, here comes my favorite part....take a large knife, and smash the cloves, just enough to crack the shell. Place them on cookie sheet, drizzle with a little olive oil, salt & pepper. Roast in the oven at 350 degrees, for about 20-25 minutes. Check them after 15 minutes and give them a bit of a shake. They are done when they are a little toasted, but not too crunchy.

Take them out of the oven and let cool, until you can handle the cloves. Remove the skin and chop or mince the cloves on a cutting board. Place them in a glass jar or tupperware container. Then pour about 3/4 of the bottle of olive oil over the garlic, stir and let marinate. The longer it marinates, the better it gets! Add a little more salt & pepper.

And just like magic you have a great homemade gift, or a wonderful oil to use while you cook, most of the time we enjoy eating it with Dom's Bakery bread, right here in Hoboken. You might want to try it with some whole grain bread. Delicious!! Try it and let me know what you think.

Dad's Oatmeal Power Breakfast

2011-06-19T08:49:00.000-04:00

Happy father's day to all the Dads out there! Oatmeal was one of my Dad's favorite breakfasts, besides Entenmenn's crumb cake. He taught me many lessons, but the importance of a healthy breakfast is one of my favorites. I wake up and head right to the kitchen, just like Dad. After all it is the most important meal of the day...it starts you off on the right foot.

Try this basic oatmeal recipe and you'll feel satisfied all morning. Ready to tackle any job. This ones for you Dad, we love you & miss you.

1/2 cup old fashioned oats
1 cup of milk, or (1/2 milk & 1/2 water)
dash of salt

1. Boil milk or water and salt.
2. Stir in oats & cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat; stir occasionally

toppings: 1/2 of banana
               sprinkle of wheat germ, ground flax seeds, and/or chia seeds
               cinnamon
               blueberries or raspberries
               handful of chopped walnuts

Farmer's Market Lunch

2011-06-17T17:47:00.000-04:00

What's a girl to do with all the goodies from the uptown Hoboken farmer's market?

Well, make lunch of course....it's all about the colors, try to get as many different colors in as you can. I always feel healthier when I eat really clean and try to stay away from processed foods. I also like to plate my food in beautiful, little cups or bowls, something that makes me smile. I'm a sucker for pretty plates!

Today's Menu: watermelon & tomato basil salad

                                 roasted chicken breast on mixed greens, red pepper & scallions
                                   pretty cup of color: spring peas, carrots & raspberries

      and of course a sprinkle of lavender sea salt....yum! It was perfect on the watermelon salad.

I hope this inspires you to make a colorful meal this weekend. Happy Friday!

health & happiness,
Lynda

Summer Quinoa Salad

2011-06-15T13:33:00.000-04:00

Make this amazing salad for your next picnic, and enjoy these beautiful days of summer!

1 can black beans, rinsed & drained
1 cup of quinoa
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cucumber, diced
1 cup of diced colored peppers, red, orange, or green
parsley
cilantro
1 tbs dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil ( you might not need it all)
1 to 2 cloves of garlic
2 green onions, diced
crushed red pepper flakes
top with diced avocado, peanuts, or sunflower seeds

1. Boil 1 cup of quinoa with 2 cups of water and a pinch of salt for 15 minutes, fluff with a fork & let cool.

2. In the meantime, put the black beans, tomato, cucumber, peppers into a serving bowl. Chop parsley & cilantro, about 5 sprigs of each, and add to the bowl.

3. To make the dressing, put the green onions, garlic, red pepper flakes, 3 parsley & cilantro sprigs, 1 tbs mustard, balsamic vinegar into a food processor or blender. Add the olive oil slowly and process until smooth.

4. Once the quinoa is done & cool, add the dressing, stir all together with the bean & vegetable mixture. Garnish with cilantro & diced avocado, seeds or nuts.

I enjoy having the salad on a bed of mixed greens, but it's wonderful all by itself. A great salad to have in the fridge, as you run around this summer. Enjoy, let me know what you think.....

health & happiness,
Lynda

Hello Flat Belly!

2011-06-14T20:37:00.000-04:00

Here's to my favorite time of year.... Happy Summer 2011! Here are six foods to help you keep that flat belly and enjoy a summer of beaches, bbq's and boardwalks.

Summer essentials that should make it into your shopping cart each week:

1. Quinoa: an easy to cook whole grain, double the protein of brown rice. A wonderful base to any summer salad.

2. Green Tea: super antioxidant, speeds up metabolism to help you burn fat, a clean way to start your morning.

3. Avocado: a heart healthy fruit, full of fiber, potassium, vitamin B & E, and folic acid, try it on your next salad, it's creamy and delicious.

4. Eggs: scrambled, hard-boiled, or sunny side up, eggs pack a powerful protein punch. Try them for any meal, they are an 'eggcellent' way to slim down for summer.

5. Grapefruit: full of vitamin C and fiber this fruit helps to reduce cholesterol & insulin levels, which lead to faster weight loss.

6. Kefir: a probiotic bacteria, with B vitamins & amino acids, promotes healthy digestion, packed with calcium & magnesium, important minerals for a healthy nervous system, to calm your nerves. Try it in your next smoothie.

Hope you try a few of these healthy foods over the next few months.

health & happiness,
Lynda