A Great Grain.

One of the topics this week in school is about carbohydrates, the effects of high-carb vs. no-carb diets and carb pros and cons.  I’ve been experimenting with some recipes and new grains and found the characteristics of millet particularly interesting.

Millet is quite old, dating back thousands of years and is an extremely nutritious and hardy crop that grows well under harsh or dry conditions. This sparked my interest since food has energy, which is transferred to the human or animal upon consumption and digestion.  Therefore, I thought this would be a perfect grain to try out since I’ve been lithing quite a lot putting my body under more then normal strenuous activity.  Millet is also gluten-free and is soothing especially for indigestion or morning sickness. It’s also great to eat in rainy weather.  With the monsoons we’ve been having, this is perfect timing.

I made this recipe prior to teaching a class at 8:15pm. I’ll often get home after a late class and be hungry for another meal but this kept me satiated and full of energy until 9am the next morning, something that rarely happens for me since I get hungry every two hours these days. That is another great characteristic of whole grains.  They are absorbed slowly by the body providing sustainable and high-quality energy. 

Curried Millet

You’ll need:

1 cup millet (rinsed) – you can find this in the bulk aisle

½ cup crushed cashews

3 tablespoons pumpkin seeds

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups water

Do:

Boil the water in a pot

Place remaining ingredients in the pot, bring to boil 

Cover and reduce heat to low, and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed

Fluff with a fork and enjoy warm

Image via pinterest

A Real Cut Above.

Watermelon has always been my favorite food.  If you leave me alone in a room with a watermelon, I will eat the whole thing.  It’s sweet, juiciness is extra special on a warm summer day.  A perfect cooling, hydrating treat!

The only issue is getting a knife through some of these suckers. Trying to cut up a watermelon can sometimes feel like a Hulk Hogan wrestling match. It’s a battle. Besides, who likes to work for their food? I don’t.

So invest in this weapon: kuhn rikon watermelon knife. It’s light as a feather and makes cutting through the toughest largest melon effortless! It has little melon seed holes on the blade that prevent the fruit from sticking as you cut. So now you can grab a great melon from the farmers market and get cutting. Only a few more weeks left of summer! Others have told me about their success with this knife on other melons such as cantaloupe, honeydew and even some winter squash as the weather turns. It's also available for purchase on Amazon and Williams and Sonoma. 

Images via Pinterest

Crunchy.

I love granola. I had been making my own for quite some time but find that it never tastes as good as when it comes right out of the oven, hot and crunchy.  And certain store bought kinds make my stomach start talking and blood sugar spike, only to crash later on, leaving me reaching for more in merely an hour.

Meet Purely Elizabeth, “a line of all-natural and organic foods using nutritious alternative grains and superfood seeds, free of sugar, dairy, wheat and gluten.” The owner, Elizabeth, graduated from the school I am currently attending back in 2007.  Her granola can be found at Essene Market (I only know Whole Foods on South Street sells her baking products. I have yet to see her granola). You can also order online directly from her website and it get’s to you relatively quickly since they’re located in NYC.

Her granola comes in three flavors: cranberry pecan, original and pumpkin fig. All yummy! And they’re made with organic ingredients, gluten free oats, and low-glycemic sweeteners that won’t send you for a roller coaster ride.  Or make you feel guilty if you indulge with it just a bit. Purely Elizabeth granola also has quinoa (hello protein!) and chia seeds (omega-3 fatty acids, you need them)– something you don’t find very often in granola.

I enjoy having some in the morning with some plain coconut milk yogurt and berries from the farmers market or sprinkled on top of my salad for an extra crunch. 

Images from PurelyElizabeth.com

Come on, puddin'!

As a kid, I would always eat those chocolate pudding snack packs. Even Adam Sandler was eating them in Billy Madison. I was never a fan of yogurt but was always jealous of people who would peel off the foil tops on their yogurts and lick them like it was whipped goodness. Well, I one-upped them by whipping out my puddin' cup and licking the chocolate covered foil cover on that. Ha! Oh middle school lunch table wars...sorry, I digress.

Since then I have stopped licking foil and haven't had a cup of chocolate flavored vegetable oil, milk, and sugar  in quite some time. But I still love anything smooth, creamy and sweet! Especially this pudding recipe. It's another one that I'll eat directly out of the vitamix because it's just too good to wait for it to hit a bowl.

Avocado Banana Pudding
2 bananas, peeled (best to use really ripe ones since they're sweeter)
1/2 avocado
2 or 3 pitted dates


Combine bananas, avocado and dates in vitamix or food processor and puree until smooth.  If you'd like a topping, strawberries or blueberries taste great. It's a perfect (easy!) after dinner treat. Enjoy!

If you're going to save some for later, cover with plastic wrap but press it down directly on top of the pudding to keep it from turning really brown.

Images from Pinterest

Meet The Ice Cream Lovers.

My family should really consider changing our last name to 'Ice Cream Lovers'.   How cool would it be to say, "Yes, were going out to dinner with 'The Ice Cream Lovers' tonight." Ha! Each one of my family members has an obsession loves ice cream. Growing up we would spend every hot humid night at the shore standing in line at dairy queen waiting for creamy chocolatey goodness. My family loves ice cream so much that when my brother was younger and he wouldn't take his allergy pills, my mom would put it in ice cream. He got to eat ice cream every day! So not fair! But along with daily trips to DQ I could never figure out why I would get severe stomach aches. Even doctors didn't know what it was.

Well now we know, I'm allergic to dairy. So this really puts a damper on my love for ice cream. And dairy-free store bought ice cream doesn't always do the trick. I've found a few spots that will satisfy my love such as Franklin Fountain (I love their soy chocolate ice cream!) but FF is not down the shore. Just last week, Mom of 'The Ice Cream Lovers' bought a ice cream maker. I don't know why she didn't do this sooner. We tested out a recipe for dairy free coconut chocolate chip ice cream and it was TO DIE FOR! The recipe comes from Elena's Pantry and was so easy to make. 15-20 min tops! Even Dad of 'The Ice Cream Lovers' raved about it!

New Heights.

Clockwise: Mom and me at the top looking into the crater, aerial picture of Mount Liamuiga,  mom and O'Neill,  the slope of the crater 

Over the 4^th of July, my family high-tailed it to St. Kitts in celebration of my parent’s 30^th wedding anniversary.  Upon the lovely island of St. Kitts  sits  Mount Liamuiga, a 3,792 foot tall volcano.  Not being much of a hiker (or outdoorsy person in general), I don’t know what in my right mind had me determined to climb this monster.  At first I thought I would have to do it alone, but my mom decided to join for the adventure as well.  What about my brother and dad? Well, they decided to leave this to the ladies.  Boy, did they miss out!

Prior to making our hiking reservation we were warned multiple times that this was a “strenuous” activity.  About a two hour hike up and two hour hike down, if we were moving at a good pace.  O’Neill, our guide, was a 65 year old local who had been doing this hike since he was 19.  This man had the kindest heart, but he sure didn’t care for slow hikers.  Nor did he sweat a drop.  It was just the three of us, my mom, O’Neill and myself on the hike.

The entire way up he would tell us these stories of people who thought they were physically fit (had a personal trainer, would go to the gym, etc) and they would never make it to the top because they were so winded and exhausted (insert him laughing here). Or people who would get lost trying to take pictures which caused O’Neill to hike for over 8 hours trying to find them.  He enjoyed adding in at the end that one of the lost souls, “was cryin’ like a baby” when he found him.  

This hike was 4 straight hours of hipster lunges on the tall box at Lithe Method.  As we got closer to the top, it got extremely steep and we were basically climbing up the side of rocks. O’Neill kept telling me to “put your foot where your hand is” and he also remarked that my legs were short since I had to stand on my toes to do so.  My mom and I drank as much water as my backpack could hold and I could carry, but didn’t have to take a ‘washroom break’ the whole hike since we were sweating buckets.

I was expecting the top to be similar to a little flat area with maybe a picnic table for us to eat the lunch and snacks we brought. WRONG.  You had to perch yourself on a rock and hope that your feet didn’t slip out from under you as you nibbled on some local banana bread and sipped on fruit juice. But, the view from the top was breathtaking. And the sense of accomplishment knowing that it was your two feet that took you up that high in the sky, was so worth it. Not only that but witnessing my 58 year old mother determined to get to the top still gives me goosebumps. 

I'm up to something.

illustration by eva hjeltel at peppercookies.com

46 days have passed since I said goodbye to a windowless cubical in the corporate world. A difficult, scary, exciting and invigorating decision.  But the best decision I've ever made.  I worked in the retail world where I used to think a great outfit could put a smile on your face. I quickly realized that no matter what you put on the outside, you needed to be healthy and happy on the inside first. Meanwhile, I also came to the realization that I was allergic to dairy. (yes, that means I can't eat ice cream, cheese, milk, cream, or butter).  On the quest to cut it out of my life, my hunger for health and information on a diary free life grew rapidly.

Fast forward to today.  I am enrolled in the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and the official program started yesterday. I will learn about how food and lifestyle effect our health, happiness and well being. I'll also be trained on how to counsel other people to improve their life and reach their health goals.
The journey has just begun...

Off to Sugar City!

Ironically, I will be visiting Sugar City next week. (Ironic because I’ve been working on putting the kibosh on my sugar cravings with the help of Ali Shapiro – more on this and her later). 

Sugar City is located in St. Kitts, a small Caribbean island. Sugar City acquired this name from it’s history of growing sugar cane. Now it’s more likely known for it’s ‘sugary sand beaches’.  

Besides swimming in the blue sea, eating lots of local seafood, and working on my tan I plan on hiking the volcano on the island. It’s an 8 hour, strenuous hike. Let’s keep in mind I am not an avid hiker. My daily ‘hikes’ involve trudging up the bike and stroller ramps on the city sidewalks of Philadelphia as I walk to Lithe Method.  I hope I survive.  

I’ll be sure to share my experience with you when I return. Until then, have a wonderful 4th of July! 

xoxo 

                     Jessica

Egg-cellent!

Since eggs are almost always breakfast for me, I have fallen in love with my handy, dandy egg cooker! Hard boiled, soft boiled, or perfectly poached this little cooker does it all. Sure, we all know how to boil water and put some eggs in it. But how many times do you take them out too early (unknown to you!) to find a liquid center that makes you gag? Or you want them not too hard, not to soft, but just right? 

The multitasker.

You can perfectly poach 2 eggs at a time or hard boil 7 at once. You can decide who hard, soft or in between you want them. Once everything is set up, just turn it on and walk away. It has a buzzer loud enough that you could be having a dance party in the other room, music blasting and know that your eggs are done. 

Easy!

Once you’ve decided what kind of eggs you want, measure out the amount of water to add with the little container they provide for you. If your hard boiling, the little container has a pin at the end of it which you use to poke a hole in each egg so you don’t get that gross greenish yolk. Then place your eggs and find something else to do. No need to clean a pot, pan, or spatula when you’re done. 

Good Price. 

It’s only $25.66 for it from Amazon.

Need For Speed.

The work week can get quite busy and we often turn to what's quick and easy which often comes at the forfeit of our health. I often spend my Sunday's (or any greater chunk of free time) planning, food shopping, prepping and even making a few meals and snacks for the week. This makes my meals convenient, relaxing and easy without compromising how healthy I'm eating or how good I'm feeling. 

What’s the trick? Plan ahead! Before you go food shopping plan your meals for the week. I know it can take some of the excitement out of the nagging question "what do I feel like eating today" but this question and various answers you provide can take up your valuable time. If you plan ahead, then that time previously devoted to answering that question can be channeled to eating your meal and relaxing. And we all need a few extra minutes of relaxation during the day don't we?! 

These cute little notepads can help make the planning fun and keep you organized.  Once you have this list complete, make your shopping list based on what you have and what you need for the recipes for the week. This will also help keep your impulsive grocery shopping down and keep your trip quick. Happy Shopping!

Buy What to Eat notepads here

Whip It Good.

As the weather turns warm and ice cream cravings are on the rise, it can be difficult to stay dairy free when it comes to cooling treats. Well, fear not my friends as there is a little gem that cools my heart called Banana Whip. Don’t let the ‘whip’ in the name fool you.  It’s cold, creamy goodness only has one ingredient: frozen bananas!

Often times I’ll make it at home in my vitamix.  I’ll freeze my bananas that are looking like they only have a day or two left in their lifetime. (Don’t forget to peel them first before freezing. I learned that the hard way!) Pop 2 bananas and a teaspoon of water in my vitamix and blend until it’s smooth and creamy.  Periodically, I’ll have to stop and scrape the sides of the vitamix before continuing. But the end result is quite divine.  Half the time, I can’t even wait for it to hit the bowl before eating it.

If you spend some summer sunshine in Ocean City, NJ the boardwalk sources this heavenly treat at Bashful Banana. Many thanks to my best friend LS for introducing me to this place.  Not only does it have Banana Whip, but it also has gluten-free and dairy-free items on their menu.  That’s hard to come by in a land of Johnson’s Caramel Corn and Mac and Manco’s Pizza! 

If you are stuck in the concrete jungle of Philadelphia, turn to FUEL on 12th and Walnut for your Banana Whip. You can get it to go and venture to Washington Square to enjoy it on a park bench beneath the shade of a giant tree. 

Looking to avoid the sugar spike? Top your whip with some unsweetened coconut to keep that sugar level stable. 

Nah na na na, nah na, nah nah, whip it good!

Balls O' Bliss

A fabulous afternoon, pre-lithe snack that I am currently hooked on are these coconut macaroons.  They are so easy to make and so yummy to eat I guarantee you'll be hooked too! I'll eat a few in the afternoon to keep me going until dinner time.  

GRAB:

8 dates (you'll need to soak them for 30 minutes)

1 medium banana

1 cup unsweetened coconut 

DO:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Remove pits from dates and place in Vitamix or blender with your banana

Blend until a smooth paste-like consistency

Remove from blender and mix with coconut

Take 1 Tablespoon of the mixture and roll into small ball

Place on parchment lined cookie sheet (repeat with remainder of mixture)

Bake for 10-15 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom

DONE!

If you make them, let me know how you like them!

Thank you Ali Shapiro for this recipe!