The Super Soup

As the weather starts to go through sporadic bouts of hot and cold, the flu starts to attack and everyone seems to be getting sick.  Instead of reaching of a chemically packed supplement like Emergen-c (who's first ingredient is sugar and second is a preservative), boost your immunity with this soup the natural way.

Mushrooms are nature's natural immunity booster. Research has shown that Shiitake mushrooms lower cholesterol and also appear to be effective against some of the more serious viruses we face today. This soup is yummy, easy to make and keeps for a few days in the fridge.


Serves 4 to 6

Need:
1 small yellow onion, chopped 
4 cloves garlic, sliced 
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 
1 teaspoon ground turmeric 
8 fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced 
4 cups low-sodium mushroom, vegetable or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
1 1/2 cups fresh kale 
1 cup cubed butternut squash (or sweet potatoes will work too)
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger 
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional) (I added quite a bit to jumpstart the metabolism) 
6 thin slices astragalus root (optional) (I left this out because my store didn't sell it)
Juice of 1 fresh lemon 
15 oz cooked chickpeas (rinsed and drained if you use canned)
1 teaspoon mellow white miso


Do:
In a sauce pot over medium-high heat, saute onion and garlic in oil 3 minutes. Add turmeric and mushrooms. Saute 2 minutes. Add broth, squash, ginger, cayenne and astragalus. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 10-12 minutes. Add kale and chickpeas and continue to simmer for a few more minutes until kale turns bright green. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, add lemon juice and miso (adding miso when still very hot will diminish its probiotic benefits). Cover and let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Recipe adapted from WholeFoods.com. Images via WholeFoods.com and Pinterest. 

Kickin' It Old School

Peanut butter was a staple of my diet as a child.  Peanut butter and cheese sandwiches were the lunch for me and my brother (I know, weird combo but we loved them!) Nowadays, peanut butter is frowned upon because it’s the number one pesticided item and people think it’ll make you fat.  What they don’t know is if you get organic you’re in the clear and if it’s got more nutrients and GOOD fat in it then those hundred calorie packs that always seem to leave you hungry for more and laced with preservatives.

So when snack time calls, rely on this old favorite supercharged with a superfood: Goji Berries.  Just like Maca in Silver’s Power Balls, Goji berries are an adaptogen. It can adapt to grow in places with harsh winters or no winters at all (I wish I could do that). It’s low glycemic, packed with protein, high in antioxidants, got more iron than spinach, more beta carotene than carrots and the list goes on and on...

It took me 30 seconds to make this, truly making healthy easy!  This ‘recipe’ is great because it combines a plant (celery) with protein (peanut butter) and a superfood (goji berries).

Guaranteed kids will love this.

Red Ants on a Log

Grab:

Organic Celery

Organic Peanut Butter (Organic is key here! And if you're thinking of grabbing JIF brand, you're better off drinking a bottle of Windex.)

Goji Berries (believe it or not, I bought mine on Amazon.com)

Grab a stalk of celery – wash and cut the ends

Spread with Organic Peanut Butter (or any nut butter of your liking)

Sprinkle with as many goji berries as possible

Enjoy!

Better Than Pumpkin Pie!

At the farmers market this weekend, I grabbed two of the cutest little pumpkins. At the moment I didn’t know what I would do with them as I’ve never used a pumpkin for another other then decorations, but they begged for me to take them home.  I did some research about pumpkins and came across this delightful recipe for Pumpkin Bars from Elana’s Pantry. These bars are so moist, delicious and perfect for fall! They remind me of pumpkin bread my Aunt used to make for Thanksgiving when I was young. And were very easy to make! One of the little pumpkins fit into the palm of my hand and it was the perfect amount of pumpkin needed for the recipe (and they were 75 cents each - can't beat it!) . 

Better Than Pumpkin Pie

Need:

½ cup pumpkin puree**

½ cup agave nectar

2 eggs

1 cup blanched almond flour

¼ teaspoon celtic sea salt

½ teaspoon baking soda

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cloves

Do:

**To make the pumpkin puree:

Wash pumpkin and carefully cut in half (use your muscles as sometimes they can be tough to cut). Scoop out seeds with a metal spoon. Place pumpkin face down in a baking dish that has about ¼” of water in it. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until tender when poked with a fork. Remove from oven and scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Throw away the skin.                        

In a food processor or vitamix combine pumpkin, agave and eggs and pulse for 2 minutes

Pulse dry ingredients into wet for a full minute, until well combined

Pour batter into a greased 8x8 inch pan

Bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes

Let cool before cutting and enjoy!

Photos taken from Jess's iPhone

Healthy Eating on a Ramen Noodle Budget

Food shopping sucks up a large proportion of my monthly budget especially when the shopping cart is full of all organic stuff -- it adds up! I'm always looking for ways to save money and spend less.  So I've put together some of my best tips and tricks to stay healthy and not broke. Here as some details and how you can join:

Healthy Eating on a Ramen Noodle Budget
Thursday, October 27
6:30pm-8pm
in the Lithe Method Old City
4th Floor Conference Room
at 219 Cuthbert Street
Philadelphia, PA
You can purchase your ticket by clicking here - There are only 6 spots left!

Words of Wisdom.

Here are some brief highlights from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition’s Conference that I attended in NY this past weekend.  I was one of over 4,000 health coaches who attended.  It was a fun-filled, information packed, and inspiring weekend.

“The absence of speaking is what keeps people ill.” – Joshua Rosenthal

“Restrictive eating patterns in children and teenagers lead to an increased risk of obesity and other eating disorders.” – Sally Fallon Morrell

“Eating eggs for breakfast resulted in greater weight loss and better energy levels than eating two bagels, even though the number of calories was about the same.” - Sally Fallon Morrell

“Federal rules for school meals place a limit on FAT in meals, but no limit on SUGAR.” - Sally Fallon Morrell

“Viruses replicate and mutate when we are not nutritionally fulfilled.” – Joel Furman

“Childhood diets are the major cause of adult cancers. “ – Joel Furman

“Food and lifestyle is the medicine that will prevent any disease.” – Dr. David Katz

“There is a constant flow of marketing dollars to get us to eat highly processed foods.” – Dr. David Katz

In 1990, obesity rates in the US were less then 15% in every state.  Now, only about twenty years later, every state is exceeding a 20% obesity rate. Pennsylvania has a 25-29% obesity rate.  Meaning if you and three friends get together for a night, one of you is obese.  – Dr. Mark Hyman

“There’s a 73% increase in obesity in 6 month old babies since 1980.”  - Dr. Mark Hyman

“When we dream together it becomes a reality.”  - Deepak Chopra

“Be free of criticism and flattery. Which means you feel beneath no one and superior to no one.” – Deepak Chopra

“Learn to be comfortable with ambiguity.” – Deepak Chopra


If you are interested in learning more about the school I’m attending, please let me know. Mentioning my name will grant you access to the latest tuition scholarship.

Silver's Power Balls

I’ve found gold! Well, not really, but something just as good. MACA. It’s a radish-looking root that grows in the Andes of Bolivia and Peru.  Back in the day, Incan warriors would eat it in preparation for an intense battle, as it was known to increase stamina and strength.  It is also an adaptogen, which helps the body regulate and adapt to stress (google it). It’s perfect for any athlete, physically active, or stressed individual.  I've been consuming it the past few days and have seen a significant difference in my energy level. 

This recipe goes out to my best friend Lauren.  She’s running the Philly Rock-N-Roll half marathon this weekend.   How she has the strength and stamina to run for hours straight always blows me away.  I unfortunately will not be there in person to cheer her on due my attendance at the world’s largest health coaching conference in NYC, but a will be there in spirit (GO LAUREN!) 

If you’re looking for some energy, put down the coffee, Gatorade and/or power bar and grab what I’ve named Silver’s Power Balls. These balls are raw, vegan, gluten-free.

Silver’s Power Balls

Need:

¼ cup Maca Powder (I use Navitas Naturals which you can get at Whole Foods)

¼ cup Almond Butter

1 cup dates (about 8 – don’t forget to remove the pits!)

1 tsp vanilla extract

¼ tsp sea salt

¼ cup chopped almonds

¼ cup unsweetened coconut

Do:

Soak dates in water for about 10 minutes.  Drain water and place in food processor or vita mix and blend into a sticky paste.  Add remaining ingredients and processes until a thick sticky dough as formed (it should be sticky enough to roll into small balls.) If dough is too sticky, add more chopped walnuts. If dough is too dry, add a little water a teaspoon at a time. Roll into little one-inch balls and enjoy.  Refrigerate leftovers.   If you’re not a fan of almond butter you could try replacing it with peanut butter. Just make sure it’s organic as peanuts are the #1 pesticide item.

Photo and Recipe adapted from Navitasnaturals.com. Other photos via Jess and Lauren. 

"Chick-a-pea" Burgers

I have a friend who calls chickpea’s “chick-a-peas”.  They’re also known as garbanzo beans. Whatever you call them, these little balls are packed with fiber and protein.  Those are two things you should fill yourself with to ward off sugar cravings and blood sugar spikes and dips.  If you purchase canned “chick-a-peas”, I recommend buying Eden Brand.  They don’t use BPA in their cans and cook their beans with kombu which aids the digestion of legumes.

These chickpea burgers are a staple.  When I know a busy week is coming my way, I make these and keep them in the fridge to grab throughout the week.  Place on top of a salad or top with avocado and eat with veggies. I also froze a bunch, wrapped in plastic wrap and let them thaw for a day in my fridge prior to eating.  The recipe is from a favorite cookbook of mine, A Year in a Vegetarian Kitchen.

Chickpea Burgers

(makes about 8)

2 15oz cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained

½ cup parsley leaves

2 medium garlic cloves, peeled

½ teaspoon ground cumin

½ teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

¼ cup gluten-free all purpose flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

Place chickpeas, parsley, garlic, cumin, and pepper flakes in a food processor or vitamix.

Blend until smooth, periodically stopping to scrape the sides. 

Place mixture a bowl and stir in flour and salt to taste.  Shape into about eight 3-inch wide patties.

Heat 1 ½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium heat, until simmering.

Add chickpea burgers and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. 

Flip burgers carefully and drizzle remaining oil around the edges of the pan.

Cook until golden brown on second side, just a few minutes. 

Let cool and enjoy!

Images via Google

A Secret From The Retail World.

A secret from the retail world: Your tag doesn’t always tell the truth.

As the sun sets earlier, the air gets a chill and we reach to the back of our closets for blue jeans and chunky sweaters, as women, we notice things may not fit quite like they used to 5 months ago when we replaced these items for tank tops and shorts.  Whether you’re going out to grab a new size or add a snazzy new shirt to the closet we are all victims of vanity sizing.  [GASP]

What is vanity sizing?

Ever notice that you’ll be a certain size in one store and be a completely different one in another?  Most retailors, particularly the more corporate ones, will skew the measurements on their sizes to play off of the enjoyment that women get when they need to grab a smaller size then they expected.  Sorry to break it to you, but more then likely you didn’t drop a few inches crossing the mall from Nordstroms to Gap.  If your clothes are your gauge on workouts and weight-loss, try to pick one pair of pants and one top to be your ‘measurement’ clothes. But also keep in mind, your weight does fluctuate on a daily basis because of environmental factors. 

When I worked in the retail world, I tried my usual size in our brands clothes and found it was too big.  I even tried a size smaller and still had no luck.  Sure it was a boost in the confidence for a split second but I knew I couldn’t be smaller then an XS as all my clothes at home were screaming “this is a lie!” so loud from Philadelphia, I could hear them all the way out in Bensalem. 

So if those little tags are lying, we really shouldn’t put so much stock into them and have them be the barometer of our moods and whether or not we’ll enjoy ourselves at a meal or even throughout the day, week or month. My hope is that one-day women will be ripping the tags out of their pants just like the women of the 60’s burned their bras.    

If you would like to read more about vanity sizing, this is an article from the NY Times.