For the Love of Food

Roasted Baby Turnips with Spicy Mustard Dressing

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Thu, 23 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

No one should ever have to weedwack their entire lawn. Ever.

Unless, perhaps, you have teenagers and want to punish them... Unfortunately, I don't, so I got to experience the punishment for myself.

Earlier this year, my partner and I began renting a house from family members who are currently living overseas. I was excited at the thought of renting an entire house, however, it never occurred to me that with the amazing deal they were giving us, it also meant we had to do a lot of work.

It didn't even cross my mind that I would need to mow the lawn. That is, until I noticed that our grass was about a foot and half taller than the yards on both sides of us. Oops.

The grass was so tall, in fact, that the lawnmower repeatedly stalled when I tried to mow it. And that is when I came up with the brillant idea to weedwack the entire lawn and then mow it. Two and a half hours of the most intense work ever, I felt like the biggest idoit on the planet. Well, at least I did until I woke up the next morning and saw how amazing my arms looked.

So, in summary, don't ever let your lawn get long enough that you need to weedwack it, but if you do, just know that you'll look great afterwards.

And, if any of you have suggestions about a smarter way I could have handled the lawn situation, I'll take 'em. Maybe I can even trade you a recipe for some landscaping advice... Roasted baby turnips, anyone?

Aren't these baby turnips the cutest things on the planet? (Is it weird to call a vegetable cute...?)

One of my favorite parts of spring is all the baby veggies: baby beets, teeny tiny radishes, and baby spinach. I can't get enough.

In case you've never had a turnip before, the best way I could describe them is a mellow radish. I especially like the baby turnips in spring because they are sweeter and more mellow than the larger turnips. If you buy turnips with their greens still attached, I recommend using the greens as well. They can be sauteed, added to a stir fry, or even roasted like these radish greens.

This recipe would be fabulous with any roasted root veggie, but I love the combination of the spicy mustard with the turnips. I did not add any oil prior to roasting since I knew I would be dipping them in the dressing, but you could use coconut oil (or another oil suitable for high-heat cooking) if desired. Larger turnips would also work in this recipe, but I would recommend cutting them in half or quartered as needed.

Roasted Baby Turnips with Spicy Mustard Dressing
Serves 6 as a side

Ingredients:
2 bunches baby turnips, tops trimmed

Dressing:
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Lay turnips flat on a sheet pan and roast for 10 - 15 minutes, or until skins are light brown and turnips are tender.

Mix dressing ingredients and serve along side turnips for dipping.

I'm changing my diet...

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Tue, 21 May 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Today I have a big announcement to share.

I've written and rewritten this post over ten times now and each time I've struggled with what I want to say to you and how I want to say it. I finally boiled it down to this: Living a healthy, happy life should be about eating whole, fresh foods that make your body feel energized and good -- and it shouldn't be about what we call it.

I have always felt strongly that this blog is a place to talk about seasonal, delicious food and healthy living and I wanted our blog community to be a welcoming space open to anyone curious about eating better -- regardless of what they ate or how they labeled their diet. I believe that food and what we eat is an entirely personal choice. And, as I mentioned last week, I feel strongly that there is not one diet or one way of eating that works for everyone because each of our bodies are different.

So with that, I want to share that I have recently changed my diet and don't feel that the "plant-based" label fits anymore, even though I'm still eating a ton of plant-based meals. When I found my way to being vegetarian in 2006 and plant-based in 2007, I was at a complete breaking point with my health and found myself rushing in and out of ERs due to gallbladder attacks. Being plant-based changed everything for me.

However, for the past year and a half, something has been feeling off in terms of my health and I finally decided it was time to switch some things around in my diet. This was really hard for me to consider because I had always believed that being plant-based was what my body wanted. In January, I began adding eggs back into my diet and last month I started eating small amounts of poultry and seafood. To my surprise, my body responded really well to it and I noticed I was feeling a lot better.

If I am being completely honest with you, then I have to share that I went through a period of time where I couldn't talk about this with anyone because I was an emotional wreck. Even though I had found my way to this diet for health reasons, along the way, being plant-based had become an immensely spiritual and emotional decision for me. I felt strongly connected to this earth and all of the creatures and beings on it. I never liked eating meat or eggs growing up and I didn't have any cravings for them. I certainly never thought I would go back to including them in my diet. I'm still coming to terms with this in a lot of ways because it's such a huge change for me, but I feel really strongly that this is the right decision for me at this time.

I am so grateful for my journey and everything I have learned on it. Over the last seven years I've learned the importance of eating real, whole foods, eating seasonally, and choosing quality food. I am excited to continue this journey through this blog and keep inspiring each other to live a healthy, happy life that we love.

So, even though I'm ditching the labels around my food choices, I'm excited to continue sharing my recipes with you that will always focus on real, whole foods, and seasonal veggies. Here's what you can look forward to:

More creativity around grain-less meals. (If you're gluten-free or grain-free, I've got some recipes for you!)
Lots of seasonal veggie recipes! We're heading into summer soon (my favorite season) and I can't wait to share some of my favorite summer dishes with you.
More "how to" tutorials. (Including how to soak and sprout legumes and some dairy-free cheeses!)
More posts exploring DIY green beauty remedies and ways to live a healthy, sustainable life.
And eventually, even a few recipes here and there including eggs or meat.

As I mentioned in my post on my three philosophies around food, health, and life, I'm not here to tell you what's best for you and I've never been the kind of person to be preachy about my diet. I think we all need to make the right decisions for ourselves and trust our guts when it comes to our health.

Wishing you the best in health and happiness,

Sonnet

Easy & Affordable Green Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Sun, 19 May 2013 17:13:00 +0000

I fell off the juicing wagon for awhile. I think this was the first time in over four years that my juicer sat in a corner of the kitchen, unused for over six weeks. And for some reason, I felt compelled to pry myself out of bed at 6 am on a Sunday and rush to the market to find some veggies for juicing. Now that's dedication.

This morning I was thinking about the struggles I hear from folks around juicing. Most of the time, challenges are associated with time and money so today I wanted to create a simple and easy green juice with only 3 ingredients (but packed full of nutrients!) and was affordable.

Here's how this juice breaks down in terms of cost:

1 small bunch (about 8 stalks) organic celery: $2.68
2 large organic kale leaves: $.99 ($2.98 for the bunch)
1 organic lemon: $.99

This comes to a total of $4.66 for a 16-oz juice which isn't that bad considering you are essentially getting two 8-oz juices for $2.33 each. I bought my produce at the market closest to me out of convenience, but I know that the co-op a few miles from my house has celery that is about $.50/lb cheaper than what I bought and Whole Foods often has deals on kale for 2 for $4 and sometimes 2 for $3. With this calculation, this could actually bring the price down to $2 (or less) per 8-oz of juice. That's more affordable than a morning latte!

A typical juice bar here in Seattle can run you around $6 for an 8-oz juice and around $10 for a 16-oz juice. Yikes. Juicing at home is much more affordable option over time, especially if you pick the right juicer. (If you're just getting started with juicing, see my guide for Picking The Right Juicer For You.)

So now that we've solved those dilemas, let's drink some juice!

This juice is a great alkalizing green juice intended to restore pH balance to the body. I don't typically add fruit to my juices, but if a sweeter juice is desired, add a green apple for a tart low-sugar option or a fruit of your choice.

Easy and Affordable Green Juice
Yield: one 16-oz juice (or two 8-oz juices)

Ingredients:
1 small bunch of (organic) celery (about 8 stalks)
2 large (organic) kale leaves
1 lemon, peeled

Directions:
Juice ingredients and enjoy immediately.

My Philosophy on Food, Health, and Life

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Thu, 16 May 2013 23:39:00 +0000

What does it mean to you to be healthy? What does being healthy look like and feel like for you?

One of the things that I love most about this blog and our blog community is that although we talk a lot about food, this blog is really a place to talk about what it means to live our healthiest, happiest, and fullest life. As a certified holistic health coach, one of the greatest lessons that I could possibly share with anyone is that your health is not just about your physical body -- it's about emotional, mental, and spiritual health too. So, I thought we'd spend some time today talking more about what it really means to be healthy and my philosophies around food, health, and life in general.

When it comes down to it, I really have three simple guidelines that I follow:

#1 Moderation and The 80/20 Rule

For a big part of my life, I categorized foods in two ways: either a food was "good" or it was "bad." I don’t know about you, but as soon as I am told that I can’t or shouldn’t have something, that’s exactly what I want. As a result, I spent many, many years trying to guilt myself into avoiding the forbidden "bad" foods, only to wind up with failed willpower and eating way too much junk overall. Several years ago as I began to clean up my diet and eat more fresh, whole foods, I found a better balance by using The 80/20 Rule.

The 80/20 Rule is essentially this: 80% of the time I focus on eating fresh, healthful foods that make my body feel strong and vibrant and 20% of the time I allow myself to have treats (or less-than-optimal foods).

Over time, I've found that eating with balance actually helps me to eat better overall because I get to enjoy healthy foods that I love while not feeling deprived of treats from time-to-time. And as I have applied this rule to other areas of my life, I have found myself enjoying my workouts more, focusing on quality time (instead of the quantity of time) spent with those I love, and feeling more balance in all areas of my life.

#2 Listen to my body and trust what it tells me

Listening to my body is a huge one for me. I have personally experienced a variety of health issues throughout my life and the way I have managed to get through each one is by listening to my body and trusting the messages it sends me. When I say that I listen to my body, I simply mean that I notice how I feel after I eat certain foods. I believe in the concept of bio-individuality and that everyone's body is a little different. This means that foods and exercises that makes me feel great might not work for someone else, and vice versa.

There are hundreds of different diets and ways of eating, and I do not believe that there is one perfect way of eating that works for everyone. One of my biggest pet peeves with the nutrition world is that there are so many different "experts" out there preaching that their way is the best -- and, most of these diets are at complete odds with one another. I don't know about you, but if I tried to follow every new nutritional fad out there, well, it wouldn't be possible and I would drive myself crazy. The world of nutrition and health is constantly changing and evolving and I have found that trusting my own body makes the most sense for me.

I have also found that what my body needs and wants changes over time. As my workout routine shifts, my career shifts, or my social relationships shift, all of these things have an effect on my body. As we grow and change, I believe that we constantly need to be re-evaluating what we are eating, how we are eating, and how we are living in general.

#3 Remembering that my entire life is connected

And this brings me to my final point: your life is a system and each part impacts the others. I can't expect to feel my best if I am eating crappy food, but food isn't the only thing that determines my health and happiness. Being healthy isn’t just about the physical stuff like eating better and getting exercise – it’s about all aspects of your health: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. --Click to tweet it!

Our country tends to put a lot of emphasis on what we can do physically for our health: eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, drinking water, and exercising. But for some reason the conversation stops there. Our lives are made up of so much more than food and fitness. Think about your career, friendships, romantic relationships, spiritual practices, hobbies, or finances. When one of these areas is lacking or completely draining you, it impacts other areas of your life and you as a whole.

My personal struggle is that I tend to work too much and not schedule in time to do fun things. For many years, I also put everyone else’s needs before mine and I constantly found myself feeling burned out, exhausted, and unhappy. However, as I became aware of these things, I began to take more time for myself, do more things for pleasure, and build stress-reducing activities into each day. I also began to spend more time chewing my food, eating slowly, and really taking the time to enjoy it.

Once I began to address the emotional, mental, and spiritual aspects of my life, in conjunction with the physical, my health completely changed. Practicing self care and building pleasure into all areas of my life is still an ongoing lesson that I learn each and every day, but I notice a difference when I take care of myself and when I don't. The path to total wellness looks different for each person, but if we don’t include our emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing in addition to our physical body, we are missing key pieces along the way.

What guidelines do you follow for living your healthiest and happiest life? And what have you learned about caring for your physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual wellbeing?

DIY Dry Shampoo

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Tue, 14 May 2013 18:49:00 +0000

When it comes right down to it, I can be a little lazy sometimes.

I am happy to make my own vegetable stock, soak and sprout lentils, make my own kimchi, and cook practically every meal of mine from scratch, but styling my hair everyday? Now that's a lot of work.

I can't be bothered with this. I mean, I have more important things to do. Like... watch my cats chase their tails. Or watch Arrested Development on Netflix. Or figure out how to make my own soap (someday!).

This is where a simple dry shampoo comes in.

Much to my surprise, my post on How to Wash Your Hair with Baking Soda and Vinegar has become the most popular post on this blog. Lots of readers have had great results with making the switch away from conventional shampoo, but some folks have struggled with an 'adjustment period' where their hair is a bit oilier than normal. This gave me the idea to create my own natural dry shampoo that could be used to keep hair looking fresh in-between washes as well as help folks transitioning to the 'no-(sham)poo' method.

It only requires two ingredients - which I'm pretty sure you already have in your kitchen. So, let's get started!

Arrowroot powder makes a great base for this dry shampoo and is fabulous at soaking up excess oil at the roots. Because I have dark hair, I mixed equal parts arrowroot powder with cacao powder (you can use cocoa powder as well) to make the dry shampoo a bit darker.

However, my hair is still a bit darker than the dry shampoo so I had to be careful to not apply too much and to work it into the roots to avoid it looking grey. For folks with medium or light brown hair, this color should be perfect. And, if you have blonde or light hair, simply use a little arrowroot powder and omit the cocoa powder.

I also found this dry shampoo to be helpful for giving my hair a bit more texture and hold, especially if I was doing an updo.

Have you ever used dry shampoo before? What has worked well for you?

DIY Dry Shampoo

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons organic cacao or cocoa powder (omit if blonde)

Method:
Combine ingredients and store in a small container.

Use a makeup or blush brush to apply a small amount of dry shampoo to the roots. Then, working in sections, brush powder through hair until it blends in with hair and oil is absorbed. If needed, apply a bit more and repeat.

Albion Fit $100 Gift Card Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Mon, 13 May 2013 17:00:00 +0000

When I share recipes or talk about seasonal vegetables, what I'm really talking about is healthy living -- and being healthy is about so much more than just food. One of the things I talk with my private health coaching clients about is the importance of evaluating health in all areas of your life - spiritual, emotional, mental, and physical. Unfortunately in America, many of us have this crazy idea that being healthy is the same thing as being skinny. It's not.

I am constantly appalled that our idea of beauty for women is about being overly sexy and/or too thin. It breaks my heart when I hear about women starving themselves, pursuing dangerous restricted diets, spending hours doing cardio, and being miserable because they hate their bodies. This really hits home for me because I spent years and years of my life judging my worth based on how my body looked. Believe me when I say that I've done the crash diets, the starvation methods, and the body-hatred-b*ll$ht. It wasn't until I started eating real food in 2006, working out because I wanted to feel strong and empowered (not skinny), and loving my body for everything magnificent it does (and not how it looked) that things began to shift for me.

I'm sharing this with you today because I have the amazing opportunity to introduce you to a cool athletic wear company that I adore and we're going to be talking about clothes. I don't know about you, but when I think about clothes, this immediately brings up my old body anxiety. (Anyone out there relate?)

About a month ago I had the pleasure of being contacted by Albion Fit, a manufacturer for women's fitness and swimwear, and asked if I would be interested in trying one of their pieces of workout clothing. When I started researching more about their company, I became so excited. Here's why:

ALBION'S MISSION IS TO PROVIDE WOMEN WITH THE MOST LUXURIOUS, FLATTERING, AND HASSLE-FREE FITNESS AND LEISURE APPAREL ON THE MARKET.

Woo hoo! One of the problems that I always have with workout clothing is that it's not flattering. I'm a pretty simple gal when it comes right down to it and I have no problem working out in a tee shirt and yoga pants, but sometimes when I work out, I want to feel really confident and I've found that clothing is a big factor in that.

My personal struggle is that it's hard to find activewear that's flattering for a real woman's body. If you are not a size 2, have a chest, have lots of muscle, or got anything going on besides a completely-flat stomach, most tops are simply not flattering. So, I cannot tell you how excited I was to see a workout clothing company whose mission is to make luxurious and flattering apparel. I'm in.

I also liked that Albion Fit is committed to the environment and promotes green manufacturing processes as well as using earth-friendly materials in their products. They're a local, family owned company in Utah with over 25 years worth of expertise as manufacturers. After reading all of this, I couldn't wait to try their clothing.

I opted to try a simple black racerback top that I could wear to my kettlebell classes as well as yoga. I was a little nervous about committing to something that I wasn't able to try on beforehand, but their online fit guide made it super easy to figure out my size. When I first tried on the top, it seemed too tight (at least compared to the tank tops I usually wear), but during the workout I was amazed at how supportive it was. Instantly I became a convert.

The material is comfortable and breathable, but my absolute favorite part is that the v-neck doesn't go too low. One of my complaints about other v-neck tops is that when you're on the floor doing pushups or a plank, as a lady, the last thing you want is your v-neck shirt going down too low. Not very lady-like. As a result, this is now the only tank top I'll wear to kettlebells.

I was so excited to finally have workout clothing I really liked that I asked Albion Fit if they'd be willing to let me offer you a chance to try it too. Lucky for you, one awesome reader will get a $100 gift card to Albion Fit! See all the details below for how to enter.

And, as a special treat for you, Albion Fit is offering you an exclusive promotion of $15 off any purchase of $50 or more. Use promo code lovefood15 at checkout and hurry because this expires on Sunday, May 19th!

I just want to end by saying that one of the reasons why I shared my story up above is because I want every woman to feel strong, beautiful, and empowered and have clothes that are flattering and exciting to wear. I also felt really strongly that if I was going to talk to you about clothes, I wasn't going to show you pictures with models in this post. For this reason, I forced myself out from behind the camera to in front of it. Nothing against models, but I find it much more inspiring to see pictures of real women feeling strong and confient than models trying to sell me something that isn't real.

So remember... love your body because you're awesome... and being strong and empowered is the new sexy.

Best of luck in the giveaway!

Sonnet

To enter: This contest is open to residents living in the United States and Canada (sorry to my international readers!) Please use the Rafflecopter below for up to 6 chances to win. Please note that you must like Albion Fit on Facebook and pin an item from Albion Fit's website onto a Pinterest board. The giveaway will close on Monday, May 27th and the winner will be chosen randomly. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(Sugar-Free) Vanilla Rosemary Soda

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Sat, 11 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

The first sunny weeks of the season finally hit Seattle. And, apparently, it's all we can talk about right now.

Last weekend I spent all day sitting on my back porch working on my laptop under the shield of an umbrella. Somehow a three-inch section of my wrist didn't quite make it under the shade and now I have a funky tan rectangle on my arm. I like to think of it as my Vitamin D patch.

Before we get to today's recipe, I just wanted to say thank you again to everyone who joined us the other night for Conscious Money, Conscious Eating. I teach a lot of classes in Seattle, but this was my first time doing a workshop where I didn't get to see you all face-to-face! I loved all of the emails and responses we got about the material we covered and it's so great to hear that it's already changing the way many of you are planning, prepping meals, and cooking at home! Awesome! (Psst, if you're sad that you missed out, you can actually purchase the webinar recording package-- which includes our awesome 55-page ebook! Details here.)

Now, onto the most amazing drink that only takes 3 ingredients to make! This one is going to be a must-make as we head into late spring and summer!

This soda starts with a simple rosemary tea made from boiling water with fresh sprigs of rosemary. I love the taste of rosemary in drinks, especially combined with a little sparking water and vanilla. Yum!

To make this "soda" sugar-free, I used vanilla stevia drops as a sweetener. If you prefer not to use stevia, then pure maple syrup or a little coconut sugar will also do the trick! If you are going this route, then you will need to add a vanilla bean when you boil the rosemary to infuse the vanilla flavor.

Once you boil the rosemary tea, simply let it cool in the fridge (I like to make a big batch and let it cool overnight) and then assemble your drinks with a little ice, sparkling water, and stevia to taste. You can add more or less rosemary tea depending on your preference. (I really like the flavor of rosemary so I tend to add more to my glass.)

And, if you are into this kind of thing, this recipe is fabulous with burbon. But, if you're not, then you didn't hear that from me. :)

Vanilla Rosemary Soda
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 medium (about 3-inch) sprigs of fresh rosemary
1.5 cups of (filtered) water
48 ounces sparkling water
Vanilla stevia drops (to taste)
Ice

Directions:

Add rosemary and filtered water to a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and let steep for about 20 minutes. Remove rosemary sprigs then transfer to a glass jar and allow to cool in the refrigerator.

Add about 2 - 4 tablespoons of rosemary tea to a glass with ice. Top with 8 ounces of sparkling water and add stevia or desired sweetener to taste.

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

Vulnerability is not a weakness

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:37:00 +0000

This post is part of a series based on the personal development work I have been doing in Danielle LaPorte's The Desire Map. To read the previous posts in the series, click here.

Thank you to all of you who commented on my last post on abundance and shared how it impacted you. I know that this series is a bit different than the recipe posts I usually share, and to be honest, I was hesitant about sharing it. The internet can be a scary place sometimes and being a blogger means that I am constantly putting my personal life out into the public. (The thing that lets me sleep at night is imagining that this blog is still only being read by three people and possibly a cat!)

Thinking about this willingness to be vulnerable inspired me to write today's topic on courage and vulnerability. I recently watched Brené Brown's TED talk on the Power of Vulnerability and Listening to Shame. (If you haven't seen these before, I definitely think they are worth watching. The first time I watched them I was so memorized by her message and her presence that I watched them twice.)

After working through my Desire Map, I realized that one of my core desired feelings is courage. I desire to feel courageous and bold. I desire to stand in the face of fear, push past it, and continue to grow. I desire to speak my truth, even when it's not easy.

I think where some of us go wrong when thinking about courage is thinking that courage is the absence of fear. Being courageous doesn't mean you aren't afraid. Being courageous means that you have the inner strength to embrace being afraid and still move forward.

CLICK TO TWEET IT!

Being courageous means you must be willing to be vulnerable. Actually, let me rephrase that: being courageous requires being vulnerable. It requires requires feeling completely in over your head, but going forward with it anyway. I know I am being courageous and bold when I feel my stomach drop, my throat tighten, and I want to run away, but I continue on.

One of the things that struck me the most about Brené's talk is when she says that vulnerability is not weakness. It's amazing how easy it is for me to look at someone else's act of vulnerability and label it as courageous, but turn right back at myself and call that same act of vulnerability weakness. We're always hardest on ourselves, right?

As I've continued to work through my Desire Map, I keep seeing a theme of growth: I always want to do more, be more, and create more.

I want to show up in this world as the best person that I can possibly be.
I want to inspire those around me to be the best people they can possibly be.
I want to create beauty in this world and share it with others.

None of these things can happen without small acts of courage every single day. And courage requires vulnerability. Vulnerability is not weakness; it's strength.

So let me end by saying this:
Being vulnerable may feel uncomfortable and downright icky sometimes, but it is in those moments that you are most authentic and most courageous. Be bold. Speak your truth. And know that you deserve to live a life that fulfills and excites you... and that requires courage and vulnerability.

What does being courageous and vulnerable mean to you? Where do you need to be bold in your life and speak your truth?

Please leave me a comment below and join in the conversation!

How to Make Massaged Kale Salad

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:00:00 +0000

What was the hardest part of your week last week?

While you ponder that, let me share mine: having to watch as a teacher took kale away from a preschooler and made him cry. (Yep, ladies and gentleman, apparently I am so good at getting kids to love kale that they cry when it is taken away.)

Last week I was making my famous kale smoothie for kids with a group of preschoolers. One of the boys was so excited about getting to try the smoothie that he started eating one of the raw kale leaves that had been passed around the classroom for the kids to touch and explore. After taking a bite of the kale he liked it so much that he continued to gnaw his way through most of the leaf. (I was quite impressed!)

Of course, a child snacking on a germ-y piece of kale caught the attention of one of the teachers who promptly took it away from him. Sure enough, crying ensued. Which actually seems pretty fair because if someone tried to take my kale away, I would probably cry too.

Luckily, the nice thing about being an adult is that you can eat as much raw kale as you want. Especially if you massage it and turn it into a delicious salad. Just wash your hands first. :)

By now you might have heard of "massaging" kale and wondered what all the fuss was about. Massaging raw kale transforms it from a tough, somewhat bitter leaf into a sweet, delicate salad. And it only takes a few minutes!

Let me show you how!

Massaging kale only requires a few ingredients that you probably already have on hand. I typically use a simple mix of a little salt and fresh lemon juice to help tenderize the leaves and some olive oil for flavor. The salt and acid in the lemon juice helps to break down the cell walls in the kale, softening it while making it sweeter.

Once you've gathered your supplies, get to work! De-stem the kale and tear it into bite-sized pieces.

Add the kale to a bowl along with the salt and squeeze of lemon juice.

When you massage the kale, think of the motion used to rub someone's shoulders. (Hey, even kale needs some love.) Get in that bowl and don't be afraid to get your hands dirty.

In the photo below, the kale on the left has been massaged for 1 minute and the kale on the right has been massaged for 5 minutes. You can see that the kale has decreased in size and the texture is softer after being massaged for 5 minutes.

Test the kale as you go along. When the kale begins to taste sweet and you can see some kale juices (e.g. liquids extracted from the kale) accumulating at the bottom of the bowl, your kale is ready!

Add the olive oil, give it one more good massage, and it's ready to eat!

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend

Massaged Kale Salad
Serves 4

1 large bunch curly kale, de-stemmed and torn or chopped into pieces
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
Any desired toppings

Add the kale to a medium mixing bowl along with the salt and lemon juice. "Massage" kale for five minutes, or until leaves are sweet and tender. Add the olive oil and give one more quick "massage."

Add any additional toppings as desired. Some of my favorites are roasted nuts, fresh fruit, dried fruit, sprouted quinoa, homemade croutons, roasted squash, or sprouts. Serve!

What are your favorite toppings for massaged kale salad?

5 Easy Vegetarian Meals (for Cinco de Mayo)

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:10:00 +0000

With Conscious Money, Conscious Eating happening in just a few days, I wanted to write another blog post focusing on the idea of quick, healthy meals that come together in a snap! And, with Cinco de Mayo this weekend, it seemed very fitting to focus on a Mexican theme.

Vegetarian tacos are one of the easiest and most delicious options that we frequently enjoy in our house so today I'm sharing my three favorite veggie tacos recipes, along with two other hearty meals and a side dish. Enjoy!

Looking for something simple and unique to serve this weekend? These Spicy Zucchini and Tomato Tacos might just be the ticket! They also go fabulous with any vegetarian (or non-vegetarian) protein source of your choice.

Tempeh tends to be a staple in our household and these Tempeh Tacos are easy-to-prepare, hearty, and delicious. These are fabulous topped with some fresh tomato and avocado slices for an easy weekend lunch or healthy weekday dinner!

Looking for something vegetarian that even the meat-eaters will love? Enter Pinto Bean and Field Roast Tacos. Field Roast is a local Seattle faux-meat product made with wheat gluten. This recipe combines the hearty texture of Field Roast with fiber-packed pinto beans for a filling meal.

Not a taco person? Not a problem!

This Southwest Salad with Jalapeño Avocado Lime Dressing makes a beautiful meal that's easy to assemble. The dressing is made of six simple ingredients and comes together in a flash. The dressing is avocado-based so it's creamy, packed with healthy fats, and free of oil!

These Fajita Baked Yams combine all the things I love about tacos into a simple meal. These yams are fabulous topped with some pico de gallo, guacamole, or served with tortilla chips!

And, who could forget the best side dish? Spicy Carrots! Regardless of what you serve for your entree, these carrots are a must-make recipe!

What are your favorite Cinco de Mayo Recipes?

Pico De Gallo Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Fri, 03 May 2013 02:32:00 +0000

Can I share something strange with you? I am obsessed with cilantro. No, really. Obsessed. It's always interesting to me when I hear about people who don't like the taste of cilantro because I absolutely crave it.

This strange phenomenon goes back awhile too. In fact, in my high school marketing class we were in charge of coming up with our own unique recipe and brand for salsa. Can you guess what mine was called? Cilantro Sensation. Hey, I still stand behind my product. :)

This week in the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, I got inspired and wanted to see if I could turn the fresh flavors of pico de gallo into a juice. Mission accomplished! And, it's pretty dang good if I say so myself...

Have you ever had cilantro in a juice? Leave me a comment below and share!

Pico De Gallo Juice
Yields one 10 - 12 oz juice

Ingredients:
2 tomatoes
3 carrots
1 - 2 cloves garlic
1/2 lemon or lime
small handful cilantro

Directions:
Juice and enjoy!

Psst... There are only a few days left to sign up for Conscious Money, Conscious Eating happening on Wednesday, May 8th. If you've been struggling with how to save money, create delicious and healthy meals, and are just in need of some dinner inspiration, I hope you can join me for this exclusive webinar. More details here.

Crazy for Kale Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Thu, 02 May 2013 02:03:00 +0000

Photo by Hallie Klecker

You may not believe me when I say this, but, you can pretty much put kale in anything these days.

Sure, we all know about kale being great in caesar salads and fabulous as crunchy chips. If you've been around this blog long enough, I'm sure I have you putting kale in your smoothies and encouraging kids to drink it as well. I've even been known to make kale into chocolate smoothies (a must-have for any sugar cravings!) and baked into chocolate kale chips.

But geeze, now someone has gone and put kale in a brownie. (In a brownie, people!) That's my kind of dessert!

That someone is my blogger friend Hallie Klecker. Hallie writes at Daily Bites and is a professional recipe developer, author, and gluten-free foodie. Hallie just released her newest e-book, Crazy for Kale, and I wanted to share it with you because I love the concept of a cookbook focused entirely on kale! I get so many requests from readers asking for recipe suggestions and exciting ways to cook greens so they taste flavorful, not bland. I love Hallie's creativity for finding ways to incorporate greens into various dishes and I think you will too.

One of my favorite parts of the book is that she starts it with a "kale primer" and gives all of the background information you need to know about purchasing kale, the health benefits, storage, and prep. Her book contains 40 wholesome recipes that feature kale in everything from snacks to salads to entrees and desserts. All of the recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, soy-free, and refined sugar-free. She also has plenty of grain-free and vegan options (as well as non-vegan options).

Some of my favorite recipes include her kale walnut pesto, green monster milkshake, kale in almond cream sauce, tropical asian fusion salad, and of course, her chocolate buckwheat brownies with "milk" chocolate icing (pictured above). You can find out more info about the book here.

I was so excited about Crazy for Kale that I wanted to offer a FREE copy to one lucky reader! If you've been wanting to experiment more with kale, or are just looking for some new ways to enjoy your favorite veggie, this giveaway is for you!

To enter: This contest is open to everyone! Please use the Rafflecopter below for up to 5 chances to win. The giveaway will close on Tuesday, May 7th and the winner will be chosen randomly. Good luck!

P.S. There are only a few days left to sign up for Conscious Money, Conscious Eating happening on Wednesday, May 8th. If you've been struggling with how to save money, create delicious and healthy meals, and are just in need of some dinner inspiration, I hope you can join me for this exclusive webinar. More details here!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

My week in pictures

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Sat, 27 Apr 2013 20:28:00 +0000

This week was filled with fun things that I wanted to share with you so instead of posting a recipe today, I decided to share the adventure of my week in photos.

As you all know, Tuesday was the release of Plum, Makini Howell's new cookbook. I was lucky enough to get an invite to the launch party so Tuesday night I headed up to Plum Bistro on Capitol Hill and got a chance to sample some of the amazing recipes featured in the cookbook. (If you haven't already entered my giveaway for a chance to win a free copy, hurry! The giveaway ends soon!)

Spring finally hit Seattle this week. We had several days of sun, temperatures reaching into the low 70s, and I sat outside in a tee-shirt and shorts for the first time since last September. I can't even begin to tell you how exciting that is.

This week I've been playing around with some of my favorite spring produce, including asparagus, rainbow carrots, radishes, greens, and baby turnips (new recipe coming soon!). My spinach sprouts just popped out of the ground and I even found a few baby carrots that were ready to harvest in the garden.

And, with the aid of several pots of yerba mate tea, the (un)helpful support of my cats, and some really bad 90's music, I've been hard at work finalizing the material for:

Conscious Money, Conscious Eating which is happening live on Wednesday, May 8th at 6 pm Pacific Daylight Time!

I was so excited to share this with you earlier this week and quite a few of you are already signed up! In case you missed the announcement, Conscious Money, Conscious Eating is the collaborative effort of myself and Mindy Crary of Creative Money. Mindy and I were recently chatting about the challenges of eating healthfully while being able to stick to a budget AND not having to spend hours slaving away in the kitchen.

Mindy is a total money guru so although she is fabulous at spending her money consciously, she mentioned struggling with how to create a menu plan and find recipes that are delicious, good-for-you, and easy to prepare. (Sound familiar?)

So, we decided to team up and create Conscious Money, Conscious Eating for anyone who has been having similar struggles and feeling challenged by:

Wanting to eat healthier, fresher, and/or more seasonal/local foods, but not knowing where to start.
Feeling that eating healthier will be way too expensive or take too much time.
Being curious about eating more vegetarian or plant-based meals, but feeling overwhelmed by complex or unfamiliar ingredients.
Wishing that someone could help you make it simple and easy to get started with cooking more meals at home.

In this webinar, we'll do exactly that! Mindy will help you to begin implementing the concepts of Conscious Money in relation to food and discover where your relationship with money needs to shift. I'll help you to get started on the Conscious Eating track by understanding what types of foods you should be eating, becoming aware of how your food environment is impacting your body, helping you begin stocking your kitchen with the right tools and ingredients, and introducing you to my unique, simple, and easy-to-implement system that will make meal planning, preparing, and cooking a breeze.

This webinar is packed full of information and you'll even get a few goodies afterwards, including:

The slide presentation handout (so you can access the information whenever you want)
The webinar replay (if you can't make it live)
The MP3 of the call (so you can listen to it again and again)
And, a beautiful ebook with over 50 pages of Conscious Money and Conscious Eating strategies as well as over 20 recipes and tools

I know that a couple of you were wondering what to do since the live webinar didn't work for your schedule. If you're in this boat, that's not a problem at all because after the call, you'll get all of the goodies above (including the webinar replay) emailed to you so you can access this at any time you want.

Are you in? If you're ready to finally change your relationship with money AND make eating healthy simple and easy, check out Conscious Money, Conscious Eating!

I hope you've had a fabulous week and I hope we get a chance to chat on May 8th!

Take care,
Sonnet

5 Easy Ways to Save Money on Food

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 18:43:00 +0000

What are your biggest challenges to eating healthfully? There are a few I hear from readers and my health coaching clients all the time...

Eating healthy is boring; healthy food isn't delicious. I like to eat things that taste good -- and that usually means they are bad for me.

Eating healthy is EXPENSIVE! I can't afford to shop at Whole Foods every day.

Eating healthy takes a lot of time and I'm a busy person. It's just not possible to eat healthfully and cook all the time with my schedule.

I definitely know the challenges. And believe me when I say that I'm not made of time or money either, but it is possible to eat healthy, delicious, amazing, good-for-you food without spending a ton of money or a ton of time in the kitchen.

Today I'm going to share a few simple ways to get started.

1. Plan Your Meals
Ooh the daunting task of planning meals. It sounds so overwhelming and time-consuming, right? I mean, don't you need a calendar, twenty cookbooks, a shopping list, a calculator, a pot of coffee, a snuggie, and a Masters Degree to get started? Wrong.

Just hearing the term "meal planning" makes some folks run away in fear. But, let me tell you, there is no reason to be scared. Meal planning can be as simple (or as complicated) as you want it to be. Meal planning works differently for each person and every family, but in my house, I set up a loose structure for the week to give me some guidance, but allow for flexibility as needed. I start by thinking about:

Produce that is in season
Flavors or certain types of food that I'm craving (or that have been requested by my partner)
How much time I have for meal prep and cooking this week
How many meals we will need for the week

Then I map out a simple plan from there including recipe ideas and assigning prep work to different days. I usually like to do a large batch of cooking on Sundays and prepare our meals for Monday through Wednesday. Then I typically try to reserve my Wednesday evenings for cooking Thursday through Saturday. Having a meal plan helps me to keep cooking time to a minimum because I can cook in batches since I know exactly what we'll be eating.

2. Inventory Your Cupboards
One of the best ways I've found to save money on food is to not waste any! I regularly inventory our cupboards and refrigerator and incorporate any items that need to get used up into my weekly meal plan. Quinoa been sitting around for too long? Quinoa for breakfast it is! Bought way too much asparagus at the Farmers Market last weekend? Great, it's going to be an asparagus stir-fry week! Greens on the brink of going bad? It's smoothie time! Once you get in the habit of doing inventory regularly, you'll usually find that you go through items quicker and this process begins to feel easier (thus, saving you time).

3. Stick To The List
I absolutely refuse to go to the grocery store without my list. When I shop without a list, I become a scattered mess and end up buying random things that don't make sense for meals, too much or too little of items, and become especially prone to impulse buys if I am hungry. I used to use a handwritten grocery list, but I found myself constantly forgetting it so I switched to an electronic list and haven't looked back since. (Nowadays I use the free Remember The Milk app on my iPhone.) Each week when I am menu planning, I add the ingredients I need to my shopping list. As I am cooking or in my kitchen throughout the week, if I realize that I am low on certain items, I update the list as needed.

4. Shop Less Frequently
Even though I rotate my shopping between a few different stores and a farmers market, I usually only go to the store 1 - 2 times a week. The beauty of having a menu plan and a coherent shopping list is that you can save time by getting everything you need in one shopping trip. I usually do my big shopping trip on a Saturday or Sunday morning and then visit the farmers market for seasonal produce. Shopping less not only saves time, but I've found that it saves a lot of money because I'm not tempted to pick up extra items all the time.

5. Be Realistic About Your Eating Habits
This tip is uber important. In fact, it might be the most important tip I give you here. In order for meal planning to be effective (instead of stressful), you have to know your own eating habits.

I know that it isn't realistic for me to cook from scratch every evening so I do batch cooking 2 - 3x week so there are always fresh meals ready to go in the fridge. I know that by Friday, I am exhausted and sometimes the thought of doing anything on a Friday night (even reheating leftovers) sounds like a lot of work. For this reason, I usually mark Friday as an "eat out" night on my meal plan because I know that I'm going to pick up something from the cold case at Whole Foods on my way home.

I also know that sometimes, as much as I may try to resist it, I'm going to want a snack or a treat. One of the things that I have found really helpful is to specifically include a weekly snack or treat as part of my meal plan. This means that I always have a delicious something on hand that is far healthier (and usually tastier) than if I let my craving go too far and venture to the store in need of something yummy. The key is that I know myself well enough that I can plan for this ahead of time.

If you are interested in saving money, saving time, and eating healthier, here is how you can get started:

1. Take a look at your current situation around food and money.
What is working well for you and what isn't working well? What do you wish were different? What are some of the barriers you have found to eating the way you want to AND saving money in the process?

2. Start small.
Start by just making one simple change this week. What is one thing you could do today or this week that would make a difference?

3. Check back with yourself and assess progress.
After you make that one change this week, check back with yourself in a few weeks and see how it's going. Is it working well? Great, what's a second step you could take? Is it not going so well? No problem, let's re-evaluate and see what could be done differently next week. The key is to have compassion with yourself and know that changing habits is a learning process and takes a little time.

4. Join the Program!
I'm so excited to announce Conscious Money, Conscious Eating which was specifically created to help people make the transition to more conscious, affordable, and sustainable eating.

Conscious Money, Conscious Eating is the brainchild of myself and Mindy Crary of Creative Money. I've known Mindy for awhile and love her creative approach to managing finances, being conscious about spending money, improving your relationship with money, and focusing on money possibility instead of money fear.

In Conscious Money, Conscious Eating, Mindy will show you how to be more conscious around the way you spend money on food and I will help you to get started on the conscious eating track with simple, easy-to-implement strategies that will make meal planning, preparing, and cooking a breeze. If you've been struggling with making some changes around eating healthier and saving money, this program was created for you. Find out more here.

And, I'd love to hear from you! Please leave a comment telling me your biggest struggle around eating healthfully and/or food budgeting AND the one simple change you are going to work on this week.

Plum Cookbook Review & Giveaway

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 14:31:00 +0000

Let me just start by saying how incredibly excited I am to be doing a cookbook review of Makini Howell's cookbook, Plum: Gratifying Vegan Dishes from Seattle's Plum Bistro. I've mentioned Plum Bistro several times here on the blog (in 2012 and 2010) and they honestly have the most amazing brunch in the entire city.

In case you aren't familiar with Plum Bistro, you should know that they are a fabulous plant-based restaurant located in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle open for brunch, lunch, and dinner. They also have several cafes located around the city as well as a market at Seattle Center. Makini Howell is the Executive Chef and Owner of Plum Bistro and her food is incredible. I love her focus on fresh, seasonal, organic food as well as her sustainable business philosophy. I could probably sing her praises all day, but instead, let's talk about the cookbook...

I've been waiting for this cookbook for awhile and just by chance, I was contacted by the publisher and asked if I would be interested in seeing an advanced copy. (I cannot even begin to tell you how ecstatic I was when I got that email!) I've spent the last few weeks perusing through every recipe and now I finally get to share it with you!

The cookbook is divided into ten sections: fundamentals, beginnings, salads and soups, small plates, tofu/tempeh/seitan, transitional raw, pasta, grains, desserts, and an afterward (including the most adorable puppy treats recipe). All of the recipes are perfect reflections of the food served at Plum Bistro: fresh, seasonal ingredients, bold flavors, and enticing combinations.

Of course, the first thing I looked for is Plum's famous "Mac and Yease" recipe, which is a non-dairy version of mac and cheese. I'm happy to report that a recipe for Plum's Smoky Mac is included and I promise that this dish will change the mind of anyone who tells you that good mac and cheese requires dairy. I typically visit Plum Bistro on weekends during their brunch so I was excited to see so many different brunch recipes, including their French Toast Stuffed with Strawberries and Sweet Soy Cream, Tiramisu Pancakes, and Fig Crepes with Ricotta, Arugula, and Agave Balsamic.

The thing that struck me most about the cookbook is the uniqueness of the recipes. For example, one of the tofu recipes called for Pernod, an anise-flavored liqueur, which is something that I had never heard of and would never have thought to combine into a recipe. I was also intrigued by the fresh spinach pasta recipe, the chanterelle cream sauce, and some of the fundamental recipes including basil soy ricotta, savory soy cream, and egg foam (made with egg replacer). There are definitely a lot of gluten-free and soy-free recipes included, but I will say that if you do not eat soy, a good portion of the recipes might require some adjustments.

Overall, I think this cookbook is a must-have for any cookbook collection. I tend to cook pretty basic meals during the week so I loved the beautiful and simple salad combinations, which would be perfect for weekday lunches or light dinners. And I will definitely be visiting the entrees section for inspiration the next time I have guests over or need to spice up a Saturday night dinner. The book is being released today (yipee!) so it is now available through Amazon.

And, great news for you, I asked the publisher if they would be willing to let me share a copy with you and so one lucky reader will win a free copy of the cookbook!

To enter: This contest is open to anyone living in the US or Canada (sorry if this excludes you!). Please use the Rafflecopter below for up to 5 chances to win. The giveaway will close on Tuesday, April 30th and the winner will be chosen randomly. Good luck!

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Leek and Asparagus Stir-Fry with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:18:00 +0000

I learned a very important lesson recently.

You know those lessons that you'll never forget because they were so embarrassing to learn? Yep, it was one of those.

Lucky for you that I'm going to share it with you so that you will never have to learn this the hard way: when you are signing one of those slightly awkward cards being passed around your office (you know those cards from everyone for someone's birthday, departure, or a general congratulations, etc...), make sure to double check who the card is for.

I mean, you wouldn't want to be the one who wrote "best of luck at your new job!" to someone who's supposed to be getting a "congratulations" card for starting their family, would you?

That's just awkward. Don't be that person.

But, if you do happen to be that person, here are a few options:

Option #1: White it out. However, this only works if the card is white and those tricky Hallmark folks love those fun colors...

Option #2: Cover it up with stickers. Of course, that is assuming that you are an adult who happens to carry stickers around. Unfortunately, (or perhaps, fortunately), I'm not that person.

Option #3: Own it. Just admit that, yes, you are that person who wrote the weird message in someone's card and there is no taking it back now.

Ohh if only cards were as easy as stir-fries...

See, with stir-fries, there are no mistakes, no awkwardness. You can always alter ingredients or change things up as needed. They're impossible to mess up. And they work for any occasion.

So, I guess the lesson I learned is really this: sign less cards and make more stir-fries. I think that's my new motto.

This stir-fry starts with a spring favorite: asparagus.

Next we add in another spring favorite: leeks. Never used leeks before?

Don't be intimidated, let me show you how!

Leeks are part of the allium family and taste similar to scallions, but with a bit more flavor. Look for fresh, firm leeks with white necks and no bruises. Large leeks tend to be too fibrous so I usually select medium leeks that are about an inch and a half in diameter.

Start by chopping the tip and the tough green tops off so you have just the middle section of the leek (see the left side of the picture below). Compost the tops or save them to make veggie stock. (If you are storing fresh leeks, keep them whole in the refrigerator and they will easily keep for 1 - 2 weeks.)

Next, slice the leek down the middle and open it up to see all the inside layers (see the right side of the picture below). These layers tend to trap a lot of dirt (as you can see) so be sure to wash them thoroughly.

Then simply slice the leek into small 1/2-inch slices (not pictured).

You've just prepared a leek, my friend! Give yourself a high five!

This stir-fry is easy to adapt and is a fabulous way to use up any leftover produce that might be laying around your fridge. It's perfect as a side dish to any weeknight meal or you could also add a good protein-source to make it a stand-alone meal. This recipe has minimal spices so the flavors of the leeks, asparagus, and mushrooms really shine. If additional flavor is desired, some tamari or red pepper flakes would certainly spice things up.

Psst: Conscious Money, Conscious Eating is happening May 8th! If you're ready to learn how to shop for, prepare, and easily create delicious meals that nourish your body AND keep your food budget at a minimum, you don't want to miss this!

Leek and Asparagus Stir-Fry With Mushrooms
Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, grain-free, soy-free
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 medium leek, ends trimmed, and sliced
1/2 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2-inch piece of fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup raw or lightly toasted cashews

Method:
Add oil to a pan over medium heat.

Add leek and mushrooms and saute for about 3 minutes, until fragrant.

Add asparagus, garlic, ginger, and cashews and saute for an additional five minutes, until asparagus is just tender.

Remove from heat and serve hot.

Recipe Shared at Wellness Weekend

8 Simple Ways to Live Greener

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:46:00 +0000

I really love Earth Day. Over the past few years, Earth Day has become my favorite holiday because it makes me think about the world around me. Each April, I spend time evaluating how I am living my life and the impact that I have on the community around me. It's always a great reminder to see how I can live in a more sustainable manner and do my part to ensure that I am creating a better planet for generations to come.

I think most of us are bombarded on a constant basis with horror stories of the world around us changing: global warming, landfills piling up, animals losing their native homes. When I think about these things, it makes me feel helpless and overwhelmed. Then I always come back to the same defeated thought: But, I'm just one person... how can I possibly make a difference?

When I was in my graduate program several years ago studying societal change and creating change within organizations, we always talked about the power of individuals and the community. Every change starts with one person wanting to make a difference. It certainly helps when you have community support, but change usually starts with one person who is willing to stand up and make different decisions. When I feel helpless about the state of our planet, I have to remind myself of this. Yes, I am just one person, but my decisions matter and they make an impact.

In the spirit of Earth Day, I thought it would be fun to share some of my best tips for living a more sustainable lifestyle. I think we typically hear the same things again and again: drive less/bus more/commute by bike whenever possible, take shorter showers and use less water, buy used items instead of new, don’t leave lights on, etc. So, I wanted to share a few of my favorite tips for living green that are easy enough for anyone to do and will help you to live healthier, save money, and reduce your impact on the planet.

#1 Buy local and eat seasonal

If you’re a regular reader here, I’m sure you know my mantra about eating locally and buying seasonally as much as possible. Not only does this give you the opportunity to connect with the seasons and the local climate, but buying locally also reduces your “food miles” and means the food is fresher (since it’s not coming from across the country or around the world), has more nutrients, and tastes better. It’s a win-win!

More grocery stores are carrying local produce (depending on where you live) and you can also buy locally by shopping at the farmers market or joining a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program. (And, if you need a little inspiration for seasonal recipes, check out my recipes page.)

#2 Clean without chemicals

There are tons of natural cleaning products on the market and it's getting easier to ditch the chemical-laden varieties. Buying natural cleaning products helped in the early transition of getting our home more "green," but I now rely on a lot of DIY options. I love a little baking soda for getting rid of tough grease on dishes or for removing stains on the bath tub. Vinegar is also fabulous for cleaning and it's super easy to make your own DIY Citrus Vinegar Cleaner, which smells amazing and works for most surfaces in your home. (The Environmental Working Group has a great guide to natural cleaning if you're just getting started.)

#3 Remove chemicals from your beauty routine

Of course, if we're trying to get rid of chemicals in our homes, we can't ignore the hundreds of chemicals that we (unfortunately) are putting on our skin. If you purchase beauty products, check the label for harmful ingredients. I always avoid buying anything with parabens, triclosan, and fragrance, and the EWG has a great guide that goes more in-depth on what to look for and avoid.

I'm a big DIY gal so most of my beauty routine is products that I can create at home. Here's my line-up:

The oil-cleansing method (for washing my face/removing makeup)

Baking soda and vinegar (for my hair)

Coconut oil (for moisturizing skin and hair as needed)

DIY deodorant

DIY citrus and coconut body scrub

DIY lavender bath salts (great for soothing achy muscles)

I also love using Dr. Bronner's soap (it has a ton of uses for cleaning the house too) and I rely on mineral makeup, which has a pretty low warning score in the EWG cosmetics database (this is a great tool for evaluating if your products are safe or not). The bottom line is that less chemicals on our skin means less toxins in our bodies and the planet. Woohoo!

#4 Buy in bulk

One of the best incentives to live greener is that it actually saves you money in a lot of ways. I highly recommend shopping in the bulk section of your local grocery store if you're not already because it helps you to cut down on your plastic usage and it's much more affordable than buying pre-packaged items.

One of the big pro's is that you can also try out a small amount of a new ingredient without committing to a large bag. If you want to try a new recipe that calls for one cup of almond flour, for example, you can simply buy exactly what you need! I tend to clear out our pantry on a pretty regular basis, but if you find yourself having to throw out a lot of flours or ingredients that have gone bad, shopping in bulk is great because you can buy exactly what you need = less waste and more savings.

If you do buy in bulk, some health food stores will also let you bring in your own reusable containers so you can avoid using the plastic bags. Check with your store first as they will usually weigh the container so they have the tare weight (before you start filling up your containers with goods). If your local store doesn't allow you to bring in your own containers or if it's not an option for you, you can also buy reusable cotton bulk bags for the bulk bins.

#5 Avoid plastic

Okay, we all know that using plastic isn't the greatest (for us and the planet), but it's everywhere so I know this can be a hard habit to kick. One of my cats is obsessed with licking plastic bags so this has proven to be great incentive for me to avoid using plastic at all costs. Several years ago I switched to using cloth grocery bags and these actually make grocery shopping much easier than the old plastic and paper varieties. I also invested in some reusable produce bags and this cut out an amazing amount of our plastic usage.

If you use sandwich or plastic baggies, there are a lot of great reusable options out there nowadays. One of my big sources of plastic used to be food storage containers for taking food to work or storing leftovers. Awhile back I upgraded to glass Snapware containers and found these to be much more convenient because you can reheat food in them (with no worries about BPA) and they don't ever spill, even if you are transporting watery foods. (And, trust me, once you've had soup spill on you during your morning commute, you'll never forget it!)

If you are making the switch from plastic to glass food containers, instead of throwing out your old plastic ones, be sure to look for ways to re-purpose them around your home. I've found the plastic ones to be great for storing office items or as drawer organizers. And, if you buy bottled water, this is one of the easiest ways to reduce plastic usage because there are a ton of great reusable water bottle options out there. I personally like the stainless steel ones and the glass varieties.

#6 Unplug chargers and use power strips

I think we frequently hear the message about turning off lights and being conscious about turning appliances off, but we don't often think about "phantom power," or the fact that electronics still use power when they are turned off. (How Stuff Works has a great article explaining this.) One of the easiest ways to counter this is to use power strips in your home and turn the strip off when the electronics aren't in use. I also make sure to unplug laptop and phone chargers as those are especially big consumers of electricity, even if the computer or phone isn't plugged into the cord.

#7 Don't let food go to waste

This may seem like a silly tip, but I often hear from people how much food they end up throwing out due to spoilage because it didn't get eaten in time (especially for produce). This is a huge waste of food and money.

Here are some handy tips I follow to make sure we use everything that we purchase:

Line the bottom crisper drawer with paper towels. This helps to absorb extra moisture, which means produce stays fresh for longer. It's also helpful to not wash produce until you're ready to eat it as extra moisture means it tends to spoil quicker.

Store herbs in your fridge in a small jar of water to help them stay fresh and perky. If you know that you won't be able to use them in time, you can make pesto at home and freeze it for later use, or simply mix the herbs with a little oil and freeze it to use later in stir fries and soups.

Only buy enough produce for a few days to make sure that you can consume it in time. If you tend to forget about it hidden away in the produce drawer, then place the produce front and center in your refrigerator to remind you to use it.

#8 Recycle, compost, and start a worm bin

Most of us are pretty familiar with recycling and composting. In Seattle, we're pretty lucky to have a food and yard compost program that makes it easy for apartment folks without yard space to take part in composting. If your city doesn't have a compost program and you can't or don't want to start your own compost bin, a worm bin is a great option. I had one for several years and was surprised at how easy it was to set-up and how little maintenance it took.

I followed Seattle Tilth's guidelines to create my bin, bought some worms at a local gardening store, and then just added in our food scraps. It took several months for the worms to multiply so I couldn't add all of our food scraps right away, but as the worms multiplied, it was a great way to get rid of kitchen scraps and create amazing fertilizer for the garden. If you're looking to get started with a worm bin, this is a great guide.

And after all that hard work of eating healthier, living a little more sustainably, and saving money, you certainly deserve a treat. Might I suggest this incredible raw chocolate superfood pudding? It's one of my favorite desserts and I love adding a fresh sprig of mint to it as a fun "Earth Day" dessert.

What are your best tips for living greener and more sustainably?

Quinoa Lettuce Wraps with Easy Peanut Sauce

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 16:21:00 +0000

Need some motivation to help you eat your veggies?

Or perhaps you're a bit bored in the quinoa department and are looking for a little recipe inspiration?

I've got you covered. Today's recipe is fresh quinoa lettuce wraps and an easy peanut sauce that comes together in a snap! You're gonna love these!

For the recipe, be sure to head on over to my guest post at Cooking Quinoa. I love Wendy's blog because she is so creative when it comes to making new recipes with quinoa and creating dishes that the whole family will enjoy. (And who knew there were so many amazing ways to use a single ingredient?!)

The Oil-Cleansing Method

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 14:00:00 +0000

I am always looking for ways to eliminate toxic, unnecessary chemicals from my life and using natural beauty products is one of the easiest ways to do this. I'm super excited to share the oil-cleansing method with you because I am convinced it's going to change your life the way it has changed mine. And, it will also save you a ton of money and give you better looking skin in the process!

If you haven't heard of the oil-cleansing method before, it's definitely time you did. The oil-cleansing method involves washing your face with, well, you guessed it: oil. Most facial cleansers brag about being "oil-free" and the beauty industry has certainly taught us that "oil-free" make-up and cleansers is the way to go.

Here's the problem though: when our skin is striped of its natural oils, it produces more oil to compensate. For those with oily skin, this means more breakouts, blackheads, and aggravated skin. For those with dry skin or sensitive skin, it means the skin is going to get even drier and irritated.

Here's a basic chemistry lesson: like dissolves like. Hence, oil dissolves oil. The oil-cleansing method is using oil to naturally dissolve the dirty oils on our skin without stripping it or using harsh chemicals. Genius, right? Not only is it super simple, affordable, and better for your skin, but here is my favorite part: the oil-cleansing method is the best make-up remover I've ever found. It removes mascara, eyeliner, foundation, everything -- all in one step! If that's not enough to make you jump for joy, then I just don't know what is.

The key to the oil-cleansing method is castor oil which comes from the castor bean. Castor oil is a great antibacterial and is the best for cleaning skin. Depending on your skin-type, you will want to use a different ratio of castor oil to other oils. Other oils to use include olive (which is perfect for all skin types), jojoba (all skin types), avocado (best for drier skin), and almond oil (best for oily skin). Experiment and see what works best for you.

I have dry skin and have had great results with using a mix of castor oil, olive oil, and avocado oil. I usually mix 2 cups extra-virgin olive oil, 1 cup avocado oil, and 1 cup castor oil in a a glass jar and keep this in my bathroom for easy access. (I would definitely recommend keeping oil for cooking and oil for skincare separate.)

I recommend mixing a small batch and then you can adjust your oil ratio as needed. Once you discover what works best for your skin type, then you can make a larger batch. I've been using this for over a year now and I've noticed that it's made my dry skin significantly less dry and I've gone from using lotion several times a day to simply once in the morning. This is a huge change for me!

Here's how it works...

Method:

Once you've made your oil mixture, rub a small amount onto DRY skin (as it won't mix well with water), adding more as needed, and massage it around your face for about a minute.

Remember: there's no need to wash or remove make-up before applying the oil. (If you wear makeup, rubbing the oil onto your skin might make a gooey mess, but it gets better in the next step.) If you wear mascara and eye makeup, rub a small amount onto your lids gently to remove any makeup, just as you would use a makeup remover.

The next step is to steam the skin to help remove impurities from your pores. Grab a clean wash cloth and run it under warm/hot water. Wring it out and place it over your face for about a minute. Then use the washcloth to wipe away any oil that's left. And that's it!

You only need to do the oil-cleansing method once a day (preferably at night before bed) and then you can splash your face with water in the morning. It's so simple!

Have you tried the oil-cleansing method before? What oils work best for your skin?

Smoky Tempeh with Purple Asparagus

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 16:53:00 +0000

I don't want to alarm you, but I think this is the best thing I have ever made. And, to be completely honest, I wasn't expecting it to be.

Sure, I thought it would be good. I mean, salty, smoky tempeh combined with fresh asparagus? Sounds pretty amazing, right?

The end result is more than amazing.

As I was typing this out right now I got a little nervous and doubted myself. Could this really be the best thing I have ever made?

*Takes another bite.*

Yep, it is. Affirmative.

First we start with these spring beauties: purple asparagus. Just look at that gorgeous color!

Asparagus is in peak season right now and I chose purple asparagus for this recipe because I love the color, but you can use any asparagus of your choice. This dish is perfect served over a bed of millet or quinoa or, if you are grain-free, fresh or lightly sautéed greens. I love using tempeh as a hearty, plant-based protein source and it's a fabulous way to adventure into the world of fermented foods. (If you are new to cooking with tempeh, you can read more about it in my teriyaki tempeh post.)

Smoky Tempeh With Purple Asparagus
Serves 2 - 4

Ingredients:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce or tamari (if gluten-free)
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chile powder
1 package tempeh, sliced into thirds and cut into thin strips
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 bunch purple asparagus, trimmed, and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)
1 green onion, thinly sliced

Instructions:

Add soy sauce (or tamari), water, apple cider vinegar, dijon mustard, cumin, paprika, and chile powder to a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the tempeh slices and bring down to a simmer. Simmer for about 1 - 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Let marinate for about ten minutes.

Add coconut oil to a pan over medium heat. Add the tempeh (reserve any marinade) and cook for about five minutes, flipping as necessary to ensure both sides are evenly browned.

Add the asparagus. Saute for about 3 minutes, flipping as necessary, until asparagus is just browned on both sides. Add any remaining marinade and about two tablespoons of water. Continue cooking for about 7 - 10 minutes, until any remaining liquid has evaporated and asparagus is just tender. Remove from heat, top with green onions, and serve hot.

Recipe shared at Weekend Wellness

How to Cook Plant-Based Meals for Meat Eaters (and a taco recipe)

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:33:00 +0000

I have received a few emails from readers asking for my best tips on making vegetarian and plant-based (or vegan) meals for meat-eaters. After posing the question to our Facebook community, it definitely sounds like this is an area many of you are interested in learning more about. And, since I’m in a “mixed eating” relationship myself, I’m always curious about how other couples manage different eating preferences. So, here goes!

First, let’s start with a little background on this: I’ve been with my partner, Ashley for seven years. Ashley was/is a meat eater and when we first met, was a huge skeptic of anything known as a vegetable. When we began dating, I was also a meat eater, but was working my way towards a healthier diet without processed foods.

A year into the relationship, I began cutting meat and animal products out of my life as well as processed foods and refined sugars. I started eating a greater variety of vegetables, more whole grains, and a variety of legumes. shley was completely supportive of my decision to change my diet and we soon began to find new places to eat out together that could accommodate both of our eating styles. We both discovered that we preferred veggie burgers to the real thing and that there were a variety of plant-based meals that were able to satisfy us both. Even though Ashley was supportive of my dietary changes, she clearly told me that she had no intentions of changing her diet. I strongly believe that the food we chose to eat is a personal choice so although I wished Ashley ate a little healthier, I tried my hardest to respect her food choices.

Let’s flash forward to the present. In our house, I do all the cooking. This works out well for the both of us because I love doing it and Ashley doesn’t. (And I’m pretty sure that if I wasn’t around Ashley would live off of peanut butter pretzels. No joke.)

How meatless meals work for us:

All of the meals I make are completely plant-based. By the time I started learning how to cook, I was already eating this way so I honestly don't have a clue on how to cook meat! Over time I’ve found a variety of meals that we both love and enjoy on a regular basis. We’re big on Mexican food so anything that can be wrapped up in a tortilla is always a hit in our house.

When I was first learning how to cook, meals weren’t as complex or creative as what you see here on the blog today. I used faux meats several times a week because I was still learning how to create hearty dishes without them. Over time, I transitioned away from processed meat-alternatives and began to rely on legumes to add bulk to our meals.

One thing that I occasionally use (at Ashley’s request) is Field Roast, a local faux meat product made from wheat gluten here in Seattle. I love their company and trust their ingredients so I don’t mind including it in recipes. I also appreciate how it adds a certain texture to meals that I couldn’t achieve otherwise.

What about the veggies?

The funny thing is that the issue in our house isn’t the lack of meat in meals; it’s the addition of vegetables! Ashley is the classic “picky-eater.” I work with young children and do recipe development and menu planning for kids so I will often test out recipes on Ashley because she is pickier than any of the kids I work with! I’ve learned that if she likes a recipe, then the children will love it.

When I began transitioning to a plant-based diet, it was my first time experimenting with vegetables like kale, beets, parsnips, radicchio, collard greens, fennel, bok choy, mushrooms, parsnips, and a variety of others. As I began to incorporate “new” vegetables into our diet, this was a huge challenge with Ashley. Meal planning for us became even more challenging as I pushed my diet further into living seasonally and sourcing locally.

I have learned to treat meals in our house the way that I do when I am working with children: Ashley is expected to try a bite of each dish, but she isn’t pressured to love it or eat the entire thing. I think this is really important because as adults we can be especially closed-minded about trying new things and sometimes our tastebuds surprise us! Ashley absolutely refuses to eat mushrooms, bok choy, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes so I reserve those veggies exclusively for my meals to help keep the peace.

Now that I’ve been eating this way for many years (and bringing Ashley along for the ride), it has actually had a huge impact on her taste buds. Even though she was adamant (and still is) that she “would never change her diet,” she now eats a huge variety of vegetables and legumes, in addition to drastically reducing her dairy intake.

Ashley still eats lots of sweet things and some processed foods, but the overall quality of her food and food choices has increased significantly. I’m also always impressed to hear about the food choices she makes even when I am not around. She recently returned home from a trip visiting some relatives to tell me that she missed my cooking. There is no way she would have said that five years ago!

My point in sharing all of this is that these changes have happened slowly over time without either of us forcing it. As I have cleaned up my diet and prepared better food for the both of us, this has changed the way we both think about food choices and meals, even though it was never her intention to change her eating habits. If you are in a “mixed eating” relationship, I believe that one of the most important things you can do is respect the other person’s way of eating and not force them to change.

My tips for cooking plant-based meals for meat eaters:

Focus on incorporating hearty, plant based proteins like lentils, beans, tofu or tempeh. Some of my favorites include tempeh tacos (pictured above), lentil loaf, tempeh of the sea, teriyaki tempeh, lentil and greens casserole, spicy tofu with spelt berries, and field roast tacos (see recipe below). Hearty, meatless breakfast options may include banana and seed granola bars, sprouted buckwheat granola, breakfast quinoa, cinnamon oatmeal porridge, or a green smoothie.

When cooking plant-based/vegetarian/vegan meals for someone who doesn’t usually eat that way, as silly as this may sound, I think it’s really important to make good food! Meat-eaters sometimes think that plant-based dishes are bland, boring, and unsatisfying. However, I think it’s important to realize that any dish – plant-based or animal-based - can be bland, boring, and unsatisfying if made incorrectly or not seasoned well.

I always make it a point to make our food delicious and flavorful, as well as use garnishes. People eat first with their eyes so focus on serving meals using attractive plates, plating the food nicely, and adding a variety of colors to dishes. If you are the one doing the cooking, pretend like you are making food at an upscale, hip, vegetarian/vegan restaurant. This may seem like a small detail, but I promise it makes a big difference!

If you are a vegetarian/vegan eater cooking for meat-loving folks, it’s also helpful to cook foods that are already known for being vegetarian/vegan so they don’t feel like the “meat is missing.” I found that Thai and Indian dishes like Simple Lentil Dal, Chana Masala, Coconut Lentil Curry, or Tom Kha Soup, tend to go over well.

The last tip that I will say here is to relax and have a sense of humor about it all. No, it’s not fun when Ashley tells me that my green smoothie tastes like “liquid barnyard” or the time when she ditched my bok choy stir-fry for a PBJ, but just like all things in a relationship, eating together is about having good communication, mutual respect, and a little compromise.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this topic please leave me a comment telling me about what meals are like in your household. If you are vegetarian/vegan, I’d love to hear what your best tips are for cooking for the meat-eaters in your family. And if you are a meat-eater, what tips do you have for enjoying vegetarian/vegan/plant-based cuisine?

And now onto the tacos...

This recipe is a great way to satisfy folks of different eating preferences at the same meal. I also think this recipe is helpful for anyone trying to transition away from faux meats or who doesn't like beans. When I was first becoming vegetarian, I honestly didn't like the taste or texture of beans so creating dishes mixed with another veggie protein source (like Field Roast or tempeh) was especially helpful for me. If you are gluten-free or prefer not to use the Field Roast, this recipe is fabulous with just the beans. Be sure to serve the tacos with a variety of toppings like grilled onions, tomatoes, or avocado slices.

Pinto Bean and Field Roast Tacos

Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 cups cooked pinto beans
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
2 Mexican-Chipotle Field Roast Links, sliced
Freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper to taste
12 corn tortillas, warmed
Toppings of choice

Add olive oil to a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and saute for five minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic cloves and saute for an additional minute, until fragrant. Add the pinto beans, stock, cumin, paprika, chili powder, and Field Roast. Simmer for 10 - 15 minutes and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired.

Spoon bean mixture into tortillas and serve with toppings of choice.

Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Let me start this by saying that I'm not a big "kid person." I heavily admire people who are parents (seriously, you have the hardest job on this planet!), but I've never wanted to be one myself. I also work with children and families in my job so I get a pretty good dose of being around kids in my daily life.

And this is precisely why when a friend told me several months ago that I "would make a wonderful mother," I practically laughed in her face. That's nice and thank you, but nope, it's not for me.

She proceeded to tell me that she was convinced someday I would adopt a child from an orphanage. I continued to argue that ain't ever gonna happen.

This is exactly why this week I had a mental breakdown when I read this blog post by Lindsay at Pinch of Yum. Lindsay and her husband moved to the Philippines for a year to teach at an orphanage. When I saw the pictures of these kids and read her post yesterday, I literally felt an urge from deep inside of my chest to move there and adopt these children. All I could think was, "oh $*%t, it's happening..."

And so, in order to prevent myself from moving to the Philippines and/or adopting children tonight, I made soup. This may not make a lot of sense, but it seemed like a better choice than hiding in a corner of my kitchen and stuffing my face with cookies from sheer panic.

If you see a cookie recipe posted here tomorrow, please send help.

As we ease into spring, I love making pureed soups that feel light enough to eat in warmer weather, but still hearty enough to serve at a meal. And since roasting fennel is my new obsession, a roasted fennel soup just seemed to make sense. This soup is light with a mellow flavor from the fennel and cauliflower and I love how the dill and lemon make the flavors pop.

One of my trademarks with soup is to puree beans in for a source of plant-based protein and to add some general heartiness to the soup. I used garbanzo beans in this batch, but any white bean would also work. Since the fennel and cauliflower were going to be pureed, I dry roasted them without any oil (I have a well-seasoned baking sheet and they didn't stick), but you can roast them in oil if needed.

Roasted Fennel and Cauliflower Soup

Vegan, vegetarian, sugar-free, gluten-free, soy-free, and grain-free
Serves 4 as a side

Ingredients:

1 large fennel bulb, chopped (about 2 cups)

1 large head cauliflower, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups vegetable stock

2 cups cooked garbanzo beans or chickpeas
Freshly-ground sea salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons fresh dill, divided

2 organic lemons, zested, then cut into wedges
Olive oil for drizzling

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Lay fennel and cauliflower flat on sheet pan and roast for 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until tender. Remove from oven and set aside.

Add olive oil to a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and saute for five minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic and saute for 1 - 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the roasted fennel and cauliflower, vegetable broth, and garbanzo beans. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 - 15 minutes.

Add one tablespoon fresh dill and blend the soup by using an immersion blender or transferring it to a regular blender. (If using a regular blender, be very careful as the steam can sometimes cause the lid to blow off. I recommend blending small batches while holding the lid down with a pot holder or towel in hand.)

Before serving, add sea salt and black pepper to taste. Garnish bowls with remaining fresh dill, lemon zest, a drizzle of olive oil, and serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe shared at Weekend Wellness

Sweet Broccoli Juice

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:17:00 +0000

Do you end up with a pile of broccoli stalks in your kitchen? I eat a lot of broccoli so I always manage to have a growing pile of broccoli stalks in my fridge. For years I made the mistake of composting them. Of course, that was until I realized how absolutely delicious they are. If you're not eating your broccoli stalks, let me tell you right now that you are missing out.

Once you peel the outer skin of the broccoli stalk away, the inside is crisp and sweet and they make a wonderful snack by themselves. I also love using shredded broccoli stalks raw in salads and slaws or sauteing them in a quick stir-fry.

This week I've been experimenting with adding them to juices and I am loving this spicy and sweet combo with apple, mint, and ginger. If you are one of those people who dislike the taste of broccoli, let me just warn you now that this probably isn't for you. However, if you are a broccoli fan and are looking for a new way to use up the stalks, this is one tasty treat!

If you are new to juicing broccoli, I would probably recommend taking it slow and starting with 1 - 2 stalks and increasing the ratio of apples. Combined with the mint and ginger, this juice is sweet, but with a nice bit of spice from the ginger. It's the perfect combo to get you in the mood for spring!

Sweet Broccoli Juice
Serves 1

2 - 3 broccoli stalks
handful fresh mint
1-inch piece ginger
1 - 2 apples, depending on desired sweetness

Juice ingredients and enjoy!

Recipe shared at Weekend Wellness

Don't Fear The Fat

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 18:54:00 +0000

One of the things that interests me the most about nutrition is how people tend to categorize foods as either "good" or "bad." For many years, fat has been seen as the food enemy and is often labeled as "bad," even though it is an essential part of our diet! As a health coach, I often get questions about what the perfect diet looks like or the best ways to lose weight. So, today I thought I would talk a little bit more about fat and why we should be eating it instead of avoiding it.

Healthy fats steady our metabolism, keep hormone levels even, nourish our skin, hair, and nails, as well as provide lubrication to keep the body functioning fluidly. Healthy fats are especially important during cold months to help insulate our bodies from the cold as well as provide energy.

Many people think that they key to losing weight is to eat a low-fat diet. Although it is important to include the right kinds of fat in our diet, often times a low-fat diet can make us gain weight.

Have you ever bought something at the grocery store that was labeled low-fat? If you check out the nutrition label, you'll usually see that it is loaded with sugar! Fat adds flavor to foods so when companies remove the fat from products (e.g. low-fat granola, fat-free cookies, etc), they add in extra sugar to make it taste better. Excess sugar is one of the keys to gaining weight so what we really need to be watching is the sugar content in our diets, especially if we eat the Standard American Diet with lots of packaged food.

And, eating good fats is one of the keys to healthy weight loss because healthy fats help us feel satiated after a meal, which actually prevents over-eating.

However, not all fats are created equal. Heavily processed, hydrogenated, and "trans" fats used in packaged foods can be extremely damaging to the body so please remove these from your diet and avoid them as much as possible.

Some of my favorite fat sources include:

Whole nuts and seeds, as well as their butters like almond butter and tahini.

Whole foods such as avocados, olives, and coconuts. (I prefer to use whole-food sources of fat, as opposed to oils, as much as possible because they still contain the nutrients in the food.)

Oils like flaxseed, sesame, olive, walnut and pumpkin seed. These are best used raw for salad dressings.

Coconut oil, especially for medium to high-heat cooking, as it does not break down when used at higher temperatures.

When selecting oils, good words to look for on the label are: organic, first-pressed, cold-pressed, extra-virgin and unrefined. Words to avoid are: expeller-pressed, refined and solvent extracted.

One of my favorite ways to include healthy sources of fat in my diet is by using a variety of nuts and seeds, adding avocado to tacos, or roasting veggies in coconut oil (this oil is my favorite).

What are your favorite ways to include healthy fats in your diet?

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

noreply@blogger.com (Sonnet) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 16:46:00 +0000

Since I'm hosting the savory tea giveaway from Numi this week, I thought it would be fun to talk a little bit more about tea.

If you ever come to Seattle, one of the places that you absolutely have to visit is Remedy Teas on Capitol Hill. I am obsessed with this tea house. They carry over 150 organic loose leaf teas in the cafe, including white, green, oolong, black, rooibus, yerba, and a variety of herbal teas. If you are a tea drinker, this place is pure heaven.

One of my favorite combinations was a seasonal holiday tea they featured several years ago that tasted like chocolate peppermint candy. Let me tell you, I bought out the store. Literally. And over the next eleven months I drank it all.

Then the following Christmas I anxiously awaited for this seasonal tea to return, but they never brought it back. Several months ago I found myself craving this tea again and I finally decided it was time to just make my own combination. So I did.

Rooibus is a sweet, caffeine-free tea from South Africa. I love drinking it as an afternoon treat and this combination is perfect with a little almond milk and stevia.

I was pleasantly surprised by how cost effective it is to make my own loose leaf blend by purchasing the ingredients separately and then mixing them together. A small tin of this blend can usually run around $15, but I found that purchasing the ingredients in bulk and making this myself cut the cost to a little less than 1/3 of the price. I found the ingredients at my local health foods store, but I also provided links below to order online if your store does not have a bulk section or does not carry these items. Since vanilla beans are quite pricey, I kept mine whole and added it to the tea blend to help infuse the tea with vanilla flavor. Storing the tea in a tea tin kept the vanilla bean fresh enough that it still has plenty of flavor to reuse in future batches of tea.

Vanilla Rooibus Tea with Cacao & Mint

Makes about 15 cups of tea

Ingredients:

1/3 cup rooibus tea

2 tablespoons cacao nibs

2 tablespoons peppermint tea

1 vanilla bean

Instructions:

Assemble the ingredients and store in a tea tin.

The general rule of thumb when brewing loose leaf tea is 1 teaspoon of tea per cup of water, but I tend to like stronger tea so I usually add 2 - 3 teaspoons per cup of water. I am by no means a tea expert, but here are some other helpful tips I typically use for brewing rooibus tea:

Always use fresh, cold, and preferably filtered water for boiling. (This will help your tea to taste the best.)
The recommended temperature for making rooibus tea is 205°F, which means you can usually bring the water to a rolling boil and then steep the tea right away. (Some teas are better at a lower temperature so you have to wait a few minutes after boiling.)
For steeping the tea, I usually opt for my trusty Bodum teapot or tea filters if I am using a travel mug on-the-go. Lately I've been using a tea infuser, which allows me to steep the tea directly in my mug. For some reason this has felt easier than using a teapot, but it's all personal preference.
Rooibus tea should steep for 3 - 5 minutes, and then the leaves should be removed. It's also recommended that the cup is covered during steeping, but if you use the teapot or tea infuser, this usually has a lid of its own.
Finally, enjoy your tea! Add some milk of your choice and your favorite sweetener (if desired) and serve hot!

Recipe shared at Wellness Weekend