Take Two on the Return to Blogging & Breakfast!

So I was at a dear friend's wedding this past weekend in Los Angeles, and being surrounded by some inspiring and encouraging friends, I am motivated to restart the blog. So this is take two of the return...and we're talking about the most important meal of the day. BREAKFAST!

Many skip this meal...I'm in a rush, would rather sleep in or take 5 more minutes in the hot shower, have to get to school too early, nothing in the house that I like, don't what to make, I'll just grab something on the way...

Many choose options that might be less than ideal...sugary cereals, white breads (toast, bagels, english muffins, biscuits, pancakes, waffles), processed marketed breakfast foods (pop tarts, breakfast bars, pre-made frozen breakfast meals stuffed into some kinda bready pocket), a fast food breakfast biscuit sandwich with a side of deep fried hash browns or sugary deep fried french toast sticks dunked in sugary corn syrup concoctions, a single cup of coffee with two sugars and cream, a can of soda or glass of not so 100% juice.

And while I am all for the occasional Sunday morning treat of pancakes and warm real maple syrup (mmmm...so good!!), the decisions we make first thing in the morning impact our entire day. They determine our energy level, our ability to concentrate, our alertness, our mood, our digestion, our overall health.

Breakfast should always include a healthy protein source and not one dripping in fats. And it's important to remember that protein isn't just from meat. Think about beans, nuts, dairy, eggs as well. Protein will be your longer source of energy, what kicks in after your body uses up the carbs you eat. Have you tried low fat greek yogurt topped with a little honey, some fruit and walnuts...so tasty and a great protein source (just make sure to get the kind without added fruit and sugars or read the labels of your flavored ones). Try peanut butter or hummus on top of your toast or bagel instead of butter, jelly or cream cheese.

Breakfast should have whole grains rather than the refined grains (white breads, sugary rice puffs, waffles), because it will take your body a little extra energy to digest this carb, and you get the added benefit of minerals that would otherwise be lost. Think about whole wheat or multigrain breads, the darker and heavier, the better. Expand to oatmeal (not the kind that comes prepackaged with tons of sugar and cream though), quinoa, buckwheat pancakes/waffles, oat bran, etc. Pick healthier cereals, read the labels for how much sugar they contain, add low fat milk or milk alternative, add nuts, some fruit, and you're golden!



Fruits! Your body needs the vitamins and minerals that come in fruits and it's always better to eat them rather than drink them. Think smoothies if you're in a hurry. Think pieces of fruit...berries, bananas, citrus fruits, pears, mangos, peaches. Think dried fruit...raisins, apricots, figs, cranberries. Throw a handful of something into your pancake batter, top your toast, add to your greek yogurt. Fruit juice, especially the ones without the pulp, don't have the fiber that whole pieces of fruit do, so it's almost like drinking sugar water.

Don't discount the vegetable. Cucumber (technically a fruit, but eaten as a vegetable), carrot sticks, bell peppers. Add some spinach to your omelet. You've put fruit and cottage cheese together...what about some cottage cheese, tomatoes, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts and a dash of salt and pepper to top your whole grain toast? It's good...trust me!

Be creative! Avocado goes well with some of your saltier, savory breakfast foods. Next time you get a bagel and cream cheese at the bagel shop, ask them to put a slice of tomato or some cucumbers on it.

If you're on the run...at least just eat a spoon of peanut butter, drink a glass of milk, and grab a banana and some trail mix for the road.

And drink something good...water, lowfat milk, unsweetened milk alternatives (soy, almond, rice), a homemade smoothie, a small (4-6 ounce) glass of 100% juice (but that's it for juice in the day), a glass of tea or coffee (but watch the amount of cream and sugar you add, think of sugar substitutes, and if you stop at a coffee shop...know the sugar and calories you are adding to your breakfast with your order). And please...please find a substitute for that morning can of soda. Really, it's just not good for you and you're better than that. You are.

Recipe time: Peanut Butter Energizer

So Paras and I make this thing we like to call the "peanut butter energizer" and really it does have a good source of protein, healthy carbs, and healthy fat for your morning breakfast. Feel free to add your own variations but basically it's our blended peanut butter smoothie.

Milk (almond, soy, rice, coconut...or lowfat cow's milk if you haven't quite gotten into the milk alternative yet. and when you get the milk alternatives, buy one that is unsweetened otherwise you get a lot of unnecessary sugar)
Natural unsweetened peanut butter (find one with the least amount of ingredients listed, preferably just peanuts)
Banana (or two...get in your potassium and fruit serving for the day)
Cinnamon (a dash...good for normalizing blood sugars)
Dark chocolate chips (just a few...I like Trader Joe's semi-sweet morsels, not necessary, but a fun addition as long as the entire drink isn't turning dark brown from the amount of chocolate)
A little ice

And blend...that's it. If you need more sweetness, add another half to whole banana. If that's really not enough, you may need to start weaning yourself off some of that sugary sweetness...or add a TOUCH of honey or agave nectar.

Other ingredients that go well in the drink and some that add some benefits:
Vanilla essence
Flax seed
Rolled oats
Any nuts - almonds, walnuts, brazil nuts
Instant coffee crystals for an extra boost of energy
Half a cup of dark brew yerba mate (check out Mate Factor dark roast...YUM! and if you are ever in Colorado Springs...go to this place! It's super cute, all mate, all the time...really, ALL the time...it's open 24 hours. Mate acts like caffeine, but is less toxic)
Nutmeg
Substitute almond butter

Fun Find:

I would like to introduce you to this fabulous blog I found on nutrition and healthy choices. It is called http://www.eatingrules.com and it is great! He has some fun flowcharts like the one below, and guides to the nutrition label and the USDA MyPlate. I encourage you all to check it out!


















http://www.eatingrules.com/healthy-breakfast-flowchart.pdf

We now return to your regularly scheduled blogging...

Sorry everyone for being out of commission for the last month, but I have recovered from over-blogging and am ready to get it going again!


Topic of the day...eating local. Why? Here's my simple breakdown...
- You know where your food comes from.
- You eat what is in season.
- Your food is picked ripe - at its best chance for being the tastiest and most jam packed with nutrients.
- It isn't placed in cold storage for long periods of time so that it can look fresh for you in the grocery store.
- It doesn't take tons of fuel to transport your food to your local grocery store from a faraway land.
- You help sustain your local economy, supporting local farmers and agriculture.


On that note, today's Local Flavor: We joined a local CSA (community supported agriculture) with Cold Water Creek Farms. Consider joining a CSA where you live -- you get a box full of all sorts of yummy local fresh produce, some of which may be completely new to your kitchen! Today we got radishes, bok choy, kale, swiss chard, and tat-soi (Asian spinach). Now I have no idea what to do with tat-soi, nor would I ever pick it up at the grocery store myself...but I am super psyched about making something with it. Stay tuned for what that ends up being.

Recipe of the Day: Kale Chips
Consider the kale chip. It's salty, it's crunchy, it can be flavored, yet it's kale. Fun snack.
Recipe from an excellent blog, Smitten Kitten



1 bunch (approx 6 oz) kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
Sea salt, to taste

Preheat oven to 300 F. Rinse and dry the kale, destem and take out tough center ribs. Cut into larger pieces, toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Arrange in a single layer on a large baking sheet (you can line with parchment paper to clean up easier). Bake for 20 minutes or until crisp. Place on rack to cool.

Variations: sprinkle flax seed, sesame seed, nutritional yeast, chili powder, lemon juice before baking.

Other use: use a little less oil, bake, grind (in a mortal and pestle) and sprinkle on fresh popcorn (maybe also with a little nutritional yeast...or just a TOUCH of parmesan cheese).

Days 28 & 29: Cinnamon Spiced Homecoming

The hubby is home!! And with him came bags of beautifully fragrant cloves and cinnamon from Sri Lanka. (Apparently Sri Lanka produces 90% of the world's cinnamon.) They smell like heaven and I cannot wait to cook with them! So let's talk spice some more but briefly because I gotta hear some stories!





Mmmm...cinnamon ~ this warming spice holds a dear space in my kitchen and has some health benefits too! It has been shown to help with an uneasy stomach (cinnamon tea), can help regulate blood sugar as a benefit to diabetics, and may decrease the bad cholesterol (LDL) in your body. PLUS it just boosts the flavor of foods so well. Try it sprinkled on your oatmeal, a cinnamon stick to stir your coffee or to spice your homemade chai, dust over fruit (bananas, apples, pears) to add a little somethin somethin to that sweetness and also regulate the blood sugar spike after eating these healthy snacks. Paired with honey, the combo is such a treat (and the honey adds its own health benefits)! Just spread on whole grain bread or waffles or drizzle over nuts and roast for 5 minutes in the oven.

Days 25-27: Balance

It's been a rough week (hence the three days-in-one post), but the key this week has been balance. Sad day at work balanced by a walk through the park and a fruit bowl with blackberries, bananas, strawberries and kiwi. Sleep deprivation from being on call balanced by yoga and edamame hummus and amazing homemade vegetarian chili. Wintery spring day balanced by a p90x workout and a hot cup of coffee brought back from Ethiopia.

Mind. Body.

Wellness means balance of both. To reach that place where just for a moment on the seesaw you are parallel to the ground, floating in midair, playful laughter in your heart as you hold your breath wondering which way the seesaw will teeter. And it will teeter, because balance requires hard work and vigilance amidst constant change.

Part of the hard work that I need to do is around physical activity. Now, I don't write much about exercise, mostly because I am no expert, but what I do know is that part of this healthy balance is making sure you get your heart pumping regularly, break a little sweat every once in a while, strengthen your muscles, and work on flexibility. It's about calories in versus calories out. I will be the first to admit that I am not good about maintaining the calories out part of this balance, but not because I don't find it to be extremely important. But I do believe that what you choose to do for physical activity should be something that you find joy in and makes you feel good. Exercise should be fun or healing, not make you want to cry or bore you. Change it up to keep life interesting and to work your whole body. 

For me, I have figured out that I love to dance and love to do yoga. I like hiking because of the scenery but that's not a regular thing. I like music while I move. And I like to be guided through activity to keep me motivated. So now I just have to put that all into a regular routine for myself amidst a busy schedule. But again balance, because I know I will be better at attacking this schedule if I am fit and feel good about myself, which can only happen when I am achieving that balance.

I don't think there is hierarchy to exercise forms...it's just about what works for you and how you manage to stick to it. So think about what you enjoy, what makes you feel good, and how you can make those things a regular part of your life. And work on it, because it will make you feel better and help you live a healthier life. And I will do the same. And if we fall off the balance beam, all we have to do is dust ourselves off and get back on. After all, this ain't the Olympics and nobody's judging. But it is life, and we should do our best at it.

Recipe of the Day: Mashed Potatoes and Cauliflower Fusion
Great recipes are often a balance of flavors and ideas. Here I took a simple mashed potato and added cauliflower for better nutrients and less carbohydrates, then fused together flavors from India and Latin America. Mmmm!!

So first I boiled the potatoes and steamed the cauliflower until tender. I left the skins on the potatoes for added fiber. I also wrapped some garlic cloves in foil, popped them in the toaster over at 350 for 10 minutes to roast them (this works best when you leave them in their skin, and then peel after roasting). Once those were all done, I mashed all three together. Then for flavor I added:
Cumin
Lime
Cilantro
Parsley
Grated Jalapeno
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
A small touch of Earth Balance (vegan butter substitute)

The salty, sour and spicy really went well together! And specks of potato skin and green herbs really made it a pretty dish!

This was served at our monthly yoga veggie potluck tonight...along with amazing vegetarian chili, artichoke dip, spinach dip, all sorts of hummus, a quinoa salad, kale, salad, yummy brussel sprouts, multigrain bread, and veg dumplings. LOVING the leftovers!!

Local Flavor: Be Yoga Charlotte 


http://beyogaandwellness.com/
1247 East Blvd., Suite 250
Charlotte, NC 28203

I have done yoga classes here and there in all the places that I have lived, and this place is by far my favorite (and it doesn't hurt that it is literally a five minute walk from my house). The instructors really get yoga, real yoga, and it shows in their practice and teaching styles. Christine, the director, yogi, and teacher extraordinaire...who also happens to currently be our fabulous housemate...is amazing! And she made the awesome veggie chili I speak of in the blog. 

But if you're in Charlotte, check it out, take a class from Christine or any of the other fabulous teachers, set your intention for class and really go with it. This yoga studio isn't just about the exercise, but about the mind-body-soul connection, and really showing you a way of living. But do not be mistaken, it will also make you use and build your strength and endurance. And check out upcoming workshops on Reiki, Hula Hooping, Soul Collage, and Meditative Drawing. Maybe I will see you there at my next class!!

Days 23 & 24: Laughter, Sleep, and Potatoes!

I looked after a sweet little one year old boy tonight who shared with me his wisdom on life...

We played on tabla and drums. We shook our booties to the music. We pointed out beauty around the home (he appreciated our ceiling fan, candles and African wall art).

And as he was drifting off to sleep, he looked me in the eyes and just started giggling. And as he giggled and smiled, he put himself to bed. They say not to go to bed angry, but this boy takes it to a whole other level! Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could all fall asleep just happy and giggling? I'm inspired and it was nutrition for my soul. I truly do believe in the power of positivity, and this was just such a great example of how good energy can be present at any moment.

Speaking of sleep, there's an article I read the other day linking poor sleep to unhealthy eating and weight gain. It basically says if you don't get enough sleep, you eat more calories when you're awake and tend to choose high fat, high calorie foods. Apparently lack of sleep and ice cream is a popular combo. Now I don't know if this means you are just awake longer hours so you have more opportunity to consume those extra calories, or if there is something truly in the brain telling you to crave certain types of food to make up for the hours of sleep lost...but either way, it's no good. Plus, the article touches on the double whammy of also then being too tired to exercise which does not help the problem either. 

Maybe that's why college freshman and residents gain weight so easily. Or perhaps it's because ice cream is one of the few appealing things in the hospital cafeteria at midnight. Either way, it warrants careful watching. So, when you can, go to bed at a decent hour. And when you can't because your job thinks it is healthy to work you for 30 hour shifts or because you feel the need to pull an all-nighter, be mindful of your choices. Take easy snacks with you (a container full of mixed nuts, some cut up fruit). Or write down what you've eaten for the day so you can keep track of it amidst the sleepiness.

Recipe of the Day: Spinach, Baby Potatoes and Mushrooms in a Yogurt Gravy

Inspired by this recipe on the divinetaste blog, which of course I couldn't follow exactly without adding my own twist.

You can use peas, carrots, beans or cauliflower either individually or in combination.

1 cup spinach, blanched, chopped and drained - I used frozen spinach.

3 medium Potatoes, boiled and cubed - I used a bunch of baby potatoes boiled.

I added 1 cup of sliced portabella mushrooms.

1 ½ cup thick plain yogurt

½ cup water

1 tbsp coriander powder

½ tsp red chilli powder

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped

For the seasoning:

2 tbsp oil - I used a little less

4 cloves

1" piece cinnamon

½ tsp cumin seeds

1 bay leaf

½ tsp asafetida powder (hing)

1 tsp freshly grated ginger

2 tsp gram flour (besan)

I added 1 cut green chili pepper

1 ½ tsp salt - I used a little less than that

In a bowl, mix the yogurt with the water, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and coriander leaves into a smooth paste. You can use a whisk or a spoon to obtain a smooth consistency.

In a wok, heat the oil over a medium flame and drop in the cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds and bay leaf. After the cumin seeds turn golden brown and crackle, stir in the asafetida and grated ginger. Lower the flame and put in the gram flour (besan). Stir into a smooth paste and cook until the flour turns golden brown, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in the yogurt paste, raise the heat to medium and put in the boiled and cubed potatoes and the blanched, chopped and well drained spinach (This is where I also added the mushrooms and cut green chili). Bring to a boil while stirring continuously and mix in the salt. You have to stir well so the yogurt doesn't curdle.

Serve with rice (brown!!), roti or your favorite breads.

That was dinner tonight!! And now it's bedtime! Goodnight everyone! I hope you laugh yourself to sleep!

Days 21 & 22: Awww NUTS!

I love using nuts in meals...as added protein and healthy fats, but also for their flavors and textures. Here are some fun ways to incorporate nuts into your diet...

The ones I always have around the house: 

Almonds (raw, sliced, slivered, butter)

Walnuts (raw whole, raw pieces)

Cashews (raw whole, raw pieces, butter, and currently a thai chili lime flavored bag from Trader Joe's)

Pistachios (shelled and lightly salted, unshelled)

Pine nuts (raw)

Peanuts (raw with skin, roasted with and without salt, butter creamy, not crunchy)

Hazelnuts (whole raw)

Mom says to store them in the fridge so that's what I do...I think that helps them from going rancid.

Here's an article on making your own nut butters with hints on add-ins to make your own special flavor...go wild with it, in fact...go nuts! :-)

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2011/02/20/diy-nut-butters/

Some favorite nutty foods:

Peanut butter, banana or thinly sliced apple on a multigrain or whole wheat toast (or waffle) topped with a light drizzle of honey and cinnamon (remember, cinnamon can lower the glycemic load of foods). Sometimes I add small walnut pieces to this

Strawberries, dried pineapple mashed together with cashew butter

A spoon of any nut butter in my morning oatmeal

Peanut butter, banana, soy or almond milk smoothie with a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon - great way to start the morning! Sometimes I add a spoon of ground flaxseed as well.

A variety of nuts on my salads...they taste even better after being roasted briefly in a dry hot pan or in the oven (toaster oven) just until they are warm and fragrant from their natural oils.

Don't forget to add to pastas, salads, some cooked greens, smoothies, and cereal! 

I would write more but the last couple days have been tough, and I need some sleep! Thanks for reading!!!

Day 20: Spring!! Play!! Eat!!

It's the first day of SPRING!! The sun is shining, flowers are in bloom, and it's my little brother's birthday!! Happy Birthday Sagar! If you've met my brother, you know he is quite the chef and unlike many brother-sister pairs, we often talk recipe exchange. I like to credit hours of watching Food Network and other chef shows with him when we were younger.

On that note, I think it is so important to get young kids excited about preparing food, knowing where their meals come from so that they are excited about trying new things. Take them on a grocery store adventure. Let them choose the fruit or vegetable of the day and help you prepare a food with that choice later. Create games you can play while roaming the aisles. Make choices together so they feel invested in the process. When you're home, cook with them. Let them wash and prep ingredients. If you're watching and you feel your child is old enough, let them try using the knife to cut simple things. Let them stir the pot, toss the salad, get their hands dirty with mixing ingredients, and play in the kitchen with you while making the meal for the day. It is amazing how a child will eat something they normally wouldn't just because they took part in preparing the meal. They feel ownership and therefore will eat THEIR food. While you're doing this, you can also be teaching them lessons in math (measurements), science (boiling, freezing, how fruits and vegetables grow), geography (where their ingredients come from).

I spent hours today at the grocery store (without a child and games to play)...actually at three grocery stores and it was fabulous and totally relaxing! I probably bought enough to feed a family of 10, but oh well! If you're hungry, come on over! Actually, much of what I bought were those "every once in a while" ingredients - things like capers, herbs de provence, kaffir lime leaves, and spelt flour. I don't even have recipes in mind, but they will come to me! Now, when you do get ingredients like this, make sure you keep track of them and pull them out every once in a while. Otherwise, they can often fall into the depths of your cabinet, only to be rediscovered when your kitchen undergoes a deep cleaning.

Recipes of the Day: Quinoa Upma & Khichdi (Indian dishes)

1. in oil (grapeseed or canola), add rai (mustard seeds) until pops

2. split skinless udad daal (matpe beans) until reddish

3. hing (asafoetida), jeeru (cumin seeds) and limro (curry leaves) until you can smell it...

4. kaaju (cashew) pieces until just starts to brown

5. small cut onions until cooked (translucent)

6. peas (and whatever other veggies you like to add) until cooked

7. ravo (soji, semolina, or you can use cream of wheat) to mixture and sekh (dry roast...i sometimes will dry sekh the ravo in a pot before adding it to the vaghar...it toasts the ravo until pinkish in color, bringing out the flavor of the ravo)

8. add salt before water at this point

9. add already boiled quinoa at this point

10. add boiling water (2-3 times as much water as ravo)

11. add dhai (yogurt, optional -- for a vegan version just add lemon juice)

12. add aadhu (ginger) and leelu marchu (green chilies)

13. allow water to evaporate

14. for desi style, add margarine for a little sheen and taste (i usually omit this unless serving to aunties)

15. kothmir (cilantro...lots of it...mmm)

For ONLY quinoa upma skip steps 7 and 10 - you dont need the ravo or the extra boiling water...just add the quinoa and sekh before adding the last ingredients in steps 11-15.

For quinoa khichdi (a rice and pulses comfort food) do the half and half rice-daal (a type of pulse) mix but add a handful of quinoa into the mix. the cooking time is the same. you can even do 1/3 of each item. we also use brown rice in the khichdi for added nutritiousness...

For quinoa sabudhaana ni khichdi (tapioca khichdi)...one of my favorite things ever...just make everything as you would but add already boiled quinoa instead of the soaked sabudhaana.

Day 19 - Happy Holi!

Today we celebrated Holi - a day to destroy all things evil in our lives and bring in the color and joy, a fresh start to the spring. With beautiful color powders of red, yellow, and blue being thrown in the air, we paint our lives with similar shades...and similarly should paint our plates with bright and colorful foods!

So my tip of the day in getting more color into your belly is to really look at your plate when you sit down to eat and ask yourself what color is missing. Then at the next meal, try to add in that color somehow (and not with radioactive orange colored Cheetos).

Another way to get in some more color is to purchase a variety of fruits and veggies that can be eaten raw, wash and cut them when you go home so that all you have to do when it is snack time is open the fridge and eat. Often in those times where we are hungry looking for a snack, we grab the bag of chips or cookies because it is easier than slicing an apple. This way, you already have the washed and cut carrots, cantaloupe, mangoes, celery, berries, grapes...and you just eat!

Recipe of the Day: Variali Sherbet (Fennel Seed/Saunf Drink)

In a blender place fennel seeds, golden raisins, a touch of honey and water. Blend until the seeds and raisins are all ground up. Pass through a fine strainer and pour over some ice cubes. REFRESHING! I added just a touch of cardamom to the blender today as well.

Day 17 & 18: Here are few (30) of my favorite things...

Another 2-in-1 day blog post after being on call overnight but I've been working hard on today's entry!

So in honor of a dear friend and avid blog watcher's 30th birthday, I present to you 30 of my favorite things...ingredients I love to have around and use all the time! Happy Birthday Raju!

1. Quinoa – if you haven’t tried this, it is a must! One of my favorite things to create from, this is a grainlike vegetable that is perfect for vegetarians. It is a protein with healthy amounts of all the essential amino acids. It’s gluten free, a great source of iron, magnesium, many of the B vitamins and calcium. Tips: Rinse before cooking to remove the soapy bitter coating. Use in place of rice, cous cous, boil into soups, turn into salads. For Indian cooking: use in khichdi, in place of soji in upma.
2. Oatmeal – lowers cholesterol, good fiber. Tips: hot oatmeal for breakfast is great and there are so many variations in flavor. If you have a slow cooker, just imagine hot slow cooked oatmeal waiting for you in the morning (use steel cut overnight because they take longer to cook). I like the quick cook oats to add to smoothies, breads, muffins, pancake batter.
3. Brown rice – the whole grain version of rice, contains vitamin B1, B3, iron, magnesium, fiber, and fatty acids. Tips: they take longer to cook. If you soak in warm water first, this stimulates germination with activates various enymes in the rice making it a more complete amino acid profile.
4. Nuts and nut butters – almonds, cashews, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, peanuts. I love them all! We also always have a variety of butters at all times – peanut, almond, cashew, and sunflower butters. All are good protein sources and a source of healthy fats. Shelled pistachios are a favorite snack of mine because of the “Pistachio Principle” – you fool yourself into eating less through the act of having to de-shell and slow down consumption. Tips: add nuts to random dishes like your pasta, oatmeal, greens (sliced almonds on cooked kale, pistachio with your green beans), salads, blend into smoothies. Serve nut butters with fruit for a fantastic dessert!
5. Ginger – great for nausea and settling your stomach. Great during colds. Tips: add fresh ginger to stir fry, salads, teas. Think gingerbread and add dried or fresh ginger to other baked goods, muffins, cookies or oatmeal.
6. Garlic – claimed to help with heart disease, high blood pressure and cholesterol. Tips: for a sweeter taste try wrapping in foil and roasting in the oven before using. Add to soups, pastas, vegetables,
7. Turmeric – an anti-inflammatory shown to have anti-cancer properties which are enhanced when combined with black pepper.
8. Cumin – one of my favorite ingredients to use, helpful with digestion. Tips: great with Tex-Mex and Indian foods. Dry roast cumin seeds on slow heat until their fragrance fills the room, then grind for a perfect spice! Add to yogurt, guacamole,
9. Cinnamon – one of our healthiest spices. It can lower the glycemic load of other foods (how high your sugar spikes in your blood). Tips: sprinkle on fruit, oatmeal, cereal, baked goods, in your coffee.
10. Sesame – high in iron, magnesium, copper and calcium. They also contain vitamin B1 and E, and have phytoestrogens with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. They come in varieties of raw, toasted, hulled, unhulled, and black. Ground up they become tahini and sesame oil is also a great cooking oil for stirfry. Tips: top salads, Indian style vegetables, add to yogurt for a flavorful dip, blend or use tahini in dressings, spreads or dips. Sesame oil is also great moisturizer for the skin.
11. Flax seed – high in fiber and omega 3 fatty acids (lower heart disease risk, health arthritis, may help with weight loss and Alzheimers). Tips: add to cereal, oatmeal, smoothies, baked goods. You can use it as a egg replacement.
12. Cilantro – now I know there are people that cannot stand the taste of cilantro…they think that might be a genetic thing which would be the only reason I could imagine for not liking it. Medicinal uses include diabetes, anxiety, lowering cholesterol, and as a chelator for heavy metals. Tips: great in Latin and Indian dishes. Add to store bought salsa for added flavor. Mix with your greens in salads.
13. Moong beans – used in Indian and other Asian cooking, they are available whole, hulled, split, and as sprouts. They are a great source of protein and fiber. Sprouts are high in vitamin A, B, C and E as well as potassium, iron and calcium. Tips: experiment with different spices – my favorite classic combo is turmeric, red chili powder, cumin-coriander blend, salt, lemon juice and cilantro.
14. Black beans – good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, helps prevent sugar from rising too high after a meal, high in protein and loaded with antioxidants in comparison to other beans. Tips: ideal in the classic rice and beans dish, added to salads, burritos, and also a great soup (blend it with an immersion blender for a completely different texture rich soup).
15. Chick peas – a cup of these has 12g of fiber (half the daily requirement) both insoluble (reduces cholesterol and risk of heart disease) and insoluble (helps digestion). They are high in folate and iron. Tips: smaller sized ones have thinner more tender skins. Cooked chickpeas can be refrigerated in their liquid for up to 4 days.
16. Almond milk – great tasty milk substitute. Watch which product you purchase and try to stick with unsweetened to decrease added sugar. It does not have much protein or fiber, but is also low in calories. Tips: try in chai, cereals, as coffee creamer, or to add creaminess to savory dishes instead of heavy cream.
17. Greek yogurt – high in protein and if you get lowfat or nonfat without fruit the sugar content is low. If you want the fruit kind, watch which brands have high sugar contents. Tips: add granola, whole grain cereal, berries, cut fruit, honey, bananas for a great breakfast or snack. Or use the plain kind instead of sour cream or mixed with savory ingredients to make a dip.
18. Bananas – reduced risk of colorectal and breast cancer, they have moderate amounts of potassium, manganese, vitamin B6 and C. Tips: ask my brother about his curried bananas. Raw bananas can also substitute for potatoes in Indian and Jain cooking.
19. Mango – lots of antioxidants protecting against heart disease and cancer, good amount of vitamin A, fiber and small amount of vitamin E. Tips: just eat them, especially when in season…they are amazing!! Try a green mango if you haven’t before.
20. Blueberries – really high in antioxidants plus with potassium, vitamins B, C, and E. They are also an anti-inflammatory. Tips: when picking berries, the darker ones have more antioxidants. Add in cold or hot cereal, smoothies, pancake batter, or eat plain.
21. Pineapple – great to eat in the morning because it has a natural enzyme that help with protein breakdown, a little jumpstart to your day’s digestion work. Also good source of vitamin C and manganese. Tips: add to Thai food for an added sweetness to your spice.
22. Lemon/Lime – Great cleansing properties, help the immune system, and I like to use these as flavor boosters so you can decrease the amount of salt in a dish. They also have vitamin C, B6, potassium, folic acid and phytochemicals with antioxidant and anti-cancer properties. Tips: squeeze on salads for dressing instead of rich dressings high in fat, add to warm water and honey for a sore throat soother or a great detoxifying morning drink. Add to bean dishes for a fuller flavor.
23. Tomatoes – lycopene (antioxidant for the eyes and protects against prostate cancer), vitamin C, vitamin A. They come in so many varieties – this summer, try an heirloom (the oddly shaped sometimes purplish black looking ones that are kinda pricy but so good. Tips: raw, sauce, stewed, sundried. Try them all. I love summer ripe tomatoes sliced with a drizzle of olive oil, cracked black pepper and a touch of salt as a snack.
24. Avocados – they contain the best kind of fat (monounsaturated oleic acid), nut help block the absorption of bad fats (cholesterol). They are high in lutein (helps with eyesight), potassium and folate (which can decrease risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease). They are low in pesticides. Tips: we all know guacamole, but try slices topped on salads, soups (black bean!!), or in sandwiches. Or make it sweet as a base in smoothies or homemade vegan chocolate pudding.
25. Spinach – rich in antioxidants and chock full of all sorts of vitamins and minerals. Tips: I always have a bag of frozen spinach on hand to add some green to many dishes. Try in pastas, stirfry, Indian dals or vegetables, mixed with beans for Tex Mex foods.
26. Kale – great fiber to help lower cholesterol, anti-cancer properties, Tips: try making kale chips, add kale to juices/smoothies, add to soups like minestrone.
27. Eggplant – good for high cholesterol. They also help form free radicals and contain potassium and folic acid. Tips: try making your own baba ganoush. Or a tapenade you can use as a spread. Great in Indian vegetable dishes especially baingan bharta. (although I must say as a child I did not enjoy them).
28. Agave nectar – sweetener that comes from the same cactus plant that you make tequila out of. It’s sweet, people use it instead of sugar, and we can feed it to diabetics at this point. It’s about 1.5 times as sweet. Tips: it dissolves better than honey, so it is easier to stir into hot beverages. Try the different flavors and see what is right for you. It comes in light, amber, dark, and raw..
29. Honey – sweetness with vitamins and minerals. It gets graded based on a number of factors including water content, flavor, aroma, absence of defects and clarity. Tips: great as a cough syrup especially because you cannot overdose. Remember, no child less than 12 months should get honey because of the risk for botulism. Also add to teas, in baked goods, and hot//cold cereals. Add to homemade dressings for a hint of sweetness.
30. Dark chocolate – contains flavonoids and one small square can be good for you! Tips: The higher the percent cacao the better, but get up to at least 75%. Note, twix are not a healthy substitute.

Day 16: Label Fable

Food labels are way too complex. There are columns and rows, grams, percentages, asterisks, and no rules on how much is too little or too much. Wouldn't it be nice if nutritional fact labels were clear and simple? I am thinking perhaps something like this...

Well while I work on getting those labels to change so it is easier to decipher good food from bad food, here are some quick tips that might help.

- If there are more than five ingredients, you may be entering the danger zone.

- If you cannot read the ingredient name, question the food.

- Watch out for artificial ingredients. Avoid hydrogenated vegetable oil, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, food dyes.

- Remember the 5-20 rule. If it has less than 5% of the nutritional daily value for a particular ingredient, it may not be healthy. Above 20% of the daily value is good (unless we are talking about fat, sugar or sodium).

- Multiply by the "servings per container" number if you are planning on finishing the entire container of food. They will get you every time with this one. Those 20 ounce bottles of soda have 2.5 servings each, and most people don't stop after just 8 ounces. Although for babies it is perfectly acceptable to start soda early!! (sarcasm, but wow!! to the ad below)

- Every 4 grams of sugar is a teaspoon. Count out the number of teaspoons before you eat or drink that product and ask yourself if you would dare eat that many of spoons of sugar for the item in your hand.

- Just because the box says "Healthy!" "Good for you!" "Diet" or "Lowfat" does not mean that it is good for you. Read the back of the box and decide that for yourself.

So those are some basics. In interim, i't sleep time!

Day 15: Back to Basics of Cooking

So there's a great article I read a while back written by Mark Bittman, food columnist and author of cookbook, "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" amongst other books.

Chop, Fry, Boil: Eating for One, or 6 Billion

The basic premise of the article is that there is this cultural shift away from the art of cooking. People are busy, working late or pulling multiple jobs, getting home at hungry hours without time or patience to then prepare a meal. So we eat quick, we eat cheap, we eat unhealthy. And while we eat those things, we turn on the tv to watch other people cook (Top Chef, Food Network shows)...the irony.

As we move further away from the daily ritual of preparing meals, we get to the breakpoint of losing the skills of how to cook in the first place. So, if our kids grow up in a household where nobody really cooked, how are they supposed to learn those skills for themselves? Mom or dad may not even know how to boil water, let alone prepare an entire meal. Home ec is gone (although what happened to those kitchens in the older schools?). So these kids grow up knowing their favorite restaurants and fast food joints, develop preferences in prepackaged meals, and hardly spend time in the kitchen aside from interacting with the fridge and microwave.

In 1985, nearly 52% of main meals were prepared on the stovetop/oven. In 2010 this number has declined to about 34% (National Eating Trends research). Microwave use for main meals has gone from 10.5 to 22% in that much time.

It makes me sad to think of a generation that may not be able to cook because nobody ever taught them. It makes me sadder to think of this generation not getting the opportunity to have home cooked meals or provide those meals for their future children.

BUT HOPE AND OPTIMISM!! So the article also goes on to talk about the three cooking lessons people should learn in the basics of cooking that can be built upon with time. Each of these uses good whole ingredients and is free of all the stuff on the label that we cannot pronounce. AND, you don't need a whole lot of kitchen stuff to make these dishes happen.

So your three lessons:

The Chopped Salad
The Stir-Fry
The Rice and Lentils Combo

The salad requires no cooking at all, just some practice with the knife. This meal is really just chopping up a combo of veggies, maybe some fruit. It can usually be put together in 15-20 minutes, which is not much more time in comparison to getting prepared food. Check out the other blogs listed for great salad recipes and combos.

Now, once you have mastered the chop, you can throw those ingredients into the stir-fry. Consider adding tempeh or tofu because they soak in the flavors well, and add some protein. Again this is a quick process because you are ideally cooking a shorter time on higher heat and leaving the veggies cooked but crisp.

The final is your basic rice and lentils dish. Pretty much boil water, add rice, lentils and other ingredients to flavor (salt, spices, garlic, ginger). Boil until cooked, perhaps a half hour job depending on which ingredients you are using.

Once you have mastered the technical skill to do these three types of food preparation, it is time to add your own flare, your embellishments. So salads you can experiment with new vegetables and perhaps fruits. Add nuts. Add spices. Add some form of dressing and don't be afraid of mixing one up yourself. You cannot go wrong unless you start using all sorts of unhealthy ingredients.

The stir-fry concept can be a base to other sautees, stir-fry, and central access.

And the rice and lentils you can add all sorts of everything to it - spinach, potatoes, other vegetables or greens to boost the nutritional value.

So if you are struggling with the cooking thing, try to get these three skills mastered. They will take you a long long way!

Day 14: Happy Pi Day!

3.14 It's Pi Day! This day was a particularly special day in my nerdy existence...celebrated fondly every year through middle and high school. Even my brother texted me in honor of pi day this morning!

And in celebration I had a pizza pie...well, a pie slice of homemade pizza...whole wheat crust with oregano and black pepper, tomato sauce, onions, bell peppers and just a touch of cheese. YUM!

I've decided that homemade pizzas can be pretty healthy depending on how you make them (and so much fun to make although I have to admit I cannot toss the dough in the air to magically spin out a crust. The picture below...definitely not me)...



Good whole grain crust (made from scratch or store bought ready made dough), or build it on top of naan, tortillas that are baked to become hard shells, flatbread - all breads of the best quality you can find or make, and that are made of whole grains.

Then sauces -- homemade tomato sauce will have less salt and preservatives. Or consider a drizzle of olive oil, some pesto, a paste made from white beans and garlic or an olive tampenade as your base.

Then go wild with the toppings really! All sorts of veggies (and some fruit) can top a pizza in whatever combination tickles your taste buds. Off the top of my head: tomato (fresh or sundried), olives (green or black), mushrooms of all varieties, bell peppers or other peppers, onions (fresh cut or caramelized), garlic (fresh or roasted), spinach, arugula, corn, broccoli, eggplant (really good grilled first), zucchini, artichokes, capers. Then for fruit depending on what you pair it with: pineapple (tastes good against a tomato sauce), pears (really good with walnut and gorgonzola)

And cheese. So the best thing about making your own pizza is that you can really balance your ingredients. Keep in mind that a little bit of cheese can go a long way. The stronger the taste of the cheese, the less you need to use. Instead of big chunks of goat cheese, gorgonzola or blue cheese...consider crumbles of it over the pizza. You can even freeze softer cheeses and grate them over your pizza (or other dish) and it spreads the taste all over your food without having to use a large quantity. And really, since you're making your own pizza and it is full of all your favorite toppings, you can always forgo the cheese altogether.

Consider finishing off your pizza with something like a drizzle of olive oil or a balsamic vinegar glaze, or topped with a fresh ingredient once you're done baking like fresh basil, oregano, arugula, cilantro, parsley.

Make it fun. Make it your own piece of art! In the past we have thrown a "make your own pizza" party before with individual crusts and tons of bowls of ingredients to choose from. It's interesting to watch your friends construct their own pie art and how their personalities are portrayed by their pizza.

Whatever you chose to do on the celebration of Pi Day, I hope it was a blast!

Day 12 & 13 - A Weekend of Tempeh, Tea and Sunshine!

What a phenomenal weekend! My brother flew in from Chicago on Thursday and parents drove up from Florida on Friday and the weekend was full of good food and sunshine! Good ol' momma's cookin, nothin like it! And no matter how hard you try, irreproducible. Is there a dish your mom makes that you try and try to replicate, but just can't get quite right? Moms are just amazing!

So over the weekend my brother and dad built us raised beds for another season of fruit and vegetable gardening. I will be starting seedlings in the next week!

We went on an Asheville day trip on Saturday, one of my favorite little cities ever. Hippie town, LOTS of veggie food, street musicians everywhere, artsy displays all around town, fabulous people, great vibes, and beautiful mountain area. Went to eat at Green Sage, drink chocolate at The French Broad, sip tea at Dobra Tea, and had dinner at ALL TIME FAVE all vegetarian restaurant Laughing Seed. So some of the food on our plates included: black bean burgers, tempeh avocado sandwich, veggie burritos, panang curry with really good seitan, and a nut encrusted tempeh with harissa sauce and wild rice pilaf. YUM YUM! And to drink: delectable liquid truffles in lavendar/honey and cinnamon/cayenne, lovely green and oolong tea incredible kombucha on tap made by local ladies. We also stopped through a spice store that would be a dream to have in my neighborhood - all sorts of spices on their own and in mixes that you can smell, sample, enjoy and buy. You must check out all of these things with a trip out to Asheville to just experience a city that is unlike any other one I have ever been to.

So I realized that the above list of foods may be on varying levels of familiarity so I wanted to go through some items and perhaps add a new ingredient or dish to your plate.

Tempeh - a WHOLE fermented soy product that started in Indonesia. They take the whole soy bean that is cultured and fermented into a cake form. Since it is made from the whole bean, it has more protein, fiber and vitamins than tofu. It can also be made using other beans or whole grains. I have cut it in thinner strips for sandwiches, crumbled it for a chili or burritos, and sauteed cubes for salads or stir-fry.



Harissa - a North African chili sauce that is made from piri piri chili peppers and other hot chili peppers mixed with olive oil. The sauce itself is this beautiful orangey-red color that looks beautiful on top of dishes and tastes incredible. There are variations on how to make the sauce based on regions and family traditions. You can add it to soups, pastas, couscous or other grain dishes or anything else you think might go with the flavor.




Seitan - a vital wheat gluten protein that can be sauteed, baked or fried. It works as a meat substitute in a lot of recipes. You can buy this in organic and natural food type grocery stores. Or you can try making your own (although I have not done this yet, it sounds like it might not be all that hard). It just requires water and whole wheat flour. You basically just wash wheat flour dough until all the starch goes away and it becomes this elasticy mass that is then cooked. It may sound not as appealing from the description, but it really is great!



Kombucha - a fermented tea that is becoming more and more popular, originally drunk for medicinal purposes. The culture, a mass of yeast and bacteria, is put into tea with sugar and allowed to sit for 1-2 weeks. The microbes feed off the sugar and create this fermented beverage that has roots in Russia, China and Japan. There are some health claims including detoxification and anti-cancer properties. Now the process itself when you look it up can seem a little eww, but when you get the right place's kombucha, it really is quite tasty. I recommend above mentioned ladies' kombucha in asheville (see listings on website) in the fire flavor (cayenne and ginger goodness).



Alright friends, that's all for now as I embark upon another day. Sorry there was only one post this weekend!


Goodnight...

Day 11 - Pyramids

So good to have family at home! The raised beds have been built thanks to the bro and dad! The stomach is pleasantly full thanks to food from mom! Tomorrow we go to Asheville, which has some of the best vegetarian food in a small radius ever! Life is good despite difficult days at work.

So quick post on pyramids. The USDA has this food pyramid that we all learned in school growing up. Then they had a meeting, revamped it, and flipped the pyramid on its side. The new version doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, and ultimately doesn't tell you how much of each food you should eat. And at the end of the day, it's not really grounded in the most recent nutrition science.

So I introduce you to the Healthy Eating Pyramid designed by nutrition scientists at Harvard School of Public Health. These are the guys that got kicked out of the meeting when deciding what to put on the new pyramid, because they were countering the Dairy Council and Meat lobbyists saying it was not scientific to have that much dairy and red meat in our diet. So this new pyramid takes all that into account, as well as the importance of whole grains, healthy fats, and exercise.

Take a look and see if this could be a good guide for you in choosing healthy options. The link above gives you more of an explanation on each category. Enjoy!

Days 9 & 10: Sweet Tooth & The Dessert Flip

Sorry I didn't get a chance to blog yesterday -- it was a busy night in the PICU and I didn't get a chance. But half rested I am back and excited! Brother is coming into town tonight, we will get some raised beds made for our garden attempt #2, parents in town tomorrow, Asheville Saturday, and plans for an all around great weekend!

So a couple interesting things to share.

I do love sweet things and baking, but am always amazed at how much white sugar the recipes contain. That step always makes me hesitate. Here's a great article talking about sugar substitute options (and not Splenda) for baking.

Sweet doesn't have to mean white sugar

So after you have baked your fabulous cake, pie, brownie, bar or cookies there's that whole problem of who is going to eat it all. I bake muffins in fear that the hubby is going to eat them all in a couple days. Or when you cut yourself a piece of cake, it's easy to go overboard with it a little. Well, introducing...

The Dessert Flip



We serve cheesecake with a couple strawberries on top. We serve chocolate cake with a raspberry or two on the side. The dessert flip is swapping portion sizes on your plate and is just as satisfying. Take a small square of cheesecake and surround it in fresh berries. Take a piece of chocolate cake and pair it with orange slices, raspberries, and a few raw cashews or almonds. Take a small single spoon of ice cream and place it on top a bowl of peaches and blueberries, or whatever fruit you choose. The fruit is amazing on its own, but if you have that occasional sweet tooth, eat your dessert, enjoy it, but in limited proportions served with limitless fruit and nuts. You can even spice it up a little by grilling your fruit (grilled pineapple = yum) or baking it (baked pears or apples).


Wish I could write more but on the way to the airport to go pick up Sagar!!


Sweet dreams!

Day 8: Low Fat, Trans Fat. Good Fat, Bad Fat. Green Fat. Red Fat.

Sometimes all this talk about fat starts to sound like a Dr. Seuss book to me. At the end of the day, I can understand why people may be confused about what is the healthiest option: no fat, low fat, or good fat.

So here's the latest:
http://civileats.com/2011/03/04/a-big-fat-debate/

Now sure, you may think that this is always changing when we do more research but in the spirit of Dr. Seuss, here's my simple take on matters of fat...

Our body needs some fat to run properly. It's okay to eat fat, but don't swim in a sea of blubber.

It's not how much fat you eat, but what KIND of fat you eat that matters.

If you're going to eat fats, make them natural ones. Fake fats are bad.
(Natural fats include nuts and seeds, their oils and butters, avocado, coconut)

Trans fats are bad. Avoid them. Saturated fats (found in animals and dairy) are bad fats that can increase your LDL (the bad cholesterol). Limit/avoid them.

Good fats are the monoUNsaturated and polyUNsaturated. These are okay to eat.

Use oils more than butter, margarine or shortening.

There are low heat and high heat oils. Cook with high heat oils. Serve foods with low heat oils.
(My favorite cooking oils are grapeseed and canola with stir fries in occasional sesame oil. My favorite dressing/low heat oils are extra virgin olive, walnut)

Fried foods generally have a lot more fat. Limit these foods.

Watch out for foods labeled as low fat or nonfat, they often have sugar or high fructose corn syrup, or other additives to make them taste better.

But overall here is my general thought on food in general. Eat food that looks like food. When you stop recognizing the ingredients that make up your food, it's probably not as healthy for you. Watch your portion sizes. Fill up half your plate with fruits and veggies, a quarter with protein, and a quarter with carbs. If you want extras, go for the veggie or fruit first.

It's all about balance and being smart. And in the spirit of balance, rainbows of food and appropriate servings, here's a look at dinner tonight (leftovers from my cooking fest).

Corn rotla, saffron rice, plain greek yogurt, my salad from the other day, collard greens and dal. Notice how half the plate is veggies! 

Man I wish these pics were better so you could see all the pretty colors in the salad, but that's just gonna have to wait until Paras comes back.

Well, I am on call in the hospital tomorrow so I will try to sneak in a quick post in the spirit of my personal National Nutrition Month challenge. Tomorrow is also VEGAN WEDNESDAY! Don't forget if you're joining me!

No recipe today (sorry) but it's sleeping time!!

Local Flavor: Atherton Mill and Market
Tuesday- 3 pm - 7 pm
Wednesday- 9 am - 1 pm
Saturday - 9 am - 2 pm

2104 South Boulevard
Charlotte, NC 28203

I love how local this market is. If you're a regular, you can really start to get to know the farmers and vendors. Buy fresh fruits and veggies, homemade candles, real healthy food, breads, jewelry, pickles, honey...it's fantastic!

Check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/athertonmillandmarket?sk=info

Day 7: 5-2-1-0!!

So there's this 5-2-1-0 initiative that is pretty smart for kids but works for everyone really as simple goals to reach daily...


5 servings of fruits or vegetables a day at least
2 hours maximum screen time between tv, computers, video games, etc. (I don't know if work screen time counts because I spend a LOT of time in front of the computer; but the point is to get moving around)
1 hour of physical activity a day, moderate to vigorous (I struggle with this one, no lies)
0 sugar sweetened drinks


So sometimes I find it difficult to get enough servings of vegetables during my day. When I am cooking, I rarely just steam or prepare a single vegetable as a side dish (except maybe broccoli). But I love sneaking vegetables into recipes just to add in another serving. So here are some of my clandestine ways of adding more veggies...


Steamed/boiled and then pureed veggies: carrots, beets, pumpkin, butternut squash, sweet potato -- add these to sauces to bring bright colors and added vitamins. You can also add them to soups and stews and remember, a little at a time doesn't change the flavor too much from your original recipe. If it's thicker, consider as a spread or drip with some added spices.


Food processed, shredded or tiny cut veggies: zucchini or other squash, bell pepper, mushrooms, eggplant -- add these to things like beans (I hardly make refried bean dishes without shredded zucchini), sauces, fillings for other dishes, etc. You can chop up mushrooms really tiny and saute it for a while like I presume you cook up ground meat (I often mix soy crumbles with tiny tiny chopped mushrooms to make a great filling).


Spinach and other greens: I always have a bag of frozen spinach on hand to add to foods. There is no reason why a pasta dish can't have spinach in it. I add this to sauces, pizzas, soups, and other random dishes that need a splash of color.


Surprise yourself with ingredients: artichokes in your sandwiches, tomato in your stiry fry, sweet potato in your burrito, or any of the above.


In the meantime, I am going to have to surprise myself with bedtime! In 5, 4, 3, 2....1 

Day 6 - Rainy Days and Sundays

Cirque du Soleil Totem was amazing!! If you're in Charlotte, you must go see it! It still boggles my mind how they come up with some of the feats they master. And all with such ease. I would fear for my life every time I made the jump, every show, every night. I feared for THEIR lives sitting in the audience. But regardless, amazing show...to go along with an amazing weekend.

Slept in today, listened to jazz, sang at the top of my lungs, went to deep stretch yoga at my favorite yoga studio, and cooked like I had a party coming over and yet, there was no party.

I title this photograph, "All in a day's work play"

So starting at the top that is homemade pizza with a pepper, garlic and oregano crust - one side with spinach, sundried tomatoes, goat cheese and balsamic glaze...the other side with your standard fare of peppers and onions.

Next on the left is dal (split pigeon pea Indian style soup), Gujarati style.

To the right of that a slow cooked enchilada casserole with carrots, red cabbage, black beans and pinto beans with a homemade enchilada sauce.

In the middle bowl there is a red cabbage & carrot salad (recipe to follow).

Then next down we have makkai na rotla (corn flour flatbread) compliments of Charmi's recipe.

Last we have an ol' southern fave...collard greens...done Indian style with channa nu lot (chick pea flour). 

So I spent all day cooking, listening to the rain and to heartwarming music. The house smells incredible. And surprisingly despite all the cooking, I did not pig out. But I am prepared for the coming week's dinners (and probably some take-along lunches as well). Planning ahead when you are trying to eat well is important. It's easy to fall into the trap of being tired from work, coming home not knowing what you are going to have for dinner, and ultimately popping a frozen meal in the microwave or getting food from a restaurant or fast food place. Here are some ideas that can help you avoid spending the extra money and eating food that may not be as good for you:

Make a weekly schedule of your meals and buy the groceries for the week on the same day of the week (weekend?). That way you don't let produce go bad in the fridge and you can map out if you've had enough fruits and vegetables over the span of the week.

Prepare items that can get makeovers: black bean soup turned into tacos or tostadas when cooked a little more and thickened up; salads that turn into sandwich toppers, rice that turns into a rice and beans mix. That way you can make a little extra and it helps you for two different meals. Use your creativity to change up the dish you already made for one night's dinner so that you don't feel like you're eating the same thing every night.

When you've got out the cutting board and knife for one meal, just keep chopping. You're more likely to prepare a meal if the onions and tomatoes are in the fridge, chopped and ready to go. Just store things in separate containers and the next day you'll feel like one of the chefs on tv where all your ingredients are prepped and ready to go!

That's all for today. Gotta get to bed early so your recipe as promised...

Recipe of the Day: Red Cabbage and Carrot Salad (made up recipe from 8 hours ago)

So the salad can really be made of anything you have around the kitchen but today I used:

Grated carrots
Shredded red cabbage
Green mango
(I just love the colors in the salad by the way)
Black beans (canned)
Sprouted skinned chick peas (kala channa)
Cilantro
Dried cranberries

The dressing was lemon juice, a little bit of agave nectar, salt, cumin, red chili powder, a touch of garam masala.

Mix together in a bowl and there you go! I bet the flavors will marinate really well overnight, but I can let you know about that tomorrow. For now, I sleep!

Goodnight! Swet