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.