Food as Fuel

Not too long ago, I was watching The Daily Show when Ricky Gervais was a guest. I remember being completely shocked by how amazing he looks. Truly- nicely done, Gervais! I know many people don't like him but personally I think he's a really funny guy. More than that- he's an honest guy as in what you see is what you get. One thing he said in that interview rang so true with me; he said that in changing his lifestyle he started to look at food as fuel. What a perfect way to look at food. Of course we love our treats, sweets and pleasures but it's so important to fuel up properly.

I'm no nutritionist or scientist but I do firmly believe that so many health problems are caused by what we put in our bodies. As a society, we are over medicated, overprocessed and overweight. We pop pills to heal ailments that nature can sufficiently fix. We purchase cheap food loaded with GMOs and lab-created ingredients to save a few bucks in this terrible economy. We sometimes forgo cooking and opt for microwave-ready meals, a cooking method that has proven cancer causing agents and eliminates a great amount of nutritional properties from food. We overeat and constantly splurge because we're happy, sad, bored or in celebration. Food dictates the direction of our bodies and lives and we should fuel it correctly.

I take great care in what I put in my body and I listen to what I'm craving. I also make sure I'm not too extreme in any direction. I mean, a life without chocolate is no life at all!

But there's a time and a place for everything. One of the greatest things to ever learn is moderation. This is such a simple yet irritating concept. Through my study of yoga, balance is an overall goal and not easily attained. People spend their lives searching for balance, mentally and physically. I find balance to be integral to our understanding of personal healthcare. If I invest in what's at the end of my fork, I can avoid a great amount of health issues down the road and the best way to maintain any level of health is to have balance.

In keeping with this idea of food for fuel, I've found a few staples in my diet. First is a terrific product by a local NYC company: TumericAlive. Recently, I've returned to a vegan lifestyle and therefore LOVE their Raw Vegan Coconut Nectar Antioxidant Cleansing Formula.

The taste is a bit strong and takes some getting used to but a half cup in the morning and at night is a miracle worker. It's made up of some heavy hitters in the spice world that include antiviral, antibacterial, digestive and restorative properties. My skin has also improved since using this product, which is huge since I suffer from folliculitis. The product is made locally in NYC but I see no reason why those who are unable to purchase this product couldn't make their own variation. Otherwise, local New Yorkers and North Jerseyans- get this! I found it at Whole Foods.

Second, I love my overnight oats. What's that, you ask? Well... it's awesome, for starters. I found this recipe on Angela Liddon's blog (OhSheGlows) not long ago and it's a breakfast staple- especially on workout days! It really fills me up. I load it up with hemp protein powder, nutritional yeast (gotta get those B vitamins!), and blended strawberries and bananas. The concept is super simple:

1 cup Non dairy milk, 1/3 cup oats and 1-2 tbsp chia seeds. You mix it together in a container, along with whatever supplement and sweetener you require, and fridge it overnight. The "milk" is absorbed by the chia seeds and oats, leaving you with a thick cold-style oatmeal. It's brilliant. Plus, in the morning all you have to do is mix it with blended fruit (or whatever) and you're on your merry way! Do check out her vegan overnight oats recipes under the recipes tab. Thanks Angela!

Third is white tea. Drinking water is a pain in the ass, for me at least, and I'd rather spice it up. So, I drink tea. This particular tea is a powerhouse. It is an antibacterial/antiviral, protects your heart, lowers your cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, strengthens your bones and helps prevent cancer. Boom. Gotta love that! Plus, it tastes really good and helps curb your appetite. I always opt for organic fair trade loose leaf. Loose leaf tastes better and fair trade is just the right thing to do. But of course you'll still get all the benefits from bagged tea. Check out local tea shops. That way you can taste test and smell the different blends.

Anyway, that's my message for today. Fuel up and balance. Your body and mind will thank you!

Carrot Ginger Muscle Me Muffins with Toasted Coconut

Lately I've been lazy with food and exercise. I blame the holidays. I had been doing almost no cooking and no working out. Everyone has slumps. I've also been going through a bit of soul searching, brought on by job searching. To me, money shouldn't be the goal of a career. I really want to help people- make a difference. I got a masters in political science because I thought that by studying public policy I could eventually make that difference. Surprise surprise, I was really into food and agricultural policy. Anyway, most people have been pushing me into public service (working for elected officials and such), which is not my thing. It's draining and aggressive and not at all reflective of the kind of person I want to be. Is it a start? Sure. But I'd rather start in non-profit, rallying for the little guys. Maybe I'll even lobby for the little people in the future, but who knows. What I do know is I want to live more peacefully, so I'm back to being vegan. I think it's right for me and I'm happy with my decision.

These past two weeks, I got back on track with exercise, cooking and really living again. I made myself a beautiful weeks worth of food: Soy Glazed String Beans, Radish Slaw, Black Beans and Rice, and a big pot of Minestrone Soup. Yum! I also got to hang out with my best friend, Jackee, and hear some great bands. We may have enjoyed the random phone booth a bit too much. Jackee doen't look too happy. Hey, remember phone booths??

 

I also spent a quiet weekend at the shore. I've gotta say, I may not have everything but I really have a lot : ) The beach always reminds me of stuff like that. It's a great place to clear your head. Even in the winter, it's beautiful down there.

I also decided to attempt a new muffin. Since my Muscle Me Muffins were a big hit and tend to disappear every time I bake them, I figured I should make more variations. I LOVE carrot cake so why not a carrot ginger spiced Muscle Muffin? Also, cause of the vegan thing I made these muffins dairy and egg free. I have to say, you'd NEVER know. Really good.

My first attempt was rough, cause I couldn't get the baking time or moisture just right. But now, I think I've got it. I'll probably tweak these a bit over time but for now, enjoy! Also, since these only keep for 5-7 days just freeze your extras. It still tastes good when defrosted. Promise.

THE DRY STUFF

• 1½ cup all-purpose stone ground wheat flour
• ½ cup pastry stone ground wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ¾ cup packed brown sugar
• 2 heaping tablespoons nutritional yeast
• ¼ cup lightly toasted and ground millet 
• 3 tablespoons wheat bran
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon ground sea salt 
• 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
• ¼ cup chopped raw almonds
• ½ cup chopped walnuts
• Shredded coconut, if desired

THE WET STUFF

• 1¼ cup carrot, grated fine
• ¼ cup water
• 6 oz cup vanilla coconut yogurt
• 2 smashed large pears
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp molasses

THE PREP

• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place 18 unbleached muffin cups in 2 muffin baking pans.
• Sift flours and millet into a large mixing bowl. Add oats, sugar, wheat bran, baking soda, nutritional yeast, salt, and flaxseed; stir with a whisk. Make a well in center of mixture. 
• In a seperate bowl, mix together wet ingredients. Pour into the dry mixture, folding with a silicone spatula until moist.
• Ladle batter into 18 prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle shredded coconut on top, if desired.
• Bake at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until muffins spring back when touched lightly in center. Remove muffins from pans immediately; cool and enjoy.

Mama’s Banana Cream Mud Pie

Happy holidays, everyone! 

I can happily report that I've had an absolutely amazing weekend with my family and couldn't be more thankful for them. Usually on Christmas Eve I enjoy dinner and dessert with close friends of the family. It's always a terrific time and I look forward to it every year. This family has been connected to mine for over 40 years! It's my mother's high school friend and her family. Can you believe they are still best friends after all that time? Finding someone like that in life is so rare and beautiful; we really lucked out having them in our lives. They are they type of people who are so generous and caring, they'd give you the shirt off their backs the moment you'd find yourself without. What better people to share your Christmas Eve with? Besides, it's a solid 5 hours of laughing. Works the abs...

So Christmas day usually begins with my mom blasting Christmas music to wake me (the hell) up. I'm a stickler for traditions and this one is awesome in theory but it's freaking scary to wake up to a sudden jolt of GLOOOOR-OOOOORRR-OOOORRR-OOOORRR-IA! Next we exchange gifts and she's always far too generous! Then I cook my famous Pumpkin Pancakes, we dress and head over to my grandmothers for gifts, dinner, dessert, and games. You know, some people don't have the luxury of being with family, getting gifts, or even having a hot meal so I feel incredibly thankful to have all three.

Of course, one of my favorite parts of the day is the FOOD! Between the cheese, dips, and dinner feast, I'm on cloud nine. But I have to say, my mom really stole the show with her Banana Cream Mud Pie. She found the recipe eons ago in Better Homes and Gardens or Good Housekeeping- one of those goodies! She doesn't usually bring it on Christmas but I think it needs to be part of the tradition from now on. It's that good. The adults love it, the kids go nuts for it- It's a winner. So here it is, for your enjoyment!

Wishing each of you love and luck this season and in the upcoming new year!  

THE STUFF

·        40 chocolate wafers

·      1/3 cup butter, melted

·      ½ cup granulated sugar

·      ¼ cup cornstarch

·      ¼ tsp salt

·      2 ½ cups milk

·      3 egg yolks, slightly beaten

·      4 oz. white chocolate, finely chopped

·      1 ¼ tsp vanilla extract

·      4 medium bananas

·      1 cup heavy whipping cream

·      2 tbsp powdered sugar

·      milk and white chocolate, grated or shaved

THE PREP

Crush 30 chocolate wafers into fine crumbs. In a bowl toss crumbs and melted butter together until well incorporated. Spread and press into a 9-inch pie dish to form a firm, even crust. Cover and chill.

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat. When mixture begins to thicken, stir and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Very slowly pour 1 cup of the hot mixture into egg yolks and whisk. You have to do this slowly or you will hard-boil the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and whisk together. Return to medium-low heat and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chopped white chocolate and 1 tsp vanilla. Cook until melted.

Slice 2 bananas and arrange on the chilled crust. Spread half of the chocolate mixture evenly over the bananas. Crush remaining crumbs and layer the remaining chocolate wafers on top. Chop the remaining 2 bananas and place on the chocolate wafers. Cover with the rest of the chocolate filling.

Cover and chill for at least 4 hours. Before serving, beat heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and remaining ¼ tsp of vanilla until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks are when you can turn the bowl upside down and it sticks but isn’t grainy. Spread whipped cream on pie and top with chocolate curls.

Pumpkin Cranberry Smoothie

The one annoying thing about holiday cooking is the leftover ingredients that always end up being tossed out a month later. You save the cranberries and extra pumpkin thinking, "oh maybe I'll use that," and never do! Well, I got a little creative and came up with this: Pumpkin Cranberry Smoothie. I wouldn't suggest it for breakfast, as I find it a bit too hearty for the A.M. This is a great way to incorporate those extra holiday ingredients with things you already have lying around. If you don’t have mint, no worries. Just cut it out!

THE STUFF

• 1 cup nonfat milk or unsweetened almond milk
• ½ cup pumpkin
• ½ banana
• ¼ cup cranberries
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• ½ tsp tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch ground ginger
• pinch ground nutmeg
• pinch ground cloves
• 4 mint leaves
• splash orange juice

BLEND IT UP!

Black Bean Burgers

If there's one thing I go crazy over, it's burgers. They're easy, quick to prepare when you're tired or in a rush, and anything goes. Really, top them with sauteed or grilled veggies, hummus, pickles, apricots... sky's the limit! My favorite burger was a veggie burger with apricots, endive, sprouts, guac. Once I figure out how to make a veggie burgers without them falling apart, I'll post it up. Until then, it's all about beans and since I've been on a Mexican kick lately, black bean burgers it is! I found one recipe in Cooking Light that I loved; just changed up the spices a little bit. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!

THE STUFF

·      1 (2-ounce) hamburger bun, torn into pieces

·      3 tbsp olive oil, divided

·      2 tsp minced garlic

·      15-ounces black beans, soaked overnight in water

·      1 tsp lime zest

·      ¾ tsp chili powder

·     1 tbsp chopped cilantro

·      ½ tsp cumin

·      ¼ tsp salt

·      1 whole egg, lightly beaten

·      1 egg white, lightly beaten

THE PREP

Pour beans in a medium-large saucepan and fill with water, 2 inched above beans. Boil on medium heat for 30 minute or until tender. Don't boil too hard or the beans will break open! You can do this step in advance and just fridge the beans until you're ready to make the burgers.

Toss the bun in a food processor and grind it for about 10 seconds until the crumbs equal approx 1 cup. Set aside.

Blend beans, garlic, and 1 tbsp olive oil in the food processor until it makes a thick paste.

Mix bean mixture in a bowl with the breadcrumbs. Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Divide the mixture into 4 even portions and shape into 3-inch patties. It may be easier to wet your hands first, as it will be very sticky!

Freeze or cook as you would a normal burger. Top with bean sprouts, avocado, tomato, onions and ketchup.  

*Photo credit: quarrygirl.com

Farmers Market Radish Slaw

I've been looking for a great radish recipe for a long time. There are always so many amazing varieties at the farmers market but I never really had a good creative use for them, besides salad. (And that's kind of boring!) Then I came across this recipe in Cooking Light. It is one of the best slaw dishes I've ever had, mainly because the peppery taste of the radishes are so unique and unexpected. I also added salad turnips for a little sweetness and mustard, well... because it just fits! Also, don't throw away the greens. Just add them to a great minestrone soup. There's so much flavor, it would be a shame to waste!

THE STUFF

·      3 ½ cups shredded radishes

·      ½ cup salad turnips

·      2 cups finely chopped yellow bell pepper

·      1 ½ cups shredded carrot

·      ½ cup white wine vinegar

·      ¼ cup Dijon mustard

·      4 tsp raw sugar

·      1 tbsp chopped dill

·      1 tbsp olive oil

·      ½ tsp salt

·      ½ tsp black pepper

THE PREP

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl.

Whisk the remaining ingredients together and drizzle over slaw.

Toss and serve!

*Photo credit: Cooking Light