Raw Mom and Hot Dog Kids

The Ups and Downs of Life

2011-10-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

I don't usually like to write solely about what is going on in our family, and try to keep it mostly to posts about healthy recipes, great products, new restaurants that we have tried, fasts that I am going on (or putting my clients on,) what the Pennington family is serving at the dinner table.

But, too many important things have been going on in our lives that I just cannot ignore the elephant in the room. How can I write about food when really important things are going on in our lives?

One of the biggest changes was that my daughter changed schools! Please ignore the goofy picture of both of us but it was pooooouring down rain on her first day of school. The last few weeks I have been giving myself 24/7 to make sure that she is settled, happy and having lots and lots of playdates. She is thriving in her new environment and I have never seen her happier...

Just when I thought I had it all down- happy 3rd grade daughter in a new school that she loved, happy 6th grade son who had gotten his favorite teacher- something tragic happenned. Last week my son's beloved teacher, Mr. Feldman died. One day he is in the classroom alive and well and the next day my son comes to school to find out that he had passed away.

My son's weekend writing assignment was "I Don't Usually Complain," and here was his essay:

"I don’t usually complain but it has been a really hard week for me. My teacher, Mr. Feldman, passed away.

Mr. Feldman was the best teacher I have ever had. He was hilarious and made us laugh the whole day! But, we were learning at the same time. He also made me believe in myself and he wanted each one of us to become the best that we could be.

He loved history and would tell the class about George Washington in full detail. He told us about how Washington left all the gunpowder on the ground and, when it rained, they had to retreat. He told us about how Washington tripped over a rock and shot the French ambassador. And, he told us all about Christopher Columbus and how he wasn’t quite the figure that we thought he might be. He made history come alive for us.

Mr. Feldman would also jokingly make fun of us, but in a weird way it drew us closer to him. He made fun of A. for reading a newspaper in class, for talking to himself, or looking back at the schedule constantly. He made fun of N. and called him an egomaniac. He made fun of me for calling out and said that he would break me of that habit. I told him, “good luck.” He also teased me about how I used to get kicked out of class a lot when I was in 1st grade. He would joke that Mrs. Mackie set up a hammock for me out in the hallway.

It might sound mean to others but he teased us because he cared and we all thought that the teasing was funny. The teasing, though, had hints of truth to it, and inspired us to be our best. Mr. Feldman always told us that he gave 100% of his effort to make learning fun and expected us to give that 100% back.

I am not one usually to complain but I am sad because my teacher died this week."

Mr Feldman was a very special teacher and person and we are so very sad for his family and the boys. Mr. Feldman, we will miss you. My son is getting tons of support and love at his school (and, of course, at home) and I will begin regularly writing the blog starting tomorrow.

I don't usually complain but...

Gluten-free Protein-Packed Blueberry and Carmel Chip Pancakes

2011-08-31T14:19:00.000-07:00

These pancakes are packed with protein, calcium, fiber and, in the case of the blueberry ones, antioxidants! These pancakes are a great way for an athlete, busy working person, or a child to fuel their day. Best yet- you can make a bunch and freeze them and pull them out when you are really in a pinch.

We had a playdate coming over early this morning and a whole host of fun activities planned for the day so Caroline and I decided to make our Gluten-free Power Pancakes and fresh squeezed orange juice. We made 2 varieties: one blueberry and one carmel chip (don't ask)!

I am all about ease and simple and adore the Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-free mixes so today Caroline and I used the mix as a base then made our own subsitutes and additions!

Blueberries OR Carmel Chip Power Pancakes

1 box Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-free mix

2 cups almond milk

1 tbsp coconut butter

1 tbsp Earth balance (could also use just all coconut butter)

4 tbsp honey

2 scoops vanilla Sun Warrior protein powder

Dash of vanilla

To mix in by hand: blueberries or carmel chips (or any other favorite fruit!)

Mix all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend well. If you are making two separate mixes (if you have eaters in your house who prefer their pancakes different ways,) split the mix evenly into two containers and mix in blueberries, carmel chips or whatever else you desire.

Here is a pic of our pancake mixes at this stage of the game. We put ours into plastic easy-to-pour pitchers that are easy for the children to pour:

Then, cook on the griddle until brown and enjoy! Then, all we had to do was make our orange juice, which is so beyond easy. I LOVE, LOVE, BEYOND LOVE my Breville citrus juicer!!!

Here is our crew at breakfast. Think they enjoyed their pancakes!!!

So, what did I have? The Raw Mixed Berry Pancakes that I had made the night before and they were delicious!!!

Once we were all well-fed, it was off to the Circle Line, lunch at Serafina and then the bookstore. All in all a perfect day!

Funky Monkey Smoothie

2011-07-02T08:12:00.000-07:00

Funky Monkey Smoothie

I just got back from a worldwind trip picking up my daughter, Caroline, from camp...

a 4 day trip to Cashiers, NC where we swam...

kayaked...

hiked...

slid...

climbed...

spent time with friends...

swung...

then dropped off Oliver at camp...

So, when we got home, major nutrition was called for!!!

My daughter loves making smoothies and decided to make one of her favorites, the Funky Monkey smoothie, which is adapted from one of our favorite smoothies called the 'Pooh Bear Smoothie' at the Laughing Seed in Asheville!

Funky Monkey Smoothie
1 1/2 cups almond milk
1 banana
2 tbsp peanut butter (unsweetened)
Healthy squirt of honey
1 scoop Sun Warrior Chocolate powder (32 grams of protein!)
Ice cubes
2 stalks of kale

Blend it in blender until smooth and enjoy! Packed with protein, potassium, iron, vitamin C, and other antioxidants, this is the perfect way to start your day!!!

Here is my crew enjoying their "Funky Monkey's" this morning for breakfast!

June- somehow I am still sane!

2011-06-06T09:40:00.000-07:00

I know that it seems like I may have fallen off the face of the earth...

and, I sure feel that I have been tight-rope walking through life the past few weeks with all that is going on. But, let's just say, this month has been very, very busy!

Got my daughter's trunk for camp packed and shipped.

Went out to our beach club and opened the cabana (poor me!) I truly think that this is one of the most beautiful and peaceful places in the world! Here is a picture of the golf course and stream on the walk up to the beach.

And, here is a pic of the beach from our cabana.

Here is our cabana where you can see our crew takes refuge...

If we look up and smile, will you please leave us alone to read in peace?

The only downer is that the clubhouse is being renovated- well, downer in the short-term because see that tent right there? This is where they are serving "lunch"- for a vegan my only fare was a green salad. That just doesn't cut it for me so I will know to bring my own food next time until they are serving a proper lunch! I won't even tell you what kids had!

Had my daughter's Girl Scout end of year Field Day party- so cute! They did sack races, the egg race, and a relay race. Pure joy!

The next day, I had my son's Sports Day.

Planned our June trip to London where our son is celebrating his birthday and having a school interview. Booked flights, planned itineraries, made restaurant reservations, booked train tickets out to school... won't bore you with the rest.

Oh, this is a biggie- realized our son, Oliver's, passport, was expired! "It's Easy Passport" service may be great at expediting passports, but there is nothing easy about the amount of paperwork you have to fill out prior to sending it to them or the wait at the post office to have the paperwork approved. UGH!

Planned son's Paintball birthday party. I have heard that everyone leaves smelling like fish and am frightened of having a pack of smelly, paintball covered boys in my car Wednesday!

Packed for North Carolina (trip to drop off daughter at camp) and flew to North Carolina to drop off Caroline at camp.

So, how have I been keeping sane? Well first of all, as you can see by my "frequent" posts the last few weeks, I have made a list of priorities.

Priority #1    Get everything done

Priority #2    Make sure I am working out and eating healthily. This mainly translates to my running since it only takes an hour!

Priority #3    Ditch anything but the essentials (alas, this means no frequent blog posts and I have cancelled some writing assignments due in a few weeks)

Priority #4   Spend time with the children and don't fill up day with little things.

And, what am I eating to keep my energy up and going?

Well, lots of these-

Green Smoothie
(Almond Milk, Sun Warrior Powder, Locinato Kale, Greens Powder, Maca, Frozen Banana)

Mixed Berry Smoothie
(Almond Milk, Frozen Strawberries, Blueberries & Raspberries, Hemp Protein, Coconut Butter)

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
(Almond Milk, Chocolate Sun Warrior Powder, Greens Powder, Frozen Banana)

Here is what I put into my smoothies...

And, of course, my beloved granola :)

Laughing Giraffe Raw Cranberry Orange Cacoa Granola (Yum!)

Earthling Organics Vanilla Rawnola

And, for lunch, plenty of these healthy salads!

As well as a little help from my Brain On E3 Live...

My Innate Probiotics...

Dulse flakes that I have been putting on everything- salads, you name it! And, my Pure Synergy Greens powder that I put in smoothies and sauces...

And, I can't foget my good Vita Synergy multi-vitamin...

And, of course, lots of this...

And, plenty of this...

How do you stay sane when you get busy?

Is your June as busy as mine?

How do you prioritize, and what do you let slide when things get crazy?

My Girl Scout Lecture and Granola Bar

2011-05-26T15:23:00.000-07:00

I am a Girl Scout troup leader for my daughter's troup and this week we focused on hunger and nutrition. Super mom Maria gave a lecture and led activities relating to hunger , and I gave the girls a lecture on nutrition. I showed the kids how to reach food labels, we discussed trying to "eat the colors of the rainbow" (ie. making sure your whole plate isn't white and has lots of fresh fruit and veggies on it,) and also touching upon the issue of emotional eating and how we shouldn't eat because we are bored, stressed or sad.

Here, one of the girls, is reading a food label and reading how much sugar a common cereal has in it!

Here is my "color of the rainbow" chart, which my daughter helped me make!

And, here was one of the girl's favorite part! Do you know what this is? It represents approximately 11 pounds of sugar- the amount the average American consumes in a month! "But, I don't eat sugar or desserts," you say. Well, next time you are eating a boxed or bottled item, look at the label. It may surprise you!

So, after the girls had listenned oh, so nicely, we got to the fun part...making granola!

I set up a granola bar with mason jars to for the girls to fill up, colorful bowls, and lots of healthy ingredients- oatmeal, Go Lean Crunch cereal (no nuts,) sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried raisons, dried apricots, dried bananas, dried cherries and the girls favorite topping dark chocolate chips!

Here are the girls going down the assembly line.

And, adding toppings in their mason jars.

One girl proudly shows her creation.

The girls all had fun and learned a lot about nutrition and how eating healthily can be fun!

Chocolate coconut yogurt with lots of toppings!

2011-05-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

I have a confession to make. Until the last few years when I have truly become a vegan, I used to be absolutely addicted to frozen yogurt. You would think that a health-minded person like me would think, no, frozen yogurt is NOT a substitute for a meal but line up out the door to get a cup I did!

But, when New York City gets hot and sunny as it did today, my cravings for something sweet and creamy emerge.

Luckily, a few days ago I made vanilla and chocolate coconut-based yogurts. Of course, you can buy coconut yogurt's such as the ones by So Delicious but the homemade ones are so easy to make and so much better tasting!

So, today I had a Chocolate yogurt with vanilla cream, shaved coconut and lots of chocolate chips!!! Dairy-free, sugar-free, packed with nutrients and antioxidants and bursting with healthy probiotics, I felt light as a feather and so energetic afterwards...

Here are the two yogurts I made a few days ago:

Ingredients:
4 cups coconut meat (you can open fresh or buy prefrozen from Exotic Superfoods)
Coconut water (or regular filtered water)
4 capsules of probiotics (I used Innate probiotics- by FAR my favorite brand)

For the chocolate yogurt:
3-4 tbsp unsweetened chocolate powder (I used raw cacoa powder)
3-4 tbsp agave nectar

For the vanilla yogurt:
2 tsp vanilla bean
1 tbsp agave nectar

Directions

1) I always believe in doing things in the easiest way possible, so blend all of the coconut meat first. You will need to add water very slowly just to get enough water in there so that the mixture blends smoothly. The less water you put in the thicker the yogurt and I personally love my yogurt thick!

2) Blend in the powder from the probiotic capsules

3) Take 1/2 of the mixture out and set aside.

4) In the blender with 1/2 of the coconut meat mixture, blend the vanilla beans and agave nectar. Place this mixture in a mason jar and cover and put in your dehydrator or a very warm place overnight.

5) With the remaining 1/2, place it back in the blender (hint: if you do the vanilla first, you don't have to clean the blender!) then add the chocolate powder and agave nectar. Add this mixture to another mason jar. This is your chocolate yogurt. Place this mason jar in your dehydrator or a warm place overnight with the other jar.

6) In the morning, refrigerator the jars and THAT'S IT!

A few months ago, I my Easy Peasy Vanilla Yogurt and topped it with shaved coconut, blueberries and Oh Alaska chocolate syrup- yum! The choices are endless and limited only by your imagination!

PB and Who Needs the J?

2011-05-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite foods growing up- ok, I'll admit it, I am still obsessed now- were Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches otherwise known as PB&J's!

Everyone is always asking me for healthy snacks for their children or for pre- or post-workout snacks and my son and I just adore these! We have made a special twist and have used almond butter instead of peanut butter and have sliced the bananas to use as the "bread." So easy to make and kids have fun making AND eating them!

Another option is almond or peanut butter on apple slices or even celery! Yesterday Oliver had the PB's (top picture) and this afternoon after his lacrosse game he had a special treat- Chocolate hazelnut spread (from Le Pain Quotidien) on apple slices.

Nutritious, satisfied his sweet tooth and definitely a better option than other sweet stuff he might have reached for!

Lance Armstrong's Livestrong Diet Tracking System: My New Obsession!

2011-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have a new obsession. NO, it's not for my Cheesy Kale Chips...

or my Avocado Fries...

Or, my Chocolate Pudding...

No, my new obsession is Lance Armstrong's new diet tracking system at Livestrong! Yes, this tracking system is by the same biking stud who has conquered cancer and has won the Tour de France 7 times!!!

Who would this be good for?

If you are having problems losing weight, are an athete wanting to make sure you are fueling properly, are a vegan and want to make sure you are getting enough protein, calcium or other nutrient in your diet or just feel run down and feel that you are perhaps just not feeding your body right then this is the site for you!!!

Is it hard to set up or expensive?

No, it is sooooo simple and takes about 5 minutes to set up an account- which, by the way, is free!

When you set up your account, it will ask you to input your age, height and activity level, and whether you want to lose, gain or maintain your wait and it will calculate you daily calorie as well as nutritional needs. So cool!!! Then, all you do is enter all the foods that you have eaten for you day and Livestrong will calculate all of your caloric and nutritional information.

So, while I am doing it because as a vegan I want to make sure I am getting all of the nutrition I need, my husband has become obsessed and is doing it to lose weight. Oh, did I mention... you can download an app for the iphone, ipdad or blackberry?!?! Ok, for my phone-text-blackberry addicted husband this is almost like crack! Sorry for the blurry photo so this is basically what the app on the iphone would look like (and, hopefully, you are not searching for glazed donuts for your food log!)

What was I told?

I was told that I needed:

1683 calories

55g fat

252mg cholesterol

2020mg sodium

252g carbs

21g fiber

42g protein

Because I am a runner and a vegan, I thought for sure that I would be low in protein and perhaps some other nutrients but I was amazed that I was getting all of the protein I needed but that my fat and even sugar intake was high. Never would have guessed that in a million years and it made me feel so much better to know that I was getting enough in nutritionally. Helpful information!

So, how does it work? What does a breakdown look like?

Ok, again, it is so easy. You just type in what you have eaten and it locates the food and you just press enter (much like a google search!) The program then does a nutritonal breakdown of the food.

Here is what the breakdown looks like:

Here is what my breakdown for breakfast actually looked like:

BREAKFAST

Food Servings Cals Fat Chol Sodium Carbs Fiber Protein Sugars

Raw Cacao Granola 1 498 15 0 9 80 7 14 15

Vanilla Almond Milk 1 67.5 1.9 0 105 12 0 0.8 10.5

Banana 1 60 0.4 0 1.2 15 3.1 1.3 14.4

Blueberries 0.5 42 0 0 0.5 10.5 2 0.5 7.5

E3 Live shot 6 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 0

Breakfast Totals 667.5 17.27 0 115.7 117.5 12.1 22.54 47.43

So, I won't bore you with the rest of my day but in that the end of the day, you are given daily intake totals and your percentage of daily allowances (ie. how you have done.) Mine looked like this:

Daily Intake Totals
Cals 1895 Fat 88g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 1134 mg Carbs 293g Fiber 60g Protein 49g Sugars 122g

Customized Nutrient Goals
  Cals 1970  Fat 64g Cholesterol 296 mg Sodium 2364mg Carbs 296g Fiber 25g Protein 49g

Percent of Your Daily Allowance (based upon a 2,000 calorie diet scaled to your calorie goal)
Cals 96% Fat 137% Cholesterol 0%    Sodium 48%      Carbs 99% Fiber 244% Protein 99%

So, basically I met my caloric, carbohydrate and protein needs almost perfectly, was low in sodium and cholesterol (a good thing,) was high in fiber (another good thing,) but way high in fat (not a good thing!) Probably, I am having way too much olive oil on my salads and more than usual added fats in my nuts, avocados, tahini etc... While I am consuming good fats, my overall fat intake is too high so now I know this is something I will work on.

Livestrong also gives you a Calorie countdown chart, Weekly Intake Totals, a Daily Intake Nutrition Chart, and so much more. I just started Monday and am still learning about it but I am impressed!!!

Why do I think this program is effective and will recommend it to my clients?

- Holds a mirror up to your patterns of eating

- Makes you more concious of what you are putting into your body

- Gives you unbiased, scientific breakdown of what you are really eating

I am going to learn more about this and have more fun with it so there will be many more posts to come! Enjoy your weekend!!!

Raw, Gluten-Free Vegan Mixed Berry Muffins

2011-05-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Here was my breakfast this morning: a Raw, Gluten-Free Vegan Muffin with Brazil Nut Butter- yum!

I have a thing about wasting and, when I am cooking, I try to use everything. So, what to do with my leftover almond and juice pulp...muffins!!! Whether you juice or not, or make your own almond milk or not, these healthy muffins can be made lickedy split and you can have a whole bunch to eat for breakfast or as a pre- or post-workout snack. Although these say "raw," I will heat my kids up in the oven for a bit and they love them too!

Don't be afraid to be creative! If you have bananas that are turning brown, use those. If you only have spinach but no kale then go with that too. If you love apples, add them in. Experiment and have fun!

Gluten-free, Raw Vegan Mixed Berry Muffins
2 cups almond meal (I used the leftover pulp from my homemade almond milk)
1 cups grated veggies (I used the leftover pulp from my leftover juice that was a carrot green juice)
1 avocado
1 cup ground flax seeds (to bind)
1/4-1/2 cup almond milk (just so mixed together)
1/4 cup agave nectar (could use maple syrup or raw honey as well)
1 heaping tbsp coconut butter (I used Vivapura's Coconut Cream Vanilla)
1 cup frozen blueberries
6-8 strawberries

Leftover pulp

Mix all of the ingredients in a cuisinart aside from the berries until mixture smooth. Below is what the mixture should look like at this point.

Add in and stir the berries by hand.

Place mixture in a muffin pan with liners.

Then, place the tin in the dehydrator.

Depending on how big your muffins are, it can take anywhere from 14-20 hours to dehydrate. I put mine in at 4pm and took them out in the morning to flip over then put them in the dehydrator again for 6 hours.

By the way, if you are looking for more ways to use your pulp, check out Gena's Juice Pulp Cracker's on her always inspiring and informative blog, Choosing Raw!

Or, you could make my Mixed Berry Pancakes!

Get creative and have fun!!!

As a sidenote, ANY of these can be cooked and taste just as good for those of you either with a dehydrator or who do not want to eat them raw!

Avocado & Cashew Cheese Sandwich

2011-05-18T08:00:00.000-07:00

So, what did I have for lunch today?

Today, I set up the general store at my son's school, went to the gym, wrote an article that was due yesterday, fielded calls and planned my daughter's Girl Scout lecture. So, when lunch rolled around I was more than starving. So, I made an Avocado and Cashew Cheese Sandwich on Carrot Bread and a Carrot Green Juice!

Here is the sandwich. I used Dr. Cow's Cashew Cheese and Rayo De Sol's Carrot Cake bread. Dr. Cow's cheese is made from cashews and is dairy-free and Rayo De Sol's bread is sprouted, raw and gluten-free and contains no added sugar or other preservatives.

Oh, my goshhhhhhh. So delicious. The bread was just a bit sweet and perfectly balance the creamy "cheese" and avocado. I am in heaven.

On the side, I made a carrot green juice because I am BIG on getting in as many wedgies as I can during the day!

In the bowl on the left is the pulp from the juice. I hate wasting so SAVE YOUR PULP! You can use it to make muffins, crackers, pancakes or other breads, sprinkle it on salads, add to marinara sauce to up the nutritional ante or even sprinkle it on your cat or dogs food for more nutrition or fiber.

Take a cloooose look at the bowl on the left because, after I make my almond milk today (I save almond pulp from that,) I plan to make some delicious muffins!

Girl Scouts & Chocolate Buckwheat Granola

2011-05-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

You can eat it all and still look great! The big caveat...and, this is a big one- you have to make healthy food choices and eat real foods and a diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables and grains! I am preparing a talk for my daughter's girl scout troup about healthy eating. The focus is on hunger and how many children go hungry in America. While this is heartbreakingly sad and something should be done about it, almost as troubling is the record numbers of children that we have that are obese or have diabetes!

For me, it boils down to 3 Simple Steps:
- Eating foods in the rainbow (you want your plate to look colorful- the more colors the better!)
- The Rule of 5- avoid products containing more than 5 ingredients or ingredients you don't recognize!
- Eat for nourishment and only when you are hungry (not because you are sad, angry or just plain bored)

If we grown-ups following these simple three rules and stop obsessing over calories and low-fat foods then we would be a much happier, skinnier nation.

So, onto my new favorite (and what I had for breakfast this morning), Kaia Foods Cacao Bliss Buckwheat Granola. Not only is this granola gluten-free, raw, but it does not contain sugar and is sweetened with agave nectar. The companies philosophy is "the belief that our health is best supported by eating an abundance of minimally processed whole foods. We sprout, mix and dehydrate our organic foods at low temperatures so that they remain 'raw.' No baking, frying, bleaching, or weird processing steps!" This granola was crunchy, rich and absolutely delicious!

Here is my cereal bowl this morning: Kaia Granola topped with sliced bananas and blueberries and topped with almond milk. Totally yum! Eating a diet full of whole foods leaves up feeling happy and satiated and certainly not reaching for that croissant in the morning meeting!

Who would feel deprived having a breakfast like this? 

What are your favorite breakfast cereals?

Rich, Creamy Guilt-free Chocolate Pudding & the Bake Sale

2011-05-16T10:17:00.000-07:00

This is the easiest chocolate pudding EVER and can be made literally in under 10 minutes!

First step is making sure that you have the right ingredients! The 4 ingredients are: coconut meat and water, agave nectar and maca. That's it!

I purchase my coconut meat by Exotic Superfoods from High Vibe . I am all for easy- and, I love it because I purchase tons of the coconut meat frozen and then just keep it in the freezer until I need it. This coconut meat can be also be used in smoothies, curries, you name it!

If you don't have access to this frozen meat and are dying to make this then you have two other choices! Option 1: purchase approximately 3-4 thai coconuts at the grocery store (Whole Foods usually has them) and use the fresh juice and meat from them. Or, Option 2: the cheaters version! Soak 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconut in filtered water for an hour until soft.

Chocolate Pudding
Coconut meat with water (approximately 3 cups of meat)
3 tbsp raw cacoa or chocolate powder
3-4 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp maca (optional but gives pudding more punch!)

Blend in blender until smooth, and voila! The best chocolate pudding you have ever tasted without all of the sugar and dairy!

I suggest pudding the pudding in the frig for an hour or so to let it thicken and chill a bit!

My son had his bake sale today to benefit Haiti! The boys raised $800, which I think is huge for selling cookies!!!

So, this is what we made for the bake sale- Brownies with Extra Chocolate Chips & M&M's. I would post the recipe but basically we used a Cherrybrook Kitchen mix so it was dairy and gluten-free. And, we just added some more extra chocolate chips in the batter and on top and some all-natural "M&M's" by Sunspire.

My son, Oliver, certainly enjoyed his bake sale! I am not sure if the boys sold more to themselves or to others!!!

Yum!

Vegan Mexican Potato Skins

2011-05-11T05:57:00.000-07:00

I grew up in Texas, and one of my favorite things to eat were potato skins! Of course, mine were made with white potatos ,and were dripping with greesy cheddar cheese and slattered with real sour cream. I have not had them in yeeeears so decided I would try to make a healthier version.

Gone were the white potatos...in were sweet potatos!
Gone was the sour cream... in was the Tofutti "sour cream"!
Gone was the greesy cheddar... in was the Daiya "cheddar chesse"

The Daiya cheese tasted just as cheesy and the Tofutti "sour cream" tasted just as sour and creamy as the real thing! And, who doesn't love sweet potatoes. I thinly sliced the sweet potatos skins off and grilled them in the oven with a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt. And, then melted Daiya "cheddar cheese" on top. After I took them out of the oven, I topped the skins with refried black beans from Amy's, Tofutti "sour cream" and delicious tomato picante sauce.

This picture does not do them justice- they were to die for! Not only was this such a quick and easy meal to prepare but it is nutritious and packed wtih protein, fiber, iron and calcium!

Stupendous Spinach Souffle

2011-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

When I was a child one of my absolute favorite things to have for dinner was Stouffer's Spinach Souffle. I know it sounds odd, but when my mom took me to the grocery I would literally beg for her to buy it. I won't reveal my age. But, obviously, these were not the days when there was junk food at every turn packaged in your child's favorite cartoon character! Although I don't eat milk, dairy or eggs- probably because of the sense of comfort and reminiscence of my childhood- I still have cravings for this dish.

A few years ago, I tried my hand at making a healthier version of my childhood favorite and it has become a favorite in my household now. This Stupendous Spinach Souffle is so easy to make (you can prepare it in under 5 minutes- I promise) and it is also dairy and gluten free.

Not only is it great for dinner- either as a side or a main course- but it is also rich and creamy and great to bring to parties as a dip for pita or even crudite.

Spinach Souffler (Dairy & Gluten-free)
1 package frozen spinach (preferably organic)
1-2 cups dairy-free grated "mozzarella cheese" (I use Daiya, which tastes and melts just like the real thing)
3-4 tbsp Tofutti "sour cream" (ditto above- tastes soooo good!)
Olive oil (approx 2-4 tbsp as desired but not necessary)
Gluten-free breadcrumbs
Sea salt
1-2 garlic cloves

Place garlic in food processor to chop. Add spinach, 1/2-3/4 cups "cheese," 3-4 tbsp "sour cream", a bit of olive oil (if desired- gives it richer taste,) and a dash of sea salt. Process until fairly smooth and place in 1 large or a few small casserole dishes.

Cover top with breadcrumbs then more grated "cheese."

Cook in oven at 350 degrees until the cheese melts and the top is golden brown. Yum, Yum, Yum!

This whole recipe makes a dish containing 18 g of protein, 43% daily requirements of iron, 133% of the daily requirements of vitamin C and 28% of the daily requirement for calcium!

As you can see, my daughter devoured it!

2011-05-09T04:03:00.000-07:00

So, how was your Mother's Day? Mine was busy but fantastic! Of course, I woke up to the prerequisite breakfast in bed but then got surprise with not one but two arrangements of flowers and a new digital camera, which I have been dying for!!!

Had my favorite breakfast.

Then, I went for a nice 7 mile run in the park. The weather was bright and sunny and just what Mother's Day is supposed to be!

The rest of the day, I would have like to have said, was spent getting massages and lounging around but that was definitely not to be! My daughter had lacrosse practice and my son a game away in New Jersey so he and I tagged teamed. What ended up happening was that I ended up spending the day with the two people (well, three to be exact if you include the hubbie) who are responsible for being a mother. Isn't that what Mother's Day is all about?

After the boys got back from lacrosse, they took me to my favorite restaurant, Pure, where we sat on the gorgeous, romantic patio. I didn't take pictures of the evening because I promised myself and my family that I would not work or blog on Mother's Day and it was so nice having a day off!

Here is a pic, though, of the favorite dessert, Pure Food and Wine's Peppermint Sundae that I single-handedly devoured. Usually, my daughter and I fight over the spoons but this time she let me have it all to myself-yum! Before, you feel sorry for her, she ordered the trio of chocolate desserts (ice cream cone, chocolate covered ice cream on a stick and chocolate ice cream sandwich!)

What did you do on Mother's Day?

Did you do something special or take your own mother somewhere special?

Brazil Nut Butter

2011-05-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

For those of you who have been following my blog, you might notice that I have been totally obsessed with brazil nuts as of late! A few days ago, I made my Veggie Beauty Burgers, which contain brazil nuts as a base.

I am typically an almond butter girl all the way, but just yesterday I don't know what posessed me to buy a $32 jar of Rejuvenative Foods Brazil Nut Butter but buy I did!

Sometimes I think our bodies tell us when we need something in our diets- and, mine, certainly has been talking loudly! Not only are brazil nuts high in iron, zinc, magnesium, but they are also an excellent source of selenium, which is a powerful antioxidant that protects us against aging by improving cell quality and elasticity, stimulating our immune system and can even helping fight off heart disease and some forms of cancer. Brazil nuts have 2500 times as much selenium as any other nut!

Another bonus is that brazil nuts do not contain phytoestrogens like almonds. For most of us, we need not worry about this but for cancer patients or those at risk who have been told to avoid them, brazil nut butter may be a better option.

So, how did the two stand up?
I decided to do a face-off! On the way to drop off C at school, I stopped by Dean & Deluca and got one of their mixed berry bran muffins. NO, I am sure it was not vegan and probably has a bit of sugar... but, who cares, its been a long week. So, I had both the brazil nut and almond butter with it. have to admit, I still do prefer my nutty almond butter but the brazil nut butter was still very good. It tasted much more mild and almost a bit more fatty/oily more like coconut butter. Overall, both were very good!

I can see where the brazil nut butter would be great in dips and salad dressings and I am excited to begin experimenting with it this week!

I also recieved a bag of gorgeous brazil nuts from High Vibe in my last order and I am also planning on using my Green Star Juicer and making my own!

This week has been busy! My daughter's book fair, my son's Middle School Chorus performance, my daughter's Invention Convention (she invented glasses with windshield wipers), her class PJ party (yes, she is going in pj's) and a boy-girl Carnival Party for my son tonight (which, I am chaperoning) whew- am looking forward to a quiet weekend!!!

Here is her poster for it. She was so proud of it and the glasses themselves turned out cute (didn't photograph well so didn't include them)

My Mother's Day gift to myself this weekend will be no blogging! Just simple time with family.

After being well-fueled with a muffin and almond/brazil nut butters, I am off on my 7 mile run in the gorgeous New York City sunshine (finally!!!)

Creamy Chocolate Banana Green Smoothie and the Braces Come Off!

2011-05-05T05:00:00.000-07:00

Today is a day to celebrate! My older son, Oliver, is getting his braces off today! Yipee!!! I was so excited I decided to take before and after shots.

Before

After

I also decided to make my creamy, dreamy Chocolate Banana Green Smoothie for us all this morning to celebrate. Nothing like starting your day with something healthy and dessert-worthy delicious!

Chocolate Banana Green Smoothie
3 cups almond milk
3 handfuls of raw spinach (I used a little over a 1/2 of the box)
2 frozen bananas (if you don't have them frozen then just used bananas and a few ice cubes!)
3 scoops Sun Warrior Chocolate Protein Powder

Blend in your blender until smooth and enjoy!

This smoothy has a whopping 17 grams of protein per serving, tons of iron, calcium, potassium, antioxidants and live-enzymes, and is an amazing way to start your day!

Sadly to say, and I am even embarrased to admit it but my daughter...gasp.... hates fruit. I means hates the smell, consistency, everything about it. So, for her, instead of bananas, I opted for ice cubes and a bit of coconut butter! My daughter calls this her "salad in a glass" and, no matter what they eat during their day, I know that they have left the house powered up for their day!

We were running a bit late this morning so placed them in these nifty to-go cups we got at Starbucks, and

we all left the house happy and fueled for our days!

Gluten-free, Raw Vegan Mixed Berry Pancakes

2011-05-04T05:53:00.000-07:00

I never thought that I would say this but I am...drum roll please...getting tired of cereal!!! I tend to go in my ruts about foods that I eat everyday and boy was I in a cereal rut for a while. So, today I decided to make my Gluten-free, Raw, Vegan Mixed Berry Pancakes. Don't be fooled- the pancakes were a satisfying size but the blueberries were monsterous so this pic doesn't do them justice!

They are so easy and simple to make as well as nutritious! Here is a picture of the ingredients and the recipe:

Gluten-free, Raw Vegan Mixed Berry Pancakes
2 cups almond meal (I used the leftover pulp from my homemade almond milk)
1 cups grated veggies (I used the leftover pulp from my juice which was carrots, celery, romaine, and cucumber)
1 avocado
1 cup ground flax seeds (to bind)
1/2 cup almond milk
1/4 cup agave nectar (could use maple syrup or raw honey as well)
1/2 cup coconut butter
Frozen blueberries, rasberries and strawberries
Maple Syrup to add on top!!!

Mix all of the above aside from the berries in a food processor until smooth. Place a few handfuls of berries in and run again to mix through but not to grind up too much. Blend in more berries by hand and make into pancake patties on your dehydrator sheet. Decorate with more berries on top.

Here is what they look like at this stage:

Depending on how thick and big you made them, they will take approximately 8-12 hours to dehydrate fully. Check on them after 4 hours and turn over as needed. This time I made mine so fat and juicy that they took 14 so every batch will vary.

When they are done, serve with maple syrup- yum!!!!

These last for approximately 3 days and you can also freeze them for later.

What happens if you dont have a dehydrator?
Don't despair!!! When you are making the dough, you will just want to make sure that you add less almond milk and have it almost be a thick, cookie like consistency that you literally shape into pancake shapes and cook on the stovetop. My smaller crew like it this way!!!

Today is my daughter, Caroline's, Book Fair and it is poooouuuuring down rain in New York City! I am both working it and, of course, walking her through so will indoors at school all day long. What a perfect day to do this. Right now this is her favorite book!

What was your favorite book as a child?

What are your children reading and loving???

Reading is one of my favorite things to do! Do you love to read?

Veggie Beauty Burger

2011-05-03T08:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a sunny and glorious day and I thought that the weather had truly turned warmer for good. But, the good luck was not to be! Today it is cold and damp and, after sitting on a lacrosse field for 2 hours, I wanted to prepare something warm and comforting for dinner tonight- brrrrr! Since I had alot of vegetables left over from the past week that were almost past their prime and a lot of pulp from my juicer (yes, I save the pulp!), I decided to make these delicious beauty burgers!
Veggie Beauty Burgers
1 cup ground flax seeds
1 cup brazil nuts (you can use walnuts or pecans if you don't have brazil nuts)
1-2 cups veggie pulp (you can use 2-3 stalks diced celery, 1/2 diced cucumber, 6 small carrots, a few handfuls of diced lettuce such as romaine, spinach and/or kale if you don't have pulp)
1/2 large tomato (I only had cherry tomatos so I threw in 5 of them)
1/2 large red pepper
4 tbsp dulse
1-2 cloves of garlic (diced)
1-2 stalks of broccoli
Juice from 1 lemon
4 tbsp nama soyu (or soy sauce)
Dash of sea salt
2 tsp rosemary
2 tsp tarragon
Oh, and I also threw in the Crunchy Sprouts that I made a few days ago!

Put all of the above ingredients in a food processor and process until relatively smooth. Shape into patties and place either in your dehydrator (if you are going raw) for approximately 4-6 hours turning over half-way, or cook on the stove top. If you are going to be cooking your burgers then wrap in seran wrap and let burgers set in refrigerator approximately 1-2 hours before you are cooking them.

When they are done, place them on a sprouted bread such as the ooey gooey Manna Bread, the grainy Ezekiel Sprouted Grain Buns, a healthy collard green or your favorite bread. I slathered the Raw Cheddar Cheese on them from the Kale Chips I made a few days ago but Vegenaise would be great too!
And, don't forget the sliced tomato and lettuce to give it some crunch!

So, why do I call these my Beauty Burgers?
Well, they are bursting with live enzymes, antioxidants and nutrients that help us have healthy skin, radiant hair and beautiful nails as well as fight against that nasty aging!

Did you know?

Brazil nuts are an excellent source of selenium and, in fact, have 2500 times as much as any other nut! Selenium is a powerful antioxidant that protects us against aging by helping with cell qualtiy and elasticity, stimulates our immune system and can even help fight off heart disease and some forms of cancer. Brazil nuts are also high in iron, zinc, magnesium.

Cucumbers are very high in silicon, which is essential for building and maintaining strong nails, bones, teeth and promoting hair growth. Cucumbers are also a good source of vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, vitamin C, vitamin K, B- vitamins, folic acid and potassium! Cucumbers also help us hydrate our bodies therefore our skin!

Flax seeds are high in Omega 3's and fiber. Omega 3's have been known to hydrate and strenghten nails, skin and hair. Omega 3's also can help fight depression. But, when you are looking and feeling better, who is going to need that?

Red Peppers & Tomatoes are high in Vitamins A, C, K and the anitoxidant lycopene. Consuming foods high in the these antioxidants have been proven to protect against free radical damage associated with aging as well as sun exposure.

Broccoli is high in vitamin C, which protects skin against free radical damage and aging, as well as vitamin A, E, iron and fiber.

Dulse is high in calcium, iron, potassium, magnesium, iodine, chlorophyll, B-12, enzymes and fiber and is one of nature’s richest sources of proteins, having up to 48% of plant-based protein. Due to its high iodine and other nutritients, dules helps cells regenerate and repair.

The burger was delicious and look (almost) like the real thing- and definitely tasted better!!!

Kale Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing

2011-05-02T08:00:00.000-07:00

Are you sick of hearing about kale yet? Yesterday I made Cheesy Kale Chips based upon my favorite New York Naturals kale chips and they were so easy to make and turned out mouthwateringly delcious! I gorged on the kale chips yesterday and want a bit of variety.

So, today I made this Kale, Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing and topped it with the homemade sprouts that I made a few days ago.

So, here are the ingredients I used:

Kale Avocado Salad with Tahini Dressing
4-6 stalks kale
Any other veggies you want- I used radishes, pea sprouts, and sliced cucumbers
1-2 tbspTahini
Olive oil
Avocado
Lemon
Salt
Optional- sprouts or nuts such as walnuts

Slice up your kale into 1/8 inch bite size pieces and place in bowl. Slice half of the avocado on top and mush mixture in the bowl (preferably with hands) to soften kale. Then, healthily drizzle tahini and olive oil on top and add a dash of sea salt. Mix well then top with slices of the other half of the avocado, sprouts and/or nuts.

Cheesy Kale Chips

2011-05-01T11:08:00.000-07:00

After yesterdays rant about how milk does not help our kids grow, my post today is a bit lighter!

Locinato kale was back in stock at the grocery store today and looked so fresh and vibrant so I bought a bunch to use for my salads, in my green juices juices and to make kale chips this week!

Tiring of paying $9 per box for my favorite New York Naturals Cheesy Kale Chips, I decided to take matters into my own hands and try to make them. It was so incredibly easy I can't believe I haven't done it before!!!

I based my recipe off the box of New York Naturals and just tweeked it a bit. Here is how I did it:

Cheesy Kale Chips

1 head locinato kale
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup tahini
1/2 red pepper
6-8 tablespoons Raw Parma (or nutritional yeast)
Juice of 1 lemon
Dash of sea salt
Optional: cayenne pepper if you like spicy (I didn't use it in mine!)
Water

Combine all of the ingredients (aside, of course, for the kale) into a food processor and run until smooth. Add water very slowly until reaches desired consistency. Here is what mine looked like!

The great thing about this cheese is that if you have any leftover you can use it on sandwiches, raw burgers or even as a dressing or topping for salads or veggies!

In a bowl, chopped the kale into 1/4 inch slices and put in a bowl with cheesy mixture.

Flatten on a sheet and place in your dehydrator for approximately 12 hours (I did it overnight) until crispy. Depending on how goopy you make your chips, it make take a shorter or longer amount of time. If you do not have a dehydratordo not despair...you can place the chips in your oven at 175 degrees with the door open for a hour or so (checking frequently of course.)

Here is what they should look like in the morning!

Caroline and I had these today as a side dish with our lunches and they were so delicious and just as good (or better!) than the store bought ones! Later in the week I am going to try to replicate their New York Natural's Bombay Ranch Kale Chips!

Got milk? Sprouts and how to grow them!

2011-04-29T09:05:00.000-07:00

Do my little sprouts Caroline and Oliver really need 3 glasses of milk in order to grow?!?

Is that really the best, most nutritious way for my children to take in a whopping 600 calories in their diets? I think not!

Although my views are fairly "liberal" with respect to nutition in my neck of the woods up in the UES in Manhattan, I still go to the same more traditional pediatrician that I have for 10 years. They have gotten me through surgery with my son at 2 weeks old, fairly serious staph infections, flus, hives and the throw ups, so I am fairly loyal. And, the kids love them and feel confortable going.

We have seemed to live in happy harmony... until yesterday. When I was beseiged!!!

It all started when I began being questioned about how much milk my kids were drinking. I tried to stay fairly light about it all and just brush over the subject and talk about the kids healthy diets etc... For anyone who knows me, my kids eat very healthy diets full of fresh fruits and vegetables, grains, beans, salmon and tofu. Anyway, the line of questioning got quite, how shall I say it, aggressive! And, I came back fighting!

Number 1: Milk is not the holy grail for calcium!

8 oz of milk contains 408 mg of calcium but there are many, many other sources!

Tofu (1 cup contains 408 mg calcium)

Kale (1 cup contains 80 mg)

Almonds (1 oz contains 75 mg)

1 cup tofu 408 mg

1 cup of spinach                              280 mg
1 cup of fortified orange juice        350 mg
1 cup fortified cereal                      300mg +
1 cups of soy milk                           200-300 mg
5 dried figs                                      258 grams
1 cup of soybeans                           298 mg
1 cup of broccoli                               94 mg
1 cup kale                                         80 mg
6 oz salmon                                     360 mg
2 slice whole wheat bread                 42 mg
2 tbsp sesame seeds                      126 mg
1 cup navy beans                            140 mg
1 cup black beans                             60 mg
1 cup lentils                                       40 mg
1 oz almonds (approx 20)

Anyway, my point is this- there are soooo many different ways to get in calcium than drinking milk, and I am a firm believer that kids have an intuitive sense for what is good for their bodies and, if served healthy foods, will naturally eat what their bodies need!

So how much do we need? According to the recommended guidelines, children 4-8 need 1000 mg and children 9-13 need 1,300 mg and we grown ups need 1,000 mg. 1 cup of soy or almond milk, 1 cup of orange juice, some broccoli, and salmon for dinner and your done! Sometimes my kids will eat 2 servings of tofu at dinner alone, which is approximately 800 mg of calcium in one meal! Check out this video for an easy, delicious marinated tofu recipe you can prepare in under 10 minutes!.

Number 2: Milk is high in saturated fat and calories!
Saturated fat has been known to cause disease and obesity. Do our kids really need more saturated fats in their diets with all the processed foods and junk foods that are out there? We are experiencing record numbers of obesity in the United States- our children included!

The real problem, though, is that if our children are drinking 3 glasses of milk a day I guarantee that they will be eating less fresh fruits and vegetables and other nutritious foods we serve them. You try having a glass of milk before your dinner and see how hungry you are!

Back to the saturated fat issue. Saturated fat has been linked to cause high cholesterol! In the last year, the diets of my children have even becoming higher since my son went on a gluten and dairy free diet. When they took my children's blood, their numbers were perfect and I was informed that "both of their cholesterol went down! My daughter's cholesterol went down 50 points and my son's cholesterol went down 70 points in one year!" And, these are children who even then were eating healthier than average diets!

As a sidenote, why was I not informed that my childrens' cholesterol was high in the first place and the fact they don't drink milk such an issue??? Uhm...

Fact #3: Milk does not cause growth or attribute to kids thriving!

My daughter does not drink milk and is in the 97 percentile for height, she is a competative swimmer, plays tennis, does well at school and is thriving. Does this really look like a girl who is not getting the nutrition that she needs?

Further, when I started in on the line of questioning saying, "well, let's have her tested, the doctor balked saying that it was hard to tell because our blood leaches calcium out of the bones and I would have to arrange another test." "Ok, I said," I am all about science, "let's get that test ordered." "Oh, well, that is not necessary." Really. But, it's ok to blindly (and strongly) suggest my daughter drink 3 glasses of milk when we don't have the science to back it?

The pleasant conversation ended with my saying that they could have what they liked at school but it would not be in my house.

End of story. End of discussion.

But, what scared me about this conversation was how many moms- well educated, smart moms- are blindly following this protocol because they respect their doctor and feel that it is the right thing to do?

Please no hate mail from mom's who feed their kids milk and feel right about it! We moms all have to follow what we know is right in our hearts for our own children. And, I just personally don't feel like it is right to feed my children 600 empty calories of milk filled with saturated fat and casein crowding out other healthy foods just so I can check the calcium box!

For more information on my view of milk check out my article The Milk Myth.

So, what is this? This is the delectable salad I made with my homemade sprouts! After tiring of buying box after box of $8 sprouts, I thought "I can do that!"

Because I am a vegan, an athlete and a busy working mom, I try to get as much protein, calcium, iron, live-enzymes and other vital nutrients in my diet as I can. And, sprouts are basically seeds that have all the nutition in them to grow them into baby plants. And, they are so easy to throw on salads, pastas, soups, sandwiches or just eaten plain as a snack (my daughter adores these as a snack, the way!) To read more about sprouts, go to Sprouts and All Things Green.

So, how easy was it to grow sprouts? Embarrasingly sooo easy!

First step: Purchase dried beans

I chose adzuki, lentils, and peas.

Second Step: Soak them in a bowl of filtered water for 4-6 hours.

Third Step: Rinse them off and put them into a fine mesh collander over the bowl you soaked them in to catch the water.

Fourth Step: For the next 3 days rinse them well 3 times a day. And, voila!

See, the long tails? Those are the actual sprouts coming out so you know you are doing the right thing!

Fifth Step: Refrigerate them to keep them fresh (preferably in a breathable container).

I use the mesh bowl and just cover it.

And, this was dinner again last night! My husband was soooo jealous of my 'Vegan Pasta Alfredo with Mushrooms' that he made me make it again last night. Caroline got in the picture eating a good portion of it as well. Here is a better picture!

Strawberry Banana Spring Parfait and a Hail Merry Sweet Treat!

2011-04-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I am always looking for more healthy breakfast ideas and I was tiring of my old standards, so I decided to use the Creamy Dairy-Free Coconut yogurt I made a few days ago and make this Strawberry, Banana Granola Parfait!

Strawberry Banana Granola Parfait
4 strawberries
1/2 banana
1 cup of yogurt (So delicious is a dairy-free yogurt that we use at home if you don't want to make it!)
1/4-1/2 cup granola (I used Laughing Giraffe's Gluten-free, raw Cherry Ginger Walnut one)

Dice the strawberries and cut the bananas into very thin disks. Place a few heaping spoonfuls of yogurt in your cup, sprinkle granola on top covering area, then place a layer of sliced bananas on top then the strawberries. Continue until you have made the amount you desire. I did two layers and that was great for me.

I so enjoyed my breakfast and felt like I was having dessert for breakfast!!!

Speaking of dessert, yesterday High Vibe delivered some amazing treats that I have been dying to try. And, last night my husband and I tried the Hail Merry's Lemon Tart, which by the way is gluten-free, dairy-free and raw, and we were almost fighting eachother with our forks it was sooooo good. Here is a picture!

Always like to share my new finds and heealthy and delicious- that's what I love! Enjoy your weekend!!!

Any special foods that you have found and loved? Would love to hear about them!

'Alfredo Pasta' With Mushrooms & Mail Order

2011-04-28T07:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the dreadful picture but this dish was SOOOO delicious that I ate it before I had time to download the pictures and realize my lighting was off! Trust me- looked like real alfredo and mouthwatering good!

I promised that I would be making more dishes using the dehydrated and sauteed shitake, oyster and chanterelle mushrooms that I made yesterday. And, after a 7 mile run yesterday, I was in the mood for something rich and nutritionally dense- so I made 'Pasta Alfredo with Mushrooms!' This dish is rich and creamy and tastes almost like the 'real' thing but better!

My version uses kelp noodles, which are fat-free, gluten-free and high in iron, iodine and other trace minerals, but you can use any other pasta that you like. And, mushrooms are know to reduce inflammation, boost our immunity, lower cholesterol and high blood pressure and fight off disease!

'Alfredo Pasta' with Mushrooms1/2 avocado

1 cup raw macadamian nuts (pre-soaked)

1 large garlic clove

Juice of one lemon

1 tsp sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil (or hemp seed oil)

Water (optional to thin)

Kelp noodles (or preferably a gluten-free variety!)

Optional (but delicious!): Dehydrated Garlic Mushrooms

Mix all of the ingredient (except, of course, the noodles) in the food processor until very smooth. Place the mixture on top of the noodles. Sprinkle top with mushrooms and you are done. Truly delicious!

Below are the Kelp Noodles I used. I noticed when I was at the health store that there are also noodles made from tofu by House Foods, which I bought but have yet to try, for al of you out there on gluten-free diets that are tiring of the same old rice noodles. It's nice to mix it up!

If there is any 'Alfredo sauce' left over then save it because it is great to use for dips for crudite, as a spread on sandwiches, a creamy salad dressing, with steamed vegetables on top of rice. or another day later that week for more pasta! I am all for making one dish and using it throughout the week!

My husband for some reason claims not to like raw pastas so asked that I make him Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms. Just sauteed mushrooms in olive oil, garlic and a hint of sea salt and used a Tinkyada gluten-free rice pasta. He was jealous of mine! "

It felt like Christmas as my shipment from High Vibe arrived today!!!

People are always asking me how I find time to do all that I do and where I get all of my food and staples. The key is to be organize and order ahead. While I do go to the grocery store for fresh produce and other items, I find that mail-ordering items that I want to store in the pantry, as well as items I can't find at the grocery, works for me! And, High Vibe is top of the list along with Ultimate Superfoods, Sun Organics, and Live-Live.

So, what did I get today?

Macadamian nuts (plan to make a yummy dip later in the week)

Brazil nuts (for a future nut butter and maybe even a raw pudding)

Dried papaya (great for sticking in my purse and having as a healthy snack on the go)

Raw carrot bread by Rayo de Sol (delicious for an avocado sandwich or with Dr. Cow cheese on top!)

Raw, vegan, gluten-free lemon tart by Hail Merry (OMG, this was sooo delicious my husband and I

devoured it!)

Raw, vegan, gluten-free chocolate tart by Hail Merry (have yet to try but if it is half as delicious as the lemon one then it will be a winner!)

Raw chocolate brazil nuts and mulberries by Living Intentions (my daughter & I LOVE these!)

Raw white chocolate cashews, almonds and cacao nibs by Living Intentions (it was all I could do not to rip open the bag and eat them before dinner!)

Vita Synergy multi-vitamins for women

Innate probiotics

How do you keep your shopping where it is fun and not a chore? What are your systems?

Einstein, Springtime and Mushrooms

2011-04-27T13:54:00.000-07:00

"There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle.

the other is though everything is a miracle." Albert Einstein

My daughter is reading a biography of Albert Einstein right now and I came across a few quotes that really moved me. What a brilliant mathematician, scientist and inventor he was, but also was an incredibly wise human being!

I found it incredible that first he was thought of as "stupid" because he didn't speak in class and his parents were told he would not amount to anything and then later he was thrown out of a very strict school for asking too many questions!

With work and family commitments, grocery shopping, errand running, returning phone calls, going to the gym, cooking how often we just race through life and never smell the flowers?

This month I am making a personal goal to sloooooow down, realize that I don't have to get everything done perfectly all of the time, learn to say no and really take the time to take in everything around me and just enjoy being with my family and having some quiet connected time to reflect.

And, in New York City, Spring is finally in the air and it is gorgeous! Here is a picture of our window boxes that my sweet hubbie planted for us.

And, Park Avenue on my walk to pick up my daughter from school today. The tulips are absolutely gorgeous right now.

And, when it's Spring, the art vendors come out in droves in front of the Metropolitan Museum.

A picture of our beautiful, tree-lined street. Caroline said it looked like a canopy of snow!

Obviously, I had not had time to "reflect" yet that Spring was here so unfortunately did not have the toes pedicured for the first day of wearing sandals. Oh, well it could have been worse (much worse since I am a runner!)

Since it was such as nice day, I decided to take a trip down to the Union Square Farmers Market to visit my favorite mushroom lady to buy some delicious mushrooms to make dehydrated mushrooms and a pasta with mushrooms for the fam later. Here is her booth:

And, here are some of the delicious mushrooms all packages up and ready to go:

I decided on shitake, chanterelle and oyster mushrooms. I've always thought that mushrooms are a true miracle in nature. Basically, they are the fleshy, spore-bearing fruit of fungus that have amazing medicinal properties. Not only are they antiviral, reduce inflammation, boost immunity, combat high blood pressure, lower cholesterol and, some say, even help fend off cancer!

So, how do I use them?
Today I am going to dehydrate half of them to make a crunchy, delicious topping to put on top of salads and a pasta for me and, the other half, I am going to sautee and put ontop of pasta (a gluten-free variety for the kids and a raw variety for me!)

Here are the Dehydrated Mushrooms! Yum. I can't wait to make dinner!

Crunchy Mushroom Topping (for salads, pastas or just because!)

Fresh mushrooms (I used shitake, portobello and oyster)

Garlic (I used 2 cloves for my huge bowl but add how you wish)

Olive oil

Sea salt

Cut up mushrooms and place them in a bowl.

Dice garlic and place it in the bowl with the mushrooms along with a healthy dose of olive oil and a healthy dash of sea salt.

Place the mushrooms in your dehydrator. *** If you don't have a dehydrator don't despair! Just put the mushrooms on a cookie sheet in the oven at the lowest temperature possible (ususally this is 175 degrees) and heat with door to oven ajar.

If you are dehydrating your mushrooms, place them at 110 degrees for approximately 4 hours then turn over and dehydrate for another 4 hours. Depending on the thickness of your mushrooms this may take a bit longer. If you are cooking them in the oven, then check on them after 30 minutes or so and you will have to go by sight a bit more.

Check back tomorrow for some delicious recipes using these mushrooms!

Easy Peasy Creamy Homemade Coconut Yogurt!

2011-04-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

In the past, when I have been craving yogurt, I have either made my Coconut Cream Pudding (see below) or have bought the So Delicious coconut yogurt sold in stores. So, yesterday when we were all having yogurt bowls, I thought, "if I can make my own almond milk, I can certainly try to make my own yogurt!" As are all things that are homemade, it was so creamy and delicious and SOOOOOOO much better than the store-bought variety!

Whether you are trying to eat more dairy-free, are trying to minimize/eliminate the dairy in your childrens' diets or are lactose intollerant, this recipe is so easy and worth trying.

First step is getting all the ingredients you need.

You will need Coconut Meat. You can cheat and buy these great bags of the frozen meat by Exotic Superfoods OR you can purchase 3-4 Thai coconuts at your local health food store or Whole Foods. Watch this short video on How to Open a Coconut.

And, then you will also need:

- 1-2 vanilla beans (approximately 1/2-3/4 tbsp)

- 1/8 cups agave nectar (or more if you like it sweeter)

- healthy splash of vanilla extract

- Coconut or regular filtered water (I used just a bit of coconut yogurt)

Place all of the ingredients except the coconut or regular water and blend. Add water slowly as needed until mixture smooth. At this point if you want you can take part of the mixture aside and have Coconut Cream or Chocolate Pudding (I made both!)

So, here is the coconut pudding (with some delish toppings!). Although the yogurt above doesn't look as white and bright, it is actually just the picture (and the fact that I added more vanilla beans!) Nice thing about this yogurt recipe, is that before you heat up the mixture to make into yogurt, you can put some aside for pudding like this...

And, here is the Chocolate pudding I made from that adding 2 tbsp raw cacao powder and a hint more agave nectar!

Second step: Add in your Probiotics!!!

I used 2 capsules from my favorite probiotics, Innate, by just opening up the capsule and dumping the powder in!

Step 3: Cover mixture and placing in a warm place.

Ideally, this is a dehydrator set at 110 degrees but you can also cover a bowl and place it in either near a warm place such as a space heater or oven OR (and you have to be careful with this) warm up your oven at the lowest temperature possible, open the door for a minute to let the heat escape, turn off the heat and then place the bowl inside the oven to warm it up. (not cook it!!!) The longer you leave it out the more sour and "yogurty" if will taste!

After you take it out of the dehydrator or oven, place it in an airtight container in the fridge and enjoy! You will be seeing many concoctions using the homemade yogurt in the days to come!!!

Yogurt Bar & Science Experiments

2011-04-23T11:39:00.000-07:00

Our mornings during the week are sometimes rushed and I am always looking for quick, easy and nutritious ideas for the kids and I during the week! My kids love it when I put out a "yogurt bar" and they can make their own creations. As a vegan, I either use So Delicious Coconut Yogurt or delicious, homemade Coconut Cream (think Vegan whipped cream- yum!) My kids usually like the either the Fage Greek yogurt or the Maple Hill Creamery, which is grass-fed , sweetened with cane sugar and contains natural fruits.

For the "yogurt bar," I usually put out bowls of fresh and dried fruits and the kids also love to pile up granola, cereal and trail mix on top!

My son piled the Cherry Chocolate Granola that I made a few days ago on top of his.

My kids also love to put the Bear Naked Trail Mix on top.

Caroline also loves to pile hers with Envirokidz Leapin Lemurs, which is gluten-free and sweetened with brown rice syrup and evaporated cane juice.

Here is what Caroline's yogurt bowl looked like!

Doing a yogurt bar is great for breakfasts and also kids adore doing this for after school snacks and treats.

While the kids love "experimenting" with their different concoctions in the kitchen, another set of concoctions took place in our house yesterday!

Science Fair + 10 year old boys + 10 pounds of dry ice = FUN!

Makes me feel like I am 10 again!

Boiling & Teeming Mason Jar

Blowing Up a Balloon

Making a Gargantuan Bubble

Busy, but fun week. Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday weekend with the family!

Bunnies, Chicks and Other Misadventures!

2011-04-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

It looks like al is well in bunny-land but nothing could be further from the truth! When the class mom asked me to prepare "bite size snacks" for my 8 year olds Easter party I don't know what came over me to think that we would make bunny and chick pops?!? Me non-crafty, non-bakey me! I can cook with the best of them but baking cute cupcakes and making cakes for my children's birthdays has just never been my thing.

So, it all started off rather well. I was under no impression that these snacks would be "healthy" in the traditional sense of the word, but I sought out to make them as vegan and as healthy as I could! The recipe starts out with cake mix so I bought the Cherrybrook Kitchen mixes, which are dairy, egg and nut-free. I just love these mixes and use them whenever I do have treats to make for the kids.

So, here is the chocolate one freshly poured into the pan.

And, here are the cakes piping hot right out of the oven.

Once the cakes were cooled we dumped the pan into the bowl and proceeded to mix the along with the icicing (white cake with vanilla icing and chocolate cake with chocolate icing.) You are supposed to add the icing slowly and add as needed and we almost used an entire one with each.

Here my son is mashing the dough with his hands and mixing in the icing! They loved doing the "dirty work!"

Next we rolled the dough into balls for the chicks and triangular flat shapes and put it aside.

We were planning on making the chocolate ones into eggs so shaped them into egg shapes.

After they are rolled into balls you have to use your "candy coating" mixture, which is really just a white chocolate mixture, to attach them to the sticks. Basically you heat up the mixture, dip the stick in approximately an inch and then let them dry.

With the white dough, they worked perfectly.

Then, we began decorating. My son said that the bunnies didn't look like bunnies and we didn't space out the candy corn as we should on some of them. Oh, well.

By the way, the chicks ended up being more Easter Eggs because the yellow gel dye made the "candy mixture" into a clumpy mess! Oh, well.

Here Caroline is heating up chocolate on the stove (with my supervision, of course!)

And, here is the end result of the chocolate eggs. It looks more like a wounded battlefield than a joyous Easter treat! They literally melted off the sticks. So, we just made do and made Easter Eggs sitting in the basket with the bunny.

Overall a fun family adventure but I declared retreat and bought some extra Crumbs mini Easter cupcakes to fill in the gap! I just didn't have it in me to make another batch.

Have you ever tried something ambitious and out of your comfort zone and it just flopped?

Do craft things come easy to you or are you like me and are a total distaster with them?

Not to be too soppy but it truly was the family memories that counted for me!

No Bake Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars- Girl Scout Cookies Never Had it So Good (or Healthy!)

2011-04-19T08:51:00.000-07:00

This week has been an absolutly crazy week with clients, preparations for Easter, my in-laws arrival tomorrow, Grandparents Day at my son's school (where I will be helping out all day!) AND his Science Fair the day after Easter involving dry ice (don't ask!) so when my fellow Girl Scout Brownie Mom's asked me to come up with a cute idea for the kids to make for our next meeting I almost cratered...

The criteria were that they had to be something that would/could be:

1) Easy for the girls to make
2) Made without an oven
3) Made in under 10 minutes
4) Nut-free and healthy (I am taking this to mean sugar-free and wholesome ingredients!)
and
5) A snack the girls would like and actually eat!

Then, I thought, "I've got it!" No problem!" We will make my No Bake Chocolate Cherry Granola Bars!

Step 1: Add equal parts Oatmeal and Kashi Go Lean Crunch cereal

Step 2: Add unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana (I used mashed banana) and stir

Step 3: Add honey (I used a whole honey bear.) This is what sticks it together so be liberal about it!!!

Step 4: Add dried cherries (or raisons or cranberries)

Step 5: Add chocolate chips

Then, put them in a fridge to harden for approximately 20-30 minutes. Take out and slice into bars.

If this were not for Brownies and could include nuts a delicious addition to this would be to add almond butter or peanut butter to up the protein ante. But, this being kids and a school function and having nut-allergy kids in the group, this was strictly not allowed!

If I were also making them for myself or my crew, I would also add Sun Warrior Protein Powder in vanilla, perhaps some chia, hemp or pumkin seeds, and maybe even a bit of coconut butter to further up the flavor and the nutritional ante!

Cajun Seitan-Sandwich, Chocolate Bliss and Mommy-Daughter Time at Candle Cafe!

2011-04-19T08:36:00.000-07:00

My son is away at a sleepover (he is off today for Passover) and my daughter who attends a Catholic school is not. She was waaaay bummed at having to go to school when her brother didn't have to so last night I decided to take her out to dinner as a treat- a little mommy-daughter bonding!

Caroline's favorite, favorite, favorite place to go is Candle Cafe, a vegetarian restaurant on the Upper East Side here in New York City. Ok, twist my arm! When we go we always share the Cajun Seitan Sandwich (see above,) which is the most delicious, mouth watering sandwich ever even if I were not a vegan (really!)Along with their Seitan Picata, which comes over mash potatos and spinach, this is also my occasional meat-eating husband's favorite meal and also one of my son's favorites!

We started off our meal with a green juice (for me) and a frozen limonade (for her.) Aren't they pretty?!?

Can you tell Caroline is enjoying hers? My little chatterbox barely spoke a word when it arrived as she downed it!

When it came time to order, she surprised me! No cajun seitan sandwich for her (yes, one for me please!) but she ordered the good food plate with rice, sauteed vegetables, soba noodles and a delicious tahini sauce.

She surprised me again with dessert! We usually order their Chocolate Mouse Cake .

But, this time, my chocolate-loving gal ordered the Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake. It was good but I have to say that I missed the Chocolate Mouse Pie!

She loved it and that's all it matters!

Dad met up with us at the end and loved it too!

What a special family evening.

You don't have to live in New York to eat this dish! A few months back, I tried to recreate the Crusted Seitan and came up with my own twist. Here is a picture of the seitan!

Two meals for the effort of one!

Night #1: As you can see, one night I served the seitan with some corn and ketchup (we had a playdate over and they had no idea it wasn't chicken!) And,

Night #2: The next night, I just piled the seitan high ontop of a bun and added sliced tomato, lettuce and slattered on some Vegenaise. Sorry there is no photo but I will publish one later- in the meantime, you can imagine how delicious it might be!

Chocolate and Vanilla Coconut Cream Pudding

2011-04-18T10:22:00.000-07:00

People always ask me, "so, how do you stay on a vegan diet?" I am not (and have never been) a meat-lover so becoming a vegetarian was fairly easy feat for me. But, I have to admit that rich and creamy foods were the foods I craved in my former life. So, when I take my daughter to 16 Handles (frozen yogurt lover's paradise) or see someone devouring a container of creamy Fage Greek yogurt, I am sometimes tempted until I remind myself how much better I feel not eating dairy!

Having a healthy arsenol of foods to fall back on when so you don't feel deprived I found is key. My absolute favorite go-to food for dessert/treat/breakfast is Coconut Cream Pudding! Not only is it very easy to make but it is also outrageously delicious! Here is the basic recipe:

Coconut Cream Pudding

2 cups of coconut meat (you can also use 2 cups of unsweetened shredded coconuts)

¼ cup agave nectar

1 vanilla bean

Touch of water or coconut water (as needed for desired consistency)

Optional: Oh Alaska Chocolate Sauce, Shredded Coconuts, Blueberries (as you can see, I went for them all!)

Place the coconut meat or shredded coconut in a blender along with the agave, vanilla and a touch of coconut or filtered water and blend. If you are using shredded coconut, be sure to soak it for 15-20 minutes or so in water to soften (and you can use this same water to add back to your mixture!) If you are going the "fresh" route you can either open the coconuts (watch this video to see How to Open a Coconut) or use frozen meat. Blend for approximately 2-5 minutes or until smooth. It may be slightly warm when you take it out so put the pudding in the refrigerator to cool off and thicken.

Here are my two favorite new finds! Exotic Superfoods Frozen Coconut Meat and Coconut Water!!! You can either order these directly from them or, if you live in New York, purchase them from High Vibe. These are staples that I just keep in the freezer to pull out when I need them.

If you don't have these, don't fret! Shredded coconut and boxed coconut waters like One and Vita Coco will do as well!!!

So, here is where is gets fun! If you adore chocolate like I do, take half of your pudding mixture above (or just make double the amount) and make a chocolate pudding from it. So easy.

Chocolate Coconut Pudding

Vanilla coconut pudding

1-1 1/2 tbsps unsweetened chocolate powder

2 tbsp agave nectar

Continue to blend in your blender and chill. I love taking the Coconut Cream Pudding and making a dallop on top like whipped cream!!! So delicious and completely hits the spot!

"Sandra Lee-ing" Dinner?

2011-04-16T16:08:00.000-07:00

Dinner does not always have to be complicated! And, doesn't always have to be 100% homemade to be delicious and nutritious. I have had the flu this week so just not full of my usual energy and vigor. I wanted to make a healthy dinner for the fam but it just needed to be easy. So, I took the "Sandra-Lee approach" and made a Semi-homemade gluten-free superfood packed marimara pasta! Healthy and they gobbled it up!

First step:

I took crunchy sprouts (lentils, peas, adzuki), a few red peppers, and a few mini carrots and chopped them up in my mini-cuisinart.

Step 2: Put sauce (my absolute fave is Paesano's marinara- once you try it you will never go back) in a sauce pan along the pureed mixture above for approximately 5 minutes.

Step 3: Add my "secret" ingredients: green superfood powder and dulse flakes.

And, voila!

I apologize for the messy image but my kids had just gotten from a trip to Rockefeller Center for my daughter's class project so they came in cold, wet and staaaaaarving and devoured it before I could take a picture!

A simple sandwich for me and then off to an early bedtime!

Veggie Sandwich

2 slices Manna bread

Sliced tomato
1/2 sliced avocado

Few pieces mesclun salad and sprouts (from the delicious Union Square trip)

Tahini

Pile it all up and YUUUUM!

Union Square on a Rainy Day and a Surprise in the Mail!

2011-04-13T09:46:00.000-07:00

Some of my favorite vendors come to Union Square in New York City on Wednesdays and Saturdays so I had planned a trip earlier in the week to go today before I knew it was going to be rainy and cold! I almost didn't go, but am so glad I did. There is something so peaceful and calming about going to the market with it is not so busy and it was nice being able to leisurely walk around.

The flower stall was what I first saw when I stepped off the subway. But, flowers were not what I was coming to the market for today! I was in search for sprouts (for me) and apples (for my kids!)

And, I found the holy grail of sprouts and micro-greens, Windfall Farms from Montgomery, NY. Windfall Farms sells microgreens, sprouts and even organic eggs and is where many of the top chefs go to shop. Ironically enough, Windfall farms is in a green! bus so you can't miss them!

The Windfall Farms Green Bus

And, here are some of the sprouts and greens that they sell. I bought some gorgeous mesclun with some edible flowers, buckwheat and pea sprouts and to use in my salads, sandwiches and smoothies this week! I am literally addicted to sprouts and add then to anything and everything I can. Sprouts are literally baby plants that sprout from seeds and contain all the nutrients needed to grow to maturity and are a true live "superfood" bursting with nutrition and live enzymes.

Greens and Sprouts at Windfall Farms

Microgreens with Flowers

Putting Sprouts in Bags to Go!

Then, it was off to buy the apples! The apples were gorgeous and HUGE!

Here is a picture of one of the apples I bought next to my cell phone (note: it is BIGGER than my blackberry!) I plan to slice this baby up and slather it with almond butter for my son for his after school snack!

I didn't buy them but there was also a great vendor selling mushrooms (by Barnes & Noble)- shitake, oyster, portobello- you name it! I will definitely plan to pick some of those up next time!

Vendor Selling Mushrooms

On my way over to pick up a book at Barnes & Noble, I had to visit the new Andy Warhol statue by Robert Pruitt on the corner of 17th and Broadway! Looking around, it is hard to believe that Warhol's first "Factory" was right here on Union Square! So much history.

I returned home happy with my trip but very cold and very, very wet and a surprise awaited from my Mom. Just what I needed to perk up my day. Dr. Perricone's Cold Plasma, which I have been dying for!!! As a 40 year old mother of two, I am trying to turn back the clock as naturally as I can and this product has been discribed as "gold in a bottle!" Cold Plasma claims it "helps prevent and correct signs of aging and imparts radiant looking skin." Well, it should be considering the cost at $135 but, personally, I can't wait to try it. I will also be testing out the Dr. Alkaitis products so stay tuned!

Eating lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and drinking fresh green juice certainly helps keep us healthy and looking radiant from the inside out but is that enough?

What products do you use? Have you found anything that has worked for you?

After I got over my excitement over my gift, I made lunch. Here is the delicious salad I made with my new sprouts and microgreens. I added avocado, raw pistachios, and a dash of dulse and dressed the salad with olive oil and sea salt. Lunch totally hit the spot. Definately worth the trip!

What's for Breakfast?

2011-04-12T07:31:00.000-07:00

My daughter had to get to school early today and, as you can see, it was early morning in the Pennington household.We are NOT, I repeat, we are NOT early risers and this pic encapsulates how we were all feeling!!!

Breakfast had to be easy this morning. Friends and clients are always asking me, "so, what do you all have for breakfast every morning?" Well, my son, Oliver is on a gluten-free diet so the kids had gluten-free bagels with almond butter and St. Dalfour's jelly and some sliced fruit.

Udi's gluten-free bagel with almond butter and jelly

For those of you who are looking for more gluten-free options, these Udi's gluten-free bagels are the way to go! When my son had to go on a gluten-free diet, the thing he was most upset about missing were his bagels. Many gluten-free products taste like card board but these are delicious and even satisfy my bagel-loving boy!

Udi's bagels

You can find Udi's bagels in the freezer section at Whole Foods and many other health shops. Udi's makes delicious gluten-free muffins (the blueberry and lemon are favorites in our house,) breads (whole wheat and, even "white") and a wide variety of granolas! Whether you are eating a gluten-free diet or not, these are products to get to know!

So, what did I have for breakfast?

Laughing Giraffe's Cranberry Orange Granola

I go in waves but right now I am in my cereal kick so I had Laughing Giraffe's Cherry Ginger Granola with tons of blueberries and my homemade almond milk! Laughing Giraffe's granola are gluten-free, organic and raw. Laughing Giraffe also has a delicious Cherry Cacao Ginger cereal.

Did you know that blueberries contain the highest amount of antioxidants than any other fruit? I am writing an article for The Family Groove right now on the topic of Protecting Your Skin from Sun Damage through Your Fork and was pleasantly surprised when I came across this fact! Dr. Perricone has been advocating blueberries for antiaging for years. Luckily for me, I am almost certifiably addicted to blueberries and have them on my cereal every morning!

Another Laughing Giraffe Cereal with, of course, blueberries!

When I am not having Laughing Giraffe, another favorite is Rawnola by Earthling Organics.

Rawnola with, Of course, blueberries and homemade almond milk

Am I boring? Do you see a pattern??? Do you often have the same breakfast every morning?

When I am not having granola or another cereal, I am definately a smoothie girl. Here are some of my other favorites:

My Chocolate Banana Smoothie is always a hit in my family and is great for breakfast or for an afternoon snack. I adore having one after a strenuous workout and it always perks the fam up to have something decadent (and still healthy!)

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

My Power Me Up Green Smoothie is always a go-to breakfast for me!

Power Me Up Green Smoothie

Sometimes the kids get turned off by the green color, so add some frozen berries...and, viola!

Green Smoothie with Frozen Berries

Really, you can throw anything into your blender. I made this smoothie from pineapple, mango and almond milk when my son was feeling under the weather!

Pineapple and Mango Smoothie

And, finally one of my very favorite breakfasts Raw Mixed Berry Pancakes.

Raw Pancakes with Mixed Berries

I adore having these on the weekend when my husband makes the kids homemade pancakes! This way, I feel like I am participating and having something delicious and healthy!

What do you do for healthy breakfasts?

Protein-Packed Waffle Sandwiches and Green Smoothies

2011-04-10T06:48:00.000-07:00

I am baaack. We have been up to all our healthy ways but for whatever reason I just felt that we all (and I!) needed a break from chronicling every meal. Don't you ever need to just take a break from what you are doing and gain some perspective? I find that it is a very healthy and essential part of being a busy, working mother!

So, what is on the agenda today? Power waffles! My son has a lacrosse practice and then tennis with the hubbie today and I owed Brian from Digital Running, an online magazine for runners, a picture for a Veggie Protein Powder article that I am writing for him. So, decided that this would be a great way to send Oliver off this morning! Unfortunately, I just realized that we had to throw out the regular waffle maker (thus, the circus shaped waffles) but the shapes did make them more fun for the kids!

Power Waffle Sandwiches

Arrowhead Mills Multi-Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix (I used Cherrybrook Kitchen because my boy is gluten-free)

2 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 scoops Sun Warrior vanilla protein powder

2 tbsp coconut butter

1 banana Raw honey (I didn't use it because Cherrybrook is pre-sweetened)

Optional: unsweetened chocolate chips

To top: almond butter, sliced banana, honey to drizzle

In a bowl, combine the waffle mix, almond milk and coconut butter as indicated on the package. Stir in the protein powder. For a more "decadent waffle," add chocolate chips. Take two waffles and put almond butter in the middle. We also love to add sliced banana and raw honey for sweetness as well as to aid in digestion and boost immunity.

These "sandwiches" are a nutritious, protein-packed breakfast for kids and adults alike and are also perfect for a pre-or post-workout snack! Sun Warrior adds a wopping 32 grams of protein per two scoops and is a grat way to add nutrition to smoothies, puddings and really, well, anything!

The picture of the "waffle sandwich" is above but here is a pic of the waffles open-faced: Mid-morning my daughter got hungry and, as she is going off to lacrosse as well, wanted to give her something high-protein, and nutrition-packed as well. She loooooves green smoothies so we made a Chocolate and Coconut Green Smoothie- Yum! First we started with the unsweetened almond milk, then added the Sun Warrior protein powder, some Pure Synergy greens powder... And, my secret ingredient... frozen coconut meat, which I buy from High Vibe!

As you can see by her smile, she LOOOOOOVED IT!

Chocolate & Coconut Greens Smoothie
1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk
1 cup frozen coconut meat
2 scoops Sun Warrior chocolate powder
2 tsp Pure Synergy greens powder

Few ice cubes

Blend and enjoy. You can see Caroline did!!!

What I Ate: Sat, Nov 13th

2010-11-13T12:23:00.000-08:00

As a diet and lifestyle consultant and a "healthy," mostly-raw, mostly-vegan mom, I get constantly asked one question time and time again by clients and friends... "what do YOU eat?"

So, today I decided that I am going to start doing a log once or twice a week detailing what I have eaten. Some days will be "good" days and some days definitely NOT! Although I do strive to eat as healthily as I can, sometimes life gets in the way. Life is not about perfection!

Today was a "good" day, meaning that I woke up and had a delicious green smoothie, ate lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, made a nutrition packed juice and even had a treat (or two!)

You would think that weekends would be a difficult time to stay the course but on the weekends I actually have time to make juices and don't have as many distractions as during the week when I am balancing school runs, clients, kids activities, my workout, the dog's walks and writing deadlines! So, here goes...

Food Log:

8 a.m. Shot of E3 Live Brain On- this got my day started to a bang! Tastes terrible but I definitely notice an energy lift!!! Go to my post on my website Blue-Green Algae to find out more about this and other products I recommend!

10 a.m. Green Smoothie- this green smoothie was delicious and I felt so energized yet calm. So here is what I included in it:

Green Smoothie Recipe

- 6 stalks of Locinato kale

- 1 tbsp Sun Warrior Vanilla Protein Powder - 2 tsp Vita Synergy's Ultimate Superfood

- 2 tsp maca

- 1 tsp Sacred Foods coconut butter

- liberal sprinkling of chia seeds

- 3 slices frozen bananas

- 1 cup homemade almond milk

It is bright and sunny and in the 60s in New York and I could not wait to get outside and enjoy the day! So, between breakfast and lunch when the kids were occupied, I took a 7 mile run. Felt like I could have gone on for ages powered up by my smoothie but I came back home STARVING!

12 p.m. Raw Avocado, Lettuce,Tomato and Macadamia Nut Cheese"Sandwich" with Side Salad and Green Juice

Raw Sandwich: Love Force Bread, slice of heirloom tomato, few slices of avocado, mixed lettuce, Dr. Cow's Aged Macadamia Nut Cheese

Salad: Romaine, raddicio, and the leftover tomato and avocado topped with Sproutman's Crunchy Sprouts and dressed with Olive oil, sea salt and lemon juice.

Green Juice: Spinach, celery, cucumber, romaine, 2 slices apple

Took kids to the park until late afternoon and, after lots of pushing on the swings, lifting up to the monkey bars, pogo sticking and generally chasing kids around, came back needing a little pick-me-up and something a bit warm so made my yummy, I-can't-even-tell-it's vegan hot chocolate for everyone!

4 p.m. Hot Chocolate: ok, I have to admit, I forgot to take a picture of my hot chocolate so used a picture I had used in a previous post on chocolate! Anyway, mine looked just the same and was delicious!

Hot Chocolate

- Almond milk

- 1 tbsp raw chocolate powder

- healthy squirt of agave

- 2 tsp maca

Blend in a Vitamix until hot. Truly, it is not so hard to be vegan when you have such delectable heathy treats! Felt great and powered up after I had it!

6 p.m. Early Dinner with Caroline/ Huge Salad: Bibb lettuce, heirloom tomato, avocado, sprinkling of hemp seeds, walnuts (yes, I know, not totally perfect food combining but oh well) all dressed with lemon, olive oil and sea salt. Sprinkled some dulse on at the last minute for good measure Yum!

Took a nice relaxing bath and in the mood for something sweet...

7:30 p.m. Snack/Dessert: Coconut Cashew Cream with shaved coconut, raw chocolate sauce (so easy to make!) and a few blueberries, the coconut cream was from a few days ago so this took two seconds to put together!

Cashew cream: 1 cup cashews and 1 cup dried coconut, 1/2 cups coconut water, vanilla bean, dash of agave; mix in vitamix on high until smooth and creamy and that's it!

"Chocolate sauce": tir raw cacao powder into maple syrup until hit "chocolaty" consistency and that is it! I make a larger batch and then put it in the fridge to put on top of raw puddings, ice creams or even bananas...

Plan on getting all the kids in bed, cozying up into pj's and renting a movie. Bliss!

Pears for Dessert?

2010-11-10T17:35:00.000-08:00

So, today my son got home from his track meet and was starving and exhausted! AND, after dinner he wanted something sweet. Oliver loves pears so I decided to make his favorite pear dessert! If you are looking for something sweet and healthy to serve your family, this is a great recipe! It is so simple so here goes:

Pears for dessert

2 sliced d'anjou pears

Honey

1/2 lemon

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

Slice 2 pears and put them in a large bowl. Drizzle an ample amount of honey over them, squeeze a bit of lemon, and then dash some cinnamon and nutmeg on top (3 to 1 ratio.) Then, stir. They are absolutely delicious. Here is a picture of Oliver gobbling them all up!

If there ARE any left, then cover and put in the fridge. They are even possibly better the next day!

Salad with Ranch Dressing the Raw Vegan Way!

2010-11-03T09:51:00.000-07:00

Last night I was so incredibly envious of my husband's delicious salad topped with pistachios and creamy ranch dressing that I decided to take matters into my own hands and make my own!

So, here is what I had for lunch today:

Salad: Locinato kale with shaved carrots, raddicio, and tomatoes topped with raw pistachios and yum- my new Raw Ranch Dressing, which I plan to use later for dips, more salads and maybe even on top of steamed vegetables. I probably made it a bit thick and, if I use it again for dressing, will probably add more coconut water but this consistency is great for dips and sauces.

Raw Ranch Dressing

1 cup macadamian nuts (preferably pre-spoaked, rinsed and drained)

1/2 lemon

1/2-1 clove garlic

Dash of sea salt

Coconut water (approx 1/4-1/8 cup but add slowly to desired consistency)

Mix in a food processor until smooth.

Last minute addition: Chocolatree Italian "Pizza Bread" Crackers!!! Chocolatree Cafe's products, particularly their Chocolate Chip Cookies and their Chocolate Love Cups (ie. a grownup, healthy Reeses Cup), are truly and deeply my newest addiction!

Almond Milk and Homemade Mixed Berry Pancakes

2010-11-02T09:53:00.000-07:00

Today I had my eye operated on and you would think that I would just want to come home and do nothing but to be honest I was feeling a bit bored so I decided to putter about in the kitchen and make my homemade almond milk and make some mixed berry pancakes for my week of recouping at home! These two recipes together literally took me under 10 minutes and I have almond milk and mixed berry pancakes for the week!

Almond milk is so nutritious-AND easy to make and it tastes so much better than the kind you can buy in a box! This recipe takes me less than 10 minutes and is well worth the effort! To watch how easy it is to make, you can watch my video on you tube by clicking here! Below is an easy recipe for the almond milk. You can use it in smoothies, over cereal or berries or even add chocolate powder and have a delicious and healthy chocolate milk!

Homemade Almond Milk

2 cups of almonds (pre-soak and rinse for 4 hrs if can)

2 cups of filtered water

Agave nectar

1-2 vanilla beans (or vanilla extract in a pinch)

Optional: maca, 1 tbsp coconut butter, dash on cinnamon

Nut bag or muslin cloth to strain

Place the almonds and water in a blender. Squeeze a healthy dash of agave nectar and add vanilla and whatever optional thing you want to add such as maca, cinnamon or coconut butter. Blend and strain. Delicious!

So, what to do with the leftover pulp? Mixed berry pancakes!

I am a big believer in not wasting what you can use and I had about 2 cups of almond pulp leftover from straining the milk as well as some berries and an avocado that were almost past their due dates so I decided to make some Mixed Berry Pancakes...

Mixed Berry Pancakes (Raw and Cooked)
1-2 cups almond pulp (or ground up almonds, walnuts or any nut really)
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup ground chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp powder
1 tbsp maca
1 avocado
1 tbsp coconut butter (optional)
Dash or organic, alcohol-free vanilla extract (optional)
Dash of cinnamon
2 tbsp agave nectar
Almond milk (just enough to get mixture a good consistency)
Mixed berries (today I used strawberries, rasberries and blueberries but you can use any fruit really!)

Mix all of the ingredients into a cuisinart or blender. Mix in the berries or other fruit by hand. Shape into pancakes and place into the dehydrator for 6-8 hours and turn them over and dehyrate for an additional 4-6 hours. If you have children (or a husband) who are not so open to raw, then throw these in an omelet pan and cook these as you would any other pancake and they won't know how "healthy" these are!!!

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows Tranformed!

2010-11-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things to have at Thanksgiving and around the holidays are Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows! But, we all know that these types of dishes are always laden with butter, sugar and more butter and sugar. When the kids and I came upon a recipe in New York Magazine, they begged me to make it. So, I decided to make one with a twist of my own.

Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

3 sweet potatoes

1/4 cup maple syrup

1-2 cups silk milk soy creamer

1 vanilla bean (use pods inside)

Dash of sea salt

1-2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp pumpkin spice (optional)

Marshmallows (I used the fat-free, gluten-free ones from Elyon)

Bake sweet potatos in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour until soft and let cool. Place the sweet potatoes and all other ingredients (except, of course, the marshmallows) into your food processor and blend until smooth. Pour into a casserole dish.

Then, top with marshmallows. The "healthy" marshmallows I found only came in a large size so I cut mine in half.

When you are ready to serve the sweet potatoes, place in the oven at 350 degrees and reheat. Place the oven on broil and brown the marshmallows a bit.

My crew loved it and couldn't believe I served "dessert" for dinner!

Decadent Almond Butter Cups

2010-10-26T17:04:00.000-07:00

This week's posting pairs two things near and dear to my heart- almond butter and chocolate!!! When I was a little girl, I used to adore Reeses Peanut Butter Cups so when I came across a recipe for Peanut Butter Cups by the author and chef Christina Pirello on Chloe Jo's The Girly Girl Army, I decided to make some with a few twists of my own!!!

Almond Butter Cups

2 cups organic, unsweetened chocolate chips

1 cup almond butter

2 tablespoons agave nectar

Dash of sea salt

Place cup cake liners in a muffin pan. Melt the chocolate chips over a double broiler. If you don't have a double broiler, place a glass bowl on top of a pot with boiling water underneath. Continue stirring while heating up the chocolate until smooth.

In a separate bowl, mix the almond butter, agave nectar and sea salt.

Pour about 3/4-1 cm of chocolate into the muffin tin and then spoon the almond butter mixture on top in a thin layer. Top with another 1/2-3/4 cm of chocolate until all of almond butter covered.

Place in freezer and let harden well. Take out and enjoy- yum!!! The only problem with these is you want to each them all!!! My daughter, husband and I all devoured them!

Thank you Chloe Jo and Christina Pirello for the inspiration.

Veggie Burgers for the Whole Family

2010-10-18T08:44:00.001-07:00

So, you readers out there know that I am all about doubling efforts and not creating two dinners- one for me (who eats raw) and one for the rest of my family. This veggie burger recipe is one of my favorites because you can use anything under the kitchen sink and really clean out your fridge and also you can make one entree and serve it both cooked and raw, satisfying all elements in the family!

Today I had some broccoli, a tomato and some parsely I needed to get rid of so just threw that in. There really is not a veggie that wouldn't work so don't be scared to experiment a bit! I made mine on Manna bread and made my husband's cooked one on an Ezekiel sprouted bun.

Veggie Burgers Two Ways (Raw & Cooked)

1 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup flax seeds (ground)

1/2 cup brazil nuts (ground) *you can also use walnuts, almonds, or pecans

1 tomato

4-6 sundried tomatos (soaked to soften, use the water too!)

1/4 cup grated carrots

Handful of parsely

1/2 large red pepper (or 1 whole small one)

3-4 stalks of broccoli (I just used head)

Dash of Nama Shoyu (or other soy sauce variety)

1/2 squeezed lemon

1-2 cloves of garlic (I prefer just one but go for it if you like garlic!)

For toppings (optional): sliced tomato, lettuce, Dayia vegan cheese, veganaise "mayonaise" or mustard Raw "Cheddar Cheese" (see below)

Mix all of the above into a food processor and process until smooth and well mixed together. Shape into patties... and, here comes the fun part!

Raw ones- shape into patties in the dehydrator and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 4-6 hours turning over to make sure both sides done. Serve on a raw bread such as Loveforce bread, a sprouted, organic bread such as Manna bread or Ezekiel or even a collard leaf. I use either the Manna or the Loveforce bread and love to pile mine with sliced tomato and lettuce and my yummy raw cheddar cheese (see below) but accessorize yours as you wish!

Cooked ones- shape into patties and wrap with seran wrap and put in the fridge to "set". When you are ready to cook them, place them in a pan with olive oil and cook on both sides until done. Serve on Ezekiel burger buns. If you want a "cheeseburger," then put the Dayia cheddar cheese on top. These I serve with a slice of tomato, lettuce and a side or organic ketchup and mustard for the kids and my husband to doctor up as they wish!

Raw "Cheddar Cheese"

1 cups raw macadamian nuts (pre-soaked for 4 hours)

Olive oil (add slowly until achieve desired consistency)

Dash of sea salt

Squeeze of 1/2 a lemon

2-4 slices red pepper

Healthy dash of Nama Shoyu soy sauce

Optional: Add Rawmesan (includes Nutritional Yeast)

Add all in the processor adding olive oil slowly until achieve desired consistency. This cheese is delicious and can be used on your burger or even as a topping for broccoli or cauliflower or any other yummy veggie!

Tortilla Chips Without the Guilt!

2010-10-18T08:28:00.001-07:00

The chips you buy in the grocery store, even if they are the "healthy" variety are still processed and packaged and sit on the shelves for weeks (if not months!) So, why don't you just make them! Don't have the time? This "guiltless tortilla chip" recipe literally takes under 5 minutes so is well-worth the effort. And, best yet, you always have chips left over to sprinkle over salads, serve with dip or serve as a side to sandwiches or burgers another day! Being a busy working mom, I am all for minimal effort for maximum gain!

Trick number one is to always have a stocked pantry and fridge. We keep Ezekiel tortillas in our freezer at all times. And, when I want to make these chips (or a wrap or quesadillas or something for the kids), I just take them out for a few minutes to defrost. Next, I cut them into triangular wedges and put them on a baking tray with a healthy drizzle of olive oil and dash of sea salt and that is it! Put them in the oven and cook for 350 degrees turning over until both sides toasty and brown. Optional would be to sprinkle them with parmesan, or a vegan cheddar or mozzarella cheese such as Dayia for a more "nacho-y" effect!

Today, I just made them plain and served them alongside a tomato soup for my daughter. Was the soup "homemade"? No, it was Pacifica from a box but we moms can't always do everything!

Pasta with Pesto for the Whole Family!

2010-10-13T15:10:00.000-07:00

Do you have a problem reconciling the food you prepare for yourself with what you prepare for yourself? Whether you are on a raw food diet, are eating gluten-free or just trying to avoid carbohydrates, I love these pesto dishes! Not only are they dairy and gluten-free but they are packed with iron, calcium, Omega 3's and other vital nutrients.

Also, with this recipe, not only will you get 2 dinners for the time it took to make one, but you will also have leftover pesto to put over vegetables or on a sandwich for another day. I prepare the raw version for myself with the zucchini "noodles" and the regular pasta version for the children. So here goes:

Raw Pesto Sauce

Basil leaves- approximately 6-9 stalks

2 handfuls of fresh spinach

1 1/2 cups cashews (preferably pre-soaked)

Pumpkin seeds (1/2 cups)

1/4 cup olive oil

4-6 tablespoons hemp seed oil (optional)

Blue-Manna capsule (open out of capsule)

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend! That's it. Serve with:

Raw Option: Zucchini "Noodles" (shown above, made with spirulizer or grater)

or with

Tinkyada Rice Pasta

Either way you serve the pesto sauce is dairy and gluten-free and delicious!

Homemade Walnut Crusted Seitan

2010-10-08T06:26:00.000-07:00

For anyone who lives in New York City and has been to Candle Cafe knows that their Pecan-Crusted Seitan is divine! My children and husband are nearly addicted to it and, having gotten tired spending a fortune on take-out, I decided to take matters into my own hands and make my own!

So, out came the Candle Cafe Cookbook, which I find so inspiring when I need some fresh ideas and do not know what to make! Here is my take on the crusted seitan. Instead of pecans, I used walnuts and I made a few changes here and there.

The best thing about making this dish is that you cook one time and get two dinners out of it! One night I served 'Walnut Crusted Seitan' with a side of fresh corn and the next night I made 'Seitan bugers.' Although I still need to prefect my recipe and, apparently my crew thought mine had too much rosemary, overall everybody loved it!!! Practice makes perfect and it is fun to experiment.

See below for both easy recipes!!!

Walnut-Crusted Seitan

2 packages seitan
Olive oil
For marinade:
- 4 sundried tomatos (soaked so soft)
- 1 tomato (roma preferably- in a pinch you can use organic ketchup)
- 1/4 cups basalmic vinegar
- 1/4 cups orange juice
- 1/4 cups umeboshi vinegar
- 1/4 cups soy sauce (preferably Nama Shoyu brand)
- 2 garlic gloves (minced)
- 3 stalks of fresh parsley (minced)
- 2 tbsp tarragon (preferably fresh but dried ok)
- 2 tbsp rosemary (preferably fresh but dried ok)
For crust:
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- Healthy dash of sea salt
- 2 cups coursely ground walnuts
- 2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary

Blend all of the ingredients for the marinade in a blender. Soak the seitan in the mixture overnight or for at least 4 hours. Mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and dip the seitan in it covering it on all sides.

Heat up the olive oil in an omlet pan and cook seitan on all sides until crispy. Place on a paper towel to get off excess oil and serve. Delicious!!!!!!!!

Seitan Burgers
2-4 Ezekiel hamburger buns (or some other grainy choice)
Leftover seitan
Onions sauteed in olive oil
Sliced avocado
Sliced tomato
Vegenaise, mustard or organic ketchup

Place all of the ingredients on top of the warm bun and serve. Delicious!!!

Blueberry Pancakes Without the Guilt!

2010-10-04T05:45:00.000-07:00

So, this is what I had for breakfast today before going to the gym: Raw Blueberry Pancakes with organic maple syrup and fresh blueberries!

Hope you will excuse my long absence but I have been taking time to do the really important things this summer like spending time with family and just recharging my own batteries. Now that I feel fully charged and up and running, I hope you will tune into my posts again!

So, I now that I have my two children settled into school, I have been cooiing (or non-cooking) up a storm. Yesterday I made almond milk and had so much almond pulp (and leftover blueberries) and, you know how much I dislike wasting food, so I decided to make my raw blueberry pancake. They are so easy to make, delicious, and a great way to power up your day!

Raw Blueberry Pancakes
1 cups almond pulp (or ground up almonds, walnuts or any nut really)
1/2 cup ground flax
1/2 cup ground chia seeds
2 tbsp hemp powder
1 tbsp maca
1/2 avocado
1 tbsp coconut butter (optional)
Dash or organic, alcohol-free vanilla extract (optional)
Dash of cinnamon
2 tbsp agave nectar
Almond milk (just enough to get mixture a good consistency)
Blueberries, strawberries or bananas (to put on top)

Mix all of the ingredients into a cuisinart or blender. Mix in the berries or other fruit by hand. Shape into pancakes and place into the dehydrator for 6-8 hours and turn them over and dehyrate for an additional 4-6 hours. If you do not have a dehydrator then you can cook the pancakes on low heat in an omlet pan on the stove (technically they would not be raw, though.)

Here are the pancakes in the dehydrator:

When you have finished you will have a decadent, delicious breakfast and feel great and powered up for your day!

Juice Feasting or Fasting?!?

2010-06-17T05:08:00.000-07:00

I have been a bit out of touch because I have been doing Dr. Gabriel Counsen's Juice Fast for Peace at Organic Avenue! You get 4 large 16 oz. green juices (see above) and have lectures and counseling sessions with Cousen and nightly meditation. Lately I have been feeling total burnout juggling my business, writing assignments and motherhood and giving my body a break is just what I have needed!

I have found that I am a little grumpy and on edge and have just been working in total overdrive but luckily my younger daughter is off at camp so there has been no sibling fighting to send me over the edge!!! Overall it is amazing, but I have been supplementing a bit with additional juices and smoothies because the 4 juices just have not been cutting it for me!

Day 1 of Juice Fast: Kale and Banana Smoothie

4-6 stalks of kale
1 cup almond milk
1/2 frozen banana
1 tbsp maca
1 tbsp chia
1 tbsp hemp powder
1 tbsp goji berry powder

This totally hit the spot!!! Feeling amazing today- clear and totally energized!

Day 2: Kale, Banana, Cucumber & Celery Smoothie

3 stalks of kale
1/2 cucumber
3 stalks of celery
1 tbsp maca
1 tbsp chia
1 cup almond milk
1/2 frozen banana

Took this in the car on the way to the beach with my son!!! Here is where I perched on the beach all day reading my book- felt like a new person!

Day 3: Chocolate, Goji berry, Banana "I am dying" Smoothie

Day 3 is always hardest for me when I am fasting and I needed a major boost! So, here was my rocket fuel! After I drank this I was good to go!

2 tbsp raw cacao powder
1 tbsp goji berrie
1 tbsp maca
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup almond milk

Truly this absolutely hit the spot and got me through the day without reaching for FOOD!

Day 4: Watermelon Juice

Blend watermelon and serve- that's it! Watermelon can be frozen in chunks or just chilled before you blend it according to your desired consistency. Today after a 6 mile run this was a total thirst quencher.

Well, hopefully, these recipes have inspired you when you go on your own juice fast or are just making smoothies or juices at home! Drink and enjoy- we are off on a 2 week vacation and to pick up my daughter at camp!!!

Potted Herb Gardens- Delicious Herbs for You and Fun for the Kids!

2010-06-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago before my daughter and I left for camp, we decided that we would plant an herb garden! Above are the before and after shots!

We have fresh rosemary, curly parsley, basil and mint! Even if you live in the city, if you just have a bit of outdoor space such as an outdoor landing or even a window box, you can't easily plant a few herbs. All you need are some pots, dirt, seeds or seedlings, sun & water and viola! It took us a total of 15 minutes to get everything planted. The only bump in the road was that I forgot to factor in the fact that we would be gone a week dropping off Caroline at camp so we lost the tomatoes (see left center) but I replaced them with a hearty rosemary.

I can't wait to use the mint in a pasta with pea dish that Caroline adores (and in my chocolate mint smoothie) and to use the rosemary when grilling!

It is so exciting for children to be able to plant seeds and watch them grow and Caroline is going to be so proud of her herb garden when she returns from camp!

Bak Choy Coconut Salad

2010-06-13T18:00:00.000-07:00

We are awaiting our new delivery of vegetables from our CSA so today after making a huge green juice when I looked in our fridge we literally only had Bak Choy and a few garlic scrapes left. I am determined to use each and every vegetable that we are delivered! But, if you are anything like me, you get in a rut and I have definitely been in my greens and avocado salad dressed in olive oil and lemon rut. So, what to do? A while ago I took cooking classes from Chef Dan and came across one of his delicious recipes. I tweaked it a bit and here is what I whipped up!

Bak Choy Coconut Salad

2 heads Bak Choy

2 tbsp unsweetened grated coconut

2-3 tbsp coconut butter (leave at room temp so more of a liquid when dress salad)

Healthy dash of soy sauce (we use Nama Shoyu)

Garlic or garlic scrapes

My new secret ingredient is the coconut cream from Sacred Foods! I have been putting the coconut cream on everything from raw bread (for me), Exekiel bread for my son and even adding it to smoothies. This was the first time I have used it on a salad and it was truly delicious!

The salad was so amazing that I literally had to fend off my husband's fork so I could get a bowl full!!! I have to admit my son was not a fan but we are still working on him to get him to like salads. He likes steamed veggies and even raw veggies with dip but no salads- go figure!

So, why eat Bak Choy. Bak Choy is rich Vitamin C, folate, beta-carotene, calcium, and nitrogen compounds known as indoles, as well as fiber--both of which appear to lower the risk of various forms of cancer. Definitely a vegetable that we all need to eat more often!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie Anyone?

2010-06-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Along with the homemade muffins this morning, I made my decadent chocolate banana smoothie. Packed with protein, calcium, potassium, omega 3's and antioxidants, it is a wonderful way to start the day! Yum- delicious!

Chocolate Banana Smoothie
2 small bananas (or 1 large one)
1 frozen banana
2-3 tbsp unsweetened chocolate powder
Agave nectar to sweeten (if needed)
2 tbsp hemp seed powder (optional- to add protein & omega 3s)
Dash of flax seed oil (to add omega 3's)
2-3 cups vanilla almond milk (or soy milk or hemp milk)

Blend in blender and enjoy!

Homemade Healthy Blueberry Muffins that Your Family Will Devour!

2010-06-13T07:09:00.001-07:00

It is a lazy Sunday morning here in New York City and after a late birthday celebration last night for my son's 10th birthday, everyone woke up just wanting to putter about in their pj's. I looked in my pantry for some inspiration and came upon the Purely Elizabeth gluten-free, dairy-free, and sugar-free muffin mix that had been given to me in a care package by Integrative Nutrition (thank you so, so much IIN!)

The instructions say to add water, maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla and frozen or fresh blueberries but I put my own little spin on it and added almond milk that I had just made the night before, some hemp seed powder for extra protein, and some flax seed oil for extra omega 3's. Instead of the olive oil, I used coconut butter. And, I used my new secret ingredient- the best alcohol-free vanilla from Sun Organic Farms .

I served the muffins with a side of raw almond butter and the crew completely scarfed them down!!! And, the best part yet was it only took me 5 minutes to whip up and just 20 mins in the oven!

Our CSA Farm Share Starts Today: What are They and Why Should You Sign Up?

2010-06-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

Here in New York not much grows locally in the winter but last night I finally was able to excitedly await our first delivery of our CSA farm share!

I am sure you have heard of CSA's but just what are they, you might wonder!

CSA stands for 'community supported agriculture' and they are a unique approach to farming that brings the farms and constomers together to produce quality, locally harvested, sustainable crops to your dinner table! With a CSA you become a "member" of the farm for a season by pre-paying on the produce you will receive, which enables the farmer to be able to afford to plant and harvest the produce! And, you in return receive a portion of the farm's harvest!

I am a member of a CSA called My Farm Share. I am signed up for the vegetables only share but you are able to add on a fruit share as well as an egg share to your membership. Each Tuesday night beginning in June, we receive a box bursting with fresh vegetables for our week!

This morning, we received ample amounts of mixed lettuces, swiss chard, arugula, kale, radishes, garlic scrapes, bac choi and fresh basil! Not only does receiving vegetables each week encourage me to experiment with vegetables I have turned out to love but might not ordinarily buy, but I have been able to really connect with and become educated about which vegetables are in season in my area.

When you have eaten a vegetable that has literally just been picked and delivered to your doorstep and you taste just how fresh they are, you can literally never go back! Today, I am planning on making a large salad for lunch with the fresh lettuces and radishes and a large green juice and tonight I will make a fresh pesto with the basil- yum! As we get different vegetables each week, I will be posting new recipes to test out for your family so stay tuned!

Garden Salad with Lemon Garlic Dressing

Mixed lettuces

Radishes
Optional: grated carrots, sliced tomatos, avocado, or any other vegetable that you have and love!

For the dressing:

4-6 tbsp olive oil

1/2 Lemon
Garlic

Dash of sea salt

In a large bowl, mixed the lettuce and then top with whatever vegetables you have on hand. In a separate bowl, mix the olive oil, lemon, garlic and sea salt and then top on your salad! Truly so delicious and easy!!!

Pesto Sauce

1 ¼ cups olive oil
2 cups chopped basil
1 clove chopped garlic
½ cup chopped pine nuts

1/2 cup parmesan (optional!)
Lemon (optional)

Mix all of the above ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. If you want a more lemony taste you can add the juice of one lemon. You can use this pesto sauce over regular pasta noodles, on top of pizza or brushetta, or even over fish!

Tonight I will use the pesto sauce over regular noodles (rice Tinkyada) for my son and husband and over zucchini noodles, which I have sliced with a mandolin or hand slicer, for me!

However you use it the result is delicious and it is always nice to have some in the fridge to spice up recipes!

Homemade Dried Fruit: Perfect Portable Snack for the Plane!

2010-06-07T15:30:00.001-07:00

What do you do when you know you will be traveling on an airplane? Well, the first thing I do is pack provisions, which usually include an avocado, some dulse, some olive oil and lemon, and some healthy snacks such as a Lara Bar, Moms in the Raw granola bar, or even some Sacred or Gnosis chocolate!

This weekend, I was taking my daughter to camp in North Carolina (boo hoo) and I noticed that I had tons of fruit left so decided to make dried fruit for us for the plane!

So, how do you make them?

It was so incredibly easy!!! All you need is a dehydrator and some fruit. All I did was slice up the remainder of the box of strawberries and the leftover pineapple that I had made my son's smoothie with the day before and pour the blueberries on the tray (see above.) I let the strawberries and pineapple dehydrate overnight but the blueberries needed a bit more time.

And, voila, snacks for the plane! We ended up having a long wait on the tarmac and Caroline and I were very grateful to have our snacks to tied us over for a late dinner!

Raw Chocolate Pudding Kids & Grownups Will Adore!

2010-06-03T22:00:00.000-07:00

Tonight I got home late with the children from their dance and drama classes and while they sat at the kitchen counter having dinner, I made this delicious pudding. It is so easy to make and truly addicting!

Raw Chocolate Pudding with Vanilla Cream
2 Thai coconuts (if you do not have these you can substitute 2 cups of raw cashews and 1 1/2 tbsp coconut butter)
2 vanilla beans (or alcohol-free vanilla extract)
1-1½ tbsps unsweetened chocolate powder
½ cup agave nectar

Open the Thai coconuts and take the meat of both coconuts and the juice of another and blend until smooth. A Vitamix blender works best. Add the agave nectar and beans from the vanilla pods and run. Take some of the pudding and put it aside for the vanilla cream. Add the chocolate powder to the rest and continue to blend. Serve the chocolate pudding in a fun glass or bowl and add a dollop (or more!) to the coconut cream on the top.

My crew devoured it up! And, I felt good because they were not filling their bodies with sugar or dairy-laden desserts.

A Refreshing Pineapple, Mango & Banana Power Smoothie

2010-06-03T13:28:00.003-07:00

My son had Sports Day today and I knew it was going to be a scorcher. So, this is what I made my crew this morning for breakfast before we all headed out! Packed with nutrients, live enzymes as well as protein, this is a great way to start a hot, action-packed day!

Pineapple, Mango & Banana Power Smoothie
3 slices of pineapple (sliced about 1/4-1/2 in thick)
1 mango
1 sliced banana (frozen)
1-2 cups almond milk
2-4 tbsp hemp protein powder

Blend all until smooth and enjoy. Truly this is so delicious and incredibly refreshing!

Brussels Sprouts 2 Ways: Raw (for me) and Grilled (for the kids & hubbie!)

2010-06-01T19:00:00.000-07:00

Who has not been stuck having to cook 2 dinners? Well, I have plenty of times! That is why I try to maximize my time and coordinate meals for me and the children if I can. So, tonight, I am going to make my Raw Brussels Sprout Salad and Grilled Kale!

When I first met my husband, he would not touch Brussels sprouts. Too many times he had been served overcooked ones growing up! One day he gave them a try and since it has become his favorite vegetable!

I have separated the directions below but I suggest that you do them both at once to save time!!!

Raw Brussels sprout salad
6-12 Brussels sprouts (depending on how much you are making)
Lemon
Olive oil
Sea salt

Optional: crushed walnuts (and, if you are not vegan, an aged Parmesan or a raw cashew cheese), sliced avocado

Also optional: drizzle of pumpkin seed oil

Clean the Brussels sprouts and thinly slice in approximately 1/8 inch strips. Place the shreds in a bowl and dress with olive oil, lemon and sea salt. And, then decorate as you would like. Sliced avocado is also good over this salad. I also love to drizzle a bit of pumpkin seed oil (Austrian's Finest Organic is my favorite.) Experiment and make it fun!
Grilled Brussels sprouts
6-12 Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Sea salt

Clean Brussels sprouts and cut stems off. Place half of them in a casserole dish and liberally douse with olive oil and a healthy dash of sea salt. Cook at 350 degrees for approximately 20+ minutes until crispy.

Who knew with Brussels sprouts could be so delicious?!?