Tri-color pepper salad with fresh herbs

Something I'm always encouraging my clients to do is to eat "by the rainbow". Eating a wide variety of colors ensures you're getting a wide range of different antioxidants. The pigments responsible for the different colors in plants (and thus your fruits and veggies) are the antioxidants. So, different colors = different group of antioxidants.

Inspired by this principle, I made this salad on the weekend. It's fast and easy and is a very colorful (and thus healthful) addition to your dinner table. Its simple and light flavor doesn't take away from other aspects of your meal, and it met to rave reviews from our friends (who asked for the recipe days later so they're not just saying that!)

Ingredients:

• 1 each: red, yellow & orange bell pepper, chopped in 1/2" squares
• 1/2 15oz can of organic garbanzo beans (if possible, get the low-sodium variety)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh herbs (This is a great time to graze your herb garden if you have one. I took clippings of basil, mint, garlic chives, and dill)
• 1 bag organic baby spinach
  

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup pumpkin seed oil
• 1/3 cup raw apple cider vinegar
• pinch of fresh ground pepper and fresh ground sea salt

Combine the three peppers, garbanzo beans and fresh cut herbs in a bowl and mix well. Plate on top of the spinach, and toss with dressing just before serving.

Spinach toasts - slightly tweaked version of an old favourite

One of my fondest memories is my Gramma making me creamed spinach on toast when I was little. I can still remember hanging out at the old chrome-rimmed kitchen table, trying not to play with the violet that was always the table centrepiece (no one could grow violets like my Gramma), mouth watering with anticipation. I think my future as a nutritional therapist was solidified in those moments - what other little kid craves spinach?

I came across this recipe for "Spinach Toasts" on Dr. Andrew Weil's site and it looked suspiciously familiar. He made some changes to my Gramma's recipe (how cool that he knew her! ;) and I made some further tweaks to his. Here's the result:

Spinach Toasts

Description

Cooking spinach takes very little time, but you need to wash and drain it carefully, and remove tough stems first, which may take 5 or 10 minutes. Plan accordingly. The spinach on these little appetizers is a great source of iron and vitamins A and C.

Ingredients

3/4 cup purified water 2 bunches fresh spinach (about 2 pounds), stemmed 8 pieces thinly sliced sprouted wheat or gluten-free bread 1 small onion, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon extra-virgin cold-pressed olive oil 1/2 cup whole milk, organic plain yogurt 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg 1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint Freshly ground pepper to taste 11/2 tablespoons chopped raw walnuts GARNISH 1 red apple, cut in thin wedges

Instructions

Preheat oven to 300°F. Pour the water into a large stainless steel pot and bring it to a boil. Drop in the washed spinach and cook for 3 minutes, stirring several times. Drain the spinach in a colander over a pan to catch all the water, which you can save to make vegetable stock. Squeeze excess water from the leaves. Cut the bread slices on the diagonal to create 2 triangular pieces, then cut again to make 4 triangles. Put them on a cookie sheet and bake until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, sauté the onions and garlic in olive oil in a medium nonstick sauté pan over low heat until onions are softened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Put the spinach leaves into a medium bowl, along with the onions and the garlic. Add the yogurt, mint, pepper, and nuts and toss thoroughly with a fork. Spread the spinach mixture on the toasts just before serving. Garnish with apple wedges.

Cool as a Cucumber

Here's an easy, quick soup recipe for when you're needing something fast, cooling and creamy. Credits to Institute of Integrative Nutrition for this little gem.

Ingredients:

• 1 cucumber, peeled and chopped
• 1 avocado
• 2 green onions
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 cup organic, whole milk plain yogurt
• 1 cup water
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Roughly chop the cucumber, avocado and green onions and toss in the blender. Add other ingredients and process until smooth. If soup is to thick add water as needed.Garnish with fresh cilantro and a dash of cayenne.

Homemade cream cheese with a useful by-product

As I mentioned in my post from yesterday, I spent a little time this weekend doing food prep to make sure the fridge is stocked with healthy, yummy options. I’ll be sharing the recipes I used over the next few days. This recipe – it’s more of a process than a recipe, actually – is often one of my starting points: homemade cream cheese.

(A big thank you to Sally Fallon and her fantastic cookbook Nourishing Traditions: The cookbook that challenges politically correct nutrition and the diet dictocrats for this recipe.)

Why start here? Well, it’s actually not the cream cheese that I’m going for; it’s really the by-product of the cream cheese – whey – that’s produced in the process. But the cream cheese is delicious, nutritious, and because I made it from organic whole milk plain yoghurt, I know it’s got nothing in it except the nutritional goodness I’m looking for (or what I add to it for flavoring).

What’s whey? you ask. Whey is the liquid that remains after milk has been curdled and strained – a byproduct in the manufacture of cheese. Whey is filled with minerals, it helps digestion, and it’s a great starter for one of my favorite foods: cultured vegetables! (stay tuned for a recipe for cultured sauerkraut later this week!)

I don’t like to go through the whole milk curdling process, so I skip that step by using yoghurt instead. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Big bowl
• Large sieve
• Clean tea towel or cheese cloth

Ingredients:

• 1 large container organic, whole, plain yogurt (the best quality you can find! If you’re lucky enough to have a source of RAW milk yoghurt, that would be the ideal find.)
• Sea salt to taste

Line a large strainer set over a bowl with a clean tea towel or cheese cloth (I prefer the tea towel). Pour in the yoghurt, cover and let stand at room temperature for several hours (this can take up to 12 hrs). The whey (clear liquid) will run into the bowl and the milk solids will stay in the strainer. Tie up the towel with the milk solids inside being careful not to squeeze. Tie this little sack to a wooden spoon placed across the top of a container (like a big pitcher) so that more whey can drip out. Store the whey in a mason jar in the fridge (keeps for up to 6 months), and the cream cheese in a covered glass container (keeps for about 1 month).

I add a little dash of sea salt to the cream cheese for a really delicious and nutritious cream cheese. If you want to spice it up a little, you can also add:

• Roasted red pepper, diced
• Spinach, chopped fine
• Garlic, minced
• Chives, choped
• Olives, chopped

Use your imagination and try different flavors. It’s delicious and makes a great quick snack by spreading it on celery sticks.

It's fig season! Easy gourmet appie recipe

Yesterday I was sent home from a dear friend's place with a purse full of fresh figs from the tree in her back yard (that's why I like to carry such a big purse - you never know when the product of someone's garden is going to need transportation to your kitchen). Yum!! There are few things I enjoy more than fresh figs.

I had a party to go to last night, and all I could think about were figs figs figs. So I did a little research online, and came across this recipe for "Elegant Fig Appetizers". Minimal ingredients, and it took all of 10 minutes to make as I was rushing to get party-pretty. It was absolutely delicious and a total hit. Thank you to Christine M on allrecipes.com for the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 12 fresh figs, halved
• 4 ounces herbed goat cheese (chevre)
• 24 almonds
• 1 tablespoon honey (I used agave instead)
  
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven broiler for high heat.
2. Place the fig halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Top each half with about 1/2 teaspoon goat cheese. Place one almond on each, press to push the cheese slightly into each fig.
3. Broil the figs in the preheated oven until the cheese is soft and the almonds are turning a rich shade of brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the broiler and let cool for 5 minutes. Arrange the figs on a serving platter and drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar. Serve warm.

Ode to a perfect Sunday

Very atypically for me, I left this past weekend wide open and plan-free. To be at home for a weekend is unusual for me. To be at home and without a jam-packed calendar is unheard of.

The results were delightful, and more evidence that leaving space in your life for the unknown and for self-care reaps tremendous rewards.

At the risk of being self-indulgent, let me share my day with you:

It began with a nice snoozy sleep in. The type of sleep in where you wake up, aware that you could get up if you had to, but that you can sleep in too, and so you choose rest. And then you delight in the “I have nowhere to be right now, and this bed is so comfy I choose to stay right here” feeling. Result: a day begun well rested and steeped in a strong dose of appreciation.

Then it was breakfast time. Yummy eggs scrambled with lots of fresh veggies, a wee bit of sausage cause it’s Sunday and fun, and a piece of buttery (gluten-free) toast. Wow. So very good. Result: starting the day with delicious home-cooked whole foods that nourish body and soul.

After a little encouragement from my partner in crime, we brought out the bikes and went for a nice long ride, ending with a cruise along the beach: probably my favorite place to bike. The day was glorious, the bike through town surprisingly casual and relaxed (I live in LA, remember – that doesn’t often happen here), the beach an amazing treat at the end. Result: leave the car at home, and simply getting around town becomes great exercise and tons of fun.

I biked over to my little garden plot in Venice, and spent a couple of hours weeding, delighting at everything that’s been growing abundantly in my absence, and planting the next round of yummies. I harvested some fresh greens, peppers, strawberries, and carrots that I planted as seeds or seedlings, and felt so much love for the air and sunlight and dirt that spin their magic into deliciousness for my dinner plate. Result: I connected strongly to where my food comes from, and was amazed at what just two hours in the garden can produce.

A friend called: the wind was strong and the ocean was calm. Did I want to come out for a sail? Um, YES! Could the day get more perfect? Great friends, beautiful boat, the wind, the ocean, the sun. My cheeks hurt I smiled so hard. Result: a day fully spent outdoors, playing and laughing and feeling fabulous.

The bike back home (mostly uphill) was fast and fun, and we stopped at the market on the way home to pick up the missing pieces (some grass-fed steak – yum!) for dinner. We sipped a glass of red wine by candlelight, ate our delicious home-cooked meal, and relived every perfect moment of the day. I fell into bed exhausted, happy, and forget counting sheep – I was counting my many, many blessings.

What did I learn from this day? I learned how amazing a day without plans can be. How important and nurturing it is to spend a day almost entirely outside. How much you can integrate activity and exercise into your day in a way that you barely notice you’ve done it. How just relaxing into the weekend and taking it as it comes and enjoying every little minute of it can be one of the most nourishing things you can do for yourself.

Summer-inspired healthy habits

There’s no better time than the summer to make a renewed commitment to getting healthy. The long days, the blue skies, the warm evenings… all provide ample opportunity to build in healthy habits that are so much fun you barely notice they’re good for you.

Here’s a small sample of some healthy habits that I’ve been playing with the last couple of months. Try them out and let me know if you have some to add!

• Early morning yoga, outside in your backyard or patio. You don’t have to be a full-fledged yogi to do some nice morning stretches. Dust off that yoga mat, take it outside at the crack of dawn, and do some sun salutations.
• Long evening walks. Explore your neighborhood. Take the dog out. If you don’t have a dog, take your cat. Or your spouse/child/boyfriend/girlfriend/next-door-neighbor/coworker. Or even just yourself. It’s a great opportunity to turn off the TV and move your body.
• Get to know your farmer’s market. Dedicate a weekend morning to explore what’s growing in your area. Pick a fruit or vegetable you’ve never tried before, ask the farmer how to prepare it, and try it out! You’ll be surprised at what you come up with. (That’s how I learned about Kohlrabi – a vegetable I couldn’t even pronounce, let alone prepare, until a month ago.)
• Spice up your water. Summer’s a time when it’s more important than ever to pay attention to your water intake. Add a few slices of cucumber, some fresh mint, or a slice of grapefruit, orange, lemon or lime to make water a little less ordinary.
• Get out of the gym. Gym’s are obviously great places to exercise, especially in those deep dark months of winter. But on glorious sunny summer days, consider moving your gym workout outdoors. Dig your old Frisbee out of the far recesses of the hall closet. Exercise can double as play time, and vice versa.
• Take the family for a hike. Pack up a picnic, bring lots of water, and head into the hills. In most cities you don’t have to go far to find some beautiful outdoor spaces to explore.