Baby, it's cold outside!

Stay warm by enjoying this nutrient dense treat loaded with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Just like "mom" used to make for you but healthier!

 
bgw - cocoa.jpg
 

Hot Cacao Chocolate

10oz Nondairy Milk not soy
1.5 - 2 T Raw Cacao Powder
1 -2 Dates (depending on size and desired sweetness)
2t Dark Maple Syrup
2t Tahini
Heat all ingredients on stove top then blend in a Vitamix or high speed blender. 

 

OK - you've got the hot cocoa! Grab the blanket, get snuggly warm, and get in the spirit!  Watch Elf again!

 

Holiday Wellness - Part 2 tips on how to enjoy the season!

One week has passed since tips 1 - 3. Calm, cool, and collected? Or feeling a little like Santa with the elves in the workshop on strike and orders backing up?  

george bailey in despair

If you're starting to feel like George Bailey before his guardian angel arrives, read on!

Tips 4 - 7 will help you find your groove during the holiday season.

  1. Exercise
    Our bodies are meant to move and not just in the warmer months! Bundle up and take a walk through the neighborhood to enjoy the holiday lights, or walk with neighbors to Belvedere Square for a casual dinner at the new Starlite restaurant or a glass of wine at Grand Cru. If you like it HOT co-ed Studio B has both yoga and barre classes that are heated along with their regular classes.


  2. Food
    The holidays are a time to indulge and enjoy foods that are special to the season. Trouble comes when the indulgences become a part of the daily routine with office parties, social events, and home holiday baking. The best way to gain some control is to create your daily food menu and plan for the days you will indulge based on your social calendar rather than random events. So when a coworker brings cookies into the office (and it’s not a “planned” indulgence day for you), say to yourself, “it’s not on my menu today” and say to your coworker, “I’ll get mine later” (and they don’t need to know that later isn’t today!).


  3. Drink Water and Limit Alcohol
    The body becomes dehydrated even in winter. We wake up in a dehydrated state losing up to 1 liter of water while we sleep. Start your day with 10oz of water or warm water with a squeeze of fresh lemon before coffee or tea.
    With more parties and events, limit alcohol. It interferes with sleep and it is dehydrating plus can trigger craving. At a party have a glass of water between drinks.


  4. Practice saying “No Thank You”.
    Saying “no” to holiday cookie or social event can be just what is needed to feel well and in balance. Simply say, “I’m sorry I already have plans”, even if it is to have a quiet night at home to watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” or to make time to exercise. Remember to not take on more obligations then your Holiday Intentions list allows.

We watch "It's a Wonderful Life" every year to remember what the holidays are really all about. Put that on your list too as #8!

George Bailey and family

Holiday Wellness - Part 1 on how to fully enjoy the holidays

Winter holidays are upon us and with them are feelings of joy, celebration,  and even dread. We have more demands on our time plus the expectations we put on ourselves can grow and spiral out of control. With the days growing shorter and our To Do Lists growing longer, it is important to incorporate self-care and as the saying goes, “put the oxygen mask on yourself first before assisting others”!  Here are 7 tips to help you bring some wellness into what can be a stressful and busy season.

Grain Free Granola

This is a simple granola to make and great for those who enjoy a Paleo lifestyle or do better without oats. If oats work for you, cut down the amount of nuts and add oats. You can also add goji berries in a 50/50 ratio with raisins. It’s easy…more of an “art” then a “science”.

Comment below on how you change it up! I’d love to hear.

(All ingredients from Trader Joe's) 

Preheat oven to 275
Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. 

1 bag raw mixed nuts 16oz
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds
1 cup raisins
1/4 cup coconut flour
1 cup coconut flakes
1 cup coconut chips (large flakes) 
1/2 cup coconut sugar
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons raw almond butter
1-2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
2 Tablespoons melted coconut oil

Bake for 30 minutes at 275 degrees. Turn off the oven and let Granola cool in the oven as it cools. This can be overnight. 

Enjoy with a nondairy milk and fruit! 

10 Tips to Increase Your Fruits and Veggies - Part 3 of 3

Hello There!

Making a plan to incorporate more plants in your food lifestyle takes just that… a PLAN and having a fridge full of supplies.  Last weekend I was beyond excited to see the abundance of fresh, local fruits, and veggies still available at the Baltimore Farmers Market under the Jones Falls (also love the Waverly Market on Saturdays).  Try the Cameo apples from West Virginia, the last of summer’s corn and peaches, peppers, eggplant, plus cauliflower and zucchini!  Also stock up at Sam’s Club (where I get Brussels sprouts for my recipe in Part 2) and Mom’s Organic Market (huge tubs of greens).  Next fill your freezer with frozen items (like green beans) from Trader Joe’s for when you’re in a pinch. 

Need more tips? ... or not sure on how to make it work for you?   Comment below or email me. I’d love to help.

7.      Plate with GREENS! When plating your dinner of wild salmon, brown rice, and a veggie, start with greens as the base. Simply put fresh greens like romaine or mixed lettuce on your plate with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice. Then add your protein, dense carb (e.g. brown rice or roasted winter squash), and veggie option. 

8.      A green smoothie is also a great lunch or snack option. See recipe in Part 1 or try my pumpkin pie smoothie below.

9.      Include some veggies in your blended dip or salad dressing. Make a salad dressing by blending a whole pealed zucchini or cherry tomatoes or red pepper, 1/3c tahini (sesame seed butter), 1/3c Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar, 1/3c fresh lemon juice and season with sea salt and herbs like dill. If you would like it thinner, add water. 

10.      Use lettuce like romaine leaves or collard greens instead of bread for a sandwich wrap. At the Waverly Farmer’s Market on Saturdays or the Farmer’s Market and Bazaar under the Jones Falls on Sunday the stall From Farm to Face uses collard greens for their falafel wraps. Enjoy one and recreate at home!  

10 Tips to Increase Your Fruits and Veggies - Part 2 of 3

How did you do last week? Were you able to add more Fruits and Veggies to your day? When you sit down to dinner this week look at your plate. What percentage is veggie (cooked and raw)?  If it is 25%, increase to 50% for a few meals and notice how you feel.  Also, stop by a local farmers market or farm stand for seasonal apples. The Honey Crisp are fantastic and make an easy to pack snack!

Hated it as a kid?

Try a new vegetable or maybe one you disliked as a child. Not a fan of Brussels sprouts or asparagus as a kid? Try roasting them at 400 or 450 degrees (depending on how your oven cooks) with a little coconut oil for 30 – 40 minutes checking for desired “doneness” at 20 minutes. Finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sea salt. (See my Brussels sprout recipe below)

Grab and Go Snacks

Make fruits and vegetables your snack option instead of chip, pretzels, or candy. Keep fruit washed and ready to grab, and make up veggie snack bags with sliced carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes.  Make up 5 every Sunday for the week ahead. 

I'll have what she's having!

Have a green juice from the Plant Bar at Belvedere Square or Zia’s in Towson or The Natural in Cockeysville instead of an afternoon coffee or tea. Make sure the juice you order is 80% vegetable and 20% fruit. You will feel the energy! Just give it a try. 

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

3T unrefined melted coconut oil
2T Bragg Raw Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2t Pink Himalayan Sea Salt
2 lb Brussels Sprouts, washed and halved (fresh is best but frozen from Trader Joe’s works)

Mix all ingredients together….might need to use your hands. In a 400 degree oven roast for 15-20 minutes and toss. Roast for another 10 -15 minutes to desired "doneness".

 

10 Tips to Increase Your Fruits and Veggies! - Part 1 of 3

You’ve been hearing it since you were a kid, “eat your veggies!” and you probably have said it you your own kids! The big question is how do you put it into practice and make it enjoyable?  Most Americans score sub par so don’t feel you are in the minority if you’re not making fruit and veggies a part of your daily routine. If you start by taking small steps to add a little more to each meal and snack in time you will reap the rewards.  Whole, plant foods are nutrient dense and loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, fiber and water.  They provide structure to your diet and will help to balance cravings, will keep you full longer, reduce inflammation so you feel better and have greater sense of wellness.  Plus when you focus on adding more of the “good” in time some of the “bad” will begin to slip away!

As a community we can focus on making it fun and exciting! Make a commitment for the next 30 days to increase fruits and vegetables in your diet.  It’s important to set a specific goal that’s attainable and realistic. Write your goal down and record your fruit and veggie consumption. Don’t go it alone!  Partner with your spouse, a neighbor, coworker or friend and check in with each other daily to hold each other accountable. 

Here are some 3 tips to get you started! Try at least one and let me know which ones become a part of your food choices.

1)  Add Fruits and Vegetables to Breakfast

Start your day off right with a Green Smoothie (see recipe below); add sautéed spinach or zucchini, peppers & onions to eggs; add fruit to warm oatmeal; in a hurry grab an apple and some raw nuts to eat on your commute.

2)  Add Veggie Soup

Now that winter is approaching add veggie soup as a lunch option or as a starter for dinner. If you are making it at home increase the amount of veggies the recipe calls for. Atwater’s with various locations around Baltimore always have vegetable soup options with like veggie lentil or gazpacho .

3)  Easy on the Sauce!

When preparing chicken or wild salmon for your next dinner party instead of making a sauce,  sauté chopped onion, mushrooms, peppers and zucchini to serve over with a shake of sea salt and chopped parsley.

Recipe

Drink Your Greens Juice

8oz water or nondairy milk like almond, coconut, hemp or rice
1-2 frozen bananas
1c fresh or frozen fruit like blueberries, pineapple, mango, peaches, apple, pear
1-2c greens or veggie option like spinach, kale, chard, dandelion greens, celery, zucchini, cucumber , canned no sugar pumpkin

Combinations to try

Banana-strawberry-celery or cucumber
Banana-mango-spinach
Banana-pineapple-dandelion
Banana-pumpkin and 1t pumpkin pie spice, ½ t vanillia, 1T maple syrup or 1 date