I caught up with Daphne of Better Whey of Life recently to taste their delicious Greek yogurt and discuss health issues affecting girls and women these days. Mindful eating came up in conversation and I decided to write a quick piece on mindful eating as a healthy reminder for us all 
Please head on over to Better Whey of Life to get my Mindful Eating Tips!
Me not eating very mindfully
from a recent roadtrip to Oregon – the gorgeous and massive Crater Lake
This is a guest post from Elizabeth. Thanks to Elizabeth for contributing. Check out her bio at the end of this post.
Are you in the mood for some excellent vegan Asian food, but don’t want to spend all your money on take-out? Try making your own Asian-inspired recipes. It can be hard to find good vegan food at a low cost. Specialty restaurants often seem ridiculously over-priced. And you still can’t be sure of finding exactly what you want. A better idea is to save your money and make your own food using quality, low-cost groceries and ingredients that are high in flavor. Here are three excellent vegan-friendly recipes sure to tantalize your taste buds.
1. Spicy Tofu Hotpot: Save time and dishes with this one-pot meal. Garlic, ginger and chili-garlic sauce make a spicy flavorful broth. Additionally, the tofu absorbs the flavors as it cooks. If you don’t find all the ingredients at your local grocery store, you may have to go to an Asian market. However, it will be well worth the trip for this dish that only takes about 30 minutes to prepare. Noodles and shitake mushrooms, along with the tofu, make this a substantial and hearty soup that is sure to satisfy. Click on the link above for the full recipe.
2. Teriyaki Tofu and Pineapple Kebabs: A tasty, spicy glaze that is simmered and thickened over the stove covers these skewers made of tofu, pineapple and bell pepper. Maple syrup is a surprising ingredient that adds a special sweetness to the sauce. And red pepper flakes give it a touch of heat. The skewers are baked, not grilled, to make sure the tofu stays in-tact. This recipe is also around 30 minutes from start to finish, including baking time. Check out the complete recipe here.
3. Asian Coleslaw: The USDA’s recipe finder describes a quick and easy recipe for Asian Coleslaw that uses only five ingredients. With a mix of shredded cabbage, mandarin oranges, peanuts, light Italian dressing, and soy sauce, you can have a delicious Asian-inspired dish, great as a side for get-togethers, or simply for an at-home treat. The recipe makes a full twelve servings, so you’ll have plenty to go around. Take a look at the website listed above for the exact ingredient measurements and directions.
May marks the celebration of National Mediterranean Diet Month! Who likes foods and drinks from the Mediterranean? I do! I do! To celebrate, I paired up with Oldways to write a short article on the health benefits of a Mediterranean Diet and post a delicious Mediterranean-inspired recipe, Baba Ganoush.
Another year older. Another year wiser. Birthdays sure are bitter sweet. Thank you, friends, for your continued friendship and a big thank you to the guy above for another year with good health. For me, birthdays are a good reminder of how short this life truly is. And how at any given moment we can take a different path. A path to greater love, health and happiness.
Time to celebrate! Have a great weekend, friends.
I’ve got a few exciting posts coming up…stay tuned!
Proper storage is key to keeping fruits and veggies fresher longer and saving food dollars. Just recently, I wrote a post on expiration dates, discussing how long you want to keep foods in your kitchen. Now, I’d like to discuss strategies on prolonging the shelf life of fruits and veggies. Some produce is best stored in the refrigerator, some is best stored on the kitchen counter for extended shelf life. Read more →
As part of National Men’s Health Week, the California Department of Public Health has highlighted the top health tips to keep men healthy. “Men have an average life expectancy of almost six years less than women,” said CDPH Director Dr. Mark Horton. “By emphasizing the importance of education, physical fitness and disease prevention, we can help men live longer, healthier lives.” Read more →
Rather than focus on what to eat and what not to eat, I thought I would briefly discuss how to eat. Have you ever eaten a plate of food and felt like you never really tasted a bite? Either the food was really awful or you suffered ‘eating amnesia,’ a complete disconnect from the food you ate.
We already know that fruits and veggies are associated with good health and reduced disease risk. Unfortunately, very few of us are meeting recommendations for these foods, particularly the little ones. Less than 10% of kids are eating the recommended amount of fruits and veggies.
Alas, summer is here!! You know what that means … sand, sun, swim … and the season for foodborne illness, yuck! In 2008, there were over 8 million pounds of ground beef recalled, and that’s just ground beef. An earlier post I wrote, Healthy Habits in the Kitchen part I, focused more on tips related to the refrigerator, freezer and food pantry. This time, I thought I’d touch more on purchasing, cooking and storing foods, particularly animal products. Follow my food safety tips and keep you and your family healthy. You may already know many of these but sometimes it’s good to be reminded
Everyone loves a good barbeque, especially this time of year. I know I am ready to fire up the barbe, that is if the weather clears up. Here in Northern California we’ve had an unseasonably (so I’m told) wet and cool spring. This weekend, I’ll be grilling frutas, rain or shine. Throw a little butter and cinnamon on some bananas, peaches and strawberries and grill it for 5-10 minutes. So delicious. Read more →
Did you ever look at a fruit or vegetable and wonder how it could be so beautiful in color yet so nourishing, not to mention delicious It’s not a coincidence that foods rich in color (naturally) are richly beneficial to our health. It’s also not a coincidence that their components (vitamins, minerals, etc.) wonderfully complement each other where the other may be lacking.
Fruits and veggies are the richest source of phytochemicals, chemical compounds plants naturally produce as a protective mechanism. They not only protect the plant but help protect our health too. Read more →
To piggy-back off my last post, I found some fun ways to involve the little ones more with food shopping, prepping, and cooking. Thanks to Fruits & Veggies More Matters, here are the top 10 fun ways:
10. Mean Green Cleaning Machine. Let them wash fruits and veggies when preparing foods for cooking or eating.
9. Pick A Peck! When shopping, let them select a new fruit or vegetable to try … or several!
8. Make It Snappy! Let them snap the green beans, snap peas or break the flowerets from the broccoli or cauliflower.
7. I Spy! Play “I Spy” in the produce section when grocery shopping.
6. Tear It Up! Let them tear the lettuce for salads and sandwiches.
5. Measure Up! Let them measure the frozen vegetables before cooking them.
4. Peel & Slice. Older children can peel and slice carrots, cucumbers, potatoes and others. They now sell colorful, kid-friendly peelers.
3. Stir & Spice. Make applesauce from fresh apples. Let them help stir and add the cinnamon.
2. A Sprinkle A Day… Let them smell and then sprinkle herbs and spices onto vegetables.
1. Monster Mash! Pull out the potato masher and let the kids mash away.
Spring is here – time for some kitchen spring cleaning! Set aside some time to reorganize your kitchen and reap the benefits. Save yourself time, money and reduce your risk of foodborne illness by reorganizing your refrigerator, freezer and pantry items. Here are some simple tips to help get your kitchen in gear. Read more →
One of the best ways to eat sustainably and healthfully is by eating foods grown locally. This food is fresh and because it is harvested and consumed at its peak, it retains a high level of nutrients and has great flavor. If the local food is organic, it’s much better for energy conservation and environmental protection as organic growers use practices that protect soil, air, and water resources and promote biodiversity. Read more →
