Wow I can't believe it has been almost a month since I have said hello! Time is just so short these days...
Anyways, I am here to tell you how much I love love love when holidays
come around, because then I get to blog all about healthy alternatives
to all the unhealthy food that gets consumed by dozens of us!
Chanukah is probably the best holiday for this. From fried latkes,
bakery bought, sugar filled jelly doughnuts and so much Chanukah gelt,
you can get nauseous just thinking about it!
Here are some great ideas that will cut calories, get rid of harmful
preservatives and help keep your kids behavior and mood's in check.
(And your own too...)
1. Home made, baked jelly doughnuts with some melted chocolate sprinkled
on top (made with any whole grain flour, no white stuff! See below for
recipe)
2. Lightly fried (or baked) sweet potato latkes: (my husband makes
potato and spinach ones.) This can be your regular old latke recipe but
use blue, red or sweet potatoes instead. This will actually give your
latke some nutritional value, especially if you're using sweet potatoes.
Either bake, or gently fry in extra virgin olive oil on low heat to
keep the oil from turning into toxins.
3. Home made Chanukah gelt:
Find the purest chocolate chips with the least ingredients, or if you
are really good, you can make your own chocolate! Melt some chips in a
pot with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil on low heat. Pour into
chocolate molds and freeze! You can even add some raw oats or wheat germ
into the mix for some fiber and whole grains!
Yum, I love making Chanukah the healthy way! It's only the second night,
so start now! Make your own food from pure ingredients (as pure as you
are able to,) stick with whole grains, healthy oils and no added sugars!
Then you can actually feel good this Chanukah, instead of oily and over
stuffed! Good luck and let me know how the recipes come out!
Recipes for doughnut:
1 flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
pinch of salt
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 Cup soy/almond milk (the recipe called for 6 oz of yogurt but I modified)
1 tablespoon canola oil (use extra virgin olive instead)
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon+ 1/2 cup sugar (I literally put in a few tablespoons of sugar, not nearly 1/2 a cup)
1 jar of your favorite jelly (use all natural fruit spread without any added sugar or preservatives)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar
together and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together all the dry
ingredients. In another bowl stir together oil, lemon juice, sugar, egg
and soy milk. Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour
the wet ingredients into the hole. Gently fold everything together until
combined. Place batter in a plastic baggie, seal and cut off the corner
then pipe dollops of batter into a greased muffin tin. Each muffin cup
should only be 1/3 to 1/2 full. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden
brown. Let cool for a few moments and then flip over onto a cooling
rack while still warm. Let cool slightly. Fit a pastry
bag with the 1/2 round tip and fill the bag with jelly. Insert the tip
into the end of each donut and pipe a squirt into each donut. Makes 12.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Pregnancy and food!
Hi everyone,
I'm sure there are some readers out there who are pregnant. There's so much to think about when your pregnant when it comes to food and exercise. Some people just want to eat and eat, and only think about food, but are able to control themselves. Others are so careful with what they eat, fearful that they will gain too much weight. And there are others who just eat and eat because they are "pregnant" and they just feel its ok to do so.
Here are some small tips to stay on track. And just to be clear, I'm not a DR. and this isn't medical advice. These are just some tips from my own experience, and from what I have learned about food over the years.
1. A common misconception is that if you have gained too much weight, you should completely go off all carbs! I have heard people tell me that they have been advised to a eat low fat, fat free, sugar free diet and no carbs, including whole grains. This means meals of rice cakes and low fat yogurt! Let's think about that for a minute. If there is no fat and no healthy carbs, where on earth are you getting your energy from, and what in the world is your baby going to eat? And if we are substituting for low fat and sugar free foods, we're definitely in for trouble, because as I have mentioned many times before, these foods MAKE us want more food, they give us cravings, they dehydrate us...not exactly what you want to have going on while you're pregnant!
2. If you have gained too much weight, just keep in mind portion control. Don't think that you can eat double or triple portions just because you're pregnant. We abviously need to eat more, and crave more, and that's ok! Just keep yourself in check, and don't use pregnancy as an excuse. Learn how to minimize your grain intake and find other healthy foods to supplement with. But please, do not go carb free, sugar free and fat free.
3. Sugar, sugar, sugar. As always, sugar is the culprit of everything evil! A lot of us crave sweet, sugary foods during pregnancy. It's ok to let yourself have a treat here and there, but again, don't go for the muffins and chocolate milk just because you're pregnant. It's no excuse!
4. Make sure your snacks are filling, fattening and healthy. For example, try having a grapefruit with some nuts and sunflower seeds or fiber cracker with some avocado or peanut/almond butter. Think less like a bowl of cereal and milk, and more like some oats with nuts and raisins and a fruit on the side. Its important to stay full and energized throughout the day so you don't resort mindless eating and over eating at meals. Having small, filling snacks in between meals will really help you stay on track.
5. Don't get hung up on how much weight you gained and try and go on a diet. If you are eating healthy food, exercising, controlling your portions and not giving into all your sugary cookie cravings, your body will gain the weight it is supposed to, when it's supposed to. Some people gain only 20 pounds while others can gain a healthy 40. (Although if you have gained a lot more than that and are eating junk, you might have something to think about...)
6. Really, if you think about it, a pregnant woman is a regular woman with a bigger appetite, so just add a little more to your plate if you feel the need. No reason to give into all those cravings. No reason to double your portions and no reason to go on crazy low calorie diets. Just stay focused, use all the tips and tricks I have posted from previous blogs, and you'll be fine!
Good luck, and more on exercise on the next post!
I'm sure there are some readers out there who are pregnant. There's so much to think about when your pregnant when it comes to food and exercise. Some people just want to eat and eat, and only think about food, but are able to control themselves. Others are so careful with what they eat, fearful that they will gain too much weight. And there are others who just eat and eat because they are "pregnant" and they just feel its ok to do so.
Here are some small tips to stay on track. And just to be clear, I'm not a DR. and this isn't medical advice. These are just some tips from my own experience, and from what I have learned about food over the years.
1. A common misconception is that if you have gained too much weight, you should completely go off all carbs! I have heard people tell me that they have been advised to a eat low fat, fat free, sugar free diet and no carbs, including whole grains. This means meals of rice cakes and low fat yogurt! Let's think about that for a minute. If there is no fat and no healthy carbs, where on earth are you getting your energy from, and what in the world is your baby going to eat? And if we are substituting for low fat and sugar free foods, we're definitely in for trouble, because as I have mentioned many times before, these foods MAKE us want more food, they give us cravings, they dehydrate us...not exactly what you want to have going on while you're pregnant!
2. If you have gained too much weight, just keep in mind portion control. Don't think that you can eat double or triple portions just because you're pregnant. We abviously need to eat more, and crave more, and that's ok! Just keep yourself in check, and don't use pregnancy as an excuse. Learn how to minimize your grain intake and find other healthy foods to supplement with. But please, do not go carb free, sugar free and fat free.
3. Sugar, sugar, sugar. As always, sugar is the culprit of everything evil! A lot of us crave sweet, sugary foods during pregnancy. It's ok to let yourself have a treat here and there, but again, don't go for the muffins and chocolate milk just because you're pregnant. It's no excuse!
4. Make sure your snacks are filling, fattening and healthy. For example, try having a grapefruit with some nuts and sunflower seeds or fiber cracker with some avocado or peanut/almond butter. Think less like a bowl of cereal and milk, and more like some oats with nuts and raisins and a fruit on the side. Its important to stay full and energized throughout the day so you don't resort mindless eating and over eating at meals. Having small, filling snacks in between meals will really help you stay on track.
5. Don't get hung up on how much weight you gained and try and go on a diet. If you are eating healthy food, exercising, controlling your portions and not giving into all your sugary cookie cravings, your body will gain the weight it is supposed to, when it's supposed to. Some people gain only 20 pounds while others can gain a healthy 40. (Although if you have gained a lot more than that and are eating junk, you might have something to think about...)
6. Really, if you think about it, a pregnant woman is a regular woman with a bigger appetite, so just add a little more to your plate if you feel the need. No reason to give into all those cravings. No reason to double your portions and no reason to go on crazy low calorie diets. Just stay focused, use all the tips and tricks I have posted from previous blogs, and you'll be fine!
Good luck, and more on exercise on the next post!
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Contact me!
Hi everyone,
If you wanted to email me, or if you leave a comment with a question, please write your name and an email address or facebook contact info where I can reach you back at. Thanks, have a healthy, active day!
If you wanted to email me, or if you leave a comment with a question, please write your name and an email address or facebook contact info where I can reach you back at. Thanks, have a healthy, active day!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Ingredients, cont.
Hi Everyone,
So today I'll add two more very common, very over-used additives. There is a lot to say about both of them, but I will just give some detail. Here's a glimpse at MSG and "Natural flavors"!
"No MSG", "MSG Free", etc:
We have all heard so much about the chemical called MSG, or monosodium glutamate. We all know that its "not good for you" and many people actually get immediate reactions from eating foods with MSG, like headaches, nausea, etc. So recently many food companies have gone "MSG Free", or so they claim. Unfortunately, MSG hides behind dozens of different names that can appear on a list of ingredients, unassumingly, and without drawing any attention. Yeast extracts, any type of protein such as soy protein, whey protein, protein concentrate, and anything hydrolyzed are just a few of the many names that really mean MSG.
MSG is a food additive used to enhance the flavor of the food and literally makes your mouth water for more. That's why its so hard to just have one BBQ chip. It just doesn't work. The flavor is too good, too strong to just have one. MSG acts just like sugar once its inside your body. It makes your pancreas produce insulin which over time can tire out the pancreas disabling it from producing insulin and causing diabetes. MSG is a highly processed, chemicalized food additive that should be kept out of our bodies!
"Natural Flavor":
When you see the words natural flavor on a food product it makes you think natural and healthy! Contrary to common belief, natural flavor is really not very natural at all. It is a man made food additive, created from natural chemicals and gasses and produced in labs by people called flavorists. It is in most processed and fast foods and like MSG, it makes us want more and more of the food we're eating. The reason it is called "natural" is because the flavor must be derived from at least a by product of anything natural. (For example, the essence of a food that contains some of the food's flavor, which would then be taken, chemicalized, processed and used as a food additive.)
Sounds really natural, ha?
Well I'll leave you with that for now. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Mishiharari@gmail.com! Good luck with checking those labels!
So today I'll add two more very common, very over-used additives. There is a lot to say about both of them, but I will just give some detail. Here's a glimpse at MSG and "Natural flavors"!
"No MSG", "MSG Free", etc:
We have all heard so much about the chemical called MSG, or monosodium glutamate. We all know that its "not good for you" and many people actually get immediate reactions from eating foods with MSG, like headaches, nausea, etc. So recently many food companies have gone "MSG Free", or so they claim. Unfortunately, MSG hides behind dozens of different names that can appear on a list of ingredients, unassumingly, and without drawing any attention. Yeast extracts, any type of protein such as soy protein, whey protein, protein concentrate, and anything hydrolyzed are just a few of the many names that really mean MSG.
MSG is a food additive used to enhance the flavor of the food and literally makes your mouth water for more. That's why its so hard to just have one BBQ chip. It just doesn't work. The flavor is too good, too strong to just have one. MSG acts just like sugar once its inside your body. It makes your pancreas produce insulin which over time can tire out the pancreas disabling it from producing insulin and causing diabetes. MSG is a highly processed, chemicalized food additive that should be kept out of our bodies!
"Natural Flavor":
When you see the words natural flavor on a food product it makes you think natural and healthy! Contrary to common belief, natural flavor is really not very natural at all. It is a man made food additive, created from natural chemicals and gasses and produced in labs by people called flavorists. It is in most processed and fast foods and like MSG, it makes us want more and more of the food we're eating. The reason it is called "natural" is because the flavor must be derived from at least a by product of anything natural. (For example, the essence of a food that contains some of the food's flavor, which would then be taken, chemicalized, processed and used as a food additive.)
Sounds really natural, ha?
Well I'll leave you with that for now. If you have any questions, feel free to email me at Mishiharari@gmail.com! Good luck with checking those labels!
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Have you ever wondered what all those ingredients really are?
Hi everyone,
I have been wanting to write about this for a while now. I have gathered some helpful information to give us a little clue as to what all the ingredients in our foods are. I have a list of the most commonly found food additives and I will list a few at a time on different postings. Let's start, and let me know if any of these sound familiar to you.
1. Sodium Benzoate: A food preservative made from chemicals and is also used to make fuel for fireworks. Cool, ha?
2. Soy lecithin: One of the top ten ingredients in food. An oil that is chemically or mechanically extracted from a soy bean. It is a by product of soy and used as an emulsifier which means it holds the ingredients in the food together. Although it may have some health benefits, it is made through genetic modification which changes the structure of the original food. Also, eating too much soy or soy by products can be very unhealthy. (More on soy later.)
3. Soy protein isolate: A highly refined form of soy protein. Its used as an emulsifier, retains moisture in food, and commonly used as a cheap, unhealthy source of protein, substituted by real proteins.
4. Citric acid: A natural acid found in fruits. Used as a food additive to flavor and preserve food. It is also used in many cleaning agents! If you want to preserve your food, I would rather squeeze some real, fresh lemon juice onto my food, wouldn't you?
5. Cornstarch: Used as a thickening and anti caking agent. The corn is steeped and fermented and starch is removed from the germ and endosperm. So, you are left with a starch, which in simple terms means sugar. We definitely don't need any more of that in our foods. In general I prefer to stay away from corn, mostly because the majority of corn in our country is genetically modified and doesn't provide many health benefits.
6. Modified food starch: A starch is taken from any grain and modified either chemically, enzymatically or physically with a non organic acid. It keeps food and its texture stable when frozen or microwaved, among many other things and is a heavily processed ingredient!
I think that's enough to think about for one day. Get to those cabinets and see what's hiding in your food. Even though many of these additives may be natural, they are full of chemicals and modified so much, that they can have such a negative effect on our bodies and minds over time!
I have been wanting to write about this for a while now. I have gathered some helpful information to give us a little clue as to what all the ingredients in our foods are. I have a list of the most commonly found food additives and I will list a few at a time on different postings. Let's start, and let me know if any of these sound familiar to you.
1. Sodium Benzoate: A food preservative made from chemicals and is also used to make fuel for fireworks. Cool, ha?
2. Soy lecithin: One of the top ten ingredients in food. An oil that is chemically or mechanically extracted from a soy bean. It is a by product of soy and used as an emulsifier which means it holds the ingredients in the food together. Although it may have some health benefits, it is made through genetic modification which changes the structure of the original food. Also, eating too much soy or soy by products can be very unhealthy. (More on soy later.)
3. Soy protein isolate: A highly refined form of soy protein. Its used as an emulsifier, retains moisture in food, and commonly used as a cheap, unhealthy source of protein, substituted by real proteins.
4. Citric acid: A natural acid found in fruits. Used as a food additive to flavor and preserve food. It is also used in many cleaning agents! If you want to preserve your food, I would rather squeeze some real, fresh lemon juice onto my food, wouldn't you?
5. Cornstarch: Used as a thickening and anti caking agent. The corn is steeped and fermented and starch is removed from the germ and endosperm. So, you are left with a starch, which in simple terms means sugar. We definitely don't need any more of that in our foods. In general I prefer to stay away from corn, mostly because the majority of corn in our country is genetically modified and doesn't provide many health benefits.
6. Modified food starch: A starch is taken from any grain and modified either chemically, enzymatically or physically with a non organic acid. It keeps food and its texture stable when frozen or microwaved, among many other things and is a heavily processed ingredient!
I think that's enough to think about for one day. Get to those cabinets and see what's hiding in your food. Even though many of these additives may be natural, they are full of chemicals and modified so much, that they can have such a negative effect on our bodies and minds over time!
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Sound Familiar?
Shabbos is always tricky. To enjoy the food and indulge sounds really nice. But that can easily turn into over eating and feeling awful. Does this scenario sound familiar...?
We're around so much food throughout the day, and we can eat mindlessly and sometimes constantly. When the actual meals comes around we can easily fill up on yummy challah, mayonnaisey sugary dips and salad dressings, sweet pies with sugary crusts, etc. You take a few bites of fish and maybe some meat from the chulent, because by the time this food comes out, we're so "full" that we don't have any room for more than a few bites. The meal ends and we feel stuffed and bloated. And then, surprisingly, twenty minutes, thirty minutes or an hour later we're hungry. Totally outrageous, right?! You think to yourself "how can I possibly be hungry, I ate so much"?
Well, that is exactly why we are hungry! Filling up on carbs and sugars from challah and other foods fills us up temporarily but still leaves your stomach hungry inside. And unless you are super aware of what your body needs, when it realizes its hungry, you will probably go for more of the carbs and sugar. And the process goes on and on. We fill up, feel bloated, realize we're hungry and then go for more. Break the cycle early! Fill up on proteins and not too heavily dressed salads. And then sit back and enjoy your challah and desserts. You're body will actually be full, feel full and know its full of good food. And then you won't have that much room for everything else. And of course, drink water and keep your body clear and flowing! This can really help keep you feeling good and normal on shabbos, instead of feeling like you just ate too much. And as always,
Good luck, try it next week and see how you feel!
As an added bonus, try to use foods with less processed, pure ingredients and dips and dressings without sugar. Try an alternative mayonnaise without too many chemical additives and maybe try some spelt challah this week. Making small little changes over time can help set the tone for a lifestyle change and you fill feel much less bloated and more energetic once the chemicals and sugars are reduced from your diet.
We're around so much food throughout the day, and we can eat mindlessly and sometimes constantly. When the actual meals comes around we can easily fill up on yummy challah, mayonnaisey sugary dips and salad dressings, sweet pies with sugary crusts, etc. You take a few bites of fish and maybe some meat from the chulent, because by the time this food comes out, we're so "full" that we don't have any room for more than a few bites. The meal ends and we feel stuffed and bloated. And then, surprisingly, twenty minutes, thirty minutes or an hour later we're hungry. Totally outrageous, right?! You think to yourself "how can I possibly be hungry, I ate so much"?
Well, that is exactly why we are hungry! Filling up on carbs and sugars from challah and other foods fills us up temporarily but still leaves your stomach hungry inside. And unless you are super aware of what your body needs, when it realizes its hungry, you will probably go for more of the carbs and sugar. And the process goes on and on. We fill up, feel bloated, realize we're hungry and then go for more. Break the cycle early! Fill up on proteins and not too heavily dressed salads. And then sit back and enjoy your challah and desserts. You're body will actually be full, feel full and know its full of good food. And then you won't have that much room for everything else. And of course, drink water and keep your body clear and flowing! This can really help keep you feeling good and normal on shabbos, instead of feeling like you just ate too much. And as always,
Good luck, try it next week and see how you feel!
As an added bonus, try to use foods with less processed, pure ingredients and dips and dressings without sugar. Try an alternative mayonnaise without too many chemical additives and maybe try some spelt challah this week. Making small little changes over time can help set the tone for a lifestyle change and you fill feel much less bloated and more energetic once the chemicals and sugars are reduced from your diet.
Monday, October 31, 2011
deconstructing cravings
Good morning!
I have been getting a lot of questions lately about cravings. How to stop them, what to do if you just can't stop eating sugar, etc...
First of all, let's keep in mind that there are SO many reasons your body would be craving sugar (or anything else.) Dehydration, unbalanced diet, lack of vegetables, too many artificial sweeteners, too many white carbs, boredom and loneliness, just to name a few. Every person has to look into their own diets and lifestyles and see what is out of balance. The fact that we are having cravings is an important signal from the body that something isn't right, and it shouldn't be ignored! So putting yourself on a no sugar diet, without looking into the real cause of the craving, will lead to disaster. It will never help to just have will power and ignore your cravings if you don't know why you are having them and what you need to do to fix the problem.
Secondly, before you delve into yourself and try to figure out what's amiss, the first step is always "crowding out". This means that whatever the cause of your cravings is, you should be crowding out the junk food with lots of vegetables, fruit and water. So for example, before you decide to stop eating a donut everyday for breakfast, just try it on Monday. And in the place of a donut eat some very sweet fruit with a big cup of water instead. You can slowly work your way to two, three and four days a week until you have successfully crowded out your craving for donuts. And then the introspection can start, and you think about why you might be having them in the first place. This is a rule that anyone and everyone can easily follow to start the process of deconstructing cravings! (You can do this at any time you might be craving something sweet. Grab some green grapes and a big cup of water and wait 15, then see if you're still aching for the chocolate bar!)
I thought this step of "crowding out" would sound a lot more do-able and a lot less scary then "stop eating sugar"!
Let me know how it goes,
Mishi
I have been getting a lot of questions lately about cravings. How to stop them, what to do if you just can't stop eating sugar, etc...
First of all, let's keep in mind that there are SO many reasons your body would be craving sugar (or anything else.) Dehydration, unbalanced diet, lack of vegetables, too many artificial sweeteners, too many white carbs, boredom and loneliness, just to name a few. Every person has to look into their own diets and lifestyles and see what is out of balance. The fact that we are having cravings is an important signal from the body that something isn't right, and it shouldn't be ignored! So putting yourself on a no sugar diet, without looking into the real cause of the craving, will lead to disaster. It will never help to just have will power and ignore your cravings if you don't know why you are having them and what you need to do to fix the problem.
Secondly, before you delve into yourself and try to figure out what's amiss, the first step is always "crowding out". This means that whatever the cause of your cravings is, you should be crowding out the junk food with lots of vegetables, fruit and water. So for example, before you decide to stop eating a donut everyday for breakfast, just try it on Monday. And in the place of a donut eat some very sweet fruit with a big cup of water instead. You can slowly work your way to two, three and four days a week until you have successfully crowded out your craving for donuts. And then the introspection can start, and you think about why you might be having them in the first place. This is a rule that anyone and everyone can easily follow to start the process of deconstructing cravings! (You can do this at any time you might be craving something sweet. Grab some green grapes and a big cup of water and wait 15, then see if you're still aching for the chocolate bar!)
I thought this step of "crowding out" would sound a lot more do-able and a lot less scary then "stop eating sugar"!
Let me know how it goes,
Mishi
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Trust your body
Hi everyone,
Just thought I would share a late night tid bit. After a shabbos full of guests, mess, clean up, kids indoors because of random October snow storm, I have had some quiet time to reflect.
My father is in town for shabbos and with his visits always comes trips to the bakery with my kids and lots of sprinkle cookies and muffins around the house. A very big treat for the kids. I was tempted by one of the muffins and I let my self indulge a little by having most of it, along with a few bites of a sprinkle cookie. My body and brain are not used to the heavily saturated, margarined, sugared, white floured foods. Within a short time, I felt myslef losing patience with my kids and the ability to concentrate and think things through clearly. My brain was in a fog! I knew it was the pastries and I was frustrated that I had consumed enough of them to make me feel the way I was feeling. I knew I needed to eat or drink something asap to clear out my system. Something in my stomach was asking for some hot lemon water, and I added green tea to it for some extra cleansing power. It really calmed me down, enabled me to concentrate and speak and think clearly. The effects of white flour, preservatives and sugar effect everyone negatively, some more than others as you can see from my story. Not everyone has such noticeable, quick side effects. But everyone is effected. You can try and experiment. Go off white flour and sugar for a week, and then see how you feel after trying it again.Once you do this, you will be able to clearly see how foods effect your mind and body. Maybe you're always in a brain fog and never know why. Maybe you have little patience and would like take one small step in changing that.
Also, our bodies know what they need to counteract the unhealthy foods we put into them. They send us lots of signals like cravings to let us know when things are amiss. So take some time to listen to your body, it really might be telling you something!
Just thought I would share a late night tid bit. After a shabbos full of guests, mess, clean up, kids indoors because of random October snow storm, I have had some quiet time to reflect.
My father is in town for shabbos and with his visits always comes trips to the bakery with my kids and lots of sprinkle cookies and muffins around the house. A very big treat for the kids. I was tempted by one of the muffins and I let my self indulge a little by having most of it, along with a few bites of a sprinkle cookie. My body and brain are not used to the heavily saturated, margarined, sugared, white floured foods. Within a short time, I felt myslef losing patience with my kids and the ability to concentrate and think things through clearly. My brain was in a fog! I knew it was the pastries and I was frustrated that I had consumed enough of them to make me feel the way I was feeling. I knew I needed to eat or drink something asap to clear out my system. Something in my stomach was asking for some hot lemon water, and I added green tea to it for some extra cleansing power. It really calmed me down, enabled me to concentrate and speak and think clearly. The effects of white flour, preservatives and sugar effect everyone negatively, some more than others as you can see from my story. Not everyone has such noticeable, quick side effects. But everyone is effected. You can try and experiment. Go off white flour and sugar for a week, and then see how you feel after trying it again.Once you do this, you will be able to clearly see how foods effect your mind and body. Maybe you're always in a brain fog and never know why. Maybe you have little patience and would like take one small step in changing that.
Also, our bodies know what they need to counteract the unhealthy foods we put into them. They send us lots of signals like cravings to let us know when things are amiss. So take some time to listen to your body, it really might be telling you something!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Ever heard of Okinawa?
So today I thought I would write a little about different cultures and their diets and compare them to our standard American diet and let you see for yourselves the amazing differences in overall health and longevity...
Take your typical American family and imagine them going food shopping at the local supermarket. Thousands and thousands of prepackaged foods to choose from, loaded with sugar, preservatives, chemicals and food dyes stand neatly on shelves. Fruits and vegetables that have been shipped from as far away as New Zea land gather in massive bins in the produce section. Dairy and meat products from animals that have been treated with numerous growth hormones and antibiotics and that were fed foods unsuitable for consumption, sit in shiny plastic wrappings and colorful containers screaming for your attention.
Finding real, whole foods in America is hard to come by. Even our organic foods are depleted of vitamins and minerals due to environmental contaminants.
How about the overall health of our country? Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, infertility, digestive issues, autism are just a few of the many problems our people face today.
Now lets take a look at the people of Okinawa, Japan, who are known (through much research) to be the healthiest and longest living population in the world!
Their diets? Lots of fresh, wild, unpolluted fish. They eat a lot of sea vegetables like seaweed and kelp which are loaded with minerals that we Americans don't really have in our food supply anymore. They have natural, fermented soy beans, not the kind that comes in boxes and packages. They eat a lot of whole grains, nuts and seeds and only pure foods, grown locally. They consume very, very small amounts of meat and dairy. All of these foods provide the people of Okinawa an amazingly nutrient rich diet, full of everything they need to stay healthy and live long! They also spend a lot of time outdoors in their fields, doing manual labor that a lot of us here have no need to do anymore. This helps keep their bodies young and strong as well.
The people of Crete, a small island off Greece, consume a Mediterranean diet. This consists of olive oil, wines, chemical free dairy from GOATS (more easily digestible than sheep), a lot of fermented foods and very small amounts of red meat. They also eat a lot of berries and whole grains. They are the longest living and healthiest Mediterranean population. Although in general the Mediterranean diet is healthy, it is being very much influenced by the American diet, and the people of Crete are eating the purest form of the Mediterranean diet now a days. Heart disease is 17x more likely in America than on these two islands!
So, what do you say? Can we all take the time this week to get out and exerice and to buy at least one food that's unprocessed, organic or whole? Even if its just one item for yourself or your family, it will make a big difference!
Have a great day everyone!
Mishi
Take your typical American family and imagine them going food shopping at the local supermarket. Thousands and thousands of prepackaged foods to choose from, loaded with sugar, preservatives, chemicals and food dyes stand neatly on shelves. Fruits and vegetables that have been shipped from as far away as New Zea land gather in massive bins in the produce section. Dairy and meat products from animals that have been treated with numerous growth hormones and antibiotics and that were fed foods unsuitable for consumption, sit in shiny plastic wrappings and colorful containers screaming for your attention.
Finding real, whole foods in America is hard to come by. Even our organic foods are depleted of vitamins and minerals due to environmental contaminants.
How about the overall health of our country? Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, depression, insomnia, infertility, digestive issues, autism are just a few of the many problems our people face today.
Now lets take a look at the people of Okinawa, Japan, who are known (through much research) to be the healthiest and longest living population in the world!
Their diets? Lots of fresh, wild, unpolluted fish. They eat a lot of sea vegetables like seaweed and kelp which are loaded with minerals that we Americans don't really have in our food supply anymore. They have natural, fermented soy beans, not the kind that comes in boxes and packages. They eat a lot of whole grains, nuts and seeds and only pure foods, grown locally. They consume very, very small amounts of meat and dairy. All of these foods provide the people of Okinawa an amazingly nutrient rich diet, full of everything they need to stay healthy and live long! They also spend a lot of time outdoors in their fields, doing manual labor that a lot of us here have no need to do anymore. This helps keep their bodies young and strong as well.
The people of Crete, a small island off Greece, consume a Mediterranean diet. This consists of olive oil, wines, chemical free dairy from GOATS (more easily digestible than sheep), a lot of fermented foods and very small amounts of red meat. They also eat a lot of berries and whole grains. They are the longest living and healthiest Mediterranean population. Although in general the Mediterranean diet is healthy, it is being very much influenced by the American diet, and the people of Crete are eating the purest form of the Mediterranean diet now a days. Heart disease is 17x more likely in America than on these two islands!
So, what do you say? Can we all take the time this week to get out and exerice and to buy at least one food that's unprocessed, organic or whole? Even if its just one item for yourself or your family, it will make a big difference!
Have a great day everyone!
Mishi
Friday, October 7, 2011
More pre fast ideas
As I was falling asleep last night I kept thinking of more and more great food ideas to eat through out the day that again, will give you REAL energy! Even though its a busy day and we're all running around, try to take time to at least snack on some high fat, high fiber foods...
1. Nuts. Nuts are really high in fat which give us energy, and walnuts in particular are high in omega 3 fatty acids which support good brain function. They're also super easy to eat on the go.
2. Celery or carrots with almond or peanut butter (when I say nut butters I don't mean the full of sugar skippy peanut butter) and raisins. This is obviously a good source of vegetables and the nut butters add good, healthy fats. Organic raisins are loaded with antioxidants and they give this snack a good, sweet flavor.
3.Make eggs for breakfast, with some oats and a pure fruit smoothie on the side. This meal includes fat, protein and a quick, easy source to get some fruit into your system today.
4. Another great recipe for the pre fast meal is one I got from my sister. Its a quinoa salad which includes edemame, red onions, fresh parsley and cranberries (preferably without sugar and preservatives). I like to add nuts to the mix for a fat source. The dressing is a honey mustard, vinegar mix. But you can really season it however you wish. Quinoa takes on any flavor you mix it with! This meal provides a complete protein and whole grains from the quinoa, and has a great taste!
5. Try to skip the morning coffee. Just fill your body up with water as often as you can!
Gotta run now. When more ideas pop into my hear I'll keep you posted.
1. Nuts. Nuts are really high in fat which give us energy, and walnuts in particular are high in omega 3 fatty acids which support good brain function. They're also super easy to eat on the go.
2. Celery or carrots with almond or peanut butter (when I say nut butters I don't mean the full of sugar skippy peanut butter) and raisins. This is obviously a good source of vegetables and the nut butters add good, healthy fats. Organic raisins are loaded with antioxidants and they give this snack a good, sweet flavor.
3.Make eggs for breakfast, with some oats and a pure fruit smoothie on the side. This meal includes fat, protein and a quick, easy source to get some fruit into your system today.
4. Another great recipe for the pre fast meal is one I got from my sister. Its a quinoa salad which includes edemame, red onions, fresh parsley and cranberries (preferably without sugar and preservatives). I like to add nuts to the mix for a fat source. The dressing is a honey mustard, vinegar mix. But you can really season it however you wish. Quinoa takes on any flavor you mix it with! This meal provides a complete protein and whole grains from the quinoa, and has a great taste!
5. Try to skip the morning coffee. Just fill your body up with water as often as you can!
Gotta run now. When more ideas pop into my hear I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Eating the RIGHT foods before a fast!
I'm sure by now everyone is planning their menus for the fast tomorrow night. I just wanted to give some tips on what foods to eat for the fast to keep you full, energetic and clear headed for as long as possible!
Most people would presume that eating a lot of carbohydrates before a fast will be sure to fill you up. As I have mentioned before, filling up from carbs is only a short turn filling up. If you eat too many of the wrong starches, you'll be full quickly, but that energy and sense of feeling full will quickly diminish. So, what to eat?
For starters, think fiber! Anything high in fiber (I don't mean fiber one cereal) will fill you up PROPERLY and also give you energy and brain power.
Next, think healthy fats (salmon, sardines, avocados, coconut oil....) Again, this will be sure to give your body sustained energy and support your brain in thinking clearly.
We'll all be having honey cake of course, so try to use whole grains, healthier oils like coconut or grapeseed, pure unprocessed honey and don't add extra sugar if possible when baking. Stay away from other sugary foods, as well as sugar substitutes. These foods dehydrate your body and leave you with cravings for more sugar. Not exactly what you want to be feeling on yom kippur!
Have lots of fresh fruit and of course, drink ONLY water at your meal, or pure fresh coconut water if you have access to it. Any other beverage will fill you up with unnecessary sugars and other ingredients that will only contribute to more cravings and hunger.
Here are some of the foods I'll be serving for our pre yom kippur feast:
1. Roasted squash/sweet potato soup- good sources of fiber, minerals and nutrients and potassium which is good to have in your system if you aren't going to be drinking for a while.
2. Lentil/brown rice dish- excellent source of protein, fiber and whole grains. A well rounded meal!
3. Basic chicken with some cooked vegetables
4. Salad with spinach and romaine lettuce with assortment of vegetables, especially avocados- excellent source of healthy fat
5. Lekach (honey cake)
6. Fresh fruit which includes mainly raspberries and other berries- these super fruits are famous for their outstanding fiber content and anti-oxidant power! Remember, fiber fills you up!
Eating properly before a fast can really make a difference in your moods and over all energy.
I hope this helps and wish everyone a gmar chasima tovah and an easy fast!
Please let me know if you have tried any of these ideas and what the outcome was!
Most people would presume that eating a lot of carbohydrates before a fast will be sure to fill you up. As I have mentioned before, filling up from carbs is only a short turn filling up. If you eat too many of the wrong starches, you'll be full quickly, but that energy and sense of feeling full will quickly diminish. So, what to eat?
For starters, think fiber! Anything high in fiber (I don't mean fiber one cereal) will fill you up PROPERLY and also give you energy and brain power.
Next, think healthy fats (salmon, sardines, avocados, coconut oil....) Again, this will be sure to give your body sustained energy and support your brain in thinking clearly.
We'll all be having honey cake of course, so try to use whole grains, healthier oils like coconut or grapeseed, pure unprocessed honey and don't add extra sugar if possible when baking. Stay away from other sugary foods, as well as sugar substitutes. These foods dehydrate your body and leave you with cravings for more sugar. Not exactly what you want to be feeling on yom kippur!
Have lots of fresh fruit and of course, drink ONLY water at your meal, or pure fresh coconut water if you have access to it. Any other beverage will fill you up with unnecessary sugars and other ingredients that will only contribute to more cravings and hunger.
Here are some of the foods I'll be serving for our pre yom kippur feast:
1. Roasted squash/sweet potato soup- good sources of fiber, minerals and nutrients and potassium which is good to have in your system if you aren't going to be drinking for a while.
2. Lentil/brown rice dish- excellent source of protein, fiber and whole grains. A well rounded meal!
3. Basic chicken with some cooked vegetables
4. Salad with spinach and romaine lettuce with assortment of vegetables, especially avocados- excellent source of healthy fat
5. Lekach (honey cake)
6. Fresh fruit which includes mainly raspberries and other berries- these super fruits are famous for their outstanding fiber content and anti-oxidant power! Remember, fiber fills you up!
Eating properly before a fast can really make a difference in your moods and over all energy.
I hope this helps and wish everyone a gmar chasima tovah and an easy fast!
Please let me know if you have tried any of these ideas and what the outcome was!
Monday, October 3, 2011
Eat too much this yom tov?
Its that time of year! For a whole month straight its eat, eat, eat. And on those long three day yom tov days, there isn't always much more to do then sit around and eat!
Even though yomim tovim are joyous days and its a mitzvah to eat, it doesn't mean we have to over eat, or be eating constantly. We are all likely to be eating bigger portions, more often, but still try and make sure to somewhat stick with "portion control". Just like on any other day, fill up your plate with lots of cooked or raw vegetables and stay low on the carbs.The reason I say stay low on carbs is because most of our holiday meals are filled with them! From challah, to crackers in the salad, rice, potatoes, the crust under our pies and quiches, the cookies and cakes for dessert...you can find these unhelpful carbs wherever you look. Especially if they are white, refined carbohydrates like white flour, white rice and potatoes, etc., by filling up on them, you are filling up your body and stomach with food that seems to make you full. In reality, this type of food is running through your blood and body as quickly as it goes in, and soon enough you are left hungry and feeling empty. This usually results in grabbing more carbs! But wait! Before you do, if you find yourself in this situation, don't go for more. Instead, take a big glass of water and some carrots, or an apple, or any other fruit or vegetable you love. It will fill you up properly and take away that empty, yet overly full, bloated feeling in your stomach. So again, if you minimize the carbs, you won't get stuck on that overly full, empty, craving carbohydrates roller coaster. And try to use whole grains. Although having too many carbs from whole grains can also have the same effect on your blood sugar and how you feel, if you use portion control, they will be sure to fill you up properly and keep you satiated the way real food should!
Challah is a major stumbling block for most of us. Be it whole wheat, spelt or regular white challah, having too much is not good. Again, try limiting yourself to one or two pieces at each meal.
Desserts...Shall I say more? I mean, how can we not have a piece of the chocolate mousse pie or the home made rugelach?! Well, guess what? You can! It's yom tov, so let yourself enjoy the taste of sweets. Just make sure to use good judgment and not have more than one piece at each meal. And keep in mind a few things:
1. Try very hard to stick with home made baked goods. Avoid store bought products. Even if the home baked desserts aren't made from whole grains and olive oil, they are still better than bakery products.
2. Stay away from candy! No matter if its yom tov or not, candy is just never good for you to have! The sugars, corn starches, food dyes and other un-spellable ingredients in candies are not what we should be eating, and especially feeding our children! (This can also keep down the hyperactivity that effects most children on yom tov. They're wired from all the starches (sugar), desserts and candies that are so easily accessible to them!)
And remember, drink a lot of water throughout the day to keep full, to keep cravings down and to minimize what you eat at each meal.
Wishing everyone a Gmar Chasima Tovah!
If anyone has any ideas for beating the yom tov eating send in a message and we can post it up!
Even though yomim tovim are joyous days and its a mitzvah to eat, it doesn't mean we have to over eat, or be eating constantly. We are all likely to be eating bigger portions, more often, but still try and make sure to somewhat stick with "portion control". Just like on any other day, fill up your plate with lots of cooked or raw vegetables and stay low on the carbs.The reason I say stay low on carbs is because most of our holiday meals are filled with them! From challah, to crackers in the salad, rice, potatoes, the crust under our pies and quiches, the cookies and cakes for dessert...you can find these unhelpful carbs wherever you look. Especially if they are white, refined carbohydrates like white flour, white rice and potatoes, etc., by filling up on them, you are filling up your body and stomach with food that seems to make you full. In reality, this type of food is running through your blood and body as quickly as it goes in, and soon enough you are left hungry and feeling empty. This usually results in grabbing more carbs! But wait! Before you do, if you find yourself in this situation, don't go for more. Instead, take a big glass of water and some carrots, or an apple, or any other fruit or vegetable you love. It will fill you up properly and take away that empty, yet overly full, bloated feeling in your stomach. So again, if you minimize the carbs, you won't get stuck on that overly full, empty, craving carbohydrates roller coaster. And try to use whole grains. Although having too many carbs from whole grains can also have the same effect on your blood sugar and how you feel, if you use portion control, they will be sure to fill you up properly and keep you satiated the way real food should!
Challah is a major stumbling block for most of us. Be it whole wheat, spelt or regular white challah, having too much is not good. Again, try limiting yourself to one or two pieces at each meal.
Desserts...Shall I say more? I mean, how can we not have a piece of the chocolate mousse pie or the home made rugelach?! Well, guess what? You can! It's yom tov, so let yourself enjoy the taste of sweets. Just make sure to use good judgment and not have more than one piece at each meal. And keep in mind a few things:
1. Try very hard to stick with home made baked goods. Avoid store bought products. Even if the home baked desserts aren't made from whole grains and olive oil, they are still better than bakery products.
2. Stay away from candy! No matter if its yom tov or not, candy is just never good for you to have! The sugars, corn starches, food dyes and other un-spellable ingredients in candies are not what we should be eating, and especially feeding our children! (This can also keep down the hyperactivity that effects most children on yom tov. They're wired from all the starches (sugar), desserts and candies that are so easily accessible to them!)
And remember, drink a lot of water throughout the day to keep full, to keep cravings down and to minimize what you eat at each meal.
Wishing everyone a Gmar Chasima Tovah!
If anyone has any ideas for beating the yom tov eating send in a message and we can post it up!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Nourishing your kid's bodies and brains before they go off to school!
Hi everyone. I just sent my kids off to school on their first day. I'm sitting here with a cup of chamomile tea and thought I would make a list of a few healthy, beneficial breakfasts for our kids.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We are literally breaking our fast from the night before so its crucial to get nurturing, filling foods into our kid's stomachs (and brains) before they go off for a full day in school. Without proper nutrition in general, and in the morning specifically, it can be very difficult for a child to concentrate, be calm and think clearly, etc, which are essential tools for a good, productive school day.
Although a box of cereal boasts many health claims about low sugar, high fiber, whole grains, and good for you, please be very careful. Cereal is a highly processed food. And while there might be some fiber and whole grains, its so processed that you are not really benefiting from the actual cereal. The kids are just consuming empty calories, sugar and preservatives without any nutritional benefit. So even though a bowl of cereal and milk is quick and easy for a hectic morning, try and skip it and make breakfast the meal of champions for your kids! Here are some ideas that we do, I know I have mentioned some, if not all of them before in other posts. Its worth repeating!
My kids usually eat either a pastured egg "pancake", which is basically eggs with a sprinkle of flour with some raw honey sprinkled on top, and always topped off with some fruit. Or scrambled eggs and fruit. Some days we have smoothies made with banana, berries, almond powder or butter, coconut oil, flax or chia seeds, a handful of spinach or kale and any other "goodies" they want that day.
For the kids who don't love eggs, they might have just a few bites and then eat half an avocado. Amazing brain food!
1. An egg mixed with some lightly soaked and rinsed whole oats (whole rolled oats, not processed oats from the packets), put in a pan and bake like a pancake. It comes out like a simple oatmeal pancake. You can season it however you wish. Try to avoid putting any sweetener in the batter, rather sprinkle a little on top. Add in any fruit you'd like, keep in mind berries which are super good for your brain! Or just scramble up an egg with some toast and fruit.
3. Sprouted grain toast (try Ezekiel bread because the grains are sprouted which makes the food more digestible and there is less processing involved, or Manna Bread which is another sprouted bread, and so delicious,) with some natural peanut or almond butter (not skippy with added sugar, just peanuts and natural oil.) Slice a layer of bananas over the peanut butter and sprinkle with some seeds and cinnamon or sliced almonds. Add a cup of blueberries on the side.
4. If your kids like Kasha (buckwheat), you can make a batch the night before and heat it up the next day with any type of flavoring you enjoy. Try adding an avocado on the side. Great source of fat, fiber and protein!
5. Smoothies! Just put in some frozen berries, a banana or two, some greens (spinach or arugula leaves), almond powder, coconut oil and try to use water/coconut water instead of juice, milk/soy/almond milks from the boxes. If you do use any of these, try to minimize the amount you put in. And guess what? You won't even need to add sugar, the fruits are sweet enough. Get your children used to not needing such sweet food. You can put up a piece of whole grain toast on the side too. You can even add some avocado into the smoothie for picky eaters who won't know its in there, or you can serve it on the side.
Always top off a good, hearty breakfast with a big cup of water instead of giving them juice.
These breakfasts are good for adults as well...try some out and see how it goes. Again, there is nothing better than having a filling, healthy breakfast to ensure a better, more successful day in school.
Yes, your kids might protest at first. We all love cereal and milk. But slowly, they will grow accustomed to eating a balanced, stabilizing breakfast that will actually serve them well throughout the day.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. We are literally breaking our fast from the night before so its crucial to get nurturing, filling foods into our kid's stomachs (and brains) before they go off for a full day in school. Without proper nutrition in general, and in the morning specifically, it can be very difficult for a child to concentrate, be calm and think clearly, etc, which are essential tools for a good, productive school day.
Although a box of cereal boasts many health claims about low sugar, high fiber, whole grains, and good for you, please be very careful. Cereal is a highly processed food. And while there might be some fiber and whole grains, its so processed that you are not really benefiting from the actual cereal. The kids are just consuming empty calories, sugar and preservatives without any nutritional benefit. So even though a bowl of cereal and milk is quick and easy for a hectic morning, try and skip it and make breakfast the meal of champions for your kids! Here are some ideas that we do, I know I have mentioned some, if not all of them before in other posts. Its worth repeating!
My kids usually eat either a pastured egg "pancake", which is basically eggs with a sprinkle of flour with some raw honey sprinkled on top, and always topped off with some fruit. Or scrambled eggs and fruit. Some days we have smoothies made with banana, berries, almond powder or butter, coconut oil, flax or chia seeds, a handful of spinach or kale and any other "goodies" they want that day.
For the kids who don't love eggs, they might have just a few bites and then eat half an avocado. Amazing brain food!
1. An egg mixed with some lightly soaked and rinsed whole oats (whole rolled oats, not processed oats from the packets), put in a pan and bake like a pancake. It comes out like a simple oatmeal pancake. You can season it however you wish. Try to avoid putting any sweetener in the batter, rather sprinkle a little on top. Add in any fruit you'd like, keep in mind berries which are super good for your brain! Or just scramble up an egg with some toast and fruit.
3. Sprouted grain toast (try Ezekiel bread because the grains are sprouted which makes the food more digestible and there is less processing involved, or Manna Bread which is another sprouted bread, and so delicious,) with some natural peanut or almond butter (not skippy with added sugar, just peanuts and natural oil.) Slice a layer of bananas over the peanut butter and sprinkle with some seeds and cinnamon or sliced almonds. Add a cup of blueberries on the side.
4. If your kids like Kasha (buckwheat), you can make a batch the night before and heat it up the next day with any type of flavoring you enjoy. Try adding an avocado on the side. Great source of fat, fiber and protein!
5. Smoothies! Just put in some frozen berries, a banana or two, some greens (spinach or arugula leaves), almond powder, coconut oil and try to use water/coconut water instead of juice, milk/soy/almond milks from the boxes. If you do use any of these, try to minimize the amount you put in. And guess what? You won't even need to add sugar, the fruits are sweet enough. Get your children used to not needing such sweet food. You can put up a piece of whole grain toast on the side too. You can even add some avocado into the smoothie for picky eaters who won't know its in there, or you can serve it on the side.
Always top off a good, hearty breakfast with a big cup of water instead of giving them juice.
These breakfasts are good for adults as well...try some out and see how it goes. Again, there is nothing better than having a filling, healthy breakfast to ensure a better, more successful day in school.
Yes, your kids might protest at first. We all love cereal and milk. But slowly, they will grow accustomed to eating a balanced, stabilizing breakfast that will actually serve them well throughout the day.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Eating well on the road...
So, we just made our annual trip cross country. Our route took us from LA, through Houston, up to Tennessee, North Carolina and finally back to Brooklyn...
I am often asked what on earth we eat on the road. How do we eat wholesome, healthy food without being able to properly cook anything, and how do we resist the temptation to crunch on chips and drink unhealthy drinks the whole way?
Let's go through a daily menu...
For breakfast we had oats made with hot water from the hotel and mixed with fresh fruit that we bought almost daily. I had a little bottle of honey to add some sweetness.
Lunch was either tuna, sardines, canned salmon or peanut butter sandwiches, always with applesauce, or a fruit or veggie on the side. I also found these great little guacamole packets that we had with our lunches. For bread, I packed a good amount of Ezekiel bread which lasted most of the way home. I did have to restock a bit in Houston though.
For dinner, I packed up chicken and turkey breasts, etc. and kept them frozen the whole way. We used our George Forman grill or our small camping burner to cook up the meat, along with canned beans or fresh cut up veggies (there is a company that has canned beans with no added sodium or sugar called Eden Organic. I love their products for on the go.) We also had those precooked brown rice bowls that we just added boiling water and a little seasoning to.
For snacks, I got the usual fruit leathers, apple chips, fresh fruit, carrots and chumus, nuts and raisins, home made pop corn...So the kids were fine with that. I understand the need and desire to have something crunchy when you're kind of just sitting around. I get like that all the time. I usually turn to carrots or crunchy grapes. But on the road, that's not always the easiest thing to do. If you are the type that needs those chips, try and get Kettle or Cape Cod. While still not healthy, they are made with better ingredients than the regular name brand and are less oily. And try to avoid the diet or regular sodas. Think of all the sugar/artificial sugar that would be going through your body as you just sit for hours on the road...If you need something more exciting than water, try an Odwalla or Naked smoothie drink. They're good and filling. I wouldn't recommend them on a regular basis, but for a long road trip, I'd say they're ok!
We stocked packs of water bottles in the back seat of our truck and all our food went in the back in a nice neat little plastic container (thanks to Chaya Sarah in Houston!) You can organize your food supply however is best for you. As long as you know where everything is when you need it!
So...that was pretty much our road trip in a nut shell. If you're planning a trip and you need some good menu planning ideas feel free to email me, and don't forget to write your first and last name and how to contact you!
All the best,
Mishi
I am often asked what on earth we eat on the road. How do we eat wholesome, healthy food without being able to properly cook anything, and how do we resist the temptation to crunch on chips and drink unhealthy drinks the whole way?
Let's go through a daily menu...
For breakfast we had oats made with hot water from the hotel and mixed with fresh fruit that we bought almost daily. I had a little bottle of honey to add some sweetness.
Lunch was either tuna, sardines, canned salmon or peanut butter sandwiches, always with applesauce, or a fruit or veggie on the side. I also found these great little guacamole packets that we had with our lunches. For bread, I packed a good amount of Ezekiel bread which lasted most of the way home. I did have to restock a bit in Houston though.
For dinner, I packed up chicken and turkey breasts, etc. and kept them frozen the whole way. We used our George Forman grill or our small camping burner to cook up the meat, along with canned beans or fresh cut up veggies (there is a company that has canned beans with no added sodium or sugar called Eden Organic. I love their products for on the go.) We also had those precooked brown rice bowls that we just added boiling water and a little seasoning to.
For snacks, I got the usual fruit leathers, apple chips, fresh fruit, carrots and chumus, nuts and raisins, home made pop corn...So the kids were fine with that. I understand the need and desire to have something crunchy when you're kind of just sitting around. I get like that all the time. I usually turn to carrots or crunchy grapes. But on the road, that's not always the easiest thing to do. If you are the type that needs those chips, try and get Kettle or Cape Cod. While still not healthy, they are made with better ingredients than the regular name brand and are less oily. And try to avoid the diet or regular sodas. Think of all the sugar/artificial sugar that would be going through your body as you just sit for hours on the road...If you need something more exciting than water, try an Odwalla or Naked smoothie drink. They're good and filling. I wouldn't recommend them on a regular basis, but for a long road trip, I'd say they're ok!
We stocked packs of water bottles in the back seat of our truck and all our food went in the back in a nice neat little plastic container (thanks to Chaya Sarah in Houston!) You can organize your food supply however is best for you. As long as you know where everything is when you need it!
So...that was pretty much our road trip in a nut shell. If you're planning a trip and you need some good menu planning ideas feel free to email me, and don't forget to write your first and last name and how to contact you!
All the best,
Mishi
Monday, August 1, 2011
What's really important?
When we think of living healthy lifestyles, what mostly comes to mind is healthy eating. No white flour or sugar, lots of fruits and veggies, etc.
And what most of us are forgetting is that healthy eating is only one small aspect of living a healthy life. The other side of it all lies in our lifestyle. Are our relationships thriving? How do we enjoy our career? How is the spiritual part of our lives? Stress can also be a big factor! If all of our these important, basic aspects of our lives are in balance, then we can live a healthy lifestyle!
Think of it this way. I have seen people (including myself at times) eat the healthiest of meals. Balanced, organic, healthy fats and grains. And at the same time they aren't letting that food take proper effect in their bodies. They inhale their food while searching online for shoes, talking on the phone and texting all at the same time. There is barely any chewing going on, which skips a major part of the digestion process, which can contribute to weight issues, and there is no enjoyment of the food, which can easily lead to wanting and craving more and more!
In addition, stress creates a hormone which gets stored as fat around the cells. So even if your eating a very healthy diet, make sure you as stress free as possible to avoid the extra fat cells and other horrible effects of stress on the body.
So...the next time you are about to sit down to a meal, get rid of all the electronics, take a few deep breaths and prepare yourself and your body for tasting, chewing (take time to actually chew your food) and digesting a really great, healthy and beneficial meal!
And what most of us are forgetting is that healthy eating is only one small aspect of living a healthy life. The other side of it all lies in our lifestyle. Are our relationships thriving? How do we enjoy our career? How is the spiritual part of our lives? Stress can also be a big factor! If all of our these important, basic aspects of our lives are in balance, then we can live a healthy lifestyle!
Think of it this way. I have seen people (including myself at times) eat the healthiest of meals. Balanced, organic, healthy fats and grains. And at the same time they aren't letting that food take proper effect in their bodies. They inhale their food while searching online for shoes, talking on the phone and texting all at the same time. There is barely any chewing going on, which skips a major part of the digestion process, which can contribute to weight issues, and there is no enjoyment of the food, which can easily lead to wanting and craving more and more!
In addition, stress creates a hormone which gets stored as fat around the cells. So even if your eating a very healthy diet, make sure you as stress free as possible to avoid the extra fat cells and other horrible effects of stress on the body.
So...the next time you are about to sit down to a meal, get rid of all the electronics, take a few deep breaths and prepare yourself and your body for tasting, chewing (take time to actually chew your food) and digesting a really great, healthy and beneficial meal!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Vitamin D
Good morning.
I thought I would briefly mention vitamin D!
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that most people are deficient in. It is called the sunshine vitamin because the best place to get it from is the sun. Our body creates vitamin D when the sun's rays hit our skin. But this can be really tricky if you live anywhere north of the equator, especially in cold climates. And even if you live in Sunny California, it still might be difficult to get sufficient sunlight at just the right time of day. And it does not penetrate through clothing, sunscreen or windows.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, and is actually more like a hormone. Unlike a lot of other vitamins and minerals, its not really found in common foods like green leafy vegetables. Rather, it is found in fatty foods like fish, fish oils (cod liver oil,) and egg yolks.
The reason vitamin D is so important:
1. We need it so calcium can be absorbed in our bodies. Without vitamin D, calcium is useless
2. It prevents diabetes, depression, certain hormonal cancers and osteoporosis, among many other illnesses
3. Many people who are sick have vitamin D deficiencies
In short, most of us need supplementation. The best way supplement is by taking vitamin D3, not D2. It's best to speak to your Dr. for daily amounts. Most will say 200 IU is enough, while some Dr.'s will say that 2,000 IU is appropriate. Find out what works for you. Just make sure you get those supplements in.
If you have any more specific questions on vitamin D, feel free to email me at mishiharari@gmail.com!
I thought I would briefly mention vitamin D!
Vitamin D is an essential vitamin that most people are deficient in. It is called the sunshine vitamin because the best place to get it from is the sun. Our body creates vitamin D when the sun's rays hit our skin. But this can be really tricky if you live anywhere north of the equator, especially in cold climates. And even if you live in Sunny California, it still might be difficult to get sufficient sunlight at just the right time of day. And it does not penetrate through clothing, sunscreen or windows.
Vitamin D is a fat soluble vitamin, and is actually more like a hormone. Unlike a lot of other vitamins and minerals, its not really found in common foods like green leafy vegetables. Rather, it is found in fatty foods like fish, fish oils (cod liver oil,) and egg yolks.
The reason vitamin D is so important:
1. We need it so calcium can be absorbed in our bodies. Without vitamin D, calcium is useless
2. It prevents diabetes, depression, certain hormonal cancers and osteoporosis, among many other illnesses
3. Many people who are sick have vitamin D deficiencies
In short, most of us need supplementation. The best way supplement is by taking vitamin D3, not D2. It's best to speak to your Dr. for daily amounts. Most will say 200 IU is enough, while some Dr.'s will say that 2,000 IU is appropriate. Find out what works for you. Just make sure you get those supplements in.
If you have any more specific questions on vitamin D, feel free to email me at mishiharari@gmail.com!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Are you carbo-phobic!?!
Hi everyone! It has been so long. I have gotten so caught up with my summer and our camp that I had to put this on the side for a while.
I have some really nice, interesting information coming up....
Today I wanted to talk about all of us out there that are carbo-phobic! So many people think that in order to lose weight they need to cut carbs, count calories and really watch themselves. When I hear people saying things like "I don't eat any carbs, it helps me lose weight", I get super frustrated. I feel like saying "oh poor thing, you must be starving yourself!"
A few months back a lady I met at the market asked me how I lost so much weight. She continued on saying its probably because I don't eat ANY carbs, and I watch what I eat really carefully. I just gave her a polite smile, and on the inside I was thinking "NO! That's not how I lost weight!"
Now, lets get clear on what no carbs, low carbs, and which carbs we are really actually talking about.
We all need carbohydrates in our body. They fuel us and give us essential energy.
Carbohydrates are in practically everything we eat. And of course there are good ones and very evil ones. The good carbs that we need come from whole grains found in fruits, vegetables, and other grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole grain sprouted breads, etc...
Evil carbs, which we should all avoid, (except on special occasions) are found in foods like cereal, cookies, cake, sugary drinks, white grains such as bread, white rice, etc...
Again, as always, the key here is to know your foods! For example, a sweet potato might have a high carb content but it is also packed with vitamins, nutrients and is a great energy souce! While, the regular white potato, is basically a starchy carb (sugar) without much nutritional value. And yes, brown rice is high in carbs too, and might also have a high glycemic load (more on that later), but its got fiber, protein and essential oils and fatty acids that we need as part of a healthy diet.
So when we think of losing weight and illuminating all carbs from the diet, lets think again. Think about what a carb really is, how it gives us our energy and how it is essential to us. Make a list of all the carbs you eat in a day, and figure out which ones you should take off that list, and possibly what you can add on instead.
I would like to add a very important point here. Although whole grains are important, portion control is the main key. Like I mentioned earlier, brown rice is good for you, but its still high in carbs. This means that you should have a very small portion, not fill up your plate with it. piling your plate up even with the good carbs will be a sure way to make you gain weight! If you fill up your plate with salad and veggies, then add a small piece of protein (fat) and a small portion of whole grains, you have got yourself a nutritious, filling meal!
You can apply this same concept to fat, which is essential to all of us. Go through the same process and think about the fats you are eating. Are you eating lots of fatty dairy products and heavy, fatty meats? Or are you getting your healthy fats from fish, high quality eggs and avocados, etc?
If we can all get ourselves to think in terms of healthy fats, small amounts of healthy carbs, and shift our mindset away from counting calories and fat free, sugar free, we will all be on our way to healthy, sustainable, maintainable weight loss!
If you would like more details on good grains and carbs, please contact me on facebook or through email at mishiharari@gmail.com
I have some really nice, interesting information coming up....
Today I wanted to talk about all of us out there that are carbo-phobic! So many people think that in order to lose weight they need to cut carbs, count calories and really watch themselves. When I hear people saying things like "I don't eat any carbs, it helps me lose weight", I get super frustrated. I feel like saying "oh poor thing, you must be starving yourself!"
A few months back a lady I met at the market asked me how I lost so much weight. She continued on saying its probably because I don't eat ANY carbs, and I watch what I eat really carefully. I just gave her a polite smile, and on the inside I was thinking "NO! That's not how I lost weight!"
Now, lets get clear on what no carbs, low carbs, and which carbs we are really actually talking about.
We all need carbohydrates in our body. They fuel us and give us essential energy.
Carbohydrates are in practically everything we eat. And of course there are good ones and very evil ones. The good carbs that we need come from whole grains found in fruits, vegetables, and other grains like brown rice, quinoa, whole grain sprouted breads, etc...
Evil carbs, which we should all avoid, (except on special occasions) are found in foods like cereal, cookies, cake, sugary drinks, white grains such as bread, white rice, etc...
Again, as always, the key here is to know your foods! For example, a sweet potato might have a high carb content but it is also packed with vitamins, nutrients and is a great energy souce! While, the regular white potato, is basically a starchy carb (sugar) without much nutritional value. And yes, brown rice is high in carbs too, and might also have a high glycemic load (more on that later), but its got fiber, protein and essential oils and fatty acids that we need as part of a healthy diet.
So when we think of losing weight and illuminating all carbs from the diet, lets think again. Think about what a carb really is, how it gives us our energy and how it is essential to us. Make a list of all the carbs you eat in a day, and figure out which ones you should take off that list, and possibly what you can add on instead.
I would like to add a very important point here. Although whole grains are important, portion control is the main key. Like I mentioned earlier, brown rice is good for you, but its still high in carbs. This means that you should have a very small portion, not fill up your plate with it. piling your plate up even with the good carbs will be a sure way to make you gain weight! If you fill up your plate with salad and veggies, then add a small piece of protein (fat) and a small portion of whole grains, you have got yourself a nutritious, filling meal!
You can apply this same concept to fat, which is essential to all of us. Go through the same process and think about the fats you are eating. Are you eating lots of fatty dairy products and heavy, fatty meats? Or are you getting your healthy fats from fish, high quality eggs and avocados, etc?
If we can all get ourselves to think in terms of healthy fats, small amounts of healthy carbs, and shift our mindset away from counting calories and fat free, sugar free, we will all be on our way to healthy, sustainable, maintainable weight loss!
If you would like more details on good grains and carbs, please contact me on facebook or through email at mishiharari@gmail.com
Friday, June 17, 2011
food detectives
So I posted something the other day, which I see now didn't show up! It was a great post on being a food detective. In short, I explained how we have to learn to read between the lines. There are so many products out there, especially kid's snacks that boast a healthy label. Here are some things to keep in mind. If a product says "reduced sugar" or "low fat", it's important to understand that that means higher sodium, less fiber. Which means, less nutritious!!
Also, if your bag of snacks lists sugar (in any form) as one of the first ingredients, or if there is any partially hydrogenated oil, avoid it as best as you can. And remember, the healthier the product looks and claims to be, the more weary of it you should would be!
There are so many good snacks to give your kids that don't have to include sugar, hydrogenated oils and preservatives. And although some of them might be more expensive, the benefits of having apple chips as opposed to a bag of bisli are immeasurable!
Try these yummy choices:
-Home made trail mix: Organic raisins (they taste sooo much better!), sliced almonds, unsweetened coconut
-Apple chips (I don't remember the company I get. They are just apples. And even though they are no where near eating a fresh apple, they are sweet have no other added ingredients.)
-Trader Joes fruit pieces. I have to check exactly what they are called. They are little chewy fruit pieces that come in little packets. They come in all kinds of flavors and again, they are only fruit.
-Fruit leathers
I will definitely post some more ideas soon.
Enjoy!
Also, if your bag of snacks lists sugar (in any form) as one of the first ingredients, or if there is any partially hydrogenated oil, avoid it as best as you can. And remember, the healthier the product looks and claims to be, the more weary of it you should would be!
There are so many good snacks to give your kids that don't have to include sugar, hydrogenated oils and preservatives. And although some of them might be more expensive, the benefits of having apple chips as opposed to a bag of bisli are immeasurable!
Try these yummy choices:
-Home made trail mix: Organic raisins (they taste sooo much better!), sliced almonds, unsweetened coconut
-Apple chips (I don't remember the company I get. They are just apples. And even though they are no where near eating a fresh apple, they are sweet have no other added ingredients.)
-Trader Joes fruit pieces. I have to check exactly what they are called. They are little chewy fruit pieces that come in little packets. They come in all kinds of flavors and again, they are only fruit.
-Fruit leathers
I will definitely post some more ideas soon.
Enjoy!
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Something to look forward to!
Hi Everyone,
I know I have been lagging a bit, and not posting as much. Once my summer begins (next week iyh) I'll be back on track!
I have been doing some research into a website called sunfoods.com. One of the founders of this company is a man by the name of David Wolfe, who I absolutely love! You can do some reading up on him if you want to know more. In short, he is one of the leading experts in raw foods and superfoods. He has written many books on all sorts of foods that include cocoa, spirulina, different kinds of berries and how to eat a raw food diet.
Anyway, this website has dozens and dozens of raw, organic, unprocessed or minimally processed foods like honey, bee pollen, cocoa powder, chlorella nibs, cocoa beans, agave nectar, goji berries, and much much more! I am looking more into the products to see if these things need a hechsher or not...I will be sure to let you know as soon as I find out! I can't wait!
Also, if you post a comment, please write your last name as well so I can be sure of who is writing!
I know I have been lagging a bit, and not posting as much. Once my summer begins (next week iyh) I'll be back on track!
I have been doing some research into a website called sunfoods.com. One of the founders of this company is a man by the name of David Wolfe, who I absolutely love! You can do some reading up on him if you want to know more. In short, he is one of the leading experts in raw foods and superfoods. He has written many books on all sorts of foods that include cocoa, spirulina, different kinds of berries and how to eat a raw food diet.
Anyway, this website has dozens and dozens of raw, organic, unprocessed or minimally processed foods like honey, bee pollen, cocoa powder, chlorella nibs, cocoa beans, agave nectar, goji berries, and much much more! I am looking more into the products to see if these things need a hechsher or not...I will be sure to let you know as soon as I find out! I can't wait!
Also, if you post a comment, please write your last name as well so I can be sure of who is writing!
Sunday, June 5, 2011
Journaling
Good morning!
Here is a helpful tip to track your hunger and cravings and to see if you're eating the right foods for you!
Grab a journal and write down everything you eat, drink and snack on. Then journal how you feel right after you eat and then again two hours later. Really take note of how you feel, be detailed and specific. Are you feeling energetic, full and have good focus/concentration? Or are you slow, tired and seemingly hungry? If the later is true, you might want to switch some foods and snacks for things with higher quality fats and less carbs and sugar. This will definitely give you more sustainable, long term energy and brain power! Don't be scared of fats. It's the carby, fat free, sugar free products you should really be fearful of! (More on this topic later.) Also, be sure you are drinking plenty of water.
Try this out for a week and let me know how it works for you!
Happy Sunday everyone!
Here is a helpful tip to track your hunger and cravings and to see if you're eating the right foods for you!
Grab a journal and write down everything you eat, drink and snack on. Then journal how you feel right after you eat and then again two hours later. Really take note of how you feel, be detailed and specific. Are you feeling energetic, full and have good focus/concentration? Or are you slow, tired and seemingly hungry? If the later is true, you might want to switch some foods and snacks for things with higher quality fats and less carbs and sugar. This will definitely give you more sustainable, long term energy and brain power! Don't be scared of fats. It's the carby, fat free, sugar free products you should really be fearful of! (More on this topic later.) Also, be sure you are drinking plenty of water.
Try this out for a week and let me know how it works for you!
Happy Sunday everyone!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Exercise, Exercise, Exercise!
We hear so much about exercise. Exercise everyday for half an hour, exercise three times a week for an hour, get your heart rate up, strengthen your core, create long, lean muscles...the list goes on and on. And the truth is, all of these tips and suggestions are true!
No matter where we are in life, and what our busy schedules hold for us, exercise should definitely be one of the most important things on our list.
Now lets get specific. Although exercise is crucial, it does not mean that we all need to do an hour of it a day! For some of us, a half hour brisk walk a few times a week is enough. Some of us can't leave the house and have to find just the right activity during the 45 minutes that our kids are napping. Some people need to get in a good, one hour jog a few times a week. And there are others who just can't seem to find any time at all!
Whatever category you fit into, go ahead and do it! Find the time, even if it's just 5 minutes a day to do some jumping jacks in your living room, its a great start!
Besides for exercise being vital and crucial, getting your blood moving and your heart pumping can do more for boosting your energy and lifting your spirits then anything else out there.
If you are already advanced in your exercise and have a regular routine, make sure you switch it up every few days. For example, a strong, grounded person who does a lot of jogging will really benefit from taking a day or two of some light stretches or yoga. This is really beneficial for weight loss and its really important for your body, to allow your overworked muscles a rest, and to get some new ones worked up!
If you are a lighter, more yin body type and do lots of yoga, try doing some aerobics or take a jog!
More on exercise later. Hope you have a very active day!
No matter where we are in life, and what our busy schedules hold for us, exercise should definitely be one of the most important things on our list.
Now lets get specific. Although exercise is crucial, it does not mean that we all need to do an hour of it a day! For some of us, a half hour brisk walk a few times a week is enough. Some of us can't leave the house and have to find just the right activity during the 45 minutes that our kids are napping. Some people need to get in a good, one hour jog a few times a week. And there are others who just can't seem to find any time at all!
Whatever category you fit into, go ahead and do it! Find the time, even if it's just 5 minutes a day to do some jumping jacks in your living room, its a great start!
Besides for exercise being vital and crucial, getting your blood moving and your heart pumping can do more for boosting your energy and lifting your spirits then anything else out there.
If you are already advanced in your exercise and have a regular routine, make sure you switch it up every few days. For example, a strong, grounded person who does a lot of jogging will really benefit from taking a day or two of some light stretches or yoga. This is really beneficial for weight loss and its really important for your body, to allow your overworked muscles a rest, and to get some new ones worked up!
If you are a lighter, more yin body type and do lots of yoga, try doing some aerobics or take a jog!
More on exercise later. Hope you have a very active day!
Monday, May 30, 2011
quick, healthy recipes
Here are a few more recipes that are so delicious, quick, and healthy!
My kids love sauces and strong flavored foods, and I don't really buy dressings and sauces. So things have been getting kind of boring. We needed a flavor change! This is a flavorful, delicious home made tomato sauce recipe from my sister Sarah Nagar:
Half a container of colorful heirloom tomatoes, half container of juicy cherry tomatoes, four large, regular tomatoes, one onion, fresh basil, parsley, oregano, onion and garlic powder.
Chop up tomatoes and onion, saute all the ingredients with some olive oil until soft and mushy. Blend up in food processor or immersion blender. And there you have it...sweet, tangy, colorful, home made tomato sauce with the taste and freshness you won't find in any store bought bottle!
2. Kale chips...
Take a bunch of kale, pick the leaves off the stems. Lay them out on a baking tray, sprinkle with coconut oil and sea salt. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy a very healthy, crunchy, flavorful snack!
(Kale is a dark, green leafy veggie, packed with vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and can do great things for the respiratory and circulatory systems. More on leafy greens later.)
3. "Ice cream" popsicles.
Mix some coconut milk (canned, without preservatives or additives) with a bag of frozen berries, add a little raw honey and pour into an ice cube tray. My kids had this for snack and dinner for a few days when it was so hot out and their appetites weren't as strong as usual.
My kids love sauces and strong flavored foods, and I don't really buy dressings and sauces. So things have been getting kind of boring. We needed a flavor change! This is a flavorful, delicious home made tomato sauce recipe from my sister Sarah Nagar:
Half a container of colorful heirloom tomatoes, half container of juicy cherry tomatoes, four large, regular tomatoes, one onion, fresh basil, parsley, oregano, onion and garlic powder.
Chop up tomatoes and onion, saute all the ingredients with some olive oil until soft and mushy. Blend up in food processor or immersion blender. And there you have it...sweet, tangy, colorful, home made tomato sauce with the taste and freshness you won't find in any store bought bottle!
2. Kale chips...
Take a bunch of kale, pick the leaves off the stems. Lay them out on a baking tray, sprinkle with coconut oil and sea salt. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. Enjoy a very healthy, crunchy, flavorful snack!
(Kale is a dark, green leafy veggie, packed with vitamin A and C, calcium, iron and can do great things for the respiratory and circulatory systems. More on leafy greens later.)
3. "Ice cream" popsicles.
Mix some coconut milk (canned, without preservatives or additives) with a bag of frozen berries, add a little raw honey and pour into an ice cube tray. My kids had this for snack and dinner for a few days when it was so hot out and their appetites weren't as strong as usual.
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Correction on sugar substitutes and sweeteners
I have been thinking a lot about xylitol. And as I was thinking more about I realized its probably just as processed and awful for you as any other processed food on the market. I did a little research, and will continue to do so. Originally, xylitol was taken from the trunk of a birch tree. Now a days, with government subsidized corn fields, corn is in everything. So it was no surprise to me to learn that a lot of xylitol products we see on the shelves, are actually made from corn. Quite a difference from a birch tree growing peacefully in a quite, green forest.
This is the problem with the food industry. You never know what you are eating, where it comes from and if the labels you are reading are true. The key is to know how to read between the lines and figure out where your food is coming from. (More on the food industry later. I get very lively and aggravated when it comes to food politics and the food industry. So I can go on and on with this topic for pages and pages. I'll spare you the details, but I'll definitely give you some helpful hints later on.)
So the point is, if mashed bananas just don't do it for you, find a natural, unprocessed, raw sweetener, with no other added ingredients and use in small amounts. Whether its brown rice syrup, maple syrup or honey, just make sure its pure and whole!
Hope this helps! Have a great Sunday!
This is the problem with the food industry. You never know what you are eating, where it comes from and if the labels you are reading are true. The key is to know how to read between the lines and figure out where your food is coming from. (More on the food industry later. I get very lively and aggravated when it comes to food politics and the food industry. So I can go on and on with this topic for pages and pages. I'll spare you the details, but I'll definitely give you some helpful hints later on.)
So the point is, if mashed bananas just don't do it for you, find a natural, unprocessed, raw sweetener, with no other added ingredients and use in small amounts. Whether its brown rice syrup, maple syrup or honey, just make sure its pure and whole!
Hope this helps! Have a great Sunday!
Friday, May 27, 2011
Kid friendly meals
My kids love noodles! Since noodles aren't exactly a health food I try to make them as sparingly as possible. When I do make them I use quinoa noodles, or red lentil or something of the sort. While not the same consistency as regular noodles, its a much better alternative. Ill sprinkle on some "fake cheese" like daiya and some salt and herbs, and mix in some pastured chicken or meat on the side.
Another favorite in my house is "pizza betzah" which is basically scrambled eggs.
I use pastured eggs, nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor and consistency, sea salt and I'll boil up some edamame, quinoa or sweet potatoes on the side, with fresh veggies too.
Its another quick, easy, healthy dinner that my kids will eat without a fuss!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Another favorite in my house is "pizza betzah" which is basically scrambled eggs.
I use pastured eggs, nutritional yeast for that cheesy flavor and consistency, sea salt and I'll boil up some edamame, quinoa or sweet potatoes on the side, with fresh veggies too.
Its another quick, easy, healthy dinner that my kids will eat without a fuss!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Recipes for kids who don't eat!
My kids go through stages. Sometimes they eat everything of their plates, sometimes they don't touch a thing. When they're in the non eating phase, I have to get quite creative to make sure they're getting the fat and protein they need. Here are a few ideas...
1. Protein pancakes
I put in flax meal, oats or even cooked quinoa, bananas, coconut oil, flax seeds, pastured eggs, (no hormones or antibiotics), crushed nuts, etc... You can be creative too. You can add in wheat germ, cinnamon, or whatever healthy things your kids like. Mix it all up really well until its smooth and liquidy and not clumpy.
I don't add any sweetener into the pancake mix besides bananas. I serve them with a little spreadable honey and some berries and my kids love them!
2. Home made granola bars (compliments of Rebecca Green. I just tweeked her recipe a bit.)
2 cups oats
half cup wheat germ
cinnamon
1 cup flour (I only use spelt, or oat)
organic raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup honey (raw, organic or spreadable)
half cup coconut oil
chopped nuts
vanilla
Bake for 30-35 mins and allow to cool for 5 mins before you cut them.
3. The new "cool" thing in my house now is to make those yogurts that they have in the bagel store. My daughter thinks those are really cool.
I put a thin layer of coconut milk (in a can without preservatives, left opened in fridge over night) ,chopped nuts, strawberries, oats, maybe some honey, depending on their sweet tooth that day, and keep layering until the the cup of bowl is filled up to your liking. Sometimes I mix in some plain cocoa powder when they want it to be "chocolatey". My kids know that cocoa powder is bitter, but if you mix it with honey, you might outsmart yours!
More to follow! Hope these are helpful!
1. Protein pancakes
I put in flax meal, oats or even cooked quinoa, bananas, coconut oil, flax seeds, pastured eggs, (no hormones or antibiotics), crushed nuts, etc... You can be creative too. You can add in wheat germ, cinnamon, or whatever healthy things your kids like. Mix it all up really well until its smooth and liquidy and not clumpy.
I don't add any sweetener into the pancake mix besides bananas. I serve them with a little spreadable honey and some berries and my kids love them!
2. Home made granola bars (compliments of Rebecca Green. I just tweeked her recipe a bit.)
2 cups oats
half cup wheat germ
cinnamon
1 cup flour (I only use spelt, or oat)
organic raisins
1 egg
1/2 cup honey (raw, organic or spreadable)
half cup coconut oil
chopped nuts
vanilla
Bake for 30-35 mins and allow to cool for 5 mins before you cut them.
3. The new "cool" thing in my house now is to make those yogurts that they have in the bagel store. My daughter thinks those are really cool.
I put a thin layer of coconut milk (in a can without preservatives, left opened in fridge over night) ,chopped nuts, strawberries, oats, maybe some honey, depending on their sweet tooth that day, and keep layering until the the cup of bowl is filled up to your liking. Sometimes I mix in some plain cocoa powder when they want it to be "chocolatey". My kids know that cocoa powder is bitter, but if you mix it with honey, you might outsmart yours!
More to follow! Hope these are helpful!
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
sugars, sugar substitutes, artificial sweeteners...
"Sugar" has become a really complicated issue. Sugar is in everything, under many hidden names, and there are so many sugar substitutes that have found their way into our diets!
First of all, I would like to point out that natural sugar, such as fructose, which is found in fruits, is a good sugar, (when eating the fruit.) We need sugar in our blood (glucose) to help our blood get where it needs to go.
On the other hand, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and many other sugars that are found in almost everything, are really not good for us. Having too much sugar does the same thing to the body that too much fat does: leads to obesity, heart disease, and of course, diabetes. It creates problems in the liver and disrupts the natural cycle of our systems, causing us to have highs and lows. And most commonly known, it can contribute to children having "ADD" and ADHD.
The problem is, while many of us have started to avoid sugar, we have turned to substitutes that can actually be worse then the sugar itself!
Sugar substitutes such as Splenda are made from chemicals. Splenda has chlorine in it. The reason why these sweeteners are zero calories is because they are not foods so they aren't digested. At the same time, the chemicals in the sweeteners can enter our blood stream and cause harm. On top of that, these chemicals actually dehydrate us, making us hungry and crave sugar!
No need to worry though. There are lots of natural, healthy alternatives!
For example, you can try raw, unfiltered, creamed, spreadable honey! I'm not a big fan of honey, and even I love this!
You can try Xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol made from birch tree bark.
Mashed bananas are always a super sweet alternative, if you're a banana person.
These are just a few examples of different things you can try!
(Agave nectar has become quite popular and also controversial. Since it has been so commercialized, the brown, clear-ish stuff you are buying in bottles is almost all fructose. It's like using corn syrup as a sweetener. If you were to come across a cactus where the agave comes from and squeezed some nectar out of it's leaves, you would be getting the real stuff!)
Hope this was helpful!
Have a great day, and go and try something new!
First of all, I would like to point out that natural sugar, such as fructose, which is found in fruits, is a good sugar, (when eating the fruit.) We need sugar in our blood (glucose) to help our blood get where it needs to go.
On the other hand, added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and many other sugars that are found in almost everything, are really not good for us. Having too much sugar does the same thing to the body that too much fat does: leads to obesity, heart disease, and of course, diabetes. It creates problems in the liver and disrupts the natural cycle of our systems, causing us to have highs and lows. And most commonly known, it can contribute to children having "ADD" and ADHD.
The problem is, while many of us have started to avoid sugar, we have turned to substitutes that can actually be worse then the sugar itself!
Sugar substitutes such as Splenda are made from chemicals. Splenda has chlorine in it. The reason why these sweeteners are zero calories is because they are not foods so they aren't digested. At the same time, the chemicals in the sweeteners can enter our blood stream and cause harm. On top of that, these chemicals actually dehydrate us, making us hungry and crave sugar!
No need to worry though. There are lots of natural, healthy alternatives!
For example, you can try raw, unfiltered, creamed, spreadable honey! I'm not a big fan of honey, and even I love this!
You can try Xylitol, which is a sugar alcohol made from birch tree bark.
Mashed bananas are always a super sweet alternative, if you're a banana person.
These are just a few examples of different things you can try!
(Agave nectar has become quite popular and also controversial. Since it has been so commercialized, the brown, clear-ish stuff you are buying in bottles is almost all fructose. It's like using corn syrup as a sweetener. If you were to come across a cactus where the agave comes from and squeezed some nectar out of it's leaves, you would be getting the real stuff!)
Hope this was helpful!
Have a great day, and go and try something new!
Friday, May 20, 2011
whole spelt challah
This is the best, softest whole spelt challah recipe. I love it.
1. Dissolve 4 T of yeast in 2 C of warm water with a bit of honey
2. Let that dissolve and set aside
3. 2 C warm water mixed with 3/4 honey, 1/2 oil, 6 eggs, 2 T salt, 1 C flax meal (optional)
4. Mix together with yeast mixture and then add 5 LB of whole spelt flour
5. Knead really well and let rise one hour
6. Shape and let rise 1/2 hour and bake 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven)
I like to sprinkle cinnamon on top before I cook them.
When using honey, try and get raw, unfiltered honey. And if you can find any with the comb inside the jar that's even better. There are some great health benefits from natural honey and the comb!
Enjoy. If anyone tries this recipe, please tell me how it comes out!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
1. Dissolve 4 T of yeast in 2 C of warm water with a bit of honey
2. Let that dissolve and set aside
3. 2 C warm water mixed with 3/4 honey, 1/2 oil, 6 eggs, 2 T salt, 1 C flax meal (optional)
4. Mix together with yeast mixture and then add 5 LB of whole spelt flour
5. Knead really well and let rise one hour
6. Shape and let rise 1/2 hour and bake 25-30 minutes (depending on your oven)
I like to sprinkle cinnamon on top before I cook them.
When using honey, try and get raw, unfiltered honey. And if you can find any with the comb inside the jar that's even better. There are some great health benefits from natural honey and the comb!
Enjoy. If anyone tries this recipe, please tell me how it comes out!
Have a great shabbos everyone!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
chocolate smoothie
I love chocolate! I made this yesterday for someone who got their wisdom teeth pulled out and can't eat anything.
A banana
some oats
blueberries
coconut milk (canned, no sugar or preservatives added)
slivered almonds
Raw cocoa powder or cacao goji powder found in health food stores
Blend it all up until it's really smooth and creamy! Seriously, there's no need for ice cream to make a great smoothie or milk shake! So delicious and on top of that you have your fruit, fiber, fat, protein, antioxidants, iron and whole grains.
Now if you're really adventurous, you can add a spoon of natural, no sugar added peanut or almond butter or some coconut oil for extra healthy fat (fat is a good thing in the right form) and flavor!
I did want to put some spinach leaves in the smoothie to get some extra super food energy in there, I just didn't know if the person would appreciate that very much!
Enjoy!
A banana
some oats
blueberries
coconut milk (canned, no sugar or preservatives added)
slivered almonds
Raw cocoa powder or cacao goji powder found in health food stores
Blend it all up until it's really smooth and creamy! Seriously, there's no need for ice cream to make a great smoothie or milk shake! So delicious and on top of that you have your fruit, fiber, fat, protein, antioxidants, iron and whole grains.
Now if you're really adventurous, you can add a spoon of natural, no sugar added peanut or almond butter or some coconut oil for extra healthy fat (fat is a good thing in the right form) and flavor!
I did want to put some spinach leaves in the smoothie to get some extra super food energy in there, I just didn't know if the person would appreciate that very much!
Enjoy!
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Crowding out
Ok I know I'm supposed to be posting more yummy treats. I'll get to that soon...
Crowding out those cravings! If you're the type who is craving sweets at night there are few things you can do to help. (That is, if you want to help it.)
1. Add more veggies to your daily diet! Add as many as you like and as many as you can. That way, at night, you won't have room in your body for junk
2. Drink water! Like I mentioned before, dehydration leads to cravings
3. Add sweet veggies to your diet, like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, etc. which can give your body the sweetness it needs in a healthy way
4. If you really need something sweet, grab some dates! They're super sweet and come with lots of health benefits!
When I get in a craving sweets kind of mood, I'll drnk down a big cup of water, have some carrots (I like crunchy things,) and wait a few minutes to see what happens. I find that when I'm bored, annoyed or frustrated I crave crunchy sweets more. And when I haven't had enough to drink during the day, I really crave something sweet. If I can't get my mind off that craving, I go for the dates!
Crowding out those cravings! If you're the type who is craving sweets at night there are few things you can do to help. (That is, if you want to help it.)
1. Add more veggies to your daily diet! Add as many as you like and as many as you can. That way, at night, you won't have room in your body for junk
2. Drink water! Like I mentioned before, dehydration leads to cravings
3. Add sweet veggies to your diet, like cooked carrots, sweet potatoes, beets, etc. which can give your body the sweetness it needs in a healthy way
4. If you really need something sweet, grab some dates! They're super sweet and come with lots of health benefits!
When I get in a craving sweets kind of mood, I'll drnk down a big cup of water, have some carrots (I like crunchy things,) and wait a few minutes to see what happens. I find that when I'm bored, annoyed or frustrated I crave crunchy sweets more. And when I haven't had enough to drink during the day, I really crave something sweet. If I can't get my mind off that craving, I go for the dates!
Friday, May 13, 2011
Cravings
I want to put out some information on cravings. Everyone has some kind of craving at some point or another, and some have them consistently. This will be part one of a few posts on cravings.
There are so many different reasons why we have cravings. Perhaps you haven't had enough water to drink, or maybe too many salty snacks. Maybe your late night craving for chocolate is because your body is lacking in magnesium, or maybe its just because you're plain old bored!
The first thing to think about when "deconstructing" cravings is WHY am I craving this"?
Think back into your day to see if you had enough water to drink. Dehydration leads to cravings. Also think about your vegetable intake. The more you have during the day, the less you'll crave other foods at night. (That's called crowding out. We'll get that next time.)
These are just some small examples to get you thinking and help you get a start on identifying where and why your cravings are coming from. I'll give some more details and suggestions at the next post!
There are so many different reasons why we have cravings. Perhaps you haven't had enough water to drink, or maybe too many salty snacks. Maybe your late night craving for chocolate is because your body is lacking in magnesium, or maybe its just because you're plain old bored!
The first thing to think about when "deconstructing" cravings is WHY am I craving this"?
Think back into your day to see if you had enough water to drink. Dehydration leads to cravings. Also think about your vegetable intake. The more you have during the day, the less you'll crave other foods at night. (That's called crowding out. We'll get that next time.)
These are just some small examples to get you thinking and help you get a start on identifying where and why your cravings are coming from. I'll give some more details and suggestions at the next post!
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
COFFEE
Just wanted to share a little bit about coffee.
There's a lot of information out there about coffee. Some studies say it improves your memory and lessens your risk for alzheimers. Many people in the (holistic) nutritional field will agree that coffee isn't that great for you. Just to name a few reasons...
1. coffee is an acidic drink which can really irritate your digestive system, which is why it commonly makes people go to the bathroom!
2. Unfiltered coffees such as turkish, espresso, latte etc. can actually raise your cholesterol
3. Coffee is caffeinated! When we drink a caffeinated beverage first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, our brain goes into "emergency mode". The caffeine grabs the energy from our body that we don't even have first thing in the morning and it uses it up, raising our blood pressure, creating stress and sending us into a jittery mess. And then just as quickly as we get hyped up, we crash, feeling tired and lethargic, and for some people, they will start the whole process over again. So if you need to have your coffee, have it with a big lunch so at least it can act as a digestive aid and not just send your body into "move, emergency, high stress mode".
(P.S. Putting stress on the body from caffeinated coffee on an empty stomach, for example, creates stress hormones which get stored as... can you guess? Fat!! Just something to consider if you're trying to lose some weight!)
There's a lot of information out there about coffee. Some studies say it improves your memory and lessens your risk for alzheimers. Many people in the (holistic) nutritional field will agree that coffee isn't that great for you. Just to name a few reasons...
1. coffee is an acidic drink which can really irritate your digestive system, which is why it commonly makes people go to the bathroom!
2. Unfiltered coffees such as turkish, espresso, latte etc. can actually raise your cholesterol
3. Coffee is caffeinated! When we drink a caffeinated beverage first thing in the morning on an empty stomach, our brain goes into "emergency mode". The caffeine grabs the energy from our body that we don't even have first thing in the morning and it uses it up, raising our blood pressure, creating stress and sending us into a jittery mess. And then just as quickly as we get hyped up, we crash, feeling tired and lethargic, and for some people, they will start the whole process over again. So if you need to have your coffee, have it with a big lunch so at least it can act as a digestive aid and not just send your body into "move, emergency, high stress mode".
(P.S. Putting stress on the body from caffeinated coffee on an empty stomach, for example, creates stress hormones which get stored as... can you guess? Fat!! Just something to consider if you're trying to lose some weight!)
Monday, May 9, 2011
chocolatey recipe
This is a really great, quick recipe!
Melt some dark chocolate (higher the percentage of cocoa the better and without added sweeteners) with some coconut oil.
Once melted, stir in some organic raisins, almonds, oats, puffed kamut. You can leave out the kamut and just make plain old chocolate bars.
Press into a pan and freeze.
And there you have it: a delicious dessert filled with antioxidants, protein, and essential fats, with the sweetness and crunch to satisfy that sweet tooth craving!
Melt some dark chocolate (higher the percentage of cocoa the better and without added sweeteners) with some coconut oil.
Once melted, stir in some organic raisins, almonds, oats, puffed kamut. You can leave out the kamut and just make plain old chocolate bars.
Press into a pan and freeze.
And there you have it: a delicious dessert filled with antioxidants, protein, and essential fats, with the sweetness and crunch to satisfy that sweet tooth craving!
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