 To you need: 1/2 cup olive oil 1/2 Tablespoon cider vinegar 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots 1/3 cup drained capers, coarsely chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon pepper 3 pounds asparagus What to do: Whisk olive oil, vinegar shallots, capers, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. Steam asparagus in rack over boiling water, covered until tender, or 6 minutes. Transfer asparagus to a platter and top with vinaigrette. Serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
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 I have a great memory. When it comes to a "to do" list or "to buy" list I can pretty much wing it! Pretty much! I am not going to lie here, I have gotten into the car after a marathon shop, waiting in line and checking out and found....I forgot the asparagus and I was making asparagus soup for dinner. Hello! Bad language is followed by getting back out of the car and going back into the store. Grrrr! Who has got the time for such nonsense? What a waste of time, not to mention a waste of money as I always find a few more yummy thing I just have to have! So I make a list. Actually I have a list of all the common ingredients I use in my meal preparation, on my ipad and my computer. As I am creating the menus for the week, I check off the stuff that I need to get. Easy! It also helps with a impromptu inventory of what I already have. No more, "yes dear I bought more avocados and we have 4 rotting in the fridge, ouch." They say that for every minute you spend in a grocery store over 30 minutes, you will spend at least $1 per minute. Get out fast! Wonder why they rearrange the store so frequently? It keep you running around in circles looking for the food on your list but passing all kinds of alluring treats. Marion Nestle has written a great book titled " What to Eat" that has a whole section on the psychology used by food stores to get us to buy more food. They are just so tricky. Really interesting and lets you see through the "matrix"! So do a little list building of your own. Once you have the basics down you can add new stuff as you start to add to your diet. Having a list will help you to speed through through the store, save you from buying impulse items, have the food to create complete healthy meals and avoid the need to grab something yucky because there isn't anything in the house to eat. Let me know how you do. 4 ounces walnuts
1/4 teaspoon agave pinch sea salt baby greens 2 ounces grapes, halved 1 stalk celery, sliced 1 ounce red onion, thinly sliced 2 ounces cucumber, sliced 1/2 cup strawberries, sliced 1/2 cup blueberries 1 ounce cranberries 1 teaspoon mint, minced 2 teaspoons pomegranate juice 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1. Toss the walnuts with the agave and sea salt. Toast in a 350 oven until browned. Remove from the oven. 2. Process all the rest of the salad items in a large bowl. 3. Toss dressing ingredients and pour over salad. 4. Done!  Spring is the time for all those cleansing veggies.
After a long winter of heavy warming foods our bodies welcome the spring vegetables and their ability to lighten us up for the hot summer months to come. One of my favorite vegetables is Asparagus. This spring power-house is not only full of folic acid but is a super digestive support food. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that helps the body produce and maintain new cells. In particular, red blood cell formation is dependent on adequate levels of this vitamin. It may also help cells resist changes in their DNA associated with the development of cancer. Folic acid plays a very important role in pregnancy by significantly reducing the incidence of birth defects known as neural tube defects (malformations of the spine and brain). Asparagus is also high in fiber and protein. Fiber helps everything move on through the system at a healthy rate. Asparagus also contains significant amounts of the nutrient inulin, which is referred to as a “prebiotic.” Inulin bypasses the first segments of digestion and arrives at the large intestine undigested. Because of this, it is an ideal food source for certain kinds of “good” bacteria in our intestines that are associated with better nutrient absorption. So go out and grab a bunch while it is fresh and in season. Two of my favorite ways to cook it is: Roasted with olive oil, garlic and herbs on a pizza pan in a 400 degree oven until brown or Sauteed in a pan with garlic and when browned add some balsamic...yum and so quick. I must admit I will easily polish off a bunch on the way home from the store! Don't forget to make it organic and local if you can! Check the first in a regular series of Friday Food Tips to help you pick out healthy food when you go grocery shopping!
Enjoy Click the link below! Friday Food Tip I love my kids as much as the next mother.
They were wonderful guys, but..... My oldest son was way to much like me, I mean way to much.... Every morning for years, he's ask me what was for dinner. Yeah I had menus and probably could have answered intelligently if I had wanted to but come on it's 6:30 in the morning, who cares? He did! Way to much of a planner! 8-) So what are you having for dinner? You're busy, you'll think about it later, maybe pick something up on the way home. Fast forward through your day and now it is 7pm and you are sitting down to Chinese take-out or sandwiches from the local deli. Sure is easy but how is that food serving you? High in salt, preservatives, sugar, processed foods, fats and oh those chemicals. You know you should eat better, you want to eat better for you and the family, but who has the time? Initially menu planning can take a bit of time but once you have a method in place it is super easy. Start by taking an inventory of your schedule for a typical week. Now you have the parameters of the amount of time you can spend on meal prep. Next take an inventory of your family's/your food preferences. Come up with staple meals that you can make fast or ahead of time for those nights were prep time is non-existent. Fill in with recipes that you want to try on those night when you have more time. We will be talking "list creation" next time. Sesame Seeds!
Can I get a halo please? I love these little guys. Who knew that they packed such a bone building punch? Not me! Besides the fact that 1/3 of a cup of sesame seeds contains 1160 mg of calcium (and that is a huge amount) they also are: Especially rich in mono-unsaturated fatty acid oleic acid. Oleic acid helps to lower "bad cholesterol" LDL and increase HDL or "good cholesterol" in the blood. Very good source of dietary proteins with fine quality amino acids that are essential for growth, especially in children. Just 100 g of seeds provide about 18 g of protein (32% of daily-recommended values). High in antioxidants compounds that help stave off harmful free radicals from the body. A very good sources of B-complex vitamins such as niacin. Niacin helps reduce LDL-cholesterol levels in the blood. In addition, it enhances GABA activity inside the brain, which in turn helps reduce anxiety and neurosis. An incredibly rich source of many essential minerals. Many of these minerals have vital role in bone mineralization, red blood cell production, enzyme synthesis, hormone production, as well as regulation of cardiac and skeletal muscle activities One of my favorite sources of sesame seeds is Gomasio by Eden Organics. There are tons of different blends. I always have Sea Salt, Sesame Seed and Seaweed on hand but also love the blend with garlic in it - oh yum! You can get Gomasio at all Whole Foods Market in the macrobiotic section, most health food stores and many regular grocery stores. Shake it on everything! Enjoy! Think the stress you are feeling may be contributing to your digestive distress?
It is! According to Dr Michael Gershon: “there is essentially an independent nervous system in the gut that sends information to, and receives information from, the brain,” explains Dr. Michael D. Gershon, a professor of pathology and cell biology at Columbia University and author of The Second Brain: A Groundbreaking New Understanding of Nervous Disorders of the Stomach and Intestine. This two-way transmission of information occurs via the vagus nerve and is critical for survival. When you eat something that could make you sick or perhaps even kill you, it’s this second brain in the gut that protects you by triggering nausea and making you vomit. But stress and other factors can make this gut-brain communication go awry, triggering symptoms like heartburn or IBS, which serve no useful purpose." We also know that people with IBS are more sensitive to stress and tension than the general population and that these types of emotions can trigger symptoms. So what do you do to reduce the stress in your life and calm your gut? Reduce your "life-load". That term refers to the combination of your work-load and all the everyday things that you need to get done. Over scheduling is a stressor for many of us. Make a list of your "to do's" and prioritize, delegate and out-right eliminate. Very few things are "Do or Die"! Create a reasonable schedule for yourself and stick to it. Exercise. I know a good walk can go a long way in calming me down. I'm a high energy woman and if left un-released I start to get a tad bit rammy. Go for a brisk walk for 20-30 minutes a day. Take Fido, a friend or the spouse with you. Get moving and release that pent up stress. Get a good night sleep. When your tired things seem so much more important than when you are rested. Go to bed the same time each night. Keep the room dark and cool. Keep that t.v off. Plug your cell phone in the other room away from your bed. Remember - warm feet - good sleep! Put some socks on you will fall asleep faster. Stay away from the caffeine, sugar and processed foods. These little brats can make you hyper and jittery. You want to eliminate mood swings, sugar cravings and hyperactivity. Way to stressful. Find an activity that relaxes you. Join a yoga class, meditate, learn to knit, grab a good book or listen to your favorite music. You should have a stand-by activity that soothes your soul. Feeling stressed - immediately turn to your relaxation place. I like to walk by the water. The ocean calms me! We can never totally eliminate stress in our lives but we can take simple actions that will reduce it and keep our digestive tract running smooth! Power Up For Success!
This newsletter is about having the sustainable energy everyday to achieve your business and personal goals. We all experience fatigue occasionally but if you have trouble getting out of bed in the morning, need coffee to get started and keep going throughout the day, find yourself craving sweets all day long then you will benefit from this newsletter and working with a health coach. In this bi-weekly newsletter I will offer simple strategies that will increase your energy level and improve your health. Many tips will seem ridiculously obvious but if you are not following them then they need repeating. So I am going super easy on you now. It is the first issue for goodness sake! Water! 60-70% of your body is made up of water. If you are not hydrated you are tired, have brain fog, you're slow, moody, confused, are stiff, achy and hungry. Yep I am telling you, increase your water intake by one, yes just one 16oz bottle of water a day for a few days. Once you have that down, add another one. At this point you will feel a difference. Set a goal that you will drink two bottles before lunch, two bottles after lunch and one after dinner. Not only will you feel better, be more mentally sharp, your skin will look younger, you'll begin to lose weight and your digestion will be more efficient. Simple changes repeated over long periods of time create long-lasting results. Aristotle once wrote "We are what we repeatedly do." Start a habit today that will dramatically change your life. Drink water! (Think water is boring? Add lemon, lime, strawberries, blueberries or raspberries. I had one client that loved cucumber slices in her water) Your good health is important to me….You Deserve to be Healthy! |
AuthorI am a digestive health coach. I help my clients have more energy and a eliminate digestive problems by eating food they love! Archives
September 2013
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