Food & Recipes

Lemony Chicken + Refreshing Summer Tabouli

2 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

Seeing as though it’s mid July (the peak of summer), I’ve been advising my clients to cool down in all aspects of life, be it food, wellness or work. One of my favorite ways to cool down is by eating cooling, refreshing seasonal foods like watermelon, citrus, cucumbers, and herbs.

Last night, I decided to add a little Mediterranean flare to the dinner table by making a platter of Mediterranean-inspired eats. After all, I find that a diet rich in refreshing dishes with whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats fill me up most. I decided to go with a healthy trio: homemade tabouli + sauteed chicken + pita & hummus, a combo my sister and I can both agree was pure genius.

Refreshing Summer Tabouli

{makes 4-6 servings}

  • 1 1/2 c. water
  • 1 c. bulgar wheat
  • 1 medium organic cucumber, chopped
  • 1 c. fresh parsley
  • juice of 1/2 lemon
  • 2 TB olive oil
  • 1/2 c. full fat feta, crumbled
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed
  • salt & pepper to taste
  • fresh mint for garnish (optional)

1. Boil water and pour over bulgar wheat. Stir and then let sit covered for 20 minutes.

2. Drain the bulgar wheat of excess water and … Read More!

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Cook Something New: Healthy Sesame Soba Noodles from Tosca Reno’s Eat Clean Diet

4 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

As you know, I’m a big fan of experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen, whether it be trying something new (like at-home sushi) or simply learning how to cook something in a different way by substituting ingredients.

Last week, I decided to take on both of those tasks by making something I’ve never attempted before, that is Asian Soba Sesame Noodles, and adjusting it based on my individual needs.

I followed a recipe from Tosca Reno’s The Eat Clean Diet Recharged! book, with a few simple adjustments and additions of my own. The recipe included a creative blend of delicious, lively ingredients like whole grain soba noodles, agave nectar, all natural almond butter, low-sodium tamari and more.

Instead of using the toasted sesame seeds as suggested, I kicked it up a notch by using Eden Food’s Seaweed Gomasio with Organic Whole Sesame Seeds, Sea salt and Sea Vegetables (Organic Dulse, Nori and Kombu) for a nutritional boost. I also added in some chicken leftover from a homemade Chicken Marsala my mother had made earlier in the week. I’d also recommend adding shrimp, fish, tofu, tempeh or extra veggies to make the meal a little more substantial.

I love … Read More!

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Be True to Yourself: A Truebar Review

1 Comment / Food & Recipes /

I’m usually not a nutrition bar fan, as most are really not nutritional at all. In fact, many contain more sugar, ingredients, and added chemicals (think: sugar additives) than a candy bar. EEK!

That’s why I’m always a huge advocate in reading the label. What’s the sugar content? Can you recognize those ingredients you’re eating? If not, I’d say your best bet is to skip it.

While I have my doubts about many of these bars out there on the market, ever since the Boston Marathon I’ve fell in love with the Truebar by Bakery on Main. These bars come in six delightful, flavor combinations (Apricot Almond Chai, Coconut Cashew, Fruit and Nut, Hazelnut Chocolate Cherry, Raspberry Chocolate Almond, and Walnut Cappuccino, with their slogan being “I’ve Got Nothing to Hide.” And in fact, they don’t.

I love that the ingredients are clearly listed on the label, without any marketing scams or hidden ingredients. Not to mention, all the bars are certified gluten free, Kosher, non-GMO, and both dairy and casein free, so they make for a great snack with those both young ‘n’ old with food allergies. A  bonus? They’re low in sodium, contain no transfats or cholesterol … Read More!

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A Mother’s Day Treat for You: Gluten Free, No Bake Brownie Balls

5 Comments / Food & Recipes /

Happy Mother’s Day to all the beautiful, determined mother’s I know. Guiltlessly treat yourself to some of these No Bake Brownie balls, that take just minutes to make yet have a rich, decadent taste similar to truffles. While I altered them a bit, I owe a big thank you to SnackGirl for the recipe inspiration.

The best part? These little bites of joy are 100% gluten free (we have a couple gluten sensitivities in the house) and contain only a few ingredients – roasted almonds (which I roasted myself), pitted dates, organic cocoa powder, a handful of organic dark chocolate chips, and agave nectar – with a shake of powdered sugar on top for decor.

Next time I make these, I’m going to play around with them even more, trying out different combos like figs and maple syrup or cherries and honeys. More recipe combos to come…

Enjoy…I’m off to spend the day with my family on Fisher’s Island!


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Is Your Granola Making You Fat? Try this Homemade Blueberry Flax Granola

7 Comments / Food & Recipes /

I have a huge crush on granola. I absolutely love the taste, crunch and satisfaction it brings on a dull weekday afternoon. However, I do not love the nutritional content in many store-bought varieties.

While you may be tempted to buy the brands that claim they’re “low fat” or “sugar free” or “zero grams trans fat!” I highly encourage you to read the ingredients and nutritional value on the back of the box. If you look carefully, you’ll see that many contain unnecessary added ingredients, artificial sweeteners, a heaping amount of sugar, and ultimately a huge disappointment.

Take Kellogg’s Lowfat Granola with Raisins for example, which contains whole grain rolled oats, whole grain wheat, sugar, rice, corn syrup, raisins, almonds, glycerin, palm oil, molasses, modified corn starch, salt, cinnamon, nonfat milk, malt flavoring, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, BHT for freshness, and guar gum. A 2/3 c. serving will tally up to 230 calories, and 17 grams of sugar.

When you look above, you can see that sugar is the third ingredient listed (after oats and wheat) making it one of the main ingredients in this granola. Not to mention the added corn syrup (a relative of … Read More!

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What to do When You Don’t Like Your Boyfriend’s Gift & Mushroom Breakfast Sandwich

10 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

I’m totally a simple girl when it comes to gifts, meaning I’m perfectly happy with a handwritten card, dinner and a bottle of wine. Being the sentimental, romantic gal that I am, I live for those gifts that come from the heart.

So what’s a girl to do when she doesn’t like said gift from boyfriend? You see, The Boy had given me several gifts this past Valentine’s Day, one being a bracelet that wasn’t quite my style at all. Let’s just say, I’d probably never wear it and I truly felt terrible for not liking it. I tried to, really I did but it just wasn’t me. So I did what I felt I had to do at the time: lied. “I love it! It’s beautiful! And it has pearls!”

But when weeks went by with me not wearing it, and The Boy questioning why I didn’t have it on, I could only use the “It doesn’t match my outfit” excuse so many times. I had gotten myself stuck in a huge rut. I just had to tell him, someway, somehow that I didn’t like his gift…but how? (Ha, that totally sounds like something Dr. Seuss would say)… Read More!

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Time for Yourself & Roasted Balsamic Veggies for Two

5 Comments / Food & Recipes, Lifestyle /

{Roasted veggies make for a wonderful side dish or small dinner when paired with soup or salad}

The other day in yoga class, the teacher – as always – had us dedicate the practice to someone we love or care about. I habitually began to think of someone in my life who needs a little extra hug or warmth, and then it hit me. Why don’t I dedicate this practice to myself?

Then it got me thinking. How many of us really give enough credit, dedication or time for ourselves? In a fast-paced, highly competitive environment, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the day-to-day stresses, leaving the one person who matters most (yup, that’s you) lost in the trenches. Trust me, many of us women are culprits of this, and that’s why a huge focus of my health counseling is on stress relief and taking care of yourself and your body.

Sometimes it’s OK to be a little selfish, to put yourself first, or to not let anything or anybody get in the way of your dreams. Let your dreams be your dreams, and by all means do whatever it takes to get there.

So as we … Read More!

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On My Lunch Plate: Nutritious Turkey Artichoke Wrap

8 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

Good afternoon ladies.  I hope you all had the chance to get outside today for your lunch break, as it’s absolutely beautiful outside. High 60s/low 70s is my ideal springtime weather; it’s not so hot that all your makeup drips off but it’s just warm enough to get a lil sunshine and keep you feeling happy.

Speaking of happiness, I’m in a much better mood today regarding my skin dilemma. I think whatever I’m doing has been working so far, including focusing on my dietary choices, sipping Yogi Skin Detox Tea to help purify and rid my body (and skin) of toxins, as well as being gentle with my skin-care routine. The lovely lady at Whole Foods actually gave me a few samples to take home last night that help reduce redness/inflammation while calming the skin. I’ll let you know how that goes! I also bought a gentle On-The-Spot treatment called Pure & Clean Acne Treatment Gel which has tea tree oil in it to aid natural recovery.

Anyway, this afternoon I whipped up a delicious Turkey & Artichoke wrap for lunch which I wanted to share with my readers. I usually don’t eat tons artichokes, but as I … Read More!

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The Morning Refresher: Carrot, Apple, Ginger Juice

3 Comments / Food & Recipes, Health & Wellness /

{as you can see, I couldn’t resist drinking some before the picture}

In the Mix:

  • 4 small to medium carrots, organic if possible
  • 1 small apple, organic (I used Granny Smith because that’s what I had on hand, but any juicy apple works)
  • handful of mixed greens (I used a blend of arugula, spinach, and romaine)
  • one inch cut of fresh ginger
  • juice of 1/2 small lemon

Use your juicer to blend the carrots, apple, greens and ginger. Add lemon juice at the end for an extra zing!

My Top Four Benefits of This Juice: Anti-aging from the beta-carotene in carrots (which works as a powerful antioxidant), skin-clearing (from vitamin A and liver detoxification properties of carrots), Cholesterol Control (the pectin in apples can lower LDL, your “bad cholesterol”), de-bloating (from the ginger and lemon, especially in the a.m)… Read More!

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Quick Healthy Lunch Snapshot: Put Leftovers to Use

6 Comments / Food & Recipes, Lifestyle /

Whenever you find yourself in need for a quick lunch, whether you are running late to work or rushing to get the kids ready to head out the door, it’s always a good idea to access what you already have. Before you go out and spend $15 on an over-priced salad or sub, consider putting your leftovers to use first. It may not always come out pretty, but I can guarantee you’ll save money, feel good about what you’re putting into your body, and perhaps invent a new favorite recipe. Hey, you never know!

Here’s what I concocted this afternoon when crunched for time:

{sorry, this pic was taken from my Droid. Told you, I was pressed for time}

about 1/2 c. leftover brown rice spaghetti + few tablespoons of all-natural garlic marinara sauce + steamed broccoli & spinach from last night’s meal + a few baby bella mushrooms + 1/4 c. chickpeas + touch of freshly grated parmesan cheese + dash of garlic powder & black pepper

And there you have it. A lunch made in minutes. What’s your favorite way to put leftovers to use? Have you ever created a new favorite recipe based on a leftover combo? … Read More!

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