A New Day

I ate like crap yesterday.

First of all I had maybe a serving of fruit. I made a salad to go along with my dinner but wasn't the least bit interested in eating it. After lunch I splurged on a bag of chocolate covered pretzels and later in the afternoon had some delicious strawberry cake and my first helping of ice cream since August. On top of that I felt tired, stressed and cranky yesterday. I had no patience for my son's million-per-day questions and was ready to return our adorable pup that we adopted one month ago due to her incessant barking.

Have you had days like this?

Now this was by far not really a stressful day when you view it with a little perspective but it was just one of those days where I didn't feel healthy, calm, and relaxed. In fact I felt tense and pissy! And I wasn't thrilled with how I felt after eating all that sugar. In the past, however, I would internally beat myself up for giving into cravings. Not any more! Because you know what? Today is a new day.

In fact, each day is a new day to start over and bring your A game. So yesterday was stressful and pretty much stunk to high heaven? Guess what. Today is a clean slate, a fresh start. Last night I got a good night sleep, ate well today, made some green juice, kicked the crap out of a punching bag at Title Boxing and moved on. 

Oh and one more thing... I thought about all the good stuff that happened yesterday in between the tension. I got to see Christopher's contagious smile when I picked him up from school. I spent the afternoon celebrating one of his friend's birthdays with some of the nannies in our hood who I really enjoy talking to. I did a face time chat with a dear friend from college for two hours. I volunteered at Operation Breakthrough with wonderful little kids in the morning.

Hmm, I guess yesterday wasn't so bad after all. And I pledge to make today and tomorrow that much better. How about you?

A Good One

Here is a really good take on distracted living from the Huffington Post today...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jennifer-meer/distracted-living_b_4059857.html

You Are Enough

I notice two major things going on around me as I move through my day: 1) Nonstop judgement and 2) The feeling that we are not good enough just as we are. I want to talk about these two things here and now.

First of all, I'll start by saying that I am guilty of both of these things. The difference between me now and me, say, this time last year is that I am much more aware of them when they happen to me and also I have retuned the voice in my head to respond to both appropriately.

One thing I see so much of as a stay-at-home-mom is judgement. I think as human beings it is normal for us to judge what we see around us as a way of assessing our world. What I tend to see, however, is the judgement of people around us and ourselves. I saw a mother in the store the other day pushing a cart with 2 kids, one of which was throwing a major, knock down, drag out tantrum. Two young women (my guess is they were in their 20s) walked by her and after passing by, gave each other this look that involved a whole lot of eye rolling. Now I have to say, that could easily have been me in my 20s and I can guarantee you that when I was their age, I had no idea what it was like to be a mother with a screaming child in a department store. But their judgement was there. I just thought in my head as I passed by the woman with the child, "Oh, I've been their sister and it is just no fun when your child decides that Target is the best place to make their displeasure known." But I've also been guilty of the judgement too. One of the areas I struggle with is judging the moms who plop their kids down in front of iPads for extensive periods of time or while they are getting their grocery shopping in. Now, I'm not saying kids should be sitting in front of iPads for hours on end. But maybe that mom worked really hard all day at a thankless job and she had to get the food shopping done after work and the only way to do that was with her kids who are tired and cranky at the end of their day and said mom just needed a half hour of peace and quiet.

I'm also not saying we should ignore someone's parenting choices if they are abusive or neglectful. Or someone's life choices if they are hurting others.

We just have to remind ourselves that there is always more to the story than what we see. We have to remember that most of the time, everyone is doing the best they can with what they have.  And that goes for us too! Stop beating yourself up all the time because you had a piece of cake or didn't eat a single healthy thing today. Tomorrow is a new day! Just bring your awareness to the situation and do the best you can tomorrow.

The other thing I see is people feeling like they are not enough in this world. And is there any wonder why? We are constantly bombarded with messages saying we need certain material things in order to "be our best." That's what advertising is all about. "Buy this and you will be ______." We also see things on social media that can make us think we are not enough. You know that friend who always posts on Facebook all the fun things they are doing (all the time, I might add) or the exotic locations they are visiting or the super genius things their kids are doing? The more you read that kind of stuff, the more you can begin to wonder about your "not-as-exciting-as-that-friend's" life.

Well guess what. All that stuff is crap. You are enough. Your life is enough. You don't have to buy anything to be enough. All we can do is work at being a good person, being kind to others, listening to others and being a good friend. And wherever you are at right now, just by showing up, you are enough.

Candle Cafe

It's an oldie but a goodie for us--The Candle Cafe Cookbook has been around our kitchen for several years and we love the recipes we've tried from it! Candle Cafe is a restaurant in the city (eh hem, New York City) that has been around for years serving fabulous vegan fare. Its fancier, more gourmet companion is Candle 79 (which I also have the cookbook for, although its recipes are a little more complex than this one). Brian and I ate at Candle 79 for my birthday a few years ago and it was our first experience in an all-vegan restaurant. It was fabulous to look at a menu and know that you can eat anything on it!

Anyway, I like the simplicity of this cookbooks and the pure yumminess of its recipes. Among my favorites are the butternut squash soup, velvety carrot and ginger soup, and the potato leek soup--do you notice a theme happening here? Also, the vegetable lasagna with herbed tofu ricotta is amazing, albeit a little more complex than some of the other recipes. I am a big fan of this cookbook and highly recommend it if you are interested in trying some simple yet delicious recipes. Here is my favorite soup to make from Candle Cafe...

Potato-Leek Soup

4 potatoes, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 leeks, white and pale green parts only, rinsed and finely chopped
2 large onions, peeled and finely chopped
4 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

1. In a large pot, put 7 cups of water, the potatoes, leeks, onions, carrots, and celery.
2. Bring to a boil and add the parsley, sea salt and pepper to taste. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 30 minutes, until vegetables are very tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
3. Transfer the soup to a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. This may have to be done in batches. Return soup to the pot and gently reheat. Taste and adjust the seasonings and serve at once.

Note: I highly recommend using Yukon Gold potatoes in this recipe because they have a nice flavor and make the soup creamier. Also, I usually don't let it cool before blending because I don't have time to wait. Just be careful when transferring it to the blending when it's hot. I love that this soup just uses veggies and water. So simple yet so delish!

It's Crazy AND Sexy

Several years ago, I read Kris Carr's Crazy Sexy Diet and it really changed the way I looked at eating. Granted, it was also during this time that I was reading all kinds of mind-blowing food books from The China Study to Eating Animals to The Kind Diet. While each of those books made a great case for eating a plant-based diet, Crazy Sexy Diet really connected all the dots for me and gave me countless reasons to eat the way I do today. Kris Carr has a playful and fun way of writing that makes me feel like I was having a conversation with one of my good friends over coffee... I mean, green juice!

Well, she has now come out with Crazy Sexy Kitchen and it is filled with nutritious recipes that also taste fantastic! While it does use more exotic (and sometimes expensive) ingredients than The China Study Cookbook, the combinations are frequently different than any I've seen in other cookbooks recently. In addition, the book includes recipes for juices and smoothies as well as a basic summary of what was talked about in Crazy Sexy Diet to start you off on the right foot.

Some of my favorite recipes from this gem include the Morning Glorious green drink, Mango and Coconut Millet (breakfast), Tofu Country Scramble (also breakfast), Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad, and  her Tomatoes and Herbs recipe. I will give you the Warm Kale recipe because it is so good and ridiculously healthy!

Warm Kale and Quinoa Salad

2 cups quinoa
3 cups water
2 cups chopped kale
3 tablespoons pine nuts (or slivered almonds)
3 tablespoons raisins or dried cranberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
sea salt to taste
black pepper to taste

1. In a small pot on medium heat, add quinoa and water and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook for 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and fluff with a fork.

2. Add the shredded kale on top of the quinoa and cover for a few minutes to allow the kale to steam.

3. Add pine nuts, cranberries, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly and serve warm or cold.

The China Study Cookbook

Good morning and happy Monday friends! As promised I would like to share some of my very favorite cookbooks that I am working from now to prepare healthy, whole food and plant based meals for myself and my family. The China Study Cookbook is inspired by T. Colin Campbell's best selling book, The China Study and includes delicious recipes that focus on whole, unprocessed foods. I have to say that this has been one of my go-to cookbooks since the summer and it served as my inspiration to get back on track with eating a mostly vegan and totally nutritious diet!

Although I started eating a vegetarian diet months before reading The China Study, I have to say that that was the very book that got me most inspired and fed me with the science behind why a plant based diet can reap benefits for your long-term health. It motivated my husband to also join me in crossing over to the dark side of green leafy vegetables and juicy fruits, among other things, and convinced me that my son can still grow healthy and strong without whole milk and chicken every day.

This cookbook takes the principles and conclusions reached in The China Study and transforms them into delicious, edible combinations that you can feel great about eating. And better yet, the recipes are fairly simple and don't require a lot of exotic ingredients (which can sometimes be an intimidating problem in some vegan cookbooks). Perhaps my favorite dishes in this cookbook come in the salad section and I tried a lot of them during the summer when produce was at its best. For example, there is a Lemon Tahini Quinoa Salad that I made quite a few times and even served to our non-vegetarian friends and even they enjoyed it! The entrees are fabulous as well and some of my favorite here include African Vegetables, Eggplant Bake, and Fettuccine with Broccoli and Cashew Sauce.

In our house, however, nothing is more popular (especially with the five year-old set) than the Panana Cakes! Yes you read that right--Panana! CJ absolutely loves these and I love making them for him. They have a nice flavor and they freeze well, which definitely comes in handy on our busier mornings. I'll make these pancakes on the weekend, freeze the leftovers and pull them out to heat in the microwave when we are getting ready for school. I'll include this recipe below if you'd like to try it, but I have to say, of all the cookbooks I've worked from recently, this one is definitely worth picking up!

Panana Cakes

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 banana, mashed
1 cup water
1 cup nondairy milk (I usually use soy but almond milk is good too!)
2 egg replacers (2 tablespoons ground flaxseed meal with 6 tablespoons of water)
2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, sea salt, and cinnamon in a medium mixing bowl.
2. In a separate bowl, mix mashed banana, water, milk, egg replacers, and maple syrup.
3. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and stir just enough to remove any lumps. The batter should be pourable.
4. Preheat nonstick skillet or griddle.
5. Pour batter onto heated surface to the size desired and cook until each side is golden brown. Serve immediately.

The Whole Story

Sometimes when I go into a bookstore or a place like Whole Foods, I see an overabundance of books relating to diets. Which diet is best for you? Is it best to follow the Paleo diet or maybe just cut carbs out of your life? Should you follow Atkins-style eating plans (many people still do!) or go completely vegan? What are we to do to lose weight and be our healthiest?

Well, I am here to tell you that I am certainly no nutritionist or expert on the matter by any means. But here's what I do know...

Whole foods make a difference.

What do I mean by whole foods? I'm talking about foods that are in or closest to their most natural state. Foods the way nature intended them to be. Fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, grains.

I think we need to get away from just following one particular regimen. If we focus on filling the majority of our diet with these whole foods, our bodies will certainly thank us for it. Our bodies are meant to eat a wide variety of colorful fruits and veggies, and when we make up to 80 or 90 percent of our meals from these wonderful foods we will feel and look healthy, happy and vibrant! Like I said, I haven't done any specific research on this topic. However, I do know that when I am personally eating like this (and taking care of myself in other ways) I feel fabulous. My immune system is functioning great and I have abundant amounts of energy. For the past two months, I've really been focusing on eating this way and it has become a treat to have some pineapple for "dessert" after a good meal. It's amazing how, when you consistently eat whole foods, your taste buds change. In the past if I've consumed more than enough sugary foods, I crave more sugary foods. When we sit down in the evening to watch TV or work on the computer, I used to make repeated trips to the kitchen to snack on either salty or sugary stuff. But as my taste buds and my body have changed I don't feel that way any more. My "sugary snack" might be a bowl of grapes or an apple. And I feel great that I haven't given in to the temptation of a snack that's just going to make me crash afterward. I'm not saying I never eat desserts or sugary things anymore. I enjoyed the most fabulous pumpkin pie mini indulgence from Seasons 52 the other night! I'm just saying I don't crave it as much anymore.

Including more whole foods in your diet is not the only important step to take toward great health. Getting rid of all the processed foods that surround us is just as important. I was looking at some ingredient lists at the grocery store today and the amount of crap that is in some of the foods we consume is unbelievable! Perhaps you've heard this before, but when you shop, focus on the outside aisles of the grocery store. Focus on fruits and vegetables and if you are lucky enough to have a store with a bulk section, stock up. This is a great place to get a stash of nuts and seeds, dried beans, oats and other healthy grains.

The most important thing to do is think. I'm not saying we have to eat perfectly. Perfect is boring! Just focus on having more whole foods than processed foods in your diet and see the difference it makes.

(In my next several posts, I will talk about some recipe books I love that can help you integrate these whole foods into nourishing and delicious meals for your whole family! Of course, my cookbooks will focus on vegetarian and vegan dishes but a lot of times you can add some lean meat or fish to the recipes if you choose.) 

Share

I saw this on Huffington Post yesterday. Words of wisdom!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-bartolotta/happiness-tips_b_3956114.html

I Promise Myself

Hanging up in my very favorite Kansas City juice spot (T Loft!) is a poem/statement/affirmation by Christian D. Larson called "I Promise Myself." As I waited for my juices to be juiced yesterday, I read the poem (which I've read several times before) and thought about the encouraging things it says and how, just standing there reading it, I automatically shifted my mind toward positivity. Here is a link to the poem:

http://masteryofyourself.blogspot.com/2007/08/i-promise-myself-by-christian-d-larson.html

I wondered, if I started every one of my days by reading this, what would happen? You know those mornings when you wake up and you're not quite sure if you are ready to start the day? What if, instead of dreading the day, I kept this poem by my bedside to read upon waking? What if you took one line of the poem each day and just focused on it? One of my favorite lines is "To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person I meet." This is a great one to think about as you interact with others throughout the day. It's not always easy to carry through with this. Everyone can get dragged down by negative events in the world or enticing gossip--I'm totally guilty of this! But to have something like the lines of this poem to focus on can bring you back to a state of mind that brings and cultivates happiness in both yourself and others. 

Stay Present

I'm not against cell phones, smart phones, tablets and computers. There is a time and place for each. But check this out... I see what's in this short video happening all the time. Guess what? Life is happening too, all around us. Choose to stay present as much as you can...

http://www.trueactivist.com/after-i-saw-this-i-put-down-my-phone-and-didnt-pick-it-up-for-the-rest-of-the-day/

Think about it. 

Hemp, man...

For our nutritional tidbit of the day, I would like to share some info about Hemp Seeds...

I love to sprinkle a few tablespoons of this nutty little seed on my oatmeal, salads, and tofu scrambles and you can basically add it to anything you want. It provides a subtle nut-like flavor to whatever you might be dining on. But the best part is the nutritional value in this little powerhouse. First of all, hemp seeds are a good source of vegetarian protein, providing up to 10 grams per serving. Also, it is a terrific source of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids which (in the correct ratio) are so important for cardiovascular and immune health. Hemp has been known to help people with autoimmune diseases possibly for its immune strengthening properties. Finally, hemp contains some vitamin E and other minerals that are important in overall health. The best part about hemp seed is that it's easy! All I do is sprinkle a little out of the bag and into whatever I'm eating and voila! Good stuff with little effort=happiness. An added bonus in our household too is that I can put this in the oatmeal our son eats and he gets all that goodness in his growing body too. You can usually pick up a bag of hemp seed in any grocery store now. Of course stores like Whole Foods carries it but the health food sections of mainstream stores have it now too. Check it out!

All it takes is 5 minutes...

Sometimes meditation can seem completely intimidating. You mean you want me to sit still, by myself, with my eyes closed, thinking of nothing, with no gadgets to distract me?

Well, that's exactly the point.

We are always so busy, physically and mentally. Our lives are filled with distractions, messages, images and it can often feel like our brains are on overload. This busy-ness can stress us out, make us crazy and affect our sleep. Stillness, quietness, and meditation is the answer.

Now if you hit the bookstore shelves, you'll find a million books that talk about the different "methods" of meditation. "How to" books are wonderful, and if you are serious about learning a particular type of meditation, by all means help yourself. But here's what works for me... I sit down in a quiet spot, close my eyes, and breathe for 5 to 10 minutes. That's it. It's not complicated. I breathe in and out for five minutes, just listening to the air go in and out of my lungs. And if my mind gets a little nutty and I start thinking about the things I need to get done today or the jerky who cut me off in traffic, then I start counting in my mind. As I breathe in, I mentally count to 7 and as I breathe out, I do the same. It's that simple.

I'm not saying there are never days when I sit for five minutes and it doesn't work! Of course there are days when my brain feels so distracted that it's hard to quiet down. But here's what I've learned: if I get irritated when this happens, nothing good results. When I approach it differently, I focus much more easily. I once read that during meditation, if you start getting distracted, simply say the word "thinking." This non-judgemental word describes what is happening and then you can get back to business.

It's important to remember that every single person has at least five minutes in their day to practice this. Even the busiest human being can find five minutes to be still! Certainly we can give up five minutes from checking Facebook to make ourselves quiet. To be honest, the more I practice this, the more I want to get back to that place of stillness and the easier it gets. Give it a try!

Another Yummy Combination

(Note: I wish I had a professional food photographer to take pictures of these recipes! They always make dishes look so yummy. Anyway, you'll have to take my word for it.) 

Another recent recipe my family and I enjoyed was a vegan version of sloppy joes with a side of heirloom tomatoes topped with a vegan cashew queso made by none other than my ever talented, cheese-making husband, Brian. The sloppy joe recipe comes from one of my favorite vegan cookbooks, Veganomicon. In the cookbook, it's actually called "Snobby Joes." Don't let the fact that it's not made of fatty, second-rate meat scare you away. This is not your school lunch sloppy joe. It tastes way better! With lentils, tomato sauce, onions, peppers and an assortment of other spices and flavors, this dish is one of our favorites to eat in the summer time. In the meal above, we were actually having leftovers so I put the Snobby Joe mix over brown rice to make it a gluten free meal. (Normally we put the mix on a whole wheat bun or a piece of Ezekial toast). Anyway, the mix is so delish that even CJ chows down on it.

As I've mentioned before, tomato season is one of my favorite times of the year. The last several weeks we've gone grocery shopping, they have had the most unbelievable heirloom tomatoes! You know, the ones that come in all kinds of crazy shapes and colors? OMG, I can't believe how wonderful they taste right now. They are too good to resist so for this particular meal, we sliced them up and topped them with Brian's cashew queso from Post Punk Kitchen (http://www.theppk.com/2011/11/cashew-queso/). The combination was fantastic! We also used the leftover queso and mixed it with a rice dish I made later in the week. We've tried several of these cashew-based cheeses and so far, this was the best one. (Check out other fabulous vegan recipes from Post Punk Kitchen! They have a fabulous list of meals to choose from).

Sometimes it can be intimidating to try new recipes that are so different from your norm when you are trying to incorporate more veggie dishes in you life. Just by picking up a good cookbook like Veganomicon or checking out the many blogs devoted to vegan cooking, you only need to choose one simple dish to try and work it in to your meal routine. Before you know it you'll be getting crazy and making vegan mozzarella to serve alongside your pasta with heirloom tomatoes and basil!

Layaway Angel

Love this story... There are wonderful people in this world!

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/09/06/layaway-angel-kmart-back-to-school_n_3875740.html?ref=topbar

Juicin'

No, that is not a green beer I am enjoying for my morning snack today...

It is, in fact, green juice--one of my favorite healthy drinks and now a staple in our household. This concoction brings instant energy to your body that rivals the espresso drinks of Starbucks. The good thing about this drink, however, is it is filled with absorbable nutrients and doesn't give you the caffeine/sugar crash that happens when the effects of an espresso wear off.

There are lots of different combinations of fruits and veggies that you can put together to get a great tasting juice but we tend to stick with a base that works for us, randomly adding small amounts of other produce to get the nutrition without losing the taste we like so much. Today's juice included the following ingredients:

• 2 cucumbers
• 4 small celery stalks
• 1 bunch romaine hearts
• 1 green apple
• 1 small bunch kale
• 1 orange

We love this combination and I feel great drinking it. The advantage of having a juice over a smoothie (although a smoothie is great nutritionally in its own right!) is that the juice can be instantly absorbed. There is no fiber for your body to have to break down. Therefore, all the goodness of those ingredients go right to work in your body, making you healthier and stronger than you were before! 

I also like to throw in a small bowl of raw nuts with my snack for added protein and healthy fats. Today that nut mix included cashews, almonds, sunflower and pumpkin seeds. We choose raw nuts because the nutrients in the raw versions of these are more preserved than when they are roasted. In addition to the protein and fat in nuts, this combination serves as a terrific source of vitamin E, manganese, and may even have anti-microbial and cancer fighting effects. 

Just for Smiles

Like I said when I restarted this blog... It's not just about healthy living and good exercise; it's also about putting some positive stuff out there when the world can seem so otherwise. There's a lot of things that can be going on around us that lead us to believe that the world is going to hell in a hand basket. Well, I don't believe that's the case and sometimes we just need things to pick us up and remind us that there is a whole lot of good in the world.

One thing I like to check out when I get tired of hearing about bombings, chemical weapons, and "Blurred Lines" is the "Good News" section on the Huffington Post website. Here is a link to it so you can read some uplifting stories...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/good-news/

Also, there's this Dave Matthews video from well over ten years ago that still makes me smile every time I watch it. Whether you like the Dave Matthews Band or not (although in my opinion, how could you not!) this video will brighten your day!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RXe8PFKsOIc

Quinoa for Breakfast

I've been trying different ways to make breakfast a little more interesting over the last two weeks since I haven't been eating eggs, bagels or English muffins. I found a recipe in Kris Carr's new cookbook, Crazy Sexy Kitchen, for quinoa cooked with almond milk, coconut milk, agave, vanilla, mangos, and/or peaches. It was pretty good but I also found that I didn't even need that many ingredients to make it a decent breakfast dish.

Whenever I have a few minutes (because really that's all it takes) I'll make a batch of quinoa and just keep it in the fridge. I also like to do this because I prefer to keep things easy in the morning. So this morning when I made this, I took the pre-made quinoa and put it in a small pot, combining it with coconut milk. Next I added some frozen mango chunks, covered the pot and let it simmer on a medium heat until it was hot--about ten minutes. Finally, I put it in a bowl and added cinnamon to taste. Breakfast is served!

I love using quinoa as a base grain for a lot of dishes. Although it is not my all-time favorite grain, its health benefits make it worth including in your diet and with the right mixture of ingredients it can taste great! Quinoa is rich in protein, fiber, iron, and magnesium, among other things. Also in this dish, mango is full of vitamin C, coconut milk has a decent calcium content, and cinnamon is anti-inflammatory. It's a healthy mix of food!

(Note: In this dish, I didn't really measure anything. I just added what I thought looked good and there you have it! Play around with the ingredients to find what you like.) 

Attitude of Gratitude

I've heard it said that a person cannot hold an angry thought and a thankful thought in their mind at the same time.

When you think about that, it can be very powerful. Sometimes it can be very easy to get caught up in a frustrating situation and lose perspective on what is truly important to us. We might get sucked into some juicy gossip, but for some reason feel pretty crappy about partaking in it after the fact. We may have just had a bad day at work or were ticked off because our kids weren't listening or the dog chewed up the furniture again.

Now, I'm not saying we need to always suppress feelings of frustration or even anger or especially sadness. On the contrary, it is important to let ourselves feel those emotions. But after an appropriate amount of time (and that time varies based on the situation), we need to turn it around and move forward. One of the most important and helpful ways to do this is through a practice of gratitude.

Since restarting this blog, I've been following my own self-directed cleanse, not only with food but with spiritual and mind-benefiting practices. One thing I've been doing is writing down five things I am grateful for every day. I've done this sporadically in the past and found that it has really helped me focus on what was really good about the really bad days or what was utterly amazing about the awesome days. And I can't even believe how much this practice improves my state of mind! For example, there was a day last week when I was getting ready to go to bed and I couldn't get this one silly yet frustrating thing out of my head. I was washing my face and thinking about it, brushing my teeth and thinking about it, reading my book and thinking about it. It was driving me nuts and making me mad, which is never a good mixture for a decent night's sleep! Anyway, before I went to sleep, I wrote down five things on my gratitude list, breathed deeply and relaxed. As I closed my eyes to go to sleep, I kept focusing on those things I was thankful for until I fell into a deep sleep. I found that this practice helped me get that peaceful sleep I was looking for. Because I was thinking about what I was grateful for, I had no room in my mind for that frustrating situation.

Try it! It takes all of five minutes to write down five things you are thankful for. It can be as simple as being thankful for your home or your family or something more profound. The choice is yours. But practice this on a consistent basis and see how it can help improve so many aspects of your life and your world view!

"Let Food Be Thy Medicine"

When Hippocrates made the proclamation above, he was ahead of his time. When we eat a diet filled with fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, beans, nuts and seeds, we flood our bodies with the micronutrients that support a very healthy immune system. When we avoid processed foods, white flour, sugar, and excess amounts of salt, we are keeping things out that weaken our body's defense mechanisms.

I just finished reading Dr. Joel Fuhrman's book Super Immunity which discusses how to make your immune system as strong as it was meant to be. Does it say you will never get sick if you eat an immune-supporting diet? Not necessarily. But when you do catch something, the duration of your illness can be that much shorter. Although this was not my favorite of Dr. Fuhrman's books, it was insightful and is inspiring me to really focus on loading up my body with micronutrients as we approach this cold and flu season. I preferred reading Fuhrman's book Eat to Live for an overall view of good nutrition but Super Immunity definitely gives us some insight into keeping our immunity in tip top shape.

If you would rather just check out his website (also very interesting and full of great tips and success stories from people, for example, who have reversed their autoimmune diseases or gotten off their blood pressure and diabetes medications), go to http://www.drfuhrman.com.

No App for Happiness

It's funny how one thing leads to another.

Yesterday, I had a few minutes to check out several health and nutrition websites on my search to find tidbits of motivation and information. On Kris Carr's website, www.kriscarr.com, I was reading one of her recent posts about spiritually inspiring books that she recommends. I just happened to browse through the comments section where other readers recommended their own books and saw among them the name Max Strom and his book There is No App for Happiness. I had never heard of him before but the title of his book struck me. I love the truth in it! So I googled Max Strom and found the following Ted Talk he gave in Kansas City (after watching it, I'm sorry I missed him!). The clip is only 15 minutes in length so if you can devote that much time to it, check it out. I am glad that I did!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFjdog-ne9A

I was really struck by Strom's calm presence as he spoke, and I agree with a lot of what he says--so much so that I decided to order his book and check out more of what he has to share. I believe there is truth to the fact that the more technology takes over our lives, the more unhappy we are becoming (ironic coming from a blogger, I know!). I will share my own experience with this in a future blog. But I also know there are people who are rebelling against what I like to call "screen takeover." I have nothing against the internet and I believe computers, smartphones, and tablets all have their place. But we are losing our ability to truly connect with others face to face, to even look people in the eye when we speak to them! More thoughts on this topic in the future...

Starting with Veggies

When you think of a traditional American breakfast, usually eggs, bacon, toast with butter, bagels, and muffins come to mind. Kale, mushrooms and spinach are not always what you are craving at 7AM! If you follow a vegan diet, however, eggs and bacon are not going to be on the menu--so what to do?

Some days I'll start my morning with oatmeal and berries or quinoa, almond milk, and peaches. A sprouted English muffin (from Ezekiel) with almond butter and fruit on the side also does the trick. But over the past week, I've been trying to focus on foods that are going to build up my immune system and add energy and fiber to my life. So one dish I will prepare (maybe two to three times a week?) is a tofu scramble. Now a tofu scramble can take on many forms and I've seen a ton of different recipes for them online. One of my favorite ways to prepare this is to saute spinach, kale, and/or chard with onions, garlic and mushrooms. After those have been cooking for about ten minutes, I'll throw in the tofu and whatever seasoning I feel like (oregano, nutritional yeast, or salt and pepper) and saute for another five minutes. When it's all done, I might top it with fresh tomato or avocado and voila! In the dish pictured above, I put some Ezekial (sprouted) toast with almond butter as well as fresh berries on the side.

Now I have to admit, if you are not used to eating veggies in the morning, it can take some getting used to. You might not drool over a tofu scramble like you would a bacon, egg and cheese sandwich! But when I think about all the healthful, immune system-protecting nutrients in these foods, it makes me very happy to eat it! Plus, eating veggies in the morning is a great way to knock out some of those servings of vegetables that you need to eat throughout the day for optimal health and nutrition. Sounds pretty good to me!

PS--Cut up the veggies you are going to use the night before to save yourself time in the morning!

Try Something New!

I didn't want to post more than one entry a day but I have to tell you about the kickboxing class I just took over at Title Boxing Prairie Village. Holy amazing-workoutness! I took a free trial class today and it was the hardest workout I have done in such a long time. As I was beating the heck out of a punching bag (wearing very cool gloves and bad ass hand wraps, by the way), a realization came over me. I had been stuck in a workout rut this summer. I mean, things got boring and I was getting out of the shape I really wanted to be in. Sometimes all you have to do is change things up a little bit to find that moment when your heart is beating, great music is playing and the sweat is pouring off you, and you feel completely alive (even if you end up doubled over with exhaustion at the end!). I signed up for a membership at the club and I'm excited to see where this new endeavor leads!

Inflammation

In the past several years, a lot of information has been coming out about the role of inflammation in contributing to illness and disease. This article from cardiac surgeon, Dr. Dwight Lundell, talks about how inflammation may be a bigger contributor to heart disease than commonly-blamed cholesterol. Regardless of which is more of a factor in heart problems, eating a veggie rich, plant-based diet causes both inflammation and cholesterol to drop!

http://myscienceacademy.org/2012/08/19/world-renown-heart-surgeon-speaks-out-on-what-really-causes-heart-disease/

Now that I have been following a vegetarian diet for almost four years, I've learned to tune into the signs my body gives me regarding what makes it feel good and what doesn't. One thing I tend to notice is that when I eat a lot of cheese, bread, and white flour pasta (and not enough vegetables and fruit) in a given week, my joints tend to feel achy, my stomach gets bloated, and I have an overall sense of lethargy. That's how I felt coming into this week. Starting this past Monday, I've been really consistent with juicing, eating big salads and eliminating dairy. My energy levels are up, my workouts feel better and I've even dropped a couple of the pounds I put on throughout the summer. Proof that a plant based diet agrees better with my body!

T Loft

One of my new favorite spots to stop in for healthy, nourishing refreshment is Kansas City's own T Loft! The store opened in the spring and serves juices, smoothies, teas, and all kinds of gluten free treats. The tea blends they have are pretty yummy but mostly we go in for the juices. With fun names like "Mean and Clean," "Extreme C," and "Warrior Juice" you can't really go wrong. We haven't tried them all yet because I keep going back to my favorites every time I go in. The combinations of veggies, fruits, and herbs make these drinks delicious while at the same time giving you a boost of energy that rivals that of caffeine (minus the jitters). Even my son loves the juices! Here he is drinking his "Mean and Clean" after a long day at school...

Of course, one of his favorite things to get at T Loft is a protein ball. They have two types of these: one is a cacao chocolate protein ball and the other is the peanut butter protein ball. These little 100 calorie treats are so yummy that CJ thinks of them as a special treat in the same league as a sugary muffin or animal crackers even though I would be completely fine with him having them everyday.

It is so nice to have a place in town (literally down the road from our house!) that serves healthy treats. Some people think this juicing craze is a passing trend and maybe that is true. But I think there is nothing wrong with a trend that provides all kinds of healthy minerals and vitamins to your body. For me, I always feel better walking out of T Loft after drinking one of their juices than when I walk out of Starbucks after drinking a sugary, high calorie espresso drink (although there is nothing wrong with that on occasion!). It also makes me happy to be able to bring my child to a healthy spot where I would be okay with him having anything they serve. Yay for T Loft! We are glad you are here.

Slow and Steady

"A jug fills drop by drop." --Buddha

I saw this quote the other day and it just stuck me as an important reminder that we need to take our "big project" (whatever that may be) one step at a time. It doesn't all have to be finished right away. Whether you are searching for health, happiness, the right job, the right environment... put one foot in front of the other and keep moving in a forward direction. Little by little, you will make progress toward your goal. Have a great day!

Throw it Together

Have you ever had that evening when you have absolutely no plan for dinner? (Wait, that's most nights?) Maybe you have a bunch of random ingredients and want to put together something healthy and yummy. Or perhaps you just don't feel like following a recipe and just want something simple and satisfying. This happens to me at least several times a week and here's how I throw it together.

When you're following a vegetarian or even vegan diet, you should always have several things stocked in your pantry and fridge for just such a situation: beans/legumes, some type of whole grain, and a fresh and/or frozen veggie. Here are some examples of the staples I try to keep on hand..

Beans/Legumes:

• Black, pinto, navy, or kidney beans
• Lentils
• Split peas
• Edamame 

Whole Grain:

• Long grain brown or wild rice
• Whole wheat couscous
• Regular or Red Quinoa

Veggies:

• Really this can be any veggie you like, especially fresh and in season (right now tomatoes are my favorite!)
• Frozen: broccoli, spinach, kale, asparagus, corn... again really anything that is your favorite!
• Onions and garlic 

So whenever you are in a bind and need to put something healthy together, choose one ingredient from each category and cook it up! And you can also put together several ingredients from the veggie category to make your body happy. For example, in the picture above, I put together pinto beans, wild rice, spinach, garlic, onions and fresh tomatoes. We happened to top the dish with nutritional yeast (sounds nasty but it has a little cheesy flavor and B vitamins). Shredded cheese or avocado also make nice toppings for this dish. The formula is not gourmet but it's a simple and healthy dish that everyone in the family can enjoy!

Back in (Veggie) Business

Alright everyone, let's get this show on the road.

It's been well over a year since I last wrote something on this blog. While much has happened (and not happened) in the interim, I have decided that today is going to be the day to return to the energy, the vitality, the health that inspired this blog in the first place. Today is my son's first day in a new school and it's my first day back in veggie grad school!

When Brian and I undertook our initial Crazy Sexy Diet cleanse in 2011, we learned a whole lot of amazing information about how to take care of ourselves and how to feel amazing through nutrition. Our eating and exercising was stellar during that cleanse and the results were highly encouraging. It's easy to want to continue eating like a veggie rock star when you know how good it makes you feel. But real life also gets in the way. Over the past year and a half, we moved to a new house, Brian's responsibilities at work increased, we did a lot of traveling and we splurged a little more than we had before.

Now, these are all wonderful life changes and are nothing to complain about! We are truly thankful for everything we have in our life. And believe me, I am all about splurging and enjoying the yumminess that is, say, a slice of New York pizza. What I want to do with Healthy For Life this time around, is to refocus and regain that sense of vitality and health that we knew so well. I'm writing this to inspire myself, my family, and hopefully you to live your best and happiest life! I also want to contribute something positive to the blogosphere when there can be a lot of negativity lurking around.

So sit back, buckle your seat belts, pour yourself a green juice and enjoy the flight!