Bad Rap

Brussels sprouts get a bad rap. So much so that I spent the past 38 years assuming I did not like this little vegetable because of the negative press it often gets. Well it turns out that Brussels sprouts are actually pretty tasty and they top the charts for soluble fiber, with 2 grams per ½-cup serving. Paired with omega-3 rich walnuts and antioxidant rich dried cranberries, this is one heart-healthy dish.

Brussels Sprouts with Walnuts and Dried Cranberries



Ingredients:
½ cup coarsely chopped walnuts
2 tsp. olive oil
1 ½ lb. Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
2 medium shallots, halved and sliced (1/4 cup)
1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp.)
¼ cup coarsely chopped dried cranberries
1 Tbs. agave nectar
1 cup water
1 Tbs. walnut oil

Directions:
Heat large skillet over medium-high heat. Add walnuts and toast 3 to 4 minutes, until fragrant. Remove from skillet and set aside.

Wipe out skillet and return to heat. Add olive oil and swirl to coat pan. Add Brussels sprouts and cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add shallots and garlic and cook 1 minute.

Stir in cranberries, agave and 1 cup water. Partially cover pot, reduce heat to medium and simmer 5-7 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated and B. sprouts are just tender.

Transfer to serving bowl and stir in walnut oil and toasted walnuts. Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

Note: I did not have walnut oil so I just omitted it from the recipe and it was still delicious.


If you've never tried Brussels sprouts, give this recipe a try. You might be surprised. We were fully prepared to choke it down and take one for the FAL team, but both Eric and I went back for seconds. That's right ... a second serving of Brussels sprouts?!?

In addition to the delicious side-dish, we learned a very important lesson: never judge a vegetable by its reputation alone.

Eat Your Way Happy

Add these 3 foods to your diet and you may just boost your mood as well as your health:

1. Chickpeas
Chickpeas contain folate (folic acid), which helps make dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure. Other folate-friendly foods include lentils, black-eyed peas and soybeans.

Try making a batch of "Harper's Hummus" and dipping bell peppers (see #3 for how this will provide an extra shot of joy) into it for a snack.



Ingredients:
4 cups (about 2½ cans) garbanzo beans (chick peas) rinsed and drained
½ cup tahini paste
1 jalapeno, diced
1/3 cup warm water
1/3 cup olive oil
Juice of 2-3 lemons
4-6 garlic cloves
1½ teaspoon sea salt
2 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine chick peas, tahini paste, water, olive oil and juice of 1 lemon in food processor.

Process until smooth and creamy. Add garlic, salt, cumin and pepper to taste.

Blend. Adjust seasonings if desired.

Add juice of another lemon to taste. Blend.

Refrigerate. Enjoy.

Lick the spoon.




2. Avocados
Stress depletes vitamin B6, which helps produce serotonin. Help soothe those stressed-out nerves by adding sliced avacado to salads, sandwiches and wraps. Other B6-rich include fortified whole grain cereals, salmon, and chicken breast.


3. Strawberries
Vitamin C-rich strawberries boost your immune system and fight brain cell damage resulting from constant exposure to cortisol (a stress hormone). Foods like guava, bell peppers and oranges are also high in vitamin C.

Happy eating everyone!

Meet Mitra

As I mentioned yesterday, I started drinking the green smoothie in Dr. Mitra Ray's book as much for vanity and beauty as I did to feel better. I know my motives weren't pure and I'm okay with that. I mean, OF COURSE I wanted to get healthy and have more energy and feel better but if the side effect was looking better too, well, so be it.

In, 'Do You Have the Guts to be Beautiful' Dr. Ray gives us the keys to being beautiful, both inside and out, without pills, chemicals or complicated recipes. It was one of the first books I read that talked about the importance of eating a whole-foods plant-based diet for optimal health, as well as beauty.

Anyway, I was poking around on her web site yesterday and came across her top ten list of things to do to get healthy. On her site she goes into detail for each item but I thought I would just list them for you here. It's nothing ground-breaking and you've heard most of it before, but when you have a few extra minutes you should visit her site and spend some time reminding yourself why these practices are so crucial to good health and optimal wellness.

Ten Things to do to Get Healthy

1. Take 10 deep breaths whenever you feel stressed.

2. Drink water, and plenty of it.

3. Eat plant-based, whole-foods at every meal, and make it the biggest part of the meal.

4. Get at least 8 hours of sleep each day.

5. Eat a whole-food based supplement.

6. Eat processed foods sparingly, less than once a week if possible.

7. Make breakfast and lunch your biggest meals.

8. Get outside and move a little bit each day.

9. Start each day with a Green Drink.

10. Think good, healthy thoughts.


I think I need to pay special attention to #1 this week while I am off coffee and wine. I feel especially vulnerable to the crying and the whining and the screaming ... I think Eric put them up to it in an attempt to break me so he can win the bet. But I'm on to his little ruse and am hanging tough despite the added pressure. Ear plugs are helpful.

Be well everyone and have happy hump day!

Green Machine

Ladies and gentlemen ... I give you the all-mighty green drink!



This delicious little concoction is packed with amazing nutrients that will help you look and feel better, and it will literally flood your body with goodness first thing in the morning. On the mornings that I choose to start my day with this tasty treat I find I have more energy, need less coffee, stay full until lunch and tend to make better eating decisions the rest of the day.

But if you must know the truth, health benefits aside, I started drinking this because my friend Melanie suggested that it would help reduce facial fine lines and wrinkles. It’s cheaper than Botox and doesn’t involve needles so I figured it was worth a try. And, while I’m hardly aging backwards, I have noticed a huge improvement in the texture of my skin and my overall appearance.

The star of this smoothie is kale which is one of the most nutritionally dense foods available. It is a nutritional POWERHOUSE that is rich in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the typical American diet. The "icing on the kale" is the naturally occurring all important phytochemicals which research suggests may protect against cancer.

I’ve been told that you can wilt kale in soups or sauté it like you would spinach but I just can’t find a yummy way to cook it that I enjoy, so I blend it. Also, since I’m not cooking it, I’m not losing any of the key nutrients through the heating process and I’m getting ALL of the fiber from the leaf and stalk since I’m not juicing it.

Green Smoothie

Ingredients:
32 or more oz. of cold, filtered water
2-3 stalks of kale (other leafy greens can work as well)
2 frozen bananas
Frozen strawberries (or any “fleshy” fruit), or frozen red grapes for sweetness
¼ cup ground flaxseed

1 scoop Juice Plus+ Complete vanilla protein powder, optional, for added nutrition and sweetness**

1 tsp milk thistle, optional (milk thistle is a seed that has been shown to be an excellent liver detoxifier; check with your doctor if you have concerns or are on any medication).

Directions:
Blend above ingredients in a blender. Add more or less water for desired consistency and more or less fruit for desired sweetness. It helps to liquefy the kale in the water before adding other ingredients for a smoother consistency.

**The protein in JP+ Complete comes from 5 different plant-based sources including soy and chickpeas so it is easier to digest and more nutritious than a highly concentrated whey protein powder. It’s also ridiculously delicious.


The smoothie does have a grainy texture due to the whole kale leaves and flaxseed so it takes a little getting used to. However, it is much more nutritious than juicing because you get all of the fiber from the kale and fruit, as well as the vitamins and minerals, which will keep you full. Play around with the combination and proportions to find a consistency you like.

Also, if you already have a favorite smoothie recipe you can experiment by just tossing in a few greens to bump up the nutrition. Other than the beautiful green hue, you probably won't notice. Your kids probably won't notice either. Our little taster Harper actually requests the green smoothie these days over his old favorite chocolate. If a 4-year old can try it, like it and come back for more I'm betting that you can too!

Bottoms up!

Five for Five!

Ever since the twins were born my formerly fabulous relationship with working out has been less than stellar to say the least, hence the need for the FAL Fitness Challenge. I could give you all the reasons why I don’t get to the gym on a regular basis – and I think they are really good reasons too – but the bottom line is that I haven’t made it a priority and any “reason” I have for not doing it is just an excuse, a little lie I tell myself.

However, I am chock full of really good intentions. A few months ago when I decided I would resume working out on a regular basis we decided that the mornings would work best for me. The only problem is that I would rather be SLEEPING at double-O’dark-early, not sweating. I prefer to ease into my day … you know, savor a mug of hot coffee, maybe have a bite to eat and check my email before I actually do anything. So the idea of bolting out of my cozy, warm bed to venture out into the cold, dark winter morning seemed, well, barbaric.

Nonetheless, I was determined. As we lay in bed that Sunday night several months ago Eric asked if I was planning to go to the gym in the morning. I responded with a robust fist pump and shouted “five-for-five baby!” to seal my intention for going to the gym every morning that week. Eric rolled his eyes, which is his usual response for most of my comments, and we called it a night.

Morning arrived too soon, as it usually does, and Eric nudged me lovingly and told me it was time for me to hit the gym. I replied with an equally loving verbal assault and threw the covers over my head and went back to sleep. That scenario has replayed itself so many times in our house over the past few months that it is now a running joke. (And, if you must know, I think my record is a whopping two-for-five. Baby steps people.)

But I am going for a new record this week with an all new challenge. I mentioned yesterday that I was planning on having a green smoothie (recipe to follow later this week) every morning this week in an attempt to sort of clean out my system a bit and energize my body. Eric said, “oh yeah, five-for-five?” in his usual mocking tone. The next thing I knew I was accepting the five-for-five-for-four challenge which, given my track record, is a bit over zealous.

Starting today, for five days, I will be enjoying the ultimate nutritious breakfast each morning, a green smoothie, and working out every single day. But here’s the kicker: I will be doing so WITHOUT a single alcoholic beverage or cup of coffee. Those of you who know me are probably shaking your heads in disbelief right now. You’re thinking, it can’t be done. You might be right.

Originally, it was supposed to be a five-for-five-for-five challenge that included me not cursing or yelling at the husband or the children all week. However, that seemed like cruel and unusual punishment. I mean, without coffee I will be cranky and without wine I will be on edge so it’s unreasonable to think I won’t be yelling at someone, right? And by someone I mostly mean Eric.

It will still be quite a test for this little Monkee, but I do have an incentive: if I am successful and as I write this I am full of my usual Sunday night confidence, Eric will take me out to dinner this weekend. This is no small bet on his part. Going out to eat involves the two things he dislikes most: getting dressed and spending money.

So, friends, keep your fingers and toes crossed for me and keep me in your thoughts and prayers. I’m going to need all the help I can get.

Five-for-five baby!

Squash This!

Until recently I did not purchase, or probably even knowingly eat, squash. I mean, they are these big, scary looking vegetables and I was generally clueless as to what to do with them. But, in my quest to eat more vegetables and be the healthiest version of me possible, I have had to overcome many fears, including my fear of squash. It turns out they really aren’t so scary after all. And, like most vegetables, they are packed with nutrients.

The winter squash group includes pumpkin, acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash. Like other richly colored vegetables, they provide excellent sources of carotenes. They also offer a very good source of vitamins B1 and C, folic acid, fiber and potassium. Winter squash are also a good source of vitamin B6 and niacin.

Winter squash are all in season now and at my local grocery store they are practically giving them away. Yesterday I saw they were selling acorn, butternut and spaghetti squash for a dollar a piece. Ten for $10 to be precise and you can even mix-and-match your squash. That’s a lot of squash for not a lot of dollar.

If you are feeling adventurous this weekend, I offer you two SUPER simple, SUPER tasty recipes to try. I like to serve the spaghetti squash as a main dish with a slice of whole wheat bread and a green salad to round out the meal. You could also incorporate it into your meal as more of a side dish.

You should know that Eric really enjoys the spaghetti squash and recently confessed, albeit begrudgingly, that he sleeps much better after the “veggie spaghetti” then he does after a bowl of regular pasta. That’s what happens when your system isn’t bogged down with the arduous task of digestion … it can actually rest. Things that make you go hmm.

The acorn squash recipe makes a tasty side dish although, on nights when Eric is not home for dinner and I’m feeling lazy, I sometimes bake one to share with the babies, add a small salad for me, and call it dinner. Also, this acorn squash dish also happens to be the first recipe Glennon SUCCESSFULLY attempted to cook and serve to her family, thereby making it foolproof.



Acorn squash

Ingredients:
Acorn Squash

Preheat oven to 400

Directions:
Cut squash in half and spoon out seeds.

Fill oven-safe dish with ¼ inch of water and place squash flesh-side down in pan (the hard skin will be facing up).

Bake for 40 minutes or until tender (fork or knife should slide in/out easily)

Remove from oven and spread with 1 tsp butter (I use Earth Balance, a non-dairy butter substitute) and 1 tsp orange marmalade.

Return to oven and broil for 5 minutes or until slightly browned and bubbly. (Make sure you keep an eye on it b/c things can burn fast under the broiler).

Enjoy!

Note: for a variation try drizzling the squash with olive oil and sprinkling with nutmeg, or your favorite spices, wrapping in foil and baking until tender.

------------------------------

Spaghetti Squash
From the healthy kitchen of Erica Arnold



Ingredients:
Spaghetti squash

Preheat oven to 400

Directions:
Cut spaghetti squash in half and spoon out seeds.

Fill glass cooking pan 1/4 inch with water.

Sprinkle kosher/sea salt over squash for flavor.

Place pasta sauce (jar or homemade – if using jar look for all-natural ingredients and/or organic sauce) in the hollow of the spaghetti squash.

Place spaghetti squash in pan and bake for 30-45 min, or until squash is tender.

Remove from oven and let cool enough to handle; then take a fork and scrape squash away from skin (squash will come out in strands that look like spaghetti). Garnish with freshly grated parmesan, if desired.



I mean, seriously, doesn't that look good? It is strangely satisfying, I think, because you can have a heaping bowl full of "pasta" without the guilt or tummy ache. Try it and let me know what you think!

Let Them Eat Flax

OK, so I couldn't stay away ... for now, we are going to dedicate Tuesdays and Thursdays to reader questions so please email me any fitness, nutrition, exercise, and/or recipe questions. We will address them here so everyone can benefit from the information. I am also considering doing a FAL "reader of the month" segment where we can highlight a different reader each month and learn about their journey, struggles and achievements. Kind of like how Shape Magazine follows the weight-loss journey of one of their readers but better because the blog is FREE and environmentally friendly. Please email me if you are interested in participating in this. It could be a source of great motivation to have the support of all our readers.

Also, if you are happy that I will be posting 5 days a week you can thank "LifeWithLove" who lovingly guilted me into reconsidering my position on this. Conversely, if you were hoping to get a break from me a few times a week you can blame "LifeWithLove." Either way, it looks like I'm here to stay.




On to the business of the day. I’ve had a few people ask me questions about flaxseed. What is it? What do I do with it? Does it matter if I buy whole seeds or already ground seeds? What does it taste like? How do I get my kids to eat it. And so on. So, here you go … the 411 on flaxseed.

Flaxseed is high in Omega-3 fatty acids which is an Essential Fatty Acid. They are “essential” because your body cannot make them so they must be obtained from the foods you eat. Flaxseed is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, as are walnuts, wheat germ, beans and fatty fish like tuna and salmon. However, you would have to eat over 3lbs of salmon to get the equivalent amount of Omega-3’s contained in ¼ cup of flaxseed. Flaxseed is very high in fiber as well and we all know by now that fiber is our friend.

Flaxseed is also rich in lignans which are molecules with anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. Flax contains 100 times the amount of lignans as the next best source, wheat bran. And, only 2% of the flax lignans end up in flax oil, while 98% remains in the seed meal, make consumption of flaxseed far more nutritious and beneficial than that of flax oil. I’m telling you, this little seed packs quite a punch.

The yellow bowl on the left shows what the whole seed looks like prior to grinding; the pink bowl on the right contains freshly ground flaxseed, ready to sprinkle on anything.



I know you can purchase already ground flaxseed at the store, conventional and health food stores alike, as well as the whole seed. I buy the whole seed in bulk because I think it is less expensive and fresher when I grind it myself, but both have the same nutritional benefit. Regardless of which you prefer you should store ground flaxseed in the refrigerator as it can go rancid easily.

Also, if you do buy the whole seed you MUST grind it prior to consumption or it will pass through your system … err … intact, if you know what I mean. So, to get the nutritional benefits of eating flaxseed you must make sure you are consuming ground flaxseed.

Ground flaxseed offers a nutritional boost to soups, chili, salads, oatmeal, smoothies and pancake batter. It has a mild, nutty flavor and is a great way to sneak extra nutrition (fiber, omega-3s) into things your kids eat as well. I include it in pancake and muffin batter and sprinkle it on oatmeal for my babies. It definitely keeps them regular!

Flaxseed is a pretty simple, relatively inexpensive way to bump up the nutritional power of almost anything you make or eat. Try to include 2-4 TBS a day into your diet and feel the difference.

Special note: Jeannie uses a mixture of flaxseed and water to replace the eggs in some of her recipes, like her delicious 4-grain pancakes. I’m sure she would be happy to tell us more about that … right, Jeannie???