This is an easy to prepare and really delicious plant-protein (tofu) and leafy greens (chard) dish. As the tofu is already baked  and usually seasoned (you can buy these packages in most health food stores) and the greens are raw, it’s a no-cook option for when you’re pressed for time or don’t want to heat up your kitchen (the walnuts can be toasted, but don’t need to be).

Ingredients:

Salad-

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Where to begin? I feel I have worked with so many professionals in the field of health and wellness both body and soul and I can honestly say without reservation that Beth is by far the most superior for me. She clearly has a passion for what she does and lives the whole lifestyle. Beth does not preach but prompts you to reflect on your own needs related to physical and mental health. She does this in a way that is truly non-threatening, non-judgmental and completely individualized and personalized.

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This is a super easy way to satisfy a craving for sweet and cold without all the added sugar and fat of ice cream. All the ingredients can be kept on hand and ready to go anytime (so you don’t even need to run out for the fresh fruit, as you’re using frozen).  Any “creamy”  frozen fruit can be substituted for the banana (mango or peach would work well), and the cherries could be replaced with your favorite berry. If you use the highest quality, most natural maple syrup for your sorbet you’ll be assured the best taste and most nutrition (a good maple syrup is high in minerals). Regarding the frozen bananas, you can prepare these ahead and store them in your freezer (already peeled, in an airtight container).

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Natural Sweeteners 

The average American consumes well over 20 teaspoons of added sugar on a daily basis, which adds up to an average of 142 lbs. of sugar per person, per year! That’s more than two times what the USDA recommends, and is proof of sugar’s addictive nature. Here you’ll find information on natural sweeteners, all of which are gentler than the refined white stuff, easier on blood sugar levels, and available in most health food stores and some general markets. All of these products would be preferable to artificial sweeteners, in my opinion. 

Honey

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I first met Beth at my local library when she gave a talk on SUGAR.  I thoroughly enjoyed her talk and remembered her.  When I knew it was time to get serious about dealing with my terrible eating habits I checked out Beth’s website and was intrigued by what I saw and read.  I finally decided to get in touch with her and see what she was all about.  I was concerned about my weight which just kept going up no matter what I did or didn’t do (at least that is the way it seemed to me) and there is a history of diabetes in my family.  I wanted to prevent that from happening to me.  I felt tired all the time and it seemed like I never felt rested, no matter how much I slept each night.

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A whole grain, natural sweeteners, healthful herbs — wholesome enough to go from dessert one night to breakfast the next morning.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked brown rice
1 1/2 cups firm tofu
2/3 cup raisins
1 cup rice milk of your choice (if you don’t drink cow’s milk, goat’s milk has the most similar consistency)
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 tablespoon kuzu*, dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

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My favorite way to bake wheat and gluten-free is using nut flours. They impart a delicious flavor and make for a really moist bread or cake. Add a “frosting” made from cream cheese sweetened with agave syrup and flavored with natural vanilla, and call it a lightly-sweetened cake!

Ingredients:

1-1/3 cup Almond Flour
½ teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 Tbsp. cinnamon
¼ cup honey
1 jumbo egg
1 Tbsp. milk of your choice
1 banana (not too ripe)
¼ cup chopped walnuts

Instructions:

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside.

This is a tool I use at the beginning of the Health Counseling process, in order to help people focus on the areas of their lives which could most benefit from some loving attention and effort. Hope you find it helpful in your journey towards improved health.

Holistic Review of All Aspects of a Well-Balanced Life

Food, and how you choose to eat, is very much linked to your other habits, practices, and overall life circumstances. The degree to which you feel fulfilled in all areas will partially determine how well you are able to adopt and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Similarly, when you nourish yourself with good food, you will find you have a better ability to get your needs met in all other areas and create the life you most desire.

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Green vegetables are the foods most missing in our diets. Learning to cook and eat greens is essential to creating health. When you nourish yourself with dark, leafy greens you will automatically crowd out some of the foods that aren’t as healthy. Greens help build your internal rain forest and strengthen the blood and respiratory systems. Green is associated with spring, the time of renewal, refreshment and vital energy. In Asian medicine, green is related to the liver, emotional stability and creativity.

Nutritionally, greens are very high in calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, phosphorus, zinc, and vitamins A, C, E and K. They are full of fiber, folic acid, chlorophyll and many other micronutrients and phyto-chemicals.

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Of all the things I work with clients on, the process of learning to relax more, particularly focusing on improving breathing, can have the biggest impact with the least amount of relative effort.  And people that use the breathing exercise recommended below tend to really love it and feel the difference right away.

When we’re in a more relaxed state, the eating process serves us better because:

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• We don’t excrete as many vitamins & minerals through urinary loss
• LDL cholesterol is less likely to go up

A simple method for getting a little “exotic” flavor that’s subtle enough to be enjoyed by even the more traditional eaters in your household

Ingredients:

1 cup dry roasted quinoa*
2/3 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
½ cup red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon of sesame oil
Pinch of salt

Instructions:

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1. Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer. Bring water & coconut milk to a boil. Add quinoa, garlic, salt & chili flakes.
2. Bring back to boil & reduce heat. Cook for 12-15 minutes.
3. Remove from heat, stir in red pepper, sesame oil, and salt.

Ingredients:

½ cup quinoa, cooked
2 medium acorn squash, halved and seeded
½ cup walnuts, chopped
½ cup dried cherries
2 tablespoons barley malt (a gentler sweetener)
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Grapeseed oil (or another vegetable oil)

Instructions:

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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil the squash
2. Mix warm quinoa, barley malt, walnuts, cherries and cinnamon.
3. Stuff each squash half with the mixture.
4. Bake in a covered dish for 45 minutes or until squash is tender.

For the meat lovers in your life. A little proscuitto never hurt anyone (as my Italian grandmother used to say, emphasis on “little” is mine)

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
2 oz sliced prosciutto, finely chopped
3 dried Calmyrna figs, stems removed and coarsely chopped
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh mint leaves
2 tbsp pine nuts
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions:

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1. Rinse the quinoa under cold water in a fine strainer to remove any bitter residue. Combine the quinoa and water in a medium-size saucepan and bring to a boil.

Here’s another twist on the classic winter-time breakfast. Finding multiple ways to eat oats that you enjoy will do good things for your heart, blood-sugar, and weight-management efforts.

Ingredients:

3 green tea bags
1 cup whole oats
1/8 tsp. sea salt (optional)
1 cup diced organic apples
1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
2 Tbs. finely chopped crystallized ginger
4 tsp. organic agave nectar

Instructions:

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1. Bring 3 cups of water to a boil in medium saucepan. Add tea bags, turn off heat, and let steep 4 minutes. Squeeze bags into water to get maximum antioxidant benefit, before discarding.

Many people ask me about cleansing programs and whether they could be helpful for them. In the same way it makes sense to clear out old junk before starting a renovation, a cleanse can be a means of helping the body to release toxic weight as you embark upon a new healthier lifestyle and approach to food.  A cleanse can be a means of “jump-starting” the whole process. It is recommended that you work with a holistic health expert before starting any kind of cleanse.

Would you benefit from a cleanse?

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