Have your cupcakes and eat them too!

                                                            
  In my quest to eat and live a healthy and delicious life, desserts have always been part of my path. A fun part of the equation that although I know is not always the best choice, I have to indulge in regardless.  I figure that it's all in keeping the balance.  By walking to and from work, practicing yoga asanas six days a week, eating a diet full of fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as lots of whole grains and pastured meats, I am setting my body up for success.  Therefore, if I want to satisfy my genetically and culturally predisposed sweet tooth, I should!  And so should you...
  Often, when people are trying to lead a healthier lifestyle or dieting, they will try and lay off sugar completely.  I find that when I try to do this, it backfires on me because I end up craving it more.  It seems that if I just go ahead and mindfully indulge in one piece of cake, or two scoops of ice cream, the craving wears off and I am less likely to eat the whole cake in the middle of the night because I just can't take it anymore.

 
 One reason for this is that the sweets that I eat are full of nutrients, even though they are also full of Sugar.  They contain protein from the Eggs and or Milk, they contain fat from the Butter, and antioxidants from the fruits and or Chocolate among others.  So for example, one cupcake, has enough goodness in it to make me feel satisfied, and enough Sugar to make me realize that I should probably not eat two. 
  The key is to not just eat anything loaded with sugar. Choose your desserts wisely. Either home made or artisanal ones, made with love, and with Butter, not Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil! With real Eggs, real Chocolate, real Sugar and no Food Colorings. Choose sweets that will go bad in a few days, which means they have no artificial preservatives.  Also, if you make the desserts yourself, you will put in time, energy and creativity into them, which will not only make you appreciate them more, and eat them more mindfully, it will also serve as a project that you can use to take your mind off things, or to do with your kids.

 This past weekend, my indulgence was from my little friend E's birthday party. As her present, I made cupcakes for her and twenty one of her 5 and 6 year old friends.  The theme of the party was Magic, as a Magician was coming to entertain them for an hour -and give the adults in the house a little time to breathe-.
  She asked for the flavor to be Chocolate, and I decided the frosting would be Meringue.  Back home in the Dominican, Meringue is the frosting of choice for pretty much all cakes.  It is also my frosting of choice for pretty much anything.  I used a wonderful recipe from the Barefoot Contessa which you can look at by clicking on this link http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/chocolate-cupcakes-and-peanut-butter-icing-recipe/index.html.
 I found it to be almost perfect, but if you eat the cupcakes without the frosting they are just a little too bitter, so if you plan on enjoying them on their own maybe you should modify the sugar amount.  However when eaten together with the meringue, they were just divine.

As a way to include E in the preparation of her birthday cupcakes,  I had her help me make some awesome cupcake toppers with some spaghetti, construction paper and glitter.   I also used Jelly Beans on top for extra color and excitement. If you are trying to enjoy these as a healthy dessert, please, I beg you, skip the Jelly Beans!

  If you are committing to a healthier, more nutritious lifestyle, then you will be eating less sweets than you used to.  So, think of dessert as giving yourself a break, cutting yourself some slack, and taking the opportunity of transforming an ordinary activity into an extraordinary moment.  Plate your dessert, like if you were serving it to a queen.  If you really want to go crazy, maybe even set the table.  Take the time to make it look beautiful.  Then sit down, and admire it.  Say grace, thank yourself - or whomever - for preparing it.  Thank the universe, for the luxury and the opportunity of having this dessert.  Take the time to rejoice in this moment.  Then with all this in mind, go ahead and take a bite.  As you savour it,  repeat the previous steps, and indulge not only in the dessert, but in everything that it represents.

                                                                     Enjoy!

Super Quinoa!

                                                                   
I have been eating a lot of grain salads over the past few years.  I like that they are easy to prepare, they hold really well out of refrigeration,  they can be eaten cold, hot or at room temperature, and  they are filling, nutritious and of course, delicious.
But out of all the grains that I seek out, Quinoa always wins in my book.
Not only does it have a wonderful nutty flavor and a fantastic crunchy texture, but Quinoa is also a complete protein.  It contains all nine essential amino acids.  This makes it particularly interesting for vegetarians, or people who eat little meat or legumes.  This is some of the nutritional content of just one cup of cooked Quinoa:
  40 grams of carbohydrates (13 % daily value)
  8 grams of protein (16 % of daily value)
  3.5 grams of fat (5 % daily value with no saturated fat)
  5 grams of fiber (20 % of daily value)
  20 % of daily value of folate (various forms of Vitamin B)
  30 % of magnesium daily value (beneficial for people with migraine headaches);
  28 % daily value of phosphorous
  15 % daily value of iron (again, great for vegetarians)
  18 % daily value of copper   copper
   and almost 60% daily value of manganese.
       

                                                      
  So with all this said, how do you cook Quinoa? And what can you add to it, to keep it from getting boring?
I like to start by heating some Olive Oil in a pan, and stirring the Quinoa in.  I just toast it for a few minutes, mostly until it starts smelling nutty.  At that point I add the water (it can be room temperature or warm) at a ratio of 1 to 1.5 Quinoa to water, and a generous pinch of salt.  If you would like you can add any other spices to taste.  I like keeping it simple to display the Quinoa and the Vegetables.  It will usually bubble up right away, as the pan is very hot by then.  Leave the heat on high until it starts to boil and then turn down to a slow simmer.  Cook until most of the water is absorbed, then place a lid on the pot and cook for another minute or two.  At this point turn it off and taste the Quinoa.  If it is still a little undercooked, just leave the lid on and the steam will finish cooking it.  If it is ready, then remove the lid, and transfer to a wide receptacle (it can be a plate) so that the quinoa is in a thin layer, to cool.

                                                             
If you are only making one dish, go ahead an make it while the grains are still warm.  This will help the Quinoa absorb the flavors of your dressing.
If you are making more than one dish, just let it cool, place it in a lidded container, and label and date it.

                                                     
             At this point, the possibilities are endless.  Right now, I love mixing in some very finely chopped raw Kale.  To this you can add a dressing of Miso, Tahini and Lemon juice, some fresh Grapefruit or Orange Segments, toasted Walnuts and voila!  If you prefer cooked Kale, you can just slighlty sautee it in some Olive Oil until it's bright green and a little toasted.  When cooked this way, Kale keeps its crunch, while becoming a little less fibrous.
                                                                  

                                            
Another favorite of mine is roasted or steamed Beets, Feta cheese and Pomegranate seeds, seasoned with Olive Oil, a little Lemon juice and Balsamic Vinegar, and finished with fresh Cilantro leaves.
However, the addition of fruits, cheese and herbs if done in advance,  can make the salad a little soggy and not so fresh tasting, so it is best to add these right before you eat it. 

                                                               
Root vegetables are really nice and sweet right now, so another good option is a medley of a few of these.  For example: Roasted Carrots, Rutabagas and Sweet Potatoes.  I prefer what they call Japanese Yams, which is the varietal that grows back home in the Dominican Republic, which we call Batata.  I really enjoy roasting it in some leftover Bacon Fat.  Not only does this give it a little extra flavor but when eaten with fats, some of the nutrients in vegetables are more easily absorbed by our bodies (ie: beta carotene, vitamins A, D, E and K, etc...).
 -For more information on this topic check out the book "Real Foods" by Nina Plank.It is awesome!-
 You can also add some roasted Winter Squash of your choice, or substitute it for the carrots. I really enjoy Kabocha Squash (for you Dominicans, Auyuma will be delicious as well). Season it with Olive Oil and Lemon Juice, salt and pepper, and finish with either Blood Orange Segments or Satsuma Mandarins.  This one also benefits from a little Feta, Fresh Ricotta or Goat Cheese, which mixes in to the salad when you toss it creating a creamy consistency.

                                                  
If you opted to cook the quinoa and the vegetables and mix the salads later, you can keep everyone separate, or mix a few of the vegetables together.  I prefer keeping the Beets on their own, in some Olive Oil, Lemon Juice or Vingegar and a little Salt.  The roasted vegetables I usually mix together.  Try them all out in different combinations, and you will soon find out wich ones speak the most to you.
Don't forget to label and date everything, this way you can easily keep track of what should be consumed first, and if something is still safe to eat or not.  The Quinoa and the vegetables, if kept separate or mixed without any herbs, fruits or cheeses, will keep in the refrigerator for about a week.

                                                          
I enjoy fresh Cilantro on all of these, but if you don't like it, or if you prefer more variety, try them with Parsley, Dill, or Mint.  You can always mix and match.  Once again, the different combinations will start speaking for themselves and letting you know which work best.

                                 Can you believe this Fig is the same size as this Avocado???
                                                           
   Last but not least, for those of you who like Avocado, these salads are all richer with a few slices of this fabulous Fruit.  This not only will add some healthy fat and more nutrients, it will also give your dish a wonderful creamy texture.
  Quinoa is a great vehicle for enjoying all the delicious produce that is in season and available right now (whenever right now might be). With these combinations you can prepare some tasty and healthy dishes for yourself and your family. If you make everything ahead, you can mix these in just a few minutes. 
I hope this inspires you to give my friend Super Quinoa a try!

Stay present and embrace Winter fruits!

In our day and age, sometimes it is very difficult to stay present.  So many people live through the Winter just waiting for the Spring. Yet our lives, our health, our relationships and our hearts could really benefit from us taking it all in one step at a time.  Being here, being now.
I propose that we make a pledge to try and bring ourselves back to the present moment at least once a day, everyday. As Paul Simon says "little by little, bit by bit, little bit by little bit". In any way that we wish, at any moment of our day.
Today, I will  start this commitment by embracing the Winter and the fruits that it has to offer.  Over here in Northern California most of those fruits are Citrus.
Today, I bring myself back to this moment, by enjoying the flavors of Blood Oranges, Oro Blanco Grapefruits, and Meyer Lemons.

 

I sliced some of the Blood Oranges into my quick Castelfranco and Treviso Salad that I made myself to calm by hunger (my husband calls it my monster) so that I could actually have a drink to my Grandma (Mo), to Maura and to my friend Robin who all share today as their birthday.

Once I ate my salad, and my stomach was tricked into believing that I wasn't so hungry that I had to eat my cat after all,  I decided to put these gorgeous fruits into a cocktail in honor of the birthday Ladies.

I started with about an ounce and a half of  Corzo Tequila, (it's a long story, but there was actually a shot in the refrigerator, waiting for me since Sunday night!).

                                                                             
Then I added the juice of a one Blood Orange and half of a Meyer Lemon, about a quarter of an ounce of Cointreau, and Agave Nectar to taste.  The cook in me always has to add ingredients to taste.  Otherwise how do we know if it'll be good? I have to taste it at every step of the way.  That way we develop our palate to recognize what is missing, and which ingredients will add which flavors.
Then I poured it into a rock's glass, full of gorgeous little ice cubes (almost perfectly square ones at that!) , with a salted rim.  The salt for three reasons: because I love it, because this cocktail has some of the components of a classic Margarita and it it would benefit from the saltiness, and because the white rim is reminiscent of the snow, and therefore, of the Winter, that I am embracing, with this drink.
                       Here's to you Ladies! Feliz Cumpleanos! Joyeuse Anniversaire! Happy Birthday!

P.S:

Some of you will know that I am not exaggerating when I say, that I am almost always hungry.

Some of you will assume that I am exaggerating, as I am Dominican after all.

I am just telling you what happened, I promise it's not a lie.

After I was done making the cocktail, I had to make myself another snack because once again, my stomach was telling me that my cat might be delicious.

So here is an impromptu, very simple salad, of steamed Chioggia Beets and Oro Blanco Grapefruit segments in Olive Oil.

Enjoy!

                                                            

A meal to be thankful for

  I have never been one to overindulge and then deprive myself as  punishment.  I do indulge, but when I do, I do it mindfully.  I try to be present, and to fully experience every element of whatever it is I am treating myself to.
This is exactly what I did on Thanksgiving. I spent it with a small group of very close friends and my husband J.  It was wonderful! 
  We started early, around 1, with a gorgeous terrine of pork belly, calf's liver and ground pork that J had prepared as a surprise for the group. We enjoyed it with mustard and Cornichons. It was the first terrine he had ever made, and we all think it will be far from his last.
We also had some foie gras mousse that our friend Kevin had brought in from a trip to Bouchon in Napa Valley.
From there we moved on to sweet, juicy stone crabs that our friend Sarah had gotten in from Florida.  Seating around the table, cracking the claws and sending the juices all over was so much more fun than any of us had anticipated.
We then took a break and had some wine and cocktails while catching up.
Then we sat down again for the biggest part of our meal.
   I prepared a beautiful local heritage turkey, braised in Beaujolais Nouveau, with pearl onions and prunes (recipe courtesy of David Lebovitz), as well as French Grandma's artichoke gratin, which I added wild mushrooms and leeks to.
Chris took care of the rest of the side dishes with some delicious stuffing, a cauliflower pie, a rainbow of seasonal vegetables roasted in duck fat, and some gravy.
We took our time, cheered several times, and indulged in this wonderful feast.
After that we took another break, in which some took naps, others chatted joyfully, and yet others went out for a walk and some fresh air. 
When everyone was ready we sat down at the table once again, for a crisp salad of chicories, persimmon and pomegranates with an avocado and watermelon radish vinaigrette.
We finished our savory courses with a medley of perfectly tempered cheeses and  bread.
And onto dessert with Sweet Potato Pie, Pecan Pie, and Chocolate Caramel Tart.
  Now you might be wondering why I am telling you about this meal on a blog that is supposed to be devoted to healthy foods. I know that this meal does not sound very healthy, although it was definitely tasty. However, every dish was prepared from fresh, local ingredients (minus the crabs), with respect,  love and intention, and  the meal as a whole was enjoyed in that same fashion.
 With every bite I took I was grateful for the opportunity of eating these wonderful foods, for the lovely people who had prepared them, and who had now come together to enjoy them.  I was grateful for being blessed with food not only as nourishment, but also as pleasure.  I was grateful for knowing what I know about food, and for understanding that sometimes, healthy for the soul is as important as healthy for the body.
 And today, two days later, I will enjoy some of the leftovers from that meal for dinner, and I will not think that I should be eating vegetables with a little less fat than these drenched in duck grease.  Instead, I will cherish the last tangible remnants of that day, which was filled with so much laughter, joy and  love, that I have no doubt we were all nourished immensely from that food.

What foods are best?

My two girlfriends and I were having a lovely fall gathering this afternoon at one of their homes. We started talking about what she feeds her three year old daughter and began a very interesting discussion on what foods are best for us.
Like many people in our day and age, she asks herself if she should buy organic or local, free range or humanely raised, eggs with omega 3's or pastured ones from the farmers market, and countless other questions about which foods she should provide to her child, in order to offer her the best possible nutrition she can.
As we pondered on the answers she realized, that even though she felt like she knew a decent amount about food, she was not as informed as she thought.
Supermarkets and food corporations are not making these choices easy for us with their marketing targeted to confuse us and grab our attention with slogans like "organic" or "free range". The answers to these questions are not always black or white.  The grey area is vast, and like in many other instances, knowledge is power.  But most people do not have this knowledge, and because of it they are mosre often than not making the wrong choices for themselves and their families.  Even sadder is the fact that many times, like my friend, they are making these choices under the false impression that they are indeed the best choices.
A prime example of this is a family that I am very close to.  They are wealthy, educated, cultured Americans.  They live here in the Bay Area, travel extensively, and eat out often, only at the best restaurants.  They have a five year old daughter, whom like most kids her age is in the "picky eater" stage.  I spend Thursday afternoons with her, and cook her dinner.  A few weeks ago, I got very frustrated when I was trying to figure out what to prepare for our meal.
The fridge was rather full, with things that are staples for them: English muffins, whole wheat bread, coffee creamer, sugar free ice tea, newman's lemonade, non denominated supermarket ground beef (aka feedlot beef), supermarket brand sliced cheeses, hot dogs, Pillsbury biscuits, salsa, old broccoli and old "baby" carrots. Usually I can also find strawberries, apples, blueberries and raspberries, regardless of the season and  I sometimes also find leftover vegetable salads from "whole food's" salad bar, as the mom has been trying to eat " healthy".
As I stared at the refrigerator, I thought of my friend Courtney.  She roasts or sautees seasonal local vegetables, from the farmers market or her own garden, for her baby girl.  She then purees them, freezes them in ice cube trays, and when it's meal time, pops a cube out onto a bowl of cooked quinoa, barley, or another whole grain, sticks it in the microwave, and voila!
Preparing those meals doesn't take more time than preparing a chicken quesadilla, or a risotto, or a hamburger with some carrots and butter, which is what my little friend eats for dinner most nights of her life, yet it provides so many more nutrients for her body to absorb and assimilate.
And to be quite honest, it also tastes a whole lot better!
A lot of it is lack of time, or as my friend said today, lack of cooking knowledge, or creative ideas. A lot of it is misinformation, and marketing.  But regardless of the reason, it pains me to see people that I love spending their money and time in buying and preparing things that are barely providing nutrients, and are instead laden with ingredients that are more of a detriment to their health than anything else.
As my two cents, I vow to to share my knowledge, accompanied with recipes and tips.  I am not in any way an authority on the subject, but I love food, I am constantly reading about which ones are best for us and why, and many would agree that I am a wonderful cook. So keep on reading, let me know what your questions are, and let's try to feed ourselves and our loved ones better, one delicious meal at a time.

Lentil and Brown Rice Salad

This salad is super easy to prepare, very inexpensive and delicious.

Ingredients:
1     cup        Brown rice or a mix of brown and wild
1     cup        French green lentils
1     ea          Pomegranate, seeded
1     clove     Garlic
2     ea          Carrots
1     stalk      Celery
1     ea          Shallot (or a 1/2 of a red onion )
                    A few sprigs of thyme and/or rosemary
                    Olive Oil, Vinegar, salt and pepper to taste
                    Crumbled feta cheese (optional)


Method:
Place the lentils, 1/4 of the onion, the herbs, garlic and the peeled carrots in a pot, and cover with water.  Add a generous pinch of salt  and bring to a boil,  then turn down and cook at a low simmer until the lentils are tender but still have a little bite to them.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the bag instructions, or, if you'd prefer, you can bring water to a boil, stir in the brown rice, add some salt, and cook at a low simmer until the rice is done.  Strain and reserve.
Once the lentils are done, slice the carrots, and discard the garlic clove and the onion and herbs.
Dice the rest of the onion, and slice the celery.  While the lentils are still warm, season with olive oil and vinegar to taste.  Don't be afraid to be generous with both of these.  Add the rice, celery, carrots and the rest of the onion, diced.  Finish with the pomegranate seeds.  Mix well, taste, and re season with salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil to taste.  If using the feta cheese, mix in now.
If you'd like a little extra flavor you can add some chopped cilantro or parsley.  Once cool, label, date and refrigerate.  This salad will hold in the fridge for 5 to 7 days.
Let come to room temperature or heat before serving.  You can always add a little lemon or lime juice right before consuming.

I just don't have the time!

Whenever I am talking to a friend about eating healthy, or preparing foods at home, or anything on the subject, it seems as if the common response is always: I just don't have the time!
I used to think that too.  Restaurant jobs (or at least kitchen ones) are unfortunately not very "life" friendly.  Meaning, they don't usually leave that much time for your actual life.  So I used to not cook at home that often, and sometimes weeks would go by without me cooking anything at all other than at work.
That all changed when I broke my leg, and couldn't go to work for a few months.  In order to not loose my mind, and to cope with the limitations from my injury, I would cook and I would bake.
As a result, there were always leftovers in the fridge. There was always food ready to go.
I definitely got used to it, and so did my body. I had more energy when I ate my home cooked meals than when I ate at work or bought random sandwiches or salads.  I felt better.
  Shortly after my injury, I completed a yoga teacher training program, and in an effort to take better care of my body and myself, I stuck to my new found habits of always having home cooked meals in the fridge for a quick reheating.  It has been four years since then.  We have moved four times, to four different cities, I have had at least six different jobs, and three periods of unemployment, but I have kept on with the lifestyle of  mostly consuming meals that I have prepared for myself.
  It hasn't always been easy.  It has been a long process of working out the kinks and figuring out what the best way was  for me to be able to prepare my meals every week, while maximizing my free time.
These days however, it is just a part of my life.  Like practicing yoga, or having my coffee every morning.
If you have at least one day off a week, you can do this too.
Here are the steps that I have set up for myself  to make it work:

1)  Set aside one of your days off to cook all your meals for the week.

2) Ideally, go shopping the day before, either on your other day off, or before or after work one day, so that on the day of cooking, you don't have to worry about having to go to the store first.  Everything is already there.

3) Prepare two large dishes, that will last most of the week, for your dinners. Preferably one pot meals that have several different "food groups" like a casserole or a stew.

4) Prepare 2 or 3 different salads for your lunches, based on whole grains or beans, that can be eaten either cold or hot, depending on where any given work day might take you.

5) If you are not a morning person, make a large fruit salad, that you can just add a little yogurt and nuts to in the morning for breakfast.  Try to get seasonal fruits, so that you switch it up every months, that way you will have less chances of getting bored with it.

If you follow these steps, you might spend a few hours of your day off cooking, but you will be rewarded with ready to go, amazingly delicious food, for every meal of your week.
Try it out and see how you feel.  You might even come up with more ways to simplify the process,
and you will definitely gain energy from more nutritious foods and a more balanced diet.
Good luck, and let me know how it works out for you!