Natural Non-Dairy Yogurt

Everyone knows I’m not a dairy fan. The occasional organic dairy indulgence with friends and wine is fabulous for the soul. But when it comes out in 50 years (or however long it takes the Dairy industry to loosen it’s grip on the FDA) and it’s common sense that dairy contributes to asthma, osteoporosis and breast cancer, I will know I wasn’t silent!

Yogurt can be beneficial for some, mainly because of the probiotics. Well this recipe gives you those (in the fermented pineapple) without the dairy. My wicked smart Mom came up with yet another winner here. How can one woman be so brilliant?

Coconut Yogurt

To make the pineapple vinegar to add to coconut milk:
1 cup of fresh pineapple pieces – cut up pineapple chunks into small pieces
3 – 4 Tbs. of juice from the pineapple

Place pineapple in a glass jar or dish (no plastic). Cover with a paper towel/rubber band or cheese cloth/rubber band. Put container in a warm place or on the kitchen counter. Stir once a day. Allow to ferment for several days. It will take less time during the warmer, summer days. When your recipe begins to smell like vinegar, it is ready to be crushed and strained.

Save the juice in the refrigerator. This is your pineapple vinegar to be used in the “yogurt” recipe

Coconut Milk Yogurt

2 Tbs. of pineapple vinegar
1 – 14 oz can coconut milk
Optional : Add a little sweetener such as stevia, honey, or maple syrup to taste

Mix ingredients in a one-pint mason jar and close tightly. Place on counter for 24 hours or until milk has thickened to yogurt consistency. Enjoy!!!

Falling Off the Wagon

So winter has had it’s way with me. Last week, I fell of the healthy living band wagon. It was no exercise, coffee and too much chocolate. And for some, this is their everyday lives but when I checked-in with myself, I knew I wasn’t taking good care of myself.

And for someone who prides themselves on walking their talk and preaches self-care as a number one priority, I felt doubly guilty (and I think this blog entry is serving as my confession!). But more than anything, I felt like CRAP.

This all happened because I’ve been working non-stop since a couple of days before the New Year. It’s all great stuff that is transpiring and given the economy, I am fortunate to have so many opportunities come my way. It’s difficult too, when you love what you do, to ever truly separate yourself from your “work”. Everything in my life, I see through the eyes of a health counselor.

But regardless the rationale, the going, going, going hit me last week. I was too tired to work-out, which lead to a coffee fix. Which lead to afternoon cravings of chocolate and pure exhaustion at the end of the night, which lead to more chocolate. Rather than beat myself up, which I did in less healthy days, I just surrendered.

I gave myself till the end of the week to skip the gym, drink coffee and eat whatever I wanted (which much to my surprise, wasn’t much different than what I normally eat…just more chocolate!). As my dear friend, a fellow health counselor and new Mom, said to me in an email, “You can walk the walk pretty often, but it’s a long walk, and it’s sometimes necessary to sit down in the middle of the road.” So I sat for awhile.

I cleared my calendar this weekend so I could hit my own reset button. I did things that I enjoyed. I went to dinner with some new friends, hit the gym, went shopping with my sister for an outfit for TV (I’ll be on NBC again on Friday) and cooked up a storm. I also took a nap and watched really bad reality TV. It was wonderful! And now, I’m back on the wagon and feeling like new.

So my point in all this babble is even the most committed of us to our health deviate from time to time. I almost think it’s healthy. It reminds me of why everyday, I prioritize to eat whole foods, go to the gym and regularly connect with my spirit, family and friends. Because it feels so damn good.
And all those extras like boundless energy and optimism, clear skin and being at a healthy weight without stressing out about it, don’t hurt either.

Here’s to beating the drum, yet again!

Crock Pot Hearty Veggie Soup

Winter is at the tail end of its cycle. Here’s a recipe that will give you enough servings to get you through it…while keeping you warm and nourished. It’s my Mom’s and whenever I make it, I think about her and how much I love her.

Feel free to add in other veggies and make it your own – and start some great memories of your own!

Crock Pot Hearty Vegetable Soup

2 lb cross-cut beef shanks (I use any cheap cut of organic meat but something with a bone in it adds a lot of flavor)—also I only use about ½ lb of meat, but the more meat you use the tastier it is)
1 tablespoon salt
1 ½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
Dash pepper
2 tsp dried parsley flakes
1 medium onion
1 pkg frozen cut green beans, thawed
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup sliced pared carrots
1 cup diced peeled potatoes or turnips
1 can (16 oz. whole tomatoes)
2 cloves garlic

Combine all ingredients in Crock-Pot.
Add water to cover barely (about 2 cups); stir well.
Cover and cook on low setting for 12 to 18 hours (on High setting for 5 to 7 hours. Remember all crock-pots vary in their cooking time)
Before serving, remove meat and bones; cut meat into bite-size pieces and stir into soup.

6 servings (about 3 qts.)

Simple Solutions for Radical Times

Last weekend I was up in New York City for a nutrition conference. It was sponsored by Metagenics, an amazing company that uses non-toxic (aka natural ingredients) to help the body regain its balance.

Not only did I love that the lunch was all gluten, dairy and sugar-free, but I learned what a quality company Metagenics is. And I have to admit, when I first came into contact with the company a couple of years ago, I thought, oh, another supplement company.

But after hearing the Metagenics President speak, who demonstrated a deep understanding of the human body, mind and spirit, the importance of living in harmony with the environment and the high standards of quality they have for every aspect of their business, I decided this company might be up to something really cool – so I better pay attention and take great notes.
Which I did!

The details are interesting and neat, especially for someone like me who never ceases to be fascinated with the human body. But more profound was how after all the molecular biology, the new information on obesity and type II diabetes (which is not what you think), the cutting-edge research and new protocols for treating autoimmune and toxicity, it all came back to eating whole foods that work for the individual and stress management. And that means living a life with purpose, feeling connected and moving!

Whole Foods + Exercise + Stress Management = Radiant Health.

For a big picture person like me, Eureka! Life is complicated enough. When it comes to our health, simple solutions work in these radical times.

So how can you simplify a challenging area of your health? Can you add one more vegetable in per day? Can you set-aside three minutes to breathe deeply? Again, start small. The body likes slow and gradual change.

I may sound like a broken record here but every conference, article or person dedicated to radiant health has the same message: Keep it simple!

Need an at-home cooking assistant? Here are two free ones

My parents are the smartest, most supportive and resourceful people I know. This has become most apparent to me over the past four years as a novice home owner who knows nothing about garbage disposals, hot water heaters and furnaces. I always call them to get the answers I need, fast.

When I asked my parents how they became ever so resourceful, instead of the answers I was expecting like “school of hard knocks” and “trial-and-error” I got “we just google the problem”. Genius!

I got on the “Google=All Knowing” bandwagon myself when I was trying to figure out how to juice ginger. If you ever find yourself hung up on some cooking directions or mystery ingredient, check out some of the audio and visual assistants below:

Cooking demo

Start Cooking

Onward and upward my fellow budding chefs!

Should the FDA stand for Fraudulant Devilish Acts?

Sometimes when I hear myself talking to clients or am prepping for a workshop, I feel like a hybrid of Debbie Downer and a conspiracy theorist. You see, we are all actresses in a really bad science fiction thriller called SAD (the Standard American Diet). More and more, people are realizing how scary processed food is but when you first start to uncover the truth, it can be terrifying and paralyzing.

See Exhibit A here

The news about mercury in high-fructose corn syrup is familiar to me. But for how long the FDA knew about this and did nothing shocks my humanitarian soul. With a solid background in food politics, I should know by now what you can get away with when you are well-connected.

Food companies and the industrial agriculture system get away with more than murder. They also get paid quite nicely for inhumane animal treatment, polluting our environment, weakening international economies and being the main driver in the average American’s decreasing quantity and quality of life.

But I hate focusing on the negative. It gets you no where. So I’m going to focus on what I can control: buying local and organic, writing to my legislators and calling food companies about my displeasure with them (yes, I’ve done it before and will do it again.) And of course, continue educating my clients and workshop participants on how to be smart and savvy foodies.

Now this is where I start to sound like a Public Service Announcement (and not one sponsored by the USDA or the FDA): You can change the ending to this movie. We have control over our health. When we make healthy food, exercise and stress management choices, we don’t have to go down with the ship (and even if it’s sinking, you’ll have the stamina and strength to swim to shore).

What break-out role can you have to give your part, and those you care about in this movie a happy ending? If your not sure where to start, I strongly suggest reading anything by Micheal Pollan. Omnivore’s Dilemma or In Defense of Food are awesome books. He’s also a contributor to the New York Times. Or pick one food in your pantry. Take the ingredient list and find out what your eating. I’d love to hear about your discoveries.

So for all of those who love happy endings, it’s show time!

“Creamed” Spinach

This is another great comfort food recipe for these snowy, wet and dark February days. I double this recipe and then have it available all week. It’s easy to warm up in a pan for each time you want something hot and “creamy”.

Nutritional yeast is one of the lesser known ingredients in this recipe. You can find it in the bulk food section of Whole Foods. It has lots of B vitamins and adds a cheesy flavor without any dairy.

1 1/2 lb baby spinach or 1 1/4 lb frozen spinach
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 Tbsp butter or oil
2 Tbsp rice flour
1 cup plus 2 Tbsp almond milk
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast ( I usually add a lot more. Try a little if it’s your first time using NY but if you like it, add more if you want)
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
pinch of grated nutmeg (optional)

1. If using fresh spinach, wash it, drain it, and cook it in just the water clinging to the leaves from the washing, then cool under cold running water and chop coarsely. If using frozen spinach, thaw

2. Cook the onion in a small heavy pan over moderately low heat, stirring often, until softened. Add the flour and cook, stirring continually, for a further 2 minutes. Add the milk off the heat and stir in well. Bring back over the heat to a simmer and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring and making sure it doesn’t catch on the bottom.

3. Mix in nutritional yeast, salt and nutmeg. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, until heated through.

Love my Steelers!

I’m still recovering from last night’s Super Bowl win. And it’s not because I drank too much. I only drank filtered water but I absorbed enough anxiety to give me adrenal fatigue!

What a game. What a feeling that comes from such a close victory. I think the reason I love professional sports, and especially the Steelers culture the Rooney’s have created, is because of the toughness involved. And I’m not talking physical toughness, although that amazes me too. It’s as Mike Tomlin said, “Steeler football is 60 minutes”. He was referring to a mentality that believes it’s not over, till it’s over. It’s all about pursuing your goal, even when the chips are down and a comeback seems improbable. You’ve committed to 60 minutes, so follow through.

There are so many distractions to our goals in life. Whether it’s eating better or finding a career that fulfills us mentally, emotionally and financially. It’s much easier in the beginning, to fall back on our old way of being or cling to out-dated beliefs (i.e. I’ve tried losing weight before, why should this be different or the Corporate world is safe and secure, changing career paths is not). But if we all tapped into our own inner athlete, I bet we’d be holding our own version of the Vince Lombardi trophy.

What would the best victory on earth look like to you? Is it two months of vacation a year? Is it have a job that bounds you out of bed? Start by picking one goal. And one goal only. Where are you now? Where would you like to be? What has to change for you to get there? How motivated are you to change? What needs to happen for you to get enough motivation to change if you aren’t ready?

Most times, the questions are more important than the answers. After an inspiring victory last night by the Steelers, I’m asking myself “What if”? and then creating an action plan. I’m tucking away that inspiration from last nights game when things aren’t going my way. I’ll keep in mind, that even when you only have 2:46 left in the game, it’s enough. It’s never too late.

And most importantly, I’ll always remember that when we have an authentic belief in ourselves and are playing to our strengths and talents, life will always rise to meet you.

To the most winning team in Football history, I salute you and what you represent.

5 Tips to Save Your Money & Your Health

Do you feel like you are just hanging on right now?

Between the economic news and the harsh weather, I hear from a lot of people who are ready to throw in the towel. And I’m not talking about the Steeler Terrible Towel I’ll be waving manically today during the Super Bowl.

I can’t give you any advice on dealing with the weather because frankly, I’m over it too. I tried to appreciate the season for the slower pace, sleeping and relaxing more but, at this point, I’d rather relax in the some warm weather.

The sun will come out again and so I’m providing details on a Boot Camp program myself and the talented Dr. Lipkin will host starting Wednesday, March 11th for women in the Philadelphia region who want a head-start on getting their bodies and minds into shape. Space is limited and based upon how quickly our past workshops have filled up, the sooner you sign up, the better. Check out details on my blog here under “Events”.

Now onto five simple and easy ways to save money in terms of your health-care spending. By that I mean your groceries and lifestyle habits:

1. Replace your store bought cereal with whole grains. Boxed cereal can cost upwards of $5.00. It’s more expensive than steel cut oats, quinoa or buckwheat (all economical whole grains that average $2.50 per pound) and you aren’t getting real vitamins and minerals. This leaves you hungry and cranky because you have to eat and spend more to feel satisfied.

2. Add chickpeas to your diet for a protein source. Chickpeas = Cheap. At about 99 cents a can, you can’t lose. They are great to make hummus, add to salads or throw into soups to make them more hearty. You can even grind uncooked chickpeas to use as flour.

3. Buy vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, kale, potatoes, carrots and onions. These vegetables last longer in the fridge and won’t spoil as quickly as other foods—although I hear a McDonald’s meal doesn’t decay for six years! And because vegetables contain so many filling nutrients (like fiber), you eat less when they are a staple in your diet.

4. Try a free online yoga class. Stress sends off a flurry of hormones in your body that fuels your appetite and inflammation, which means more money on food and medication. By integrating stress management techniques like yoga into your routine, your body becomes more efficient at using the food you eat and cooling down, thus lowering your grocery and medical bills. Not to mention you are just more fun to be around and then, who knows, maybe someone will even treat you to dinner. Check out yogatoday.com or freeyogaonline.com for classes that range from 20 minutes to an hour.

5. Integrate gentle ways to detox your body. Many people spend uber amounts of money on drastic detoxing or flying off to spas. The spa part I get, but for those of us who don’t have that option, there are great ways to do this at home. Check out my TV clip, posted under “Media Appearances” here on my blog for easy and effective ways to detox daily.

If the Steelers lose today, I may fall of the cliff. If they win, I’ll jump off in excitement. Either way, I’m making a move. I hope you will too…with just one simple change that will get you closer to your best, most healthy self.

Be well,

Ali