Take the Whole Foods Challenge!

Happy Monday Greetings Everyone!

As a nutrition coach, many people share with me that they want to "eat better" but can't seem to get motivated to do so.  The more I do this work, the more it has become apparent to me that focusing on eating whole foods is the answer to eating healthier.  When we focus on increasing real foods, the processed stuff will fall away (at least in large amounts, we all need a little snacky crunch factor in our lives sometimes).

So... if you are one of those people who really WANT to eat better but can't seem to summon up the mojo to do it,  I suggest you take the "Whole Foods Challenge". 

What is it?? Make a commitment for one week to eat as many whole foods as you can.  That means avoiding anything boxed or with more than a couple of ingredients.  Depending on how serious you want to get, you can do it on different levels.  

For some it might mean literally only eating one ingredient foods (apples, almonds, fish, eggs, rice, quinoa, cheese, etc).  For others it might mean eating- the above and corn chips, or whole grain bread, noodles, etc.  The important part is that you avoid anything that has more than 5 ingredients.  Guaranteed your diet will be cleaned up in a big way.

The benefit? See and feel your energy rise!!!  

If you do this and feel the benefits, PLEASE share them with me.

Also, here a recipe my friend Lucia shared with me and actually gifted me with a piece of that will knock your socks off.  

AND last but not least, if you are yearning to find a way to carve out time in your busy schedule to prepare healthy meals and get in daily yoga, please join Lisa Preston and I for our last workshop of the season at the Woodstock Physical Therapy Studio on Rte.212 in Woodstock, this Saturday, May 18th, from 3-5:30.  The fee is $40.  This workshop will give you powerful tools to incorporate healthy meals and movement into your daily life!  What a wonderful gift for yourself or someone you love... :) 

Have a beautiful week!
Lysa

Cheesy Quinoa Bake http://susanspungen.com/

Ingredients:
1 package or 5 oz of spinach

1 tsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 eggs beaten
1/4 cup Greek yogurt
4 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked)
8 oz feta, crumbled
3 scallions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
1/4 cup dill, chopped
3/4 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper
1 tsp butter for greasing pan

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• SERVINGS: Serves 6 to 8

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 375º
2. Place spinach in a large saucepan with a pinch of salt and a splash of water and cook, covered, stirring frequently until completely wilted, about 3 to 5 minutes. Rinse with cold water, squeeze dry, and chop. Set aside.
3. In a medium sauté pan, heat 1 tsp. olive oil and cook onions and garlic until translucent, 5 to10 minutes.
4. Whisk together the eggs and yogurt. Combine the onion mixture, quinoa, feta, scallions, dill, spinach, egg mixture, and salt and pepper. Mix well. Butter a 2-quart baking dish and spread the quinoa mixture evenly in it. Bake until golden brown on edges, about 35 to 40 minutes. Cool slightly, cut into squares and serve.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package baby spinach (5 oz)
• 1 tsp. olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 eggs, beaten
• ¼ cup Greek yogurt
• 4 cups cooked quinoa (1 cup uncooked quinoa, cooked according to package directions)
• 8 oz. feta, crumbled
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
• ¼ cup dill, chopped
• ¾ tsp. salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. butter for greasing pan

Feel Good Monday Post: Finding Time and Maintaining Balance

Happy Early Monday Everyone!
I have a busy tomorrow, so I thought I would send a quick note out to welcome in the week.
I recently found an old journal that was given to me by the nutrition school I went to many years ago.
There are a bunch of great quotes and guided exercises in the journal.
Here is one that spoke to me entitled "where does my time go?" (does this sound familiar?)
What are the top 3 priorities in your life?
Do you spend most of your time on these things?
List all the activities that eat up your time. These might include surfing the web, watching tv or doing  too many favors for others.
How could you reorganize your life so that you spend more time on what is most important to you?

That exercise will keep us busy this week.

If you are finding yourself overwhelmed with "Finding Time and Maintaining Balance" in your life, come join Lisa and I for our last workshop of the season entitled (you guessed it) "Finding Time and Maintaining Balance". We will explore a variety of ways to incorporate healthy meals and a yoga practice into your daily routine even when life is crazy.  The class will be held on May 18th, from 3-5:30 pm at the Woodstock PT Studio on rte.212.  The fee is $40.

Below is a wonderful recipe from Heidi Swanson.
Enjoy your week!
Lysa

Kale Market Salad

Lacinato kale is my variety of choice here.

Green Garlic Dressing:
2 stalks green garlic (or scallions), rinsed and chopped (~1/4 cup)
1/4 teaspoon fine grain sea salt, plus more to taste
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup / 80 ml extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons ripe avocado
1 teaspoon honey, or to taste
fresh pepper to taste

1/2 bunch kale, destemmed, torn into pieces
1 cup / 5.5 oz cooked farro or wheat berries (semi-pearled or whole)
4-5 farmers' market carrots, very thinly sliced
1 small bulb of fennel, transparently sliced
1 avocado, cut into small cubes
a big handful of almond slices, toasted

Make the dressing by using a hand blender or food processor to puree the green garlic, salt, lemon juice, olive oil, avocado, honey, and pepper until smooth. Taste, and adjust with more salt, or honey, or lemon juice.

Before you're ready to serve, combine the kale with about half of the dressing in a large bowl use your hands to work the dressing into the kale, softening up the kale a bit in the process. Add the farro, carrots, and fennel, more dressing, and a couple pinches of salt, and toss again. Taste, and add the last of the dressing if needed. This is a salad I like quite heavily dressed. Add the avocados and almonds and give one last gentle toss.

Serves 2-4.

Prep time: 10 min

Feel Good Monday Post: What's on Your Plate?

Hello, Happy Monday All!

Last week, I had the pleasure of watching the film, "What's on Your Plate?" and being on a discussion panel after the screening.   I found the film incredibly inspiring! It is a documentary narrated by two girls in their early teens who live in NYC, who question where the food we eat comes from, and why choose to eat what we eat.  The film touches on so many important issues:

• The benefits of eating locally
•  The importance of eating whole foods 
• The magic of growing our own food
• The joy of cooking
• The powerful effect eating whole foods has on our body
• What school food could look like and how important it is to take small steps towards creating a healthier school food menu.  

The film has both a light hearted and deep feel to it.   If you have children and want to get them excited about eating well, having them watch it is a great place to start. 

Here is the website for the film:http://www.whatsonyourplateproject.org/about/synopsis
In order to watch it, there is a fee of $3.99 to streamline online for 24 hours or you can buy the DVD.  It will get you excited about planting a garden or even a couple of veggie/herb/ fruit plants outside your window if you live in the city. Most importantly, it inspire you to connect with your food and yourself!

Speaking of eating locally, if you are local- come to the Meet, Greet and Eat tonight at the Onteora HS.  There will be many of our local, fabulous chefs present, cooking delicious d'oeuvres.  It is always a fun community event.  I will be there demoing how to make "kale salad"!

Admission is free, with a $2 charge per hors d'oeuvre. It will run from 5:30-7:30 The HS is located on rte @28 in Boiceville. Chefs include: Bread Alone, Cucina, Fleisher’s Grass-Fed and Organic Meats; Hickory BBQ; Jane’s Ice Cream; Joshua’s Café; Oriole 9; Peekamoose Restaurant and Tap Room; Phoenicia Diner; Pika's Farm to Table; Red Onion; and Yum Yum Noodle Bar. www.meetgreetandeat.org

Also,  if you are longing to feel more energized and strong in your body, join Lisa Preston and I this coming Saturday, May 4th from 3-5:30 pm for our Energy and Weight Loss workshop.  This will be a powerful workshop focused on eating and practicing yoga for increased energy and weight loss.  

The fee for the workshop is $40. Please email me

Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com or call 594-2127 to register.

Here is a yummy salad to try from ohsheglows.com

Warm Spring Salad:

Vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa (or try speltberries for a twist)
• 1/2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 leek, sliced into rounds or half moons
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 bunch asparagus, ends broken off and chopped into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup diced strawberries (optional)
• 3/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
• 1 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 2-3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, to taste
• 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tbsp pure maple syrup (or other sweetener)
• 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt & lots of pepper, to taste
• lemon zest, for garnish

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer and place into a medium pot. Add 1.5 cups vegetable broth (or water) and bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low-medium, cover with tight-fitting lid, and cook for 15-17 minutes, or until fluffy and all the water is absorbed. Fluff with fork, remove from heat, and let sit covered for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, grab a very large skillet or wok. Sauté the leek and garlic in the oil for about 5 minutes over medium heat. Season generously with salt and pepper. Add in the asparagus and sauté for another 5-10 minutes or until the asparagus is just tender, but still a bit crisp. Stir in the strawberries (optional), peas, and parsley. Heat for a few minutes and then remove from heat.

3. Whisk together the dressing ingredients (olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and 1/4 tsp fine grain sea salt) to taste. Pour dressing onto skillet mixture and stir in the cooked quinoa. Season to taste with salt and pepper and enjoy! This would also be lovely with nuts or seeds sprinkled on top.

Read more: http://ohsheglows.com/2013/04/15/warm-spring-salad/#ixzz2RrprEbKI


That was a long post!
Have a great week!
Lysa

Feel Good Monday Post: Going back to the Beginning

Happy Monday Everyone!

It is a beautiful chilly spring morning in the Hudson Valley.  This weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity of spending time with my aunt Michele in Wrentham, MA.  We went to a day long Zen meditation retreat.  The Zen monk who lead the retreat, is also a Catholic Priest, Father Kevin.  Father Kevin did not speak much (and neither did we, it was a silent retreat), but he did have a few pearls of wisdom, one of which I would like to share with you.  

When he spoke about practicing meditation, he emphasized the importance of not giving up.  These were his words "a thousand failures mean nothing, always go back to the beginning and practice".  

When he shared these words, my mind quickly thought of how applicable this sentiment is when we deviate from our optimal diet.  We can always "go back to the beginning and practice" eating well.  

If you have been struggling with trying to get sugar out of your diet and would like tools and support to help you with you with this, come to a joint Nutrition + Yoga workshop this weekend Lisa Preston and I are leading, entitled "The Sweet Life".  It will be held on Saturday, April 27th, from 3-5:30pm at the Woodstock Physical Therapy Studio on rte. 212 in Woodstock.  The fee for the workshop is $40.  Please email me if you would like to register for the class, Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com 

Here is a recipe from a gal that went to the same nutrition school I did. Her site, detoxinista.com has lots of great recipes on it.

Enjoy and have a wonderful week!
Lysa

Cheesy Spaghetti Squash Casserole (from detoxinista.com)
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

1 medium spaghetti squash
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup plain goat’s milk yogurt, or greek yogurt
3 oz. raw goat cheddar, shredded and divided
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400F and line a baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper. Cut the spaghetti squash in half, and remove the seeds. Place the squash halves cut-side-down on the baking sheet, and cook for 35-45 minutes, or until a fork can easily pierce the outer shell. 

Once you have removed the squash from the oven, melt the butter in a skillet over medium-high heat and saute the chopped onion and garlic until tender and slightly golden, about 5 minutes.

Transfer the cooked onion and garlic to a large mixing bowl, and combine with the yogurt and 2 oz. of shredded goat cheddar, then season with salt and pepper. When the spaghetti squash is cool enough to handle, use a fork to scrape the noodle-like strands into the bowl, and mix well.

Transfer the mixture to a 2.5 quart casserole dish, and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle the remaining ounce of goat cheese over the top, and return to the oven and bake for 30 minutes at 400F.

The casserole is ready when the top is a light golden brown, which makes for a crunchy crust! Serve immediately.  

Feel Good Monday Post: Keeping it Simple

Hi Everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoying April!
Life is packed with all kinds of good things. This week I am working on keeping life simple. On that note, here is a simple, yet delcious breakfast recipe from Heidi Swanson.  Sometimes I get in a breakfast rut,  I thought I would share this with you in case you do too.   I have added what I would substitute in parenthesis.  

Here is a wonderful quote from Rumi that always reminds me to live in gratitude.

"There are a thousand ways to kneel and kiss the ground." Be well! Lysa

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

1 cup organic 1% low fat milk ( I would use almond or coconut milk)
1 cup water
1 cup organic quinoa, (hs note: rinse quinoa)
2 cups fresh blackberries, organic preferred
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted*
4 teaspoons organic agave nectar, such as Madhava brand ( I would use 2 tsp of maple syrup)

Combine milk, water and quinoa in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 15 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Turn off heat; let stand covered 5 minutes. Stir in blackberries and cinnamon; transfer to four bowls and top with pecans. Drizzle 1 teaspoon agave nectar over each serving.

Serves 4.

*While the quinoa cooks, roast the pecans in a 350F degree toaster oven for 5 to 6 minutes or in a dry skillet over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

Feel Good Monday Post: Feeding Joy

April 8th, 2013

Good Morning Everyone,

Life has been busier than usual lately and I have found myself struggling with the head of "I want to hide under my covers and make it go away" versus " I can do this, I am a superhero.  My best tactic however, seems to be staying in the moment of now and doing what is needed.  Last night, I went to my precious women's group where we watched part of the movie, "The Secret".  The movie is fascinating, and I think very much worth watching.  What struck me most about it, was the emphasis on "following our joy".  Ahhh.... this is why I need to be more careful with over scheduling.  When I over commit, my joy factor goes WAY down.

So, this is my theme for the week, "feeding my joy".  For me, this will mean, making sure I get some exercise in (even it's a 10 minute run),  having "play" time with my family, , eating my greens ( I know it's nerdy, but true),  and remembering my dreams.

What brings you joy?  How can you fit in it into your daily life?  If you focused on the joy factor in your life, how would you feel? Where might it lead you?  What would increased joy in your life bring those around you?

Many years ago, I had a bumper sticker on the dashboard of my card entitled, "don't postpone joy!".
This is a good mantra for us all to live by!

As we move into spring and prepare our bodies to release what it needs to from winter, it is a great time to focus on eating more greens.  Here is a simple, yet delicious watercress salad recipe for you that I am planning to make today.

Lemony Watercress Salad
1 bunch watercress ( washed)
1 cucumber, chopped your favorite way
1/4- 1/2 avocado, sliced
dried cranberries (or currants, cherries, raisins)
radish (I love daikon), sliced
lemon vinaigrette (lemon, olive oil, garlic and mustard)
'
Place watercress, cucumber, avocado, cranberries and radish in bowl.
Make dressing by juicing a lemon and measuring.  Whatever amount of juice you get, use about double the amount of olive oil. Add just a bit of Dijon mustard (less than 1/4 tsp). Whisk together.  Add salt and pepper and a mashed garlic clove. Let sit for a few minutes and then remove garlic and serve.

Have a joy filled week!
Lysa

Feel Good Monday Post: Spring Cleanse & Renewal Time!

Hi Everyone,

Spring is here! In Chinese Medicine, spring is correlated with the Wood element, which is in charge of the gallbladder and liver, two important filtration systems for the blood.  Giving these organs a break by avoiding foods that stress them out, is a gentle way to cleanse your body.

Here are a few recommendations I found from a Chinese Medicine site:

• Get outside! Helps to push through irritability, lethargy and the feeling of being "stuck"
• Express yourself- dancing, cooking, writing, making art or music, helps to channel Wood energy
• Eat GREEN food- especially leafy greens (I am not making this up!)
• Add sour tastes- helps to smoothe and soothe the liver energy.  Add lemon to your water, pickles to your sandwich, vinegar dressings to your salad
• Stretch  

Above is from Marilyn Yohe, acupuncturist- "Spring in Chinese Medicine"

Here are some foods that are suggested for spring:

Fruits: kiwi, valencia oranges, limes, grapefruit, lemons.

Vegetables: asparagus, beets, sprouts, dandelion, chickweed, chicory, spring greens, parsley, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, daikon, wakame, sea palm, umeboshi, and sauerkraut.

Grains: Barley, quinoa, wheat, millet and rye.

Foods that stress these organs: sugar, honey, fried foods, alcohol, coffee, chocolate, excessive dairy and red meats.

The above information is from the book "The Seasonal Detox diet-  Remedies from the Ancient Cookfire" by Carrie L'Esperance

Here is a green dressing for you to try from"Staying Healthy with Nutition", Elson M. Haas, MD.

Avocado Dressing:
2 medium avocados
1 lemon, juiced
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup water
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (or a tiny pinch)
1 clove garlic

Blend well and toss with salad.
Enjoy!

Also, I would like to share a quote from a book that I really love and highly recommend, "The Book of Awakening" by Mark Nepo.

"From the beginning, the key to renewal has been the casting off of old skin."

Cast off your old skin and make way for the new!
If you would like to experience an afternoon of learning how to cleanse your body through food and yoga, please join my friend and yoga instructor, Lisa Preston and I for our "Spring Cleanse and Renewal workshop on April 13th, at the Woodstock Physical Therapy Studio from 3-5:30pm.  To register, please email Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com  .

Be well!
Lysa