Feel Good Monday Post: Rethinking March and Kale Salad with Roasted Beets

Hi Everyone,

Welcome to March! I must confess that historically it is not my favorite month. By now I am usually ready for spring and the beauty it brings with it which inevitably sets me up for being disappointed with March and its greyness (although today was gorgeous). This year, I am taking a new approach. How will I get ready for spring? My plan is to work on clearing out the piles of paper and other chores I have yet to get to this season. I have already started. I am giving myself 15 minutes a day of de-clutter time until I get through those piles. My plan is to be done by the time the warmer weather comes and calls me to be outside playing with my kids or in the garden. I am thinking of March as an opportunity to tie any loose ends that I have not gotten to this winter. Do you have anything you would like to clear before spring comes your way?

Here is a yummy recipe that will give us the nourishment we need to plow through March and all we hope to do! It mixes the flavor of bitter, sweet and has some nice texture too with the pignoli nuts. Enjoy!

Lysa

Warm Kale Salad with Roasted Beets, Caramelized Onions and Toasted Pignoli Nuts with Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients for salad:
1 bunch of kale (washed thoroughly, stems removed and chopped into ribbon like pieces)
1 red onion (cut into finely sliced long pieces)
1 bunch of small beets, or 4 medium beets (scrubbed clean and quartered)
olive oil
sea salt
pepper

Ingredients for dressing:
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup balsamic vinegar
¼ tsp maple syrup or honey
sea salt to taste
pepper
¼ tsp mustard

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Place beets into roasting dish.  Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper. Keep in for about 30-40 minutes or until tender (poke with fork to test). Move beets around a few times while they are roasting.
3. Put kale in bowl and coat with about 1 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle sea salt onto kale as well.  Massage the kale for about 3 minutes.  It should start to get softer and juicy.  Put in fridge and let sit.
4. To caramelize onion, heat skillet with a 1-2 count of olive oil (enough to coat pan).  Place onions in pan and sprinkle with salt.  Let sit on medium low heat for about 15 minutes until soft and browned.
5. To toast pignoli nuts, place in skillet.  Heat skillet with medium heat and let sit.  Move nuts around every few minutes until they are slightly browned and fragrant.  
6. To make dressing, put all the ingredients in a glass jar and cover.  Shake until mixed well.

7. When beets are ready, take kale out of the fridge and place in bowl.  Mix the warm onions and beets in bowl with kale. This should do the job of warming up the kale.  
8. Pour ¼ cup of dressing onto salad ( enough to moisten but not drown the salad).  Toss together and then sprinkle pignoli nuts on top.  

Serves 4-6

Feel Good Monday Post: Unplugging and Recharging

Hi Everyone,

There seems to be a consistent theme that I have become aware of this month.  The need to "unplug" and the challenge of actually following through with this is my lesson right now.  When I work with people, I not only work with what people are feeding themselves foodwise but also look at the broader picture of what they are "feeding" themselves.  I often suggest developing some kind of relaxation practice, exercise routine not only for weight loss but also for a sense of well being.  I encourage people to eat mindfully, sitting down, creating awareness around not just what they are eating, but how.  The goal is to help people feel their healthiest and happiest.

What I am finding for myself is that I need to practice these simple life changing rituals myself.  For the most part my diet is just fine, and the way I eat is more often relaxed than not.  It is the "unplugging" from the internet (even for work) and my time management skills that need attention.  Two weeks ago I was racing to a nutrition workshop so I wouldn't be late. I felt so stressed that I was hit over the head by the impact of my pattern of always racing around on my nervous system.  All the good eating, exercising, water drinking won't make up for the self induced stress I put on my adrenal glands when I try to do a unrealistic amount of things in one day.

So....for this week, I am going to commit to working on "unplugging and recharging".  For me, this will mean turning my computer off by 9pm, taking time to breathe and fit in at least 5 minutes of stretching, walking a few times this week and giving myself enough space to be on time to my appointments.

How will you unplug and recharge this week?

Here is a great recipe I cooked with a client this week.  If you are a vegetarian, I would just use tofu or tempeh instead of chicken and veggie broth instead of chicken broth. This is very child friendly (without ginger unless your child is a ginger fan). The sauce is really yummy and is simple to make.

Be well!
Lysa

Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry from www.healthyseasonalrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 
2 tablespoons tamari 
• 4 teaspoons sesame oil, divided

• 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cubed

• ¼ teaspoon ground white pepper or black pepper

• 1 bunch scallions, sliced, white and green parts separated

• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger root (or you can mince it if you don't have a microplane)

• 1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 
4 cups broccoli florets, about 2 small crowns
• 2 cups sliced carrots

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 2 teaspoon sesame seeds, for garnish, optional

Instructions:

• Whisk maple syrup, tahini, tamari or soy sauce in a small bowl and set aside.
•  Heat large skillet over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons oil and swirl to coat bottom of skillet.  Add chicken, sprinkle with pepper and cook, turning once or twice until browned, 5 to 6 minutes.  Note* the chicken will not be fully cooked and will continue cooking in the sauce in step 4.  Remove the chicken to a plate.

• Add the remaining 2 teaspoons canola to the skillet, followed by the scallion whites and ginger.  Cook, stirring until fragrant, 15 to 30 seconds.  Add broth and bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Add broccoli and carrots, cover and simmer, stirring once or twice until the broccoli is bright green and the vegetables are still crisp but starting to soften slightly, 4 to 5 minutes.
• Stir sauce, the chicken and any accumulated juices from the plate into the vegetables and continue cooking, stirring often until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes. Stir in reserved scallion greens, lime juice and sesame seeds.

Note: Serve with brown rice or whole-grain noodles.

Feel Good Monday Post: Surrender and Lemony Eggplant dish)

Hi Everyone,

Greetings on this mixed weather wintry day (sleet, freezing rain, snow). 

When thinking about what to write about today, the topic of "surrender" came to mind.

I chose this because clearly it has been the lesson for me the last couple of weeks with having an assortment of ailments at my house ( children with stomach bugs, fevers, head colds, etc) and then school closings due to winter weather.  

So, here's my plan for surrender.  While my story is focused on the challenges of motherhood right now,  I think this plan could be used for any challenging moment in life.

• Breathe deeply when I feel overwhelmed 
• Love what is before me & dedicate time to expressing gratitude for what I have ( play with my children for however much time I can carve out of the day)
• Know that this too shall pass (the house will be restored to its non messy state and I will get what I need to get done soon enough)
• Have fun in the process!

On another note, I went to a friend's house for a Chinese New Year's Party over the weekend.  Among the delicious food served was an eggplant dish I LOVED.    Here is a recipe that included the ingredients of the dish (it is not the exact recipe).  It is from www.foodwanderings.com .  It is a little more complicated of a recipe than I usually post, but it was truly delicious. 

Enjoy!  

Lysa

Burnt Eggplant with Garlic, Lemon and Pomegranate Seeds (from FoodWandering blog)

adapted from Jerusalem: A Cookbook

Ingredients:

2 large eggplants (2lbs)

2 gloves garlic, minced

Grated zest of 1/2 large lemon

3 tablespoons lemon

3 tablespoon olive oil

4 tablespoons parsley

2 tablespoons mint leaves, chopped

Seeds of 1/2 pomegranate

Salt to taste

Black pepper to taste

Char eggplants on a stove top, grill or on a broil mode in the oven. Turn around so it is charred all around. When broiling, I removed the stem and forked the eggplant all over the surface of the skin.

Let eggplant cool once charred all around. Peel and with a fork separate into strands. Add 2 tablespoons of lemon, mix and let strain in a fine mesh strainer for up to an hour. Cook's note: I add the lemon immediately so the eggplant won't oxidize too much. I let it strain for 20 minutes only.

Add the rest of the ingredients including 1 tablespoon of leftover lemon juice , mix, adjust for salt and refrigerate until serving.  

Feel Good Monday Post: What are you craving?

Hi Everyone,

I hope this note finds you all happy and well!
This month I have been lucky enough to be hired to lead workshops for Adirondack Trailways bus drivers. The workshops started last week.  What I found myself emphasizing to them was the importance of "investigating what works for them food and exercise wise".  It has occurred to me recently that so many of us eat a certain way because we read it in a book or were told to do so by a nutritionist or some other health practitioner.  It is rare that we are encouraged to experiment and tune into our own "inner nutrition expert".   This is a process that takes trial and error but is so worth it because it will ultimately lead us to eating in a way that helps us feel excellent.  Experimenting with a variety of foods and different dietary approaches is one of the best ways to figure out your optimal "fuel".

The trickiest part of the journey is trying to figure out cravings.
Sugar cravings are especially hard because they come in disguise of many other needs.  I want to encourage you to ask yourself these questions when a sugar craving attack comes:

1. Did I drink enough water today?
2. Did I eat enough protein/fat today?
3. Did I get enough sleep?

The above are among a long list of what your body might actually be looking for when you get a sugar craving.  If you struggle with sugar cravings, please join me on February 19th, 7pm at the Stone Ridge Healing Arts in Stone Ridge, NY.  You can email me to register:  Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com or call 845 679-5881. Cost is $20.  
We will spend the evening looking into sugar cravings and how to deconstruct them. We also will explore using a variety of gentle sweetners  that are kinder to your body and still taste great.

Please check out the Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe from the Paleo Plan Diet Website:

• Grain Free Chocolate Chip Cookies
• 3 cups almond flour
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1/2 cup raw honey
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• If dough seems runny, try adding some shredded coconut or rolled oats (can use gluten free if you want the cookies gluten free).

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375℉.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a small mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients. Set aside.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs, honey, and vanilla extract with a hand mixer, or wire whisk.
5. Pour wet ingredients slowly into dry ingredients and beat with mixer or fork until combined.
6. Add the melted coconut oil and continue to blend until combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.
7. Drop Tablespoon size balls of cookie dough onto prepared baking sheet.
8. Bake for approximately 8-10 minutes.

Feel Good Monday Post: Connecting With Your Kale!

Happy Monday All,

I hope you are enjoying this chilly winter weather and finding ways to stay warm!
Today I made a surprisingly delicious spontaneous white bean roasted fennel soup.
I say surprisingly because I was worried that it would be too bland.  Luckily,
the roasted fennel and garlic made the soup quite flavorful. I added a little red pepper flakes at the end to give it a little kick as well.  I will am going to post the recipe although I need to warn you I did this from the "soup artist" within and didn't write anything down as I went along.

I have something EXCITING to share with you all today. It is a video that my friend FrancoVogt took and his wonderful wife Lucia Reale Vogt helped produce.  I have been wanting to do food demo clips for a while now but I am easily intimidated by technology and happen to be camera shy as well.  All that being said, Franco and Lucia made this process painless and FUN.  I am deeply grateful to them for making this happen as I have no idea when I would have gotten this together myself.  I also am quite impressed with the results and hope that you will be as well! A thank you to Inanna King  for working her magic with my face and hair and giving me my most polished appearance.

I need to say before you watch it, I make a mistake about kale.  There are at least 3 different kinds of kale, not two.  I forgot to mention Russian kale, which has different shaped leaves than the lacinato or curly kale. It has purple stems and is quite tender. It makes a delicious kale salad.  Sorry Russian Kale, I didn't mean to leave you behind!

A dear friend of mine saw this video and suggested calling it "Connecting with Your Kale".  I love this concept and hope that you give the salad a try and make it one of your staples on your menu.  You can also do the same prep for the kale and use a balsamic dressing, add parmesan cheese, currants and toasted pignoli. There are endless ways to make kale salad but the Rainbow (demonstrated) and the Tuscan (with balsamic, parm, currants and pignoli nuts) are among my favorites.  Click on the link below to see my debut video appearance!

http://vimeo.com/58307332

Before I say goodbye for this week, I would like you to pick ONE thing to do to take yourself.  For example, I will keep focused on drinking plenty of water. My body keeps telling me to drink more, dry skin, dry mouth, both remind me to DRINK!  What can you do to nourish yourself this week?

Lastly, if you enjoy the video, PLEASE SHARE IT WITH OTHERS!

Take good care,
Lysa

White Bean & Roasted Fennel Soup
 1 lb dried white beans ( I used cannellini)
1 bulb of fennel
1 red onion
2 stalks of celery
3 cloves garlic
2 pinches of dried thyme
1 pinch of dill (optional)
2 pinches of basil
5 cups water or broth
sea salt to taste
freshly ground pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Soak beans overnight and skip to step two OR cover beans with water by 2 inches in a pot and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, drain and rinse beans in colander.  Let sit.

2. In large soup pot, saute' diced red onion and celery until soft and slightly browned.  Add herbs and stir.  Add beans, water or broth (chicken or veggie) and let cook.

3. In oven, roast chopped fennel and garlic cloves at 350 until tender.  

4. When beans are soft, add fennel and garlic, salt, pepper and some more of the herbs if you choose.  Let cook together for about 10 minutes or so.  Turn heat off, take immersion blender and blend beans and fennel.  Depending on how you like your soup you can either blend some or all of the soup.  For extra flavor, add a pinch of red pepper flakes and grated parmesan cheese.  This soup will accompany the kale salad demoed in the video beautifully.  Also, the recipe for the kale salad can be found on my website www.bodyandsoulnutrition.com under the recipes link.

Enjoy!  

Feel Good Monday Post: Shine as you are!

Hi Everyone,

I am writing my Monday post on Sunday as I have the kiddies home tomorrow.  Today happens to my 43rd birthday.  Yesterday, I was lucky enough to attend a women's workshop (one of my birthday gifts) where we spent a very introspective day and ended with a beautiful guided meditation.  During the last few moments of the exercise, a phrase came to me that I would like to share, "shine as you are".

We each might make this mean something a little different, but to me it meant, this is your time to live out loud and not hold anything back.  I share this with you because I believe this is appropriate for us all.  Where do you hold back in your life? Where do you let yourself shine?  Letting yourself shine is more than just about being good to you. We are all in this world together.  When one person shines brilliantly, it inspires another to shine their brightest. Imagine what an amazing world we would have if we each allowed ourself to shine NOW.

Another meaning of this phrase could be "you are all that you need to be in this moment". Same ultimate message, "what are we waiting for"?

It is my birthday promise to myself to shine more brightly, more regularly, in more areas of my life.
Will you join me in this noble, perhaps crazy resolution?

Also, I am excited to share with you that I will be part of Mother Earth's monthly "Wednesday Wellness Event".  They will be held the 4th Wednesday of each month from 5-7pm at their Kingston store.  There will be a variety of wellness practitioners there, including massage therapists, yoga instructors, fitness trainers, nutrition counselors and food demos as well.  I will be there offering free 10 minute mini nutrition sessions. If you can come by, I think you will be glad you did!

FOOD WISE (This is supposed to be a nutrition blog, isn't it?:)
Friday night I made fish cakes from a family recipe (my family is Portuguese).  They were delicious and felt great.  I believe they are my grandfather's recipe but they could be my grandmother's so I will call them, Armando and Maria- Julia's Fish Cakes

Armando & Maria- Julia's Fish Cakes
1 ld cod or scrod
2 large yukon gold potatoes
4 tbsp parsley, chopped
5 tbsp flour (I used almond)
4 eggs
1 1/4 tsp sea salt
pepper
1 carrot, 1 celery stalk, onion
2 small onions or 1 large, diced
olive oil for the saute'

1.Boil potatoes until tender, put through ricer or mash thoroughly if you don't have a ricer.
2. Boil fish with carrot, celery, onion for about 5 minutes (simmer)
3. Beat eggs
4. Mix the fish, potatoes, salt, eggs, onions (you can either caramelize them beforehand or uses them raw) into a bowl and add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a large skillet.
Make cakes in any shape you prefer.  I made medium sized patties.  Cook for 5 minutes on each side.
Place on paper towel while you are cooking the rest of the mixture.

I made a Veganaise/ mustard, lemon dip the first day. The second day, we had them with chopped pickles. They were yummy both days!

If you have an aversion to fish, try cooking something from your own family's archive of recipes. It is a nice way to connect with your history and bring it into the current moment!

Have a beautiful week everyone!
Lysa

Feel Good Monday Post, January 14th, 2013

Happy Monday Everyone,

I hope you are all well and enjoying this beautiful day!
I am in the middle of my winter cleanse, which is going quite well (no crazy sugar, wheat cravings or extreme moodiness, thank goodness).  Instead of a cleanse, it feels more like I have just tweaked my diet by eliminating the foods that drain me and increase the foods that give me vitality and a sense of well being.
Tomorrow I am leading a workshop entitled "Finding What Feels Good In Your Body".  We will focus on tuning into your body to understand which foods give you long term energy and which foods take your energy away.
I encourage you to be aware of how you feel after you eat.  Energized or tired?  How long does the food last? Tuning into how you feel will help you figure out what your "best diet" is.

For now, remember to eat lots of veggies to get good energy and drink plenty of water to keep you hydrated (although I know it's hard during the winter, you will feel so much better if you make the effort).

Here is a sweet treat I had yesterday that I shared with the email cleanse group and really enjoyed (sorry to those who are on the cleanse list and have already read this).

Japanese Yam Delight
Shred 1/4 Japanese Yam (red on outside and white inside)
1 tbsp coconut oil.
sea salt
cinnamon

Heat coconut oil in skillet.  Add yams and let cook until tender.  Sprinkle some cinnamon and sea salt on top.  Really yummy and nourishing!

Be well,
Lysa