Feel Good Sunday Post: Tips for Getting Back on Your Game After Thanksgiving

Hi Everyone,

Despite my best efforts to not overeat on Thanksgiving, the two "slivers" of pie I opted for after the
Thanksgiving meal, sent my system over the edge into that place of food overload. I did get outside the next day for a brisk walk but I indulged in more pie over the weekend and am now feeling the effects of it.  So…. time to get back on my game.  In case this happened to you too, I want to share what I will be doing this week to re-focus after my holiday break.

Tips for Lightening Up:

• Water, water, water…  lots of it- think of it cleansing your system
• Movement- every day- walks, pilates, yoga (at least 30 each day- my personal goal will 
• Less grains, more vegetables and protein
• Extra sleep
• Focusing on all the blessings of life- nature, friends, family, food, home, clothes (so many)

Last night I made a simple, delicious beet/carrot salad that will probably come in handy these next couple of days as the sugar works its way out of my system and the cravings for sweet call to me.

I am sharing the recipe in case you want to give it a whirl.  It will help satisfy your sweet tooth while giving you nourishment!  

 Beet Carrot Salad with an Asian Twist

1 medium beet- grated

2 carrots- grated

2 scallions- chopped finely

sunflower seeds- toasted

black sesame seeds-ground (1/2 tsp)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/4-1/2 tsp ume vinegar or tamari if you don't have ume

Fresh juice of one lime

Mix all ingredients together and enjoy!  

Last night I stumbled upon a poem that I want to share with you written by Mitch Ditkoff, a Woodstock poet.

"May I stay here forever

 in this perfect place of 

peace with you-

the sacred space between

in breath and out."

Enjoy your week!

Lysa

Feel Good Sunday Post: Thanksgiving Thoughts

Hi Everyone,

It's been a while since I have written.  Being that we are headed into Thanksgiving week (ready or not),  I thought it would be good time to do a "feel good" post.
As I think about my long "to do" list, I am simultaneously reminding myself to "keep it simple".  Along with ironing the tablecloth and napkins for the Thanksgiving table, I also am giving thought to the love I have for those who will be sitting at the table and for so many other loved ones in my life who I am so grateful for.

In order to keep me in the Zen place I wish to stay (or should I say, I strive to stay), I took some measures this weekend to keep Thanksgiving dinner prep running smoothly. A pre-Thanksgiving food shop was done yesterday (first time ever). Today will be a family "clean the house" day.  I am hoping this will allow me to focus on having fun in the kitchen and with family on Wednesday and Thursday.  We'll see!

If you are looking for a simple, flavorful green side dish for Thanksgiving, my gal Heidi Swanson has a green bean recipe that sounds delicious.  Click on the link below to check it out.

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/vibrant-tasty-green-beans-recipe.html

Here are some tips for keeping yourself feeling good throughout the holiday week and weekend.

•  Make time to move your body each day.  This week will be probably be even more challenging than usual. Try to schedule exercise into your day.  Make a date to walk/run with a friend. Plan to go to a class with a friend so you have more incentive to show up.  If you go to the gym, schedule a time to go.  
• Drink lots of water- and keep it up! Hydrating yourself will energize you, keep your skin glowing and gently cleanse your body.
• Breathe deeply- often
• Eat greens-lots
• Smile- all is well
• Have fun- remember the old quote "life is not a dress rehearsal". Give life your all!  
• On Thanksgiving- chew more, eat less!  Enjoy all the flavors and textures with each bite you take. Look around you and enjoy those in your presence, including yourself.  

Below is a cool quote I found on the subject of Gratitude.
"Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount of Gratitude." - A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh

Wishing you a beautiful today and a Happy Thanksgiving!
Lysa 

Love Your Body Fall Cleanse, Starting October 14th!

Hi Everyone,

I am sending a follow up post about the upcoming 10 day fall cleanse starting on Monday, October 14th, because I have had a few people ask me for more details about what the cleanse entails and what signing up will include from me.

Here is the scoop.  The cleanse will focus on eating foods that are more seasonal like root vegetables, leafy greens, squashes and certain grains like rice, quinoa, millet and oats and buckwheat. It will also include both animal and vegetarian sources of protein like fish, poultry and beans.  

We will avoid processed foods like white and wheat flour, refined sugar, alcohol and coffee.  If possible, red meat should be either eliminated or eaten minimally during  the 10 days.  

I will provide a 10 day menu plan with recipes.  There will be some repeats so you don’t need to cook everyday.  Also, while there will be a structured  menu plan given, it is there for inspiration and guidance but you do not need to follow it daily.  If you are like me and prefer not to be pinned down by a daily meal plan and just want to know which foods to incorporate and which to avoid, you will have a list of those foods as a resource.  

For those of you who are biting your nails over giving up coffee, remember, it is only for 10 days!  

If you are a coffee drinker, I will give you a protocol for how to give it up during this time.  It will be done incrementally to minimize the withdrawal symptoms.  

For those of you nervous about giving up alcohol for 10 days, it might be hard to forego your evening red wine or weekend cocktail but remember it is temporary and your liver will love you for it!  I will give you a couple of non-alcoholic beverage ideas to try during the cleanse to ease the pain!  

Here are some of the benefits of foregoing coffee, alcohol and sugar (after a couple of days)

• increased energy
• a stronger sense of well being
• getting in touch with your body’s own rhythm
• increased joy
• more clarity
• increased immunity for the  upcoming cold/flu season
• maybe a loss of a few pounds (I don’t like to promise this one, but it could easily happen)

Okay, I hope that gives you have a clearer sense of the cleanse and why it’s worth the effort of joining me on October 14th.  Below is an example of what a cleanse day could look like.

To sign up, please either email me: Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com or call 845.594.2127.  You can send me a check or I can take a credit card over the phone (I am still figuring out how to do this). The cost is $25.

My address is 30 Nissen Lane, West Hurley, NY, 12491

Lastly, if you have a friend you would like to share this with, please do!  

Thank you, and remember to check out the below sample cleanse menu plan!

Lysa

Day One:

Upon arising:

Spend a few minutes doing some gently morning stretches and taking a few deep breathes.  Give thought about what you are grateful for in your life.

Warm water (or hot) with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and a pinch of cayenne pepper.  

Optional: Green or herbal tea of your choice (some options: Autumn Red Bush, Chrysanthemum, Goji Pop, Forever nuts- the last two are from David’s teas).

Breakfast:  Pick one: quinoa porridge/ Ezekiel sprouted toast with almond butter/ miso soup with greens

Snack:  “IImmune Me” Kris Carr veggie juice (green apples, cucumbers, ginger, lemon and romaine lettuce) Or some fresh chopped veggies with or without almonds

Lunch: Lentil soup

Snack: Pear with handful of pumpkin seeds

Dinner: Stuffed butternut squash and red leaf lettuce salad with vinaigrette

Cleanse start date, is Monday, October 14th!

Hi Everyone,

I forgot to mention that the cleanse start date is a week from today, October 14th!
Small, but important detail!
Take good care!
Lysa

Autumn Cleanse Time!

Hi Everyone,

It has been a while since I have written a blog entry.  Summer was fun and very family focused!

I am just starting to get reoriented to life with the kids back in school. Towards the end of summer I had a couple of people ask me about doing a sugar or cleanse class.  For that reason, and because I enjoy cleansing at the beginning of each season, I have decided to lead a 10 day online cleanse (very similar to what I lead in January).

If you choose to sign up for the cleanse, here is what you can expect:

• a list of what to include during the 10 days and what to avoid
• a shopping list
• meal and snack ideas
• daily support from me
• lifestyle suggestions for the cleanse
• online community support

This time around, there will be a $25 fee to sign up for the cleanse (a small price to pay to connect with your inner rock star).  If you would like to sign up, you can do so by sending me a check or via phone by credit card (I have one of those square gadgets that enables to take cc’s).  Reply to this message and I will send you my info.

I am excited about the timing as we are about to go into a less than optimal eating zone: Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.  The cleanse will set us up for feeling our best for the fall and going into winter.  If you are curious but nervous about the cleanse, please keep in mind that the cleanses I lead are gentle and very doable.  We basically cut out the foods that we all know we would do better without.  Examples are white flour, sugar (pretty much all white food), coffee, alcohol, wheat and cow dairy.  

Since it is a fall cleanse,  and in Chinese Medicine, the organs associated with fall are the lungs and large intestine, we will focus on foods that nourish these organs.  The flavors for autumn are pungent and spicy so I will provide you with recipes that include these flavors.

If you feel like you are ready to have a little more spunk in your step, take the plunge and cleanse with me.  You will feel the benefits of taking better care of yourself!

Also, remember you get to decide whether you avoid all the suggested foods on the list, some of them or just one of them.  Only you know yourself and your own strategy for success.  I am a firm believer that when we take small steps toward healthier living, we make long lasting, powerful changes in our body.

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Lysa

845.594.2127
Lysa.Ingalsbe@gmail.com

PS. One of the foods nourishing in the fall is cauliflower. Below is a cauliflower recipe from my gal Heidi Swanson. Enjoy!

Simple Cauliflower Recipe

To make this recipe vegan, just omit the Parmesan cheese finish - still delicious.

2 - 3 heads of small cauliflower (or 1/2 head large)
2 tablespoons of olive oil
a couple pinches of sea salt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 small bunch of chives, chopped
zest of one lemon
freshly grated Parmesan
a bit of flaky sea salt

To prep the cauliflower, remove any leaves at the base and trim the stem. Now cut it into tiny trees - and by tiny, I mean most florets aren't much larger than a table grape. Make sure the pieces are relatively equal in size, so they cook in the same amount of time. Rinse under running water, and set aside.

Heat the olive oil and fine grain salt in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add the cauliflower and stir until the florets are coated. Wait until it gets a bit brown on the bottom, then toss the cauliflower with a spatula. Brown a bit more and continue to saute until the pieces are deeply golden - all told about six minutes. In the last 30 seconds stir in the garlic.

Remove from heat and stir in the chives, lemon zest, and dust with a bit of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and a pinch of flaky sea salt (if you have it on hand). Serve immediately.

Serves 2-3 as a side.

Feel Good Monday Post: "Feeling the Love" and Sesame Collards with Carrot Ribbons recipe

Hi Everyone,

Last week, I went to a friend’s party. As I approached his house and saw all the cars and heard all the sounds from the party, I started to feel my anxiety growing.  For those of you who know me, you know that I am a people person, but nonetheless I still get party anxiety.  When I saw my friend whose party it was, I said “wow, I think there are even more people here this year than last year”. He responded with “yes, and there is so much LOVE here today”.  With that, I went on my merry way up his driveway, feeling my anxiety dissipate and be replaced with a true desire to connect with the other party dwellers present and enjoy the happy vibe being shared. I wound up having a wonderful time.

The next time you head out the door for a party, remember this story and hopefully you will be able to skip any party anxiety and go straight into the “love”!  

Below is a dish I made last week.  Kale is usually my favorite but for some reason the price of kale this week was super high so I went with collards instead.  Sometimes I am not wowed by collards so I tried cooking them a different way.  I found that boiling them with garlic, salt and carrots, made

the collard greens tender and quite flavorful.  Very easy to prepare as well!  

I hope you enjoy this simple yet tasty creation!

Sesame Collards with Carrot Ribbons: Lysa Ingalsbe

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch of collards cut thinly sliced into ribbon like pieces (to get this effect easily, just roll up the collards and slice. You can remove the spine from the leaf if preferred).
• 2 carrots ribboned- (use peeler to make long strips with carrot)
• 2 cloves of garlic
• pinch or two of sea salt
• toasted sesame seeds
• toasted sesame oil

Directions:

1. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
2. Add salt, collards, carrots and garlic.  Let simmer until collard greens are tender (about 15 minutes).  
3. Once tender, place in serving bowl, add sesame oil and top with seeds.

Note: Save water from the greens.  This makes a nutritious and delicious broth.  

Feel Good Monday Post: "Dwell in Possibility"

Happy July Everyone,

A couple of weeks ago I was at a friend's home for dinner.  On her desk I saw a quote that read "dwell in possibility."  Something about this quote makes me smile.  The idea that we can live in a place where we stay open to life and the potential it has to offer is refreshing and inspiring.  

What would life look and feel like if we dwelled in the possibility of now? Where could this moment take us if we opened to it fully? 

Below is a cool recipe I found on Heidi Swanson's blog to spruce up salads or any dish. It looks both deeply nutritious and delicious.  Give it a try to add some extra flavor and nutrients to your dish and let me know you like it.

Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

Lysa

Salad Booster: Heidi Swanson

2 sheets nori seaweed
2 oz kale (8-10 leaves), stems and center ribs removed
1/4 cup / 1 oz / 30g sunflower seeds
zest of one lemon
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

-------optional add-ins ----------------------

1/4 teaspoon sansho pepper (optional)
sea salt to taste
dried herbs
bee / fennel pollen ( if you haven't had bee pollen before,  start off with only a pinch as some people are allergic to this)

Heat the oven to 300F / 150C with racks in the top and bottom third. Wash the kale well, and pat dry thoroughly with a clean dish towel. Arrange the kale in a single layer on one parchment-lined baking sheet, and the nori, sunflower seeds, and lemon zest on another. I often tear the nori into pieces so it's easier to arrange.

Place both sheets in the oven until everything is nicely toasted. Remove the sunflower seeds, lemon zest, and nori after about 20 minutes (keep a close eye on things). And remove the kale after that, it typically takes about 5 minutes longer. Let all the ingredients cool and crisp.

Crumble the nori and kale into a large mortar and pestle along with 1 tablespoon of the sunflower seeds. Pound until finely ground. Alternately, you can pulse in a food processor. Work in the dried lemon zest and pepper flakes (and sansho pepper if you're using it), and add the remaining sunflower seeds. Blend until the seeds are broken up just a bit.

Makes about 2/3 cup.

Prep time: 5 min - Cook time: 25 min