Neighborhood Walk: Summer to Fall

Take advantage of the light that is still available and put on a few layers (rediscover your wardrobe).  Take a 10 minute walk around your neighborhood and look for the signs of transformation. Animals are behaving differently, ourselves included. Listen for the changed sounds, smell the air and notice how different it is now compared to the height of summer. See what others are doing around you and be inspired by their movement. There are new foods becoming available, while others disappear until next year. Buy apples, pears, sunchokes, sweet potatoes, and squashes of all sorts. Look at plants and the changing colors of trees.

When you get home, journal about what you noticed and about the experience. If anything came up for you emotionally, perhaps make note of that too. Repeat this process two or three times a week over the next month, until we are solidly into the deep dark. Enjoy this focused awareness of change around you.

This is a super quick lunch (or dinner) that I whipped up for a surprise drop-in. I almost never use recipes, so all amounts are approximations and to taste. That said, we were full and had plenty left over for later in the day.

You can use canned beans–which will make it even faster–or pressure cook dry ones (takes 20 minutes) while you prep everything else. Enjoy! -Veronica

What you need for the corn:

2-4 ears of corn (without doubt it will be sweet corn-that is pretty much all we can get)

About a quarter cup of olive oil, butter, or margarine

herbs and spices: cayenne pepper, oregano, dill, pinch thyme, pinch rosemary

What you need for the salad:

2-3 cups cooked black beans

large red onion sliced into rounds

one avocado sliced

two big handfuls of sprouts (I used home grown young mung bean and lentil sprouts)

1/2 cup dry toasted pumpkin seeds

juice of 1 lime

What to do:

Set your beans to cook (if not using canned) and prep pot for your corn.Corn only takes about 5 minutes in a pot of boiling water, so you can drop in pretty close to serving time.

Meanwhile: Throw your herbs into your oil and mash until thoroughly blended. I like this super spicy to balance the sweetness of the corn (which I don’t really like), but use your own judgement. Set to cool in the fridge or pop in the freezer for a few minutes.

Chop your onion and avocado. Place in a serving bowl with the sprouts. Add the lime juice and mix gently. Place in fridge to cool until ready to serve.

Toast your seeds on medium heat in a dry pan. They will pop.

When ready to serve, gently spoon black beans into the onion mixture. Serve and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds. The corn can be pulled right out of the pot onto the plate and the oil mixture spooned on as desired.I love lime, so I spritzed the whole thing again with a bit of juice and also added a dash of kelp (for iodine–I don’t like salt). Again, personal preference.

If you have any tortillas around, makes a nice soft taco.

Enjoy!

You can use a pre-made pizza crust, or make your own:

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 package active dry yeast/instant yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup warm water
1 tablespoon olive oil work well too
1 tablespoon sweetener (to feed the yeast)

Combine flour, yeast and salt. Blend in water, oil and sweetener. Stir until all ingredients are well mixed. Cover with a tea towel and place in a warm place to rise. When doubled in size it is ready to work.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Punch down dough. If making a large pie, you can roll out the whole thing. Otherwise, cut into quarters for generous individual pies. We used parchment paper on a cookie sheet to bake the pizzas–makes the crust nice and crispy and makes clean up super easy.

For the pizza pictured above, we used prepared pesto, but making your own is super easy (see below). Add enough sauce to cover the crust, but not so much that it is soggy. The pictured pizza has layers of black pepper encrusted goat cheese, mixed chopped olives (nicoise, kalamatas), cubed pineapple, wilted spinach, and ground spicy red peppers. It sounds a little crazy. It tastes amazing.

Bake in oven 10 minutes or until crust is golden brown. ENJOY!

Easy Pesto

Place four fistfuls of basil leaves, 1/4 cup olive oil, handful of pignoli nuts or walnuts, and a clove of garlic into a blender or food processor. Puree into a thick paste. You may need to add a little bit of water (or olive oil if you prefer) as you puree.

I’ve also made a more rustic pesto using a blend of basil leaves and arugula, chopping finely with a knife and smashing a garlic clove into the greens. I drizzle oil into the mixture and use a muddler to crush everything together. It smells phenomenal. Salt and pepper to taste.

Some people like to add parmesan cheese. I find it overwhelms the subtleties of the herb and nuts, but by all means add the cheese and omit the salt.

Have fun!

This is so easy and delicious. Full of protein, long-lasting carbohydrates for fuel, and some zesty olives for flavor. This quick meal will keep you going.

What you need:

Large bunch arugula, washed and coarsely chopped

Cup dry brown rice penne (or any short pasta)

Cup dry French lentils

Handful of mixed olives, chopped, or about three tablespoons olive tapanade

Oregano, basil, and crushed red chili pepper flakes to taste

Splash of olive oil

Splash of lemon juice

What To Do:

Set the lentils to boil. They take about 15 minutes to cook. Set pasta to boil about 5 minutes after you set the lentils. 

Place arugula in a large bowl with olive oil and lemon juice.  Drain lentils and pour them over the arugula.

Drain pasta and rinse with cool water to remove excess starch. Add drained pasta, olives or tapanade, and seasonings to the bowl.

Using a fork, gently begin to fold in the pasta.

Serve and enjoy!

Back by popular demand: Spark! Reboot 5-Day Cleanse

REBOOT YOUR BODY: May 1 – 5 2011

If you’ve found that you’re entering into spring with a little less pep in your step than you’d like, now is the perfect time to Reboot your system and clean up your routine as we (finally!) move into warmer weather. Andrea and Hadley are kicking off their popular 5-Day Reboot program to help you refocus, re-energize, and renew your commitment to your health and nutrition goals.

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, you can use a Reboot:

* Less energy than you’d like
* Difficulty getting up in the morning
* Skin problems (blemishes or rashes)
* Constipation
* Extra weight you’d like to get rid of
* Allergies
* Aches and pains

WHAT IS A REBOOT?

Our 5-day Reboot is a chance for you to eat clean, whole, real foods. Unlike other “fad detoxes,” you’ll be EATING! No starvation cleanse here. Benefits of a Reboot include:

* Reducing inflammation in the body caused by hidden food allergies or sensitivities
* Taking a break from addictive and toxic foods that are difficult to digest
* Boosting your energy and taking your metabolism to the next level

YOUR 5-DAY REBOOT (May 1 – 5) INCLUDES:

* 5 days of step-by-step instructions and online group support
* A detailed Reboot packet that includes menus, grocery lists, and delicious recipes
* Ongoing support from Andrea & Hadley, so you’re never alone through your Reboot experience

READY TO COMMIT? REGISTER HERE.

WHY PARTICIPATE IN A GROUP REBOOT?

By rebooting in a supportive group setting, you’re never on your own. You’ll have access to your group forum and expert holistic health coaches (Andrea and Hadley) for any questions that might come up. Use the forum to share recipes, ask questions, and give and receive support from other forum members.

Your Reboot Progam Includes:

• Detailed information packet with step-by-step instructions
• Recipe booklet with delicious vegetable, chicken, fish, bean, and tofu recipes
• Continous support throughout your Reboot experience

Cost: $50 Register by April 15th and receive $10 off.

SPECIAL PRICING:

• Have you cleansed with us before? Take additional $5 off.

• Are you a Well & Good reader? Take an additional $5 off.

• Health Practitioners take another $5 off
  

HAVE MORE QUESTIONS? Join our FREE informational teleclass on April 11th from 8-8:30pm EST.  Register here.

Two large handful mung bean “cellophane” noodles
Large zucchini
3 baby bok choy
Large handful Mung bean sprouts
½ C peanut butter
1 T hot pepper sesame oil (or to taste)
2 T tamari (or to taste)
Black sesame seeds

Cellophane noodles “cook” up in 10 minutes. Just soak them in hot water while you do the rest.

Mix peanut butter, oil, and tamari. Add water until mixture is consistency of a creamy dressing. Put aside.
Chop zucchini and kale. Dry saute zucchini until just tender. Add chopped bok choy. Cook until bok choy brightens in color.

Drain noodles and place in a large bowl. Toss with dressing, sprinkle of sesame seeds, and add vegetables, including raw mung bean sprouts.
Serve right away.

Jasmine rice, pumpkin seeds, and kale

1 cup brown jasmine rice
1 6-inch piece of lemongrass
Bunch kale
Pumpkin seeds, dry toasted
Large handful mung bean sprouts

For the sauce:

½ cup tahini
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 T tamari
Black sesame seeds
1 tsp sweet chili paste

Cook the rice with the lemongrass. Make sauce by combining tahini, rice vinegar, tamari, and sweet chili paste. Keep the mixture thick. Dry toast pumpkin seeds in a pan on low heat. Seeds will pop. When rice is nearly ready, steam kale.

Serve rice as a base with a mound of kale, sprouts, and pumpkin seeds. Dollop dressing on top and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

If you want to be healthy, including heart healthy, you’ve got to move your body.

Physical activity will help your heart in so many ways, not only in making the heart pump itself stronger and more efficient in doing its job (thus working smarter, not harder), exercise will also benefit your heart by:

• improving circulation
• decreasing stress levels and the production of stress hormones
• regulating blood pressure
• increasing HDL or “good” cholesterol
• strengthening the immune system that fights pathogens and disease

And this list doesn’t begin to touch on the benefits to your mind, body composition (fat to muscle), and bones.

The American Heart Association guidelines for heart health recommend at least 150 minutes per week of moderate exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous exercise (or a combination), or 30 minutes a day, five times a week. What does this mean? It means performing any activity that is rhythmic and can be sustained, such as walking, running, swimming, biking, dancing, jumping on a trampoline–you get the idea. The AHA further states that the 30 minutes can be accumulated throughout the day. Note that these are guidelines for a healthy heart, and that there are different guidelines for fitness gains.

Used to doing nothing?  Start with something. Make one small change. Walk 10 minutes today. Make it a habit and gradually increase the time spent doing your exercise activity. Explore options for activities you’ve never tried, like a bollywood dance class, and for sharing activity with others, like starting a walking club before or after work.

The damage of a sedentary life is cumulative–today, 1 in 3 Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease–but the benefits of exercise are also cumulative. Start right now and make movement a happy part of every day.

This recipe is hands-down one of my favorite of 2010-11.  I’ve made it 4-5 times in the past month, enjoyed leftovers for lunch, served it to guests… it’s never let me down. It’s quick and easy and makes several servings. Plus, it’s full of butternut squash (which will ward off sweet cravings), kale (a superfood!), and yummy black beans. I serve it with a side of brown rice and, depending on how hungry I am, a side of steamed broccoli.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND BLACK BEAN CHILI

2 tbsp olive oil
1.5 c butternut squash, cut into 1″ cubes
1 large onion, roughly diced
1 head of lacinto (also called dinosaur) kale, roughly chopped
2 cans black beans, rinsed well
1 28oz-can Muir Glen Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes
3 tbsp chili powder
3 tsp coriander
2 c of water
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pan, heat olive oil and add onion and butternut squash. Cook on medium for 4 minutes, until both are soft. Add spices and cook for 30 second, stirring frequently. Add kale and cook for another minute. Add tomatoes and beans and stir everything together. Cook 2 minutes. Add 2c of water (or vegetable broth, if you’d like), cover, and simmer for 15-20 minutes, until everything is tender. Salt at the end — the tomatoes will cook down and it’s easy to oversalt!

Set your alarm 5 minutes early for a luxurious stretch before you get out of bed. What better way to set the stage for movement throughout your day than with movement that feels good?

Lie on your back and tuck both knees into your chest. Give your shins a good hug.  Take a deep breath in and let it out as you bring your nose to your knees, wrapping yourself into a ball shape. Do this 3-4 times.

Unravel into an X shape, arms overhead and legs long. Reach your right arm and left leg away from each other for a couple of seconds. Let go and try the other side. Let go and then reach all limbs away from center. Release.

Gently raise your right arm and left leg into the air, then switch for a few rounds, getting some blood pumping.

Return to knees tucked shape and let them drop off to the right while your arms drift left. Repeat on the other side.

Return to your opening ball shape and breathe your way out of bed.

ENJOY!