One of the most important things you can do for your health and vitality is drink water. Most Americans are chronically dehydrated; if your urine is not pale yellow you are not drinking enough! (the exception to this is for those taking a B complex or multivitamin)

One of the common complaints I hear is that water doens’t “taste good” or it is “boring”. Here are some innovative ways to refresh nature’s perfect beverage:

• Add a squeeze of citrus: lemon, lime, or orange slices add color and zest (pun not intended) to an ordinary glass of water.
• Add fresh cucumber slices to a glass or pitcher of water.
• Go herbal by adding fresh basil or rosemary from the garden to a pitcher of water. I just learned this new trick and it is absolutely fantastic! Other ideas: lavender, oregano, mint and thyme!
• Freeze washed grapes and use them as ice cube to keep water cool. A sweet snack at the bottom of your glass can be incentive to drink up!
• Keep your water chilled longer by freezing a few glasses, or keeping your waterbottle in the freezer with 1/2 inch of water inside. Instant ice cube, long lasting chill!

These brownies are not too sweet; without the frosting they are a little on the unsweetened side - but the frosting gives them the perfect touch of richness without being overwhelming.  Zucchini adds extra fiber and moistness to this healthier treat!

Brownies:

• 2-2 1/2 cups finely grated zucchini
• 1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup oat flour
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup sugar (more if you like your brownies sweeter or want to skip the frosting)

Frosting:

• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 3 tbsp. cocoa powder
• 4 tbsp. rice or soy milk
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 cup sucanat, blended until powdered

Mix the zucchini, banana, water and vanilla together in a large bowl. You may find the zucchini  oozes water a bit - this is fine.  Mix the remaining dry ingredients in a separate bowl and fold the dry ingredients into the wet batter. Oil a 9×13 baking pan with coconut, palm, or grapeseed oil and pour batter in. Bake at 350 for 25-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the batter comes out clean.

Remove from oven and set aside to cool 20 minutes or overnight.

To prepare the frosting blend the coconut oil, powdered sugar, cocoa, rice milk, and vanilla together in a Vitamix or food processor. Spread over cooled brownies with a spatula. If you place the brownies in the refrigerator, the frosting will firm up nicely (due to the type of fats found in coconut oil).

Eatwild has a comprehensive database of grass-fed food sources in both the US and Canada. I utilize them as a resource when I am traveling, searching for options for clients, or investigating options I find on local menus.

Aside from being a fabulous resource, they also offer educational articles on why grass-fed is a preferable option, have a small store of books on farming, food, food politics, and cooking gadgets. It’s a site worth bookmarking for future reference!

To find local suppliers of grass-fed products in your area, click here:

This recipe is courtesy of Whole Foods. Several months ago they asked for recipe makeover requests for those with food intolerances. I emailed asking for a soy, dairy, gluten-free lasagna. Evidently, I wasn’t the only one! Below is the original makeover with the soy-free option (which I used). The eggs in the recipe cleverly serve to hold all ingredients together in absence of the cheese. While it lacks the gooey, chewy texture that only loads of mozzarella can provide, the flavors come close enough to satisfy this girl’s cravings. Happy with the results, I am sharing them with all of you.
Enjoy!

Two readers requested a gluten-free, dairy-free lasagna recipe. Surprising as it may seem, not all tomato, marinara or pasta sauces are gluten-free and some even contain dairy, so be sure to read the label carefully before making your selection. For those who cannot tolerate soy, this recipe can be made soy free by eliminating the tofu. Simply increase the number of eggs to four. Distribute the egg mixture in equal parts over each layer of noodle and top with sauce as per recipe instructions.

Serves 6 to 8

• 1 (14-ounce) package soft tofu (not silken), drained (omit for soy-free)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey or chicken (I used grass-fed ground beef)
• 3/4 pound button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bunch spinach, stemmed, cleaned and coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch fresh basil, stemmed and coarsely chopped
• 4 cups gluten-free tomato or marinara sauce
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tablespoons garbanzo or fava bean flour (any gluten-free flour will be fine)
• 1 (16-ounce) package gluten-free lasagna noodles
• (always an improviser, I added carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and red peppers to my lasagna mix in place of the tofu.)

To prepare the filling, coarsely crumble tofu onto two layers of a lint-free dish towel. Wrap tofu in the towel and lightly press out excess moisture; set aside.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onion until tender, about 4 minutes. Add turkey and cook, stirring frequently, until just brown, about 8 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, oregano, 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. In two batches, add the spinach and cook until just wilted, about 2 minutes each. Stir in basil and tomato sauce. Decrease the heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Whisk eggs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. Add flour and whisk until well blended and slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Unwrap tofu, crumble it into small pieces and add it to egg mixture. Stir to fully coat. Set aside.

Meanwhile, cook lasagna noodles according to package directions in salted boiling water, but reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes. The noodles should be slightly firm, as they will continue cooking in the oven. Drain, rinse with cold water, and drain again.

To assemble the lasagna, preheat oven to 350° F. Ladle 1/4 cup of the sauce into the bottom of a 13×9x2-inch baking dish and spread it out evenly. Place 3 lasagna sheets on top of the sauce. Place 1/3 of the tofu mixture on the lasagna sheets along with about a 1/4 of the sauce, distributing it evenly. Repeat layering two more times with 3 lasagna sheets, 1/3 of the tofu mixture and 1/4 of the sauce. (If going soy-free, pour a little of the beaten eggs over each layer as well) Finish with a final layer of noodles and remaining sauce, taking care to spread the sauce evenly all the way to the corners. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the lasagna from the oven and let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Nutrition Info

Per serving (About 16.5oz/472g-wt.): 570 calories (170 from fat), 18g total fat, 3.5g saturated fat, 30g protein, 69g total carbohydrate (6g dietary fiber, 2g sugar), 115mg cholesterol, 880mg sodium

This recipe comes from a vegetarian cookbook called “A Taste of Vitality”. It is available for free download by clicking here. I love this cookbook - it offers wonderful whole foods, largely gluten-free vegan recipes that sustain and increase health. Enjoy this recipe, and feel free to download the cookbook to try others!

As a big fan of wasabi (reader Nimmi C. will recall the great wasabi-eating contest of 1999), I was nothing short of excited to try this dish out.  The recipe can be made as instructed, or poured into a sesame-oiled baking dish and baked as a pilaf.  It has a nice bite to it but is not overwhelming. Leftovers are great in a wrap, rolled around seaweed or consumed with sashimi (raw fish).

Quinoa:

• 1.5 cups quinoa, washed
• 3 cups vegetable broth
• 1 tsp. dark sesame oil
• (optional - use 4 cups leftover quinoa and skip quinoa cooking instructions)

Vegetables:

• 1 tbsp. dark sesame oil
• 3 medium leeks, diced small
• 1 small rutabaga, diced small
• 3/4 pound asparagus, diced small
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Tofu: (easily omitted if soy-sensitive)

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• 16 oz. firm tofu (pressed as long as possible to remove excess water)
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Finishing:

• 2 tbsp. powdered wasabi (if using a paste, adjust to your taste)
• 3 tbsp. tamari (use 3 tbsp. water and1 tsp. salt mixed with wasabi if soy-sensitive)

Once quinoa is washed, place ina  saucepan with oil and salt, cover, and bring to a boil. Once boiling, bring heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.

Heat a pan over medium-high heat and add oil. Saute leeks and rutabaga until crisp-tender. Add asparagus and sea salt and cook 2 more minutes. Set aside.

Cut the tofu into small diced pieces (similar to vegetable in size). Heat a  large skillet and when it is hot, add oil and tofu. Saute, flipping diced tofu occasionally, so each side is crispy and browned. Once they become firm and crispy, lower heat, add salt, and stir gently for a minute. Turn off heat.

In a small bowl, mix wasabi and tamari until there are no lumps. Add the tofu to a large bowl, and pour the wasabi mix onto the tofu. Mix well. Add the quinoa and vegetables and continue to mix well. IF MAKING ROLLS, Briefly blend half the mixture in a food proessor and mix it back into the unblended half. This allows the mix to be pressed into rolls that actually stick together.  At this point, you can refrigerate the mix to use later, or form it into rolls immediately.

To make the rolls:

Place parchment paper on a baking sheet (allows easy removal).  If you do not have parchment paper, you can oil a baking sheet. Parchment paper is best, and very reliable for roll removal without damage.

Form rolls into sturdy, upright cylinders with your hands and place them on the baking sheet. If the mixture does not adhere well, it may be too dry; try adding some water until it stays together. If the mix is very mushy, it may be too wet. Add some brown rice flour or other whole grain flour to dry it out a little. The mix should form about 16 rolls.

If you do not want rolls, place the quinoa mix into an oiled baking dish, smoothing out the top so it is in a layer of even depth.

Place quinoa rolls or pilaf into a 400 degree oven (preheating is unnecessary). Bake for 35 minutes or until a crispy edge is formed around rolls and they are golden brown. Alternatively, bake the pilaf for 20 minutes to allow flavors to blend or serve freshly mixed if time is short.

This recipe was given to me a few years ago by someone — whoever that was, thank you!

• 1/2 cup raw oats (not flakes - use steel cut)
• 1/4 cup raw almonds
• 2 dried prunes
• cinnamon powder and honey to taste

Soak all three ingredients in water overnight. In the morning, drain excess water from oats, prunes and nuts. Blend the mix in a Vitamix or Food processor until desired consistency is reached.

While the prunes make this meal sweet already, local honey or grade B maple syrup can be added as well.

I’ve spent a great deal of time in airports and other states and have become very familiar with finding food while traveling. Since my travels have mostly been via plane to metropolitan areas, it has been easy for me to pack what I need or find something reasonable in an airport.

Last month, a new challenge came my way — healthy eating while traveling via roadway, cross-country.

Read the rest of this entry »

Romio’s Pizza has wowed me by offering dairy, gluten, and/or soy-free pizzas coming the first week of June!

They have partnered with DaVinci’s bakery to reach out to those of us who have food intolerances. DaVinci’s makes a D/S/F pizza crust and DaVinci’s has been offering soy cheese to those who are lactose intolerant (please note - the soy cheese make have the milk protein casein in it; check with staff to make sure). I’m no stranger to a cheeseless pizza from my vegan days (back in the 90’s, in Alaska, when soy cheese was relatively unheard of), so even if Romio’s hasn’t figured out a dairy-soy free cheese, I’ll gladly order a pie from them the next time I’m having a craving for pizza or wanting to prep for a long run.

Please show Romio’s your support by ordering from them the next time you want a pie. Thank them for considering those with food intolerances and encourage them to keep up the good work!

Romio’s is located in Greenwood, but offers delivers free to the following areas:
North to 160th St.
East to I-5
West to Puget Sound
South to the Ship Canal

Greenwood, Phinney, Green Lake, Wallingford, Fremont, Ballard, Loyal Heights, Crown Hill, North Beach, Blue Ridge, North Park, Broadview, North Gate, And Bitter Lake.

ROMiÓS PIZZA & PASTA
Greenwood
8523 GREENWOOD AVE. N.
SEATTLEWA 98103

Tel: (206) 782-9005
Fax: (206) 781-9181
E-Mail: office@romiospizza.com

• 1 qt. vodka
• 8 vanilla pods

Split vanilla pods lengthwise and scrape the seeds into the vodka. Place pods into the bottle as well. Cover and store for at least 2 months before using. This will keep for a year at room temperature.  Split into smaller bottles to give as gifts!

To make a smaller batch, use one vanilla pod for 3/4 cup of vodka.

1 tbsp. toasted sesame seeds

2 tsp. olive oil or coconut oil

2 tsp. chopped ginger

12 oz. spinach or other dark leafy green

1/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tsp. sesame oil

1 tsp. soy sauce

Place a large pan over high heat until hot. Add oil, swirly bottom to coat.  Add ginger and cook until fragrant - about 10 seconds. Add spinach and broth, stir once then cover.

Reduce heat to medium; cook - stirring again, until greens are wilted - about 2-3 minutes.

Add sesame oil, soy sauce, and seeds.

Toss to distribute flavors, remove from heat, and serve!

Last Night’s pizza moves.

My guts churn in agony;

Lesson learned again.

Most sources indicate that over half the U.S. population is not getting enough magnesium. Magnesium is a key mineral essential to bone formation, cardiovascular health, energy production, and muscular contraction. Low levels of magnesium can affect your risk of developing or exacerbating a chronic disease, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and diabetes.

The current RDA for magnesium is 400mg, although it has been suggested that this recommendation is well below optimal intake.  Magnesium stores are depleted with cola and coffee consumption, diuretics, and high-stress environments (whether real of artificially created through stimulants) Populations at risk include diabetics (it is excreted with sugar in urine), heavy exercisers, and individuals who consume appreciable amounts of white flour, salt and sugar.

Some signs you may not be getting enough magnesium:

• muscle soreness
• TMJ
• tension headaches
• sensitivity to bright lights and noise (without eye disease)
• menstrual cramps and premenstrual irritability
• constipation
• numbness, tingling
• anxiety, panic
• restlessness and hyperactivity

The best way to make sure you receive enough magnesium is to include magnesium rich green leafy vegetables and whole grains in your diet. If you suspect you may be deficient in magnesium, you may benefit from extra supplementation. This often leads to a reduction in muscular cramping and soreness, improved sleep, and calmer moods are seen soon after beginning magnesium supplementation. Magnesium is safe at relatively high doses; an excess will induce diarrhea (remember Milk of Magnesia?) High doses are meant to be taken for a limited period of time and under medical supervision.

This recipe comes from a cooking class I took with Shauna James Ahern, more commonly known as the Gluten-free Girl. With fresh halibut coming into season, this simple recipe is an utterly fantastic way to celebrate a melt-in-your mouth filet of fresh halibut.

• 12 oz. fresh halibut*
• 1/3 cup forbidden black rice, ground into flour with a Vitamix or coffee grinder
• 1 tsp. each kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 tbsp. high quality olive oil
• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter** (or coconut oil)

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

Comine black rice flour, salt and pepper. Place it upon a saucer and plunk the fish down into the flour mixture. Turn fish over, and coat all sides in flour. Shake off excess.

Heat an oven-proof skillet (like a cast iron skillet) until a drop of water sizzles upon the surface. Add the oil and butter to the pan. When the butter begins to foam, but hasyet to brown, add the fish. Cook for 2-3 minutes or until the rice flour begins to form a crust on the fish. Flip the fish over and slip the skillet into the oven. Cook for5 minutes or until the internal temperature reads 120 degrees on a meat thermometer.

* You may substitute black cod or true cod for the halibut if you wish. Purchase thick cuts of fish for this recipe. If the fish is cut near the tail (and therefore thinner) saute’ the fish in the pan rather than searing it in the oven.

**Butter is used to make the coating crispier.

I just finished the Eugene Marathon about a week ago and set an amazing personal record. Part of preparing for an offsite marathon requires experimenting with foods that are travel friendly to minimize the chances of digestive distress on race day. I have recently discovered that my old standby - instant oatmeal - no longer works well for my body. I switched to raw granola (made from buckwheat) on race day and had no digestive issues, plenty of energy, and amazing speed.  Granted, I cannot attribute this all to raw granola, but not having an acidic stomach clearly played a part in my success.

Here is a similar recipe for home - a buckwheat muesli. Once I find a raw granola I can make and enjoy, I will post that recipe here as well.

Buckwheat Apple Muesli

Serves 1 (generously)

• 1/3 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 5 dates
• 1/4 cup apple juice
• 1 medium apple, sliced into quarters
• 1/8tsp. cinnamon
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 1-2 tbsp. shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp. walnuts or nuts/seeds of choice

Soak buckwheat and dates overnight in 1 1/4 cup water. In the morning, drain and RESERVE the soaking liquid.  Place dates and groats in a food processor or Vitamix. Add 2 apple quarters, 1/4 cup reserved liquid, juice, and spices. Process on low until fairly smooth.

Pour  into a bowl and dice remaining apple, stirring into cereal. Top with coconut and walnuts.

I’m doing some spring cleaning in my home and finding many lovely recipes that have yet to be transferred online. Expect to receive a barrage of posts for various new and tasty foods shortly!

Nabbed from Recipezaar.com and originally credited to Sunset magazine, this recipe will be excellent on a warm summer evening.

• 8 oz. farfalle (bowtie) pasta (can use brown rice spirals or other shaped GF pasta)
• 12 oz. crimini mushrooms
• 4 oz. fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp. butter, Earth Balance, or toasted sesame oil
• 2 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 3tbsp. fresh ginger
• 3 tbs. fresh minced garlic
• 4 cups shredded raddichio
• 1 cup cooked, shelled edamame (Trader Joe’s has this available in their frozen foods area) or use adzuki beans if soy sensitive
• 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
• 1.5 tbsp. dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp. soy sauce (use 2 tsp. salt if soy sensitive)
• shaved fresh parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to directions. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking process.  Slice all mushrooms and saute in 1 tbsp. butter or oil for 3-4 minutes or until lightly browned.  Add remaining butter/oil to pan. When melted, add ginger and garlic and stir for one minute, or until it becomes fragrant. Add radiccio adn edamame and stir until radicchio wilts - about 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk vinegar, mustard and soy sauce until combined. Add cooked pasta and mushroom mixture and toss to coat. Add salt and pepper. This may be served warm or cold, and topped with freshly grated parmesan just before serving.

Serves 4

Reader and client M.H. shared this exquisite quinoa recipe with me. Quinoa is an incredible grain - a true superfood - from South America. It was a staple food of the Andean peoples for centuries. Rich in protein, iron, and calcium, quinoa is filling, versatile, and quick to cook - 20 minutes. A whole grain that is even faster than white rice!

This recipe comes from 101cookbooks.com, originally sourced to Chef MD’s Big Book of Culinary Medicine.

Warm and Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa Recipe

A few notes and tips from the book: low-fat soy milk may replace the low fat milk, blueberries may replace the blackberries, dark honey may replace the agave nectar, and walnuts may replace the pecans.

1 cup organic 1% low fat 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

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.

It’s playtime in the Dream Kitchen!

On April 25th, VIBRANCE Nutrition and Fitness teamed up with Design Kompany to do a educational lunch and work party for solopreneurs. Design Kompany provided the space and I came in and demonstrated how easy it is to make a quick, healthy lunch in under 20 minutes. Here is shortened video footage of the event: Read the rest of this entry »