This one's for you...

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My friend Amy in Boston makes the best cocktails! We have to have her on as a guest blogger. She is well known for her bloody mary's but she really does come up with the most delicious, mouthwatering beverages with or without the booze and they are always figure friendly. With that being said this one's for you Amy! When I received a big old watermelon in my CSA box I instantly wanted to juice it and drink it. I made the mistake of putting it in the juicer and made a big mess. Don't do this, use your blender guys. Anywho, I juiced up some watermelon and cucumber with a hint of lime and yum yum. This was a nice summery refreshing drink! Next time I will put in some strawberries.

Cut up some watermelon (take out the seeds) and a little bit of peeled cucumber a fresh squeeze of lime and blend away in the blender.  I put mine in the fridge after to make it cold, it's not so good room temp.

Enjoy!

Lentils

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I love lentils! They are super easy to make, you don't have to soak them and my girls LOVE them. There's a large variety of lentils but I always use green because the stay firm after you cook them. Lentils are SUPER healthy and here's why.
-low in fat and calories
-no cholesterol
-good for digestion
-relieve constipation
-good for the immune system
-great source of B vitamins, folate, iron, magnesium, potassium and vitamin C
- and last but not least, good source of protein!

I have a very basic lentil recipe that I make once a week.
1 cup of lentils
Vegetable stock (enough to cover lentils)
saute onion, garlic, celery, carrots in some olive oil salt/pepper to taste
add your lentils and stock and cook for about half hour 45 minutes.

This week in my CSA box I got two green peppers. So I decided to use up what was in my fridge and stuff them with brown rice, lentils and corn. Mixed in with tomato sauce. Baked them at 400 for a half hour and yum! This would be a good one to serve to meat eaters.

Zucchini Recipe

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I got yet another zucchini in my CSA box the size of my forearm along with three tomatoes. Now, it's been hot, steamy and just downright gross in the city these past few weeks and it puts me in the mood for something light and fresh. This recipe has pasta in it and some might say that's not so light. But we love pasta in our house and my husband likes to have some cooked in the fridge at all times. So here's what's cooking! This recipe taste better a few hours after you cook it. I made this in the am and left it covered on top of the stove and by dinner time the flavors were well blended and delicious!

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon Olive Oil
1/2 white onion or 1 small one
4 garlic cloves (i love me some garlic)
1 zucchini, sliced in half moon shapes
3 small tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup almond milk, add more as needed, eyeball it. (you could use soy)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
some fresh basil
1/2 pound cooked whole wheat pasta
salt/pepper to taste
Directions:
In a large pan heat up your oil over medium heat. Add your onion and cook for a few minutes. Next add garlic and give it a stir. Add your tomatoes and cook for about 5 minutes. Break them up with the back of a wooden spoon and keep stirring. Then add your zucchini and let that cook a bit. Add your salt and pepper. Next whisk in the cornstarch with your milk in a small bowl and then add to the pan. Lower your heat and let it simmer for a few minutes. Add cooked pasta and fresh basil. I topped it off with pine nuts!

My kid won't eat...

I hear this a lot from my friends. And I'm sorry I don't have a whole lot of advice to give you. I'm lucky that my daughter is good eater and I hope my youngest will be too, but who knows. One thing all kids seem to like is Pasta!

Eden Organic Vegetable Alphabets is a great option if your kid eats a lot of pasta. It's a bit healthier than white pasta and taste better than just plan old whole wheat. It's $3.99 a box and all organic ingredients. It has Beet Powder, Spinach Powder, Carrot Powder and Annatto Powder. I think most grocery stores stock Eden Organic so it shouldn't be to hard to find.

My George I think I've got it!

A while back I told you about this amazing smoothie truck in Soho called Urban Oasis. http://urbanoasistruck.com/?page_id=20

I've been trying to figure out how to make the black and white smoothie I had from there at home. And I've got it! Maybe not exact but it's yummy and a great meal replacement that's filling and healthy for you. It  will give you a chocolate fix without all the junk.

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I want to tell you about something called Cacao Nibs. They are cocoa beans that have been roasted, separated from their husk and broken into smaller pieces. I'm not crazy about eating them plane as a snack but they are great in smoothies and baked goods. They have GREAT nutritional value. This is what they mean by dark chocolate being "good for you". (Not a candy bar)

They are one of the best sources in magnesium as well as a good source of calcium, iron, copper, zinc and potassium.

Magnesium is an important mineral that many people are deficient in. Magnesium is a part of the nerve and muscle function, bone strength and circulation. It can not be produced by the body so you have to get from food sources.

Black and White Smoothie:
2 frozen bananas (peel and place in ziploc bag in freezer)
1 cup almond milk
1 full tablespoon cacao nibs (you can find then at any health food store or amazon)
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened all natural cocoa
1 scoop vanilla protein powder

Mix it all up in a blender for about 2 minutes. Add ice or milk as needed.

My Bad...

My deepest apologies for not being around much this week. I've been a bit busy. The good news is that I have been working on some new seasonal recipes for you! I told you that I joined a CSA and I've been getting a lot of zucchini and potatoes the past two weeks. This is the latest....

I used a small oven proof dish because I was testing the recipe. If you're using a larger dish adjust accordingly.

Ingredients:
1/2 tbls olive oil
1/2 an onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt/pepper to taste
1 zucchini, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2-3 potatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
2-3 tomatoes, sliced 1/4 inch thick
A few tablsp of butter or earth balance spread
1 tblspn Italian seasoning
Shredded parmigiano reggiano (eye ball it )

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375

Slice your veggies a 1/4 inch thick.
Saute onion and garlic in olive oil add a little salt and pepper.
Cut veggies a 1/4 inch thick.
Salt and pepper veggies.
Place onion and garlic mixture in bottom of oven proof pan.
Place veggies on top in a spiral form and add seasoning and butter on top.
Cover with foil and bake for a half hour.
Take out of oven, sprinkle with cheese and then bake uncovered for about 20-25 mins or so. Till potatoes are  cooked.

This makes a great side dish and very pretty if entertaining.

Saute your onion and garlic.

Cut veggies a 1/4 inch thick. 

Place onion and garlic mixture in bottom of oven proof pan.

Place veggies in a spiral form.

Meatless Monday

Black Beans and Rice Recipe! We love taco's on our household but I don't like the taco seasonings that come out of those packets. They are loaded with sodium and a bunch of preservatives that are not necessary. So I make my own it's super easy and very versatile. The one I use came from a blog called smashed peas and carrots.

Taco Seasoning:
1/4 cup chili powder
1 1/2 tsp onion powder
1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp oregano
1 1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

Bean Recipe:
Cooked brown rice
1-2 tblspn olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1-2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup black beans, soaked overnight

Soak your beans overnight. Drain and rinse in the am and cook for about 45 minutes.
In a large pan heat 1 tblsp of olive oil and add your onion and cook for about 5 min. Next add your pepper and cook for about 5 min or so. Add your chopped garlic.
Add tablespoon of olive oil ,beans and rice. Next add a tablespoon (or more to taste) of your taco seasoning. Mix all together so everything is heat through.
You could add some hot peppers or red pepper flakes for some spice but my little ones don't like it. I add it to mine after it's cooked.
You cold also put it in taco shells or tortilla with a side of avocado.

saute onion and peeper

Mix in cooked rice and beans

Loving peppers!

All done! 

A new twist on PB and J

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I came across this picture on pinterest and thought what a great way to recreate a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich. Peanut Butter gets a bad rep because it is high in calories and fat. But keep in mind it's a good fat. I don't recommend eating a half a cup of it in one sitting but a few tablespoon wont hurt you. I DO NOT recommend commercial, sugary peanut butter. Find a health food store and get raw natural peanut butter or one that is sugar free. I get mine from Whole Foods where you can make your own. Almond butter is a great substitute as well. Most people that are allergic to peanuts are usually OK with almonds.
Nut butters are filling, high in protein, fiber and calcium. For those of you who don't eat meat, when you combine PB with whole bread you get a complete protein.

My daughter Carolyn had camp today and I packed this up in her lunch box and the response was "Mom that's so cool". She doesn't like the skin so I peeled the apple and cored it, cut in half and smeared PB and Jelly and then cut it in half to make a C. The one in the picture above has PB and granola with chocolate chips in it! Yum.

Strawberries and Methyl Iodide

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About six months ago the state of California approved the use of Methyl Iodide in their agriculture. California produces of 80% of the nations strawberries. Please buy organic strawberries. Methyl Iodide is used in labs to create experimental cancer cells. Next time you buy strawberries take a look at where they come from. If the box says CA make sure you buy organic and if they don't have organic buy another fruit.

What do you eat???

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I get asked this question a lot. This past Saturday I was asked if I eat bread. Of course I do! I love bread. I was searching some blogs over the weekend and came across a quote that for the life of me can't remember where it came from. "If doesn't rot, it's not food". Do you get it?

Eat REAL food. Stay away from things that come out of packages. And please keep this in mind for your kids as well. Raisins, fruits, nuts, home made granola are much healthier snack choices for kids. If it's not in your house they are forced to eat the fresh fruit and veggies you have for them.

I eat a variety of vegetables, beans, pasta, rice. And I don't each much dairy. I eat a plant based diet for the most part. And my family does as well. I eat when I'm hungry and stop when I'm full. I have days I eat too much, have too many sweets or my real vice, dive into a bag of chips like it's my job. But I don't have the mentality of "oh I already blew so I might well just eat whatever". Stop thinking like this. And for those of you who are vegetarian stay away from that fake meat stuff. It's heavily processed, high in salt and most times very high in fat. It's NOT real food. I'm leaving you with a quote from one of my fav's Michael Pollan...

Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants.

Dirty Dozen

I know Organic is not cheap. And everything is not always available Organic. Here's a list of what they call the dirty dozen. This is what you should buy Organic. The least amount of exposure to pesticides they better off you and your children are. Please keep in mind that babies and small children are far more vulnerable to the effect of pesticides than adults. Their systems are less developed to excrete the chemicals. I always refer to the EWG for anything I'm not sure about. Each year The Environmental Working Group comes out with the Dirty Dozen list and Skin Deep also comes out with info on sunblock and lotions that are safer choices. Too much exposer to chemicals is not a good thing. And you know there's an app for that! EWG has a free i phone app for the Dirty Dozen. 

What you should buy Organic:

Celery 

Peaches

Strawberries

Apples

Blueberries 

Nectarines

Sweet Bell Peppers

Spinach

Kale/Collard Greens

Cherries

Potatoes

Grapes (Imported)

Ice Cream that's good for your waist line??

Say What??? Yes, it's true. We had a very early treat in our house this morning. After breakfast my 3.5 year old Carolyn said "Mommy I'm still hungry. How about some black licorice?" I replied "how about some ice cream!" And the rest was history....

2 frozen bananas
1/2 scoop GREENSuperFood (if you want to add some greens to it)
1 teaspoon cocoa powder
a little almond milk (eyeball it)

In a food processor (use S blade) pulse frozen bananas till it looks like ice cream. Warning: the food processor will sound like it's jumping off the counter.
Add cocoa powder and green superfood if using and pulse a bit. Add almond milk if needed.
And that's it! Yummy, Healthy, Easy and good for you!

If you like spinach

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You will like Swiss Chard! Try this green, it's in season and delicious and easy to cook. You could swap out any recipe that calls for spinach by using some chards. It's a beautiful green that is loaded with nutrients. 

Vitamin A, C and K

It's also rich in minerals like Copper, Calcium, Iron, Magnese and Phosphorus.

I got some in my CSA box last week. I only got one bunch and it really cooks down to nothing, a lot like spinach. Try it as a side dish sauteed with garlic and olive oil! Just remember to remove the stems. I cooked mine up with some pasta and chickpeas.

Chard and Chickpeas: 

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

5 garlic cloves, minced

salt and red pepper flakes to taste

2 bunches of chard

about a pound of cooked pasta

vegetable stock

a little splash of white wine if you like!

In a large pan over md to high heat, saute your garlic in olive oil and don't burn the garlic. Add salt and red pepper to taste. Add your chard and cook down, move your garlic to the top. Next add pasta and chickpeas a little stock and some wine. You could also add some cappers. Taste for seasoning and enjoy!

Saute your garlic, chard and seasoning.

Yum!

When Life Gives You Lemons...

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You make a body scrub! Over the holiday weekend my vanity got the best of me. Me and the fam went to a resort with pools, golf and sun and I didn't want to look like casper the ghost. I love spray tans but they are a bit pricey and not always very convenient for a stay at home Mom with two kids. I came up with  what I thought at the time was a brilliant idea of an over the counter self tanning mousse. The sales women was very convincing in telling me that it was a best seller and very "natural looking". Sold!!! I take a shower put it on before I go to bed just like she told me. What do I wake up to? A hot streaky mess! My hands, ankles and knee's, oh and a few spots on my legs were a brown color that looked a bit like dirt. No need to panic... We have google, so I found an article on how to fix a fake tan. The article said lemons or a body scrub. I don't really use body scrubs because my skin is a bit sensitive. I don't even have loofah for that matter. But I did have lemons. I pulled out a measuring cup squeezed a few lemons in there and poured in some organic cane sugar and made a paste and jumped in the shower. Scrubbed away and my final result was skin as soft as a baby's bum. No need to pay for body scrub shower products  people. This two minute concoction was amazing. It didn't irritate my skin at all and ended up being 100% organic! As for the streaks... they were still there. Good thing I bought a few maxi dresses this season.

Happy 4th!!!

I want to wish everyone a Happy and Safe 4th of July! Here's a few tips for the weekend so you don't eat too much crap.

If you get invited to a BBQ bring your own dish, even if the host tells you not to. You know your food is clean, organic and yummy! Stay away from cheap meat and hotdogs. Eat veggies, corn on the cob or even eat before you get there so you're not tempted to eat things you normally wouldn't. Don't O. D. on sugar and cupcakes and ice cream. Have a little but don't go too far. And for Pete's sake lay off the booze would ya? I know this is easier said than done. Drink lots of water. Have a drink, drink some water after that. Have another and hydrate again, you'll thank me the next day and your body will too!

Enjoy!
Nicole