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Category: seasonal eating

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Spring Lifestyle upgrade—cleaning up health, home and skin!

Well I don’t know about you all, but we’re finally getting spring weather here in CT!! As soon as the weather gets above 60 and the sun is shining–I get two strong and conflicting desires—one to purge, organize and deep clean everything in the house…and the other to get out, lay on a blanket in the sun, play badminton with the kids, and generally just forget about chores for a bit.

I’ve been in the second mode for this weekend, and Earth day was a perfect and glorious day, reminding us of just how lucky we are to have green space and a little patch of earth to love, care for, and to be nourished by in so many ways.

What’s your favorite part about spring? Are you a clean first, play later type? Or a balance of the two?

I think the spring wardrobes and bare toes in the grass might be up there as my fav…oh, and the seasonal fruits and veggies coming back in–locally! We’re in a flurry to plant our garden quickly from last frost to summer–it’s gonna feel like a shorter season, but last year we moved in and planted in late May and it ended up working out well. Share what you’re enjoying about your cleaning and spring refresh!

I love to look at all my habits and hit the refresh button–from exercise, to making the lighter mornings count, to getting rid of winter clutter and even mindsets that aren’t serving me any more. I LOVE that we can use this lifestyle brand to CLEAN up many of the aspects of home, health, and skin…not to mention mindset and business with fresh perspective and goals! Wondering what to do with that nice tax refund? Invest in all areas of your life AND earn a check/write off your product bundle through the success packs–these are the biggest discounts on getting connected with non-toxic lifestyle tools at once–cleaner skin, cleaner homes, and cleaner health, through the supplements and the healthy cleanse kit!

Currently, through April 30th, the get clean kit includes FREE Shipping (Up to $20 value!) And they will be planting a tree in your honor; 1 tree, 1 kit. I love that. I replaced everything in my home with these cleaners 6 years ago, and we’ve never looked back! Been breathing easier, letting the kids help us clean (yay!) and more. You can find a whole article on this topic here.

What an amazing way to welcome spring!

And then I’ve read articles pointing to something I’ve instinctively understood/learned–that tidying up your kitchen and organizing it better can help with weight loss or health goals. (I’ll post link below).

And certainly finding ways to be more intentional and organized bring a peace and underlying rhythm to a season that starts to get very busy with events, etc. I know alot of people like to do a spring cleanse and to refresh their energy and habits. Consider that a seasonal gift to yourself; our bodies naturally hold on to weight in the winter months, especially cold weather climes, and it’s great to be able to shift our metabolisms and reset energy levels just in time for spring!

We have a great group lined up to start with us next week–but if you happen to be reading this later on and want to jump in, we’ll have several groups in early to mid May, and can do a personalized cleanse experience for you as well-it’s all about what you need!

More on that in another post, but this really is a complete non-toxic lifestyle, and as budget allows if you start going through and cleaning up/replacing all the areas of life with these tools, you’ll be AMAZED at the difference. Do you think changing brands can change lives? It certainly can and we’ve seen it time and again in the people around us who commit to the aspect of long term use—-after all–even though we like the idea of a quick fix, we know the ultimate goal is a sustainable, balanced, intentional and totally toxin free lifestyle, and that’s what this brand provides.

So thrilled you’re on the journey with us! Happy spring from my family to yours!

Article mentioned above:

Tidying Up Around the House Could Help You Lose Weight

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Feeling lucky? Green muffins w/ brand new *powdered greens*

I feel lucky to be alive, and very lucky to be IRISH as we head into St Patty’s day…and let’s be honest…we’re all Irish for 24 hours!

And, this year, I feel extra lucky that this fun new GREENs booster was just launched by Shaklee in time for me to make all the green muffins! It’s a tradition that goes back to my childhood. My mom would always make us green pancakes, green eggs, even our orange juice was dyed green for the occasion–so fun, right?

Well, the tradition lives on, and now we are sneaking in some extra powerfully healthy green veggies thanks to Shaklee’s new powdered greens, just released this week!!

PS…less than $1 a serving is SO affordable for organic greens!

I just got mine yesterday and I’m having fun putting it into everything! My girls love their shakes to be pink. If I add the right amount of these powdered greens, with some strawberries and raspberries, they barely taste it and it’s still pink, BUT they are getting 1-2 cups organic spinach, kale and broccoli. Sounds like a win, right?

I’m the first person to say that fresh greens are best…heck, I grow kale and spinach and arugula during the summer in my garden! But in the winter, high quality greens can be harder to come by, and let’s be honest, sometimes as moms we have to be a bit sneaky about it. (This also applies for those adults who don’t want things to look too green, but still want to get their veggies!).

Here’s the first fun muffin recipe I made up, adapted from a fun recipe from my partner meal planning service That Clean Life (check them out, so cool! I’ll be offering some freebies in the coming weeks for you to get your hands on!).

My kids loved these and were dipping fingers in just the batter and couldn’t get enough! May want to make 2 batches so you can store and freeze some, they will probably go fast!

Green Smoothee Muffins

(Gluten free, can be dairy free if you leave out eggs and yogurt, reduce oats to 1.5 cups, or substitute sugar for 4 dates to be sugar free!)

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1/4 cup raw sugar
  • 2 ripe bananas
  • 2 scoops Shaklee’s powdered greens booster
  • 1/2 cup vanilla life shake
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup almond milk
  • (optional: small container vanilla greek yogurt…)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 cups organic oats
  • 1 tsp baking powder

Blend wet ingredients, plus booster. To do this, I used a KitchenAid mixer. Then, stir together in a separate bowl the dry ingredients. Gently blend together, and evaluate how green it is (we ended up adding a bit of natural food dye to make it a brighter green, rather than brown). Fill 12 lined muffin tins and be sure to lick the spoon! My daughter exclaimed…”Mom, this tastes like an amazing green smoothee…”

Bake at 350 for 18-20 min.

Cool, serve, enjoy!

(Kid tested…and approved!)

Have a super lucky and wonderful St Patty’s day!

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5 tools for a healthy gut in 2018

The new year motivation has come…and is perhaps getting a bit lost in the rush of a busy January. But the desire to feel amazing every day hasn’t changed. In this season after the holidays, and before the spring weather and seasonal foods hit us, it’s an important time to support and nourish our bodies, starting with the gut.

There are SO many foods and tools I could bring into this. I’m focusing in on my top 5 foods/drinks and nutritional tools to support your gut health in the new year. There’s alot of research coming out about the mind/gut connection (see also the articles referenced in my probiotics blog post–here)…and it’s true that supporting and healing our guts can promote positive changes in our mood, our mental habits and so much more.

Try some of these out, and let me know what you think!

  1. Kombucha

This very popular health fad is a great one–fermented tea has active cultures (similar to yogurt, but more effective, since grown from a mother)…it’s tasty, and is widely available. I recommend a ginger flavored kombucha if you can find it. The idea is you’re re-populating your gut with all the good bacteria that are depleted through sugar consumption, stress, lack of sleep, hard to digest carbs–you name it–the vicious cycle of what we affectionately know as “modern life”. 

Read more about it in the sources links below.

2. Apple Cider Vinegar

So right along in keeping with kombucha populating the good bacteria in your gut, Apple Cider vinegar has long been known to be a health elixir, a drink that helps kill off the bad bacteria in your gut. It also is known to balance blood sugar, reduce risk of diabetes, and it does so by targeting the pH balance in the body, and eliminating/killing off any overgrowth of bad bacteria.

Not everone likes drinking it straight; I usually have it with water–1-2 tbsp to an 8oz glass of water, and I like to have it early in the day, when possible. But I started out having it with maple syrup to add some sweet to balance the bitter…depending on the type of ACV you get, the flavor may be more manageable and may not need the sweeter counterpart. This may be the toughest one to get into the habit of doing, but my grandma who is going strong in her mid 90s swears by ACV every day, so I’ll take her word for it contributing to a long and healthy life.

3. Chia Seeds

This superfood is known for being a powerful fiber. The fiber in chia seeds promote healthy stool, and the seeds actually absorb alot of water when in your stomach, promoting fullness and therefore weightloss when used regularly. They are high in protein, in addition to fiber, and they release a protective gelatinous covering, which you can see when you dissolve them in a liquid before digestion. This makes them actually function like a pre-biotic, lining the gut with gelatin and promoting the proper absorption of good nutrients and bacteria.

I like to dissolve chia seeds in my daily pomegranate energizing tea. It’s a great, tasty combination, and packs a powerful nutrient punch in the middle of the day…the texture reminds me of bubble tea from my days of living in NYC, and I love it. 

You can also make chia pudding with coconut milk, which is a delicious and healthy treat, as well as baking with it.

4. Bone Broth

I saved this one for close to last…If you’re vegetarian or vegan, this won’t be for you. However, this has become one of the biggest health fads turned true healing protocol adopted by many who have auto-immune issues and more. Basically, the theory behind leaky gut is that our gut walls are penetrated and impaired by things that attack it–like sugars, too much white carbs, too much stress over a long time, and more. Basically, our standard diet is very hard on our gut, and we need to work on healing that gut lining so that our gut can function properly. People talk about brain fog and all these other real, difficult symptoms that come with our gut being out of whack.

Strong medications/antibiotics, many things can set it off course. But to heal it, bone broth is going to be one of the very best measures. A few months ago, on my own journey to improve my digestion, energy levels and overall mood and well being (working on supporting my adrenals) I began drinking chicken broth daily–or at least 4-5 times per week, out of a mug. I start with an organic rotisserie chicken, and use the bones for the broth, so it’s very fresh. I immediately began to notice a difference in my moods, and in my balanced feelings and digestion throughout the day. I love this, for anyone to try, and to see the difference it can make for you. It’s an ancient form of deep daily nourishment, brought back into vogue at just the moment we need this habit the most.

5. Greens and juicing

So leafy greens provide a nice amount of both fiber, as well as key soluble nutrients to support your gut; and when they are consumed blended with shakes, or as juices, it makes it easier for your body to break them down and absorb the goodness without too much extra work. I like kale for it’s extra fibrous crunch–the flavor is pretty easy to enhance/mask. Spinach is another good one.

My favorite green shake is like the one above–or variations on kale, vanilla protein, pineapple and almond milk…tropical with a greens twist…get creative, and remember, the greener the better.

BONUS: Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes

*If you’re only going to choose a few tools–besides amazing, nourishing foods–to support your overall health this year (secretly, I hope you’ll take this quiz and try out all the recommendations for your health goals! ) then these would be the two that I would start with. The enzymes help break down foods for our stomach that might otherwise be a little harder for our bodies to break down, and can help ease digestive troubles related to foods like dairy and grains. They are become more widely known and recommended in nutritional circles, and you can read another article about them here.

I wrote a whole post about the power of probiotics, and the kinds to use, but I’ll just say that kombucha and ACV are natural forms of these, but you’re going to want to get some concentrated, specifically tested strains into your digestive system to support and heal your gut, and improve your energy, focus, immune system, daily detoxing and so much more.

If you have other, more serious or concerning/lingering issues–such as constipation, bloating, loose stools, IBS symptoms and more–be sure to speak with your health care provider, and consider doing a more intensive candida cleanse, or looking into a healing leaky gut protocol.

Meanwhile, speaking of gut health, our 7 day cleanse has been getting people amazing results–if you feel like you missed the band wagon on the pilot but you’re curious about the cleanse–just comment or email me (madeleine.pidel@gmail.com) and I’ll get you some more info–we can put you on the waitlist to be the first to know when more kits are available!

SO yes, not the most popular of topics, but in light of all the recently super successful cleansers in our community’s pilot program, and because it’s a question I get asked alot as a health coach, these are some things you can do right now, today, to improve your gut health, and therefore your overall healthy lifestyle and mindset!

Resources/Extra Reading for any other nutrition nerds out there:

http://health.facty.com/food/nutrition/10-health-benefits-of-kombucha/?utm_source=bing&utm_medium=c-search&utm_term=%2Bkombucha%20%2Bbenefits&utm_campaign=f-h-10-benefits-of-kombucha&msclkid=8fab7ce95d9b1ad00bcb2687c1e1ad2a

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/6-proven-health-benefits-of-apple-cider-vinegar

https://draxe.com/chia-seeds-benefits-side-effects/

https://wellnessmama.com/23777/bone-broth-benefits/

 

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Healthy Holiday treats…3 winners!

As many of you know, I do have a solid sweet tooth, and a few years ago when I began to drastically reduce the sugar we consume, personally and as a family (not super strict, just aware, reading labels and mostly eating whole foods, etc)….I started spending time creating sweet variations for snacking and dessert that would be both satisfying, filling and that myself and my kiddos could have several helpings and feel great about it. With a flexible and intuitive eating philosophy, we’re looking to create recipes from wholesome ingredients that satisfy us, and these really hit the spot for our family.

And if you haven’t noticed, simplifying is a huge theme of mine so these are all minimal ingredients, 2 don’t require baking(!) and are easy to make with busy little hands helping 🙂

I so wish I could hop into all of your kitchens this time of year, share a cup of coffee and enjoy seeing all the fun treats you’re whipping up! If you feel inspired to try these, I don’t think you’ll regret it, and sharing them will make it twice as fun–when you let people in on the secret that these are healthy AND Yummy!

Delicious 3 ingredient fudge

Holiday chocolate protein fudge

(Gluten free, paleo (if you use build shake), dairy free)

This recipe is a winner, we created it first to accompany the pumpkin spice flavors of fall, but it stands alone and is an winner with a chocolate protein instead! Another selling point for me with these recipes–no baking…and easy to decorate 🙂

*3/4 cup organic, raw honey

*1 cup almond butter or peanut butter (smooth)–can sub sunflower butter if nut allergies

*1 cup chocolate life shake

*optional sprinkles

Blend honey and nut butter in a saucepan on low, until fully melted/blended. Add protein powder, stirring slowly. remove from heat, pour into glass pie pan or square dish (no need to grease). Add crumbled candy cane or other sprinkles…Refrigerate 1 hour and enjoy! Store in fridge, can keep up to 1 week…brilliantqar.

I have a feeling both young and old will love these!

Macaroons

Macaroons

(Gluten free, paleo, dairy free)

*5 1/3 cup coconut flakes (1 package)

*2/3 cup coconut sugar

*6 tbsp

coconut flour

*1/4 tsp salt

*4 egg whites

*1 tsp almond or vanilla extract

Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl. Stir in egg whites and almond extract until well blended. Drop by tablespoons onto greased/floured cookie sheets. Bake at 325 for 20 min or until edges are golden brown. Cool and add sprinkles, optional.

 

Peppermint Patties

Peppermint patty protein bites

(Gluten free, dairy free, vegan, paleo, delicious)

*1 cup oats, ground to flour (could also use almond flour)

 

*1 cup Shaklee Life Shake or Build whey protein (chocolate or vanilla).

*1/4 cup coconut oil, melted

*1/2 cup honey

*Peppermint extract to taste – I used 2 teaspoons

Combine and form into balls, chill on wax paper in freezer while you melt chocolate in a double boiler, adding peppermint extract if desired (I did). Dip and sprinkle with crushed candycane, then return to fridge.

Happy “baking” and enjoying!!!

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Delicious Oatmeal date bars

 

These bars are scrumptious. I had a feeling they would be because my amazing friend Monica posted the original recipe on her foodblog, and I trust her, completely, with my taste buds. But, I had to use what I had on hand, and dried blueberries weren’t forthcoming in my very quick supermarket run (with 3 kids, I don’t do that too often, believe me:))

So, here’s  my adaptation, with my favorite protein source added in, and I’ll link to the original recipe at the bottom so you can compare and contrast:) Can’t EVER have too many bars around for snacking kiddos, although since my kids go to a nut free school, these are not lunch box acceptable…so we save for before and after school (they are great for breakfasts if you warm them slightly).

Oat Date Protein Bars

  • 2 scoops vanilla life protein
  • 1 1/2 cup oatmeal
  • 1 cup dried dates
  • 1/4 cup almond butter (I used the delicious maple almond from Justin)
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • Large dollop (1 tbsp) coconut oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 cup milk
  • 1 egg, whisked.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease pan (I used good ol butter), and a pie pan just because I wanted them to come out that way; square pan 9-9 works well too.

Blend the dry ingredients together in a stand mixer.

Mix in the wet ingredients, starting with the almond butter, milk last.

Stir well (I might have overstirred but it gave them a nice light effect when cooked).

Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly on edges and slightly brown.

Enjoy!!! Especially with tea and some loved ones or friends. Good things aren’t meant to be kept to ourselves:)

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9 quick ways to energize your day

Well, as you can imagine, life with 3 kids 7 and down, and running a business is no cake walk, so I’m grateful for every ounce of energy I can get.

The questions I get most often surround the general “how do you do it?” and with themes of “you make it look easy”….well clearly if you’re saying that you haven’t stopped over for tea between the hours of 4-6pm very often recently–life is anything but “easy” in certain moments, but I also know I wouldn’t trade this fun juggle for the world. I have learned a few tricks along the way, about both conserving energy (no 5pm grocery trips here, we’d rather skip the 1 ingredient we’re missing)…and about using energy on the things that matter! (mid-day jaunt at the playground, or stroller jog, yes please! Time for after school cuddles and fire time, without yawning, and the extra energy boost for my own time after the kids are asleep, for projects like this post, or having quality time with hub. You all KNOW the things that you would do if you had a bit more energy in each day, so let’s take that and translate it into reality with these fun tips.

So, here are 9 quick ways (I don’t like the word hack, it sounds less than meaningful, and these are very meaningful moments of self-care, awareness and overall intentional habits) that I’ve found will bring renewed energy to my day, and focus to my steps, no matter what I have going on around me with kiddos, or on my list for the day.

And here’s a hint–though I am a sucker for a good cup of coffee, none of these energizing tips involve caffeine! No one has time to be relying on that…the repercussions can be great, especially when you’re worn down, as I discuss in this post on adrenal fatigue…

  1. My super energizing pomegranate tea with chia seeds. This is the little secret I’m letting you in on which will change your life. The tea has very little caffeine, tastes AMAZING, comes in these super convenient packets that I always keep on hand in my car (tricky moves of busy mommas), and I mix it with chia seeds when I’m at home, then let it sit for 10 min, and the result is unreal. You have to like some texture…it’s almost like bubble tea or something with soft pearls in it. The combination of the fiber/protein/super food qualities of the chia, with the energy tea amino acids which are feeding your brain and making it more alert, always have me feeling awesome for hours. Just the thing for after school pickup, or when you might want to do a workout, a focused work session, or just have extra energy midday. If you stop reading here, you’ve still gotten all you need out of this article;) If you try it out, let me know in the comments what you think!

2. Go outside. Yes, we’re getting into the winter months here in CT, a blast of cold air from being out on my porch immediately brings new life to my brain and bloodcells as everything reacts & activates for warmth and survival. It works for my kids every time (they get sent out to get their energy OUT and somehow come back in with more energy–go figure:), and I send myself outside from time to time when I need it. The fresh air will definitely replenish your oxygen stores, and get you thinking and grooving in new ways. It’s easy and free, so why not? Plus the outdoors always sparks my spiritual and creative side, who doesn’t want that?

 

3. 10 minutes of yoga or barre. Sometimes you’ll find me in my living room, with messes everywhere, just embracing my moment to do a few poses and stretch/gather my thoughts, release any tension I’m carrying in various parts of the body, and to return to life with new focus and energy. Some great 10 min yoga videos from yoga with adrienne, and the Barre3 workouts I love come in 10/30 and 60 min increments. Every little bit of movement helps.

Here are the links:

http://mbsy.co/jnLl9

and

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcqW72d5JjI (I like this one for the background), she has hundreds.

4. A brisk walk. This is one of my favorites, when I can make it happen. I’ll often plan errands time around nap times for my little guy, and let him crash in the stroller, get a few miles of walking in (2-3 is a sweet spot for me, time and energizing-wise), and then have time in one of the little towns near where we live for the trip to post office/shops/coffee etc. The walking clears my head, and brings awesome energy into my day. Sometimes the answer is right in front of us, we just have to get creative. Park further, or pick a trail near you, and WALK more today.

5. Drink an apple cider vinegar cocktail (with a syrup chaser);) This is a laughable but awesome one which I rely on many days of the week.

More about the benefits of ACV here. Let’s just put it this way. I have a grandma who is an incredibly robust lady. She’s had diabetes for years, but is going strong at 94. She swears by her ACV daily (and it’s known for managing blood sugar levels), so I’ll take it.  I make mine with roughly 2 tbsp ACV (Braggs or unfiltered/organic is best, and 1-2 tsp maple syrup or your sweetener of choice).

6. Read a few pages of a favorite book. So much of our energy ebbs and flows throughout the day I believe are tied to our emotional and mental state. So, I like to keep good juicy books on hand that I can flip open and begin turning a few pages of (we’re not talking a huge reading session)…something that fires you up and allows you to head into the next part of your day in a more responsible and focused mental state. If you’ve got car time or commuting time, podcasts are great! To get some ideas of my favorite books on personal development topics (and to start the conversation around it, because I’m very into all of it! As you can see—and related to # 7)…go here.

7. If you’re an extrovert, be around people! If you’re an introvert, respect your body’s need to be quiet and alone for parts of the day. Play to your strengths, and you can learn more about all of this here. I feed off of other people’s energy, so a low energy morning or day could be entirely changed/solved by a coffee date with a good friend, or even some good ol fashioned playground time meeting up with new folks and running around with kids. Be aware of what helps your energy flow shift throughout the day, and work with that, mindfully:)

 

8) Grab a healthy snack! People often forgot this one, but it’s obvious. If you’re running 100 miles per hour and then wonder why you’re crashing, it may be because starbucks grande soy lattes only get you so far (or start the day with a coffee flavored protein shake instead:)). We have to eat real food, and a well placed snack can be one of the best parts of the day for both moms and kids, as well. I recommend something with some healthy fats for brain energy/fuel, and simple carbs which are easier to digest, such as apples and almond butter, or a rice cake with sunflower butter & coconut/cinnamon (yum)…also…my favorite energy bite snacks. The recipe can be found here. I also always keep the 180 Snack & meal bars  (white chocolate cinnamon, toffee crunch, and PB meal bars) around for myself and my kids, because they are packed with high quality vegetarian protein (10g in snack bars, and 20 in the meal bars!) and super convenient. Better than reaching for sugar, caffeine or junk when you’re feeling a crash. Enjoy nibbling mindfully and watch your energy levels rise with the right kind of snacking!

9. Nap! You never thought I’d say that right? This momma has finally embraced the philosophy that sometimes rest is more important than exercise, caffeine or charging ahead:)! If you have the ability to take a 20 min power nap (or longer!) it could do wonders not only for your energy levels physically, but also for your mental state during the rest of the day.

I’ll be taking all of these into my daily arsenal–they help both energy and mood! Let me know which healthy habits you already use for managing your energy levels, and which of these look intriguing to try!

I also find that when I’m living the life I love, in integrity with my goals and commitments that I’ve prayerfully designed with God, spouse and kids in mind, that in itself brings me such an energy that I’m jumping out of bed in the morning. It certainly wasn’t always that way, and I’ve enjoyed mapping out my journey to get here, as part of some of these programs….perhaps you’ll want to work together to create your own roadmap to an uber-energized life using the tips above and all the juicy topics on becoming our best selves through personal development and growth mindset! It’s fun stuff.

Perhaps some of my life by design courses where I explore my own journey to tap into our natural energy sources, will be helpful as well! As always, I’m grateful for your comments and feedback, and I can’t wait to connect, here and #IRL 🙂

Cheers to an energized winter ahead!

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Pumpkin Spice Fudge

This is such a simple fall recipe, and it’s ridiculously good.

But don’t take my word for it:)

I make other variations using the other life shake flavors–especially cafe latte…since this one is seasonal.

*1 cup almond butter or another nut butter of choice.

*1 cup pumpkin spice life shake raw protein

*2/3 cup honey

Heat the honey and nut butter over medium heat, stir well, then slowly add the protein powder, stirring continously.

Remove from heat, place in a glass pie pan (round or square) and refrigerate 2 hours min or freeze 1 hour, if you’re feeling impatient:) I store mine in the fridge as well.

Bon Appetit!

Enjoy with a fall tea like chai, preferably by the fire with some loved ones.

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Fourth of July Cherry, Blueberry, Almond Cake (#almostvegan)

This was originally published on whoopsyummy, on July 4, 2014.

Blueberry Cherry Almond Cake
Original recipe is vegan, mine is “#almostvegan” (see notes below)

Makes one 9″ round cake

It’s a rainy 4th of July afternoon here in NYC, so Emma and I tucked the almost-birthday girl down for a nap, and quickly started our “me and you time” as she calls it, with focused cake making (powered by iced-espresso and a green smoothee)–since we’re next assembly-lining some cupcakes for our monkey-themed birthday for Corinne in the park tomorrow.

Those will be on the blog…soon…:)

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Dry:

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
*sub with other flours if desired
3/4 cup sugar, organic (why organic here)
1 Tbsp baking powder
3 Tbsp rolled oats

1/2 tsp salt (pink himalayan for extra nutrients)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Dash nutmeg

Wet:

2 Tbsp flax seeds + 2/3 cup warm water

3 Tbsp butter (THIS IS THE ALMOST VEGAN part ;)) Real butter is great…so as long as you are not lactose intolerant–enjoy 🙂
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optionally almond instead, but it will alter the subtle flavor, I think vanilla goes better w the fruits and coconut flavors)
2 Tbsp flax seeds + 2/3 cup warm water
2/3 cup coconut milk or I used coconut/almond blend, my new favorite now available widely
1/4 cup applesauce, unsweetened
3 Tbsp orange juice + pinch orange zest (fresh squeeze room temperature oranges – or warm OJ to about room temp) (PS I didn’t use zest b/c didnt have!)

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Fold ins:

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup cherries, finely chopped

1/4 cup almonds/walnuts finely chopped

Frosting:

2/3 cup coconut oil

1/3 cup butter (or vegan butter), softened

3 cups powdered sugar (yikes, yes if you’re looking to go lighter on the sugar, see my date frosting recipe here)

pinch salt (pink himalayan)

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Directions:

1) Preheat oven to 350, pick out and grease your pan

2) soak flax seeds and water while you mix all dry ingredients together in a bowl

3) Mix in the other wet ingredients with the soaked flax seeds–they will provide a lovely thickening effect and you can obviously adjust quantities of things like coconut flakes, OJ etc based on preference (If you’re like me and never follow a recipe as is:))

4) Blend the dry and wet ingredients together gently, be sure not to over-stir, and then fold in the “fold ins”

5) Bake for 20-30 min–checking to see when the edges begin to brown and a knife goes in center and comes out clean

6) Whip frosting and don’t frost until cake is completely cool. The coconut oil is a great addition to a butter frosting–will definitely be using this (with sweetener adjustments–like dates, honey, syrup, (must experiment) most likely) in the future.

7). Frost cake, and through on a handful of blueberries, cherries, almonds, raw sugar, oats (pictured)

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8) Pull almost 1 yr olds off the table from taste-testing the extra blueberries and cherries. Remove clothes…Then snap some more photos…oh wait, that’s just my crazy life.

9) Stop and admire:)

Gather some friends and family around, perhaps with iced tea or coffee, and enjoy this! I think it works for a brunch cake as well–since it’s hearty and nutritious while being delicious.

Give your feedback! Love hearing what people are loving or other recipes that you enjoy on your holidays!! Happy Fourth–here’s to our independence!!

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And of course–I need to share the whoops behind the yummy…the helpers/mess-makers and the reason I’m typing this post right now (She’s strapped into a chair). Behind every food photo is a messy kitchen and a fun process–I love sharing that too.

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Moroccan Lamb Stew

Originally published at whoopsyummy on January 21, 2013.

It’s time for a hearty wintertime dish–such as you might enjoy with family and friends on a cold Sunday evening in New York…with wine flowing apace with the chatter.

Lamb, being one of the most nutritious forms of meat out there, as well as easy for little tummies to digest, has had some attention on this blog in the past.

The stew was adapted from the this lovely blog Seasoned To Taste. The reason I found this particular recipe is thanks to my new habit of being particularly picky about what will be found in a new recipe I set out to make. My google search thus went something like this “Moroccan lamb stew, apple, carrot”

I have no pics of my own. What a shocker. The reason is somewhat lame–whenever this stew was around I was too busy enjoying it with friends and family to take photos…

Not a good excuse. But I still needed to share the recipe.

 

Photo courtesy of Seasonedtotaste.wordpress.com.

Moroccan Lamb Stew

2 lb. boneless lamb, cut in 1-inch cubes (thanks Trader Joes!)

2 small sweet onions, chopped

2 c. carrots, cut in 1-inch cubes

1 large Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 c. dried currants or raisins

1 tsp groun cumin

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp ginger (or 1/2 tsp allspice replacing this and the cinnamon)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp kosher salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, with juices

2 c. chicken broth or stock

Fresh mint or cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Cooked couscous–from box? I like the kind with pine nuts

Add all ingredients to large Crock Pot -except fresh herbs – in order listed. Turn on low and cook for 8 hours (or on high for 4). Ours was a real challenge in timing, but high for 4 hrs seemed to do the trick–though I was hesitant it would not leave the meat as gently tender as I wanted it to be…dinner party constraints and mid afternoon errands constrained me, and it worked.

Serve with wine (need I say?)

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Kale is for Kool kids

This was originally published on whoopsyummy, on March 12, 2013.

Yes.The Kale Craze. I admit I jumped on the bandwagon a bit after it had reached some fever-pitched hyping–(but appropriately so, say many trusted sources). But is it just another health fad? Likely not; as the nutritional benefits are known and numerous and it’s a veggie that can easily be grown in your garden, rather than an exotic acai or other food that is harder to get our hands on or locally source. Share your thoughts about super-food hype below.

Our first summer of CSA we received dino kale a few times and scratched our heads and didn’t quite know what to make with it or of it until we did roasted kale (with oil and a tiny bit of raw sugar to combat the naturally bitter flavors). Then, we were hooked. Since then, I haven’t varied much in preparations—the roastedness just always suited me and I’d toss it into whatever recipe I was augmenting after I’d done that…but this salad swept me off my feet. Love at first bite, when my roomie made it for her recent detox.

The recipe was wonderfully described over at Hello to Healthy, and I made a few changes so listen carefully.

I prepped this salad one evening when I was in major cooking mode–had hrs of playing with Emma interspersed with grabbing roasted purple potatoes out of the oven, and chopping for a future stir fry…so I do recommend allowing a bit of time, but once you have a big bowl of this prepped, it can last deliciously (getting better with age as the oils mellow the kale) for days!

 

Ingredients:

Small tub of cherry or grape tomatoes

1 bunch kale (lacinato or curly)

1/2 cup red or white quinoa

few handfuls of chickpeas

Red onion chopped and roasted with the tomatoes

1/4 – 1/2 cup grated pecorino cheese  (I was fine without having this…it’s up to you)
1/2 cup roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds

Dressing:

1-3 cloves garlic

juice and zest of 1 lemon

lemon olive oil if you have, or regular olive oil works too

honey balsamic is a wonderful, though not essential addition–mellower than traditional balsamics but gives it the edge you need…

Now go for it:

Preheat oven to 400F. Cut tomatoes in half, along with diced red onions, place in baking tray lined with aluminum foil, pour over a little olive oil, salt and pepper and pop in the oven for 20-30 minutes until soft. On a separate tray, roast sunflower or pumpkin seeds for about 8-10 minutes until brown.

Rinse the quinoa well to remove the bitter taste, and prepare as the package instructs you:)

Rinse kale and then tear up the leaves into small pieces. Remove stems…Emma really wanted them in the salad so they did end up in it again at the end…thanks for the extra fiber, lovey.

For the salad dressing: crush 1-2 cloves of garlic with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Add the lemon juice and whisk all together adding the oils and vinegars to taste.

Then have some fun massaging your kale with the dressing! In a large boil, combine the kale with the salad dressing.  Massage/rub the leaves with the dressing vigorously. You’ll notice the leaves start to soften and wilt. Then add the cherry tomatoes, onions, chickpeas and quinoa and mix it all up. Top off the salad with the roasted sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

*Note, quinoa can be omitted if you’re looking for more of a side salad with a meal, but with the quinoa it stands alone as a healthy iron and vitamin-filled lunch.