Category: Meals

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Announcement: I’m opening a yoga studio!

Yoga Heights_Jess and Amy

Yoga Heights–aka my amazing business partner and friend Jess Pierno’s and my baby–will be the District’s newest yoga studio and wellness center. Our goal is to offer balanced wellness for every body, at every level and every budget.

We open our doors in less than two months (March 22, 2014) at 3506 Georgia Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. YHDC (hastag that!) will offer a variety of different yoga classes–including power yoga, fusion yoga, prenatal yoga, and yin yoga–as well as yogalates, pilates, meditation, nutrition education and more. Jess and I are so excited to bring moar yoga to our new neighbors in the Columbia Heights, Petworth, Parkview and surrounding neighborhoods.

To ensure that wellness classes are affordable to everyone, YHDC will offer a unique “Karma Pass” that will subsidize the cost of classes for students who are unable to afford regularly priced offerings. Students may apply for the “Karma Pass Program” and receive up to three classes per week at a steeply discounted rate. Funds raised through a weekly donation class, as well as donations from other students who wish to support the Karma Pass Program will be matched by Yoga Heights to fund the program.

Stay in the know on opening events, pre-sales and special deals by visiting our new website–www.YogaHeightsDC.com.

Thanks for all the love and support!

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Best Kale Salad w/ Honey-Chipotle Dressing

Though I’ve made a number of kale salads in my time, I have to say this is my best kale salad yet. Let’s get real here–I eat kale raw. I’m talking fresh out of the garden. I realize, however, not everyone is as crazy for kale as me.

The best way to make kale a crowd pleaser is to dress it up. The Honey-Chipotle Dressing I created for this kale salad is sweet, smoky goodness. It was a great complement to the grilled skirt steak I made to go alongside it, and even better the next day as my lunch at work (I added a piece of grilled salmon–mmm mmm). And as you’ve learned from my Kale Caesar Salad, Honey-Ginger Kale with Carrots, and Sweet Sesame Raw Kale Salad posts, this supergreen is an excellent source of vitamins A and K, calcium, and disease-fighting antioxidants.

If you’ve never had a raw kale salad, now is the time to give it a try. It’s easy, delicious and oh-so good for you.

Kale Salad with Honey-Chipotle Dressing

Best Kale Salad

What You’ll Need:

(for the dressing)

  • 2 large garlic cloves
  • 1 Chili in Adobo sauce
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 2 Tbs apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 cup olive oil
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 2 Tbs honey
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper

(for the salad)

  • 2 bunches (or about 6-8 cups chopped) kale
  • 3/4 cup dried tart cherries
  • 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds

Directions:

  1. Mix all salad dressing ingredients together in your blender.
  2. Chop, wash and dry your kale–removing any of the really thick, woody stems. Add it to a large mixing bowl.
  3. Pour dressing over kale and massage into the leaves for a minute, or until well coated.
  4. Cover and let it refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours before you plan to eat (like I said, it was great the next day!)
  5. When you’re ready to serve, remove it from the refrigerator and add your cranberries and almonds (goat cheese would also go well if you’re so inclined).

Big thanks to my Big Guy for being the sous-chef on this recipe!

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Coconut Cauliflower Soup with Fried Capers and Dill Oil

As you may have noticed from some of my more recent posts, winter weather means big batches of vegetarian soup for this kid. When temperatures drop, not only do I crave comfort foods that warm you from the inside out but I’m also more inclined to be content spending a couple of hours prepping and cooking a homemade meal.

Like many of my readers, I’m big on making a Sunday supper that sets you up with easy leftovers for the week ahead. Last weekend, I made a Coconut Cauliflower Soup and enjoyed its sweet, creamy goodness all week for lunch with a little Ezekiel bread toasted on the side. Though cauliflower’s pale hue doesn’t exactly scream antioxidants like blueberries and pomegranate seeds might, it’s packed with a potent one–vitamin C. The C-monster not only helps fight off the common cold and flu but is also essential for the growth and repair of tissues in the body. It’s a major building block of collagen–a protein used to make skin, scar tissue, tendons, ligaments and blood vessels. Cauliflower also contains high levels of potassium, fiber, folic acid and a sulfur compound (called isothiocyanate), which helps prevent certain diseases.

Coconut Cauliflower Soup with Fried Capers and Dill Oil

Coconut Cauliflower Soup with Fried Capers and Dill Oil

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 sweet onion, coarsely chopped
  • 3 Tbs ghee
  • 1 large head of cauliflower, chopped into florets
  • 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 15-oz can of coconut
  • 1/2 tsp cardamon
  • Sea salt and pepper to taste

(For the Fried Capers)

  • 1/4 cup capers
  • 1 Tbs olive oil

(For the Dill Oil)

  • 3-4 Tbs fresh dill
  • 3-4 Tbs olive oil

How to Make It:

  1. Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add ghee (featured in last week’s Potato Leek Soup recipe), then add onions with a pinch of sea salt. Cook until softened and slightly translucent (about 5 min). Add in cardamon and stir another minute or two. Add your chopped cauliflower, vegetable stock and water, then cover and cook for about 20 min or until the cauliflower is soft when prodded with a fork.
  2. While your cauliflower is cooking, make the dill oil. Combine the dill and olive oil in a food processor and blend until smooth. To fry the capers, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add your olive oil. Dry your capers completely, using paper towels, then add them to your pan and toss them around for 1-2 min until crispy and lightly browned. Set aside to drain on a paper towel.
  3. Once your cauliflower is cooked, remove mixture from heat and add it to your blender (you may have to blend it in two batches depending on the capacity of your blender). Puree until smooth. Once smooth, add your now creamy mixture back to the pot.
  4. Over low heat, add in your coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Adjust for salt and pepper and serve with a garnish of fried capers (1 Tbs will do) and drizzle of dill oil.

[Adapted from How Sweet Eats]

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Potato Leek Soup w/ Watercress for your Meatless Monday

If you’re looking to join the Meatless Monday movement, or simply cut back on your weekly meat intake, my vegetarian and gluten-free Potato Leek Soup is a tasty way to go. It’s heartiness is also sure to warm you up after that polar vortex that nearly sucked us all into a cold abyss last week. I love this recipe because it’s straightforward, filling, inexpensive and uses seasonal ingredients. I made a similar version (Tri-Color Potato Leek Soup) a year ago and have modified this one with a couple of my favorite super foods: ghee and nutritional yeast.

Ghee is clarified butter originating from India, which has a long shelf life when stored in an airtight container. It’s definitely a process to make, but if you do it with a friend (what’s up, C$!) it can be really fun. Not only is ghee a real food (aka none of that margarine junk), but it’s loaded with health benefits. First of all, it contains Vitamins A (good for the eyes), D (good for the bones), E (good for the skin) and K (good for the heart). These all just so happen to be fat-soluble vitamins and since they’re embedded in this dietary fat your body can readily absorb them. Secondly, ghee provides a cancer-fighting antioxidant named conjugated lineolic acid (CLA), which has been linked to preventing cancer. Lastly, ghee is great for cooking because it doesn’t break down in high heat like many cooking oils (e.g. canola and safflower). When cooking oils break down in high heat they produce free radicals, which damage our cells and DNA leading to mutations that can cause certain diseases. Ghee’s smoking point is between 325°F and 375°F, which is much higher than the smoke point of canola or safflower oil so you’re less likely to run that risk while simply sautéing your onions.

Vegetarians and vegans, if you don’t know about nutritional yeast, you ought to. Why? Well for starters, it is an excellent source of non-animal protein. Drilling down into the details, MindBodyGreen boasts that just two tablespoons of this bizarre but tasty substance (“hippie dust”) contain 9 grams of protein, beating out a glass of whole milk, an egg or an ounce of beef. It’s also a great source of Vitamin B-12, a vital nutrient for your body’s nerve and blood cell health. Most sources of Vitamin B-12 are found in animals, making nutritional yeast an important component of a healthy vegan or vegetarian diet. One tablespoon contains a full day’s supply of  this critical B vitamin.

Before you hit the grocery store to gather the fresh produce you’ll need, support your community by checking the stocks of your local farmers market (if it’s still up and running). Or if you live in the DMV, give Relay Foods a try. I worked with the Relay team on my first MOARfit Nutrition for Athletes Clinic last summer and completely jumped on the bandwagon. Their online grocery store brings the basics, specialty foods and local produce together in one place–i.e. you get convenience and quality, sustainable ingredients. Ok, enough plugging for now. Let’s get on to that recipe….

Potato Leek Soup w/ Watercress 

Potato Leek Soup

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 Tbs coconut oil (or olive oil)
  • 1 Tbs ghee (or unsalted butter)
  • 1 sweet onion, diced
  • 2 stalks of celery, diced
  • 3 leeks, cleaned and cut into 1/4-inch rounds
  • 3 cloves of garlic, crushed
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne
  • Sea salt and pepper, to taste
  • 2 Tbs sherry vinegar
  • 5 medium potatoes (about 5 cups chopped)
  • 6 cups reduced-sodium vegetable stock
  • 1 /4 cup fresh parsley, minced
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast*
  • 4-oz fresh watercress (about 3-4 loosely packed cups)

*If you prefer, used a 1/4 cup or Parmesan or Romano cheese instead of nutritional yeast.

How to Make It:

  1. Heat oil and ghee in a large (5-6 qt), heavy pot (I adore using my Cuisinart  Dutch Oven for all soups) over medium heat. Add onions, celery and leeks, sautéing 5-7 min or until tender and translucent.
  2. Add garlic, cayenne and salt and pepper, cooking for another 2-3 min then add your vinegar to deglaze the bottom of the pan.
  3. Add potatoes, making sure to coat them in the spices and onion/shallot/leek mixture.
  4. Add vegetable stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15 min. The potatoes should be easy to pierce and pick up with a fork.
  5. Finally, add in your parsley and nutritional yeast. Using an immersion blender (if you have one), purée the mixture in your pot until smooth.
  6. Adjust your seasoning for spice and saltiness.
  7. Serve with a few tablespoons of chopped watercress and enjoy!

If you want to amp up the Yum Factor (and subsequently deviate from Meatless Monday), add 2 oz of pancetta to the mix after the onion and celery but before the leeks. This will of course remove that vegan and/or vegetarian stamp from the recipe but it does add some depth and richness to the flavor of the soup.

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Fennel “Cream” Sauce with Blackened Tomatoes

This week’s recipe for a gluten-free, vegan pasta sauce features hearty, healthy fennel. Fennel is packed with dietary fiber, vitamin C, potassium and manganese, and provides a good amount of folate–a B-vitamin critical for proper function of your nervous system. When munched on raw, it has a light anise flavor that mellows out when cooked.

Fun fact #1: I learned from some family friends who grew up in Europe that the Swiss use raw fennel on veggie platters in place of celery.

Fun fact #2: fennel is one of the primary flavors in absinthe.

I adore the flavor of fennel, raw or not, and always have it on hand during the winter months for frittatas, stir-frys and snack time. What follows is my take on a vegan Fennel “Cream” Sauce. I paired it with gluten-free, quinoa pasta, blacked tomatoes (also included in the recipe) and cast-iron grilled chicken. If you’re aiming to keep this vegan, steer clear of the meat and opt for some cannellini beans instead.

Fennel “Cream” Sauce with Blackened TomatoesFennel "Cream" Sauce with Blackened Tomatoes

What You’ll Need –

For the Fennel “Cream” Sauce:

  • 1 tbs grapeseed oil
  • 1/2 fennel bulb,  plus 1/4 c fronds
  • 1/2 white onion
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbs sherry or raspberry vinegar
  • Juice of one lemon
  • 1/4 c nutritional yeast
  • 1/4 c olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • Sea salt and ground pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat grapeseed oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Add onions (coarsely chopped) and cook 1-2 min. Add fennel (coarsely chopped) and cook another 4-6 min. Once the onion and fennel have softened (the onions will appear translucent and both vegetables will start to brown around the edges), add your garlic–the cloves can remain whole as you’ll be blending this in a food processor–and cook another minute or so. You should start to see brown bits sticking to the bottom of your pan. So as to keep all that yummy flavor in your sauce, splash a couple tablespoons of sweet vinegar into your pan to deglaze. Give the mixture a stir and remove from heat.
  2. Add mixture to your food processor with the lemon, nutritional yeast. olive oil, turmeric, cayenne, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until it’s blended to your preferred sauce consistency.
  3. Pour over cooked, gluten-free pasta or go grain-free with a bowl of hearty winter vegetables or sauteed kale.

For the Blackened Tomatoes:

  • 1 tbs olive oil
  • 1 cup grape tomatoes
  • Sea salt

Directions:

  1. Pre-heat a cast-iron pan over medium-high heat (if you don’t have cast-iron opt for your heaviest frying pan).
  2. Cut tomatoes in half. On the rounded (uncut) side, make a small “X” cut. Drizzle “X” sides with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt.
  3. Place the tomatoes “X” side down in your preheated pan and let them cook without turning.
  4. After about 2-3 minutes, peel up the edges and look for blackened skin with a little red showing through–and if you aren’t quite there yet, cook them a little longer.
  5. Remove from heat and add to your pasta and sauce mix.

To complete the meal:

  • 1 cup gluten-free pasta
  •  12 oz (or 3/4 lb) protein of choice (I went with free-range chicken)

Directions:

  1. Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
  2. Fillet the chicken, coat it in some olive oil, salt and pepper (or your favorite marinade), and cook it in the same cast-iron pan (if you have one) as your tomatoes over medium-high heat for about 5 min per side.
  3. Combine pasta with sauce and blackened tomatoes, then top with slices of your chicken (3 oz per person/serving).

{serves 4}

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Homemade Hemp Milk Hot Cocoa

qode interactive strata

According to last month’s issue of Outside Magazine, among the many alternatives to cow’s milk, hemp milk tops the charts as the best dairy-free, plant-based alternative. Hemp milk is loaded with heart-healthy omega-3s, athletic performance-enhancing magnesium, disease-fighting beta-carotene, and brain-boosting iron. It’s also the only non-dairy alternative that can be considered a complete protein as it has all 9 essential amino acids. The runners’ up are almond, soy and coconut milk, which each have their own pros and cons. In my humble opinion, if you can get down with the sometimes slightly bitter taste of hemp milk then that is where it’s at, nutritionally speaking.

Lucky for you I have here a homemade hemp milk recipe, naturally sweetened with dates and made more palatable by a touch of vanilla extract (bye-bye bitter). As a holiday bonus, I’ve also included a recipe for Homemade Hemp Milk Hot Cocoa, featuring my new favorite low-glycemic index sugar alternative–raw coconut sugar–which I gushed over in my post on Pumpkin Power Cookies earlier this month.

Homemade Hemp Milk

Homemade Hemp Milk

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup hemp seeds
  • 4 cups water
  • 2 medjool dates
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
How to Make It:
  1. Add all ingredients to a powerful blender and mix on high until smooth.
  2. Optional: strain mixture with cheesecloth to remove any clumps if you want your homemade batches to be smooth not pulpy like the store-bought kind.

Hemp Milk Hot Cocoa

Homemade Hemp Milk Hot Cocoa

What You’ll Need:

  • 2 cups homemade or store-bought vanilla hemp milk
  • 2 tbs (heaping) raw cacao powder
  • 2 tbs raw coconut sugar
  • 1 tbs coconut oil
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground cardamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp ground cloves
  • 1/8 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/8 tsp ground cayenne

How to Make It:

  1. Heat hemp milk over medium heat to just under a boil.
  2. Remove from stove and add heated hemp milk with all the other ingredients to your blender and blend for a minute, or until smooth.

Serve hot with a side of my Pumpkin Power Cookies or Sweetly Salted Nut Butter Power Cookies for a healthy and festive afternoon snack.

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5 Food Fixes & 3 Triggers to Avoid for a Happy Holiday Season!

5 Food Fixes & 3 Triggers to Avoid for a Happy Holiday Season!

Food can be your ally or enemy when it comes to stress. Not only do we often over- or under-consume when we’re feeling stressed, but the actual foods we ingest may have an adverse physiological effect on the levels of feel-good hormones, like serotonin, and anxiety-amplifying hormones, like cortisol, found in our bodies.  So what foods should you seek out or avoid when elements of your personal and/or professional life are wearing you down?

Stress Free, Relax

5 Foods Fixes to Fight Stress:

  1. High-fiber, complex carbs: Good grains like quinoa, oatmeal and farro will soothe your mood without bringing you down.
  2. Foods rich in vitamin B: B-vitamins have been shown to have a calming effect on your mind and body. Go for the gold with foods like beans and lentils, and the ever-tasty avocado.
  3. Foods rich in vitamins A and C, and folate:  These vitamins and minerals help give you more energy and repair cell damage caused by stress. Aim to incorporate kale, red peppers, carrots and other good-mood fruits and vegetables into your diet on a daily basis to ward off anxiety.
  4. Magnesium-rich foods: This mineral helps muscles relax, stimulates production of GABA, a neurotransmitter that eases anxiety and nervousness, and helps you fall asleep. Spinach is your best friend here. Just one cup has 40% of your daily value. Seeds, bananas and low-fat dairy will also do the trick.
  5. Foods full of antioxidants: These powerful, disease-fighting phytochemicals help fight the damage that cortisol does to brain cells and memory, and melting away stress. Blueberries, unsweetened cherries and dark chocolate (70-85% cacao minimum) are all good foods to have on hand for an instant mood boost.

3 Triggers to Avoid:

  1. High-fat foods: Fatty meat, heavy cheeses and dense baked goods can make you feel lethargic and are not the best calories to consume if you want to reduce your stress levels. Food-induced fatigue will not lighten your load and will also hamper your attempts at exercise–which stimulates serotonin production and can counter the effects of anxiety.
  2. Caffeine: While a cup of coffee (or five) may give you a feel-good buzz it can also interfere with proper sleep. Caffeine sits in your system longer than you realize and the withdrawal period when you miss your morning cup can leave you feeling low and lousy. It may take a while to wean yourself off of the jet fuel, but ultimately you’ll feel better with less peaks and valleys if you can manage to cut back.
  3. Refined sugar: Carbs can be a mood-booster, but refined sugar is a simple carbohydrate, which means it enters and leaves the bloodstream super-fast. Parents know that after every good sugar high there is always a “crash.”
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5 Rules for MOAR Mindful Eating

qode interactive strata

Did you know that Americans spend $40 million annually on weight loss? What I’m about to tell you might not be the best for my business, but it will likely save you some serious cash on specialty groceries, packaged cleanses, personal trainers and the like–especially at this time of year. With New Years resolutions just around the corner your golden ticket to better health and well-being might be as simple as harnessing tools you already have within you to practice mindfulness while you munch.

Mindfulness is common speak for yogis worldwide. It is a practice derived from Buddhism and seen as a critical part of the tradition’s Noble Eightfold Path to Enlightenment. Mindfulness can be achieved through proper meditation, but can also be cultivated through daily efforts to bring awareness into all different aspects of our lives. It takes work–constant, and concerted effort–but can make a world of difference for your stress levels, concentration, productivity and even your relationships with friends, family and partners. The aspect I’ll focus on here, however, is how it can positively impact your relationship with food and ultimately lead to better nutrition and feeling comfortable with your body in both its internal and external manifestations.

Being more aware of your eating habits and resetting your relationship with food is a challenging process, but one that can be made easier by following my 5 Rules for MOAR Mindful Eating:

Five Fingers GIF
  1. Sit down. Try to take a break from being the efficient machine you are and avoid the urge to multitask while you’re eating. Eating should get the same dedicated attention that composing an email or making a phone call does. By allowing your mind to focus on enjoying your food, you’ll be ready to realize and respond to the signals from your tummy when your hunger is gone.
  2. Screen(s) off. It’s now well-known that there’s a proven connection between screen time and type 2 diabetes in children. Kids aren’t the only casualties. Let’s face it, we’re (almost) all addicted to our cell phones, tablets and computers (a.k.a. screens). Who out there spends at least 6 hours of their day looking at a screen? I’d venture to say at least 75% of my readers do. Now answer me this, who out there looks at a screen while eating at least one meal a day? The vast majority of us–and I’m guilty as charged–check emails, respond to texts and/or watch TV while we munch. Turning your screen off prevents you from getting distracted as to why you’re eating and, as I already mentioned, helps you recognize satiety. A mindful eater eats when they’re hungry rather than when they’re bored, sad, stressed, or celebrating. This is a lot easier said than done so set yourself up for success in cultivating food and full awareness by eliminating distractions.
  3. Slow down. How many times have you waited 45 minutes for a table at a restaurant, 30 minutes for your food to arrive, and devoured your entire meal in under 10? In our culture of go go go, we rarely give the ritual of eating its due attention. Proper digestion begins in the mouth. Slow it down and allow your body to focus its energy on the act of eating and start things off right by chewing your food. I’m not preaching that we need to go so far as to chew each bite 40 times–though there is a fair amount of scientific evidence to suggest the efficacy of this–but at the very least we know that it takes 15-20 minutes for food to register in your brain chemistry (with the help of hormones like ghrelin and leptin) and trigger satiety. TIP: try chopsticks or using your non-dominant hand.
  4. Savor flavor. Slowing down allows you to be aware of what you’re eating. If you focus on your food you’ll begin to notice the color, taste, smell and texture of what you’re consuming, as well as think about the effort you or someone else put into making it. This is an opportunity for gratitude that we all too often miss. It is also a great way to start savoring your food. As you become more mindful of what you’re munching on, your food will taste better and it might just encourage you to cook more which is this nutrition coach’s #1 strategy for long-term success in better eating habits for you and your family.
  5. Finally, Sink in. Stay put after you finish your meal. This will (a) give your body the time it needs to figure out whether or not you’re full; and (b), if you aren’t rushing off to the next thing, you’re far less likely to experience stomach upset which can be triggered by the release of cortisol, a powerful stress hormone. For those of you who suffer from IBS or other tummy disorders, simply building in some down-time after you eat could mean a significant decrease in symptoms.

I’d love to hear your tips for more mindful eating. Please share your ideas in the “Leave a Reply” field below, or shoot me an email at [email protected].


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Pumpkin Power Cookies (V) (GF)

With December upon us pumpkin fever will soon be coming to an end. Well, I don’t know about you but I’m not ready for that yet. In an attempt to keep my pumpkin love affair going until the well runs dry, I’ve got yet another pumpkin-themed recipe for you.

This recipe for Pumpkin Power Cookies is vegan, gluten-free and low on the glycemic index thanks to the wonders of coconut palm sugar, the latest sugar alternative to hit grocery stores. Made from the crystallized sap of coconut palm trees, this natural sweetener contains potassium, iron and vitamins and may help stabilize blood pressure and regulate spikes in blood sugar. Best of all, it can be used 1:1 to replace the sugar a recipe calls for and even acts like sugar in baking (meaning it creams well with butter and all that jazz).

I’ve raved about the benefits of pumpkin (fiber + vitamins A/C) before but it’s been a while since I’ve used this soapbox for a good old-fashioned dark chocolate speech. Here goes…

I used very dark chocolate (100% cacao) in this recipe. It’s not sweet and it’s not for everyone. Whether you go the vegan chocolate route or choose to opt for something a little milder (say 70-85% cacao), quality dark chocolate is rich in fiber, iron, magnesium, copper and manganese. It is also choc-full (I couldn’t resist) of antioxidants. Studies show that this dark beauty may even help lower bad LDL cholesterol, protect you from sun damage and lower blood pressure.

These cookies will not only satisfy your sweet tooth but are also a great pre-workout snack with 14g of gluten-free carbs to fuel your fire, heart-healthy fats and a few grams of protein (which you don’t want much of pre-workout anyway). At only 110 calories a pop, try munching on two 2-3 hours before your next workout and feel the pumpkin power!

Pumpkin Power Cookies

Pumpkin Power Cookies

What You’ll Need:

  • 1 cup brown rice flour
  • ½ cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground nutmeg
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • ¾ cup organic pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup coconut sugar
  • ¼ cup extra virgin coconut oil, melted
  • ½ tbs ground flaxseed
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2-oz very dark chocolate (70-100%), coarsely chopped or chips
  • ¼ cup pecan pieces (optional)
  • ¼ cup cup dried tart cherries (optional)
  • ¼ cup  unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

How to Make Them:

  1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
  2. In a large mixing bowl, combine rice flour, oats, baking soda, sea salt and spice.
  3. In another mixing bowl (preferably that of a standing mixer), combine pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, flaxseed and vanilla.
  4. Slowly add dry ingredients (2) to wet (3) and mix on medium speed (or with a brisk whisk) until combined.
  5. Stir in chocolate chunks and any of the optional ingredients until evenly distributed throughout.
  6. Drop rounded tablespoons onto a non-stick cookie sheet. Flatten each mound slightly with a spoon or fork, leaving about 1 inch between each cookie.
  7. Bake for 14-16 minutes.
  8. Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely (otherwise the might fall apart).

Yields 20 cookies.

Nutrition Info: 

With all the fixings – 110 calories; 6g fat; 2g protein;  14g carbs

Without the optional ingredients – 88 calories; 4g fat; 1g protein; 12g carbs

Source: Self Nutrition Data

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Two-Timing: Sweet or Savory Root Vegetable Pancakes

Seasonal. It’s a word that gets thrown around a lot these days. It’s part of the locavore, slow-food movement–of which I’m a huge fan but not necessarily a devotee. I try to buy produce that is in season, both for environmental and taste reasons. That said, I’ll be the first to admit that I relish the fact that I have the privilege to get avocados and blueberries year-round.

http://www.cuckooforcoupondeals.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/Seasonal-food-chart.jpg
Not sure who Leon is, but I love this chart!

One website I love if you are looking to lower you and your family’s dietary impact on the environment and support local farmers is Eating Well’s seasonal food guide. You can even check out what foods are considered seasonal by state–no one size fits all here!

So what’s in season you say? With fresh local veggies and fruits dwindling, root vegetables, tubers and squash should be your nutrient-rich go-tos for the colder months. There are countless ways to incorporate these seasonal staples into your recipe arsenal. From soups to veggie burgers, cooking with root vegetables and potatoes makes hearty, healthy winter meals a breeze.

Shredded sweet potato, parsnip, turnip and carrot

In case you aren’t already sold, check out these nutrition benefits:

  • Since root vegetables are grown underground they absorb a lot of vitamins and minerals from the soil, namely vitamin C, vitamin A (in the form of beta-carotene) and folate, and essential minerals like potassium, phosphorous, magnesium and even iron.
  • All root vegetables are an excellent source of dietary fiber which not only keeps your full for longer, but may also lower LDL cholesterol (the bad kind) and help regulate blood sugar levels. Forbes has a great article on the benefits of a diet high in fiber.
  • Potassium naturally prevents fluid retention and regulates blood pressure.
  • Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant. It also helps your body absorb iron and make collagen for healthy bones and cartilage.
  • Folate is essential for having a healthy pregnancy and is a key B vitamin for women trying to conceive and those who are already pregnant.
  • Beta-carotene will keep your peepers in top shape as it has been linked to reduced incidence of macular degeneration.

Sweet or Savory Root Vegetable Pancakes

Sweet or Savory Root Vegetable Pancakes

What You’ll Need (Two Ways):

~Each version makes about 10 medium pancakes.~

Sweet (ONE): top w/ a light drizzle of maple syrup

  • 6-8 cups grated root vegetables (I used 1 sweet potato, 2 carrots, 2 parsnips and 2 turnips; other options include celery root and beets)
  • 1/4 cups corn starch or arrowroot powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • grapeseed oil for light frying

Savory (TWO):top with a poached egg

  • 6-8 cups grated root vegetables (I used 1 sweet potato, 2 carrots, 2 parsnips and 2 turnips; other options include celery root and beets)
  • 1/4 cups corn starch or arrowroot powder
  • 1/4 cups nutritional yeast or finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 tbs minced chives
  • 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 2 large eggs
  • grapeseed oil for light frying

How to Make Them:

  1. Grate all vegetables using a sharp cheese grater.
  2. For the Sweet version, mix together in a large bowl with corn starch or arrowroot powder, cinnamon, ginger and cayenne. For the Savory version,  mix together in a large bowl with corn starch or arrowroot powder, nutritional yeast (or grated cheese), chives and cayenne.
  3. In a separate smaller bowl, whip up your eggs.
  4. Pour egg mixture over veggie mix and toss until evenly coated.
  5. Heat 1-2 tbs grapeseed oil in a large frying pan over medium heat.
  6. Scoop out 1/4 cup of the mixture at a time, forming into compact balls with your hands. Place them into your hot pan and flatten each down using a spatula.
  7. Cook over medium heat, 3-5 minutes per side.

Serve immediately. For the Sweet version, plate two or three pancakes and serve with a drizzle of grade A maple syrup (the good stuff!) and a side of turkey bacon or fruit. For the Savory version, try serving two pancakes over a bed of arugula or baby spinach and topping it off with a poached or fried egg.