Howdy guys !
Thought i would share this awesome recipe for delicious kale salad !!!!!
1 bunch of kale, any variety, steamed for 5 minutes
1 whole cucumber, washed & diced
1 carrot, diced
1/2 to 1 Tbsp of pine nuts
1/2 an avocado
3 ounces of low-fat feta cheese or goat cheese
generous handful of watercress, rinsed and chopped
handful of dried cranberries
Dressing:
Best with the juice of a lemon squeezed over it plus 1 Tbsp of olive oil and a little salt & pepper.
Thursday, July 29, 2010
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Summer - time to unwind
Summertime and a lot of us feel the pressure to lose weight, tighten up those loose areas, squeeze into bikinis or swim trunks and not feel self-conscious about it. This will come as a surprise to many of you --- the best place to start is not with your outside appearance, but rather start from what’s going on inside the Nervous System.
The nervous system is where it all starts. In simple terms, if your body was a car, the exterior is your skin, muscles, bone, etc. The nervous system is that complicated computer that starts up when you turn the key. Imagine for a second that your nervous system (computer electronics) were to malfunction. How well would your car work then? Your lights wouldn’t work, your brakes could fail. It’s the same grave situation with your nervous system malfunctioning. So let’s talk about what we can do to better serve (or service) it, because this will lead to a healthy summer body functioning at it’s optimal level.
First, I will start with how we harm our nervous system and the repercussions of such abuse. Excessive exercise, little- to no-rest between intense exercise sessions; lack of sleep (ideally 8 hours); too much caffeine, sugar, processed foods, alcohol, drugs; over-eating; loud and chaotic lifestyles; over-working, over-scheduling. These actions fry our fragile nervous system, making many of us feel wired, anxious, angry, impatient, irritable, others feel constantly tired, depressed, apathetic. Eventually, a tired and fried nervous system leads to excessive body fat and being overweight; chronic aches, pains and tightness; a run down immune system; mental fuzziness, emotional numbness and/or overreacting. I don’t know about any of you, but I think I’m going to be paying more attention to this subtle, fragile system. For when actually listened to and cared for, it can achieve powerful results.
How can we enhance our body’s command center? Many things we already know. Consistent exercise (cardio 4 to 5 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes; strength training 2 to 3 days per week; flexibility 4 to 5 days a week for 10 to 15 minutes); a clean and nutritionally balanced meal plan daily; recuperation such as regular massages, easy yoga, meditation, slow walks in the mountains and parks, sitting at the ocean; focussing on your breathing throughout the day and some type of stillness and inner reflection time daily is also a nervous system recharge.
So, before we all consider how we look on the outside, let’s not forget it can’t be done without paying attention to the inside. I encourage us all to be more sensitive to the subtle powers of this amazing body we live in that is run by this super complicated computer system called the Nervous System.
The nervous system is where it all starts. In simple terms, if your body was a car, the exterior is your skin, muscles, bone, etc. The nervous system is that complicated computer that starts up when you turn the key. Imagine for a second that your nervous system (computer electronics) were to malfunction. How well would your car work then? Your lights wouldn’t work, your brakes could fail. It’s the same grave situation with your nervous system malfunctioning. So let’s talk about what we can do to better serve (or service) it, because this will lead to a healthy summer body functioning at it’s optimal level.
First, I will start with how we harm our nervous system and the repercussions of such abuse. Excessive exercise, little- to no-rest between intense exercise sessions; lack of sleep (ideally 8 hours); too much caffeine, sugar, processed foods, alcohol, drugs; over-eating; loud and chaotic lifestyles; over-working, over-scheduling. These actions fry our fragile nervous system, making many of us feel wired, anxious, angry, impatient, irritable, others feel constantly tired, depressed, apathetic. Eventually, a tired and fried nervous system leads to excessive body fat and being overweight; chronic aches, pains and tightness; a run down immune system; mental fuzziness, emotional numbness and/or overreacting. I don’t know about any of you, but I think I’m going to be paying more attention to this subtle, fragile system. For when actually listened to and cared for, it can achieve powerful results.
How can we enhance our body’s command center? Many things we already know. Consistent exercise (cardio 4 to 5 days a week for 20 to 30 minutes; strength training 2 to 3 days per week; flexibility 4 to 5 days a week for 10 to 15 minutes); a clean and nutritionally balanced meal plan daily; recuperation such as regular massages, easy yoga, meditation, slow walks in the mountains and parks, sitting at the ocean; focussing on your breathing throughout the day and some type of stillness and inner reflection time daily is also a nervous system recharge.
So, before we all consider how we look on the outside, let’s not forget it can’t be done without paying attention to the inside. I encourage us all to be more sensitive to the subtle powers of this amazing body we live in that is run by this super complicated computer system called the Nervous System.
Thursday, July 22, 2010
Again with the quinoa
Ever want a change from warm oatmeal in the morning?
Quinoa is an ancient grain full of easily digestible protein, gluten-free, and low on the glycemic index. The smallness of the grain makes it a quick cooker too!
Always start by soaking your quinoa for at least 30 minutes to neutralize the phytic acid that naturally occurs in almost all grains. If you want to speed up your morning routine, just put your quinoa in the pan of water the night before. Right before you cook it, rinse it under running water, then put it back in the pan and cover with water (about 3/4 cup water to 1/2 cup of quinoa). Add a pinch of sea salt, some cinnamon, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until flaky. I like to add chopped apples, nuts and raisins, blueberries or dried currants/cranberries to mine. I also top it with goat's milk plain yogurt, though you can add milk, if you prefer.
QUINOA BREAKFAST INGREDIENTS (one serving):
1/2 c. Quinoa
3/4 c. Water
Pinch of Salt
Cinnamon to taste
(optionally, add chopped apples, nuts and raisins)
Quinoa is an ancient grain full of easily digestible protein, gluten-free, and low on the glycemic index. The smallness of the grain makes it a quick cooker too!
Always start by soaking your quinoa for at least 30 minutes to neutralize the phytic acid that naturally occurs in almost all grains. If you want to speed up your morning routine, just put your quinoa in the pan of water the night before. Right before you cook it, rinse it under running water, then put it back in the pan and cover with water (about 3/4 cup water to 1/2 cup of quinoa). Add a pinch of sea salt, some cinnamon, bring to a boil, then simmer for 15 minutes or until flaky. I like to add chopped apples, nuts and raisins, blueberries or dried currants/cranberries to mine. I also top it with goat's milk plain yogurt, though you can add milk, if you prefer.
QUINOA BREAKFAST INGREDIENTS (one serving):
1/2 c. Quinoa
3/4 c. Water
Pinch of Salt
Cinnamon to taste
(optionally, add chopped apples, nuts and raisins)
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