Super Amazing Food #1

Quinoa...

Don't worry about the pronunciation, "key-nwah", just read on for some great reasons you should put this ancient Incan superfood on your list of grocery staples today!

One of nature's most perfect foods :)

1. Rich in amino acids- that means this tasty powerhouse is loaded with protein, the macro-nutrient building block of our bodies.
2. Relative to leafy-green vegetables like spinach & Swiss Chard- a great source of phyto-nutrients, with many protective anti-oxidants for cancer, diabetes & heart disease prevention.
3. These fluffy & nutty little grains are tasty as all get-out...I rarely recommend anything that isn't totally yummy!

*See for yourself just some of the amazing nutrients in these little wonders, & they're low-cal too!

Love that nerdy science stuff!

Basic Quinoa Recipe...
Couldn't be easier! I recommend rinsing briefly, then the ratio is 1 part quinoa+ 2 parts liquid (water, broth, almond milk, etc.). Bring mixture to a low boil, cover & simmer for 30 minutes...Voila!


*There's lots you can do with this wonder-grain...

1. Combine cooked chilled quinoa with pinto beans, pumpkin seeds, scallions, tomatoes &  coriander. Season to taste and enjoy this south-of-the-border inspired salad.

2. Add nuts and fruits to cooked quinoa and serve as breakfast porridge.
 
3. Add quinoa to your favorite vegetable soups.

4. Ground quinoa flour can be added to cookie or muffin recipes.


Yummy Warm Breakfast Porridge...

• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1- 1&1/2 cups almond milk
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
• Top with nuts, fruit, cacao nibs, ground hemp seeds, flax seeds, bee pollen, etc, etc...just follow however you feel!

 

Breakfast for lunch today!

*Make a big pot of quinoa at the start of the week & have fun with these easy creations. Big time savers & super healthy, my favorite combo!

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Never Too Old For Slumber Parties!

Sea-Gals: Me, Denise, Mary, Robin & Mel
We are missing Sue!

One of the beauties of Facebook is that old friends can re-connect and stay connected via social media. This is how a group of Cali girls that I grew up with was able to get together for a few days along the Central Coast for a memorable Slumber Party. You know I am all about nutrition; one thing I study about at IIN is how relationships and other lifestyle elements fortify us every bit as much as the food we enjoy.

I've known Denise the longest, since third grade & Brownies at Paradise Canyon Elementary. She is not only beautiful & funny as ever, but a wonderful hostess, inviting us up, down & across to her lovely home, just a stone's throw from Morro Bay. A special thanks to her family too for graciously camping all weekend so our gaggle of girls could over run their cozy home.

I met Mel, Mary & Robin at Foothill Intermediate School, and along with Denise, we all moved on to La Canada High School. I hadn't seen them in way too many years, but was happy about how great everyone looked & how easy it was to pick up where we left off, as we recalled things from what we went through growing up together, to where our lives are at now. We even got paid a special visit from Spike, whom we agree is the glue of the class of '82. Bearing a basket of incredible local wines, kale for yummy chips & enough coffee for an army, he also came armed with the Omega, our senior class yearbook. From Punks to Preppies, what a blast! Although times have changed, we all agree that what it was like to navigate the highs & lows of adolescence then, isn't all that different than what our kids are going through now. This reminder couldn't have come at a better time for me, with a daughter about to start high school in 2 weeks!

I returned home with such a warm smile, as nothing feeds the soul like an overdue walk down memory lane.

Too Soon To Be An Empty-Nester

It is August 1st already & my house is really, I mean really, quiet...

Julia & Derek on the field with their grandparents & cousins in San Diego for Day 2 of the baseball tour. We dropped Julia off the next day for her wonderful ABT experience after the traveling baseball party took off on the next leg of their adventure.

Derek is on a fabuloso baseball tour with his grandparents (can you say "10 different Major League ballparks in 10 days?") for 2 weeks & Julia is at an incredible ballet intensive with American Ballet Theater for 3 weeks. Even my whacko dogs are at the groomer! So, it is eerily still within these walls.
Sure, I have plenty to catch up on, not to mention my first nutrition school test to tackle, but the question that begs to be answered is: "What do I need for me during this time?"

Summer Boot Camp Item #1- go to the gym, everyday for at least an hour. Maybe even twice a day for something yummy like a evening yoga class!

SBI #2- prepare and enjoy more vegetables, recipe to follow for one such dish.

SBI #3- get onto the sand, retire from lifeguard duty for awhile & switch off between contemplating my navel & closing my eyes. And, while I'm at it, be sure to catch a sunset with my man!

What would you do if you were in my boat? As much as I already miss my not-so-shorties anymore, the prospect of re-charging my battery is sweet & probably more needed than I realize. Before I know it the house will be buzzing & my juggling act will begin anew. But, I am thrilled to know that I will be rested & armed with better habits to energize me through these messy, loud & beautiful days!

Here is a yummy recipe I just sort of winged one day & was pleasantly surprised at how tasty these nutrient-rich greens can be. Loaded with vitamin K & C, beta-carotene, lutein & calcium, this
power-house of the cabbage family is also a fantastic anti-oxidant, so give 'em a try!

Roasted Kale Chips:

1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
2. With a knife or kitchen shears carefully remove the leaves from the thick stems and tear into bite size pieces. Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a salad spinner. Drizzle kale with olive oil or roasted sesame oil, a sprinkle of sea salt.
3. Bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes.
4. Try a squeeze of fresh lemon after they are cooked if you feel like a tangy taste.

Do try these, they are too good for you & too tasty not to give a shot!!!