Recipes: Moroccan Chicken Stew
food, recipes
12th Jan 2009
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I know some of my lucky readers are experiencing summer right now – yes, I’m just a little envious. While you’re frolicking on the beach, I’m freezing my butt off. It’s cold here in New York City!
If you’re feeling the chill and need some warmth, this recipe – sent to me by my friend at Men and Cats – may be just the dish you’re seeking. It has many warming spices in it, including ginger, turmeric and cinnamon. The addition of harissa, a spicy north African mixture of hot peppers, garlic, caraway, cumin and olive oil, kicks it up. It makes great leftovers, too. And if it’s summer where you are, you can always pull this recipe out when the chill in the air comes back.
Ingredients:
1 T. chopped garlic
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1 T. olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut into 1″ pieces
1 T. butter (no substitutions)
2 med. onions, sliced
2 T. chopped fresh flat parsley
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 lg. carrots cubed (1 cup)
1 lg. zucchini (8 oz)
2 prunes, halved
4 cups cooked couscous
Small amount of harissa if desired
With the flat side of a large knife, crush garlic with salt to form a paste. Combine paste with ginger, pepper, and oil in a large resealable plastic storage bag. Add chicken, seal bag, and toss to coat. Cover and marinate chicken in the refrigerator, tossing occasionally, 4 hours of overnight (ed. – I never marinate as long as you’re supposed to and it still comes out great). Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add chicken and cook 5 minutes, turning over, until lightly browned. Add 2 cups water, onions, parsley, cinnamon and turmeric. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken with a slotted spoon to a bowl. Cover and keep warm. Add carrots and zucchini to Dutch oven. Cook uncovered 15 minutes, until vegetables are tender. Add chicken and prunes. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Serve with couscous. To add some heat, stir in a small amount of harissa. Makes 4 servings.
Note – if you’re on a gluten free diet, you can serve with another whole grain of your choice – brown rice, millet and quinoa are all good choices.
Renew and revitalize with a cleanse
cleanse, food, mindfulness, self care
29th Dec 2008
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If you feel like you’ve had too much to eat over the holidays, it’s fine to take a break from eating. As long as you have no serious medical problems that would prohibit you from doing so, taking a day or two to cleanse your body with a fast is a healthy way to give your body a rest from processing large amounts of heavy foods, sugary treats, and strong alcoholic and caffeinated beverages.
If you have truly overindulged, you may want to do a pre-cleanse before you cleanse. You can take a few days or more to eat low-fat meals – consisting of light foods such as steamed vegetables, whole cooked grains, lean proteins, and fresh fruit – and cut out alcohol and coffee. Pre-cleansing will make your cleanse that much easier because you will likely not experience the more extreme symptoms of cleansing and detoxification – headaches, flu-like symptoms, and generally feeling ill – since your body will have already started discharging toxins.
If you are interested in doing a guided cleanse, contact me for details.
Warm up with homemade soup
food, self care
22nd Dec 2008
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Winter has come. The Winter Solstice marks the beginning of the season and the darkest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere – that is, it’s the day with the shortest amount of daylight and the longest amount of darkness. It happens to also be an extremely cold start to the holiday week. One of the best things you can do for yourself when it’s this cold out is to nourish yourself with a hot, homemade soup. Eating soup keeps you hydrated in the cold, dry winter, nourished with vitamins and antioxidants, and boosts your immunity when you add herbs.
Soup is one of the most simple things you can make. All you need is some stock (which you can make with leftover chicken bones, water and a few spices – try a few bay leaves) and some vegetables. Cut the veggies into bite sized pieces while your stock is simmering. Fish out the chicken bones when the stock is finished, then add in your veggies. Add salt and pepper to taste. Simmer until the veggies are cooked – soft, but not mushy. Serve and enjoy.
If you are uncomfortable in the kitchen without a recipe, try my veggie soup recipe.
Plan for success: have fun and stay on track
exercise, food, happiness, self care
16th Dec 2008
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Ah the holidays. The endless bounty of treats and sweets, and the annual gatherings and parties that go on all December and into January can leave you feeling worn out, tired and stressed.
Some people feel it’s either all or nothing – indulge in everything, go to every party, and throw your health goals totally out the window for the season OR stay at home, hibernate, turn off the phone and hide until it’s all over. You don’t have to sacrifice your social life to keep your health goals on track. It just takes a little planning ahead.
Schedule your workout: In busy times, make sure that you schedule in your workouts and stick to your schedule. For example, if you know you won’t work out in the evening because you have events to attend, take time to work out in the morning. If you have to, get up a little earlier so that you can make sure you have time to work out.
Plan your meals: If you know you’re going to be attending three parties in a week, make sure that you’re eating healthfully at other meals. Have a healthy snack or small meal before you go out to a party to ensure you don’t overdo it with high-calorie, low-nutrient hors d’oeurves or sugary drinks. Plan to leave the party early enough that you can get enough sleep and be ready for the next day.
Take time for yourself: While it’s important to attend holiday gatherings and see people you haven’t seen in a while, make sure you don’t overdo it. Schedule in some down time for yourself – take certain evenings off during the week when you go home, relax and eat a home cooked meal. Schedule in some time over the weekend when you can stay in, take a nap or get things done around the house.
Eat these to feel calm, cool and collected
diet, food, self care
12th Dec 2008
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Are you feeling a little tense lately? Is all the running around getting to you? Addled by too much caffeine, sugar and holiday hors d’oeurves?
Eating too many extreme foods can make you feel tense, angry or spacey and tired. To balance yourself out, you can try eating more energetically-neutral foods. One of the best foods you can add into your diet to cultivate a sense of calm, relaxed and focused energy is dark leafy green vegetables.
Go for the heartier ones in the winter – broccoli rabe, bok choi, mustard greens, kale, collard greens, Brussels sprouts, and cabbages are all good. You can steam, sauté or braise them with some spices, garlic and/or onions for great flavor. They’re rich in vitamins and phytonutrients and they can also help boost your immune system.
How does cleansing work?
cleanse, food, self care
7th Nov 2008
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One thing I want to clear up today is how cleanses work. Many people assume that the food that you eat when you’re on a cleanse diet is what does the cleansing. This is a misunderstanding. What actually happens is that your body does the cleansing on its own. The foods are cleansing because they support your body with the right nutrients, vitamins and minerals, and are generally lighter and easier to process. Because your digestive system does not have to work hard to digest them or make them whole, your body is able to process them effectively and also release waste that has been stored in your system.
This week, I’m leading a group through a fall cleanse class. It’s going extraordinarily well for everyone. I’m doing it, too, and I feel better than ever – and I’m a health coach!
I find that many people enjoy them right before or around the holidays because it helps them stay on track with their health goals. It can also help alleviate allergies and prevent minor illnesses like colds. If you’d like to try cleansing, I’m planning on offering one more this year – just sign up and I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s happening.
Dieting vs. Eating for Enjoyment
diet, food, fun, inspiration, mindfulness, news
25th Sep 2008
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I read this article a few days ago, and was encouraged that more people are moving toward positive eating. From my experience of working with clients, this is the true way to long lasting good health and weight loss. Preparing simple, delicious meals, chewing your food, taking time to relax and enjoy what you’re eating – these are the keys to true health.
To get there, it’s important to learn how to get back in touch with your own body. Understanding its signals and your cravings will help you determine what you need and when you need it. We all start out with this intuitive knowledge, but it gets lost when we are bombarded with messages about what we should eat. Getting back in touch with yourself allows you to heal.
7 ways to stay healthy without breaking your budget
environment, food, news, self care
25th Jul 2008
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Has inflation hit you through your grocery bill? I’ve noticed recently that my food shopping has become much more expensive over the past few months. Here are some ways to cut costs without sacrificing your health:
1. Eat in season – If you’re buying fresh produce, it’s always better to eat whatever is available right now. Sure, you can get apples in spring or early summer, but they’re more expensive – and less fresh – than the seasonally-ready strawberries or blueberries.
2. Buy local – farmer’s markets often have comparable or better prices on certain items that you might find in your grocery story. By buying from the farmer’s markets, you’re supporting smaller businesses, helping the environment and getting fresher food (since the produce doesn’t travel as far).
3. Buy organic selectively – some conventionally-grown produce is so highly sprayed that you would be better off buying organic to avoid the massive amounts of pesticides you’d otherwise be consuming. For some other items, it’s not as crucial that you choose organic. See this article on MSNBC for more about which items should be organic.
4. Go veg – Eating vegetarian meals can save you a lot of money as veg sources of protein cost substantially less than animal products. If you’re opposed to becoming vegetarian full time, you can try it part time – plan to have some vegetarian meals during the week. You can get protein from plant sources such as tofu, tempeh, and beans.
5. Reduce your protein – If you are still adamant about keeping meat in your diet, use the Chinese Medicine philosophy of eating meat – eat mostly vegetables, with meat as a flavoring or condiment in your meal. One serving of chicken, beef or pork should only be 3 oz. This is much less than you’d get in a typical restaurant or takeout meal, but this is all you really need.
6. Eat less – It may sound drastic, but frequently we Americans are eating more than we actually need. Slow down your eating, and tune into your body. Do you really need the next bite? Or are you satisfied? If you’re hungry later, you can always have another small meal.
7. Fast – It sounds extreme, but a one-day fast will not only save you money, it can also help you live longer and healthier. Fasting allows your body to take a break from digesting all of the time, giving it the crucial rest it needs to renew and repair. But before you jump into fasting, you should get guidance from an experienced health coach or professional.
Recipes: Dairy Free Quiche
food, recipes
24th Apr 2008
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It was quite a while ago that I was experimenting with wheat/dairy free recipes. I have suspected that I might have a sensitivity to both, or at least, as a protein type, it wasn’t as adventageous for me to consume grains or dairy. So I started coming up with recipes that could be made without them.
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Changing Your Mind
food, mindfulness, spirituality
3rd Apr 2008
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Are you a mindless eater? Are you sure you’re not? Maybe you won’t admit it. Even if you don’t think you do on a regular basis, chances are you’ve eaten mindlessly before. Most people have.
If you’ve ever eaten anything in front of your TV, in a movie theater, in a car, in front of your computer, while walking down the street, or while reading a book, newspaper or magazine, you’ve consumed some food without realizing it. According to Brian Wansink’s Mindless Eating, our minds make more than 200 food-related decisions each day, but many of them are without real thought.
How do we change our habits of mindless eating? It takes some practice. This habit of mindless eating is ingrained in us from many different sources. Eating on the go, working too much, social eating, and eating while doing other activities contributes to mindless eating patterns.
In New York City, there’s an event every year called Change Your Mind Day. It was originally started by Tricycle, a buddhist magazine, in 1993 as a day of free meditation lessons to teach people how to become mindful, or to “change their minds,” through meditation.
Many people believe that the purpose of meditation is to become enlightened. While it may be an eventual outcome of regular practice, the real purpose of meditation is to take you into stillness so that you can reconnect with who you really are. It allows you to come back to the present moment, to really live in the here and now – the place where we all exist, yet never seem to live in.
When you end up in the now, you naturally start to relax as you let go of memories of the past and worries about the future. You realize that here and now is really the only place you can be. You can’t live in the past because it’s long gone. You can’t live in the future because it’s always fleetingly ahead of where you are – you can reach for it, and it still doesn’t arrive.
What happens when we apply the idea of here and now to eating? Here you are, in front of the piece of cake. You have the memory of cake in the past, and attachment to this memory may be driving you to eat it – you are living in the past. You project into the future what it feels like to eat cake – the sugar high you may get, the taste of the rich, creamy frosting smothering the moist, soft chocolate cake, the texture of the deliciously sweet dessert.
But then, try changing your mind. Live in the present moment for a bit. Here you are in front of the cake. Your awareness goes to your stomach. How does it feel? Are you full? Are you hungry? If you are hungry, ask your stomach what it really wants. If you listen, you may be surprised at what it will tell you.
Depending on what you ate previously, it could be craving a number of different things. Perhaps it will tell you it wants something light, springy and green, like salad, or maybe it craves something more heavy, solid and grounding, like steak.
If you slow down the mind, and start to live in the present, you will learn how to listen to your body and understand what it really needs and wants. Then you will be able to change your mind. Instead of reacting to cravings caused by past memories or anticipated future events, you will find what you truly want in the present.
Next post will go more into detail about how to start practicing mindfulness…
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