Last week the whole family went out to the lake for a long swim. The water has been beautiful and smooth, and it was so much fun to spend the day training, playing, and soaking up the sunshine. When we got back to the house around 3 p.m., we were starving. We had plans for dinner, so we needed something delicious and healthy that would get us through the afternoon without ruining appetites. This recipe was the perfect fix! There are just 4 ingredients, and it's simple, fast, and energy packed without being high calorie. Plus, it's so tasty! We have a variety of palates in our family, and everyone was satisfied by these flavor-packed little rolls. 

I love this brand of horseradish. It's fresh ground, free of preservatives and gluten. I also find that this one has the perfect amount of spice/flavor for my family. So, if you're looking for a recommendation, try this brand! But otherwise, whatever you can find in the fridge will do just fine. 

These were such a hit, we'll definitely be making them again! They're a little bit like vegetarian sushi, and they're a whole lot of delicious. Do you have your own healthy snack recipes? Let me know some of your time honored favorites - from one kitchen to another! 

I've been trying to work more fish into our family meals lately. Summer time is the perfect excuse to fire up the grill, and while my 16 year old is totally gung-ho about the idea of eating steak every night, Greg and I have fun dreaming up the creative recipes that offer us some healthier options. Grilled Tilapia with seasonal veggies is one of our absolute favorites. It's mouthwateringly good, especially when we get to throw in the fresh produce that we picked up at the farmer's market over the weekend. It's also fast and totally fuss-free! 

Now there's been some buzz about Tilapia lately, so here are a few good things to know. Tilapia is low in calories, mildly flavored, inexpensive, and high in protein. It does not contain as many healthy fatty acids as some other fish (like Salmon, for example), but that's just fine as long as you're not only eating Tilapia to get those nutrients. It may also be worth it to look into where your fish is coming from. As with most other kinds of fish, there has been some concern in recent years over farming practices. If you're worried, you might try to find some Tilapia that isn't sourced from China. Other places, like Canada, have a little bit more regulation. Overall, Tilapia is a wonderful fish to include as part of a healthy and varied diet! 

Each new Spring I take a moment to remind myself to focus on growth. As the natural world begins to change and flourish, I ask myself, what am I doing to make sure I'm growing, as a person? There are a lot of elements that go into this: volunteering more, being kind and positive, tackling new challenges, and setting aside time to be creative...And then there's food. Food plays a huge role in how we feel day to day, how much energy we have to achieve our goals, and how capable we feel of giving back to the people around us. So this season, with growth in mind, I've put together a list of 5 foods I want to eat more of this Spring, because growth starts with the smallest choices, just as a flower begins with a seed!​

Think getting your greens is hard? Maybe it's just time to rethink your moves!

Here's the real deal: Greens go with everything. 

Also the CDC says only 27 percent of you are getting your greens and I care about you, okay? Eat ALL the spinach!



The Green Smoothie
It’s quick, it’s fuss-free and totally easy to prep ahead of time if that's your thing. Simply add your greens, a little fruit, some kefir, and whatever else you love to put in your smoothie into a container or reusable ziplock bag and freeze. Add to your blender with a little extra liquid when it’s smoothie time! If you're throwing together your smoothie in real time, just toss greens into whatever you would have made. It's so easy, you might just forget they're in there.

Green Juice
Juicing is one of the quickest ways to nourish your body with easy to absorb nutrients. Plus it’s portable! If you don’t have time to make a green juice, you could buy one from a juice bar.


Steamed or Sauteed Greens
Many leafy greens contain fat-soluble vitamins, so to best absorb these, we need to eat our greens with a little fat! Lightly sauteeing your greens or steaming them for a few minutes and serving them with avocado will help to make sure you’re getting the most out of your greens! Plus, it's an incredibly easy way to cook your crew's seasonal favorites. Check out one of my favorite recipes here! RECIPE


Salads
A super simple way to get more greens into your diet is to enjoy a salad. But to prevent boredom from eating the same salads day in, day out, switch things up! Why not try this Chopped Salad Recipe that I just can't get enough of? RECIPE


Lettuce Cups/Wraps
Want an easy way to make tacos, burritos, or rice paper rolls? Use leafy greens instead! Collard greens, silverbeet, cos lettuce, swiss chard and even cabbage all make great cups or wraps and help boost your nutrient intake of these alkalizing foods! Looking for dinner inspiration? I'll confess, sometimes I tweak this family favorite and replace the daikon radishes with some fluffy greens. RECIPE

You've probably heard of Matcha by now, and if you haven't, welcome to the in-crowd - It's hip, it's trendy! Matcha is the powdered green tea that's taken the world by storm, and for good reason. When I'm in need of an afternoon pick-me-up, it's not coffee I turn to. Don't get me wrong, I love a good cup of coffee - alway will! - but here are the 4 reasons Matcha just might be better than your average cup of joe. ​
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1. Matcha has a better caffeine high: By “better” I mean that coffee’s caffeine high wreaks more havoc on the body. It starts off with a blast and ends in a crash. Coffee causes spikes in adrenaline glucose and insulin levels, which in turn create jitteriness, nervousness, and every once in a while, crazy hunger pangs. In contrast, Matcha is known for having a "calming" energy. At about half the caffeine level of coffee, the powdered tea hits that sweet spot for me between being too hyped and being unable to give the attention I need to a new project.
2. Matcha helps you burn calories: Drinking Matcha green tea has been shown to increase metabolism and help the body burn fat about four times faster than average. Matcha avoids negative side-effects such as increased heart rate and high blood pressure.​​

     3.   Matcha boosts memory and concentration: Matcha powder contains the amino                         acid L-Theanine, which has been shown to increase the production of dopamine and                   serotonin. These two chemicals serve to enhance mood, improve memory, and promote               better concentration – something I'm always in search of during my workday! ​
     4.   Matcha has more antioxidants: Matcha is ridiculously full of catechins, flavonoids,                   and polyphenols, especially the mighty epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which has                     been linked to so many health benefits and has therapeutic applications to the                               treatment of so many disorders, including cancer.

I think one of the best parts of this green wonder is how easy it is to find! Maybe you haven't tried Matcha yet, but your opportunity is just around the corner! Seriously, you can order this drink at any Starbucks, or you can find the powder at almost any natural foods retailer or Walmart. If you decide to order your first drink, just be sure to watch out for all the heavy add-ins. This tea is so good it doesn't need cream or tons of added sugar. 

There's an emotional connection between how we feel and what we eat. Most of us are familiar with the idea. We find it in terms like "comfort food." Food can make us feel better; it can be a reward; and it can be a source of stress relief. But inevitably, letting your mood control your food has some drawbacks. So here are some great ways to recognize the emotional patterns we create around our eating, and to make those patterns a little healthier! 

 What You Crave: SUGAR
Many of us grew up with sweets being presented as a reward. The very anticipation of a reward triggers the neurotransmitter dopamine in our brain, releasing the ‘feel-good’ chemical, which is very addictive. Can you relate? From a young age, many of us come to associate celebrations with sweets, from cake at birthday parties to being treated with dessert after finishing our veggies. This is part of what makes sugar so comforting.

Change What You Crave: Become aware of the sweets-reward connection from your childhood to understand where this craving comes from, as well as the circumstances surrounding the craving. Establish a new goal or hobby that is healthy that will produce these “feel-good” feelings. Replace sugar as your vehicle to happiness.


What You Crave: DAIRY
Find yourself hankering for a cheesy slice of pizza or a creamy milkshake? Cheese contains the stimulant tyramine and milk contains L-tryptophan — which triggers the release of another “feel-good chemical," serotonin — as well as choline, which has soothing properties. The creamy texture of dairy is also often associated with comfort.

Change What You Crave: Reach for a banana or avocado for the creamy texture, plus a natural energy and mood boost. Then, engage in mood-boosting activities (anything you enjoy!), which will release endorphins and can also be soothing for the body.


What You Crave: CARBS
The urge to eat pasta, bread, and cookies tends to really kick in when we’re stressed or sad. Not only do these “comfort foods” have mood-boosting properties and provide a short-term energy boost, but we often associate them with comfort from an early age. Think: Chocolate chip cookies served up by mom when you had a hard day or the comforting smell of your grandma’s freshly baked bread. When you’re feeling agitated or upset, you may subconsciously be turning to carbs for comfort.
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Change What You Crave: Get creative with veggies to recreate the textures you crave. Incorporate whole, unrefined carbs like quinoa, sweet potatoes, and squash into your diet. Notice when stressful situations arise and stop to take a breath and calm down.

Watermelon contains about 92 percent water per volume. Researchers have found that eating a serving of watermelon after a workout may help you hydrate twice as effectively as a glass of water. This is because the water-rich fruit also packs natural sugars, amino acids, mineral salts and vitamins that are lost in exercise.

Peaches hit the scale with about 88 percent water per volume, and they have the added benefit of being exceedingly portable. It's not hard to throw a peach in with your lunch and much on it at the office. Just be sure to bring a napkin! Peaches pack many of the same benefits as watermelon and grapefruit. Their high water content makes them low in calories but high in terms of the "feeling of fullness" that they provide. Even better, peaches are chock full of vitamin C and nutrients that promote healthy skin and reduce anxiety. In fact, peaches are often known as "the fruit of calmness."

​TIPS: Looking for a few more water-packed options? Check out strawberries and cantaloupe!

Cucumbers hold an impressive 96 percent water per volume. If you're really looking to bump up your hydration, consider putting this vegetable together with a high-water content fruit. Cucumbers and watermelon make the ultimate hydration power couple. 

​Celery is the often touted veggie when it comes to minimal calories, but it might be more appropriately known as the rehydrator. Celery is composed of roughly 95 percent water, filling you up without weighing you down. A serving of celery (bonus: you can pretty much eat as much as you want here) can get your body's water systems moving again. Not a fan of celery? You can swap this veggie out for zucchini instead. Both have equal water contents, and their own unique health benefits. 

​Radishes also bring an impressive 95 percent water per volume to the table. On top of that, these veggies boost the immune system, support the health of connective tissue, blood vessels, and teeth, and protect against cancer. If you're worried about the spiciness of radishes, fear not. All you need to do is place these beauties on the grill, roast them in the oven, or add them to a soup. Cooking radishes brings out the texture and the nuttiness of the vegetable. Check out our recipe from this week here!
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TIPS: Still not seeing something that wows? Go for lettuce, green and red cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, peppers, spinach, or broccoli. All of these veggies are high in water and filled with good-for-you nutrients. 

When I'm grilling vegetables, I like to keep it simple. You'll see a lot of recipes out there that favor heavy spices or lots of oil, but by the time you've applied all that, you've almost completely lost the flavor of the original produce. To add a little zing to my meal, I add a splash of balsamic vinaigrette, and a bit of salt and pepper sprinkled over the top. Sometimes less really is more. Here are a few extra tips to get you going in the grilled-veggie department. 

1. Grilled Asparagus 
Look for fat spears to put on the grill—their meatiness works well with grilling and they're easier to manage on the grate (and less likely to fall through!). Grill until tender with grill marks, 8 to 10 minutes total.

2. Grilled Beets 
Yes, you can grill beets! The hot fire of the grill brings out the earthy sweetness of beets with an added hint of smoky flavor and an almost candied coating. Slice the beets. In general, creating more surface area will help speed along the grilling process. Leave over heat until tender. 

3. Grilled Cabbage
Cabbage is delicious grilled! The sweetness of the vegetable is drawn out, and the crispy, blackened edges give your meal a soft, crunchy texture. Cut the cabbage into wedges and either place them on skewers, or just directly on top of the grill. Cook for 10 to 15 min. 

What can't you grill, really? Some of my other favorites include tomatoes, eggplant, zucchini, green beans, spring onions, and certainly peppers! Any veggie you can imagine, it's probably delicious fresh off the grill. Just follow a few simple tips:

• Grill at high heat
• Slice or chop to create extra surface area for a reduced cooking time. There are only a few exceptions to this. You wouldn't slice Okra before putting it on the grill, for example.
• Grill until tender. A few pokes or a chef's sample can usually help you figure this out.
• Go easy on the oils and spices.

Otherwise, load up the grill with confidence, and when the veggies come off, just enjoy! 


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Have you ever ordered a light salad at dinner and looked around the table to see your friends shifting uncomfortably as they dig into a plate of ribs? Perhaps you’ve deliberately chosen to wake up early while on vacation to get in a workout, only to face some not-so-subtle teasing from family members. Maybe you’ve even been the one who “ruins it for everyone” by declining a second round of drinks.

Adopting a healthy lifestyle comes with many challenges– some even in the form of unsupportive friends and family members. There are few things quite as discouraging as attempting to make a healthy decision for yourself only to be ridiculed by a person whose opinion you value.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be miserable, or change your choice to comply. Here are some ideas to help you handle your response better and perhaps end those hurtful jokes and disapproving glances altogether.

Step 1: Understand Where the Peanut Gallery is Coming From

The sad fact is that many of us have spent years secretly building an over-eaters support network. We often find solace in validating each other’s eating habits or skipped workouts. Before long, every social outing revolves around food, you're celebrating a birthday every week (someone’s), and your friends have convinced you that not only do you deserve that drink, you need it.

So, when you finally embrace a healthier lifestyle, it’s not unusual for coworkers, friends and family to feel threatened, or even judged by you. You’ve robbed them of your complicit validation, and now they’re at a loss as to what you’ll do together. Who are they going to share late night cookie dough with? Understand that the root of this frustration and stress actually has nothing to do with you, and everything to do with the individual who is feeling poorly.  Don’t let someone else’s insecurity undermine your own health. Be understanding but within your healthy choices.


Step 2: Be Honest

If you value your relationship with the person who has been hassling you about being healthy, the quickest way to put a stop to the teasing is through honesty. The next time they make a disapproving comment, don’t laugh or shrug it off. Give them a prepared speech. Explain exactly why you’ve chosen to make your health a priority. Be serious, and tell your friend or family member that their support is really important to you. If they care about you, that should be enough to tone down the negative feedback you’ve been receiving.

 
Step 3: Look for Patterns

Occasionally, there is someone who just can’t seem to get over your healthy lifestyle. Maybe they continue to make negative comments after you’ve opened up to them and asked them not to. Or perhaps their sabotage is more subtle, even driven from a place of love. Many family members show that they care about you by feeding you. If your mother has made your childhood favorite desert, it can be hard to say no, even if that bowl of gooey chocolate is definitely not on your eating plan for the day. In those scenarios, it might be best to accept the food but ask to take it home with you instead of eating it there. Then, you can do with the food whatever you please and your family member still feels like you’ve accepted their show of affection. Whoever your naysayers are, remember that you can empathize with them without allowing them to affect your choices. You and you alone are in charge of your health. 


Step 4: Be Proud of Progress and Choices

Regardless of what anyone else says, you should always, always, feel positive about what you’re doing. When someone teases you or calls you out on your healthy choices, don’t get defensive. You don’t have to be defensive, because what you’re doing is good for you and everyone around you. Making your health a priority isn’t easy.  It’s something you have to re-commit to every day.  So give yourself some credit! By pursuing a healthy lifestyle, you’ve proven that you’re both brave and strong. Wake up everyday and tell yourself that – shout it from the rooftops if you want to. At the end of the day, your opinion is the only one that matters. Make sure it’s a positive one, lead by example, and reap the benefits.

Our modern word Diet has a history, with origins coming from the Greek diaita . Diaita was a noun that meant a way of living, and also had a more specific meaning, signifying a way of living which could include a food diet as well as other other daily habits. Most of our daily food choices ultimately depend on preference, marketing and trends. Someone may decide to follow a trend and go fat free, carb free, hi protein, rustic or something else.  Restaurant commercials and food products tempt us everywhere.  When you combine our fast food culture, a trendy diet, and then limit it further with personal preferences, it’s fairly easy to come up nutritionally short, under satisfied, and overweight.

What does your diet say about you?  What is your Diaita; your way of living?  Does it include too many fast foods, packaged foods, or high sodium meals that dominate your taste buds into food ignorance?  Have you bullied your taste buds into submission?  Our taste buds are capable of subtlety unless you bully them with salty, fatty or highly processed foods and add-ons.  By giving our taste buds simple, clean foods, we can re-awaken our taste buds and our good health.

My food philosophy is built around whole foods that are seasonally and readily available combined with essential food groups. Learn the basics, and then add flair and flavor!  I assist my clients in learning simple recipes that use natural ingredients and to proportion their serving size for each meal and snack.   Expanding the number of foods and flavors in your go to selections can bring even more flair and nutrition to your plate. You have to learn to play the diet game for good healthy living.  Once you learn the game, you can keep your skills up by practicing. 

Some of my favorite ways to “practice” are to experiment with color themes of food, try something new or mysterious to me, and try foods and spices from other cultures.  When at the local market, I look for fruits and vegetables that are bold in color, flavor and even name.  An earlier post of mine was a recipe that used Daikon radishes as a sushi wrapper, and it was AMAZING! Finding new, unconventional ways to eat healthy can be such fun, and can really help expand your diet.  Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Try making some of the new Cauliflower recipes.  From pizza crust, to a rice substitute, and lots of other ideas, Vitamin C loaded cauliflower is perfect.
• How many different colors can you get into your salad – set a new PR!
• Make a Jicama salad!  Don’t know what it is, find out!
  
•  Have a tasting platter of 5 different types of greens to take notice of the subtlety in flavors.  Try chard, arugula, kale, spinach, mustard, dandelion, etc
• Throw some golden beets on the grill. Slice for salads or as a side dish with spicy mustard dip.

Trying new things, although sometimes weird or scary, can really open your eyes into a whole new world of foods, flavors, and cultures.  Get some friends or family in on the game too!

Go with whatever smells or looks good to you, and start playing in the kitchen!

Expanding your diet is a great way to keep you moving forward in your health journey. The more you expand your healthy variety, the less likely you are to expand your waistline.

As the last few days of April come to an end, I am starting to plan for summer! In the next month or so, school will be out, folks will start vacationing, and I will finally be ready to enjoy the sunshine! There’s just something about the approach of summer that makes me feel extra bright and happy.

One of the best ways to embrace the upcoming change in seasons is to embrace the new foods and styles that will come with it! Summertime is filled with tons of colorful fruits and vegetables. There are endless possibilities when it comes to summer snacks, salads, and even healthy desserts! I am a huge fan of fresh stuff! Luckily, with farmers markets being at almost every corner, we can find awesome foods that were literally just picked. I really want to encourage you to give each meal some color in the next few weeks. Don’t be afraid to experiment with things you’ve never had before. The more color you bring to your meal, the better!

Another way to embrace the upcoming season is to brighten up your workout clothing. I always feel more confident if I’m wearing a little bit of color when I exercise. There’s just something about bright colors that really makes me push myself towards success. Have fun with your workout gear and match the happy weather! Be bold, and pick something that pushes your color limit and you might just push your workout limits too!

Coloring up your health can have so many great effects. In the end, it’s all about finding ways to motivate yourself to keep working towards a healthier lifestyle. Whether it’s through new recipes or updating your wardrobe, the key thing to take away is that motivation can come in many different forms. As May is upon us, I encourage everyone to find ways that will motivate them to stay healthy during the weeks ahead!

“Growing” your health can be a hard concept to grasp. For most of us, when we think of changing to a healthier lifestyle, we want the changes to be easy, and to start seeing results fast.  That’s why quick fix diets and products are easy to sell.  We want it now!  The reality is that it takes time for results to show, and that can often be frustrating.  Growing our health can seem like standing there watching, waiting for the garden to grow.  It takes so long to actually harvest something you can see.  The good news is that you can harvest feeling better very quickly!  Improvements in energy, attitude, sleep patterns, and alertness are right around the corner, and well within reach.  The visual and physical harvest will follow if you tend the garden well.

The transformation into a healthy lifestyle needs to be thought of as a progressive process, making sure to embrace even the small details that go into the mixture.  I am known for asking my clients to “Dream Big, and Work Small.”  Having a vision of where you want to be; change goals that encourage you to reach; that’s the Dream Big.  Taking small steps each day to implement changes; that’s the Work Small.  As you emerge into a new way of thinking about your health, it takes time to understand the significance of each part of the process. One of the best things you can do for yourself is make a plan as to how you’re going to attain a healthy lifestyle. What mini goals must you achieve in order to accomplish your big goal?  How will you get there within the constraints that you have?  These are questions that I help folks with every day.  Transformation doesn’t have to be a lonely process!

Mapping out your goals can not only help you stay organized, but it can make you appreciate the small accomplishments that you have made in order to reach your end destination. Think about a plant. You don’t usually see a flower with a dead stem and blossoming petals. Every part of the plant; roots, steam, leaves needs to be healthy in order for the flower to be full of color and life. The same idea goes for your healthier lifestyle. Instead of rushing the process of building a healthy lifestyle, take the time to make sure every part of your plan is strong and will actually lead you to your end goal. Takes those small steps every day to nurture your garden of good health.

Plan your journey, and celebrate the small victories. Nurture and grow your health and fitness. Not only will you achieve your goals, but you’ll build a strong foundation and feel great along the way!

Remember “I Love Lucy?”  Well, I love Lucy – really!  She was so public and out there with everything she tried to do.  We laughed at her epic failures, but we also cheered for her and secretly wanted her to succeed.  I keep her in mind when I need to give myself a boost toward a goal.  I have a Lucy magnet that I use to pin my goal to my refrigerator when I’m really trying to challenge myself toward something.  Everyone who sees the fridge can ask me about it, and I see it every day, multiple times a day.   I cut the note out of colored construction paper, so it looks like a cartoon message balloon, with Lucy saying the words. I also try to talk to friends and family about the events I have coming up—what I’m training for and what new foods or food changes I am working to implement (thank goodness I have tolerant friends and family!). Right now, I’m searching for some new athletic goals for myself.  I want to do something epic.  So, look for me to be sharing those ideas sometime soon. I’m going to take my own advice…and go public with it!

Accountability to yourself, while important, can be a lonesome journey.   There’s a reason why sports teams need cheerleaders and fans.  There’s a reason why we go to the dentist to get our teeth cleaned and checked.   There is a reason why schools give grades and measure performance.  We need someone besides ourselves to help us stay on top of those things that are important to us.  We need a way to measure our progress.  We need a way to find out how we are doing outside of our own opinion.  We need to share and be shared with.

How many times do we say, “I know what I need to be doing, but I’m just not doing it,”?  Staying accountable and consistent to your goals is half the battle of getting lean and healthy.  In fact, it is half the battle of any goal you might set.  The consistency of doing the good stuff, is where real change comes from.  We can all talk about how it’s important to keep going and stay motivated, but where does accountability actually fit in?

Staying healthy and fit is no different.  One of the best ways I’ve found to keep myself accountable to my health and fitness goals is going public.  If you put it out there and you aren’t afraid to talk about it, you’ll be surprised by how supportive people can be.   Sometimes it’s uncomfortable, if you aren’t staying on top of things.  Sometimes you’re just itching for someone to ask you, so you can say proudly how well it’s going.  If you don’t tell anyone, you miss out on both sides of this.  Pick something on your goals list and give it a try.  Post it on your refrigerator, put a sticky note on your desk or wall at work, tell your friends what you are working toward, and put it on social media if you REALLY want to go pubic!  How you choose to share, that’s up to you, but keeping it only to yourself reduces your probability of success.

Make it big, make it little, it doesn’t matter, just pick something and go public about it.  It can be as simple as committing to meet someone at the gym at 5:30 am for a workout, and not cancelling.  Maybe you are trying to give up diet soda?  Put it out there – let people know that you’re working hard to make it happen

So, here’s the bottom line. “Go public. “  Share your goals and be proud of what you accomplish.  Put yourself out there—just like Lucy!