Healthy Eating Challenge and Beyond

Hi everyone,

Do you remember that I participated in a 21-day Healthy Eating Challenge (February 15 through March 8)? I followed it well for the first two weeks and felt amazing! Then, I crashed and burned at the end when my dad visited with a box full of homemade Junior Mint brownies and Irish Bread. I've successfully completed the challenge before, but I didn't want to deny myself that weekend of such special treats or yummy meals out on the town.

During that final week, I faithfully continued to cook myself challenge-approved snacks and meals. But the new recipes I tried were unsuccessful. The Mixed Veggie Enchiladas fell apart into a soggy mush and the Strawberry Ginger Smoothie overflowed out of my little blender. I still ate and drank it all, and it was delicious! It just didn't look pretty, and the proportions weren't exactly right. I'll try both recipes again soon and will share them when I figure out what went wrong.

Despite faltering, I participated in the challenge's closing celebration, a potluck brunch for which I made Lemon Date Balls.

Lemon Date Balls 

(Makes about 18)

Tart lemon, nutty walnuts, sesame seeds, rich coconut, and sweet dates come together to make these delightfully tangy treats. 

1 cup chopped pitted dates

1 cup raw walnuts

1 cup sesame seeds

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 teaspoons freshly grated lemon zest

1/2 cup unsweetened dried coconut flakes

Place dates, walnuts, sesame seeds, lemon juice, and zest in a food processor. Pulse and blend until completely mixed. The mixture will be slightly sticky. With dampened hands, roll tablespoons of the mixture into balls. Roll in coconut and chill until ready to serve. 

My experience: I don't have a food processor and use my blender for everything. For me, this mixture doesn't just get "a little sticky." It gets so thick that, sometimes, my blender stops working. When that happens, it's a pain. But all I have to do is move the mixture around with a spoon to unclog the machine. Then I just add a bit more water and pulse through it. 

Moving On...

While not the healthiest choice,
Uncle Buck's Beignets are a worthy treat! 

After the challenge was over, I got back on the wagon, at least partially, as I hope to always be. The purpose of the challenge was to reset my body, giving it a clean slate. I think I achieved that in the first two weeks. Aside from the delicious food, the best part of the challenge for me is how it changes my eating habits so quickly and easily. I learned about healthy alternatives and where to buy them, and I don't really crave what I used to eat.

In fact, most of my old favorites don't taste as good to me anymore. The challenge made me aware of the food I'm eating. Even when eating out, I now think of the consequences before I order. If I really want that lobster roll and french fries, that's okay too. I'll never stop myself from enjoying Uncle Buck's Beignets at Founding Farmers once in a while. The key is not eating those things all the time. Now that I know what to eat, how to make myself healthier meals, and how much better they make me feel, the choices are easy and plentiful.

When my sister and nephew visited last weekend, arriving too late for a meal out, I had delicious Sweet Potato and Bean Chili waiting for them.

Sweet Potato and Bean Chili 

(Serves 6)

1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped 

1/2 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 small sweet potato, peeled and diced

5 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth, divided

1 tablespoon no-salt-added chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 15-oz can aduki beans

1 15-oz can navy beans

1 14.5 can no-salt-added diced tomatoes

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 cup copped cilantro (optional)

Sliced fresh jalapeno peppers (optional)

Heat a large saucepot with lid over a medium-high flame; heat until hot. Add onion, bell pepper, sweet potato, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until it begins to brown and stick to the pan. Stir in 1/2 cup broth and cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until vegetables are tender and most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in chili powder, cumin, and cinnamon, and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add remaining  broth, beans, and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered, for about 30 minutes or until vegetables and beans are tender and sauce is thickened. Stir in black pepper. Serve with cilantro and jalapenos, if using. 

My experience: This quick and easy recipe is one of my favorites. Because I'm not very tolerant of super-spicy food, I didn't use any jalapeno peppers. However, I recommend topping your chili with cilantro as suggested; a few herbs on top make a big difference in the taste. This chili, paired with a side salad, was a perfect meal for what I hope is this winter's last cold, snowy week. If it's still cold where you are, give this recipe a try. It will warm you up!

Both recipes in this post are courtesy of Ebeth Johnson, Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods, P Street. She's the best, so email her to sign up for her classes, challenges, and recipes!

Enjoy!

Healthy Eating Challenge Update

Hi everyone,

I'm halfway through my healthy-eating challenge, which I started on February 15. Since then, I've noticed more frequent brighter mornings, fully energized days, and a different kind of fullness that has me thinking of food only when I'm actually hungry. Imagine that magic! 

The hardest part of sticking to the challenge is time management. You spend so much more time at the grocery store reading ingredients on all labels and shopping for fresh produce, and then there's the cooking itself. I'm a slow chopper. 

But it's worth it! Here's some deliciousness, courtesy of Ebeth Johnson, Healthy Eating Specialist at Whole Foods, P Street: 

• Green Banana Almond Smoothie
• Ebeth's Veggie Stir Fry
• Romaine Salad with Pine Nuts 

A perfect way to get your daily serving of raw greens in by starting your morning off with a smoothie.  

Green Banana Almond Smoothie

2 cups unsweetened almond milk

2 cups baby spinach 

4 medjool dates, pitted 

2 very ripe bananas

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Dash of cinnamon 

Combine all ingredients (with ice, if you want) until smooth. 

My experience: Instead of spinach, I used kale and I reduced the number of dates to three. Four was too sweet for me: can you believe it? The only problem I've encountered while making this smoothie is that the dates never get fully chopped, so I get some chunks of sweetness in my sips. My blender may be causing this problem, and it's not a bad problem to have in any case, but you might try soaking the dates in water for a while to soften them up before blending. See if that makes a difference. 

My breakfasts consist of oatmeal with raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. This week, I've tried some recommended challenge-approved cold cereal called Engine 2 (with almond or soy milk, of course). It's good, filling cereal, but I like my hot oatmeal better.  Lately, I've been hooked on clementines and grab a couple to snack every day.  

For dinner, I've tried a couple of dishes. For this fantastic oil-free veggie stir fry, it's all about the glaze.

Ebeth's Veggie Stir Fry and Peach-Tamari Glaze 

Serves 4

For the glaze: 

1/4 cup low-sodium vegetable broth

1/2 cup all-fruit peach preserves

3 tablespoons low-sodium tamari

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

For the stir fry:

1 medium red onion, sliced into half moons

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon minced ginger

1 small jalapeno pepper, seeds removed, minced

1 cup red bell pepper strips

1 cup bite-sized broccoli florets

1 cup bite-sized cauliflower florets

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 cup halved Brussels sprouts

1/2 cup sliced carrots

Garnish:

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Juice of one lime

1/4 cup roughly chopped macadamia or cashew nuts

Method:

In a small bowl, combine all glaze ingredients. Using a whisk, mix well to combine. Set aside.

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of water or vegetable stock over a medium-high flame. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and jalapeno. Cook, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add remaining vegetables one at a time, in the order given, allowing 30 seconds between each addition and tossing well to combine. When all vegetables are added and they are still fairly crisp, add the sauce, stirring to combine. Cook 5-7 minutes until sauce thickens. Just before serving, add cilantro and lime juice and mix well to combine. Transfer to a serving platter and top with chopped nuts. Serve with brown rice, quinoa, or brown rice noodles. 

My experience: You can use whatever veggies that you like or happen to have on hand in this dish. (You can even use pre-cut frozen veggies to save time.) I skipped including the jalapeno pepper and Brussels sprouts in my version. You can also choose a different kind of fruit preserves for a new flavor. I've used all fruit preserves, orange marmalade, and rasberry preserves before. (Peach is still my favorite.)  

Ebeth demonstrated how to make this easy salad during our Glorious Greens class that kicked off our healthy-eating challenge. I was nearly as quick recreating it at home, where I paired it with a light carrot soup. 

Romaine Salad with Pine Nuts

4 cups shredded romaine

1/2 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

1/4 cup raisins

1 avocado, halved, pitted and cut into chunks
Juice of one lemon (more or less to taste)

1/4 teaspoon sea salt 

dash of cayenne pepper

In a serving bowl, combine all ingredients. Using clean hands, mix well to combine until avocado becomes a bit creamy. Serve and enjoy! 

My experience: The avocado and lemon make the yummy dressing for this salad, and I don't have the flavors down yet. On my first try, the dressing was too sour and not as creamy as I like. Next time, I'll try a little less lemon and a little more avocado, but yours is up to your taste.

Give these yummy recipes a try and let me know how they turn out! 

Best,

Health Starts Here...and Now

Hi everyone,

Courtesy of Whole Foods Market

For a while now, I've been participating in healthy-eating classes and challenges at Whole Foods, P Street, run by the wonderful Healthy Eating Specialist Ebeth Johnson. These free events introduce me to new foods and easy recipes, encouraging the healthy, economical habit of cooking at home. This is just what I was looking for to expand my typical menu, which included broccoli and clam sauce over linguine, macaroni and cheese with peas, and fish sticks with edamame. 

Actually, I thought I ate pretty well with my daily bowls of Cream of Wheat, granola-bar snacks, and vegetarian meals, but these classes have opened my eyes to what I have been eating and what I should be eating. You'd be amazed by the amount of sugar hidden in seemingly healthy snacks and drinks! The challenges have shown me the difference, given me tools to keep myself in check, and provided the variety I craved in my meals. 

Since another Whole Foods 21-Day Healthy Eating & Living Challenge begins today (and continues through March 8), it's a great time for me to start posting recipes here on my blog. Look for some healthy deliciousness coming soon.  

But, first, here are the challenge rules:

• Eat more veggies. This should be 3 cups of raw veggies and 2 cups of cooked leafy greens/green veggies every day.
• Eat less meat. Have no more than 3 ounces of meat or fish three times a week. (This is about the size of a stack of playing cards.) An egg counts as 3 ounces of meat.
• Get fit. Move to warm up your body and break a little sweat for at least 10 minutes every day. (Previous challenges have offered free yoga classes at local studios, and this one provides a free local gym membership for the length of the challenge.)
• Kick bad habits. 
• Use low-salt or no-sodium products. (Salt your foods only at the table rather than while cooking.) 
• Cook without oil. Heat your pan and use water at first to get your veggies sizzling. (You'll know the pan is hot enough when you splash it with water and the drops look like bouncing beads.) Soon, the natural sugars in your food will allow you to cook without any of it sticking to the pan. It works!
• Choose dairy-free alternatives. I've been using almond, coconut, hemp, and soy milks. I'm excited to try some nut-based cheeses during this challenge.
• Be caffeine and alcohol free. This is the best opportunity for me to use up all the herbal teas in my cabinet. 
• Tame your sweet tooth. The only allowed sweetener is (preferably raw) honey, fresh and dried fruits, fruit juices, and fruit juice concentrates. Be sure to check the ingredients of your juices to ensure that no refined sugars have been added. 
• Show yourself love. Your words create your reality. Use them wisely to create a loving, nurturing environment and aura around yourself. Speak to yourself and others using positive, supportive language. 

You may think that the challenge is asking for too much change, but I've found that once you establish some good habits, such as setting aside time on Sundays to cook meals for the week, it's not very hard to keep up. This challenge aims to reset your body, diminishing toxins to create a cleaner slate. You'll be surprised by how quickly your body adjusts and how much better you feel. 

I need this challenge! Since Thanksgiving, I've had a random diet of pizza, baked sweets, candy, and (at least dairy-free) ice cream. This week, I'll start fresh! Join me if you'd like, or just follow along, enjoy the recipes, and wish me luck because I'm craving nothing but hot chocolate right now. 

Best,