elt

BLT salad

2012-01-26T20:24:00.000-08:00

I will admit it's not just bacon, lettuce and tomato, so it's more like BLTEA adding the egg and avocado, but this salad is a super satisfying lunch, especially if you are on a diet. As part of the JP Fitness 2012 fat loss challenge, I have slightly decreased my intake and I am constantly coming up with high volume, nutrient dense and satisfying meals. This has been one of my go-to meals, especially since leftover bacon is something we often have in the fridge. I hope you do too!

For 2 servings, you need:
1 medium head lettuce (we had iceberg, but anything works, including spinach and arugula)
2 tomatoes
1/2 avocado
2 hard boiled eggs
4 slices cooked crispy bacon (ideally left over from breakfast)
black pepper to taste
1 tbsp sour cream and 1 tbsp mustard for dressing (optional)

Cut up the lettuce, toss with the tomatoes, cut in large pieces, and the cubed avocado. Arrange in a deep bowl and cover with the cut up eggs and bacon strips. Add a dash of black pepper and if you wish, finish with a dressing made by combining sour cream and mustard. Enjoy this salad as lunch or a late day snack, it's barely 270 calories per serving including the dressing.

Curry cauliflower soup

2012-01-18T11:53:00.000-08:00

I love the simplicity and flavor of this soup. It's a delicate creamy texture, with a slight curry bite and a warm and comforting aftertaste. One of my wonderful clients, who has a thing for cauliflower, saw this soup in my food log and asked for the recipe. Since my husband cooked it and blogged about it, I am going to afford myself the luxury of pasting this from his blog :) Thank you, darling!

Curried cauliflower soup

This soup is even better the next day, so feel free to make it yesterday, so you can eat it today.

4 servings

Ingredients

1 large head cauliflower
1 large tart apple (like a Granny Smith)
1 clove garlic (optional, but highly recommended)
1 tbsp garam masala (aka curry powder)
1 tsp turmeric (optional, but makes for a nice color)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter
salt to taste

Directions

Discard the greens and leaves of the cauliflower. Roughly chop the entire cauliflower, including the core. Peel, core, and chop the apple. Peel the clove of garlic, if using.

Place the apple, garlic, and cauliflower in a soup pot, with enough water to cover. Bring to a simmer and cook for about twenty minutes, until the cauliflower is tender. Blend with an immersion blender. Alternately, you can use a regular blender, just make sure to allow it to cool for a few minutes first, then blend it in batches.

Bring the soup to a slow simmer, and stir in the garam masala, turmeric, vinegar, salt, and ghee. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes. If necessary, add enough water to bring the pot to eight cups of soup.

Makes four, 2 cup servings, assuming you added enough water.

Nutrition
Per 2 cup serving – 120 calories, 3.5g fat, 21g carbohydrate, 7g fiber, 5g protein

Spiced quinoa tabbouleh

2012-01-11T20:57:00.000-08:00

It's strange living in a place where parsley is considered a garnish. I am fighting back by making tabbouleh a couple of times per week, serving it to friends and pretending everything is normal. I've had great feedback so far, so I decided to share today's version of tabbouleh, prepared with quinoa.

Serves 2:
1/4 cup quinoa measured dry, cooked, drained, washed
2 cups parsley, chopped coarsely
1 cup dill weed, chopped
1 large tomato
3 small sweet peppers
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cinnamon
salt to taste
juice of 1 lemon

To make, wash and drain the quinoa, and bring it to boil in some salted water. Cook for 10 minutes and then cover to let soak it up some more moisture for 5 minutes. Once ready, drain, wash and cool. In the meantime, chop the parsley and dill weed, cut peppers and tomato in small cubes. Mix quinoa with the vegetables and herbs, season with all the spices and lemon juice, let it sit for 10 minutes and it's ready to eat.

I had my salad with some sardines on the side, and they made a really good match.
Enjoy and let me know how you do your tabbouleh!

Cottage cheese pineapple parfait

2012-01-05T12:57:00.000-08:00

Most people have a love-hate relationship with cottage cheese - they love it for a while, eat it all the time, enjoy the benefits of its high protein and low calories and then they get sick of it and swear off buying it for a while. Other people love the taste, but hate the texture - it's too small, it's too large, it's too slimy, it tastes like diet food - I've heard lots of people say those things and never have the chance to include this awesome ''cheese'' in their diets.

This recipe will show you a side of cottage cheese you have not experienced before - a creamy and rich, smooth texture - that's right - smooth. Because you will use a blender to make your breakfast.

Here is what you need:

Serves 2:
2 cups cottage cheese ( I used low fat, the store was out of full fat)
1 cup frozen or fresh pineapple (or other fruit)
5 drops (or 1/2 inch bean) vanilla extract

In a blender, combine all the ingredients until they get very smooth. Serve in a bowl, decorate with your favorite fruit and enjoy right away!

One serving has only 235 calories and crazy 26 grams of protein.

This technique will also allow you to make savory herb dips for vegetables and toasted pita or lavash chips. Give it a try!

So what did you do this Christmas?

2011-12-26T12:23:00.000-08:00

We had a lovely Christmas, filled with friends, fun, and lots of precious gifts under the tree! Most of all, it was our first true Christmas as a family and we were so grateful to be together and enjoy these blessed and merry days!

Pick up Katy Bowman's Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief- you'll love it!

One of the gifts of the holiday season is having a bit more time to catch up on reading. The day before Christmas I finally got Katy Bowman's ''Every Woman's Guide to Foot Pain Relief'' - a revolutionary book that will open thousands of people to the unknown universe of feet. We spend so much time expecting our feet to just be there for us and carry us around, that it's only when they hurt that we pay attention to what we've been doing to them! Katy is a witty and brilliant author, a great scientist and an influence you want to have in your life, if heath is one of your priorities. Find what a ''foot gym'' is, how the feet influence your posture and pelvic floor, how to choose ''healthy shoes'' and have a better 2012 from the ground up!

pineapple guava - look for it and try it!

We ate lots of delicious meals, both at home and at friend's and family parties, but our most favorite discovery was the rare and delicious pineapple guava - a tropical fruit that apparently does well even in the colder parts of the world. The precious green fruits are hard and glossy on the outside, smell heavenly - like lime, pineapple and cheesecake all rolled up into one, and as you bite them you meet a fleshy inside that is the closest nature has to custard. The little seeds are soft and easy to swallow and you find it hard not to keep going back for more. Guavas last a very short time, so make sure you eat them as soon as you buy them.


playing with the sled in Central park

Did you get to exercise this Christmas? We got to train quite a bit and went through some fun kettlebell practice and sled dragging - the great thing about this sled is that it's super compact and you can easily load it up with kettlebells and drag, run or sprint. It's relatively smooth on cement, but watch out for wet grass - it slows down dramatically! We were rather sore from it - obliques, glutes and calves, so we took yesterday off and just walked around the pier and watched the seagulls.

inside every seagull is a duck (a big one!)

Be healthy and happy this holiday season, enjoy the end of 2011 and welcome 2012 with joy and excitement! Let me know how you spent your time and what are your plans for the new year!

Apple chia pudding - a 2 minute holiday breakfast

2011-12-24T11:56:00.000-08:00

The holidays are a time when you don't want to make a huge ritual out of breakfast: if anything, you want to make it fast, filling and get as little calories out of it as you can, so that you save some space for delicious and festive parties and dinners.

I've been making this simple Apple chia pudding and wanted to share it with you!

Here is what you need:

Serves 2:

1 large honey crisp apple

1 1/2 cups plain whole fat yogurt

2 tablespoons chia seeds

We like honey crisp apples because they add so much sweetness, but if you choose another kind of apple, feel free to add some honey or a touch of Stevia for sweetness! Grate the apple, mix with the yogurt and chia and set aside for 20 minutes. The chia seeds will soon grow in volume and thicken the pudding. You can add a touch of vanilla or cinnamon to spice things up! Enjoy in the morning or as a mid day snack - it will keep you full for a very long time.

Merry Christmas!

Holiday fun without the holiday fat - you can do it!

2011-12-18T22:25:00.000-08:00

If Santa can do it....

We are only a week away from Christmas.

We love the food, and the company, and the cheer....we just hate the extra pounds it always brings. Who wouldn't?

Ever wonder if it's even possible to stay fit and lean throughout the cookie, baklava, cider and wine filled holiday celebrations? You bet it is! Keep reading and get your holiday survival skills polished!

1. Look back in pride and keep your results:

This year I've seen very dramatic transformations among my clients. Girls like Yana, Raya and Iva, Milena and Petya, Diliana, Ilina, Nelly, Sam... I look back at all the hard work those girls put in and I know they appreciate the health, joy and happiness they get to experience every day because they have made huge body transformations. I know they all look back in pride and they will use their new skills to control how much they eat, what treats they enjoy and how much they move.

If you've put in the hard work to pack your gym bag, train, eat right and pay attention to recovery, you have everything you need in your holiday tool bag to maintain your weight during the festive season. Just remind yourself how much you've achieved this year, and keep it for the next.

2. Get real about the numbers:

I recently read somewhere that 50% of the annual weight gain is accumulated during the holidays. In my own experience, most clients who take a break from diet and exercise during the holidays come back with 5-10 lbs of extra weight that we fight off till the end of February. Sugar indulgence, extra calories and alcohol all add up and before you know it your immune system is suffering, your moods become unstable and the fact that you can't zip up your pants doesn't help.

Remember the golden rule: a couple of holiday meals won't do anything negative to your body - 2 weeks of parties and uncontrolled eating will do enough damage to keep you busy with a whole new body transformation.

3. Move, move, move

If you are already following a structured exercise program and if you can fit it within the holiday schedule, more power to you. If you find that you cannot stick to your program, you can't find the time to go to the gym, your parent's guest room is too small, your hotel room floor isn't inviting - that's ok. The holidays are a time to break out of your normal daily routine. Just make a commitment to do some physical activity daily - whether it's walking, trying a new dance video, joining your cousin for yoga in the living room or building a snowman with your kids. 1 hour a day will make sure your insulin sensitivity doesn't worsen and calories have somewhere to go. Movement will keep you mobile and help you avoid common holidays aches and pains. I hate to see people come back with low back pain because they didn't stretch for 3 weeks. Don't do the maximum, but do what's possible!

4. Plan for the most delicious foods

If you know your mom has the best pumpkin pie, then don't eat a sandwich for lunch. Think of sugar and calories as a finite allowance: you have a certain amount to spend on your menu and no more. Spend it on cookies for breakfast, a sandwich with lunch and potato salad with dinner and you can kiss both that pumpkin pie and your abs good bye! It's pretty easy to know when and what you will be offered to eat, by maneuvering through calories and sugar like a pro you can have your cake and eat it too! Have a low carb breakfast and lunch, fill up on veggies and delicious satisfying clear soups and then go for your favorite desert with joy! You may find that strategy so liberating that you will be excited to go partying instead of dreading it!

5.Sip slowly

Remember last year? You went from one house to the next and before you knew it, you'd had 4 drinks and 3 small pieces of cake. A couple of weekends of that now and you may end up with a couple of extra pounds. Alcohol has a few ways to sabotage your physique: first it has calories, second it makes you hungry and helps you overeat, and third it may increase food sensitivity and cause inflammation. Not your dream scenario. Since you will probably be drinking, make sure that you go for wine or light beer. Stay away from punch and other sweet drinks. It's also wise to eat a small amount of protein and fat before you have alcohol - here is where bacon stuffed mushrooms and slices of cheese come to save the day!

6. Avoid overeating

Еаsy for me to say - I haven't been at your family's party!

In Mindless Eating, a great book on eating behavior, scientists report that when in the pleasant company of 7 or more, we can eat twice as much food as we normally would! Add up the treats and you are looking at some couple of thousand calories per meal. Over a few weeks you are looking at a new belt hole. By all means, please enjoy a delicious meal, but be nice to your stomach and don't stress it by overeating. The more people you are around, the more likely you are to overindulge. Keep that in mind and you will do great. Here are some useful tips my clients use to control how much they eat per meal:

Chew gum: it will prevent you from eating out of boredom.
Never go to a party hungry. It helps to have some hard boiled eggs, raw nuts or cold cuts right before you go. The protein will keep you from eating too much right away.
Make sure you drink plenty of water, especially between drinks of alcohol
If you are the hosts of a party, always send your guests home with leftovers. This way you don't end up with half a pie in your fridge that you have to resist for the next few days.
Get only one helping of your favorite foods.
Use smaller plates, cups and glasses, this way you will naturally control portions.
Always start eating last and finish eating last. It can be a small game you play with the rest of the guests that they don't even have to know about.
Share deserts. C'mon, be nice, it's Christmas!

Enjoy your Holidays, and stay fit! XOXO

FIX that pain, says Katy Bowman

2011-11-16T00:12:00.001-08:00

If you are one of my female clients and friends, you have probably heard of Katy Bowman. She is the lady who says ''alignment'' more times per day than you can say ''I'', she is your inspiration to kick your high heels, and probably the reason you don't have sneeze-pee after your baby arrived! Did her education make me a better personal trainer, did my pregnant and recovering moms experience better health...yes, yes and yes! Am I looking forward to studying with her soon? You bet!

I am sharing a recent blog post that she published on Aligned and Well, which hits the heart of our physical challenges - why is it that when we have a physical problem, relating to pain, we do little to fix it, find all sorts of excuses, and ultimately, end up having to endure severe pain and discomfort, when we could have done something before it was too late. How do your thoughts challenge the process of pain management? How do you fix your pain and conquer your limiting beliefs?

Find the answers from Katy, below.

This morning there was a great question on our Aligned and Well Facebook page:

I’m active in a pregnancy group here on Facebook, and it’s so sad to hear all these women having problems with pelvic pain, leaking urine and even prolapse. They think it’s normal and just something they have to live with. I keep posting about your exercises, but can’t seem to get through to them. Does the idea of healing yourself with exercise and alignment perhaps sound too good to be true?

In 1975 two researchers (Becker and Maiman) developed something called the Health Belief Model (HBM). They suggested that the likelihood of someone adopting a behavior that would prevent or correct some disease or physical issue depended on two things. And, don’t worry. I’ll tell you what those are two things are.

And in case you are wondering that I am some sort of information freakazoid, let me introduce you to a little garage sale find called Advances in Exercise Adherence (pictured here, with my baby, and he simultaneously reads and plays in the trash).

This little textbook cost me a whopping three bucks. You never know what treasures are lying around other people’s houses. Which makes me sound a bit like a Klepto. No judgments on my klepto readers. I like shiny things too.

So, applying the HBM to your question, a woman would need two things to be motivated enough to follow your advice on alignment and the pelvic floor. She would need to:
1. believe that she had a personal vulnerability to PFD (or SI or hip pain) and
2. believe that the consequence of these conditions would be severe.

The first isn’t typically an issue because chances are, if they’re reading your posts (or mine) they already have an issue. There’s not a lot of wondering if they’re going to have PFD someday — someday is today.

The severity of the issue is more challenging. I don’t think that women understand that a little PFD now means a whole lot of PFD later.

I write until I’m blue in the, uh, fingers, that if you have a little PF issue now — perhaps a bit of a sneeze-pee — that in the not-to-distant future, your organs will be falling out. Your hips will need replacing. Your knees will need replacing. Your SI joint will wobble around and push on your sciatic nerve. Your toes will go numb. Your lumbar spine will degenerate. Your organs will need to be removed. Your vaginal delivery will likely turn into a cesarean.

When I read the above paragraph, I feel like a bad person because it sounds mean or something, right? I don’t say it because I’m trying to make money. I don’t say it because I’m trying to make you anymore tense than you already are. I say it because somebody has to. Somebody has to start saying that the way you are using your body is making you sick. And it will make you sick in the future. And it is your job — not mine — to hear it, and to take action.

I’ve just decided that the theme of 2012 is Personal Responsibility. Oh, and Upper Body Strength. Which reminds me that I need to go hang from my indoor monkey bars for three minutes before I spend anymore time on this post.

Ok, I’m back. And buff. And definitely in that order.
Now that I’ve explained the Human Belief Model, I need to add some more info. Cuz you see, the HBM is not really that complete. It turns out that many people know that they need to get exercise to avoid dying. They believe that they will die if they don’t do it. Yet they still don’t do it. And, we don’t even have to go to the extreme of dying from something. Most of you, dear readers, have some ailment that I’ve given you an ExRx or info to follow and you still don’t really comply with a regularity that matches your desire to no longer have Issue X. Well, not you, who is shaking your head right now and saying “not me, I follow your advice to a T.” I’m not talking about you. You used to sit in the front row of the class, didn’t you?
So why is it that we can’t seem to manage to execute the behaviors what we desire to? Enter the Self-Efficacy Theory. This 1977 theory (ha, I was born just before this came out) states that “all behavioral changes are mediated by a cognitive mechanism of perceived efficacy” — which is a lot of fancy words to say that you have to believe that you can perform the recommended behavior.

I like the word believe, because as a science-type (you know, all boring and math and lists and bad at art and no passion and left-brain and black and white and I don’t see in color and I can’t really taste food and my life is very straight and adventureless) I don’t really know what it means. Yet, I’ll bet that you, like me, know what it feels like to be 100% on board with what you believe.

Here are some indicators that might help you identify a lower level of self-efficacy:
“I’m afraid that I’m not doing it right”
“If I can’t do it 100% then I don’t feel good doing it at all”
“I’ve TRIED that healthy thing before and I couldn’t do it”
“My attempts at health have failed in the past”
“I’m not that coordinated”
“I’ve always had this ______”
Sound familiar?

Your belief system, especially your ability to physically do something, is learned from your personal experiences as well as the good and bad experiences of those you model (parents, peer group, etc.).

The Self Efficacy Theory has been researched and is believed to be the most successful in explaining habitual exercise behavior. Which is a lot of fancy words that says even if your organs are falling out and your hips hurt so badly that you can no longer walk, and even if you thought that them falling out would kill you (good news: it won’t) you STILL wouldn’t spend a couple hours a day doing your exercises and make a standing work station and give up your heeled shoes and value your health enough to really invest in it because you don’t believe that you can change.

And therein lies the problem. It doesn’t matter how many solutions you post, or how many blog posts I write and emails I answer. The steps toward repairing (anything) need to be taken by them, your readers. They have to value the repair more than you do. And that’s tough, because you’re excited and following it and posting about it because you’ve chosen to help others. They’re reading your FB posts as something to fill extra time and aren’t necessarily looking for answers — just interaction, which are two fundamentally different things. Interaction is often mistaken for taking action.

Then, original poster, there could be the other issue too — that they totally believe in themselves and just don’t believe what you are posting. The prevailing notion that our body injuries are a result of a single incident, and not the slow accumulation of micro-damage, makes it very difficult to even begin understanding our ailments.

In other words:
If asked, by a health practitioner, to explain how your back went out, you are much more likely to explain: “I was moving a 40-pound bag of cement up 27 flights of stairs,” than you are to say: “I’ve sat in a chair for 10 hours a day for, oh, I don’t know, 17 years, and then I’ve been under a lot of emotional stress too, when I used my body for a huge athletic feat with no training program whatsoever.”

In other other words:
We have an inexcusable lack of knowledge regarding our own function, and the inability to see that What We’ve Been Doing is what has led, directly, to the ailment you have now.
So, maybe they think you are spending your valuable and precious time posting nonsense. Although I believe (with the other half of my brain that’s more interesting and has a personality and passion and loves poetry and sewing and rainbows and fairies and stuff) that, if you have come here to read, or they have come to your site to read, that the material is resonating them on a cellular level. The fact that they don’t trust the info has more to do with trusting their own ability to do something with it — their efficacy.

P.S. I couldn’t post the problem without posting a solution, can I? If you feel that you might have an issue with self-efficacy, then do a little mental investigation.

1. Do you regularly interact with people who were in your household when you were growing up?
2. Do they (not you!! Do they — never you — this is about them) regularly make excuses to avoid learning or doing something new (doesn’t have to be body-related either)?
3. Even if you REALLY WANT to change something, do you have reasons that you’re not doing EVERYTHING THAT IT TAKES to make that change?
4. Even if they are *valid* reasons, write down every reason you can’t do something or didn’t do something today.
5. Do you TRULY believe that you can make something better, or are you skeptical? Give your skepticism a percentage, i.e I think that it’s PROBABLY true that I can make something better, but I’m 40% doubtful.
6. If you could only make yourself 25% better, does improving your health 25% have value to you, or if you can’t be 100% better, are you tempted to do nothing?

Once you start doing this type of research you might become aware of a more hidden efficacy issue. It’s really fun.

To find more about Katy and stay in touch with her, join the Aligned and Well Facebook page!

Childbirth as an athletic event

2011-10-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

This post welcomes Lora, a wonderful baby girl who appeared in the world on October 25, after only 3 hours of labor! Warm and fuzzy congratulations to Nada and Stoiko! We are so happy and thrilled to have a healthy mom and baby and I am looking forward to meeting her in a couple of days!

Her mom is my client and friend and she spent her whole 9 moths of pregnancy being active and enjoying movement! We initially started working together getting Nada in shape to relieve low back pain and gain good control of posture and core stability, but in a couple of months she found out she was pregnant. At the time I was leaving for the US, so we carried on with an online program and she both did regular exercise in her home and met with one of my very talented colleagues at the gym.

To be honest, while I am absolutely aware and awake to the multiple benefits of training during pregnancy, it's not until I hear how the actual birth went, that I can say I am pleased and relieved. On the phone, Nada shared how much better she felt giving birth now, compared to giving birth a few years ago, when she wasn't physically preparing for the event. I heard the same from Milena a couple of months ago, who gave birth to her second child and said her recovery time was amazingly short and she felt way better than she expected (mind you, she is a professional figure skater, so she was in shape for her first baby, she just didn't keep her activity levels up the same way she did with the second pregnancy when we worked together).

Katie Bowman, one of the most inspiring professionals I have ever met, posted this video on Facebook a couple of days ago! Please watch it and let me know what you think!

Other than being grateful I don't have to supervise training programs in the heavy skirt outfits these nurses in the video are wearing, I was absolutely stunned at the superb logic and program design involved. The other thing that floored me is how close to gymnastics and ballet this approach is, compared to what is conventionally included in most prenatal exercise programs. Spines are elongated, glutes are strengthened, hip mobility is promoted, and a light and almost joyful interaction with gravity and gait is present. Nothing is taken tooo seriously and there is even time for tea at the end - a celebration of training being a daily event, very much like tea time!

An update from Bulgaria

2011-10-12T13:22:00.000-07:00

It's been a good 10 days here, in my homeland of Bulgaria. Time flies when you are traveling around, seeing family, friends, doing some work, and fighting jet lag...it's been fun, busy, a bit crazy (especially driving) and very emotional. I miss home and my wonderful husband and all my new and dear friends in California, but when your heart is on two continents, you are always missing someone.

I am off to catch up on some needed sleep and foam rolling and I am leaving you with some pictures, they are worth 1000 words.

the beautiful colors of Bulgarian fall

pumpkin in my parent's yard - truly amazing

Diana and me in the yard of one of the most beautiful monasteries - Preobrajenski, near Veliko Tarnovo

Being lazy is an art taught by most cats here, you can come and learn from them

Managing your diet in times of stress

2011-09-21T15:26:00.000-07:00

Some of my female clients, who are juggling work and children have been going through a stressful time since school started. They are having less and less time to prepare meals, so they end up either not eating, or eating packaged foods on the go.

For all of you, wonderful ladies, I have a couple of tips to handle this season of change:
And yes, you need to stop eating your children's snacks and your husband's cookies

1. Be easy on yourselves. Seasons change, new responsibilities arise and those are times to adapt, not to give up. If you find after a few days of intermittent eating and sporadic overeating, that your eating plans are completely thrown overboard, it's time to take a deep breath.

T-A-K-E - A- D-E-E-P- B-R-E-A-T-H

Change happens. It has happened before and it will happen again. All you can do is assess the situation and look for a solution. Being hard on yourselves is not going to help. In fact, expecting for your eating plan NOT to change in a time of change is putting too much pressure on you and making it seem like if you are not perfect, then you are not doing a good job. Throw that thought out the window and repeat after me:

If I didn't eat well, that doesn't mean I am a bad person.

2. Assess the challenge. When we are stressed out, lacking time, lacking finances, lacking patience or lacking knowledge and resources, all we are feeling is '' I cannot do this. I cannot cope!''. We end up reacting to that stress by picking up an easy packaged snack, an extra doughnut at work, skipping meals, drinking extra alcohol to unwind at night - most of those do not go hand in hand with good health. The right question to ask here is: ''What am I dealing with? What can I do to cope?''

If you do not know what your challenge is, how do you expect to overcome it and find a solution? Sit down and really ask yourself what stands in the way of you having a healthy meal? The fridge is empty? Make a shopping list and fill it up. You don't have time to make an omelet in the morning? Make a large fritatta at night, cook it in the oven and you have 3 days' worth of breakfasts in your fridge. You are too tired to cook? Get enough plain yogurt, high quality protein bars, raw nuts, pre-cut veggies, string cheese and rotisserie chicken, so that you can survive when hungry and you do not reach for ''crap in a box.'' Head over to Meal Survivor and see if our tips on picking up easy meals at the grocery store can help you solve this issue! Is your husband buying you chocolates to make you happy every day? Confront him and explain that he can show you love in other ways. I am not kidding - an unnamed challenge is a huge obstacle to your health, but if you call it out, you have won half the battle.

3. Log your food. I cannot repeat this enough. Logging is not for life. You only have to do it at times of change - it will take you 2 minutes a day- use the old pen and paper, or your fancy phone to take a picture of what you have eaten, but do it. This will keep you aware not only of what you have been eating, but also of what you haven't been. You know how we talk about the importance of protein at every meal, healthy fats at every meal and vegetables and fruits at every meal? Well, if you are not logging, how do you know what you are missing? A day from today, you don't even remember what you ate.

My wonderful friend and client Joanne skipped 7 breakfasts this week, had no protein for 2 of her lunches and barely ate any vegetables. I can assure you if she didn't have a log and you asked her how she ate - she would say great! In her mind, she didn't have any chocolate or cake or late night peanut butter feasts, so she did great! In my book she under-ate miserably. She ran on empty. This is a huge change from a few weeks ago when she was eating complete meals a couple of times a day!

Now we know from researchers, that a time of stress will shut down digestion. You may feel less hungry, and as a result you end up skipping meals. The stomach lining can then thin out, because you are no longer digesting the amounts of food you were before the stress hit. In a couple of months, the Christmas holidays will be here, kids won't be in school and my client's stress will go down. She will have time for rich family meals and her stomach, in the words of Robert Sapolsky will be caught with ''its pants down'', with less defense towards the acid producing environment, and as a result my client may experience a return of her stomach ulcer - something she indicated she has had before. So what do you do? Let stress rule you or assess your challenge and fix it right away before it is too late?

4. Include a high quality multi-vitamin and fish oil in your daily plan. Times of change also require you to pay extra attention to whether you are getting enough nutrients from your food. If you were able to cook all your meals, and now some of them are ''compromise'' meals, because you are always on the run, it's logical that you may not be able to obtain all the nutrients you need for health from your diet. Choose a high quality multivitamin and a source of omega 3s such as fish oil and add them to your diet. A lot of people find that at times of stress CoQ10, vitamin C, Zinc and Magnesium also offer a benefit. Is this also the right time to remind you of the importance of hydration? Water is life giving and being stressed depletes you of your water stores faster than anything! Drink up :)

5. Find support. The power of human emotion, understanding and empathy is unparalleled. You can reach out to healthy women you know, strangers on internet forums, Facebook friends, coaches and trainers, or just someone who loves you - like your sister, mother or close neighbor. Times of stress require a lot of what we call soul food - you know, that thing opposite of beating yourself down. You will be amazed how easy it is to overcome stressful times and adapt to new seasons when you know you are not alone. And you are not alone. Hey, you can write me anytime :)

To wrap this short post gone long, please stay aware of how different seasons and responsibilities change your way of eating and be on top of those changes. Be a good manager of your life and your body and mind will be grateful (not to mention your loved ones)!

Other posts you may find useful:
The Red Zone
If your baby was a nutritionist
Some thoughts on immunity
Why log?

Polenta and tomato tart

2011-09-17T23:40:00.000-07:00

You know I love slow roasted tomatoes, so I use any excuse to incorporate them into a recipe. This morning I went to the farmer's market with two wonderful ladies and an adorable little baby so we could all buy our favorite fruits and vegetables for the week ahead. I got some tomatoes that spent the nicest last days of summer in the sun and took them home to further condense the sweetness by slow roasting.

What could I make from them? Hm....a tart. But how to make a tart without having to make the crust and using dough? Pre-made polenta to the rescue. You can read all about how polenta became a meal survivor approved item, here. You can make your own if the premade is not something you enjoy, either way, my recipe calls for ready made polenta.

To make 1 tart (serves 4), you need:

2 cups polenta (cooked)

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

12 or more slow roasted tomato halves

4 oz feta cheese

1 fresh tomato

6 olives

2 tbsp fresh herbs, chopped

Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a bowl, mix the polenta, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. You can taste it and add salt if you need to. Lay the polenta flat in a baking dish, and cover with the slow roasted tomato halves and feta cheese. Place thin slices of fresh tomato on top, and end with the olives. Cook for 25 minutes and

sprinkle the herbs right before serving.

I used sage, thyme and lemon basil to top the tart

This polenta tart is great for a late brunch, if you serve it warm, but you can also let it cool off and snack on it later. It also makes a delicious post workout meal. Let me know how yours turned out!

Nourishment vs purification

2011-09-16T00:25:00.000-07:00

I write a weekly column for a Bulgarian women's website and I love it. I get to introduce different topics of interest to young women, ranging from nutrition education, recipes and current news to staying in shape and even beauty tips. As we know beauty comes from the inside, so the common topic of proper nutrition runs through all my pieces in one form or another.

More than anything I enjoy looking at the reactions of women to my advice and the different topics I present. There are anywhere from 2000 to 20 000 reads of each article and readers get to both rate articles and share them, so it's pretty clear what their reaction is within a few days of posting.

So far, the topics of articles with most reads, votes and shares are:

1. Best fruits for weight loss
2. How to properly wash fruits and vegetables
3. Using the mind for weight loss
4. Forming new habits
5. Tips for drinking more water
6. Detox diets
7. Any recipe with fruit
8. Why people overeat and what to do about it
9. Tips for sexy legs (exercises included)
10. Tips for sexy arms (exercises included)

and the highest rated of all time: causes and types of cellulite, is cellulite a modern disease and what foods to eliminate to reduce cellulite (a series of 5 articles)

To my utmost surprise, here are the articles that get read and rated the least.

1. Anti cellulite foods that you should add to your diet
2. Emotional eating reasons
3. Emotional eating solutions
4. The truth about muscle tone (aka lift weights)
5. The truth about meal frequency
6. The truth about sweeteners

Here is what I make of the number of reads, ratings, comments and re-posts:

1. You have a problem with your style of eating and it's not you, so there must be some food out there that will solve it
2. You need to eat new and clean foods to provoke change
3. You need to think yourself thin
4. The more you eliminate from your menu and your life, the more successful you will be
5. Beauty comes from deprivation
6. The body needs purification
7. If you don't have what you need, you are not working hard enough
8. If you have more of the right information, you can become perfect

Can you see an onion's layers worth of misinterpreted intention, misguided information, but most of all, lack of understanding, compassion and love for the emotional and sensitive human beings that we are? I surely do. Diets that require cleaning, detoxing, getting rid of something, purification and elimination, to the extreme of colon therapy and plastic surgery to remove what we do not want or understand, seem to be the easiest to accept. Give us fruit, water, cucumbers, arugula, tea....those are all good and clean. Better yet, how about some weight loss pills? That should fix the butt that just won't bulge! Get rid of what is in the way of your dreams and let's just pretend it never existed.

As soon as I write about actual nourishment, care, understanding, building, adding, creating and growing, the reads go down. Add healthy fats, add rest, add proteins, add animal foods, add prayer time, add vitamins, minerals, soups, strength training....and my reads go down. I am not helping in removal, and not just that: I am asking for addition. Add something good and let your body heal. Seek to understand. Love.

See the self - harm vs self - care juxtaposition? As if we can only be made perfect and right through some act of self rejection, because we are not good enough for food, nutrients, love, growth.

Without going all Freudian or worse, all hippie voodoo on you, I just urge you to think about those things in your own quiet time, whether you are a woman, or someone working with women and their nutrition. We have both a responsibility to ourselves and others to start waking up to our emotional selves and stop looking at information and willpower as some universal solutions to all our issues. If the issues are coming from the inside, so will the solutions, don't you think?

Chili hot chocolates

2011-09-11T00:51:00.000-07:00

Some like it hot! Especially when Roland was cooking up a storm of chiles that our friends over at Marx's Foods sent us to play with. It was 1 am on Thursday night and while I was scrambling to meet a deadline, he was making chili puree. Sneezing and typing on a computer don't go together very well, but oh was it worth it!

I cannot take credit for that laborious, sneeze inducing and fire breathing task. You need to be genetically related to a dragon to handle chiles with the precision that Roland has and it takes both bravery and experience that I am yet to master. Keep reading, I will send you to his blog when the time comes.

I am told that all you do is cut the tops off the chiles, shake the seeds out, then cook the flesh, blend it, push it through a sieve to make it finer and leave the hot sludge behind, obtaining a smooth, almost oily looking paste.

It's thicker than tomato paste, and it will invade every corner of your home with a potent smell. Something about the aroma of chili puree reminds me of hot concrete in the summer sun, dark chocolate, rum and black pepper, all rolled into one pervasive memory that I can't quite put my finger on.

But back to my chocolates. Homemade chocolate is something I love to indulge in. When your chocolate contains only the healthiest, life giving and energy boosting ingredients you can find, you don't need excuses to make it, but I always end up needing a really good reason to stop eating it. I try to put the chocolate making off to a day when we are going out, so that I can share it with friends and control the amounts, because I could literally inhale a whole batch. Homemade chocolate hijacks my self control, but luckily, there are always Samaritan chocolate lovers who are willing to rescue me.

To make 12 large Chili hot chocolates you need:

1/2 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cups honey
3 tbsp chili puree (here is the recipe)
1 ice tray (deep)

From here on it's embarrassingly simple. Over medium heat, melt the coconut and honey. Reduce the heat to low and stir in the natural cocoa powder. Once it's smooth it should be as runny as water - that just shows everything is ok. Fill up your ice cube trays (or chocolate molds) 4/5 of the way to the top. To place the chili puree filling inside, simply drop a 1/4 of a tbsp inside each chocolate compartment. The chili will naturally drop to the middle and the hot chocolate will seal up on top. You just learned how to put filling in your chocolates! Congratulations!

Place in the freezer for 1 hour, pop the chocolates out of the tray and enjoy. Remember to keep them in the fridge after, because unlike commercial chocolate, these will melt and make a mess!

Please enjoy responsibly, these are hard to resist after the first one! Let me know how yours turned out!

Rosie's sweet potato scones

2011-09-06T23:27:00.000-07:00

My friend Rosie is expecting and she asked me to experiment with an orange/fall theme healthy treat for her baby shower. I made these thin scones twice - once with pumpkin and once with sweet potatoes and they turned out great both times! They are soft to the touch, very lightly sweet, rich in fiber and pleasantly satisfying. It's always nice when a treat can also be a meal! I really hope her guests at the party enjoy it! Cook away!

Makes 18-20 small pieces:

wet ingredients:
2 cups cooked pumpkin or sweet potatoes
1/4 cup coconut oil or melted butter
4 tbsp honey or maple syrup
2 eggs

dry ingredients:
1/4 cup flax seeds (ground)
3/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
2 tsp pumpkin spice (or mix ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves)
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp baking soda

optional: slivered almonds, raisins, dried cherries, etc.

Preheat your oven to 350F. In a large bowl combine all the wet ingredients and mix thoroughly. In a separate bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Carefully add the dry into the wet ingredients and mix well. Spread mixture onto a paper covered pan and cook for 30 minutes. Enjoy after cooling off and consider serving with some maple syrup whipped cream or Mascarpone cheese!

Enjoy with friends or at Rosie's baby shower!

Quality of movement matters

2011-09-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

''First move well and then move often''
Gray Cook

When I find the time, I do my best to contribute to the online fitness community in my home on the Internet - the JP Fitness forums. It's a place that has helped me grow tremendously, meet amazing people, learn from professionals and pass on what I can, to the members who need help. JP Fitness is also home of the forums for the New Rules of Lifting books, legendary work by Lou Schuler, with the contribution of Alwyn Cosgrove and Cassandra Forsythe - you will not find a more focused concentration of people who understand the importance of intelligent programming anywhere on the Internet. Lou also pops in to discuss certain topics! What a treat!

Most of the questions we answer are connected with fat loss, a specific program, some type of injury, not knowing what to do with a specific food or supplement. I am sure you have all seen forums before, and believe me I have asked my own fair share of %$%#$@! questions on forums, but just to remind you, it kind of goes like this:

A: My knee hurts when I run
B: Please tell us more.
A: I just have this pain when my miles go up. Should I change to X type of shoes?
B: How about you get this evaluated by a specialist and see what is causing the pain?
A: I have to run 5k next week. But I will go to check it out after.

or
A: I am doing this program, but I am not sure if it's right for me. I have this nagging shoulder pain.
B: I am sure you can meet with someone to assess you and you can determine if it's right for you.
A: I really want to do it on my own, this program is so cool. Everybody loves it. Just tell me what not to do and what exercises to change.

or
A: I am not getting stronger in the bench press. Please help.
B: How much do you weight and how much do you bench?
A: Well I bench 235 and I have been stuck for 1 year.
B: Have you met with someone to assess your bench press and your ability to do it well?
A: I really just need a new program.

(Insert something from the Bulgarian or Russian programs here, at random)

Do you see a common theme? I feel like oftentimes we end up beating a dead horse. People tend to take movement for a given, and quality movement for a given. They just assume, like the air we breathe, when we wake up, good movement is going to be there and we can count on it. They just assume they can hop on a treadmill, or go to a body pump class or start lifting weights in the gym, and their body will respond with breathtaking awesomeness!

baby model Dina, 11 mo. has no trouble with stability

Let me illustrate that for you: as a baby and toddler you move perfectly. Nature figures out a way to make you stronger and get you where you need to be in space, so you can get hold of a toy or your momma's skirt. You can stabilize your body in crazy positions and do it right. Once you start playing repetitive sports, or sit at your school desk or at your computer or gaming station, things change. Most people looking to get in shape are already not moving well due to lifestyle challenges, work environment or previous injury. Unfortunately, most discover this when they start a training program and they start experiencing pain or discomfort or when they see that their program does not yield the desired result. Did you know not moving well can stress you out so much that your workout can actually make you eat more and you may not see fat loss?

I am a firm believer that people should be in charge of their own training and programming, but just like everything, that takes an educated approach and experience, because guess what lies an the bottom of your movement success pyramid? Quality of movement. If you don't have it - you can build fitness on top of it all you want and you will keep getting less than what you expect.

Say you wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. You would not just pick up a violin and start scratching away. Doesn't sound well? Try scratching away in the other direction or even better find a buddy and you can produce the horrible sounds together. Now produce them in interval fashion? 30 secs on and 30 off. How about joining a violin competition for who comes up with the best random sound? This may be an extreme example, but man, does it illustrate what we see in how people approach their fitness. Want more? You get a new TV. You read the manual. You program the remote. Now watch away.
Your body - well - you just get in the gym or go run outside and expect results. That simple.

This is my point: if you want to be serious about your results, whether your goal is to look good naked, get healthier, faster, stronger, have more energy, be more productive: look at your honest current situation. If you are not educated to do your own assessment of the current quality of movement, hire someone to do it for you. If money is your concern, find a time bank that you can use those services from and donate your own services. Lisa Wolfe over at Miracle Fitness has a lot of experience helping people from time banks. Shoot her a note and find out how to do it. If it's important to you, you will find a way to get assessed by a physical therapist, knowledgeable coach or personal trainer. If you already have a personal trainer, but you have never been assessed properly, suggest that they get educated or go to someone who can provide a better service. It's in your own best interest.

If you are a trainer, fitness professional, coach, movement therapist, or whatever it is that your business card says, I cannot stress out enough how important it is to get other professionals to look at your quality of movement. Who is writing your programs? You? Not bad if you have been assessed by someone else and you are taking the results into consideration. Never work alone. I cannot thank my coach and mentor Bill Hartman enough for the wisdom, knowledge, methodology and patience he has taught me. I hope one day I can pay him back.

I bet these ladies probably did better when they were babies, don't you?

This is a photo I took during one of the hands on sessions at Perform Better last weekend at Long Beach. 800 of THE BEST personal trainers and coaches in the country were gathered to learn from the giants in the fitness industry. The two poorly executed dynamic planks you see in the shot are not done by clients, they are done by trainers. It's not that those girls were not doing their best, they lacked movement quality and I am sure they didn't know it.

Don't be that person who prefers to keep their eyes closed and pretends everything is OK. If your program isn't working, if you have pain or dysfunction, if you want to know your body better than you do now, get assessed and develop a system for assessment, use every workout, every movement, to insist on movement quality. Get surrounded by people who understand it. Get educated. Look beyond the first program that you happen to like or love. It may not like you back and if it doesn't it's not the program's fault - you are simply not ready for it.

And while we are at it let me close with this: there is no perfect system for movement: you will not find peace in Pilates, Yoga, kettlebell sport, strength training, dance, martial arts or gymnastics. The only system that matters is your body and the quality of movement you can get out of it. You will only find peace in good health and happiness and none of those systems or programs guarantees it if it's built on poor movement quality. It's so important I will repeat it:

'First move well and then move often''

Gray Cook

More ways to do pancakes...on a stick is just one of them

2011-08-29T16:57:00.000-07:00

Save some pancakes, cut up in squares, spread with fresh cheese and enjoy a sweet and savory snack

We love pancakes - they do eggs a great favor! You can have them sweet or salty - thin or thick, and even on a stick. Don't get me wrong, I love eggs in any shape or form, but nothing beats a pancake with your morning coffee - my clients prove it! Pancakes are by far the most commonly eaten breakfast item on my clients' menus and they won't give them up! If they can still eat pancakes, lose weight and be happy - more power to them!

When I make pancakes I usually try to make extra and have some as an afternoon or preworkout snack - this way if I get hungry, there is no need to scramble eggs and wash another pan! Cold pancakes also have a more solid surface and you can spread cheese on them - sweet and savory is my favorite afternoon combination. The other day I had some leftover blueberry pancakes and used fresh and soft goat cheese to spread before I cut them in squares and joined the happy pieces with a stick! Call me girly but it was fantastic!

Here are some of the pancake recipes I have posted before, and they are all really really worth giving a shot! Let me know which one is your favorite, I am very partial to the blueberry protein ones!

Blueberry protein pancakes

Coconut almond pancakes

Steel cut oat pancakes

High fiber high protein pancakes

Besan pancakes (chickpea flour pancakes)

Wheat berry pancakes

Nectarine pancakes

Cream cakes

Here are some basic pancake rules if you want to maintain a healthy weight:

1. Go easy on maple syrup, honey, jams, etc. Feel free to have a tablespoon or two now and then, but don't make your pancake meal all about the syrup. Use some fruit to make pancakes sweet and juicy.

2. Try to eat your pancakes or crepes with cream cheese, olives, dried tomatoes, pesto, nuts, vegetables. It really adds to the experience and allows you to enjoy non-sweet satisfaction.

3. Do not overeat these healthy pancakes. Yes, they are better than your regular pancake-mix-from-the-store

ones, but they still have calories. Moderation is key!

4. Teach your family to enjoy all varieties of pancakes, just don't tell them what you are serving the first time!

Let me know how you do your pancakes?

Pumpkin custard in a jar

2011-08-20T18:40:00.000-07:00

We played with cooking in jars for a couple of months and after making cheesecake in a jar, pie in a jar (for the Art of real food, vol 4) and baked berries...I thought we were done.

....but as they say WAIT, there is more ~~stuff in a jar~~!

Enter some leftover egg yolks from a baking experiment my friend Rosie and I did the other day. I don't like wasting perfectly good egg yolks, packed with choline, vitamins and good fats. I could make chocolate mousse or some sort of a custard of Zabaglione sauce...and none of those were oven friendly recipes, and the oven was on.

I decided to make some pumpkin custard in a jar. To make two servings (individual jars), I used:

6 egg yolks
2 tbsp honey
pinch cinnamon
pinch cloves
pinch ginger
6 tbsp pumpkin puree (I bet carrots or sweet potatoes would work too).

It's really easy to stir all these ingredients together. Once you have it, place the soft and glossy custard mixture in jars. To cook, put the jars in a pot, filled with water, so that at least half the jar is sitting in the liquid. Place in an oven heated to 350 F for 25 minutes and enjoy.

This is an extremely filling dessert, but if you feel like you want to add more to it you can top it with some Mascarpone cheese and honey and sprinkle decorative cinnamon on top. We liked it plain!You can use it as a midday snack or even breakfast, or as the main conversation piece at your next picnic - it's extremely versatile and fits an active lifestyle!

Scramble no more - 3 egg solutions for your mornings!

2011-08-16T11:43:00.000-07:00

I was talking to a friend the other day and she shared she gets bored with eating eggs or they don't appeal to her as a breakfast item. I just reminded her how packed full of nutrients the egg is, how valuable it is to the immune system and how it's nearly the best source of protein out there, not to mention the anti depressant qualities, the abundance of choline and lecithin...must I go on? So I simply invited her to cook a few things together and see how she likes them.

We tested three ''stealth egg'' recipes: the apple omelet (Art of Real Food style), coconut cream cakes (inspired by the TNT diet ) and blueberry coconut pancakes. There were a couple of challenges along the way: my friend does not eat dairy, so I had to use light coconut milk where I normally use heavy cream or half and half, and the cast iron pan decided to sabotage the apple omelet (hence it's cut in half instead of folded over in the above picture. My suspicion is that I did not put enough fat in the cast iron pan and that's how half of the omelet got stuck, making me feel like a poor teacher, but also I guess making us realize that looks rarely have a negative impact on taste :)

You can read and try the recipe for the apple omelet here.

If you are in Bulgaria or read Bulgarian you can order our first volume of recipe cards and get the original recipe, the nutrition information and the beautiful picture.

Here is how to make the creamcake:

serves 1

2 eggs
2 tbsp heavy cream of thick coconut milk
1 inch vanilla bean
1/2 tbsp Tropical traditions coconut oil

Use a wire whisk to scramble the eggs, cream and vanilla bean. You can use vanilla extract instead but there is nothing that compares to opening the moist inside of a bean, the sound of carefully scraping out the flavorful buds, and seeing them rain all over the yellow creamy heaven below.

Pour in a large oil coated pan and cook over medium heat, spreading like a crepe. Turn over when golden and serve by itself, with cream cheese, creme fraiche, berries or almond butter.

For the blueberry pancakes, we used the same recipe I used in the Coconut almond pancakes, but we only used coconut flour, so we added 4 tbsp coconut milk and stirred in 1/2 cup of blueberries carefully at the end. Make sure the blueberries stay whole, or the pancake will turn a dark blue!

We are planning to get together for another ''stealth egg'' experiment, this time playing with some saltier variations. Let me know how you scramble no more!

Arugula and chickpea omelet

2011-08-11T18:58:00.000-07:00

This omelet recipe was born on a walk back from our favorite health food store. But let me go back in time and start at the beginning.

I woke up with a to-do list longer than my computer screen can hold, and after responding to a few client emails I started researching a couple of article ideas, which in my case means battling through the numbers in scientific journals, figuring which mice ran the longest and if that matters to anyone, finding the difference between words that really sound the same and ultimately wondering how good of a job am I doing catching up to at least 0.1% of what is going on in the world I try to write about. 5 hours into it and 3 short and sweet article ideas later, my head felt like it was being held in a heavy metal vice. Yoga and deep breathing barely took the edge off so I ventured onto a 2 hour walk with a mission - to end up at our favorite health food store, grab some food and come home to cook lunch.

I initially intended to make a salad, only discovering what I bought and what I had in the fridge did not exactly pair in a way that made sense. As I walked back, with arugula, greek yogurt, a mango and coconut juice in my bag, I thought I did a pretty poor job at planning this meal. I had cottage cheese for breakfast, so the next meal would be fish, meat or eggs, but I didn't feel like any of those. As ingredients started dancing through my head like naughty snowflakes, I figured I was so tired I would just let my imagination do the job and trust that the creative streak that has saved my *** so many times before will show up and do it one more time.

As I kept walking, I saw an omelet, green with arugula leaves, with a touch of chickpeas and I thought this might actually work.

Now if you think I am never scared of trying my own ideas, think again. As I stood in front of the ingredient list a part of me tipped and wanted to reach for some mango and Greek yogurt, but I decided to keep going.

Serves 1:

1 cup chickpeas (canned)

1 cup wild arugula leaves

2 eggs

pinch salt and pinch pepper

1 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

1/2 tbsp butter

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas, mix with the arugula and the grated cheese, break in the eggs and stir well. In a large pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Season the omelet mixture. Pour carefully making sure the leaves and chickpeas are distributed evenly. Once it's cooked on the bottom, use a plate to flip back into the pan as it's quite heavy. Cook for an extra 3-4 minutes and serve immediately. You can serve as is, with tomato salsa or Greek yogurt (which is what I did).

Surprise! This omelet gets a 10 and I was expecting a 5 or a 6! The arugula leaves softened nicely, lost most of their hot nature, the chickpeas melted into the cheese and eggs and made for a great summer lunch! This meal is also a winner for protein content (30 g) and fiber content (8g), so it's both great for the start or middle of the day when you need energy for a long time. I bet you can make it into a delicious casserole with some melted cheese on top! Enjoy!

Portland times

2011-08-07T22:49:00.000-07:00

What does a state of the art 21 century fitness facility, food carts, backyard gardens, nutrition planning, coffee houses, breweries, breath taking waterfalls and 5 day muscle soreness have in common? Portland.

I had heard a lot about it but it was only upon landing along the Columbia river that I realized why our friends Chris and Aya left Santa Monica and moved here. As soon as you land, you get overwhelmed by a feeling of freedom and you just want to kick off your shoes, order a local beer and spend a few days people watching. A place like Portland attracts a crowd we don't normally see - people on furry bikes, dog lovers, nature lovers, professional tie die shirt models, artists, an army of cyclists (not driving a car is a local pride), gardeners, hikers, musicians, and lovers of all that is green, sustainable and enduring.

We came to Portland for the grand opening of Elemental Fitness Lab - a place you need to experience for yourselves if you are ever up here. The owner, fitness revolutionary, and a great friend to us - Chris Bathke, has created a space that Lou Schuler described as the Future of the fitness industry and that about sums it up. The ropes, monkey bars, climbing routes, suspension stations, kettlebells, ropes, the vast and spacious stretching and relaxation area (which easily turns into the combat sport area), the warm bamboo floors and the eclectic music all transport you into a space that shapeshifts, depending on who is there, what they are training for and what drives them.

Roland and I participated in the grand opening party, where we met some of the clients and the other presenters at the Saturday's Elemental Fitness Lab Clinic - an education event with all proceeds going to charity that was open to both fitness enthusiasts and trainers. That weekend we saw legendary coaches Robert Dos Remedios and Dewey Nielsen, as well as Chris Bathke, present and make us terribly sore for days and days to come. Roland and I were honored to be the first to present at the clinic, where we laid out our understanding and practice of what makes a successful nutrition plan. Then the pain started. Dewey Nielsen opened with an excellent hands on session on thoracic and hip mobility, offering many variations of movements to accelerate and decelerate for the advanced or the novice or injured client. He has a gift to adapt any movement and bring the most accurate cues to the table making patterns possible and achievable at any level. It was the first time I had ever seen him present and I am looking forward to hearing him speak again soon!

Chris followed with some basic kettlebell patterns, teaching us proper breathing technique and efficiency. He made a clear point for movement efficiency being the base for performance and the development of specific sport skills. An hour later we were tired enough to take a day break, but Robert Dos Remedios had some Docersice waiting for us. He opened with an overview of what cardio strength training is and laid out the basic structures he uses with his athletes. I didn't think he would actually make us go through ALL the main types of cardio conditioning workouts he uses, but being in a crowd of fit and focused individuals, I decided to push through the pain. Maybe you can see how sweaty we are in the pictures and if we look happy, it's mostly because we are relieved we survived. That doesn't stop us from looking forward to the next Elemental Fitness Lab Clinic and hope Chris schedules another educational event soon!


From left: Roland, Dewey, Dos, Chris, me and Rick

Talking about training hard, it took some very very delicious meals to fuel and recover. Eating in Portland is a whole new adventure in itself, especially if you are coming from southern California, where we think we eat seasonal and fresh food. Turned out we don't hold a candle to the light of the food scene in that city. We shopped at natural food stores where the abundant choice of produce, dairy, meats and treats was there to please everyone from the most ascetic of vegans to the most strict of caveman style dieters. You could get dozens of types of local cheeses, fresh and crisp vegetables and fruits and a variety of natural fruit and nut bars like we had never seen. Even our favorite Pure bar was hidden between towering options of tens of other bars competing over taste and ingredients. I told Chris his clients have no excuse to eat processed food, especially after we saw the choices on the menus at a few restaurants. People DO care about what they put on your plate and we enjoyed tender roasts, thick and nurturing soups, fresh and delicious salads, and of course, great sushi.

Choose your food cart, then enjoy. I vote for Istanbul Delight - it was great!

When we had no time to sit down for a long meal, we ventured into one of the many Portland food courts, where the food cart revolution was in full bloom. Every time we went, the carts were different and you could have Mexican, Thai, Turkish or Italian, and even Guam cuisine right in the same place for a very very low price. The whole time in Portland I did not see one chain restaurant of coffee place. I am sure they exist somewhere, but we didn't see even one of them.


not your ordinary espresso, thanks to BLEND CAFE

Walking around we saw that most restaurants and cafes had their own herb gardens. We soon discovered that almost every house had a small garden and people were growing everything from potatoes to chives and peppers, and herbs and spices were abundant and fragrant at every corner.


Walking around makes you want to start your own garden, right now, or at least move to Portland

We were in awe of the natural scenery - in one day you can ski or snowboard and then surf at the shore. The tall mount Hood rises above Portland and it makes you itch for ski boots and fun (it's kind of easy knowing you can go back down to summertime, right?). We did go hiking the last day and saw waterfalls, steep trails, ate sun kissed raspberries and stared in childlike wonder at the temperate rainforest.

Flying back out was hard, and saying goodbye to friends, an incredible professional experience, a dream training facility and heart stopping nature was the biggest effort we had to make that weekend, yet I was starting to miss waking up without my muscles screaming.

For those of you who enjoy photo stories, here is the whole picture album, including the incredible waterfalls!

Our night goodbye was a thrilling concert at the Portland Zoo, where we enjoyed the art and music of Bela Fleck, who has taken the banjo to cosmic levels. See?

Breakfast for yoga champions

2011-07-22T12:28:00.000-07:00

I got home from yoga practice this morning and I felt like I had not eaten in days. The fridge sometimes looks like a cave on Friday mornings - our farmers' market loot from Saturday is almost gone, leaving a few basics behind. It's always refreshing to use simple food items to make a delightful meal - one that will sing from your fork with every bite, one that will make abundant energy flow through you.

To make this meal for one, I used:

1 tbsp coconut oil (we get ours from Tropical traditons)
1 medium sweet potato, peeled, grated
1 tbsp cumin (whole)
pinch Himalayan salt
2 eggs

To prepare the bed of sweet potatoes, I grated and mixed them with the coconut oil and salt. In a pan over medium heat, I placed the potatoes and put just enough water (about 1/2 cup) to cover them. Once the water was evaporated, they kept cooking in the coconut oil until nicely golden around the edges. Then it was time to toast the cumin and add to the sweet potatoes. In the meantime, I heated about 4 cups of water in a deep pot and brought it to a boil. Once it was boiling I dropped the eggs and let them poach for about 5 minutes. The great thing about using a deep pot that does not have a huge diameter is that the eggs move up and down and don't stick to anything.

I served the potatoes laying them down evenly with a fork, placed the eggs on top, sprinkled some cumin and I was ready for my day. The combination of coconut oil and sweet potato is a melty, velvety, sweet and salty adventure for anyone who hasn't tried them before and a much awaited pleasure for everyone else. Please enjoy responsibly, there will never be any leftovers, no matter how much you make.

The red zone

2011-07-15T14:08:00.000-07:00

When you see the color red, you know to be careful: stop, don't cross the street, don't eat that beautiful mushroom, you get it. When I am assessing your food log and it comes back to you covered in red, we both know there are aspects that you should be paying attention to. I will often send you your log - red zones included, and the mini goals for next week. It ends up working out fine and if you follow prescriptions, it gets you where you want to be, especially when fat loss is the goal.

People are often curious what are the most common log entries that end up red, so here they are!

1. Eating sweet tasting foods on an empty stomach or eating sweets between meals. Females are especially prone to searching for the sweet taste when they are dieting, partially because they are conditioned to think sweets will give them energy, partially because they are craving the taste. My observations are that this sets them for poor behavior at all meals and often they end up over consuming calories and carbohydrate. If you don't want to ride the sugar rollercoaster all day, make your snacks lower sugar - go for hard boiled eggs, nuts, some cheese, combining them with vegetables or fruits such as berries. Women working in offices are especially prone to having office treats such as donuts or chocolates that happen to be around. Be prepared to say no.

2. Skipping vegetables. The long term control of caloric intake and appetite is easy if you include vegetables at every meal. They taste good, add volume, add fiber and phytonutrients, aid in digestion and help you feel satisfied longer. The carbohydrate they carry is minimal compared to grains. Skip veggies and you are left only with your higher nutrient and calorie density choices - that means you would have to eat a lot more fat and protein, or carbohydrate. Can you see how this would mean more calories at each meal? This is exactly the opposite of your goal if you are on a diet. Make sure you have vegetables at every meal.

3. Eating meals that are too small closely followed by more small meals. I call this the ''third dinner'' phenomenon. I see this most often with busy moms, who don't have the time to sit down for a full meal, have a couple of bites while their family is eating, then an hour later go for more, yet not enough and then end up with some popcorn and caramel in front of the TV. Smaller meals leave your body hungry, so it's natural to look for more food, but now your satiety hormones are not working optimally and you can't produce a good response to the meal. The best approach is to prepare a normal sized meal with adequate protein and fat for your size and goals, and some carbs if you exercised, and make sure that it all goes in at the same time. This way you won't be adding more and more calories to your plate, without even realizing it.

4. Having a carbohydrate based breakfast. If you are one of the rare individuals that has long lasting energy after eating pancakes and syrup or cereal for breakfast, you most likely don't need to be on a diet and you are not one of my nutrition clients. Most people looking to lose fat do much better on a breakfast higher in protein and fat, rich in vegetables or fruit and one lacking the sweet taste. I often have to red out breakfasts, because they only consist of a couple of apricots or crackers. Here is the rule of thumb: if you are not hungry, don't even bother to eat anything, just fast until your next normal meal. If you are hungry, then go for eggs, cheese, meat (bacon), raw nuts, greek yogurt, veggies, some berries or other fruit that doesn't increase your appetite. Cook your breakfast with butter or coconut oil, and enjoy long lasting energy that won't have you reaching for the office snacks.

5. Having too much alcohol or a couple of types of alcohol. I will even take this farther and say having beer and starchy carbs at the same meal. If you've ever been on a diet, you know that alcohol isn't something you can have as much as you like of. It messes up fat burning, it destroys hydration, it makes you less energetic the day after. Small amounts are surely ok, so stick to your favorite drink, and have one of it. I often have to red out beer in combination with wine, followed by shots of tequila. Choose your drink and stick to it and make sure you have eaten something high in protein and fat before you drink. If you end up coming home starving, don't be surprised and be ready to have some actual food: hard boiled eggs, cottage cheese, meat, or nuts, instead of a piece of cake or a chocolate bar. Don't add insult to injury.

Curious about your own habits and your own dietary logs? If you don't have someone objectively looking at them, you can always contact me at eatloveandtrain@gmail.com and get the evaluation you need to make your diet efforts a real and long term success!

Spezzatino Magazine, my article, and the incredible Mr Klecko

2011-07-09T16:05:00.000-07:00

I interviewed Danny Klecko for Spezzatino magazine a year ago. To say that I was impressed with his experience, wisdom, and personality is not enough, so please read the article and find out for yourselves.

Spezzatino magazine is a great and noble project to contribute to. If you've never heard of it, please visit their website and subscribe to one of the highest quality publications on food on the Internet. It's 100% volunteer effort: the staff, the editors, writers and photographers all contribute to make it possible. Profit goes to the Healthy Food Bank, an organization providing high quality food to people who can't afford it. For less than 6$ per issue, you will get amazing content on food, food science and nutrition, learn about cooking, read and try gourmet recipes, all accompanied by extremely beautiful photography.

Get a free issue of Spezzatino
Read about me on Spezzatino
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Arugula flower salad

2011-07-01T23:15:00.000-07:00

We've been shopping at a new farmers' market, and have encountered some unusual, delicious and beautiful ingredients. My favorite of all are arugula flowers. Yes that is correct.

Most greens end up flowering and while some cultures discard of the flowers or feed them to their chickens, others cherish, utilize and proudly display their flowered vegetables.

The farmer we get these amazing flowers from sells them like it's the most usual thing in the world, yet every week someone is delighted to try them, proceeds to hopelessly fall in love with the flavor and takes them home. The great news is because noone knows what they are, they are really cheap - they go for 2 dollars for a huge huge bunch at our market.

Here is how to use them:

Take home, wash thoroughly, inspect for insects (what, you thought only you like the flavor of arugula?) and pull off any larger green leaves. Then place the flowers in a vase or jar, just like any bouquet.

To make the salad above (serves 2) I used:

2 cups arugula
1/4 cup arugula flowers
6 slices prosciutto
2 oz hard Parmesan cheese, grated
1 plum
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

To make, tear the larger arugula leaves, tear the prosciutto, cut the plum in crescents and arrange on top, grate the Parmesan coarsely, and season with the vinegar and olive oil. Decorate with the arugula flowers, you can use them as a single flower or a few on a small section of the stem - this is your true cherry on top!

Enjoy immediately - the flowers are bursting with delicate flavor, you will love them!

Do you train? Do you ''park''?

2011-06-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

If you train, you must also ''park'', because well, in most of the world it's summer and there is no excuse to keep your body confined to a gym for all of your workouts. You can ''park'' anywhere, from your backyard or apartment complex playground, to your local or city park, beach, or hiking trail.

Training outdoors is my favorite thing to suggest to clients when spring and summer come around. Here's why:

1. You connect with yourself. You spend quality time outside, away from technology, and that essentially allows you to rest. Electromagnetic waves and neon lights aside, in a standard gym you are subjected to music, computers, television screens, and the sound of treadmills. You hear other people talk. You hear other people's i-pods. If you are a runner, you know what it means to be alone with the road when you can hear just your breath, your steps, the birds, and ultimately, your joy. You don't know how much the gym robs you of your inner peace until you start to ''park'' your workouts.

2. It's a major change of routine. How so? Well, you are not in the gym. Even if you kept your workout structure in terms of exercise selection, you would still be using different tools. You would be using different weights and weight adjustments, different angles of pulling or pushing and even if you just did push ups, well, try some push ups in the grass and then some in the sand and then some on concrete floor, and tell me if it's the same exercise :) We know you will be changing your routine, because training outside also means you can...

3. ...use tools you don't normally find in a gym, like a power wheel, TRXs, Indian clubs, bands, rings, ropes, and balls. No toys, no problem? You have your body, some natural hills, as much space as you need and endless imagination. You can sprint, roll, do body weight movements, crawl, jump, and do a myriad of walks, from spider man to bear and gorilla, through inchworms, you can literally conquer the whole animal kingdom!

4. You have all the space you need. Whether you are doing fat loss complexes, getting better at one leg squats or 1 arm pull ups, sprinting, trying to climb a tree with the help of your TRX or having power wheel races with your workout partner, there is space for all of that outdoors. To make it more fun, the surface is not perfectly even, so you get to do some of your regular training in a naturally challenging environment, making you better at reacting in real life situations.

5. You get the benefits of sunlight and fresh air. Remember how important vitamin D is. Essential. Essential means you cannot maintain health without it. It's integral to the endocrine and immune systems and can be protective against many diseases that we face today. If you live in a climate where winter is long and dark, I bet you have at least felt the effects of sunshine on your mood and sense of well being. If you need to get informed about the many benefits of vitamin D, here is where to get some great information!

If you haven't thought about the quality of air conditioned air you breathe inside your gym, please don't, because you may never step foot in there again. I have seen some authors claim that indoor gym air can be as much as 10 times more polluted than the one in a downtown area. Just know the park gives you more oxygen, and exercise where trees and plants are air conditioning for you 24/7. One of the things I like to now is do yoga by myself outside, instead of doing the group class at the gym. My reason? Quality of air and contact with the ground under my feet - both integral to yoga and both missing from a conventional gym.

Of course there are levels of parking, and I love all levels! On a low key day I may do some yoga, and if I feel like giving it my all, I will join a bootcamp or do a lot of kettlebell work.

Level 1: walk, or walk faster, or walk uphill, do yoga, breathing and stretching
Level 2: walk, and run, or run uphill, bike, roller blade, skateboard
Level 3: run, sprint, hill sprint
Level 4: take your strength training or fat loss workout to the park
Level 5: get other people involved, or join a boot camp, maybe you will learn how to flip tires or carry other people on your back!

Let me know how you park!

Stuffed zucchini blossoms

2011-06-13T21:35:00.000-07:00

Let's vote this the most elegant appetizer ever made and say no more.

A couple of months ago, while Diana and I were looking at exciting new items to prepare for the Art of Real Food, vol 4, I was looking online to see what people had to share about the taste of zucchini blossoms.

Someone said that they tasted like air. If that is the case, then they taste like the air in heaven and kind of look like they belong there, too.

You can buy squash blossoms at a Farmers' market, you can pick them in your garden, your neighbor's garden or convince your grandpa to look away while you destroy the future of what could have been the largest squash in his greenhouse. Either way, if you've ever bit into a warm, soft, airy and delicious stuffed squash blossom, you will find a way to get your hands on them.

A few years ago I talked to a Chinese lady who claimed the only proper way to handle a squash blossom was to stuff it with ground meat and then steam it. She was so insistent on it that it took me a couple of years to build up the courage to approach squash blossoms with another idea.

So I stuffed them with cream cheese, olives, and arugula flowers. Were they amazing? You bet!!!

Here is what I used to stuff 12 of them:

12 squash blossoms
3 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp arugula flowers (chopped arugula leaves will do the same job)
2 tbsp chopped black olives
a really small spoon
1 tbsp olive oil
pinch sea salt

And that is all. Cream cheese has enough softness to carry the saltiness of the olives, and arugula adds a necessary bitterness to the mixture to make it perfectly matched. If you don't have arugula, use an herb you like, such as basil or parsley, or dill weed or Verbena, you can make it work!

To make the stuffing, mix the softened cream cheese, chopped olives and arugula. Wash and dry the blossoms, making sure no insects are hiding inside. Open each blossom up carefully and stuff with a couple of teaspoons of the mixture. Close by twisting the ends together. Salt all of the blossoms lightly.

In a pan over medium heat, heat up the olive oil and place the blossoms inside. Wait until they have turned slightly golden and turn over. Take out by the stems and arrange on a plate to enjoy immediately. These are addictive, so be sure you will make them again. Experiment with different stuffing, such as ricotta and Parmesan, prosciutto, blue cheese, mushrooms, nuts and even seafood. You can bake them or steam them, just bear in mind that they really carry the flavor of the oil, so use delicious and flavorful oils you enjoy! Let me know how yours turned out!

If some of your squash blossoms don't open or break, feel free to put them in an omelet :) Maybe there is a hungry Paleo guy in your kitchen, too :)

Oven roasted salmon with sweet potatoes...

2011-06-10T11:39:00.000-07:00

...and lemons out of this world.

Praise Frank Nicolas Meyer, said to have brought the Meyer lemon, a cross between a lemon and a sweeter citrus (mandarin or orange) to North America. Those lemons are my favored variety, and luckily, they are grown all over California. We get them at farmer's markets, pick them from friends' trees or sometimes even find them hanging over fences and about to fall of a tree (and yes, I sometimes reach up and get them, it's called gathering).

This recipe is one of the few that I have ever created specifically targeted at recovery from heavy training. As I have added more strength training back into my routine, a salad with feta cheese does not quite work for lunch anymore.

Please enjoy this nutrition packed meal after your training and let me know how you feel!

Serves 2

2 medium salmon fillets, with skin
2 sweet potatoes (medium)
1/4 cup coconut flakes
1 small Meyer lemon
5-6 Verbena leaves
3-4 Sage leaves
dash Himalayan salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 375F. Use a cast iron pan and place your ingredients down as follows: potatoes, peeled and sliced, salmon fillets on top of them, skin up, herbs, chopped next, dash of salt, half of the coconut chips and then the slices of Meyer lemon. Melt the coconut oil over medium heat and drizzle over the potatoes. You can add more salt to the potatoes if you wish. Add 1/4 cup water to the pan. Place in the oven for 25 minutes. Take out, remove the lemons from the top of the fish and place the rest of the coconut chips. Return to the oven until you see the chips turn lightly brown. This will give them a crunchy feel and makes for a wonderful combination on your fork, contrasting the delicious, soft flesh of the fish. Serve immediately while still warm.

For the love of eggplant

2011-06-07T22:55:00.000-07:00

We recently visited Roland's mom, who invited us to stay over for dinner and served some delicious eggplant, tomato and cheese sandwiches, generously topped with basil. We've always loved eggplant and decided to play with the recipe a little bit and suggest serving eggplant with various delicious and highly nutritious toppings as an appetizer, rather than making it the main star at dinner.

This recipe is only a platform for developing your own relationship with eggplant (or zucchini squash or sweet potatoes or peppers or any vegetable you can use as a base for your toppings).

To make 2 generous servings, I used:

1 eggplant
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 avocado
3 oz feta cheese
2 oz olive tapenade
basil leaves for decoration

optional toppings: tomato salsa, caramelized onions, pine nuts, walnuts, pesto sauce, sour cream

Slice the eggplant in 1/2 cm slices. Coat them well with olive oil and cook them in an iron cast pan over medium heat. When they are ready, place on a serving plate and top each slice with avocado slices or paste (you can leave the pieces whole or mash finely as I have done above), and feta cheese or olive tapenade and feta cheese. Decorate with a fresh basil leaf and enjoy immediately, while still warm.

This recipe is in the company of many other delicious and health-boosting recipes over at Chowstalker, your primal source of cooking ideas and recipes on the net :)

Diet Heart Myths - Q&A with Coach Mike

2011-06-04T12:05:00.000-07:00

Mike Demeter has made more of an impact on my work as a personal trainer and nutrition counselor than he will probably ever know. He's been working in the fitness industry for over 20 years, established himself as a health and nutrition expert and the person to go to with a specific question, whether you are looking for an answer to a nutrient deficiency, or a training goal. He won't just answer vaguely: he will give you something to do about it right now. His answers are always to the point, and every interaction with him and his posts, interviews, Facebook notes and updates will make you feel better equipped on the journey to better health.

In this Q&A, which he kindly allowed me to repost, he answers some questions that have probably been on your mind, so enjoy and let me know your thoughts!

Q: Do we have more heart disease today because we’re living longer?

A: No. Adult life expectancy in 1910 was the same as today. Average life expectancy in 1910 was just 45 years, but when you factor out infant mortality and young women who died giving birth, you were just as likely to reach age 75 as you are today.

Q: Are diabetes, obesity and heart disease mostly hereditary?

A: Diabetes, obesity and coronary heart disease were far less common in 1910 (per capita), and our genes don't change in 100 years. As an example, the lifetime risk of diabetes in 1910 was 1 in 30; today it is 1 in 3. What has changed in the U.S. is the quality of our food, especially the type of fat and the type of carbohydrate we are eating.

Q: Were "Cave man” and traditional diets low in fat?

A: No. Throughout the world, primitive peoples sought out and consumed fat from fish and shellfish, water fowl, sea mammals, land birds, insects, reptiles, rodents, bears, dogs, pigs, cattle, sheep, goats, game, eggs, nuts and milk products. (westonaprice.org/Abrams, Food & Evolution 1987)

Q: Do vegetarians live longer?

A: No. The all-cause annual death rate of vegetarian men is slightly more than that of non-vegetarian men (.93% vs .89%); the annual death rate of vegetarian women is significantly more than that of non-vegetarian women (.86% vs .54%) (Am J Clin Nutr 1982 36:873)

Q: Will a vegetarian diet protect you against atherosclerosis?

A: No. The International Atherosclerosis Project found that vegetarians had just as much atherosclerosis as meat eaters. (Lab Invest 1968 18:498)

Q: Does the European country with the highest average cholesterol have the lowest life expectancy?

A: No – just the opposite! Switzerland has the highest average cholesterol levels (264 mg/dl) and the highest life expectancy. The Russians have the lowest cholesterol levels and the lowest life expectancy. (Dr. Malcolm Kendrick, MONICA study).

Q: Is heart disease is caused by cholesterol and saturated fat from animal products?

A: No, heart disease has multiple, inter-related causes. During the steady increase in reported coronary heart disease (1920-1967), consumption of animal fats declined but consumption of hydrogenated and industrially processed vegetable fats increased dramatically. (USDA statistics)

Q: Does saturated fat clog arteries?

A: No. So-called blockage is a complex “patch,” including - dominantly - fibrous tissue. The fatty acid component found in artery "blockage" is mostly unsaturated (74%) of which 41% is polyunsaturated. (Lancet 1994 344:1195)

Q: Is it true that Vitamin B12 can be obtained from certain plant sources such as blue-green algae and soy products?

A: Vitamin B12 is not absorbed from plant sources. Modern soy products increase the body's requirement for B12. Liver (organ meat) is our best source of all B-complex vitamins. (westonaprice.org).

Q: Is it true that for good health and long life, serum cholesterol should be less than 180 mg/dl?

A: Not according to the American Heart Association journal Circulation! The all-cause death rate is higher in individuals with cholesterol levels lower than 180 mg/dl. (Circulation, 1992 86:3:1026-1029).

Q: Do children benefit from a low-fat diet?

A: No, children need a high fat, high cholesterol diet! Mother’s milk is the highest cholesterol food on earth. Children on low-fat diets suffer from growth problems, failure to thrive & learning disabilities. (Food Chem News 10/3/94).

Q: Will a low-fat diet help you "feel better and increase your joy of living?"

A: No, as with growing children, low-fat diets are associated with increased rates of depression, psychological problems, fatigue, violence and suicide. (Lancet 3/21/92 v339).

Q: Is cholesterol made in the liver?

A: Yes - but every cell in the body can make cholesterol (except nerve tissue). Because dietary cholesterol is poorly absorbed – 50 percent at best - the body relies on endogenous production for its cholesterol needs, 1200 to 1800 milligrams per day. (Dr. Mary Enig, PhD, lipid biochemist).

Q: Are lard (the rendered fat from a pig) and chicken skin saturated fats?

A: Actually, lard and chicken fat are 60 and 70 percent unsaturated, respectively. Like all food fats, lard and chicken fat are a combination of different fatty acids - saturated and unsaturated. Lard and chicken fat are dominantly monounsaturated oleic acid, the dominant fat in olive oil. The experts who warn us about fat have yet to take their first course in lipid biochemistry.

Q: Are saturated fats animal fats?

A: No, saturated fats are found abundantly in tropical oils (coconut and palm) and are also present in varying amounts in most plants. Olive oil, for example, is 15-16 percent saturated fat. Even flaxseeds contain saturated fat. Fats are universal; saturated stearic acid in butter is the same molecule as stearic acid in chocolate. (Dr. Mary Enig, PhD, lipid biochemist).

Q: Are polyunsaturated fats “plant fats”?

A: Polyunsaturated fats are also found in marine life, fish and animals. Excess highly processed polyunsaturated fats – incorporated into are tissues – can promote injury and inflammation. Inflammation in the artery walls leads to plaque build up and blood clots.

Q: Is vegetable shortening such as Crisco better than lard for a hearty health?

A: Crisco shortening - hydrogenated vegetable fat made by Proctor & Gamble since 1912 – is harmful. For decades, Crisco has been a significant source of trans fatty acids in the American diet. Trans fats are not safe at any level. Lard from properly raised pigs is trans-free and is a great source of natural vitamin D.

Q: Is Butter is more fattening than olive oil?

A: No! Butter contains 15-17 percent short and medium chain fats that go right to the liver; not into our general circulation. Also, butter is 20 percent water. Olive oil is 100% fat and contains only long chain fats that circulate after digestion. Olive oil is potentially more “fattening” although fats do not make us fat unless they are part of a high carbohydrate diet.

Q: Does butter contain a lot of cholesterol?

A: No – cholesterol is found in food in tiny milligram (mg) amounts. A pound of butter contains 985 mg of cholesterol - less than 1 gram. A tablespoon of butter contains only 30 milligrams of cholesterol - and only 1/2 is absorbed. You would have to eat two pounds of butter daily in order to turn off the body’s own cholesterol synthesis.

Q: Does high cholesterol foods raise blood cholesterol?

A: Another myth! There’s no evidence that cholesterol in food raises cholesterol in blood – other than the positive result of promoting higher levels of beneficial HDL cholesterol. Towards the end of his life, Ancel Keys, the University of Minnesota professor who was first to blame cholesterol and fat on heart disease, said, "Cholesterol in food has no influence on cholesterol in blood and we've known that all along."

Q: Does excess animal protein causes calcium to leach from the bones?

A: No - the poorly conducted studies that make this false claim used dry protein powder – not fresh meat. Our bodies are made of protein and fat. We need optimum amounts of fresh protein and fat in order to rebuild and maintain our bodies.

Q: Are excess dietary carbohydrates stored as carbohydrate?

A: No, excess carbohydrates are turned into fat and stored as fat, especially in the abdomen, butt and thighs. Eat a lot of bread, cereal, pasta, juices and soft drinks and your body will turn it into fat. (Dr. Robert C. Atkins)

Q: Is calcium is the most important mineral for the heart?

A: No – and in excess - calcium becomes a bully – replacing magnesium is soft tissue throughout the body. “Hardening of the arteries” or calcification = too much calcium and not enough magnesium. It is unsafe to supplement with calcium unless you are taking equal amounts or more magnesium.

Q: Are running and aerobic exercise good for the heart?

A: Running and extreme exercise can be deadly! The number one cause of death among marathon runners is coronary heart disease. Runners tend to have enlarged hearts. Extreme exercise stresses the body and causes magnesium deficiencies. (Dr. William Campbell Douglas, MD)

Q: Is health-food-store Canola oil a “good fat.”

A: Canola (Canadian Oil) is made from genetically altered rapeseed. It is highly processed - subject to high temperature, high pressure. Canola contains small amounts of trans fat even though the label may say “trans fat free.” Canola in baked goods can promote mold growth that you cannot see.

Q: Do cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce the incidence of heart failure?

A: Just the opposite. Since approved in record-time in 1987, statin drugs are associated with a doubling of the incidence of heart failure.

Q: Is heart-healthy L-Carnitine a reason to eat your veggies?

A: No. Fruits, vegetables and grains are poor sources of Carnitine. Red meat is best, especially mutton, lamb and beef. The same is true for the important mineral zinc. Zinc is poorly absorbed from plants and easily absorbed from red meat. (Robert Crayhon)

Q: To avoid heart disease, should we use margarine instead of butter?

A: No, never eat margarine despite what manufacturers claim. Margarine eaters have twice the rate of heart disease as butter eaters. (Nutrition Week 3/22/91 21:12)

Q: Does highly saturated coconut oil causes heart disease?

A: No. Populations that consume coconut oil have low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil may also be one of the most useful oils to prevent heart disease because of its antiviral and antimicrobial characteristics. (JAMA 1967 202:1119-1123; Am J Clin Nutr 1981 34:1552)

Q: Is it true that in 1977, a vegetarian researched and wrote the first U.S. Dietary Guidelines?

A: Yes, a true statement! Mr. Nick Mottern, a vegetarian and former labor reporter for a Providence, RI newspaper, was hired by Senator George McGovern’s committee staff to write our first ever low fat Dietary Guidelines. (Gary Taubes, Good Calories, Bad Calories)

Q: Heart-Healthy L-Carnitine is a reason to eat your veggies.

A. Fruits, vegetables and grains are poor sources of Carnitine. Red meat is best, especially mutton, lamb, beef, pork, and chicken (in that order). Carnitine delivers fuel to the heart and muscles. Carnitine = increased cardiac energy. The heart wants fuel - not fiber. Carnitine is the delivery truck and a solid nutritional reason to eat good quality red meat every day.

You can view the original text at:

http://dietheartpublishing.com/faq

You can follow coach Mike's notes on Facebook at:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=logo#!/notes.php?id=636147488

My KIND of bar

2011-06-01T21:01:00.000-07:00

Fruit and nut bars are one of those quick grab-and-go snacks that are on the edge when it comes to constructing a healthy menu. Even the ones with no artificial sweeteners or thickeners offer very little satisfaction for the amount of calories they provide. If you are carb conscious, maybe you don't want to get a whole lot of carbs from a snack like that. My favorite fruit and nut bar has 20 grams of carbs from honey, glucose and dried fruit. It's not something I want to have often, when I could have actual fruit instead (I like to get my carbs from things I enjoy more than bars).It also doesn't have as much fiber as I would like...and to be honest it's a little bit harder than I would like. I would still have it when I am starving and want to grab a quick bite while grocery shopping, but could I have something better that I made myself? You bet.

Enter MY KIND OF BAR:

To make two bars you need:

1/4 cup sliced almonds
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flax meal
1 tbsp honey
5-6 large raspberries

Mash the raspberries into a paste. Melt the butter and honey and mix with the rest of the ingredients. Form a rectangular shape (equal to two bars) and place on a cookie sheet. Cook for 20 minutes in an oven preheated to 375F (180C).

When ready, cut in half lengthwise and let the bars cool off. Enjoy with your afternoon coffee or tea and let me know how they turned out!

The Fitness Summit 2011

2011-05-22T15:02:00.000-07:00

Attending the annual Fitness Summit, aka the JP Fitness Summit is the thing to do in May. It's been the thing to do every May for the last 9 years. I have been very fortunate to attend 4 summits and I have loved each and every one of them. Тhis year, due to changed and happy circumstances in my life, I didn't fly in for the summit, we drove, instead. The story of driving from Southern California to Kansas City is yet another blog post itself and I promise to get back to it.

This year's fitness summit was fun, full of great applicable information, challenging workouts, time to relax with friends from the JP fitness forum and plenty of chances to interact with the presenters and experts.

We came back from the summit a few days ago and I tried to explain to a few non fitness minded people what the summit was about: it's about education, networking, and having fun. How is it different from a larger educational event, why do we need another seminar? It's an educational event of very high quality, but executed on a smaller, almost intimate scale. It's an event where you don't just learn, you get to find out. You can approach fitness experts who are there to present and fitness enthusiasts who are constantly looking for improvement and communicate with them on a whole new level, all because they are there to share and give their own experience to the ones who need it and who want to apply it in their life or work. It's an active educational event and it's an active social event, because the JP fitness forum is where the relationships, questions, topics and solutions are born and then get to develop at the summit.

There is a family-like connection between attendees, people who write together on the forums and who have supported each other throughout the years, there is love and tough love and more love beyond that. The summit is a stage for shared dreams and memories and well, shared desserts. The community has long reached from the computer screen and out into real life. Seeing friendships grow throughout the years and being a part of them has been a privilege and true joy.

If this event had a president, it would be Lou Schuler. In previous years he even had a special chair, somewhat reminiscent of a throne and very fitting his position in the fitness industry today. You could not find another book author or magazine contributor who understands the inner workings of what is known, who knows it best and what matters the most at any given time in the huge and complex world of fitness. He has helped us write, dream, think, but beyond all, stay real about the world of writing and publishing. If you are looking for a new challenge, pick up the New Rules of Lifting for Abs and you will find out why Lou is the person whose advice you can always trust.

from left to right Julie Keen, Nick, Bill, Alan, Lou

Lou opened the summit by introducing Nick Tumminello, Bill Sonnemaker, Alan Aragon and Julie Keen, this year's presenters.

Alan has presented at a few summits and he has become the go-to person for everything nutrition and nutrition science related both on and off the JP fitness forum. You can read more from Alan every month in Men's Health magazine, you can subscribe for his state of the art research review , a monthly review and critical analysis of scientific studies on training an nutrition, you can visit his blog, or you can read his numerous posts on the JP forums. Alan's lecture was titled ''Things that matter'', to name those findings, facts, tools and techniques that do make a difference in a world full of growing and often confusing nutrition information. Here are my favorite quotes from his presentation:

1. ''Body fat measurements and calculations vary widely and have errors within -+ 10 points. They are now finding significant errors with the BodPod, too. Calipers always give the lowest readings. Why people still want to know? They want a number they can emotionally attach to.''

This is also the reason why I would rather have my clients use pictures to assess progress, rather than use the scale or an unreliable method of body fat testing.

2. ''Know that on the way to your target weight you will experience several plateaus. Your end weight is a plateau, hence it only makes sense to practice being at a plateau in between. Expect plateaus and practice maintenance.''

I have noticed how sometimes clients get upset because their weight gets stuck. This is a part of the journey, a necessary practice for your body and a time for it to establish new rules, new processes, and a new comfortable weight. Once this weight has been established we can introduce a new stimulus and keep making progress. Expect your plateaus and celebrate them.

Alan pulled a few people from the attendees to share their weight loss success stories. JC, Roger, and Brynda summed it up with ''know that you are awesome, know that you have to believe, be consistent, do not get bored and keep doing the right thing over and over again''. These three people had not only done their best, they had made their best their plateau.

Julie Keen presented on the topic of injury prevention and reminded us about the importance of self myofascial release, using balls, sticks, foam rollers, and various other soft tissue toys that have sprung up since the dawn of that self help technique. She talked about the importance of training the foot and toes and went in depth to talk about what shoes do to out feet (ouch!). Julie also reminded us about how often people come to the injury forum at JP, where they share how they have been to numerous specialists, and yet they don't know what to do about this or that injury...moral of the story: ''participate in your healing and actually do what you are advised to''.

Talking of trigger point fun, that was the topic of Bill Sonnemaker's hands on session, in which we used great toys from the TPTHERAPY store to get into the inner workings of the fascia, break up the fascial knots and free up the lines so we could train better. Bill suggested doing self myofascial release on three spots along a given fascial line, starting with the foot and calf and moving up to the glute medius and rotator cuff or starting at the foot and moving up to the psoas and the pec minor. He suggested not only rolling out the sore spots, but spending time on them under constant pressure while taking the adjacent joint through full range of motion a few times and also moving on the sore spot against the line of the collagen fibers to create some friction. Bill's lecture posed a good question: "If personal trainers do not have the necessary education to properly describe a movement, how will they effectively communicate with therapists and doctors and earn their trust?''. You can learn more about Bill and his state of the art facility here.

Nick Tumminello opened with a quote worthy inspiration: ''think technically, act simply''. He went on to present his view of core training, and did an excellent job of defining the core and its function in performance. His knowledge and comfortable use of research made everyone wish we had at least a week to talk about the TVA. He talked about gaining strength from a neurological and physiological perspective and made a good point that both should be pursued for optimal performance in sport. For someone like me, who doesn't train athletes, but deals with people looking to be healthier and fitter, the part of his presentation describing low level low load pain was the one that made the biggest impression. Ultimately, it would do little good to treat low level low load muscle pain with medium and high level effort. The moral of the story: the next time you try to do a renegade row to help someone with the low back pain they get from walking, think twice and refer out to a physical therapist.

Nick's hands on session focused on fast ways to involve the core in warm ups, such as short circuits of Swiss ball rolling sets, and went on with integrating the core and rotary movement into standing pushing and pulling movements. He also tortured us with his tight rotation 2.0, which you can find on his site.It's a move well worth including in an advanced core progression program, if you have already covered the basics. And the news for those of you NOT looking to lose weight? The heavier you are, the more you can push, so there is something to celebrate.

The above doesn't even come close to describing what happened during the weekend of excellent presentations, novel take home training practice, great communication, new friendships, early breakfasts at the hotel cafeteria, not to speak of the really late conversations over local beers. There is only one way to experience it, and that is not to miss the 2012 Fitness Summit, next May.

I would like to thank JP for introducing all of us to each other and creating a place where our large fitness family can get together, Nick, for being a one of a kind host, who makes this event not only possible, but better, John, for his kindness and support in holding the Mahlership so more of us could attend, Lou, for being a great mentor for all of us believe in the future of writing, Julie, for her helping hand to everyone injured and in need of support, and my wonderful husband Roland, who I met at the fitness summit, and who is my favorite forum peacemaker. I love you all, and I can't wait to see you again in less than a year!

Morel mini kabobs

2011-05-03T17:23:00.000-07:00

update: Thanks to Marx Foods for choosing this recipe to be the winner of the 2011 Morel challenge! We are touched and thrilled!

Our friends at Marx Foods had another exciting challenge - creating a morel mushroom hors d'oeuvre recipe. For that purpose, Roland and I were sent flavorful and beautiful dried morel mushrooms.

Your first encounter with the morel is like no other, they look like mushrooms that are more fit for a fairy tale book page, than for a kitchen counter. See them in nature, and I promise you can get lost in the marvelous texture, wondering how something this unusual popped up from under the leaves. I can see you thinking: "is this mushroom for real?''.

In Bulgarian, we call them ''frowning mushrooms'', perhaps to illustrate the deep wrinkles on their surface, but we had nothing to frown about when we cooked them. They were delicious!

It's not easy to come up with a recipe, specifically tailored to one type of mushroom. Enter the Flavor Bible, our favorite companion in tough times. The authors smartly lined up paragraphs upon paragraphs of items we could successfully match with morels, so we used our kabob idea and some inspiration from the list of flavor affinities! The result was more than we had hoped for.

To make 12 mini kabobs, we used:

12 teeny tiny potatoes
6 oz Fontina cheese
12 small dried Morels
2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
2 tbsp olive oil
12 bamboo skewers

We started with soaking the morels in a bit of warm water and letting them reconstitute for about 20 minutes. We boiled the mini potatoes and cooled them off. Then, we cut the cheese in 12 cubes. We lined a potato, a piece of cheese and a morel on each skewer. Then, we mixed the rosemary and olive oil on a plate and rolled each skewer so that the rosemary could stick. At the end, we heated a large non stick pan over medium heat and cooked the skewers on both sides, until the cheese had melted. If you feel like your cheese has melted too much, just take the pan off the heat and let it cool off before removing. Less than 5 minutes for each side of the skewer should do the trick and have the cheese cooked to golden and slightly crispy. Let the mini kabobs cool off slightly and serve with rosemary. Enjoy with your favorite dark beer or a glass of red wine.

To get your fresh or dried morels, head over to Marx Foods. You can also check out their extremely rich morel recipe section!

A banana what?

2011-04-28T22:27:00.001-07:00

It's Tuesday morning...I skipped breakfast. We are driving towards LA and I am starting to get hungry. By the way, if you are a superhero on the way to LA on a Tuesday morning, please don't use a car, fly. Traffic jams work up an appetite...

We stop in front of Starbucks. We go in and I know, I know, I am saved, because they have fruit. I can have a banana and it will hold me over till we get someplace decent to eat.

As I wait for the lady in front of me to order a ''skinny mocha latte, no foam, one pump caramel ...'' I look at the bowl of bananas next to the tip jar and I try to choose the nicest one, so I am ready to grab it when it's my turn. Then I stand in front of the cashier, proudly hand him my Starbucks card and say: '' May I have a banana please''.

He looks at me, incredulous, and for a second I wonder if I said that in English .

Then he asks: "' A banana what?''

I grab my banana and smile: "A real banana!".

He looks back and says: " I am sorry, this rarely happens!''

Coconut almond pancakes

2011-04-27T16:28:00.000-07:00

It's breakfast time...at this time of day I know what gets me sustained and great energy is eggs. There are so many egg recipes here on Eat Love and Train, that I am sure you know that by now.

One thing that doesn't get me going in the morning is grains: give me flour, cereal, a cookie...and I can just go back to bed. Don't bother waking me up because I will be cranky anyways!

I find that most of my clients who don't do great on grains in the morning, find that coconut flour satisfies a lot of their cravings for a pancake or waffle type breakfast, so I decided to share my favorite coconut pancake with you.

This pancake recipe uses coconut flour and almond meal, which both give great texture and accompany my favorite eggs in a one of a kind way. To add an extra benefit, they are cooked in coconut oil - rich in MCTs - those fats that can be readily used for energy and that will supply you with the fuel you need for your workout or stressful meeting.

To make two large pancakes, you need:

2 eggs
2 tbsp coconut flour
2 tbsp almond meal
1-2 tbsp milk (depending on type of coconut flour)
1 tbsp coconut oil

honey to top

In a bowl, mix all ingredients. Heat a skillet over medium heat and heat 1/2 of the coconut oil ( you will need the rest for the second pancake). If your batter looks too thick, use 2 tbsp milk instead of 1. Coconut flours vary in how they absorb liquid and so you may need less or more. Pour half the batter in the middle of a pan and flip when you see that the sides of your pancake are golden brown. Set aside and melt the rest of the coconut oil. You are ready for your second pancake.

I love to top these with honey, but feel free to use a topping of your choice, experimenting with cream cheeses, ricotta or even cooked fruit!

Enjoy!

Happy Easter

2011-04-21T23:37:00.000-07:00

Wishing everyone a blessed and wonderful weekend, spring weather, colorful fun, thick and fluffy Easter breads, great time with family and friends, and new hope and light like you have never felt before. It's a very special time of year to be thankful, to be hopeful, to pray, to dream, to wish and to make it all come true! Enjoy it and let's see each other Monday!

For ideas on how to color your eggs naturally, here is a great post from Diana and I (only in Bulgarian)

And if you missed it, here is last year's egg coloring!

Fish en papillote

2011-04-19T22:43:00.000-07:00

It's really just fish in parchment paper...but en papillote just sounds so sweet :)

We just taught a great cooking class on healthy and delicious food and a couple of days before that we thought we should really retest the temperature for making a couple of thick fish fillets. Our test recipe came out very delicious and satisfying, so it's more than worth sharing.

Mahi mahi in parchment paper

Serves 2:

two large mahi mahi fillets (use any meaty thick fish)
1/2 bell pepper
1 zucchini squash
2 carrots
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive tepanade (or chopped up olives)
lemon pepper to taste
parchment paper

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200C). Prepare the vegetables, by cutting them in long strips or large slices (for the pepper). Proceed to cut a large piece of parchment paper and lay the vegetables tightly in a row. Place the fish on top and season with the lemon pepper. If you don't have lemon pepper, just sprinkle salt, pepper and some lemon zest or place whole slices of lemon. Place olives and butter on top.

Bring the ends of the paper together at the top, roll tightly in and fold under. You can staple it to make sure no moisture escapes. Roll in from the ends and staple again. The goal, no matter how you fasten the paper, is to let no moisture escape, as the steam is what cooks the fish and vegetables.

Place in the oven for 20 minutes. If your fish fillets are smaller, feel free to cook less - 10-12 minutes.

Serve by cutting the tops off the paper packages with scissors and letting some of the moisture and heat escape, then placing on a warm plate.

This recipe can use about any type of fish, vegetable or spice you can think of. If you want to try something very simple, use olive oil, lemon, salt and some cherry tomatoes when you next cook salmon. Just don't forget to do it en papillote!

today's random thoughts

2011-04-14T22:59:00.000-07:00

I don't have it in me for full blog posts on any of these subjects, but here is my randomness from the last few days.1. Tropical Traditions approved one of my recipes and placed it on their blog. The prize is a whole lot of coconut oil, so look forward to some serious coconut recipes in the future. Coconut oil is an amazing traditional fat, great for higher heat cooking, unbeatable in baking....and oh well....great for your skin, so with the summer coming, you can use it after you get home from the hot sun and enjoy its effects - it will nourish and moisturize like nothing else.

2. I have been doing a lot more walking since I came to the US. This was supposed to make up for my lack of physical work, since I don't work with clients here yet. Most of what I do during the day is computer based, so I get zero movement unless I get to the gym or walk. It's been a pleasant surprise to see that walking anywhere from an hour to 3 a few times a week has made for a nice activity and I have leaned out despite the fact that I don't stand in a gym for 12 hours a day. Since walking is a very repetitive movement, if you plan to walk a lot, don't forget to stretch your hip flexors, piriformis, ITB/TFL and calves after you are done.

3. Ok, there is more. I have almost stopped sitting in front of the computer, I get 1 hour of sitting and maybe 8 of standing in front of it. It has improved my mood, energy and concentration while typing and reading, it has also entirely prevented me from getting low back pain from sitting and it has allowed me to stay leaner. Standing may burn an extra 50 calories an hour, so if you are desk bound, it's not a small number. My reason for standing was mostly to improve posture and concentration, but it has had nice and unexpected side effects, like the added calorie burn. You can start doing that for an hour a day and see how your own body adjusts. I found that as I got more used to working standing, my body did not like me to sit down, there was more of a natural resistance. Here is an extremely interesting link on Katy Bowman's blog, picturing different resting positions from around the world. Try one today!

4. I found an extremely interesting and effective supplement, called d-mannose, while looking for a natural remedy to alleviate urinary tract infections. You can hear Dr. Mercola talking about it in the video below. My personal experience with d-mannose has been extremely positive. I have tried every potency of cranberry extract in the past, with very little success, as well as some unusual teas and concoctions. I have to say that for how safe d-mannose is, and how affordable, it is definitely a supplement every woman should have in her medicine cabinet. It's safe if you are pregnant or diabetic. If you ever get a urinary tract infection, start taking it immediately, using 1 gram every 2-3 hours with a glass of water. You can reduce the dosage as pain subsides. Bear in mind that it's only effective if you have an overgrowth of e.coli and if the pain remains, you should see your doctor immediately, as your case may require antibiotic treatment.

5. If you have no time to get to the gym, and for some reason feel that you need to work on your glutes right now, here is a great video courtesy of Bret Contreras, aka the Glute Guy.

Spinach and peppers fritatta - 2 ways

2011-04-08T19:35:00.000-07:00

Spinach fritatta is one of those recipes that allow you to get all the components of a healthy meal rolled up into one. Let it cool off and take it to work or have it warm while the cheese is still soft and melting.

T0 make 2 servings of spinach and pepper fritatta you need:
1 small bell pepper, cubed
1 cup spinach, sliced

1 green onion, sliced
1 tbsp butter
3 whole small or medium eggs
2 oz sharp cheddar cheese

Start by heating up the butter in a pan and cooking the onion, pepper and spinach. When they are all soft you can decide whether to cook your fritatta over the stove or in the oven. If you choose to cook it over the stove, mix the cooked vegetables with the eggs and scramble well. Pour back in the pan and cook like an omelet. When it's done, grate the cheese on top. It always looks good to cut up the omelet like pizza and enjoy one piece at a time.

If you choose to cook it in the oven, more like a casserole, place the vegetables on the bottom, follow with the scrambled eggs and place the cheese on top. Cook in an oven heated to 400F (200C) for 25 minutes.

I think this recipe shows clearly that the same ingredients can look and taste differently because you prepared them differently. Give it a try and let me know!

Каle chips

2011-04-06T18:36:00.000-07:00

You might have heard of kale, seen it at the store or even cooked it. Kale is extremely nutritious and is full of antioxidants, anti carcinogenic elements, and last but not least - Calcium. Think of kale as cabbage with lots of texture that is extremely easy to prepare. You can steam it with some garlic, nuts, chili powder and raisins or cranberries, add mushrooms or meat. For vegans, it becomes a great option mixed with couscous or quinoa.

I love green veggies, especially spinach and dock, and even though kale is cabbage, I like to think of it as a leafy green and choose to like it more than broccoli.

If you like crunchy food, you will LOVE kale chips, since they provide a lot of nutrition, but very few calories for the enjoyment. Here is what you need to make them:

For a couple of servings, you will need 4-5 kale leaves. Wash thoroughly with water (I like to soak them in water with some salt added to it), rinse well and pat dry with a towel. Cut the tough stems out and then tear the leaves into bite sized pieces. It's time to preheat the oven to 325 F. Place the pieces of kale on a large sized paper covered cookie sheet and drizzle with some olive oil. Sprinkle sea salt on top. To add spice, you could also sprinkle some black pepper or paprika on top. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Make sure you watch the chips after the 8th minute because depending on their texture they may start to turn crispy earlier. Remove at the first sight of brown, since the more brown they turn, the less you will enjoy the taste.

Serve on their own or as a side to scrambled eggs, the combination is unbeatable!

Sweet potato casserole

2011-03-26T11:17:00.000-07:00

One sweet potato can go a long way, like in this sweet and salty and very delicious breakfast casserole. If you are carb conscious, you probably make sure you take in enough protein and fat every time you have carbs, and you are careful not to eat too many carbs at one sitting. This recipe offers it all: just enough sweet potato for texture, color and wonderful taste, and plenty of eggs and soft cheese to boost the protein content. Eggs are an excellent source of choline and high quality protein! You can read more about the many benefits of eggs in this excellent recent article by nutritionist, writer, coach and female role model Cassandra Forsythe.

But let's get back to our casserole, and its ingredients

Serves 2:
1 small sweet potato
3 eggs
3 tbsp cream cheese
1 tbsp butter
4 tbsp milk
2 tsp Himalayan salt
2 tsp cumin seeds

Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Peel the potato and use the peeler to slice the whole potato thinly. Line the bottom of the casserole dish with the potato, place the butter on top, pour 2 tbsp milk and place in the oven for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, cream cheese, cumin, salt and the rest of the milk. Pour on top of the sweet potatoes and return to oven until the casserole turns golden, it takes about 25 minutes or so. You can grate and melt some cheese on top and add that extra layer of delicious. Serve warm or cooled, it's great both ways!

Roasted pepper hummus

2011-03-22T17:29:00.000-07:00

We just visited a Turkish restaurant last week. I ordered hummus after the owner insisted that he had '' the best mmm ... hummmus..." and it really was the best I'd had in a long time. It was smooth, had just enough tahini and they had been easy on the garlic. It came with a generous serving of beef on top and was extremely satisfying to the last bite.

Our lunch reminded me of how much I love hummus, yet I must admit I rarely take the time to make it. You may remember my recipes for red beet hummus and my favorite pumpkin hummus, which was so good that it made the second volume of the Art of Real Food. Today's hummus is also a variation off of the original hummus recipe, with some ingredients omitted and some skillfully added. Enjoy!

Serves 4 (but really you want it more to serve 2, it's so good)

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (you may use canned)
2 large red roasted peppers (freshly roasted and peeled or canned)
3 tbsp fresh cilantro (or parsley)
1/2 small lime (juice only)
1 tbsp pine nuts
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
optional: clove garlic: crushed

Place all ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. You can serve with vegetables for dipping, use as a side dish to accompany various meats or baked potatoes, or as a sandwich spread and wrap filling. I served it with baby carrots and some boiled eggs today, and it was really really good. Please let me know how yours turned out!

A desert story

2011-03-17T18:58:00.001-07:00

As some of you know I just got married last week and it was a magical day for both Roland and me. While it's traditional for newlyweds to take off on a long vacation, we decided to make ours short, true to our love for small but frequent trips. I had wanted to visit Joshua Tree National Park for a while and to see the desert and Desert Hot Springs, so we made that our getaway destination.

It's spring time now, so the desert was not too hot and not too dry, but as we drove deeper into it, I started seeing more and more drought resistant plants, taller cacti, some random yucca and Joshua trees. That was the desert, no doubt? I could stop asking ''are we there yet?". As we drove into higher lands, more rocks appeared and it certainly didn't look like any scenery that I had ever seen. There is something awe inspiring about seeing a work of nature for the first time and your mind almost goes into sleep mode, making the experience entirely visual.

As we drove up into the Desert Hot Springs hills, I thought how little I knew about the way people choose to live up here, how few places I have seen, so close to city life (LA is probably a bit over 100 miles away and Riverside is barely an hour's drive) yet so distant, like a snapshot of life in the 30s, with time stopped, a store saying Desert Food Mart instead of some chain name, a Gun store, a thrift store to buy a gun closet to store the guns from the above mentioned store, a place to buy cactus for your garden....dig up your own, it's just 59 cents. I kept asking Roland questions, like a tourist who not only wanted to see, but to excavate the motives behind what she saw. This was, I found out, where people got away from it all, where things slow down, where everything costs less, sells less, stresses you out less, moves less, while surprisingly, pleasing more. We drove by clothing optional spa hotels, golf resort hotels, weight loss detox retreats, a museum of history...and finally made it to our small spa retreat - La Hacienda, a boutique hotel done in old California style, part Spanish architecture, part small back yard British garden landscaping, with desert elves hiding somewhere....and a very distinct and pervasive smell of lemon blossom, mixed in with orange, grapefruit and tangerine blossom, a smell so heavy and sticky, if it wasn't for the wind, you would think you could get permanently immersed in it, with no chance of going back to civilization and ever smelling city air again.

The Hacienda was home to amazing healing hot water springs, with a jacuzzi and a large pool, a place to cook your own food outside, a wonderful garden with plenty of beautiful plants and herbs, trees and flowers. Rosemary bushes reminded me of its use as a wedding flower, as we walked to our room, cozy, with a patio all to ourselves, equipped with an ancient bath tub, the grandfather of the jacuzzi that was proudly embedded in the garden.

Back in my home country of Bulgaria, hot mineral springs are successfully used to treat muscle and joint aches and pains and I was happy to discover that jacuzzi jets, when strong enough, can be used for trigger point therapy and fascia release. We were tired, I had some stiff muscles to work on, and the jets saved the day. They worked like magic. If you ever have the chance, give it a try.Find a hot spring and get into the jacuzzi. On one hand the temperature and minerals are strong relaxants and on the other the deep pressure of the jets gets to the most painful spots, whether it is a stiff muscle or just your tired feet after a day climbing rocks in the desert.

Speaking of the desert, I had never been in Joshua Tree and it was breathtaking. The silence, the colors, the size of the rocks, the feeling of sand underneath your feet, the challenge of the climbs, and the ever pervasive fear of encountering a rattle snake (or sitting on a cactus), briefly interrupted by the excitement of spotting a squirrel or a jack rabbit, all these wrapped into one to create a feeling of amazement and humility, which here seemed to fit well as a mixed emotion.

The few hours of hiking left us hungrier than we expected, since our breakfast was unusual for both of us. When we cook breakfast, we make sure to have some eggs, cheese or meat, and maybe add some fruit or yogurt. Protein rich breakfasts hold you full longer, so we were not surprised that after the delicious granola with fruit and almond milk, we felt like we could eat sooner than expected.

Granola IS delicious, but as you know from previous posts, it's not the choice of food when you want to stay full for a long time.

That night we cooked our own meal, grilling some kabobs and vegetables and we had a wonderful time. The smell of those lemon blossoms while we were cooking made me think of cooking something with them and we came up with very successful fruit and blossom grilled fruit kabobs, as you see here:

Apple, orange and mango with a touch of lemon blossom. Grilled, they are divine.

It was hard to leave today, with the relaxing memories of listening to old Astrud Gilberto and Beatles records till midnight and the soft purring of the house cat still in our ears, but all good trips come to an end and this one should be no exception.

We read a number of books on the way and back, and had heated discussions over the role of insulin in obesity, the rules of punctuation, the origin of watermelons and the birth and death rituals of different nations over the world. Those discussions were great, but my mind was restless. Even at the end of the trip, I kept thinking and asking...how are the desert people different, what are their priorities, why are they out here...is this where you get away from it all? Driving back, looking at the thickening traffic and looking for a place to get healthy lunch, I could confidently say ''yes, that is where you get away from it all''. That is where you cook, because the closest place to serve you food is an hour away, that is where you learn that old records require all our attention and can never be background music, and this is where you go to stop time so you can be, well, you. I can't wait to go back.

You can see more desert pictures from this trip on my profile on Facebook.

If your baby was a nutritionist...

2011-03-04T17:23:00.000-08:00

...and if your baby could talk, he or she would probably look up at you and with that honestly concerned look that babies sometimes get on their faces, would probably ask one question:

"mommy, are you sure you are eating enough?''

If you are like the moms that come to me for training and nutrition advice toward or just after the end of their breastfeeding, your honest answer should be: '' I don't really know''. Yet, when I ask this question I usually hear: ''Oh yeah, I eat a lot, I eat very well.''

Most moms that come to me usually want to get back into a regular exercise routine, want to see their ''mommy tummies'' gone and still want to get rid of a few extra pounds they accumulated during pregnancy. It should be quite easy, with the right assessment and exercise prescription, to get them pretty awesome results within 12 to 16 weeks. While I sit and listen to them telling me about how they looked before they got pregnant, what they want to achieve and how fast they want it, I look for one thing that underlies that: do they have the energy to do it? Can they really add another possibly physically and mentally challenging task to their schedule, even if it's just three times a week, even if it's just 45 minutes of concentrated organized movement?

Then it's my turn to ask questions. How many hours of sleep do you get? What does your day look like? What do you do to relax? How many children do you have other than your baby/toddler? Oh yeah, you have twins? And a three year old? And your husband works out of town? Oh, you don't eat breakfast because you don't have time? But you eat lunch, right? You really like just fruit and wine for dinner, because you are watching your weight? Uh-uh.

In peace at my pc, after the interview with the mom, I get to look at a 7 day food log and enter it in a program that lets me see how many calories, grams of protein, fats, carbohydrate and fiber they get daily. And how much water. And how much estimated vitamins and minerals. There is the rare exception, when a mother really eats very well, and she has the energy to start a program, and the right attitude that will guarantee results. But here is the rest of the story.

9 times out of 10, I come upon the following:

1. A mom has no time to eat, so she normally skips breakfast, grabs various snack items to hold her through the day, such as a piece of fruit, nuts, candy, coffee with milk or a cookie. As a result she may experience mood and energy swings and feel deprived of food and the time to eat a good meal.

2. A mom will not drink enough water. Because she is too busy making sure everyone else has water. And juice. And a snack. And because if you just stopped breastfeeding, you are no longer feeling like you need to be drinking as much, so she will drink less and less than what's optimal for digestion, elimination and energy transport.

3. A mom will not have enough calories throughout the day. In fact, a significant portion of calories will come at night. When you only have one feeding opportunity, how many quality calories can you really get?

4. The same applies to protein. In fact, most moms will choose not to eat during the day, thinking it will help them lose the few extra pounds, and that leaves a small window for protein consumption. I will often see protein ranging from 20 to 40 grams a day, way under what's optimal and even way lower than the otherwise ridiculously low RDA.

5. Most moms will eat very little cooked food. They are so busy cooking for the family, they forget to cook for themselves and would rather thrive on restaurant food, fast food and snack items. They eat those faster than I can say poor nutrition.

6. Most moms won't eat enough fat, because they still believe fat makes you fat. I am the one to break it to them that calories and inappropriate food choices make you fat and that consumption of healthy fats is essential to brain and hormone function, the health of the immune system, as well as energy production and endurance. How about fewer mood swings?

I remember the last wonderful lady I consulted, who showed up to her third workout and said:
''I have been rather happy recently, and very energetic. Just two of these workouts made such a big difference!''. Of course it wasn't the workouts, she was finally eating three complete meals a day, with adequate calories and protein, after a couple of years of severe under eating. When we later discussed it, she said she had no idea she wasn't eating enough and was very surprised she could eat eggs, cheese and meats to get energy!

If you are a mom who recently stopped breastfeeding or who has a toddler, if you are looking to lose some weight and if you don't feel like you are functioning at your optimal levels, maybe you think it's just because you are tired, but you have to understand after spending months and months waking up at night, being focused on your baby's well being, and having little time for your own well being, it's very easy to think you are eating enough and resting enough, just because you are sleeping a bit more now than you used to or you are eating a little bit better (in your opinion) than you used to. You may be depriving yourself of nutrients, calories and protein without even realizing it. Before you start a program to get your flat tummy back and your muscles back to functioning (that is a whole other blog post without any mention of crunches and sit ups.), before you can even think of seeing your pre-pregnancy weight on the scale, you need to make sure you have the energy to do it. Training and fat loss require a happy attitude, the ability to perform exercise with good form and to adhere to a moderate amount of calories and do that for a long, long time. Anything that requires a long term commitment requires you have the energy to do it.

The easiest way to assess if you are eating enough is to write everything you eat and drink for 1 or two weeks. The longer, the better.

Once you are done with that, you need to be able to positively answer the following questions:

1. Am I eating three meals a day?
2. Do I get animal protein at every meal (if you are vegan/vegetarian that would mean appropriate sources of protein or protein replacements for your chosen diet)?
3. Do I get quality fats at every meal (olive oil, cream, butter, avocado, nuts)
4. Do I get fresh fruits or vegetables at every meal?
5. Am I drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day?
6. Do I tend to snack, rather than have full meals?
7. Do I have more than a couple of alcoholic drinks a week?

You will get enough insights right there to know what you are doing right and what you need to work on at the basic level. You may feel a whole lot better just getting protein, fruits and vegetables and high quality fats at every meal and by not skipping meals. Of course you can go as far as calculating calories and figuring out how many grams of protein you are eating and make adjustments from there, but for now just make sure you log and check your current habits and we can go into deeper detail later, after you have covered the basics. Just make sure if you baby asked you: '' mommy, are you eating enough?'', that you can answer: " I sure am!''

Green mango salad

2011-03-02T21:42:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, you have probably bought a green mango before. It doesn't smell ripe, it's hard and it's, well...green. The good news is you can still use it without waiting for it to ripen, you just have to use it as a vegetable.

You can make a really easy crunchy and tangy salad, using the following:

serves 2:
2 small cucumbers
1 large bell pepper
1 green mango
1-2 green onions
Himalayan salt to taste
1 tbsp olive oil

Slice all vegetables in long thin strips. Add the onions, diced. Mix well with the salt and olive oil and set aside for 30 minutes. The salt will work its magic and when you serve the salad, everyone will be impressed. Green mango is very full-bodied and at the same time almost reminiscent of citrus, without making your meals sour. In India dried and powdered green mango, called amchur (after the Indian for mango - ''am'') is very often used to add tart and slightly sour taste to curries. If you happen to visit an exotic spice market, definitely get some.

Let me know how your green mango changed your salad experience.

Farm loot

2011-02-28T10:37:00.001-08:00

I am looking at a basket of beautiful free range eggs as I type this and great thanks have to go out to our friends Greg and Lani for giving us this amazing gift. They have many beautiful chickens and ducks and Greg has a special passion for fruit trees. We did visit Greg's yard last year and had some amazing citrus and starfruit.

duck and chicken eggs, avocado (Linda variety) and cherimoya (deliciosa variety)

This weekend was a bit different, since we got introduced to all the chicks and ducks Lani has. The ducks are a happy family who spend the whole day in a beautiful yard, overlooking the city of Covina. We are told that kids and teenagers love to just hang out at the fence and look at pretty birds. We are definitely looking forward to having some delicious chicken and duck eggs over the next few days, and I managed to put in an Easter order, but these are so pretty we may not even have to color them.

Cherimoya on the left and beautiful Ophelia in my hands on the right (she won't grow any bigger)

We also got to participate in a cherimoya tasting, where we needed to rate them for exterior and interior color and looks, texture, sweetness and flavor. It's funny because we had bought one the week before at the farmer's market and did not like it at all. It was a huge surprise and relief to taste the amazing cherimoyas that Greg had picked. We had several varieties of which Deliciosa and Fino de Jete were out favorites. If you haven't tried a cherimoya and it's available in your area, don't miss your chance, since the season lasts about a month. Buy cherimoyas green and wait until the outer surface has turned lightly brown and a tad soft to the touch. To eat, remove the stem with a knife and slice the fruit in thick wedges. Eat the soft and custard-like flesh and discard the seeds (we are told in some parts of the world those are used as insecticide, since they contain toxins).

The ducks are so sweet and cuddly, I had no idea they could be held just like pets!

We will be going back to that happy and enchanting yard soon and I will have more stories to tell as spring and summer roll around.

Sweet and salty strawberry dessert

2011-02-24T09:02:00.000-08:00

This dessert is a favorite three ingredient celebration. I have a long lasting relationship with coconut in all its forms: coconut water, the fresh nut, milk, cream, flakes, flour, powder, and butter. I use it both to eat raw and cook with and I swear it is the single most amazing and luckily healthy ingredient that I would not give up if you had me choose just a few to keep in my pantry. Yogurt is something every Bulgarian child grows up with. In its plain form it can be eaten on its own, mixed with fruit, veggies or nuts and it goes well as dressing on most vegetarian dishes. You could even cook meat in a yogurt sauce and it comes out tender and juicy. There isn't much I can tell you about strawberries that you don't feel yourself: they are the single most aromatic and colorful fruit you could choose for any dessert. I even cooked some with spices this week and they were heavenly.

To make this 2 minute dessert, I used all the above:

Serves 2:
2 cups plain yogurt
1/2 cup coconut cream
10 small or 5-6 large strawberries
2 inches vanilla bean
vanilla salt for sprinkling

Mix the vanilla bean with yogurt and coconut cream and separate in two bowls. Add the cut strawberries and decorate with vanilla salt. If you don't have vanilla salt, you can make your own by mixing 1:1 sea salt and vanilla bean. The color is intensely brown and buttery. We bought ours from Didi Davis, but you can easily make your own and keep in a small jar for decoration. Vanilla salt goes great on chocolate, cookies, ice cream and cheesecake.

Minimalist quiche with oat bran crust

2011-02-22T21:30:00.000-08:00

It has been challenging to work with just a few ingredients for breakfasts, but I bet that's how many great recipes started. I was surprised to see how well this one turned out.
I love quiche, I just don't love what the crust does to me...it's so loaded with carbohydrate and calories that I can barely eat it more than once a month on a pretty busy day.

This morning I used oat bran to substitute for the crust and the result was so good, I decided to share the idea with you.

For two servings, I used:
1/2 cup oat bran
2 eggs
30 grams feta cheese, crumbled
2 tbsp chopped sun dried tomatoes (feel free to use peppers or fresh tomatoes or olives)- do not drain
dash pepper

Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Coat the bottom of a casserole with the oat bran. Place the sun dried tomato pieces on top. If your sun dried tomatoes came without oil, sprinkle some melted butter on top. In a bowl, scramble the eggs and cheese, season with the pepper and pour on top of the bran carefully distributing until the whole surface has been covered. Bake for 20 minutes and enjoy immediately.

You can always add shredded cheese on top and melt for an even more delicious breakfast. Feel free to experiment and let me know how it was!

Why log?

2011-02-21T11:36:00.000-08:00

Some of my readers have been curious what we choose to cook at home, since both Roland and I like to enjoy delicious and healthy meals and stay active so we can maintain an all year round healthy weight and body composition. I have been logging all my meals and activity, so you can see how little it takes to make things work. I am on no specific workout program at the moment, adjusting to my new environment, getting over time difference and culture difference and building a new routine. You will be able to see feeds from my log in the navigation on this page. I hope you find it useful and please comment if you have any questions.

A very apple weekend

2011-02-20T18:37:00.000-08:00

The weekend started with apple pie and ended with apple sauce, and in between, we had some raw apples.
I made the pie on Friday, after Roland's son asked me to make him pie and there they were, two hours later, two mini pies that the boy ate in 24 hours. We don't eat pie, but we used some of the apples to make cooked apples with coconut and rum and they turned out pretty good.
I will only share the applesauce recipe with you, since I don't want to tempt you into trying pie, but oh well, here is the picture anyways.

Applesauce is a whole different story, since you make at least 4 servings from just two medium apples and it gives so much satisfaction for the calories.

Here is how to make 4 servings of applesauce. You need:

2 medium apples
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp butter

Place the two apples(don't peel them) in a steamer and steam for 15 minutes. Take out, let them cool off a bit and scoop out the flesh into a blender or chopper. Discard the skin and seeds, and any hard parts. Blend the apple flesh until it's smooth. Over medium heat cook that with the butter and cinnamon for about 5-6 minutes or until you feel the warm caramel smell. Don't forget to stir constantly.

You could use the applesauce as a part of your breakfast, or to flavor yogurt. If you added some chili pepper it could turn into a great sauce for cooked meat, it's your call how to use it, so please let me know.

Wishing you a great Monday and a happy start of the week!

Cacao beans and how much they can do for your yogurt ...and your health

2011-02-18T12:58:00.000-08:00

If you are like me you probably love the taste of chocolate, but you don't like that you can never get enough (Lindor, anyone?). I find that with less processed types of chocolate like our favorite ChocoVivo it takes a lot less to be full. If you trace chocolate back to it's origins, it all starts from the cacao pod and the cacao bean. If you have never seen them, they are quite impressive and really make you appreciate all the hard work that goes in between picking the fruit and roasting the beans and providing you with a simple package of happiness you get to open on a lonely night.

But how do you do that guilt free? You can get the benefits of chocolate minus all the lower quality ingredients that stimulate your appetite, save the sugars and the emulsifiers and whatever the manufacturer put in there to get you to eat more by simply going back to the source and have the cacao bean.

The bean was so valued by the Aztec and Mayan civilizations that it was practically used as money. You can get whole or crushed beans in most health food stores. The beans are crunchy, they have a nice deep flavor and a great slightly sweet and bitter aftertaste. They are extremely satisfying if you are craving chocolate.

The cacao bean is a stimulant, so it's great to add it to your afternoon or pre workout snack or if you are looking at a long day at work, where you need to focus on complex tasks. It's an amazing brain-food, a potent antioxidant (even stronger than green tea and red wine), it combats depression, helps your heart, and it's told to ease the mood swings of pregnancy. You can use the cacao bean crushed on top of desserts or just eat it in trail mix or on its own, as a snack. I like it sprinkled on my breakfasts and snacks, and as an ingredient in sauces like mole.

Just yesterday I had this awesome pre workout snack. This is all you need to make 1 serving of cacao nib and almond yogurt:

1 cup plain yogurt
3 tbsp almond meal
1 tsp cocoa nibs to top
1 pinch nutmeg

Mix the plain yogurt with nutmeg and top with the almond meal. Use cocoa nibs to finish. If you enjoy the sweet taste, you can add honey or maple syrup for a nice sweet touch.

Let me know how you used your cacao beans and don't forget to get some ChocoVivo chocolate for the next best thing. My favorite flavors are coffee vanilla and Mayan traditions. Oh my, I think we are out!

Weston Price conference on the new USDA guidelines

2011-02-17T00:09:00.000-08:00

I have mentioned how influenced I have been by the work of Dr.Weston Price and how much information you can get at the Weston Price foundation website. If you are interested in traditional diets and time proven nutritional food preparation, you would love the information and support.

Just this Monday the foundation held a conference including the Nutrition and Metabolism Society and members of the Healthy Nation Coalition. The conference aimed to expose the flaws and misuse of science in the formation of the new USDA dietary guidelines. This great video is worth every minute, so please enjoy. I promise more of my and Roland's comments on the new guidelines in a less serious blog post later.

Mini salads and chocolate mousse...a Valentine's dinner report

2011-02-15T10:44:00.000-08:00

I hope your Valentine's day dinner was as tasty as ours. While everyone was crammed in restaurants or still rushing to get to their reserved table for that special day, we did what we do best - we cooked together.

Roland made some amazing Parmesan crisps while I prepared pepperoni and cream cheese rolls and cut some really good smoked and peppery Mahi-mahi. Meanwhile, for the traditional shots of Bulgarian rakia, we needed some shot sized salads.

Taster spoons are a great way to raise the party spirit, since they make serving and eating anything fun. These particular ones in the shot were a timely gift from Roland, but if you are not so much into tiny cute porcelain objects, you can always get disposable tasting spoons at Amazon (they even have bamboo and biodegradable ones now, so you don't have to feel bad).

shot-sized salad

To make shot sized salad, I used:
10 pear tomatoes
1/6 avocado
1/4 cup cilantro
4 Calamata olives

I chopped everything up very well, added a tsp of olive oil and some salt and divided it in the spoons. You could serve practically any salad this way and really impress your guests.

avocado chocolate mousse with a touch of chile pepper

The chocolate mousse-mousse is an all time favorite from the second volume of The Art of Real Food. We faced a huge culinary challenge in that volume, since we wanted all the meals to be strictly vegan. Avocado came to the rescue, providing the best texture to house the rich chocolate flavor we wanted to experience. For Valentine's day, I added a touch of chile pepper, which is always nice if you want to perk up the chocolate aftertaste.

To make 4 small or 2 large servings, you need:

2 small avocados
8 tbsp water
6 tbsp brown sugar / 3 tbsp honey
8 tbsp cocoa powder
1 inch vanilla pod

In a pot over medium heat, melt the sugar with the water, scrape the vanilla bean inside, and slowly add the chocolate powder, stirring until you get a smooth chocolate mixture. In a blender, blend the avocados and start to add the cooked chocolate. Mix very well. Cool after you have served it in smaller or larger bowls and sprinkle a tad of chili powder on top right before you offer it.

Chocolate mousse always make me think of this guy, and I can't help posting this :)

Happy Valentine's Day and a Valentine's recipe idea

2011-02-14T11:45:00.000-08:00

This morning my fiance officially stated ( in the proper Valentine card form ) on Facebook that he loves me more than bacon. I replied, again in Valentine card form that I love him more than cheesecake.

Valentine's day is all about saying what you feel, but sometimes words are not enough. Food ( and drink) come to the rescue as the ultimate way to express yourself.

A couple of weeks ago, on February 3, Diana and I released the third volume of the Art of Real Food recipe cards. We called them 100% aphrodisiacs, because the recipes we collected, invented and adapted, are all based on time proven arousing foods. We talked a lot about the power of good nutrition, but moreover about the power of good intention and how much sharing food really means. I would like to quote someone who said:

'' sharing food is the most intimate act you can perform with your clothes on''

and I hold this to be true in my own life. I feel like putting a ribbon around a home made cookie says more than '' I really care how you feel'' and making cheesecake for a friend the night before their birthday means more than '' I really like to be your friend''. Making food that glows, speaks, shines and flows, melts and invites the next bite is surely the way to a friend's or a lover's heart.

We discussed our menu ideas last night and decided to make an assortment of starters, cheese and some prosciutto, possibly crackers with olives and some amazing smoked mahi mahi we found at the farmers' market this weekend. We'll also make my favorite zabaglione sauce ( a wine and yolk custard sauce) to serve with fruit. I will try to take pictures and see how the dinner idea turns out. We were a bit split between champagne and wine...and shots...but as the day proceeds I am sure we will get even more overwhelmed with the options.

Until tonight, I offer you a recipe idea from our third book.

asparagus wrapped in prosciutto

We made asparagus with prosciutto which later Roland changed to asparagus with bacon, but we seem to like both. I feel like bacon takes a lot longer to cook, since it's richer in fat and thicker than prosciutto, but if you find a way to get it sliced real thin, it will probably work out very well.

asparagus wrapped in bacon

All you need to do for this recipe is find good looking asparagus and wrap one or two stalks, depending on how thick they are, in a long slice of meat. Place over a baking sheet or in a cast iron skillet in an oven heated to 400F (200 C) and cook for 8-10 minutes. Bacon, depending on the thickness, may take longer.

Enjoy responsibly, they go very fast, especially accompanied by some red wine. Our own recommendation would be Malbec for a deeper aftertaste or something light like Pinot Noir, if you would rather favor a more delicate experience.

Happy Vallentine

2011-02-14T11:43:00.000-08:00

Savory wild rice breakfast

2011-02-11T11:04:00.000-08:00

A year ago, Roland and I won a photo contest for the California Wild Rice Board. I don't know if you remember, but back then, we wrote extensively about how wild rice isn't really rice, but it's more like a seed. It's gathered by hand, hence it's a bit pricey, but the nutty texture and filling nature are totally worth it. We like it both sweet (as in the wild rice with pear and hazelnut milk recipe in the Art of Real Food, vol 2) and salty. This morning going wild rice made a basic and very satisfying breakfast.

It's a rule of thumb that when you cook with a few ingredients you need to make sure you get the highest quality possible. This way you can enjoy a mixture of simple tastes that really helps you celebrate food. This raw milk cheddar cheese I used and the avocado both tasted excellent on their own.

For this recipe (serves 1) you need:
1/4 cup wild rice
1/2 small avocado
1.5 oz mild cheddar cheese
pinch Himalayan salt

Wash the wild rice thoroughly and cover with 2 cups of water. Bring to boil and then lower the heat and cover. Boil for 45 to 60 minutes or until you see the seeds break a little. Drain and mix with the cubed cheese and avocado. Sprinkle with Himalayan salt and enjoy!

I bet you can add sun dried tomatoes or peppers to this and make it more like a lunch salad or even toss in some chicken for a complete lunch meal.

An Art of Real Food Style Omelet

2011-02-10T11:04:00.000-08:00

I haven't been blogging for a while. It would be a large understatement to say that I've been busy. Me and Diana released volume 2 and 3 of The Art of Real food and right after the official release of volume 3, I packed up and left on a trip to the US. Since then, I have been happily engaged, extremely jet lagged and more or less adjusting to the huge change.

I don't have many things I am used to having in the pantry here, and until I stock up, the recipes you will see coming are mostly of the what's-in-the-fridge-type. Yesterday morning I made the apple omelet featured in our first book, but made a few adjustments for ingredients we don't have yet and ones that I really enjoy and wanted to include.

So here it is, a folded apple and cream cheese omelet. Enjoy!

To make 1 omelet you need:

1 small apple
2 eggs
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp coconut flakes (unsweetened)
dash of cinnamon
4-5 almonds

Grate the apple, squeeze the excess liquid out (and yes you can drink the juice, its delicious). In a pan over medium heat, melt half the butter and cook the apple, coconut and cinnamon, until soft. In a bowl, mix the eggs with the cooked apple and coconut and stir. Return to the pan and cook on both sides in the remaining butter. When done, put the cream cheese and almonds inside, and fold. Cut in half. For a sweet tooth or a post workout meal, you can serve this breakfast with some honey.

Gently spiced sweet and salty cookies

2011-01-02T02:19:00.000-08:00

Remember our friends over at MARX FOODS?

A couple of months ago, they asked their fan bloggers to choose three ingredients and cook something with them.

I chose star anise , Madagascar vanilla and Demerara Sugar.

I love the shape and flavor of anise and vanilla gives a soft depth to dishes that nothing else can, sugar is rarely in my kitchen, but in small amounts, it blesses food with occasional sweetness and if used sensibly it can give you a lot of taste and enjoyment without adding anything extra to your waistline.

These cookies are an explosion of flavors, the first bite meets you with Himalayan salt and dark chocolate, and then butter, vanilla, anise and brown sugar melt on your tongue. The aftertaste is sweet and deep and you cannot eat too many of them, which is what I like best.

This recipe will make about 25 cookies.

You can keep it simple and skip the chocolate and salt and have your cookies plain or you can go the whole way and have a flavor feast.

Here is what you need for the dough:

1/2 cup butter, cold and cut in small cubes
1 1/4 cup flour (mix of rye and wheat)
2 egg yolks
1 tsp baking powder
4 tbsp Demerara sugar
12 anise seeds (take out from shells and grind)
1 inch vanilla (scrape out inside)
1 tsp fine Himalayan salt

to coat:
2 oz melted dark chocolate
Himalayan salt crystals

In a large bowl, combine the flour, spices, salt and baking powder. Mix well. Mix in the egg yolks and stir. You will have large flour crumbs as a result. Mix in the butter and use your fingers to combine everything well until you have a soft uniform dough. Place it in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 370 F (175 C).

To make the cookies, use a flat surface coated with flour. Roll out the dough and cut out 5 mm thick shapes. Bake on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Remove and cool off before coating with chocolate if you choose to do so. To coat with chocolate, dip each cookie in melted dark chocolate (melt over medium heat in a small pot immersed in boiling water or in a double boiler), then place on a sheet to dry and sprinkle Himalayan salt on top.

You can store the cookies in a cookie jar until someone sneaks them all out, and if they survive, probably for about a week. Place some star anise inside, to keep the wonderful flavor alive.

Meanwhile, head over to Marx and yes:

a few holiday season tips to keep the weight off and 3 cheese polenta recipe

2010-12-28T05:03:00.000-08:00

If you are like me, then the holiday season brings at least a week of visiting family and friends, endless conversations over coffee and cookies and wine and mezze.

Over a week of sleeping more, eating more, аnd working considerably less, most people feel like they've gained a few lbs. If you exercise regularly this is a good time for your body to recover and refuel for the hard workouts after the holidays, but if your goal is to keep your hard earned leanness all year round then maybe you would like to make use of some of my holiday season tips:

1. Sleep as much as you can. Sleeping a couple of hours more than your usual work week routine can easily curb your appetite. Not sure that this works? Remember the last time you went a few nights without sleeping preparing for an exam! Did you feel like attacking the cookie isle at your local store? Of course, sleeping more means you should think of hydration as soon as you wake up. Have a glass of water ready to meet that morning thirst after the long hours in bed.

2. Learn how to say ''No''. You will be offered cookies, wine, an extra serving of stuffing or more pie, almost every day of the holiday season. Learning to say ''no'' like you mean it, without being rude to your hosts is an art that can only be learned through practice. In rare cases you can even lie and say that you are allergic to something, just so your host backs off.

3. Skip the meals you can skip and enjoy the meals you want to enjoy. I love my breakfast when I am getting ready for a long day at the gym, packed with clients and heavy weights. When I am going to spend the day relaxing and reading and end it with a holiday feast with my family, breakfast is the last thing on my mind. Make an inventory of your holiday plans and see which meals you can skip to save calories for the meals you really want to enjoy.

4. Live an active holiday lifestyle. You know what I mean: spending at least an hour a day being physically active. Take a long walk, clean the back yard, shovel some snow (or cut some grass depending on where you are). In the best case scenario, do your planned workout in the gym and try to add an extra set or some more weight to the bar. There is no excuse for skipping workouts even if you don't have a gym, because a body weight routine is always possible.

5. Modify the holiday table. Most holiday recipes can be made healthier through giving up some of the sugar, a bit of the fat and adding more protein or whole grains and flours to it. This year, I volunteered to make the turkey, and used a lot less butter and olive oil than my grandma uses. Did anyone notice there were less calories in the stuffing? I don't think so.

I also made this easy and fast snack today, which made a great brunch alongside some picked vegetables. I am going to devote a whole post to the benefits of pickling, but for now, you can read about fermented foods, here.

3 cheese polenta

You can make your polenta in advance, by getting some corn meal and boiling it in water and adding just a bit of sea salt. A common corn meal to water ratio is 1:2, but read your package instructions carefully before you start. The best way to make polenta with no lumps is by pre-soaking the corn meal in cold water. Bring the rest of the water to a boil and slowly add the pre-soaked corn meal stirring until it thickens. You can then move the polenta in a container of desired shape. I used a large beer stein for the polenta below. Left overnight, it thickens and after it slides out of the container, the polenta can be easily cut in circles or squares and cooked in a pan or in the oven.

For this recipe (serves 4-5) I used:
10 polenta circles, 1/3 in thick
6 oz cheese (feta, smoked cheese, gouda)
1/2 oz butter
2-3 olives, cut
oregano to top

Heat oven to 400F (200C) and place polenta circles on a baking sheet. Use small pieces of butter to coat each circle. Place cheese on top of each piece of polenta. Finish by adding olives, small pieces of dried tomato or peppers and sprinkle dried oregano on top.

Christmas cookies and the date plum fruit

2010-12-25T07:44:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas! I hope today and the rest of the holiday days are filled with warmth, health and happiness!

What's Christmas without cookies? It's like Christmas without gifts or a Christmas tree! So here are some Art of Real Food style cookies, both healthy and delicious!

To make about 40 cookies, you would need at least 2 hours. You can start making the dough on day one and finish baking on day 2.

First, get your hands on some pretty shapes so you have hearts, trees, elk, stars or crescents for your cookies. Then, you are ready to start.

For the dough, you need:

3 cups flour (rye and spelt)
1 tsp Himalayan salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp grated ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tbsp ground cloves
1/2 tbsp nutmeg
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup honey (or molasses)
1 egg
1-2 tbsp sweet red wine or port
flour for rolling

Raw cookies, small before baking, but see after?

You can add nuts and raisins, too

Mix all dry ingredients together (flour and all dry spices, baking soda and salt) and set aside in a large bowl. On the stove, over medium heat, melt butter, grated ginger and honey (molasses). After they have melted thoroughly, start slowly whisking the liquid and the egg into the dry ingredients. In a while you will have sticky dough. Put that in the fridge for an hour or overnight.

After you take the dough out, take a small portion of it out (slightly bigger than a baseball) and put flour on it so it's completely covered. Rolling it out into a 4-5 mm thin sheet. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out and place on a baking sheet. Bake cookies in a 375F (180C) oven for about 20 minutes and store in a cookie jar.

If you like, you can add raisins, nuts or more spices to your cookies, but the better you make them, the faster you'll eat them, so watch out!

What about the date plum tree?

Seems like a great time of the year to find a new type of fruit. My father stumbled upon it at the market, where the guy who sold it to him called it a Caucasus date. Seems like it's more popular for breeding persimmons since the roots of that tree make it large and sturdy.

Anyways, it was meaty, sweet and delicious. I don't think there will be many recipes with it coming, since it seems to be pretty rare.

Tiny date plums (Кавказка хурма )

Тhat's the sweet date plum inside

Wishing you all the best this Christmas! Be happy and healthy!

Beat your cold with Masala Tea

2010-12-17T08:07:00.001-08:00

I remember how I fell in love with Masala Tea. Diana (my friend and partner in the Art of Real Food) and I took an Ayurveda cooking class and the smell of whatever drink the teacher was offering us during the classes kept us happy and enchanted the whole time. We found out later it's called Masala tea. It sounded magical, but the taste was a lot more than that. It's what the house smelled like at Christmas, it's what healthy and happy meant if they were a smell.

A mixture of spices that boil for a long time, Masala tea is anything but tea. I believe it's what I have heard Americans call ''chai'' which always makes me laugh, since ''chai'' in Bulgaria is any tea: the tea leaf, herbs that remind you of chicken soup, even spices and fruit that boil for a long time.

As we can see in the Wikipedia entry for Masala tea , spiced tea incorporates one or more of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, fennel, peppercorn and cloves. In the first volume of the Art of real food, we called it Himalayan tea and everyone swears that that's their favorite tea now.

When down with a cold, there are a few remedies that I call for help on: fresh citrus, especially lemons, honey, fish oil, chicken soup and Masala tea.

After the tea is gone :)

The best written recipe I have is by Roland, my best friend and partner in life, so here it is:

Masala Tea (or chai *)
6 cups water
1 cinnamon stick, broken up
5 thinly sliced circles of fresh ginger
5 cardamom pods
5 cloves
5 peppercorns
5 allspice seeds
1 cup milk
honey or stevia to taste

Heat the water to boiling in a saucepan, then reduce it to a high simmer. Crack open all the spices with a mortar and pestle. No need to grind, just crack them. You can crack the cinnamon stick in there, too. Live it up. Add the cinnamon through allspice to the simmering water, allowing it to simmer until the it's reduced by about half. Stir in the milk and sweetener, adjusting to desired sweetness. Heat through, strain into cups or a teapot and serve. There will be spices in the bottom, but that's part of the charm. Sip, don't gulp, and you'll be fine. Experiment. Adjust certain spices up or down, more or less milk, add or remove things. You can google it and find a million recipes, so you can't be wrong. Other good additions are: nutmeg (grated or ground) mace coriander seed (cracked) anise seed or star anise pods (cracked) vanilla bean (it's actually a good use for that one bean that you thought was too dried up to use) black or green tea (yes, you can actually put tea in the tea) various sugars vs the honey more milk (many do it 50/50 tea to milk) or maybe some half and half

Enjoy this as often as you can, but especially to beat the cold ;) Let me know how you boil your tea and what you like to add to it!

Winter sesame salad

2010-12-09T13:38:00.000-08:00

It's officially winter with it's beautiful winter veggies, their deep earthy flavor and the many options they provide. Most root veggies can be successfully slow roasted, made into chips, dips, sauces and soups. My personal favorite for the beginning of winter is colorful beets salad. Today, we are mixing it up a bit with a few unusual flavors that add a whole lot to it.

To serve 2 you need:
1 cup beets, grated
1/4 cup white radish (such as Daikon)
1/2 cup wild parsnip (for those of you reading in Bulgarian that is пъщърнак)
1/2 cup arugula
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp orange juice
1 tbsp sesame oil
1 tbsp sea salt

In a large bowl combine all veggies and stir. Prepare the sesame seeds by lightly tossing them on a dry pan over medium heat. Sprinkle on salad and dress with sesame oil, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and sea salt. Stir and let all sit for about 15 minutes before serving.

This salad would go very well with beef, but I had it with salmon. Still good? Awesome!

The beginning of winter

2010-12-01T12:05:00.000-08:00

...has been unusually warm. I just spent the weekend at my grandparents, where the garden abounds in beautiful vegetables and busy bees and bugs. The almond tree has started to blossom and some of the strawberries were coming out. I picked some wonderful Brussels sprouts and broccoli that I made into a stew so complicated, I will probably have to publish it on the weekend.

I have been driving a lot. It's been beautiful and green in contrast to the grey and boring months that will follow for these fields.

I had a birthday a few days ago and just received this amazing fruit basket. You may not recognize medlars in there, they are the tiny little pointy brown guys. They taste very tangy and sweet, kind of like a tamed brown persimmon, minus the sleek part. Thank you, Petya!

There is proof I had a birthday, if you can find it behind the flowers! Cheers to 31 and a beautiful fall season!

Happy Thanksgiving and a pumpkin salad

2010-11-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

While Thanksgiving is not a traditional holiday here in Bulgaria, I still get to virtually celebrate with all my friends in the US. This gives me more excuses to welcome pumpkin to the table and share a quick and easy recipe that you can have, while waiting for the turkey to roast.

Pumpkin is such a versatile vegetable, that you can use it in virtually all courses of a meal. Here it's a rich and comforting salad.

To serve 2 you need:
1 cup pumpkin, baked
1 ball mozzarella (fresh)
4 large black olives
4 sundried tomatoes
1 tbsp dried oregano
olive oil (1 tbsp)
cherry balsamic vinegar (1/2 tbsp)

To make, cut pumpkin and mozzarella in cubes, olives and tomato in strips. Toss and season with the olive oil. balsamic vinegar and oregano. Enjoy on its own or wrapped in a tortilla as a quick snack.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The easiest split pea soup

2010-11-19T21:12:00.000-08:00

Split peas are very filling and they make a nice comfort meal at the end of the day. Looking at their nutrition information, it's no shock that they provide fiber and b-vitamins, but they also carry a trace element called Molybdenum, which may be extremely potent in detoxifying the body from man made preservatives. At a bit over than 200 calories per cooked cup, there is little to not like, except maybe you still don't know what to do with them.

Here is a basic recipe that Roland suggested when I complained I don't know what to do with my split peas.

Serves 2:
1 1/3 cup split peas
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
3 cloves garlic
dash Himalayan salt

Bring the water to a boil and add the washed split peas. Boil for 45 minutes and then add the salt, bay leaf and garlic. Use whole cloves, just peeled. Boil for another 45 minutes or until peas start to get slightly mushy. Serve slightly cooled with a touch of butter on top. For a meaty version, just add cubed, well cooked bacon or beef. Enjoy!

Pumpkin cheesecake with almond crust

2010-11-13T15:41:00.000-08:00

It's pumpkin season and there is always some baked pumpkin in my fridge. I use it to make pumpkin soup, pumpkin hummus and pumpkin cookies, I use it as as a vegetable side, in other words, it gets used a lot. The last two cups of it went into a delicious cheesecake I shared with my friends, but I saved you a picture of a mini cheesecake I made on the side.

Here is the recipe for 10 pieces made in a pie dish:
2 cups pumpkin, cooked, drained
4 eggs, whole
10 oz reduced fat cream cheese
2 tbsp butter
1 cup almond meal
2 tbsp honey
2 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon

Heat the oven to 300 F. In a pan, melt the butter and mix with the nutmeg and almond meal. If you like the sweet taste you can add 1 tbsp of brown sugar here. Use the mixture to coat the bottom of the baking dish. In a bowl, mix the eggs, cream cheese, pumpkin, honey and cinnamon. I like to use a blender because it's fast and the texture becomes very smooth and even.

Pour the mixture into the baking dish and cook for 45 minutes. Wait for it to cool off and please enjoy responsibly. Don't be selfish and keep the whole thing to yourself!

Things on my mind

2010-10-22T14:55:00.000-07:00

It's one of those rare times in life when I have so much going on that the folder of pictures of all the great food I cook is just that: a folder. No worries though, it's sitting patiently in there, waiting for the day I will wake up with a morning's worth of time on my hands, and publish the recipes and photos. Before that, here are some things on my mind:

ABOUT DREAMS. Not the kind you have while you sleep, but the kind you have while you are awake. Since the launch of the Art of real food recipe cards, people have been constantly coming to me, telling me about this dream or that dream they had and how funny they feel when they see us with the ''book'' in our hands, already a reality. It takes some time to make dreams come true, is all I have to say to them, but if you put your heart into it and if you do the best you can and surround yourself with wonderful people who all believe in you, dreams do come true.

and then ABOUT CONSISTENCY. These last few months have all been about consistency: answering emails, making sure everyone's phone calls are returned, signing books, meeting new people and making new friendships, working hard on the new volume of recipe cards, looking for new inspiration, cooking, training, checking on client's progress. There hasn't been many days when I forgot something or someone and yes it has been quite tiring at times, albeit rewarding, so please remember that consistency brings results. One month of an effort on a project is nothing, one month of training for fat loss is nothing, one month of dieting is a good start but in the grand scheme of your body, it's nothing. Unless you give lasting change the time to positively manifest, your efforts will all amount to not much.

and then about SERENDIPITY. The dictionary says that the word pretty much means ''making fortunate discoveries while looking for something seemingly unrelated''. Me and Diana have had so much serendipitous occasions recently, I don't even know where to start, but suffice to say that when things happen in a way that enables you to act, two things are a fact: 1) you have something important to do 2) it's time to do it

and also about being SELFLESS. Maybe here is a good time to share that my wonderful half, Roland, is taking part in an amazing charity event. He is going to participate in a one hour kettlebell event, supporting the Children's Hospital of LA. To those of you who already donated something, I send my deepest thanks. To those of our friends who supported the Art of Real Food because of the Angelia Foundation, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Taking time out of your day to give is something truly amazing and something only the kind human heart is capable of.

So without further ramblings, my friends, I wish you to be fortunate enough to dream, be consistent to work for what you want, keep giving to others and look for those happy times when things are just easy to do. While rare, those times change your life.

Lemon thyme chicken with almonds

2010-09-27T13:13:00.001-07:00

....and garlic!

When time is limited, chicken breast comes to the rescue. You can cook it fully in less than an hour and you can make more than you need so you can take some to work the next day. What's not to like?

Chicken is extremely versatile, and I have shown you how to use fruit to cook chicken before. It's a great meat for someone who rarely cooks meats, because there is little that can go wrong.

For this recipe, I used:

2 medium chicken breasts
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp sour cream
2 tablespoons almonds
5-6 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
pinch sea salt
pinch lemon
a handful of thyme sprigs
sheet or parchment paper

To start, preheat the oven to 375 F. Carefully wash the chicken breast and rub the salt, pepper and lemon juice into it. In a deep casserole place half the thyme sprigs and place chicken breast on top. Cover with the rest of the sprigs and spread the almonds and cloves of garlic around the meat. Put butter on top. Cover everything with parchment paper. Place the sheet close to the chicken, so no heat can escape.

Cook for 45 minutes, uncover and spread sour cream on top. Return to oven and bake for another 15 minutes to get a nice crust and a rich creamy sauce.

You can serve with vegetables or with Mr Denzel's irresistible potatoes in case you had a really hard workout and that calls for some extra calories and carbohydrates.

Enjoy the deep lemon and thyme flavor of this meal and let me know how you liked it!

Two fast and easy soups

2010-09-18T15:41:00.000-07:00

There has been so much going on with The Art of Real Food recipe collection that I barely have time to prepare a normal meal. One of my close friends asked me how I manage to get good nutrition when there is barely time to sleep and I answered that I still cook, but I let the food cook itself.

Most recipes require some attention, but cream soups are a huge exception. Like slow roasted veggies, you can just let them cook and do what you need to do in the meantime.
Green olives and tomato soup

To make 4 generous servings of this soup, you need:

2 large tomatoes, peeled and cubed
2 large carrots, chopped
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup pitted green olives
1 cup cooked quinoa
4 cups water
pinch black pepper
pinch coriander
1 tbsp ghee or rice bran oil

In a large pot, combine the oil, chives and carrots and cook over medium heat until slightly soft. Add the tomatoes, olives, spices and water. The easiest way to peel a tomato is to soak it in hot water for 5 minutes and then the skin comes off easily. Cook for 20 minutes. Add quinoa, blend with an immersion blender and cook for 5 more minutes. You can serve with shredded cheese, crackers or a tbsp of sour cream.

Smooth pea & zucchini soup

To make 4 servings of this extremely smooth and delicious soup, you need:

2 cups zucchini, chopped
1 cup peas, frozen or fresh
2 tbsp green onions
3 oz feta cheese
3 cups water
1 cup milk
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp thyme

In a pot over medium heat, use the butter to cook the zucchini and onions until translucent. Add the peas, spices and water and cook for 20 more minutes. Add the milk at the end, blend with an immersion blender and serve with feta cheese. You can use oat crackers instead of croutons and make this a feast.

Let me know how YOU do soup!

The Art of Real Food

2010-09-10T15:43:00.000-07:00

I am thrilled, happy, proud and very excited to announce the publishing of our first collection of recipes. Diana and I are happy to present you with 25 artful, mindful and healthful recipes. The cards come in a cute box, and are an amazing gift.

We just presented the collection of cards at the Art Weekend we had last week, where we trained, ate great healthy food and learned art techniques like decoupage and stone painting.

The cards are the first of 15 sets that will all fit in a beautiful wooden box custom made and painted for the first edition. It was both a challenge and a very satisfying art adventure to decorate our own boxes and they ended up looking like pieces of real art!

Why buy a set of 25 cards? They are beautiful and bring on your desire to prepare healthy food even after a long day. I am not kidding when I say the pictures are mouth watering. The recipes are fast and easy and they require only natural ingredients you can easily find. If you are on a diet, don't worry, you can check the calories on the back. Looking to gain weight? Each recipe comes with advice how to increase calories, so you don't have to wonder anymore.

To read more about the cards, you can visit our website www.artofrealfood.com or our facebook page!

Sunday park workout

2010-09-01T16:06:00.001-07:00

My super client Milena and I went to the park this Sunday to work on some new moves and stretches and get a good training session in. Driving home, tired and happy, I was thinking of the benefits of training at the park.

1. You breathe fresh air. Those of us working in gyms know how great it feels breathing air that hasn't been circulating through pipes and filters. You share your breath with nature, not 100 guys and girls breathing hard in the same room. If there is wind, you are lucky, nature's AC is on.

2. You spend time in the sun. Bright light and colors improve mood, stimulate creative thinking and deepen concentration. You will also make some vitamin D in the process to stock up for winter.

3. You work with different training implements: you use your body weight, bars, swings, benches, kettlebells, bands, ropes, balls and rings, while the gym is usually limited to a few machines, bars, dumbbells or barbells. You may be lucky to have rings or TRXs at your gym, but honestly, are you using those in your workouts? Even just using a different pull up bar offers a whole new range of stimuli, from climbing up to get to it and get back down, to managing the thickness of the grip and the texture.

4. The park is no chore. Because it is less of a structured environment, training in the nearby park or out at the beach allows you to experience freedom and joy from moving your body in a way your familiar gym cannot offer. You don't have to go there, you want to go there and that makes a world of difference.

5. The park is crowd free and comes with its own running trails, you can lift, run, lift, run and then lift and run some more. It won't close down, there won't be people who want to use your kettlebells or curl in your squat rack. What is best, you can have a picnic with your friends after... you know training makes you hungry.

6. You don't have to be alone. Think about this...you can take your friends or family with you and train, while they are watching you or having another type of fun. I don't know that your local gym would welcome such a happy crowd. Is your dog lonely at home eating at your couch while you are at the gym? Bring him with you!

So far, you have learned that maybe it's not a bad idea to throw some bands and weights in the car and get to the park asap.

Once you are there, you can play around with favorite exercises or you can try our Sunday workout, as follows.

We chose 6 exercises, each done for 30 seconds with 10 seconds rest interval.

Kettlebell snatch - perform as many as you can per arm in 30 seconds
Take 10 seconds break and move on
Jump squats - do as many as you can as fast as you can for 30 seconds
Take 10 and move on to
Band presses - 30 seconds on
10 off
Chin ups - 30 seconds on
10 off
Band lunges - 30 seconds on
10 off
L-sit - 30 seconds on

Take a break until you feel recovered enough to move on to the next circuit. You can perform 2- 6 circuits depending on how advanced you are. I personally did 3 and Milena did 4.

Of course, you can use the park just to take a walk, stretch, do some deep breathing and just get your head together, but whatever you do, don't forget to pay it a visit at least once a week. It pays off!

Quick quinoa burgers

2010-08-06T10:39:00.001-07:00

The first time you try quinoa you will like it so much you will have it again the next day or...never have it again. Such is life, with the exception of chocolate most foods have lovers and haters. I have published other quinoa recipes before: 3 flavor quinoa, quinoa and green beans, quinoa with beans and bacon and tabbouleh salad with quinoa.

I happen to really like quinoa as it gives great satiety with very little calories to match and unlike pasta you don't feel like you need to have more and more if it. The texture is very light and the flavor is nutty, what's not to like?

My client Mary sent me a quinoa burger recipe weeks ago that I lost, so I made my own version that I hope you enjoy as much as I did.

Serves 2 generously

1 1/2 cups quinoa, boiled, drained
2 large carrots, grated
1 spring onion, chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup oat bran
1/2 cup grated cheese (jack, swiss, gouda or emental)
1 egg
1 tbsp cumin (ground)
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp rice oil or butter

Preheat the oven to 400 F (200C). Meanwhile in a pan, heat the oil and cook the chopped onion and carrot. When slightly soft, set aside and in a bowl, mix with the rest of the ingredients. Shape burgers and bake for 25 minutes on top of a baking sheet lightly sprayed with oil. Enjoy warm or cold (I prefer them cold) and make everyone jealous by taking some to work with you the next day. This recipe also packs an astonishing amount of fiber, around 7 grams per serving.

Does eating healthy burn calories?

2010-08-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

It's Wednesday today and I have just been back from the fruit and vegetables market that is 5 minutes walking from my apartment building. This is the second time I have been there today and I go there every day. If you make an effort to eat well, you know you don't go through the Garden drive-through where the fresh food fairy hands you a paper bag of groceries. It takes some planning, and some actual physical effort, to get your food.

As everything in life, getting your food may or may NOT burn calories. I have estimated that on a daily basis I average out with the following energy expenditure of getting food:

30 minutes of walking and carrying fruits and vegetables:
70 calories
10 minutes of cleaning, washing, peeling vegetables and fruits:
24 calories
20 minutes of cooking and cleaning:
66 calories
___________________________________________________
Total: 160 calories

This is a total of 160 calories a day only dedicated to the fresh produce. Then twice a week I have a regular drive to a supermarket where I can get fish, legumes, etc. On Sunday, I spend some time boiling the milk my friend Gery brings me from a farm, then I make cheese and yogurt from it (which is an average of 60 calories effort). This is cool, since Gery burns an extra 236 calories getting milk to some of her friends and family every Sunday.

Over the week the average energy cost of getting food is about 1120 calories for someone that weighs the same as me (around 120 lbs). Over three weeks this would be the average expenditure you need to kiss a lb of fat good bye. The heavier you are the more calories you will burn doing the same activities, and that means even more fat loss for you!

The above is a prime example of how much the food choices you make affect your lifestyle, your caloric expenditure and your caloric balance. Compare the above to stopping at the supermarket once a week and stocking up. Compare it to ordering in every night. Which gives you a better chance to stay fit for life? It's really only up to you.

Honeydew sorbet

2010-08-01T07:34:00.001-07:00

This summer inspiration came over dinner at Sage, my favorite place to eat in Sofia. The chef shared his melon sorbet recipe with me and his wife and a few days later I bring it to you with some minor modifications in the sugar content department. A quick Wikipedia search will show that sorbet is close to many other desserts, such as Italian Ice and Shaved Ice. I like to think of it as a healthy way to introduce cold freshness to your table without risking to break your carbohydrate or calorie budget for the day. It's also a great alternative for those intolerant to dairy (you can skip the mascarpone below and still have a great dessert).

To make 4 very generous servings, I used:

2 cups melon, cubed ( I used honeydew, but any kind will work)
2 cups water
2 tbsp honey
4 tbsp Mascarpone cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract

To make, heat up a little bit of the water just enough so you can dissolve the honey. Mix the rest of the water in and add the cheese and fruit pieces and vanilla extract. Blend on high and place in a bowl in the freezer. Two hours later, take out and blend again. Repeat in 2 more hours and you are ready with your sorbet. Before serving you may want to let it rest outside the freezer for 15 minutes so you can serve it easily.

You can do this with any fruit, peaches, strawberries, lemon and blackberries are my favorite!

Vacation

2010-07-29T07:58:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks were a well deserved break, an adventure and a much awaited trip with my wonderful Roland. It was his first time in Bulgaria and I had an ambitious schedule. We had an amazing time and looking back, this vacation had a lot of eat, love and train components, so here they are.

COOKING is something which to both me and my partner is a hobby, a passion and a celebration of life's variety and simplicity. We traveled quite a lot and stayed at hotels, so not much actual cooking happened, apart from a delicious raspberry cheesecake, which we coated with traditional vanilla cookies and topped with some raspberries from the local market. At the time it was complete, we were so late for our dinner party that we forgot to take pictures, but we have some from the actual making. It was a beautiful day and much of the vigorous stirring was happening on the balcony.

Cooking on the balcony is absolutely legal in Bulgaria

EATING OUT is how we got 99% of our food, and it was great that access to healthy and nutritious food is extremely easy in Sofia and around the country. Every place you go has a selection of fresh vegetables, meats, cheeses and even some more recent introductions to our cuisine, such as souffles and quiches. Unlike salads in North America and Western Europe, our local salads have less lettuce and greens and quite more tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and roasted veggies. They are very very filling.

Of course, on one of his first nights Roland was introduced to some of the more unusual ingredients on our menu, grossly referred to as spare parts. Offal is very nutritious, but it takes growing up with these meals to enjoy picking them out of a menu.

From left to right: lambs intestines, beef tongue and livers, pork and grilled veggies and a mixed salad with cheese and tzatziki

To soften the cultural impact, the next day I took him to one of our favorite city breakfast spots, the Salt & Sweet cookery, for some more familiar menu items. Being on vacation gives you the luxury of discussing the pros and cons of espresso over drip coffee. I think I heard the words: "it's too small'' and ''it's too cold'' over 100 times in 2 weeks. When you drink espresso, you pray that the barista has hot cups. When something is as small as 30-60 ml, its temperature takes a very short time to drop. Large Starbucks coffees take forever to drink and forever to cool off. They also take a completely different coffee culture to appreciate.

Lavazza coffee. Not cold yet. Hurry up.

It was a surprise to my special guest that there are no breakfast joints or specific breakfast rituals in Bulgaria. People like to make a small sandwich at home. Some of them have a coffee and a cigarette and that's just plenty. Some walk out on the street and pick up ''banitsa'' ( a cheese and egg filled phyllo pastry) and eat it on the go with a yogurt drink. The more corporate culture invaded Bulgaria, the less we developed breakfasts and the more we developed fast food. Since most banitsa you can buy on the street is not of amazing quality, some fancier places offer their own high praised and higher priced versions. Those are the next best thing you can have if you don't have a grandma to make you the real thing.

Banitsa in the background.
The bigger piece is delicious spinach quiche from Salt&Sweet Cookery.

TRAVELING in the country was breathtakingly beautiful. Save a hazardous storm that left our car dead on the highway on the way to the seaside, the trip was filled with beautiful nature sights, and many many sunflowers were there to watch the sun while we drove.

If you know anything about Bulgarian driving, it's sort of like a computer game, with many unusual potholes appearing out of nowhere. There are plenty of drivers that enjoy driving over the speed limit, so it's never boring to be on the road. Such survival games tend to make one hungry, so we were always happy to stop and have the local food.

Tarator, a cold yogurt soup

Foreigners flock to take pictures of our meat

We did some serious sightseeing with my parents and my dad kept disappearing in the bushes. Little did I know he was picking wild strawberries and we had such an amazing treat, right on top of a mountain.

Mmm. Strawberries.

The beauty of the countryside was beyond what I have seen during previous summers. Even unusual flowers for these geographic region were doing very well. There has been a lot of rain and while it brings horrible mosquitos it also allows everything to stay green and pretty even in July.

We don't see many lilies around here.

HIKING was both a challenge and a treat. We braved the 7 Rila Mountain Lakes, in my opinion the most breathtaking hike in the country. Once we were on top, one of the lakes was still frozen, a reminder that summer doesn't go very high up.

We also did a number of smaller hikes, finding waterfalls, beautiful views and huge ants and mosquites mostly everywhere we went.

THE SEASIDE was great. I love the sea and Roland is from California, so we were both impatient to touch the warm sand. The water was extremely warm compared to California and our beaches provide great fun. Some of the most dedicated and hard training individuals I know live in Varna and we were so happy to see them and train with them!

Behind me is all of Varna's Crossfit, Milena and Victor

Rainy day at the beach

Talking of TRAINING, we had a remarkable training session with my dad, who turned out to be extremely strong and who claimed our kettlebells were ''too small''

Roland watching dad's one arm pull up/lever

THE END of our vacation was extremely romantic as we ended up celebrating the wedding of Petya and Petar. Congratulations, you are a truly inspiring couple and the wedding was beautiful!

Back in Sofia, it feels like the last few weeks were only a couple of days and I miss Roland terribly, but if vacations lasted forever, who would cook all the great meals in my kitchen?

Summer chickpea soup

2010-07-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

I come from a culture where cold soups are an absolute summer favorite, and while recipes like melon soup are a new thing, we are in love with yogurt and cucumber soup ('tarator') and classic Gaspacho soup.

This recipe is inspired by lack of time and a very hot afternoon, and for those of you who don't like spearmint, you could easily use parsley or cilantro to spice the soup up.

To serve two you need:

2 cups chickpeas, cooked or canned, drained
2 cups plain full fat yogurt
1 cup water
Pinch sea salt
Pinch black or white pepper
3 tbsp spearmint leaves, fresh, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil

Place all ingredients, but the olive oil in a blender and blend until smooth. After serving, pour a tablespoon of olive oil over the soup and serve immediately. You could make more and store it in the fridge, but make sure you stir it well before serving. Feel free to add a clove of crushed garlic in the blender if you are in a more adventurous mood.

SRT2C omelet

2010-07-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

Oregano blossomed this week

This is just short for Slow Roasted Tomato and Two Cheese omelet. As much as most people love slow roasted tomatoes, for the smoky flavor, the texture, the sweetness and the savoriness, this omelet will always be a summer winner.

I make a lot of slow roasted tomatoes every couple of weeks, and keep some of them in a jar packed tightly with olive oil. This way they can go inside an omelet or sauce or even soup really fast.

To make this quick recipe for 1, you need:

2 large free range eggs
1 tbsp rice oil/ghee/butter
2 slow roasted tomatoes
1 oz Emental cheese
1 oz cream cheese

Heat a pan over medium heat and warm up the oil. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs very lightly, so the yolk and white have not blended completely. This will not let your omelet go flat. Pour the eggs in the pan and cook until golden brown.

As soon as you turn or flip the omelet with one acrobatic move, you can place the tomatoes and cheese over half of it, then fold it over and serve. Something is telling me that serving it with guacamole or avocados and tomatoes spices up with green onion and Tabasco sauce would be amazing, but I was too hungry to let my ideas delay lunch.

Bon apetit!

Mind and Body Vacation II

2010-06-27T10:57:00.000-07:00

In my previous post I told you about the yearly Mind & body vacation. A month later, I am looking at the pictures and I am admiring how bravely our wonderful participants surrendered to diet, training, hiking, practical stress games, and active learning on a daily basis.

Looking back at this vacation, and following up with everyone's results, I can say we've had better overall progress than any other year. We could take some of the rules, habits and behaviors of the vacation and adapt them to everyday city life. Why not?

Eat healthy, nutritious food, prepared with care

If you ask one of the participants to tell you what the food was like, they would say:
'' We had eggs, fish, meat, cheese, yogurt, butter, olive oil, honey, fruits and vegetables. They were prepared in such versatile ways that you could never get tired of them. We only used sea salt and we drank lots of water. Coffee was white or black, no sugar, thank you. We supplemented with omega 3s. Most of all, we ate in great company. We did that that three times a day. There was no white bread, no cookies, but we did have some dark chocolate. As for alcohol, we were allowed a drink a day, preferably a glass of wine. We all liked that. "

Start you day with activity

We started each day with a moderately hard workout. We started with yoga, then worked on posture and alignment, body weight movements, free weight exercises and lots of partner resisted exercises. We walked, hill trained, jogged and did interval work for finishers. It took anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes. Back in the city, most of my clients who train during the day, shared that they have added yoga to their morning routines at home, because they loved how they energized they felt after some morning exercise and they also found it easier to comply with their diet if they did something in the morning. Whether it's 10 or 60 minutes, starting your day with activity sets the tone for healthier behaviors later during the day. If your glutes are still burning from the hill sprints you did in the morning, it's very doubtful you will reach for a chocolate bar after lunch.

Learn something new every day

The lectures and stress games during the vacation allowed all participants to organize their knowledge of topics like nutrition, training, healthy food preparation, stress and time management. There were concepts they had never heard of, new rules they adopted, old habits they had to leave behind, and all due to lectures and seminars that challenged the old and introduced the new and exciting. Back in the city, some of our participants shared they now read more health columns and went to new areas of the grocery stores to explore and find new foods. They met local farmers, created new connections. If you learn something new about achieving your goal every day, you will get there. If you don't, you will keep doing the same old thing and if that's working for you, then fine, if it's not, read above.

Work hard, play harder

There was time for serious workouts, hikes with challenging paths, lectures that racked your brain, stress practices that brought out our best efforts, but we laughed hard when we could, we spent time in the sun, we soaked in the pool, took afternoon naps and rested as much as we could during our time off. Back in the city, most of us have been able to keep with the balance. There is certainly merit in finding a way to balance your schedule around taking care of yourself, spending fun time with family and friends and finding time for recuperation, whether it's sleep, massage, or just being quiet for a while. Often, clients come to me and say they are too busy to have fun or to rest. I come back with the same answer: sooner or later your body will stop being patient with you and if you start to pay attention to how much happiness you fit in your schedule and how much rest time you fit in your schedule, you can make your busy times more productive. There is no way you can push your body with training, work, responsibilities and diet and not award it with the rest and fun it deserves.

Approach weight loss positively

Some of the people that come to me for help say things like " I hate my body'' or ''Look at these legs, there is no definition'' or " I am so frustrated with my belly. What's wrong?'' or ''I won't get married until I lose weight.'' While these complaints may sometimes be valid (it's very hard to imagine someone who is 300 lbs not needing to lose the belly fat), the person approaching appearance from that angle wants to get rid of something that they are not comfortable with, that they do not accept and embrace. What if that same person said something like:'' I would love to lose weight so I can run better and enjoy running with my husband'' or ''I would love to weigh less, so I can be happy to take my clothes off at the beach'' or ''I would like to celebrate how healthy and vibrant I can feel with a few pounds less''. When you approach weight loss from an empowering angle, rather than the angle of anger, frustration and guilt, you allow yourself to associate your goal with a happy ending. Make weight loss something you do with friends, laugh it off, play it like it's a game. Taking things too seriously and focusing on the negative only leads to weight gain and regain. Trust me, I have seen it and I am sure you have too. Optimal weight can be maintained, but only when you can maintain optimal spirits.

To wrap it up, take what you can from the vacation, whether you attended or not and design your own vacation. It can be a day, a week, or a month. If you have a goal that you haven't reached, take a vacation from the lifestyle that does not support your goals and start achieving them, one habit at a time. There is nothing stopping you from adopting the Mind and body vacation habits and making them work for you.

Zucchini burgers

2010-06-21T12:34:00.001-07:00

I promised my friend and client Mary, who manages to please her whole family with wonderfully prepared healthy food, to start publishing my recipes for veggie burgers. Now that zucchini and eggplant are in season, versions of veggie burgers will appear on my blog a lot more often.

I made today's zucchini burgers modifying the traditional Bulgarian recipe. I used organic oat crackers instead of flour and baked the burgers, instead of frying them. With those two modifications, they were delicious and diet friendly.

Now, to the recipe.

Makes 8 medium zucchini burgers:

2 cups zucchini, grated
1 tbsp dill weed, chopped
1 tbsp parsley, chopped
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp olive oil
2 eggs
6 medium oat crackers
4 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

Heat the oven to 400F (200 C). In the meantime, grate the zucchini and sprinkle the salt on top. Allow them to rest for 5 minutes and then squeeze off the excess fluid. Zucchini can be very juicy and make your burgers impossible to stick together unless you do this. In a food processor, grind the oat crackers finely. Next, use a large bowl to combine all ingredients, the zucchini, oat crackers, cheese, herbs and eggs. Mix well with olive oil.

Coat a baking pan with some rice or olive oil and shape burgers out of the mixture. Make 7-8 medium sized ones and bake for 30 minutes. Serve with Greek yogurt and dill weed on top. If you are feeling adventurous, save some for work tomorrow, they are easily transported and well coupled with a few cherry tomatoes for a quick and nutritious lunch.

Healthful decadence

2010-06-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

I had my wonderful friend Gery over for dinner last night. We both like simple food that's rich in flavors of its own, and we like to indulge in greater variety after training hard at the gym. Having a nutritious meal post training is vital to recovery and this is the best time to place a larger amount of your daily calories.

Let me introduce you to some of the recipes I played with for that enjoyable evening.

Homemade fresh cheese with herbs

Shaping the cheese like a log makes presentation easy and nice!

You prepare this cheese this similar to paneer or ricotta. Here is what you need:

1 gallon milk (full fat, in my case, from a local farm)
4 lemons, juiced
tablespoon salt
2 cups yogurt

Boil the milk and while still warm, add the lemon juice, the yogurt and the salt. Let it rest for a while, until you see the whey separating from the curd. Place the mixture in a strainer lined with cheese cloth and let the whey drain overnight. In the morning, or in 8-10 hours, you will have cheese that you can shape into a log. I rolled my cheese log in dried oregano, fresh oregano, fresh thyme and sun dried tomatoes. To prepare the dry mix for rolling, all I did was to combine the herbs and the tomatoes in a blender.

Piece of herbed cheese over slow roasted tomato and topped with simple olive/basil pesto

Mini casseroles with slow roasted tomato sauce

To make traditional lasagna or casserole would result in two issues: you always end up wanting to have a second serving and it's hard not to overeat on it. Making mini casseroles in muffin pans allows for better presentation and easier portion control.

For 12 mini casseroles, you need:

2 cups quinoa pasta, cooked
1 cup slow roasted tomato sauce (just blend the slow roasted tomatoes with a touch of black pepper)
1 cup grated cheese (Swiss is best)

Slow roasted tomato, quinoa pasta and melted cheese on top

Place quinoa pasta at the bottom, cover with a tablespoon of tomato sauce and then top with cheese. Bake in a medium heated oven for 10 minutes or until all cheese has melted and turned golden. Serve with pesto sauce.

We really liked the casseroles and we actually used the leftover ones to take to work the next day. They taste really good cold, too.

Gery seemed to like the cherry on top of my Baked Cherries Vanilla Cream

What is dinner with a friend without dessert? Earlier in the week, I decided to bake some cherries. All you do is take the cherries, place in a small baking pan, add 1-2 tbsp of water, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar and you bake for 30 minutes stirring occasionally. Once out of the oven and cooled off, you can take the pits out after smashing the cherries with a fork. The tasty, caramelized aromatic meat is what I used in this

Baked Cherries Vanilla Cream

To feed two dessert connoisseurs, you need:

1/2 cup baked cherries with the juice reduction from baking
1 cup Mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup Philadelphia cheese
1/6 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp dried cherries
1 tsp vanilla extract

Prepare two bowls. In one, place 3/4 cup of the Mascarpone cheese and all of the Philadelphia. Add the baked cherries, saving 4 for the bottoms of the bowls. Mix well, preferably with an immersion blender. Set aside and mix the remaining 1/4 cup Mascarpone with the heavy cream, vanilla extract and dried cherries. Start filling the bowls, putting 2 baked cherries on the bottom, continuing with the pink cream and topping with the white cream. Use the remaining reduction juice from baking the cherries to drizzle on top. Enjoy responsibly as it may lead to overindulgence.

Dinner with friends make friendship last longer if you share not only stories, but also healthy, nutritious food. Let me know how you do it!

Macadamia pesto

2010-06-12T07:30:00.000-07:00

Do you remember my Black Olive Pesto? Maybe you have already tried the Red Pesto, or maybe that old recipe for Basic Pesto. It's Saturday, and the whole kitchen smells like it's pesto day. I went for a walk in the morning, and after the park, I visited the farmer's market. I bought 3 different kinds of basil: sweet, Genovese and red basil. Two of them were blossomed, and very aromatic.

The loot from the market, basil and fresh garlic

I chose to make Macadamia pesto today, since I have been avoiding pine nuts, because of a few unfortunate incidents with pine mouth and I needed an alternative nut. Macadamias have an excellent texture for pesto and they yield a deep and exotic flavor. I also chose to use all different kinds of pesto to create a more spicy version of it. Red basil is generally hotter than the other types, so I used a 1:3 ratio of red to green.

My baby basil plants

I have been growing basil for a couple of months now. I started from seeds and it was a very cold spring, so they took a while to start growing. I am hoping by the end of the month I will show you larger plants worthy of making pesto.

To make the macadamia pesto, you need:

1 1/2 cups basil leaves
3 cups water
1 cup macadamia nuts
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 cup olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic
2 oz goat feta cheese

Fresh garlic may be hard to get, but it's worth it. It lacks most of the aftertaste and has the full range of aroma.

Place the 3 cups of water in a pot and bring it to a boil. Meanwhile, clean the leaves off the basil stalks and add to the boiling water for 30 seconds. This will preserve the color of your pesto. Remove the leaves and squeeze the liquid out of them. In a blender, mix the leaves, olive oil, crushed garlic, chopped macadamias, salt and feta cheese. Blend until smooth and then transfer the pesto in a jar to keep in the fridge. If you feel that you are too tempted by it (it may be great for you, but it still has approximately 100 calories per tbsp) you can freeze portions of it and only use them as you need.

If you are waiting for guests, you can serve the pesto with tortillas, raw veggies, over whole grain or quinoa pasta, you can even make it into a salad dressing diluting it with some vinegar and olive oil, or water and olive oil. Liquid cream would also work very well to make salad dressing. If you are feeling lazy, you can always just use it on top of bruschetti that everyone will love.

I made two jars of it and since I know it's far too tempting to keep it at home, I am taking a jar to a friend. Pesto makes an appreciated gift!

Cherry Cardamom Yogurt

2010-06-07T11:51:00.000-07:00

Cherries and cardamom are a couple made in heaven. When I think of new ways to have my yogurt my mind searches through the libraries of spices, tastes and textures, stored in my head from trips, talks, movies, books...

There is something deep to the sweetness of cherries and it can easily be transferred onto the plain tangy nature of Greek yogurt. Cardamom adds the exotic note here and peeled almonds add even more coolness for an afternoon summer snack.

If you have never peeled almonds, all you need to do is soak them in hot water and the skin will come off easily in a few minutes. You can then use them for decoration or add them to recipes. Moms may like to know that almonds prepared in this way are linked to more breast milk production.

To make 1 large or 2 smaller servings cherry yogurt you need:

1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup cherries, pitted
8-10 peeled almonds
2 cardamom pods, crushed

Blend all in a blender or chopper and place in one large or two smaller bowls. Store in the fridge till you need a refreshing snack. If you choose to add water or coconut milk to this creamy yogurt, you will get a delightful shake!

Minty strawberry yogurt

2010-06-05T08:47:00.000-07:00

What Americans call Greek yogurt and Bulgarians call strained yogurt is thicker yogurt minus the watery whey. Strain it a tad longer and you have yogurt cheese you can spread, or even something that can pass for sour cream if you are out and you pretend it's the real deal.

I like Greek yogurt, especially the ones that are medium fat, because you can get as much protein as you can from cottage cheese and still use it as a base for a sweet snack. In today's Saturday afternoon snack, I used:

1 cup Greek yogurt
1/2 cup strawberries
1 tbsp cranberries, dried
1 tbsp cream
1 ml vanilla extract
6 mint leaves
green leaves and half a strawberry for decoration

Blend the strawberries, yogurt, cranberries, mint leaves and vanilla extract. You could use any dried fruit to add sweetness, but red colored would be best. If you like your snacks even sweeter, feel free to add 1/2 small packet of Stevia. After blending well, transfer to a bowl, pour the cream on top to add a nice decorative touch and place strawberry and mint or other green leaves on top. Enjoy on a warm afternoon, since the combined cooling effect of yogurt and mint will leave you shivering on a rainy day.

Happy Saturday :)

Asparagus salad or asparagus soup?

2010-06-04T13:03:00.000-07:00

Asparagus is very versatile, you can do just about anything with it. Eat it raw, peeling the harder outside if the stalks are thicker. Eat it grilled, stir fried, slow roasted...wrapped in bacon...

I love to make cream soups using asparagus, I also love tossing it cooked on top of salads. Today I made both soup and salad so I present you both and you can choose which one to make for yourself.

Warm Asparagus, Mango and Goat cheese salad

Serves two:

2 cups lettuce leaves
5 pieces of asparagus, cut in 4-5 parts
1 small mango, cut in thick strips
1 tbsp clarified butter (ghee)
1.5 oz fine goat feta (you could use Cotija cheese for the texture)

Place lettuce leaves on the bottom of the salad bowl. Melt the ghee and cook the asparagus and mango together until slightly browned. Set aside to cool of until lightly warm, then place on top of the lettuce leaves and sprinkle with the cheese.

Fast Cream of Asparagus Soup

Serves two, twice

8 pieces of asparagus, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 cup heavy cream
handful of nuts (cashews, hazelnuts)
2 carrots, chopped
handful quinoa pasta
salt to taste
pepper to taste
4 cups of water

Bring water to boil with the vegetables and the quinoa pasta. Let them cook for 10 minutes and add the heavy cream and nuts, salt and pepper. Blend well with an immersion blender and cook for another 5 minutes. If you need extra calories cook some more chopped asparagus in ghee and pour on top before serving.

Let me know how it worked for you, the salad for me was less filling than the soup, but definitely more enjoyable.

p.s. Did you know that there are people deficient in the gene that allows the funny smell of asparagus on the way out? I personally believe such deficiency is very handy!

Mind and Body what?

2010-05-21T12:55:00.000-07:00

If you try to call me next week, please leave a voice mail. Me and my wonderful friend and partner Elza, who happens to be a brilliant therapist, are leaving on a one week Мind and body vacation.

In some form or another, back when I owned a personal training studio, we always did these in spring. It was a nice way to get out of the city, get active and teach people how to eat healthily and spend quality time moving.

I did it by myself last year and while it turned out amazing, I really jumped at the idea to add stress relief therapy and body oriented therapy to the daily schedule. Tomorrow morning, I am leaving for one week of amazing healthy meals, workouts in nature, beautiful hikes and stress therapy. We expect to do heavy rope and band training, run sprints, compete in games, climb paths and see waterfalls, do some local sightseeing, and experiment with out minds and bodies.

I have ordered free range eggs, unpasteurized milk and fresh fruits and veggies from the nearby villages, and our hosts will do our bests to cook nutritious meals for us three times a day. We hope for great weather! I will definitely be teasing you all with pictures from the adventures! I will also be sharing the menus and cooking ideas both on here and on the facebook page! Come with us next time!

Read more about what happened at the vacation, here!