Live Healthy NYC: Great Salads

Live Healthy NYC: Great Salads: The other nite we went to a friend’s house for a dinner party and she asked if I would make a salad. Not only do I like to eat salad...

Great Salads

The other nite we went to a friend’s house for a dinner party and she asked if I would make a salad. Not only do I like to eat salads (I really love all of the fresh veggies that go into a salad) but I love to make a salad. We hardly ever have a meal that doesn’t include a salad of some type.

I have 5 special and easy salads that you can easily prepare in under 10 minutes, serve as a side or by itself as meal:

THE KITCHEN SINK SALAD (My own creative version)

This is a “throw everything in the bowl” salad.

Ingredients:

Fresh spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, shredded carrots, sliced beets, raw mushrooms, edamame, garbanzo beans, avocado, feta cheese, black olives, hearts of palm, roasted butternut squash, medjool date. Toss with dressing and enjoy!

Dressing: 1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1-2 tablespoons raw honey

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

salt and pepper, to taste

MEDITERRANEAN QUINOA SALAD (as adapted from Foodiecrush.com)

Ingredients:

1½ cup dry quinoa

½ teaspoon kosher salt

½ cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2 garlic cloves, pressed

½ teaspoon dry basil, minced

½ teaspoon dried thyme, crushed between your fingers

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3 cups arugula

1 15 ounce can garbanzo beans, drained

⅓ cup roasted red bell pepper, drained and chopped

⅓ cup pitted kalamata olives, sliced

⅓ cup crumbled feta cheese

¼ cup basil, thinly slivered

Instructions:

Cook the quinoa according to package directions with ½ teaspoon salt added to the water. Cool completely.

Mix the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, pressed garlic, basil and thyme. Whisk until well combined. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper and set aside. To a large serving bowl, add the quinoa, arugula, garbanzo beans, red bell pepper, kalamata olives and feta cheese.

Drizzle with the dressing and garnish with basil. Season to taste. Serve at room temperature.

THE DETOX SALAD (Adapted from Oh She Glows)

Ingredients:

2 heads broccoli (1 bunch), stems removed

1 head cauliflower, stems removed

2.5 cups shredded carrots

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1 cup currants

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1/2 cup raisins

4-6 tbsp fresh lemon juice, to taste

kosher salt, pepper to taste (1/4-1/2 tsp salt and lots of pepper)

kelp granules or Herbamare (optional), to taste

Pure maple syrup, to drizzle on before serving

Preparation:

1. In a food processor (or chop by hand) process the broccoli (no stems) until fine. Add into large bowl.

2. Now process the cauliflower (no stems) until fine and add into bowl. Do the same with the carrots.

3. Stir in the sunflower seeds, currants, raisins, and parsley. Add lemon juice and seasonings to taste.

4. Drizzle with maple syrup to taste.

KALE SALAD WITH STRAWBERRIES, AVOCADO, ALMONDS AND FETA (Adapted from Two Peas and Their Pod)

For the salad:

4 cups chopped kale, stems removed (Trader Joe’s sells already pre-bag and already chopped)

Pinch of sea salt

1 cup sliced strawberries

1 avocado, chopped

1/3 cup sliced almonds

1/4 cup feta cheese

For the Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing:

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon honey

1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preparation:

1. Put the kale in a large bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt over the kale and massage the leaves with your hands until the leaves are darker in color and tender.

2. Add the strawberries, avocado, almonds, and feta cheese. Toss gently.

3. In a small jar, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, honey, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper. Shake until mixed well.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat. Serve.

STEAK SALAD WITH SNAP PEAS (Adaped from Martha Stewart)

Ingredients:

1 pound skirt steak, halved

Coarse salt and ground pepper

8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and halved

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

1 head red-leaf lettuce, torn

8 radishes, trimmed and quartered

3 carrots, sliced with a peeler

Directions:

Heat broiler, with rack 4 inches from heat. Place steak on a foil-lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper. Broil until medium-rare, 4 to 8 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board; tent with foil.

Set a steamer basket in a saucepan with 1 inch simmering water. Add snap peas, cover, and steam until bright green, 2 to 3 minutes. Rinse with cold water and pat dry.

Slice steak. Whisk together oil, vinegar, mustard, and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Toss lettuce with half of dressing. Top with steak, snap peas, radishes, and carrots. Drizzle with remaining dressing.

Do you have a favorite salad that you like to make? I would love to hear from you! Please share with me at Rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Live Healthy NYC: Fruit is good!!!

Live Healthy NYC: Fruit is good!!!: I love fast food! No, I didn’t hit my head. I am talking about FRUIT! I love fruit. Apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, mang...

Fruit is good!!!

I love fast food! No, I didn’t hit my head. I am talking about FRUIT!

I love fruit. Apples, pears, oranges, grapefruit, kiwi, mango, bananas, pineapple, lychee, passion fruit, papaya, grapes, cherries, the list is endless!

Think about it, fruit is one of nature’s “fast foods”. It’s convenient, portable and easy to prepare, and so much better for you than a big mac or a slice of pizza.

Recently, while working with a client, we were putting a list of snacks that she could eat mid day. When I suggested different types of fruit, she looked at me like a “deer caught in the headlights”. She had heard that fruits were bad and if she ate fruits she would gain weight. Oh wow, I thought. I have to demystify this fast or she would miss out on a very tasty, satisfying and important food group.

Here’s what I told her:

1. FRUITS COME FROM PLANTS. They are real (not processed), whole foods and people have been eating fruits for a very long time!
2. EATING FRUIT IS NOT THE SAME AS EATING A CANDY BAR. Fructose (sugar) is harmful in large amounts (ie: candy bars, soda, white table sugar) and it is impossible to overeat fructose by eating fruit.
3. FRUIT HAS FIBER, VITAMINS AND MINERALS AND WATER. Fruits (like an apple or an orange for example) are loaded with fiber, takes a while to eat and digest and so the fructose hits the liver slowly. Your body can take care of this “sugar” and it will not have disastrous consequences.
4. PEOPLE WHO EAT FRUITS HAVE A LOWER RISK OF MANY DISEASES. People who eat more fruits are going to be more health conscious overall. They typically have a lower risk of serious diseases like heart disease, stroke and type II diabetes.
5. STAY AWAY FROM DRIED FRUIT AND FRUIT JUICE. Dried fruit (loaded with sugar and easy to eat more than you should) and juices are not as healthy as you may think. Many juices are mixed with water, some concentrate and a whole bunch of added sugar. When you blend a fruit to make a smoothie, chances are you are eating many more pieces of fruit for the serving, not getting the fiber because it is strained out and you don’t get the chewing resistance to slow down consumption.

So, what’s the bottom line?

FRUITS ARE HEALTHY! They are the default “health foods”. EAT FRUIT INSTEAD OF JUNK FOOD. This should seem obvious to losing weight. Eating fruit rather than candy should lead to an automatic reduction in weight loss. There are many health benefits for eating fruit, nature’s candy!

What’s your favorite type of fruit? I would love to hear! Email me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com and I will tell you more about why you should eat fruit and how to lose weight.

What's for dinner mom?!?

I love to make dinner for my family.  Cooking dinner is my "downtime"and I use the time to be creative in what I am making for my crew. I try my best to cook at least 5 nights (guaranteeing a healthy home cooked meal for all)  and 2 nights the kids get to order in (gotta love NYC and the many delivery options available!).

This is a time that is very therapeutic as I prepare dinner. I reflect on the day that I had and look forward to hearing about how the day was for my teenage kids and my husband. I think this sounds like I am living in a Norman Rockwell painting while really there is a part of this planning that I want to tear my hair out! Here's what I mean- my son doesn't want anything that looks like chicken as that's all he eats at school for lunch. My daughter is easy except  she has boycotted salmon, burgers and pork (this is because she prefers the way I make it on the grill and since we live in NYC there is only the stove with a grill pan, and it's not the same!). So, really she's not easy! And my husband, well he is happy to have a meal made for him when he arrives home late from work (except he is trying to lose weight so I have to nail down the treats that are for my kids!). Figuring out what's for dinner isn't a piece of cake (I bet if I served cake for dinner, they would love it! Lol!).

I know that I am not alone in my distress of what to make for dinner! Cooking dinner after a long day is something a lot of people don't look forward to, so they end up eating unhealthy take out food or they throw something in the microwave just to get dinner over and done with.

Recently I spoke to a group of women and shared some secrets for getting through "what to make for dinner time". Here are some tips:

1) KEEP IT SIMPLE

I try to keep the total prep and cook time to 45 min or less. It's ok to buy veggies already pre-cut as it cuts down on time (no pun intended!). As well, another time saver is if you are using chicken or meat and you want it to be cut into smaller pieces, I would ask the butcher to cut it for you. One pot meals are great ideas. A great slow cooker recipes stash and a crockpot will solve the dinner dilemma. Try a vegetarian lasagna. It's healthy and easy.

2) OPPOSITE DAY

I love this! Having breakfast for dinner. Kids think this is the ultimate treat! Bagels and lox and scrambled eggs, a healthy baked french toast or a healthy veggie casserole.

3) ASK YOUR FAMILY WHAT THEY WOULD LIKE

I am not saying to leave dinner entirely up to your kids, but sometimes they have good ideas. When your child gets to have a certain night to pick the meal (or a part of the meal) they are more likely to be excited about dinner and eat their food. It can be especially helpful to allow your child to pick a vegetable and/or the fruit dish. Give them a choice from the selection you currently have - ask them if they would like to have grapes, a banana or apple slices with dinner. By involving them in the meal choices, they are learning about picking a healthy option, making a decision, and they will be more interested in sitting down to enjoy their big kid choice. BBQ chicken and tacos are meals that my family asks for (and they are easy meals to make!).

I would love to hear from you about what your having for dinner and I would love to give you healthy ideas.

Contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Live Healthy NYC: Valentine's Day is coming- treat yourself!

Live Healthy NYC: Valentine's Day is coming- treat yourself!: Know thyself, Love thyself. Be your best self. Make this Valentine’s Day about you. Don’t wait for someone to shower you with wine a...

Valentine's Day is coming- treat yourself!

Know thyself, Love thyself. Be your best self. Make this Valentine’s Day about you.

Don’t wait for someone to shower you with wine and flowers and sparkly gifts- treat yourself to a special healthy and glam day!  And you don’t have to blow the bank to do it.

Here are some ideas:

1)Linger in bed a bit longer!

For many of us this is indeed a luxury! Don’t stress about your typical morning schedule, it’s the weekend! Catching some extra zzz’s is as important to your health, well-being and weight loss as is exercise.

2) Exercise

Take a class (yoga, spin, barre, kick box are some ideas),  go for a walk or run outside (if the weather permits), or hit the weights at the gym. And, if you can’t get out of your house (maybe that’s a good thing, wink wink), try an at home exercise routine (I found one from popsugar fitness that is great). 

    3) Write a love note

This heart holiday, write your own personal card rather than buying a store bought card. Let someone you care about know how you feel. Spill your guts. Be mushy. Sharing your love makes you feel lovable and lets others know how you feel! You get what you give! 

    4) Treat yourself to a treat that’s sweet

Before this day turns into a sugar feast why not make yourself a healthy treat that you can feel good about. I love anything chocolate and this is a great dessert that you can have without feeling too guilty. I warn you, it’s not entirely low fat and so you should know that while it’s made with egg whites and fat-free milk, it shouldn’t been eaten the same way you drink h2o! I found this recipe and I suggest you give it a try! 

    5) Pamper yourself

Do whatever makes you feel good. There are a number of do it yourself options like an at home healthy facial or your own spa mani/pedi. Or you could go out for a professional massage or nail treatment near your home. And men can go for a professional shave for an added dose of relaxation. Other ways to pamper yourself : going to a movie in the middle of the day can be a luxury- so why not go see what’s on the big screen before the Oscars are awarded. A day at the museum can also be a treat, so why not spend time walking around and viewing an art show. And lastly, if you don’t want to leave your home, often reading a good book, the weekend paper, or binge watching your shows can be a treat!

Whatever you choose to do on this day, remember it’s about your health. Be good to yourself and treat your body, mind, and soul with kindness!

I would love to hear how you are good to yourself. And for more ideas, contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com

Live Healthy NYC: HEART HEALTHY

Live Healthy NYC: HEART HEALTHY: My mom recently had a heart procedure. She’s fine (thankfully!). She has a warm and generous heart, always embracing others and she i...

HEART HEALTHY

My mom recently had a heart procedure. She’s fine (thankfully!). She has a warm and generous heart, always embracing others and she is always open to anything sounding adventurous including trying new things, even new foods. However, we laugh at how opposite we are in her love for anything chocolate my love for anything salads. When the doctor advised her to lose weight she looked at me and groaned! Half teasing and more serious, I told her this would be easy as it must be in her DNA to love healthy foods and salads as much as I do -after all, we are so much alike!

So, what’s HEART HEALTHY and how do you take care of your ticker?

Eating a healthy diet with the right number of calories is one good way to take care of your heart. The American Heart Association suggests a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products, poultry, fish and nuts. Here are some of my  favorite heart-healthy foods.

APPLES contain a phytochemical called quercetin which acts as a natural anti-inflammatory agent and may help prevent blood clots as well. Apples contain vitamins and fiber, come in several delicious varieties and are portable. How about eating eating an apple with a handful of walnuts or almonds as a healthy snack or add sliced apple to your salad or your oatmeal.

AVOCADOS are rich in monounsaturated fatty acids and they are just like olive oil, plus avocados are loaded with vitamins and phytochemicals that work as antioxidants to protect your heart (and other parts of your body). They are one of my very favorite foods and a meal isn’t complete without this fruit! I love avocados in any kind of salad.

GREEN LEAFY VEGGIES are rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber, plus they're low in calories. Eating green leafy vegetables has also been associated with better retention of memory as you age. Use fresh spinach leaves as a salad green or serve swiss chard or kale as a side dish. Munch on fresh broccoli with veggie dip at snack time.

OATS and WHOLE GRAINS contain a soluble fiber called beta glucan that helps reduce total cholesterol and LDL. Soluble fiber also helps keep your digestive system healthy. I love oatmeal for breakfast, lunch or a snack with cinnamon and mixed berries and banana. At times I even add some sliced almonds or walnuts. If you prefer cold cereals made with oats they are also good for you -just be sure to choose brands that don't contain extra sugar. And my mom loves oatmeal cookies so I am going to try this healthy cookie for a treat!

SALMON is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids that protect your heart by reducing both inflammation and the risk of blood clots. These fats also work to keep your cholesterol levels healthy. My mom doesn’t love to eat salmon (except on a bagel with some lowfat creamcheese, and honestly, that’s ok too), you can eat another oily ocean fish like tuna, sardines or herring at least two times per week. For a heart healthy salmon idea try grilled salmon with salsa- this is really good, even for picky eaters!

It’s easy to eat healthy and smart! And for one’s longevity, it’s the ultimate of importance! For more information contact me at rachel@livehealthynyc.com