I like health tips and powerful foods that are easy and delicious – here’s one of my current favorites!
Make an iced tea from one of Yogi Tea’s special Detox line and drink your way to glowing skin and
easy weight loss:
Simple Summer Desserts — Shhh! They're Good For You, Too!
July 20, 2011 By 2 Comments
Summer Smoothie-sicles
Summer Smoothie-sicles!
Everyone loves popsicles – so why not make them a little healthier and more substantial than what the ice cream truck is offering? You can take this simple recipe and add all kinds of healthy secrets: non-dairy yogurt, liquid chlorophyll, dehydrated greens powders, vitamin C powder, or even soaked nuts and seeds. Go crazy!
I also like using the new silicon popsicle molds – why have your food freezing in petroleum based plastic molds?
Ingredients:
2 cups fresh fruit juice (except citrus)
¼ cup fresh green juice (kale, cucumber, celery, etc)
1 tablespoon liquid chlorophyll
1 cup non-dairy yogurt
1 Medjool date
Directions:
Blend all of the ingredients together until very smooth. Pour into popsicle molds. Freeze for at least 5 hours or until frozen solid.
Raw Choco-Almond Date Bars
It’s too hot to turn on the oven in summer, which is why raw desserts are so welcome – oh, and they taste amazing with almost no effort!
Using raw cacao powder provides the body with iron, protein, and antioxidants. Found online and in health food stores, raw cacao powder tastes good and is easier for many people to consume without negative effects of processed chocolate.
Note: To make the nuts easier to digest, you can soak them together covered in water overnight then drain before competing the recipe.
Ingredients:
1/3 cup unrefined coconut oil, melted
1 cup raw, unsalted almonds
½ cup raw, unsalted cashews
1 cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tablespoon water
1/3 cup raw cacao powder or carob powder
pinch sea salt or pink Himalayan salt
1/3 cup brown rice syrup, agave nectar or real maple syrup
Directions:
1. Make sure the coconut oil is melted by measuring it into a small saucepan and heating it over low. Of course in the summer, mine is melted in the jar just sitting out at room temperature.
2. Combine the almonds and cashews in a food processor and pulse 10 to 12 times until they’re pulverized and no large pieces remain.
3. Add the remaining ingredients including the oil to the food processor and continue to pulse until the mixture is well combined, stopping to scrape down the sides as necessary.
4. Line a 9 inch square cake pan with parchment paper. Scoop the mixture into the baking dish and flatten with your hand or a rubber spatula. Wrap the pan with plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour up to overnight.
5. Remove from the refrigerator and cut the hardened cake into bars about 3 inches square.
Smoothie-sicles recipe originally printed in Living Vegan For Dummies
Raw Choco Bars recipe originally printed in Vegan Cooking For Dummies
Patriotic Plant Protein Patties! (AKA Veggie Burger for July 4th!)
June 30, 2011 By 2 Comments
Click Here To ReTweet This Recipe – Thanks!
Celebrate our nation’s birthday with some veggie burgers that everyone can enjoy. I’ve doctored these up with extra plant protein coming from the beans and hemp seeds.
This recipe is cholesterol free, dairy free, egg free, and gluten-free (unless you add the totally optional bread crumbs – but really, you don’t need them.)
Make some extra patties, freeze them and reheat in a lightly oiled skillet any old time of year for a quick, hearty, healthy meal:
Yield: 6-8 patties
4 tablespooons flaxseeds, ground in a spice grinder
1/3 cup water
2 1/2 cups cooked beans (any will do: try black beans, pinto, kidney, chickpeas, or a combination)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup diced yellow onion
1/4 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon fresh orange zest
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup finely chopped spinach
1/2 cup hulled hemp seeds
1/2 cup cooked brown rice, quinioa or millet (leftovers from the day before are great for this)
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- Combine the ground flaxseeds and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir often until the mixture become gooey. Set aside to cool while you do the next step.
- Combine the beans, salt, pepper, parsley, onion, celery, orange zest, garlic, spinach, hemp seeds, brown rice, flax seed mixture and 1 tablespoon of olive oil into a food processor. Pulse 15-18 times to combine the mixture so that it becomes thick and creamed together, with some chunks still remaining.
- The mixture should be easy to handle and can be formed into 1-inch thick patties. I used a 1/3 cup measuring cup and flattened each scoop to 1-inch thick. If it feels to dry add a little water. If it feels too moist, add a few tablespoons of cooked grain or bread crumbs and mix to combine.
- Heat a heavy skillet (a well-seasoned cast iron skillet is great) over medium heat and warm 1 tablespoon olive oil.
- Cook the patties, about 3 at a time, for 7 minutes on each side.
Delicious Detox Recipe: Walnut Lentil Salad
June 4, 2011 By 4 Comments
Lentils and walnuts offer great protein, iron, and Omega-3 essential fatty acids which are necessary for brain and skin health. They also provide excellent fiber that helps the body to remove excess cholesterol and helps you feel full and satisfied. This is the kind of recipe my clients have enjoyed adding to their detox programs – it tastes so good, it’s a pleasure to eat well!
1 ½ cups cooked brown lentils, cooled and drained
¼ cup sliced green onions, green part only
1 cup packed thinly sliced baby spinach
½ cup halved cherry tomatoes
8 kalamata olives, pitted and roughly chopped
¼ cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic or umeboshi vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, crushed
½ teaspoon sea salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the lentils, green onions, spinach, tomatoes, olives, and walnuts. Mix well with a wooden spoon and set aside.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, mustard, rosemary, garlic, salt, and pepper and whisk together. Pour over the lentil salad and mix well.
- Allow the salad to set at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, stirring a few times before serving. Alternatively, refrigerate in an airtight container for at least and hour hours before serving.
*Refrigerates for up to 3 days for picnics and lunch leftovers!
Overnight Muesli
March 1, 2011 By 4 Comments
Scandinavians have the right idea – make breakfast before bed and save time in the morning while enjoying a filling, delicious meal. The oats, almonds, and flax in this recipe give you a nice dose of cholesterol-lowering fiber and omega-3s, while the cinnamon offers blood sugar protection. This is easy to make gluten-free – just make sure you get gluten-free oats! Kids like this recipe too, although you may want to grind the nuts in a spice grinder to make the pieces smaller.
This recipe comes from my latest book Vegan Cooking For Dummies – order it here! 
You can mix up the other ingredients to your liking:
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Chilling In The Fridge Time: Overnight
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup soy, hemp, rice, or almond milk
1/4 cup apple juice
1/4 cup chopped dried apples or fruit juice-sweetened cranberries
1/4 cup Medjool dates, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons chopped almonds
1 tablespoons brown rice syrup or maple syrup
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon ground flaxseeds
Directions:
1. Combine all of the ingredients except for the flaxseeds in a medium mixing bowl. Cover with plastic wrap or a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate.
2. Remove the cover in the morning and sprinkle with flaxseeds and serve cold or at room temperature.
Per serving:
415 calories, 10 grams fat, 0 cholesterol, 170 sodium, 75 carbohydrates, 11 dietary fiber, 12 grams protein
White Bean Soup with Greens & Garlic – cholesterol free and vegan
February 24, 2011 By Leave a Comment
White Bean Soup with Greens & Garlic
Yield: 10 servings
This soup is incredibly tasty, offering a scrumptious broth with tangy notes of tomato, as well as the mellowed flavor of simmered garlic and fresh greens. Garlic is a great metabolism stimulant that improves digestion and is antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, and antifungal. Kale and collards are a good source of plant-based calcium, and the beans offer protein and fiber. This is one healthy soup! Enjoy this fresh and freeze some in individual containers for later.
Prep Time: Overnight soaking, 2 hours active cooking, mostly unattended
Ingredients:
4 cups of white beans (Cannellini or Great Northern), soaked overnight in enough water to cover by 2 inches
12 cups of water
8 garlic cloves, minced and separated
2 bay leaves
4 cups of chopped kale, bok choy or collards
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup of olive oil
3 teaspoons dried oregano
1/4 cup of tomato paste
*optional: 1/2-1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Directions:
- Rinse and drain your beans, then add to a large pot. Add 10-12 cups of water, 3 of the minced garlic cloves, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, cover and turn down heat to a low simmer. Simmer until beans are soft and tender, about 90 minutes.
- Add greens, salt and pepper to the soup, return to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.
- In a small saucepan heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the tomato paste, oregano, and remaining garlic. Add the red pepper flakes here if you choose. Continually stir until the olive oil is tinted with red, and the garlic is beginning to soften. Do not allow the garlic to burn, as this makes it bitter.
- Add this garlic mixture to the beans and stir well.
- Taste and add more salt or pepper to your liking.
- Serve hot and enjoy with a crisp salad of cucumbers or crusty bread.
Natural Soda Taste Test Challenge #2: Fizzy Lizzy
February 15, 2011 By 2 Comments
When I saw today’s headline that “energy drinks” are being linked to major health problems for adults and kids alike, I realized that this taste test challenge series is even more timely than I thought. Not only did a study released last week link diet sodas to higher risks of cardiovascular disease, energy drinks often contain four to five times more caffeine than soda, and some people drink several servings a day. The problems of overdosing has become so widespread that the American Association of Poison Control Centers “has adopted codes…to start tracking energy drink overdoses and side effects nationwide.”
What with all the hype about dangerous side effects from drinking regular soda, diet soda, and energy drinks (Did anyone really think it was ok to drink 4-5 times the regular amount of soda at once? Yikes!), I think it’s time people started exploring to the natural soda selection available in many grocery and health food stores. Last week I test drove Zevia’s stevia sweetened cans, and you can read my comments here.
This week I’m sharing my love for a local New York City soda:
Fizzy Lizzy!
Coming in several flavors including Grapefruit, Fuji Apple, Yakima Grape, Pineapple, Cranberry and Raspberry Lemon, Fizzy Lizzy comes in glass bottles and uses so few ingredients you might be tempted to recreate the recipes at home. (Which I often do, and I’ll show you my recipe at the bottom of this page!)
My personal favorites are the Pineapple and Fuji Apple. Pineapple has three – count ‘em 3! – ingredients: carbonated water, pineapple juice and vitamin C. The Fuji Apple contains carbonated water, apple juice, lemon juice concentrate, natural fuji apple flavor, and vitamin C. Again, there are few ingredients, they’re pronounceable, and I see no preservatives besides the vitamin C.
This line was created by New York Citer dweller Liz Marlin, who loved mixing her own low-sugar drinks at home, but couldn’t find anything available in the retail stores that offered good flavor and natural ingredients. These drinks are 70% juice and offer a light, refreshing taste for the “adult soda” market that offers a great option: maybe you don’t drink alcohol or have guests over for dinner who are designated drivers.
The flavors are hip, clean, and healthier than the traditional sodas of my youth. (sorry Dr. Pepper – I loved you so, but I can’t do the acidity anymore!)
You can find Fizzy Lizzy’s in many stores across the country, and you can even make your own version at home!
Here’s my recipe for homemade sodas, a la Fizzy Lizzy:
1 20 ounce glass (glass glass, of course – everything tastes better out of a glass glass, right?)
4-5 ice cubes
1 cup pineapple juice
1 cup soda or seltzer water (I used to love tonic water, but then I read the label and realized it has high fructose corn syrup – curses! Vodka and soda water just ain’t the same.)
DIRECTIONS: Mix all together in a glass, drink, AHHHH! Enjoy!
My Natural Soda Challenge Is SO Timely: Diet Soda Risk Study
February 11, 2011 By 2 Comments
This week I started my Natural Soda Challenge to discover wether these products are really safe, if they taste good, and to have a little fun. I didn’t realize how timely this project was going to be! As reported on Medscape.com yesterday, “A new study suggests that the popular (diet soda) drinks may increase the risk for stroke, myocardial infarction, and vascular death.”
According to lead investigator Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine in Florida “People who had diet soda every day experienced a 61% higher risk of vascular events than those who reported drinking no soda.”
This is just an example of the kind of important information my Red Hot Hearts members will receive when we begin our 8 week tele-course on Tuesday, 2/15. There are 7 spots remaining, so contact me today to get in on the action!
To read the full article, go here:
Now you have even more reason to try Zevia, the stevia sweetened soda I reviewed this week in my Natural Soda Taste Test Series!
Detox Naturally & Enjoy Heart Healthy Foods Like These Potato Skins
January 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Red Hot Hearts: Women’s Weight Loss &
Cardiovascular Health Tele-Series
REDUCE YOUR SALT CRAVINGS WITH THIS HEART HEALTHY RECIPE
In just 3 weeks, my tele-series for women begins. I’ve been working on this program because I know that it’s necessary. I’ve worked with women all over the world who have high cholesterol & blood pressure, are worried because heart disease runs in their family, and their energy is low – and they don’t feel old enough to “feel old!”
One of the important topics we’ll be covering in this course is savory, salty, sodium. Yes, a little bit of salt makes food flavors pop and our taste buds light up, but did you know that most Americans consume 2 times more sodium than is safe?
The long-term health effects of a high-sodium diet are:
Hypertension
High Blood Pressure
Water Retention (or that not-so-lovely bloated feeling)
That’s why we’ll be focusing on how to get the salt (and food-toxins) out! Learn how we over-salt our food, how much to use, what kind to use and a special class of foods that can help curb what you’re really craving for when you reach for the salt shaker.
*Sign up by 2/3 and I’ll send you products that will help you cut your salt intake while improving your mineral intake! The detox box is worth over $100 – can’t beat that! http://www.nutritionforempoweredwomen.com/blog/red-hot-hearts/
HERE’S A GREAT RECIPE I CREATED FOR
POTATO SKINS AFTER SEEING
WHAT THE MAYO CLINIC PASSES AS “HEART HEALTHY”:
I got a little upset when I saw that many “heart healthy” recipes online contain toxic ingredients. So I created my own, healthier recipe for potato skins that tastes delicious and helps curb salt cravings to boot!
Not only is this program designed to help you lower your cholesterol and blood pressure naturally, protecting your cardiovascular health for years to come, but it can increase your energy and make weight balance a real, manageable, and reachable goal as we move towards springtime!
Here’s a testimonial from one of my past clients that I love sharing:
“Through working with Alex I was able to let go of bad habits that were affecting me mentally and physically creating a much healthier me! I struggled for so long with my weight and was amazed how your simple steps helped me achieve my goals. I did not realize how much my headaches and poor health were affecting my life. I am now at a much healthier weight. I am stronger, in better shape, healthier and feel better than I have in my entire life. You helped me achieve my goals and so much more!”
J.O.
Senior Analyst
Kansas City, Missouri
Go here to sign up for the 8 Week Red Hot Hearts Tele-Course with Alex: http://www.nutritionforempoweredwomen.com/blog/red-hot-hearts/
Here’s something else you might not have expected when you opened this email:
Getting in touch with your deepest, truest, and most delicious passions is an important part of healing your heart. In every tele-class we will take some time to focus on the emotional aspects of healing. Whether you’re coming out of a broken relationship, healing from childhood abuse, or feeling the stress of not going after your dreams, this tele-series will honor you and your truth. Because genuine healing doesn’t just involve transforming your meals, it requires transforming how you treat yourself and value who you really are. That’s the good stuff!
I’ve had women from all over the world on these calls, and since we’re meeting at 2pm EST every Tuesday, it’s a manageable time for almost everyone.
All of the calls are recorded so you can download them and listen again later, or tune in if you had to come late or leave early from a call.
If you have any questions about the tele-series, let me know: alex@nutritionforempoweredwomen
I’ll get back to you after I return from my Costa Rica retreat with Ariel & Shya Kane on 1/31! (Learn more about the Kane’s here)
If you’re ready to sign up and reserve your spot, don’t delay!
http://www.nutritionforempoweredwomen.com/blog/red-hot-hearts/
