Healthy Eating

Happy New Year!

emilyplayscello — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 07:10:32 -0800

Happy 2009!
I wish all of you happy and healthy new year. The new year is a great time to recommit to your health, diet, or exercise regime.

In terms of my book... I'm sorry to say that the publishing process is still delayed. The LifeTips company, which will be publishing my book, is working on a number of books at this time. I was hoping to have the book out for the holidays, but now it seems it'll serve as a good tool for those wanting to improve their diet for the new year. I'll always put the most recent information about the book on the blog. Hopefully we'll have good news soon.

Thanks again for reading, and remember, I'll always take your food-related questions!

Be well,
Emily

This Year's Thanksgiving Dinner

emilyplayscello — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 21:18:03 -0800

I hope everyone had a nice holiday. I had the honor of cooking dinner for a small group of four people. The meal was vegetarian (actually vegan, except for one dessert), mostly organic, with no added sugar and nothing refined.

The appetizer was root vegetable soup and pumpkin biscuits.

Root Vegetable Soup was made by steaming one large sweet potato, parsnips, and carrots, and sautéeing onions and garlic. All were combined with vegetable broth in a blender, adding some sesame tahini and salt to taste. Then it's transferred to a pot on the stove and I added thyme and basil. I make a soup like this about once a week and experiment with different combinations of vegetables and herbs.
The recipe for Pumpkin Biscuits was taken from Vegan Planet by Robin Robertson. I adjusted it slightly.
- 2 cups alternative flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)'
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup soy milk or milk alternative
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar and 1 teaspoon maple flavoring, or 1 tablespoon maple syrup

1. Pre-heat oven to 450 degrees; oil a baking sheet and set aside.
2. Combine dry ingredients and combine wet ingredients separately.
3. Combine dry and wet; do not overmix.
4. Transfer to a lightly floured work surface and roll out to about 1/2 inch thick. Use biscuit cutter or small drinking glass to cut into 2-inch rounds and place on baking sheet. Re-roll scraps and make more until dough is finished.
5. Bake on center oven rack about 12 to 14 minutes.

Dinner was (starting from top right) rosemary roasted vegetables, mashed yams, sautéed swiss chard and kale, green beans and asparagus with pine nuts, walnut avocado salad, and qunioa.

Rosemary Roasted Vegetables

This is a great, simple way to use all the delicious root vegetables that are in season right now. I used a combination of sweet potato, parsnips, carrots, zucchini, and onion. I pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees, chop the vegetables to desired size, and coat in olive oil, salt, and rosemary. The easiest way to do this is by putting a few chopped vegetables in a plastic bag and adding the oil, salt, and rosemary. Seal the bag and shake it around to ensure the vegetables are fully-coated. Put on baking sheet and bake for 10-25 minutes to desired browness.

Mashed Yams

Yams and sweet potatoes, surprisingly, are much healthier than white or red potatoes. They are a greater source of vitamin K and provide more fiber. Their glycemic load is much smaller which means they keep blood sugar levels balanced. I chop and steam garnet yams for about 20-25 minutes, until tender. You can also boil them, but some nutrients are lost in the water by this method. Once done, I mash and add a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, cinnamon, and fresh sage. The sage is a nice touch, but these are sweet and delicious without it as well. I leave the skins on as they are a good source of fiber and nutrients.

Sautéed Kale and Swiss Chard

Leafy greens are one of the healthiest, most nutrient-dense foods you can eat. This is an easy way to prepare them and is quite delicious, even to those who aren't vegetable lovers. Chop swiss chard and/or kale, and sauté in olive oil with chopped onion and 2-3 pressed cloves of garlic. Cook until leaves have softened and reduced (but don't overcook) and add sea salt.

Green Beans and Asparagus with Pine Nuts

Pine nuts are a delicious addition to this dish, but they are quite expensive. Slivered almonds would be a fine substitute. Trim green beans and break off white bottoms of asparagus. Steam for about 10 minutes, just until slightly softened. Transfer to a pan with toasted sesame oil, add pine nuts, and cook until lightly browned. Spray with Bragg's Liquid Aminos (a soy sauce substitute sold at health food stores) or add sea salt once cooked.

Walnut Avocado Salad
This salad was made with baby spinach as the leafy base. You could substitute any dark lettuce. Dark greens are more nutritious than light lettuces like iceberg. Then add chopped onion, shredded carrot, cherry tomatoes, cubed avocado, walnuts, and top with walnut oil and lemon juice. If you can't find walnut oil, olive oil works well, too.

Quinoa
Quinoa, once a mysterious grain, is gaining in popularity. It has a texture like ultrafine couscous, but it is truly superior. It has a very high concentration of protein and fiber, and is gluten-free. It is technically not a grain, so those who limit their carbohydrates or grain intake can enjoy quinoa in moderation. It is cooked 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water or broth for about 12 minutes. I topped with olive oil and sea salt.

Dessert was pumpkin pie, mixed berry pie, carrot cake, and date bites.

Pumpkin Pie

This is so simple to make and a much healthier alternative to sugar-laden pumpkin pies. Powdered stevias vary in strength; in this recipe I used SteviaPlus brand. I also use pre-made spelt pie crusts, available at health food stores. A pre-made whole wheat crust would work, too.

- 1 pre-made pie crust
- 2 cups canned pumpkin
- 1 cup unsweetened milk alternative
- 2 TBS tapioca starch, available at health food stores, or corn starch
- 3 TBS coconut oil
- 2 TBS SteviaPlus powdered stevia
- about 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- dash sea salt

Combine all ingredients in the blender. Pour into pie crust and bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Let cool completely and refrigerate.

Mixed Berry Pie

This pie also uses SteviaPlus powdered stevia and a pre-made spelt pie crust. This pie is deliciously rich and intense with berries. I buy frozen berries because they're just as good and far less expensive; just be sure to let them thaw.

Mixed Berry Pie
- 4 cups blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 TBS unsweetened almond milk
- 3/4 TBS SteviaPlus powdered stevia
- cinnamon, to taste

1. Combine 3 1/2 cups of berries with flour, almond milk, stevia, and cinnamon and blend in blender. Add more almond milk if mixture does not seem wet enough.
2. Once it reaches a homogeneous consistency, add mixture to pie crust and use extra 1/2 cup of berries to cover. Sprinkle cinnamon on top.
3. Bake at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes and let cool.

Carrot Cake

This recipe uses cashews to make an incredible, sweet frosting. It also uses stevia concentrate powder, which is the most concentrated stevia powder available.

- 2 cups alternative flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour)
- 1 TBS baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp stevia concentrate powder
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup + 1 1/2 TBS coconut oil
- 1 1/2 cup grated carrot
- 1/2 cup grated zucchini
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup plain full-fat greek yogurt
- 1 TBS pumpkin pie spice

1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all moist ingredients, adding eggs last.
3. Combine dry ingredients and mix with wet.
4. Bake for 35 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean from the center.

Cashew Frosting:
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup (or more) unsweetened almond milk
- liquid stevia or agave nectar

1. In a food processor, grind cashews finely.
2. Add liquid and continue to process. Add a few drops liquid stevia or drizzle agave nectar to taste.
3. Purée to desired texture and spread on cake.

Sesame Date Bites and Chocolate Coconut Date Bites
These are an easy, no cook dessert.

Sesame Date Bites:
- pitted dates
- 1 TBS sesame tahini
- 1 TBS (or less) agave nectar
- cinnamon
- sesame seeds
- raw almonds

Combine tahini, agave, and sprinkle cinnamon. Place a raw almond inside a pitted date. Roll in tahini mixture and roll in sesame seeds. Refrigerate for about an hour.

Chocolate Coconut Date Bites
- pitted dates
- 2 TBS coconut butter
- 1 TBS (or less) agave nectar
- unsweetened cocoa powder, to taste, about 2 TBS
- unsweetened shredded coconut
- raw almonds

Combine coconut butter, agave, and cocoa powder. Add warm water to achieve desired consistency. Place an almond in the pitted date and roll in chocolate coconut paste. Roll in shredded coconut and refrigerate for about an hour.

I hope your Thanksgiving was happy and healthy. Try these recipes out and let me know what you think!

Eat well,
Emily

Thanksgiving 2008

emilyplayscello — Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:17:32 -0800

Happy Thanksgiving!

I wish you all a happy and healthy holiday. I'm hosting my family and cooking dinner again this year, so you can expect pictures and a post all about my food and recipes within the next week.

Enjoy the holiday!

-Emily

Book Update

emilyplayscello — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:36:51 -0800

Hi everyone,
I've got a small update on the "Healthy Eating" book I'll be putting out. As of now, it seems the book will be published sometime in December, however, it wont become available on Amazon or BarnesandNoble.com until a month or so later. Fortunately, I plan on ordering a shipment of books and I will be happy to sell the books personally until they're more widely available.

Stay tuned for more updates, and keep eating well!

-Emily

Oatty Nutty Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup and Cashew Cream

emilyplayscello — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 13:59:54 -0700

Hi everyone!
Sorry it's been so long without any posts. My book is a bit delayed in the publishing process but I'm hoping it will still be available by this December. I'll give more details when I have them.

For now, I have a new recipe that I think you'll love. I know it's hard to believe, but these pancakes (and their toppings) are made without any added sugar and with all natural ingredients. Unlike most pancakes, these have protein, healthy fats, and complex carbohydrates. This way, you stay full (for a LONG time!) and don't experience the typical post-pancake sugar crash. I'm calling them "Oatty Nutty Pancakes," and both the blueberry syrup and cashew cream are delicious additions. If it seems too ambitious to make both toppings, one will surely be enough.

Oatty Nutty Pancakes
serves about 4
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups alternative flour (I use whole wheat pastry flour and oat flour, but also try combinations of whole wheat, buckwheat, spelt, quinoa, or amaranth flour)
- 3/4 cup rolled oats, soaked in unsweetened almond or soy milk
- one banana (overripe, if possible)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 4 TBS ground flaxseed*, in small amount of hot water
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond/soy milk
- 1 TBS coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
- 1 TBS powdered stevia**

1. Soak oats in enough milk to cover. Put 4 TBS flaxseed in a small bowl and cover with hot water and let sit until the mixture becomes gummy (a few minutes).
2. Combine dry ingredients, combine wet ingredients, mix together.
3. Coat a skillet with coconut oil and cook.

* I use flaxseed because it provides healthy fats, fiber, and works as a great egg replacer in baking. If you don't have any on hand, you can replace the flax and water with 2-3 eggs.
** I know using stevia can be hard because each brand varies drastically in concentration. A good clue is to look at the serving size. Usually the more mild stevia powders have a serving size of about 1/4 of a teaspoon. The kind I used for this recipe had that serving size, and one tablespoon was enough for the batter. Some more concentrated stevia powders have a serving size of 1/16 of a teaspoon. Just check your label and adjust accordingly. How much you use also varies on your personal preference.

Cashew Cream
This is so easy to make (provided you have a food processor) and is incredibly delicious. It's great on pancakes, but also can be used as a whipped cream for desserts or fruit.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup cashews
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond or soy milk
- liquid stevia (or agave nectar)

1. In a food processor, grind cashews to a fine powder.
2. Pour in milk. Add more to reach desired consistency, if necessary.
3. Add a few drops liquid stevia or a drizzle of agave nectar.

Blueberry Syrup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup blueberries (frozen works fine)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp stevia powder (see stevia note, above)
- 4 tsp tapioca starch (or any alternative for cornstarch)
- 4 TBS cold water

1. Combine blueberries, 1 cup water, and stevia in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Combine starch and 4 TBS cold water and stir. Let sit a few minutes.
3. Add starch to blueberry mixture, simmer a few more minutes. Add liquid stevia or agave nectar to taste, if necessary.

These are truly a fun breakfast.

Thanks for reading, and remember, I'm always happy to take your questions.

Love your food,
Emily

Something On the Way...

emilyplayscello — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 10:49:32 -0700

Hi readers,
I know it's been a long time since I wrote a post, but it's for a good reason. I am currently working on a BOOK for LifeTips (www.lifetips.com) that will be a 101 Tip Book on Healthy Eating. It will have all the main principles of this blog, plus tons of in-depth explanations, as well as recipes. It will cover topics on what to eat, deciphering nutrition labels, food preparation, physical wellness, food allergies, supplements, weight loss, vegetarianism, and more. My aim is to have the book available before the end of 2008. I'll keep information posted on the blog about its progress.

Spread the word, and thanks for reading!

-Emily

Post Suggestions and Question Form

emilyplayscello — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 12:30:38 -0700

Hi everyone,
Sorry it's been so long since I've posted; I've been a bit preoccupied. I can see the subscriptions keep on coming and I want to continue to provide helpful information on healthy eating for all the readers.

This is an opportunity for readers to ask any questions or make a request for what I should address or share in an upcoming post. Leave your questions/suggestions here, and expect to see some (if not all) answered in the future! Don't be shy... please ask away.

Thanks for reading.

Stay healthy,
Emily

Vegetable Purée Soup

emilyplayscello — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:40:06 -0800

There's really nothing more comforting in winter than a bowl of soup. I've never made soup, but I love vegetable purées and I was feeling inspired.

I had never done this before, so I did everything intuitively and used whatever vegetables looked good when I was shopping.

Ingredients (but certainly feel free to experiment)
- vegetable broth (look for organic and low-sodium, available at health food stores)
- yams/sweet potatoes
- zucchini
- broccoli
- red onion
- kale
- tomato
- garlic
- ginger
- sesame tahini
- sea salt

1. In a pan, sautée the garlic and/or ginger with the onions in olive oil.
2. Chop and steam the yams, broccoli, zucchini, and kale.
3. Bring the vegetable broth to a boil (with chopped tomato).
4. Once vegetables are steamed (about 15 minutes) and garlic/ginger/onions are slightly browned, add all to the broth, add salt, and simmer.
5. Combine in blender, add a modest amount of sesame tahini, and blend to desired texture.

I topped mine with a bit of cayenne pepper which was a very nice touch.

I love purées much more than regular vegetable soups; they're hearty and filling. You can really use any combination of vegetables, but certain things are important to keep in mind:

1. You want some type of potato to keep the texture creamy and thick. I don't recommend white or red potatoes since they have a poor effect on blood sugar; opt for a sweet potato or yam instead (they taste better, too!).
2. It's important to have spices or herbs (garlic, ginger, basil, rosemary, etc) to keep the soup from being too bland. Also make sure to include more vegetables (onions, leeks, etc).
3. If you don't have vegetable broth, you can use pure water; you may just want to simmer your vegetables for longer to enhance flavor.
4. You don't need any cream to make this soup creamy. It doesn't take much sesame tahini to add a rich, creamy flavor.
5. Dark, leafy greens are a nutritional powerhouse, so although it doesn't seem like a standard soup ingredient, add some kale, spinach, or chard to your purée.

Enjoy your food,
Emily

Simple (and healthy) Bread Recipe

emilyplayscello — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 16:14:40 -0800

I am not a very accomplished cook, and I certainly don't consider myself a seasoned baker. However, I found an incredibly simple bread recipe for a bread that met all my nutritional standards. It's made primarily from spelt flour which is far more nutritious than wheat (and not refined), and contains no yeast. I found the recipe in The Ultimate pH Solution by Michelle Schoffro Cook, which is a great guide to eating a mostly-alkaline diet.

You can alter many of the details of this recipe to make a variety of breads. This loaf pictured is what I'm calling "Slightly Sweet Spelt Bread," and the exact details are as follows:

2 1/2 cups spelt flour
1 cup quinoa flour
2 tsp ground psyllium hulls (sometimes called husk)
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp powdered stevia
3 cups unsweetened almond milk
1/2 cup organic virgin coconut oil
cinnamon and/or pumpkin pie spice

1. Preheat oven to 350F and grease an 8- by 4-inch loaf pain with virgin coconut oil or olive oil.
2. In a food processor or mixer [I use a blender], combine dry ingredients. Add almond milk and coconut oil; process until smooth.
3. Pour into pan and bake for 75 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.

Don't be intimidated by the seemingly strange ingredients. A simple trip to your local health food store should have everything you need. Psyllium hulls were the most unfamiliar thing to me, but I found them buy the flours and baking supplies. Make sure to buy unsweetened almond milk, and if you can't find any, it is quite simple to make your own: Combine half a cup of raw, unsalted almonds with 2 cups of pure water (a few drops of stevia extract if you're so inclined), and blend. Strain if necessary.

Variations
- The core components of the recipe are the spelt flour, psyllium husks, baking soda, salt, coconut oil, and almond milk. You want most of the flour to be spelt as it is very alkalizing and nutrient-dense. You can usually substitute about a cup of flour with another healthy choice such as quinoa or amaranth flour. If not, you can have all 3 1/2 cups be spelt flour.
- For a more savory bread, omit the stevia extract and cinnamon and add 1/2 cup of fresh herbs such as basil, thyme, oregano, rosemary, or chives.

A nice addition to the bread was a healthy butter substitute recipe, also found in The Ultimate pH Solution. This was very exciting for me as I don't use butter (I generally avoid dairy), but I also don't use margarine since most are over-processed and ridden with chemicals. This simple recipe just combines 1/2 cup of coconut oil with 1/2 cup of flax oil. Melt the coconut oil on low heat in a small pot, then immediately combine with flax oil in a separate container. Refrigerate until solid. It tastes great, is completely natural, and boosts the health benefits of two powerful oils.

Bread-making seems like a long and exhausting process, but this recipe makes it simple and devoid of the nutritional downfalls of most bread. Give it a try!

Be healthy,
Emily

A Typical Day

emilyplayscello — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 19:59:29 -0800

One reader asked to see a sample menu of what I eat in a typical day. I thought this was a great idea, but before I get into it, I thought I'd talk a little about my eating habits.

First of all, I'm a vegetarian. I've been vegetarian for the last five years for moral reasons, but I reap the health benefits as well. I am not officially a vegan, but dairy and eggs are very limited (usually a special occasion and certainly not a part of routine). I follow a low-/no-sugar diet; the only fruits I eat are berries. I follow what is commonly referred to as a whole food diet; nothing processed, refined, or artificial. I loosely follow what is known as the pH diet (from books like "The pH Miracle" by Robert O. Young) which strongly emphasizes a diet of mostly plant foods (primarily green vegetables). I'm also an advocate for healthy fats. Oils, nuts, seeds, and nut butters play a large role in my diet. I occasionally "cheat" and don't follow these rules exactly, but it is pretty rare. It may sound like a lot, but I'm sure from reading the blog you can see there is still tons of great, satisfying food to eat! I never feel deprived.

Now, here it is! Some of these things will look familiar as I have mentioned them in previous posts.

Breakfast
You've heard it a thousand times: Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Eating a sufficient breakfast will give you more energy, make you more alert, and manage hunger for the rest of the day. I usually wake up hungry and make breakfast one of my larger meals.

I love hot cereals, but I like to opt for a more nutritionally-sound choice than oatmeal on most days. I prefer kasha, also known as toasted buckwheat. It's got a delicious, nutty flavor and cooks quickly (about 12 minutes). It is actually not a grain but a fruit seed related to rhubarb. It's a good source of fiber, manganese, and magnesium. I usually put some berries in to add sweetness and for a nice dose of antioxidants. You can add any fruit, but I choose berries as they are naturally low in sugar compared to most fruits. Then I add cinnamon.

In addition to that, I usually have a piece of sprouted grain bread (usually Ezekiel sesame) with coconut oil, mashed yams, avocado, and cinnamon. You can read more about this exceptional creation in this blog entry.

Lunch
Ideally, lunch for me would always be a huge salad. Because your meal is primarily vegetables, you're able to take in a huge spectrum of nutrients while enjoying a variety of flavors and textures. If you do it right, a salad is an incredibly satisfying and satiating meal. I consider good salad-making to be somewhat of an art form and I truly enjoy spending the time making them. When I'm not at home, I usually make a trip to the salad bar and load up on just about every vegetable available and avoiding all the unnecessaries (croutons, cheese, dressings, etc.). For my ideas on how to make the perfect salad, take a look at Salad-Making 101.

This salad contains [organic]: mixed greens, cilantro, zucchini, cucumber, red onion, avocado, cherry tomatoes, sprouts, chopped almonds, and pumpkin seeds.
It is topped with [organic]: fresh-squeezed lemon juice, olive oil, toasted sesame oil.

Dinner
For dinner I usually like to cook some kind of vegetable and have it with a grain/starch. My usual method of choice for cooking is steaming, but occasionally I will bake/roast or sauté, depending on the vegetable. Tonight I steamed kale, zucchini, and red onion. Dark, leafy greens are arguable the most nutrient-dense, healthy vegetables. Kale is no exception; one serving supplies more than your daily recommended intake of vitamin K and vitamin A. It is also an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese, calcium, potassium, iron, and more. I topped the steamed vegetables with olive oil and sesame tahini (a creamy, rich paste made from ground sesame seeds). I also had quinoa, one of the healthiest grains available. Quinoa provides all the essential amino acids, making it a complete protein. It is similar to couscous in texture but much finer. It also quicks relatively fast for a whole grain (about 15 minutes). Then I added a side salad, just to up my vegetable intake a bit more and topped it with flaxseed oil (a great source of omega-3 fatty acids).

That should give you a basic idea of main meals, however, I don't usually eat three square meals a day. I snack throughout the day (healthy foods, of course) to keep my blood sugar from crashing and keep my metabolism running.

Any questions or requests for posts are completely welcome, so don't hesitate.

Eat well,
Emily