Is everyone hanging out without me? (and a few healthy comfort food recipes)

I love The office... And every character on it, with the exception of Dwight. (Although an integral character, he kinda creeps me out.)

That's why I was super psyched when my fiance surprised me with Mindy Kaling's book Is everyone hanging out without me? (Did you know that she and Rainn Wilson are real life "frenemies"??)

Although I'm only on page 24, I'm finding it hard to put down. So hard, that I opted to take the local train instead of the express to work this morning, just to get a few more pages in.

However, you should probably know that this isn't the first ridiculous thing I've done for the love of Chick-lit...

I once feigned an "upset stomach" at work to finish a chapter of Chasing Harry Winston. A dirty move, I know, but in my defense we were super slow. (It was during the recession and everyone was casting out in LA instead of New York, and bla bla bla.) Plus we had really nice private bathrooms that reeked of LA looks and Axe body spray. (This was zen.)


OK. Back to Mindy.

So far she's been talking a lot about her chubby childhood and love of food. And the weird thing is, I'm finding myself relating more to her than the "health enthusiast" I've become.

But then again, it was in fact, my processed carbs and ice-cream addiction that started me down this path...

After years of headaches, fatigue, and stomach problems, I finally discovered a holistic way of eating, and immediately noticed results. I felt better than ever, and simply put, my love of feeling good trumped my love of food. It just did.

But, let's be real. I'm human, and an American at that. And while I do find a nutritious way of eating very satisfying, there are still temptations to fall back to my old ways.

While the new Stephanie wants to be like "Mindy, I can TOTALLY help you overcome your margarine and diet-soda addiction!" The old Stephanie wants to be like "Hey Mindy, want to go back to my place and eat Pop-tarts and Phish food til we pass out?"

So how does one manage these conflicting impulses? For me, it always comes down to the following question:

"What will make me feel good and live a long, healthy life?"

And even though I've been known to derail from time to time, it's my desire to be the best I can be in both mind and body that keeps me on the health track. And so far, I think it's a pretty sweet track to be on.

What are some other ways I stay on the health track? That's simple! Finding healthy alternatives to the comfort foods I love! Here are a few of my faves!

Chocolate Banana Pudding (recipe adapted from Diary of a nutritionist)

1 medium-large ripe banana
1/2 large avocado
2-3 packets of powdered Stevia
2 drops organic vanilla extract
5-6 tbsp cool water
1 pinch of sea salt
1 squirt Agave Syrup (aprx 1-2 tsp) *Optional
2 tbsp raw cocoa

Blend all ingredients in your blender or Magic Bullet. It makes about 1 serving.

French Toast

(makes 2 slices)
1 organic egg
1/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp cinnamon
2 drops organic vanilla extract
2 slices 100% Whole Grain or gluten free bread
1 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

Beat egg, milk, cinnamon and vanilla together. Heat griddle or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add coconut oil and dip bread in egg mixture. Place on griddle and cook for 3 minutes on one slide. Flip and cook for one more minute until egg is cooked through. Drizzle with organic maple syrup and more cinnamon if you wish.

Mac & "Cheese" (compliments of The Kind Diet)

3 cups elbow pasta (I use gluten free quinoa elbow pasta).
1 cup organic soymilk (you can use coconut or almond milk here…or any plain non-dairy milk, really)
1/4 cup tamari
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp paprika
1 clove garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard
2/3 cup canola oil (I use olive oil instead here)
salt & pepper

STEPS
1) Cook the pasta al dente.

2) In a blender/food processor combine the garlic, nutritional yeast, mustard and paprika. Blend to chop garlic.

3) While the machine is running add the tamari, soymilk and canola oil and blend until creamy.

4) Heat sauce and mix with cooked noodles. Add salt and pepper to taste.


What are some of your fave comfort foods? Can you think of ways to health 'em up?

10 Things I wish Paula Deen Knew...

Paula, Paula, Paula...
I've been entertained by you many times, and even had the privilege of seeing you in person when you hi-jacked Giada's cooking demo during the NY food and wine festival two years ago. So I don't want to lecture you, because it's like your good friend Oprah always says "when ya know better, ya do better!"
So instead, I'm going to tell you what I wish you knew, because let's face it-- your platform is a whole lot bigger than mine, and if I had the ability to tell America how they can not only prevent but REVERSE type 2 diabetes in 30 days, I would! But for today, I will reach out to the 25 people who will actually read this, and urge them to pass this on to anyone who might benefit.

*If you or someone you know is living with Type 2 Diabetes, please contact me for more information regarding these guidelines.

How to reverse diabetes in 30 days

1 - Drink lots of purified water - the only true way to detoxify your body
2 - Eat a protein, good fat, and fiber at every meal - Think: beans*, dark leafy greens, and avocado. *beans are the champion of protein
3 - Increase intake of WILD CAUGHT (NOT farm raised) fish rich in Omega 3 such as salmon, tuna, and halibut - Fish is also a great source of protein
4 - Eliminate processed foods from the diet
5 - Keep stress at a minimum
6 - Exercise everyday - *we burn more fat in the morning before we eat since we aren't utilizing energy to burn off sugar
7 - Get a good night's rest - 7-8 hours every night.
8 - Avoid artificial sweeteners - they are toxic foreign substances - use stevia instead as it will not effect your glucose levels
9 - Stay away from grains - even whole grains will convert to sugar
10 - Eat lots of dark leafy greens!


Disclaimer:

I am a Certified Holistic Health Coach. This information should not be taken as prescriptive advice. Information I share here has been found through my own experiences, research, and discussions with nutritionists and other holistic health-care practitioners. Any changes in your diet should be discussed with your medical doctor.

Homemade gluten-free falafel and pizza!

A recent trip to the doctor confirmed that I have a mild wheat allergy. (wah. wah) Although, consuming wheat isn't as dangerous for me as it is for people with Celiac's, it’s still wise for me to avoid it when I can – especially since I notice an improvement in my overall health and vitality when I do.

You're probably thinking to yourself,"Wow, that sucks!" But for me, this has been an easy transition, as I tend to reserve my favorite wheat foods for Italian dinners and special occasions-- opting on most days for brown rice products, quinoa, and gluten-free desserts instead.

Because I've always suspected an allergy, and quite frankly love a good culinary experiment, I've done some gluten-free baking in the past. But up until now, I never realize just how many kinds of gluten free flours there are! From buckwheat to almond, the options seem to be endless!

During my last health-food store excursion, I decided to pick up chick-pea (Garbanzo bean) flour. Although it definitely did NOT pair well with the very experimental pumpkin bread I made on Sunday, (Sean was less than impressed) I learned that there is still quite a bit I can do with it.

First up, falafel! This goes great with tahini yogurt or hummus.
I happened to enjoy mine over a lovely bed of greens along side a bowl of lentil soup.

1 Cup Garbanzo bean flour
1 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp garlic (I used the powder)
1/2 tsp oinion powder
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup hot water
2 tsp olive oil

Combine all the dry ingredients in a bowl and blend thoroughly.
Add the lemon juice and hot water to the dry mixture and stir until combined.
Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes.

In a frying pan, heat your olive oil on medium heat until hot. Add the batter by the tablespoon and flatten slightly. Fry on both sides until golden brown. Place on paper towel to drain oil.

Makes 10-12 falafel patties



Next up, Pizza!!

2/3 cup chickpea four
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
½ teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped tomato
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1.Preheat the broiler. Sift the chickpea flour with the salt into a medium bowl. Slowly add 1/4 cup of the water, whisking constantly to form a paste. Beat with a wooden spoon until smooth. Whisk in the remaining 3/4 cup of water and let the batter stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, then stir in the rosemary.

2.Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a 12-inch nonstick ovenproof skillet. Stir the batter once, pour it into the skillet, flatten with your spoon and drizzle the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil on top. Cook the pizza over moderately high heat until the bottom is golden and crisp and the top is almost set, 2 to 3 minutes. Burst any large air bubbles with the tip of a knife.

3.Sprinkle the tomato, onion, Parmesan and pepper over the top, then place the skillet under the broiler and cook until the pizza is golden and crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Slide the pizza onto a work surface, cut into wedges and serve hot.

These recipes are so simple, delicious and nutritous. What other yummy dishes do you think you can make with chick pea flour?

Friends, family, rosemary sweet potatoes, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!

The title of my last blog post goes to show just how long it's been since I've written. Inspired by an amazing weekend with friends and family, I decided now is as good of a time as any to get back to the blog-o-sphere.

After a fabulous Friday night on the town with my boyfriend Sean, friend Maureen, and cousin Greg, I headed to NJ where my friends Lauren and Johnny hosted us for dinner. I must say, Lauren is a true domestic diva! From her pear and ricotta tartines, to her homemade apple pie, it was quite an impressive feast! Not a detail spared, their lovely home dazzled with candles, flowers, and beautiful place settings!

For dinner, Lauren made butternut squash ravioli, a fig and beat salad with a homemade cranberry dressing, and for our main course, roasted chicken with roasted veggies. Delish! Johnny did a fabulous job carving the chicken, and I made my favorite sweet potato dish. (see recipe below)

Although I suppose this makes me somewhat of a hyprocrite, I must admit that I also brought cupcakes from Crumbs. [tail between legs.]

I'm SORRY, but who doesn't love a good red velvet with cream-cheese frosting from time to time? I had originally planned on making organic pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (recipe also below), but the day got away from me, and Crumbs it was!

The following morning, we celebrated my beautiful baby nephew's christening. It was a truly special day -- one that I'll certainly cherish forever. My sister and brother-in-law were glowing, my mom was emotional as per usual (ok, so was I) and the rest of us were quick to celebrate with vino at the after party.

As I said goodbye to my family and headed back to Manhattan, I felt truly blessed.
And although I indulged in a few "sinful treats" over the weekend, I felt healthier than ever. From great friends, to wonderful family - to christening Lauren's china set, to christening my God-son, from tears of joy to tears of laughter - it was an amazing weekend! And as we approach Thanksgiving, I hope you will each take a moment out of your busy routines, to reflect on all that you have to be grateful for too!

Now, without further ado, the recipes!!!


Rosemary Roasted Sweet Potatoes

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large), peeled and cut into small chunks
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary (more, if you like)
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a large bowl, toss the potatoes with the oil, rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a large non-stick baking sheet.

Bake until the potatoes are cooked through and golden, about 30 minutes. Season to taste.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
2 sticks organic butter, softened
1 cup Sucanat
2 organic eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 can pumpkin puree
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 bag organic dark chocolate chips
parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350F. Combine butter and Sucanat. Add all wet ingredients and blend. Stir in flours and other dry ingredients until well mixed. Scoop heaping tablespoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets and bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned.

Summer...please hold. (Meet baby Christian + Fabulous Margs and Guac recipes!)

What a summer... A new career path, a new apartment, new clients, and most importantly, a brand spanking new nephew, Christian!!! Isn't he a cutie!?!?! And the pics don't even do him justice!) Love him!

As great as these new developments are, they've kept me quite busy, and as it's done in the past, the end of August has brought forth mild feelings of desperation. Suddenly, fall is right around the corner, and panic sets in. I start making promises to mother nature to do ANYTHING if she'd just give me 5 more beach days, 4 more bike rides down the west side highway, and at least 2 more barbeques. And if she can throw in a chance to wear my favorite sun dress once more, that would be fabulous too!

But then I remember all the goodies fall has to offer - the food and wine festival, Halloween, my birthday, thanksgiving, beautiful foliage, cozy sweaters, my broken in frye boots...and suddenly the end of the summer doesn't seem half bad. However, everything has it's time and place, and as long as it's still kosher to wear white pants, (A BS rule that I often boycott) I intend to hold on to summer as long as I can!

And to me, nothing screams summer more than a delicious frozen marg!

This recipe is low in sugar and cals and a much better alternative to sweet and processed margarita mixes you buy at the store. So give it a try, serve it up in your white hot pants, and soak up what's left of summer!

Below is the virgin recipe, but obviously feel free to add Tequila!! After all, it does come from the agave cactus :)



***Raw Virgin Margarita

* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1 squirt of lime juice from a lime wedge
* 3/4 cup cool water
* 2-3 packets of  Stevia
* 1 generous squirt of Agave Nectar *optional
* Blend until slushy
* Garnish your serving glass with lemons and limes

And because I believe that every good marg deserves guac, you'll want to check out this truly delectable recipe for a truly happy hour!!


***Holy Sweet Guacamole
4 medium sized, ripe avocados, pitted and mashed

1 garlic clove, very finely chopped (about the size of your thumbnail)

1/8 cup yellow onion, finely chopped

1/8 cup unsweetened, dried cherries, roughly chopped

1/2 pack of NuNaturals brand Stevia

1 squirt Agave syrup (aprx 2 tsp)

Mash all your ingredients together in a bowl and... Andele!!! (andale mama ia ia oh oh)


***compliments of diaryofanutritioinst.com

To mope or to hope?

If someone were to tell me two months ago, that come July I would have two brand new clients and a fabulous, creative new job, I would have called their bluff...I was feeling quite pessimistic, anxious, and crazed this spring. Yes, me, the Holistic health coach...the one who preaches about keeping a "Gratitude over negativity" outlook, the one that promotes all things natural, organic, happy and light. And there I was, feeling anything but. I did have reasons to feel hopeful and I was, as I job searched, networked, attended health fairs, wrote articles, and volunteered my time at Food Bank New York's community garden, all while working a 40+ hour work week in hopes of making connections, finding a job aligned with my values, and growing my health coaching business. But where there was hope, there was also a feeling of despair muffling my more promising thoughts as it whispered, "What if nothing does change?" "What if you are stuck in this job forever?" "What if you don't grow your business and that the summer will never come?"(Although irrational, there were several unusually cold spring days that had convinced me we'd entered an ice age and that summer would soon become a thing of the past.) More times than not I'd find myself diverting from my job search to look up apartments in San Diego on Craig's list and on one occasion, I even went as far to research the cost of living in Charlotte. I was feeling suffocated and stifled by Manhattan, and unsettled in life. But alas summer came, my business is growing, and I've moved into a creative and what I believe will be a fulfilling and challenging career as a copywriter. Not to be too preachy, but it reminds me of a quote from my favorite Matisyahu song..."Out of the darkness, there comes light." It's really true - without darkness, there cannot be light, and while I agonized, stressed, obsessed, lost sleep over my life's path, read the happiness project, embarrassingly enough wrote down Oprah quotes, and even stumbled into a psychic reading with my friend from work after happy hour in search of answers, (also embarrassing, but fun none the less) the universe was working all along to make things happen. Underneath the negativity and the "what ifs?", lied hope, and in this case, hope won.

(And if strong enough, I have a sneaking suspicion that it just might always.)

What's in your beach bag?

Happy 4th of July everyone! This is an article from my newsletter archives that I thought was worth sharing again! Wishing you a healthy and happy holiday weekend!

- Stephanie


Summer is in full gear and with that comes my favorite kind of days... beach days!

Once at the beach, nothing can be more relaxing, but the preparation can often be quite the opposite. After you've loaded the car with the basics (chairs, towels, umbrella, sunscreen, music, books) you may have forgotten all about food and drink. And if you're anything like I used to be, you'd rather avoid the hastle of packing your own snacks and just hit up the consession stands once you've gotten there.

This not only can be costly, but is also UNHEALTHY.
Summer is the season that people care the most about their physical appearance. Many of us spend weeks trimming, tanning, and toning, but when it finally comes time to bare all, we end up eating hot, heavy, processed foods that make us feel less than our best. What we really need on hot beach days are light, cooling, hydrating foods.

So instead of blowing money on hot dogs, fries, and funnel cakes only to feel bloated and sluggish later, why not spend a little extra time to prepare snacks that will keep you feeling great and energized all day?

In other words, leave the Gas-X at home this summer and choose from my TOP 12 beach snacks:


1. Chopped up watermelon
2. Hummus with carrots, peppers, or celery for dipping
3. Goji Berries (This top of the charts superfood is available at Whole Foods or local health food store)
4. Grapes (freeze the night before)
5. Raw or organic Cashews
6. Green+ Energy bars (Available at Whole Foods, local health food store, or GNC. Eat 1 for in between meals or 2 as a meal replacement)
7. Raspberries & blueberries (freeze the night before)
8. Organic or Raw Chocolate bars (freeze the night before. Found at Whole Foods, Trader Joes or local health food store)
9. Apples
10. Almond butter and honey sandwich on ezekial bread (Ezekial bread is made from sprouted whole grains and can be found in the freezer section of Whole Foods, Trader Joes, or your local health food store)
11. Lundberg Organic Rice Cakes (flavor of your choice)
12. ****Water, Water, Water!! For something sweeter, throw in a coconut water or two. They are delicious, tropical, and full of electrolytes!)

Pick a few off the list, (choose organic produce if possible) pack in a cooler with plenty of ice, and enjoy!!! And by all means, do NOT forget the water!