dude: are you sure your scale is broken?

by Jasmine on September 9, 2011

Part III of III: “Dude, Are You Sure Your Scale is Broken?“
Guest Post by Jennifer Tress

Oh dear TPA readers, so much has happened since we last touched base. Thankfully, I’ve recovered from the median debacle and finished the 15-day fruit and vegetable cleanse in glorious fashion.  On the 15th day, friends were coming over for a late summer BBQ. I could not wait to break the cleanse.  While I ate fruit in the morning and then juiced until they arrived late in the afternoon, I hungrily anticipated the menu: burgers with juicy red heirloom tomatoes, corn with salt and butter, grilled peaches with ice cream…alcohol!!!  I housed that Haagen Dazs.
 
And it was goooooood.
 
But I had a stomachache later, likely from the ice cream (and generally from the gluttony). On the 16th day, I woke up with no restrictions. I was free to eat what I wanted and the immediate things I wanted were bread and protein.  I lightly toasted a slice of soft, whole grain sunflower seed bread and spread it with avocado.  Then I sprinkled it with hot red paper flakes and topped it with a fried egg.  This was also good.  My body craves protein and carbohydrates and it immediately, positively responded to the eggs and bread but also to the avocado. I felt full but not bloated or uncomfortable (read: gassy), energized and alert.
 
Before sharing the “end results” with you, I wanted to wait a couple weeks after I finished the Reboot Entry Program to see where my eating habits gravitated, and there is a ton I have brought forward from the cleanse.
 
The first is knowledge.  Of what my body can tolerate, and how you can easily “make up” for a day when you mostly eat crap.  Regarding the former, I now have solid proof of what I’ve long suspected: I can’t tolerate dairy well. I’ll miss you, cheese (but fair warning: I will still eat you periodically when my defenses are low. We’ll laugh about the good times as I inevitably lay on my bed with my legs pulled up to my chest, waiting for the cramps to pass).
 
I’ve also learned about the major benefits of juicing.  So if you have a day where you just can’t help but make not-so-healthy choices (or have digestive issues that prevent you from consuming much produce, ahem, comfortably), drink a big glass of freshly juiced mixed vegetables / fruits. It’s packed with tons of nutrients and vitamins and keeps you alert and focused.
 
Other Takeaways…

Let’s start with the superficial. I only lost two pounds and expected more. At first I thought I had lost eight pounds and was frankly elated. Two days later when I stepped on the scale, it said I had lost twenty pounds! But in reality, my scale was broken. Waa Waaaaa. I’ve been within five pounds of the same weight for over 15 years, and I’ve sincerely been pretty comfortable all that time. What went away for me was the bloat. I felt better. I no longer had a pronounced muffin top. That’s what mattered to me most. Though I do have a theory on the minimal weight loss. I discussed this more in Part II of this series, and I think it’s because I wasn’t taking in enough food. When your body isn’t retaining enough, it tends to hold onto what it has as an immediate response. Also, aside from some light yoga, I stopped exercising after about three days…I just didn’t have the energy.
 
This ain’t for the faint of heart. I think it’s great for 3-4 days. I would use it if I wanted to look good for an event, and will continue to do it 3-4 times per year. But beyond that, for me, a deep hunger set in that began to really gnaw at my thoughts. Also, I mentioned the toilet time.  Bring a book.
 
Preparation Time, was about three to five hours per week. This included washing and chopping and cleaning the juicer (but not cooking time). Depending on your perspective this could seem like a little or a lot, so I’ll just say this: we prepare when we go out socially, for work and to keep order in our homes. Why not prepare for what you put in your face? I could spend an hour prepping for a veggie-only dinner, but if I thought a little ahead I could – within the same timeframe – also make an extra portion of the recipe for tomorrow’s lunch or chop and store additional veggies for my next morning’s juice. I always make an additional 1-2 10 oz. servings of juice as well, which stays fresh for about 18 hours in the fridge.
 
Here’s my parting thought: Eat and drink what makes you physiologically feel good and do this most of the time. If I’m being honest with myself, eating foods with unhealthy fats and processed ingredients does not make me feel good. And when I’m not feeling good, I’m not at my best. So I try to eat what makes me feel good 90% of the time now. And it’s easy…there’s zillions of recipes and always a “feel good” choice at a restaurant.  And I’m not talking about a salad – I’ve felt amazing after eating farm-raised salmon and jasmine rice and beet salad with walnuts – I’m talking about what makes you feel good, and that’s different for everyone. By cleansing and re-introducing my “normal” food choices, I was able to determine what wreaked havoc on my digestive system and / or diluted my energy.
 
Thanks, Jasmine, for the opportunity to share my experience! Readers, feel free to ask specific questions in the comments section and I’ll do my best to answer…

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Have a Heart (Juice)

by Jasmine on September 1, 2011

“100 years from now, looking back: what will be considered more radical: a plant-based diet or the typical american diet?”

Dr. Sanjay Gupta posed this question on his twitter feed last tonight, and it’s a great question. Friends often ask me if eating a mostly raw diet is a huge pain in the ass, and the truth is, it takes some effort. But I’ve lived with type 1 diabetes for 22 years, and frankly, the idea of  having my leg amputated or my kidneys replaced seems like way more of a pain in the ass than finding the time to incorporate more green vegetables, whole grains, and fruit into my diet!

There seems to be a growing awareness in both the medical community and among Americans that eating a plant-based diet can not only reverse diseases like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, but can also help prevent these illnesses. In Dr. Gupta’s new special, The Last Heart Attack, he interviews a variety of doctors about their experiences with reversing heart disease and explores whether it’s possible to heart attack proof your heart (spoiler alert: it is). Even former President Bill Clinton, once a lover of all things fried, salty, and sweet, is now eating a plant-based, vegan diet after undergoing his second major heart surgery last year. Check out Wolf Blitzer’s interview of the doctors that helped Clinton lose over 20 pounds:  http://youtu.be/SBM415zDYrs

Let’s face it: we all know someone who has had a heart attack or who is at high risk to have one. My favorite teacher in high school died unexpectedly from one, a countless number of lawyers that I work with have suffered from them, and several family members are still struggling to recover from them. So for each of those people, and for your own heart and health, fix up a big old batch of Have a Heart Juice, raise a glass, and tune in this Saturday, September 3, at 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. EST on CNN for Dr. Gupta’s special!

Have a Heart Juice

1/2 seedless watermelon, including rind
2 cucumbers
1 lime

Feed ingredients through a juicer. If you don’t have a juicer, you can blend ingredients and strain for a similar effect.


Why is watermelon so good for your heart? It turns out that it contains large amounts of the plant nutrient citrulline. When digesting watermelon, citrulline gets converted to arginine, an amino acid that helps relax blood vessels, improve blood flow, and boosts your immune system. The only catch? Citrulline is found in highest concentrations in watermelon rind, rather than its sweet flesh. Most people I know don’t sit around gnawing on watermelon rind, so how do you unlock this little miracle? Juice!

Note: If you’re diabetic or following a low-sugar diet, keep in mind that watermlon flesh is pretty sugary, so take it easy on juicing the flesh. I primarily use the rind and add cucumber for volume.

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“dude, you just drove into a median”

by Jasmine on August 9, 2011

This week kicks off with installment 2 of a 3-part guest series by Jennifer Tress, a talented author, amazing friend, and apparently, dangerous driver. If you recall, in Part I, we asked the hard questions: how will Jen do on a 15 day juice and raw foods cleanse? Will she de-friend me on Facebook after day 4? Will she develop juice rage and rob a Dairy Queen? Will she drive into a median in a parking lot and live to blog about it?

Find out the answers to these pressing questions and more!

Part II of III: “Dude, You Just Drove Into a Median”
Guest post by Jennifer Tress

Last week I started a Reboot Entry Program in an attempt to naturally cleanse my body for 15 days. You can read about what is involved and why I decided to do this here.  Did I have some trepidation? Yep. But I’ve gotten some great things out of it. Here’s what happened my first week:

Was I hungry? Surprisingly, not during the first few days. It shocked me that I could get by on juice and fruit and salads and cooked vegetables. When I needed substance, I ate something with avocado, or banana or sweet potato. And some of the recipes on the Reboot website are truly delicious. Sweet potato, parsnip and carrot fries tossed in a little olive oil and salt and pepper? Yes please. And nothing, I mean nothing tasted better and more replenishing on those 105-degree days than a glass of freshly squeezed juice (my favorite mix thus far: beets, spinach, apple, lemon, carrot and celery). Not so favorite: sweet potato juice. It has a vaguely dessert-like grittiness to it that I find off-putting. There are so many juice variations though and if you keep most of your fruit and veggies refrigerated like me, then your juice will come out nice and cold.

Did I have mood swings? No, because my metabolism was pretty stable throughout the day. I expected to feel hungry or weak, which would have triggered one of two moods: bitchy or super bitchy. But instead I felt exactly the same: calm, focused, positive. I also felt and looked less bloated and was extremely alert. All day. I’ve never felt that way. Those are the good things. The inside of my mouth, however, is getting slightly canker-y from all the natural acidity. And by Day 5, I was craving protein so hard I made a run for Sunflower Vegetarian and carried away an order of General Tso’s “Chicken” like I was Gollum and it was my precious. I only suffered a slight, short stomachache but it spiked my blood sugar and I woke up famished on Friday. I made some baked pears and brought some juice with me to run errands during the mid-morning. I felt really spacey. I entered a mega-shopping center in the suburbs and was noticing how luxurious it was to have so many parking spaces to myself when suddenly I drove half-way over a median separating one of the rows. I am sure people saw me and I’m just glad none of those people were cops.

Did it cost a lot? Groceries for the first week were approximately $200, just for me. Keep in mind I buy organic when I can, which is always pricier and that consuming the number of ounces recommended by the Reboot requires a lot of produce.

Was I crapping 80,000 per day? Oh sweet lord, yes. And also peeing a lot. Basically, expect to spend half your life on the toilet.

Check in next week for the final installment. Until then, feel free to ask any questions about my experience in the comments section and I’ll be happy to answer!

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If I was a hot mom (what I’d feed my kids)

by Jasmine on August 3, 2011

When the talented chef, entreprenuer, and hot mom, Juli Novotny, asked me to write a guest post for her blog, Pure Mamas, I was thrilled. I was also initially stumped as to what to write, because I don’t have kids (unless you count my “other” personality when I can’t find my keys, shoes, purse, etc. and I’m running late for work). But lately several of you readers have emailed me and said, “Jasmine, my kids love that chia seed recipe” or “Jasmine, that chia seed cereal is delicious and kept me full for hours” or “Jasmine, Martha Stewart called me and asked me to get in touch with you about doing a guest appearance on her show.” (Okay, nobody said that last part.)

I love Pure Mamas not only because of it’s super hip southern California aesthetic and the fact that it contains easy recipes for busy parents, but also because Juli writes more generally about raising kids on superfoods and the practical realities of that lifestyle.  A big thank you to Juli for inviting me to write a guest post – please go check out her site and pass it on to the hot moms (and dads) in your life!

Hello Pure Mamas!

My name is Jasmine and I initially started eating (mostly) raw, organic, plant-based foods as an experiment to kick my type 1 diabetes in the ass. The benefits of this new lifestyle have been immediate and tangible: my blood sugar levels have stabilized, my daily insulin intake has noticeably decreased, and although I still don’t have 6 pack abs, I am not carrying as much stomach fat as I used to.

I started my blog, The Pink Avocado, so that I could share the recipes and lifestyle tips that have helped me feel better, look better, and have more energy. A huge thank you to the lovely Juli for the opportunity to share this recipe with you - please leave a comment and let us know how you and your family like it!

Chia Seeds. Your kids might not know what a Chia Head is, but I bet you remember those now infamous commercials that were in heavy rotation in the late 80s and early 90s. “Chi-Ch-Ch-Chia!” we sang, as we watched sprouts of “hair” grow on a clay Lionel Richie head. When I first came across a recipe for chia seed cereal, I was somewhat confused. “EAT Lionel Richie’s hair?? These raw food people are crazy!”
 
Believe it or not, chia seeds are actually an ideal breakfast or snack, and are one of the easiest raw food recipes to make. The seed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, potassium, and fiber (1 oz. gives you 11g of fiber). When you let the seeds soak for 30 minutes, the seeds form a gel {see BEFORE shot above}.

It’s thought that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, creating a barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down, slowing down the rate by which carbohydrates are converted to sugar. Eating a breakfast that digests slowly means that your kids won’t be begging for a cupcake at 10 a.m. and you won’t be sneaking one yourself at 10:05 a.m.!
 
If you are making this recipe for your kids, try setting out a variety of toppings, such as fresh blueberries, strawberries, peaches, bananas, raisins, almonds, walnuts, or coconut, and let them create their own chia seed cereal masterpiece.

Timesaver tip: assemble all of the ingredients the night before in a bowl and cover; in the morning, give the mixture a few pulses in your food processor or blender, and serve!

Chia Seed Super Cereal
Makes 2 servings
 
5 Tablespoons chia seeds
Handful of sliced almonds
Handful of walnuts
½ – ¾ cup almond milk
1/3 cup fresh shredded coconut
Splash of vanilla extract (optional)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Few springs of mint (optional)
Fruit of choice: I prefer fresh berries or a sliced banana with a dash of cinnamon.
 
As soon as you wake up in the morning, put the chia seeds, nuts, and coconut in my mini cuisinart and cover the whole mixture with almond milk. Stir and let sit. Commence your morning routine, stirring the mixture after about 10 minutes; you’ll notice that the seeds are already forming into a gel.
 
After about 20-30 minutes total, add a splash of vanilla and pulse the mixture in the cuisinart until it’s blended. Top with fresh berries, a few sprigs of mint, and a splash of almond milk.
 
Note: I reference the measured ingredients above only as a reference point. Basically you want a ratio of 1:3 chia seeds to almond milk, and a handful of the nuts!

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“Dude, You Need a Reboot”

by Jasmine on July 29, 2011

We all have those friends that we can be super silly with…you know, those friends that you laugh so hard with that you end up doubled in half, red-faced, clutching your kitchen counter and waiving your hands for mercy. Those friends. Not only is Jennifer Tress (or “Jen”, as we call her) one of those friends, but she’s also an accomplished author, the distinctive voice behind the blog You’re Not Pretty Enough, and the kind of friend who will talk you through writer’s block over IM at midnight on the 4th of July while you make incessant jokes about Alec Baldwin’s new 25 year old girlfriend. Ahem.

But is she the kind of friend that will endure a 15 day juice and raw foods cleanse and blog about it?

You bet your hot ass she is.

Part I of III:  “Dude, You Need A Reboot”
Guest post by Jennifer Tress

They say you are what you eat. If that were true, and I was going by my typical daily input, I’d be caffeine, bread, protein, a serving or two each of fruits and veggies and a shitload of white wine. For dessert, I might have a cigarette. Depending on the day, I will consume my bread-protein-veggie intake via pizza or with tempeh and steamed veggies (tempeh accounting for grain and protein in this example). It’s that varied.

I exercise on average 2-3 times per week, drink tons of water, use great products like Bobbi Brown and Bliss and sleep like the dead. I have reduced the stress in my life considerably and yet more often than I’d like, I still feel lethargic, bloated and physically uncomfortable; not gassy but on the verge of gassy. And to be honest, I’m not exactly doing back flips over what I see in the mirror, naked. It’s got to be my diet, I deduced, and started talking to my dear friend Jasmine, the proprietor of this awesome site about how I was feeling. She gave me a loving nudge:

“Dude, you need a reboot.”

And you know what? I was ready. She turned me on to the site, Reboot Your Life, where I was able to answer some questions about my lifestyle, what I eat and what my goals are. It then recommended a program based on an assessment of my answers. I was recommended the Reboot Entry Program, which requires a juicer, no alcohol, limited caffeine and allows “raw and cooked vegetables and fruits in any order or combination that suits your life.”  A typical day seems to consist of a fruit-based breakfast, a mid-morning juice, a large salad for lunch (with avocado for substance), followed by a mid-afternoon juice and ending with a dinner of cooked and/or raw vegetables.

This is good. Mama needs to eat – like physically engage in the act of eating – or else I fear the alternative would be some weird juice rage bender that eventually ends with me dumpster diving, elbow deep in half-eaten donuts and other such monstrosities.

Also good? Daily meal plans that give me tons of ideas on what to buy and how to prepare my bounty. I’m good with a plan. 

So, I embark. I have some fluttering anxieties, namely:

  • Will I be hungry?
  • Will I have mood swings?
  • Will I feel good?
  • How much will this cost me?
  • Will I now be crapping 80,000 times per day?

But mostly, I’m excited. I’m putting myself first and looking forward to all the rewards that come with that.

Look for future posts on my experience over the next 15 days…until next time, stay in the Pink (avocado, that is)!

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Watermelon, Tomato, Cucumber & Mint Salad

by Jasmine on July 25, 2011

One hot Sunday afternoon I strolled down 14th Street, sipping an iced green tea and wondering aloud why I hadn’t bothered to apply sunscreen before leaving the house. I spend most summers in DC suffocating under a blanket of unrelenting humidity, secretly sneaking a 3rd shower in before going to bed (I know, I’m a bad person) and seeing if “hair pulled back in messy bun” counts as a hairstyle. I passed restaurant after restaurant, each with chalkboards on the sidewalk advertising “freshly fried doughnuts”. Hot fried doughnuts in 100 degree weather with 100% humidity? You’ve got to be kidding me. All I could think about was eating something cool and refreshing, something that would make me perk up like an 8 year old running through a banana colored slip n’ slide (remember those?!)

(The guy driving this car definitely didn’t want a hot doughnut)


This salad fits the bill: the watermelon explodes in your mouth, followed by the crunch of the cucumber, and the chopped Brazil nuts. Before your taste buds get too complacent, the fire from the red pepper sneaks up and sucker punches you in the back of the throat, reminding you that it’s summer. Just when that heat is starting to get a bit too much, the mint turns on like a sprinkler head and all is right again in the world.

Watermelon, Tomato, Cucumber & Mint Salad
Inspired by Living Raw Food by Sarma Melngailis
Serves 2

1/4 seedless watermelon, cubed
1 cup heirloom tomatoes, diced
1 medium cucumber, diced
1 small red pepper or habanero pepper
2 handfuls mint, torn into small pieces
Brazil nuts, chopped (you can also substitute macadamia nuts, but I prefer Brazil nuts because they are 1/10 of the price of macadamia nuts)
1 lime, juiced
Sea salt to taste
Drizzle of olive oil

Toss all ingredients together, finishing with a drizzle of olive oil and additional mint, and serve. You can prepare several hours in advance and refrigerate.

It’s summer, go ahead and lick the bowl.

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Tomato Zucchini Lasagna with Basil Walnut Pesto

by Jasmine on July 18, 2011

Sunday dinners are about the only time that I have to play with new recipes. The rest of the week typically consists of a flury of conference calls, emails, making green smoothies, wondering when Oprah will knock on my door and ask me to audition (call me!), and trying not to get buried under the avalanche of unfolded laundry on our bed (I’m losing that battle).

That’s why I absolutely love this recipe: it’s visually stunning yet deceptively easy to make. Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of ingredients that are listed below – the majority of these items are all “basics” that I listed under Get Started. The “ricotta cheese” and the sauces can all be made a day in advance, making it easy to assemble the individual portions before you eat.

Tomato Zucchini Lasagna with Basil Walnut Pesto
Makes 6 large servings
Adapted from Pure Food and Wine’s recipe for Zucchini-and-Green-Zebra-Tomato Lasagna with Basil-Pistachio Pesto

“Ricotta Cheese”
1 cup untoasted pine nuts, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sea salt

Marinara Sauce
1 cup sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in water for at least 1 hour
½ cup cherry tomatoes (or 1 small ripe tomato, diced)
1/4 small onion, chopped
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt
Pinch red pepper flakes

Basil Walnut Pesto
1 1/2 cups packed basil leaves
1/2 cup raw walnuts
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sea salt, or to taste
Pinch of black pepper
Water as needed to adjust consistency

Lasagna Noodles
1 medium zucchini
2 medium tomatoes (heirloom tomatoes are in season right now, so I suggest using those!)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
Garnish: whole basil leaves


Instructions to make “Ricotta Cheese” & Sauces:

“Ricotta Cheese”: place the pine nuts, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, and salt in a food processor, and pulse a few times, until thoroughly combined. Gradually add 1-2 tablespoons water, and pulse until the texture becomes fluffy, like ricotta. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside.

Marinara Sauce: place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

Basil Walnut  Pesto, place all ingredients in a blender, and process until smooth.

Lasagna: Cut the ends off of each zucchini and slice in half length-wise. Putting the flat side down,  use a vegetable peeler or mandoline slicer to cut the zucchini  into thin long slices. Don’t worry if the slices have ragged edges – you can trim them after you cut the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes into thin slices.


To assemble:

Begin by placing three zucchini slices next to each other to form your “base”. Brush the zucchini lightly with olive oil, spread about 1/2 teaspoon of marina sauce over the zucchini, then place small dollops of the pesto and the “ricotta cheese”. Place 1 tomato slice over layer, and sprinkle with a dash of oregano and thyme. Repeat the layering process with the zucchini, the marina, the “ricotta cheese” and the pesto. I was able to layer about 5-6 tomato slices before the portion became unstable. Garnish with fresh basil.

You can enjoy immediately or let sit for an hour to let the flavors marinate. Soak up any extra tomato juice with a paper towel immediately before serving.

TIP: If you’re in the mood for this lasagna but you’re in a hurry and don’t want to assemble the layers, you can also throw the mixture in a bowl for a “deconstructed” lasagna and tell your friends that assembled lasagna is “so 2009″. Trust me, they will still be impressed.

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Garden Fresh Spring Rolls

by Jasmine on July 11, 2011

It’s Monday, and if you’re anything like me, you’re thinking to yourself:  “self, how did the weekend go by so quickly?” And (more importantly), “what am I going to eat for dinner tonight?”

The weather was gorgeous in DC this weekend and I sent CB to the Dupont farmer’s market while I headed into the office to catch up on work.  I was thrilled to come home and find our refrigerator fully stocked with a whole bevy of brightly colored carrots, bell peppers, sprouts, and spinach. The basil plant is exploding on our balcony, practically begging me to use its leaves in meals (at least, that’s what I tell myself).

If you’re looking for an easy dinner tonight that will showcase some of the gems you picked up from the market this weekend, look no further – I got you covered!

Garden Fresh Spring Rolls
Makes 8

1 pack of spring roll wrappers (or rice paper wrappers)
1 avocado, pitted and sliced thin
1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into long strips
2 carrots, peeled into long strips
1 cucumber, sliced into long strips
8 large pieces of green leaf lettuce, washed and patted dry
Fresh sprouts
Red pepper flakes
Sesame seeds (optional)
Fresh basil
One dish of warm (but not scalding hot) water
*Dipping sauce of your choice

Prep all of your vegetables first and create an assembly line for yourself. To assemble the rolls, place a rice wrapper into a bowl of hot water for about 30 seconds. After the wrapper is soft and pliable, remove it from the hot water and place the wrapper on a large plate or clean surface. Tip: I like to set out a clean dish towel on the counter to quickly blot the excess water from the wrapper before I roll my ingredients in it.

 


Layer your ingredients on top of the wrapper: lettuce leaf (which will act as a mini-bowl and a moisture barrier), carrots, bell pepper, cucumber, avocado, sprouts, topped with a dash of red pepper flakes, basil, and sesame seeds for crunch.

Fold 1/3 of the wrapper up over your ingredients, and then fold each side over, creating a little pocket. Use your hands to keep the roll tight as you complete the roll up. I usually dab some hot water to “seal” up the roll. Set aside on a dry plate, and continue assembling!

Leave me a comment and let me know what dipping sauce you use for these – I’m partial to a traditional Thai chile sauce, but would love to hear your ideas!

{ 7 comments }

Spicy Kale Chips

by Jasmine on July 7, 2011

We first got turned on to kale chips when a friend asked us if we had ever tried “kale crack”. “Kale crack?”, we asked in confusion. The original “kale crack” recipe was very simple: bite-size pieces of kale tossed with a little olive oil, sea salt, and pepper, then roasted in the oven at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. The result was in fact addictive (thus the “crack” nickname), but it also didn’t yield a lot of final product because the kale would shrink up so small. Also, I started to wonder about how the high heat was affecting the kale nutritionally…was the crack-like nature of this treat stripping away all of the nutritional benefits of the kale?

The answer is yes. And thus, our recipe for kale crack evolved into a more gentle snack…think of this version as herbal ectasy’s answer to crack: all of the nutritional benefits of kale without the pesky side affects of a crack addiction. Everyone wins here people.

Spicy Kale Chips

2 bunches of kale torn into bite-size pieces (without the stems  that run through the middle of the leaf)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and roughly chopped
1 cup cashews
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 small garlic clove
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon as water, as needed
½ teaspoon sea salt

Place all of the ingredients (except for the kale) in a blender or food processor, and blend into a thick cream. If you want to kick this up another notch, you can add red pepper flakes.

Wash the kale and remove excess water (using your salad spinner or pat dry with paper towels). In a large bowl, use your hands to evenly coat the kale with the cheddar mixture. Spread the coated kale onto 3 nonstick dehydrator trays (you may need to use more trays if your dehydrator is smaller than the Excalibur; you don’t want the kale to be too dense on the tray or else it won’t dry properly). Dry at 115 degrees for 10 hours until crispy.

If you don’t have a dehydrator, some people place these in their oven at a really low temperature with the door propped open (don’t tell Al Gore) or bake them at 300 degrees for 15 minutes. These methods (particularly the former) are not as ideal as dehydrating, but I think that they are great options for when you are starting out. Either way, it will get you in the habit of enjoying kale, a truly addictive superfood that is rich in vitamin A, vitamin C, and calcium.

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Chia Seed Super Cereal

by Jasmine on July 6, 2011

Chia Seeds. Who can forget those now infamous commercials that were in heavy rotation in the late 80s and early 90s? “Chi-Ch-Ch-Chia!” we sang, as we watched sprouts of “hair” grow on a clay Lionel Richie head. So when I came across a recipe for chia seed cereal, I was somewhat confused. “EAT Lionel Richie’s hair? These raw food people are crazy!”

I did a bit more research and discovered that chia seeds are an incredible superfood. The seed is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, calcium, and fiber (1 oz. gives you 11g of fiber). When you let the seeds soak for 30 minutes, the seeds form a gel. It’s thought that this reaction also takes place in the stomach, creating a barrier between carbohydrates and the digestive enzymes that break them down, slowing down the rate by which carbohydrates are converted to sugar. Eating a breakfast that digests slowly is not only a huge benefit for diabetics trying to maintain balanced blood sugar levels, but will help ward off a mid-morning energy crash .

Chia Seed Super Cereal
Makes 2 servings

5 Tablespoons chia seeds
Handful of sliced almonds
Handful of walnuts
½ – ¾ cup almond milk
1/3 cup fresh shredded coconut
Splash of vanilla extract (optional)
¼ teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
Few springs of mint (optional)
Your fruit of choice: I prefer fresh berries or a sliced banana with a dash of cinnamon.

As soon as I wake up in the morning, I put the chia seeds, nuts, and coconut in my mini cuisinart and cover the whole mixture with almond milk. Stir and let sit. Continue getting dressed, thinking about the delicious goodness that is going to hit your belly soon. Stir the mixture after about 10 minutes; you’ll notice that the seeds are already forming into a gel.

After about 20-30 minutes total, add a splash of vanilla and pulse the mixture in the cuisinart until it’s blended. Top with fresh berries, a few sprigs of mint, and a splash of almond milk.

Now go have a kick-ass day!

Note: I reference the measured ingredients above only as a reference point. Basically you want a ratio of 1:3 chia seeds to almond milk, and a handful of the nuts!

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