healthier mashed potatoes

if you're anything like me, you'll agree that there's something special about creamy, garlicky, buttery mashed potatoes.  ever since i was a little kid i've been a sucker for spuds. there's nothing wrong with potatoes, but why not try to make this delicious dish a little healthier? that's exactly what i did tonight by substituting cauliflower and parsnips for the starchy alternative. the result: i'm so full i can barely move.

below is the "recipe" i used. i actually just made it up as i went along, but the mashed potatoes turned out great so i'll pretend that it is a tried and true recipe!

ingredients:
1 large head organic cauliflower, washed and chopped
1 large parsnip
1 bunch green onions, chopped
earth balance vegan butter
olive oil
salt
*truffle salt

steam the cauliflower and parsnips until soft.
put the cauliflower and parsnips in a cuisinart and blend with olive oil (roughly 1/3 cup) and earth balance (1/4-1/3 cup). add green onions and salt to taste. voila!

you can really add as much or as little salt, olive oil, and earth balance as you want.  more earth balance = creamier texture.

by no means are potatoes unhealthy, but if you want a lighter, lower carb alternative, try this recipe. you won't be disappointed!

*if you have truffle salt, sprinkle it on top of the finished product. it will blow your mind. if you don't have truffle salt, i'm sorry. go here and buy it now.

macadamia nut oil

move over olive oil - macadamia nut oil is the next big thing! for years i've been using olive oil for almost every single recipe that called for oil. i even once substituted olive oil for canola oil in a batch of pancakes only to find out the hard way that not all oils are created equal. instead of light, fluffy, buttermilk flapjacks, i was left with thick slabs of batter that resembled overcooked latkes. but even though olive oil is touted as being one of, if not THE healthiest oil out there, macadamia nut oil actually has a few pros that, in my opinion, blow olive oil out of the water (and this is not a reference to volatile relationship that already exists between oil and water).

here are a few things you may not know about macadamia nut oil:
1. macadamia nut oil can stand the heat. olive oil can't: many people do not realize that olive oil's composition begins to change when it is exposed to high heat (reaching its "smoke point"). quite quickly, the good fat changes form and we are actually creating a different chemical composition that is completely different from the composition of cold olive oil.  macadamia nut oil, on the other hand, has a very high smoke point.  this means that it can be used at high heats without changing composition or flavor. when cooking eggs or roasting vegetables, i recommend using macadamia nut oil instead of olive oil for the above reason.

2. olive oil has more omega 6 fatty acids than macadamia nut oil: some omega-6 fatty acids tend to promote inflammation while omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation. although macadamia nut oil has less omega-6 fatty acids, olive oil has more omega-3 fatty acids.  when making salads, use olive oil. when sauteeing spinach or broiling fish, use macadamia nut oil.

3. macadamia nut oil has a rich, nutty flavor: no one can deny the fact that olive oil has a delicious flavor. few things are as tasty as fresh, warm bread dipped in a really good olive oil. but have you ever tried macadamia nut oil on vegetables (or even just by itself). macadamia nut oil has a wonderful flavor that is a great alternative to the very distinct taste of olive oil.

by no means am i dissing olive oil here. i think olive oil is one of the best things ever created. but just be careful how you use it. if you can, start using macadamia nut oil when cooking at high temperatures and saving the olive oil for warm or cold dishes. you'll probably notice that the flavor is better anyhow. and don't forget that there are other oils out there, too.  experiment with avocado oil, walnut oil, and pistachio oil - see which ones you like best for different dishes!

bee pollen

i've had horrible allergies for most of my life and i've always relied on claritin, benadryl, zyrtec, and, most recently, singulair to quell my symptoms. i've taken singulair everyday for the past few years and it's really helped me. BUT, i don't want to rely on a medication for the rest of my life if there are ways for me to naturally get my allergies under control. rather than just cover up the symptoms, i'd like to prevent from even happening in the first place (or at least make them a little less severe. enter bee pollen.

 

it may seem counter-intuitive, but bee pollen has been touted as a natural cure for allergies for a long time now. not only is it a superfood full of amino acids, zinc, and b vitamins, but it is also chock-full of a nutrient called quercetin.  quercetin is known for its ability to neutralize histamine response (histamine is what the body releases in response to allergens) and it may be the primary reason why bee pollen can help alleviate inflammation and allergies.

 

bee pollen has sort of a sweet taste and it mixes easily into smoothies, oatmeal, or yogurt. i've been making protein shakes recently with spirulina and bee pollen added. yum. i'll let you know if i notice my allergies getting any better!

*be careful, though. although most people are fine with bee pollen, every once in a while it can cause random allergic reactions in people, whether that be in the form of anaphylaxis or severe stomach pains and vomiting. my husband (who is allergic to bees, actually) cannot eat bee pollen. both times that i've tried to give it to him recently he's gotten severely ill and vomited. obviously the first time he got sick we didn't realize it was from the bee pollen. start off by eating an 1/8 of a teaspoon and work your way up to 1 tablespoon/day. if you ever feel like it doesn't agree with you, stop it immediately.

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please be patient with me as i update the site. i'll be sure to let you know when it's ready!

kale: a nutritional powerhouse

[fresh kale]

[perfect meal]

before last year, i had never even heard of kale. now, i eat it at least three times a week. it's probably all in my head, but i really believe that i can feel the nutrients from this power food seeping into my veins the second the leafy greens enter my mouth. in my opinion, kale is the closest thing there is to a perfect food. believe it or not, 1 cup of steamed kale provides you with 1,328% of your daily requirement of vitamin k, 192% of your vitamin a, 88% of your vitamin c, and a plethora of other nutrients (including b vitamins and calcium). like most other cruciferous vegetables, kale has been praised for its antioxidant properties and its anti-inflammatory properties. it has been linked to reduced cancer risks, reduced inflammatory diseases, and lower cholesterol levels.  in general, you can't really go wrong with greens of any kind, but i'd recommend choosing kale when you can. there will be a lot more research that comes out over the next several years on this incredible food and if you start eating it now you can say "psh, obviously" when your friends start talking about it in five years.

caveat emptor

 

i'm afraid my praise for the vibram five fingers was a little premature (see post here). after wearing them just four times, i noticed a pretty significant pain in my left foot which was later followed by swelling and more pain.  after a trip to the sports medicine doctor and an uncomfortable 30 minutes in an mri, it was confirmed: i had a stress fracture in my second metatarsal. i have not one doubt in my mind that the vibrams are to blame.  look at all of these people that have suffered from the same thing: stress fractures from vibrams.  for the time being, you'll be seeing me in a lot of spin classes and perhaps a few pools. if you are considering purchasing these aqua socks also known as shoes, i have two words for you: caveat emptor (which is latin for 'buyer beware').

stinkey monkey

tonight i tried stinkey monkey pudding for the first time and I was very pleasantly surprised. made up of only six ingredients (raw coconut meat, organic coconut milk, organic raw cacao powder, organic palm sugar, organic raw vanilla bean, and pink himalayan salt), it is both healthy and vegan friendly. judging by the label (and the size of the container), stinkey monkey puddings are most likely meant for people under the age of six, but i don't discriminate. i have a strict open door policy with anything that even resembles chocolate, so it wasn't hard to convince me to buy this $3.99 4oz pudding. other pluses: gluten-free, soy-free, low glycemic, and made in our very own culver city.