a steam-fry and awareness

first of all, i would like to share this lovely steam-fry recipe that was shared with me by my friend and chef-extraordinaire, chloe elgar. i modified it a tiny bit because of the ingredients i had, and the time-constraints i was under (i made it on my lunch break).

ingredients: vegetables (i used bok choy, spinach, mushrooms, and broccoli), chicken broth (but you can use water if you’d like), oyster sauce (not part of the original recipe shared with me, but i added it in since i had some in my fridge), soy sauce (or you can use tamari, which is a wheat-free soy), garlic, ginger, sea-salt, black pepper, and cayenne.

place the veggies in a pot with the chicken broth or water (put about two inches in there, depending on how many veggies you have), along with all the other ingredients, and let it evaporate (but not completely, so it has some sort of sauce to it). you can also steam-fry the veggies in just the chicken broth/water and make a sauce to pour on top of it using all the other ingredients (plus tahini, miso, and olive oil, which were all part of the original recipe given to me that i will definitely have to try next time).

secondly, i’d like to discuss the topic of awareness. it’s amazing what a difference being more aware makes. are you sitting up straight? are you distributing your weight equally on both feet when you stand? how do different foods affect your body? how do you feel, physically and mentally? ever since my visit to the natruopath, i’m really monitoring and screening what i’ve been putting into my body, and paying attention to all the effects of what i consume has on me. bananas weren’t initially eliminated from my diet, but i’ve started to notice that i don’t feel good after i eat bananas, so i’ve decided to cut them out of my diet as well.

i think kamina really outlines and explains this concept well in her blog-post, “3 simple reasons you’re still not losing weight“.

be more aware. try it. and let it change your life.

smoked salmon and spinach salad

ingredients: smoked salmon, spinach, lemon, lemon and pepper spice (or just pepper), and dill weed.

i’m currently on my lunch break and this salad is so easy (and quick) to make that i actually already made it, ate it… and still have time to blog about it.

a strawberry surprise

happy birthday lauren!! xo

naturopathy and dietary restrictions

i saw a naturopath for the first time yesterday (i’d highly recommend it if your extended benefits plan covers it) and long story short, here are my new dietary restrictions:

• no wheat or gluten
• no dairy (no eggs)
• no sugar
• no grains (no rice and quinoa)
• no beans
• no red meat/pork
• a limited fruit intake

i’ve gotten pretty used to a gluten/wheat free diet; eliminating sugar and dairy from my diet isn’t that bad either, as i currently consume little to none anyway (although not eating eggs might be a little bit of a struggle). taking out red meat and pork from my diet might be a little hard (especially when a steak salad craving hits), but i’ve done it before for nine months straight, so i know i can do it. removing grains from my diet is a different story though and it’s definitely going to be my biggest challenge.

i’m going to have to get creative with my meals.

today, i mixed tuna with mashed up avocado (instead of mayonaise or miracle whip), and added lime juice, sea-salt, pepper, and dill to it; i ate it with raw spinach, since i am no longer allowed to consume my beloved rice-crackers. it was actually pretty tasty and surprisingly filling!

i’ve asked my friend chloe for recipes that fit my dietary needs (you should also check out her blog by the way, it’s amazing) – i really wished my extended benefits covered “personal chef” as well, because i’d definitely hire her as mine.

if anyone has any recipes that clear my new dietary restrictions, please let me know, i’d love to hear from you!

just add spinach.

i love spinach. spinach is rich in antioxidants and iron, has a high calcium content, is a good source of dietary fiber, protein, folic acid, potassium, niacin, thiamin, riboflavin, folate, magnesium, and zinc, and contains vitamins a, c, e, k, b2, and b6. it’s also so easy to add to EVERYTHING… and tastes soooooo good.

i add spinach to my…

smoothies. scrambled eggs. salads – i also use spinach instead of lettuce in general, since (iceberg) lettuce has no nutritional value. reheated leftovers, especially fried rice.

an easy and quick recipe i came up with involves sautéing spinach in a pan together with minced garlic, and seasoning it with sea-salt and pepper; place it on top of rice and voilà… lunch.

on quinoa salads and being healthy

ingredients (for the salad): white and black beans, cilantro, cooked quinoa, mushrooms, peppers, jalepeno peppers, avocados, onions, and cucumbers.

ingredients (for the dressing): cumin, olive oil, chili powder, agave syrup, garlic powder, freshly-squeezed lime juice, sea-salt, and pepper.

chop up all the ingredients for the salad and mix it into a bowl; mix the ingredients for the dressing together in another bowl and pour it over the salad; mix it all together.

easy, quick, and healthy. and now i’ll have lunch for days.

recently, i’ve been trying to eat gluten-free for the most part and i’ve just become more aware of what i’m consuming on a daily basis. not only do i feel better physically when i eat well and exercise, but it also affects my mood and mental well-being in a positive way. i’ve by no means turn into an obsessive calorie-counting, health-nut that doesn’t ever indulge in some chocolate lava cake once in a while (because really, life’s too short not to), but i avoid buying processed foods from the grocery store (pre-made, store-bought burgers have always grossed me out) and consciously think about the food-choices i make – where it’s coming from, is this meat grass-fed, if there are preservatives (and other chemicals) in it, how is it really made, is it genetically modified, etc. “you are what you eat.”

dover sole crusted with almond flour

ingredients: dover sole, almonds (plain and unsalted), butter, parsley, sea-salt, and pepper.

crush almonds in a food-processor (or magic bullet) and tada… you have almond flour! coat the raw fish in your newly-made almond flour and fry in a pan with butter. since the fish is so thin, it doesn’t take much time to cook at all. season the newly-cooked fish with parsley, sea-salt, and pepper. serve it with quinoa or lemon-dill rice. pair the meal with a riesling, gewürztraminer, or pinot grigio.