Category Archives: All blog posts

Picnic Cole Slaw

Are you starting to feel like summer is almost over? Sports practices are gearing up, school supplies are filling the stores, the days are getting shorter, and mornings and evenings are sometimes (blessedly!) a little cooler. It can feel a bit sad to watch summer wind down, but take heart! There is plenty of time left for a few more picnics and barbecues, and they’ll even be a bit more pleasant if the heat index drops a bit!

When you plan your menu, you may instinctively include cole slaw. It makes frequent appearances at barbecues and picnics and can seem like a healthy choice, given that it’s just vegetables in a bowl, right? I mean, it’s practically SALAD! But the truth is that cole slaw can be a nutritional nightmare. Most varieties sold in delis or served in restaurants are laden with full-fat mayonnaise and can really wreak havoc on your daily calorie tally. For example, a small order of cole slaw at Chick-Fil-A has more calories and fat (360 cal/31 g!) than a small order of waffle fries (290 cal/16 g). This is for cabbage and carrots, people!

Now, unless you are REALLY a fan of coleslaw, there is no way that a teensy dish of it is worth that kind of calorie and fat hit. But there is an alternative…making your own version with a delicious, cool, slightly tangy dressing. I like this one, adapted from the Cook This, Not That!: Kitchen Survival Guide
. With my modifications, a serving is less than 100 calories and 5 g of fat! Now that’s more like it, right? Happy picnicking!

Picnic Cole Slaw

serves 6

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp. low fat mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp. canola oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 head green cabbage, “shredded” (sliced very thin)*
1/2 head red cabbage, “shredded” (sliced very thin)*
3 large carrots, julienned
1/3 c. pickled jalapenos
** See note below

Whisk all the wet ingredients plus salt and pepper in a small bowl.

In a large bowl, toss the cabbage, carrots and jalapenos. Add dressing and toss to evenly coat vegetables.

Chill and serve.

*If you’ve never shredded cabbage, here’s a link to a quick tutorial. And if you REALLY want to make this easy, you could even buy a bag of slaw mix!

**If you like your slaw a bit sweeter, you can add a packet of stevia sweetener to the dressing ingredients.

This entry was posted in All blog posts, Food, Recipes and tagged , , on by .

The First Run…

Saturday was a landmark day! I went for my first run in 8 months and BOY was it a high! There are only two things that could get me to take that long of a break from running – pregnancy or a serious injury. This time, Baby #3 was the cause of my running hiatus and at 3 weeks postpartum, I was thrilled to feel good enough to officially hit the road again. I’d kept up with the elliptical machine and strength training during my pregnancy, but running was against my doctor’s orders. And running is what I’d been longing to do.

I firmly believe that the key to having regular exercise in your life is to find things that you love to do – activities that draw you to them. If you hate to run, then you are not going to get out there every day and log the miles. You’re going to pull the covers over your head and say “maybe tomorrow.” So while this post is about my love of running, I hope you’ll use it as inspiration to find what YOU love. Maybe it’s tennis, or Jazzercise, or the Wii Fit, or kickboxing, or spinning, or WHATEVER turns you on. I urge you to keep exploring options until you discover something that lights you up. Because when you do, you will never look back. That activity will call your name, drawing you out of bed or out of your office and into the gym or onto the field. And you will willingly, gladly, eagerly respond.

How do I know this? Because I absolutely love to run. Ever since I first discovered the mood-enhancing, endorphin-releasing, calorie-torching power of a long run on a warm sunny day 13 years ago I’ve been hooked. I’ve dabbled in all sorts of distances from the rather long (including several marathons – 26.2 miles each) to the rather short (like Saturday’s run) and everything in between. No matter the distance (okay, maybe except for those last few miles of a full marathon) I love every single second that I’m out there; I think better, feel better, look better and am a better wife-mother-daughter-friend when I am running regularly. It’s not about the distance or the speed for me; it’s really just about being out there! And often, about with whom I’m sharing the road.

Some of my closest friendships have been built on running trails as we’ve logged miles and shared the humdrum fabric of our day-to-day lives. We’ve worked through significant life decisions, comforted one another, and slain demons together during these runs. Laughter, tears, and quiet companionship each have had their place as the seasons have changed and our lives have marched on.

I ran solo on Saturday. I’m not fully back up to speed yet and my running friends would be seriously slowed down if they were to run with me right now. Being out there alone is fun in a different kind of way – I’m focused on the exhilaration of breathing and moving and feeling the wind on my face. It’s pure running. But I’m glad that one day soon, I’ll hear footsteps landing next to mine and there will be new stories to mark the miles.

Photo Credit: The Running Bug

This entry was posted in All blog posts, Fitness, Lifestyle and tagged , , on by .

Peach & Walnut Barley Salad

“Do I dare to eat a peach?”
– TS Eliot in the Lovesong of J Alfred Prufrock

For most of my life, I have been allergic to fresh peaches. (Tragic, no?) Especially considering that for five years I lived in Atlanta – aka Peach Heaven! I was also allergic to raw apples, plums, nectarines, and pears. For about 20 years, I could not eat any of these without having an allergic reaction (specifically itching and swelling of my lips and mouth – nothing that seemed too dangerous – just uncomfortable and annoying). While I’m sure I shouldn’t have been tempting fate to unleash a more severe reaction, I used to test the waters every now and then by eating a bite of one of these forbidden fruits just to see if maybe by some miracle I had outgrown the allergy. it seemed fairly safe to dip a toe in the water now and then to see if anything had changed. So year after year, I’d try apples as they came in season in the fall and peaches in the summer only to have the same disappointing allergic reaction. But then (Oh glory of glories!) LAST year, by some merciful act of the food gods…I ate an apple and had…no reaction! This momentous event kicked off months of raw-apple feasting in our house as I tested variety after variety in allergy-free glee! And this summer, I had the same thing happen with a peach! My first thought? “Amen and hallelujah! Let the testing of fresh fruit recipes commence!”

I found this one in Clean Eating’s July/August issue and could not wait to try it. It’s just the kind of thing I like to have for lunch – a nice balance of high-fiber whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, some good fat (this time by way of walnuts and olive oil), and a flavor-packed cheese. It is quick to prepare, keeps well, and can be eaten cold or at room temperature which makes it so versatile! It would be a great side dish for dinner, too, maybe paired with grilled chicken or pork?

I’ve dreamed up a few variations I’d like to try – adding fresh blueberries, using smoked paprika instead of chili powder, gorgonzola cheese…the possibilities are limited only by your taste preferences and imagination. And maybe your own allergies…so if you happen to be allergic to peaches (pause, moment of silence) may I suggest mango as an easy substitution?

Peach & Walnut Barley Salad
Adapted from Clean Eating magazine

serves 4

1 c. quick cooking barley
1 c. parsley, finely chopped
1/4 c. walnut pieces, chopped
2 peaches, peeled, pitted and diced (about 1 c.)
1 c. diced fresh strawberries
1/4 c red or yellow bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. fresh lime (or lemon) juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. goat cheese (original called for feta)

Cook barley according to package directions. Cool to room temperature before tossing with parsley, walnuts, peaches, strawberries and pepper.

In a separate bowl, whisk olive oil, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, and salt. Pour over barley mixture and toss. Crumble cheese over top and serve.

This entry was posted in All blog posts, Food, Recipes, Uncategorized on by .