Category Archives: Food

Do One Thing

I first learned of Robyn O’Brien when I was a student at The Institute for Integrative Nutrition. During that time, I was reading everything I could get my hands on about healthy eating, and I discovered her book, The Unhealthy Truth, in my local library. Her passion, her tenacity, and her genuine concern for the safety of our food supply has earned her the title of “The Erin Brockovich of Food!”

Robyn is a somewhat unlikely food advocate, having been raised on “BBQ and Twinkies” in her home state of Texas. But an episode in which her youngest child had a violent allergic reaction to scrambled eggs caused her to investigate WHY food allergies are at an all time high and what other effects our diet is having on our health. What she learned shifted her activism and over-achieving genes into high gear.

Robyn has spent the last five years researching the state of our food supply and what she’s uncovered is alarming. As a mom of four with “a limited budget and limited time” she really understands the challenges we’re all facing.  I’m including a link to an 18 minute You Tube video of the talk she gave at a TED conference that will be a huge help to those of you without the time to read her book. You can listen to this in your car on your mobile phone (without watching the screen of course!) so no excuses…

As her book description states, “O’Brien turns to accredited research conducted in Europe that confirms the toxicity of America’s food supply, and traces the relationship between Big Food and Big Money that has ensured that the United States is one of the only developed countries in the world to allow hidden toxins in our food-toxins that can be blamed for the alarming recent increases in allergies, ADHD, cancer, and asthma among our children.” The data is undeniable, friends. As much as we may not want to hear it or believe it, the typical American diet is hazardous to our health.

Learning about Robyn’s work will inspire you to make changes in your own life; I can almost guarantee it. Figuring out where to begin can be overwhelming so I’m especially passionate about Robyn’s “DO ONE THING” message. She urges us to pick one – just one – thing we can do to make our food healthier. She evenprovides a list of ideas here. What will your one thing be? The changes are simpler than you think.

If you’d like to make even more significant changes, or have some questions after hearing what Robyn has to say, I invite you to schedule a FREE initial consultation with a Nourish coach, call us today at 513-245-4224 or email us to set up an appointment. We can help you take the steps that will put you and your family on a healthier track. You can even make that meeting your ONE THING!

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Guiltless Guacamole

I have to admit that there are few snacks that make me happier than freshly made guacamole served with some really good tortilla chips. Pair that combo with a chilled glass of white wine and I am one happy lady. I have a favorite recipe that I whip up when I’m in the mood, but I recently had the chance to try this lighter version and it was terrific. Guacamole is an extremely healthy snack any way you make it, but since avocados are the primary ingredient, and since they are loaded with “good fat,” guacamole is not usually a low calorie snack.

In this recipe, by replacing some of the avocado with naturally nonfat cannellini beans, you can reduce the calories by 40%. That means that a 1/4 cup serving has just 3g fat and 65 calories.

Maybe this Sunday in the late afternoon, someone will make a batch of this, pour me a glass of wine, and send me out to the patio with a magazine to soak up some Mother’s Day sunshine…just sayin’.

Guiltless Guacamole

adapted from Good Housekeeping

Ingredients:

1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 jalapeno, seeded

1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves

1/4 cup coarsely chopped sweet onion

salt

1 ripe avocado, halved and pitted

1-2 plum tomatoes

 

Directions:

1. Puree beans and 1 tablespoon lime juice in a food processor until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl.

2. Place jalapeno, cilantro, onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt in the processor. Pulse until finely chopped and thick.

3. Scoop avocado into the bowl with the beans. Mash with a fork until it is well blended, but there are still some chunks remaining.

4. Cut the tomatoes (1 or 2 depending upon your preference) in half crosswise. Squeeze the halves to remove the seeds and juice. Coarsely chop the tomatoes and place in bowl with avocado and bean mixture. Add the onion mixture to the bowl and mix until well combined. Add extra lime juice to taste.

5. Serve with baked tortilla chips or fresh-cut vegetables. (Or go crazy and have some traditional tortilla chips – you’re saving all those calories in the guacamole after all…)

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Green Tea Pineapple Smoothie

Are you ready for a tall glass of healthy goodness? I am! I think I’ll kick off the weekend with one of these tomorrow morning. After a class from 9-11 and a noon soccer game, we’re heading out of town to spend some time with my husband’s family – 8 adults and 7 children under 7 under one roof for the weekend! It will be a great weekend, but let’s just say I’ll need all the energy I can get!

So why this smoothie? Green tea has a number of health benefits – most notably its potential to fight cancer and heart disease. Rich in antioxidants and minimally processed relative to other teas, it’s also mildly caffeinated, so it can provide a gentle energy boost when you need one. When combined with spinach and some delicious fresh fruits, you have a winning beverage pick-me-up, great for the morning or any time you need a boost.

See what you think!

 

Green Tea Pineapple Smoothie

 

makes 1 serving

 

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water

1 decaffeinated green tea bag

1 cup spinach

1 cup fresh pineapple chunks

1/2 banana, sliced

1/4 lime, juiced

1 teaspoon honey

ice cubes

 

Directions:

1. Steep the tea bag in 2/3 cup of boiling water. Let cool.

2. Combine cooled tea with the rest of the ingredients (except ice) and puree till blended. Add a few cubes of ice at a time until you achieve your desired texture (more ice will thicken it).

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