Tag Archives: healthy eating

Mar8

Happy Birthday, Peddler!

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Today is Peddler’s birthday! Food n Thought Peddler that is. My blog has turned 1 year old today! And it is my 100th post, so big double celebration!

What a year it has been indeed! I laughed, and cried, and whined, and celebrated… Oh, and cooked and baked of course! :)

My enormous “Thank You” to all the readers, those who’ve joined to follow my blog and those who just happened to pass by! Your “likes”, comments or simply knowing that you’ve stopped by and read my posts is a huge motivation to continue on paving a road of delicious healthy and gluten free eating heavily sprinkled with sweet indulgences, but what life is if not to allow yourself some detours and rest stops?! :)

To recap what happened in the past year, 81 recipes have been written plus several restaurant reviews and tips on traveling while eating gluten free. I had 2 series posted, one was the Italian series and the other were Pink recipes to spread the awareness of breast cancer screening and treatment options. My blog was visited and “liked” by Chef Lena Kwak, who along with Chef Thomas Keller, developed Cup4Cup gluten free flour blend that I often use in my recipes. She also featured two of my recipes using the blend on their website. :)

I have several families who contacted me via the blog and now often order gluten free cupcakes or other baked desserts for their parties or family gatherings. It was the greatest acknowledgement of my hard efforts in the kitchen!

And most important, this past year, I had FUN FUN FUN cooking and baking and (flopping sometimes) and creating!

So, let’s send the Peddler off, away from its babyhood and onto a new exciting journey in the 2nd year!

What’s Cooking This Week

Since this is the 100th post and a big 1 year celebration, I was thinking of making something special. Dessert of course comes to mind, any time you think of a celebration, but I also had some of my specifications. It had to be gluten free of course, and at least not too over-loaded with fat and sugar, then it just had to be chocolate, and it just had to be pink. The possibilities were endless of course. And I think this recipe perfectly combines all the specifications in one light yet indulgent little treat.

Chocolate Tartlets with Strawberry Almond Whipped Cream and Berries

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Chocolate tartlets (makes 18)

1 1/4 cups of flour (I used Cup4Cup gluten free blend)

1/4 cup of powdered sugar

1 large egg yolk

3/4 tspoon of vanilla

a pinch of sea salt

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Mix together flour, salt and cocoa powder. In a food processor, pulse together butter and powdered sugar, then add vanilla and egg yolk, pulse again. Combine wet and dry ingredients and roll the dough into a ball.

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Wrap the dough in plastic and let it rest in the fridge for about an hour. After that, let it warm up again, flatten it and start rolling between the two sheets of parchment paper (as the dough is sticky and resembles play dough). Cut small pieces and roll them out to fit the size of mini tartlet pans. You can make them thin or thicker, I rolled mine pretty thin, it also made fitting them inside the tart holes much easier. Shape the tartlet and cut off the extra dough, you can re-roll and use it for the next tartlet.

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Bake the tartlets in a pre-heated oven at 325 degrees for about 15 minutes or until they are firm to the touch and the sides are slightly puffed. Let them cool off completely before removing from the pan as they are pretty fragile.

In a mean while, make strawberry whipped cream.

2 cups of made Healthy Top (cashews and almonds cream), or regular whipped cream

1/4 cup of pureed fresh strawberries

1/4 cup of powdered sugar (or more if you want the cream sweeter)

berries and pink sugar for garnish

(optional) 3-4 drops of red food coloring

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Prepare Healthy Top according to directions: chill the carton along with mixer beaters and metal bowl in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Then whip the cream for 3-4 minutes. Add pureed strawberries, whip again, then add powdered sugar and whip until all is well combined. Add food coloring if you want the cream of a deeper pink color.

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Fill each tartlet shell with about 1 Tbspoon of cream, garnish with different berries and sprinkle pink sugar on top.

The combination of semi-sweet chocolate tarts and light strawberry cream hits all the right spots in a healthy yet indulgent union. They taste like little pieces of chocolate and berry heaven.

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Enjoy!

Feb14

Sweet Valentine

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Happy Valentine’s Day! No matter if you are attached or single, savor the air full of love and joyous feelings and appreciate the relationships (be it love related or not) you have in your life. Every human connection is a gift that’s brought into your life by the Divine Order, however, long or short that may be, to enjoy each other, possibly learn from each other and continue on your own path of growth and self-development.

If you are in a relationship, take a moment to let your partner know how much they mean to you, even if not every day is all “kisses and roses”. As a matter of fact, reach out to every person in your life who is important and do the same. Love is never just intimate relationship related, love is Love, it just is!

And if you’re single this Valentine’s Day, be gentle on yourself and take it lightly, just go out and celebrate, have fun with your un-attached status. Make sure to have a princess dress and a tiara at hand and get in touch with your “inner child”. Sing it like Sophia Grace and make moves like Rosie :) .

What’s Cooking This Week

Valentine’s Day is inevitably associated with sweets and chocolate in particular. If you ask me though, chocolate is pretty much a daily necessity in my menu, it’s my BFF, Valium and an alcohol-chaser, it’s just one of those things that makes life much more tolerable. So it was a no-brainer what to make this Valentine’s Day. Yet I felt it didn’t have to be necessarily rich and void of nutrients. This recipe is a great “bridge” without compromising the sweet cravings for something decadent, or spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Use that time to be with your Valentine!

Chocolate Almond Torte with Strawberry Rum Sauce

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(makes 3 mini heart cakes):

3 eggs

1/2 cup of plain yogurt (I used coconut yogurt by So Delicious)

1/3 cup of almond flour

2 Tbspoons of coconut flour

2 Tbspoons of cocoa

2 Tbspoons of sugar

1/4 tspoon of cinnamon

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Sauce:

1 cup of chopped strawberries

2 Tbspoons of rum

2 Tbspoons of sugar

1 tspoon of lemon juice

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Beat together eggs, sugar and yogurt. In a separate bowl, combine together both flours and cinnamon, add into wet ingredients and incorporate well. Oil 3 mini heart cake pans and fill each about 3/4 full.

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Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Let the cakes cool off a bit before removing from pans.

While they are baking, make the sauce. Blend together strawberries and lemon juice in a blender. Transfer the mixture into a small pan, add sugar and cook on a slow heat for a few minutes until sugar is dissolved, then add rum and cook until alcohol is evaporated and all the liquids are reduced. Let the sauce to stand for a couple of minutes before serving.

Serve the cakes and sauce slightly warm to fully enjoy their soft texture and rich flavors.

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Enjoy! Share with your Valentine!

Feb8

Say What???

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Most days I cook “straightforward” meals that are both nutritious yet not too lengthy, some days, like weekends, are left for an extra creativity and time spent in the kitchen.

Some though are met with a big question mark, as to a 15 year-old, all meals should be “straightforward” even if their nutritious value is questionable (to his credit, he’s tried many of my offerings that were quite adventurous, he just didn’t know it, as much of it was disguised with things like bacon :) ).

So as I was spending my usual Saturday afternoon in the kitchen this past weekend, the kid walked in to inquire what was for dinner.

“Gnocchi”, I replied.

Which was met with a silent observance of all the ingredients laid out on the kitchen counter.

“Um, don’t you need potato for that?”, glancing again over the foods and not finding any.

“Yes, it’s in there”, but I was still registering some concern on the 15 year-old’s face who is suspicious by his teen nature and doesn’t like to be played with his food.

“OK, mama!”, sounded like a warning.

Let the games begin! :)

What’s Cooking This Week

On my never-ending quest to provide meals that are gluten and mostly dairy free but “you won’t even know it”, I was craving to find some gnocchi recipe that is both gluten/dairy free and possibly less starchy and more nutritious. After viewing some recipes and making some adjustments to satisfy all the requirements, I came up with this recipe. It still needs some minor future adjustments (mainly to play with flour/starches and wet ingredients proportions to hold the shape better), but it surely didn’t disappoint in taste. And, in case you’re wondering, the kid had two bowls. So, guess, who won?! :)

Pumpkin Gnocchi in Buttery Coriander Sauce

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1 cup of cooked pumpkin

1 egg

1/2 cup of almond flour

1/2 cup of millet flour

1/3 cup of coconut flour

1/4 cup of potato starch

1/2 tspoon of salt

1/4 tspoon of cinnamon

1/4 tspoon of nutmeg

1/2 cup of white wine

1 tspoon of dried coriander

2 Tbspoons of oil spread (I used Earth Balance coconut spread), or butter

1 Tbspoon of fresh lemon juice

2 Tbspoons of pignoli nuts

1/2 Tbspoon of fresh chopped herbs (I used curly parsley)

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In a bowl, mix together all the flours/starch with nutmeg, cinnamon and salt. In a separate bowl, combine pumpkin and the egg. Gradually start adding the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until a firm ball of dough forms.

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Flour a surface and cut the dough ball into four parts, then roll each part into a long log of about 1/2 inch in diameter. Cut it into 1 inch pieces.

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You can leave gnocchi pieces as is or make the standard lines with a fork. Transfer cut gnocchi on a sheet lined with parchment paper. If you want, you can freeze them at this point for future use, just make sure dust them with flour first.

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Boil a pot with water, add salt and cook the gnocchi for about 5-7 minutes or untill they start to float at the surface. Drain and set them aside. In a mean while, make the sauce.

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In a pan, melt the buttery spread, then add wine and let it cook until alcohol evaporates and the liquid is reduced. Add fresh lemon juice and spice/fresh chopped herbs, stir in pignoli nuts at the last minute. Add drained gnocchi and toss them around in the sauce untill well covered.

There were no complains from the kid about a “lack” of potato or meat ingredients in this meal :) .

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Enjoy!

Jan30

No Whine, Only Cheese

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Sometimes I can’t help it but make a little fun out of things :) . Especially if the obvious controversy is literary staring you in a face.

Last week I was sharing breakfast with a doctor, and as there are never-ending topics to discuss for those working in a hospital, the conversation was easily flowing with lots of laughs sprinkled throughout the interaction. I was chuckling inside for an entirely different matter.

As one of my friends says “I’m the best guest ever because I come with my own food” :) , the lemon pound cake made for the previous post had its appearance during this breakfast, and the presence was surely glorious as its buttery goodness had no competition next to the sad-looking ”healthy breakfast” Dunkin Donuts sandwich that was limply hanging in the doctor’s hand waiting to be put out of its deflated misery (I mean, into the garbage can, not the doctor’s mouth, but it didn’t happen unfortunately).

Naturally the conversation touched upon my “dietary restrictions” of no gluten, dairy and soy (sans the occasional organic butter or Tamari soy sauce for sushi), and, by the way, I hope to ever see the day when junk will finally be separated and restricted from the actual food.

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“I’d never be able to do it”, said the doctor gingerly stuffing a mouthful of “enriched white flour”, corn syrup and modified food starch (modified into what? and why do you need to “glue” together foods like eggs, cheese and bread that are supposed to hold shape on their own? unless of course they are in fact just modified food starch) and washing it all down with gulps of sucralose-ladden beverage. Mmmmm, good stuff, Doc, if we need a refresher in a periodic table of the chemical elements! :)

“Need to keep the calories down”, surely he knows, he is a doctor first of all.  “Of course”, I answered, putting another piece of a real caloric ”heavyweight” champion “restricted” from enriched white flour and hormone injected milk, bursting with organic eggs, natural gluten free fours, unsweetened almond milk, pasture butter, fresh blueberries and lemon.

“It’s good!”, said the mouth free from inhaling chemical vapors and finally tasting the actual food.

“Sure, Doc!”, let your body enjoy some nourishment so much needed after a long night shift at the hospital.

Even more so, take the rest of this “restricted” cake with you too! :)

What’s Cooking This Week

People usually ask me how does it feel to live without baked goods, cheese, ice cream and such. I generally say “I have no idea, I’d not be able to do it either!” :) (Cue in a mandatory blank stare here.)

The fact is, I don’t know how it’d feel to not eat bread and cheese, and why should I?! With brands like Udi’s and daiya, my taste buds are not missing anything. So definitely no whine here, just lots of cheese! :)

Spaghetti Squash Casserole

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1 medium spaghetti squash

1 medium onion

1+1 Tbspoon of oil spread (or butter), I used Earth Balance coconut spread

1/2 cup of Mimic Cream, unsweetened (or regular cream)

1 cup of shredded daiya, cheddar style (or regular cheese)

1 tspoon marjoram

1/2 tspoon of dry ginger

1/2 tspoon of garlic powder

salt, pepper, chopped fresh herbs

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Cut the squash in half, clean the seeds out and place each half “face down” in a baking dish with a little water on the bottom. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until the knife easily runs through, then let it cool off a bit.

While the squash is baking, chop the onion, melt 1 Tbspoon of oil spread and saute the onions until lightly golden.

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Once the squash has cooled off, scoop it out into a baking dish, mix in 1 Tbspoon of oil spread, salt/pepper, spices, onions, Mimic Cream and half the shredded cheese. Top with the remaining shredded cheese. Even if you don’t have to be dairy free, I encourage you to try something new like daiya plant cheese and Mimic Cream made from cashews, you’d be surprised how similar it tastes to the “real thing”, and bursting with healthy nutrients, you won’t have any guilty feelings indulging in an extra helping.

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Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes. Garnish with any chopped herbs. Have as many portions of this “restricted” and chemicals-free goodness as you wish! :)

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Enjoy!

Jan5

Treading Lightly

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While you tread lightly my heart pulls away

Barriers built for years to protect

Only broken with regret

Feet itching to bolt, head making me stay

Breathe the small voice says

Shudders ripple down my skin

Take a deep breath, and let it begin

The Qi begins to smooth the way

The wires spark, the signal transcends

A jolt to the heart, disperses away the sin

Whispering winds wash it all away

Darkness burning into light

Electricity turning into love so bright

The warm inviting yellow light behind her head

Draws you to her arms as she leads you to bed

                                                                                                                                         Gidyean

As I was standing on a train platform by Columbus Circle, tired but quite satisfied with how the evening went clutching my shopping bags full of shiny new purchases, a delicate scene was unfolding right in front of my eyes but being completely ignored by oblivious no-nonsense New Yorkers. 

 A couple was standing waiting for a train too yet you could tell they wished that the train would never come.  The guy was pacing back and forth ever so slightly, his gaze is darting to the girl’s face for a second and back down to his feet, eyes full of desire and hesitation drawn into a struggle and a balancing act all mixed in one. The girl held his gaze composed and sure as if the chosen path has already replayed in her mind and felt so right, as it had happened already. But dare I say, she had her own battles deep inside her, yet she continued whispering in his ear some soft words that ignited him even more, and he lifted his eyes to look into hers and just say “yes”.

You can guess that perhaps they just met and led by their instant passion got lost in a circle of doubt and want, but one of them had to find a way to get them both out and on a road to possibly share something wonderful.  And as the girl continued to smile and stepping closer and closer towards him, the guy seemed to be resolved to silence his doubts at least for a second and concede to his desire as he also stepped forward so they can share a brief but passionate kiss.

When my train came,  leaving them back at the platform, I dropped on my seat, the whole scene is still replaying in my mind, and wishing that those two would figure it all out before their train comes too. But if you ask me, I think the girl will lead him to bed… :)

What’s Cooking This Week

Sometimes you look at certain foods and combining them together is not the first thing that automatically comes to your mind. Or maybe you have presented them together and are now tired of the same old ways. Perhaps those two on a train platform were not meant to be together as a conventional couple, but who is to say that following their passion and not their common sense will produce a less meaningful or even less important in their lives relationship?! Sometimes you simply have to follow where your heart takes you. And combine old things in a new way to create interesting flavors. Just make sure you tread lightly. :)

Cranberry Rice Stuffed Delicata Squash

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2 delicata squash

1 cup of uncooked rice

1/2 cup of dried cranberries (I used dried whole berries)

1 Tbspoon of oil spread or butter (I used Earth Balance Coconut Oil spread)

1 Tbspoon of fresh lemon juice

1/2 tspoon of nutmeg

salt, pepper, lemon seasoning

mint leaves for garnish

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Cut the squash in half lengthwise, scoop the seeds out, lightly rub the insides with salt, pepper and lemon seasoning, wrap each half in foil and roast at 400 degrees for about 30 minutes or untill the knife easily runs through.

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In a mean while, cook the rice according to directions in salted water, then stir in oil spread/butter, nutmeg and dried cranberries.

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When both the squash and rice are ready, let them cool off a bit and then stuff the rice inside each squash half. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes. Garnish with chopped mint leaves.

A wonderful healthy meal that could serve as either satisfying lunch or a dinner side dish.

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Enjoy!

Jan1

Night at the Opera

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I don’t know what you felt about 2012, but I was literary ready to kiss the old year goodbye. It brought a heartache, a lot of changes and transitions, and not all of them were welcomed, but ultimately yet again, it helped me grow and be propelled on my own evolutionary path. The good thing that the world didn’t end on December 21, and even though we were all shocked with an unimaginable tragedy in Newton just days after, I think it will lead us into certain necessary changes as a country and as a human society in whole, some “new era” happenings are surely to come. And the most exciting thing of the last year, this blog was born that also gave life to many delicious foods, hopefully you enjoyed them too! :)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2013 is going to be the year of the Water Snake (starting February 4). Despite its scary appearance, in Chinese Horoscope the Snake is thought to be energetic and vibrant, full of fire and love. And that’s exactly what I’m hoping for, more energy and fire please, to fill the air with vibrant electricity and excitement. I’ll definitely take that! And supposedly the Snake year could be beneficial for Monkeys (which is my sign). Now, if anybody read my Award and Recognition post with some revelations about myself, you remember that I’m deathly afraid of snakes (to the point that when my mom brought me a crystal cobra figurine, as a good luck for the coming year, I couldn’t even bring myself to unpack it, yeah, it’s bad!). So, let’s hope this Snake is all about passion and fireworks and won’t bite the Monkey in the butt.

I thought that the beginning of such promising year should be met with compatible energy and vibrant presentation. The experience you’d only get at the Met Opera, especially at their New Year’s Eve Gala. And even though Maria Stuarda this night was a dramatic offering, it was full of an intense love triangle, cleverly woven plots and a never-ending line of trying different roles and opposing different characters. Who would say “no” to that? I’m ready to try some pretty costumes and participate in a role play myself. :)

So let’s toast to this New Year! To new energy, new roles, opera-worthy fireworks and definitely awesome food!

What’s Cooking This Week

On a night where both “the old and the new” meet, it’s nice to present a familiar dish with a different twist, especially if it’s a bit healthier version. After a whole month of partying and food sampling, the body is probably craving less fat and more nutrients. But it doesn’t mean you have to totally abandon the comfort food notion.

Chicken and Spaghetti in Lemon-Avocado Sauce

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1 lb of chicken strips

1 lb of spaghetti (I used gluten free Tinkyada brand)

1 bell pepper

1 cup of sun-dried tomatoes

1/2 cup of sliced mushrooms

1 avocado

1 cup of fresh baby spinach

1/4 cup of pignoli nuts

2 Tbspoons of fresh lemon juice

1 tspoon of lemon-pepper seasoning

1/2 tspoon of each basil and oregano

salt, olive oil

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In a large frying pan, heat up some olive oil and start to saute lightly salted chicken strips till about half way done. In a mean while, cut the pepper and mushrooms, then add them to the pan along with all the seasonings, after a couple of minutes, also add sun-dried tomatoes.

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While that is cooking, cut and scoop the avocado and blend it with lemon juice and a bit more seasoning.

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When all is almost done, add spinach leaves and pignoli nuts to chicken and veggies, cook for 1 minute, then mix in avocado sauce and stir until everything is well combined.

Such a creamy and comforting dish yet full of good fats and vitamins. Everything you’d crave for in the New Year.

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Enjoy!

And Happy New Year!

Dec3
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Everybody knows that an apple a day keeps the doctor away. Apples are surely abundant all year round and generally not that expensive, so there shouldn’t be any excuses why you can’t have them if not every day, but at least farely often. All the vitamins and antioxidants and extra iron will be beneficial to your whole body. And you definitely have your pick, no matter the sweet, the tart or a hybrid variety, apples are a wonderful addition to any healthy lifestyle. Plus they just taste great!

But what about a nice helping of an “emotional” apple-a-day? At a time that may be busy or stressful, do you also remember to stop and give yourself a pat on a back? Even if you feel you don’t really deserve it, or you think you didn’t do the best job, because chances are, you actually did, the best you could master at this particular time. When you run around trying to take care of everybody and everything, don’t ever forget yourself, have a daily “I love you” message going straight to you heart, and smile, smile every time you pass a mirror. :)

I have a client, a young guy whose “alter” ego seems to win most of the time. In a constant battle of good vs. demeaning, his negative side always has the last word. I think we can all relate to that on some level. We’ve all had an experience where in a long chain of conversations with yourself, the last statement of something like “you’re still a loser” sticks with you and continues to poison your whole being long after the words stopped vibrating in your head. So as he sits in front of me every week and on my prompt says that “he is awesome”, I know he doesn’t believe it, but I also know that if I stop pushing him to vocalize something good about himself, he will continue his journey deeper into the twilight. Therefore unless you want to forever be lost in a world of “empty glasses”, you need to find a way to always finish the “me and I” conversation on a positive note, even if you literary have to utter the words, turn around and run before the negative side overtakes the process yet again.

It’s your “a praise a day keeps the blues away” emotional pat on a back that should be practiced right along with eating your apples. :)

What’s Cooking This Week

Some foods naturally go together, like peanut butter and jelly or strawberries and cream. I think just about anything pairs perfectly with apples, but apples and cheddar create an especially marvelous combination. This recipe is incredibly simple but simply delicious.

Oven Baked Apple-Cheddar Stuffed Chicken

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6 chicken breasts, skin and bones removed

1 large or 2 small apples

1 small onion

6 slices of cheddar (I used daiya cheddar cheese)

1/2 cup of bread crumbs (I used Gillian’s gluten free crumbs)

2 eggs, beaten

1 tspoon of herb blend like Italian

salt, pepper, oil spray

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Wash, pat dry chicken breasts with paper towels and rub some salt and pepper on the outside. Mix bread crumbs with herbs and little salt and pepper. Thinly slice onion and apples, removing apple core first.

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Butterfly each chicken breast lengthwise but not completely cut off, arrange onion and apple slices inside the chicken and top with cheddar slices.

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Place the top part of chicken breast back, secure with tooth picks if needed, dip each chicken piece in beaten egg and then into bread crumbs. Spray a baking dish with oil spray and arrange all chicken topping with more apple slices.

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Bake at 400 degrees for about 25-30 minutes. If you have any other vegetables, cut and mix them with the same herb blend you were using for the chicken. Cook them in a separate dish in the oven while chicken is also being made.

Here I paired chicken with yellow squash pieces for a healthy yet completely satisfying meal.

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Enjoy!

Nov8
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This is me. Born into a new world, feeling small, scared and sometimes a little cranky (or maybe a lot cranky on certain occasions).

Just like a new baby.

Because after working at the hospital for 10 years, I’ve yet again become a “brand new employee”. Well, not technically, but this is what it feels like. Due to a very extensive damage that the hospital building sustained from to the hurricane Sandy, it will take about a year until everything is repaired and running again. To say that it’s extremely sad, scary and disrupting to all of the hospital workers is an understatement, but then comparing to how many people lost their homes, jobs or even lives, it becomes minor, so I’ll just have to deal with it and stop being a crybaby. That’s the perk of having a federal job, they are stuck with us, but during such times, still having a job is definitely a blessing. Not that we’re all just sitting blowing smoke up the ceiling, we’re very busy, the need for medical, mental health and social services triples during the times of disasters, so the work load has increased significantly, but then again, I can be a crybaby about it, or I can take a diaper off and learn how to deal with this new situation (and also hope that there will be an end, even if long, to this tunnel).

And the road will surely be quite “interesting”. The hospital in Brooklyn where most of the Manhattan workers were relocated is smaller and now over-packed with patients and staff, there is a shortage of everything, patient beds, staff offices and sometimes patience and understanding. Let’s just say that this crisis work situation did not enhance certain Brooklyn staff’s personal and professional qualities, they are not always gracious hosts and make the adjustment of both Manhattan and Brooklyn employees more difficult. Even though we belong to the same system, a lot, if not most, of the processes of how the Brooklyn hospital is run and how most of medical and other services are delivered is different, so we’re all “fresh Manhattan meat” now open to criticism, not always deserved, especially in this “war-zone like” hospital atmosphere.

But again, time for me to take the diaper off and the pacifier out and leave the babyhood behind!

What’s Cooking This Week

The new work environment now presents a new challenge that is only unique for me. The hospital is in a very isolated place, next to an army base from one side and a golf course from the other one, there are no stores, restaurants, or really anything else, within a walking distance. Hospital cafeteria is always out of the question (either in Brooklyn or Manhattan) as all food is commercially packed/prepared and surely full of gluten, dairy, soy and a million of chemicals that I simply don’t ingest. Back in the city, I had 3 food places within blocks from the hospital where I can get safe and nutritious lunches, plus an office stuffed with gluten free snacks in case I’m too busy to get outside. My plan has always been to make home lunches for 2-3 days and get outside food the rest of the times, just to mix things up and not having to make extra meals if I’m done late after my private practice. Now I need to make a new plan as I have to bring breakfast, lunch and snacks with me every day, no matter what.  Stopping here to be a crybaby for a minute :( .

This is my new reality for the next year or however long it takes for us to go back. I’m not a huge fan of frozen meals, but I’ll have to rely on them now during the days when I’m short on time to make lunch ahead. From now on, when I’m cooking something that would freeze well, 1 or 2 servings will go in the freezer. This dish was delicious fresh out of the oven and would still taste good when defrosted for one of your busy days.

Roasted Brussels, Butternut and Carrots

2 cups of cut butternut squash

1 container/bag of Brussel sprouts

1/2 bag of baby carrots

1 tspoon each: basil, oregano, paprika

salt, pepper, olive oil

Remove outer leaves from brussels, cut the stems and then cut them in half lengthwise. Cut baby carrots lengthwise too and butternut into smaller pieces.

In a roasting pan, combine everything with salt and spices and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until the knife can run through the brussels.

Use as a side dish for meat or poultry dishes, or for a hearty vegetarian lunch, serve over herbed rice.

Enjoy!

Oct19
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Do you sometimes get the munchies! The ones where no amount of chips, dips and cookies seem enough?

I’ve had a few of those over the past couple of weeks. Yes, bring on everything salty, crunchy, sweet and chocolaty!  I want it all!

I’ve been trying to snack on some healthier things, but the truth is, I’ve been cranky and stressed and not feeling great, so carrots and apples did not always work. Sometimes a girl just needs her chips and chocolate!

And speaking of munchies of some other kind, when I was undergoing chemo treatments, munching, or just eating period, was not always a pleasant experience, nothing tasted good and looked appetizing. Except on certain occasions. Medical marijuana is still a highly debatable issue, but working in a medical field, I’ve witnessed quite wonderful improvement of symptoms such as pain, nausea and anorexia in patients with advance diseases such as cancer or AIDS. Of course, those patients obtained the marijuana illegally, but sometimes even doctors have to turn away and agree that patients have a right to alleviate their suffering by any means possible. And if you ask my personal opinion, I’m all for legalizing and thus over-seeing and controlling medical marijuana just like any other narcotic medicines. It’ll bring more good than harm I think. Plus pharmacology and produced side effects of some psychiatric and other brain-affecting drugs are no better, and in some instances, worse than marijuana. Yet, they are all on a market.

And while several states are debating if medical marijuana could be legalized, Marinol, which is a synthetic cannabinoid in a pill form is widely available (though insanely expensive and not always covered by medical insurance). Marinol was my savior during the most intense post-chemo days, I couldn’t take a lot of it (a bit too strong for a chemo-weakened body:) ), besides the point that I had to pay over $100 for every few pills, but it was enough to survive the most-horrible post-chemo days. 

Oh, and I did have the munchies! :) They were doctor-prescribed!

What’s Cooking This Week

Dealing with snacking is never easy, you often succumb to the munchies and then feel guilty for not exercising more restrain or at least choosing some healthier options. This recipe I think is a perfect compromise between “what the soul desires” and “what the body needs”. So snack away!

Pink Series; Recipe #6

Roasted Vegetables Cashew Dip

1 cup of raw unsalted cashews

1 small beet

1 medium carrot

2 Tbspoons of mayo

1 tspoon of garlic powder

1 tspoon of seasoning (I used Herbamare)

The night before, soak cashews in water for at least 8-10 hours (make sure all are completely submerged in water). Wash but not peel a beet and a carrot, wrap them individually in foil and roast at 425 degrees until the knife runs through (the carrot will probably be ready in about 15 minutes, while the beet may take 25-30 minutes, depending on a size). Take them out of the oven, let them cool off and then peel both.

After that, drain the cashews, add together with mayo and blend or process in a food processor until the mixture is smooth. Cut the beet and carrot and add the pieces to the cashew mixture, process again until everything is blended, then add the seasoning and mix again (adjust the amount and seasonings as desired).

The dip is creamy and smooth yet completely healthy and tastes great with just about anything, corn chips, baby carrots, or whatever else you like. And the best thing, you won’t feel guilty having an extra serving.

Enjoy!

Oct11
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Quote

Difficult time periods are rarely just an exercise in testing your resolve, it is usually an opportunity for life lessons and growth.  We can’t always control the circumstances and the cards that are dealt for us, but we are in charge how we react to the environment and what we make out of it.

I can’t tell you what’s the best way to deal with some difficult issues you may be facing right now, you have to find your own answers and your own path. Stick with what feels right to you no matter how improbable or even silly it may look to others. You’re weaving your own tapestry following the pattern directed by your heart. You’re your own guide, deep inside your soul you have all the needed answers.

When I was home for 8 months undergoing cancer treatment, I was often too weak to go outside or do much more than curl up on a couch. Yet I remember it as one of the most productive periods in my life, I was able to accomplish a lot, right there not leaving my home. Not all work needs to be this grand production of a Hollywood scale undertaking, the most difficult work is usually done within yourself, whatever it is that’s needed to make a necessary shift in your life, both on a physical and emotional levels. And sometimes, like I said in my previous post, you need to go back to the basics, get in touch with your “inner child” or become a child for the time period again.

When I was sick, I surrounded myself with crayons, glitter, glue, family pictures and construction paper. Heck, I was already surrounded with medicines, blankets and “get well cards”, I might as well just play a little.  I spent my time making a giant collage of how I wanted my treatment to go and what a general outcome I’d wish to have. And today, 5 years later, I can say that was exactly how everything went! Wishful thinking? It surely felt like it 5 years ago. Dreams come true? Absolutely! I still have beautiful shadow boxes that I made during those long 8 months. Going through family pictures, strolling through some memories, you can say that I wanted to preserve certain moments in case the outcome would not turn out in my favor, and the treatment would not work. I’m sure somewhere deep inside it was on my mind, however, from the very beginning, I felt that this experience was not to die from but to overcome, learn and grow from. Ambitious and arrogant? Probably. But your soul always knows much more than a human mind can even grasp.

So when you’re faced with some difficult choices in life, yet again, get back to the basics, take care of your whole being, nourish your body with good nutrition, let your soul grow and learn the lessons you were supposed to learn during this experience, sustain your character and don’t let anything compromise who you are.

You are a divine spark, and you will continue to shine on even during a personal eclipse period!

What’s Cooking This Week

Nourishing your body is of the utmost importance on a daily basis but it becomes simply crucial when you need extra strength to fight the disease or other life adversary. Look for simple but nutrient-dense ingredients and just be creative. Play with your vitamins a bit. :) This recipe is beautiful in its simplicity but offers a perfects pairing of potent nutrition and adventurous spirit.

Pink Series: Recipe # 4

Smoked Salmon and Pomegranate Salad

1 cup of baby spinach

2 slices of smoked salmon

1-2 pearl red onions

1/4 cup of pomegranate arils

1 tspoon each olive oil and lemon vinegar

salt, pepper to taste

The recipe is pretty straightforward. Cut the onions and salmon, mix into spinach and top with pomegranate, season as desired and drizzle with oil and vinegar. Serve it as a side salad or a small lunch plate. I like it alongside a toasted bread with hummus. A wonderful dish full of vitamins and antioxidants.

Enjoy!