Nourishing Flourishing

Hey friends!

So, I’m later on posting than I had hoped, but for a good reason; today my husband whisked me off to the mountains for a birthday getaway! Perhaps I’ll do a little recap just because it’s been such fun already, but we’ll see. Regardless, I did promise a post today, and though I had hoped to publish the new recipe (I made three batches over the past two days and they are completely gone — also, it was what I chose to eat for my birthday “treat” — and it’s definitely not cake, or a traditional thing to celebrate with, at that!), I not only left the recipe scrawled on some paper on my counter at home, I also am seriously disappointed with the photos I took! Darn, I guess I’ll need to make them again… Heh heh. So, I thought I’d talk about something that I’m frequently asked about, just as a resource in case you were curious.

Fear not, though, if this isn’t something you’re interested in. The recipe is coming soon. SOON!

So, as you’ve probably noticed, I use blanched almond flour for the majority of my baked goods. Below are the most common questions I get. Please let me know if you have more in the comments! : )

Almond Flour FAQs

1) What is blanched almond flour? What isn’t blanched almond flour?

Blanched almond flour is essentially just almonds that have had their skins steamed or boiled off, and then been ground up into fine particles. It’s consistency would be comparable to cornmeal.

Blanched almond flour (usually just referred to as almond flour) is not the same as almond meal. Almond meal can be blanched, but most of the time it is made from almonds with the skin still on, and thus it is coarser and not as fine as blanched almond flour. This can result in a crumblier texture. Almond meal — even if blanched — is going to be a larger particle than almond flour. I can’t guarantee things will go perfectly if you substitute almond meal, though many have let me know that it worked great for them!

2) Why do you use almond flour?

I started using almond flour when I was on a grain-free eating plan (I followed it strictly for over a year, not for weight loss, but health reasons).  It is amazingly versatile — and always simple. I don’t need to have 12 different types of gums, starches, and GF flours to make one loaf of bread (that is going to be nutritionally lacking anyway). I strive to keep my ingredients minimal in recipes, and almond flour allows me to do so.

BUT. It is also the tastiest flour, and one of the most nutritious, in my opinion. Almond flour is a great option for people who need to eat grain or gluten-free, but it is also awesome for those who don’t! Whatever your dietary needs, almond flour is low-glycemic, high fiber, and high protein. It is also rich with Vitamin E and perfectly moist. You simply can’t say that about any other GF flour — most are dry, high starch, low protein, low fiber, and leave me feeling sugar buzzed and sick.

Did I mention that it’s also just plain delicious? Like buttah (…but without buttah. Which = great for vegan baking, by the way).

3) Where do you buy blanched almond flour? Isn’t it expensive?

Yes and no. If you purchase almond flour in bulk, like I do, you won’t be selling off a kidney anytime soon. I don’t use almond flour every week, either, so it’s not a huge expense. If you buy almond butter on a regular basis, you can buy almond flour — by the pound, almond flour is about the same price (~$6/lb, usually less if you purchase it like I do — see following). I buy several 5 lb bags from Honeyville (a great company; I’ve bought from them for over 3 years now) when they periodically have sales. I signed up to receive email alerts, and they usually range between 10-15%. I store mine in the freezer for months. (See #6.)

Whole Foods and other health food stores are now carrying almond flour — even if the bulk bins! Just make sure it is finely ground. And be careful about cross-contamination if you’re celiac, of course. Kind Arthur Flour used to sell almond meal that was really coarse, but recently it looks much finer and might work (though it is $$). I do not recommend Dowd & Rogers brand.

4) Can I make my own? How?

This is a great tutorial, and one that I try to link to in all my almond flour posts. You can definitely make it at home! This is an excellent option if you are just trying it out for one recipe. It can also be more cost-effective, depending on your local prices. (Honeyville is always cheaper for me though.)

5) Where did you learn to bake and cook with almond flour? Are there other resources I could use?

The first introduction I had to almond flour was through the book Breaking the Vicious Cycle, and Elana Amsterdam. If you aren’t familiar with Elana’s site Elana’s Pantry, you need to check it out. She is an almond flour goddess, and when I first found out I couldn’t eat gluten, I was lost. Her recipes and tutorials really did teach me how to cook again, when I felt like I would never be able to return to my passion of baking. Through Elana’s recipes, and a LOT of trial and error, I figured out how to bake with almond flour. I certainly owe my ability to gauge ratios (e.g., wet to dry, etc.), and other almond flour essentials, to Elana. I had the privilege of meeting her in person to thank her for all she’s done (she also lives in Boulder), and she was very gracious, and very enthusiastic about helping the GF community. If you haven’t perused her two cookbooks, I really can’t recommend them enough. Even my parents (who do not eat GF) frequently make her recipes, as my father is diabetic and most of her dishes are low glycemic and please even the pickiest eaters (that’s you, Dad).

6) How should I store almond flour?

Almond flour will go rancid much more quickly than glutenous flour. Store it in the fridge and use it up in a few months, or store it in the freezer and use it up in a year or two. Just be sure to let it thaw before baking with it! : )

Ok — that took way longer (and was way longer) than I expected! (TWSS) Anyway, I hope some of you found it helpful. My next recipe uses almond flour — in a way I have only dreamed. Ohmyword.

Have a great weekend!

Any other questions? Have you used almond flour?

So, it seems that everyone is writing fabulous recaps of the Healthy Living Summit, chock-full of photos and fun stories. Um… I had a great time, but usually when I have a great time, I am a terrible blogger ignore my camera. I know, for shame! I’m too busy laughing, eating, and generally conviving (<– not a real word). However, between the sessions, I did manage to venture out to Sweet Freedom Bakery with my roomie (and fellow Classics nerd) Evan, where we met the lovely Cynthia and her husband for a treat. It was such a highlight of the trip! (This was before I got stuck in the Philly airport for like eight hours the night before my grad classes started, but whatevs…)

This place is not only gluten-free — they are corn-free, soy-free, peanut-free, refined-sugar-free, and vegan, much to the delight of those of us who have cuh-razy allergies and sensitivities. I can tell you that I felt 100% safe eating there, and it was worth every celebratory calorie. I choose my indulgences wisely, and I am so glad I saved room for this. You definitely do not have to be gluten-free or vegan to enjoy this bakery’s nom-ables. Seriously. I promise. (And no, I’m not endorsing them for any reason other than that I love small businesses, and this one in particular blew me the bleep away.)

Case in point… I order the sticky cinnamon bun. It’s made of simple components like coconut flour, garbanzo bean flour, and agave. All the ingredients are listed, and I’m pleased, hopeful… but a little suspicious. I did eat gluten for a long time before I realized what it was doing to my body, so I wasn’t certain this was going to make the cut of my childhood memories. (Note I did figure out a cinnamon roll of sorts –but not a true sticky bun — here.) I’ll just let the photos do the talking…

Conquered.

Evan and I were in awe. It had a nice crisp texture on the edges, and the center layers were just as gooey, doughy, and even yeasty-tasting as all the sticky buns of my glutenous past. I couldn’t stop raving about it; it was legitimately better than any other sticky bun (glutenous or not) I have eaten. Get to Philly. Or order it online from Sweet Freedom’s online store. Cynthia already ordered some birthday cupcakes in advance, and I’m planning to do something similar once October rolls around. Yeah. It’s *that* good.

P.S. You should definitely check out Evan’s awesome recipes – especially if you are GF. He is such a talented cook! Plus, his recipe was the inspiration behind the dessert hummus extravaganza! I know, now you’re motivated : )

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten all week?

So, Heather (of Heather Eats Almond Butter) recently linked to me because she is trying out the “no-’poo” method I wrote about here and here months ago. I had no idea so many people were interested in this — whoa! To summarize (though I highly recommend checking out the second post, in particular, which answers many FAQs), the “No [sham]Poo” method uses a mixture of baking soda and water to cleanse your hair. Then, a mixture of apple cider vinegar and water is used as a conditioner. I have been meaning to post an update for a few weeks (as I mentioned in my 7 Links post), but am just now getting around to it. You can read about HEAB’s experience thus far here, and Stephen [of neverhomemaker] here. This little article (featured on NPR) explains some of the reasons why people are avoiding shampoo. And now, I’m going to write the next chapter of my own story…

Where I left off last time was this being my new favorite. I had found my groove after a transition period, washed my hair a little less than usual, and was generally really pleased to not be dumping unnecessary manufactured chemicals (many being known carcinogens) onto my body and down the drain. (Not to mention that I was saving some serious cash. [P.S. Why do we use the phrase "not to mention" when we obviously always follow it by mentioning the thing we are supposedly not mentioning...?]) But something was going on that I kept dismissing… it seemed like it was just in my head. But it wasn’t. It was on my head.

(Yes, sorry… I am indeed warming my bum over a fire
whilst drinking coffee out of a Klean Kanteen cap. You know how classy I am.)

After searching through some forums, my suspicions seemed tentatively confirmed; I found out that I was not the only one wondering if my hair was turning a bit lighter, and maybe even a tad chestnut, after using this method for a few months. While the vast majority of individuals no ‘poo-ing it thought the rest of us were taking crazy pills, we were a small but sane bunch. Now, just to be totally clear: I am not 100%, convinced that the baking soda method was the culprit for my hair tone changing. In fact, every summer (including ones before I started this no ‘poo jazz), my hair gets natural highlights from the sun like whoa, and stylists often think I dye it to achieve such results (I have never colored my hair). I didn’t start noticing the lightening until months after I started using the baking soda, and I wonder if I was getting overzealous with how much I applied. I have only read about a few other people experiencing this lightening, so don’t let this freak you out. It could work beautifully for you! I just wanted to be transparent and keep you in the loop since so many were curious. Currently, I’m trying to find my new shampoo substitute; I gravitate towards Dr. Bronner’s because of it’s simple and healthy ingredients.

So. Here’s the thing: you should not disregard the method simply because of my (very uncertain) experience… Give it a shot! I still believe this is a great method for most people, and I will always swear by the ACV conditioner — nothing has made my hair healthier, ever. If you try nothing else, try the ACV and water as a conditioner. If you notice something that bothers you after 6 weeks (yes, remember, you need to give it a good transition window), drop the baking soda like it’s hot and move on to Dr. Bronner’s. No worries. But if you don’t find any troublesome side effects, why the heck not? It will cost you about 50 cents a month to do this, and be better for the environment than 99.9% of conventional products.

I’ll keep you posted on my final routine — whether or not I return to the baking soda method : )

Ok. Enough of this. Epic recipes coming your way this week. Get your excited face on, and your tea hot. You heard me.

What “eco-friendly” and healthy/healthiER personal products do you use? Is this something you have tried or want to try?

Have I scared you off?!?

I’m back! So, some of you saw my hints on Twitter and Facebook already…oh my word, do I have some stories to share. But more on that later. I feel badly that the blog has been kind of wacky lately. I would guess that, although you seem to enjoy laughing at my travel exploits, you might miss the recipes. Thus, today I will start with the food from our trip, and save the chronicles of craziness for another time. These aren’t really straight-up recipes; they are more methods that you can adapt to your needs and tastes. I just wanted to share some ideas, in case you’re overwhelmed with “What will I eat?!” camping dilemmas. Please do not assume that camping has to be rough just because you don’t eat gluten, or dairy, or meat. Even if you’re not in any of those boats, after this (egregiously long) post, you’ll know what to pack for your (high-maintenance) friends  ; )

These are some “essentials” for camp cooking that I personally bring, and recommend:
- cast iron skillet (even just a small one)
- heavy duty aluminum foil
- metal utensils (fork, spoon)
- paring knife
- substantial water container (more on that tomorrow…)
- Klean Kanteen

I prefer to use a firepit with a retractable grill instead of lugging around a propane stove. All you have to do is wrap your metal skillet, pot, or food itself (see below) in heavy duty foil. Everything will be fine. Really.

(And of course, please reuse what foil you can!)

Any guesses as to what I’m stirring?

The first night we arrived, I tried something a little different than our usual camp food fare: I made curry!

This is a method, not a recipe; and I assure you, anyone can pull this off! Just trust yourself, and taste along the way. Place your (foil-laden) pot on the grill, and cover the bottom of the inside with a thin layer of curry powder, a generous sprinkling of cumin and turmeric, and a little ginger or garlic (powder, for ease). Give the spices a stir, and once they are a bit fragrant, pour some olive oil in, and stir. Add chopped onions and carrots. Stir. Add more veggies — whatever you have. We used cabbage, and precut cauliflower, broccoli, and zucchini. I also added the bag of frozen peas for protein; I love using them as “ice packs” on trips!

Add a splash (or a few) of water, and keep spicing as you go. Make the dish suit you. And don’t forget to add salt — copious amounts of salt.

Happy campers, indeed.

Save dishes, and trees: just eat right out of your pan (and lid)… Ain’t no shame in my game.

The next morning, we awoke to rain. It was not only a great excuse to snuggle into our sleeping bags a little longer, it was also the ideal setting for a hot breakfast once the sun broke through…*

And by hot, you knew I meant made with fire, right?

(Yes, I almost burned down my house as a child once. Why do you ask?)

Grilled toast (for the BFF Manfriend). Just place bread on the frame, watch, and flip. Easiest toast ever.

These (ethically-sourced) eggs were awesome, I’m not going to lie to you.

But that’s not all…

Slice. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt, wrap carefully in foil, set directly in hot coals, near a flame if possible. Turn it halfway through to cook the other side. This method works with regular potatoes, as well as squash! Just keep it upright, so that oil doesn’t leak out. Remove and carefully open the foil to check for doneness. You can always reseal it and drop it back into the heat.

I also diced half the sweet potato and fried it in the cast iron until crisp — ’twas perfect!*

Can you see something hiding in the coals?

Both methods are superb. Just don’t be so adult that you leave your agave ketchup behind… Adulthood is overrated!

At this point, we embarked on our hike. Which, again, is a tale in itself, and shall be recounted in detail soon. I will share that we were utterly depleted when we reached base camp again, and I was not about to spend an hour slaving over a hot stove burning fire. At this point in the camping day, I like meals that I can just throw into coals and walk away from. Call me lazy.

Foil-Wrapped, Fire-Cooked, Easy Stuffed Bell Peppers

2-3 green bell peppers
1 can of black beans
1 can or small jar of salsa or Ro-Tel (or a mix)
organic cheese or Daiya, if desired

1) Carefully cut tops of bell peppers, like you would a jack-o-lantern.
2) Remove seeds.
3) Pour beans (I rinsed and drained mine a couple times in the can) to cover the bottom of each pepper.
4) Add a layer of salsa/Ro-Tel.
5) Repeat.
6) Replace top, and carefully wrap in foil. Keep upright and place in hot coals/fire.
7) Turn halfway through (again, check for doneness at any point, just be careful when resealing).
8 ) Remove and top with cheese if you prefer. Eat directly out of foil with a fork.

If your significant other tries to pass off their pepper remains to you once the filling is gone, fight the urge to selfishly devour it, and hint that some salt will really bring out the flavor. Be patient with his or her skepticism. Then bask in the glow of a happy spouse and no leftovers.

Whew! That’s a serious recap. But I know that so many of you are traveling this summer, and I don’t ever want you to feel left out because of a dietary restriction. Hopefully these examples can provide some inspiration and encouragement for your own creative camp meals. And don’t be intimidated by the fire: remember, everything tastes better when cooked outdoors! : )

Featured in Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays at Simply Sugar and Gluten-Free

Any other camp cooking ideas?

*Sorry for the inconsistent quality in photos… The lighting was a bit tricky to work with on this trip!

So.

Allergies.

We meet again.

I am not pleased to see you. There, I said it. I get that you are just hypersensitive and want to be all up in my biznass, but seriously, Immune System – I’m a big girl now and I can take care of myself! You are way too overprotective. It’s embarrassing. I walk around with swollen eyes all day long, totally drained, with these powerful headaches, just because you apparently didn’t get the memo that lilacs are not poison. They just smell nice. Chill out, antibodies.

As a result of this autoimmune fun (and by “fun” I mean “horror”), I was in a daze yesterday. Occasionally, my allergies get debilitating — seriously. I’ll spare you the details, but imagine the worst headcold you can, and then throw some Satan into the picture for interesting twists. Yep, that’s about accurate. It can drag me down to just laying on a couch, mumbling incoherently about how I want BFF Manfriend to “pull the plug.”

He is a patient, saintly man. I know this. (And yes, I did drama in high school — why do you ask?)

Anyway. I suspect there may be an actual cold in the background of the allergies as well right now. It’s hard to distinguish the two sometimes, because they tend to go hand in hand, egging each other on in their torturous ways. So I finally went ahead and tried to make something that would kind of “clean out the attic” – if the attic is my head, and my sinuses are the forgotten corners. (Can you tell I’m still delirious? Good metaphor. Not.) There is one type of soup I crave when I feel unwell – whether it be a flu, a cold, a life disappointment, or a paranoid immune system that hates lilacs (WHO HATES LILACS?!?! Come on, I.S.!) It has to include a tomato base, cabbage, garlic, and some heat. Everything else is take-it-or-leave-it. I made do with what I had, and it was amazing. So, for all my fellow allergy and/or cold sufferers, know that while this won’t cure you, it definitely takes the edge off. And the congestion out.

This is yet another free-and-easy, loosey-goosey, do-what-you-will-and-hyphenate-extravagantly kind of recipe. There’s nothing all that creative going on here; it’s really just vegetables. I’m sure there are a bazillion (roughly) other similar recipes out there. And with good reason. It’s utterly simple – the only added spices are salt, pepper, and cayenne (well, and enough garlic to keep the Twilighters away. Joke.). Yep. It’s easy, crazy healthy (I mean – CRAZY), and comes together in probably 15 minutes. Chop chop, stir, pour, stir, shake, stir, eat. It’s even pleasant to make – rhythmic chopping and a comforting smell wafting through your kitchen. What’s not to love?

The fact that I’m allergic to the best smell in the world – lilacs. Ah. Touché. That’s not to love.

This soup can be eaten cold, like gazpacho, warm/room temperature, or hot. Because things are sort of, kind of, maybe, but not for sure yet, starting to warm up around here (it’s Colorado. We have 4 seasons in every single day so…we have to be noncommittal about our assessments.). I devoured this after I got home from working out – two big bowlfuls. It was spicy enough to keep me downing the H20 to rehydrate, but not to the point that I couldn’t taste and enjoy my meal. It was the perfect ending to my day! And it definitely made a difference in my…uh…overcapacitated sinus cavities, and itchy throat.

It a happily-ever-after soup.

Ingredients:
extra virgin olive oil
½ head or 1 very small cabbage
½ small red onion
2 medium-sized carrots
2-3 stalks celery
6-8 cloves garlic (I used 7, varying in size)
1 28 oz can chunky tomato sauce or diced tomatoes
~ ½ C water (optional)
salt + pepper
cayenne (or hot sauce, or both)

Recipe(ish):
1) Chop cabbage by first slicing the head into ribbons, and then slicing in the other direction.
2) Chop onion, carrots, celery, and garlic as well. I like mine diced quite small in this recipe, but do what you like.
3) Drizzle enough olive oil into a large pot so that when heated to medium, it covers the bottom in a thin layer.
4) Add vegetables, salt generously (to make them sweat a little), and stir.
5) Once veggies are starting to soften, add tomato sauce/diced tomatoes. and stir. You may want to add some water to thin it out to your desired consistency — I used about ¾ C or so.
6) Add salt, coarse ground pepper, and cayenne and/or hot sauce to taste. Stir, reduce to a lower heat, and let simmer for about 5-10 minutes. Serve.

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I like it with some crunch still in the carrots, so my times reflect this. Feel free to cook longer if you wish. It’s even better the next day! I feel so much better after eating this. It’s not a panacea, but it is delicious, healthy, and quick.

Take that, Sinuses.

Do you have allergies? Any special cures?

My doctor relative swears by drinking a teaspoon of your urine in a glass of water every morning. Something about the amount of antibodies… I mentioned this on Twitter once to some hilarious reactions… Thoughts?

(Do you hear the desperation in my voice?)

Note: This isn’t meant to convince you to be vegetarian, judge you for not being vegetarian (seriously, would never do that), or anything along those lines. They’re just some ideas if you want to explore something different this week. No pressure, no preaching, no crazy. Just ideas, if you want them! If not, feel free to skip this post. No offense taken ; )

You want to know something hilarious? I don’t eat meat, and I don’t know when National Vegetarian Month is. Well, no, I do now — after I wrote a post about it last night. About 5 months early. Oops. Well, why waste a good post, right?! I thought it was too good to be true that National Celiac Awareness Month and National Veg Month would coincide. It might as well be National Nourishing Flourishing Month. Anywho, here are some good challenges for the remaining week of…Meatless May. Yes… Meatless May. Because that was totally my intention when I wrote this. Yes… (Oh! Just found out it’s National Vegetarian Week in the U.K. Maybe that’s where I went wrong…)

If you take me up on these little challenges, I would love to hear your reflections.(P.S. Still behind on comments…sorry! Catching up today hopefully.) If you don’t care, no worries. I just wanted to post this because I’ve gotten a lot of questions about vegetarianism lately, and I thought I could try to show that this lifestyle is not so strange after all. Knowledge is power, as they say (and by “they” I mean Schoolhouse Rock)… So if you feel up to it, use the last bit of this unofficial, non-national, self-imposed meatless month to explore something different.

Challenge #1: Don’t eat meat for the next week. As in, no seafood too. Straight-up, old school, 2 legit 2 quit no meat. Some of you may scoff at this, but if this seems easy, I would say, “And read all the labels on everything you consume, and ask lots of questions if you go out to eat, and put down that Guinness, and get rid of the marshmallows, gummy worms, jelly, worcestershire sauce, salad dressing, and cheese made with rennet.” Trickier than it seems initially. This little exercise might help you to better understand why your veg friend is a little paranoid about ingredients.

Challenge #2: Watch Earthlings, Food Inc., or Forks Over Knives. I’m actually taking myself up on this one! I never see movies in theatres (well, unless it’s the new Harry Potter, in which case we plan our trip to visit my family around its release date, and watch it with my dad. He’s a fan, to say the least. And considering we drive that far to celebrate with him, we just might be too…); it saves us a serious amount of cash, and at the same time strengthens our Patience muscle. So, I probably won’t be watching Forks Over Knives yet, despite being curious. I will be viewing Earthlings, though. And from what I hear…I’m going to have a hard time getting through it! But I don’t want to make excuses for choosing not to know something, so…here goes. As with all documentaries, I plan to take the information with a grain of salt; good research matters to me. Either way, I’ll make sure to post my thoughts afterwards.

Challenge #3: Start reading a vegetarian blog. No, this isn’t shameless self-promotion (though I am good at that). I just think exposing ourselves to other perspectives can be beneficial — not in an “I’m-now-becoming-vegetarian-too” way, though. Instead, it’s that vegetarianism suddenly doesn’t seem so foreign and one dimensional, and we learn to empathize with other’s convictions. (And hopefully realize they aren’t judging us constantly.) Plus, you save money when you cook vegetarian food! This is a great way to get recipes and ideas along those lines, especially when hosting vegetarian friends. My suggestions? Peas and Thank You, Daily Garnish, No Meat Athlete, and Edible Perspective.

Challenge #4: Have an open conversation with a vegetarian. It’s not about me trying to get you into a conversion-conversation. Not even remotely. If they get preachy or damning, politely change the topic (and accept our apologies for this person. Oy.). But as much as you can, try to understand where the person is coming from. I can tell you that when people really hear my position, and — though in the end they may respectfully disagree — make me feel as if they’ve genuinely given it the dignity of real consideration, it gives me such encouragement. And that encouragement comes not from the thought that I might have influenced their personal ethic or anything, it comes purely from feeling like I’m being treated as an intelligent peer, rather than a label or stereotype. Encourage your vegetarian friends by showing that you value their lifestyle, even if you might not fully agree with it.

What do you think? Would you try one of these to better understand the vegetarian lifestyle?

If you are already vegetarian and have done all these challenges, what would you add?

Ok, I know everyone and their mom has posted on sweet potato fries — I readily admit that I’m not trying to be wildly inventive here. But, I also know that there are some readers out there who haven’t heard about such wonders, and maybe even some bloggie vets that don’t know all the reasons sweet potatoes are stanking good for you. (Ok, this isn’t going to be that comprehensive, but still.) I definitely didn’t, until I researched it a few months ago. Having stockpiled an abundance of these orange ‘taters in the past week as if the apocalypse were coming tomorrow — did I mention how insanely cheap these are? –, I figured now would be a great time to make a dent in the tuber stores, and share some fun factoids while I’m at it.

This isn’t really a recipe — it’s just a method (and one that probably 80 million people have already tried, soo… Sorry for the lack of ingenuity here.)

Sweet Potato Fries

1) Chop sweet potatoes in half, again and again, until they are the about the shape and size of fries (you don’t want them too skinny though, or they’ll burn. Sad face.).
2) Spray with cooking oil, or toss in extra virgin olive oil (enough to coat) and place on a baking pan.
3) Generously douse with salt. (Or sprinkle. You know. Whatever you want.)
4) Place in an oven at about 425* (I get impatient and do 450* often, admittedly — higher chance of burning, but also higher chance for crispiness/crunch…), and once the underside browns, flip or just stir ‘em. Once they are browned to your liking, they’re done!

Fun Fact #1: Sweet potatoes are a cheap way to access major antioxidants. Usually, we tend to associate antioxidants (those cancer-fighting, cell-healing little awesomes) with really expensive, trendy things like acai, dark chocolate, red wine, and berries. Some of us know that dark leafy greens have ‘em too, but sweet potatoes tend to be (really) cheap by the pound, more satiating, and a more efficient means of assimilating these nutrients, particularly beta-carotene.

Fun Fact #2: Eating a sweet potato is basically like taking a multivitamin of amazing health power. Well, ok, maybe I’m being a little generous here. It’s almost like doing that. One small sweet potato will provide you with about 250% of Vitamin A (an antioxidant — great for eyes, immune system, bones, teeth, and more), about 30% of Vitamin C (another antioxidant, assists with healthy immune system, skin, lowers risk of stroke), another 30% or so of Manganese (a mineral that assists with vital functions in the nervous system, reproductive system, and metabolism, as well as yet another antioxidant), and a little under 15% of Copper, dietary fiber, and Vitamin B6. Not to mention it’s a decent source of Iron and Potassium.

White, starchy, nutritionally-negligible cousin, you lose. Sorry.

Fun Fact #3: Sweet potatoes are an excuse to eat fat. Seriously! Of course, I wouldn’t take this overboard, but you genuinely need to eat fat with sweet potatoes in order to assimilate all the nutrients you can. It doesn’t have to be much, maybe just a small drizzle of olive oil; though I like to stretch this rule from time to time (aka, when I eat sweet potato fries from restaurants : ) In addition, adding some fat and protein to your sweet potato will help lower the glycemic index, allowing for a more gradual insulin response. This prevents the likelihood of Type 2 diabetes, as well as fat storage in dangerous areas like the stomach (particularly scary because of its relationship with heart disease, and the threat fat in this area poses to your organs).

Fun Fact #4: Despite the blood-sugar skyrocketing effect of white potatoes, sweet potatoes are beneficial for regulating insulin response! Basically, sweet potatoes are world’s apart from their cousin in this respect because they contain so much fiber. If you’re diabetic, you know that fiber is your friend; it helps to keep your insulin response level so that your pancreas doesn’t have to endure the abuse of a roller-coaster ride. In addition, sweet potatoes contain a protein hormone Type 2 diabetics have lower levels of, which allows for a more even metabolization process. Win!

Fun Fact #5: Sweet potatoes can act as an anti-inflammatory. If you have an autoimmune disease or disorder (holla!), you probably know why this is an important quality.Antioxidant properties play a significant role in the repair of our tissues (random: sweet potatoes, if damaged, will heal themselves using their antioxidants — that is such a logical, but still impressive, illustration of the power of their nutrients!), but anti-inflammatory properties not only reduce the inflamed tissue, but also prevent them from flaring up again. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities are of especial interest, perhaps, to those with digestive issues and diseases, because the intestine absorbs all these chemicals (and thus their benefits) directly.

Fun Fact #6: Sweet potatoes are delicious. Ok. This might not count. Buuut. It’s true. Here’s another way I like to get my sweet potato crack fix nutrients… Cinnamon (Un)Sugar Dessert Hummus:

For more information, this is a great resource that offers more detail on the benefits of sweet potatoes. It has plenty of medical journal articles to peruse, if you’re into that sort of thing ; ) I always fact-check using this website, because I find it to be well-researched and copious in referencing the sources. Highly recommended!

What are your favorite sweet potato recipes?

‘Tis the season for travel! If you happen to be staying in a hotel… You’re in luck. I am ready to share my secrets. (Although, the photo quality, I confess, isn’t great today folks. Our hotel had terrible lighting, in my defense!)

I do not drink coffee every day. For one thing, it’s expensive to do that. For another, I love the taste, and as a result, can easily drink way too much, and dehydrate myself for the rest of the day. And for another — I like to think of coffee as a luxury. But let’s stay focused. I tend to want…slash need…coffee when I travel. I’m not sure if it’s just a mental thing or what, but I need a pick-me-up more than usual. And hotels just mock me with their little drip coffee makers. Um…does anyone else think such devices make coffee taste like plastic, chlorine, and…dirty water? Not real coffee. Not good. So. I got creative. Some call coffee-making and drinking an art. I must, then, be an artist. And artists must break rules, push boundaries — do wild and crazy things. And with that…

Here’s my little trick for turning disappointing pre-filled filter hotel “coffee” into almost-French-Press-delicious coffee:

1) Take your pre-filled coffee filter.

2) Rip it open.

3) Place contents where the filter should go.

4) Brew as usual (add water, switch on, yadda yadda yadda).

5) Spoon out floating grounds from cup (this really doesn’t take long, promise).

6) Rejoice, and sip.

I know it’s ghetto. I know. But so was my other brilliant idea. And seriously… This coffee was so awesome. It saved the day at least twice while I was in San Diego. It’s like drinking liquid sleep.

And with this unconventional method, you can feel rebellious, but legal… and very creative and antiestablishmentarian for showing Starbucks that you don’t need their $8 drinks. Holla for your dolla!

Please, someone else tell me I’m not the only ghetto traveler… <3

I was reflecting on how many people often remark to me that they can’t fathom my zeal for vegetables. A fair question; not everyone is madly enamored with cruciferous verdure. Even so, I think sometimes we have to learn to love the things that are best for us, that nourish our flourishing. That doesn’t mean begrudgingly shoving those brussels sprouts into your mouth, holding back your gag. Learning always necessitates allowing yourself to become open to something somewhat foreign, uncomfortable, and usually intimidating. Openness, of course, is liberating, whereas forcefulness and narrowness cause anxiety, frustration, and bitterness.

Confession: I used to hate running. I resented it. Why did I have to pound the pavement to be “healthy”? Why did I have to get up at 4:30 in the morning to do something I didn’t enjoy? Something that made me feel sick and exhausted? What was fun and nourishing about this?! But then, I stepped back. I realized that part of the reason it was no longer fun was because I felt obligated to do it. I may have wanted to run, yes — but I didn’t want to run simply because I felt I had no other options. When I had a brief one year stint in college on the cross country team (for the scholarship money, not because I was a good runner. Trust me, they were desperate.) I started to crumble physically and emotionally. I felt utterly depleted. I wasn’t running for the right reasons, I wasn’t paying attention to my body’s messages (“Hey, Katie, yeah…could you maybe, like, stop ingesting poison [gluten] constantly? Thanks, that would be super! xoxo, Yourself”), and frankly, I felt trapped. That is never, ever a way to live. Not only will you be frustrated, but you will never truly accomplish your goal in an enduring and fulfilling way.

Feeling Stuck.

I finally gave up running for a few months. I reflected on how I had come to despise something that had such potential to be fun. I recalled  the times and emotions from when I was out on the trail, focusing on nothing except my two feet and the beauty around me. iPod off. No coaches. No worries about my tempo, or calories, or anything. Just the dirt and my soles. I was fully alive. I was deeply grateful, sensing my breath, and my heart — the most fragile, but vital, parts of me. I felt simultaneously strong, empowered, free, and delicate, humbled, dependent… I was an active element of the unfathomably huge and complex reality around me, and also fully reliant upon it, and all its volatility. What a difficult and beautiful experience to articulate! Why did I only feel like that after I walked away from a promising career in Olympic running cross country and training plans?

I promise this relates to cruciferous vegetation. Promise. Relevance does not = obviousness.

Especially not with me. You know this.

I think this illustration works surprisingly well as an analogy for vegetable-loving, or any healthy change. If you try to demand something of your body, it probably is going to either 1) ignore you, or 2) get defensive, and make your life one of Dante’s Inferno circles because it’s angry. It doesn’t work. Of course, this is not an excuse to give up, and resign oneself to forever hating vegetables/exercise/whatever else you need for a flourishing life. Instead, it’s an impetus for creativity, experimentation, and growth. You can encourage yourself, rather than oppressing yourself. Your possibilities are boundless; there is no one definitive way that you must strictly follow to achieve your goal.

I no longer run much. And I am good with that. Once I allowed myself to not “need” to run in order to feel I was healthy (or perceived as healthy), all exercise became insanely enjoyable. Occasionally that included a jog, but more often it was one of the other activities I explored: strength training, yogaing, hiking, ellipticalling, stairclimbing, biking, etc. Getting the “OK” from myself to not have to run made me appreciate it so much more. Now I look at it as time to simply be, as I described above. But I wouldn’t feel that way unless I had changed my approach and opened myself to the possibility that running might not have to be what I assumed — competitive, draining, only worthwhile if done exactly like other runners. A few changes of perception were all I needed (oh, that and stopping the whole “eating poison constantly” thing…).

My parents told us that broccoli were dinosaur trees.

Um…

DINOSAUR TREES!!!

Guess who loved dinosaurs (like any little…girl….would)?! Guess who wanted to show how bad A she was even as a toddler?! Guess who is so excited even now at the mere thought of broccoli and devouring these small trees with her enormous herbivore mouth that she is throwing in a shameful but festive amount of exclamation marks?!?!!!! <— (It’s me, guys.  It’s me!!!)

Moral of the winding, long story: If you want to learn to love something, change your perspective! Approach it differently. Look at eating vegetables as an opportunity to explore something new. Don’t assume you will hate things you despised as a child. You have matured. Give yourself some credit! You don’t have to overcook your veggies to mush, like a parent might have. You don’t have to eat your greens only by eating salad after salad. You don’t have to eat what everyone else says you should (read: brussels sprouts). If you still hate them, go try something else! Why punish yourself? You can play. You can make mistakes. You can even now add wine to your food to play or cover up mistakes! So try something new. Maybe not even a new vegetable, but a new preparation method.

A great place to begin if you are trying to fall in love with vegetables is to roast them. Simply turn on your broiler, place cut up pieces of broccoli, or stalks of asparagus, or — gasp! — brussels sprouts, and drizzle some extra virgin olive oil on them, salt, and pop it in the oven. Watch closely — it will cook quickly. Give it a stir once, maybe (or not), and once you see the brown/char that you desire, chow down.

And if you hate it, no worries. There are lots of other things to try. Stay open. Stay fun. Adventure.

Tell me. What have you learned to love lately? Or what are you encouraging (not forcing) yourself to love?

*** Check out below for the (in)famous Ghetto Fridge! ***

I don’t know about you, but I am dreaming of a tropical vacation right about…now. And surprisingly, we actually get one this summer!  (We don’t often justify trips like that, but this is a unique situation.) As I’m reflecting on our recent trip to San Diego, I know I need to begin mentally preparing myself for our special adventure in July. Yes. Already. Because I really, really, really don’t want to deal with another epic fail like last time! (<– My bad, body. My bad.) In line with the other Traveling Healthy post, here are some of the techniques that I usually employ, and always work for me when I actually make use of them… Ah, life. Always learning from you.

Prepare and bring what you can.

The first things I pack when we head out on a trip are: nuts, dried fruit, whole grain crackers, and hummus, along with crudités (<– classy way of saying, “finger-food vegetables”) for dipping and munching, like carrot sticks, celery sticks, sliced bell peppers (organic please), and grape or cherry tomatoes (aka nature’s candy). We also bring airport-friendly options like prepackaged, small servings of nut butters, whole apples, pears, bananas, Larabars, sandwiches, simple and healthy trail mix, and sunflower seeds.

One of the hardest things about travel for me is not getting the amount of greens I need/want/am used to. If you are worried you might not be able to access vegetables as easily, bring a dry packet like Amazing Grass. Same goes for protein – if you think you might not be able to get enough, bring a baggie of powder. These keep well and can be adapted easily to whatever you have access to, even if it’s just adding straight-up H20.

I hope you see potential here.

Take advantage of “opportunities”…

I’m just going to be honest with you guys: I am a terrible, terrible, notorious mooch. If I stay at a hotel and they have fruit in the lobby – guess what? At least a serving of it is going to be gone in about 5 minutes (or as long as it takes me to stuff some in my purse/hands). I am shameless. Sorry. I blame my grandmother. She would go to buffets and fill her purse with muffins, napkins…even salt and pepper shakers. When we tried to encourage some deceny, she would wave us off and in her thick Spanish accent pronounce, “Ey, we paid for it!” True that, Grandma. True that.

Random related story:
When my dad helped me move during college, we stayed at a nearby hotel until the dorms opened. I should note, my dad and I have wayyy too much fun together. We love coffee. We love treats. We love laughing. We love laughing, drinking coffee, and eating treats together. And when they had such a nice lobby, and endless free coffee…and then set out a plate of fresh-out-of-the-oven cookies… Well, what did they expect us to do?! We were there for about 3 hours. Literally. Coffee. Refill. Laughing. Cookie. Refill. Laughing. Laughing. Cookie refill. Laughing. Scowl from front desk employee. (His name was Luke. We remember these things.)

My dad went back and stayed a few times when he came to visit me.

They don’t put cookies out anymore…

Find a grocery store or market nearby

Does the city you are staying in have a farmer’s market? An easy google search should tell you. You might be surprised at what foods you can find, and what a treat this local experience can be. Bonus: you get exercise at farmers’ markets! This is a fantastic option if you can’t find a grocery store nearby.

As you already know, this was (supposed to be) the highlight of our trip to San Diego: TRADER JOE’S! Once you find one, go and stock up on healthy snacks, and less perishable items. Or, even perishable ones — I have never had a problem with keeping vegetables and fruits cool in a hotel room. Which leads me to…

Be creative

Let me tell you about my system. I can’t make any promises about its safety… but I can promise that it is ghetto and works. And by works I mean…”saves me a ton of money.”

You know that ice bucket that’s so fun to fill? (Just me? Always my favorite part of traveling as a child.) Go fill the plastic bags inside of it. Tie the ends. Place leftover food from dining out on top. Bam. Instant refrigerator! Or, if you go out, and buy almost more food than you can carry (despite being super strong, obviously), and need to live off it without a fridge for several days… Think big. And improvise:

The Shamelessly Cheap Hobo Hotel Fridge:

1) Use plastic bags (you can recycle them later) to carry some of your groceries.
2) Sneakily creep out of your room, and nonchalantly fill bags using the ice maker.
3) Act like nothing weird is happening.
4) Keep filling bags…
5) Say, “Oh, yes, thank you!” to the kind woman doing the hotel’s housekeeping, when she offers you a GIANT plastic trash bag.
6) Transfer all ice to said bag.
7) Strategically cover food with ice in bag.
8 ) Loosely tie ends and place in bathtub (which, lets be honest, you hardly use anyway…).
9) Relish your genius. And (now refrigerated) hummus.
10) Replace ice as needed.
11) WIN.

Just take it out when you need to shower, and make sure things stay cold. We changed the ice during the morning and evening. And you know what? We ate like kings queens royalty of some variety.

Any tips you have to share? Are you awkward and moochy too?