The Chef and The Dietitian-Episode 24-Balsamic Strawberries

For the first time, Chef AJ introduced me to a semi-popular dessert dish I had never been interested in trying...Balsamic Strawberries. Actually, I was surprisingly pleased! Learn a bit about organic produce a la the Environmental Working Group's Clean 15 and Dirty Dozen and how to add an easy twist to fresh fruit for dessert...

The Joy of Eating

My dear friend, Ciddy Fonteboa, is a passionate animal rights activist. She is driven by compassion and has a pure, energetic soul that is utterly contagious! I met Ciddy when she asked me to speak in the Healthy Hut at Worldfest 2011 in Los Angeles, CA, which she gallantly produced. Clips of the event are intertwined in this fun and fabulous video she has created. Get ready for a mouth-watering, awe-inspiring few moments where you can see how and why to go deliciously veg! You can learn more about Ciddy on her Facebook page and You-Tube page while her blog, Lady Uproar, is being developed. I dare you to watch this without getting hungry and inspired...

Evolving Backwards

And with seeing and being reminded comes…inspiration…each image of animals being treated with apathy in the most horrific manners…manners in which are impossible to imagine how a human could conceive of them-let alone implement and perpetuate them. And yet, they do…and these events continue to the tune of billions of animals per year in the United States alone.

And with hearing an expert in ecology comes…terror…the stab of shocking inescapable doom we are instigating by the shear consumption of massive quantities of animal-based products. We are literally eating ourselves into the next extinction.

As “evolved” thinking primates, one of the defining features we ought to boast is the ability to learn from our mistakes and ameliorate the choices that led to the ultimate poor results. And yet…have we? Is history not repeating itself? How many mass extinctions have occurred in history? Have you ever considered that we-in our evolved, learned culture-could repeat a catastrophic end of humanity as we know it?

And yet...here we are…right smack in the midst of a cataclysmic downward spiral. The more animal products we consume, the more inane senseless torture of sentient, innocent creatures, the more destruction of our air, soil, land, waters, loss of biodiversity, and then some. Oh yes…how can I forget? As a healthcare professional, I directly witness the impact of animal food consumption in my daily practice. I also happen to experience utter miraculous transformations regularly when people cease their consumption of animal products…as my sick clients get healthy, medications get put back in the medicine cabinet permanently, athletes beat their personal bests, and everyone in between thrives. 

Our fork determines our future like nothing else. Politics, powerful medications, advances in medical procedures, are laughable when you consider and witness the impact of the food that you eat. It is time we all recognize the blatantly obvious…we know too much now…there is no way out. As our 6.5 billion global population ensues, we are literally eating our planet…and we will soon be left with nothing…tick tock. What will you do? Knowledge is command…we are officially at the tipping point. Will we survive? We have the solution…but will we learn from our mistakes? Or will we remain safely protected in our blissful bubble…tick tock…choose wisely…

4th of July Chili

If you like fireworks, this chili will fire up your taste buds and give you a great kick to celebrate America's birthday! Enjoy the spice, color, texture, and festivities with this nutrient-dense delicious dish. 

Yield: 5 cups

1 medium onion, diced

2 cups red bell pepper, diced

1 cup carrots, chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and finely diced

1-2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups vegetable broth (or water)

1 (15-oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 (15-oz.) can garbanzo beans

1 (15-oz.) can black beans

1 cup corn kernals

1 (14-oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 TB. maple syrup

1 TB. chili powder

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. ground black pepper

1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper

Zest and juice of 1 lime

[1/3] cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

1.     In a medium pot, combine onion, bell pepper, carrots, jalapeno pepper, garlic, and 1/2 cup vegetable broth, and sauté over medium heat, stirring often, for 10 minutes.

2.     Add remaining broth, kidney, garbanzo, and black beans,  corn, crushed tomatoes, maple syrup, chili powder, oregano, basil, cumin, pepper, cayenne, and lime juice/zest. Stir continuously to combine. Increase heat to high, and bring to a boil.

3.     Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro. Serve hot with cornbread or brown rice.

The Chef and The Dietitian-Episode 23-Hail to the Kale

Here is the reason I fell in love with Chef AJ...her Hail to the Kale salad. No matter how often I eat this (and I eat it quite often), I can never stop crunching away! It is always a hit when I make it for guests or for parties and I cannot recommend it highly enough. The combination of nutty, sweet, and citrusy makes for the perfect blend. Use it on raw kale for a nutrient explosion or on any salad mix, cooked broccoli, baked potatoes, or anywhere else that allows you to indulge!

Nutty Buddies...ahhh...Chocolate FUNdue on a banana or as a truffle! And healthy too? Bring it on, Chef AJ!

Plea I am Making to the School Board Tonight

As a Registered Dietitian and mother of two, I am on the front-lines everyday witnessing the dramatic influence diet has on children. As I am certain you are aware, we are currently in the midst of a national crisis of overfed, yet undernourished people, where more than two-thirds of the U.S. adult population is overweight or obese, and 17% of our children are as well. Diabetes incidence is escalating in children as well as behavioral issues and other health concerns. The most ironic part is the fact that most-if not all-of this can be prevented through nutrition.

After spending some time working in the kitchens of some Los Angeles-based school districts, and seeing what the USDA has to offer, I promised to always send my kids to school with a homemade lunch once I had kids. Although I have stuck to this promise wholeheartedly, it pains me to have this basic solution stabbed in my back. My kids still come home having eaten high sugar, high fat, and highly processed "treats" on a near-daily basis, given to them for good behavior, birthday parties, holidays, etc. The whole concept of a "treat" has been made obsolete, as a treat is not something one gets on a very regular basis. It is this very principle that greatly contributes to the current health crisis we are experiencing. I believe what the family teaches at home is critical for the child's health and habit education. However, when those messages are conflicted by the schools where their education and time is substantial, it sends mixed signals and raises the difficulty of understanding what healthy behaviors truly look like.

To participate in the solution, I strongly implore that the schools:

·        Provide nutrition education as frequently as possible from qualified professionals;

·        Eliminate the use of food/candy/etc. as reward for good behavior;

·        Limit "treats" given for holidays and birthday parties…at least require a healthy option;

·        Set regulations on what may or may not be brought into the classroom;

·        Require parental permission to distribute candy and any other food-like items (allergies alone are a critical reason to prevent a school faculty or staff from making food decisions for a student)

Thank you for your consideration.