Looking for a healthy spin on a classic winter comfort food? Here is a ‘lighter’ recipe for stuffed mushrooms that is gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. They are filled with lots of fiber and natural sweetness in each bite. Whether you’re preparing these for a football game on Sunday or a dinner party on Saturday night, they’re sure to be a crowd pleaser.

ORANGE MARJORAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS
Gluten-Free and Vegan

2 lb. baby bella mushrooms
1 1/2 cups gluten-free crackers, very finely crushed
3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 large Vidalia onion, very finely chopped
2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp. freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
1/4 cup fresh marjoram, finely chopped
4 pitted dates, very finely chopped
1 tsp. orange zest

Preheat oven to 375 F.

Remove stems from mushrooms and chop.
Heat oil in a pan over medium heat.  Add all ingredients; cook for 5 minutes. Evenly distribute mixture to mushroom caps.  Bake for 45 minutes.
Serve with an extra drizzle of balsamic vinegar.

Bon appétit!

I’ve created a fun holiday recipe below that will help give you a clean outlook on your holiday schedule. No matter how busy your next few weeks become, remind yourself that taking care of you is most important as you’ll most likely be taking care of everyone else this holiday season. If you’re not at your healthiest, well rested, well fed and relaxed…you can kiss that mistletoe good-bye because you’ll end up drained, exhausted and not able to ice that gingerbread house. Oh, the horror!

It’s not every day you hear someone talking about Clean eating or asking their waiter for a Clean meal but that shouldn’t stop you from achieving this way of living. Especially this time of year when the snow is on the ground and the winter chill is in the air. Many of my clients give-up on Clean eating in the winter because it’s “too hard” but honestly, just do your best by eating a rainbow of colors, a varied diet with healthy fats, whole grains, lean proteins and lots of fresh veggies that are locally grown and seasonal. It’s important that we touch on all of our tastes, as well; some of us like salty, others sweet, some sour and others bitter. Why not start combining all of these flavors into your meals and snacks?  This will help keep your taste buds happy and satisfied.

Staying out of the inner aisles of your food store and filling up your basket with real food will do wonders not only for your health but for your well-being. Don’t you just feel better sipping on hot tea with lemon rather than a Diet Coke? I mean, come on. Picture yourself at a spa, you are waiting to get your facial and massage and you have your choice of a soda or water with lemon. Which would you choose? Many years ago I would have gone for the soda but not today. I feel better about myself when I order the water with lemon and turn down the soda.

This is what Clean eating and Clean living are all about. Try it for yourself. When faced with two options, one healthy and one not healthy, ask yourself what you’d choose if you were at a spa. I like to use this scenario because we tend to ‘take care of ourselves’ at a spa and treat ourselves to feeling rejuvenated and relaxed; it’s the perfect time to take care of your body emotionally and physically with pampering treatments, healthy food and balance. Eating whole, unprocessed food is something many of us don’t do enough of.  It’s not the healthiest choice to reach for a processed power bar for your on-the-go lunch or a packaged box of highly processed crackers with a laundry list of ingredients you cannot pronounce. Yuck.

I’m not asking you to eat Clean 100% of the time because Clean eating is about doing what’s right for you and your body.  What’s important is to realize that Clean eating is a way of life, not a diet and certainly not deprivation. Throw out those processed foods and add in some fresh ones without a nutrition label. Pick up fresh fruits and veggies for your holiday dinner, add them to your main course or serve them on the side with fresh lemon and herbs. Why not think outside the box and try a side of balsamic glazed asparagus or steamed spinach with buckwheat noodles and peanut ginger dressing? Pick a fresh herb and add it to the main course, side dishes and desserts even if the recipe doesn’t call for it; it’s likely the flavor will wake up your senses and help with those sweet cravings so many of us face this time of the year.

Here’s a fun, healthy and Clean recipe that I serve every holiday season. My guests love it and I tend to make a big batch so I can enjoy the leftovers throughout the week.

COCONUT MACADAMIA QUINOA, Gluten-Free and Vegan

Ingredients
1 tablespoon coconut oil
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup golden quinoa
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1 cup kale, chopped
1/2 cup red onion
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, finely chopped

Directions

• In a medium pot, stir coconut oil, cinnamon, turmeric and cumin over medium-high heat until fragrant.
• Wash and drain quinoa. Add quinoa and stir to coat. Add water, bring to a boil, and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes, or until all water is absorbed.
• Remove from heat; set aside for 5 minutes, covered.
• Add cranberries, kale, red onion, balsamic vinegar and lime juice.
• Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• Top with macadamia nuts.
• Serve warm.

Happy holidays!

We have given GoPicnic ready-to-eat meals a mention in our Concert in the Park story but felt that this great product deserved to be featured on its own. Created by Julia Stamberger, in 2006, while working as the Business Development Manager at United Airlines. She saw a need for an alternative to the costly but poor quality in-flight meals (you know the kind. Ewww.). The GoPicnic solution? Healthy, ready-to-eat boxed meals – that are no bigger than a hard cover book – that also reduced waste and required zero prep time, thus increasing flight attendant efficiency and improving the overall customer satisfaction. Yeah.

The meals are now available to the public. Woot. I bought a variety of them to take on our road trip. They were perfect because they require no refrigeration, no heating or preparation and were compact. Plus, they are nutritional and each meal is well balanced in protein, carbs and fruits and vegetables, with a little healthy sweet treat in each. All are under 400 calories. The GoPicnic meal box is packed with premium healthy brand products, such as Late July organic snacks and Annie’s crackers. None of GoPicnic’s choices contain trans-fats, nor high fructose corn syrup, nor added monosodium glutamate, nor artificial flavors or colors. The high-quality ingredients are clearly labeled on the packaging, so even people with special diets, including all-natural, gluten-free, kosher, vegetarian, and vegan, can enjoy a GoPicnic box meal.

My daughter Thea, loved the peanut butter and crackers, while my other daughter enjoyed the hummus. The girls have asked me to buy them for their lunches for school. Their compact size and well rounded nutrition will make these a perfect alternative to school bought lunches when we do not have time to make a lunch that morning (’cause you know that’s just going to happen). They will definitely become a staple in my pantry.

World Market (love) carries GoPicnic but you may also buy them directly from their website. Prices range from $2.99 to $4.99.

Lunchables be gone!

The Forks over Knives film depicts these “diseases of affluence” and explains how they can be reversed by adopting a whole-foods, plant-based diet. The major storyline in the film traces the personal journeys of Dr. T. Colin Campbell, a nutritional scientist from Cornell University, and Dr. Caldwell Esselstyn, a former top surgeon at the world renowned Cleveland Clinic. They individually conducted several groundbreaking studies which led them to the same startling conclusion, that degenerative diseases like heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and even several forms of cancer, could almost always be prevented—and in many cases reversed—by adopting a whole foods, plant-based diet.

Click here to view the embedded video.

As expected, because it is well against the best interest of Big Corps, these findings have received very little attention. Until now. So, please see the film and TALK about it.

Conclusion. Eat your veggies. And lots of them.

Well, what a wonderful discovery this was… Exploring the meal assembly service all happened by accident when my husband and I, on a beautiful fall day, decided to explore the very picturesque village of La Grange, Il. whose quaint little downtown has been voted “Best of” in 2009. With cause. It’s perfectly charming and filled with shops and restaurants. And, it’s also home to The Dinner Club, a local meal assembly kitchen which we stumbled upon during our stroll. The Dinner Club was so inviting that I vowed to return to give it a try.

And so I did, just last week, discovering a great, easy and FUN way to get healthy meals on the table. The Dinner Club’s specific concept is to offer a meal assembly kitchen for guests to come in and themselves provide the “labor” to assemble the meals. The Dinner Club also offers to assemble meals for their clients for pick up or delivery for an additional fee. There is a monthly menu from which each guest can pick 8 or 12 meals. Typically, 12 meals which serve 6 people each, will cover a family for about a month, or about 3 sit-down family meals a week.

What I loved about my experience at the Dinner Club:

• In the words of the Dinner Club, their services take care of the shopping, the chopping and the mopping. Indeed, there is no meal planning beyond choosing items from the Dinner Club’s menu, no list-making (and forgetting items and returning to the store), no prepping and no clean up. Divine.
• Fool-proof and mindless. I say that in a good way. All recipe instructions, ingredients, utensils and tools were laid exactly according to need for each specific recipe. I’m a seasoned cook, but it was entirely relaxing to have the luxury of simply adding, say, the one cup of chopped onions and the two tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs and the half cup of sundried tomatoes to my recipe. And I think that this is a perfect solution for people who say they “can’t” cook or for beginner cooks. Even the sides (pasta or rice) are provided and packaged with cooking instructions. In my world these days, mindless = relaxing.
• Enormous time saver. That’s a bit of the repeat of the point above, but to break it down further, I prepared 8 meals (which I actually split since each meal serves 6 and there are only three of us with my son away at college. so for me, that makes 16!) in under 80 minutes (and that includes the coffee-bar break with the delicious scones!). That is about 10 minutes per meal (or 5 min in my case) . Plus, let’s say another 10 at home to reheat. For a quality, healthy, home-cooked meal. Wow.
• Everything was immaculately clean. Everyone wore aprons and gloves and had their hair tied back or wore a loaner head scarf. Staff members were right behind me, cleaning up for the next guest to use the station.
• The meals tasted great. The ingredients used by the Dinner Club are all of high quality. The recipes have been tested for freezing and for being reheated under their instructions, so all recipes turn out perfectly. And then I got to “customize” the amount of spices and ingredients to suit my family’s taste.
• All the nutritional information is provided for each recipe. Plus I know exactly what went into each meal. As opposed to eating out. After reading stories like this one that mentions, for example, the 1450 calorie Olive Garden meal, it’s a real case of Dinner Beware.
• Cost less than buying everything myself. At under $4.00 per portion, I would be hard pressed to create the same meals, from scratch myself. Shrimp with Ginger Herb Butter or Smothered Roast Beef for less than $4 per person? Only the serious coupon clipper can get that done. In any case, it’s definitely much cheaper than going out or getting take out.
• Guaranteed more time with the family. We are all running around like chicken without heads. How do we fit the time to sit down together for family meals? (and here’s a recent study that really brings the point across of WHY you want to sit down with the kids a few times a week). Services such as the Dinner Club are a great way to make it do-able. And, since I now have all these meals packed in the fridge and freezer, I haven’t been in panic mode at 4:00pm when I realize that I completely forgot to to plan the evening’s meal …

And, this type of service is not only of value for families. Think of bringing meals to someone who is sick or recovering, a family with a new baby or to someone who has just suffered a death. There is no easier, faster, more cost effective way to do it.

There are meal assembly services located throughout the country though many of them (franchises) have closed because of the recession. The Dinner Club of La Grange has remained strong not only because it is an independent business, but because of the outstanding and affordable service that it offers. I would suggest that you check them out The Dinner Club specifically if you are in the Chicago area or if not, some popular names in the business are Dream Dinners and Super Suppers and many more that you can find in your immediate area (though few offer the “assembly” part of the meal offers).

It’s an idea that makes complete sense.

Every holiday season I get extremely excited about all the parties and fun I’m about to have with loved ones, but I simultaneously become terrified that January will come along and suddenly a month’s worth of wine and holiday goodies has turned into a brand new tire sitting around my waist. Yikes! As you may know, it’s not a nice feeling at all. And getting rid of that spare tire is always a heck of a lot harder than accumulating it!

There are two things you can do to avoid gaining weight. They’re pretty simple and exactly what you would expect:

1. Avoid overeating. If you haven’t read my last post about eating tips over the holidays, give it a read!
2. Exercise regularly. Regular exercise helps to keep your metabolism up and burns calories. The more you exercise, the more calories you burn, the less weight you will gain. I’m guessing this isn’t news to anyone.

Although everyone knows they should exercise regularly to remain healthy and avoid losing weight, it can be very difficult to find the time to do so – particularly during the holidays. Not only do you have to take care of your regular responsibilities, your spare time is suddenly being filled with social gatherings… and shopping and prepping for those social gatherings (gifts, decorations, cooking, outfits, etc). This all takes time and effort! The alcohol that usually accompanies these parties doesn’t exactly help with motivation during the days to come either. But in the end, it’s all worthwhile, right? What good is life with no enjoyment and good old holiday cheer?

Knowing this, we give up our yoga classes to run errands and if we do it too often and eat too much… well, we end up with tires around our middle that we didn’t have before. But it doesn’t have to end that way. As always, the trick is to find the proper balance. Go for a run? Or run all those errands?

Having lived through this dilemma for several years, I can confidently say that my answer is both. Yes both! Here’s how:  Do your very best to squeeze in your full exercise routine as often as possible. But on those days where you simply don’t have enough time for a good solid work out, don’t give up on exercise all together. Modify your routine and get creative instead!

I finally realized something that has prevented me from carrying that January tire ever since. It is far more important to exercise regularly than it is to exercise perfectly. Any short burst of exercise can work wonders on your metabolism. You just need to learn to increase the intensity during that shorter time frame. In fact, you’d be surprised how much of a difference even 10 minutes can make! Everyone can find 10 spare minutes in a day. Use them for a mini workout! You might not think it’s worth the effort for 10 minutes but I promise you that you will be far better off than if you do nothing at all. Providing your body with that little kick can help keep your metabolism and your energy levels nice and high. Don’t believe me? Try some of these 10 minute routines. If you can last longer than 10 minutes and you have the time, keep track and try to break your record!

• Sprint on a treadmill for at least 10 minutes. You should run at least 1 mile
• Do sun salutations (yoga) or downward dog flows constantly for at least 10 minutes
• Skip (using a skipping rope) for at least 10 minutes
• Do a high level hill routine on a bike for at least 10 minutes (intervals of strong resistance and then a quick break with practically no resistance at all)
• 20 push ups, 20 jumping jacks, 20 sit ups. 15 push ups, 15 jumping jacks, 15 sit ups. 10 push ups, 10 jumping jacks, 10 sit ups. 5 push ups, 5 jumping jacks, 5 sit ups. Without breaks!
• If you live near water or have a pool, do egg beaters (a style of treading water with your hands raised out of the water) for at least 10 minutes
• Run up and down your stairs (carefully!) for at least 10 minutes.

And of course, if you’re looking to pack in some extra nutrients this holiday season, I think a juicer is a great option. My favorite is the Samson 9001 Juicer from Purely Juicers.

I’m sure you’ve noticed. There is a whole Locavore (or Localvore) movement going on.  A locavore is someone who makes an effort to eat foods that are grown and harvested locally. And locally, in this case, means about 100 miles. Of course, being a locavore for fresh produce is easier done year round if you live, say, in California as opposed to Vermont but still, there area good 6 months out of the year when we can all participate.

Why eat locally? The considerations range from for political to environmental, economic and health reasons. For example:

• Long distance shipping: Food in most supermarkets has traveled many, many miles. This has pollution and ecological consequences: The World Watch reports that the ingredients typically travel between 2,500 and 4,000 kilometers, a 25 percent increase from 1980 alone. This average meal uses up to 17 times more petroleum products, and increases carbon dioxide emissions by the same amount, compared to an entirely local meal (source).
• Loss to local farmers and producers: of course, all this imported consumption means that we are not supporting our local farmers.
• Know where our food comes from: Going to your local farmer’s market means that we can choose food from farmers who employ more sustainable agriculture process, i.e. no toxic fertilizers or pesticides, hormones & antibiotics, has not been irradiated or genetically modified. We cannot be assured of the quality of the food produced by Big Agra in remote areas or even close to home. The recent contaminated egg scandal and that of tomatoes and spinach of some time ago come to mind…
• Better tasting food as opposed to seasonless produce now available in all grocery chains. Strawberries the size of kiwis in January? No problem. But what do they taste like? What made them get that big and look so “perfect”?
• Connect with your community: I love the community feel of the farmers’ market. I can’t even recall how many great exchanges I have had with the vendors and other customers. Recipe and preparation advise mostly, from like-minded people who are passionate about what they put on their plate.
• Connect with your food: Personally, I love carving out the imperfections out of my tomatoes or other produce. It makes them feel more real and I’m not taking them for granted. And I know that they will taste like tomatoes should taste. Real. We asked one farmer how come his organic produce looked so great. He said he just brought the good stuff, as he shares about half of his crop with “them”. Who? The bugs, that got into the rest it. It’s a labor of love and I have great respect for it. Also, it’s a great idea to bring small children along to the farmers’ market. Have them talk to the farmers who will be more than happy to tell them how the peaches and pepper and onions are grown. Even better, get the kids to a farm to pick their own fruits & veggies in season. They’ll have a much better appreciation for the bounty on their plate after that.

If you want more reasons to Eat Local, you will want to read John Ikerd’s fantastic article on the subject “Eating Local: A Matter of Integrity”. Here’s an excerpt:

The new American food culture values quality; its members demand that their food to be safe, wholesome, attractive, and flavorful; they don’t take these things for granted. They also want their food to be produced in ways that respects people – including farmers and workers in the food system, as well food consumers. And, they want their food produced in ways that respect the natural environment. They also expect food to be reasonably priced, but price is not the determining factor in their purchase decisions. They want food that reflects their preferred lifestyles and values.  They want food with integrity. They are willing to compromise, at least to some extent, on cosmetic appearance, convenience, preparation time, and price in order to ensure the overall integrity of their food.

For inspiration to try an Eat Local exercise, here are some simple and very do-able ideas (adapted from Upper Valley Localvores website):

• Shop at farm stands and farmers markets in season and at stores that support local producers
• Add one new local food to your repertoire, like cider, eggs or dairy from a local farm
• Experiment with substituting local ingredients, such as maple syrup and honey in place of sugar
• Make a complete meal from local ingredients
• Host a potluck, inviting guests to contribute a dish prepared from local ingredients. Have guests introduce their contribution, naming the sources for the local ingredients
• Commit to eating one local meal per day or per week
• Commit to eating foods grown within a 50, 100, or 150 mile radius for a week, a month, a year — maybe allowing for wild cards for nonlocal treats such as coffee, tea, spices, peanut butter, olive oil, chocolate.

And let me leave with this helpful map of the US that shows you what produce items are in season in which area and will refer to local Farmers’ Markets. In October, I will look forward to apples, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumbers, eggplant, grapes, lettuce, okra, onions, peas, potatoes, pumpkins, radishes, rhubarb, sweet potatoes, tomatoes and turnips.

I can definitely work with that!

We’ve basically created a consortium of 52 Chicago restaurants–and not just any restaurants, but the best in the city. The restaurants span 25 different neighborhoods, various cuisines and price points, but they have a couple things in common–killer food and great passion that oozes from the chef/owners of these non-corporate gems.

Supporting the ingenuity and good ol’ heart & soul of independent business!

As an avid follower of independent businesses I could not resist. And, now that we’ve tried six of the restaurants listed in the deck (Veerasway, Mana Food Bar, Tizi Melloul, Blue13, Naha, HB Home Bistro), I’m ready to declare that I now blindly trust any of the à la card recommendations. Our experience thus far has been that fabulous.

In the manner of the Entertainment Book, the “à la card chicago” deck is only valid for the calendar year. But don’t despair. You still have 40 weeks to take full advantage of this. You only need to use the cards three times just to break even. Piece of cake. And that could be literal.

Might I suggest that this is the perfect gift idea for the foodie in your realm, the couple or the uncle who has everything or for someone like me, the person that is new to Chicago and wants to explore. This got us to discover some great neighborhoods in which the restaurants were located. We enjoyed every moment.

Next, I think that we’ll try the infamous Hot Doug’s and Sushi Wabi. I’ll let you know.

You can buy the deck directly on the à la card Chicago website or at one of these retail locations.

“I believe that every child in America has the right to fresh, nutritious school meals, and that every family deserves real, honest, wholesome food. Too many people are being affected by what they eat. It’s time for a national revolution. America needs to stand up for better food!”

Jamie is – justifiably – outraged at the current quality of our food in general and particularly in the quality – or lack thereof – of the food that America is serving its children. He is looking to revive our cooking skills so that we can eat more whole foods, and cut down on the processed, fat-filled, sugar-filled, chemical-filled “foods” that are responsible for our national obesity and health problems.

Unknowingly, I bought Jamie’s Food Revolution: Rediscover How to Cook Simple, Delicious, Affordable Meals for my son for Christmas. As he is off to college next year, I simply thought that the recipes in this book seemed doable and tasty enough to interest  him in learning a few new cooking skills. Though we cook & eat at home most of the time, the whole family is now completely turned on by cooking with this book. Several of Jamie’s recipes have become instant classics in our dinner menu. We love the Chicken Tikki Massala (cooking Indian dishes is a new thing for us and we LOVE it!), the Salmon en Croûte (oh my!) and the Paella (now our official “holiday” dish. Forget the whole turkey thing), just to name a few… And, now that I understand Jamie’s mission, and per the request in the book, I need to “Pass It On”: learn and master just one recipe per chapter and pass it on by teaching at least two people.  We’ve done it here at home and now I’d like to pass on this idea to you as well.

To get a better idea of the importance of Jamie’s Food Revolution, hear him speak about it here on Ted:

And, not coincidentally, Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution series is premiering this week on ABC on Friday March 26 at 8/7PM Central. Set your DVRs please.

You can sign the Food Revolution petition here because “We need your support to get people back in touch with food and keep cooking skills alive before it’s too late. We want to make sure every kid gets good, fresh food at school.”

Go Jamie, Go! And, thank you for the most delicious and satisfying revolution ever.

While still in beta mode, the GoodGuide already “provides the world’s largest and most reliable source of information on the health, environmental, and social impacts of the products in your home.” It analyzes and rates food, personal care products, household cleaners and toys. For example, Burt’s Bees Honey Lip Balm rates a 8.6 out of 10, which averages its 10 points for Health, 7.9 on Environment and 7.8 on the Society ratings (you can read about the ratings and methodology here).

Having this information allows us to make buying decision based on factors that are important to us. I’ve now learned that the Murphy Oil Soap that I’ve been using is not so-so bad on the environment (phew?) at 6.5, but the Pine Sol cleanser bottle will not be replenished as it scores only a 3.7.  Thankfully, GoodGuide proposes higher scoring alternatives on the product rating results page; in this case brands like Ecos and Method were suggested, with higher scores all around.

The GoodGuide is a great startup story, where founder Dara O’Rourke decided to research the sunscreen he put on his 5 year old daughter only to realize that it contained a toxic ingredient. “Dara realized how little we know about the products we bring into our homes every day. He knew that other parents should have the same access to product information that he and his fellow researchers had. He also wanted to solve the problem of increasingly confusing marketing claims regarding whether products were actually healthy, safe or green.” (Read the full story here).

The site is flush with all sorts of useful information about current consumer health issues, recalls, green ideas and suggestions.

I particularly enjoy the recently upgraded iPhone app that now scans barcodes to provide instead ratings feedback.

That’s a new kind of smart shopping. Like.