The truth is; life is fast. We live in a world where you can wake up in San Francisco, have lunch in Chicago and dance the night away in New York City. Information is exchanged, literally, at our fingertips in a matter of seconds. News of wildfires in Australia or natural disasters in China can reach you seconds after being reported. It’s no wonder people feel overwhelmed at everything happening in the world…you hear about it all, and fast! For this reason especially, we need to grasp strongly to some routines in our lives that bring peace, gratefulness, and a sense of togetherness and connection. For thousands and thousands of years, humans have experienced these feelings over a shared meal. For those of you with children, Eating Together As A Family Creates Better Eating Habits Later In Life. This study shows yet another reason to ring that cowbell at dinner time.

Here are some tips to making mealtime one of your priorities:

* Shut off the TV. This includes mealtimes, but the less TV you watch during the morning, day or evening allows you more time to prepare meals. Just cutting out one or two 1-hour shows per week can keep your fridge stocked with well-prepped snacks and easy meal additions.
* Plan Ahead. Take an hour each week to plan out your meals for the week. They don’t all have to be home-made, but then you will know ahead of time which meals are to be made at home and which meals will be bought prepared. No more “5pm: Oh no! What’s for dinner?!?”
* Plan of leftovers. Make double or triple of what you are cooking and have leftovers for lunch or dinner the next day. Did you know that we are one of few countries in which people have a different recipe or food for every meal? Most societies use part or all of a previous meal for the next one!
* Freeze it. Many foods will keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. Even most of the nutrition is still intact as well! So stock up on freezer-safe glass containers and get a labeling pen for the date and meal name.
* Involve your kiddos. Kids may slow down the cooking time a bit in the kitchen, but there are loads of benefits. First of all, they are more likely to eat the foods in which they helped prepare. Second, you get to spend quality time with them, something severely lacking for fast-paced families. Third, you will be teaching them that food does not only come from a box. They will begin to appreciate meals more and file away the knowledge that meals are created, not “opened” from a box. Later in life, they WILL thank you for this basic understanding and knowledge…I promise! (Mom – THANKS!!)
* KEEP IT SIMPLE. Really, who has time to spend 3 hours in the kitchen preparing dinner? Well, I sure don’t. Most of my meals are prepared in about 30 minutes or less. The trick? A little planning ahead (for meal planning, soaking grains, groceries on hand), and setting the time aside (this is not the easiest thing!). Usually, something has got to go to make this time available. (Last time I checked the day was still only 24 hours…much to my dismay!) So, for me, just getting organized about the day cured that problem. Next, KEEP IT SIMPLE! Steamed broccoli drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt and pepper accompanied by baked salmon in butter and garlic can be a whole meal prepared in about 20-25 minutes. And only about 5-10 minutes is active time in the kitchen!

So next time you think, “I just don’t have the time!”, I urge you to re-assess your priorities and make the time. Your life will be enriched in countless ways. Happy Meal Planning!

If you want some extra help with meal planning, I can assist you and your family in learning how to create and execute meal plans that meet your family’s nutritional and scheduling needs. Call (925) 951-7136 to start.

Today’s breakfast: steel cut oats (simmered on the stovetop for about 35-40 minutes), fresh berries from the Farmer’s Market, cinnamon, a tiny squirt of agave nectar and shredded coconut.  This is so seriously delicious it should be labeled dessert!

I bought a juicer!  Well, actually I used gift cards from our wedding last year at Williams Sonoma to buy a juicer, but the point is, I have one!  I got the Breville Juice Fountain Elite.  WS doesn’t really have a huge selection of juicers to choose from, in fact, they have two (same brand, different price and intensity), so my decision wasn’t really that hard.  

I was always a little leery of drinking out of a coconut (it just seemed…odd), but I have fallen in love with coconut water! Cold coconut water on a hot day (like the sweltering humidity and scorching sun of Mexico) is unbelievable! Not only does it taste exquisite and refresh you, it is a healthy choice. Coconut water is an isotonic solution which replaces the fluids and minerals that the body loses during physical activities or sweating. Coconut water contains more potassium (at about 294 mg) than most sports drinks (117 mg) and most energy drinks and coconut water has 5mg of natural sugars where sports and energy drinks range from 10-25mg of altered sugars.

Looking for an alternative to Gatorade? Try coconut water. The greener the coconut, the more coconut water inside. As the coconuts age, the water and meal turn to coconut milk, also a healthy choice but much more dense and calorie rich.

Coconut is also great for boosting energy, an antimicrobial agent, and good for the immune system.

In the land of Bhutan, a small country nestled in the Himalayas, progress is measured by the GNH, or “Gross National Happiness”. As a result of this more humane style of governance, Bhutan has developed high environmental protection standards (the use of plastic bags, for example, is completely banned) and a peaceful and harmonious society that actively protects its rich culture and profound Buddhist traditions.

When is the last time I measured MY progress by my happiness? I think I will incorporate the LDH indicator, or Leah’s Daily Happiness. It is time to throw away judgments based on financial gain, celebrity status, or career achievements. This past week in Mexico, I scored a 10+ on the LDH indicator scale when I took the time to step away from the craziness, breathe and relax. I wish you all the same.

Today is my 30th birthday, I begin my 30th year of life, and my driver’s license says I am 29. I really want to thank my mother for going through 18 hours of pushing during a strenuous labor 29 years ago. I can’t believe she went on to naturally birth two more babies after me!

I am a firm believer that birthdays are special, always have, always will. But I don’t think I really understood the miracle that happens when a new soul enters this world until recently. So, thank you parents for giving me the gift of life on this day 29 years ago.

Tonight I learned that this is NOT true. I have many issues with McDonald’s as a nutritionist and propagator of eating REAL, WHOLE foods, but now I have yet another reason to speak unfavorably towards this establishment. They flavor their fries with gluten and dairy! Ugh. As if it wasn’t bad enough to fry the potatoes in trans fats, they are also adding two of the most allergenic foods in America to some of the most commonly eaten foods in America. I guess that is job security for me. This is just one example of how we have adulterated the foods we eat. Vote with your wallet and choose REAL, WHOLE foods. Bake your own potatoes at home with a light sprinkling of sea salt. Click here to read an article by MSNBC.

In a Hurry Green Curry with Bruschetta

Today I tried to whip up a healthy but yummy surprise lunch for my husband’s return home from working on a Saturday. I got the yummy and healthy part right…too bad I procrastinated this morning and got home from the grocery store just as he was pulling into the driveway! No surprise lunch for him. Turns out we had fun in the kitchen cooking together for the 30 minutes it took the two of us to whip this up and do the dishes! It was soooo good! I had been craving bruschetta since going out to eat at an Italian restaurant with my husband’s family and NOT able to eat the bruschetta because I was cleansing (no wheat or cheese). This lunch more than made up for it!

In a Hurry Green Curry is a recipe from 101cookbooks in which I substituted chicken for tofu.

yum

Who would have known that baking soda would have so many uses. You can use it as a non-toxic and very effective cleaning agent to help scrub bathtubs, sinks and floors, it is a great detoxifying agent for your skin when used as a soak with Epsom salts in a warm bath, and it makes for a useful ingredient when baking to react with an acidic medium such as cream of tarter, lemon juice, yogurt, buttermilk, cacao, vinegar, etc. to release carbon dioxide and help bread rise. Medical uses include use as an anti-fungal against dandruff, as an antacid, and as a paste to relieve insect stings and to absorb the poison.

I’ve been using this stuff for years and never realized the vastness of its powers until now. Guess I know what will be on my grocery list for tomorrow.

I’m back home today. That is, I’m back in California. I have lived in CA for 6 years now, almost to the day. But hovering in the plane looking over San Francisco as we descended today was the first time I ever muttered the words, “I am so glad to be home”, at least in reference to California. So, if you are wondering where home is…just ask yourself that very question. Your heart will know the answer. And yes, Mom and Dad, it is possible to feel “at home” in two places at the same time