Don't (White) Sugar-Coat It

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Sports Nutrition at the Ironman Sports Institute

2012-01-26T11:32:00.000-05:00

My final two weeks of internship were spent with Penny Wilson RD at the Ironman Sports Institute of Memorial Hermann. Pretty awesome. I always like ending things on a good note and this was definitely a fantastic final hooray!

First day: got to observe hydrostatic weighing (underwater-the gold standard of body composition), a BodyGem-resting metabolic rate, and lactate threshold-to test the limits of your current aerobic and anaerobic capacity.

I got to work on race day nutrition plans, nutrition tips and presentations for endurance athletes-mostly triathletes. People whose athletic performances were always inspirational, and just need some help with getting the right fuel, and enough of it, into their bodies.

I mean who doesn't want to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and then complete
a full marathon?

Penny was a fantastic dietitian to get to work with. She is a true nutrition entrepreneur who has really made a name for herself in sports nutrition. It was great to be able to take the knowledge I have gained from running my own races, personal research and courses and apply it to the real world.

And with that, my dietetic internship is complete. In case you missed the other pages in this chapter of my life, read the rest of them here. Tomorrow is graduation, and then I'm heading home. Stay tuned!

Healthy Teff Breakfast with Recipe Redux

2012-01-21T06:17:00.003-05:00

I'm a fan of smoothies, oatmeal and tofu scrambles. Sometimes I shake it up with some other grains-like quinoa for a protein kick or amaranth to get a lil nutty. So when I found out that this month's Recipe Redux was to do a healthy breakfast makeover, I was ready to try something new.

Enter cleaning out my cabinets in my final Houston countdown. Hiding in the corner I found some Teff, Tahini, and Molasses. Perfect.

T-T-What?? Oh you haven't met my friend teff? This lil guy is the world’s smallest grain and he migrated from Ethiopia (and plays a starring role in their delicious bread-Injera). Nutrient rich, the whole seeds make a delicious porridge. I decided to boost up the calcium and iron content even more by adding tahini, molasses (one of the few sweetener that provides minimal nutrient value), and raisins. And tastes spectacular.

don't be afraid of this lil dude

Teff Breakfast Porridge

1 cup teff
Tahini
Raisins
Molasses
Milk of choice (I chose the new Almond Coconut Milk by Blue Diamond)

so wonderfully creamy

In a 2 quart pan, over med heat, add 1 cup teff and stirring frequently toast for 1-2 minutes. When you start to smell a sweet nutty aroma pour in 3 cups of water. Stir well and cook at a gentle boil for 20 min. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the bottom.

no one likes naked teff though...
2. Add 1/2 cup cooked cereal, 1/4 c milk 1 T tahini 1 tsp molasses and 1 T raisins to each bowl Swirl together and enjoy!

told ya it looked better dressed as the milky way

And there is one heck of a calicium and iron loaded vegan breakfast, that tastes amazing.

Check out these other fantastic breakfast recipes by RDs:

Lentil Soup

2012-01-18T08:44:00.000-05:00

I think I should start a blog "Delicious Recipes My Mother Sends Me." Because I have a lot of them. In the meantime I'll just continue to share them there, since she provides much of my culinary inspiration. Like this "absolutely delicious" lentil soup that came in an email with a reminder to take a moment to go look at the beautiful full moon. I have a pretty great mother. I of course tweaked a few things (have to add kale to everything!!) and it still turned out "absolutely delicious"

Lentil Soup (inspired by Mary Jarrard, who was inspired by Joy of Cooking)

2 tablespoons olive oil
5 carrots
1 bunch curly kale
4 cloves of garlic chopped
8 cups of water
2 cups green lentils (picked over and rinsed)
1 tsp of dried thyme
4 tsp of balsamic vinegar
2 tsp of salt
1 tsp of ground black pepper

Saute garlic until brown in olive oil. Strain garlic out, and saute carrots, and kale in now garlic-infused olive oil. Add garlic, carrots and kale to large pot with lentils and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until the lentils are tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Stir in spices. Simmer for 5-10 more minutes. Enjoy!

The olive oil, balsamic vinegar and salt make this entire soup taste so rich and buttery! Best served with a hunk of rustic whole wheat bread. Or a kale salad. You can never have enough kale.

Hello 2012

2012-01-14T07:24:00.001-05:00

2012 is shaping up rather nicely.
I got to ring it in with a long weekend with this guy

San Antonio is pretty adorable for Texas. The Alamo was smaller than expected, but the riverwalk is fantastic. Definitely worth the 3 hour drive (that included a stop to Buc-ee's of course). And there's nothing like soaking up some sunny rays on a 75 degree December 31

and then I got a visit from another J-perhaps you recognize her from this lovely blog?

We walked all over Austin, got Torchy Tacos, drank some Moonshine and hula hooped at Lustre Pearl, got her cowboy boots, ate kimchi fries, and slept in a pretty sweet airstream, while discussing our future coffeeshop plans.

Excuse my lack of posting. Right now, and for the next week my life is studying for the exit exam, final 2 weeks of rotation, moving and then the RD exam. Phew.
Gotta get some sleep
But this lil lovebug keeps waking me up at 5am to run. Can't say no in a Houston January!

How's 2012 going for you?

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Clinical at Memorial Hermann

2012-01-02T07:29:00.003-05:00

Can't say I didn't love getting back into scrubs (those things are addictive!) And while I much prefer the preventative side of nutrition than the acute care setting, my time at Memorial Hermann Southwest were very beneficial to my growth as a dietetic intern.

Of course it wasn't all rainbows. On the worst days the hospital reminded me of all the flaws in our healthcare system. The time that gets wasted during "productivity tasks" that assists no patients. The doctors' chicken scratch that gets mistyped during dictation leading to poor communication at best. When the MD consults you for nutrition recommendations and then writes an order for the exact opposite. Or just the fact that the dietitians can't write nutrition orders (especially when most MDs get only 23 hours of nutrition education in their entire career). And then there was my last day, when a patient in the ICU decided to light his room on fire. Seriously. Tylenol overdoses do crazy things apparently. (no one was killed, thankfully).

yes i know you can wear nail polish at a hospital. I was creating powerpoints in the office all day, i went a little adventurous. no patient contact don't worry.

On the best days the hospital reminded me of all the different kinds of love that exist in the world. I know, that sounds super cheesy, but there's no way I couldn't smile or get goosebumps when I heard some patients' stories. Like the 90 year old man I went for a consult on poor intake. He was fast asleep so I turned to the next available person that could answer my questions-the woman sitting by the window.
"Are you his wife?"
pause.
"Yes. I'm here to take care of him. You see he was a widower in '90 and I a widow in '05. We got married in '08 to take care of each other. He is such a good friend."
The only way to be happy after sadness of patients with no support or visitations is to see a patient surrounded by love.

And with that, my Clinical section of my dietetic internship is over with. I learned a lot about different disease states, work with some fantastic dietitians, and got to educate and treat a variety of fascinating patients. I got to create treatment plans for patients, and then follow-up to see their progress, and then wish them the best once discharged. I got more experience charting and billing (and deciphering MD notes. Why say "drinks occasionally" when you can say "rare social ethanol imbiber"??) While I will be doing my best to stay out of the hospital from now on (from both a personal and professional standpoint) I did learn quite a bit.

what we're made of

And.... It's the final countdown! 4 more weeks of outpatient nutrition counseling and then I'm hopping on a jetplane and saying adios one last time to Texas. I'm heading back where I need to be right now-Boston.

The Last List of 2011

2011-12-30T07:54:00.002-05:00

2011 you've been really really good to me. I graduated college, had a wonderful "summer" internship, got into a dietetic internship and am now a little over a month away from having my RD. I've met some amazing new people, tried new things, hopped from Boston to Portland, to Wyoming, to San Francisco, to New York, to Las Vegas, to Austin, to Houston (not all in one weekend-don't worry!)

There are a few more things I wanted to share with you before this year comes to a close:

Miso Mule: 1 oz boiling water. 1 oz honey. 2 oz Maker's Mark. 1 tsp miso. crushed ginger. ice. shaken. topped with sparkling water. Inspired by one of the best cocktails of 2011

What you should have been listening to: 50 best songs of 2011
How photoshopping alters our perception of beauty. A fantastic article by Beauty Redefined
And my entire photoshop rant on Guiltless
I don't know about you, but I savor my morning cup of joe. And this Farm-To-Table Coffee CSA may be one of the brightest new ideas I've seen!

Yes prices got a little steep at the gas tank this year, but it wasn't all bad. Be sure to read the good food news of 2011!
Before we start 2012 read this list of things to Stop Doing To Yourself. I think we all need to stop being afraid to make mistakes, stop comparing ourselves and our bodies to others, and stop dwelling on the past without moving forward. But Marc and Angel put this very eloquently.
And last but not least, let's master the art of living

I have a good feeling about 2012. I get to ring it in with one of my favorite people, then I get a visit from Jessica and the last 4 weeks of my dietetic internship which will be spent with two women I respect in the nutrition world- Penny Wilson sports-dietitian-extrodinaire and Ali Miller- RD at LifeLongWeigh. Then I'm moving back to Boston to find a job and (hopefully) become a "real person" . I've got my big girl boots on.

Hope you're wishing 2011 farewell and 2012 brings much joy!

A Vega Sport Winner

2011-12-23T06:29:00.001-05:00

You guys all really wanted to try Vega Sport! I wish I could share the love with all 58 of you!

I used random.org to pick a winner:

Entrant #8: @bonniesilva

Congrats Bonnie! I will contact you for shipping details and hopefully get that to you before the new year!

Thank you to all that entered and even if you didn't win this lil' giveaway I highly recommend you check out the line at a store near you!

Happy Holidays!

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas.....

Recipe Redux: Lentil Almond Dip

2011-12-21T06:00:00.003-05:00

I love the creative themes that Recipe Redux has been coming up with. This month Nicole @Whole Health RD decided to Put the P(ea) in Potluck. Being a huge fan of all legumes I decided to try a twist on hummus, with the lentils and almonds I had on hand, winding up with....

Lentil Almond Dip

16 oz green lentils
1 cup raw almonds
5 garlic cloves
fresh thyme
2 T Mirin (sweet sake vinegar. can be omitted if you don't have on hand)
2 T Miso
2 T Apple Cider Vinegar
1/2 tsp Tamari soy sauce
Salt, pepper and cayenne pepper to taste.

Add lentils in 4 cups water, bring to a boil and then simmer for 20-30 minutes-until all liquid is absorbed.

While the lentils are simmering roast the raw almonds on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes

Saute sliced garlic and fresh thyme until garlic begins to brown and your kitchen smells like heaven.

Once lentils and almonds cool down, add both to the food processer with Mirin, Miso, Vinegar, Soy Sauce and blend until the dip is the smooth texture of hummus.
Add sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper to taste
Serve with raw carrots and celery, crackers, chips or spread until bread.

Best brought to a holiday party or if you're like me a study party. Which is what my holidays are resembling

Want to see some more legume love? Check out what these other RDs whipped up!

Vega Sport:: My New Workout Obsession and a Giveaway!

2011-12-16T06:59:00.004-05:00

While I try to rely much more heavily on whole foods to meet my nutrition needs, rather than the likes of shakes, protein powder, and bars, there is one product on the market that continually exceeds my expectations when it comes to sports recovery. Sometimes you just want or need a quick source of protein and calories, and no one does it better than Vega. Most plant-based protein powders either a. taste horrible (I can not stand hemp) or b. fall very short
nutritionally-either with too much added sugars, too little protein and not enough vitamins. Vega beats out their competition in both categories.
I've been a long-time fan, and sometimes tell people my goal in life is to move to Vancouver and work for both them and Lululemon. But in the meantime I'll keep enjoying their delicious, nutritous products. I was delighted before my birthday with this amazing package of Vega goodies- their newly launched Vega Sport Line. This line launches off their regular vegan supplement line with increased emphasis on timing of nutrients and increasing recovery time-two things essential to all athletes. Brendan Brazier is a vegan world-renowned triathlete who worked with Vega to develop this line. I'm a huge fan of his books- Thrive Fitness and Thrive and recommend them for their quality nutritional information and recipes. But this line is superb and I just couldn't wait to share it!

Note: You probably won't need Vega Sport if you're walking or going to yoga (which are both excellent forms of activity), but rather for sweat-dripping-down-your-forehead-rawrrrrr exercise.

Pre- Exercise- 20-30 minutes prior to exercise your body needs simple carbohydrates-sugars-to gear up and give you that instant energy you need.
Vega Product: Pre-workout energizer: brown rice syrup gives your body the sugar it needs, with additional green tea and yerba mate for an extra boost. The lemon-lime flavor taste great. I grab this if I'm doing a long workout immediately after getting up-when it's super easy to grab while still half-asleep and if I'm in a rush.

During exercise: If your physical activity is less than an hour, you don't need to worry about eating or drinking anything besides water during exercise. However if you are working out for over 60 minutes your body is going to need additional simple carbohydrates (sugars) to help maintain energy levels, and prevent you from relying just on muscle or liver glycogen. Usually liquids or gels are easiest (unless you're an ultra marathoner no one really wants a pb&j while working out).

Vega Products: Electrolyte Hydrator. A non-calorie electrolyte supplement that uses stevia instead of aspartame or splenda. I prefer lemon-lime to pom-berry.
For longer workout there is the Endurance gel. With sugar from dates, and fat from coconut oil this is great for endurance events like half and full marathons. This is was the one product that I did not like-the taste is not something I would want mid-exercise. But I tend to shy away from anything berry flavor so it could just be me.... for now i'll stick to the Clif gels....
Post Workout: The correct post-work out meal-eaten within 30 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise will help to reduce recovery time. A 4:1 ratio of carbohydrates to protein, as well as additional compounds like antioxidants, electrolytes and omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation is the ideal meal to help muscles heal and increase in strength faster.

Immediately after exercise-Your window of opportunity for optimal muscle recovery is within 30 minutes of ceasing activity. If you work out away from your kitchen, it's important to remember to pack something. Again you want a 3:1 or 4:1 ratio of carb to protein (PB & J meets this one. Or look at the nutrition label. 30g carb to 10g protein, etc). You need more protein than carbs to give your muscles glycogen to store, but some protein facilitates better glucose
absorption
Vega product: Recovery accelerator: 4:1 ratio of carb to protein, and I loved the tropical flavor. This powder also has turmeric and cayenne which are super anti-inflammatory spices!

After exercise: within 1-3 hours is when you want to replenish your protein stores to help build back muscles. Branched chain amino acids (BCAA) are the best type of protein to aid in muscle re-synthesis.
Vega Product: Chocolate Sports Protein Powder is a blended plant based protein of brown
rice, pea and hemp. I like this much better than a whey or soy protein because it's more whole food-not just isolated compounds. It's also extremely allergen friendly and easier to digest. BCAA. This protein powder has a delicious creamy taste that i have been unable to find in any other vegan powders. It even passes the "boy-test". I made my "lil" brother try the smoothie:

(14 years old, but has surpassed me in height and activity level. He's currently in both basketball and hockey and spends 16 hours a day running around)

I blend 1 scoop with 1 banana, almond milk as a base and mix in any combination of: espresso shot (for the morning), peanut butter, almond butter, frozen dark cherries, mint oil, cayenne powder.
Chocolate coconut protein bar. This is the most delicious vegan protein bar I have ever tasted. I'm obsessed with it. 240 calories, 15 g of protein (pea, and whole grain brown rice), 4 g of fiber, gluten free.

The only downfall to Vega? Their price tag may make this product not an option for a lot of people. But I truly believe that you get what you pay for, and this is definitely one instance where they have pulled above and beyond their competitors and are well worth the splurge.

But because I love Vega and all of you oh so much there's a Giveaway!
I want to share the Vega love, so will mail one winner an assortment of products from the Vega Sport Line (shown above). Entering is very simple:

1 entry for commenting below on your favorite way to refuel after exercise
1 entry for tweeting "Enter @ElizabethEats #giveaway of @VegaTeam Sport http://tinyurl.com/7gzm4gt #vegan #athlete"

I'll pick a winner next Friday, December 23rd-right before Christmas Weekend and will have it out to you before the New Year-that's my little way of saying thank you this holiday season! Here's to you and yours!

Full Disclosure: Vega in no way shape or form asked me to write positive review or giveaway. They sent me product samples no questions asked. I will only post things that I stand behind 100%. You have my promise.

Hungry

2011-12-12T06:06:00.003-05:00

I received a bittersweet email in my inbox the other week and I just had to share Amy's story. This inspirational young woman is currently working in Antigua Guatemala at a volunteer program at Casa Jackson, a hospital for malnourished infants and children.

Before hearing from Amy I had no idea how high the levels of malnutrition were in Guatemala-almost 50% of all children under the age of 5 are chronically malnourished. The statistics on malnutrition in Guatamala are staggering; despite not being the poorest Latin American country (Honduras, Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Haiti have lower incomes), They are 2nd only to Haiti in the highest rate of chronic malnutrition in this hemisphere. The problem is rampant in rural, mostly-indigenous areas, where people have limited access to health services, clean water and sanitation, and little or no formal education. The rising price of basic food staples—particularly beans—places an adequate diet financially out-of-reach for over half of Guatemalan families. Poor or nonexistent infrastructure means no electricity or running water—certainly no clean water—for rural communities, making childhood illnesses like bronchial pneumonia, gastrointestinal diseases and chronic diarrhea compounding factors in the malnutrition problem. People like Amy are doing helping these children receive the medical attention they need.

And this isn't just a problem in Guatamala. 1 in 5 children in America will go hungry today. That's more than 16 MILLION.

As I sit here, pleasantly secure with money, a safe home, and food, it's hard not to feel a twinge of pain. But I'm a person of action rather than a worrier so here are some things we can all do this holiday season to help those in need:

How you can help:
Read Amy's blog for much more information and check out God Child program
Volunteer with an international service team
Donate to a National or International Hunger Relief Organization such as Share Our Strength or Project Bread
Donate your time to Share our Strength or a local food bank
Donate food items to a local food bank

Here's to wonderful, hopefully hunger-less week for you ahead!

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Supermarket Savvy

2011-11-29T07:53:00.004-05:00

wait, I get to try foods, write and create a social media plan? Of COURSE that’s what I’d love to do during my dietetic internship! One of the things I love about the University of Houston dietetic internship is the wide range of internship sites available, that show all the different aspects of the nutrition field. My 4^th rotation was with the wonderful RD Linda McDonald, owner of Supermarket Savvy-a monthly newsletter for health care professionals that aims to provide them with news and facts on food items to assist them in helping their clients make healthy choices in the grocery store. With 10 newsletters a year that go out to over 600 medical professionals, she spends a lot of time researching and writing about food products, trends and health topics. The first step was to brainstorm a newsletter topic that would a. interest me and b. hadn’t been done before. A was easy-B not so much. Just two months ago vegan and vegetarian foods were featured, but gluten free hadn’t been touched for several years, so I decided to highlight gluten free vegan and vegetarian foods, nutrients of note, and trends.

According to the Celiac Disease Foundation 1 in 133 people in the US have Celiac disease, for which the treatment is complete elimination of gluten from diet. An additional six percent of the U.S. population, or 18 million people, may be classified with gluten sensitivity, according to the Center for Celiac Research, University of Maryland. Currently in the United States this is a $1.3 billion industry that is expected to grow to $1.68 billion by 2015.

One of the questions I get a lot about BOTH gluten free and vegan diets is whether they are effective in weight loss. There is no scientific evidence that restricting gluten is an effective weight loss tool. Processed gluten-free items are most often no healthier or lower in calories than those with wheat. In fact most have higher fat and lower fiber, folate and iron content. Similar things can be said about processed vegan or vegetarian items. The best approach for overall health is to choose those foods that are naturally gluten-free and vegetarian, such as vegetables, fruit, nuts and seeds.

In my quest of foods to highlight in the article I spent a lot of time in the grocery store, pouring over food labels. I have to admit-I was quite disappointed by what I saw. Yes, the availability and selection of gluten-free items has DRASTICALLY improved in the last several years. But the quality-and nutritional profile of many items are severely lacking. It was difficult to find products that met the FDA and American Heart Association’s guidelines for a healthy food-one that is high in fiber, low in sodium and low in saturated fats. Moral of the story-no matter what your dietary restriction, it’s usually best to stick to the edges of the supermarket, and buy fresh, whole food in their natural state.

The one product that I did praise and am a huge fan of is the Food Should Taste Good chips.

If you haven’t tried these yet, run (don’t walk) to your nearest grocery store (they’re nationwide, in almost all outlets). These chips are created without trans fats, cholesterol, artificial ingredients or genetically modified organisms (GMOs). All are whole grain (15 g), certified gluten free, Kosher, low in sodium (80 mg), and a good source of dietary fiber (3 g). But the best part is the delicious, unique flavors they come in- Sweet Potato, Lime, Olive, and Jalapeño aren’t flavors you expect to find in the chip aisle, but each chip has an intriguing and unique flavor. Grab a bag, just try not to eat it in one sitting (oops).

I learned a lot from Linda about running your own business, which I hope to be able to use within the next couple of years. She was a great mentor and I will definitely be subscribing to the newsletter in the years to come! Next: Back to Clinical. 5 more weeks of hospital work. And 9 more weeks in Houston. Not that I’m counting…..

What’s the newest food you’ve tried and liked?

A Thankful List

2011-11-24T08:36:00.002-05:00

This Thanksgiving I have a whole lot to be thankful for. I had one of the best birthdays of my life in Boston this past weekend, and thanks to being able to do my current dietetic internship work via the computer, I'm home in Wyoming with my family for the first "real" Thanksgiving I've had in years. I am thankful to have amazing people in my life, to be surrounded by love, and doing what I love each and everyday. I'm 9 odd weeks away from completing my dietetic internship which means I'm oh so close to becoming a RD I can almost taste it. Then it will be back to Boston to start "real life" (gulp). And I couldn't be happier!

my sister's puppy i'm obsessed with. I need a dog in my life

Here's some links I'm lovin' today:

Here's to having a Guiltless Thanksgiving!
Today is no day to skip breakfast. I adore hot cereals, especially oatmeal, quinoa and teff porridge. If you want to read me wax-poetic and how-to cook these morning treats- head on over to Heating Up Winter Mornings with Healthy Hot Cereal.
This would make a pretty cool thanksgiving feast: On a L train. 6 courses please: via A Razor A Shiny Knife
Have a few extra hours today? Want an ivy-league education in food, for free? Tune into Alice Water and Michael Pollan's UC Berkeley Classes on Edible Education or Harvard's amazing Science of Cooking lectures. Thank you YouTube!

What are you thankful for this year? Have a lovely Thanksgiving!

Buckwheat Pancakes

2011-11-21T07:56:00.004-05:00

We've been experimenting with more gluten free foods in mi casa lately. My lovely roommate is transitioning, and I am currently on a plane to home, home, and can't wait to share these with my gluten-free, vegan mother! So when I saw that this month's Recipe Redux was on trying new Whole Grains, I knew I had to share my latest favorite recipe: Whole grain, Gluten Free, Vegan Pancakes! This recipe is adapted from Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair, a great cookbook filled with delicious, whole food recipes. I haven't tried one thing i didn't like!

Buckwheat Pancakes (Gluten Free and Vegan)

Step one (the night before you want pancakes)
Soak 1 cup buckwheat groats with 3/4 c soy yogurt (unsweetened plain Whole Soy gets my vote) and 1/4 cup water in a blender for 12 hours. You can also sub 1 cup non-dairy milk (almond is my favorite) but the soy yogurt adds some protein and probiotics! 1/2 c pumpkin

soakin'

Morning of:
Add 1/2 cup pumpkin puree, 1/4 c unsweetened almond milk, 1/4 t sea salt, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1 tsp vanilla and blend until pancake batter consistency.

nice n smooth

Heat a non-stick pan with coconut oil and begin to make your pancakes!

Remove when golden!

I think we got 15 small pancakes outta this batter-enough for 2 breakfasts for both of us!
I highly recommend eating them with banana, homemade syrup (thanks Mom!), peanut butter, and a latte. But that's just me...

Want to figure out what to do with other Whole Grains? Check out these RD-approved recipes!

No More New: Project Repat

2011-11-16T07:09:00.000-05:00

You might remember my lil post about Project Repat earlier this year. This awesome little start-up is on to even bigger and better things 6 months later. They had a successful Kickstarter campaign earlier this year which resulted in our unique social enterprise being featured in Good, Thrillist, Boston Magazine, and, somewhat ironically, a live interview on Fox National News, Project Repat was founded to raise awareness about the billions of dollars in used clothing that is dumped on the developing world each year, disrupting local markets in Africa and adding to global waste. Instead of filling the world with even more clothing, we're helping small businesses in Kenya repurpose the millions and millions of t-shirts that already exist on this planet and creating one-of-a-kind products with an amazing story to tell in the process.

Yesterday they launched a "No More New" product line, just in time for the holiday season. For just $25, backers get their choice of one of the amazing items they're bringing back from Kenya as they work to standardize their product line with our small business partners on the ground in Nairobi. Since the holiday season is fast approaching, why not give those you love something eco-friendly and socially responsible?!

Learn more about Project Repat here

I Didn't Dance My Ass Off at Josh's Bar Mitzvah from Project Repat on Vimeo.

So this holiday season, give back to the world when giving gifts to your loved ones! Donate to Project Repat's No More New Kickstarter! Which definitely should have been included on this list of 30 gifts that give back!

What's your go-to holiday gift for friends and family?

New Bar on the Block: NuGo

2011-11-14T06:37:00.001-05:00

A new bar is in town. I saw it first in the JFK airport of all places and decided some dark chocolate protein was all I needed to keep from melting in between delayed flights. Then I started to see it popping up in Whole Foods, right next to good ol' Luna Bars. So when they asked if I would like to try some more of their vegan dark chocolate protein bars I said 'Of Course.' And I found a new vegan protein bar-NuGo!
Dark Chocolate Pretzel with Sea Salt rocked my socks off after a define body class. The sea salt was something you never see in a protein bar, and it definitely enhanced the flavor. 10g of protein is nothing to shake your head at either.

Yup, sea salt flakes

Mocha chocolate tasted better than any Starbucks creation, the perfect blend of dark chocolate and coffee. And peanut butter tastes better than any rice krispie treat I've ever made. Plus you're getting the additional flavonoids from dark chocolate-anti-oxidants that not only taste delicious but elevate mood, improve skin and may lower cholesterol. Unlike many other bars NuGO is made from REAL dark chocolate-not palm fruit oil or "chocolaty coating."

For those with allergies, NuGo also makes a line of "Free" bars that are Gluten and Soy free as well as Vegan, using Rice protein as their main ingredient. They also have a Larabar-esque bar called the NuGo 10-with only 3 nuts, 3 fruits and 4 seeds. which can be bought for on their website (with free shipping!) You can see all their products and how they might fit into your lifestyle on their website.

In case you're curious, I eat bars when I'm in a pinch and forgot to pack a meal or snack, or if I would like a special treat. At least I'm getting extra protein right?! While I think whole food bars like Larabars are the top of the line, sometimes I crave something chocolatey. I just make sure it's a product where I will enjoy every bite! You can find NuGo bars in most natural foods stores, whole foods, or buy them online.

Want to make your own protein bars? Runner's World posted a recipe for Chocolate Chia energy bars are that look delicious, and packed with nutrition! Perfect post workout snack to make at home.

How do you feel about bars? Have you ever tried NuGo? Any other favorite bars?

Mom's Split Pea Soup

2011-11-08T13:50:00.002-05:00

This soup is not fancy, is not complicated, is not crazy. It is simple, and easy, with no frills attached, but to me, it tastes like Love. It's my mother's recipe, and it reminds me of the love she shares with my siblings and I, of the hours she's spent caring for us, healing us, and feeding us. My amazing mother is also an amazing cook, and our house is a favorite hangout for my hometown friends, because there is always something delicious waiting for them there. The more mouths to feed the better. I'm counting down the days until I get to spend Thanksgiving with my family and those friends, something that hasn't happen in over 4 years. There will certainly be some wonderful meals and even better conversation.
So today I'm channeling my nostalgia for sweater-weather Novembers and snow covered grounds with this soup. 80-degree-thunder-storm-pouring-rain will just have to do. It's not bad, just different.

Mom's Split Pea Soup

1lb organic split peas
1 yellow onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
3 carrots and 2 parsnips
Olive Oil
1 tsp each sea salt, dried basil, thyme.
6 cups water or vegetable broth

First rinse the split peas well. Then in your soup pan, brown the chopped onion and garlic in olive oil. Add in split peas and water (or broth) and bring to a rolling boil. Let simmer for 1 hour. Add in chopped carrots and parsnips (potatoes are tasty too) and the sea salt, thyme and basil. Let simmer for another 30 minutes. Serve!

It feeds many mouths. But if you're dining solo or with one other, it freezes beautifully. Wait until it's cool and then pour into individual tupperware containers and pop into the fridge. Then when you need a lunch or dinner you can set it out in the morning, reheat and voila-Love.

image source

Do you have any favorite recipes that evoke special memories? Please do share!

Guest Post: Healthy protein bars?

2011-11-07T07:31:00.003-05:00

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a great post on protein bars, and why there's still room for improvement, by Michael Shaw. Michael is a writer who tracks alternative health products, including gluten-free healthy pancake recipes, and refined sugar-free goods, at his website No Flour, No Sugar Diet.

I like to eat just as healthily as the next guy or gal, and that of course means a good daily dose of fruits and veggies, healthy grains, and limited processed and/or packaged foods. When it comes to afternoon snacks, fresh fruit and some nuts and raisins or dates is a good way to go, but every now and then I like to mix it up a bit and have a healthy protein bar, or ‘health bar,’ as they’re becoming known more recently. They’re definitely more exciting than dried fruits and nuts every day.

As I’ve written about in my protein bars reviews, a lot of the offerings on the market these days amount to nothing more than glorified candy bars. There are very few exceptions to this standard…one of them is Lärabar, which has more than 20 varieties of bars, most of which are limited to a handful of ingredients, just dried fruits and nuts, maybe a little coconut or lemon as well. But no chemicals, preservatives or additives (a few of their bars do contain Fair Trade Certified chocolate chips, but if you want to avoid refined sugar, most of their bars are free of it).

So how does one improve upon such simplicity? It doesn’t really seem possible. Good Greens, meanwhile, which is a recent entrant into the health bar arena, is bypassing the simplicity route in favor of the wellness route: they’ve injected their health bars with so many superfoods that each bar claims to provide “100% of Your Daily Fruits & Vegetables.” And indeed, each bar is packed with so many vitamins - A, C, and E (100% D.V.), Iron (20%), and Niacin/B3 (100%) - that you may feel like eating whatever you want for the rest of the day. But that would be just a tad silly, wouldn’t it?

A guy I knew several years ago would joke how he always started his day off with a vegetable smoothie full of healthy greens such as spinach and kale and the like. He hated the taste, but rationalized that he could eat donuts(!) the rest of the day. I was never sure if he was kidding or not. Here’s where Good Greens one-ups my friend with their health bars: they provide an impressively wide variety of vitamins and minerals (Magnesium 20%, Selenium 20%, Chromium 60%), all delivered in a sweet-tasting bar. Their flavors include chocolate raspberry, chocolate peanut butter, chocolate coconut, and wildberry.

But there’s a downside to that delivery system: the sugar. While Good Greens bars are gluten-free, vegan, and 72% organic, the first ingredient of the chocolate raspberry, chocolate peanut butter, and chocolate coconut bars is dairy free dark chocolate, whose own first ingredients is, brace yourself: evaporated cane juice. So yes, while you do get to all those great superfoods (which come in the form of their Z-52 formula), you get them by way of what is nothing more or less than a refined sugar, which is pretty problematic in my recipe book.

The Wildberry bar, meanwhile, is just a tasty, in a fruitier way, but avoids the ‘dairy free dark chocolate’ treatment. Its first ingredient is Fruitrim, a fruit juice and natural grain dextrin (whatever that is) mixture, followed by sunflower butter and the Z-52 Superfood Powder. Whereas the other Good Greens bars have 14 grams of sugar out of 50 total, the Wildberry bar has 12. Some of that sugar comes from the Fruitrim, and others come from agave syrup, whose qualities as a sweetener I discuss in my Unrefined Sugar guide.

While Larabars do have more grams of sugar per bar – anywhere from about 18 to 24 grams per 48 gram bar – they come only from unrefined sugars, and while I am excited about the taste and the full range of nutritional boosting one gets from a Good Greens bar, I’m a little less than charmed by the agave syrup, the brown rice syrup and the ‘natural dextrins,’ not to mention the evaporated cane juice.

For their next generation of bars, I’d like to see Good Greens look into developing a healthier delivery system for their superfoods powder- maybe by using stevia, or some luo han? Or perhaps organic maple syrup? On the other hand, if you’re not a no-sugar purist, maybe 12 or 14 grams of sugar – from whatever source – is a very reasonable price to pay for a filling snack with a panoply of nutrients. On paper it seems fine. But sugar as the first ingredient? To me that’s still a red flag.

Thank you Michael for this great post! I definitely would love to see more bars that use stevia or just plain dates as their sweetener. Perhaps Don't White Sugar Coat It and No Flour No Sugar should collaborate more often! Be sure to stop by Michael's blog for more great content!

Java Pura: Purely Heavenly

2011-11-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

When I found out that there was 1 coffee company in Houston that roasted its beans within city limits, I knew I had to take a field trip. Since working from home creates a wonderfully flexible schedule, I ventured to the Java Pura headquarters in a very nondescript part of Htown.
I nervously rang the buzzer and was greeted warmly by co-owner Fielding Cocke. He and his team kindly took time out of their busy roasting day to show me around, treating me like I was a partner and friend, despite my being a complete stranger.
Fielding and his business partner Richards started Java Pura four years ago and it is obvious this is a labor of love. The way he describes the beans, the flavor nuances and roasting process is beautiful. He showed me the art and science behind bean roasting, starting with the fruity smell of fresh, clean beans, the smooth roasting smell, and importance of loud CRACKS as the beans heat and expand.
I also learned that coffee should NEVER be drank past 2 weeks of roasting (!!!! have you ever thought about how long beans in the grocery store sit? From roasting to distribution and the hundreds of miles they trek), freezer is where they should live, and it must be ground finely right before brewing. For the first 48 hours after roasting the coffee is still expelling CO2, but after that it starts to absorb other scents and tastes, reducing it's quality. After 2 weeks, forget about it!
All Java Pura coffees have their roasted date right on the label-something you'll never find on other brands. Plus you can only buy their coffee in their headquarters, or in Central Market, guaranteeing utmost freshness.
I got to experience a "cupping" as we tasted coffees they are considering purchasing in bulk.

cupping

Also Fielding ran back and forth between keeping a close eye on his roasting beans and making me a latte.
It was delicious. I am still working on training my palate to taste the subtle nuances of cucumber...

After seeing and smelling and taking in the Java Pura headquarters I have been officially converted. I bought beans straight out of the roaster and I'll be stocking up bi-weekly. Some of you will probably be receiving it in your stocking this year. Coincidentally Fielding's wife is also a RD-small world!

So look for the mustang and rooster, a clever take on Colt & Cocke Inc. and know that what you'll find in that bag is of the highest quality, and roasted with love and care.

I'm going back to sipping my espresso now. Have a lovely Friday!

Find Java Pura
5250 Gulfton Suite #4G
Houston, TX

Central Market Houston
3815 Westheimer Road
Houston, TX 77027

At the Med Center-BRC Rice
6500 Main St.
Houston, TX 77005

I Love November

2011-11-01T08:01:00.002-04:00

I love November. My birthday, thanksgiving, weather finally being NICE in Texas, snow everywhere else.... And since today is 11/1/11 I have a sneaking suspicion this year is going to be one of the best. And here are some things I'm loving right now!

In case you didn't know Vegan's don't just eat granola, tofu, and grass....

via Ilovecharts

Looking for a delicious, healthy meal that pleases the eye? Check out Healthy Aperture Taste-spotting with health in mind!
My rockstar roommate made Fruit Kimchi. And it is AMAZING! Check out her recipe!

In case you didn't know, our food system is a bit messed up. Subsidies, contamination, obesity, oh my! I highly recommend taking the time to watch part of this debate at the Harvard School of Public Health on the 2012 Farm Bill And check out this graph that explains why a salad is so much more expensive than a Big Mac, thank you subsidies

November is Peanut Butter Lovers' Month! Great Runner's World article about why Runners need their PB dose!
Because I do love a good beer: 4 Health Benefits to Reaching for a Beer Definitely reach for this smoked porter by Great Divide

What's going to make your November extra extraordinary??

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Food Service Management at Texas Children's Hospital

2011-10-30T10:00:00.003-04:00

For my third rotation I learned about Food Service Management at Texas Children's Hospital in the Houston Med Center.
Texas Children's is one of the top children's hospitals in the country and a great place to get the opportunity to see and work at. However, even at the best hospitals, it's rarely that you ever hear patient's raving about hospital food. It was an eye-opening experience to get to work under the Leadership team, see how decision around food and patient services get made, and what roles health (and $$) play.

A snippet of what I did: schedules, audits of food court effectiveness (ie standing in the food court for four hours counting people and wait time. Thrilling). I got to see all aspects of hospital tray line food production and delivery, including but not limited to taking temperatures, tray passing, menu passing, patient identification, & working on the trayline. While the Children’s hospital has not only a McDonalds, but a Chik-fil-a, Pizza shop, and Subway, they do have the adorable Bernie the Bean that helps you make healthy choices

But my favorite project was a vending machine audit. 7% of the country's vending machines are in hospitals and I located 19 of the hospitals vending machines and determined how many of them fit the contractor’s “healthy food” guidelines. Their guidelines were nowhere near what I would consider a healthy food, yet the machines failed to meet the vendor guaranteed 15% of products in machines being "healthy." Instead there were cinnamon rolls bigger than your hand, cookies, 3 types of cheetos, etc etc. Sad-especially in a major hospital where these machines are one of the few sources of nourishment for families waiting on or visiting loved ones. Let's not forget that 40% of total calories consumed by 2-18 year olds comes from “empty calories”-added sugars and unhealthy fats. And we’re falling far behind on fruit, vegetable and whole grain consumption. This when Illness and chronic disease linked to obesity account for nearly 17% of our health care costs $168 billion in medical costs alone!

I think this quote tells it best:

“Hospitals and health care facilities are among the environments that could potentially influence children’s health and their adoption of healthy lifestyles. However many health care institutions or facilities provide environments that may not support the adoption of healthy nutrition habits.”
-Sally Lawrence MPH, Maria Boyle MS RD, Lisa Craypo MPH RD, Sarah Samuels Dr. “The food and beverage vending environment in healthcare facilities participating in the healthy eating, active communities program.” PEDIATRICS June 5th 2009

It's a balance between the business of a hospital and the healthcare part of the hospital. Luckily most major companies and organizations are starting to realize that these two things are not mutually exclusive. Last year Cleveland clinic banned all sugar-sweetened food and beverages (minus those sold at au bon pain & starbucks even though those companies did change their menu voluntarily) Schools are leading the way in the healthy vending machine fight (USDA will be setting national guidelines for school vending machines by December 2011). Hopefully this is the future of vending machines: H.U.M.A.N I was super excited to be presenting not only to the leadership, but eventually the company itself about proposed guidelines and ways we could present healthier options to the staff and patients.

So like my preceptor told me to do I'm going to "Dream big and Dream early" and hope that small little changes lead to big results!

I was glad I got to spend my food service time in a managerial type position and learned a lot from my preceptors there. One of the most helpful projects in terms of career development was the interview project with the director. She had me create a series of technical and behavioral skill requirements for a job and then craft the appropriate questions to determine the perfect candidate. I’ve been on a handful of interviews so I knew the basics but she really helped me learn what it takes to be an effective interviewer. It was great to see that side of the table. She also helped to prepare me for questions as a fresh-out-of-internship-RD. Her suggestions and reminders for preparing for an interview were great. Although I won’t be applying for many clinical or food service positions remembering how to effectively prepare for an interview, as well as hearing her personal opinions on salary negotiation, asking appropriate questions of the interviewer and giving specific examples of your strengths and weakness was a great refresher. Since I’m now half-way done with my internship I will be applying for positions of my own sooner rather than later. Next: Supermarket Savvy, doing what I do best: Social Media, writing and food tasting!

What do you think about hospital food? any exceptionally good or bad experiences? Do you have any suggestions for people (ahem me) fresh outta school and job searching?

Godiva Pumpkin Spice Coffee Smoothie

2011-10-28T08:31:00.004-04:00

Most of the time I like my coffee dark with a splash of soy/almond milk and stevia to spice it up. Lately I've been addicted to the espresso machine that resides in my new house. We have a bit of a relationship.

But I'm not going to pretend to be a coffee snob who only drink counter culture pour over drip. Not that it isn't fantastic, but I like variety a lot more. I also like Texas pecan, hazelnut, and most other flavored coffees.

Especially pumpkin.

In case you didn't read my last post, Pumpkin is another of my obsessions. So I COULD NOT wait to try Godiva Coffee's latest seasonal flavors-Pumpkin Spice and Caramel Pecan Bark as part of Foodbuzz's Tastemaker program.

Native San Franciscan Corinne was the first person who told me "YOU MUST TRY GODIVA COFFEE." I assumed she was just partial to the local, world-renowned chocolatier. Nope, girl was right, this stuff is gooood.

And what's way better than a Starbuck’s Pumpkin Spice Latte, when it’s still over 80 in October in Texas?? A Pumpkin Spice Smoothie

1 cup cold-pressed Godiva Pumpkin Spice Coffee
½ cup pureed pumpkin ( I used fresh but canned will do)
½ cup unsweetened almond milk (soy works as well)
1 banana
Ice
Vanilla Stevia to taste
Optional: protein powder of choice (I used hemp)

Blend! Cold-pressed coffee results in a creamy, smooth taste, and since it’s cold you don’t have to worry about it melting all the ice and making this less smoothie-esque. The cinnamon, nutmeg and clove notes shine through.
I'll be sipping this while thinking of my Boston trip that's just 3 weeks ago!
Have a fantastic weekend!!!

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

2011-10-21T06:20:00.000-04:00

Even though it's still a balmy 80+ degrees in Houston, I like to pretend I'm still in New England and celebrate fall the best way I know: By....
I get a little bit crazy about pumpkin. Last year this time (which feels like eons ago) I had an entire party in honor of my favorite squash. It was glorious, with culinary delights such as pumpkin hummus, pumpkin whoopie pies, pumpkin cinnamon rolls, a pumpkin beer taste-off, and the best pumpkin vodka ever. I highly recommend you read the recap for recipes and inspiration.

Seriously, get on the pumpkin vodka boat. put it in a pumpkin white russian

So when I heard that this month's Recipe Redux was FRESH PUMPKIN THEMED I got very very excited. And then when my friend Katie and I were feeling homesick one weekend, we decided to go all out and make pumpkin soup, mac n cheese, AND vegan apple pie. It was delightful and I highly recommend that you pick a night to do likewise.

Yes you could use canned pumpkin. But have you ever done a direct taste comparison between fresh roasted and pureed pumpkin and canned? Fresh is so unbelievable sweet with spice nuances you'll never go back again!

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

1 small sugar pumpkin (a sweet baking pumpkin)
Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Cloves, fresh grated ginger, sea salt, to taste.
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 yellow onion
1/2 apple, chopped
3 cups Almond Milk (unsweetened)

1. Cut pumpkin in half. Scoop out seeds. Sprinkle cinnamon, cloves, fresh grated ginger, nutmeg and sea salt on each half. Add 1/2 tsp coconut oil to each half. Roast in 400 degree oven for 45 minutes.
2.While you're waiting for the pumpkin to roast, why not make some roasted curry seeds? rinse the seeds, and then lay them out on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Sprinkle on olive oil, curry powder, chili pepper, and turmeric and roast. I am notorious for burning my seeds, so i recommend that you chill out in the kitchen for 20-30 minutes and make sure they don't get to black....
3. Unscoop roasted pumpkin from skin and blend with 1 cup almond milk in a blender or food processor to make a puree.
You can use this puree in breads, muffins, oatmeal, smoothies, anything really! But if you want to stay with me and make soup, head over to step 3.
4. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil in a pan, adding the chopped apple once they are browned.
5. Add remaining 2 cups almond milk and pumpkin puree. Stir.
6. Carefully puree entire soup in blender.
7. Heat in pan
8. Enjoy!
Enjoy!

Still looking to get your pumpkin fix? Feast on these recipes!

Cherie Schetselaar - Grain Crazy - Fresh Pumpkin Risotto

Alexandra Caspero- Delicious Knowledge - Pumpkin Enchiladas

Katie Hamm - Healthy & Happy Hour - Pumpkin-Bacon Ravioli

Alysa Bajenaru - Inspired RD - Sweet & Spicy Pumpkin Fries

Everyday Tastiness - Pumpkin Smoothie

Dr Barb, Nutriton Budgeteer - Pumpkin Chili Chicken Pizza

Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian - baked pumpkin oatmeal

Marie Spano - Gluten Free Pumpkin Muffins

Regan @ The Professional Palate - Pumpkin Ravioli in a Walnut-Sage Cider Sauce

Danielle Omar - Food Confidence RD - Pumpkin Goulash

Emma @ The Hearty Heart - (Vegan) Cocoa Pumpkin (Whiskey) Mousse

gretchen - kumquat - baked mini pumpkins

Emma Stirling - The Scoop on Nutrition - Recipe Redux Chermoula Chickpea & Pumpkin Sliders

Janel Funk: Eat Well with Janel - Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Nicole @ Whole Health RD - Kaddo Bourani - Candied Pumpkin with Yogurt and Meat Sauce

Yuri - Chef Pandita - Pumpkin Apple Soup

Lisa @ Healthful Sense - Pumpkin Cream Pie Filling & Pudding

Jessica Fishman Levinson - Nutritioulicious - Recipe Redux: Pumpkin Pancakes

Kat Lynch - Eating The Week - Pumpkin yogurt dip for waffle sticks

Katie Caputo- East Meats West - Pumpkin Stuffing

Serena @ Teaspoon of Spice - Whole Pumpkin Cheddar Gratin

Kristina @ Love and Zest - Pumpkin Mash

Carrie Miller - Nutrition Know How - Baked Stuffed Pumpkin & Pumpkin Orange Muffins

Ann Dunaway Teh - Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish - Pumpkin, Squash and Apple Soup

Kara Lydon - Peace, Love, and Food - Pumpkin Yogurt Dip

Stephanie Howard - Give Them Something Better - Fall Harvest Chili

Karman Meyer-Nutrition Adventures - Pumpkin-Potato Breakfast Hash

Ayla Withee- Eat Simply - Salt and Vinegar Pumpkin Seeds

Defining Houston

2011-10-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

It's official. I'm obsessed with Define Body. Ever since taking a free class at Lululemon with Hank and barely being able to move the next day I'm 100% barre obsessed. I've taken similar classes at Exhale's Core Fusion and Life in Synergy in Boston and am so glad to have found an outlet in Houston. A combination of ballet, yoga, and pilates with low weight, high repetitions will make ever single muscle in your body scream-in the best possible way.

image source

The founder Hank is a former All-American Diver and former Core Fusion instructor who's bringing his genius workout to Texas, in gorgeous studios that are even LEED certified.

image source

The classes are all-levels and showing up is the most important part. They provide all mats and props all you need is socks, water and a great attitude. Every single muscle will shake and burn, but you leave feeling amazing, strong, toned, and just wonderful!

image source

So get your booty over to Define Body!
Tanglewood: 5781 San Felipe St. Houston, TX 77057
River Oaks: 1945 West Gray Street Houston, TX 77019
Follow on Twitter @definebody

Loving Giveaway

2011-10-16T12:45:00.000-04:00

As promised there will be one lucky winner of the Gluten Free Giveaway. But first I must share some recent loves:

Kale is the New Beef. Or as I'd rather put it-better than 98% of the meat out there.

How about some diabetic sugar bears every morning? Check out this artist's interpretation of our cereal aisles

Can you compete using REAL food? (not GUs, gels, etc?) My roommate wrote a great article for Penny Wilson RD's Blog and I think it's definitely worth a read!
If you're like me and you love plants and you love infographics check this one out on the benefits of a vegan diet!
Can you tell how compatible you are with you new beau? Check out each others' fridges. I love this article in New York Times and while I don't think it's the end all be all, I do agree with this: “Eating really is a mirror to the soul” and “To be in the kitchen with a person you are falling in love with or are in love with or have been in love with is such a great thing,”
I made my own sriracha last night. and it is amazing. If you ever get the inclining to do it it's well worth the effort

. America's Test Kitchen shows the way!

St Arnold's limited edition release of Pumpkinator. Amazingly delicious and molasses sweet, but not too sweet you'll never believe it's 10% alcohol. Good luck finding it-it's well worth some extra effort.

Thanks to all the entered the Annie's Giveaway! To be fair I used Random.org to figure out which comment/tweet would win. And the winner is... Melissa! Send me your address and some Gluten Free goodies will be on their way!

Have a lovely week y'all!

Lemon Poppyseed Smoothie

2011-10-12T07:45:00.001-04:00

I have always loved lemon poppyseed muffins. The tart combination of lemon with little bitty seeds is just delightful in baked goods. So when I saw Bite Me I'm Vegan made a lemon poppyseed SMOOTHIE I knew I had to try it. And despite being drank on a dreary downpour of a day, it was heavenly! Here's my version:

Lemon Poppyseed Smoothie

1/2 cup unsweetened plain soy yogurt (I like Whole Soy)
1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 TBS lemon juice
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
vanilla stevia to taste
Optional:
2 TBS hemp protein powder (or other protein powder of choice)
1 banana
Blend all ingredients with a handful of ice. Add protein powder to boost the protein, add a banana to make it extra smooth and creamy!
ENJOY!
PS Have you entered my Gluten Free Giveaway yet? Get on that!

Annie's Goes Gluten Free & a Giveaway!

2011-10-10T06:30:00.007-04:00

Annie's Homegrown and I go way back. At home my mother wouldn't dare let Kraft Mac n' Cheese or Ranch dressing in the house. Annie's White Cheddar Mac n' Cheese was a lunchtime staple and who doesn't love Goddess dressing? With that adorable bunny Bernie and their commitment to Organic, GMO free, no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives, natural whole foods, what could you not love?

So when they asked me if I would like to try some of their new gluten-free products, I said of course!

First a note on Gluten-free: October is Celiac Awareness month. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disorder affecting 1 in 133 Americans today, where your body is not able to digest gluten-found in wheat, barley and rye. Treatment for Celiac disease is elimination of gluten from the diet-for life. Some people are also gluten-intolerant or sensitive, and some people turn to gluten free foods as a type of fad diet. If you think you may be gluten sensitive, see a registered dietitian to help you navigate a gluten-free world and eliminate some of your symptoms.
Only 5 years ago trying to eliminate gluten from your diet seemed like a death sentence of rice and beans for the rest of your life. Millet, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, nut flours, and spelt are "safe" foods, as are oats that are processed in gluten-free facilities. But the food industry has embraced gluten-free and now more than 2.6 billion dollars worth of products are sold each year. You can now find gluten-free breads, muffins, cookies, crackers, and scones in almost all grocery stores. Betty Crocker and Bisquick have even jumped on the wagon with GF cake mixes and pancake mixes. Just because something is labeled gluten-free doesn't mean it's healthy, but a great number of gluten free items are delicious and nutritious whether you stick to a strict GF diet or not!

Speaking of delicious gluten free items... back to Annie's! I received a little package that just made my night!

Annie's Bunny Cookies (think gluten free teddy grahams) don't stand a chance in my house. I love those little bunnies! Yes the first ingredient is still sugar so they're not the healthiest things in the world but you get 27 cookies for 120 calories. Instead off wheat flour they use rice and corn flours.

Organic Orchard Fruit Bites have no added sweeteners and are made just with fruit juice. Try to find another fruit snack on the market that can beat that! Each pouch has 1 serving of fruit. They are also certified organic, gluten free and gelatin free.

I tried grape and pink lemonade Organic bunny fruit snacks. They make a great pre-run energy boosts instead of gu-s. These would also make a great Halloween treat for trick-o-treaters.

For Mac and Cheese lovers Annie's also offers two gluten free mac & cheese options - Gluten Free Rice Pasta & Cheddar and new Deluxe Rice Pasta with Extra Cheesy Cheddar. The gluten free noodles (made of white and brown rice flour) are some of the best wheat-free noodles I've ever tasted.

I love Annie's commitment to reducing their carbon footprint. All the boxes are 100% recycled paperboard and they also use renewable energy sources.You can find Annie's products in most grocery stores, and they also shop free from their online store where you will also see that all their gluten free options are on sale this month!

But I couldn't keep all this glutenfree deliciousness to myself. Annie's has graciously offered to giveaway a box of Bunny Cookies and Organic Orchard Fruit Bites to one of my readers

Rules:

Open only to US residents
Leave a comment below telling me whether or not you've tried any Annie's Gluten-free products and what you'd like to try the most.
For an extra entry tweet: "Enter @Elizabetheats giveaway of @Annieshomegrown gluten-free treats http://tinyurl.com/3uk7tge"
Giveaway will close on October 16th, 2011 at noon.

Good Luck!

California Olive Oil Hearts Boston

2011-10-03T06:38:00.000-04:00

While my feet are in Texas right now, there's still a huge part of my heart I left in Boston. I miss the people, the esplanade, the food, the hoards of college kids wandering around Allston every weekend...

So when California Olive Ranch contacted me about their partnership with Boston's local food scene, I said of course I'd like to hear more! You never know when I'll be back in that dirty water. Plus, the pairings they sent me sounded so delicious they're too good not to share!

Farm Fresh: For those who want to take advantage of locally grown produce, the SOWA Farmer’s Market offers plenty of farm fresh fare. Transform a typical side dish by sautéing vegetables with Artois Ranch – Mild & Buttery for a delicious herbal hint and notes of banana and leafy greens.
For the Decadent Dipper: California Olive Ranch’s Oroville Ranch Bold & Peppery blend is a bold, abundantly flavorful oil with a strong, zesty finish that makes it perfect for dipping with artisan breads like Clear Flour Bread’s Ancienne French Bread, a rustic baguette with a daring crunch and mildly sweet flavor.

Or at least that's what I would do if I was still in Boston. Since I am still in hot hot hot Houston, I tried this EVOO on my Massaged Kale Salad- a lunch staple.
Ingredients: kale and Arbequina California Olive Ranch EVOO-which has a subtle flavor of tropical fruit and artichokes.
Directions: Massage that kale
Add chickpeas, spices-voila!
I also used it when sauteing tempeh with mushrooms.

no need to fear all white foods-mushrooms are little healthy powerhousesAn awesome vegetarian source of protein!

Served over quinoa

But adding fresh roasted garlic to it and using it as a dip for bread or on salad, that was divine.
A couple more things I liked about this olive oil- they are very commited to transparency and sustainability. You can find out just where your olive oil came from and it's stored in 100% recyclable bottle.

And next time you're in Napa, don't just sip the wine, but take in the subtle flavor nuances of olive oils too! Check out California Olive Ranch's website and follow them on twitter too!

Off to go day dream of both Napa and Boston. Sigh!

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Lessons on Wellness from Life Long Weigh

2011-09-30T13:10:00.006-04:00

Clinical may not have been my cup of tea, but I was very excited to start my Wellness rotation at Life Long Weigh with RDs Ali Miller and Jess Zimmerman. This is the part I love about nutrition; the chance to work one-on-one with patients for 45-70 minutes, helping to facilitate behavior change, and follow-up frequently to ensure that we are assisting them in becoming both healthier and happier. I learned A LOT from both Ali and Jess, especially about diabetes management, weight loss, motivational interviewing, and digestive disorders. I love that they both take a whole foods approach, emphasizing REAL foods over processed "diet" foods. Ali has her degree from Bastyr University, a wonderful college near Seattle that teaches not only whole foods nutrition, but natural foods culinary skills, and naturopathic medicine, including herbal sciences and acupuncture. They also focus on a HAES approach, and I even saw some Me First principles shine through!

I got a chance to not only observe many counseling sessions, but assist with patient interviewing and nutrition education. I also got to attend, create and teach two classes for their medically supervised weight loss patients- one on adding anti-inflammatory foods and one on why fad diets don't work. Because blogging, marketing and tweeting are my other loves, Ali had me write blog posts for their website on sugar, and vegetarian nutrition-obviously two of my favorite topics! (I'll share them once their new website is live). Ali also teaching monthly cooking classes at Sur la Table, which I got to play a role of sous chef in. It's amazing to see how just preparing and sharing the meal together can often initiate an "AHA!" moment for clients. Food heals, and food can most definitely be medicine.

Having Mondays off was an unexpected pleasant surprise, allowing me to fit in errands, a doctor's appointment, and a trip to Boston, while completing my 40 hrs in 4 days. I could get use to that as a life-long work schedule!

Not going to lie-after my first rotation I wasn't feeling as enthused about nutrition as I was when I left Boston-surrounded by inspirational dietitians making huge changes in their community. But Life Long Weigh re-ignited my passion and I am excited to head over to my next rotation-at Texas Children's Hospital- in food service management. We'll see what fun awaits me there!

Have a lovely weekend!

Spicy Tahini Dressing

2011-09-21T08:00:00.001-04:00

The challenge for this month's Recipe Redux is dressing, dips and sauces! I love love love condiments so I was thrilled.

(get the shirt here )

I was getting a little bored of my olive oil massaged kale (delicious as it is!) so I decided to switch things up with a Tahini Dressing. Trying my best to emulate the amazing Annie's Goddess dressing i concocted this easy-peasy dressing

1/4 cup Tahini

1/2 cup water

2 TBS Apple Cider Vinegar

1 TBS Tamari Soy Sauce

Juice of 1 small lemon

2 cloves garlic

salt and chili pepper to taste

-Stir everything together, vigorously, and then pour over salad! (could it get any simpler?)
One of the things I love about Tahini is how well it emulsifies with water. If you want a more watery dressing-simply add more-want it thicker-add less.

The only way I've been getting through 12 hour work days is by packing all my lunches and dinners on Sundays. It's actually working quite well!

My Wellness rotation of my DI is going wonderfully. I'm learning a lot, and getting to work on some really fun projects. You'll get a full recap in a couple weeks because I'm a working machine this week and then heading back to Boston to see my loves Friday!

Check out some other fabulous ways to spice up your meals with these recipes written by RDs!

Carlene Helble-Carlene's Figments - Roasted Eggplant Pepper Schmeer

Deanna Segrave-Daly - Teaspoon of Spice - Sicilian Relish

Cherie Schetselaar Grain Crazy - Fry Sauce

Dr Barb - Nutrition Budgeteer - Jalapeno Ranch Dressing is Versatile & Healthier

Elizabeth Jarrard- Don't (White) Sugar-Coat it - Spicy Tahini Dressing

Kara Lydon - Peace, Love, and Food - Edamame Hummus

Kat Lynch - Eating The Week - Citrus Sesame Avocado Dressing

Emma Stirling - The Scoop on Nutrition - Recipe Redux Kitchen Garden Salsa Verde

Emma Cutfield-The Hearty Heart - Go-Go-Goji: Blood Building Salad Dressing

Lisa @ Healthful Sense - Sweet Peanut Sauce & Dressing

Regan @ The Professional Palate - Ponzu Sauce

Danielle Omar - Food Confidence RD - Recipe Redux: Your New Favorite Vinaigrette

Stephanie Howard - Give Them Something Better - Creamy Garlic Feta Dressing

Nicole Ferring Holovach - Whole Health RD - Mapple Salad Dressing

Kristen @ Swanky Dietitian - Italian Vinaigrette Artichoke Dressing

Ann Dunaway Teh - Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish - Thai Basil Peanut Pesto

Kristina @ Love and Zest - Spiced Pumpkin Dip

Meg @ Meg's Food Reality - Sweet Potato Hummus

gretchen kumquat - dairy-free ranch dressing

Everyday Tastiness - Pistachio Butter

Alysa Bajenaru - Inspired RD - How to Roast Garlic & a Recipe for Roasted Garlic Hummus

EA Stewart-The Spicy RD - Creamy Triple Pepper and Kale Dip

Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex - Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen - Garden-Fresh Tomato & Avocado Salsa

Jessica Fishman Levinson - Nutritioulicious - Butternut Squash Cream Cheese Spread

Life of a Dietetic Intern: Lessons from Clinical 1

2011-09-03T07:07:00.000-04:00

Part 1 of 6= Complete!

I spent the first 5 weeks of my dietetic internship doing my first part of my clinical rotation-at LBJ Hospital, Ben Taub, and Quentin Mease in Houston. They are all part of the The Harris County Hospital system, which serves over 1 million under and un-insured patients, each and every month. Harris County (which is all of Houston) is the 3rd most populated county in the US. It was a patient population I had thus far in my career, had no experience with. It was far more common to see Spanish speaking patients than English-speaking, and I've never seen fewer teeth in a ward. It was eye-opening to hear the stories of people with BMI's greater than 70 (normal is 18-22), triglyceride levels of 1500 (normal is <150), and Glucose levels through the roof.

I did my share of diabetes, renal failure, and heart disease educations, cramming in as much information as a 20 minute session could allow. I met people who hung on every word, sure I held the secret to their recovery, and people who found my talking more annoying than a mosquito. I consulted patients everyone from the wheel-chair bound paraplegic (drunk-driving accident), to pysch patients who said "the only thing to do here is eat", to mothers with gestational diabetes. I was part of interdisciplinary care teams, and went on wound care rounds (for the first and hopefully last time. There's a reason I didn't go to Medical school).I calculated tube feedings, advised renal, low sodium, and low cholesterol diets. I shuttered at the food that is served in the hospital cafeteria (nothing like chicken-fried steak, french fries and slurpees to "promote health").

Sometimes it could be a very sad place to work-seeing patients with a list longer than a page of aliments, people with broken homes, or uncertain living conditions. But it could also be a place of great love and great hope. I think my patients taught me way more than I taught them.

1 thing I do have to say: Scrubs are the most comfortable work attire ever.

(Well maybe secondary to working at Lululemon). I'm going to miss that.

I admire the hard work clinical dietitians do. They help heal their patients, and get them on their way to (what we hope is) a speedy recovery. And while I'm pretty sure it's not where you'll find me in a year, I do value their work.

Next: Wellness Rotation at Life Long Weigh- a private practice by a dietitian who believes in the power of whole, real foods. Can't wait!!!

For other dietetics students, my good friend and superstar RD-to-be, Carlene wrote a great post about facing the challenges during dietetic internships. Read it!

Adult Popsicles: Frozen Boozy Treats

2011-08-21T11:20:00.006-04:00

For this month's Recipe Redux, we were inspired to create new frozen treats. There was nothing I wanted to do more in this Texas heat! I've seen some alcoholic Popsicle recipes floating around the interweb, and decided to try my own. I had significant doubts that the alcohol would actually freeze, but by limiting the amounts they become frozen delights. So you don't have too worry about getting too tipsy after just one of these treats!

I'm the owner of a sole Popsicle mold. But you can find fantastic popsicle molds on Amazon or just use paper dixie cups with popsicle sticks.
(I tried to find more, I really ddi

Cape Codder-with a twist
Everyone knows the classic cocktail of cranberry juice, vodka, with a squeeze of lime. I had cranberry vodka, courtesy of Amanda Milad, in my freezer, and decided to switch this cocktail up a bit. Triple 8 vodka in Nantucket also makes a fabulous infused cranberry vodka. This helped cure some New England home-sickness!

0.5 oz Cranberry Vodka
2 oz water
Juice of 1 lime
Liquid NuNaturals Stevia to taste

Mix together. Freeze. Makes 1 popsicle

Dark Chocolate Bourbon Delights
This recipe was in Fine Cooking (August/September 2009) and I had to try it! I changed a couple things, but the results were spectacular!

4 oz 100% Unsweetened chocolate bar
2 Tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp stevia
a pinch of salt
Stir til melted. Let cool. add
2 TableSpoon Maker's Mark

Pour into 4 8-oz popsicle molds. Freeze and Enjoy!!

**and please eat responsibly ;) **

Want some more delicious frozen treats? Feast your eyes on these!!

Emma Stirling - The Scoop on Nutrition

Greek Yogurt Pavlova Popsicles

Cherie Schetselaar - Grain Crazy
Blackberry Lemon Almond Torte

Emma Cutfield-The Hearty Heart
Coconut Ice, Blueberry and Cocoa, Joint Healing Dessert

Carlene Helble- Carlene's Figments
Peanut Butter Banana 'Ice Cream' Sandwich

Janel Funk - Eat Well with Janel
Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Cream

Kat Lynch - Eating The Week
Coconut Chia-Seed Fruit Pops

Dr Barb, Nutrition Budgeteer
Simply Fruit Mango-Pineapple Sorbet

Rebecca Scritchfield - MeFirst
5-minute Frozen Peach Pie

gretchen - kumquat
chocolate "ice cream" bars

Emily Greenfield - The Nutriscientist
Honey and strawberry semifreddo

Liz Marr - Liz On Food
Peach Lavender Ice Cream

Elizabeth Jarrard- Don't (White) Sugar-Coat It
Adult Popsicles: Frozen Boozy Treats

Regan - The Professional Palate
Frozen Samoa Pie

Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex - Meal Makeover Moms' Kitchen
Healthy Blueberry and Mango Snow Cones

Jessica Fishman Levinson - Nutritioulicious
Watermelon Sorbet

Alexandra Caspero- Delicious Knowledge
Mango & Coconut Popsicles

Karman Meyer- Nutrition Adventures
Coconut Ice Cream with Strawberry Puree

Yuri - Chef Pandita
Acerola Chia Lime Popsicles

Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian
Peanut Butter Coffee Popsicles

EA Stewart-The Spicy RD
Luscious Lemonade Pie

Katie Caputo- East Meats West
Auntie Rosie's Ice Cream Pie

Alysa Bajenaru - Inspired RD
Coffee Granita

Kara Lydon - Peace, Love, and Food
Peanut Butter Banana "Ice Cream" With Dark Chocolate

Serena Ball- Teaspoon of Spice
Splendid Key Lime Frozen Yogurt

Nicole Ferring Holovach - Whole Health RD
Peaches and Rum Ice Cream Pie

Lisa @ Healthful Sense
Peanut Butter Vanilla Soft Serve

Jackie Mills - Delicious Diabetes Cooking
Summer Fruit Popsicles

Audra Losey - Nutrition Know How
Mocha Pops

Kristina LaRue - Love and Zest
Frozen Berry Yogurt

Finding Veggies in Texas: Part I

2011-08-18T08:01:00.000-04:00

Not going to lie-I was a little bit concernicus about finding vegan options in Texas. After all I am in the land of fried foods, and meat is very rarely severed in small portions. So it's been a fun adventure finding places to dine out as a plant-eater! First-Green Seed & Radical Eats:

Green Seed Vegan
An all-vegan food truck with smoothies, green juice and raw options? GET ME THERE!
I was on my way to the movie from studying and hungry, and lucky for me-I saw Green Seed Vegan's Tweets about their location, and promptly navigated there.
I got the "Tosh" A panini with "jerk-style" garbanzo bean tempeh with plantains and spinach.
Delicious, large and super satisfying. I also tried their dill fries-very greasy, but luckily the portion wasn't too large and they were delicious! The price was right, and I'll definitely be stalking their whereabouts again soon!
Check out @GreenSeedVegan to find out where they're parked today! Just make sure to allot enough time-good food isn't fast food!

Radical Eats
Two of my new vegan friends-Rory and Jalena introduced me to Radical Eats-an all vegetarian Mexican restaurant (no hidden lard to be found!). I drove by twice before realizing that yes, this was indeed the location. The interior and exterior were very simple, but that food was fantastic. We got aquas fresco and vegan Jalapeno poppers to start (First time ever!)
For my entree, I decided to go all out with the fried avocado tacos. (I'm in Texas after all). The food was quite good, a little oil-heavy, but the variety and vegan choices on the menu were fantastic! I'll definitely be back-maybe for their Mimosa Sunday brunch??

Radical Eats
Wednesday to Saturday, 11am to 9:30pm
Sunday brunch buffet: 11am to 7pm (w Mimosas!)
3903 Fulton
Houston, TX 77009
@RadicalEats

So yes, you can find veggie-options in Texas. Just wait for parts II, III, IV....!

Sweet Winners

2011-08-15T05:30:00.000-04:00

What better way to start a Monday than with giving away some sweet prizes? the 4 winners of my NuNaturals stevia giveaway are: Regan J., Kerry C, Chloe N and Carrie F.! Send me an email with your mailing address to ejarrard [at] gmail [dot] com and i'll get the packages delivered right away!

But don't forget, EVERYONE can receive 15% off your order at NuNaturals.com by entering code BLG930 and/or free samples by mailing a self-addressed stamped# 10 envelope to:

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

If you have some extra time this Monday morning-here's some great reads!

It's no mystery- a simple explanation of why we need Vitamin B12 & how to get it. Fantastic, easy-to-read and understand blog post by Dr. Seale
Have a sweet tooth? My friend Kevin Liu fantastically breaks down anything you would ever want to know about sugar
Stephanie and I had the honor of participating in the Pearl Photoseries I'm obsessed with Matt and his photos-see some of them here
I can't stop listening to Little Dragons, "Ritual Union" and Moufy "Boston Lights"

Giveaway: NuNaturals

2011-08-08T06:14:00.001-04:00

It's a sweet world out there, but navigating through the jungle of sweeteners to add to your coffee, baked goods or drinks can feel like wading through a swamp. Sugar? Not great. High Fructose Corn Syrup? No thanks Still a Splenda Addict? You might want to rethink that (in fact Janel Ovrut, RD wrote a fantastic post all about the horrors of Splenda) Aspartame? I'd rather not. My personal sweetener of choice is Stevia. I love that it's plant based (like everything else i eat) and doesn't raise blood sugar levels like sugar

When NuNaturals emailed me asking me whether I would like to sample some of their Stevia products I eagerly responded- Yes Please!! I've tried most of the other brands-Truvia, Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, Stevia-In-the-Raw, and Stevita gurl, but NuNaturals beats any and all taste tests.

Full Disclosure: NuNaturals sent me the following products to review. I have received no monetary compensation, and I was not bribed to write a positive review.

I add their vanilla or chocolate stevia liquid to my coffee and oatmeal every morning, and have used their baking substitute with great success. It's a 1:1 ratio, which negates any pesky division-recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar? use 1 cup of NuNaturals. It also adds fiber!

Plus I love how friendly their entire team is. Which is why they offered a special giveaway for YOU!

4 readers will receive a box of NuStevia Packets, and 1 bottle of NuNaturals Vanilla Stevia Liquid!

Rules:

1 entry for leaving a comment on this post telling my how you would use this stevia or if you have ever tried stevia
1 entry for tweeting: "Enter @ElizabethEat 's @NuNatural 's Giveaway! http://tinyurl.com/42sdwfn #stevia #sugar"
The contest will be open to Continental U.S. residents ONLY.
The contest starts today (8/8/11) and I will pick 4 winners on Monday 8/15/11 by 7 am.

And just because I like you ever so much, EVERYONE can receive 15% off your order at NuNaturals.com by entering code BLG930 and/or free samples by mailing a self-addressed stamped# 10 envelope to:

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR 97402

Happy Monday!!

Smoothie Buzz

2011-08-05T07:17:00.000-04:00

Have you heard the buzz? My roommate Sarah a. Rocks and b. is documenting a few of our summer smoothies on her blog. really this heat has us busting out all cold recipes

I was so inspired by Sarah's blog challenge and especially her 'Seattle smoothie' that I had to try it myself.
1 banana
2 TABLESPOONS Vega chocolate protein powder
Splash of almond milk
Double shot espresso (my new addiction=home espresso maker)
Ice

Blend

Enjoy a little slice of caffeinated heaven.

Perfect for preparing yourself for a morning of diabetes education in both spanish and english and various patient interactions. or was that just me?

TGIF!

Caffeinating in Houston: Part 1

2011-08-03T06:31:00.000-04:00

I was bemoaning the lack of a good coffee shop in Houston the yesterday. Starbucks are everywhere, but i knew this city had to have some great micro-roasters. So who to my rescue but twitter, once again. The wonderful people behind Eating Our Words said i HAD to go to Catalina Coffee, Revival Market or Greenway Barista. Lucky me and I had a 3 hour gap to kill (the amount of free time i have right now is slightly unnerving) so i picked my first "victim"-Catalina Coffee.
I walked in and immediately knew that this was a place that took great pride and care in their coffee. With a myriad of options for type/amount of milk and brewing methods in front of me, i settle on a soy macchiato-double shot espresso with a splash of "textured" milk.
Just 4 words: Catalina, I love you.

Unfortunately, no matter how small your sips, macchiatos don't take long to finish. I hate to be the awkward lingerer anywhere so I migrated towards my next AC break, at Revival Market for some Hibiscus Tea to rehydrate. A beautiful small market, with homemade ketchups, bbq sauces, bulk spices, Rancho Gordo beans, and plenty of meat and dairy for those interested. I loved their design aesthetic and commitment to real, whole, artisan foods.
Ok Houston, I 'm starting to get to know you, and love you more. This relationship will work out for at least 6 months and who knows after that!

Catalina Coffee
2201 Washington Avenue Houston Tx. 77007

Revival Market
550 Heights Blvd (at White Oak)
Houston, TX 77007

Winning Summer Gazpacho

2011-08-01T06:34:00.002-04:00

When it's this hot outside, most of the time I don't feel like cooking. Instead i crave salads and smoothies. fresh fruit and vegetables. But one of my summertime staples is Gazpacho. It's simple, it's easy, it's satisfying.

Gather Ingredients: 3 tomatoes. 1/2 a cucumber, 1 serrano pepper (optional. I like spice). 2 sticks celery. cilantro, sea salt and pepper to taste. I found this "armenian cucumber" at the Farmers Market, and drawn to it's flowery shape I said "why the heck not"
Food Process
Enjoy!

And the winner of the Wasa Cracker Giveaway is.....(as dictated by random.org, commenter number 7)..... Janel!
A representative from Wasa will be in touch shortly!!

Off to my first day of Clinical rotations!

Staying Cool in the Summer Heat:: Cocos Frios

2011-07-29T07:54:00.001-04:00

Hurricane Don might be about to hit, but it's still extremely hot and humid here in Houston. I don't even want to talk about my first attempt at running outside (the 2nd time was better), or the ever-so-attractive beads of sweat that appear on my forehead. I'm taking my vitamin D supplement, because the most sunlight I get is in 1 minute increments. You'll find me next to the AC.

Nothing is better on hot summer days than cool foods. I'm a huge fan of smoothies, homemade Popsicle, fruit, fruit, and more fruit. I'm reminding myself to stay hydrated constantly, and carry my water bottle with me religiously

On the way home from yoga Sarah pointed out a fruit stand advertising "Cocos Frios." Being the curious white girls we are, we used our limited Spanish skills to purchase two whole coconuts, which were machete'd open and stuck with straws. Fresh coconut water after a workout? nothing better
Not wanting to be wasteful, we decided a good after-dinner project would be to harvest the coconut meat. I've slaughtered a young coconut before, but never a "mature one" which is more dry and suitable for shredded coconut. Note: Coconuts are extremely tough to split in half. I recommend a sharp knife. Be careful.

get it girl

success

perfect in oatmeal or raw brownies!

8 days of orientation are about to wrap up and I start my first clinical rotation on Monday-eek!
Happy Friday!

Have you entered to win some Wasa Crackers yet? Why ever not???

Wassup Wasa?!

2011-07-25T07:00:00.003-04:00

You're strollin down the cracker aisle (don't tell me I'm the only one to do this) and you pick up box after box of crackers loaded with ingredients you can't even name, and you don 't know whether to choose the multigrain or the reduced-fat. What's a person to do??

I've come to know Wasa as a brand I can trust for healthy, delicious, hearty crackers, and was thrilled when they asked me to try their new line of Flatbreads. This thin & crispy line of whole grain thin crackers that help make eating well easy and fun. Available in Original, Sesame and Rosemary, these Flatbreads are delicious snack! Although I wish they were 100% whole grain (like some of their other products), and had more fiber but they are made with just a few ingredients, and oven baked for an unique taste and texture. A very thin cracker, they're like a blank canvas for toppings!
I wrangled Sarah into a taste test and we tried the three crackers with a white bean spread. I don't have a real recipe but it goes something like this:

In a food processor combine 1 can great northern beans, 1 head roasted garlic, generous dash of rosemary, black pepper, sprinkle of salt, and 1 tsp of olive oil. Process. Serve.

My favorite cracker flavor was the rosemary, but if you were eating with a sweet dip I'd recommend sesame or original.

If you need some "Snackspiration" head over to the Wasa’s Facebook page and check out the Create-A-Snack app for a chance to win a trip to Canyon Ranch Resort & Spa in Tucson, Arizona.

You can get in the fun too! Wasa generously offered a gift package to a randomly selected reader who shared their Snackspiration creation in the comment section!!

Rules:

Tell me what you would put on your Wasa Flatbread: would it be savory? Sweet? Snack? Meal?
Leave the idea in the comment section below to be entered
Random Drawing for the winner will take place on 08/01/11

Best of luck! You really can't lose! (plus I have another giveaway coming soon. shhh)

So get a' snackin!

Disclaimer: Wasa did not pay me to run this promotion, however they did provide product samples.

Southern Blackberry Smash

2011-07-21T05:00:00.009-04:00

I highly recommend roadtrippin with your best friend.

just to clear things up-we're not actually sister wives....

The lovely Carlene welcomed us into her beautiful Virginia home and provided us great food, conversation, and a comfortable place to rest our heads.
Just the start of Southern hospitality, she set us on our way to Atlanta, Georgia with a big bag of Blackberries, handpicked from the bushes outside. I could have eaten them all right then and there, but I showed restraint and saved a few for a drink.

See I'm joining a group of dietitians and RDs-to-be in a Recipe Redux-as we make healthy and delicious recipes that fit a certain theme. July's theme was Summery Drinks and I thought something with blackberries would be the perfect Southern introduction to my new life!

Southern Blackberry Smash

** I am not yet a southerner, but I can call it this, because I am now down south, right?**
Makes 2 but adjust accordingly

1 Handful Fresh Blackberries
1 sprig of thyme
1 Lime
16 oz Lime Sparkling Water
Optional: 2 oz vodka. (preferably Tito's handmade in Austin TX!)

Gather Ingredients. I was lucky enough to have fresh blackberries handed to me, and found some local thyme during my pilgrimage to the original Whole Foods in Austin, TX

2. Add blackberries and a bit of thyme to each glass. Squeeze half the juice of 1 lime into each glass. Gently smash the blackberries to release their lovely flavor.

3. Add Lime sparkling water and ice and enjoy!! Adding a clean tasting vodka would have been delightful to this drink, and would get you a little "smashed"-just don't try to buy liquor on Sundays down South. it won't happen.

Don't mind the plastic hotel cups. I was on a roadtrip after all!

That should cool you down during this hot southern summer!

Need more inspiration? Check out these other amazing summer drinks!

Gretchen, kumquat Ginger Ale
Dr. Barb, Nutrition Budgeteer Triple Cherry Chiller
Carlene Helble, Carlene’s Figments Mint Berry Seltzer
Kara Lydon, Peace, Love, and Food Blueberry Basil Lemonade Fizz
Deanna Segrave-Daly, Teaspoon of Spice Cantaloupe Basil Aqua Fresca Fizz
Jessica Fishman Levinson, Nutritioulicious Blueberry Basil Cooler
Marie Spano, Performance Nutrition Post-Workout Power Smoothie
Elizabeth Jarrard, Don’t White Sugar-Coat It Southern Blackberry Smash
Emily Greenfield, The Nutriscientist Apple, pear and strawberry smoothie with Chia
Kristen Bourque- Swanky Dietitian Fresh Fruit and Club Soda Cooler
Regan Jones – The Professional Palate Berry-Lime Bubbly
Kat Lynch – Eating the Week Sparkling melon fizz – nice & naughty
Lisa @ Healthful Sense Berry Refreshing Chia Seed Smoothie
EA Stewart-The Spicy RD Gingery Peach Float
Alysa Bajenaru – Inspired RD Blackberry Banana Swirl
Ann Dunaway Teh, Eat to Nourish, Energize & Flourish Pregnancy Mocktails
Yuri – Chef Pandita Green Tea Ginger Limeade with Chia Seeds
Karman Meyer-Nutrition Adventures Orange-Mint Iced Green Tea
Cherie Schetselaar-Grain Crazy Mango Strawberry Smoothie
Emma Stirling – The Scoop on Nutrition Recipe Redux Tangelo-ade
Carrie Miller, Nutrition Know How, 12 Smoothie Recipes to Beat the Heat
Rebecca Scritchfield – #MeFirst Banana Split Smoothie
Alexandra Caspero- Delicious Knowledge Strawberry Splash Mojito
Liz Weiss & Janice Newell Bissex — Meal Makeover Moms’ Kitchen Pint-Size Pina Colada
Danielle Omar — Food Confidence RD Almond Iced-Coffee Latte

Happy Hydration!

Hello Houston (and a NYC Tip)

2011-07-19T16:20:00.003-04:00

In case you were worried, I made it to Houston Safe and Sound, with 0 speeding tickets, 1 flat tire (thanks nail), and no broken friendships (even after 34 hours sitting in a car together).

There will be a roadtrip (and DRINK RECIPE) post on Thursday, but for now I wanted to share a couple important announcements:

1. I have a lot of new craft beers to try. it's very very exciting. oh and restaurants and new foods to dig into too.
2. My room is starting to look more like me. ie. ordered chaos and a whole lotta fun
3. Everything really is bigger in Texas. Look at the size of this apple!
4. I NEED A GYM RECOMMENDATION. Please. I don't know if you've been to Houston in the summer but running outside is not an option. (and really who makes a gym without a shower. really???)

5. I'm mad jeal of any NYC Peeps who get to participate in FREE YOGA thanks to LUNA!
LUNA and YogaLocal are collaborating with small NYC yoga studios to introduce more people to the benefits of yoga. They are sponsoring free classes at twenty-four NYC area studios starting July 17, so why NOT Try a new style. Try a new studio. Try yoga for the first time???
Space is limited - so be sure to register today! www.LUNAFreeYogaSeries.com has all the deets!

Internship starts tomorrow. I'm trying not to get nervous. I just have to make new friends and learn, a lot, no big deal, right?

a big ol Texan hug to ya!

Bye Bye Boston

2011-07-14T06:16:00.003-04:00

The day has come. Time to say goodbye to a city and people I love.
For this morning I'm starting my roadtrip to my new (maybe temporary?) life in Houston Texas. I'll start my dietetic internship (the last step before becoming a RD) at University of Houston next Wednesday. I can't wait to make new friends, explore a new city and take the final steps (maybe. masters?) before starting my career (full-fledged )!

Time to say goodbye to the many places i have wandered throughout Beantown, hug the people who have let me into their lives, and promise I'll be back soon. Despite the miserable winters, horrible MBTA system, and sometimes not welcoming characters, I've fallen in love with this little city-with-no-grid-systems-and-horrible-road-signs. This dirty water has a special place in my heart and i'm sure i'll be back soon.
Next: Roadtrip with my best friend since age 5, T. Miller, and a visit to Carlene's house in Virginia, Jared's in Atlanta, Bourbon street in New Orleans, and the hipster mecca of Austin, Tx.

Next time you hear from me, my hair will be a little bigger, my voice will have a little more drawl, and my skin will be more skin-kissed.

I'm cowgirl enough aren't I?

Off to the great unknown! Til next time!

Any recommendations food-wise for NOLA or Austin or Houston?? I'll eat them up!

The Big O

2011-07-10T05:07:00.002-04:00

Summer weekends sneak away far too quickly.

Actually time just sneaks away far too quickly.

It seems like only yesterday that I was moving to Boston, preparing to start my undergraduate life, taking in a new city, meeting new people. Including my roommate of 4 years, Olivia.

sometimes we look nice

We've grown up a little bit in the four years, but stayed as close as ever. We've traded in frat parties for themed cocktail parties, but are always down for a game of flip cup. It was a roadtrip full of laughter and memories. Her family is like my east-coast family-I even lived on Long Island with them for a month one summer, and crashed their nantucket vacation last year. She's made the trek to wyoming, and we've promised that if we're not married by the time we're 50 we're becoming roommates again and perpetual cat ladies together. you know your friendship is strong if you have over 300 photos together on Facebook, and those are just the tagged ones. you can find us laughing to pieces together, and responding to questions of "are you two sisters?"

in honor of her 22nd birthday, TODAY, I present to you her drink-created by Pam Swanson:

exact measurements aren't necessary. that's how we roll

Ruby Red Tangerine Juice (100% fruit juice would be nice)
Lime Juice
Lemon Juice
Slices of said lemons and limes
Vodka (want a big O? add more vodka)

best served in large jars

and drank while wearing sunglasses

Happy Birthday Olivia!

the first list of summer

2011-06-21T06:15:00.002-04:00

Happy First Day of Summer!!
I feel like time is slipping by far too quickly! 2 weeks left of an internship that feels like it started yesterday. 1 last weekend in Boston. and then it's home to Wyoming, to show someone special where I'm from, 3 days to wrap everything up back in Boston, and then roadtrip with my best friend down to Houston to start the next chapter in my life.

But today, today is the first day of summer, and here are some things I'm loving in case you need some inspiration.

City Chicks- Friends Heather & Carrie recently started an amazing blog that revolves around local food in New England. Go check it out, like them on facebook and follow them on twitter!

What to eat before and after endurance exercise - a great post that focuses on whole food energy sources rather than PowerBars and GUs (while those do have their places as well).
Eating IS Art: especially when you make strawberries this drool-worthy: Roasted Strawberries
"I love you most, my favorite vegetables"
Hair! Hair! Hair! See embarrassing photos of me and why I'm glad i'm guiltless about my curly unruly locks
Most white rap ever- Whole Food Parking Lot. i love it because i relate and don't hate.
5 minute avocado sorbet needs to be made, asap
Put on your thinking caps and Redesign the Food label. Nutrition fame awaits.

Last but definitely not least, I hope to see all my Boston peeps at the "Let's Talk about Food" festival this Saturday (the 25th) from 10am-5pm. Food truck food, local star RDs, big name chefs, me, what more could you want?????????
Enjoy this gorgeous summer day!

So much to Share so Little Time!

2011-05-28T09:08:00.002-04:00

I feel like I'm always bursting at the seems to tell someone something that I think is important. That's probably why I adore twitter so much. But before I kick off memorial day weekend with a trail run with Jessica, and then head to Maine for computer-free camping with Jesse & crew, there are a fun things I need to share with you!

Why Calorie Restriction might not be the best thing Calorie Restriction for longevity is getting a lot of buzz lately and I really like this post RD Corinne Dobbas wrote. Personally I feel that once you start restricting calories to that level it is very very easy to become obsessive over food. Look at Ancel Keys starvation experiments during WWII Men with no prior disposition to disordered eating starting exhibiting behavior very similar to those seen in anorexic patients. Now give this restricted calorie program to a woman who has “dieted” or been body conscious for most of her life and that’s basically a recipe to disaster. Even beyond that-would it be worth living a year or two longer if you could barely enjoy the food presented in the next 5, 10, 20, 50 years???????????? Not in my world!!!!!!!
E is for Eggplant and J is for Jello and I am obsessed with this food alphabet
My two new summer beers are delightfully fruity. I highly recommend Abita's Strawberry Lager & 21st Amendment's Come Hell or High Watermelon Ale

The science behind Chocolate and Health by my two favorite food scientists Naveen & Kevin
In case you didn't know: A plant-based diet offers a bounty of benefits
Think Thin? I think not. Read my post about why these bars are anything BUT "Delicously natural weight management." (Sneak preview: the ingredients label on this “Chocolate Covered Strawberries” bar has 38 ingredients, 4 different types of soy, malitol (a sugar alcohol that cases gastrointestinal distress for most people) and not a single mention of strawberries. It must be hidden in that “natural flavor” part…..
Two inspirational speeches by two inspirational women. Katie Couric at BU and Amy Poehler at Harvard. Both witty, amusing and oh so wise. Oh and Katie tweeted at me, nbd.

Sugar Guilt? Truvia may not be all it claims and why you should never feel guilty about any kind of food-even sugar. read it and comment!
Mix a high-calorie dessert with melatonin-to help you relax? Sounds like a recipe for disaster to me! read what I have to say about Lazy Cakes brownies here

And lastly, I leave you with my song. Like my song, my song. Like "Don't forget to play this at my wedding song." cause I'm fly like that.

A Celebratory Meal at Pure Food and Wine

2011-05-23T21:29:00.007-04:00

I've had my diploma since January, but it didn't seem official til I participated in Boston University's Commencement yesterday.
I was already celebrating thought. My trips to New York are not complete without a trip to Pure Food and Wine. Unbelievable raw food, which happens to be the perfect middle ground when vegans and Atkins aficionados join for a meal.

cheers to that!

In celebration of my graduation, my aunt Karen treated me to the 5-course chef's tasting, which was worth every penny.
Starting with fresh fruit sangria to welcome the warming weather. Salad of frisee and radicchino w medjool dates, saffron meyer lemon confit, curry vinaigrette shaved onion and chestnut honey.Baby turnip carpaccio w morel mushrooms, english pea cream, spring herbs and pickled ramps.
Pumpkin Soup (yes still raw)
amazing pad thai with seaweed noodles!
Tomato w cauliflower masala filling. It also had a coconut curry sauce and a cucumber mint raita.
lemon cheesecake with strawberry rhubarb sorbet Trio of dark chocolate coated Indian spiced ice cream treats. First a chocolate cardamom coconut ice cream cone which was a million times better than any 'drumstick cones' I've ever had. My mind is stil boggled by how they made a raw ice cream cone! A pistachio ice cream sandwich-soft pistachio gelato sadwiched between two soft cakes. And a chai tea creamsicle. This trio blew any raw dessert, scratch that-ANY dessert I have ever eaten right outta the water.
absolutely amazing.

It was a delicious celebratory meal, and I may come back just for a lunch of Indian desserts next time

Pure Food and Wine
54 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003

Be Mine BabyCakes?

2011-05-18T08:05:00.001-04:00

Sometimes you gotta go all out
Especially if your feet lead you there after wandering all over the lower east side, and you vaguely remember finding this gem in ChinaTown 3 years ago. And your map-tastic memory serves you very well.
Especially if you're waiting on a 5 person line in one of the smallest bakery-fronts ever seen. But you can read signs like this while you wait
Especially if it's the one and only BabyCakes NYC renowned for their Gluten Free Vegan pastries
Especially if it's a bakery that focuses on no white sugar, ever, and uses gluten free products as often as possible.
Especially if the kind woman in front of you mentions she is a vegan in Houston and quickly writes down a list of her favorite veg-head friendly restaurants.
Especially if it's a "coffee cake donut"
Why not??

It was beyonnnndddd worth it. and downright heavenly
Thank you, I agree

BabyCakes NYC
248 Broome Street (Btwn Orchard & Ludlow)
New York City, NY 10002 (Google map)

A New Day

2011-05-16T06:14:00.000-04:00

Today marks some new beginnings:
I have a new ride
and a new internship
and I enter the world of 9-5 (more like 8-6 but who's really counting...) I couldn't be more thrilled! Lots to learn, do and see in my last few month in Boston! I hope to still have time to be social and write, even if it's just lists of things I love, like this:

Time to Celebrate! Today marks the start of American Craft Beer Week so grab a local microbeer and give me a big round of cheers!

My newest favorites are: Beer Morke Pumperknickel Porter , Apricot IPAs (either DogFish Head or Melissa's Homebrew), and anything/everything Shorts Brewery and Berkshire Brewing Company makes. And if you can find the Samual Adams Category 23 Longshot American Homebrew Contest mix pack in your local liquor store, the "Honey B's Lavender Ale" is not to be missed!

Growing up is hard enough without toning shoes, pushup bras, and botox marketed to the under-10 year old set. I try to avoid both crying and vomiting while I write about it on Guiltless today.
"A Day in the Life of a Vegan Athlete" by Matt of True Love Health Truly inspirational!

I also came across this awesome Infographic about buying Local Food

(Click to enlarge)

Source: eLocal.com

with Farmer's Markets about to open I can't wait to make my food a little bit more sustainable! Want even more convincing about buying local food? Check out this adorable kids choir's song!

What's new in your life??

Try New Things

2011-05-09T07:27:00.001-04:00

It's good to try new things.
Like spending an entire day with a French Bulldog

World, meet Criquet, my one true love.

Like trying Gluten Free Pasta for dinner with two of my favorite people.
Gluten free pasta has come very far, and is actually a fantastic replacement for regular pasta if you're feeling like a little switch-up. DeBoles Multigrain Penne is made with rice quinoa and amaranth, and is same color and texture as whole wheat pasta. I love multi-colored pasta so Tinkyada Brown Rice Pasta Vegetables Spirals hit the spot. and I swear that's not just the wine talking.
Like trying a new food truck- Bon Me
Government center is HOPPING these days with Food Trucks. It's a tough call between Clover, Momogoose and Bon Me, but we opted to go for the one we'd never tried before.

It was a good decision. And though I failed as a blogger, and didn't take a picture of my meal, I HIGHLY recommend their rice noodle salad with tofu and mushrooms. mmmmmm. want some right now It also helps when you have lovely company, like Rori and Chloe.

Like checking out these fantastic finds on the internet:

The amazing Jessica Leibowitz & Kenji Alt break down how to take the best photographs of food
I'm Obsessed with Beyonce's "Get up and Move" video for letsmove "a little sweat ain't never hurt nobody"
Read part II of 4020vision 's interview on Guiltless Food, your body, & how yur relationship changes as you grow older
Katherine Brooks is amazing, spectacular and oh so creative. Check out this food magazine she created: Matters-the Food Issue

What will you try this week??

Good Cacao

2011-05-06T07:22:00.001-04:00

Ah Chocolate
Delicious, divine, sensual. The science is behind it, but whoever wrote"Benefits outweigh risks" was definitely written by someone who agrees with what my boyfriend said : "women have a higher tolerance for chocolate than men." yes, the words tolerance and chocolate were used in the same sentence...
tell that to Naveen Sinha-chocolate scientist extraordinaire. Or my friend Gina who NEEDS to open a wine and chocolate shop asap.
After a day of work at Beacon Hill Chocolates Gina brought over a bar of Good Cacao to a wine + talk night, and we devoured it up.
not only was it a delicious bar, but as an "organic superfood" what's there to be hating on?
this Lemon Ginger bar is vegan, gluten free, non gmo, fair trade conscious, with no preservativies, no additives, all in biodradable packaging-whew I need to take a breath! It also has probiotics, "antioxidant oils" and phytoplankton. Who knew you needed that, but why the heck not, right?? And i'm so glad this is not your run-of-the-mill salt, but instead "170 million year old Jurassic Sea Salt." yup, this salt was chillin with mad dinosaurs.

yea that's a lot of extra words and fluff. But hey-it tasted delicious, and couldn't be bad for you, so why not??

and while we're on the subject, next time you're in New York City, swing by CocoaV on 9th Ave and 15th street, and try one of their vegan truffles.
One taste of their peanutbutter cup and you'll swear off Reese's for life.
I know it's getting warm out, but be sure to get their vegan hot chocolate too.
I like mine spicy, extra dark, and with a shot of espresso. I like most things that way.

So Happy Friday, and I hope you get to enjoy a good piece of chocolate today!

What's your favorite type or brand of chocolate?

Rain, Rain go away

2011-04-25T09:09:00.003-04:00

Spring is here! But these April showers had better bring many May flowers.
Sometimes I'm spontaneous, and decide to take 48 hour trips to New York at the last minute.
Stay tuned for posts about how I ate my way through NYC, and who I found there.

In the meantime, I highly recommend that you read:

Pre-Exercise Snack Attack How to fuel your workouts by my good friend Clara on Sargent Choice's blog
Been there Done that: Looking at your 20s with the wisdom of a 40-something. as a 20-something I am constantly looking to those older and wiser than I for guidance, and support. That's one of the many reasons why I love 40:20 Vision
What do you do when a friend or sister says she hates her body? Great suggestions here
Lifesized Barbie is a very disturbing sight. Fueling body hatred at a young age?
How to choose the right sweetener: Snarky, & no white sugar-coating the truth

Have a wonderful week!

Happy Earth Day!

2011-04-22T11:20:00.000-04:00

We live in a truly gorgeous world. I wonderlust after it everyday.

The Mountain from Terje Sorgjerd on Vimeo.

Let's take care of this earth.

Get out![side that is]
Maybe cut some meat and/or dairy out of your life today:

"The livestock sector, including feed production and transport, is responsible for about 18 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions worldwide. "
-Stanford Report, March 16, 2010 "New report reveals the environmental and social impact of the 'livestock revolution'"

Recycle your running shoes, that water bottle, old paper and vodka bottle
Free coffee to celebrate Earth Day tomorrow at Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, AND Whole Foods Market when you rock your reusable mug

How are you celebrating this Earthday/Passover/Easter weekend???? I'm in NYC visiting good friends and family!

Taste of the Nation & Marathon Monday

2011-04-18T08:05:00.003-04:00

Who could say no to Good Food for an Even Greater Cause? I volunteered for my third year with Taste of the Nation Boston.
Share our Strength is a national non-profit dedicated to ending child hunger in the US. They throw these events in cities around the US, and top chefs, and wine& food purveyors donate their time and goods. They are always amazing events, and you definitely won't leave them hungry! (read my 2009 and 2010 recaps!) The statistics are still dismal though- Nearly 1 out of 4 children in America -more than 17 million- struggle with hunger. Sara, Gina, Molly, Melissa and I volunteered and we also saw Katie there. After doing our volunteer duty of "crowd control" we headed into the event and went straight for the wine.

Apfel eis-aka Apple Ice Wine from Harvard, MA is delightfully sweet, with no added sugar. It takes over 80 apples to make each bottle! A very slow fermentation at cold temperatures keeps the sugar from the apples to the final product. I had this in Montreal several years ago, but love seeing a local variety!

For every bottle of flipflop wine purchased, Soles4Souls will distribute a pair of shoes to someone in need. How cool is that??

Mini cocktails with organic gin.

Harpoon cider and wine make Gina and i very happy

Not a lot of vegetarian or vegan options but plenty of wine and beer so I was happy! Iggys Bread, taza chocolate and samasos from Mela kept me from being a total wastecase.

Gina and Sara loved the gluten free cupcakes at gluteneous minimus

And there were culinary adventures to be had as well. Gargoyles on the Square Chef Jason Santos (and his distinct blue hair) embraced molecular gastronomy with an ice cream experience to be remembered: After chewing on a spoon full of 'chili buds' our entire mouth went numb.
Than we ate lemon sorbet-made in seconds with liquid nitrogen. The mouthfeel was unbelievable. Hot and cold, numb and tingling-fantastic!!!

We definitely left feeling satisfied. Taste of the Nation was a perfect kickoff to a great weekend. I was again blow away by the beauty and athleticism of dance at my friend Dana's recital on friday. Then I woke up bright and early on Saturday to head to the Boston Marathon Expo where I met the Pure2raw twins Michelle and Lori at their sister's company, RawThreads.

just as sweet and beautiful in real life as their online presence makes them seem!

All the clothes were fabulous. Soooooo soft and made from sustainable. bamboo which is naturally moisture wicking, breathable and odor resistant. it also blocks 99% of sun's rays! I had the hardest time picking what I wanted. Do I get the mens fit Bahstan Runnah?? I decided on an adorable aqua blue tank w a built-in bra-it will be perfect for the Houston heat!!
Next I headed to one of the Runner's World seminars.
Tara Mardigan (RD to the Red Sox, and Dana Farber RD) spoke about sports nutrition, proper fueling, how to eat right to recover faster and busted some sports nutrition myths.
She said: "If you're thirsty-it's too late." A great reminder to stay hydrated as we all reached for our water bottles. She's a huge role model and mentor to me so go check out her website and follow her on twitter!

Expos always mean lots of free goodies and I snagged a mini larabar, and a tart cherry sample and chatted Donny at Saucony up about their new minimalist shoes.
I LOVE my kirvanas and they recently debuted an even more minimal line-Hattori. a regular shoe has a 12:1 heel:toe ratio. The kirvana is 4:1. This new shoes is 1:1-totally barefoot and fits like a sock! I much prefer this to the vibrams-be my toes don't enjoy being seperated. Plus they come with a cheaper pricetag-not to shabby!

You can find me today on Beacon St-cheering my heart out for Eric, Matt, Kerri, Melissa and Molly!! Good luck to Everyone!!

Have you ever watched or run the Boston Marathon? What about met someone you only know online? (and no, that doesn't just apply to online dating!!)
ps did you see this list of new food trucks coming to Boston? Super psyched! Getting a little bummed I'm leaving-but hey I can always come back!

411 on my loves and hates

2011-04-11T12:53:00.009-04:00

Things I love:
Sharing food with othersEspecially when it's your roommate of four years, and it's an all vegan meal of whole wheat gnocci (from Trader Joes-amazing!!), pasta sauce (marinara, eggplant, chickpeas) and roasted asparagus (with olive oil and roasted red pepper flakes).
extra points for wine being involved

yes i do buy wine based on the bottle. don't judge.

Shatter Nail Polish and Contigo Coffee Mugs

bet you didn't know i liked pink...

That spring has finally come to Boston

blossom

Discovering Freshly Juiced Fruits and vegetables in Boston

at Blue Shirt Cafe in Davis Sq, Thanks to Steph

vibrant

and a being with a guy that will still kiss me after drinking carrot, orange, lemon, garlic, & ginger juice.

Being Inspired by Beauty

"Sexy" is more than the shape of your hips and the size of your boobs. I definitely agree that confidence is the key to sexiness.

Crazy Craft Beers
not to be super hipster or anything....but if PlayBoy says it's good, than it must be

Aprihop-Apricot IPA by Dogfish Head
best enjoyed while watching Lost and eating babycarrots

Things I hate
Guilting people into going to the gym.
because that's just setting you down a dark and twisted path. Read my post on why Guilt is not a Good Motivator

So
and have a wonderful, lovely week!