Category: health

Quinoa with Roasted Butternut Squash

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, diet, eating, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, Recipes5 Comments

It’s been a while since I posted a Gwyneth recipe here.  Her flawless face on the over of her cookbook (It’s All Good) has been staring at me with reproach for weeks now.  Months even.  If I were anything like Gwyneth I would have not let this much time pass and furthermore, in that amount of time, I would have also made my own line of beauty products and have experimented getting stung by bees as a beauty treatment.

So this weekend I cracked open the cookbook and picked a recipe for which I had all the ingredients already.  I love when that happens!  I needed to eat a healthy and filling lunch before playing golf so I went with the quinoa with roasted butternut squash.  It seemed like the perfect easy and healthy option.

By now you probably know how I feel about Gwyneth (we’re frenemies, FYI).  The truth is, her recipes have never steered me wrong.  I haven’t found one that wasn’t delicious yet.  The Braised Chicken With Green Olives is most definitely my favorite.  Just last night my friend  and fellow food blogger ProntoPup reminded me how good that dish is.  It’s kind of fussy to make, but you are handsomely rewarded at the end.

This quinoa recipe isn’t fussy, and I would rate it a solid 7 or 8.  It’s not fancy, it does the trick.  It makes a fabulous lunch or dinner side dish.  And it’s super healthy.  And for a Monday isn’t that enough?

QUINOA WITH ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH

img_2809

INGREDIENTS:

1 package frozen butternut squash

olive oil

sea salt

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 cups cooked quinoa (use directions on the package)

3 scallions, chopped (I like to use the whole scallion, not just the whites and light green parts)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

METHOD:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Place butternut squash in a rimmed baking sheet and drizzle with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt and stir to coat.  Roast until browned (about 20 minutes).

While roasting the squash, whisk together the lemon juice with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil and a healthy pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl. When the quinoa is finished, incorporate that in with the dressing, scallions and parsley.  When the squash is finished roasting, place it on top the quinoa mixture.  Add some extra scallions and parsley to the top to garnish.

 

ENJOY!  Please let me know what you think by commenting! And I wouldn’t hate it if you shared my blog with all your friends and loved ones.

 

 

Cocktails! Prickly Pear Margaritas

On By Cultivate WellnessIn cocktails, Cooking, health, Health and wellness, Recipes3 Comments

We just returned from our spring break vacation in Arizona.  I grew up there and I relished the idea of showing my 11 year old all the things I loved about such a beautiful state. Like this sunset:

 


And this mountain vista: 

And this blooming cactus:


And this sunrise:


And the Grand Canyon:

Are you kidding me?  Where else do you see things like this?  We had the best time traveling from the valley to the Grand Canyon and back again.  We were there eight days and could have been there for weeks and weeks.  But we hit some of the best parts and most important of all, my daughter came back appreciating the same things I do about Arizona.  Like the food (oh my gosh the Mexican food).  And the stunning desert landscapes.  And the way the pine trees up north smell like vanilla.

One thing I brought back from Arizona that my daughter didn’t was a love for Prickly Pear Margaritas (yes it’s in caps. They are that good).  I mean, she’s 11.  Funny story: our first night in Arizona my husband ordered a prickly pear margarita. It came out hot pink.  He was secure enough in his masculinity to enjoy every sip.  Anyway, I procured a bottle of prickly pear syrup so that I could recreate these sensational margaritas (and any other cocktail I deem fit) anytime I wanted.

I think it’s my duty to inform you that in Mexico prickly pear is used widely as an anti-hangover remedy.  It’s also high in vitamin C and is full of anti-inflammatory compounds. A very tiny study seems to show that it might also help lower your LDL (the bad) cholesterol levels. Do with that what you will (I write a wellness blog after all, I think you should know these things).  As always, don’t take my word for it.  Talk to your doctor about this stuff.

Anyway, I think this will be the drink of the summer.


PRICKLY PEAR MARGARITAS

Ingredients:

3 ounces tequila of your choice
1/2 ounce Cointreau
2 ounces lime juice (Or more to taste. I squeezed another wedge of lime in my glass)
2 ounces prickly pear syrup (I like Cheri’s Harvest because it’s all natural and doesn’t use preservatives or artificial colors or flavors)
Margarita salt for garnishing the glass

Method:

Combine the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Use a wedge of lime to wet the rim of a margarita glass and dip into the margarita salt that you’ve poured onto a plate. Pour margarita into glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Keep an eye out for more prickly pear syrup recipes, because YUM!

 

Magnesium: “The Relaxer”

On By Cultivate WellnessIn diet, disease, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, supplement, wellness5 Comments

Do you suffer from stiff or sore muscles?  Have trouble relaxing enough to fall asleep at night? Suffer from chronic headaches?  (in this day and age, who doesn’t have one or all of these complaints?).  Having a magnesium deficiency can cause all sorts of problems.  About 50% of the population is deficient in magnesium, and teenagers are even more likely thanks to their higher consumption of junk food.

Reasons for a magnesium deficiency include stress, excess alcohol, sugar and caffeine consumption, and the Standard American Diet (SAD). Sound familiar?

But let’s back up so I can explain what magnesium is and what it does.  Magnesium is a crucial mineral that our bodies use to produce energy, metabolize carbohydrates and protein, and acts as a natural calcium channel blocker. Having ideal levels of magnesium helps balance our blood sugar levels, balances calcium, facilitates bringing nutrients into the cells and wastes out, and functions as a natural relaxant for our minds and muscles. 

If we don’t consume enough magnesium or we don’t supplement and our levels are low, a host of problems can occur, such as blood sugar imbalances, constipation, fatigue, muscle cramps, PMS, heart arrhythmias, high blood pressure, irritability and migraine, to name a few.

I personally love the Calm brand of effervescent magnesium that I buy on Amazon. It tastes great and works rapidly to help me relax at night.

Real food sources of magnesium include leafy greens, sea vegetables, algae, whole grains, nuts and seeds (especially pumpkin sees), avocados and blackstrap molasses. 

One more note: if you take magnesium it is recommended that you also supplement with calcium in a 1:1 or 2:1 ratio for best results.

 

***As always, make sure you speak with a doctor or practitioner before taking supplements.  I am not authorized to give medical advice and this blog post is not intended to treat or diagnose any diseases.

GIVEAWAY!

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, diet, eating, giveaway, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition10 Comments

Qrunch burger

Welcome to my first ever giveaway!  Sometimes I talk about products that I love because they make my life better.  Qrunch Organics noticed one of my Instagram photos and asked if I’d like to partner with them in a fun giveaway.  Because I love my Qrunch Quinoa Burgers for lunch, of course I said “heck yea!”.  This is a newer small company that I love and believe in, and I’d like to introduce more people to their wonderfully healthy products.

Why do I love Qrunch so much? They are 100% Organic, non-GMO, #FreeFrom the top 8 allergens, gluten-free, kosher, powered by one of my favorite superfoods quinoa, made with only healthy ingredients, and versatile. They are also vegan.

All you have to do to enter is comment below with your favorite healthy/easy lunch ideas.  You’ll automatically be entered into a chance to win one of three prize packs with $20 worth of Qrunch Organics coupons.

 

 

Super Bowl Cocktails! Spicy Michelada

On By Cultivate WellnessIn cocktails, Cooking, eating, health, Recipes3 Comments

michelada

Nothing says “Super Bowl” like beer, am I right?  I like a good beer. But I’m also a lover of fun cocktails and I really enjoy trying new recipes.  Enter the Michelada.  It’s a sort of like a Bloody Mary made with beer instead of vodka.  For sure it’s an acquired taste.  But we are all adults still figuring stuff out are and willing to try new things, right?

I love spicy cocktails — jalapeños floating in my drinks make me happy.  So I am sharing a recipe for a Spicy Michelada.

The fun thing about this is drinking it at night instead of at brunch, like with a Bloody Mary.  If you think this is crazy, you wouldn’t believe the other things I do to keep my life on the edge.

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup kosher salt or margarita salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
2 limes, juiced (plus extra lime wedges to garnish)
2 cups light Mexican beer
2 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons hot sauce (Tabasco is a good choice)
1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and diced (optional)
Black pepper

METHOD:
1. After you’ve squeezed your limes for juice, use them to wet the rims of your glasses
2. Place salt, paprika and cayenne (if using) into a small bowl and whisk the ingredients together.  Pour onto a plate and rim glasses with salt mixture. Fill your glasses with ice.
3. Fill a large cocktail shaker or small pitcher partially with ice followed by the remaining ingredients, except for the jalapeno. Shake or stir until mixed. Divide mixture among the two prepared glasses and finish with lime wedges, black pepper and jalpaenos (if using). Serve.

I know what I’ll be trying this Sunday!

 

Confessional

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, wellness, yoga6 Comments

You know those confessionals that contestants in reality shows step into?  They sit down and pour their hearts out for all the world to hear.  Yeah, I would never do that.

I will, however, tell you what my New Year has been like so far.

  • I’ve said “no” to lots of things simply because I didn’t feel like saying “yes”.  I consider that a good thing.  It’s something I’ve been working on for, well my whole life.
  • I’ve continued to have a green smoothie nearly every day, and because of that I know I’m giving myself the benefit of high-quality nutrition.  It’s easy in winter to slip into eating only comfort foods.  I’m glad this has become a habit that I want to continue.
  • I’ve gotten some great outdoor exercise with friends in the form of snowshoeing and playing platform tennis.  The sunshine and fresh air really help my mood and disposition.
  • I have been enjoying my cooking adventures and have gotten some positive feedback from my family, which always makes me happy.

BUT

  • I’ll start by admitting that I haven’t been to yoga in like 9 months.  I know better.  I mean, I REALLY KNOW BETTER. Yoga for me is like popping some sort of magical focus and well-being pill.  It smooths out the edges and helps me think clearly and gives me a sense of equanimity I wouldn’t have otherwise.  So why haven’t I been?  It’s that thing of where you don’t do something and you don’t do something and you don’t do something and then all of a sudden it’s been so long it feels weird to go back.  Yeah, I need to get over that.
  • In exchange for my absence, I feel scattered and have had trouble focusing on my Nutrition Consultant schoolwork.  My notes are in like four different physical places.  I missed a crucial slide in a lecture.
  • I also have less energy and generally feel pretty blasé. This happens in winter.  I know this. Which is why I go to yoga.  My husband today said “You need to go back to yoga” and I’m like, “yeah, duh”.

So, who wants to place bets on how long it’ll take me to get into the studio again?  I’m pretty stubborn.

I’d love to hear from you.  How do you tackle those obstacles?  What things do you do that help with focus and energy? How is your 2016 going so far?

And one more thing before I go.  There are two blogs that I absolutely love.  The first, Word Savvy, is written by a good friend who is a brilliant writer and overall fantastic person.  Her musings on life and academia and literature always make me happy.

The second, Pronto Pup, is the most hilarious food blog you’ll ever encounter.  It’s dry and witty and totally NSFW in the best ways.  It is guaranteed to make you laugh and possibly snort, too.

Until next time!

 

BBQ Chicken, Spanish Style

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, eating, health, Health and wellness, Kids, Nutrition, Recipes, wellness4 Comments

Happy New Year!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and were able to spend time with people you love and doing things that you enjoy.  I got to go to a northwoods cabin with my family, where we sat by the fire reading, went ice skating, ate yummy food and just enjoyed being together.  I slept in, went to bed early, and didn’t focus on chores or being productive.  It was fantastic.

I focused more on holiday baking the last several weeks than I did on cooking anything unique. When I’m busy and hectic, usually the first thing to go is my creativity in cooking.  I’ll revert back to things that don’t take much thought of effort.

Last night, after feeling sufficiently rested, I got back to cooking recipes from Gwyneth’s cookbook.  I had dogeared a BBQ chicken recipe that looked good, so that’s where I started. The result was pretty great — the marinade was easy enough.

I prepared the marinade in the morning and after smothering the chicken in it, stuck it in the fridge for about 6 hours.

marinade
Super easy marinade for the chicken

That evening, instead of grilling the chicken in 20 degree weather, I opted to bake it and then put it under the broiler at the end for several minutes to get the skin browned and crispy.  The family liked it, although we all agreed it could use a bit more salt.  Next time I will sprinkle flaky sea salt on top before baking (or finishing salt at the end).

I served the chicken with sautéed mushrooms and roasted Brussels sprouts.

We all love Brussels sprouts in this house
Kiddo hates mushrooms, but husband and I love them

I feel comfortable recommending adding this dish to your rotation! It’s easy, flavorful, and a bit different than the usual baked chicken.

BBQ chicken spanish style
BBQ Chicken, Spanish Style

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

Large pinch of coarse sea salt

1 t freshly ground pepper

2 t hot pimentón (I used regular smoked paprika)

One 3-4 lb chicken, cut up (don’t remove skin, it’s the best part!)

METHOD:

Mix everything except the chicken in a bowl. Pour the paste all over the chicken pieces and massage it in, making sure to get it under the skin as well. Let the chicken sit in the marinade for an hour or two, or up to overnight. Bake at 375 for about 25-30 minutes until juices run clear.  Or, if it’s warm where you are, grill over low heat for 20 minutes on one side or until it’s firm to the touch and browned.

Hearty Lentil Soup

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, eating, health, Health and wellness, Nutrition, Recipes, wellness8 Comments

lentil soup

As soon as the weather turns cooler here in the north, I start to crave hearty soups.  I love them when they are full of vegetables because it means I don’t have to serve anything on the side except some crusty bread.  I have a favorite soup that I make all winter and fall that also happens to be a favorite of my family.  Whenever I tell my 11 year old that it’s what we are having for dinner, she gets really excited.

I was late to the lentil game, and now I can’t imagine what I did before them.  Lentils are so full of protein and fiber and really make a soup an entire meal in a bowl.  They felt intimidating to me for some reason.  Now that I know I just have to rinse them and pick out any super weird looking ones, I’m good to go.

This recipe is inspired by a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis.  Over the years I’ve made quite a few changes to it and I really do love my updated version. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons olive oil (or just do what I do which is to pour some in a pot till it looks like enough)
1 medium onion, chopped
4 carrots, washed & chopped (I seriously don’t even peel them, just scrub)
4 celery stalks, chopped
1 large potato or 2 small potatoes, cubed (again, don’t peel them)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 pound lentils (approximately 1 1/4 cups)
11 cups vegetable broth (I love Better Than Bouillon)
4 to 6 fresh thyme sprigs
Fresh spinach

METHOD:
Heat the oil in a heavy large pot over medium heat. I love to use my prized Le Creuset Dutch oven that I received one year for Christmas.  Add the onion, carrots, and celery and stir. Then, add the garlic, salt, and pepper and saute until all the vegetables are tender (about 5-8 minutes), stirring occasionally. Do not let vegetables burn. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the potatoes and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Add the lentils and mix to coat. Now, add the broth and stir. Nestle the thyme sprigs in the mix and then bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and simmer over low heat until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Taste the soup and add any additionally salt and pepper (or more bouillon if using) it needs.

Remove the thyme sprigs. Ladle the soup into bowls. Add a large handful of fresh spinach into the bowl and mix to wilt.  Serve with crusty warm bread.  We are partial to sourdough rolls or garlic bread.

Braised Chicken With Green Olives & Garlic

On By Cultivate WellnessIn Cooking, diet, eating, health, Health and wellness, Kids, Nutrition, Recipes6 Comments
braised chicken done
Braised Chicken with Olives + Lemon

Oh me oh my.  Gwyneth has gone and done it again.  This time with a braised chicken recipe from her cookbook that I made for dinner last night.  It was supposed to be for the family, but I forgot that my husband had his holiday work party and rather than wait until Sunday when we would all be together at dinner time again, I decided to make it for just me and my girl.  I’m so glad I did.

I keep hoping that Gwyneth will feature a recipe that I can report back and tell you was terrible.  Not because I want to cook bad food, but because little by little she is turning me from a frenemy to a friend.  At least where food is concerned.  I’m uncomfortable with that.  She’s a bazillionaire with a tenuous grasp on reality.  She thinks we all have hot pimentón spice from Spain and are down with the usage of the term “conscious uncoupling”.  I dunno, she just seems a bit untethered.  BUT.  BUT.  Up until now, her recipes are the bomb.  

Last night’s Braised Chicken With Green Olives + Lemon didn’t disappoint.  I was a bit worried about the olives.  I love love love any kind of olive.  The rest of my family not so much.  For this recipe I just kept them whole, but if you have a whole gaggle of olive lovers, I would dice them up.  I followed the recipe almost exactly because it didn’t have any insanely unique ingredients or directions.  Without further ado, I present Braised Chicken With Green Olives + Lemon:

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 chicken, cut up, room temperature (I used about 2 lbs, SKIN ON OR IT DIDN’T HAPPEN)

Coarse sea salt

Black pepper

2 T extra virgin olive oil

3 shallots, sliced into thin rings

1.5 cups chicken stock (I always use Better Than Bouillon)

2 garlic cloves, peeled and cut in half (next time I will, like, triple this)

10 large green olives, pitted

Leaves from one sprig of thyme (I just threw the whole sprig in there intact)

Juice of one lemon

METHOD:

Salt and pepper the chicken

Heat the olive oil in a large enameled cast iron pot (like a Dutch oven)

Cook the chicken until deeply browned, about 4-5 minutes. Turn chicken over and do the same thing. They should look like this:

braised chicken 1
Browned Chicken 

Add the shallots and cook, stirring often, until they soften, about another 4 minutes.

Add a splash of the chicken broth and scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan.

Add remaining chicken stock and scatter the garlic cloves, olives and thyme over the chicken.

Pour the lemon juice over everything and bring to a boil. Then turn the heat down as low as it will go and cover the pot, cooking for about an hour until the chicken is very tender. (If you have less time, be assured that I only cooked the chicken for about 35-40 minutes and it was well cooked and juicy and delicious).

Serve over rice, potatoes, or alongside a piece of bread.  I also served with roasted root vegetables.

This is the plated version which I hesitate to even show you because I put so little effort into it.  To be honest I was so excited to eat.

As always, please let me know what you think by leaving a comment.  I always appreciate a share as well!

braised chicken plated

THANKSGIVING

On By Cultivate WellnessIn baking, Cooking, diet, eating, health, Health and wellness, holiday, Nutrition, thanksgiving, wellness1 Comment

thanksgiving table

It’s Monday, and for Americans it’s also the week of Thanksgiving.  This is usually the week where we think and talk about food nonstop.  What will we make?  What will we eat?  What will we have for leftovers?  Pie. Casserole.  Marshmallows on top of sweet potatoes.  Stuffing (my FAVORITE).  It’s a bit overwhelming.

Many fitness and diet experts will give you all kinds of rules and tips to navigate the holidays.  And many of those tips and tricks sap all the fun out of everything.  Don’t eat carbs.  Don’t have gravy.  Skip the dinner roll.  Only have one glass of wine.  Calories in/calories out.

I say, forget that.  Remember that quote I posted last week about how it’s what you eat on a regular basis that counts?  

It's fine to socializeoccasionally with special food and drink.-2

It’s true.  Do you nourish your body with the good stuff more often than not?  Do you give yourself ample opportunities to eat fruits and veggies and drink lots of water?  Even if you answered no, are you really going to start doing this on THANKSGIVING?

Stressing yourself out and feeling anxious and guilty about what you eat messes with your stress hormones, which release into your body, flooding it with chemicals that will inhibit your digestion.  The stress hormone Cortisol is to blame for excess belly fat in many people.  So do me a favor (heck, do yourself the favor) and relax.  If you’re going to eat something decadent, do it with joy and happiness.  Don’t sneak it.  Don’t chew it up quickly and swallow the evidence before anyone has a chance to “catch” you.  Savor it. Enjoy every bite.  AND MOST OF ALL, LISTEN TO YOUR BODY. When it’s had enough, respect that and put the fork down. And for goodness sake, never, ever comment on how much someone else is eating, what their body looks like, or how it’s now time to “work off all those calories”. 

And the next day, enjoy a green smoothie as part of my Green Smoothie Challenge, a bit of exercise, some fresh air, and the company of the people around you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!