Get Strong, Stay Young

Here I am again touting the benefits of exercise. I do so from personal experience and dedication.

Six months ago I started Upper Body Strength Training. I've been lifting light weights in 12 different exercises twice a week since September of 2009. When I first started I was using 3 and 5 pound weights, doing 3 sets of 8 reps. Now, six months later, with a nicely toned and firmer upper body (shoulders, arms, pecs, upper back) I look sleek. But more importantly I FEEL FABULOUS! I'm now lifting 8 and 10 pound weights, 12 reps, 3 sets.


Eating good, healthy food and getting exercise that includes cardio work and strength training has been my fountain of youth. I swear by it because I feel great!

A good thing to do in the morning.......

Breakfast is so important -- don't skip it.. If you don't have much time, try any one of these quick morning delights and make it a regular thing.....as they are highly beneficial to your general health and well being. Notice that each of the following meals combines fiber, protein and fruit.
Breakfast meal #1
Fruit and Toast - yes, it's that simple, and healthy if you purchase a high quality fiber/protein bread like "Milton's Multi Grain". Toast one or two slices and spread Trader Joe's Sunflower Seed butter on it. Also eat one whole piece of fresh fruit, or slice two different fruits and eat half of each. I like to slice half an organic red apple, and a kiwi. I put the remaining half in an airtight container in the refrigerator and have it the next morning.
Breakfast meal #2
Morning cocktail meal - squeeze 1 whole grapefruit. Add it to your blender. Add in 1/2 cup blueberries, one cup soy milk, rice milk or almond milk, and 3 tablespoons freshly ground flaxseeds. Blend very well on high. (Adjust quantities for your personal preference for a thin or thicker drink). There are unlimited variations you can make, get creative!
Breakfast meal #3
Fiber meal - oatmeal is probably one of the best things you can eat in the morning. I do not reommend instant flavored oatmeal as it is loaded with who knows what. Use regular oatmeal and cook following the package directions. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds atop. Enjoy with a glass of fresh fruit juice.
Breakfast meal #4
Brown Rice breakfast - prepare one or two servings of brown organic basmatic rice (takes about 40 minutes but you can cook it while getting ready for your day). Do not add salt. Serve with Paul Braggs Amino Acid. (If you've never tried this you are in for a treat. It's sort of like soy/tamari, but a lot healthier for you.) Enjoy this with a piece of your favorite fruit.
Breakfast #5
One egg delight - soft or hard boil one egg, make a slice of toast and spread with Brummel and Brown Yogurt butter and enjoy a slice of fresh fruit with it.

Notice there are no bagels here! And there are no unhealthy mystery meats. The above 5 breakfast selections are designed for busy people who want high nutrition, low salt and low calorie foods.

Start your day off right and you are sure to enjoy it even more.

A Healthy New Year's Resolution: Eat more broccoli

In the top ten of the world's most healthiest foods is broccoli. Eaten regularly, along with other healthy foods it is touted to help reduce heart disease. That's enough to make me want to eat it, however being the vegetable lover that I am, I eat it because I love it. Usually I lightly steam it and eat it as a side to whatever dish I'm having. Sometimes I eat it raw or simply blanched. And, here's my secret: I drink the water it is steamed in. Yes, that's right.....I drink the broccoli broth. It's actually more like a tea in that it is very subtle in flavor. I'm convinced it holds much of the nutrients from the broccoli.

A few tips about broccoli:

• when buying broccoli, select florets that are dark green, even bluish or purplish green, because they contain a higher concentration of beta-carotene then pale green or yellowish-green florets. Select broccoli that is firm and not limp.
  
• consume both the stems and the leaves as they are good sources of nutrients as well -- the stems are high in fiber and the leaves are high in beta-carotene.
• when cooking broccoli it is best to peel off the tough outer layer of the stem before cooking (use a potato peeler). Slice them into medium size pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes before adding the florets; add the leaves along with the florets.

Don't throw away those stems and leaves.... enjoying them will not only give you added flavor and nutrition, but more broccoli for your buck! And, make it a nutritious ritual to drink the broth.

Reinventing Beet Soup

Vibrant red beets are rich in nutrients and flavor. I've been making comfort soups lately and have developed a new twist on beet soup. The following recipe which I embellished from my former beet soup recipe (which my Mom really loved) is rich, creamy and filled with healthy ingredients.

Red Velvet Beet Soup

Sort of a mix between Russian Borscht and Vegetarian beet/tomatoe/red pepper soup.

• 3 medium fresh beets
• 1 whole head garlic
• EVOO
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 small jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 red pepper, finely chopped
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp honey
• 1 ½ cups vegetable broth
• ½ cup light coconut milk
• 1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes, pureed in blender

Wash and cube beets. Cut top off head of garlic. Toss both in a tablespoon of EVOO. Spread out on baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes @ 350. Check for doneness – both beets and garlic should be soft. Remove from oven – allow to cool. Squeeze garlic out of it’s sleeves and set aside.
In a medium/large pot, sauté onion, jalapeno and red pepper in EVOO until soft. Stir in salt, ginger, honey, both broths and tomatoes. Add beets, roasted garlic. (Add more broth if necessary). Bring to boil, lower heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then puree half the soup in blender. Mix back into soup pan and re-heat.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and kosher salt.

And she loved beets ......

My dear Mother passed away recently. Her strength gave out to cancer, but her courage never died.
Mom had a quick wit, a wonderful sense of humor and as a member of the "Senior Advisory Board" for the City of West Hollywood, she carved new territory with her passionate stands on various senior advocacy issues. And, she loved the Russian beet soup known as "borscht". When I was a youngster, she served me cold borscht and I loved it. A lot of kids would turn there noses up to "cold beet soup", but not me......I was a true health foodie back then too. And so, I dedicate the following recipe to "Shirley".

This is a wonderfully robust and vibrant Beet Soup, (in a very different style from borscht), served hot.

3 medium fresh beets
1 whole head garlic
EVOO
1 onion, finely chopped
1 red pepper, finely chopped
1 tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp honey
1 ½ to 2 cups vegetable broth
1 – 15 oz can diced tomatoes, pureed in blender

Wash and cube beets. Cut top off head of garlic. Toss both in EVOO. Spread out on baking sheet lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Bake for 50 minutes @ 350. Check for doneness – both beets and garlic should be soft. Remove from oven – allow to cool. Squeeze garlic out of it’s sleeves and set aside.
In a medium/large pot, sauté onion and red pepper in EVOO until soft. Stir in salt, ginger, honey, broth and tomatoes. Add beets, roasted garlic. (Add more broth if necessary). Bring to boil, lower heat, simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool, then puree half the soup in blender. Mix back into soup pan and re-heat.

I will miss you Mom....may you rest in peace

A new friend and a new recipe

I recently had the pleasure of meeting a kindred spirit named Kelly. Kelly is an active fitness and outdoor lover as well as a voracious healthy food eater so it's not hard to see why we hit it off. Yesterday she took me to a wonderful restaurant right in Westwood Village called "Native Foods". It's a Vegan restaurant, probably the best I've been to. We had an amazing portobella sandwich and a "bowl" of Moroccan flavored vegetables. It was just so delicious. Eating these healthy foods makes me feel good, full of energy and vitality.

After my Upper Body work out this morning I went home and made hummus. Since I don't care for things packed in cans, I buy bulk organic garbanzo beans at the health food store and I soak them overnight. Then I drain and rinse them real good. Then I add enough water to cover by 2" and I simmer for nearly an hour till they are tender but not mushy. Rinse well and drain. I store these air tight in the refrigerator for up to a week. I throw them in salads. I also spread some out on a cookie sheet and roast them (OMG, ask me for this recipe if you're interested). Today I decided to make hummus but I realized I only had about 1/3 cup of cooked garbanzo beans left, so I got the bright idea to make the hummus as usual but to also add 1/3 cup raw sunflower seeds while processing. OMG......it was fabulous. I sliced up some organic carrots, Persian cucumbers and celery and had myself a little hummus platter for lunch. I LOVE TO COOK, AND I LOVE TO EAT. YAY!

For my next culinary trick I'm going to create bean cakes using the garbanzo beans. Perhaps I will top them with a homemade pesto sauce. Should be interesting! Did I mention I love to cook. he...he...he...

Strong Women (and Men) Stay Young

Most of you know how passionate I am about staying fit. In my twenties I did it because I was a bundle of energy and loved to play tennis and jog.  In my thirties I did it because I wanted to stay fit and thin.  In my forties I did it because I wanted to prove to myself that I still had what it takes.  Now, in my fifties, I do it for all those reasons AND to stay strong and young feeling.  Guess what?  It's working!

This is a fact:  "When older adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and self-esteem improve, which has a strong impact on their overall quality of life."

I have been practicing strength training focusing on the Upper Body and I notice that not only has my tone improved, my attitude has improved.  I'm usually  pretty positive, and now I am finding it a lot easier to stay consistently positive.  With all the "negative news" (even when we log on to our default web browser we see awful headlines) it's important to stay positive.  All sorts of things can be happening around us with our loved ones, our jobs (or lack thereof), our finances....but the one thing we must do is hold to a positive attitude.  I say this because if we do something that empowers our strength, we will definitely feel more positive about our lives and whatever it is that we are going through.

So, once again, I will say:  take care of your body, mind and spirit......eat right and get exercise REGULARLY

Eat Right, Stay Fit

The greatest and most beneficial health reform shall come when we regularly eat healthier foods. When the fast food craze began many years ago no one knew how badly it would effect our health. We are now seeing obesity, poor health and medical costs rising at an alarming rate due to the high percentage of processed, "empty" nutrient foods and lack of physical exercise. It's time to educate our people and make it easier for them to eliminate those low-nutrient, fatty, salty, sugary foods that have harmed our health. I began eating 6-8 servings a day of fruits and vegetables as a teenager, and now in my fifties, I am healthy, strong and energetic. I must attribute this to my regular intake of fruits, vegetables and whole grains as well as the fact that I walk/jog/hike 20 miles a week. I encourage people of all ages and stages to eat fruits and vegetables regularly and partake in a minimum of four hours of moderate exercise every week. Just do it!  And if you need help or support doing it, please consider joining me in weekly walks/hikes and upper body lite weight work outs. 

I just might have what it takes to be ................... "The Next Food Network Star"

My recent audition in Hollywood required that I do a video clip showing me, my personality, my cooking and why I want to be "The Next Food Network Star". What do you think?

Another Great Summer......

July marks my second anniversary of blogging. It’s been a wonderful writing experience……and from it I decided to write a cookbook. So, I joined a writer’s group which has been great support in keeping me on track with the book. I’m very excited about this -- the book is close to being finished. The premise of the book is to inspire single people to cook for themselves AND ENJOY IT! With everyone watching their finances and their waistlines these days and still interested in enjoying great food, I gear “The California Singles Cookbook” to eating healthy at home for way less than dining out so often. We all know how expensive it is to eat out and the tips and recipes in my book will show singles how to have fun cooking for themselves, to prepare easy, healthy dinners and lunches. For instance, in my book I show how to cook one evening a week and have three to four meals from it. And, I show how to use FRESH ingredients without having to purchase all those higher-priced pre-made, pre-packaged foods (you know, the ones you buy at Trader Joes….that go bad in two days). We all know how nutritious salads and vegetables are and when they are purchased fresh (instead of in a plastic bag….which, by the way…..makes the food taste like plastic), you’ll be consuming a healthy diet, save money and even lower your weight and body fat.

This week I am very happy to be cooking lunches and dinners for my friend as she recovers from serious knee surgery and is confined to a brace and crutches. Here’s a glimpse of the 3-day meal plan.

Tuesday

Lunch – Asian broccoli slaw with sesame dressing served on a bed of shredded Napa and Bok Choy cabbage.

Dinner – Roast Cuban Chicken, black beans and Cuban rice (we love garlic!!!)

Wednesday

Lunch – Mediterranean lentil salad (with fresh seasonal chopped vegetables, plated with fresh organic spinach)

Dinner – Red Topper Meat Loaf (a sun-dried tomato topping sauce) and roasted seasonal fresh vegetables

Thursday

Lunch – Organic black bean soup and small green salad with lime-cilantro vinaigrette

Dinner – Stuffed Pastilla chilies served with Spanish rice

Are you hungry yet?

Many thanks to all my friends, family and clients who have encouraged and supported me as I build my Personal Cheffing business and feed you with only the finest, healthiest and delicious healthy gourmet meals.