Brisbane Broccoli

Many years ago, before I really knew how to cook for myself, I lived in a house in Brisbane, Australia with six international flatmates, my roommate being the only other American and from Boston. About once a month, for the six months that we all lived together, we would host a large dinner party. Everyone had to cook something. The French dudes were in charge of sushi, the German girl always made this killer tangerine and cream dessert, and the two Americans (myself and my roomie) made several calzones and what would become one of the house's favorite dishes: broccoli and sesame salad, that which I'm now titling Brisbane Broccoli.

I can't quite remember all the ingredients to my roomie's original family dish, but I do remember there was A LOT of sugar added. Since I don't do refined white sugar these days, I am using agave as the substitute. And, since I have not even tried this dish in years, I have replicated the flavors to the best of my knowledge--and damn, it came out good! In fact, I have eaten 3 heads worth of Brisbane Broccoli in the past 24 hours! This is actually a really good dish for mom's with kids who don't like their veggies because the bitterness of the raw broccoli is balanced out by the dressing. Mmmm. So good.

Ingredients:

1 head Raw broccoli

1/2 Tbs Black sesame seeds

1 Tbs Agave nectar

1 Tbs Olive oil

1 Tbs Balsamic vinegar

Separate Broccoli heads into small pieces and put into a large bowl. Stir in sesame seeds, agave nectar, olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Stir, swirl, get everything coated and serve!

Depending on how much broccoli you use, adjust ratios of agave, olive oil, vinegar and seeds. I usually just drizzle each ingredient over the bowl of broccoli from side to side and back again. That seems to work :)

Gluten-free a Go-Go.

Photo Courtesy of NDSU Ag Comm

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending the Gluten Free Vendor Fair and Fundraiser in Suffolk County, New York. Between the 60 gluten-free vendors and restaurants and all the celiacs, it was a crazy packed space. Good thing I walked away with a giant bag of goodies! Most everything I sampled was delicious. Taste and texture were not compromised. Some things I will pass on in the future. But, for the purpose of this post I'll focus on the fair's highlights. 

1. Lucy's Cookies by Dr. Lucy's LLC, Norfolk, Virginia - Honestly, the super cute packaging is what caught my eye and drew me over to this vendor's table. But, once I got there, I saw (and tasted) how awesome these cookies are! No Peanuts, Tree Nuts, Milk nor Eggs. Baked in the U.S. of A. Non-GMO, Vegan, Kosher & of course, Gluten-Free. There are a few organic ingredients in there too. After my workout today I (don't tell anyone) gobbled up my sample bag of Maple Cookies at 120 calories, 4.5g Fat, 18g Carbohydrates and 2g Protein a serving (3 cookies.)

2. think Thin Bars by thinkThin - I was never really a fan of thinkThin bars primarily because they didn't serve my athletic needs; however, after having tried some samples and reading their packaging I would now purchase a bundle of these bars as emergency snacks for the car or purse. Their protein bars, using the Crunchy Peanut one for example, while high-er in fat content (8g) are low in carbs (10g) and high in protein (20g). Vegans beware: these bars do contain WHEY PROTEIN ISOLATE.

3. Way Better Snacks Sprouted Chips by Live Better Brands, LLC- Hells Yeah these are way better chips (pun intended)! What's better about these chips? (besides the fact that they taste awesome) They are made with organic sprouted flax seeds, organic sprouted quinoa, organic sprouted brown rice flour, organic sprouted daikon radish seeds, organic sprouted chia seeds and organic sprouted broccoli seeds, and they aren't made with any crap that can't be pronounced! Woo-hoo!

4. Rudi's Gluten-Free Tortillas - Not yet on the shelves in the East Coast but wildly popular in California, Rudi's Bakery from Boulder, Colorado is launching not one but three flavors of gluten-free tortillas: Plain, Spinach and Fiesta! Gluten-free fiesta, oh yeah.

5. Everybody Eats Breads, Brooklyn, New York - I sampled something pretty extraordinary from this company: white and whole wheat style baguettes that taste just like white and whole wheat baguettes! They also sell bagels, pizza crust, ravioli shells, deli rolls, cookies and bread. Everybody Eats brings the best of Brooklyn to you in nine states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Georgia, Maryland, and Florida.

6. Bob and Ruth's Dining and Travel Club - Ever find yourself on a trip where everything is amazing except the food? Try having food allergies or being a Vegan. Fortunately, Bob and Ruth of Bob and Ruth's Dining and Travel Club make sure all your gluten-free needs are met before you go on your next vacation. Bob and Ruth have several group trips already planned throughout the year that include destinations to the Orient, Central America, North America and the Mediterranean--and they are all gluten-free. They extensively research and review all menus before each trip and make sure that the quality of the meal is never compromised. I travel a lot and this seemed like a pretty good gig.

March Favorites

Lots of 'Favorites' this month! Got some hot workout gear, eco-friendly beauty products and a killer foot bath!

First up: CLOTHING

Image Copyright 2012 Michi

Michi Workout Wear - WOW. Can workout gear get any hotter? MOVE OVER Lulu Lemon, a new girl's in town.

PRODUCTS:

Burt's Bees Ultra Conditioning Lip Balm with Kokum Butter - I'm usually not a fan of Burt's Bees because their products don't nourish my lips and skin like many others do, but this ultra conditioning stick really helped my cracked chapped skiing lips heal in one week.

Tired Old Ass Soak: A Bath for Exhaustion by Little Moon Essentials - This company from Steamboat, Colorado makes a killer bath soak, and the essential oils in this product instantly cleared my lungs. Oh, and what beats a name like, "Tired Old Ass Soak!"

Detox Foot Bath by Not the Same - Another WOW. Soak your feet for 20 minutes in this clay bath and you will feel like you are walking on ice for the next hour. This is the perfect soak for after a long run, marathon or just when you're feeling a bit swollen.

Pangea Organics Facial Scrub in Egyptian Geranium with Adzuki Bean and Cranberry - Not sure how I feel about the strength of the product, but the scent is AMAZING. This little 1oz sample is the perfect addition to a weekender or overnight bag. Use it as a body scrub too! *btw, get three FREE samples when you place an order of $75 or more.

No-Miss Ltd., Inc. Almost Natural Nail Polish Remover and Nail Polish - Since our skin is our body's biggest organ, let's treat it with products that are as natural as possible. Therefore, if you like to wear nail polish and need to use nail polish remover, try these products by No-Miss. No-Acetone. No Ethyl Acetate. No. Formaldehyde, Toluene, Dibutyl-Pthalate or Camphor. No Harsh Oder.

FOOD:

KYO-Green Powdered Drink Mix/Energy - Start your day with a boost of energy greens by throwing a teaspoon of this into a large glass of warm water. I drink this every morning just in case I don't get all of my servings of green veggies for the day. Includes Young Barley Grass, Young Wheat Grass, Brown Rice, Chlorella, Kelp and FOS (from chicory root).

Enjoy!

Trappings of a Traveler: The Portable Gym

I am no stranger to travel. I'm also no stranger to visiting places without a gym. Fortunately, a pair of running shoes and a safe area to explore usually do the trick.

If you are one of those people that prefer not to run and you don't have a gym available to you then this list of gear I call "The Portable Gym" will help you stay prepared and fit on your next travel adventure.

The Gear

• 1 pair of Sneakers - My personal favorite to bring when traveling is definitely Brooks Green Silence. Super lightweight. Biodegradable sole. Good for running, aerobics or lifting.
• TRX Pro Kit - Who needs free weights when you have your body weight?
• Jump Rope - Burn 500-1,000 calories an hour with this sucker.
• Deflateable Hand Weights - Here is a link to AquaBells(R) though they have mixed reviews on Amazon.
• Anti-bacterial Yoga mat - Check this one out by SilverMat(TM)
• Water bottle - Save the environment and purchase one of these self-filtering bottles by Camelbak and Bobble

The Clothes

• 1 pair wicking shorts
• 1 pair 3/4 length yoga/running pants
• 2 wicking tank tops
• 1 reversible sports bra - If you want to change up your outfit.
• 2 pair socks
• 1 lightweight wicking long sleeved shirt or jacket

The Miscellaneous

• Gym Bag with attachable mat harness - like this beauty from OGorgeous.
• 1 Small Towel
• Antibacterial Mat and Equipment Spray - Here is a popular one from Barefoot Yoga.
• Electrolyte Tabs and Protein Recovery Travel Packs - I like these natural hydration tabs from Nuun and Vega's revamped line of sports pre and post workout performance powders.

If you are a runner or like to venture outside you may want to consider taking the following...

• Hat (wicking with brim or skullcap for cold winter days)
• Arm Warmers
• Gloves
• Camelbak small backpack
• Water belt

Enjoy!

More to Life than a Diet.

by: LAUREN FAB

Recently, I traveled back to my home state of New Jersey from sunny West Palm Beach, Florida. Normally, as soon as I land, the first thing I do is hit the grocery store for all of the food in the regimen I follow. This includes water, fish, chicken, vegetables, nuts and berries. For some reason, this trip was a little different…I didn’t give a thought to going anywhere. I was
just glad to be back. I did NOT follow any type of Diet Regimen, time schedule or anything remotely close to what I “normally do”. I ate what I wanted when I wanted to. I indulged in a few guilty pleasures of breads, chocolate, fries, pizza, chips, you name it, I ate it. The difference in my trip this time was that I was not hard on myself or guilty at all for falling off of my diet. And, as a result of that mindset, I did NOT gorge myself.

In recent months, I had been more strict with my eating habbits than usual as I anticipated my trip home, because there were a few instances that I ate so much at home I was sick for two days! One time in particular I had two bowls of ice cream with chocolate lava underneath, eight cookies, and four pieces of bread, and that was all after having a full meal. I was so upset at myself because I had been eating so well and seeing changes in my body, and then, completely sabotaged myself. Therefore, before my recent trip to New Jersey I intended to break the cycle once and for all.

In the past I was an overachiever, over analyzer and overeater, but since the realization took place that there is NO need to be so hard on myself to the point that one day I snap and go nuts---well, that is water under the bridge. Of course, I love to be in shape. When I eat healthy I feel great, but eating healthy and being in shape were basically the only things I focused on in life. Ultimatey, I caused myself to be stressed out to the breaking point time and time again.

I don’t know if anyone else out there feels the way I do, but I learned a valuable lesson this week. It’s okay to enjoy myself, family, and friends, indulge a bit and NOT feel guilty. I'll then go back to my normal routine without the added pressure I so often put on myself to be perfect (i.e. get rid of the cellulite in the back of my legs, the little extra in my inner thighs, have washboard abs.)

Don’t get me wrong, proper diet and exercise is VERY important to me and I’m sure it is for you as well or you wouldn’t be reading this, but, I felt this was an important topic to bring to light. It’s a personal struggle that I was dealing with for longer than I can even remember, and I never acknowledged it. I would eat clean for weeks or even months and then I would gorge on food. Sabotaging myself for a few days or even a week, followed by trying to eat perfect in order to live up to some ridiculous standard in my head. Just as I would see positive changes in my body the cycle would start again.

This trip I spent time with friends and family, ate what I wanted when I wanted to and did not gain an ounce! This may be a fluke and of course the second I got home I was back on my new NO PRESSURE regimen, but I feel relieved for the first time that food and weight were not my focus for a whole five days.