don't fear your appetite!

“We are genetically like different breeds of dogs, but we can't tell what breed we are by sight. You have to tell your "breed" by the weight that you turn out to be when you are living a good life.”- Deb Burgard (in The Fat Studies Reader by Esther Rothblum and Sondra Solovay)

This quote was first introduced to me in a book I read for one of my public health classes, about the Health at Every Size movement. Now, I’ll admit that reading this quote out of context probably doesn’t resonate as well as it does were it in-context. But what it essentially is getting at is this: we are not all born to be effortlessly thin, and fit. We are not all natural greyhounds. Some of us are born St.Bernards—muscular, strong and built. For anybody who knows anything about dogs: is it likely that a St. Bernard will start to look like a greyhound if you stop feeding it? Probably not. In fact, that St. Bernard will probably be really sad.

Interestingly enough, the same applies to humans. When we deny ourselves food, we become hungry, angry (hangry), tired, weak, and really sad, among other things. What I love about the Health at Every Size movement is that its goal is to promote a healthier lifestyle, not to lose weight. If healthy weight loss comes as a result, awesome—if not, awesome!

For the sake of not being preachy, I will leave you with the following TED Talk,and the link to Health at Every Size. Don't fear your appetite! 

 

mason jar parfait

While I know that throwing some Greek yogurt in a mason jar with some fruit isn’t exactly a recipe—I do think it’s an idea worth sharing. This is something that I have been doing for the past few months for a number reasons. For one, I love plain Greek yogurt.  Its filling—it has about 17g of protein per serving (to put protein in perspective, two eggs has about 7 grams), it has a tartness that makes it perfect for mixing in other sweet things, and it’s a source of calcium.  It makes me feel good!

But realistically, I make these mason jars because they’re easy to throw in the fridge for a week’s worth of breakfast. When I first started changing my eating habits, I found that starting off with a meal like this made it a lot easier to eat right throughout the rest of the day. For one, I am not a morning person, and with this lifestyle comes waking up and running out the door before you’ve had a chance to eat. For many of you who are accustomed to this, you also know that this means you stop at Dunks and grab a bagel or donut with your morning coffee.

 Starting off the day with highly palatable and tasty bagels and pastries? Nope, it’s all over. I’ll be on an irreversible downward escalator for the rest of the day. But! Wake up and spot this treat in the fridge –pre made and looking beautiful – it’s a no brainer.

What you need:

• Mason jars—the size of your choice
• Fruit of your choice (berries work great) 
• Nuts or granola of your choice

Combine them all together in a way that looks nice. This is pretty important because if you spot something in your fridge that doesn’t have that aesthetic appeal, it might be easier than you think to shut the fridge and head to dunks.

spinach quinoa cakes

Okay, so I know quinoa (and grains in general) might be on the up-and-out right now according to all you food-fad-followers and super-food enthusiasts. First kale was the new spinach, now cauliflower is the new kale, blah blah blahhh. No—I don’t like any of it. First of all, spinach will always hold a special place in my heart (not that I dislike kale, that’s just the nerdy nutrition student in me), and second of all, regardless of the whole ‘grains are bad’ controversy--quinoa is still immensely good for you. Carbs for our little brains, protein for our muscles, and whole grains for fiber and other good stuff.  

Taste on the other hand, is a different story. Maybe some of you health nuts out there can eat quinoa by the spoonful and lovingly enjoy every second of it—but not I. I actually really hate the taste of quinoa. That’s why I mash up as many veggies, nuts (yes nuts) and other flavors as possible into these quinoa patties. Realistically, all you need for this recipe is four eggs to every one-cup of uncooked quinoa, and the rest is up to you.

What you need:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup cheese (mozzarella, parmesan, whatever) 
• 1/2 cup shaved carrots (or less, or more, if you like carrots)
• 2 cups chopped spinach (or kale, or whatever you like)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds
• 2 cloves garlic, minced  (or more, or less--do you see a pattern here?)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. olive oil 

Steps:

First cook the quinoa—put the cup of uncooked quinoa in a pot/ pan with 2 cups of water. Let it cook for about 20 minutes or until the quinoa has absorbed all the water.

Next, let this cool! I tend to get excited when I’m cooking, and don’t have the patience to let things cool, but trust me its wise to do so with this recipe.

After the quinoa has cooled, combine all of your chopped, shaven, diced, minced and other ingredients into the bowl. Be sure to whisk the eggs first and then pour them in.

Stir this mixture around until it is soft—it should not be runny. But, lucky for you, if it is runny, this can be fixed! Simply throw the bowl in the fridge for a few minutes, or pour out the mixture into a muffin tin, and then stick that in the fridge. (This is what happens when you get too excited and you mix everything in while the quinoa is still hot). The muffin tin actually makes a nice patty shape that’s easy to pop onto the skillet once they’ve firmed up.

Once you have your quinoa mixture, scoop out about ¼ cup sized patties, and cook them on the skillet like you would little mini pancakes. Flip them after a few minutes, and eat up.

(Side bar: would go great with a slice of cheese or a fried egg on top)

bluberry coconut oatmeal

These oats are top notch. The blueberries and vanilla extract provide the sweetness that you might typically achieve through brown sugar, only they’re better, for (hopefully) obvious reasons. Also they’re purple, which should be enough to win anybody over. But if not, then the abundance of fiber, high-calcium almond milk, and every other healthful component (fruit, nuts, etc) of this meal should make you realize that it’s a better option than your lame bagel and cream cheese. Basically: no constipation, you’ll make it to lunch without passing out, and you’re getting some nutrients—what more do you need? 

What you need: 

• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup fresh blueberries
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1.5 tbsp. cup shredded coconut
• Handful sliced almonds 
• 2 cups almond milk

Steps:

1. Combine raw oats and almond milk in a pot on the stove low-medium heat. 
2. When oats begin to turn creamy and simmer, stir in the blueberries, vanilla extract and coconut.
3. Continue to stir until blueberries turn soft and begin to burst, turning the oats a light purple color. 
4. Once oatmeal has thickened into medium-thick consistency, let cool 2-3 minutes, toss almonds on top, and serve warm with other fruit if desired.

spiced toasted oats

This granola is fan-freakintastic. With all of its of healthy fats, protein and just a little bit of spice (which can be tweaked to your liking) it can be a healthful alternative to unhealthy breakfast cereals, or a perfect mid-afternoon snack. The mildly sweet, cinnamon-apple flavors complement the tartness of plain Greek yogurt or cottage cheese beautifully. (Side bar: great to share with friend-hopefuls, co-workers you don’t hate, or someone you’re trying to trick into marrying you.)

What you need: 

• 2-3 cups rolled oats 
• 1.5 cups raw, unsalted mixed nuts
• 1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
• 1 cup apple juice (or 1.5 cups apple sauce) 
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp ginger powder
• pinch of: nutmeg, salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon powder (or 1 whole cinnamon stick) 
• 1/2 cup dried fruit (if you want) 

Steps: 

1. Combine apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt and vanilla into a pan on low heat. Let simmer 10 minutes. 
2. Combine oats, coconut, and mixed nuts into a bowl. Pour the heated contents of the pan over the dry mixture. 
3. Toss until all oats are thoroughly coated. 
4. Heat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Lay parchment paper over a baking sheet. Spread the mixture across the pan, make sure to create an even, thin layer to ensure all the oats are toasted. 
5. Bake for 45-60 minutes, making sure to move the granola around every fifteen minutes to ensure crunchiness. 
6. (If adding dried fruit, add it in 10 minutes before the granola is done). 
7. Let cool, and enjoy with cottage cheese, yogurt, almond milk, or just by itself!

 

grille style stuffed portobellos

 Nothing speaks more to the soul of a vegetarian than the savory flavors of a stuffed portobello mushroom fresh off the grill. With their abundance of vitamins, and perfect hollow bellies, mushrooms make the perfect home for a jumble of delicious veggies topped with melted mozzarella cheese. The contents of the stuffing is essentially whatever you choose, but spinach, zucchini and basil doused in balsamic vinegar is a perfect summer combo.  

What you need: 

• 4 Portobello mushrooms
• 2 cups chopped spinach
• 1 cup quartered zucchini (of your choice)
• 1 tbsp olive oil, plus enough for rubbing the mushrooms
• 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup pine nuts 
• 1/4 cup chopped basil
• as much shredded cheese as your little heart desires 

Steps: 

1. Combine olive oil, balsamic vinegar, (salt and pepper to taste if you so please), and mix well. Add spinach, basil, and toss until evenly coated in the mixture.
2. Prep a sauté pan on medium heat. Add the quartered zucchini to the pan, and simmer until they begin to soften. 
3. Add the spinach mixture to the pan, toss in pine nuts, and let sit just until the spinach begins to wilt.
4.  Heat grill to medium- high. Rub the mushroom caps with olive oil. The oil will soak into the cap, but try to make sure there is an even coat if you can. 
5. Grill mushrooms cap-side up for 2-3 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and fill the inside with the sautéed mixture. Top off the caps with shredded cheese of choice, let grill for 7-8 minutes, and enjoy!

gluten free: strawberry blueberry scones

When I was first told by my dietician that the only way to feel better would be to cut gluten, a piece of my soul shriveled up and died. For those of you with IBS or other gluten-related issues, you know that gluten free breads fall apart, crumble all over your plate, and are essentially tasteless. If it doesn't fall apart--then its most likely jam packed with tons of other junk to make it stick together--which is also no good for those of us with IBS. But deep down (in your belly) lies that nagging itch--you know cutting gluten is maybe one of the only ways to truly feel better. It is for all of you, that I post these scones. 

3 Reasons I love these:

They taste like actual scones. Other people in my family want to eat them. And they're very easy to bake (this is very important--I struggle with the oven).

What you need: 

• 1/2 cup fresh strawberries (chopped)
• 1 cup fresh blueberries
• 3 1/4 cups gluten free flour. (Be sure to get a cup-for-cup style of gluten free flour, as not all of them are. I learned this the hard way.)
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar 
• 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3/4 cups cold butter (if you want to replace the butter for a fat free substitute, apple sauce works well)
• 1 cup almond milk (original/plain)
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• parchment paper 

Steps: 

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees. Combine dry ingredients into a large mixing bowl, add in the butter (or apple sauce) slowly and mix with fingers or food processor until large clumps and crumbs are formed. 
2. Add almond milk and vanilla extract, and continue to stir until a dough forms. Don't be alarmed if it doesn't resemble exactly your typical dough, as it is gluten free flour. 
3. Mix in berries, kneading with hands until they are even throughout.
4. Roll dough in a light coating of flour, cut into 3 inch disks, about 3/4 inch thick. Place on baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Bake 15 minutes until golden. Let cool 2-3 minutes.

(adapted from a recipe from treehugger.com)