How are you doing? What a challenging time for all of us right now. We are faced with the unimaginable. Between many moods, I'm having moments of calm and appreciation for our collective generosity, creativity and humanity. How about you? I'm blown away by our selfless health care workers, the shared music, art, and performances all over the web, the fundraising, mask donations, humor, and the plethora of fun cooking demos.

More than ever, creativity in the kitchen can be an important boost to our health, mood and taste buds. With limited options in my pantry at the moment (not wanting to go to the store much these days), mealtime calls for some clever tweaking. I thought I'd share what's been keeping it interesting over here.

I'm a recipe collector. Recipes are the foundation for much of my inspiration – swapping out proteins, gluten, dairy and inflammatory oils for healthier options that my body favors. With that process of tweaking and my current kitchen resources, necessity really has become the mother of invention. The result: new soup, entree and dessert ideas to share.

• Cashew Cream Spinach Crêpes. Who remembers the amazing creamed spinach crêpes at the Magic Pan restaurant in New York City? I had a hankering for them last week. From a New York Times recipe for an egg, ham and cheese buckwheat galette, came my gluten-free, dairy-free, healthful cashew creamed spinach crêpes.  Read on for my recipe.
• Dessert Crêpes. There were a few unfilled buckwheat crêpes leftover. Filled with organic Nutella-like chocolate coconut spread, or with nut butter and banana slices, they made excellent dessert crêpes. 
• Miso Veggie Noodle Soup. Last week, I yearned for a healthful, warming lunch. Scavenging the fridge and pantry, I found miso paste, chard, tofu and Miracle Noodles –  ta da! Sliced and sautéed chard strips and tofu added to a simple miso soup, plus boiled Miracle Noodles became a hearty, healthful soup. (Note: If you haven't yet tried shirataki noodles like these, it's time. Made from a resistant starch – great for the microbiome – these fun noodles offer fiber with zero carbs.)
• Lemon Chicken with a Chickpea Twist. Dried out falafel balls became a crumb coating for my lemon chicken. Into the food processor they went with some added thyme and salt. Visit my Instagram page for this inspiration.
• Up-leveled "Tuna" Noodle Casserole. Frozen sautéed salmon, steamed chard and Miracle Noodles became a modern-day, healthier version of a tuna-noodle casserole. The showstopper toppers: caramelized onions, toasted sesame seeds and dressing for 2 servings – 2 T sesame oil, 2 T olive oil, 2 T rice wine vinegar, 1 T mirin, 1 T tamari or gluten-free soy sauce, 1 t white miso paste. Whisk! Find this on my Instagram too.
• Warm salad. Since the quarantine, I've been heating raw leafy greens to protect us from the virus. Craving salad, I combined sautéed arugula and zucchini with raw sliced avocado topped with a lemon vinaigrette: In a ball jar combine 1 part lemon juice, 2 parts olive oil, a teaspoon of mustard, salt and pepper. Shake. 

Cashew Cream Spinach Crêpes
Do you remember the Seinfeld episode when the Cubans rolled the crêpes too tightly? It was at an NYC crêpe restaurant, The Magic Pan, which was a childhood treat for me. And there, creamed spinach crêpes were my hands down favorites. Now gluten- and dairy-intolerant, I created this healthful version free of these food sensitivity triggers. Make the batter the day before you want to serve them.

Serves 3-4

Print recipe

Ingredients

Crêpes:
1 1/2 c buckwheat flour
3 jumbo or 4 large eggs
1 3/4 c water
1/2 t salt

Olive oil spray for cooking in pan

Filling:
1 c cashews
​3/4 c water
juice of 1 lemon
1/3 t salt
1/8 t ground nutmeg, optional
1 16-oz package frozen chopped spinach

Directions
Combine all crêpe ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk until smooth. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Make the filling by thawing spinach on counter, in microwave, or overnight in fridge. Squeeze out excess water. Combine the first five filling ingredients in a high powered blender. Blend until cashew cream is smooth. In a large bowl, combine cashew cream with spinach. Stir until well combined.

To cook crêpes, warm an 11" sautée pan over medium heat. Spray or brush a thin coat of olive oil onto surface of pan. Use a 1/4 c measuring cup of batter per crêpe, and pour into pan. Turn pan rather quickly to spread batter evenly out to all edges.

The spreading should happen within several seconds. If it doesn't, add a bit more water to batter in bowl to thin as needed for the next crêpe. Stir to combine. Cook each crêpe for 10 seconds per side. Remove from heat when done and stack on a dish. Repeat until all crêpes are cooked. 

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of filling onto center of each crêpe, spreading filling in a line from edge to edge of each crêpe. Roll, flip so seam side is down. Enjoy!

Coronavirus has most of us stressed. Is anxiety your new steady state? And is it compounded by the news, the empty hand sanitizer and mask aisles, the fear-based exclamations people make as they unload a little bit of their worries? While the health risk for some is very serious, managing the stress by addressing mind and body can better prepare all of us to cope emotionally and physically.

I was feeling so rattled last week; my nervous system felt shaky and burdened. Everything felt overwhelming from cleaning the kitchen counter to sitting down to my functional medicine homework. In a moment of clarity, I found inspiration in a couple of science-backed actions that have helped me through other tough times. Beyond consistent hand washing and surface disinfecting, these simple tactics have me feeling rejuvenated, calm, bright and able to think more clearly. Here are the steps I'm taking:

• Stay hydrated with electrolytes. I'm adding Ultima Replenisher to my water daily – an electrolyte supplement I learned about in my functional medicine program with no additives or sugar. It's making drinking water much more appealing and fun. Hydration is key to optimize the function of every cell, tissue and organ in your body. Replenishing electrolytes aids in the hydration process as well as helps regulate your blood pressure. Find it on Amazon.com. 
• Meditation. I'm back at it, using Holosync - a scientifically proven auditory technology using binaural beats to grow new neurons in the brain. I put my headphones on and almost immediately I'm in that "rest and digest" or parasympathetic nervous system state which lasts all day. Choose your favorite meditation whether it's an app such as Insight Timer or Headspace, or Vipassana or Transcendental meditation, or whatever works for you, and stick with your regimen daily for a week to build a new habit. Feel the difference it makes. Learn about Holosync here.
• EFT Tapping. Using meridians in the body similar to acupuncture, tapping simultaneously integrates mind and body to create a change in your energy state. Ask yourself, "from 1 to 10 how anxious am I?" before you start and a few minutes later when you're done tapping. You'll be surprised. The Tapping Solution is a free app to learn how. 
• Eat for wellness. No surprise here. You know I'm an advocate for a colorful, mostly plant-based lifestyle. The magic formula to boost your immunity and keep blood sugar balanced from day to night: Eat lots of colorful veggies;  have clean protein + fiber + healthy fats at each meal; go organic as much as possible to avoid unwanted toxins; avoid inflammatory oils and sugar as much as possible. 

Calming Cauliflower Soup
This soup was made, photographed and taught to me by my son, Matt who made it for a dinner date. It is delicious, detoxing – because cauliflower is a cruciferous veggie – and so simple to make. Plus cauliflower offers about 11 g protein per head.

Serves 4

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 head cauliflower, stemmed and broken into 1-2" florets
3 T olive oil
1 t cumin
3/4 t salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
1/2 white onion, peeled and chopped
1 box (4 c) bone broth or chicken or vegetable stock
Olive oil to drizzle

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cauliflower florets, 2 T of the olive oil, cumin, salt and pepper onto a sheet pan. Toss until florets are well coated. Roast for 25 minutes, turning cauliflower over halfway through roasting.

With 5 minutes left to roast, place 1 T olive oil into a stock pot. Add chopped onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add all but 4 cauliflower florets to the pan. Add stock. Cover pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer for 10 minutes. Use an immersion blender or regular blender to blend soup until smooth and creamy. To serve, ladle into bowls and place one reserved floret in the center of each bowl. Drizzle a little olive oil in each. Enjoy!
​

​Picture a big glass goblet filled to the halfway mark with water. How do you see it—half-full or half-empty?
 
Consistently finding the glass half-empty—and the world as a difficult place—is a hallmark of negativity.
 
Research has found that a negative outlook can contribute to everything from depression to heart disease to lowered immune system function. It can affect sleep, weight maintenance, the quality of your relationships, your social life, and even your ability to hold a job.
 
Now imagine what it would feel like to approach life from a place of positivity, fun, connection, health, and possibility. Sounds good, doesn’t it?
 
6 Simple Tips to Make a Positive Switch
 
To help wipe out negativity, try one or more of the following action steps:

• Go complaint-free. Try going an hour without complaining and see the positive things in your life. Next, try a day, a week, and so on.
• Keep a gratitude journal. Each evening, list 10 or more things that you are grateful for.
• Give compliments freely. Notice the good in others. Praise every person you interact with.
• Find beauty everywhere in your world. Notice its gorgeousness.
• Share your good news. Studies show that sharing happy events brings even more happiness.
• Focus on what you want, not what you don’t want.

Maintaining a positive outlook takes practice, and the more you do it, the easier it gets. The payoff—a happier, healthier life—is absolutely worth the effort.

There's nothing like a delicious bowl of healthy soup to warm your soul through these cold, shorter days and ring in a happy, healthy New Year. Here's my latest creation for you:

Miso Red Lentil and Rice Soup
High in fiber, protein, and phytonutrients, this is my new go-to umami-flavored soup. I make a big pot of it for dinner for 2 of us and have it the next day or two for an instant healthy lunch. I use organic white miso and either a combination of rices or simply wild rice. You can use whichever organic miso and rice you like. 
 
Serves 4

Print recipe 

1 c uncooked rice combo from bulk section (wild rice, brown rice, etc.) or rice of your choice
1 T olive oil
½ - 1 onion, chopped
6 carrots, chopped
3 large celery stalks, chopped
2 c red lentils, rinsed and combed through for rocks
4 c chicken or veggie broth, or bone broth
5 T miso, or more to taste
1 c water
 
In a rice cooker or saucepan, cook rice according to directions—usually 2:1 water to rice for about 40 minutes. You’ll end up with 2 cups cooked rice. Meanwhile, in a stock pot, place olive oil, onion, carrots and celery. Saute for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened. Add lentils, broth, miso, and water. Stir well until miso dissolves. Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer about 15-20 minutes. Add rice to soup pot. Stir until well combined. Add more miso if desired. Enjoy!

Probiotic Granola Bowl
This is my latest go-to dessert. It is very forgiving! A small bowl truly satisfies, and you can feel good about its low-glycemic and probiotic ingredients. 

Serves 1

Print Recipe

Handful of berries
About 1/4-1/2 c dairy-free kefir or yogurt (see options below)
Handful of grain free granola (see options below)

In a small appetizer-sized bowl (eg, one you'd use to serve olives), pour a fist full of your choice of berries. Top with a low glycemic granola. I love Purely Elizabeth's grain free granolas; they're sweetened with just a touch of coconut sugar. Pour in a probiotic of your choice. Here I've used Forager Plain Cashewgurt, a cashew based kefir. Other options include Coyo natural coconut kefir, Kite Hill's unsweetened vanilla almond yogurt, Coyo natural coconut yogurt–all are organic and without added sugar. Enjoy your dessert guilt-free.
​

Do you recall the last time you woke up feeling crappy? Maybe it was a cold coming on or a stomach bug or migraine. You called in sick or slogged through it until you felt well again. And you wondered about the cause. Did you share a drink with someone? Get sneezed on? Eat something contaminated? Fortunately, we are often well again in a few days. 

You are a wellness warrior! You practice prevention daily – washing your hands, sneezing into your elbow crease, getting vaccinated, taking zinc and vitamin C – but there are still some insidious things we're prone to, exposed to, or deficient in that require detective work to uncover. Take gluten intolerance, for example, or unresolved hypothyroidism, or excess fat in the abdomen that just won't quit. Not knowing why or what to do about it beyond taking a prescription drug can be frustrating and downright scary. That's why I'm so excited to tell you that I'm in my first semester of training in Functional Medicine – the field that focuses on root causes of symptoms and illnesses. 

What if you had persistent symptoms with no end in sight? That's what I experienced in my mid thirties. Imagine joint pain, muscle soreness, a numb toe and tongue, and brain fog every day for months...until I figured out and addressed the root cause which, in my case, was gluten. If you're a science geek like me, you'll want to know that gluten caused an inflamed and leaky gut which led to an immune system attack gone awry. Check out my book, Gutsy, if you want to learn how to be a gut detective of your own symptoms. And if you'd like to share and discuss your own experience, let me know either below or by contacting me directly. 

The body is made of interconnected systems. When one system is malfunctioning, we can look for upstream causes in the other systems. Soon I'll know more about what to have you tested for, what to rule out, how to read labs even for subclinical findings (ie, beyond the regular lab reference ranges), and which natural remedies will reverse the problem – rather than a prescription that doesn't address the root cause.

The future of medicine is here. and I'm excited to be embarking on it!

In the meantime, enjoy these delicious gluten-free and healthy muffins.

Chocolate Nut Butter Muffins
High in protein and free of refined sugars and flours, these muffins are a satisfying treat any time.

Makes 12 muffins
Print Recipe

WET
1/4 cup peanut butter, or almond butter
2 T maple syrup
3 eggs
3 medium bananas, smashed
1 T vanilla extract
1 t apple cider vinegar
DRY
3/4 t salt
3/4 t baking soda
3 c almond flour
1/2 c cacao powder (Raw chocolate powder has more nutrients than treated cocoa powder.)
2 T ground flax seeds
1/3 c dark dairy-free chocolate chips (I love organic 70% dark chocolate chips from Equal Exchange.)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper muffin cups into muffin tin wells. Combine first 6 ingredients either by hand or in a food processor just until well combined. 

In a separate mixing bowl, combine the first 5 dry ingredients without the chocolate chips. Add the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and combine by mixing until well integrated, or by pulsing 3-4 times. Add chocolate chips and combine by hand, mixing well. 

Place batter into each muffin cup using an ice cream scoop or 3 tablespoons of batter. Bake for 15 minutes. Let muffins cool completely. They will last up to 3 days in airtight container at room temperature, or in fridge for a week. Enjoy!

Wow, your body is amazing! It rebounds after a hangover. It recognizes and purges toxins. And it  rids itself of cancers by regularly cutting off the blood supply to tiny, imperceivable tumors. 

Did you know that you can help your body prevent cancer tumor growth and more by cutting off tumor blood supply, lowering inflammation, removing carcinogens, neutralizing oxidative stress and killing cancer cells, among many other health benefits? How? Three words: Plant Based Foods. Research shows that specific foods such as certain teas, spices, tomatoes, and other plant-based foods nicknamed G-BOMBS can increase lifespan by lowering inflammation, reversing diabetes, and stopping cancer in its tracks. See "Can We Eat to Starve Cancer" to learn more. 

What are G-BOMBS?

G-BOMBS is an acronym coined by Joel Fuhrman, MD, a researcher, physician, author and one of the teachers I was lucky to learn from in my health coach training program. These letters stand for the specific plant foods (see below) with anti-cancer properties and other health bonuses. According to Fuhrman, a nutrient-dense diet rich in multi-colored plant foods, beans, seeds and greens, high in micronutrients and fiber, can reverse signs of aging and improve cognitive function even after years of eating a poor Standard American Diet. But the sooner the better to give your body a fighting chance. Dr. Fuhrman recommends you eat plenty of these foods daily to prevent cancer and other diseases and promote good health and longevity. Learn more about how G-BOMBS work .

• Greens
• Beans
• Onions
• Mushrooms
• Berries
• Seeds

Roasted Onion Cream
Adapted from Food52.com's Genius Recipes
Like cashew cream, a favorite vegan recipe of mine, onion cream is a wonderful substitute for mayonnaise, cream and cheese in many dishes. Onion cream, a nutrient-loaded G-BOMB, up-levels most foods as a topping for soups or pooled under veggies, meats or fish. 

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Print recipe

3 large yellow onions, skins on
olive oil
2 T lemon juice, or about 1 lemon
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Using your hands coat the outside of the onion skins with olive oil and place all three into a small baking pan. Roast the onions for 60 to 75 minutes, turning the onions halfway, until the skins are dark (not burnt) and the insides are very soft. Remove from oven and let cool. 

Peel onions and discard skins. Place the roasted onions into a high powered blender.  Add salt and lemon juice. Blend for 1-3 minutes, depending on your blender, until very smooth. Enjoy!

How much of your day is spent taking care of other people, chores, work? Whether you've had it up to here or you get a thrill from being a caretaker and task master, now is the perfect time to start including YOU in your to-do's. You know the airplane rule: place the oxygen mask over your own face first and then on your child's second? The same concept applies to breathing in new life in order to be your best self. Only then, when you are calm, centered and nurtured can you truly be your most authentic self, happier, more relaxed and ready to face the world or re-treat again if  you so choose.

As women, we are praised in our society for helping and serving others. When was the last time you were given a pat on the back for making time for you? When I was growing up, self-care was often misconstrued as something akin to self-obsession, over-indulgence and being "spoiled." Years later, after burning out as a stay-at-home mom who worked part time from home, I came to realize that I was the one who needed the time outs! A new gym membership, yoga, running, meditating, massages, travel and focusing on nutritious cooking were necessary measures to quiet my mind and bring me back to myself. The idea that self-care is somehow wrong or undeserved is completely misguided.

Your assignment: Take on self-care beginning today. Make a to-do list of nurturing actions that will fill you with delight. Below are suggestions to get you started. The point is to calm you, not have you feeling even more stressed about accomplishing tasks. If the thought of doing more is overwhelming, choose just one activity to add to your routine, and see how it makes you feel. When you are ready, try another or swap one regimen for the next until you find your own brand of self-care that really hits the spot. I'd love to hear what you enjoy most in your self care regimen. Please share in the comments below.

Self-Care To-Do's

• Drink water first thing in the morning
• Have a green smoothie 
• Eat organic whole food
• Walk barefoot on the beach
• Get a massage, facial, pedicure or other spa service
• Take a yoga class
• Enroll at a gym
• Try a new cardio or dance class
• Begin a mediation practice for 5 minutes a day
• Take a hike
• Spend time with friends
• Take a class either online or at a local school
• Go shopping for a little retail therapy
• See a therapist
• Take a transformational workshop
• Plan a trip
• Adopt a pet
• Schedule quiet time for reading
• Take a nap
• Do a puzzle
• Make a pot of tea
• Light a scented candle
• Take an epsom salt bath

Grilled Chicken and Veggie Skewers with Chimichurri 
What could be easier on a summer evening than grilled skewers? Separating the chicken from the veggies allows you to grill them at different times as needed. This recipe is part of my summer 5-day detox program. More like this to come in my fall detox, details coming soon.

Serves 2

Print recipe

For the Skewers:
2 organic, free-range boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into one-inch chunks
6 cremini mushrooms, wiped clean and foot trimmed
1 small zucchini or summer squash, cut into one-inch chunks
1 bell pepper, seeded and cut into one-inch chunks
1 small sweet onion, cut into large chunks  

For the Chimichurri:
1 c lightly packed chopped parsley
3 garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
1/3 c red wine vinegar
¼ c packed cilantro
½ tsp red chili flakes (optional)
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp freshly ground pepper

Thread the chicken pieces onto skewers, brush lightly with olive oil, then season with salt & pepper. Thread the veggies onto different skewers and repeat.  

Heat your grill to medium high heat, and grill the skewers until they are lightly browned and the chicken is cooked through, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes total. Pull veggie skewers off sooner if they appear cooked and with grill marks.

Meanwhile, make the chimichurri by combining the chimichurri ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth, then drizzle over the skewers before serving. Store any remaining sauce in an airtight glass container for about a week in the fridge. 

Note: If you’re using wooden or bamboo skewers, you’ll need to soak them in water for 15 minutes before using in order to keep them from catching fire while on the grill. 

Remember in the 1990's when scientists predicted that mapping our DNA would transform the future of our health? Now we know our genes alone are not our destiny and that our environment is the key to preventing and reversing disease. 

The more recent field of epigentics – epi meaning the space above and around the genes – has taught us that we can influence which genes get turned on or "expressed" and which get shut off. This includes genes that code for diseases like cancer, Alzheimer's and heart disease. Would you believe only 5-10 percent of our genes are fixed? The other 90-95 percent are switched on and off, influenced by our exposure to all things that aren't genetic: our food, water, air, social connections, sleep, alcohol, exercise and stress as well as our parents' health when we were conceived – something to consider when planning to have children. In fact, current research shows that your lifespan can be extended by 13 years by simply addressing your choices, and thereby, which genes get expressed.

Take identical twins, for example, raised in two different places. One lives on a farm eating real, whole foods, walking to school daily and helping the family out by working in the field, walking, squatting, pulling weeds and crops and getting their hands in the microbe-rich dirt. The other twin is raised in an urban environment, eating many convenience foods as both parents work outside the home. The most common pastime is sitting – on subways, at school and on the couch. Hand sanitizer to keep bacteria and viruses away flows freely. Which twin do you think ended up healthier? Research has found that twins exposed to such varying lifestyles can have vastly different health profiles due to their different gene expression. 

SIMPLE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE
Here's where your choice comes in. 

1. DIET

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Keep food simple, real, non-processed and organic
• Eat a wide variety of plant-based foods with any type of diet
• Take cooking classes

2. EXTRA-CURRICULARS

• Don't smoke
• Drink moderately (or not at all)

3. SLEEP

• Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night
• Give yourself a bed time

4. EXERCISE 

• Stay physically active
• Walking daily

5. STRESS

• Meditation and yoga calm the nervous system
• Resolve conflicts and clean up relationships in your life

6. SOCIAL CONNECTION

• Regularly connect with others including family, friends, partners, community

Each of these activities influences our genes. Exercise, for example, positively affects 7,660 –  genes (that's 1/3 of all our genes!) modifying our risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, colon and breast cancers, obesity, hypertension, bone and joint diseases and depression.

You can learn more about epigenetics and personalizing your health choices in my book, Gutsy, (link here near top of page) and by watching my 10-minute talk called, "Get Healthy By Addressing Food and Mood" here. ​

Roasted Acorn Squash

Serves 4

Print Recipe

2 acorn squash
olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 t pine nuts
2 t coconut oil or ghee
2 t maple syrup, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut ends off of acorn squash. Then cut squash in half lengthwise. Scoop out seeds and discard. Place cut sides up onto sheet pan. If needed, cut off small slice of underside of each piece to create a flat surface enabling squash to sit upright. Using hands or a pastry brush, lightly coat orange flesh with olive oil. Lightly sprinkle salt over all 4 pieces. 

Roast for 40 minutes or until fork tender through squash. Add 1/2 teaspoon of the coconut oil or ghee to the "bowl" of each squash. Then add a teaspoon of pine nuts to each bowl. Put back into oven for 2-3 minutes. Remove from oven. Drizzle 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup over each piece if desired. Enjoy!