Vegan Desserts...friend or foe?

...while visions of sugar plums danced in their heads..." most of you know my credo "If food isn't fuel use the three-bite rule", and with the holiday season in full swing, I bet temptation looms at every party, luncheon and festive dinner. Thought I would highlight vegan dessert craft by sharing this article: they look every bit as amazing as any butter and egg confection.  But even vegans have their dalliance with sugar, which is the true challenge to a healthful way of eating.  I'm sending organic pears from Harry and David as holiday gifts this year, marry that with a few squares of organic dark chocolate >70% cacao to finish your holiday meal with a flourish!  http://www.wellandgoodnyc.com/top-vegan-desserts-at-new-york-city-restaurants/?slide=1&slideitem=1

PUMPKIN HUMMUS

Now that you have had your fill of pumpkin pie (hopefully!) enjoy this nutritious vegetable loaded with Vitamin A and beta-carotenes as a tasty spread.  This hummus doesn't use chickpeas, so it has a light, fluffy texture.  Enjoy!
1/4 cup sesame seeds 
1 Tablespoon water
1 15 oz can organic pumpkin 
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Roast sesame seeds at 350 degrees for 5 minutes
Combine ingredients in Vitamix or food processor until smooth and creamy

BROWN RICE COUSCOUS W FRESH CRANBERRIES & WALNUTS

This nutritious side dish can be the star of your Thanksgiving dinner and lunch the next day with the addition of some protein.  The couscous is gluten free, organic, vegan, non GMO and cooks in 15 minutes!   It is incredibly versatile--I also prepare it with carrots, chia seeds, and fresh chopped mint and couscous could easily be a breakfast "cereal" with some apple almond milk and cinnamon.  Enjoy!


A tip from Dr. Andrew Weil: the combination of black pepper and turmeric has a positive systemic anti-inflammatory effect!










2 cups low sodium vegetable stock
1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup couscous
1/2  tsp turmeric
1/2  tsp freshly ground black pepper 
1/2  tsp cinnamon
1/2  tsp nutmeg
1/4  cup walnut pieces


1) In a medium saucepan bring stock and cranberries to a boil (cranberries will begin to "pop")
2) add couscous and spices
3) cover, lower heat, and cook for 13 min (less time for a firmer couscous)
4) remove from heat and let stand for 5 min with lid on
6) fluff with a fork, add walnuts and serve
Makes 4-5 servings

MY HEALTHFUL THANKSGIVING RECIPES-LET'S START WITH DESSERT!

  

In honor of the holiday that officially begins the "season of over indulgence", I will be posting some healthful recipes this week.

With gratitude for all of your support and my best wishes for a happy, healthful holiday season-I give you: 

Vegan Chocolate Truffles!

(adapted from Vitamix Whole Food Recipes)

1 cup raw almonds (organic are best)

3/4 cup large dates (pits removed)

1/3-1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened)

4 tablespoons raw organic cacao powder

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1/4 cup cream of wheat cereal (Red box 2 1/2 min cook time)

1) place almonds, dates and 1/3 cup milk into Vitamix container and secure lid

2) select Variable 1

3) Turn machine on and quickly increase speed to Variable 10, then to High

4) Blend for 1 minute, using the tamper to press the ingredients into the blades.  

    Consistency should be thick like dough.  If too thick, adjust by adding more milk. 

5) Place mixture into a large bowl, add cacao, agave, and cream of wheat. 

    Stir ingredients in by hand with a spatula                  

6) form into 1-inch balls and freeze

7) garnish w fresh mint or roll balls into additional cacao or coconut

I'm sure you can try this recipe using a food processor as well.  

These are a satisfying finish to any meal, without the accompanying sugar rush!

THE HEALING POWER OF LEMONS - Part 2

Calm & alert: Research has show that lemon balm has a calming effect and that inhaling lemon oil helps to increase concentration and alertness.
Pain relief: massage the affected area with several drops of lemon oil mixed with 1 tablespoon jojoba oil.
Cold & Flu relief: Defense cells need Vitamin C-drink freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon in a glass of lukewarm water every 2 hours at the first indication. 
Ease Eczema: a lemon wrap may offer relief. Add 8 drops of lemon essential oil to 1 cup lukewarm water and 1 tablespoon of liquid honey. Soak a linen cloth in the liquid, squeeze out excess, and place cloth on affected area for 15 minutes, 2 to 3 times a day.
Lower cholesterol: pectin power in lemons along with its other metabolism and circulation-boosting nutrients can help lower cholesterol.
Banish insomnia: lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian, hops and chamomile) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep.

THE HEALING POWER OF LEMONS - Part 1

I would like to suggest a new morning ritual! Drink the freshly squeezed juice of one lemon in a glass of lukewarm water first thing in the morning--before the coffee or orange juice. Even though it tastes bitter, lemon juice has a powerful alkaline effect in the body and is a natural agent against excess acid, which is in part responsible for chronic inflammation.
A large lemon contains about 45 mg of Vitamin C, which helps to neutralize and reduce the effect of free radicals that contribute to cancer and heart disease.  Our body generates free radicals whenever we burn calories as fuel for our cells.  We are also bombarded with free radicals from air pollution, tobacco smoke, radiation and sunlight.  Vitamin C helps to build our body's immune system against free radicals.
Lemons contain two compounds--limonin and limonene which appear to help inhibit some of the cell divisions that may cause cancer.  Limonene is found in the zest or outermost part of the rind of a lemon. The limonene found in the lemon peel/zest has the effect of increasing the level of enzymes in the liver that may remove cancer-causing chemicals. The limonene has also been shown to remove estradiol, a hormone linked to breast cancer.  If using the peel in your cooking/baking--buy organic!  Make a glass of lemon water your morning beverage and let me know how you feel!  Part 2 will follow on Monday.

What are you grateful for today?

Have you ever been asked that question? Have you ever asked yourself that question?

A "gratitude practice" formalizes this investigation.  It encourages you to take the time on a regular basis to recognize what you are grateful for and to write it down in a consistent place so that you can truly "see" it.  It is a great way to begin or end the day and can reduce stress by bringing positive thoughts to the forefront.  Take a deep breath and take stock of your internal and external environments.  In the past week I have been grateful for: a sunny day, my beautiful home, my supportive husband, my friends, my health, and my passion for health coaching.


A colleague, Lorraine Miller has coined the term "Vitamin G": gratitude is a supplement as essential as Vitamin C for our wellness.  Her journal-"From Gratitude to Bliss" (available on amazon.com) is a great tool to both begin and maintain a gratitude practice.  


I believe that this practice has changed my bio-chemistry--my synapses are firing differently and ideas are flowing.   I'm grateful!

9/11 Remembrance

Following is a reprint of the email I sent 9/11/01--I will never forget.

John was home when the news broke; I was in Manhattan signing up for an audition, when a fellow actor announced the surreal news.  150 Actors were gathered in the theater at St. Peter's Church in the Citicorp complex at 54th Street and Lexington Avenue, stunned as each subsequent event was disclosed over the radio.  The Citicorp complex was evacuated, the audition canceled, and we struggled to make sense of what happened, and try to find our loved ones.   NYC has an army of cell phone users, and all of us were shaking our heads in dismay to find our communication weapons useless.  So we lined up at the Verizon payphones across town, attempting to "reach out and touch someone" despite many out of order phone booths.  Having reached John, a friend, (who was visiting from LA) and I began the journey home to Brooklyn.

We headed downtown on 3rd Avenue, walking 50 blocks with little additional news, stopping at a restaurant to refuel, and rest my "barking dogs" who were inappropriately dressed for a hike.  My friend got a message that a fellow "out of towner" (who was bunking at the same apt) was frightened and stranded in Central Park, so he set off to find her, and I keep walking towards home.   The smoke was thick from downtown Manhattan; the streets were void of taxis, buses, cars, and trucks, and filled with pedestrians.  I began to see streams of people covered in ash and wearing masks emerging from world trade center areas and heading uptown.  Restaurants set up water stations and hosed people down.  Everyone was orderly, and cooperative and grateful to be alive.  In Chinatown, barefoot office workers bought Chinese slippers to make their way home on foot.  I turned left at Canal Street and joined the thousands of others walking across the Manhattan Bridge to go home to Brooklyn.   Subways were not running, buses were not in evidence.  About halfway across the bridge, a woman came up alongside me and advised me to not roll over on my left foot, as my back would feel it later.   I explained that I didn't have my walking shoes on, and although my orthotics were in the shoes, my bag (typical audition day gear weighing 15 lbs) was very heavy, adding to my misalignment.   So she offered to share my load, and we each took a strap of my heavy bag, and encouraged each other over the bridge with the billowing smoke following behind us.  God bless Abbey.    So after a brief rest, which fueled my determination to get home to John, I walked the last mile of my journey up Flatbush Avenue past people offering to pray, take blood pressure and give water.  A man on a bullhorn urged me to rest, pointing out that I wasn't "wearing the best shoes" (no, not the fashion police).   I smiled and thanked him.  So after 5 hours, and several stops along the way, I reached home, 9.3 miles (or an eternity, depending on your point of view), and John's loving arms.  The beautiful view from my rooftop has been altered forever, luckily, inside the view is the same!!  Love and prayers, MJ

JUST BREATHE!

Breath:  the very source of life.  Automatic.  But think about how you react in stressful situations.  I bet you hold your breath.  How about when you are in the midst of strenuous physical activity--exactly when you need an infusion of oxygen, you hold your breath.  So today I invite you to focus on your breath, to be conscious of when you hold it.  Use it deliberately as a relaxation tool and to clarify the mind.  When you exhale twice as long as you inhale you calm the nervous system down.  So when you are stuck in traffic, waiting what seems like an eternity for an appointment or calming an upset child, think "I AM" as you inhale, and think "RELAXED" as you exhale.  Ah...that's better.

THE GREAT PANCAKE EXPERIMENT!

Since it's Friday and visions of brunch are dancing in your head, I wanted to follow up on my journey with quinoa that I started Monday.  I will lose my credibility as a health coach if I start promoting eating pancakes, but I decided to make them a more healthful treat by substituting for some of the ingredients.  Quinoa flour takes center stage here along with almond milk, maple syrup (in the batter) and beautiful anti-inflammatory blueberries.  I decided to use melted whipped butter in the batter (rather than vegetable oil) in order to reduce the overall fat calories (35 vs 60), and to use a "real food" rather than a product that had been refined using solvents and bleach.  Some of you will admonish me for the increase in saturated fat (2.25 gms vs 1 gm), but butter enhances the flavor of other ingredients and doesn't leave a perception of greasiness on the palate.
The "husband test" yielded the following response, "The first hit was vegetable but then it tasted like a normal pancake...I would eat these."  High praise indeed.  Enjoy this treat.
Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 cup almond milk
1 egg
2 tablespoons melted whipped butter
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup blueberries, rinsed
Directions:
Preheat a griddle over medium high heat (I use a Calphalon non-stick griddle without oiling)
Combine first four dry ingredients. Make a well in the center.  In a separate bowl, beat together egg, milk, maple syrup, melted butter and cinnamon.  Pour milk mixture into flour mixture.  Beat until smooth.  Fold in blueberries.
Pour or scoop the batter onto the hot griddle, using a 1/4 cup for each pancake.  Brown on both sides and serve hot.  


This recipe yields 4 servings, 4 pancakes per serving.  I served them with no additional butter and only a tablespoon of maple syrup on top.  They were moist, light and delicious and did not result in an "I just ate a bunch of empty carbs sugar high".
Nutritional information for just the pancakes: 206 calories per serving, protein 6 g, fat 7g or 30%, carbohydrates 27 g, sugars 6.6 g, saturated fat 2.6 g.

Food Focus: Quinoa

Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) is a nutritional powerhouse with ancient origins. Cultivated by the Incas as the "mother of all grains" it contains all nine essential amino acids--making it a great source of protein for vegetarians. It is high in magnesium, fiber, calcium, phosphorus & iron. Additionally, it is gluten-free and as a whole grain helps to stabilize blood sugar.  It has a waxy protective coating called saponin, so for best results rinse quinoa in a fine mesh strainer until the water runs clear. When cooked, it has a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture and can be served as a porridge for breakfast (add fruit, nuts, almond milk) or as an entree (I add pumpkin seeds, mandarin oranges, diced green onions).  Experiment with different additions, spices & herbs.  I cook up a batch in 20 minutes and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 5 days--easy, versatile & nutritious.


Recipe-Quinoa Pilaf
Ingredients:

• 1 cup Quinoa (white, red, or black)
• 21/4 cups water or stock (check the sodium content if store bought)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries (no sugar or sulfur added)
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• pinch of salt

Directions:

• Rinse quinoa in fine mesh strainer until water runs clear
• Boil water/stock & add quinoa & salt, cover & reduce heat
• After 15 minutes add cranberries & walnuts to top-do not stir
• Cook an additional 5 minutes until all the liquid is absorbed (the spiral-like germ becomes visible)
• Remove from heat, add parsley and fluff with a fork

Yield: 4 servings-enjoy!

_____________________________________________________

Nutrition-Food is Fuel!

Since the title of my blog is "Food for Thought", I think it's time to talk nutrition.  I am a proponent of the "anti-inflammatory diet", and by diet I don't mean a program of systematic denial and punishment to will your body into a slender form.  I am referring to adherence to a lifestyle  where food is fuel and you experiment to find the highest quality fuel for your particular body.  
The basic tenets of the anti-inflammatory diet (supported by Drs Andrew Weil/Barry Sears & others) are:

1. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables
2. Minimize saturated and trans fats
3. Eat a good source of omegs-3 fatty acids such as fish (wild Alaskan salmon/sardines), fish oil supplements, walnuts
4. Watch your intake of refined carbohydrates (pastas/white rice)
5. Eat plenty of whole grains (brown rice/quinoa/bulgur wheat)
6. Lean, animal protein in small amounts (organic if possible)
7. Minimize dairy (high quality, organic)
8. Avoid refined & processed foods
9. Spice it up! Ginger, turmeric, garlic, cinnamon and other spices can have an anti-inflammatory effect
10. Water is the beverage of choice, along with decaffeinated green tea

The premise is that the origins of many diseases can be traced back to a state of chronic inflammation in the body.  Eliminate this condition-disease will abate.

View Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory Food Pyramid: http://bit.ly/15gG2

Next week: recipes!  They will be low in refined sugar, salt, saturated fat.  Don't worry-they will be delicious.

"Eat food. Not too much. Mostly Plants" Michael Pollan

Is there an expiration date on your dream?

Maria Bartiromo recently interviewed the Dallas Maverick's point guard Jason Kidd, and the remark that got my attention was that he waited seventeen years to be a champion!  Seventeen years of playing professional basketball, consistently training to improve his skill and endurance.  Seventeen years of team work and semi-finals and disappointments.   Seventeen years of believing in himself and knowing that he had the makings of a champion, but needing the timing to be right: the alchemy of teammates, coaches and experience meeting opportunity.

What are your dreams?  Do you say them out loud?  Write them down?  Are you taking action to achieve them?  Jason Kidd said that the success will feel complete once he is wearing his championship ring.

What do you envision that moment to be for you?

Constant Contact: egotism or addiction?

I emerged from yoga class centered and serene.  We had dedicated our practice to the teacher who had the most impact on our lives.  Mine was Barbara Brooks, my high school choral teacher whose love of music inspired me to sing.  Our yoga instructor told us that the word guru means "remover of ignorance"-- that resonated with me during class.
I assumed my fellow yogis had a similar experience, but to my chagrin the first thing I saw people do following our closing chant and "namaste" salutation was check their cellphones (perhaps they were hoping for a message from their guru).  In amazement I wondered if everyone was so important (checking in with children or sick patients aside) that sixty-one minutes without voicemail, email or text messages was all the tolerance they had for being out of touch.  Or is it that we have developed an addiction to being in constant contact with the world?  Perhaps a more healthful behavior would be to be in touch with ourselves.

Pictures on food packaging-do they tell the whole story?

I was at Target and thought I would buy a package of heat & serve brown rice from their "Market Pantry" line. I had purchased this product before, saw the photo of the brown rice on the package & grabbed it. When I got home I noticed yellow globs of fat through the back of the package. I had purchased "Whole 
Grain Blend": brown rice, wild rice, red rice, CANOLA OIL, SUGAR, dried vegetables, SALT, natural smoke flavor, hydrolyzed yeast extract.  It contained 770 mg sodium and 3 gms of sugar I didn't need in a one cup serving.
I also looked for some couscous and could only find "flavored" lines with the three magic ingredients: sugar, salt, fat. The photos on the packaging depict beautiful, healthful couscous. So I went to my corner deli, which happily stocks many health food store brands and found Lundberg Brown Rice Couscous-organic, gluten free, vegan: ingredients- organic roasted brown rice.
Moral of the story-read the nutrition facts & ingredient list.  Buy whole foods, and add your own spices, olive oil, fresh herbs and enjoy the natural flavor.  It's time well spent.

Concierge Physicians: membership has its privileges

A report on CNN this week examined a new "hybrid" model being tested in primary care physician circles.
While maintaining a traditional (6 patients seen per hour) practice for the majority of office hours, a portion of hours would be allotted for a membership ($2,500/year) circle of patients.  For this fee, the patient will be entitled to longer office visits (2-3 patients seen per hour) and limited direct access to the physician via cell phone.
I have a better idea.  For half that investment, you could hire a holistic health coach for six months and spend much more time on a consistent basis with a health professional who is trained to listen.  Someone who will truly partner with you to improve your physical health and emotional well-being.  Someone who has spent much more time learning about nutrition and counseling techniques than physicians traditionally do in medial school.
For the past 18 months I have coached my husband in food selection, portion control, the value of nutrient dense food, as well as encouraging his regular exercise program.  The result: 120 pound weight loss! NO DRUGS/NO SURGERY-just consistent advocacy and accountability.  The impact on his health and wellness: priceless.

What is a health coach?

A holistic health and nutrition coach is a professional trained to help you:

• identify your health and wellness challenges
• formulate a plan to address them
• provide tools to face them
• and add a dash of inspiration and a pinch of accountability to the recipe for your success

Here's to your health! Best, MJ

Welcome to Food for Thought!

Welcome to MJ McConnell's new blog:  Food for Thought!  It's the perfect new venue for her to share wellness news, healthful recipes, and messages designed to inspire you to find balance in your life.  MJ's hope is that this blog becomes a dialogue with all of you, so feel free to comment and add your own thoughts to the forum.  Check back soon for MJ's first post, and in the meantime, here's to your health!