Super Simple Winter Sides

What do you usually have as side dishes for dinner? Mac and Cheese? Mashed Potatoes with milk and butter? Veggies? Sure, they may not be the star of the meal, but side dishes need love too! They play a very important role in making sure your meal stays healthy and wonderful for you. What’s the point of that healthy main course if it is surrounded by calorie-laden sides? Luckily, it’s super simple to make delicious additions to your meal that fill you up, without all of the extra bulk of added fat, artificial ingredients, and extra calories. As I have mentioned before, I am far from being a gourmet chef. However, even I have some tips to share in this department!

Let’s start with Brussels sprouts (just figured out it’s “Brussels’, not “brussel”…weird). For some reason, I always remember old sitcoms documenting people talking about how much they hated Brussels sprouts. Was it maybe in an American Girl Book too? I’m not sure. Anyway, ever since my palate matured, I absolutely love them, and am quite unsure of why they were so taboo. So, go ahead to the grocery store and get yourself a bunch. Did you know they sometimes come on something like this…?

I didn’t until my mother brought this thing home recently. I couldn’t quite tell you what it is. Is it a stalk? A stem? Again, I’m not sure. If they come on this…thing…just snap them on off, and follow these instructions:

You will need: Brussels sprouts, fresh garlic, white onion, salt and pepper, olive oil, a baking sheet or baking stone

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees

2. Prep your sprouts. Rinse. Make sure to remove any gross leaves from the outside. Chop off the stubby stem, and halve or quarter them, depending on your preference. Place them into a large mixing bowl.

3. Peel a few cloves of garlic (enough to have a uniform presence throughout however many sprouts you are preparing). Then, crush/mince/or chop the garlic up into small pieces and add to the bowl. I personally love to smash it with the side of a large chopping knife like they do on the Food Network. However, per usual with my “recipes”, there is no exact science to this. Just chop it =)

4. Take about a third (or more depending on the size batch) of the onion. I like to leave the onion in long, skinny pieces, simply separating the layers. If you don’t like onion, it’s perfectly fine to leave this out. Add to the bowl.

5. Then, very gradually, pour in a small amount of olive oil a little at a time, mixing it into the sprouts. I usually use my hands just to toss it. You want just enough to lightly coat everything. We don’t need over oily/soppy sprouts!

6. Give a light sprinkling of both salt and pepper.

7. Place on either a cooking stone or baking sheet with foil and roast in the oven for about a half hour, or until there is a light char/crispiness to your dish. All ovens are different, so it’s best to just keep an eye on them, testing them, and taking them out when you prefer. 

Up Next: Roasted Butternut Squash!

This one is even easier. I have not yet experimented with super intense flavor combos, but when this squash is roasted, it is completely wonderful on its own. For this all you need is cubed butternut squash (a little bigger than home fry size), cooking spray, salt, pepper, and a baking stone or cooking sheet.

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. Place your cubed butternut squash on either a baking stone or cooking sheet with foil

3. Give your squash one spray of cooking spray, to gently coat the batch.

4. Salt and Pepper

5. Flip the squash cubes over and repeat on the other side.

6. Pop in the oven for around a half an hour, or until tender.

Want something even easier? How about a sweet potato?

Potatoes get a bad rap. I will discuss this in more depth in a future post, but the reason is mainly because of how we prepare them. Try just having a plain old baked sweet potato. Indulge in the simple orange goodness. I usually have one half at a time. I poke a few holes in the skin with a knife or fork, and simply cook it in the microwave either on the baked potato pre-set, or for about 3 minutes at a time. It will start to steam, so per usual, cook it just a few minutes at a time, rotate it, and keep an eye on when it becomes tender. Then, I simply cut it open, and sprinkle on some pepper. Boom. Perfect, whole food, wonderful, filling, nutritious side dish.

One last side suggestion I have is soup!

I absolutely love Dr. McDougall’s organic, whole food soups. My favorite is the low sodium chunky tomato. It is made with all natural and whole ingredients. Dr. McDougall is a plant based nutrition expert and author of The Starch Solution, an amazing resource for plant based nutrition. Therefore, I truly trust all of his products. Enjoy a cup of this warm soup for only 90 calories!

And there you have it! A few simple ideas for guilt-free side dishes! Tweak them as you like, spices don’t add calories. If you have a favorite spice combo for your squash or potatoes, go for it! Just avoid the extra butter, cheese, excess oil etc! The key is to recognize that we can enjoy the same flavors without all of the extra add-ins that take a toll on our health. Try simplifying your favorite dishes, and get to know the natural taste of your food!

Be Well.

 
Love, Julie

Deepak's Law of Least Effort

Happy Friday everyone! I hope everybody gets some much needed personal time this weekend. Today we go back to Deepak Chopra’s Seven Spiritual Laws of Success. We’re about half way to conquering the world! Go us! Have you been working on the previous three laws?

Let’s review! The first three laws to get you on the way to making all of your dreams come true are,

1. The Law of Pure Potentiality

2. The Law of Giving

3. The Law of Karma 

Find their individual posts in the archives!

And now… The Law of Least Effort! Although the Law of Karma is absolutely my favorite, the Law of Least Effort is definitely a close second! This law tells us to let go of our need to constantly control everything, and to trust in nature’s intelligence. That’s kind of liberating, huh? We don’t have to worry, we just have to be our best selves, acting with love and in harmony with nature, and the universe will take care of the rest. Specifically, Deepak tells us we can put The Law of Least Effort into effect by,

1. Practicing Acceptance- It is best for us to stop wishing things were different and to stop trying to change things. We should accept things as they are, knowing that everything is as it should be at this moment. Why waste energy struggling against what the universe has dictated should be? That could get exhausting!

2. Taking Responsibility- After practicing acceptance, we need to take responsibility for everything in our lives. We do not need to blame others or ourselves. By taking responsibility for everything, including problems, we can begin to recognize the opportunities for positive change. We can “have a creative response to the situation as it is now”. Every frustration and issue becomes an opportunity to make things better. That’s a more fun way of looking at things, right? Make every “problem” into a “challenge”.

3. Practicing Defenselessness- To practice defenselessness means to not feel the need to defend your own point of view. You do not need to try and convince others you are right. Also, in practicing defenselessness, you recognize the value of other points of view as well. In this way, we move through life flexibly. Think about it, living defensively can often result in anxiety or fear. But if we let go of the need to defend everything and push against others, we can be happy in the moment.

“When you remain open to all points of view -- not rigidly attached to only one -- your dreams and desires will flow with nature's desires. Then you can release your intentions, without attachment, and just wait for the appropriate season for your desires to blossom into reality. You can be sure that when the season is right, your desires will manifest. This is the Law of Least Effort.”

To me, the most obvious example of this law lies in relationships. Have you ever been in a fight, or a standstill with a significant other? You are not happy. You want things to be different. You want to get what you desire. So, you push for it. You chase it. You do basically everything opposite of the Law of Least Effort. Does it work? Usually not. You may seem to get what you want in the end. But is it real? Does your loved one really feel that way? Or did you push them into something illegitimate? If they are superficially giving into you, you really aren’t getting what you want at all. Likely, in a few days or weeks, you will realize things are falling apart again. All it was was an effort to please you.

Think about the opposite situation. You let go, accept life, have no need to be defensive, and no expectations. It is often with this mindset that the most wonderful things happen. Haven’t you heard the saying “love will come when you least expect it”? Also, in times of conflict, practicing the Law of Least effort ensures a genuine outcome. It may not be exactly what you want. However, chances are it’s exactly what you need. It’s what nature intended, and at least you won’t have wasted time on something fake.

So, in all areas of life, let go! Live a life of love, giving, and respect. Do not push, chase, or waste energy being combative or defensive. Just let it be. Yes, this is a lot easier said than done. I won’t pretend to be an expert. But, I think we’d all love to let the universe take our lives in its hands and send awesomeness our way, right? We might as well give it our best and try! Put this into practice this weekend, see what you find!

Wishing you a calm and peaceful Friday night <3

Be Well.

Love, Julie

How to enjoy meals out and maintain your healthy diet

Hello everyone! With the New Year beginning, many of you may be trying to make healthier choices in your diet. This is fairly easy to do at home, when you are in control of what is being put into your food. What about when you are eating out? How do you stay on track?? Here are a few tricks I’ve figured out to help  you in your eating out adventures. 

1. When it comes to fast food, don’t. Please just do not! Take a look at any fast food’s nutritional information on their website if you need convincing. Just say no. You deserve a fresh, well prepared meal. Yes, I have been at Burger King or McDonald’s with friends without getting anything. It is possible and feels awesome. When it comes to “fast food” I will only eat two places…

                1. Subway- I get a six inch veggie sub on wheat with mustard. No cheese, no extra dressings etc. It may not fulfill every one of my nutritional meals for the day, but at least I am eating clean and light.

                2. Chipotle- I love chipotle’s philosophy of offering ingredients with integrity. If you know what to order, you can get a fantastic, well rounded meal here. Warning!! According Eat This Not That just the tortilla used in making burritos is 290 calories. Just the tortilla!!! I don’t know about you, but I’d like to be able to enjoy more than a tortilla and some lettuce for my meal please. Go for a salad instead. You can get all of the flavor for a normal calorie intake. I always get a salad with black beans, peppers, salsa, and a tiny bit of guacamole (yes, I ask for a tiny bit). No cheese, sour cream, etc! I feel great about what I’m eating and enjoy a delicious meal. They have a fantastic calorie calculator on their menu, so you can avoid pitfalls.

2. Do your research- Most major chains have all of their nutritional information online or on an app. Look at this! You will be shocked at what you find. For example, half of the Panera vegetarian sandwich, just half, (seemingly healthy) has 190 calories just from the bread! Also, most everything , even the seemingly healthy things, from The Cheesecake Factory has an OUTRAGEOUS amount of fat and calories. It's best to just go somewhere else! Educate yourself. Look at your options. How can you have a nice meal without destroying your efforts to eat well? Luckily, a number of chains are now offering healthier options. For example, Uno’s has some wonderful veggie and whole grain side dishes, and offers a veggie wrap which, without the goat cheese, provides a filling ,flavorful and guilt free dinner. Ruby Tuesday’s now offers Fit and Trim specials, great veggie sides, and spaghetti squash! Bertucci’s also has some lovely small vegetable sides that can combine to make a yummy dinner. Take the time to look ahead and plan! For example, if my friends ask to go out, I always make sure to suggest a place I know has options that I can enjoy while feeling good. How do I do this? I put in the effort because my body and health are important to me!

3. Make your own meal- If it’s on the menu, chances are it can be combined with something else to make a meal. As a vegan, I often order several sides and a salad and let the waiter know which will be my entrée. Also, never be afraid to ask questions! If you have a concern about an ingredient that may or may not be in your meal simply ask. It’s almost always possible to get things without extra heavy condiments, cheeses, etc. Also, ask for your veggies to be prepared with olive oil and not butter!

4. Beware of salad dressings- Ever wonder how a salad can be listed as over 500 calories? It’s likely the dressing. Stay away from the complicated ones. Ask for olive oil or plain vinegar instead, on the side, so you can control how much goes on. Croutons and cheese are also easy things to cut out that can ruin the “healthiness” of your salad ! (more on preparing the perfect salad to come in a future post).

5. Go with the flow- Staying healthy in the restaurants of America takes a bit of effort. Prepare ahead of time and be ready to go with the flow. For example, if you have read the menu of somewhere and know it will not meet your dietary needs, have a healthy snack ahead of time. Also, if you leave unsatisfied, knowing you stayed within your clean eating routine but need more nourishment, have something after! For example, today I went out and got a veggie burger with my mom. It came on a massive white roll. I do not eat massive, white rolls. However, I knew I needed something grainy. So, I simply ate the burger itself, and small side salad, and then came home and had one of my favorite tortillas. Problem solved!

Restaurants do not control you! You get to decide what goes into your body and what is used to form your complete composition. If you have a nutritious meal, your body uses that fuel to create the right mixture of muscle, bones, cells, fat etc. If you are overloaded with heavy foods, your body will have too much to handle, and that lovely layer of unnecessary reserve starts to accumulate near all of your “problem” areas. With minimal effort, you can make sure all of your hard work in taking care of yourself does not go to waste after a few meals out. You can be fit while being social with friends and family! The two are not mutually exclusive. Healthy living is a lifestyle, not a temporary routine. It simply becomes second nature and a part of who you are. It may take a little figuring out at first, but soon you will be tackling every situation with ease. I promise!

Be well.

Love, Julie

You knew this post was coming...time for resolutions!

Hi everyone! Ok, now that the holiday season has basically come to an end, all the craziness is over and I’m back! For real this time. I had an absolutely amazing New Year’s with some of my absolute best friends in Burlington, VT. Yes, they dragged this beach bum even more north than I needed to be. Despite the cold, it was a wonderful few days of fun, relaxation, and girl talk with some of the best people I know. Today, I am home, feeling rejuvenated and ready to take the world by storm this year! 2012 was such a huge personal growth year for me. Although I know there is a long way to go, I feel that I have come so far, and am ready to put all of the lessons I have learned into action for an awesome life. Yay!

Also, I just started Chalene Johnson’s 30 Day Push challenge http://www.30daypush.com/ . You all know she is one of my complete favorites. This challenge is all about priorities and achieving your goals. Just take about ten minutes a day to log in, watch her video, and do the small brainstorming activity. Today was Day 2, but you can catch up! It’s also perfect for the New Year and will help you hone in on those goals and resolutions.

So, resolutions! I must say, I do not usually make them. I usually just go with the flow and do my best. However, after this year full of revelations about how to realize your dreams and goals, I recognized how important it is to write them down somewhere, and to focus on how you can achieve success!

Here are a few of mine =) By sharing them with you, I hope it will hold me more accountable.

1. Make myself my number one priority. – Continue to focus on my own health, emotional well-being, confidence, purpose etc. To not let other people dictate my happiness or self-confidence, to become more present in my everyday life, to put an end to self-criticism, to not accept less than I deserve. Without taking care of myself first, I cannot be a positive force in other people’s lives. As Osho says, we need to love ourselves before we can love another.

2. Be a better friend everyday- Continue to work on truly listening to my friends, and being there whenever they need me. Enjoying and being present in all social situations.

3. Cultivate ease in my life- (Inspired by Tara Stiles) Breathing deeply, choosing not to be stressed, being present, ending the constant “I need to do this” in my head

4. Establish a daily meditation practice- The challenge starts today! We will see how I do in this. Yet everything I read says, in order to unleash your fullest potential, you need to connect with your deepest self first.

5. Continue AND improve this blog- I’ll admit, I am not a natural journal-er, or writer. I always give up on my projects, or lose motivation. Starting this was a huge step outside of my comfort zone, and a huge challenge. I hope to learn more about the blogosphere, and grow my audience! (If you have any tips, please share).

6. Get my personal training certification.- I think this is the next step in my professional wellness journey. It is something I can afford to do right now, and pursue as I further my career and work towards my ultimate goal of health coaching etc! I plan on buying the book this week. I know it will not be easy, but I’m determined to make it. That way, I can share more physical fitness tips with you!

7. Become an awesome chef! – I’m more of a natural baker than chef. Yet, I have been gradually tackling this resolution recipe by recipe. I want to be able to whip out killer healthy meals for my loved ones.

8.  Live life to the fullest- Cliché, yes, but necessary. I have noticed, at times I choose to veg instead of going on adventures. No more! I have been steadily making improvements on this for a while, but writing it down helps=) Here is to fun, friends, and seeing all this beautiful world has to offer. Yay!

These are my resolutions in a nut shell! Have you made yours? Let’s make 2013 the best year yet, by taking care of ourselves, becoming the best versions of ourselves, not being weighed down by negative energy, excess weight, or toxins in our body, loving who we are, and having tons of fun! We can do it. I know we can.

Be Well.

Love, Julie