Think Mediterranean.

The incidence of heart disease in Mediterranean countries is lower than in the United States. Mediterranean's follow a diet that has: a high consumption of fruits, beans, veggies, seeds an nuts. Dairy products, fish and poultry are eaten in low moderation. Olive oil is an important monounsaturated fat. Try picking one day out of the week to follow a Mediterranean diet. It is a great idea to add low fat fish into your diet at least once a week. Here is a great low fat, clean Mediterranean dinner :)

Mediterranean Tilapia:

Ingredients:

4 Tilapia fillets

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp parsley

1 lemon

1 tsp light olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Pre heat oven to 400 degrees. Place fillets on a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray. Mix lemon, oil and spices in a small bowl. Peirce fillets a couple times with a fork. Pour mixture over each fillet and cook for 17 minutes.

Steamed Brussel Sprouts and Asparagus Medley:

Ingredients:

1 lb brussel sprouts (sliced in 2mm slices)

10 asparagus spears (cut white bottoms off and then in half the spear)

1 half lemon

1 finely chopped garlic clove

Salt and pepper to taste

Squeeze the lemon juice over the veggies. Toss garlic in and make sure everything is coated well. Steam veggies for 8 minutes.

"To eat is a necessity, but to eat intelligently is an art."
- La Rochefoucauld

Reduce your carbon footprint.

Meat accounts for 20% of global greenhouse gas emissions. By giving up meat one day a week, reducing consumption, is the easiest way to reduce your carbon footprint. Here is a sample of a meatless menu that hopefully you will enjoy!

Breakfast:

Yogurt parfait with pumpkin granola and fresh fruit.

1/2 cup pumpkin granola
1 small container of soy yogurt
3 sliced strawberries
6 raspberries
10 blueberries
4 blackberries

Mix yogurt, berries and granola in a small dish and enjoy a breakfast that will keep you full until lunch.

Lunch:

Rice and bean burrito in a whole wheat tortilla.

Fill a large wheat burrito with yellow rice and black beans. You can also add peppers, onions, salsa and cheese. Bean burritos are a great form of protein and the rice keeps you feeling full. If you don't have time to make them yourself, I would recommend Amy's burritos and Trader Joe's black bean and rice burritos. You can pop them in the microwave or oven in a pinch :)

Dinner:

Whole wheat pasta with sauteed veggies:

1 cup whole wheat penne
1/2 green pepper
3 sliced white mushrooms
4 asparagus spears cut in 1/2 inch pieces
4 cherry tomatoes cut in halves
2 cloves fresh garlic finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil

Saute veggies and garlic in a pan with one tablespoon of oil. Make sure veggies are tender but not soft. Cook penne al dente. Strain penne and add to pan with veggies. Put on low heat and toss penne with sauteed veggies and one tablespoon of olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

For a mid day snack I really enjoy a half of a wheat bagel with a tablespoon of almond butter. Also, enjoy fresh fruit and raw veggies when you are feeling hungry.

"Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us" ~Henrik Tikkanen

Lentils. . . A wonder food!

Lentils are an amazing legume! They lower cholesterol, are high in fiber, are full of protein and B vitamins. Lentils have a special benefit of managing blood-sugar disorders. They also have zero fat and only 230 calories per cup. Lentils come in an array of sizes and colors and unlike other legumes they cook very quickly. Add lentils to your soups, salads, side dishes and stews!

Courtney's Lentil and Grilled Chicken Salad:

1 cup cooked red lentils (let cool)
1 cup cooked regular lentils (let cool)
1 red pepper diced
1/2 small onion chopped
6 spears of asparagus diced
1 clove garlic finely chopped
1 cup of shredded red cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrots
2 chicken breasts grilled and cut into small cubes (let cool)
1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a big bowl. Make sure everything is coated in oil and vinegar. Place in fridge and let cool for an hour or so. This is a great meal to make at the beginning of the week and bring to work for the next couple of days. Enjoy and remember positivity is infectious :)

Detox.

The liver serves such an important function to the human body. The liver is the main organ in the body that eliminates toxins. Many peoples lifestyle leads to build up of toxins in the liver due to poor diet and lack of exercise. Toxins built up in the liver may cause chronic fatigue, hormone imbalance, bloating, indegestion and skin problems. I believe that everyone has experienced toxic build up at one point or another. Luckily, I have some great foods that aid in the detoxifacation of the liver. All the foods I am about to list are great for detox but are best if consumed raw (excluding the eggs, rice and salmon).

Parsley
Cilantro
Ginger
Garlic
Sesame seeds
Cabbage
Arugula
Raddichio
Beets
Asparagus
Brown Rice
Apples
Lemon
Lime
Grapefruit
Pears
Carrots
Eggs
Salmon

Make big hearty salads or stirfry with these detoxifying ingredients. Garnish your fish with cilantro or parsley. Make dressings and marinades with lemon, lime juice and olive oil. Eating clean. Better well-being in 2010.

Happy New Year!

I love the holidays but I am glad they are over. I definitely dabbled in way more sweets then expected. For new years I headed up to Vermont to visit an old friend. It was two and a half days of exceptional food and good company. For dinner on new years eve we had: Pork tenderloin, stuffed squash filled with spiced cous cous, almonds and cranberries, baked brussel sprouts with garlic and lemon, fingerling potatoes and a mixed green salad. One word: fabulous. New years day we headed to Shelburne Farms right outside of Burlington. I cannot even explain the beauty of this place. It is a 1,400 acre, working farm and a non profit environmental education center. It is also a historical landmark that homes a beautiful inn. While we were at Shelburne farms we sampled 1, 2 and 3 year old cheddars, an assortment of amazing mustard's, relishes and jams. I would highly recommend visiting this place if you are ever in the Burlington area. http://www.shelburnefarms.org/. Currently it is 19 degrees in Brooklyn but with the wind chill it feels like -10. Chili weather people! Chili weather! Nothing better then a big heaping bowl of chili and a crusty piece of bread to warm you up. The recipe I am going to give you is easy to make and even easier if you have crock pot. Crock pots are great because you can literally just throw everything in, set the timer, go to work or run you errands and it will be done when you get back. Hopefully this recipe warms your bones!

Hearty 3 Bean Chili:

2 green peppers
1 red pepper
1 onion
1 jalapeno
1 can black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 can small kidney beans
1 can tomato paste
1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 tomato
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsb cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsb black pepper
1 tsb garlic powder or 2 cloves diced garlic

Drain and rinse all beans. Dice onion, tomato and chop peppers. Be sure to use the juice and seeds from the tomato. Combine all the ingredients in crock pot. Stir until all the veggies and beans are coated in diced tomatoes and paste. Cook on high for 5-6 hours. I prefer vegetarian chili but this recipe is great if you also add a half pound of cooked ground turkey. Just brown the ground meat and add it to the pot. It also cooks for 5-6 hours. Enjoy!