Wheat Berry Parfait

Sometimes you need to just chew, that smoothie just won’t satisfy the urge. Let me use this opportunity to introduce you to something that might sound rather unfamiliar: wheat berries.

What in hell’s kitchen is a wheat berry, you ask? It’s actually not a stranger at all. Wheat berries are the whole grain form of wheat – the complete grain before it has undergone any processing. If you’ve had whole grain flour before, you’ve had the milled version of wheat berries. So there you go. Something completely unfamiliar to you is now a common staple to your diet! (I might have lost members of the gluten-free tribe here, but stay tuned in to hear just how amazing these bits of grain are for your body.)

What’s it taste like, you wonder? The texture is pretty  chewy, has the feel of a denser rice and can be adapted into savory or sweet dishes. For the sake of this post, we’re making a sweet breakfast parfait.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup cooked wheat berries (here’s how to cook them – hint: they take a bit of time, like rice)
• 6 oz. yogurt (vegan, greek, whichever you prefer)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp raw honey
• 1/2 medium apple, diced
• optional: 1 tsp ground flaxseed

Method:

• Easy – once you get the wheat berries cooked, you can mix and serve with the other ingredients!

Nutritional Info:

Calories: 358 Carbs: 63 Fat: 4 Protein: 23 Sodium: 3 Sugar: 33

 

 

 

Banana Kale Spirulina

Coming home from boxing, and a stressful day, I needed a smoothie to really give me that extra boost inside and out. This seriously GREEN smoothie will help make sure you conquer the world today (or at least your todo list).

Recipe for today’s power shake:

• .5 cup almond milk
• .5 cup of water
• 1 ripe banana
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• 1 cup kale
• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1 tsp spirulina
• 1 tsp hemp/soy protein powder

Benefits:

• Almond Milk: cholesterol free and full of monounsaturated fats
• Banana: high levels of potassium and vitamin B6
• Chia Seeds: loaded with Omega-3 Fatty Acids (has more than salmon gram for gram!)
• Kale: low in calories, high in everything else – one of the most nutrient dense foods on the planet
• Spinach: rich in vitamin K, which is key for bone health
• Spirulina: superfood alert! This powerful algae is composed of 62% complete protein which means you’re getting all the essential amino acids that help the body power through the day
• Protein Powder: did a smidgen extra protein ever hurt anybody?

Nutritional information:

Calories: 250 Carbs: 39 Fat: 7 Protein: 12 Sodium: 221 Sugar: 17

Pear Orange Grape

Today’s smoothie ingredients:

• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cups of kale
• 1 pear, sliced
• 1 banana
• 1 orange
• 1 cup grapes
• 5 ice cubes

Benefits:

Pears: have anti-oxidant and anti-carcinogen glutathione which help prevent high blood pressure and stroke.

Oranges: full of beta-carotene is a powerful antioxidant protecting the cells from being damage which also protects the skin from free radicals and prevents the signs of aging.

Grapes: a wonderful source of micro-nutrients like copper, iron, and manganese, all of which are important in the formation and strength of the bones.

Banana: easily digested and easy on the stomach.

Kale: chock-full of essential vitamins A, C and K as well as minerals like copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorus.

Calories: 436 Carbs: 111 Fat: 1 Protein: 7 Sodium: 50 Sugar: 66

4 Tips to Reducing Green Smoothie Foam

If you’re like me, you whip up your daily smoothies well in advance of consumption. Personally I like to make a bunch the evening before, after I finish up dinner, so they’re all ready to grab-and-go in the morning (and I can nibble on the leftover fruit for dessert!)

Yet come time to slurp them down I always wonder, when did this smoothie get so thick and foamy?

If you find your lots of foam after you blend, it can be accredited to insoluble fiber, usually found in the skin of fruits and vegetables. For example: apples, tomatoes and leafy greens like kale are all culprits.

Here are four tips to reducing and eliminating the froth from your daily concoctions.

1. Stir and ignore. I follow this method after learning to power through the foam – it doesn’t turn me off from the taste or benefits. Stirring it in makes it less noticeable.
2. Use soluble fiber fruits in your smoothies to get a more creamy texture. Mangoes, bananas, kiwis and avocados are all great options.
3. Use frozen insoluble fiber fruits and greens. This trick has been tested and proven to rid of foam. If you buy fresh (recommended), you can cut up large amounts and store in the freezer for long periods, saving you lots of time when whipping smoothies together later on.
4. Just avoid it! Insoluble fiber is such an important addition to your smoothies that instead of avoiding apples and kale, pour from the blender with a spatula covering the foam, serving the smooth liquid underneath.

What I Have Learned From a Month Without Alcohol

“So why did you give up alcohol?” The answers varied:

• To be healthier
• To lower my tolerance
• To be more effective at work and using weekends to unwind will help that
• To reassure my ability to socialize without liquid courage
• To prove I’m not alcoholic

Okay so the last one, maybe not quite the case. But with college a fading mirage behind me as I waltz down the path to adulthood, grueling hangovers were ringing as a constant reminder that it was time I grew up a bit. It’s a harsh reality to accept, being that I turn 24 next month, but one that is full-heartedly embraced. I am fortunate to have the willpower to abstain from something I do truly enjoy, in my mission to unlock a greater purpose. Here are the main lessons to take away from the dry month of February:

1. Take off the mask. You don’t need that one glass of pinot to loosen up before a date or networking function. You are so much more than that liquored-down version of yourself. Have a little faith that people will see the value and beauty in who you.
2. Sober dates aren’t that bad. Sometimes all you need just something in your hand – a tea or coffee – to keep your fumbling hands busy. Or just a better date.
3. Not everyone will be supportive. Weird. If I was giving up smokes or soda, I’m sure the common response would be, “good for you, keep it up!” I don’t know whether I unleashed other’s insecurities, but this was an unfortunate discovery. Taunts to give in to temptation, being told to my face that I wasn’t as fun as when I’m drunk – it’s a little concerning. Also mind opening. This time allowed me to turn the dictionary to page defining “friendship” because I don’t need that negativity in my life and neither do you.
4. You can still party. Won’t lie and pretend I didn’t have a coffee before hitting the bars, but my dance moves were just as fabulous, if not more coordinated, than ever.
5. Mondays aren’t so bad. The only reasons for dreading a Monday the past couple of months was due to the consecutive massive snowstorms that locked me in my tiny apartment. Otherwise, I looked forward to starting the week with a clear head and a clean to-do list.
6. Alcohol feeds your sugar addiction. You might not realize when downing numerous ciders and margaritas, but I found myself literally crawling to get my sugar fix. My candy consumption skyrocketed and I blame it all on you, rum and coke.
7. No gym excuses. Get your ass to the gym. Seriously, what else do you have to do today? Clean your fish tank? (Shoot…probably should do that this weekend).
8. There’s more than drinking to pass the time. Join a book club. Discover an unearthed hobby. Explore new boroughs. Pick up the sport you played in high school that you’ve missed. Just a few of the things I tapped into February, as examples.
9. Get to know yourself again. Your ten year old wierdo self that was innocent, naive and honest. The one who collected beanie babies or Pokemon cards. The one who sang in the choir and thought that “Cotten Eye Joe” was ever cool*. Same one that didn’t think a night at home watching movies with the parents meant you’re lame. That person didn’t need to drink to define fun.

*PS – Did you know a Swedish band, called Rednex, introduced that hot sixth grade dance bit? Actually, for even more of a laugh, go Google the 1939 folk version of “Cotton Eye Joe” and imagine getting down to that at your friend’s bat mitzvah.

Restorative Healing

Sitting in an quaint yet buzzing cafe located at the base of the most commercialized street in Boston, I exist on a different plane. Free from the anxiety and worries that fill our minds, each thought insignificant, but stacked heavily on our shoulders causing our backs to crunch over in the weight of our mental state.

“I am aware, I am alive.”

This is what Scott, my yoga teacher had us chant in our heads for an hour straight as he pulled apart our bodies with each long holding stretch. Unlike vinyasa yoga, restorative yoga is calm and cooling, focused on the joints rather than the muscles. The workout goes through a series of deep stretches, allowing you to reach deep within and heal your longing aches that accompany you home on the subway after a long day of crunching numbers and client presentations.

“Birth, death.”

Scott reminded us that life is finite and to appreciate our bodies and our ability to participate in this practice. We will all get old, but we have the power to determine how quickly our bodies tighten, like week long leftovers wrapped in saran.

In the last few minutes, Scott asked us to bring our palms to heart center and think of someone we would like to dedicate our hour of practice to. Immediately my mind fluttered to my beloved grandmother, who will be undergoing heart surgery in a couple weeks. Perhaps distracted by the bustling thoughts that crowded my mind, I haven’t taken the time to realize how scared I am for her, how scared she must be. How instead of looking years ahead, she only thinks in terms of seasons, or months. Maybe she’s fortunate enough to have unlocked the power to think just for today, like the taoist mindset asks of.

Everything seems so insignificant floating out of a restorative yoga class. My patience expands beyond the blinking orange hand that tells me I have three seconds to cross the street. My eyes have expanded wider than my stomach, and sitting in this cafe in a room full of other beings just feels so right. Yes, my emotional state extends deeper than the hazelnut infused macchiato that weaves through the young man who is seated next to me.

“Namaste.”

Farmers Market 101

 

What Does $13 at the Farmers Market Get You?

A whole lot, actually.

As the summer rapidly comes to a close, there’s a ton of reasons to shed a tear. White dresses, beach trips, summer fridays at work and my favorite, cheap seasonal fruits and vegetables…all soon a distant memory.

Walking into a farmers market can definitely be overwhelming. Not only must you ride out the current of the swarming crowd, but you also must locate the best quality and the most competitive prices. Here’s a few tips to help you navigate these waters and ensure you have an amazing first experience.

1. Take your Time: Don’t have any reason to be in a rush. You’ll want to set time aside in your day to enjoy the scene.
2. Go Green: All vendors will offer you plastic bags to tote your goods around. Bring a reusable bag to save the plastic. Plus, they can be totally chic! To showcase your personality in a bag, I recommend Baggu. 
3. Come Baring Cash: $20 can get you a lot and it also is fun setting a monetary limitation of what you can get with such a small amount. I recommend bringing $5 bills since you’ll be makings numerous purchases from various vendors
4. Take a Lap: When you arrive, get familiar with the landscape. Before grabbing the first bunch of kale you see, explore the whole scene to find the best and fresh deals
5. Spread the Love: Farmers markets are very competitive with pricing so while that vendor is selling those tomatoes are an unbeatable price, I bet those avocados are a whole dollar less at another stand.

6. Mix and Match: You see a sign for six lemons for $1, but only need three for the week? Only pay 50 cents instead, or spend the rest of the dollar buying some limes for those tequila shots you’ll be shooting back next Friday.

7. Show Up Late: Vendors will start slashing prices towards the end of the day to try to get rid of produce before packing up. Make your trip later in the afternoon to snatch those deals.

8. Invest in a Fruit and Vegetable Wash: The food you’ll be buying is fresh. So fresh, the carrots won’t be peeled and those beets will be covered in Mother Nature’s makeup (dirt). Fill a big bin with water and the wash solution before consumption. Yes, maybe a bit more time consuming, but completely worth it…and you’ve already done #1, so what’s the rush?

 

 

I Need a Break: April – Alcohol

For the month of April, I made the decision to give up hard alcohol. I allowed myself to indulge in a glass of wine or a cool, cider every now and then, but as a college grad, I think my liver could stand a month without shooting back shots or slugging around a Redbull vodka at the bar.

At first, it was difficult to engage in public, having to hold back my instinct to order a spiked club soda, especially since the wine made me sleepy by the time everyone wanted to leave for the bars. But by the end of the month, I was not at all thinking about the lack of Tito’s or Don Q in my life.

I did find that I began craving a lot of sugar though, being that the drinks that once satisfied my sweet tooth no longer were there to comfort me. This of course, didn’t help during Easter time when peeps and chocolate bunnies were popping up all over my apartment, which brings me to May…

Growing Is Forever

Stop. Breathe. Reset.
Then carry on.

A film by Jesse Rosten – twitter.com/JesseRosten
Words by Kallie Markle – twitter.com/lightningvsbug
Music – “Window” The Album Leaf

Urban Remedy Super Green Cleanse Review: Day 3 (Symptoms, Perks and Results)

After 11 hours of sleep last night, I woke up ready to go for day three. I’m definitely weaker today, and tired  to some degree, but gaining mental clarity.

For those not familiar with juice cleanses, many will agree that day two is the hardest. You’re body has gone without food long enough to switch into the mode of getting rid of all those toxins. So say hello to these symptoms:

• acute acne expelling toxins through the skin
• brain fog from fewer calories, or withdrawal from sugar and caffeine
• cravings!
• decline of energy/fatigue due to your body adjusting to less calories
• headaches/body aches 
• mood swings

I promise, if you’re body is reacting normally to a cleanse, these will pass in a day or two. Just try to relax and keep yourself busy! Pretty soon you’ll be feeling these wonderful perks:

• mental clarity
• greater, refined energy
• increased energy
• bright eyes and skin
• decreased appetite
• deep healing of and past injuries
• intense cleansing of organs

My overall review of this cleanse? I loved having the six different juices each day, although by day three, I was definitely done consuming liquid green! If you see my day one review of the cleanse, I was obviously distraught with the way I was feeling physically and mentally beforehand. The quality of the juices was top notch – one of my favorite programs and I definitely recommend trying Urban Remedy. I would love to try one of their meal kits in the future. Three days later, I feel 95% better. No more bloating or fatigue. I feel much happier and back on track. I will be kicking off my clean raw eating again slowly, incorporating fruit and vegetable solids in-between smoothies and soups. Remember, it took three days to get here, so you can’t just jump back to your old habits! By reflecting on the progress made, you will make much better decisions upon leaving the cleanse in order to maximize benefits.