the whole nut

beans!

Last week I took part in a 5-day detox, which meant I stayed away from the following: wheat, sugars, dairy, meat, caffeine, and alcohol. It’s basically a really refined diet of grains and greens with a little fruit mixed in there. (fortunately, it isn’t too drastic of a change since I try to keep most of those things out of my diet on a daily basis anyhow) However, the temporary routine can leave you lacking a little energy (at least in the first day or two).

The point of a detox is to allow your digestive system a minute to rest and decompress, which will then leave you feeling cleaner, clearer and full of new energy. Just give your body a few days to rejuvenate itself and see what happens! It’s also an opportunity to get serious (or stay serious) about a whole and healthy diet on the regular (sans the wheat, sugars, dairy and so on). But that’s another topic of conversation for another day.

This round lasted me five days, which mildly affected my social calendar for the week (it always does). On the fifth day I decided to start transitioning off by incorporating beans into my lunch and dinner. With no protein-packed foods in my diet for the past few days, it was time! So what did I use? Beans!

I love using beans in my meals as a source of protein. They’re nutritious, inexpensive, easy to store and taste great. The best part is that they’re so versatile (black bean brownies anyone?). I mix beans into practically everything. Garbanzo, cannellini, adzuki (pictured above), kidney–you name it. You don’t need meat in your diet to get your protein (really). If you maintain a mostly vegetarian or vegan diet, then beans are the way to go. Packed with fiber, iron, B vitamins (for a healthy brain, nerves and skin), beans are the best source of folate, an important vitamin our bodies need to help fight heart disease! All this, but without the saturated fat or other risks associated with some meats.

As I tell my clients, the easiest most practical way to incorporate beans into your diet (which I highly recommend) is by stocking up on canned kind (as opposed to the dried beans that you cook yourself). Despite all the benefits, beans can be hard on the digestive system and can leave you feeling bloated and uncomfortable (not fun). The solution to this? Soaking.

Yes, I’m talking about making your own pot of beans!

While the directions can seem a bit much (the soaking, the rinsing, boiling, etc.), it really isn’t a time consuming activity. The bulk of the time the beans are spent soaking (overnight, preferably) or cooking on the stove. The time spent laboring over the beans is minimal, but the satisfaction is huge and you’ll also get a lot more for your dollar.

Pick out the dry bean of your choice, and scoop out a cup for soaking (this will yield anywhere from six to eight servings).

Instructions

• Soak the cup of beans six hours to overnight (though the smaller the beans the less soaking time required); make sure a few inches of water rests above the beans
• Drain and rinse, discarding the soaking water
• In a heavy pot, combine the rinsed beans with 3 to 4 cups fresh water
• Heat over medium/high until water begins to boil; skim off the foam that collects at the surface
• Add a few small pieces of kombu (a type of seaweed) which will further help the beans with digestability
• Cover, and let the beans simmer on low heat according to the time on the package (my adzuki beans cook 45 - 60 minutes, but because I let mine soak overnight they only required 30 minutes)
• Check the beans from time to time; test a bean by squeezing- the center should be tender
• Add 1 teaspoon of salt in the last 10 minutes of cooking

Make sure the beans are tender before removing from heat! The softer the bean the easier the digestibility (you can see this is a constant theme here). Beans can keep in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, or in the freezer (submerged in the cooking liquid) for up to 2 months.

I love it when I know how my food was prepared, and beans are no exception! It’s great to have a can on hand (as I always do–in fact, I usually have 4 or 5 in my cupboard) but there’s nothing like the satisfaction you get from preparing something on your own. Though I always rinse and soak canned beans before use, too - usually about five minutes or so.

Next time you’re preparing a meal, try to mix it up! Opt for a vegetarian meal with beans as your main source of protein. Sauté some greens in olive oil and garlic, throw in some beans, some grains, and you have a meal! And if you’re in a pinch, just reach for a can. I look for organic varieties, with beans that have been soaking with kombu (like the Eden brand) to boost compatibility with your tummy.

Looking for more information on what a detox is all about, or how to incorporate cleansing habits into your routine? Check out www.healthystartnyc.com for a group workshop happening in February. Or, if you want to talk about how it can relate to your own health goals, contact me and we’ll get the conversation started!

1 comment January 26th, 2010

eat better, feel better

“Eating well is easier than going to the gym, and tastes better than eating like crap.” Says my busy boyfriend the other night over text. Gym issue aside, I chuckled and wondered what prompted this “testimony” (as he called it). Might there be a connection between the things we eat and the way we feel? Of course, never wanting to be the bossy girlfriend, I sometimes let him make his own choices when it comes to food. But perhaps now he was making the connection for himself.

Though he can balk at my green smoothie and call me a “woodland creature” with a cupboard full of grains, there’s no denying how tasty quality food can be. The trick is being able to recognize how good our bodies feel when we eat healthy, wholesome meals. You eat better, you feel better, right? And it doesn’t stop there! Did you know the food you eat affects more than the way you feel?

We all know the wrong food choices can leave us with a tummy ache, heartburn, or a cavity. But aside from the obvious, food also affects our energy and mood! Whether it’s a positive or negative influence is up to you and your diet. You see, the food you eat goes into your bloodstream, which makes up the cells in your body, which makes up you! See? You really are what you eat!

So what does that mean? It means that every little thing you eat affects your mood, your balance and your mental state. Think about it. How do you feel when you have a fresh, crisp apple? And think about how you feel when you pick up a cheap, store-bought brownie, leftover in the conference room. What is your mood like? Which is more likely to leave you tired and irritable after 20 minutes?

Once you start connecting your food with your mood, you’ll lose the energy-depleting, bad-mood forming junk foods and go for high-quality foods that only enhance and give you a boost! Some of us are more sensitive than others, and some choices are just more obvious. As Joshua Rosenthal points out: “the most extreme examples are coffee or alcohol, which change your state of mind within minutes.”

So start making the connection with foods that aren’t so obvious. Try keeping a simple journal and jot down the way you feel after eating a meal or certain foods. Soon you may discover that your afternoon coffee isn’t the best choice for you. Or perhaps the sugary cereal in the morning only makes you want to crawl back into bed. Look out for foods that make you tense or anxious, and start bulking up on foods that help you feel energized, creative and focused.

At the end of the day, no one wants to feel or “eat like crap.” Simple solution? Pay attention to what you eat, and pay attention to the way you feel after each meal. Learn what feeds you best.

Can you think of a time you made a food-mood connection? Which foods have the most positive affect on you? And which would you be better off without?

2 comments January 13th, 2010

my morning smoothie

Ask anyone who’s into health and nutrition what he or she ate today, and I promise you they’ll be more than happy to share an overview of their day’s diet with you. It’s almost like asking a fashionista where she got that purse. There’s pride, excitement, and honor in sharing those sorts of details (I won’t quite say boasting). It’s as if you’re just waiting for someone to ask.

But instead of who made it or where it came from (or any of that), any “health foodie” (not to be confused with a regular foodie here, though they often overlap) will go on and on about–oh, you know–things like, how wonderful this is for the endocrine system, or how much vitamin K is in that. Sound like anyone you know?

So the other day while I was working on my squats my trainer says, (oh-so casually) “so, what did you eat today?” (side note: I usually work out in the mornings, but as a pedestrian in NYC, “feels like” 9 degrees forces me to rearrange my schedule for the sake of my sanity) But back to the question: she wants to know what I ate today! Yes, I work with my clients on their daily diet and food choices so it’s not uncommon for the topic to come up in conversation–but it’s a real treat when I get to divulge.

I try to hide my excitement (and winded breath) as I begin to rattle of the dishes of the day: “Well, for breakfast I made this smoothie with spinach and flaxseed, coconut oil, banana–” She stops me short and tells me how amazing that sounds, and how it’s so nice to find a similar soul in this world of bagels and breakfast sandwiches. (she didn’t really say that, but it was close) The green smoothie: the breakfast of champions! That’s not to say everyone loves the sound of my favorite breakfast at first mention, though.

While holding a glass in hand, I often get comments like: “you just want people to ask you what that is, don’t you.” (um, yes? I mean no?) It’s the same look I get when riding the metro with my giant “Supa Dupa Greens” from my local juice bar. I know it looks different. I know. But give anyone a sip of the (naturally) sweet smoothie they’ll be singing a different tune.

What’s not to love? This smoothie is packed with fiber, calcium, omega-3’s, magnesium, iron, tons of vitamin A, C and K (really, the list goes on and on). But to sum it up: this delicious, nutrient-dense smoothie will keep you satisfied all morning long while promoting weight-loss, clean skin, and a strong immune system. And it’s easy to cart around: simply pour into a water bottle and go! (this is great for the busy New Yorker on-the-go)

Ingredients
2 Large handfuls of spinach
1 cup almond milk (or mix it up with coconut water)
1 small banana
1/3 cup frozen blueberries
1 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 tbsp coconut oil

Instructions
Put all ingredients into the blender–and blend! I like to puree the spinach first with the almond milk, so to make room for the rest of the ingredients. Makes one serving.

There are many variants out there for the “green smoothie,” all wonderful and tasty, but this is the one I go by (after many tried concoctions). The best part is that the ingredients are easy to stock and it doesn’t take more than 5 minutes of your time in the morning. Tasty, quick and nutritious breakfast? That’ll give you something to boast about!

Looking for a protein boost in the mornings? Check out my banana-almond butter smoothie which is great after a tough workout!

5 comments January 7th, 2010