Happy New Year!

Thank you Mom & Dad for the best Christmas gift ever: a new Laptop and thank you Gordon for setting it up for me =)...now I can get back to blogging =)

So here we are, the first month of a brand new year. Yes, it’s January…the infamous month of new beginnings, resolutions, self reflection and setting goals. While I’m a huge advocate for self reflection and setting personal goals, I’m not a huge fan of how New Year’s resolutions are approached, and here’s why. First off, there shouldn’t be only one time during the year when we set goals for ourselves, because the truth is, things happen everyday that cause us to re-evaluate our thoughts/opinions, think about our actions and, in some cases, even set new goals. Self reflection is a critical part of growing and moving on to each new phase our life leads us to. In fact, we sometimes need to self reflect just to move on to tomorrow. It seems that some of us tend to wait until New Years rolls around to decide to commit to a new regimen, or decide to break our 'bad' habits. The problem then becomes that we don't follow through (some of us don't even start down the path to implement positive changes) because these new commitments are so overwhelmingly big and involve such a huge change in one’s lifestyle that unfortunately they’re often unrealistic. I'm not saying that all resolutions are not accomplished...but rather I am implying that we are part of a culture where this idea of making "the big New Years Resolution" is one which tends to get blown out of proportion.

What if we re-frame ‘the New Year’s Resolution’ concept by approaching it from a different angle without losing sight of the bottom line; that is, better setting our priorities so that we reach the goals we internally set for ourselves all year round. Here's a different angle: Instead of setting big goals, let’s focus on the little things. For example:
-Big Goal: I’m going to lose 10 pounds VS. Little Thing: Today, I’m going for a walk
-Big Goal: I’m going to stop smoking VS. Little Thing: Today, I’m going to have one less cigarette than I had yesterday
-Big Goal: I’m going to get all A’s this semester VS. Little Thing: Tonight, I’m going to the library (and am NOT bringing my computer to avoid the temptation of spending my entire time at the library on facebook)
-Big Goal:I’m going to be a nicer person VS. Little Thing: compliment someone before you go to bed
-Big Goal: I’m not going to hold grudges this year VS. Little Thing: Forgive that one person who you still give dirty looks to

The point is that we live in a world full of temptations...don't allow New Years to make you lose sight of the fact that you're only human. Our 'bad' habits became habits because on some level they are things we enjoy. So, don't deny yourself pleasure just because it's "resolution time." After all, human nature teaches us that when we're told we can't have something or we can't do something is exactly when we want it more.
Signing up for a workout class, buying more fruits & veggies, holding the door open for the person behind you whose hands are full, texting a friend to let them know you’re thinking about them, going for a walk, saying thank you, trying something new, simply smiling…all of these are little things that make a big difference. Starting small is encouraging, because when you set baby goals you’ll definitely reach them, and then you’ll feel proud of yourself for accomplishing that which you sought out to achieve. If we spend our energy focusing on the little things in life, the bigger things will surely fall into place =)

Here’s a deliciously healthy recipe to help you kick off the new year. If you’re a person who orders in every night because of this excuse: “I can’t cook,” try homemade coconut shrimp over arugula salad for dinner tonight! You’ll impress yourself:

Baked Coconut Shrimp over Arugula Salad:


Baked Coconut Shrimp
Ingredients: uncooked peeled and deveined shrimp, 3 egg whites, whole wheat flour, 1 -2 bags of coconut flakes which can be found in the baking section (1 pound of shrimp typically takes 1 ½ bags of coconut flakes.)
Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 350
2) Place coconut flakes on an ungreased cooking tray & bake in the oven for about 10 – 15 minutes. Be sure to stir coconut flakes regularly so that they all toast evenly.
3) While coconut is toasting peel shrimp (if needed)
4) Beat egg whites in small bowl & set aside
5) Fill another small bowl with flour. Season flour with salt & pepper & set aside.
6) Coat each shrimp in flour, then dunk each shrimp in egg whites, and finally coat with toasted coconut.
7) Spray a clean baking sheet with cooking spray, place shrimp on top & bake for about 15 minutes.
*Make extra, refrigerate it, and have leftovers for lunch tomorrow…yum! This is also a great appetizer recipe if you’re looking for something new to tailgate with or a healthy option to bring to your super bowl party*

Arugula Salad
Ingredients: 1 package of arugula, drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, 2 wedges of fresh lime, salt & pepper to season. If you want, you can add any other of your favorite veggies. I like to add some shredded carrots, beets & slices of avocado...The avocado compliments the coconut shrimp very nicely & the beats & carrots make it colorful =)
Directions: Toss ingredients together in large bowl. Unlike other salad, this one tastes best when you let it sit for a bit…let the arugula soak in the olive oil & lime for however long you want…it won’t go bad, I promise...isn’t that convenient! Even overnight won’t cause it to get wilted or soggy…this salad is one that will still taste great tomorrow.

Here's to a Happy 2012...filled with endless goal setting, health, happiness & new beginnings =)

Lunch for the Week

We are just weeks away from sitting around a table with friends and family filled with love, laughter and, of course, lots of holiday food & drink temptations. How do we physically prepare ourselves for all of the eating and boozing that comes with the holidays?
Let’s start with the next 2 work weeks leading up to it all. I don’t know about you, but what really kills me are office lunches and all of the delicious home-made baked goods colleagues bring in this time of year to share with everyone. And, Allison & Christina’s office which is always filled with candy =) Prepare for these temptations by Planning for them: create alternatives that are just as good. The best way to do this is to bring your own lunch.
I know what you’re thinking: bringing a lunch everyday is much easier said than done, because of 2 things:
1) Who has extra time in the morning to make something & pack it up?
2) What can I make that’s healthy & tasty enough to pass up the office temptations?

I find it’s best to prepare something on Sunday or Monday night; enough to last me through the whole week (or at least most of it). If it's in my fridge, ready to eat, then I have nothing to worry about or prepare during the workweek. Healthy is important, because healthy keeps our energy up which helps us get through the workday and keeps us full so we don’t pick at unhealthy snacks. You’ll be surprised…once you get on a healthy streak, it won’t be so hard to turn away from the junk.

This week, try my vegetarian casserole...loaded with vitamins & protein:



Ingredients: ½ medium sized onion (diced into small pieces), 3 – 4 small cloves of garlic (diced into small pieces), olive oil for sautéing, 1 package of cubed, extra firm tofu, 1 package of sliced baby-bella mushrooms, 4-5 medium sized zucchini’s peeled and diced up into small pieces, 1 large bag of frozen chopped spinach, fat free (or reduced fat) shredded mozzarella cheese & Japanese- style breadcrumbs, called ‘Panko’.
Directions: 1) Preheat oven to 350 & take bag of frozen spinach out of freezer to allow it to thaw a little bit.
2) In saucepan, combine onion, garlic and tofu – sauté in a olive oil for a few minutes ... I’d say at least 7 minutes (until tofu cubes start to brown on the outside)
3) Add mushrooms and zucchini to pan. Let veggies cook for about 10 minutes, until soft. Add a little bit of skim milk or water to avoid burning on the bottom …but not too much! Just enough to moisten the pan
4) Add frozen spinach
5) Transfer veggie mixture to large mixing bowl & stir in shredded cheese
6) Spray casserole dish with 0 calorie cookie spray and pour casserole mixture into pan. Layer top with panko breadcrumb seasoning
7) Bake for 20 – 30 minutes

Go to the food store tonight, bring these ingredients as your grocery list & make your lunch for the rest of the week! Getting ready for the holiday’s doesn’t only mean holiday shopping for others, it means taking care of ourselves & getting our bodies ready too!

Resilience

This entire fall season has been devoted to studying for the Series 7 exam. I’ve been working hard and studying harder for the past couple months...gave up my social life, pulled a few all nighters and totally committed myself to the STC Series 7 books. Then, last Saturday, I fell short just a few points of passing. After having sat for this 6-hour-long-exam (which had consumed me for the last few months), you can imagine how an overwhelming wave of failure, disappointment & self-defeat came over me which I just couldn’t shake. Vulnerable moments like these are the moments when it’s easiest for us to give up on ourselves. Don’t! (I know, I know…easier said than done)

Make it a point to not make big decisions when you’re at your low points: don’t quit a diet while reading a dessert menu, don’t give up the bike ride while standing under the awning watching it rain, don’t decide to quit your job after getting into a fight with your boss, don’t think you can’t understand something just because you didn’t get it the first time =).
Believe in second chances, seize tomorrows. Make your choices when you’re in the right state of mind so that you make the best decision. Because the truth is, our thoughts are responsible for whatever place or situation we’re in right now. So even in moments of uncertainty, when you’re freaking out, questioning yourself; wondering how you got to where you are…remember you’re there because at some point that’s where you wanted to be.

With the right state of mind, anything is possible. The amount of effort it takes to fail is the same amount of effort it takes to succeed as far as the mind’s concerned…it’s your responsibility to provide the right seeds of thought. Never underestimate the power of a positive attitude.


Yesterday, after a few days of resting my mind (and a few bottles of wine), I regained mental strength & re-opened the books: went back to re-tackle my current challenge; using what I’ve learned up until now as my motivation, not my distraction or excuse to give up.
Vince Lombardi said, “a person’s worth is determined not by how he handles success but by the way in which he deals with failure.” We're young, so we’re resilient – we can always bounce back! Our failures & disappointments are our best teachers; learn from them, don’t run from them. Admit to them, don’t deny them.

After all, the harder you fall…the higher you bounce =)

L'Shanah Tovah ... always learning something new =)

Sometimes it’s nice to learn about things that aren't straight out of a textbook or that aren't usually on our radar. I’m going to Rosh HaShanah dinner tonight with Gordon’s family and so I thought, hm – let me Google Rosh HaShanah, because besides that it’s the Jewish New Year there’s really not much more I know about this holiday. (And yes, this is me procrastinating from studying for the Series 7 exam – but at least I’m learning something new, right :/ ?!?)

Today is the Jewish holiday Rosh HaShanah, which in Hebrew literally means “first day of the year.” For those people celebrating, today is a day of examining one’s life, making amends with people who you may have hurt in the past couple months or people who hurt you, repenting for your wrongs and remembrance. We could all use a little bit of all of those things in our lives! No matter what religion you follow or beliefs you may have, think of today as a new year… for all of us it’s a new day so it is a new beginning. At the heart of this holiday is making peace with oneself & the communities one’s part of and striving to be a better person – I guarantee you’ll feel great when you rest your head tonight if you bring some of this holiday spirit into your life today…clear your head and free your heart of whatever you might be hurting from.

A Healthy Food Tradition of Today: Growing up, my next door neighbors were a lovely Orthodox Jewish family. I’d always walk over to their house after school to play. Ilanit (my childhood friend from next door) & her sisters would frequently eat apples with honey as their after school snack; at the time, I never really thought much of it, besides that it was yummy. This memory came back to me today while I was googling Rosh HaShanah and read: "...a popular observance of today’s holiday is eating apples dipped in honey – it is a symbol of wishing for a sweet New Year." When scrounging around for a snack later, try this one! Such a healthy choice to satisfy your sweet tooth =) Unfortunately there are other 'healthy' traditions observed on this holiday that not all of us are so lucky to partake in, such as taking a day off from all types of work…hmm…wouldn’t that be nice =)!

Even though we can’t all take the day off, we can take the day to reflect on how we want the rest of our year to go. If there’s something that’s been bothering you lately – face it, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to do – do it, if there’s something you’ve been wanting to change – change it. Then, reward yourself later for the hard work you’ve done & all your repentance with a nice glass of wine (or Manishchewitz)… I know I will =)
After all, good faith, food, health, family, wine and traditions are always worth celebrating!

“L’Shanah Tovah” = “May you have a good year” … and always be open to learning something new =)

Life Is Good

Did You Know…
-2/3 of American children & adolescents reported experiencing a traumatic event by the time they turned 16
-The life expectancy of adults who experienced 6 or more types of abuse or household dysfunction as children was reduced by 20 years (according to a study done by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention).

I’m talking about the children in our country who will grow to be the future. As healthy, busy individuals, we are often blinded to the thought that early childhood trauma not only exists, but is a serious health issue that hurts many children every year right here in America. The Playmakers at the Life Is Good Foundation have researched this silent epidemic & firmly believe that while childhood trauma can hurt, “play can heal.” Playmakers are devoted to helping children who suffer from life-threatening challenges (such as illness, poverty & violence) to overcome their emotional scars and develop into successful & happy adults through play.



Play is the medium through which human beings are given the chance to discover, laugh, form relationships, experience joy and develop a foundation of self-worth and happiness. Play doesn’t only nurture children, it nurtures adults too…it’s part of the reason why exercise is so important. We need physical activity in our lives to keep our chemical makeup in balance. It’s not only about losing weight, it’s about living healthy and keeping our mind clear, positive & stimulated. Don’t you think clearer, breathe deeper, and feel more relieved/relaxed after you exercise? I’m not even talking about a hardcore workout…even if it’s just a walk or using the stairs instead of the elevator – our bodies react instantaneously and we can feel the difference.

Now, combine that feeling of euphoria after a good workout with giving back to children in need & imagine how great you could feel! I know sometimes we tend to focus on giving back to children in less fortunate countries & organizations that help other parts of the world. While those types of community service endeavors are undoubtedly meaningful and important, it is also important to focus on helping the impoverished that live on our home soil. While you may have a roof over your head every night, realize that there are others who live amongst you that are not so fortunate.
This weekend the Life Is Good foundation is hosting a festival, right here in MA! The festival will include music, food, and lots of fun physical activities for adults & children (like rock climbing & football). Not only will you be able to enjoy the beautiful outdoors and engage in some fun physical activity, but you’ll also be contributing to a great cause - 100% of proceeds will go to children in this country who are in need of our help. Spread playtime to kids who really deserve it =)

Use community service, the start of this beautiful new fall season, & children who need you to motivate you this weekend - do something for yourself and in doing so, something for others too! Life Is too Good to not get involved in great opportunities like this one.

For more information, visit: http://www.lifeisgood.com/festivals/

This Week: Fall Specialties

...And now for the main course =)


Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms just might not cut it if you’re looking for a main dish to prepare for your roommates, your family or your significant other on a night when it’s your turn to cook. I chose to take advantage of the produce that’s in season this time of year, namely delicious butternut squash, in this stuffed chicken recipe:

Stuffed Chicken with Butternut Squash, Fig and Goat Cheese



Ingredients: 4 chicken breasts (thick enough for stuffing), ½ of a small to medium sized butternut squash, approx. 10 figs, goat cheese (amount is up to you – be careful though! This ingredient can be dangerous if you use too much of it), balsamic vinegar (enough to cover the bottom of your skillet), fresh ground pepper, 1/3 cup sliced or chopped almonds, ¼ cup skim milk
Directions:
1.Preheat Oven to 400. Wrap squash in tin foil, place on baking sheet & bake for about an hour (or until soft).
2.Clean Chicken. Then, cut a slit or 2 in each chicken breast to create a pocket(s) for stuffing.
3.Marinate chicken. (I like to marinate chicken in a very teeny amount of olive oil combined with fresh basil, garlic, ground black pepper, & parsley) Throw it all in a zip block bag and let it sit in the fridge until squash is done. *For best results marinate chicken overnight*
4.Once squash is cooked, take it out of the oven & reduce the oven’s heat to 350. Unwrap squash from foil and let it sit to cool (it’s going to be really really hot when you take it out of the oven so be careful.)
5.While squash is cooling, cut skin and ends off figs, leaving only the center reddish juicy part remaining. Then, place centers of figs into a medium sized mixing bowl.
6.Once cooled, cut top and bottom end off squash and peel the skin off (skin will come off very easily). Use a spoon to spoon squash into the same mixing bowl that contains the figs, looking out for the seeded center (when you see the seeded center, remove it and throw it away). Note: If you would like the ingredients of your stuffing to be evenly proportioned I would recommend not using the whole squash for your stuffing
7.Mash squash and figs together – add milk and 1tsp. of butter (if necessary) to make mixture smooth. Add goat cheese, almonds, & crushed black pepper to mixture & set aside.
8.In skillet, sauté chicken in balsamic vinegar – only cook for about 2 min. on each side – enough to brown the outside (you don’t want to cook the chicken completely right now, because you still have to bake it & you don’t want it to end up being overcooked in the end =)
9.Take a tbsp. & Stuff your chicken!
10.Bake stuffed chicken in oven for about 20 minutes (depending on thickness). Top it off with extra almonds or goat cheese, if desired.

Nutrition: Butternut squash contains 0g of fat, 0g of cholesterol & 0g of sodium, nearly 50% of your daily recommended intake of Vitamin C & 300% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin A. With only 16g of carbs. & 3 grams of sugar, this vegetable is a great alternative to other sweet flavors of the fall. Of course the chicken & almonds provide you with lots of protein to help you stay full and little fat (nearly no saturated fat), figs give you the little bit of fruit you need & contain fiber. When making this recipe, limit the goat cheese! While cheese is definitely one of my guilty pleasures, it’s by far not the healthiest of foods. Some of it is good, because we should never deprive our bodies of the foods we crave…but be careful – practice portion control! You will turn this dish into an unhealthy one if you overdose on the cheese (as you would any other dish).

If you want to serve this dish with a side, I’d recommend serving it with a green vegetable…whatever you like most: broccoli, asparagus, Brussel sprouts (as shown in picture), green beans, spinach, etc. … Greens like these are amongst the best foods in the world you could ever put into your body. They will keep your energy & immune system up and your fat, salt, cholesterol & sugars down. Serve & Enjoy =)

This Week: Fall Specialties

The combination of a new chill in the air, autumn smells coming through my apartment window, pumpkin coffee & bagels offered at Starbucks, Dunks & Einstein’s and the 1st football game playing on my TV screen Sunday night certainly kicked off this fall season for me. It’s the perfect time of year to go outside and get moving – hit the pavement for a nice walk, brisk jog or hard run – the weather’s just perfect for it!! Then, come home and fill your kitchen with the aroma of savory fall recipes. I know what you’re thinking…the foods of fall are all unhealthy: baked breads, nuts, pies, poultry dishes loaded with sugars & oils, and of course - ‘football food’ meaning fried finger foods loaded with salt and fat. While that initial assumption holds some truth, this past weekend I experimented in my kitchen and came up with an appetizer and entrée filled with all of the fall flavors we love, less the fat.

This week my blogs will highlight fall specialties that are warm, hearty, rich in fall flavors, AND are NOT filled with ingredients that pollute our bodies. Rather than going for the quick, simple & less expensive recipes, this week I’ll focus on recipes that may take a little longer to prepare, but that will be sure to impress =) Today’s blog features an appetizer and tomorrow’s will feature a main dish.


Vegetarian Stuffed Mushrooms (add ½ pound of cooked shrimp diced into small pieces or a little bit of sausage to your stuffing to make it non-vegetarian)
Ingredients: 1 package of 'Stuffing Mushrooms,' ½ cup of cooked lentils, 2 shallots, 2 – 4 cloves of garlic, fresh parsley (as much as you like…personally, I like a lot of parsley –about ½ a bunch), ½ a package of small diced mushrooms, 3 – 4 tbsp. of olive oil for sautéing, ¾ cup of white wine, approx. ½ cup of bread crumbs, approx. 1 cup vegetable stock, cheese (any type…I used parmesan, but you can use whatever you like best…any kind of shredded cheese or mixture of cheeses would work too…the measurement is up to you), ½ cup of chopped almonds, ground black pepper.


Directions:
1. Cleaning the stuffing mushrooms: De-Stem your mushrooms…cut out the stem and clean out the center so there’s room to stuff. Then, soak mushrooms in bowl of cold water to soak & set aside.
2: Preheat oven to 375
3: The Stuffing:
– Boil lentils
- Mince shallots, garlic & parsley
– Cut up baby diced mushrooms into small pieces
– Sautee shallots, garlic, parsley, mushrooms, lentils and white wine in olive oil for about 5 min.
– Combine sautéed mixture in mixing bowl (add shrimp or sausage if desired), breadcrumbs & vegetable stock **Feel free to continue to add vegetable stock (a thinner) and/or breadcrumbs (a thickener) until the stuffing is the right consistency for you**
– Add cheese, chopped almonds & ground black pepper. Mix well...then, stuff your mushrooms w/a tsp.
4. The cooking: Spray baking dish with 0 cal. cooking spray. Place stuffed mushrooms in baking dish & bake 30 – 40 min. Add cheese on top, if desired.

These vegetarian stuffed mushrooms are a great substitute to other ‘football-watching-finger foods’: they’re hearty, nutritious, filled with fall flavors & taste great with a nice cold beer =)