It’s springtime, and there are delicious bitter greens popping up everywhere at the supermarket. From dandelion greens to arugula, the spring market is full of bitter greens. Below is a quick salad that uses the bitterness of arugula greens, and the sweetness of strawberries for a delicious combination. Use this salad as a side dish or as your main course by adding some grilled chicken to it.

 Baby Arugula

Crushed Almonds

Chopped fresh strawberries

Blue Cheese Crumbles

Lemon

Olive oil

Black pepper

Red wine vinegar 

1. Place the Arugula, crushed almonds, chopped strawberries, and blue cheese crumbles in a large bowl
2. Whisk 2 Tbs of red wine vinegar, 2 Tbs of olive oil, blak pepper,  and the juice of one lemon in a small bowl
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss. And voila! A delicious, quick fresh salad

One of my absolute favorite things to eat are flour tortillas. I know that they aren’t the healthiest things in the world, but I have a theory that you can put almost anything in a tortilla and it will turn out delicious. Try adding some cheese to a tortilla and microwaving for a few seconds and the rolling it up. Yum!

Below is a new recipe that I created using flour tortillas that is absolutely to die for. It may not be the healthiest, but it’s definitely not the unhealthiest. And it is oh so satisfying. Enjoy!

Panko Chicken Wraps

1 package of chicken breasts pounded thin

Flour

Panko breadcrumbs

2 eggs

Hot sauce

1 Avocado

Flour tortillas

Crispy romaine lettuce

Olive Oil

1. Create an assembly line by getting a large plate for the flour, a large bowl for the eggs, and then a large plate for the Panko. Take each piece of chicken breast and move it through the assembly line in this order:
   1. Rinse off the chicken breasts with water and then coat both sides of the breasts with flour
   2. Scramble the eggs in a bowl and then dip the coated chicken on both sides in the egg
   3. Move the breasts from the eggs to the plate of Panko, making sure that each breast is fully covered with Panko.
2. Heat a skillet with some olive oil, and fully cook the chicken breasts
3. While the chicken is cooking, cut the avocados into small slices,  and wash and chop the romaine lettuce
4. Put the tortillas on a plate and place a paper towel over them and heat in the microwave for 25 seconds
5. Chop the chicken breasts into strips and place on the tortilla. Add some slices of avocado, shreds of lettuce, and top off with a little hot sauce
6. Optional: you can add some ranch dressing or bleu cheese dressing but it’s healthier if you don’t and the avocado should give the wrap enough creaminess

Spring is not just the time for cleaning out all the junk in your life. It is also the time to clean up your body. Below are simple rules for an easy spring cleanse. Try doing this cleanse for around 2 weeks. It will be hard, but you will see and feel the benefits after just a few days.

• Cook for yourself: When you make your own food, you know exactly what you are putting into your body. Don’t think of it as a chore, but as a way to spoil yourself!

• Drink at least 10 large glasses of pure, clean water each day. Optionally, you can add lemon or a tablespoon of vinegar to one of the glasses to help cleanse the digestive system

• Eliminate: Coffee, alcohol, red meat, wheat, dairy, fried foods, starchy vegetables, sugar, sugar substitutes and eggs. If you get caffeine withdrawal headaches, or other symptoms of withdrawal, power through…these symptoms will only last a few days

• Experiment with good grains such as quinoa and millet

• Eat organic chicken and wild caught fish

• Eat nothing that is from a package or from the middle aisles of the grocery store. As a guide, vegetables, fruits and lean protein are found around the perimeter of the grocery store

• Load up on delicious vegetables. Pay special attention to dark or bright colored vegetables such as beets, broccoli, kale, escarole, dandelion, arugula, bok choy and carrots

• A little bit of olive oil + garlic+ pepper = a perfect way to cook any vegetable or any protein

• Make lunch your biggest meal and dinner the smallest

• Nutrition math for your plate: 1/3 lean protein (grilled chicken, grilled fish), 2/3 vegetables or 1/3 good grains (quinoa), 2/3 vegetables

• Juices: Have fresh vegetable and fruit juice everyday. A great combo is carrots, celery, apple and ginger. Yum!

• Snack on fruit, almonds, carrot sticks and hummus

Have fun on your cleanse and remember…you are doing this for yourself. Don’t do it just to lose weight—although that can be an added benefit. Do it to clean out the toxins in your body. Do it out of respect for your body and remember…you get out of your body what you put in, so make sure you put in good stuff!

Peel the grapefruit, divide into pieces and then de-skin the grapefruit by peeling the skin off of each piece of grapefruit. Yes, this is tedious, but it makes it taste so delicious and looks so pretty on a plate! Arrange the grapefruit on a white plate, and then sprinkle the blueberries over the grapefruit. Spoon some plain yogurt over the grapefruit and blueberries almost so it looks like a first snowfall, but not so much that you can’t see the beautiful mix of colors. Half and then quarter the pomegranate. Collect the seeds and sprinkle over the grapefruit, blueberries, and yogurt. Beautiful!

Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a frying pan and add the chopped onions, saute until golden brown. Scramble the eggs, add salt and pepper to taste and pour over the sauteed onions. Add crumbled feta cheese and cherry tomatoes at the end when the eggs are almost done cooking.

Finally, toast the english muffins and spread with nutella. Arrange the toast and omelet on a plate.

Eat in bed and enjoy a lovely Valentine’s Day! Bon Appetite!

2009 was a tough year for so many of us because of the economic downturn. There was a lot of negativity surrounding us all, so let’s get rid of those negative 2009 vibes by taking a minute to think about the great things we accomplished this year. Whatever you did to improve the quality of your life, give yourself a pat on the back for making it through the year.

When reflecting on the past, it’s only natural to look towards the future. My hope is that everyone out there will make 3 separate healthy new year’s resolutions:
1. Your first resolution should be something that will make you happier. Maybe your goal could be to make more time for yourself or to stop picking on yourself.

2. Your second goal should be a fitness goal. Whether it’s getting to the gym one more time a week, trying a new sport, or resolving to work with a trainer once or twice a week, make sure that you make a fitness goal you can keep.

3. Number 3 is to make eating well a priority! Live by the words ‘you are what you eat’. These words are simple but true. If you put quality foods into your system that keep you full for longer amounts of time, you will have more energy!

The easiest way to reach your nutritional goal is by making small changes that you can actually follow. Here are 3 simple ways that you can improve your diet in 2010:
1. Incorporate fruits and vegetables into every meal. Try eating an apple or adding blueberries or pomegranate seeds in your yogurt in the morning, add a side salad at lunch, and some steamed vegetables at dinner. You will ultimately get to a point where it will become second nature to you to incorporate that serving of fruits or veggies at every meal. Instead of getting a side of fries, get a side salad or steamed broccoli. Little changes like this can have a huge impact.

2. Replace your white starches. You don’t need to completely get rid of starches, but try eating smarter starches. White starches are high in sugars, are heavily processed, and have no nutritional value. Think about replacing your white pastas with brown rice or whole wheat pasta. Get rid of white bread and replace it with whole grain or sprouted grain bread. Instead of cooking pasta, experiment with quinoa. Whole grains keep you fuller longer because they are high in fiber. Instead of filling up with empty calories, reach for whole grains for a more satisfying meal.

3. Snack smarter. If junk food isn’t around you, you are less likely to go out and buy it…so don’t buy it! Try buying hummus and eating it with cucumber, carrot, or celery sticks. Dip apple slices in a tablespoon of peanut butter. Snack on grapes, almonds, or walnuts. All of these are healthy and satisfying alternatives to junk food!

Possibly the most important word of advice I can give you is that if you fail, get back up and pick up where you left off. We all falter, but it is our ability to pick ourselves up that determine how successful we will be. Have a great year!

One of my very dear friends thought that I should write about how to survive the winter months by staying healthy. I, for one, am really starting to feel the stress of the holiday season and thought that you might be too. Below are some tips to staying healthy and sane throughout the holiday season without the whole “stay away from treats” lecture (I’m sure you’ve heard it enough by now. Just don’t make yourself feel too guilty about it, and don’t binge. Moderation is never a sin!).

Ok so one of the best tips that I can give anyone for the holiday season is to rest up. Sleep is the absolute most important thing you can do for yourself. I will address some things that you can do to get a better night sleep in addition to some ways to keep yourself healthy, trim, and happy during the winter season.

1. Lighten up your dinner. It take a lot of energy to digest food, so your body can’t properly rest when it’s digesting. A combination of a lighter dinner (make lunch your biggest meal) and eating earlier in the evening will help you with your sleeping. A salad with chicken or salmon on top, a small piece of grilled chicken or fish and vegetables, a bowl of soup or some brown rice pasta sauteed with veggies in olive oil are all great options for dinner. An added benefit of eating a smaller dinner/bigger lunch is that it will help keep you trim!

2. Drink lots of water. It’s a lot harder to determine how thirsty you are in the winter, so a lot of times you don’t realize how dehydrated you really are. Even slight dehydration can lead to restlessness through the night, dry skin, chapped lips, dizziness, and improper digestion. Make sure you drink a ton of water during the day and keep a glass by your bed for when you wake up thirsty in the middle of the night. I keep a Siig water bottle on my desk at work and make myself fill it up every time I use the restroom. It’s an easy way to make sure you are drinking enough.

3. Meditate. Don’t go straight from the TV to the bedroom. Your mind will still be awake from processing the visual images on your TV. Instead, go into your bedroom and sit on the edge of the bed or on the side of your bathtub, close your eyes, and breathe deeply for 5 minutes to ease your mind into a calm state. Focus on your breath more than anything else, put your thoughts to rest, and reflect on the day. Then put all of the stresses to bed so that you can focus on the important stuff…sleeping!

4. Ease up on the alcohol. Alcohol disturbs your REM sleep cycle, the deepest part of your sleep pattern, which causes restlessness. You might initially be able to fall asleep since alcohol is a depressant, but you won’t sleep as well during the night. I know it’s hard to say no to that cocktail at holiday parties, and that glass of wine after a stressful day of holiday shopping or work is just too enticing, so if you’re going to drink, try having a full glass of water for every cocktail that you have. If you’re trying to stay trim, stick with lower calories drinks such as red wine or vodka with club soda and lime. Also keep in mind that because alcohol is a depressant, it can affect your mood. Make sure you take a night off every once in a while.

5. Ease up on caffeine. I recently gave up all caffeine, and I must say, it’s the best thing I could have done for myself. It was hard to give up that cup of coffee in the morning, but now, I don’t even miss it! Now, I am not saying that everyone should give up coffee. If it’s something you love, then it’s something you love. One cup of coffee in the morning is totally fine as long as it doesn’t interfere with your sleeping. Just make sure you’re not drinking it in the afternoon. Also be aware of foods, and other drinks that have caffeine in them such as chocolate and some flavor-added waters.

6. Sleep smart. Try to wake up and go to sleep at around the same time every night. Remember, our bodies are finely tuned machines. When you  keep your body on a schedule, it performs at its best.

7. Exercise. Make sure that you are exercising, especially during the holiday season. This will ensure that you are not having to play catch up come January 1 when everyone else enters “freak out” mode. You don’t need to go overboard, but keep a steady exercise schedule and stick to it! Also, think of exercise as a pick-me-up. When I am feeling particularly lethargic at work, I go to a spin class at lunch and feel immediately energized when I get back to work. This way, I have gotten my workout out of the way, my mood has improved, and I sleep better.

8. Make you the most important person. It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of the holiday season. There are parties everywhere, and there is shopping to do. You need to remember that it’s okay to say no. Spreading yourself too thin will only dilute your presence at these parties and you could risk not getting enough sleep and getting sick. During the holiday season, people are also at a high risk for emotional eating because of stress and because of not making themselves a priority in their lives. Plan one or two things that you will commit yourself to in a week, and ignore last minute requests for happy hours and parties. If it were that important, they would have scheduled in advance. This is your season to celebrate yourself and remember your amazing accomplishments over the year. Don’t let others take that away from you.

I hope that these tips will help you during the holiday season. It’s an extremely stressful time, and getting enough sleep, eating healthy, and making time for yourself are extra important. Take care of yourself! And HAPPY HOLIDAYS.

For those of you who know me, spin is my absolute favorite workout. For those of you who don’t know what spin is, it’s a 45- minute class (although there are classes that are an hour or an hour and a half) taught on a stationary bike. It’s a fast-paced class that takes place in a spin studio where the lights are dimmed and the music is loud. It’s a great, fun class to blow off some steam or forget about the troubles of your personal and professional life.

I particularly love spin because it’s an amazing workout in a short amount of time. What other way can you burn 500 calories in 45 minutes? I am not one of these people that likes to spend 2 hours in a gym. I like to get in, do my thing, and then get out and enjoy the rest of my day. You push yourself as hard as you can for that short amount of time, and then you’re done!

If you’ve never tried spin before, I highly recommend it. It is an extremely intense workout, so start at the back of the class and go slowly until you become comfortable enough to know how much energy you can exert in one session. Bring a lot of water because you will sweat A LOT and you don’t want to get dehydrated and have your muscles cramp up on you. Wear 3/4 length or full pants or at least nothing too short for your bottoms so that your thighs don’t chafe together. Also, try to arrive at class around 15 minutes earlier and have the instructor help you set up your bike. There are a lot of confusing knobs on the bike. These knobs adjust the seat height, the handle bar height, how close or far you are away from the handle bars, and finally, how much resistance is on the bike. The proper seat height will help you from straining your back or hurting yourself.

One note: Your bottom will probably be sore the next day from sitting on the bike if you’re not used to riding a bike. I promise, this goes away after you start spinning regularly.

Once you get to love it and I know you will (:)), buy a pair of spin shoes. Go to your local bike shop and ask an expert what shoes they recommend for spinning classes and ask them for a demonstration on how to clip into the bike. I recommend the regular shoes from Specialized that have cleats on the bottom so that you can actually walk from the locker room to the spin room in them without slipping. The Riatas–which are the ones I have–usually run around $89.99 and then the clip for the bottom of the shoe runs around $25. Your local bike store can also install the clip for you.

If you are doing spin regularly (2-3 times a week), you need spin shoes. They are a great investment because they completely transform your workout. Instead of just pushing your foot while it is strapped into the toe cage with a regular sneaker, you are able to push and pull your legs which really works your hamstrings, bottom, and core more intensely. You can also sprint much faster and more safely because your foot is securely clipped in and you aren’t worried about your foot falling out of the strap.

I hope that all of you have the chance to try spin because it is a ton of fun. Experiment with different instructors and find the ones that you like. Also, I would love to know what your favorite song is to spin to. What song really motivates you? Let me know in the comments section.

Have a GREAT workout.

One of my very dearest friends posted my first non-spam comment yesterday! Hooray! She has a great question…what do I do with tofu after I buy it? This is a great question because so many people know what tofu is, but have no idea what to do with it. So let’s start with a little background info and then I’ll go into a few of my favorite recipes for tofu.

Tofu is made from soybean curd and is then processed into a solid block. It is a pure vegetable protein, and is used in Asian cultures as a substitute for meat. Tofu is an extremely versatile food because it can act as both a main course, a garnish, or a side dish. There are three types of tofu: silken, soft, and firm tofu that can be used in a variety of different dishes and ways.

You can find tofu at most grocery stores in the produce aisle. It comes in blocks and the packaging will tell you what firmness the tofu is. Tofu does go bad, so please pay attention to the expiration date on the package. If you are interested in the history of and how tofu is made, here’s a pretty interesting video that I found: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uXPw6Os-_I

Since I grew up mostly in Japan, I have had much exposure to tofu. My absolute favorite way to eat it is in its natural state. I love silken tofu (tofu in its most delicate state; it falls apart very easily so I eat it with a spoon) garnished with chopped scallions and dipped in soy sauce. In Japan, tofu eaten this way is sometimes put on ice to make it a cold, delicious, clean-tasting dish that is perfect in the summer.

Here’s another recipe that my mother loves: Boil a block of soft tofu for around 5 minutes. Take out and then slice the tofu into 1-inch cubes. Start by cutting it length ways and then cut perpendicularly to make small squares.  For the sauce, mix around 1/4 cup of soy sauce, juice of 1/2 a lime, and 2 tsps of chopped cilantro together in a bowl. Experiment with different amounts of these ingredients until you get the taste you like. You might like more lime, more cilantro, etc. Also, a nice addition to this if you like a little spice is to add 1/2 a chopped jalapeno pepper into the sauce. Once you’re done mixing, simply spoon it on top of the tofu and voila…a filling main dish for 2 or a nutrition side for 4. Add a side of steamed veggies for a complete meal!

Another great sauce: Mix equal parts of rice vinegar and soy sauce (around a 1/4 cup), a 1-inch piece of grated ginger, 1 tbsp of ground sesame seeds, and just a few drops of sesame oil together. Use this as a dipping sauce for the tofu. You can prepare the tofu the same way as the recipe above. 

Yet another yummy recipe: Take a block of soft or firm tofu and cut into rectangles. Add 2 tbsps of olive oil to a frying pan and lightly brown both sides of the tofu. Add raw spinach, 1 clove of crushed garlic, and saute together with salt and pepper and lime juice. This is a delicious and nutrition meal with a hearty taste.

These are some easy recipes to start with tofu. They are pretty simple, and there’s really no wrong to make them. Please let me know in the comments section if you would like me to explain any of this further, even if it’s something as simple as ‘where do I find cilantro?’ I’m here to help you and love answering questions, so let me know.

Otherwise, enjoy your tofu recipes. Just remember at the end of the day that tofu is made from soy beans, so don’t go overboard and eat the whole block by yourself because you know what they say about beans, beans, the magical fruit.

So for all of you out there that work in an office, the one thing that can absolutely break you of your diet or healthy eating plans are afternoon snacks. In my case, I bring a healthy lunch in or grab a salad at lunch and have the best of intentions, but things don’t always work out that way. By 3 in the afternoon, I am eating chocolate, pretzels, more chocolate, and Starburst.

So how do we fix that afternoon craving? The first step is to realize that it’s not actually that we are hungry. If you’re like me, you have a big lunch, so we satisfied our body’s nutritional needs. So what is this annoying feeling trying to sabotage our healthy eating? It’s called emotional eating. In essence, our brains become confused with the emotions we are feeling, and makes us think that we are hungry. Think about how many times you have been feeling sad, or stressed out, and have become “hungry”? I know that when I am stressed out, the one thing that I crave more than anything in the world is pita chips. I carry most of my stress in my jaw area, and the crunching of the chips is very calming, almost as if the chips are allowing my stress to be released through my jaw.

Sometimes, boredom can be the culprit. Most of us have jobs where we have to be in our chairs  until 5:30pm or so even though we have finished all of our work. So, what do you do when you hit that 3pm lull when you are just far enough away from 5:30pm for it to be annoying? You eat. You munch. You eat everything in sight.

So how do we fix this problem? I am here to give you a few tips. They work for me, but let me know in the comment section below if they worked for you.

1. Identify what emotion you are feeling: If you have already had a decent lunch i.e. you have had a protein, and some kind of vegetable, you are not actually “hungry.” So, you are probably just “emotionally hungry.” Identify the emotion you are feeling. Are you staring at the computer screen after reading as many blogs as you possibly can, still bored? Are you feeling negative from reading the derogatory stories on gossip sites? Did you get an email that immediately made you stressed out? Are you just generally dissatisfied with the day? Whatever the issue is, try to pinpoint what you are feeling–when you admit to yourself that you are feeling down or stressed out, you make it real, thus winning half the battle.

2. Grab a cup of hot water: Do this any way that you can. Most office water coolers have a hot water spigot, but if not, heat up a cup of cold water in the microwave in a ceramic mug. Drink the cup of hot water slowly, breathe deeply and “chew” the water. Chewing activates the saliva glands and triggers your stomach into thinking that you are being fed. The warmth of the water will also trick your stomach into thinking that what you are ingesting is more hearty than it actually is. The warmth of the water is also very soothing, coating your stomach in warm liquid that will make you feel cozy. Make sure you are taking deep breaths, focusing your breath and mind inwards. If you can, close your eyes while you are drinking, and feel the liquid travelling through your mouth, through your esophagus and finally into your belly, making you feel as though you are in your bed on a cold winter day with warm fluffy blankets all around you. I always also recommend rubbing your stomach. Never underestimate the power of touch, and what it can do to make you feel comforted. Rub your stomach in circular motions, take deep breaths…just give yourself a little love!

3. Liquids, liquids, liquids: If the hot water and giving yourself a little love did not work, try to move onto other liquids. It might, after all, be the taste that you are craving. Try a cup of green or herbal tea or if you have a juice place such as Jamba Juice near you, grab a carrot and apple juice that contains natural sugars. I sometimes do a combination…I grab a apple and carrot juice and alternate between that and the hot water “snack.”

4. If all of this is still not working, grab a healthy snack. I know that this is easier said than done, but here are some suggestions using things that I can find around my desk, other coworkers’ desks or around the office: apple, orange, banana, 10 almonds, hand full of dry whole grain cereal, mini bag of pretzels, a scoop or almond or peanut butter on a spoon, 1/2 Cliff bar. Choose one of these snacks and eat it slowly, enjoying it. Also, a snack in combination with hot water is always a good idea. A double dose of healthy!

5. Take a walk: Take a walk around the office, or if you feel silly, pretend like you are walking to the bathroom. If you can, get outside and take a quick walk around the block. Go to a different floor in your building and pretend you went to the wrong floor. Whatever you need to do, just get up from your desk and change the scenery around you. This will change your mind from its current “hunger”-obsessed state.

Please let me know if this helped you at all. I know that some of this can sound a little hokey, but I truly believe that it’s just mind over matter and training your mind to think differently about food.

One of my absolute favorite items to cook food with is the ginger root. It adds such a dynamic taste to almost any dish. Ginger root, however, has many secret powers. You can get ginger root from your local grocery store in the produce aisle. The way you use it is by cutting off a big chunk (I usually use around 2 inches at a time), peeling off the hard exterior skin and either grating or cutting it into slices.

Here are some great ways to incorporate ginger root in your daily diet:

1. Use grated ginger in stir fry to add a little kick to the dish. Sesame oil also tastes delicious when used with ginger.

2. When you start to feel a little run down or start to feel a little sick, make or buy juice made with ginger (I try to juice every morning as long as I have time to grab it before work. Fresh vegetable juices are miracle workers). If you have a juicer, put carrots, an apple, and a large piece of ginger in together and drink it. The drink will be spicy to the taste and will give your immune system a boost.

If you don’t have a juicer or are a lazy juicer like me, you can buy freshly made vegetable juices. As a side note, try never to drink packaged juices because they contain lots of complex sugars and preservatives. In essence, packaged juices are just wasted calories and sugar intake. Also, Make sure that the juice is made with a juicer right in front of you by heading to heading to a Whole Foods or Fresh and Wholesome juice bar. These places can be a little pricey (around $5), but the investment is worth it and your body will thank you for it. I know it’s weird, but drinking straight vegetable juice has almost the same effects as a cup of coffee–you feel more alert, your heart starts pumping harder–but without the bad side effects. If you want to try something unreal, throw in a ton of vegetables and fruits into your juicer(Spinach, Kale, Carrots, Celery, Beets, Ginger, Cucumber, Apple, Pear), and drink it. You will literally feel like superman.

Sorry, I could talk about juicing and the benefits all day long.

3. My favorite way to use ginger root is in the form of tea. If you have an upset stomach or are feeling nauseous, use this recipe to calm your stomach (and your nerves!) Take a 1-inch piece of ginger root, remove the skin with a paring knife, and then cut the root into thin circular discs–probably around 5 discs. Put the ginger root slices into a mug and seep in boiling water. Add a hearty squeeze of lemon, and a little bit of honey to taste. Keep the ginger slices in the mug while you drink it. And enjoy.

On the whole, I am not the hugest fan of tea since you don’t really ever know for sure what’s in the tea bag. I know that many people will disagree with me on this, but I just think it’s an unnecessary part of one’s diet. With some teas, it’s also unnecessary caffeine intake. With this tea, however, you know exactly what you are putting in it, and it’s completely caffeine-free. This tea also has a very healing and balancing quality. Not only does it  soothe the stomach, but it soothes the nerves, the body, and the mind in a very holistic way. Prepare to feel warm, comfortable, and calm.