Noodles the Healthy Way

Thin, clear rice noodles … a bed of mixed greens, lots of fresh raw vegetables, tofu, maybe some sliced meat, peanuts, fresh herbs and a very light oil-free dressing. Ahhh … a meal from Vietnam-heaven made for warm summer nights! It’s an amazing light, healthy meal. Try this dish this week!

Nutritarian Adventure … How are we doing?

Feel free to download this handy healthy grocery list based on the Eat to Live food program of Dr. Joel Furhman.

Early on in our Eat to Live adventure, I made a Nutritarian grocery list using Evernote (with the checklist feature) which syncs to all of my devices. So I always have the list on my cell phone when I am shopping. It really helps to just look at the list, check off the things we need, and stick to it — at least 95% of the time. Here we are a little over a year after starting this health adventure and we’re doing pretty well. Not perfect. But who is perfect? I’m happy with mostly great, much healthier eating and feeling lots better. Here is a gift for you — a well balanced, healthy grocery list to download and use for smarter, healthier shopping. Enjoy!

Today’s a Good Day for Hot Ginger Lemon Tea

My favorite way to drink ginger tea is to make it from fresh ginger root, brown rice tea (genmaicha) and lemon zest. The flavors of made-from-scratch ginger tea are incomparable to the store-bought kind. And, what’s really yummy about this recipe is the way the ginger and lemon flavors blend with the toasty-almost-like-popcorn-but-it’s-really-toasted-rice flavor. OMG yummo!

Eat Your Orange Colors: Old World Butternut Squash Soup

Old World Butternut Squash Soup is a delightful medley of dark orange veggies and sweet/savory flavors. Super healthy for you. This one is different from the pureed butternut squash soup that’s trendy now. I like my squash soup chunky so I can taste all the different flavors and textures. I even add coarsely chopped tart apple for a flavor surprise! Make this soup vegetarian — or not. Either way it’s delicious on a blustery winter day with some hot-out-of-the-oven whole grain bread or a scone and a leafy green salad. A perfect winter meal:

Hot Honey Custard Soothie … Happy Birthday Mickey!

Oct.5th, 1981 — a day I will never forget. It’s the day I locked eyes with my first son, Mickey, before he was breathing on his own, when he was halfway into the world. Happy Birthday, Mickey. To make this day even more special, I made a warm soothing drink that I used to give my boys when they had trouble falling asleep. It’s nutritious. Healthy. Easy. And extremely comforting.

Hot Chocolate Banana Nut Soothie

When the cold weather hits, the hot chocolate comes out. Here’s a non-dairy variation on hot chocolate: made with coconut milk, dark chocolate chunks, pecans and bananas to add body and nutritious goodness. Serve it right away while it’s still foamy and hot.

Saturday Smoothies: Late Summer Peach Smoothie

If you don’t have peaches sitting on your kitchen table right now driving you crazy with their incredible fragrance, run out to your local farmers market or produce stand and buy some. Just do it. You know you want to. Then, with at least two of those glorious globes, make this Late Summer Peach Smoothie. And. Smile.