In a society offering increasingly more opportunities for movement – new activities and sports, travel and transport, technologies, etc. – quality time around the dinner table can sometimes fall low on one’s list of priorities.
...But it shouldn’t!
Anyone who has ever embarked on a journey to lose a few pounds has heard it before; “dieting is 80% food, and 20% exercise.” In other words, go ahead, and exercise ‘til your little heart is content (being physically fit is always in!). However, if you tend to go home and eat a bag of chips fit for an entire family, weight loss won’t be the end result.
We all like to go on a healthy diet every now and then, and by a healthy diet, we mean eating healthy and banning sugar. That said, hunger can give birth to cravings and cravings can derail those healthy dietary changes in an instant…
Why do we crave junk food?
Seven - it seems like a consistent, magical, cosmic number. The same number of days it supposedly took to form the earth, the number of main chakras in the body, days of the week, and the main levels of tissue formed in the body...all counted by sevens. What nurtures one doesn't always nurture all, but when the foods which can nourish the whole are recognized, eating healthy takes on a whole new meaning.
Is it possible to look and feel your best while eating the most delicious food? Canadian nutritionist and founder of the Academy of Culinary Nutrition, Meghan Telpner, asks and answers that very question in her latest book, The Undiet Cookbook: the answer is a resounding yes!
As someone with an Italian heritage, I feel that a richly flavored marinara sauce is a must in my household. Sure, you can buy the stuff that comes in cans and jars, but a delicious, homemade sauce is just as easy to whip up, and much more satisfying.
It may be strange to my veggie-loving self, but, apparently, some people aren’t too fond of the goods that are good for you. Some people grew up not wanting anything to do with the stuff, and continue to be less than enthused by fruits and/or vegetables, even into adulthood. If you’re one of these people, I’m happy to share a few ways to incorporate more fruits and veggies into your meals that just might convert you into a plant-based food fanatic.
What spices do you use in your cooking?
Whether you're showcasing a single spice or embracing many flavors in a harmonious blend, spices do wonders for our tastebuds and our dosha. Each spice has different effects, but all are full of health benefits. In the case of turmeric, its pungent nature can balance out the doshas, but careful, too much can aggravate pitta and vata.
Every so often my standard morning oatmeal recipe starts to feel boring and bland; I crave something warm and satisfying, but decidedly not made from oats. Enter breakfast quinoa!
It starts slowly. Icicles drip onto the sidewalks, snow mounds shrink under afternoon sunlight, and here in the Pacific Northwest, heavy, warm rains are ushered in. As spring approaches, our appetites desire light, fresh, yet still warming foods. Enter the classic vegetable soup.