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It’s 2019! Have you made your new year’s resolutions yet? All those desires cloaked in wishful thinking that you may vaguely attempt for a few weeks before the next vacation, personal drama or life event takes precedence and you are lost, once again? 

I’m here to tell you, you DO NOT NEED A “NEW YOU”.

You already contain the elements you need within you. Sound hokey? Like Deepak Chopra feel-good rubbish?

Well, too bad. It’s true.

The message that you need a “new you” dominates in popular magazines, on diet websites, and it sure does a good job selling stuff that coincides with our ideal image of ourselves. Want to get fit? Then you need a new pair of leggings/headphones/trainer. And maybe you do need those things to help you. There is nothing wrong with that. But if you’re getting things in the hope that you will suddenly become an avid runner even though you run only when chased, then I’m afraid it’s not going to go well.

In our attempts to change our habits for better ones, we often lose and grow frustrated, wondering why we failed yet again. The “New You” wasn’t better and you are still the same old you. So better continue with the old habits and beliefs right? And now you get to feel bad about yourself to boot.

WRONG.

The OLD YOU is already good enough. In fact, the old you is your secret superpower. The OLD YOU knows itself, it’s flaws and imperfections, like an old married couple who know each others’ quirks like the wrinkles on their foreheads.

You are all you need. Once you realize this, and stop punishing yourself for being not enough, you can harness your strengths in order to push yourself in the ways you need to.

Perhaps you are amazing at organizing and list-making. You can shop and meal-prep for the week in order to stay on track with healthy eating. Perhaps you are good at making friends and love socializing? Maybe this translates to a new workout or class that makes joyful movement a real aspect of your life.

Most of us think that change comes from outside of us- like a new dress/diet/relationship that will suddenly transform you. If I only had the right _______, I would be __________. Our minds are intrinsically trained to focus on the negatives, or what we perceive to be negatives or lacks.  We think “I hate my frizzy hair” instead of “I love my thick and unruly hair”. Radical self-acceptance is a necessary arbiter of change. You can’t begin to change something when you can’t accept its there. 

As a health coach, I strive to see each client for who they are now, not who they hope to be. I can highlight their strengths and use them to the client’s advantage. Small changes, when applied diligently and with care, can yield huge results. And the only person who knows what’s changing? YOU. The very same, old YOU.

So, no, you don’t need a NEW you. You need to wisen up to all that the old you offers. Accepting your limitations and obstacles doesn’t make you less than; it makes you human and whole. And from that interesting, fertile place, you can sow the seeds of change from the ground up. Growth is required and may be painful. But that’s ok too. Discomfort is only that.

The old you knows this. All you have to do is listen.

To work with me as a client, click here.

It’s hard to believe Thanksgiving is only a week away! Thanksgiving is my absolute FAVORITE holiday. The smells, the oven cranking away, the fall leaves, the long weekend with family all make me so happy. I love cooking and planning and have come across some great classics in my dozen or so years cooking turkey dinners! I’m a person who can get absolutely LOST on the NY Times Cooking section.

Here I’ve compiled some tricks, tips and some of my favorite recipes!

If you are hosting, start planning now. Thanksgiving needn’t be fancy or overblown, but it does require advance planning to make it all go smoothly. Make sure to figure out how much oven space you have and when things are going in and coming out! Even if you’re bringing a dish to someone’s house, make sure there is room in the oven. One year my lovely friend Aole brought homemade bread…that needed to be baked. It took way longer than expected and we were all waiting to eat and cook the rest. Thank god we had plenty of wine!

Make as much ahead of time as you can. Buy pre-chopped veggies. Make sure you are delegating jobs (kids and in-laws are wonderful for this) and breathing!

Before I embark on my crazy day in the kitchen, I move my body. A nice walk, a short run, an Aaptiv yoga workout or an early spin class really help with my mood and my energy levels. Make it a family affair if you must, but prioritizing your health needn’t take the back burner, even on a holiday.

THE BIRD

This picture was me four years ago, cooking two turkeys and cracking myself up.

If you are cooking a turkey, get a good quality bird. Don’t settle for a Butterball or a grocery store turkey if at all possible. They are filled with artificial colors, flavors and are processed (not to mention raised in horrifying conditions, ew). Find a good butcher or gourmet grocer where you can order an organic turkey or a heritage breed turkey. Whole Foods has organic turkeys, and even Williams-Sonoma sells them!

I’ve made several different turkey recipes over the years. I usually end up doing some sort of mix of different recipes cause I’m a rule breaker that way. Sometimes I brine my turkey (I just buy brining kit), and then I do this recipe from Tom Colicchio. It’s always a winner. Cause herb butter, amiright? (I make with ghee to avoid dairy!) However, I have been making Thomas Keller’s roast chicken for a while now which is so delicious, I am game to try his turkey recipe. But it definitely requires advance planning!

My turkey trick— and I am warning you now, this will be controversial– is to take the turkey out when it’s 150 in the thickest part of the thigh. All the recipes say 165. Don’t do it. Your bird will be overcooked and dry. Take it out early, place on a cutting board and cover loosely with foil. It needs to rest for at least 30 minutes by which time the internal temp will have risen. Check it again if you are paranoid, but it’s usually juicy and moist! This is particularly true with heritage breed turkeys which tend to cook faster and overdry if you aren’t careful. Definitely make sure you have a good digital thermometer for cooking meat and poultry!

Always remember- hot delicious gravy can save any dry bird!

GRAVY

Ah, gravy. I remember years of my mother standing over the stove with her whisk, the little bottle of Gravy Master and the can of Wondra flour, making gravy in the roasting pan. She made delicious gravy but I have discovered two things:

1. You can make amazing gravy AHEAD OF TIME. You can use store-bought unsalted chicken broth and then just add the pan drippings after the turkey cooks! Brilliant!
2. Even better, make mushroom gravy. It’s so delicious, you don’t believe it. Last year, I made both and the mushroom gravy won out across the board. *My extra tip is to stir in a little miso paste at the end for that umami flavor. It’s the bomb.* You will never go back. And yes, I have even used gluten-free flour (my son has Celiac) and it’s still amazing.

SIDES

I grew up with sherried creamed onions and chestnuts, but that is just asking for a household of gassy tummies, so I don’t make it!

I try to be healthy-ish on Thanksgiving, not because it’s totally required but because most of the food I like the best is more healthy than not.  We avoid gluten and dairy, so most things aren’t sitting too heavy in our bodies. And it’s easy to make fresh and delicious sides that feature healthy veggies.

I always have a green vegetable, even simple steamed green peas. Or blanch green beans ahead of time, and then toss in a pan with ghee and almonds while the turkey rests. Brussel sprouts (with or without bacon) are going to be on my menu this Thanksgiving. Crunchy on the outside, tender on the inside, caramelized Brussel sprouts with bacon and pomegranate. Not sure how I’m going to make them yet, but I’ll figure it out. I’ll use this recipe as a guide.

I always have a squash or sweet potato. My favorite recipe for acorn squash was brought to my attention by my brother and sister-in-law. It is so good and goes with everything on Thanksgiving. I avoid making sweet potato casserole anymore because it’s just too darn sweet. The best part of avoiding sugar is that a plain sweet potato tastes like candy!

As for mashed potatoes, well, this gets personal. I love them, but I love cauliflower-leek puree more. Throw some cauliflower and chopped leeks in a pan, steamed them gently. Then throw them in a Cuisinart with some vegetable broth, salt, butter/ghee, and fresh cracked pepper. Blend away and it’s phenomenal!

Here is a great dairy-free mashed potato recipe in case you are a potato lover!

Stuffing: technically I don’t stuff my bird anymore. I just find it so labor-intensive and I don’t necessarily find that it changes the flavor much. I am an old-school Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix person, with lots of celery and butter/ghee. Make it ahead of time and pop back in the oven with extra broth while the turkey rests. If you’re not into bread stuffing, I made a wild rice wild rice and quinoa stuffing that was excellent.

I don’t find salads very necessary or interesting on Thanksgiving. They always feel like the friend no one wanted to be invited to the party, but is there anyway. So I usually don’t make one, but a nice tri-colore salad with arugula, radicchio, endive, oranges, walnuts and parmesan would make sense here.

PIES

It’s a must. And this recipe for pumpkin pie is the absolute best one I’ve ever tasted!

Apple pie is another Thanksgiving classic, served with whipped cream or vanilla ice-cream.

I don’t go healthy with the pie, I just enjoy it. Or eat more turkey! But this year among my guests are a diabetic, a Crohn’s sufferer, a Celiac, and a Keto dieter, so I may also be making this.

I could talk for hours about Thanksgiving but the main thing is to CONNECT with others and express GRATITUDE for all the blessings we have in life. So no matter where you are spending the holiday and with whom, make sure to take a minute or two to look around, breathe, be present and take it all in. 

And for heaven’s sake, if you are cooking, make sure after dinner you sit your ass down and let others do the cleaning up. You’ve earned it!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving 2017.

My friends always ask me how I manage to make so many quick and yummy meals with a busy household. So I am giving you a run-down of the best pantry and freezer staples to have on hand for quick meals.  We live in New York City and ordering in is as easy as clicking two buttons. My local Chinese place can be at my apartment in like 12 mins, no joke. Meals have to be QUICK and EASY if I am to compete. (And let’s be honest, some times I don’t! We order in probably 1x week on a normal week. More if J and I are super busy with evening events. How to order healthy-ish takeout can be covered in another post…!)

PANTRY STAPLES

• jarred spaghetti sauce (no added sugar)
• lentil or chickpea pasta
• taco shells (yes, technically processed but oh well.)
• Thai red curry paste
• coconut milk cans
• tomato paste
• tomato sauce (add garlic powder, onion powder, italian seasoning and salt and you have pizza sauce!)
• capers
• canned pumpkin
• canned or jarred artichoke hearts
• canned whole tomatoes
• canned chopped tomatoes
• organic chicken and/or vegetable broth
• variety of nuts and seeds (always sunflower and pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, peanuts, macadamia nuts) and butters
• dried porcini mushrooms
• California brown basmati rice
• quinoa
• red lentils (cook super quickly!)
• canned chickpeas
• vegetarian refried beans
• ginger root
• garlic (or peeled cloves in the fridge)
• spices: curry powder, cumin, cinnamon, tumeric, onion and garlic powders, oregano, italian seasoning)
• good sea salt (Maldon, please and thank you)
• lemons and limes
• imported tuna in olive oil
• nutritional yeast
• paleo pancake mix
• variety of vinegars, oils, condiments (coconut oil, grass-fed ghee, avocado oil, dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, sriracha, and thai chili-garlic sauce are musts.)

FREEZER STAPLES

• cauliflower rice
• berries
• mango
•  sliced bananas (makes perfect smoothie bowls)
•  quinoa
• brown rice
• peas
• corn
• spinach
• kale
• GF pizza crust (I love Capellos!)
• frozen GF pasta
• frozen wild shrimp

FRIDGE STAPLES (I usually have these veggies and things in my fridge)

• pastured eggs
• grass-fed beef, pastured chicken, organic turkey, non-GMO tofu
• avocados
• mushrooms
• greens: lettuces, arugula, kale, spinach, collards, swiss chard
• broccoli and/or cauliflower
• organic celery (I spread with almond butter for a snack)
• unsweetened almond, hemp or cashew milk
• aged parmesan cheese
• grass-fed ghee
• fermented sauerkraut
• good aged cheddar
• Gluten-free corn tortillas and/or Siete brand cassava tortillas

Now, what can you make with all these things?

Often I make something quick and figure out a way to incorporate any produce or protein that I need to use or re-invent leftovers (potato hash, already-roasted cauliflower tacos with chickpeas). That may be my next post! Challenge yourself to use up herbs, leftovers and produce that are in your fridge. Food waste accounts for 25% of the methane in our environment!

Here are some quick ideas:

• lentil pasta with sauteed spinach & jarred tomato sauce
• turkey burgers* (turkey meat, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, egg, s & p, parmesan)
• slow-scrambled eggs with peas & parmesan
• red lentil coconut curry with greens
• quick shrimp & pea curry
• seared miso-butter salmon with caesar salad & roasted baby potatoes*
• GF pizza (with leftovers as toppings)
• quick “creamy” tomato sauce (tomato sauce, spices & cashew cream) for pasta or spaghetti squash
• taco night (stir in a can of refried beans with your taco meat, a tip I learned from Gretchen Dean!)
• breakfast for dinner (pancakes, eggs & protein of choice)
• sauteed artichoke hearts, spinach, capers, garlic and lemon* (serve over lentil pasta or with sauteed shrimp or chicken)
• whatever protein + frozen veg + fruit
• leftover grain bowl + avocado + greens

Let’s be serious, it is just dinner! Not a cooking show. Some of most basic things I make my kids go nuts for. Focus on WHOLE foods with minimal processed ingredients and you will do great.

Have a sense of adventure! Get your kids to cook with you and try new spices and recipes! (For the record, this is often more easily done with a nice glass of wine in hand.)

HAPPY COOKING!

*I will post these recipes when I get a chance!*