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Simple ingredients - words to live by when keeping a healthy and clean diet. This creamy and satisfying cottage cheese is my favorite and has only a handful of ingredients: organic skim milk, organic whole milk*, organic cream, celtic sea salt, live and active cultures. Pair it with fruit or whole grain crackers to make a complete, complex and protein-rich snack.

Healthy facts: Don’t fear FAT! The whole milk in this cottage cheese provides satiating fat that helps fill you up and ward off carbohydrate and sugar cravings later. 

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lululemon gets it. Sweating every day through exercise will help not only your skin, but also your overall body health by eliminating toxins, which supports proper immune function and helps prevent diseases related to toxic overload. It can be achieved easily - go on a hike with a friend, explore somewhere new on a bike, or dive into the ocean blue for a swim - just make sure to kick up the intensity to elevate your heart rate. Oh, and have FUN! :)

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Follow @BlueZones on Twitter or Instagram for daily tips on how to live longer and better through diet and lifestyle choices. The inspiration behind the Blue Zones philosophy are the world’s longest-lived cultures, and they’ve become my inspiration as well in my journey towards living the fullest life possible.

Quoted above is the impact that beans can have on your health and, by extension, longevity. Just recently, I’ve started to increase my intake of beans and legumes on a weekly basis - from roughly 1.5 cups to 3 cups per week. For vegetarians, you want to aim for 3 cups per week to adequately supplement your protein intake. For nonvegetarians, including meat eaters and pescatarians, you should aim for at least 1.5 cups. In addition to protein, beans and legumes are an excellent source of fiber, providing an average of 15 grams per cup (for black beans), which brings you well on your way to meeting the recommended daily intake of 25 grams.

Visit the Blue Zones website for some of the best recipes to increase your bean/legume intake. I love how easy it is to eat healthy, and their 5-Minute Tasty Squash and Beans dish is a great example of how fast and delicious it can be too!

Ingredients: 

1 cup of black beans (canned, no salt, drained)

1 cup of brown rice (precooked in pouch, available at Trader Joe’s)

1 large squash

1 avocado

4 T olive oil

hot sauce of your choice

dash of salt

Directions: 

Peel and seed squash, dice into half-inch cubes and toss lightly in olive oil.

Microwave all ingredients (black beans, rice and squash) in separate bowls until hot.

Serve together. Top with sliced avocado and a dash of hot sauce 

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Dreaming of this delicious dinner courtesy of my boyfriend John, who knows the way to my heart is through my stomach (just like it is his!) and a beautiful ambiance. On the menu: seared wild salmon with mashed hannah yams and steamed spinach. I topped it off with half an avocado and garlic hummus for a hit of flavor. And some flaky sea salt, as evidenced on the rim of my plate. Mmmm.

Did you know? Hannah yams are technically sweet potatoes. This varietal has cream colored, semi-smooth skin; cream/whitish colored flesh that becomes yellow when cooked; and tastes fairly sweet and firm inside. Hannah yams can be cooked in a variety of ways, including boiled, steamed, baked or fried. They are also versatile in that they can be paired with many different types of proteins and vegetables. You can even mash them and secretly add them to cake and cookie recipes to replace some of the refined sweeteners, and to add fiber. 

Healthy facts: A healthy way to cook yams or sweet potatoes is to boil them, which preserves the bio-availability of beta-carotene and also lowers the Glycemic Index (the amount of blood sugar in the blood stream). One serving (equal to 100 grams) yields 116 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and an impressive 670 mg of potassium, more than 10% of your daily recommended intake of this essential mineral. I’ll take one and raise you a banana for later, thank you very much! ;)

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As fall sways in, I always get excited. Don’t get me wrong - I enjoy the ease of summer - but those humid, dog days tend to stick around just a tad too long. Mid-way through September, I want to jump out of my swimsuit into a field of pumpkins. I want to bite into a juicy apple and feel hugged by a light (newly purchased) sweater. And that refreshing chill in the air? BRING IT ON.

But did you know that the very pleasures of autumn we’ve come to anticipate come with a little baggage? The shorter days and cooler weather can cause your brain and body to react in unpleasant ways, affecting everything from your mood to your sleep. 

For one, there’s hypersomnia. This is the term for sleeping too much and it tends to crop up for some people at this time of year, causing most to sleep an average of 2.7 hours more per day in October than in any other month of year. While this may sound like a good thing (who couldn’t benefit from a bit more sleep?), the quality and deepness of your sleep can also suffer, which may cause you to feel groggier during the day. This has to do with shorter, and often rainier, days that expose you to less bright sunlight. Ultraviolet light causes a chemical reaction in your brain that firms up your circadian sleep rhythms, helping you sleep more soundly at night and feel more energized during the day. So, the sudden shift in sun exposure can knock your sleep cycle off balance. Additionally, without as much sun, your vitamin D stores become depleted, which can leave you feeling more fatigued than usual. 

When your sleep suffers and you have lower levels of vitamin D, you may suffer from seasonal affective disorder, which are depression-like symptoms that can rear its ugly head when the cooler temps roll in. You’re also more likely to eat carbs and spend less time socializing in the autumn than in the summer.

How to avoid the doom and gloom, you ask?? Well, for starters, seek outdoor activities with loved ones and friends. The increase in vitamin D plus socialization will have you sleeping better at night and feeling more in tune with nature and your relationships during the day. A simple walk or hike in nature almost immediately improves your emotional state. Also, consider taking a vitamin D supplement. Research suggests a possible connection between vitamin D receptors in your brain and your brain’s mood circuitry. And if you want to live a bit on the edge, bite into an apple cider donut or sip a PSL. You’re bound to get a little sugar-high if nothing else… just make sure they’re made with all-natural ingredients so you don’t sacrifice on quality ;)

So grab that sweater or vest or sweatervest combo and embrace the fall. It only comes once a year!

Source: Shape

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Kayaking is a fun summer activity that is great for strengthening your upper body. This adventurous exercise targets your back, shoulders, arms, hands, abdomen, chest and especially heart. An hour of this activity is guaranteed to engage all muscle groups simultaneously - a feat that is hard to accomplish in a single gym session. 

Let’s break down kayaking by muscles worked:

Back:  Every stroke you take while kayaking is a single-arm row, which works your lateral muscles to a great degree. While one arm is rowing back, the other is getting a stretch and then a contraction. It’s an effective back workout and you can go at whatever tempo or variation you like: sprints, long sets, each pull as hard a possible, wide grip or narrow grip.

Shoulders:  At the end of each stroke, the paddle has to come up and around to the front again. This motion transfers the load from the large lat muscle up to the shoulders. That forward circular motion really attacks the rear, lateral and anterior deltoid muscles. Again, varying the tempo and the width of your grip will vary how the muscles are worked.

Biceps, Triceps and Hands:  As one arm is rowing in, hitting the biceps on that side, the other arm is countering with a forward extension to create more torque on the paddle. That extension involves a lot of triceps. As the biceps and triceps are engaged, your grip and forearms are getting attacked by handling and maneuvering the paddle. Like high-rep pull-up workouts, your hands will fatigue and your forearms will be tested.

Abs:  As with all rotational movements, the abdomen and obliques are heavily involved and responsible for your performance. Your trunk, which runs from your waist to your neck, is constantly working in a rotation and counter-rotation manner, resulting in a huge demand for spine stabilization and balance. 

Heart and Chest:  When one arm is rowing back, the other is countering with a forward push, like a single-arm dumbbell bench press. The interesting part is that when you do any row, your pectoral muscles actually work to stabilize the shoulder and pull the arm in, so the chest works on both arms simultaneously in opposite fashions. And of course, kayaking is a cardio-respiratory activity, with your heart and lungs tested on every single row for the duration of your adventure.

Source: Livestrong.com Photo cred: John L. Joy

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Fish Focus ~ I try to eat fish at least twice a week just for the hell of it… oops, I meant for the halibut! (Bad) joking aside, I eat fish with intention of being a healthier being – strong and sharp for the present and future. Higher quality fish, like halibut, are high in protein and omega-3s and low in calories, saturated fat and mercury. Halibut is a meaty white fish that is a standout for cooks because of its versatility, and a powerhouse for consumers because of its diverse health benefits, including its favorable influence on serotonin, one of the key hormones responsible for regulating our appetite.

Who doesn’t want to eat a protein source that is easy to make and delicious, fills you up, and is clean at the same time? Follow the easy recipe below to bake perfect, tender fillets of halibut for two in just 20 minutes.

Easy Baked Halibut Recipe

Ingredients:

2 5-oz boneless, skin-on halibut fillets

1 tsp olive oil

1 large clove garlic, minced

2 tsp lemon zest

Juice 1/2 lemon, divided

1 tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley

Pinch each sea salt and fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400ºF. In a large nonstick baking dish, add halibut skin side down and drizzle with oil. Top with garlic, lemon zest and 2 tbsp juice and parsley, dividing evenly. Season with salt and pepper. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until halibut flakes easily when tested with a fork. Drizzle with remaining lemon juice and serve.

Healthy facts: A 6-oz. filet of halibut provides 36 percent of the recommended dietary allowance for phosphorus, 37 percent for vitamin B6, 40 percent for magnesium, 71 percent for niacin, 91 percent for vitamin B12 and 135 percent for selenium. It also provides vitamin A, additional B vitamins, calcium, iron and zinc. Halibut is a lean fish with about 220 calories and 4.7 g of fat per serving.

Healthy suggestion: Try eating more Pacific than Atlantic fish since the Atlantic halibut is lower in numbers.

Did you know? Unlike halibut and other healthier fish (i.e. wild salmon, oysters, sardines, rainbow trout, arctic char, etc.), certain fish (i.e. swordfish, tilefish, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, ahi tuna, bigeye tuna, and shark) should be consumed infrequently due to their dangerously high levels of mercury. Mercury is an element that acts as an endocrine disrupter, which is a fake hormone that tricks your body into holding on to fat, burning fewer calories, and reducing levels of leptin, a hormone that regulates appetite. 

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Water + the body ~ Even slight dehydration can send your energy into a nosedive. To avoid feeling tired or hungry (even after adequate sleep and food consumption), make sure to drink as much water as your body is losing throughout the day. On average, this means consuming 64 oz per day. 

An enjoyable way to optimize your hydration is to add flavor and essential vitamins to plain water through dissolvable drink tablets, such as Nuun All Day. These tablets are full of electrolytes, clean and plant-based ingredients, contain zero sugar and only 7 calories. Just as important, they provide 11 vitamins and minerals that most of us don’t get enough of each day, including: vitamin a, folic acid and b6, c, e, and d for health and wellness, and sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and chloride for optimal hydration. Just pop in a bottle or glass with water and sip away!

Healthy facts: Folic acid is one of the B vitamins found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, fruits, dried beans, and peas. This vitamin, also known as folate, has multiple health benefits for women and men of all ages. For women who are pregnant, folic acid is widely known to help prevent birth defects. While in both women and men, it helps the body break down, create and use new proteins, as well as form new blood cells and generate new DNA. Furthermore, folic acid may help prevent heart disease, depression, Alzheimer’s disease, type-2 diabetes, and even some forms of cancer.

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Eating nuts is far from nuts! Did you know that eating a handful a day can cut your risk of dying from respiratory disease in half?! They also lower your chance of dying from diabetes, heart disease and cancer.  Cashews, almonds, walnuts, Brazil nuts... any nut (or technically, fruit!) will do the trick. Personally, I like to get my fill from a tablespoon or two of raw or roasted nut butters with no additives (i.e. sugar, oil, salt). Almond and peanut are my favorites, but a blend of two or more nuts is a flavor AND nutrient bomb worthy of spreading on your next hearty slice of whole grain bread or crunchy rice cake. And if you like a touch of sweet to go with your savory, top it off with sliced bananas, a sprinkle of cinnamon or a light drizzle of pure maple syrup.

To make your own nut butter, simply place nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Puree, scraping down the sides with a spatula as necessary, until the nut butter forms. The nuts will first turn into a meal-like consistency, and then after about 10 minutes finally form a very thick butter. If you want to ramp up the flavor or creaminess, add in half a teaspoon of sea salt and/or 1-2 tablespoons coconut oil (or equivalent light-tasting oil) while blending.

For a breakdown of nutrition profiles by nut, click here. 

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Flower Power ~ The 1960s activists were onto something… flowers, just like peace, are good for your mental health. While the less saturated and brighter colors are generally more relaxing, the bold saturated colors will energize you. I came across these during my morning run - and I appreciated the extra boost!

Next time you’re at a farmer’s market or choosing which bulbs to plant in your garden, think of how you want your flowers to impact your mental state. Taking care of yourself should be beautiful in more ways than one.

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Got nitric oxide? The answer is: YES. Nitric oxide (NO) is produced in your body and has far-reaching perks. Your immune cells release it to kill infectious bacteria. It also keeps your mitochondria, which supply you with energy, running smoothly and dilates your blood vessels, reducing blood pressure and improving circulation. But NO’s biggest benefits are reserved for your muscles - the gas makes them more efficient, and as a result require less oxygen to work out at higher intensities. So, NO makes it easier to push yourself!

Unfortunately, your levels of this beneficial gas start to dip as early as age 25. But it’s so essential to good health that everyone would benefit from upping their supply. Fortunately, there are three strategies scientifically proven to help increase your levels and fill your tank.

Kick it higher with cardio: Aim to get your heart pumping 3+ times a week to produce more NO everyday. 

Get juiced: Drink beet juice, which is loaded with nitrate, a compound the body breaks down to form NO. An alternative way to get an edge with nitrate is to eat one cup of spinach. (I prefer the latter!)

Step into the light: Spend time outdoors to rev up your NO. Exposure to UVA rays for 20 minutes will increase your NO levels and help drop blood pressure. This is because UVA rays unlock stores of NO in your skin, releasing the molecules into your bloodstream. Just make sure to use SPF to prevent skin aging, wrinkles and cancer.

Source: Shape

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10-Minute Rebuilding Veggie Curry

Beans are a meat-free way to get protein and build your muscles, which is especially important following exercise that creates microscopic tears in the muscles. For this curry, simply heat cooked chickpeas in a skillet, add diced tomatoes and season with curry powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in frozen greens and other vegetables, like corn, for an extra hit of nutrients.

Healthy tips: To make this dish in just a few minutes while maximizing on health benefits, opt for boxed organic chickpeas and diced tomatoes* versus canned. Going this route makes it easier to avoid food contamination caused by BPA (an industrial chemical often found in the lining of cans) and ensures a cleaner taste. 

Healthy facts: Each cup of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) contains 15 grams of vegetarian-friendly protein. While this is an impressive amount of protein, chickpeas are a source of incomplete protein, which means they do not contain every amino acid you need for good health. Make sure you combine them with other sources of protein, such as nuts, whole grains, dairy, eggs or meat to prevent an amino acid deficiency. A personal favorite addition to this aromatic dish is cottage cheese (4% fat) - it provides the perfect balance of flavor and texture. 

*I prefer the taste of San Marzano plum tomatoes, which are available in most grocery stores.

Recipe from Shape, March 2017.

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Pop Your Own Popcorn ~ Making your own popcorn allows you to control the fat and salt in this savory snack to make it a healthy, light treat while cozying up on the couch with a good movie or book. Choosing high quality ingredients is always key and this especially runs true when it comes to preparing foods we tend to snack on. Typically, snacks like popcorn and chips are eaten in higher quantities - we consume them more habitually and less mindfully than we do richer foods - which means every bite can add up FAST. Beware and be wise!

Even with Spring right around the corner, a snow storm hit New England earlier this week. Shocking? Not really. Cue the perfect night for movies and popcorn. Lucky for me, John (klean bee super fan) had everything ready to go. He offered up his tried and true popcorn making technique and recipe, which involved the Whirley Pop Popcorn Maker* by Williams Sonoma, fresh popcorn kernels, extra virgin olive oil and Himalayan salt. 

Recipe: Add roughly 1 tbsp of oil and one kernel to the pot. Cover the pot and turn the heat on high. Wait for the kernel to pop. Once the kernel has popped, add the rest of the kernels, replace the lid, and slowly (and patiently!) stir the kernels in the oil using the hand crank. Wait for the kernels to begin to pop. When the popping slows to a few seconds between pops, turn off the heat. Wait a few extra seconds for the last few pops, then remove the lid and lightly season the popcorn with salt and any other seasoning (garlic, chilli powder) you like. Enjoy!

Healthy facts:  Salt gets a bad rap, but it is essential for our survival. Salt (a.k.a. sodiumchloride) is our chief supply of this mineral, which helps our muscles contract, sends nerve impulses throughout our bodies and regulates fluid balance so we don’t become dehydrated.

That said, not all salt is created equal. True, high-quality pink Himalayan salt (like the one used in this popcorn recipe) is one of the purest salts you can find. It’s typically mined by hand, making it very different from table salt that involves a great deal of unnatural interference. Table salt is very heavily processed, eliminating its minerals. On the contrary, Himalayan salt is boasting with minerals that make it a smart choice when you need to kick up the flavor. The health benefits of consuming pink salt include its ability to improve respiratory problems, balance the body’s pH, encourage better, more restful sleep and regulate blood sugar levels. Learn more about Himalayan salt here.

*Using a popcorn maker with a hand-cranked stirring system keeps kernels in constant motion to prevent scorching. However, any small sauce pot with a lid will do. Just make sure to give the pot a swirl to redistribute the hot oil and crack the lid a little bit to allow excess steam to escape.

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Red Curry Squash Soup With Tofu Croutons is a must try bowl of healthy, vegetarian goodness! Red curry paste, coconut milk, and fresno chile make for a sweet, spicy, and complex combination. The tofu “croutons” create an impressive, extra-special presentation. Opt for extra-firm tofu and make sure to dry it really well before cooking it in a hot skillet: removing the extra moisture ensures that it gets golden brown and crispy, just like a crouton should be. For added heartiness, you could serve the soup with white rice (or, try mixing it in). The soup can be made ahead, frozen in resealable plastic bags, and thawed in the refrigerator overnight or reheated gently over medium heat.

Recipe by Real Simple (ft. in the February 2017 issue). 

Healthy facts:  Red curry paste is made by grinding up chili peppers, turmeric, garlic, limes and lemongrass with a mortar and pestle. The chili peppers are loaded with vitamins A, D and C and are a great anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogen and help detox the body as well as increase your metabolism. Turmeric is a root that helps detoxify the body, boost digestion, and help fight certain cancers. Garlic also helps detoxify your body and boost your immune system to fight off colds. Limes are also detoxifying and have been found to help prevent certain cancers. And lemongrass can help to fight off colds and fever. 

Learn more about the health benefits of red curry paste here.

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Now that the snow is melting and Spring is just around the corner, there is more reason to get up and out early to enjoy the light and warmth of the outdoors. Consider becoming an early bird. Make time for a brisk walk or run around the neighborhood. Taking advantage of the morning light will boost your energy levels and give you a good dose of Vitamin D, which can help thwart any carry over symptoms from the winter blues.

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Happy Valentine’s Day! Anything goes today, including this homemade red velvet cupcake and these beautiful sugar cookies. Love and treat yourself! ❤️

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Must ❤️cookies!