Category: My Story Page 12 of 13

Tart & Tangy Raspberry Lime Popsicles

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On July 6, 2014

In Anti-Inflammatory, Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, Detoxifying, My Story, Paleo, Products I Use, Recipes

Growing up, I was always jealous of the kids who went to the beach for vacation.

Despite the fact that I’ve lived in Baltimore my whole life, the first time I ever went to Ocean City, Maryland in the summer was for “Senior Week” after graduating from high school.

When I was a kid, I went on vacation with my family to the Adirondack Mountains of Upstate New York, where my mom spent her summers as a kid.

As an adult, I truly appreciate the Adirondacks and still spend a week of every summer up there with my husband and family. I now look forward to the beauty, solitude and slower pace of mountain life.

A beautiful view from an Adirondack mountaintop

A beautiful view from an Adirondack mountaintop

But when I was a kid, the mountains weren’t exactly “the place to be” in the summer.

It wasn’t cool to have to drive 8+ hours to get to our vacation spot when all of our friends and classmates had a 3 hour drive to the beach. As a 14-year-old, spending 1-2 weeks in a cabin in the woods with no friends wasn’t as appealing as walking around on the boardwalk, playing in the ocean and sand, or laying out on a towel at the beach.

Though I didn’t always appreciate the awesomeness of the mountains as a kid, there’s one thing I always loved about being “Up North.”

Wild raspberries.

Can't get enough of these berries!

Ever since I was a little girl, I have loved raspberries.

To this day, I still can’t find anything that matches the taste of freshly picked wild raspberries from bushes lining the mountain roads. Maybe it’s the clean, crisp, cool mountain air. Whatever it is, I can’t get enough of them.

For today’s super simple, kid-friendly recipe, I used black raspberries, but feel free to use red raspberries instead! Either one will work.

Black raspberries give these popsicles their bright pink color. So pretty!

Black raspberries give these popsicles their bright pink color. So pretty!

Berries are one of the anti-cancer, anti-fat storage GBOMBS foods. They are also lower in sugar than almost any fruit, especially raspberries, which contain a mere 5 grams of naturally occurring sugar in a one cup serving.

Raspberries are high in filling fiber and are supercharged with disease-fighting, anti-aging antioxidants. Click here to read even more about the amazing health benefits of raspberries!

The pairing of

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups fresh raspberries (I used black raspberries for this recipe, but you could use either kind or combine them!)
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • Juice of one lime
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey (I used raw honey when I made them but plan to try the maple syrup option next time!) 

Directions

  1. Put all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
  3. Gently remove the popsicles from the mold by running the mold under warm water until the popsicle pops out.
  4. Enjoy!

tart raspberries with tangy lime juice and creamy coconut milk makes for a refreshing sweet treat that you and your kids will love!

As always, these popsicles are dairy-free, so everyone can enjoy them. 🙂

Tart & Tangy Black Raspberry & Lime Popsicles

IMG_5217

Ingredients

  • 1.5 cups fresh raspberries (I used black raspberries for this recipe, but you could use either kind or combine them!)
  • 1 can full fat coconut milk
  • Juice of one lime
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup or honey (I used raw honey when I made them but plan to try the maple syrup option next time!) 

Directions

  1. Put all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Pour mixture into popsicle molds and freeze until solid.
  3. Gently remove the popsicles from the mold by running the mold under warm water until the popsicle pops out.
  4. Enjoy!

A City Girl’s Day at the Farm: Finding My Own Eden

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On June 9, 2014

In Inspired, My Story

As a city girl born and raised in Baltimore, I rarely have the opportunity to be on a farm or see the plants or animals responsible for producing the food I eat. I’ve often considered moving to a farm like this ranch farm 2 bedroom barrie but I’m not quite ready yet.

This weekend, Bill and I were invited to join a fellow local food blogger, (a)Musing Foodie, for a farm tour and authentic farm to table meal. Our hosts were Tony and Abby Brusco, who are the founders and managers of Hometown Harvest, the home delivery service Bill and I use. I’m also a contributing writer to their blog.

Bill & I with Tony & Abby Brusco - the faces behind Hometown Harvest!

Bill & I with Tony & Abby Brusco – the faces behind Hometown Harvest (Plus a super cool spring house built in 1792 in the background!)

I’ve written about Hometown Harvest before and know that many of you use their services for yourself or your family to deliver fresh, locally sourced produce and other fresh foods to your home. We love the convenience, cost, and quality.

The weather couldn’t have been more perfect as we arrived at the Bruscos’ idyllic farmhouse in Frederick, Maryland on Saturday morning to learn more about the farmers behind our food.

To start our day, we were introduced to the dozens of healthy, happy chickens, who were freely roaming on the grass. Abby picked up a chicken named Rosie and introduced her to us, as the kids who were on the tour with us rushed over to pet her. I was also told that if it wasn’t for companies providing the services of Construction Equipment Rental, their farms wouldn’t be looking the way it does. From being able to borrow equipment such as tractors, this has made it a lot easier to maintain the farm. These are the things that we as consumers do not think about, especially when we can get our food so easily.

IMG_3763

This practice isn’t as common as it should be. Most of the meat and eggs that we buy from the grocery store today and eat at restaurants are from factory-farmed chickens. These animals have been stuffed into tight cages, where they have no room to move, sit in their own filth, and are injected with antibiotics and hormones to help them fight illness that runs rampant in their less than sanitary living conditions and grow to unnaturally large sizes.

80% of the antibiotics that are used each year in the U.S. are used in livestock, and they end up in our food supply (which also means they end up in our bodies). This is one of the many reasons why Bill and I prioritize eating organic, grass-fed animals and animal products that have met strict standards. Check out the documentary Food, Inc. to learn more about the food you eat and where it comes from before it gets to your plate.

Tony shared with us that chickens lay eggs every 26 hours (I had no idea!) and that the color of their eggs – blue, white or brown – is dependent on their breed.

Before we left the coop, Tony and Abby’s daughter, Sophia, introduced us to two of the other chickens that have been given names – Optimus Prime and Road Runner. Optimus Prime was quite a sight with her big hairy feet!

Optimus Prime - the black chicken with the big hairy feet! Poor guy :)

Optimus Prime – the black chicken with the big hairy feet! Poor girl 🙂

We continued our tour and met the tiny baby chicks in the barn, who were only about a week old and would be moved out into a coop after about 12 weeks. The little boys with us were eager to pick up all of the chicks, so Tony lifted one of out of the pen, so we could all pet it. I can’t remember the last time I did that, but I’ve always loved baby animals, so it was a treat! IMG_3815

As we meandered back toward the house, we came across 5 ducks that had just been brought to the farm before taking a look at the apple, plum, and peach tree orchard behind the Brusco home. Wouldn’t it be so cool to walk into your backyard and pick a peach or an apple off of a tree? I would love it!

While we stood by the orchard, Tony shared with us his plans for the future – to move the full Hometown Harvest operation to a neighboring parcel of land, alongside a market that would be open to customers. Tony’s goal is to make the facility a zero waste operation, complete with composting and rooted in sustainability. He was looking into an industrial air compressor service which would make it more efficient, greener and take less energy to inflate their vehicle’s tires along with many other uses.

Tony sharing with us his vision for the future

Tony sharing with us his vision for the future

Frederick County and the State and County farm bureaus have been very supportive of the plans, so your votes in the upcoming elections to favor pro-agriculture legislators can help to keep this process (and others like it) moving.

Before breaking for lunch, we wandered over to the garden enclosed by a white picket fence and lined with raspberry bushes (my favorite!).

Tomatoes, squash, broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, dill, basil, chives, and lavender were just a few of the fruit, veggies and herbs growing in the garden. Yum!

Oh man, what I wouldn't do to have some raspberry bushes in my yard!

Oh man, what I wouldn’t do to have some raspberry bushes in my yard!

Despite the fact that my gardening skills are a bit nonexistent at the moment, seeing all of the fresh produce made me want to start growing some of my own! Creating your own gardening space to be able to grow your own produce would look good on your property, especially if you have a big space to fill. As well as being able to eat healthy and fresh food. Either that or you could decide to have a decking fitted with the help of the materials that you can find at https://www.dinodecking.co.uk/, (or one that is in your local area). My friends did this when they wanted to minimize how much gardening work they actually had to do. But I love the idea of being able to grow all of my own fresh produce in the freedom of my own home.

All of this talk about food made us hungry, so we sat down to enjoy a true “farm to table” lunch – couscous, cranberry and almond salad (similar to this one!), creamy deviled eggs, crisp black bean and avocado salad, lasagna two ways topped with freshly picked basil, and a sweet and refreshing fruit salad.

An authentic farm to table lunch

Our authentic farm to table lunch

There is something special about enjoying a meal in community with the people who not only thoughtfully prepared it but also watched its ingredients grow.

During lunch, Tony shared with us his passion for partnering with local farmers who align philosophically with him. They value and practice sustainable farming, produce and prepare the highest quality food and drinks, and are locally based (most within 50-60 miles of Frederick). To learn more about the farmers Hometown Harvest partners with, click here.

As we were finishing up our meal, Tony was sharing more of his story with us, including all that he and Abby have done to make their home what it is today. He said, “You kind of create your own kind of Eden.”

A little piece of the Brusco's Eden

A little glimpse of the Bruscos’ Eden

Those words really struck a cord with me. As he said it, he meant it mostly as it relates to his property, the farm, the house, the garden, but I know it had a deeper meaning.

We have the opportunity to make our space what we want, a space that nourishes our soul and our spirit, a space where we can find peace, rest, and happiness.

This is true not only of the physical space where we live, but also of our bodies, our workplaces, and the greater community of which each of us is a part.

I may not live on a quiet, rustic farm where I’m surrounded every day by the beauty and solitude of nature, but I can take what I have where I am and commit to creating my own kind of Eden, becoming aware of and appreciating beauty no matter where I am, nourishing my space, my community, and myself.

To learn more about Hometown Harvest and whether they deliver to your area, check out their website!

Don’t live in the MD/DC/VA area but still want to support your local farmers? Plug in your zip code at LocalHarvest to find a farm or farmer near you!

My Favorite Free Recipe App (& Southwest Black Bean Burgers!)

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On June 7, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, My Story, Recipes, Vegan

When I was a picky eater, I ate the same things all the time.

Cereal for breakfast.

Fruit, yogurt, crackers and carrots for school lunch (since I didn’t like sandwiches or salads).

Meat, rice or pasta, and a steamed veggie for dinner.

…all without sauces (teriyaki was the lone exception) and with very little seasoning (salt, pepper, garlic powder and parmesan cheese were my “go-tos”).

It’s no wonder so many of us get bored with food and “eating healthy.” We eat the same things over and over again and don’t flavor our food!

Food was meant to be enjoyed and filled with endless flavor possibilities, many of which I just started experiencing over the past three to four years.

Be bold and try new flavors :) We love this southwest black bean burger!

Be bold and try new flavors 🙂 We love this southwest black bean burger!

It has taken me a while to build up to liking flavors I used to hate (like coconut) or assumed I wouldn’t like without actually trying (curry) and food preparations that sounded “weird” (i.e., anything containing ingredients I hadn’t eaten before).

We’re afraid of anything unfamiliar…so we don’t even give it a chance. Longer ingredient list? Not trying it. Ingredient I don’t have on hand? Not buying it. Ingredient I don’t recognize? Forget it.

That’s how I was for most of my life when it came to food…and a lot of other things actually. If I thought I was going to fail at or dislike something, I didn’t even try it.

I had no idea what I was missing!

Now I can’t imagine food without herbs, spices, sauces, dressings, and other flavorful add-ons. Hooray for no more bland food 🙂

The dish I’m sharing today is one of our favorites for the summer time and it is FULL of flavor…along with ingredients I never would have tried as a picky eater.

We found this recipe about 3 years ago on my absolute favorite mobile app for delicious and nourishing recipes – Whole Foods Market Recipes. You don’t have to shop at Whole Foods to use it, but if you’ve written off Whole Foods as “Whole Paycheck,” take a look at this article about 25 things that are actually cheaper at Whole Foods. Whole Foods is unarguably a wonderful place for the best food. If you’re a brand similar to whole foods, you can get recognized by the top retailer and expose your brand to buyers over RangeMe through a whole foods vendor portal.

Screenshots of the Whole Foods Market Recipes app

Screenshots of the Whole Foods Market Recipes app

Anyway, we love this app! Here’s why:

  • Contains a searchable database of over 3,000 recipes. We can save our favorites, create weekly meal plans (and grocery lists!) and get inspirations for new recipes to try.
  • We can search by course, cuisine, and special dietary needs (gluten free, low sugar, dairy-free, vegan, vegetarian, low sodium, high fiber, health starts here etc.)
  • Use On-Hand Search to find recipes that use ingredients you already have (great way to use up food and save money)

This recipe for a Southwest Veggie Burger was one of the first ones we tried from the WF Market Recipes app, and it quickly became one of our favorites. We usually make about 6 burgers from one batch. Check out the 3-minute video below for how to make them yourself!

Southwest Black Bean Veggie Burger

Ingredients

  • 1 cup cooked brown rice (to save time, use one of the steamable brown rice bags)
  • 1 cup cooked no-salt-added black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1/4 cup diced tomato
  • 1/4 cup diced roasted red bell peppers
  • 1/4 cup shredded carrot
  • 1 cup cooked and mashed sweet potato
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1 tablespoon no-salt-added chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 3 green onions, finely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce

Click here for the full recipe from Whole Foods Market Recipes!

I eat mine without a bun since I feel best eating gluten-free and top it with some guacamole or avocado slices. Feel free to serve yours with a bun, in a wrap, or on top of a salad 🙂

Minty Watermelon Mojito Salad

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On May 26, 2014

In Clean Eating, Dairy-Free, My Story, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

Mojitos are my favorite cocktail.  The combo of tart lime and smooth mint is so cooling and refreshing and perfect for summer!

Mmm, fresh mint, limes, and seedless cucumber

Mmm, fresh mint, limes, and seedless cucumber

I remember my first mojito experience.  

I had just come home from a semester abroad in Granada, Spain and was really into everything about the Hispanic culture from the food to the music and dancing. I loved their energy, vitality and enthusiasm for life!

When my friend Allyson invited me to go with her and some friends to The Latin Palace in Fells Point shortly after returning from my trip, I was all in. I had a blast as I was led through all sorts of Latin dances for hours!

When it was time to take a break from dancing, I was introduced to what would become my favorite mixed drink – mojitos.

WOW!

It’s been almost 10 years, and I still don’t think I’ve had a mojito that was as perfectly prepared as my first.

As I was looking for recipes to prepare today for a Memorial Day cookout, I stumbled across this one for a minty watermelon mojito salad.

How could I resist?? 

Watermelon + mint + lime + cucumber = the ultimate warm weather refresher.

It’s DELICIOUS and was really simple to prepare, too. This will be a hit at any cookout, picnic or party, and I guarantee kids will love it, too!

Minty Watermelon Mojito Salad

Ridiculously refreshing minty mojito watermelon salad

Ridiculously refreshing minty watermelon mojito salad

Ingredients

  • 3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed (here’s how to pick a perfect watermelon)
  • 1.5 cups seedless cucumber, cubed
  • 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves, sliced thin (“chiffonade” if we’re being fancy about it)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
  • Zest from two limes (here’s the zester I use)
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • Pinch of black pepper

Click here for the full recipe from one of my new favorite blogs – Stupid Easy Paleo!

Thank you to all of the men and women who selflessly serve our country, especially our friend, Joe, who recently left for a multi-year tour in Germany!

6 Keys to An Amazing Marriage: How We Nourish Ours

By

On May 18, 2014

In My Story

As much as I love food and spend most of my time either reading, writing, or talking about it, shopping for it, or prepping, cooking, and eating it, it’s not the only way I nourish myself.

I’ve had a few conversations with friends lately that have prompted me to write this post about what we do to not only nourish our bodies but also our relationships.

Dancing at our wedding!
Dancing at our wedding!

My husband Bill and I have been together for almost eight years and married for just about three. Like any couple, we’ve had highs and lows in our relationship, some of which have been more challenging to get through than others. We still make mistakes as we learn more about what this lifetime promise called marriage looks like.

Both of us are putting forth effort, striving to grow as individuals and as husband and wife, and looking out for the other person, not just ourselves. We’re committed to having a great marriage.

We’ve learned that it means having grace, compassion and a whole lot of patience and humility.

I’ve seen this demonstrated in my parents’ marriage as they’ve gone from pain and marital separation to renewing their vows, now serving as marriage counselors at their church and even collaborating with two of the top marriage experts in the country.

We’ve learned that great marriages don’t just “happen,” but no matter where you are in your relationship, amazing transformations can take place. You can have the relationship of your dreams.

Here are 6 ways Bill and I have learned to nourish each other in our marriage.

Handwritten notes mean a lot to me, and Bill loves me well this way
A little appreciation goes a long way!

We regularly appreciate each other.

One of the main reasons so many couples struggle to connect and communicate is because they are prone toward negativity and being unpredictable. When people are critical and unpredictable, we don’t feel safe around them. When we don’t feel safe, we get anxious and either withdraw or act out. We can’t connect or communicate when those things happen.

On the other hand, when we focus on appreciating each other, being predictably positive, and looking for the good in each other, we create safety. When we feel safe, trust builds, which leads to a desire to connect and be intimate with each other. When we’re connected, passion, intimacy and communication thrive.

Whether it’s thanking the other person for something thoughtful they did, for being who they are, or for something simple like making dinner or doing a chore, intentionally looking for good and expressing it really makes a difference. We even start tough conversations with something we appreciate about the other person, and it leads to much better outcomes because it helps create safety.

We learned about this approach from my parents, this amazing book, and this life-changing retreat. It has been wonderful for our marriage.

In Rhinebeck, New York for the Getting the Love You Want couples retreat
In Rhinebeck, New York for the Getting the Love You Want couples retreat

We invest in our marriage.

We tend to invest so much money in things like our cars, houses, electronics, clothes, 401(k), etc. We tell ourselves it’s worth investing upfront to save ourselves headaches later, right? Yet, for some reason, we’ve decided that investing in our marriage is ONLY necessary when things get rocky.

When Bill and I went on a transformational couples retreat last fall, and I told people where we were going, they would ask, “Is everything okay?”

Why do we automatically assume that something is wrong? We don’t think that way when someone invests in any of the other things I mentioned above. Any investment in your marriage, whether it’s a vacation, retreat, date night, book, or therapy, is worth it.

It's the thought that counts! My first Valentine's card
It’s the thought that counts! My first Valentine’s card

We tell each other what we want and need and have learned how to communicate effectively.

This took me a LONG time to figure out. For years, I would get frustrated that Bill couldn’t read my mind and know exactly what I wanted, whether it was a gift, a response, a way of communicating, etc. I told myself that he should know what I like and what I want. “If he really knew me/loved me/was right for me,” he would do what I want/give me what I need…without me needing to tell him. A lot of us do this, don’t we?

Unfortunately, people aren’t mind readers. I’ve found that it helps when I tell Bill what I want and need and vice versa. After having those conversations dozens of times, we start to learn what the other likes, wants, and needs, but we still openly communicate about it instead of leaving each other in the dark. There’s still an element of surprise because I don’t know how/when/exactly what he’s going to do to surprise me, but at least he has a place to start.

This book and this retreat have given us the tools to connect and communicate effectively and lovingly, so we feel heard, understood, validated and affirmed. It’s an amazing feeling, especially considering how much we struggled with communication for a good portion of our relationship.

We check in with each other regularly and ask 5 key questions each week.

Our friend Cam recently gave an awesome sermon at our church, and in the sermon, he outlined 5 questions to ask your spouse each week. It may seem odd at first, but if you commit to doing it, you’ll be amazed by what it does for your relationship. We’ve been committed to doing this for the past 3 months, and it has really made a difference in ours:

  1. How did you feel loved this past week? (This is not an invitation to bash each other by saying “I didn’t.” Be positive, even about something small like taking out the trash!)
  2. What does your upcoming week look like?
  3. How would you feel most loved and encouraged in the days ahead? (This will save you a lot of time because it prevents the need to mind read, and instead, gives the person a chance to share what they want and need.)
  4. How would you best feel pursued in sex/intimacy this week?
  5. How can I pray for you this week?
Having a blast at our friend's wedding!
Having a blast at our friend’s wedding!

We laugh and have fun together!

We first connected in college through music and dancing, and both are still a part of our relationship. Some of the other things we like to do together are: cook, hike, dance, walk around our neighborhood, explore new cities and towns, go out to local restaurants, serve others through our church, spend time with friends and family, exercise, play games with friends, go to sporting events, do crossword puzzles, or just chill and watch TV or a movie every now and then.

By creating new positive memories together, we create safety, build intimacy and truly enjoy the time we spend together more and more. Remember, being positive and predictable leads to safety, trust, and connection. Focus on building new memories based on things you enjoy doing together. Having fun together is so important!

Bill playing soccer at El Canyon when we were on our missions trip to Nicaragua
Bill playing soccer at El Canyon when we were on a missions trip in Nicaragua

We support and encourage each other to pursue individual interests and passions.

If we’re always together doing the same things all the time, we miss out on the opportunity to pursue things that make us come alive individually. Bill loves to golf…and play just about any sport. If it’s a really nice day, I might text him and suggest he go to the driving range after work. I might support him in joining a local soccer team, since I know he is so passionate about soccer. I know he appreciates when I do those things.

Likewise, Bill has been my biggest supporter as I pursued graduate school, health coaching training, and writing this blog. He supports me when I spend hours in the kitchen on a Saturday morning prepping and cooking. He’ll run a bath for me and encourage me to read a book and relax if he knows I’ve had a tough day. We keep communication open, so expectations about these activities are clear and then do what we can to support each other.

Give your partner some space to pursue what they love and what makes them come alive. Your relationship will be better for it!

Baltimore Healthy Dining Guide {Gluten-Free, Vegan, Paleo Options}

By

On May 13, 2014

In Connect, Healthy Dining, My Story

Dining out + healthy choices.

Is it possible to have both?

Fortunately, the Baltimore area has lots of great, convenient, delicious AND healthy dining options. When traveling to and around the city with Atlantic Coast Charters, be sure to make a stop at any of them that take your fancy. Many of them source high quality, often organic, fresh, and nourishing ingredients from local farms. At the very least, these restaurants offer much healthier, fresher options than what you’d find at a typical fast food joint or deli. This city has so much to offer, from fine dining to wonderful Baltimore gifts ideas and places.

Whether I’m cooking for myself or dining out, a simple food rule I use to guide what I eat is:

“Eat (real) food, not too much, mostly plants.”

(Thanks to Michael Pollan. To learn more about my food philosophy, click here.) One thing all of these restaurants have in common is that they make eating more plants easier, tastier and even exciting! Perhaps it’s their use of high quality equipment (like those on www.nellaonline.com) that’s making their food preparation second to none.

Some of the restaurants are geared toward vegetarians, vegans, and those with food sensitivities and allergies, while others are not. I’ve indicated the best options for vegan and gluten-free diners below. Most of these places cater meals, too, so if you’re looking to bring some healthy options to your workplace or event, be sure to check out their websites for catering options! If you’re looking for a company that can provide your business with lunch catering in Denver, you may want to take a look at the sort of services offered by Cater2Me.

Don’t live in/around Baltimore? Scroll to the bottom and check out how to find healthy dining options near you!

Baltimore-cover

sweetgreen (Baltimore, MD – Harbor East; Multiple locations in DC, VA, PA, NY, MA, CA)

I’ve been waiting for almost 7 years for this place to make its way up from DC and open an location in Baltimore. I first found out about them at a client health fair in DC years ago and loved their food. Since then, I’ve made it a point to go there almost every time I’m in DC for lunch.

Started by three guys who were seniors at Georgetown University at the time, sweetgreen now has over 30 locations nationwide and will continue to expand. Their farm-to-table, sustainable, passion + purpose philosophy is totally aligned with how I live my life and what many of strive to do. Their food is second to none, and they rotate their menu seasonally, too. In the fall, my #1 pick is the Roasted Turkey & Brussels Sprouts Salad with roasted sweet potatoes and a cranberry vinaigrette. You have to check them out!

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Naked Lunch Cafe (Inside MOMs Organic Market Baltimore, Rockville, Washington, DC locations)

When the new MOMs (My Organic Market) opened in Baltimore City earlier this year, I was stoked to check it out, even though we live within walking distance of the Timonium store. I was most excited about the addition of the Naked Lunch Cafe, which sells a variety of plant-based dishes for lunch, dinner or just a snack! Their butternut squash and chickpea soup is one of my favorites, and their bowls will cover you for two meals. My favorite bowl is the Crowder Bowl, which is made with brown rice, cashews, fresh veggies, tofu and a coconut curry dressing that is divine! You have to try their cauliflower steaks and vegan cauliflower nachos, too, because both are delicious. You’ll never look at cauliflower the same way again. They also sell fresh pressed juices and rotate their specials seasonally.

Stall 11 (Baltimore, MD – Remington @ R House)

You know an eatery is good when you’ve eaten about half of the items on their menu, and they’ve only been open for a few months. I LOVE THIS PLACE. It’s a hot spot for vegetarians and has lots of gluten-free options. Some of my favorites are the carrot bean smash with raw veggies, Korean BBQ Cauliflower (addictive and incredible), Kale Caesar Salad with Black Garlic Dressing, Kyoto Bowl, and any soups they serve.

Everything is fresh, delicious, colorful, and flavorful. You need to know about this place!

Harmony Bakery (Baltimore, MD – Hampden)

I was bummed when I first found out that Breathe Bookstore in Hampden was closing but was excited to find out about this bakery and cafe that has some similar menu items for lunch. Their kitchen and products are 100% gluten-free. They have lots of vegan options and change their menu seasonally, a sign of a true farm-to-table restaurant, which is something I look for when I’m picking a place to eat.

Baba’s Mediterranean Kitchen / ARBA (Baltimore, MD – Locust Point; R. House)

You know you’ve arrived at a cool spot when you meet the CFO – Chief Falafel Officer – on your first trip there. When we’re in the mood for Mediterranean, Baba’s is where we go. Whether you’re in the mood for a hummus platter (order the veggies instead of the pita), kabobs, or platters with a gluten-free base of quinoa, this is the place to go. It’s a hole in the wall, so don’t expect to find a table, unless you’re there off hours, but make sure you check out this place. It’s one of our favorites!

They opened up a second location at R. House in Baltimore, my favorite spot to hang out, so visit them for a platter if you’re there!

Atwater’s (Baltimore, MD – Towson, Belvedere Square, Catonsville, Bare Hills)

If you’re looking for an amazing cup of soup or a beautiful fresh salad, look no further than Atwater’s. I’m fortunate to live within walking distance of their Towson location, so we love walking there for dinner on warmer nights (or on snow days – which we have done multiple times before!). All of their meals are made with fresh, often organic and seasonally local ingredients. They usually have vegan or at least dairy-free soup options, too, which is a huge plus for me and any others with food allergies or sensitivities who still want delicious food.

Zia’s Cafe & Plantbar (Baltimore, MD – Towson, Belvedere Square, Harbor Point)

Zia’s Cafe focuses on local & organic ingredients and has healthy choices for meat-eaters, vegetarians, vegans & gluten-free eaters. They serve fresh fruit & vegetable juices and smoothies, fair-trade organic coffee, and a variety of delicious lunch options, including salads (Moroccan is my fave), soups (SO good), sandwiches, and black bean burgers. Their dairy-free desserts, especially the fruit-inspired dairy-free cheesecakes, are incredible. Zia’s also caters corporate meals and special events

Zia’s opened a sister location called Plantbar in my favorite place in Baltimore – Belvedere Square! Plantbar focuses on fresh pressed juices and smoothies but also carriers Zia’s signature line of delicious gluten-free, vegan eats. (Ideal for vegans, vegetarians, and dairy and gluten-free diners.)

Alma Cocina (Baltimore, MD – Canton)

My friend, Jinji, who owns an award-winning chocolate shop in Baltimore (seriously the best chocolate of your life), recommended this place to us. We’ve been back about 5 times since because we love it so much! They serve authentic Venezuelan food, and their arepas (think pita pocket but not) are gluten-free, so we always get at least one each. Their salads, ceviche, soups, entrees, appetizers and sides have always blown us away and are beautifully and artistically presented.

You have to try the cassava bread (gluten-free) with three dips.

Great Sage (Howard County – Clarksville, MD)

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Celebrating my birthday at Great Sage!

This is the BEST vegan restaurant in the Baltimore area. We stumbled upon this place a couple of months ago, and it has quickly become one of our favorites! The restaurant is located just outside of Columbia in a place called Conscious Corner and serve amazing plant-based meals. Everything from their Israeli hummus appetizer to their seasonal salads, soups, sautéed greens, smoothies, and rich, dairy-free desserts are phenomenal. (Ideal for vegans, vegetarians, and dairy and gluten-free diners.)

Sweet 27 (Baltimore, MD – Hampden)

This cafe, bakery, bar and restaurant combines the best of all things, and they ‘re open late, too. Featuring a completely gluten-free menu and lots of options for omnivores and vegans alike, Sweet27 serves brunch, lunch, dinner and dessert. Their multi-cultural flare means you’ll find a variety of unique options inspired in South Asian and Caribbean flavors.

Woodberry Kitchen (Baltimore, MD – Clipper Mill)

This is our absolute favorite restaurant in Baltimore when we want to have a date night or are just looking for an amazingly delicious meal. They cater to the gluten-free and dairy-free crowd, labeling their plates with clearly labeled stickers to identify dishes as GF and DF. They partner with local farmers and value sustainability and top notch ingredients. Their head chef, Spike Gjerde, was the first Baltimore chef to win the prestigious James Beard Award.

The atmosphere is super cool, too. If you’re visiting Baltimore, this should be on your list!

Whole Foods (Baltimore, MD – Harbor East, Mount Washington, Annapolis)

Sure, the stigma is that Whole Foods = Whole Paycheck, but they’re trying their hardest to debunk that mentality. They have an awesome salad bar and a prepared foods counter that serves lots of healthy, tasty AND affordable options, including seasonal kale salads, slow roasted sweet potato wedges, and a variety of delicious proteins. The best part? All of the ingredients are natural or organic and as many as possible are locally grown. That means no artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, preservatives or heart-clogging trans fats.

Nalley Fresh (Baltimore, MD – Hunt Valley, Downtown, Towson, Timonium)

Think Chipotle in terms of the “make your own” approach…and then think of every salad topping you could possibly imagine, and that sums up Nalley Fresh. I’m a fan of their “SuperBowls” that feature either proteins, sweet potatoes, or brown rice as a base followed by your choice of dozens of veggies and finished off with broth, if you choose, or dressing. Their ingredients are not organic, so be aware of that. I prefer Zia’s, Plant Bar or sweetgreen for those reasons. You can even order online and pick up to avoid the long lines at lunchtime.

The Flying Avocado Cafe (Owings Mills, MD)

I used to live just up the street from this cafe, and it’s my go to spot whenever I meet someone for lunch in Owings Mills. I love their roasted vegetable salad with balsamic vinaigrette and roasted salmon. They also have smoothies, soups, homemade guac and hummus, salads, a variety of vegan dishes and a huge selection of herbal teas.

One World Cafe (Baltimore, MD – Near Hopkins)

With a variety of gluten-free, plant-based options that are both “planet and wallet friendly,” this popular spot near Hopkins’ Homewood Field is a great option for breakfast (yummy smoothies), lunch or dinner, and they’re open late (until 2:00 a.m.), so no matter when you’re looking for a healthy option, you can find one there.

A few others worth checking out:

  1. Grind House Juice Bar in downtown Baltimore
  2. Liquid Earth in Fells Point
  3. The Land of Kush in downtown Baltimore

Don’t live in Baltimore? Check out this post about five apps and websites to use to find healthy options near you!

What are your favorite healthy dining places where you live or have traveled? Feel free to share below!

Green Goddess Guacamole!

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On May 5, 2014

In Dairy-Free, My Story, Paleo, Recipes, Vegan

Think of a food you dislike.

Maybe you’ve tried it before, maybe you haven’t. Either way, you know you don’t like it, and there’s no way anyone can get you to try it…right?

Until about 4 years ago, guacamole was one of those foods for me. Why? Because I was CONVINCED that guacamole had mayonnaise in it…and I’ve always disliked mayonnaise.

One day at work, we had a healthy cooking demo taught by a health coach like me, and we were learning to make none other than…guacamole!  I had all but made up my mind that I wasn’t going to try it.

Fortunately, it didn’t take long before I realized that it was NOT made with mayonnaise and that everyone else was trying it, so…

I gave in to peer pressure and was shocked to find out I LOVED IT!

What had I been missing??

Ever since that day, I’ve been an avocado and guacamole lover.

Delicious, fresh, and seasonal ingredients for this delicious guac!

Delicious, fresh, and seasonal ingredients for this delicious guac!

Avocados are one of the healthiest foods you can eat AND are known as a beauty detox food. Here are just a few of their awesome health benefits:

  • Heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, vitamins and minerals promote moisturizing from the inside, which means healthy, smooth, radiant skin (a true beauty food!)
  • The healthy fat helps our bodies better absorb antioxidants from other fruits and veggies
  • The antioxidant they contain – glutathione – is a powerful cancer-fighter
  • The combo of good fat and fiber helps control blood sugar

My favorite ways to use avocados are in dips, soups, desserts, mixed in to salads, and (of course!) in guacamole. I found a super simple recipe that used a slightly different combo of ingredients than the usual ones, so I thought I would test it out.

Two of the other ingredients in this guac – cilantro and scallions (AKA green onions) – are also great for you. Cilantro helps the body detoxify and onions are one of the top anti-cancer GBOMBS foods, so enjoy them all you want!

Green Goddess Guacamole

Creamy guacamole goodness

Creamy guacamole goodness

Ingredients

  • 2 ripe avocados, seeded and peeled (here’s how to cut and peel an avocado)
  • 1 tablespoon FRESH lime juice (don’t sub the bottled kind)
  • 3-4 tablespoons green onions, thinly sliced (also called scallions)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (add more to taste)
  • fresh ground black pepper, to taste
  • Optional: 1/2 ripe tomato, seeds and pulp removed, chopped

Directions

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and mash with a fork or potato masher until you reach your desired consistency. We like ours to be a bit chunky, so we don’t mash it too much.

We love dipping fresh veggies like carrots, cucumber, celery, red peppers, and sugar snap peas into our guac, along with these tortilla chips!

Perfectly Paleo Parmesan Cheeze

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On May 4, 2014

In My Story, Products I Use, Recipes

Broccoli with non-dairy "snow" sprinkled on top. Yum!

Broccoli with non-dairy “snow” sprinkled on top. Yum!

When I found out that dairy products were triggering a lot of the health issues that had plagued me since childhood, I started to give them up little by little. I had been eating foods that I thought were good for me my whole life that had actually been harming me.

The more I cut out, the better I felt. It seemed like a miracle!

The last two foods I took out of my diet (after much resistance!) were yogurt…and my beloved Parmesan cheese.

Pasta, pizza, zucchini, ravioli, Beefaroni, zucchini, summer squash, and broccoli all tasted infinitely better when covered with a generous coating of Parmesan cheese.

I used it so often, I didn’t know how I would live without it and struggled to find alternatives that were even remotely comparable. Fortunately I’ve found a recipe that looks and feels just like it and tastes “cheesy” enough to satisfy! It’s considered paleo, too, because it doesn’t contain any dairy. (I don’t follow the paleo diet exclusively, but whenever I’m looking for recipes, I use it as part of my search since paleo automatically means it’s dairy and gluten free.)

The best part? It’s one of the easiest recipes I’ve made and has only 3 ingredients 🙂 Hooray for simplicity!

Perfectly Paleo Parmesan Cheeze

Parmesan cheese made with "nooch" and cashews!

Parmesan cheese made with “nooch” and cashews!

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
  • 1 cup unsalted cashews (Trader Joe’s has the cheapest!)
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt

Mix it in a food processor until it is the texture of Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle it on cooked veggies, salads, pasta, or on anything else you’d normally use Parmesan cheese. I used it on sauteed broccolini with tomatoes and garlic the other day and on my salads throughout the week, and it was so good! YUM!

“Betcha Can’t Eat Just One” of These Way Better Chips!

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On April 29, 2014

In My Story, Products I Use

Doritos, Cheetos, Funyuns, Bugles, Fritos, Pringles, Combos.

These were the snack foods I grew up loving.

As I’ve been on a journey to upgrade my diet and make healthier choices over the past few years, I’ve been introduced to new snack food options, ones that don’t contain 42 ingredients like my beloved Doritos but still satisfy the salty/crunchy desire many of us have.

While I try to eat as many unprocessed, unrefined, whole foods as possible, I don’t do it all the time.

When I do eat something processed, I look for as short of an ingredient list as possible, one that contains ingredients a third grader can pronounce…and ideally has around 5 (not 42!) ingredients.

That’s why I like these!

Way Better Tortilla Chips

Two of our favorite varieties of Way Better Chips

These are two of our favorite varieties of Way Better Chips!

Way Better chips contain 6 ingredients and are made from real foods like sweet potatoes, organic chia seeds, and sprouted quinoa, that are not genetically altered like almost every other snack food on the market today. The sprouting process that their ingredients undergo increases the nutrient value compared to grains and seeds that aren’t sprouted and makes them more easily digestible.

Noocho Cheese with Way Better Sweet Potato Chips - yum!

Noocho Cheese with Way Better Sweet Potato Chips – yum!

Another plus is that these chips are certified gluten-free, so if you have sensitivities to gluten or are gluten-intolerant, you can still enjoy them! 🙂

Way Better makes a lot of different varieties, but we like the Sweet Chili, Sweet Potato and Black Bean chips the best.

Serve them with this awesome dairy-free nacho cheese sauce like we did the other night. Everyone will love it!

You can find Way Better chips at Wegmans, Whole Foods, MOMs Organic Market, The Fresh Market, and even at Home Goods!

Don’t have any of those stores near you? Shop online at Way Better’s website.

The Ultimate “Noocho” Cheese Sauce!

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On April 28, 2014

In My Story, Products I Use, Recipes

It'll be worth the read to get to this dairy-free noocho cheese recipe at the end!

It’ll be worth the read to get to this dairy-free noocho cheese recipe at the end!

One of the reasons a lot of us don’t take the time to cook or try out new recipes is because we are afraid of failing, fearful that we will “mess it up” and that it will have been a waste of money on food.

We’ve all been there, right?

I often experiment with recipes I’ve never made before and ingredients I’ve never used. I learn what I like through trial and error and take the “will this really taste good?” guesswork out of it for you 🙂

As I continue to focus on a dairy-free lifestyle because of how much better I feel eating this way, I’m sometimes challenged to find comparable alternatives to dairy-based favorites.

In my last post, I shared one of the key ingredients I now use in my cooking to impart some “cheesy” flavor. I promised that one of the recipes I would share with you would be a dairy-free nacho cheese sauce (AKA “noocho” cheese, since nutritional yeast or “nooch” is what gives it its “cheesy” taste).

Most of the time when I prepare new recipes, they turn out great and taste delicious, and I can’t wait to share them with friends and family.

Other times…they don’t. That’s what happened with noocho cheese attempt #1.

Not-so-nacho cheese...first recipe attempted - won't be making this one again!

Not-so-nacho cheese…first recipe attempted – won’t be making this one again!

It lacked flavor, and no matter what I added or even if I heated it up on the stove, I couldn’t get it to taste right…and it definitely didn’t resemble nacho cheese.

Fortunately, using a recipe from this cookbook, noocho cheese attempt #2 was a HIT!

Bill and I made it on Friday night and brought it to a friend’s house as an appetizer, and they liked it, too. Check out the recipe below. You will not regret making this stuff! 🙂

The Ultimate “Noocho” Cheese Sauce

Yum Yum Cheesy Goodness!

Yum Yum Cheesy Goodness!

Ingredients*

  • 1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes and then rinsed (Trader Joe’s has the cheapest)
  • 1 tablespoon tahini
  • 1 roasted red pepper (rinsed from a jar or prepared from fresh)
  • 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
  • 1 tablespoon tamari (tamari is gluten-free soy sauce and is in the Asian food aisle…or low-sodium soy sauce)
  • zest and juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/4 cup water

Click here for the full recipe!

We served it with our favorite healthier chips, which I will share more about in my next post! I enjoyed some leftover sauce the next day with baby carrots.  You have to try this!

*There’s a good chance that a couple of things in this recipe aren’t already in your pantry…don’t let that stop you! Ordering online at Amazon or Vitacost is super easy, or you can pick them up the next time you’re at the store.

If you don’t know where to find something, ask. I’ve found that people are happy to help!

  • Tahini (find in the international section of most grocery stores, in any natural food store, or online.)
  • Roasted red peppers (sold in glass jars in the non-refrigerated section of the grocery store)
  • Nutritional yeast (you can buy this online at Amazon, Vitacost or other retailers, or at any natural food store, Wegmans, Whole Foods, MOMs, or Roots)

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