A friend of mine who lives with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) credits the Vitamix for “saving her life.” Unlike ordinary blenders and food processors that result in chunky purees no matter how high the speed, the Vitamix produces the smoothest of smoothies, the creamiest of soups, and the most easily digestible purees you could possibly create. It is the cream of the crop, top of the line, and one of the holy grails of kitchen gadgets for a nutrition nerd and whole foods cook like me. If you suffer from an inflamed colon due to colitis or Crohns, and if you find yourself surviving (not thriving) on a super restricted, low-nutrient, low-fiber diet dominated by refined rather than whole carbohydrates (a well-intentioned strategy intended to control chronic diarrhea and manage flare-ups), you way want to consider purchasing a Vitamix. Because this uniquely powerful blender pulverizes plant fiber so well, it may help you to transition or return to a more nutrient-rich whole foods diet without ravaging your tender, painful, inflamed, and compromised colon.

The Vitamix is on sale today on the QVC channel. You can watch a demo of the Vitamix on QVC at 6pm and 10pm EST.

http://lavinavelasco.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com

Have a great day!

Best,

Lavina

Check out today’s deal at Living Social:

https://livingsocial.com/deals/123805?ref=personalized-link-box-25948885&rpi=25948885

If you shop at WFM anyway, you might as well get your free $10 toward groceries!

Best,

Lavina

Yogoya: 2046-B York Road, Timonium, MD 21093:

I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was not the disappointing TCBY knockoff I expected it to be.

• For one, the manager told me they use Chobani greek yogurt (non-fat) to make their frozen yogurt fresh – not from a mix – and I was excited to see they had “original” (plain, unsweetened) – great for us on a sugar-free diet.
• The other great thing about Yogoya is everything is self-serve so you can control the portion size. If you’re not interested in plain, there is a wall of frozen yogurt handles where you can choose from flavors such as pomegranate, chocolate, banana, strawberry, and vanilla. You can then go the toppings bar which has a great selection of fresh unsweetened fruit (blackberries, kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, etc), nuts, and other less healthy toppings. You bring it up to the cashier and pay by the pound (45 cents/lb).
• Finally, they have comfy leather couches and chairs inside as well as outdoor tables so you can enjoy either air conditioning or fresh air.
• And they are open until midnight on Fri and Sat so you can go there on a date.

For optimal nutrition, I recommend sticking with the plain (“original”) option and sweetening it with honey, fruit, and nuts. I was surprised to see how much my son loved the plain yogurt. We enjoyed it drizzled with honey and topped with kiwi, blueberries, strawberries, and blanched almonds. With the “original” flavor you will have the benefit of 5 live and active cultures without the thickening agents, sugars, or other unknown ingredients (at least going by the Chobani labels posted on their web site). If you have trouble with lactose but still have dairy on occasion, be sure to take a digestive enzyme containing lactase when you enjoy this treat because yogurt must be fermented 24 hrs to be lactose-free, and most commercial yogurts are not cultured that long. If you have negative reactions to casein as well, or if you have other reasons to avoid dairy, it is best to make your own sorbet or ice cream using your own homemade yogurt or non-dairy milk. Here is my favorite dairy-free ice cream recipe:

Basic Vanilla Coconut Milk Ice Cream (Dairy-Free & Free of Refined Sugars)

• 2 cans unsweetened coconut milk, chilled overnight in the refrigerator (I like Trader Joe’s because they contain no gums or sugars)

• 1/2 cup raw honey or pure Grade B maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

• 1/2-1 cup optional add-ins: fresh fruit; shaved & unsweetened dark chocolate; toasted, unsweetened coconut; chopped nuts.

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients except optional add-ins in a blender and mix thoroughly (the coconut milk may separate, especially when chilled, so it is important to first whip it smooth and uniform).
2. Add to your ice cream maker, following manufacturer’s directions (I like my Cuisinart electric ice cream maker, and it works best when I chill the ice cream container in the freezer 24 hours before using).
3. Add the optional add-ins during the last few minutes of churning. For soft serve ice cream, eat immediately. For harder ice cream, transfer to an airtight container and freeze for several hours to a day, depending on degree of hardness desired.

• Raw Organic Honey
• Organic Chocolate liquor (Unsweetened Chocolate).Chocolate liquor is simply a liquid form of chocolate formed in the processing of cacao beans (thus containing NO alcohol).
• Natural Peppermint Oil

Heavenly Organics offers these other candies (also Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, and sweetened ONLY with 100% raw organic honey), which I have not yet tried or seen on the shelves here in Baltimore:

• Honey Pattie Chocolate Pomegranate
• Honey Pattie Chocolate Ginger
• Honey Pattie Chocolate Almond

Let me know if you find these elsewhere and if you like the other flavors!

Four of my fellow graduates from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition were featured in the March 2011 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.

The article discusses the benefits a Health Coach provides, and the importance of teaching people how to adopt healthier lifestyle habits and supporting them to achieve personal wellness goals. Four Integrative Nutrition Health Coaches give their top tips. Check out the article here.

The media is paying more attention to Health Coaches than ever before and it’s no wonder – people are dissatisfied with our current healthcare system and are in desperate need of nutrition education and high quality preventative care to find their way back to health.

Fresh from the broiler - no oil, no frying!

If you are trying to reduce the amount of highly processed pasta you consume but you love pasta and meatballs (or at least love the convenience), this is the recipe for you. The meatballs are great because they include whole grains and veggies, and so are basically a complete meal unto themselves (quinoa itself is a complete protein). They are also easy and oil-free, as they require no frying. Serve with a side of veggies (e.g. steamed broccoli) instead of pasta to increase your veggie intake. Top the meatballs with fermented ketchup instead of pasta sauce to make the meal more digestible. You will find such a meal to be delicious, fulfilling, cholesterol conscious (for the omnivore), and nutritionally dense. I don’t think you will miss the pasta with this meal. But if you have a really hearty appetite and you feel like something is missing, you can serve the meatballs and veggies with an additional side of quinoa. The quinoa will “crowd out” the pasta without compromising taste or satisfaction.

Ingredients (Serves 6)

• 2-3 large cloves garlic
• ¼-1/2 onion
• 1 large carrot
• ½ small zucchini
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce (use Coconut Secret’s Raw Coconut Aminos for a non-soy seasoning sauce)
• 1 egg
• 1-1½ pounds lean ground turkey
• ¾-1 cup cooked quinoa (white or red or a combo)

Method

1. Cook the quinoa.* Bring 2 cups chicken broth and 1 cup quinoa to a boil in a small pot. Simmer until liquid is absorbed, 10 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. While quinoa is cooking, prepare the meatballs. In a large food processor, chop garlic then add remaining veggies one at a time until veggies are finely diced. Add salt, pepper, spices, soy sauce, egg, turkey, and quinoa and pulse until well mixed.
3. Using a small ice cream scooper, shape into meatballs and place on stainless steel baking sheets. Broil on high for 10 minutes or until browned and cooked through.

*If possible, soak the quinoa overnight or all day prior to cooking. Soak with filtered water to cover and 2 tbsp lemon juice or whey. If you don’t have homemade stock, I recommend the Kitchen Basics brand of chicken stock which comes in a cardboard container. Use leftover quinoa for another recipe – add cooled quinoa to a salad or serve as a pilaf with nuts, fruit, and chicken.

Adapted from a Whole Foods Market recipe: Beef and Quinoa Meatballs: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2533

Cookies, shredded chicken from homemade stock, bean soup, lentils, and buttermilk salad dressing made in bulk and frozen for future use.

Best tip for busy families – your freezer is your friend. Freeze your home-cooked food for a labor-free meal next time around.

Before I got interested in nutrition, and before I experienced the time-suck of parenting, it never occurred to me to freeze anything other than ice, ice cream, and store-bought frozen foods. Once I started cooking, I prided myself on having an empty freezer – a sign of my commitment to fresh food.  I also wrongly assumed the freezing process itself killed nutrients (you can freeze just about anything without compromising food integrity – see “Freezing and Food Safety“). Once my home cooking went to the HNL and became a serious labor of love involving traditional and modern methods of soaking, sprouting, dehydrating, and generally preparing everything from scratch, the freezer became my ally. After working doubly hard for a delicious, nutrient-dense meal, I wasn’t about to see any of it go to waste. And the freezer allowed me to stock up on…stock, for example. There really is nothing like homemade chicken soup for an illness, or homemade chicken broth for any grain or legume casserole. So, the next time you make one of your favorite killer recipes, double the batch and freeze for future use. You can freeze individual portions using freezer bags, mason jars (leave 1″ at the top), or any other BPA-free plastic container.





So, be there or be square!

Every Sunday: May 2, 2010 – December 19, 2010
7:00AM – 12:00PM

Getting to the Market
Click on the link below to mapquest your route to the Baltimore Farmers’ Market & Bazaar:
http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Baltimore+&state=MD&address=407+East+Saratoga+Street+&zipcode=21202