Vanilla-Orange Protein Muffins

We're coming at you again with another original post-workout recipe! Sweet and filling, these weigh in at 145 calories, 6 grams of fat and 16 grams of protein. This snack is ideal for just after a strenuous session of weight lifting or yoga, or for a healthy grab and go breakfast. If you don't have orange water, don't fret. Just use 1/3 cup regular water and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra vanilla goodness.

Vanilla Orange Protein Muffins
6 eggs (or 9 egg whites)
1 1/2 cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chia seeds
1/2 cup coconut flour
1 1/8 cup UMP vanilla protein powder
1/3 cup orange water
2 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup water

Preheat oven to 425F.  Line a muffin tin with baking cups. In a bowl, whisk together eggs, yogurt, orange water and plain water. In a separate bowl, mix together chia seeds, coconut flour, protein powder and baking powder. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth with no lumps. Spoon 1/4 cup batter into each baking cup. Bake 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. Let cool completely before storing in the fridge in an airtight container.

Natural Skin Care

It's no secret here at Azuma that we dig the natural lifestyle. One of the things that I'm most proud of are all the compliments on my glowing skin. The great thing is, there's really no magic or expensive secret to keeping it clean, gorgeous and healthy. Here's my regimen for looking fresh.

Baking Soda

The easiest and cheapest trick in the book. Forget expensive exfoliating gels and creams. Baking soda is proven to do it all. Removes dead skin cells, whitens and brightens uneven color and dark splotches, removes blackheads, and alkalizes the skin surface to prevent zits from getting out of control. Just put about a teaspoon in your hand, add a little water, and scrub in the morning and before bed.

Witch Hazel

It's not magic, just a wonderful plant with great astringent qualities. You can get witch hazel extract for cheap in the first aid aisle of most grocers, but fancier scented varieties such as Thayer's are also out there. The antioxidants fight acne, relieve eczema and psoriasis, and soothes swelling and cracked, dry skin. I like to wipe down my face with it after removing make-up or scrubbing with baking soda. It also works great as an aftershave! No more razor bumps.

Aloe

Aloe is also a wonderful skin soother and mild moisturizer. Keep some in the fridge for days when you're a bit puffy and smooth it on your face. I also mix aloe as a carrier for other oils as a daily moisturizer.

Sweet Almond Oil

There are a few different oils to choose from for moisturizer. Some prefer castor oil, some like coconut or avocado, but I've found the one that least irritates my face and delivers the right amount of moisture without clogging my pores is Sweet Almond. All of these natural oils have amino acid chains similar to the oils your skin naturally produces. That means that it soaks in and penetrates rather than just sitting on the top and sealing in what oil you have. I put half and half almond oil and aloe into a travel bottle, shake it up and squeeze out a dime sized amount when I need lotion for my face.

Eat Right

I know, I know. We've heard it a million times. But it is SO important to eat your cruciferous veggies and greens. The nutritional powerhouses are packed with antioxidants that clean your body inside and out and leave you with a healthy beautiful glow. I firmly believe my plant-strong diet is the biggest reason why my skin stays healthy and young. Kale, arugula, broccoli, collards, romaine, chard, cauliflower, mustard greens galore!

Exercise

Some type of movement every day keeps your blood moving, delivering important nutrients and oxygenating your cells, triggering the hormonal responses necessary to make new cells and revitalize your skin. Running, walking, yoga, playing with your children, swimming, biking. Science has proven time and again that those of us who stay young mentally and physically exercise regularly. Whatever it is you do, keep active.

Until next time, keep it clean!

Quick One-Pot Ratatouille

This recipe is an old stand-by for me. Though it's entirely fruit and veggie, it's incredibly filling and satisfying. I use it on nights that I'm not really in the mood for cooking but we all need a really good meal. This can either be made on the stovetop or baked in the oven if you're not partial to watching the pot.

Quick Ratatouille
1 eggplant
1 large onion
2 red peppers
1 yellow squash
1 zucchini
1 large can of diced tomatoes
1 to 2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup red wine (optional)
1 cup cheese for baking (optional)
2 tablespoons spicy pasta seasoning
(I use a mix of red pepper, oregano, bay leaves, basil and garlic)
Dash salt
Coconut oil for sauteeing

If baking as a casserole, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large stock pot, heat about a tablespoon of coconut oil on medium-high. Throw in roughly-chopped onion and salt and give it a quick stir. Let the oil and onion sit in the pot for 3-5 minutes to caramelize. While onions are caramelizing, cut the eggplant, peppers,
zucchini and yellow squash into cubes. Throw veggies into the pot with the can of diced tomatoes and stir to mix. Add spices and mix again. At this point, you can either transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish or leave in the pot. Once the mixture is in your preferred container, add wine and just enough vegetable broth to cover. If baking, sprinkle cheese on top if preferred and pop in the oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until the top is bubbly and browned. If leaving in the stock pot, cover and lower heat to a simmer, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes.

This recipe freezes great too if you're into making meals in advance. It pairs great with a big caesar salad and a glass of red wine! Until next time, keep it clean!

What Makes Something "Natural"?

The cost of healthcare, the realization that doctors have limitations and the skepticism of modern processed
foods and their effects on the body have all influenced a growing number of people to turn to natural, holistic and homeopathic health practices and remedies. But a lot of what goes around can be confusing, contradictory and downright ridiculous. 

There are many reasons to go natural. Less chemicals on your body and washed down your drain means keeping nature healthier and in tact. That's also less non-renewable resources, like petroleum, being used for cosmetics and cleaning. It also means less likelihood of absorbing harmful chemicals that can be stored in your body and disrupt your hormonal balance and regular bodily functions. Hormonal imbalance can be linked to a variety of issues, from acne to excess fat and even to cancer. Here are a few tips to staying natural while keeping a level head (and probably saving a buck or two!)

Natural and Organic Foods

I could list hundreds of things to look out for on labels, but really your best bet is to just not buy things that come in a packet or cardboard box to begin with. If you have one particular thing you just can't live without, like chips or pop-tarts, you may want to consider making this a once-in-a-while treat rather than a daily meal. When going to the grocery store, stay on the periphery of the store with the produce and protein, occasionally venturing to the middle to buy spices, nuts and seeds or frozen fruit and veggies. Labels that say natural or organic on them are not very well regulated, and therefore not really a good indicator of health. The same goes for how humanely the animals are treated. "Free range" and "cage free" egg farms, for example, are also not very heavily regulated and often practice the same techniques as regular egg farms, while getting away with charging you a couple bucks more per dozen.

Pesticides and GMOs

The Environmental Working Group is a great resource for which foods are heavily laden with pesticides or are genetically modified. Pesticides can bioaccumulate, meaning they can be stored in the body (usually in the liver or your fat) and cause problems like hormonal imbalance, weight gain, cancer and weakened immunity. Genetically Modified Foods (or GMO's) do pretty much the same thing, as the produce itself is often designed specifically to kill whatever bugs try to eat them. The Dirty Dozen list shows which produce has been tested to have the most pesticides. For these, either buy organic or peel the outside if possible to avoid the most pesticide exposure. Organic isn't necessary for all produce you buy, though. Just be sure to wash your fruits and veggies before you eat them and you should be fine. GMOs, however, should definitely be avoided at all costs. The biggest GMOs to avoid are corn, soy, wheat and potatoes. If you choose to eat these foods, buy organic or non-GMO. Corn, soy, wheat and potatoes often masquerade as different ingredients in packaged foods, listed as things like high fructose corn syrup, lecithin or starch. Again, it's better to just stay away from packaged foods altogether and cook at home.

Cosmetics

This is one of those areas where looking at how your grandmother got by and picking up old ways of doing things really makes life easier and healthier. The EWG's Skin Deep Database is a great resource to look up what cosmetics you already have in your home and how toxic they are to your health, as well as providing a list of the healthiest cosmetics you can buy if you prefer to purchase them. But buying fancy organic products isn't necessary. You can use plain salt for deodorant and coconut oil for lotion, and many people have great results washing their hair with baking soda, and liquid castille soap like Dr. Bronner's works great as body wash. It's up to you how basic and cheap or fancy you want to get with your routine.

Cleansers

Common white vinegar and baking soda can clean almost anything, and when followed with hydrogen peroxide is more effective than bleach at killing germs. With everything else, castille soap and hot water will clean everything just as well as those expensive chemical cleansers at the store.

Herbs, Teas, Tonics and Superfoods

When perusing natural health products, it's easy to get caught up in claims and marketing. There are some alternative cures that are tried and true, like aloe for irritated skin and green tea for an afternoon pick-me-up without the jitters. But just like "natural" foods, labels can be deceiving. And just because they're herbs or teas doesn't mean they don't have side effects or do other positive things than what's listed on the package. Be sure to back up your natural cures with scientific research. The National Institutes of Health has a database of research and findings to help find the most effective cure for whatever ails you, from fatigue and migraines to eczema. And as for superfoods-- just don't. Eat nutritious fruits and vegetables and you'll be healthy, it's unnecessary to eat the latest rare nut from South America to have a well-rounded diet.

Use these tips to navigate being healthy practically and simply. And until next time, keep it clean!

Homemade Healthy Chocolate Bars

One of my vices when it comes to eating a healthy diet, and I'm sure I'm not alone on this, is having lots and lots of chocolate. The good news is that the cocoa bean chocolate is made from is extremely healthy for you! The bad news is that the dairy and loads of sugar used to make the cocoa taste good usually trumps the benefits the cocoa has. Plus, high quality dark chocolate can be really expensive, especially in the quantities I like to eat it. Here's a quick, simple recipe to making gourmet-tasting chocolate at home without the fillers.

Homemade Chocolate Bars
Tools
Rubber spatula
Baking sheet lined with parchment paper
OR
Muffin tin lined with cupcake liners
OR
Silicone ice cube tray or chocolate mold (if you want to get fancy)

Ingredients
1/8 cup Coconut oil
1/8 cup Cocoa Butter (optional - use same amount of coconut oil if you opt out)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 to 2 packets powdered Stevia
1 to 3 tsp Xylitol to taste (optional)
scant 1/2 cup Cocoa powder
pinch of salt
pinch of instant coffee or ground espresso (optional)

Add-Ins
1/2 tsp Mint extract
Almonds
Peanuts
Cacao Nibs
Dried fruit
Peanut butter
Crushed sugar-free hard candy

In a microwave-safe bowl, heat your coconut oil and cocoa butter 1 to 2 minutes or until thoroughly melted. Cocoa butter takes a while to melt, so if after 2 minutes you still have lumps, just whisk the oil with a fork until the lumps disappear. Add in vanilla, salt, coffee, extract (if using) and sweeteners and whisk thoroughly with a fork. Add in cocoa powder and mix with rubber spatula until smooth, making sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl. If your add ins are hard (like almonds) place them evenly in your mold or baking sheet and pour the chocolate over them. Put it in the fridge to solidify, about 1 hour. Break off a piece and enjoy!

For Peanut Butter Cups:
Use the muffin tin and cupcake liners. Pour a small amount of chocolate into the bottom of each cup and pop in the freezer for 5 minutes. Heat about a 1/4 cup of peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds to soften. Place a dollop of softened peanut butter in each muffin cup and pour remaining chocolate over the top. Refrigerate for an hour, then enjoy!

For dipped fruit:
Dip fresh fruit in your chocolate before placing on parchment paper, then refrigerate for one hour before eating. You may need to dip your fruit 2 to 3 times depending on how chocolatey you want it to be. Best to enjoy the fruit within 1 to 2 days of dipping. Bonus: Sprinkle nuts on the outside of your fruit after 10 minutes of refrigeration and press into the chocolate for an extra treat.

The xylitol, cocoa butter and espresso all make for a richer and sweeter chocolate experience, but if you're short on ingredients or just prefer to keep it simple you can leave them out. Store your finished chocolate in the fridge to prevent melting, especially if you're skipping the cocoa butter. Enjoy indulging your sweet tooth, and until next time, keep it clean!

A Quicker, Healthier Oatmeal

Not everyone has time for a hearty hot breakfast in the mornings. But breakfast is the first thing that fuels your body after (hopefully!) 8 hours of rest. It's what kick starts your day and judges, in some ways, how energetic you're going to be. Oatmeal and porridge are pretty common breakfast foods world-wide. Unfortunately, they take a long time to make, can be messy to make even when they're instant, and because they're heavy on grains don't give your metabolism a boost in the morning.

Instead of oats, you can buy large bags of ground flax seed or whole chia seed either online or at your local natural grocer. Chia and flax are nutrient rich, high in omega fatty acids and because of their texture make you feel fuller longer. Here's how to make a delicious bowl of hot cereal out of either of them.

Seed Oatmeal
1/2 cup seed (ground flax or chia)
1/2 - 3/4 cup water or almond milk
packet of stevia or other natural sweetener
vanilla extract
cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Place your seed and water in a microwave-safe bowl and stir thoroughly, making sure all the seed has gotten wet. Let sit for a couple minutes while you make your morning tea or brush your teeth. Come back and stir the mixture again. By now the seed will have absorbed most of the water, making a sticky, oatmeal-like texture. Add your sweetener and vanilla and spices and stir again. Pop in the microwave for 30 seconds to make it warm. Dress it like normal oatmeal with nuts, raisins and milk. Enjoy!

Pumping Up Your Meals with Nutrition

Last week we talked about amping up your nutrition by filling out your meals with vegetables on the side. But what about those of us with family, significant others or children who think vegetables are kind of icky? Here's a few creative ways to get extra servings in painlessly, sometimes without them ever knowing!

Burgers and Meatballs

Whether you use ground meat or a meatless protein for your meatballs, it's easy to hide a few extra servings of veggies in these. Use a food processor to grind up onions and whole tomatoes to a fine paste, and swap some of the meat for ground up zucchini, yellow squash or even cauliflower. Mushrooms will make your meat even more savory. Mix these in with your meat and spices, form into balls and cook as usual. This meat mixture also works great in lasagna, and leftover "burgers" are good to put on a nice plain bed of lettuce with dressing for those who usually pick out everything but the meat.

Soups

Add extra nutrition to your broth by adding steamed and pureed vegetables like carrots, butternut squash and eggplant. The blended veggies will add a creamy texture and loads of extra fiber.

Baking

Swap out some or all of your flour in cookie and cracker recipes with almond flour, brown rice protein, pea protein, coconut flour or cashew flour. If you make your own nut milk, you can dry the leftover ground nuts you strain from the milk in the oven and use it in place of flour. You can also buy flours in bulk online or at your local market (though online is usually cheaper).

Batter

Lots of veggies are great breaded and baked or fried, my favorites being zucchini and broccoli. To eschew the eggs in the batter, combine one tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons cold water for every egg you need to replace and stir. Let this mixture sit and stir occasionally while you're preparing the rest of your food, and in a few minutes you'll have a gel with the same texture and binding qualities of an egg. Use coconut or cashew flour in place of wheat flour in your recipe and you have a much more nutritious meal.

Smoothies

Adding an avocado or fresh coconut to the base of your smoothie instead of a banana makes for a creamy and rich start to your day (or after meal dessert!). A couple handfuls of fresh sweet romaine lettuce or spinach, or even steamed vegetables like carrots or cauliflower will bulk up a smoothie while still leaving it tasting fruity.

Chips

Baked vegetables seasoned just right will come out crispy and delicious like chips. For kale, remove the middle stem and break into chip-sized pieces. For zucchini or squash, slice thinly. For a simple chip, marinate the "chips" lightly in coconut or olive oil, place evenly on a cookie sheet, dust with your favorite seasonings and bake. For more robust chips, marinate in salad dressings like tahini and soy sauce, lemon and orange, salt and vinegar, or even a cheesy dressing. Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes or until crispy. And remember to flip them!

Dips

For creamy dips like ranch or yogurt, squash and cucumbers blend nicely and add a crisp fresh flavor. For salsas, try something with more crunch like celery or bell peppers.

Adding in and replacing your traditional ingredients with veggies, fruit, nuts and seeds will help immensely in making you and your family healthier. After they eat it and see how delicious it is, teach them about what ingredients you're using next time they cook with you. Trying new colorful fruits and vegetables will be much easier for them to swallow. And until next time, keep it clean!

Loading up on the right Carbs

We've all heard about "carb loading" from our athlete friends. Carbohydrates are the first source of energy that our body burns, so often before a big race or sporting event athletes will eat a ton of grains like spaghetti to give them an extra energy boost. The way we burn carbohydrates is the reason sugary candy and sodas give us a quick buzz followed by a quick drop in energy. However, carbohydrates for the rest of us can also mean poor digestion, a spike in blood sugar and weight gain.

When breaking down the nutrition profile of complex carbs, you find that you get a lot of energy (calories) and very little nutrition per calorie. This was great when food was scarce as we could store grains for long periods of time and get the energy we needed from fairly little grain. However, now that we've streamlined our crops and food is abundant, many people in the first world battle weight gain and obesity. We have the same appetite we've always had, but we're filling ourselves with non-nutritious foods. This makes us remain hungry but gain weight from all the extra energy found in carbs. Potatoes and corn have had a bad rap for causing weight gain for years. But even whole grains like brown rice and quinoa are still far less nutritious per calorie than other carbs.

So what are the right carbs? Veggies! Vegetables have lots of fiber and water and tons and tons of nutrition. With the exception of cauliflower, the more rich and colorful the veggie the more nutrition you're getting. It's easy to pack away big fluffy slices of bread and bowls of pasta, but swap the spaghetti for thinly sliced zucchini or switch out your potatoes for a big bowl of broccoli and you'll be full in no time. All the water and hard to digest fiber will slowly move through you, keeping you fuller longer and satisfying your nutritional needs. Whole fruits (not fruit juices) are a great carb source too, but the more veggies the better.

Removing poor sources of energy from your diet can be a little difficult to get used to, but once you try it you'll wonder why you let yourself stay hungry for so long. Start by substituting one meal a day with veggies instead of the grain. Have extra veggies with your stir-fry instead of rice. Turn that burrito into a burrito bowl. Make that sandwich or burger into an interesting salad. Raw vegan and paleo diet websites are great sources for recipes that cut out complex carbs. Then watch your energy go up, your health improve from all that nutritional goodness, and your waistline shrink. Until next time, keep it clean!

Naturally Long Healthy Hair

Getting long healthy hair can be a bit of a struggle and takes a lot of time. Modern hair care products have provided a lot of shortcuts to healthy hair that take the work out of maintenance. But they also contain chemicals that are bad for the environment, that accumulate in the water supply and even accumulate and can be stored in your body (yuck). Modern products can also be a problem for allergy sufferers or those with sensitive skin, as it's hard to pick out from the long list of ingredients exactly what it is that's causing problems. There's a lot of hearsay out on the internet about the ins and outs of hair care. Here are a few practical tips to keep you gorgeous!

Use a wide-toothed comb
Yes, even if your hair is long, curly and thick! Brushes are good tools for styling, but for basic detangling of your hair they're pretty over complicated. The extra teeth in brushes can actually create knots, making you stretch and pull on your hair more to get them out. Combs help avoid stretching and breaking.

Avoid putting your hair up when you sleep
Tying your hair in place and sleeping on it seems like it would hold things together, but it's actually more likely  to pull hair out of your head or break it. Comb your hair before bed and leave it down so it can move naturally with you while you're sleeping.

Use a moisturizing shampoo
Volumizing, clarifying, hydrating... It's easy to get caught up in the marketing, but all shampoos are basically formulated to either strip the hair clean, add moisture or protect coloring. Modern shampoos use silicone to smooth the hair shaft and keep hair straight. This is not the case with natural shampoos, so when you stop using regular shampoo all of your hair's natural tendencies will be revealed! Most people deal with at least a little bit of frizziness when switching to natural products (especially if your hair is thick, curly or wavy). The easiest way to curb this is to use a moisturizing shampoo. You may need to do this every time you wash or maybe just once a week depending on your hair type.

Add oil to strengthen your hair
Ads will tell you that there are vitamins and minerals necessary to inject health back into your hair, but this is silly. Hair is dead, and once it's grown it is what it is. However, you can strengthen your hair by improving its elasticity. Just like with a good piece of wood furniture, your hair lasts longer, stays more supple and avoids breaking if you add oil to it. Certain natural oils contain the same lipid chains as the oil your body naturally produces, which allows them to soak into the hair shaft. The most popular choices are almond oil, coconut oil and olive oil. Try to apply it at least to the ends of your hair once a week for maintenance.

Avoid washing every day
The more you wash your hair, the more dried out and dull it can get. Even water alone can strip and change the composition of the oil that protects your hair. Keep it fresh with a dollop of styling product, dry shampoo or a few drops of essential oil.

Let it air dry

We all know heat styling can damage hair. Give it a break as often as possible by letting it air dry. Use a microfiber towel to soak up as much water as possible, then comb and let it hang. It will hold its natural shape and curl if you put a little bit of styling product in and leave it alone. Don't touch it or brush it while it's air drying as this can add to frizziness.

Trim regularly
Cutting your hair seems counter-productive when you're growing it out. But once you get split ends, and it will happen even if you're diligent, your hair can continue to split all the way up the shaft. There's no use in having super long hair if your hair isn't healthy! Cut it off at the source by making sure you trim it regularly. If you're growing it out, go to your stylist once every 3 to 4 months.

Enjoy your journey to beautiful natural locks! And until next time, keep it clean!

Breakfast is for Champions

Many Americans usually skip breakfast or have something small like a cup of coffee, a cup of juice or a piece of toast first thing in the morning. We then have a medium sized meal at lunch and a huge dinner. However, this routine has a way of unbalancing your appetite and your energy throughout the day. Studies show that people who eat breakfast regularly are at much lower risk for obesity. Dieters who take up the habit of eating breakfast keep weight off for the long term. What makes breakfast so essential?

When you think about it, when you've first woken up is the longest time you've gone without eating (the word "breakfast" is short for "breaking the fast", or eating after abstaining from food for a long period). There are usually 6 to 12 hours that have passed between dinner and when you first wake up in the morning. You may not be initially very hungry because you are not fully awake or because you are dehydrated. But by mid-morning you start snacking. This also sets you up to make unhealthy lunch choices and overeat at dinner. Having a heavy meal late at night makes it difficult to sleep soundly. A bad night's sleep leaves you with less energy throughout the next day, making you eat sweet foods or drink caffeine to keep your energy up.

It seems like we've got it all backwards. Rather than skipping breakfast and then continually increasing our food intake throughout the day, having a hearty, nutrient rich breakfast sets you up for success. A decent sized breakfast keeps you full, awake and focused, helps you choose a healthier midday lunch, and then at dinner a small meal keeps you satiated while you wind down for a deep sleep.

Of course, what you eat also has a lot to do with how well changing your meal sizes works for you. But doctors and nutritionists agree that some breakfast, even sugary cereal or a pastry, is better than no breakfast at all. But it's best to eat a high volume of nutrient rich foods. 50% or more of your meal should be fruit or vegetables and the remaining portion should be protein, whole grain or a combination of the two. Some good meal ideas are:

• Peanut butter on gluten free waffle with a banana
• Warmed up plums with real maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and oatmeal
• Smoothie made with frozen strawberries and OJ or milk
• Half of a whole grain bagel with egg, arugula and a slice of cheese
• Make quick soup by reheating leftover brown rice, frozen spinach and vegetable broth
• Granola over non-dairy yogurt with blueberries
• Sliced fruit with milk, walnuts, almonds and a sprinkle of cinnamon and honey
• Leftover steamed veggies with eggs or tofu, spoonful of salsa in a whole grain wrap

Try it out for a week and feel the difference in your day. Until next time, keep it clean!

The Green Tea Alternative: Yerba Mate

If you're like me, your day hasn't really begun until you've had a hot cup of tea or coffee. I don't know if what I drink has so much to do with waking me up as it does with bringing a little comfort and calm to my morning ritual. Sometimes I'll have espresso, chai tea, black tea, green tea, or even dandelion "coffee". My new favorite addition to my pantry has been yerba mate.

Yerba mate (pronounced yur-ba mah-tay) is a common tea drink found in South America made from a variety of the holly tree. The aroma is earthy and the flavor is similar to green tea but has an added richness and a bold, almost smoky flavor.

Similarly to green tea, yerba mate both energizes and calms. It contains caffeine and has been shown to stimulate your heart, waking you up and making you more alert. It also contains compounds which relax smooth muscle tissue, making it a great alternative to coffee which makes some people feel anxious and jittery. Regular drinking of mate, like green tea, can boost your metabolism, making it easier for your body to burn and use fat stores. It also amazingly contains theobromine, the compound in cacao that attracts chocolate addicts. You can get a bit of your chocolate fix without eating a candy bar!

On top of just being a pleasant beverage that wakes you up, yerba mate also acts similarly to herbal tisanes in that it contains vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. It contains A, C, E, B1, B2, Niacin (B3), B5, B Complex, Calcium, Manganese, Iron, Selenium, Potassium, Magnesium, Phosphorus and Zinc. The minerals and antioxidants help your body to repair itself, helping you look younger longer and helping to stave off cancer.

There are lots of delicious, healthy and accessible alternatives to foods you regularly eat. I hope you try mate and love it! Look for it in the tea section of your grocery store. Until next time, keep it clean!

Treating Colds and Allergies

Last week our household was struck with the dreaded summer cold. Nothing kills a warm summer day faster than wanting to go out in the sun but already feeling hot and clammy, or wanting to run around outside and feeling achy and stuffy and tired. Here are a few home remedies that can help you get back on track to feeling your best.

Gargling salt water helps to kill bacteria in your mouth and throat and loosens any phlegm that contributes to your throat feeling scratchy. It also helps dull the pain of a sore throat. Some people also gargle warm mouthwash with similar results.

Ginger root, when grated and steeped in warm water, makes a spicy tea that helps to calm your nausea from a runny nose. It's also anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and boosts your circulation, which helps to ease irritated noses, sore throats and headaches.

Turmeric tea is a lighter summer alternative to the healing turmeric milk recipe featured here a couple weeks ago. The bitter, sweet and sour flavors compliment each other interestingly and feel great on your nose and throat. Squeeze half a lemon, a teaspoon of honey and half a teaspoon turmeric into a mug and stir together to make a syrup. Slowly pour hot water until your mug is full, then let steep for 5 minutes for full healing effects. Fresh turmeric, like fresh ginger, is a knobbly root that can be found in the produce section of most stores and Asian grocers. However, powdered turmeric works just fine too.

Keep exercising. This may seem counter-intuitive, but studies have shown that aside from preventing sickness, exercising actually helps you to feel better during sickness. Exercising at the same intensity as you normally would when you have a cold surprisingly doesn't inhibit your performance in any area. It doesn't seem to cure colds faster, but participants who exercised found that they felt better and more energetic sooner than participants who didn't. Studies haven't been done yet with sickness beyond colds. However, use caution if your cold involves fever or chest congestion as intense activity may exacerbate more serious ailments.

Drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest. This goes without saying, but don't oversleep either. Sleeping too much can be just as detrimental as sleeping too little. Get in a solid 8 hours and always have a glass of water nearby.


If you are struck with the same misfortune I was, hopefully these tips will help you get back on your feet again. Until next time, keep it clean! :)

Does this meal make me look healthy?

Lately I've been using an iPhone app called The Eatery. Every day you're supposed to take a picture of what you eat throughout the day, share it, and then strangers rate it on a scale from 1 to 100 on its healthfulness. The idea behind the app is that through peer pressure and unbiased outside opinion (you can have your friends rate your food too), you will begin to rethink things about each meal you make for yourself. When multiple people are rating your food, even if there are varying opinions, the average score you receive supposedly is often very close to the meal's actual overall health.

Taking pictures of your food at every meal is pretty quick and easy, but being on your phone regularly can sometimes be stressful and distracting. Also, not everyone has an iPhone! This was a fun experiment, though I don't know if I'm going to stick with the app in the long term. It might be useful to track my food during weeks where I am especially stressed out or tired so that I am forced to think about what I'm putting in my body. However, I do feel like I have learned a few things about what makes a meal feel healthy, look healthy, and on how I personally judge other people's food differently from how I judge my own choices. Here are a few things I've started doing regularly after using the app.

Use smaller portion sizes for denser meals.
There are some things I do not feel ashamed to share that I snack on mindlessly or stuff into my face while watching an explosion-filled action movie, like big bowls of salad or a bag of baby carrots. There are other meals that often come in standard large sizes that I might mindlessly eat when I shouldn't, especially when it's take out. If your evening burrito doesn't fit on your plate, you should cut it in half and repurpose it later for a nice breakfast or lunch. I find myself using smaller plates, around 8" in diameter, and make sure my food only fits on that. If after 30 minutes I'm still starving (though I'm usually not), I feel like it's OK to eat again. If it's a snack, like almonds, I grab a handful and put the container away.

There's always room for more greens!
Leafy greens are extremely healthy and filling, and they look beautiful on a plate. Pairing a meal with a salad or even mixing a salad in with your bowl adds a delicious and refreshing snap to your dish. Why not throw in some extra broccoli? Add some sauteed kale as a side dish. The more green the better.

Think differently about how you fill up the space on your plate.
I love pairing opposing flavors, and I've found that I get better ratings when there's more fresh fruits and veggies on my plate. At least half my plate will be fruits and vegetables. I've tried to use both of these things to my advantage. Grapes pair great with sour foods, bitter greens like collards pair great with salty foods. Mango, cherries, peaches and other super sweet stone fruits pair well with spicy foods. Use a vegetable peeler to peel a zucchini into thin noodle-like strips and eat it raw where you would normally have pasta. Instead of dipping chips in your guacamole, why not use cucumber slices or celery stalks?

Always use whole grains.
These days there is a plethora of choices for breads and grains. The closer to the whole original grain you can find, the easier it is to digest and the more protein- and nutrient-packed it is. Sprouted grain breads like Ezekiel are great for sandwiches and toast. Wasa flatbread crackers for snacks and dipping, buckwheat (soba) noodles instead of pasta, quinoa and brown rice instead of white rice. Gluten-free fare also often uses whole grains that you may never have tried before or heard of, like spelt and teff, that are protein-packed and super good for you. Gluten free bagels, crackers and biscuits are usually easily found at your regular grocer.

How often you do really treat yourself? And what do you call a "treat"?
I'm not saying never to eat ice cream or pizza again, but when you start tracking your food you have to face facts. Are you really only eating pizza on Friday nights? How many times a week do you grab a giant mocha latte from your favorite coffee shop? Completely withholding treats from yourself can make you feel like you're depriving yourself, which makes lots of people give up or derail on an all-or-nothing train of thought. However, sometimes we kid ourselves about what we say or think or know we should do versus what we are actually doing. Try counting your treats for a week and see if reality matches your mind. If you can't give it up, there are healthier substitutes for our old habits. If you love cream in your coffee, have cream! But use a good fat like coconut milk or coconut oil instead. If you find yourself eating ice cream all the time, try one of the many non-dairy and fruit-sweetened varieties available. Save the real cream for Sunday morning if you have to.


Life's a bowl full of cherries! Enjoy rethinking your meals and experimenting with how you put them together. Until next time, keep it clean!

Make Your Own Healthy Milk

Milk is a staple food for many people. It's great for pouring over cereal, cooling tea and coffee, enriching and thickening soups and gravies, making rich baked goods and even just for enjoying a cool glass by itself. However, cow's milk can come with its own issues. Affordable, non-organic milks (and even organic milks) contain cow hormones, upset digestion, increase mucus production in the body, cause allergic reactions and make you feel overall more tired. Organic milks can help you eschew some of the hormones and chemicals found in conventional milk, but since the US has little regulation on organics, the price tag is bigger but there's no guarantee that it's that much different than the conventional.

There is a nutritious and cheap alternative! You can make tasty and affordable milk at home that has all the nutrition of milk and more. You can purchase non-dairy milks at the store, but making it fresh is far more rewarding and delicious. It takes relatively little preparation and forethought, and all you need is a blender, a cloth for straining and a container for your milk when you're done. Best of all, any time you need milk you can skip going to the store if you have a handful of nuts in the pantry.

Nut milks can be made with almost any nut you choose, however the nuts you use must be raw (not toasted or roasted). Raw nuts can be found in most groceries, but the cheapest are at natural foods stores in the bulk bins where you would find rice, granola and trail mix. The most popular choices for nut milks are almonds, cashews and walnuts. Almonds are very mild in flavor, while cashews create a slightly sweet milk. Walnuts have an earthier flavor, but have the added benefit of omega-3 fatty acids, which are great for overall health, memory retention and brain function.

You will also need a fine cloth or fine mesh strainer. Cheese cloth, a thin well-worn old tee shirt or any thin rag works fine as long as it's clean. If you really want to get fancy, you can purchase a nut milk bag for fairly cheap. The bags last a long time and are tailored specifically to making milk.

Nut Milk
1 cup (heaping handful) of raw nuts
4 to 5 cups of water
Pinch of salt
Optional:
Honey or stevia
Vanilla or almond extract

Put nuts in a bowl and fill with water, making sure they're completely submerged. Leave to soak for at least 4 hours. (You can throw them in the bowl before you leave for work or before you go to bed.) After soaking, drain soaking water and put nuts in blender. Add 4 to 5 cups of fresh filtered water and pinch of salt. For sweet milk, add honey or stevia and a few drops to a teaspoon of extract. If your blender isn't very fancy, I recommend putting the top on and wrapping a dishcloth around the top to prevent water from splashing out. Blend for at least 60 seconds or until thick, white and frothy.

Strain the milk into container of your choice with the cloth or strainer, making sure to squeeze all the water out of the pulp. That's it! It's ready to drink. Use the nut milk just like you would use regular milk. It will keep 7 to 10 days in the fridge. You can save the pulp by spreading it flat on a cookie sheet and putting on low heat in the oven to dry out and then store in a container in the fridge. Nut meal makes a nutritious substitute for flour in recipes.

Enjoy your fresh milk! Until next time, keep it clean! :)

The Incredible Edible... Dandelion!

Dandelions are a familiar weed in American backyards, known as a fluffy firework of seeds to kids and a bane to many gardeners. These sunny little plants are also a hardy, healthy, easy to grow food.

Every part of the dandelion is edible. Traditionally, dandelions have been used as an herbal remedy, mainly for digestion. The roots of dandelions can be dried or roasted. When boiled and steeped for a few minutes, the resulting tea has a rich, deep flavor reminiscent of coffee. Dandelion tea relieves heartburn and is considered an assistant to liver cleansing by herbists. I like to drink it after an especially heavy meal or the morning after having a few beers. The thick long leaves at the base of the plant are excellent in salads. Leafy greens are an excellent source of iron, magnesium, zinc and calcium and are alkalizing to the body. Dandelion leaves are also a mild diuretic, helping to prevent water retention and flush the body of waste materials more quickly. Dandelion flowers open up in sunlight, and their happy visage and fragrant nectar make a salad look happy and add an interesting floral flavor. With lots of potassium and more Vitamin A than carrots, they're also a welcome burst of additional nutrition.

Dandelions grow quickly and easily almost anywhere and in any soil. Since they are considered a weed, it is best to plant your own in containers rather than just picking them straight from your yard in order to avoid possible pesticides. Press seeds about an inch apart and 1/4 inch deep into moist soil and place in an area where your flowers can get full sun. In the right conditions, dandelions can grow up to 12 inches tall! Dandelions will take about 3 months to grow, but you can pull leaves off your dandelions for salads as much as you wish once they're grown. Dandelion roots, however, can take a couple of seasons to be ready to harvest. Dandelion tea can be purchased at many natural food stores if you don't want to wait to enjoy the roots.


Purchasing salad can get expensive. Since they grow so fast, dandelions are a cheap, healthy and easy way to stay healthy. Stay tuned for more tips on healthy living, and keep it clean!

Red, White, and Blue Parfaits for Your Holiday!

   The 4th of July is one of my favorite holidays. It's the day we celebrate our independence and also enjoy time outdoors with family and friends. The best part: fireworks of course! This 4th of July, why not surprise your guests with a healthy and patriotic dessert!!
   I found this recipe on the Better Homes and Gardens website. It consists of very few ingredients, just berries and yogurt!! The original recipe calls for whipped topping but if you are wanting to keep this light, I would skip that and just focus on a premium yogurt. If you are vegan, I highly advise substituting coconut milk yogurt instead!
 
      You will need:

• Blueberries
• Raspberries or Strawberries (cut into small pieces) 
• Yogurt
• Vanilla or almond extract
• Optional: Whipped topping

   All you have to do is mix your yogurt with whichever flavored extract you choose. Fold in the whipped topping (if you are using that). Then layer in clear glasses starting with blueberries, then a dollop of yogurt, and finally strawberries and/or raspberries. If you are using larger containers, keep alternating this way until you reach the top! You can even make the parfaits up to an hour ahead and just place in the fridge until ready to eat!! 
   I hope you enjoy this delicious and easy treat for your 4th of July outing. Have a happy and safe holiday from all of us at Azuma Leasing. Stay clean for now!

Homemade Sandwich Bread!

   Last week, you were taught how to make a delicious homemade pizza crust using simple ingredients.  I love this idea because the more basic the ingredients, the healthier the outcome. This week, I would like to provide you with another easy, yet extremely satisfying, homemade bread recipe for a white sandwich loaf.
   If you are an avid label reader like myself, you have probably noticed the lengthy, unpronounceable list of ingredients on store-bought breads. This is very unsettling and I much prefer to make homemade bread whenever I get the chance. The following recipe yields three loaves of sandwich bread. That way, you will have a couple of loaves to freeze for a later date or give away to friends!
   First you will need to gather your ingredients:

• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp yeast
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp oil
• 4 cups warm milk or filtered water (or half and half)
• 1 1/2 tbsp salt
• 4 1/2 - 5 1/2 cups bread flour (more or less depending on consistency of dough)

   Now for the fun part. Mix together yeast, all purpose flour, oil, and milk and/or water. Rest for about 20 minutes. Now add the salt and enough bread flour until the consistency is no longer sticky. Knead several times and allow to rise until doubled (about 1 hour) in a warm area. Shape the dough (I usually flatten the dough and then roll it up like a burrito almost, pinching the ends in and the bottom until there is no seam.) Place in pre-oiled bread pan ‘seam’ down and allow to rise again for another hour or so. Bake @ 375 degrees F for around 35 minutes until tops are nice and brown. If you do not have a bread pan, you can also just shape the dough into 3 rounds, slice an X on the top, and bake it the same way! Either way you do it, this bread is a winner.

    You can use this loaf for sandwiches, but don't stop there! This bread is wonderful for bruschetta, french toast, and bread pudding. You can also use leftover bread to make amazing croutons or breadcrumbs for your next fried endeavor! Use this recipe and help eliminate the processed, store brand breads with all of their additives and preservatives. Eat homemade bread the healthy way! Because is there anything better than warm bread and butter? Happy eating! :)

How To Have a Healthier Memorial Day

   Memorial Day is just around the corner, and like many of you I am looking forward to my extended weekend! Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of our brothers, sisters, and neighbors. It is also a time to gather family and friends near the most accessible body of water and have one heck of a cook out! For most Americans this means hamburgers and hotdogs, chips and ranch dip, and a whole lot of soda or beer! I am going to offer a few tips so you can toss these old standbys and have a more healthful Memorial Day! :)

Appetizers
Snacks are essential to any type of outdoor activity. Lots of people will stick with the old Fritos/bean dip, Lays/french onion dip, tortilla chip/queso route. Why not do something different for a change? Try a roasted red pepper hummus with some warm, soft pita bread. Toss some pico de gallo and a couple of avocados with a squirt of lime for a fresh homemade guacamole, served with veggie sticks! Still hankering for something salty? Try kale chips!

For the Grill
There are lots of options when it comes to grilling that don't always involve tubed meat. Try some veggie shish-kebabs or add a lean, organic protein if you prefer! Grilled corn, portabellos, and "baked" potatoes are always delicious and wholesome choices as well. Something I've been aching to try, grilled pizza!

Beverages
Most people flock to fizzy and sugary beverages to quench their thirst. The actual fact is that these drinks are not really satisfying that thirst and creating more dehydration. The only way to beat dehydration (which is very important when you are out in the sun all day!) is to drink water! Don't like water? Try adding lemon or lime, berries and other fruits, herbs, and various other goodies to spruce it up! Cucumber lime mint water sounds so much more appetizing than just water, don't you think?

   There are so many options when trying to cut back on the processed, fatty foods of our culture. Keep an open mind and eat things that have life force! I can guarantee you, you will enjoy that day at the lake so much more! Not to mention your swim suit will look better! ;)

Stay clean and have a safe, healthful holiday weekend!

Healthy Routines

When you start exercising, it's easy to either be really soft on yourself or to push too hard. Here's a few basic tips for setting the right balance.

Make a Habit
It takes 60 days to turn a daily activity into a habit. If you're having trouble getting into the routine of exercising, just put a calendar on the wall and X-off 60 days in a row for every day you work out. As long as you create the habit and get your body used to being active, it doesn't matter what you do. This could mean a 15 minute jog around the block, a sun salutation of yoga poses or doing a few sets of push-ups. The idea is to make it not feel weird or like a chore to lace up those sneakers every day.

Keep It Simple
Your workout should be a basic game plan. The more you add to it, the easier it is to over think what you're doing and talk yourself out of it or over-do it. If you plan on doing more than one or two activities per day, memorize your circuit so you can flow directly from one activity into the next. If that's too difficult, try taking a class for a while. The peer pressure of having an instructor, a friend or even strangers watching you work out is a motivator, and if someone is telling you what to do next, you can't tell yourself to do more or less than what was planned. If you're by yourself, wear a heart-rate monitor  and stay in your zone so you know when you're over-working or under-working. Force yourself not to change that routine once you set it for at least 2 months. That way you'll get the most benefit out of your current routine and see realistic results from what you're doing.

Stay Alert
Get a good night's sleep each night and lay off the caffeine. The best way to stay awake is to get plenty of rest and eat foods that are easy to digest and don't weigh you down. Eating seems like a very sedentary activity, but digestion takes a lot of energy! When you eat less, your body expends less energy throughout the day. Start your morning with hot water with lemon, herbal tea, a smoothie or a probiotic drink such as kombucha. Easing yourself into eating throughout the day allows your body to rehydrate itself and reenergize itself for the long day ahead. If you still have trouble staying alert, try elevating your workstation so that you have to stand at your desk. When you stand you move and shift your weight more, your blood flows more and it's easier to think clearly.

Don't Make Excuses
If you worked too hard yesterday, don't automatically give yourself a pass for today. Likewise, if you missed yesterday's workout, it won't do you any good to run twice as far today. If you make a mistake or didn't do your routine quite right, learn from it and move on. You can always try again today with what you learned yesterday. It's more important to keep the healthy habit than to vary your routine to try and balance it out. And if something is always stopping you from working out or doing your plan like you planned, treat your time like an appointment. What you do for yourself is important too and shouldn't be blown off or pushed aside for extenuating circumstances.

Take an Off Day
All of that said, it helps to close out the week and have a fresh start by taking one off day. Usually people choose Sunday or Friday, but it can be any day you like. It also helps your muscles to recover and get ready to be pushed further for the coming week. Try not to overdo your time off either: Taking more than two weeks off from working out will set back any previous gains you have made.


Forming healthy, balanced habits is not always easy, which is why not everyone has them. However with great patience, the willingness to keep trying again and again, a forgiving mindset for your mistakes and healthy pats on the back when you reach your milestones, before you realize it you'll already be in great shape. Until next time!

Cooking with the Right Materials

The most important place to start making your home healthy is in the kitchen. We all know about healthy foods, but what about what you use to cook with? Here are a few tips on the best materials to use.

Cleaning and Disinfecting
Of course, clean surfaces are a must when cooking and preparing food. However, soaps and sprays can leave residue on dishes and cutting boards and can seep into your food while you're making it. For washing your dishes, use food-safe and natural soaps. Dr. Bronner's is a good example of a very simple natural soap that is safe for food contact. Borax and baking soda are also great when mixed as a powder for dishwashers. For cutting boards and countertops, spray first with vinegar and then again with hydrogen peroxide and wipe dry for a cleanser that is as effective as bleach at killing germs but completely pet and child safe.

Plastics, Teflon and Aluminum, Oh My!
Each of these materials, when heated, have extremely harmful side effects. That is, microwaving leftovers in a plastic container, making pancakes in a non-stick skillet and using baking powder with aluminum all increase your risk of cancer. The chemicals that each of these materials release when heated are absorbed into your body and stay there. Non-stick surfaces emit gases when heated that are harmful when inhaled and are known to be dangerous and even fatal to pets, especially pet birds. Aluminum is a known neurotoxin that has been linked to Alzheimer's and breast cancer. Bisphenol-A, or BPA, found in plastics is an endocrine disrupting toxin. This means that it mimics hormones naturally found in your body and throws them off balance, which can cause neurological problems, cancer and surprisingly, obesity. BPA is also often found in items like canned beans and shower curtains. Cook your canned foods the old fashioned way to save a little money and a lot of exposure.

The Right Materials
Sticking with natural materials is the surest way to eschew any potential chemicals in your food and home, and is also much better for the environment. Reuse spaghetti sauce and pickle jars for storage. Use ceramic or stoneware dishes, and if you microwave your food put a plate or a towel on top to prevent splatter instead of plastic wrap or plastic storage containers. Look for cast iron cookware (the iron that is released into your food from iron skillets is actually akin to taking an iron supplement) and use glass, ceramic or stoneware dishes for baking. Glass cooks evenly and similarly to aluminum, and cast iron is great for baked goods as it heats evenly to create breads that are crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. Non-stick surfaces seem helpful, but it is far better for you to eat a little healthy fat from greasing a pan (use olive, sesame, coconut or safflower oils) than to be exposed to a chemical. And remember to always use new grease when cooking. Reusing and reheating fats can break them down and turn them into hydrogenated and trans fats, which are very bad for your heart and your waistline.

Updating your kitchen and avoiding harmful materials is easy and one of the best steps you can take to a healthy happy home. With these simple basic tips, you'll be well on your way to a simpler and healthier meal time. Until next time!