From Pucci to Pudding

ancient tibetan chakra diet

for thousands of years, tibetan monks have been eating foods directed toward the health of our 7 chakras. the system of our chakras, positioned along our spine from its base to the crown of our head, is designed to pull energy up to our crown and down to our root, energizing us and increasing our health and longevity. with the tibetan chakra approach, foods are valued not only for their nutritional value but also for their vibrational value--literally their bright colors are a hint to the biochemistry of the foods and the resonance and energy they create for our digestion and internal systems.

thanks to a recent report on the dr. oz show, the chakra balancing diet includes, from the base to the top of the chakra system:

root chakra--the color for this chakra is red. red foods are key in balancing this chakra, which represents grounding and centering ourselves. physically it is manifested in our colon and large intestine. pomegranate is an excellent food to strengthen and soothe our gastro-intestinal tract.

sacral chakra--the color for this chakra is orange. the chakra represents our sexuality and creativity centers. the energy of the two are the same. the sacral chakra is centered in our reproductive, bladder and kidney systems. oranges and tangerines are fabulous foods to balance this chakra.

solar plexus chakra--yellow is the color for our solar plexus. this chakra represents our self-esteem and willpower, and is oriented towards our gall bladder, liver, pancreas, stomach and our digestive system. a yellow food that balances and detoxes our digestive system is yellow lentils.

heart chakra--the color for our heart and for love and compassion is green. kale is an excellent food to nourish this chakra and balance our expression of love and compassion. love is the most nourishing of all the chakras. it is the one essence that can balance all our chakras. going green can balance our physical and spiritual centers but also our expression of love in the world.

throat chakra--the color for this chakra is blue and is associated with our thyroid gland. positioned between our heart and mind, it represents truth and self-expression and coordinates what's in our heart and mind. blueberries are an excellent food to help the flow in our mind-heart balance.

third eye chakra--the color of this chakra is indigo and represents our intuition. centered in our pituitary gland, which intuitively balances our hormones and systems, purple berries are a good food for balancing this chakra. when we feed this chakra we feed our intuition and imagination.

crown chakra--this is the master chakra at the top of our head, representing our connection to our higher self. its color is violet and eggplant is an excellent food for balancing our crown chakra.

morning charge

oh the mighty bean, morning's gusto in a brew...

go green... from the inside out

with the new year's new intentions, i have been eating more greens every day--there is is fabulous organic grocer that has opened across the street from my building and they have the best fresh kale and fresh juices and green kombucha drinks. while sometimes i feel like kermit the frog with all the greens, i have also noticed that i also feel mentally sharper and more energized.

"eat your greens" is a refrain i've followed but not truly embraced as i seem to have recently. and while i know they're essential for good health, i wanted to know why and how. turns out dark leafy greens are miracle workers:

• they are rich sources of vitamin K1 and protect against osteoporosis
• they provide magnesium, fiber and potassium (which helps control blood pressure and improves heart health)
• they contain essential fatty acids, antioxidants and are brimming with enzymes that help us digest and breakdown waste and flush every cell in our body of toxins
• and they include anthocyanins, which help us problem solve as we age
• not to mention they help us feel fuller so the nutella jar doesn't come out...as often!

so going green has taken on a whole new dimension. go green from the inside out and feel fresher!

 

homemade nutella

if i could eat nutella for breakfast, lunch and dinner i would. i love it so. but it's not inexpensive and it's a bit on the sweet side. not that that's a bad thing. but it puts a damper on constant consumption. when i happened upon an organic version of nutella imported from italy, it was a no-brainer that i simply must welcome it to my home and tastebuds. it was amazing but even sweeter than nutella.

since we have been in the mode here of refashioning our favorite foods into paleo or much more healthful versions, it struck me to look for a recipe for nutella. why couldn't we make it ourselves and customize it to our preferences?

i am THRILLED to share this super easy and MOST TASTY recipe for nutella that we have quality control tested and can assure you it's the bee's knees. the beauty of homemade nutella is that we know the ingredients are organic, we can sweeten to our liking, and we can add accent flavors like cinnamon, orange zets, cardamom or other spicings for a tasty variation on the classic.

the nutella base recipe is below, with my customizations to it offered as well:

• 1/3 cup whole almonds
• 1 1/3 cup whole hazelnuts
• 1 3/4 cup milk--recipe called for whole milk, i used almond milk
• 7/8 cup powdered milk--recipe called for whole milk, i used goat's milk powder
• 3 TBS honey
• pinch of salt
• 6 oz bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate (i used dark chocolate)
• 5 oz milk chocolate (i used dark chocolate entirely)

spread the nuts on a baking sheet, keeping the hazelnuts separate from the almonds, and toast in a 350 degree F oven until the hazelnuts are browned, roughly about 10-15 minutes. stir the nuts 2-3 times while they are toasting to kee them from getting burned.

bring the milk, milk powder, honey and salt to a boil on the stovetop and then immediately remove from the heat.

in a separate pan, melt the chocolate either on the stovetop or in the microwave, until it is smooth to stir.

when the nuts are roasted, put the almonds in a food procesor. transfer the hazelnuts to a tea towel and rub them vigorously until most of the skins are removed from the nuts. if skins remain on, that's fine. add the hazelnuts to the food processor and pulse them until finely ground.

add the melted chocolate to the nuts and blend until well-mixed.

add the milk mixture to the chocolate and nuts and process until all is well-mixed. you will probably need to stop and scrape the sides of the processor a couple of times to make sure all is blended.

the consistency will be more fluid than nutella at this point. not to worry. transfer the mixture to two mason jars (the recipe yields about 2.5 cups) and let them set up (covered) in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. you will have a most yummy nutella spread after it's had a chance to chill.

this recipe makes a fabulous base for the traditional nutella. the texture may be a little coarser, depending on how fine your food processor is able to get the nuts. and of course, if you wish to customize the flavor profile with variations on ingredients and spices, have fun!

paleo quinoa pizza crust

i prefer to eat in line with the paleo tradition--foods that would have been available to early humans in fishing and gathering modes. essentially, no processed foods and not much in the way of processed grains like wheat. small stumbling block--i LOVE pizza and cupcakes and various baked goods that i have not had success in re-creating as paleo.

until we discovered paleo pizza crust in the form of quinoa pizza. and it is DEELISH and easy! we liked it so much we had it for dinner three times last week, and there were no leftover on any of those evenings. sit makes a yummy and crunchy pizza crust that you can customize with herbs and cheese if you desire. toppings are endlessly customizable to your tastebuds' delight. but i wanted to share my version of the paleo quinoa pizza crust recipe.

• 1.5 cups quinoa, (rinsed, soaked for at least 8 hours in water, drained)
• .5 cups water
• sea salt
• oregano and/or herbs to your liking
• olive oil to coat the skillet

the one thing about this pizza crust is that it requires 8 hours of forethought. the raw quinoa needs to soak under water for at least 8 hours, either overnight or the morning before dinner. rinse 1.5 cups of quinoa and soak it under water in a bowl for at least 8 hours. when ready to make the pizza crust, drain the quinoa and put it in a blender along with .5 cups of water to start. sprinkle in about a teaspoon of sea salt and whatever herbs you prefer to flavor your crust. depending on your toppings, choose whatever you think might be complementary. i like at least a tablespoon of oregano. it goes well with many pizza topping varieties. blend until the consistency is that of thick pancake batter. add water in small amounts if initially too thick.

preheat your oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. as it is preheating,  film a 12-inch oven-proof skillet with olive oil. let the skillet and oil heat up in the warming oven. when the oven reaches temperature, pour the crust batter in the hot skillet and smooth out to an even layer. cook for 20 minutes. remove and flip the crust. if the crust is not yet crisp enough to flip, cook for 5-10 minutes longer, watching carefully. flip and cook 7 minutes on the other side. then remove and add all toppings. cook another 7-10 minutes. remove when toppings/cheese are well melted.

enjoy immediately!

eat ice cream for dinner, 4

eat ice cream for dinner, 3

eat ice cream for dinner, 2

eat ice cream for dinner

my grandmother and i had possibly the most memorable dinner of my life when i was about 3 years old. i was staying with my grandparents while my family was traveling. we had the BESTEST time together! first, my grandparents were all about love. and yummy food, which was also a way to share love. but love. one evening, my grandmother and i decided that we were going to have butter pecan ice cream. for dinner. no veggies. no other food groups. but bountiful bowls of butter pecan. the salty pecans, the buttery vanilla... heaven! then we got slap happy off the sugar and our shared rebellion and we "sang" for my grandfather. we butchered the songs so badly we fell on the floor squeezing our sides from unstoppable giggling.

that pivotal dinner on a random summer weeknight when i was 3, turned into love daze, an art calendar i co-created with an artist friend, but also an approach to life that i celebrate every single day since. wanted to share the introduction with you as a 4-part series. so do come back the rest of the week for the next installments.

and dare i ask what's for dinner?

summer beet carpaccio

in the oppressive heat of atlanta summers, i am not inspired to turn on a gas flame to cook. so when i saw a beautiful bunch of organic beets at the market, i brought them home and challenged myself to do something other than my typical roast or boil.

raw beets, shaved or diced, can make a gorgeous uber tasty and super healthy salad. and no cooking! packed with phytonutrients that play a critical role as antioxidants, anti-inflammatories and in detox, and rich in two carotenoids extremely key to eye health, raw beets are a powerhouse of health. 

and my raw summer beet carpaccio is a delightful jewel of a gorgeous dish. easy to assemble, beautiful on the plate, deelish and nutrish!

• 3 organic beets, washed, peeled and shaved or sliced super thinly
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1.2 cup grated goat cheddar cheese or your fave tangy hard cheese
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

put all the ingredients in a bowl with a lid. make sure the lid is securely fastened, then shake to mix. eat room temperature or chilled, and enjoy! keep in the refrigerator if you have leftovers.