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The Benefits of Fermented Food

Fermentation is an ancient method to preserve food. The earliest fermented food dates back to 6000 BC and virtually every culture has their own version of fermented food. The Koreans have kimchi, the Germans have sauerkraut, and us Russians have kefir. Other examples include wine, cheese, yogurt, cortido, pickles and kombucha. Fermented foods are food that have allowed the natural bacteria to feed on the sugar and starch in a food to create lactic acid. This creates different strains of powerful probiotics, enzymes, B vitamins and even omega-3s. Fermenting food also preserves it, I’ve kept my fermented salsa in the fridge for up to six months (although it usually doesn’t last that long before I eat it)! I used to be SO intimidated by fermenting my own food. I knew it was an amazing addition to a healthy diet, but stuck to store and farm bought ferments. What if I…

Superfood Carrot Cake Smoothie

Sometimes you just crave carrots. No? Just me? Well, recently I was crazing carrots as well as something sweet. I thought I’d eat some carrots and a side of raw yogurt with honey. And then I thought, duh – carrot cake. But who wants to go through the trouble of making an entire carrot cake for one little craving? I’ve actually found that turning whatever you’re craving into a smoothie works out really well. It’s way easier than making the whole dessert and it’s healthy (if you do it right). Want chocolate cake? Make a chocolate smoothie. Want blueberry pie? Turn it into a smoothie. Want carrot cake? Make this. And wondering what’s so superfood-y about it? Carrots are a great source of vitamin C as well as potassium. They also help expel excess estrogen from the body (which can help prevent cancer). The egg yolks are a multivitamin rich…

Egg White or Whole Egg: Which Is Healthier?

I truly thought this antiquated idea that egg whites are preferable than egg yolks had been squashed. I mean, what is this, 1976? Are we back to fearing all fat – despite the overwhelming evidence that fat is awesome for you? Apparently. Three things happened that inspired me to write this. 1) My grandmother’s assisted living facility feeds her eggs whites every morning. Along with pancakes and fake maple syrup. I wish this was a joke. 2) A friend ordered egg whites at lunch because she didn’t “want all those calories.” (side note: she followed brunch up with a pastry from a coffee shop). 3) I was reading about the Redskins’ diet and the fact that their dietitian serves egg whites. EGG WHITES. To grown ass men. To professional athletes! To a group of dudes that burn more calories than I even eat in a day. I’ve had enough. I’m…

Gluten-Free Fried Rice

Recently I was not in the mood to cook. Which is rare for me because I love cooking and find it relaxing. For whatever reason, I didn’t wanna do it, but also didn’t want to spend money on takeout, not to mention the fact that you rarely have any idea what’s actually in takeout. Vegetable oils? Most likely. Are they GMO? Most definitely. I didn’t want to deal with all that. Luckily, I always keep cooked white rice on hand. I’ll make a few cups of it on a Sunday to eat throughout the week. Scott and I had both worked out earlier in the day and remained pretty low carb, so I knew adding some carbs in would be a good option for both of us. And if you’re wondering how white rice is a good option or considered a safe starch, or even paleo – read this article.…

Arugula, Tomato & Onion Sautéed Cod

Cod, along with rockfish (the state fish of Maryland) are my favorite white fishes. They are mild, tender and not overly fishy. Although I do love fishy-fish, most people don’t. My husband is one of those people. He hates fish that taste too fish, so cod has been an awesome option for him. The other great thing about cod is that it’s so versatile. Because it’s so mild, its flavors blend well with basically whatever the hell you want to make. And I had a bunch of arugula, tomato and onion from the farmers market, so this worked out perfectly. Also, I’ve been on a huge arugula kick lately. I used to HATE arugula. I thought it was really bitter and gross. Now I just love it. I read about the benefits of arugula, and it tuns out that it supposedly boost libido. I have to admit – I think…

Use This To Stop Period Cramps

As I write this, I’m sitting on my couch with a blanket over me and it’s after 2pm and I still haven’t gotten dressed. Or brushed my hair. Or put on makeup. BECAUSE I’M AN ADULT. Just kidding. It’s because I have some horrible effing period cramps. Throughout my teens, I had terrible periods. Extremely heavy cramping, heavy bleeding, back pain – the works. I now know that it was because my hormones were so unbalanced, mostly due to stress and a terrible diet. Since adapting to a healthier lifestyle years ago, my periods, while still pretty heavy, have been mild in comparison. The cramping improved, and even the cramping I’ve felt today isn’t as bad as what it used to be. But it’s still pretty bad, which happens once in a while for me. It could be due to a number of things so I don’t stress about it because…

Mexican Egg Salad

Two things happened to me earlier this week: I was tired of eating fried eggs and I only had a few random things in my fridge because I hadn’t gone grocery shopping. Sometimes I think I make the best food when I have no plan and just end up throwing stuff together. That’s how this Mexican egg salad was born. Which is what happened here. This egg salad is smoky from the bacon and chipotle powder and is so good. I ate it for breakfast but you could seriously eat it anytime of day. I mean, it has bacon in it. And who doesn’t love that?   Mexican Egg Salad This egg salad is smoky from the bacon and chipotle powder and is so good. I ate it for breakfast but you could seriously eat it anytime of day. I mean, it has bacon in it. And who doesn’t love…

Stovetop Mexican Frittata

I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but I’m kind of tired of dippy eggs. Dippy eggs are fried eggs but the yolk is still soft so you can dip bacon it in. It’s been my favorite breakfast food since I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong, it’s delicious. But I’m just over having dippy eggs every morning. Which is how this Mexican beauty was born.   Mexican flavors are some of my favorite. They’re fresh and full and awesome. Spicy from the jalapeño, creamy from the pepper jack and avocado, delicious from the onion and bacon.   It all just works out really well together. Plus, this stovetop Mexican frittata is a healthy and paleo option (if you’re strict paleo, just omit the cheese).   The best part is, you can make a bunch to have each morning. This was just for me, but if you have…

Pork Belly Egg Rolls (Primal & Gluten Free)

The other day I had leftover pork belly that I wasn’t sure what to do with. I bought a big piece of it at the farmers market and was honestly tired of eating it on its own. And then this happened. Gluten free and primal pork belly egg rolls. These were so good. Like, insanely good. I’ve used the rice paper wraps to make summer rolls before so I wasn’t sure how they’d hold up if I fried them since they’re kind of delicate, but it worked out perfectly. The rice paper became crispy and was totally resilient. Also, if you’re wondering about white rice and why it’s better than brown and how it’s considered primal or even paleo at all – read this article. Can you see how crispy they are? The combination of cabbage and carrot worked out perfectly with the pork belly. I also added a jalapeño…

Gluten-Free Moussaka

  This Healthy Moussaka is a delicious gluten-free version of the classic Greek dish. It’s still rich-tasking like the original and ideal if you’re health conscious and on a grain-free diet!      Healthy Moussaka with Gluten-free Bechamel Sauce:    I LOVE me some Greek food. It’s my absolute favorite type of food and I could literally eat it every day.   Every time Scott and I have date night, I try to make him go to Parthenon with me (my favorite Greek spot in DC). I am obsessed.   The great thing about Greek food, which is especially important when dining out, is that they use olive oil instead of other rancid vegetable oils like canola and soy.   They use olive oil when they cook, in their dressings, to flavor food, etc. So I know that I don’t have to worry about GMO veggie oils (unless it’s not…