Carrots, Purple Pepper and Candy-striped Beets: makings of something yummy and cozy for tonite...

Amazing Fall Amarettas... I left the Farmers Market--- penniless!

I am a very busy person. I'm resurfacing after a long hiatus (a whole 22 days!) during which time I've been a busy working bee and taking an awesome Summer vacay on the eastern shore with wonderful humans. A FAQ about me is that I manage two (yes, two) very exciting careers that I loooooove and am so blessed and fulfilled by. I work full time in Interior Design and manage my Wellness business on the side- which entails hanging out with a bunch of cool clients who inspire me daily. A lucky duck I am, but pretty dang busy. But I stay grounded and happy because I am what I eat; and what I eat is simple good food, like, 85% of the time. See? As a Health and Nutrition Coach, I'm not perfect either, but that's not what I'm aiming for. 

I'm all about the quick, simple and delish. Because if it's not so, who the heck has the time?

Look at these bad boys that showed up in my CSA this week. I talk about my CSA a lot, because it's the best thing on earth and the delivery of such bounty every week never gets old; in fact it cheers me up big time. 
In addition to being super interestingly freaky cool looking, these delicate, soft, fleshy-on-the-inside summer squashes are super good for you. THE go-to, primary beta-carotene food (yes, THE one for BC, not carrots) they're looooaded with a ton of dietary fiber (great for diabetics and blood sugar regulation), a bunch of B Vitamins and anti-oxidants (move over, Citrus!)- but they're mostly present in the skin, so leave them on.

I came home after a long day of being a busy bee and knew I had little to offer in the kitchen (as in creativity, willingness, time); alas, the freaky cool squash appealed to me so I took to them, right over to the oven for some easy breezy roasting. Try this as a side; you can roast the squash alone or mix with others like Broccoli, which is what I did to get this duper satisfying meal.

Roasted Summer Squash and Broccoli
3-4 Squash, sliced 2-3"
1 cup Broccoli heads (do away with stems), halved
1 big clove Garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 teaspoon Paprika
1 teaspoon Turmeric (optional)
Sprinkles of Black Pepper

Layer veggies on baking sheet and massage with oil till evenly coated; sprinkle over spices. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes until slight browning occurs. Let cool, sprinkle over black pepper and squeeze over a small wedge of lemon. Serve with some leftover grains (I used cooked Quinoa) and a side of other yummy veggies (I used String beans). And boom. Easy, quick and yum! The family was indeed happy.

I am here for all you other very busy bees who at times feel hopeless in the kitchen; trust me-- it's simpler than you think! Embrace veggies of all colors of the rainbow- even ones you've never heard of or seen before; chop them up and throw them into the oven with garlic. You CANNOT go wrong.

Bzzz!

If you haven't already done so, you must look into subscribing to a CSA to get fresh, local and in-season produce delivered right to your door. CSA stands for Community Supported Agricultural program for which a subscription would grant access to yummy veggies and fruit- thereby encouraging the support of local farms. Only eating what's local and available really connects you to the seasons and to the land that you inhabit. I love my CSA from Farm Fresh to You. If you're in the SF Bay Area or LA, get $5 off your first order by mentioning this coupon code: Susan Whang #204192. Their flexible subscription and exciting varieties of goods inspire me on a weekly basis. 

Take for instance, this assortment of sweet little peppers. Tired of chopping them up into a kitchen sink stir fry, they got stuffed with the grains and legumes I typically would've used to mix everything up in, then slathered with a tasty, filling and nutritious hummus. Another super easy (yet exciting) dinner made in 20 minutes.

Sweet Peppers Stuffed with Brown Rice and Green Lentils
1 Sweet Pepper, halved and de-seeded
1/2-3/4 cup cooked Brown Rice and Lentils 
Dollops of Olive Hummus
Stuff cooked grains (recipe below) into halved Peppers and lay on baking sheet at 350 degrees for 20 minutes. Serve with Hummus (also below) and a side salad!

Cooked/Mixed Grains
1/2 cup Organic Brown Rice
1/2 cup Organic Green Lentils
2 cups Water
After fully cooked:
3/4 cup chopped curly Parsley
1 tsp. Cumin
1 tsp. Turmeric
Soak mixed grains in water for 1 hour min. Rinse, drain and cook grains with 1 3/4 cup water for 20ish minutes. Turn off heat/unplug cooker and add in Parsley and spices, mixing until well integrated. Stuff into Peppers or enjoy as a side!

Olive Hummus
1 can Organic Garbanzo Beans (no salt added), drained and rinsed
5 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tsp. Paprika
1 tsp. Cumin
1/2-1 tsp. Turmeric
6-8 pitted Green Olives (sodium/preservative-free)
1 Tbsp. Olive juice
In a food processor, blend all ingredients together until smooth and creamy, adding drops of water and/or more olive juice to thin out. Serve over stuffed peppers, with mixed greens as a dressing and as a dip for in-season cucumbers and carrots!

Love spaghetti? Hate the bloat? 
Enter: Gluten-Free Quinoa Spaghetti Noodles! It's just like the pasta you've been eating all your life, only, it's loaded with nutrients, tissue-repairing amino acids, protein and minerals; not to mention you'll never be sluggish again post pasta-meal. Your body will actually thank you.

A magical grain hailing from South America, Quinoa (pronounced KEEN-wa) has been considered the 'gold of the Incas' due to its nature of increasing stamina in their warriors. Quinoa is a complete protein, as it is packed with all 9 essential amino acids including lysine- which promotes tissue growth and cell repair. This gluten-free grain is especially great for diabetics and those who suffer from hypertension, migranes and athersclerosis as it contains minerals that relax the blood vessels such as manganese, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, copper and riboflavin, aka Vitamin B12- which is necessary for proper energy production within cells. Also abundant are the protective phytonutrient called plant lignans, which protect against hormone-dependant cancer and cardiovascular disease. I'm telling you- your body will thank you.

Chop up favorite veggies of choice- or in my case- whatever you have in your fridge to saute and use with noodles. I used yellow peppers, carrots, radishes, spinach and broccoli- which turned out to be a perfect combo. Over low heat, saute veggies in 1-2 tablespoons of Sesame Oil until veggies relax. Sprinkle over 1/2 teaspoon each of Paprika, Cayenne Pepper, Sea Salt and Black Pepper. Once noodles are done cooking, drain, rinse and add into skillet of veggies and mix well. Optionally, add in a splash of Gluten-Free Tamari Sauce for extra flavor. Ps- the radishes really rock in this one...

Another easy-breezy, nutritious and delish dinner. Perfect for large-batch making for next-day lunch, btdubs.
Enjoy!

It's Spring- which means there's no better time than now to detox! I am leading a delightful group of new (and a few repeats!) detoxers through the Gentle and Natural 21-Day Detox, which got kicked off this past weekend. Cleaning out the body is healthy, especially because we accumulate more toxins than we know what to do with! Toxins abound- from food, stress, anxiety, career changes, environment and relationships- they're everywhere, so it's important to treat oneself well and eat as much nutrient-dense, cleansing and healing food. Like BEETS!

What a great treat to have had a bundle of these in my CSA delivery this week. I love any sweet root veggie that I can add to a salad or grain dish, like sweet potatoes, squashes, turnips and carrots. Beets are especially sweet, and in fact have the highest sugar content of all vegetables. Nothing better than naturally occurring sugar! When added to meals, this ingredient satisfies your sweet tooth and lessens that urge for indulgent dessert after... Try it!

Rich in so many nutrients, beets prevent cardiovascular diseases, respiratory problems, birth defects, strokes, cancer, capillary fragility, cataracts and liver problems among other things- all due to the phytonutrient called Betalain- which provides anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and detoxifying support. Betalain is the rich red pigment of the miracle root- also evident in rhubarb and stems of swiss chard.

Try this easy side dish!
Beet and Squash your Toxic Load Salad:
2-3 beets (leave skin on; cut stem off)
1/2 butternut squash, spaghetti squash, acorn squash OR 1 whole sweet potato
Mix of greens: try Kale, Spinach, Arugula- or any others of choice
1/2 Lemon
3-4 tablespoons Olive Oil
Black Pepper
1/2 Avocado (optional)
1/2 Blood Orange (optional)

On a baking sheet, lay down beets and squash/potatoes, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes, or until soft enough to poke with a fork. Let cool, then peel off skin of all veggies, which should come right off. Chop up beets and squash/potatoes, and layer them on a bed of greens. If using avocados and orange, chop up and layer on. Drizzle over oil and lemon, and finish with black pepper. Enjoy this heart-healthy dish!

The feeling of coming home to find a CSA box dropped off outside my door is comparable to receiving my goods from  indulgent online shoe shopping- only a splurge on local veggies and fruits is a truly guilt-free and long-term-happiness-inducing indulgence. What timing! This box included all the right stuff for a perfectly balanced, healthy, delicious, nutritious and colorful Thanksgiving feast that Ben and I are preparing for some special guests. The menu will include all the fixings like potatoes, sweet potatoes, cornbread, cranberry sauce, mushroom gravy- complete with a (sustainably raised, vegetarian fed) stuffed 13 pounder of a bird from a Bay Area farm; incidentally all will be as gluten-free, dairy-free and sugar-free as possible--- not that anyone has to know. Just saying. (Well, except for the dessert- which I'm not in charge of, not to mention, the vino).

I'm so thankful for all that this year has blessed me with, including awesome friends, wonderful family, a cozy home in our new town of San Francisco, my great job(s), the beeeest co-workers, the bestest partner, and our beloved (newly shaven) Cocker Spaniel, Toby.