Healthy Eating Goals + Coconut Curry Lentils with Kale

Hello my fellow foodies! Once again, there has been a bit of a delay in my posts, as my life is coming together in bits and pieces. I started my full time job, and I am moving tomorrow down to a new apartment in LA! I'm glad I finally have a moment to catch my breath and take some time to write.

I'm sure you all experience this, but when life gets busy, healthy eating habits can sometimes fall by the wayside. I always try to eat well, but it can be a lot easier to succumb to bad habits when you are on the go. I decided to make a list for myself of health eating patterns I need to better adapt in order to feel my best!

1. Eat more locally sourced produce
While I've mastered the art of organic, I really want to start eating more locally sourced produce from farmer's markets. Why? For starters, food loses nutrients the more it travels, so your grocery store produce isn't going to be at its healthiest after it has taken days to hit the shelves. Additionally, many times produce grown from local farms is actually organic, as many local farmers don't use pesticides or genetically modify their plants. The reason it's not properly labeled is because they can't shell out enough money to get the official USDA organic certification. Which leads me to my third point, support small agriculture!

2. Eat less at night
This is personally a really bad habit of mine, and I don't know if it's because my stomach has been accustomed to my patterns or what, but I am inevitably hungry late at night and always crave something heavy. This is something I really want to work on curbing, by eating fruit or not eating at all!

3. Eat more Fruit
On that note, I just need to eat more fruit in general! I used to have the HUGEST sweet tooth.. it was pretty insane (ask my friends who knew me when I was younger). I wanted candy all the time. It wasn't until my sophomore year of college that I kicked the habit, and now I rarely crave sweets, if ever. Unless, that is, I start eating sweets and become addicted again (ahem, I'm looking at you Sara the enabler). I think part of my reluctance to eat a lot of fruit is that I don't want to jump on the sugar bandwagon again. But, fruit is essential and full of nutrients, and it tastes good, so I have no excuse!

4. Eat less cheese
This one is a big one for me. Cheese is my chocolate, my guilty pleasure. I seriously love cheese. But it's fatty. And through experimentation with my own body, I've come to notice that cheese doesn't make me feel that great and makes me bloated (I suspect a slight intolerance). So I've really tried to cut down on it, and I have been pretty successful, but I'm still working.

5. Get tested for allergies
While I don't suspect I have any deathly allergies, I would like to go to an allergist and see what isn't working with my body to function optimally. Food allergies can be subtle, and they can create lethargy and bad moods, among other things (and who wants that?). I only want to put things in my body that are going to make me feel good.


Everyone's list should be individual, but it's always great to what others need to do for themselves--And I would love to hear yours!

Now onto the food...This recipe is super easy, vegetarian, and really healthy! I love working with different ethnic flavors, and it's especially fun to incorporate coconut into savory dishes (especially when they're spicy!). This dish can be enjoyed plain, or over rice, quinoa, or any other grain.

Coconut Curry Lentils with Kale

Ingredients (estimates, as always):

• 1/2 cup pre-cooked lentils
• 1/4 white onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup kale
• 1 tbsp extra virgin, unrefined coconut oil
• 1-2 tsp curry powder
• A splash of marinara sauce
• 1-2 squirts of Sriracha
• A scoop of Greek yogurt

1. Chop your onions and garlic. Heat coconut oil over pan on medium heat, and add onions and garlic. When they're almost cooked (onions starting to turn translucent), add kale and toss until wilted.

2. With the heat on low, add the marinara sauce, Greek yogurt, curry powder, and Sriracha, and mix in with the rest of ingredients. Then add the lentils, and stir until mixture is heated. 

Eat away! 

Diets Debunked + Healthy Chicken Salad

This semester has been a whirlwind! It's my final semester before I graduate in May, and I am now knee deep in writing my senior thesis on nutritional therapy for anxiety and depression. That's where most of my time is going into now, and although I still have some time to cook and write for fun, it's not as much as I would like!

This week I thought I would focus on different well-known diets, as there always seems to be a new popular craze that's supposedly the miracle cure. I have also been thinking a lot about diets in general, as it is the focus of my thesis. I've broken down the pros and the cons for you of some of the most recent diet fads, and I also have included a really easy chicken salad recipe that has no mayo or bad fats in it.

Gluten-Free:
What is it: No gluten is allowed in this diet, which means no wheat, barley, rye etc., as well as some oats.

Pros: Less carbohydrates, better digestion for some, more stable moods for some, emphasis on protein and produce

Cons: Lacking in fiber and certain nutrients, inconvenient, expensive

Should you do it? Only if you have a gluten intolerance or Celiac's disease. It's not healthy to completely cut out gluten if you have no reason to. It's okay to simply cut down on wheat products, but consult a doctor before giving up gluten entirely.

Paleo:
What is it: The diet of our ancestors, which includes fish, grass-fed meats, eggs, fruits, vegetables, funghi roots and nuts. You cannot have legumes (beans, etc.), dairy products, potatoes, refined salts or sugars, processed oils and alcohol.

Pros: Weight loss, improved mood, clean eating, lots of protein and Omega-3s

Cons: Loss of important nutrients from legumes and whole grains, which have been proven to reduce risk of disease, too much animal protein, eliminates whole food groups, the life expectancy of our ancestors was only 35 years

Should you do it? The Paleo diet isn't considered a healthy, balanced diet by nutritionists because it takes out the nutrients from certain key food groups. However, if you are overweight or feeling depressed, the Paleo diet has been known to help people with losing weight and greatly improve their mood. This diet might be better for the short term to get you started with healthy eating, as the diet encourages many healthy habits.


Atkins:
What is it: Low carbohydrates, high protein.

Pros: Eliminates refined carbs, weight loss, don't feel hungry,

Cons: Toxin overload due to speed of fat burning, not enough energy (causes fatigue), dehydration

Should you do it? If you eat poorly, eat a lot of refined carbs or need to lose a significant amount of weight, then Atkins may work for you. Everyone else needs a balanced amount of carbohydrates for fiber and enough energy during the day.


Juice Cleanse:
What is it: Exactly what it sounds...replacing meals with juices! Some cleanses are healthier than others, like ones primarily made from greens or nuts, and others are not as good, such as ones that are mainly fruit, or honey and water.

Pros: Reduces acidity in the body, lose a few pounds, easy on digestive system, increased energy for some

Cons: Improper nutrients, lack of crucial fats and proteins, mood swings, hunger, irritability, loss of focus

Should you do it? If it is only for a day or two, a juice cleanse is okay as it cleans out your system. However, you aren't eating a proper, balanced diet, and people who do the cleanse often have a hard time focusing or feel cranky and starved. If you're looking to lose weight, skip it, as the weight will undoubtedly come back once you return to solid foods.


Mediterranean:
What is it: The typical diet in Mediterranean countries, which includes fruits, nuts, vegetables, legumes, olive oils, cereals and fish, with minimal intake of dairy products and meat, and a moderate intake of alcohol, usually red wine.

Pros: Decreased risk of depression, better heart health, weight loss, low blood pressure and cholesterol,  protection against diabetes and Alzheimers, can still drink alcohol

Cons: Too much fish can equal too much mercury, high in fats (albeit healthy ones), alcohol can adversely affect some

Should you do it? Generally, yes! The Mediterranean diet has been proven to be the healthiest overall diet, for both your mind and your body. However, if you have problems with portion control, you have to be careful with your intakes of foods like nuts and olive oils, as they are high in fat.

Spicy Avocado Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1 boneless skinless chicken breast

1/4 to 1/2 of an avocado, depending on size

Cilantro

Handful of arugula

1/2 cup Greek Yogurt

1/4-1/2 cup salsa

1/2 Lemon

Sriracha, to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cook chicken for about 15-20 minutes, or until cooked thoroughly.

2. While chicken is cooking, finely chop the cilantro and arugula.

3. When chicken is ready, shred into pieces. Top with avocado, Greek yogurt and salsa. Mix in thoroughly. 

4. Sprinkle cilantro and arugula on top. Squeeze lemon over mixture. Add Sriracha to attain desired spiciness.