February’s Tiny Change: Eat More Plants

February 9, 2016February 9, 2016

*This post is part of Kale and Chocolate’s year-long #12tinychanges challenge. Each month, we’re implementing one small, super doable change-over a year it really adds up! Read about all changes here and share your progress on Instagram with the hashtag #12tinychanges!

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You’ve probably heard about the health benefits associated with eating a plant-based diet, like reducing your risk of heart disease, lowering your blood pressure, and adding years to your life. Food experts, nutritionists, and dietitians may disagree about the right diet, but amidst these debates, they have always been able to agree on at least one thing: MORE PLANTS = GOOD.

This month’s tiny change is just that – tiny. No need to cut foods out, restrict, or diet. Simply add more plant-based foods and recipes to your cooking repertoire. If you’re already eating a largely plant-based diet, wonderful! Try something new and interesting like DIY nut milk. If you’ve yet to dip your toe into plant-based cooking, start easy with something like chia seed pudding.

You don’t have to eat less or cut out anything. Just add more vibrant colors, nutrients, and variety to your meals. If a few of those delectable plant-based dishes happen to replace the less-than-healthy ones in your repertoire, that’s just a bonus! So what constitutes “plant-based,” exactly? Great question! Fruits, vegetables, legumes, grains, nuts and seeds, and oils are all fair game – all things that originally stem from plants (pun intended!)

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Here are five ways you can make this tiny change easy and awesome!

1. Incorporate these plant-based foods into the way you already eat

The best thing about plant-based foods? You can fold them into absolutely any eating style – they’re totally inclusive! Eating Paleo? Vegetarian? Gluten-free? Locavore or seasonal eater? Great, simply add more plants to your daily routine!

2. View this as an opportunity to experiment with new recipes + types of food
Consider this a little nudge to explore new recipes or make reservations at a new restaurant. Asian, Indian, and Ethiopian cuisines include lots of plant-based dishes, many featuring interesting spices and flavor combinations. Give them all a try!

Instead of trying to plant-i-fy existing dishes, why not try something totally different? We’re much more likely to enjoy a recipe (and make it again) if we eat it with an open mind…rather than thinking “this was much better when I made it with a whole stick of butter…” This tiny change gives you the perfect excuse to push yourself toward easy experimentation and more adventurous eating.

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3. Know that this isn’t just about smoothies and salads
Gotta love a good green smoothie, but there are tons of luscious, decadent plant-based foods out there. In fact, if you want to try just one new plant-based recipe a week this month, how about some delicious oatmeal, hummus, cookies, PB & J, sweet chocolate avocado mousse, and even ice cream?! Plant dishes can be sweet, savory, warm, chilled, and satisfy just about any craving!

4. Swap in one plant-based dish for one meat or dairy dish

Rather than overhauling your entire meal, try just swapping one dish. Munch on a batch of homemade veggie burgers and sweet potato fries for your Friday night Netflix marathon or warm up with butternut squash soup for meatless Monday. Whip up a balanced meal, use DIY nut milk in your smoothie or make guacamole instead of french onion dip. Just one tiny swap at a time; you’ll be amazed how easy it is to eat more plants!

5. Choose plant-based dishes when you’re eating out or grocery shopping

Now, you know I’m a huge advocate of DIY-ing, but most of us are short on time and long on obligations. Who among us hasn’t picked up dinner on the way home from a hectic day?

Remember, there are a surprising number of plant-based options at your local grocery store, and maybe even your favorite restaurant. Grab a tub of guac, baba ganoush, hummus or even black bean dip. Check out the salad bar for freshly prepared veggies, grains, and plant-based proteins to add to a bed of greens.

When you’re eating out, soups, salads, and vegetarian entrees are often plant-based, (and delicious) so give it a try. To help kickoff this tiny change, you could win amazing prizes and tools to fill up your plate with as many colors and nutrients as possible. You’ll be amazed by how simple it is to eat more plants. And the best part? This easy, delicious tiny change can set you on the road to a healthier heart, longer life, and happier body!

One Healthy Breakdown: Crack open you cookbooks and get ready to veg out!

Holiday Flavored Smoothies

November 14, 2013November 18, 2019Leave a comment

With the holidays just around the corner, incorporating some sweet seasonal deliciousness into your green smoothie is a great way to stay on track and taste the holidays in the healthiest way. Try these pumpkin pie, chocolate peppermint, and gingerbread smoothie recipes this season!

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Pumpkin Pie Smoothie:

1 cup spinach or romaine lettuce
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 carrot
1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
1 scoop vanilla, cinnamon, pumpkin spice, or chai, protein powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
2 dates
1/2 cup almond milk

Blend all ingredients, top with granola or shredded coconut, and be thankful for this healthy version of pie in a cup!

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Chocolate Peppermint Smoothie:

1 cup spinach, kale, or romaine lettuce
1/2 frozen banana
1 scoop chocolate protein powder or 1 heaping tablespoon cacao powder
1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
6 fresh mint leaves (if you have them)
1 drop peppermint extract
1 date
1/2 cup almond milk or coconut milk/water

Blend all and sip with a smile! Much healthier than peppermint bark or Thin Mint cookies, but that same minty flavor to kick the craving!

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Gingerbread Smoothie:

1 frozen banana
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons oats
1 scoop vanilla, gingerbread, or chai flavored protein powder
1/3 cup frozen cauliflower rice (optional, adds creaminess and extra nutrients)
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon cardamon
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg and/or clove
2 dates
dash of sea salt
1/2 cup almond or coconut milk

One Healthy Breakdown: Eat (or drink) your way through the holidays with healthy smoothies!

Green Break-Fast

November 11, 2013August 18, 20153 Comments

Greens are the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet. Increase your intake of leafy greens and you instantly add fiber, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory properties, disease fighting compounds. A green smoothie is one of the simplest ways to incorporate tremendous amounts of greens into your diet and having it for breakfast is even more powerful for your body.

Breakfast comes from the phrase “breaking one’s fast”. When we use the word breakfast we normally think of it as a noun. I want to suggest it can also be used as a verb. “I had a delicious breakfast today” vs. “it’s a great idea to break-fast on a green smoothie.”

We fast everyday. A fast is a period of time where we don’t eat, which is what we do every night while sleeping. The time spent not eating gives the digestive system a much-needed rest, which in turn redirects energy toward detoxification and cellular repair. As a result the digestive system works more efficiently, which for us means absorbing more nutrients, proper elimination of toxins, more energy and stronger immune systems.

This important cleansing process can be extended even maximized if we break-fast with a blended green smoothie. After the digestive system has time to rest during the night, one should ease back into eating and digesting. The blending breaks down most of the cells in the greens and fruits making nutrient absorption effortless. Smoothies contain all the fiber of the fruits and veggies that keep your appetite satisfied. What better way to begin your day? Making healthy choices throughout the rest of day is influenced by the way we start it.

Another relevant point to mention is while breakfast may be the most important meal of the day, it shouldn’t be a heavy meal and it certainly shouldn’t be a sugary meal. But for many people, breakfast has become a giant sugar fix. Think about it – cereal, granola, bread, pancakes, and muffins. These are all just adding sugar to our bodies. That’s not to say we should eliminate all things sweet but getting it from the fruit in a smoothie is much healthier. So the break-fast green smoothie also helps tackle our sugar dependency.

As we begin to enter winter, it’s even more important to have a green smoothie to help keep our immune systems strong throughout cold and flu season. If cold food in the morning doesn’t sound appealing, there are some simple adjustments you can make. Use warm water to create a comforting soup smoothie that still gives the benefits of the raw veggies. Another suggestion is to add a bit of healthy fat to help keep you satisfied like avocado or hemp seeds. My personal favorite is to add warming spices to your ingredients such as ginger, cayenne or turmeric to create deep warmth. All three spices possess anti-inflammatory properties as well as other health benefits. Cayenne helps with pain relief, clears congestion, and its vitamin A content boosts immunity.

One Healthy Breakdown: Break your fast with a green smoothie to boost your energy, your immune system, and your digestive system while kicking the sugar out of your breakfast!

Happy National Kale Day!

October 2, 2013October 2, 2013Leave a comment

Today is the day. Wednesday, October 2nd officially marks the celebration of…KALE! Yes, kale is everywhere. Kale is trendy. Kale is crunchy. Kale is the king of superfoods. If you haven’t jumped on the kale train, you just may reconsider once you’ve tried the classic green juice’s indulgent, crunchy, yummy-in-my-tummy friend, kale chips!

Yummy (in my tummy) Kale Chips: Preheat oven to 325 degrees and cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Cut stems off one head of kale, wash and dry. Cut into pieces and spread out on cookie sheet. Massage kale with coconut oil (no more than a tablespoon total.) Sprinkle with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Bake for about 20 minutes or until crisps. Let cool and serve as chips. So crispy, so light, so healthy…SO good! For more clean, lean green recipes, sign up for One Healthy Hamptons’ Fab Fall Cleanse!

One Healthy Breakdown: National Kale Day – let the celebration begin!

So Fresh

September 11, 2013September 11, 2013Leave a comment

“We are yoga-lovin’, health-food eating foodies with a background in high-end gourmet fare. This restaurant is what we’ve always wanted.” ~ freshhamptons.com

Need I say more? That’s pretty much One Healthy Hamptons’ heaven on earth. To tell you the truth, I was kind of embarrassed that I hadn’t yet been to Fresh. It seemed like I was the only one in town. People who know me or know of One Healthy Hamptons would immediately ask “have you been to Fresh?” Well, yes, folks, now I have officially been to Fresh! And, I will officially be going back again soon!

The menu is extensive, to say the least. Pages and pages, which is fun to explore and not that overwhelming. You are first introduced to the full smoothie and juice bar and then walked through small plates, salads, sandwiches, and entrees. There is something, if not lots, for everyone. Fresh’s motto is that they serve every type of eater; vegan, those with food allergies, dietary restrictions, preferences, picky, and non, all-out carnivores, and everyone in between. Whether you’re in the mood for a simple cup of soup or a full four-course meal, Fresh has it.

Fresh is one restaurant a bride-to-be can frequent! I don’t know about you, but when choosing a restaurant, I look for a few key aspects. Most important is clearly the food. The food’s gotta be good, or what’s the point of leaving the house? “Good” to me is a combination of high-quality taste and satisfaction knowing you’re nourishing your body. Obviously, I like to know I’m eating somewhat healthy. I like when a meal feels light, not heavy. I like lots of greens. I like being able to attribute flavor to herbs, spices, or lemon, for example, rather than cream or butter. But, what’s the BEST? FRESH. When you can literally taste the crisp freshness in your meal, that’s the best. Knowing that the freshness is local and healthy? That’s the BEST.

The restaurant is rustic and cozy, with a low-key vibe. Since we went for lunch on a weekday, it was light out, pretty empty, and felt more casual. The space definitely shows potential for a dinner date, night out, or even bar scene. I love the option to sit at a table or bench seating, can’t go wrong. Lastly, the staff was very nice and welcoming, knowledgeable, and friendly.

One Healthy Breakdown: if you’re a One Healthy Hamptons reader, you’d be silly not to try Fresh!

Can’t Go Wrong With a Kale Salad

July 22, 2013January 2, 2016Leave a comment

What kind of nutritionist would I be without a post ALL about kale?!

Kale gets a lot of buzz. It’s a superfood you should be eating regularly. Kale is one of the most nutrient-dense greens. High in beta carotene, Vitamin K, and Vitamin C, kale is also a good source of calcium for healthy bones and full of antioxidants to fight inflammation and disease. This leafy green lowers cholesterol and cleanses the digestive system. The texture of kale makes it pretty versatile. You can bake it into chips, steam or saute as a side dish, or make a kale salad. Best part about a kale salad (other than the taste) is that it can be eaten immediately or days later, as it won’t wilt or get soggy like other greens.

Kale Easiest Superfood Salad Ever:

Chop one bunch of kale into small pieces (cut stems off where leaves start)
Cut one or two lemons into wedges and squeeze juice over kale
Drizzle olive oil over kale and sprinkle with salt and pepper
Massage the dressed kale
This salad is great as is, but feel free to add your favorite mix-ins! Here, I used carrots, avocado, scallions, and some toasted nuts. Also try his yummy crunchy salad topper!

One Healthy Breakdown: kale it up!

Drink Your Juice Baby!

June 21, 2013Leave a comment

Juice Baby is bringing fresh-pressed juice to the Hamptons in a whole new way this summer, on wheels! No need to run from the gym or make a mess in your own kitchen to get a post-workout juice, Juice Baby’s juice truck brings the goods right to you! I got to hang out (and juice!) with Victoria Smith, Juice Baby founder, juicer, entrepreneur, chef, foodie, and Hamptonite, to learn a little more about how her Juice Baby was born.

About a year ago, Victoria decided to leave her corporate advertising job in pursuit of her passion: creating delicious, healthy food, for others. She started the business Stay In Eats, and became a preferred private chef and caterer in both NYC and the Hamptons. This summer called for a little something different, a little something juicier if you will.

Victoria always feels double delicious by drinking a fruit & veggie packed juice after spin class, her workout of choice. “There’s nothing better than the combination of working out and juicing, it feels double good.” She wanted everyone to be able to feel “double good,” hence the juice truck you may have seen around Soul Cycle, Physique 57, and Personal Best in Bridgehampton. “I want to make it a habit.” Ending a workout with a juice is definitely a habit One Healthy Hamptons can support. Even better, Juice Baby juice consists of nothing but local goodness – local fruits and veggies, and the juice is always fresh-pressed within the hour. In addition to the fresh-pressed nutrients, Victoria adds a ton of fun, youth, and Hamptons-love to the biz.

Juice Baby allows customers to pre-order before class so that their order is ready as soon as they’re ready. Pretty brilliant, right? Victoria understands that people want healthy, but they also want convenience and reliability. “Customers know that their green juice will be waiting for them after class and I know that I can expect them too; I know I’ll see Damien everyday for his “Sweet n Dreamy” Smoothie. Mutual dependability.”

We all know that juice is green and trendy, but why is juicing so good for you? Victoria explained that juicing breaks down the fibers and nutrients so that the nutrients can be absorbed by the body instantly. The juice is PACKED with so many powerful greens and other fruits and veggies that you couldn’t consume in it’s natural form (well, you could, but it would take hours of chewing and then the body has to work to break it down.) Juicing not only packs it all in one cup, it also allows the body to absorb the nutrients so much faster, it’s ideal right after a workout or for an afternoon pick-me-up. The health benefits aren’t just internal either, Victoria always sees an improvement in her skin after a few days of juicing in addition to the body.

How did Juice Baby come up with their ‘recipes,’ combinations like “Renagade Lemonade” and “Skinny Green B*tch.” (Yup, you read it right. Who wants to be a skinny b*tch when you could be a skinny green b*tch, anyway?!) Victoria is a foodie, herself, so she uses her knack for taste in her juice concoctions. She doesn’t want super-healthy juice that doesn’t taste good, it has to serve both purposes. Using mostly veggies for the amazing health benefits and adding a bit of fruit for sweetness, her combos have proven successful. “People like the juice, that’s really all that matters.” Juice Baby also offers smoothie options, like the popular “Sweet n’ Dreamy,” which sounds like a dream come true to my taste buds: natural peanut butter, banana, cocoa powder, almond milk, and agave.

So, what’s the Juice Mama’s favorite juice? “That’s like asking a mother which is her favorite child!” Victoria exclaimed. After some serious contemplation, she decided on the “Renegade Lemonade,” which really was what first converted her to become a juice lover.

And, what’s Juice Baby’s favorite thing to do in the Hamptons other than juicing? “Definitely beach bonfires. Late August. Summer sweaters. S’mores. Rose. Chips and guacamole. There’s nothing better.” Sounds about right: work hard, play hard!

Victoria and I then proceeded to whip up Juice Baby’s “Juicy Mama” juice, inspired by Soul Cycle instructor, Daniel. It was so refreshingly delicious. What I love about juicing is that you can smell and taste each individual ingredient, but the combination of them provides a refreshing freshness that no other food or drink has. Victoria let me share the recipe with you in case you’d like your own “Juicy Mama:”