As many of you are aware, last Fall I hosted a holiday contest with Tony Just Photography to award one inspiring winner an opportunity for an in-home cooking class for 6 and a professional shoot.

We were looking for people who have transformed their lives for the better, making healthier choices along the way.  The goal was to find someone who inspired us, and inspiring doesn't even begin to describe our winner, Erin.

Erin is a bright, beautiful and amazing 16 year old woman who, two years ago, was diagnosed with dysautonomia.  Her mother nominated her, and had this to say about Erin's condition, "This illness affects the autonomic nervous system which controls such basic functions as heart rate, blood pressure, temperature, sweat, pain and digestion regulation. She went from being involved in multiple competitive sports to being unable to exercise or climb stairs at school and required part time enrollment the past year and a half."

Erin started having digestive problems, then she would lose concentration and before long could not even walk up stairs.  Being a swimmer, soccer play and getting ready for basketball tryouts, these symptoms were not only frustrating but scary.  Thankfully it didn't take doctors long to recognize what was challenging her.

Upon learning what she was faced with, Erin took on her condition head on.  She was NOT going to let it stop her.  Her mother, Jackie, told me that through it all Erin never once complained, never once let it get her down.  Erin was put through a series of tests and given medications that would make her sick and was told that many of the foods she loved she could no longer eat.

When talking to Erin, she told me that she took those lists of foods very seriously.  She was very strict with her diet, she truly viewed the new foods she was allowed to eat as her prescription - "food as medicine."  She not only began experimenting with new foods, but she gained a new passion for helping people.  Erin recently completed training, coursework and certification to become a therapeutic nutritional counselor and holistic health practitioner....at 16!

Erin has found a new love - sharing her story and helping people learn to love healthy food.  I was so proud to join Erin, her family and friends for a lovely evening, learning about healthy cooking and fabulous conversation.  Erin and I started the evening as strangers, but I'd like to think we left as friends.  I left feeling energized and inspired by her story, her incredible drive and love of life.  Erin feels that this happened to help her get to this point, a point where she has a path and future making the world a better place.  I have no doubt she will do amazing things!  I'm proud to have met her and thrilled that she was our first ever Healthy for the Holidays contest winner.

Here are a couple other pictures from our evening.  Erin's mother asked that I use the class to talk about healthy options for dips, dressings and sauces.  Due to Erin's food restrictions, it was a challenge I was ready to take on.  Each dish needed to be dairy free, soy free, gluten free, sugar free and there were a number of other foods that could not be incorporated. Our menu ended up consisting of an olive tapenade with dippers (carrots, radicchio, lentil crackers), kale salad with artichoke hearts and white beans, Spaghetti with Pumpkin Sauce and Brussel Sprouts and grilled polenta with a kale and basil pesto. 


Stay tuned for the next blog post where I'll share the polenta recipe (I'll be making it again this weekend for another event!)

A wonderful evening  had by all!




Enjoy!

XoXo,

Nicole

The nice thing about my "real" job and my "side" job are that they both involve wellness.  This means that I get to attend some pretty neat conferences and seminars where I get to learn new things to help aid in my knowledge of healthy living.

Recently I had the good fortune of hearing Dr. Ann Kulze speak at a conference about how nutrition impacts health.  She was a keynote speaker, but also had a breakout (which I attended) that revolved around Brain Food.  For those of us in the nutrition world, there are a handful of foods that you can eat to improve your brain health.  I was pleased that her list was similar to the one that I use in my seminars (always helps when your research lines up with those of actual doctors!).

I began thinking more about her talk, and about my own brain health. Of course, when I came home that night I made myself a heaping salad with many of the foods she suggested - which leads me to this recipe. 

I've never really been a big fan of canned fish - the smell of canned tuna makes me gag (although a fresh tuna salad sandwich always looks appetizing to me!).  I thought I would try my luck at canned salmon - and wouldn't you know, I actually liked it! This may be my first step in trying canned tuna too.

This salad is a much heartier one than I normally eat - making it absolutely perfect for the cold weather months when you're craving a salad with bold flavors.

Brain Food Salad
serves 2-4 (I can seriously eat this whole bowl by myself!)

Salad:
1 bunch of kale, stems removed and sliced thin
drizzle of olive oil
1 can salmon, drained (you could easily use fresh fish or white beans instead)
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 hard boiled eggs, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced (or pressed if you're unsure of raw garlic)
1 avocado, pitted and cubed
1/4 c raw walnuts, crushed

Dressing:
1/4 c EVOO
1 T Dijon mustard
1 T champagne vinegar
salt & pepper to taste


In order to eat kale raw you really must massage it, as it's a thicker leafy green.  Start by putting your sliced kale into a bowl, drizzle EVOO and use your hands to massage the greens.  Work the EVOO into the kale for about a minute.  Then add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and toss with dressing.

Since your brain is made of mostly fat, it needs healthy fats to ensure it's functioning in a healthy manner.  The healthy fats from the salmon, egg yolks, walnuts and avocado are like a quadruple bang for your buck!  Dark leafy greens like kale offer more nutrients per calorie than any other food.  The garlic and EVOO are both anti-inflammatory foods. 

Pretty much everything in this salad helps you maintain a healthy brain and body - so eat up and enjoy!  If you are only cooking for one or two, this salad keeps nicely in the fridge for a couple days.  I would suggest making the dressing separate and only dress what you plan to eat at that sitting.  You can easily pack up more dressing and salad for a brown bag lunch, or dinner the next night.

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

We have a restaurant in town that has such yummy sandwiches and salads.  I was recently there and saw a new beet salad on the menu.  Anytime I can get my hands on a fresh beet salad you know I get it!  It was so delicious, and since I realized that I had all of the ingredients at home, I decided to recreate it the next day. 

This salad is a bit on the sweeter side - the roasted beets, chewy dates, carrots and citrus vinaigrette are sweet, but not in an overpowering way.  I paired this salad with some flaky whitefish (as I normally do with light salads) and the fish gave it a lovely balance.  If you don't eat fish you could easily add chicken or white beans for protein.

Beet and Date Salad
serves 4

4 beets, cleaned and roasted
4 dates, pitted and chopped
1 carrot, grated
handful of mixed greens for each serving
slivered almonds

Citrus Vinaigrette

Juice from one orange
1/4 c olive oil
splash of champagne vinegar
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 400. Clean your beets and trim the ends off.  Place them in a small roasting dish with a half inch of water and bake until tender, about 20 min.  When they are done, let them cool and then peel the skins off.  Cube them and add to your salad.
Pit and chop your dates, grate your carrot and clean your greens.  Make your vinaigrette and then assemble the salad.  Greens, then dates, carrots and beets.  Dress and top with slivered almonds.

Fall dinners don't have to be difficult.  Roasting the beets is the longest part of this dish, and you could easily roast extra and keep them in the fridge to add to other salads throughout the week.  Bought dates and now you don't know what to do with them?  You can add them to smoothies for sweetness (if you are new to green smoothies, dates are a great way to add some sweetness without filling your cup with a ton of high sugar fruits), add it to your homemade nut milks for some natural sweetness or stuff with cheese and wrap in bacon (; 

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

Zucchini is one of those foods that grows like weeds.  Honestly, I get more questions about what to do with all the zucchini people have than any other veggie.  Recently I was out walking my dogs and saw that a neighbor had a table at the end of her driveway with a ton of produce.  The sign said free, and she had plastic bags so you could fill up with as much as you wanted.  Majority of what was left was tomatoes, green peppers and a ton of zucchini.  Since I'm not one to pass up free, homegrown veggies, I helped myself to a bag of zucchini.  I knew exactly what I was going to do with it.

I love cookbooks.  My husband built me an extension on our kitchen island so that I could house them all.  While I am thrilled to experiment on my own in the kitchen, sometimes I like to be inspired by other dishes, and who doesn't like looking at those delicious photographs?  Yum!

While on vacation a couple weekends ago, I picked up The Farm by Ian Knauer.  While a lot of the dishes include heavy cream and white flour, there are some magical dishes filled with fresh veggies from the garden.  I couldn't wait to dig into his Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette, and I'm sure you won't be able to either!

Grilled Zucchini with Fresh Tomato Vinaigrette
The Farm by Ian Knauer
serves 6

3 large zucchini
3 T olive oil
1 1/2 t salt
1 1/4 t pepper
1 garlic clove
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c finely chopped flat leaf parsley
1 T lime juice

Preheat the grill and oil the grill rack.
Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise. Rub the cut sides with 1 T oil and then sprinkle them evenly with a pinch of salt and pepper.
Grill the zucchini over direct heat, covered, turning occasionally, until slightly charred and soft all the way through (about 6-10 min). 
Mince the garlic, chop your onion, tomatoes and parsley.  Add together with the oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. 
Place the zucchini on a serving plate and top with the tomato vinaigrette to serve.

If you're looking to get rid of your zucchini, this is a super yummy way to do it!  Such a refreshing side dish to any summer meal!

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

Labor Day weekend is usually packed full of end of summer events: festivals, parades, cookouts, picnics, etc.  No matter how you celebrate there is usually some food involved.  Those of you who know me, know that I like to entertain - when I entertain I can control what I'm eating and not feel bad about passing on a dish that includes things normally not found in my everyday diet.  I hope I'm not being taken off of invite lists as we speak, but paying attention to what I eat doesn't end because I've been invited to someone's home for a gathering.

Picnics and cookouts tend to be culprits for showcasing heavy side dishes that could be meals on their own.  Not only is there typically way too much food, but the tables are filled with salads caked in mayo, jello mixed with fake whipped toppings and cakes, cookies and desserts galore!  While those things are fine every now and again (except jello - I don't understand how people eat that), eating a ton of it in one sitting (and then going back for seconds or thirds) means a heavy crash later.

I'd rather enjoy the company at a cookout and not feel like I need a pair of elastic-waist pants or a nap. 

If you're headed out this weekend, and still looking for a wholesome side dish to bring, look no further.  This salad has all of the classics of summer, but can really be made with whatever fresh veggies you have laying around.  Carrots?  Sure.  Zucchini?  Absolutely.  Green beans?  Toss 'em in.

It really is that versatile.

Garden Potato Salad
serves 4-6

1 lb. baby red potatoes, cubed and cooked
4 ears of corn, husked, cooked and cut off of the cob
1/4 c red onion, minced
mixed baby bell peppers, minced (or one of your favorite colored pepper)
cherry tomatoes, quartered
fresh herbs: parsley, cilantro, green and purple basil
salt & pepper
4 T apple cider or champagne vinegar
1/4 c olive oil

Cube your potatoes and add to a pot of cold, salted water.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender (about 10 min).  Remove from the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool.  Bring the remaining water back to a boil and add your ears of corn.  Cook for about 5-7 min or until tender.  Remove from the pot and let cool.

Meanwhile chop all of the remaining veggies and herbs and add to a large mixing bowl.  Cut the kernels off of the cobs, add the corn and potatoes to the mixing bowl.

In a smaller bowl, whisk your vinegar and olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and pour over the potato salad.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs. 

This salad can be eaten warm (delicious) or refrigerated until later and served cool or at room temperature.  No matter how you eat it, the tanginess from the vinegar and sweetness from the corn give this potato salad a refreshing facelift!

However you're celebrating this weekend, enjoy!

XoXo,
Nicole

Summer squash has been abundant in our CSA box this season.  It's usually one of the first veggies harvested, and it grows so well, that we always get a couple each time we pick up our box.  I typically grill or roast squash, but occasionally add it raw to a salad.  It's so versatile and has a crisp, fresh taste when raw, which makes it great with a salad of greens or grains.

Even though the quinoa provides enough protein, I did add some black beans to this salad for a boost of flavor.  I soaked and cooked dry beans, but you could just use a can of black beans, if that's your preference.

I started with one zucchini and one yellow squash, chopped into bite-sized pieces.  I halved a handful of cherry tomatoes and minced some red onion.  When the beans were done cooking, I added those next.  While you're chopping all of these veggies, it's good to have your quinoa cooking.

You could add the quinoa (I used a mix of black and white quinoa) while it was still hot, but I let mine cool first and ate it at room temperature.

While it was cooling, I made my dressing.  I used a simple combination of EVOO, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and some cumin.  Add your quinoa to the veggies, pour the dressing over top and toss.  Garnish with fresh herbs.  I used some basil, but you could use cilantro, parsley, etc.  

 

How do you like to prepare summer squash?

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

Before we left for Ireland we were told not to expect much from the food.  Afterall, Ireland is known for meat and potatoes - lots of filling meals (think shepard's pie, boxty, bangers and mash, etc).  We were pleasantly surprised that even the pubs had lighter options.  We had no trouble at all finding healthy, fresh food to eat.  It helped that we were traveling the coast of Ireland, which allowed us fresh seafood for the entire length of the trip.

One of our favorite towns was Kinsale.  In the south of Ireland, right on the water, we found some of the freshest seafood.  At Max's Wine Bar, my husband had a starter that included crab three ways.  One of them was ceviche and it was delicious.  I love ceviche, but have never made it at home.  I concluded after eating that dish that I would attempt it when I returned to the states, and I'm happy that I did!

I couldn't find crab on sale at my local grocer, so I opted for shrimp and scallops.  Ceviche is a dish that calls for raw fish that  you "cook" in citrus juice.  Most ceviche recipes call for lemons and limes, but I added some orange to this one too and it was yummy!

I started with the veggies.  The ceviche we had in Ireland had carrots, an ingredient I don't typically see in ceviche, but I liked the extra crunch it added.  I used 1 cucumber, 1 carrot, 1 jalepeno (remove the seeds), and half a red onion.  Chop all of these veggies on the smaller side - I used a knife, but if you're not great at chopping, you may want to use a food chopper or processor.  Just be sure that you don't puree it!

Next I boiled my shrimp - just for a couple minutes.  When they were cooled, I chopped them into bite sized pieces, as well as my scallops and added them to the veggie mix.

Next, I juiced my citrus.  I used 3 limes, 1 lemon and 1 orange.  If you don't think you have enough juice, use more lime or lemon.  I added salt and pepper and then placed in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

While that was "cooking" I used up the remainder of the pita I had from our lamb meatball dinner and made pita chips.  I cut the remaining 4 pitas into triangle pieces, unfolded them and placed them in an even layer on a baking sheet.  I brushed a little EVOO and sprinkled salt on them and then baked them at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.  Watch them as they'll darken quickly.  As soon as they get brown and toasty, take them out and let them cool.

After a couple hours I removed the ceviche and let it sit at room temperature for about a  half hour.  Give it a taste and see if it needs more salt and pepper.  I drained out some of the liquid and added just a splash of EVOO to balance out the flavors.  You should taste the citrus, but not have it too overpowering.  I like to dish it up in a margarita glass, and garnish with a sprig of cilantro and a pita chip.  Serve with the pita chips and enjoy!

This was another example of a non-traditional dinner. I served this with fresh guacamole on the side.  It was light and refreshing....perfect for a hot summer night!

Do you like ceviche?  Have you ever made it?

XoXo,
Nicole

I probably should have started with this post, since it's really what helped get me back on track after we came back from a two week long trip that resulted in a number of pounds (that won't be disclosed) added to my body.  I typically allow myself to indulge a bit on vacation, but the typical vacation usually doesn't last 2 weeks.  I found that even though we were only eating 2 meals a day, Guinness adds quite a bit to the calorie count when you're drinking it for 16 days straight (yep, you read that right - no apologies either). 

Needless to say, when we got home I wanted to make something light and clean.  I opted for a fresh summer salad and whitefish.  Our grocer had some lovely wild caught seafood on sale, so I stocked up and added lots of fresh fruits and veggies.

This salad is one that could be eaten plain or as a part of a main dish like I made it.  It would also pair nicely with salmon or chicken.

For the tilapia, I just rubbed with a little EVOO, salt and pepper and baked at 350 for about 15 minutes.

The salad was a simple mix of romaine lettuce, fresh parsley and mint.  You could sub in any greens: spinach would be nice too!  I added sliced peaches, fresh blueberries and chopped almonds.  The dressing was 1/2 c EVOO, 2 T champagne vinegar (can add more or less depending on how tangy you like it), 1 T honey, salt and pepper. 

Assemble on a plate and enjoy!

Simple, satisfying and refreshing!

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicole

During the warm summer months I try to cook as little as possible.  Not because I don't like cooking (obviously), but because I like the taste of fresh, raw foods - and I'd much rather be spending time outside, tending to my flowers and herbs, walking my dogs ....you get the point.  Summer in Wisconsin doesn't last too long, so you've got to make the most of it while it lasts, which means little time over a hot stove.

A few nights ago I was looking for a quick side dish that I could serve with fresh bratwurst (literally, just picked up from the butcher as a part of the hog we purchased!) that I was grilling.  Anytime I grill I like to have something cool to serve alongside.  Since we are getting ready to leave the country for a few weeks, I need to eat up as much of the produce in my fridge as I can.  I had carrots, celery and a bag of mini bell peppers - and my carrot and red pepper slaw was born.

Carrot and Red Pepper Slaw
serves 4

2 carrots, peeled and grated
2 stalks celery, sliced real thin
7-8 mini red bell peppers (can use regular sized), seeded and sliced real thin

Place all veggies in a bowl and toss with the dressing.

Dressing:
1/4 c olive oil
3-4 T champagne vinegar
1 t dijon mustard
1 small clove garlic, minced
salt & pepper to taste

Whisk all together and pour over the veggie slaw.  Feel free to adjust the vinegar to your taste, some like it more tart.

You could easily add some red onion or scallions for a little flare, but it tasted delicious without.  The dressing is one I use often, it tastes wonderful over a standard green salad too.

Enjoy!
XoXo,
Nicolo

A couple of weeks ago I had the privilege of attending the first Milwaukee Foodie Fitness Fete, a bloger event hosted by Sheila Wordell over at SMW RoadRunner.  The attendees were, you guessed it, fitness bloggers who also love food!  You're probably wondering how I got invited to that, since my blog is primarily food related.  I *may* have accidentally invited myself to the event - through a Facebook miscommunication, but am I sure glad I did!  Not only did I invite myself, but I ended up doing a cooking demonstration too!  I consider myself one of the food bloggers that also loves fitness.....we all spread the love in our own way!

Here I am demonstrating my Southwestern Veggie Soup!

I wasn't the only non-runner; however, I must say that their passion for running definitely inspired me.  I've been running a couple times a week since the event, and have signed up for more 5K races too.  I met so many wonderful people, ate way too much food and walked away feeling energized and blessed to be a part of such a fabulous community of people.  Within hours we were all following each other on Twitter, became Facebook friends and started reading each others blogs. 

It's amazing what social media can do for relationships.  Last Monday, two of my new foodies fitness blogger friends were in Boston to run the marathon.  Upon hearing the tragic news of last week's events, we were all reaching out to see if anyone had heard from either of them.  The whole evening there were messages of love and concern - and while everyone has their own connections within the group - we all had felt the anxiety of waiting. Wondering. Praying. Until both new friends made it safely home.

The blogger event was so successful that we decided we must do it again, and will be joining forces this summer to create indulgent makeovers.  Until then, I'll leave you with some photos from the evening as well as links to everyone's blogs. 

A HUGE thank you to the Mandel Group, who offered their beautiful venue for the event, and to Ly Nguyen of Capture Life Moments for the fabulous photographs! 

Thanks to all of the bloggers who left me feeling full and inspired!

Sheila Wordell  -Blue Cheese Walnut Spinach Pasta Salad with Avocado, Mint Cantaloupe Granita, Orange Blossom Lemonade  
Maressa Porter -Pizza Casserole
Sara Brozek -Indian carrot soup
James Brown -Chicken & Slaw salad 
Laurie Frey -Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Chip cookies
Sun Torke -Peanut Butter Mounds Bar & Baked Southwestern Egg Rolls
Kaylie Magestro - Profiteroles filled with Mousse
Kat Pummill - Red Quinoa Avocado Salad.
Alysha Witwicki - Cowboy Cookies
Brittany Lynn - Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
Melissa Moore- Stove Top Salmon Patties
Michelle Marie Zerzanek - Power Scones 

Who is inspiring you?  What are you doing with that inspiraton?

XoXo,
Nicole