Chinese Chicken Salad with Kale

Kale is a nutritional powerhouse. It's one of the most nutrient-dense foods around and has been proven to reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast, colon, prostate, ovary and bladder cancer. Rich in flavonoids, kale also plays a vital role in the body's detoxification system, and helps to undo the damage of oxidative stress. And because it contains more iron than beef, kale is an excellent vegetable for those of you who suffer from anemia. 

I can almost hear it now: That's great, but I don't like how it tastes! So here's my solution. For a fresh take on Chinese chicken salad, I've been swapping out the iceberg for kale, adding an anti-inflammatory and antioxidant boost to this already delicious salad.

Chinese Chicken Salad with Kale:

Salad Components:

1 bunch curly kale

1 lb boneless, skinless organic chicken breast, sliced into strips (you can bake or pan fry it)

1 cup napa cabbage, sliced

1 grated carrot

2-3 green onions 

1 bell pepper, sliced

Dressing:

1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1 clove garlic, minced

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup toasted sesame oil (you might like to add a bit more if you like sesame flavor). I use Spectrum brand. 

3 teaspoons rice vinegar

Sea salt to taste

Fresh pepper to taste

The juice from one lime

1 tablespoon sriracha if you like a little kick

Bake or pan fry the chicken and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, toasted sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha and lime juice. Then add the garlic and ginger, and continue to whisk, adding sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Once the dressing is nicely blended, drizzle the mixture over the kale, cabbage, carrot and bell pepper and let sit for 30 minutes. Because kale can be thicker than other leafy greens, the more you let it marinate in the dressing, the better. Then mix in the chicken, season with diced green onions, toss and serve. Trying hard to avoid the cold that's going around? This salad is a vitamin pill in a bowl. 

Tired of Bars? Try This Protein-Packed Snack Instead

Most snack bars are loaded with sugar, fruit, low quality protein powders and soy....yet another case of junk food disguised as health food. So instead of reaching for a bar the next time you need a little energy between meals, try this recipe for deviled eggs. Many of you are probably surprised to hear that deviled eggs can be healthy, but without the mayo (which is usually loaded with canola oil) deviled eggs are actually a highly nutritious and satiating snack. 

Often called a "brain food," pastured eggs are rich in DHEA, a long-chain fatty acid that plays an integral role in neurological and reproductive health. And, because eggs are packed with vitamins A, D, E and K and iron, calcium, zinc, folate, thiamin and phosphorous, they have been proven to deliver more essential nutrients than a multi-vitamin. 

Ingredients:

6 Pastured Eggs

2-3 tbsp Dijon Mustard

1 tbsp Extra Virgin Organic Olive Oil 

Celtic Sea Salt

Smoked Paprika

2 tbsp Fresh Parsley, Chopped

Just a few easy steps:

Place the eggs in a large saucepan and cover them with cool water by 1 inch. Slowly bring the water to a boil and then cover and remove the eggs from the heat. Let them sit for 10-12 minutes. 

Transfer the eggs into a colander and run cold water over them until they are cool. Peel the eggs and slice them in half. Then remove each yolk and place them in a small bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks, olive oil and dijon mustard until you are satisfied with the texture and thickness of the filling. Season with sea salt to taste. Then use a small spoon to fill each of the egg whites. We all know looks are everything, so keep them tidy (this is easier said than done, so many prefer to use an pastry bag). Once you've filled each egg white, garnish your deviled eggs with smoked paprika and a bit of chopped parsley and serve. 

Want to make it into a meal? 

Serve the eggs over a bed of romaine lettuce, and sprinkle with bacon. 

Why Wheat Makes You Sick and Fat

"Over the past 50 years, wheat has undergone a more drastic transformation than Joan Rivers" - Davis

If you still think wheat is fine in small doses, it's time to think again. 

At this point almost all of us know that gluten, the protein found in wheat, wreaks havoc on the gut wall. It burns the sea anemone-like microvilli that line the small intestine and makes digestion of vital nutrients almost impossible. In other words, if you eat some prosciutto and high quality vegetables on a baguette, you might as well just eat the baguette, because in the presence of gluten, you won't absorb or adequately digest the nutrients from the other foods. 

Did you just read that and start craving a baguette? Are you one of those people who eats gluten and claims to feel fine? Why should you cut out wheat? The answer is pretty simple: wheat makes us sick and fat. According to cardiologist William Davis, M.D., in his must-read book "Wheat Belly," whole wheat bread (yes, we are talking about whole grain wheat) spikes your blood sugar more than table sugar. In other words, whole wheat is junk food disguised as health food. According to Davis, "Aside from some extra fiber, eating two slices of whole-wheat bread is really little different, and often worse, than drinking a can of sugar-sweetened soda." He goes on to assert that the same portion of whole-wheat bread has a higher glycemic index (GI) than two tablespoons of sugar -- or even a snickers bar. 

"Modern wheat is a perfect chronic poison" - Davis

Davis' other major claim is that modern wheat has been so genetically altered that the gluten present in foods containing wheat causes a host of adverse health effects. The new varieties of wheat on the market today contain more gliadins (a gluten component) than their wheat grandparents, leading to increased cases of auto-immune disorders such as celiac disease, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, autism and even infertility. And what will the next generation of wheat look like? Genetically modified Frankenwheat. 

Forget about counting calories and measuring your foods with tablespoons. If you're serious about losing weight for good, it's pretty simple. Stop eating numbers and keep two bigger ideas in mind: inflammation and GI index (glycemic index really means - what will this food do to my blood sugar?) My clients who stick to low-glycemic, anti-inflammatory foods have lost up to 35 pounds in 4 months. And the best part...they don't feel like they're dieting. I don't know about you, but I would much rather eat some roasted vegetables and a grass-fed steak with truffle butter than a snickers bar dressed up as a couple pieces of bread. And then when you add in all of the health issues associated with eating gluten, you really have to ask yourself how it can possibly find its way to your kitchen, onto your plate or into your mouth. 

Immune Builder Ginger Chicken Soup

Because everyone is sick, and that's gross

Tonight I'm making an immune boosting chicken soup that is incredibly easy to whip together on those nights when you're feeling like you need a little something soothing. Yes, this is a somewhat "sped up" version of homemade chicken soup, but quick and easy recipes are the ones we tend to use most during the hectic work week, right?

Ingredients: 

1-2 Organic Boneless Chicken Breasts

1 Quart Chicken Stock: I usually buy mine pre-made from Bi-Rite. I suggest keeping a few in your freezer so it's always on hand. 

1 Inch Ginger, peeled and minced 

Dill (as much as you desire) finely chopped

Baby Bok Choy

1-2 Carrots, chopped

2-3 Stalks of Celery, chopped

1/2 Yellow Onion, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil

Sea Salt

Ready to cook?

Preheat your oven to 275. Poke the chicken breasts with a fork, season them with a pinch of sea salt, and place them in a dish covered with foil. Bake for around 30 minutes, or until fully cooked. While the chicken is cooking, add the carrots, onions, celery, ginger and coconut oil to the chicken stock, and let simmer until the chicken is ready. Remove the chicken from the oven and dice or shred it, and add it to the stock and vegetables. Chop up your dill and baby bok choy, and add them for a few minutes at the very end, right before you're ready to serve. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. 

Why is this so healthy? Let's look closer at the ingredients:

Coconut oil: Coconut oil is a proven antibacterial, antimicrobial and even antiviral superfood. Plus it adds a bit of healthy fat to an otherwise light meal.  

Ginger: A highly potent anti-inflammatory and antioxidant, ginger supercharges your immune system (plus its unique warming quality helps fight off congestion, soothes a sore throat and calms an upset stomach). 

Bok Choy: The most nutrient-dense vegetable on the planet, baby bok choy is a cruciferous vegetable that is loaded with vitamins A, C, K and even calcium. In addition to helping you fight off the common cold and flu, studies prove that this vegetable is one of the most powerful cancer fighters available. Plus it's most delicious in the winter months. 

 

Broth: Loaded with calcium, magnesium, collagen and gelatin, real, homemade (or Bi-Rite made) chicken stock is vital for repairing the gut wall (which most of us need from years of eating gluten and other gut busting grains). Because the majority of your immune system is in your gut, a healthy and strong gut wall helps protects you from catching the colds and flus going around this time of year. 

I hope you find some warmth and comfort in this easy and delicious recipe. Stay healthy!

Officially TPI Certified - Golf Fitness Instructor

As many of you know, I recently became a Certified Golf Fitness Instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute. Titleist is the leader in Golf Fitness education, drawing its curriculum from the world’s experts in sports performance.

As a TPI Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, I am trained to take golfers through a three-step process that is designed to improve their flexibility, strength and power, and eliminate any pain that might be hindering them on the course. 

Step 1: Screen – Using TPI’s cutting edge assessment process, I screen and identify limitations in the body as they relate to the golf swing.

Step 2: Prescribe – Based on the TPI screen results, I’m trained to develop highly individualized Golf Performance Programs designed to eliminate swing faults (and the physical limitations that contribute to them) for good.

Step 3: Implement – Building on over 7 years as a C.H.E.K (Corrective Holistic Exercise Kinesiology) Practitioner and Nutrition Coach, I teach clients the most effective stretches, mobilizations and exercises to help them reach their maximum potential. At this stage I also take clients through highly individualized Nutrition and Stress Management Programs, both of which have a profound effect on golf performance.    

Maybe you’re not a golfer. Maybe you just want to get rid of your nagging knee pain and hit the slopes again this winter. Because the foundation of the TPI curriculum is based on the work of some of the most advanced experts in the areas of functional movement and sports medicine, the TPI screen can help you, too. Feel free to email me with inquiries. 

A New Years Resolution You Can Stick With

We've all had a New Year's resolution at some point in our lives. You decide to make a change, you tell your friends about it, you write it down. A few months pass and you realize you've made that change. You feel better. And then....the inevitable happens: you backslide. Then, most likely, you feel bad about yourself and give up. Why is it that resolutions fail? Quite simply, we resist change. Our body does not distinguish between a good change (I'm going to lose weight!) and a bad change. It just resists change. 

According to George Leonard in Mastery, in order to make a change for life, we have to understand that our body will resist change. That awareness, he claims, helps us deal with the inevitable backslides that arise while we are on the path to change. So what can you do when you feel yourself starting to slip? Maybe you made a commitment to exercise and you skipped a few days. Instead of using that as an excuse to quit entirely, get back on the path of consistency. And how do you make something consistent in your life? Resolution Tip #1: Make it a ritual. Many surgeons, for example, perform the same rituals before going into surgery. They wash their hands and put on their gowns in the same way each time to rid their minds of outside concerns and focus on the task at hand.  So let's say you've committed to start working out. Try to do it at the same time each day, try putting music on while you're getting ready, get a fresh green juice right after your workout, come home and take a nice shower. These little rituals help solidify your resolution as part of your daily life. Resolution Tip #2: Develop a support system. Whether it's your trainer, nutrition coach or friends who are also trying a gluten-free diet, a support system is proven to keep you in line with your resolution. Why? Because as humans we like the feeling of being apart, together. We like to be independent but know that we are part of a team. Just knowing that there are others with similar goals will help you when you start to backslide, and encourage you when you stay on track. And finally, Resolution Tip #3: Give yourself a deadline. While health and fitness is a lifelong practice, it is without question that you will do better with tangible, reasonable deadlines in place. Within the larger goal of losing weight for example, you could commit to working out three days a week for the next eight weeks. These smaller, more accessible goals will inspire you to stay on course, and keep you from feeling overwhelmed, or feeling like your ultimate goal is too far out of reach. 

So....Want a more specific new years resolution you can stick to? 

Eat A Real Breakfast! 

Want a great resolution that will help you lose weight AND feel better? Get over the idea of eating traditional "breakfast foods" as the first meal of the day and instead, make your breakfast look like lunch or dinner. While we've been trained that cereal, oatmeal, yogurt and granola are "healthy" breakfast foods, the truth is that all of these breakfast options are one thing to our bodies: sugar. Our bodies don't know the difference between lunch, dinner or breakfast. Starting your day out with pancakes (even if they are gluten-free), fruit, dairy and grains sets the insulin tone for the rest of the day. In other words, what you choose to eat for breakfast has a profound impact on your food choices, energy levels and ability to burn fat as fuel for the next 12 hours. 

I want to eat better for breakfast but those foods just don't appeal to me! 

To most people who are new to a traditional diet, breakfast poses the biggest challenge. They know they need to eat a full meal, but the only thing that is appealing to them in the morning is toast or granola. Reaching for these foods in the morning is nothing more than a bad habit. You reach for them because you've been reaching for them every day for the last ten years. Pay attention the next time you watch TV or flip through a magazine. Breakfast foods are one of the most advertised foods in existence. Why? Because people are rushed and need something easy to eat, and it doesn't get much easier than opening up a box of cereal. 

We have been conditioned to believe that we want something sweet or bland in the morning, but just like at lunch and dinner time, our body wants protein, fat and vegetables at breakfast. What's the best way to break a bad habit? Stop buying bad breakfast foods. In order to start this new, healthier habit, it's time to get rid of all other breakfast options from your pantry. In fact, you shouldn't even want to eat something that can survive in a pantry! 

Ok, I won't eat cereal but I also don't have time to cook. I'll just skip breakfast! 

Skipping breakfast is also a really bad idea if you're interested in losing weight. Simply put, when you skip breakfast, your body believes you are starving, and consequently, you become more likely to store your next meal as body fat. So if you don't want to wear your lunch, eat your breakfast. Even though mornings are hectic, giving yourself just 15 extra minutes to cook up a quick and easy breakfast in the morning can make all of the difference when it comes to your fat loss goals. 

What should breakfast look like? A vegetable, a fat and a protein. 

Because many of you are in a rush in the morning, a simple way to get vegetables into your diet is to make a quick scramble. Here's my favorite recipe (plus the total cooking time is 10 minutes). 

Grated Zucchini, Sausage and Egg Scramble:

Put one tablespoon of coconut oil in a pan on medium heat. While the coconut oil is heating up, use a cheese grater to grate 1/2 of a zucchini. Once grated, press the zucchini with a paper towel to get rid of excess moisture. Cut up a Prather Ranch (or other high quality) sausage and sauté it along with the zucchini until both start to brown (a few minutes). Whisk one or two eggs together and pour into the pan, stirring the mixture until the eggs are fully cooked. Season with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and enjoy. Really in a rush? You can easily grate the zucchini the night before. 

Fun nutrition fact: Zucchini is incredibly high in vitamin A, making it a powerful immune booster. It also contains high levels of potassium, which is an essential mineral for organ, tissue and cell function.  

Here's to a healthy and happy 2013! 

"Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it." -Goethe

How To Never Gain A Holiday Pound Again

The holidays are here and many of you are headed out of town...but don't forget to take your good exercise and nutrition habits with you! Here are a few tips to help ensure you start 2013 on the right track (and without extra padding). 

Read the labels: Avoiding sugar might sound easy, but since sugar is often hidden in foods, you have to become a bit of a label detective to eat right on the road. Many of the bars and other grab-and-go snack items in airports are loaded with sugars, artificial sweeteners and other processed ingredients that lead to weight gain and bloating. Be especially leery of foods marked "gluten free" or "low carbohydrate" -- they are most often desserts dressed up as health foods. Here are some common "hidden" sugars to be on the lookout for: sucrose, dextrose, fructose, maltrose, lactose, glucose, honey, agave syrup, maple syrup, brown-rice syrup, molasses, evaporated cane juice and corn sweetener. How do you avoid getting stuck with one of these dessert bars for lunch? Instead of leaving your snack in the hands of the airport gods, plan ahead and bring a high-quality, real food with you for that long drive or flight, such as Prather Ranch's beef jerky, turkey slices with avocado or even packs of easy-to-carry-on Artisana coconut butter (I recently found some at Whole Foods). 

Make the best possible choice: It's pretty hard to commit to not having any dessert over the holidays. But it feels even worse to go completely off your diet plan. Instead, simply make the best possible decision given your choices. Let's say your in-laws have gluten-free cookies, ice cream and dark chocolate to choose from for dessert.  Choose the dark chocolate! It's rich, highly satiating, and won't throw you into insulin overdrive the way grains (even gluten-free ones) can. As a second choice, I would go with ice cream (preferably organic). Even though it has sugar and dairy, ice cream is a better choice than a baked good because it is high in quality fats, does not contain grains, and is highly satiating (meaning you need to eat less to feel full). 

Take 20 minutes for yourself: Nothing feels worse than not making the time to take care of yourself. Many of you might feel selfish leaving your family to head out for a walk or a sprint, but taking the time to look after yourself will actually allow you to be more present and calm for your loved ones. I know what you're thinking: Is 20 minutes enough time to get a good workout in? Yes! Burst training, which requires minimal equipment, is the easiest and most time efficient way to keep your metabolism revved while on the road. Interestingly enough, the more you take care of your body, the more you want to take care of your body. Something as simple as heading out to do some sprints around the block can actually help you make better choices when it comes time for dinner. 

Hydrate: Travel, cold weather, alcohol, stress (and just generally being out of your usual routine) all lead to dehydration! Make sure you drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water daily AND avoid tap water as much as possible. Just the slightest dehydration leads to increased cortisol, lethargy, false hunger and weight gain. 

Check in: Let's say you ate something that you regret. It happens. You feel bad that the in-laws went through the trouble of making gluten-free biscuits, or maybe your aunt's dessert was too hard to resist. So check in for a few minutes. How do you feel? Instead of beating yourself up, use this moment to collect information. With just a little attention, what you notice might surprise you, such as: "After five weeks of not having grains, I had grains and instantly had to take a nap" or "After two months of not having dairy, I ate it and my indigestion came back." By taking note of how these foods make you feel, you're setting yourself up to more effortlessly avoid them in the future.

Cheers to a happy holiday and a very healthy 2013!