Healthy Meals in a Hurry: A 3-Step Guide for Busy People

- by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo

“What can I eat that supports my health, tastes great, and is quick and easy to get on the table?”

I get asked this question all the time.  People wonder how I manage to eat so healthfully when I am so busy.  This is an actual comment, taken from a recent consultation form:

“One of my challenges is making food for myself – I would love to have someone else do it. I don’t want to be taking time at lunchtime to do that – so I tend to nibble and then get hungry in the afternoon – then work too late, so I’m really hungry at dinner time – and need to eat right away.”

I have hundreds more just like it!

My friend and colleague, Chef Karen Osborne, is one of the busiest people I know, besides me of course.  As a home schooling Mom, choir member, volunteer at church, personal chef, instructor and Fresh ‘n Fun co-op manager she’s constantly juggling this activity and that. Yet she always manages to eat high green, delicious, nutrient-dense meals.

How does she do it?

She’ll be sharing her secrets in our One Dish Meals raw food class, but I thought I would give you a few hints and tips today to help you put healthy meals on the table in less than the time it takes to order pizza.

Step 1: Stock Your Brain with Purpose

Consistently choosing healthy foods to consume, despite time pressures requires a mindset shift.  It starts by focusing on what’s most important to you–making the connection between what you value most and healthy meal choices. Then, you must simply act from that place of knowing what you value most.

It sounds simple, and it is.  Implementation takes dedication and truly connecting to your core values.  One thing Karen and I have in common is a framework of reference that we get what we most want in life when we feel strong and energetic.  We feel strong and energetic when we eat lots of green foods and avoid the energy zappers like gluten, dairy, sugar and processed foods.

If we’re rushed or out and the food choices don’t support our ultimate goal, we hold true to our values and don’t eat the foods that will tire or weaken us.

Step 2: Stock Your Kitchen with Essentials

The next step is more practical.  Make sure to keep your house stocked with lots of whole foods.  With a little forethought and careful shopping, you can have foods around that you can prepare in a hurry.

Here’s a list of recommended food items to always have around:

• Tomatoes
• Avocados
• Sprouts
• Lemons
• A variety of dried herbs and spices
• Seeds, like sunflower, pumpkin, chia or hemp
• Raw nuts
• Greens
• Sea vegetables
• Powdered sea veggies, like kelp.
• A variety of vegetables like cucumber, celery, carrots, and peppers

Step 3: Stock Your Meals with Creativity

I was in a hurry to get something to eat for dinner tonight, so here’s an example of throwing a healthy meal together in only 5 steps:

1. I went down to the kitchen and found an avocado, a tomato and a jar of sauerkraut.
2. I sliced the tomato in rounds and placed them on a plate.
3. I sliced the avocado and placed the slices on top of the tomato (sometimes instead of avocado, I spoon nut or seed cheese on top).
4. I put a dollop of sauerkraut on each tomato slice.
5. I sprinkled the works with Italian seasoning and kelp powder

I had a delicious meal in less than 5 minutes!

In our One Dish Meals class we’ll be sharing how to whip up a one dish meal using whatever you have around.  Again, the key to quick and easy meals is having an open mind, having the ingredients on hand, and tuning in to your creativity.  Think outside the box.  Learn from people who have been there, done that.

Use your imagination.

Join us for Delicious One Dish Raw Food Meals! It’s guaranteed to be a winner!

Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

It’s that time of year when the weather outside beckons you to enjoy outdoor activities, like swimming, gardening, lawn sports, cycling,  nature walks and picnics.  It’s especially  important this time of year  to put the healthy habits in place that nourish your tired  adrenals  and give you abundant energy so you can enjoy your favorite summer pastimes without feeling exhausted every time you exert yourself.

The sad truth is that over 50 % of people today experience fatigue so severe that even a trip to the grocery store exhausts their energy and requires a recovery nap afterward.  And 80% of women will experience adrenal fatigue at some time in their lives. That’s definitely not a pleasant condition to be in, especially if your friends and family members are encouraging you to join them in summer time fun. Unfortunately, the typical summertime celebration food served at picnics and barbecues zaps your energy and can lead to alll sorts of health consequences, like cancer, heart disease, diabetes and immune system dysfunction.  In my opinion, it’s just not worth the risk.  Yet you may be emotionally attached to your foods and the happy celebration memories that eating it stirs up. What if you could eat your favorite picnic foods and feel energized and comforted,  knowing that the ingredients  are not only safe, they are loaded with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that energize and nourish you? It’s been a long time since I needed caffeine and sugar to energize me so I could enjoy summer activities.  I used to need stimulants to make it through the day and still crashed in the early evening.  Now I fuel myself on whole fresh food and everyone I meet comments on how energetic I am ALL the TIME! What would your life be like if you could say the same?

1) Spring Cleaning

I always do some sort of cleanse in the spring, to rid my body of any excess fat and toxins that come from spending so much time indoors during the cooler months.  I’ve done short water fasts of 5 -7 days, juice only regimes, powdered meal replacement shakes and even a modified version of the Master Cleanse, eliminating the maple syrup and using powdered greens to supplement the lemonade.  I’ve done all sorts of variations of many cleanses and even developed a few of my own. My all time favorite way to cleanse, owing to its high simplicity and satisfaction score is Green Smoothie Cleansing.  A few short years ago, I created a group Green Smoothie Cleanse and have guided hundreds of participants to increased energy, decreased brain fog and a reduction of belly fat.  I am amazed at the profound results most participants receive within just a few days.  Many are even able to reduce pain medications because their inflammation significantly decreases.  I’m leading a group cleanse in a couple of weeks and I can’t wait to experience the lightness and sense of renewal I always feel after a  7 day cleanse. The concept is quite simple, and you can can certainly do it on your own if you have the discipline and a variety of recipes.  I find that I personally need the accountability of the group experience, otherwise when those periods of desire for solid foods become strong, I crave in.  These periods don’t last long in general, so when I am accountable to the group and have regular check-ins scheduled, I sail through in spite of occasional temptations. I’ve set up the group Green Smoothie Cleanse experience so that there are 3 different options you can choose from, depending on your level of cleansing experience and your schedule.  There are daily check-in forms you can use to report your progress and get personalized feedback and this time you’ll also get extra support through a facebook chat session. To  join in the Spring 2011 Cleanse register at www.Greensmoothiecleanse.com

2) Make Delicious Nutritious Picnic and Barbeque Foods

Whenever I’m invited to summer parties, or am hosting my own, I make sure to create a few easy dishes to take along that are remakes of picnic and barbecue favorites, like mock hot dogs, burgers and potato salad and coleslaw made with a creamy nut or seed sauce instead of mayonnaise. I also cut up veggies and make delicious dip, usually including some sort of blended green vegetable and sea vegetable.For dessert, there’s the picnic tradition of watermelon and peaches, plus I add berries and cut up fruit with a yummy dipping sauce, usually made with chocolate or carob to please the kiddos. I’ll often make a seasonal fruit pie with a nut, seed or coconut based crust, like the ones in my book,  “Dessert Making it Rich Without Oil.”

The pie is simple to make.  For example, when I get lots of fresh peaches from a local farm, I slice the peaches and lay them inside the crust.  I’ll then make a sauce to hold it all together.  That can be as simple as blended peaches or possibly a different complimentary fruit like berries.  I sometimes add a couple of teaspoons of psyllium husk powder or coconut butter to thicken, and then pour the creamy sauce over the fruit and refrigerate until ready to eat.  This simple pie takes minutes to make and is usually the hit of the party. Burger substitutes can be made by putting sunflower seeds and almonds in the food processor along with vegetables.  My favorites are carrot, celery, onion and something dark green, like arugula or spinach.  Process until it begins to hold together and has the consistency of…I hate to say…chopped meat.  Season to taste and dehydrate or eat as is. Any of the bread recipes in my e-book Dried and Gone to Heaven can be formed into burger buns and even hot dog buns.  There are a few burger recipes in Dried and Gone to Heaven as well.

The bread recipes in our video course Amazing Gluten Free Living Bread can also be formed into burger and hot dog buns. And speaking of hot dogs, my dear friend, colleague and talented chef  Karen Osborne has created a hot dog recipe that has fooled many a kid.  It looks, tastes and cuts just like the real thing without all the nasty ingredients.  Now to me, eating something that tastes like a hot dog is not appealing, but for kids and kids at heart who love hot dogs, that’s great news. Karen will share her gluten free, raw food recipe for hot dogs and several others in our class “Picnic Foods and Barbeque for Gluten Free and Living Foods Diets” on May 22 .  Videos and live cast are available if you either live far away or can’t make the

I interviewed Karen on my Blog Talk Radio show and she shared the ingredients she uses and tips for making summer celebration foods.  The recording can be found at Dr Ritamarie Radio

3) Short Frequent Bursts of Exercise

My last strategy for getting and keeping in shape for summer is to incorporate short bursts of exercise throughout your day.   This can be in addition to your regular exercise program, or on busy days, in place of it.  Studies show that 30 seconds of all out intensity exercise several times a day can have the same or even better effects on your blood sugar balance as a 30 minute aerobic exercise session.  It also results in improved stress hormone balance.  Better blood sugar control and fewer cortisol spikes result in a flatter tummy.

Bonus Results of My Lean Summer Body Strategies and Summer Cleansing Tips

In addition to a flatter tummy and boundless energy, some of my favorite extra bonus results you’ll experience when you use these strategies for getting in shape for summer are:

• Happier mood
• Sharp focus and mental clarity so you can be more productive
• Decreased inflammation and more comfortable muscles and joints
• More efficient and painless digestion
• Improved blood lipid balance and reduced risk of heart attack

If you Have any favorite recipes to share for summer celebrations, please post them in the comment box below.  If you have a website where you offer recipes, feel free to post that too, and if your site is in alignment with mine, we’ll leave the link for all to see.

I wish you Love , health and a happy summer!!

Dr. Ritamarie

Raw Food Recipes for Mother’s Day: Yogurt, Zucchini Spaghetti and Not Meat Balls

I promised I would post my Mother’s day recipes later in the day.  Well, it’s a lot later!  My Mother’s day turned out to be a relaxing and fun day at home, with my kids, husband and on the phone with siblings and friends.  It was indeed a treat! I actually never made it back to the computer until 10pm, after my almost 13 year old Kevin went to bed.

I mentioned on my previous post Mother’s Day Memories that I’d asked for breakfast in bed.  What I realized this morning is that I’m not a “breakfast in bed”  kind of gal …at least not on a sunny summer day.

I prefer to get up and out so what we decided instead was that after my run, we’d have Mother’s day brunch by the pool.  One thing lead to another and by the time I actually got to eat my brunch it was 4PM!

Here’s a photo of the beautiful brunch my husband Scott made me.   In the glass is fresh coconut water.  On the platter was mango, pineapple, papaya, coconut, strawberries and honeydew.

The green smoothie he made was not on the platter but it was yummy.

After my run, I snacked on some home made coconut pineapple yogurt I made the day before mixed with fresh blueberries.  That was a treat and the recipe is below.

We had a delicious dinner a few hours later. Scott even made me a “cheese cake” dessert.    I actually haven’t tried it yet, as I got full from dinner and by the time I had room, it was too late to eat.  I’ll see if I can get him to post the recipe tomorrow.

For dinner Scott made a beautiful salad and I managed to whip up a zucchini noodle with marinara sauce and “meatballs”  made from soaked walnuts, Brazil nuts and pumpkin seeds with some veggies.  All the recipes are below.

I felt pampered and appreciated and I managed to eat delicious food that took very little time to make and was health enhancing.  The best news is there are leftovers for tomorrow!!

The yogurt recipe was an improv and turned out great.  You can pretty much make a favorite nut or seed cream and add probiotics and let it culture.

Pineapple Coconut Yogurt

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh pineapple chunks
• 1/2 cup Artisana Coconut Butter (whole, raw organic coconut that’s been pureed into a peanut butter-like consistency)
• 1 teaspoon ground vanilla beans
• 1 1/2 – 2  cups water
• handful of dates
• 10 prunes (As taught in Eating for Bone Health, this quantity of prunes has been shown in studies to reverse bone loss)
• 1 teaspoon Blue Bonnet Probiotics, containing 44 billion live organisms (choose your favorite brand)

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients except the probiotics until smooth.
2. Add probiotics and blend briefly, just to combine.
3. Adjust water if too thick.
4. Place in glass jars and set to ferment in a warm place.  I put it in a yogurt maker.  A dehydrator set on lowest setting works well, too.    It needs to be in the range of 90 to 100 degrees for 12 – 18 hours.   if you turn on your oven to low then turn it off and let the temperature drop you can try in there.The longer you leave it, the more sour it becomes.  It can turn if left too long.
5. Serve plain or over fresh fruit.

Zucchini Spaghetti with Not Meat Balls

Cut the ends off the zucchini and process through a spiral slicer.  There are several options to choose from.  These are handy kitchen gadgets that allow you to turn vegetables into noodles.

Place zucchini noodles in a bowl and allow to sit while you make the rest of the ingredients.  If you prefer them softer, add a sprinkle of salt and gently massage it in.  Drain off excess water when ready to add the sauce.

Not Meat Balls

• 1 cup raw walnuts, soaked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup raw Brazil nuts, soaked, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds either soaked and dehydrated or dry
• 2 stalks celery
• 1 small onion
• handful arugula
• sprinkle of kelp powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• 1/4 teaspoon whole unrefined sea salt

Place all ingredients in food processor and process until the mixture holds together and is almost smooth.  Form into meat balls.  These can be used as is or dehydrated for 8 -12 hours .

Simple Marinara Sauce

• 3 zucchini
• 3/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, soaked for 1-2 hours in room temperature water or 10 minutes in hot water, to soften
• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon sale
• 1/2 teaspoon kelp powder

Put all ingredients in food processor and process until close to smooth, but still a bit chunky.  Add soak water from dried tomatoes if it’s too thick.  Adjust salt and seasonings to taste.

Set sauce aside.

Optional:  marinated mushrooms.  The night before I had sliced baby bella mushrooms and sprinkled with a little salt, massaged lightly then added lemon juice an set in a salad press.  This is a device that presses the excess liquid out and enhances the vegetables and softens them.  These too are available on Amazon

To assemble, place the noodles in a large bowl.  Top with sauce and mushrooms.  Toss to combine.  Serve with Not Meatballs.

Enjoy the recipes and comment below about how you spent your Mother’s day!

Love, Health and Joy to you,

Dr. Ritamarie

Mother’s Day Memories and Wishes

My Mom Mary at age 43

It’s been 20 years since I sent my Mom a card on Mother’s Day.  Of course, I still express my appreciation to her for all she did.  I just wish she was still around in physical form so I could give her a big hug and tell her how much I love her.

If your Mom is still alive, let her know how much you love her and appreciate her.  Give her a hug if you can.   Enjoy her while she’s here.  Don’t leave things unspoken, as you never know if this conversation will be the last.

The last time my Mom and I spoke was on Easter 1991.  It was late and we ended the conversation so we could go to sleep.  My Mom was sharing some childhood experiences and ended with, “There’s so much more to tell you, stories you’ve never heard.  We’ll get all caught up in June when you come to visit.”  I had been planning a 2 week stay after my graduation from chiropractic school.  I never got to hear those stories.  She died just a few days later.

I know in my heart that my Mom’s premature death was preventable. She was only 56!  Sometimes I blame myself, for not finding the right words to convince her to quit smoking and adopt a plant strong diet with lots of raw foods. I told her many times, and often I wasn’t as patient or kind about it as I could have been.  I just so wanted for her to change.  I gave her books to read…the ones written by MDs because they were “real doctors”  in her eyes…to no avail.

I copied articles from medical journals.  I even gave her a bottle of Vitamin C to go with the article that said that each cigarette depleted 100 mg of Vitamin C and asked her to at least take Vitamin C with her cigarettes.  My message fell on deaf ears.  When I found the unopened bottle of vitamins on her night stand and asked her why she wasn’t taking them, she told me she was scared that maybe they would have some kind of side effects.  Yet she smoked cigarettes, knowing the effects!

I graduated and started my practice just a couple of months after my Mom’s death, committed to saving other people’s Moms from my Mom’s fate.  I’ve dedicated my life to educating as many people as I possibly can about the dangers of processed food, smoking and other common unhealthy habits.

The war on cancer is far from being won.  Heart disease and diabetes take a  huge  toll.

At my son Kevin’s baseball game the other day, I watched as small children bought candy and chips from the concession stand, not knowing what danger lurked inside the pretty wrappers.  Parents give this stuff to their kids, thinking it’s safe.    It’s sad to watch these young ones creating the perfect environment for disease.   And the food they eat at home is not much better.  Most kids eat fewer vegetables in a month than I do in a day.

I miss my Mom, and in doing so, I strengthen my commitment to make a difference.  Education is foundational.

Changes are happening.   While we still have a long way to go, as a society, we have so much more awareness today of the diet–disease connection than we did when I first started on this path 26 years ago.  One step, one bite at a time, we can change the health of the world.  It starts with your commitment and dedication to yourself and your family and spreads from there.

If you’re a Mom, I wish you a joyful, healthy day.   Avoid the temptation to eat chocolate and unhealthy “treats” in celebration.  I’ve already put in my request for breakfast in bed!  On the menu is a green smoothie, fresh coconut water and a tropical fruit platter with fresh coconut, mango, pineapple and papaya.

Also on the agenda for the day are a run and a swim, and some relaxing time by the pool with a good book.   My favorite way to celebrate special days is with extra special self care.

Treat the Mom’s in your life to some good food, relaxation and lots of appreciation.

If my Mom was here to celebrate I’d treat her to one of the recipes in my book “Dessert:  Making it Rich Without Oil.”  I might try to somehow gift it to her anonymously, so she wouldn’t realize it was good for her until after she enjoyed it.  Then I would let her know.

With love and appreciation to all the Moms. May you seek health and in doing so, find the joy and fulfillment that vibrant health brings forth.

Love, Health and Happy Mother’s Day!

Dr. Ritamarie

P.S.  Post a comment and let me know 2 things:  Do you see the resemblance between my Mom and I?  What are you doing  to honor your Mom for Mother’s Day?

Raw Food Recipes: New Vegan “Egg” Salad and Chocolate Easter Eggs

I made changes to a couple of my gluten-free raw foods recipes on Easter and I thought I would share the recipes and the results.  The changes resulted from using the ingredients I had on hand then realizing I needed to double it mid way through.  The “No Egg”  Salad upgrade was a big hit with my son and at a party I brought it to.   The Fudge Brownie recipe I converted to Chocolate Easter Eggs wowed some of the more health conscious party-goers, especially when I told them the “secret”  ingredient was kale!

Here are the updates.  My 17 year old son will be having a “No-Egg”  Salad Sandwich for his after school snack today.  If I had some raw bread already made, I’d offer it to him on that.  Instead, he’ll have it on sprouted whole grain or gluten-free millet bread, piled high with lettuce and cucumbers.

Ingredients

• ½  cup dry sunflower seeds (I used the Go Raw brand Sprouted and salted ones)
• 1/2 cup dry Brazil nuts
• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
• salt to taste (the sunflower seeds are already salted)
• ¼  teaspoon powdered kelp
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• ½  cup filtered water
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 stalks celery
• 2 tablespoons dried dill
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced

Directions

1. Place all ingredients except diced celery (note add the first 2 stalks celery to the blend)
2. Process until smooth but not creamy.
3. Stir in diced celery

Macadamia Mayonnaise (optional – it tasted great either way.  The mayonnaise made it creamier)

• 1/2 cup macadamia nuts
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water

Colorful Chocolate Fudge  Easter Eggs

Adapted from the recipe for Superfood Brownies from Dessert, Making it Rich without Oil by Dr. Ritamarie Loscalzo and Chef Karen Osborne

Ingredients

• 3 cups de-stemmed Kale, lightly packed
• 1/8 – 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 cup almonds, soaked and dehydrated
• 1 tablespoon ground vanilla beans
• 1  cup pitted dates
• 1/3 cup carob powder
• 1/3 cup raw chocolate powder
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 cup finely ground dried coconut
• Extra coconut and chocolate powder for decoration
• a few drops beet or carrot juice or natural food coloring to color coconut for topping (optional)

Directions

1. Process the kale and salt in a food processor until chopped
2. Remove the kale to a bowl and set aside.
3. Process the walnuts, almonds and vanilla until finely ground being careful not to over process into a nut butter.
4. Add the dates and kale and process until the mixture begins to stick together.
5. Add the carob and cacao powder and process until it is incorporated.
6. Add coconut and process until dough begins to hold together
7. Shape with hands into Easter eggs of desired size.
8. Roll in coconut flakes that have been colored by a few drops of various colored vegetable juices.  Freeze dried berries can be ground into a powder and mixed with coconut for color.
9. Chill until ready to eat.

We have leftovers that I plan to savor over the next couple of days!

For additional free gluten free whole foods recipes, visit Green Food Magic

For additional gluten0free, oil free, sugar free dairy free raw desserts, check out Dessert:  Making it Rich without Oil

Love, Health and Joy,

Dr. Ritamarie