Working Lunch

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No recipe, just a list:
spinach
avocado
cucumber
hemp seeds
2 hard-boiled eggs (8 minute eggs)
chopped pecans
French dressing

Don’t get bogged down in recipes…just pack your lunch!

 

Chia Seeds: Because Baby I Was Born to Run

chia3You’ve probably heard about chia seeds, but have you found a way to incorporate them into your day? The main reason I would recommend them is:

“Chia is an edible seed that comes from the desert plant Salvia hispanica, grown in Mexico dating back to Mayan and Aztec cultures. “Chia” means strength, and folklore has it that these cultures used the tiny black and white seeds as an energy booster. That makes sense, as chia seeds are a concentrated food containing healthy omega-3 fatty acids, carbohydrates, protein, fiber, antioxidants, and calcium.

Chia seeds are an unprocessed, whole-grain food that can be absorbed by the body as seeds (unlike flaxseeds). One ounce (about 2 tablespoons) contains 139 calories, 4 grams of protein, 9 grams fat, 12 grams carbohydrates and 11 grams of fiber, plus vitamins and minerals.

The mild, nutty flavor of chia seeds makes them easy to add to foods and beverages. They are most often sprinkled on cereal, sauces, vegetables, rice dishes, or yogurt or mixed into drinks and baked goods. They can also be mixed with water and made into a gel.”        –WebMD

I’ve heard about them for at least a year, and last week was the first time I started incorporating them into my diet.  Here’s how I’m doing it:

1 glass of water
1 packet of Emergen-C
1 tablespoon chia seeds

 

chia seeds1chia seeds2

Let the chia seeds soak for about 5 minutes.  You’ll know they’re ready if it looks gelatinous.  Then add the Emergen-C.  Do this because it will make it taste good, okay? 

There are three videos below:  1) an interview from Good Morning America with a nutritionist speaking on chia seeds 2) my little 11 second video of my soaked seeds and 3)a Ted Talk from Chris McDougall, whose book BORN TO RUN started the chia seeds craze. In the video, he doesn’t talk about chia seeds but instead on the tribe in Mexico on which the book is based.   

Me and My Intestinal Broom

So, my friend, Kate, is big on raw kale.  She has such a charming way of offering it to me, too.  She says, “You want some kale?  I have a ton.  They call it the ‘intestinal broom’ you know.”  Well, then gimme some kale, baby.  I’m sure my intestines need a sweepin’ even worse than my porch!

maybe I should call this the Everything But salad

The story goes like this:  I basically put everything I could find in this salad and this is the list as best I can remember:

spring mix
raw chopped kale
spinach
little bit of quinoa salad
roasted pumpkin seeds
hemp seeds
blueberries
sauteed veggie burger
sundried tomatoes
dried cranberries
chopped nuts
Annie’s green goddess dressing

I have to say…I was totally random and I OUTDID myself.  Don’t be fancy!  Eat your greens!  Sweep your intestines!

 

A Beautiful Salad This Way Comes

I know I’m partial to my babies, and I shouldn’t go on and on about looks, placing appearance over content, but this is a beautiful salad.  She has her father’s granola.

water in a jelly jar is just so shabby chic, don’t you think? Maybe I need more friends…

Actually, granola (a gift from my neighbor for cat feeding…it’s from Albemarle Bakery) does seem like the big special factor in this salad tasting even better than it looks. Here’s what’s in it (I’m not doing portions because I don’t think like that when it comes to salad assembling…just add):

chopped romaine lettuce
chopped spinach
chopped flat parsley
sauteed veggie burger
sauteed onions
chopped sundried tomatoes
chopped cucumber
sprinkled (heavily)granola
Annie’s Goddess dressing

Eat your greens!

Army Brat

I gave this juice this name because it had to move around all through elementary school and it has trouble making lasting friendships.  No, because it’s obviously dark green, but also because it’s not for babies.  Get as much green into your juicing as possible, and here’s a great one:

this juice will make you have a precisely made bed and shinier boots and a better relationship with authority

What’s in it:

1 head Romaine lettuce
large handful of collard greens
1 lemon
1 lime
2 carrots

Collard greens are a wonderful addition to your juice because they are a great source of fiber, iron, calcium, and vitamins A & C.  I do juicing workshops, and I think people are REALLY surprised at how different it is to drink vegetables and fruits that have just been juiced.  It’s a totally different experience.  It’s not thick or weird-tasting.