Raise your hand if you used to get Chinese take out growing up. Ok sure, I won’t actually see you raising your hand, but I am guessing that most of you reading this raised your hand. As children of the 90s with parents who worked, or equally exhausted stay at home parents, it is likely that they succumbed to pizza or Chinese take out every once in a while. Or late night in college, as I did many times.

My favorite dish was always the kung pao chicken. Perfectly spiced and sticky. I always went for the white rice and scooped up extra sauce for each bite.

I wanted to recreate this childhood and college favorite of mine, but without the food hangover. Enter my healthy kung pao chicken dish! It is so freaking good. I couldn’t be happier with how this turned out!

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound chicken breast (cut into 1-inch pieces)

2 cups chopped broccoli 

1/4 cup chopped peanuts

2 tbsp. tamari, soy sauce or coconut aminos

3 tbsp. rice vinegar 

2 tbsp. coconut sugar 

4 tsp. arrowroot powder

1 tbsp. sriracha 

3 cloves garlic, chopped 

2 tsp. grated fresh ginger 

METHOD:

Heat a bit of oil in a nonstick pan on medium-high and add the chicken with a bit of salt and pepper and cook for 4-5 minutes until done. Set aside. In the same pan, cook broccoli on medium heat with the garlic, ginger and a bit of oil and a few splashed of soy/tamari/coconut aminos and cook until tender (you can steam the broccoli for a few minutes before to cook faster in the pan). 

While you cook the broccoli and the chicken, combine the tamari, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, arrowroot powder and sriracha to a bowl and stir to combine. 

When the broccoli is done, add the chicken back to the pan on low heat and stir in the sauce until it thickens. Serve with the peanuts over a bed of white rice.

ENJOY!

Eating mindfully is a challenge for all of us, especially in a current society of distractions. Following my 8 steps to eat more mindfully may be easier to start practicing at home when you can intentionally clear a space from distractions. But what about when you eat out at a restaurant? There are so many distractions - figuring out what to order, catching up with friends, coworkers, clients or a new love interest. Who has time to eat mindfully when you are trying to figure out if the person across from you is your soulmate?!

Oof, so many things!! A quick reminder that eating mindfully isn’t about perfection. It is a practice, and the more you do it, the proficient you get. It is about letting go of perfection and instead being in the present moment.

It should also be noted that eating out at restaurants can be anxiety inducing for many. Slowing down and trying a few of my mindful eating tips below will be helpful not only to reduce any anxious food thoughts, but also to help digest better and avoid any stomach upset, heartburn and bloat.

1. CHECK IN WITH HUNGER BEFORE YOU GET THERE: how many times have you showed up to a restaurant and between the time you sit down and when your food comes the hanger kicks in? This happens to me all the time and it is distracting. Arriving at a restaurant starving keeps you from checking in with what you really would like to eat. When you are hangry you are ready to order the entire left side of the menu, am I right? Check in with your hungry 30 minutes to an hour before leaving. Have a small snack if needed. Being a just hungry enough when you show up to the restaurant will give you the space to explore the menu and think about what you truly want rather than reacting to a blood sugar crash.

2. PLAN AHEAD: reading the menu of the restaurant you plan to go to before your meal can be helpful if you have a tendency to get anxious when ordering at restaurants. If you are one of those people who waits until everyone else orders, to see what they get before making your decision… then this might work well for you. I do caution that sometimes looking at the menu too far in advance can stand in the way of checking in with your hunger when you are there. Give yourself grace to change your mind if you sit down and something else sounds good to you in the moment. Take a quick scan of the menu before jumping back in to being present with those at the table with you.

3. PAUSE BEFORE THE FIRST BITE. This can be challenging to do if the waiter or waitress puts your plate down when you are engaged mid-conversation. I suggest looking down at your food when it comes and making an exclamation to your current convo buddy about how good the food looks! This will incite them to do the same, and in these few seconds of pause you can check in with your hunger. You will have already taken a moment to take in the smell and colors of the meal, and now take another moment to savor the first bite - the texture, taste and mouthfeel. Taking small moments to savor the meal, even better if in a shared moment with others, helps to turn on your hunger cues as well as fullness cues.

4. EAT DESSERT IF YOU WOULD LIKE. Desserts can be scary for those who have patterns of restriction and food rules. A reminder that sugar is not the devil and that all foods fit and have a place in our lives. If you are interested in a dessert, it is also ok to eat past the point of being full. This is a practice of leaning in to the different types of hunger. Denying yourself something that you would like and would enjoy in the company with others is actually disconnecting your brain from your body, instead of mindfully tuning in to what you want. This also goes the other way, if you don’t want dessert, don’t feel pressured by others at the table who want to order.

5. GO SLOW. Sometimes it is easy to get caught up in the moment, whether in the company of others, or in the conversation at the table, and before you know it you have wolfed down your meal and don’t even remember how it tasted. We often feel like we need to keep on pace with others at the table as well, which can result in eating faster than normal. It can feel weird to be the last one at the table who is still finishing your meal. All plates have been cleared and you are still munching. But your digestion will thank you! As you engage in conversation, it is possible to multi-task and be present with the bites you are taking. Slowly eating and chewing while being present with those at the table. It takes practice, but it is possible!

A lot of the clients I work with in my one on one health coaching practice have the health goal of wanting more energy. Most suffer from what I call “the afternoon slump.” You know the feeling, come 3pm you are ready for that afternoon coffee or a nap under your desk. Your energy is zapped.

I ask these clients what they are having for lunch and most of them reply that they are eating a big salad. And when I ask what ingredients are in their salads, it turns out that most of them are lacking sufficient protein.

Not having a sufficient amount of protein in your breakfast and especially your lunch will typically lead to that afternoon energy slump. Protein contains B vitamins that our bodies use to balance our nervous system and particularly B12 in animal protein sources that give us energy*

Adding protein to your morning smoothie or nut butter to your oatmeal or other warm breakfasts is a great place to start. For lunch I like to add a good protein source along with a healthy fat to help satiate me until an afternoon snack and give me energy until dinner. My favorite way to do so is on a salad for lunch.

Scroll for my 5 favorite protein toppers for your salad.

If you are stumped for what protein to add to your salad and how much, look no further! I got my 5 favorite toppers and how much to add, all with ideas for fats to add as well. Can I get a woot woot?

1) CHICKEN. Surprise surprise, but chicken is one of my favorite protein toppers in terms of variety for what salads you can make. I suggest a 4 - 6oz. piece of chicken, or enough shredded chicken that would fit in the palm of your hand. My favorite combinations are a classic chicken caesar like the one pictured above with my easy homemade caesar dressing and avocado; or a chicken salad with sliced almonds, strawberries and olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette.

2) EGGS. I love both hard and soft boiled eggs on my salads. It’s so easy to bring with you to work and add on top of your salad. Eggs are the perfect protein as they contain all nine essential amino acids that our body can’t produce on it’s own. I suggest adding two eggs to your salad, or doing one egg and also 1/4 cup of quinoa (a gluten-free grain that is high in protein) or chickpeas. I love me a good chopped salad with romaine, tomatoes, avocado, eggs and chickpeas.

3) BEANS/LENTILS. Plant-based protein from legumes back a big punch in your salad. I love a mexican-themed salad with romaine, 1/2 cup black beans, avocado, cheddar, tomato and a lime +cilantro + olive oil dressing. I love making this a warm salad with 1/4 cup kidney beans and 4 oz. of ground turkey sautéed in olive oil and taco seasoning.

4) STEAK. Don’t shy away from red meat, but do make sure it comes from a local source that is grass-fed. Red meat is high in iron, selenium, zinc and B-12. I like steak salads for when you are going out to lunch with co-workers or clients for work. It’s an easy menu choice when you don’t want to fuss and someone else has picked the place to eat. If ordering steak, I suggest skipping dairy to help with digestion. Chew your steak thoroughly and a 4oz. to 6 oz. portion the size of the palm of your hand is the perfect amount.

5) SHRIMP. The underdog for salad toppers. Here is one of my favorite shrimp salad combos when you are looking for something quick and tasty. I also love making my own shrimp louie salad using a good ranch dressing like this ranch one and also this thousand island dressing.

*if you are a vegan or a vegetarian I recommend getting a blood test to see where your B vitamin levels are and substituting as needed.

Tuna Salad forever has my heart.

I come back to this recipe again and again. I place it on a salad with avocado and veggies like carrots and radishes. I roll it into a whole wheat wrap with dried cranberries and romaine lettuce. I use it on sandwiches with my favorite healthy bread, butter lettuce and avocado or I make it a tuna melt with my favorite cheese.

Curious what my favorite healthy breads are? Check out my healthy carbohydrate guide.

Curious what dairy I prefer for cheese? Check out my healthy food swap guide.

The possibilities are endless and it is so easy to make. It is my lazy go to for lunch when it’s been one of those busy days and I don’t want to spend more than three minutes in the kitchen.

Here’s how you can make the magic happen.

Ingredients:
1 can of your favorite tuna*
3-4 spoonfuls of your favorite dairy-free yogurt**
1/2 TBSP. lemon or lime juice
1/2 TSP. red wine vinegar or ACV
1/2 TSP. dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
Combine all the above ingredients in a bowl. Use a fork to break up the tuna. Stir to combine.

Prepare to meet your new favorite tuna salad recipe. Your tastebuds will thank you!

*I like Wild Planet Foods and Safe Catch brands. Note that most cans of tuna claim 2 serving sizes. Remember that a serving size doesn’t dictate your hunger. Personally, I am usually hungry for the whole can and like to stack my sandwich high, but on some days I don’t finish the whole sandwich and that is ok too.

**I like Forager Project cashewgurt, it has a mild flavor that doesn’t overwhelm like almond or coconut yogurt.

One of my favorite things to do on a Sunday in the winter is to put on some good jams and make soup to relax with on the couch afterward and watch a good movie.  Slow Sundays at their finest. This soup was so ridiculously easy to make, I am definitely throwing it into my list of go-to recipes. Tis the season for baked goods and spiked beverages and was craving all the nutrient replenishment today. To make it easy on digestion I skipped any grains and went straight for the sweet potatoes for starch nutrient rich lentils for protein and some grass-fed butter (or olive oil) for healthy fats.  Kale, carrots and celery were added for vegetables and turmeric for anti-inflammatory goodness. 

If you haven't felt it yet, the holidays are most certainly in the air. We have been a bit confused in San Francisco as of late, with the California sun bringing warm temperatures above 60 degrees well into December. I am definitely not complaining but there is something nice about bundling up and going for evening strolls to look at all the lights.  Last night was actually our first Christmas party we had been to this year (hello homemade apple cider and chocolate crinkle cookies) and tonight we are rolling to a Scandinavian Christmas dinner at Plaj Restaurant with a group of friends to get festive.  I still cannot believe that Christmas is a week away. This girl is usually deep into soup making by now. Thankfully it has cooled a bit to the 50s and I am stocking up on broth and diving into my favorite cookbooks for recipes.  

This recipe is adapted from Sprouted Kitchen's Everyday Lentil Soup with a few tweaks of my own. I took the garlic and onions out as my stomach no me gusta, switched up some spices and added more liquid so that it was more of a soup than a stew. I also played around with some toppings that I though paired nicely with this bowl of goodness (you guessed it, my favorite sheep's milk yogurt). Here is the recipe so that you can play around with my version and enjoy it this week before diving into your family holiday traditions. 

INGREDIENTS:
4 cups chicken or veggie broth (I used Bonafide Provisions Chicken Broth)
2 cups filtered water
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
2 medium carrots, peeled
1 medium white sweet potato, peeled
2 stalks of celery
1/4 teaspoon each of garlic powder, dried oregano, dried parsley and dried thyme (1 tsp. Italian herbs)
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes, to taste
1/2 cup green lentils
1/2 cup red lentils
1/2 tsp. turmeric
2 Tbsp. unsalted garss-fed butter (I used Kerrygold) or olive oil for vegan
3 cups roughly chopped curly kale

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley, for garnish
1/2 grated manchego cheese or 2 scoops sheep milk yogurt (can be made vegan using a dairy-free yogurt)
Jilz Crackerz for soup dipping

METHOD:
Heat the olive oil in a dutch oven until warm.  Add in the celery, carrots and sweet potato, sauté for 5 minutes.  Add in all the spices except for the turmeric. Give another stir or two.  Add in the lentils, the broth and water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover to cook for 25 to 30 minutes until the lentils cook down.  Remove from heat and pulse half of the soup in a blender.  Pour back into the rest of the soup in the dutch oven. Stir in the kale, the butter or oil and the turmeric until the kale wilts and the butter melts. Add more water if needed to thin out. Divide into bowl and serve with grated cheese or yogurt topping with parsley for garnish.  ENJOY!

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If any of you follow me on Instagram, you know I love me some tuna salad. My usual go to is tuna mixed with yogurt, capers, parsley and salt and pepper over a bed of romaine lettuce with avocado and these crackers for lunch.  But what about tuna for dinner? Tonight it was time for me to diversify. I came up with this warm, lemony and perfect pasta dish.  I call this the "super quick came home from work late and don't feel like cooking" dish. 

THE SKINNY ON TUNA
I am so thankful for amazing brands like Wild Planet Foods and Safe Catch Foods  that follow the sustainable seafood program. About 10 years ago, canned tuna used to be frowned upon for it's high mercury content and unsafe fishing  practices, but now you can enjoy tuna without the health or environmental worries. Tuna is not only an amazing source of protein but also a convenient addition to a nutritious lunch or dinner

DON'T FEAR GLUTEN
I have to admit that it's been a while since I have eaten pasta with GLUTEN. My on and off struggle with candida keeps me away but when I can enjoy it I get the good stuff like this brand that I used to make this dish.  The only ingredients are flour and water. Just what it should be.  And not enriched flour, but whole durum wheat flour made here locally in the Bay Area.  If you don't have candida, celiac disease or a wheat allergy or intolerance then please EAT GOOD GLUTEN. We get our energy and proper brain function from glucose, and when we eat gluten in it's whole form (not processed white flour) with the fiber and wheat germ intact, this is converted to glucose for energy without elevated blood sugar levels. So again, EAT GLUTEN. 

LEMON ZEST IS THE BEST
But seriously, the ingredient that makes this dish is the lemon zest. I recently moved and lost my zester in the process.  Only recently getting one back into my kitchen.  Made me remember how much of a game changer lemon zest is. I love to use it in pasta dishes, grain dishes, baked goods and with tuna dishes. Yasssssss.

AND, THE RECIPE
Ok, let's get into the goods.  This dish took a whole 15 minutes to whip up. Perfect for those nights you come home tired from work and don't want to think about cooking or going to the grocery store.  Everything in this recipe was made from pantry staples and what I had on hand. 

INGREDIENTS:
8oz. pasta of choice (I used Baia Pasta or your favorite gluten-free pasta)

5oz. canned tuna (I like Wild Planet Foods or Safe Catch)

1 tablespoon capers

Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

3 tablespoons olive oil 

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 cup cooked + chopped broccoli raab (or regular broccoli)

1/8 cup chopped parsley 

A pinch of crushed red pepper

Salt + pepper

METHOD:
Cool pasta according to package instructions. While pasta cooks chop garlic, chop cooked broccoli, chop parsley and zest lemon. Drain pasta and reserve 1/2 cup of water. Use the same pan, sauté garlic in 1 tablespoon olive oil with tuna for 4-5 minutes. Add cooked broccoli, crushed red pepper and capers stir for 30 second. Add reserved pasta water and bring to a boil, add cooked pasta. Stir until liquid is reduced and coats pasta. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley, lemon zest and juice, remaining olive oil, salt and pepper. Serve in two bowl and enjoy!!

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