Over the past several months I have been hearing about a delicious tasting noodle called shirataki.  The noodle is considered a miracle noodle due to its very low calorie count (20 per serving!), moderate amount of fiber and close consistency to real pasta.  Shirataki noodles are translucent traditional Japanese noodles mostly composed of a dietary fiber called glucomannan. I was intrigued and purchased a package at my local Whole Foods.  I had completely forgotten about them since they are stored in the refrigerator until the other day when I was watching the Dr. Oz show and he mentioned how konjac root fiber which is what’s in shirataki noodles to give them their fiber content helps you lose weight.

The other night I decided to make turkey meatballs with a dairy-free cream sauce over the fettuccine shirataki noodles.  Sorry, I forgot to take photos!  My husband and were surprised how good the noodles were. While the noodles themselves don’t have much taste they are enhanced by whatever sauce you decide to use.  I would imagine a great marinara would be delicious as well however I do not eat tomatoes so had to be creative.  An extra bonus for me is they are gluten-free!

I encourage you to head to your local health food store and pick up a package of shirataki noodles to see for yourself how delicious they are.  You can find the noodles in the refrigerator section with other tofu-related products.  Feel free to share your favorite shiratki noodle recipe here.

Ever find it hard to find healthy snacks while traveling?

I LOVE to travel!  Whether it’s exotic places or visiting family across the country it seems like I spend a lot of time out of my home comfort zone.  I also love to eat and find myself needing a daily snack, albeit a healthy one of course.  I do not eat gluten or dairy which can make things more difficult when searching for  a healthy snack option.  Many people consider frozen yogurt a healthy option.  I do not for 2 reasons: 1) it is loaded with sugar or artificial sweeteners and 2) I do not eat dairy.

I was recently traveling and found myself jonesing for an afternoon boost! Luckily I remembered that Starbucks has many healthy snack options which are gluten and dairy free.  Thank you Starbucks for offering Kind bars, roasted almonds, fresh fruit and two moms in the raw treats.  While I do not drink coffee, I am a big advocate of Starbucks for an afternoon delight!

Ok, I admit it… I don’t eat nutritious foods 100% of the time!  Yes, that’s right, there are times when I like to eat cake, cookies, ice cream, chips and even consume alcohol.  Do I think that means I don’t lead a healthy lifestyle? ABSOLUTELY NOT!  Overall I eat a VERY clean diet which includes lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and organic meats.  I don’t consume gluten or cow-milk products.  However, I enjoy eating and that means there are times I like to have dessert, dine out at restaurants and not have to worry about everything I consume being a nutritious food.

Because my diet is nutritious at least 90% of the time, when I do indulge I can enjoy it, rather than think I should not be eating the foods I am enjoying.  I will say that even my “less nutritious” foods are healthier than most!  I do not EVER consume processed foods with lots of sugar, artificial sweeteners, food dyes or hydrogenated oils.  I do however choose healthier indulgent choices. For example, I eat chips and hummus and my chip of choice is Food Should Taste Good Multigrain chips.

What sparked me to write about my definition of a healthy lifestyle?  It seems in the past week or so several of my new clients have stated that they strive to lead a healthy lifestyle but can’t “eat only fruits & vegetables 100% of the time”.  This thought process seemed odd to me because I don’t follow that philosophy and have never expected my clients to.  However, it dawned on me that many people associate healthy eating with dieting and therefore take an all or nothing approach to it.  Or worse, think healthy eating is about eating lots of plain fruits & vegetables with steamed tofu or chicken.  Sounds GROSS to me.

As a holistic health & wellness coach, my goal is to demystify the meaning of healthy eating!  Leading a healthy lifestyle is all about finding balance in your eating habits.  When we eat whole foods at least 80% of the time, we can feel better about the less nutritious foods we consume the other 20%.  I welcome you to find the right balance for your needs.

Last week Jamie Oliver was on Dr. Oz discussing his 4 ways to eat healthier and #4 was having a go to recipe that is easy to make and of course healthy!

Here is my favorite one:

Shrimp and White Beans
2 or 3 garlic cloves, chopped
4 scallions, chopped
1 pound medium or large frozen shrimp (tail off)
1 15 oz.can of white cannellini beans (rinsed)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley (fresh)
1 tbsp. coconut or olive oil

Heat oil in skillet. Saute garlic and scallions in oil for about 1 minute.  Add frozen shrimp and lemon juice.  Let cook for about 3-5 minutes or until defrosted.  Add white beans and parsley.  Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes.

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This time of year is difficult for most people to manage their weight.  So many obligations and celebrations and so little time to do everything.  Here’s a healthy video blog tip to help you relax and enjoy the holidays and manage your weight!

Happy Holidays.  Want more motivational tips?  Join my upcoming Group Coaching Boot Camp!  Details HERE

Last night I was watching TV and became impatient with commercials so decided to see what interesting show or movie I could watch for the next 3 minutes.  I found the end of the Sex and the City movie on.  The scene I happened to watch was when Samantha realizes she is unhappy in her current relationship. She had been feeding herself with food to compensate.  Carrie explains to her that you need to be happy in a relationship.  Samantha asks Charlotte if she is happy to which she responds “Yes, every day, not all the time, but everyday I am happy”.   I thought this was such a poignant scene in the movie and was shocked I did not comment on it earlier.

When we think of nourishing ourselves most people only think of food.  The truth is our relationships nourish us in ways food cannot, however food sometime is used as a solution to “fixing” our relationship woes. You should always be happy in a relationship, however there will be times when you might not be happy with the person (albeit short term hopefully).  When I was little and my mother would get mad at me I would ask if she still loved me.  Her response was always, “I always love you but I don’t always love the things you do.”  I think we can make a similar comparison about our relationships.

Whether you are just starting out in a relationship or have been together for decades, relationships are complicated and take time and energy.  If you can answer the question, “Are you happy?” then you are in the right relationship.

The numerous demands and expectations of our everyday lives can leave many of us feeling overwhelmed and “stressed out”.  While this may not seem like such a big deal, the truth is, stress can take a serious toll on your health.  Stressful emotions trigger the release of harmful chemicals like cortisol that can wreak havoc on nearly every aspect of our well-being.  A study done by Carnegie Mellon University found that stress contributes to a range of diseases including heart disease and depression.  Stress has been found to not only increase the likelihood of illness, but also death from illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. Stress has been linked to obesity, hair loss, ulcers, diabetes and infertility.

The good news is there are ways to effectively manage your stress , or de-stress, which are easy to implement!

3 Quick and Easy Ways to De-Stress

1. Don’t rely on caffeine. Loads of coffee and caffeine can dehydrate you and cause energy dips. Enjoy your morning cup and switch to more hydrating  beverages in the afternoon, like Vita Coco coconut water or regular water. You can also try herbal coffee (teeccino) and herbal teas.

2. Exercise! When we are extremely busy we need to find balance.  It is best to maintain your regular exercise routine the best you can (even if you can only do 15 minutes of exercise). You will be surprised at how much more energy and positivity you’ll have to carry out your daily activities.

3. Meditate to calm your mind. When our minds are racing, we need to stop and take a moment (three to five minutes is enough) and do less, even if we have the urge to keep going. This can be hard for most, myself included! Meditation helps bring us more balance, so we feel much more centered and don’t get bothered by the little things. Any time we quiet our minds from the constant cycle of thinking, it is meditation!