Killer Cravings!!!!

Yes. It's the obligatory Halloween post from the health coach. Monsters, ghouls, demons---how about KILLER CRAVINGS!!! 

cue scary laughter:

Seriously though, you've got to read this one.

The negative side-effects of too much processed sugar is an issue I am super serious about.

Miso Soup & Honeyed Toast

For this recipe think: Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup----only, healthier.


Grilled cheese and tomato soup is a delicious, comforting quick dinner but it's also packed with calories, saturated fat and not ideal nutrition. That last part is what I care about most.


As a nutritarian, my biggest concern is "how many vitamins and minerals does my meal have?" Saturated fat, in modest amounts, is ok. Calories? We need them for energy. My goal is to make and consume meals that have as much nutrition as possible--so I can get the most nutrition mileage for my buck.

I came home the other night and it was chilly, a gorgeous fall evening here in Boston. It had been a long, tiring day and I was craving something hot, soothing--comforting. Since tomatoes prove to be way too acidic for my belly and I'm not the biggest fan of grilled cheese once it cools a bit (ick), I decided to make a healthier alternative and see how it turned out.

The result was not only simple--it was hella good (for my body and my soul).

This ain't your Mom's Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup

Keep these on hand for those nights when you're exhausted but 

don't want a growling belly at bedtime:

MISO: Go on out and get yourself some Miso paste. It's fermented soybean paste in a glass jar and it keeps for a loooooooooooooong time in the fridge. You can add it to a pot of hot water to make a simple broth or to sautes and sauces to add some probiotic power to whatever meal you're making. It's very awesome, very convenient and very delicious.

SEAWEED: Wakame is awesome. Nori--wonderful. Dulse--delicious. All these seaweeds pack powerful essential mineral content to whatever you're eating. Soups, salads or stir-fry. Amp up the nutrient-factor by shaking some of these onto your meal.


VEGGIES: Frozen in packages or pre-prepped by you and stored in the fridge: just add a cup of them to a pot of boiling water and 2 tablespoons of Miso and you've got yourself a homemade soup that beats Campbell's by a mile.

*******

Miso Soup & Honeyed Toast

buy this:

• miso paste
• frozen or fresh chopped veggies and/or finely chopped kale or chard
• finely diced seaweed of choice (these are sold in packages or in bulk in many natural food stores)
• whole grain (preferably sprouted) bread; if gluten is an issue, many gluten-free breads are available
• raw honey (from local, independent merchants is best--it keeps your money in your community)
• butter (organic is ideal--I liked salted)

do this:

• heat 2 cups of water in a pot on the stove
• put the bread in the toaster oven
• add 2 tablespoons of miso paste to the pot of water over medium heat. You don't want your miso to come to a boil, just get warmed nicely
• when steam is rising from the pot, toss in your favorite veggies and finely diced seaweed. Tofu is ok, too
• let the soup simmer for 5 minutes then transfer to your favorite soup bowl
• add some butter and honey to your toast

Sit back, relax and enjoy your extremely fast and nutritious dinner. Save the more adventurous meals for another night...

Easy Veggie Curry with Shrimp!

When it comes to cooking, my clients know I am all about making it easy. No cooking challenges or competitions here.


I recently took a recipe I've posted before and amended it. Why? Because I didn't have everything I needed in the house and rather than order a pizza, I would just do the best I could with what I had.


What a great way to live life, eh?


Ok, so here it is. The blog and the message for today:

For Jamie--15, Commits Suicide After Bullying

Several days ago, a 15-year-old boy named Jamie Hubley from Ottawa, Canada committed suicide. A quote from his blog post: 

'I just want to feel special to someone'

I was almost named Jamie.


My parents chose a different name. And it wasn't Dillan.

National Coming Out Day--Two People, One Irony, One Incredible Experience in Charleston

This past weekend, I attended a wedding in Charleston, South Carolina.

It couldn't have been a more lovely experience--most importantly because of how I received as one of the only LGBTQ people in attendance (or so I saw and knew about).

I had a lot of trepidation prior to attending this wedding--it isn't easy to don a suit and tie in some areas of my own neighborhood of Arlington, MA so I was preparing myself for the stares and sideways glances in one of the most conservative areas of our country.

Boy, was I wrong.

Sidelined By Stress

 Stress.

We all know the word--but do we really see it when it's actually happening--or not until it's too late? How many of us deal with innumerable stressors day in and day out but don't take the measures needed to combat the damage being done to our bodies?

Last month was intense, dude. Really intense. If you read my post about Getting Unstuck, I made a big decision to leave a situation that wasn't a good fit. Sounds easy, it wasn't. It took alot of courage, a lot of discernment and alot of sleepless nights spent trying to figure out the right solution.

All those sleepless nights took a toll on my immune system.

All the thinking and rethinking triggered my adrenal glands 24/7 and then this is what happens:

Dare to Be Different--Be Yourself.

While running the other day, I saw this leaf.

There it was, greeting the imminent shift of the season. Just being red and brave and standing out like a champ. 

I thought, "wow. If we could all greet change that way--expecting it, welcoming it and THRIVING when it came---what lives we would live."

Change happens. Summer is changing to Fall. Fall will turn to Winter. 

These things happen every year without fail and yet we rally against and often really struggle with acceptance when we experience this same kind of change in our lives. We can greet it with the BOLDNESS of this leaf.

What's more--we're afraid to be so freaking beautiful and stand out from the crowd. The thing that caught my attention was the color RED---the opposite of green on the color wheel. Being the opposite color of the others was what made it so gorgeous! How fun!

Try this in your life. Be different on purpose. Be yourself. Greet change with open arms and shine so intensely that someone has no choice but to stop and take your picture.

Mighty-fine Homemade Mocha

Ok. I'm going to let you in on a little secret here: I love mochas.

I like cooking. I like running. I like reading.


I LOVE mochas. 


Something about the coffee and chocolate combo just makes me happy all over. It's my one vice in a life filled with mindful eating and lifestyle habits.


Lately, however, I've run into some issues with my mocha love-affair.