Pesto Change-Oh!

By, Robyn Latman, Esq. 

Let’s get back into the kitchen.  But, first, there is something that I wonder about.  What does your dream kitchen look like?  Are you a home-owner or do you rent an apartment?  If you are a tenant, I wonder how different the kitchen would look if you could design it yourself.  A lot of rental apartments have very basic and simple kitchens without a lot of counter space.  Is this true for you?

In my ideal kitchen, I would like to have a large center island where friends and family can sit for casual meals or snacks.  Happy Hour with a cheese board?  Yes, please.  Let’s lounge around the center island, some on bar stools and others mixing drinks.  We can pour coffee and schmear cream cheese onto bagels on the weekends, while sitting at the center island. 

There is a sink and a dishwasher in the center island, on the side facing the stove and oven.  Hop on a chair, talk to me, and tell me about your day while I rinse dishes across from you.  I will place a large bowl filled with fresh fruit on the countertop.  Please, help yourself.

I will have refrigerator drawers built into the island, right next to the snack drawers. In my kitchen, there are lots of windows and a sliding glass door that let in the light.  The dining table is off to the side, and there is plenty of room for everyone.  So, tell me, what does your dream kitchen look like?

Thinking about those windows, with sunlight streaming in, reminds me of the warmer weather when farmers markets pop up everywhere.  Wandering through the farmers market, I spy the pots of basil plants, both green and purple, and I think of pesto.  Homemade pesto is so simple to make.  It takes only a few minutes and a few ingredients.  You know what else?  It’s a sneaky way to add greens into meals.  Picky eaters won’t even realize that they just got served some veggies. 

Pesto is perfect in pasta dishes both warm and cold.  It’s a great spread for your favorite wraps and sandwiches.  Pesto makes a fantastic filling along with goat cheese and veggies in omelets.  It’s also a unique way to snazz up your tuna sandwich.  Recently, I had lunch with a friend in Central Park, and the restaurant drizzled fresh pesto on our rustic tuna tartine.  Delicious.

Are you ready to make pesto at home?  All you need is a big bunch of fresh basil (about 2 cups), 2 garlic cloves, ½ cup grated parmesan cheese, ¼ cup toasted pine nuts, about 2/3 cup olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  Put all of the ingredients into a food processor and chop to your desired consistency.  You can add in the oil slowly to adjust the pesto depending on how smooth you like it.

Want to change things up?  An alternative to this classic recipe is to swap fresh spinach for the basil and use walnuts in place of the pine nuts.  You can make pesto last longer by freezing it in ice cube trays and then storing the frozen cubes so that you have pesto in a flash whenever you want it.   Time to get chopping! 

Kitchen Full of Garbanzos

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

Hello again from my kitchen to yours.  Let’s get back to the gathering place in the home, and have some more fun.  Am I right? 

So many families gather in the kitchen.  The kitchen feels easy and breezy so conversation can flow.  The kitchen has a welcoming table for coffee and cake.  Oh, the delicious smells that come from the oven and the stove.  The kitchen is a place where parents can make a meal while overseeing kids who are busy doing homework at the table. 

Have kids who love to cook?  Maybe all of the latest kids cooking challenges that are on television have inspired you and your kids to spend more time together discovering and creating the foods that you see on those shows.  It’s true that when kids participate in the cooking, they are willing to try more foods.  If they made it, they will likely eat it. 

So, today, let’s talk about easy dishes to make with garbanzo beans.

Chickpeas

Did you know that beans are extremely high in antioxidants, they’re delicious, they are low in calories, and they fill you up fast.  Each type of bean boasts its own nutritional powers, so make a point to taste different types of beans in different dishes. 

Studies show that eating beans regularly will reduce your risk of diabetes, heart disease, obesity and cancer.  To reap the anti-aging and disease-fighting benefits that beans offer, you’ll want to include a variety of them in your diet.  After all, they say that variety is the spice of life. 

Also known as a chickpea, the garbanzo bean is a dietary staple in many cultures. They can be used whole, mashed or ground into flour. They can be eaten cold in salads, cooked into stews or shaped into falafel balls. Like other legumes, garbanzo beans are a great source of protein, which is essential for energy and muscle development.  They’re a great source of fiber which keeps the digestive tract regular, lowers cholesterol and maintains blood sugar levels.  How will you incorporate these beans into your meals? 

Lately, I have been making my own hummus.  It’s so simple to make when you start with a drained can of garbanzo beans and then add some tahini, lemon juice, lemon zest, olive oil, garlic, salt, turmeric and cumin.  You may need to add a splash of water to make your hummus more creamy. 

Hummus with olive oil and pine nuts

You can experiment with hummus flavors by adding whatever you like.  Start with sun-dried tomatoes, olives, pine nuts, caramelized onions, roasted peppers or any other ingredient that you enjoy. 

To make hummus at home, I toss all of the ingredients into my mini Cuisinart, and blend until it is the consistency that I like.  The result is a creamy, smooth treat.  I like to spread this onto a whole wheat tortilla and pile it with greens, avocado and tomato.  You could also use hummus as a dip for cut up vegetables or crackers. 

Got pita chips?  Dip them into the hummus.  If you have pita bread, you can easily make your own pita chips by cutting the pita into small wedges.  Brush each wedge lightly with olive oil, and then toast them in your oven. 

Delicious. Try it this week! 

The Whole Egg

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

No matter how much you love the kitchen in your house or apartment, whether you designed it from scratch or you rent it how it comes, it’s a nice treat to get out of the kitchen, and let someone else do the cooking for you. 

When we are not working, we deserve some time to play.  If I spend too much time at home during my down-time, I tend to watch more television than I prefer, and I start to feel like I am glued to the couch in an unhealthy way.  I crave fresh air and sunshine.  My muscles want to move. 

What greater pleasure is there on a weekend morning than enjoying brunch out with friends? 

Get up.  Get out.  Find a cute spot for a meal.  My usual order?  Eggs.  I love omelets, and my toughest decision is what to have in them.  Spinach and feta, broccoli and cheddar, or tomato, avocado and goat cheese? 

I know what you might be thinking.  Eggs are bad for you.  Well, eggs do get a bad rap, but it’s just not true.  Eggs are a great source of protein, and, at about 80 calories each, one large egg provides nearly 10% of the protein that you need in a day.  The yolk is a great source of choline, an essential nutrient in which most of us are deficient. 

Choline is necessary for the normal functioning of your brain and nerves, it aids with nutrient transport throughout your body, and it reduces your risk for dementia, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease and breast cancer. 

Often wrongly accused, the yolk doesn’t raise your cholesterol. 

Saturated fat in the diet, not dietary cholesterol, is what influences your blood cholesterol.  Unhealthy fat raises cholesterol.  However, most of the fat found in an egg yolk is the heart-healthy, mono-unsaturated variety.  

Want to lower your blood cholesterol levels?  Try these healthy lifestyle changes: if you are carrying extra weight on your frame, losing even 5 – 10 pounds can make a difference. 

Want to feel better in your clothes? Choose healthier foods including heart-healthy fats like those found in avocados and olives.  Eat more whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Add more foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as walnuts, salmon and flax seeds into your meals. 

These foods help to lower “bad” LDL cholesterol.  Exercise on most days of the week.  You don’t need to sign up for a marathon.  Start with a goal of 30 – 60 minutes of moderate exercise on most days.  Too much?  Start with a ten minute walk.  Drink alcohol only in moderation. 

So, go ahead and plan a brunch date with family or friends, order eggs prepared your favorite way, be sure to include some veggies, and then get out for a walk in the sunshine afterward! 

Whipping Up Some Avocado Cream

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

It’s time for a trip to the kitchen.  When was the last time that you made something with your avocado rather than just slicing it on a sandwich or stuffing it into an omelet?  Avocado toast?  Sure.  Smoothie addition?  Of course.  But avocado cream?  Now, that sounds good to me.

Technically a fruit, we usually think of the avocado as a vegetable. 

You already know that avocados are delicious, that they are full of heart-healthy fats and that they are a good source of fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid.  But, did you know that they also enable your body to absorb more of the fat-soluble nutrients from other foods that you eat with them?  That’s right.  

This hero of the Mediterranean diet encourages its meal companions to be mightier than they could otherwise be. 

Much like olives, over half of the fat in avocados is oleic acid.  This monounsaturated fatty acid makes it easier for your digestive tract to form transport molecules which take many powerful nutrients up into your body. 

The healthy fats in avocados are key supporters of our inflammatory system, and their anti-inflammatory properties make them particularly useful in combating arthritis.   Avocados are also a good source of lutein, an antioxidant that may help to maintain your eye health as you age.  

Every day is a good day for guacamole.

Guacamole with the fixin’s

We love to dice our green, pitted friends, add some lime juice, red onion, cilantro, garlic and tomato to scoop up with our favorite chips, pile onto nachos or stuff into burritos, but there are other delicious ways to include this green food into your meal. Not just for Cinco de Mayo, avocados are for every day.  

So, let’s step into the kitchen.  I am sharing this recipe to use avocados in a new way.  I call it Avocado Cream.  I’m betting that you will call it delicious.

 In a food processor or a blender, combine the flesh from one avocado, the juice from one lemon, a dash of pepper and salt to taste.  Last night, I whipped up this sauce in my mini cuisinart and added it to whole wheat pasta with broccoli, sundried tomatoes, ricotta cheese and some grated parmesan. 

It would be great on a whole wheat tortilla with lettuce, tomato and brie.  You can try it as a sauce for shrimp or fish, a dip for vegetables or whatever way you desire.  Have fun and experiment. 

How will you use your avocado cream?  Enjoy!

I Don’t Like Purple

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

There, I said it.  I don’t like purple.  Maybe that’s an odd thing for an adult to say. I don’t care. It’s true. Purple is not my favorite color. It’s not even in my top three. What can I say? I do not like purple. Don’t get me started on lilac. To seal purple’s fate, the smell of lavender makes me gag. Yes, those innocent-seeming sachets that I begrudgingly allow to protect my cashmere sweater drawers make my nose twitch.

Purple, you are out.

Back in elementary school, I’m pretty sure that I loved purple. Purple was different, purple was unique, purple wasn’t the obvious first choice for favorite color because it wasn’t one of the three stars of the primary color wheel. Red, blue, yellow, we see you. 

Everything changed for me when other kids started deciding that their favorite color was purple, too. No thank you. And, with that, purple was off my radar.

But, I’m here to tell you that the offending color might squeeze its way back into my heart through food. Purple, there’s hope for you, yet. That’s right, eggplants, blackberries, blueberries, plums, purple carrots, purple cauliflower and purple potatoes are melting my heart.

Often, I make a purple breakfast smoothie.   Milk (in whatever form you prefer), berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries – in any combination), frozen banana, nut butter and ice.  Some cocoa powder makes a nice addition, as does Greek yogurt.  Want to hide some greens in there?  Try a handful of spinach.  Blend and enjoy. 

If your mornings are rushed, and all you have time to do before running out your house or apartment door is to grab a piece of fruit to go, you can whip up a batch and store your smoothies in the fridge so that they are ready to go when you are. These are great to take to work or for an after the gym snack.  Smoothies are delicious at any time, really. 

So, what is it about purple foods that endear them to me so?

Purple foods contain anthocyanins – chemicals that protect your cells and heal your body. These special chemicals promote eye and heart health, and they prevent cancer cells from multiplying. Purple foods are filled with powerful antioxidants and have anti-aging benefits. Couldn’t we all use some of that?

In a world that keeps us stressed out and on the go, the magic of purple can brighten our days. 

What purple foods will you add to your next meal?

Vitamin Sunshine: The Wonders of D

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

They call Vitamin D the Sunshine Vitamin.  Were you thrilled to see some sunshine during the past few days?  Even though we are in the heart of Winter, and we expect frost in the Northeast, the sun has been shining, and the air is crisp.  The heat is on, and the windows are open.  If you rent an apartment, you may not have control over your climate.  Perhaps you even wish for some snow to cool things down.   

Are you longing for Old Man Winter and his whipping winds?

 It’s usually around the beginning of March when most of us dream of Spring.  We look forward to the chirping of the birds and the warmth of the sun.   This year, however, the birds seem to have stayed local. 

Did you know that most of us don’t get enough Vitamin D throughout the year?  About 86% of Americans are deficient in this necessary vitamin.   

The sunshine vitamin helps us to absorb calcium, and it promotes strong teeth and bones.  When you are deficient in Vitamin D, your bones break down to supply calcium to the rest of your body.  Vitamin D also prevents against cardiovascular disease.  At optimal levels, it offers protection against many cancers, depression, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Alzheimer’s disease.  

Is there a spot in your home where the sun comes in?  Maybe you have a chair in that spot where you read a book and turn your face to the warmth.  Or maybe your cat has claimed that spot as its own.   This is the spot where plants will thrive or deliveries from the florist will bloom. 

This miracle vitamin is produced when sunlight hits the skin.  Specifically, it is the UVB rays, the good rays, that we need in order to make Vitamin D in our body.  When we consider that sunscreens have been blocking these protective rays for the past 25 years and we factor in the amount of time that we spend indoors, it’s no surprise that most of us are deficient. 

Scientists are taking a new look at sunshine, and you should, too. 

A daily dose of 15 minutes of summertime sun gets your body the D that it needs.  During the months when the sun won’t shine, we need to eat foods that contain Vitamin D to maintain an optimal level.  Good sources of Vitamin D are egg yolks, mushrooms, dairy products including milk, butter and cream, and oily fish such as salmon, herring and tuna.  Make the choices that work best for your taste buds. 

So, make it a point to get out into the fresh air and sunshine for 15 minutes each sunny day, and fill up on these healthy foods to make sure that you meet your requirement for Vitamin D.  Your body will thank you, and so will your mood. 

Get Stuff Done

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

Did you think the entire month of January would pass in such a flash?  It’s true.  The entire first month of this shiny, new decade is done.  How do you feel when you look back at your calendar? 

Are you the type of person who makes New Year’s Resolutions and sets goals or intentions for the twelve months ahead? Do you pan meticulously and jot it all down in a variety of colors?  Or are you the type who thinks that’s for other people?

Well, the truth is that it doesn’t matter.

Everyone has an idea of what they’d like to accomplish, whether they call them resolutions, goals or items on a list. To-do list, leap list, bucket list, schedule, agenda or however you like to think of it. The idea is the same, whether you break it down by year, by month, by lifetime milestone, or whether you plan just in your dreams.

We want to get stuff done.

Maybe your list is filled with home improvements or vacations.  Maybe your calendar is filled with work and meetings.  Are you the sort to plan way in advance?  Or do you simply plan for tomorrow or the week ahead?  

If it is important, it will get scheduled.  If it isn’t scheduled, it doesn’t get done.  Does that resonate with you? 

So, what happens when the stuff doesn’t get done according to your timeline? Do you give up, telling yourself that it was foolish anyway; resolutions are made to be broken. What if I told you that there is another way. Dare I say it, a better way.  What if there was a way that worked, tried and true, over and over? 

That’s right. Rather than stomp your feet and tell yourself you’re not good enough, how about telling yourself that you’ll try again. You’ll start over.

Be your own best cheerleader.

Begin anew. Start again. And again. However many tries it takes, you’re worth it. If you have a goal, an intention, a flash of inspiration, go for it. This is your year.

So, let’s take out that planner, grab a calendar or open the computer.  However you like to plan, start there.  Got a scrap of paper to make a to-do list?  Great.  I suggest several categories rather than just one list.  Items for work, items of self-care, items that make your living environment a more joyous place to be.  Social events and events that feel like a chore.  Places that you need to go and places that you want to go. 

Make your own categories, choose your own adventure, and dream of what you want to do.  Amaze yourself when you open up the world of possibilities that lay before you in the year ahead.  Go ahead, and have your best year! 

Excuse Me, Do You Have The Time?

By, Robyn Latman, Esq.

As the years go on and technology takes over, our lives are getting more and more busy.  There seems to be more to do and more that captures out attention, often in distracting ways.  We want to keep up with social media.  We want to keep up with our neighbors, colleagues and friends.  Do you find that this is true for you?  Many of us go through our days, weeks and months wondering how we lost track of ourselves.  Years go by, but we have not reached our goals. 

Do you ever wonder how you will possibly accomplish all that you plan to do in a day, week or month?  Do you always feel like time is slipping away from you?  Where does the time go?  Does time really fly?  We all know people who manage to get everything done and then have time to spare. It seems like their days have extra hours built in.  Do they?  Of course they don’t.  We each have the same amount of time in a day.  So how do we make the most of our time? 

It may not be vital to cross off every item on your to-do lists, but what is important is to make some time for yourself.  Living a stressed out, constantly moving lifestyle is doing damage to your health, both physical and mental.  Living in a constant state of stress brings down your mood, and it takes away your happiness. 

So, where do you fit downtime into your already packed schedule?  Think about how you spend a typical day.  Does just thinking about this make you feel exhausted?  It may help you to write out your schedule for a week so that you can get a clear picture of where your time goes.  Once you see how you spend your hours, you will be able to start thinking about how you can streamline your life. 

Find at least one area of your schedule that you can consolidate, cut down or cut out altogether.  Do you spend hours in front the television or computer?  Click the off switch a half hour earlier each day.  Do you spend too much time during the workday chatting with colleagues and then end up staying late to get your projects finished?  Limit these chat sessions to lunch time or hourly water breaks. 

Do you find yourself running errands several times in a day or week?   Plan to run all of your weekly errands at one time rather than spreading them out over multiple days.  Make a grocery list so that you can shop one time per week and not have to run in and out of the store each time you remember something that you meant to buy when you were there a few days ago. 

By consolidating your errands, shortening the gossip fests and turning off the television or computer, you will find that you have time on your hands.  What could you do with this gift of time?  Would you read a book?  Would you take a yoga class or maybe a bubble bath?  Would you call a friend to catch up?  Would you spend more time with your family?  Would you cook a delicious meal?

Time is what you make of it, so start making the most of your time.  Slowly, you will find yourself getting your life back and feeling the happiness that you thought was lost. 

Soothing Scents of Home

By Robyn Latman, Esq.

The sense of smell is so important.  A certain scent can invite us into a room or it can warn us to stay away from danger.  Candles burning softly on a side table next to the chair where you are curled up, reading a book, in Winter.  The smell of smoke from a burning ember that leapt from the fireplace.  Scents can remind us of someone special, and they can lead us to our favorite foods.  Grandma’s special sauce or fresh flowers brought as a gift from a friend. 

Home has a scent, too.  What soothing scents or smells do you like to keep around your home?  Some people keep their home smelling fresh, like a weekend outdoors.  Others prefer the constant and delicious smells of home cooking.  Do you burn candles that smell like vanilla?  What we smell can change our mood. 

Your nose can detect thousands of different scents.  In an instant, your smell receptors send information about aromas to your brain, where the messages get sorted.  Certain smells can make you calm, energize you, relax you enough to put you to sleep or stimulate you to perk you up.  Different smells can ease your pain, lower your stress and improve your mood.  Let’s make sense of some everyday scents. 

Ever wonder why so many sachets are filled with lavender?  It isn’t only because lavender keeps the moths and other insects away.  Lavender has a soothing scent that reduces stress levels, relaxes you and helps you to fall asleep.  Stash some sachets in your clothing drawers and some more on your bedside table.  You can spray your sheets and pillows with a lavender scented spray for a calming smell as you doze off to sleep. 

Why do many household cleaners smell lemony fresh?  In addition to their natural antibacterial properties, lemons are energizing, refreshing and natural mood lifters.  Need a boost?  Cut open a fresh lemon, and take a whiff.  Grind lemon rinds in your garbage disposal to freshen the drain and scent the kitchen.   When you do your Spring cleaning, take a moment to notice how the scent puts an extra spring in your step.  The clean smell will linger throughout your home and lift your mood for days to come. 

Feeling tired halfway through your day?  Feel as if you can’t possibly accomplish one more thing around your home, even though your to-do list is long?  Reach for the beans.  Smelling coffee or chocolate perks you up and helps you complete tasks more efficiently.  Keep a package of coffee on your desk, and take a whiff when you catch yourself in a yawn.  The scent of the coffee will heighten alertness so that you can focus on the tasks at hand.  Need a cognitive boost to finish a difficult project or the Sunday crossword puzzle?  The scent of chocolate helps you to process visual information more quickly.  Keep a box of dark chocolate on hand and inhale deeply when you need help concentrating. 

When you want to change your mood, consider changing what you smell.  A simple sniff can transform how you feel, reduce your stress and get you through the day.  Now that you know how lemons, lavender, coffee and chocolate affect you, what other smells will you start to notice?