I Was Lifted (and not talking levitation or any weird crap like that)

I started this week feeling like shit, full of self-doubt, it happens. I looked on Instagram (as if that’ll help any insecurities) and found that I had been tagged by Heather in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

She posted a quote from LittleBook of Thin and explained she was home with a sick baby. She could sit on the couch and eat Cheeze-its or get up and “be the boss of her body.”  My messaging was helping someone else, that’s why I do what I do, thank you Heather.

The next day, Marc and I watched the docu “if you’re not inthe obits, eat breakfast” on HBO.

It’s about kicking ass in your 90s. One woman, who is still running at 100, told her story. She used running to get over a family tragedy (tragedies actually). It got her out of bed, it got her to climb out of her grief. Jerry Seinfeld (not 90 but his mother was in the film) talks about his life principles, one of them is “bust your ass”. Whatever you’re doing, bust your ass at it. Get up, bust your ass- a theme was building

And on Wednesday, I’m telling you it was a week weird signs and signals, I ran into a friend. We have a high profile friend in common. I say that only because it’s relevant. My friend said, “do you know how I met her?” I didn’t. She explained that this high profile person wasn’t as high profile when they first met. She found out my friend’s husband was in a position to help her take her career to the next level. She didn’t mince words and asked my friend to meet her husband. I joked with my friend “wow, she just flat out asked for what she wanted, I could do more of that.” My friend, as she walked away, said “yes, you could.”  For the record, I’m a terrible “asker”.

Finally, last night Carolyn and I went to a book party at Hu for the fitness phenom Holly Rilinger. Holly’s new book “Lifted” offers fitness advice but also life advice (and my favorite nutritionist contributed to the book). Holly joked that she’s a journal keeper. When she reviewed her journals, in writing the book proposal, she constantly said “again”?  Holly said, “10 years later and the same issues?”We all have these reoccurring emotional themes we need strategies for. So whether you’re 40-something or 90-something, your words can “lift” someone else. Or, as Heather in Kentucky or the 100-year-old runner (I need to go back and learn her name) did, lift yourself.

Anybody or anything lift you up this week? Are you someone who asks for what you need?

Are you going to order LBT or Lifted right now?

Foodtrainers' Fancy Food Show Finds

Yesterday was our annual summer trip to the Fancy Food show. Basically, the Javitz Center is filled with a million food booths, some healthier than others. I have to give us a little credit and say we have become pros at the food fair thing. We didn’t eat ourselves into complete food comas or sample any more ice cream. Plus, we hit our 10k steps right away. It was great to see many Foodtrainers’ friends – Banza, Organic LivingSuperfoods (love the new look) and Grady’s cold brew . As always, we were on the hunt for new products too. Here are a few Fancy faves we’ll fill you in on, others we’re keeping a secret for our September Squeeze program and the Foodtrainers’ shop.

Super Sauces: do you believe in love at first bite? Filfil garlic hot sauce was my first taste of the day and my favorite. With over 20 cloves of garlic per bottle you may not want to consume this before a date or important meeting, but I  promise you’ll fall in love with this spicy new Brooklyn based brand. We are also all about Primal Kitchen’s paleo Avo-mayo which now comes in chipotle lime   And you might know The New Primal from their super spicy jerky  but they have a new, clean bbq sauce line  – sweetener from pineapple juice which also helps tenderize meat before you BBQ.

Alternative flours: Almond, cassava and chickpea oh my. We love seeing these gluten free alternatives in wraps, snacks and yup even pizza. Our faves go to Cappello’s pizza and pasta, Siete cassava wraps and Simple Mills crackers. 

the far right had basil, wow

Chocolate: we are so happy that chocolate isn’t going anywhere - we are forever Eating Evolved and Hu faithful (Hu  assured us single serves are coming) but the beauties from Moonstruck and the drinking chocolate from Treehouse Chocolate caught our eyes and tastebuds too. 

There wasn’t a ton of new kombucha but we did dig Revive, which uses alternatives to black tea for some fermenting… coffee kombucha anyone? That was Lauren’s pick of the day and we also loved their white tea with cucumber and mint. 

We have some ideas for summer travel snacks and our next September Squeeze. Make sure you are signed up for our newsletter to stay in the loop. Have a wonderful long weekend!

Which of the items mentioned are you most curious about? What do you see as the current trends in healthy eating?

Coffee, Crickets, Kombucha and other trends from Expo West

So sad this is among best photos with both of us from the trip

I’m sitting on the plane. My magazine binge is complete (Food & Wine’s “The New Healthy” issue good but Bon Appetit’s Culture even better), inbox has been cleaned out, the book I’m reading at a lull and it’s not yet time for a snack…so I thought I’d tell you a little about Expo West. Expo West is this massive Natural Foods Show; all the big players have booths and events and rookie players or new food companies come to get a jump-start. People spend days at this show. Carolyn and I were determined to see it all in one day and 23, 000+ steps later we did.

If I were to pick out a few trends or things we saw a lot of I’d say jerky is a big deal. These new offerings are a world away from Slim Jim. If you don’t think you’re the jerky type I’d do some taste testing. Carolyn said she felt many more products geared toward men and I’d agree. “Mancakes” is an example of this  (get it man + pancakes?). We saw some tea but coffee, particularly jazzed up coffee, was everywhere. There was coffee mixed with other ingredients (maca and guarana) and also coffee blended with nut milks. And our favorite of course….lattes on tap.

There was a whole lotta kombucha happening but many of the newer brands had more sugar than the Heathade and Synergy we covet. In terms of other beverages, a few of our favorite companies have come out with unsweetened versions. We’re saving our winner for May and our Pre-Summer Squeeze  program (so good, sorry to tease). In terms of sweeteners, monk fruit is making a name for itself. It’s zero calories and has no aftertaste. To be honest, I haven’t monkfruited a lot and initially dismissed it so I have to do some tasting.

 

And for anyone who said gluten free was a fad, read this study and take our word for it, it’s bigger than ever. And I’m not talking gluten free treats or gluten free crap but gluten free meal items like our beloved Banza. See their new packaging?

Carolyn and I were determined not to over sample. We tried to divide and conquer- Carolyn would taste sweet and I’d cover savory. We ended up both tasting both. I refuse to really ponder what I ingested but there was gluten free pizza (sample size but it was 9:30 am), Banza’s new mac and cheese, every coffee product offered, apple cider vinegar and more.  Did I mention we walked 10 miles? I said to Carolyn we’d need to do it again to make up for our excessive testing.

Oh and the nastiest item of the day was definitely a nutrition bar made from crickets  (not Exo…those are fine) and flavored with matcha. It had the worst aftertaste and we felt ill but as we rounded the corner Hu Kitchen to the rescue, a chocolate chaser makes every better.

Which of these trends or categories would you like to hear more about? Would you eat products made from crickets (you will likely see more…protein)? What’s your favorite magazine or podcast these days?

Fallspiration

In case you're in denial, snapped this yesterday. 

I don’t know about you but I’m over the grieving of summer gone by. You know what I’m talking about “I wish it lasted a little longer” or just the last everything “last dinner outside” or “last hurrah”. As if one cannot eat outside or have “hurrahs” in September. But if some suffer from over-kvechting, my attitude toward the seasons (and life in general) is more ADD in nature. Maybe it’s the planning gene but during the summer I’m excited about fall, when I’m on a vacation and should be “in the moment” I’m onto the next moment.

No matter what your “seasonal” issues are Labor Day was yesterday, kids (except mine) are back in school, limbs and midriffs will soon be covered (amen) and hey- the shrinks are back.

And because everyone isn’t like me doing their “summer’s over and it’s ok” jig, let me try to take your mind off it. Here’s some fall inspiration or “fallspiration” if you will

 

If you're feeling summer-sentimental this is the antidote

Pumpkin  No-Yo

If you’re in NYC, go to Hu Kitchen and try their No Yo Pumpkin Parfait. With pumpkin, maple, coconut milk and this crunchy goodness on top, you’ll forget summer I promise. And it’s grain free, gluten free and soy free.

Pears 

Carolyn’s just back from a trip to Portland aka pear central. As she said “pears are the new apples”, they’re loaded with fiber (5g/pear) and antioxidants. We’re loving crunchy boscs and using them waldorf-style  in salads and poaching them for a sweet dessert (if Carolyn can do it…)

New Season, new chip

 If the tortilla chip epitomizes summer, fall is about veggie chips. How about Snip Chips made from parsnips? Also loving and constantly selling out of Brussels Bytes (maybe I’m not the only fall fan)

Ancient Grains

It may be time to say goodbye ceviche and hello comfort food, healthy comfort food.

Ancient grains are something you’re going to be hearing more about. I’m loving this cookbook Cook With Ancient Grains. Ancient grains haven’t been changed or mangled (that’s one of the issues with wheat is how much it has changed. This cookbook has interesting uses for quinoa, chia and kaniwa. Even Udi’s the great, gluten free company has a line utilizing these ancient grains. We may have tried their jalapeno crisps on the way to Vermont.

New Tools

You may be excited about new clothes, for me it’s new tools – I have an Excalibur dehydrator I’m ready to put that summer produce in. I’ll be telling you all about my adventures with it but maybe you want to try a spiralizer or a new juicer?

No more portion distortion (or just distortion)

If you’re ready to buckle down you need your “food supplies”. I first learned about these stainless food containers from Food Matters. For lunches I use 1 for the salad or veggie portion of my meal and the other for protein. They’re great for transporting food but I use them at home to eyeball portions. 

What's Your Goal?

Summer sort of goal-less by nature but now it’s time for a challenge, Carolyn and I doing the 30-day push up challenge. Of course Fitbit can help if you’ve logged more hours on a lounge chair or car than on your feet. We’ve also had massive fun with this weighted hula hoop from Canyon hoops, we even had our office doorman hula hooping on side walk (don’t think men are the only people who cat call or honk to show “support).

Metabolism Tea

How about “just what metabolism ordered” Pu-Her tea. It’s from the same plant as green tea but it’s fermented. Crazy things happen when you ferment and some of the bacteria contain ingredients. that can lower LDL (bad) and raise HDL. Drink an hour after a meal. The Chinese have credited it with weight loss, our clients would agree. 

And I don’t want to spill all my Sept secrets. Be sure you’re signed up for our Monthly Morsels newsletter. We’re revealing (love the nutrition drama) our ultimate appetite squasher in Monday’s email.

What’s your Fallspiration or what are you most excited about? Any of our fall favorites you’re going to check out? If you’ve been away welcome back, let me know if there are any topics you want to see covered.

Forget the Oscars, Introducing the Ch-oscars

 Every February our offices turn into a chocolate tasting lab. We try the unusual, we had truffles made with sorrel and matcha salt and chocolate with mushrooms. There were superfood chocolates and drinking chocolates all in the name of finding the best, healthy chocolates around. And we did it,  for a complete list of our Chocofacts (the darker the chocolate, the lower the sugar) and Chocowinners (debloating chocolate anyone?) click here.

I thought I’d cherry-pick my personal favorites from the tasty group:

Matcha Cacao

You know from my Golden Milk post I love warm drinks. This powder is adult hot-cocoa mix. You take 2 tsp of the powder (it comes in other flavors too but matcha is amazing for your metabolism) add water as if you’re making tea and then top it off with frothed almond milk.

Sunbiotic Bar

I love probiotics and I’m not sure many people would say that. I think they’re one of the foods we all need to focus more on. Why? They help our mood (much of our serotonin is produced in our guy), our GI function and help our immune systems….. In LBT I also explain how this group of foods help sweet cravings. Sunbiotic offers all of these benefits in a not-too-sweet chocolate bar.

The Best Healthy Chocolate on The Planet

This bar from Hu Kitchen (pictured above) has a cult following. Clients talk about it and friends hoard them. It’s not only like some evolved form of adult Reese’s. It has creamy almond butter and quinoa for crunch and texture.  Plus, it’s dairy free, gluten free, soy free, vegan and uses no stabilizers. If you love someone and gift them this, they’ll love you back. If you taste this bar you’ll understand why.

Chocolate Mug Cake

Oh boy do I need food photography tips, have any?

I was late to the mug cake party. It was really the winter and this newsletter that made me give it a whirl. Since I’m not much of an after dinner eater- I had this for breakfast. I justified it by saying some of the ingredients go in my smoothie anyway.

Here’s what you do, combine

1 tbs almond flour (haven’t tried coconut flour)

1tbs cocoa (you could use cacao but I thought would need more sweetening)

1tbs almond milk

1 egg

1 tsp coconut oil

½ to 1 tsp honey (or maple or liquid stevia)

Mix all ingredients in a microwave safe mug. Cook for 60 to 90 seconds and check because you can go from perfect to dry and nasty quickly. Optional tsp almond butter on top (I opted for this you’ll see). I never have cakes so for me this was a complete treat, you can make sweeter or add different extracts for a mint, coconut or cinnamon flavor.
Are you a chocolate person (if you say no, please explain I don't understand how this is possible)? What's your favorite dark chocolate? Have you tried any of these selections? How can I take better food photos?