Friday, January 7, 2011

Resolution #2 Eat Healthier Right Now


Change is hard. Changing the way we eat isn't just about substituting one thing for another, portion control, and following a set of rules. If it was that simple, maintaining a healthy relationship with food wouldn't be one of the top 5 New Year's Resolutions year after year. Where we buy our food, how and where we eat our food, and the company we keep while we eat all factor into the choices we make.

Here are some articles, tips, and ideas to masticate in 2011

In 2008, Kino Macgregor (Certified Ashtanga Yoga teacher) contributed an article to the Living Mysore Journal which lists 10 healthy eating tips from interesting factoids to knowing when to cleanse. Click to view article.

Where we opt to shop impacts what we choose to eat. Here are some health food stores in and around Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Learning how to cook differently and with new foods is much easier with a good cookbook. Books on food and cookbooks at the AYB blog.

A yogic diet is very specific. Guy Donahaye (Certified Ashtanga Yoga teacher) discusses key points here and lists suggestions from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika.


Tips on how to eat and feel healthier right now
Replace sugar with agave, brown rice syrup, or date syrup
Get in the habit of reading labels
Do not eat high fructose corn syrup/corn sugar
Do not eat partially hydrogenated vegetable oil
Replace butter with ghee or non-hydrogenated vegan butter
Replace cheese with tahini
Replace eggs in sweet baked goods with mashed banana (1 egg = 1 banana)
Do not eat refined grains
Only drink fresh juice
Drink water instead if soda
Have dark chocolate instead of light, keep it dairy-free
Steam veggies rather than fry
Avoid labels that say "natural flavors"
Buy fresh vegetables instead of frozen
Buy whole fruit and vegetables rather than pre-cut



Quick and Easy Veggie Bowl for One
Cook Together:
1 cup Rice or Quinoa
2 cups Water
2 inches Sweet Potato
1/2 cup Onion if desired
Handful of Kale or Broccoli
1 small Beet
1 small Carrot

Garnish:
1/2 Lemon
Splash Olive Oil
Pinch Sea Salt or Tamari
1/2 small Avocado
1 stalk Green Onion/spring onion/scallion
Sprinkle Sesame Seeds or Pepitas
1/2 sheet Nori

Add grain and water to pot, turn up the heat. Wash and chop up about half a small sweet potato and onion and add to pot with grains. When it comes to a boil, turn down, cover, and simmer until water is gone and grain is cooked. In the meantime, wash and chop some kale, toss in. Wash and shred the beet and carrot, toss in.

Once the grain is cooked, plate it. Squeeze half a lemon (or more if you really like lemon) over the food. Add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of sea salt or tamari. Add half of a small avocado, sliced. Add green onions, sliced. Sprinkle sesame seeds or pepitas on top. Tear up 1/2 a sheet of sushi nori and add. Mix it all up and enjoy!

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