Since letting the world know I am knocked up I have been getting a ton of questions about my diet.  Most frequently I get asked, “have you had any cravings or aversions?” My slightly boring answer is no. Despite what a few friends predicted I have not found myself face deep in a bag of potato chips, French fries or bagels. I have not been making secret trips to Shake Shack for burgers and milkshakes (gross!). I haven’t even been turned off from my daily green juice as so many thought I would be. In fact, my food desires have changed very little since becoming pregnant. I still drink a ton of green juice every morning and I still usually have nutrient dense green smoothies for lunch. Yes, there are foods that turn me off but they are the same ones that have always turned me off- meat, dairy, grains, sugar, processed junk etc!

If I have anything at all that resembles a craving it is for even more vegetables than I usually consume. All my body seems to want to eat are plants, plants, and more plants! In an effort to change up my at home dinner routine I have been experimenting with different salads most nights. This recent combination of fennel, Brussels sprouts and avocado has been a real winner. The avocado gives me a much needed dose of healthy fat (good for baby’s brain development!), and adds a delicious creamy layer to an otherwise crunchy salad. This delicious salad is sure to be a hit whether you are expecting or not!

Brussels Sprout and Avocado Salad

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband! While Doug may not be as enthusiastic about birthday celebrations as I am, he still let me organize a little get together tonight to toast him. If I had my way we would be having much more of a party (perhaps involving ice-skating?) but it is his birthday after all so I (against my will) respected his wishes to keep things very low key.

Doug’s real birthday wish was to spend the weekend with me and Maddy in Boston seeing a Celtics game, walking around the North End and watching football in his favorite Boston sports bars so tomorrow morning we are packing up the car and heading north. It is always special for us to spend time in the city where we first met (11 years ago!!!), especially for a romantic pre-Christmas/Birthday weekend. I love trips that involve car travel instead of airplanes, as they tend to be much less stressful! After the weekend we will head to his parents house in upstate New York to celebrate Christmas as we do each year.

For Christmas Eve dinner this year Doug’s mother asked for some suggestions for new, healthy recipes to include in the meal. It was very hard to limit myself to just a few ideas! For a healthful holiday dinner my favorite dishes are Cauliflower Puree, Curried Cauliflower with Pomegranate, and Truffle Roasted Brussels Sprouts. All of these dishes are easy to prepare, crowd pleasing, and compliment any holiday table. On top of these favorites I also wanted to send along a salad suggestion that felt both hearty and festive. Somehow a normal green salad just doesn’t seem right on Christmas Eve! This Apple Fennel and Arugula Salad has a nice balance of spicy and sweet with a lovely added crunch from the pumpkin seeds.. The extra dose of zinc that pumpkin seeds provide is an added bonus! If you have never used umeboshi plum vinegar I urge you to give it a try. Easily found in the Asian section of most markets it adds an extra dimension of “umami” to this dressing. Don’t stress if you don’t have any on hand, any type of vinegar works great here!

Happy Holidays!

Apple Fennel and Arugula Salad

1. Toss the diced apples and shaved fennel w/ olive oil, lemon and umebishi
2. Allow apple and fennel mixture to marinate in refridgerator for about 30 minutes.
3. Place a handful of arugula on plate and top with apple/fennel mixture.

Being out of my kitchen for a week is always an odd feeling. Whether it is because of a vacation, a busy week of dinners out, or displacement due to a hurricane (hopefully not a frequent occurrence!) not being able to eat food that I have created makes my body feel out of whack. My body craves the massive dose of greens I give it each day via juices, smoothies and salads. While I was able to get my greens in last week, they certainly were not as plentiful as usual.

I am lucky and grateful that things have started to revert to normal for me. Yesterday I was able to watch the fierce storm outside my window from the warmth of my kitchen. My heart truly goes out to those who were not as lucky.

Since returning home I have found myself not wanting to leave. This week I have tried to limit my outings, errands, and meetings and really focused on getting work done at home. Sometimes it is very nice to just be in one place. I have been making dinner at home almost every night this week and it has been such a treat! To satisfy my body’s massive cravings for greens I have started each dinner with variations on massaged kale salads. This recent version has a Mediterranean twist to it. The addition of capers and olives add an extra layer of flavor that really upgrades this salad from good to great!

 

Happy Birthday to my sister! Betsey is significantly older than me and growing up I often looked to her for advice. In many cases she played the role of a second mother and would often try to convince me I was actually her baby! As we’ve grown up we have become close friends and the age gap seems to diminish with each year. I do however still go to her for advice now and then. Betsey always knows the best new novels to read, and the best restaurants to check out.

For over a year my sister was insisting I check out Tiny’s, a new-ish restaurant in our neighborhood that has become her favorite spot.  Despite Betsey’s promise of the best kale salad ever it took me forever to finally dine at Tiny’s. I finally did make it last spring and have been hooked on their kale salad ever since. It is really amazing, from the walnuts to the perfect maple vinaigrette. For Betsey’s birthday I created my own version of her favorite kale salad omitting the cheese Tiny’s uses and dressing it with a less sugary mustard vinaigrette. The result is a crisp fall salad, perfect for an early fall birthday!

Kale Salad with Apples and Walnuts

Mustard Vinaigrette

A few months ago a friend asked me why I didn’t have many recipes with tomatoes on my blog. It was April and the answer was obvious to me. I don’t eat tomatoes outside of the late summer months. Tomatoes are one of the fruits that just don’t taste at all the same when they are not perfectly in season. Few food experiences gross me out more than biting into a mealy, tasteless slice of tomato. Ugh!

As Sag Harbor’s Tomato Lady ( of the Tomato Lady Stand Est. 1973 ) says  “anyone selling (local) tomatoes in July is bringing them from somewhere else.” I have to agree with her. August tomatoes just taste better than anything you can get the rest of the year. As summer winds to an end I wanted to share my three favorite ways to eat local heirloom tomatoes. Enjoy!

 Heirloom Tomatoes with Basil and Sea Salt

• 1 large heirloom tomato
• 5-6 leaves of basil sliced thin
• sea salt

1. Cut the tomato into wedges and arrange on a plate
2. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt
3. Top with basil slices

Heirloom Tomato, Peach, and Corn salad

 

Heirloom Tomatoes and Avocado with Cilantro Pesto

 

• 1 large heirloom tomato
• 1 and 1/4  avocado
• 1/2 bunch of cilantro
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/4 of a medium zucchini
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• sea salt
• black pepper

1. Slice the avocado ( reserve the 1/4 avocado for the pesto) and tomatoes into wedges and arrange on a plate
2. In a blender combine the cilantro, garlic, lemon juice, zucchini and remaining avocado until smooth
3. Add salt and pepper to taste
4. Spoon the pesto over the tomato and avocado slices before serving

 

I cannot pinpoint the exact moment, but sometime in the last two weeks I developed a peach obsession. It all started over a family dinner out one night. My stepmother mentioned she had bought the most delicious peaches at a farm stand in Bridgehampton (about 15 minutes away from me). She couldn’t recall the name of the stand but knew the location and raved about these peaches so much it peaked my curiosity. Then, that weekend at a lunch with my dad, Doug, and his parents my stepmother served some of the peaches she had been raving about. Wow! These were truly the best peaches I have EVER tasted. I had to find the stand and get some for myself.

Last week, on our way to the beach my sister and I ventured to Pike Farms‘ farm stand (we figured out the name!) to get some of the fabled peaches. They did not disappoint. I bought almost two bags full! Perfectly juicy without being too soft or mealy these were the “juice running down your chin” kind. Is anything more summery than eating a fresh peach on a hot day?

With an abundance of peaches in my kitchen I decide to do a little more than simply devour them whole. Served over a bed of spicy arugula and topped with lemon juice these peaches make a perfect late summer salad!

Peach and Arugula Salad

• 1 medium peach (white or yellow)
• big handful of argula
• 1-2 T lemon juice
• sea salt
• black pepper

1. Slice the peach into wedges
2. Place the arugula on a plate and top with the peach slices
3. Drizzle the lemon juice over the peaches and arugula and finish with sea salt and black pepper

 

Few meals make me happier than a huge green salad. No matter where I am eating be it at home or out I always, always start my meal with a salad of sorts. Even if it is just a basic green salad I know that I am doing something good for my body by eating it. My salads vary greatly but I do have a basic blueprint I like to follow to make sure my creation is both delicious and satisfyingly nutrient dense.

In my latest How To Video I show how I build a basic green salad base. Once you have a good base you can add anything you like to fill it out and fit your specific mood. For example I personally prefer a simple mix of lemon juice and stevia as a dressing, but if you like something a little more complex go for it! The options are endless so get creative!

Happy 4th of July! Whether you are celebrating on the beach, at a bbq, on a picnic, or someplace else I hope your day includes lots of fun, family, friends and fireworks. I adore fireworks!

Recently a friend asked me why there were very few recipes featuring tomatoes on my blog. No, I am not a tomato hater. To put it simply I just don’t find tomatoes worth eating outside of the summer months. If you have ever had a perfectly ripe summer (they are best in August) tomato, you know what I am talking about. The sad, mealy, flavorless varieties you find the rest of the year are personally not worth my time. However, come summer I am a tomato fiend.

To many people nothing says summer like a classic Caprese Salad. I have to disagree. While I love ripe tomatoes and fresh basil, I personally do not eat gluey, mucus-y mozzarella (no dairy for this girl). However, I do have my own version of the classic that I love to make. In this recipe my favorite fresh made guacamole takes the place of the mozzarella. The creamy, healthy fats found in avocados are great for both satiety, and fresh summer taste! This dish would be a great addition to any July 4th celebration!

Tomato and Guacamole “Caprese”

• 2 medium to tomatoes sliced into 1/2 ” rounds
• 2 avocados
• 2 T chopped red onion
• 1 T diced jalepeno
• 1 clove garlic diced
• 2 T fresh lime juice
• 1 T cilantro chopped
• 1/2 medium tomato diced
• pinch of salt

 

 

 

I was honored when Vegan Magazine recently asked me to be a regular recipe contributor to their site. When they asked me for quick and easy vegan lunches and dinners I immediately knew which recipe I wanted to send!

This radish salad is simple to make, and light and refreshing to eat! It is best made in late spring/early summer when radishes are at their crisp, spicy best. Massaging the basil into the radishes allows the full flavor of the basil to be released. If you are not in the mood for a whole salad, the radishes massaged with basil and sea salt makes a quick and easy snack!

Radish Salad

• 2 bunches radishes
• 1 handful fresh basil torn into small pieces
• 1 T olive oil
• 2 T fresh squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups arugula
•  sea salt

1. Cut the stems off the radishes and scrub well
2. Cut each radish into quarters
3. Toss radishes with basil and a few pinches of salt
4. “Massage” radishes and basil with your hands, squeezing gently
5. Toss radishes and basil with olive oil and lemon juice
6. Add sea salt and more lemon juice to taste
7. Toss radishes gently with arugula and serve immediatly