Most epic bowl of noodle soup for breakfast- udon, baby bok choy, miso, arame, leftover veggie stock, sesame oil.
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Most epic bowl of noodle soup for breakfast- udon, baby bok choy, miso, arame, leftover veggie stock, sesame oil.
Homemade veggie soup on a cold day? Yes please! Veggie soups are ridiculously versatile. You can put pretty much anything in and simmer for an hour or so and it’ll taste good.
My personal method is to sauté onions, garlic, ginger, celery, salt, pepper, chili flakes, in olive oil over medium for a minute or two before adding water and all the veggies in.
Also- cook any leafy delicate veggies (cabbage, kale etc) last because no one likes soggy brown veggies!
Another tip, if you want to add beans, noodles or rice, do it separately so you don’t end up with what I like to call, starch blobs. Kidney beans, barley, wild rice, and macaroni noodles are my favorite add ins.
Get creative with your soups, experiment with different herbs and spices, and don’t forget that you can freeze your leftovers for future recipes (veg stock for risotto- anyone?)
To Good Health, Joyce
I like enjoying lattes on occasion, but the ones I’ve found in coffeeshops are usually too fattening and sweet. I use this recipe to recreate one of my favorites with much of the unneccessary fat and sugar removed.
Yerba Mate Latte
Ingredients 8oz milk of your choice 4oz water 1/4tsp honey or agave 1 bag yerba mate (or any tea you prefer
Instructions 1. Heat the milk in a saucepan or microwave 2. Pour the milk into your mug and add the water 3. Stir honey in until dissolved 4. Add teabag and let steep for at least 5 minutes if it’s mate. Enjoy!
Yerba mate is high in antioxidants and helps provide tons of energy without the jitteriness most caffinated drinks provide. Because of this, it’s often used by dieters to stave off afternoon snack cravings. I find it to be a good morning pick-me-upper, and tend to use one bag for 4-5 cups throughout the day.
To Good Health, Joyce
Holy smokes, tahini on toast! Tahini’s so versatile and healthy, I wonder how it doesn’t end up in more recipes. It’s a good source of iron and protein and provides good fat for your body. This morning I had a slice of toast with tahini and honey. Halvah anyone?
To Good Health, Joyce
Favorite fall snack before painting the town red - pink lady apple, raw almond butter, raw agave, cinnamon. Better than apple cobbler and a lot less fat and calories. Good energy for the dance floor! To Good Health, Joyce
Morning Miso Soup
Ingredients 1 heaping tsp of white kyoto miso paste or to taste 16-18oz hot (not boiling) water 1/4tsp sesame oil Dried Arame or any sea vegetable you like.
Instructions 1. Mix the miso paste with hot water until dissolved. 2. Add dried sea veggies and let soak until soft. 3. Add sesame oil and enjoy!
You can also add any leftover veggie in this versatile soup (cabbage, carrots, broccoli etc), or even rice or noodles. I like having it on colder mornings when I’m having a hard time waking up (also a good remedy if you’ve been partying all night). Sea veggies are high in iron, vitamin A, calcium, and vitamin B2. Miso that is low in sodium can help your digestion as well.
To Good Health, Joyce
Had a conputer meltdown this morning before I had to drop family off at the airport, before missing a deadline…
Surprisingly, I didn’t find myself much stressed at all. Perhaps a but frustrated that I had to make an unnecessary trip out to the Apple store, but that’s about it.
Stressful days should be taken in stride. Take a deep breath, mentally organize your to-do list, and do one thing at a time. it’s surprising to realize how often we forget to do these things, and let our minds spin off into chaotic anxiety. Really, if you think about it, you’re less capable of productivity if you’re so focused on wigging out. Funny how that works.
Anyway, after getting most everything done, I headed back to my parents’ to forage for any food that may spoil while they are away, and found this lovely fruit. It’s a star fruit (not exactly local), but definitely a nice pick-me-upper to remind me of my roots. Call it- comfort food.
So, I try to remind myself to be present and aware of my body and mind at all times, even when I really would rather not, like today… But to be present, allows yourself to be honest with yourself, and ultimately I think it’s one of the keys to being truly happy. At least, it makes life a whole lot less complicated!
To Good Health, Joyce
photos by alex rapada
“Letting go of our need for control opens us up to the wonders that exist in our lives right now. When we start to have fears about what will happen, we automatically catapult ourselves out of our lives and start mentally fretting over something that may never actually happen. Once we realize that we can never be in charge of the future and that by holding onto a future fantasy we are more likely to be frustrated, however, it will become much easier to fully engage in what we are doing in the present — living in our lives instead of in a daydream. Being present today will bring your focus to the moment and will give you a greater feeling of well being about your life as it is seen.”
