"Eliminate Garbage by Adding High Performance Ingredients"

Hello Friends!

If you are the busy mom (or dad) of a young athlete you probably have your hands full with feeding your kids let along feeding them well!  There are so many nutritional claims on products and the advertising that targets our young athletes is often times over the top!  In my forthcoming book "Winning the Game:  The Busy Mom's Manual to Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps,"   I have a chapter devoted to "Eliminating Garbage by Adding High Performance Ingredients."  I think it's important to take a step away from the tv ads, magazines and supermarket displays if we want to see clearly what is being ingested by our kids.  If you are busy juggling schedules it is sometimes difficult to stand your ground when your kids are bugging you for that candy or ice cream at the snack stand isn't it?

Here is a very simple list of some power foods that help young athletes in a variety of ways:

Eggs - helps build muscle and burn fat
Oatmeal - boosts energy, reduces cholesterol and maintains blood sugar levels
Beans and other legumes - (ex chickpeas, black beans, kidney beans) helps build muscle, burn fat and        maintain digestion
Green vegetables - neutralizes the free radicals
Almonds, seeds and other nuts - builds muscle and helps with cravings
Lean meats - especially farm raised animals that are not factory raised - builds muscle, improves the immune system
Whole Grain Breads and Cereals - helps prevent you from storing fat
Olive Oil - lowers cholesterol and boosts immune system

These are not the health food store variety of specialty foods!  They are probably in your house now!  If your young athlete is interested in taking his/her game to the next level by improving his health and wellness this may be the right time to implement simple changes in his/her routine.  These foods should be eaten by all of us however the physical and mental stress that young athletes face often compromises their immune system.

There are many ways to substitute foods that or children may be used to eating.  One of my biggest pet peeves is the snack stand that sells garbage to our kids.  The amount of garbage consumed during one baseball game, soccer game, summer swim meet is absurd!  The artificial colorings (not getting into food sensitivities, ADD, ADHD here ), high fructose corn syrup and empty calories is at an epidemic.  Yes, you can set boundaries for your children.  If you are consistent with your expectations, you will find that they really are ok with eating some nice crunchy grapes, apples, or blueberries instead of a gooey rope of candy.

Stay tuned for some more strategies!
Be Well,
Krista

~ Parents who are afraid to put their food down usually have children who step on their toes.

                              Chinese Proverb

2 YEAR CRANNIVERSARY IN THE BIG EASY!

Gooood Morning Everyone from N'Awlins!


I am celebrating my 2 year cranniversary (yes, that's what we brain tumor peeps call our surgery's anniversary) here in one of the best places to celebrate!  We are having so much fun and eating such amazing food (and I'm even getting tons of my favorite greens in brand new ways) that it's hard to really put myself back in the mindset of two years ago at St Luke's Hospital in NYC.  I am continually grateful to everyone who inquires how I'm doing and understands that I'm not blowing them off if I don't see them next to me!

I'll update you on the status of my radiation soon - I have a second opinion pending that will help me decide what option is best for the treatment of the remaining bugger that is still in my brain.  We will knock it out from growing in the way that the experts and I  feel is safest.

Gotta get this day started!  We are going to explore the many parts of the city again today ...
In Gratitude,

Krista

St. Louis Cathedral on Jackson Square

At Pat O'Briens

"This doesn't even taste like it's good for you..." in response to my kale chips!

I don't usually post two blogs a night but I had to laugh when my fussy eater actually couldn't stay out of the kale chips that I just made.  I mean she is a total meat and potatoes kinda girl who now has braces that don't allow her to eat all the raw veggies she used to eat prior to the metal!

I've posted the kale chips recipe before but I had to laugh about her quote up there!  I was in Whole Foods today and was trying to be smart and not overbuy everything in the produce aisle like I usually do.  I got to the kale and had to buy it because it is one of the best veggies on Earth and they actually have the organic variety.  (See my post on dirty dozen to see why).  It costs about $3.59 per bunch which sounds like a lot but when I made these kale chips I thought about how if I had bought a bag of these chips it would have cost me around $8!  So for a few minutes of work (and seriously the olive oil was a treat for my cracked skin!) I had three cookie trays worth of chips.  NOT TOO BAD!

Again here are some benefits to eating kale:
one cup contains only 43 calories
5 grams of fiber
all the requirements for vitamins A and C for the day
134 milligrams of Calcium (that's why it's called the "heavy hitting crucifer")

Kale Chips

*1-2 bunches of kale (aka "King of Calcium and "heavy hitting crucible)
*olive oil
*sea salt or other spices you like (I use Gomasio, curry or cumin)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Remove kale from stalk, leaving the green in large pieces
Brush or use your fingers to lightly oil the kale
Put the kale on a baking sheet and bake for 4 mins. or until it starts to turn a bit brown.  Keep an eye as it can burn quickly!

Remove and serve!

Enjoy!

Balsamic Chicken ... Easy and Delish!

This is an oldie but a goodie ... I hadn't made it in years but needed something new for the crew and it worked!  Low carb eating (of course I added in sweet potatoes and sauteed veggies) that you can do quickly.

Balsamic Chicken

4 Boneless Chicken Breasts

salt and pepper to taste

2 T. flour ... you can experiment with different kinds if you are gluten intolerant

2T. olive oil

2/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2/3 cup chicken broth

1 t. dried thyme

Place the flour, salt and pepper on a dinner plate.  Dredge the chicken breasts and tap off any extra flour.  

In a skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and brown quickly - both sides, about 2 minutes per side.  Next, add the vinegar and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer until the vinegar is reduced by about two-thirds.

Add the chicken broth and continue to simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked - about 10 minutes.  Remove the chicken and keep warm.  Add the thyme and keep the sauce boiling until it's reduced a bit more, about another 10 minutes.  Serve the sauce over the chicken.

Enjoy this meal with your family!  

In Gratitude,

Krista

Dirty Dozen! Clean Fifteen!

 Morning All!

I had to share this youtube post with you.  An 11 year old boy's interpretation of what's wrong with our food system - the appealing marketing, the factory farming that leads to the food that is being raised on genetically modified seeds - and how this is just dangerous and not as nature intended it to be!

Please watch it - show it to your kids!  I think he's an inspiration to all of us!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVZwJbs54c
My favorite quote:  "We can pay the farmer or we can pay the hospital!"

I'm posting my list of foods that will help you decide what foods to buy organic and what foods you can buy conventionally.  These times are tough economically so if you are interested in making the best choices for your family - the ones with the greatest pesticide residue are the Dirty Dozen.  These are the best to buy organically.

Dirty Dozen (Buy these Organic):

1.      Peach

2.     Apple

3.     Bell pepper

4.     Celery

5.     Nectarine

6.     Strawberries

7.     Cherries

8.     Kale

9.     Lettuce

10.   Grapes (imported)

11.   Carrots

12.    Pears

Clean 15 (Lowest in Pesticides)

1.      Onion

2.     Avocado

3.     Sweet corn

4.     Pineapple

5.     Mango

6.     Asparagus

7.     Sweet peas

8.     Kiwi

9.     Cabbage

10.  Eggplant

11.   Papaya

12.   Watermelon

13.    Broccoli

14.    Tomato

15.    Sweet potato

Hope this lists helps you in your food shopping!  I have more fantastic food

shopping strategies in my upcoming book:

"Winning the Game:   The Busy Mom's Manual for

Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps"

Organically grown purple carrot!!

The video:  Monsanto Corporation Gets Owned By Eleven Year Old Boy?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvVZwJbs54c

Steel Oats in the Crock Pot?

Hello Friends!
Yes, I am already planning my breakfast for tomorrow! It is so damp and cold here in the Northeast and my belly has been growling all day.  I haven't made one of my favorite breakfasts in a long time as it hasn't been a terribly cold winter as of yet.  But here it is ... the best breakfast you don't have to make other than throw the ingredients in the crock pot when you are getting ready for bed.  You wake up thinking you are in a B&B as it is done before your eyes are even open. 

If you're anything like me, breakfast is a chore.  Not that I don't love it when someone like my husband makes me breakfast (ahem ...)  but I am usually so busy at least on the weekday mornings that I wait too long to eat and then start to shake!  We don't want to hear it but breakfast is so important to take part in.  First you are "breaking the fast," of not eating for probably a good 10 hours or so - those of you who think that by skipping this meal you will lose weight... you are completely missing out on a metabolism boosting tool.  Keep your internal digestive fires roaring with at least 3 meals a day.  If you skip breakfast, you are going to gain weight as your body goes into the "emergency" zone of holding onto all food.  It thinks it may not get any food so it slows down the rate of burning energy. You will never lose weight without eating breakfast.  So here's a simple recipe that you can dress up as much as you like or keep it plain if that is what works for you.  Simplicity rocks in my house because you can always tailor it to your needs individually :).

Crockpot Steel Cut Oats

4 C. water
1 C. Steel cut oats
dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins, sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds  (optional)
sweetener such as agave syrup, xylitol, honey, brown sugar, brown rice syrup
Fresh blueberries or other berries to be added after cooking

Measure 4 cups of water into the crock pot.  Add the cup of steel cut oats.  Stir Well and add desired optional fruits if using.  Cover crock pot and cook on low overnight (about 8 hours).  You can substitute some milk for the water  (Ex. 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 cup milk).

I love to make this plain and add my fruits to the oatmeal after it's done cooking.  This way I can offer it to my family to make it in their own style!  I also love to add nuts to my bowl of oats as I tend to burn off oatmeal quickly.  This slows it down and I love the way they taste.  There is a nice 4 grams of fiber (2 being insoluble which is great), 4 grams of protein, 26 grams of carbohydrates and no sodium, sugar (without the fruits) or trans fats.  This is also a great pre-game meal for our young athletes!!

So get those crock pots out tonight to start your engines tomorrow morning without having to think about it!  Done!  Awesome!

You can find this recipe and others that may help your family in my upcoming book:
Winning the Game:  A Busy Mom's Guide to Refueling her Athletic Family in Six Easy Steps

Coming Soon! 

Round 2 - Radiation!

New Year's Eve with my Girls!

Hello Friends!
Sometimes it's hard to remember why I started this blog two years ago! I love writing about food and all the little tricks that help me in the "Manager of the House" position! Here we are almost 2 years to the day of being diagnosed with a brain tumor. It's been a great two years in all that has healed, my brain becoming symmetrical again, and a new appreciation for life. If it wasn't for the help of my family, doctors and friends I would have had a much harder time dealing with the unexpected curve ball thrown my way. And for that, I am grateful to say the least.

Two years later I am happy to report that all is well. However there is a great opportunity for me to tell this residual tumor I've had enough of her (yes, I feel she is a female!) presence. You see these pesky meningioma tumors will continue to grow in many patients. There is no guarantee that they will not grow so we have to assume that growth will happen at some point. Being that my tumor is in a tricky spot near all my nerves in my face and eyes, the medical staff I'm working with feel that I need to stop it's growth before it grows. Otherwise the complications are not so good. So, we are at a point where we need to decide between two kinds of radiation to stop this sucker in her path. One choice is the gamma knife which is a one time shot of serious rays to the tumor. It continues to work it's magic long after the procedure. The other is called IMRT. This is an option preferred by my doctor as it gives the brain a chance to heal between sessions without as much chance for damage to the surrounding nerves. The only bummer is I would have to have it done Monday through Friday for 6 weeks in NYC. So, we are currently finding out anything we can about these options to make the best choice as it needs to be done in the coming months. The awesome part of this is that there are options out there that don't require you to have you skull opened with another craniotomy.

Thank you to those of you who have already volunteered to help out with this next phase ...I am just chalking this up to another life experience! You are incredibly generous and I am so blessed. I will update you as we find out what is the best option to take. As much as this just sucks, I am ready to knock this one out for the count for good!

Peace and Love,
Krista