Learning to Pamper

I just recently headed off to Miami Beach for a conference with the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. Of course I learned a lot of good information but the best thing about it was the much needed vacation. I stayed on for an extra day just to give myself time to relax and recuperate from my hectic life at home.

That extra day was so fantastic. It was great just being able to do whatever I wanted. I headed off to Lincoln Road where I had a great time window shopping, found a fabulous little restaurant and had the most delicious meal, and when it started to rain I ducked into a movie theater.

I went to this beautiful and luxurious hotel for breakfast and ordered a pot of citrus chamomile tea. When the waitress brought it out I got as excited as a school girl on a trip to American Girl. It was in this cute pot and served on a tray with a little individual pot of honey and a lemon wedge on its own little dish. So cute!

I sat there outside, next to the pool with my cup of tea, soaked in the sun, and thought about how lucky I was to be there. I couldn't help but wish I could have a little more of this pampering. Of course my lifestyle doesn't really give me a lot of free time for extravagant vacations, sitting by the beach, sipping tea.

Then I thought, how can I bring a little slice of this to my life on a smaller scale? Seriously, why can't I buy myself a nice teapot with some cute cups and those adorable little spoons? I could get a little tray and sit out in my screen room overlooking the pond and sip my tea.

So that is my plan. A little pampering ritual that I am bringing back from Miami Beach. I went shopping yesterday but couldn't find one I was in love with so I will keep looking. I will be sure to post a picture when I find it.

I am on a path of learning how to treat myself special. I've spent most of my life focusing on my kids and I don't really even know how to pamper myself. Sad but true. I suspect there are a lot of women out there who can relate.

So, tell me your story. How do you pamper yourself and treat yourself special? If you don't spend a lot of time doing special things for yourself tell me one thing big or small that you would love to do for yourself. Maybe you can give me some great ideas!

Ornaments of Love

I love Christmas! It is my favorite holiday of the year. Every year after Thanksgiving, we pull out our Christmas tree and we go about the task of decorating it and I couldn't be more excited. Once we get past the initial struggle with the lights, the fun begins. I gather all the kids around and we open up the boxes of ornaments and I begin passing them out.

Each year I give my children a new ornament. It usually has to do with something they did in the year or a strong interest they have. There have been ornaments of just about every sport given out as well as musical instruments and favorite characters. I really love handing my 12 year old a Telletubby ornament. He cringes every time but we all laugh and I remember when he couldn't get enough of that show (thank God that is over!!!).

In 2000 my mother in law passed away in July. During that first Christmas season we received an envelope from the funeral home that handled the arrangements for us. Inside was a paper dove ornament with gold trim and her name written on it. It made us pretty sad that year but it reminded us how much she loved Christmas and it gave us an opportunity to talk about her as we put the ornament up onto the tree.

Nine years later, we still put that ornament up onto our tree in a special spot up high where it is safe and honored. It has become a special time where we can remember her and honor all that she gave us while she was a part of her life.

I am so grateful that we were given this simple gift that year when we weren't even sure we were ready to deal with it. It has given us years of joy and I suspect it will continue to for many years to come.

Is there someone you would like to honor this holiday season? Perhaps you can create a special ornament or decoration that will spark a memory, begin a conversation, or bring about a sense of gratitude for having had the privilege of knowing them. Or maybe there is someone you know who could use a simple gift or remembrance this year.

Seaweed for Dessert?

I know it sounds CRAZY but I am telling you, this is good stuff. It's like jello without the connective tissue (if you didn't know that's what they make jello out of...sorry). Honest engine, every single person in my family loved this and the best part is that is good for you!

So what is it you ask? It's called Kanten in Japan where it originated or agar agar here in the US. It is basically a flake or powdered seaweed. It is tasteless, has zero calories, zero carbs, zero fat and over 80% fiber. Because if its high fiber content and its ability to absorb water it keeps our tummies feeling fuller for longer. In fact, it is being touted as the weight loss secret of the Japanese.

You can buy it your local natural health food store. I got mine at Whole Foods. It is also available online at Amazon.com if you like to click and buy. Be sure to ask for it by its American name agar agar. You will find it in the Asian aisle by the seaweed.

This recipe is adapted from one I got from Andrea Beaman. You can change out the fruit and the juice but this combination seems especially good for Thanksgiving. Don't be scared! I promise it doesn't taste like fish or even seaweed for that matter. It just tastes like fruit jello. Yum!

Fish For the Whole Family

Not everyone in my house likes fish. Big surprise there right... it seems that there is always someone who doesn't like something but fish is actually one of the things that quite a few people don't like.

I make it every week anyway. I never tell the little ones it's fish. We call salmon pink chicken and I usually call white fish chicken. It's funny because my 7 year old always asks me if he has to be careful for bones in this kind of chicken. I plan on letting him know very soon that he eats fish. I just wanted him to get used to the food before he found out what it actually is.

Last night I made a new fish recipe that everyone really liked. My husband thought it was great which is a miracle and thrilled me to no end. None of the kids even complained. Well, OK, I cannot tell a lie. A few of them were not too thrilled with the collard greens but the fish they liked.

Frantic Holiday Eating

The countdown to holiday eating has begun. We are only days away from eating out big Thanksgiving feasts which leads right into holiday baking, holiday parties and an endless supply of food.

What's a girl to do? You want to be healthy. You don't want to gain weight but you wait all year for those special cookies and your grandma's famous dessert. What would the holidays be without all those special foods you ask yourself.

Trust me, I've been there more times than I would like to admit. I've gone through the holidays gorging on every bit of food on the table until I was so full I felt sick. I've also gone through the holidays on a strict diet, refusing to eat anything that might make me gain weight. Neither of these plans has worked for me and I'm guessing that I am not alone.

As much as we would like to think of food as pure fuel for our bodies there is no denying that food holds a special place in our hearts. Just the smell of something baking in the oven can bring us back to a happier place let alone that first delicious bite. Do we really want to deprive ourselves of that warm fuzzy feeling? Well there must be a way to have our cake and eat it too.

Here are my top tips for getting through the holidays without depriving yourself or gorging yourself.

1. Don't be perfect- Look, I know we all want to be perfect but trust me, there is no such thing so I am giving you permission to let perfectionism go this holiday. Aim for 90-10, 80-20, or even 75-25. Make the majority of your meals healthy so when you are at your holiday party you can enjoy your favorite dessert without the guilt.

2. Hydrate yourself- When the weather turns cold and we stoke up our furnaces the air becomes dry and we naturally become a bit dehydrated. The irony is that when it is cold we don't really feel like drinking big glasses of cold water. Often we confuse hunger for thirst so by making sure you are getting enough fluids you will automatically cut down on the amount of food you eat.

Try drinking your water room temperature. It is better for you anyway and won't give you that chill. Try warm water with some lemon or a new herbal tea. Add lemon, lime, orange or cucumber to your water for an interesting twist. Just remember to stay away from soft drinks and caffeinated beverages. These don't hydrate and in fact can deplete the body of hydration.

3. Do a Swap- I used to make this sweet potato side dish that was to die for! I mean...yum. Well, it was loaded with sugar and fat and I just don't want to go there anymore. I would rather save my splurge for a decadent dessert so now I make a lighter dish with agave for a sweetener and a bit of olive oil. It tastes delicious and I can feel good about eating it. Look at your menu and see where you can make small changes to make it a bit healthier.

4. Plan, Plan, Plan- We've all heard the saying, "fail to plan, plan to fail." Take a moment to look at your calendar and figure out some easy meals you can make that will nourish you without stressing you out. Don't be caught staring into the refrigerator wondering what to eat, only to grab something junky that won't even give you any satisfaction.

5. Slow Down and Enjoy Your Food- So many of us tend to wolf down our food barely even tasting it. If you are going to wait all year for your favorite food, don't you think you should take the time to truly savor it? By slowing down and experiencing all of the flavors the dish has to offer you will not only bring yourself some much needed joy but chances are you will be satisfied with a lot less of it too.

5. Take Care of Yourself- Last but certainly not least, in fact, this is probably the most important thing you can do. One of the most powerful things I have learned since becoming a holistic coach is that when we take impeccable care of ourselves we are less interested in filling up with food. When we are constantly on the go, stretched thin, stressed and tired, we turn to food to make us feel better, to calm us, to give us a little bit of joy. But when we learn to fill our lives with gratitude, joy, passion and excitement, we realize that there isn't a food out there that can measure up to that.

I know the holidays can be stressful. This year I invite you to carve out little bits of "me time." Go for a walk in nature and collect pine cones to put in a bowl on your table. Put on your favorite holiday music and take a candle-lit bath, sneak off to the movies all by yourself and enjoy every minute of it. Find something that makes you smile and makes you happy and just do it! You will be surprised how much more you will enjoy this holiday season and how much less you will be inclined to eat.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this. What's one thing you will do differently this year to make your holiday season even better?

Now What?

I know you are wondering what the heck you are supposed to do with all that chili I gave you the recipe for. That recipe makes a big pot of chili and even I can't get my whole family to eat it all. So, we make chili-mac. Just boil up some noodles and mix it in and you have dinner number 2. That's how I do it. Nice and easy.

Family Favorite Chili

Growing up in the restaurant business, one thing I learned really early on is that people like different things. What one person raves about another will be repulsed by. One of my dad's favorite sayings was, "You can't please all of the people all of the time." Oh how true that statement is. I have brought that saying along with me in my family kitchen.

It is not often that all seven people in my family actually all like something I make. It is inevitable that someone will complain about something. They don't like the onions, they don't like peanut butter, they don't like broccoli. I am sure you all know what I am talking about.

Well guess what? This chili recipe is loved by all! Little kids, big kids, the dad that acts like a kid. They all love this chili. Me too. And better still, it is made in the crockpot which makes it so easy! I hope you enjoy one of our favorites...but if you don't, my feelings won't be hurt. :o)

Family Favorite Chili

3 lbs organic ground beef

4 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons garlic powder

2 teaspoons cumin

1 teaspoons smoked paprika

2 large onions chopped
2 large red peppers chopped

3 cans black beans (or assorted beans)

3 cans chili style tomatoes

1 can tomato paste

2 chipolte peppers from a can, chopped (for light spice. Add more if you like it spicy)

2 teaspoons sugar

Salt and pepper

1. Brown the ground beef in a skillet. Drain. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Add to the bottom of a 5 quart crock pot. Sprinkle the chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and smoked paprika over the beef.

3. Add the chopped onions and peppers.

4. Put the beans in a colander, rinse well and drain. Add them to the pot. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the tomato paste, and the chipolte peppers. Sprinkle the sugar over the tomatoes.

5. Cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.

Serve with a fresh salad and some cornbread for a delicious meal.