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keeping inflammation down is key to your muscles strong with optimal power and being able to recover quickly. Tumeric powder is a secret weapon so to speak that zaps inflammation fast! Get a powder with black pepper and cherry to help your body absorb it. You can drink it straight in some water. I like to put it in this smoothie shot that has pineapple for added anti-inflamatory goodness Ingredients:
5 frozen rasberries 3 frozen blackberries 1 frozen strawberry 1/2 a mango 1 slice of frozen pineapple 1 scoop of tumeric powder (1/4 teaspoon) 4 oz of cold water Instructions: Blend, servevand enjoy Serves 6 shots or 1 glass
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When you want dessert but not the sugar high this one's for you! It's sweet, savory, and balanced with protein and fiber so there's no major insulin boost.
Ingredients: 10-12 raw unsalted cashews 1 tablespoon of cocoa nibs 3 slices of frozen pineapple (each about 3 inches long and 1/2 an inch thick) 1/2 a mongo frozen and chunked 8-10 frozen raspberries 1 heaping tablespoon of hemp protein (or any vegan protein powder you like) 4 oz of coconut milk 1 oz of cold water Instructions: Blend for about a minute or until smooth and enjoy!  Get your caffeine and protein in this delicious breakfast smoothie
Ingredients 4oz of overnight oats with chia ** 1 tablespoon of almond butter 2 oz of chilled coffee 2 oz of coconut or almond milk 1 date 1 banana 1 teaspoon of hemp protein 1 teaspoon of coconut flakes 2 drops of vanilla extract 1 dash of cinnamon 1 dash of sea salt 4 ice cubes **Overnight Oats with Chia is made by combining 1 part chia, 1 part oats, 2 parts coconut milk in a mason jar and storing overnight in the fridge. Instructions combine all ingreatients, blend on medium-high for 1 minute. Enjoy!  This Smoothie bowl is one of my favorites to get the day going. It has all the protein and carbs to give last I g energy and nutrients to start the day sharp!
This recipe serves two! You can cut the amounts in half for one serving. Smoothie Ingredients: 1 tablespoon of flax oil 1 1/2 frozen banana 2 large frozen strawberries 6 oz of frozen blackberries (small container) 1 tablespoon of almond butter 1 tablespoon of hemp protein 10 oz of almond or coconut milk Toppings: Coconut Flakes Almond Butter Blackberries Puffins Instructions: 1. Combine all the smoothie ingredients in a blender or vitamix 2. Blend on low setting for 10 seconds 3. Blend on high or the smoothie setting for 30-50 seconds (till smooth) 4. Pour into 2 bowls 5. Top with a few frozen or fresh blackberries, a drizzle of almond butter, coconut flakes, and if you want, puffins (I like the crunch sometimes). Feel free to top with other tummies as well. Bananas are a great option too! Enjoy!  This 15 min Beet Pesto recipe is straight from my Aunts kitchen in Greece. It's packed with potassium which is great for your nervous system and muscle recovery, and immune boosting vitamin C!
Ingredients: 1 lb of Gluten Free Pasta 3 Beets 2 Cloves of Garlic 20-30 Leaves of Fresh Basil 2 Tablespoona of Pine Nuts 1 Tablespoon of Sea Salt 1/2 a cup of Extra Virgin Olive Oil Cracked Pepper Instructions: 1. Bring a large part of water to a boil 2. Peel the Garlic 3. Wash the beets, shave them with a peeler and cut into 1/4 chunks 3. Put the oil, beets, garlic, half of the basil,and salt into a food processor or blender till smooth 4. Cook your gluten free pasta till aldente 5. In a large mixing bowl stir the sauce into the pasta and add cracked pepper, pine nuts and the rest of your basil. Serve and enjoy!  Remember that dinner that was delicious and had a tiny leftover portion? Well, it's perfect for breakfast.
This dinner into breakfast I had a little leftover beet sweet potato medley and sauted broccoli. With a quick reheat and 2 eggs it's the perfect breakfast plate. First add a drop of coconut oil into a pan and add low heat Reheat veggies for 1-2 mins Add two eggs (I like to sprinkle them with fresh herbs and a little sea salt) and cool for 1 min on each side Plate and enjoy! Simple as that! Healthy and delicious in under 5 mins. There is always time for a great breakfast to help you kick start the day right. Easy as 1, 2, 3
1. Soak 2 cups of almonds in fresh water overnight. Drain them in the morning and give them a rinse. 2. Combine the soaked and rinsed almonds with 4 cups of water to your blender or Vitamix and blend on a high speed for 3 minutes. 3. Line a pitcher with a nylon nut-milk bag and pour the liquid into the bag. Cinch the bag closed and start the lift it inch by inch, squeezing gently as you go to strain the liquid into the pitcher. When you've squeezed all the liquid that you can, transfer the liquid from the pitcher into a closed container (I use a California Farms Almond Milk container - it's the perfect size and then has an appropriate label too). You're done! Enoy! Your homemade almond milk will stay fresh for 3-4 days. If you like to bake you can save your almond meal by storing it in an airtight ziplock bag and freezing it.  Every have just a little salmon leftover?
Breakfast tacos are the way to go 1. Warm 2-3 corn tortillas in the oven at 350 degrees 2. Heat up your salmon in a pan with a little coconut oil and two eggs. Add cilantro and jalapeno if you have them. 3. Scramble it all up 4. Serve into your tortillas - add salsa or hot sauce as you wish and voila - breakfast from your dinner and it takes only a few minutes (about 5 to be precise)! Enjoy!  This creamy soup is a perfect meal!
Ingredients: 16 oz of red lentils - soaked and rinsed 1 yam or sweet potato 5 cloves of garlic 2 large sweet yellow onions 1/2 teaspoon of chili flakes 1/2 teaspoon of sea salt 3 large leaves of kale - soaked and rinsed 2 large carrots 8 oz of cherry tomatoes 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon of coconut oil 1 can of coconut cream or pure milk Spice it up: Add as much cayenne pepper as you can take. It gives it that extra something. Instructions: 1. Fill a large pot 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a boil 2. Peel and chop the two onions into small pieces. Saute in a pan with a teaspoon of coconut oil until they start to brown. You want a mix of translucent and browning for optimum flavor. 3. While the onions start cooking, wash and slice the tomatoes. Stir them in with the onions 4. Peel and slice the garlic. Toss into the water 5. Wash and cut the yam / sweet potato into small chunks. Toss into the water 6. Add the salt, coconut cream and chili flakes to the water 7. Wash, peel and chop the carrots. Place to the side. You'll add them in 10 mins before the soup is done. 8. Wash and cut the kale. Place in a large bowl filled with water to soak it. This removes anti-nutrients and ensures there are no little buggies in the leaves. 9. Once the water is boiling add the lentils to the pot and leave uncovered. Lower to a low heat. Set a timer for 30 mins and stir every few minutes. 10. After 30 minutes add the carrots. Cook for another 10 Mins 11. Rinse the kale 12. Serve the soup with a handful of kale on top of each bowl. Enjoy!  Octavia Nut Bowl, Anthropologie $20 Somedays I like a rich treat to start the day. So this recipe has the yummy nuttiness of raw cocoa and cashews combined with antioxidant rich berries and mineral stacked coconut and almond milk. Brain and body fuel at it's best! Drink before breakfast or as your breakfast!
Ingredients: 1- packette of frozen acai 6-8 oz of frozen blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries 1/2 a banana 1 tablespoon of shaved coconut (dry or fresh) 10 raw cashews 1 teaspoon of raw unsweetened cocoa nibs 6-8 oz of almond milk Instructions: Blend the almond milk, banana, cocoa nibs, cashews, and coconut on medium for 1 min Add in the berries and acai and blend for 1 more minute Serve and enjoy! Makes approx 16 oz In the Winter there is nothing better than a big bowl of soup! This one is fast, easy and delicious! Ingredients 1 bunch of a parsley 1 bunch of scallions 2 large zucchinis 3 large carrots 2 handfuls of spinach 2 cloves of garlic 2 Tablespoons of avocado or coconut oil 6 red potatoes Sea Salt Pepper Chayenne Directions Fill a large pasta boiling pot 3/4 of the way with water and bring to a boil Slice the garlic cloves and scallions and chop the parsley then add all three to the pot of water Chop the red potatoes in eigths and add to the water once it's boiling. Let them boil for 30 mins - set a timer if you want. While the potatoes are doing their thing... Add the oil to the water Slice the zucchini into bite size chunks Chop the carrots Salt the pot to taste - start with about a teaspoon then taste test - add more as need adding a little at a time Add pepper and chayenne to taste After the potatoes have boiled for 30 mins add the zucchini and carrots to the pot and boil for another 15 mins Toss in the spinach and you're done! You're ready to serve and cozy up!  Ore-Edged Bowl, Anthropologie, $12 Tonight's feast is a Miso Cod complimented with Ginger Garlic Veggies; Bok Choy, String Beans, and Broccoli Shopping list: 1 lb of cod 1 head of broccoli 2 handfuls of string beans 1 head of bok choy Garlic 1 bunch of scallions 1 small piece of ginger Coconut oil  Perasima Dinner plate, Anthropologie $26 Stripewise Dish Towel / Napkin - Set of 4 , Anthropologie $28 Preheat the oven to 375 Wash and cut 1 head of broccoli, 2 handfuls of string beans, 1 head of bok choy, and 3 scallions Slice 4 cloves of garlic Peel and cut to matchstick size a small piece of ginger Place the cod in a small - medium Pyrex container toss in about 1 clove of your sliced garlic and about 1 of the chopped scallions. Brush on about 1 teaspoon of miso paste to each piece of fish add 2 oz of water to the Pyrex Place in the oven to cook for 15 min Saute 3 cloves of garlic, ginger and 3 scallions in a teaspoon on coconut oil for 2-3 mins on medium heat Add 2-3 oz of water to the pan Add 1 tablespoon of miso past and stir with a wooden spoon till dissolved Add a splash of soy sauce or tamari (wheat free) and the Veggies Your fish should be about done by now. Plate and enjoy!  I talk a lot about the value of eating only naturally occurring sugars so I want to offer a few tips because getting off added sugar cold turkey can be easier with some replacements.
Stevia is a great option because it doesn't spike the blood sugar at all and is all natural and very sweet. Just a tiny drop goes a long long way. Another wonderful option is raw honey. It will spike the blood sugar a bit but it offers the body lots of digestive enzymes and is great for taming allergies. Either are lovely in coffee and teas and can be used for baking, smoothies and other yummies like chia seed pudding (one of my personal favorites). Here's that recipe in case you want to give it a shot. It's perfect for breakfast or dessert. Ingredients: 1 Part chia seeds 3 Parts almond or coconut milk Cinnamon Raw Honey Sliced banna Instructions: Combine the chia seeds and almond milk in a large tubberware, stir and place in the fridge for a few hours to let the seeds absorb the liquid. When you're ready to eat, serve a portion in a bowl, add some sliced banana, dash on some cinnamon, drizzle a little honey on top and enjoy! *I love to add blackberries and pistachios ~ feel free to improvise.  Every Summer I visit my family in Greece and geek out eating all the wonderful local dishes! Back in New York I jump at the opportunity to make my favorite Greek dishes when the ingredients are available.
Today Whole Foods had the ingredients for two of my favorites - Whole Branzino and Zucchini. This is meal is fast and pretty simple to make (have your local fish market wash and slice the fish down the midline so it's easy to work with). 1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees 2. Prep the Fish - In a large Pyrex or Baking Tray add a generous amount of olive oil to both sides of the fish. - Pepper - Add 1 clove of garlic sliced, 2 slices of a lemon, 2 slices of butter, and a handful of fresh parsley to the inside of the fish 3. Start the Veggies - Slice half a red onion, 3 - 4 zucchini, 3 cloves of garlic, two handfuls of parsley - Cook in a large sauté pan in a generous amount of olive oil, the juice of about a 1/4 of a lemon, sea salt + pepper covered (stirring every 1-2 mins) for about 12 mins. 4. Get it crispy - While the veggies are going, in a large pan on high heat with olive oil, cook the fish for 3 mins on each side 5. Bake the fish - Put the fish back into the Pyrex or baking tray and bake for 10 mins. 6. Plate it - Dish out the veggies on a large serving platter and lay the fish on top. Enjoy!!  This heart healthy, liver friendly, homemade dog food is a staple in our house.
Combine 2 cups of boiling water in a pot with: 1 head of broccoli chopped 1/2 a chicken breast chopped or shredded 1/2 a carrot chopped 1/4 cup of chia seeds soaked in a mug of water 1/2 cup of rice 1 tablespoon of flax seeds Cook on a medium heat for 15 mins then let stand to cool for 30 mins. Pack in small tubberware containers. Pop 1 in the fridge for immediate serving and freeze the rest. Defrost in the fridge overnight to use the next day. Makes 12 - 20 meals (depending on portion size). This is recipe is easy to make, super healthy, and easy on the liver and kidneys! Xx  Great for quick breakfast or a shareable snack!
Slice the Avocado in half Drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil the juice of a quarter lemon on each half Add a pinch of sea salt and a dash of chili flakes and serve! Thanksgiving brings up excitement and gratitude but it's also a time to celebrate love, relationships, and to eat delicious food with friends and family.
A few quick reminders 1. Serve what serves. Apply the 80/20 rule. 80% Veggies 20% protein or carbs. Make a few extra veggie dishes so you can make sure to do that! 2. Keep it healthy and keep feeling good! 3. A cooking and baking tip to help your dishes stay healthy is to use coconut oil instead of butter. Use with a 1:1 ratio 4. Leave some room for leftovers! There is no need to overdo the portions on thanksgiving. Instead of an abundance in one sitting, think about having an abundance of deliciousness for days. Get your tubberware ready and pack up meals you can enjoy and share for that long holiday weekend. You got this! Remember, you are love and your health is worth it!  This tonic is a my favorite cure-all. At the first sign of the sniffles it can kick to common cold's butt! It cleans the blood and fights infection with a few easy steps and ingredients. It also tastes great and can double as a hot toddy base on those cold nights in!
I like to make extra and give little mason jars of it to friends in the Winter. Ingredients: Juice of 1/2 a Lemon (approx 1 oz) 3 match-stick size slices of Ginger 1/2 a clove of Garlic 2 pinches of Chayenne Pepper 3-4 oz of hot water Shopping List: 1 Lemon 1 Small piece of Ginger 1 head of Garlic Chayenne Pepper Directions: Add the ingredients to a 4 oz mason jar. Scale up as desired. You can add a little raw honey too if you like. The longer the tonic sits the stronger it gets! Drink it straight or add 1oz if the tonic to your favorite tea or hot water. - *Turn it into a hot toddy with just a splash of bourbon! Enjoy and stay well! Nutrition is key for a dancer to perform safely and at their personal best. A balanced combination of protein, vitamins, minerals, fats and carbohydrates will result in lots of energy and a healthy body. Over the years I have heard of many dancer's struggling to eat properly. The main ingredient missing is usually knowledge. Success comes from knowledge and building a way of life. This guide is a good jumping off point.
For more information please feel free to contact me. Basic guide:
(Suggestions: Salmon) *proper food combining habits aid with getting the most nutrition out of your food.
Choose: Sea Salt over Salt Agave, Honey, Maple Syrup, or Raw Sugar over white sugar, fructose, high fructose corn syrup, etc Unsweetened Almond milk, Coconut Milk, or Hemp milk over dairy or soy milk Tea over Coffee Rice products over wheat products. ie: Rice pasta over regular pasta Avoid: Dairy (This includes whey protein. Aged cheeses are o.k. once in a while) Gluten (anything with wheat in it) Eat as much as you want of the following: Raw vegetables (salad) Green Vegetables Ocean Vegetables Root Vegetables Red Potatoes Sweet Potatoes Good food choices: Grains: brown rice, quinoa, millet, spelt Protein: wild caught fish (salmon is great), grass fed organic beef, free range organic chicken, free range organic eggs, organic lamb, beans Snacks: Bananas, nuts (almonds and cashews specifically), raisins, fresh or dried berries, fruit smoothie, fresh veggie juice, coconut milk ice cream, dark chocolate (make sure it is made without dairy), avocado, organic blue corn chips, hummus, carrots, cucumbers, string beans, celery, nut butters, coconut chips |
