A Clean Come Back...

Hi All! As many of you know I took a major hiatus from the blog shortly after school started as my schedule was  a bit out of control. Apparently signing up for three internships was not the best idea. The good news is that my schedule is much more manageable this term and I have cut down to two internships leaving me a few free minutes in the day.


I can't tell you how wonderful it was to hear from so many of you - letting me know how much you missed the posts and encouraging me to get back in to it! Well, all of the encouragement worked and I am going to do my best to at least post a few articles / recipes every week. I have tried a ton of new, wonderful clean recipes (including a batch of chickpea brownies tonight), attended amazing talks here at Yale on nutrition & food policy, and have a lot of fascinating articles to share. The other exciting news is that I landed an amazing internship in DC working on food policy at a think tank and look forward to passing on all my experiences with you!

To kick off my come back, I have a provocative article by Robert Lustig (who believes sugar is toxic and should be taxed), as well as a new "better for you" brownie recipe. While it still has a good amount of sugar and there is chocolate, adding chickpeas to replace flour adds protein and it tastes amazing!

Thanks again for everyone's support!
Lauren

Robert Lustig - Regulate Sugar, It's Toxic!
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505269_162-57370220/regulate-tax-sugar-like-alcohol-tobacco/

And if you are really feeling ambitious watch his highly viewed youtube video (+80 min) on the topic - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dBnniua6-oM

Chickpea Brownie Recipe

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips (Sunspire organic chips highly recommended)

1 15 oz. canned organic Garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed) or 1 ½ cups cooked Garbanzo beans

4 eggs

¾ cups Sucanat or Turbinado sugar

½ teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ cup walnuts (optional)

Zest of one orange (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch baking pan with baking spray. Place chocolate chips on a double boiler and melt the chocolate until smooth.

Combine beans and eggs in the bowl of a food processor and blend until smooth, add sucanat, baking powder and melted chocolate; blend until thoroughly combined. Fold in the walnuts and orange zest, if using. Transfer the batter to the prepared baking pan.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center of the brownies comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a wire rack before inverting onto a serving plate. Enjoy!

Compliments of www.sheckys.com/2011/02/14/chickpea-brownies/

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Posted in: Health Science / News

Weekly Clean Up! ~ October 10th 2011

Here is this week's WEEKLY CLEAN UP. Life has been very busy lately, but I've been learning SO much related to the blog and hoping to find more time in the future to share it all! In the meantime, here are a few great articles... and make sure you try the recipe of the week!

Global Survey Finds People Who Are Informed And Proactive About Their Health Tend To Distance Themselves From Those With Unhealthy Habits
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/235646.php

Children's Food Choices Seem To Be Affected By Direct Advertising And Parental Influence
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/235596.php

Improved Presentation Of Fruit In Schools Doubles Uptake
http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/235303.php

Vegetable Gardens Are Booming in a Fallow Economy
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/09/us/09gardening.html?ref=nutrition

Are Barefoot shoes really better?
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/30/are-barefoot-shoes-really-better/

Recipe of the Week: Pine Nut Meatballs with Assorted Veges and Spinach
The new recipe we tested this past week was amazing! And, a great way to add in a lot of tasty vegetables with little prep day off.
http://paleopot.com/2011/05/paleopot-pine-nut-meatballs-with-assorted-veggies-and-spinach-crock-pot-slow-cooker-recipe/

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Posted in: Health Science / News

U.S. Obesity Trends... Alarmed Yet?

A striking graphic representation of the growing epidemic of obesity in the U.S.  Colorado was the only state left with obesity rates < 20% up until this year and unfortunatly they've now joined the ranks. Also take note of the "red" states centralized in the South, more then 30% of residents have a BMI over 30 and are classified as obese (these graphics do not include those overweight, BMI > 25).

http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html

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Posted in: Health Science / News

Attacking the Obesity Epidemic...

Check out this interesting article in the NY times by Jane Brody, "Attacking the Obesity Epidemic by First Figuring  Out it's Cause." A new term I learned this week, "obesogenic environment" certainly applies here as she briefly reviews the changes in American's daily lives over the past few decades.

"Many environmental forces, from economic interests of the food and beverage industries to the way our cities and towns are built, have conspired to subvert the body’s natural ability to match calories in with calories out.  And the solution to the nation’s most pressing health problem — the ever-rising epidemic of overweight and obesity at all ages — lies in the answer to this question: Why did this happen in the first place? 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/13/health/13brody.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper

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Posted in: Health Science / News

The Weekly "Clean" Up

The Weekly “Clean” Up
Week of September 05, 2011

Hello September, end of summer, and the start of school.  I know I haven’t been posting too much the last week or so as I’ve been getting settled in to my new schedule, but now that I am actually taking courses on topics relevant to the blog, I can promise that it will only get better for here on!

To kick off this new chapter and the start of a new (academic) year, I’d like to introduce a new type of post for the Clean Health Project - a weekly “clean”-up! Each week I come across a ton of articles with relevant news, recent studies and seasonal recipes and now plan to share my favorites with all of you. So, scroll through, see what peaks your interest and click to learn more!

As always, I appreciate anything you spot as well – so keep the articles and suggestions coming!

“Expanding Waistlines May Boost U.S. Health Cost $66 Billion a Year by 2030” – Recent figures have suggested that obesity will double by 2030. Bloomberg applies a financial lens by translating the increase to health care costs. Close to my heart is a comment by Boyd Swinburn, “we are in an obesity and chronic disease crisis although it doesn’t feel like it” (too most). http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-08-25/expanding-waistlines-may-boost-u-s-health-cost-66-billion-a-year-by-2030.html

“Preaching a Healthy Diet in the Deep-Fried Delta” – Unfortunately the South has some of the highest obesity rates and a food culture that does not lend itself to slim waist lines.  A priest in Mississippi has taken a local, innovative approach by preaching and incorporating health and nutrition into the church’s practices, which is now spreading into the 7 million member Baptist community. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/22/us/22delta.html?ref=nutrition

“Schools Restore Fresh Cooking to the Cafeteria” – Breaking from the low cost, poor nutrition cycle offered by school food suppliers, Colorado is changing course and making school food from scratch! While there are roadblocks and cost implications, it’s a great model for teaching kids early the importance of knowing what you are eating and where you food comes from. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/17/education/17lunch.html

“Tending to a community garden may foster higher fruit and vegetable consumption” – If you are not quite ready or don’t have the space for your own garden, look for a local one in your community, pitch in and you may just up your weekly vegetable intake! http://www.latimes.com/health/boostershots/la-heb-community-gardens-health-20110805,0,1293514.story

“Make Vegetables the Meal” – Have you ever tried stuffed peppers? There are a ton of different varieties and you won’t even notice that your meal is missing meat. I’m making the stuffed yellow pepper recipe listed  tonight!  http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/02/making-vegetables-the-meal/

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Posted in: Health Science / News

"Creamy" Broccoli Soup

While it’s certainly not winter yet and I am hoping it’s a long Fall to get to there, hunkering down in the house for the “big” storm this weekend made me think about one of my favorites, a warm bowl of soup. I used to love broccoli and cheese soup when I was younger, but all the cream and cheese doesn’t fit so nicely into clean eating. I did some searching and came up with a FANTASTIC recipe that is creamy and delicious.  The creaminess actually comes from cashews and cauliflower! While the recipe requires some chopping and a little bit of blending, you’ll have a completely from scratch broccoli (and if you like, cheese soup) that is ready in just about 30 minutes!

Ingredients:
1/2  cup raw cashews
1 quart low-sodium veggie broth, divided
1 tbs. coconut oil
1/2 cup onion, 1/4 inch diced
1 1/2 cups cauliflower, cut into large chunks
3 cups broccoli, separated into chopped stems and bite-size florets
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
Crumbled goat cheese (or parmesan)

Directions:

1.     In a blender or food processor, grind the cashews into a fine powder.  Add 1 cup vegetable broth and blend until it makes a smooth cashew cream.

2.     Heat a large pot over medium-high heat and add coconut oil. Sauté the chopped onion, cauliflower, broccoli stems, and a handful of florets for 5 minutes.

3.     Add remaining vegetable broth and the previously blended cashew cream. Bring to a boil, then lower to medium and cook until veggies are very soft, approximately 20 minutes.

4.      In small batches, transfer the soup base to a blender and blend until completely smooth.

5.     Transfer back to the pot, add the broccoli florets and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until broccoli is heated tender. Add pepper and sea salt to taste.

6.     Divide soup mixture into serving bowls (makes 4 servings) and sprinkle with goat cheese
(or parmesan) as desired. Enjoy!

Adding the broccoli florets to the soup base

A little goat cheese for added flavor!

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Posted in: Clean Food

Grilled Summer Fruit

I've tried grilled pineapple before, but I’ve always been curious how other fruits would turn out on the grill.  I’ll take grilled meat or fish over roasted or fried any day, so I was curious if I would feel the same way about fruit. While I don’t think I’ll be grilling my fruit for breakfast any time soon, these recipes that I tested are a great way to incorporate fruit into your dinner menu and add a sweet, natural flavor to your meal.

Enjoy the last days of summer with this grilled fruit and chicken menu:

·        Grilled Peach and Green Bean Salad

·        Grilled Watermelon with Arugula and Goat Cheese

·        Spicy Blackened Chicken

Grilled Peach & Green Bean Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds fresh green beans, stems trimmed
1 teaspoon salt Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 large ripe peaches, pitted and quartered
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped
2 ounces goat cheese, coarsely grated

DIRECTIONS:

1.     Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook the beans until just slightly tender, about 5 minutes. Drain in cold water, pat dry and place into a medium sized bowl.

2.     Next, make the peach vinaigrette in a blender. Blend till liquid 4 peach quarters, the mustard, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper. Transfer to a separate, small bowl and slowly whisk in 1/3 cup of the olive oil.

3.     Preheat an outdoor grill to high and skewer the remaining 8 peach quarters, placing them side by side to keep them from spinning. Brush the skewered fruit with the remaining olive oil, season with salt and pepper and then grill on both sides, about 1 – 2 minutes per side.

4.     To create the salad, slide the peaches off the skewers into the medium size bowl. Mix with the green beans and then gently toss with the vinaigrette. Transfer to a large serving platter or bowl, sprinkle with hazelnuts and goat cheese, and serve.

Grilled Watermelon with Arugula & Goat Cheese

INGREDIENTS:

1 small (5 pound) seedless watermelon, cut into 8 (1-inch-thick) slices
2 Tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 bunches watercress or arugula, trimmed
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 cup crumbled goat or feta cheese

DIRECTIONS:

1.      Preheat grill to medium or high heat

2.      Brush watermelon slices with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Grill the watermelon 1-2 minutes on each side.

3.       In a medium bowl, toss the greens with vinegar, season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

4.      To assemble, sprinkle each grilled watermelon slice with goat cheese, top with the greens and then serve.

Spicy Blackened Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

4 Boneless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

DIRECTIONS:

1.     First, make the rub to blacken the chicken. In small bowl, mix together paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, oregano, cumin, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry.

2.     Brush the chicken slices lightly with olive oil, then sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Flip the chicken over and repeat. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to grill.

3.     Heat grill to medium heat and place each chicken strip on grill. Grill on each side for approximately 3 – 4 minutes or till completely cooked through depending on thickness.

4.     Remove from the grill and serve!

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Posted in: Clean Food