Bok Choy Apple Slaw

Prep time: 7 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Here’s a summer slaw that’s beautifying, slimming and tasty!

Ingredients:

• 6 stalks bok choy (about 1/2 head), thinly sliced
• 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
• 1 granny smith apple, sliced
• 1/2 cup toasted sunflower seeds

Dressing:

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar (or lemon juice)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons honey or brown rice syrup
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. First make the dressing by combining all the ingredients and whisking well.

2. Chop all the salad ingredients, leaving the apples until last. Mix in a salad bowl.

3. Toss salad with half the dressing. Add additional dressing if desired.

4. Eat immediately, or chill for up to one hour and then add the apples just before serving.

Portions Out of Control

The portions, servings, helpings, slices and amounts of what we eat have grown dramatically over the past two decades.

The bigger-is-better motto has taken over the food industry, in conjunction with mass marketing to convince us to buy bigger sizes in order to save money. Supermarkets and restaurants use the promise of better value as a way of pushing extra food onto customers.

• Pizza pies were 10 inches in diameter back in the 1970s. Today the average size for a pizza is between 16 and 18 inches!

• A Hershey chocolate bar weighed 0.6 ounces its first year on the market. The standard bar now weighs 1.6 ounces. That’s almost 3 times its original weight!

• All of the most popular burger restaurants have increased the size of their hamburgers. The original Burger King burger weighed in at 3.9 ounces, and today a Double Whopper is 12.6 ounces. McDonald’s original patty started out at 1.6 ounces, and now the Double Quarter Pounder is 8 ounces — that’s five times more meat!

• Even diet food has grown in size. During the 1990s, Weight Watchers introduced their Smart Ones frozen meals with larger portion sizes. Lean Cuisine offered Hearty Portions, with 100 more calories than the original meal.

• Starbucks once offered the “short” cup of coffee at 8 ounces, but it is no longer on the menu. The smallest cup you can order is the “tall.” At 12 ounces, this cup is nearly twice the size of what was once considered a regular cup of coffee.

• When Hot Pockets advertised that they added 10% more filling to their microwavable sandwiches while keeping the price the same, their sales increased by 32%.

• If you compare the new edition of the classic cookbook The Joy of Cooking to the original, you will find identical recipes for cookies and brownies, except that the new recipe makes fewer servings: for example, 16 brownies instead of 30. The modern portions are twice as large.

• The Olive Garden restaurant chain offers the “Never-Ending Pasta Bowl,” with unlimited refills of pasta for only $7.95.

Portion Distortion

Bigger portions mean we eat more than we need. When a larger portion is placed in front of us, we tend to eat 30% to 50% more! Most often, we don’t even realize that we are eating more.

• Women ate 31% more and men ate 56% more when served a 12-inch sub sandwich instead of a 6-inch sandwich.

• When cooking, people poured 4.3 ounces of oil from a 32-ounce bottle, but only 3.5 ounces from a 16-ounce bottle.

• Moviegoers ate 61% more popcorn when given the larger container than they did with a small size. We make our own at home and bring (sneak) it in. This way we avoid the Genetically Modified corn and can control the portion sizes and the quality! Check the blog for our delicious popcorn recipe!

• Snackers poured about twice as many M&Ms from a jumbo bag (103) than they did when given a smaller package (63).

Adapted from The Portion Teller, by Lisa R. Young, PhD, RD.

What’s the solution?

Becoming aware is the first step. Putting less on your plate or using smaller plates puts you back at the helm as well.

But here’s the real deal:

The problem is processed, chemicalized, artificial foods. All of the items mentioned above are highly refined food facsimiles. Because they are so processed, they lack nutritional density. As you add more nutritionally dense foods into your diet, you naturally eat less. (Just ask my clients. I go on and on about this but it works!) When you overeat, it is largely due to not feeling satisfied when in fact, you are not being satisfied nutritionally. Go figure!

Here are some other tips:

• Drink a full glass of water before you sit down to eat

• Cook more of your own food. not only do you control portions and ingredients but you engage in the act of creating something to nourish you.

• Set a relaxing atmosphere for your meal. turn off the television, light a candle, create some ambiance and enjoy your meal in a relaxed state of gratitude.

• Chew slowly and enjoy the full range of tastes and smells. Notice how things grow sweeter as you chew. Digestion begins in the mouth.

• Include a soup with your meal, it will add nutrition, fill you up, and warm your tummy.

• Put your fork down between bites. Breathe, smile, have a pleasant conversation. Ask questions and listen, really listen.

To find out more about the safety of our food, visit http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/YRTK.cfm

Try Something New

Summer is finally in fully force, and the living is easy! Do you notice in summertime how everything seems promising? The plants are in full bloom and the sun feels glorious on your skin. The longer days give you boundless energy, making you feel like it’s possible to achieve all your desires and dreams. Why not harness this energy, ride the wave of summer and try something new?

Throughout the year we live at an intense pace (physical, emotional and mental), and we often get stuck in routine, either for the sake of efficiency or out of fear of unfamiliar territory. The lack of variety in doing the same things over and over stagnates not only our minds, but also our bodies and hearts. Are you hesitant to break your routine? Fear and excitement have the same physiological expression in our bodies; it is our mind that classifies the feeling as either positive or negative. So the next time you consider a change in routine and your mind says “scary!” see if you can re-frame it as “exciting!”

What is something you have never done before or that you have wanted to do for a long time? Choose your own adventure: organize a kayak trip, take a dance class, do some exotic traveling or set a goal for a new personal challenge. Or try something simple, like playing flashlight tag with your kids and neighbors or reading in the sunshine. Maybe it’s time to discover a new vegetable dish or to visit a new town, restaurant or beach.

Whatever adventure calls to you, use this summer to make it happen and enjoy your life. Increasing new experiences and excitement in your life can decrease your dependence on artificial stimulants like caffeine and sugar, leading to more vibrant health. Watch out for massive improvements in physical well-being, mental acuity and motivation, plus a full portfolio of fun.

Super Easy Carrot Ginger Dressing

I knew it wouldn’t be too difficult. I’ve demystified this delicious dressing which accompanies most salads in Asian restaurants. Sure, we could buy it in a bottle… but why not make it fresh, quick, less costly and healthier at home? There are many ways to make this dressing. My goal? To use as few ingredients as possible for fast results.

Because you’re using the whole carrot, you’re getting the complete nutritional package including fiber. This dressing is a great way to make a salad of simple greens more delicious and nutritious. It will keep for about a week.

Here’s the recipe included in my July Newsletter:

Mixed Greens & Butter Beans with Carrot Ginger Dressing

Prep time: 7 minutes
Yield: 4 servings

This salad is easy and quick to throw together. Enjoy!

4 cups mixed greens
2 cups butter beans
1 avocado diced
½ sweet onion diced
1/4 lemon

Dressing
2 large carrots peeled and chopped
1-inch fresh ginger peeled and chopped
2 Tbs oil (olive or toasted sesame)
2 Tbs vinegar (Ume Plum, Apple Cider or Balsamic)
¼ – ½ cup water (blend for consistency)
(Optional- finely diced shallots or garlic)

Directions:
1. First make the dressing by combining all the ingredients in a food processor, Vita-Mix or high speed blender
2. Chop all the salad ingredients.
3. Squeeze some lemon over the salad. Mix in a salad bowl. Add a little salt if you like. A little!
4. Bring the dressing to the table and toss salad with half the dressing before serving. Add additional dressing if desired.