Arugula Salad with Medium Boiled Egg

It's a busy Monday!  Sometimes lately dinner is a bit of an afterthought to be honest, but this is what I came up with using what I had in the fridge....

These fresh free-range eggs are from Mint Creek Farm at Green City Market.  I'm a fan of eggs (go with free-range or pasture raised) as they're an affordable and easy source of protein.  The yolk is an excellent source of choline, a nutrient that many are defficient in.  It's a potent anti-inflammatory and is important for brain health.  Pregnant women should especially pay attention to Choline as it's so important for brain and memory development in the fetus.  Note, pregnant women should only eat fully cooked eggs.


Arugula Salad with Medium Boiled Eggs
2 cups Arugula (or as much as you need to serve you and or your loved ones)
1 Tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
Salt & Pepper
2 medium boiled eggs
2 Tbsp Good shaved Parmesan or Asiago Cheese (or to taste)

Mix the lemon juice and olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. 
If you like a little more oil, you can adjust the proportions, but I like it tart.

Put eggs in cool water and bring to a boil.  After the water reaches a rolling boil,
remove from the water and peel.  If you like them a bit more done,
 leave in the water a minue or two after it boils.  Peeling soft to medium boiled eggs can be a challenge. 

Nutrition Information per Serving
336 calories
27 g fat
4 g carbohydrate
18 g protein
This meal is a good source of Vitamins A, C, many of the B, E and Selenium, Iron, Calcium, Magnesium and Zinc
Enjoy!

PS, Check out this video for an interesting tip that suggests taking the shell off either end and blowing the egg free.  I tried it and couldn't get it to pop out the way the guy in the video does, but it did help free it a bit from the shell making it easier to peel.

global inspiration

Sam's 1st birthday is coming up and I want to get him a globe as a gift.  I hope it will someday inspire in him a desire to travel, a curiosity for other lands and cultures and a respect and appreciation for the enormity yet fragility of our planet....


via design darling

via a merry mishap

via la dolce vita

via you are my fave



straight from the source

Grapefruit is in season...get it while it's good! 
Try it with avocado for a great snack for you and your little one.
PS, babies should have at least 1 serving of a vitamin C rich food per day...done!

food trucks coming through

The election of Rham Emanuel as Chicago's new mayor will bring some changes to the way food is grown and distributed here.  He wants to increase access to fresh, healthy food including expanding urban agriculture and getting grocery stores in every neighborhood.  He also promises to expand  permits for food trucks and allow those trucks to cook the food on sight (which they're currently not allowed to do). 

I've sadly never been to a food truck in Chicago- but only because I've never been near enough!  The whole concept is awesome to me!  Here are two existing food trucks that use ingredients that are local, organic and or seasonal. 

Gaztro-Wagon's sandwich selection looks amazing served on naan bread.  I've read great things!



Simple Sandwich sells gourmet sandwiches and salads for $7 each.  The menu looks delightful!


Check out the websites, follow them on facebook or twitter and hope that they expand to other neighborhoods besides downtown.  Although I do understand why they put their focus down there.  Sam and I will be tracking down gaztro-wagon ASAP and Simple Sandwich once they return in the spring! 

And hopefully there will be more trucks starting their engines soon with the hope of Rahm's promises.  Check out Cinnamon Snail, a vegan, organic truck in Brooklyn, NY serving dishes like Fiery southest Asian Salad, Ginger jerk grilled tofu with caramelized onions, roasted red peppers, marinated kale, and horseradish cream in a grilled tortilla...YUM.  Inspiration for anyone wanting to start a food truck??? Please!



White bean soup: simple and economical

Going out of town for a weekend is great, but always throws us off a little, so Monday was a leftovers day.  Tuesday I got my act together and we made this soup from Nurture's list of recipes.  I've been involved with Nurture for a while now and they have SO many great recipes...this is one of my all time favorites (thanks Julia)!
Soaked about 16 oz white beans 12-24 hours (the longer the better)
Just make sure there is more than enough water covering the beans.

Sauté the following in some grass-fed butter:
1/2 yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic
3/4s of a bunch of celery chopped
3/4s of a bag of carrots
then add:
the beans
a little less than a 32oz container of chicken broth (low sodium)
a few teaspoons of chili powder
a couple of tablespoons of thyme
salt & pepper

Cook the soup for 2.5+ hours covered on low
then puree with a hand blender

I finished the bowls off with a splash of red wine vinegar...a must (thanks again, Julia)!  It really brightens the flavors of the soup.  Actually, I also added a squeeze of lemon (the Vitamin C increases the absorption of Iron from the beans) and Sriracha (b/c I'm a hot sauce addict...love it with beans)!    For more great recipes that are easy on the wallet and waist, check out Nurture's website!

Nutrition Information per 2 cup serving
275 calories
6 g fat
42 g carbs
14 g protein
4 g fiber
& a good source of Vitamins A, C, Folate, B vitamins, Potassium, Magnesium, Zinc, Calcium and Iron
Not bad for a soup that costs less than $15 and makes enough for about 6 people!

green and great

A few smart products I've been introduced to this week that are pretty great (and green):


DIRTT created these Breathe wall systems that allow you to incorporate plants into DIRTT Walls to bring nature indoors (or out) making it easier to beautify and detoxify your space!  I would love to have this on the exterior wall of our small outdoor space!



I like these vapur BPA-free and space saving water bottles to take smoothies on the go for both me and my little guy!


This all natural lemon flavored EOS lip balm has SPF 15 and is really cute!



How do flax, chia and hemp seeds compare?


photo via The Sweet Beet

By now many of you have likely tried flax seeds to add a healthy dose of omega-3s (an essential fatty acid important for its anti-inflammatory effects) and fiber to your diet.  Other seeds that deserve consideration are chia and hemp seeds.  Here's a quick look at how they compare.  

*They all have roughly the same amount of calories 150/oz (3 Tbsp).

*Flax and Chia have about the same amount of protein (4-5 grams/oz) while hemp seeds have roughly 10g/oz.  Try adding hemp when looking for a protein boost!

*Flax and Chia are high in Omega-3s (roughly 4 grams/oz) while hemp has very little.  There is no RDA for Omega 3s, but the ideal is 2 grams or more daily and most people don't get that.
Note: Omega 3s from animal sources are more readily used by the body than from plant sources.

*Chia seeds have very little taste, but they do absorb water and take on a gelatinous consistency when wet which makes them great for preventing blood sugar spikes when added to other carbohydrate foods (aka lowers the glycemic response of foods).  The texture is different.  It may take some getting used to, especially for texture sensitive kids.

* Flax seeds should be ground for the most bioavailability while hemp and chia don't require that extra step.

* According to Nutrition Data hemp seeds are a good source of iron, chia of calcium and flax a little of both.   All are high in fiber and plenty of other vitamins and minerals.

So each little seed has plenty of positives and really no negatives.  My suggestion is to use them all, together or separately, in soups, smoothies, salads etc.  The one benefit of chia over flax in my book is that you don't have to grind them...one less step! 

Here's a fun chia recipe for spring/summer!

PS, when researching for this article, I came across The Sweet Beet, a blog about knowing your food and eating better but less while being more satisfied.  Check it out and be inspired by her food philosophy!

True Food Kitchen recipes and review


We took a little trip to Phoenix this weekend to visit family and had a wonderful lunch at True Food Kitchen.   This super popular restaurant serves globally inspired cuisine and specializes in using the highest quality local, seasonal ingredients and sustainable practices to make pure and satisfying meals.  The menu is centered on the principles of Dr. Weil's Anti-Inflammatory diet and Food Pyramid which I've blogged about before.  The space is gorgeous and the food and drink superb!  We started with a few drinks at the bar (the place was packed so we had no choice).  I had the Cucumber Clementine Skinny Margarita which I WILL try to replicate.....
Casa Noble Silver Organic Tequila
Lime
Fresh Mint
Clementine Slices
Cucumber slices and diced pieces

image from she's cookin
Then we moved to a table for Edamame Dumplings of pureed edamame with butter and cream...no wonder they were to die for!


This kale salad was so great and I found the recipe on their website!
  • 4-6 cups Kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black (Lacinato, “dinosaur,” cavolo nero)     midribs removed
  • Juice of 1 Lemon (lemon makes the antioxidants in kale more bioavailable and increases the absorption of Iron from the Kale)
  • 3-4 T Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
  • 2 cloves Garlic, mashed
  • Salt & Pepper, to taste
  • Hot Red Pepper Flakes, to taste
  • 2/3 cup grated Pecorino Toscano cheese
        (Rosselino variety if you can find it) or other
        flavorful grating cheese such as
        Asiago or Parmesan
  • ½ cup freshly made Bread Crumbs from
        lightly toasted bread (you could substitute finely chopped almonds for a wheat-free version with more protein).
Tuscan Kale Salad Directions
Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese.

We finished off with the Teriyaki Brown Rice Bowl and the Raw Fish Selection, a Hamachi dressed in a tart citrus vinaigrette and served with very thinly sliced radish, carrot and cucumber....so crisp, clean and delicious! 



Pure Phoenix refreshment!  If only True Food would come to Chicago....


green grapes


I'm far from a wine connoisseur, but I do know what I like.  And with SO many wines to choose from (even in my price range) why not have some compass to help narrow down the search?  Since I'm trying to eat greener, shouldn't I be trying to drink greener too?  There are organic and biodynamic wines on the market that are grown and produced using sustainable and even holistic practices.  Alois Lageder, an Italian winemaker and expert in biodynamic practices, describes it as "making wines that express the qualities of the grapes from which they are made, which have been grown in harmony with nature. Constantly interacting with these various influences, we constantly pursue the goal of producing wines that reflect our commitment to sustainable procedures in the cellars no less than in the vineyards". 

On a recent trip to Binnys, I asked the experts there about their organic and biodynamic wines.  They pointed me in the direction of the above wines.  They were all quite good and will now be on my go-to list.  And all are under $20!  I was especially pleasantly surprised by the Alois Legeder Pinot Grigio since I don't usually love pinot grigio.

Check them out and feel better about the 2nd or even 3rd glass....hey, it's good for the environment!

aware

A friend's son was recently diagnosed with a peanut allergy which, as you know, is becoming more prevalent these days.  Another friend introduced me to Blue Bear Aware, a line of allergy alert clothing and accessories for children.  What a great idea!
Blue Bear Aware is kind enough to offer a special promotion: Green & Plenty Readers, receive 15% off your order of allergy gear at Blue Bear Aware.  Place the code "greenworld" in the coupon box at the check-out page to receive 15% off (valid until Feb 28th, 2011). 
Thanks Blue Bear Aware...what a generous gesture!

Whole Living cleanse soup

A few weeks ago I did a cleanse using the Clean Program as a guide.  Coincidentally, the latest issue of Whole Living features a guide for a 28 day detox with week 1 being very similar to the Clean Program guidelines- no wheat, dairy, caffeine, alcohol, soy or sugar.  Whole Living posted a few recipes for each week, including this soup.  I highly recommend it whether you're detoxing or not.  It's hearty but still low calorie, loaded with vegetables, high in fiber, protein, antioxidants and low-glycemic.  FYI, I added jalapeno for a little kick.

Valentine's date

 Little Sam and I hit the town today for a Valentine's Day date.  Argo Tea is one of my favorite places to take Sam for lunch as they have reasonably priced healthy lunch options that work for us both.  Their tea infused Chicken Curry Quinoa dish is pretty tasty, low calorie and wheat-free.  It could be a little lighter on the quinoa and heavier on the vegetables, but hey, I'll take what I can get from a tea shop.  The drinks are very creative too, but I swear by their naturally antioxidant packed white tea. 




This cookie ended up on the floor after just one bite...Sam keeps me in check!



After lunch we hit the swings for the first time in a long time...what a great date!

green house...literally!

I got my issue of Dwell's Make It Yours mag in the mail today.  I haven't even finished reading it, but wanted to share this special home by Ken Meffan, an environmentally conscious natural architech.  It's actually his own home, complete with an enclosed greenhouse!  Check out the Dwell slideshow for more inspiration.

The oversized, upcycled front door lets the light shine in.

Maintaining the enclosed greenhouse would be soothing for the soul!

Imagine walking through this lush greenery on your way to bed each night...
or hanging out here listening to great tunes turned all the way up!

green fortune

this would be a fun gift for a few great friends.  You know who you are...
diana eng uses recycled scraps of leather to make these fortune purses...cute!

whole treatment

Whole Foods recently started rating their meat on the basis of how the animals are treated.  I applaud this step, especially since it's meant to help improve the treatment of animals and overall standards in the industry.  Whole Foods explains that just getting to a rating of 1 is " a huge accomplishment in the industry! Step 1 requires more from our farmers and ranchers than we have ever asked before.  Here's the scale: 1. No crates, no cages, no crowding 2. Enriched Environment 3. Enhanced Outdoor Access 4. Pasture Centered  5. Animal Centered 5/5+.  I didn't look at the entire case, but in the poultry section, the highest rating I saw today was a 2, which  is good....I guess, but it makes me want to know more about where my food is coming from, especially my meat.  Why weren't there more "5"s?  One way to find out more is to check with your loal farmer's market that sells meat, poultry and or fish.  In Chicago, Green City Market's website is a great place to start.

local art

I discovered We Are Campfire at the Renegade Craft Fair  last summer.  So many unique designs that would make a great gift for the guy in your life for Valentine's day...or just because! 

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