As a woman who enjoys the occasional glass of wine just as much as a green smoothie, I thought I’d share with you my underlining philosophy on food and eating – that I hope anyone can agree with: paleo, vegan, what have you.

1) 
ADD HEALTHY FOODS!  
Cutting out the foods we enjoy, grew up on, or are a part of our culture can be difficult and a bit sad.
I mean, who wants to give up Matzo Ball Soup!?

Therefore, I propose we start small by introducing new and delicious, nutrient dense foods into our day.
Here are a few examples of how you can do that:

• Start your day off with lemon water
• add chia seeds, cinnamon and flax meal to your morning oats
• sprinkle hemp seeds on your salad at lunch
• pack your own hummus and loads of veggies for a snack
• have a green smoothie with a superfood powder in the afternoon

There you have it – you just added 400 calories of nutrient rich foods that boost your immune system, create healthy hair, skin and nails, and provide your body with nourishment that will actually keep you feeling satiated and satisfying.  You’ll notice that nutrient dense foods will fill you up and keep you energized for longer than empty foods (Honey Bunches of Oats and Cheezits).

2) 
LOOK AT ALL YOU CAN EAT
With all this hype and chatter around dairy, gluten, sugar, soy – what our paleolithic ancestors ate and didn’t eat –  it seems almost impossible these days to know what’s good for us and what’s not…

I propose we shift that perspective.
What about if instead of dwelling on the foods we can’t eat, we start thinking,
“I can eat anything from the earth!”

How amazing would that be!?
I think we’re safe to assume that if cultures have been eating it for thousands of years, we’re cool to, too: coconut, rice, fish, lentils, mango, honey, miso paste. 

I don’t think the man in the Japanese fishing village is worrying about consuming too much rice or miso soup (fermented soy).
It’s the American diet we should be questioning, the ThinkThin power bars and diet sodas.  

News flash for those avoiding gluten:
Gluten is only found in 4 grains: rye, bulger, barley and wheat.  
Which are easy to avoid if you are eating a whole foods diet.
I mean how often do you go to the bulk aisle and scoop out a bag of bulger? Not often.

Look at it this way, in the bulk aisle there are LOADS of grains that are gluten free which you probably have never tried, let alone heard of.  So why not try something new!?
For example, millet, quinoa, all rices, oats and amaranth are all gluten free.

In addition, as opposed to replacing your cookie with vegan or gluten free cookie, try satisfying your sweet tooth with THESES!!

It’s a weekend of combined
HEALTH: green smoothies, walks, mat movement, massage, relaxing
AND INDULGENCES: cheese from the farm, wine, chocolate

Hola! Coming at you from Todos Santos….  The little beach town in Southern Baja Mexico I moved to (exactly) this time last year.  I moved here to open a farm-to-table store/cafe on an organic farm (see here & here) and after the hurricane which touched-down on Souther Baja last month, the store and farm were nearly destroyed.  {Which brings me back to Todos Santos to give a little love}.

Since the local organic farms have been destroyed in the hurricane, the only available produce in town comes from farms that drench and drown their produce in pesticides 🙁   

Tips on Healthy Traveling & Choosing NON Organic Produce: 
-Choose fruits and veggies that you can peel, minimizing your pesticide exposure!
(avoid berries and foods that grow IN the ground like carrots)
-I pack baggies of superfoods like spirulina and green tea matcha when traveling – both are loaded with antioxidants {fun fact: Antioxidants help repair damaged cells caused by free radicals in our bodies – free radicals come from pollution, pesticides, smoke, toxins, etc.)
-I also travel with Yogi Super Antioxidant Green Tea and freeze the brewed tea into ice cubes for smoothies
– while we’re on the subject, here are more healthy travel tips
Green Smoothie Recipe:  1 Cucumber (peeled),  Avocado, Lime, Frozen Banana, Spirulina, Green Tea Matcha and Green Tea Ice Cubes (not pictured)

Breakfast was chia seeds and oats cooked with cinnamon, vanilla and coconut oil.  Topped with walnut butter, bananas, hemp hearts and local honey  (I brought everything from SF except for the bananas, coconut oil and honey)

Papaya and Green Smoothie Afternoon Snack

Jicama and Cucumber with Lime and Cayenne

Loving my Klean Kanteen – Powereed by Spirunia and Matcha 🙂 OOOOOMMMM

Here’s to health,
Claudine

Hello Friends!

Buckwheat Crackers with Edamame & Avocado Spread

Have you heard of buckwheat?

If not, let me familiarize you with this great grain.  Not only is it a hearty whole grain that transforms into tasty little puffs when cooked, but when milled into a flour it becomes a wonderful gluten free substitute for all sorts of baking….

I recently started experimenting with buckwheat, and to my surprise, have been love, love, lovin it

Why, you ask?

– It’s quite sticky, “glutinous” and “starchy” so does well in recipes that need a lil’ binding love like crackers and crepes.
– The flavor is deep and earthy, but mild enough to still be paired nicely with sweets like buckwheat crepes & Nutella!
– It’s naturally gluten free, high in protein (contains lysin, an amino acid not found in many other plant based sources), high in fiber, B vitamins, copper and magnesium.

Say HELLO to my new favorite grain!

These Crackers are ridiculous!!! 4 ingredients and SO SIMPLE-
YOU WILL NEVER BUY PACKAGED crackers again.

Packed Lunch for my friend who just had a baby – that’s avocado edamame spread under the lemon (so excited for the day I can pack my kiddos lunches!!!!)

Buckwheat Crackers with Almond Butter and Banana

Crazy (simple) Crackers:

I promise, these are so easy, after making them once, you’ll never buy crackers again!

Combine 1 ½ cups of buckwheat flour and 1 cup of Almond Flour, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup of hemp hearts.  mix well.  Add ¾ cup of water and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Mix well with a spatula.  Divide into 2 balls and and place in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375.

Roll out one ball between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Place on a cookie sheet and remove the top piece of paper.  With a pizza cutter, cut into whatever shapes you fancy!  Bake for 20-25 minutes until edges turn golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before breaking the crackers.  

recent obsession:
POACHED EGGS!

I don’t know why I’ve been avoiding learning to poach an egg all my life.  Maybe because everyone makes it out to be “so difficult”.   I found it to be the easiest thing I’ve recently learned!  Expect to f**k up a few times at first .  But that’s to be expected, it’s just food, no worries.  Before you know it, you’ll be whipping them up with no troubles at all! Practice makes Perfect.

We could spend a lot of time going into the politics around eggs (which I LOVE doing), from cage free to pasture raised or from cholesterol concerns to the perfect protein source…there are a lot of opinions out there around eggs.
My philosophy is: Enjoy everything from nature in moderation (and sure, an occasional apple fritter is fine too!).

I happen to LOVE eggs.  They’re versatile, affordable (well, kind of. $8 farmer’s market pasture raised, ek!) and not to mention, packed with vitamins, minerals and protein.
(However, I would never eat an egg on the airplane, in a random restaurant or from a place I know does not support the humane treatment of animals…see HERE)

OK, HOW TO POACH AN EGG…

What you’ll need:
a slotted spoon
shallow pot of boiling water
paper towels
eggs from happy chickens
distilled white vinegar

What to do:
bring a small pot of water to a boil
lower to a simmer
add distilled white vinegar
crack the egg into a small cup (I used an espresso cup)
slowly drop the egg into the pot of simmering water (I kind of slide it down the side of the pot)
set your timer for 3 minutes
it’s going to look weird and messy in the water- don’t panic
use your slotted spoon to move the whites towards the yolk, keeping the shape looking somewhat uniformed-ish
in the meantime, place a paper towel on a plate
in 3 minutes the egg is cooked (or when the white part of the egg looks firm and not runny)
remove the egg with your slotted spoon to the paper towel to dry for a bit
season with salt and pepper

(if making more than one, you can add eggs 30 seconds apart)

Recipe for above picture: I roasted a sweet potato, chopped greens and almonds in ONE dish in the oven while I made the egg.  If you can do simple math you can learn to cook entire meals in ONE dish.  Oven at 400.  On a large cookie sheet bake the sweet potatoes (I poke with a fork and wrap them in foil).  When the potato has 12 minutes remaining, scoot them to one side of the pan and add the chopped broccolini and kale (tossed with evoo and sp) along with the almonds. (I feel silly for even explaining this)

ENJOY!

Whipped it up again for a late lunch yesterday.  Earrings off, computer aside… hello deliciousness!!!! Think I’ll make it again today!

Naturally Gluten Free Pantry Staples

Hello Friends,
My goodness, gluten sure has become the hot topic over the past few years.

My Thoughts: I believe gluten is difficult for many people to digest and most people feel better when they cut back on the bread a bit.

However, the gluten free packaged and processed foods on store shelves are not necessarily healthy – do not be fooled, my friend.  Many gluten free breads, crackers, cookies and cereals are packed with ingredients you can not pronounce and sure as heck do not keep in your pantry.

Instead of turning to the gluten free versions of bagels and breads, try foods that are naturally gluten free. For example, have oatmeal instead of a bagel and a grain instead of bread.

– If you are not allergic to gluten, ask yourself this:
Which of these two crackers would my body prefer?
Rye Crisp Crackers (containing gluten. with 2 ingredients, rye and salt)
Glutino’s Crackers (oh my gosh you will not believe all of the ingredients here)

My favorite post run snack: rye crisp, almond butter, banana and chia and hemp seeds

Naturally Gluten Free Pantry Staples:
Whole:
Quinoa, amaranth, millet, buckwheat, all rices

Processed a bit from their natural state:
Brown Rice CousCous
Quinoa Pasta
Oats
Corn meal
Flax meal (I use as an egg replacement in veggie burgers and baking)
almond/coconut flours

As you may know I cook and live primarily gluten free.  I am not allergic to gluten, however, 4 years ago when I removed gluten from my diet I immediately started feeling better.  That’s not to say I pass on pasta in Italy or my dad’s berry pie on my birthday.

I’ll be hosting a Wellness Weekend in Baja, Mexico January 23-27th…and YOU are invited!

I’ve teamed up with 4 experts in the women’s wellness world to provide you with an unforgettable and relaxing weekend!  Your stay includes morning meditation with my cousin Laney, rooftop pilates with Kelsey, holistic cooking/nutrition demos with Andi and Christian and 1 restorative massage.  I’ll be cooking 3 nourishing meals a day with organic produce picked that morning, eggs from our farm and fish caught in the afternoon.

As you probably know by now, my passion in life is to spread health and wellness through personalized nutrition, cooking lessons and detoxes so I figure what better way to educate and inspire women than in a beautiful home on our own private beach.

We’re keeping the group small to just 9 girls, so sign up soon!

Offered at a discounted rate of $1,300 until January 4th, after which it is $1,500.

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity as it will never be offered again.  I hope you can join the fun!

Shoot me an email at visit@organicfarmgirl.org by January 10th!

“Focus on what you CAN eat, not what you can’t eat”

photo courtesy of Free People

Eliminating gluten from my diet was the best thing that every happened to me… Almost 😉  cutting out gluten opened my eyes to a verity of grains that I had never even heard of before.  Wheat itself is not too nutritionally beneficial. My thoughts: Why bake with wheat when you can use flours like almond, coconut, buckwheat and rice instead?  I find these flours give great texture and taste to baked goods not to mention packed with vitamins and minerals.

Wondering if you may have a sensitivity to gluten?  Take a look at the 10 Signs You Are Gluten Intolerant at one of my favorite sites and resources for whole body livin, Mind Body Green

Here are my Gluten Free Recipes.

Cutting back on gluten also means you’ll most likely be cutting back on processed/packaged s**t… which we all could do more of anyway!  You can pretty much assume that anything packages has gluten and/or genetically modified soy/corn in it.  ugh

2 super simple examples:

Looking for something to dip in hummus or have with cheese?  Try sliced cucumbers.

Looking for a fast breakfast in the morning?  Mix OATS with toppings like dried fruit, nuts and almond milk.

Instead of reaching for packaged crackers and cereals (which are full of additives and ingredients that you don’t even have in your pantry) think whole, simple foods from the earth…

Check out these 12 great substitutes HERE

Is the question I get all the time, accompanied by the look of whaaaat the heeeeeck, when I tell people what it is I do not eat.

And my response is “Everything from the eaaaaaarth!”

What it is I do not eat:  Gluten, Soy, Sugar, Processed/Packaged Foods (which usually contain all of those ingredients), pigs and animals raised inhumanly on factory farms.

What I do eat:  Absolutely every single fruit and vegetable I love.  There isn’t one I don’t like.  Actually, I’m not a big truffle fan.  I think I must have had too much truffle oil on a hot summer day and now the smell gives me the willies.  Well, maybe not the willies, but I’m just like, “eeeeh no thanks”.  Love all gluten free grains: millet, rices, quinoa, cornmeal, amaranth, buckwheat.  Now just imagine all of the amazing combinations we can make with these ingredients woohoo yummy!

I know cutting out packaged/processed foods may seem intimidating or overwhelming at first, but just take a look at what I ate today – you’ll be surprised at how simple it can be! Living a whole, clean, earth based life is delicious, healthy and easy!  Bonus: everything I ate today can be prepped on Sunday and stored/enjoyed for about 5 days.  I’m telling you, I don’t even get out a knife or cutting board during the week – all veggies, fruit and grains can be prepared ahead of time.  Because honestly, who really has the time to spend making BLD (breakfast, lunch, dinner) every day?!  Try starting off with these 20 staples to help get you on your way to whole livin’!

Breakfast: Cut fruit.  Lately I’ve been enjoying grapefruit, kiwi and pineapple.  ChiaChatta is a chia seed pudding that tastes like horchata.  It’s so simple to make and can be made in a big batch on Sunday and enjoyed until Friday.  Combine 1/4 cup chia seeds, 1/4 cup oats 1.5 cups almond milk, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon.  Mix well and store in a glass container.  Read here all the amazing benefit of chia seeds. You should start enjoying them daily!

Lunch: I usually like to stick to a salad with plant based protein during the day (check out veg/protein combinations here).  On Sunday I always prepare a grain (this week brown and black rice) and throw in a vegetable towards the end of cooking (this week edamame).  Also, cabbage is soooooooo good for you and stays fresh for awhile.  It’s just a real winner.  So, a big bowl of cabbage with a few spoon fulls of rice and edamame.  Then I was feeing a little Asian inspired and added avocado, black sesame seeds, rice wine vinegar and sesame oil.  Done.  2 minutes tops! Packs well for work too.

Snack: The perfect combination of fat, carbs, protein and sugar are medjool dates filled with almond butter.  They pack well, can be made in advance (do I need to keep mentioning that?) and are sooooo delicious.  I actually can not walk down the bulk aisle and not put my hand in the date bin and take one. I seriously begin salivating as I approach them.  So awkward getting caught mid bite, ek!  Hard boiled eggs also make a great snack on the go.  Don’t eat them in meetings though, please.  They may be the most disturbing food to watch people eat – eeeh – actually deviled eggs are worse.  I think my mom is the only person who still brings them to every occasion and holiday party.

Dinner: Usually a cooked vegetable and animal protein.  Today I just cooked some green beans I had on hand in a little coconut oil  (make coco oil your new cooking staple – it has so many health benefits), added a little of that already made rice and edamame, throw a fried egg on top and viola! So yummy and again, only 2 minutes.  Another way to reheat the rice and cook fish at the same time – check this recipe out and while you’re there read up on how Eating Healthy is Easy and Cheap!

Start small you guys.  Maybe try just one new vegetable a week.  Or replacing that roll with your salad with a whole grain, like rice.

I also start every morning off with a shot of Bragg’s Apple Cider Vinegar (aaaah painful) and end my day with Natural Calm, A Relaxing Magnesium Supplement.

Dr Weil’s Food Pyramid.  I replace the tofu with red wine.  You gotta get your antioxidants, right!?

Oatmeal is also a great way to start off your morning.  I assembled these for my friend who’s a nurse and would buy oatmeal every day at work.  She was spending $3 every morning, plus the oatmeal she was buying was packed with sugar, preservatives and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce.  I spent $20 on ingredients at TJ’s and assembled 20 baggies-to-go (a waste of plastic, I know, sorry).  Plus, they were way healthier because I added chia seeds and cinnamon (so many health benefits) and no sugar or preservatives were added.  10 minutes on Sunday will save you money, time waiting in line and your waistline!

Let’s all Practice this:

Let’s all try this

Having this on hand will keep you from turning to processed foods like toast for breakfast, croutons on your salad at lunch or pasta with your fish at super.  And it is always available and ready to eat, which mean NO work for you! And, it can keep in the fridge for days!

I know we all complain about “not having enough time to cook”… well, you can’t use that excuse anymore!

For example, you can use your already made Basic Grain Pilaf for:
Breakfast:
Cook with eggs in a frying pan (2 minutes)
Heat up in a pot with milk, cinnamon, vanilla, raisins and almonds for porridge (2 minutes)

Lunch:
Throw on your salad (timeless!)
Mix with bean and wrap in a tortilla (1 minute)

Dinner:
Throw into your soup instead of pasta (I do this with Thai curry too yum yum)
Put in a baking dish with white wine, top it with fish, rosemary, tomatoes, capers etc and bake

If you know that you will be using your Basic Grain Pilaf for savory dishes only, substitute the water for broth and even cook up a chopped onion in the pot before adding the rice.
This will really add a lot more flavor.
I usually choose to make mine with water (and no onion obviously) so I can have the option to make porridge in the morning too

Get creative with your combinations, portions and quantities of each grain.
Combinations I enjoy:
Millet and Quinoa
Rice and Amaranth