Stephanie Pedersen's Blog, page 18

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

As a nutritionist, I talk to a lot of people who want to weigh something different than they do. Sometimes they want to weigh more, but usually they want to weight less. Quit a bit less.

Have you ever noticed that when you want something in a big way, a bit of desperation sets in? You’ll do anything to make your desire happen… even things that aren’t good for your well-being. I can’t stop any one of you from trying to lose weight with water and lemon juice, or eating nothing but grapefruit and bacon for a week, or over-exercising until you hurt yourself. But I can offer you this: Everyone can lose weight in a healthy way.

It may not happen as fast as you want it to (and if that’s the case, please don’t go blaming your hardworking body for not stepping in time to your ego). And it may not be able to get down to a size 2 if your genetics say your body type is muscular and curvy. But everyone can experience a healthy-for-them weight. It takes just one thing: Good care.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 13 through Friday, August 15. I’ve got a 3-Day Weight Blast coming up, where I’ll spend three days showing you healthy habits you can use your entire life to help yourself lose and maintain weight in a healthy, sane way. For more information about the program, go here now

IT’S SUMMER: SLOW AND TASTY ARE WHAT YOU NEED!

Humans slow down when things get hot. We take it easy. Which is a natural way to conserve energy. So it makes sense that summer is about easy eating. I’m not talking health-sapping fast foods or junky convenience products that can ruin your looks, your health, your mood and your energy levels. I’m talking about simple-to-make, energy-packed, fiber-filled, phytonutrient-rich superfood dishes, like the tabbouleh recipe below. Instead of using bulgur (which is basically cracked wheat—not so good for those of us who prefer going sans gluten) this Superfood Tabbouleh uses quinoa.

 

Why I love quinoa: It’s protein rich (a serving of this salad will give you five grams of protein!), is loaded with phytonutrients which help target inflammation in the body and prevent cancer and other illnesses, and contains high amounts of vitamins and minerals. In fact, a 3/4-cup serving will give you 58.5% of your recommended dietary allowance of manganese, 29.6% of magnesium, 19.4% of folate and 18.4% of zinc. You’ll also get almost 21% of your RDA of fiber. And it’s delicious, easy to cook, and it can be used in a wide variety of healthy recipes.

 

SUPERFOOD TABBOULEH

Makes 6 servings

1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed very well to get rid of saponins (soapy-tasting coating)

¼ – 1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more if needed to taste

Black pepper, to taste

2-4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (my husband and I prefer 4, my kids prefer 2)

1 or 2 garlic clove, minced (again, my hubby and I prefer the larger number)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Freshly ground black pepper

2 small cucumbers or 1 large English hot house cucumber, cut into 1/4-inch pieces

1 pint red or yellow (or half and half) cherry tomatoes, halved

½ to 2/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley (swap in cilantro for a different taste)

¼ to 1/2 cup chopped fresh mint

2 to 4 scallions with some of the green, thinly sliced

Bring quinoa, 1/2 tsp. salt, and 1 1/4 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until quinoa is tender, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
Meanwhile, whisk lemon juice and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Add quinoa, cucumber, tomatoes, herbs, and scallions to a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Drizzle ingredients with dressing, gently tossing to coat all ingredients.
I like to let the flavors blend for at least 20 minutes before serving, but you can serve immediately if you’d like. Adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.

Can be made 1 day ahead and kept, tightly covered, in the fridge.

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

As a nutritionist, I talk to a lot of people who want to weigh something different than they do. Sometimes they want to weigh more, but usually they want to weight less. Quit a bit less.

Have you ever noticed that when you want something in a big way, a bit of desperation sets in? You’ll do anything to make your desire happen… even things that aren’t good for your well-being. I can’t stop any one of you from trying to lose weight with water and lemon juice, or eating nothing but grapefruit and bacon for a week, or over-exercising until you hurt yourself. But I can offer you this: Everyone can lose weight in a healthy way.

It may not happen as fast as you want it to (and if that’s the case, please don’t go blaming your hardworking body for not stepping in time to your ego). And it may not be able to get down to a size 2 if your genetics say your body type is muscular and curvy. But everyone can experience a healthy-for-them weight. It takes just one thing: Good care.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 13 through Friday, August 15. I’ve got a 3-Day Weight Blast coming up, where I’ll spend three days showing you healthy habits you can use your entire life to help yourself lose and maintain weight in a healthy, sane way.

Lose weight AND learn how to live so you can continue losing more (or maintaining a weight loss) once the three days are over. For more information about the program, go here now

STRAWBERRIES FOR HEALTH

STRAWBERRIES FOR HEALTH

Strawberries hold a special place in my heart. I grew up in a religion that required that we keep at least a one-year supply of food. To meet this requirement, mot families had large kitchen gardens (much of the extra produce was canned or frozen or dried by mothers and grandmothers, then put away in storage closets and extra freezers.) We were no different. And as it was in many of the families we worshipped with, it was the oldest child’s job to tend the garden. That’s where strawberries come in. We grew them and I tended them, giving me a deep appreciation of this wonderful fruit.

Strawberries are delicious. In fact, they are one of the few fruits that most all humans enjoy—even the pickiest adult and child eaters will eat strawberries! Which is a very good thing because strawberries are a nutrition powerhouse. A one-cup serving (which is about 8 largish berries), provides 113% of your daily allowance for vitamin C and 28% of manganese, and 11.5% of fiber, with only 46 calories.

These beautiful berries are also loaded with phytonutrients—including anthocyanins, ellagitannins, flavonols, terpenoids, and phenolic acids—that act as powerful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients to help protect and heal from a very wide range of illnesses, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, autoimmune disorders, thyroid disorders, digestive disorders and so many more. One large-scale study found that consuming a one-cup serving of strawberries 3 or more times a week was a powerful way to protect yourself from any inflammatory-causing disease (which includes, basically, most diseases).

By all means, enjoy strawberries raw and unadorned. But if you need some help in getting your prescribed weekly dose of berries, I offer you one of my childhood favorites: Strawberry leather. (I’ve tried this recipe with alternate sugars, but it didn’t set up as well. If you have luck using non-cane sugars, please let me know!)

STRAWBERRY LEATHER

Makes 8 servings

1 1/2 pound strawberries, halved (4 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup sugar (regular, sugarcane-based, table sugar)

Necessary equipment: 17 by 12-inch nonstick bakeware liner such as a Silpat or waxed paper; a large offset spatula

Purée strawberries with sugar in a blender until very, very smooth.
Strain strawberry puree through a fine-mesh sieve into a large heavy saucepan.
Bring purée to a boil.
Immediately turn heat to medium-low and simmer mixture until reduced to about 1 ¼ cups. This will take about 45 minutes to an hour. Stir frequently—especially toward the end—to prevent sticking. Finished mixture will mound slightly when dropped from a spoon.
While strawberry puree cooks on the stove, preheat oven to 200°F with rack in middle.
While strawberry puree cooks and oven preheats, line a large baking sheet with a nonstick liner or waxed paper.
Pour hot purée onto liner and spread thinly (as evenly as possible) into a 15- by 10-inch rectangle using an offset spatula.
Place pan in the oven on a middle rack. Dry purée in oven until it dries and no longer sticks to your fingers (it will, however, be slightly tacky). This will take about 2 to 3 hours.
Remove dried leather from oven and cool on liner on a rack until completely dry, at least 3 hours and up to 24.
Place a piece of waxed paper over leather, then peel leather off liner and roll up in waxed paper.
Note: Strawberry leather keeps in a sealed bag at room temperature 1 month.

Want to grow your own strawberries?

Strawberry plants ready for planting!
The Berry Grower’s Companion, by Barbara L. Bowling.
Upside-down strawberry planter.
Terracotta strawberry pot.
Freeze-dried strawberries to snack on while gardening.
An easy-to-use strawberry huller.
The Berry Bible: 175 Recipes, by Janie Hibler.

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

WEIGHT LOSS DONE YOUR BODY’S WAY

As a nutritionist, I talk to a lot of people who want to weigh something different than they do. Sometimes they want to weigh more, but usually they want to weight less. Quit a bit less.

Have you ever noticed that when you want something in a big way, a bit of desperation sets in? You’ll do anything to make your desire happen… even things that aren’t good for your well-being. I can’t stop any one of you from trying to lose weight with water and lemon juice, or eating nothing but grapefruit and bacon for a week, or over-exercising until you hurt yourself. But I can offer you this: Everyone can lose weight in a healthy way.

It may not happen as fast as you want it to (and if that’s the case, please don’t go blaming your hardworking body for not stepping in time to your ego). And it may not be able to get down to a size 2 if your genetics say your body type is muscular and curvy. But everyone can experience a healthy-for-them weight. It takes just one thing: Good care.

Mark your calendars for Tuesday, August 13 through Friday, August 15. I’ve got a 3-Day Weight Blast coming up, where I’ll spend three days showing you healthy habits you can use your entire life to help yourself lose and maintain weight in a healthy, sane way. For more information about the program, go here now

COOL AS A CUCUMBER

COOL AS A CUCUMBER

If you live in the States, you’ve probably heard a calm acquaintance or loved one described as being “cool as a cucumber.” It’s no accident that cucumbers are associated with calm personalities. This cooling, calming food is used in many traditional food systems used to remedy excess heat—making them a natural summer food.

Cucumbers boast powerful detoxifying abilities, which is why every green drink I make contains cucumber. I love the light, fresh flavor. I also love the nutritional profile: One cucumber provides about 19% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin K and just about 12% of molybdenum.

Cucumber also contains a few incredibly powerful phytonutrients from three antioxidant families: cucurbitacins, lignans, and flavonoids. These three types of phytonutrients provide us with valuable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer benefits. In animal studies, fresh extracts from cucumber have been shown to provide specific antioxidant benefits, including increased scavenging of free radicals and increased overall antioxidant capacity. Fresh cucumber extracts have also been shown to reduce unwanted inflammation and prevent and treat cancer in animal studies.

But how to enjoy this powerful, cooling food? The easiest way is to chop cucumbers into salads or eat raw spears with hummus. In Australia, we put sliced cucumbers on burgers and sandwiches of all kinds. My Danish family also ate them on (open-faced) sandwiches or, even more often, soaked in a dill-spiked brine and kept in a container in the fridge. This container would be hauled out at each meal so people could enjoy the slices as a cooling side dish for literally anything my mother made for lunch or dinner. I loved these cucumber slices so much that when my mother wasn’t around, I’d sneak to the fridge and filch a few slices. Here’s a recipe so you can enjoy these delicious cucumbers yourself!

Scandinavian Cucumber

Makes about 1.5 cups

1 English (hothouse) cucumber
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar (coconut or regular)
Optional: A few very thin slices of red onion
Optional: ¼ teaspoon dill seed
Optional: 1 or 2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill


Slice the cucumber as thin as possible (use a mandoline or other vegetable slicer if you have one). Put the slices in a colander, toss them with the salt, and let stand for about 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine the water, vinegar, sugar, salt, and optional dill seed in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Rinse the salt off the cucumbers, and squeeze or press out as much moisture as possible.
Put the cucumbers in a medium bowl and sprinkle with the optional fresh snipped dill. Add the pickling solution; they should be completely covered by the brine.
Cover and refrigerate for 3 to 6 hours before serving. The pickled cucumbers will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Looking for another fun thing to do with cucumber? Make cucumber spirals! They are a fun addition to cold Asian-style salads.

PLUM DELICIOUS

PLUM DELICIOUS

When I was 14, my family moved to a small farming community in Northern California—a village known for its stone fruit orchards. I grew up working in those orchards. Mostly with apricots, but also plums. It was there that I fell in love with these these sweet, richly colored, meaty-textured fruits.

I continue to enjoy plums’ delicious taste, but the nutritionist in me appreciates their outrageously high antioxidant content. Plums of all colors are loaded with phyotnutrients that help strengthen the immune system, fight all types of cancers and make your skin look phenomenal.

 

In our home we eat plums raw, either out of hand or chopped into green salads or salsas. We also add them to smoothies, dice them into baked goods or waffle batter, halve and bake them with a dusting of finely chopped walnuts, and roast them along side pork tenderloin. Or, we puree plums and make sorbet or ice pops. This Plum Granita recipe is another favorite, especially loved by me, my husband and my middle son. I think you’ll love it, too! No special equiptment is required!

 

Plum Granita

Makes 4 1-cup servings

 

Large amount of crushed ice or ice cubes

1 cup water
2/3 cup coconut or “regular” sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or splash of rum
1/8 teaspoon salt
5 whole allspice berries
1 1/2 pounds black plums, quartered and pitted
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice


Stop up your kitchen sink and fill with ice cubes. Or fill a very large bowl or plastic basin with ice. Set aside.
Place water, sugar, vanilla extract, salt, allspice berries and plums in a large saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer for 15 minutes or until plums begin to fall apart, stirring occasionally.
Place pan directly in the ice-filled sink or large ice-filled bowl to lower temperature. Cool mixture completely by stirring completely.
Once the mixture cools to room temperature, discard allspice.
Place the plum mixture and lime juice in a food processor or blender and process until well blended.
Press the plum mixture through a fine sieve over a bowl, and discard solids.
Pour the mixture into an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Cover and freeze until partially frozen (about 2 hours).
Scrape with a fork, crushing any lumps.
Return to freezer and freeze for 3 hours, scraping with a fork every hour, or until completely frozen.

For more recipes using plums and other stone fruit, check out Plum Gorgeous, by Romney Steele.

EVERYONE NEEDS A GREAT BEAN BURGER RECIPE!

EVERYONE NEEDS A GREAT BEAN BURGER RECIPE!

Happy Summer! This is the perfect time of year for the perfect bean burger. Bean burgers are tasty, easy to make, economical, tasty (I had to say it again!) and everyone—from vegetarians to omnivores—loves them.

 

This particular recipe features the charms of nourishing kidney beans. Originating in Peru, this mild-tasting legume features a long list of helpful nutrients: A 1-cup serving of cooked kidney beans features 295% of your body’s recommended daily requirement for molybdenum (a trace element that detoxifies the body as well as helping to process amino acids), 58% of folate, 45% of fiber, 42% of copper, 38% of manganese, 31% protein, 23% of vitamin B1, 22% of iron, 20% of potassium and 19% of magnesium.

 

In my house, we use kidney beans in many ways: Tossed into salads or stir-fries, cooked with coconut milk and aromatics for a fast curry, folded into taco fillings, pureed and used as a dip or sandwich spread, and as one of the star players in vegetarian chili. We also use it to create yummy bean burgers! This is one of our favorite recipes! We adapted it from a recipe we found on epicurious.com.

 

KIDNEY BEAN BURGER

 

Makes 4 servings

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped seeded plum tomato
1 teaspoon minced jalapeño chile
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cups cooked kidney beans (you can use a 15- to 16-ounce can kidney beans) rinsed, well drained
1/4 cup dry gluten-free or regular breadcrumbs
2 to 4 tablespoons homemade or purchased natural barbecue sauce
1 large egg white, beaten to blend


Heat oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add next 5 ingredients; sauté 5 minutes. Cool slightly.
Using fork, coarsely mash beans in medium bowl. Mix in onion mixture, breadcrumbs, barbecue sauce and egg white. Shape mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. (Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and chill.)
If grilling, spray grill rack with nonstick spray, then prepare barbecue (medium heat). If sautéing, spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and heat over medium heat.
Lightly spray patties on both sides with nonstick spray. Place patties on grill or in skillet and cook until golden brown and heated through, about three minutes per side.
Serve on your favorite buns, tucked into pitas or lettuce leave wrappers or alone. Top with whatever you’d like.

Want more fun recipes using beans? Check out Bean By Bean, by Crescent Dragonwagaon.

I HAVE 3 FREE WEEKS AND YOU KNOW WHAT I WANNA DO?

I HAVE 3 FREE WEEKS AND YOU KNOW WHAT I WANNA DO?

Woo hoo!! It is summer and I am having a great time!

 

I hope you are, too!

 

I have three wide-open weeks in front of me: My boys are away at camp, I don’t start my next cookbook for another month, and my 5-Day Detox Party will wrap up this Friday. Time, sweet time, here I come!

 

You know what I want to do with my upcoming downtime? Spend it with private, 1-on-1 clients! Yes, you read that right!

 

I adore writing health books and testing recipes and giving talks and running group health programs, but the teacher in me loves spending time with one person, digging deep into his or her health history, focusing on his or her challenges and strengths and goals and coming up with the perfect-for-them way to succeed.

 

Because of my busy schedule, I don’t get to do this near as much as I’d like.

 

So I’ve decided to dedicate my three unscheduled weeks to helping individuals go from beach coverup to bathing suit in private, 1-on-1 healthy weightloss sessions!

 

To entice you to book time with me, I am going to dangle a carrot (organic and locally-grown) in front of you: I typically charge $135 for a private session. But for the next three weeks, anyone can book one or more healthy weightloss sessions for $75 a session.

 

These take place in the comfort of your home using Skype or the telephone. Forms, notes and everything you need to create a unique-to-you plan for fastracking your health and weight. This is a great gift to give yourself (or a loved one).

 

Start now I’ll take you from beach coverup to bikini in time for August! After all, who wants to wait until next year to feel great in a bathing suit? You deserve a smokin’ hot swimsuit right now!

 

Click one of the options below to grab your session—or sessions. I’ll be in contact with you immediately to schedule our time together! Or, if you’re purchasing for a friend or family member, let me know that and I’ll get you taken care of:

 

* One Session.

* Two Sessions, billed weekly.

* Three Sessions, billed weekly.

Oooh—I am so excited to spend one-on-one time with you!

 

xoxo,

 



Stephanie Pedersen, MS, CHHC

 

High Impact Health

YOU STILL WANT TO DETOX?

YOU STILL WANT TO DETOX?

We had the best time last week detoxing! I always love the 5-Day Detox Party this last go-round was especially fun! But a few of you reached out toward the end of the detox asking if you could join. I am such a softie—if someone wants to improve their health I’ll do almost anything to help them, including opening the 5-Day Detox Party to DIYers who want to take themselves through the program with my material and guidance, but done at your own pace (even if that pace means spending as many days as you’d like). If you want to check it out, now’s the time! As soon as you register, you’ll receive the class materials you need plus a pretty awesome bonus, if I do say so myself (the audio library and bonuses of my Superfood Superhero interview series). Go here!