Stephanie Pedersen's Blog, page 8

Happy Strawberry Season!

Good morning!

Happy Strawberry Season!

In last week’s newsletter we talked about how to treat these ruby gems once you get them home. Yes, berries are fussy when it comes to storage and there are very specific things you must do—and not do—to ensure your previous berries stay fresh and nutritious.

I promised this week to share with you my tricks for “fixing up” less than stellar berries. Most of us have purchased beautiful berries that looked—and even smelled—ripe. Then we got them home and tasted them and blech! They were tasteless. Or sour. Or just all-around too insipid. Maybe they were even crunchy. (No, strawberries are not supposed to be crunchy—even though most modern commercially grown strawberries are.)

You could take the berries back to the seller and demand a refund (this may work if you bought from a farmer, but most supermarkets will simply look at you as if you’re nuts). You could toss them or compost them (but with berry prices so high, this may not be most fiscally-sound options). Or, you could use them. Just use them. As-is, if you must, or in a way that doesn’t draw attention to their weak taste. Here are a few fast ideas:

* Toss them into a smoothie. They will add nutrients and some taste. Want a few smoothie ideas? Julie Morris’ book, Superfood Smoothies, is filled with them!

* Juice them. Most people don’t even think to juice berries, but berry juice is a long-time remedy for malaria, colds, flus, digestive conditions and is a popular way to help the body ward off cancer. For some fun juicing ideas, I love the late Tina Leigh’s book, Superfood Juices & Smoothies.

* Make them into syrups or sauces. One easy recipe: One or two cups sliced berries, one or two tablespoons lemon juice, a ¼ to 1/3 cup of sweetener boiled together in a pot on top of the stove. Mash the berries with the back of a fork and cook until thickened. Adjust the sweetener if desired. Puree the sauce if you want it smooth.

* Dress them in vinegar. Quarter them and toss them with a grind of black pepper and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Great over poultry, pork and fish.

* Add them to something savory. Slice them into salads or chop them into grain pilafs or dice them into your favorite salsa or throw them into the sauté pan when cooking fish.

But what if you want to enjoy the berries alone, in a bowl, with a spoon? Is it possible to improve a “bad” berry’s flavor enough to enjoy it?

Yes. It is.

Here it is:

Stephanie’s Emergency Berry Fix-Up

Give the strawberries a quick rinse, remove the leaves and core them.
Slice them, and toss them with a generous amount of lemon or lime juice.
Add a dash of vanilla extract and a few grains of salt (the secret ingredients!) and a very small drizzle of sweetener. If you’d like, grate on a bit of lemon or lime zest.
Toss to combine
Allow berries to sit and marinate in this (at room temperature or in the fridge) for 10 minutes before enjoying.

KEEP YOUR BERRIES FRESH!

This week I thought I’d do something different. Instead of a recipe, I’m here with a quick lesson on how to store strawberries. These beautiful fruits are so good for you, but they lose nutrients very easily. They also spoil quickly.



Yes, berries are temperamental, but treat them right and they will reward you with vitamin The fiber, vitamins and minerals in strawberries (actually, in types of berries), make them a very healthy food. However, what makes them a superfood, is the phytonutrients. These are ingredients that give the plants their color, taste and smell. They also protect plants from pests, disease and severe weather. These phytonutrients are powerful antioxidants, helping to strengthen the immune system, heal and prevent heart conditions, create a strong nervous system, protect against cancer, heal the skin and eyes, and so much more.

Back to storing these beauties:

* Dry, dry, dry! Berries (like many other plant foods) are porous, meaning they soak up liquid. When berries get wet, they begin to soak up liquid. The longer they are allowed to sit around in damp conditions, the more water they will absorb. This creates a mushy, slimy berry. Yuck! Line an airtight food storage container with a clean dishtowel or papertowl and add unwashed berries, removing any that are weepy, smashed or moldy,as well as any leaves or stems (but don’t core the berries). Cover and store in your produce drawer for up to two days.

* Do not wash strawberries until the moment you want to use them. Strawberries are highly perishable and should be stored (unwashed).

* When you are ready to use your berries, gently rinse them with cool water and quickly cut out the core at the stem end. Pat them dry if necessary and use immediately.

* If you cannot use the berries within a couple days, place the container in the freezer for up to six months.

Next week: Stay tuned for my trick on making supermarket berries taste better!

In the meantime, have fun with these strawberry resources:

* Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking With Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishers), by Stephanie Pedersen

* Homegrown Berries: Successfully Grow Your Own Strawberries, Raspberries, Blueberries, Blackberries, and More (Timber Press Growing Guide), by Teri Chace

* Organic June-Bearing Strawberry Plants

* Mr. Stacky 5-Tier Strawberry Planter

* Strawberry Huller

* The prettiest strawberry necklace ever!

* Freeze-dried strawberries for snacking. Yum!

* Chef’n Bramble Berry Basket and Colander

Hello Gorgeous!

How is your week going?

I am happy to share that mine is going well—or it is now, once I decided to take it for what it is (particularly chaotic with work and family deadlines) and relax into it.

But that’s not what I’m here to discuss with you. I am here to share something: A brilliant berry recipe. This is in honor of Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) which just hit bookstores

Strawberry Relish for Fish, Poultry, Pork, or Grains

Makes about 4 1/3-cup servings

This yummy relish is a spring favorite in my household. Filled with vitamin C and fiber, it adds a bright burst of flavor to your everyday favorites.

2 cups strawberries, hulled and roughly chopped
1 tablespoons chopped fresh chives, divided
½ tablespoon chopped mint or parsley (or some of each)
2 teaspoons freshly grated lime zest (can use lemon or orange zest)
1 teaspoon coconut or raw sugar, or to taste (you can use regular table sugar if you’d like)
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
pinch of salt and pepper


Place strawberries, herbs, lime zest, sugar, vinegar, and salt and pepper in a bowl. Toss gently just to combine. Use immediately or cover and refrigerate for up to a day.

A BIG THANKS

I am also here to say thanks to those of you who dove in last week and booked a Dive In package with me at the special price. I’ve got room for 5 more takers at the discounted price. I’ll be returning the package to it’s original price on Saturday evening—so, if you know you want to work with me at a lower price than I usually charge, this week is a great time to jump in and say “YES!”

For those of you who didn’t read my last emails (and I encourage you to go back and do it for the “what do I do with donuts” story), the details are below.

I have 5 spots left!The Dive In package consists of:

* Nutrition Session #1. We’ll take a deep dive into how you are currently eating and living. We’ll look at any health concerns you are facing and your goals for your health. Then we’ll dive in with a few necessary foundational steps that you must take to get on track. (Plus, plenty of help in implementing these.) Directly after our session, I will email you detailed notes, so you can sit back and enjoy the session.

* Nutrition Session #2 Takes place one to three weeks after your first session. We’ll start by celebrating your successes. We’ll also examine what was challenging for you and how to make it easier for you to make healthy changes. The bulk of the session will be spent on identifying the powerful steps, foods and actions you will want to adopt (as well as those that you’ll want to get rid of) in order to create big and lasting change. This will be a very powerful session. Directly after our session, I will email you detailed notes, so you can sit back and enjoy the session.

* A week-long eating blueprint—A flexible kind of “meal plan”—to help you become comfortable with perfect-for you foods that you can make and purchase (in grocery stores, deli’s, grab-and-go places and restaurants).

* An eBook of recipes chosen just for you, based on what I learn about you in our two sessions. (Full disclosures: I typically charge people $120 just for this and the eating blueprint.)

* Unlimited email and text support during the time we are working together. Questions are going to come up. I want to be here for you when they do.

* Room for 5 more of you.

* I will close this and revert to original price on Saturday, May 6 at 11:59 pm ET.

I don’t have a fancy website or sales page for the Dive In package. But you can go here to purchase immediately, and my assistant, Ariane, or I will be in touch with you with in an hour to get you scheduled.

Or, if you have questions (I adore questions!), you can email me at highimpacthealth@gmail.com.

AND I HAVE ONE MORE TREAT! My next book Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling) is out this week! You can take a look at it here.

For any of you who purchase both Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries AND the above Dive In package I will gift you a third session on me as a thank you for taking care of your health, and your loved-one’s health—with delicious superfoods!

Signing up for Dive In package ? You can enjoy a free (third) gift session:After registering here for the above Dive In package simply get me a copy of your Berries book receipt. If you purchase Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries online just forward the purchase confirmation to me. If you buy your copy of Berries at a brick-and-mortar store, snap a photograph of the receipt, and email it to me. The email to use is highimpacthealth@gmail.com.

Yay!!!

Much love to each of you!

xoxo,

www.StephaniePedersen.com

Dear Gorgeous

There are a few questions I get asked all of the time. Here’s one of my favorites: “What do you do when someone serves you something unhealthy?”

As a nutritionist and a cookbook author who specializes in superfoods, I have a lot of thoughts around this! But, I am also a human—more specifically, a woman who believes in grace, gratitude and good manners.

So let me answer you in the form of a story.

But first,grab a cup of tea and pull up a chair, because this is not a short email.

I’ll start with showing you a picture.

Can you see this? If you’re not quite sure what you’re looking at, on the left is powdered cinnamon donut. On the right is a bowl of tortilla chips (containing GMO corn) and a cup of (not organic) salsa.

This is a photo of an actual meal that someone served me. Can you believe it? Me! A superfood expert! A proponent of whole food eating

Before anyone rushes to judgment, here’s a picture of the chef. His name is Axel Sune Lund Pedersen, and he is my third son. He’s eight years old. And he loves to cook so much that—as you can see in the photo— he makes his own green juice.

On a recent holiday in Northern Virginia (I now split my time between Manhattan and Alexandria, VA) my son asked if he could make me lunch.

I began cooking for my family when I was a bit younger than he is now. And I strongly believe that knowing how to grow, choose, store and prepare food are some of the most important skills our younger generations seem to be missing.

Back to the scene in Virginia: Knowing there were plenty of healthy leftovers and other premade items in the kitchen for him to work with, I said “Sure! I would love some lunch!”

In addition to healthy items, however, there were also a few not-so-healthy items. Items that I would never purchase, but my husband—who lives in our Virginia home full-time (and thus stocks its kitchen)— would.

Being a little boy with little-boy tastes, the kid made a meal out of the items he was most attracted to.He then proudly carried them out onto the terrace where I waited.

I know you’ve experienced this very scenario. Maybe it was a holiday at your grandmother’s, or your in-law’s anniversary meal, or your partner’s first attempt at cooking for you, or a company celebration, or something.

Here’s a rundown on how I handled the situation—and how you can do the same:

* Say “Thank You.” Immediately. Not wanting to dampen my beloved child’s enthusiasm for serving others, I thanked him for the meal. Profusely.I know what it’s like to be hungry. Not “oh, I forgot to eat breakfast” hungry. But “there’s not enough food to go around” hungry. An offer of food is always a blessing and a nurturing gift from the heart. Even if someone gives you haggis, or tripe, or eye-of-newt on rye toast or some other food you do not like or cannot (for whatever reason) eat, it is a gift. Say “thank you.” Immediately.

* Drink water before you take a bite of anything.I then filled our glasses with water and asked him to join me in a toast. “Skoal!” With a full glass of water in me, I am less tempted to wolf down addictive foods that don’t support my health.

* Choose the least healthful food in front of you and get rid of it. In this case, it was the donut. I didn’t know where the fats in it came from (they were probably cheap industrial-grade hydrogenated semi-solid oils) and I don’t do well with a lot of white-flour products. So I casually covered the pastry with a napkin and pushed it to the side of the table. When my little one wasn’t looking, I quickly walked into the kitchen and disposed of it, then hurried back out to my seat.

* Choose the most healthful option in front of you. For me, it was the salsa.

* Then eat it. Joyfully. I triple and quadruple-dipped my tortilla chips to make sure I got the maximum amount of salsa (and least amount of tortilla chips) possible. Do not “cop an attitude” when the food served does not meet your expectations. This is what I call a “First World Attitude” and I have no tolerance for it. Instead, find something (even if it is not the healthiest food on the planet) you can eat, and savor it.

* Know that you may not be satisfied so you may want to eat again shortly thereafter. And that’s fine. In this instance, I waited an hour and announced that I wanted a snack. “Me, too!” my son said. So I headed into the kitchen for apples with almond butter and carrot sticks and hummus. You can do the same. Feel free to make yourself something more suitable as soon as you have the opportunity. Or, go out and purchase something. It’s all good. You’ve been fed. No harm.

So why did I just share this incredibly long story with you?

Because I want to remind each of you that food is just one part of your big, beautiful life. An important part, no doubt. But just one part.

Knowing how to put food into perspective is one of the most powerful things you can do if you are looking to lose weight, maintain a weight loss, conquer a health condition, navigate a food intolerance or allergy, or simply to let go of unhealthy foods and clean up your diet.

If you aren’t sure how to see and use food as powerful fuel for your body, mind and soul, I have a suggestion: Work with me. For a short time.

I MISS YOU!

As many of you know, I took a break from seeing clients while I finished up my next book. The book is almost complete and I am ready to dive in again with client work. Plus, I miss you!

As an enticement, I am offering a Dive In package for $$175 (normally priced at $250):

* Nutrition Session #1. We’ll take a deep dive into how you are currently eating and living. We’ll look at any health concerns you are facing and your goals for your health. Then we’ll dive in with a few necessary foundational steps that you must take to get on track. (Plus, plenty of help in implementing these.) Directly after our session, I will email you detailed notes, so you can sit back and enjoy the session.

* Nutrition Session #2 Takes place one to three weeks after your first session. We’ll start by celebrating your successes. We’ll also examine what was challenging for you and how to make it easier for you to make healthy changes. The bulk of the session will be spent on identifying the powerful steps, foods and actions you will want to adopt (as well as those that you’ll want to get rid of) in order to create big and lasting change. This will be a very powerful session. Directly after our session, I will email you detailed notes, so you can sit back and enjoy the session.

* A week-long eating blueprint—A flexible kind of “meal plan”—to help you become comfortable with perfect-for you foods that you can make and purchase (in grocery stores, deli’s, grab-and-go places and restaurants).

* An eBook of recipes chosen just for you, based on what I learn about you in our two sessions. (Full disclosures: I typically charge people $120 just for this and the eating blueprint.)

* Unlimited email and text support during the time we are working together. Questions are going to come up. I want to be here for you when they do.

I don’t have a fancy website or sales page for the Dive In package. But you can go here to purchase immediately, and my assistant, Ariane, or I will be in touch with you with two hours of your purchase to get you scheduled.

Or, if you have questions (I adore questions!), you can email me at highimpacthealth@gmail.com.

And I have one more treat: My next book Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling) is out this week! You can take a look at it here.

For any of you who purchase both Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries AND the above Dive In package I will gift you a third session on me as a thank you for taking care of your health, and your loved-one’s health—with delicious superfoods!

Signing up for Dive In package ? Get your free third gift session:After registering here Dive In package simply get me a copy of your Berries book receipt. If you purchase Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries online just forward the purchase confirmation to me. If you buy your copy of Berries book receipt. If you purchase Berries at a brick-and-mortar store, snap a photograph of the receipt, and email it to me. The email to use is highimpacthealth@gmail.com.

Yay!!!

Much love to each of you!

xoxo,

www.StephaniePedersen.com

Hello My Superfood-loving Friend!

I hope you are well!



I am so excited to share that my next book is out this week:Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) hits online book sellers and traditional book stores this week. In a few paragraphs I have an add-on gift for those of you who purchase Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) but for now I have some rambling to do.

I’ve written several cookbooks previously, on Kale, Coconut, a 7-Day Superfood Cleanse, and Pumpkin Pie Spice.

I’ve even co-written a book on Chia with Dr. Wayne Coates and wrote the forward to several colleagues’ cookbooks, including Kim Lutz’s Super Seeds and her upcoming Ancient Grains book.

Each time I work on a book I fall in love with my subject, finding new ways to use the ingredient in my family’s day-to-day life, as well as new reasons to suggest it to my private nutrition clients.Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) was no different.

First off, I wasn’t limited to strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries and cranberries—that beautiful quintet of berries that spring to mind when someone says the word “berries.” In Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing), I got to dive deep and report the powerful health benefits (and deliciousness) of elderberries, gooseberries, lingonberries, red and black currants, mulberries, acai and goji berries, as well as more popular favorites.

In the process, I was able to share delicious, health-supportive, easy superfood berry recipes for hot and cold drinks, snacks, appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, bowls, breakfast and brunch foods, lunch and dinner favorites, as well as baked goods and desserts.

In fact, I had so many recipes, that we had to do some serious pruning to fit everything in the book. As part of that pruning, my editor asked me to remove the book’s beauty chapter. Yep. You read that correctly. (Berries are traditional beautifying agents, used as tooth cleansers, masks, hair strengtheners, skin brighteners and more. When people ask me the secret to my very good, very glowy skin, these are the recipes I share.)

But my loss is your gain.

I am currently at work packaging these “lost recipes” into an e-book, entitled The Berry Beauty Book. I’ll be finished by April 25 and plan to send the book as a gift to everyone of you who purchases Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries . All you have to do to get your free copy of The Berry Beauty Book is email me a copy of your purchase receipt. You can take a picture of the receipt and email it here.Or, for those of you who buy Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries online, you can simply forward your receipt.

To whet your appetite for Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries , here’s a great lunchtime recipe using goji berries.

Superfood Salad

Makes 2 main dish servings

This is an outrageously superfood-filled salad—a super salad, if you will—containing protein-packed quinoa, antioxidant-powered goji berries, fiber and omega 3-rich kale and sunflower seeds, garlic and apple cider vinegar. You will feel so energized after eating this! Go ahead and make it ahead of time: It keeps beautifully for up to three days.

1/2 cup dried goji berries
3 cups cooked red or white quinoa
1 large head of curly leaf kale, washed and ribs removed from leaves
1 cup sunflower seeds
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons grainy brown, Dijon or honey mustard
2 garlic cloves, minced
Salt and pepper to taste


Soak the goji berries by placing them in a large bowl and pouring 1-1/2 cups of room temperature water over them. Allow to sit for at least 20 minutes to hydrate. When you’re ready to use, drain off the water (saving it to drink! It’s healthy!) and pat the berries dry with paper towels or a clean dish towel. Set aside.
Add cooked quinoa to a large bowl. Set aside.
Stack kale leaves on top of each other and slice into ½-inch ribbons. Add to quinoa.
Add hydrated goji berries and sunflower seeds to the bowl.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper and pour over the ingredients. Stir to combine.

Enjoy!

Much love,

JOIN ME AS WE TALK ABOUT HAVING FUN

As a human being on this earth I know how important it is to make my health a priority!

I also know from my own personal journey that it takes a certain element of courage to take responsibility for your mindset—one might say a fierce amount. To continually show up to refocus when things get tough. When your inner critique is screaming for attention and instead you choose to celebrate your victories. The same applies to your physical regime and your level of fit.

Are you moving in alignment or are you pushing through?

Are you excited about what your body is capable of or are you beating yourself up?

Are you waiting for when those numbers on the scale are just right before you can be happy and fulfilled?

Are you having enough FUN? in your practice? Can you let go of the results and the work and have fun?

This is a topic that is very near and dear to my heart. How to be in the process of transformation and personal development and health and MAXIMIZE your fun factor at the same time. That’s why, when Jennifer Lake asked me to a part of her online event I said, YES! It’s called ,and it features brilliant mind body and spirit practices to elevate your life from the inside out.

Join me and 20 leading experts in the field of humor, nutrition, fitness, yoga, mindfulness—and even hypnosis—to find your path to greater joy and fulfillment.

In my own interview with Jennifer, you’ll learn:

Key actions and inspirations.
What three things I do every day (even when I’ve been up all night with a sick kid) to make it easy to be healthy?
The one thing that I ask all clients to do (which has nothing to do with food or movement).
A practice that will help lift you and others up around you.
Why it is so important to know the difference between being alkaline and acidic and what you can do about it?
What my favorite word is (have you worked with me before? Then I bet you already know my fave word!)
Hopefully there will be a few laughs in there as well, as laughter is a proven stress reducer, immune booster and community builder
And so much more!

This is a great opportunity for anyone looking to increase their existing health regime, or if you have hit a plateau, or if you are a chronic start stopper and lack consistency in your routine. I am passionate about everyone taking responsibility for their healthy living process so you can lift yourself and others up around you. The world needs your powerful presence!

LISTEN IN!

What if eating healthy was easy and came naturally for you?

No more worrying about food, giving into cravings, or beating yourself up because you ate something you “shouldn’t have.”

If you just breathed a sigh of relief, you’re in the right place. I’m going to show you how to make this vision a reality.

I’ve teamed up with Kristen Kancler, host of a free upcoming interview series called Own Your Power. Listen to my interview—as well as 21 of the top health pros—for free by registering here.

Enjoy!

Hello!

How are you?

I hope well! I’d love to hear how you are doing. Feel free to jump over here and share news, recipes or anything else!

I also have things to share. Are you ready?

I am in the midst of giving my website (and my entire biz) a makeover. Look for the new site next month!
I am hard at work on my next group programs. Hint: One is a deeper, higher-level version of something many of you have gone through. Another is a “how to make all this healthy food stuff work” program. Details in weeks to come.
My schedule is opening up in May and I will be making room for 5 private clients. More on this in weeks to come.
A series of self-published deep-dive books and self-guided courses.
My next book is out this month! Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) is my latest title. I could not be more thrilled with this book. It is beautiful, it is packed with helpful health-supportive info, and wow, are there some fun recipes in it. It’s also beautiful, thanks to Sterling Publishing’s talented art department. We’ll be having some fun celebratory contests in the weeks to come, so stay tuned!
A recipe (below) from Berries: The Complete Guide to Cooking with Power-Packed Berries (Sterling Publishing) .

No-Bake Blueberry-Coconut Bars

Makes 16 servings

Berry season is summer, a time when many of us refuse to turn on ovens. This creamy, coconut-based blueberry bar allows you to stay cool while enjoying a superfood-packed treat. Feel free to try other berries if you’d like, though the pectin in blueberries help these bars firm up.

2 cups coconut butter (sometimes called creamed coconut or coconut manna); do not use coconut oil
2 cups fresh blueberries (frozen might work too; I’ve never tried it)
1/4 cup Grade B maple syrup
Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional: ½ teaspoon lemon zest


Combine all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is smooth.
Line an 8×8 pan with parchment paper, leaving enough room for some paper to stick out the sides.
Scrape mixture into the pan with a spatula and spread it out evenly. The mixture is very thick and you may need to moisten your spatula with water to help spread the mixture.
Once the mixture is in the pan. Gently press down using the extra sides of parchment paper.
Stick the pan in the fridge to firm up. This should only take about 15-20 minutes.
Once the mixture is firm, cut into squares using a sharp knife or pizza cutter.
Note: If you like a firmer bar, store in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Much love,

Hello Gorgeous!

It is spring. A time of renewal and transformation.

I want to talk to you a bit about this concept of transformation. (Oh yes, I am giving you a recipe, too, but first, the transformation!)

The word means to become something new. If you’re like me, you find that exciting. Not because you need to be new—you’re so awesome just as you are!—but because most of us want to step into a bigger, easier, more joyful life. And to do that requires a bit of change.

That’s why, when my friend Kristen Kancler approached me to speak about transformation on her online interview series, I got excited. The title of the event is Own Your Power and it begins on April 4. I’ll be joining a beautiful lineup of transformational health experts.

In my talk, Kristen and I will be talking about how I approach transformation with my nutrition clients. But we’ll also be talking a bit about my backstory and how I helped transform my son’s life (by changing his health) and my own career, health—and indeed, my entire being. I’ll also be giving out something I haven’t shared before: My Transformation Day Menu.

I’ll be talking more about this in our interview, but here’s the short of it right here: One of the things I do when I am making the leap to “the next level” in my career, is I spend a day or two getting quiet, praying, and asking for divine guidance and motivation to succeed in my next endeavor. I perform a ritual or two, I do a lot of journaling and I eat in a special way.

Does that “eating in a certain way” bit sound weird? If you think about how religions throughout history have used diet to cement their faith and to get closer to their God, you’ll realize it makes sense. When I eat in a specific way, I get very energetically clean and very intuitive. It’s easy for me to “hear” what spirit is trying to tell me—and how it is trying to guide me.

I am gifting listeners this menu with some of the recipes that I also use.

To sign up for Kristen’s interview series, go here.

As a preview of my the Transformation Day Menu that I’ll be giving out, I’ll share one of the recipes right here.

EASY GAZPACHO

Makes 4 servings

I love gazpacho of all kinds! (Check out my blog, where I have several different recipes for it.) This is a classic red gazpacho made with fresh ingredients. Give it a try!

2 slices sweet onion, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla
2 pounds ripe tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 to 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or wine vinegar (to taste)
½ teaspoon sweet paprika (to taste)
salt and ground pepper to taste
½ cup finely chopped cucumber (more to taste)
½ cup finely chopped tomato (more to taste)
½ cup finely chopped green, yellow, orange or red bell pepper
½ cup finely chopped celery
¼ cup chopped parsley, basil, chives or a mix of any of these


1. Combine the onion slices, tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, vinegar, paprika, salt and black pepper in a blender and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings.
2. Transfer to an airtight covered container and place in the fridge for two or more hours..
2. Right before serving, remove soup and add in the chopped cucumber, tomato, pepper, celery and herbs.

CLEAN UP YOUR HEALTH WITH SPRING’S POWER VEGGIE

Spring is a natural time of detoxification. Of rebirth and renewal. Mother nature uses this time to give us bitter, pungent, incredibly detoxifying veggies. Think asparagus, nettles, fiddlehead ferns and ramps, a powerful-smelling wild leek that is outrageously cleansing.

If you’ve ever walked through a farmer’s market during the spring, you’ve probably smelled ramps. These grassy-topped members of the onion family are so robust-smelling (and tasting) that you can easily smell them yards away. But with their strong presence comes generous quantities of a number of potent antioxidants. In fact, ramps are such nutritional rockstars that it is worth eating them a couple times a week through the spring. Your health will thank you.

But back to the nutrients: The sulfur compounds in ramps can help lower blood pressure and inhibit tumor growth. Polyphenols and flavonoids reduce inflammation by preventing the oxidation of fatty acids in the body while also acting as a natural antihistamine (great for you allergy sufferers!) and toxin remover. Ramps are also rich source of the trace mineral selenium, which studies have shown to reduce one’s risk of cancer.

So how to use this bold veggie? I like to take a bunch and chop the bulb and part of the stalk (up until the green leaf blades) and toss the veggie into stir-fries, sautés and veggie soups—basically anywhere I’d use onions, leeks, garlic or scallions. To grill whole ramps (yum!), trim off the leafiest ends, brush the length of the veggie with extra virgin olive oil, and place directly on the grill, turning after about two or three minutes. Or, enjoy ramps in this easy, delicious, detoxifying soup!

SPRING TONIC SOUP

Makes 4 servings

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil.
1 pound ramps, well-cleaned.
1/2 sweet onion such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, thinly sliced.
3 garlic cloves, chopped.
1/4 teaspoon black pepper.
1/2 teaspoon salt.
3 1/2 cups vegetable or chicken broth.
Additional salt and pepper, to taste.
Optional: Squeeze of lemon juice.
Optional Garnish: chopped pine nuts or walnuts.


Trim roots from ramps. Then trim away top 2 inches of greens from ramps.
Coarsely chop ramp greens and set aside.
Thinly slice ramp bulbs and white/pink part of the stalk and set aside.
In large saucepan over medium heat, add oil, sliced ramp bulbs, onion, garlic, pepper and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir occasionally, until vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes.
Add broth and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until onions, ramps and garlic are very soft, 20 minutes. Stir in ramp greens and boil 1 minute.
Working in batches, purée soup in a blender until very silky smooth, about 1 minute per batch (use caution when blending hot liquids). Strain out any solid material.
Return to pot, adjust salt and add optional squeeze of lemon juice.
Serve garnished with chopped pine nuts or walnuts.

Want to know more about detoxifying naturally using natural ingredients? Check out my book, The 7-Day Superfood Cleanse (Sterling),filled with recipes, sample cleanse menus and a 7-day plan for creating your very own safe, powerful at-home detox.