Grapefruit Skin Cocktail

The sun is shining, the weather is sweet, makes you wanna move, your dancing feet! Whatever the weather, the sun can shine from within by drinking this wonderful tonic that gives a burst of life to your skin, and reduces your cellulite. I am not kidding folks! There’s no point beating around the bush: unless you’re Gisele, a 19 year-old Victoria’s Secret Model, or workout for 2 hours, 5 days a week (we salute you Madonna), you’re going to have a conversation with cellulite. I have I have fought the good fight, eating well for most of my life, 13 years of yoga, and regular exercise, but hey, I’m only human. I found this recipe a few years back in a wonderful book by the raw food guru, David Wolfe. The book is titled, “Eating for Beauty.” I fasted on this drink for three days and could not believe the results. Not mentioned in the book is an added surprise: decidedly younger looking skin with a dewy glow. C’mon, what are you waiting for? Buy yourself a bag of organic oranges, grapefruits, lemons, pineapple, and get cracking! I recommend a week of light eating before you ease into any fast, [...]

Bandgobhi alu subji (cabbage, carrots, and potato cooked in Indian spices)

Toby, Jake, and I started a gloriously warm and sunny California day off with banana and blueberry pancakes for breakfast, followed by a trip to the park so our son Jake could try out his new bike. Spider Man helmet in place, off he went, zooming along the pavement, teetering back and forth on his training wheels. After a few goes around the park, Toby took the training wheels off the bike (deep breath), and bam: Jake was rockin’ and rollin’ along the path, with his proud parents running behind yelling, “GO JAKE!!! WHOOO HOOO!” Other parents nodding and smiling in appreciation of our lovely moment together. I simply cannot believe how fast kids grow up. One moment, they’re taking their first wobbly steps, walking around the living room like a mummy, then they’ve singing all the lyrics to Beatles songs, writing their name, skateboarding, and riding a bike. My baby’s growin’ up! LIfe is beautiful. I have no idea how to smoothly transition from our lovely morning at the park to this recipe, apart from it flowed as easily as Jake riding his bike for the first time. Today’s dish was determined by what was hanging around the pantry. [...]

Szechwan Eggplant

  Ooohh, I’m excited about dinner tonight: Szechwan Eggplant, Spicy Green Beans and Tofu, Gingered Fish for the boys, with steamed short grain brown rice on the side. I can honestly live on food like this for the rest of my life. Not only does it take minutes to prepare, but it’s so satisfying for a veggie like me. Eggplant is one of those vegetables that’s so filling and meat-like. If you’re making the change from a meat eater to a veggie, or just looking to add more vegetable dishes to your diet, this one’s a keeper. A dedicated meat eater when we first met, my husband Toby has slowly incorporated more organic vegetables to his diet. Never in a million years would he have eaten green beans and tofu or Asian style eggplant back in the day. Spotlight on myself, I shudder to think of the days when I ate Twinkies, Ding Dongs, and sliced Hostess bread. Snap! Thankfully, in our own time we can all make a change for the better. I’m constantly amazed by our son Jake asking for almond milk with oatmeal and banana for breakfast, Mochi (puffed brown rice treats that you bake), and yams [...]

Balsamic Vinaigrette

Here’s a fresh and zingy dressing that I’ve been making for years. Simply throw the ingredients into a recycled jar, give it a shake, drizzle onto greens, toss, and serve. The agave syrup tempers the acidity of the balsamic vinegar and lemon, and the garlic gives the dressing an extra “something something” flavorful note. Over the last two years, my intention was to offer easy mains and sides that are healthy, yet substantial. I love to eat, and I certainly don’t want to feel deprived when I finish a meal. This year, I will stay on this path, but also add basics that are like your favorite jeans or t-shirts; recipes that take minutes to prepare, and you want to make them over and over again. Double this recipe. You will no doubt come back for more, and so will your friends.   Balsamic Vinaigrette   1 cup good olive oil 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 2 cloves garlic, minced tablespoon Dijon mustard juice of a lemon tablespoon agave syrup or  honey teaspoon of sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Combine all of the ingredients, shake, and serve. Store at room temperature.

Heirloom Tomato and Bread Salad with Arugula and Avocado

Our neighbors Abe and Silver have a wonderfully prolific avocado tree in their garden, bearing fruit even in the wintry month of January. There are so many avocados growing from this tree that Abe drops bags to us each week. I don’t know about you, but there’s nothing better than the purity of a ripe and creamy avocado with a sprinkle of sea salt.