Okay, I have a lot of indulgences… but this one deserves a special mention. Once in a while I crave a certain something to eat that is comforting, melty and ooey gooey, delicious. Today was one of those days.

I believe it was created by Sarah, who writes [...]]]>  
Washington Square Park – January 2010

Okay, I have a lot of indulgences… but this one deserves a special mention. Once in a while I crave a certain something to eat that is comforting, melty and ooey gooey, delicious. Today was one of those days.

I believe it was created by Sarah, who writes one of my favorite blogs, Peas and Thank You.

It is known as “The Crack Wrap”.

Sarah describes it as a “pocket of hot, melty goodness: simply a FlatOut wrap filled with Sabra hummus and Kraft fat free Swiss singles, grilled in a nonstick skillet”.

However, I make mine slightly differently; I use this kind of hummus, usually goat chedder or mozzarella and an ezekiel wrap. And I fold mine over, quesadilla style, and put it in the oven or microwave, rather than wrap it and grill it. But that’s neither here nor there. Either way, they are melty, delicious, and ADDICTING (hence the “crack” part of “crack wrap”).

My Crack Wrap prep today:

Spreading on the hummus

Layering on a few slices of sharp cheddar (I didn’t have any goat cheddar so I used regular today)

Nicely folded over
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Toasty, melty and delicious:

Definitely give this a try! I really like it because it’s like a grilled cheese, but SO much healthier. The ezekiel wrap + the hummus = winners. And you don’t have to use very much cheese to get it to taste awesome. 

The combo of the hummus and cheese…perfection. You should make it. Feel free to make it the way Sarah does (wrapping the hummus and cheese and grilling) or the way I do (folding and baking/microwaving). Either way it will satisfy any comfort food craving you have .

What kind of foods do you usually crave? If they are unhealthy, do you try and make a healthier version?

What is [...]]]> I feel like Wheat Germ used to be a hot topic in nutrition a while ago, but I haven’t heard too much about it lately. But there must have been a reason for all the hype, right? So today I decided to take a closer look at WHEAT GERM!

What is it?: Wheat Germ, or any cereal germ for that matter, is the part of the seed that’s responsible for the development and growth of the new plant sprout; aka the embryo.

What’s the Deal?: Along with the bran, the germ is the most nutrient rich part of the grain. What makes it so great? It’s a highly concentrated source of B vitamins like folate, thiamin and B6 and minerals like zinc, magnesium and manganese. It has a high oil content and therefore a high amount of vitamin E.  And one serving (115g) of wheat germ contains 60 percent of your daily dietary fiber requirements!

Where to use Wheat Germ?: So, wheat germ sounds pretty good, right? Well, don’t go all crazy now eating pounds of wheat germ…. because wheat is actually best consumed in it’s entirety. Aka “the WHOLE GRAIN”. So, what we should really be looking at here is the wheatberry, which is the entire wheat kernel; the bran, germ, and endosperm(the starchy part). 

Wheatberries have all the nutritional benefits of the germ AND the bran, in their most unprocessed form.  But definitely don’t shy away from wheat germ if you feel that you are not getting enough whole grains in your diet or you just like white bread and pasta. And even if you like your whole grains, I don’t think there is anything wrong with adding some wheat germ to your oats, baked goods or smoothies. However, you should try to eat the whole grain if you can.
As for the wheatberries, if you get your hands on them, wheatberries are yummy stirred into oats and also delicious as a salad, like this one from Ina Garten.

Do you like to eat whole grain products (bread, pasta, grains) or do you prefer the refined “white” products?

I admit, sometimes there’s really nothing quite like a big bowl of white pasta. But only once in a while. When I do eat grains, I tend to eat them in their whole grain form. This includes whole grain or sprouted whole grain breads and wraps, whole grain pasta (like brown rice pasta) and lots of whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, oats and wheatberries

Research From:
The Encyclopedia of Seeds – Science, Technology and Uses
Mayo Clinic
WH Foods
Livestrong
Wikipedia

I completed my 7 miler yesterday! I asked on Twitter for some suggestions of where to run… but in the end decided to run on the esplanade, where we did the KERF blogger run.

It was beautiful out. The weather was absolutely perfect (despite slight windiness). The [...]]]> Canal Street Station: Broadway and Canal 03/08/10

I completed my 7 miler yesterday! I asked on Twitter for some suggestions of where to run… but in the end decided to run on the esplanade, where we did the KERF blogger run.

It was beautiful out. The weather was absolutely perfect (despite slight windiness). The view over the water was stunning!

7 miles is the longest I’ve ever run on purpose! I may have run 7 before or close to it, but I never intentionally set out to run 7 miles. I know it may not be long for some, but I am super proud of myself!

The run itself felt great! Running it wasn’t “heavenly” as I may have lead you to believe by the title of my post – I had a bit of knee pain, and some foot numbness. But finishing WAS heavenly! I felt really good, and strong.

And I figured out how to track my mile splits finally:

M = Mile

Not bad. Not sure how I started off that fast though! Guess I was a little too eager to run in such nice weather . I think that may have affected my speed for the rest of the run. I recall mile 4 as being the toughest. After I got past that, it felt like smooth sailing!

I have 4m scheduled for today, as I was supposed to do my 7m on Sunday. But I don’t think I’m going to do it. I’m going to do some cross training and strength training today and tomorrow and save my 4 miles for Thursday (and then do Thursday’s 3 on Saturday). Whew confusing!

Speaking of strength training – I read on Shedding It that Rachel is doing the one hundred push-up challenge.

I thought to myself, what an AWESOME idea! I have pretty pitiful upper body strength and think this would be a great way to build it up, and a fun challenge to do! So I’m hopping on board! Starting today!!! I’ll keep you updated on what I do for it every week and my progress on my fitness page. You are more than welcome to join in!

Do you prefer strength training or cardio?

I feel like everyone always has a preference, or dreads doing one of the other. I feel like for women, strength training is not their favorite. For me though, I actually prefer it to cardio. If I had to choose between 30 minutes on the treadmill/elliptical or doing an hour of strength training, I would pick the strength training every time!

What a gorgeously gorgeous day it is in NYC! I love sunshine! I feel wrong being inside, but I just finished lunch (ezekiel wrap with hummus, tomaters and TONS of broccoli sprouts + tamari almonds + a clemintine) and am digesting before getting ready for a run! [...]]]>  Dean & Deluca – Prince and Broadway 03/08/10

What a gorgeously gorgeous day it is in NYC! I love sunshine! I feel wrong being inside, but I just finished lunch (ezekiel wrap with hummus, tomaters and TONS of broccoli sprouts + tamari almonds + a clemintine) and am digesting before getting ready for a run!

So beautiful, I cannot NOT be outside And the weather for the rest of the week looks great too!
I feel like I want to explore a new area on my run today. Hmm…

Yesterday I skipped my run (making up for it today ) in favor of grocery shopping with the BF. He’s not feeling very well, so along with our regular grocery items, we picked up a boatload of clemintines (vitamin C yo!) We’re currently working our way through them!

I also picked up some Justin’s Maple Almond Butter packs to try. I’ve heard very good things!

Another treat I picked up at the store was Mango Passion sorbet from Blue Moon Sorbet.

The ingredients are very simple:

I really really liked it! Very smooth and fruity. Definitely a fan!

So…last night was the Oscars. Did you watch? The Hurt Locker cleaned up! But, as I said yesterday, I kinda like the Red Carpet show more than the actually awards. I didn’t LOVE a lot of the dresses last night, but of the ones I did like, I think Demi Moore’s was my favorite. I thought her dress was gorgeous, LOVE the color.
 
[source]

Alright I need to get my butt in gear and figure out where I’m running to today!!! Enjoy the weather!

Do you like fruity desserts? What are your favorites?

I love sorbet, especially lemon and mango. I also love pies and crumbles. Strawberry-rhubarb pie and blueberry or apple crumble are my favorite! And just plain fruit is an amazing dessert itself!

In between classes right now, just finished exam #1, and thought I would jump on the Smile Friday bandwaggon.

SMILE FRIDAY: The “My BF is AMAZING and got us tickets to see GLEE Live at Radio City Music Hall…ON MY BIRTHDAY!” Edition.

Glee Live AND The Sex and The City 2 Movie Premiere?!?! It’s a lot in one birthday, [...]]]>

In between classes right now, just finished exam #1, and thought I would jump on the Smile Friday bandwaggon.

SMILE FRIDAY: The “My BF is AMAZING and got us tickets to see GLEE Live at Radio City Music Hall…ON MY BIRTHDAY!” Edition.

Glee Live AND The Sex and The City 2 Movie Premiere?!?! It’s a lot in one birthday, but I think I can manage ! Now all I have to figure out is the perfect restaurant to go to…I guess I still have 3 months to figure that out

What are you smiling about today?

1. Australian/Soft Eating Liquorice in Mango   

I generally am not a fan of candy, but if I’m going to have some it’s going to be soft [...]]]> I have 2 exams in the next 2 days so I thought for today I would do a quick second instalment of Some Things I’m Loving Right Now!

1. Australian/Soft Eating Liquorice in Mango 
 

I generally am not a fan of candy, but if I’m going to have some it’s going to be soft and chewy and it’s going to be MANGO flavored. Darrell Lea’s product (the one I buy) is really tasty and the ingredients are actually not bad compared to lots of similar products. Everything in moderation folks .

2. Core Fusion

I have finished my week pass at Exhale Spa. I tried 4 of the classes: Core Fusion Open, Core Fusion Yoga, Core Fusion Sport and Core Fusion Cardio. They were all fantastic and I would highly recommend them (though my personal favorite is the Core Fusion Open, because of the BURN!). The classes work muscles you never knew you had and really challenge you in new ways. Unfortunately, a membership is simply out of my price range at the moment. I would buy the video, but my apartment is so teeny I’d have nowhere to do it! But I thoroughly enjoyed my week there and maybe one day I’ll become a member.

3. The Babycakes Cookbook

My love for this book is pretty obvious. The ingredients are a pain to get, but the finished products are worth it, IMHO. I can’t wait to make the cupcakes!

4. Green Monsters

These were made famous by Angela over at Oh She Glows! I started drinking them a while ago, but haven’t had one in a lonnng time. I forgot how great they are! They are slightly intimidating if you’ve never tried one… you know, with the bright green color and all. But they really taste delicious, and make you feel great!

5. Tea

Another long forgotten favourite beverage of mine! Tea is wonderful. It warms you up, is good for you and keeps you from eating the entire batch of cookies you just baked Right now I am enjoying Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut from Yogi and Moroccan Mint (my favorite kind of tea) from Numi.

6. Sprouts

Kind of a weird thing to be “loving”, but after seeing them look so delicious on Caitlin’s wraps all the time, I knew I needed to get some for myself! I feel they are a very neglected wrap/sandwich/pita topping and they really add a great depth and crunch! Most of my lunches these days have been wraps with lots of veggies, hummus/salsa and a good handful of sprouts! I myself am a fan of alfalfa sprouts, but there are LOTS you can try like mung bean, chickpea, barley and broccoli sprouts!

And that’s all she wrote!

What are some things you’re loving right now??

Today we’re talking Goji Berries.

I’m pretty skeptical of any food that touts itself as a “super food” these days. I mean, to me, SO many things could be considered a "super food”.

Many new and exciting health foods get scooped up by marketers and companies aiming only to make a [...]]]>

Today we’re talking Goji Berries.

I’m pretty skeptical of any food that touts itself as a “super food” these days. I mean, to me, SO many things could be considered a "super food”.

Many new and exciting health foods get scooped up by marketers and companies aiming only to make a profit. They change around the product, make outrageous or exaggerated claims and basically confuse us all!

Well I’m here to try to sort this all out:

What are they?: Goji Berries are a bright orange-red berry that come from a shrub native to China. They are the berry of many names; they go by wolfberry, mede berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll’s tea tree, Murali (in India), red medlar, or matrimony vine. They are usually found in a dried form and are similar in size to raisins or cranberries. It can also be found in juice form.

What’s the Deal?: Goji berries contain many nutrients and phytochemicals essential to good health. They are especially well known for their high antioxidant content and vitamin A. They are purported to prevent cancer and heart disease (among other illnesses), and possibly slow the aging process. 

While some swear by the supposed effects of this berry, many experts in the nutrition and traditional medicine field are skeptical and are hard-pressed to find any real evidence of their disease-fighting claims.

Personally, I think the hype over these, and many other “super foods” for that matter, is a little over the top. The trendiness of these berries is causing some to feel that eating them will somehow cause something extraordinary to happen with their health. Goji berries and the beverages made with their juice are NOT CHEAP and people are willing to pay a lot of money in hopes of finding a health miracle. Though I don’t think you’re going to find a miracle in Goji berries, and I think you can get a lot of the same health benefits from more familiar (and less expensive) berries such as blueberries, cranberries, raspberries and strawberries, I do not see any harm in adding them into your diet… if you can afford it!

Where to use Goji Berries?: I would probably stick with the dried version rather than the juice. 100% Goji berry juice is very rare and many of the juices on the market have a very small amount of the actual goji juice and can contain added sugar and preservatives.

You can use dried goji berries anywhere you would use cranberries or raisins. Try putting them in baked goods like muffins, sprinkling them on your oatmeal or cereal, putting them on top of a salad or yogurt, or in your smoothies.

In all honestly, because of the price, I have never purchased them. I hear they aren’t that great tasting though! I will spend my money on certain things I believe are important(organic food, safe cosmetics and cleaners for example), but goji berries are just something I don’t feel are necessary for me (unless of course, someone else buys them for me )

Ever tried Goji Berries? What are your thoughts on Super Foods?

Research From:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfberry
http://www.webmd.com
http://jscms.jrn.columbia.edu/cns/2007-02-27/rosenberg-gojiberries.html

In my last post, I said that one of my goals this month was to begin SPRING CLEANING. Our apartment is currently a “war zone”, as the BF called it this morning, and I promised I’d get on fixing it.

As you may know, due to my concern about the safety of standard cosmetics, [...]]]>

In my last post, I said that one of my goals this month was to begin SPRING CLEANING. Our apartment is currently a “war zone”, as the BF called it this morning, and I promised I’d get on fixing it.

As you may know, due to my concern about the safety of standard cosmetics, I have started something called Naturally Flourishing; where I seek out and try a few of the natural products that are out there and give my thoughts to all of you! 
As I started to clean the dishes this morning, I was reminded that, it’s not only the safety of our cosmetics we should be concerned about, but the safety of our cleaning products as well!

Many studies over the past couple of years have alerted us to the hazardous chemicals in many cleaning products and the negative effects they have on our health.

All of the articles, reports and studies I have found seem to conclude that exposure to toxic cleaning products is widespread and is detrimental to our health. Children, who are more vulnerable to the negative effects of these harsh chemicals and women, who apparently do 70% of the housework are especially at risk.

Therefore, I try to use as many natural and toxin-free cleaning products as possible. Here is my stash:

 

I use a lot of Seventh Generation products. I really like this company, as they only sell plant-based, environmentally responsible household products. Here, they explain what ingredients found in mainstream cleaning products are not in their products and why.

Ecover and Method also have great products.

*I really like the products I use and feel they work JUST AS WELL as any other cleaning products, and smell MUCH better.*

As for the Tide up there: after that container is done, I plan on switching to another detergent (like Ecover or Seventh Generation). Even though it is “Tide Free” the ingredients are still pretty iffy. 

Inspired to be Clean AND Green? Below are some helpful resources for you:

1) How to Pick the Right Products (via)

Step one is to avoid or at least minimize your use of products labeled with the words warning, poison, flammable, or corrosive—terms that suggest the use of harmful ingredients. More guidelines to help you choose a safer product:

• Look for green-certified logos on the label.
• Along with the EPA’s DfE label (which you’ll find on such brands as Seventh Generation, Earth Choice, and the Martha Stewart Clean product line), Green Seal logos can be found on 29 household cleaners, including Simoniz’s Green Scene, Simple Green’s Naturals line, and Sustainable Earth cleaners by Staples. in addition, ecologo supports such brands as EnviroCare and Nattura.
• Skip aerosol sprays. they often contain volatile organic compounds (vocs), which emit unhealthy gases into the air.
• Choose fragrance-free cleaners. Delivering a scent can take a bunch of chemicals—many of which can irritate skin or lungs and may be deemed toxic or hazardous by the EPA.

2) Sometimes, these “natural” products can cost you a lot of money. So here is a helpful article on: How to Make Your Own Natural Cleaning Products

What are your thoughts on cleaning with products that contain toxic chemicals? Do you think it’s hypocritical to promote healthy living, while still using products that contain UNHEALHY ingredients?

Wow, how did that happen, where did February go???

I love the first day of the month, it’s such a fresh start! An amazing opportunity to begin or rekindle some new healthy habits you’ve been putting off or have lost sight of. And I like to think of March as the unofficial beginning of Spring [...]]]> Happy March!!!

Wow, how did that happen, where did February go???

I love the first day of the month, it’s such a fresh start! An amazing opportunity to begin or rekindle some new healthy habits you’ve been putting off or have lost sight of. And I like to think of March as the unofficial beginning of Spring (my favorite season!!!).
I can feel it in NYC, Spring is definitely in the air!

It’s always a good time to start doing something better for yourself. And 2 months into the new year is a place where people’s efforts to do something better for themselves often falls by the wayside.

I had some New Years goals that I haven’t quite gotten to fulfilling. I think a new month, and some renewed enthusiasm is a great time to try for them again! I think setting goals at any point is important, it allows you to step back and take a look at the things you have already done and then decide on the new things you would like to achieve.
And life is a lot more fun when you have something to strive towards!

Some of My March Goals

1. Run outside more often (hate that darn treadmill!)
2. Have more veggie and green-centric meals (they just make me FEEL better)
3. Read more books on Nutrition (any recommendations?)
4. Volunteer (I have been putting this off and it’s something I feel very strongly about doing. Today I began my efforts to find some volunteer work!)
5. Spring Cleaning! (I’m a messy girl, and this NEEDS to get done, if only for the BF’s sake!)
6. Be more social. (It’s hard to balance studies and a social life, but I must try to go out more and explore the city and see my friends!)
7. Make more blog vids!

Getting Green.

As I said above, one I my goals is to have more veggie-centric meals, and perhaps this is one of your goals too, everyone can always use more greens!

I always like to know what fruits and veggies are in season each month so I know what to pick up at the store.

So here’s the list of In Season Veggies and Fruit I found for March in NYC:

• Apples
• Carrots 
• Onions
• Potatoes
• Turnips
• Winter Squash
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms

I am planning on eating all the Winter Squash (and sweet potatoes) I can till the day it they go out of season!!!
I’m even planning sweet potatoes a la Zesty for dinner tonight after another Core Fusion Class!

*Also, if you’re wanting to start Spring off with a bang check out Leah and Rachel’s’ Outside the Box Challenge!*

What are your SPRING goals/plans?

P.S. Cant forget to express my excitement over the CANADIAN MENS HOCKEY GOLD YESTERDAY! WHAT A GAME! WHAT AN OLYMPICS! OHHH CANADA!