BITE SIZE MOVIE

Hello class,
 I am a twitter rookie, recently joining the tweet-erific world of all things in 160 characters or less. In my search to find inspirational things to "follow" or "retweet" about, I came across this movie trailer made by @bitesizemovie out of LA.

This trailer triggered something within me that makes me want to figure out how to make this a career someday. The feeling I get when I see adults and children making uninformed decisions with their health and well being, makes me want to reach out.

Firstly, I would have to do is burst the fitness bubble I live in where people are very informed, maybe too informed, on what is healthy and where our backyard leaves no excuse, but to get out and move!

Long story short, I find passion in this movement: Click the link below.

BITE SIZE MOVIE TRAILER: WATCH ME!

PISTACHIO CRUSTED SCALLOPS

Living no where near water, surrounded by young, rugged mountains, we do not eat much seafood. However, when we are in the big city, I go out of my way to bring home some tasty wild catches.

Tonight we (yes, Thurky helped) cooked up some scallops! Not only are they easy to overcook, but  they are a rarity in our house. So I had to get creative.

First things first.... this is what you will need to do to shell some pistachios: watch this and GET CRACKIN!

Hokay, here is the how to and with what:

Feeds 2 (3 if you want less delicious pistachio crustedness)

CRUST:

1 Cup Pistachios shelled

1tsp Old Bay (I used Penzy's Chesapeake Bay seasoning)

1/2 clove Garlic

1 Tbsp Dijon Mustard

6-8 SCALLOPS

2 Tbsp Coconut Oil (or another oil rthat has a high smoke point)

HOW TO:

1. Place all ingredients in the food processor(fp) (you already I love my FP) and pulse until evenly chopped  fine, but not powdery fine.

2. Transfer crust to a small bowl

3. Take scallops and coat each with a thin layer of Dijon so the crust will stick

4. Roll each scallop in the crust mix and press firmly so that it really sticks (I did not do this well enough and the crust came off a bit in the skillet)

5. Heat a medium sized skillet on high and melt 1-2 Tbsp Coconut oil.

6. Make sure the pan is hot and add the scallops

7. Sear 3-4 minutes on each side (may be less depending on your scallop size. Mine were LARGE)

8. Flip and sear the other side

9.Once scallops are golden brown on each side & look opaque, remove from pan and serve with:

 -Garlic Cauli Mash( recipe to follow),steamed asparagus, mixed greens.

As Julia Child would say, BON APPETIT!

Kitchen Tools: Stories a la Cuisinart

A couple of years ago I was given a mini food processor from my friend Amy, who had upgraded to the professional & large Cuisinart Food Processor. I was honored to have this mini gift in my kitchen and decided to make use of it. From pestos, to chopping nuts, this thing was great, but when it came time to make large batches of soups or sauces, it was a lengthy process. 

Last Christmas, Santa Clause gave me my very first Cuisinart and I immediately had the urge to puree something in mass quantity without the motor smoking on me. I was excited to to pass down the mini processor to someone in need, so I gave it to my dear friends and CrossFit owners, the Brachles. They too loved it as much as I did, until they realized that the smoking component was not an actual feature of the mini and an upgrade was in order.

The word on the street is that they not only upgraded their processor, but even outdid mine. Feeling my inner envy of this news, I decided to make Roasted Butternut Squash Soup and let me tell you, there machine might be bigger, but mine is mightier. 

I smell a Cuisinart battle coming on! Stay tuned for more stories a la Cuisinart!

See Recipe Below!

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH SOUP

Ingredients

2 Medium Butternut Squashed, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 medium yellow onion, quartered

3 cloves garlic, whole

3 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Herbs/Spices you like, to taste (I used Sate spice that has a smoky, spicy flavor)

salt and pepper to taste

Organic, Low Sodium Chicken Broth (have at least 16oz on hand)

How To:

1. Place Squash, Onion, Garlic and Spices on heavy duty baking sheet

2. Either melt the Coconut Oil on stove and drizzle over squash mix, or scoop onto sheet and toss once melted in the oven.

3. Cook mix for 15-20 minutes until squash is tender (this will vary based on how big you cut the squash

4. Let cool for 20 minutes

5. Place in your Cuisinart Food Processor and while blending, begin to pour in Chicken broth until desired soup consistency. (I used about 12 oz)

6. Continue blending until soup looks creamy and smooth

TOPPING IDEAS: 

Toast Pumpkin Seeds 

Toasted Cashews

Fry some Sage

Chopped bacon

Pomegranate Seeds

Sliced Italian Sausage

Shredded Chicken

There like Really Thin Pancakes

Primal Crepes by Guest Chef VanSaghi!

 Our good friend Justin VanSaghi (or Saghi as he is known around here) has graced us with his presence and brought a big winter storm with him. What goes better with old friends and a winter wonderland? You guessed it, crepes. A connoisseur of creating this dainty morsel using various types of flours, he decided to tackle the Primal crepe using Almond flour. 

Saghi is no sucker when it comes to a challenge, as his commitment to the Army is the past couple of years has given him the courage to whip up some culinary delights for our unconventional palate.

We are so happy Saghi is here because these were memorable crepes and I have had my fair share in the land of Crepes; France. 

Thank you Saghi for visiting us before your deployment, we cannot wait to see you when you get back! Big Love!!

INGREDIENTS:
5 eggs
1 T Vanilla
Smidge of Honey
Dash of Salt
1 Cup Almond Flour
Almond Milk to create a runny batter (soup consistency)

FILLING:
spread your favorite Jam
sprinkle cinnamon
bananas and/or berries


1. Mix ingredients and add almond milk until soupy consistency
2. Heat a crepe pan or medium sized skillet (see photo)
3. Add Coconut oil to pan and let melt
4. Once melted, add a ladle of batter to middle of skillet
5. Quickly tip skillet to distribute batter evenly around the pan
6. Once batter bubbles, flip the crepe and cook a couple more minutes til golden brown.
7. Add desired filling, roll and eat!

Everything Out of the CSA

 CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture and many farmers market booths offer them. If you have never had a CSA, try it! I get one box of delicious local goodies a week for 8 weeks and it averages $35 per week. For me, this is great since the produce in our markets is more expensive and disappointing.

I get a variety of veggies and fruits in season, along with a dozen local eggs, some jam or dipping sauce and herbs, greens and the best is when they throw in local goat cheese. It is a great way to get creative in the kitchen because some weeks you get produce you have never cooked with and it all tastes better knowing you are supporting your local farms.

My go to is usually a curry with some protein I have and lots of veggies.

Red Curry w/ Chicken and CSA Veggies
Serves 3-4 or leftovers!
VEGGIES
1/2 white onion diced
3 small cloves garlic, minced
2 larger potatoes, peeled and sliced thin
1 yellow squash
1/2 zucchini
handful of snap peas, ends trimmed (if you have them)
1/2 tomato, diced
a few springs of fresh basil chopped
cabbage, chopped to garnish

SAUCE
2 T Red curry paste or more to taste
1/2-1 can can Coconut Milk (depending how saucy you want it)
a few dashes of fish sauce
salt to taste


PROTEIN
3-4 Organic Chicken Breasts


1. Heat 3 TBSP extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil in pan
2. chicken and cook on both sides
3. Add onions/potatoes and cook until onions are translucent
4. Add chopped garlic
5. Add coconut milk, paste, fish sauce and salt
6. Add squash, zucchini, basil, snap peas and tomato
7. Let simmer for 20 minutes until potatoes and chicken is cooked thoroughly

Serve with Cabbage on top if you wish.

Enjoy!

PALEO TELLURIDE MAGAZINE

I recently had a friend who is a long time local, super athlete and CrossFitter, call me up and ask me about Paleo. As the story goes, I told him the premise, what food groups are involved and why I am such an advocate.

He then told me it was going to be published in Q & A form in a publication called Telluride Magazine. This magazine is what locals read on the gondola or waiting for someone when they have nothing else to read and it definitely what all tourists pick up on their way into town to see what the latest happenings are in our small box canyon.

Since this "interview" was done so long ago, it was not until my friends from Boulder graced me with their presence on their road trip 14er honeymoon, that I became aware "my interview" was in the magazine. The fact that my information is in the magazine and no one has contacted me and that I have been neglecting this blog finds me writing once again to re-inspire those who were followers.

It could also be that the Q & A has a subtle mockery to it that in my opinion would not be taken seriously by its readers. Therefor, I am writing a disclaimer that the article merely scratches the surface of the many benefits of Paleo and in my case, like many of it's followers, I have an autoimmune disorder and Paleo has allowed me the freedom from pharmaceuticals!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE Q & A

If you are really curious about the diet, please post a comment.

SUNDAY TEST KITCHEN

Feeling inspired by my sweet tooth and being back on the Paleo hunt,  I decided to bake.  Here is what I came up with.

CINNA-CLOVE VANILLA MUFFINS

2 C Almond Flour

1 C Coconut Flour

1T Baking Powder

scant salt

scant cinnamon

small scant cloves

2 T VANILLA

6 EGGS ( Iknow it's a lot, but it holds them together well.)

1/4 C OIL (grapeseed, I only had olive, but a neutral oil will be better)

4T Agave Nectar

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees F

1. Mix wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, oil, agave)

2. Add dry( flours, spices, salt, baking powder)

3. Spoon batter into prepared muffin tins, lined with muffin cups that have been sprayed/oiled

  *fill each cup 1/2 first, then top each off when all 12 are filled.

4. Bake for 10-15 minutes...depending on your oven. 

5. Enjoy with a spread of your favorite farmer's market jam or eat plain.

Hooray for test kitchen experiments that work!

100% GRADE A BOLOGNA

Fox News is at it again. I just found this video on Robb Wolf's website. Unreal!

Watch and comment for yourself....

Click here:  FAUX NEWSVIDEO

These types of things make me nervous for the future of food and our health. Supporting your community and farms in your region is becoming more necessary as the government's shady dealings and politics, like the obvious advertisement for the USDA you just watched, are only going to make it more difficult to read between the lines on what you are really eating and how it effects your health.

Educate yourself on both sides of the issue. It is only your health we are talking about here. I cannot stress that enough. It might make you feel crazy at times, but it's better then watching mind-numbing television like most Americans, believing everything you hear.

Now, I totally have to go watch the Royal Wedding because it is far more important then tuning into reality, Really? (her dress was pretty)

At least we still have NPR.

POST WORKOUT RAINY DAY DINNER

Chicken & Apple Sausage Hash
Serves 2 with Leftovers, or 4.

[INGREDIENTS]

1 package of chicken apple sausage (gluten-free), sliced

2TBSP Olive oil

1/2 white onion, chopped

1 yellow pepper chopped

1/2 fuji apple, choped

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

Handful of raw walnuts

*Goat Feta (optional)

----

put over sliced sweet potatoes (2-3 for leftovers) or... quinoa pasta (2/3 box for leftover)

METHOD:

1. cook onion in oil over hot skillet until translucent (scant salt if desired)

2. add pepper, carrots and sausage.

3. cook until all veggies tender

4. add apple, cilantro, feta and walnuts.

Serve over cooked potatoes your way or pasta

Go Green

Found this... Haven't tried it, but sounds yummy. 

GREEN MOJITO

bottoms up!

SPRING FEVER & a rolled ankle

Ooohwee, it has been far too long since I have written. It seems to go along with the roller coaster ride that is my life. This includes my diet and my exercise routine. And why is it that as soon as you get in a groove with all that is important in health and wellness that something happens so suddenly to mess it all up?

I rolled my ankle twice in the last month at a time when my training for a marathon in June was picking up in intensity. What hurt more was not my huge swollen ankle, but my motivation. I had finally gotten over the hump of dragging myself out to train, feeling slow and uninspired, to a place where things were starting to hurt so good and felt effortless to fit my run into my busy schedule.

Now, I am focused on what I eat because i have been trying to recover my injury for the second time and with that comes a decrease in the fitness I have been building the last few months. This, like most things in life is called a detour and it happened for a reason, I just have not figured out what it is yet. All I know now is that with minimal ankle pressure, I can still do core and upper body and better yet, can focus on reeling in my diet once more.

If you have come down with an injury and are bored, food tends to be an option as an outlet. Don't let it. Trust me, it has tried to be my form of entertainment during moments of injury, but the best way to stay positive and heal faster is to nourish your body with all that is protein, good fat, veggie, and delicious. Not to mention, you can finish that book you have been reading for years or exercise the mind. That is what I am trying to do on my end.

Until next time, wish me a speedy recovery.

NOW OFFERING NUTRITIONAL/BEHAVIORAL GUIDANCE.

I have been reading about the fight to stop obesity. Lately, there are new studies coming out about the effectiveness of targeting behaviors that lead to obesity. Since food is becoming just as addicting as drugs, experts are beginning to look at approaching obesity the same way they would ween an addict off of drugs or alcohol. One particular article is in Scientific American February issue and it looks beyond the science of metabolic pathways leading to obesity, and instead focusing on how the media and our society condones behaviors that are ultimately leading us to over-consume.

Ever heard of Weight Watchers? This is a perfect example of helping people lose weight by changing behaviors around food. The main cause for success is having a support group. If you tend to hang out with friends who do not exercise or eat unconsciously, chances are you will not make changes for long term weight loss success. You get the point. Half a century ago, B.F. Skinner, a psychologist at Harvard,  developed the notion that scientists cannot really know what goes on inside a person's brain (even with modern technology) in order to help them lose weight and keep it off. Identifying the correlation between environment and behavior may sound like common sense, but needs to be discussed in order to help people keep the pounds off.

In light of these half century old notions being brought up today, I have decided to offer nutritional guidance, incorporating behavioral analysis into the science behind helping future clients make long term changes in health and wellness.  I feel this is the missing link I have been looking for. Instead of just telling you what to eat and what not to eat, we will get to the root of your behaviors to help you guide yourself long-term. 


If this sounds like something you are interested in, please email or call me with inquires and we can set up a time to talk via telephone or in person. A payment scale for consultations and follow-up guidance varies from client to client.


hunt.gather.nourish@gmail.com
720-281-5248

Urban running on VACATION

I just got back from a great trip to Denver with some friends and it was filled with no exercise, except for having to run across downtown to make it to the Avs vs. Bruins game. Urban running is fun. It seems less daunting when you are running in Jean, boots and a blazer. Anyway, with lots of yummy food, sporting events and bar hopping with college friends I have not seen in the same room in ages, I felt it was totally worth it.

However, when we change our diets to accommodate our vacation mode, our bodies still tell us what they miss about the day to day routine. I ended up feeling incredibly car sick on the 6 hour drive about windy roads back to Telluride and it was all because my body has been healthy, I mean healthier then ever. I am realizing it is more sensitive to changes then ever. I guess it is a friendly reminder that letting loose comes with a price, but it also inspires me to make delicious and more nutritious food when I get home. Check out the Roasted Carrot soup I made tonight!! Speaks for itself.

ROASTED CARROT SOUP w/ PULLED CHICKEN

Hi! Soup warms the soul, especially during the coldest month of the year. ENJOY.

Ingredients:
5-6 carrots peeled and sliced
1/2 yellow onion sliced
1 bell pepper (yellow) sliced
kosher salt to taste
pepper
enough olive oil to cover veggies
3-4C chicken broth (or veggie or half with water
red/purple cabbage to garnish
limes to garnish
red wine vinegar to garnish
crushed red pepper

1. place veggies on sheet tray and toss with oil and salt and pepper
2. roast in oven at 400 until carrots are tender
3. let cool for 10 minutes
4. place in food processor leaving a quarter of veggies out
5. add enough chicken broth until the puree, is smooth and thinned out
6. place on stove to warm
7. add pulled chicken (see recipe below)
8 top with garnishes (drizzle red wine vinegar to liking, totally optional)
9. enjoy

PULLED CHICKEN
1. place 2 split breast chicken breasts in large skillet and add 2 cups chicken broth
2. steam for about 20 minutes until the chicken is cooked.
3. shred chicken off the bone and remove skin
4. add to soup
5. if there is any reserved liquid left, add to soup.
skin on chicken is what I prefer as it is less processed and holds moisture better. Don't let the skin scare you because you can take it off before you eat it!

SWEET POTATO & APPLE CAKES

So, I have been feeling uninspired in the kitchen lately. Mainly because I work in a kitchen and because I just gashed my hand, received 5 stitches, a tetanus shot that made me super sick again, and on and on and I am totally being a whiny baby.

Tonight, I redeemed myself. We made purple and red potato cakes for a client the other night. They had flour and butter etc, in them, so tonight I gave it the Paleo edge they needed. These are a great post workout meal and if you have extras, you can save them for breaky with a couple of local over easy eggs on top. DELISH!

SWEET POTATO and APPLE CAKES

serves 2 with leftovers

1 sweet potato (shredded. I used the cuisinart, but a box shredder works too)

1/2 large apple shredded

1 egg

1/4-1/3  cup almond flour

salt and pepper to taste

any other seasoning you like (I used rosemary and crushed red pepper)

1.Place beaten egg in bowl of shredded potato and apple

2. add flour

3. mix together add spices

4. turn skillet on high with a good drizzle of olive oil or even coconut oil

5. take a handful of mix and press it into your hands.

6. place in skillet and flatten like a pancake with spatula.

*make sure they stick somewhat, but not completely. The oil in the pan will help them stay together.

7. repeat until the skillet cannot fit anymore.

8. cook about 5 min per side.

9. once both sides are cooked, put on a sheet tray in over to warm(oven at 200 is ok.)

EAT!

I served these with roasted chicken. IT was delicious. 

Enjoy.

small community

I live in Telluride. It is small. The community that mills about this town looks out for one another, especially when it comes to food and sustainable practices. Here is what I mean. When I took gluten out of my diet it and started to eat with Paleo intentions, it was impossible to find a place that would accommodate. One year later, I can go into almost any restaurant and order something without getting a weird look. It seems as food trends change, hopefully because folks are educating themselves on how to eat better, that businesses respond. It is much easier to get exactly what your diet allows in the city because choices are plentiful, but here in Telluride, demands must be met before a business will provide the option.

The real message here, is that the power of community can drive your life practice in a positive direction. Once you make the commitment to eat like a modern version of caveman and start sharing your experience, it only becomes easier to carry on good habits when you are out of your own kitchen. This message also applies to other passions you possess. Get involved in your community!

It makes me proud to be a part of a place that supports my well being because there is nothing better then knowing my community has got my back!