Feel Good Guru

…and we’re not talkin’ abs! We’re talkin’ fun & fabulous, super, simple Crunchy Kale Chips the Feel Good Guru way.

Kale gets a bum rap. It’s an under-appreciated cruciferous that needs our help to elevate its status to the clean green lean superfood that it is. I think the reason people don’t like kale is because they’re trying to eat the rough leaves right off the stalk, raw, and that can be a little, er, too healthy-tasting. But there are easy ways to prepare kale to make it delish.

Kale is one of those superfoods available year round, and one that should not be ignored by healthy peeps. It’s incredibly versatile, extremely nutrient-rich and low in calories. Yes! Yes! Yes! Kale contains cancer-fighting phyto-nutrients, tons of vitamins A and C, calcium and iron, and compounds that actually signal our body to produce more detoxification enzymes. So why not use kale at every opportunity we can? Yes? (more…)

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Sushi rolls don’t always have to contain fake crab meat made with farmed white fish and red dye, and salmon eggs injected with orange dye.

It’s surprising how easy it is to make your own California-style rolls at home. The only tool you need is a bamboo mat, available at most health food stores and all Japanese markets for a couple of bucks. Or if you don’t have that, even a piece of saran wrap will do.

I always make mine with organic brown rice rather than the refined, bleached white sushi rice. Makes it “less authentic” but much more healthful - and I really do prefer the nutty aroma and toothsome texture of the whole grain. (more…)

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Ever get a craving for something chocolatey chippy and oatmealy but not too sweet and fairly substantial and actually good for you? Dig these cookies. You can throw them together in ten minutes in the morning before work, then throw them in the oven and hop in the shower. On your way out the door, grab a recycled paper bag and toss in a mittful of warm fresh-baked biscuits. Nibble on the fly en route, and if there are any left when you get to the office, pass them around!

Here’s how for about 3 dozen small choc chip oat cookies: (more…)

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Wondering what to do with all those pumpkin seeds when you get to the center of your jack-o-lantern?

Don’t throw them out! Pumpkin seeds make an awesome snack, crunchy, nutty, and full of healthful minerals, protein and fats of the favorable kind.

But first make sure you have a real pumpkin and not a genetically modified gourd bred specifically for carving and tossing. Find heirloom pumpkins at your farmers’ market and you can have your jack-o-lantern and eat it too. (more…)

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Craving a little salty-crunchy snack but don’t want all the empty calories, fake flavors and saturated fats of a bag of Doritos?

Try boiling up a bag of edamame for a protein-packed munch that’ll keep you going between meals, or serve as a great appetizer with sake martinis.

You can find edamame in the freezer section of grocery stores. Look for organic, because most soybeans that aren’t will be genetically modified frankenfood. Cascadian Farm is a reliable brand, found at Whole Foods or your local health food (more…)

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Feel Good Easy-Shmeasy Healthy Snack.

Toast almonds in a cast iron pan on high, shaking the pan or stirring the almonds until they begin to lightly brown. Add a splash or two of tamari and stir. Turn off the heat and serve.

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Make your own healthy popcorn to take to the movies. Popcorn is not particularly loaded with nutrients, but with miso and Bragg’s, you make the corn a low fat vehicle for protein, vitamins E and B12, minerals, antioxidants and protective fatty acids.

Use organic corn and pop on the stove in a large pan with sunflower oil.

Dissolve a tablespoon of miso in a tablespoon of Bragg’s Amino Acids in a small cast iron pan and pour over the popped corn. Shake in a large paper bag to mix it all together. (My favorite miso and the miso I use for everything, including soups, marinades, sauces, dressings and popcorn is Cold Mountain Mellow White Miso.)

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These fresh spring rolls make a great light lunch or dinner when the weather starts to warm up. Get the finest organic greens you can find and you’re halfway there. Some fresh mint and basil are great additions.

They can be tricky to put together at first, but once you’ve got the hang of it, you’ll be on a roll.

Rice paper is sometimes difficult to find. You’ll most likely find it at a specialty grocer (more…)

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We were away for a few weeks in Toronto and Amsterdam, and in our absence, Willow the cat was loved up by three different sets of humans. We arrived home to a house cleaner than we left it (always a huge bonus), and a few things in the cupboards and fridge we wouldn’t normally have (not always a huge bonus). Like canned (non-organic) chick peas - I usually buy them organic in bulk to skip the chemical preservatives and excess salt - and two jars of raspberry jam (2nd, 3rd and 4th ingredients sugar, glucose and glucose-fructose). Hmm. What to do? Rather than throw these items away, which would just be wasteful, I decided that eating locally (more…)

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