• 1 pound of pasta (any shape, any type, but we went with multigrain, I try to avoid plain white pasta), cooked
• 1 eggplant, peeled and diced
• 1 package of sliced mushrooms (I like baby bella’s)
• 2 shallots (or 1 medium onion), diced
• Sprinkling of Italian seasonings (I have a mix from Frontier of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, and I generously sprinkled it on the cooking food, I didn’t measure)
• 1 tofu/seitan sausage link (Tofurky or Field Roast) – diced into small pieces
• I don’t advocate making a meal of meat substitutes, they are still processed foods, so I use 1 link for flavoring in a meal that will serve about 6.

For sauce:

One Morinu silken tofu package

One Jar of Trader Joe’s Pizza Sauce

Preheat the oven and put the pasta up to boil.  In a sauté pan with a lid, water stir-fry the shallots or onions till soft.  Add the mushrooms and seasonings (and add water 1 tablespoon at a time, as needed to avoid sticking to the pan) Add the eggplant and tofu, cover and let simmer till the eggplant is soft.  You might need to add water.

Add the cooked pasta and sautéed veggies to an 8×13 casserole dish.  Meanwhile, in a blender, mix the tofu and red sauce.  Pour the sauce over the casserole, mixing well.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Serve with a salad, and enjoy!

According to a recent study presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2012 Annual Meeting, women diagnosed with breast cancer who include cruciferous vegetables in their diets may live longer than those who do not consume these foods.

Researchers looked at data from 4886 Chinese breast cancer survivors from 2002 to 2006. Women who consumed increased amounts of cruciferous vegetables within the first 36 months after their diagnosis had a higher survival rate than breast cancer survivors who did not eat more of these foods. After adjusting for demographics, clinical criteria, and lifestyle factors, cruciferous vegetables decreased overall mortality, and lowered cancer recurrence rates.

This is not surprising. Some of the most powerful cancer-fighting compounds are found in this family of vegetables, including sulphraphane, indole-3 carbinol, and isothyocyanates. Cruciferous vegetables include broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts. They are easy to prepare – simple steaming and served with rice works well and takes very little time.

While I continue to emphasize the importance of the entire dietary pattern if preventing cancer or stopping it are objectives, there is no question that some foods have powerful cancer-fighting properties and it’s worth going out of your way to make sure you eat them regularly, like cruciferous vegetables!

Shu Xiao Ou, Nechuta, S, Lu, Wei. “Cruciferous vegetable consumption linked to improved breast cancer survival rates.” American Association for Cancer Research
http://www.abstractsonline.com/Plan/ViewAbstract.aspx?sKey=3641e61c-689d-4092-8384-c7b6be9600fa&cKey=3979d557-218c-4b34-b131-d7fd135e8927&mKey=%7b2D8C569E-B72C-4E7D-AB3B-070BEC7EB280%7d

Audrey’s note: If you need help getting more cruciferous vegetables into your diet, get in touch.  I can help you with meal planning and recipe substitutions.

A few years ago, when my son was small, I belonged to a neighborhood gym.  I was initially attracted to this gym because they had free babysitting, and I wouldn’t need to make alternative child care arrangements while I worked out.  Unfortunately, I had to leave this gym because of the babysitting.  My son has food allergies, and was too young to know to say know if someone offered him a treat that he shouldn’t eat.  On two occasions, he was given goldfish by another child, even after I had spoken to the babysitting staff about his allergies.  I provided his own snacks for them, and was frankly quite afraid to bring him to the gym after the second incident.

My husband was raving about a DVD workout program that he had, and I decided to try working out from home.  We had a whole assortment of dumbbells and barbells that I had collected over the years.  Again, I quickly found that this was not a great solution.  My little guy LIKED to join mommy for exercise, and while that’s a great attitude for him, it was dangerous for him to be underfoot if mommy was lifting heavy weights.  I was now terrified of falling over him with a 20# weight in my hand.  I needed another solution.  The DVD’s always had one exerciser performing similar exercises with rubber tubing (elastic resistance).  These looked like a great option.  I think our DVD even came with a few starter bands.  If I dropped one of these, no one would get hurt!  Once I decided that bands would work, I started researching the bands.

I was surprised to learn that in clinical studies, exercisers did as well, or better with bands than with free weights.  More muscle was gained, bones were strengthened, and injuries rehabbed.  Ultimately, I decided on the Bodylastics system, since I loved the idea of just clipping on more weight as needed, rather than needing to switch bands.  The door anchors that come with the kit, make the bands very versatile.  I can anchor the resistance from the top, the bottom, chest height, or really anywhere.  I can clip on an unlimited # of bands, as desired.  I even found that while the bands were working my muscles just as hard as free weights were, they were easier on my joints.  For someone who has been thru whiplash in a car accident, less injuries was a nice added benefit.

Now, as a trainer, I find that these resistance bands are very friendly for folks who are new to exercising.  They aren’t intimidating, but they can still produce a powerful workout.  They are perfect for my Skype clients, as I can’t bring my equipment to them.  They are also an inexpensive solution for someone has no prior gym equipment in their house.  All they need is a door and some room to workout.

So, if you need more incentive to get off the couch, you don’t need to run straight to the gym.  Elastic bands will allow you to  workout at home, without the parking or weather headaches!

Friday was uneventful during the day.  Apparently while I was in the shower, the rest of the CO detectors started beeping.  While I could believe one unit failed, they all couldn’t be failing at the same time, even if they were all the same age.  We called the Long Beach Fire Department and asked their advice.  They came right over.  They had a handheld device that checks for CO, and it was beeping wildly through our house.  With their help, we aired out the house, and determined the hot water heater was the culprit.  They shut it off, and shut off the gas supply to the heater.  They stayed till their meters showed a zero CO reading.  It was a cold night, but we slept with windows cracked.

Saturday morning our new plumber came to take a look.  The hot water heater had been improperly installed.  It was in the house when we bought it, 6 years ago, so we’re fortunate that we hadn’t had a problem earlier.  Parts will be picked up, and we should be back up and running with hot water on Monday.

I am so thankful that we called the Fire department on Friday night, instead of just disconnecting the beeping detectors, and waiting till the morning.  It’s quite possible that the levels of CO could have killed us in our sleep.  I’ll take the inconvenience of no hot water for the weekend, because it means I’m alive and my family is safe.

My take-home message is if you don’t have CO detectors in your house, get them.  And get more than 1.  Put one on each level of your house, and near any gas powered appliances.  (CO is caused by fuels that don’t burn properly or don’t vent after burning).  Check the batteries regularly, and change the detectors.  I didn’t realize till it was beeping at us that they have a life of 5-7 years, and we’ve had ours for 6 years now.  And if your detectors start beeping like ours did, open windows and call your local fire department.  Don’t just disconnect the detector and leave it for the morning, since the morning might not come.

This year I decided to be a bit smarter about it.  I emailed my friend Chef Del, from the Wellness Forum for a “healthy frosting” suggestion and was just hoping he wasn’t laughing too hard at my request.  He actually had a fabulous suggestion.  Here is what I did.  I made the Wellness Forum Mmmmm Chocolate Cake.  It is a package mix which happens to be Wheat-free, and I added applesauce, as per the instructions.  I have a silicon bundt mold, which was perfect for this cake.  Meanwhile, I also made the Wellness Forum Chocolate Cream Pudding.  Again, very easy.  Put a package of silken tofu, plus the mix in a food processor, then chill over night.  The next day, the pudding was ready to be used as frosting.

The cake seemed to be a big hit with the kids, or at least with the chocolate fans.  My son had seconds and wanted more which is always the sign of a crowd pleaser.  I loved how easy it was to make, and that I didn’t have to think too hard about it, while I had lots of other party details to remember.

If you are a member of the Wellness Forum, I encourage you to try their mixes.  If you are not a member, and would like some mixes, get in touch, I can help you with this.

What you really need is a change of pace.  Our bodies adapt to the stresses that we put on it.  This is how we get stronger, and fitter.  If we keep doing the same routines, we don’t make any fitness gains and if we’re in weight-loss mode, that’s when we’ll see plateaus..

I like running on the beach.  There is something about the salty air, and the sound of the waves crashing that make a jog along the shore feel like a privilege, not a chore.  And yet, in order for me to improve my fitness while beach running, I had to be creative, in figuring out how far/how fast I run, so that I could look for improvement.  Lucky for me, there are lots of apps for smart phones that will do just that, and some of them are even free.  (I like Runkeeper for my Android these days).

I also make sure to take my heart rate monitor with me, so I can more accurately track how hard I am working.  For fitness gains, which is my aim, along with weight-loss, I’m looking to be working in a HR zone, and I’m looking to do intervals in a second/third zone.  I’m not looking to run faster, just for the sake of speed, which is good, because the sand conditions (low tide is packed sand, great for running, high-tide, softer sand, more of a workout for the same speed) are constantly changing. If I just looked at speed, I might be deceived by the days that I’m slogging thru quicksand (high-tide), when I compare those speeds to the low-tide days on packed sand.  The numbers on my watch give me a more accurate picture of how hard I’m working, and I can then adjust my pace, based on where I want my HR to be for the workout.

Meanwhile, I had it in my head, that when  I got the beach, I’d turn left (to the east) and run out and back.  The wind patterns are such here, that the wind is mostly out of the west.  I’d cruise on the way out, and struggle on the way home, if the wind was fierce.  My husband made the simple suggestion that I run west first.  A very simple suggestion.  And yet, I feel like I’m running a whole different beach.  In a way, I am, since I’m passing different terrain.  Heading west means I have more jetties to hurdle over, but I think it’s worth the trade-off of battling the wind in the beginning of my run, when I’m fresh, and being able to have the wind at my back to cruise back home.  A simple change, has readjusted my attitude, and my runs are much more enjoyable.

Sometimes it the little things that will help you get back on track, and sometimes, you might want to revamp the whole program.  I  can help you design a custom exercise program, and I’ll keep changing it up for you each month, so that you don’t get stuck in a rut.  I can work with you in person via personal training, here in Long Beach, or I can work with you as a virtual coach, emailing you your workouts.  Your choice!

In honor of my little guy’s 7th birthday, I’m running some personal training specials:

• The first 5 people to sign up will get 1 free training session if they purchase 5 sessions. (I offer 30 min, 45 min, and hour-long sessions, your choice)
• The first 5 people to sign up will get 1 free weekly coaching session if they purchase 5 weeks, this can be for exercise, nutrition or both
• For the month of April, If you purchase a Wellness Forum Membership thru me, I will add in 1 free weekly coaching session (nutrition or exercise)

Get in touch with me to set up your first session!

All new personal training clients get a free consultation and fitness evaluation.

Lately, I’ve been mixing up my own blends.  1/2 Cup Rice, 1/4 Cup Millet, 1/4 Cup Barley is one example.  If you have a rice cooker, and at least 1/2 your mix is rice, you can stick with the brown rice setting.  Most grains require a 2:1 ratio of liquid for the rice cooker.  Quinoa can be cooked on the white rice setting, but if I’m just throwing in 1/4 cup with rice, I stick with the brown rice setting.

I also like to vary the herbs and spices that I add to the rice.  You don’t need to add any, but I find that it jazzes up and also keeps it interesting.

For those who are new to a eating a whole foods, plant-based diet, here are some grains that are in my pantry:

• long grain brown rice
• short grain brown rice
• brown basmati rice
• brown jasmine rice
• Trader Joe rice medley
• red rice
• black sticky rice
• quinoa (white, red and black)
• millet
• bulgar wheat
• couscous
• barley
• buckwheat (and if it’s toasted, it is kasha)

However, the questioner got me thinking.  My beverage of choice is water, and I thought I’d give you some information about why water is so healthy for you, and why you want to be drinking lots of “cocktails” of clean fresh water.

Our bodies are 60% water!  Water contains electrolytes and major minerals and it carries nutrients and oxygen to every cell in the body.  Water controls the temperature of the body and it cleans the stomach and aids in digestion.  Water also cleans the intestines and improves absorption of nutrients, and it removes toxins from the body.   When we are dehydrated, our body is not functioning as efficiently as it can be, and we might feel lousy as a result.

Most of us are walking around dehydrated to some degree.  Only water is going to serve the functions listed above.  When you add things to water, such as fruit, or flavoring agents, the digestive system is activated, and the water will go there, instead of everywhere else in your body.  Drinking water with meals, will rehydrate your food, not your body, so you want to drink your water before meals and between meals.

While thirst, fatigue, headaches and poor skin condition can be signs that you are dehydrated, in today’s society, most folks are not aware that they are low on water.  My general rule of thumb these days with a headache is to have the glass of water without the aspirin/advil and see how I’m feeling in 20-30 minutes.  Often I was lacking water, not pain medicine.

So, how much water should we be drinking?  Humans should be ingesting 64 ounces of water each day to replace water lost thru excretion, elimination, and breathing.  More water is required if you are overweight (8 ounces per 25 excess pounds), exercising, and if it is hot/dry outside.  Children should be drinking 50% of their body weight in ounces of water.  In fact, water should be the beverage of choice for children.

Some tips for drinking more water.  Purify it.  Municipalities need to chlorinate our water to kill germs and bacteria.  That is not a bad thing, but we don’t really want to be drinking chlorine, plus it doesn’t taste all that good.  A charcoal filter system will remove impurities from the water, while leaving in the necessary minerals.  Personally, I have a huge filter on the whole house, so that we shower in purified water and it’s easier on our clothing in the wash, without the chlorine.

Carry a water bottle around with you, and based on how much it holds, make sure to fill it enough times to get in all your water.  You probably will do better having that water throughout the day, rather than all just before bedtime.  The first week might feel strange.  All that water will have you looking for rest stops, but your body will adjust, and will thank you for the hydration.  Some folks find that the colder the water, the better it tastes.  That might be a personal preference.   I find I liked colder water in the summer, but in the winter, I’m fine with either cold water or room temperature.

Won’t you join me in raising a glass of cold water?  Cheers!

Audrey

The Plant Powered Personal Trainer

Here are just some of the benefits:

• Wellness 101, the science of diet and health, skills needed to eat and live optimally; includes a textbook, VD’s and classes taught via teleconference
• Weekly follow-up workshops via conference calls on a topics ranging from cooking to cancer prevention and treatment
• Access to a members-only website featuring recipes, a library of educational videos, book reviews, and other resources
• Ongoing support in helping you to maintain your healthy habits
• Membership prices for special events
• Free shipping on orders over $250

In addition to learning about the right diet, we’ll teach you 5 things every person should know about health:

• How to prevent, stop and even reverse most diseases
• Diagnostic tests you should and should not have
• How to differentiate between information and misinformation about diet, health and medicine
• Effective protocols for resolving health issues without drugs and surgery