The Big Chill: Soups and Adventures in Tahoe

My fiancé and I were recently invited to the birthday celebration of my fellow Soul Cycle freak and clean eating nut. There had been talk of the calmness and serenity of Lake Tahoe, but nothing prepared me for the tranquility and beauty that engulfed us upon arrival. The sun-filled days started with morning yoga and slowly progressed to sipping chilled wine while sailing the majestic crystal blue lake that was surrounded by snow-tipped mountains. Evenings were spent congregated around the fire pit with s'mores, liquid libations, melodic chatter, and good tunes. For the culminating meal and birthday celebration, the host arranged a jaw dropping seafood feast. I hope that the pictures below do some justice to the beautiful food and unforgettable scenery that we were fortunate enough to experience.

Now as I sit in my windowless office on a scorching summer day, I reflect back longingly on painted sunsets, crisp rose, and the cool lake breeze. Thanks LP for an unforgettable trip.

Oats Mc Go-Goats

It's no new revelation that breakfast is an essential meal. "Back in the day" I used to be a breakfast skipper, and in those "dark days," it would not be uncommon for me to reach for an undesirable mid-morning snack, traditionally in bar form, or overdo it at lunch and then feel weighted down and lethargic. Sound familiar breakfast skippers?  Breakfast is the meal that breaks your overnight fast. For skippers who are also getting the ideal hours of sleep, you could be going around ten hours without adding any fuel to your body. Imagine then, if you wait until lunch, you could possibly be fasting for 16 hours. That's long enough to put your body into starvation mode and slow your metabolism down. I spend a majority of my breakfasts holed up in my office with a Siggi's, fruit, and some yogurt topper in the form of a complex carb, but lately I've started creating an oatmeal bake. I'd heard about this mythical bake before. However, it wasn't until a friend of mine with a plethora of dietary restrictions (gluten-free and dairy-free) recommended that I give it a try.

Pour L'amour De La Courgette

I am fortunate enough to have been to Paris four times, and each trip is special and unique in its own way. This was the first trip where I did not have a laundry list of "to do" activities. However, I kept a record of a few restaurants that I knew I wanted to try, a long awaited day trip that I've been waiting to take, and sights that I knew I wanted to revisit. 

All of the meals we had in Paris were memorable for one reason or another, and we tried to stay away from elaborate over the top multi-course affairs. Despite having a "healthy" mind-set, it was vacation, and Paris, and it would be pure ridiculousness to forego any indulgences. After a few days of eating and drinking out, I always yearn for the comfort of my own kitchen and the simplicity and wholesomeness of my own meals. 

A few pictures from my recent trip...

Monet's Garden in Giverny

Turn Down the Lights

A good friend and fellow nutrition nerd was recently diagnosed with arthritis in her hips. Being a firm believer in food’s ability to heal and assist in the treatment of conditions, she started transitioning her diet and taking note of which foods promoted and which foods inhibited pain.  During her trials, she discovered that the avoidance of nightshades had a direct correlation with her hip pain.

Do or Don't Detox

I was approached recently by a private client to create a two-week detox plan. I am not one who truly believes in elongated cleanses, juice fasts, or detoxes, but I happily obliged and created my version of a detox meal plan. Why am I not pro detox? Because I don’t believe in quick fixes; I believe in making permanent, sustainable and realistic changes to your diet that will improve your well-being long-term. 

Keep it Clean

Clean eating can mean a multitude of things to different people but, at its core, the ideals of eating pure, real food remain. In essence, clean eating is centered around whole foods and the avoidance of anything processed or refined. I try to eat this way for the most part, but understandably it's not possible to be a purest all the time. My most common "hick up" is during the 3pm post-lunch almost done with work slump, when I retreat to the cafeteria for a pre-packaged Sabra with pretzels and an iced double espresso. However, by focusing on eating foods in their most unadulterated state, you maintain control over what you put into your body and hence your overall health. The recipes I share here, on The Crunchy Radish are my attempt to "keep it clean". Although nothing is quite overtly complex, the recipes remain true to the "real" ingredients which I use and always focus on overall wellness and of course flavor.

            

"I am the Eggman"

A few of my good friends are egg haters. I get it. If you think about the etiology of an egg...it's weird. As a self-proclaimed "pescatarian" who dabbles in Jewish penicillin and homemade turkey meatballs, I rely on eggs as one of my "go to" sources of protein. During the week, my breakfasts typically consist of a Siggi's thrown into my bag, then eaten in haste with the neon blue glow of my computer screen as ambiance. Now as a working girl, the weekends are my opportunity to enjoy a leisurely and warm breakfast, typically accompanied by Williamsburg mayo on some form of sprouted grain. In honor of Passover and in an effort to utilize my matzo in a more highbrow way than slathered with Earth Balance, I found inspiration from a recipe in the New York Times. 

I stayed pretty true to the recipe linked above, except that I used half egg whites and half whole eggs, replaced white matzo with oat bran, used Earth Balance instead of butter, added no salt whatsoever since my wild nova was on the saltier side, and laced fat-free greek yogurt with extra dill. Although I love my morning yogurt speckled with chia, this breakfast was a lovely change of pace and temperature.