This Is Not a Story About Last Place
![[image]](http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/PJ-BN118_SP_GAY_G_20130313192154.jpg)
Stefano SirottiTaylor Phinney’s solo ride during the Tirreno-Adriatico on Monday.
This is a story about a guy who finished last. Which is technically true. You can look up the results of the race, and you’ll see his name, right there, lonely at the bottom. Taylor Phinney. USA. Finishing time of six hours, twenty-two minutes, fifty-four seconds. One hundred-and-ninth place. Last.
But this story is better than that. (more…)
New Year, New Look!
Recharge your new year with a new look from Jack Jerome!
As a MAC member, you’re already dedicating time and energy into getting your body fit and looking great. The New Year is a great time to make sure your wardrobe showcases all your hard work. With 2013 upon us, let Jack Jerome help you refine your wardrobe to reflect the positive image you want to portray.
Jack Jerome is a neighborhood boutique for men and women located just minutes from the MAC on NE 55th Street. Built on the idea of bringing new energy and style to Northeast Seattle, their customer’s needs are at the center of everything they do. Do you open your closet everyday to an endless assortment of pieces that don’t work together? Do you have pieces in your closet that don’t necessarily fit or flatter? (more…)
Take the Lead Role!
Olympic Foods – What world class athletes need
I decided to celebrate the Olmpics this year with an Opening Party!
My husband and I had some friends over and watched the Opening Ceremonies from London with some amazing foods!
OLYMPIC FOODS! – stay tuned this week for recipes!
1. Jicama Watercress salad with citrus vinagrette
2. Black rice and mango salad
3. Cinnamon beef
4. Fish
5. guacomole (avocado)
6. corn on the cob
7. pickled onions
8. corn tortillas
Foods world class athletes eat. Why?
These foods increase
- circulation
- energy
- heart health
- cellular metabolism
- immune system
- mineral absorption
- bone density
- digestion
they also decrease
- inflammation (overtraining induced)
- weight gain
- oxidation (from bad foods and pollution)
Jicama Watercress salad with citrus vinagrette
Why athletes eat it:
Jicama Anti-inflammatory, high in B vitamins, potassium, iron, magnesium, increases cellular metabolism (a must for endurance athletes)
Why you eat it:
it’s loaded with all sorts of healthy benefits including vitamin C, lots of iron, and a dietary fiber called inulin that speeds up your digestive system! The best thing about eating it? Virtually no calories!
Watercress
A study published in the British Journal of Nutrition reports that eating a small amount of this leafy green each day raised levels of key antioxidants that fend of damage caused by exercise. – Overtraining causes stress on the body and inflammation
Why you eat it :
Decreases inflammation and oxidants from bad foods and environments.
This salad is chock full of nutrients and deliciousness – Read on for recipe!
Breakfast Club, Final Meeting!
Are you eating breakfast? Could it be better?
Last week I posted options for rushed days, to keep your sanity, energy and pant size (or DROP ONE!)
This is the last of the breakfast club! I have given you two more options.
For more relaxed days and in-between days. Get on the breakfast train!
All Olympic Athletes eat breakfast! Be awesome and beautiful, join the club! Read on
Legs up the Wall, Easy and necessary!
sit close to wall – knees bent and arms around knee- rt shoulder and knee pressed against wall – then turn onto your back. Adjust accordingly. Keep back flat and legs straight – bend knees if too intense
The previous post on Flexibility is and awesome and much needed post! This has been a recent focus in my weight loss group class – COVER SHOT. Did you know that if you are more flexible, you will gain more muscle? And that more muscle burns more calories? To burn brighter.. learn to lengthen and let go ( stay in the stretch.. try 2 mins per stretch)
Last Wed ( 7/ 18) We were joined by Jasyoga http://www.jasyoga.com
Erin Taylor, Owner and RYT , along with associate Kendra – let participants through a stretching sequence and letting go exercises, to release tension and stress in both their body and mind. With more flexibility you can strengthen much more and reduce setbacks.
One exercise – Super simple , than ANYONE can do every night – legs up the wall.
Contact Erin Taylor at http://www.jasyoga for info!
Join The Breakfast Club
Last week I posted an entry on beautiful people (surfer’s) and what they eat. One big component to a great body is BREAKFAST!
Listen to your mother – Eat your breakfast! If you would like
1. Clearer thinking
2. Weight Loss
3. Better mood thourghout the day
4. More Energy
5. More Money and Friends
Allright – # 5 is not guaranteed, but if you are thinking clearer and have more energy and better mood at work – you definitly should be in the running for a raise and people should be flocking to you !
If you’re not eating breakfast within the first couple hours of your day I challenge you to
Check yourself before you wreck yourself!
Smart and Gorgeous people eat breakfast!
Read on for easy ways to join the club and get results!
Get a surfers’ bod!
Surfer’s bodies are gorgeous! They are long and lean and strong!
With nice defined muscles and not bulky – also these wave riders are glowing! Yeah this could be the sun and surf – But they also fuel up for this demanding sport – for that they need energizing grains, high vitamins and minerals and protein!
Keep your Energy high and waist line down with these great meals.
Make ahead and keep on hand for great take to work or travel options!
I have found two great recipes- both chock full of anti-oxidants, fiber, nutrients, metabolic boosting and energy boosting!
1. Bon Appetite- Surfer Granola July 2012
2. PCC Indonesian Rice Salad – tons of beautiful color and flavor! I can’t wait for lunch tomorrow!
Read On for recipes!
Oh – and if you need a guide to your getting to your kick ass physique and eating habits to brag about – contact me! New workshops in both group training and nutrition this Sept!
Bcurran@macseattle.com
What’s Cooking! July 6th
Hello! Currently I am sitting at a coffee shop at Greenlake – looking at the beautiful weather and happy people. Cooking in a hot kitchen does not sound so delightful – so I have chosen a great Summer salad
I got this recipe out of Bon Apetite magazine – it’s got everything I love ; Bursts of color, Asian flavor , heartiness without heaviness.
This dish will satisfy your belly and make it presentable for summer viewing as well! i’m gonna double it and use it for lunches next week!
Click on my profile for more great Recipes and tips!
Breanne Curran
Health Coach, Nutrition Specialist, Personal Trainer
or … your arsenal to a kick ass body and eating habits you can brag about !
Cold Sesame Noodles with Summer Vegetables
We like vegetarian mains in summer; for a heartier dish, add shredded rotisserie chicken or sliced grilled steak.
Father’s Day Thoughts
I tell all my clients to do yoga – any type. It basically forces your body and your mind to unwind and calm. For Type A people like me (who have a hard time holding still) it saves you. Your body and your mind, forces you to hold stretches and keeps your monkey brain quiet for a bit, always after a class – I am renewed, relaxed and have better and clearer thinking.
SO tonight- I left thinking about my Dad. How I spent a great father’s day with him and how great it is that we now have open conversations as two adults, not just as parent and child. He has definitely instilled in me many of my traits I carry now. Some of these are 1. Have a strong sense of self 2. Never turn down an adventure 3. Don’t be afraid to leap… just look where you’re going.
My dad is a wanderer (he literally has a business card stating this) He wanders the world, most often from the Northwest to the Far East to the Beaches of Mexico. He doesn’t carry much — because he knows that less is more (in every way), and quality is much better than quantity (which is why he has a nice new backpack for his flight tomorrow)
(Dad on recent Mule expedition in isolated Baja to see cave paintings thousands of years old)
My father has made me great at what I do and keeping myself challenged to always do better. As a trainer, nutrition specialist and health coach I keep in mind (for myself and my clients) to know what is possible and not be afraid to leap to get there ! If we pack our bags right for the journey ahead and look where we are going – we will not only get further but land sure footed (for more leaps) – so Thank you Dad! Here’s to many more challenges, adventures and leaps
Oh – and please read below for a great kale, beet, walnut salad my dad made last night – it was in direct competition with my miso cabbage salad. I think his won 
Both recipes below.
I am adding some avocado and salmon to the miso salad tonight – it is delicious! 
What’s cooking!- June 15 2012
These 2 salads are both high in anti-inflammatories, protein, iron, magnesium and happen to be delicious!
As previously promised.. I post every Friday, what I am cooking up this weekend for healthy eats and for a great set up for the next week. This helps keep me on track with healthy choices and it makes my week a heck of a lot easier.
I’ve got one breakfast item planned (Grainola)
And 2 salads – 1 with some grains in it for more substantial eats.
I also am gonna cook up some yellow squash with Kale and red pepper (to combine with rice or other grain for easy dinner… I love egg and kimchi on top of cooked grains and greens for dinner)
Read below for the Chopped Miso Salad recipe and Wild Seaweed Salad
These are both anti inflammatory, cleansing and alkaline meals.. as well as great flavors I love – more thai/ japanese
tastes. Some people crave burgers.. I crave seaweed! It’s high in protein, iron and magnesium. (more…)
Exercise will change your life, and here’s why.
Exercise can reduce your risk of getting, or dying from, certain cancers. It can delay or avert Type II diabetes and it can help maintain your cognitive function into old age.
ONE AFTERNOON not long ago, a friend and I were talking at her dining-room table, and I’ll admit it, we were feeling a bit self-righteous.
We’d gone bowling with her parents, and we both noticed her mom could barely roll the lightest ball down the alley. She struggled with a lot of other tasks, too. We didn’t think of her as an elderly person. But there she was, looking feeble.
“Well,” my friend said, shaking her head, “she doesn’t really exercise.” I nodded knowingly.
The way my friend and I see it, there are two kinds of people: exercisers and everyone else. We — the exercisers — prefer to sweat, not sit. They — we’ll call them “the relaxers” — prefer to read, not run. They think we’re nuts. We think they’re slowly letting themselves wither.
We’ll call this The Great Divide, and my friend and I patted ourselves on the back for being on the right side of it. Then we got up to leave.
“Ouch,” I winced, grabbing at my hamstrings.
“I’m sooooo sore!” she groaned.
And as we hobbled away, we felt decidedly less smug.
ARE YOU laughing at us? Nodding sympathetically? Either way, we’ll hazard a guess: Whichever side of The Great Divide you’re on, you can’t imagine living the other way.
“People internalize an image of themselves as an exerciser or not,” says David B. Coppel, a sports psychologist at the University of Washington.
So before we go any further, I’ll confess. I used to think people like me — who exercise four, five, six times a week — were crazy. Three years ago, in the pages of this very magazine, I described my physical condition as being “what you might expect for someone who types for a living.”
Eat Slow, Drop Pounds!
Last Week, at my Cover Shot Workshop we talked about eating slow, how this is one of the necessary foundations for weight loss. This is also homework for the participants to do at every meal, through the program. While this is about consistency and integrating healthy habits. I thought I’d give some further science behind this.
And there happens to be a recent article in Yoga Journal, June 2012 that touches exactly on this.
By Katherine Guthrie
Sweet and Slow mindful eating enhances weight loss naturally
Eating out can lead to excess. But a new study shows that women that practice mindful eating can lose weight without dieting! Even when continuing to dine out regularly. Women who used these techniques which include taking the time to savor the appearance, smell , texture and taste of their food, ate roughly 300 fewer calories per day then those who didn’t and lost an average of 3.7 pounds over six weeks. ” The goal is to maximize the pleasure of eating out” syas lead author Gayle Timmerman, a nursing professor at University of Texas, Austin.
” If you are paying more attention you can be satisfied with less” The mindful eating skills transferred to the women’s own kitchens, leading them to eat fewer calories at home.
Cover Shot – Clear Eyes, Full Hearts!
You, Unleashed!
ROAD TO THE ULTIMATE COVER SHOT!
This is my 3 month group Weight Loss Group Series. I’ve got a full group with Big Goals and the Best of Intentions. Now, Intentions will only get us so far… we’ve got to have the skill power with that will power!
To keep this group dropping pounds, inches, stress and feeling fabulous – I’ve got an arsenal of pros for Support and Accountability, not to mention some kick ass tips and workouts. Last week in review:
Last Wed and June 20th = Meghan Smith – RYT – Local Yogi – check out her classes at www.meghanjoyyoga.com
Meghan brought us info on how Yoga kickstarts Weightloss and the many benefits along with this.
She’ll be back next time for a powerful sequence to charge us up and make us sweat!
Did you know? Cortisol is the number 1 reason for weight gain and belly fat. Yoga incorporates intense core work and body stabilization, along with breathing techniques that calm the body and releases stress (#1 cortisol increaser) . A double whammy to blast belly fat!
Jimmy Curran – Chef and coffee shop owner – Bustle – 6th and McGraw – Queen Anne
Jimmy presented easy meal prep tips. If you hate preparing meals at the end of a long day – or you think it’s not worth it for just one person to do – Think again!
Jimmy brought his expertise to demo how you can prep up vegetables to keep stocked, for easy meal additions to cooked grains, proteins . Great for Stir Frys, salads, additions to cooked rice or quinoa.
Dinner in 5 mins- sans the work!
Did you know? If your have things portioned out and prepared you are 80% more likely to include healthy items in your meal. Also – Red Bell Pepper is extremely high in Vitamin C. Chop it up baby!
Me – Nutrition Specialist, Health Coach and Personal Trainer
All these tips add into buiding a strong foundation to weight loss. With some yoga prep exercises, and great core building exercises – along with daily diet steps and vision exercises -
We’ve got the recipe for Success! Eat better, Get Kick Ass workouts and results!
Did You Know: Digestion Takes over 70% of your total energy? Need more energy? Slow down when eating and stop at 80% Full. Fully chew every bite and put away your food when apporaching full. You will feel lighter and lose weight!
I am thrilled to keep participants reaching to their Ultimate Cover Shot with Clear Eyes and Full Hearts!
Surviving weekends with the Fam.. while eating well!
Every Weekend I post – What’s cooking ! This weekend it’s foods (and activities) to keep me on track and focused while enjoying family time and having fun!
So this weekend what’s cooking is easy foods that keep me balanced and cool. Why? the in laws are in town. No , really I enjoy my time with my in-laws, but this also means nieces and nephews and cousins.. lots of family. This means lots of events with lots of different foods, that may not be my first and healthiest choices.
So.. to keep my healthy eating in check and feeling energized and good.. I am making these two recipes. These will be my back ups to eat before not so healthy functions ( and not give into the less healthy temptations around me.. or just have less of those tempting treats)
Also – it’s important to reset yourself, when you’re zapped and feeling overwhelmed. I make sure and take some time for myself, before hanging out with family, this way I get to clear my head .. and have more energy and better mood for loved ones. This morning it was a jog around greenlake and Kettlebell class at kettlebility!
Tomorrow am – it’s Spin and Yoga at Live Love Flow (12th and cherry- Cap Hill) folllowed by delicious green smoothie at Heleo! What a way to start the day! (seriously) wish I could do that every day.
Read on for
1. Hijiki and edamame salad – Protein packed and cleasing!
2. Roasted Yams and Kale – filling and nutritious! – no headaches or belly aches
Cooking for Therapy
I find cooking to be therapeutic. It doesn’t demand from you, you can be loud and messy and in the end you get a great product that makes you feel great. I have a much better week if I have healthy options on hand, and don’t have to think about what I’ll eat after a busy day- or for lunch. To get set up for the upcoming week, I have a process, on Thursday evenings I watch some brainless sitcoms, while I thumb through our many recipe books and magazines – and plan out a few dishes for the following week. Then after work on Fridays I gather my goods, then when inspiration hits me over the weekend, it’s all there. Check weekly for what’s on my menu
So what’s cooking this weekend? (more…)
Healthy Snacks For Work
Dry Roasted Edamame with Cranberries – delicious and nutritious, packs a protein and anti-inflammatory kick to your day!
Get more delicious snack ideas @ http://www.wholeliving.com/136112/best-snacks-take-work/@center/136761/healthy-snacks
Ever noticed that when an urgent project at work comes up, so do cravings? Reach for one of these healthy options rather than those M&M’s in the conference room, undoing your morning workout.
Learn more belly and health saving tips from the Pro’s! Check out the COVER SHOT – your health magazine in real life!
REGISTER BY TUES MAY 15TH FOR BIG SAVINGS!
email Breanne for more info : bcurran@macseattle.com
FYI: Anger, Stress and Anxious feelings increase your metabolism and cause hunger. Sadness and Fear decrease metabolism and lowers hunger.
Love the Earth, eat great Real Foods!
Today is Earth Day ! Get out there and enjoy it. Also, try going meatless today.
Try reducing your meat consumption this week – check out my blog for Curried Millet and Spring Panzanella salad to get you set up with a full plate of nutrients! Take the challenge! no meat Earth Day!
there are facts we cannot ignore :
Random facts from journalist Mark Bittman
… In terms of energy consumption, – serving a typical family of four steak dinner is the rough equivalent of driving around in an SUV for three hours while leaving the lights on at home.
60 billion animals are raised every year for food, 10 animals for every human on earth. The only way to reduce factory farming is to demand less meat,
40 calories of fossil fuel are required to produce 1 calorie of beef protein
more than 50% of corn grown in US is fed to animals
Get out there and take advantage of the Spring Produce! Asparagus, peas, basil and a hearty healthy delicious grain bread make this a hit!
Spring Panzanella Recipe
The bread I used also had walnuts and dried cranberries in it, but I think I’d prefer a seeded whole wheat version. Use whatever you like.
1 lb loaf of hearty, day-old, whole wheat bread into 1-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme – just pluck leaves from the sprig
a couple pinches of salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into segments
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
4 handfuls spinach
1/4 cup small basil leaves
In a large bowl toss the bread with the garlic, shallot, thyme, salt and olive oil. Turn the bread out onto a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes – or until they are nice and golden and crunchy.
In a cold skillet pour in a splash of olive oil, a splash of water, and a couple pinches of salt. Dial up the heat and when the water starts to bubble stir in the asparagus. Cover, wait about twenty seconds, now add the peas. Cover, wait a few seconds, now add the spinach. Cover and cook just a few more seconds until the spinach starts to collapse just a bit.
Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Now pour the asparagus and peas and all the pan juices over the top of the bread.
Give it a good toss, add the basil leaves and toss again. Serve the salad family-style on a big platter.
Makes about 6 – 8 servings. From 101cookbooks.com Thank you Heidi Swanson!
Vitamin D and your Dairy Products.. not what you may think
Previous posting on the MAC blog was so timely… I am preparing for my workshop this week on Proteins (see below )
Nutrition Workshop April 4th 6- 7:15 PM
Lions and Lambs
How much protein do you need? What kinds are best? Feed yourself and Loved ones better! Get the facts and leave with practical tools for your daily choices.
Discover Lifesaving Info !
$20 members and non-members. register by email: bcurran@macseattle.com
As I was printing out some materials for attendees. Read on for some bone density saving advice.. come to my workshop on Wednesday to learn more about this and How to make smarter Protein choices,
One of these is entitled
Health Concerns about Dairy Products
http://www.pcrm.org/health/diets/vegdiets/health-concerns-about-dairy-products
P h y s i c i a n s C o m m i t t e e f o r R e s p o n s i b l e M e d i c i n e
5 1 0 0 W i s c o n s i n A v e., n. w., S u i t e 4 0 0 • W a s h i n g t o n, D C 2 0 0 1 6
p h o n e ( 2 0 2 ) 6 8 6 – 2 2 1 0 • F a x ( 2 0 2 ) 6 8 6 – 2 2 1 6 • p c r m @ p c r m . o r g • w w w . p c r m . o r g
Many Americans, including some vegetarians, still
consume substantial amounts of dairy products—
and government policies still promote them—
despite scientific evidence that questions their health benefits
and indicates their potential health risks.
Osteoporosis
Milk’s main selling point is calcium, and milk-drinking
is touted for building strong bones in children and
preventing osteoporosis in older persons. However, clinical
research shows that dairy products have little or no benefit for
bones. A 2005 review published in Pediatrics showed that milk
consumption does not improve bone integrity in children.1
Similarly, the Harvard Nurses’ Health Study,2 which followed
more than 72,000 women for 18 years, showed no protective
effect of increased milk consumption on fracture risk.
Make ahead for a Busy Week- Spring Pasta Salad
Spring Pasta Salad – Fresh Peas, Salmon and Herbs
Imagine a decadently rich creamy pasta salad that’s actually good for you. Well, here you have it. The secret is in the dressing, which has a base of tangy thickened yogurt that’s the ideal foil for the rich salmon. Sweet peas stud the dish with beautiful color, and dill and scallions make it delightfully fragrant and flavorful.
Ingredients
- 2/3 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 3 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh dill, or 2 teaspoons dried
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 (14-ounce) can wild red salmon, drained, skinned and boned, and cut into chunks
- 1 10-ounce package frozen peas, defrosted
- ½ pound bowtie or corkscrew pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
- 2 scallions (white and green parts), minced (about ¼ cup)
- 8 cups chopped red leaf lettuce
Directions
Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, dill, salt, and pepper in a bowl and whisk to incorporate. Add the salmon, peas, pasta, and scallions and toss to incorporate. The pasta salad will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To serve, mound 2 cups of the lettuce onto each plate or into to-go containers and scoop about 1¾ cups of the pasta salad on top.
Notes
Greek-style yogurt is simply yogurt that has been strained so it is ultra thick and creamy. It is perfect as a base for creamy dressings, dips, and spreads. It’s now in major markets nationwide. If you can’t find it, don’t worry. It is simple to make. Just put plain, nonfat yogurt into a strainer lined with a paper towel. Set the strainer over a bowl and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours depending on how thick you want it. You need about 1 1/3 cups of regular yogurt to make 1 cup strained. It keeps for about a week in the refrigerator.
Excellent source of Fiber, Folate, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Niacin, Phosphorus, Protein, Riboflavin, Selenium, Thiamin, Viatmin A, Vitamin B12, Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin K. Good source of Copper, Potassium, Vitamin B6, Zinc.
What is this Kettlebell stuff?
I asked the same thing about 2 years ago. I stepped into Kettlebility, near Greenlake – and never looked back.
Since then I have become a big fan and now am a certified HKC (Hardstyle Kettlebell Instructor). Why? Because I can say hands down it’s gotten me in my best shape ever! And I wanted you to get the effects I have!
The Russian Kettlebell is an extreme handheld gym!
- Develops all purpose strength – to easily handle the toughest and most unexpected demand
- Amps resilience to repel the hardest hits
- maximizes staying power
- Blends strength with flexibility , because strength that fails is pointless
- Hacks the Fat off – without dieting and aerobics
- Forges a Fighters Physique, lean and cut
- makes strong anywhere, anytime
” Kettlebells are like weightlifting times ten. If i could’ve met Pavel ( soviet special forces instructor and “modern king of kettlebells”) in the early ’80s – I might have won 2 gold medals” – Dennis Koslowski, DC, RKC Olympic Silver Medalist – Greco Roman Wrestling
HKC stands for Hardstyle Kettlebell Certified and is designed to teach you how to master and teach the essence of kettlebell basic movements: The Swing, the Turkish Getup and the Goblet squat.
The foundation of all kettlebell movements, these three exercises will set the stage for you to enter the world of kettlebell training with the most complete foundation for overall fitness possible. I am en route to becoming RKC Certified, The Gold Standard for kettlebell, the RKC is a grueling, three day challenge; a Black Belt course, if you will… wish me luck!
So for a workout where every rep counts towards your goals, Less time, more results and low risk of injury, I have brought Kettlebell training to you!
WHY I LOVE KETTLEBELL TRAINING (more…)
Yummy, healthy pasta – for dinner or work lunches!
EASY GINGER SOBA NOODLES
I’m making this today for a busy week ahead. Check it out! delicious and healthy. I am adding fresh spinach and some fish (salmon) for a complete meal (I chose to leave out the tofu in mine this time) – something to look forward to in my lunch tomorrow. Serve cold or hot!
Breanne Curran
Health Coach, Nutrition Specialist and Personal Trainer
contact me today to talk about your Health Goals! bcurran@macseattle.com
Ginger Soba Noodles
You can certainly make the dressing a day or two ahead of time. Just give it a good shake and a taste before using – then adjust the salt and balance if needed.
12 oz / 340 g dried soba noodles
Ginger Dressing:
1 tablespoon freshly grated fresh ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
zest and juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/2 cup / 2.5 oz / 70 g chopped white onion
1 teaspoon mirin (optional)
2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey
1/2 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
3 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
1 celery stalk, strings removed, then chopped
1/3 cup / 80 sunflower oil or untoasted sesame oil3 tablespoons of chopped tarragon, plus more to taste
a few big handfuls of cubed tofu, pan-fried or baked until golden
1/3 cup + toasted squash seeds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, or sesame seeds
Cook the soba noodles in well salted water, drain, rinse under cold water, and shake off as much of the water as possible.
In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the ginger, toasted sesame oil, lemon zest and juice, onion, mirin, sugar, salt, vinegar, celery, and sunflower oil in a food processor. Blend until very smooth, then press aggressively through a strainer. Taste and tweak a bit if needed – the dressing should have a bit of bite, and an edge. It’ll hit the pasta and you want it to be able to cut the starchiness. Set the dressing aside.
In a large bowl, toss the soba noodles with most of the tarragon, the tofu, most of the squash seeds/nuts, and about 2/3 of the dressing. Really get in there and toss well. Add more dressing if needed (I use all of it), and season again until the noodles are to your liking. It’s nice to serve this with a few wedges of lemon on the side, or a bit of brown rice vinegar. Finish with the remaining tarragon and seeds.
Serves 4 – 6.
12 ways to be happier
I often wish I could let go more, care a little less about things and live in the moment more. We are always learning and growing… Check out this article on 12 things happy people do differently, try 3 of the tips on the list that you have not done this week. I challenge you to practice those 3 habits daily.
12 things happy people do differently
Studies conducted by positivity psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky point to 12 things happy people do differently to increase their levels of happiness. These are things that we can start doing today to feel the effects of more happiness in our lives. (Check out her book The How of Happiness
Sleeker engines and beautiful warriors
If you came to my Stop the War on Carbs, the above title would make sense to you. For those of you that weren’t able to make it last Wednesday — we covered eating for energy and a leaner build, also keeping your digestive tract healthy.
Did you know that it takes good amount of your daily energy just to digest your food? Would you like more energy? Eating foods your body knows.. whole foods, and less processed foods help keep digestion efficient. My clients often find as they clean up their diet, they get a lot more energy.
There are foods that optimize digestion and give you good enzymes to give your gut some help. If you are interested in these, you can contact me @ bcurran@macseattle.com – to make a health history appointment, we sit down and talk about your goals, obstacles and current habits – and how I can support you to better health!
Some of the main take home points -and helpful tools (more…)
