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Stay Hydrated // How-to Make Infused Spa Water at Home
We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, yet somehow water is still THE most common nutritional deficiency in our culture. Good news is, it’s a super simple one to remedy! There are plenty of varying formulas from all different sources in regards to how much water to consume, but it’s best to know that whatever formula you subscribe to, just like the nutrition from food and the dietary guides that we each subscribe to, we are highly bio-individualistic beings and there is no one definitive firm answer out there. Listen to your body and pay attention to what works for you.
As a guideline, I recommend to my clients that they shoot for half your body weight in ounces every day. For example if you weight 150lbs, shoot for 75 ounces of water daily, taking into account the need to rehydrate additionally for the consumption of diuretics like coffee, tea, fruit juices, alcohol and sodas or excessive perspiration. I also subscribe to the idea that we don’t want to be consuming too much more than 100 ounces of water daily, as too much water can also have negative affects, like diluting/flushing our electrolytes and causing mineral imbalances.
The best practice to follow is to slowly and mindfully sip on high quality filtered water throughout the day, all day, every day. Drink water before you start feeling thirsty – as thirst is a sure sign you are already on your way to dehydration.
Did you know that every single cell in the human body needs water to function properly? Much like the plants in your garden, your cells, too, can perk up immediately upon watering. It’s that simple.
“Chronic cellular dehydration of the body is the primary etiology of painful degenerative disease.” – Dr F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.
What Roles Does Water Play in the Body?
Water Helps Your Body with the Following:
- Improves oxygen delivery to cells
- Transports nutrients
- Enables cellular hydration
- Moistens oxygen for easier breathing
- Cushions bones and joints
- Absorbing shocks to joints and organs
- Regulates body temperature
- Removes wastes
- Flushes toxins
- Prevents tissues from sticking
- Lubricates joints
- Improves cell-to-cell communications
- Maintains normal electrical properties of cells
- Empowers the body’s natural healing process
Excerpt from “Water the Ultimate Cure”
Tips for Drinking More Water:
- Drink a glass of water as soon as you wake up in the morning (I prefer mine warm with a little lemon).
- Carry a dedicated bottle or container with you are all times, at work, at home, even if you are just out running a few errands.
- Use an app on your mobile phone to track your water intake or simply set an alert on your phone to remind you.
- Choose water at restaurants instead of other beverages. not only will you save on calories while simultaneously hydrating yourself, but it also saves money.
- When you are hungry, start with a glass of water before you reach for the snack. sometimes feelings of hunger are actually your body telling you that it’s thirsty. it may just curb the cravings.
- Drink before you eat. 16 ounces 30 minutes before every meal can actually keep you from over indulging. make this a regular practice and you might even find yourself losing weight.
- Infuse and flavor your water.
BONUS: Add a pinch of high quality sea salt to your water, it adds trace minerals and helps to balance electrolytes
Today, I am sharing with you one of my very favorite ways to stay hydrated…
INFUSED SPA WATER!
Infused water is not only a tasty way to stay hydrated but it is nutritional, healthy, fresh and all-natural!
How-to Make Infused Spa Water at Home:
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Kale and Quinoa Winter Chopped Salad with Pomegranate and Marcona Almonds
Lately I have seen quite a few posts online calling out other greens as “The New Kale” or “The Kale of 2016”. So wait – does this mean kale is out of style? Was kale ever in style? Can veggies be in vogue?
I think I am the wrong person to be talking about any of this, I would still be wearing my flannels, combat boots, chokers and overalls, if I didn’t have the little tiny bit of sense that I do have. Though, seemingly according to my trips to the mall during the holidays all of this is acceptable again. I have NO clue. All I do know is that kale is ALWAYS in my fridge, it’s a favorite around here and for me, it’s always in style.
Kale is a freakin’ nutritional powerhouse, so whether it’s cool or not, I am all about it. While I prefer my kale to be cooked, I do find it makes an amazing salad, when the tough leaves get a massage and it’s given a little time to marinate in the vinaigrette, to break down it’s fibrous nature. The flavor of the sometimes bitter kale mellows out, the texture becomes more palatable and it’s infused with the soft flavors of whatever dressing you choose.
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Za’atar Roasted Squash with Crispy Kale and Pomegranate
Squash season is my favorite of all the seasons! I honestly have a really hard time believing that squash is good for me, that it isn’t one of those foods you absolutely LOVE, but really know in your heart you should enjoy in moderation, like white potatoes or chocolate cake! This time of year, I find myself planning all of my meals around what squash we are going to eat.
Lately, I have been enjoying these beautiful Chile Delicate Squash Rings for breakfast with an egg , I made a bit pot of this Butternut Squash and Roasted Red Pepper Soup for lunch and I have been roasting butternut squash like it’s my job. Of course, though I haven’t yet, I will be making my popular Butternut Squash and Chickpea Slow Cooker Curry very soon, too! I could go on and on telling you the ways I have prepared squash over the last few weeks but instead I will share this amazing, simple new recipe with you.
This recipe features two of my favorite varieties of squash, at least this week, acorn and delicata. I love how sweet and delicate they both are and I love that you can eat the skin on both varieties. Both of these squash are insanely versatile and are wonderful in a savory dish, but just as good with a little maple syrup and some fresh cinnamon and nutmeg.
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Winter Citrus Salad – Gluten-free w/ Vegan Option
I have to admit, I was never really one of those people that freaked out about citrus, I have never cared much about orange juice or sitting down to eat an entire grapefruit. That was until we moved out here to Southern California. The citrus here is just amazing. The oranges, especially, are just incredible, unlike any I have ever tasted before. The fact that we have an orange tree here in our yard is just icing on the cake. Plus we’ve been getting adorable Satsuma tangerines in our CSA box each week. Read the rest of this entry »
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Autumn Harvest Salad with Horseradish Vinaigrette – Gluten-free + Vegan
I just cannot seem to get enough veggies lately. Even after the 5-day Fall Cleanse where I literally only ate fruits and vegetables, I have just been craving them like crazy. I find, as someone who eats intuitively, that when my body is craving tons of vegetables it is usually for good reason. I enjoy knowing my body well enough to be able to listen to what it needs and to enough to catch the cues that make me aware. It is so easy to misread cravings and to give in to the foods that don’t nourish us. Recognizing you have a craving and it’s for something like Brussels sprouts, that takes some time to get used to and some serious practice in self awareness.
This past Sunday we had a fall potluck dinner at our place with friends and we had lots of different fun fall foods. Of course, with cooler weather comes the comfort food, so we had hearty helpings like gluten-free mac and cheese, gluten-free stuffing (I did a quick lesson on making gluten-free stuffing for a newly gluten-free friend, Debbie, who wants to make it for Thanksgiving this year. Hence the randomness of this dish), deviled eggs, Mark put chicken wings on the grill for folks (sent all the way from Buffalo), I made my pumpkin hummus, a delicious sweet potato appetizer (that I can’t wait to share with you guys) and lots more. Although it wasn’t all heavy, I did want to make sure we had a delicious healthy and light Autumn-inspired vegetable salad to balance everything out. Consequently, personally this salad, it was also my favorite part of the meal. Read the rest of this entry »
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Baby Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pine Nuts (Gluten-free + Vegan)
Happy New Year Everyone!! Is everyone as excited to welcome 2013 as I am? We have a lot on schedule for this year and at the stroke of midnight on New Year’s Eve it all felt very real! We are still in the middle of packing up our house for the big move to California. The moving truck comes on Friday and our house closes in just over a week and we have been working like crazy to wrap up all of the end of year loose ends with the business and to go through the house room by room to decide what is making the move, what can get donated and what can be sold. It has been an arduous few weeks with the holidays squished into the middle of it all, but it was a welcomed distraction during such a stressful time.
A few days after Christmas we had an emergency scare with our dog Seri, when she got into some gum with Xylitol in it. As you can imagine, this definitely aded to the stress. You can read a little about it here. I do plan to do a post here on Tasty Yummies about our experience, as well. I would like to share my story and get the word out about how dangerous and highly xylitol is for dogs, since the I feel that not enough dog owners know. I am so grateful for the other food bloggers that have mentioned it, otherwise I wouldn’t have known to act quickly. I consciously do not keep it in the house, but I didn’t know it was hidden in so many common things. I was unaware we even had it in the house. She is thankfully (and very luckily) OK now, but it was a very rough few days, my body actually broke out into a full on cold in the middle of it. I could feel I had been fighting it for a few days and I guess the stress of worrying about my baby just brought it on full force.
With our pooch being back home with us now and yesterday officially ending the holidays and making this move our only focus, the stress of it definitely hit me like a ton of bricks last night. I am not at all a person stricken with anxiety in the least, I consider myself to be mostly calm, but wow, is this move testing me on that. You always hear people say that a big move is one of the most stressful things you can ever go through. They aren’t kidding.
I have been trying to find as much time to cook as I can in this time, since like my yoga it is one of the most calming and soothing things to me. I made a huge pot of chicken pho when my cold was in it’s full force and it was so perfect! I also made a big feast on New Year’s Eve for hubby and I. Yesterday we had dinner with my family at my parents house and since I am now in full-on clean out the fridge and pantry mode, I decided to come up with a salad inspired by what is in season and in my fridge!
Everyone absolutely LOVED this salad, which made me so happy! It is full of beautiful vibrant colors and bright fresh flavors. If you can’t find baby kale, you could also use arugula, baby spinach, field greens, frisée, endive, etc.
I am starting to pack up my kitchen stuff today, so this may be the last recipe post you see for a while. We will be temporarily staying with my parents for a few weeks while we fly out to California to find a house and get everything in order. Hopefully I will have some time to cook for and with my parents in that time.
What are you most looking forward to in 2013?
[print_this]Baby Kale and Roasted Sweet Potato Salad with Pomegranate and Toasted Pine Nuts (Gluten-free + Vegan)
serves 4-6Salad:
- 2-3 small/medium organic sweet potatoes, cleaned well and cut into 1-inch cubes, I leave the skin on
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 5 cups organic baby kale (or arugula, baby spinach, field greens, frisée, endive, etc.)
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
- 1 small organic pomegranate, seeded – you are looking for about 1/2 to 3/4 cup of seeds
Dressing:
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 1/4 cup fresh squeezed orange juice, plus some fresh orange zest
- 2 tablespoons champagne vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- 2 small cloves garlic, minced
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
- sea salt and pepper, to taste
(I didn’t need all of this dressing, so use as much as you’d like and then store the rest in a sealed container in the fridge for other salads)
Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Toss the sweet potatoes with olive oil, thyme, onion powder, salt and pepper. Spread into a single layer on a baking pan and roast for 20-30 minutes until they start to brown and are tender. Set aside to cool.
While the potatoes are roasting make the dressing. Whisk all of the ingredients together. Taste and adjust seasonings, as needed.
After the sweet potatoes have cooled a bit, layer those on top of the baby kale in a large serving bowl, add the green onions, toasted pine nuts, and top with toasted pine nuts and pomegranate seeds. Toss with the dressing just before serving (you may not need all of it, so add slowly). Grate a little fresh orange zest on top as you are serving.
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Coconut Quinoa and Spinach Salad
I came across this recipe on Sprouted Kitchen earlier in the week and was so excited that I had every ingredient on-hand to make it. I was happy I had time to put this together last night. It has been a very busy week with a lot of quick meals and leftovers, though I have still been able to stick with the cleanse, which I am proud of. I am feeling incredible, today is day 12 of 14 and I feel light and so much less weighed down and “blah”. It definitely helps that in the last 12 days I have been able to make it to six 90+ minute yoga classes and I will be getting to 2 more in the next 2 days. Starting this new year out as healthy as I can be, has made me so happy and ready for everything that lies ahead. It is incredible what a cleanse does, not only for your body, but also your mind. The brain fog is lifted and you are left with an exorbitant amount of energy. You can’t believe it until you try it for yourself.
Beyond being beautiful to look at with all the colors, there are so many wonderful flavors in this salad and all of the textures work great together, the crispy crunch from the pomegranate seeds and pistachios finish it so nicely. The coconut flavor is subtle and the crispy shallots? OH MY! This recipe calls for salt in a few places, I still included it but went very light. I made this as a main course for dinner last night and had it again for lunch today, though it would make a great side dish or starter.
Coconut Quinoa and Spinach Salad
Serves 6 as a side, less as a main dish
Via Sprouted Kitchen1 cup organic quinoa
1 cup light organic coconut milk
1/3 cup vegetable broth or water2 large shallots
2 tablespoons coconut oil (If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, canola oil will work as an alternative, which is what I used)1 cup fresh organic pomegranate seeds
4 cups (ish) organic baby spinach
1/2 cup toasted pistachio nuts2 tablespoons orange juice (Lemon or lime juice will work here as well)
2 teaspoons fresh thyme
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt/PepperCombine the quinoa, coconut milk, water and a pinch of salt and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until the liquid is absorbed, this will take about 10-12 minutes. Empty quinoa into a bowl and allow to cool. If you want it to cool quicker, you can spread it out on a cookie sheet in a thin layer.
Slice the shallots width wise into thin slices. Heat up the oil in a medium saute pan over a medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add in the shallots. They will begin to move around in the pan, once the edges turn golden flip them over or gently toss them around, they can burn quickly so watch them. Set up a double layer of paper towels, remove the shallots just as they turn brown and drain on the paper towels.
In a small bowl, mix the orange juice, thyme, olive oil and a few small pinches of salt and pepper.
Before you assemble the salad, be sure your quinoa is room temperature or it will wilt the spinach. In a large salad bowl, spinach, the cooked quinoa, the pomegranate seeds and pistachios with the dressing. Leave a bit of the pomegranates and pistachios to garnish the top with. Garnish the top with the rest of the pomegranate seeds, pistachios and all of your crispy shallots. Top with fresh ground black pepper and enjoy. You will love it.
* If you aren’t going to eat the salad in one sitting, which I didn’t, you can mix it up half at a time and leave the rest of the elements separate, this way you can mix it again the next time you serve it and it won’t be soggy.
By the way, I am fairly certain a pomegranate is one of the most beautiful and tasty things that nature has to offer.
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Sweet Potato with Pomegranate, Coconut and Lime
This was today’s lunch and wow what a treat. I almost always bring lunch to work, usually leftovers from whatever I had made the night prior or a simple salad, etc. Today I decided to try something a little different. It required a bit more planning and assembling, but it was definitely worth the extra work. I deseeded the pomegranate at home and premeasured out the coconut milk, shredded coconut and cilantro. I packed those up with a whole lime, a raw sweet potato, a nice plate and a fork and knife. When lunch rolled around, I pierced the potato and tossed it in the microwave, when it was cooked I just topped it with all the goodies and enjoyed it! It was pretty nice for a lunch at the studio and it felt good to eat off a real porcelain plate with real silverware, and on top of all of this, it was absolutely delicious. Far better than I could have imagined. I am not always a fan of fruit with savory dishes, but there are many exceptions to this and more often than not lately, I find I end up liking the fruit and can’t imagine the dish without it. This is how the pomegranate seeds were for me in this dish, I was a little unsure but very excited to try it out. They were perfect, so bright and so much flavor. The coconut taste was perfect and the lime and cilantro finished it all off very nicely. You could easily make 4 of these for a delicious side-dish for dinner.
For cleanse day 3, I have to say I am eating really well and I don’t feel deprived of a thing. I am already feeling less weighed down and sluggish, too. I am so glad I decided to do this cleanse. I have been trying to really experiment with new things on this cleanse and today (admittedly) was the first time I ever deseeded a pomegranate. Not sure why I never have before, I guess because I thought I didn’t know how. It was simple and now I will be buying them all the time since they are in season.
Sweet Potato with Pomegranate, Coconut and Lime
Serves 1
1 sweet potato
2 tablespoons organic coconut milk
2 tablespoons unsweetened organic coconut, shredded
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
Fresh lime juice from half a limeBaking the sweet potato in the oven: Preheat oven to 400º. Pierce the sweet potato all over with a fork, place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, approximately 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly.
Baking the sweet potato in the microwave: Prick the potato in 5 or 6 places with a fork. Place on microwave safe plate and microwave on high for 6 minutes, turn over and microwave another 6 minutes. Let cool slightly. (time will vary based on your microwave oven and the size of the potato)
Slice the potato in half and slightly mash with a fork. Top with coconut milk, shredded coconut, chopped cilantro, and pomegranate seeds. Squeeze lime juice over top. You can add a light sprinkle of kosher salt if you wish (I left this off since I am on a cleanse).
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A New Year’s Cleanse – Banana Pom-Berry Smoothie
Happy New Year to you all!! I am so incredibly excited to dive head first into 2011! 2010 was a wonderful, blessed year filled with many great moments and though I experienced a few tough and trying moments in 2010, I have tried my best to look at all of those experiences as times where my strengths are tested and I learn just what I am capable of. I personally decided to make 2010 the year I tried to relax and not take everything so seriously, to take each moment for what it is and to love myself more. I have always made sure to see the positive in things and to realize things could always be worse, 2010 was the year I really made certain to keep that mindset in the forefront. I have also decided to focus on all that I have and how lucky I am to be healthy, happy and loved. I truly feel that each day is special and that I am lucky to have a loving husband, an incredible family, and a job and career that I not only love, but am immensely proud of. For us, both personally and professionally, 2011 is already shaping up to be an incredible year and I am elated for each and every moment to come!
One of the things I accomplished in 2010 that I am quite proud of, besides shedding 30lbs of excess weight, is the ability to be so in tune with my body and my health that I can sense when it is off-balance and needing a clean-up. I kept with my lifestyle and eating habits through the holidays, but it is inevitable that you are just consuming more food and drink than any other stretch of time throughout the year, at least for me anyhow. It is a week of excess, in all facets of life. I knew just before New Year’s eve, when I felt some sniffles coming on and I was feeling a bit more sluggish than usual, that I was in need of a good cleanse. I decided I would do a 2-week cleanse beginning today.
There are many different cleanses and detoxes out there, some are VERY intense and limited to just liquids, others aren’t nearly as strict, still allowing poultry and fish. I think the type of cleanses I practice, fall somewhere in the middle. I always avoid added sugar and salt, meat, fish, dairy, eggs, caffeine, and alcohol. Of course my cleanses also always include my usual no gluten and no processed foods. This time around I am also avoiding soy and corn. To most people this sounds limiting and difficult, but I actually look forward to it and think it is an exciting time. I love the focus on fruit, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, herbs and spices. Life tends to get crazy and meals get rushed and these important elements often get forgotten and overlooked.
I find that these cleanses allow my body to not only detox but to also get back to a clear digestive tract that is able to do its job at it’s fullest. I have also done a bit of reading on Ayurvedic healing and learning to avoid or focus on foods specific to you and your body-mind type (or your dosha) and it’s needs. When I cleanse, I don’t follow the Ayurvedic cleanses per se, I just include that general focus on food types, herbs and spices and the importance of yoga and meditation when cleansing. There is big emphasis on digestion-enhancing, detoxifying spices in Ayurvedic healing such as turmeric, cumin, coriander, clove, ajwain, fenugreek, dried ginger, Chinese cinnamon and fennel. According to Ayurveda, each meal should be a feast for all of your senses. When your plate reflects an appealing variety of colors, textures, flavors and aromas, your digestive juices start freely flowing in anticipation and your body, mind and heart are all fulfilled by the eating experience.
I am by no means an expert on cleansing or Ayurvedic medicine, I simply know my body and have tailored a cleanse to me and what I need, so please don’t take any of what I am doing as “medical advice” or anything more than me keeping a journal of my journey through this cleanse.
I plan to cleanse for 2 weeks, longer if I feel I need it. I will be posting many of the recipes here on my blog as I go. Hope it helps any of you looking to try out a cleanse or maybe you are just looking to add in some very healthy, clean detoxifying recipes! Happy New Year and happy clean eating to you all!
This recipe will be the first of many smoothie recipes I will feature. I think they make great breakfasts and if you include different ingredients each time, you won’t get bored. I decided to add flax seeds to this smoothie (and will likely do so often through this cleanse) to get some added fiber and healthy omega-3 fats, it is great for adding to smoothies as it tends to keep you a bit more satisfied, a bit longer. Flax seeds are also great sprinkled on salads, cooked vegetable or added to breads or cereals. This smoothie had a ton of flavor and it is now over 3 hours since I drank it and I am still quite satisfied. This is one I will for sure be making again.
Banana Pom-Berry Smoothie
serves 11/2 orange, peel and pith removed (I used a cara cara pink navel, any orange will work)
1/2 cup organic 100% pomegranate juice (no additional ingredients and definitely no sugar added)
1 organic banana, halved
1 tbsp ground organic flax seed (I buy them whole and grind them myself)
1/2 cup frozen organic mixed berriesAdd all the ingredients to your blender, blend until smooth. Enjoy!
