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Healthy Travel Tips

July 10, 2012
healthy-travel-tips

Tomorrow I’m jetting off to America. First stop – home. I’m looking forward to spending some quality time with my loved ones and enjoying the warm weather. After two weeks of roaming the corn fields of Iowa, I’ll then be spending a week visiting my sister in New York City. She always shows me the best time. Only time will tell what kind of crazy adventures we’ll find ourselves in.

With a little preparation, any excursion, whether it’s packing up the car for a road trip or hopping on a plane for a journey halfway around the world, can be executed with nutritious flair. Keep safe and stress-free during your travels with these helpful tips.

Healthy travel can be tough, but it doesn’t have to be. The easiest way to maintain good health while in transit is to bring your own food. This will save you time, money and most likely- indigestion. I like to take along some of my favorite healthy snacks which are easy to fit in a carry-on or in my purse: salads, homemade sandwiches on a hearty whole grain bread, fresh fruit & veggies, nuts & seeds, high quality meal replacement bars (see recipe below) and granola.

Here are some healthy food travel tips, plus a recipe for delicious whole-food bars:

  • Stay hydrated. Pack your favorite glass or BPA free bottle in your carry on bag and fill it at the airport. This way you save money and you aren’t drinking unhealthy water or contributing to landfill waste. If you’re really stuck, purchase bottled water upon entering the appropriate gate. Above all else, staying hydrated during air travel is key to cutting down on fatigue and helps fight off the munchies!
  • Take your vitamins and eat your veggies. If you’re running around and not able to eat balanced meals on your travel day, be sure to pack water soluble vitamin packets. In addition, there are many powdered veggie drinks that you can down and get your recommended servings of veggies a day to keep your immune system top notch.
  • Stay away from caffeine and sugar. Drinking caffeinated beverages on or before a flight will keep you from relaxing on the plane. In addition, both caffeine and sugar mess with your insulin levels and can cause you to overeat. Not a good combination when you’re on vacation.
  • Pack snacks. Stock up on healthy bars, nuts and even healthy sandwiches. Pack your carry-on with healthy goodies so you aren’t spending money at the terminal on expensive convenience food and you are sure to have something on hand when hunger strikes.

These bars are not only filled with natural plant-based protein, they are also magically delicious. I’ll definitely be slipping a few of these into my purse before leaving the house.

raw-hemp-protein-bars

Raw Hemp Protein Bars

Vegan & Raw

Makes 3 large bars or 6 smaller portions

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
  • 1/2 cup coconut flakes
  • 1/4 cup hemp hearts
  • 1/2 cup fresh medjool dates, pitted
  • 3 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
  • 2 Tbsp. maple syrup
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 2 Tbsp. raw cacao powder (optional)
  • 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

  1. In a food processor or blender pulse the pumpkin seeds, coconut flakes and hemp hearts quickly. Do not over-process, we want it crunchy. Place the mixture in a bowl and set aside.
  2. Add wet ingredients (dates, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla) to the food processor or high speed blender and blend to combine.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add oats, cacao powder, chia seeds and cinnamon and stir until well combined.
  4. Spread the batter evenly into a baking dish, make sure it becomes quite compact. Place in the fridge for about 30 minutes.
  5. Cut into bars. Wrap them in paper and store in an air-tight container. Will keep for about a week in the fridge. They also freeze very well. Enjoy!

I will continue to post regularly while I’m away. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to LIKE my page on Facebook and follow me on Twitter to keep up to date on my whereabouts and what I’m up to. Hope you all have a lovely week. Take care.

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Crunchy Raw Tacos

June 26, 2012
crunchy-raw-tacos

After my juice fast, I have been keeping things fresh and raw-food based. It is all my body is craving. This simple, fresh and nutritious recipe remakes the classic crunchy tacos. This recipe just might be what it takes to revive your Taco Tuesday tradition for good! Break out the guacamole and create a fun evening out of making this delicious dish.

Let’s face it, eating healthy can be a challenge, but when it tastes this good, gives you this much energy, there shouldn’t be anything holding you back. By eating fresh, unprocessed foods, you are actually getting more of the nutrition and enzymes that are typically killed when cooking food as well as alkalizing your body at the same time. Integrating more fresh organic foods into your diet will only do good things for your health.

So what exactly are raw tacos?  The main component is the “meat” which is simply coarsely chopped walnuts with cumin, chili powder and a bit of oil. It is super simple to whip together in a food processor. The flavors of spicy walnut taco mix, fresh veggies and garden guacamole create an absolute explosion of fresh vibrant flavors in your mouth. And not only that but you will feel refreshed and nourished after your meal. For the taco “shells” try using green leaf cabbage or romaine lettuce. This recipe puts greasy meat based Mexican food to shame.

raw-tacos-vegan-gluten

Crunchy Raw Tacos 

Vegan, Gluten-free & Raw

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the meat:

  • 1/2 cup walnuts
  • 1 tsp. chili powder
  • 1 tsp.cumin
  • 1 tsp. cinnamon
  • 2 tsp. Nama Shoyu (raw, unpasteurized soy sauce)
  • 1 tsp. olive oil

Directions:

  1. Blend ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture resembles taco meat – takes 20-30 seconds.

For the tacos:

Ingredients:

  • romaine lettuce hearts
  • tomato, diced
  • cucumber, diced
  • onion, diced
  • sprouts (I used alfalfa)
  • lemon juice
Directions:
  1. Chop and dice all of the vegetables.
  2. Lay out your romaine lettuce leaves and scoop equal amounts of taco meat in each. Spread it around.
  3. Next, add all of your toppings – the tomatos, cucumber, onion and sprouts. Enjoy!
garden-guacamole
Garden Guacamole
Ingredients:
  • 2 avocados – pitted, peeled and diced
  • 1/2 cup red onion, minced
  • 1/4 cup red bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup yellow bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/4 cup green bell pepper, copped
  • 1 Tbsp. fresh chili pepper, chopped
  • 1 tsp. garlic, minced
  • juice of 1 lime
  • pinch of sea salt
  • fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
  1. Cut avocados in half. Remove seed. Scoop out avocado from the peel, put in a medium mixing bowl. Using a fork, mash the avocado.
  2. Add the chopped onion, red pepper, yellow pepper, green pepper, chili pepper, garlic, lime or lemon, salt and mash some more. Lastly, add the fresh chopped cilantro and mix well.
  3. Cover the guacamole and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Tip: If you are not going to eat immediately place one of the avocado stones in the bowl and cover with wrap. This will stop the dip from going brown.
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Orange Dream Juice

June 18, 2012
orange-dream-juice

I am taking a bit of a break this week.. a break from food, that is. Today I’m embarking on a three day juice cleanse. As today marks the first day into the program, I thought it would be fitting to share a juice recipe.

This juice tastes surprisingly like a Dreamsicle. Those frozen orange flavored ice-cream filled popsicles were a childhood favorite of mine. The juice is a better alternative because its fresh, healthy and totally delicious. Whats the secret ingredient is this juice? Sweet potato! It adds a delightful creaminess to the mixture.

This wonder elixir has many beneficial properties including detoxifying the liver and lowering inflammation. The mixture of carrot, orange, pear and sweet potato is chock full of phytonutrients, carontenoids and antioxidants, which pack a powerful punch of nutrition. Carrot juice has been demonstrated to rapidly alkalize the body and cleanse the liver and improve the quality of the blood. With 116% of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C in just one orange, oranges are a great way of boosting the immune system.

Go ahead, treat yourself to this sweet and refreshing juice.

Orange Dream

Serves 1-2

Ingredients:

  • 2 carrots
  • 3-4 oranges, peeled
  • 2-3 pears
  • 1 medium sweet potato

Directions:

  1. Place everything in the juicer and juice away.

I’ll be posting more about my experiences as the cleanse goes on. Feel free to ask questions if you like. Have any of you ever done a juice feast or fast? If so, how did you feel?

(Photo Credit: my sister, Jenny Norris – jjnorris.com)

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Strawberry Spinach Salad

June 15, 2012
strawberry-spinach-salad

This is one of my favorite summer dishes. A bright, seasonal salad that is super simple to throw together and really refreshing. I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful spring produce which is now appearing in abundance at the grocery store and farmers’ market.

With strawberry season in full swing we’ve been gorging ourselves daily on the sweet, juicy berries and can’t quite get enough of them. Not only are they summery and delicious, they’re a bona fide superfood, too. Nutrient-rich and packed with antioxidants (like vitamin C), strawberries offer a wide range of health benefits, some of which may surprise you. For starters, strawberries are rich in fiber. Fiber enables digestion to work properly, which is essential for proper immune function. Strawberries are chockfull of antioxidants and other essential nutrients that can flavorfully help you reduce your risk of cancer, heart disease, inflammatory diseases, and birth defects as well as mouthwateringly manage your weight.

Spinach is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in existence. Spinach contains an impressive range of active substances which are indispensable to the body. One cup of the leafy green vegetable contains far more than your daily requirements of vitamin K and vitamin A, almost all the manganese and folate your body needs and nearly 40 percent of your magnesium requirement. It is an excellent source of more than 20 different nutrients, including dietary fiber, calcium and protein. This dark green leaf will protect your brain function from premature aging, promote cardiovascular health and neutralize free radicals in the body. A good rule of thumb: the darker the leaf, the better.

Now lets get back to this salad! This recipe may be perfect timing for the weekend. If you can get yourself to a strawberry patch or a local market for some summer berries, you can whip up this simple, refreshing salad.

strawberry-spinach-salad-orange-poppy-seed-dressing

Strawberry Spinach Salad with Orange Poppy Seed Dressing

Serves 1

Ingredients:

  • large bunch of fresh baby spinach
  • fresh strawberries
  • pecans, walnuts, almonds, or other nuts or seeds (optional)

Dressing:

  • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. lemon juice
  • light drizzle of agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
  • hint of orange zest
  • 1 Tbsp. orange juice
  • 1 tsp. poppy seeds
  • pinch of sea salt

Directions:

  1. In a bowl combine all ingredients for the dressing. Mix well.
  2. Toss the washed and dried salad greens, and plate. Top with fresh strawberries, nuts, and any other add-ons. Drizzle a generous amount of dressing over salad. Serve.

What are some of your favorite things to eat in the summer? Please share them below! Hope you have a fun and exciting weekend. If you have lots of sun where you live, send a little this way as ours is hiding and we could always use a little more.

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