Recipe: Easy Brown Rice Salad

I can't tell you how many times I get asked about healthy lunch options. Well, lately I've been interested in this topic myself. As I previously posted, I recently started working in an office again, part-time. And considering there aren't too many great lunchtime eats in my part of town, I have embraced the opportunity to hone up my ability to create meals-on-the go.

For me, it's important to create something that doesn't take a lot of time to put together in the morning, tastes great, and can be eaten at room temperature. This brown rice salad is one of my favorite dishes that I've come up with and thought I would share.

I love the fact that this dish uses my leftover brown rice and doesn't require any salad greens. As a result it's a nice change from the usual salad, as well as a bit heartier. I really just throw in whatever I have in the kitchen - some parsley, canned chickpeas, carrots, cherry tomatoes, raisins, feta cheese. I even threw in some sweet pickle slices that I purchased from my neighborhood pickle guy. And then topped it with a simple dressing.

You'll note in my recipe there are no measurements. It's really about throwing things together.

Salad
cooked brown rice
a few sprigs of parsley, chopped
a carrot, cut into matchsticks
a few cherry tomatoes
a few sweet pickle slices
a handful of raisins
feta cheese

Dressing
2 parts olive oil
1 part balsamic vinegar
1 part brine from pickle juice
salt and pepper

Throw all ingredients in a tupperware container. Top with dressing. Enjoy...wherever you are!

Recipe: Toasted Nori Hand Rolls

I think sushi might be like pizza. Anything you put on it tastes good. At least that's been my experience as of late as I've been craving the salty, crunchy, 'mineral-licious' taste of nori.

I like to serve nori rolls with a variety of fresh vegetables. In addition to the standby avocado and cucumber, I also like to cut up red peppers, carrots, scallions, cilantro - and if I'm feeling adventurous some roasted sweet potatoes! I suggest putting out a plate with all the toppings and letting everyone make their own.

My recipe requires minimal cooking and is perfect for those who love to chop! It's also great for those who struggle to roll perfect sushi rolls.

Note: Most nori sold in the store is already toasted. I suggest buying untoasted nori (Emerald Cove sells this) and doing it yourself. I think you'll find it to taste much better.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 sweet potato, cut into wedges

2 sheets untoasted nori sheets
1 cup cooked short grain brown rice
2 tbsp brown rice vinegar
2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 carrot, cut in matchsticks
1 cucumber, cored, peeled and cut in matchsticks
1 red pepper, cored and sliced
1 avocado, sliced
2 scallions, sliced
few sprigs of cilantro, chopped
pickled ginger (optional)

Coat a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan with olive oil. Cook sweet potatoes for about 10-15 minutes until soft.

While sweet potatoes are cooking, briefly pass each sheet of nori over a gas flame until it turns bright green. Cut each nori sheet into four quarters. Mix cooked brown rice in a bowl with vinegar and sesame seeds.

Top nori sheet with vinegared rice and choice of vegetable toppings. Enjoy!

Integrative Nutrition live classes to end next year

Recently, I learned the school that I graduated from, The Institute for Integrative Nutrition, will cease to offer live classes starting next year. That means the upcoming school year (beginning January 2010) will be the last opportunity to sit in a live classroom.

Starting in 2011, the school will move entirely online with its Distance Learning Program. The effort according to its founder, Joshua Rosenthal, is to make the school more of a global one as opposed to a regional one.

While I think it's great that the school will be opening up itself to those unwilling to travel to New York City, I was upset to learn of this development. In my opinion, there is nothing that compares to the opportunity of attending live classes. I made so many great friends and loved being in the same room with so much like-minded energy.

My intention though is not to criticize the school, but rather to urge those of you who've been on the fence about enrolling to seriously consider taking the plunge. I know there are some of you out there! It's truly a life-changing experience - and you won't regret it.

The school's curriculum is unique, and so much more engaging than any other educational experience I've had. Integrative Nutrition does not have an espouse any sort of dietary ideology. You learn about it all - from raw foods to macrobiotics to Atkins. In the end we have to make our own decisions. I remember starting the school as a vegetarian. Now I'm a conscious carnivore. It happens.

The school is also fun. Joshua said his intention was to create a school that students would be excited to come to - more rock concert, less boring classroom. Which is why the school has chosen to host classes in vibrant spaces like Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center.

And if you're outside the New York area or have a full time job, don't let that stop you! Classes are on the weekends, so you can still earn that paycheck. The school also offers discounts for those traveling from outside of New York. I myself was living in San Francisco when I started the program.

Thich Nhat Hanh visits NYC

This weekend I had the privilege of seeing one of my heroes, Thich Nhat Hanh, in New York City. He was in town for two days, leading an event called Building a Compassionate Society, sponsored by the Omega Institute.

As someone who is passionate about personal growth as much as natural foods, I jumped at the opportunity to see this Vietnamese Buddhist Monk. He is one of the most prolific Buddhist teachers and I have always found his writing to be very accessible, simple and profound. Obviously, I'm not alone, as tickets were very hard to get - opening night was sold out! [That's New York for you - plan ahead, cause everything sells out here!]

My introduction to Thich Nhat Hanh came from the book Timeshifting written by Stefan Rechtschaffen, founder of the Omega Institute. [I reviewed the book in December 2008.] I was intrigued my him ever since, especially when he described one of Thich Nhat Hanh's mindfulness walks. It seems when he leads one time stands still and by watching you become transformed. I was excited to learn that he'd by hosting one in NYC as well. So on Saturday afternoon we lined up outside the theater to give it a go. Unfortunately, with 2,000 other folks in attendance, I don't think it necessarily had the same effect.

Yet, the weekend was still powerful. I especially enjoyed his Dharma Talk on Saturday morning. He spoke of Martin Luther King, the civil rights movement, and our President Obama. As someone close to Dr King, he said he sees a lot of the same characteristics in our President. He believes his winning the Nobel Prize this week will help shape his legacy, and help him stay true to his innermost beliefs. When one is in office he can easily be surrounded by folks wishing to influence him. This award, he hopes, will give him the courage to stay true to his convictions.

For an introduction to Thich Nhat Hanh and the power of his words and teachings, I strongly suggest the book Anger. It's an emotion we all share and can relate to, whether or not we care to embrace it.

On a side note--
I was saddened to hear of Thay's bittersweet homecoming in Vietnam. After being exiled for 39 years for his protest to the Vietnam War, his country's government opened its doors to him in 2005. His return has been embraced by many young people, eager to learn from him and become monks. Yet, apparently the government had a change of heart and views the Bat Nha monastery he set up as a threat to its power. There have been raids and mobs harassing the peaceful monks at Bat Nha and the government simply watched on as they took place. You can learn more about the situation at www.helpbatnha.org. I plan to write Senator Gillbrand's office to voice my concern.

Why I love the parks

I spent most of last week camped out in my apartment watching Ken Burns' amazing series of our nation's National Parks. I loved learning the history, and the personal stories of individuals who were committed to growing the park service and saving the space from development.

I too feel strongly for the need to preserve these magical places. For me, visiting the parks has always been a restorative, even spiritual experience. The parks are a place where I can shut off my mind, gain perspective, and simply be with my natural surroundings. Living in the city, you'll be amazed by how hard this is to do.

This summer Swati and I went and visited Crater Lake in Oregon and Redwoods National Parks in California. It was a second honeymoon for us of sorts, and a trip we desperately needed to take.

Swati's position as a Pro Bono Coordinator was eliminated from her law firm, and now she was spending her days with me in our one bedroom apartment. As I work from home, this was mighty challenging to do. I found my work being putting off. My blog posts reduced to virtually nothing. Instead of enjoying our time together, we sparred regularly. We needed a change.

We decided to get out of the city and head West. We bought a one-way ticket for San Francisco and rented a car that we took up to Seattle, visiting friends and beautiful sites along the way. It was just what we needed. We again found the joy of being together. Our fights at home seemed petty, small. When looking at the larger picture, everything was okay.

I think the Redwoods had something to do with that realization. :)

It's been six weeks since we've returned from our trip, and our home situation has improved dramatically. To make things easier for us both, I decided to take a part-time position that I have really been enjoying. I am happy to give Swati some time at home so she can reflect on her next career move.

If you missed the series, you can still watch them online until Oct 9. Just visit the official website for the PBS series on National Parks.

Recipe: Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies

If you've ever wanted a simple recipe for a gluten-free cookie that didn't require the use of gluten-free flours or questionable ingredients like xantham gum, this would be it.

We discovered the concept for the oatmeal peanut butter cookie while vacationing this summer in Crater Lake, Oregon. To our surprise they were selling a packaged version of this treat in the gift shop!

When we returned home in August, Swati was eager to re-create the recipe at home. Her mission led her to the blog Mennonite Girls can Cook, which posted a great oatmeal peanut butter cookie recipe that she modified slightly.

I love that the recipe is simple and can be made easily. However, be warned, it is not health food! But after shunning flour and sugar for so long it was nice to indulge. Sprinkle a little sea salt on top of these treats for an added touch.

2 cups rolled oats (look for gluten-free oats if you have a sensitivity/allergy)
3/4 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Mix the peanut butter, sugars, egg, vanilla, baking soda, and salt. Blend together using a hand mixer. Slowly add the oats into the bowl and continue to blend, leaving a few whole oats in the mix. When well mixed, add in chocolate chips and mix in with a spoon.

Grease the baking sheet with butter. Drop a teaspoon full of cookie dough on a baking sheet. Place the cookies one inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit on pan a few minutes before serving.

We definitely plan to make these again soon - next time experimenting with agave nectar or maple syrup.

Recipe: Three Bean Salad

I made this dish over the weekend for my friend Nisha's Fourth of July party. It is a great dish to serve during the summer, especially for barbecue's and potluck gatherings. The celery, parsley and rosemary give this dish a nice, fresh taste. Best of all - you can throw all the ingredients into one bowl. And it takes no more than 15 minutes!!

I enjoy eating this on its own, over salad greens, or as a side dish.

Serves 8

1 15 oz can kidney beans
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans
1 15 oz can cannellini beans
2 celery stalks, chopped finely
1/2 red onion, chopped finely
1 cup fresh parsley, finely cut
1 Tbsp fresh finely cut rosemary
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, unfiltered
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/5 cup olive oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes to let flavors meld. Taste and serve.