turkey-veggie burgers and why meat could still be important in your diet

I realize I have been posting mostly vegetarian/vegan recipes, so this post might surprise you a little. Like I have said in my first post, I do not consider myself rigid about food, and I am constantly searching to find out what is the best diet for our family. Lately, I have been hearing more and more about the Weston Price Foundation and about the benefits of animal protein and animal fat, providing it comes from an organic, pasture raised, grass fed animal. I am also learning that different health issues require different diets. I definitely believe that for someone suffering from cancer or at high risk of cancer, meat and dairy should be avoided or kept to a minimum. If the body and the immune system are weak, they are not able to process things the same way, and these two foods can increase inflammation if the immune system is not strong enough, or so I was told at the Real Food Symposium.

However, meat is rich not only in protein but also in minerals and essential fatty acids.
Red meats in particular, are rich in minerals, especially iron, zinc and magnesium, and are a great source of Vitamin B12. The fat from the meat of grazing animals contains both omega-6 and omega-3 essential fatty acids, in small but balanced amounts. And it contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), which is an anti-carcinogenic fatty acid. Two good reasons to go for grass-fed meats.

Now there are so many studies out there, saying so many contradictory things, it is really confusing. The vegans say that meat and dairy will cause cancer, the meat and dairy eaters say that  veganism depletes your body of too many things and that you end up with food allergies, joint problems, gut issues, asthma, etc, etc... Since despite all my research, I can't quite find one approach that clicks with me and they all make a little bit of sense, I am trying to eat a balanced diet and notice what causes irritation. Our consumption of meat has definitely been reduced significantly over the past two years and we all feel much better since then. But my boys jump for joy when I cook beef or chicken, and could by-pass all the veggies if it was up to them. So I have developed little tricks to get them to still eat vegetables, and it ends up making my burger taste better. 

This recipe works with any kind of ground meat, and you can vary the quantities of vegetables you mix in, as well as what kind of vegetables and herbs you put in. Use your imagination, this is just an example :)

For a great source of grass fed beef and organic chicken, visit your local farmer's market and look for Dey Dey's truck. I know he is at the Pasadena Saturday farmer's market, and other LA markets. To find out his schedule and/or how to order from him, visit his website here.


1 pound of ground turkey or beef
1 cup of  shredded carrots or zucchini or both
1 cup of shredded onion
1 garlic clove, crushed
1 cup of chopped parsley
salt and pepper to taste
olive oil

Mix all the ingredients in a big bowl, form into patties, heat a little bit of olive oil in a pan on medium to low heat and throw the patties in, flipping sides after 3-4 minutes, and continuing to do so until fully cooked.

spa popsicles

Have you ever heard of spa water? It's that deliciously refreshing  calorie free drink composed of cool water in which mint sprigs and cucumber slices have been soaking. It is the perfect drink for hot summer days and I have often served it at parties instead of sodas. Well, the last two weeks have been exceptionally hot and last Sunday was the first day I had some time to be in the kitchen since we came back, and I had all the ingredients for  a marvelously refreshing popsicle blend. Inspired by a recent post from www.nourishingmeals.com,  I gathered the following ingredients in my blender:



5 or 6 sprigs of fresh mint, leaves only
1/2 green cantaloupe
1 whole english cucumber (they are the long ones), pealed
juice of 4 limes
a sprinkle of stevia

2 kiwis, sliced

Blend all the ingredients, until you obtain a smooth liquid. Peal and slice two kiwis and place two slices in each popsicle mold. Pour mixture on top, cover with lid and freeze for 6-8 hours. Enjoy on a hot summer day :)

Verdict: my kids love them, even though they are green, and they even love the fact that they can see the kiwi slice hiding inside. I am absolutely addicted to them, and they are completely guilt-free, which is a plus!

sneaky veggie fruity popsicles

I'm always looking for creative ways to get more fruits and vegetables into my kids' diet. With summer approaching, and actually in full bloom on this side of the world, I am shifting from soups to smoothies and frozen treats. My kids love homemade popsicles, and I love them too because it's an easy way for me to sneak in stuff that they would never otherwise eat. I bought the molds at rite aid or target, you can find them online I'm sure, and I'm sure there is also a BPA free version of those, somewhere. I've just had those for several years and they have served me well.

You can get real creative with these, and throw a number of combinations into the mix. Some days, my kids aren't too crazy about their green smoothie. So rather than forcing them or tossing it away, I pour it into a popsicle mold for a later treat. Last year, I started adding leafy greens and chia seeds to the mix and this year, I added some green powder, and believe it or not, my kids didn't budge. They loved it! I even served it to 3 of my kids' friends yesterday, who were here on a playdate, and they all gulped it down.

So here is an example of a pretty green and good for you popsicle. The barley powder doesn't taste great, and it's pretty strong, so use it sparingly, and feel free to add more banana or other sweet fruit to cover the taste. 

1 banana

1nectarine

1/2 cup blackberries

3/4 cup blueberries

3/4 cup raspberries

2 cups packed kale leaves

2 tbsp ground flaxseed

1/4 cup walnuts

1tbsp barley or spirulina powder

1/4 tsp stevia

A little note on Barley Powder and why it might be good to include it in your diet:

NUTRITIONAL VALUE - A concentrated source of nearly three dozen vitamins and minerals, barley grass is particularly rich in vitamins A, C, B1, B2, folic acid, and B12; calcium; iron; potassium; and chlorophyll. Unlike most plants, barley grass provides all nine essential amino acids (those which your body can't produce).

HEALING CLAIMS - Barley grass is a powerful antioxidant that is believed to help the body kill cancer cells and overcome a variety of ailments, including acne and ulcers.

Put everything in the blender, add 2 cups of water and mix. Add more water if you want a smoother consistency. Once the mixture is well blended and smooth, pour into popsicle molds and place in the freezer for several hours.

En Francais:

Melanger dans le mixer:

1 banane

1 nectarine

1/2 tasse de mures

3/4 tasse de myrtilles

3/4 tasse de framboises

2 tasses de feuilles de chou kale, ou cottes de bettes ou epinards

2cs de graines de lin moulues

1/4 tasse de noix

1cs de poudre d'algue, spirulina ou d'orge (c'est sous forme de poudre verte)

1/4 cc de stevia ou autre adoucissant naturel

2 tasses d'eau

Verser le tout dans des moules a glace et mettre au congelateur.

Healthy Raw Granola Bars

Look at these beauties I made today! I just think they look so beautiful, so scrumptious, so rich of good for you stuff! I was inspired by this recipe at rawmazing.com, and then just kept adding to it. Which means I can't remember exactly the quantities, but I'll try:

1.5 cup raw oat groats (GF)
1.5 cup raw buckwheat
                                                          Grind in S blade food processor until it looks like a fine powder with some residues of oats, which won't grind very finely


1 cup pitted dates
a lot of cinnamon (maybe 1.5 tbsp?)
1/2 cup cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 cup agave syrup
                                                           Add to the food processor and blend until it becomes pasty and sticky. If necessary, add some dates or agave so it sticks together.




That was the base. Then I started adding, and you can do the same with anything you'd like that is raw or dried... Here is what I remember adding:


1/2 cup dried goji berries
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cocoa nibs
1/4 cup chia seeds
1 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds


I added all that and blended just for a little bit so as to keep the pieces intact and not grind it all. I wanted some color :) I think I threw in a bit of flaxseed or hemp oil at the end to moisten it, and a couple tbsp of apple sauce, because it was a bit dry and would crumble when dry.


Then I spread the paste in my dehydrator and turned it on 115 for about 6 hours. If you don't own a dehydrator, you can spread these on a cookie sheet and put in the oven for about 30-45 min at 200 degrees, or even less, if you can. Cut into rectangles or squares before putting in the oven, so that when they are done, you can just pull them apart easily.


Store in a tight container, in you fridge or freezer if you used the dehydrator.


And let me tell you, they are as delicious as they look!

Healthy Snacks for Little Snack Monsters

Aaaaah, snacks... the snack issue... the snack problem, the darn processed snack that my kids could live on! If it was up to them, they would just eat snacks all day long and skip the meals. They would have snack for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and for snack too!

 I am slooooowwwly winning the battle for healthy snacks, but it is not easy. Between school recess where little friends bring not so healthy (but "looking" healthy) processed snacks, or the playdates, birthday parties, and the trips to the grocery store where they go straight for the boxed cereal (aka empty calories, don't even get me started!), it sometimes feels like pushing a boulder uphill.


I have started to make my own cereal bars in my dehydrator, and I swear, if I could wrap those in processed food papers, my oldest one would eat them. But because they are homemade, he's decided he's not going to like them :(

One thing I don't want, however, is to be a nazi granola mom that takes the fun out of eating and forces my kids to eat the way I do when they see no reason for that. So it's a slow process of teaching and educating them about making healthy choices. In the mean time, I have learnt to read labels and navigate the aisles of the grocery store.

The only place I feel confident buying processed snacks at the moment is Trader Joe's, and maybe whole foods. The reason is I just found out that none of the products that have the Trader Joe's label use any GMOs. I have another post in my mind about how to avoid GMO foods, but in a nutshell, certain ingredients like soy, canola oil, corn and beet sugar for example, are always GMO, unless otherwise specified. And guess what? They are in almost EVERY processed food! Except for foods that carry the TJ's or Whole Foods label.

For me, as a mom, that was fantastic news! that means I can once in while buy that box of cereals or cookies or crackers without feeling too bad.

But most of the time, this is what you will find in our pantry, besides fresh fruits:

•  Non sweetened dried fruits: banana, mango, pineapple, apples, apricots, raisins, peaches, figs, dates, prunes... TJ's has a variety of them. Make sure you pick the one that has no sugar added, as many do, and dried fruits are already naturally high in fructose.
• Raw nuts and trail mixes: The Go Raw Trek Mix from TJ is the only one I find that is fully raw. When nuts are roasted, they oxidate and the healthy oils they contain are degraded.

 That is why we also buy almost only Raw Almond Butter. the yummi sunflower seed butter is made with roasted sunflowers and has added sugar, and peanut butter is generally made with roasted peanuts. We avoid the latter, as my husband is highly allergic.

• Apple sauce, apple carrot crushers (the kids love them, and it's a sneaky way to get some carrots in), with no sugar added.
• Eggplant Hummus: of all the hummus sold at TJ's, this one is the only one that doesn't have canola oil. Canola oil is not a healthy oil. Generally processed at high temperatures, and almost always made from genetically engineered crop, I avoid it like pest. This Hummus had only pronounceable ingredients, which means it more natural and healthy in my opinion. The kids eat it with baby carrots or sugar snap peas, or on pita bread.
• Brown rice cake: The kids love to spread almond butter on them and a little bit of honey, or eat them plain
• Pure bars: made out of dried fruits, nuts and some agave syrup, they contain pure products (depending on your stance on agave, which I am still undecided about). No unpronounceable ingredients, no additives, just pure.
• Occasional fair trade organic dark chocolate. The one pictured above is very basic, no weird ingredients, no soy lecithin or corn syrup, just 3-4 ingredients, the way chocolate is supposed to be.

There are a few more items that I sometimes buy, like organic tortilla chips, organic popcorn made with olive oil (though I tend to make my own popcorn at home with organic coconut oil and organic popcorn, which you can find at TJ's). But those items involve processing food in oil at high temperature, so by nature... not good for you! However, I don't want to be extreme and traumatize my kids or annoy my friends. There is room for celebrating, special treats, and special occasions, exceptions, and all that good stuff. What I am talking about here is the daily routines, the eating habits that we are trying to form in our kids.


What about you? What healthy options have you found for your little snack monsters? I would love to hear them and get some ideas from you, or questions, or comments...

Sauteed Swiss Chard with olives and pine nuts, or sneaky veggie burgers

We are lucky enough to have a little vegetable garden and a few months ago, I went and bought seeds that my husband planted. We pretty quickly had a few leaves of swiss chard pop up, but over the last few weeks, it has exploded and we can't keep up with our swiss chard. The good thing is that we love it, and we eat it both cooked and raw (stay tuned for a greens smoothie recipe coming soon). 

Yesterday was a busy day hosting a birthday party for my son and making this beautiful cake:

 So last night, after a wonderful but exhausting day, I needed a simple dinner. And there is something about just walking outside and picking something fresh out of your garden that makes me feel very alive.

So Here is the recipe:

A big bunch of swiss chard, washed and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1/3 cup kalamata olives, sliced
1/4 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup parsley, chopped
salt and pepper to taste

Heat up the olive oil in your frying pan or wok on low to medium heat. Add crushed garlic and let it fry for  a minute, without it getting brown. Then add the chards and mix until the leaves soften. Add the rest of the ingredients, mix and continue cooking for 2-4 minutes.

Serve over rice or quinoa for a complete meal

En francais:
Une grande poignee de cotes de bettes, lavees et coupees
1 cs d'huile d'olive
4 gousses d'ail pressees
1/2 tasse d'olives kalamata, coupees en rondelles
1/4 tasse de pignons
1/3 tasse de persil
sel et poivre selon gout

chauffer l'huile dans la poelle, ajouter l'ail presse et laisser fremir sans laisser brunir. Ajouter les cotes de bette et melanger jusqu'a ce qu'elles se ramolissent. Ajouter le reste des ingredients et melanger en laissant sur la plaque pendant 2-4 minutes.

Servir sur du riz ou de la quinoa pour un repas complet

Now of course, my picky eaters will never just eat sauteed swiss chard. So I have had to come up with creative solutions when it comes to eating greens and I often have to blend them in soups or turn them into a veggie burger. So here is what I did last night:

For a kid friendly meal, mix in the blender:
1 cup cooked quinoa
1/2 cup swiss chard dish
1 egg
a pinch of salt

Form into patties and fry in the frying pan with a little bit of olive or coconut oil until it's solid enough to look like a burger.