Fun, healthy, affordable meal!

Rainbow Chocolate Chili

This chili is super healthy and works great if you are doing the Sugar Divorce,  Four Hour Body or Weight Watchers lifestyle.

Ingredients

1 Onion, chopped
a few cloves of Garlic, chopped
Bell Pepper, chopped (optional – I don’t like peppers, Yuck! But they do add pretty color to the dish)
Lentils – I used the pre-cooked ones from Trader Joe’s sold in a box in the fridge section (usually near the vegetables)
1 can Pinto Beans, rinsed & drained*
1 can White Beans, rinsed & drained*
1 can Black Beans, rinsed & drained*
(you can use any beans – I just pick these 3 to make it more colorful)
1 can diced Tomatoes in juice
1 can of Corn.
1-2 teaspoons ground Cumin
1-2 tablespoons Chili Powder
1-2 teaspoons Oregano
Cayenne pepper – as much or as little as you can handle
3 cups fat free Veggie broth
1-2 chunks semisweet Chocolate, choppped
a handful of Quinoa
Miscellaneous veggies – I like yellow squash and green zucchini for the color

Spray bottom of large pot with olive oil. Add onion, garlic and yucky peppers and sauté until soft, I add a splash of the broth to help soften up the veggies and to avoid burning the garlic.

Add Miscellaneous veggies, saute some more.

Add spices: cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper.

Add tomatoes in juice.

Put top on pan to allow veggies to cook.

Drain and rinse beans (rinse a few times for maximum gas avoidance).

Add lentils.

Add beans.

Drain corn and add.

Add chunks of chocolate.

Add rest of the broth, throw a little extra in if you need to feed more people.

If too watery, throw in a handful of Quinoa to thicken up and add more texture to the chili.

Season with salt & pepper.

Serve.

If too spicy, a dollop of sour cream cools down the chili and gives it a creamy flavor.

Enjoy.

Come back here, leave a comment and let me know if you enjoyed the chili!

Rainbow Chocolate Chili recipe was inspired by they Turkey and Pinto Bean Chili recipe I found on epicurious.

*rinsing and draining canned beans seriously reduces any side effects of gas. I read this in the 4 Hour Body book and it is true. I’ve been testing it on my friends and family.

Kale Chips!

My new favorite food!

I love potato chips but they are not healthy and they give me a tummy ache. I have found a wonderful substitute, kale chips!

Many people have been asking me how to make kale chips. Here goes:

The Best Kale Chips Ever!

1. Start with fresh kale (actually wilted, limp kale works just as well). I like the red kale the best but I’m not sure why they call it red, it looks purple to me.

2. Cut the stem out of the kale.

(As you can see I use both red and green kale)

3. Cut the kale in to bigger than bite size pieces. (It shrinks when it cooks)

4. Dry any excess moisture from kale (use a towel or salad spinner). Place the kale in to a ziplock bag or plastic Rubbermaid type container (which is what I’m doing now because it’s easier to re-use the container than the bag). Put kale directly on cookie sheet.

5. Add grape-seed oil, garlic, cayenne pepper, sesame seeds, salt and pepper. (Olive oil will also work but I heard grape-seed is better for you when heated. You can add any spices you like.) Stir kale, spices and oil together on cookie sheet. Seal the bag or container and shake really well to get oil and spices evenly coated on the kale.

6. Turn broiler on low. Updated:  Preheat oven to 300°F. Put cookie sheet on middle or upper rack. Set timer and check kale in 10 minutes, stir, then check every 5 minutes until chips are almost crispy. Gently stir kale around on cookie sheet each time you check, try to keep kale in a single layer on the sheet. Kale chips are tricky and can turn on you fast* (ie. burn to smithereens).

7. When kale chips are almost crispy but still a tiny bit un-cooked turn off the oven, keep oven door closed and let them sit for awhile to finish dehydrating.

8. Remove crispy kale chips from the oven. Eat and enjoy! Please come back, leave a comment and tell me how your kale chips came out.

*Kale chips burn easily and quickly. It’s important to watch as they cook and check them often. They taste horrible when burned.

PS. Kale is good for poop. Keeps you regular.

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You’ve probably heard about all the benefits of drinking Green tea. “Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including, skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder.” – Harvard Health Publications. I love Green tea when it is prepared correctly. I can’t stand bitter Green tea. Often when I get Green tea at coffee shops or restaurants it’s bitter and tastes awful!!!

Here’s my secret to making the perfect tasting cup of Green tea. Pay attention to suggestion #3.

1. Start with some good quality tea such as Peet’s Rare Teas Jasmine Downy Pearls or Gyokuro Imperial.
2. Boil water.
3. Pour boiling water in to pot and let cool for 2 minutes BEFORE adding tea.*
4. Add tea. I only use 10 of the pearls to make a small pot of tea.
5. Let tea steep for 5 minutes.
6. Remove tea from water.
7. Enjoy your tea.

* Number 3 is the most important rule for making great tasting Green tea. If the water is too hot it makes the tea taste bitter.

This blog post was inspired by @momntwins for her retweet of @greenrobeen‘s tweet with a link about the health benefits of Green tea. Thanks! Now I’m going to go make a pot of Green tea.

Around here Whole Foods has been nicknamed Whole Paycheck. After seeing this video by Shane and Chantal Valentine of The Baby Cuisine Cookbook. I think Whole Foods needs a new nickname.

Which do you think is cheaper for organic products? Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s or Safeway. I was very surprised by the results.

Shane and Chantal Valentine are local Marin residents. You can follow them on Twitter @babycuisine. You can also follow Whole Foods on Twitter @WholeFoods.

*green bean image  by Flickr user Chasqui

I joined the gym! I’m going to Planet Fitness and I love it!

Back in the day, when I was a gym rat, I used to make fun of the people who joined the gym in January. I remember all the “regulars” would look forward to February when all the “New Year’s Resolution” crowd would give up and stop coming in.

I plan to become one of the “regulars” again. It’s hard to stay in shape when you work full time. So going to the gym on my lunch hour is a great way for me to fit in some exercise time.

There are many things I like about Planet Fitness:

1. location – takes about 2 minutes to get from my desk in to the front door of the gym.
2. low monthly fee – $15 – $20 and I can cancel at any time!
3. their “no judgment” philosophy
4. tons of equipment – there is always room for me, I never have to wait!
5. circuit training option – one corner of the gym is set aside for a 30 minute circuit full body workout
6. massage chairs – they have really nice massage chairs
7. big, clean and nice locker room with plenty of showers

I can get in and out of the gym in 1 hour and that includes my shower and 45 minute workout.

What are you doing to stay healthy?

Planet Fitness is located in the financial district of San Francisco.

Have you heard about Tipsy Tow?

AAA is offering a pretty cool service tonight. If you find you’ve had a few too many glasses of champagne tonight and realize you are too tipsy to drive please call Tipsy Tow and a tow truck driver will come pick your drunk self up and drive you and your car home for free (within 5 miles). You don’t have to be a member.

Thanks AAA!

More info here. AAA Tipsy Tow Program

Call 800.222.4357 if you need a ride.

This service is also offered on other holidays.

Happy New Year! What are you doing for the New Year? I’m staying home with my laptop.

It’s crab season here in the Bay Area!

Did you know you can go to Whole Foods or Safeway and ask them to crack and clean the crab for you and it is ready to eat! Just serve it up with some melted garlic butter and yum!

Yesterday was National Coming Out Day.

In case you are wondering why we need to “come out”? Why we need to talk about it? Why we have to flaunt it in your face?

Here is the reason: there have been at least 6 gay children (that I know of) who have taken their own life since school started this year. In addition, in the last week there have been 2 more teen suicides right here in Marin County!

Last night I stumbled upon the It Gets Better campaign by the Trevor Project on YouTube.

I just wanted to say thank you to The Trevor Project and all those brave people who participated in telling their own stories.

It does get better! If you are straight, gay or anything in between and feeling alone or hopeless right now please ask for help. It does get better.

The Trevor Lifeline: 866-488-7386
National Suicide Hotline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

Also, wanted to thank Ellen DeGeneres for speaking out.

Have you heard of the new book by Lissa Rankin called What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend

Mark your calendars for 2 fun upcoming events in Marin!

Saturday, October 16, 2010 – 4:00pm (Men are welcome)
Lissa Rankin Talk & Book Signing at the Book Passage in Corte Madera. Come out and hear our very own local author & original Marin TweetUp Co-host Lissa Rankin talk about her new book: What’s Up Down There? Questions You’d Only Ask Your Gynecologist If She Was Your Best Friend #VaginaTweetUp

Thursday, November 4, 2010 – 7:00 – 9:00pm (Women only)
Ask the gynecologist and psychologist anything you want at girlfriends’ night out!
Dr. Lissa Rankin and Dr. Michelle Gannon
Pleasures of the Heart on 4th Street in San Rafael.

It’s one of those rare hot weeks in the Bay Area. It’s actually 90° in my house right now. For Wordless Wednesday I thought I’d share a great summer salad recipe with you. I know I’m not exactly being Wordless but this salad is too delicious to not talk about.

The original recipe is from epicurious.com but I tweaked it a bit (thanks to advice from my friends at rel.ish catering). I added Orange Muscat Champagne Vinegar from Trader Joe’s and feta cheese. If you don’t have the orange vinegar you can add a splash of orange juice to get the sweet flavor.

Enjoy. Be sure to let the quinoa cool in the fridge for 2 hours before adding the other ingredients. I got impatient once and threw it all together while the quinoa was still hot and ended up with a big bowl of mush, still tasty but not as pretty. I prefer to use golden beets, if you use red beets the whole salad turns red.

Epicurious recipe:

quinoa salad with beets

Created by Susan Spungen
The whole grain quinoa in this salad helps you feel satisfyingly full long after the meal is finished.
5-6 Servings
Submitted by anadeau
December 14, 2008

ingredients
• 1 1/4 cups quinoa
• 1 1/8 teaspoons salt , plus more for dressing
• 4 medium beets , trimmed
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Freshly ground pepper , for dressing
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large, seedless cucumber , chopped
• 1 pint yellow cherry tomatoes , halved
• 1 cup green beans , blanched and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

preparation
Rinse quinoa thoroughly. Place in a medium saucepan with 2 1/2 cups water. Add 1/8 tsp. salt; bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook until quinoa is tender, 12–15 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours.

Meanwhile, place beets in a large saucepan; cover with cold water (by about an inch). Add 1 tsp. salt; bring to a simmer. Cook until beets are tender when pierced with a paring knife, 35–45 minutes. Drain; cover with cold water. Let sit until cool enough to handle. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch cubes.

In a small bowl, mix vinegar, lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Slowly whisk in oil. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, beets, cucumber, tomatoes, green beans and parsley. Toss in dressing to serve.