I’m kinda nuts for nuts lately. They’ve got to be one of the easiest, most delicious and satisfying whole foods on the planet, don’t you think?

I get the feeling some people are scared of nuts because of their high fat content. But when you flip that fear mongering on its head the facts are this: Nuts contain many of the key nutrients we need in one tiny package, including healthy fats, fiber, proteins and, yes, carbohydrates—all of which we need plenty of.

When you’re busy or on the run, it’s easy to reach for crappy food out of convenience. But these days, if I’m starving and my next meal is a little ways away, a handful of nuts is the perfect tide-over to keep me focused.

Lately, I’ve been especially into almonds and pistachios. The latter are not only delicious, but I love popping them out of their shells, like a little reminder that we once had to do some work for our food. What’s your nut of choice?

Health Benefits

According to the Mayo Clinic, nuts can also prevent heart disease. Nutrients do vary by type, but most nuts contain omega-3s, vitamin E, plant sterols, and l-arginine. Most of these are proven to be good for our hearts and health in multiple ways—not to mention our skin!

Fun Ways To Eat Them

Inspired by Siobhan’s seed post last week, I thought I’d share some of my favorite creative ways to eat nuts. Got any fun nutty recipes?

—In dessert. I still love this recipe that features salty almond butter in Greek yogurt.

—In soup. And this one too.

—In stir frys. Cashews, almonds, or whatever nut you have on-hand can add all kinds of texture and deliciousness to a fry.

—In salad. Especially good with asian salad dressings, like rice vinegar, miso paste, olive oil and green onions.

OK, you’re up.

We know that many of you are seasoned vegetable eaters and all but this challenge is about sneaking in MORE fruits and veggies: like ten servings. That can be a lot even by our crunchy standards.

So, since we’re all in this together, let’s share our best tips. And while you’re at it, tell us how the challenge is going for you (and tell the truth!). Recipes are always welcome, of course.

If you’re having trouble staying motivated, remember the Japanese farmers (!), and also this sort-of-silly-but-also-awesome “study” of how vegetables actually make you look glowy and tanned.

Here are a few ways I’ve been upping my number of servings, and a few other ways I plan to in the coming days (and weeks and months, because the point of these challenges is to help create better habits, right? Right.) Nothing groundbreaking here, and a few things we’ve harped on before, but voila:

• Salads: This is a total duh but I often make pretty simple green salads. You can get five fruits and veggies into a salad in a blink, watch: cucumber, tomato, avocado, grated carrot, artichoke hearts. Done.
• Smoothies: Another no-brainer, but if you really don’t enjoy eating fruits and/or vegetables this is the easiest way to slam a bunch down in one sitting. Spinach, berries, weird stuff from your CSA box, not much can’t be blended into smoothie submission.
• Soups: A.k.a. winter’s smoothies, especially for this girl who can’t stomach too much raw food in the colder months. Even if you’re all thumbs in the kitchen, you can throw some spinach, cauliflower, broccoli (or all!) into a pre-made tomato soup and call it four servings.
• Omelettes: Onions, spinach, red peppers, zucchinis and any veggies that don’t necessarily sing on their own, can be julienned into an omelette for guaranteed deliciousness.
• Snacks: Precut veggies—especially good when dipped in Dijon—are an easy way to veggie-load. Carrots are delicious right now, and so are radishes and broccoli. When it comes to fruit, don’t forget your old schoolyard friends: apples and oranges. As an adult I’m always surprised by how delicious these are when I think to eat them (not often).

That’s all I got! Now, how are you guys getting more of nature’s treats in your tummies?

What’s a CSA, you may be wondering? Well it stands for “community-supported agriculture” and it’s when a bunch of folks get together to support a local farm by subscribing to a service whereby they receive regular fruit and/or veggie boxes of whatever may be in season. It’s a pretty awesome alternative food system—one we’re both satisfied participants of—especially if you’ve ever stood at the Whole Foods cash cursing the cost of your organic veggies. (For the record I still do, but not as often.)

In short, CSAs are the shizzle. A truly great idea for anyone trying to eat healthy on a budget, and support their local community.

My veggie box, which costs a reasonable $25, is delivered to me every other Friday, making it ridiculously convenenient. While  sometimes it’s more veggies than I can handle, which then makes me feel awful about the fact that I don’t compost yet, it usually forces me to come up with new ways to trick my husband into eating vegetables and has been the catalyst behind many an unexpected culinary creation.

Many of you are surely already CSA subscribers and we’d love to hear about your experiences: Do you find it hard to eat your veggies? Has it forced to you get creative in the kitchen? Below are some of my best hits for veggies that could currently be in your box.

• Avocados: You can’t ever go wrong with an avocado, but if you’re looking to cut back on butter or mayo, this fruit-cum-veggie makes for an excellent vegan fat substitute. Try it blended into salad dressing like this one instead of mayo, or spread it on toast instead of butter. So. Good. (Especially with salt, pepper, and some sliced tomato.)
• Beets: Even LA is feeling wintery right now, so while I’m still wild about this skin-loving raw beet soup recipe, I’m craving something warm. Ever had a traditional borscht? Delicious. Here’s a basic vegetarian recipe that is close to what I do, though I recommend vinegar instead of lemon as the acid.
• Brussel Sprouts: To me there is one way to do brussels best, and it’s this way.
• Carrots and Baby Potatoes: This idea came to me last week. I was craving something kind of Greek, so I roasted rough-cut potatoes and carrots in olive oil (same way as the brussels), and when they got good and brown I took them out of the oven and tossed them in lemon juice, salt, pepper, adding chopped green onions and dill. I served them with a garlicky Greek yogurt dip too. Nom nom nom.
• Cabbage: I love cabbage and lately I’ve been treating it as the ultimate wrap vehicle. Trying to avoid gluten or corn? Concerned about spiking your blood sugar? There’s not much you can’t wrap up in cabbage, whether it’s a stir fry, some egg salad, tofu, fish, avocado, taco filling, whatever. Softer stuff pairs especially well with the awesome crunch of the cabbage.

Happy cooking, chickens.

P.S. It’s Siobhan’s birthday today!!!!! Three cheers for Siobhan who is so special and awesome. I know I’m not alone when I say I’m happy this girl was born. :)

I’ve developed a full-blown internet crush on a lady who lives in Copenhagen. Her name is Sarah Britton, she’s a nutritionist, a vegetarian chef, and she does things like make heart-shaped beet ravioli for her husband in her spare time—which she documents charmingly on her site My New Roots.

Also, most of her recipes are gluten-free or easily made gluten-free, many are vegan, and she has gorgeous photos that run along with her recipes, making them ever-more appealing. Poke around her site and I bet you fall for her too.

Then hit command-T and visit Svelte Gourmand, a health-focused site run by two hyphenate-heavy friends of mine, Sara Reistad-Long and Camille Noe-Pagan. They share delicious recipes with a health spin, often pegged to solid research about what we should be eating, when and why.

Then once you have that bookmarked, hit command-T again and go hang out with my friend and colleague Joy Manning at Oyster Evangelist. She’s a cookbook author, cooks a lot at home and her recipes are inspiring, accessible and delicious. She’s also a total crack-up.

So with Sarah as our inspiration, I’d like to know what food blogs you love. The more vegetarian-friendly the better, seeing as it’s Monday, but I’m all ears, really.

Image via My New Roots

Last week our content pals at Well + Good told us about some interesting new research: Apparently, the healthy phytochemicals in broccoli and other cruciferous veggies are much better absorbed when the vegetable is eaten whole—not juiced or in green-powder form—and either raw or barely cooked. From their post:

The researchers [from Oregon State University] concluded that the body couldn’t absorb the nutrients in the supplements as well because they were missing a necessary enzyme found in the whole food.

Raw foodies can pat themselves on the back, too, since the researchers also found that intensive cooking stripped the broccoli of the same enzyme, making the body less likely to absorb the nutrients. (Steaming or sauteing was fine as long as the veggies remained crunchy.)

This reminded us of a favorite recipe that we shared in the food section of the book. It comes courtesy of Andrew Weil and it doesn’t get a whole lot simpler than this. Here goes:

—Fill a sauce pan or pot with about an inch of water.

—Throw in some broccoli florets (whatever size you prefer) and squeeze in a clove of garlic.

—Cover the pot and turn the heat to high, bringing the small amount of water to a boil and flash steaming the broccoli and garlic.

—As soon as the broccoli turns bright green (literally after a minute or two in the steam), take off the lid and let some of the water boil off.

—Turn off the heat and add a tablespoon or two of olive oil along with salt and pepper to taste. If you like heat, throw in some crushed chillis.

Behold a delicious side dish, with those phytochemicals perfectly intact.

How do you cook your broccoli?

Image via Well + Good

Happy Monday, people. I hope everyone affected by the hurricane had a safe, not-too-crazymaking weekend cooped up inside (and the rest of you, well, I hope you had a good weekend, too).

I took advantage of the weather by cooking up a storm, and one recipe turned out to be such a hit that I had to share. Below is the exact dish I created, but you can basically do this with whatever vegetables you have on hand. (That said, I highly recommend you try this one at least once because it’s very tasty.)

(Vegans, this one isn’t for you, sorry.)

Before I dive in. I’d like to give credit where credit is due. This was inspired by a different mostly-vegetable frittata by the always great Mark Bittman, whose recipes I love almost as much as his thoughtful, provocative Op Eds about the environment and food politics. (Actually, it’s probably a tie.)

Now, let’s get cooking.

The Perfect Veggie Frittata (Made With Very Few Eggs)

2-3 organic farm eggs

8 little red potatoes

salted butter or olive oil or both

1/2 pint of baby tomatoes (heirloom, if possible, since they’re in season)

2 cups arugula, lightly packed

1/2 cup fresh basil, lightly packed

1 medium sweet onion, sliced small

Salt and pepper

1. Pour a little olive oil or a small pad of butter * in a cast-iron skillet heated on low. When it’s nice and warm, toss in 1/2 cup of your chopped onions and heat until they’re soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Salt and pepper the onions.

2. Throw in your potatoes. If you have a mandoline, you could thin-slice them with that ** or just use a knife. Slice them about 1/8 of an inch thick, or thinner if you prefer. Raise heat to medium and cook them in the onion until the potatoes are soft but not mushy, and the onions slightly caramelized, about 15 minutes (maybe a little longer—be patient).

3. Remove potatoes from heat and put them in a bowl. Then throw in the rest of your onion, heat again, 3-5 minutes this time, so they retain a little more bite than the caramelized ones, and then lightly wilt your arugula and basil together (reserving a few leaves for garnish), about 3 minutes.

4. Remove your greens.

5. Cut your baby tomatoes in half.

6. Grab your now-empty skillet and layer your potatoes on the bottom of the pan to form an even layer. This is your “crust.” Then place the greens on top of the potatoes in another even layer.

7. Pepper it up liberally.

8. Whisk 2 or 3 eggs together in a bowl and pour the eggs on top of the mixture.

9. NOW place your tomatoes on top, again in a layer. (It’s easier to add the tomatoes after the eggs are in so they stay put.)

10. Turn the heat on LOW (don’t rush this part!) and let it cook slowly undisturbed until the eggs are set. Once they’ve set or almost set, about 10 minutes, fire up the broiler and put the pan under the fire for one minute, no longer. If you are feeling fancy, put some parmesan on there before you broil.

11. Garnish with a few pieces of basil, and some more pepper or salt if you like.

That’s it! It tasted good warm and at room temperature.

Do you have a frittata recipe you love?

* The potatoes will taste better if you cook them in butter, obviously.

** I have a good $20 mandoline from Crate & Barrel but it eats my fingers. I can’t seem to remember, ever, to use the guard it came with, so I have put it on time-out for now.

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More seasoned home cooks in the crowd can probably skip this post and get straight to work on the Summer Hair Challenge. Go on! We’re working on ours.

But for those of you who maybe didn’t use the kitchen until you left Moms, or only discovered vegetables in your thirties (paging my husband on both!), these tips will serve you well.

Ever been to a really amazing Italian restaurant and wondered how they get those simple veggie sides tasting so good? Or maybe you’ve had the experience of perfectly-browned brussel sprouts that turned disdain to devotion in a single bite? Well I have one word for you, and that word is: roasting.

The following method is great for most vegetables but especially the brassica family—like brussels, cauliflower, broccoli and even kale (hello kale chips!)—because they hold up so well to heat. One note: Stick to one vegetable at a time for the sake of simplicity and because combining these types of vegetables can result in tummy troubles for some. So, here goes: the super simple technique that will change your life as a vegetable eater.

1. Olive oil. Once you’ve cut your vegetable to a desired size—know that the pieces will shrink somewhat as they lose their water during roasting—toss them in a decent amount of olive oil. Let’s say about two tbsp for a small head of cauliflower, maybe a little more. If you’re using brussel sprouts, cut them in half. Do the tossing in a bowl with your (clean) hands so that you are certain that each piece is generously covered. Now…

2. Salt. Don’t be afraid of it, and use the good stuff if you’ve got it. When you can’t believe how good vegetables taste at your favorite restaurant, the answer is often salt. We’re told to watch our sodium intake, and for good reason: Most processed foods are ridiculously high in the stuff. But if you generally avoid those foods don’t be afraid of seasoning at home—it’s actually really hard to exceed your daily sodium limit with a salt shaker and whole ingredients (like vegetables!). So salt and toss. Pepper’s good too. And then place your veggies in a single layer on either a pyrex (covered in tin foil to avoid stick and damage) or some kind of sheet pan (nonstick makes things extra easy, though that’s probably thanks to chemicals?). If you’re using brussels, place them flat side down.

3. Oven. You have a few choices when it comes to temperature. EVOO’s smoke point is 405°F, so if you’re concerned about retaining nutrients set your oven a little below that. This is still still plenty high and will get those suckers browned. Sometimes when I’m in a rush though, or after something really crispy, I throw caution to the wind and finish my veggies under the broiler. At around 400, depending on the size of your cut, roasting will take anywhere from 20-30 minutes for anything other than kale. Kale crisps up very quickly so keep an eye on it. After 15-20 minutes, check your veggies and give them a good toss. You will be able to tell if they’re ready just by looking at them. When they start reminding you of french fries you’re done. Add more salt and pepper to taste if needed. Or, take it to next level…

Getting fancy: These will be delicious as is, but there are ways to mix it up. There are things you can add to these roasted vegetables and never go wrong (warning: not all suggestions vegan) like a squeeze of lemon, a little more olive oil, a pad of butter (this gives a real yummy richness), parmesan cheese, bacon (that’s been cooked and crumbled separately), some chili flakes, a little balsamic vinegar, some greek yogurt and garlic for dipping, or any favorite homemade vinaigrette.

Added bonus if you’re feeding others: Kids, fussy friends, and even super picky manchildren, will love vegetables done this way. Whenever I make vegetables like this for others, they get way more praise than the more complicated items on the table. Not that we cook for compliments. ;)

Are you an oven roaster? What tricks to you have when cooking vegetables?

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In case you missed the memo, refined sugar is really, really bad for you.

This post from yesterday’s Lifehacker does a pretty good job of explaining the basics of how sugar reacts in the body and brain. If you’re up for an even deeper look, read the killer (pun intended!) New York Times Magazine cover story from last month, and check out this video of Dr. Lustig—who Siobhan saw speak last month at the Dr. Weil conference in SF—and see for yourself that it’s the devil.

But man does it taste good. Sweets are also tied into all kinds of comfort-and-reward-do-my-parents-love-me stuff left over from childhood. Of course, it’s ok to splurge on a sugary treat here and there, but I’m gonna get bold and say that I’ve concocted a dessert you could enjoy every day if you’d like to. And, by total happy accident, it tastes a lot like a grownup version of a McDonald’s Sundae.

In fact, if I was Bethenny Frankel I’d be calling this the Skinny Sundae and selling it to someone for a cool 100 mill. But what makes this treat so amazing is not its lack of calories (we know better than to equate low calorie with healthy, right?) but its significant lack of sugar along with its surprising nutritional density.

Here’s how you make it.

Mix:

—3/4 cup of plain Greek yogurt (I used the Fage 2% — feel free to try a sugar-free vegan alternative but make sure that its THICK.)

—1 tbsp vanilla extract

—Stevia to taste (Stevia is a natural sweetener made from a plant. You can get it anywhere now, and it has no glycemic impact and no creepy chems.)

—Stir in 1 tsp of organic crunchy salted peanut butter (I used one from Trader Joe’s—whatever you use, it’s gotta be crunchy and salty. I know you can’t see them in the picture—I’m not going to win any food photography awards—but those little crunches are the best part.)

Drizzle with:

—1 tsp of maple syrup (I’m using a can I smuggled home from my last visit to Quebec. It’s been in my fridge for a while and it’s nice and thick.)

To do the chocolate version drizzle instead with a melted square or two of high-quality dark chocolate. I bet raw honey would be yummy too, but not any kind of McDonald’s equivalent.

I just can’t tell you how delicious this is!

Here’s why it works: Stevia on its own has a bit of an aftertaste that takes getting used to, but that’s fully masked by the delicious flavors of vanilla, peanuts and maple syrup. And even though it’s only a teaspoon of syrup, it feels like plenty (look at the picture!) and having that real sugar in there is key to making the experience satisfying—that, along with the salty crunch of the peanut butter and the creaminess of the yogurt make it hit all of the right dessert notes.

Now let’s do a health comparison!

McDonald’s Caramel Sundae with Peanuts: 385 calories, 11.5 grams of fat, 9 grams of protein, 160mg sodium, 62 carbs, and…. 44 GRAMS OF SUGAR.

Our Sundae (roughly the same size): 177 calories, 8.5 grams of fat, 19.5 grams of protein (!!), 67.5mg of sodium, 12 carbs and… 11 GRAMS OF SUGAR.

Ow math—but clearly worth it! That’s a lot of protein, and not a lot of sugar, for something that tastes a little bit like heaven. K, this post is officially as random as my vegan cappucino one (btw, I still use coconut milk in my coffee).

Do you have any amazing lower-sugar dessert recipes to share? Bring it!

It was not easy picking a winner for this challenge, we’ll tell you that much. Here’s why we went with Cecille Nguyen-O’Keven of San Rafael, California:

1. Chocolate mousse is delicious.

2. This recipe sounds easy.

3. Avocado is always a great idea, but especially in a dessert.

4. Fudgesicles!

Cecille is going to get a bunch of free treats from So Delicious (yum! yay!), and we’ve pasted her recipe below.

But check this out: Since there were so many good recipes, and because the point of the challenge wasn’t to make people vegan per se but just to encourage people to try delicious meatless food, we’re going to post a vegan recipe every Monday. Think of it as our little contribution to the Meatless Monday movement. (And keep those recipes coming!)

Now without further ado….

Raw Chocolate Mousse

1/2 c pitted dates (soaked**)

1/2 c raw agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla extract

3 medium avocados, mashed (trust me)

1/2 c organic carob powder

1/4 c organic cocoa powder

1/2 c water

Place dates, agave nectar, and vanilla extract into food processor. Process until smooth. Add avocado and powders. Process until incorporated and creamy. You may need to stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula in order to incorporate all the powder. Add water. Process until smooth. Serve at room temperature or chilled. Store in a sealed container. This will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days (if it’s not eaten before then) or in the freezer for 14 days (fudgesicles, anyone?). Bon Appétit!

**Soaking dates is a raw foodie trick! Put them in cold water for 1-6 hours or overnight if you have time.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and we’re excited about starting this new tradition—are you?

Today I stumbled upon a website I love! Yes, I found it because the website said very nice things about our book (Google alerts, yo!), but that’s not why I love it.

I love it because it’s cute and thoughtful and smart all at the same time. It’s called The City Mouse, and it’s positively charming.

I particularly liked this list she put up about reasons why she wants to start making her own stuff, DIY-style. I especially like numbers 4, 5 and 6, but I also like the idea that when we make our own stuff, it really does feel good, beyond the obvious economic, environmental and health benefits.

Here are some DIY recipes we have shared in the past:

Stuff you can do with baking soda (other than put out fires in your oven)

A vitamin C recipe for your skin

A bunch of beauty product recipes from scratch

Our easiest body scrub ever

A honey face wash from the kitchen

And here are the city mouse’s awesome 10 reasons to go DIY:

1. It doesn’t take as long as you think.

2. It’s productive – while you are making something, you are not watching TV, or Youtube, or checking status updates and tweets.

3. What you make will taste/feel better than the store-bought version.

4. You will not be eating chemicals or putting them on your skin.

5. You will not be releasing chemicals into the soil, air, water.

6. Homemade products don’t require wasteful packaging.

7. You will feel proud and satisfied.

8. You will learn something.

9. You will likely save money.

10. You have the freedom to customize your products.

Check out her site, here. And tell us: What is your favorite reasons to go DIY—or your favorite recipe?

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