This was the portion of mine and local Health Coach Emily Levenson's adventure that I was the most looking forward to. Changing the way I navigate a grocery store was probably the most crucial piece in my journey toward better heath. Firstly, I am a notorious "over-shopper". It's a solid case of my eyes being bigger than mine and the BF's stomachs combined. Emily picked up on this almost out of the gate, and she gently pulled on the reins while I marched gung-ho through the
Market District in Shadyside. Secondly, I am certainly not adverse to trying new things, which has a good and a bad outcome. I usually dive into a project with such gusto, that I loose steam and interest pretty quickly. Emily was careful to point out all sorts of things I should be trying, but also kept the contents of the cart conservative (for me at least).
Our first stop was unexplored territory; an area that usually only sees my cart whizzing by as a blur as I head for the comfort of the sweeter realms.
The Greens.
Emily had hinted early on that we were going to explore greens in great detail. Many of them are "super-foods", meaning they are packed with unexpected nutrients such as calcium and antioxidants. I mean, after all "Kale is the new lettuce". (You will get that if you are a fan of "
Modern Family".) Also, part of my health rehabilitation is a cut-back on the dairy (sigh), so my intake of the dark leafy greens will supplement the loss of calcium from this department, and likely even overtake it. She demystified Bok choy, and revealed the secrets of Broccoli Rabe. In the end, we left with a healthy bunch of Kale (since I had already targeted a delicious recipe I wanted to try), and some watercress, which Emily pointed out is tasteless (as in "not tasting like anything". It actually is quite stylish amongst the greens as far as I am concerned).
Emily's tips:
- Watercress makes a great addition to smoothies, which by the way have become a main staple of my new diet. It's a great way to add some nutrients, without adding any bitter taste.
- Massage your Kale! Seriously, a little olive oil and sea salt rub will bring out the flavor.
Emily also shared a fantastic book with me, called "
Greens Glorious Greens", which offers explanations and recipes from the mysterious land. It is getting quite a workout now that I am Emily-less at home with a fridge full of green stuff.
(PS. Wheat grass tastes like, well, grass. Use wisely)
Moving onward, we hit an area I am more familiar with. Let's call it "The flour alternative section". By now, most of you know I don't eat the gluten. So, I am an expert in finding ways around this. Quinoa is my friend. Here, Emily also suggested adding some flax meal. I have often used Flax Seed, since I have heard tell that it is an excellent anti-inflammatory (oh, my achy joints!), but flax meal is something Emily adds to veggie burgers and such. For those of you who are egg-less, a. so sorry and b. you can use flax meal as an egg substitute. It says so on the
Bob's Red Mill Package. I dumped a little into a smoothie, and it added a subtle nutty taste, which made me an instant fan.
Overall, the trip was a raving success, validated by the BF (not normally a fan of "trying new things"), who has enjoyed guinea-pigging out (see what I did there?) on a constant stream of new recipes that I've been putting in front of him. Highlights have included a lentil and rice dish (my cupboard has honestly never seen a package of lentils before) and a sweet potato corn chowder recipe that I am looking forward to.
To get a sneak peek at some of Emily's recipes, or to hire her as your personal Health Coach (worth every penny!),
visit her website, or
follow her on twitter! Next up, I actually use my tennis shoes for something other than taking the dog out in the yard.......
