Momentum Matters

Gary Null Sets A High Health Standard

According to Gary Null, International Expert in Nutrition & Health Science, I am overweight. With a BMI smack dab in the middle of normal, I was taken aback. Null says ideal weight for women is 100 lbs. for the first 5 feet and 5 pounds for each additional inch. For men, he says ideal weight is 106 lbs. for the first 5 feet and 6 pounds for each additional inch. At 5'2" I should weigh 110 pounds, my high school graduation weight decades ago.

Null advocates:

• animal protein 1 time per week
• cold water fish 5 times per week
• additional protein from whole grains, legumes, seeds and protein powder
• 45 grams of fiber per day
• at least 1, preferably 3, servings of cruciferous per day — brussel sprouts, cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli
• 2-4 green drinks per day with one inch of ginger or aloe concentrate
• half gallon water or juice per day
• minimum caffeine, white sugar, soda, white flour products
• olive oil for cooking
• supplements divided into doses at meals

What do you think? Healthy or totally unrealistic? Before delcaring his standards null and void, take a hard look in the mirror and at your medical numbers — weight, blood pressure, cholesterol/LDL/HDL and glucose levels.

As for me, I have to admit that I could drop a few pounds. To make it possible, I'm going to pull out one of my all-time favorite programs, Walk the Talk Today, to kickstart a healthier body and life, and I'm going to follow it for 90 days. Want to join me? In addition to a kick-butt structure and motivation, we'll meet monthly on a telephone conference call plus private Facebook page to ensure accountability and results. Click here to join me now. Your health (mind, body and spirit) deserve the $1 per day investment, and a fresh start on these long winter days will be welcome.

Will you join me to transform your body, your health, your life? I truly hope so!

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

PS - Want inspiration toward your health, fitness and lifestyle goals plus the opportunity to ask me questions? Simply click here and LIKE my page.

 

G-Free Bread That Doesn't Taste Like Cardboard

In my quest to stay gluten-free, one of the biggest challenges is finding decent gluten-free bread that doesn't taste like cardboard. Im told this one is pretty good, so I'm parking the recipe here until I have time to try it. If you beat me to it, let me know what you think.

Gluten Free Flour Mix:

2 cups brown rice flour
2 cups white rice flour             
2 cups arrowroot starch/flour
2 cups tapioca flour
2 cups millet or quinoa flour

GF Bread for bread machine:

2 cups GF flour mix 
1 cup millet flour
3 tsp. xanthan gum
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. maple syrup
3 eggs or egg replacer
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tsp. vinegar
1 cup pure water
2 tsp. yeast
Optional:  herbs or cinnamon and raisins

Follow instructions for your bread machine. Click here for my favorite, which has a gluten-free setting (although I'd use the basic setting for this recipe). Click here for my favorite gluten-free bread mix — always worth having on hand for days when you're short on time.

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

PS - Want inspiration toward your health, fitness and lifestyle goals plus the opportunity to ask me questions? Simply click here and LIKE my page.

 

Detox Shake Anyone?

My honey, the good Dr. James Hamp, has an interesting collection of books in his library. When I was moving a stack into his office during our big move to a little house on the big lake, I came across Cleanse Your Body, Clear Your Mind by Jeffrey Morrison, M.D. — and shifted it to my office so that I could read it.

Here's what I found interesting. Dr. Morrison, an environmental and integrtive medicine expert, says the average person accumulates more than 700 harmful chemicals in his or her body, and those toxins can slow metabolism and fog the mind... and make us fat, sick and tired. Yuck. I sure don't want toxins in my body, and that's why Dr. Morrison's plan to eliminate environmental toxins caught my eye. Here's his 30-Day Detox plan in a nutshell: 

• Detox shake for breakfast
• Seasonal fruit between breakfast and lunch
• Shake and salad for lunch
• Raw or cooked vegetables between lunch and dinner
• Lean protein and vegies for dinner

Dr. Morrison details the complete diet and meal plans plus supplements to take during the 30-day detox. Here's the shake, which is a slight twist on what I've been making for years because it's nutritious, delicious and filling:

• 2 scoops or at least 15 grams of protein from brown rice, pea or artichoke protein
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed or psyllium husk fiber (I prefer freshy ground golden flaxseeds for the omega-3 fatty acids)
• 2 tablespoons lecithin (hmmm... that's a new one for me)
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 8 ounces water (I often use rice or almond milk)
• Optional: ice cubes

Blend the ingredients in a Vitamix or blender and drink up. If you're like me, you'll be filled up for hours. Don't have a Vitamix? Click here for free shipping on me.

There's so much more, of course, so get a copy of the book that shows you how to eliminate toxins, lose weight, increase energy and reverse illness. Good stuff, Dr. Morrison!

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

PS - Want inspiration toward your health, fitness and lifestyle goals plus the opportunity to ask me questions? Simply click here and LIKE my page.

Got Milk... The Non-Dairy Kind That Is?

I'm just getting around to posting a dairy-free milk recipe requested by a couple of my readers and also by a vegetarian friend. I've been dairy-free for a good 10 years now and can honestly say I don't miss the stuff. With the fabulous substitutes I create on a regular basis, it's easy to understand why. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Rice Milk
4 cups water
1 1/4 cups cooked brown rice
8 pitted medjool dates
1 teaspoon vanilla

Place ingredients into a Vita-Mix or blender container in the order listed and secure lid. Blend for 2-3 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Store in refrigerator. Shake well before using. 

Cashew Milk
3 cups water
1 cup cashews
4 dates or 1 T. brown sugar or 1 T. agave nectar

Place all ingredients into a Vita-Mix or blender container in the order listed and secure lid. Blend for 2 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Store in refrigerator. Shake well before using. 

Almond Milk
3 cups water
1 cup raw almonds
4 dates or 1 T. brown sugar or 1 T. agave nectar

Place all ingredients into a Vita-Mix or blender container in the order listed and secure lid. Blend for 2 minutes or until desired consistency is reached. Filter away sediment, placing a fine mesh sieve over a large bowl. Pour almond milk slowly into sieve and allow to filter through, or strain through a nut bag. Store filtered milk in refrigerator. Shake well before using. Dehydrate almond pulp, grind into a flour with your Vitamix or food processor, store in the refrigerator until your're ready to make something yummy. Click here for ideas from the Gluten-Free Almond Cookbook.

MUST-Have
By the way, if you don't have a Vita-Mix, you really must consider buying one as you can prepare such FAST, nutritious and delicious smoothies, soups, dips, sauces, marinades and on and on. Click here for free shipping on me.

And drink up for a whole lot less than what you'd spend on store-bought milk.

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

PS - Want inspiration toward your health, fitness and lifestyle goals plus the opportunity to ask me questions? Simply click here and LIKE my page.

Thanks Dr. Essselstyn

oooh, mama; we just had THE most delicious dinner thanks to Caldwell Esselstyn, Jr., M.D., and his wife Ann. My honey, an M.D. himself, picked up Dr. Esselstyn's book, Prevent & Reverse Heart Disease, when he heard about it at an environmental/functional medicine meeting he was attending. I'm really glad he did.

Dr. Esselstyn, a former surgeon, researcher and clinician at the Cleveland Clinnic, challenges conventional cardiology by posing the revolutionary idea that the heart disease epidemic can be abolished by changing our diets. His book details the dramatic results of patients who followed a plant-based, oil-free diet. While I'm not a vegan, I do LOVE plant-based recipes and actually keep Dr. Esselstyn's book among my most valued cookbooks because the recipes are simply decilicious. Our dinner tonight was no exception...

Best Black Bean Soup
Makes 7-9 servings 

• 4 cups water or vegetable broth (I used brussel sprout broth from earlier in the week)
• 1 large, chopped onion (1 cup)
• 10 medium garlic cloves, chopped (I used half that)
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 1 cup chopped bok choy (I used chopped kale)
• 1 large bell pepper, chopped (1 cup) (I used red pepper)
• 1.5 cups orange juice (I squeezed the juice from one orange)
• 2 medium tomatoes, diced (2 cups) (I used one 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes as decent fresh tomatoes are nowhere to be found at this time)
• 1 large sweet potato, steamed and cubed (1 cup)
• black pepper, to taste (oops, I forgot that)
• cayenne, to taste (didn't include that either)
• chopped green onions, cilantro and salsa (oops; didn't add those either but did top the soup with diced avocado — a no no on Dr. Esselstyn's diet but, hey, I don't have heart disease)

Soak dry beans overnight. Place in heavy soup pot with 4 cups of water or broth. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer about 1 1/4 hours... or use canned beans.

Stir-fry onions, half the garlic, the cumin and carrots til tender. Add bok choy, remaining garlic and bell pepper. Stir-fry another 10-15 minutes, until everything is very tender.

Add vegetable mixture to beans, scraping bowl carefully. Stir in orange juice, diced tomatoes, and sweet potatoes. Add black pepper and cayenne pepper.

Puree some or all of soup in batches in blender or VitaMix. Simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Served topped with chopped onions, cilantro and salsa. Enjoy!

 

I served our soup with drop biscuits made from Elana Amsterdam's Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook (and my husband loved those too). The meal was nutritious, delicous and filling... and, joy joy, we have plenty of leftovers for tomorrow. 

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

 

Green Martinis for the Holidays

This holiday season I'm making green martinis, a super easy concoction that's getting the thumbs up from my discerning taste testers. Two versions:

1. Juicer:  Push 1/2 cucumber, one handful of fresh spinach or kale (removed from spine), 2 stalks celery, and 1 apple through your juicer.
2. Blender:  Toss 1/2 cup of water, 1/2 cup chunked cucumber, 1 cup fresh spinach or kale, and 1 chopped apple into your blender. Whirl away.

In minutes you'll have an amazing holiday martini that's festive, nutritious and delicious (and will help offset some of the holiday goodies you might be indulging in). Need some equipment? Click here for my favorite juicer and click here for free shipping on my favorite blender.

Cheers!

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

 

Gluten-Free & Thriving

Eurika! I just unpacked one of my favorite cookbooks, The Gluten-Free Almond Flour Cookbook, by Elana Amsterdam.

For those of us with gluten sensitivity, this is a kitchen essential. Actually, I think it should be in everyone's repetoire as almond flour is a highly-nutritious superfood packed with more protein, fiber and nutrients than wheat flour. It's also the perfect flour for creating rich, moist and delicious baked goods. Get the book at amazon.com and purchase your almond flour at Benefit Your Life in Knoxville, TN. And try the pecan-raisin bread, french toast, or orange apricot breakfast scones...

 

 

 

 

 

Here's to your health, vitality and really good food!

Leslie Hamp, Health & Lifestyle Coach

 

A Moveable Feast

Last week I had the pleasure of being part of A Moveable Feast, an event sponsored by the Michigan Land Use Institute (MLUI). It was simply fabulous. We started by visiting local farms, hearing the stories of folks who passionately care for the land while raising sustainable crops and animals, and gathering a bounty of foods for a gourmet feast.  

First stop:  The May Farm Pasture in Frankfort.
Paul and Sharron May raise pastured meats and eggs and custom livestock. A highlight of their farm is the Farm to School Eggmobile and "The Flerd," a mixed herd of beef and lamb that they pasture in succession with poultry. Their pilot pasture is also a working template for a micro-enterprise that requires minimal infrastructure, equipment, inputs or fuel costs because it works with nature. 

Second Stop:  Laman Farm in Honor.
Peter and Kristi Laman have owned their farm for more than 30 years. They grow New Haven and Red Fremont peaches as well as Pristine, Gala, Golden Delicious, Royal Empire, Red Delicious, Spartan, Smoothee, MacIntosh and Honeycrisp apples. 

Third Stop:  Harris Farm in Honor.
Walt and Sharon Harris have been farmers in Benzie County since 1980. Their biggest crops are asparagus, sweet corn and tomatoes, and they also grow a wide array of summer vegetables and fruits including strawberries, tart and sweet cherries and blueberries. They have weathered many ups and downs of farming over the the years, but Walt says, "I still enjoy it."

Last Stop:  Our Feast.
We meandered our way back to the shores of Crystal Lake to the home of Steve & Hallie Christian, owners of Dinghy's Restaurant in Frankfort, and enjoyed a fabulous meal featuring local products, some gathered by us, some by master chef Jim Barnes, Crystal Lake Catering Company. 

Let's see. How can I convey the difference in taste of foods grown with TLC by farmers who live and breathe their passion for quality and sustainability? Or the difference in transporting product short distances? Or the importance of supporting local farmers? It's what my honey and I do. In fact, we go out of our way to eat local, sustainable foods. When you take a look at our menu for A Moveable Feast, you'll understand why...

Appetizers:

• Chicken Curry Lettuce Wraps: Shredded chicken poached in sweet curry brine and wrapped in bib lettuce
      Chicken: The May Farm, Frankfort
      Bib Lettuce: Spring Hollow Farm, Buckley
• Seasonal Vegetable Platter: Bountiful assortment of roasted vegetables
      Fresh Vegetables: Elberta Farmers Market
• Sweet Corn Cakes with Smoked Salmon and Crème Fraiche
      Corn: Harris Farms, Honor
      Smoked Salmon: Port City Smokehouse, Frankfort
• Fresh Eggplant Ajvar Caponata on Crostini
      Eggplant: Elberta Farmers Market

Dinner

• Northern Michigan Salad:  Field greens, dried cherries, goat cheese, red onion, walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette, served with fresh baked bread 
      Field Greens: Ware Farm, Bear Lake
      Organic Dried Cherries: North Star Organics, Frankfort
      Goat Cheese: Land of Goshen, Kaleva
      Bread: Crescent Bakery, Frankfort
• Beef Tenderloin:  Dry rubbed with coarsely cracked black pepper and fresh garlic, seared and finished medium rare 
      Beef: Rice Centennial Farm, Benzonia
• Fresh Lake Superior Whitefish:  Baked and served with a beurre blanc and fresh dill
      Whitefish: Monte’s Smokehouse, Frankfort
      White Wine Beurre Blanc: Left Foot Charley, Traverse City
• Grilled Vegetables:  Roasted tomatoes, onions and garlic sauteed with baby yellow and zucchini squash panzella 
      Corn: Harris Farms, Honor
      Tomatoes: Grow Benzie, Benzonia
      Baby Squash: Ocana Farm, Suttons Bay
      Bread: Crescent Bakery, Frankfort
• Peach Tarts with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Pomegranate/Gooseberry Sauce
      Peaches: Laman Farm, Honor
      Ice Cream: Hill Top Soda Shop, Benzonia

Local Beverages from:

• Coffee: Higher Ground Trading Company, Traverse City
• Cream: Cream Cup Dairy, Kaleva
• Iced Tea: Light of Day Organics, Traverse City
• Wine: Black Star Farms, Suttons Bay
• Beer: Short’s Brewing Company, Bellaire and Bells’ Brewery, Kalamazoo
• Hard Cider: Northern Natural Winery, Benzonia

With a meal like that, I hope you can see why I'm unabashedly singing the praises of A Moveable Feast, local farmers and the Michigan Land Use Institute.

MLUI has been key in bringing local foods to our tables by supporting local farmers, creating the Taste the Local Difference program, and publishing a comprehensive guide that lists farms, wineries, groceries, restaurants and other businesses offering locally grown farm products in northwest Lower Michigan. BRAVO, MLUI!

Will you join me in supporting the Michigan Land Use Institute (go to www.mlui.org) plus the farm to table movements in your communities? Our health and the health of our communities depends on it.

What's for supper?

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

 

From Omnivore to Vegan

Former President Bill Clinton has a new focus. An omnivore turned vegan (no meat, no dairy, no eggs, almost no oil), Clinton is trying to spread his newfound zeal for healthy eating to children. It's a message we can all take to heart. 

Clinton's dietary changes began in 1993, when first lady Hillary Clinton decided to inaugurate a new, healthier diet for her husband, who loved hamburgers, steaks, chicken enchiladas, french fries and doughnuts... and his health showed it.  At his annual physical in 1999, the White House physician noted that Clinton had put on 18 pounds since a checkup two years earlier. 

In 2004, less than four years after leaving office, Clinton underwent quadruple bypass surgery at the age of 58. Last year, after feeling week during his trip to Haiti to support relief efforts, he returned home for stent surgery to open one of the veins from his bypass surgery. That finally got his attention and was the beginning of a true lifestyle change.

Clinton is a shining example of how lifestyle changes can transform one's life. His focus on exercise and a low-calorie diet allowed him to drop more than 20 pounds, and he says he's healthier than ever. The Clinton Foundation has teamed up with the American Heart Association and is helping 12,000 schools promote exercise and offer better lunches so decades from now, today's children will not face the same heart troubles he has.

BRAVO! 

After a month of eating fast food thanks to travel and a move to our new home, I'm ready to get back to healthy exercise and food. Thanks for the motivation, Mr. President!

By the way, tune in to "The Last Heart Attack," tonight at 8 p.m. ET as Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the signs, tests and lifestyle changes that could make cardiac problems a thing of the past. I'll be watching and hope you do too.

Leslie Hamp, Creative Catalyst

Green Goodness

Well that was good. I just threw a bunch of goodies into my Vitamix and ended up with a green smoothie that's simple, nutritious and delicious. That's why I named it Green Goodness. Here's how to blend one up:

INGREDIENTS

• one handful of organic spinach or kale
• 1 whole cucumber, including peel
• 1 green apple
• handful of green grapes
• 1 pear
• ½ a lemon, including peel
• ½ a lime, including peel
• ½-1 cup of water

DIRECTIONS

• Fill Vitamix with the ingredients and blend til smooth.
• Pour, drink, enjoy!
• Store leftovers in glass container or thermos in the fridge. It keeps well thanks to the lemon and lime.

Don't have a Vitamix? Trust me; you should. Click on the graphic below to find out why this is my absolute FAVORITE kitchen tool for smoothies, soups, nut butters, salsas, raw foods, gluten-free foods, dips, vegies and more... and get free shipping when you order from me. Just click on the graphic. ;)

Leslie Hamp, Certified Pilates & Lifestyle Coach