Organic Veggie Buckwheat

I love buckwheat and use it often. Not only is it alkalizing, low in sugar, easy to make, but it is absolutely delicious! I grew up in Russia, and buckwheat is a grain we eat daily. Russians make buckwheat "kasha" for breakfast, and enjoy it with milk and a sprinkling of sugar (just like cereal), they make it as a side for meat and eat it for lunch and dinner. It is a relatively inexpensive grain, and our National staple, even more so than potatoes. You will be surprised to know that buckwheat used to be in deficit during the communist times! My mother used to have to wait in line and purchase her ration with a coupon, and the only people who were given access to it were diabetics, since this was the approved low-sugar food they were allowed to consume to stay stable, and not spike. 

Not only is buckwheat a delicious, fluffy, and warm comfort food, but it is also good for you! Did you know that buckwheat is one of only few alkaline grains? This means that it won't feed candida, and won't cause inflammation and acidity imbalance in the body. This recipe will not only satisfy your taste buds, but will keep you full without spiking your blood sugar - so it's low on the GI (glycemic index) and absolutely satiating.

Ingredients (all-organic)

1 cup buckwheat
pinch of salt
1 tbsp coconut oil
1/2 large sweet onion
1 medium tomato
1 carrot
1 cup spinach
1 cup crimini mushrooms
1/2 small head of cauliflower

For this simple vegetable recipe,  boil a cup of buckwheat and set it to the side. In a pan,  sautée the onions with carrot in the coconut oil, and add the rest of the veggies, except for spinach. When the cauliflower starts to gently caramelize, take the pan off the heat and add the spinach on the top. Stir everything together, and fold in the buckwheat. You can plate this hot or wait for it to cool! I paired this warm veggie meal with a baby greens salad with figs, walnuts, avocado and shaved parmesan cheese, dressed in flax seed oil! Lemon water on the side to help me cool off after a hot day!

Enjoy!

Heavenly Vegan Bulgur With Sautéed Brussels Sprouts

My heavenly vegan bulgur with sautéed brussels sprouts, parsley, and carrots is a warm, soft and fluffy dinner you can make in 15 minutes! Brussels sprouts can be delicious, if cooked correctly, and I am here to teach you. This is one pilaf you will LOVE!

Ingredients:

1 cup bulgur 

1 1/2 cup organic brussels sprouts 

1 large organic carrot

1/2 medium sweet organic onion

1/2 chopped organic parsley

2 tablespoons organic cold-pressed coconut oil

pinch of salt

I love the 10 Minute Bulgur from Trader Joe's , and use it for all my bulgur recipes. The first thing I do when working with a grain-based salad or pilaf, is start boiling the grain, and while that is on the stove, I chop the veggies. Bulgur is just like rice - you will need 2 cups of water for 1 cup of bulgur. Bring it to a boil, cover, and let simmer for 10 minutes. Take off the heat, and let rest for 5 minutes with the lid on.

Thoroughly wash, and cut the brussels sprouts in half. Warm up a skillet on medium heat. Sweat the onions and thinly shaved carrots in the coconut oil until clear, and add the brussels sprouts. Sauté for 5 minutes, just until the brussels sprouts begin to look soft. Add this mixture to the bulgur, along with salt, and stir in the chopped parsley at the very end, so it stays fresh, and flavorful! Enjoy, and be well! 

"Gemstone" Red Quinoa Breakfast That Will Power You Up Without Weighing You Down!

This breakfast is just delicious! It will give you energy throughout the day, provide with lots of fiber, and pack a powerful punch of protein to fuel those hard-working muscles! I work out 4 days a week, and I can honestly tell you - "you are what you eat"! All calories are not created equal - you can have a 400 calorie fast food sandwich filled with preservatives, sodium, artificial flavorings, and trans fats, OR you can take 15 minutes in the morning and make a meal that will make your body look and feel year younger! Health will always shine through your skin, and give you clarity and vibrance that is easy to spot! 

My eyes are always sparkling because I take care of what I eat, and pay attention to how my body feels. I listen to my body, and that is the reason I don't keep a scale in the house. Winter is the time when our bodies naturally put on a bit of weight to protect ourselves from cold and "provide for the long months of famine", and that is okay! Just be in tune with yourself, and know when it's time to get back on track. I never quit my workouts, even during the Holidays. Don't beat yourself up for skipping your workouts, but don't give yourself a million excuses why not to be active, either. Just think about your body, it's the only one you have in this lifetime, so make sure you treat it with love, and you will see how well it treats you back!

I love an easy, vegan breakfast, and this one is sure to put a spring in your step :) As you know, quinoa is full of protein, and comes in 3 different colors - white, red and black. The white quinoa is fastest to cook, black takes about 5-7 minutes longer, and red is somewhat in the middle of the spectrum. I usually bring the pot to a boil, cover with a lid, and keep for 7 minutes. The red quinoa is tougher than white, so you will need to add 5 minutes to your cooking time to make it softer!

This is the easiest recipe ever - no dicing, slicing or prepping!

INGREDIENTS (I only use organic):

1/2 cup red quinoa

3 large dates

3-6 dried unsulfured apricots

1 tbsp raisins

1 tbsp pumpkin seeds

1/4 cup nuts

pinch of cinnamon to taste

Add 1/2 cup dry quinoa and 1 cup water to the pot and bring to a boil. Let boil for 5 minutes, cover with lid, and keep for about 7 minutes. When you open the lid, you should see that all water has evaporated. Add the warm quinoa to the dried nuts and fruit, and sprinkle with cinnamon! Enjoy, and have a powerful day!

Dasha's 15 Minute Vegan Tacos

I love weekends, and you can bet I would rather spend more time with my friends and family, than toil away in the kitchen! For this reason, I would like to show you a lunchtime snack your family will adore! I call these little lettuce bowls my 15 minute vegan tacos. You can work with whatever ingredients you have on hand - today I had zucchini, cherry tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and cilantro. Easy no cook recipe calls for:

INGREDIENTS (I only use organic):
Zucchini 2 medium
Butter Lettuce
Garbanzo Beans, boiled 1 cup
Cherry Tomatoes 1 cup
Cilantro 1/4 cup chopped
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
Flaxseed oil 1 tablespoon
Sea Salt to taste

I use my beloved spiralizer to make zucchini noodles, add to that the garbanzo beans, and the cherry tomatoes. I cut mine in half to make it fit in one bite down on as you eat. Add the cilantro, lemon juice, and oil,  and combine well. Scoop this mixture into the lettuce, and serve! I suggest just eating these like tacos - it gets a bit messy, but it's out of this world delicious! I am disappointed that my avocados were too hard, but an avocado would make the PERFECT topping for this taco!

Hope you try this little fun "salad" for lunch today, and feel light and energized all day long! 

Cranberry-Pistachio Power Greens to the Rescue!

How wonderful would it be to have a heaping green plate if goodness for dinner tonight? Like most people, I wasn't always a big fan of broccoli and Brussel sprouts... but as years passed, I grew fond of these cruciferous greens, and now adore them! I promise, you only need 5 ingredients to make this 15-minute vegan alkaline-forming dish that even the kids will enjoy! My cranberry pistachio power greens will fill you up, and warm your heart! All you need is Brussel sprouts, broccoli, cranberries, pistachios, and some cold-pressed coconut oil. 

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup raw pistachios

1/4 cup dried organic cranberries

1 cup organic broccoli florets

1 cup organic shaved Brussel sprouts

Sautée the Brussel sprouts in coconut oil on medium heat, turning with a wooden spatula to prevent burning. I always start with the vegetables that are the most tough, and take longer to caramelize. Add the cranberries and pistachios. The last step is to add the broccoli, because broccoli is tender, and tends to overcook quickly (do this when you see the cranberries get soft)! I don't like brown, soggy broccoli, so I literally just toss it in for a couple of minutes, and turn off the burner. That's it! Your dinner is served - healthy, delicious, and easy to make. I just added a garnish of micro greens, and voila!

Dasha's 15-Minute Sweet Vegan Quinoa Salad

I LOVE QUINOA

Now that we got that straight, here are some reasons why I love it, and why you will, too! 

• Quinoa is high in protein - 16%-20% high quality vegan protein.
• It's Alkaline-forming, which means quinoa doesn't support the spread of candida, yeast, and cancer in the body.
• Low glycemic index means that the amount of carbs supplied by quinoa are burned slowly and equally to avoid spikes and fat storage in the body.
• Low calories! A cup of cooked quinoa has only about 220 kcal. (yay!)
• Gluten-free for those with celiac. 

Quinoa was considered sacred by the Incas- they called it the “mother seed.” 

This is why I love magical, delicious, light and healthy quinoa! Oh... and did I mention that this dish only took me 15 minutes? Looks like you have no excuses now - give this recipe a try, and you will be delighted!

Ingredients:

1 cup organic quinoa (I used organic white quinoa, but you may also use the red variety)

1 large organic carrot

1/2 medium sweet organic onion

1 cup organic mushrooms (about 10 small)

1 teaspoon organic cold-pressed coconut oil

1/4 cup organic unsulfured turkish apricots

1/4 cup organic raisins

cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

I like to be efficient and productive in everything I do, including business, and cooking, so 15 minutes to make a dish sounds just about right!

Rinse the quinoa thoroughly, and put in a pot with 2.5 cups water and a pinch of salt. Quinoa is a bit different from rice, and it needs more water to plump up, but still remain flaky, not clumpy and lumpy. 

At the same time that the water with quinoa is taking to boil, heat up a skillet on low heat, and put in the coconut oil, with onions. Sweat the onions a bit, and then add the carrots and mushrooms. Once that mix has become caramelized, add the raisins and apricots. Keep mixing with a wooden spatula until all ingredients are thoroughly blended.

Once the water with quinoa boils, take off the burner and cover with a lid for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes have passed, you will see that the water has evaporated, and now you are left with just the ready boiled grain! Transfer to a bowl, mix in the rest of the ingredients from the skillet, and let cool. The finishing touch is the fresh cilantro - add it when the salad has cooled down, to keep it nice and fresh!

Sweet, isn't it? Absolutely delicious, healthy, and quick! Enjoy!

10 Facts About Acne

1. Acne is the most common skin condition in the United States - it affects nearly 50 million Americans. 
2. Some of the most common causes of acne are: genetics, stress, hormones, medication, oil-based cosmetics, environmental pollution, acidity and candida, intestinal infection, and allergies. 
3. 85% of all Americans have had acne at one point in their lives.
4. The most common age group that is affected by acne is 15-25 year-olds.
5. Active teenagers who play sports are likely to get blemishes from not washing their face after exercising, and from wearing the same helmet/baseball cap daily.
6. Acne treatment products containing Salicylic Acid, and Glycolic Acid are not recommended for use during the daytime, and should only be applied before bed, as to avoid skin hyperpigmentation.
7. At-home extractions are highly discouraged, because they produce permanent scarring. Acne scars are commonly categorized in three groups: Atrophic: shallow for the most part; Boxcar-shaped: scars are those which tend to be larger; Ice pick-shaped: scars are those which are both deep and narrow in appearance.
8. Every study conducted on the psychological impact of acne has shown that it causes a statistically significant increase in anxiety, depression and related mental health problems.
9. Acne may be caused by a deficiency in Zinc, Magnesium, Vitamin A, Selenium, Vitamin E, and Omega 3.
10. Acne thrives on sugar and yeast, so the best way to keep those blemishes at bay is by avoiding sweets, dairy and bread.

Protecting Yourself from Sneaky Trans Fats

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control) heart disease is the number one cause of death for both men and women in the United States, claiming approximately 1 million lives annually. Believe it or not, every 33 seconds someone in the United States dies from cardiovascular disease. This is an alarming statistic, which should be reason enough to encourage more people to eat better, and exercise.

I'm sure you know by now that I don't consume any processed foods, crackers, cereals, canned goods, chips, cookies, or fast food, but I absolutely know how to read a food label! In fact, learning how to read labels was on my nutritional examination, which I passed with flying colors, and I will teach you, as well. 

Trans fat is a specific type of fat that is formed when hydrogen is added to liquid oils to turn them into solid fats. The FDA has released a statement that partially hydrogenated oils are not "generally recognized as safe" for consumption. I am sure you are all aware of the FDA's ban on trans fats, as of November 2013, but did you know companies have found a loophole? Look at this label below, and tell me what you see? 0g Trans Fat, correct? Nope, look again. 

What you may not know, is that the FDA allows companies to list Trans Fat content as 0g if it's under 0.5g, but that's not taking the serving size into consideration. The serving size is 4 cookies, but what if you eat 8 or 12? Look carefully - these cookies can't possibly have 0g of trans fat, because there are hydrogenated vegetable oils listed in the ingredients! Check out this study conducted in 2012, and you will be shocked how many foods have Trans Fats, and the manufacturers don't list them on the package! http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2014/14_0161.htm   I was appalled, and enraged! 

I realize that it is each and every person's responsibility to become educated on all subjects, to protect the health of him/herself, and teach his/her family, because the government will not do it for us, and the food manufacturers won't either. This is why I am advising you to read the ingredients on the packaged food labels, so there is absolutely no confusion regarding Trans Fats. If you see the hydrogenated oils, the product has Trans Fats, even if the label says 0g. Please take care of your health, and help others do the same!