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Anyhoo… it seems that organic vegetables have become the new, bottle of wine. When friends come to visit, they hand you fresh ingredients instead of a nice bottle of red. I kinda like this.

The trick though, is to use the vegetables before they go bad… which is a lesson I have had to learn the hard way. Organic vegetables will turn faster, because well… they don’t have preservatives packed in them like sardines.

So, in honor of all the vegetables that will be used tonight in a soup, I figured to give a fun, classic recipe… that’s easy to make, and that everyone enjoys.

Vegetable Soup, just like Mom’s

Take all the veggies you got and chop em’ up, then set them aside
Chop up a clove or 2 of garlic and some onion
Saute’ the garlic in a little bit of butter or olive oil… when it becomes fragrant, add the onion
When the onion gets translucent (glossy and clear), start to slowly add your veggies
When the vegetables are in there, add 3 cups or so of vegetable or chicken stock and 1 glass of water
Let the soup simmer for about 30 minutes, or longer if you want a richer taste
Season with salt, pepper, and whatever else you may have in the cupboard that you like… try a little curry powder, chili powder, or paprika… you get it.
Then here is when you can add a little chicken (already cooked- roasted (pre-seasoned) or poached)
If adding protein, allow the soup to reduce (simmer) for another 10 minutes or so… then serve it up!

Super easy, super yummy…. and loved by all.

Plus, you’re not being wasteful!!!! What could be better???!!!

Love to you all.

xxx, Jesse

Here is what I am really getting a great relationship to… snacking. With so much going on, I rarely have time to prepare a well thought out meal plan, so often I find myself having to choose between Trader Joe’s and Taco Bell or some other quick fix food-joint. When you have an aggressive schedule, it is important to consider what carbohydrates you are ingesting. Carbs have such a bad wrap, but truth be told they need to make up about 60% of you daily diet. It comes down to WHAT KIND OF CARBS ARE YOU CHOOSING?

Here’s the easy answer… whole grains and veggies… good carbs. Complex carbs. They offer you continuous energy flow throughout the day as opposed to simple carbs (sugars…) that burn off quickly and leave you with a crash.

So, when I consider my schedule, and then consider what kind of day I want to have and how I want to show up… my common sense generally will kick in and I will pass up the fast-food chain and opt for something healthy from Whole Foods or TJ’s that will give me some lasting benefits…

Honestly, it’s so easy to eat well. We all know how to do it… really we do. We know what is good for us and what probably isn’t. It’s just that we associate eating healthy with being bland or boring… so, well… CUT IT OUT!!!

I ask myself on a daily basis, “What would someone who cares about his body and health eat?” By making a point to consciously say that to myself, then I am holding myself accountable… and the benefits of making good choices for yourself physically, mentally, and spiritually are always above and beyond snacking on your “cheat” food…

There comes a time when we have to cut the crap and get honest with ourselves… what kind of life do YOU want to live?

To drop the weight, you gotta drop the wait… (made that up myself)… your life is happening now… treat yourself to a happy existence… as cheesy as this one sounds, it soooo true…. YOU ARE WORTH IT.

Love to you all!

xxx, Jesse

So, I went to get some grapefruit at the store, which I love… but then it hit me, I wasn’t 100% sure why is grapefruit so good for us. I just always associated it with healthy eating, because when I was a kid whenever I saw anyone eating a balanced breakfast on television they always had 1/2 a grapefruit next to the eggs and breakfast sausage… I love breakfast sausage. sigh.

There is also this extreme diet that can make you lose ten pounds in a week, and it consists mostly of grapefruit, raisins and black coffee… and no, I don’t recommend it.

So, I got on the computer and did a little research… and here is what I found:

The good: This food is very low in Saturated Fat, Cholesterol and Sodium. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, and a very good source of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.

The bad: A large portion of the calories in this food come from sugars.

Now, it is important to get yourself eating fiber early in the morning, citrus is a good way to do it. The sooner you get your digestive track working, then better you will process foods all day.

Don’t be too worried about the sugars here… the positives out weigh the negatives… and as long as you are staying away from processed sugars you should be okay. Like anything though, don’t over-do it.

Another good tip for consuming fruit in the beginning of the day is this:

Stick to fruits that are really high in water- melons are a great example.
Stick to fruits that have edible seeds and skins- apples, berries, pears, etc.
And of course, citrus fruits…

That should get you goin’ in the right direction… if you know what I mean.

And always…. drink your water.

Love to you all!

xxx, Jesse

Women love frozen yogurt. They love it. They will kill for it, I’ve seen it happen. I live with such a woman, an earnest young lawyer, who loves nothing more than a little peanut butter-chocolate FROYO swirl topped with granola and carob chips. My room-mate’s obsession has led me to a very healthy yogurt habit… well, not so healthy… actually, not healthy at all. You see, I don’t mess around with my toppings. I like my yogurt vanilla and my toppings to resemble Willy Wonka’s magical factory. I cringe to think of the calories that one can consume in a single sitting.

You see things at these shops like “fat-free”, “no sugar added”, etc etc… there is even this stuff called “carbo-lite” which is only 8 calories a serving, but usually gives you a stomach ache, so I don’t even want to know what the ingredients are…

Here’s where I am going with this… I have begun to make a very conscious effort to simply drive past the yogurt shop. Even if there is a new exciting one that just opened (because there always is a new exciting one that just opened)… because though they may try to make you believe that you are eating better because it’s frozen yogurt as oppossed to ice cream… truth is, it’s still really bad for ya.

It’s sugar, and sugar turns to fat. If it’s not sugar, ask yourself what kind of horrible chemical they are using as an alternative sweetner… probably something that will give your children gills.

It’s time I take a stand. My heart aches thinking about saying goodbye to my new favorite dessert, but sometimes you have to make tough decissions to have the life you say you want.

Dessert is meant to be a special treat… not a daily addition to your diet. With all these new stores popping up everywhere, this will not be easy, but I have faith, that with a little discipline, I can win the war against FROYO… WHO WILL STAND WITH ME?!?!?!?!?!?!

xxx, Jesse

With that said, I have never been the most festive person during the Holidays. I get really into Thanksgiving, due mostly to the fact that I am usually cooking an extravagant meal for a group of people… but the other ones… the BBQ holidays… meh, if you remind me, I will show up to the party and maybe bring a potato salad or something.

However, last night my friend Cori had a few folks over… and it was a blast. It was mellow, not quite a pool party (For some reason, I hate pool parties… it just seems like the most basic form of “Oogling” available… kinda creeps me out…) Give me a bbq with a few kids running around, the ex-hippie neighbors over talking about their old exploits, and a Jewish American Princess at the grill… and I’ll give you one happy gay.

So the point of this little thought, is that at Cori’s bbq she made this simple asparagus dish that I want to share with you…

Now, the rule with vegetables is that to obtain the highest level of nutrients, you need to eat them raw, or you can get away with steaming them NO MORE THAN 3 MINUTES…. so, this dish, though not BAD for you… doesn’t really count as your veggies for the day either… but it’s a great side to your grilled steak.

Burnt Asparagus ala Uncle Richard

Take a bunch of thin asparagus (probably not too thick)
Add a small amount of olive oil and salt (enough to coat the vegetables)
And bake @ 400 for about 15 minutes

Move Asparagus to the top rack and broil for about 3-5 minutes, until it is a little burnt and crispy like french fries.

Serve hot.

This may sound a little strange, but I am telling you… we scarfed those suckers down, they were kinda like potato chips, we couldn’t have just one…

Love you all!!!!

xxx, Jesse

All you need is 1 Avocado, a skillet, a lemon, and a salt + pepper….

Slice the Avocado in half, discard the pit

Pre-heat skillet until heat is permeating off the pan

Place Avocado face down onto the hot skillet
- let the avocado cook for 3-5min. max
- remove the Avocado from heat

Squeeze 1/2 the lemon’s juice ontop of the Avocado and litely season with salt+pepper
Serve warm.

It sounds too simple, no? Trust me, all will love it!

Let me know what you think!

Love to all!

xxx, Jesse

So, I got to walk the pups in the park today. I got to do a spin class already. I had breakfast with 3 of my favorite people, my sister Bethany, my friend Cori and her daughter Dylan. Can’t beat that.

I had this great egg white omelet with chicken breast and herbs, with a side of fruit, and a small cranberry juice. I already had my ice-coffee while I walked the dogs in the park.

I just ate a bunch of strawberries and grapes while on a conference call with Rev. Jennifer Hadley (www.jenniferhadley.com – she’s amazing!)… so I will consider that lunch.

I am about to venture down to the friendship center to chant for an hour! I already did my morning meditation and chant… so this is going to help me get a little more plugged in… as I am going to have to most amazing week of my life…. starting now… on Monday!

Salad for dinner for sure. I am going to post a recipe tomorrow… but until then, check out www.goodbite.com for tons of amazing food ideas!

All my love!!!!

xxx, Jesse

I apologize for abandoning this blog post… but give me one more day and I am sure to deliver something good by Monday!

I promise!!!

xxx, Jesse

Ok, so here’s what my day has looked like so far:

Woke up, brushed my teeth and meditated. Then I chanted for 20 minutes (my room-mate woke up because of the smoke from the incense, so I went out and go “smoke-free” incense… who knew?)

I ate a bowl of LIFE cereal, which I always forget how good it is….

I swam for about 30 minutes, steam room for 15.

I had a client then I had a spin class… I actually sat this one out… it’s my attempt at moderation.

I had a quesadilla for lunch (not great… but I justified it because it was plain, no meat, so… well, meh.) Which means now that I will definitely be taking my evening spin class).

I’ve bee running around today getting ready for my www.goodbite.com shoot tomorrow, where we will be exploring the fantastically wild world of fish… I have a really fun recipe that I get to share… so stay tuned!

While I’m on the topic of fish… here’s my little 10-minute roast salmon that never fails:

Get a nice salmon filet from the store, boned if possible… keep the skin on… it helps maintain the fish’s moisture.

Season the fish lightly with salt and pepper and a little paprika if you have it in the cupboard.

Place the fish, flesh up, in the middle of an oven-safe skillet or pan, that has been very lightly coated with like a tiny drop (that’s a technical form of measurement) of olive oil. Throw in some onion, red pepper, and garlic in the pan with the fish… sliced to your liking.

Pop it in a pre-heated oven (350-400 degrees)… let it cook.

Traditionally the secret is to let the fish cook for 10 minutes per inch of thickness… so if it’s an inch and a half thick… 15 minutes… ish.

Once the fish is done (you can tell by gently pressing the top of the fish with the tip of a knife, if it bounces back, you’re ready to rock.

Serve it up…

Suggestion: serve with a side of steamed asparagus… that’s been steamed no more than 3 minutes!!!!
To add a little “something else”… try adding just the tiniest bit of raw honey to the top if the fish… just sayin’… it’s good.

Alright my loves… OH, WAIT!!! I have no idea what I am going to have for dinner… though my spidey senses tell me that a run to the salad bar is in my future… post-spin of course!

All my love!

xxx, Jesse