Urban Homesteading and Tasty Kale Chips Recipe

When a friend of mine told me there was a group of people swapping homemade food in Brooklyn, I couldn’t wait to check it out. The people were interesting and friendly, the food everyone brought for the potluck was great, and I swapped my raw macaroons for some seriously yummy stuff! I was a little anxious that there wouldn’t be much for me to swap for (mostly raw, gluten-free, don’t eat soy, sugar, or dairy…) but I had nothing to worry about! There were plenty of goodies for people of all dietary persuasions.

The event was BK Swappers, hosted by three awesome women: Meg Paska of Brooklyn Homesteader, Kate Payne of  Hip Girl’s Guide to Homemaking, and food writer Jane Lerner. After mingling and munching for about an hour, the swapping began. I made out with a chai spiced tea kit, pecan cranberry pate, and vanilla extract from Goddamn Cobras, gluten-free/sugar-free pumpkin cake from Britt of In Arms, yummy kombucha from Mombucha, delicious quick pickled veggies from @BronaCos, and more macaroons from Bird’s Eye Maples! It was fantastic meeting like-minded foodies, and leaving with a bag of goodies I could never have made myself was especially satisfying.

My kale chips were a big hit at the potluck, so I’ll share the recipe here. Enjoy!

Tasty Raw Kale Chips

Dark, leafy greens help purify your blood, prevent cancer, strengthen your immune system, and improve circulation. Kale chips are an easy, delicious way to get more greens in your diet. And since they’re raw, their nutrients and digestive enzymes stay intact. These are a hit with kids and adults alike, and they’re a fantastic, easy snack to have on-hand. They’re so delicious that this is my most requested recipe!

Ingredients:

-       2 cups cashews

-       ½ red bell pepper

-       ½ cup nutritional yeast

-       3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

-       3 pinches Celtic sea salt

-       1 ½ cups water

-       2 large bunches kale

Optional add-ins:

-       1-2 tablespoons red chili flakes

-       1-2 tablespoons curry powder

Equipment:

-       high-speed blender

-       dehydrator (this recipe fills a 9-tray dehyrator)

Cover the cashews in water and let soak for at least one hour, and up to eight hours. Discard the soaking water and rinse the cashews.

Rip up the kale, discarding the stems, and rinse. Blend all ingredients except the kale in a high-speed blender, like a Vitamix. In a large mixing bowl, pour the mixture over the kale. Massage through the leaves, making sure each leaf is well covered. Spread out kale on dehydrator trays and place trays in every other slot in the dehydrator. Bake at 115° overnight, or approximately 12 hours. These will keep for a few weeks in drier climates and less time in more humid climates. Super easy!

I’d love to hear what you think–please leave a comment below! If you’d like more info on how the swap works, check out Kate’s great post, How To Host a Food Swap.

Hilary’s Tip of the Week 12/13

photo courtesy of http://bit.ly/h4RSRK

Do you ever finish a meal and think, “Gosh, I just want another helping”? Me, too. But I’ve realized that it’s rarely because I’m

hungry. Most of the time it’s because I’m bored or lonely or sad.

Your body only wants you to eat food when you’re hungry. So here’s a little tip to help you stay true to your body. Plus it’s really good for your teeth =)

Tip: Brush your teeth after meals. It gets rid of any leftover tastes from your meal that might trigger you into thinking you want more.

Happy Monday!

xox,
Hilary

P.S. These tips are way prettier in their email form. Join my mailing list and get my weekly tips sent straight to your inbox. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter.

If you sign up for my mailing list, I’ll give you a FREE 50-minute consultation with me! That’s a $150 value!

Healthy Holidays! Want to know exactly how I’m going to lose weight this holiday season without depriving myself of my favorite holiday foods? Contact me for a FREE 50-minute phone consultation! (That’s a $150 value.) We all deserve specialized attention to help us feel great and live our most vibrant life. And there’s NO reason you have to put on that dreaded “holiday weight”! Tell a friend and I’ll give them a free consultation, too!

Hilary’s Tip of the Week 12/6

Surprise! Video tip!

Happy Monday!

xox,
Hilary

P.S. Join my mailing list and get my weekly tips sent straight to your inbox. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter.

Healthy Holidays! Want to know exactly how I’m going to lose weight this holiday season without depriving myself of my favorite holiday foods? Contact me for a FREE 50-minute phone consultation! (That’s a $150 value.) We all deserve specialized attention to help us feel great and live our most vibrant life. And there’s NO reason you have to put on that dreaded “holiday weight”! Tell a friend and I’ll give them a free consultation, too!

A Spanx-less Holiday!

I just got this Spanx catalog in the mail, and I am soooo not going to be celebrating the “Joy of Spanx” this year. Don’t get me wrong, I love Spanx. I think they’re a God-send in fact. Why? Well for me, it’s all about how I feel in a dress. Around the holidays, when I get to wear lots of cute little holiday dresses, I want to feel sexy. Depending on what I’m wearing, sometimes that means wearing Spanx—they make me feel contained and safe, like I don’t need to do any work or worry about anything. But sometimes (most of the time) I want to wear something sexy and cute under my party dress. And if I’m on a date? Forget Spanx—how unsexy!

The holidays can be rough, seeing family and old friends who might not be able to support the changes you’re making in your life. Then there’s family dinners and holiday parties. They can be full of nutritional landmines, especially if you don’t know how to navigate those waters. Spanx, especially during the holidays, symbolize defeat for many women. Have you heard a girlfriend joke about “doubling up on her Spanx” while reaching for another piece of pie?

Luckily, there’s another way! Last year at Christmas I was beginning to lose weight in a healthy, natural way. I was starting to feel better. I had finally figured out how to politely take care of myself nutritionally at family functions. I bought a gorgeous red dress that was a size 12, and I was ecstatic! It was a symbol of my progress. Little did I know how quickly I would “grow out” of my sexy dress. That Spring when I pulled out my warm-weather clothes, I was pleasantly surprised that they were all way too big. I lost weight during the holiday season! Fast forward to now: I just bought another red dress. This one’s a size 6!

So ladies (and gents), there’s another way. I am living proof that you can actually lose weight–healthfully–during the holidays and still enjoy every event and get-together. You can actually have a choice about wearing Spanx under your cute holiday party dress.

Perplexed? I can help you out. For the first 25 people who contact me, I’m giving away a 50-minute initial nutrition consultation!! The consultations take place over the phone, so just email me at Hilary@HilaryVreeland.com with “Consultation” in the subject line and we’ll set up a time. Looking forward to it!

Do You Love Your Body?

*This is a copy of my December newsletter. Click here to sign up for my mailing list!*

“Don’t compromise yourself. You’re all you’ve got.” – Janis Joplin

The topic of body image and loving your body is one that is very near to my heart. I’ve had an eating disorder for about six years, and I believe I’ve suffered from body dysmorphic disorder for most of my life. (That’s where you look in the mirror and see your body differently than it actually is.) At first I was anorexic, and then I started binge eating. Until very recently, I was still in the throes of binge eating, feeling horribly guilty, and looking in the mirror at my body disapprovingly.

Luckily, I got help with my binge eating from my health coach. I feel like my eating disorder will always be inside of me, but right now it is very quiet and manageable. I finally feel free! And I’m learning to love and appreciate my body for the miracle that it is–did you know that your blood travels 60,000 miles a day inside your body? That’s incredible! So the next time you look in the mirror, I invite you to find something about your body that you absolutely love, and let those other, critical voices, go do something else.

Featured Article: Our Beautiful Bodies

"You Are Beautiful" wall of the Tao Healing Arts Center in Santa Monica, CA

Almost all of us have a distorted image of our body, often due to the importance our culture places on outward appearance and the onslaught of media images of airbrushed models and celebrities. On a daily basis, we talk to ourselves in ways we would never speak to another person. Imagine speaking to a child the way you speak to yourself about your body. It would devastate and squelch a child. It affects you similarly, causing stress and emotional pain in your body, which can make improving your health or losing weight even more difficult.

Think of all the intelligence, creativity and time you spend on improving, altering and judging your appearance. Who would you be and what could you accomplish if your valuable resources weren’t used this way? Constant emphasis on the external makes us discount the great presence and intelligence that is housed by the body. It makes us forget the magic of our internal rhythms and fail to acknowledge the beautiful bodies we have.

The body you have right now is incredible! It never misses a heartbeat, it maintains homeostasis, and it miraculously digests whatever you put in it. It is your instrument for expressing your creativity, intelligence and love. By focusing on the 1% you don’t like or wish were different, you may be ignoring the remaining 99% of your body that is beautiful, unique, and delightful.

What would your life be like if you were simply at peace with the body you have? You may wish to make your body healthier and stronger, but could you do that out of love and respect for your body instead of the opposite? Could you begin to treat yourself with kindness, to limit the negative self-talk, and to reconnect with your inner wisdom? Take a minute to imagine what that would feel like. It would mean celebrating your body rather than punishing it. It would mean nourishing your body rather than depriving it. It would mean a chance to watch your body flourish when treated with care and respect.

Food Focus: Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes are on everyone’s mind this season. They seem to go hand in hand with the holidays, and fortunately, eating

sweet potatoes

these and other sweet vegetables needn’t be limited to this time of year. Cravings for sweets can be greatly reduced by adding sweet vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, yams, parsnips, beets, squash, turnips, and rutabagas to your daily diet. Sweet potatoes elevate blood sugar gently rather than with the jolt delivered by simple refined carbohydrates. That means there’s no energy crash after you eat them.

Much higher in nutrients than white potatoes and especially rich in vitamin A, sweet potatoes offer a creamy consistency that is satisfying and soothing. They are healing to the stomach, spleen, pancreas, and reproductive organs and help to remove toxins from the body. They can increase the quantity of milk in lactating women and can lessen cramps and premenstrual symptoms. If you don’t have any sweet potatoes in your kitchen, go out and buy some (organic and local if possible) and make the recipe below!

Recipe of the Month: Sweet Potatoes with Lime and Cilantro

This recipe is an eye-opener for those who find sweet potatoes cloyingly sweet or those who are tired of eating them smothered

Japanese Sweet Potatoes

in marshmallows and brown sugar. Japanese sweet potatoes, with their pale flesh and delicate flavor, are a treat.

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 30-40 minutes

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients:

• 4 sweet potatoes
• 1/2 bunch fresh cilantro
• 2-3 limes
• ghee (clarified butter) or olive oil (optional)
• sea salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Wash the sweet potatoes and bake them whole, in their skins, at 375 degrees until tender, about 40 minutes.
2. Wash and chop cilantro leaves.
3. When sweet potatoes are done, slit open the skin and place on serving plate.
4. Season with salt and dots of ghee or a sprinkle of oil, if you like, then squeeze fresh lime juice all over, and shower with cilantro leaves.

I’d love to hear what you think of this month’s newsletter! Leave a comment below =)

Lots of love,

Hilary

P.S. Want to join my mailing list and get this monthly newsletter sent straight to your inbox? You can also sign up for my weekly tips–they’re short, sweet and every week.

If you sign up for my mailing list, I’ll give you a FREE 50-minute consultation with me! That’s a $150 value! I do consultations by phone or via Skype.

Hilary’s Tip of the Week 11/29

You set your intention for your holiday, you ate off a smaller plate, you set yourself up to stay on track…

This was my Thanksgiving plate--yum!

But you also saw your family, your aunt’s sweet potato pie was present, your dad gave you a hard time for “eating like a bird”….

And you fell off the wagon. You had food that you don’t normally have, that makes you feel bad. Or your portion sizes looked ominously the same size as your 6’5″ brother’s (that’s what happened to me!).

I’m here to tell you, you’re human, and it’s ok! All is not lost, and it’s not time to say, “Oh well, this holiday season will be just like the others. Time to give up and go back to my old ways.” Nope! There’s a better way.

Tip: Climb back on the bandwagon! It’s ok if you overindulged at Thanksgiving, whether you meant to or not. No need to give it all up for the season or beat yourself up about it. Just recommit, and keep going.

Happy Monday!

xox,
Hilary

P.S. These tips are way prettier in their email form. Join my mailing list and get my weekly tips sent straight to your inbox. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter.

If you sign up for my mailing list, I’ll give you a FREE 50-minute consultation with me! That’s a $150 value!

Healthy Holidays! Want to know exactly how I’m going to lose weight this holiday season without depriving myself of my favorite holiday foods? Contact me for a FREE 50-minute phone consultation! (That’s a $150 value.) We all deserve specialized attention to help us feel great and live our most vibrant life. And there’s NO reason you have to put on that dreaded “holiday weight”! Tell a friend and I’ll give them a free consultation, too!

Hilary’s Tip of the Week 11/22

Everyone here in the U.S. knows that it’s almost time for Thanksgiving! We’re one of the most overweight countries in the world. So it’s no surprise that for many Americans, holidays revolve around food.

I'm grateful for the gorgeous autumn foliage in my neighborhood!

I’d like to invite you to look at what kind of holiday you want to have, instead of getting caught in the “Thanksgiving = gluttony day” whirlwind of advertising and societal pressures. This Thanksgiving, I am going to make it all about gratitude. I’m thinking of little rituals I can do that day to express my gratitude. I also plan to make my Thanksgiving meal an exercise in gratitude.

But I also love to eat! It’s pretty simple– I just replace all the gross, unhealthy ingredients with good ones. Rose Cole has a great holiday cookbook that I’ll be using this year. This holiday season, I’m going to lose weight, not gain it! (If you’re interested, look at the bottom of this email for a link)

Tip: Examine what you want your Thanksgiving to be about. Then tailor your holiday around that.

Happy Monday!

xox,
Hilary

Here’s Rose’s holiday cookbook link: http://bit.ly/crhFzn

P.S. These tips are way prettier in their email form. Join my mailing list and get my weekly tips sent straight to your inbox. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter.

If you sign up for my mailing list, I’ll give you a FREE 50-minute consultation with me! That’s a $150 value!

Healthy Holidays! Want to know exactly how I’m going to lose weight this holiday season without depriving myself of my favorite holiday foods? Contact me for a FREE 50-minute phone consultation! (That’s a $150 value.) We all deserve specialized attention to help us feel great and live our most vibrant life. And there’s NO reason you have to put on that dreaded “holiday weight”! Tell a friend and I’ll give them a free consultation, too!