Suggested Reading: Folks, This Ain't Normal

I was drawn to this this book by its cover, which is so not how you should pick books, but there you have it.

I liked the image of the hen next to the big egg wrapping the quote “Folks This Ain’t Normal”, followed by the claim “A Farmer's Advice for Happier Hens, Healthier People, and a Better World”
A hen, an egg, a farmer, happier people and a better world? I was totally sold.
The author’s name - Joel Salatin - didn’t ring a bell, but It didn’t matter.
After a matter of minutes, I was already flipping to the first page during my subway ride home.
The thing that surprised me as I was reading it, is that the cover is the least awesome thing about this book. I literally devoured the pages in a couple of days.

Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Snails

If someone were to lend me a time machine and ask me to do whatever I want with it; the coordinates I’d start with would be 17th century Sweden.
There I would search for the baker who invented cinnamon rolls. Just to give him a very big hug and thank him for creating one of the most delicious things ever. Ha! What an odd encounter that would be.
Wait, I know what you’re thinking. With all the things you can do with a time machine, you would do that?
First of all, it’s well settled that I’m a tri-weirdo. Secondly, with your time machine you can do whatever you want. Personally, I would embark into the awesome cinnamon roll quest.
If by any chance we would meet afterwards and compare time machine stories; I’m fairly certain that my story would beat up your story.

Tomato and Fava Soup

This is my sis all-time favorite soup. So when I invited her over for lunch last week to celebrate her birthday I already knew what I had to cook.
Don’t change a winning plan. That’s the rule, right?
Plus I know for a fact that she’s never going to cook it for herself. Partly because her cooking skills are on the scanty side. Partly because she’s a slacker when there’s a stove involved. Partly because she doesn’t have the time (you know, kids + work). Mostly because she knows that every now and then I will cook it for her.
That’s the kind of awesome brother I am. Cooking for the sis. I think I deserve a medal.

Let's Talk About Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting (IF) is a topic that I find fascinating. The more I read about it, the more I want to know.
Chances are that you have already heard about IF. The hype has been booming recently. But don’t think of it as a new "it" thing; in fact the first study on IF dates back to 1943.
The growing interest is due to new found evidence suggesting that IF can bring many health benefits, including a potential increase in human lifespan.

Green Quinoa Salad

This is a very loose interpretation of a salad I had a while ago at Siggy’s Good Food restaurant in Brooklyn. It’s called quinoa Greek Style Quinoa & Avocado Salad. It's packed with Kalamata olives, cucumber, avocado and served with a Greek yogurt dressing.
I wanted to make it at home the other day but didn’t had some (well, almost all) of the necessary ingredients. Thus I had no other option but to create my own version.

The Virtuous Cycle

Wellness is the choice of assuming responsibility for the quality of your life. It starts with the conscious decision to shape a healthy living and to keep at it. Being healthy is a continuum. You’re either healthy or you’re not.
The good news is that once you start being healthy it’s very unlikely that you’re going back.
Leading a healthy lifestyle is a virtuous cycle.
Make the first step, and you’ll generate a success leading to another success which will generate still more successes in a chain of events that reinforces itself through a positive feedback loop.
So start, don’t give up, and most importantly do not let any slips get you down!

Baking With Protein Powder: A Few Tips

I love protein powder, it’s a big part of my nutrition and has been such for years. Being a sportsman, I couldn’t picture a proper recovery - after the daily strenuous workouts I put myself through - without protein powder delivering the much needed aminoacids to my strained muscles.
At the beginning I would use protein powder only in smoothies. Over the last year or so I’ve learned new ways to incorporate protein powder in my diet that do not only involve a blender.
I discovered that baking with protein powder is quite fun indeed. Brownies, cookies, muffins, oatmeal, pancakes, etc. What a huge learning curve it has been so far.
First thing I realized is that protein powder resembles a lot to flour; in that it’s “grainy” and does react similarly in recipes. It’s dry, absorbs liquids and gives a likewise texture to baked goods.
However, protein powders can be quite different. Some mix very well in smoothies but coagulate when cooked. Some are flour-like but tend to form lumps when blended with liquids.
After many failed attempts and some deserved successes, I got some experience under my belt.
If you’re interested, here’s my two cents’ worth.

Working Out On An Empty Stomach Burns More Fat?

This question has been the subject of much debate in the fitness world for quite some time.
On one side some suggest that exercising on an empty stomach is more effective as it forces the body to use fat stores for fuel, resulting in a greater weight loss.
Conversely, others claim that exercising in a fasted state doesn’t offer any benefit and may even work against you. They point out that the body burns roughly the same amount of fat regardless of whether the stomach is full or empty; but, in addition, by exercising in a depleted state your body will also burn muscles for energy, not only fat.
So who’s right? Who’s wrong?
A newly published study has found that people can burn up to 20% more body fat by exercising in the morning on an empty stomach1. Have we finally reached an answer? Not so fast...

 

Tofu Sliders With Guacamole

Don’t you dare saying that tofu is blunt! I’m so fed up hearing people labeling that tofu as dull, boring, tasteless, useless. It’s none of these things.
Ok, tofu consumed raw it’s not exactly exciting taste-wise. I’m gonna give you that.
But don’t be too hasty mistreating tofu. It is quite a “trooper” and can help you creating many healthy dishes.
Its spongy texture (that many question) is in fact what allows tofu to absorb other foods's flavors. Tofu is also as a great binding agent, just as cheese: minus the fat and the calories.
I guess I could go on for hours trying to convince that tofu has swag, but if I prove it to you right away, I’ll probably save some breath.
So, here we go, let me introduce you to the ultimate tofu sliders: ta-da!

15-Minute Chicken And Pea Sauce

This recipe is delicious, nutritionally balanced and can be whipped up quickly. It’s perfect for busy people who want to eat healthy food but, at the same time, are eager to please the whole household.
I like to called it sauce because it is in fact a proper meat sauce that can be served over brown rice, whole grains, whole wheat pasta or if you’re on a paleo diet (or just want to cut on carbs) over cauliflower couscous (which is what I did here).
Truth is, sometimes I just it eat on its own. It’s that good and I can’t help myself.
To make it happen, all you need is some ground chicken and some of the most common veggies: onions, carrots, celery and peas. A glass of white wine or vegetable broth and in 15 minutes you’re good to go.