Is There Such A Thing As Too Many Antioxidants?

I’m not sure why, but this question has been daunting me these past few days. So I figured, I must get to the bottom of it, because I’m the type of person that goes bonkers over these sort of things.
Too much green tea? Too much fruit? When too much of a good thing becomes bad? 
You see, over the last decade or so we’ve been relentlessly told that antioxidants are the key to better health. “The more, the better!” is the adage we keep hearing. 
As a result, grocery stores shelves are now chock-full of products with labels bragging that they contain large amounts of antioxidants, implying that you’re just few bites away from better health. 
However, when it comes to antioxidants, as I discovered, more doesn’t necessarily means better.  

Homemade (Paleo) Sriracha

After bragging about how much I love Sriracha for a whole post, I felt it was about time for me to try making a homemade version of the beloved Rooster hot sauce.
So I did, earlier today.
As you might remember (if not, it's ok), there are two notorious recipes online for DIY Sriracha. One very detailed, that calls for a week of fermentation. The other recipe requires instead about 20 minutes and it’s also paleo.
Obviously, I chose the easier/quicker/paleo one. I’m a notorious slacker in the kitchen; no way I would take on a project that requires 7 days of my life.

Paleo Strawberry Apricot Crisp

Crisps (or crumbles) are a great crowd-pleasing and delicious desserts that come together in a cinch. 

Anyone can make a crisp, even the most hardcore pastry-challenged person. There’s no rolling with tricky dough or multiple slow rises. Just a bit of chopping and mixing stands between you and a real fruity pleasure.
Fruit+lemonjuice+sugar topped with butter+sugar+flour = fruit crisp in it simplest form.
But it’s good to try new things, and maybe take the paleo road for once. Just for a dessert, nothing too drastic and you can give this ama-zuh-zing paleo strawberry apricot crisp a try.

Key West Spicy Chicken

I wanted to write an ode to Sriracha. A ridiculously long post listing all the reasons why I love the hot rooster sauce.
In my mind, it started with a list of foods that taste better when slathered with a generous amount of Sriracha (all foods except for a couple of desserts, duh!). It ended with a poem in which I would confess my undying devotion for the hot sauce; even in those instances in which I accidentally applied too much Sriracha and simply powered through the pain and the tears.
Because that hot stuff in a squeeze bottle is not only delicious, it’s pure magic.
Then somebody (yeah, you!) talked me out of it because “Sriracha contains stuff you don’t recognize, like potassium sorbate, sodium bisulfite, and xantham gum. You can’t possibly talk about that junk on your health blog!” A couple of chemical preservatives and the fun is over. Bummer.

Herb Polenta Sticks

In my world there are things I must eat, things I like to eat and things I love to eat. I know it sounds confusing but that that’s pretty much how I roll.
Some examples: green juice, salmon and spirulina fall into the must eat category; meaning that I do not to enjoy eating/drinking those foods but they’re good for me so I do.
In the “like” category falls almost 75% of the food I eat. Things that I appreciate a lot, but that I don’t crave. Steamed brown rice, broccoli, grilled chicken, tomato soup, etc.
Then there’s the last category: the “love” food. Aka food I could stuff my face with all the time.
Let’s see...a perfectly ripe Haas avocado, a freshly baked cinnamon roll, dark chocolate, baked sweet potatoes, a croissant from THAT bakery in Paris, and nowadays these herb polenta sticks.
Yes, these polenta sticks are that awesome.

Lemon Mint Sparkling Iced Tea

When a scorching heat wave descends upon us (such as the one we’re currently experiencing in the NE) the rule of thumb is to try to stay cool, hydrated and indoors as much as possible. And, most of all, to use your common sense. Which apparently I’m lacking. A friend just made me realize that.
Yes, because notwithstanding the heat advisory, on Tuesday I went for a long run outdoors at noon and yesterday I took a Bikram yoga class.
Not so much of a great idea for someone who suffers the heat. Both times I nearly passed out, and it took me almost 5 hours to recover properly. But then again, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I’m still here in one piece. I must have got some part right (not sure which one though).
To be honest, I don’t think that’s the end of the story. Today (which is supposed to be the hottest day of this heat wave) I’m pretty sure my common sense will trick me into try to do something even more stupid (maybe stretch on the asphalt concrete?). Because hey, third time’s the charm.

Let's Talk About Carb Cycling

Carb cycling is a fat loss strategy commonly used by elite bodybuilders which is recently getting a lot of attention. It promises to make you lose fat and build muscle by keeping your metabolism in top form through a rotation between low carb and high carb days1.
In fact, carb cycling - scientifically referred to as the Cyclic Ketogenic Diet or CKD - is nothing else but a low carb diet with intermittent periods of high or moderate carbohydrate consumption. In other words, periods of low-carb, high protein and high fat intake are cycled with periods of high carb, high protein and low fat2.
Turns out, carb cycling might be one of the most effective ways to lose fat and build muscles.

Sweet Potato Paleo Brownies

This is the story of an incredible recipe for outrageous brownies.
But let’s take baby steps.
Over a year ago I saw a recipe for caveman brownies on Pinterest made with sweet potatoes.
One that was pinned quite a lot. I was intrigued, so I printed it out and waited for the right time to bake them.
Unfortunately that time never came; and the print-out got lost in one of the stacks of papers that are precariously placed around my room.
But just as the One Ring in the Lord of The Rings, the recipe waited to reveal itself to me just when I needed: Yesterday.
You see, I’m drastically cutting on sugars this week (I’m trying to lower my body fat to 6%-8% to get ready for a triathlon I’m competing in next Saturday). I do struggle though.
I’ve always been one of those people that needs something sweet after lunch and dinner. It’s doesn’t have to be fancy, just something to satisfy my sweet tooth and stop it from nagging me.

Blueberry Pre-Workout Smoothie

Smoothies are an ideal snack pre-workout as they are a cinch to make, portable, easy to digest and deliver the necessary nutrients to your muscles quickly. They also allow the time between eating and working out to be shortened, a lot.

"IKEA" Swedish Meatballs

I dread going to IKEA. Not because of what they sell (which is great), but because of the crowds.
I get more stressed going to IKEA than training outdoors during a heatwave.
To be honest, IKEA in New York (Brooklyn) is a great store, located in an awesome spot on the riverfront. Clients can enjoy a magnificent view of the City while shopping. Plus there’s a complimentary water taxi service that takes you from Manhattan’s Pier 11 directly to IKEA. Nice.
However, I still don’t find going there to be a pleasant experience. Maybe when I’m older I will, just not today.

Cauliflower Crust Calzone

After the HUUUGE success I experienced with my cauliflower crust pizza marinara and cheese pizza, I felt the time was ripe to try something new involving cauliflower crust.
As I was making up my mind, the other day - on my way back from the gym - I walked by a pizza parlor and noticed some pretty good looking calzones in the window.
That’s when it hit me: cauliflower crust calzone! Rad.

Zucchini Pizza Bites

 Let’s say you find yourself in the kitchen at 7:30 p.m. and you need to whip up something stellar in a wee bit-of-time. Let’s also add that you want some healthy, tasty, filling, and that involves a good amount of veggies. Well my friend, then this might be just the right recipe for you.

Skinny Apricot Loaf Cake

I'm getting bored with my breakfast lately. Oatmeal during the summer is kind of hard for me.
Smoothies? Yes. All the time? Almost. But sometimes it’s also nice to dig your teeth into something with some consistency to it. Munching is an activity deserving much more credit than it receives.
Not sure? Go on a juice cleanse for three days and then we can discuss the topic thoroughly.
As I was wrapping my head around what to make, my beloved aunt G called me over the phone to tell me about this amazing apricot cake she just baked. No butter, no oil, just yogurt and a lot of ripe apricots. Sounded almost too good to be true.
I had just bought 2 full pounds of delicious apricots at the Farmers’ market, so I just knew I had to bake this.

It's Summer, Give Swimming A Chance

Credit: Image courtesy of swimmingpeople.tumblr.com

I know that not many of you are fond of swimming and this is particularly true during the colder months. Throughout the years I've tried to convince many friends that swimming (just like ice-cream) can also be enjoyed when outside it’s freezing; but I have always failed.
I get that the thought of getting into your swimsuit and jumping into cold water when outside snowing is not exactly appealing. Or better yet, I try to understand this, because I believe that it’s just a lazy excuse to slack off.
Anyway, now it’s summertime and a refreshing dive might just be what you need to the cool off the heat. So I do urge to take this chance and make swimming part of your workout routine and maybe, by the time Fall rolls around, you won’t be able to give it up.

Grilled Ratatouille Muffuletta

The Muffuletta is a sandwich that hails from New Orleans. It’s sold in bakeries (and street carts) as an entire loaf of bread, cut in half and layered with a piquant olive spread and various meats and cheeses. A whole muffuletta can easily feed four hungry people.

Italian Polenta Pie

Polenta is not exactly a summer food. I get that. But last night while I was doing intervals along the river I started craving polenta. I have no idea why, but I just did. So by time I got back home I needed polenta; badly.
I had eggplants and tomato sauce, so I created this simple yet wonderful polenta dish. Full of flavors and so Italian. To me any dish involving eggplant, tomato and basil deserves to be labeled as “Italian”. So here it is, a magnificent Italian Polenta Pie.

Many are intimidated to try polenta at home. You hear lots of things about how it can become rubbery, or you have to stir forever. It’s none of these things. You just have to nail the correct ratio polenta : water and you’re good to go. And trust me, the proportions I give you in this recipe work pretty well.
Polenta is a thicker cornmeal. It absorbs water and thickers as it cooks, just like oatmeal. No biggies. It cooks pretty fast and you don’t have to do anything besides stirring every now and then.



You might also need to dodge hot polenta splatters when it first starts to boil. But that’s about it.


Thing with polenta it’s that it’s gluten-free, pretty low calorie, almost fat-free and very tasty. When paired with ton a of veggies, it makes for a complete meal full of goodness. All in all this dish is winner. Yes, one more click to convince you: BAM!



Italian Polenta Pie                                                                                                    Print this recipe! 
Inspired by PinchOfYum

Few notes. This recipe makes for quite a lot of food, so cut quantities in half if you have to feed a smaller crowd. It may look like I used a ton of cheese but it was actually less than a cup, and you might as well skip it if you don’t feel like it.

Ingredients
Serves 8

Polenta

1 ½ cups polenta
6 cups water
1 + 2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt

Eggplant mixture

2 large eggplants (about 2 ½ lb / 1.2 kg), cubed (not sure how to cube an eggplant? Look here)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
handful fresh basil leaves, chopped
1 29 oz / 822 gr can tomato sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons fine grain sea salt
½ cup water

Toppings

Mozzarella cheese (or vegan cheese)
Fresh basil
Red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Fill a large bowl with cold water, add 1 teaspoon of salt and stir until salt dissolves completely.
Place eggplant. Let eggplant sit at least for 20 minutes to draw out the bitterness. Drain eggplant cubes and pat them dry.
Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large non-stick pan (I used a non-stick wok) over medium-high heat. Add garlic and saute’ for 1 minute, add eggplant cubes and saute’ for 10 minutes stirring every so often, making sure that the eggplant doesn’t stick to the pan.
Add tomato sauce, water, basil, red pepper flakes and 1 teaspoon of salt, turn the heat to low, cover with a lid and cook for 25 to 30 minutes.
In the meantime make the polenta. Bring 6 cups of water to a boil in a large non-stick pan, add 2 teaspoons of salt and, using a whisk, add the polenta making sure no lumps form. Continue cooking stirring once in a while to prevent it from sticking all over the bottom (also be careful that the polenta tend to splatter so use a lid). Polenta will thicken as it cooks.
Cook for about 20 to 25 minutes for a soft polenta, adding a little more water if necessary.
Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
Arrange the eggplant mixture in the bottom of a baking dish and spread polenta evenly over the top. Cover with mozzarella cheese (or vegan cheese) and bake in the oven for 10 minutes, turn on the broiler and bake for another minute until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Serve sprinkled with chopped fresh basil and a couple of pinches of red pepper flakes if you want to add a kick.

Nutrition facts

One serving scores 298 calories, 5.5 grams of fat, 51 grams of carbs and 8.1 grams of protein.

Mint Choc Chip Frozen Yogurt

Every now and then I need a sweet treat before bedtime; and it has to involve chocolate.
Last night I was CRAAAAving mint choc chip ice-cream. It’s my superhero treat, my kryptonite. I know it’s not exactly healthy food but I have the (damn) right to stuff my face with it once in a while.
Except that last night I was in the mood to make my own mint choc chip ice-cream. That’s when I remembered about an awesome recipe in Sara Forte’s cookbook “The Sprouted Kitchen: A Tastier Take On Whole Foods”, involving mint, choc chip and Greek yogurt. So I ended up making frozen yogurt, not ice-cream. Minh Choc Chip Frozen Yogurt to be precise.
Three words: DE-LI-CIOUS. And calorie considerate too.
So my superhero treat has just gotten much healthier. It’s not going to be my kryptonite anymore.
Yeah!

Pesto Quinoa Patties

Let’s be completely real with ourselves, healthy food is not exactly “gangsta” or “cool”.
You’re never going to see quinoa served at a gathering of the Russian mob. Probably because you’re never going to be invited to a gathering of the Russian mob. And if you do get invited and things ever get hectic chances are you would not be making out in one piece to recount what food was served. But trust me on this one, quinoa is not going to make it on the menu.
The same goes if you ever go to a rock festival (and I’m talking about badass rock festivals here).
After jumping and dancing your heart out you’re probably going to eat something like a pulled pork sandwich with cheese fries. And wash all that grease down with a pint (more like 3 pints) of beer. Green juice? I really don’t think so.

Strawberry Basil Frozen Yogurt

Life is all about seizing the moment. Everything doesn't have to be planned down to the minute. If something I’d like to do comes up on the spur of the moment, I don't hesitate and just go for it.
It’s a rule of thumb that I tend to apply in every sector of my life, kitchen included.
For instance a couple of days ago I was crAAAAAving ice-cream. Badly.
All I had were strawberries, Greek yogurt and some basil. What to do with it? Strawberry basil frozen yogurt of course. What a silly question...

Kale Pasta Salad

I kind of hate pasta salads drenched in mayo. To be honest, I can’t stomach them. I think they’re gross, loaded with calories, and just the very opposite of what a salad should really be.
A salad is supposed to be crunchy and light, not mushy and heavy. Final.
In other words, I’m a strong believer that pasta salad should never be made with mayo. You can disagree, of course. But that’s my opinion and until you’ll be able to prove me wrong, I am going to stick to my guns.