fithiphealthy

HAPPY 2ND BIRTHDAY LITHE FOODS! 7 May 2013

Lithe Foods celebrated its second birthday on May 1st.  Can't wait to see (and taste) what this year brings!  A big thanks to Katie Cavuto Boyle, MS RD and the Lithe Foods team! 

SKINNY HEATHEN! 3 May 2013

This one comes from Lithe's Old City Manager, Chrissy Parker (thanks Chrissy!).  Have you ever tried Lithe Foods Skinny Chocolate Milk with black iced coffee?  You must!  Who knew that our chocolate milk would be a great substitute for cream and a delicious, healthy mixer (no need for whipped cream).  Add Baileys, Tia Maria or Frangelico this weekend for added fun.  

STEEL CUT OATS! 2 May 2013

 

Looking for a simple detox food to flush out the fat and cholesterol before summer?  Steel cut oats is a low-cal, super-filling, super food that can keep you full all morning and power you into your afternoon.

Compared to instant and rolled oats, steel-cut oats take longer to digest and absorb, which creates longer lasting satiety levels. Steel-cut oats are considered to be healthier, because of the minimal processing of the oat kernels. For ¼ cup serving, it’s about 170 calories, with 5 grams-dietary fiber and 7 grams-protein. These incredible grains offer nutritional value in other ways including, high level of B-vitamins, calcium, reduces cholesterol/high blood pressure, and helps prevent heart disease.

Next time you're shopping for oats, double check the ingredients. Some brands have added sugars like corn syrup. Try using oats as a base for your breakfast and have fun by adding different types of fruit and seeds (hello, Muesli!). You can also check out our beloved breakfast staple (make sure you heat it up!), Lithe's Carrot Cake Oatmeal found in the fridges of our studios.

Content via FHH Contributor Christina Dollings

GET TO KNOW YOUR SALAD GREENS! 18 Apr 2013

(1) Frisée

Alternate names: Curly endive, chicory, chicory endive, curly chicory
Characteristics: These curled leaves tinged with yellow and green are slightly bitter in taste, have a crunchy stem, and add a lot of texture. Their pale green, white, and yellow coloring is a result of the producer shielding them from light during the growing process. Frisée is closely related to escarole.  Recipes using frisée

(2) Arugula

Alternate names: Rocket, Italian cress, Mediterranean rocket, rugola, rugula, roquette, rucola
Characteristics: Possibly the most well-known variety of salad green, arugula forms the basis of many a salad. Originating from the Mediterranean, this green tastes more peppery than bitter and is especially associated with Italian dishes like pesto. The edges of baby arugula aren't as defined.  Recipes using arugula

(3) Endive

Alternate names: Belgian endive, French endive, witloof, witloof chicory, Belgium chicory
Characteristics: The unique oval shape, soft satiny texture, and slight bitterness all mean endive's a great addition to any salad. It's scooplike shape makes for edible servers, perfect for small appetizers like these "spoons." Recipes using endive

(4) Radicchio

Alternate names: Chioggia, red chicory, red leaf chicory, red Italian chicory
Characteristics: Pronounced "rah-dick-ee-yo," you can find this deep-red-purple vegetable sold either as a compact round head, as pictured above, or shaped like its relative, endive. The bright coloring makes it stand out. When cooked, the red-purple hue turns brown and what was once bitter becomes sweet.  Recipes using radicchio

(5) Mizuna

Alternate names: Japanese greens, spider mustard, xue cai, kyona, potherb mustard, and California Peppergrass
Characteristics: This Japanese mustard green is typically sold as part of a premade salad mix but can be purchased loose at the farmers' market or specialty shop. Mizuna has a relatively strong pungent flavor when compared to other salad greens, but its flavor won't overpower a dish. The small jagged edges that make mizuna look like miniature oak leaves add a lot of texture.  Recipes using mizuna

(6) Escarole

Alternate names: Batavian endive, scarole, broad-leaved endive
Characteristics: Related to frisée, this mildly bitter leafy green is large and crisp. Escarole is often used in soups and paired with beans, reflecting its popularity in Italian cuisine.  Recipes using escarole

(7) Baby beet greens

Characteristics: When the leaves of the beet top are immature, they are tender and slightly spicy. The purplish-red veins are visually striking and can dress up any salad. When wilted, the veins become brighter in color and a little bit sweeter.  Recipes using beet greens

(8) Cress

Characteristics: Pictured is watercress, the most popular type of cress sold in the United States. Other varieties include upland cress, curly cress, and land cress. A peppery taste is characteristic of all varieties. Sold in bunches, watercress has a tough, fibrous stem and small green leaves. Be sure to wash cresses thoroughly, since they often grow in sandy ground.  Click here for recipes using watercress

(9) Tatsoi

Alternate names: Tat soi, spoon cabbage, rosette bok choy
Characteristics: The small, rounded leaves of this Asian salad green have a mild, mustardlike flavor. The texture is similar to that of baby spinach, and one can be swapped for the other. Baby tatsoi is usually sold loose, but when mature, tatsoi can be purchased whole, in the shape of a rosette, and it is often cooked intact in Chinese stir-fries. Like mizuna, tatsoi is often available only at the farmers' market or specialty gourmet shops. Recipes using tatsoi

(10) Butterhead lettuce

Alternate name: Butter lettuce
Pictured, top to bottom: Boston, bibb (limestone)
Characteristics: A type of head lettuce, the leaves of Boston and bibb lettuces are soft. And as this variety's name implies, the texture of a butter lettuce is indeed smooth like butter. Bibb is the more expensive of the two and is usually sold in a plastic container to protect the delicate leaves.  Recipes using bibb and Boston lettuce

(11) Romaine

Alternate name: Cos lettuce
Characteristics: This large leafy lettuce is stiffer than most; a thick center rib gives it a real crunch. The rib also gives this lettuce a slight bitter taste. This is the lettuce originally used when the Caesar salad was created.
Recipes using romaine

(12) Mâche

Alternate names: Field salad, lamb's lettuce, corn salad, field lettuce, fetticus
Characteristics: Sometimes sold with its soil still attached, this salad green imparts a mild and slightly sweet flavor to a salad. Because of the small size of the leaves, trying to create a salad with a base of mâhe can be expensive. Its leaves are also very delicate and will bruise easily, so handle with care. Recipes using mâche

(13) Oakleaf

Alternate name: Oak leaf
Pictured, left to right: Red oak leaf, green oak leaf
Characteristics: The shape of this looseleaf lettuce's leaves are similar to that of the oak tree, thus, its name. From a distance, one could mistake it for red leaf and green leaf lettuce, but a closer look will reveal differences in shape and texture: Oakleafs are a little shorter and more squat, and the tops of their leaves have a softer texture than their red leaf and green leaf counterparts. This delicate, tender lettuce acts a great bed for food and won't compete with other flavors.  Recipes using oakleaf lettuce

(14) Looseleaf lettuce

Alternate names: Leaf lettuce
Pictured, left to right: Green leaf lettuce, red leaf lettuce
Characteristics: They have a mild flavor and are very pliable, despite the crunchy stem. Their uneven ruffled surfaces add layers of texture to salads. Because the leaves are so large, it's best to tear them up into bite-size pieces.  Recipes using leaf lettuce

Images & Content via Epicurious

IN A PINCH! 17 Apr 2013

Too busy to cook?  There's always time for a little something!  Try some of my "in a pinch" meals and sides that Jordan and Mars have been loving, too:  Lauren's Breakfast Melt (leftover turkey, Dayia cheese (or regular cheese), avocado and tomato on your choice of bread), Hasselback Baked Potato topped with parmesan cheese, cheddar cheese (or Dayia) and broccoli, and Pink grapefruit topped with coconut sugar. 

Images via LBG

LITHE (AND LAUREN) ON GO RECESS! 9 Apr 2013

Read all about Lithe and Lauren on GoRecess!

ASK THE INSTRUCTOR! 4 Apr 2013

Dear Lauren,

I wanted to ask you… I switched from Splenda to Sugar In The Raw for the obvious health reasons. I think a lot of women think Splenda is healthier for them because it has less calories, but since I've started Lithe and restricted myself to eating healthy, I've realized a lot about foods we take it. But basically, I'd prefer to use no sugar at all in my coffee. I'd really like to cut it out all together. You seem to be great with tips and tricks and I was wondering if you had any advice for how to cut out using sugar or cut down on using sugar, especially in coffee (the one place I can't seem to live without it). I also wanted to hear your incite on raw sugar vs. dietary sweeteners.   Thanks so much! And I absolutely LOVE LITHE!  Jess

 

Hi Jess,  I am a big believer in "everything in moderation."  I don't cut out any food group 100% from my diet, including sugar.  I agree with you that the natural form is always better than the diet, chemical-laden versions.  I avoid those at all costs, and stick to regular sugar, Sugar in the Raw, coconut sugar, honey, maple syrup and agave.  I'd suggest that you don't cut out sugar completely and go cold turkey.  Continue to cut back gradually where you can, stick to the more natural options I've listed above, and try adding cinnamon or cacao to your coffee so you can use less sugar and still enjoy a sweet taste.

 

Image of Lithe Instructor Kelly Wong via Dom

 

 

LITHE GOAL OF THE WEEK! 1 Apr 2013

Spring is here!  This week, stick to our Lithe Foods ethos by eating according to the season with the help of this fantastic seasonality chart.  Don't forget to:

• Eat as many whole foods as possible.
• Eat a wide variety of food.
• Eat meat & dairy sparingly.
• Eat as much organic food as you can afford or find in your area.
• Cook as much as possible to control what goes into your meals and your body.
• Shop locally.
• Listen to your body.

Images of Lithe Instructors Tirsa Rivas, Bari Rosenthal, Gerri Trooskin and Danielle Ingerman via Dom.  Seasonality chart via Leon Restaurants of London.  Download Seasonality chart

INGREDIENT OF THE WEEK! 28 Mar 2013

What’s not to love about lemons… the vibrant color, citrusy smell, and the flavor that adds a pop to any dish or drink. When you're stressed, cooking with lemons can also lift your spirit, like a mini-aromatherapy session. Lemons will boost more than your mood, they help build your immune system with a high level of Vitamin C and potassium, while decreasing (and healing) wrinkles and blemishes. You may also find that lemons help aid in digestion, weight loss, and the balancing of pH.

One of my favorite morning and evening rituals to quickly soothe my mind and body is drinking one mug of warm water mixed with the juice of 1/2 to one whole lemon. Your first instinct in the morning may be to wake up the kids, walk the dog, or find the first, acceptable work outfit in your closet and bolt to the office. Try allotting some personal time for you to calm the mind, while reaping all of the nutritious benefits of lemons!

Try one mug of warm water + 1/2 a lemon OR, 16 oz of warm water with one lemon plus a bit of maple syrup to cleanse and detoxify any time of the day.

Post and image via FHH Contributor Christina Dollings

LAUREN'S PROTEIN PANCAKES! 19 Mar 2013

I rely on these cakes to get me through my carb cravings and my crazy active days.  I've tried many protein pancakes over the years and this gluten free/grain free/low carb/low calorie/high protein recipe is my favorite.

Ingredients

    •    2-3 egg whites
    •    ¼ cup coconut flour
    •    ½ cup almond, cashew, hemp milk (or milk of your choice)
    •    1 teaspoon vanilla, a dash of cinnamon, and a dash of salt
    •    ½ teaspoon baking powder
    •    1 teaspoon of coconut sugar  

Instructions

Combine all ingredients and stir (be patient) until everything is mixed together, then pre-heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat so that the pancakes cook properly.  I do not grease or spray the pan, but you certainly can if you're afraid that the pancakes will stick. 

Then, pour desired amount of batter onto skillet (I use two tablespoons to make medium-sized pancakes), and cook until golden, a few minutes on each side. Transfer pancakes to a plate and repeat with remaining batter.  Yes, I DO top with a bit of maple syrup and plenty of blueberries.  

Images via Lauren