In last Monday’s post, I showcased the amazing benefits packed in the super herb, Parsley. I also mentioned that my parents raised me to eat Tabouleh Salad and that it was a staple in my diet. Here’s an easy  recipe that you can make at home.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of finely chopped flat leaf parsley
• 4 or 5 finely chopped spring onions
• 4 tomatoes medium size chopped into small cubes
• 1/2 cup of fine bulgur wheat
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 4 tbs olive oil
• Salt n Peppa

Preparation

• Soak Bulgur wheat in cold water for 30 minutes then drain
• Mix Blugur with chopped parsley, onions, and tomatoes
• Drizzle olive oil, lemon juice and season with Salt n Peppa
• Mix again

How easy was that! Serve this disease-fighting salad along side any main dish. Serve the tabouleh on lettuce leaves for a pretty presentation.

It’s so refreshing, tangy and filling! I love Tabouleh!

Before running down a list of “Natural” Sweeteners, I want to remind you that regardless of the form of sugar that you consume, any sweetener in excess will cause havoc to your body. Excess sugar converts to glucose and can cause inflammation, oxidative stress, weight gain and even less elastic skin.

I am definitely guilty of having a sweet tooth, but after learning about the harmful effects of excess sugar, I have learned to keep myself in check.

Let’s check out a few of my favorite natural sweeteners that are less processes and least detrimental to your health: Use sparingly

Raw Honey: Oh the wonders of honey. This is truly my top pick for a sweetener. Packed with vitamins and minerals, this gooey sweetener is also low-glycemic and has shown to have plenty of health benefits. Not to mention, it’s a great energy booster for my workouts. Read more

Stevia: 0 calorie sweetener found in the south american plant, rebiana. Stevia has very little effect on blood sugar. Caution, this sweetener is too sweet. 1 teaspoon = 1 cup of sugar in sweetness. That’s nuts.

Agave Nectar: Extracted from the Agave plant, this sweetener is classified as low glycemic (meaning it absorbs slower in the body). Agave is much sweeter than sugar, so you don’t need to use as much. 60 cals per tablespoon.

Xylitol: I first noticed this in Japanese chewing gum and then started to see it more and more. Xylitol is a naturally occurring sugar substitute found in some fruits and veggies. This is considered a sugar alcohol. The reason I like this sweetener is because it has very little effect on blood sugar and has been shown to promote teeth health, boost the immune system and prevent ear infections. Wow. Xylitol has 1/3 fewer calories than sugar.

Other natural sweeteners include barley malt syrup, blackstrap molasses, date sugar,brown rice syrup and more.

No matter what sweetener you choose to dress your food with, just make sure it’s in moderation.

Stay sweet!

As you know from previous posts, I am of Middle Eastern descent and my parents are extremely talented in the Kitchen. My dad is famous for his chef expertise in Kuwait, and my mom is popular for her unbelievable homemade cooking among her friends and family. Middle Eastern cooking incorporates a rainbow of fresh herbs and spices that have shown to be disease fighting. There are so many varieties to choose from, but I highly suggest you add this next herb to your next grocery list. 

Cultivated for over 2000 years, Parsley is one of the world’s most potent disease fighting herbs, that was used for medicinal purposes in the Mediterranean region and southern Europe.

Let’s take a closer look at this wonder herb!

• Â
  • High in iron
  • High in Vitamin C
  • High in Beta Carotene
  • High in B 12 and folate
  • High in Anti-oxidants

   

  • High in Vitamin K
  • Great source of Chlorophyll
  • Great source of Florine
  • Contains essential fatty acids
  • Immune boosting
  • Anti-bacterial
  • Great for bad breath
  • Blood purifier
  • Helps repair bruises faster

   

  • Benefits digestion and elimination
  • Aids in intestinal absorption
  • Dissolves cholesterol within the veins
  • Flushes excess water
  • Improves estrogen in women (great for PMS)
  • Balances hormones

And the list goes on..

So how can you start incorporating Parsley to your meals?

Parsley can come in curly or flat form and will taste pungent with a slightly bitter taste.

My parents raised me to eat Tabouleh, a staple salad in Middle Eastern cuisine. I love this salad! It’s chopped up parsley, cucumbers, tomatoes and bulgur wheat. Very healthy indeed. (check back this Sunday for an easy Tabouleh recipe)

Parsley can also be juiced with other fruits and veggies. Try a parsley, apple, ginger and beet smoothie. You should gain super powers after that one!

Parsley can also be purchased dried and sprinkled on your dishes and salads. Personally, I prefer it fresh.

If you’re going to add parsley to your hot meals, try tossing it in the last few minutes so you avoid stripping it of its nutrients.

You should take some time every month to re-evaluate your grocery list. Don’t just stick to your routine romaine lettuce, but try adding more colors and nutrients to your diet. Rotate your fruits, veggies, spices and herbs so you can get the full rainbow of benefits.

Life is so amazing and fun! Eat up!

I was grocery shopping a few weeks ago and strolled down the “Natural” aisle and noticed an interesting product that I had to purchase and try for myself.

Mary’s Gone Crackers was labeled as an organic and gluten free, two pluses when choosing a food item. The ingredients were quite impressive as well. The crackers were made from organic brown rice, quinoa, flaxseeds and sesame seeds.

There were 5 flavors to choose from: original, caraway, herb, black pepper and onion. Hmmm… they were all tempting, but taste buds called for the “caraway”.

I couldn’t even wait to get out of the store, so I ripped open the package and stuffed a few crackers in my mouth while the cashier finished ringing me up. Holy S%@! They were delicious and flavorful! Finally a low carb, gluten free cracker I can eat with my hummus.

When it comes to carbs, I prefer to stay away from refined sugars, breads, pastas and opt for better complex carbs like brown rice, quinoa and sweet potatoes. After reading the ingredients packed into Mary’s Gone Crackers, I can add another good carb to my list! Yay!

When I got home, I decided to jump online and shoot over a raving review. A customer representative responded soon after thanking me and a few days later, sent me a few coupons for Two FREE boxes! Thanks Mary’s Gone Crackers!

 Mary’s Gone Crackers are FREE of sweeteners, and our manufactured in a NUT-FREE facility.

My favorite flavors are the Caraway and Herb Crackers! I like to have a few with some chilled ceviche or garlic roasted hummus. Yummm..

To purchase Mary’s Gone Crackers click here to view their site and they’ll direct you to the closest distributor. I tried to get you guys a coupon code, but they’re currently not offering any. If you find any, please share!

xoxo

Ghada

 

This week’s recipe came about when trying to use whatever I had left in my fridge to make a last minute meal. My love was working late and I thought that I would surprise him with a hearty meal. All my scraps combined made a delicious meal that looked like it took hours.

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen Jennie O’s turkey Meatballs
• 1/2 jar of Natural Pasta sauce
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium tomato
• 1 cup mushrooms
• 3 cups raw spinach
• 1 cup whole grain penne pasta
• Salt n Peppa

Preparation:

• Get your wok and pasta pot ready
• Drizzle your olive oil and wait till its hot
• Throw in minced garlic
• Few minutes in, throw in chopped tomato and mushrooms
• When tomato starts to cook, pour in the pasta sauce
• When you see the mix start to simmer, throw in your meatballs
• Season with Salt n Peppa
• Lower heat to medium and let the meatballs get hot
• Start your pasta (this should take 10-15 min)
• Throw your spinach in the last few minutes and stir

Your pasta and meatball concoction should be done around the same time. You can eidther pour the penne pasta into the mix or serve separate. Since I like to stay low carb for dinner, I like to eat my meatballs with a side of extra spinach instead.

This meal was truly a life and time saver! I would have felt bad if I had nothing made that night. Anyway, enjoy this recipe and let me know how it turns out. Don’t be afraid to get creative with it. Top it with oregano, parmesan cheese or even some basil leaves.

 

Just because I am disciplined and live a healthy lifestyle full of nutrition and exercise, does not mean that I don’t experience those “I can’t control my appetite” kind of days.

Food can taste so good and once a week, I like to treat myself to a guilty pleasure whether it’s a few slices of pizza or a homemade dessert. Sometimes, my cheat meal (usually on Saturday afternoon) turns into an all day food fest!

During the time of indulgence, I’m having the best time ever. But the morning after is when it really kicks in that I over indulged. If you’re strict most of the week and overeat one of the days, it’s not a disaster to your plan. There are ways to bounce back the next day and get on your program again.

Here are some tips:

Relax. There’s no use on harping over the past. Live,learn and start fresh. Plus, stressing yourself will only increase cortisol that can lead to belly fat. Not cute.

Drink more water. Most foods that we cheat with contain high amounts of sodium, so you may notice water retention the morning after. Consume more water the next day to help flush out the sodium and reduce retention.

Eat more lean protein. Protein is an important building block that you don’t want to skimp on even if you overate the night before. Choose from leaner, lower calorie proteins to get your daily allowance and keep your appetite suppressed throughout the day.

Reduce your calories. Since we overate the night before, we’re going to try balance it by cutting some calories the few days after. I like to cut down 200 calories and consume more protein, fibrous veggies. Decreasing your carb intake the next few days can also help. Do not cut calories too low, because you don’t want your body to go in starvation mode and slow down your metabolism.

Life is full of temptation and sometimes we just can’t help but overindulge. Live life and enjoy, but also know how to set boundaries and deal with the consequences.

When it comes to food, don’t deprive yourself but enjoy it in moderation like everything else in life.

 

 

Since purchasing my new blender, I have turned into a blending master. I LOVE starting my day with a monster of a shake that is filled with my favorite body boosting ingredients and supplements. There is no set recipe to creating a healthy shake, so I definitely encourage you to get creative and fearless!

Here are some of my top favorites ingredients:

Crushed ice! Adding some crushed ice to my smoothie gives it a creamier texture and gives the drink a cold refreshing taste

Protein. What’s a good shake without a little protein especially if you’re always at the gym. Protein will help build lean muscle, keep you full for longer leading to less calories at the end of the day. I like to use low carb, low calorie whey isolate since its absorbed very well in the body. You can use other forms of protein like hemp, rice, soy and egg.

Glutamine. I learned about this white powder from fitness magazines and websites. Glutamine is an amino acid that can help speed up muscle recovery, and slow down muscle breakdown. If you’re working out and lifting weights, add this to your next shake.

Kale. I know what you’re thinking… Yuck! Wrong! Kale barely has a flavor, but has plenty of nutrition that your body will love. Kale is known to be king among the other greens. This fibrous vegetable is full of Vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients.

Green powder. I’m big on greens because of its natural energy and immune boosting properties. A scoop of green foods can help alkalize, energize and nourish the body’s cells and balance PH levels. Some of the foods in the powder are barley, alfalfa, spirulina and wheatgrass.

   Bee Pollen. I’m always impressed with the health benefits surrounding the bee from its honey to the bee pollen. The pollen is made up of 40 % protein and contains 22 aminos, vitamin C, high in B complex, folic acid, fatty acids, enzymes and carotene. Those are just the discovered ones! I like to add a tablespoon into the blender and I never can taste it.

Ground Flax. Flaxseeds are the richest plant source of the omega 3 fatty acid alpha-linolenic acid. This seed is a great soluble fiber that can aid with digestion and bowel movements. Eating a high protein diet, I tend to get constipated so the flax is a good way to help push it all out.  

Coconut oil: I love adding a teaspoon of this to my shake!Here’s an interesting story I found: A group of farmers were on a mission to fatten up their pigs by feeding them corn, soybeans and coconut oil. They assumed that coconut oil’s saturated fats would do the trick. Wrong! The pigs that were fed coconut oil were much leaner than the others that fed on soybeans and corn.

Fruits: My favorite fruits to add into the mix are apples, oranges, blueberries, bananas, peaches and grapes. I try to keep the serving to 1 medium fruit or 1/2 cup of berries. Fruits are full of nutrition and fiber. Do not over exceed your fruit intake because it does contain fructose. Too much sugar will eventually convert into glucose and then store as fat. Moderation is key.

Ginger. No fruit shake is complete without some ginger. I cut up a little chunk and throw it in. It’s very prominent tasting so watch how much you use. This root has anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. It’s great to throw in a shake if you’re experiencing stomach nausea. Ginger is also great for lowering cholesterol and similar to aspirin, it can help thin blood.

When mixing all of the above ingredients, I get a Green Monster! After drinking this concoction for the last two weeks, I feel that I can’t settle for anything less.

Get out your mixer, gather your favorite nutritious supplements and get blending!

 

 

No laughing at this story!

Ok. So, it’s kinda funny now.

After college, I packed my bags and headed to NYC to pursue an internship in the music industry. (I’ll name drop later lol). Since internships are unpaid, I had to get a job on the side to pay my rent and bills.

One day, I was sent out to run some errands for the record label and I noticed a "Now Hiring" sign. I walked in, gave my info and was soon called for an interview at Ling Skin Care. 

Ling Skin Care was founded by Ling Chan, a skin care guru to the stars. Ling formed a natural and effective skin care line and built a few beautifully decorated spas around New York City. I was assigned the position of receptionist/ sales girl. Ling Chan was the face of the spa, but the person who ran the actual operation was extremely motivated son, Patrick. Patrick was only 30 at the time, and I was 22? I think.. lol.. 

Anyway, long story short. After few months of working with Patrick and showing him what I could do in both sales and marketing, he promoted as his assistant and moved me to the corporate office. Like brother and sister, Patrick and I butted heads a few times and he eventually fired my a%#.

The day after are heated drama, we both apologized to each other and we have been great friends ever since. Aww, I love you Patrick! Sorry I was a pain. I meant well.

Anyway, this post is not about me and Patrick’s drama, but it’s about my love for Ling Skin Care’s organic soaps, body scrubs and skin care. When I last visited Patrick a month back at Ling Skin Care Spa in Union Square (16th street), he generously filled my goodie bag with my favorite Ling products. Yay!

I can’t even begin to describe how much I love this body scrub. It feels like silk and smells like walnut heaven!

a closer look: imperial body scrub is a blend of natural exfoliating ingredients formulated to effectively slough off dead cells and impurities, while natural papain enzymes work to digest unhealthy skin cells.
the good stuff: contains rice to gently exfoliate and nourish the skin; Walnuts to exfoliate and accumulate dead cells; Honey to hydrate skin; Oatmeal to soothe skin; Ginger to revitalize; Papaya Enzymes to digest unhealthy dead cells and thoroughly clean the skin.
» created just for you: this ancient Chinese Imperial recipe was sued to aid the Empress in preserving a youthful, smooth skin tone. Rice and Walnuts are selected fro its special property of nourishing the skin and combating aging of the skin. This body scrub also emits an intoxicating, delicious aroma given off by the walnuts and honey.

Next time you want to buy your girls some bath stuff, forget that visit to Bath & Bodyworks and log on to lingskincare.com for this cute gift box filled with handmade aroma-infused soaps! (my favorites are the black charcoal and red jasmine)

 » a closer look: an assortment of our 12 favorite Organic Rice Soaps (In limited edition mini sizes)
12 Soaps Include:
» Black Charcoal
» Eucalyptus Blend
» White Jasmine
» Black Sesame
» Green Mulberry Tea
» Lemongrass
» Coffee Bean
» Red Jasmine
» Pineapple Pulp
» Fresh Rosemary
» Tree Ripe Papaya
» Ripe Peach

If you’re visiting the New York Area, stop by one of Ling’s three spa locations and try one of their famous facials, treatments and waxing. Oh by the way, they gave me my first Brazilian wax! (I was a model for their training class). What a traumatic first experience. Painful and embarrassing!

Take a few minutes to browse through Ling Skin Care’s website and check out their products. Don’t forget that also formulated a unique skin care line.

Email Patrick through the site and tell him I sent you. He might hook you up with some goodies too!

As you know, my Vita-Mix arrived last week. Yay! I have been a the Vita-master blending and chopping everything up. On Tuesday, I attempted a chicken salad that came out so good! I had to share it with this week.

Ingredients:

• 2 grilled chicken fillets
• 4 celery stalks
• 1 cup of baby carrots
• 2 tbsp of olive oil
• 1 tbsp of honey mustard
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 oz raw almonds
• sprinkle of oregano
• sprinkle of salt n peppa

Preparation:

• Get your food processor ready
• cut your grilled chicken in cubes or slices
• Toss all ingredients in your processor
• Start the chopping
• chop to your desired consistency

This chicken salad will taste so rich and fattening but no worries. Notice that I never used mayo. If you need to add mayo, then opt for a low fat version. If you like your salad a little sweet, throw in some dried cranberries.

Eat the chicken as is, dump it on a bed of greens or serve it as an open faced sandwich on whole grain bread.

Yum Yum!

Is there a correlation between fitness and wealth?

According to the British Medical Journal, the healthier you are, the richer you will become.

I like the sound of that!

Another recent study linked employees’ fitness level to the success of the company. The fit employees had better work ethic, reached goals faster and their sales were higher.

The conclusion to the study showed people that are fit get better jobs, earn more money and radiate more positivity overall.

Employees that exercise are less tense, under stressed and anxious.

How do I feel about this study?

Of course there are always exceptions to the rule, but overall I totally agree that there’s a correlation between fitness level and wealth. I agree, because I can relate.

When I wore a size 16 (now a size 5/6), I felt insecure, self conscious and extremely timid when it came to both business and social interaction. As I began to shed the weight, I felt more energetic, more comfortable and I wasn’t fearful to mingle and go after my dreams. Feeling healthier and more fit has also boosted my ability to increase my salary and maintain an amazing job that I love!

After experiencing this new sense of self, I can never imagine myself go back to being unhealthy and unfit. This is just the beginning for me. My health and fitness journey will continue for as long as I can take it, and I hope that I can inspire others to switch to a healthier life too.

Love your body and treat it like it deserves, and it will surely love you back.

You deserve to Love Your Life.