Posts

Showing posts from June 18, 2019

Father’s Day + Wicked Big Bugs

Image
Quinn was just too excited to sleep on Father’s Day, so we were up and at ’em and ready to make the day a special one for Mal. We had all sorts of presents for Dada, and while he slept, Quinn and I drove over to Whole Foods to pick up ingredients and iced coffee (of course) for a tasty Father’s Day breakfast. As soon as Mal woke up, we opened presents. Quinn was so excited for him to see what he made! I mean, c’mon… how adorable is this!? We always tell Quinn that we “love him to the moon and back,” so it was perfect for Dada. After opening presents, we ate breakfast together. The night before, Mal requested eggs, “ good bacon ,” toast, and iced coffee for his Father’s Day breakfast. Quinn and I also bought some fruit to make a fruit salad and a chocolate croissant, which are also Dada favorites. It was quite a tasty breakfast, and Mal was happy, so I’d say we did a good job! 🙂 After breakfast, we got ourselves ready for the day and then headed to Franklin Park Zoo to see the

Dear Mark: Increased Red Meat, Reduced Carb, Increased Death?

Image
For today’s edition of Dear Mark, I’m answering three questions. First, what’s the deal with the new Harvard study claiming that eating more red meat increases the death rate? Does it actually prove this? Second, how about the one claiming that reduced carb diets also increase death? Should you worry? And finally, why do I recommend eating locally farmed farmer’s market produce, even if it isn’t organic? Let’s go: Hi Mark, What’s your take on this Harvard study? http://bit.ly/2MY4Src “those who increased their daily servings of red meat over an eight-year period were more likely to die during the subsequent eight years” It’s total nonsense with very little applicability to MDA readers. Red meat eaters were more likely to be smokers. Red meat eaters weighed more. What else did people change as they added or removed red meat from their diets over the eight years? The study doesn’t say much. What we know: Those who ate more red meat as time wore on also ate more calories per

Keto Leg Cramps – How to Get Rid of Them for Good

The ketogenic diet is an effective, natural way to burn fat and achieve healthy body weight. This way of eating (best summarized as a low carbohydrate, high healthful fat, and moderate protein nutritional approach) has even proven to prevent and manage of a variety of chronic diseases. However, oftentimes when people start looking into going keto, they can be dissuaded by the “keto flu”—a particularly ominous sounding side effect of the diet. The keto flu is a constellation of symptoms, including fatigue, headaches, and muscle cramps, which are a direct result of reducing carbohydrates and transitioning your body’s primary fuel source from glucose to ketones. Want to learn more about keto flu? Go here to read my full article on the keto flu—including symptoms, remedies, and how to avoid it One of the most painful manifestations of the keto flu is muscle cramps, which can hit out of nowhere and even wake you up from a deep sleep. Some people push through only for the keto flu to

Lemon Feta Couscous Salad

Image
This simple pearl couscous salad features lemon zest, feta cheese, parsley, and vegetables and makes a delicious side dish or a main course with grilled shrimp or chicken on top.  This was my salad of the week last week. I had it for dinner, lunch, lunch, and then dinner again! It’s a versatile, all-in-one dish that can be served warm, cold, or room temp. Pearl Couscous I love pearl couscous, also called Israeli couscous, for its size and texture. It’s actually little tiny pasta spheres made from wheat. The texture reminds me of tapioca or even bubble tea! I chose a kind from Whole Foods flavored with turmeric, which is why mine is quite yellow in hue. Pearl couscous is so easy and quick to make – just bring water to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until it’s all absorbed. Ingredients For this salad I combined two of my favorite summer vegetables – cherry tomatoes and zucchini. I cooked the zucchini on the side in a skillet until tender. Then I added feta and parsley and LOTS