Healthy Gifts Ideas

This post was originally published as Healthy Holiday Gifts by Laurel on Health Food blog. 

Have you been slacking on your holiday gift shopping? I can’t believe it, but I actually finished shopping early this year. I’m so proud of myself. But, everyone else I know is just getting started. I’ve definitely been there. So, here are a few gift ideas for the health lovers in your life.

• One Lucky Duck Cookie Gift Set – These delicious cookies are raw, organic, and vegan. Eat set contains 6 Gingerbread Cookies, 6 Chocolate Chip Cookies, 6 Chocolate Cherry Macadamia Cookies, 6 Striped Cinnamon Squares, and 6 Sugar Cookies. Plus, they are handmade and come in a pretty box and bow! Follow @OneLuckyDuck on Twitter so you know when they offer free shipping and discounts. December 15th is last day for guaranteed Christmas delivery.
• Sweet Snacks Gift Package – Sunfood put together this perfect little gift set for someone who needs healthy treats to bring to work or anywhere on-the-go. It includes raw chocolate, energy bars, lemon cookies, etc. for only $29.99 in a free tote bag.
• Organic Teas and Teapot – Give someone a variety of teas to start the year off right, and include a new teapot for your friend who is new to tea drinking. I love The Republic of Tea brand of teas and Hues-N-Brews teapots.
• Royal Riviera Pears – My Mom got a box of these pears one year and I ate the whole box. They were the best pears I’ve ever had. Super juicy and decadent.
• Vita-Mix Blender – Looking for a high-end gift for someone special? A Vita-Mix blender is the best blender on the market and can make anything from soups to sorbet.
• Wild Caught Salmon, Blueberries, Dark Chocolate - I had a chance to test the foods from Vital Choice about a month ago at a demonstration here in NYC, and everything was high-quality and fresh. I was really impressed with their products, especially the fresh taste of the salmon. If you’ve got the cash flow to spare, here’s a great gift set you can give to a family.
• Grill pans or grill baskets – Encourage friends and family to get cooking with a grill pan that goes right on your stovetop or a grill basket that allows you to cook sliced vegetables right on top of a grill without using skewers.
• Glass Dharma Straw – These durable glass straws are perfect for the person who loves to make homemade smoothies, juices, and shakes. They sell for under $10 and come with a lifetime guarantee. So fabulous and it saves waste on plastic!
• toLiveby T-shirt – This sweet little t-shirt company uses organic, recycled, and socially responsible materials to make their super soft tees. I have the dark blue “Eat Real Food” t-shirt and it’s a favorite. So soft and I love the v-neck.
• ThinkFood Cookbook – This cookbook is full of brain healthy recipes from 50 bloggers, including a recipe from me!

I hope you enjoyed these healthy gift ideas (<— see 2008 post at link). Please leave comments if you have other ideas to share.

Flavor and nutrition

This post was originally published as Spicy Mushrooms & Kale by Laurel on Health Food blog. 

Vegetables are anything but boring if you spice them up and avoid overcooking, leaving them crunchy and colorful. Here’s a quick and easy veggie dish you can make anytime. It takes 10 minutes to prepare. Vegetable stock and red pepper flakes are two of my favorite ingredients to use for a boost of flavor and nutrition.

Spicy Mushrooms & Kale
(makes 2-4 servings)

2 portobello mushroom caps
1 bunch kale
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup vegetable stock (low sodium)
Salt & pepper

Cut portobello mushrooms into long slices (about 1/2 inch wide). Remove kale leaves from the stems and rip or cut up into smaller pieces. Heat up a grill pan (or sauté pan) over medium-low heat and drizzle olive oil in the pan. Add mushrooms slices and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until they begin to brown. Add kale leaves to the pan, covering the mushrooms. Pour in vegetable stock, turn the heat up to medium-high, and cover with a lid. Steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid, and add red pepper flakes and a sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Stir everything together and allow liquid to evaporate in the pan for about 1 minute before serving.

Tip 1: To save more time, look for pre-sliced portobello mushrooms in your grocery store. Tip 2: Make sure to give kale a long rinse before cooking. The curly leaves tend to hold trapped dirt and grit that you don’t want to sneak into your food. Tip 3: To make this dish more filling, try adding toasted walnuts or cashews.