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4 Stress-Busting Foods

March 4, 2019 by Dawna Stone

Stress is unfortunately all too common in our lives and can affect us both mentally and physically; it can weaken the immune system, cause headaches and fatigue, irritate our digestive system, and raise blood pressure. Fortunately, what we eat can help us manage our stress and keep stress-induced symptoms at bay. Check out these four stress-busting foods that can easily be incorporated into our every day diets and keep us feeling good.

Berries

Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries and raspberries are antioxidant-rich and high in vitamin C, which has been shown to fight stress while strengthening the immune system. My favorites are blueberries and blackberries. Although I love cooking with berries—cobblers, crumbles, etc. I find it so easy to simply add berries to cereal, oatmeal and baked goods like muffins and breads.

Fish

Fish, like tuna and salmon, that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids can boost serotonin (the feel-good hormone) and keep the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, under control. I love topping grilled fish with chutney or relish made with fresh fruit and vegetables. Try this Grilled Salmon with Corn and Tomato Relish recipe.

Oats

A bowl of warm oats can help boost serotonin levels, which helps combat symptoms of stress and anxiety. High in fiber, oats will also keep you full longer helping to ward off emotional eating that often accompanies stress. Try this Apricot Almond Oatmeal recipe—its one of my favorite quick and simple breakfast recipes.

Spinach

Rich in magnesium, a natural muscle relaxant and stress-reducer, spinach can help calm you therefore lessening the symptoms of stress. When your body is under stress or anxiety, you can deplete your magnesium levels. Spinach can help reverse this. I love using spinach in soups and stews. This Chicken and Wild Rice Soup recipe is not only packed with spinach but it’s a true comfort food. Other magnesium-rich foods include navy beans, lima beans, broccoli, bananas and oats.

Warming Navy Bean and Corn Soup

January 10, 2018 by Dawna Stone

When cooler temperatures hit, I find myself craving a bowl of hot soup for lunch or dinner. This healthy Navy Bean and Corn soup is one of my favorites. The addition of brown rice pasta not only makes the soup hearty and delicious, but also entirely wheat-free. Use vegetable broth instead of chicken broth, and it’s also 100% vegan. If you’re looking for a meal that will warm you up and satisfy your craving for something rich and savory—then I encourage you to give this healthy recipe a try!

P.S. If you're interested in getting healthy and/or losing a few pounds, join me for a quick and simple 5-Day Detox

Navy Bean & Corn Soup

Servings

Navy Bean & Corn Soup

Servings

Ingredients

2tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1cup yellow onionfinely chopped
2/3cup carrotsfinely chopped
1 clove garlicminced
4cups vegetable (or chicken) broth
2/3cup tomatoseeded and diced
2/3cup fresh corn
1cup cooked navy beans
1cup brown rice pasta
1teaspoon salt
1/2teaspoon Ground black pepper
4-5 chiveschopped

Servings:

Instructions

In a large pot heat 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add onions, carrots and garlic and sauté over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until onions are translucent and carrots are tender.
Add 4 cups broth, tomatoes and corn and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add navy beans and simmer for an additional 5 minutes. Use a soup ladle to remove two cups of soup and transfer to a blender. Blend on medium speed until smooth. Reserve blended soup.
Add pasta to pot with remaining soup, bring to a boil and cook for 10 minutes. Add reserved blended soup to the pot and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes or until pasta is al dente (take care not to over cook the pasta). Add salt and pepper. Divide into 4 bowl, garnish with chives and serve.

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How I Lost 40 Pounds By Eating Clean

January 12, 2017 by Dawna Stone

As originally published on mindbodygreen:

Best-selling author and weight loss expert, Dawna Stone, has inspired thousands of readers over the years. If you're looking for a quick and simple plan, check out Dawna's 5-Day-Detox or if you're looking for a more detailed action plan, check out her course A 14-Day Clean Eating Program: How To Kick Start Weight Loss In Two Weeks. Read on and find out how Dawna lost 40 pounds and kept it off.

In my 20s, I was fat, exhausted and desperate to lose weight. Even though I was 40 pounds overweight, I was much more concerned with fitting into the clothes in my closet than I was about my health.

I had gone from being an extremely fit teenager to being a somewhat fit college student to a 40-pound overweight working woman. I still remember turning down company get-togethers and blind dates because I was so uncomfortable with the way I looked. Desperate to lose weight, I tried just about every diet available.

Unfortunately, none of them satisfied my craving for good food. On each weight loss attempt, I'd lose a few pounds only to give up and gain all the weight back and then some.

It wasn't until I realized that fad diets weren't a viable solution for me that I started to work on a solution. After years of failed attempts to lose weight, I finally found a way to drop all 40 pounds and keep it off for good — in fact, I've been at or near my goal weight for nearly 20 years!

The solution wasn't about depriving myself of treats or starving myself. The solution was simple: Clean Eating.

I started by eliminating excess sugar, processed foods and artificial sweeteners. I also quit eating anything with chemicals or preservatives.

When I finally found a way of eating that had me dropping the pounds quickly and allowed me to eat good food (like fish tacos with mango-avocado salsa, kale and maple-roasted sweet potato salad, 3-bean chili and even gluten-free, dairy-free triple chocolate brownies), I knew I'd found my weight loss silver bullet.

I know what it feels like to be overweight and unhappy but I also know what if feels like to finally fit into a smaller size pair of pants and smile when you step on the scale. I wish everyone who is struggling with their weight and feeling hopeless, like I felt, could know what it feels like to finally lose all the excess weight.

I know what it's like to lie in bed and cry, thinking you'll never lose weight. I know what it's like to turn down invitations because you have no clothes that fit. But I also know how great it feels when the weight starts melting off.

If you've just about given up on ever reaching your goal weight, if your tired of depriving yourself of good food and if you're tired of seeing the number on the scale creep up rather than down, clean eating may be just what you need to jump start your weight loss and once and for all reach your goal weight.

Now that I'm in my late 40's, I believe the most important benefit of being a healthy weight and eating a clean diet is countering disease and keeping your body working well and healthy. But I can't lie: I also love the feeling of fitting into my skinny jeans!

Whether you pick up a copy of the, The Healthy You Diet, (and/or join me for my video course The 14-Day Clean Eating Program) or embark on my quick and simple 5-Day-Detox, I hope you'll give clean eating a try.

You have nothing to lose but your excess weight!

Photo Credit: Sheri Kendrick

Healthy Holiday Gift Guide: 15+ Items to Set You Up for a Healthy New Year!

December 11, 2015 by Dawna Stone

Wish lists and holiday gifts are heavily circulating between friends and family this time of year. With less than a month of shopping left, it’s crunch time!

I put together a list of healthy living products that are currently on my wish list as well as items I’ve grown to love and use often. All of the products on this list will help you kick off the New Year in a healthy and happy way (perhaps getting us one step closer to achieving our ‘healthy’ New Year’s Resolution).

I hope the guide will help you as you develop your wish list, or help you when shopping for that someone special.

ARTISANAL BAMBOO SALT CHEST ($130)
I love experimenting with different salts while cooking. Even just a pinch of salt can make a big difference in the flavor of a dish. Most of my recipes in The Healthy You Diet cookbook includes salt and pepper as I think it adds just the perfect touch. So when I came across the Artisanal Bamboo Salt Chest (including 24 varieties from around the world), I was super excited! Having a wide assortment of spices can satisfy any mood or craving and make for a memorable meal!

HHGG_Salt Chest — Photo credit: Uncommongoods.com

BREVILLE JUICE FOUNTAIN PLUS ($150)
As you probably know, I love to juice in the mornings. Since sharing several juice recipes from my cookbook, I often get the question “What kind of juicer to you use?” Buying a juicer can be quite confusing, and quite frankly daunting, as there are so many different kinds at a wide variety of prices. I have tried many different brands of juicers over the years, but recently started using the Breville Juice Fountain Plus, which I absolutely love! It does everything on my check list. If you are in the market for a juicer, I suggest reading as many reviews as possible. Also, if you are interested in a Breville, I found the comparison guide on Amazon very helpful!

HHGG_Breville Juice Fountain — Photo credit: amazon.com

SODASTREAM (starting at $80)
I am a BIG proponent of drinking lots of water throughout the day. But I know that water can sometimes get boring and often suggest adding fruit or veggies (like cucumber, lemon, lime, etc). I also love ordering sparkling water while dining out — it tastes good and makes water more interesting! The more interesting it is, the more you'll drink. So you can imagine how excited I was to stumble upon SodaStream. With a touch of a button, SodaStream allows you to turn tap water into sparkling water in an instant. Their slogan, “water made exciting” is the perfect way to sum it up! Not sure which sparkling water making is right for you? Compare their models here.

Photo credit: sodastreamusa.com

COOKING LIGHT SUBSCRIPTION ($18)
Cooking Light is my all-time favorite magazine! I get so excited when it comes in the mail and I read it cover-to-cover immediately. I keep recent copies on hand as I refer to them often. Cooking Light offers everything from healthy and fast recipes for the novice to more skilled, detailed recipes for the veteran chef. It also provides decorating inspiration, beauty and fitness tips and travel and entertaining ideas. Everything you could ever want in one place!

HHGG_Cooking Light — Photo credit: cookinglight.com

EPICUREAN CUTTING BOARD ($11.95 – $34.95)
I currently own a bamboo cutting board that has to be hand washed. Then I stumbled upon this dishwasher-safe cutting board that immediately went on my wish-list. This Epicurean Cutting Board is a wood-fiber composite that is often used in commercial kitchens. The best part? The wood-fiber composite won’t harbor bacteria, absorb unwanted flavors or odors or dull your knives!

Epicurian Cutting Board — Photo credit: william-sonoma.com

FITBIT FLEX ($99.95)
Fitbit’s holiday slogan: “Small gifts. Big impact”. I couldn’t agree more. This is a trending item for this year’s holiday season and definitely on my wish list. I love the idea of wirelessly tracking my everyday activity including steps walked, distance, calories burned, active minutes, and sleeping patterns (all from wearing a conspicuous wrist band!). It also allows you to set goals and syncs your stats wirelessly so you can see your real-time progress on your computer or wireless devices. How cool is that?!? This is just the thing to make me a little more mindful of my everyday activity and the motivation I need to keep me moving.

GREEN HERBAL TEA KIT ($40)
Once the kids are asleep, I love winding down after a long day with a cup of hot herbal tea. I agree with UncommonGoods.com when they say, “waiting for the tea to steep gives your mind a moment to rest.” In this tea kit, there is a wide varity of flavors and every herb is labeled with its unique blend of health benefits. The kit comes with reusable tea bags, but if you are looking for a tea infuser to go along with it, Teavana has a great selection.

HHGG_Herbal Tea — Photo credit: Uncommongoods.com

KITCHINAID ARTISAN 5-QUART STAND MIXER (prices vary)
The KitchenAid Artisan Series Mixer is every cook’s dream. With 10 speeds and the option for additional attachments (food grinders, pasta makers and more), this appliance mixes, kneads and whips, making any recipe a breeze! The “legendary” KitchenAid mixer has been on my wish list for awhile now – perhaps 2013 is my year for it!

HHGG_KitchenAid — Photo caption: KitchenAid.com

MOLCAJETE ($34.95)
The Mexican molcajete is handcarved tool made of natural volcanic stone. The molcajete is used for grinding herbs and spices and blending sauces and pastes. What do I want to use it for? Fresh guacamole! Not only does it make a perfect guacamole, but the presentation at a gathering or party is like no other! (Molcajete comes with instructions for seasoning the stone prior to use).

HHGG_molcajete — Photo credit: crateandbarrel.com

WILLIAM-SONOMA SMART TOOLS FOR iPAD ($199.95)
Exclusive to William-Sonoma, this gadget makes it easy for you to read recipes and follow while in the kitchen, watch cooking videos, listen to music and even video chat. This three-piece set includes a Bluetooth speaker, stand for iPad (can hold device horizontally or vertically), and screen shield (items are also sold separately). Efficiency and entertainment in one cool device – yes please!

HHGG_WS Smart Tool — Photo credit: william-sonoma.com

THE HEALTHY YOU DIET ($14.95)

You know I had to :) Start the year off with inspiration for eating healthier and cleaner. The Healthy You Diet is jam packed with tips for eating well and ultimately leading a healthier lifestyle. The book also includes a two week meal plan and amazing recipes for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

DEAR SANTA! (STOCKING STUFFERS):

Growing up, my favorite part of Christmas was opening up my stocking first thing in the morning. And truth be told, it still is! Here are some great stocking stuffers to keep with our healthy holiday gift theme.

FOODIE SURVIVAL KIT ($26)
Although labeled as a ‘mobile’ kit, I’m not sure I would personally travel with this in my purse. As a self-proclaimed foodie, I would however, love to have this variety of spices in my kitchen cabinet for easy access while cooking. I love the size of the containers and the easy stack display. This would also make a great host/hostess gift!

SPONGESTER ($28)
The kitchen sponge is one of my biggest concerns when cleaning up after a meal. The “Spongester” by uncommongoods.com seems like a great solution! It offers to shelves – one for the “good sponge” (for counters and dishes) and the “evil sponge” (for sink and drain). Love this idea!

HHGG_bobble copy

BOBBLE BPA FREE WATER BOTTLE ($9.99 – $12.99)
The bobble is a reusable bottle that filters water as you drink by its replaceable carbon filter. The carbon filter removes chlorine and organic contaminants. As you know, I am a big proponent of drinking water all day long. This allows you to fill up anywhere and drink filtered water on the go.

HHGG_Wine Stoppers

PERSONALIZED WINE STOPPERS (SET OF 2, $19.50)
This mango wood and iron wine stopper is beautiful and will be used again and again. It can also be monogrammed to make it more personal. (Also great as a housewarming gift)

AVOCADO TOOLS ($9.95 – $17.95)
I am convinced these tools would be some of the most used in my house. With as many avocados as I eat, I am always looking for the easiest way to cut, pit and slice them. I think I found my answer! (Tools found at Williams-Sonoma and Crate&Barrel)

Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

October 23, 2015 by Dawna Stone

Who doesn’t love pumpkin this time of year? Everywhere you look there are pumpkin flavored coffees, cookies, pies, breads and pastries. I even saw pumpkin ice cream featured at my local supermarket.

Although it’s easy to find pumpkin flavored treats everywhere, it can be difficult to find healthy versions of your favorites. This wheat- and dairy-free Pumpkin Bread is not only healthy but it will also satisfy your holiday pumpkin cravings. The walnuts and raisins provide some great texture while the glaze drizzle makes this bread a showstopper for holiday parties and family gatherings.

Pumpkin Bread

Servings

Pumpkin Bread

Servings

Ingredients

Bread

1 1/2cups gluten-free oat flour
1/2cup almond flour
1cup coconut palm sugar
2teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
1/2teaspoon baking soda
1/2teaspoon sea salt
3 large eggs
1can (15 ounces) pumpkin
3tablespoons coconut oilmelted
1/4cup walnutschopped
1/4cup golden raisins

Glaze

1/2cup powdered sugar
1/4teaspoon vanilla
2tablespoons water

Servings:

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom and short ends of an 8” x 4” loaf pan with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the oat flour, almond flour, coconut palm sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs. Add the pumpkin and oil. Mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and stir gently to combine. Fold in the walnuts and raisins. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until wooden pick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Let the bread cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes. Remove the bread from the pan and let cool completely.
For glaze, combine sugar, vanilla and water and whisk until smooth, drizzle on the loaf before slicing. Note: If you find the consistency of the glaze too thick or too thin, you can add more sugar or more water until you have your desired consistency.

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As originally seen on MindBodyGreen.com.

Pardon the Interruption (I’ve been busy putting on the St. Pete Wine & Food Festival)

October 14, 2015 by Dawna Stone

You may have noticed that I’ve been a little quiet on the blog these past couple of months. My passion for food and the culinary arts combined with my love for producing large-scale events, inspired me to create the first annual St. Pete Wine & Food Festival. My goal was to highlight the emerging culinary scene in the Tampa Bay area, while creating a premier wine and food event like the city has never seen before.

The event was a huge success! We partnered with over 35 restaurants, 30 breweries, and 40 wineries to create a memorable four-day festival including a Charity Wine Pairing Dinner, a craft beer festival (BEER Night St. Pete), and two-day Grand Tasting.

The Grand Tastings featured some of the best food from local Tampa Bay area restaurants. The chef demos added a nice touch for the foodie, like me, who loves to cook. And the variety of wines from all over the world provided something for everyone. The culinary emergence is happening everywhere and it’s worth celebrating!

I am honored to work with the talented group of chefs, brewers, and vintners who helped bring this event to life. I hope you’ll consider joining me for the 2^nd annual St. Pete Wine & Food Festival in 2016 (date to be announced soon). In the meantime, enjoy the photo highlights below.