In 2013, my dad forwarded me a beautiful email from inelia benz. The above image was in the email, along with these lines:

Pretend there was NO FEAR in your life.

What would you do different?

What would look different?

By pretending, we initiate a possible outcome in real life. Children do this naturally, and animals do to when they play. They pretend doing what they will need to do, or want to learn how to do, when they grow up.

By pretending, we put our hands into the field of infinite possibility that is the space between thoughts, and the area between particles in every atom. We bring forth something that did not exist in our minds before. By pretending, we give ourselves permission to bypass “what is real”, “what is possible”, and “what is doable”, and simply allow it to exist in our imagination, in our writing, in our drawings, in our games and in our conversations.

Imagine, pretend, write or draw, about a life without fear. YOUR life. What would it look like? What would you do?

Until that moment, I had never given myself conscious permission to imagine what I actually wanted in my life. I had a 5 year plan, and I was achieving everything I set out to achieve, but there was no fire in it. At that time, I was a director for a workforce development program in a homeless shelter here in NYC. After reading the email, I took a day off from work, something that was unthinkable for me at the time, and let myself imagine. I saw myself surrounded by people I love, hosting dinner parties and feeding people, spending time one on one with people who were struggling and providing them with love, warmth, and healing. I saw myself in a garden, growing and harvesting food. I saw lightness, laughter, joy and love.

I realized that where I was at the time was not in alignment with my vision, and I started researching. It was on that day that I decided to go to school for health coaching, and I started the process of creating my ideal job. It was so scary for me to leave what I knew. To leave security and routine, to “abandon” a job where people “needed” me. And, I did it anyway (not immediately, don’t worry, it was actually a year from the date that I did this exercise).

I want to share this with you because when I work with clients, I often observe that they do not have a clear vision for who they want to be. The details aren’t super important, but it is important to have a sense of what you’re living into. Otherwise, how do you take actions that bring you closer to who and where you want to be? It doesn’t have to be career related, relationship related, or about anything other than how you see yourself.

If you could create yourself however you desired, how would you see yourself in 5 years from now? What is your voice like? What image comes to mind? What are you wearing? What comes to mind when you see your future self? What do you do all day? Where do you live? What’s your life like?

Can you take a moment to stop what you are doing and really allow yourself to imagine? To give yourself permission to play dress up and play with what you want for yourself? It’s an act of rebellion, it’s scary, and it may just snap you out of whatever automatic way of living you’ve set up for yourself to stay safe and comfortable. And, that’s where the juiciness is.

If you’re anything like me, then you’ve likely had a moment when you’ve been stopped in your tracks in the produce section of the grocery store. The culprit? The sign next to the organic cucumbers that says $3.00, or the $7.00 strawberries. At that point I often wonder to myself, or aloud for that matter, how the same produce in the conventional aisle costs less than half of that amount.

So what is there to do? For me, I prioritize what to spend the extra money on. How do I do that? Great question! I use a list prepared by the Environmental Working Group called the “Clean 15” and “Dirty Dozen”. It basically breaks down which fruits and vegetables contain the least and most pesticides. It also takes into account how much of the pesticides are absorbed into the food.

For example, avocado is on the “Clean 15” list. This means that buying organic avocado is not something you need to prioritize. If you think about it, it makes sense. An avocado has a tough shell that gets removed before eating. Works for me.

Now think about strawberries. Strawberries grow very close to the ground and are sweet, attracting lots of bugs. They also don’t have a shell of any kind, which can make them more vulnerable. Hence, more pesticide usage. Strawberries are on the “dirty dozen” list.

Check out the full list above. The “Dirty Dozen” are the fruits and veggies with the most pesticides found on them, and the ones you want to buy organic. The “Clean 15” are the fruits and veggies that have the least amount of pesticide residue. These are the fruits and veggies that you don’t need to worry about buying organic. Some people like to post this list on their fridge or keep it stored on their phone for when they go to the grocery store.

Just remember, there is no need to get overwhelmed by this information. Eating vegetables is great, even conventionally grown vegetables. You can also wash and peel non-organic vegetables to remove some of the pesticides. Are organic better? Sure. But eating vegetables at all is a great thing for your body. If your budget allows for it, prioritize buying items off the “Dirty Dozen” list organic.

And, as a side note, dairy, eggs and meat should always be bought organic and, when possible, grass-fed or pasture raised.

Here are some of my budgeting secrets when buying organic:

• Sales, sales and more sales! Even Whole Foods has sales! I know I was super happy when Whole Foods was selling organic Swiss Chard for $1.50 per bunch.
• Trader Joes has really competitive prices on organic cucumbers, celery, kale and collards.
• Buy frozen. Frozen organic berries can be less expensive than the fresh ones (and better off season).
• Shop at Farmer’s Markets or at a local farm (yes, we have local farms in the city!) and ask questions. Sometimes farmers can’t afford to get the organic designation, but they don’t use pesticides or herbicides on their land. Smaller farms also often use less pesticides.
• Buy in bulk when you can and cook and freeze what you can’t eat.

Happy shopping!

*this post was originally posted on 5/26/14

Friday morning I made a pit stop at Trader Joes before heading to the Farmer’s Market to do some cooking and nutrition classes. At checkout, the cashier (hey, Pamela!) and I started chatting and she asked me what I was up to the rest of the day. I told her what I did and she got really excited! If you know me, you know how much I love enthusiasm, especially around food. So, she asks me a slew of questions: what’s the ultimate nutrition advice I can give, what should she eat, does everything have to be organic?

I love these questions. And, they’re surprisingly important given the all the nutrition advice online, on TV and from “experts” and MLM representatives claiming to have the next easy fix. There are tons of different diets out there, and none of them are the “perfect diet”. It’s easy to get caught up in debates about what’s better for you, smoothies or juice. Should I eat paleo or vegan? What about ketogenic? Are carbs bad? Unfortunately, when we’re given too much, and often contradictory, information and too many choices, we get stuck in overwhelm and inaction.

We are all different, our bodies are different, our energy requirements are different, our health and our concerns are different, our ethics and budgets are different. What does that mean? It means there is no one right answer for what each of us should eat. But, there is some basic nutrition advice that all of us can follow.

As Michael Pollen says, “Eat food, not too much, mostly plants.”

1. Eat whole unprocessed foods.
2. Cut sugary drinks out of your diet.
3. Cook your own food.
4. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. More vegetables.
5. Enjoy what you eat. Food should taste good.
6. Learn to read nutrition labels. Avoid foods with more than a handful of ingredients or ingredients you can’t pronounce.

It’s not complicated nutrition advice, but it does take time, effort and planning to integrate. And, once you get there, then you can start looking at some of the other more nuanced questions. Maybe there’s a specific diet that would be better for you. If you have digestive problems, maybe a low FODMAP diet would work. If you have autoimmune issues, the AIP diet or Paleo diet might be right for you. But, taking on a restrictive diet without first mastering the above categories is a recipe for major overwhelm and stress. So, take it slow! Start by becoming more aware of what you’re eating. Start listening to your body for cues about how what you are eating is effecting you. Your body has so much wisdom to offer, but it starts with learning to decode your bodies specific language.

Good luck and have fun with it!

With love,

Samantha

Looking for a healthy snack you can whip up in no time? You’re in the right place. These bites are easy to make, require no special equipment besides a bowl and your hands, and you can make substitutions easily with whatever you have on hand. My only suggestion is to keep the flax for fiber, and use unsweetened fruit and nut butters. Enjoy!

No Bake Nutty Bliss Bites

INGREDIENTS

¼ cup peanut butter (you can also use sunflower butter, almond butter or any other nut butter base)
¼ cup coconut flakes
1/8 cup raisins (or currants, cranberries or dried cherries)
¼ cup walnuts (or almonds, pecans, pumpkin seeds, or sunflower seeds)
¼ cup flaxmeal
¼ tsp vanilla extract
½ tablespoon maple syrup
Dash of salt
¼ cup gluten free oat bran or rolled oats

DIRECTIONS

Add all ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together and roll into balls.

Makes 10 balls.

Rich in fiber and protein! A great snack for before a workout.

Bored of your go-to meals? This one easy dish takes hardly any active time and it can add a ton of pizazz to any meal or snack! I love to eat them on their own or use them as a topping with some of my favorite meals.

Crispy chickpeas are actually one of the first foods I ever learned to cook. I was 12 years old and oh so proud. Just slip these bad-boys in the oven for 20-40 minutes and you’ve got an instant hit.

Chickpeas are also a major superfood. They are loaded with fiber – 12.5 grams in a cup – and pack quite a protein punch. Fiber and protein also work together to help stabilize blood sugar  (i.e. no sugar highs of crashes throughout the day) and leave you feeling full and satisfied.

Crispy Baked Chickpeas (vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free)

Serving size: 1/2 cup Servings per recipe: 3

INGREDIENTS

1.5 cups canned or cooked chickpeas
1 tbs olive oil
3/4 tsp cumin
½ tsp coriander
1/8 tsp cayenne
1/8 tsp chili powder
¼ tsp sumac (optional, don’t worry if you can’t find it)
1/2 tsp salt

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Mix chickpeas, oil and spices in a large bowl so the chickpeas are all well coated.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning to your liking.
4. Place on lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, stirring after 10 minutes.
5. Some people like their chickpeas very crunchy and dry, while others prefer them softer. Adjust baking time depending on your preference.

And in case you need some fresh ideas, here are 6 ways to use these crispy chickpeas to boost the nutritional value and flavor of any meal or snack.

1. Eat them instead of popcorn or chips! These crispy guys provide the salt, the crunch, and unlike popcorn or chips, a ton of protein.
2. Mix them with yellow raisins for a sweet and salty treat. This is actually a traditional way of eating them in countries like Greece and Morocco. These are great for the 2pm slump as you’ll get a quick energy boost from the sugar in the raisins, and some longer-lasting energy from the chickpeas.
3. Add them on top of salads instead of croutons. They’re naturally gluten-free and don’t pack empty calories like croutons.
4. Make your own buddha bowl! Add chickpeas to a bowl with brown rice and steamed greens and you have a complete meal. Top with your favorite dressing.
5. Try them on top of oatmeal for a savory breakfast or add them on top of scrambled eggs for a heartier breakfast with some crunch.
6. Love avocado toast? Add some crispy chickpeas for a fun new topping. The contrasting colors are also great for photos and making your guests drool!