Peaches have been an abundant staple in my CSA loot these past few weeks. In order to preserve the life of some of the stone fruit that were about to cross over to the "other side", I decided to utilize them in a different manner than mixed with my Ezekiel cereal or Siggis at breakfast. Sure, I could have gone down the salsa or galette route but, when surveying the cheese department one afternoon, I knew what had to be done. Grilled peaches served as a flavorful catalyst for this summertime salad indulgence. Why do I consider this salad an indulgence? Solely because it was tossed with torn, creamy morsels of burrata. Hey, everyone has their vices; and mine typically fall in the stinky and fermented category.
Read moreLil Poppers
I first came upon chickpea poppers, as I fondly like to call them, in a Canyon Ranch cookbook while searching out healthy snacks to serve at a party. Many many variations later, I have kept them in rotation for parties or solo dining. The lifespan of the little poppers is short, but they can be revived when thrown into the oven and re-heated for 5 minutes. What makes the poppers so great is that they are able to scratch that crunchy, salty, itch which creeps over you during cocktails. They can also serve as a salad flavor booster, standing in for calorically dense croutons.
Read moreSort-of-Salmon Nicoise
Nothing personifies summer more to me than sipping crisp rose and eating chilled oysters or tart and tangy ceviche. Aside from the sticky and thick atmosphere that engulfs New York, summer pleasures can be simplified into hours slipping away at an outdoor cafe with animated conversation and ice cold wine. It also marks the beginning of my CSA. This is my second year as a supporter and participant in a local organic farm share. I love the unpredictability and challenge of receiving a bounty of produce and farm fresh eggs every week. There is also an inexplicable freshness and crunch that the produce has that you cannot obtain from your local Whole Foods. This past week’s bounty consisted of: kale, swiss chard, zucchini, green beans, mint, basil and mixed greens.
Read moreThe Big Chill: Soups and Adventures in Tahoe
My fiancé and I were recently invited to the birthday celebration of my fellow Soul Cycle freak and clean eating nut. There had been talk of the calmness and serenity of Lake Tahoe, but nothing prepared me for the tranquility and beauty that engulfed us upon arrival. The sun-filled days started with morning yoga and slowly progressed to sipping chilled wine while sailing the majestic crystal blue lake that was surrounded by snow-tipped mountains. Evenings were spent congregated around the fire pit with s'mores, liquid libations, melodic chatter, and good tunes. For the culminating meal and birthday celebration, the host arranged a jaw dropping seafood feast. I hope that the pictures below do some justice to the beautiful food and unforgettable scenery that we were fortunate enough to experience.
Read moreOats Mc Go-Goat
It's no new revelation that breakfast is an essential meal. "Back in the day" I used to be a breakfast skipper, and in those "dark days," it would not be uncommon for me to reach for an undesirable mid-morning snack, traditionally in bar form, or overdo it at lunch and then feel weighted down and lethargic. Sound familiar breakfast skippers? Breakfast is the meal that breaks your overnight fast. For skippers who are also getting the ideal hours of sleep, you could be going around ten hours without adding any fuel to your body. Imagine then, if you wait until lunch, you could possibly be fasting for 16 hours. That's long enough to put your body into starvation mode and slow your metabolism down.
Read morePour L'amour De La Courgette
I am fortunate enough to have been to Paris four times, and each trip is special and unique in its own way. This was the first trip where I did not have a laundry list of "to do" activities. However, I kept a record of a few restaurants that I knew I wanted to try, a long awaited day trip that I've been waiting to take, and sights that I knew I wanted to revisit.
Read moreTurn Down the Lights
A good friend and fellow nutrition nerd was recently diagnosed with arthritis in her hips. Being a firm believer in food’s ability to heal and assist in the treatment of conditions, she started transitioning her diet and taking note of which foods promoted and which foods inhibited pain. During her trials, she discovered that the avoidance of nightshades had a direct correlation with her hip pain.
Nightshades are a group of vegetables that are part of the solanaceae family and include tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, tomatillos, eggplant, cayenne pepper, and paprika. The alkaloid properties of these vegetables are what is thought to attribute to the disruption of nerve and joint function.
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Do or Don't Detox
I was approached recently by a private client to create a two-week detox plan. I am not one who truly believes in elongated cleanses, juice fasts, or detoxes, but I happily obliged and created my version of a detox meal plan. Why am I not pro detox? Because I don’t believe in quick fixes; I believe in making permanent, sustainable and realistic changes to your diet that will improve your well-being long-term.
Read moreKeep it Clean
Clean eating can mean a multitude of things to different people but, at its core, the ideals of eating pure, real food remain. In essence, clean eating is centered around whole foods and the avoidance of anything processed or refined. I try to eat this way for the most part, but understandably it's not possible to be a purest all the time. My most common "hick up" is during the 3pm post-lunch almost done with work slump, when I retreat to the cafeteria for a pre-packaged Sabra with pretzels and an iced double espresso. However, by focusing on eating foods in their most unadulterated state, you maintain control over what you put into your body and hence your overall health. The recipes I share here, on The Crunchy Radish are my attempt to "keep it clean". Although nothing is quite overtly complex, the recipes remain true to the "real" ingredients which I use and always focus on overall wellness and of course flavor.
Read more"I am the Eggman"
A few of my good friends are egg haters. I get it. If you think about the etiology of an egg...it's weird. As a self-proclaimed "pescatarian" who dabbles in Jewish penicillin and homemade turkey meatballs, I rely on eggs as one of my "go to" sources of protein. During the week, my breakfasts typically consist of a Siggi's thrown into my bag, then eaten in haste with the neon blue glow of my computer screen as ambiance. Now as a working girl, the weekends are my opportunity to enjoy a leisurely and warm breakfast, typically accompanied by Williamsburg mayo on some form of sprouted grain. In honor of Passover and in an effort to utilize my matzo in a more highbrow way than slathered with Earth Balance, I found inspiration from a recipe in the
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