Feel free to substitute your favorite vegetables. This vegan, gluten-free soup is one of the easiest ways to chock your diet full of antioxidants.

• 8 cups vegetable broth
• 6 cups water
• 1 1/2 cups red lentils, rinsed
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 onions, diced
• 1 bunch kale, stem removed, roughly chopped
• 2 cloves garlic
• ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• ½ lemon, zested
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste

Add vegetable broth, water, carrots, onions, kale and garlic to a large pot. Bring to boil and lower heat immediately. Cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Stir in rinsed red lentils, red pepper flakes, parsley, lemon zest, turmeric, salt and pepper. Cook on low heat for 5 more minutes.

In May 2013, I attended my first IIN Live Event in NYC. This event brings together current IIN students for an inspiring, motivational and educational weekend. Joshua Rosenthal, the founder of Integrative Nutrition, brings together nutrition and health experts from all areas of wellness and health. Joshua’s inspirational exercises and discussions were woven among lectures from guest experts, almost magically transforming students into health coaches!

I left this conference even more excited about my decision to evolve my psychology career into health coaching. From Andrew Weil and Dan Buettner to Donna Gates and Joe Cross, each speaker inspired me to spread the knowledge of how the way we nourish our bodies can heal us, transform us and help us achieve our goals and prevent illness. I felt blessed to be surrounded by so many caring, soul-centered people who share my vision to transform the world by transforming our lifestyle. At IIN live, I was touched by a “…ripple effect to transform the world!” I’m ready to share that ripple effect with you!

This is a great solution for a speedy dinner when I run home late from work and everyone is already “sooooo hungry!”

• 8 ounces shrimp (4 ounces per person)
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Lemon wedge

Preheat skillet. Add olive oil. When olive oil is hot, add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté 4 to 7 minutes or until they’re opaque in the center. Squeeze lemon on shrimp and serve over steamed spinach or kale.

Last month, I attended the S.H.E. Summit in New York City. This two-day event was organized by women’s leadership and lifestyle expert Claudia Chan. The conference was attended by women of all age groups, ethnicities and professional backgrounds. The speakers included 40 women in successful positions who reflected upon their achievements and shared practical leadership advice about how women can grow their business or career, make shifts in their life to achieve greater balance and happiness, and expand their networking with other amazing women. The “sisterhood is powerful,” said one speaker, an observation that resonated through the attendees and experts.

High off the energy of thousands of women who participated in the S.H.E. Summit, who gathered to celebrate, collaborate and share, I was particularly inspired by Dondeena Bradley, VP of design and development, nutrition ventures, at Pepsico, who said, “Your best self requires your whole self.” Often women feel guilty about cultivating their careers, business, family, health or spirituality. It is as if devoting time to our personal goals is somehow overindulgent. What l learned from my experiences as a mother, spouse and career woman is that I am at my best when I attend to all my goals, all my needs and all my aspirations.

I am at my best when I am everything I need to be me. Lubov Azria, chief creative officer at BCBGMAXAZRIA, said, “Inspire people to be better than they can imagine for themselves.”

This is my goal at Smart Life Health Coaching. I want to inspire you to be your best, to be your whole self! I can imagine that. And I hope you can imagine that for yourself, too. You deserve it.

The flavors of this recipe are sophisticated and delicate yet it is so easy to make. I use this recipe when I want to easily impress!

• 2 cod or halibut fillets (4 ounces each)
• 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (try organic like Imagine or Pacific brands)
• 4 tablespoon leeks, chopped
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• 2 tablespoons mellow white miso
• ½ cup warm water
• Juice of ½ lemon

Bring vegetable broth and leeks to a simmer in a pot. Sprinkle cod with salt and pepper.

In a small bowl, whisk miso paste with warm water until it’s fully dissolved. Add the mixture to the simmering broth and bring back to a simmer.

Add fish. Wait until mixture returns to gentle simmer and add the lemon juice.

Cook 5 to 7 minutes or until fish is cooked through. 

SRCD Biennial Meeting in Seattle, WA, April 19-20, 2013.

The SRCD Biennial meeting provides an opportunity for thousands of child development professionals and researchers worldwide to share the latest findings about the field. Participants present multidisciplinary research in the area of human development based on empirical research, intervention and teaching. Many of the topics addressed this year were relevant to child health and obesity.

Two of my presentations focused on emotional development in ethnically diverse children. My research showed that the development of emotion understanding in young toddlers and the parenting strategies used to scaffold these emotional skills vary across ethnic groups and reflect the unique cultural values and goals of each group. What can we learn this type of information? One important lesson is how the design and implementation of programs designed to impact a child’s emotional, social and overall health must fit his ethnic diversity. One message or strategy will not fit all kids. Similarly, when designing successful health-related programs that address overweight and obese children, we need to consider their unique cultural background.

SRCD Presentation Titles:

Kahana-Kalman R., et al. (2013). Mother’s Regulation Strategies in Response to Children’s Disappointment in Ethnically Diverse Groups.

Shee, E., Kahana-Kalman, R. & Tamis-LeMonda, C. (2013). The Development of Emotion Understanding in Ethnically Diverse Children.

I love to drink a cup of this smoothie in the morning before my workout. I save another 1/2 cup for refueling afterward. Store the extra in your refrigerator for a snack later that day.

• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk or water
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• ½ packet of frozen Sambazon Acai Berry + Guarana Smoothie Pack
• ¼ cup Vegan Protein Factors powder in Vanilla Bean flavor
• Fresh strawberries
• Fresh blueberries

Blend all ingredients and enjoy a boost of energy!

This juice is great for kids or anyone new to green juices. I adapted this recipe from Reboot With Joe and it’s a hit!

• 15 strawberries
• 1 apple
• 1 pear
• 12 kale leaves
• 4 celery stalks

Wash all ingredients well and put through a juicer.

Enjoy!