• Heirloom Tomatoes (or other tomatoes), chopped
• Cucumber, chopped
• Herbs of your choice (parsley or basil)
• Purple onion, sliced thinly
• Greek Feta Cheese (from sheep milk), cubed
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• 1/4 cup Red Wine Vinegar
• 1/2 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 tsp  dried Parsely
• 1 tsp dried Oregano
• 1 tsp fresh garlic, minced

1. Arrange the tomatoes, cucumber, herbs, onion and feta in a bowl.
2. For the dressing, mix the olive oil, red wine vinegar and lemon juice with the parsley, oregano and garlic and pour over the salad just before serving.

• Endive Leaves
• Sliced Heirloom Tomatoes (or normal tomatoes)
• Sliced Buffalo Mozzarella
• Pitted Black Olives
• Fresh Basil leaves
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• Balsamic Vinegar

1. Arrange the endive leaves on a platter.
2. Add a slice of tomato on top of each endive leaf.
3. Add a slice of mozzarella on top of each slice of tomato.
4. Add an olive on top of each slice of mozzarella and top the arranged platter with chopped basil leaves.
5. For the dressing, drizzle over some extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients

• 1 Ready-made frozen pie tart ready for filling
• 5 medium size sweet onions
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup soft goat cheese
• 2 cups cold water
• 2 oz. finely shaved Parmesan cheese
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

1. Peel and slice the onions into circles and then halves. Place in a large frying pan with the olive oil, 1 cup of cold water, and salt and pepper to season. Slowly cook on low heat for at least 30 minutes. Stir and add a little water to ensure the onion doesn’t dry out and that it becomes very soft and almost caramelized. Once cooked set aside to cool.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
3. Lightly beat the eggs in a bowl and once onions are well cooled add to the eggs and mix together.
4. Pour the egg and onion mix into the ready-made pie dish.
5. Chop the goats cheese into small cubes and spread over the top of the onion mixture, pressing lightly into the mixture.
6. Sprinkle the tart with parmesan and cook in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown on top.
7. Let the dish stand for 5-8 minutes before serving.

This summer my husband and I traveled with our friends to Italy. We visited Corvara at the heart of the Dolomites in Northern Italy, Lake Garda, Cinque Terre, and Tuscany.

The trip was an absolute blast as we slipped into the relaxed Italian lifestyle. We enjoyed seasonal Italian meals rich in fresh locally grown produce, meats, fish and cheese. Italians are passionate about food. Cuisine is like a religion – and it’s the quality of the ingredients that’s most sacred. In Italy they say “la miglior cucina comincia dal mercato” (the best cuisine starts from the market). This is evident as you visit local restaurants that have small menus that are shaped by what’s fresh in the market on a given day. The freshness of the ingredients makes simple dishes taste phenomenal and inspiring.

Among the highlights of the trip was the absolutely amazing and challenging hiking days in the Dolomites, a mountain range in the northern Italian Alps. The area has one of the most beautiful mountain landscapes I’ve ever visited, with deep long valleys that make you feel like you are in the midst of a scene from the movie The Sound of Music.

Another highlight was the personal cooking class we took in Tuscany with Lesley and Paula. Although Paula doesn’t speak English, she is a very savvy Italian cook and she gets her point across! We learned how to make amazing Tuscan dishes including hand-made ravioli and a savory onion tart and tiramisu. After the cooking lesson, we enjoyed our creation on a beautiful terrace and the wines Lesley selected for us were perfectly matched to each course of our meal. Check out the Onion & Goats Cheese Tart recipe here!

Last week I presented a lecture/workshop titled: “Rushing Dentist Syndrome: The Impact of the Never-Ending Patient List on your Health and Waist” to over 60 dentists. I shared with them the connection between metabolism and stress and offered 10 tips on how to nourish your life and manage stress more effectively.

I thank the dentists who attended for their positive feedback and their enthusiasm about living the Smart Life.

This refreshing mix is more like a salad than a classic guacamole dip. Its delicious with quinoa or lentil chips or spooned over grilled turkey burgers or fish.

Ingredients

• ½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped purple onion
• 1 Tbs. minced fresh jalapeno, including seeds; more to taste
• sea salt (to taste)
• 1 cup diced Persian cucumbers
• 2 ripe avocados
• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple (cut into ½ -inch dice)
• 1 Tbs fresh lime juice (more to taste)

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl, mash together ½ of the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, and salt.
2. Stir into the mix the diced cucumbers.
3. Halve and remove the pits of the avocados and use a spoon to scoop the avocados into the bowl. Gently stir in the avocados, without mashing, along with the pineapple, the remaining cilantro, and lime juice. Serve immediately.

*This recipe was adapted from Roberto Santibane, Fine Cooking.

Makes 2 Servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
• 5 Tbs organic chia seeds
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp matcha powder
• 2 tsp maple syrup or raw honey
• A couple dashes of cinnamon (optional)

Directions

1. In bowl add all the ingredients and stir until mixed well.
2. Pour into glass jars, shake and cover. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

(Note: Best to have it sit overnight, but it should become pudding like after a few hours.)

3. Enjoy with your favorite toppings: crushed almonds, pecans, goji berries, cacao nibs.

Ingredients:

• 1 bunch organic kale
• 2 bulbs endive (sliced)
• 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
• Juice of one lemon
• 3-4 TBS (approx.) extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt to taste
• Garnish with pistachios and dried cranberries (or sliced almonds and dried cherries)

Directions:

1. Separate the kale leaves from the stems and tear the leaves into smaller, bite-sized pieces. Place the kale in a large bowl. Add lemon, olive oil and salt and massage leaves by hand until soft and resembling a “cooked” appearance. The acid and salt will help break down the fibrousness of the kale.
2. Thinly slice the endive and red cabbage and add to the bowl of kale.
3. Garnish with your favorite nuts and dried berries.

For the Salad:

• 1 cup wheat berries
• 2 plum tomatoes seeded and chopped
• 2 cups green peas (fresh or frozen, blanched)
• 3 ounces Greek feta cheese, cut into small chunks
• Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

For the Vinaigrette:

• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ¼ cup raw apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• ½ to 1 teaspoon of sea salt
• pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Bring 4 cups of water to boil in a medium saucepan. Add a tablespoon of sea salt and wheat berries. Reduce to a simmer and cook until wheat berries are tender, about 25 to 30 minutes. Drain and cool.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the wheat berries with chopped tomatoes, green peas, and parsley . In a separate bowl whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients. Stir to combine with the wheat berries and vegetables. Add the feta cheese. Toss and serve.

A new season brings a whole host of new opportunities to stretch yourself and make your health dreams come true. Your best foundation for change? A positive attitude. Try these four mind tricks for getting your brain onboard for your healthiest transformation yet.

1. Inspire yourself with morning gratitude. Most experts recommend to end the day reminding yourself of all the positive things in your life. I like to flip the model. I tell Smart Life clients to start the day thinking about what makes them happy, what they’re excited about and what goals they’ve already achieved. It’s a great way to kickstart the day’s success.

2. Make new connections. Spring comes, you’re often in the mood to go out and engage with the world. It’s the perfect time to join a new social group, take a new class or start a new project to renew your sense of commitment. Participating in new activities also keeps you busy, supported and less likely to dwell on what you’re eating. If you need motivation, ask a friend to join. Or, better yet, connect with an acquaintance you’d like to get closer to, especially someone who’s positive and uplifting.

3. Write down your health goals for Spring. All change, big and small, starts with intention. List all the things you want for yourself – weight loss, greater energy, more happiness, less stress. Imagine yourself as if they’re attained and keep them in the front of your mind throughout your day. The more connected you are to what you intend to create for yourself, the more likely you are to make smarter choices in every moment.

4. Take a page from Julia Cameron and start a Morning Pages habit. You know that time every morning when you’re half awake, half asleep and not quite fully conscious? That’s when you have access to your unconscious mind and inner workings. If you listen, they can guide you in your biggest transformation yet. The process is easy and takes only 3 to 4 minutes. Keep your journal by your bed and reach for it while you are still half asleep. Write down any memories you may have of your dreams. Next, write 10 things you’re grateful for from yesterday. Next, harness that stream of consciousness by writing one to two pages of whatever crosses your mind. You’ll get out those repressed thoughts so you can remind yourself that you’re not your thoughts and nothing can hold you back.