For the Salad:

• Watercress
• Endive (sliced)
• Radicchio (sliced)

For the dressing:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice 
• 1 tablespoon shoyu (natural soy sauce) 
• 1/4 cup toasted sesame oil 
• 1 tablespoon umeboshi vinegar (obtainable in natural food stores)

Directions:

1. Combine the watercress, endive, chopped radicchio in a large bowl. 
2. Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or glass jar.
3. Dress the salad right before serving and sprinkle with black sesame seeds (optional).

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups chickpea flour
• 2 1/4 cups water
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbs nutritional yeast
• 1/4 tsp salt plus more to taste
• 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp baking soda
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tbs olive oil, plus olive oil spray

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400F and grease muffin tins.
2. In a medium saute pan, saute the onion for 5 minutes with salt and pepper, add in the peppers and mushrooms next and cook for another 5 minutes. Finally add the garlic in until fragrant.
3. Turn off the flame and allow the mix to cool for 5 minutes
4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, water, nutritional yeast, salt, black pepper, cayenne pepper, baking soda and lemon juice.
5. Stir in the vegetable mix now as well. Make sure the batter is evenly  mixed. Poor into the greased muffing tray and bake for 30-35 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before removing from the  tray. 

Ingredients:

• 4 medium size tomatoes
• 2 cups cooked black lentils (can replace with black beans)
• 2 cups cooked quinoa (can replace with millet)
• 4 cups mushrooms (button, cremini or shitake), very finely chopped
• 2 clove garlic, minced
• 1 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
• ½ jalapeno, seeded and finely diced (use less for milder taste)
• 1 tsp sea salt
• Ground pepper, to taste
• 3 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. raw apple cider vinegar
• Optional: grated cheese (I use vegan mozzarella by VioLife to keep the dish vegan).

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Cut the top from the tomatoes and empty the insides.
3. To make filling, sauté mushrooms and garlic in ¼ cup vegetable broth over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, until fully cooked. If needed, add additional broth while cooking.
4. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir in mushrooms and garlic.
5. Spoon filling into tomatoes, pressing down mixture slightly.
6. Sprinkle cheese on top of each tomato.
7. Bake for 20 minutes or until heated through and enjoy!

This filling can be used with tomatoes, acorn squash, zucchini or peppers.

Certain plant foods contain significantly more protein than others so if you’re concerned about how eating more a vegetarian diet might lack sufficient protein, here’s my recommendations for plant-based sources of protein.

1. Mix hemp hearts, which are a complete plant-based protein, into smoothies or toss them on top of salads, soups are wraps.

2. Love lentils!
They come in several colors and can be used in salads, soups, or on top of
roasted veggies.

3. Replace your rice with quinoa, another complete
plant-based protein.

4. Enjoy edamame in salads, soups, and snacks. Like
hemp and quinoa, it’s a complete protein and it provides 18-22 grams of protein
per cup.

5. Enjoy chia seeds in puddings or oatmeal. These
protein-rich seeds take any flavors you throw at them.

6. Toss your home-popped organic popcorn with nutritional
yeast, a cheesy substitute for dairy that offers 8-10 grams of
protein per 2 tablespoons.

7. Sneak spirulina into your smoothies.  It is an excellent source of protein plus an
impressive range of vitamins and minerals. When added to a smoothie, it won’t
change the taste and it will brighten your greens.

8. Replace store-bought chips or crackers with roasted
chickpeas.  They are amazing
over salads, soups, and stews.

9. Use unsweetened organic nut butter as a spread
on gluten-free breads, wraps, crudité veggies, or fresh dates.

10.Use unsweetened pea milk (try Ripple
Unsweetened) for your smoothies or morning high-fiber cereal bowl.

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1 medium red onion, chopped
• 2 cans hearts of palm, drained, rinsed and sliced
• 1 cup parsley, chopped
• 2 avocados, peeled, pitted, and cubed

 Dressing:

• 3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise
• juice from 1-2 lemons
• sea salt
• pepper

 Directions:

1. Combine the tomatoes, hearts of palm, onion and parsley in a salad bowl.
2. Mix together the dressing ingredients and toss 2/3 of the dressing with the salad.
3. Add the chopped avocados just before serving and toss with the remaining dressing.

Our bodies naturally cleanse every day. But in the modern world, environmental toxins and food additives are putting increasing stress on our organs.

The body protects you from harmful toxins by producing mucous or fat to prevent an immune reaction. But what happens when there are too many toxins in the body and too much mucous as a result? The body can carry up to 15 pounds of mucous, which can lead to excess weight, fatigue, poor digestion, food intolerances and a weakened immune system.

A safe and effective clean eating program clears out the toxins that are stored in the fat cells. By eating clean regularly, you can rejuvenate your body on a cellular level.

To be healthy, your cells need the following:

• Oxygen
• Healthy foods containing nutrients and minerals
• Proper hydration
• Well-functioning detoxification pathways

Simply put, when you are not getting these four building blocks for cell regeneration, you will not feel your best. You may notice issues like joint pain, susceptibility to injuries and infections, digestive disturbances and poor sleep, to name a few.

What Is “Clean Eating?”
This is a phrase that has become very popular in the past few years. Clean eating is not a fad diet, but a way of life. Clean eating means cutting out processed foods and instead, eating organic produce along with organic, hormone-free meat, dairy, and eggs from pasture-raised animals. By choosing ingredients in their most natural, whole state including clean animal or plant based proteins, and preparing them in healthy fats, you reduce inflammation in your body, balance your pH levels, and improve vitality.

To paraphrase Hippocrates, food is medicine.

Following these three steps will get you there:

1. Remove processed foods from your diet.
This is a big umbrella, but it’s an ugly one to live under. No more boxed cereal, frozen pizza, or on-the-go prepackaged meals and snacks, like Lunchables. Remember, these foods are supposedly designed to make life “faster,” “easier,” and “more convenient,” not healthier. As often as you can, stick to whole, unprocessed foods, those as close to nature as you can get. Not only are they more nutrient and vitamin dense, but their extra fiber and water content will also keep your metabolism humming and keep you feeling fuller for longer. When you’re at the grocery store, ask yourself, “Would my great-grandmother have eaten this? Would she even know what it is?” This will help you shift to nutrient-rich foods, such as spinach and kale instead of rich, sugary, and calorie-dense foods like ice cream, baked goods and crackers.

2. Lighten up on the inflammatory foods.
Yes, we’re talking meat and refined carbs (think steaks and sugars). To be clear, it’s not that all meat is bad for you… it’s that too much meat is bad for you. A diet high in conventionally raised red meat and refined carbs can cause estrogen overload, whether from hormones in the meat or from the type of bacteria cultivated in the gut by people who eat a lot of meat. The “wrong” bacteria – the kind that doesn’t metabolize estrogen – is predominantly found in people who consume large amounts of meats and refined carbs. I recommend a diet that includes pastured meats and dairy that lack synthetic hormones and antibiotics, and avoids the “white carbs” (sugar, high fructose corn syrup, and white flour).

3. Avoid “The Dirty Dozen,” the most contaminated fruits and vegetables
Conventionally grown fruits and vegetables are often billed as health food, but come with many traces of toxic pesticides. The produce listed below was deemed The Dirty Dozen by the Environmental Working Group because according to testing, they contain the highest number of pesticides. Whenever possible, choose organic or if you’ve got a yard, start a garden!

Meet The Dirty Dozen:

1. Apples. More than 40 pesticides have been found on apples, in apple sauce, and in apple juice. Removing the peel does remove a lot of the toxins, but it also removes most of the fiber and vitamins!
2. Celery. If you’re making crudité, asparagus and cauliflower are a safer bet.
3. Strawberries. Strawberries can carry up to 60 pesticides on their cute red skins, although frozen strawberries often show lower levels.
4. Peaches. Mangoes are a safer option if organic peaches aren’t available.
5. Spinach
6. Lettuce
7. Kale
8. Imported Nectarines. Tangerines are a safer option, if organic nectarines aren’t available.
9. Imported Grapes. Kiwi contains few pesticides and comes in snackable sizes.
10. Bell Peppers
11. Potatoes. Try sweet potatoes for fewer pesticides and a delicious taste!
12. Blueberries. Frozen blueberries are somewhat safer.

Many of you have asked me why I started Smart Life. The essence of this brand stems from my overall approach to health and how my family and I live. Each component is represented in the vibrant, energetic colors of the Smart Life logo, as well as the entire design process behind the brand by TLVD. Hopefully, you’ll feel as vibrant and energetic when living this way, too. Follow the link above to see The Smart Life journey unfold conceptually, much like it will in your own life.

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Fresh + Healthy + Nourishing

The Smart Life logo is shown through primary colors. Their vividness represents the energy found in naturally bright, antioxidant-filled foods that produce those same effects in your body: bold, colorful and high-energy. The soft gradients remind us that the nourishing food plays into other areas in our life, keeping us strong, focused, powerful and happy. Whether it’s fresh organic foods from a variety of food groups, exercise that makes you sweat, or relationships that bring you joy, pursue what feeds you. That’s a Smart Life.

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Natural transformation

Natural and whole foods as they appear in nature, superfoods that change your mind and body, workouts that actually work. No chemicals, gimmicks, tricks, false promises or fads. When you nourish your body with real whole foods, support it with vitamins and minerals found in nature, and stay active every day, change happens gradually and proportionally allowing you to achieve balance.

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Balance

The Smart Life refers to the simple math behind balancing all areas of your life. When all the components of your health — food, fitness and lifestyle — work together in harmony and unison, the result is strength, energy, and vibrancy in perfect proportions. When life is in balance, change happens naturally.

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Cycle of Life

The Cycle of Life is the perfect symbol for our core 6 Months to a Smart Life program. Like the Cycle of Life, you become more vibrant and energetic the longer you stay in the program. We’ve used each month as a milestone, represented in the six golden ratio spirals in a circular arrangement. These reflect the changes you will go through as we work together each week over the course of 6 months, or 24 weeks. And like in nature, you will see your body flourish in response to your efforts.

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Smart + Active + Engaged

When you actively take charge of your health, your mind and body respond. Whether this is upping your workouts, cooking more at home, organizing your kitchen or involving your family in healthy activities, being proactive about health means success. For all of you. This concept is represented in our logo through dimension and depth with abstract highlighting and shadowing. The circular motion and 24 segments show that a Smart Life is about staying engaged and active, not just on the surface, but by making good choices all the time.

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Smart Life’s commitment is to be your personal health champion, showing you exactly what good choices look like and how to make them moment by moment. Whether teaching you proven diet strategies, arming you with new fitness tools, or sharing secrets for balancing work and play, my 6 Months to a Smart Life program will help you learn to live a life you love. Book a FREE one-hour consultation with me today and see how one call can change your life.

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This month, the Smart Life Newsletter includes even more information about making smarter choices about nutrition and lifestyle that will help you live the life you want.  A blog by guest contributor, Doron Kahana, M.D., PCNS, founder of  Center for Digestive Health & Nutritional Excellence, shares with Smart Life readers how Prebiotics and Probiotics boost our immune system, aid digestion, and promote regularity.

This month, I share with Smart Life readers my vision for a Smart Life and how the Smart Life logo, created by TLVD, captures everything about my approach to health coaching.

Looking for tips on getting what you want? Read my blog You Want it? Get Smart and Make it Happen and learn how to set your intention and make your goals a reality.

Two great recipes this month feature my favorite super green, Kale, which is high in fiber, acts as a powerful detoxifier, and is packed with nutrients. Try my Super Healthy Kale Salad and the nourishing fall Kale & Lentil Soup that makes me feel good any time of year.

Did I mention that the early bird catches the free gifts? Be one of the first 10 to sign up for Smart Life’s Monthly Newsletter, and you’ll receive 10% off of your Smart Life Health Coaching program of choice.

By signing up for the Smart Life Newsletter you can receive the latest tips, tricks and tools for weight loss, fitness and overall wellness delivered right to your inbox. In each edition to follow, you’ll find more seasonal recipes, strategies for helping you reach your health goals and the latest information you need to help you live a happier, healthier life you love.

After you’ve read the October Edition of the Smart Life Newsletter, ask questions, send comments, and share your feedback on our Smart Life Facebook page or Smart Life website. The Smart Life Newsletter is designed to be a resource you can truly use to improve your health.

Get it today and get smarter about your life!

Stay healthy,

Ronit

This month I am launching the first Smart Life Newsletter.  The launch edition includes timesaving tips for streamlining your kitchen for your busier fall lifestyle, fun lunch box options for picky eaters (they won’t even know it’s brain food!), on-the-go snacks that are good for you and take minutes to prepare, and a warm seasonal salad so flavorful it can stand alone as a meal (think Meatless Mondays!).

By signing up for the Smart Life Newsletter you can receive the latest tips, tricks and tools for weight loss, fitness and overall wellness delivered right to your inbox. In each edition to follow, you’ll find more seasonal recipes, strategies for helping you reach your health goals and the latest information you need to help you live a happier, healthier life you love.

Did I mention that the early bird catches the free gifts? Be one of the first 10 to sign up for Smart Life’s monthly newsletter, and you’ll receive 10% off of your Smart Life Health Coaching program of choice.

After you’ve read your first edition of the Smart Life Newsletter, ask questions, send comments, and share your feedback on our Smart Life Facebook page or Smart Life website. The Smart Life Newsletter is designed to be a resource you can truly use to improve your health.

Get it today and get smarter about your life!

Enjoy the beginning of Fall and stay healthy,

Ronit