Whats in your fridge?! | Refrigerator and Pantry Makeover

Is your fridge and pantry packed with junk food and unhealthy snacks?

Are you overwhelmed and not sure where to begin to buy nutritious foods that help you feel fantastic?

Do you need help organizing your fridge and pantry, making healthy cooking at home easy, convenient, and fun?

A healthy diet and lifestyle begins at the grocery shop and in the kitchen. 

Submit a picture of your fridge and pantry to win a free personalized grocery store tour and fridge and pantry makeover where Olivia will accompany you to your local market and help you choose rich, nutritious foods. And of course, help you identify the foods to avoid. Olivia will help you discover what foods to keep in stock so you can create simple, healthy, affordable and easy-to-make meals any time.  Together, you will work with Olivia to find lasting, innovative solutions that work best for you and your family. 

Please send all submissions to olivia.napoli@gmail.com

LIV Lentil Soup | Healthy Dinner Recipe

Leeks were a highlight vegetable this week at the farm. Lots of my clients are unsure of how to cook with them, and I urge them that they are a great vegetable to add to soups. They enhance the flavorful onion flavor and nutritional benefits. My mom makes lentil soup every fall. This soup is hearty, delicious, and loaded with iron. In addition, the amount of protein found in lentils is up to 35%, which is comparable to red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products.  They are great for improved digestion, diabetes control, combatting cancer, weight-loss and great for pregnant women as a steady energy source.

The possibilities are endless with this recipe. You can also add dollop of crème fraiche in addition to the olive oil for a creamy finish.My mom also likes to add in grilled Italian chicken sausage, or pre-cooked kale/spinach swirled in for added nutritional value.  I love making a big batch of this soup on a Sunday afternoon, and have a healthy dinner ready to heat up all week long.

Ingredients

·  2 yellow onions diced

·  ½ bunch of celery diced

·  10 diced carrots

·  3 leek stalks diced

·  1 lb of French lentils

·  4 cups of chicken broth

·  1 can of fire roasted tomatoes (I like Muir Glen Organic Crushed Tomatoes Fire Roasted)  

·  ½ cup tomato paste

·  2 bay leaves

·  1 tsp Thyme

·  ½ cup of good Italian olive oil

Directions

1. Saute onions, celery, carrots and leeks in large sauce pot with olive oil. Sauté until onions are translucent, about 15 minutes

2. Add lentils, chicken broth, can of fire roasted tomatoes, bay leaves and thyme to pot. 

3. Simmer for 1 ½  hours. After, take off heat and serve in bowls with drizzle of olive oil.

LIV Healthy Breakfast Recipe | Vegetable Fritatta with Zuchinni

By eating a hearty breakfast, you’ll give your metabolism a jumpstart and be in better control of your cravings. When we miss this important meal, we are more likely to engage in mindless snacking and overcompensating for any calories “missed” by skipping breakfast. After your healthy serving of greens in LIV Vibrant Green Smoothie, it’s important to get a good dosage of protein and healthy fats to keep you full and satiated throughout the morning. Eggs are a great breakfast, and have been coined the “perfect food,” loaded with vitamins, minerals, high quality proteins and good fats.

What I love is making a breakfast vegetable “fritatta” which is an egg based Italian dish - similar to an omelette or crustless quiche, by combining eggs, cheese, leftover vegetables in a large skillet.  The fritatta can be cut into 6 or 8 pieces, and voila, you have a high quality breakfast for the next four days.

 My Mom and I made this vegetable frittata after getting home from the farm on a hot Sunday in August. Since it was August, my dad and I picked fresh zuchinni and tomatoes for this recipe. But the beauty of this recipe is that it can be made year-round with different seasonal ingredients. In the spring we use mushrooms or asparagus, and in the fall or winter we use squash, eggplant, broccoli or cauliflower.

Ingredients

·      1 yellow onion, finely diced

·      3 small zucchini finely chopped into circle shaped discs

·      3 beefsteak or heirloom tomatoes cut into ½ inch discs, lightly salted on each side

·      6 eggs

·      One container of 16 oz ricotta cheese

·      ½ cup pecorino romano grated cheese

·      ½ tsp sea salt

·      ½ tsp pepper

·      ¼ tsp crushed red pepper

·      ½  bunch finely chopped mint

·      ½ cup finely chopped basil

·      1 small sized block of Tellegio or Fontina cheese, chopped into ¼ inch strips. If you can’t find these Italian cheeses, grated cheddar or monteray jack are also very good

Directions

·      Add chopped onions and zucchini to large skillet and sauté until lightly browned

·      Meanwhile, in mixing bowl, add ricotta cheese, grated pecorino romano cheese, whisked eggs, crushed red pepper, salt and pepper and mix thoroughly

·      Take skillet off stove and add mixture covering onions and zuchinni

·      Carefully fold in tellegio or fontina cheese strips to cooking mixture so they are fully covered

·      Add, sliced tomatoes, mint, and basil evenly over top and place on stove again for 10 minutes

·      After 10 mins, place skillet in oven and broil till browns on top. Take out of stove, let cool for 10 mins and serve. 

Healthy Thanksgiving Side Dish Recipes | Easy and Delicious

My favorite holiday is upon us! Thanksgiving. It’s a time family can get together and express gratitude for the abundance and love in their life. What a beautiful thing.  Not to mention the food… YUM.

Of course turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing is served at almost every thanksgiving. But how can you jazz up the sides with local fresh produce from your grocery store or farmers markets?  I’ll show you how. Here’s my mom’s take on Thanksgiving sides using local vegetables my family sources from New England and beyond –whole, healthy foods, and simply delicious! 

 

BAKED FENNEL 

This is one of my favorite thanksgiving dishes. My mom made a small tray this past thanksgiving, but it was gone after only a few family members went through the line.  So savory, salty, healthy and delicious. 

Ingredients

·      3 bulbs fennel

·      ¼ cup white wine

·      1 stick melted butter

·      ½ cup chicken broth

·      ¼ cup of olive oil

·      1 cup of breadcrumbs

·      1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

·      Fresh ground pepper

 Directions

1. Steam fennel bulbs in large pot, cook half way through. Not all the way as they will cook more later.

2.  Cut fennel in quarters (if large bulbs, cut in 6). Make nice wedges, about the size of a tangerine. Line each fennel wedge cut side up in rows in large casserole or gratin dish.

3. Add white wine, ½ cup chicken broth, and 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter to casserole dish. Bake covered for 20 minutes at 350 degrees. Take out, remove foil.

4. Mix breadcrumbs, the rest of the melted butter, parmigiano-reggiano cheese, pepper, and sprinkle mixture on top. Cook at 400 degrees uncovered for 20 minutes until it’s crusted on the top. Serve warm.

CAULIFLOWER AND COOKED SPINACH IN LIGHT CREAM SAUCE

Ingredients

·      2 – 3 large cauliflower heads

·      8 cups of spinach

·      1 ½ stick of butter,

·      3 TBSP all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour is even better)

·      2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese

·      3 cups whole milk

·      3 grates of fresh nutmeg

·      1 cup italian breadcrumbs (gluten free varieties are also fine)

·      1 cup grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

Directions

·      Bring salted water to boil, add spinach and cook for about 3-5 minutes. Let cool, and drain, and squeeze all the water out with hands, removing most of the moisture. Cut larger stalks out, and chop coarsely into smaller pieces. Set spinach aside.

·      Steam cauliflower in large pot until halfway cooked. De-rib and cut cauliflower into small florets (the size of tangerines roughly).

·      Add thin layer of EVOO to bottom of medium casserole dish, and

line up cauliflower florets in even rows.

·      Meanwhile, make the cream sauce.  Add one stick of butter to sauce pan. Add flour, mixing thoroughly with whisk to make a rue. When well congealed, add two cups of grated sharp cheddar cheese, and stir so that it’s thoroughly melted, this should take a 1-2 minutes to melt. Add spinach and 3 cups of whole milk. Continue stirring with a whisk until thick on moderate heat. Finally grate some nutmeg and remove from heat

·      Pour evenly over cauliflower in casserole dish

·      Toast some breadcrumbs in ½ stick butterin small sauté pan. Once lightly toasted, add to top of cauliflower.

·      Finally finish with grated parmigiano reggiano cheese. Add evenly over entire casserole dish and bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

PARSNIP AND APPLE PUREE 

This is a nice change (or addition) to traditional mashed potatoes! The apple and parsnip combination is sweet yet savory, smooth and velvety, and a great flavor compliment to turkey.

Ingredients

·      5 cups coarsely chopped parsnips

·      3 tablespoons unsalted butter

·      2 granny smith apples, peeled and coursely chopped

·      ½ cup sour cream

·      ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

·      Salt and freshly ground pepper

·      ½ cup chicken broth

Directions

·      Place parsnips in large saucepan. Cover with salted water and bring to boil. Cook for 15 minutes and simmer until tender.

·      While parsnips are cooking, melt the butter in small skillet over low heat. Add apples and sauté for 7 minutes until soft.

·      Process parsnips and apples in food processor, blend until smooth, Add the sour cream, allspice, salt, pepper. Blend until smooth. Serve warm.

SWEET POTATOES WITH BROWN SUGAR  

My mom makes the best thanksgiving sweet potatoes and I think its because she has a tried and true recipe with a secret ingredient, wait for it… yes, fresh squeezed orange juice.  This flavor combination is melt in your mouth.

Ingredients

·      6 medium sized sweet potatoes (yams)

·      2 cups orange juice

·      1/2 cup brown sugar

·      1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice

·      4 Tbsp butter, melted

·      2 -3 grates of nutmeg

Directions

·      Preheat oven to 350. Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 1 ½  -2 inch rounds, arrange in a single layer in large glass casserole dish.

·      In small mixing bowl, add 1 ½ cup orange juice, ½ cup of brown sugar, ½ stick of butter melted, nutmeg. Mix thoroughly and pour over sweet potatoes, cover with aluminum foil and cook at 350 for 40 minutes.

·      Turn and baste after 20 mins. Return to oven without aluminum foil until browned, glazed and delicious.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

Harvesting Cabbage with my Dad - Thanksgiving 2016

Grocery Store Nutrition Shopping Tips | How to Makeover Your Pantry

90% of Americans shop in supermarkets, and since 1980, child obesity has tripled. Usually it’s the stuff in the middle of the store, the processed junk we’ve been marketed to all of our lives. Of course we crave that because we’ve been subconsciously brainwashed into thinking that’s what we need. Wrong. Chances are you were raised on this diet and it’s been wreaking havoc on your body ever since.

I’m not sure about you but in my family, when we started incorporating natural foods, fruits, vegetables, we became more aware, our head, heart and mind opened. We had more energy, higher cognition, better performance, we were happier.  Our bodies thanked us over and over again. I want this for you too, that’s why I’m giving you my top tips on how to shop for optimal nutrition. Here they are:

Shop on Periphery of Store

In a typical grocery store, all the fresh stuff is usually on the periphery on the store. I always urge my clients to "eat the rainbow." Look for colorful enzyme-rich fruits & veggies, lean proteins, low carbohydrate foods, good starches (think brown rice, sweet potato, quinoa), healthy fats (raw nuts, avocado, olive oil).

Avoid processed junk

In nutrition school, we were taught not to buy foods with a nutrition label. An apple or a peach doesn’t have a label, because these are whole foods that are good for our bodies. My general rule of thumb is to be wary of any product that contains large amounts of added sugar, high fructose corn syrup, sodium, trans fat (hydrogenated vegetable oils), added chemicals that you cant read, commercial dairy, and anything GMO. The good news is that after intense consumer lobbying, most food packages will be required to carry a symbol or label indicating whether the food contains genetically modified ingredients (passed by President Obama July 2016).  Start to become aware of these ingredients, and add less of them to your cart.

Go with a List and Don’t Go Shopping Hungry

This will help you stay focused, structure meals, get a good balance of nutrition, and stay organized for the next week. Plus you wont be throwing unnecessary items in your cart – hint, the processed stuff!

Shop with a Smaller Cart

A smaller cart will help you to be hyper focused and re-think purchasing decisions. In addition, you won’t be overbuying perishable items. (Tip - the longer produce is stored in your fridge, the more nutrient loss occurs).

Buy Local

I cant say enough great things about buying local. Look for seasonal farmer's markets in your town and the "local section" of your primary grocery store. You’re getting the freshest possible produce, it’s less expensive, you are reducing your carbon footprint, and you are eating foods that are energetically indigenous to your are, which is what your body intuitively craves. This is a winning combination.

Connecting with Mother Nature | Top Three Healing Benefits

Nothing soothes my soul faster than time spent communing with Mother Nature. When I would get home from a stressful day at the office, and my head was pounding, my body was sore, and my stomach was in knots, I couldn’t wait to lie under my favorite tree near the reservoir for a half hour. After some time, my body started to unwind, my stress levels dissipated, and a feeling of relaxation and euphoria that I couldn’t find anywhere else swept over me.

I read somewhere that the earth vibrates at a frequency of eight hertz, when we walk in natural areas, our bodies resonate with and absorb this vibrational energy, which provides a feeling of harmony and relaxation.

That’s what was happening, and I was hooked. Connecting with earth’s energy was the only thing that would bring me back to neutral and feel whole again.

In today’s modern society, we sometimes forget to reconnect with our roots (literally).  Below are some of the healing benefits you can experience by spending quality time in nature:

Rebalance your Soul

We are from the earth and connecting with earth’s energy is crucial for our health. Whether its 30 minutes of grounding walking in the grass, a quick dip in the ocean or lake, a walk through the woods, by reconnecting to gaia’s rhythm you are rebalancing everything – your body, chakras, aura, ions, natural circadian rhythms. everything. Spend 30 minutes in nature at least 3 times a week for optimal happiness and wholeness.

Heal your Mind, Body

Most of us are in front of electronic devices 24/7. This can be very detrimental over time.  A quick hike in nature or walk in the park can start to remediate some of these harmful effects. Your body is getting buckets of fresh air, vitamin D from the sun, and negative ions from the earth.  A stroll outdoors can improve brain function, promote a positive frame of mind, and increase creativity and concentration.  In addition, spending time outdoors can heal Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), which is caused by staring at screens for a long period of time.

Last, but certainly not least, exercising outdoors can also recharge your exercise routine when the gym is just plain stale. Working out outdoors is said to burn more calories, and give us a better workout.

Find your Truth and Live an Authentic Life 

Albert Einstein said “Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”

In life, we’re all on a journey of self discovery. Why am I here? What is my purpose?  It’s human nature to want to grow, learn, and evolve. Spending time alone in nature meditating or practicing deep rhythmic breathing, you’re more likely to quiet your mind (your ego) and listen to your heart (your soul or authentic self). Your heart is where your authentic self lives – what you love, what makes you whole, what sets your soul on fire.  In our society we’ve been trained to service the mind, not the heart. And as a result, many of us are missing that depth and living lives that are not fulfilling or authentic. 

I’ve found that instead of seeking guidance externally, look inward and connect with ourselves and our intuition first. You already have all the answers you need, you just need to retreat, and carefully listen. Being in the presence of nature magnifies our ability to listen, expands our consciousness, and helps us find creative solutions that will help us live a deep authentic life.   Because, when we are true to ourselves, that is when we ultimately feel rich.

LIV Green Goddess Kale and Romaine Salad with Lemon | Recipe

My brother made this in Welfleet Bay, Cape Cod last week as a side dish to fresh baked halibut. It was outstanding. Packed with greens, nutrients, and antioxidants, you’re body will thank you after.

Ingredients

·      One large bunch of finely chopped kale

·      One large head of romaine lettuce, finely chopped

·      5 large carrots shredded

·      4 radishes cut into finely chopped disks

·      2 beets finely diced

·      1 avocado, cleaned and finely diced

·      1 green apple finely diced

·      1 plum finely diced

·      3 TBSP of fresh lemon juice

·      ½ cup good quality Italian olive oil

·      3 TBSP cup of good quality balsamic vinegar (I like the thick syrupy kind, my favorite brand is Gemma Nera from Italy).

·      1 garlic clove finely minced

·      1/2 TSSP sea salt

·      1 TSSP fresh ground pepper

Directions

1.    Add kale, lemon juice and salt to large mixing bowl and gently massage with hands. This will help tenderize and break down the fibrous structure of kale, which will make eating a lot easier.

2.    Once kale is tenderized, add the rest of the chopped vegetables and fruit to mixing bowl.

3.    Once vegetables are combined, make the dressing. Combine 3 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper, ½ cup of olive oil.

4.    Lastly, add dressing to salad and mix thoroughly until salad is evenly coated. Serve immediately.

Mangia!

LIV Vibrant Green Smoothie © | Recipe

Do you want to lose weight or trim belly fat?

Do you want glowing skin, hair and nails?  

Do you want to boost your energy and mood in the morning naturally?

Greens are the most nutrient dense foods on the planet. They help to maintain our internal rainforest and cleanse our bodies and cells on the highest level. I drink a green smoothie every morning to look and feel my best.  It helps kick off my day with an nutrient-rich energy boost, and helps detox my body before I eat anything else.  In fact, days that I skip when I'm traveling or staying at a friends house, my body and cells are aching for this smoothie.  A green smoothie in the morning really does make all the difference in our physical and mental health. Benefits include clearer skin, brighter eyes, reduced body fat, higher energy levels, and a boosted mood.  Very excited to share with you!

INGREDIENTS

1.     6 cups of chopped spinach (1 medium bunch)

2.     2 cups of chopped kale (traditional or Tuscan - about 1 small bunch)

3.     1/3 fresh bunch of parsley

4.     1 stalk of celery roughly chopped

5.     1 medium apple cored and coarsely chopped

6.     ½ cup blueberries

7.     ½ cup of strawberries or raspberries

8.     1 banana

9.     ½ lemon freshly squeezed

10.   2 cups filtered water

DIRECTIONS

Wash all ingredients first in cool water, removing any dirt or pesticides (if not organic). Then, add all ingredients to blender pulse until smooth.  You can use either Vitamix which fits all ingredients in one batch, or try halving/thirding the recipe to fit in Nutribullets or smaller single serving blenders. The nutritional density diminishes as time goes on, so I try to drink right away or same day.