No-Bake Chocolate Power Bites

I'm all about healthy snacking and I've been wanting make these no-bake protein power bites for a while.  They're awesome because I can still get my chocolate fix without sacrificing nutrition.  As a base, I used gluten-free oats and my favorite superfoods powder that's power packed with a lot of my favorite Chinese Herbs, fruits, veggies, and even probiotics. To bring it all together, I used peanut butter and maple syrup, then coated them with hemp, chia, and sesame seeds for more health benefits.This recipe is totally customizable: you can use honey instead of the maple syrup.  Or add some chopped nuts or even shredded coconut.  The possibilities are endless!

If you're like me and want to get healthy and stay healthy, I've got more snacking tips for you:

1.  Plan ahead - 
If you know you have a long day ahead of you, pack your meals and your snacks so you don't make a poor decision when you get hungry.  A couple healthy snacks you can try:

• Nuts like almonds, walnuts or pistachios
• Pre-cut veggies (carrots, celery, zucchini, or cucumber) with hummus
• Pre-cut fruits (apples, pears, etc.) with peanut butter
• Portable fruit - bananas, blueberries, raspberries, or tangerines

2.  Stay hydrated - 

Our bodies are made up of water and when you start to feel hungry, it's usually because you're actually thirsty.  Avoid coffee, sugary, alcohol and caffeinated drinks.  Room temperature water is best because it helps optimize your digestion.  Warm water with lemon in the morning helps alkalize your body.  You can try labeling a bottle with lines to mark your progress through the day.  

3.  Listen to your body - 

Get familiar with your body's signals that it's time to eat again.  It's often more than just a grumble in your belly.  You may notice yourself getting more irritable, tired, or even shaky. When eating, take small bites and chew slowly and pay attention to the filling sensation in your belly.  If you start feeling full, slow down and take a break so you don't overeat.  

4.  Want to take it a step further?  

Take part in one of my online fitness challenges!  I'll provide you with the support and accountability you need, workouts you can do at home or at the gym, meal plans and recipes that will get you to your goals.  As always, my coaching and support is FREE when you enroll in a challenge!  Plus, if you combine acupuncture with your nutrition and fitness plan, you'll have even more benefit.

Get fit, eat well, and feel well with me! Want to get started? - email me at lesley@feelwellacupuncture.com

Enjoy!  

No-Bake Chocolate Power Bites

1 cup gluten-free oats (I used Bob's Red Mill)

1 scoop of my favorite chocolate superfoods powder

1/2 cup maple syrup (can add more if it is still a little dry)

1/2 cup peanut butter

Optional toppings:  

1 tsp each of hemp seeds, chia seeds, sesame seeds, or coconut

Instructions - 

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.  Take a small handful and roll into a small bite-sized balls. Roll in your choice of toppings. Enjoy!

Mostly Organic Nourishing Beef & Kale

Dinner made in a flash! Mostly organic, too! Last night, I had about 30 minutes before I had to leave to pick up my husband at the airport. So I kept dinner simple and used a few of my kitchen staples: 

Gluten-free Barilla Penne Pasta 

Organic Classico Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce 

Organic Ground Beef

Organic Purple Kale (chopped)

Garlic

Olive Oil or Grapeseed Oil

Rosemary, Basil, & Thyme

Salt & Pepper

1. Prepare the pasta as directed. Reserve some of the pasta water to thin the sauce if needed. I've tried a bunch of different gluten-free pastas and Barilla is my favorite. It cooks well (without ending up mushy) and it tastes just as good as wheat pasta. 

2. In a separate pan, add the pasta sauce to warm it up. 

3. Heat your oil of choice in a pan. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add the ground beef. Season with rosemary, thyme, & basil. When the meat is browned and almost cooked through,  season with salt and pepper. Add the chopped kale and sauté until the greens are wilted. If you want to cut the fat, drain off any excess fat before you add the greens. 

**Optional - before adding the kale, take half of the ground beef and add it to the pasta sauce. Add the kale to the remaining portion of ground beef. Double flavored just for kicks. 😋 

4. To the cooked pasta, drizzle with a little bit of olive oil and add the pasta sauce. Add pasta water until you have the desired consistency. 

5. Serve together and enjoy! If you like cheese, try adding some grated Parmesan. 

In Chinese Medicine/Eastern Nutrition: 

Kale - nourishes blood

Beef - perfect for winter, nourishes blood, and benefits for tendons & bones

Garlic - warms and strengthens digestion, moves Qi, inhibits fat synthesis 

I finished making everything in 30minutes!     After sneaking in a couple of bites (a taste test!), I safely sped off to pick up my husband. After a long trip, he was happy to come home to hot homemade meal that we were able to enjoy together. :) 

Easy, simple, & tasty dishes like this help keep me on track with my health. Plus, if I eat well 80% of the time, I can indulge in a little fun for the other 20% (like on special days like Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays 😋). And did I mention that you can also get a great workout done in 30 minutes, too?

I don't know about you, but with the #holidays coming up, I am looking ahead and know that I am pushing forward with my own #health. I want to go into 2016 feeling fabulous, rather than feeling like crap especially after falling into the holiday junk. I've been there, done that and do not want a repeat. 

Do you feel the same? Then join me on my December Holiday Health Challenge! We kickoff the Monday after Thanksgiving! 

📌Email me for sign up instructions. 

Lesley@feelwellacupuncture.com

Nourshing Mushroom Broth Ramen

After a busy day at my acupuncture clinic, I really wanted something nourishing and quick for dinner.  Soup immediately came to mind.  During both undergrad and acupuncture school, I often turned to ramen (unfortunately, the processed version) when I needed a quick (and cheap) meal that was comforting, too. Fortunately, there are healthier versions out there now and I had picked up some gluten-free ramen earlier in the week. This was the perfect time to try it.  

For the broth, I used an easy mushroom broth from Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen as a base. Mushrooms, especially shiitakes, are known for their immune boosting properties. In addition, I added the herbs Huang Qi (Astragalus) and Gou Qi Zi (Go Ji Berries) for some extra Qi and Blood tonification. Bok choy and tofu lightly cooked in the mushroom broth rounded out the meal.  

Mushroom Broth (adapted from Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen)

9 dried shiitake mushrooms

4 cups water

3 grams Huang Qi

3 grams Gou Qi Zi

Ramen 

1 brick gluten free ramen (I used Lotus Foods millet & brown rice ramen)

5 bunches baby bok choy (separated/sliced)

1 package firm tofu (chopped)

soy sauce or gluten-free tamari (to taste)

Optional toppings:  

sliced green onions, sesame seeds, hard boiled egg, seaweed

Directions - 

1.  In a large pot, prepare the mushroom broth as directed in the book. If you're short on time (like I was), I brought the broth to a boil to speed things up. 

2.  While the broth is boiling, blanch the bok choy in the broth and set it aside. Add the tofu so it can absorb the flavor.  Add soy sauce to taste.  

3.  In the meantime, prepare ramen as directed on the package and set it aside. 

4.  In a large bowl, begin assembling the ingredients beginning with the noodles at the bottom.  Layer the bokchoy and tofu on top as well as any other toppings you've chosen.  

5.  Ladle the hot mushroom broth over the ingredients. Enjoy!

Supercharged breakfast! Eggs, Kale, and Potato & Shan Yao Hash

I like to kick it off the day with a good breakfast, especially if I have a busy day at my acupuncture clinic. Usually I'm on the run so I often choose something quick that was prepped a day or two before: a couple boiled eggs, a baked sweet potato topped with nuts & honey, or my favorite superfood shake. Today, I had some extra time so I made something hearty, full of protein for long lasting energy, and tasty too!  

I had some leftover potato & Shan Yao (Chinese mountain yam) hash and thought eggs would go perfect with it. My favorite way to make eggs is sunny-side up or over-medium so that the yolk is still runny and soaks into whatever is under it (rice, potatoes, or toast)...so good!  I also sautéed some kale to go with that runny egg (another favorite since I read an article in Saveur magazine). Lastly I topped my eggs with furikake, a blend of seaweed and sesame seeds. 

Eggs and kale can be prepped however you like, but I wanted to share how I made the potato and yam hash. 

Potato & Shan Yao Hash - 

4 Russet Potatoes ( or any you like ) - cubed 

2 Shan Yao - cubed, about 1.5 - 2 cups

1 Yellow Onion - chopped 

3 Cloves of Garlic - chopped 

Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

Turmeric powder 

Curry powder 

Sauté garlic and onion in olive oil. Add potatoes and Shan Yao. Season with turmeric and curry. Sauté until done. Salt and pepper to taste. Easy! 

Health benefits: 

🍳Eggs - nourish Yin & are packed with protein

🌱Kale - nourishes blood & is rich in Vitamin A and C 

🍠Shan Yao - tonifies Qi & strengthens digestion 

🌾Turmeric - promotes circulation & is anti-inflammatory

#foodheals #foodtherapy #foodporn #foodie #nutrition #ChineseMedicine #acupuncturist #feelwellacu #feelwellacupuncture #sandiego #sdlife #cowlesmountain

Love

Love is of all passions the strongest, for it attacks simultaneously the head, the heart... - Lao Tzu at BrainyQuote

Moxa, Moxa, Moxa

Winter weather finally hit San Diego this past week with cooler temperatures, lots of clouds, and lots of rain!  Naturally, when I came into the clinic on Tuesday, it was mighty chilly!  So I cranked up the heaters and the heat lamps to make sure the clinic was warm and toasty for my clients.

As each client came in, it became apparent that it was also going to be a moxa type of day.  Now, before I get into what moxa, or moxibustion, even is, let's talk about what it's used for in Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture.  To give you an idea, on Tuesday, my clients were coming in with anything from delayed menses, abdominal pain, lower back pain, a bone bruise, nasal congestion, or even just cold hands and feet.

 Moxa is primarily used to warm, circulate Qi and Blood, and even activate an acupuncture point. It's beneficial to use in areas of the body that are cold and stagnant, which often times are the causes for pain and some of the issues I listed above.  Pretty much, just like acupuncture, moxibustion can promote the healing response and the function of an acupoint. It can be used with acupuncture, or often times, by itself.

Now what exactly is moxa?  Moxa is made from the Chinese Herb, Ai Ye, or Mugwort, which functions by promoting Qi and Blood circulation, warming the channels, dispelling cold, and stopping pain.  It can be found in different forms, which dictates how and what it is used for.

Moxa can be packed into a pole that looks much like a cigar or made into a charcoal pole to form the smokeless variety.  Pole moxa is used for warming general areas and is less direct than rice grain moxa.  Rice grain moxa is more direct and specific when used on an acupuncture point.  It is made from the loose variety (pictured on the left).  Loose moxa can also be made into larger cones placed directly on the skin or placed directly on the shaft of a needle.  This leads us to needlehead moxa. The technique involves placing moxa directly onto the needle to allow the heat to vibrate into the body through the needle.   Loose moxa can be used, but there are also types of smokeless or formed moxa, such as the one pictured on the right.

I use all three forms in my practice and had the opportunity to use all three forms throughout the day on Tuesday.  I used pole moxa on the bruised shin bone.  For the other conditions, I used either direct moxa or needlehead moxa.  Here's a video of me making rice grain moxa:

 No matter what form is used, there's always a healing benefit because of it's warming and activating function.  It's really amazing stuff and feels incredible, too!

When I was living in New York City for acupuncture school, my first apartment was quite old and didn't have great insulation (or heating for that matter) against the frigid winter weather.  Pretty much, it was freezing even indoors!  I took out a moxa pole and just started applying it over certain acupuncture points and instantly felt so much warmer from the inside.  Moxa kept the cold out and it definitely helped me get through my first winter there.

Moxa is one of the many tools used by acupuncturists, especially this acupuncturist.

Have you experienced moxibustion or moxa for yourself?

Acupuncture in the Military

Acupuncture is being used in the Military to help with conditions such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Acute and Chronic Pain for combat trauma, and traumatic brain injuries to name a few.

On pins and needles: Navy doctor branches out with deployment medicine - The Globe: Marine Corps News