Veg Vag: Your Diet and Your Sex Drive

Veg Vag: Your Diet and Your Sex Drive

What is the link between diet and libido? This is the question that was posed by two friends of mine on a recent road trip to Tahoe.  Well, to be fair, the question wasn't exactly presented in those terms.  My friend turned to me and said, "You'd be so proud of me.   I feel incredible, [...]

Autumn’s Maple Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

Autumn’s Maple Chocolate Chip Banana Bread

It is officially winter.  The leaves haven't changed and the sun hasn't gone into hiding, but the chill air means that winter has hit the bay area. Now I am not a summer baker, but once fall comes around I become queen of lazy Sunday baking.  I prepare all of the ingredients and as my [...]

Mussels, Vanadium, and a Bed of Mache Rossettes

Mussels, Vanadium, and a Bed of Mache Rossettes

  You don't often hear the mineral Vanadium thrown about with regards to food.  Vanadium to most is an obscure transition metal on the periodic table, not something dietary along the lines of calcium or iron.  Vanadium is not an essential mineral, meaning our bodies don't rely on Vanadium to perform functions such as blood clotting (calcium [...]

Garlicky Quinoa with Chicken Sausage

Garlicky Quinoa with Chicken Sausage

Quinoa has been hailed as a miracle food because it  is a complete protein.  This means it contains all the essential amino acids at adequate levels.  Most plants are not complete proteins and must be combined with other things in order to obtain all of the amino acids your body needs to function properly; however, [...]

Caponata Siciliana and Why You Should Join the Eggplant Fan Club

Caponata Siciliana and Why You Should Join the Eggplant Fan Club

3 Reasons to Eat More Eggplant Eggplant is rich in essential nutrients.  It is a source of fiber, potassium, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, iron, and magnesium. Eggplant contains flavonoids known as anthocyanins which have been proven to play a major role in lowering risk of cardiovascular disease. Eggplant is ranked among the top [...]

Is Alcohol Both a Stimulant and a Depressant?

Is Alcohol Both a Stimulant and a Depressant?

The other day I was drinking with a bunch of friends and discussing the effects of alcohol, and one such friend tried to convince me that hard alcohol differs from wine and beer  not only in alcohol content but also in that it acts as a stimulant rather than a depressant.  This rang slightly off, but I [...]

Building a Healthy Relationship with Food and Your Body

Building a Healthy Relationship with Food and Your Body

You've just finished a huge Thanksgiving meal. Some of you are stuffed to nauseous status, others are stuffed to guilty status. Now I'm going to speak to the guilty feeling folks right now:  Stop feeling guilty.  Accept it for what it is. If you're feeling extremely full, go on a family walk, or just pass [...]

Coconut Oil: The Good, The Bad, and Everything In-between

Coconut Oil:  The Good, The Bad, and Everything In-between

Please note: This post was written three years ago, and there may be more current research on coconut oil. There is a great divide between holistic medicine and western medicine, and the same can be said for the study of nutrition.  Disagreements are often made on food groups, and one such example under debate is [...]

The Great Gluten Debate

The Great Gluten Debate

Please Note:  This post was written over three years ago, and there is more current research that has been published on both FODMAPs and Gluten Sensitivity. As I was sitting at dinner with my parents the other night, I wondered at the strange texture of the pasta we were eating.  I asked my father, the [...]

10 Best Foods to take Car Camping

10 Best Foods to take Car Camping

Glamping: glam-camping.  Camping with gourmet food and accommodations to match. No more boxed mac n' cheese and stove top brownies, not that that doesn't sound appealing.  These ten foods will take your glamping experience to the next level. 1. Wine: Takes your glamping experience to the next level.  Just make sure to match your intake [...]