here's a laundry list of all of its superpowers:

• maca root contains 31 differet minerals and 60 different phytonutrients
  (forget the multi-vitamin in the a.m.)
• maca root creates hormonal balance in the body's endocrine system, which includes the thyroid, pituitary and adrenal glands - it's really amazing that it is able to control these hormonal levels without any hormones of its own!
  (amazing, yes! another way to skip the pharmaceuticals if you need help stabilizing these glands)
  
• maca root boosts fertility in both men and women, thanks to the alkaloids that it contains
  (noted. this will be shared in many random convos with my pals 'working' on the baby thing)
  
• maca root is an adaptogen, helping the body to resist disease and stress
  (yes, please and thanks, i can never have enough help in the stress-fighting department)
• maca root provides sustainable energy, unlike caffeine, it is known to aid in stamina and mental clarity without any highs or lows

my personal observations about maca root:

• it is pale yellow in color
• it has a mild nutty flavor with a hint of butterscotch
• it blends well and easily in smoothies 

here's what to do with it (use 1-2 tablespoons):

• add it to smoothies
• substitute in a little bit of maca root powder in place of flour when baking
• add it to your hot chocolate (maca root combines really well with fats like those in cacao)

if you live in nyc, or another city with lots of health food store options, just look in the superfoods section.  you should find maca root powder next to the chia seeds and cacao powder.  otherwise, check out myojio.com, this powder is the same one i picked up at the store for about $14/lb. 

all in all, $14 isn't so bad for a powder with so many dang magical powers, thank you mother nature.

between the humidity and the heat, i keep my cool (and mainstain my sanity) by steering clear of the stove/oven.  besides i feel better if i keep my food light during these august days.  here's a simple salad that only requires 4 ingredients (ok, and s&p if you like).  make a lot of it, stick it in the fridge and you'll have salad snacks!

mini persian cucumbers - they are smaller and usually come in packs of 6 at trader joe's.  i like their smallness so that you don't loose all of the cucumber 'meat' when you slice 'em like can happen with bigger cucumbers. plus, their diameter is bite-size as is.

watermelon - really any watermelon will do.  this was actually a leftover from a visit with the family and it is a sugarbaby watermelon from a local new jersey farm (hey, we don't grow watermelons in manhattan - or at least i don't).

fresh lime juice - this one is pretty self-explanatory.  roll it around a few times between your counter and the palm of your hand to get it primed for squeezing (aka juicier).

jicama (sounds like Hic-Ka-ma, not jamaica) - this root vegetable looks like a giant potato, but you actually eat it raw.  the texture is a cross between a cucumber and an apple and its flavor is light and watery.  its good trust me.  all you need to do is peel it like a carrot and then slice it up.

and now for the super simple recipe:

what you'll need:

• 2 cups sliced cucumbers
• 2 cups cubed watermelon
• 2 cups cubed jicama
• 1/2 lime
• salt & pepper (if you wish)

what to do:

• cut up the cucumbers, watermelon and jicama into bite-size pieces (all roughly the same size)
• place them in a large bowl
• squeeze lime over them
• add salt & pepper if you'd like - just a sprinkle
• massage (gently toss) the salad with your hands
• enjoy!

i like to make a lot at once so i can have these snack size portions waiting for me in my fridge. and they are light enough to eat before yoga if hunger strikes - but also thirst-quenching post yoga.

this post was inspired by the very fancy food pics and delicious recipes my sis shares on her blog (especially the fork shot).  check her out over at heatheromade.blogspot.com.

she also sent me some wild black rice, which i am excited and a little initimidated by because my cooking weakness is rice - i know that sounds kind of pathetic, but it's the truth - so if anyone out there (sharon included!) has as handy tips on cooking rice - successfully - please share them with me in the comments!

my foodie penpal recipient (the one i sent goodies to this month) is elizabeth (follow her on twitter @Elizanewidomy). she  lives in the south, but asked for some local street 'treats' from nyc like a hot dog or pretzel.  since i didn't think those would make the trip, i got her some locally made condiments including this super cool - and scoopable, spiced ketchup made in nyc (no corn syrup included, just some good ol' suga):

and brooklyn-made relish, a local company that i first taste-tested at the brooklyn flea a couple of years ago (and now they're in whole foods!):

to become a foodie penpals, head over to the theleangreenbean.com.

evernote food, is a great journaling system for keeping track of what you eat and where you eat it.  it is super phone friendly, helps you locate eateries with its search function and allows you to take multiple pics for each meal, which you can then share with your friends (if you choose) in your social media world, or send them an email. 

so if you're looking to eat more consciously and have considered a food diary before, think about making your food diary electronic - it's like instagram with a healthy cause. otherwise it's just plan fun to snap pics of pretty food and journal about them.  you choose.

besides, that app is f.r.e.e. so it's worth a try.

after my first foodie penpal adventure in april, i gave it another go for may!  i received a box of tasty treats from sarah with lots of dried snacks, including chile coated mango strips (sweet and spicy!), plus some spanish and asian inspired trail mixes and some kashi cookies (they didn't last long in my apt...) and a dried black bean soup that i have have yet to taste.

grandma and me/april 2012

the new study in the new england journal of medicine, "Drinking a daily cup of coffee -- or even several cups -- isn't likely to harm your health, and it may even lower your risk of dying from chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease."

and if you're looking for a fun way to enjoy your java chilled, head over to my twin's blog, heather o'made, to learn the spring/summertime secret to the best iced coffee.

super smoothie secrets

super smoothie secrets

super smoothie secrets

tongue twisted yet?  ok now onto the good stuff.  for the healthiest smoothies, make your own!  that way you'll make sure they meet your dietary requests (e.g., nondairy, no sugar), plus there's something fun about liquifying whole foods into something you can drink through a (metal) bendy straw.

frozen fruit  - skip the ice, freeze your fruit instead. not only will your smoothies be more flavorful, but they tend to blend up easier since fruit is a little softer.  go-to fruit options include berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries) and sliced up bananas for non-dairy creaminess.

sweetness sans the refined sugar - if you have a sweet tooth, add either 1-2 dates or some coconut water instead of regular water, plus a dash of sea salt (it helps to bring out the flavor - promise!).

protein for power - if you need a hardier smoothie to satiate to until you get to the next meal time, consider adding some nuts. i opt for organic cashews, which are a softer nut so they blend up easily and creamy.  they do the body good, and even help promote weight loss.

gourmet goodness - for a little extra umph, try sprinkling in baking staples like cinnanmon (helps reduce bloating), nutmeg, and/or vanilla extract.  opt for more is less, try one out at a time versus throwing the whole spice rack in.

the greener the better - add greens to every smoothie. the more green things you add in your daily meals, the better.  if you are not a fan of the green stuff, don't worry, just add the fruit to trick your tastebuds.  smoothie-worthy greens include kale and spinach.  you can venture into other options, but these two are a good starting point, especially if you yourself are 'green' at the smoothie making.

i had actually (to my knowledge) never eaten them before.  a little annoyed that i had mistaken said green stuff for kale and skeptical that maybe i wouldn't like the taste, i forged on with my original plan of salad making.  i'm happy to say i was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed my new greens!  they really spiced up my salad - think romaine meets wasabi - a nice kick in the tastebuds for midday.

then i got to researching to find out what other fantastic gems i could unearth about mustard greens, and here they are:

• cholesterol-lowering superpowers - right behind steamed collard greens and steamed kale.  these steamed greens easily bind bile acid in the digestive tract, thus lowering cholesterol (even more so than eating them raw).
• cancer protection - mustard greens are loaded with glucosinolate content. Glucosinolates are phytonutrients that can be converted into isothiocyanates (ITCs) which have cancer-preventive properties and other unique health benefits.
• nutrient-rich - mustard greens are off the charts (that's super high) in vitamins k, a and c. 

how to eat 'em:

• steam them (perhaps the most obvious).
• use them as your lettuce base in salads (or mix them in with romaine or other greens).
• sauté them with walnuts.
• chop them up and throw them in a pasta salad for some green power & a kick of flavor.

here's how it works:  every month you need to submit that you'd like to participate by the 5th and then you get your penpal for the month a day or two later which you get to send a box of goodies (up to $15) and must get it in the mail by the 15th, then every 30th of the month you post on your blog what you got from your penpal!

the movement has already grown from the first month of about 30 people to over 600 people (just a few months later) and now includes participants in the UK (don't worry you only get a penpal within your country). 

this april, i had the honor of receiving a box from lindsay cotter, a nutrition manager, fitness consultant and the wife of a dude that spends his days competing in triathalons (read: she's amazing!).

i'm not going to lie, when my package arrived i was so super excited (it was like christmas on tax day!).  the fact that i was ravenous and had the bare bones minimum in my cabinets and fridge (read: grocery shopping had gotten knocked down on my priority list that week) heightened my enthusiasm. i immediately started taste testing.

might i add that lindsay has some great handwriting. i love notes/old timey letters and i loved even more that most of the goodies she sent were local from the big lovin' state of texas!

and now for the big reveal.....!

there was so much great stuff packed in the box, i don't know how it all was within the $15 budget! regardless, i'm grateful for the delivery of deliciousness.

here's what i got (in order of my favorites):

1. jalepeno lime pepper by alamo city pepper products - forget the regular sea salt, i have been sprinkling this stuff on everything from salads to toast to tofu!  #officiallyobsessed
2. hail merry blonde macaroons - omg, an amazingly delicious vegan treat with no refined sugar (they're also gluten-free!).
3. texas bbq flavor kale chips by rhythm superfoods - i love me a kale chip and these certainly didn't disappoint.  it was my first go at bbq-seasoned ones, and they were beyond yum!
4. lunchskins - ok this wasn't edible, but lunchskins are adorable reusable snack packs to replace your ziplock baggies, i plan on ordering more!  they also have velcro and are washable.
5. cashew fig carrot bar by thunderbird energetica - i dig the fig and have never actually come across a fig bar (other than the fig newton - which is a cookie, or a cake...). the texture was very real, which made it almost weird since it felt like i was eating an actual dried fig (not bad, just not what i expected).  the bar is from austin and has a compostable wrapper, plus it's all-natural and  handmade -- oh and shaman-blessed (read: super cool).
6. raspberry licorice by panda - thanks to my mom, i've always had a soft spot for licorice, especially the red kinds, and this one did the trick and without any artificial coloring.
7. granola by love grown foods - i received two mini packs of granola, simply oats and sweet cranberry pecan.  they were the perfect nibble-on-the go for me, and just the right amount to add to yogurt.
8. chocolate chunk protein bar by longhorn bar - not one for protein bars, i was pleasantly pleased by this texan treat.  i liked the hint of cinnamon in it and the fact that it didn't have that weird protein-y texture/taste. plus, it saved me from starvation when i had to take breakfast on the run one busy morning in nyc.
9. amazon chocolate by greens organics - a single stick of a powder supplement that's packed with green foods, superfruits, sea veggies and of course amazonia cocoa.  you can mix it with just water for a quick fix.  (note: the reason this appears last is because i have yet to try it myself, but at first glance if looks like a win!)

thanks agin lindsay and lindsay!!!! looking forward to the next round in may!  stay tuned...