Category: diet

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Sigara borek (Turkish filo pastry cigar)

One of my favorite Turkish dishes! The name sigara borek means cigarette pastry because of the shape. The mint and feta cheese combine for a refreshing and tasty treat. Whenever I performed at the Turkish restaurant in Delray Beach, they would let me wrap and make my own boreks. Of course I also made mine too fat and instead of looking like a cigarette, they looked like cigars!

Ingredients
Makes: 6 Turkish sigara borek

  • 150g feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1 tablespoon dried mint
  • 1/2 tablespoon chilli powder
  • chopped fresh coriander or parsley, to taste
  • 3 sheets filo pastry
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons oil

Method
Prep:20min  ›  Cook:8min  ›  Ready in:28min 

  1. Neatly lay the three filo sheets out on a work surface, one on top of the other. Make one clean diagonal cut across the pastry to form 6 triangles.
  2. In a bowl, combine the feta cheese, mint, chilli powder and fresh coriander. Mix well, mashing the ingredients together.
  3. One at a time, spread 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture in the middle of the pastry in a line but a bit towards the long side of the triangle pastry. Fold the sides in and then start to roll the pastry like you would roll a cigarette.
  4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat then add the sigara boreks into the pan. Once one side is golden brown, continue turning until evenly brown all over. Remove from the pan and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper. Blot away any excess oil then serve hot.
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Chickpeas Recipe

Chickpeas are high in phytoestrogens, easy to make and delicious!

What you will need:

1 cup chickpeas (soaked overnight)

4 cups water

Pinch of sea salt

Immerse chickpeas in a bowl of cold water. Shells and broken parts will float to the top and can be picked out by hand. Rinse and then cover the chickpeas with fresh water. Soak overnight.

Transfer the chickpeas and water to a large saucepan. Bring the chickpeas to a boil, then cover and simmer until the chickpeas are tender, approximately 90 minutes. The fresher the beans, the quicker they will cook.

Use cooked chickpeas sprinkled on salads, in stews, in hummus, or mixed in with grains.

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Eat Your Water! Top 3 Foods for Hydration

Not a huge fan of drinking 8 glasses of water a day? Then do I have the solution for you! Eat your water. And here are my top 3 choices with a bonus of course that I personally can’t eat because of food sensitivities and allergies but if you can, go for it.

1. CUCUMBERS! Cucumbers are 96% water and only 16 calories. A cucumber is actually more hydrating than a glass of water so perfect to replenish after dance class or a workout. You will also get 4% of your daily requirement of potassium, 3% of your fiber, and 4% of your vitamin C. That means cucumbers are also filling and can help with your weight loss goals.

2. SPINACH! Spinach is also 92% water and only 7 calories for one cup of raw spinach. Spinach is loaded with vitamin A, giving you 56% of your daily requirement.

3. WATERMELON! Watermelon is 92% water and only 85 calories per serving. You also get 8% of your daily requirement of potassium, 4% of your fiber, and 3% protein.

4. STRAWBERRIES! Strawberries are 92% water and only 4 calories per strawberry. High in vitamin C giving you 11% of your daily requirement

And there you have it! Adding these foods to your diet, will keep you full and help meet your daily hydration needs.

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Top 3 Foods to Prevent Hormonal Headaches

From the moment I turned 30, I started experiencing debilitating headaches right before my menstrual cycle. My gynecologist suggested I stop having periods. 🙄 That seemed weird and somehow not the best solution. So I began a search for the reason and a better method of preventing them. The reason for the headaches is the sudden drop of the hormones estrogen and progesterone right before menstruating. So the better option for me? Loading up on estrogen rich foods seemed like a better strategy. When I get busy with life and forget to do that, I am immediately reminded why estrogen rich foods are so important in my diet.

Here are my top 3 choices and a bonus for those who can.

1. FLAXSEED these seeds are a superfood often referred to as the richest source of phytoestrogens and just 2-3 tablespoons capable of keeping healthy normal estrogen levels

2. NUTS Pistachios, Walnuts and Peanuts are your best choices. They are rich in Phytoestrogens and also rich in heart healthy Omega-3 fatty acids and proteins

3. MOONG BEAN SPROUTS Not only high in phytoestrogens, but also high in iron, folate, vitamin-B complex and fiber

4.BONUS SOY PRODUCTS. I include these as a bonus because I cannot personally eat soy but if you can, they are packed with phytoestrogens and can be easily added to your diet. Soy milk, tofu, and soy nuts

Photography Robert Swinson

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Top 3 Skin Aging Foods to Avoid

You are what you eat. And your skin suffers along with your waistline when you give it these top three villains of the anti aging cause.

1. SUGAR – first on our list is sugar. That seemingly innocent and delightful sweetener we all love is actually damaging your collagen. Whaaat?! You say. How? You say. We all know how important collagen is to keeping our skin firm, lifted and tight. Well when you eat sugar, it binds to the collagen proteins in your skin. This binding creates molecules called advanced glycation endproducts, or, AGEs. These AGEs damage collagen.

2. PROCESSED MEATS – Bacon, cured meats, and pepperoni are loaded with sodium. And sodium leads to water retention which show up as under eye bags and carrying excess weight.

3. ALCOHOL – All alcohol is super dehydrating which means your skin will look less plump and fresh. It also generates free radicals which contributes to the aging of skin.

There you have it! My top three enemies of collagen and beautiful, youthful skin!!! Avoiding these foods will make your skin look great, your waistline trim and your heart healthier.

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My 3 Favorite Foods to Get More Collagen in Your Diet

South Florida Fitness Model

As we grow older, our natural collagen production slows down. Collagen is what keeps our skin firm and supple and when this production starts slowing down in our mid 20’s we start to see the visible Effects, fine lines and wrinkles. Instead of Botox, injections or other expensive invasive procedures, look no further than your refrigerator!

Top 3 Collagen Producing Foods

1. Bone Broth! This is a must. Bone broth actually contains a bio available form of collagen your body can use immediately. Know your broth. Beef bone broth is best for your skin, while chicken bone broth is best for your joints

2. Chlorella! Chlorella, a single-celled algae, is nature’s version of retinol only in pill form. Chlorella contains RNA and DNA which give our cells instructions such as cellular repair and regeneration

3. Eggs! Chicken eggs contain collagen in the yolk and eggshell membranes and are rich in sulfur which is required for collagen production. And great for joint health

Remember whenever possible, Whole Foods are better sources for your body than supplements which are usually difficult to absorb.