Clean Indian Food in Santa Monica

Jeffrey and I wanted to celebrate finding a new puppy today and go out for a pre Valentines dinner since the cost and going out that night is prohibitive.  We were running some errands near Main Street and the sign for Dhaba caught Jeffrey’s eye.

“I really feel like Indian food.”  I previously blogged about Dhaba restaurant takeout in my SELF blogs and had wanted to try it again so I thought “why not?”

The restaurateurs’ could not be friendlier.  If you want a great vibe of fun, friendliness and tasty food go to Dhaba.  You can order things a la carte or as a dinner.  We decided to order a la carte for the blog to try the more items.

We ordered an appetizer of hummus with cucumber/tomato/onion combo and some naan.  The hummus was different than traditional Middle Eastern hummus – thinner but just as tasty and went well with the vegetable dish.  I had a few bites of naan but it really was fine without it if you are avoiding bread/gluten.

We then ordered channa masala (garbanzo beans with onion/tomato curry/ginger), the special of the day, which was Kale with garlic/radish, and tikka masala (chicken tikka in onion/tomato curry).

The channa masala was my favorite – the combo of spices and beans is amazing and kills the appetite fairly quickly if you are looking to eat less.  I’m passing this along as a good thing since eating less is always challenging.

The Kale was a nice change from regular west side kale salad – quite spicy and filling.  The tikka masala chicken was just the right balance of protein with veggies and spices.  I had some chai tea, which had a wonderful taste and is a tad sweet but goes well with the balancing the spices.

I noticed a family which had ordered the dinner combinations and they reminded me of the “lunch box” look you get when you order at a Japanese restaurant – a fun combo of a lot of different things on the menu.

I would definitely recommend Dhana as a great “Clean Eating” Indian restaurant to add to your list to try.  They have organic local produce from the Farmer’s markets and use mostly organic meats.

My rating system is below and these are the numbers.

1. Clean Food (sampled) – 4.5

2. Clean Space – 5

3. Friendly Staff – 5+

4. Balanced proportions of protein/carb/fat – 4

5. No Food Hangover – 4.5

Dhana got a 4.6/5

Weight Loss Season?

Many of my clients have heard me talk about this – there IS a weight loss season.  And I am not talking about swimsuits and beaches.

About 10 years ago I noticed most of my clients losing weight and eating healthfully from the months of March through the end of October. 

Then something happens.

In November the days get shorter, the weather is colder (even in California), the holidays are upon us and the body starts to hibernate and want to “hold on.”  There is something about the chill in the air that causes us to want more warm “comfort” food.

People aren’t as focused, SAD (seasonal affect disorder) is in full gear and eating healthfully and getting enough exercise becomes more challenging.

We are not bears but somehow the body is not as geared towards letting go and being able to change. 

I do believe seasons affect us more than we realize.

My philosophy is this:  concentrate on losing weight from March to October – eat as “clean” as you can and get as much exercise/activity as your schedule will allow for.

During the winter months, keep as close to your food plan as you can with as much exercise as is reasonable to keep your weight stable.  Stability is the key for the winter.  Change is hard, even in the body and honoring the challenges of the season is important.

This is not a get out of jail free card for eating hot fudge sundaes but just the reality of needing to give the body the dignity of change or not for the season to season time of year.

George, Hope and Compassion

The reason I’ve been MIA the last 2 weeks is my 18 year old cat George.  He’s been my longest relationship, my buddy, and has been with me through all the challenges and hardships I’ve had for almost 2 decades.

He loves life, is referred to as a “dog cat” since he acts more like a dog than a cat by playing fetch when he was young to running to the door when a visitor arrives.  He’s had health challenges – kidney problems and thyroid issues and a small heart murmur- but for the most part he’s been a pretty healthy cat.

By nature my constitution is about hope.  I always hold hope for clients, life, and myself in general.  The hardest moments of my life were when someone close to me committed suicide and it cut to the core of who I am – there was no hope for that person any longer.

George is dying.  Because he loves life he’s holding on.  I’ve been in a quandary about what to do.  He’s lost a lot of weight and doesn’t want to eat much yet fluctuates between wandering around the house looking to see what’s going on to sleeping most of the day.  Last night I found him in the bathtub (he sometimes likes to go there) licking up the drops, although his water bowl was full.

Where do you draw the line between hope and compassion?  I’m hoping he just falls asleep and I don’t need to make a decision but maybe I’m mistaken.  Maybe I have wishful thinking.

I’m writing this blog in hopes to come to reconcile what to do –if anything and I welcome comments.

My hope for the world may be getting in the way of what to do for George but I think that’s what makes me successful with helping to create change in others – hope vs. compassion – and thanks for listening to my words each week.

Appendum:

George went to kitty heaven a day after I wrote this - he deteriorted the next 24 hours and I had to put him down.  He played with his ice cubes beforehand and then looked at me knowing he was ready.  Thanks for all who wrote.

A Tour of My Favorite Foods

A few weeks ago one of my many favorite clients asked  “why don’t you blog about things you like?”  So here are a few things I frequently recommend, some of which you may already know.  I currently do not receive any type of compensation from any of these companies.

Nut Butters:

I do think nut butters are my favorite food – peanut butter and cashew butter in particular.  Making your own with the Vita-mix is the best option but if you don’t have one my favorite brand of peanut butter is Crème Nut made by a small company in Michigan.  My favorite cashew butter, which I recently discovered is Artisana – pure dessert on a spoon.

Tea:

I drink a lot of green tea and decided the bagged was just not satisfying enough.  I splurged and bought the Art of Tea one day and have not looked back - ordering off their web site is much more economical than buying it at Whole paychecks as Jeffrey calls it.  I recently bought the Eisai’s Choice Sencha Green Tea and the Holiday Berry Green Tea, which is currently on sale.  Mixing them together is the perfect combination.

Dark Chocolate:

I’ve tasted dark chocolate from all over the world and some of my clients have brought some from far away places.  Seems like I am always trying new brands.  A few weeks back I bought Green and Black 85% and was blown away by how rich and smooth it tasted.  I highly recommend a few squares a day for those flavonoids which lower inflammation in the body.

Cocoa:

A few years back I discovered Marie Belle and have not found anything comparable since.  Lower sugar dark chocolate cocoa, which mixes easily with milk for a great satisfying cup of hot chocolate.  They ship from New York but now you can buy from Williams-Sonoma to save on shipping.

“Faux” Crackers:

One of my clients introduced me to Skinny Crisps and I have not found anything comparable.  Gluten-free “crackers” made of almonds, flax seeds, and olive oil (something you never see in a cracker).  My favorite flavors are Plain Jane, White Sesame and Seeded.  A great substitute for bread or when you need to nosh on something.  They go well with cheese, guacamole and hummus.

I’ll save the rest for a future blog.  Enjoy!

Internal Desires Outlast those New Year’s Resolutions

As I was cleaning out my old files yesterday, tucked under the old folders, was a neatly typed out list of New Year’s Resolutions for 2010.  About half of them had been checked off and a few more had been done leaving about one-third of them for a later date.

I did not make resolutions last year and this year I’ve been pondering how to do things differently to make lasting changes.

Most New Year’s resolutions are external changes such as “I want to eat less” or “lose weight” or “get organized with x,y, or z.”  However, if the internal motivation to do those things is not present, all the lists in the world aren’t going to change what happens.

What’s at the core of your internal process? 

Do you desire to make a difference in a certain area, live a life of health, or feel at peace in your space?  How important is that difference to you?  What is at the core of your motivation?  What is your intention for your life and health?

My internal desire is for peace in my heart, body and spirit.  If I eat off what my body is telling me to eat that throws off peace in any part of my being.  People always ask me how I eat and exercise the way that I do and I would have to say this is the answer.  I don’t feel that I have a choice if I want sanctuary in my body.

What are your internal desires for 2012?  Maybe start there and see what transpires.  It might be something you expect or something very different and that is the wonderful mystery of life.  Enjoy your New Year and remember to email me any specific topics you’d like to see me blog about in 2012.