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#Campmixalot Private Chef Dinner ~ part 1

Artisan Charcuterie & Local Farm Cheeses

Artisan Charcuterie & Local Farm Cheeses

I adore Sharon Garafolow from Cupcakes & Cutlery in every way. We met back in June 2012 when I prepared a private chef dinner for her family while they were vacationing in Palm Springs and I’ve been a huge fan of hers ever since. We had such a an engaging conversation while I cooked and since have enjoyed her wonderfully creative blog on all things fun and fabulous….full of incredible ideas and inspiration…you have to check it out!

Hibiscus Cooler

Hibiscus Cooler

Sharon and 8 of her amazingly creative blogger friends have a creative retreat every year. This year was #campmixalot in Palm Springs and I was asked to create a beautiful dinner for all the gals to experience. Here’s part one of Day 2

http://www.cupcakesandcutlery.com/weekend-palm-springs-2-campmixalot/#more-9767

photo by: Lauren ~ A Fabulous Fete

Fresh Guacamole with Lotus Crisps

and if you need the most gifted calligrapher and event stylist, Lauren from A Fabulous Fete should be your first call. Her work is A M A Z I N G!

Reading Lauren’s recap of their weekend retreat is a dreamy vacation in itself…

As I prepared appetizers and dinner examples of her work were everywhere and this is what she did to showcase the evenings menu…

#campmixalot Dinner Menu ~ calligraphy by Lauren of A Fabulous Fete

#campmixalot Dinner Menu ~ calligraphy by Lauren of A Fabulous Fete

These gals know how to throw a party…er, a Creative Bloggers Retreat 🙂

#campmixalot

#campmixalot

photo credits: Sharon Garofalow, Cupcakes & Cutlery
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hoto credits: Lauren, A Fabulous Fete

Paleo Private Chef – 4 day Coachella Fest Weekend

When you’re preparing “everything from scratch” gourmet paleo meals for a dozen hungry music enthusiasts, there’s not much time for picture taking…here’s a little of what was enjoyed over a 4 day Coachella Fest weekend…Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

“On the Village Green” Radio Interview

Last October, I was interviewed at my home by Richard Byford, founder of Byway Events & Entertainment and host of his own weekly “On the Village Green” Radio Show. We were primarily there to promote my speaking engagement and chef demonstrations for the 5th Annual Palm Springs Sustainability Summit in Palm Springs, CA but everyone loves to talk food so of course, the conversation got lively. Recently, Richard aired my segment again on his radio show discussing my transformational story and explaining the benefits of making small changes to diet and following a paleo lifestyle.  He was so kind to let me know so I can share it with you. If you just want to hear my portion, forward to 32:20…Show#8…Enjoy!

 

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Featured in Palm Springs Life

I’m so happy to share my recent feature in Palm Springs Life (California’s Prestige Magazine) Annual Medical Guide (July 2012)…with the newly named Vitality insert (formerly Medical Guide).

This special July Issue showcases the Greater Palm Springs TOP DOCTORS as chosen by their peers. As an added bonus, separate copies of Vitality (formerly Medical Guide) are distributed to valley hospitals and clinics, medical offices, health & fitness centers, chambers of commerce, pharmacies, and other locations including various new homeowner welcome packs.

I really love the name change to Vitality Magazine…it really showcases the new branding and overall feeling of health & wellness that exemplifies the lifestyle and healing environment of Greater Palm Springs.

Michelle Globis Palm Springs Plan

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Want to Relax? Add some Magnesium

11 Miraculous Ways Magnesium Heals Your Mind & Body

1. Better sleep – The sleep regulating hormone melatonin is disturbed when Magnesium is deficient. Furthermore, Magnesium brings balance and controls stress hormones. Stress and tension are often reasons why people suffer from insomnia in the first place

2. Relaxes the nervous system – Serotonin, which relaxes the nervous system and elevates mood, is dependent on Magnesium

3. Bigger, stronger muscles – Magnesium allows the body to produce more Insulin-like Growth Factor (IGF-1), which is a major contributor to the growth and strength of muscles. Furthermore, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is the cell’s energy store, and is created with help from Magnesium

4. Better flexibility – Magnesium loosens tight muscles. Without Magnesium, muscles do not relax properly and cramps occur. Magnesium is important for flexibility, because low Magnesium results in a buildup of lactic acid, causing pain and tightness

5. Bone integrity and strength – Magnesium helps to fix calcium properly. It may blow some people’s mind that the calcium supplements they’re taking are not only useless, but are actually contributing to osteoporosis! There are actually about eighteen essential nutrients that contribute to bone health; Magnesium is definitely one of the most essential, because it stimulates a particular hormone called calcitonin. And, it also suppresses a hormone called parathyroid that breaks down bone

6. Remineralizes teeth – Magnesium deficiency causes an unhealthy balance of phosphorous and calcium in saliva, which damages teeth

7. Alkalizes the body – Magnesium helps return the body’s pH balance. Magnesium reduces lactic acid, which is partly responsible for post-exercise pain (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness)

8. Hydrates – Magnesium is a necessary electrolyte essential for proper hydration

9. Helps to relieve constipation – Magnesium can be used to cleanse the bowels of toxins

10. Enzyme function – Enzymes are protein molecules that stimulate every chemical reaction in the body. Magnesium is required to make hundreds of these enzymes work and assists with thousands of others

11. Diabetes – Magnesium enhances insulin secretion, which facilitates sugar metabolism. Without Magnesium, glucose is not able to transfer into cells. Glucose and insulin build up in the blood, causing various types of tissue damage, including the nerves in the eyes

There are several ways to add magnesium to your diet. The first, and most beneficial, is to add more magnesium-rich foods to your diet. Snack on seaweed or have a big spinach salad for lunch.

Here are a few of the top providers of magnesium:

1. Spinach
2. Swiss Chard
3. Pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
4. Almonds
5. Cashews
6. Artichokes
7. Halibut

My personal favorite is a product called Magnesium Calm. It’s a powdered supplement that comes in different natural flavors and has added calcium for optimal absorption. They’re a little effervescent and all delicious but my favorite flavor is lemon. I make it with warm water so it’s like tea and drink it an hour or so before bed. It’s deeply relaxing to my sometimes-overworked muscles and it helps me to sleep like a baby!

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Private Chef Dinner

A few weeks ago, I had the splendid opportunity to cook for a really fun, amazing family and their friends who rented a fabulous vacation home in Palm Springs. There were 6 adults, 2 children & 1 adorable baby girl who loves sweet pepper slices! I was recommended to them not only because of my reputation for fine, delicious food but especially because of their need to address their son’s wide-ranging food allergies and to be able to create a dinner for everyone around those restrictions.

Sharon, mom extraordinaire, party planner and photographer of the above photos, wrote the most wonderfully detailed review of the dinner on her website, Cupcakes and Cutlery:

http://www.cupcakesandcutlery.com/palm-springs-plan-personal-chef-and-so-much-more/

You can also see that she’s so creative…lots of really fun party ideas for every occasion as well as being a wonderful photographer… great shots of their Palm Springs vacation and bumping into Marilyn Monroe…check it out

photo credit: Sharon Garofalow, Cupcakes & Cutlery

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Food Revolution Day

We had a great turnout and coverage of Food Revolution Day at Camelot Theatre in partnership with The City of Palm Springs Bike Rodeo and Certified Farmer’s Market.

Interviewed by Bianca Rae (KESQ News Channel 3 Reporter) and had wonderful conversations with parents, kids, teacher and community members about how we can improve accessibility to healthy food at school, work and our communities as well as to inspire, educate and empower everyone to make the choice to eat real food for themselves and their families.

On May 19th, communities in over 660 cities in 62 countries gathered together and celebrated the first ever Food Revolution Day. In the 1,000+ events that took place across the world, people shared their knowledge on food and nutrition, taught their favorite recipes, educated one another about food choices, and inspired each other to stand up for real food and demand better.

A fun day!

 

CBS2 Eye on the Desert Interview

Here is my CBS Local 2 interview with Patrick Evans for Eye on the Desert promoting Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution Day and healthy eating with the Palm Springs Plan.

 

 

 

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Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution

I’m honored to have been chosen as Palm Springs Ambassador for Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution.

The Jamie Oliver Foundation is launching its first-ever Food Revolution Day, May 19th, a global day of action to inspire, educate and empower people everywhere to Stand Up for Real Food. Thousands of people worldwide will participate in events to raise awareness on preventing diet-realted diseases, and to arm people with the knowledge and tools to make healthier food choices.

Please visit foodrevolutionday.com to find and create a local food event where you can share skills and knowledge about food with your community through cooking classes, gardening tutorials, sessions about starting a food blog and tours of farmers markets. At the site, you can also sign up to host a dinner party and even request to bring food education to your school or workplace. Already, more than 800 groups from 45 countries have signed up to take action.

Here in Palm Springs, I am partnering with The City of Palm Springs Office of Sustainability on May 19th to promote healthy eating to the kids and families that attend the Bike Rodeo at the Camelot Theatre – same area as the Farmers Market. Lots of giveaways, activities and fun for everyone!

To increase awareness beyond a single day of action, I’ll also be meeting with local school boards and community groups to discuss opportunities to bring fun food education to our children and seniors in our community. Another program that I’m very excited about is the AIDS Assistance Program, a non-profit, volunteer driven organization which provides food vouchers for nutritional support for low-income men, women and children living with HIV/AIDS in the Greater Palm Springs Area. My goal is to draft a program series that will offer meal planning & suggestions, cooking lessons and grocery store tips & tours to make the most of their very modest budget while providing nutrient dense meals to help strengthen the immune system and provide an optimal environment for their medications.

The majority of the world’s population is more likely to die from obesity than from hunger. In fact, in the US, more people die from diet-related diseases every year than drugs, alcohol and war combined. Food Revolution Day aims to empower people to make healthier food choices that lead to healthier lives.

Let’s take a Stand for Real Food and improve the lives of our children, families and communities!

 

 

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Peter’s Shrimp Puttanesca

Peter Camara, who lost 70 lbs on The Palm Springs Plan™, has offered up this fast, simple, very tasty plate that is a twist on a traditional Italian dish. So yummy you might start eating it right out of the pan!
Thanks, Peter for sharing such a delicious meal with us.

1 lb uncooked peeled & deveined shrimp
1 can Diced Tomato, 28-Ounce
1/2 cup coarsely chopped olives (i.e. kalamata, spanish green or mixture of both)
4 cloves of garlic, crushed in 1 tsp of water
3 tbl capers, drained (you can rise if you’d like)
1/2 tsp red chili flakes
1/2 tsp anchovy paste
2 tbl light olive oil or coconut oil
Fresh or dried parsley to taste

1. Rinse the shrimp and pat dry
2.  In large saute frying pan, sauté the shrimp in 1 tbl of oil until they go slightly pink. Do not overcook or they will get “rubbery” You will be adding them to the sauce at the end.
3. Remove the shrimp and set aside
4. In the same pan, add the other tbl of oil, anchovy paste and chili flakes.
5. Saute on medium heat for a few minutes then add the garlic water mixture until fragrant. *Do not overcook and brown garlic – a helpful hint is to have the can of diced tomatoes opened and ready to go to cool down the mixture so it doesn’t burn.
6. Add the can of diced tomatoes and turn heat up to medium-high. Let liquid reduce slightly.
7. Add olives and capers and cook another 2 minutes.
8. Add parsley and shrimp, toss together and cook another 1 minute.
9. Can be eaten on its own, served over spaghetti squash or cauliflower rice.

Enjoy!