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For many, it’s American as apple pie – with a cup of coffee and two sugars, that is.

It’s caffeine – and whether we realize it or not, it’s everywhere. Now, with a growing number of Americans depending on several trips to the break room and Lent just around the corner, we think it’s time to kick our caffeine addiction.

Caffeine, like the kind found in tea, coffee, and soda, does have its benefits. Aside from a physical and emotional boost, a U.S. Nurses Health study published in 2006 suggests that Middle-aged, moderate coffee drinkers are less likely to develop type 2 Diabetes than their non-coffee drinking counterparts. This, coupled with the desired energy boost, is the reason many are willing to wait in line or spend major bucks on a can with a small bull each morning and several times each day.

But it’s important to remember the downside to any over indulgence – drinks like coffee and soda impair the body’s absorption of crucial minerals including iron, magnesium, calcium, and vitamin B. And, when consumed in excess, caffeine can impair sleeping patterns while wreaking havoc on blood pressure and cardiovascular health – a key factor in the fight against Hypertentenion.

Many caffeine lovers complain of withdrawal-like syndromes if they don’t have their morning fix. Headaches, lack of focus, and major irritability are some of the more common complaints. There’s a reason why it’s often referred to as the “drug in a mug”.

Caffeine provides a quick pick-me-up typically needed throughout the day. We can’t argue that (we took a nap or two just writing this article), but we also believe there is a healthy alternative to every daily routine out there.

So, if you’re looking to cut some caffeine out of your day, it doesn’t have to be hard. Just try replacing one cup of coffee with a small snack of peanuts, almonds, or trail mix. Even 1 ounce of dark chocolate contains 10 milligrams of caffeine which you may find is just enough to get you over that mid-day slump. Apogee has even expanded our Smoothie line to include Almond milk, flax seed oil, and rice protein mixed drinks – all built from the ground up to ensure an optimal energy without the use of caffeine and perfect for any mid-day snooze fest of a meeting.

Then, simply phase out as many trips to the break room as you feel comfortable by using one of these smoothies or a small power snack options.

Is your addiction a little more serious than that?  For those who are looking into eliminating caffeine and other harsh substances completely, check out Apogee’s Juice Cleanse and 21-day powerful detox programs. These systems are designed to get your body perfectly aligned both inside, and out.

With work mounting and the hours ticking, it’s no wonder we look for ways to keep ourselves churning and the vitality flowing.  However, by substituting in some healthy options along the way, we can have our coffee and drink it too.

If you’ve noticed fresh, new flavors at the APOGEE Café, you can thank Danae Sintalis. Danae is a well-known local chef who has been serving up healthful fare as a personal chef and food vendor for 35 years. Now, she’s creating salads, sandwiches, wraps and soups for APOGEE.  “My food is green and healthy; no preservatives or additives,” says Danae. She uses mostly organic ingredients, locally produced when available.

In a just a few weeks, Danae’s chicken curry wraps and black bean burgers have become favorites of APOGEE members and staff, who grab them for a nutritious, long-lasting meal after a workout.  “I’m passionate about the quality of my food,” says Danae. “I breathe it, eat it, smell it! Food is my passion.” Danae is cooking for the APOGEE Cafes at White Plains and Bedford Hills.

Danae comes by her culinary skills naturally:  Her parents owned restaurants in Athens, Greece and Alexandria, Egypt. “I was born into it,” she says. Over the years, she has created healthful versions of international favorites such as chicken chicken soup and grain salads, collaborating with nutritionists including Dina Khader, who worked on the bestselling book, “Eat Right 4 Your Type.”  Danae’s café at the Sawmill River Club earned the Best Café in the County award in 2007.

Related: What to Eat Before and After a Workout

If you’ve been to the APOGEE Café in White Plains or Bedford Hills, you’re familiar with our fresh, convenient food: You can pick up a nutritious natural meal or snack after class and be home, at work or running errands with no worries about your diet or energy level. You know you’re eating fresh, natural whole foods.

This month, we’re revamping our smoothie menu: These new, cool drinks are packed with nutrition, providing a balance of macro-nutrients (protein, carbohydrates, fats) with the micro-nutrients your body needs for optimum health. We can’t think of an easier way to provide you with fast, portable, tasty nutrition and energy. Our menu will feature gluten-free and vegan smoothies, too, so everyone can find a drink to suit them.

How do we pack so much nutrition into 16- or 24-ounce cup? The key is quality ingredients.

Protein: Our smoothies contain rice protein powder, almond butter, almond milk, or kefir made from low-fat milk. These are easy to digest, gluten-free sources of protein. Protein is especially useful to aid recovery after exercise. Our signature smoothie, “The APOGEE,” contains rice protein; our Nutty Monkey has almond milk and butter; the Super Green Machine is mixed with almond milk.

Fats: Many of our smoothies contain coconut milk or flax seed oil, which are natural, heart-healthy fats. Both of these fats also have disease-fighting properties and they contribute to a creamy, satisfying smoothie. Flax seed oil and coconut milk give our Apogee smoothie a nutritional punch; the Calypso Colada gets its rich flavor from coconut milk.

Fruits and vegetables: We use fresh berries, kiwi and wheat grass, providing antioxidants that help with every aspect of health, including detox and repair. Some smoothies also contain Metagenics organic greens and berries powder, which delivers the benefits of fresh fruits and greens in a concentrated, whole food form. Our Super Green Machine, Anti-Oxidant Cleanse and Apogee smoothies are packed with powerful fruits.

Probiotics: Probiotics are cultured foods that contain the beneficial bacteria essential for digestive and detox system function. Our smoothies that contain the probiotic kefir deliver multiple strains of bacteria. We’re offering both low-fat dairy kefir and coconut kefir, for vegans. Jennifer’s Kiwi Pick-Me-Up is a vegan option, with coconut kefir and wheat grass juice; low-fat dairy kefir gives the Orange Creamsicle and Calypso Colada their creamy texture.

Filtered fresh and iced water: Your body needs water to function at its best! Our smoothies will help keep you hydrated.

Read more about probiotics and kefir here.

by Jennifer Vagios, R.D.
APOGEE’s Dietitian

It’s rare that I can recommend one food that can be so many things: a tasty side dish, a high-fiber breakfast, a gluten-free option for those with celiac disease, a high-protein addition to salads, a balanced amino-acid staple for vegetarians and vegans. And this versatile food cooks in 15 to 20 minutes. Superfood? I think so!

Quinoa (keen-wah) is native to South America. Each little grain has a tail that unfurls when it’s cooked so it’s fluffy; the grains are also slightly crunchy. Like rice or other grains, quinoa has a mild flavor. The pale beige or translucent variety is the most common; the red and black varieties have a slightly nuttier flavor. Use quinoa as you would rice or couscous: as a side dish or base for a salad or in burritos or casseroles, in soups and stews, or added to muffins, as you would oatmeal.  You can also grind quinoa into flour and use it in baked goods. I love it as a breakfast grain, with chopped almonds, fruit and cinnamon. You may have seen quinoa in the APOGEE Café in salads, or even muffins.

The most nutritious grain: As versatile as it is, the real benefits of quinoa come from its nutritional profile. It contains all nine essential amino acids, making it a complete protein—the best amino acid profile of any grain, nearly as complete as an egg. A quarter cup of red quinoa has 6 grams of protein, 170 calories and 5 grams of fiber, making it a good source of fiber.

But there’s more: Quinoa is also a good source of potassium, which helps control blood pressure; magnesium, which helps to relax blood vessels, possibly reducing the frequency of migraines as well as protecting cardiovascular health; and Vitamin B2 or Riboflavin, a vitamin necessary for proper energy production within cells, also shown to possibly reduce the frequency of attacks in migraine sufferer; the amino acid lysine, essential for tissue growth and repair.

Quick to cook: You can buy quinoa in a bag or in bulk. Store it in an airtight container, as you would any grain. Before you cook it, rinse to remove a dusty residue known as saponin—just run cold water over the seeds in a fine mesh strainer. (The saponin is natural coating that actually protects the grain and helps it fend off pests). Look for quinoa from such brands as Bob’s Red Mill, Eden, Indian Harvest and 365 (the Whole Foods house brand). Ancient Harvest markets quinoa flakes as a breakfast cereal.

To prepare, add one part of the grain to two parts liquid in a sauce pan.  Allow the mixture to come to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. You can also dry-roast the seeds before cooking for an even nuttier, toasty taste. Add your favorite dressing: lemon juice, olive oil, toasted sesame oil, and ginger will all complement the grain.

Let me know how you like quinoa—or, if you’re already a fan, how you use it. You can post a comment on my Facebook page or share your comments with APOGEE’s growing online community.

Now that the bright colors of fall have faded, you might think that seasonal eating has become dull, too. Not so: Enter the pomegranate. These ruby red fruits from California are in season November through February and are packed with flavor, crunch, and nutrition. Pomegranates started appearing in salads at the APOGEE Cafés this week. “Pomegranate add seasonal spirit,” says Myong, who creates the café’s dishes.

Jewel red and juicy, pomegranates deliver vitamin C, potassium and powerful antioxidants called polyphenols. The potassium and C help you recover from exercise and resist colds and flu; polyphenols help fight cancer and heart disease. And do eat the crunchy seeds inside each fruit section—they deliver 5 grams of fiber per 80-calorie half-cup serving

Getting to the delicious parts of a pomegranate can be a puzzle. Under the tough red skin are hundreds of fruit sections in membrane-lined pockets. There are several ways to remove the fruit: You can cut the whole globe into halves or quarters and ease out the fruit by peeling the membrane; or cut them in half, score the skin and then tap the outside with a rolling pin and catch the seeds in a bowl (here’s a video of de-seeding a pomegranate).

Once fruit is out, sprinkle the sections in salads or add them to sauces; they’re also a sweet-tart topper for oatmeal or granola. Or, drizzle them with orange juice and eat them with a spoon as a nutritious dessert. Myong adds pomegranate to butternut squash with pine nuts for a vegan treat in her Thanksgiving catering menu. Enjoy the season!