Everyone talks about going green and I am all for helping out our planet but there is another way to go green -eating green!! No food dyes here….this green color is all natural!!
Spinach is usually one of the foods listed on “super food lists” and it ranks on these lists for good reason. It is loaded with calcium, folic acid, vitamin K, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, fiber and so much more.
It has properties to aid in the following:
*combats prostate and ovarian cancer
*helps maintain bone health
*promotes gastrointestinal health
*has anti inflammatory properties
*may reduce the effects of age-related declines in brain function
*promotes healthy eyesight
I guess Popeye had the right idea! Except I wouldn’t eat it out of a can, I like to buy mine fresh and always organic!! There really is not much price difference between conventionally grown and the organic spinach- so I will always buy organic when it comes to my leafy greens!
How to eat your fresh spinach:
Divine Spinach Salad
1-2 cups baby spinach
1/2 Granny Smith apple -diced
2 tbsp. dried cranberries
2 tbsp. pecans
dressing of choice
Mix all ingredients together for an incredible salad!
Okay-it is time!!! With flu season in full swing and holidays right around the corner-it is time to take charge of our health! We need to take care of our bodies, and also make sure the little people in our lives are taken care of as well! I don’t want my children to suffer through having an illness, and I personally don’t want to be ill either. I want my entire household to be healthy, happy and vibrant! This is my goal! So, I have made a top ten list of things I believe will benefit you and your family as well as mine -check it out!
#10 - Drink lots of fresh water
Our bodies need at least one ounce of water for every two pounds of weight. So to figure this out you only need to divide your weight by 2. For example, if you weigh 120 pounds you should be drinking 60 ounces of water per day. For a child who weighs 40 pounds they would need 20 ounces of water per day. Remember this is the minimum required to keep your body properly hydrated.
#9 – Exercise/ walk/ or do some type of movement everyday
Our bodies need movement everyday. If you have no time or desire to do an actual workout then add extra movement throughout your day. For example, take the stairs instead of the elevator. Park farther away from the store entrance. While standing do calf raises. While you sit at a red light tighten your ab muscles or your buttock muscles and hold for the duration of the light. Even small efforts accumulate to keep our bodies healthy. Remember this is the minimum that your body would need, more is always better.
#8 - Eliminate consumption of “DIET” products or anything containing aspartame, saccharin, Equal, or Splenda.
Artificial sweeteners are chemicals-there is not one benefit from consuming them. The lists of negatives though are overwhelming. At all costs stay away from these chemicals!
#7 – Replace 3 meals or more per week with a non meat alternative.
Instead of consuming meat based meals, try to make several of them vegetable based. Have a big salad with lots of fresh veggies, make a smoothie with spinach and fruit, or make zucchini pasta with a marinara sauce.
#6 – Eliminate Trans Fat (Partially Hydrogenated Oils)
Partially Hydrogenated Oils arepoisons to our bodies. Our systems cannot break down these trans fats and they end up getting stored in our cells. Look through your pantry and see how many items contain this poison-you may be surprised!Even if a product states “Trans Fat Free” be cautious….read the ingredient list to make sure that partially hydrogenated oils are not listed. Companies are able to state “Trans Fat Free” if it contains a certain amount per serving.
#5 – Eliminate food dyes
Most food dyes are banned from products in other countries but still remain legal in our food supply here in the states. Food dyes are dangerous and can cause our bodies to become ill with disease. Please read the ingredient lists when buying food, if it contains Red, Yellow, Blue or Green dyes, put it back on the shelf!! Especially ban brightly colored foods like neon colored yogurt or exotically bright colored juices.
#4 – Eliminate processed white sugar and white flour
Processed white sugar and flour are in thousands of products that we consume daily. These are silent poisons. These ingredients are all man-made or artificially processed ingredients that are not normally found in nature. They are being linked to cancer and a host of other diseases.
#3 – Replace processed foods with fresh, minimally processed counterparts.
Instead of eating potatoes out of a box, make your own. Learn how to prepare your favorite foods by using fresh ingredients instead of boxed and/or processed ones. Fresh salsa is very easy and so much better than the ones you can buy in a jar, fresh juices still contain essential vitamins that our bodies need, and spaghetti sauce minus the preservatives and chemicals is by far a better option.
#2 – Eat The Rainbow
I am not talking about Skittles! Make sure to include colorful fruits and vegetables in every meal. Aim high every day. Fresh fruits and vegetables contain high amounts of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that our bodies use to stay healthy.
#1 – Fresh Is Best
Cooking fruits and vegetables can leech the nutrition right out of them. Steamed would be better than cooking but fresh is always best when it comes to getting the most nutrients.
Well, there it is folks….my top ten list to a healthier life! If this seems overwhelming just take one step at a time. Try to work on one step a week or one step a month. I promise your body will thank you!!
I love summer and everything that it has to bring- but when fall time rolls around I do get giddy because it means that it is pomegranate season!!!
Pomegranates are large, round red fruit that are filled with crimson red seeds called arils….these little jewels are filled with juice…..delicious, tart wonderful juice!
The pomegranate is loaded with antioxidants, polyphenols, essential amino acids and plenty of vitamins and minerals. They have been studied extensively and shown to do miraculous things for our bodies. They are great for heart health-it has been proven that drinking the juice from a fresh pomegranate can stop and reverse the hardening of the artery walls. It has also been shown to fight cancer. These are just a few of the many benefits of adding these to your diet.
Eating 1/2 cup of these little red jewels will offer your body 80 calories, 0 fat, 18 carbs, 5 grams of fiber and 1 gram of protein.
To remove the seeds cut the pomegranate in half and place in a bowl of cool water. Start to pull apart the pieces and the seeds will sink to the bottom. Work out all of the seeds and then skim the white rind out and discard. Pour the water containing seeds into a strainer -this will separate the seeds from the water. Now you may have to pick through and discard any white rind or brown seeds. Place them into a plastic or glass container and store in the fridge. These will keep for several days.
****CAUTION**** Pomegranate juice will stain!! Make sure to handle underwater to avoid red squirts of juice on your clothes, walls, and anything else that may be lingering close by!
What to do with these lovely little gems:
Eat with a spoon right out of the bowl. There is a seed/kernel inside each aril but it is edible. So just scoop up a spoonful and enjoy!
Add to salads or to fruit salads-they are a great addition to both!
Use a citrus juicer and juice-fresh dark red pom juice!!!
Freeze! Eat these frozen for a really crunchy treat!!!
I wanted to share a cute Halloween idea that is so easy and quick to make. However, I would not recommend passing these out to trick or treaters- just a cute idea for a kids party, classroom treats, or for your own kids!
First start with an orange and a sandwich baggie:
Next, place orange into baggie and tie with a green ribbon:
Next, cut off excess top and curl the ribbon with a sharp pair of scissors:
I used black felt and cut out a Jack-O-Lantern face, you could use construction paper, or black craft foam or black material. Next, I hot glued the pieces onto the bag. The glue did not melt through the baggie.
Here is the finished product!!! A little cheesy-I know, but it’s a cute and healthy treat!!
We love our children and want the best for them in life-we want them to succeed and be happy, but we don’t always nourish them with optimal food.
Sometimes it is because we are tired and we grab whatever is quickest, sometimes it is because the food is cheap, and other times we slave over preparing a meal and then it is not eaten. Sometimes we just don’t know what to feed our children because we hear so many different opinions on what is or isn’t healthy.
We see advertisements for products that claim to be “Trans Fat Free” or “contains a whole serving of calcium”, but are these really the best options for our growing children?
We as parents need to stop believing that a packaged product can supply the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that our kids need. We need to get back to the basics and remember that fresh food is the best food.
As moms and dads we need to supply our children with superior nutrition so they can have the full spectrum of nutrients needed to be the best they can be!
This blog offers tips, recipes and lots of info to help parents begin to do this. Also, my website Color Wheel Meals is a great resource to visit. I will be launching an ebook and some other products soon. Make sure to check it out!!
I am sure you have noticed those annoying little stickers on your produce-you try to pick them off but you inadvertently peel part of the skin off as well!!!
Turns out those pesky little stickers are actually useful not only to the cashier who uses the code to ring up the produce but for the consumer as well.
Every piece of produce comes with some digits whether it is stuck right on its skin or on a tag or sticker on the package.
These digits, once you learn what they mean, can be a very useful tool for us as the consumer…….
Here is how it breaks down:
If your produce has a 4 digit number it means it has been grown using conventional methods…meaning fertilizers, pesticides, etc.
If your produce has a 5 digit number that starts with a 9 it means it has been grown using organic methods…meaning crop rotation, composting, etc.
If your produce is a 5 digit number starting with an 8 it means it has been GENETICALLY MODIFIED!!!!
STAY AWAY FROM EIGHTS!!!!
If you can only remember one thing -remember HATE EIGHT!!!
Or remember that NINE IS FINE!!!!
Always check the stickers on your produce, I don’t always buy organic produce but I definitely do not want GM foods.
Genetically Modified food uses Genetic Engineering to remove genes from one plant species and place them into another species in hopes of creating a whole new species. They can also take the genes from animals and place them into plant genes…..one example I found on the internet stated that they have taken a gene from fruit flies and placed them into a tomato species in hopes of creating a tomato that repels fruit flies!!!
GM foods are scary, it messes with the genetic make up of the plant species and in turn who knows what kind of repercussions that could have on our health…I do not want to find out!!!
What is even more scary is that most of the food items carried on grocery store shelves contain genetically modified ingredients…yes, our favorite junk foods, so called health foods, and even most baby food. YIKES!!!
Be an informed shopper, make yourself aware of what ingredients are lurking in your food, especially the ones you hand over to your children.
I love cucumbers!! Back in my non healthy eating days the cucumber was the only vegetable I would touch with a ten foot pole!! I still love cucumbers and could eat them everyday!!!
Cucumbers are made up mostly of water which make them very hydrating to eat. They are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and Folic Acid. They also contain silica which helps to build healthy connective tissues, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, and bone!! Who knew a cucumber had so much going for it!!
A cucumbers skin is a good source of fiber but I wouldn’t eat the skin unless you can score yourself some organic ones or they come from a garden that you can trust!!! We have cukes growing in our garden this year and love to pick one and eat it right away….so fresh!!!
One cup of cucumbers has a whopping 13 calories, 0 fat, 1 gram protein, 2 carbs, and 1 fiber……so basically for a 100 calorie snack you can eat a whole lot of cucumbers!!!
I love to eat cucumbers in my salads, or sliced up on a plate with some sea salt. Some other ways we love to enjoy our cukes are:
CUCUMBER/TOMATO PLATE
Slice up a cucumber onto a plate, slice up some cherry or grape tomatoes and sprinkle over the sliced cukes, drizzle with olive oil or flax oil and some apple cider vinegar and of course some sea salt!!! You could also add some fresh basil or some dried dulse or kelp sprinkles!!!
CUCUMBER/APPLE JUICE
If you have a juicer you can make an excellent juice-use one whole cucumber, 2 apples, and 1 lime and put everything through the juicer…add some ice and voila!!!! Yummy, hydrating juice!!! Basically, you can add cucumber to any juice since it really doesn’t have a strong flavor it won’t change the way the juice tastes too much!!
There was a day that I wouldn’t touch an avocado, I had heard they were fattening and I had a lifetime vow to avoid fattening foods….because I thought they would make me fat. I wouldn’t even try one EVER because I didn’t want to like them, so I didn’t want to know if they were even good because I didn’t care. I am now in love with avocados and I know that they will not make me gain weight, in fact they have been proven to do the exact opposite. Don’t get me wrong avocados are made up of 18-30% oil in the form of healthy fat, and this is the exact reason they are so filling. These fruits are so rich in minerals including copper, magnesium, manganese, iron, calcium, iodine, selenium, zinc, folate and phosphorus. They are also a super rich vitamin food with high amounts of Vitamin K and Vitamin A. They are a good source of fiber and they are digested at a slow rate which provides energy for a long period of time. Their high nutritional density makes them a great food for babies!!!
These fruits also known as the “alligator pear” because of their skin contain carotenoids: zeaxanthin, alpha carotene, beta carotene, plus tocophols. These carotenoids are basically used by our bodies to protect our cells from the damaging effects of free radicals and enhances our immune systems. They also contain oleic acid which is helpful in lowering cholesterol. In 1/5 of an avocado there is about 50 calories, 4.5 grams of fat, 3 carbs, 1 fiber, and 1 protein. Remember through, these are a highly dense nutritional food and our bodies will use this as fuel. It is not the same as consuming fat in the form of a donut or a cheeseburger….this kind of fat is useful in our bodies. My friend wrote a blog post and listed all of the wonderful things that an avocado is good for…you can view her post here.
How to cut an avocado:
Use a knife and cut it lengthwise around the entire avocado. Twist until you have 2 halves. Use the knife to whack the seed and pull it out, then use a spoon to scoop out the filling.
My favorite way to eat avocado:
1/2 avocado mixed with sea salt, cayenne and juice of a lime…I can dip anything into this mixture!!! It is so good!!!
Avocado Recipes
Green pudding
1 avocado
3-4 bananas
2-3 tbsp agave
vanilla
Place all ingredients into food processor and blend, eat immediately!!!
Green Avocado Smoothie
For those brave enough to try a green smoothie try adding 1/4 -1/2 of an avocado to the smoothie….it doesn’t affect the taste only the consistency. It makes a creamier and smoother texture and it is delicious!!!
1 cup spinach
3 bananas
1 mango
1/2 avocado
water and ice
Blend together in a blender and enjoy!!!!
Have fun!!!
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Have you ever seen a starfruit??? These fruits are really cool!!! They are a tropical fruit that are ripe when they are yellow and sometimes they can have a little brown on them-which I have found to mean they are juicier. They have 5 pointed edges that travel from the top to the bottom of the fruit, which is so cool because when you slice them each slice is a star shape!!! You don’t peel them you eat the whole fruit as is…just make sure you wash it!!! This fruit is of course loaded with antioxidants plus lots of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Iron, and Fiber!! One whole fruit contains only 40 calories, 9 carbs, 1 protein, and 4 fiber-how is that for a nutritional punch!
Starfruit Recipes
Slice starfruit and use as a garnish on smoothies glasses, fruit trays, or just to wow your kids at dinner!!!
Tropical Fruit Salad
1/2 pineapple cored and diced
1/2 papaya seeded and diced
3 bananas sliced into rounds
2 starfruits sliced
juice of 1 lime
Shredded coconut
Place all cut up fruit into a bowl, squeeze the juice of one lime over fruit and lightly mix…..toss some shredded coconut onto individual servings not over the whole bowl.
Starfruit Juice
***If you own a juicer***
2-3 granny smith apples
1 lemon peeled
3 starfruit
Juice all of the ingredients in juicer…save one slice of starfruit for a garnish on the glass.
Starfruit Smoothie
Fresh squeezed orange juice from 3 oranges
2 starfruits
1 cup strawberries or raspberries
lots of ice
Blend everything together in blender and save one slice of starfruit for a garnish on the glass.
***Play with this one…you could also add a banana, or some greens to this for a great Green Smoothie!!!
There has been a common theme among most of my posts on fruit-they are all high in antioxidants. Most people hear this and really don’t think about what this actually means, they know that antioxidants are good for them but they are not sure why.
First, it is important for me to explain about something called free radicals. Our body is made up of millions of cells- if they are all behaving and working properly we feel great, we aren’t sick, we have lots of energy and so on. When our cells become damaged or altered that is when there is cause for concern. Free radicals are our own cells that have been injured or have changed for some reason. This can happen for many reasons:
can be caused by exposure to chemicals
environmental toxins
radiation
cigarette smoke
We also have free radicals in our bodies just from living our lives. Under normal circumstances the body can efficiently get rid of these “injured cells” but when they have increased beyond what the body can handle it can lead to health problems and aging. Free radicals have been linked to problems such as:
eye damage which can lead to cataracts or macular degeneration
LDL or bad cholesterol which can lead to heart disease
different forms of cancer
tissue damage which leads to aging at a quicker rate
A free radical floats through the body as an injured cell and tries to “hook up” with a normal healthy cell. What actually is happening is a free radical is short an electron and tries to steal an electron away from a healthy cell causing more injured cells. From here they reproduce more injured cells and continue this cycle until our bodies develop a problem. BUT WAIT!!!!!
Before you freak out, there is something out there that can zap these pesky little free radicals and neutralize them!!!! YES!!!! ANTIOXIDANTS!!!!
Where do you find antioxidants??? In fresh, ripe fruits -these sweet, juicy wonderful creations were designed to protect us from our own little “mafia” happening in our bodies!! Antioxidants act like scavengers seeking out free radicals (the bad guys), and destroying them!!!
So, I am not just writing all of these blogs for my own personal enjoyment-LOL-I really want people to understand why it is so important to include FRESH/RAW fruit in their diets. Our society eats worse than any other in history…we have the most processed, packaged, sugar laden, chemical laden, preservative laced dyed foods than ever before….and they are cheap…so that is what people will buy it. Most of it is fake food!!!
We have to take charge of our health and our next generation’s health-there are many other reasons to eat more fresh fruit and veggies…I just chose to name one for today!!
Summer is also the best time to enjoy the freshest, juiciest fruit ever-plus there are farmers markets everywhere right now-NO EXCUSES!!! Now get to ridding your body of some free radicals!!!
We love our children and want the best for them in life-we want them to succeed and be happy, but we don’t always nourish them with optimal food.
