Summer Reading

hmmm... I just may have been a little overly excited when I started researching nutrition/healing/wellness books and purchased a few :)

Perfect for summer reading though!!! I can't wait for day of sunshine, sand and a book on wellness.

Which sweetener to choose?

If your like me you always question which sweetener is the healthiest option to choose! Well here are some great choices that taste good too!!

Stevia- This is a natural powder that comes from the South American herb Stevia Rebaudiana. It has zero calories and a concentrated sweet punch. "One half teaspoon can equal the sweetness of one cup of refined white sugar".
Raw Honey- This is our original sweetener from mother nature. Raw honey actually contains probiotic bacteria that as we know helps support our digestive systems.
Sucanat- This is a straightforward substitute for granulated sugar. Sucanat actually retains molasses content which makes it close to cane sugar.
Maple Sugar Flakes- It tastes like syrup with a pleasing crunch. Its also half the calories of refined sugar.
Organic Evaporated Cane Juice - This looks like sugar (and is found in the sugar aisle of a health food store) but is slightly darker in appearance as its not as processed. Use this as you would white sugar but note is has a deeper molasses flavor.

Source- The Best of Clean Eating

Insight into Whole Grains

 Bulgur

This grain is excellent with sliced apples and dates!

Medium grind bulgur steams in 10 mins and has 10g of fiber per 1/4 cup

Quinoa

Gluten-free and protein rich quiona cooks like pasta in 11012 mins.

Toss it with black beans, salsa and chopped avocados.

Whole Wheat Couscous

This 5 min side provides selenium, magnesium and fiber. 

For a burst of Vitamin C - replace 1/2 the cooking water with 100% tomato or orange juice 

Teff

Each 1/4 cup has over 20% of your daily iron, magnesium & copper!

Simmer with low-fat milk for hot cereal or use the flour for naturally sweet pancakes

Source- The Best of Clean Eating

10 Ways to Slash your Grocery Bill

10 ways to slash your grocery bill WITHOUT sacrificing nutrition!!!!

The Best of Clean Eating

1. Don't leave home without it!! Your list that is; planning ahead helps avoid impulse buys
2. Surf to save- reference your grocery stores circular or online ad when planning your weeks menu
3. Pick your produce wisely-In season fruits & veggies usually cost less and last longer.
4. Cut spending with the right cut of meat-choose less expensive cuts like lean ground beef and bone in chicken.
5. Skip the snack packs and make your own- 100 cal packs can cost 2x more than regular boxes
6. Check the expiry date- check the best before date to avoid wasting unused products
7. Look beyond eye level- high priced items are usually at eye level so check out the top & bottom shelf
8. Pick less pricey protein-dried beans are less expensive than canned
9. Use coupons common sense-do not use a coupon to save a $1 on a product you will never use
10. Bring your own bags-Some stores give discounts for each grocery bag you bring.

Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

Anti-Inflammatory Diet & Pyramid

Take a second and look at the revised food pyramid from Dr. Andrew Weil. Use this as a tool to help simplify your quest for optimum health and  to reduce age related diseases.

Dessert Shake

I made this yummy shake last night for a perfect healthy after dinner snack! Don't discount the avacado it adds a creamy texture.

• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cacao powder
• handful of ice
• 1/4 of an avocado
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• liquid stevia to taste

I also made Jason a "man's" version

• 1 tablespoon of unsweetened cacao powder
• 1 banana
• handful of ice
• 1/4 of avocado
• 1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• liquid stevia to taste

yum!!

Glass Water Bottle

Happy early birthday to me!!! I just treated myself to a Lifefactory glass water bottle with a silicone sleeve. I love how this bottle is modern and sleek all while being eco-friendly.  All Lifefactory products are made from non-toxic materials and have been independently certified to be free of BPA, phthalates, PVC, polycarbonates, lead and latex.

This company also has baby bottles and children's water bottles, what a perfect gift!! Next time you go to grab a plastic water bottle remember that drinking from glass tastes better, is the safest material to drink from and lasts forever!

mmmm..... pancakes!

The thought of pancakes can make my mouth water at times but after I enjoy the "fluffy" treat, I feel so sluggish (no energy), tired and uncomfortably stuffed. Does anyone else feel this way? 

So I usually choose eggs or oatmeal for breakfast to jump start my morning. But ...... I have found the best recipe for all of us who deep down inside love pancakes but want the protein boost of eggs.

Just mix 1/2 cup of egg whites (approx- 3 eggs), 1/2 cup of uncooked oatmeal (I use Quaker), 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese and a few sprinkles of cinnamon or cacao powder. Then cook on medium heat just like pancakes (let them cook awhile before you try to flip them). Top with your choice of syrup or fresh fruit.

YUM!! I can't wait for breakfast!

Spring Vegetables

Here is a list of the top 5 spring vegetables.

Asparagus

• 1 cup calories 27, fat 0g, carbs 5g, fiber 3g, protein 3g
• Good source Vitamins A,C,E & K, thiamine, riboflavin, folate, iron, potassium, manganese
• Try it balanced in a crudites platter or lightly tossed with olive oil, sea salt and pepper and roasted for 15 mins at 375 degrees.
• Asparagus is a nutrient superstar. An individual serving of this vegetable provides more than 15% of your total recommended daily allowance (RDA) for four or more different vitamins and minerals.

Artichokes

• 1 medium- calories 60, fat 0g, carbs 13.5g, fiber 7g, protein 4g
• Good source of Vitamins C & K, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese
• Try it steamed, thornes leaf tips trimmed in a steamer basket with water spiced with a few peppercorns, half a teaspoon oregano, a splash of red wine and lemon wedge until you can pull off leaves easily (30-45 mins). To eat pull off leaves dip in balsamic vinegar and drag base ends through your teeth scraping off the tender pulp and discarding the tougher parts of the leaves. When leaves are gone scoop out thirstly fibers (choke) and enjoy tender "heart" (base) and stem.
• Artichokes are antioxidant superstars and nutrient superstars.

Dandelion Greens

• 1 cup calories 25, fat 0g, carbs 5g, fiber 2g, protein 1.5g
• Good source Vitamins A, C, E & K, riboflavin, calcium, iron, mangenese
• Try them raw, whole, dipped in hummus or chopped (raw or steamed) in a salad with a zippy homemade low-fat Caesar dressing with lots of garlic.

Fava Beans

• 1 cup (whole in a pod) calories 111, fat 1g, carbs 22g, fiber 37g, protein 10g
• Good source of thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, folate, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, manganese
• Try them: shell the bean like pea pods and cook them in lightly sea salted boiling water for about two minutes. No need to remove bean skins if very young and fresh. Add to salads or toss with whole wheat pasta, shaved low fat romano cheese, thin slivers of low fat ham, a drizzle of olive oil and sea salt/pepper to taste

Fiddlbehead Ferns

• 200 grams (just under 1 cup) calories 68, fat 1g, carbs 11g, fiber 3g, protein 3g
• Good source of Vitamin A&C, riboflavin, niacin, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, manganese
• Try them rinsed several times in cold water (rubbing them gently to remove any remaining chaff), steamed for 20 minutes, and added last to salads or sauces. They're great in a vegetable stir fry with a light teriyaki sauce or in a lemon butter saute with morels or other wild mushrooms.
• Fiddlehead Ferns are another nutrient superstar.

The Best of Clean Eating page 138-139

Spring Fruits

Spring is just around the corner so I wanted to share some of the best spring fruits.

Pineapple

• 1 cup- calories 82 calories, fat 0g, carbs 22g, fiber 2g, protein 1g
• Good source of Vitamin B6 and C, thiamine, manganese
• Try it: peeled and cut into chunks for a fruit salad, or grilled in thick rings for two minutes per side with a sprinkling of cayenne pepper.

Avocados

• 1 cup (sliced) - calories 234, fat 21g, carbs 12.5g, fiber 10g, protein 3g
• Good source of Vitamin B6, C, E &K, riboflavin, niacin, folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, potassium, manganese
• Try it peeled raw in a smoothie, or add half of a peeled pitted avocado to two cups of raw baby spinach and half an apple and process in a blender for a raw soup.
• Avocados are nutrient superstars. An individual serving of this fruit or vegetable provides more than 15% of your total recommended daily allowance (RDA) for four or more different vitamins and minerals.

Apricots

• 1 cup (halved) calories 74, fat .6g, carbs 17g, fiber 3g, protein 2g
• Good Source of vitamin A and C, potassium
• Try it pitted and eaten whole as a snack or halved and baked with chicken.
• Just two little apricots boast two grams of fiber and 1,348 IU of vitamin A. They're also famous for being packed with carotenoids and antioxidants which are said to reduce the risk of many types of cancer.

Strawberries

• 1 cup (whole) calories 46, fat 0g, carbs 11g, fiber 3g, protein 1g
• Good source of Vitamin C, folate, manganese
• Try them in an energy drink using one and a half cups berries blended with 1/3 cup pasteurized raw egg whites and a drop of raw honey or agave syrup, or two cups of berries blended with two cups cold water, 1/3 cup dry white wine, 1/4 cup of raw honey and a half a cup plain yogurt for a cold dessert soup.
• Strawberries are antioxidant superstars.

Mangos

• 1 cup (sliced) calories 107, fat .5g, carbs 28g, fiber 3g, protein 1g
• Good source Vitamins A, B6 & C
• Try it peeled and cubed (two cups) with 1/3 cup chopped green onion, a 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, two tablespoons lime juice, one teaspoon agave nectar or raw honey, and one tablespoon minced fresh ginger for a seafood salsa

The Best of Clean Eating page 140-141

On-the-Go Clean Snacks

Healthy snacks can be just as quick as going through a drive thru window. Below are some great on the go snacks from the Clean Eating cookbook that require virtually no prep or cooking time.

1. Half a multi-grain bagel with unsalted almond butter
2. Scoop of dry whole grain cereal with added raisins and a handful of nuts
3. Cup or two of plain popcorn topped with a pinch of sea salt
4. Six multi grain crackers with two tablespoons natural, unsalted peanut or almond butter and a quarter cup of dried fruit.
5. Ten unsalted almonds and one apple cut into slices
6. Half a can of salmon or tuna (canned in water) stuffed into a multi grain pita
7. Two ounces of low fat cheese cubes with half a cup of grapes or berries
8. Four whole wheat organic graham crackers sandwiched with natural, unsalted peanut butter
9. Half a cup of low fat cottage cheese with banana slices or berries
10. Baked sweet potato topped with nonfat Greek yogurt and chives
11. Four ounces of plain, low fat yogurt mixed with whole grain granola, flax seeds and mixed berries
12. Selection of crudites with two tablespoons of hummus for dipping

Polenta Lasagna

Don't judge this recipe yet just by the name! On Sunday night my husband was frying up some Pheasant he had recently hunted so I decided to try this new recipe I found in Oxygen magazine for Polenta Lasagna. I had a bad experience with polenta in the past but I decided to give it another try.  It turned out beyond delicious, super cheesy and even my husband asked me to save him some for his lunch tomorrow.

The polenta (a gluten free grain) is a super easy substitute for pasta and the taste is extremely similar. You can't taste the tofu in the recipe it just adds to the creaminess of the ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Plus its only 221 calories for a big serving but you leave the table not feeling bloated or stuffed like you usually would after a huge lasagna meal. Also a great recipe for lent as its a meatless option.

This recipe is ready in 45 minutes and makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
15oz low fat ricotta cheese
1/2 cup fresh grated parm cheese
1 package firm tofu, drained and mashed
10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dry
1 jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and copped
1 jar marinara sauce or tomato basil sauce (i used tomato basil)
18oz tube of pre-cooked polenta, sliced into 18 rounds
sea salt & pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl mix together ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Set aside 2 tablespoons. Add tofu, spinach and peppers and gently mix together. (*I mixed the tofu and the cheese first before tossing in the veggies)
2. Layer 1/2 cup of tomato sauce on the bottom of a 11x7 inch glass baking dish. Place six polenta rounds over sauce.
3. Top with half of the cheese mixture. Pour 3/4 cup of sauce over cheese. Repeat layering polenta rounds, cheese mixture and sauce.
4. Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons of cheese on top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25 mins. Remove the foil and set the oven to broil. Cook 4 more mins or until the cheese starts to turn golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrients per serving: Cal 221, fat 8g, carb 22g, dietary fiber 2g, protein 14g, sugars 6g

Safe on the Run

If you like to run solo, this little device just may save your life. The new ila Sport is a palm sized pedometer and calorie counter that has a personal alarm inside. So clip this device onto your clothes or carry it in the palm of your hand and if you ever run into a growling dog or trip on the curb you can simply press a button to signal for help.

Not to mention this little device tracks all your previous session stats so you can race to beat your best time. I love that incentive!

Shape Magazine March 2011

Sweating by the Numbers

There was a great article in Shape magazine this month that looked at research studies on how if you exercise NOW it can prevent over 25 diseases and health conditions later one.

Workouts lower your risk of.....

• Breast cancer by 30%
• Colon cancer by 40%
• Depression by 28%
• Heart disease by 50%
• Hip fractures by 41%

Why are you waiting!?! We all say we are busy yet we find time to blog, facebook and surf the web, so tomorrow cut your online time in half and get moving the second half.  Just think MOVE MORE, and do what you love. If you like shopping- walk the mall, if you like to garden start digging, or use your cable on demand feature for tons of free workout videos.  No more excuses!

Mess-Free Tools

Its the worst when you are in the middle of cooking and rest your spoon on the counter and before you know it there is a mess everywhere. Plus just thinking of the bacteria that may have been on my counter is now in my meal... yuck! Joesph Joseph Elevate Set is genius, its weighted handles prevent the heads of the utensils to come in contact with your work surface.  Such a great gift for a hostess or even ourselves :)

Fruit and Honey Bars

Granola bars are a great snack or breakfast to grab as we run out the door late to work or an event. However, these store bought bars we "think" of as a healthy option are usually far from it. Many brands are extremely high in calories, contain tons of sugar and have so many additives. Look at the label next time you are in a grocery store and you will not know what half of the ingredients are.

As we all make changes to reduce our processed food consumption, I thought I would share this great recipe for homemade granola bars. I made it this past weekend, it was super easy and they are delicious. No more store bought granola bars for us, this new recipe will be a staple in our house!!

Ingredients
1/3 cup honey
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup old fashion rolled oats
1/2 cup instant nonfat dry milk
1/2 cup each- unsalted pumpkin seeds, unsweetened shredded coconut, dried cherries, dried apricots (chopped), ground flax seed
1/4 cup whole wheat flour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Line 9" square baking pan with nonstick foil
3. Beat honey, eggs and salt with a fork in a small bowl until blended.
4. Put oats, dry milk, pumpkin seeds, coconut, flax seeds, apricots, cherries and flour in a food processor and pulse until finely chopped.
5. Add honey mixture to food processor and pulse until mixture is evenly moistened
6. Transfer dough to baking pan, press into even layer with dampened fingers.
7. Bake until center is set and edges are browned, about 20 mins.
8. Let cool slightly on rack, 10 minutes. Holding foil transfer bar from pan to cutting board.
9. Cut into 20 (1.5") bars. Let cool completely and peel off foil.

**I am not a fan of coconut so I replaced this ingredient with 2TB of toasted wheat germ. Feel free to substitute any ingredients to your liking.

**Also after 10 minutes of cooling, once bars were cut I spread evenly with 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. You can leave them as is, or once they warm up you can spread the chocolate.

***To make iced cranberry bars substitute 1/2cup dried cranberries for the dried cherries. And once bars are cooled make icing (whisk 3/4 cup sifted confectioners sugar, pinch cloves, and 3-4 tsp milk until smooth). Drizzle over bars.

Per serving (1 bar) 118 calories, 5g total fat, 16g total carbs, 10g sugar, 2g fiber, 4g protein.

Weight Watchers March/April 2011 magazine

Did you know?

Did you know that the easiest way to spot organically grown fruits and vegetables at the supermarket is to check the sticker?

• Conventionally grown fruits & veggies have 4 numbers (ex:4012)
• Organically grown fruits & veggies have 5 numbers and begin with 9 (ex:94012)
• Genetically modified fruits & veggies have 5 numbers and begin with 8 (ex:94012)

Turkey Black Bean Soft Tacos

(photo courtesy of -The Best of Clean Eating)

As we all know I love Clean Eating Magazine and back in October I mentioned that I picked up their new cook book The Best of Clean Eating, I love it! Its more than a cook book as it provides easy tips to introduce more "clean" (unprocessed) foods into your life. I wanted to share an easy recipe that is super filling and filled with protein.

Ingredients
12 corn tortillas-Corn tortillas are a whole-grain food, making them a tasty and wholesome alternative to white flour tortillas
1 1/4 lbs extra lean ground turkey
1 (15 oz) can low sodium black beams, rinsed and drained
1 cup, plus 2 TB chunky low sodium salsa
2 cups of chopped romaine lettuce (packed)
olive oil cooking spray
ground black pepper and sea salt to taste

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Loosely wrap tortillas in foil, making two packets of 6 tortillas each. Place packets on a baking sheet and bake for 10 to 15 mins or until hot
2. Coat a skillet with cooking spray and heat on medium high. Add turkey and cook until lightly browned and cooked through, about six to eight minutes, breaking up meat as you go. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Unwrap foil packets and place two tortillas on each of 6 plates. For each plate distribute half cup of turkey, quarter cup of beans, three tablespoons of salsa and one third cup lettuce, evenly between both tortillas. Serve immediately.

Serves 6, Hands on time 10 minutes, Total Time 20 minutes

Nutrients per serving (2 corn tortillas, 1/2 cup turkey, 1/2 cup beans, 3 TB salsa, 1/3 cup lettuce)
calories 276, total fat 2.5g, Sat fat 0g, carbs 37g, fiber 7g, sugars 2g, protein 28gm sodium 343mg, cholesterol 46mg

Welcome to Healthy Addiction!!

I believe no one diet works for everyone. That being said I am going back to school to follow my passion of nutrition. I want to help others find the food and lifestyle choices that best support them. I also want to help people make gradual, lifelong changes that enable them to reach their current and future health goals. I am studying a holistic approach to health and wellness that does not dwell on calories, carbs, fats, and proteins. In the fall I will launch my company Healthy Addiction where I will work with clients to create a happy, healthy life in a way that is flexible, fun and rewarding. In this blog I will take you on my journey as I become a holistic health coach, sharing tips and tricks to live a healthier life.

When to go Organic??

This is the question that people ponder every time they are in a grocery store. So to help clarify there are a few simple tricks as to when organic produce is necessary and when its not worth the extra $$.

Ask yourself "Do I eat the skin"? If the answer is yes then choose ORGANIC!
examples are- berries, peppers, celery, apples etc

If the produce has a thick skin that is not eaten then organic is not necessary.
examples are- coconuts, pineapple, onions, bananas etc.

Hope this helps clarify!

Reminder: Change is coming... this blog will have a new web address shortly www.healthy-addiction.blogspot.com