Today's Tip: Variety

When eating healthy, every color needs to be your favorite color! 


Did you know that the color of foods is actually an indicator of what type of nutrients it contains? Different colors represent different nutrients, and if you don't  eat a variety of colors, you may be starving your body of certain crucial nutrients for you to be performing at your best.  So when eating your next meal, ask yourself if you are happy with the variety of color that is on your plate!

photo from http://ceiverson.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/phytonutrient-fun-have-you-eaten-all-your-colors-today/

Weekly Spotlight: Garlic

Why not start off the Weekly Spotlight with my favorite food: Garlic.  I personally think that you cannot go wrong with garlic.  It smells good, tastes good, and is good for you! What else can you ask for? Okay, I suppose it can be used to repel dates that you are not interested in.


Here are my favorite things about it:

• It''s great for the heart and circulatory system
• It helps prevent many cancers
• It helps promote optimal weight control
• It is extremely anti-viral and anti-bacterial, even against pharmaceutical drug-resistant bacteria... beat that! 

There is one thing to keep in mind, however, all these benefits are promised to you as long as you do one thing! The main sulfur compound, allicin, that is responsible for all of these benefits, is only activated when the cell walls are ruptured.  So here is what you need to do to get the most out of your garlic:

1. Before pealing your garlic, crush it with the wide side of your knife.
2. Now peel your garlic (this should be easier to do after crushing it), and chop off the ends.
3. Mince your garlic.  
4. Wait 5-10 minutes before cooking to allow time for the allicin to activate

The more crushed and minced your garlic is, the more cell walls are ruptured, and the more allicin can be activated.

Recipe: Garlic Soup

Crush and mince 4 or 5 cloves of garlic (then let stand 5-10 min to activate the allicin)

Finely chop 1/2 an onion (also let sit for 5-10 minutes... this is important for letting the nutrients activate!)

Saute garlic and onion in small amount of sesame oil (canola oil is fine if you dont have anything else) until onion becomes soft. 

Then add 2 cups of chicken broth (I like to use the organic Better than Bouillon chicken broth mix) then heat it up just below boiling. 

Sometimes I will add spinach at the end also!

*It is important to not let anything boil or burn... if any of the food gets this hot, the nutrients will start dying off.

This is my favorite cold and flu recipe because it has helped us stay away from any major illnesses for about 2 years now! Thanks to the anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties found in all 3 ingredients, we always wake up feeling amazing the next day, and it tastes GREAT!

Today's Tip: Go Organic

Did you know that genetically modified organisms (GMO's) have about 1/3 less the nutrients as their certified organic counterparts?

photo from http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:USDA_organic_seal.svg

Not only that, but organic food does not contain any of the harmful, cancer and disease causing residues hidden within.

We also cannot trust the government to take charge in overseeing the harmful effects of GMO's, as many of the leaders of these GMO companies, are also leaders in the FDA and USDA... conflict of interest there?

photo from http://gene-az.ir/gmo.html

Homemade Popcorn

Everybody loves to curl up and eat popcorn while watching a movie.  You set up the movie and get the blankets ready while you hear and smell the popcorn bag popping in the microwave.  As you open the bag for the first time, heaven fills your nose.  Well, that heaven is actually all the fats and preservatives that are waiting to wreak havoc on your body.  "Dang, Julene, thanks for ruining it for me!" Wait! What if I told you that you could still eat popcorn, and make it yourself?  Not only does this method taste amazing, it is very good for you too!  So go ahead and grab the blanket, the movie night is still goin on!

You will need:
1/2 yellow popcorn kernels
1-2 Tbsp sesame or canola oil
salt to taste

Heat a pot on the stove on medium heat. Pour in oil, then kernels, and a fitting lid to keep the steam in.  Occasionally gently shake the pot (with the lid still on)to move the kernels so they will not burn.  Once they start popping, listen carefully, and continue to occasionally shake the pot. When the intervals between poppings have become2-3 seconds, remove pot from heat.  Pour salt in, cover with the lid again, and shake the pot so the salt spreads to all the popcorn.  Taste-test the popcorn to see if you need to add more salt, and continue shaking as needed. Serves two.

If you want, add some other natural flavors such as spices, or parmesan cheese!

Grab 'n Go Snack Bags

This is a very easy way to stay healthy on a tight schedule! My husband and I enjoy munching on these during our class lectures in the middle of they day when we get hungry! They are very tasty and easy to prepare.  My husband and I had fun making these together!  This particular method gave each of us daily snacks for a week.  Feel free to be creative with the food that you have.  This is just what we had on hand!

You will need:
14 sandwich zip lock bags
Fruit of your choice (make sure they have individual protective membranes, like grapes.  Don't cut up a melon for this... too messy)
Nuts of your choice

On a counter top or table, lay open all the zip lock bags.
One by one, in an assembly line motion, place an even amount of fruit and nuts into each bag.

We used blueberries, apples, oranges, grapefruit....

.... dried cranberries, almonds and walnuts.

Zip everything up and place them in the fridge!  The natural sugars in the fruit will give you a great source of energy, and the protein in the nuts will keep you full until your next meal!

Sautèd Vegetable Pasta

1 zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 onion
3-4 garlic cloves
6-7 mushrooms to taste
1 can organic diced tomatoes
1/2 package of angel hair pasta (cooked as directed)
2 Tbsp. Sesame oil
Salt*
Pepper*
Basil*
Bay Leaf*
*to taste

In large pan or wok, heat oil on medium heat. Add zucchini, squash, onion, garlic, and mushrooms.  Cook until soft and transparent.  Add tomatoes.  Stir until heated.  You may need to drain the excess water with a colander, and then add back to the pan.  Add seasonings and stir for two more minutes, then add pasta. Stir and serve.  Serves 4.

Today's Tip: Oil

photo from http://guerrillahealthwatch.wordpress.com/2008/01/21/smoking/

Different oils are meant for different cooking methods.  For instance, olive oil should not be used for cooking or sauteing and should only be used for things such as salads.  This is because the molecules in the olive oil begin to break down when under high heat and releases free radicals into your system, damaging your body.  This is visible in olive oil when it begins to smoke and change color. So, oils such as olive oil, should not be used for cooking or baking.  This is a common mistake in many cooking practices. Oils that are refined for high heat exposure will be labeled as such.  Some of these include sesame, canola, and safflower oil.  My favorite to use is sesame oil because of it's unique flavor,high nutrients, and high heat resistance.

Homemade Croutons

This is a healthier alternative to store-bought croutons that are loaded with preservatives and secret unnatural flavors. This is quick, easy, fun, and yummy!!!  You can put this in salads, or sometimes we even like to eat them as if they were chips!

Ingredients:

1 loaf of French Bread

Organic Oil Spray

Garlic Salt

Thyme

Preheat oven to 350. With your hands, break apart bread to roughly 1 inch cubes.  Place on a baking sheet (you may need two).  Spray bread with oil, then sprinkle garlic salt and thyme.   Place in oven for about 10 min, or until it is a light golden brown.  Let cool, then store in a zip lock bag.

Vegetarian Lasagna

This is a great healthy and hardy meal that will not leave you feeling weighed down afterward! My husband loves to eat meat, but he loved this meal so much he had 3 helpings!

9 lasagna noodles, cooked al dente

1 16 oz cottage cheese

1 egg

1 zucchini squash (can also add or substitute with eggplant)

1 yellow squash

1 large red onion

1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

sliced fresh mushrooms*

fresh spinach leaves*

shredded mozzarella cheese*

shredded romano cheese*

paremesan cheese*

sliced olives*

*to taste

Thinly slice both squashes and red onion, then individually saute them lightly. It is important to saute each separately so they can retain their unique flavors (you may lightly season with garlic salt or herbs). Beat egg into cottage cheese. Line a 9x13 pan with a small amount of sauce.

Each layer gets, in this order:

3 lasagna noodles

cottage cheese

mushrooms

onions

yellow squash

zucchini squash

spinach

mozzarella cheese

romano cheese

small amount of spaghetti sauce

repeat 2 more times

top with olives, and parmesan cheese

You may worry that the lasagna is very "full" in the pan, but don't worry the spinach cooks down a lot in the oven.

Bake at 350 for about 45 min, *then let it cool for about 10 min so it can solidify!*

Garden Salsa

This is my mom's recipe, and I have to say, my FAVORITE recipe! Note: After all the chopping, slicing and squeezing, it takes about 2 hours if you have no help... but TOTALLY worth it!

Here's what you need (makes a good party-size amount):

18-20 roma tomatoes*

1 large onion

1 bunch of cilantro

4 limes*

3-4 garlic cloves

1 jalepeno pepper

1-2 tsp. salt

Finely dice tomatoes, onion (I used a food chopper for the onion), cilantro, and garlic; add to a large bowl. Roll limes on counter top with pressure from hand to loosen the inside of the limes, then squeeze juice from all 4 limes into bowl. Finely chop jalepeno pepper (note: if you are a spicy wimp, like me, use only 1/3 of the pepper, and 1/4 of the seeds; otherwise go for it!) Add salt to taste. Let sit in the fridge for about 30 min to 1 hour for juices to combine, and ENJOY!

*Use organic if possible. Not only are they better for you, but they are much more juicy and flavorful! Makes for a very very delicious salsa!

Vegetarian Fajitas

Earlier this week, my husband was really sick and I could not take care of him much because I had to work all day. On my way home from work, I was brainstorming with meal ideas that would be quick (because I was really hungry) and that would help fight his illness (because he was really sick). By the time I got home, this delicious meal popped into my head! Because everything is cooked in a pan, it was quick to prepare; and because of the ingredients, Chris started feeling better the next day! The combination of the onion and peppers provide a very powerful antiviral and antibacterial quality to this meal, not to mention the nutrients from all the other whole foods!

You will need (for 4-5 servings):

1 large onion, sliced

1-2 peppers, chopped or sliced (the more colors you have, the more nutritional variety you have!)

2/3 cup of sliced mushrooms (amount depends on your preference really)

1 roma tomato, chopped

1 lime, quartered

3-4 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

1-2 Tbs of oil (preferably oil that is refined for high heat, like sesame oil, to avoid free radicals in your meal)

Multi-grain tortillas

1 can of black beans, heated, rinsed and drained

On Low-Medium heat, add oil to pan. When oil is heated, add onion, peppers and mushrooms. Stir frequently, until vegetables begin to soften. Do not overcook! Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat black beans on low heat.

When vegetables have softened, add tomato. Stir frequently for a few minutes until tomato is slightly cooked. Then remove pan from heat.

On a tortilla, layer: small amount of black beans, small amount of vegetables. Garnish with cilantro, and juice of lime quarter.

Wrap and enjoy!

Note: My husband and I each had 2, and they kept us full for quite a while!