Weekly Spotlight: Sucanat

This has got to be one of my favorite healthy alternatives... so yummy!  Now I can bake with a little less guilt.

Sucanat is, basically, dehydrated sugar cane juice, which leaves all of its molasses content in tact. Regular white sugar, is processed and refined and contains little nutritional value. Sucanat, however, ranks the highest of all the sugars that are derived from cane juice. It also has a lower count of sucrose than regular white sugar.

Here are some of its nutritional highlights:
Low in sucrose
High in potassium
High in magnesium
High in vitamin A
Also contains: Chromium, phosphorus, Vitamin B, and calcium

This is a natural, pure, whole food sugar substitute. Its taste is most similar to brown sugar, and is slightly sweeter than refined white sugar. That being said, you can use a 1:1 ratio in your recipes when substituting sugar for sucanat.  I have completely converted over to sucanat, and use it in homemade brownies, cookies, etc.

You can order it online here, or you can find it in a lot of grocery stores in the whole foods and baking sections. (I have yet to see it in Walmart).  I get my sucanat from Sunflower Market. Seriously, it's even just fun to eat.  I wouldn't recommend having spoonfuls of it, but definitely wet the tip of your finger and give it a dip every once in a while! :)

Weekly Spotlight: Quinoa

This is a more recent discovery for me... and I love it! Quinoa (pronounce Keen-wah), is the golden grain of the Incas.  It is super super tiny, so don't try straining this grain.

It also comes in a few different colors (they all taste the same).  There is the traditional off-white: 

There is the dark quinoa (think if it as the "wild rice" of quinoa)

And there is red:

I love this food because:
1. It's easy to make
2. It's quick to make
3. It's very versatile (you can cook it with almost anything)
4. It's VERY nutrient dense
5. You don't have to eat a lot to get full
6. It has a very fun "pop" texture when you chew it

Here's what it is known for:
It is very rich in manganese, magnesium, iron, tryptophan, copper, and phosphorus.  It is also very very high in protein, the complete protein that is, meaning that it includes all 9 essential amino acids, making it a great food for vegans and vegetarians.

Here's what it helps with:
Migraines... its high magnesium and riboflavin content helps to reduce the frequency of migraines by relaxing the constricted blood vessels and providing more energy to the brain.

Lowers Risk of Cardiovascular Disease... because of its magnesium content and its ability to relax constricted blood vessels, this is a great food to help at-risk individuals.

Antioxidant... its antioxidant properties (found in it's manganese and copper) help to remove molecules that are harmful to cells, thereby protecting against cancer.

Gallstones... This food is very high in insoluble fiber which helps to prevent gallstones.

Type II Diabetes... Quinoa, along with many other whole grains, is very rich in magnesium, which assists over 300 enzymes in their function, including the functions of the enzymes responsible for the secretion of glucose and insulin.

Here's how to prepare it:

This cooks just like rice.  If you remember that, you will be set. The ratio is 2:1... 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of quinoa.

  In a medium sauce pan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.  Add the quinoa. (I also add about a Tbsp of oil to keep it from being too sticky.)

Once water returns to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high and cover with a lid.  Let boil/simmer for 15 minutes. 

After it is cooked, it should look light and fluffy.

This cooks like rice, and also eats like rice... for a healthier meal, substitute your rice for some quinoa! But watch out, you don't need to eat a lot of this to get full!

Weekly Spotlight: Strawberries

Last night, when we went grocery shopping, we decided to splurge and get some organic strawberries that were slightly on sale.  I was so excited. You don't understand though, berries are one of those things where if you can't get them organic, you shouldn't get them at all because they have the highest concentration of pesticide residue.  So I have been (not-so) patiently waiting ALL summer for organic berries to go on sale, cuz they can put a dent in your wallet if your not careful.  Strawberries have to be one of my favorite fruits too, so my excitement of finally getting organic strawberries was almost on the level of weird. 

Aside from their taste, strawberries have a lot of excellent nutritional properties to them:

One of their most famous nutritional qualities is their potency of Vitamin C.  These guys are great to eat for fighting and preventing colds, and also help the symptoms of hay fever. So eating them regularly can help to ensure a strong immune system. 

Their anti-inflammatory agents found in the Vitamin C help against arthritis.

All berries are great sources of antioxidants, which will reduce the amount of free radicals in your system, preventing dangerous cell damage; thereby preventing cancerous cells from appearing. 


Strawberries also contain antioxidant polyphenols, which help preserve brain function, eyesight and other forms of macular degeneration.  So if you want to keep a youthful brain, keep strawberries on hand for a snack. 


Tips for use: 
First, select the ones that are the deepest in color. This means that they are fully ripe and contain the most nutrients. They are also the most tasty.  Also, watch out for spoilage (mold in the packaging, juice from squished strawberries, etc.)


Don't slice them until just before consuming.  Once strawberries are sliced, their vitamin C compounds start to break down.  


Eat them fresh. Cooking fruits (eg: breads and stews) will significantly reduce their nutritional content because they cannot withstand high temperatures.  

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!