Exhausted? Eat this to get your energy back.

I was completely shocked when I read that America’s top weight loss coach, best-selling author and nationally known expert on weight loss, nutrition and health – Dr. Jonny Bowden said that sardines are “health food in a can.” I was even more shocked to learn that sardines can not only help with overwhelming fatigue, but they can improve my mood, memory and metabolism. 

Sardines are full of healthy omega-3 fats. While we typically think of fat as “bad,” Omega-3 fats are definitely the exception. Why? Consider that a mere ½ gram of omega-3 fats a day can significantly decrease cardiovascular risk. Omega-3s can also reduce the risk of stroke and reduce the symptoms of depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), joint pain and rheumatoid arthritis. Omega-3s have even been linked to protection against Alzheimer’s. 

We’ve all heard that we should eat more salmon to increase our intake of omega-3 fatty acid, but sardines are an equally good choice. Sardines are also convenient, since they can be eaten straight from the can, no preparation needed.

Speaking of the can, make sure that you get sardines packed in their own oil or olive oil, but do not buy the kind packed in vegetable oil. The vegetable oil simply loads them up with omega-6 fats, which are not good for you at all.

 Omega-3 fats aren’t all you will get from those little fish. Sardines are also loaded with calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper and manganese. One can of sardines also provides over 150 percent of your Daily Value of vitamin B12. Sardines are also a great choice for pregnant women because they are low in mercury, unlike tuna. 

I headed to Trader Joes to pick up my dreaded can of sardines. I trust Trader Joes and figured if I had to try those little suckers, I’ll buy it from my go-to health food store. 

I have a confession though – I let that little can of sardines sit in my pantry for three full months before I built up the courage to try them. I was dreading the day I would have to try them. I even considered blogging about the health benefits without trying them, but quickly snapped back to my senses. My commitment to you is that I will try every one of the top 150 foods on earth, even as horrible as they may sound. I survived bee pollen. I actually enjoyed kale. I could survive sardines. 

I found a sardine recipe in the December 2010 edition of Whole Living magazine and decided that it was time….

The article stated that this dish, Spinach Pesto with Sardines, was essential to try if you are “feeling fatigued and spreading yourself too thin.” Bingo! I was definitely feeling run down, tired and overwhelmed – maybe this would help. 

I prepared the recipe (below) and gingerly placed two sardines on top of the pesto covered Naan bread. I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to look at those little fish bodies and I bravely took a bite. The spinach pesto was delicious and the sardines were innocuous. Their flavor was milder than tuna and the texture was firm, neither crunchy nor mushy. If I could just get over their appearance, I’d be willing to add these babies to my regular rotation, but I have a difficult time ignoring their headless shining bodies. 

Give this recipe for Sardine topped Spinach Pesto a try and let me know what you think. The recipe suggested serving on rustic bread, but I found the Indian Naan bread at Trader Joes to be absolutely delicious! 

Spinach Pesto with Sardines 

Ingredients

• 1 lb. baby spinach
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• ½ cup toasted pine nuts
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan
• ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 can sardines
• 1 package Trader Joes Naan Bread

Instructions

Sautee spinach with garlic and red pepper flakes until wilted. Transfer to food processor and add pine nuts and Parmesan. Pulse until finely ground. With the machine running, add the olive oil and season with salt. Meanwhile, toast the Naan bread. Spread the Naan bread with the spinach pesto and top with two sardines.

Chunky Caramel-Apple Pumpkin Spice Dip and the Health Benefits of Cloves

This is for all of my friends who asked for this Chunky Caramel-Apple Pumpkin Spice Dip recipe after I posted on Facebook last night. I made one mistake on my Facebook post though – this dip doesn’t have 80 calories a serving, it only has 52 calories a serving! This pumpkin apple spice dip is the BEST dip I’ve ever made. It’s so good that it doesn’t even need to be eaten as a dip, you can just eat it by the spoonful, which I have to admit, I did.

We had friends over last night while we watched the Steelers playoff game and I made this amazing dip as an appetizer. I liked it so much, that when my husband brought out the Apple Brown Betty pie that he bought from Fresh Market, I opted for a spoonful of this dip instead.

Did I mention that not only does this dip taste amazing, but it is chockfull of good-for-you ingredients, including apples, pumpkin, cinnamon and cloves? All for only has 52 calories a serving. I have to give Hungry Girl credit for this amazing recipe. If you haven’t heard of Hungry Girl, go to www.hungry-girl.com and sign up for her newsletter – she has the most amazing healthy versions of typically calorie-laden foods.

I want to share the recipe with you, but first I wanted to talk a little about the health benefits of cloves. Cloves made the top 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth list for their medicinal properties. Cloves are the unopened pink flower buds of the evergreen clove tree. They resemble little nails and their name is actually derived from the Latin word clavus, which means nail. Cloves have been consumed in Asia for more than 2,000 years. Back in 200 BC Chinese men would keep cloves in their mouths to keep their breath fresh when courting women. In Asian medicine cloves are thought to be among the spices that promote energy circulation and increase in metabolic rate.

Cloves are best known for their antiseptic and anesthetic properties. The next time you have a toothache try putting a little dab of clove oil on your gums. The pain dissipates almost immediately and clove oil works better than any over-the-counter product I’ve found. You will also notice clove oil in some over-the-counter sore throat sprays and mouth washes.

Cloves contain significant amounts of an active component called eugenol, which is known to help kill bacteria and viruses. Eugenol is also an anti-inflammatory and contains a variety of flavonoids, kaempferol and rhamnetin, which also contribute to cloves’ anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Cloves are also an excellent source of manganese, fiber, vitamin C and omega-3 fatty acids.

So when you eat this dip you’ll know that you are not only getting the amazing antioxidant power of apples, the potassium and fiber punch from pumpkin, blood sugar stabilizing cinnamon, but also the metabolic boost of cloves. All of that in a Super bowl party snack? Try out this recipe and please post back on this blog and let me know what you think. I can’t wait to hear if you love it as much as I do!

Chunky Caramel-Apple Pumpkin Spice Dip (recipe from Hungry Girl 200 under 200 cookbook)

Ingredients

• One 8-ounce container fat-free cool whip
• One 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 1 small box sugar-free fat-free instant vanilla pudding
• 2 cups chopped apples
• 1 tablespoon Splenda
• 2 teaspoons fat-free caramel dip
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon cloves

Instructions

1. Place apples in bowl with ¼ cup water. Microwave for 2 minutes. When cool enough to handle, drain water.
2. Place ½ cup cold water in small saucepan. Add Splenda, cornstarch, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, ½ teaspoon vanilla, and mix thoroughly.
3. Bring saucepan to medium-high heat, and then add caramel dip. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, until mixture is thick, hot and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Then add apples and stir until mixed. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
4. Meanwhile, mix cinnamon and cloves and remaining vanilla extract into the fat-free cool whip.
5. In a large bowl, combine sugar-free, fat-free vanilla pudding with the pumpkin and stir well. Fold in the cool whip until completely blended. Refrigerate.
6. Once the caramel apples are cold, stir them into the pumpkin mixture.
7. Serve with sliced apples or cinnamon rice cakes.

Southern New Year’s: Collard Greens & Black Eyed Peas

New Year’s Day in the south isn’t complete without black-eyed peas, collard greens and cornbread. We have a tradition in our family to eat black eyed peas to bring luck in the new year and collard greens to bring money. I typically am not a fan of this cruciferous vegetable, but I eat it at least once a year.

We had a New Year’s Day celebration, combining the best of the northern and southern traditions, with a menu of kielbasa, sauerkraut, pork chops, collard greens, black eyed peas and corn bread.

Collard greens are pure “soul food” and have been a staple of Southern cooking for years. Collards are a cross between cabbage and kale and are loaded with valuable cancer-fighting phyotochemicals.

Just like spinach, collards are loaded with calcium. One cup of collards provides as much calcium as in 8 ounces of milk and a whopping 5 grams of fiber. This nutritional powerhouse is also loaded with magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, vitamin C, A and K. You can get all of these vitamins, as well as lutein and zeaxanthin, which are key nutrients for eye health, for a measly 49 calories per cup. Talk about getting the most bang for your buck! Speaking of buck, collard greens are also very inexpensive, especially when purchased fresh. Just make sure you clean them thoroughly before cooking.

I wish I had a great recipe I could share for collard greens, but sadly we just make them the easy way: from the can. It provides just as many key nutrients, but without the fuss. I wish you a very Happy New Year! May 2011 bring you luck, love and all of your heart’s desires.

I can’t believe that I started the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth blog one year ago today. I’m looking forward to sharing more healthy foods, recipes and tips in 2011. I hope you stay with me in my journey to healthier eating in 2011. I’d love to hear from you. What would you like to see on this blog in 2011? Anything you want me to start doing? Stop doing? Continue doing? I’d love to hear your feedback.

Thyme of my life (Dirty Bit)

Time.

A classic song from my favorite 80s movie, Dirty Dancing (No one puts baby in a corner.) 

An AWESOME new song by the Black Eyed Peas from their new album, “The Beginning,” just released yesterday. 

Hit number from last night’s episode of Glee (if you missed it, go to itunes to check it out.) 

And on the dinner table on Thanksgiving, in the thyme and sage stuffing. 

Time is everywhere lately, yet I still don’t seem to ever have enough of it. 

Give yourself some more time in your life by adding thyme to your diet. Thyme has a long history in healing a wide variety of ailments. According to the natural health and diet site, thyme is a powerful antioxidant and can improve the life and longevity of human cells, and therefore prolong the life of the body. 

Thyme can aid digestion and even help relieve chest and respiratory problems, such as coughs and bronchitis. The essential oil from thyme is also used for aromatherapy and can help relieve exhaustion, depression and upper respiratory tract infections. 

Thyme is also a powerful antiseptic and is used in everything from toothpaste to deodorant to even surgical dressings. 

This herb works really well in any kind of slow cooked-dish. According to the Old Home Remedies website, you can also make your own homemade cough syrup with thyme. Try out this old home remedy below and let me know if it works for you. 

Homemade Thyme Cough Syrup

Pour 2 cups boiling water over 2 tablespoons of dried thyme. Cool to room temperature. Strain and add 1 cup of honey. Shake to mix well. Keep refrigerated. Take 1 tablespoon several times a day for sore throats, colds, and coughing.

The Good, the Bad and the Ugly About Raisins

I ran a half-marathon last weekend in preparation for my full Disney Marathon in January. As my reward, I baked a homemade loaf of raisin bread. The bread was delicious, but it was a little too good. I fell into the trap that I was warned about, but swore I would never do: I justified my eating three-quarters the entire loaf because I ran 13.1 miles.

Fact: I burned 1,548 calories while running the half marathon (according to my Garmin.)

Fact: I ate approximately 1,800 calories in ¾ of a loaf of cinnamon raisin bread.

I completely negated my run by eating that cinnamon raisin bread. There are a couple of lessons here:

1. Know your trigger foods and don’t have them in the house
2. We often overestimate the calories we burn through exercise and underestimate the calories in the foods we eat.
3. Don’t justify eating whatever you want because you exercised.
4. Don’t bake a fresh loaf of cinnamon raisin bread when you are hungry.

First of all, while raisins did make the top 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth list, the news about raisins isn’t all good. I’m going to break down the good, the bad and the ugly on raisins.

The Good

Raisins are high in phenols, which have high antioxidant activity and can prevent damage to the cells in the body from free radicals. Raisins are also high in boron, .which can promote bone and joint health. Also, I hope you read my recent article about Five Ways to Combat Alzheimer’s and I’m excited to read about yet another discovery in Alzheimer’s prevention: myricetin, found in raisins, has been found to inhibit beta-amyloid fibril formation, which is a key problem in Alzheimers disease. So now you have six ways you can prevent Alzheimer’s through lifestyle changes – add raisins to your diet!

The Bad

When I was researching the health benefits of raisins, I came across an article that touted one of the “benefits” was gaining weight because “raisins, like all dried fruit, are very good for gaining weight, as they are full of fructose and glucose and give a lot of energy.” OK, that is wonderful if you are one of the very few naturally thin people on this earth, but personally, I don’t need a food that will “help me gain weight.” I have enough “weight gain” tricks up my sleeve, it is the weight loss that I need help with.

 

However, my dietician did recommend that I bring raisins with me on my long runs instead of the GU or energy gels. Maybe I’ll do that on Saturday when I run 23 miles.

The Ugly

Raisins are concentrated grapes, so they have the highest pesticide residue of any fruit – not good. For that reason, try to buy organic raisins, even if they cost a little bit more.

 

I made the cinnamon raisin bread from a recipe in the The Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. If you love bread, you must have this book. This is absolutely the best loaf of bread I’ve ever had in my life and I’m not an experienced bread baker.

I’m not going to lie, it is VERY time consuming, but it is worth it. Do you like raisins? Did you know that they had the highest pesticide rating of any fruit? I’d love to hear from you!

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Sponge

• 2 ¼ cup plus 2 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 ¾ cup water, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon honey
• ¾ teaspoon instant yeast

Flour mixture

• 2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• ¼ cup dry milk
• ¾ teaspoon instant yeast
• 8 tablespoons butter, softened
• 2 ¼ teaspoon salt

 

Spiral Filling

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 egg, beaten

1. Make the sponge by whisking flour, water, honey and instant yeast in a large bowl for 2 minutes. Set it aside and cover it with plastic wrap.

2. Make the flour mixture by mixing the flour (reserve ¼ cup if mixing by hand), dry milk and instant yeast in a separate bowl. Gently place the flour mixture on top of the sponge, cover with plastic wrap and allow it to ferment 1 to 4 hours. The yeast mixture will bubble up through the flour mixture, don’t worry, that is supposed to happen.

3. Add the salt and cut up butter to the mixture. I mixed this all up in my KitchenAid mixture and blended until it all came together, about 10 minutes.

4. Cover it with plastic wrap and let rest for 20 minutes.

5.  Knead the dough for another 5 minutes until it’s very smooth. Add some additional flour if the dough is sticky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to relax for 10 minutes.

6. Add the raisins and mix on low speed or about 2 minutes to incorporate them.

7. Place the dough in a lightly greased 4-quart bowl and turn the dough over once to completely coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, 1 ½ hours to 2 hours.

8. In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar and the cinnamon. Whisk the egg in a separate bowl.

9. Scrape the dough out on a floured surface and divide it in two equal pieces. Cover one piece of dough with plastic wrap and work with the other. Roll out on piece of dough to a rectangle 7 ½ inches wide by 14 inches long and about ¼ inch thick. Gently dimple the dough all over with your fingers to deflate air bubbles. Brush the dough with the beaten egg, leaving a 3/4 –inch margin on the edges. Sprinkle half of the cinnamon sugar evenly on the dough. Start rolling the dough together, squeezing it gently along the length of the roll. Close the ends up and pinch the seams together. Place the roll in an oiled 8 ½-by 4 ½-inch loaf pan. Cover with oiled plastic wrap and repeat for the second loaf. Allow to rise for 1 to 2 hours.

10. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees 45 min before baking. Place a baking sheet in the oven while it is pre-heating so you can place the loaf pan directly on the heated pan after 45 minutes.
11. Set the loaf pans on the baking sheet and shut the door immediately. Bake for about 50 minutes or until the bread is golden brown.

12. Once the breads are done, remove them from the oven and unmold them. Set on a wire rack and let cool completely.

 

Are Fries Healthy?

I was thrilled when Hungry Girl released her first cookbook with tons of butternut squash recipes. My favorite is the butternut squash fries. Yum! My kids don’t like butternut squash, but they LOVE butternut squash fries. Don’t get me wrong, they aren’t fooled into thinking they are “French fries,” but any recipe that gets my kids eating a new vegetable is a winner in my eyes. Butternut squash fries are simple to make. Just peel and cut the butternut squash into strips, coat with non-stick cooking spray, sprinkle with sea salt and bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Squash is on the list as one of the 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth. One of my favorite vegetables is butternut squash. It brings back memories of my Mom’s Thanksgiving dinner, as she would make it every year, alongside the turkey, mashed potatoes and stuffing. I carry on the same tradition, but my family doesn’t share my enthusiasm for the bright orange vegetable. At press time, I’m the only one that enjoys the veggie (more for me!) but that doesn’t stop me from trying!

I am a runner, training for my first marathon at Disney World in January 2011, so I try to eat a diet high in potassium to keep running cramps at bay. So, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that acorn squash is a potassium powerhouse. Did you know that one cup of acorn squash has almost twice the amount of potassium as a banana, topping the charts with 896 milligrams? Compare this to 451 grams of potassium in one banana or 348 grams in one cup of milk and you will see why these stats are so impressive. Potassium isn’t only for runners though, it is a crucial mineral for preventing heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, arthritis and cancer.

Acorn squash is also a fiber heavy-weight, proving a whopping nine grams in every cup, with only 115 calories. I’ve blogged previously about my enthusiasm for fiber as a weight loss tool, but I’ll say it again, I think that increased fiber intake is one of the most important factors in keeping hunger at bay and keeping weight off. Not only does a high-fiber diet contribute to weight loss, but it also can lower the risk of developing many diseases, including: heart disease, cancer, diabetes and kidney stones.

Speaking of weight loss, squash is an excellent food choice for dieters because it has high water content. Dr.  Barbara Rolls at Pennsylvania State University conducted research that showed foods that are “high-volume,” meaning that they have a lot of bulk for little calories, are integral for a successful weight loss program. I blogged about the benefits of the Volumetrics diet in a previous post and I am a huge proponent of high-volume foods for weight loss. I love to eat, so I’m a huge fan of any food that allows me to eat a lot for little calories (popcorn, squash, watermelon and soup.)

Butternut squash is a vitamin A superstar, proving an astonishing 22,868 IUs per cup! Vitamin A is crucial in eye health, especially helping with night vision. I read an interesting study recently about the health benefits of Vitamin A and beta-carotene (in which is butternut squash is also high.) This study published in the International Journal of Food Science & Technology, Volume 45, Issue 10, pages 2201-2007, October 2010, evaluated the bioaccessibility of vitamin A and beta-carotene in cooking of yellow-orange vegetables. This study actually found that stir-frying in the presence of a small quantity of oil, brought an enormous increase in the bioaccessibility of beta-carotene and vitamin A. This is most likely due to the fact that fats, such as oil, help the body better absorb vitamins and minerals. This presents an interesting new concept that fats are not evil. The next time you prepare winter squash or sweet potatoes, think about cooking them with a little olive oil to increase your body’s absorption of the vitamins and minerals.

I want to hear what you think – how do you feel about this new study that finds cooking oil increases the bioaccessibility of vitamin A in yellow-orange vegetables? Will this new research change the way you prepare your foods?

Try out this recipe to reap the health benefits of squash and reap the benefits found from this new study.

Butternut Squash Stir-fry

Ingredients

• 1 large butternut squash
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 cup asparagus
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp honey
• 2 Tbsp sunflower seeds

Instructions

Combine lemon juice and honey, set aside. Heat coconut oil on high in a skillet or wok. Sautee garlic for a few minutes and then add squash. Add asparagus and stir-fry for three minutes. Remove from heat and toss with honey mixture. Sprinkle with sunflower seeds.

Five ways to get your apple a day

I hope you were able to read my blog post yesterday on the Ten Reasons to Get Your Apple a Day, which provides research and information on the multitude of health benefits of apples. For the first time since launching this blog, I’m following up with a two-part series on apples because they are so healthy, delicious and versatile. You already know why you should eat apples, but I’m going to show you five fun ways to eat an apple a day without getting bored! 

It was fun for me to come up with these apple recipes, because I had 12 pounds of apples at my disposal. I took the kids to Windy Hill Apple Orchard on Sunday to pick our own apples and they had so much fun my son even said “This is the best day of my life!” Um….We just got back from a trip to Disney, so I was a little surprised by his enthusiasm. I’m glad he had fun, but I could have saved a lot of money on Disney and just taken him to the orchard instead. 

It was fun for the kids because they got to pick their own apples off of the tree, feed the chickens, drink homemade apple cider and even play with baby pigs running around the orchard. Picking your own fruit not only is a great learning experience for kids to understand where their food really comes from, but it also helps support local farms. You also know that your fruit is fresh and hasn’t been sitting in a shipment truck for weeks. Which I guess makes me a locavore, which basically just means that I try to eat locally grown fruits and vegetables as much as possible. If you are interested in how others are embracing the locavore lifestyle, check out the Diary of a Locavore blog. 

To find a local apple orchard, visit Pick Your Own. This site not only lists pick your own farms across the country, but also tells you when fruits are in season, provides tips on home canning and great recipes. 

Speaking of recipes, I’ve got five great apple recipes for you. This weekend go out and pick your own apples at your local orchard and give one of these recipes a try. Let me know how you like it and share your recipes and tips here. I look forward to hearing from you! 

Apple Crisp

Not very creative, I know, but delicious! I made this apple crisp yesterday, using an old family favorite, but lightened up. You will see that there is no butter or oil in this recipe. With healthy apples, fiber filled oats and heart-healthy walnuts, this dessert can actually be enjoyed as a healthy breakfast also! 

Stacy’s light apple crisp

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp whole wheat flour
• ½ cup old fashioned oats
• 2 Tbsp sugar-free applesauce
• 5 apples (peeled, cored and sliced)
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon (divided)
• ½ tsp nutmeg (divided) 

Instructions

Mix the first 4 ingredients and 1 tsp of cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl toss the apple slices with the sugar, lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon and ¼ tsp nutmeg. Spray non-fat cooking spray in a 2-qt. baking dish and add the apples. Top with oat mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.

Apple Pie Dip  

Dip Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups peeled, cored, and diced apple
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons brown sugar Splenda
• 2 teaspoons apricot preserves (sugar-free will also work)
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon  

Chip Ingredients

• 5 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar  

Instructions 

1. Combine all the dip ingredients in a bowl, then cover and refrigerate the mixture until chilled.
2. Brush the tortillas with butter, then cut them into wedges.
3. Arrange the wedges on a greased baking sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and bake at 350º F until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let them cool before serving. Serves 4 to 6. 

Apple Bread

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup sugar or Splenda
• 1 cup peeled, shredded apple
• 1/4 cup sugar-free applesauce
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup skim milk
• 1/2 cup walnuts or pecans  

Instructions

Mix the first 6 ingredients together in a bowl, then add all the other ingredients and stir unil combined. Spoon batter into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

After-School Apple Butterflies (from Family Fun Magazine)

Ingredients

• Apple
• Carrot
• Peanut Butter

Instructions

Cut the apple into slices and simply make little apple “sandwiches” by spreading peanut butter on an apple slice and top with another apple. Place the carrot strip down the middle and the apple slices on either side of the carrot to form a butterfly shape. Voila! A healthy and cute afterschool snack! 

Healthy Waldorf Salad

Ingredients

• 2 Apples (chopped)
• 1 Tbsp raisins
• ½ cup walnuts
• ½ cup cubed celery
• 1 Tbsp orange juice
• 2/3 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 1 Tbsp honey 

Instructions

Combine apples, raisins, walnuts and celery then drizzle with the orange juice. Toss with the greek yogurt and honey to add sweetness. Refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.

Day 50: You want me to eat bee what??

Bee Pollen. Yeah, that is right, bee pollen made the list of the 150 of the Healthiest Foods on Earth. Have you ever even heard of ingesting bee pollen before? I hadn’t. The first time I read about the health benefits of bee pollen was in Tosca Reno’s “The Eat Clean Diet” book. Tosca said that she sprinkled her oatmeal with bee pollen and I thought she was crazy. I just disregarded that little tip and followed the rest of the diet without the crazy bee stuff. I mean, where in the world do you find bee pollen anyways? 

Well, if you live here in Fort Mill, check out A&S Natural Health which is located on Gold Hill Road, right next to the Gold Hill YMCA. I love looking through the natural health store because they always have so many unique products! They have everything from all natural shampoo to amaranth grain to bee pollen! The bee pollen is hidden in the freezer section of the store and costs a staggering $17 per bag. I begrudgingly bought the small package of bee pollen and stared at it with disdain at home. It looks like little yellow pellets, something you may find on the petal of a flower. It did not look appetizing at all and I was very scared. I bought this stuff during the same week that my car is completely yellow from the pollen in the air. Should I just go outside and lick my car and save myself $17? I am also having allergies to the pollen in the air, what if I have an anaphylactic shock from ingesting the very substance that is causing me to cough and wheeze?

I was frightened to try this stuff and I didn’t even know why it’s supposed to be so darn good for me anyways. Well, I looked into it and apparently the hype on bee pollen is not new, as people have been touting the healing benefits of bee pollen for over 2,000 years. Bee pollen has been called nature’s perfect food because it is loaded with vitamins and contains almost all known minerals, trace elements, enzymes and amino acids. The reason why this small substance packs so much punch is because bee pollen captures the essence of every plant from which it collects pollen. Bee pollen contains 18 amino acids; DNA and RNA; vitamins A, B1, B2, B6 and B12, niacin; pantothenic acid; folic acid; vitamins C, D, E and K; choline; inositol; rutin and other bioflavonoids; calcium, magnesium, iron and zinc; ten types of enzymes; coenzymnes; and many other nutritional factors. The flavonoids have significant antioxidant properties. Bee pollen also contains hard-to-get trace minerals such as silicon, molybdenum, boron, and sulfur. Some even believe that bee pollen can enhance athletic performance, improve recovery time and prevent illness.

In fact, the only real negative is that it turns out that I wasn’t so far off from my fear of an allergic reaction because there have been incidents of people having allergic reactions to bee pollen if they are hypersensitive to pollens.

When I read the package of bee pollen, it says to start off small with only a few granules of the pollen a day. So, I put about three to four pieces in my yogurt and stirred it extremely well. I was extremely nervous to take a bite, fearing that it would taste like I licked a piece of chalk or that I would immediately begin wheezing, but much to my surprise I did not feel or taste anything. So, the next day, I upped the ante and added a larger sprinkle of bee pollen to my protein shake, but still…..nothing. On the next day, I added an entire spoonful to my protein shake; I still did not taste anything, which is great!

If the health benefits that I read about are true, than that is great! But, like with many of these foods, we can’t tell an immediate difference in our health or well-being. It is something that we can add to our overall healthy diet and lifestyle and hope that the benefits will be felt overtime. At $17 a bag, I’m not sure if I will continue ingesting bee pollen forever, but I did learn that it didn’t kill me. If I can try bee pollen, I can try anything. Bring it on!

Day 36: Not a Horse, Not a Radish

My husband took me out to my favorite restaurant this weekend for my birthday: The Melting Pot. We’ve gone there every year for fifteen years. I absolutely love the cheese and chocolate fondue. This year we got the Alpine Cheese Fondue (which actually wasn’t as good as others I’ve had), Surf-n-Turf main course and Cookies & Creme Chocolate Fondue (the best I’ve ever had!)

My husband is allergic to shell-fish, so I ate the lobster tail and shrimp while he ate the steak and chicken. It was absolutely delicious! Even though I was celebrating my birthday, I still wanted to see if I could try one of the healthiest food on earth during my dinner out.

When I saw them bring out not just one, but two sauces containing horseradish, I knew what I had to do. I cannot stand horseradish. It has a horrible flavor that lingers in my mouth forever. It makes my mouth sweat, eyes water and tastes like feet. But, it had been a while since I last tried it and I figured I’d try it again since I’ve been surprised by liking many other foods that I previously hated.

I tried the horseradish infused cocktail sauce on my shrimp – Hated it. Then I tried the horseradish mustard on my lobster – Hated it. I really wish I liked horseradish so I could reap the health benefits of this bitter vegetable. I find the flavor entirely too overpowering, bitter and offensive. My husband loves it! He said that he could polish off an entire container of horseradish mustard with a bag of pretzels. Bleah!

I wish that I did enjoy horseradish because it is one of the richest sources of allyl isothiocyanate, which has been shown to suppress tumor growth. Horseradish belongs to the Cruciferae family, related to broccoli, cauliflower, kale and rutabaga. All of the foods in the Cruciferae family demonstrate powerful anticancer properties. Horseradish in particular has substantial quantities of glucosinolates, compounds that are the parent molecules of substances that increase human resistance to cancer.

It is interesting to note that horseradish is actually one of the few foods that actually improves with processing. It contains an enzyme that breaks down glucosinolates into other compounds that are really responsible for the anticancer benefits. You can find processed horseradish in cocktail sauce, horseradish mustard and wasabi.

For those of you who are sushi lovers, take note that research has shown that Japanese horseradish, otherwise known as wasabi, contains powerful health benefits including acting as an antidote to food poisoning and even killing stomach cancer cells!

However, I will NOT be adding this food to my regular rotation though. Even though Dr. Bowden says that a tiny amount of horseradish can offer the same benefit as a whole cup of broccoli, I’d much rather eat my entire cup of broccoli.

Have you ever had horseradish? Do you enjoy it? Please share!

Day 26: The Incredible Edible Egg

I start each day with the same breakfast: one egg with one egg white, over easy and a slice of double fiber toast with “I cannot believe it’s not butter!” spray. I used to only eat the egg whites, to save calories, but I found that I was hungry again within hours when I didn’t include a healthy fat in my morning meal. I decided I would have just one egg with one egg white, for added protein, and it has made a huge difference in my satiety. So, I was extremely happy to discover that Dr. Jonny Bowden agrees with me and thinks that the egg yolk is a nutritional powerhouse that should not be ignored. He even says “Do me a favor. Stop with the egg whites already. Listen carefully: The egg yolk is good for you! It’s part of the package.”

The egg yolks are loaded with vitamins and nutrients that help your eyes, brain and heart. The yolk is also loaded with choline, which is essential for cardiovascular, brain and cell membrane health. The yolk also an essential part of a phospholipid called phosphatidylcholine, which helps prevent the accumulation of fat and cholesterol in the liver.

Yes, you read that right, egg yolks can actually help prevent cholesterol build up, not create it. I know that this is contrary to popular belief that one should avoid egg yolks because they raise cholesterol. Studies by the Harvard Medical School have even shown that the cholesterol in eggs do not raise ones’ blood cholesterol levels.

Eggs are the perfect food, packed full of nutrients, protein and vitamins in a delicate shell. They are one of the best sources of protein on the planet, containing all nine essential amino acids. This is particularly important to me because I’m trying to build my lean muscle mass and maximize my strength training. Protein is a key component in building lean muscle. I know that a lot of people tout whey protein as a key protein source when trying to build muscle, and I love whey protein too, but on the Protein Efficiency Rating Scale, eggs consistently score highest in the quality of their protein, beating out milk, beef, whey and soy!

The phosphatidylcholine in eggs is also a key nutrient in promoting liver health. Phosphatidylcholine also protects the liver from a wide range of toxic influences. Eggs are truly a brain food, helping prevent Alzheimer’s and dementia.

You can also call eggs an “eye food” because they have lutein and zeaxanthin, which are two “superstar” nutrients, essential for eye health. Those two nutrients are the most effective supplements for eye health, according to Dr. Michael Geiger, a New York optometrist.

Another interesting fact that I’ve heard quite a bit in my research is that fat in foods really helps “carry” the nutrients through our body and makes them more “bioavailable,” which just means that are bodies can extract what it needs from the nutrients and put them to use. This is particularly relevant with eggs because the egg yolk has fat, which helps make the lutein more bioavailable than let’s say, spinach, which actually has more luetin, but is less bioavailable because of the lack of fat. Does that make sense? As a side note, this is why it is important to drizzle dressing with a bit of fat, and not completely fat-free dressing, on your salad. The fat in the dressing helps make the nutrients more bioavailable. So, cut yourself some slack with the “fat-free” dressing.

So, back to eggs….they can also help protect against breast cancer. A study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention found that women who ate six eggs a week vs. two eggs per week, lowered their risk of breast cancer by 44%. Wow.

Eggs also have more than fifteen vitamins and minerals; one egg has 18% of the Daily Value (DV) for riboflavin, 14%  DV for vitamin B12, 29% DV selenium.

All of these health benefits and still one more bonus; eggs promote healthy nails and make your hair grow faster. How can you lose with this super food?

So, Dr. Bowden thinks that eggs are better for you the less they are exposed to oxygen, therefore he prefers to eat them raw (Bleah!!) or poached. Personally, I like my eggs cooked over-easy, though I don’t mind a hard-boiled egg once in a while. How do you like your eggs? Do you eat the yolk?