Why is cholesterol important for your health? Cholesterol is a waxy substance that is measured in the fat of your blood. You can’t live without cholesterol, nor would you want to. Cholesterol is important for healthy cell membranes, producing hormones (no cholesterol means no sex drive), vitamin D levels, and your memory. In fact, cholesterol is so important for your health, that your…
Nutritious Brain Foods Healthy foods not only make your body healthier, they make your brain healthier and help it to work smarter too. If you put garbage in your body, you will reap the repercussions both physically, with poor muscle mass and weight gain, but also mentally, often with a depressed mood and a…
Benefits of Herbal Tea Herbal tea can be made from any variety of dried leaves, seeds, roots or fruit and as such, the benefits are many types of antioxidants in a tea that contains the phytonutrients and chemical compounds inherent to the original plants. Herbal tea is different than black tea, green tea, white tea and oolong tea, which are all from the Camellia sinensis plant, and only vary by how…
What To Do With Bruised Tomatoes Tomato season is upon us. You may have gotten some tomatoes from the farmer’s market, your neighbor’s garden, or perhaps you grew your own. Either way, you may encounter some tomatoes that appear less-than-perfect on the exterior, especially if they are at their peak of ripeness. Keep…
Why Is There So Much Hate For Potatoes It’s really unfortunate that potato myths are so prevalent. The lowly white potato has been given a bad rap by many nutritionists. Because of this, people tend to think that this low-cost staple is nothing more than a source of cheap carbohydrates.…
Avocados are a nutrient-dense fruit belonging to the drupe family, which are one-seeded fruits with a firm exterior, often resembling berries. Avocados provide more than 20 vitamins and minerals, and are a rich source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats; so consider if it’s time for you to start getting the health benefits of avocado by regularly enjoying this delicious fruit.
When choosing an avocado, color is not an indicator of ripeness. Choose avocados that are free of bruises and heavy for their size. If the avocado is hard to the touch, it is unripe. To ripen, place them in a brown paper bag at room temperature until they are slightly soft; this usually takes from 2 to 4 days. Once the avocados are ripe, place them in the refrigerator and enjoy them within a couple of days.
Avocados can be used in a myriad of recipes ranging frombreakfast (like an avocado smoothie) to lunch recipes (such as an avocado stuffed with chicken salad). You can even enjoy sandwiches with avocado, such as the BLAT sandwich found in trendy delis. In case you didn’t know, that is a bacon, lettuce, avocado and tomato sandwich. Some great avocado recipes for dinner might include an avocado dressing on your salad or a delicious avocado pasta recipe.
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Smoothies are a delicious treat on a hot summer day! You can enjoy fruit & yogurt breakfast smoothies, protein smoothies as a post workout recovery treat, or enjoy seasonal fresh fruit smoothies as a delicious snack anytime of day. But not all smoothie recipes are alike. Many of the smoothies you get at fairs and at coffee shops are really nothing more than sugary drinks with artificial food coloring and flavor. But no worries, with a few good healthy smoothie recipes, you can easily enjoy smoothies that are a nutritious addition to your diet.
When searching for smoothie recipes, remember that smoothies are only as nutritious as the ingredients you add to them. Whether it’s green smoothie recipes or kids’ smoothie recipes, choose recipes that use fresh wholesome ingredients without a lot of added sugar. A quick Internet search will provide you with lots of quick recipes ranging from smoothie recipes with spinach to tropical smoothies. But the basis of any good-for-you smoothie recipe is blending together a nutritious liquid such as 100% juice, milk, kefir or coconut water with some fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables, with no added sugar. Sometimes, though, adding a little sweetener such as honey or stevia can make a smoothie a bit more enjoyable.
Adding frozen fruit to a smoothie recipe without ice provides dense nutrition and a product that is less watered down. Try searching Pinterest.com for some summer smoothie recipes that use watermelon, strawberries, pineapple or fresh mint for fun seasonal flavors. There are some refreshing smoothie ideas out there but remember that some are healthy, low calorie smoothie recipes that can help with maintaining a healthy weight, and some are dessert smoothies that are not healthy at all.
Having a good old-fashioned BBQ can be lots of fun and makes summer cooking easy. However, there are cookout mistakes that can make you and your guests sick, so keep in mind these safety tips to avoid foodborne illness this summer.
It’s a beautiful time of year to enjoy the great outdoors and get some sunshine; it’s good for your soul and your waistline. Take some time to enjoy a nice hike, a swim in the river, or just a casual stroll with your loved one. While you’re at it, take a healthy picnic lunch with you, customized for your event, with these great tips.
Taking kids into the great outdoors can be a fun and simple way to help them get plenty of exercise this summer. Along with the sunscreen, be sure to bring some healthy, portable, kid-friendly snacks that they can grab and run with during their adventure. Be sure to plan a variety of choices for different taste buds, but these don’t have to be elaborate.
A simple picnic for kids can include some sandwich choices packed on whole grain bread, small sized fruits such as mandarin oranges, grapes or raisin boxes, and some carrots and celery with dip. A good drink option is a juice box that has been frozen ahead of time, which then doubles as ice while being transported. Be sure to read labels though, opting for products that are 100% juice.
Whether you’ve been married for years or just getting to know that special someone, why not plan a picnic date this summer? Summer picnics can be quite romantic. You can easily find a scenic spot to grill out using a cheap portable grill.
An easy recipe to make in the great outdoors is this cucumber ranch steak from Beef; It’s What’s for Dinner. Simply season your steak and dice your veggies before leaving home and pack your ingredients in small containers. Don’t forget to include a steak knife on your picnic list!
Cucumber Ranch Steaks (downsized for two)
Combine cucumber and dressing in small bowl. Set aside. Press garlic-pepper seasoning evenly onto steaks. Place steaks on grill over medium, ash-covered coals. Grill, covered, 8 to 11 minutes (over medium on preheated gas grill, times remain the same) for medium rare (145°F) to medium (160°F) doneness, turning occasionally. Serve steaks with cucumber sauce. Garnish with tomato, if desired.
To round out your picnic meal, pack some diced potatoes in water with fruit fresh (to keep from browning), then season and wrap in foil at your picnic site; these can be cooked right on the grill. Uncork a bottle of wine and enjoy your romantic evening.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley. When a person with celiac disease, (sometimes called coeliac disease or non-tropical sprue) consumes gluten, it damages their small intestines and causes them to suffer digestive disorders and malnutrition. Historically, doctors only tested patients with chronic diarrhea and weight loss for celiac disease, yet many patients present seemingly unrelated symptoms and many are actually overweight. This is why it often takes celiac patients several years to get a proper diagnosis. A proper diagnosis is made through blood tests for antibodies and is confirmed with an intestinal biopsy. It is important to get tested BEFORE going on a gluten-free diet to avoid a false negative test result.
A celiac disease diet, or gluten-free diet, means avoiding ALL gluten-containing ingredients and avoiding cross contamination. This can truly be challenging! Food companies are coming out with new gluten-free foods, but not all taste as good as their wheat-containing counterparts. Many home recipes can be made gluten-free by simply substituting gluten-free flour and grains for gluten-containing ingredients. Oats are considered gluten-free and safe for celiac patients, but choose oats that are labeled gluten-free to avoid cross contamination with gluten during grain processing. Processed foods that contain less than 20 ppm of gluten are considered safe for celiac patients and can be labeled gluten-free in the US. Pure meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables are naturally gluten-free and are safe to consume.
Most importantly, always read labels to avoid inadvertently ingesting gluten-containing ingredients! A really great resource for grocery shopping is called Cecelia’s Marketplace, a small book listing common grocery items that are gluten-free.