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Yummy Cold Busting Salad

By: Thursday, November 10, 2022 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition, Recipes , , , , Permalink 0

Yummy Cold-Busting Salad

I finally broke down and got my first cold of the season last week, and though it thankfully only lasted two days, my poor hubby caught it and has been suffering for a good 4+ days. In an attempt to make him something comforting and immunity boosting, while making use of the relatively meager contents of our fridge, I concocted the following super healthy dinner salad for him. Low and behold, today he’s on the mend!  This recipe is a perfect example of how we can use food as medicine.  There are more essential vitamins, antioxidants and anti-inflammatory nutrients in this salad than you could ever dream of getting from a supplement, and being in whole food form, the delivery system to the parts of your body that need it are much more efficient.

This delicious salad features:

  • Kale, which is full of SUPER high in vitamins C, A, and K, as well as antioxidants and anti-inflammatory flavanoids which boost immunity and the body’s natural detoxification.
  • Fennel, which is loaded with vitamin C, and immunity-boosting phytonutrients, including anethol, which has major anti-inflammatory qualities.  Plus fennel has antimicrobial qualities, which are perfect for beating colds!!
  • Orange or grapefruit, whose unique citrus flavanones combine with the super high levels of vitamin C which produce extraordinary antioxidant and immune-supportive results.  Plus, the zest ensures that you get the amazing benefits of herperidin, an incredibly anti-inflammatory flavanone that is only found in the peel and white pith of the citrus fruit.
  • Garlic, which is an anti-inflammatory, ant-bacterial, and anti-viral superstar, and is one of the best foods to eat when you’re sick. It’s also very high in selenium, B vitamins, and helps your body to metabolize iron!
  • Flaxseed oil, which is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which are very anti-inflammatory, and is also high in thiamin and manganese.
  • Raw apple cider vinegar, a true wonder tonic that helps your body beat just about anything.  It’s loaded with potassium, which helps cure sinusitis and runny nose symptoms; and it has massive antibacterial and anti fungal properties, which are obviously hugely beneficial for beating a cold!
  • Raw honey is phenomenal for when you’re feeling sick, thinning mucous, soothing sore throats, and boasting anti-viral and anti-bacterial effects!
  • Himalayan salt, which supports respiratory health and clears up congestion, is a strong natural antihistamine, eliminates persistent dry coughs, and provides your body with all the necessary trace minerals it needs to heal and be healthy!

What Do I Eat? Healthy Eating is Easier Than You Think!

By: Thursday, January 31, 2013 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

how we eat

By: Natasha Uspensky, CHHC

With all the crazy conflicting ideas about what a healthy diet looks like, I’m sure that on more than one occasion you’ve found yourself staring into your fridge, throwing your hands up and asking “What the hell do I eat?!”

I’ll let you in on a little secret. It is SO much easier than you think it is. Healthy eating does not involve slaving in the kitchen for hours on end, calculating complicated ratios and formulas, or resorting to bland, boring food.  I’ll let you in on another secret. You already know how to eat healthy… It’s just a matter of loving yourself enough to do it! (Tweet it!)  

The answers are already there, you know them intuitively. It’s making the choice, consistently, every day, to act on that intuitive knowledge that so many of us struggle with. I dealt with the same challenges in my own long journey toward optimal health, but I’ll tell you what did it, what sealed the deal: Experiencing for myself the drastic difference in how I feel when I eat great, delicious, fresh, healthy foods… And when I don’t, opting for what I think is easiest and fastest. The proof is in the pudding, my dears. And until you give yourself that chance, until you commit to listening to your intuition for a solid few weeks or even months, you will continue fighting an uphill battle.

For me, connecting to that intuition daily has become second nature.  When I’m home, when I’m out, when I’m on vacation or at my parent’s house, I hold on to that knowledge of what feels good (and makes me look good), and what doesn’t.  Now don’t get me wrong. I’ll have an occasional fro-yo (I mean, there’s a Red Mango literally in my building), or share an amazing Neopolitan-style pizza with my hubby; I’ll eat some super yummy goat cheese at a party once in a while, or enjoy a few squares of killer artisanal dark chocolate.  But I’ve experienced first hand that when these yummy things enter the picture more often, I feel bloated, tired, and gross.  And after a while, it starts to show up on my body as well.  It just isn’t worth it!  I would rather look and feel amazing than eat cheese, and meat, and sweets, and lasagna, and all that other crap I know, intuitively, does not make my body happy.

So what do I eat?  My diet is simple, delicious, and super satisfying.  It allows me to eat my favorite foods (with healthy tweaks), eat out at my favorite restaurants, and still maintain my ideal weight.

Breakfast

I have green tea and a green smoothie most days… about 1 cup of organic kale, spinach, or collards; half a cup of fruit (organic berries, pineapple, an apple, or mango); half an avocado; a little handful of nuts or seeds; water and maybe a little squeeze of raw organic agave.  That’s it!

On days when I’m in a rush, I’ll just grab two pieces of sprouted grain toast with some raw, organic almond butter.

A couple times a week, if I’m a little hungrier, I’ll have two farm fresh eggs, sunny side up, over spinach with some toast.  Or, I’ll have a yummy bowl of steel cut oats or a quinoa porridge with apples, cinnamon, walnuts, and agave.

Lunch

As my private clients will tell you, lunch is the most important (and biggest!) meal of the day.  I mix it up, depending on my mood, but I’ll typically have quinoa with veggies (for example: roasted squash, sautéed greens, garbanzos); quinoa pasta with tons of veggies; some seafood and tomatoes over brown rice; or a huge salad with beans, avocado, sunflower seeds, and oodles of seasonal veggies with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice and olive oil (at least a tablespoon).

I make sure to eat my lunch in a calm, relaxed environment, which promotes digestion and metabolism… No rushing through lunch or eating while working!

Dinner

Dinner is nice and light most days of the week, which, as my clients will tell you, is the number one secret to sustainable weight loss and weight management.  The great thing about these light dinners is that they are quick and easy, which means we spend less time cooking, and more time hanging out and relaxing.  Most evenings, my hubby and I will have soup or a salad, or some cooked veggies (when it’s cold out).  Two nights a week, we order in.  We love sushi Tuesdays, and always share a “sushi for one” and a roll with miso soup or a salad (depending on the weather).  Another night, we’ll order in Thai where my winter favorite is Tom Yum soup… noodles, shrimp, and greens in a yummy spicy broth.

On the weekends, our whole schedule shifts later, so we end up having a late brunch, big, late lunch, and usually we’ll skip dinner altogether.  If we go out to eat, we try to make it on the earlier side, and I’ll typically order yummy veggies off the sides menu or we’ll split a veggie or seafood entree and a salad.

You might notice that there aren’t any snacks.  I am a firm anti-snacking advocate.  If you feel the need to snack, that means your meals (particularly breakfast and lunch) aren’t big enough.  If your meals are satisfying and nourishing enough, you won’t feel the need to snack, which means your blood sugar is more stable and your body has the chance to burn fat all day long.  You’re also not getting all kinds of unnecessary additional calories throughout the day, nor are you feeling hungry and obsessing about food all day long!  Win-win.

You’ll also notice a conspicuous lack of sweets.  Occasionally, I’ll have some dark chocolate or a handful of dried fruit.  Even more occasionally, I’ll have a little bowl of coconut milk ice cream with some berries.  But this happens so rarely that I don’t even include it in my “diet”.  How do I do it?  By keeping my blood sugar stable, my stress levels managed, and my love tank full ; )

Sounds easy right?  Nothing crazy, nothing mind-blowing… just simple, intuitive, healthy eating.  You know you can do it too.  Need help?  Let me know!

Healthy Chicks Eat Salad

By: Monday, May 7, 2012 Diet and Foods, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

By: Cindy Moustafa, B.S., AFAA

Healthy Chicks Eat Salad | The Organic Beauty BlogSalads have somehow become the food associated with girls that don’t eat or are dieting. Books such as “Skinny Chicks Don’t eat Salad” have become best-sellers encouraging people that salads aren’t filling enough and will cause you to overeat later. Sure, if you’re eating a bowl that looks like one you used to feed your class rabbit, then it’s probably not full of sustainable energy. But salads are a great, quick way to get an array of vitamins, minerals, anti-oxidants, fiber and protein-if they’re done right. Also, salads can actually help you maintain your weight, especially if you find yourself at a restaurant with no healthy options. Follow these steps to ensure you’re never hungry after the salad bar again.

  • Kick the iceberg to the curb. Use the base of your salad as an opportunity to your dark leafy greens in for the day. For example, arugula, baby spinach or bibb are loaded with vitamins A, C, K, cancer-fighting properties and give a nice taste. Iceberg lettuce, however, has very little taste or nutritional value. Save it for lettuce wraps(or rabbits) instead.
  • Pump up the Protein! This is what most salads are lacking. Protein will help you keep you satiated and give you sustained energy for the day. Choose lean protein sources, such as fish, chicken breast or hard-boiled eggs. With fish or eggs, you’ll get the added benefit of omega-3’s, which can help combat a range of disorders such as obesity, Alzheimer’s and inflammation. You can have up to 7 oz. of fish for minimal calories and maximum satisfaction! As an alternative, you can also add beans such as chickpeas, that are full of protein and healthy carbs.
  • Embrace the Colors of the Rainbow. As a child, you probably associated this with Skittles, but as an adult you really do need to “taste the rainbow.” Firstly, it makes your salad look so pretty you can’t wait to dive in. Secondly, different colors give you different vitamins and health-boosting effects. For example, red peppers are packed with more vitamin C than an orange and more than 40% of your Vitamin A recommendations. Beets are rich in Potassium which can help regulate blood pressure. Load up on different veggies with different colors to get the most out of your salad.
  • Add more Flavor. Another issue with salads is that the can be very bland. By adding some depth of flavor into it, however, your body will feel more satisfied. For example, if you like some sweetness, add 1/2 an orange to your salad, which also goes great with fennel. For something fresh and zesty add cilantro or basil or for something spicy add crushed red pepper. Be creative!
  • Get Fat! Yep, you read that right. Too many people are scared that fats will make them fat, but this is absolutely not true. Before you throw caution to the wind and inhale 3 donuts, understand that there is a big difference between GOOD fats and BAD, artery-clogging, Paula-Deen-loving fats. Good fats can actually help combat belly fat and keep you fuller longer. They include foods like Olive Oil, Avocado, and nuts. Add these to your salad to get a good balance or protein and fat.
  • Crunch Time! Lastly, add some crunch to your salad as your topping. Nuts are the best way to do this, but you can certainly use homemade pita chips or tortilla chips(gluten-free) to get your crunch on. Just exercise portion control. For example , if you break up 2 chips or half a pita into your salad it’s a lot of crunch for almost no added calories.

The take away message here is that salads can provide real benefits and it’s a shame to stop eating them because of marketing tactics to sell you on other foods. Salad eaters are more likely to get their daily dose of Vitamins C and A, minus the bloated feeling after eating a burger or alleged “healthy wraps” from the deli . I don’t know about skinny chicks, but healthy ones certain eat their salad.

 

Top 5 Beauty Foods

By: Friday, August 13, 2010 Diet and Foods, Healthy Beauty, Healthy Cooking, Healthy Eating, Nutrition , , , , Permalink 0

Top 5 Beauty Foods | The Organic Beauty Blog
We all know that what we put in our bodies has a direct effect on how we look (did you really think that huge pimple you woke up with had NOTHING to do with the Cheetos and chocolate binge the night before?), but did you know that you can custom tailor your diet to maximize your beauty and combat your problem areas? Incorporate the following foods into your diet, and you will find yourself with shinier hair, clearer, radiant skin, strong nails, and a trim mid-section… All without setting foot in the beauty aisle!  As always, shoot for organic whenever possible…

So hit your greenmarket and start eating your way to a more beautiful you!

Asparagus

This lovely green powerhouse is loaded with Vitamin E, which is an absolute beauty must.  High doses of Vitamin E have been shows to increase cell reproduction and slow the aging process.  Stave off premature wrinkles and age spots, keep your skin moist and supple, prevent dandruff and hair loss, and heal scars faster… all with this delicious summer veggie.  Try adding grilled asparagus to soups and salads, or just add a squeeze of lemon and a pinch of salt for a super easy side dish!

Berries

Blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, oh my!  Not only are these little guys super high in Vitamin C, which regulates sebaceous glands to keep skin, hair, and nails moist and strong, and helps to produce collagen which strengthens the capillaries that feed your skin, but they ALSO have a super high antioxidant capacity, which protects your skin from free radicals and sun damage, and can prevent and reverse aging.  Phew!  How’s that for multi-tasking!  Throw some berries into your cereal or oatmeal every morning to keep them working for you all day long.  Or incorporate berries into your desserts, smoothies, and salads.  I love adding a handful of blueberries to a spinach salad!

Garlic

The amazing effects garlic has on cholesterol, immunity, cancer prevention, blood sugar, AND blood pressure have been lauded for decades.  What is a lesser known benefit is garlic’s effects on your skin and hair.  Garlic contains high levels of sulfur, which has long been used topically to treat acne.  Eating sulfur-rich garlic can have similar effects on your skin from within, clearing up acne and skin infections.  The high sulfur levels are also great for preventing hair loss, and keeping hair strong and shiny.  Basically, garlic is the single best thing for your body, inside and out!  Add garlic to everything you cook, from pastas and stews, to salads and stir fries.

Green Tea

A super potent antioxidant, green tea can stave off signs of aging, curb hunger, and keep you skinny.  But a lesser known benefit is its anti-inflammatory qualities, which protect your cell membranes, reduce sun damage, prevent all kinds of cancer, and keeps bacteria at bay.  And contrary to some (mis)information out there, a good quality green tea will not dehydrate you, and the caffeine levels are not so high that you can’t enjoy a few cups a day.  In the summer, I like to make a big pitcher of iced Genmaicha, which is green tea with roasted brown rice, which also helps regulate blood sugar and cholesterol levels!

Salmon

With all the coverage its been getting in the media, we all know that Omega-3 fatty acids are vital for our overall health, keeping our hearts strong, combating depression, and staving off a slew of diseases and ailments.  But the Omega-3’s and potent levels of Vitamin D in salmon are also imperative for keeping our skin, hair, and nails strong, moist, supple, and young.  Vitamin D is also great for your pearly whites, and prevents dental decay.  As if all this weren’t enough to evidence to give salmon a permanent slot on your shopping list, it also contains astaxanthin, which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that fight wrinkles and premature aging. Eat a 3 ounce portion of salmon at least once a week, but make sure it is wild-caught Alaskan salmon, which has the lowest concentrations of mercury.  I like to prepare salmon en papillote, by tucking it into two pieces of parchment paper, garnished with slices of onion, parsley, olive oil and lemon, and baking it at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes.  So yummy!

Check out my recipe for Total Beauty Salad, that incorporates all of these powerhouse ingredients!

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