Category Archives: Tips and Tricks

July 4, 2012 · 9:10 am

Red, White and Blue

Happy 4th of July!

Let’s get patriotic with our food! Yup, we’re talking about red, white, and blue foods today.

RED

Raspberries are one of my favorite foods! They’re one of the lowest sugar fruits (which means they’re low-glycemic), very high in fiber, and also low in calories. Plus, they’re loaded with Vitamin C, antioxidants, and antimicrobial and anticarcinogenic compounds. You get serious bang for your caloric buck here. I recommend buying them organic and frozen because they are cheaper, delicious when they get melty, and don’t get as moldy as quickly as the fresh ones do.

A red food you should really watch out for is the papaya. Most papayas, sadly, are genetically modified (GMO alert!). I love this fruit, which is, like the raspberry, a low-sugar fruit, but now I’m very cautious about eating it. Make sure you know the origins of your papaya before you dive in.

As I’m scaling back on my papaya consumption, I’m turning things up a notch with red beets. This is one red food that I’m just now starting to appreciate. Beets have antioxidant, detoxification, and anti-inflammatory properties. And by increasing your intake of sweet vegetables, like beets, carrots, and sweet potatoes, you decrease your sweet cravings. For some of us, that’s a much-needed trick!

WHITE

White vegetables get overlooked, in my opinion, because everyone is so busy talking about greens. Well, greens are great, don’t get me wrong, but so are whites!

Here’s what the white veggies can do…

  • daikon radishes – detoxification, low in calories, and helps with fat and starch digestion
  • onions – antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, increases bone density, and lowers blood cholesterol
  • mushrooms – antioxidants and immune-boosting
  • cauliflower – good for digestion and detoxification, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory

Make sure to get lots of colorful fruits and veggies into your meals…and colorless ones, too!!

BLUE

Okay, this one is a little tricky. Blue foods are actually kind of purple.

I think everyone knows by now that blueberries are packed with antioxidants, so all I’m going to say is that they make the dirty dozen list for produce with the most pesticide residue, and you should make sure to buy them, and all other berries, organic when possible. They can be pricey, so it’s a good option to buy them frozen. They last longer and are still packed with nutrients because they’re frozen right after they’re picked. It’s a win-win.

Anthocyanin, the pigment in blue/purple foods like blueberries, eggplants, figs, blackberries, plums, and grapes, gives us antioxidants, anti-aging properties, and benefits eye and heart health.

The bottom line is the more colors you have on your plate, the better. By getting different types of foods into your diet, you’re getting a variety of vitamins, nutrients, and health benefits. So let’s get healthy and patriotic, people!

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Question of the Day:
What’s the best place you’ve ever watched fireworks?

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Filed under Diet, Fruit, GMO, Health, Low-glycemic, Organic, Tips and Tricks, Vegetables

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June 21, 2012 · 9:45 am

“The Stomach Has No Teeth”

Ever heard that before? I just heard it and I love it.

Your only teeth are the ones in your mouth, so you need to chew that food in your mouth. Chew it really well.

Why?

Because digestion starts in the mouth! Chewing breaks down food into smaller, more easily digestible pieces and the enzymes in saliva start the digestion process. If you don’t chew your food, you’re making it harder for your digestive system to do its job.

So?

Well, if your digestive system can’t break down food, you’ll get bloated, gassy, stomach achey and tired. Not fun.

We eat to fuel our bodies. Digestion is about getting the important nutrients into our bodies and eliminating the waste. If your system has to work overtime to get the job done, there’s more room for error. Plus, with all that energy going towards breaking down the food, you’ll end up feeling tired after you eat, instead of energized.

But when we chew our food really well, our digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard and we are able to absorb those important nutrients and feel good at the same time.

What does “really well” mean?

At least 30 times per mouthful. Aim for 30-50 chews per bite.

How about an added bonus? Yes! I love added bonuses!

Chewing your food helps you lose weight. Eating slower means you’re more mindful of what you’re eating and how much you’re eating. Instead of shoveling it in, you’re savoring every bite and accounting for every bite, and the awareness helps you from getting out of control.

And an added ADDED bonus? What you didn’t finish on that plate you can save for tomorrow. And just like that, you have another meal without the need for all the prep. How great is that?!

So next time you want to scarf down a heaping plate of whatever, STOP. And chew.

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May 31, 2012 · 8:07 am

The Sitch In The Kitch

I’m always tweaking recipes to make them healthier. I love a challenge like that.

So it seems we’re always talking about healthy ingredients, and that’s great, but what about the health and safety of the the cookware we’re using?

Ah…perhaps you didn’t think of that?

Perhaps you did?

Well, if you’re anything like me, you’ve wondered what’s best to use. And I have asked around and done my research, so now I’m sharing with you my picks for best performance and safest cookware. That’s right. No nasty chemicals getting into your food from plastic or non-stick coating or other suspect materials. No impossible cleanup. And all are extremely affordable.

Let’s get to it, then!

1. Bialetti Cookware

This is one kickass line of cookware, people. I’m not going to lie…I’m a lotta bit in love. This thing cooks in a non-stick way and cleans up like a dream but doesn’t have the chemicals that are in that non-stick coating. It’s eco-friendly and because it’s ceramic, it’s free of PFOA, PTFE, and Cadmium. Those chemicals are bad. But the Aeternum line is so good.

2. Stoneware

My awesome study group steered me to unfinished stoneware for all of my baking needs. I love my group and I love baking, and now I love my stoneware, too.

3. The Steamer Pot

This is just the best way to make asparagus I can’t even handle it. And if you know me, you know I love asparagus. I don’t love the aftermath of asparagus, but I’m willing to put up with it for a few reasons:
1) asparagus has a fantastic amount of protein for a veggie and I don’t know why people don’t talk about that more
2) asparagus is a great detoxifier (that gets back to the whole aftermath situation I was talking about), as it is an anti-inflammatory food and helps with digestion
3) it’s super quick and easy to make and take on the go or snack at home and if you know me at all, you know I love a quick and easy snack
4) and because it’s a green, it’s low in calories but high in antioxidants and nutrients and basically all the good things you want in a food

The steamer pot is ideal because when you boil veggies you lose a lot of the nutrients in the water. So with this steamer pot and basket, you’re keeping the veg out of the water and the nutrients in the veg!

4. The Wooden Spoon/Spatula

Toss the plastic, folks. You may recall that I am an anti-BPA crusader. I avoid plastic whenever and wherever possible. So you better believe I avoid it in my kitchen (the husband can attest to that). So thank goodness for the wooden utensil! Wooden spoons and spatulas won’t scratch your pans (you would NOT want to do that to your brand new Bialetti) or contaminate your food with BPA (you would NOT want to do that to your body). Wood and bamboo options are inexpensive, work great, and look great. And contrary to what some might think, wood does not harbor bacteria. Just clean it like anything else and you’re good to go.

5. The Chemex

This is simply my most favorite way to make coffee. No plastic. No contraptions. Just a glass pitcher type thing that looks like something out of a science lab (you’ll need filters and a kettle, too) that makes a fantastic, clean cup of Barefoot Coffee. Barefoot Coffee? Only the most delicious coffee around. How do I know? Oh, I know things.

So there you have it. I’ve just made your kitchen a whole lot healthier. Now I just have to post some more recipes so you can get cookin’!

Question of the Day:
What’s your favorite dish to cook? Let’s hear it!

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Filed under BPA, Product Review, Products, Tips and Tricks

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May 29, 2012 · 8:53 am

Address The Mess

Wow, I feel like it’s been ages since we’ve had a blogpost here. I’ve missed you!

I hope you all had a wonderful long weekend. And I hope your Memorial Day was chock full of memorable events that left you feeling happy, recharged, relaxed, and reconnected to the people and things that you love most.

I happened to do quite a bit of cleaning this past weekend. In fact, every kind of cleaning up. From laundry, to house, to diet, to dog grooming, to relationships…suffice it to say, it was a weekend for tending to some messes.

While it feels good to get some things in order, there is always more work to be done. So with that, I want to share with you my favorite ways to address the mess.

1. For the Spirit
Meditation is my answer to tidying up the internal stuff. Take some time to get centered. We’ll revisit meditation again in another post. But for now, I recommend starting by downloading the Relax and Rest app for $.99.

2. For the Body
My favorite soap hands down is Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap. Smells amazing. Feels tingly. Fair trade. Organic. Only $9.99 at Trader Joe’s for a big ol’ bottle. Awesome.

3. For the Face
I love, love, love Be Natural Organics Rose Hip Seed Facial Cleanser. It works so well. It gets makeup off. It gets the face clean. And it only has a few ingredients, none of which are harmful to you. Yay.

4. For the House
The husband, while wonderful in so many, many ways, hates the smell of vinegar. I have to be very careful about how I use it. But when I do get away with it, it is a wonderful cleaning product. Click here to get recipes for all different surfaces and needs. Works great to clean and disinfect while being safe.

5. For the Diet
Get back on track. For me, that meant getting more protein this weekend. If it means eating less sugar or drinking more water, do it. If it means getting more fiber or less protein, do it. Listen to your body. It tells you what it needs.

6. For Relationships
Communicate. Listen. Love. Respect.
Be patient. Be grateful. Be understanding.
Be able to admit when you are wrong.

7. For Your Heart
Take a moment to get out of your routine. It only has to be a minute or two of your time, but it should be a minute that makes you happy.
Kiss your dog (she did just get groomed, after all!)
Pump up the jams and bust a move
Make someone laugh
Do a quick flip through that magazine you haven’t gotten to read yet

So there you have it. Keep your house tidy. And by house, I mean your life.

Here’s what I heard over the weekend:
“To solve any problem, you must always begin with yourself. Be open to changing and learning. Be grateful for your life – for your illness, for your conflicts and your resolutions, for everything. Be grateful for the light days and the dark days. They teach you who you are.”

Question of the Day:
What was memorable for you this past weekend?

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Filed under Meditation, Products, Sugar, Tips and Tricks, Water

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May 4, 2012 · 5:27 am

Give Up The Agave

Stay away from agave nectar, folks. There is a major misconception that agave is a healthy sweetener. It’s not. It’s actually quite unhealthy.

For one thing, it is not low-glycemic, so it’s really not any different from sugar. It’s just sugar masquerading as a health food. Take off that mask, agave! You won’t fool us!

Second, it’s highly unregulated. So we really don’t know what’s in it or how it’s made – some even contain corn syrup. Yuck. Healthy is knowing what goes into our bodies.

As an alternative, cook/bake with coconut nectar or coconut crystals which are a low-glycemic option. The nectar is like syrup and the crystals are closer in texture to sugar. And if you don’t like coconut, don’t worry – these sweeteners don’t actually taste like coconut. The Coconut Secret brand is organic, raw, gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, and GMO-free. Buy online or look for them at Whole Foods or your local health food store.

So make sure to read labels to see if the “health” food you’re about to buy has agave in it. And if a recipe calls for agave, sub in coconut nectar instead and you’re good to go.

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Filed under Agave, Coconut, Gluten-free, GMO-free, Low-glycemic, Organic, Raw, Sugar, Tips and Tricks, Vegan