managedmacros

Indian cooking has known the health benefits and antioxidant powers of spices for centuries, western cooking uses these therapeutic wonders on a daily basis without every knowing their potential healing properties.

I recently hosted a nutrition function and was luck to find a local treasure; Madu Gahia MS, RD,

CEU who is a nutrition and diabetes consultant, nationally recognized author, speaker and expert in Indian cuisine. This recipe is from her presentation. Not only are the beans a fiber rich, high protein source,the addition of some of these spices have unique healing properties. 

For example (and only to name a few!):

Turmeric Health Boost: Contains curcumin, which can inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Try to have 500 to 800 milligrams a day, says Bharat Aggarwal, PhD, a professor of cancer medicine at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Cinnamon Health Boost: Can lower blood sugar, triglycerides, LDL, and total cholesterol in people with type 2 diabetes. Aim for one-fourth to one-half teaspoon of cinnamon twice a day.. Cinnamon is a powerful antioxidant. A study in the Journal of Nutrition found that out of all spices, cinnamon is one of the richest sources of disease-fighting antioxidants.

Cayenne pepper Health Boost:, contains capsaicin, an anti-inflammatory compound that helps with pain relief. Chili peppers have been found to help: boost immunity,reduce blood cholesterol, triglyceride levels and platelet aggregation,prevent cancers, including stomach cancer and relive pain.

BLACK EYED PEAS DIP

1 (16oz) can black eyed peas

1 tbls vegetable oil

1/4 tsp cumin seed

1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (or to taste)

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup water

1/4 tsp gram masala (look for in season section of grocery)

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tblsp cilantro

1/2 cup red onions

Serve with chip of choice; pita,whole grain tortilla or gluten free chips!

1. Drain and rinse canned peas. Set aside

2. Heat oil in nonstick fry pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cook until golden brown. Add peas and stir. Add turmeric, cayenne pepper, coriander powder, cinnamon, salt and water to mix.

3. Bring to  boil. Cover with lid and reduce heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until liquid evaporated. Remove from heat.

4. Stir in gram masala and lemon juice. Transfer to serving dish, garnish with onion and cilantro. Serve with chips.

Enjoy the flavor and the benefits! 

These pudding like brownies are suprising sweet and satisfying! With 8 gm protein per serving and only 11 gm. carbs you will be satisfyied until your next meal!

BULGE BREE BROWNIES

(compliments of Oxygen Magazine with a few 'Teri alterations')

1 can black beans, rinsed and draind

3 whole eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

12 oz package organic extra firm tofu (organic soy is free on Monsanto's GM beans!)

1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tbsp canola oil (I used olive)

1/3 cup pure maple syrup (I used 1/4 cup organic sugar)

1/2cup unsweetened, unprocessed cocoa

1/4 cup chocolate whey power

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 tsp sea salt

Preheat oven to 350 F

Puree beans in a food processor. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and blend to combine.

In a large mixing bowl, use a fork to mix together the dry ingredients. Add to the wet ingredients and blend until creamy smooth.

Pour batter into an oiled 8 by 8 inch baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until a knife insterted in the center comes out clean.

Nutrients per serving (original recipe, less sugar with mine)

Calories 100, Total fat; 3, Sodium 64, Carbohydrates 11g, Fiber 2g, Sugars, 5 g, Protein 8 gm

So delicious! Enjoy! 

I would say that not a day goes by that I don't have AT LEAST one salad.  What a fantastic opportunity to incorporate all kinds of freshness into one bowl that can include great lean protein sources such as; chicken breast, turkey and fish, healthy fats like; almonds, walnuts, olive and canola oils and creamy avocados.  Clean complex carbs are added through green veggies and fresh fruits.  Salads have no rules and the possiblities are endless,  but I do have a few great combinations that always top my list!

Tuna Salad ( a South Beach recipe)

1 can water packed tuna (drained)

1/3 chopped cucumber

1/3 c avocado

1/3 c celery

1/3  c radishes

1 cup chopped romaine

Dressing:

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 tsp lime juice

1/2 tsp chopped garlic

cracked pepper

Super Omega & Antioxidant Salad

1 6 oz. pouch pink salmon

1 serving roasted/sliced almonds

1/2 cup blueberries

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1 cup chopped spinach

Dressing (Sweet mustard)

1/2 tbsp Olive Oil

1/2 balsamic vinegar

1 tsp brown mustard

1 packet Splenda or 1/2 tsp honey

Strawberry Chicken Salad

 4oz. Cinnamon chicken breast, chilled and sliced

1/2 c sliced berries

3-4 rings sliced red onion

1/4 cup part skim mozzarella cheese

1 serving honey roasted peanuts

Dressing

1 tbsp Olive Oil

1 tsp brown mustard

1 tsp sugar free orange marmalade

Santa Fe Turkey 

4 oz roasted and sliced turkey

1/2 cup black beans

1/3 cup chopped tomato

1/3 cup chopped avocado 

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped green pepper

2 tbsp. part skim mozzarella cheese

1 cup chopped romaine 

Dressing 

Your favorite salsa 

The best thing about building a salad is that it is a free for all!! It is a great opportunity to experiment with different textures, flavors and new foods. Try to build the most colorful salad to incorporate a great variety of nutrients! 

Try to keep the store salad dressings on the shelf at the store and experiment with the different heart healthy oils and flavored vinegars that you may already have.  Adding a fresh splash of lemon or orange juice to a fresh salad really brings out crisp clean flavors....

YUM!! 

'EAT YOUR BREAKFAST...IT"S THE MOST IMPORTANT MEAL OF THE DAY...'

Don't we know this already?? Isn't that what our mothers, doctors and dietitians have been telling us for the last decades?? Have we listened?? Yeah, for the most part I think we are but the question I want to ask is, what are we eating??   I want to modernize this old term into:

'EAT A QUALITY BREAKFAST!'

Make it count!  Our society makes it too easy to fall into the convenience trap with breakfast's on the go such as; Crispy Cream, Dunken Donuts, Egg McMuffins, jumbo bagels w cream cheese, over filled muffins and Grande coffees made with cream, sugar and syrups.

In other words, foods loaded with high calorie low nutritional impact. Familiar with the term...'you are what you eat?' How many times have you had one of these highly refined sugar 'meals' booming with saturated fats only to feel bloated, uncomfortable and miserable?  Then we use that same excuse to eat the same quality of lunch and snacks between. "Well its all ruined now...might as well have the Big Mac too!" Then so on and so one...the pattern is formed and behavior created. 

Well, what if we break the link where it starts?? Making your own convenience food takes more time, sure...but aren't you worth it?? Planning, planning, planning. My favorite word. Know where your next meal is coming from and what it is.  Breakfast CAN BE easy AND nutritious and for most of us, the most cost efficient meal of the day.

Ideas? Why YES I do!!

BLUEBERRY COBBLER

1 container natural yogurt. I like culteral revolutions a local product to me...made right here in the heartland, so how bad can that be? The cream sits right on top, naturally low in fat and sugar...unfortunately not a significant source of protein. But for a wonderful product high in protein low in fat, I recommend your favorite brand of greek yogurt. Greek yogurt is double strained for a rich dense product but tends to be at least double the price of a traditional yogut.

1/2 c fresh blueberries. Right now they are more seasonal but don't be afraid to buy them frozen either! Such a rich source of antioxidants with many proven health benefits.

2 tablespoons wheat germ.   A nice crunchy texture that adds a rich source of Vitamin E and Folic Acid.

PROTEIN "MUFFINS"

A favorite of mine to make up on Sunday night to have for the next 3 days. SOOO easy and I generally make it with what ever may happen to be in the fridge.

12 egg whites

9 slices Canadian bacon

1-2 cups chopped spinach

1 chopped tomato

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese

Season to taste with; basil, salt, pepper and or crushed red pepper.

Preheat oven to 425.  Combine all ingredients in to large mixing bowl mixing well. Coat muffin pan with cooking spray and disperse mixture into 9 servings. Bake until eggs rise, brown and are cooked through. Test with toothpick.

1 serving of 3 'muffins':  166 calories and 30gm protein. This low carbohydrate meal can be paired with your favorite fruit for a complete balance of fat, protein and carbohydrates to keep you feeling lean and clean to your next meal!

Who says it can't be easy??? 

I love walking into Hy-Vee (local grocery) and seeing daffodils and asparagus on sale.  In my book, it is the first true signs of spring!   This green beauty is by far my most favorite vegetable and I like it best in its simplest form; broiled with a little olive oil, sprinkled with a little sea salt and topped with some fresh cracked pepper.  Thats it, that all she needs!

Like most vegetables, asparagus contains a vast array of vitamins and minerals, providing the body with a nutrional boost that is hard to beat. 

(Thanks to www.asparagus.com for this GREAT table!!! )

To prepare:  Preheat broiler and line broiler pan with aluminum.  Wash and trim asparagus (bending each stalk to break, breaks at the toughest part of the stalk!)  Coat in minimal oil for cooking needs.  Cook to desired doneness, preferebly crisp tender, approximantly 5-6 minutes turning once during cooking. 

Oh, By the way....incase you haven't noticed yet, aspargus makes a strong smelling urine but don't worry....your normal!!  Aspargus contains a sulfer containing amino acid (methionine) that is attributed to this natural occurance.

So relax and enjoy the great harvest of this season!

Planning snacks are just as vital as planning meals!  These between meal, yummies are  the perfect opportunity to squeeze in nutrient dense foods to ease hunger between meals....and you know what that means? Going into a meal with less hunger reduces/eliminates binge cravings and eating really unwanted/unplanned foods. 

Plan snacks that are a combo of carb, protein and fat...or a rich source of protein and fiber to delay gastric emptying. Fiber and protein take longest to digest....leaving you feeling full, longer! 

Snack Ideas:

• Low fat cottage cheese with cinnamon and sliced peaches

• Plain yogurt, frozen with ½ cup berries

• 2 cups plain popcorn with dried cranberries and 1 oz almonds

• ½ Sliced banana or apple with 1 tablespoon nut butter

• 4 cinnamon mini rice cakes with 1 tablespoon nut butter

• 1 serving soy crisps, or 1 serving whole grain crackers with 2 tablespoon hummus and sliced red peppers 

• 2 oz sliced turkey rolled with low fat mozzarella cheese and tomatoes

• Small whole grain tortilla with 1 tbsp peanut butter

• Roasted almonds and grapes (like PB &J!)

• String cheese and baby carrots/red grapes/cherry tomatoes 

One of the first steps of creating a healthy lifestyle is meal planning.  Being hungry without an action plan is a sure way to watch all heck break loose.  Am I right??  'I'll just grab a sandwich from the drive through.'   ' Maybe I'll just grab some chips and a pop from the vending machine.'  'Sure, I'll join you for that all you can eat Chinese Buffet.'  Then what??

Then....'Well I've ruined my diet now. Might as well have that brownie for dessert. I'll just start again tomorrow.'  Rinse. Repeat.

Planning and Timing. That is what it is all about. Knowing what you are going to eat and when. Planning your nutrition to meet your goals takes time and effort. Yup, It can be a real pain in the butt sometimes....heck, that's why convenience food is for, right???  Food made easy for us by the food industry catering to our busy lifestyles. But now we see the real price this nation has paid for convenience.

Batch cooking. Pictured above is four chicken breasts that I cook once to twice a week. These four breast are actually about 6-8 ounces each, so what we have here is really 7-8 planned meals of 4 ounce chicken to use in multiple recipes  (No...one chicken breast does not always equal one serving!). 

So...what recipes you ask???  Well, let me share some examples!

Chicken meal ideas:

• Whole grain tortilla with veggies and chicken.  Fill with combos of; spinach, tomato, hummus, avocado, black beans, salsa, onion, broccoli slaw, cubed sweet potato....the possibilites are endless!
• Chicken Salad. Spinach toassed with; strawberries, grapefruit, oranges, almonds, tomato, red onion, beans, salsa, avocado, peppers, cucumbers....and so on and so on!
• Chicken with a favorite grain and veggie makes a great filling satisfying middle of the day lunch.
• Use cooked chicken to make a quick soup. Use a low sodium stock and combine with your favorite fresh veggies.
• Now I also have chicken on hand to make quick snacks and lunches for the kiddo....chicken and cheese quesadilla, chicken roll ups and my version of chicken friend rice. Easy!

Nutrition Facts per 4 ounce serving: 110 calories, 25 g protein, 0 carbohydrate, 2 gram fat