Tasty Tuesday!!

Since I was a kid I would eat pretty much everything. I have never been picky. I am lucky that two of my children are the same way. I mean they will enjoy a piece of sushi with me, and some veggies with hummus, while drinking  kale smoothie. It is awesome!! Unfortunately my husband and my oldest son are not this way. They are two of the pickiest people on the planet. It sometimes makes it difficult especially when you want to get healthy stuff in them. So how do I make sure that the two picky eaters in my life get the good stuff like us non-picky people? The answer I put the healthy stuff in with their favorite things. Now my husband knows I do this so I am not revealing some big hush hush secret. Sometimes, however I can fool him, and sometimes he can tell right away. It is all just a matter of tweaking the recipes. I have previously shared my way to get some veggies in with meatballs. We had those last night with quinoa pasta in fact, and they were yummy. So here is another recipe that you can get some more healthy stuff in those picky eaters.

If your family is anything like mine then they love enchiladas. It is seriously one of my husbands favorite foods. He would be happy if I made it twice a week or more. The problem is between the sauce and all that cheese it is so fattening. So here is a "lighter" version that I use. I still use it as a "special" meal and not a once  week meal. The big thing is to make your own sauce and not use the sodium ridden canned sauce, which I know is much much easier. I like my enchiladas with the red and green sauce mixed together. You can choose just one of the sauces if you like that better. I used all fresh organic ingredients in these.


Lightened up enchiladas

Red sauce
1 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves minced garlic

1 tsp minced onion

1/2 tsp dried oregano

21/2 tsps chili powder

1/2 tsp dried basil

1/8 tsp black pepper (ground)

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp parsley (dried)

1/4 cup diced tomatoes

1/4 cup red bell pepper

1/4 cup diced yellow squash

6 ozs no salt added organic tomato sauce

11/2 cups water

Put your tomatoes, squash and red bell pepper in the food processor. In a large saucepan heat up the olive oil. Then add the garlic and onion. Saute for about a minute or two. Then add the rest of the ingredients, including the tomato, squash and bell pepper except the water. Mix it all together in the pan and add the water. Let it come to a boil. Then reduce it to simmer and let cook for about 15-20 minutes.

Green Sauce

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced

1 pound green tomatillos, husked, washed and sliced into quarters

1/2 to 1 jalapeno pepper, seeds and ribs removed (depending on how hot you like it!)

1 large poblano pepper, seeds removed and cut into large chunks

1 avocado

1 c spinach (you can use kale as well)

juice of 1 lime

handful of fresh cilantro

4 cups no salt added vegetable broth

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

 

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. While the onions and garlic are working, throw the tomatillos, cilantro, jalapeno, poblano, avocado, spinach or kale and lime juice into the blender. Blend on high speed until smooth, adding the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil to get things moving. Pour the tomatillo mixture in with the onions and garlic. Add the vegetable broth, cumin, chili powder, salt and pepper and whisk to combine. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer on low heat for about an hour to thicken the sauce. If desired, blend with an immersion blender or throw the mixture back into the regular blender for a smoother sauce. This sauce takes a little longer to make, but it is worth it!!

Enchiladas

2 lbs organic boneless, skinless chicken breast (you can also do turkey, beef, tofu, beans, or no meat at all)

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1 tablespoon chili powder                                                    

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder                                                    

1/4 teaspoon onion powder                                                    

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon paprika                                                    

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin                                                                     

1 teaspoon black pepper

red enchilada sauce
green enchilada sauce
About 2-4c (depends on how cheesy you like it) cheese (whichever kind you prefer. I like organic cheese and will shred it myself. Seriously don't buy the already shredded. I used to, but no longer do. Also I get full fat cheese and not the low fat or fat free. That is just full of chemicals.)

40 fajita size tortillas (whatever kind you like, homemade (I will post that recipe another day), whole grain, Ezekiel, corn, flour)

Preheat the oven to 375. Heat up the coconut oil in a large saucepan. Then add the chicken (or whatever meat you prefer. If you are doing just cheese you can skip this step) and cook probably about 10 minutes or so. You want to try to shred the chicken as much as possible (if you have done a ground meat you don't have to worry). Drain the meat and return to the pan and add all the spices to it with about 1/2c water. Let the meat simmer for about 5-10 minutes or so. I usually use 2 big cake pans for my enchiladas. The good thing about this recipe is you can cut it in half and have less or easily double it for more. You should have plenty of leftovers. If you do the 2 pans you can have one for dinner and freeze the other one for an easy meal another night.

In your cake pans cover the bottom with some red and green sauce (if you are just doing one sauce then cover with that one sauce) take your tortilla and fill with the meat and a little bit of cheese (not a whole lot because you will also be topping it with cheese. Of course if you are doing just cheese you can add a little bit more). Then roll up the tortilla. Repeat this step for the remaining tortillas. I can usually get about 20 tortillas in one pan. After rolling them top with green sauce and red sauce (or whichever you choose). Top that with as much cheese as you would like then top again with the sauces. Bake for 30 minutes. You want the cheese to be melted and your tortillas to brown a little. You can cook less time if you would like because your meat is already cooked so you do not have to worry about that, or more time if you like your cheese melted a little more. You just judge how you like it.

This recipe is a little time consuming, which is another reason why I do not make it all the time. As you can see with all that cheese it is definitely not an everyday kind of meal. The leftovers you can freeze or eat the next day for lunch (which I think is usually better after it has sat a little while). I like to top mine with a little full-fat plain Greek yogurt, salsa verde, black olives and avocado and tomatoes. You can serve with some Spanish rice and/or black beans, but as filling as it is you really do not need it. See how many vegetables we got in there, and your picky people won't even be able to tell.

* I made these last night, and I realized I didn't have a picture on here of them. So here is what he finished product looks like. I topped mine with spinach and arugula, black olives, salsa, avocado, plain Greek yogurt and I had black beans topped with the same and watermelon. It was delicious! My picky hubby said today that he was worried we would eat them all for lunch, and there wouldn't be any left for him. Try them and let me know what you think.

The most important meal

I know we have all heard it, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day". Well it is true. I never used to eat breakfast. I would go until almost 1 or 2 in the afternoon most days without eating or drinking anything. Then I would binge on everything around me, and eat and drink crappy, unhealthy foods until bedtime. Then I did not have any energy, and not want to do anything the rest of the day. That is probably why I got up to almost 270 pounds.

I have never, ever been a breakfast eater. My mom said even as I child I did not really like breakfast. I just could not eat when I first woke up. I never really correlated it to my weight gain and unhealthy lifestyle. I never really though it was that important. I had always heard I should eat it, but just ignored it. Until I sat down with Torey, my trainer, he asked me if I ate breakfast I said no never. He explained it to me like this. He asked would you drive your car for 3 hours with your kids in it with your gas light on? Obviously I said no of course not. He said well that is what you are doing to your body everyday. You are "driving" it with no gas in it, and expecting it to work. I had never really had it explained to me like that before. Something clicked after that, and I have not missed a breakfast since that talk in March. I have felt so much better, and had more success ever since I have started eating breakfast. Now I know that all the things combined are what has led to my success, but each day I am able to do what I need to because I eat a healthy, nutritious breakfast.

You should eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. Breakfast is exactly what it sounds like you are breaking your fast. You have slept all night, and now you need to refuel your body. So start it off the right way early. You will feel better the rest of the day if you do.

Breakfast provides you with the energy and nutrients that lead to increased concentration.

Studies show that breakfast can be important in maintaining a healthy body weight.

Hunger sets in long before it's time for lunch, but because it's not convenient to eat properly, many people who have not eaten breakfast snack on foods that are high in fat and sugar.

People who skip breakfast are unlikely to make up their daily requirement for some vitamins and minerals that a simple breakfast would have provided.

Breakfast provides energy for the activities during the morning and helps to prevent that mid-morning slump.

I always try to get a protein and a complex carb in with my breakfast. I with either get a vegetable or fruit in with breakfast, sometimes both. Then I typically try to eat about 3-3 1/2 hours after that again. Also drink at least 1 glass of water before consuming your breakfast, and at least 1 glass of water afterwards. I find that actually helps me feel full longer.

 

 

I know in the mornings when I first wake up most of the time the last thing I want to do is cook a big breakfast. So I try to go for things that are easy to make most mornings. Some of my favorites are kashi cereals, they have protein and carbs in them and are a good clean eating cereal, with either coconut or almond milk and some fruit, egg whites with veggies, and avocado on a whole grain tortilla or toast, oatmeal with fruits and greek yogurt (a good source of protein), quinoa (a good source of protein and complex carb) with fruits. I eat other things for breakfasts as well, but these are my four easy go to breakfasts. Protein pancakes, protein smoothies, oatmeal smoothies, and protein muffins are also good easy breakfasts. Comment with some of your favorite healthy breakfasts.

 

 

 

 

 

Some good places for recipes are:

 

http://housewife2hostess.blogspot.com/

 



http://savegreenbeinggreen.blogspot.com/2012/09/7-ideas-for-clean-eating-breakfast.html?m=1

Scrumptious Saturday!!

Have you tried spaghetti squash yet? If not you should it is very yummy, and very good for you. When you cook this squash the strands fall away to look like spaghetti.

There are a million ways you can prepare this delicious vegetable. I have one easy, healthy, delicious way. I don't know about you, but those three words always sound good to me in a recipe.


Spaghetti Squash

1 spaghetti squash
2 tbsp. oil (Olive, coconut, or grapeseed)
1 tomato
2 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 c finely shredded mozzarella cheese (or nutritional yeast)



Cut your squash in half and remove the seeds and the center strings. Drizzle the squash with the oil, garlic powder and black pepper. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes open side down. Then take it out of the oven and scrape the squash with a fork to make strands in the squash. Turn the oven to broil and add the tomatoes and basil and top with mozzarella. Broil it for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted.

There it is a super simple, yummy recipe. You can eat this by itself or with some sort of protein (fish, chicken, turkey). This is a good side to use in place of pasta.

Scrumptious Saturday

I made this dish the other day. It is very yummy. I had always heard about quinoa for a long time, but was always scared to try it. Now I eat it a lot. It is good with breakfast, on salads, just as a plain side, in casseroles etc...This recipe is very filling you really do not need to eat anything else with it. I did have some extra protein with it, however. Quinoa does have 8g of protein in it. Which makes it very good for vegetarians or vegans. I froze some of this in 1 cup bags so I can just pull out a serving when I want something quick for lunch.


Quinoa veggie bake


1c quinoa
2c water
2 zucchini
2 yellow squash
1c sliced portabella mushrooms
1/2 c purple onion
1c organic cherry tomatoes
1 eggplant
2c asparagus
1/2 c spinach
1/2 c kale
2 tbsp. organic coconut oil
2 tbsp. ground flax seed
salt and pepper to taste




Preheat the oven to 375. Cook the quinoa in the 2 cups of water. While that is cooking chop up all the vegetables. Put the 2 tbsp. coconut oil in the baking dish. Put all the vegetables in there and mix in flax seed and quinoa. Add some salt and pepper to taste. Bake 45 minutes.


That is it. Super easy and super yummy. It would be good with some avocado, hummus or fresh salsa mixed in. I have eaten it by itself and also with chicken. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.

Tasty Tuesday

I know that healthy eating is where I have struggled in the past, and a lot of people I talk to this is the area that they struggle in as well. So here is another day that we can do some yummy healthy recipes. I know it is still summer, but I LOVE fall. I am so ready for it to be here. Today in honor o my love of fall I am doing turkey chili. I am actually making a batch of this right now, and will be eating it for lunch for awhile. What is good about this recipe is you can make it as big or as small as you want. You can also freeze it, and pull it out when needed. What I am doing is freezing 1 cup servings, and that way I can just pull out one serving at a time.

Turkey Chili


1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey
1 can organic low sodium black beans
1 can organic low sodium dark red kidney beans
1 can organic low sodium pinto beans
1 can organic low sodium great northern beans
1 can organic low sodium fire roasted tomatoes
1 can organic low sodium tomato sauce
1 small red onion chopped
1/2 red and yellow bell pepper chopped
2 chili peppers chopped
2 seeded and chopped poblano peppers
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp sea salt or no-salt
1 tsp olive oil



Open and rinse all of the beans from the cans. This will help reduce some of the sodium in them. Put the olive oil in a pan and sauté the turkey with the onions and garlic. Combine all the other ingredients in the crockpot and stir to combine. Once the turkey is browned add it to the crock pot. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.

Browning the turkey

 

Rinsing the beans

 

 

 

 

This is a super simple recipe. If you do not like all these beans you can interchange them with others or just do one or two. I like this many because it gives me extra protein. You can also do dry beans instead of the canned ones. When I do dry beans it just takes so much longer of course. You could also do this with some grass fed beef or chicken as well. You can add more spice to it as well. I just do not like my chili really spicy. You can eat the bowl of chili plain, add sour cream or nonfat plain Greek yogurt, add olives, low fat cheese, avocado, salsa verde or red salsa. Really any toppings would be good with it. You can also eat it over some whole grain, quinoa or brown rice pasta. I have some garden of eatin no salt added blue corn tortilla chips that I am going to eat with mine. I am going to try to come up with a clean recipe for corn bread. If I do I will post it here.

Feel free to add any of your favorite healthy recipes in the comments.

Watch your Na intake...

 

 

 

 

Na = Sodium

 

 

 

Sodium helps your body function properly by assisting the muscles and nerves, and regulating blood pressure, among other functions. We need a certain amount of sodium in our everyday diets, but as Americans we way overdo it on the sodium. Have you been trying to eat healthy and exercise and wonder why you feel bloated? I bet you probably need to check your daily sodium intake. Sodium can make you retain water. A lot of foods naturally have sodium in them, and we add extra salt to it to "make it taste good". Not only can a lower sodium diet help you lose weight, but it also can help with high blood pressure and help to prevent heart disease and stroke. Now I know we all want to avoid those things. “Americans of all ages, regardless of individual risk factors, can improve their heart health and reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease by restricting their daily consumption of sodium to less than 1,500 mg,” American Heart Association chief executive officer Nancy Brown said in a statement.

Ok so we know that we should reduce our sodium intake, but it is much harder than you would think. The best way to eat is to eat foods that do not have nutrition labels, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, and meats that are not packaged. This is not always possible for everyone so the best thing to do is to read your nutrition labels. Make sure you pay attention to the serving size. It may say only 250mg of sodium, but for what serving size. This is very important. I was very surprised when I started looking at the sodium content in my foods.

Sodium chloride or table salt is approximately 40% sodium. Understand just how much sodium is in salt so you can take measures to control your intake.

Americans’ sodium intake breaks down like this:

77% from packaged and restaurant food

12% is naturally occurring in foods

11% from adding salt to food while cooking or at the table

1/4 teaspoon salt = 600 mg sodium
1/2 teaspoon salt = 1,200 mg sodium
3/4 teaspoon salt = 1,800 mg sodium
1 teaspoon salt = 2,400 mg sodium

 

 

 canned soup as much as 950 milligrams per serving

a frozen pizza as much as 2,500 milligrams

canned peas as much as 800 milligrams per serving
pre-made spaghetti sauces have over 1,000 milligrams per cup

one cup of macaroni and cheese has almost 1,000 milligrams of sodium

 



 

Food (100g)	Salt (mg)	Food (100g)	Salt (mg)	Food (100g)	Salt (mg)
Apple juice, bottled	1	Cocoa, dry	6	Peanut butter	607
Apple, raw unpeeled	1	Cocoa, processed	717	Peanuts, roasted	5
Applesauce, sweetened	2	Coconut, fresh	23	Peanuts, salted	418
Asparagus, canned	236	Coffee, beverage,	1	Pears	2
Asparagus, fresh	1	Coffee, instant, dry	72	Peas, cooked	2
Avocado	4	Collards, cooked	25	Peas, dried	40
Bacon, Canadian	2,500	Cookies , plain	365	Peas, green, canned	236
Bacon, cooked	1,021	Cookies, Fig bars	252	Pecans, shelled	0
Baking powder	11,000	Cookies, oatmeal	170	Peppers, green	13
Banana	1	Corn, sweet canned	236	Perch	79
Barly, pearled	3	Corn, sweet, cooked	8	Pickles, dill	1,428
Bean sprouts, cooked	4	Cowpeas, dry, cooked	8	Pickles, relish, sweet	712
Bean, canned	236	Crabmeat, canned	1,000	Pie	350
Beans, canned with pork and tomato sauce	463	Crackers, Graham	670	Pie crust, baked	617
Beans, Lima	1	Crackers, saltines	1,100	Pike, walleye	51
Beans, Lima canned	236	Cranberry juice or sauce	1	Pineapple, raw or canned	1
Beans, snap green, cooked	4	Cream	40	Pizza, cheese	702
Beans, white common, cooked	7	Cucumber	6	Plums	2
Beef hamburger	47	Dates	1	Popcorn, salted with oil	1,940
Beef hash, canned	540	Doughnuts	500	Pork	65
Beef pie or stew, commercial	400	Duck	74	Pork canned ham	1,100
Beef, corned	1,740	Egg, whole, raw	74	Pork, cured ham	930
Beef, dried	4,300	Eggplant, cooked	1	Potato chips	1,000
Beef, roasted broiled or stewed	60	Endive, curly	14	Potatoes, baked, boiled or french fried	5
Beets canned	236	Figs	2	Potatoes, mashed salted	331
Beets, cooked	43	Flounder	78	Pretzels	1,680
Beverage, fruit drink	0	Flour	2	Prunes	4
Beverages, beer	7	Fruit cocktail	5	Pumpkin, canned	2
Beverages, wine	5	Gelatin, dry	0	Radishes	18
Biscuits	630	Grapefruit, fresh, canned or juice	1	Raisins, dried	27
Blackberries	1	Grapes	3	Raspberries	1
Bluefish, cooked	104	Haddock, battered	177	Rhubarb	2
Bouillon cubes	24,000	Haddock, raw	61	Rice, cooked and salted	374
Bread	500	Heart, beef	86	Rice, dry	5
Broccoli, cooked	10	Herring	74	Rolls, bread or sweet	500
Brussel sprouts, cooked	10	Honey	5	Rutabagas	4
Butter, salted	826	Honeydew melon	12	Rye wafers	882
Butter, unsalted	10	Ice cream, vanilla	87	Salad dressing	1,000
Cabbage	20	Jams and preserves	12	Salmon, canned	387
Cakes	300	Jellies	17	Salmon, fresh	64
Candy, caramels, fudge	200	Kale, cooked	43	Sardines, canned	400
Candy, hard	30	Lamb, lean	70	Sauerkraut	747
Cantaloupe	12	Lard	0	Sausage, Bologna	1,300
Carrots	40	Lasagna	490	Sausage, Frankfurter	1,100
Carrots canned	236	Lemon, juice or fresh	1	Sausage, pork	958
Cashews, unsalted	15	Lettuce	9	Scallops,	265
Cauliflower	10	Lime, fresh or juice	1	Shrimp	150
Celery, raw	126	Liver, beef	184	Soup, canned	400
Cereal, Corn grits	1	Liver, pork	111	Spaghetti with meatballs, canned	488
Cereal, Cornmeal	1	Lobster	210	Spaghetti, dry	2
Cereal, Farina, dry	2	Macar0ni,cheese	543	Spinach, raw	71
Cereal, Oatmeal, cooked and salted	218	Macaroni, dry	2	Squash	1
Cereal, Oatmeal, dry	2	Margarine	987	Strawberries	1
Cereal, Rice flakes	987	Milk	50	Sugar, brown	300
Cereal, wheat flakes	1,000	Milk, buttermilk	130	Sugar, white	1
Cereal, wheat, puffed	4	Milk, dried	549	Sunflower seeds	30
Cereal, wheat, shredded	3	Milk, evaporated	106	Sweet potatoes	12
Cereals bran, wheat, crude	9	Molasses, dark	96	Syrup	68
Cereals, commercial	1,100	Molasses, light	15	Tapioca, dry	3
Cheese, cheddar	620	Muffins, plain	441	Tomato juice, canned	200
Cheese, cottage	406	Mushrooms	14	Tomato ketchup	1,042
Cheese, cream	296	Mushrooms, canned	400	Tomato, canned	130
Cheese, Mozzarella	373	Mustard greens	18	Tomato, fresh	3
Cheese, Parmesan	1,862	Mustard, prepared yellow	1,252	Tongue, beef	61
Cheese, processed	1,189	Nectarine	6	Tuna in oil	800
Cheese, Swiss	260	Noodles, dry	5	Turkey,	82
Cherries, Raw	2	Oil, corn	0	Turnips	34
Chicken pot pie, commercial	411	Okra,	2	Veal	80
Chicken, cooked, without skin	80	Olives, green	2,400	Vinegar	1
Chickpeas, dry	8	Onions, green	7	Waffles	475
Chicory	7	Orange , fresh	1	Walnuts	3
Chili con carne, canned with beans	531	Oysters, raw	73	Watermelon	1
Chili powder with seasonings	1,574	Pancakes	425	Wheat germ	827
Chocolate syrup	52	Papayas, raw	3	Yeast active	52
Chocolate, plain	4	Parsley	45	Yeast, compressed	16
Clams, hard, round	205	Parsnips, cooked	8	Yogurt	46
Clams, raw soft	36	Peaches	2

 

 Pay attention to the labels on the front of the packages. Just because it says no salt does not mean there is no sodium.

Salt/Sodium-Free → Less than 5 mg of sodium per serving

Very Low Sodium → 35 mg of sodium or less per serving

Low Sodium → 140 mg of sodium or less per serving

Reduced Sodium → At least 25% less sodium than in the original product

Light in Sodium or Lightly Salted → At least 50% less sodium than the regular product

No-Salt-Added or Unsalted → No salt is added during processing, but not necessarily sodium-free. Check the Nutrition Facts Label to be sure!

The best ways to cut your sodium are:

1. Read the Nutrition Facts Label to see how much sodium is in the foods you are considering. All Americans should consume less than 100% of the Daily Value or less than 2400 mg of sodium each day. Check the label for lower sodium choices and compare sodium in different brands of foods — like frozen meals, packaged soups, breads, dressings/sauces, and snack foods — and choose those with lower sodium.
   
2. Prepare your own food when you can.  Don’t salt foods before or during cooking, and limit salt shaker use at the table. We use no-salt instead of salt in our food.
   
3. Add Flavor Without Adding Sodium. Use herbs and spices instead of salt to add flavor to your foods. Try rosemary, oregano, basil, curry powder, cayenne pepper, ginger, fresh garlic or garlic powder (not garlic salt), black or red pepper, vinegar or lemon juice, and no-salt seasoning blends.
   
4. Get fresh when you can. Buy fresh or frozen (not processed) poultry, pork and lean meat rather than canned, smoked or processed meats like luncheon meats, sausages and corned beef. Fresh foods are generally lower in sodium.  Also, check the package on fresh meat and poultry to see if salt water or saline has been added.
   
5. Watch your veggies. Buy fresh, frozen (without sauce), or low sodium or no-salt-added canned vegetables.
   
6. Give sodium the “rinse.” Rinse sodium-containing canned foods, such as tuna, vegetables, and beans before using. This removes some of the sodium.
   
7. Examine your dairy products. Choose fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, such as milk, yogurt, cheese and fortified soy milk, almond milk, coconut milk in place of processed cheese products and spreads, which are higher in sodium.
   
8. “Unsalt” your snacks. Choose unsalted nuts and seeds, and snack products such as chips and pretzels, that are marked “low sodium” or “no-salt-added” – or have a carrot or celery stick instead.
   
9. Consider your condiments. Sodium in soy sauce, ketchup, salad dressings, and seasoning packets can add up. Choose liquid aminos instead of soy sauce and no-salt-added ketchup, add oil and vinegar to a salad rather than bottled salad dressings, and choose spices that do not contain sodium, mrs. dash has a wide variety of seasonings and they are all salt free.
   
10. Speak up at restaurants. Ask to see the nutrition information in restaurants and choose a lower-sodium option. Ask for your meal to be prepared without salt and request that sauces and salad dressings be served “on the side,” then use less of them. You can also reduce your portion size – less food means less sodium! For example, ask the server to put half of your meal in a take out container before it comes to your table or split an entrée with a dinner companion.

Do not cut sodium completely out of your diet. You do need some daily in your life, but just be conscientious of your daily intake, and try to limit it.



Research shows that eating foods high in potassium can lower blood pressure by reducing the adverse effects of sodium on blood pressure. Examples of foods rich in potassium include potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, spinach, apricots, bananas, beans, low-fat or non-fat milk and yogurt, and juices (prune, carrot, tomato and orange).



Here is a sodium tracker to help you keep track of your daily intake. http://www.heart.org/idc/groups/heart-public/@wcm/@hcm/documents/downloadable/ucm_448279.pdf



Some yummy low sodium recipes are listed in these websites
http://www.health.com/health/gallery/0,,20515311,00.html
http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes_menus/collections/healthy_low_sodium_recipes
http://www.sodiumgirl.com/
http://thedailydish.us/thanksgiving/60-low-sodium-recipes-for-thanksgiving/



Scrumptious Saturday

I'm going to be posting my favorite healthy recipes on scrumptious Saturdays. We all know that nutrition is major part of fitness you cannot out exercise a bad diet! I love to cook, and my family loves for new to cook. I also like trying new things. I think it us important to vary what you are eating so you do not get bored quickly with healthy foods. So this week I am going to start off with an easy recipe. Turkey meatballs. You can eat them by themselves, in a sandwich, with pasta, on pizza. There are so many things you can do with these yummy treats. I bet they would be good in a clean eating barbeque sauce as well. You can make the serving you need or make a big batch and freeze them to reheat for a later meal.



Turkey meatballs


1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey
1/2 cup organic oat bran 2 egg whites (if you do not eat eggs you can substitute with Chia seeds and water)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp mrs. dash Italian seasoning
2 tsp organic ground flax seed
2 shredded organic carrots
1/4 cup diced red onion (if you do not like onions you can substitute with 2 tsp onion powder 1 tsp organic coconut oil


Preheat your oven to 400 Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl. I usually just use my clean hands to do it, but you can use a wooden spoon as well. After thoroughly washing your hands line a cookie sheet with tin foil. Then it's time to make the meatballs. Just round them out to balls. You can make them whatever size you wish. Thoroughly wash your hands again and place the cookie sheet in the oven. Bake them for 30 minutes.



You can double, triple etc this recipe or you can half it. Super easy right. They are healthy and delicious. Also they are picky husband and picky kid approved! Please feel free to comment with any of your favorite recipes.

My favorite green fruit

AVOCADO!!!!

Yes I said fruit and not vegetable. I always thought this wonderful food was a vegetable, but I was wrong. Either way whether fruit or vegetable it is a SUPERFOOD. Avocados have gotten a bad wrap because they are very high in calories, 322 calories, but it is a very healthy fat. We all need healthy fats in our diets every day. Avocado is called "the alphabet fruit" because just one avocado provides your body with vitamins A, C, E, K, B6 and many more, almost all alphabet letters! Avocados have 54% of your recommended daily value of fiber, which gives this fruit much of its fat burning abilities.

I cut them out of my diet for awhile because of the high calories, but I have returned to my love of avocado and eat at least a half every day. My son Collin and daughter Callie love it as well. They eat some everyday. That was actually miss Callie's first food, and she has been in love ever since. My husband tried it once and did not like it, and Riley refuses to even try it. Hopefully I can get them to come to the dark side :) 

Perhaps the biggest health benefit of avocados is that by adding avocado to certain foods, you can improve your absorption of nutrients. This means that when you combine other fat burning foods with avocado, you can improve your nutrient absorption up to 400%! Avocados can also reduce the signs of aging, regulate blood sugar and improve eye health. The fat content of an avocado provides protection against heart diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves cardiovascular health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocadoes. Avocadoes are rich in omega-3, delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linolenic acid. Avocadoes provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocadoes also contain fiber. Here a couple of choice items to chew over. Once an avocado is picked, it takes between 7 and 10 days to ripen. Keeping it in the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process, while putting it in a paper bag with a ripe apple will speed up the process. Avocados have the highest protein content of any fruit. I could go on all day about how wonderful this fruit is, but you should just go try it for yourself.

 

 

 

You can eat the avocado by itself which is yummy and delicious, but there are also about a million other things you can do with it. I put it in smoothies, on sandwiches, mixed with pasta, with egg whites, use in desserts such as avocado pudding and popsicles, I bet Collin and Callie would love these. It really is one of the most versatile foods.

 

 



http://thefoodexplorer.com/dessert/39-healthy-and-delicious-avocado-recipes/

http://www.aroundmyfamilytable.com/2013/07/50-scrumptious-avocado-recipes/

http://www.damyhealth.com/2013/06/11-sneaky-avocado-recipes/

http://sunshineandsippycups.com/2011/12/cookin-with-kids-avocado-recipes-and-mini-chef-contest/

Colors are our friends!!

Eat a rainbow of colors often!!

 

 

 

Who wants to eat a plate of food with plain drab colors. It really does not sound appetizing at all. There are so many benefits to eating more colors other than they just look more appetizing. Different colored foods play different roles in the body. You should aim for at least three colors at every meal and two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables over the course of the day. Every meal should include fruits and vegetables because of their fiber and nutrient contents.

 

 

If you eat 3 colors each night at dinner that will add up to over 500 servings of vegetables over 6 months.

 

 

 

 

 



Red foods are packed with phytochemicals like lycopene and anthocyanin's, red foods help increase heart and circulatory health, improve memory, support urinary tract health, and decrease the risk of certain types of cancers. Some good red foods to eat are cherries, cranberries, red bell peppers, strawberries, red kidney beans,  red potatoes, rhubarb, beets and tomatoes.

 

 

Orange foods are high in antioxidants such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and bioflavonoids. Eating orange foods has been linked to skin and eye health, increased immunity, decreased risk of cancer, and a healthy heart. Some good orange foods to eat are carrots, oranges, sweet potatoes, peaches, apricots, cantaloupe, mangoes, tangerines, and butternut squash.

 

 

Pineapple, yellow peppers, corn, star fruit, and other yellow foods contain nutrients that promote good digestion and optimal brain function. High in alpha- and beta-carotenes, yellow foods have also been linked to increased immunity, a decreased risk of some cancers, and healthy eyes and skin. Some other good yellow foods are lemons, yellow watermelon, yellow tomatoes, yellow winter squash, and yellow apples.

 

 

Green fruits and vegetables contain varying amounts of potent phytochemicals such as lutein and indoles. Benefits include a lower risk of some cancers, improved eye health, rejuvenated musculature and bone, and strong teeth. Some good green foods are spinach, broccoli, kale, kiwi, avocados, honeydew, green peppers, green cabbage, green apples, zucchini, watercress, arugula, leafy greens, cucumbers, and Brussels sprouts.

 

 

These colorful foods get their bright hue from anthocyanin's, which have been linked with antioxidants and anti-aging properties in the body. Blue and purple foods help promote bone health, and have been shown to lower the risk of some cancers, improve memory, and increase urinary-tract health. The main benefit of blue and purple foods is increased circulation and microcirculation. Some good blue/purple foods are blueberries, plums, eggplant, purple grapes, figs, purple Belgian endive, purple-fleshed potatoes, purple asparagus, purple cabbage, and elderberries.


While many white foods are refined, like white bread and white rice, there are a lot of white foods that are packed with nutrients. White fruits and veggies have been linked to lower cholesterol, decreased blood pressure, and a lower risk of heart disease. The key benefit of white foods is increased immunity. Eating white foods helps enhance the immune system, the lymph systems, and aids in cellular recovery. Some good white foods to eat are garlic, onions, cauliflower, ginger, turnips, jicama, white corn, turnips, shallots, mushrooms, parsnips, Jerusalem artichoke, white peaches and white nectarines.

The goal should be to eat at least 1-2 from each color group every day. I sometimes find this hard to do. I try for as many colors as I can. I am still working on this. I like to eat a lot of colors, but I am still working on it. My kids do well with eating their colors. We are still working on it as a family. I know all of the benefits of colorful foods. The goal is to get more of them into my diet. Clean eating has really helped me a lot on my fitness journey. Eating the rich colorful fresh foods will only assist me in my fitness journey. Color is powerful on our plates.