Do you start your day with a "sugar buzz"?
Doughnuts
High in sugar, trans-fats, calories and refined flour, doughnuts are not only bad for your waistline, but ultimately do a number on your energy levels as well. The high sugar content is likely to end in a midday energy crash. If you crave a doughnut, try a piece of whole-grain bread with some all fruit spread and peanut or almond butter instead.
Fast-Food "Breakfast Sandwiches"
The combination of low-quality, fried meats, processed cheese, and refined breads adds up to a high-calorie, high-sodium, fat-laden glob of food. A better option is to make a sandwich at home - include whole-grain bread, and low-fat cheese, along with fresh veggies. You can make y our own breakfast sandwich using a whole grain English muffin, scrambled egg, a bit of low fat cheese or sliced avocado. Skip the fried hash browns.
Sugared Cereal
While different brands vary widely in the amount of added sugars (do your homework and read the labels), sugared cereals should not be a part of your morning routine - or your diet, period. If you crave sweetness, try adding a teaspoon of stevia, agave nectar, dried or fresh berries to unsweetened whole-grain cereals. Or try a bowl of steel-cut oats with some blackstrap molasses, which provides an added dose of calcium, along with some fresh fruit.
If you are short on time and need menu and/or recipe suggestions, simply leave a comment below and I will make sure to post your requested favorites.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Friday, April 23, 2010
Artichokes 101
Artichokes take a little effort when it comes to preparation and cooking, but the mild, nutty flavor and the nutritional benefits are well worth the effort. Artichokes are used for main dishes, side dishes, appetizers, casseroles and as ingredients in dips and sauces. The versatility of the artichoke is limitless.
How to buy an Artichoke:
Choose an artichoke that is compact and heavy for its size. Stay away from any that are slightly purple in color or budding, as these are signs that the artichoke is over ripe. Check the stem and leaves to make sure they are firm and crisp. Using good judgment is best when selecting any produce.
Storage:
Artichokes can be stored for up to 5 days. Keep them in a plastic bag, lightly spray them with water and place in the crisper of the refrigerator. Artichokes are best used within the first 2 days after being purchased.
Preparation:
You can cut the stem of the artichoke off at the base so that it will sit upright easily or leave it long, depending upon how you will be preparing and serving the artichoke.
Using a kitchen shears or sturdy scissors, snip the top points off the leaves.
Hold the artichoke tightly and cut the top 1/3 to 1/4 of the artichoke off using a sharp and sturdy kitchen knife.
Place artichokes that have already been cut in a bath of water and 1/4 cup lemon juice or water and 1/4 cup white vinegar. This helps to eliminate the browning process that rapidly takes place in artichokes. Keep them in the water until all are ready to be cooked.
Tip: Artichokes are very buoyant and have a tendency to turn upright in the water. Keep the cut tops turned in the water by holding them down with a heavy object. A plate placed on top works well.
Cooking Artichokes:There are different methods of cooking artichokes. Boiling, steaming, roasting and grilling are all common methods.
Cooking:
Boiling and Steaming
Select a pan large enough to hold the artichokes upright. Lemons and or garlic can be added to the cooking process. The process of boiling and steaming artichokes is the same except when steaming them, place the artichokes in a steaming basket before placing over a pot of water.
Artichokes are done when a fork easily slides into the center. The leaves will have opened slightly and be darker in color. Depending upon the size of the artichoke, this may be 30-45 minutes.
Turn artichokes upside down on a paper towel after boiling to eliminate any water from inside the leaves. Gently work the leaves open to expose the choke. The choke is the fuzzy center of the artichoke and is not edible. This choke is what would be the flowering portion of the plant had it been allowed to mature. Use a spoon, scoop or grapefruit spoon to gently scoop out the choke. Keep scooping until all the fuzzy sections are eliminated.
To eat the artichoke, simply pull off the leaves, dip in a favorite sauce and enjoy.
Baby Artichokes:
The preparation methods for roasting baby artichokes are similar to preparing whole artichokes in that you need to cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Use a peeler to trim the stem, leaving it long for presentation. Remember, baby artichokes are more tender than large artichokes so the stem and choke can be eaten.
After cutting the top, start at the bottom of the baby artichoke and begin snapping off the leaves. Continue doing so until the center pale yellow leaves are reached. At this point the artichoke can be cut in halves or quarters and placed in lemon water until ready to cook.
Roasting baby artichokes
Ingredients: 12-15 baby artichokes, quartered1 lemon - sliced thin1/4 cup olive oil2 cloves garlic - peeled and chopped finesalt and pepper to taste.
Directions: In a roasting pan, toss the artichokes with lemon slices, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast until they are almost tender, approximately 20 minutes. Uncover and stir, roast another 15 minutes or until the artichokes begin to brown.
How to buy an Artichoke:
Choose an artichoke that is compact and heavy for its size. Stay away from any that are slightly purple in color or budding, as these are signs that the artichoke is over ripe. Check the stem and leaves to make sure they are firm and crisp. Using good judgment is best when selecting any produce.
Storage:
Artichokes can be stored for up to 5 days. Keep them in a plastic bag, lightly spray them with water and place in the crisper of the refrigerator. Artichokes are best used within the first 2 days after being purchased.
Preparation:
You can cut the stem of the artichoke off at the base so that it will sit upright easily or leave it long, depending upon how you will be preparing and serving the artichoke.
Using a kitchen shears or sturdy scissors, snip the top points off the leaves.
Hold the artichoke tightly and cut the top 1/3 to 1/4 of the artichoke off using a sharp and sturdy kitchen knife.
Place artichokes that have already been cut in a bath of water and 1/4 cup lemon juice or water and 1/4 cup white vinegar. This helps to eliminate the browning process that rapidly takes place in artichokes. Keep them in the water until all are ready to be cooked.
Tip: Artichokes are very buoyant and have a tendency to turn upright in the water. Keep the cut tops turned in the water by holding them down with a heavy object. A plate placed on top works well.
Cooking Artichokes:There are different methods of cooking artichokes. Boiling, steaming, roasting and grilling are all common methods.
Cooking:
Boiling and Steaming
Select a pan large enough to hold the artichokes upright. Lemons and or garlic can be added to the cooking process. The process of boiling and steaming artichokes is the same except when steaming them, place the artichokes in a steaming basket before placing over a pot of water.
Artichokes are done when a fork easily slides into the center. The leaves will have opened slightly and be darker in color. Depending upon the size of the artichoke, this may be 30-45 minutes.
Turn artichokes upside down on a paper towel after boiling to eliminate any water from inside the leaves. Gently work the leaves open to expose the choke. The choke is the fuzzy center of the artichoke and is not edible. This choke is what would be the flowering portion of the plant had it been allowed to mature. Use a spoon, scoop or grapefruit spoon to gently scoop out the choke. Keep scooping until all the fuzzy sections are eliminated.
To eat the artichoke, simply pull off the leaves, dip in a favorite sauce and enjoy.
Baby Artichokes:
The preparation methods for roasting baby artichokes are similar to preparing whole artichokes in that you need to cut the top 1/3 off of each one. Use a peeler to trim the stem, leaving it long for presentation. Remember, baby artichokes are more tender than large artichokes so the stem and choke can be eaten.
After cutting the top, start at the bottom of the baby artichoke and begin snapping off the leaves. Continue doing so until the center pale yellow leaves are reached. At this point the artichoke can be cut in halves or quarters and placed in lemon water until ready to cook.
Roasting baby artichokes
Ingredients: 12-15 baby artichokes, quartered1 lemon - sliced thin1/4 cup olive oil2 cloves garlic - peeled and chopped finesalt and pepper to taste.
Directions: In a roasting pan, toss the artichokes with lemon slices, olive oil, salt and pepper. Cover with foil and roast until they are almost tender, approximately 20 minutes. Uncover and stir, roast another 15 minutes or until the artichokes begin to brown.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Water...does a body good
In my last post, I started talking about the benefits of drinking water and I said I was going to take my own advise. I have to admit that it is a chore for me to drink water, but I'm trying AND yes, I am spending more time in the bathroom. As a matter of fact, I know where just about every public restroom is located. While I continue to be more mindful of my water consumption, I thought I would include a list of benefits from drinking water.
Why drink pure spring or mineral water? Because water......
Why drink pure spring or mineral water? Because water......
- Maintains the structure and function of DNA
- Allows for oxygen to be delivered to the cell
- Is essential for the manufacture of proteins involved in tissue growth and repair
- Enables repair proteins to rebuild the cellular structure
- Acts as a medium for the transport of nutrients
- Cushions bones and joints
- Lubricates joints
- Is vital in the removal of waste products
- Regulates body temperature
- Hydrates cells
- Supports the immune system
- Allows for proper maintenance of the basal metabolic rate
- Assists in eliminating free radicals
- Is an important ingredient in digestive juices
Stay tuned for my next post on the benefits of drinking milk - then we shall see which drink really does the body good.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Water and Weight loss
First, let me say that I am not a lover of water. It's not that I drink soda or coffee instead of water; for whatever reason, I don't get noticeably thirsty...at all. There have been times when I forced myself to drink water, and during those times, I seemed to feel better. Logic would tell me that my body needs the water whether I like it or not; however, here I sit feeling bloated and fat writing about the importance of water in relation to weight loss. I know I need to do better, so I'm laying it out there for the world to read - I don't drink enough water.
So, I'm thinking if I write the article about the importance of drinking water, not only will someone else read it and perhaps indulge in the liquid of life (and you thought it was wine?), perhaps I will learn something from myself.
Here I go - did you know?
So, I'm thinking if I write the article about the importance of drinking water, not only will someone else read it and perhaps indulge in the liquid of life (and you thought it was wine?), perhaps I will learn something from myself.
Here I go - did you know?
- The body will not function properly without enough water and cannot metabolize stored fat efficiently
- During weight loss, extra water is needed to flush out the excess waste shed by the metabolized fat (sounds gross)
- Retained water shows up as excess fat
- To reduce water retention, you must drink more water. When the body is constantly dehydrated it starts to store water. (more water means more time in the bathroom)
- Drinking adequate water is essential to obtain and maintain weight loss (sounds too good to be true)
- Endocrine gland function improves when fluid balance is achieved
- Hydration help maintain proper muscle tone and helps keep the skin clear, healthy and resilient
So I say to myself, "Self, if water can do all this, why aren't you drinking more water and therefore, spending more time in the bathroom?"
All kidding aside, it's not all that difficult to make 1 change this month - let's all drink more water and see if what I wrote is true. Let me know if it works for you.
Drink up!!
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