Let’s Be Healthy

Wild rice is not really rice at all: it is the seed of a grass grown in Minnesota and Canada. Wild rice has an assertive flavor, so you may want to combine it with other grains before serving it straight. (It is also very expensive, since it’s hand-harvested.) Many people are more willing to consume wild rice than they are brown rice, so consider serving wild rice at your next dinner party or family meal. Wild rice is delicious in soups and great paired with split peas. It is one of the longer-cooking grains, using three to four times the amount of water or broth versus grain. The rice must simmer for a full 45 minutes to 1 hour before serving. The results are worth it!

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 pound) beef chuck roast
1/2 cup barley
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons oil
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) package frozen mixed vegetables
4 cups water
4 cubes beef bouillon cube
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1 (28 ounce) can chopped stewed tomatoes
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
DIRECTIONS

In a slow cooker, cook chuck roast until very tender (usually 4 to 5 hours on High, but can vary with different slow cookers). Add barley and bay leaf during the last hour of cooking. Remove meat, and chop into bite-size pieces. Discard bay leaf. Set beef, broth, and barley aside.
Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium-high heat. Saute carrots, celery, onion, and frozen mixed vegetables until tender. Add water, beef bouillon cubes, sugar, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, chopped stewed tomatoes, and beef/barley mixture. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 to 20 minutes. Season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Source: AllRecipes

Barley is a mild-flavored kernel-shaped grain known for its success at adding thickness to stews and soups. Barley is also a great addition to casseroles containing winter vegetables such as carrots, root veggies, and onions. The two most often used (for cooking) types of barely are pearled barley and hulled barley. Pearled barley is barley that has been milled. Because of this, it takes only 40 minutes to cook. Hulled barley–barley with its outer layer removed–is more nutritious than pearled but takes a full 90 minutes to cook.

Dining out is really challenging for you have to make sure that all you order are less in calories in fat. Anyways, here are some simple tips that you can use when dining out.

1) Think small: Restaurant portions are often gigantic. Scale back by ordering one to two non-fried appetizers instead of an entrée – or consider sharing an entrée with a friend. You can also divide your main course in half and take half home for a future meal.

2) Delete the bread basket: Each slice adds about 100 calories – plus 50 additional calories for every teaspoon of butter or olive oil you add. That said, politely (and immediately!) ask to have the entire basket removed.

3) Lose liquid calories: Beverage calories add up quickly – calories that don’t necessarily fill you up. Try your best to pass on soda, fruit drinks, fruit juice, smoothies, fattening cocktails, and coffee loaded with milk and sugar. Instead, drink lots of water, seltzer, and unsweetened ice tea. For coffee and tea, use skim and/or 1% reduced fat milk – and limit the sugar to 1 packet per cup.

4) Special request: Speak up and ask your waiter for a few substitutions. Request foods which are baked, steamed, broiled, grilled, poached, or roasted….  and ask to replace fatty French fries with a baked potato or side vegetable. Also, request your sandwich on whole wheat bread instead of white, specify brown rice instead of white rice and ask for salad dressing, gravy, and sauces on the side. These minor adjustments translate into major calorie savings.

Source: Joy’s Healthy Bite

I love Tofu and it completes my week! You can use this as a substitution of meat. A healthy food that makes you fit and fab.

INGREDIENTS
1 (12 ounce) package silken tofu
3 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup raspberries
1 apple, cored and diced
1/2 cup low fat granola
2 tablespoons raisins
DIRECTIONS

Combine tofu, honey and vanilla in blender or food processor and puree until completely smooth, then transfer to a bowl and stir in raspberries until mixture is slightly pink.
Layer fruity tofu in serving glasses with apple and granola, top with raisins and serve.

I just got this from my aunt who sent this article thru email. Want to share it here

This is interesting.

After reading this, you’ll never look at a banana in the same way again.

Bananas contain three natural sugars - sucrose, fructose and glucose combined with fiber. A banana gives an instant, sustained and substantial boost of energy.

Research has proven that just two bananas provide enough energy for a strenuous 90-minute workout. No wonder the banana is the number one fruit with the world’s leading athletes.

But energy isn’t! the only way a banana can help us keep fit. It can also help overcome or prevent a substantial number of illnesses and conditions, making it a must to add to our daily diet.

Depression: According to a recent survey undertaken by MIND amongst people suffering from depression, many felt much better after eating a banana. This is because bananas contain tryptophan, a type of protein that the body converts into serotonin, known to make you relax, improve your mood and generally make you feel happier.

PMS:! Forget the pills - eat a banana. The vitamin B6 it contains regulates blood glucose levels, which can affect your mood.

Anemia: High in iron, bananas can stimulate the production of hemoglobin in the blood and so helps in cases of anemia.

Blood Pressure: This unique tropical fruit is extremely high in potassium yet low in salt, making it perfect to beat blood pressure. So much so, the US Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit’s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

Brain Power: 200 students at a Twickenham (Middlesex) school ( England ) were helped through their exams this year by eating bananas at breakfast, break, and lunch in a bid to boost their brain power. Research has shown that the potassium-packed fruit can assist learning by making pupils more alert.

Constipation: High in fiber, including bananas in the diet can help restore normal bowel action, helping to overcome the problem without resorting to laxatives..

Hangovers: One of the quickest ways of curing a hangover is to make a banana milkshake, sweetened with honey. The banana calms the stomach and, with the help of the honey, builds up depleted blood sugar levels, while the milk soothes and re-hydrates your system.

Heartburn: Bananas have a natural antacid effect in the body, so if yo u suffer from heartburn, try eating a banana for soothing relief.

Morning Sickness: Snacking on bananas between meals helps to keep blood sugar levels up and avoid morning sickness.

Mosquito bites: Before reaching for the insect bite cream, try rubbing the affected area with the inside of a banana skin. Many people find it amazingly successful at reducing swelling and irritation.

Nerves: Bananas are high in B vitamins that help calm the nervous system.

Overweight and at work? Studies at the Institute of Psychology in Austria found pressure at work leads to gorging on comfort food like chocolate and chips. Looking at 5,000 hospital patients, researchers found the most obese were more likely to be in high-pressure jobs. The report concluded that, to avoid panic-induced food cravings, we need to control our blood sugar levels by snacking on high carbohydrate foods every two hours to keep levels steady.

Ulcers: The banana is used as the dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and smoothness. It is the only raw fruit that can be eaten without distress in over-chronicler cases. It also neutralizes over-acidity and reduces irritation by coating the lining of the stomach.

Temperature control: Many other cultures see bananas as a “cooling” fruit that can lower both the physical and emotional temperature of expectant mothers. In Thailand , for example, pregnant women eat bananas to ensure their baby is born with a cool temperature.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD): Bananas can help SAD sufferers because they contain the natural mood enhancer tryptophan.

Smoking &Tobacco Use: Bananas can also help people trying to give up smoking. The B6, B12 they contain, as well as the potassium and magnesium found in them, help the body recover from the effects of nicotine withdrawal.

Stress: Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates your body’s water balance. When we are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.. These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Strokes: According to research in The New England Journal of Medicine, eating bananas as part of a regular diet can cut the risk of death by strokes by as much as 40%!

Warts: Those keen on natural alternatives swear that if you want to kill off a wart, take a piece of banana skin and place it on the wart, with the yellow side out. Carefully hold the skin in place with a plaster or surgical tape!

So, a banana really is a natural remedy for many ills. When you compare it to an apple, it has four times the protein, twice the carbohydrate, three times the phosphorus, five times the vitamin A and iron, and twice the other vitamins and minerals. It is also rich in potassium and is one of the best value foods around So maybe its time to change that well-known phrase so that we say, “A banana a day keeps the doctor away!”

A perfect artichoke recipe, try it now and you will enjoy this healthy salad.

INGREDIENTS

10 baby artichokes, peeled and quartered
2 cups diagonally cut asparagus
1/3 cup thinly sliced radishes
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 19-oz. can white beans, rinsed and drained
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
8 large romaine leaves

DIRECTIONS

• Steam the artichokes for 8 minutes. Add the asparagus and steam about 2 minutes more, or until crisp-tender. Drain and run vegetables under cold water. Let cool.
• Make dressing: Whisk together garlic, lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Combine radishes, onions, and beans in salad bowl with half of dressing and toss well. Gently stir in artichokes and asparagus.
• To serve, place 2 romaine leaves each on four plates. Divide salad equally among plates and drizzle with remaining dressing.

These are the vegetables that should always be in your grocery list. They are all anti-oxidants and they will make your life healthier!

5 Superstar Veggies
Artichokes
Radishes
Broccoli
Red chicory
Leeks

7 Stellar Seasonings
Sage
Rosemary
Marjoram
Thyme
Tarragon
Cumin
Fresh ginger
Garlic

The #1 Vegetable
Of the 27 vegetables scientists studied, the almighty artichoke led the antioxidant pack. Plus it’s rich in both fiber and folate, two good-for-you nutrients. Look for plump but compact globe-like artichokes with thick, green, fresh-looking scales.

The Runners-Up
Radishes, broccoli, and even luscious leeks are stocked in most supermarkets. But what’s red chicory? An Italian salad favorite with an oddly appealing bitter taste. Try mixing it with romaine.

The High-Powered Herbs and Spices
Sage, rosemary, and thyme…when Simon and Garfunkel made them famous, nobody knew they had disease-fighting powers. Cumin, a spice used heavily in Indian food, is even more impressive, as is ginger. But experiment: All of these seasonings are simple ways to boost the health — and flavor — of any salad (soups too)

Source: Yahoo

A must try pasta. I can’t wait to work my hands on this recipe!

INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, quartered then halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
5 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 (15 ounce) can cannellini beans
1 (15 ounce) can navy beans
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound ditalini pasta

DIRECTIONS
In a large pot over medium heat, cook onion in olive oil until translucent. Stir in garlic and cook until tender. Reduce heat, and stir in tomato sauce, water, parsley, basil, oregano, salt, cannelini beans, navy beans and Parmesan. Simmer 1 hour.
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Stir into soup.

Source: Allrecipes

Stop eating those fast food burgers and try to prepare this at home. You can save your money and you’ll be sure that you are eating healthy food…

Have a Healthy Lifestyle!

INGREDIENTS
1 (15.5 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and mashed
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup oat bran
1/4 cup quick cooking oats
1 cup cooked brown rice
1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu
5 tablespoons Korean barbeque sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon dried sage
2 teaspoons vegetable oil

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, stir together the mashed garbanzo beans and basil. Mix in the oat bran, quick oats, and rice; the mixture should seem a little dry.
In a separate bowl, mash the tofu with your hands, trying to squeeze out as much of the water as possible. Drain of the water, and repeat the process until there is hardly any water worth pouring off. It is not necessary to remove all of the water. Pour the barbeque sauce over the tofu, and stir to coat.
Stir the tofu into the garbanzo beans and oats. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and sage; mix until well blended.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Form patties out of the bean mixture, and fry them in hot oil for about 5 minutes per side. Serve as you would burgers.

Source: Allrecipes