Jalapeno Sausages with Peppers

I usually make this dish with organic chicken and apple sausages, but this time I decided to try the spicy mango and jalapeno sausages, and it was a hit!  In fact, I think David and Devin both preferred the spicy flavor to the sweet.  It is very simple to make, and it goes great with the Chinese Coleslaw recipe I posted from March 20, 2012.  (I made a slightly different version of the coleslaw this time, and added in some zucchini).

CHICKEN SAUSAGE WITH PEPPERS

1 small onion, halved and sliced

1 sweet orange pepper, julienned

1 sweet red pepper, julienned

1 Tbsp. olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 1/2 pkgs. (12 oz) organic chicken sausages

In a large skillet, saute onion and peppers in oil for 1 minute.  Stir in sausages and heat through.  Add garlic toward end of cooking time.  Serves 3 to 4 people.  

Mexican Beans and Rice

 This is a super easy, quick to make dinner that tastes delicious!  Pre-cook some short grain brown rice in your rice cooker and leave on the warm setting.  Combine 2 cans of low-sodium, preferably organic, pinto beans (drained and rinsed) with 2 cans of Rotel original diced tomatoes with green chiles in a medium saucepan.  Bring to a boil and let simmer for a few minutes.  Serve the bean mixture over the rice and top with your favorite toppings:  shredded cheese, sour cream or plain yogurt, green onions, etc.  We had this dish last night with my husband's famous homemade guacamole.  The recipe will be listed below.

Devin made his beans and rice into a burrito/taco.  He designed the plate himself!  This is a high protein, meat-free meal that your family will love!  

DAVE'S FAMOUS GUACAMOLE

2 ripe avacados, mashed

1/2 large white onion, diced

2 jalepenos, diced

2 roma tomatoes, diced

1 tsp. lime juice

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients and serve immediately.  (Best with Tostitos multi-grain tortilla chips.)

Eat Those Greens!

Eating green leafy vegetables is one of the best things you can do for your health.  Now that Spring is here, we can all add more greens to our diets and our bodies will thank us when we do!  

HEALTH BENEFITS:

*  They purify the blood

*  They help prevent cancer

*  They improve circulation

*  They strengthen the immune system

*  They provide us with a feeling of lightness and energy

*  They lift spirits and help with depression

*  They promote healthy intestinal flora

*  They improve liver, gallbladder and kidney function

*  They help eliminate and reduce mucus in the body

If you are looking to protect your heart, eat Romaine lettuce.  One cup of Romaine meets almost your entire daily requirement of Vitamin A, which along with Vitamin C helps prevent high cholesterol.

If you want to lower your risk of breast cancer, eat Watercress.  This green contains a compound that tells the body to starve cancer cells of blood and oxygen.

If you want to reduce inflammation in your body, eat Spinach.  Vitamin K in the leaves of spinach can decrease the kind of inflammation associated with osteoporosis and heart disease.

If you want to strengthen your bones, eat Arugula.  This green has 125 mg of calcium per cup.  It's also low in the mineral oxalate, which can block absorption of calcium.  

If you want to look and feel young, eat Kale.  Kale is high in fiber, vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients.  It is also high in antioxidants, which aid in the battle against chronic, age-related diseases.  It is high in carotenoids which help prevent cataracts, and it is high in folate and B6, which can help prevent osteoporosis, heart disease and dementia.

Visit my health coaching website for a basic recipe for preparing greens.

http://linda-barney.healthcoach.integrativenutrition.com/recipes/leafy-greens/basic-blanched-greens

Pantry Makeover

 I decided to makeover my pantry to be more organized and more healthy.  My thinking is that if I have a beautiful, organized pantry full of healthy, organic, accessible foods, it will help me to eat better and cook more often.  The baskets on the bottom hold my couponing bargains.

 I did lock n locks for my dry foods like pastas, flours, oats, sugar, etc.  The smaller ones hold all my baking supplies like brown sugar, raisins, etc.  I don't bake too often so I didn't need a ton of space for that stuff.  Canned foods are arranged on a two-tiered shelf.

 I wanted to especially organize the snacks and little odds and ends that always seem to get tossed everywhere and usually end up spilling and making a mess.  I organized them into categories like popcorn,  popcorn oil and salty snacks in one, rice cakes, peanut butter and honey in another.  (I eat that pretty much every day for a snack)  I came up with baskets stacked on wire shelves that I found at BB&B.  The baskets are from Target.  I got X-large mason jars to put all of my dried beans, rice, quinoa, bulgur wheat, etc, in.  I spray painted the rings and flats red to match the baskets and lock n locks.

For cake mixes, jello, and various other stuff I found white wire baskets that keep things tidy while still making it easy to see what I have.  I also put a few more wire shelves to create more space for tucking things away.

I realized about halfway through that I should have taken some before pics.  Trust me when I tell you that my pantry is by far more organized and much nicer to step into than it was before!

Five Foods You Should Avoid

(I just realized that I posted these tips on my blog a couple of years ago, but it never hurts to have a refresher course, right?!) So here, once again, are the foods we should avoid:

1. HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

The biggest culprit is soft drinks. It is not good for you for the simple reason that it causes a spike in your blood sugar levels, which eventually leads to a drop in blood sugar levels, a major cause of overeating. The sugar highs and lows also cause your body to store excess insulin, which leads to weight gain and possibly diabetes and heart disease.

2. SUGAR

Refined sugar is nothing more than empty calories that make you crave more and more sugary foods. You never feel satisfied after eating sugar because there is no nutrient value whatsoever in sugar.

3. ENRICHED FLOUR

"Enriched" means that all of the important vitamins and minerals have been removed, and then a few added back in to call it enriched. There is little to no nutrient value in this, so choose breads and pastas that say "whole grain" instead of "enriched white".

4. SATURATED FATS

Fatty meats and deep fried foods are high in these bad fats, so eat them sparingly or not at all.

5. TRANS FATS

Also called hydrogenated fats. These are fats that have had hydrogen added to them to keep them solid at room temperature. Can be found in margarine, butter, and many processed foods, although they are becoming less common as more and more consumers are demanding they be taken out of foods.

MORE HEALTHY EATING AND SHOPPING TIPS:

Plan your menu for the week before you go to the store, make a list of what you will need and take it with you to the store.

Avoid the center aisles of the grocery store! The center aisles contain all of the packaged, processed and sugary foods that are bad for you. Shop the perimeter where the fresh fruits, veggies, and recently alive foods are found.

Remember, you are what you eat -- so eat things that were recently alive and you will feel alive when you eat them!

Eat a variety of fresh foods in all colors, flavors and textures.

Get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. When your body lacks rest, it craves carbs and sugar to give it energy. This leads to making bad food choices.

Experiment with food. Try new things. I recently learned that I like kale, a vegetable that I had never tried before, and that I love asparagus, a food I thought I hated! So be willing to let go of preconceptions and old habits and try something different!! It's fun!

Five Good Things to Add to Your Diet Now

One of the concepts I have learned since I started studying at IIN is the concept of Bio-individuality. Every person's body is unique and different, and that is why some people are allergic to certain things and others are not. It's also why there is no one right diet for everyone. Some people can eat lots of protein and fat and very few carbs, and feel great. Others may need more carbs and less protein. But there are general guidelines that are pretty much good for everyone across the board. I would like to share five things you can add to your diet now to help you feel healthy, happy and full of energy.

1. ANTIOXIDANTS

Antioxidants boost your immune system, reduce damage caused by free-radicals and help prevent heart disease, macular degeneration, diabetes and cancer. Good sources of antioxidants are brightly colored fruits and veggies, nuts, fish and whole grains.

2. OMEGA 3 FATS

Omega 3's improve brain function, promote healthy vascular function and help prevent alzheimer's and depression. Omega 3 fats can be found in flaxseeds, walnuts, squash, and soybeans. I like taking a fish oil supplement in capsule form just to make sure I am getting enough. 1 to 3 grams per day is good for most of us.

3. FIBER

Fiber aids digestion, rids the body of built up waste products and helps you maintain or lose weight by keeping you feeling full longer. Good sources of fiber are oatmeal, whole grains, dry beans, raw fruits and raw vegetables.

4. OLIVE OIL

This wonderful fat promotes healthy skin and hair, lowers bad cholesterol, and helps reduce the risk of skin and breast cancers. Saute your favorite fresh veggies in 1 Tbsp. of olive oil for the perfect daily dose.

5. MULTI-VITAMIN

It is nearly impossible to get all the vitamins and minerals your body needs to be healthy from food sources alone. Take a high quality multi-vitamin daily, and if you are a woman who is still menstruating, take a vitamin with added iron. Iron supplements will help your body produce new red blood cells to replace those you've lost.

Next week: Five foods to avoid!!

Chinese Coleslaw

In my quest to add more vegetables into our family diet, I ordered a Bountiful Basket on Saturday. In my order was a lovely head of cabbage. I never buy cabbage, as I am the only one in my family who even likes it. But there it was, and I felt obligated to do something with it. So I got online and looked up some recipes that had cabbage in them, and this is the one I settled on. I made it tonight to go with our pulled pork sandwiches, and it turned out really great! David even ate two large helpings, and he has had a lifelong aversion to coleslaw. The reason I chose this recipe was because it's not a traditional coleslaw, but instead has a lighter, vinaigrette dressing. The best part of all is it only has 45 calories per 1 cup serving!

(The recipe is written the way that I modified it)

Ingredients:

5 cups chopped cabbage

1 cup finely chopped carrots

1/2 cup sliced green onions

1 can sliced water chestnuts, drained

Dressing:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 Tbsp. raw sugar

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

1 Tbsp. organic tamari (gluten free soy sauce)

Directions:

Toss all vegetables to combine. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Pour dressing over cabbage mixture; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving; toss again before serving.