Disclaimer: I am not a nutritionist or a doctor. I need to state this so there are no misconceptions about my friendly "advice". I am passing on my own healthy eating tips; decide for yourself what you consume.
2/14/09: Getting caught up here, I have been slow to post tips as of late. This one, a recipe, is from my Aunt Mona and her friend Sarah.
Goji Berries Trail Mix
Pumpkin seeds (raw and then roasted at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes)
Goji Berries (it looks like a 4:1 ratio) 4 parts pumpkin seeds to 1 part Goji berries.
Sprinkling of dried coconut (to taste)
Currents (experiment with the amount--it looks like about 1/4 cup to 1.5 cups of pumpkin seeds).
For those not familiar with Goji Berries (also called Wolf Berries) the following is useful information:
Goji berries have been used for 6,000 years by herbalists in China, Tibet and India to: protect the liver, help eyesight, improve fertility, strengthen the legs, boost the immune system, improve circulation, promote longevity. Wow, they are in fact a "superfood". They are also rich in antioxidants.
2/14/09: I officially like kombucha, well, certain flavors or flavor: the mango madness is the best, in my opinion. Guava is my least favorite. I now buy one bottle and that lasts me a week or just about, drinking a little each day. I must admit, I do feel more energized after having some.
1/17/09: Happy New Year! I have been remiss in passing on my weekly tips so here are two to get me caught up.
1. Kombucha tea: I don't care if it tastes horrible (and it does, to me at least, like a combination of apple cider vinegar with champagne fizziness), the health benefits outweigh the taste, in my opinion.
You can brew your own if you are really ambitious or you can buy some at a healthy grocer such as Whole Foods. I first tried this drink in Seattle last week and then attended a brewing class a few days ago. Kombucha is sometimes referred to as the tea of immortality and is basically a fermented tea, well, sort of. It's actually a living organism, with probiotic cultures. As for the http://www.essense-of-life.com/moreinfo/foodcharts.htm, they range from its alkalinity (more on that below), B vitamins, enzymes, amino acids, improved energy, relieving stress and depression, liver detox, and normalizing the digestive system
Alkaline diet and much more. Check out this website for more information and to do further research, if you are interested: http://www.gokombucha.com/health_benefits.html
2. Alkaline/acid diet (80/20%): I just discovered recently that an alkaline body has lots of health benefits, including potentially anti-cancer properties, so I am starting to keep an eye on my alkaline-acid proportions to keep my body properly balanced and healthy. The following link details which foods are alkaline vs. acidic:
12/26/08:
These days when I am at the supermarket, I tend to linger in the baking aisle and since it's the healthy area otherwise known as "Nature's Marketplace" at Wegman's, there are lots of (overwhelming) options, especially for a staple like flour. I've started to experiment with wheat flour, spelt flour and rice flour. Now, each type of flour has its place, I would assume. I must admit, I haven't figured it out yet. Readers - do you have preferences or comments on this topic?
12/16/08:
This week's tip is substituting agave nectar, a sweet liquid from the cactus, for sugar or honey, when baking. Some people do not recommend substituting a liquid for a dry sugar, however. I have tried it in my chocolate chip banana cake and it comes out delicious, so don't believe everything you read (this blog withstanding, of course). Do not use a 1-1 ratio of sugar to agave; decrease the quantity of agave by 25% of the sugar called for because it is very sweet and decrease the other liquids in the recipe by 25%, too. How sweet it is.
12/7/08: I am a little late with this week's tip; for anyone who has been waiting, my apologies. I will continue the egg replacement theme here with Ener G egg replacer. I baked peanut butter chocolate chip cookies today and the empty plate speaks for itself. Excellent taste and texture in the finished product and importantly, you can lick the bowl without worrying about salmonella.
11/26/08
Replace eggs with applesauce in recipes for a vegan alternative. 1/4 cup applesauce = 1 egg. I did this switch in a chocolate chip recipe and the texture was a little rubbery, I must admit, so it needs further refinement. Maybe it's not suitable for cookies but I am sure I will try it again in some other foods.
11/18/08:
Grind your own whole flaxseeds in a coffee grinder and add the grinds to cereal, salad and other foods for a punch of omega fatty acids and a host of other health benefits too numerous to enumerate. Check out this link for more information:
Incorporate a few tablespoons into your daily routine and reap the benefits.
And, dessert lovers take note, ground flaxseed can also be an egg substitute in vegan baked goods.
Credit for this great idea goes to my Aunt Mona, who introduced to me the world of flaxseed grinding.
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