Archive for the ‘Food’ Category
Posted by terrepruitt on March 3, 2012
Not too long ago on Facebook a friend of mine posted a list I found to be very interesting. It was a list of food people crave (from Naturopathy Works). The list was an explanation and a counter to the craving.. If you crave this . . . . your body needs that. I thought it was awesome. I love the idea. The food craving or behaviors listed are generally “unhealthy”, the list then shows the thing that is needed; sometimes a vitamin, a mineral, or something along those lines. Then to be ultimately helpful there is a list of suggestions as to what to eat or do, in order to help with the craving or behavior. Isn’t that marvelous. Isn’t it interesting? I thought so.
If you crave Chocolate, your body needs magnesium so you could substitute a healthy alternative of raw nuts and seeds, legumes, fruits. Oh honestly, as I typed this I heard the collective future groan of the chocolate lovers that read this. I know there are people who believe there is no substitute for chocolate. And sometimes, there isn’t. If your heart, head, and mouth are dead set on chocolate, there usually isn’t anything that will suffice, but if you are actually willing to forego it and try something else to satisfy your craving there is a healthy alternative.
For some of the food cravings there is a list of things you might really need, coffee or tea for instance. If you are craving coffee or tea the list states you really need phosphorous, sulfur, NaCl (salt), iron. I would suggest that you then think about your diet and what you have eaten and decide what you might really need. For me I can honestly say I doubt I EVER need salt. I think I get quite enough of it in my diet. So I wouldn’t need to try the substitutions for salt which are: Sea salt, apple cider vinegar (on salad). I might want to try the chicken, beef, liver, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, nuts, legumes for the phosphorous, or the meat, fish and poultry, seaweed, greens, black cherries for the iron. But I don’t think I would need the garlic, onion, cruciferous vegetables for the sulfur, but maybe the egg yolks, red peppers, and muscle protein. If you read my blog you know I get a ton of garlic and onion (my only flavorings!) and cruciferous veggies. But I am not big on protein, so I am sure that is where I would get the help if I were to look for a substitute.
As I said this list has food cravings and behaviors, as in “General Over Eating” and for that the items needed are silicon with a substitution of nuts and seeds, but a behavior or elimination of avoiding refined starches. Other things this list states a body might need if it is over eating is tryptophan so try cheese, liver, lamb, raisins, sweet potato, spinach, vitamin C supplements or orange, green, red fruits and vegetables for tyrosine.
I found this interesting and helpful. I haven’t had much time to put it to use, but I plan too. A healthy alternative is often a great way to go. But then there are times I feel it is ok to give into the craving, but the key is moderation. Do you find this interesting? Would you give it a try? Let us know if any of this helps satisfy a craving. 🙂
Posted in Food, Helpful Hints | Tagged: crave chocolate, crave fatty foods, crave oil, crave salt, cruciferous veggies, Facebook, Facebook Friend, food cravings, healthy alternative, I want chocolate, Naturopathy, substitute for food cravings | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on March 1, 2012
In a post about an article I read about boosting your immune system I mentioned elderberries. I think it is funny how things get brought to your conscious. Last year I went to a Yelp Event where one of the vendors serving was St Germain. St. Germain is a French liqueur made from elderflowers. I had never heard of it, but when first hearing of the event my friend had told me it was her favorite. After tasting it in their signature cocktail I understood why. That was my first conscious memory of hearing about elderberries. Then I read the article and it mentioned elderberries. So I decided to do a few searches on Elderberries and as is the case with most things Wiki has a wealth of information. First off the Elderberry is kind of the category of 5 to 30 shrubs or trees.
It seems as if most countries and peoples use the elderflowers to make syrups. The syrups can be added to pancakes or diluted with water and used as a drink. Or what the french had done and made a liqueur. Seems as if the berries are used in the tradition of many berries, in wines, james, jellies, marmaldes, and fruit pies. Every site I have seen says that the flowers are often dipped in batter and fried. Elderberries.com states that they believe it is best not to eat them raw.
According to the United States Department of Agriculture: “Only the blue or purple berries of elderberry are edible. Edible berries and flower are used for medicine, dyes for basketry, arrow shafts, flute, whistles, clapper sticks, and folk medicine. The active alkaloids in elderberry plants are hydrocyanic acid and sambucine. Both alkaloids will cause nausea so care should be observed with this plant. Elderberries are high in Vitamin C. The red berries of other species are toxic and should not be gathered.”
The USDA site also states that folk medicine considered the elderberry a very valuable healing plant. And it sounds like it could do almost anything. The flowers have flavonoids which some say are thought to help prevent cancer and improve immune function. The tannins are a help with reduction of bleeding, diarrhea, and congestions.
The flowers can also be made into a tea to aid in breaking “dry fevers and stimulate perspiration, aid headache, indigestion, twitching eyes, dropsy, rheumatism, appendix inflammation, bladder or kidney infections, colds, influenza, consumption (bleeding in lungs), and is helpful to newborn babies (Hutchens 1991). Used as a wash, the flowers or leaves are good for wounds, sprains, and bruises, as well as for sores on domestic animals. The leaves, which are stronger, have a slightly laxative property. Applied externally, leaves, flowers, bark and twigs are excellent as a poultice, mixed equally with chamomile, for soreness, inflammations, joint stiffness, and to reduce the swelling of bee stings. The flowers and berries, employed as a diuretic, can aid arthritis and rheumatism. Steeped in water, the flowers are used externally to aid in complexion beauty, tone and soften the skin, and lighten freckles or spots. The berry juice made into salve aids burns and scalds. The juice taken internally will act as a purgative.’
Wow, huh? Sounds like the entire plant can pretty much do anything. But I haven’t seen the berries sold anywhere, have you? I have to admit I have not LOOKED for them, but since they sound like they can take care of some many things I would think they would be more popular.
Since the actual genus name is Sambucus, it probably wouldn’t surprise you to know that the Italian liqueur Sambucca is comprised of oil from the elderflower. Aside from the liqueur versions and the jam versions, it really sounds as if the flowers and the berries are very good for you. They have a lot of vitamin C and a good amount of vitamin A. And according to folk medicine they do a heck of a lot. I am going to look for them in September. That seems to be the season for Elderberries.
After reading they can help boost your immune system AND all the other stuff listed here, do they interest you? Do elderberries sound like something you would like to add to your diet? Do you want to try some elderflowers?
Posted in Food, Fruit | Tagged: boosting your immune system, elderberries, elderberry tea, elderflowers, folk medicine, French liqueur, improve immune function, lighten freckles or spots, prevent cancer, St Germain, tannins, tone and soften the skin, United States Department of Agriculture, USDA, vitamin C, Yelp Event | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 28, 2012
My family has always eaten mushrooms. I have not. I remember a time when I didn’t like them. I remember that I started liking them. Not too long after I started liking them, my grandfather, who was the one that cooked them how I liked them, starting his bizarre food behaviors. The way he cooked the mushrooms by which I started liking them was sauteing them with browned butter and a ton of garlic. Then he started adding all types of things, things that might not actually belong mixed together. But my grandfather’s decline is not the subject of this post. Neither is the fact that he was the one that introduced me to mushrooms. The subject of this post is mushrooms. There was a time and I mentioned it before in my Some Foods Can Boost Your Immune System post, when mushrooms were not thought to have much nutritional value. In fact, I remember my mother and I talking about that. We had thought that mushrooms were pretty much nationally void. But now-a-days that is not the case. Mushrooms are not a superfood, but they do have nutritional value.
Mushrooms are a fungus. There are many kind, I know, but I am talking about the plain white variety. The ones that really go with almost anything savory. I mean the other kind are good, but some of them have a very strong flavor so they might drown out a delicate sauce or flavor. But the white ones are pretty plain, so you can make them any flavor you’d like — pretty much. At the same time receive their nutritional benefits.
Mushrooms can be eaten raw or cooked. When I eat them raw it is usually in a salad or in as part of a veggie tray with dip. Oh, we also do use them as a dipper when eating cheese fondue.
Per the USDA Nutrient Database the nutritional value for about 3.5 oz of mushrooms is:
about 27 Calories
Carbohydrates 4.1 g
Fat 0.1 g
Protein 2.5 g
Thiamine (vit. B1) 0.1 mg (9%)
Riboflavin (vit. B2) 0.5 mg (42%)
Niacin (vit. B3) 3.8 mg (25%)
Pantothenic acid (B5) 1.5 mg (30%)
Vitamin C 0 mg (0%)
Calcium 18 mg (2%)
Phosphorus 120 mg (17%)
Potassium 448 mg (10%)
Sodium 6 mg (0%)
Zinc 1.1 mg (12%)
So with that information we can see there is a good amount vitamin B in mushrooms. It seems that mushrooms can be forced to make vitamin D. The process can be compared to how we convert sunshine on our skin to vitamin D. Mushrooms have a chemical called ergosterol, which, when exposed to UV light is converted to vitamin D.
Wiki states: “Testing conducted by the Pennsylvania State University showed an hour of UV light exposure made a serving of mushrooms contain twice the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s daily recommendation of vitamin D. Testing by the Monterey Mushrooms Company demonstrated 5 minutes of UV light exposure made a serving of mushrooms contain four times the FDA’s daily recommendation of vitamin D.”
Which is funny to me because I thought mushrooms preferred dark.
On Fresh Mushrooms their antioxidant contents is cited. Antioxidants are good for the immune system. They help protect the cells from damage from free radical, which are thought to be the cause of many diseases. Mushrooms contain the antioxidant Ergothioneine and the mineral Selenium which works as an antioxidant.
I love mushrooms. I am happy that they are more than just good tasting, they are good for me. We eat a lot of mushrooms. Do you? How many times a week would you say you have mushrooms? How do you prepare them? Do you eat them raw or do you cook them?
Posted in Food | Tagged: antioxidants, browned butter, Calcium, cooked mushrooms, garlic, immune system, mushrooms, protein, raw mushrooms, sauteing, superfood, vitamin D | Leave a Comment »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 16, 2012
If you’ve read a few of my “recipes” you have probably figured out one of my go-to meals is ground turkey. It is so easy to cook with and to make into almost anything, using any flavor. I cook it with whatever vegetable I have around or new one I want to experiment with. I usually start by sauteing an onion then I add food accordingly. I find that most of the time I need to cook at least one of the veggies first. I feel some vegetables need to be cooked more than turkey, like mushrooms. But broccoli is one that gets added when the turkey is almost cooked. My latest veggie to add to my turkey is a leek. I was in Campbell this weekend signing the studio contract where I am going to have my new evening Nia Class and the city of Campbell has a great farmer’s market. While I was walking down the aisle I saw leeks and I thought, “I should add that to the turkey.” 
So I bought one. I have never cooked with a leek before. I was thinking I would saute a little bit of onion then put the leek in then saute it then add the turkey. But when I chopped up the leek it smelled so onion-y I decided I didn’t need to use an onion. I mean leeks do belong to the same family as onion and garlic. After cooking the turkey until it was almost done, I added some broccoli. When the broccoli was almost done I added a couple of tablespoons of whipped cream cheese with chives. The leeks have such a great flavor I loved them. I am going to cook with them more often.
According to WHFoods vegetables in the same family as leeks, such as onions and garlic supply their nutrients better if they sit for about 5 minutes after cutting before cooking. Furthermore since they all belong to the same family leeks have many of the same health benefits.
Leeks have a lot (over 50% of the daily value) vitamin K. They also have a large quantity of vitamin A. They contain vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), and vitamin B9 (folic acid). They also have a flavanoid shown in research to help protect our blood vessel linings from damage. Leeks also contain compouds that convert to allicin and this has been shown to help relax blood vessels by producing of nitric oxide (NO). With all this good stuff they do for our blood vessels it seems logical they will add to cardiovascular health.
Since leeks are so onion-y for me it will be easy to include them in our diet either cooked right into our food to add an additional layer of flavor and nutrition or even chopped and raw. We can add them to our kale salads or throw them in with our quinoa. I am definitely going to add them in my soups. I think the more vegetables I add to our soups the better.
I really was impressed with the flavor that the leeks add to this dish. I thought they were amazing!
(I took this picture to post to Streamzoo just to show our dinner fixings. I didn’t know I was going to post about leeks until I tasted them and loved them. the leeks are the green things chopped up on the right.)
Do you include leeks in your diet? How? Do you cook them? Do you eat them raw?
Posted in "Recipes", Food, Vegetables | Tagged: Campbell in Nia, cardio class in Campbell, flavanoids, folic acid, Kale, leek nutrition, leeks, Nia, Nia Campbell, Nia class, Nia class in Campbell, nitric oxide, NO, quinoa, vitamin K | 13 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 14, 2012
Our local warehouse store puts out a magazine, it is called The Costco Connection. In the February 2012 issue there was an article about “Foods to protect your immune system”, by Carl Germano. The magazine said that Whey Protein, cultured yogurt, mushrooms, elderberry, garlic, and oats helps protect the immune system.
Whey protein is a by-product of cheese from cow’s milk. So it could cause allergic reactions to people with milk allergies. But the article said it is the only protein that contains powerful substances called immunoglobulins. Funny that they use that word instead of the more familiar “antibody”. Antibodies are the much needed part of our immune system that guard against infections by fighting off bacteria and viruses. Antibodies are also made by our immune system in response to foreign objects in the body.
I had always been told to eat only yogurt with “live cultures” (eww, that grosses me out just like yeast!). But back in the day they were not publicly called probiotics and it was not the latest marketing trend. Although, I am thinking that other people also have an aversion to the term “live cultures” and that is why marketing has used “probiotics”. Probiotics help keep the balance in your gut (intestines). And a healthy gut is an important part of the immune system.
Mushrooms are a healthy fungus. This article made me feel much better because all my life I had thought mushrooms didn’t have any nutritional value. This article said “once thought to be nutrient void”. I knew it! I knew they were thought to be “nothing”. They deserve their own separate post! According to Wiki the actions are not understood, some clinical trials are showing results that mushrooms might help fight diseases. I think that anything that fights diseases qualifies as something that helps the immune system, right?
The University of Maryland has information regarding the Elderberry, saying that it has been used to treat wounds for centuries and it is used to treat colds and respiratory issues. Those things alone can point to immune boosts, right? I mean, if it treats a wound it probably helps fight against infection – which is an immune function. If it helps fight colds and respiratory issues – that sounds like something helping the immune system.
ALL MY LIFE, I have been told about the benefits of garlic. My family is huge on eating garlic. My grandfather used to fry it. It is pretty good that way. Strong, but good. (Not deep fried, just fried in a pan.) Garlic is a natural antibiotic. Eating it can help fight bacteria. And Dr. Oz has stated that putting a clove in your ear can help fight off ear infections.
Oats are the cholesterol-lowering food. Oats also have a lot of fiber which we know helps the body maintain balance. According to the article “studies have shown that beta-glucans, powerful immune-regulating compounds . . . . have positive effects in animals and humans.”
So if you eat these things as part of your diet you are helping your immune system. If you don’t, you might want to include them in your diet. If you include them in your diet already, how do you do it? I am really curious about Elderberries in the diet.
Posted in Food | Tagged: antibiotic, antibodies, boost immune system, cholesterol-lowering, Costo, elderberries, garlic, immune system, immunoglobulins, live cultures, milk allergies, probiotics, The Costco Connection | 11 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 11, 2012
I have heard about kale chips for I don’t know how long. I know I have heard about them for a long time. I had just never gotten around to making them until recently. After I completey burned beyond salvage, the first batch, I carefully baked the second batch. I was not impressed. They were ok, but not something I would actually want to eat enough to make them. But one of my blog readers, Mike over at Perception is Reality Corner, asked about eating kale raw. I told him that I had seen information about some nutritional differences between cooked kale and raw kale so that probably means it can be eaten raw. It is so close to a lettuce (it is considered part of the cabbage family) but it is all the same, right? I asked him to report back after he had tried it. He said it was a little bitter, but he liked it. So on my next trip to the store I bought another bunch of kale. We have been eating it a lot lately.
With the second batch I bought, I mixed it with a bit of lettuce we had and we ate it in a salad. It might be bitter raw, but some of the lettuce in the batch was bitter anyway so I couldn’t tell the difference. I am used to eating lettuce that is bitter so to me it didn’t matter if I was eating bitter lettuce or bitter kale.
At the store where I have been purchasing the kale it comes in a rather large bunch so I can use a lot and still have a lot left. My next dish was a bunch of veggies; mushrooms, onions, zucchini, broccoli, carrots, and kale mixed with quinoa. Because I think quinoa lacks any type of flavor and I didn’t add enough flavoring to the water when I cooked it, I threw some feta on top of this dish to add an additional layer of flavor. The vegetables were packed with flavor, but not enough to withstand the nothingness of the quinoa.
Next kale dish was left over rice that I cooked with some zucchini and chicken. I put the kale in last because I don’t like it really soggy. I like for my leafy greens to still have a little form to them when I eat them. They might not have any crunch left, but they are not just a soggy green mess on my plate. This dish was really yummy. I put a little bit of feta on it and some chopped water chestnuts. It was so good that my husband was happy I didn’t go out to get bread because I sent the leftovers to work with him for his lunch. I always talk about when I was “on my home from Nia” because I tend to run all my errands when I am on my way home from my Nia class. So if I don’t have a class I don’t always get out to the store when we need something. So breadless, my hubby got our leftovers. He didn’t mind because it was really good.
Since then I taught a Nia class and I went to the store and bought bread and what? Yes, MORE kale. So today when I couldn’t think of what to have for lunch I decided to use up some leftover steak in a sandwich. I made a sandwich that I cooked in my panni press. I thought to take a picture, but I didn’t because I wasn’t going to post about it but then . . . here I am. Anyway, I put cheese, steak, and a pile of kale in the sandwich. This was not so great. While the flavor was good–of course, what wouldn’t be good meat and cheese—I didn’t rip up the kale enough so as I bit the sandwich the kale came out in big pieces. I was not able to bite through it. So to fix that, next time I will tear up the kale into little pieces. But using kale on a sandwich just like lettuce worked.
Then tonight – and this is why I decided to blog about cooking with kale – I added kale to our meal again. This time I used mushrooms and pasta instead of zucchini and rice. And it was just as good. I cook the base vegetable first, the one I want to cook the longest, in this case the mushrooms, then I add the chicken (it was already cooked so I was just warming it), then I rip the washed kale into pieces and toss it in the pan. I even turn the heat off at this point.
So that is how I am adding another green to my diet. How about you? Have you made the kale chips? Have you eaten it in a salad? Kale in your pasta? What are you doing to add kale to your diet?
Posted in Food, Vegetables | Tagged: bunch of kale, cooked kale, Kale, Kale chips, kale salad, kale sandwich, Nia, Nia class, Nia Teacher, Perception is Reality Corner, quinoa, raw kale, roasted kale | 2 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 7, 2012
I always want to share with you, what is going on in relation to Nia, but I know that there are other things to share about besides my upcoming new evening Nia class in Campbell (Oh, please forgive me, I am soooooo excited, I just HAD to put it out there. And, be warned, I will do it again!). I was walking by my newly purchased container of yeast when I remembered hearing about Nutritional Yeast. I know I have actually heard about it before, but I dismissed it as regular old yeast but with a fancy name. Let me remind you I have been afraid of yeast. Silly, I know, but . . . Anyway . . . when I was growing up my father was really into all the health food stuff. Stuff that you could not find in any store, but a health food store. All the stuff people are now eating, most people thought was weird back then. Not only was it weird, but it was hard to find. There was not a health food store on every corner and in every mall. But because of my dad, I would bet I heard about it way back then. I just saw it in a recipe recently so I looked it up. It is not regular yeast. In fact, it has been deactivated. See activating and deactivating fungus, come on, can you kinda see why it was a bit scary to me? So Nutritional Yeast has been deactivated.
According to all the sources I see Nutritional Yeast is used often by vegans and vegetarians because it has a great nutritional value. Two heaping tablespoons gives you:
ONLY: 1 gram of fat and 5 mgs of sodium (WOW!)
320 mg of potassium
5 g of carbohydrates
4 g of dietary fiber
9 g of protein (It is a complete protein)
It is FULL of B vitamins. B-1, B-2, B-3, B-6, and B-12.
Although one does not normally just EAT two tablespoons of Nutritional Yeast. It is added to things. And again, from what I am seeing you can add it to pretty much anything! Sprinkle it on all your foods from salad to popcorn. Put it in a smoothie or added it to a meat marinade.
Informational reports say that it does have a flavor. What I am seeing is that it has a strong nutty type of flavor. Some say a cheesy flavor. So often it will be used to add the flavor of cheese to things. Whenever I see that I want to go get some. Then I get to the store and forget. I even was at the store and bought the aforementioned regular yeast but forgot all about this stuff.
Nutritional yeast is sugar-free and gluten-free. So it is a great way to get a little bit of flavor and extra nutrition.
Do you use it? I know a lot of you are much more kitchen/cooky/foodie savvy than me, so you have probably heard about it and even know what it is. Have you used it? Have you tasted it? How would YOU describe its taste?
Tell me, I wanna know!
Posted in Food | Tagged: activated yeast, Campbell Nia, deactivated yeast, evening Nia class, gluten free, health food, health food store, Nia, Nia Campbell, Nia class, Nutritional yeast, vegans, vegetarians | 4 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on February 4, 2012
My last non-Nia post was about appetite suppressants, natural kinds. The first thing I listed was almonds. As always when I post something, even if I get the idea from somewhere else I like to look up facts for myself. I feel better if there are a few sources confirming what I post about. Often in my fact finding/confirming search I find other things, maybe other things entirely or other facts.
First of all the almond is a seed and not a nut. Always makes me laugh when I learn stuff like this because all my life I thought of it as a nut . . . still do. Almonds have a lot of fat, with 15 grams of fat per ounce, that is 23% of the Daily Value. But it is the monounsaturated fat, the kind that we need, but still not too much.
Per ounce they have about three grams a fiber. I think they are a nice addition to fiber you are already eating but should not be the only source as you would need to eat almost 4 ounces to get 10 grams of fiber. That would be 60 grams of fat.
Studies have shown almonds to help in lowering cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Almonds seems to have the ability to help keep blood sugar even which can help reduce the risk of diabetes. They contain vitamin E which is an antioxidant. The magnesium and potassium help with blood flow and blood pressure. Almonds are naturally gluten free.
Nutrient Values of Almonds: Single Serving (1 ounce)
Calories—–170.0
Protein—–6.0 g Daily Value—–12%
Carbohydrate—–6.0 g Daily Value—–2%
Fat—–15.0 g Daily Value—–23%
Fats
Cholesterol 0.000 mg Daily Value—–0%
Saturated Fat 1.5 g Daily Value—–8%
Mono Fat 10.0 g
Poly Fat 3.0 g
Carbohydrates
Dietary Fiber 3.0 g Daily Value—–12%
Vitamins
Vitamin E 10.0 IU Daily Value—–35%
Riboflavin 0.22 mg Daily Value—–4%
Niacin 0.95 mg Daily Value—–4%
Vitamin B6 0.03 mg Daily Value—–2%
Folate 17.0 mcg Daily Value—–4%
Minerals
Potassium 207.0 mg Daily Value—–6%
Iron 1.0 mg Daily Value—–6%
Calcium 75.0 mg Daily Value—–8%
Magnesium 84.0 mg Daily Value—–20%
Phosphorous 147.0 mg Daily Value—–14%
Zinc 1.0 mg Daily Value—–6%
Copper 0.27 mg Daily Value—–14%
From Nutfarm
According to Wiki, there are no truly RAW almonds grown in and sold from California:
Because of two cases of salmonellosis traced to almonds in 2001 and 2004, the Almond Board of California proposed rules in 2006 regarding pasteurization of almonds available to the public, and the USDA approved them. The almond pasteurization program became mandatory for the California industry on September 1, 2007, and was implemented voluntarily over the previous two years. Since September 1, 2007, raw untreated California almonds have technically not been available in the United States. Controversially, California almonds labeled as “raw” are required to be steam-pasteurized or chemically treated with propylene oxide. This does not apply to imported almonds, or to almonds sold from the grower directly to the consumer in small quantities. Nor is the treatment required for raw almonds sold as exports to countries outside of North America.
I found the fact that California Almonds sold as “raw” are not really raw to be very interesting. Hmmmm. So much of what food labels say is untrue and deceitful. I don’t know why I was surprised.
So in case you are wondering what “propylene oxide” is besides just the chemical that California Almonds are treated with. It was according to Wiki “a racing fuel, but that usage is now prohibited under the US NHRA rules for safety reasons. It has also been used in glow fuel for model aircraft and surface vehicles.” Yes, they use a RACING FUEL that is now prohibited for safety reasons to treat California Almonds. I think I would take my chances with salmonellosis. There were TWO cases of that, but now they are treating our almonds with a, yes, get this—-a “probable human carcinogen”.
It seems as if California Almonds might not really be that healthy after all considering they are probably being treated with a chemical that has “been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group 2B: The agent (mixture) is possibly carcinogenic to humans.” According to the California Almond Board:
PPO is also a surface treatment which has been approved for use on foods since 1958, . . . . PPO is very effective at reducing harmful bacteria on almonds and poses no risk to consumers. In fact, PPO residue dissipates after treatment.
Also according to the board Organic Almonds are steam pasteurized.
So I guess that “raw” almonds is the same as “No trans fat” on food labels. And along with all the other chemicals IN our food and used to TREAT, GROW, and MANIPULATE the very DNA of our food, there is no risk posed to consumers. Meanwhile Americans grow more obese and unhealthy and more and more drugs sold as medicine are being pushed upon the public.
I started this post ready to extol the benefits of almonds, but now all I can say is eat at your own risk, along with all of our food supply.
Posted in Food | Tagged: Almond Board of California, appetite suppressants, California Almonds, DNA, good fat, good fiber, good protein, Nia, obese American, Organic Almonds, pasteurized almonds, probable human carcinogen, propylene oxide, raw almonds, salmonella, unhealthy American, USDA, Wiki | 6 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 31, 2012
Almonds – They have everything good in a meal; carbohydrates, fiber, fat, protein, vitamins, and minerals. If you don’t have a nut allergy they are a great snack.
Water – If you drink water you feel full. In fact research has stated that sometimes the body indicates dehydration as hunger. So it could be that you are not really hungry but dehydrated and in need of water.
Ginger – Is also an appetite suppressant. Not only does it help suppress, but as mentioned on my blog before it helps with digestion once you do eat.
Avocado – Studies have shown that the body converts an acid contained in the avocado to a hormone that increases the feeling of satiety and fullness. But just as with almonds they do contain a high amount of fat so the key is still moderation.
Coffee – The caffeine, coffee stimulates the central nervous system and can suppresses the appetite. Suppressing the appetite yet drinking a lot of cream and sugar might not give you the result you want, so black coffee could be the answer. Don’t drink too much because then you could get jittery AND hungry!
Apples – With the fiber and the bulk an apple can help fill you up and help with regulating your system.
Sweet Potatoes – As a complex carbohydrate a sweet potato can give you the feeling of fullness and sustained energy.
Tofu – Studies have shown that the hormone peptide is an appetite suppressant. Tofu is a great source of protein and it is protein that is responsible for the release of this hormone. Helps explain why a breakfast with protein keeps you feeling full longer than one just full of simple carbohydrates.
Wasabi – Some say spicy foods make you feel full. If you like hot and spicy you can be the judge.
Green Tea – Research has proven that green tea helps you feel full. As with all of these listed, it really is up to you and what you think, but I am sure you have heard about the other benefits of green tea with its anti-oxidants. Remember unless you get decaffeinated green tea, it does have caffeine.
Oatmeal – Slow cook oatmeal has a lot of fiber. Fiber helps you feel full and stay full.
Green leafy veggies – With leafy greens it is fiber and the fact that you can eat a lot and actually GET full! So leafy greens actually fill you AND suppress the appetite.
Salmon – Salmon has Omega 3, fat helps you feel full. It also has protein.
Flax Seeds – Omega 3 and fiber. A winning combination.
Cinnamon – Since cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar and there is a link between hunger and blood sugar levels, it is logical that cinnamon would help suppress or at least help stabilize the feeling of being hungry or full.
Pine Nuts – Remember, we have already said that protein helps suppress the appetite, well, Pine nuts contain the highest amount of protein of any nut or seed. They also affect the hormones that work to signal the brain that you’re no longer hungry.
Some of these can be eaten as a snack in between meals to help you from being too hungry and maybe eating something unhealthy. Or then can be added to a meal to help you feel more satisfied and stay full longer. Or you can combine them to help you keep from in between meal snacking.
You can add wasabi to your salmon. Throw some flax seeds, pine nuts, or almonds on your leafy greens. Sprinkle some cinnamon in your coffee. Add some ginger to your water. Apple in your oatmeal. Avocado and tofu? Either way you have some health natural ways to suppress your appetite and/or keeping you feeling full and satisfied. What do you think?
Posted in Food | Tagged: almonds, avocado, cinnamon, fiber, ginger, green tea, hormones, Natural Appetite Suppressants, pine nuts, slow cook oatmeal, spicy food | 10 Comments »
Posted by terrepruitt on January 28, 2012
I spent a large portion of the day practicing Alive, it is the Nia routine I am starting to teach. I debuted it Friday, but I need to practice and practice. In Nia we say, “tight but loose”. So I need to know the music and choreography to perfection which allows me to dance with it and play to it is loose and flowing and fun to my Nia students. So practice and play is the key. I was so busy having fun with it I didn’t have a lot of time to come up with a blog post. Because I also spent some time in the kitchen making a different version of my Baby Bok Choy and Spinach Soup recipe. The people I made it for convinced me that it was good enough that I could use my adaptation of my Baby bok choy and spinach soup recipe as a post. So here goes.
Parsnips, Broccoli, Baby bok choy, and Spinach Soup
–olive oil
–1 medium sized onion chopped (save some for garnish)
–2 parsnips (chopped)
–1 bunch of broccoli (chopped)
–4 bundles of baby bok choy (bottom portion separate from leafy portion, chop both and leave separate, they are added to the soup at different times)
–2 or 3 tsp of minced garlic
–1.5 tsp granulated garlic
–1.5 tsp garlic salt
–48 oz of chicken broth
–a half of bottle or can of beer
–shake or two of teriyaki
–small piece (3/4 of an inch) of ginger, chopped
–3/4 of a 6-oz bag of spinach
–1.5 (ish) wooden spoonful of cream cheese spread whipped with chives
Sautee chopped onion in the olive oil. When the onions look tender add in the chopped parsnip, add granulated garlic and garlic salt. Cook parsnip until it seems a bit tender, then add the bottom portion of the bok choy and broccoli. Let it cook a minute, then add the minced garlic. Sautee until tender. Then pour in the broth. Add about a half can or bottle of beer and the few splashes of teriyaki. Stir it as you feel necessary throughout the entire process. Bring to boil. Add the cream cheese if you are going to use it. Add the ginger. Add leafy portion of the bok choy and bag of spinach. Let cook for a few minutes or until the veggies are wilted. Once the veggies looked wilted use the blender to mix it all up. (I use the immersion blender so I can keep it all in the same pot. Please remember to be cautious of the steam.)
The parsnips give this a little difference flavor and the broccoli leaves little green specks in the soup no matter how much you blend it. Actually when you look at it, it looks the same as all the other soup I make. But it tastes different.
I was trying to make something easy to eat for someone with a sore throat. This soup is kind of thick yet easy to swallow and it packs a punch with all the vegetables it contains. Thank you so much for taking the time to read this and let me to continue to share my soup experiments and at the same time put spending time with friends and family at the forefront of life!
Enjoy!
Posted in "Recipes", Food | Tagged: baby bok choy, beer in soup, broccoli, family time, garlic, immersion blender, Nia Music, Nia routine, Nia routine Alive, Nia students, Nia Teacher, parsnips, soup recipe, spinach, teaching Nia, vegetable soup, veggie purees | 6 Comments »
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