Fresh To Death. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Fresh to Death

I don’t know about you, but it drives me crazy when my fruits and veggies spoil before I get a chance to eat them. I spend the majority of my grocery bill in the produce section, so having some strategies for keeping things fresh is important. This week, I was so happy to find the helpful article “Staying Power” in the Natural Awakenings mag that I picked up at Whole Foods (June 2008 issue, p. 31-33). I also looked up some specific tips from Martha Stewart because she’s cool like that.

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I arranged the tips by specific foods so it would be easy to reference when I get home from the grocery store. I hope it helps you out too!

Some other general tips are to avoid storing any produce in closed plastic bags. Always punch holes in the bags or leave them open. Also, wait to wash or cut up your produce until you’re ready to eat or cook it. It will stay fresher, maintain the most nutrients, and keep the best flavor.

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Random note: Ever wondered what the saying “fresh to death” means or where it came from? You can find the definition at urban dictionary. Also, I read on a sneaker trivia website that “members of the Heaven’s Gate cult, which conducted a mass suicide in 1997, died rocking fresh black leather Nike sneakers with a white swoosh, giving new meaning to the term “fresh to death.” Crazy huh?!

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Chicken Soup W/ Homemade Stock. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Chicken Soup w/ Homemade Stock

My buddy Rose is just too fabulous for words, and when she told me she makes some seriously tasty, homemade chicken stock, I knew I had to feature her eating healthy recipe as a guest blog. Not only does it taste good, it’s healthy and eco-friendly too. Read on and let us know what you think when you try Rose’s eating healthy recipe for yourself. The following blog is a guest post from Rosalie Petralia and her WeAreSureYouEnjoyIt blog.

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Now that winter’s over and everyone’s eating salads and fruit, I find myself making tons of soup. I may not be the most climatically aware person, but I can certainly account for taste, and let’s face it, homemade stock’s where it’s at. Making soup from scratch keeps environmental impacts lower - no cans or boxes to glut up the recycling bin - tastes delicious, and makes the whole house smell great while it’s cooking.

Though I sometimes make chicken soup my mom’s way with bay leaves, carrots, and celery, I am digging the Vietnamese influence of my new version. I like to keep it easy, so you won’t need more than a big pot and a slotted spoon to get going.

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Rose’s Pho Chicken Soup:

If you’re just making stock to have on hand for other eating healthy recipes, you can use other parts of the chicken, like wings, backs, and necks, and strain the whole thing before cooling and freezing (I use my leftover plastic Chinese takeout containers).

2 TBSP olive oil
1 1/2 lbs chicken thighs with skin and bones
water to fill a pot
2 carrots, unpeeled, cut in big chunks
one big yellow onion, quartered
one 2″ cinnamon stick
4 star anise pods
4 green cardamom pods
1 1/2 tsp salt black pepper to taste
6 green onions, sliced big
2 tomatoes, chopped
3 cloves garlic, smooshed and chopped
1/4 to 1/2 cup fabulous olive oil s&p to taste
1 cup orzo or other small pasta

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In a big pot over med-hi heat, sauté the chicken in the olive oil for a minute or two to sear the skins. Add the water, leaving space in the pot for some boiling action. Add the rest of the stock ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cover, keeping lid ajar to release steam. Let simmer for about 40 minutes, skimming the gunk off the top of the broth from time to time.

While the stock’s cooking, prepare the toppings. Slice up the green onion tops and bottoms into big pieces and set aside. Chop the tomatoes and garlic, and mix in a bowl with the olive oil, salt, and pepper.

When chicken’s cooked and falling apart a bit, scoop it and the veggies out of the pot with a slotted spoon and set aside to cool. Return the stock to a boil and add the orzo. Cook about 9 minutes and check the seasonings, adding salt if necessary.

Remove the chicken from the bones and add back to the pot. You can discard the spices and eat what’s left of the veggies (you won’t be able to resist - this soup smells divine).

Add the green onions just before serving - they should stay fresh. Ladle into bowls and top with tomato mixture.

Serves about 4.

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Rose’s Pho Chicken Soup by Rose Petralia is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 United States License.

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Polyphenols In Red Wine Fight Heart Disease. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Polyphenols in Red Wine Fight Heart Disease

A recent study in the Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology found that polyphenols, the powerful antioxidants in red wine may help cut the negative impact high fat foods have in your body. Researchers found that people who consumed turkey cutlets cooked with wine had 75% less malondialdehyde (MDA) than those who had cutlets without wine. MDA is a by-product of fat digestion that’s linked to heart disease (Ref: Eating Well, May/June 2008, p. 45). Feel good about having a glass of red wine with dinner.

More reasons to drink wine (from Laurel on Health Food):

Go Ahead, Have a Glass or Two

Toast to This!

Ask for “Firm Tannins”

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Go Ahead, Eat These Fruit Peels. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Go Ahead, Eat These Fruit Peels

Women’s Health posted a fun slideshow of five fruits that have potent nutrition in the peels. Many people only like the soft or juicy insides of fruit, but the skins or peels are packed with a significant amount of antioxidants that help us fight disease. Next time you reach for one of these fruits, remember that the skin is too valuable to remove.

Apple - A study from Cornell University found that the skin of apples can have up to 87% more phytochemicals (cancer-fighters) than the inner white flesh. Personally, I don’t mind the skin on apples, but it helps if you buy organic. If you don’t like it, try eating apple slices with almond or peanut butter. You can also cut up small chunks to toss into a fruit salad. You’ll notice the skin less when it’s mixed with other fruits.

Cucumber - The peel of cucumbers has silica which helps you keep healthy hair and nails and keeps your skin plump and free of wrinkles. I’m sure you’ve heard of collagen for skin. Well, guess what it’s made of? Silica! Most experts agree that you need a minimum of five milligrams (mg) of silica every day. You can get that amount from one cucumber. Grab for organic or English hothouse varieties that don’t have the nasty coating of preservative wax on the skin.

Eggplant - The dark purple skin of an eggplant has about 300 mg of the antioxidant nasunin which research shows may prevent damage to your brain cells. The skin also has over 200 mg of potassium, 13 mg of magnesium, and 3 g of fiber. Women’s Health suggests enjoying eggplant with the skin in Eggplant Parmesan. You’ll never notice it! Make sure you use the eggplant as soon as you buy it because the skin gets bitter with age.

Kiwi - This fuzzy fruit’s skin has chemical compounds that help your body avoid infection from staph and E. coli bugs. If the fuzzy feeling bothers you (I know it bothers me) try slicing up a whole kiwi and putting it right into a blender to make a smoothie. Mix with other fruits, yogurt, juice, and ice and you’ll never know. There’s also a gold variety of kiwis that have less fur than others.

Oranges (and Lemons, Limes) - The peels of oranges, lemons, and limes are packed with a hydrocarbon called d-limonene. Eating it can reduce your risk of skin cancer by 30%. Most of us wouldn’t each the skin of these citrus fruits so try zesting the skins to add citrus flavor to your cooking. Lemon, lime, and orange zests are good in salads, meats, desserts, or on top of other fruit (it prevents browning).

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Study Shows Whole Grains Reduce Inflammation. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Study Shows Whole Grains Reduce Inflammation

An American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found that whole grains help reduce C-reactive protein in our bodies. This inflammatory protein is associated with many diseases including heart disease and diabetes. (Ref: Body + Soul magazine, June 2008, p. 34)

The 12-week study monitored 50 obese adults who ate lean protein, low-fat dairy, five servings of fruits and vegetables, and either whole grains or refined grains. While all of the 50 adults lost about 8-11 pounds during the study, only those who ate the whole grains reduced the amount of C-reactive protein in their bodies.

Author of The New Whole Grains Cookbook, Robin Asbell, has an easy idea for adding whole grains to your diet on a daily basis. Cook a big batch of brown rice, quinoa, or barley and store it in your refrigerator to add to meals throughout the week. You can add the grains to eggs, soups, vegetables, or any meal you cook up as the week goes along.

I also recommend trying out Kashi’s frozen meals if you need something easy for lunch or dinner. If you look at the ingredient list, whole grains are always at the top. Kashi uses their own “unique blend of Seven Whole Grains and Sesame” in every dish. My favorites are: Black Bean Mango and Lemon Rosemary Chicken.

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Miracle Fruit And Flavor-Tripping Parties. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Miracle Fruit and Flavor-Tripping Parties

The New York Times reported on a special west-African berry called “miracle fruit” that makes everything sweet in your mouth. Once you eat the berry, everything you taste for about an hour afterwards will taste sweet. A slice of lemon tastes like a pixie stick and a shot of beer tastes like chocolate. It sounds like something out of Willy Wonka!

Apparently, “Flavor Tripping Parties” have become somewhat trendy in New York and San Francisco. Oh, and I’m sure you’re not surprised that there’s a blog about the parties too. Flavor tripping is all about “miracle fruit parties and sundry grub fests.”

Personally, I’d love to try one of these little miracle fruits out for myself. I guess I’ll have to look them a party next time I’m in NYC or SF. Or, I could buy berries from the Miracle Fruit Man and take the plunge on my own. Hmmm…

Check out the New York Times article. It even has a video to watch one of the parties in action.  Very cool!

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Originally Syndicated via RSS from Laurel on Health Food

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Making My Coffee Healthier. . . .

This article was syndicated from: Laurel on Health Food

Making My Coffee Healthier

Has anyone ever told you that coffee is bad for you? I know I’ve heard it many times, but I happen to disagree. Coffee is a pretty natural thing…that is, before we start adding chemicals, fake sugars, and coffee creamers that won’t expire for a decade. I like to drink tea later in the day, but for me, coffee is just an essential part of my morning.

I have an office job where I get free coffee, but the stuff they brew is pretty bland and flavorless. However, the real problem is the horrible variety of coffee mixers we have. There are sugar packets that have morphed into hardened chunks because they’re so old. Then there’s the “no need to refrigerate” coffee creamer with hydrogenated fats and a long list of other ingredients that I can’t pronounce. I’m scared to drink any of that stuff…especially on a daily basis.

It would be great if I drank black coffee, but I just can’t. It doesn’t taste good to me. Instead, I found some healthier cream and sugar options that I brought to work. Yes, I paid for them with my own money, but for something I put into my body every day, it’s well worth it.

Sweet things:

• >100% Pure Organic Honey - I can keep a bottle at my desk and squirt a little into the bottom of my cup before I pour my coffee in.
• >Dark Chocolate - This is fun on a day you need a treat. Drop a small