346/365 Fruit and Veggie Smoothie...Wonder Drug?

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

In my family, my dad is notorious for health fads, specifically fruit/vegetable smoothies.  Every few years since I was young we have welcomed a new blender into our kitchen and the smoothie craze would begin. We drank everything from carrot juice to green juice to mangosteen and back to carrot juice again, and so on. These phases would last a few months then die out. My father has always had an obsession for juicing. This time I think it's here to stay.

My dad showing off the variety in our daily smoothie

After watching a documentary on food and healthy eating, my father made a list of foods that we should eat on a daily basis. These foods include kale, beans, cauliflower, red wine, mushrooms, beets, and so much more. It's a lot to prep and cook these foods. My father is all about working smarter and not harder; enter smoothie phase 2012. He decided to invest in the Ninja Kitchen System 1100. Here he can stuff all the veggies and fruits possible (pears, beets, radishes, an apple, grapes, acai juice, celery, carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, kiwi, a banana, berries, and flaxseed since variety is key!) and blend them to a pulp. In about 1 minutes and 30 seconds you have a variety of nutrients blended and several servings and fruits and vegetables gulped down into your body.

We certainly don't do it for the taste. We drink this mad concoction because we know it is a great way to prevent disease and infection. Note the dominance of vegetables in this smoothie. Vegetables have less sugar than fruits and are still packed with antioxidants. I think we can all agree that we get plenty of sugar in the rest of our diet and it's harder to eat lots of vegetables compared to lots of fruits. I don't feel particularly healthier just yet but I'm sure the unseen processes in my body are singing. With all the running and swimming (more later) I'm doing, I'm certain my cells are thankful for the antioxidants to battle the stressors and free radicals floating around inside me. I will say this, my dad's hair is darker and thicker than it's been in a long time. "Pope head," as my parents have lovingly called balding, seems to have been staved off at least for now. Cheers!

In health,
Lauren

337/365 Pick Your Own Produce

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Yesterday I decided that it was time to visit my local farm and pick some strawberries. The strawberry season is winding down so get out there while you can. Picking your own produce is rewarding and fun. It makes you realize the hard work and care that goes into harvesting all the fruit we take for granted. Real life isn't like Farmville where you can harvest raspberries in 4 hours or artichoke in 4 days. It takes patience and diligence. Blueberry picking is just around the bend so get out there! Local Harvest is a helpful resource for finding farms, farm stands, CSA's and more. Happy picking!

In health,

Lauren

Picked by yours truly!

329/365 Blueberry Cobbler: a 6C Challenge Approved Dessert

Picture does not do it justice!

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Not sure how many of y'all have decided to join me in the 6C challenge but if you are, here is an excellent dessert that does not count as one of the C's even though, yes I know it starts with a C.

Berries are in season folks and the result couldn't be sweeter! This was such an incredibly easy dessert to whip up and oh so good. The only hard part is not eating all of it in one sitting. Seriously, it's one of those where your eyes roll back into your head so you can take it all in. Find the recipe here. I added a couple shakes of cinnamon to the orange juice-blueberry mix and also made sure to put 1/4 tsp. salt because it contrasts the sweetness of the dough...make this now!

In health,

Lauren

313/365 Sweet Kiwi

I see the resemblance  :)

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Kiwi fruit or kiwi is native to China and receive their name from the kiwi bird of New Zealand. They have about as much potassium as a banana, are loaded with Vitamin C, and provide a good amount of dietary fiber. They also have proven to be helpful for asthmatic children; shortness of breath was reduced by 32%, severe wheeze by 41%, night time cough by 27%, chronic cough by 25%, and runny nose by 28% even by eating the fruit only once or twice a week.

Pick a kiwi that gives when you squeeze it between your thumb and index finger. If it's hard, it will need a few days to ripen at room temperature. A kiwi that is soft to the touch will be overripe and mushy. You can eat kiwi plain with or without the skin. Toss it with some other fruit for a happy, colorful salad.

In health,

Lauren

http://kiwi-fruit.info/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=41

277/365 Meet Your Toast's New Friend: Pumpkin Apple Butter

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

I realize that this is out of season but, I don't care. I had a hankering for apple butter and I was determined to satisfy it. For those of you who have been on EWC at Camp Bethel, this apple butter will disappoint you. If you just like pumpkin and apples like me, this is a happy alternative to jelly.

sorry that it's blurry y'all! still good, chunky but, smooth

 

Even with 1/2 c of brown sugar, one serving (one tablespoon = 15 calories) of this beats out any jelly on the market (typically 60 calories per tablespoon). I got the recipe from Nestle's Very Best Baking website. It was very easy to follow; you just need a lot of time to dedicate to stirring it and making sure it doesn't explode everywhere. Enjoy it with toast, bagels, or cornbread. It seems like it would be worse for you considering how thick and rich it is.

In health,

Lauren

274/365 Strawberry Chocolate Bread

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Did I mention that I also like to bake when I'm feeling sick? Enter Strawberry Chocolate Bread!

As much as I enjoy the comforts of my over-sized chair, fuzzy fleece blanket, cuppa tea, and book, I also love to bake. It keeps me from being totally lethargic and rewards me with a fantastic treat. I decided to make this bread because strawberries are on sale, I love bread, and I love chocolate. This recipe was originally from allrecipes.com. I adapted it just a little and am pleased with the results; I also cut it in half since I didn't have 2 loaf pans and had to use an 8x8 container instead.

Ingredients:
1.5 c flour (I used whole wheat)
1/3 c wheat bran (optional)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 eggs beaten
1/2 c applesauce
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 c sugar
2 c sliced strawberries
1/2 c chocolate chips

Recipe:
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Prepare loaf pan by spraying with Pam or the like
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, wheat bran, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
3. In a small bowl, combine eggs, applesauce, and vanilla extract.
4. Place sliced strawberries in another small bowl. Pour sugar on top and toss so that strawberries are coated with sugar. Set aside.
5. Create a well in the middle of the flour mixture. Pour the egg mixture into the well and mix gently until a dough forms. Now take your sugared strawberries and chocolate chips and fold them into the dough.
6. Pour dough into prepared pan and bake for 60 min if in loaf pan (my 8x8 took only 35 minutes). Check with a knife every so often if you're unsure; if it comes out clean, it's ready!

According to Livestrong.com, each serving (16 servings in my case) is 155 calories, 2g fiber, 6g sugar, 3g protein.


In health,

Lauren

268/365 Placate Cravings with Flavored Tea

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Clearly my month-long diet and exercise challenge has affected my blog topics...all about food! I don't think this is bad. In fact, I think this is great because it shows y'all that I am no better than anyone else. I too crave delicious food, chocolate, sweets, and everything else under the sun. One tip that I subscribe too and I hope you will too is to stay hydrated. Drinking water before satisfying a craving ensures that you're not dehydrated and makes your belly full, somewhat hindering you from letting more food pass through your lips. Other than water, you can try different kinds of tea.

There are many kinds of tea that you can find in the grocery store. If you have the means, I suggest going somewhere that sells loose leaf tea like Wegmans, Rostov's, or Notting Hall. These establishments usually have people who can tell you lots more about tea than you could ever dream; their passion makes the experience special. Tea is a 0 calorie drink except for the spoonful of sugar, glob of honey, or cream with which you may take your tea. I picked up two teas today from Notting Hall: Raspberry Truffle and Chocomint. I cannot wait to go home and try them; the aroma is intoxicating. I have been jonesing for some chocolate/sweets the last few days and I know these teas will hit the spot. I'll let you know how they go.

In health,

Lauren

PS: There are proper ways to make tea. Here's the break-down:

Black Tea: Water should be at a rolling boil when you steep your tea for 3 minutes. Do NOT leave your tea leaves in the water and do NOT squeeze the bag (if you're using bagged tea) as it will become bitter and the flavor will be diminished.

Green Tea: Water should be almost at a boil, like the bubbles are about to start. Steep only for 1 minute then remove the tea from the water.

Tisanes (Herbal Tea): Water should be almost at a boil but can steep for 5-10 minutes.

For greater detail, check this site out.

260/365 BlackBerry: Smartfood

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

When I studied abroad in Austria, I bought yogurt. I didn't realize that the yogurt I bought was completely unsweetened and was even more sour than sour cream. Once I got my hands on sweetened, vanilla yogurt, I felt completely unworthy of the incredibly, heavenly taste. Before I was blessed with such goodness, blackberries were my saving grace. The plump, dark berries fresh from a fruit stand made my plain yogurt much better.

Blackberries are a "good source of Vitamin E (Alpha Tocopherol), Folate, Magnesium, Potassium and Copper, and a very good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin C, Vitamin K and Manganese." Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant that fights against free radicals. Combine this blackberries with strawberries and raspberries and you've got yourself a great mix of vitamins, antioxidants, and lots of fiber to keep you running smoothly. Blackberries are in season in the summer months but you can pick them up at your local grocery store now.

In health,

Lauren

238/365 Nectarines

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

As I've said before, it's best to buy fruits in season. They are usually on sale and taste supremely delicious. Nectarines are in season from May to September and imported from Jan to April so they should be available to purchase. They are a genetic variant of peaches. You should feel for a nectarine whose skin is without blemish and is firm but not solid. They are quite aromatic at room temperature.

I like to eat them as an alternative to my peach cup (sans juice it comes in). They are juicy, delicious, high in vitamins A and C and fiber. There's a great recipe that I made last summer using nectarines. Perhaps I'll make it now for a simple, fresh dessert...we'll see.

In health,

Lauren

151/365 Clementines are Here

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Turn in the gummy fruit snacks for the neatest snack-size fruit there is: the Clementine tangerine!

The Clementine was created by a clergyman named Pierre Clement as a hybrid between a mandarin and an orange. It has vitamin C and limonene, a phytochemical that is known to have anti-cancer effects because of its ability to increase the number of enzymes in the liver that help detoxify carcinogens. A study showed that mammary tumor growth was reduced in animals. Fun fact: limonene can be used as a solvent for cleaning and is the active ingredient in orange cleaners.

Winter is the season for Clementines. Have fun smelling the redolent scent of orange in the air and popping the delicious, juicy segments in your mouth. For only 35 calories, Clementines make for a yummy, healthy snack.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.phytochemicals.info/phytochemicals/limonene.php

119/365 Have you Tried it Dried?

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

The daily recommendation for fresh fruit is 5 servings or 2 cups. Dried fruit is a pretty good choice if you can't get fresh fruit.

There are many reasons to consider dried fruit. It's portable, you can't bruise it, and it has a longer shelf life. It's also tasty and has most of the vitamins you would find in fresh fruit. The downside to drying fruit is how they are sweetened and preserved. Dried fruit often has added sugar and/or sulfites. Sulfites are added "to prevent dried fruit from spoilage and preserve that just picked vibrant color. (Supermarket Guru)" Sulfites can be dangerous if you have a sulfite allergy or are low in sulfite oxidase, an enzyme that converts sulfites to sulfates. Other than that, sulfites aren't dangerous though more research is being conducted to prove just that.

Personally, I think we should all avoid preservatives and additives. Newman's Own is a great organic brand. They feature a line of preservative-free dried fruit. Though fresh fruit is best, dried fruit is a viable second option.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.supermarketguru.com/index.cfm/go/sg.viewArticle/articleId/1156

117/365 Grand Pomegranate

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

This morning, Sarah Brown and I shared a delicious pomegranate. Until today I had not had the pleasure of picking out the bright, juicy, tasty kernels; I had only seen them already removed and placed in a bowl. Needless to say I had much fun. While we were picking away, I wondered what awesome benefits the pomegranate must have.

According to several sources, pomegranates are loaded with antioxidants; apparently more than green tea and cranberry juice (WebMD). These are known to stop those free radical toxins from destroying our cells or making them cancerous. This has been especially proven for men who have already begun treatment for prostate cancer; pomegranate juice suppressed the growth of cancerous cells. Pomegranate juice has also been known to decrease the likelihood for LDLs to form plaque in your arteries.

So crack open a pomegranate and have fun. Not only do you get to dig for these plump rubies, you get to eat them too.

In health,

Lauren

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/features/pomegranate-power

39/365 Fruit Finale

Friends and Fitness Enthusiasts,

Admittedly, I have a sweet tooth. I enjoy a good cookie from time to time or a cupcake from Cargo Trike Cupcakes. Desserts like these are “sometimes foods.” If you can help it, try for one a day. For a greater challenge, maybe only 4 times a week. Desserts pack in a lot of calories. It’s especially hard when the portion is already selected for you. In our dining hall, I will often split the dessert being offered in half.

Something you can try that is a two-fold healthier way of satisfying that sweet tooth is by eating fruits as your dessert. A ripe peach is fantastically sweet with every bite of its juicy, nutritious goodness. The more you substitute naturally occurring sweets for baked or prepared desserts, the more you will crave them. You may find yourself as I do turned off to ultra sweet treats that I used to enjoy.

So try a peach or a handful of berries as your dessert instead of those tired packaged cookies. You will find yourself satisfied from tongue to tummy.

In health,

Lauren