Why not introduce a new super food to your table this week?! Black rice is a naturally gluten free, heirloom plant grown mostly in Asia. It is soft in texture and has a mild, nutty flavor. It used to be called "forbidden rice" because for quite some time, it was reserved for only royalty and was said to bring them "a long life of good health".
In Chinese medicine, black rice is praised for its health benefits for the stomach, liver, and kidneys and in this week's What's That?! Wednesday post, we discuss several of these health benefits as well as how to cook it and where to find it so you can reap those benefits! Health Benefits of Black Rice:
(PRINT RECIPE)
Black rice is a great substitute for most things you would use brown rice for- try pairing it with a stir fry or other Asian inspired dish. I also love to add a small serving to my salads for lunch-time for a little "good carbs" to stabilize the blood sugar and keep my energy up through the day. You can also cook it longer and with more liquid to make it into a "pudding" or porridge of sorts -add your favorite spices like cinnamon and ginger and some chopped walnuts and you have an easy fiber-based treat. While black rice can be difficult to find in a regular supermarket, you can find it in most health food stores as well as several online retailers. Happy Cooking & Eating! ~Billie & Jen *Resources: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9989685 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340093 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23930929 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11340093
1 Comment
This week's What's That?! Wednesday post focuses it attention to another very important macro-nutrient in the anti-inflammatory diet - fats! While there are many different types of fats that affect inflammation in many different ways, today we will just be focusing on two fats from the group knows as essential fatty acids or omega fatty acids. You may know these as Omega-6 and Omega-3 fatty acids. The most important thing to understand first is the word "essential" - this means that your body cannot manufacture these fats on its own, so you have to make sure to eat foods that are good sources of omega fats – they are called essential fatty acids because they are essential to several of your body’s core systems including - immune, metabolic, cardiac, and neurological functions. The second super important thing to understand is that you want a “healthy ratio” of the Omega-6 to Omega-3 fats but that BOTH are important and "essential" - however, there are some sources of Omega-6 fats you will want to avoid all together because they greatly contribute to increased chronic inflammation. The healthy ratio you want to shoot for is 1:1 to 5:1 range. To give you a comparison current studies estimate that the average ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3 fatty acids in the typical U.S. diet is somewhere between 20:1 and 50:1.(*) HUGE discrepancy, right? So why is this important? Current research clearly shows that it is this skewed ratio that may be one of the biggest contributing factors to the rising number of autoimmune diseases like morbid obesity, diabetes, fibromyalgia, Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and more. (*) Here is a breakdown to help you understand the different types of Omega fats, which ones to avoid completely as well as the healthiest food choices for managing your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio....
Jennifer and I are not big fans of any diet that omits a macro-nutrient and even though cutting back on fat intake is another popular way to cut calories and lose weight, in the long term metabolic imbalances will halt your weight loss progress. In fact too little fat overall increases cravings for carbs and sugar and makes the body think you are in “famine mode”- which signals your metabolism to increase fat storage. Not cool! Bottom line: You have to eat healthy fats if you want to lose your “unhealthy fat” and reduce your risk of inflammation driven diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and neurological diseases. We recommend 1 serving of healthy fats with EVERY meal. Check out some of our favorite recipes that include healthy Omega fats below... If eating an Anti-Inflammatory Diet seems overwhelming to you, check out our Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plans that are loaded with simple recipes as well as weekly shopping lists and menus to make anti-inflammatory eating easy! In good health, ~Billie & Jen Rosemary-Walnut Chicken Wraps Herb & Hemp Stuffed Potatoes Seasonal Veggie & Quinoa Frittatas References:
*Greenmedinfo.com - http://www.greenmedinfo.com/substance/omega-3-fatty-acids *Natural Neuroscience -http://www.nature.com/neuro/journal/v11/n11/abs/nn.2213.html *WholeHealthResource - http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2008/09/pracical-approach-to-omega-fats.html *Biomedicine and Pharacotherapy -http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12442909 Vegan, Gluten Free, Soy Free, Low Carb, Anti-Inflammatory A few weeks ago, my husband I went to Santa Rosa, CA for some appointments with my Lyme doctor and to have some special treatments and therapies to continue to help me battle this difficult disease. During our stay there, we were able to meet up with my favorite cousin, Mike, his wife Cynthia, and their two beautiful daughters at the Petaluma Creamery. P.S. - For any of you who live in this area and love real dairy products, this place had some amazing ice cream and cheeses! Seriously - a must try!
As you can imagine, going to a creamery is torturous for someone who doesn't eat dairy! Cheese and ice cream used to be some of my favorite foods before going dairy free 3 years ago. Usually I have no problem avoiding dairy and don't really crave it much anymore. That day, I went there with the intention to NOT eat ice cream, but I DID!! When my husband walked out with my all time favorite ice cream, MINT CHIP, I just knew I had to have a bite...actually 3 big bites. It was my first time eating ice cream in 3 years and the cheat was worth it!! It was so creamy and delicious that since then, I've been craving my old favorite. So this week I took that inspiration down a healthier route to create an amazing new green smoothie recipe. A deep chocolate flavor with a bright mint after-tone cover up any sign of "the greens" at all, making this recipe a perfect way to get 1 cup of greens in for the day! Kids and adults alike will love this dessert-like smoothie. Plus the fresh mint is packed with nutrients and antioxidants that promote a healthy digestion, improve energy and mood, alleviate allergy and cold symptoms, and reduce sugar cravings. This food's medicine is right up my alley and tastes like a dessert, what more can you ask for?! Mint Chocolate Chip Green Smoothie (PRINT RECIPE) Serves 2 Ingredients: 2 cups romaine or other light greens ½ cup packed fresh mint leaves 2 scoops chocolate protein powder** 2 tablespoons organic cocoa powder or raw cacoa nibs 1 ½ cups unsweetened coconut milk 1-2 large handfuls of ice (depending on how cold and icy you like it) Directions:
~Billie Also, if you like this recipe, you may be interested in these other blogs: **How to Choose a Healthy Protein Powder Health Benefits of Mint Cocoa vs. Cacao - What's the Difference? Kick Your Cravings Chocolate Shake Perfect Green Smoothie Cucumbers have been one of my favorite vegetables since childhood - I actually remember craving them through my teens and 20's - it was like I couldn't eat enough. When I look back on this experience, its probably because my body was trying to tell me something - it desperately needed more water, hydration, and all the nutrient and antioxidant benefits that these little green veggies have to offer! I still love cucumbers to this day and as you know, my passion is eating food as medicine and sharing that information with others. So in today's What's That?! Wednesday post, let's explore cucumbers as our medicine... 6 Health Benefits of Cucumbers:
To get your daily dose of this medicine...try these awesome cucumber recipes: Cucumber & Carrot Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing Cool Cucumber Gazpacho Creamy Cucumber Ranch Dressing Happy Cucumber Eating!
~Billie Protein shakes, smoothies, and drinks have become quite popular and there is good reason. When used correctly, protein shakes/smoothies can be a very effective tool to manage or lose weight, make a great small balanced snack or meal on the go, and can supplement nutrition as well as help to build muscle and curb cravings. However, the key to ensuring you get all these benefits out of your protein shakes or smoothies is choosing the right protein powder!
Easy right?! WRONG! It can be pretty overwhelming and downright frustrating choosing a protein powder with all the different choices and ingredients out there today. To help you narrow down your choices, this week's What's That?! Wednesday post discusses the top 6 things to look for when choosing a protein powder, plus we share our favorite brands, and give you a few recipes to please your palette, boost your nutrition, and curb your cravings! Top 6 Things to Look For When Choosing a Protein Powder:
Some of the brands that we use or know meet this criteria are:
All of these brands can be found at more natural food stores as well as online from places like Amazon. I often find better deals online, especially if you are willing to do regular, pre-scheduled shipments - many online retail sites will give you a small discount for doing so. Like anything, it comes down to your taste, so you may have to try a few before you find the right one. Keep in mind you can always try the single serving packs as your test before buying a huge tub. Check out some of our favorite smoothie and shake recipes here: Perfect Green Smoothie Pumpkin Green Smoothie "Kick Your Carvings" Chocolate Shake ~In good health, BIllie & Jennifer In this week's What's That?! Wednesday post, we are excited to talk about one of our favorite "food as medicine" ingredients...Raw Apple Cider Vinegar! This food comes from apple juice has been fermented into hard apple cider, then fermented a second time to get the final product we lovingly call apple cider vinegar (ACV).
In order to receive all the medicinal benefits this food has to offer, we suggest you choose an apple cider vinegar that is organic, raw, unfiltered, and unpasteurized - our go to brand is Bragg's Raw Apple Cider Vinegar and it is sold in most grocery stores, health food stores, and online. While there are probably 30 or more uses for this amazing product, today I'm only sharing the ones that I've personally experienced myself. 5 Amazing Uses for Apple Cider Vinegar
There are many other published uses and benefits for ACV, but these are my personal favorites that I've discovered and use regularly. If you've never used this product before, you may want to consider all it has to offer. How else do you use apple cider vinegar? We'd love to hear your comments below! ~Billie & Jen Have you ever baked with coconut flour? It's a great grain-free, gluten free, and low carb flour that can be used as a substitute for regular flour or other gluten free flours for those on a grain or gluten free diet or those looking to reduce their carbohydrate intake. It is a flour made from dried coconut meat and is a natural byproduct of making coconut milk. So in this week's What's That?! Wednesday post, we'd like to share some of the Health Benefits of Coconut Flour and 4 Tips for Baking With Coconut Flour.
Gluten & grain free diets are recommended for the increasing number of people who are being diagnosed with food sensitivities, chronic autoimmune diseases, or those with weight loss resistance or hormone imbalances. This flour happens to be one of my favorite flours to work with because it is high in fiber and virtually carbohydrate free, plus it naturally has a sweeter taste than other flours so it's a natural pairing for baked goods! The extra fiber really fills you up, so you eat less and feel more satisfied which is always the goal, especially when it comes to treating yourself to some baked goods, right?! And you know I cannot write a blog about a food item without sharing some "food as medicine" facts...so here are some of the other... Health Benefits to Consider When Choosing to Bake with Coconut Flour: 1. Coconut four is high in manganese which supports healthy nervous system function, helps maintain good bone health, supports thyroid function, and helps to maintain proper blood sugar levels. WOW - super important! 2. Coconut flour is a great source of lauric acid, a healthy, saturated fat that promotes good immune health and assists in lowering inflammatory responses in the body when combined with the right amounts of other healthy fats. 4 Tips for Baking with Coconut Flour: 1. A little bit of coconut flour goes a long way! Because coconut flour is about 60% fiber, it attracts liquids and fats and will expand significantly. This means you CANNOT substitute the same amount of coconut flour in a recipe that calls for brown rice or whole wheat flour. It will be VERY dry and crumbly and will most likely burn and you will not be happy with your coconut flour baking experience. A good general rule is about 20-25% of the amount you would use of regular flour, for example; use 1/4 cup coconut flour if the recipe calls for 1 cup brown rice or all purpose/whole wheat flour. 2. Coconut flour works best when baked with plenty of organic eggs and liquids. You will notice that most coconut four recipes use lots of eggs, for any recipe using more than 1/2 cup flour, you will generally need 4-6 eggs and at least 1 cup of liquid (like coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, regular whole milk, or melted coconut oil). If you are sensitive to eggs or follow a vegan diet, stick with recipes that use a small amount of coconut flour (like under 1/4 cup) and those that typically call for 2 eggs or less. You can use your standard egg replacements (chia seeds + water or ground flaxseed + water). You will also want to increase your liquid fat content in vegan recipes that use coconut flour, so I recommend coconut oil as the best choice to achieve this. 3. Add natural liquid sweeteners to your coconut flour baked goods for a long lasting moist texture. Because coconut flour really "soaks up" the fat and moisture, I love to add natural liquid or pureed fruits to my coconut flour baked good recipes. Some of my favorites include: honey, 100% pure maple syrup, organic apple sauce, 100% pure pumpkin or squash puree, or some mashed bananas. 4. Coconut flour is best in softer baked goods. Coconut flour used by itself is not great at developing a crispy texture because of the amount of moisture it can hold, so it is best used in: pancakes, waffles, muffins, cakes, and quick breads. You can also incorporate some baking powder combined with lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to help get some more of a rise in your baked goods. To make cookies or anything requiring a crispy texture, I'd suggest mixing coconut flour with other flours and only have it be 20% or so of the total flour used in the recipe. If baking with coconut flour is new to you, I would suggest starting with some already developed recipes and then as you get more comfortable, and begin to enjoy baking with coconut flour, you can experiment with converting your favorite recipes. Here are a few of my favorite coconut flour recipes to get you stared: Grain Free Banana-Cinnamon Waffles Raw Coconut Snack Balls (Under 6 grams of carbs & 3 grams of sugar per serving) Mini Honey-Lemon Muffins (Under 6 grams of carbs & 4 grams of sugar per serving) Lastly, when choosing coconut flour, always choose organic. I'm partial to Nutiva Brand & Let's Do Organic Brand, but Bob's Red Mill or other organic varietals are great as well...go for what's on sale! I often order products like these online to save some money and time. Check out the list of coconut flour products, including the ones I mentioned above, available on Amazon by clicking here. I also recently started to use Thrive Market for some products as well and have been very happy with their service...check that out by clicking here. Please share your comments, questions, and favorite recipes with us below. Happy Baking! ~Billie Grain Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free & Low Carb Hey friends...I'm back to share a new recipe with you...one that I know you are really gonna love! It's been about 2 months since I've been able to spend time in my kitchen experimenting with some new recipes and my soul has been craving it big time!
This weekend I finally made it back into the kitchen for some of my favorite, "creative cooking and baking time"....aah...cooking, baking and eating whole foods really feeds my soul as much as my body. Now it's time to share a new recipe that will hopefully fuel your soul and body as well. I instantly fell in love with these muffins after the first batch- a great, fresh treat for Spring. These would be a perfect addition to your Easter Sunday or Mother's Day Brunch spread. These little muffins use coconut flour as their base, you can learn more on our blog post: 4 Tips for Baking with Coconut Flour . They are light weight, grain-free, and low in carbs & sugar...a perfect treat in the perfect size for anyone following a paleo style or low carb diet. In fact they are under 6 grams of carbs and 4 grams of sugar per serving and super easy to make. Check it out... Mini Honey-Lemon Muffins (PRINT RECIPE) Makes 20 mini muffins or 12 regular size muffins Ingredients: 6 organic, pastured eggs ½ cup unsweetened coconut milk (You can substitute your favorite milk instead if you prefer.) ¼ cup + 1 heaping tablespoon honey or agave 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ cup coconut oil, melted & divided Juice and zest of one lemon Heaping ½ cup coconut flour ¾ teaspoon baking power ½ teaspoon salt Directions:
The lemony flavor gets stronger after they cool and ever more so the next day. These will stay moist in an airtight container for up to 4 days on your counter top if they last that long. If you'd like a richer taste, trying spreading on a little organic, grass-fed butter or ghee and drizzle some extra honey. Let me know what you think. Happy Baking! ~Billie My favorite warm beverage of choice on a cold day is a chai tea latte - hands down! I love how the spicy and sweet flavors come together to make each sip of the beverage satisfying and whimsical. Prior to making some really big changes to my diet about 4 years ago, I would swing through a Starbucks a few times a week and get a soy chai tea latte - usually a grande which adds up to 240 calories and 43 grams of sugar - WOW! YIKES! Not to mention, I was dropping around $80 a month on these high calorie/high sugar drinks. Sound familiar?! Hopefully now that I've confessed my chai tea latte sins...you will feel more comfortable to admit your sweet Starbucks beverage splurge.
These days when I need to get a fix, I will occasionally splurge and buy the Tazo Chai tea concentrate (or similar) and mix it with unsweetened almond milk. It's one of my favorite treats and about once a week I will gladly blow my entire sugar allowance for the day to have my chai tea. Recently I started experimenting with making my own chai tea concentrate and after several batches, developed this fabulous recipe that I think comes pretty close the boxed chai concentrates but with a bit less sugar. YAY! This recipe comes in at only 77 calories and can be sugar free for a one cup serving size. OH YES! Take a peek... Chai Tea Latte (PRINT RECIPE) Makes 10 servings; Serving Size: 1/2 cup tea concentrate + 1/2 cup milk of choice Ingredients: 8 cups filtered water 2-inch piece in ginger root, peeled and chopped 3 cinnamon sticks ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns 20 whole cloves 7 cardamom pods, gently smashed with the flat of a knife* 3 whole star anise* 1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg 1 teaspoon organic vanilla extract Zest of one orange 10-12 bags of black tea, preferably Darjeeling (depending on how caffeinated you want it) ½ cup organic honey or agave (for a sugar free option - substitute 4-6 drops of dark liquid stevia to each latte) Directions:
This recipe makes a pretty big batch...so if you are making this for one or two people, I suggest cutting it in half so that you can go through the tea within the 7 day window. **Whole cardamom pods and star anise can be pretty tough to find in a regular grocery store, but almost all natural food stores will carry these spices. Enjoy, friends! ~Billie Grain Free. Vegan. Paleo. Low Carb. Low Sugar. Super Good. Macaroons may seem like they would be tough to make, but it only takes six simple ingredients and little bit of time to make these delectable and beautiful treats. Each bite is slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and moist on the inside. YUM...writing this blog is making me want to eat another one.
Instead of using sweetened condensed milk like most macaroon recipes do, we substituted a can of full fat coconut milk and some honey that we boiled down to make a thicker, sweeter milk. It is similar enough to sweetened, condensed milk but with healthier fat and a cleaner sugar choice...and it really pulls these treats together nicely! If you are on a low or little to no sugar diet like I am, these beauties fit the bill. They are under 5 grams of sugar and 8 grams of total carbs per serving, making them a great low carb dessert for your holiday, special occasion or for when a sweet tooth strikes. A must try for anyone wanting a simple, elegant dessert that is light on sugar and carbs. If you like this dessert and want more recipes like these, check out my Anti-Inflammatory Diet Holiday Cookbook, with 24 more additional recipes that are low sugar, paleo, mostly grain free, dairy free, gluten free, and soy free. Dark Chocolate Drizzled Coconut Macaroons (PRINT RECIPE) Makes about 18 macaroons Ingredients: 1 (14-ounce) can full fat coconut milk ¼ cup raw honey or agave 2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Pinch of salt 1 (3-ounce) dark chocolate bar Directions:
Enjoy friends! ~Billie & Jennifer If you are not already making your own bone broth, I'm going to give you several reasons why you should consider starting. Not only is it inexpensive to make, but it's also one of the worlds most nutrient dense foods. Bone broth is packed with highly absorbable forms of calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, sulfur, and a variety of amino acids, as well as collagen, glucosamine, and condrointin. These nutrients support our immune system, calm and heal digestive distress, and nourish our musculoskeletal system just to name a few.
Bone broth has affectionately been referred to as "Jewish penicillin" because of it's amazing healing and health promoting benefits. Did your mom ever make you chicken soup when you were sick? Most of us have had that experience more than a handful of times. It comes of course from generations and generations of people from all over the world making this very traditional healing and inexpensive food for decades and decades. I often consume bone broth for breakfast or as a snack with just some fresh herbs and diced raw veggies of choice. But you can also use it in your soups, stews, casseroles, and much more to add flavor and a boat-load of nutrients to your meal! I started making my own bone broth regularly last year when I started treatment for chronic Lyme disease to help support my gut health while taking antibiotics and to nourish and support my immune system. But the benefits of bone broth go way beyond these two things...check it out... Health Benefits of Bone Broth:
How To Make Bone Broth: Ingredients: 3 pounds organic chicken or turkey bones or carcass** 12-16 cups filtered water or enough to cover all ingredients (depending on how big your pot or slow cooker is) 2-3 tablespoons organic, raw apple cider vinegar 1 large onion, not peeled, quartered 2 stalks celery, quartered 2 large carrots, peeled and quartered 2-3 inches ginger root and/or turmeric root (optional - for an extra Anti-Inflammatory boost!) 1 bunch parsley 2-4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied together kitchen twine Directions:
I like to just add some Pink Himalayan sea salt and fresh parsley and drink it down!! If you've done this all correctly, your broth will most likely gels or congeals after you've had it in the fridge for a half day or so. Don't worry! This is a good sign that your broth is packed with collagen and all the other healing nutrients. Just re-heat and it will go back to a liquid broth consistency. If you can't find bones or don't have time to make broth, you can also make stock, which is has less collagen and gelatin but will still give you lots of protein and minerals in your final batch. For stock, follow the same directions except use a whole chicken or bones with meat on them instead of just the bones. Then you only cook it for 3-4 hours versus 12-24 for the bone broth. If you have more than 3 pounds of bones, this recipe is easy to double and I highly recommend making as big a batch as your pot or slow cooker will allow. You can store broth in a freezer safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. **You can buy chicken bones, feet, and other organic bones at places like Whole Foods. OR make friends with the butcher at your local grocery store and ask for bones and even feet (the feet have extra collagen). It is also super important to get your bones from an organic bird as these will yield MANY more nutrients and not be contaminated with added hormones or antibiotics. You could also opt for organic, grass-fed and finished beef or lamb bones for a different flavor and nutrient profile. Happy soup slurping friends... ~Billie Last Thanksgiving day I woke up and was confronted with several prepared holiday desserts sitting on my counter top - just staring at me asking to be eaten. Can you relate?! A few years ago, I would have started the day with a slice of pumpkin pie, a cookie, brownie, or something else sweet just because it was a holiday and I felt like I could treat myself.
But these days, I try to avoid sugar, especially first thing in the morning. My experience with myself and my clients is that if you start your day with sugar, your body will continue to crave carbs and sugar throughout the day. This can cause you to overeat or fill up on the wrong types of foods all day long. It can also turn on "fat storage" hormones like cortisol and insulin and tell your body to store fat and not burn it for energy. This can leave you feeling lethargic and a bit slow in the brain - not cool! So instead, I thought I'd try something new in my blender to help me feel like I was getting a "special holiday treat". One of my traditional green smoothies, but with pumpkin puree and holiday spices. The result...AMAZING! So amazing in fact, I had to have one for the next three mornings straight:) And I HAD to get it up on the blog to share with you. Pumpkin Green Smoothie (PRINT RECIPE) Makes 2 smoothies Ingredients: 1 cup spinach 1-1 1/2 cups romaine 1 scoop protein powder of choice* 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed 1 tablespoon almond butter** 1/4 cup 100% pure pumpkin puree 3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger or 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk 1/2 cup - 1 cup ice cubes (depending on how cold and icy you like it) Directions:
Hope you enjoy this just as much as I do! ~Billie *We recommend a protein powder that is low in carbohydrates & sugars and high in protein. Use the 10/15/20 rule—you want 10 or LESS grams of sugar, 15 or LESS grams of total carbohydrates and 20 or MORE grams of protein per serving. Nutritional information assumes you follow the above rule when selecting your protein powder **You can also do sunflower seed butter or just an additional scoop of protein powder if you prefer here. Did you know cranberries are ranked at the top of the list for fruits with the highest antioxidant and phytonutrient health promoting capabilities? It's true...they are right up there with blueberries, go-gi berries, and acai berries. There is strong data that shows cranberries help in urinary and bladder health, cardiovascular health, and even have lots of anti-cancer benefits. In fact, historians believe that cranberries made their way into our Thanksgiving tradition because the Native American's not only used cranberries as food, but as medicine! YAY - food as medicine - a group of people after my own heart.
So....since cranberries are not in season for very long...we wanted to take this opportunity to introduce you to the wonderful health promoting benefits of cranberries in this week's What's That?! Wednesday post. Plus you can find a few recipes using cranberries in our Anti-Inflammatory Diet Holiday eCookbook - on sale now! Health Benefits of Cranberries:
SPECIAL NOTE: Check with your physician before adding regular cranberry intake to your diet if you are on cumadin or other blood thinning medications or if you have a history of kidney stones as cranberries can increase urine oxolate excretions, which can promote kidney stones. You can incorporate cranberries into your diet year round with cranberry juice from concentrate, frozen whole cranberries, or even dried, unsweetened cranberries. T'is the season for some savory and sweet cranberry dishes, make sure to check out our Marinated Cranberry Kale Salad for a great seasonal recipe. In Good Health, Billie & Jen Starting your day with a green smoothie can help to regulate digestion, fight inflammation, assist in weight loss, and boost your immune system and energy level - lots of awesomeness in one drink!! And that is why I am religious about my raw green smoothie or juice almost every morning. Read our blog, 4 Reasons to Make a Green Smoothie Part of Your Routine, to understand more about the health benefits of these awesome drinks.
Not only are these drinks good for your health, they make excellent breakfasts that come together in a flash and anyone can learn how to make them - all you need is a blender and an open mind. Green smoothies are an integral part of our 4 Week Detox Diet, on Sale Now Through Sunday 1/10! In the meantime, follow these simple steps and you will be a green smoothie rockstar in no time! 5 Steps to Make the Perfect Green Smoothie:
Perfect Green Smoothie (PRINT RECIPE) Makes 2 servings Ingredients: 2 cups dark leafy greens (options: kale, chard, or spinach) 1 cup light greens (options: romaine, celery, cucumber, leafy lettuce) ½ cup frozen fruit (options: pineapple, mango, berries, etc) ½ of a medium green,unripe banana, frozen (or substitute 1/2 ripe avocado for creamy texture and healthy fat) 1 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk of choice (hemp, coconut, or almond)* ½ cup ice cubes or frozen milk cubes 2 scoops/servings of protein powder of choice (following 15/15 rule) 2 tablespoons super food ingredient (hemp seeds, flax seeds, chia seeds, almond butter, raw walnuts, cacao powder) Directions:
*We recommend non-dairy milk or just water in green smoothies for most people, because dairy can disrupt the digestion and nutrient absorption of raw greens. Try some of our other green smoothie recipes: Chocolate Peanut Butter Green Smoothie Sneaky Green Smoothie Spring Refresh Smoothie Pumpkin Green Mint Chip Smoothie Sending you each health and joy! ~Billie & Jen Let's face it, eating completely organic can get really expensive, really quick. In fact, organic nutrients contain on average 25% more nutrients, vitamins, and minerals than non-organic. So eating organic foods will generally add 20% to your bill and many families, like ours, find it difficult to pay this extra cost. BUT we really believe that the premium you pay goes directly to the nutritional value you are getting and strongly encourage our clients to buy organic as much as they can. And in today's edition of What's That?! Wednesdays we'd like to offer a few tips that make eating organic a little easier on the bank account. You can also read our blog post, Top 5 Reasons to Choose Organic & Non-GMO to learn more about why buying organic is worth the extra cost. 8 Tips For Eating Organic On A Budget:
Hope you picked up a couple new tips to save some cash when buying organic and eating clean. Feel free to share your tips with us as well. Happy Saving Friends! ~Billie & Jen If you've ever had a bird as a pet, you probably know what millet is. It has historically been used in bird seed mixes for many years, but this ancient grain isn't just for the birds! In fact it's one of the healthiest and most versatile grains out there and since we are all about food as medicine here at Meal Plans for Health, we've dedicated this week's What's That?! Wednesday post to millet, it's health benefits, and how to cook with it.
This soothing and savory grain originated in the dry climates of Africa, but is now grown worldwide and can be used just like rice for stir fries, pilafs, vegetarian patties or burgers, and other grain based dishes. Or you can cook it longer and with a little more liquid to make it into 'mashed potatoes' or a lovely breakfast porridge. Health Benefits of Millet:
How to Buy Millet: Store bought millet is usually hulled millet and resembles quinoa in size and texture. It kinda looks like a small version of couscous. You can buy it in the bulk section of all health food stores and many regular grocery stores are now starting to carry a packaged bag of it along side their other grains or in their gluten free section. How to Cook Millet:
Check out our Balsamic Roasted Kabocha Squash & Kale with Pan Roasted Millet recipe. Have fun experimenting with this ancient grain and keep us posted with questions or comments. ~Jennifer & Billie Anti-inflammatory is becoming a huge buzz word these days as more and more data is becoming available that inflammation is one of the driving forces behind weight loss resistance, chronic illness, heart disease, obesity, cancer, and autoimmune diseases-just to name a few. This week we've dedicated our What's That?! Wednesday post to a topic that has been my personal focus of study for the last few years...the Anti-Inflammatory Diet... What is Inflammation? Inflammation is our body's protective and healing response to injury or invasion. The type of inflammation that we all know and can relate to includes pain, swelling, redness, heat, and fever. But when inflammation persists and/or the immune system becomes 'overactive,' it can damage the body and cause illness not only acutely, but also slowly and silently over time. The main causes of inflammation in our bodies are: disease (pathogens, bacteria, virus, fungus, etc), excess adipose/fat tissue, genetics, smoking, stress, environmental toxins, and FOOD! The foods that have been shown to increase inflammatory responses include: refined carbohydrates, sugars, most processed and pre-packaged foods, trans fats, non-organic produce, grain fed animal protein, and often gluten, dairy, and soy. What Are the Benefits of an Anti-Inflammatory Diet?
What Do You Eat on an Anti-Inflammatory Diet? An anti-inflammatory eating plan places an emphasis on eating organic vegetables, healthy fat, and protein first and then incorporates some healthy carbohydrates in appropriate amounts occasionally. Specifically:
Is the Paleo Diet an Anti-Inflammatory Diet? Yes. The paleo diet is being hailed as an amazing anti-inflammatory diet, specifically suggested for weight loss and those suffering from autoimmune conditions and some chronic illnesses. While Jennifer and I both agree with many of the elements of this diet, we do not advocate going full paleo for a long period of time. Based on our research and experience with clients, we see that low-carb diets can be difficult for people to stick to and often increase cravings for sweets and carbs, especially at night. We like people to feel successful and not feel like they are being deprived. Additionally, one of the key hormones that drives energy and weight loss is cortisol and eating a low carb diet can actually increase cortisol production which keep your body in fight or flight mode. This basically instructs your body to store fat and not burn it. While the science behind the paleo diet says that your body prefers to use fat as fuel and that carbohydrates are not necessary, we've found that most people need a little bit of healthy carbohydrates to find the right balance of energy and satiety. In addition, the brain and nervous system rely entirely on carbohydrates to function, and if they have to convert them from protein or fat in the body since there is no available food source, this can lead to feelings of 'fogginess' and mental unclarity. A small amount of healthy, clean carbs helps you to stay mentally sharp. Why Choose an Anti-Inflammatory Diet - A Personal Story: As someone who has personally suffered from chronic, systemic inflammation due to Lyme disease for the last decade of my life, I cannot emphasize enough how much implementing an anti-inflammatory eating plan has improved my life. I was a yo-yo dieter for years living on "diet foods" and always thinking that the calorie counting and "eat less, exercise more" approach was the only way to look at things. As I got older and my disease progressed, I found that this strategy often left me hungry, with increased cravings for bad foods, decreased energy, increased mood swings, and increased pain and other adverse symptoms. I also found that it was tougher and tougher to maintain a healthy weight. Almost four years ago I went through a detox diet and then implemented an anti-inflammatory eating plan and within a couple of months my lifelong IBS issues went away, the extra pounds dropped off, my muscle tone and energy improved, my hormones and mood came into better balance, and I found some pain relief from my debilitating Lyme symptoms. I encourage anyone who is battling a chronic illness, especially an autoimmune condition, chronic infection, chronic allergies, or diabetes to work with a specialist to implement an anti-inflammatory eating plan. As I mentioned, I've spent much of the last several years studying and learning anti-inflammatory diet protocols and we've taken the best parts of each of those protocols and made them available to you in our Anti-Inflammatory Diet Menu. This eating plan incorporates elements of the paleo diet, the zone diet, anti-candida and digestive repair protocols, the raw diet, and general anti-inflammatory protocols. It is great for anyone who is sick of yo-yo dieting, wants to lose weight and keep it off, or is living with or trying to recover from a chronic illness or autoimmune disease. Click here to see the details of this eating plan and to get started. In Good Health! ~Billie & Jennifer 3 Big "Fat" Suggestions: Why You Should Focus on the Types of Fat You Eat & Not the Amount8/26/2014 There is a common misconception that fat is the enemy when it comes to weight loss and overall health, but in reality your body needs fat for energy, to maintain healthy cell membranes, to support a healthy immune system, to absorb essential fat soluble vitamins like A, D, E, & K, to maintain a healthy weight, and to support a variety of other everyday body functions. In fact, dozens of studies show that low-fat diets are no better for your health for most people than moderate or high fat diets, and may even be worse for many people. Scientists agree that including adequate amounts of healthy fats in your diet is monumentally important to maintaining good health. So, when it comes to including fat in your diet, we suggest you focus you on the type of fats and not the amount of fat you consume which is why we've devoted our weekly What's That?! Wednesday post to these... 3 Big "Fat" Suggestions:
Be sure to include a little fat at every meal. For example, breakfast can include a green smoothie with hemp seeds or nut butter. Try our Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie or our Chocolate Maca Chia Breakfast Pudding. Lunch can include a mixed green salad with walnut, olive oil, or flaxseed oil as part of the salad dressing and some fresh sliced avocado- try our Spring Pea Salad with Roasted Fennel and Chickpeas. For dinner, you can cook your food in coconut oil, include a high quality organic meat or wild caught seafood, or add other healthy fat ingredients like nut butters or raw nuts - try our Cucumber & Carrot Noodle Salad with Peanut Dressing, our Asian Walnut Lettuce Wraps, or our Summer Corn Fritters with Wild Smoked Salmon. Hope these big fat tips have been informative to you...as always feel free to comment below or contact us directly with questions, to work with us one on one, or just to add your thoughts. Wishing you good health! ~Billie & Jennifer Walnuts are one of the world's most powerful and easily accessible super foods. They are filled with unique anti-inflammatory benefits that not many other foods on this planet can boast. One of the reasons we love walnuts so much is that they offer the best of all worlds - healthy fats, fiber, and protein all in one bite making them a superfood that can truly stand on it's own! That's why we've dedicated this week's What's That?! Wednesday post to the our top 5 list...
Top 5 Health Benefits of Walnuts:
We recommend incorporating between 1-3 ounces of walnuts into your diet each day. 1 ounce is about 14 walnut halves or a generous 1/4 cup. Always buy ORGANIC and RAW and make sure to eat the the flaky/sometimes waxy skins because these contain much of the powerful phytonutrients we discussed above. Use them as snacks, mix them into trail mix or granola, or crumble them over your salads or soups - no matter how you incorporate them, you can't go wrong. Here are a few of our favorite recipes using walnuts as one of the main ingredients: Rosemary Chicken Salad Wraps Asian Walnut Lettuce Wraps Strawberry Mixed Green Salad with Walnut-Hemp Clusters No Bake Berry Crumble Thanks for tuning in to this week's edition of What's That?! Wednesday...we hope to catch you again next week. ~Jennifer & Billie We've all heard foodies and health practitioners alike boast about the amazing health benefits of chocolate, but when choosing chocolate, our choices these days are plentiful and it's important to understand that not all chocolate is created equal. So, in this week's edition of What's That?! Wednesday we thought we'd clear up the confusion about the difference between cacao and cocoa, besides the mixed up vowels, so that you can make more informed choices.
Cacao is raw chocolate; a nut/seed that comes from the fruit of an Amazonian tree and is THE HIGHEST ANTIOXIDANT FOOD on the planet - higher than even goji berries, acai berries, or blueberries. The cacao nut/seed is found inside the fruit of the tree in oval shaped pods that are harvested, fermented, and then dried. Raw cacao powder is made when they cold press unroasted/unheated cacao nuts/seeds. Therefore raw cacao powder or cacao nibs are uncooked, additive free, and unprocessed so they maintain the living enzymes but remove the fat/cacao butter. Cocoa powder looks the same, but it is only considered cocoa only after is has been roasted at high temperatures which can damage some of the molecular structure of the cacao nut/seed, reducing its enzyme content and lowering the overall antioxidant capabilities. In fact, antioxidant content can be measured in ORAC (oxygen radical absorbency capacity) and while raw cacao has a 95,500 ORAC value, cocoa powder has only a 26,000 ORAC value. This means you get three times more antioxidant content when you eat raw cacao vs. cocoa. The antioxidant power of cacao is widespread, but here are few key health benefits:
So next time you choose your chocolate, choose it wisely - look for cacao rich dark chocolate bars instead of milk chocolate - preferably 65-70% cacao content or higher. Or buy raw cacao powder or raw cacao nibs to use in your baked good items- try our Easy No Bake Granola Bars for a great, antioxidant rich snack. Or try our "Kick Your Cravings" Chocolate Shake to help curb your cravings while enjoying a cold, creamy snack that tastes like a dessert! FYI - We find that you can usually get a better deal for superfoods like cacao powder or cacao nibs online than in the grocery stores. We personally like this company: Navitas Naturals. You can order many of these items on Amazon or other online markets like Thrive Market as well. ~Billie & Jennifer |
Billie Shellist, FDN-P
I practice functional nutrition, an approach that allows me to look at your entire health history and help you find the "root causes" of your chronic health complaints. This cuts out the trial and error process and helps you get real symptom relief and resolution! Food is medicine and knowledge is power -I hope you enjoy my anti-inflammatory recipes which are gluten, dairy, and soy free as well as very low grain and sugar. If you'd like to heal from the root cause(s) of your chronic symptoms, try starting with a complimentary 15-minute consultation. Click here to request your free session. |