My Good friend Isabel sent me this email.
Sandra I almost can’t believe it. It’s finally happened!
My once very agreeable and easy to feed 2 year old has now, all of a sudden, has become…
A picky eater!
How can this be. What happened to that little boy who used to steal brocolli off my plate?
Up to this point, my little guy, Christian, was more than happy to eat any healthy concoction I put together for him veggies, fruits, a variety of proteins everything I ate, he would eat and was more than happy with any meal Mommy made for him.
Now, he has started to voice his opinion on different foods…and by that I mean, waving his hands over his face with a strong “NO!”
But, I’m up for the challenge. As committed as I am to feeding myself and my husband healthy food, As you know I am even more committed to feeding my children healthy food.
Here are the rules I use to prepare Christian’s food (pretty much the exact SAME rules I use for myself)
1. Include a quality protein source into every meal (this includes snacks). I always make sure to include a natural protein source to keep his blood sugar from spiking and crashing during the day. I do think that many times children have meltdowns because of low blood sugar (and other times, they are just being kids!) Christian’s favorites are eggs, meatballs, chicken (only if it’s cooked in coconut oil) and scallops (only if they are on mommy’s plate…hahaha). For snacks, I will include a few raw almonds, brazil nuts, walnuts or almond butter.
2. Include raw food several times a day. It is not necessary to go “all raw”, as some people promote, but I do think that the inclusion of 1 or 2 raw foods into each meal, with all enzymes intact, assists in the proper digestion of the whole meal. I have known some people to go an entire day only consuming cooked foods, with nothing raw in their daily meals, only to suffer from gastrointestinal distress, gas pains and bloating. Many times this can be easily resolved by just adding a few raw foods into each meal. Christian’s favorites are raw carrots and cucumbers with Celtic sea salt and olive oil. He’ll also eat cauliflower (only if it’s raw), and that’s pretty much it. I’ve tried some other veggies, only to get the furious hand wave. He loves all fruits, so he’ll usually have an apple, pear, banana or kiwi with some raw nuts for snacks.
3. Include 1 complex carb that is wheat free and gluten free. I truly believe wheat and gluten create havoc in most people’s bodies…yes, even children. I know my son will be exposed to many different foods as he gets older, but at home, I will continue to feed him (as I do myself) wheat free and gluten free options. This does NOT mean I purchase any of those “gluten free” processed foods, which are overloading the supermarket shelves these days. It does mean I include rice, quinoa, and all varieties of potatoes.
4. Include 1 or more healthy forms of fat into his meal. Most children (and most adults) are just not getting enough healthy fats or Omega 3’s every single day. Christian is a huge fan of coconut, loves avocadoes and enjoys nuts with his snacks.
It sounds like my kid is eating pretty healthy right?
Well, I gave myself a pat on the back and said, yes, my child still does enjoy a variety of healthy foods, but there is just one problem…
He will NOT eat any other veggies than the few I mentioned above. Long gone are the days of zucchini, spinach, broccoli…not even the occasional asparagus. He will start saying NO even before you’ve put these foods in front of him.
So far I have used 2 very successful strategies to “trick” him into eating his veggies.
1. Hide veggies in meatballs. My Turkey-Vegetable meatballs are a perfect example of this strategy. These are so delicious and he’ll never know there’s healthy zucchini in them.
2. I’ve started giving him 1 Athletic Greens shake each morning. I wasn’t sure that he was going to drink this, but the first time I gave it to him, he drank the entire thing and asked for “mas” (that’s more in Spanish). I put water, 1/2 tsp Athletic Greens, and 1 tsp of raw honey in his sippy cup and shook it up really well. I told myself ahead of time that if he didn’t drink it, I would then take that mixture and put it in a blender with a banana…but that wasn’t necessary. He loved it.
Athletic Greens is really just “real food” in powder form which is why I feel 100% safe giving it to my son and drinking it myself every day. It has often been called “nutritional insurance”… exactly why I give it to Christian every day…because with his pickiness around veggies, I want to ensure that he’s getting all necessary vitamins and minerals every day. The added benefit is that he is also getting healthy probiotics and digestive enzymes.
Tuesday 6 December 2011
Sunday 27 November 2011
Foods to Avoid in Your Healthy Meals to Lose Weight
You all know that people tend to get excited about many things, but I have yet to meet anyone who’s thrilled about being overweight.
However, I've met people who are sick of the up and down roller coaster of so-called healthy meal plans for weight loss. Rather than dealing with more disappointments, most of these people just resign themselves to believe that being big is inevitable for them, that its part of their genetic make up.
Throw your hands in surrender after deciding to spend the rest of your life being overweight is not a realistic choice of a lifestyle. A decision like this can knock your self esteem to the ground and knock years of your life. So Come on, you owe it to yourself and your family and friends to have much more than that.
When you realise there is no magic formula for losing weight - if there were, everyone and their mother would have been fine. The best way to achieve weight loss success is to know what kind of foods to keep away from your diet.
Say "no" to processed foods
Obviously processed foods are cheap, packed with junk ingredients, convenient and easy to prepare. Sadly, these foods are generally bad for your health. Of course, you’d never know this by watching those hyped up television ads. Since processed food manufacturers aren’t going to give you the low down on the ingredients they use in processed foods, I’m going to do it for them.
Let’s start with trans fat. This nasty ingredient lowers good cholesterol, raises bad cholesterol, and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Considering heart disease is one of the leading killers of both men and women, trans fat is one ingredient you want to steer well clear of.
If you’re wondering where that double chin came from, the high fructose corn syrup used in some of your favorite processed foods may be partially to blame. This ingredient has been getting a lot of press lately because it is believed to be a major player in the rising obesity epidemic.
Don’t even get me started on the chemicals that manufacturer's use in processed foods. If I tried to name some of these chemicals, I’d be tongue tied for days. Anyway, you’d probably think I was reading the label on a can of insect repellant spray instead of the ingredients in your favorite fast meal.
Get rid of Sugar
The average person consumes about 150 pounds of sugar per year. When you think about the fact that sugar is in almost everything these days, it’s easy to eat tons of this stuff without even realizing it. So what’s all the fuss about? There isn’t enough time in the day for me to tell you about all the damage sugar can do to your health. However, I can give you a quick rundown.
Sugar contains nothing but empty calories. When you eat this stuff, a large portion of it gets stored in the body as fat. If your goal is to slim down, being heavy-handed with the sugar isn’t going to help. This is not even the worst of it. Sugar can also depress the immune system, feed cancer cells, cause bacterial and fungal overgrowth, contribute to heart disease, raise your risk of osteoporosis and make you look ill.
Artificial Sweeteners have to go
Before you run out and stock your fridge with a bunch of those zero-calorie diet drinks, there’s something you should know. The artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks and other low-calorie products are lab-created. Yes. You heard me right – mixed up in a lab like something out of a Frankenstein movie.
These chemical sweeteners can cause or contribute to a laundry list of neuropsychiatric disorders and chronic illnesses – depression, anxiety, migraines, mood changes, panic attacks, fatigue, vertigo, memory loss, Alzheimer’s, brain tumors – should I go on? And if you think you’re going to shed a couple of pounds using artificial sweeteners, think again. These sweeteners stimulate your appetite and make you eat more food.
When you’ve tried diet after diet and not one of them delivers results, it can certainly make you want to give up. But you owe it to yourself and to your family to live the healthiest life possible. Processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners are the main culprits when it comes to weight gain. When you get rid of these foods from your diet, you give yourself a fighting chance to improve your weight loss.
However, I've met people who are sick of the up and down roller coaster of so-called healthy meal plans for weight loss. Rather than dealing with more disappointments, most of these people just resign themselves to believe that being big is inevitable for them, that its part of their genetic make up.
Throw your hands in surrender after deciding to spend the rest of your life being overweight is not a realistic choice of a lifestyle. A decision like this can knock your self esteem to the ground and knock years of your life. So Come on, you owe it to yourself and your family and friends to have much more than that.
When you realise there is no magic formula for losing weight - if there were, everyone and their mother would have been fine. The best way to achieve weight loss success is to know what kind of foods to keep away from your diet.
Say "no" to processed foods
Obviously processed foods are cheap, packed with junk ingredients, convenient and easy to prepare. Sadly, these foods are generally bad for your health. Of course, you’d never know this by watching those hyped up television ads. Since processed food manufacturers aren’t going to give you the low down on the ingredients they use in processed foods, I’m going to do it for them.
Let’s start with trans fat. This nasty ingredient lowers good cholesterol, raises bad cholesterol, and can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Considering heart disease is one of the leading killers of both men and women, trans fat is one ingredient you want to steer well clear of.
If you’re wondering where that double chin came from, the high fructose corn syrup used in some of your favorite processed foods may be partially to blame. This ingredient has been getting a lot of press lately because it is believed to be a major player in the rising obesity epidemic.
Don’t even get me started on the chemicals that manufacturer's use in processed foods. If I tried to name some of these chemicals, I’d be tongue tied for days. Anyway, you’d probably think I was reading the label on a can of insect repellant spray instead of the ingredients in your favorite fast meal.
Get rid of Sugar
The average person consumes about 150 pounds of sugar per year. When you think about the fact that sugar is in almost everything these days, it’s easy to eat tons of this stuff without even realizing it. So what’s all the fuss about? There isn’t enough time in the day for me to tell you about all the damage sugar can do to your health. However, I can give you a quick rundown.
Sugar contains nothing but empty calories. When you eat this stuff, a large portion of it gets stored in the body as fat. If your goal is to slim down, being heavy-handed with the sugar isn’t going to help. This is not even the worst of it. Sugar can also depress the immune system, feed cancer cells, cause bacterial and fungal overgrowth, contribute to heart disease, raise your risk of osteoporosis and make you look ill.
Artificial Sweeteners have to go
Before you run out and stock your fridge with a bunch of those zero-calorie diet drinks, there’s something you should know. The artificial sweeteners used in diet drinks and other low-calorie products are lab-created. Yes. You heard me right – mixed up in a lab like something out of a Frankenstein movie.
These chemical sweeteners can cause or contribute to a laundry list of neuropsychiatric disorders and chronic illnesses – depression, anxiety, migraines, mood changes, panic attacks, fatigue, vertigo, memory loss, Alzheimer’s, brain tumors – should I go on? And if you think you’re going to shed a couple of pounds using artificial sweeteners, think again. These sweeteners stimulate your appetite and make you eat more food.
When you’ve tried diet after diet and not one of them delivers results, it can certainly make you want to give up. But you owe it to yourself and to your family to live the healthiest life possible. Processed foods, sugar and artificial sweeteners are the main culprits when it comes to weight gain. When you get rid of these foods from your diet, you give yourself a fighting chance to improve your weight loss.
Wednesday 20 July 2011
Effective Whey Protein Weight Loss Support - USDA Report
ProHealth.com
July 16, 2011
Why do weight-loss results of high protein diets vary? Not all protein is created equal, according to a new, rigorously controlled Agricultural Research Service trial. Specifically, whey protein (from milk) looks like a winner in terms of weight loss & body fat-to-muscle ratio, even when calories are not reduced.
With nearly 68% of American adults either overweight or obese, finding ways to help people lose excess pounds is a national priority. Though the most obvious advice is to eat less and exercise more, this long-standing recommendation has proven unsuccessful for the lion's share of the population struggling to maintain a healthy body weight.
An alternative approach is to help people focus on consuming specific foods that promote weight loss. Some studies have suggested that high-protein foods might function in this capacity, although the data are conflicting.
Scientists speculate that there are several reasons for these inconsistencies, including the type of protein used (animal vs. plant).
A Six-Month Comparison
To better understand the relation between protein intake and weight loss, researchers with the Agricultural Research Service - the principal scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - recently conducted a rigorously-controlled human intervention trial comparing milk proteins (whey) vs. soy proteins in overweight and obese adults.
Their paper, published in the Aug 2011 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, reports Whey protein but not soy protein supplementation alters body weight and composition in free-living overweight and obese adults.
Pounds and Fat Lost Even Without Calorie Reductions
Subjects (n = 73) were relatively healthy, other than having a body mass index (BMI) between 28 and 38 kg/m2. As a point of reference, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers BMIs between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 as signifying overweight; BMI values above this level are indicative of obesity.
For 23 weeks, participants consumed either:
• Whey (milk) protein (about 104 g protein),
• Soy protein (about 104 g protein),
• Or carbohydrate supplements.
All supplements provided 400 kcal/day. Overall dietary intake was assessed every 10 days, and sensations of satiety and hunger were monitored daily. Prior to the start of the intervention and then monthly thereafter, body weight and composition were measured; fasting blood samples were also collected.
There was no effect of dietary treatment on overall caloric intake. Similarly, dietary treatment did not influence hunger, desire to eat, or the feeling of stomach fullness.
Nonetheless, by the end of the study:
• Body weight of the group consuming the whey protein was significantly (2%) lower than that of the group consuming the carbohydrate treatment.
• Moreover, body fat mass was 2.3 kg (about 5 lb) lower in the whey protein group compared to the carbohydrate group.
These beneficial effects were not seen in subjects consuming the soy protein supplement.
Whey Protein Reduced ‘Hunger Hormone’
Consumption of the whey protein (but not soy protein) also resulted in lower circulating concentrations of ghrelin, a stomach-derived hormone thought to stimulate hunger.
Both groups consuming protein supplements exhibited lower fasting insulin concentrations when compared to that assigned to the carbohydrate treatment.
The researchers concluded that different sources of dietary protein may differentially facilitate weight loss and affect body composition.
They also suggested that dietary recommendations related to weight loss, especially those that emphasize the role of protein, consider the source of the protein in helping meet weight-loss goals.
Source: Journal of Nutrition media alert, Jul 14, 2011.
Footnote: This subject is mentioned in on of my other posts The surprising truth about protein powders.
July 16, 2011
Why do weight-loss results of high protein diets vary? Not all protein is created equal, according to a new, rigorously controlled Agricultural Research Service trial. Specifically, whey protein (from milk) looks like a winner in terms of weight loss & body fat-to-muscle ratio, even when calories are not reduced.
With nearly 68% of American adults either overweight or obese, finding ways to help people lose excess pounds is a national priority. Though the most obvious advice is to eat less and exercise more, this long-standing recommendation has proven unsuccessful for the lion's share of the population struggling to maintain a healthy body weight.
An alternative approach is to help people focus on consuming specific foods that promote weight loss. Some studies have suggested that high-protein foods might function in this capacity, although the data are conflicting.
Scientists speculate that there are several reasons for these inconsistencies, including the type of protein used (animal vs. plant).
A Six-Month Comparison
To better understand the relation between protein intake and weight loss, researchers with the Agricultural Research Service - the principal scientific research agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) - recently conducted a rigorously-controlled human intervention trial comparing milk proteins (whey) vs. soy proteins in overweight and obese adults.
Their paper, published in the Aug 2011 issue of The Journal of Nutrition, reports Whey protein but not soy protein supplementation alters body weight and composition in free-living overweight and obese adults.
Pounds and Fat Lost Even Without Calorie Reductions
Subjects (n = 73) were relatively healthy, other than having a body mass index (BMI) between 28 and 38 kg/m2. As a point of reference, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) considers BMIs between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2 as signifying overweight; BMI values above this level are indicative of obesity.
For 23 weeks, participants consumed either:
• Whey (milk) protein (about 104 g protein),
• Soy protein (about 104 g protein),
• Or carbohydrate supplements.
All supplements provided 400 kcal/day. Overall dietary intake was assessed every 10 days, and sensations of satiety and hunger were monitored daily. Prior to the start of the intervention and then monthly thereafter, body weight and composition were measured; fasting blood samples were also collected.
There was no effect of dietary treatment on overall caloric intake. Similarly, dietary treatment did not influence hunger, desire to eat, or the feeling of stomach fullness.
Nonetheless, by the end of the study:
• Body weight of the group consuming the whey protein was significantly (2%) lower than that of the group consuming the carbohydrate treatment.
• Moreover, body fat mass was 2.3 kg (about 5 lb) lower in the whey protein group compared to the carbohydrate group.
These beneficial effects were not seen in subjects consuming the soy protein supplement.
Whey Protein Reduced ‘Hunger Hormone’
Consumption of the whey protein (but not soy protein) also resulted in lower circulating concentrations of ghrelin, a stomach-derived hormone thought to stimulate hunger.
Both groups consuming protein supplements exhibited lower fasting insulin concentrations when compared to that assigned to the carbohydrate treatment.
The researchers concluded that different sources of dietary protein may differentially facilitate weight loss and affect body composition.
They also suggested that dietary recommendations related to weight loss, especially those that emphasize the role of protein, consider the source of the protein in helping meet weight-loss goals.
Source: Journal of Nutrition media alert, Jul 14, 2011.
Footnote: This subject is mentioned in on of my other posts The surprising truth about protein powders.
Wednesday 13 July 2011
A good principle that can literally change your lifestyle
Commit yourself to lifelong learning.
You've heard the saying Read, read and when you’re done reading, read some more.
You're probably thinking by now, how could something like reading have affected my weight loss so dramatically? If I would have stopped so feverishly researching and reading all of the latest and most up to date nutritional information that I did, while I was on my own personal weight loss journey.
I would not have found all of the incredibly helpful information about fat loss that I am able to share with you today.
Actually, since those days I have never stopped continuously reading and researching because there is always new nutrition information becoming available every day.
Some of it may be good, some may be bad, but I have made it a lifelong commitment to help as many people as possible to change the direction of their health, and their weight and in order to do that, I have to keep up with all the latest and most up to date information.
Now I know with so much information out there, it can sometimes become overwhelming. That’s why I focus my reading efforts on a few trusted sources that I really enjoy and know are just as passionate about nutrition as I am.
One of those trusted authors is my good friend Mike Geary, he is author of the popular The Truth About Abs program. I think most of you would agree that his articles are jam packed full of useful information and tips (not to mention tons of delicious recipes that are perfect for our healthy way of eating).
Today I want to share with you 2 of those great articles. The first is a definite “eye opener” and an article that may completely change the way you look at fat loss.
Excess Abdominal Fat is Extremely Dangerous –
Details Here
The second is a delicious chocolate pudding recipe that I’ve made several times and have passed on the recipe to family members and friends.
Healthy Chocolate Pudding – Recipe Here
You've heard the saying Read, read and when you’re done reading, read some more.
You're probably thinking by now, how could something like reading have affected my weight loss so dramatically? If I would have stopped so feverishly researching and reading all of the latest and most up to date nutritional information that I did, while I was on my own personal weight loss journey.
I would not have found all of the incredibly helpful information about fat loss that I am able to share with you today.
Actually, since those days I have never stopped continuously reading and researching because there is always new nutrition information becoming available every day.
Some of it may be good, some may be bad, but I have made it a lifelong commitment to help as many people as possible to change the direction of their health, and their weight and in order to do that, I have to keep up with all the latest and most up to date information.
Now I know with so much information out there, it can sometimes become overwhelming. That’s why I focus my reading efforts on a few trusted sources that I really enjoy and know are just as passionate about nutrition as I am.
One of those trusted authors is my good friend Mike Geary, he is author of the popular The Truth About Abs program. I think most of you would agree that his articles are jam packed full of useful information and tips (not to mention tons of delicious recipes that are perfect for our healthy way of eating).
Today I want to share with you 2 of those great articles. The first is a definite “eye opener” and an article that may completely change the way you look at fat loss.
Excess Abdominal Fat is Extremely Dangerous –
Details Here
The second is a delicious chocolate pudding recipe that I’ve made several times and have passed on the recipe to family members and friends.
Healthy Chocolate Pudding – Recipe Here
Tuesday 12 April 2011
3 Recipe Tips...make any meal a fat burning meal
Here is a message that my good friend Isabel sent me a few days ago. Its about really good alternative to three common cooking issues.
I’ve got 3 quick and easy tips that I use almost daily to make any recipe into a healthy and fat burning meal. You see, many times the recipes I find and want to try are not exactly as I would like them, so they take a bit of tweaking from me in order to get them to contain only healthy ingredients and still taste great.
Here are the 3 most common issues I run into when trying out new recipes:
The cooking oil is a BAD choice. I hate to ever call any food “bad”, but there are many oils which I stay away from at all costs. Oils like canola oil and vegetable oil are really just toxic to your body and can be extremely detrimental to your health and weight loss efforts (please refer back to the FATS chapter of your manual for a more detailed discussion of healthy oils). I always replace the canola oil and /or vegetable oil in any recipe with coconut oil or butter to cook with.
First, take a look at the ingredients list and decide which oil would be a better fit for that particular recipe. I use coconut oil to cook stir fries, eggs and most meats and use butter to cook veggies and for any recipe that contains a grain (quinoa, rice or millet recipes). I don’t usually use olive oil to cook with unless I am cooking at a very low temperature (the lowest setting on my stove top) because olive oil’s healthy properties are better maintained if it is not heated.
Coconut oil and butter are always better to cook with.
If the recipe calls for breadcrumbs. Most breadcrumbs are made from processed white bread and contain high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (yes, in bread crumbs!) I choose to make my own from Ezekiel bread, rice bread or spelt bread. I place 10 pieces of bread in a 250 degree Farenheit oven. You’ll get the best results if you put the bread right on the oven racks. Leave them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Once cooled, place all the bread in a food processor until fine. Then you can add any seasoning you like and have fresh, delicious bread crumbs that you can use in any recipe.
The recipe calls for milk. This one is an easy solution... I always use coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk. Coconut milk is my favorite and I’ve used it in mashed potatoes, smoothies, and in baking, all with great success. Making your own coconut milk is best, but I buy canned coconut milk, since the ones in the refrigerator section all contain a long list of ingredients I can’t pronounce. Make sure the ingredients list on your coconut milk is as short as possible and the first 2 ingredients are organic coconut milk and water (no sugar or preservatives added).
Those 3 tips seem to help me the most often and have helped me modify some really incredible recipes that my family really loves.
As I mentioned yesterday, I did get my hands on, what I think, is a wonderful series of cookbooks that are a perfect complement to your healthy weight loss meal plans. It’s not very often that I get a cookbook that is almost 100% aligned with my own healthy way of eating, so when I do, I love to share that information with you.
Check them out here ---> Click Here! - The Metabolic Cookbooks
Here is a post we received from a satisfied reader who is also loving Dave Ruel's cookbooks as much as I am.
"After a quick look through the various files that downloaded, I am impressed. First, let me say that Isabelle has promised to send us with a copy of the receipt for the books, a help sheet to modify this and other cookbooks so that they more closely hit the DSP guidelines. We will need it if we have any doubts about what parts of the recipes don't meet the mark. Other than that (and it is not a problem with Isabel's "fix"), the books look good to me.
I want to try several recipes immediately. What I really love is the navigation within the cookbooks. Its So EASY! Just Click on the page number or the title in the Table of Contents and you are then transported to the recipe. Click at the bottom of the ingredients list and you're taken right back to the Table of Contents. Macronutrients are always listed (a great BIG plus for all those who like to know exactly what we are putting on our plates), and the recipes can actually be chosen from the Table of Contents with just the combination of macronutrients you are looking for. Want a protein and carb combination? It is in the ToC under that category!
Well organized and easy navigation. Also, it appears that each recipe will print out on a single page. I never like a printout to go to the second page when I am cooking from it (too easy to miss something important on the second page the second or third time I do a read through while executing the directions).
There are several different cookbooks; e.g., Breakfast, Sides, Red Meat, etc. I plan on using them and from what I could tell by the reading of them, I also plan to enjoy the tasty meals I will cook from them."
~Sharon B from Lakeland, FL
Click Here! See what Sharon is talking about with Dave’s Cookbooks here!
My friend Isabel De Los Rios who is a Certified Nutritionist and Certified Exercise Specialist is the author of The Diet Solution Program.
I’ve got 3 quick and easy tips that I use almost daily to make any recipe into a healthy and fat burning meal. You see, many times the recipes I find and want to try are not exactly as I would like them, so they take a bit of tweaking from me in order to get them to contain only healthy ingredients and still taste great.
Here are the 3 most common issues I run into when trying out new recipes:
The cooking oil is a BAD choice. I hate to ever call any food “bad”, but there are many oils which I stay away from at all costs. Oils like canola oil and vegetable oil are really just toxic to your body and can be extremely detrimental to your health and weight loss efforts (please refer back to the FATS chapter of your manual for a more detailed discussion of healthy oils). I always replace the canola oil and /or vegetable oil in any recipe with coconut oil or butter to cook with.
First, take a look at the ingredients list and decide which oil would be a better fit for that particular recipe. I use coconut oil to cook stir fries, eggs and most meats and use butter to cook veggies and for any recipe that contains a grain (quinoa, rice or millet recipes). I don’t usually use olive oil to cook with unless I am cooking at a very low temperature (the lowest setting on my stove top) because olive oil’s healthy properties are better maintained if it is not heated.
Coconut oil and butter are always better to cook with.
If the recipe calls for breadcrumbs. Most breadcrumbs are made from processed white bread and contain high fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils (yes, in bread crumbs!) I choose to make my own from Ezekiel bread, rice bread or spelt bread. I place 10 pieces of bread in a 250 degree Farenheit oven. You’ll get the best results if you put the bread right on the oven racks. Leave them in the oven for approximately 30 minutes until they’re golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool. Once cooled, place all the bread in a food processor until fine. Then you can add any seasoning you like and have fresh, delicious bread crumbs that you can use in any recipe.
The recipe calls for milk. This one is an easy solution... I always use coconut milk or unsweetened almond milk. Coconut milk is my favorite and I’ve used it in mashed potatoes, smoothies, and in baking, all with great success. Making your own coconut milk is best, but I buy canned coconut milk, since the ones in the refrigerator section all contain a long list of ingredients I can’t pronounce. Make sure the ingredients list on your coconut milk is as short as possible and the first 2 ingredients are organic coconut milk and water (no sugar or preservatives added).
Those 3 tips seem to help me the most often and have helped me modify some really incredible recipes that my family really loves.
As I mentioned yesterday, I did get my hands on, what I think, is a wonderful series of cookbooks that are a perfect complement to your healthy weight loss meal plans. It’s not very often that I get a cookbook that is almost 100% aligned with my own healthy way of eating, so when I do, I love to share that information with you.
Check them out here ---> Click Here! - The Metabolic Cookbooks
Here is a post we received from a satisfied reader who is also loving Dave Ruel's cookbooks as much as I am.
"After a quick look through the various files that downloaded, I am impressed. First, let me say that Isabelle has promised to send us with a copy of the receipt for the books, a help sheet to modify this and other cookbooks so that they more closely hit the DSP guidelines. We will need it if we have any doubts about what parts of the recipes don't meet the mark. Other than that (and it is not a problem with Isabel's "fix"), the books look good to me.
I want to try several recipes immediately. What I really love is the navigation within the cookbooks. Its So EASY! Just Click on the page number or the title in the Table of Contents and you are then transported to the recipe. Click at the bottom of the ingredients list and you're taken right back to the Table of Contents. Macronutrients are always listed (a great BIG plus for all those who like to know exactly what we are putting on our plates), and the recipes can actually be chosen from the Table of Contents with just the combination of macronutrients you are looking for. Want a protein and carb combination? It is in the ToC under that category!
Well organized and easy navigation. Also, it appears that each recipe will print out on a single page. I never like a printout to go to the second page when I am cooking from it (too easy to miss something important on the second page the second or third time I do a read through while executing the directions).
There are several different cookbooks; e.g., Breakfast, Sides, Red Meat, etc. I plan on using them and from what I could tell by the reading of them, I also plan to enjoy the tasty meals I will cook from them."
~Sharon B from Lakeland, FL
Click Here! See what Sharon is talking about with Dave’s Cookbooks here!
My friend Isabel De Los Rios who is a Certified Nutritionist and Certified Exercise Specialist is the author of The Diet Solution Program.
Monday 11 April 2011
Two yummy recipes with minimal ingredients.
Food Recipes have been my hot topic of the week recently, and is one of the most favorite things I love to talk about. I really love trying new and creative ways to keep my meals fresh, delicious and interesting, and of course I enjoy passing on that information to all of you.
Today I’ve got 2 fantastic recipes for you, whose claim to fame is going to be “delicious with minimal ingredients”. The first is my all new favorite pregnancy snack (and, NO, you don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy it), and the second is a recipe I have all set to make this evening as a treat for my family.
In my search for new and creative recipes, I actually chose these two because they have very few ingredients and are super quick to put together while still being delicious (of course!).
As many of you have realized by now, I really LOVE trying new foods, and finding new ways to make meals tasty while still fitting into my healthy way of eating. I also got very much into cooking, once my son started getting older because I realize that if I want him to continue to eat healthy, it’s really up to me to make his food YUMMY. This is also true for adults who want to continue to keep a healthy way of eating…if your food tastes good, a healthy way of eating is easy to follow. If your food tastes bad, well, then you know what’s going to happen…frustration, abandonment and a possible quick trip to the closest fast food joint.
These 2 recipes came straight out of Dave Ruel’s Metabolic Cooking cookbooks. His cookbooks are really great and you’ll see below that his recipes are a great complement to our principles of healthy eating.
Without further ado, here are 2 great recipes for you to try this weekend:
Apple No-Crisp (1 of my new favorite snacks!)
INGREDIENTS - RECIPE MAKES 1 SERVING
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 apple, sliced or diced
• Pinch of stevia
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, stir well and enjoy!
LEMON-HERB STUFFED SALMON
(I picked this one because it sounds delicious)
INGREDIENTS - RECIPE MAKES 2 SERVINGS
• 2 salmon fillets (4 oz each)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 scallion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Make a horizontal cut in the salmon fillets, for 2/3 of the fillet’s length.
2. Lay the salmon on a baking dish (I prefer a glass dish for fish).
3. Stuff the salmon (in the horizontal cut) with lemon slices.
Do the same with the scallion.
4. Mix together the two herbs and stuff them into the salmon as well.
5. Bake the fillets for 15 minutes.
Today I’ve got 2 fantastic recipes for you, whose claim to fame is going to be “delicious with minimal ingredients”. The first is my all new favorite pregnancy snack (and, NO, you don’t have to be pregnant to enjoy it), and the second is a recipe I have all set to make this evening as a treat for my family.
In my search for new and creative recipes, I actually chose these two because they have very few ingredients and are super quick to put together while still being delicious (of course!).
As many of you have realized by now, I really LOVE trying new foods, and finding new ways to make meals tasty while still fitting into my healthy way of eating. I also got very much into cooking, once my son started getting older because I realize that if I want him to continue to eat healthy, it’s really up to me to make his food YUMMY. This is also true for adults who want to continue to keep a healthy way of eating…if your food tastes good, a healthy way of eating is easy to follow. If your food tastes bad, well, then you know what’s going to happen…frustration, abandonment and a possible quick trip to the closest fast food joint.
These 2 recipes came straight out of Dave Ruel’s Metabolic Cooking cookbooks. His cookbooks are really great and you’ll see below that his recipes are a great complement to our principles of healthy eating.
Without further ado, here are 2 great recipes for you to try this weekend:
Apple No-Crisp (1 of my new favorite snacks!)
INGREDIENTS - RECIPE MAKES 1 SERVING
• ¾ cup Greek yogurt
• 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
• 1 apple, sliced or diced
• Pinch of stevia
• Pinch of cinnamon
• Pinch of nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl, stir well and enjoy!
LEMON-HERB STUFFED SALMON
(I picked this one because it sounds delicious)
INGREDIENTS - RECIPE MAKES 2 SERVINGS
• 2 salmon fillets (4 oz each)
• 1 lemon, thinly sliced
• 1 scallion, sliced
• 1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves, minced
• 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat the oven to 425F. Make a horizontal cut in the salmon fillets, for 2/3 of the fillet’s length.
2. Lay the salmon on a baking dish (I prefer a glass dish for fish).
3. Stuff the salmon (in the horizontal cut) with lemon slices.
Do the same with the scallion.
4. Mix together the two herbs and stuff them into the salmon as well.
5. Bake the fillets for 15 minutes.
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