http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/07/11/137761077/vitamin-e-pills-may-raise-not-lower-prostate-cancer-risk
Hmmm.... maybe vitamin supplements aren't the answer.
I've never been a huge fan of taking supplements because it somehow validates a crappy diet - as long as you're getting your vitamins, who cares what you're actually eating, right? Or, if you believe all the health claims that vitamin A supplements will improve night vision or vitamin D supplements will help your osteoporosis or vitamin X supplements will decrease risk of cancer or kidney disease or a heart attack... the fact is, all of these vitamins are present in FOOD!! Real food, that comes from the ground, that is nourished by the Earth's soil, and that nourishes us full-circle. We've survived very well without vitamin supplements for centuries.
As long as you're eating a variety of fruits and veggies, legumes, a little meat or milk or cheese, and whole grains, you don't need that extra 1500% DV of iron, or 560% DV of magnesium or 250% DV of selenium that comes in a little pill. Not to mention, ingesting such high amounts of some nutrients can have adverse effects on your health - this article relays a perfect example.
Now, I'm not fully condemning vitamin supplements. I know there are health conditions requiring vitamin supplements. I'm simply saying that it's probably overkill to be taking a daily multi-vitamin if you're already a healthy individual. Chances are, the vitamins are only making your pee expensive - and keep in mind, the fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K) are stored in your liver and other places in your body. An excessive amount of these vitamins can cause serious health problems (Vitamin A overdose can be harmful to bones and skin, vitamin E overdose can cause diarrhea and vomiting).
Just some food for thought!
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Friday, October 14, 2011
My plans for tonight involve squash.
Tonight will be a cold, dreary October evening and I'll be spending it in my warm kitchen (standing next to the oven, with some Witches Brew). Our garden is teeming with squash - acorn and butternut - and they're quickly piling up on our counter. I'll be trying this recipe I stumbled across from my new favorite food blog, Smitten Kitchen!
Spicy squash salad with lentils and goat cheese
Ingredients:
3/4 cup black or green lentils (I'm using red lentils, because that's what we have in our house at the moment)
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (1-inch cubes) (from about a 2-pound squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika, or combo of paprika and chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Toss squash cubes with 2 tbsp oil, cumin, paprika, and salt. Arrange on a baking sheet, single layered. Roast for 20 minutes, stir thoroughly, and roast an additional 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
Soak lentils for 10 minutes in a small bowl, and drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water for about 30 minutes (until tender but firm). Rinse with cold water, drain, and let cool.
Combine lentils and squash with arugula, half the goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar if desired. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top as garnish.
The deep orange hue of winter squash clues you into its vitamin A abundance (among other healthy stuff). At a meager 82 calories per serving, squash packs a mean punch with 457% of your daily value of vitamin A. It also gives you 52% DV of vitamin C and lots of iron, potassium, and manganese:
Iron: Helps distribute oxygen all over your body. Keeps you awake and alert and helps regulate your body temperature.
Potassium: Decreases your risk of stroke, heart and kidney disease, hypertension, and helps to keep a normal water balance in your body.
Manganese: Ensures healthy bone structure and bone metabolism. Helps to absorb calcium into the body.
Stay warm this weekend! And dare I say it............. GO GREEN!
Spicy squash salad with lentils and goat cheese
Ingredients:
3/4 cup black or green lentils (I'm using red lentils, because that's what we have in our house at the moment)
6 cups peeled, seeded and cubed butternut squash (1-inch cubes) (from about a 2-pound squash)
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika, or combo of paprika and chipotle powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
4 cups baby arugula
1 cup soft crumbled goat cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar, plus additional to taste
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Toss squash cubes with 2 tbsp oil, cumin, paprika, and salt. Arrange on a baking sheet, single layered. Roast for 20 minutes, stir thoroughly, and roast an additional 10-15 minutes. Let cool.
Soak lentils for 10 minutes in a small bowl, and drain. Cook lentils in boiling salted water for about 30 minutes (until tender but firm). Rinse with cold water, drain, and let cool.
Combine lentils and squash with arugula, half the goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tbsp oil. Season with salt, pepper, and more vinegar if desired. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top as garnish.
The deep orange hue of winter squash clues you into its vitamin A abundance (among other healthy stuff). At a meager 82 calories per serving, squash packs a mean punch with 457% of your daily value of vitamin A. It also gives you 52% DV of vitamin C and lots of iron, potassium, and manganese:
Iron: Helps distribute oxygen all over your body. Keeps you awake and alert and helps regulate your body temperature.
Potassium: Decreases your risk of stroke, heart and kidney disease, hypertension, and helps to keep a normal water balance in your body.
Manganese: Ensures healthy bone structure and bone metabolism. Helps to absorb calcium into the body.
Stay warm this weekend! And dare I say it............. GO GREEN!
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Apple-slauce
Apples, apples, everywhere! This weekend I went to Robinettes Apple Orchard in Grand Rapids and found myself with a bag of beautiful, freshly picked McIntosh apples. Now, I know that "an apple a day keeps the doctore away", but I'll admit that I'm not one of those gals that will eat an apple every day. So I made a big batch of homemade cinnamon applesauce instead. Let me just say...... YUM.
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Ingredients:
3 lbs apples of any variety (about 10 medium sized apples), cored and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, depending on your taste)
Directions:
Add apple pieces, water, and brown sugar to a large saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and reduce heat to a simmer for about 25 minutes, or until apples are soft. Uncover and bring heat up a bit to evaporate some water (about 6 minutes). Turn heat off, mash the apples to make an applesaucy texture with a potato masher or a fork, and add lemon juice and cinnamon. Stir well and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
*Note - I left the skins of the apples on. It adds lots of extra fiber and nutrients, and gives the applesauce a little crunch. If you prefer a smoother applesauce, peel the apples before you core and chop them.
Homemade Cinnamon Applesauce
Ingredients:
3 lbs apples of any variety (about 10 medium sized apples), cored and chopped into 3/4-inch pieces
1 cup water
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (or more, depending on your taste)
Directions:
Add apple pieces, water, and brown sugar to a large saucepan. Stir well and bring to a boil. Cover the saucepan and reduce heat to a simmer for about 25 minutes, or until apples are soft. Uncover and bring heat up a bit to evaporate some water (about 6 minutes). Turn heat off, mash the apples to make an applesaucy texture with a potato masher or a fork, and add lemon juice and cinnamon. Stir well and let cool for 30 minutes before serving.
*Note - I left the skins of the apples on. It adds lots of extra fiber and nutrients, and gives the applesauce a little crunch. If you prefer a smoother applesauce, peel the apples before you core and chop them.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Carrot Pumpkin Bread
Happy Friday to all!
What a cold, rainy week we've had. I don't know about you, but I kind of enjoyed it. Apart from the rain hindering my daily runs... something about the wet grey days makes me want to curl up with a book or get busy in the kitchen. We're entering the days of autumnal/orange produce... squash, pumpkin, carrots... so I figured I should make some Carrot Pumpkin Muffins, a recipe I got from the South Lansing Farmers Market this weekend. Unfortunately, after rummaging through our cupboards for a while, there were no muffin tins to be found. So, I tweaked the recipe a bit, found a loaf pan, and made...
Carrot Pumpkin Oat Walnut (and a few chocolate chips) Bread
**Keep in mind that I added ingredients that I had laying around my kitchen. Feel free to add or subtract anything you'd like in this bread... you can get creative! Also, if you have muffin tins, this recipe makes 12 muffins (bake muffins for 10-14 minutes)**
Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin puree
3 medium carrots, shredded
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup oats
a few dark chocolate chips (literally, about 8 chocolate chips because that's all I had)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat OR all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 deg F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs and oil. Mix well and add carrots, walnuts, oats and chocolate chips.
In another medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir the dry mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Mix thoroughly, and pour into a greased 9x3x2 loaf pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
By the way, I'm honored to have been mentioned in the Lansing State Journal this week for my favorite fall food (another orange one!), Pumpkin Corn Chowder. Check it out: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/99999999/LIFE05/309230026/Healthy-Meals-Recipe-Pumpkin-Corn-Chowder?odyssey=mod
What a cold, rainy week we've had. I don't know about you, but I kind of enjoyed it. Apart from the rain hindering my daily runs... something about the wet grey days makes me want to curl up with a book or get busy in the kitchen. We're entering the days of autumnal/orange produce... squash, pumpkin, carrots... so I figured I should make some Carrot Pumpkin Muffins, a recipe I got from the South Lansing Farmers Market this weekend. Unfortunately, after rummaging through our cupboards for a while, there were no muffin tins to be found. So, I tweaked the recipe a bit, found a loaf pan, and made...
Carrot Pumpkin Oat Walnut (and a few chocolate chips) Bread
**Keep in mind that I added ingredients that I had laying around my kitchen. Feel free to add or subtract anything you'd like in this bread... you can get creative! Also, if you have muffin tins, this recipe makes 12 muffins (bake muffins for 10-14 minutes)**
Ingredients:
1 can pumpkin puree
3 medium carrots, shredded
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
4 tbsp vegetable oil
3/4 cup walnuts, chopped
3/4 cup oats
a few dark chocolate chips (literally, about 8 chocolate chips because that's all I had)
1 1/2 cup whole wheat OR all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp baking powder
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 deg F. In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, brown sugar, eggs and oil. Mix well and add carrots, walnuts, oats and chocolate chips.
In another medium bowl, mix together flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and baking powder.
Stir the dry mixture into the pumpkin mixture. Mix thoroughly, and pour into a greased 9x3x2 loaf pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
By the way, I'm honored to have been mentioned in the Lansing State Journal this week for my favorite fall food (another orange one!), Pumpkin Corn Chowder. Check it out: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/99999999/LIFE05/309230026/Healthy-Meals-Recipe-Pumpkin-Corn-Chowder?odyssey=mod
Thursday, September 22, 2011
1 yummy way to use up your wilting greens
My roommates came home with about 5 lbs of greens the other day - swiss chard, kale, bok choy, salad greens, you name it. Holy moly, is the garden producing or what?
Our ever-busy lives caused the greens to start wilting in the fridge, so I decided to do something about it. That something was Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne (I quadrupled this because I love the heat)
3 14-oz cans of veggie broth
1 large bunch of swiss chard, chopped, with stalks and stems removed
1 pound red lentils
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Plain yogurt (optional)
Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add curry and cayenne, broth and chard. Bring to a boil. Add lentils and garbanzos and reduce heat. Simmer until lentils are tender (about 10-20 minutes). Serve and top with yogurt if desired.
I used the chard that we had, but this stew would be great with any other green you might have lying around your house begging to be eaten.
**After making this soup, I decided it would be even better with some chicken thrown in there. So if anybody tries this idea, let me know how it goes!
Our ever-busy lives caused the greens to start wilting in the fridge, so I decided to do something about it. That something was Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans.
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
5 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp cayenne (I quadrupled this because I love the heat)
3 14-oz cans of veggie broth
1 large bunch of swiss chard, chopped, with stalks and stems removed
1 pound red lentils
1 15 oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
Plain yogurt (optional)
Directions:
Heat olive oil over medium heat in large saucepan. Add onion and saute until translucent. Add curry and cayenne, broth and chard. Bring to a boil. Add lentils and garbanzos and reduce heat. Simmer until lentils are tender (about 10-20 minutes). Serve and top with yogurt if desired.
I used the chard that we had, but this stew would be great with any other green you might have lying around your house begging to be eaten.
**After making this soup, I decided it would be even better with some chicken thrown in there. So if anybody tries this idea, let me know how it goes!
Thursday, September 15, 2011
Million Hearts
Check this article out: http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/09/13/140439893/the-next-big-step-preventing-1-million-heart-attacks-and-strokes?ps=sh_stcathdl
Essentially, it's a new public health initiative geared towards reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attacks and hypertension. Changing behaviors of doctors as well as medical-care strategies are among practices to be put into gear. The FDA will try to work with the food industry to cut back on sodium content of packaged foods. (Restaurant and packaged foods account for 80% of daily American salt intake, by the way).
If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels or blood pressure, there are easy things to cut from your diet to see immediate impacts.
1. Cut back on coffee and soda, alcohol intake, and quit smoking.
2. Try to eat red meat less than 3 times/week and stick to leaner meats such as chicken and fish. I'm no vegetarian, but keep in mind that too much meat on a regular basis (ie, meat at every meal) will drive those cholesterol levels higher. Cholesterol is only present in foods coming from animals, such as meat, eggs, and whole milk. While all of these things offer wonderful vitamins and minerals, they are high in cholesterol and sometimes fat. Choose colorful plant foods like spinach, avocados, tomatoes or sweet potatoes for at least one meal a day instead of a meat-based meal.
3. Try to cut back on canned soups and pre-packaged meals. If you look on the back of these labels, you'll find lots and lots of sodium. It's cheaper, healthier, and more satisfying to make homemade soup from fresh ingredients - if you make a big batch, you'll have homemade soup all week, or you can freeze some for later!
Essentially, it's a new public health initiative geared towards reducing the prevalence of cardiovascular disease, stroke, heart attacks and hypertension. Changing behaviors of doctors as well as medical-care strategies are among practices to be put into gear. The FDA will try to work with the food industry to cut back on sodium content of packaged foods. (Restaurant and packaged foods account for 80% of daily American salt intake, by the way).
If you are concerned about your cholesterol levels or blood pressure, there are easy things to cut from your diet to see immediate impacts.
1. Cut back on coffee and soda, alcohol intake, and quit smoking.
2. Try to eat red meat less than 3 times/week and stick to leaner meats such as chicken and fish. I'm no vegetarian, but keep in mind that too much meat on a regular basis (ie, meat at every meal) will drive those cholesterol levels higher. Cholesterol is only present in foods coming from animals, such as meat, eggs, and whole milk. While all of these things offer wonderful vitamins and minerals, they are high in cholesterol and sometimes fat. Choose colorful plant foods like spinach, avocados, tomatoes or sweet potatoes for at least one meal a day instead of a meat-based meal.
3. Try to cut back on canned soups and pre-packaged meals. If you look on the back of these labels, you'll find lots and lots of sodium. It's cheaper, healthier, and more satisfying to make homemade soup from fresh ingredients - if you make a big batch, you'll have homemade soup all week, or you can freeze some for later!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
The Ultimate Egg Sandwich
I'm not a chef by any means. I enjoy being in the kitchen, trying new recipes, and eating real food that I put effort into growing and/or making... but I don't have the midas touch when it comes to whipping up a 5-star meal (thankfully, my roommates do).
There are, however, a few things I excel at (I have my mother to thank for the first 3):
1. Salsa
2. Zucchini Bread
3. Quinoa, Corn and Black Bean Salad
4. Pumpkin Corn Chowder
5. EGG SANDWICHES:
Let me tell you about my favorite breakfast item (and it doesn't come from McDonalds). Yes, I love fruit, yogurt and granola; Yes, I love a big bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and honey. But the egg sandwich is an art. It's personal. It's beautiful. It's versatile. It's tailored to your liking. Red pepper flakes. Onions. Mustard. Mayo. Ketchup. Bacon. Lettuce. Curry. Celery. Avocado. Sprouts. Tomato. Arugula. Chives. Parsley. Cilantro. Garlic. Chevre. Provolone. Cheddar. Spinach. Honey. Cashews. I'm getting carried away here, but do you see my point?
This morning I made pretty basic, quick, and LOCAL egg sammies for my roomies:
-Over-medium egg with red pepper flakes (yoke just a little runny!)
-Spring greens
-thin tomato slices
-Picante chevre
-Arizona Heat mustard
-Homemade Sourdough bread
nomnomnom. It all came from the Allen Street Farmers Market except for the mustard. Not a bad start to the day if you ask me...
Embrace the Egg Sandwich!
There are, however, a few things I excel at (I have my mother to thank for the first 3):
1. Salsa
2. Zucchini Bread
3. Quinoa, Corn and Black Bean Salad
4. Pumpkin Corn Chowder
5. EGG SANDWICHES:
Let me tell you about my favorite breakfast item (and it doesn't come from McDonalds). Yes, I love fruit, yogurt and granola; Yes, I love a big bowl of oatmeal with blueberries and honey. But the egg sandwich is an art. It's personal. It's beautiful. It's versatile. It's tailored to your liking. Red pepper flakes. Onions. Mustard. Mayo. Ketchup. Bacon. Lettuce. Curry. Celery. Avocado. Sprouts. Tomato. Arugula. Chives. Parsley. Cilantro. Garlic. Chevre. Provolone. Cheddar. Spinach. Honey. Cashews. I'm getting carried away here, but do you see my point?
This morning I made pretty basic, quick, and LOCAL egg sammies for my roomies:
-Over-medium egg with red pepper flakes (yoke just a little runny!)
-Spring greens
-thin tomato slices
-Picante chevre
-Arizona Heat mustard
-Homemade Sourdough bread
nomnomnom. It all came from the Allen Street Farmers Market except for the mustard. Not a bad start to the day if you ask me...
Embrace the Egg Sandwich!
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