2010-2
9

Breakfast Smoothie from Heaven!

Category: Nutrition, Nutritional benefits, Organic, Sugar | 1 Comment

Yes, there is a Heaven, and it can come from your blender!

An ideal antioxidant zinger for the morning is this protein smoothie. I use as many purple things as possible. Acai juice, pomegranate juice, blueberries juice, cranberry juice, blueberries, whatever I have on hand. (Of course you have to buy them first!)

Then add your favorite fruits, yogurt, protein powder and cinnamon powder for the ultimate eye opening, antioxidant, protein punch to start your day.

Here’s what I’m talking about:

1 c organic orange juice

1/2 c pomegranate juice

1/4 c acai juice

2 scoops of protein powder (your favorite)

8 oz. organic yogurt, Greek 2% or your favorite flavor, never use non-fat

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 c wheat germ

1/2 c frozen organic wild blueberries

1 c frozen organic peaches

1 c frozen organic strawberries or cherries

Put all the liquids into your blender first, then add the rest of the ingredients. Adjust the amounts to fit the size of your blender.  For me, this makes a blender full. Start the motor on low, then slowly increase the speed until you get to liquify. This will make the blending of frozen fruit easier on the blender motor. Puree until smooth, and there you go!

Some of the benefits:

  • blueberries – ultimate memory food, guards against mental deterioration, loss of coordination and balance, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, helps neurons talk to each other, and promotes new neuron growth, promote urinary health, lowers blood pressure, prevent macular degeneration, promotes cardiovascular health, inhibits cancer cell production
  • cherries – anti-inflammatory, anti-aging, anticancer, inhibits tumor growth, antiviral, antibacterial
  • strawberries – inhibits tumor initiation, protects against cervical, breast and liver cancer, protects brain and memory, inhibits growth of tumors caused by certain carcinogens
  • cranberries – stimulate circulation, prevent and/or treat urinary tract infections, improves complexion, aids in digestion, astringent properties, very powerful antioxidants, inhibits food related pathogen growth, inhibits cancer cell growth, reduces plaque on teeth, helps prevent stomach ulcers
  • cinnamon – powerful antioxidant, protects against stomach ulcers, regulates blood sugar, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, benefits digestion, relieves nausea, lowers triglycerides and cholesterol, reduces blood pressure.

And that’s just the beginning!

You just have to get in the habit of having these things on hand, and having smoothies for breakfast.  It’s also great for traveling in an insulated container to work and having throughout the morning.  Just brush your teeth afterwards so you don’t have purple teeth. Ok, just joking!

Alter the ingredients to suit your taste, but the idea is the same. I don’t add sweetener because I think the fruit is sweet enough. But if you must, use an organic honey sparingly. Your body doesn’t need the excess sugar.

You gotta stop using so much sugar! Cancer cells feed on sugar. Enough said!

This recipe makes plenty to share, or drink through out the day. It’s a great time saver if your have a busy day, and don’t want to take time out to mess with food. It happens…

Until next time, Eat on Purpose!

Happy Living!

Christia

2010-2
3

Secrets to a Healthy, Happy Life Through Food!

Category: Nutrition, Organic, Philosophy of Eating on Purpose | No Comments

Welcome one and all! It’s time to start eating on purpose! It’s time to stop eating for convenience.

Your very happiness depends on you health.  Admit it, when you feel sluggish, bloated, tired, you don’t feel good!

The philosophy of Eating on Purpose is to make sure everything that goes into a dish has a purpose. The ingredients must be nutritional and flavorful. Your goal is to stay as natural in your ingredients as possible.

Let me begin by saying that recipes are just suggestions, you know… kind of like the yellow light at an intersection…

Recipes are to give you ideas and you take it from there. You can either follow it to the letter, or adapt it to your favorite flavor profiles and what you happen to have in the frig.

Baking is the only thing you do have to follow to the letter, which is why I don’t bake – much.

A few things to remember:

  • stick with the natural forms of whatever you can hunt, gather, pick or pluck
  • simple carbs – BAD; natural complex carbs – GOOD; simple carbs being bread, pasta, cookies, chips, etc.; natural complex carbs being fruits and vegetables
  • good fats – fish oils, olive oils, coconut oil, macadamia nut oil, sesame oil, organic unsalted butter, etc.
  • bad fats – fats that are man-made (hydrogenated, transfats), and damaged fats (vegetable oils that are used at high temperatures like canola, sunflower, safflower, etc.)
  • eliminate as much artificial sugar from your daily intake as possible; you may have withdrawals at first (headaches, grumpiness) but remember – cancer cells feed on sugar – need I say more?

Now for some tips to make life easier:

  • since you want to add as many fresh herbs to every meal as possible, buy organic herbs, wash them, shake the water off, wrap them in a paper towel and store them in a plastic bag in the refrigerator; when it’s time to eat, tear or chop some leaves, and sprinkle over the top of your dish, always adding fresh herbs at the end to preserve the fresh flavors –  especially for flat leaf parsley, basil and chives.
  • buy a bunch of lemon/limes, juice them and store them in a glass bottle in the frig; then it’s ready to pour into bubble water, tea, a vinaigrette, over fish or chicken, fruit salad, whatever, for a burst of flavor and antioxidant punch.
  • organic everything when possible, period!
  • prep a bunch of veggies when you have a little time to spend in the kitchen, store in a plastic bag in the frig, then they are at the ready when you need something to nosh on or for cooking.

I’m going to start posting recipes that I think you will love, and that will boost your nutritional intake.  The recipes will come from my next book Eating on Purpose.

Until then, Eat on Purpose!

Happy Living!

Christia