Favorite #vegetables - Wasn't always the case!

Just two years ago I was a fan of broccoli (only cooked) and corn but I am thankful to a dear friend who introduced me to a simpler way to consume more fruits and vegetables daily with a whole food product. Now pretty much any vegetable that is in the green hues is a favorite! This nutritional product I speak of is backed by over [thirty-one] scientific studies and it provides the nutrients from 25 fruits, veggies, grains and berries. You become what you eat. What are you eating? 

Tonight as I prepared an easy but nutritional meal, brown rice, organic stir fry vegetables (steamed) and Gardenburger's Veggie patty (2), I thought about how much I love veggies. This is a testimony in itself. Five years ago I thought I could forever live off of Little Debbie snack cakes or EL Fudge's coconut chocolate chip cookies. Oh yea I have a BIG sweet tooth. That hasn't changed much but I choose better options now - anything I eat that's sweet, I read the label and make sure there is no HFCS or hydrogenated oils or artificial colors. Now the sugar intake may still be great but I'm not going to eat all of it in one sitting. Other things that are sweet that have no labels (such as at a potluck or mom's night out/in), I take a chance and eat a little. Who knows at that point if I've avoided the top 3 ingredients but that's the "in-moderation" for you!

My favorite veggies are: asparagus, bell peppers, carrots, cauliflower, collard greens, cucumbers, eggplant (wow I can't believe I even wrote that, this is a new veggie to my list since Sept 2010), green beans, kale, onions, potatoes, spinach, squash, and zucchini.

What are some of your favorites? You can keep it to the Top 5. How do you like to prepare your favorites?

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How many #fruits and #vegetables do you consume #daily?

What grade do you give your family for eating the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables daily? Would you say that you eat 7-13 servings every day, or ... every week?!? I'd think half would say every week and even some I could go as far as saying over the course of a month! I'd say for me on good days, I eat between 5-7 servings. That's good I believe but I still fall short of what I should eat but I also eat a product that offers whole food nutrition in a capsule or gummy that bridges the gap. Check out this article on food politics.

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Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Healthy Food Substitutions & Healthy Skin

As a busy mom, I used to thoroughly enjoy the Kraft Foods "Food & Family" magazine but not so much anymore mainly because the ingredients they promote almost always have HFCS. Some of the recipes are still good but substitutions are required. 

I have an upcoming wellness talk on "Beauty Becomes You" and will be serving healthy refreshments. I found a recipe in the magazine titled, "Mediterranean Stacker" and it looks pretty good; however, I will be using Back to Nature crackers and nitrate-free chicken breast. The other ingredients are hummus and cucumbers. For meat-free stackers, I'll add shredded carrots. 

Hummus is a healthy food and very tasty! It actually made two recent lists on what foods your [kids] should eat and what foods are best for healthy skin and they are as follows.  Happy Eating!!

‎5 Foods Everyone Should Be Eating by Joy Bauer, Nutritionist of the TODAY show:

1) Seafood - cold water fatty fish (ex. Salmon), 2) Beans (try Hummus), 3) Oats (use instead of bread crumbs), 4) Eggs and 5) Spinach.

6 Best Foods for Healthy Skin By David Zinczenko of Men’s Health, Aug 16, 2010.

1)      Salmon (Omega 3s). Why? “[They] are the essential fats that, along with bolstering the cognitive powers of your brain, concentrate in the walls of your epidermal cells to help lock in moisture.”  Other Omega 3s: Sardines, Walnuts and Flax Seed.

2). Carrots. Why? You’re inviting beta carotene “to nestle into your skin, fill in blotches, and give you a healthy glow." Other beta-carotene foods: red bell pepper, sweet potato, and red grapefruit.

3). Avocado. Why? They have […] B vitamins, which also help to keep your skin looking vibrant and smooth. Other natural B vitamins found in: olive oil, almonds, and peanut butter.

4). Beans. Why? They have “isoflavones—potent antioxidants—concentrated in the beans resulting in 20% fewer wrinkles over time (paraphrased, Zinczenko). Other isoflavone potent foods: tofu, alfalfa, and tempeh.

5). Grapes. Why? They have antioxidants called “polyphenols […] keeps middle-aged skin from sagging. That’s because polyphenols improve skin’s elasticity by strengthening collagen, the primary protein in skin’s innermost layer." Other polyphenol enriched foods: grape juice, blueberries.

6). Water. Why? “Water is the strongest weapon you have against lifeless skin; all the body’s processes rely on hydration, and it creates a measurable increase in the capillary blood flow to your body’s outer layer.” Other water rich foods: Watermelon, peaches and celery.

Choose, eat, and live well! =)

Family

This post is a tribute to my grandparents. May they rest in peace. Both passed this month and although I'm sad to not have them here anymore, I am happy that they are together again. My pops passed on the 7th and my grams passed away today, the 19th. They lived a full life. They were married 59 years this past June and left behind 4 children and 9 grandkids and 2 great grandkids. My son being one of the great grands met them last month for the first time. What a blessing! I have such fond memories of my grandparents.

Family is important. Spend time with your family and if you cannot because you live out of the state/country then call them, email them, send them a 'just because' card. Do something to show them you care and do it often! Time waits for no one. Be well.