An Apple A Day Keeps the Dr Away!

One of the healthiest fruits you should be eating is one you probably already are: the apple. The Iowa Women’s Health Study, which has been investigating the health habits of 34,000 women for nearly 20 years, named apples as one of only three foods (along with pears and red wine) that are most effective at reducing the risk of death from heart disease among postmenopausal women. Other massive studies have found the fruit to lower risk of lung cancer and type 2 diabetes—and even help women lose weight. In fact, one of the only things that could make an apple unhealthy is mixing it with sugar, flour, and butter and stuffing it into a mile-high pie. Instead, have one as an afternoon snack with a tablespoon of peanut butter, or add slices to sandwiches or salads.

Read more about the 25 healthiest foods to be eating: http://www.prevention.com/print/27166#ixzz2MAVARQsO

Storing Produce

Healthy Chicken Salad

Healthy Chicken salad with NO mayo!
-1 1/4 cup plain yogurt
-1/2 cup grapes (cut in half)
-1/2 cup apple (chopped)
-1/2 cup celery (chopped)
-1/2 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
-2 cups cooked, chopped chicken.
Mix yogurt, grapes, apples and nuts. combine chicken and yogurt mixture and place on top of salad.

Health Tidbits

The Best Food to Stave Off Stroke

Another startling finding was that eating a Mediterranean diet including extra servings of nuts trims stroke risk by a whopping 46 percent, compared to eating a low-fat diet. “That’s a huge risk reduction,”says Dr. Bale. “It’s truly astonishing to see such a powerful effect from one food.”

The group who ate extra nuts also had a 30 percent lower rate of heart attacks, compared to the low-fat group, but the drop wasn’t large enough to be statistically significant. Overall, both groups who ate a Mediterranean diet had about a 30 percent reduction in major cardiovascular events.

In earlier studies, nuts have been shown to have several protective powers, adds Dr. Bale. “We known that nuts are particularly effective at reducing high blood pressure, which is the number one risk factor for stroke, and can also improve the health of the endothelium (blood vessel lining),” making arteries more resistant to plaque buildup.

In addition, nuts have powerful antioxidant properties, adds Dr. Bale.“This study gives a very strong signal that people can significantly reduce stroke risk by eating nuts. The study design is impressive because the researchers controlled for all sorts of cardiovascular risks and also used lab tests to make sure people were eating the assigned diet.”

Benefits of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

The group who ate a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra servings of extra virgin olive oil had a 34 percent drop in stroke risk, compared to the low-fat group. Heart attack risk fell by about 30 percent in the two groups who ate a Mediterranean diet, but the reduction wasn’t large enough to be statistically significant.

“Extra virgin olive oil contains a compound called oleocanthal that is both a powerful antioxidant and also has an anti-inflammatory effect similar to NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) like aspirin or ibuprofen,” says Dr. Bale. Based on scientific research, the European Food Safety Authority has approved the claim that olive oil protects LDL (bad) cholesterol molecules from oxidative damage.

Roasted Veggie Enchiladas

Stacked Roasted Vegetable Enchiladas

Ingredients:

1 poblano chile, cut into matchsticks
2 red bell peppers, cut into matchsticks
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
1 medium onion, halved and slivered
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 T heat-safe oil like grapeseed or coconut
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and black pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 cups homemade or store bought salsa/pico de gallo
2 ounces baby spinach leaves (about 2 big handfuls)
9-10 corn tortillas, halved (try making homemade tortillas!)
2 cups shredded cheese (I used a cheddar-Monterey Jack blend)
sour cream and thinly sliced scallions (green onions) for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly oil a large shallow roasting pan or rimmed cookie sheet.
Place poblanos, red bell peppers, cauliflower, sweet potato, onion, and corn kernels onto cookie sheet. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle the cumin and minced garlic over top. Add a generous pinch or two of salt and black pepper, then use your hands to mix everything together. After everything is coated well, spread the vegetables evenly in the pan. Roast for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are tender and begin to brown in spots. Stir or shake the pan every 10 minutes for even roasting. Remove pan from oven and reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F.
Prepare an 8x8x2 or 9x9x2-inch square baking pan with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, stir the cilantro into the salsa. Spread 1/4 cup of salsa into the bottom of the baking pan. Add a layer of tortilla pieces, to completely cover the salsa. Top with 1/3 of the vegetables, a handful of spinach, and 1/3 of the cheese. Make a second layer of tortilla, salsa, vegetables, spinach, and cheese. Top with with a layer of tortillas, salsa, vegetables, and cheese. Cover with aluminum foil.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and bake another 10 minutes, until cheese is melted and everything is heated through.
Let it sit for 5 minutes and cut into squares. Serve with sour cream and a sprinkle of sliced scallions.
Serves 4-5

adapted from The Roasted Vegetable by Andrea Chesman

Daily Dose of Tea

Almond Berry Banana Smoothie

Super yummy and super easy smoothie!

original recipe courtesy of PopSugarFitness

Recipe: Almond Strawberry Banana Yogurt Smoothie

Ingredients

6 large strawberries
1 sliced banana
1 cup blueberries
6 ounces plain Greek yogurt
1 cup skim milk
1/4 cup almonds

Directions

1. Cut the tops off of five of the strawberries.
2. Place the strawberries, banana, blueberries, yogurt, milk, and almonds in a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth and creamy. Garnish with a strawberry.