Low Fat Smoothie Recipes for the Health Conscious You

A lot of people are now becoming more conscious of staying and being healthy. They look for ways to improve their diet and incorporate exercise into their lifestyle. And since smoothies are so good, a lot of people are turning to smoothies and learning how to make smoothies that not only taste good but are healthy all around, too.

Smoothies fit a healthy lifestyle perfectly. It allows heath conscious people to enjoy a refreshing drink and lose weight at the same time. If you’re looking for a low-fat food source, it’s the perfect guilt-free treat. It’s also very easy and very convenient to prepare. All you need is a blender where you can mix and combine fruits, vegetables, and other ingredients. You can create recipes that provide you with an energy boost, add lots of fiber, provide your daily dose of minerals and vitamins and so much more.

Health conscious people will be happy to note that smoothies also provide these host of benefits:

• You can add natural fruit juices that contain vitamin c; studies have also shown it to be beneficial and helpful in the prevention of certain cancers and other debilitating diseases or illnesses.

• Smoothies made of fruits and vegetables boost your immune system and help speed up metabolism (at least, some fruit juices do)

• Because fruits and vegetables are broken down, the nutrients are absorbed easily by the body.

• Smoothies can replace meals and provide you with the energy you need to last the day. This is why smoothie breakfasts are perfect if you need to go to a workout, or before going to work.

• Smoothies with fruits and vegetables can help correct your body’s acidity or alkalinity balance (since fruits have natural acids and enzymes)

Here are some tried-and-tested smoothies, perfect for the start of your healthy lifestyle:

• Combine and blend the following ingredients: 1 cup of milk, 1 packet of instant plain oatmeal (or about 1 cup of it), 1 cup of orange juice, and 1 frozen chunked banana. Blend and process for about a minute. Serve immediately.

• Blend 1 frozen banana (chilled or frozen fruits exude much more of the fruit’s natural sweetness – you don’t even have to put sugar or honey to sweeten your smoothie), ½ cup of low fat milk, ½ a cup of shredded ice, and 2 8-oz. of low-fat yogurt (you can choose your favorite flavor). Blend and serve immediately.

• If you love apples, you should definitely try this: Blend 6 oz. cold apple juice, 1 cup skimmed milk, 8 oz. of vanilla or plain low-fat yogurt, 3 to 4 crushed ice cubes and a dash of apple pie spice (optional). This yields about 4 cups so it’s perfect for the whole family.

• If you’re into soy products, then you’re going to love this: Blend 1 cup of soy milk, 1 frozen banana, 2 cups of pineapple juice, 2 tablespoons non-fat dry milk, 2 to 3 ice cubes, 1 tablespoon of coconut milk (or coconut essence/extract), and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Blend until smooth, and as usual, serve immediately.

Having low-fat smoothies as part of your diet isn’t hard to assimilate. The key is variety - which you can easily achieve these days with books like “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. Reconcile yourself with the idea that smoothies – although sinfully delicious – are a great way to inject some healthiness in your diet.

If you are on the look out for amazing diet smoothie recipes, do check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. This amazing ebook contains over 180 smoothie recipes designed to keep you fit and happy. The recipes featured are kitchen tested and have been certified to taste as good as they are healthy.

The Delicious And Crafty Bottle Gourd

Not familiar with a bottle gourd? How about it's other names – calabash, opo squash, lauki, or long melon? Let's take a look at what makes up this oddly named veggie.

What is it?

The bottle gourd is grown on a vine, similar to a pumpkin, and can be harvested early in the year as a food, or much later as a utensil. Yes, once matured, the inside of this squash becomes tough and loses its flavor, so the only thing left to do is hollow out the vessel and use the mature, dried casing as a bottle, utensil, or pipe.

History

A commonly known cultivated plant, bottle gourds are usually found in tropical and subtropical areas. Their origins are believed to be from Africa, around the Zimbabwe region, while other experts claim Asia should be listed as the country of origin. The bottle gourds which are found in these regions, growing wild, generally have a thinner wall and would not do well in shipment, but are still easily molded into utensils by the experienced tribes. Present-day bottle gourds owe their thick, waterproof wall to the experts who domesticated this versatile plant.

Health Benefits

Cooked bottle gourd, or lauki, is a calming, soothing food that acts as a diuretic. Extremely low in calories and high in dietary fiber, cooked bottle gourd makes an excellent food for people who are dieting. After eating a healthy portion of cooked lauki, your stomach is full and your whole body feels relaxed; and if you're dieting, you will appreciate those feelings. You can enjoy large portions of cooked bottle gourd without worrying about counting calories.

You'll notice I keep saying “cooked bottle gourd.” That's because you don’t want to eat the vegetable raw as it could harm the stomach and digestive system, causing ulcers, or worse. Like other members of the gourd family, the bottle gourd contains the tetracyclic triterpenoid cucurbitacins compound, which is responsible for the bitter taste. This bitter taste should let people know that it is poisonous, but raw 'calabash juice' has been touted by weight loss hucksters as a miracle drink. Just be aware that drinking raw, uncooked 'calabash juice' or eating raw bottle gourd is dangerous to your health. Once cooked, the bottle gourd becomes harmless and quite tasty, offering more than enough health benefits to keep anyone on a weight loss program happy.

Fun Facts

The bottle gourd was one of the first cultivated plants in the world, grown not for food but as a container. It was primarily used as utensils, such as cups, bowls, and basins, mostly in rural areas. It can be used for carrying water, or can be made for carrying items, such as fish, dirt, or other food. In some Caribbean countries it is worked, painted, and decorated as shoulder bags or other items by artisans, and sold to tourists. You are probably most familiar with it as a highly decorated bird nest, often hung from large poles.

In Jamaica there is also a reference to the natural lifestyle of Rastafarians using the gourd to make a rattle of sorts for musical festivities. As a cup, bowl, or even water-pipe, the bottle gourd is considered consistent with the 'Ital' or natural lifestyle of not using refined products such as table salt, or using modern cooking methods, such as microwaves. In Haiti the plant is called 'kalbas kouran' literally meaning "running calabash", and is used to make the sacred rattle emblematic of the Vodou priesthood, called an "asson". The bottle gourd plant is highly respected in many areas, so much so that the bottle gourd happens to be the national tree of St. Lucia.

How to eat

The calabash, as a vegetable, is frequently used in Asian cuisine as either a stir-fry or in a soup. In Burma, young leaves are also boiled and eaten with spicy hot fermented fish sauce called Nga peet. And in Central America seeds of the bottle gourd are toasted and ground with other ingredients (including rice, cinnamon, and allspice) to make horchata, a popular drink of the region.

In other cultures, this gourd is cooked just like a summer squash and enjoyed with a variety of toppings including butter and brown sugar. Often connected with Indian cooking and spices, the bottle gourd is very typically surrounded with warm, spicy aromas.

If you have never tried bottle gourd, today just might be your lucky day. See if any specialized grocery stores in your area offer this delicacy. Then, after you are done with it, you get to have a craft project to play with. Decorate the outside skin, then use it for a bird feeder in your own back yard. How about that? Dinner and entertainment all wrapped up in one thick-walled gourd.

Smoothies – Drink to Your Health

Smoothies ingredients vary, and with this variation, you have smoothies that may or may not meet your health goals. This is the reason why as smoothies surge in popularity, there are also a lot of people who claim that the health benefits touted by smoothies are a sham.

Recently, I’ve encountered some anti-smoothie people claiming that smoothies are the best example of media hype, allowing “hapless” people into believing that smoothies – of any kind — are always good for an individual. I don’t completely agree with them, but I can see where they are coming from.

The commercialization of smoothie hinges on the reputation of smoothies as the healthier alternatives to other beverages like colas and milkshakes. And some enterprising businesspeople have been loading up commercially made smoothies with ingredients designed to enhance the flavor without much thought to whether the health benefits can be maintained.

For example, the popular use of sugary syrups, milk chocolate, ice cream, and full cream milk in many commercial smoothie recipes may actually, in fact, make smoothies no different from the average sugary beverages you see on the supermarket shelves.

On the other extreme, you have drinks that are loaded with ingredients like acidophilus or ginseng, yogurt, protein powder, etc., which by themselves are good, but when combined together in a single smoothie recipe, it makes one wonder whether how well these concoctions are tolerated by our tummies or whether these claims could all be too good to be true.

Which brings us back to the question, are smoothies really, truly healthy?

My answer is, still, 100% yes. Smoothies can be healthy. And here’s how you can make sure that the cup of smoothie you are enjoying is really good for you:

1. Make your own smoothies. When you make your own smoothies, you know exactly what you are putting into it and you can avoid ingredients that you are in doubt of. You can create smoothies that match your health goals, whatever they may be.

2. When using fresh fruits and vegetables, try to use organic ingredients. This will make sure that your smoothies are free from chemical residues.

3. Avoid adding sugar. Use fruits that are naturally sweet, or use natural sweeteners such as honey.

4. When using milk as an ingredient, opt for low-fat milk or soy milk.

5. Follow well-researched recipes so you don’t run the risk of messing up the portion sizes. For people who enjoy variety, a good recipe book such as “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously” is a gem.

6. Share your concoctions! Seeing other people enjoy your smoothie creations is good for the soul.

Smoothies are good, but homemade smoothies are better! A little effort on your part will do wonders for your health. Let’s drink to that!

If you are on the look out for amazing diet smoothie recipes, do check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. This amazing ebook contains over 180 smoothie recipes designed to keep you fit and happy. The recipes featured are kitchen tested and have been certified to taste as good as they are healthy.

4 Ingredients to Keep Handy for Constant Healthy Cooking | 3FC

4 Ingredients to Keep Handy for Constant Healthy Cooking | 3FC

Stop Feeling Bushed With A Healthy Dose Of Blueberries

Feeling bushed, exhausted, all in? Pop a handful of blueberries in your mouth and enjoy a little energy boost, along with a mother-lode of nutrients. For such a small fruit, blueberries pack a wallop! Let's take a look at this North American favorite and learn more about this beautiful, and versatile, fruit.

What is it?

The actual fruit is a tiny round berry with a flare at the end resembling a crown. The color pallet of blueberries as they mature ranges from pale green to reddish-purple, and finally deep purplish-blue when ready to be picked and eaten. Blueberries characteristically have a whitish-gray powdery or waxy 'bloom' that covers the surface as a protective coating. When ripe, blueberries have a sweet taste and a juicy inside. Blueberries usually hit the peak of their season, depending on the region, sometime between May and October.

History

Blueberries are generally found in North America, Europe, and Asia with many native species residing in the United States. Many North American native species of blueberries are now also commercially grown in the Southern Hemisphere in Australia, New Zealand, and South American countries.

Several other plants of the same family also produce commonly eaten blue-colored berries such as the predominantly European bilberry, which, in many languages, has a name that means 'blueberry' in English.

Health Benefits

Especially in wild species, similar to its cousin acai berry, blueberries contain anthocyanins and other pigments high in antioxidant properties possibly having a role in reducing risks of inflammatory diseases and certain cancers. Technically speaking, blueberries contain pterostilbene, anthocyanins, proanthocyanidins, and resveratrol, all which inhibit the cell development of cancers. Nutritionally speaking, blueberries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, dietary fiber, and vitamin E , and are low in calories, so you can enjoy a bucketful without guilt.

Many studies have found that blueberry consumption lowers cholesterol and total blood lipid levels, possibly reducing the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure. Even more studies have found that a diet rich in blueberries may enhance short-term memory in older adults while reducing symptoms of depression.

Fun Facts

There are two types of blueberry bushes; lowbush and highbush. The difference is the lowbush blueberries are considered wild, while highbush blueberries are cultivated in a controlled environment.

With upwards of 25% production of all lowbush blueberries in North America, Maine is the single largest producer in the world with more than 60,000 acres. Not far from Maine, Michigan is the world's largest producer of highbush blueberries, with more than 220,000 tons produced a year.

Since blueberries must be cross-pollinated, upwards of 50,000 beehives may be needed for the job. Due to the large amount of bees needed, in some cases hives must actually be shipped in from other regions specifically for the purpose of cross-pollinating the blueberries in high producing areas.

How to eat

Blueberries are a lot of fun to eat. They pop when you bite them and turn everything they touch into a reddish-purple hue. This color change makes pancakes, yogurt, cereal, smoothies, and even ice cream a fun new territory for children. Blueberries are found in many breads and desserts, but also make great jams, jellies, and wines.

Fresh blueberries keep very well and can be packaged and stored easily. Freezing fresh blueberries is a cinch; just put them on a baking sheet in a single layer and pop them in the freezer. They will freeze quickly, and once they are frozen, just pour them into a plastic freezer container. Then when you want blueberries, just shake out the amount you want and let them thaw out. Perfect every time. Because blueberries are so moist, they don't dehydrate well, like bananas or apples do. For that reason, you do not find too many applications for dried blueberries, unless you rehydrate them for a dish first.

No matter how you decide to eat your blueberries, you can't beat the nutritional value. If picking wild blueberries, don't forget to be polite to the landowner and ask permission. Or, plant a few blueberry bushes in your own garden. Invite the bees in and you'll soon have your own blueberry crop to enjoy. Just a reminder: It's not easy to get away with pilfering blueberries – you are likely to get caught 'reddish-purple' handed!

Are Diet Smoothies Even Possible?

According to Wikipedia, a diet is defined as “the sum of the food consumed by and organism or a group.” And dieting means “the deliberate selection of food to control body weight or nutrient intake.” Taking that into consideration, how would you like to have a healthy, low-calorie-and-low fat smoothie that you can enjoy without the guilt?

Many people consider smoothies a luxury, like a guilt-free binge that destroys one’s dieting intentions. The smooth, creaminess of the treat and the sweet deliciousness is enough to drive you to contentment – for about exactly 5 minutes … after which, you would be thinking of how to lose the few pounds that you think you gained by enjoying one smoothie.

Sometimes though, we really can’t blame smoothies and other sweet treats for our supposed weight gain. The real question is: Do you eat breakfast? In our busy world, we sometimes forget that the most important meal of the day is actually the one we wake up to everyday. This is the time when a person’s metabolism “wakes up” and prepares itself for its job: calorie burning. The perfect breakfast can actually be in the form of a smoothie – the ingredients are healthy but delish, it’s usually easy to prepare and easy to drink so it won’t make you late.

And in reality, since most smoothies are founded upon fruits or vegetables combined with dairy ingredients (such as milk or yoghurt), these can actually help you in your daily dieting needs by complementing your food intake. You can even take smoothies during your break time instead of cakes or chips that you may normally eat during those 15-minute rest periods.

Here are some recipes that you can use in making a diet or a power smoothie for breakfast:

• Blend and puree the following ingredients: 1 frozen banana (frozen fruits usually bring out an additional, natural sweetness than those of fresh fruits), 8 oz. of plain or vanilla yogurt, 6 ice cubes, a tablespoon of protein (or whey) powder, 1 and one-third of water, and a handful of fresh strawberries (blueberries or raspberries may be used as a substitute as well).

• A 3-inch cube of tofu can also be added to the following: a cup of plain yoghurt (or a cup of light fat-free yoghurt), 1 cup of skimmed milk, 1 frozen banana, three-fourths cup of blueberries and 1 cup of strawberries. Blend and puree until consistency is smooth. Serve immediately.

Sometimes, just adding a tablespoon of protein powder makes it not just a calorie-burning drink, but also a power smoothie that may take you all the way up until lunch time, where you can get to replenish lost energy. It’s all about making the right choices when it comes to your ingredients. This is where following recipes, like the ones in recipe books like “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”, can really help you achieve your dieting goals.

The most important thing is that you can take smoothies anytime – but most especially to stave off hunger pangs. So you see, not all good things are bad. Some are actually beneficial to us, making us healthy and wiser in the choices that we make.

If you are on the look out for amazing diet smoothie recipes, do check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. This amazing ebook contains over 180 smoothie recipes designed to keep you fit and happy. The recipes featured are kitchen tested and have been certified to taste as good as they are healthy.

Smoothies – A Recipe for Kids Nutrition

Kids are a hard lot to feed. You try to tell them that they have to eat right, and they do quite the opposite, especially if there are chips and other junk food around. Now shakes and smoothies are a different matter – which is why you should utilize the advantages of these kinds of beverages. Rich and healthy smoothies can be downed by your child, not knowing that they just had something they wouldn’t normally eat on a plate.

Who do kids and parents love smoothies so much? Well, just take a look at this list of benefits:

• Smoothies, especially when served in tall, smoothie glasses, look very attractive and appetizing.

• Uses simple and easy to find ingredients. You can use over ripe fruits and no one would know the difference.

• It’s an ideal snack in between meals.

• Recipes are flexible to account for each one’s personal needs and preferences. For example, even kids who are lactose intolerant can enjoy this beverage by substituting milk with yogurt or soy milk.

• It’s a great way to get kids to load up on fiber and antioxidants that their body needs.

• There are a variety of delicious and healthy recipes to choose from. Just open your copy of “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously” to realize the endless combinations you can make.

Olivia is a mom of 2, so one thing she has learned is to never leave the kitchen empty of smoothie ingredients. “I always have yogurt, milk and fruit in my fridge so that whenever I can hear my kids’ tummies grumbling even from afar, I can always whip up a batch of their favorite smoothies.”

Here are some surefire kid-friendly smoothie recipes that will leave your kids asking for more:

• Bananas are usually one of the most common fruits used for a smoothie. The simplest recipe for this just has 3 ingredients: 1 banana (cut up and frozen – to bring out its natural sweetness), 1 to 2 cups of milk, and 1 to 2 ice cubes (preferably crushed). You can opt to put in ¼ teaspoon of vanilla. Blend for about 30 to 45 seconds and serve immediately, while still cold.

• A strawberry banana smoothie has the following ingredients: 10 oz. fresh strawberries (stems removed), 2 frozen bananas, 2 to 3 tablespoons of honey, a cup of ice cubes and ¾ cup of milk. Blend and process until smooth. Serve.

• For the chocolate and/or peanut butter aficionado, blend 1 cup of vanilla yogurt, 2 teaspoons of peanut butter, ½ a cup of milk, ¼ cup of ice, 1 cut-up banana, and ¼ cup of chocolate chips. Blend and process. Serve immediately.

• You can also blend 1 cut and pitted frozen mango with ¼ cup of orange juice. Blend it for 30 seconds or until smooth.

• Slice 1 whole peach and add ½ cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Process in a blender. Add 4 ice cubes and blend until the ice crystals are nearly gone. Add 3 tablespoons of vanilla yogurt and a cup of peach yogurt to enhance the peachy flavor. Blend for a couple of minutes and serve immediately.

• A kiddie power smoothie can have the following ingredients: 1 frozen banana, ¼ shredded wheat cereal (wheat germ or some protein powder can be used as substitutes), and ¼ cup of milk. Blend all ingredients and serve.

• For the orange lover, blend 1 cup of orange juice, 2 scoops of ice cream, 1 and ½ teaspoon of sugar, 1 cup milk and 1 cup of regular yogurt. Blend for about a minute or so until well-mixed. Pour into cups and chill for 10 minutes before serving.

The best thing about smoothies is letting your imagination run wild. Be free to create your own smoothie recipes while letting your child enjoy the healthy, life-giving benefits of a drink that makes him happy and - though he may not know it - healthy.

If you are on the look out for amazing diet smoothie recipes, do check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. This amazing ebook contains over 180 smoothie recipes designed to keep you fit and happy. The recipes featured are kitchen tested and have been certified to taste as good as they are healthy.

Simple Easy Meals - Quick Meals Recipes - Health.com

Simple Easy Meals - Quick Meals Recipes - Health.com

Smoothie: Yogurt Basics

If you’ve been looking at various recipes and guides on how to make smoothies, then you probably notice that many recipes call for yogurt as their dairy base. Why use yogurt? Its health benefits are the obvious answers.

Yoghurt is rich in a lot of nutrients, including calcium, potassium, protein, and B vitamins. Bulgarians who eat a lot of yoghurt in their diet are said to live longer. There are a lot to gain from this wonder food. Let’s take a look at some of them:

1. Yogurt is much easier to digest compared to milk.  Although both are dairy products, people who are lactose intolerant will still be able to enjoy yoghurt. The live active cultures create lactase (an enzyme that lactose-intolerant people don’t have) and beta-galactosidase (another enzyme that improves lactose absorption). Yogurt also help digest casein, a milk protein. All these make yogurt easier to absorb by the body and less allergenic.

2. Yogurt boosts immunity. Bacterial cultures in yogurt stimulate the white cells that fight infections.

3. Yogurt heals and relieves the effects of cured intestinal infections.  Some tummy problems (also known as gastrointestinal disorders) injure the lining of the intestines, and may specifically target the cells that produce lactase. It causes temporary lactose malabsorption that may last for weeks or even months. Yoghurt is known as a popular food after diarrhea and is usually tolerated by people who are recovering from it. Also, pediatricians have always recommended yogurt for children who are having indigestion.

4. Yogurt is a rich source of calcium. The live active cultures in yogurt provide your body with more calcium than an equivalent serving of milk. Calcium decreases the risk of colon cancer and stops the excess growth of cells that line the colon. (Note: Substances such as nitrates and nitrites become carcinogenic, so the friendly bacteria found in yogurt deactivate them.)

5. Yogurt is a good source of protein. The proteins in the yogurt are predigested due to the culturing of the proteins, making it easier for your body to absorb and use.

6. Yogurt lowers cholesterol levels. Some studies have shown that yogurt has the ability to lower your cholesterol count. This may be due to the live cultures found in yogurt which has the ability to take in cholesterol or may just bind the bile acids and lower cholesterol levels, or both. The exact mechanism has not yet been identified.

The best yogurt is usually the plain or natural one, which would only have the 2 basic yogurt ingredients – live cultures and milk. It should provide at least 35% of the recommended daily allowance for calcium based on an 8 ounce container. Avoid pasteurized yogurt, which means that live cultures and the lactase have been deactivated, which should be the basic components of healthy yogurt. This may prolong the shelf life of the yogurt, but it decreases the benefits that you should be getting from yogurt.

Yogurt is a healthy ingredient that can be added to most foods. If you haven’t tried this yet, then do so now by making a yogurt smoothie. Not sure where to start? A guide like “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously” can help you quickly build a repertoire of yogurt smoothie recipes. Believe me, the benefits are all worth it.

If you are on the look out for amazing diet smoothie recipes, do check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”. This amazing ebook contains over 180 smoothie recipes designed to keep you fit and happy. The recipes featured are kitchen tested and have been certified to taste as good as they are healthy. Learn more about it here: sensationalsmoothies.com

Enjoy A Bunch Of Benefits Eating The Humble Banana

In terms of global sales, no other fruit tops bananas. This curved tropical fruit is loved the world over, but there are some interesting facts you may not know about this highly popular, and delicious, fruit.

What is it?

Banana is the common name for a number of different fruits around the world. What we think of as bananas is not necessarily the same as many other cultures. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and even shades of red. A visitor from the tropics to the United States might not even recognize those little yellow bunches in the grocery store.

History

Native to tropical South and Southeast Asia, and likely to have been first domesticated in Papua New Guinea, bananas are cultivated today throughout the tropic regions of the world. They are grown in at least 107 countries, and are harvested primarily for their fruit, and to a lesser extent to make wine and decorative plants.

Recent findings suggest that banana cultivation goes back to at least 5000 BC in the Asian regions and possibly even to 8000 BC. It is likely that other species were independently domesticated at later times elsewhere in Southeast Asia and finally into Africa.

Health Benefits

Bananas are a good source of vitamin B6, vitamin C, manganese, potassium, and iron. One new catch phrase, probiotic “friendly” bacteria, is old hat to the banana; this fruit has been “friendly” to our digestive systems long before we heard the term. Along with other fruits and vegetables, consumption of bananas may be associated with a reduced risk of a variety of cancers, including colorectal cancer and breast cancer.

Some studies have found that banana ingestion may increase the 'feel good' chemicals, dopamine and serotonin, in the brain. Other studies have shown positive results using bananas in the diet to treat jaundice and kidney stones. Many people who workout or play sports know the benefits of eating a banana after their workout is over. Bananas help prevent lactic acid from building up in the body after we quit exercising, preventing sore muscles. You can't go wrong with the humble banana when it comes to eating healthy.

Fun Facts

The word 'banana' usually refers to the soft, sweet dessert variety. By contrast, other countries grow and eat bananas with a firmer, starchier fruit, called plantains or cooking bananas. The terms 'plantain' and 'banana' in these countries are widely interchangeable which means you need to be careful when asking for a banana – you never know which one you might get.

The banana plant is a very large flowering plant and is often mistaken for trees. Their main 'trunk' is actually a pseudo-stem that grows almost 25 feet tall. Each pseudo-stem can produce a single bunch of bananas, which actually grow point up rather than hanging down, making them look upside-down.

Bananas are slightly radioactive due to their high potassium content with a naturally occurring isotope, potassium-40. Proponents of nuclear power sometimes refer to the 'banana equivalent dose' of radiation to support their arguments for safe nuclear power.

How to eat

If you can peel it, you can eat it. Every culture has numerous ways to eat bananas, from deep frying, baking in their skin, or even steaming with rice. Banana pancakes are a favorite of hikers along the Southeast Asian trails. When dehydrated, banana chips make for a great snack and can even be used as special treats to train dogs.

Bananas may be relegated to snack time or dessert time in many households, but try thinking outside that pie pan. Bananas can perk up a spinach salad with vinaigrette dressing like nobody's business. Grilled bananas can add a very interesting flavor and aroma as a side dish with grilled pork. Of course, you'll want to keep a bunch hanging around for your morning smoothie. There are countless ways to enjoy bananas daily.

Grab a bunch of bananas and begin to experiment with different recipes. Not only do bananas taste great, they offer a whole bunch, pun intended, of nutrients. Any time you feel tired, run down, exhausted after a workout, grab this easy snack and you'll feel better fast.

How To Make Smoothies A Daily Habit

Making smoothies a part of your daily habit is one of the best things you can do to keep yourself in shape. Smoothies are not only delicious and easy to prepare, they can also be very healthy and good for you. It’s one of the best ways to meet our daily recommended allowance of 5 fruits a day. And for people who are not too keen on eating vegetables, smoothies can be a way to get your fill of fiber from the greens without the leafy aftertaste.

It’s no surprise then that a lot of people are starting to pick up this habit. It doesn’t matter how old or young you are, you are never too early or too late to get into smoothie drinking. Don’t worry if you’ve never made a smoothie in your life before now – it’s something even your 4 year-old niece can help you with.

If you are committed to becoming healthier, then making sure you succeed in this habit of drinking healthy smoothies is a goal you need to aim for. Forming a habit takes time. They say that you need to repeat an action for 28 days for it to sink in and truly become a habit for you. So to help you reach that goal, here are some tips on how you can make smoothies part of your daily routine.

• You have to make a commitment and VERBALIZE it. The first step is to want it. You have to be committed to see it through. You have to believe that you can do it and that you can succeed. And just as important as being truly committed is your ability to verbalize that commitment to your family and friends. By sharing what you intend to do with people around you, you are creating a support network for yourself of people who can cheer you on and remind you (in your moments of doubt).
• Set a schedule for your new habit. Are you going to make smoothies your breakfast? Or will it be an afternoon pick-me-upper? Will it be your reward to yourself after gym? Setting aside a certain time each day for your smoothie habit will make it easier for you to turn it into a habit. You are conditioning your mind to expect a glass of cool, creamy smoothie at a fixed time each day.
• Reward yourself. Give yourself a reward for reaching your goal. This will make the habit even more pleasurable and will motivate you further to succeed.
• Enjoy a variety of recipes. For a lot of people, variety is the key to success. Continuously discovering and enjoying new healthy smoothie recipes is important in keeping your interest in the habit. A recipe collection like “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously” is great to keep in handy so you always have a new recipe to look forward to. You can find out more about this book here: sensationalsmoothies.com
• Find a smoothie buddy. Forming a habit with a buddy makes the whole experience much more fun, and much more likely to succeed. Get your partner involved, or your friend. You can then keep tabs on how each other is doing, and even swap recipes from time to time.

If you don’t have your health, you have nothing. Make smoothies your daily habit and help yourself to a healthier you.

Discover The Bountiful Goodness Of Breadfruit

This popular Malayan fruit can be roasted, baked, or fried. It tastes like bread and can be substituted for starchy ingredients like rice. What else can this strange-named fruit do? Let's find out.

What is it?

Breadfruit is a type of flowering tree closely related to the mulberry family. Breadfruit is one of the highest-yielding food plants, with a single tree producing upwards of 200 or more fruits per season. In the South Pacific, the trees yield 50 to 150 fruits per year, however, in southern India, normal production is 150 to 200 fruits annually.

History

The ancestors of the Polynesians found the trees growing in the northwest New Guinea area around 3500 years ago. They gave up the rice cultivation they had brought with them from ancient Taiwan, and raised breadfruit wherever they went in the Pacific. Breadfruit then spread west and north through Southeast Asia.

Sir Joseph Banks and others saw the value of breadfruit as a highly productive food in 1769. As President of The Royal Society, Banks offered fame and fortune to anyone who could successfully introduce the breadfruit crop to Britain. William Bligh was appointed to the task, and after surviving a mutiny on the first trip, a second expedition was successful in returning with hundreds of live breadfruit plants.

Health Benefits

Breadfruit holds a treasure chest of nutrition, most notably being rich in fiber. This fiber can help control diabetes and even lower bad cholesterol levels, decreasing the risk for heart attacks. It is currently recommended that adults consume 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber per day, which is equivalent to two cups of boiled breadfruit. Consider replacing white rice in meals with breadfruit to boost your dietary fiber easily. Breadfruit can also provide a proportion of the recommended requirements for vitamin C, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, phosphorus, and iron.

Fun Fact

The wood of the breadfruit tree was one of the most valuable timbers in the construction of traditional houses and furniture in Samoan architecture. Although the wood is not very hard, it is strong, pliable, and termite resistant. The lightness of the breadfruit tree wood makes it perfect for making surfboards. The wood is also used to make traditional Hawaiian drums.

How to eat

Breadfruit can be eaten once cooked, or can be further processed into a variety of other foods. A common preparation, at least outside the United States, is to take fermented breadfruit and combine it with coconut milk and baked in banana leaves. This is similar to a rice pudding in texture and taste. Whole fruits can be cooked in an open fire, then cored and filled with other foods such as coconut milk, sugar and butter, cooked meats, or other fruits. The filled fruit can be further cooked so that the flavor of the filling permeates the flesh of the breadfruit.

If you get a chance to try breadfruit, you will not be disappointed. Not only is this amazing fruit extremely tasty, it is also highly filling. So, don't let your eyes get bigger than your stomach; be sure to share this tasty treat with your friends.

Kids Won’t Eat Their Fruits And Veggies? Try Homemade Smoothies

Homemade smoothies are becoming more and more popular among moms who would like their kids to snack on more fruits. It’s really a great way to get our daily recommended allowance of 5 servings of fruit a day. And with kids, it’s a fun way to teach them about various fruits and get them involved in the kitchen.

One of the nicest things about smoothies is that you use the entire fruit. Unlike fruit juices where you only benefit from the juice, with smoothies, you make use of the pulp as well. The pulp is a good source of fiber, which is responsible for the feeling of fullness you get when you drink a glass of smoothie. It also helps our body digest food and eliminate waste much more efficiently.

You can create homemade smoothies using a variety of healthy ingredients. Diary products like milk and yogurt are wonderful for creating creamy smoothies. Be sure to use low-fat milk or soy milk if you are concerned about the fat content of regular milk. Instead of sugar, you can use natural sweeteners like honey, which is healthier.

Using fruits in our smoothies is something we’re all familiar with. But did you know that you can also use vegetables when creating smoothies? That’s right – combining fruits and vegetables, when done right, can help you get your kids the vitamins and minerals they need from the leafy greens they always leave behind. You can use leafy greens like cabbages, orange vegetables like carrots, stalks of vegetables like celery and asparagus, and even flowerets like broccoli and cauliflower.

Homemade smoothies are also great to serve as a dessert. Chocolate is a popular ingredient when it comes to dessert smoothies – something I’m sure your kids will look forward to. Aside from using store-bought chocolate bars, you can also use cocoa powder for your dessert smoothies.

For the grown-ups, you can serve cocktail smoothies. Liqueurs like rum and gin works well with the sweeter tasting fruits. If you are feeling sluggish in the middle of the day, you could also perk up your smoothies by adding coffee.

There’s a lot of different ways you can serve your homemade smoothies. They can be as healthy or as indulgent as you want, depending on how you choose your ingredients. If you are tired of your usual smoothie recipes, then check out “Sensational Smoothies: Drink Your Way To Health Deliciously”.

This collection of over 180 refreshing smoothie recipes will keep you hooked on this healthy habit. It contains fruit smoothie recipes, diet smoothie recipes, breakfast recipes and more. The recipes make use of ingredients that are commonly available, and the directions are so easy to follow. Best of all, the recipes are kitchen-tested, so you’re sure that each recipe will turn out to be sensationally delightful. Be sure to read more about it here: http://www.sensationalsmoothies.com

Get To Know The Avocado – The Fruit That Wants To Be A Vegetable

The term 'good fat' may seem strange, but nutritionists know the facts; our body needs it to function properly. One source of this 'good fat' is avocados. Avocados are a staple food for many reasons in many different cultures. Let's learn about this smooth, creamy fruit... or is it a vegetable?

What is it?

First of all, the avocado is a fruit, even though it may taste like a vegetable. The avocado or 'alligator pear' refers to the fruit of the avocado tree. Avocados may be pear-shaped, egg-shaped, or spherical. Strange as it seems, the avocado is actually a large berry containing a large seed. Avocados are an economically and nutritionally valuable fruit cultivated in tropical climates throughout the world.

As anyone who has ever bought an avocado knows, the avocado is often pretty firm, even hard, when you buy it. Then, in a few days on your countertop, it gets softer. That is because avocados ripen after harvesting, when the fruit begins releasing a chemical similar to that of a banana.

History

Originally found in Puebla, Mexico, the avocado we see in stores in the United States is quite different from the avocado found in other regions. The oldest avocado found dates back to almost 10,000 BC. It was found in a cave in Coxcatlan, Mexico where Puebla is today. To promote the propagation of avocados around the world, the plant was introduced to the Indonesian culture in the mid 1700's, Brazil in the early 1800's, Levant in the 1900's, and South Africa and Australia in the late 19^th century.

Health Benefits

Avocados provide nearly twenty essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins, and folic acid. They also act as a 'nutrient booster' by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, like beta-carotene and lutein. The avocado has a higher 'good fat' content than most other fruits. This is the reason avocados serve as an important staple in the diet where access to other foods that supply good fats, like lean meats, fish, and dairy, may be limited.

The American Heart Association (AHA) Dietary Guidelines recommend a diet that has at least five servings of fruits and vegetables, contains up to 30% of calories from fats (primarily unsaturated) and is low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fats, and sodium while being rich in potassium. Avocados are a nutrient dense food that can help you meet these AHA dietary guidelines.

A generous helping of avocado on a regular basis has all sorts of health benefits, including those little things we love like shiny strong hair and nails, and younger looking and feeling skin. Of course, there are those big things, too, like lowering cholesterol.

Fun Facts

Avocados were known by the Aztecs as 'the fertility fruit' because of its supposed aphrodisiac qualities. In Nahuatl avocado is called ahuacatl and is found compounded with other words, as in ahuacamolli, meaning avocado soup or sauce, from which the word guacamole is derived. It is also known as Butter Fruit in parts of India due to its butter-like texture.

The average avocado tree produces about 1,200 avocados annually. Commercial orchards produce, on average, seven tons per hectare (about 2.5 acres) each year with some orchards reaching upwards of 20 tons per hectare.

How to eat

To tell if an avocado is ripe, hold it in the palm of your hand and squeeze gently. It should yield to a gentle pressure. A ripe avocado is easy to peel if you cut down lengthwise and twist the avocado slightly to split it in half. The pit can be popped out by inserting the blade of a knife into the pit and giving a nudge. Then, use the knife tip to slice through the flesh of the avocado, but not the outside peel, in sections and turn the nubby peeling inside-out and the ripe flesh will pop out.

The flesh of an avocado is prone to enzymatic browning, meaning it turns brown quickly after exposure to air. To prevent this, lemon juice or lime juice can be sprinkled on the avocado after the peeling is removed. Not only does the citrus juice slow the browning process, but it compliments the flavor of the avocado. In fact, avocado dishes often call for the addition of fresh lime or lemon juice.

Generally, avocado is served raw because many varieties cannot be cooked without turning bitter. However, there are a few dishes that call for brief heating in the oven just until the avocado is warmed through. Some of the more popular uses of avocado is in guacamole or other types of salsas, atop a bright green salad, or even on hamburgers and sandwiches. Avocados are found in many varieties of sushi, too.

Due to the high fat content, many countries blend the avocado with other fruits and vegetables to make smoothie-like drinks. You may also find avocados used as an additive or filler for ice cream since the flavor profile is extremely subtle, the texture is creamy, and the flesh of the avocado can take on just about any flavor you subject it to.

Whether you are trying avocados for the first time, or are a big fan already, you may be surprised just how much of a super-food avocados are. Besides being healthy, avocados are a delicious treat. Give avocados a try today and find out how easy it is to incorporate this powerhouse fruit into your diet.

Spring Into Asparagus For Super Flavor And Nutrition

To know asparagus is to love asparagus, once you learn the right preparation. Asparagus is in many regions the first sign of springtime fresh eating. If you have only tried canned asparagus, you'll want to take the time to learn about fresh asparagus and give this amazing vegetable a try. Let's take a look at this super-green springtime miracle and how to enjoy it.

What is it?

Asparagus grows naturally as a perennial plant in Europe (mostly Spain, Ireland, and Germany) and the United States. The leaves are actually the spear shaped stalks that, in a traditional leaf, would be the stem running down the middle. Early in the growing season, the tender asparagus spike is small and slender without buds or berries. That's when they are perfect for plucking. The asparagus plant usually produces yellowish or white bell-shaped flowers and small red berries once the plant has matured into a hard, woody plant, not suitable for eating. As a matter of fact, the berries are poisonous.

History

Asparagus had an early start in the medicinal field due to its diuretic properties. You can actually find a recipe for cooking asparagus in the oldest known cookbook, Apicius' De re coquinaria, Volume III. Asparagus was originally cultivated by the Egyptians. Later the Greeks and Romans ate fresh asparagus during the warm spring and summer months and dried it to use in soups during the colder winter months. In the Middle Ages, asparagus lost its popularity, returned later in the seventeenth century and has become a popular vegetable in today's culinary environment.

Health Benefits

If you are looking for a low calorie, nutrient rich vegetable, asparagus is the answer. Asparagus is a great source of B vitamins, calcium, magnesium, and zinc. With high amounts of dietary fiber found in the outer stalk and elevated levels of folic acid, iron and vitamins E and K, asparagus is also a great food for pregnant women or nursing mothers as these are nutrients your baby needs to develop and stay healthy.

Fun Facts

Asparagus was once classified in the lily family like its cousins onion and garlic, but has since been moved into the flowering plant family, named Asparagaceae.

The green variety of asparagus is eaten worldwide, though the availability of imports throughout the year has made it less of a delicacy than it once was. In the UK, due to the short growing season and demand for local produce, asparagus commands a premium and the summer season is looked forward to all year long.

In northern Europe, there is a strong following for white asparagus which is local to the region, nicknamed 'white gold.' Asparagus was so highly demanded in the Eastern world that France’s Louis XIV had special greenhouses built solely for growing it.

In the northern climates in the United States, spring is anxiously awaited for many reasons, including the asparagus that starts peeking through the ground as soon as the snow melts and the soil warms. Wild asparagus, or 'roadside asparagus' is a welcome sight, making many a motorist stop and pick fresh asparagus to their heart's content.

How to eat

Asparagus spears are served in a number of ways. A typical preparation would be as an appetizer or side dish. In Asian cooking, asparagus is often added to stir-fry and served with chicken, shrimp, or beef. In the United States, asparagus is often eaten wrapped in bacon or quickly grilled over charcoal. Many cultures use asparagus to flavor soups or served steamed with a light hollandaise sauce. You'll find asparagus, lightly cooked and bright green in color, diced and tossed in a variety of pasta dishes, hot or cold.

An easy way to cook asparagus without over cooking it, which would leave it bitter and limp, is to roast it on a baking sheet tossed with olive oil and salt. Quickly blanching the asparagus in a basket dropped into a deep pot of boiling water, then cooling in an ice bath, is another way to maintain the color, flavor, and crisp-tender texture perfect for asparagus. Asparagus is usually not eaten raw, but is often flash-cooked to maintain the crunch of raw with the flavor of cooked.

When choosing your asparagus bunch from the grocery store, look for firm, small, dark green shoots with tightly bunched heads. This will ensure you get the freshest batch. The bottom portion of the asparagus may be woody and covered in sand and dirt. Wash the asparagus thoroughly, then give the stem a quick snap; the stalk will bend and break where it is tender, so just throw out the bottoms that snap off.

Pick up any recipe book and chances are you will find at least a few amazing recipes with asparagus in the supporting, or starring, role. Give asparagus a try in a new recipe and see for yourself why people have been raving about asparagus for centuries.

Homemade Convenience Foods: A Healthier Alternative

We all know how hard it can be to break a habit, especially when it seems like it is saving us a load of time and stress. How often do people find themselves in the drive thru lane of their favorite fast food joint ready to order some premade quickie breakfast or lunch just because they slept that extra five minutes that morning, or decided to take the extra time under the hot jets of water in their morning shower? Image though that you had taken out a bag of pancakes you had made up a few days before and just had to throw them in the toaster for two minutes. If you had prepared them with cinnamon or other flavorful spices, you wouldn’t even need to worry about syrup, you could just take them in hand and be out their door in no time.

There are many items that can be made in bulk while you are already cooking up a storm in the kitchen. Take dishes like lasagne for instance. How much more work would it take to make 2 trays at one time? You could serve on for dinner and pop the other tray in the freezer for a quick dinner the next week. Since you have already made the decision to make your own recipe, you can choose the ingredients that go in your dish. You can be sure to add healthy ingredients, fresh from your own garden perhaps, and know that none of the chemicals or additives that are so often put in pre-packaged foods to help keep their shelf life longer, are present in your food.

Choosing to grow your own fruits and vegetables is a fun and affordable way to ensure that you are not getting foods that have been sprayed with ingredients that could cause harm to you or your family in the future. If you grow a lot of food, you could purchase items such as a food dehydrator and dry and package the food for use as needed. Most dehydrated foods retain most of their natural vitamins and minerals and are good for up to several years when packaged and stored in the correct manner. Learning how to make your own jam, yogurt and salad dressing can ensure that you are not getting any unnecessary amounts of sugar, salt or other ingredients that could cause health problems in the long run. Diabetes is on the rise, with too many people buying and eating foods that are pre-packaged with unhealthy amounts of sugar. By taking a few minutes or a couple hours out of your week, you can feel confident that you are helping your family eat the best choices they can have with all of the taste still to be enjoyed. The Hillbilly Housewife has created a book that will get you started learning what needs to be done to create your own homemade convenience foods that are chock full of goodness and will save you both time and money. Get on the road to keeping your family healthy today!

Homemade Convenience Food ebook is: http://bit.ly/fbaVXi

Get To Know The Fuzzy Little Apricot

Apricots are soft, sweet, juicy, and mostly recognized for their fuzzy skin. This little orange colored fruit is packed with nutrients and great for snacking. Once you get past the giant plum-like seed casing in the middle, every bite is a delight. Let's take at look at this fuzzy little fruit and see where it came from and a few other interesting facts.

What is it?

The apricot is the fruit produced on a rather scrawny looking tree. The tree canopy spreads out like thin arms, producing a massive amount of fruit. The actual apricot is similar in size to a small peach. The orange color may appear the shade of a basketball, and will often be darker orange or even red on the side more exposed to the sun. The single seed is enclosed in a hard pit often called a 'stone.' If you look at the pit, you will see three ridges running down one side, which is where the new plant breaks through once it sprouts.

History

Apricots have been cultivated in Armenia since ancient times and it is thought to be native to the area. However, other studies and excavations of ancient sites have shown that apricots have been farmed in both ancient China and India almost 1,000 years prior to the Armenians. You'll find apricot groves in warm climates in the United States, even growing wild. The wild versions are still edible, though quite a bit smaller. If you live in a warm region, you may experience your first wild apricot sighting when you spot squirrels running around with small 'basketballs' in their mouth.

Health Benefits

Full of beta-carotene, giving them their orange color, and packed with fiber, apricots are a great addition to any diet. Apricot kernels contain between 2% and 2.5% hydrocyanic acid (cyanide) which, contrary to popular belief, is not enough to be harmful if consumed. The seed also contains high levels of cyanogenic glycosides which can help treat cancer and was used to treat tumors in the early 5^th century. In more recent years, studies have shown that treating prostate cancers with the amygdalin found in apricot seeds may induce reduction in cancer cells.

If you are looking for heart healthy fruit, apricots are your best friend. Compared to other foods, apricots possess the highest levels of carotenoids which can help prevent heart disease and even lower bad cholesterol levels. While these are great benefits to have, other studies have shown that apricots are best when consumed in moderation and excess intake could actually be harmful to your body. As in most consumption, heed the advice “do all things in moderation.”

Fun Facts

Apricots are in the same family as plums. The full species and subgenus is Prunus armeniaca, which, when translated is “Armenian Prune.” Apricots are susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases. One of the biggest enemies of the apricot tree is the nematode, which is why the valuable seed is grown inside the pit to make sure a new generation of apricot survives in the wild. A little lesson in nature protecting itself.

Because their natural sugars help preserve the fruit, much like honey and dried dates found in the ancient Egyptian tombs, dried apricots can last for several centuries without spoiling. The kernels of the apricot grown in some regions are so sweet they may be a substitute for almonds. Amaretto liqueur and amaretti biscotti, two Italian favorites, are often flavored with apricot extract rather than almonds to save on costs.

How to Eat

Snacking on dried apricots is a great way to add a sweet treat to your day; anytime anywhere. Throw a handful in with your cereal, or top a crisp salad with dried apricots to add an extra flavor profile to your dish. Kids especially like the surprisingly fuzzy little texture of dried apricots, along with the super sweet taste. For an extra treat, dip dried apricots in a bit of melted chocolate.

Fresh apricots can be reduced in a sauce to be used as a glaze for pecan crusted chicken. Create a simple apricot sauce to accompany grilled pork. Dice up fresh apricot for a luau inspired salad. You can even halve apricots and grill them, just like you would peaches or pineapples. Consider mashing apricots to add to pan breads for a completely different spin on baking.

No matter how you use them, apricots are a delicious and healthy way to add some sweetness to your meals, without picking up the sugar bowl. Buy some today and try to incorporate them into your daily diet. You will feel good knowing you are boosting your nutrition level with every sweet bite.

There's More To An Apple Than Meets The Eye

If you haven't spent a lot of time in the apple growing regions, you may not know how versatile this fruit is. Apples come in all sorts of shapes, colors, and tastes; not just the two or three you may know from your local grocery store's bagged produce department. Apples grow in just about every corner of the globe. Apples can be used in a variety of dishes from appetizers to main dishes to desserts. Let's get down to the core and see where apples come from and how they earned their rightful place in almost every aspect of our dietary lives.

What is it?

Apples are the fruit borne from, well, apple trees, of course. They come in various shades of red, yellow, and green and most have a white flesh that varies in texture from crisp to soft. Spanning the taste spectrum from sugary sweet to pucker-up tart, apples are one of the more versatile foods in the marketplace.

History

Apples have been around in one form or another for over 4,000 years. They were first brought to the United States in the early 1600's by explorers and settlers. Apples were highly valued and became a staple food in most households because they stored well fresh and were easily dried, then became the star of the home-canning world. Today, apples are still treated the same way – with appreciation for their versatility in recipes, ease of storage, and variety of preservation methods. For these reasons, apples are enjoyed by thousands around the globe.

Health Benefits

Apples have proven to be beneficial in every health aspect from bone protection to Alzheimer's prevention, and even diabetes management and cancer prevention. The reason apples are linked to all of these health benefits is because of the two integral layers – the skin and the pulp – both being an excellent source of vitamin C, just to name the most obvious and well known nutrient. Along with the added nutrients, the things that are missing from apples also make them noteworthy under the 'health benefits' tag; namely, apples are fat free, sodium free, and cholesterol free.

Pectin in the meaty part of the apple helps manage diabetes by supplying galacturonic acid which lowers the body's need for insulin. Phloridzin, a flavanoid found only in apples, may help protect menopausal women from the frightening occurrence of osteoporosis. A nutrient found in apple skins, boron, has been found to strengthen bones.

Fun Facts

Apple trees can live for many years; sometimes well over a century. There are more than 7,500 varieties of apples grown in the world and about 2,500 of those are grown in the United States. Red Delicious is the most popular and well-known apple in the USA, with Golden Delicious following behind in a close second. Granny Smith apples are fast approaching these two powerhouse apples in popularity. The average American eats more than 70 apples a year, and considering apples are free of fat, salt, and cholesterol, as well as being a good source of dietary fiber and vitamin C, it's no wonder our doctors are trying to get us to eat one a day.

How to Eat Raw Apples

Eating a raw apple is as simple as diving teeth-first through the crisp skin right into the sweet or tart insides, and letting the juice run down your chin. If you wish to give your teeth a more gentle approach, and keep a neater smile, you can also core and cut the apple into wedges. Once you have these juicy little wedges, you'll be looking for goodies to dip them into. You don't have to look much further than peanut butter for a classic snack.

Apples can be diced and added to a fruit salad, tossed into a crunchy tuna salad with celery, or dipped in chocolate and caramel and topped with nuts. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of ways to eat a raw apple. If you are lucky enough to be around an apple orchard, then there is nothing like picking a ripe apple from a tree, still warm from the sun, and enjoying each bite right in the shade of the branches of the apple tree.

How to Eat Cooked Apples

You can get as fancy as you want or as down-home simple as can be with apples. From apple pie to apple crisp and apple pastries to apple omelets, cooked apples are a favorite food around the world. Looking for something simpler than a pie? Just simmer the apples until they get soft, throw in a little sugar and cinnamon, and mash them into, you guessed it, applesauce. Eat it as it is or serve over ice cream.

What if you don't have a sweet tooth? Apples are often found in side dishes with cabbage, collard greens, spinach, or other savory vegetables. You will find a delightful mix of flavors when you add apples to a skillet full of harvest vegetables, onions, and a splash of balsamic vinaigrette. And, don't forget to try your hand at an apple glaze for your next pork tenderloin. Think beyond apple pie and you'll discover a whole world of recipes for your next bag of apples.

No matter how you decide to eat your apples, just remember the old adage, 'an apple a day keeps the doctor away.' Now we have the scientific studies showing all the nutrients there are in apples, so there's no excuse not to add this versatile fruit to your diet. Of course, that cool, crisp crunch of an apple alone should convince you to take a bite!

Homemade Convenience Foods: Healthy Body, Healthy Budget

As tempting as it is to just go and buy the convenient pre-packaged food at the grocery store, more families should really stop to take stock of how much money is being spent and how much better off they could be if they just took a little more time to prepare their own homemade convenience foods. Many people may think that they are too busy to prepare a healthy version of their favorite convenience food such as honey granola or even ready-made waffles.

There is an old saying about pre-packaged and convenience foods you find in the grocery stores. If you are reading the ingredients on the label and it consists of sugar being one of the first items, as well as there being many more ingredients listed with syllables you cannot even pronounce, it is an indication that you should not be eating it because it is not real food. Studies are just starting to show how much damage all of the chemicals and food substitutes are doing to our bodies. What we think could save us time now, could steal time from us later on.

If you think that it is more expensive to prepare you own homemade convenience foods, you should think again. Just setting aside two hours every Sunday night could end up providing you with healthy alternatives and additions for your menu for the whole week or even the entire month, depending on what you choose to make. Don’t think you have the time to set aside 2 hours on a Sunday? Or perhaps you do not know where to start or how to make your own foods. Susanne Myers has come up with some recipes and tips to help you get started. You could start with something small like a soup base, pancake mix, or homemade yogurt, and then move on to something more elaborate such as homemade pizza with self-rising crust or your own corn tortillas. Once you see the many choices you have for making homemade convenience foods and the fun you can have making them, you will wish you had started things sooner.

Homemade Convenience Food ebook is:

http://bit.ly/fbaVXi

Homemade Convenience Food Mixes: Make Your Own

It is easier to make your own homemade convenience food mixes than you may think. Not only can it be a healthier alternative for you, it can also save you money each month which could add up at the end of the year. If you have a large family and a modest budget, you could really benefit from this option.

What are some of the other benefits to making your own homemade convenience food mixes?

1. You will never have to worry about running out of a certain ingredient and not being able to continue making a special dish for a dinner party or gathering.
2. You can control the amount of un-necessary chemicals and additives that go into your food mixes, thus saving you from getting sick or ending up with un-expected medical expenses.
3. Buying things in bulk allows you to save even more money and when packaged properly, spices and other ingredients will remain fresh for much longer.
4. You can make as big a batch for your food mix as you would like.
5. You do not have to think about paying extra money just for a name brand.

What types of homemade convenience food mixes are ideal to make and store?

• Homemade pie seasoning mixes
• Poultry or pork seasoning mixes
• Rice seasoning mixes
• Baking mixes such as Bisquick
• Salad dressing mixes
• Croutons
• Stuffing mix
• Soup mixes
• Syrup
• Hot chocolate
• Tea mixes
• And even things like pop tarts

You have a wider variety of choices when you choose to save money, and whip up your own homemade convenience food mixes to serve to your family. If you are unsure of how to make your own food mixes, Susanne Myers who is known as the Hill Billy Housewife has come up with a great collection of recipes and will walk you through the steps of how to get started preparing your own homemade convenience food mixes and get you on the way to a healthier and more affordable living.

Homemade Convenience Food ebook is: http://bit.ly/fbaVXi

Homemade Convenience Foods: Saving Money By Eating At Home

In today’s society, many families find they barely have enough time to get through the weekdays taking care of the numerous activities that need to be done. Children need to be dressed, fed and off to school or a baby sitters. Parents are either rushing around trying to get themselves dressed in between getting the kids ready or trying to pack up last minute things needed for the office. Depending on what activities are going on after school and work, more often than not, parents walk through the door with just enough time to whip up something fast and put it on the stove for dinner. After dinner usually consists of helping children with homework, catching up on things that may have fallen behind at the office, or just regular things like bathing the children, story time and taking a moment to relax before lying down for the night.

If you find that you are wasting too much time trying to come up with something to cook for your family, are tired of stretching the budget to get in all of the items on your grocery list each month, it may be time to sit down and take stock of the situation for a minute. Homemade convenience foods can save you money in the long run if you take a few minutes out of each day when you are already in the kitchen cooking, or spend a few hours working in the kitchen during the weekend when you may have more time.

By buying things in bulk, measuring out certain ingredients to make your own mixes, and having healthy choices for foods that you have created yourself as easily consumed homemade convenience foods, you can find that hundreds of dollars a year can be saved without even realizing it. How many times have you gone to the store to grab items like waffles, pre-made pancakes, frozen dinners, meat pies, or any of the numerous convenience foods that stores sell on the shelves today. All of these items can be made by yourself with your choice of healthy ingredients and don’t take much more time up than you would already spend in the kitchen preparing a roast dinner for Sunday night with the family.

If you are wondering what types of homemade convenience foods can be prepare quickly, easily and affordably, The Hillbilly Wife has created a great selection of recipes and instructions you can follow to get started saving those dollars and making dishes that are healthier and more delicious than any take-out food you may want to order at a fast food restaurant. If you are looking for a way to add some time to your day and feel good about what you are serving your children for lunch, you owe it to yourself to check out The Hillbilly Housewife’s new book today!

Homemade Convenience Food ebook is: http://bit.ly/fbaVXi

Blue-Razzy Acai Berry Slushie

1 cup blueberries

1/2 cup raspberries

1/2 cup low fat yogurt

1/2 cup skim milk

1/4 cup acai berry juice

1 tsp wheatgerm or flaxseed

1 cup ice cubes

Put all slushie ingredients in blender, then with blender on high speed, start adding ice cubes until desired consistency. Serve immediately in tall, chilled glasses. This is a nutritious and delicious breakfast, lunch, or pick-me-up drink.

Unravel The Mysteries Of The Acai Berry

Acai berry, pronounced [ah-SIGH-ee] is probably one of the most highly disputed fruits of the current day. Let's take a deeper dive into this amazing little fruit and find out exactly where it came from, some possible health benefits, and a few ways to incorporate this fruit into your diet.

What is it?

Acai berry is a small reddish, purple fruit, resembling a stretched out grape. These berries are found on the Brazilian wild palmberry tree, native to Central and South America. There have been numerous studies done on the health benefits of these berries, but a majority of them have been focused on the antioxidant activity which could help prevent certain diseases.

History

Acai has been around for thousands of years, but was not introduced to the western world until the mid 1990's. First used by the tribes of the Amazon jungle as a cure for various ailments, acai berries soon made a home in the Americas. It didn't take long for westerners to believe in the tremendous health properties credited to this tasty fruit.

Where Does it Come From?

The acaí berries can be found on a palm tree with a long thin trunk. The berries would be grouped in clusters that look like little blue bottles hanging in between ribbon-like leaves. Traditionally, the acai berries would have to be picked by hand. The tribe's men would shimmy up the tree and cut the branches from the top of a palm tree laden with acai berries. The harvest would then be brought back to the women of the village to pluck and prepare.

Health Benefits

The health benefits are where most of the debate on acai is concerned. Some studies show there are no greater health benefits from eating acai berries than similar fruits, berries, and vegetables. However, other studies claim to prove the antioxidant levels are much higher. Even if acai berries are only on an equal footing with other fresh produce in providing a defense against free radicals, they would be worth considering when eating a healthy diet.

Acai contains powerful antioxidants called anthocyanins and flavonoids. These two antioxidants help defend the body against life's stressors. They also play a role in defending the body against free radicals. Free radicals are harmful byproducts either introduced to the body as toxins from the outside environment or produced by the body from the remnants of processed foods and other internal pollutants. By lessening the destructive power of free radicals, antioxidants may help reduce the risk of some diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.

Fun Fact

Anthocyanin is Greek for 'blue flower.' These antioxidants are what give the acai berries and juice the reddish, purple, and blue hues. Many fruits which contain these deep, rich pigments, like blueberries, blackberries, and cranberries, are extremely high in antioxidant properties.

How to Eat

Acai berries can be consumed in a number of different ways. Some people prefer them raw as acai na tigela - literally translated as 'acai in a bowl'. Others prefer to drink the sweet juice, sometimes as part of a smoothie. Straight up, acai juice is similar to drinking grape juice.

Acai berries are a great addition to salads, especially when combined with slivers of toasted almonds and crumbles of soft goat cheese. Due to the natural pH of the juice, acai is also great at tenderizing meat and makes an excellent marinade for beef and lamb. Another trend emerging from the acai world is wine made from the berries. The list will grow as more and more people find out about this fabulous super food.

No matter how you get your acai fix, you will enjoy the new flavor profile on your palate and the added antioxidants in your diet won't hurt either. So pick up some frozen berries or a bottle of juice and make this fun-to-pronounce berry a part of your daily diet.

Eating Healthy When Eating Out

If you go out to a restaurant to eat, you probably watch your calories very closely.  To assist you with your calorie watching when dining out, these tips will help you make the most of it.

-  Always order salad dressings or sauces on the side,  as this way you have control over how much you add to your meal.

-  When you order grilled fish or vegetables, you should ask that the food be grilled without butter or oil, or prepared with very little or either or.

-  Anytime you order pasta dishes, be on the lookout for tomato based sauces instead of the cream based sauces.  Tomato based sauces are much lower in fat and calories, and tomato sauce can even be counted as a vegetable!

-  You should always try to drink water, or tea instead of soda or beverages that contain alcohol.  

-  If you order dessert, share with a friend. Half  of the dessert will equal half of the calories.

-  When you choose a soup, remember that cream  based soups are higher in fat and calories than other soups.  A soup can be a great appetizer, as most are low in calories and you fill you up pretty fast.

-  When ordering a baked potato, ask for salsa instead of sour cream, butter, cheese, or even bacon.  Salsa is very low in calories and provides a healthy alternative with plenty of flavor and spice.

-  When you are full, stop eating.  Listen to your body and what it tells you.

-  If you get full, take half of your meal home.   The second portion of your meal can serve as a second meal later.  This way, you get two meals for the price of one.

-  If you're looking to eat less, order two appetizers or an appetizer and a salad as your meal.

-  If you get a choice of side dishes, get a baked potato or steamed vegetables instead of french fries.

-  Always look for food on the menu that's baked,  grilled, broiled, poached, or steamed.  These types of cooking use less fat in the cooking process and are usually much lower in calories.

-  Plain bread or rolls are low in both fat and calories.  When you add the butter and oil, you increase the fat and calorie intake.

-  As key ingredients to your meal, choose dishes with fruits and vegetables.  Both fruits and  vegetables are great sources of dietary fiber as  well as many vitamins and minerals.

-  Choose foods made with whole grains, such as  whole wheat bread and dishes made with brown rice.

-  If you crave dessert, look for something with  low fat, such as berries or fruit.

-  Always remember not to deprive yourself of the foods you truly love.  All types of foods can fit into a well balanced diet.

Does your food have a high “Metabolic Thermo-Charge?”

When it comes to fat loss, one thing you hear about all the time is your METABOLISM. Nice word. And it sounds all scientific and important.

But what the heck is it???

Metabolism simply refers to the number of calories your body burns throughout the day in order to sustain its basic needs. You can think of it as your natural “baseline.” The faster your metabolism, the more calories you’ll burn. That speed also directly determines how much food you can eat, and how fast you’ll lose weight when you’re dieting.

It’s just common sense that the foods you eat on a daily basis tend to have the greatest influence on how many calories you burn throughout the day. When you make the right food choices, you take a giant leap towards your fat loss goals.

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That’s all pretty obvious. But the crafty person learns the rules and figures out how to rig the game ;)

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Certain foods have hidden metabolic superpowers that can make your body burn even more unsightly body fat in far less time than “dieting” alone.

For most of these foods, the “superpowers” are essentially their high thermogenic effect. My friends Dave Ruel and Karine Losier call it their "Metabolic Thermo-Charge".

It basically stands for how many calories your body burns just breaking down the nutrients each time you consume a certain food. 

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Talk soon,

Arthur M.

High Cholesterol? Know The Good and Bad Fats - cholesterol - Health.com

High Cholesterol? Know The Good and Bad Fats - cholesterol - Health.com

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Eating Healthy For Students

For students, eating at college is an entire new ball game, with late night pizza delivery and food from buggies.  Even though some of these quick and simple options taste great, they are probably  not healthy for a student's body.

The food choices students make can affect whether or not they are able to remain awake during class and whether or not they will come down with  mononucleosis when it hits campus.  The problem is not only about eating junk food, it's more  about not getting the proper proteins, carbs,  vitamins, and minerals that people need.

When it comes to defending against illnesses,  vitamins and minerals are very important.  Just because they are important, isn't a reason for students to run out and stock up on vitamins and supplements.  It's best for students to get their nutrition from food.

You can find vitamin C in citric fruits, Vitamin A in milk and diary products, and vitamin E in  nuts, whole wheat products, and even green leafy vegetables.  This is the ideal way to get  nutrition, as your body relies on these vitamins for many reasons.

When you eat on campus, skip on the soda's and  go right to the juice machines.  Explore the  different entrees available and go to the salad bar where there are fresh vegetables.  You can also try putting some broccoli and cauliflower in the microwave for steamed vegetables.  There are always healthy cereals and plenty of fresh fruit available in dining halls as well.

Always remember that eating healthy isn't just about avoiding greasy foods.  Eating healthy involves getting a balanced diet and getting the right nutrients and vitamins to keep your body in peak performance - or at least awake during  your classes.

WHFoods: Healthy Quick Broil Cooking Method

WHFoods: Healthy Quick Broil Cooking Method

10 Healthy Fish Recipes - Health.com

10 Healthy Fish Recipes - Health.com