Health Benefits of Asparagus

I have been craving asparagus, my favorite veggie, for days. Today I am eating it for lunch. While munching away, I decided to do a little research on the health benefits of asparagus. Here is what I've found!

*It is full of fiber, folate, and vitamins A, C, E and K, and chromium, a trace mineral.
*It is rich in glutathione, a compound that helps to break down carcinogens and free radicals.
*Asparagus is packed with antioxidants. (Again, good against free radicals)
*It delivers folate, which works with vitamin B12 to help fight cognitive impairment.
*It contains the amino acid asparagine, which acts as a natural diuretic to help reduce excess fluid and salt in the body. (Good for those with edema and high blood pressure)

Info. source www.EatingWell.com


Here's a fun benefits list from another website:

1 - can detoxify our system

2 - has anti-aging functions

3 - is considered an aphrodisiac

4 - can protect against cancer

5 - reduces pain and inflammation

6 - can prevent osteoporosis and osteoarthritis

7 - reduces the risk of heart disease

8 - can help prevent birth defects

An added benefit is that asparagus is on the "safe to eat non-organic" list because it is low in pesticide levels. Ideally, all foods should be organic when possible, but when they are not, asparagus still makes the shopping list. =)

And.. I love the taste. While asparagus can make urine smell very strange, there is no ill effect of this. So eat up! 

Juicing! A "Fruit Punch" Recipe

I have been using my juicer lately, after a long hiatus. I stopped due to the cost of juicing, but have restarted after watching a documentary on healthy eating.

Rather than using the book of juicing recipes I have, this time I've been winging it. Sometimes the results are fair, sometimes they're good. Today I made one that instantly shot to the top of my list. My new favorite. Here it is:

3 apples (mine were on the small side)
1 pear (mine was green, use your favorite)
1 small carrot
1 piece of cucumber* (mine was about 3" long)
a handful of strawberries

*All of my ingredients were organic with the exception of the cucumber. If using organic fruits and veggies, you can keep the peel on (added benefits!) if not, remove before juicing.

Juice them all together, and voila! I added ice to mine. Delicious!

An added bonus to juicing is that if you're into composting or vermicomposting (composting with worms) the pulp that is left over after juicing is wonderful for the garden! For the worm composters out there, the food is already chopped up nice and small for them!

I'd love to hear about your favorite juicing recipes. =)

Fish

I have never been a fish eater. Today I started. Why? Because I've read too many times to ignore, the benefits of getting those omega-3 fatty acids. As I previously wrote, I bought myself some fish oil capsules, only to find out, a day and one dose late, that they are filled with PCBs. I feel that I no longer have any excuses. I've got to eat the stuff. So I encouraged my hubby, who loves eating fish, to start cooking it. Tonight he grilled salmon, and made lots of yummy side dishes. I ate some. It may have ultimately only amounted to about 1/2 square inch total, but I ate it! And my darling son ate it with gusto! Good boy! My daughter, who has discovered that food is weird (think about it, it really is) wouldn't touch it, even though she loves lox. But it's a start. And I encourage him to prepare fish often. We'll get used to it! And we'll be better for it.

Exposure

Sometimes the only way to change a behavior is to expose it...that is to say, if you knew others we watching you, would you behave the same way all the time? Probably not. I realize this sounds as if I'm going to expose this major secret life, but I'm not. Sorry to disappoint! It's just about food.

At the moment I am heating up canned stew for my son and me. Here are the details:

Fat: 10g (per 1 cup)
Sat Fat: 4g (20% RDA)
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 970mg

There are some good things, but I won't list them.

My son chose this out of the cabinet, and I cooked it. While fixing it, he asked for fruit salad - in this case it was also in a can. Double dammit! I opened it and he ate with gusto.

Sugar: per 1/2 cup 11g

After a while I told him he'd had enough of that and...would he like his stew? Yuck! he said! I went through the panty naming items both good and not so good. DS chose to have plain kidney beans. I need to follow this boy's example!!!

Total fat: 0g
Sat Fat: 0g
Trans Fat: 0g
Cholesterol: 0g
Sodium: 250mg
Dietary Fiber: 6g (24% RDA)
Protein: 7g

Smart kid. My punishment for even suggesting and actually serving such crap is to make myself look up healthy recipes for my next two dinner nights (tonight and Sunday.) I have mentioned how I feel about the entire meal process (I'm not a fan) so this really is a punishment of sorts. But I gotta do something. Sheesh.

Healing With Whole Foods by Paul Pitchford

I have a feeling I will be blogging a lot about food in the future. I bought myself this book with the hopes of gaining a better understanding of how food effects our moods and our health. The book is huge, and when I first saw I figured I probably wouldn't end up spending a lot of time with it. Two nights ago, during my evening "break" I picked it up and started reading. I spent 45 minutes at it. Wow. Interesting stuff! For example:

Magnesium: "...(An) attribute of foods concentrated in magnesium is their ability to strengthen the structural aspects of the body to counteract conditions such as chronic fatigue syndrome, arthritis, and osteoporosis. ...Excellent research suggests that absolutely no calcium enters the bones without adequate magnesium..." Magnesium rich foods include beans, soy products, peas and lentils.

Milk: "...Dairy with its fat removed may not support the absorption and utilization of the fat-soluble vitamins D and A, which are necessary for maintaining and laying down new bone mass. Thus, calcium may go primarily into the soft tissues rather than into the bones in those who persist with reduced-fat dairy products."

Wow. Food for thought-lol!

Food and Mood

I decided a while back that one key to feeling better, both for myself and for my kids and hubby, is to eat better. Well, duh, right? But isn't it one of the hardest habits to start and maintain? I think so. But I want to....I want to..... So I restart and restart and restart. I joined the local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture-organic farm-fresh produce each week during the growing season) again this year. And I am buying lots of fruits when I get to the store. Which is infrequently, so we go through it very quickly and are then out for a while. And when I make something healthy to eat, the kids love it. SOOOO. What is the problem? I don't like cooking! I don't like shopping! I don't like the process. However, the process is here and isn't going anywhere, so I have no excuse but to make our meals healthier. Maybe these will help:

I was in the mood, a few days back, to buy books. I got these, and some others. I am interested in moving towards a more whole-foods diet, and getting rid of some of the crap that we ingest on a daily basis. But ya gotta see how big the book on the left is: holy moley. I guess I have my work cut out for me! It's supposed to have all kinds of interesting information....maybe it'll scare me into eating better! 

I'll share what I learn...for now, I just need to get cracking with a meal list and a shopping list for the rest of the week. Gotta get some good stuff in this house. We're still working on two birthday cakes....I think I'll save reading about the evils of sugar until next week! ;)

Ah geez. All I did was pick up the book on the right and randomly flip to some pages in the middle. Geez. =(

Here's a random weird food thing. When I eat cold foods, I get cold. It's almost instant. I just ate some cold pasta. Not that much. And I'm freezing. Yeeks.

Garden Pasta Salad

I made this salad tonight and everyone LOVED it. I did not add basil or sugar, as I am not particularly fond of either flavor in a salad, but otherwise I made it as written. Yum! Both kids loved it also, but both picked their favorite ingredients out and ate those. Well worth it. =)

Garden Pasta Salad Ingredients 1/2 pound (225 g) uncooked small shell macaroni  1/2 pound (225 g) fresh green beans, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths  1 pound (450 g) tomatoes, diced  1 can (15 ounces - 425 g) red kidney bean, rinsed and drained  1/4 cup finely chopped red onion  1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves  3 tablespoons naturally brewed lite soy sauce  3 tablespoons white wine vinegar  3 tablespoons vegetable oil  1 clove garlic, pressed 1 teaspoon sugar  1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon black pepper  Directions 1. Cook macaroni according to package directions, omitting salt. Drain and rinse immediately under cold water to cool. Drain well. 2. Cook green beans in steamer basket over boiling water in covered saucepan about 10 minutes, or until tender. Cool beans under cold water. Drain well. 3. Combine macaroni, green beans, tomatoes, kidney beans and onion in large bowl. 4. Add basil, lite soy sauce, vinegar, oil, garlic, sugar and black pepper into a jar with screw-top lid. Cover and shake well. Pour over macaroni mixture. Toss gently to coat all ingredients. 5. Cover and refrigerate 1 to 2 hours to blend flavors, tossing occasionally. Yield Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Lentil-Bulgur Salad - victory!

Well I am impressed. For lunch today for my 2-year-old and me, I put out the bulgur salad I made yesterday, and a few much less healthy options. He rejected the unhealthy stuff all together, and went for the healthy salad with gusto! He then started to feed it to me, making engine sounds as we do sometimes when feeding him (train in the tunnel, airplane, etc.) Awesome! =) I also ate it with gusto, supplementing with a little cheese, but only a little! Very cool. 

Holistic Moms Network comes to my town!!

This totally feels like fate stepping in here. I've been really interested lately in what it means to be holistic, and I'm trying to make some positive changes in my life to reflect this lifestyle. A friend pointed me in the direction of the Holistic Moms Network. It's an online community, but there are many chapters throughout the country as well. When I first looked at the website, I discovered there were no chapters anywhere near here. Something made me go check again tonight, and lo and behold, a brand new chapter is forming IN MY TOWN right now! The timing is incredible, and I'm really excited. My friend is very enthusiastic about the group, and I am hoping to feel that way about this local group. I am planning to attend the open house in January, and will report back then. In the mean time, I feel inspired. At a time when I'm feeling tired and grumpy and blah a lot of the time, I feel as if this has kind of landed at my feet. That makes me feel good. =)

Lentil-Bulgur Salad

I've been doing some searching on the internet for healthy "holistic" recipes. I found one on (I'm almost positive) 1stHolistic.com that I just made, and am munching away on as I write this. It's very earthy and requires a love for grains, but I like it a lot, and will most likely be eating most of it myself. =) My dear son and daughter both had a bite, but that was it. My hubby wouldn't take a bite, but he doesn't like feta cheese....

Anyhow, if anyone is interested in a recipe for a grainy, herby salad with tomato and onion and pepper and of course, feta cheese, let me know, and I'll type in the recipe here. Other than the feta cheese, which is high in saturated fat, the salad is very healthy!