Yes, yes, we know It’s “Go red” for heart health. But as our guest blogger Fran Davis points out, green smoothies do amazing things for your ticker, not to mention darn near every other part of your body. You can’t go wrong with one of these tasty smoothies. Try them and let us know what you think! And here’s a helpful health tip: Fran uses flax in her smoothies. Plant-derived flax yields alpha-linolenic acid or ALA, unlike a marine-derived fish oil, which yields both EPA and DHA, a more potent omega-3. Make sure you take your marine-based EPA and DHA for maximum heart-healthy benefits.
Are you looking for fast, simple and delicious ways to improve your diet? Look no further than the green smoothie! Green smoothies pack a nutritional punch and offer an impressive array of benefits.
1. Great source of antioxidants
Free radicals are atoms or molecules that form in our bodies and can damage cells. Free radicals may play a role in heart disease and cancer. While free radicals can be created due to normal chemical changes occurring in a cell, they can also be increased by external forces like smoking, radiation, and pollution. Antioxidants, found in berries and vegetables contained in green smoothies, can aid in the reduction of free radicals. (more…)
If you’re having guests visit this summer, ceviche (I pronounce it seh-veech-ay) is the perfect heart-healthy appetizer or dinner. A good friend of mine and her husband, Polly and Pat made this dish for us last year around this time while on vacation in Long Beach Island. Believe it or not, I never had it before. But it was one of those memorable dishes that, when paired with great friends, great conversation and a great setting, sticks with you like a scene from your favorite novel. And with record highs and long afternoons this dish will save you from having to cook over a hot stove.
Pat made his version with snapper, and I believe he used a recipe from Emeril Lagasse, but I could be wrong. I’ve even heard of serving it with poached shrimp in a coconut. Whatever the case, there are a million ways to make ceviche (and even pronounce it). But here’s a basic recipe I used (and tweaked) which calls for fresh, FRESH, FRESH wild caught salmon and a few other fresh summer veggies. (more…)
Achy? Arthritic? Time to Change Your Diet…
Believe it or not, inflammation is a good thing—or, at least it’s supposed to be when everything in your body is working right. According to Webster’s, “Inflammation is a process by which the body’s white blood cells and chemicals protect us from infection and foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses.” But due to poor diet, lack of exercise, increased age or other factors, inflammation is often triggered when there are no visible signs of infection; joint pain, arthritis or something more serious like inflammation of the heart, lungs or kidneys may occur. For the most part, though, arthritis and joint pain won’t kill you. Physically, however, it can be severely debilitating and painful. (more…)
This week, I’d like to share with you an amazing, winning recipe from my dear friend, chef Natalie Stone. Next blog, I’ll let you in on what, exactly, her recipe “won.” The below recipe, by the way, can be made within 30 minutes.
A few weeks ago, Jenn and I blogged about the top-10 best cancer-fighting foods. Well, this week’s full-dinner recipe (with main course, side, salad and dressing) includes them all. I don’t know about you, but I plan on making this dish all the time! (more…)
I’m obsessed with couscous. Especially because it takes five minutes to make. We have it for dinner as a side and then I toss the leftovers in a garden salad the next day for lunch. The olive oil and lemon flavor from the couscous mixes nicely with a balsamic vinaigrette dressing. (more…)
I love to cook and my goal is always the healthier, the better. Here’s a quick and healthy recipe that only takes about thirty minutes. It has a sweet, nutty taste that makes it not only a great side dish, but a main course as well. Try adding a clementine for dessert!
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