DATE BALL RECIPE!

For those of you who asked for the recipe.. Here you go!

 

My favorite date balls!!

 

Great for road trips, quick snacks on the go, post or pre-workout snacks, and middle of the day sweet tooth satisfaction. Mmmmmmmmm…

 

Ingredients:

• 2 cup pitted dates (soaked in hot water for 15 minutes) or until soft.
• 1 cup almonds (I like mine roasted)
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup cashews
• ½ cup peanuts
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract (optional)
• Shredded coconut (optional)
• Sea Salt (optional)

1. Place dates in small bowl, and cover with 3/4 cup boiling water. Let stand 15 minutes. Drain.

2. Add coconut oil in with the dates and blend them up together to form a smooth consistency. If you plan to use vanilla extract, add vanilla in this step.

3. Process all nuts in food processor until finely chopped. I like to process the nuts separately into different textures and sizes. It’s nice to have different textures in your date balls. Sometimes I even process the peanuts into smooth peanut butter.

4. Don’t be scared to get your hands dirty.  Roll date mixture with the nuts into tablespoon-size balls. You can make them as dense as you want them.

5. Keep in fridge or freezer. I like the texture best when it is in the freezer.

Coconut water: A current health trend, but is it worth it?

Coconut water:  A current health trend, but is it worth it?

 

 

The clear liquid from the center of a coconut has been ascribed as a healthier alternative to sports drinks because of its ability to hydrate.  So is this current heath trend worth the cost?  You decide.

	Coconut Water	Water
Fat	0	0
Cholesterol	0	0
Calories	60 (11-oz.)	0
Potassium	569 mg. per serving	0
Cost	$2-$3 per bottle (about 25 cents per oz.)	$0-$3 per bottle

 

Clearly, water is a better choice of beverage in terms of calories, though coconut water has less sugar than many sports drinks and fruit juices and it has much less sugar than sodas.

We can’t ignore the real health benefit of coconut water, it’s high potassium content of 569 mg per serving.  Most Americans do not consume enough potassium which is necessary for heart health.  However, one large banana contains almost as much potassium at 422 mg; and the consumption of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day will help you meet or exceed your daily potassium needs. 

Plain coconut water could be a good choice for adults and kids who struggle to get their daily servings of potassium from fruits and vegetables or for people who are looking for alternate ways to stay hydrated. But since it is not a calorie-free beverage, don’t overdo it. One a day is more than enough.

So, if you are tempted to purchase some coconut water, consider a banana and a glass of water instead; they’re a fraction of the cost with comparable benefits. 

 

If you are going to buy some coconut water, here are a few brands that I recommend:

-Taste Nirvana (my favorite), http://www.tastenirvana.com/

-365 Everyday Value Coconut Water, http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/

-Harmless Harvest, http://www.harmlessharvest.com/

 

 

Eggless Eggsalad

Hello my friends! Well, for 40 days I am going Vegan and removing all added sugar from my diet. This is definitely going to be a challenge but I am curious to see how this plant based vegan diet will effect my blood pressure and make me feel overall.

 

*This recipe rocks. I bet even my meat-loving friends will love this recipe.

Eggless Egg salad

Vegenaise Mayo Recipe:

§  1/2 cup full-fat soy milk (unsweetened and non-flavored)

§  1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

§  1/4 teaspoon honey {or light organic agave or maple syrup if you are vegan}

§  1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

§  1/8 teaspoon Dijon mustard

§  1/2 cup grapeseed oil

§  1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

§  Sea salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Place all the ingredients except the oil in a blender and blitz on high-speed until creamy and combined. With your blender on a low speed, slowly stream in the oil to emulsify the mixture. Scrape down the sides of your blender, mix again, and season to taste, adding more salt, pepper, lemon, or mustard as needed. If your mix comes out too thick, add a splash of water or almond milk. If it comes out too thin, add a bit more olive oil or grapeseed oil. It will thicken significantly as it chills in your fridge. Give the jar a good shake before you enjoy it.

Note: The soy milk seems to work best here, providing a thicker result than any other non-dairy milk.

 

To make the egg salad:

Get extra firm tofu. Drain water out. Crumble with hand or mash with fork.

Add Vegenaise in with crumbled tofu and fold into mixture.

I added fresh herbs and garlic powder and fresh ground pepper and a smidge more Dijon mustard.

Refrigerate and enjoy J

Katnutrition.com

 

Chocolove

 

 

What can I say, I love chocolate and am happy to say I enjoy a little piece of chocolate every day. 

Valentine’s Day has come and gone. Whether it was a box of truffles from Godiva or some chocolate-covered strawberries, there is a very good chance you were filled with the sweet goodness this past month.

 

And I have good news— chocolate is made from a functional food!

You may wonder, what is a functional food? Well, a functional food has a potentially positive effect on health beyond basic nutrition.  It’s like using food as medicine.  Chocolate’s health benefits are largely attributed to polyphenol compounds called flavonoids—the same family of substances that are in tea, red wine, grape juice and other plant foods—which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-clotting properties.

Eating 1 to 2 ounces of dark chocolate daily may result in health benefits such as lower blood pressure, according to some research. However, any benefits from flavonoids must be considered against the calories, fat, and sugar you’ll get from chocolate.  Every second, 100 pounds of chocolate is eaten in America! Sure, the benefits of chocolate  are real but please keep in mind, if you are sitting around indulging in chocolate every day (and it is not dark chocolate), it may take a toll on your health in the long run.

Bottom line on regular chocolate consumption: Keep it simple, keep it dark, and keep it small. And enjoy the benefits!

Why Should We Eat More Beans?

 

 What is it about legumes that make them so healthy? 

I love beans for so many reasons! The main benefit of beans is their high fiber content with a ½ cup of black beans providing 9.7 grams of fiber which meets nearly one-half of your daily fiber needs.  The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition recently published a study known as the “Four Corners Breast Cancer Study” and reported that the Native American diet which is rich in beans reduced breast cancer risk by 32% when compared to a generally healthy American diet.  In addition to high fiber diets reducing breast cancer risk, fiber can also prevent digestive tract cancers and improve overall bowel health!

Legumes are naturally low in sodium and fat, and are excellent sources of potassium, magnesium and iron.  They are also a good source of protein which can take the place of some of the animal protein consumed and hence help to reduce your total saturated fat intake.  The current recommendation is to include 3 cups of legumes per week.

The bottom line here is this: Eat more beans and maybe think about replacing some of that meat on your plate with a delicious bean recipe!!  

Cracking an Egg's Nutrition

Cracking an Egg’s Nutrition

Did you know that eggs are an excellent and inexpensive source of protein?  Were you aware that eggs several times per week are not responsible for increasing your cholesterol levels?  The protein in eggs is the highest-quality protein found in any food and one egg provides only 70 calories!  Studies have demonstrated that healthy adults can enjoy an egg at least three times per week without increasing their risk for heart disease.  Additionally, the amount of cholesterol in eggs has been decreasing due to changes in the diet of egg-producing hens.  A final benefit of eggs is that their vitamin D content is higher than previously reported.  The high quality protein, low calorie food option, lower cholesterol content and higher vitamin D level are all good reasons to enjoy an egg at least several times per week.

 

 

http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/08/news/la-heb-eggs-20110208

Smoothies vs. Juices

The other day as I was eating an overflowing green salad for lunch, I had a few things going through my mind.  Of course I was loving my broccoli, kale, spinach and so on, but I was exhausted from all the chewing, plus the time it was taking for me to finish the salad was excessive so I found myself forcing it down rather than enjoying it.

I know I’m not the only one who’s been pressed for time while also trying to eat nutritiously and there are two popular ways to get your veggies in quickly (and deliciously!).  Many people think a green juice and a green smoothie are equal. Here is the difference between the two:

1) Smoothies are made in blenders. You are blending the whole fruits and vegetables into a smoothie.

2) Fresh juice otherwise known as “juicing” is the process of extracting the liquid content of whole foods through a juicing machine which in turn takes the fiber out— all the pulp and skins are then thrown out.

I always opt for a green smoothie over a juice and let me tell you why:

Green smoothies provide whole food nutrition.  That’s the bottom line.  A green smoothie is still a whole food, complete with fiber and all nutrients.  Juices, on the other hand, are not whole foods. The fiber has been removed, along with any nutrients that are discarded with the fiber. ☹ 

Dietary fiber is something most Americans do not get enough of and it is critical for proper digestion and health. It just doesn’t make sense to throw out the most beautiful part of a fruit or vegetable!  So if you’re looking for the most efficient way to get your daily dose of greens, blend up a smoothie, grab and go!