Mushrooms

http://www.mushrooms.ca

When I was younger (just like many others), mushrooms were gross. I couldn't stand the thought of them, let alone the fact that they looked like mutant umbrellas. In high school, biology classes taught me that mushrooms are a type of fungus, all the confirmation I needed to avoid these growing diseases. I can honestly say experimenting with different foods has helped educate me and provided the necessary motivation to maintain healthier decisions. Once you realize certain foods are full of health and not harm, it's easier to want to consume more of it….especially if you have ways of making it taste great.

There are many types of mushrooms to experiment with, yet all of them have amazing nutrients to offer. Here are a couple to consider:

Skeletal System: Mushrooms are rich in Vitamin D which enhances calcium absorption and in turn improves bone strength. 

Cancer: Research has shown there is a compound in mushrooms that has proven to reduce the risk of many different cancers, especially prostate and breast.

Diabetes/Heart Health: Mushrooms are cholesterol free and have a low glycaemic index. In other words, mushrooms are a super food to anyone, especially those affected by diabetes. When consuming mushrooms, they will not affect blood sugar levels. Being packed full of antioxidants, mushrooms will help lower the prevalence of heart disease which is more prone in diabetics. 

Weight loss/Management: Mushrooms are full of fiber and contain protein, yet negligible amount of fat and carbohydrates. The unique types of proteins found in mushrooms are known to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-cancer properties. Vitamins and minerals in this super food include potassium, B-Vitamins, Copper, Phosphorus, Vitamin D, Selenium and Folate. All of which have countless benefits to a healthy lifestyle.  

I've only mentioned a handful of benefits, but as usual, I encourage you to research this super food more. From immune system boosts to promoting healthy skin and hair, mushrooms are definitely worth a second chance in your diet. Oh and did I mention mushrooms are gluten free?

-Let's eAt!

Credits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=97

http://www.mushrooms.ca/nutrition/health.aspx

http://www.powerofmushrooms.com.au/health-nutrition/health-nutrition/

Turkey Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breast with Creamy Spinach Sauce

Ingredients:

Turkey Bacon

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast

Cream Cheese

Spinach

1 cup of plain greek yogurt

Worcestershire sauce

Fresh String Beans

Red Potatoes

Cayenne Pepper

Mrs. Dash (tomato basil)

Garlic Powder

Mrs. Dash (lemon pepper)

Seasoned Salt

1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees F. Wrap turkey bacon around chicken breast. Season with Mrs. Dash (tomato basil), garlic powder and black pepper and place wrapped breast in a shallow baking pan. Bake for about 30 minutes.

2. While chicken is baking, cook red potatoes until tender. Add string beans and cook until string beans are bright green. Season and set aside.

3. To make the sauce, in a medium pan add about 1/2 a cup of cream cheese, 1 cup of greek yogurt, 1/4 of a cup of worcestershire sauce, and a generous amount of spinach. Season and mix sauce components together.

4. That's it…no really…you're done.

-Let's eAt!

Thai Chicken with Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Ingredients:

Brussel Sprouts

Chicken Thighs (with this recipe I used boneless/skinless but I've done it with bone-in/with skin before and it turned out just as great) 

Peanut Butter

Salsa

Brown Sugar

Cumin

Curry Paste

Curry Powder

Cayenne Pepper

Plain Greek Yogurt

Chinese 5 Spice (optional)

Garlic Powder

Sea Salt

1 garlic clove

Olive Oil

1. Pre heat your oven to 400 degrees F

2. While the oven is heating, grab a medium sized bowl to make your sauce in. Mix about 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of salsa, 1 tablespoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of cumin, 1 teaspoon of curry powder, 1 teaspoon of curry paste, 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, 1 cup of plain greek yogurt, a pinch of chinese 5 spice, 1 chopped garlic clove, and 2 teaspoons of curry powder.

3. Mix ingredients until uniform and set aside

4. Take a sauté pan and add olive oil. Heat oil and add your thawed chicken thighs to the pan. Cook thighs thoroughly, seasoning with garlic powder and a pinch of sea salt.

5. While the chicken is cooking, take your brussel sprouts and cut the bottoms off. Remove outer layers and wash them. Place them in a shallow baking pan. Season with olive oil, sea salt and black pepper. Make sure the olive oil, salt, and black pepper are evenly distributed on the sprouts. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan every 10 min for even roasting.

6. Once chicken thighs are done, slowly add your sauce. Reduce heat and let it simmer with the thighs for about 15 minutes.

7. Once the brussel sprouts are done, remove from oven and plate with chicken. That's it!

*Note: Every time I cook this meal, I make it with chicken thighs. However, this is a versatile dish that can easily become vegetarian (mushrooms or tofu) or something for the seafood lovers (scallops or shrimp). I served this meal with brown rice but you can use whole wheat pasta as well. 

-Let's eAt 

Asparagus

I've been getting a lot of positive feedback from starting this blog so I truly appreciate the love and support. My goal is to inspire people to want to eat better. This is not a diet blog, it's a lifestyle blog. When I see people sharing my posts and when I receive pictures of food prepared because of me and when I get phone calls requesting certain ingredients… all of it is motivation. Thank you guys so much for the love….keep it coming!

The most common request has been regarding my health benefit posts. A lot of people have been asking me about several different vegetables. I promise I have them all written down and I will please the masses! Today, we will focus on the the benefits of Asparagus.

http://www.squidoo.com/asparagus-season

Asparagus was never really my favorite vegetable as a child. We didn't eat it often, but when we did, my mom had her ways of making us clean our plates. Most of them were creative tricks only a mother could play on her innocent kids, but it got the job done. Now that I am having a constant love affair with food, Asparagus has worked its way off my hit list. I wasn't surprised by the benefits this veggie has to offer. Here are the most common ones:

1. Cancer Fighting: Asparagus is full of compounds that break down carcinogens and free radicals to help prevent the development of cancers such as breast, bone, colon, and other cancers.

2. Aging: According to research, asparagus contains high concentrations of antioxidants that protect the body against skin damaging free radicals, slowing the aging process and preventing brain function from declining

3. Natural Diuretic: This veggie helps release fluids that may be stored, which rids the body of excess salts. This is especially good for water retention in women during PMS, those with high blood pressure and those with heart-related issues.

(speaking of the heart…)

4. Heart and blood health: Asparagus contains a lot of soluble fiber, which has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease. This soluble fiber and other nutrients also helps lower the risk of diabetes by enhancing the ability of insulin to transport glucose into the cells.

5. Digestion: Asparagus contains nutrients that play an essential role in digestive health…which can be a little messy if you aren't prepared because this veggie is a natural laxative. It also helps curb appetites.

Vision health, aphrodisiac, prevention of birth defects, and pain relief are amongst the many other things asparagus has to offer. I know some of you are wondering why it makes your urine smell a little…um pungent. There is a compound that when broken down, releases a sulfur containing chemical when you urinate. Don't panic, it's harmless. The funny thing is, not everyone is able to detect this scent. So if asparagus is for dinner, don't get caught sniffing around in the bathroom!


-Let's eAt!



Credit:
http://voxxi.com/2013/08/08/health-benefits-of-asparagus-weight-loss/
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=12
http://www.eatingwell.com/blogs/health_blog/5_powerful_health_benefits_of_asparagus_you_probably_didn_t_know

Lemon Spiced Shrimp with Spaghetti Squash

Ingredients:

Shrimp (deveined and shelled)

Worcestershire sauce

Spaghetti Squash

Small white onion

2 garlic cloves

Mrs. Dash (lemon pepper)

Black pepper

Seasoned salt

Honey

Parsley

Olive oil (This time I used a Mediterranean blend by Pompeian. It has Extra Virgin Olive oil, Canola oil, and Grapeseed oil. However, extra virgin olive oil is a perfect substitute)

1. Thaw the shrimp and rinse them. Place in a ziploc bag and set aside (shopping bag works too, just make sure it doesn't have any holes in it!)

2. In a bowl, mix the ingredients of the marinade together 

     1/4 cup of fresh lemon juice (about 2 whole lemons)

     1/4 cup of Worcestershire sauce

     1 tablespoon of chopped garlic

     1/2 small white onion

     1 tablespoon of chili powder

     1/2 tablespoon of black pepper

Pour marinade into the bag with shrimp, remove as much air as possible, close the bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes. *This marinade is perfect for grilling the shrimp as well, which is a great alternative for this dish is if you have a grill*

3. While waiting on the shrimp, take your spaghetti squash and cut it in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds.

4. Take a large microwavable bowl and fill it about half way with water. Place one half of the squash face down into the water and place the bowl in the microwave for 15 minutes. Once finished, remove squash from water (carefully) and set aside to cool. Do the same for the other half.

5. Once both halves have cooled, use a spoon to scoop the squash (which will come out as spaghetti strands) into a bowl. Remove excess water and season with seasoned salt, Mrs. Dash lemon pepper, and black pepper. Set aside

6. In a medium pan, heat olive oil (enough to cover the bottom) and add shrimp. Cook shrimp until pink, which should take about 5-6 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp. 

7. Once done, mix the shrimp with the spaghetti squash. Top with worcestershire sauce and honey.

-Let's eAt

Chicken and Asparagus

Ingredients:

chicken thighs (with bone and skin this time)

fresh asparagus

black pepper

Mrs. Dash (onion and herb seasoning)

black pepper

garlic powder

seasoned salt

olive oil

1 onion

1 green pepper

2 garlic cloves

1. In a pan, heat and add olive oil (enough to coat the bottom)

2. Dice green pepper and onion. Add to the pan. Cook veggie medley for about 5 minutes. 

3. Add the thighs to the pan, skin down, and cook for about 15-20 minutes. Season. Once skin has a nice brown  color, turn the thighs over, season, and cook until done. Add a pinch of seasoned salt over each thigh.

4. In another pan, add heat and olive oil

5. Dice garlic and add to the olive oil. Cook garlic for a minute.

6. Cut the ends of the asparagus, rinse and dry with a cloth or paper towel. Add them to the garlic and sauté them for about 10 minutes or until they turn bright green. Season.

7. Remove asparagus from heat and serve with your chicken thighs.

This meal is very quick and very simple. Whether you enjoy this for lunch or dinner, this easy recipe won't take long to whip up. Disclaimer: I don't know how familiar some of you are with asparagus, but after consumption…um how to I put this….your urine will smell funny. No need for alarm, stinky pee is normal. 

-Let's eAt!

Broccoli

http://bonnieplants.com/growing/growing-broccoli/

One of my favorite vegetables of all time is definitely broccoli. I don't know what it is about this weird looking baby tree, but I can't get enough of it. Whether it's raw, steamed, or anything in between, my mom never had to be creative to get me to eat it. As I got older, I really appreciated the heath benefits broccoli had to offer.

It should not be a surprise that broccoli has several benefits, but it may be surprising that broccoli is in the cabbage family. Health benefits include:

1. Cancer: Broccoli has several cancer fighting properties that are effective in preventing the development of several cancers including prostate, cervical and breast cancers while also improving the health of your liver.

2. Detox/Diet: Broccoli has 3 phytonutrients that have a strong influence on detoxifying the body. It also has loads of fiber to help with digestion, prevents constipation, and helps to draw out unhealthy levels of cholesterol.

3. Skeletal Health: High in calcium and vitamin K, essential in bone health and osteoporosis prevention.

4. Antioxidant: With high concentrations of vitamin C, this veggie can help with improving the absorption of iron and fight off the common cold.

5. Heart Health/Blood Health: Broccoli may be able to prevent or even reverse blood vessel lining damage that can be caused by inflammation due to blood sugar issues. In turn, because of the high levels of soluble fiber broccoli can help maintain low blood sugar.

6. Reduce Inflammation/Allergies: Broccoli contains omega 3 fatty acids, which have anti-inflammatory benefits. These benefits help fight allergies and inflammation. 



Broccoli has a lot of protein in it with low calories. From eye health to skin health, broccoli has a lot more to offer than some realize. There are loads more benefits that broccoli offers, so I encourage you to do more research on this little gem if you want to learn more. If you were never a fan of this guy, give him another chance. He's not all that bad!

-Let's eAt

Credits:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=9

http://www.naturalnews.com/039187_broccoli_health_benefits_risk_factors.html

http://www.forbes.com/sites/juliewilcox/2012/07/01/health-benefits-of-broccoli/