Exercising and Food Choices: Before, During and After Your Workout
Productive exercise is not only dependent on what types of exercise you do to meet your fitness goals, but it is also dependent on what types of foods you consume before, during and after your workout.
Before working out, it’s important that you have enough energy to get through your workout without getting too tired, and you most definitely do not want to work out on a full stomach. Some foods and drinks that are ideal pre-workout include high carbohydrate, low fat foods like breads, energy bars, fruits and pastas. Water is also imperative to help maximize your performance. Other...
Healthy Homemade Meals That Are Great to Freeze
Freezing meals is a convenient way to save you both time and money. From soups to hamburgers to macaroni and cheese, there are so many healthy meals that can be frozen and enjoyed at a later date. Most meals that are freezer-friendly can be made healthier with just a few ingredient substitutions. Here are three healthy meals options and suggestions that are worthy of making extras for freezing:
Mac and Cheese: Make a healthier version of mac and cheese using spinach, low-fat milk, extra sharp Cheddar cheese, and low-fat cottage cheese. After preparing ingredients and assembling mac and cheese into...
Beneficial Basil
Cooking with fresh basil is a wonderful sensory experience that inspires creativity in the kitchen. Basil elevates dishes and complements a variety of foods and other herbs, including cheeses, garlic, lemon, olives, onions, oregano, rosemary, sage, and tomatoes just to name a few. One popular summer salad that basil is featured in is the Insalata Caprese, an amazingly simple yet flavorful salad made by layering sliced mozzarella, sliced tomatoes, and basil leaves. The ingredients are then seasoned with salt and drizzled with olive oil. It is as pretty as it is delicious! From basil vinaigrette to pesto to tomato and...
The Avocado: One of Nature’s Most Perfect Foods
With its mildly nutty taste and velvety smooth texture, the avocado is easy to love. It’s the main ingredient in guacamole; it is used, mashed, as a substitute for mayonnaise in sandwiches; it is a must-have accompaniment or ingredient for tacos, shrimp cocktails, and Mexican soups; it is included in the Mediterranean Diet; and it is savored as is, with just a sprinkling of salt and black pepper. This fruit is simply fabulous, and its uses are creatively endless.
Health-wise, the avocado is nutrient-dense and contains important minerals, phytonutrients and vitamins, including fiber, folate, niacin, potassium, riboflavin, and vitamins C,...
Going Nuts for Nuts!
Nuts may be small but they pack a powerful and nutritious punch—they’re chock-full of heart-healthy fats, minerals, protein, and vitamins. But did you know that some nuts are better for specific health goals than others?
Calorie Counting. If you’re counting calories, you may want to consider choosing the lowest calorie nuts: almonds, cashews, and pistachios. Almonds are the lowest calorie nut, and each of these nuts is best for your diet when consumed raw and unsalted. Cashews are a great sources of copper, magnesium and manganese.
Heart Health. There’s no better nut for heart health than walnuts. Walnuts are packed...
Meatless Meals Packed with Nutrition
Meatless meals are a great way to incorporate more vegetables, whole grains, and beans into your diet, and meatless meals are a great way to save a little bit of money. And if you’re thinking you’ll be sacrificing flavor by making meatless meals, think again! There are so many delicious, healthy meatless meals that are filling and satisfying, from ravioli with beans and tomatoes to lentil burgers to baked potatoes topped with black beans and corn. Here is one easy, flavorful and filling meatless meal recipe for you to try:
Southwestern Black Beans:
Sauté ½ cup chopped onion, minced garlic...
Bananas: A Bunch and a Punch of Potassium
There’s no monkeying around when it comes to the health benefits that bananas offer. They’re rich in potassium (an essential mineral that helps maintain heart function and normal blood pressure), and they’re a very good source of vitamin B6 and a good source of fiber, manganese, and vitamin C. The potassium found in bananas may help promote bone health, and one study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that eating high fiber foods, like bananas, helps prevent heart disease.
With its creamy flesh and delightfully sweet taste, it’s no wonder that the banana is one of the most...
Three Healthy and Delicious Summer Salsas
Summertime is all about healthy fresh fruits and vegetables and good food! One must-have dish for warm-weather menus is salsa. It’s the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat, poultry and seafood, and salsa dishes can include a wide variety of ingredients, from classic peppers to herbs to fruits. Here are some super salsa recipes that will elevate your taste buds:
Pineapple, Mango and Kiwi Fruit Salsa: Mix together finely chopped fresh pineapple (about 2 large slices), 1 peeled and finely chopped mango, 1 peeled and chopped kiwi fruit, and 1 ½ tablespoons chopped fresh mint. Serve with grilled tuna. Pineapple is...
Stocking Your Kitchen with Healthy Foods
A well-stocked kitchen is a great way to save money and time, and homemade dishes offer so much more than their fast food counterparts. When you prepare meals from scratch you control what goes into your dishes. And when your kitchen is stocked with nutritious ingredients you can prepare a multitude of meals that offer great health benefits—and great flavor. Keep these nourishing pantry picks on hand for better eating:
Balsamic and red wine vinegarsBrown riceCanned beans, such as black beans, cannellini beans, chickpeas, and red kidney beansCanned tomatoes and tomato pasteChunk light tuna and salmonDried fruits, such as apricots,...
Garlic Is Gold
Throughout history garlic has been used for both culinary and medicinal uses—it has been mentioned to treat conditions such as low energy, poor digestion, respiratory problems and more. This relative of the chive, leek, onion and shallot dates back over 6,000 years. Garlic was known to Ancient Egyptians, garlic was consumed by ancient Greek and Roman soldiers and sailors, and garlic has long been a staple in the Mediterranean region.
In a culinary sense, there are so many dishes that are brought to life with garlic that it’s hard to imagine some food combinations without the intense flavor of garlic...
