Spinach reminds me of one of those vegetables that you were terrified of as a little tike in that same category as brussels sprouts and such. But spinach really is one of the most diverse foods! You can cook it, eat it raw, saute it, add it to hot or cold dishes, use it in dips; the possibilities are numerous. Really though, the most fantastic thing about spinach is its outstanding, nutritional resume. We all (well, some of us old geezers haha) grew up watching Popeye gain instant strength and muscles as soon as he swallowed a can of spinach; a little animated and exaggerated but not far from the truth.
Spinach, like the last star of my blog, quinoa, is commonly referred to as a superfood. (Im quite fond of superfoods now these days...acai, maqui, jabuticaba) Spinach is packed with Vitamins A, B2, B6, C, E, and K, calcium, folic acid, iron, fiber, carotenoids, magnesium, folate, betaine, potassium, protein, zinc, omega-3 fatty acids, lutein, flavonoids, and a ton of other healthy stuff your body needs. Wow! That is a mouthful (literally). But what does any of that mean and do for you?
For starters, Calcium strengthens bones and teeth; but it also plays a very important part of keeping the entire body healthy, including muscles and nerves. Lutein helps prevent cataracts and age-related macular degeneration. Speaking of age-related diseases, the flavonoids help protect against age-related memory loss. Folate helps protect the arteries. Folic acid is needed by the body to manufacture red blood cells; bodies that are deficient in folic acid can develop certain types of anemia. Fiber is the thing to keep you regular, but in addition, fiber can lower your risk of heart disease and diabetes. These are just a few of the many nutritional benefits spinach has to offer. There are also many more I did not get into that are listed above.
So enough with the technical stuff! How can you make this superfood YUMMY? There are many different ways you can enjoy spinach. Experimenting and having fun with your food is the best way to come up with new recipes. To get you started I have included a great new salad recipe I came up with and here are some other ideas:
-saute it with a little bit of olive oil, lemon, and garlic
-make a frittata with spinach in it (I have a good recipe, if you're interested let me know)
-use it in healthy tacos/burritos as the lettuce
-make salads with it
-use it in HEALTHY dips (not ones filled with mayo and sour cream)
-add some to a pasta sauce or saute some with fresh tomatoes for a light sauce
-add some to your morning smoothie (it will change color, but you will not even taste it)
If any of you have any good spinach recipes or ideas please share!
Spinach, Pear, and Goat Cheese Salad
-about 4 cups fresh spinach
-1 1/2 pears chopped into cubes
-1 avocado chopped into cubes
-1/3 red onion chopped
-1/4 cup goat cheese crumbled
-a sweet dijon or poppyseed dressing (pay attention to the nutrition label if buying a ready-made)
Add about 1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil to a pan and let heat. Then add the onion to the pan and saute until slightly browned and caramelized. Mix the spinach, pear, avocado, goat cheese, and onion together. Plate salad (makes about 3 large dinner size servings). Dress each salad individually with a very small amount of dressing, letting each person add more if needed.
Enjoy,
LJ
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Quinoa: What is it all about anyway?
I stumbled upon quinoa (pronounced Keen-wa) about 6 months ago. I was looking for a healthy alternative to rice and pasta that was flavorful and could be mixed with anything, so I decided to give quinoa a try. It was delicious! I think we ate it with every meal the first week I found it. It is very versatile and I have been experimenting with it in many different ways. I was a fan instantly, but it wasn't until I started diving into what quinoa was all about that I really grew a great appreciation for it.
I had always thought quinoa was a grain until I read in a magazine that it is actually a seed, this intrigued me to research further. When I started my research (mostly to find awesome recipes) I was blown away by the nutritional benefits and content that quinoa possesses. Not only is it DELIC but it is extremely good for you also! It is funny how excited I get about food, really I grew up around it and it has always been such a huge part of our families gathering. I was talking with an awesome friend today about food and how some people just eat because they know they need it to fuel their body, and then there are people like me who eat because we love it; the only downfall is all the amazing stuff is isn't so amazing for your health or waistline. At least that is what I thought until I started educating myself and seeking advice from others, I found that food can taste amazing and be amazing for you at the same time.
Quinoa is an outstanding example of taste and health all tied together in one little seed. Did I say seed? Yes, seed-quinoa is a seed; it is from the beets, spinach, and chard family. Scientists are now calling it a superfood because of the fact that it is full of antioxidants, phytonutrients and can even help balance your blood sugar (similar to another amazing superfood Ive grown to love, acai). Due to the fact that it is not a grain nor from the grass family, people with food allergies or intolerances, such as wheat allergies, can indulge in the great seed. Quinoa is a whole food, meaning it gives you healthy carbs, proteins, and fats all in one food. Along with those properties it also contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is a very unique vegetarian protein in that is contains all eight of the essential amino acids. One specific benefit of quinoa is its high magnesium levels. Jillian Michaels discusses in her book, The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook, that quinoa can help people fight migraines due to the magnesium working to relax blood vessels.
So...if you understand now how awesome quinoa can be for your body, it is time to try it out on your taste buds. I have made many different dishes with quinoa, some from experiment, some from recipes, and one of my favorites is one that I concocted myself-Quinoa and Tofu Stir-fry! Those of you tofu phobics need not be afraid it is actually really quite scrumptious when cooked right. But if you are still too "chicken" to try it then just substitute the tofu for chicken ;).
Quinoa and Tofu Stir-fry
Prepare the tofu at least 5 hours before cooking it. Take out of packaging and water and cut into 1in. cubes. Let sit out and dehydrate for about 2 1/2 hours. Then toss tofu with soy sauce and let marinate for about 2 more hours.
Start by cooking the quinoa according to package directions or by combining 2 3/4 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock for vegetarians) and 1 1/2 cups quinoa in a pot. (If you dont have any stock, water will work fine. For a little extra flavor you can add a little lemon juice as well.) Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 12-15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Once quinoa is cooked set aside.
Meanwhile, while quinoa is cooking you can start the veggies and tofu. Prepare whichever veggies are your favorite, I prefer broccoli, red bell pepper, mushroom, and green onion.
-Cut the broccoli and bell pepper into 1 in. pieces
-Slice the mushrooms and chop the green onion
(About 1/2-1 cup of each)
-Pour about 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil into pan and add 1-2 cloves crushed or chopped garlic
-Add veggies after oil heats up
-Add in soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds to taste
-Cook veggies for about 5 min. or until they start to soften
-Add tofu cubes
-As cooking add in more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste (use sesame oil sparingly as it is high in fat)
-Saute tofu and veggies for about 15 min. or until cooked and browned (I prefer my tofu very browned)
- Once tofu and veggies are cooked and browned add in cooked quinoa and saute it all together for about 5 min.
-serve immediately
If you have any feedback or modifications for the recipe please share!
Enjoy,
LJ
I had always thought quinoa was a grain until I read in a magazine that it is actually a seed, this intrigued me to research further. When I started my research (mostly to find awesome recipes) I was blown away by the nutritional benefits and content that quinoa possesses. Not only is it DELIC but it is extremely good for you also! It is funny how excited I get about food, really I grew up around it and it has always been such a huge part of our families gathering. I was talking with an awesome friend today about food and how some people just eat because they know they need it to fuel their body, and then there are people like me who eat because we love it; the only downfall is all the amazing stuff is isn't so amazing for your health or waistline. At least that is what I thought until I started educating myself and seeking advice from others, I found that food can taste amazing and be amazing for you at the same time.
Quinoa is an outstanding example of taste and health all tied together in one little seed. Did I say seed? Yes, seed-quinoa is a seed; it is from the beets, spinach, and chard family. Scientists are now calling it a superfood because of the fact that it is full of antioxidants, phytonutrients and can even help balance your blood sugar (similar to another amazing superfood Ive grown to love, acai). Due to the fact that it is not a grain nor from the grass family, people with food allergies or intolerances, such as wheat allergies, can indulge in the great seed. Quinoa is a whole food, meaning it gives you healthy carbs, proteins, and fats all in one food. Along with those properties it also contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals. It is a very unique vegetarian protein in that is contains all eight of the essential amino acids. One specific benefit of quinoa is its high magnesium levels. Jillian Michaels discusses in her book, The Master Your Metabolism Cookbook, that quinoa can help people fight migraines due to the magnesium working to relax blood vessels.
So...if you understand now how awesome quinoa can be for your body, it is time to try it out on your taste buds. I have made many different dishes with quinoa, some from experiment, some from recipes, and one of my favorites is one that I concocted myself-Quinoa and Tofu Stir-fry! Those of you tofu phobics need not be afraid it is actually really quite scrumptious when cooked right. But if you are still too "chicken" to try it then just substitute the tofu for chicken ;).
Quinoa and Tofu Stir-fry
Prepare the tofu at least 5 hours before cooking it. Take out of packaging and water and cut into 1in. cubes. Let sit out and dehydrate for about 2 1/2 hours. Then toss tofu with soy sauce and let marinate for about 2 more hours.
Start by cooking the quinoa according to package directions or by combining 2 3/4 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock for vegetarians) and 1 1/2 cups quinoa in a pot. (If you dont have any stock, water will work fine. For a little extra flavor you can add a little lemon juice as well.) Bring to a boil. Then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 12-15 minutes until all liquid is absorbed. Once quinoa is cooked set aside.
Meanwhile, while quinoa is cooking you can start the veggies and tofu. Prepare whichever veggies are your favorite, I prefer broccoli, red bell pepper, mushroom, and green onion.
-Cut the broccoli and bell pepper into 1 in. pieces
-Slice the mushrooms and chop the green onion
(About 1/2-1 cup of each)
-Pour about 2-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil into pan and add 1-2 cloves crushed or chopped garlic
-Add veggies after oil heats up
-Add in soy sauce, sesame oil, and sesame seeds to taste
-Cook veggies for about 5 min. or until they start to soften
-Add tofu cubes
-As cooking add in more soy sauce and sesame oil to taste (use sesame oil sparingly as it is high in fat)
-Saute tofu and veggies for about 15 min. or until cooked and browned (I prefer my tofu very browned)
- Once tofu and veggies are cooked and browned add in cooked quinoa and saute it all together for about 5 min.
-serve immediately
If you have any feedback or modifications for the recipe please share!
Enjoy,
LJ
Friday, August 13, 2010
My first blog entry!
Welcome Everyone! This is officially my first post!
Throughout my entire life I have always LOVED food! Even as a little kid I always would try and most of the time love anything that was put in front of me. I was quite different from my sister who's favorite meal was pasta with butter and parmesan-and being from an italian family that was very frowned upon. When I was younger I could eat anything and not gain a pound or feel the effects of putting crappy food into my body. Then again I was playing on at least 2 soccer teams 80% of the year and at times 3 teams, not to mention had an endless metabolism (which we all know slows down just a little the older you get).
Growing up my parents would feed us healthy food a majority of the time and try to install in us the importance of filling our bodies with the right nutrients to fuel us. I learned the importance of fruits and vegetables early on. However, I would still the bad stuff all the time too. But as I got older and my metabolism slowed, I had to get wiser at the same time. I started to learn the right foods to eat to keep my body filled with the nutrients I needed. By listening to professionals in nutrition, educating myself on nutrition, and adding an amazing health product to my life I started to understand what is necessary to keep a healthy body, mind, and attitude. A person's health (mental, physical, emotional) is a direct reflection of their happiness and the life they lead. When you are eating healthy and exercising regularly it really helps you keep a positive attitude and have more energy.
Knowing all this I have grown very passionate about helping others get and stay healthy! This blog will help keep you motivated, let you in on why health is so important, and give you fun, easy, delicious recipes and tips for healthy eating and (actually look forward to it) exercise.
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