The next time you want a quick healthy meal or snack, consider these combos. Each of these grab and go partners can be prepared in a flash.
Now is the time to start helping your entire family eat healthier. The combinations shown here are not only beneficial to your body, but most are easy enough for children to put together.
Some of the items are staple foods you may already have in your pantry. Plan for success, start today, show your family that eating healthy is easy and tasty.
How will you ever get there if you don’t know where you are going?
Take some time to write down your goals. Sure, they will most likely change, but start somewhere. Here are a few good reasons to put your goals in writing:
Shows Intent & Fosters Commitment – with a written goal, you now have a plan. Just the simple act of writing it down shows intent, provides a constant reminder and fosters commitment to see it through.
Focus – When you write down your ideas you automatically focus your attention on them. Few if any of us can write one thought and think another at the same time. Thus a pencil and paper make excellent concentration tools. (quote -Michael Leboeuf)
Motivates & Makes it Vivid – If you take the time to continuously review your written goals, they stay vivid in your mind which in turn help motivate you to stick to the plan.
Enables you to see and celebrate your progress – seeing progress goes a long way to help keep you on track. Celebrating small successes is a perfect way to keep your eye on the prize.
NutriBullet: The Superfood Nutrition Extractor®. Turn ordinary food into superfood and add years to your life! Available at most major retailers.
Simply fill halfway with raw veggies and the other half raw fruits. Easy to use, makes delicious, nutritious smoothies.
In need of a brain-boosting breakfast to power your way through the day? For sustained energy and a nutritional boost, here are some superior choices in the breakfast bunch.
1. Blueberries
These bright blue beauties contain one of the highest antioxidant capacities of all fruits, making blueberries a no-brainer (…or shall I say a yes-brainer?) There is evidence that these superfruits can improve memory, as well as boost the immune system. Blueberries, along with other members of the berry family are lower on the glycemic-index (GI). A low GI along with their high fiber content helps slowly release sugar into the bloodstream for sustained energy.
2. Walnuts
What do you think of when you see an unshelled walnut? Looks like a brain, right? Well, that is no coincidence, my friend! Walnuts are high in omega-3 fatty acids shown to boost brain health and reduce inflammation. The healthy fats found in walnuts will help absorb fat-soluble vitamins and the protein will “stick to the ribs” to keep you satiated until lunch.
3. Spinach
Vitamin C found in the strawberries of our Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast (below) helps absorb the iron contained in spinach. Iron enhances oxygen distribution throughout the body, waking up the immune system, boosting energy, and enhancing brain activity. Spinach is also an abundant source of vitamin K (almost 200% of the daily value in one cup raw), a nutrient required to help build strong bones.
4. Rolled Oats
We’ve all heard oatmeal helps reduce cholesterol, but do you know how? Its high soluble fiber is key. It not only helps keep your heart healthy, it will also slow down the rate at which the sugars from fruits are released into the bloodstream. This prevents any drastic energy highs or lows, the foundation to keeping you awake and alert. Choose gluten-free to prevent any inflammation caused by potential allergies or intolerance.
5. Almond Milk (or other dairy alternative)
With milk intolerance and dairy allergies on the rise, it is best to choose a dairy alternative fortified with calcium to meet the needs of growing bones. Fortunately, there are several options available that contain even more calcium than a glass of cow’s milk. Almond, rice, organic soy, oat, flax, and hemp milks are a few options you can find in your local market. This will also lend a creamier consistency to your NutriBlasts that your whole family will love.
Incorporate these top 5 foods in a delicious, nutritious NutriBlast. It’s the perfect start to the day!
Berry Brain Boost NutriBlast
25% spinach
½ banana
½ cup blueberries
¼ cup strawberries
¼ cup raw walnuts
3 Tbsp gluten-free rolled oats
Unsweetened almond milk to the MAX line
Blast for 45 seconds.
–Krista Haynes, R.D.
NutriBullet Nutrition Advisor
To Your Health!
Apples, almonds, broccoli. If you eat the same things every week, you may be missing out on an easy way to boost your health. “Many of us pass up foods that are nutritional powerhouses, because we don’t know how to prepare them,” says Angela Ginn, RD, a nutritionist in Baltimore. Bust out of your culinary rut with these five disease fighters.
Bamboo Shoots
Why? A great low-calorie, high-fiber veggie packed with antioxidants that help ward off cancer-causing free radicals.
How to Enjoy: Find bamboo shoots in the canned-food section of your supermarket. Add to salads, stir-fries, and soups.
Pumpkin Seeds
Why? Rich in protein and phytosterols, these little treats have been shown to reduce levels of harmful LDL cholesterol.
How to Enjoy: Eat them plain for an afternoon snack or sprinkle some on top of your salad for added crunch.
Swiss Chard
Why? This leafy green is loaded with potassium, which helps to balance electrolytes and prevent muscle cramps.
How to Enjoy: Simply saute Swiss chard and garlic in olive oil for a delicious side dish.
Kiwis
Why? Kiwis have more immune-system-strengthening vitamin C than grapefruits, oranges, or strawberries.
How to Enjoy: Switch out your usual berries with kiwis to put on Greek yogurt, or toss them in your favorite salad.
Beets
Why? Beets are rich in folic acid, which has been show to lower levels of homocysteine, an amino acid in blood linked to heart disease.
How to Enjoy: Roast beets to bring out their sweetness. Drizzle them with olive oil and place in a 375-degree oven for 30 minutes to an hour.
~By Danielle Paquette
Eat It:
Lettuce~
The standard salad-bar option of iceberg lettuce is very low in calories, only 8 per cup, but contains very few nutrients. Instead, opt for spinach, spring mix or romaine lettuce. They, too, are low in calories, but also contain folate, vitamin C and eye-healthy lutein and zeaxanthanin.
Vegetables~
Pile on the colorful veggies! Tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, zucchini and cabbage are all great toppings that deliver good-for-you antioxidants (thanks to their richly colored pigments) for very few calories. One vegetable to maybe put a cap on is corn: 1/2 cup has 88 calories (the same amount of broccoli has only 16). Don’t keep it off your salad plate altogether, though—this summertime favorite still has a substantial amount of fiber, folate and vitamin C.
Fruit~
Like vegetables, fruit tossed onto your salad will give you an added boost of vitamin C, fiber and antioxidants. Some tasty and super-healthy options include berries, peaches, melon, apples or grapefruit. The key to adding fruit to your salad is going fresh: you’ll avoid added sugars and save calories by skipping dried and canned fruit. For example, 2 tablespoons of raisins and 1 cup of grapes both have the same number of calories.
Protein (Chicken, Eggs, Ham, Beans & Tofu)~
Studies show that eating protein helps you feel full longer so you don’t get hungry. Add lean chicken or a hard-boiled egg to your salad. A bonus for eggs is that they contain lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants that help keep eyes healthy. Skip ham, which often contains a lot of sodium (three 1-ounce slices have more than 25 percent of the recommended daily limit).
Good vegetarian protein sources include tofu and beans. A 1/2 cup of black beans contains nearly 8 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein. Chickpeas are a common salad-bar topping and while they can be a filling, fiber-rich option, they’re a bit more calorically dense (1/2 cup packs 145 calories).
Choose Carefully:
Salad Dressings~
Replacing creamy dressings, such as ranch (73 calories, nearly 8 grams of fat per tablespoon) and blue cheese (76 calories, about the same amount of fat), with a noncreamy Italian (43 calories and 4.2 grams of fat) or balsamic vinaigrette (45 calories per tablespoon and 4.5 grams of fat) practically cuts your calories and fat in half.
The best option, if available, is to drizzle on a little heart-healthy olive oil (1 teaspoon has only 40 calories and 5 grams of fat) and your favorite vinegar (cider vinegar, for example, has just 3 calories per tablespoon).
Cheese~
Cheese is another source of protein, which helps add staying power to salads. If possible, keep the calorie count down by topping your salad with low- or fat-free options.
If only full-fat cheeses are available, pick ones with strong flavors, such as feta, blue, Parmesan or aged Cheddar—and count on just a little bit going a long way to keep the calories and saturated fat in check. Of those more pungent cheeses, feta offers the fewest calories at 74 per ounce. Blue, Parmesan and Cheddar have 99, 116 and 113 calories per ounce, respectively.
Choose Carefully or Avoid:
Toppings~
Be choosy when it comes to salad toppers.
• Nuts and Seeds: Nuts offer healthy fats and some protein, but they’re high in calories, so pay close attention to how many you add. A small handful of almonds (22 to be exact) contains 169 calories and 14 walnut halves boasts 185 calories. You can be a bit more generous with the pistachios: one serving is 49 nuts, for 162 calories. For added crunch, try a sprinkle of sunflower seeds; while these also are relatively high in calories (47 per tablespoon), they contain healthy fats and are full of antioxidants too.
• Olives: Olives are a low-calorie choice at about 7 calories each. They do, however, deliver a fair amount of sodium: depending on the type of olive, 1/4 cup could deliver as much as 717 mg of sodium. Go for green—they’re the lowest in calories and have the least amount of sodium.
• Bacon bits: Two words: Skip these. Bacon bits—and similar add-ons, such as crunchy onions—look appetizing when you’re standing at a salad bar, but they can be high in sodium and “empty” calories.
• Croutons: Pass on these too. A 1/2 cup may contain almost 100 calories and 247 mg of sodium. If you must have croutons, choose ones that are whole-wheat or whole-grain.
Find out the healthiest smoothie ingredients and 10 to ditch.
Whether you enjoy smoothies for breakfast, a snack or even dessert, they’re a great way to increase your daily servings of fruits and vegetables.
But depending on the ingredients they’re made with, smoothies can quickly turn into unhealthy calorie-bombs filled with sugar and saturated fat. The healthiest way to enjoy a smoothie is to make your own so you know how much of and what foods you are getting. Wondering how to make a smoothie? A good smoothie should contain a blend of ingredients with protein and fiber to help keep you full and provide antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Best High-Protein Smoothie Ingredients
• Nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
• Nonfat or low-fat plain milk
• Tofu
• Natural peanut butter
• Almond butter
• Plain soymilk
• Plain almond milk
Best Fruits for Smoothies
Use fresh fruit, frozen fruit or fruit canned in water or its own juice.
• Berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
• Mango
• Pineapple
• Peach
• Banana
• Apple
• Melon
• Cherries
• Apricot
Best Vegetables for Smoothies
Use raw vegetables.
Healthy Smoothie Additions for Flavor and Additional Nutrition
• Flaxseed
• Chia seed
• Old-fashioned oats
• Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
• Vanilla extract
• Coconut water
• Unsweetened cocoa powder
Smoothie Ingredients to Ditch
To keep your smoothie as healthy as possible, avoid adding these ingredients, which provide a lot of calories in the form of sugar and saturated fat, with little or no fiber or other nutrients.
~Breana Lai, M.P.H., R.D.
Chocolate Covered Cherry Shake
Vitamins – by Jenny Flynn
There are 5 vitamins that your skin needs, nutritionally speaking! The skin is our largest organ, believe it or not, but the human body doesn’t consider it the most important one. Consequently, the other organs get fed first, and if nutrients are in short supply, the skin will go hungry and weaken.
To help keep your skin adequately fed, Letslose would like to make a few recommendations of five key vitamins found in many whole foods and multivitamins that support healthy skin, hair and nails, plus also provide nutrition naturally for your body as a whole.
Vitamin A: Found in sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, kale and calf liver.
RDA: 2,500 IU daily
Vitamin A aids in helping keep skin smooth and moist.
Common signs of deficiency include but not limited to, rough skin, acne, dry hair, and dandruff.
Vitamin B Complex: Found in fish, poultry, meats , fortified cereal and whole grains.
RDA: 50-100 mg of the main B Vitamins daily
Vitamin B Complex is necessary for the overall metabolism and healthy skin, hair and nails.
The B Vitamins work together to improve skin texture, heal injury, and help control inflammation.
Vitamin C: Found in Oranges, strawberrries, red and green peppers, broccoli and kiwi.
RDA:500- 1000 mg daily
Vitamin C is used in the formation of collagen, which supports the structure of skin.
Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that also protects against the effects of the sun, pollution and stress.
Shortage of this Vitamin can contribute to skin aging and hair loss.
Vitamin D: Found in fatty fish, fish liver oil, and fortified milk.
RDA: 2000 -4000 IU daily or 1000 if you are regularly exposed to the sun.
Vitamin D is necessary for the healthy development of new skin cells and to control inflammation.
Vitamin E: Found in Sunflower seeds almonds, vegetable oils and peanut butter
RDA: 400 IU
Vitamin E is a potent antioxidant, meaning it protects our bodies from being damaged by pollutants
and toxins. It also repairs tissue and reduces scars.
Letslose would like to encourage you to make healthy choices, practice portion control and exercise. Put this plan into place and you are well on your way to success. We are available to counsel, encourage and support with one quick phone call!
2 Samuel 22:33- God is my strength and my power and He maketh my way perfect.