Cranberry Brilliance

cranberry-benefitsCranberries at Thanksgiving. You can’t get much more American during this season. Literally. Cranberries are actually 1 of only 3 fruits (with blueberries and Concord grapes) native to the United States. They’ve certainly grown to be one of my favorites during the holiday season, as I treasure fond memories from days at my Grandma and Grandpa’s house. Yes, my taste buds have grown up too…and I was probably spoiled by my Grandma’s real cranberry relish and not the canned version. (Look for it! The recipe will be coming out in my book early Spring 2017!)

I think their brilliant color won me over! Or, maybe it was the fall I visited a cranberry bog in Massachusetts with my dearest friend from college. Such beauty! Such magnificence!! And such deliciousness! I guess cranberries are a little extra charming to me.

They can be for you too. Whatever your tastes, be amazed with me by the benefits and uniqueness packed into this beautifully rich berry! Check out these benefits to be enjoyed any time of year:

1- Work as potent antioxidants

  • The USDA ranks cranberries in the top 5 foods with the highest levels of antioxidants
  • Protect cells’ DNA from damaging factors, ultimately preventing disease and chronic conditions
  • Rich in proanthocyanidins, the class of antioxidants which makes cranberries RED and is also one of the most studied

2- Boost the immune system with antioxidants and Vitamin C

  • Historically, sailors would even take cranberries onboard to prevent scurvy (Vitamin C deficiency)

3- Prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs)

  • Known for a long history of treating and helping to prevent UTIs
  • Antioxidants/proanthocyanidins in the juice can block bacteria from binding to cell walls, preventing infections
  • Shown to be most effective for women who have reoccurring UTIs
  • New research indicates effectiveness in preventing UTIs in infants and children, especially with urinary abnormalities
  • Cranberry powders and extracts appear to be most effective, but cranberry juice has shown to be effective for up to 10 hours

4- Support dental health

  • Keep bacteria from sticking to gums and teeth (similar mechanism to preventing UTIs)
  • Lower inflammation in gums

5- Promote heart health

  • Potent antioxidants protect heart and blood vessels against atherosclerosis
  • Lower LDLs and cholesterol
  • Fight inflammation which lowers blood pressure

6- Fight cancer

  • Research has shown that cranberries can have an effect against and slow tumor growth in prostate, liver, breast, ovarian, and colon cancers

7- Reduce inflammation

  • Especially in the digestive tract, cardiovascular system, gums and stomach
  • May help manage metabolic syndrome, normalizing cholesterol levels and reducing inflammation associated with weight issues

8- Help digestive health

  • Prevent and aid with recovery from stomach ulcers–can kill and reduce the H. pylori bacteria, responsible for ulcers and stomach cancers (again, cranberry antioxidants work by keeping bacteria from sticking to the stomach wall)
  • Support proper “good and bad bacteria” balance, as they can be as effective as probiotics…even more benefits come when combining cranberries or their juice with probiotics

Research is still a bit early in determining the best form and dose. However, it does appear that to get the most benefits, you’ll want to choose something with the whole berry, as each of their unique components seems to work best together in a synergistic effect.

 

Cranberry Shopping and Snacking Tips

  • If you choose juice, pick 100% juice and then sweeten with liquid stevia. The acidity works really well to mask any stevia taste.
  • Cranberry capsules also have a good, therapeutic effect.
  • Add cranberries to breakfast or snack bars, toss in salads or even as a snack.
  • Look for fruit juice sweetened dried cranberries for lower sugar options.
  • Stock up with these in-season berries while you can and freeze to enjoy these little beauties any day of the year

 

Here’s to making your holiday season extra rich, delicious and stunning!

and share the deliciousness with a friend!

Peanut Butter Party Dip

peanut-butter-party-dipPerfect to balance out your family and holiday gatherings this season … deliciously guilty and naturally innocent to go right alongside any party food. Easy enough for everyday, yet fancy for a party.

Peanut Butter Party Dip

2/3 cup plain, unsweetened organic Greek yogurt, fat free
6 Tbsp natural peanut butter
3 Tbsp raw honey*
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon**

Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir until smooth.
Serve dip with your choice of apples, bananas and berries or even graham or animal crackers, even celery.

**mini dark chocolate or stevia sweetened chocolate chips are another fun option.

*stevia can replace honey if you prefer a lower glycemic snack

 

Pass on the goodness and share it with a friend!

Honey Sweet Holidays

honey benefitsMy love for sweets came down to me through my genes! Grandma always stocked the cookie jar with fresh cookies, Grandpa made the best ever peanut brittle and continually filled his candy dish with chocolate kisses and Mom baked all kinds of amazing breads and desserts. I could easily hold the “dessert queen” title growing up loving baking, sweets and anything chocolate. My absolute favorite…chocolate chip cookie dough and the hot, melty, gooey cookies!

I know my “sweet tooth” is not alone, since American adults eat an average of 140 pounds of sugar and kids under 12 eat about 49 pounds per year. Sugar finds its way into almost every food product from salad dressing to peanut butter and even canned soups! At these quantities, it’s no wonder the rates of heart disease, cancer, diabetes and obesity have risen dramatically, playing a major role in the “health-crisis” in America. We have moved so far away from the real fresh, nutrient-dense foods we were meant to eat to filling our bodies with instant, processed, packaged and empty-calorie food choices. Millions worldwide are suffering with malnutrition (defined as inadequate nutrition), not from low supply and availability, but from eating too much sugar and processed foods.

I too refused to give up my sweets for the longest time…until my health required it of me. It was a miserable process at the time, not knowing much about the natural sweetener options nor how to use them. Now, however, with the wide variety of delicious, natural sweeteners your sweet tooth and your palate need not be deprived! Keep an eye open for more tips, as I share what I’ve learned to make your journey more delicious and fun.

Be amazed with me, as we rediscover some of the treasures packed in real, naturally sweet foods! Raw honey is an absolutely delicious choice to replace processed sugar. Fascinatingly, back in ancient times, honey was an important commodity, being used not only as a tasty treat, but in cultural and religious traditions, for its numerous medicinal and cosmetic properties and even as a form of currency. Understandably so, since it’s estimated that 60,000 bees visit over 2 million flowers and accrue 55,000 flight miles to produce just 1 pound of honey. Raw honey, recognized by its thick, opaque and creamy consistency, is loaded with some incredible and relatively unknown and forgotten health benefits. By eliminating the heat processing (which makes most honey clear and syrupy), raw honey retains its live enzymes and numerous phytonutrients, vitamins and minerals. Modern science now can validate the traditional uses, showing honey components can work in the following ways:

  • act with strong anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal properties (for the skin, stomach, wounds, teeth & gums, etc.)
  • strengthen the immune system
  • aid and speed healing in numerous types of wounds, ulcers and burns
  • raise antioxidant levels to aid in healing and to slow aging
  • improve digestive health
  • help stabilize and maintain blood sugars
  • suppress coughs – may even work better than OTC cough suppressants
  • lessen allergy symptoms
  • give great energy, especially for athletes
  • help to relieve and reduce side effects from cancer treatments
  • function with anti-tumor properties
  • beautify your skin and hair with cleansing, moisturizing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, “anti-breakout”, healing properties and more… (Personally, this stuff is the best for great skin!)

Love it that such incredible properties are packed into something that tastes SO good!

So this holiday season (and the next time you want something sweet), reach for the honey to sweeten your treat.  Experiment and substitute sugar in your favorite recipes with honey and/or a combination of other natural sweeteners. Look for new ideas using honey to replace old favorites. Add a spoonful instead to your coffee or tea. Consider your body’s needs and don’t settle for empty, processed foods, when you deserve only what will nourish you and help you be your best! Your body will thank you for it…and you’ll love its deliciousness.

 

Raw Honey Shopping Tip: Look for the creamy, thick, opaque varieties that specify “raw” and “unprocessed.” Natural food markets and farmer’s markets are great places. For added benefits, look for raw honey from local bee farms. Anecdotal stories report raw honey from local sources may also reduce allergy symptoms.

 

For facials and skin benefits: mix a dab of honey (the size of a “pea”) with a few drops of water to use alone or add fresh aloe, and/or olive or coconut oil or a dab of your favorite moisturizer. This makes it easy to spread and keeps it from being sticky. Massage gently onto your face and enjoy the lovely benefits.

For brilliant, shiny hair: mix 1 tsp honey with 4 cups of warm water. Pour through hair after shampooing. Don’t rinse out, but style as usual.

 

Be sure to pass the goodness on to a friend!

 

 ***Caution: honey should not be fed to infants under 12 months.

Apple Art Treats

apple art edible treats

The delicious possibilities are endless!

  • Thinly slice apples
  • Decide on seasonal mini cookie cutter designs
  • Cut apple shapes
  • Dip cut shapes in a mixture of 1 part lemon juice to 3 parts water. Drain dry on paper towel.
  • Munch on the goodness

Here are a few fun ideas…for kids of all ages:

  • Fill snack bags
  • Mix with trail mix
  • Sprinkle on salads for a festive touch
  • Add to oatmeal or whole grain cereals
  • Sandwich nut butter between 2 apple layers
  • Dust with cinnamon

 

*add peels and trimmings to a smoothie

 

 

 

Fun idea?? Share it with a friend!

Sweet Apple Appeal

apple benefitsApples. Nothing is more American than Apple Pie, an apple for the teacher, cherishing that special someone who’s the “apple of our eye” or taking a trip to “the Big Apple”. And what better time to celebrate them than National Apple Month?! Yes, it’s apple season!! We get a huge selection of seemingly every apple variety available, while maybe more importantly: fall + apple season + holidays = lots of yummy apple dishes!

Though this is apple season, they can become so familiar, everyday, common and ordinary that we forget the uniqueness and beauty of the fruit. Here’s a refresher to celebrate the benefits your body especially gets to enjoy this season and every day, (based on research literature reviews, summaries and even the USApple organization.) Take a taste…and enjoy!

Apples are one of the main sources of dietary flavonoids (phytochemicals and antioxidants) which work to:

—Encourage long life, associated with overall better health
—Lower risk of cancer especially lung cancer – 21% in women
—Support overall lung health – lower risk of asthma and bronchial sensitivity and promote strong lung function
—Reduce risk of heart disease 13-22% reduced risk
—Protect heart and vascular health
—Cut risk of strokes:  Ohio State University reports eating one apple a day for four weeks lowered blood levels of oxidized LDL, the “bad cholesterol,” by 40%.
—Lower inflammation:  1 apple daily for 6 months lowered C-Reactive Protein 32% (Arthritis Foundation)
—Reduce risk of type 2 diabetes
—Help blood sugar regulation – This promising new area shows potential benefits in promoting the pancreas to produce insulin and activating insulin cell receptors to increase blood sugar uptake
—Promote weight loss:
• Those eating three apples (or pears) a day lost more weight with a reduced calorie intake than women who didn’t add apples (or pears) to their menus
• Granny Smith apples promote growth of “beneficial gut bacteria” because of their  high levels of fiber and antioxidants with their low levels of available carbohydrates, which may protect against obesity-associated disorders (Washington State University)
—Improve digestion and may boost immune system – Apples help increase good bacteria in the large intestine (Clostridiales and Bacteriodes, which help increase  butyric acid), which keeps the intestinal lining healthy
—May lessen Alzheimer’s symptoms:  Daily apple juice and/or even better, apple intake significantly improved mood and behavior among a group of patients diagnosed with moderate-to-severe Alzheimer’s

Other benefits may include liver protection and additional cholesterol lowering affect, improving HDLs, LDLs and triglycerides and cancer protection (based on rat/mice studies)

 

Want the most benefits from your apples? Eat the apple, with the peel.  Apple peels hold most of the fruit’s antioxidants (about 67%)

Juicing removes up to 90% of some antioxidants.

Choose organic. The Environmental Working Group’s 2015 Shopper’s Guide to Pesticides in Produce rated apples #1 on their list of the “dirtiest, or most pesticide-contaminated” fruits and veggies for the 5th straight year. In 2016, they fell to #2 just behind strawberries. EWG’s analysts report, “Apples tend to have the most pesticides because of the chemicals applied to the crop before and after harvest to preserve them longer.”

So take a bite into your favorite apple, make your favorite seasonal apple dish, and try some new apple ideas this fall and enjoy the goodness in every bite!

and remember, share the benefits with a friend!

 

Resources available.

Coconut Almond Drops

coconut-almond-drops-recipeTry these super easy, innocently sweet and deliciously satisfying gluten, dairy, sugar free treats:

Coconut Almond Drops

2 c coconut flakes, unsweetened
2 c almonds, ground into meal/flour
6 Tbsp raw honey, maple syrup or agave
6-8 Tbsp coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla (or almond extract)
Sea salt (~1/16-1/8 tsp)

Blend coconut, almond meal and sea salt in food processor until light and fluffy. Overbeating will make it oily. Blend in sweetener, oil and vanilla until desired consistency. Drop by spoonfuls on cookie sheet and shape into balls. Roll in coconut, top with chocolate chips or even sprinkle with cocoa, cinnamon, or top with other dried fruit.

Makes about 32.

Share the sweetness with a friend!

Pumpkin Pie Ice Cream

pumpkin-pie-ice-cream-dairy-free-sugar-freeWhoo-hoo! Pumpkin spice season is here…and can stay!  Check out this no-guilt comfort treat…and it’s dairy free and sugar free too!

1 cup pumpkin, frozen to “slushy”*
1 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 scoops KAL Stevia extract powder**
2 Tbsp coconut sugar
2 Tbsp cashew butter
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ginger
Pinch sea salt
Pinch cloves
1 cup coconut milk, frozen into ice cubes

Blend all in high-powered blender until well blended and very thick, ice cream texture. Left overs can be frozen into popsicles for kids of all ages.

Makes 3 cups

 

* the colder the ingredients the better the ice cream consistency will be
**use scoop that comes in sweetener bottle

Baked Zucchini

Fast – Easy – Fresh – Different – Veg Variety – Flavor Adventure

easy zucchini recipe

Baked Zucchini

1- Wash and Slice zucchini, horizontally into strips, about 1/4″ thick.

2- Spread strips onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

3- Mist with a little fresh olive oil (spray) and sprinkle with sea salt, pepper, garlic and Italian seasoning blend…or a blend of fresh, chopped herbs.

4- Bake at 350 just until tender, flipping half way through. About 15-20 minutes.

5- Add a protein, beans, another veg.

Then, enjoy with family or friends!

Sweet Potato Fries

sweet potato friesI hadn’t had fries for so long, I almost forgot how yummy they were. ….and these are EVEN better!

Sweet potatoes
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Chili powder
Cayenne
Sea salt

1- Scrub and slice sweet potatoes into desired sized strips or wedges.

2- Mist/Spray lightly with olive oil and sprinkle lightly (or heavily!)  with each of the spices to desired spicy-ness.

3- Bake at 450-  25-ish minutes or until tender, stirring or flipping the fries halfway through bake time.

Enjoy!

 

Peanut Butter Chocolate No-Bake-Cookies

These cookies were a favorite growing up! Here’s a healthier version, with just a few little tweaks.

peanut butter chocolate no bake cookies gluten free dairy free sugar free

7 Tbsp raw honey
4 Tbsp butter*
4 Tbsp coconut oil
2/3 c peanut butter (or almond butter)
½ c unsweetened cocoa powder
¼ tsp vanilla
Dash salt
3 c rolled old-fashioned oats

 

– Melt honey, butter and coconut oil together in double boiler over medium heat.
– Remove from heat and stir in cocoa, peanut butter, salt and vanilla until smooth.
– Stir in oats.
– Line cookie sheets with waxed or parchment paper and drop by spoonfuls into cookies.
– Chill or freeze until set.
Makes about 21

 

*use all coconut oil for Dairy Free, but be sure to keep well-chilled or frozen to keep cookies from “melting.”