Flu Fighting Foods

Who has gotten the flu this year?

http://www.examiner.com/article/flu-fighting-foods

We Hail Kale!

Check out why you need to be eating KALE!

We Hail Kale!

Guest Post: Butternut Squash Pancakes

My friend Whitney English, author of, To Live And Diet In LA, posted a guest blog post I wrote for her all about my scrumptious breakfast: Butternut Squash Pancakes!

Go on and check it out: http://toliveanddietinla.blogspot.com/2012/09/weigh-low-butternut-squash-pancakes.html

Don't forget to click around her blog too! She does some pretty awesome things, meets some pretty interesting people and is just an all around awesome girl!

Relish this relish

Do you like RELISH at your BBQ??

Relish this relish - Boulder Nutrition | Examiner.com

Spin out more spinach

Ryan Gosling is a tasty dish!

Spin out more spinach - Boulder Nutrition | Examiner.com

Cauliflower cold cure

TAKE THAT SNIFFLES!

Cauliflower cold cure - Boulder Nutrition | Examiner.com

Sweet on yams

Jump on the sweet potato band wagon! 


http://www.examiner.com/nutrition-in-boulder/sweet-on-yams

Battle: multivitamins

Ha Ha, It's just like Iron Chef America! Imagine that guy saying... MUTL-TY-VI-TA-MAN!


Battle: multivitamins - Boulder Nutrition | Examiner.com

Wonderful world of weeds

No toking up here... Just EATING UP! :)

Wonderful world of weeds

Sugary sweet without the sugar

I myself am currently digging cinnamon, butternut squash, pumpkin and sauteed onions! WOOP WOOP!


Sugary sweet without the sugar

The new king of the fruit world

Behold...


The new king of the fruit world

Appreciate apricots

Appreciate apricots

Hosea's back with seafood on the table

My latest article on EXAMINER... leave me comments people! ha ha ha! Or better yet, eat some FISH/SEAFOOD TODAY!



Hosea's back with seafood on the table

Fighting sunburn with food

We all need a bit of extra protection, right?!?!




Fighting sunburn with food

"A state of total awareness" - PAH!

UNAGI!

And no I am not talking about the "concept"... mentioned by Ross on Friends (season 6, ep. 17) that Unagi is, "a state of total awareness... being prepared for any danger that may be-fall you."


No, I am siding with Rachel and Pheobe in that... Unagi is a type of sushi... and a DELICIOUS SUSHI at that!!!


Unfortunately Unagi is typically DOUSED in a sugary-sweet sauce that really ruins all nutritional benefits of the fish... but I have come up with a very good solution to this problem which has enabled me to SCARF this eel down without a guilt in the world... (although I have heard it's on the Do Not Eat list... but I am going to pretend as though I never heard/read that!)

(Stupid sweet-ass sauce ruining my delicious EEL)

When I buy it from the store in the pre-BBQed package... I open up the package and WASH the fillet off... then I take about 1/2 a roll of paper towel and remove all the rest of the disgustingly sweet sauce... and let me tell you, naked eel is definitely NOT naked in flavor!!!


When I go to sushi restaurants and order eel sashimi, I will ALWAYS ask/write down that there is to be no extra eel sauce slopped on top, that way I am not bombarded with sugar calories that are simply NOT NEEDED!




So you're either now thinking...

A. She is a complete nut job of caring about sugar

B. Ew, eel, that's disgusting, I hate raw fish...

C. Whoa, good idea, although I probably won't go nuts with the paper towels

D. Tell me about the damn nutritional benefits!



And let me just make it clear that...

A. Yes I am completely nuts about avoiding sugar

B. Eel is ABSOLUTELY delicious and should NOT be avoided (out of fear that it's slimy and "yucky") and it is a COOKED fish (if you'd call it a fish)

C. Yes yes, I know I am so smart... and in my mind, every little bit of sauce that comes off is a little less calories & sugar! (but I am aware I probably won't be able to get ALL of the sauce off)

D. I was just about to come to that!




So here you are all you letter D thinkers... EEL'S ROSTER OF HEALTH BENEFITS:

1. Full of Omega-3 Fatty Acids
2. High in Protein
   
3. Very High in Vitamin A & B1 & B2
4. High in Vitamin D & E
5. Rich in Phosphorus
   
6. And did I mention... SCRUMPTIOUS!

While eel is a bit on the caloric side, it's oh so worth it... So don't shy away from it! Go nuts and order a sushi roll or better yet eel sashimi the next time you visit your sushi restaurant... Or if you're lucky like me and you have a Whole Foods near by, go and pick up a package or two and simply toast it in the oven until perfection! Seriously, you will have a mouthgasum and then thank me when you're done! Ha Ha Ha!

PS: There is another kind of eel served at Sushi Restaurants called Anago which is SEA EEL and also very tasty... but it's not as popular as Unagi. If you do get the chance, sample both and let me know which one you think is better!

Beauty Foods VIA AOL HEALTH

aolhealth Tweets

So what beauty foods are you eating today?!?!

*So far I have eaten my fare share of Vitamin A & C & B, Fiber, Lutein... you know what, I've gotten em' all (or I will in the near future - DINNER is just around the corner!!)... since I have, why don't I look like a Victoria Secret Model?! Oh that's right, I'm not 6 feet tall!!!!

My latest FOOD obsession...

Obsession ALERT!


So I am completely and utterly obsessed with food... if I had to choose between food and sex... I would definitely choose...

FOOD...

and I am NOT even going to deny that! Ah ha ha!!!

(See look at that... I am so obsessed with food that I have to order my meat on line... to have it shipped to me - ha ha! 40 pounds in that box, WO WO!)

So what's my latest FOOD obsession? Well trust me I have many (Asian foods, salmon, spinach, ketcup, yea I could go on) but I really think I just have to mention how much I LOVE...


Butternut Squash- EVERYONE SHOULD BE eating this scrumptious orange FRUIT...


Wait, maybe I shouldn't scream to the high heavens how awesome this squash is... because if everyone starts eating it (because I am a very influential person!) then a butternut squash shortage may result (JUST LIKE WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PUMPKINS!!!)

(My sweet sweet pumpkin, I am sorry... but I am cheating on you! At least it's all in the family... actually that probably makes things worse!)

Alright, alright... since I have said this much I might as well just continue and risk the shortage!


So how do I like to prepare butternut squash?




Well you gotta buy the whole squash and... take a knife to that bad boy... chop that puppy up into cubes (aw, sad visual) and skin it too... (wow it sounds like I am talking about preparing a piece of meat, ha ha). From there I simply put it on a baking dish (sprayed with olive oil)... I then put it in the oven for about 35 minutes or so at 350 degrees... take it out, sprinkle it with cinnamon (don't be shy, shake that sh*t on there - it is a SUPER FOOD after all!) and then put it back in the oven (tossing the squash before hand so that delicious spice spreads it's love)... About 15 to 20 minutes later I take it out, put it in a bowl, drizzle some olive oil, sprinkle with parsley... and refrigerate.




BOMB! So good! I love to eat mine cold mixed with pureed pumpkin (um, did I mention I think I caused the shortage because I still have tons of cans worth, he he!) and then sprinkled with STEVIA!

(If you turn your head 90 degrees... you will see the right side up view - ha ha! This picture doesn't do this deliciousness justice)

Currently this is a breakfast staple... but who am I kidding, whenever I open the fridge, I always take a sample or two... I just can't keep my paws off of it! Speaking of... yea, it's calling my name right now... 4 O'clock snack? I THINK SO! (Oh wait, it was also a 1, 2 and 3 o'clock snack too... I guess there ARE worse things to be addicted to! ha ha)



**You know what's funny... I say I like food more than sex... yet this blog post could sound very dirty... if you have a dirty mind that is! ha ha ha ha ha! You can obviously tell... I DO! WHOOPS!**

Sniffle... Sniffle!

Every day we come into contact with so many things... desks, keyboards, door handles, sink knobs... do you ever think about all the germs that are TEEMING on all of these things when you touch them? Well I certainly wasn't until now... hmm... wonder what kinds of germs are on my keyboard as I type?!


While a lot of these germs aren't deadly... or won't get you sick... there are SOME THAT WILL... OBVIOUSLY (that's why we get sick - ha ha!). But of course there are preventative measures we COULD ALL TAKE... in order to make sure that we don't (or are less likely) to get sick...


Oh and by the way, I am in college and go to campus/class on a daily basis and am surrounded by sick people (yea, we have tons of Swine Flu cases reported on campus)... and I am constantly touching dirty desks, door handles, etc... and while I really don't want to jinx myself... I have yet to get sick... OH GREAT: bring on the flu!!! ha ha!


So want to know what you can do to ward off the flu... because we all know when we get sick it's TERRIBLE... plus who can afford to miss work (or school) these days!! I know I can't!! So here goes:



No Brainer # 1: Wash Your Hands (Lather up - 20 seconds!)


No Brainer # 2: Cough Into Your Elbow/Cover Your Mouth When You Sneeze or Cough


No Brainer # 3: Throw Away Tissues After Use (There's nothing grosser than seeing a used tissue... actually MAYBE there is! ha ha)


No Brainer # 4: Avoid Touching Your Nose, Mouth & Eyes


No Brainer # 5: Don't Hang Out With People Infected With The Flu





Thought Provoker # 1: Eat Darkly Colored Vegetables/Fruits (perhaps a no-brainer to some)


Thought Provoker # 2: Exercise DAILY (45 to 70 minutes of heart pumping exercise)


Thought Provoker # 3: Sleep Tight (7 to 8 hours... stop partying on a nightly basis! ha ha)


Thought Provoker # 4: Stress Less (Take deep breaths! Life moves on! It's not the end of the world!)


Thought Provoker # 5: Up Your Vitamin C Intake (250 mg to 350 mg every 2 to 3 hours... be aware that SOME might experience... loose stools - to say it maturely! ha ha)


Thought Provoker # 6: Up Your Intake of Beta-Carotene to 25000 IUs a Day (It is PUMPKIN season after all!)


Thought Provoker # 7: Start Supplementing with Vitamin D3 if You Haven't Been Already (1000 IUs or MORE per day!!!)


Thought Provoker # 8: STAY HOME WHEN YOU'RE SICK!!! (Yes, we all want to keep working so we can bring home the "bacon" but most likely you'll be less productive - if productive at ALL - if you go to work, plus you'll spread your germs to others!)


Though Provoker # 9: STOP drinking so much... enough said! ha ha!


Thought Provoker # 10: STEER CLEAR of the SUGAR!!! (Read those labels people - sugar has so many names, it's like the Puff Daddy... no P. Diddy... no just Diddy or Daddy or WHAT... of the food world!)


WARNING SIGNS... THAT YOU HAVE THE FLU:

- Migraine Headaches
- Itchy Eyes
- Sneezing & Stuffed Nose
- Aches & Pains
- Chills
- Fever
- Tiredness
- Dry Cough
- Stomach Ailments (nausea, vomiting, etc)

*So now what??*

GET OUT TO YOUR LOCAL HEALTH FOOD/SUPPLEMENT STORE & STOCK UP ON THE ABOVE VITAMINS... THEN HEAD TO THE GYM FOR SOME HEART REVVING ACTIVITY... AFTERWARDS... FUEL UP ON SOME HEARTY ROASTED VEGETABLES... WASH IT DOWN WITH SOME DECAF GREEN TEA (so you can sleep at night)... THEN RELAX WITH A GOOD BOOK... AND GO TO SLEEP!!!

WHERE IN THE WORLD....

.... HAS ALL THE CANNED PUMPKIN GONE!!!!



That's right, pumpkin is definitely MIA at the moment and after 3 weeks of not seeing it on my grocery stores (all over my city - mind you) I decided to take initiative (because to me this is an emergency) and write Nestle (who makes Libby's 100% Pumpkin) to get to the bottom of this... and here is what the company said to me:

	Dear Ms. ******, Thank you for contacting Libby's® 100% Pure Pumpkin. I am sorry that you are having a difficult time finding Libby's Pumpkin. Due to unfavorable weather conditions last fall, some of the pumpkin did not meet our high quality standards. Therefore, our harvest was smaller than typical and you may have some difficulty finding Libby's Pumpkin. We are in the process of harvesting our pumpkins and you will be able to find it in all sizes within the next few weeks. We appreciate your interest and hope you will visit our website often for the latest information on our products and promotions. Sincerely, Tara Williams Consumer Response Representative

So there you have it... Let's just HOPE we can rely on Tara Williams... and the rest of them... when she says that they will return within a few weeks! Not only do I eat pumpkin EVERY SINGLE DAY at breakfast... but Thanksgiving and all the other holidays are just around the corner... and HELLO: Pumpkin is the center of attention for all of these holidays!



Anyone else notice the case of the missing canned pumpkin?!?!

Spaghetti? NOPE but close!

So let me just tell you a bit about my diet before I start this post... I do not eat wheat, dairy, gluten, sugar, fruits, soy, nuts.... Wait, maybe I should just tell you what I do eat - that list would be a lot shorter! ha ha.


With such restrictions in my life sometimes it's hard to find substitutes for those "staple" pantry items that everyone seems to have (pasta, rice, bread, etc)...


I have found one substitution that I think works remarkably well and if I could would eat it every single day in mass quantities.


Curious yet on what it is?




Spaghetti Squash!


The stringy strands remind me so much of pasta it's crazy and the way it's tastes is like joy in my mouth (you can obviously tell I haven't eaten sugar in a really long time).


This type of squash is so versatile: top it with tomato sauce, clam sauce, olive tapenade, olive oil and garlic, or just a big slab of salmon - spaghetti squash adopts any flavor you put on it but also gives the added a little some extra too!



What do you want to know first, how to cook it or its health benefits? Health Benefits it is!


Spaghetti Squash has 42 calories in an ENTIRE cup along with 2 grams of fiber! This makes it the lowest calorie winter squash out there so if any of you are on a low carb diet and a bit skeptical when it comes to winter squash, spaghetti squash is completely suitable for all stages!


Within those measly 42 calories there is an abundance of nutrients that only makes me want to buy every grocery store out of their stock! This squash is full of:

• Potassium
• Beta-Carotene
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin A
• Vitamin E
  
• Folate
• Fiber
  

Woah Woah Woah, now that's a good looking nutritonal profile if I say so myself!


Now since I am all sure you're dying to know how to cook this type of squash so you too can reap it's benefits... Here's what to do:

• Bake It -- Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer and place in baking dish. Cook squash in preheated 375F oven approximately 1 hour or until flesh is tender.
  
  
• Boil It -- Heat a pot of water large enough to hold the whole squash. When the water is boiling, drop in the squash and cook for 20 to 30 minutes, depending on its size. When a fork goes easily into the flesh, the squash is done.
  
  
• Microwave It -- Cut squash in half lengthwise; remove seeds. Place squash cut sides up in a microwave dish with 1/4 cup water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 10 to 12 minutes, depending on size of squash. Add more cooking time if necessary. Let stand covered, for 5 minutes. With fork "comb" out the strands.
  
  
• Slow Cooker or Crock-Pot - Choose a smaller spaghetti squash (unless you have an extra large slow cooker) so that it will fit. Add 2 cups of water to slow cooker. Pierce the whole shell several times with a large fork or skewer, add to Crock Pot, cover and cook on low for 8 to 9 hours.
  
  

Once the squash is cooked, let it cool for 10 to 20 minutes so it will be easier to handle, before cutting in half (if it wasn't already) and removing the seeds. Pull a fork lengthwise through the flesh to separate it into long strands. You can do these steps ahead of time, then prepare spaghetti squash recipes whenever you're hankering for some delicious vitamin A, E and C (among other things too of course!)!


Here's a really good link with even more helpful information regarding the health benefits of spaghetti squash and its cousins such as butternut, acorn and pumpkin!


Now that I've let you in on one of my favorite foods, I am going to go eat some right now! I hope you all do the same in the near future! Let me know what you end up doing with it too - I love trying out new recipes!