Monday, March 28, 2005
Nutritious Whole Grains
In a television interview last week, as I was talking about whole foods and how beneficial they are to the body there, I mentioned whole grains in particular. The host asked me about the different kinds of whole grain cereals I was referring to. This is a typical thought in which I responded that we are too unfamiliar with what whole grains are.
Most Americans have eaten wheat every day of their lives (in a processed form of white flour), yet never seen a wheat kernel. We are too unfamiliar with the real whole grains other than in breads or processed cereals which is a disadvantage to us, because they are so beneficial to us.
There are many wonderful whole grains: wheat, spelt, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, barley, millet, oat, brown rice, just to name a few great ones. These are what we should be cooking whole for breakfast instead of reaching for cold cereals. These are also great added on top of a salad, and using in our main dishes or desserts. Whole grains are so versatile providing us with the right balance of carbs and fiber, especially since we usually over do the carbs (with the processed foods), and we don't get enough fiber. For as carbs and fiber grow naturally together, we should eat them together too. Whole grains are utilized totally different by the body than flours are. They provide great nutrition, as well as the cleansing of our systems.
Here are some suggested uses of whole grains for morning cereals - some of my children's favorites - and these don't take work, they just take 1 minute of your time to prepare:
quinoa - bring approx. 2 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup whole quinoa and cook for 10-12 minutes.
millet - bring approx. 3 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup whole millet and cook for 20-25 minutes.
amaranth - bring approx. 2 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup amaranth and cook for 5-8 minutes.
kashi (mixture of 7-8 whole grains) - bring 3 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup kashi and cook for 25-30 minutes.
These same cereals are great added to green salads, adding fiber, flavor, and nutrition which is very satisfying to the body. These are all low in calories and provide a good hearty meal.
For main dishes, use brown rice (or other whole grains such as barley, kashi, millet or quinoa) instead of white rice. To make nice fluffy brown rice, bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup brown rice and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until water is almost gone. With a little bit of water in bottom of pan, place on lid, leave on turned-off burner for another 15-20 minutes to fluff (if desired). Enjoy!
Get to know some whole grains and enjoy their benefits!
Most Americans have eaten wheat every day of their lives (in a processed form of white flour), yet never seen a wheat kernel. We are too unfamiliar with the real whole grains other than in breads or processed cereals which is a disadvantage to us, because they are so beneficial to us.
There are many wonderful whole grains: wheat, spelt, kamut, quinoa, amaranth, barley, millet, oat, brown rice, just to name a few great ones. These are what we should be cooking whole for breakfast instead of reaching for cold cereals. These are also great added on top of a salad, and using in our main dishes or desserts. Whole grains are so versatile providing us with the right balance of carbs and fiber, especially since we usually over do the carbs (with the processed foods), and we don't get enough fiber. For as carbs and fiber grow naturally together, we should eat them together too. Whole grains are utilized totally different by the body than flours are. They provide great nutrition, as well as the cleansing of our systems.
Here are some suggested uses of whole grains for morning cereals - some of my children's favorites - and these don't take work, they just take 1 minute of your time to prepare:
quinoa - bring approx. 2 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup whole quinoa and cook for 10-12 minutes.
millet - bring approx. 3 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup whole millet and cook for 20-25 minutes.
amaranth - bring approx. 2 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup amaranth and cook for 5-8 minutes.
kashi (mixture of 7-8 whole grains) - bring 3 cups water to a boil, stir in 1 cup kashi and cook for 25-30 minutes.
These same cereals are great added to green salads, adding fiber, flavor, and nutrition which is very satisfying to the body. These are all low in calories and provide a good hearty meal.
For main dishes, use brown rice (or other whole grains such as barley, kashi, millet or quinoa) instead of white rice. To make nice fluffy brown rice, bring 3 cups water to a boil, add 1 cup brown rice and simmer for 30-35 minutes or until water is almost gone. With a little bit of water in bottom of pan, place on lid, leave on turned-off burner for another 15-20 minutes to fluff (if desired). Enjoy!
Get to know some whole grains and enjoy their benefits!
Saturday, March 19, 2005
Legumes: A Healthy Diet Addition
Legumes are the bean and pea family such as: pinto beans, lima beans, black beans, navy beans, soy beans, chickpeas, peanuts, peas, lentils, and many, many more. These are high in protein and fiber and provide us with a great balance of healthy carbs. A serving of beans is about the same amount of protein as meat, but the beans have about 6% fat compared to chicken or beef that have between 50-56% fat, not to mention a similar difference in calories.
Besides eating a bowl of beans or adding beans or peas to soups, you call also add whole cooked beans and peas to salads for a great variation. These types of salads are so filling and satisfying to the body as it is provided with the right nutrients it needs.
The Middle Easterners use Hummus as we would mayonnaise. However, hummus consists mostly of cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and sesame seeds (both high in protein) and is low in fat. Give this recipe a try and use it as a vegetable dip, a spread on a sandwich, in a tortilla wrap or pita sandwich.
Hummus
recipe from Enjoy Nature's Harvest by Erleen Tilton (see Great Health Books link)
2 C. cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with liquid
3 Tbs. sesame tahini or sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
3/4 tsp. salt
dash red pepper sauce or cayenne pepper
Blend all ingredients in blender until very smooth, adding liquid or additional water, if needed, to blend easily. Enjoy this smooth, nutritious, low-calorie spread!
Besides eating a bowl of beans or adding beans or peas to soups, you call also add whole cooked beans and peas to salads for a great variation. These types of salads are so filling and satisfying to the body as it is provided with the right nutrients it needs.
The Middle Easterners use Hummus as we would mayonnaise. However, hummus consists mostly of cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) and sesame seeds (both high in protein) and is low in fat. Give this recipe a try and use it as a vegetable dip, a spread on a sandwich, in a tortilla wrap or pita sandwich.
Hummus
recipe from Enjoy Nature's Harvest by Erleen Tilton (see Great Health Books link)
2 C. cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans) with liquid
3 Tbs. sesame tahini or sesame seeds
2 cloves garlic
3/4 tsp. salt
dash red pepper sauce or cayenne pepper
Blend all ingredients in blender until very smooth, adding liquid or additional water, if needed, to blend easily. Enjoy this smooth, nutritious, low-calorie spread!
Saturday, March 05, 2005
Springtime Fitness!
I just love spring! It is my most favorite season of the year! I love to go outside and get my hands in the soil and connect with nature.
Last week, I went on a hike with a group of other mothers and our children. Along the trail, the mountainside is covered with lots of spring poppies and other flowers which were so beautiful. I met a couple on the trail who were from Massachusetts who asked if the flowers were always like this here. I explained that this year they are more plentiful because of the rain, but yes they are usually here every spring. The lady was surprised! "Do you consider this spring?", she asked. "Well yes", I replied, "and our spring does not last long. Summer comes awfully fast here and stays a long time." So we have been enjoying spring time here in southern Arizona for a few weeks now.
For those of you in other parts of the world, spring may not be here yet, but it is something to always look forward to. These are things I and my family enjoy doing in the spring time.
* Growing a garden. It's great to be outdoors again and enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and plant some seeds and watch them sprout and grow. I always say that if you don't grow a garden you are missing out on watching miracles happen. Every seed that sprouts seems like a miracle to me. I love the benefits of a garden when it is producing abundantly in a couple of months, and I love to work and beautify the garden area. It is all so refreshing!
* Going hiking. This is the best time of year to hike. It is cool and the air is clean, the flowers are blooming and the mountain springs are flowing. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see all these wonderful things of nature.
* Going for walks and bike rides. Since we can't hike every day, we can go for walks or bike ride. At least we can still enjoy the clean air from the recent rains, and the nice cool breeze with out the extreme heat or cold. It feels so good to be out and getting good exercise this time of year.
* Watching the changes of the season. The blossoms are on here, the annuals are budding, the wild flowers are growing abundantly, and the weeds are growing. It's great to notice it all as new life forming, so appropriate for bringing in Easter. If you don't like the weeds, just eat them. Most of them are edible! Just identify them and add them to salads. They are just great!
Where ever you live, enjoy the new life of spring!
Last week, I went on a hike with a group of other mothers and our children. Along the trail, the mountainside is covered with lots of spring poppies and other flowers which were so beautiful. I met a couple on the trail who were from Massachusetts who asked if the flowers were always like this here. I explained that this year they are more plentiful because of the rain, but yes they are usually here every spring. The lady was surprised! "Do you consider this spring?", she asked. "Well yes", I replied, "and our spring does not last long. Summer comes awfully fast here and stays a long time." So we have been enjoying spring time here in southern Arizona for a few weeks now.
For those of you in other parts of the world, spring may not be here yet, but it is something to always look forward to. These are things I and my family enjoy doing in the spring time.
* Growing a garden. It's great to be outdoors again and enjoy the fresh air, sunshine, and plant some seeds and watch them sprout and grow. I always say that if you don't grow a garden you are missing out on watching miracles happen. Every seed that sprouts seems like a miracle to me. I love the benefits of a garden when it is producing abundantly in a couple of months, and I love to work and beautify the garden area. It is all so refreshing!
* Going hiking. This is the best time of year to hike. It is cool and the air is clean, the flowers are blooming and the mountain springs are flowing. Don't miss out on the opportunity to see all these wonderful things of nature.
* Going for walks and bike rides. Since we can't hike every day, we can go for walks or bike ride. At least we can still enjoy the clean air from the recent rains, and the nice cool breeze with out the extreme heat or cold. It feels so good to be out and getting good exercise this time of year.
* Watching the changes of the season. The blossoms are on here, the annuals are budding, the wild flowers are growing abundantly, and the weeds are growing. It's great to notice it all as new life forming, so appropriate for bringing in Easter. If you don't like the weeds, just eat them. Most of them are edible! Just identify them and add them to salads. They are just great!
Where ever you live, enjoy the new life of spring!
