A Summer-ish kinda salad

I had a few friends over this weekend for a lite lunch.

I found a Pear & Pomegranate Salad in Chatelaine that I thought I'd give a try - I'm glad I did...

It accomplished everything I wanted it to: It was lite, tasty, fresh and very 'summer-ish!'

Ingredients:



6 Bartlett pears

3 tbsp lemon juice

6 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup pomegranate seeds

Warm Vinaigrette:

1/4 - 1/2 cup olive oil 

4  tbsp pomegranate juice

4 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp grainy mustard

4 tsp liquid honey 

salt & pepper

• Core pears and thinly slice; toss with lemon juice. Make ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to four hours.
• Meanwhile, in a saucepan, whisk together oil, pomegranate juice, lemon juice, mustard, honey, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, whisking, until thickness of syrup; about two minutes. 
• In a serving plate arrange the pears and the mixed greens. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the pears and salad. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds.    

Stay Healthy!



What's in your grocery bag?

Aim to be a cauntious label reading shopper. Always make a list before heading to the grocery store, and stick to the list. This helps rid of unwanted, unneeded and unhealthy last minute purchases.

What's in my grocery bag today?

Barbara's Puffins (Cinnamon) - This is one of my favourite snacks. It kicks my sweet and crunching cravings in the butt, and it's healthy! It's fruit juice sweetened, made with whole ingredients, low in fat and does not use artificial flavours, additives or preservatives.

Barbara's Fig Bars (Raspberry) - This is a great alternate to cookies. It's fruit juice sweetened, made with whole ingredients, low in fat and does not use artificial flavours, additives or preservatives.

Earth's Own Almond Fresh, Original - With only 70 calories per cup, this almond milk is not only a good source of Vitamon E, but also has a delicious nutty taste. I love adding this to teas, smoothies, and baked goods.

Zucchini - Zucchini is low in calories, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium, and is a great source of dietary fiber.

Japanese Eggplant - Delicious stir-fried, sautéed, or grilled, japanese eggplant are low in calories and fat, and high in fibre and minerals.

Lemon - I start my day with juice from half a lemon in a glass of water. This adds flavour to plain water and gives the liver a light cleanse. 

Avocado - Avocados have a bad rep due to it's 'fat content,' but what many don't realize is that the avocado is high in good fat. It promotes heart health, has a wide range of anti-inflammatory benefits, supports cardiovascular health, promotes blood sugar regulation, and has anti-cancer benefits.

Apple - 'An apple a day keeps the doctor away!' Check out 10 Health Benefits of Apples.

Fresh Cilantro / Coriander - I love adding fresh cilantro / coriander to salads and stews. Coriander seeds have a health-supporting reputation that is high on the list of the healing spices. Coriander has traditionally been referred to as an "anti-diabetic" plant. It has been used for its anti-inflammatory properties and cholesterol-lowering effects.

Fresh Dill -  Add fresh dill to a plain salad to add a little spunk to your lunch or dinner. Dill protects against free radicals and carcinogens, it is an anti-bacterial spice, and helps prevent bone loss.

Bananas - The banana is potassium-powerd and a high energy fruit. Benefits include cardiovascular and eyesight protection, improving elimination, and promoting kidney health.

Baby Arugula - A dark leafy green, arugula provides a readily absorbable source of calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and potassium, as well as, vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid.

Couscous - An alternate to rice, couscous is great warm with stews and proteins, or cold as a salad mixed with vegetables and greens. Couscous is a good source of protein, fiber, niacin, selenium, and B vitamins.

Tomatoes -  Tomatoes have antioxidant benefits, promotes colon prostate, and pancreatic health, and helps reduce heart disease risk.

Almond Butter - Add it to a smoothie, or use it as a fruit and veggie dip. Rich in antioxidants, almond butter helps lower cholesterol and blood pressure, reduce the risk of heart disease, and control blood sugar.

Stonemill Sprouted Grains Loaf - I love the texture of grainy bread. Stonemill sprouted grains loaf helps digestion, control blood sugar levels, and keep energy levels balanced.

Stay Healthy!

February is Heart month: The essentials to keeping your ticker strong...

When people think of February they tend to think ‘Valentines Day.’ People forget that February is ‘Heart Health Month.’ I’m sure I don’t need to tell you how important your heart is or how the health of your body effects the strength and power of your heart. These are things that I believe you all already know.

For a refresher check Out ‘Canada’s five most deadly diseases’ and try the ‘How Healthy is your Heart?’ quiz.

What I will do is draw your attention to heart strengthening super foods.

While living on Valentines Day goodies and chocolates for the entire month of February seems tempting and divine, think of your heart and aim for a healthier diet. Incorporate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, healthy fats and vegetarian and/or lean proteins into your diet.

                             blisstree.com

Foods for the Heart: walnuts, salmon, oranges, avocado, trout, fibre rich cereal, black beans, almonds, oats, artichoke and olive oil.

Add Garlic, onions, sage and turmeric to your food to add flavour and strengthen your heart.

Keep these all in mind and work on incorporating them into this month's meal choices!


Nutritionista's Recipe Corner:     

    Chopped Beets

    Chickpeas

    Chopped Cucumber

    Alfalfa Sprouts

    Corn

    Lemon Juice

    Wasabi Mustard

    Bon appétit! 

Stay Healthy!

Your immune system...

It's that time of year again...

Outdoor Christmas lights, decorated store windows & Santa's in town!

ReD, gREen, SilVeR, bluE, GolD

Hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, candy canes, snowflakes...

And unfortunatly:

colds, runny noses, coughs, sneezing, fevers and how can we forget...

H1N1!!!

Since TV, magazines, newspapers, radio, etc., etc., seem to have this 'pandemic' covered I've decided to focus on something else...

Your Immune System

Your immune system is responsible for destroying bacteria and viruses that invade your body and make you sick. Many peoples immune systems break down because of stress and bad nutrition. Stress depletes the body of vitamin C, B vitamins and many immune strengthening minerals.

In order to help your body fight intruders, you need to work on your immune system. This includes incorporating immune boosters into your diet.

Immune Boosters

1) Eat from a variety of colourful fruits and vegetables.
2) Fruits and vegetables should make up the majority of your daily diet.
3) Drink 8-10 glasses of water a day.
4) Pay attention to your fat intake. Avoid trans fats and fatty foods.
5) Avoid having animal protein everyday. Try to limit consumption to 3 times a week.
6) Supplements: multi-vitamin, vitamin C, calcium and B complex
7) Try to get your 8 hours of sleep.
8) Juicing!

Foods to Incorporate

The following foods are rich in nutrients that boost the immune system:

Juicing

Many fruits and vegetables can be turned into a concentrated form of nutritional energy by juicing them. Raw, fresh juices provide the easiest way for the body to ingest vitamins and minerals found in these foods. Fresh juices are also alive with enzymes, which deliver vitality and energy to every cell of your body.

Some of my favourite immune boosting juice combinations are:

Blueberries + Grapes + Apples

Carrot

Orange + Carrot

Give them a try and see how you feel...

Stay Healthy!