Just Add Pumpkin

Fall is upon us. Our days are getting cooler and trees are turning colours. With Halloween only a couple of days away, I'm sure you've added a carved pumpkin or two on your porch.

                        Pumpkins

Pumpkins are a lot more than Halloween decor. Pumpkins contain various nutrients that have an array of health benefits. These include:

Beta-carotene - Research shows that people who eat a diet rich in beta-carotene are less likely to develop certain cancers.

Potassium - Lowers the risk of hypertension.

Zinc - Boosts the immune system, aids in bone density support for those at risk of osteoporosis, and reduces signs of aging.

Fibre - May prevent cancer and heart disease.

Phytosterols - Promotes prostate health.

Vitamins A & C - Essential in the health of your eyes, skin and hair, and help reduce the signs of aging.

Vitamin E - Important for skin and heart health.

Here are some of my favourite pumpkin recipes:

Pumpkin with Chestnuts

Ingredients:
1/4 Pumpkin, chopped
Roasted Chestnuts, halved
Olive Oil
Apple Cider Vinegar
Garlic, minced
Agave Nectar
Ground Cinnamon

Directions:

1) Drizzle the pumpkin with olive oil and place in oven at 400C till tender
2) Dressing: Mix the apple cider vinegar, minced garlic, agave nectar and ground cinnamon
3) Place cooked pumpkin in a bowl, add the roasted chestnuts and the dressing
4) Mix well & enjoy!

Serves 2

Hearty Vegetable Chowder

Ingredients:
1 cup Chickpeas
4 cups organic Vegetable Stock
1 medium Onion, diced
½ Pumpkin, diced
2 Carrots, diced
2 Zucchinis, diced
4 Bay Leaves
1 cup Milk (can use coconut milk or soy milk)
4 tablespoons fresh Lemon Juice
2 tablespoons chopped Cilantro

Directions:
1) Bring the 2 cups of vegetable stock to a boil over high heat
2) Add the onion, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes
3) Add the chickpeas, pumpkin, carrots, zucchinis, corn and bay leaves
4) Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until the veggies are tender
5) Add the milk
6) Bring to a boil
7) Add the coriander and lemon juice

Serves 4 to 6

Fall Style Chicken Casserole  

Ingredients:
1 Whole Chicken
¼ Pumpkin, chopped
2 Carrots, chopped
1 cup Green Beans
1 Red Onion, chopped
1/2 Red Onion, sliced
3 Red Potatoes, chopped
3 strands of Thyme
½ a Lemon
6- 8 Garlic pieces
Olive Oil

Directions:
1) Stuff the chicken with half a lemon, half an onion, 1 thyme strand and 2 garlic pieces
2) In a large casserole put the chopped pumpkin, carrots, green beans, chopped onion, red potatoes, thyme, and the remainder of the garlic chopped
3) Place the whole stuffed chicken on the veggie mix
4) Lay the sliced red onion on top of the chicken
5) Add a little salt and pepper over the chicken
6) Drizzle the entire casserole with Olive Oil
7) Cover and place in the oven at 400C for 1 ½ to 2 hours

Serves 4 to 6

Stay Healthy!

Avocados: Creamy, Delicious and Extremely Nutritious

Aside from being one of the tastiest additions to a boring salad, avocados are rich in nutrients that good for the body - inside and out!

Avocados are a good source of vitamin K, dietary fibre, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, copper and potassium.

Avocados have a high fat content, but this 'fat' is 'good fat' that the body needs for optimal health. A typical avocado contains 30 grams of fat, but 20 of these fat grams are health-promoting monounsaturated fats.

Health Benefits

• Helps lower cholesterol
• Helps regulate blood pressure
• Helps to keep your heart healthy
• Aids in stroke prevention
• Protects against breast cancer
• Increases the body's ability to absorb health-promoting carotenoids that vegetables provide
• Protects against eye disease
• Aid in prostate cancer prevention 
• Aid in the fight against oral cancer  
• Has anti aging properties
• Strengthens and adds shine to hair
• Strengthens your nails
• Helps maintain overall health

Take a few minutes and read: The Health Benefits of Avocados  

Looking for a natural do-it-yourself avocado beauty treatment? Check out: 4 avocado beauty treatments 

Nutritionista's Recipe Corner:

Energy-Full Warm Salad

This is a layered salad; the layers are as followed:
Brown rice
Mixed raw salad greens
Sliced tomatoes
Sliced avocado
Cooked shrimps
Chopped coriander

Add chickpeas to one side of the plate, and two artichoke hearts and a few green olives to the other side.

For the dressing, mix:

Lemon juice
Agave nectar
Crushed garlic
Ground ginger
Mustard seeds

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and Bon Appetit!

Stay Healthy!

Add a Little Beet to Your Day

'March is Nutrition Month'

More and more we hear about the big C. We hear about those who’ve got it, those who’ve fought it and sadly those who’ve lost their lives to it. Every single one of us has known someone or of someone who has been affected by cancer.

Some statistics to consider:
An estimated 22,700 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 5,400 will die of it.
An estimated 180 men will be diagnosed with breast cancer and 50 will die of it.
On average, 437 Canadian women will be diagnosed with breast cancer every week.
On average, 104 Canadian women will die of breast cancer every week.
In 2009, an estimated 23,400 Canadians will be diagnosed with lung cancer and 20,500 will die of it.
Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer death for both men and women.
An estimated 25,500 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and 4,400 will die of it.
On average, 490 Canadian men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer every week.
On average, 85 Canadian men will die of prostate cancer every week.

The statistics put a knot in my stomach and an ache in my heart. It’s hard to do everything right and it’s hard to be 100 per cent healthy. In the midst of Nutrition Month, I say: Aim for better health, more energy and a happier you.

No one knows what the future holds, but we do know what's in the now. Embrace your today, your now, and strive for your best...

Start by adding a little beet to your day! I'm not referring to music, although a little music always makes the day much brighter. I'm referring to the beets that you eat. The purple vegetable that many avoid and ignore and very few incorporate into their meals.

Beets are considered the cancer-fighting vegetable. They are rich in folic acid, which is good for cardiovascular and brain health, and potassium, which is important for muscle function and general metabolic activity.

Women can benefit from beets during their menstrual cycle because it replenishes iron lost. Beets also help those with iron-deficiency anaemia.

If it’s your liver you’re worried about then beets help in cleansing and strengthening the liver. The liver is one of the most important organs in the body. Its function is to filter toxins. If the liver is overworked, it will not be able to function properly. This leaves your body open to disease and illness. Some factors that affect the liver include: extensive use of medication, greasy foods, processed foods, chemical exposure and pollution.

Next time you’re at the grocery store add a bouquet of beets to your cart. Steam them and add them to your salads or throw them into your juicer!

Nutritionista's Recipe Corner:
Sweet Beet Juice

This is one of my favourite juices.
It flushes toxins out of the liver and strengthens the immune system.  

1 large carrot
1 small apple
1 beet

Throw in the juicer and enjoy!

This post is dedicated to everyone and anyone affected by cancer.

I hope and pray for a cure in my lifetime. A cure that will stop suffering, fear and loss.

"Hope is the power that gives us the power to step out and try." 

Stay Healthy!