Eat Grains They Taste Great and They Are Good For You

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Grains are important for healthy bodies.  Google the following and learn how you can whip up mighty fine recipes using the following:   Red Quinoa, Basmati Rice, Blak Barley, Pearled Barley, Black Rice, Red Himalayan Rice and Spelt.  FoodNetwork.com has some awesome recipes free and online!

What's In Your Lunchbox Today?

Yesterday, I took such a good lunch to my office, I have to share with you today.  I had fresh lettuce from the farmer's market.  On top of that, I had grilled eggplant and onions from my garden.  Organic chicken breast from the farm, marinated in my own garden's lemon thyme and fresh lemon - grilled on the Foreman....all topped with homemade citrus vinaigrette with a slice of artisinal bread from Eataly....it was yummy in the tummy, low fat and really nutritious!  A farm fresh peach made dessert later on the winner.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  preparing and taking wonderful lunches to work can help you lose weight (or maintain it), stay healthy and do wonders for your wallet.  Everyone should have lunches like mine every day!

Apples Can Be More Than Boring

Apples are boring, unless you do something fabulous with them.  Here's a nice recipe for Whole Wheat Apple Muffins that isn't too bad on the calories; while being tasty and satisfying.

Whole Wheat Apple Muffins
1c all-purpose flour
1c whole wheat flour
1/4c sugar
2tsp baking powder
1/2tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground allspice
1c lowfat milk
1/4oil
1 egg beaten
1c chopped golden delicious apples
1/2 chopped nuts

Combine flours, sugar, baking powder, salt and allspice in a large bowl.  Add milk, oil and egg; stir only until ingredients are blended.   Fold in apples and nuts.  Preheat over to 440F.  Grease 12 muffin cups (or you can use PAM) and pour in batter until almost full.  Bake about 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean.
Per Muffin:  157 calories, 4g protein, 6g fat (1g sat), 2g fiber, 24g carbs, 122mg sodium.
Special thanks to Energy Times Nov/Dec 2010

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  If you're looking for something quick, easy, delicious and a bit different from the ordinary breakfast, whip up a dozen of these muffins and treat yourself to something yummy.  Wrap the remaining muffins tightly and individually in saran wrap and freeze for another day!

The Freshness of Foods

Just back from holiday on the beautiful Southern California coast, I enjoyed the freshest fruits, vegetables and the freshest fish...all straight from the plants and ocean.  There's nothing that beats fresh food; what's the expression?   "there's nothing like a mother's love and a homegrown tomato"... 80 degrees, little or no humidity, cool ocean breeze and blue skies...I have to ask myself why I live in the grey, humid and monochromatic city of New York.  After being spoiled for a week with such wonderful fresh food, I trekked up to Eataly yesterday to do a little old-fashioned food marketing.  Fresh whole sea trout, seabeans, chanterelle mushrooms, fresh octopus, tomatoes that actually look, smell and taste like tomatoes, fresh herbs, greens and spring onions, real artisinal cheese, butter and the freshest bread....it was better than king's gold.  Preparing a wonderful meal with these ingredients took time to be sure, but it was all worth it.  A good bottle of wine to accompany the dinner, a long walk afterward....life is good.

Here's Your Healthy Tip of the Day:  Everyday, pretend you are on holiday.   Do something special during your day.  For your evening meal, buy the freshest of ingredients.  You might pay a bit more, but you don't need to eat as much.  At the end of the day, your groceries will cost more or less the same, but the quality of your ingredients will give you so much more nutritional value, sensory satiety, and to share this with another person makes life more divine.