Cooling Down with Good Ol’ Watermelon!

Who doesn’t like watermelon in the summertime? Well, I don’t know anyone! Watermelon is sweet, cool, refreshing and best of all super tasty. Great for hot summer days! On top of being tasty and sweet, watermelon is actually very good for you!


Watermelon is a great source of potent antioxidants including, vitamin C, beta carotene and lycopene.


Lycopene is found in cooked tomatoes, papaya, gogi berries, pink grapefruit and watermelon. It is has been well studied and proven to reduce the potential for developing many types of cancers, in particular prostate cancer.


Vitamin C is another gem when it comes to our health and it is abundant in “our friend” the Watermelon. This essential vitamin is important for a healthy immune system, collagen production and is a potent antioxidant.


Want beautiful healthy skin??? Eat Beta-Carotene rich watermelon!! Beta-carotene is not only just an amazing nutrient for your skin; it is also important for a healthy immune system, cancer prevention, heart health, to name a few!


So on top of being super delicious and refreshing, especially on a hot summers day, you can be assured that you are doing something great for your health when you are chomping on that watermelon.


Here are my favourite ways to enjoy watermelon;


• Blend fresh watermelon and then add to frozen Popsicle holders and freeze for a homemade Popsicle. Who needs those “high sugar”, artificial dye infested ones that you get at the local convenience store when you can enjoy your own homemade ones that are truly delish!! These are great for kids and adults alike!


• Watermelon Lemonade – blend 1 cup of fresh or frozen watermelon + ½ the juice of 1 lemon (or more to taste) + stevia, raw honey or agave syrup + water. NOTE – add ice if you are using fresh watermelon for a cool drink on hot summer days!!

• Add watermelon to your arugula salad with a vinaigrette, mint and some feta!!! Sweet watermelon with the salty feta, cooling mint and peppery arugula is such a great combo!! My mom makes this salad sometimes in the summer at our family cottage. Who would have thought to put watermelon in a salad? I wouldn’t, but let me tell ya, it sure is yummy!! Thanks to my mamma for the amazing fresh new idea for the classic watermelon ;O)

• Just slice and serve cooled!! Sometimes simple is best. Watermelon is so great on its own as well.

• Freeze pureed watermelon in ice cube trays and add to your water to add some flavour and fun!

PLEASE SHARE IN THE COMMENT SECTION BELOW – What is your favourite way to enjoy this classic summer fruit??

Thursday afternoon raspberry picking....

Hi all! On my way home from work yesterday, I swung by the local organic farm by my house in Stouffville. It is raspberry season!! You gotta love this time of year when you can get such great local produce! It is so great to have amazingly fresh berries that were grown so close to home! Yesterday was the first time this year that I picked my own and let me tell you, I really enjoyed myself. I was having sort of a hectic week, busy all around and was starting to feel the effects of the stress. I could have just gone home and started on my list of things to do, but I decided to go to the farm instead.


Let me tell ya, it was a great idea....


The birds were a chirping, wind was blowing softly (it was super hot, but there was a nice breeze) and the raspberries were very tasty. I might have sampled 1 or 2 during my picking. Don’t tell anyone. Anyways, what I learned (this lesson continues to be re-enforced for me) is when you are having a busy and hectic week sometimes all you need is to slow down a bit and connect with nature, maybe pick a few berries. I felt so much better after this experience. I totally calmed down and went home a more peaceful person! I continue to keep learning the lesson that sometimes when life gets busy and you have a ton of things you need to get done...sometimes all you need is to take a break do something to calm and ground you and then you can go back to your hectic life more calm and centred. What I now know for sure, is that you come back to your hectic life feeling calmer, things in your life start to get less crazy and you become more productive. It happens every time and every time I am so amazed by it! Try it when your life gets crazy which if you are like most of us crazy North Americans, it is right now. See what happens.


Now back to food and nutrition. Here are some raspberry tips;


Raspberries are true super foods. Here is a list of some of the amazing benefits


• Raspberries contain almost 50% higher antioxidant activity than strawberries, three times that of kiwis, and ten times the antioxidant activity of tomatoes


• Ellagic acid in raspberries is known for its antioxidant potential and has been shown in many studies to aid in the prevention of all types of cancer.


• Raspberries are an excellent source of fiber, manganese and vitamin C. They are also a good source of vitamin B2, folate, niacin, magnesium, potassium and copper.


Serving Ideas


• Make a yogurt parfait – mix plain yogurt + raspberries + handful of walnuts, drizzle with raw honey, agave syrup or sprinkle with stevia if needed


• Make homemade raspberry sorbet. Freeze raspberries! Place in your food processor; add honey, agave or stevia + vanilla (optional). Blend until creamy. Enjoy!!


• Add to your next smoothie for an antioxidant boost


• Enjoy them on their own with a drizzle of balsamic vinegar

• Sprinkle a few on top of your oatmeal


Thank you to those who took the time to give me some ideas for recipes that you are looking for. If you haven’t contributed yet and want to go here and leave a comment....


http://jamiesnourishingbites.blogspot.com/2010/07/calling-all-of-my-blog-followers.html


PLEASE SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES HERE!! WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN LIFE GETS HECTIC? DO YOU HAVE ANY WAYS THAT YOU DE-STRESS WHEN LIFE GETS STRESSFUL? WOULD LOVE TO HEAR YOUR TIPS THAT WORK FOR YOU!!

Herb Roasted Salmon

Source: All of the Best Recipes By: Jane Rodmell

This recipe is full of vibrant flavours. Feel free to use whatever herbs you have on hand! Herbs are “jam packed” full of nutrition. They help cleanse the body, aid in digestion and have many potent antioxidants, vitamins and minerals!! Enjoy!

1/3 cup cilantro or flat leaf parsley
1/3 cup chopped dill
1/3 cup finely chopped green onions
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp grainy Dijon mustard (I like Eden Organics Mustard Products)
Salt and pepper
6 salmon fillets (approx 4-6 ounces) -NOTE = WILD CAUGHT ALASKIN SALMON IS BEST


1. In a food processor, blend cilantro, dill, green onions, oil, vinegar, mustard and a pinch of pepper
2. Sprinkle fillets with a little salt and coat each one evenly with the herb mixture. Arrange herb-topped fillets on a baking sheet
3. Roast in a pre-heated oven until fish flakes easily when tested with the tip of a sharp knife, 10-15 minutes, depending on thickness of the fillets.


Grilling Variation
Grill salmon, flat side down, on a lightly oils BBQ over medium heat. Cook with lid down for 8-10 minutes depending on the thickness of the fillets.


Cooking Tip
Allow approximately 10 minutes of cooking per inch (2.5cm) thickness of the fish, as measured at the thickest part.

CALLING ALL OF MY BLOG FOLLOWER'S

I need your help!!

I love providing you with healthy recipes that taste great! It is one of my favorite parts of my job. It is my mission in life to teach people to eat for wellness but not to forget about the enjoyment of food. Food can be healthy and taste good at the same time! What a concept....

Here's what I need from you;
I would love you to post in the comments below types of recipes that you are interested in me posting. Do you have a fave food that you would like help revamping into a healthy delight?? Or is there a health food that you always wanted to try, you are just not quite sure how to prepare it? Leave a comment below and I will do my best to work on recipes for you! Let me help you add some health and good taste to your next meal. Because healthy eating can taste great too!!!

Sleeping Better...The Natural Way

Having trouble sleeping??? If so, you are definitely not alone. An estimated 3.3 million Canadians aged 15 or older (about 1 in 7 people) suffer from some form of insomnia. Insomnia can refer to difficulty falling asleep or waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep. Whether you suffer from insomnia or you are not feeling like you are getting sufficient quality sleep, the following suggestions can help you achieve more restful and restorative zzzzzzz’s!

In general, the following lifestyle factors have been found to either promote sleep or inhibit sleep…

SLEEP PROMOTERS

o Lots of brightly colored raw or lightly steamed vegetables
o Enjoy quality lean protein and healthy fats at every meal to support blood sugar balance
o Switch to B vitamin and magnesium rich whole grains.
o If an evening snack is needed enjoy bananas, milk, figs and or whole grain crackers which are high in tryptophan and promote restful sleep.
o Maintain a sleep schedule. Go to sleep at the same time everyday and wake up at the same time in the
morning.
o Sleep in a dark room
o Manage your stress
o Exercise…..preferably earlier in the day.
o Meditate, take a hot bath and/or put a drop of essential oils on your pillow such as chamomile or lavender
before bed.
o Herbal teas that contain herbs such as Valerian, passionflower, hops, lemon balm, and chamomile.
o Sleep in a dark room.
o Make your bedroom a peaceful place. Remove anything that can promote stressful thoughts.

SLEEP INHIBITORS

o Reduce or eliminate sugar, caffeine and alcohol from your diet
o Refined grains. Ex. White bread, white rice, etc. Like sugar to the body.
o MSG….a food additive found in some Chinese food and chips has been shown to disrupt sleep in many people
o Eating too much
o Avoid nighttime eating….eat your dinner at least three hours before bed.
o Avoid food sensitivities, allergies
o Poor digestion
o Excess weight
o Nutritional deficiency in any of the essential vitamins and minerals, especially calcium and magnesium.
o Change your thoughts, Change your sleep!!! Negative thoughts about sleeping can keep you up at night. Recognize when you are thinking negative thoughts about sleeping and make a conscious choice to replace them to a positive ones.
o Television, work related items, food, etc. Everything that is not related to sleep should be removed from the bedroom.

Trouble sleeping???

Well, you are not alone. It is actually much more common that most people think. Check out this post on a fellow nutritionist’s blog; understand why sleep is important and gain some great tips to improve sleep.
Meghan Telpner is a local nutritionist in Toronto. Her website is an amazing wealth of information and tasty recipes. I have been getting a lot of inspiration from her website in the past few months since I found it! # 1 recipe in my opinion is her Super Hero Balls. LOVE THEM!



ALSO, ENTER CONTEST TO WIN A SUPER CUTE EYE MASK. SEE LINK BELOW FOR DETAILS!


http://meghantelpnerblog.com/2010/07/05/5-reasons-sleep-is-important-healthy-sleep-patterns/comment-page-1/#comment-9666


QUESTION: WHAT IS YOUR SLEEPING RITUAL?? IS THERE ANYTHING YOU DO TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR SLEEP??

SUPER POWER CHOCOLATE HEAVEN BREAKFAST!

Chocolate at breakfast?? Is that healthy?? The answer is yes! The right kinda chocolate. The pure cacao bean is one of natures richest source of antioxidants and magnesium. It also contains tryptophan, which helps us produce our feel good hormone serotonin. That is why we feel so good when we eat chocolate. The important thing to consider is the quality of chocolate. This super breakfast has Vega Instant chocolate smoothie which contains pure cocoa powder and raw cacao nibs. The cacao nibs are the true super food. You see, as you process and heat chocolate you damage the healthy properties. When purchasing a chocolate bar to enjoy look for at least 70% or higher % of cacao to get the most bang for your buck. I always look for the lowest sugar option. Organic and free trade are always the best way to go!

This heavenly breakfast also contains other super foods like; gogi berries (beta carotene, antioxidants), chia seeds (fiber, calcium and omega 3) and sheep milk yogurt (healthy gut bacteria).

The Vega Smoothie mix contains 12 grams of quality veggie protein, fiber, green super foods and healthy gut bacteria! 

So even though this breakfast feels so indulgent, it is a true super powered breakfast that you can enjoy knowing that your body is thanking you ;o)

Enjoy!

• 1/2 cup or so of sheep's milk yogurt (or cows/goats)
• 2 tbsp Shake and Go Vega Instant Smoothie

Mix these ingredients together to make a pudding like texture. This part is even good just on its own! Then sprinkle on the following.

• 1-2 tbsp gogi berries
• 1 tbsp cocao nibs
• 1 tbsp chia seeds

Other options include; fresh sliced berries, 1/2 banana, or other seasonal fruit! Other nuts and seeds would also be great. You could use flax instead of chia seeds.