Frozen Lemon Juice Cubes

Whenever you can get a great deal on lemons (or limes) a clever, money saving thing to do is juice them and then make ice cubes. Then whenever you need some fresh lemon juice, you will have it conveniently in your freezer and it prevents your citrus from spoiling.

Simply juice the lemons or limes and pour the juice into ice cube trays. What is great is the ice cube trays hold 2 T of juice, which is usually the increments that you need it in for a recipe! After they are frozen, transfer the cubes into freezer bags to store in the freezer.

When you want to use them, you can pull them out an hour or so before to thaw or just use the frozen cubes directly in your recipe depending on what you are making.

Healthy Tip: Use Whole Grain Natural Leavening

Using whole grain natural leavening is yet another baby step to increasing health. Natural leavening is a sour dough culture full of healthy bacteria. This type of healthy microflora multiplies slowly and there is much evidence to suggest that this fermentation process is better for your digestive and immune system. The natural leavening process neutralizes the phytic acid found in wheat and other grains (which is said to rob nutrients from the body) and also breaks down the proteins in gluten making it easier to digest. Natural leavening is also said to enrich the bread with nutrients and beneficial enzymes as it ferments. Many people who cannot handle digesting gluten can eat naturally leavened breads.

I was introduced to natural leavening by my awesome Chiropractor, Dr. Matthew McClean.  He is known as "Dr. Dough" and I was able to take some classes taught by him and his wife, Amy McClean R.D. They are writing a book which should be out soon, but you can learn more on their Natural Leavening Website. It can be a little tricky to understand how to feed your natural leavening start at first, it takes LOTS OF PRACTICE and patience.  But once you understand what to do and how to take care of it, you can make wonderful quick breads like pancakes and muffins, delicious whole grain sour dough bread, as well as many more things with your natural leavening and IMPROVE YOUR HEALTH! Stay tuned for several recipes using whole grain natural leavening!! 

Healthy Tip: Stay COMMITTED!!

I wanted to reiterate the most crucial thing to maintaining a healthy lifestyle!!

STAY COMMITTED!!

It is SO EASY to fall back into bad habits...but if you can stay committed to your GOAL of eating healthy and staying active...You will FEEL BETTER and YOU WILL SUCCEED!!

Dr. Seuss said it the best in Oh The Places You'll Go...
“So be sure when you step, Step with care and great tact. 

And remember that life's A Great Balancing Act. 

And will you succeed? Yes! You will, indeed! 

(98 and ¾ percent guaranteed) Kid, you'll move mountains.” 

I also LOVE this quote I keep on my wall...

"Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back. Concerning all acts of initiative (and creation), there is one elementary truth...the moment one definitely commits oneself, then Providence moves too.  All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred...Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it. Begin it now." -W.H. Murray

Healthy Tip: Substitute Eggs in Baking

There are many reasons to not eat eggs...If you are trying to avoid a lot of animal protein, trying to lower your cholesterol, or have an allergy. Although I believe eggs in moderation is fine, I prefer to substitute eggs for other healthier options when making quick breads (pancakes, muffins, waffles, etc) or other baked goods. 

The perfect substitute for eggs used as a binder is either 1/4 cup natural applesauce, 1/4 cup pureed banana, or 1/4 cup pureed pumpkin. You can even substitute 1/4 c yogurt if you want or use flaxseeds/chia seeds and water!  These all add another depth of flavor! For instance, bananas add a welcome hint of fruity sweetness and the seeds add a nutty taste. Have fun experimenting with the flavors in your own quickbreads!

Healthy Tip: Eat Your Colors!!

Eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables is a great way to ensure you're getting a variety of vitamins and minerals. Fruits and vegetables contain compounds called phytonutrients (aka phytochemicals or micronutrients) which is what gives plants both their distinctive color and aroma. These chemicals are produced naturally by plants to protect themselves, but when consumed may also help humans protect themselves from disease. Some of the astounding things these nutrients do for us are lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure, enhance immune system response, detoxify the blood, fight fungi/bacteria/virus, anti-inflammatory, alter estrogen metabolism, relieve allergies, serve as antioxidants (slow aging), repair DNA damage, upgrade disease preventing genes, downgrade disease promoting genes and kill cancer cells! They can also help prevent and heal heart disease, stroke, and diabetes. Here is just some of the things adding different colors to your plate can do for you!

YELLOW/ORANGE: sweet potatoes, carrots, pumpkin, mango, corn, apricots, and cantaloupe all contain a variety of carotenoids, an antioxidant that reduces your risk of developing cancer. They are also high in vitamin A and make a great snack for after a workout, since they help repair micro tears in well worked muscles. Fruits such as oranges, peaches, nectarines, pineapple, and papaya are rich in vitamin C and flavanoids, another group of antioxidants which help our immune systems.

GREEN: vegetables such as kale, spinach, and broccoli are high in lutein, which keeps your vision sharp and clear. The green cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, kale, bok choy, and watercress contain the chemicals sulforaphane, isothiocyanate and idoles that help breakdown cancer-causing compounds. Green beans, avocados, kiwi, lettuce, green peppers, and honeydew melon are also full of antioxidants.

BLUE/PURPLE: blueberries, blackberries, plums, red grapes, eggplant, radishes, red cabbage, cranberries, and pomegranates are chock full of anthocyanins, which help reduce inflammation, protect against cancer, maintain flexible bloods vessels, may suppress tumor growth, and recent studies show good effects in eyes, arteries, and brains. 

RED: tomatoes, watermelon, and pink grapefruit are loaded with lycopene, shown to protect against cancer and heart disease. Apricots and pink guavas are also sources. The lycopene in tomatoes can also improve the skin's ability to protect itself against damaging UV rays.

WHITE: cauliflower has cancer-fighting properties, potatoes are a good source of vitamin C and potassium, and there is evidence that the sulfur compounds in garlic and onions may ward off stomach and colon cancers. 

What colors have you eaten today?

Healthy Tip: Watch For Misleading Advertising

 You really need to be cautious with advertising on boxes!  I saw these at the store...and at first I was very excited to be able to buy some otter pops that were 100% Fruit Juice!!

 BUT, upon further inspection...I realized they were not what they appeared to be! Although the box said "100% Fruit Juice" ...it also said (in tiny words underneath) "from concentrate with added ingredients" AND although the box read "No High Fructose Corn Syrup"... 

IT DID HAVE LOTS OF ADDED SUGAR!!

Sugar was the third ingredient and there were 10 g in each otter pop! It is crazy to me how they can get away with this type of advertising!  We evidently REALLY need to make sure to read carefully and always read the back label!

Healthy Tip: Eat Small Portion of Special Desserts

When you want to splurge and eat a special dessert, there are a few things that can help you stay on track. First, I try to reserve eating desserts only for special occasions.  When I eat a dessert, I make sure it is something I know I will really enjoy and WANT to savor and eat!  (Not something I will be frustrated that I ate afterwards.) For instance, my friend gave me a special, homemade cupcake and I treasured that dessert! A store bought cookie definitely will not tempt me! Next, just eat a small portion of the dessert...like a few bites. And eat them slowly! You will savor those few bites just as much (or more!) as eating the entire dessert. Another idea is to share a dessert with someone else!  This is what my husband and I do when we go out for a special occasion!

Healthy Tip: Add Veggies to the Foods You Love

A healthy habit to create is simply to add more veggies to the food you already enjoy.  For instance....add veggies to an omelet, make a veggie sandwich, add veggies to your pasta, throw some veggies into a fruit smoothie, eat some raw veggies for a snack, add veggies to your burrito, toss veggies into your favorite soup, add more veggies to your salad, top your pizza with veggies.  It is these simple additions of veggies that will pave the way to better nutrition!

Healthy Tip: Eat Fruit in Season

 When we eat fruit that is in season, it is fresher, tastier and more nutritious. It’s cheaper, too! Just look for what is a good price at the store, and that is usually what is in season! You can tell it is summer at our house because we have been eating cherries, cantaloupe, blueberries, nectarines, watermelon, raspberries and blackberries!! I simply cannot wait for the PEACHES!! Nothing like the fresh bounty of summer!

Healthy Tip: Plant a Fresh Herb Garden

I love using fresh herbs in my cooking.  It adds another depth of flavor that is amazing AND it helps you more easily cook with vegetables, especially to make healthy delicious meals!! Go ahead and try it!!  I still use lots of dried herbs, but fresh herbs are definitely my favorite!!

I have my own little herb garden on my windowsill with lavender, chives, rosemary, thyme, and oregano.  Plus I have other pots of mint, Italian parsley, cilantro, and SEVERAL pots of my favorite herb BASIL!! Whenever I want to add some fresh herbs, I can simply snip some off and enjoy the freshness.

Healthy Tip: Give Healthy Food As Gifts

I made this cute basket for some of my friends and visiting teachers! I realized that I CAN GIVE HEALTHY FOOD as a gift (as opposed to something just sweet) and everyone LOVES it! I think it is nice to share my passion and something I love with others! They are getting a healthy treat that is delicious AND I am not tempted to eat a not-so-healthy treat that I do not really want! Win Win!!

Healthy Tip: Eat Fruit the Next Time You Want FAST FOOD!!

What is the QUICKEST Fast Food?

FRUIT!!

Try reaching for some fruit the next time you need some "Fast Food"!! Not only is fruit easy to prepare, fast, and delicious...but most importantly it is HEALTHY!

This is my "fast food" snack I had today!!

Healthy Tip: Buy a Juicer

After I was inspired by the show "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead" I read several books on juicing, started researching juicers and bought a juicer! There are two main types of juicers: centrifigal and masticating juicers. They each have their benefits and you definitely need to decide what your needs are.  If you are truly interested in getting serious about juicing, I would check out the following...

http://www.harvestessentials.com/whatjuicisri.html

In my opinion, here are the basic pros and cons of each...

Masticating Juicer
Pros: better at juicing greens, slightly more nutrition in juice, more quiet
Cons: more expensive, harder to clean, takes a lot more time and energy

Centrifugal Juicer
Pros: less expensive, easier to clean, fast

Cons: not as effective at juicing greens, shelf life of juice not as long

Price was a HUGE factor for me, as well as finding a juicer that was easy to clean and would also make juicing a super fast process. I personally went with a Centrifugal Juicer for now. I bought the Breville Juice Fountain Plus JE98XL because...it is a great juicer at a price I was willing to spend right now (I got a great deal- $120 with coupon), it is easy to clean, and has a 3" extra wide mouth feed shoot which makes juicing very easy and FAST!! I do LOVE it!! ...but, I also plan on eventually buying a masticating juicer so I can extract even more juice from my greens.  I plan on buying the Omega 8006 Juicer some day!! ($300) My sister has it and she loves it!

Healthy Tip: Give Juicing a Try

There is nothing more healthier than eating raw, fresh fruits, veggies and greens...right!? Except for maybe juicing them!!  Proponents say that juicing is better for you than eating whole fruits and vegetables because your body can absorb the nutrients better and it gives your digestive system a rest from working on fiber. Juicing has been said to reduce your risk of cancer, boost your immune system, help you remove toxins from your body, aid digestion, and help you lose weight. The philosophy behind the juicing movement is that the juice from raw fruits and vegetables contains special enzymes that are good for the digestive system.

I have definitely enjoyed juicing! I think it is an excellent way to detoxify your body, as well as give your digestive system a break! I have felt more energy when I juice and I believe it has boosted my immune system as well!!  Go for it...give juicing a try!

Healthy Tip: Make Fun Veggie Trays

I honestly believe the more appetizing we can make veggies, the more our children (and us) will eat them! I always like to make fun veggie trays for holidays and parties.  Children especially tend to want to eat more veggies when they are presented in a fun way!

Here is a beautiful HEART Veggie Tray that my sister made for her sons school class for Valentines day! And yes, they gobbled it up!!

This is a fun veggie skeleton that I like to make every year during the month of Halloween!

Try an awesome Christmas Tree of Veggies! 

 Here is a darling turkey veggie tray!!

Healthy Tip: Eat Nuts!

Nuts are so good for you and definitely HEART HEALTHY! Nuts are rich sources of phyto­sterols, which are plant chemicals known to improve heart health. Nuts contain unsaturated fatty acids and fiber that help lower cholesterol and helps you feel more full. Nuts are also a source of l-arginine, which is a substance that may help improve the health of your artery walls and reduce your risk of developing blood clots. Nuts boost antioxidants in the body and lower your risk for diabetes.  Nuts are one of the best plant-based sources of omega-3 fatty acids.   They are an excellent snack food that is easy to store and great to take on the go.

Nuts are an excellent way to get healthy fat in your diet. Our bodies need some healthy fat, so eating nuts in moderation is a great heart healthy habit! Nuts are a great substitute for saturated fats, such as those found in meats, eggs and dairy products. Walnuts contain high amounts of omega-3 fatty acids. Almonds, macadamia nuts, hazelnuts, pecans and pistachios are other nuts that are quite heart healthy. 

Healthy Tip: Eat At The Table

I think it is easy to not eat at the dinner table and instead eat in front of the television or eat in the car!! Stop it!   Not only will eating dinner with your family at the table make good conversation part of your meal, it will also mean several health benefits! Talking during a meal slows down the rate of food consumption. Studies also suggest that more family meals mean more fruits and vegetables. Eating in front of the television or while driving leads to mindless eating and of course overeating.

Healthy Tip: Be Accountable

Accountability is an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility or to account for ones actions. 

It is definitely hard to be accountable in any area of life that requires willpower and discipline. Willpower is a finite resource, and we usually save it for when it really counts - that is, for when we will have to be showing results to people other than ourselves. This is why I believe it is crucial that you find someone to account to... such as a close friend, a relative, a significant other, or someone whose esteem you value. When you are sharing your journey-your successes and struggles-with someone else, it makes you more accountable to them and to yourself. You will always have an excuse for yourself, but other people won’t accept excuses so easily. Others can also cheer you on and help inspire you! I have several friends that I stay in contact with about my journey to health. This helps me stay motivated and be accountable to myself! It definitely is a motivating factor to be able to share my journey with someone else.

Healthy Tip: Get Your Sleep!!

I have been an insomniac my entire life!!  I especially had a hard time going to sleep when I was in school. I would stay up and read a book nearly every night! It was crazy! I have always had a hard time sleeping and have never felt like I had good quality sleep or enough sleep.  When I did sleep, it was not for very long!

BUT...now that I have completely changed my diet, I have finally been able to go to sleep before midnight!  I average sleeping eight hours, feel much more rested, and wake up feeling renewed and full of energy!  I think rest is so important to our health. It rejuvenates our bodies and our minds. Though diet and exercise are critical components of a healthy lifestyle, getting enough sleep is very important to our health as well. Sleep is inherently linked with how we exercise, how we eat (and how much), and how we function on a daily basis. Getting the proper amount of sleep each night is necessary to face the world with your best foot forward. Sleep will help you on the road to good fitness, good eating and good health!! We need to get a restful night’s sleep. It is essential for our health, our thinking, and our weight-loss!!

Healthy Tip: Get the "Unhealthy" Food Out of Your Home

When I truly decided I wanted to live a more healthy lifestyle, one of the first things I did was get rid of all the unhealthy food in my pantry and fridge. I knew I was making a lifestyle change and I wanted to get rid of everything in my house that I did not want to eat so I would not be tempted!!

I started with my pantry...white flour, sugar, white pasta, white rice, anything with sugar in it, etc. Then I started getting rid of things in my fridge...cheese, cow milk, butter, sour cream, etc. It has helped me tremendously! And even though my children sometimes say we have "nothing to eat"...I know that this just means we only have "healthy" things to eat in our house and they want something to eat that is not so healthy!  I always know we will have plenty of chances to eat treats and other unhealthy food somewhere besides our own house!! This is what works for me!!