#WellnessWednesday – A Spoonful of Honey is Sweet in Many Ways

I started reading about the benefits of honey and decided I’d try it! Every couple of days I take a spoonful of local raw honey straight up or mix it in with my Greek yogurt and fruit. I’ve got a sweet tooth so it’s a welcome blessing, but honey has a number of health benefits like:

Thanks to Dailylifestyles.com, simplyhealth.io, and webmd for their input on the possible health benefits of honey.

Original Honey Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

May 28, 2019April 28, 2021

Hibiscus Lemonade

The first time I had anything with hibiscus was in a margarita while I was visiting Mexico. It was tasty and tart and who knew hibiscus was so good for you! Those colorful flowers are loaded with anti-oxidants and polyphenols which can help with lowering your blood pressure, losing weight, lowering bad cholesterol, and even boosting your immune system. So why not try this Hibiscus Lemonade recipe for a refreshing summer drink?

Hibiscus Lemonade

3 cups boiling water
3 hibiscus tea bags
2 cups cold water
1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
sugar/honey to taste

Directions

Boil water and then add hibiscus tea bags and let the tea steep for at least 15 minutes (or even until the water is at room temperature). If you’re going to use sugar, add at this stage so it will dissolve in the warmer water.

Add cold water and lemon juice. Chill and serve. You can also add some sliced strawberries for some additional color and flavor! Change things up by using lime juice!

January 9, 2018

Overnight Oats #TuesdayTip

Like always I’m working on eating healthier and losing weight. One of the things I’ve been trying to focus on is eating a healthy breakfast since studies show that helps in balancing your blood sugar levels and recharges your metabolism.

One breakfast item I’ve always loved is oatmeal, but if you’re like me and running around in the morning, you oftentimes forget to get it ready to take to work, which is were I usually eat breakfast since I get into the office early. I resolved to do better by packing the oatmeal at night and for good measure, adding in my unsweetened vanilla almond milk (saving those animal fats for cheese!).

Making the overnight oats made sure I wasn’t forgetting them, but I got to wondering if there was any benefit to them versus hot oatmeal. Voila, apparently there is! Not cooking the oats allows for the absorption of more nutrients, the overnight oats can be creamier, and they swell more which means the same dry amount will be larger in volume. That will lead to feeling more full. All pluses. For more on the benefits of overnight oats, check out:

http://www.eatthis.com/health-benefits-overnight-oats/
https://drhealthbenefits.com/food-bevarages/food/health-benefits-of-overnight-oats
http://www.bistromd.com/articles/why-you-should-be-making-overnight-oats

Add some fruit or even some chia seeds for extra anti-oxidants and protein!

June 13, 2017

Turnip Redux Recipe #TuesdayTip #CooksTreat

My hubby and I love root vegetables, especially carrots, beets and turnips. It’s great to be able to go to the farm market near my office and pick up some locally grown veggies and the one vendor actually has them for really reasonable prices. Here’s a photo of what the green market looks like on a regular day!

Last weekend I picked up some lovely turnips whose greens were still fresh and vibrant. Perfect for making what I call Turnip Redux which was inspired by a recipe from A Chef’s Life on PBS. This recipe uses both the turnip and the greens hence the redux.

For those of you who have not tried turnips, please give them a shot. They are cruciferous veggies that have lots of health benefits. Cancer-fighting, bone and lung health, cardiovascular and digestive aid thanks to Vitamin K and fiber in the greens. Plus, low in calories!

Turnip Redux

2 pounds turnips, peeled and cubed
Turnip greens, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
1 onion, chopped
Olive oil
2 tbsp butter (optional)
2 slices bacon chopped (optional)

Directions

Cook the turnips in salted boiling water until tender. Drain and coarsely mash.

Heat the olive oil in a pan and add the bacon (optional). Once the bacon is close to crispy, remove from the oil and add the chopped onion. Sweat it out until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for a minute of two. Add the greens and cook until almost soft. Add the mashed turnips to the greens and cook for another five minutes or so. Add the butter and toss. Garnish with the crispy bacon. The last two steps, butter and bacon are optional.

That’s it! This makes a great side dish for any grilled meat and again, HEALTHY! Enjoy.

August 23, 2016August 23, 2016

#TuesdayTip Health Benefits of Green Tea & Matcha

I have to confess to not being a big fan of green tea, but during a visit to a coffee shop with my daughter, I ended up trying matcha made with almond milk. Yummy!

What is matcha? Matcha is a Japanese green tea powder. It has more health benefits than regular green tea because you are eating the whole leaf and it hasn’t been processed so it contains more catechins and polyphenols than regular green tea. Also lots and lots of anti-oxidants according to a Wall Street Journal article.

You’d have to drink a lot more green tea to compensate for all the benefits in matcha. But matcha can be pricey. I found that a trip to my local Asian market yielded a very large bag for a fraction of the cost than in other stores.

So what benefits can you get from green tea and/or matcha? How about improved blood flow, lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol? Not enough benefits yet? How about cancer fighting properties, some help with weight loss, reduced risk of stroke, memory improvement, tooth decay, and anti-aging?

Sounds too good to be true, right? But if one little cup of day can help, I’m all for it. Just a word of caution: Check with your doctor about drinking green tea, especially if you have glaucoma like I do. Lots of mixed news about whether green tea and/or matcha are good for you or whether they increase intraocular pressure.

For more info, check out these articles:

WebMD: Green Tea Benefits
Medical News Today: Green Tea: Health Benefits
Match Source: Matcha Health Benefits

August 13, 2009May 9, 2017

Thoughtful Thursday – A Cure for Recession Depression

It’s not easy watching the news lately. In fact, it’s downright depressing. For the first time in my life, I feel like I have no control and that’s not a good thing. For that reason, I can understand the anger of many who might be feeling the same way.

But luckily, this morning’s news has something good to read! The AFP reports that researchers in Stockholm have found that ” Heart attack survivors who eat chocolate two or more times per week cut their risk of dying from heart disease about threefold compared to those who never touch the stuff.”

In addition, the news article mentions that there was a connection between cocoa and improved blood flow and lowered blood pressure!

Good news! You can click here for more of the news article or cut and paste this link:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090813/hl_afp/healthdiseaseheartchocolate

Also – please drop by tomorrow to visit with my friend Raul Ramos y Sanchez to find out more about his new book, AMERICA LIBRE.