Today's Recipe - 15-Minute Salmon with Mustard

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

Scientific research continues to discover the importance of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids for optimal health. Salmon is one of the best food sources for both of these hard-to-find health-promoting essential nutrients. One serving of this recipe provides over 100% for both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Enjoy this recipe as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating this week.


15-Minute Salmon with Mustard, Dill Sauce
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs salmon filet cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 
  
• Dill Sauce
• 2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 1 tsp honey
• 1 tsp chopped fresh dill
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler on high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan under the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot. The pan should be 5 to 7 inches from the heat source.
2. Press garlic and let it sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
3. Rub salmon with 1 TBS fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. (You can Quick Broil with the skin on; it just takes a minute or two longer. The skin will peel right off after cooking.)
4. Using a hot pad, pull pan away from heat and place salmon on hot pan. Return to broiler. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (7 minutes per inch of thickness). Test with a fork for doneness. It will flake easily when it is cooked. Salmon is best when it is still pink inside.
5. To make the sauce, add garlic to a stainless steel skillet and stir for half a minute. Add mustard, lemon juice, broth, honey, salt and pepper. Cook on high heat for a minute to reduce slightly and then add dill. Pour over salmon and serve.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestion: Serve with

• Pureed Sweet Peas

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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for 15-Minute Salmon with Mustard, Dill Sauce
Healthy Food Tip

Do darker colored fruits and vegetables have more nutrients than lighter colored ones?

No, the darkness of a fruit or vegetable's color (called hue) is not necessarily related to its nutrient diversity or nutrient density. The reason is very simple.
A relatively small number of nutrients provide fruits and vegetables with their color. (The majority of these nutrients are pigments-flavonoids, carotenoids, melanins, porphyrins, and a few other categories of nutrients). But, more of a specific nutrient that provides color will make the food darker in that color.
However, most of the nutrients needed by the human body are not pigments and do not produce unique shades of color in fruits and vegetables. A food could be very light in color and contain large amounts of these non-pigment nutrients. A good example would be white onion-one of the lightest colored vegetables we can imagine! White onion is a significant source of vitamin C, vitamin B6, and folate, as well as chromium, manganese, molybdenum, phorphorus, and copper. It also contains a variety of highly unique and health-supportive sulfur molecules. Even with all of these important nutrients, however, it remains white.
Even when comparing different varieties of the same food-for example, green grapes versus red grapes, or a green Granny Smith apple compared to a Red Delicious apple-the differences in color do not usually represent "better" and "worse" in terms of nourishment. The skin of a green Granny Smith apple is going to have more chlorophyll than the skin of a Red Delicious apple, but the Red Delicious is going to have more anthocyanins. This difference is not a case of better versus worse-it's a case of being nutritionally unique, with each offering its own nutritional benefits. On our website we emphasize the principle of the unique nutritional value of each individual food. The diversities of color and intensities of color are important exactly because of this diversity.
We would like to mention one exception to the principles described above: processed food. Processed food typically loses its natural color because the natural food pigments that contain color are processed out. To compensate, the food manufacturers usually add artificial colors. When it comes to processed food, you might be in more trouble with a richly colored food than a pale, uncolored version due to this nutrient-depleting and artificial coloring process.
For more information on this topic see:

• Flavonoids
• Carotenoids
• Apple
• Onions

Insight for the Day 7/26/12

"Any fool can criticize, condemn, and complain but it takes character and self control to be understanding and forgiving."

Dale Carnegie
1888-1955, Author and Speaker

Today's Recipe - Mediterranean-Style Salad

Today's Recipe
 
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Salad lunches are popular along the Mediterranean. They make a complete meal that will carry you through until dinner. The combination of ingredients in this salad can be changed to suit your personal taste. Enjoy!

Mediterranean-Style Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

• 6 cups chopped romaine lettuce
• 1/3 of a 3.75 oz can sardines, packed in water
• 1/4 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup cooked garbanzo beans or canned (no BPA)
• 1/4 cup frozen peas
• 
  
• Dressing
• 1 TBS exra virgin olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Place lettuce in large bowl and top with remaining ingredients and dressing.

Serves 1 Printer Friendly Version of Mediterranean-Style Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean-Style Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Do I have to eat my vegetables raw to attain the full nutritional benefit of the food?

No. Although it would be necessary to eat your vegetables raw in order to prevent any loss of nutrients whatsoever, I believe that it is possible to get the full, practical nutritional benefits from a food that has been cooked, provided that the cooking method is uniquely matched to the food and exposes the food to minimal damage. Here's my thinking:
While most animals thrive on diets consisting almost exclusively of raw, uncooked food, few human cultures have evolved or been sustained without incorporating some cooked foods, including cooked vegetables, into their eating practices. In the case of some vegetables, cooking can actually enhance the variety of nutrients that get released inside our digestive tract. The cooking of onions and garlic are good examples. Onions and garlic are both members of the Allium family of vegetables. Most vegetables in this family have unusual amounts of sulfur-containing compounds that can help protect our health. Heat can actually increase the variety of sulfur-containing substances found in onions and garlic since it triggers chemical reactions that create variations in those sulfur compounds.

Cooking each food properly is essential

Food research has made it clear that even 30 seconds in steam will alter the nutrient composition of a vegetable and will cause some loss of nutrients. However, when the exposure to steam happens for such a short time, this loss of nutrients is minimal and is not, in my opinion, a practical problem. What I believe is critical, however, is to treat every vegetable as a unique food, which has its own unique cooking requirements. To avoid unnecessary nutrient loss, cooking each food properly is absolutely essential. Five extra minutes of cooking can make an enormous difference in the nutritional quality of a meal. (This is about the time it takes to walk away from the stove, answer the phone, and say that you can't talk right now because you are in the middle of cooking.)
In addition, every food is unique and should be treated that way when it comes to cooking temperatures and times. For example, to preserve its nutrients, spinach should not be boiled for more than one minute. Kale, on the other hand, needs to steam for 5 minutes for proper nutrient availability. The write-ups for each food included in The World's Healthiest Foods book explain just how to cook each food to retain its nutritional benefits. The directions for each recipe are tailored to meet the cooking requirements of the ingredients being used.

Excessive cooking equals nutrient loss

The traditional rules about heat, water, time, and nutrient loss are all true. The longer a food is exposed to heat, the greater its nutrient loss. Boiling foods (submersing a food in boiling water) results in more nutrient loss than steaming (surrounding a food with steam), if all other factors are equal. The lower nutrient loss from steaming is the main reason this method of cooking is so often recommended in our recipes. No valid reason exists to expose food to high heat and boiling water for any prolonged period of time; even butternut squash can be fully cooked when steamed for 7 minutes if cut into small pieces!

Raw vegetables may not always be best

Even when eating raw vegetables, other factors must be considered when evaluating the nutritional quality of the food. How fresh is the raw vegetable? Significant nutrient loss occurs in raw vegetables if they have been picked too long before they are eaten and have been exposed too long to light and air. How well will you chew the raw vegetables before swallowing them? When a food is not cooked, the body depends much more heavily upon chewing to help prepare the vegetable for digestion. Cooking a vegetable, even for a very short period like one minute, can sometimes become a way of enhancing its digestibility.

Practical Tips

I encourage you to enjoy both raw and cooked vegetables in your Healthiest Way of Eating. By chewing well and savoring the tastes and textures of your raw food and by following my cooking suggestions that make the most of each food's unique cooking requirements, you will get optimal nutritional benefits from both!

Insight for the Day 7/25/12

"When we set out to do the best we can do, it is inevitable that great opportunity finds us because we are doing what truly makes us happy. We're in alignment and ready for the opportunities that life puts in our path."

Josh Hinds
Author of It's Your Life, LIVE BIG! 

Insight for the Day 7/24/12

"Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

Nora Ephron
1941-2012, Journalist, Playwright, Screenwriter and Novelist

Today's Recipe - 15-Minute Healthy Sautéed Chicken & Bok Choy

Today's Recipe
 
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Healthy Sauté is one of my New Healthiest Way of Cooking methods, which avoids the necessity to use heated oils that can be damaging to your health. Low in calories, this easy-to-prepare meal provides you with a rich concentration of many health-promoting nutrients including vitamins B, C, and K as well as protein and much more. Enjoy!

15-Minute Healthy Sautéed Chicken & Bok Choy
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 2 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup chopped scallions
• 2 TBS fresh minced ginger
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 1½ cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 4 cups chopped bok choy
• 2 TBS soy sauce
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• salt and white pepper to taste
• pinch of red pepper flakes

Directions:

1. Heat broth in a stainless steel skillet.
2. When broth begins to steam, add scallions and Healthy Saute for 2 minutes.
3. Add ginger and continue to sauté for another minute.
4. Add chicken and continue to sauté.
5. After 2-3 minutes, add shiitake mushrooms and bok choy. Continue to sauté for another 3-4 minutes, and then add soy sauce, rice vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of 15-Minute Healthy Sautéed Chicken & Bok Choy
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Healthy Food Tip

The Latest News about Cabbage

Cancer prevention tops all other areas of health research with regard to cabbage and its outstanding benefits. More than 475 studies have examined the role of this cruciferous vegetable in cancer prevention (and in some cases, cancer treatment). The uniqueness of cabbage in cancer prevention is due to the three different types of nutrient richness found in this widely enjoyed food. The three types are (1) antioxidant richness, (2) anti-inflammatory richness, and (3) richness in glucosinolates.

What's New and Beneficial About Cabbage

• Cabbage can provide you with some special cholesterol-lowering benefits if you will cook it by steaming. The fiber-related components in cabbage do a better job of binding together with bile acids in your digestive tract when they've been steamed. When this binding process takes place, it's easier for bile acids to be excreted, and the result is a lowering of your cholesterol levels. Raw cabbage still has cholesterol-lowering ability-just not as much as steamed cabbage.
• Researchers now realize that different types of cabbage (red, green, and Savoy) contain different patterns of glucosinolates. This new knowledge means that your broadest health benefits from cabbage are likely to come from inclusion of all varieties in your diet.
• Cabbage in general-but also Savoy cabbage in particular-turns out to be an especially good source of sinigrin. Sinigrin is one of the cabbage glucosinolates that has received special attention in cancer prevention research. The sinigrin in cabbage can be converted into allyl-isothiocyanate, or AITC. This isothiocyanate compound has shown unique cancer preventive properties with respect to bladder cancer, colon cancer, and prostate cancer.
• In one recent study, short-cooked and raw cabbage were the only types of cabbage to show cancer-preventive benefits-long-cooked cabbage failed to demonstrate measurable benefits.
• New research shows that steaming is a better cooking method than microwaving if you want to maximize the health benefits of glucosinolates found in cabbage. That's because two minutes of microwaving destroys the same amount of myrosinase enzymes as seven minutes of steaming, and you need those myrosinase enzymes to help convert cabbage's glucosinolates into cancer-preventive compounds.
• Our Healthy Sauté method, which we recommend for cabbage, is very similar to steaming and enhances the flavor of cabbage. See the "How to Enjoy" section of our cabbage write-up for more details.

WHFoods Recommendations

You'll want to include cabbage as one of the cruciferous vegetables you eat on a regular basis if you want to receive the fantastic health benefits provided by the cruciferous vegetable family. At a minimum, include cruciferous vegetables as part of your diet 2-3 times per week, and make the serving size at least 1-1/2 cups. Even better from a health standpoint, enjoy cabbage and other vegetables from the cruciferous vegetable group 4-5 times per week, and increase your serving size to 2 cups.
Traditional methods of steaming or boiling make cabbage watery. To retain the maximum number of nutrients and flavor we recommend Healthy Sautéeing cabbage. Slice cabbage into 1/4 -inch slices and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting benefits before cooking.
Our Chinese Chicken Cabbage Salad recipe is a great example of how to enjoy the delicate flavor of napa cabbage in your favorite salad. It is a milder tasting variety of cabbage that boasts the highest concentration of folate.
Enjoy the mild flavor of bok choy by using our Healthy Sauté method of cooking. Bok choy is the #1 vegetable in China and has a higher concentration of beta-carotene and vitamin A than any other variety of cabbage. Our 4-Minute Healthy Sautéed Bok Choy recipe will give you great tasting bok choy in a matter of minutes!

Cruciferous Vegetable Benefits

All cruciferous vegetables-including cabbage-provide integrated nourishment across a wide variety of nutritional categories and provide broad support across a wide variety of body systems as well. For more on cruciferous vegetables see:

• Eating Healthy with Cruciferous Vegetables
• Feeling Great with Cruciferous Vegetables

Health Benefits

Cabbage provides numerous health benefits including:

• Anti-inflammatory benefits
• Antioxidant properties
• Detoxification benefits
• Cancer prevention
• Cardiovascular support
• Digestive support

For more details on cabbage's health benefits, see this section of our Cabbage write-up.

Nutritional Profile

Cabbage is an excellent source of immune-supportive vitamin C and anti-inflammatory vitamin K. it is a very good source of digestive-health-supporting fiber, enzyme-activating manganese, and heart-healthy vitamin B6, folate, and omega-3 fatty acids. Additionally, it is a good source of energy-producing vitamin B1 and vitamin B2, free-radical-scavenging vitamin A (through its concentration of carotenoid phytonutrients), bone-healthy calcium and magnesium, and muscular-system supporting potassium and protein.

Cabbage as a "Goitrogenic" Food

Cabbage is sometimes referred to as a "goitrogenic" food. Yet, contrary to popular belief, according to the latest studies, foods themselves-cabbage included-are not "goitrogenic" in the sense of causing goiter whenever they are consumed, or even when they are consumed in excess. In fact, most foods that are commonly called "goitrogenic"-such as the cruciferous vegetables (including broccoli, kale, and cauliflower) and soyfoods-do not interfere with thyroid function in healthy persons even when they are consumed on a daily basis. Nor is it scientifically correct to say that foods "contain goitrogens," at least not if you are thinking about goitrogens as a category of substances like proteins, carbohydrates, or vitamins. With respect to the health of our thyroid gland, all that can be contained in a food are nutrients that provide us with a variety of health benefits but which, under certain circumstances, can also interfere with thyroid function. The term "goitrogenic food" makes it sound as if something is wrong with the food, but that is simply not the case. What causes problems for certain individuals is not the food itself but the mismatched nature of certain substances within the food to their unique health circumstances. For more, see an An Up-to-Date Look at Goitrogenic Substances in FoodFor more on this nutrient-rich vegetable, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up on Cabbage.

How to raise your vibration level instantly...Article by Dr Robert Anthony

I would like to continue our discussion of the WAY IT IS a little
further so that you really get what's happening.  I realize your
teachers, parents, mentors and those around you have taught you to
tell your story about the WAY IT IS.  After all, that is "reality". 

But here is what you must do.  You must begin to tell your story
about the way you want your life to be. Tell your story of the way
you want it to be until you begin to believe the story. (After all,
you believe the story you are telling now as though it were true!)
When you believe your new story, your vibration will shift and the
universe will match your story.  The universe is always matching
your vibrational energy.  Most people don't know they can offer a
vibration that matches what they want.  Instead they believe they
should offer a story about the WAY IT IS, not realizing they are
attracting more of the WAY IT IS.

You can get swept up in the WAY IT IS because the WAY IT IS gets 
your attention. The reason for this is all of our physical senses 
are designed to help you observe your environment.  What you see
with your eyes is a translation of vibration, what you smell with
your nose is a translation of vibration. What you feel with your
fingertips is a translation of vibration. What hear with your ears
and taste with your tongue is a translation of vibration. You are a
veritable vibrational interpreter.  I just want you to realize that
the true interpretation of the vibration that is going on within
you is translated into emotion. Your emotions are really telling
you the story you want to be aware of. 

So when you feel negative emotion what your inner guidance is
telling you is you've got chronic thoughts going on, and more
importantly current thoughts in the moment that are not a match to
what you want. And, depending how strong the negative emotions 
are, it will determine to what extent your thoughts are in
alignment with your desire.  Negative emotion is always the
indicator. 

When you feel ANY negative emotion it is time to pay attention
because you are going in the wrong direction. You are moving AWAY
from your desires. Use this powerful indicator to your advantage
and shift your energy in that moment and start moving TOWARDS
what you desire by changing your story from the WAY IT IS to the 
way you want it to be.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

Insight for the Day 7/23/12

"If you want to succeed you should strike out on new paths, rather than travel the worn paths of accepted success."

John D. Rockefeller
1839-1937, Industrialist and Philanthropist

Today's Recipe - 15-Minute Maui-Style Cod

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

This is a great tasting fish dish that is not only quick and easy but has great taste. The tropical flavor of the sauce will make you feel like you are on Maui!

15-Minute Maui-Style Cod
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 lbs thick cut filets of cod
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste
• Salsa
• 1 TBS minced fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup finely minced red bell pepper
• 3/4 cup canned crushed pineapple
• 1 tsp finely minced jalapeno pepper (or to taste)
• 1/2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mix together all ingredients for salsa and set aside.
2. On stovetop, preheat 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet on medium high heat for 2-3 minutes. Rub 1 TBS fresh lemon juice on cod and season with salt and pepper.
3. Cook fish in heated skillet about 1-2 minutes on each side. Time may vary according to thickness of fish. You do not need oil or liquid for this.
4. Remove cod from pan and top with salsa.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestions: Serve with

• Napa Cabbage Salad
• Rice

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Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me whether black beans and black eye beans are the same bean?

Black beans and black-eyed beans are not the same bean. However, both are classified as legumes and both are members of the botanical family called Leguminosae (or Fabaceae). This family of plants is most commonly known as the pea family, and there are about 16,000 different species of plants included in this category.
As noted, even though black beans and black-eyed beans both belong to the pea family, they are not the same plant. Black beans are black (or dark purple) in color and are known botanically as Phaseolus vulgaris. They are very popular in Mexican and Caribbean cuisine.
Black-eyed beans are more often called black-eyed peas, and they are also know as field peas, lobiya, and chawli. Their botanical name is Vigna unguiculata, indicating that they belong to a different genus of plant than black beans. Black-eyed peas are especially popular in parts of the southern United States, where they are sometimes eaten on New Year's Day as part of the celebration. Yet, their contribution to a diet need not be limited to just that one day each year since they are very delicious and nutritious.
References:
Fery, RL. (2002). New opportunities in Vigna. In: J. Janick and A. Whipkey (eds.). Trends in new crops and new uses. ASHS Press, Alexandria, VA.
Sgarbieri VC. Composition and nutritive value of beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.). World Rev Nutr Diet. 1989; 60:132-98.

Insight for the Day 7/19/12

"We will receive not what we idly wish for but what we justly earn. Our rewards will always be in exact proportion to our service."

Earl Nightingale
1921-1989, Author and Syndicated Radio Personality

Today's Recipe - Asian-Flavored Broccoli with Tofu

Today's Recipe
 
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

You can have a complete meal in a matter of minutes when you add this Asian-inspired broccoli dish to your Healthiest Way of Eating. Like other cruciferous vegetables, Broccoli is not only an excellent source of vitamins and minerals but of those special health-promoting sulfur compounds that help make them some of the most nutritious vegetables around.

Asian-Flavored Broccoli with Tofu
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb broccoli, florets cut into quarters
• 2 medium carrots, sliced thin
• 8 oz tofu cut into cubes
• 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 2 medium cloves garlic
• 1 TBS soy sauce
• 2 TBS grated ginger
• 1 TBS rice vinegar
• red pepper flakes to taste

Directions:

1. Fill bottom of steamer with 2 inches of water.
2. While steam is building up in steamer, cut broccoli florets into quarters and let them sit for 5-10 minutes to enhance their health promoting properties. Also cut stems into 1/4-inch pieces.
3. Press or chop garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes.
4. Add tofu and sliced carrots to steamer and steam for 2 minutes.
5. Add broccoli and steam for 5 more minutes.
6. Toss with rest of ingredients.

Optional: To mellow the flavor of garlic, add garlic to steamer for the last 2 minutes of steaming. Serves 2
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Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me which is better for you, spinach or Swiss chard?

Both spinach and Swiss chard are among the most nutrient-rich foods I know. Nutrient richness refers to the quality by which a food provides a concentration of nutrients for the calories that it contains. If a food is nutrient-rich, it means that you'll get a lot of nutrients but you won't have to "spend" a lot of calories on them.
In our World's Healthiest Foods ranking system, both spinach and chard offer an amazing total of 22 nutrients in excellent, very good, or good concentrations. Spinach contains a few more nutrients than chard in excellent or very good concentrations, but both are outstanding examples of highly nourishing foods.
But the real answer to your question involves your individual nutrient needs. If you're not getting enough folate in your diet, you may want to choose spinach over chard, since you'll be getting over 15 times the folate in spinach! However, if you're already getting plenty of folate but too little vitamin E, you may want to reverse your decision and select chard over spinach. Compared with spinach, chard will provide you with almost double the vitamin E.
Another thing to consider is biochemical individuality. For example, both spinach and chard are high-oxalate foods, and may both be foods to avoid if a person needs to follow a low-oxalate diet. For a person especially concerned about toxic exposure and not purchasing organically grown vegetables, chard might be a more attractive choice than spinach, since spinach has repeatedly appeared on lists of vegetables and fruits with higher amounts of pesticide residues. These types of concerns will vary from individual to individual, and always play an important role in finding the best match between your food and you.
I may have provided you with a more complex answer than you were looking for, but I wanted to go through this process as I think that it is an important way for people to think about their food and what would best serve them.

The bottom line is this…

If you don't have any biochemical individuality issues (these considerations are listed in the Individual Concerns section of the foods' website write-ups or individual chapters in The World's Healthiest Foods book) that would preclude you from either eating Swiss chard or spinach, I think that you can't go wrong with enjoying both foods. They are incredibly nutrient-rich foods that can do wonders in terms of providing important health-promoting nutrients.
For more information on this topic, please see:

• Spinach
• Swiss chard

Patterns of Belief... Article by Dr Robert Anthony

Have you noticed the things you got handled you keep handling?
That's because your belief is congruent so your pattern of thought
and your expectations keep perpetuating the same things. The Law of
Attraction, which is the fundamental creative law of the universe,
says that the frequency you are emitting is constantly being
matched by other frequencies that are the same.  So when you feel
the way you feel and you don't consciously change the thoughts that
cause you to feel the way you do, then you continue to experience 
this habit of thought.  

Unfortunately, most people do not change their patterns of belief
because most people perpetuate their patterns of belief through
their observation of WHAT IS.  Here is what's happening: WHAT IS
surrounds you, then you observe it, then you offer more vibration
about it and the Law of Attraction gives you more of WHAT IS which
you observe and offer a vibration about it so the Law of Attraction
gives you more of WHAT IS, etc.

Then you compound the problem by saying that, "My life experience
has taught me that WHAT IS - IS!  This is fact. This is just the
way it is".

That may or may not be true.  It may be JUST THE WAY IT IS, but
what you need to understand is that JUST THE WAY IT IS, is
absolutely changeable, but you can't change JUST THE WAY IT IS if
you keep observing JUST THE WAY IT IS!

So how to you change this pattern?  You change it by choice.  You
choose to look at things the way you WANT them to be.  You shift
your vibrational pattern by caring more about the way you FEEL
then you do about the "truth" or the "facts" that you are
observing.  The way you FEEL is what activates the Law of
Attraction. If you do whatever you can to feel good and focus on
what you want instead of the WAY IT IS, you will attract what you
want.  If you focus on THE WAY IT IS, you will attract more of the
WAY IT IS. It's as simple as that.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

Today's Recipe - Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté

Today's Recipe
 
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

Enjoy the combination of spices that gives this spinach and sweet potato dish a unique flavor. Spinach is one of the most nutrient-rich vegetables around and the sweet potatoes add fiber and an extra dose of health-promoting carotenoids to this dish. Enjoy!

Golden Spinach and Sweet Potato Healthy Sauté
Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 6 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a large stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add seasonings and lemon juice and stir to mix thoroughly. Add broth and sweet potatoes. Simmer covered over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Uncover to allow sauce to thicken and cook another couple minutes.
4. Press water out of spinach and add to sweet potatoes. Cook uncovered for a 3-4 more minutes to allow sauce to thicken. Add cilantro, salt, and pepper.

Serves 4

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Healthy Food Tip

Could you list some foods that are bad to eat?

There are very few natural, whole foods that we would consider "bad" to eat. In and of themselves, and prepared in a way that preserves their natural nutrient composition, virtually all foods are good for you! It's usually what we do to foods that make them bad for us. In other words, we can turn any good food into a bad food by destroying its natural and beneficial qualities.
Here are some of the steps we can take to turn a good food into a bad food:

• We can fry it in fat.
• We can overprocess it and destroy too many of its nutrients.
• We can grow it in unnatural soil that has been treated with synthetic fertilizer or chemical additives.
• We can spray it with pesticides while it is growing.
• We can add synthetic chemical ingredients to it, like synthetic colors or flavors.
• We can add synthetic preservatives to it to extend its shelf life far beyond its natural shelf life.

Common examples of "good" foods turned into "bad" foods include:

• Whole grains that have been turned into 60% extraction grain flours, in which the majority of original vitamins and minerals are lost along with removal of the bran and the germ. (Any baked good with 0 grams of fiber per serving would be a great example of a good food turned bad through excess processing.)
• A whole fruit turned into a low-pulp or pulp-free fruit juice, with all of the pulp nutrients being lost from the juice
• Nearly colorless, overcooked vegetables that have lost their vibrant greens and yellows due to excessive exposure to heat
• Any prepackaged food that is a mystery in terms of its ingredient list and which contains more synthetic additives than whole food components
• White, granulated sugar that has been stripped of virtually all nutrients contained in the original sugar cane plant

For more information on this topic, please see:

• What are the World's Healthiest Foods?
• What are the Health Benefits of Eating the World's Healthiest Foods?

Today's Recipe - Poached Eggs Over Sautéed Greens

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy vegetables for breakfast! In many parts of the world vegetables are a regular part of a healthy breakfast. This Healthiest Way of Eating dish not only tastes great, contains only 130 calories, but also provides a wealth of health-promoting nutrients.

Poached Eggs Over Sautéed Greens
Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, preferably organic
• 1 tsp light vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine)
• about 4 cups water
• 1 cup thinly sliced leeks, about 1 large leek, white part only
• 6 medium cloves garlic, sliced
• 4 cups finely chopped kale
• 3 + 5 TBS chicken broth
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice leeks and garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Bring water and vinegar to a fast simmer in a skillet large enough to fit eggs. Make sure there is enough water to cover eggs.
3. While water is coming to a simmer, heat 3 TBS broth in a separate stainless steel 10-12 inch skillet. Healthy Sauté sliced leeks in broth over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Add garlic slices and continue to saute, stirring constantly for another minute.
4. Add kale, broth, and lemon juice, and simmer covered on medium low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. When done season with salt and pepper.
6. Poach eggs until desired doneness. This will take about 5 minutes, or just until the white is set and the yolk has filmed over. Remove from vinegar water with a slotted spoon and place on top of greens.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Poached Eggs Over Sautéed Greens
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Poached Eggs Over Sautéed Greens
Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me more about the health benefits of the bromelain enzyme found in pineapple including whether it helps with protein digestion?

Bromelain is a complex mixture of substances that can be extracted from the stems and core fruit portion of pineapples. Among dozens of components known to exist in this crude extract, the best-studied components are a group of protein-digesting enzymes (called cysteine proteinases). Originally, researchers believed that these enzymes provided the key health benefits found in bromelain and that these benefits were primarily limited to aid with digestion in the intestinal tract.
Studies have also shown that bromelain has a wide variety of health benefits and that many of these benefits may not be related to the different proteinase enzymes found in the crude extract. Excessive inflammation, excessive coagulation of the blood and clot formation, and certain types of tumor growth may all be reduced by therapeutic doses of bromelain when taken as a dietary supplement. Studies are not available, however, to show these same potential benefits in relationship to normal intake of pineapple within a typical diet.
Bromelain extracts can be obtained from both the fruit core and the stems of pineapple. Potentially important chemical differences appear to exist between extracts obtained from the stem versus the core fruit. However, the practical relevance of these differences is not presently understood. However, most of the laboratory research on bromelain has been conducted using stem-based extracts.
Although healthcare practitioners have reported improved digestion in their patients with an increase in pineapple as a "fruit of choice" within their patients' diets, I haven't seen published studies that document specific changes in digestion following consumption of the whole fruit. However, I've seen plenty of evidence to consider pineapple as a World's Healthiest Food, and I suspect that the extracts obtained from the core fruit will turn out to have some uniquely health-supportive properties, including possible digestion-related benefits.
Referencees:
Gaspani L, Limiroli E, Ferrario P, et al. In vivo and in vitro effects of bromelain on PGE(2) and SP concentrations in the inflammatory exudate in rats. Pharmacology 2002 May;65(2):83-6.
Hatano K, Kojima M, Tanokura M, et al. Primary structure, sequence-specific 1H-NMR assignments and secondary structure in solution of bromelain inhibitor VI from pineapple stem. Eur J Biochem 1995 Sep;232(2):335-43.
Hatano K, Sawano Y, Tanokura M. Structure-function relationship of bromelain isoinhibitors from pineapple stem. Biol Chem 2002 Jul-2002 Aug;383(7-8):1151-6.

Insight for the Day 7/18/12

"Trust your hunches. They're usually based on facts filed away just below the conscious level."

Dr. Joyce Brothers
Psychologist and Television Personality

Are you a victim of sabotage? An article by Dr Robert Anthony

Sometimes we come to rely on actions and words to make our life what 
we want it to be. Then we get frustrated because sometimes we speak
words and take actions that are contrary to the vibration we are
offering. 

In other words, when you say that you really hope something 
turns out well when you really do not expect it to, your words of
hope sound optimistic, but they do not bring you the results you
seek.  When you want something that you sincerely doubt, it cannot
manifest as long as that doubt is prevalent within you. 

Most of your beliefs came through your life experiences. Your
beliefs are the result of the things you witnessed in life that
made you believe they are true.  So when you saw something
happening that you did not want to happen, as you observed it, you
came to the conclusion that this is "factual", that this is
"evidence", this is "truth", and this is "real".  You have also
been conditioned to believe that you must focus on things that are
real.  

But the truth is, whatever you are focusing on is training you into
a habit of thought.  That's all a belief is - a habitual thought
pattern.  So when you train yourself into a habit of thought that
does not match anything you want, you have set up a cross
current in your vibrational frequency. In other words, you WANT it
this way, but you also EXPECT it this way.

The problem is you got most of your expectations by listening and
watching TV, from family, friends, news media, etc. You have come
to this vibrational habit of thought over a long period of time. 
Whether you like it or not, in most cases those thoughts are more
dominate within you than the vibration of your desire.  What is
happening is that there are all kinds of things that you want, but
you are sending out a different or opposite vibration than those 
things that you want. 

You have to find a way to shift your beliefs before your life can
change. If you do not have what you want, I can guarantee you have a
contradictory energy or belief system going on within you.  Take
the time to discover what it is and then use that awareness to
change it.  Awareness is always the first step to making any change.

Today will bring you a new awareness, a lesson or a manifestation
that you are making progress - IF YOU LOOK FOR IT!  No matter how
large or small, please record it in your Evidence Journal. It will
only take a few moments and will AUTOMATICALLY put you in the Flow.

Truly Caring for Your Success!

Dr. Robert Anthony

P.S. Self-Confidence is key in changing our expectations --
my Self-Confidence Creator guarantees 7 Days to unstoppable
self-confidence -- check it out, it's risk-free...
http://clicks.aweber.com/y/ct/?l=MliLY&m=JGtfKzRfBSwS5D&b=7ncixPDSTcrtIDGz1p7zaQ

Insight for the Day 7/17/12

"Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old."

Franz Kafka
1883-1924, Writer

Today's Recipe - Cantaloupe with Lime and Mint

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dessert or a snack today ...
This is a great way to enhance the flavor of cantaloupe.

Cantaloupe with Lime and Mint
Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 cantaloupe
• 2 TBS fresh lime juice
• 4 mint leaves

Directions:

1. Cut cantaloupe in half and scoop out the seeds.
2. Sprinkle each half with 1 TBS lime juice.
3. Tear mint leaves by hand and sprinkle over cantaloupe.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Cantaloupe with Lime and Mint
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cantaloupe with Lime and Mint
Healthy Food Tip

The Latest News About Cantaloupe

The name "cantaloupe" actually comes from the name of a town in Italy near Rome called Cantaloupo in Sabina, where seeds were brought from Armenia and planted in the Papal gardens during the 1400-1500's.) Cantaloupes are members of the cucurbit family of plants (Cucurbitaceae) that also includes cucumbers, pumpkins, squashes, gourds, and a long list of melons. Melons in this same plant family with cantaloupe include Watermelon and honeydew melon, along with crenshaw, casaba, Persian, and canary melon. Because many members of the cucurbit plant family can easily cross-pollinate, there are also many different hybrid melons in the marketplace that combine features of true cantaloupe with features of these other melons.

What's New and Beneficial About Cantaloupe

• Because the flesh of the cantaloupe is often pastel-like in color (compared to the more vibrant color of fruits like oranges), we sometimes forget how important cantaloupe can be as a fruit source of vitamin A (in the form of carotenoids). Researchers have recently measured the carotenoid contents of six different California-grown cantaloupe hybrids and discovered that their beta-carotene content can reach levels as high as 3,138 micrograms (per 100 grams of fresh weight). That's about 30 times higher than the beta-carotene content of fresh oranges. Although this nutrient richness of cantaloupe still does not place it in the beta-carotene range for fresh carrots here (about 8,300 micrograms), it's still an aspect of this delicious fruit that is all-too-frequently overlooked.
• At first, we were disappointed in the outcome of a recent French study that put cantaloupe at the very bottom of the fruits list in terms of its polyphenol content. In this French study, fruits like strawberries, lychees, and grapes came out far better in their concentration of antioxidant polyphenols than cantaloupe, and no fruit scored lower in its concentration of polyphenols. But then we read about the total amount of polyphenols that cantaloupe contributed to the average daily diet. When looked at in this practical context, cantaloupe ranked higher than many other commonly eaten fruits, including kiwi, grapefruit, and clementines. It also ranked higher than watermelon and pineapple. Obviously, the higher volume of cantaloupe consumed helped to offset its lower polyphenol concentration. This practical principle is important to remember. A health-supportive, whole food like fresh cantaloupe may show up as being lower in its concentration of certain nutrients (including total polyphenols), but because we often eat it in serving sizes that are relatively large, we often get substantial nutrient benefits, even in the case of nutrients found in lower concentrations.
• Intake of cantaloupe has recently been found to lower risk of metabolic syndrome. In a study involving hundreds of women living and teaching in Tehran, Iran, the lowest risk of metabolic syndrome was found to occur in women who ate the greatest amount of fruit. (In this study, the "greatest amount" meant a minimum of 12 ounces per day.) Five fruits contributed most to total fruit intake: apples, grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, and bananas. Women who consumed the largest amounts of these fruits were also determined to have the healthiest levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in their bloodstream. CRP is an indicator very commonly used to assess levels of inflammation, and it's very likely that the anti-inflammatory phytonutrients in cantaloupe and other fruits contri buted not only to these participants' healthy levels of CRP but also to their decreased risk of metabolic syndrome.

Insight for the Day 7/16/12

"Never give up. Never ever give up. Why? Because just when you are about to give up is when things are about to turn around in a grand way. Hold on. Great things are waiting for you around the corner."

Sonia Ricotti

#1 Bestselling Author of Unsinkable: How to Bounce Back Quickly When Life Knocks You Down

Law of Attraction

The Benefits of Cinnamon

Today's Recipe - Cajun Kidney Bean Chili

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

This tasty, easy-to-prepare version of chili is a great addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. Beans are a good source of health-promoting dietary fiber as well as a vegetarian source of protein. Enjoy!

Cajun Kidney Bean Chili
 
Prep and Cook Time: 25-30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 1 medium yellow or red bell pepper, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1 TBS chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 cups cooked or 1 15 oz can (no BPA) kidney beans
• 1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
• Salt, pepper and olive oil to taste
• Optional: cooked ground turkey

Directions:

1. Chop onion and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Healthy Sauté onion and bell peppers for 5 minutes.
3. Add garlic, spices, tomatoes and kidney beans.
4. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
5. Season to taste with salt, pepper and olive oil.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Cajun Kidney Bean Chili
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Cajun Kidney Bean Chili
Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me more about pasteurization and whether I should consider buying unpasteurized (raw) milk?

The Pasteurized Milk Ordinance (PMO) that was first proposed in 1924 by the United States Public Health Service has been adopted, in its 2003 revision, by 46 out of 50 states. (The four non-adopting states have passed similar ordinances of their own.) The PMO calls for the pasteurization of milk as a way of killing any potentially disease-causing bacteria in the milk, including Campylobacter, Escherichia, Listeria, Salmonella, Yersinia, and Brucella. I would also like to note that in 32 states, it is legal to sell and distribute raw, non-pasteurized milk and that both forms of milk exist in the majority of states.
Today there are more pasteurization options in the marketplace than there were in 1924; these options include high-temperature, short-time methods as well as low-temperature, longer time methods. The goal of all methods is the same: to kill potentially pathogenic bacteria that may be present in the milk or milk product (like cheese or yogurt).

Temperature	Time	Pasteurization Type
63°C (145°F)*	30 minutes	Vat Pasteurization
72°C (161°F)*	15 seconds	High temperature short time Pasteurization (HTST)
89°C (191°F)	1.0 second	Ultra Pasteurization (UP)
90°C (194°F)	0.5 seconds	Ultra Pasteurization (UP)
94°C (201°F)	0.1 seconds	Ultra Pasteurization (UP)
96°C (204°F)	0.05 seconds	Ultra Pasteurization (UP)
100°C (212°F)	0.01 seconds	Ultra Pasteurization (UP)
138°C (280°F)	2.0 seconds	Ultra-high temperature (UHT) sterilization

Note: * = These temperatures and times are appropriate if the milk does not contain added sweeteners, and if it has not been condensed. If either of those changes applies, then the temperature must be increased by 3°C (5°F). In addition, eggnog is an exception to these rules and must be pasteurized according to a different set of times and temperatures.
There's no debate about the effectiveness of pasteurization for killing unwanted bacteria. There's also no doubt that pasteurization gives dairy products a longer shelf life by lowering the presence of bacteria that cause spoilage. But pasteurization also kills desirable bacteria found in fresh milk, and it denatures milk enzymes that may be active in the human digestive tract when fresh milk is consumed.
There is little research, however, to determine what nutritional benefits are lost when milk is pasteurized. I've seen speculation about changes in protein structure, calcium, amino acid, and vitamin C bioavailability all being triggered by pasteurization, but I have not seen research that confirms or rejects these occurrences.
As I mentioned earlier, in the majority of states, dairy farms are free to produce raw (unpasteurized) milk as long as they adhere to the conditions and restrictions set out in state law. The safety of unpasteurized milk depends on the quality of the cow's life,
including the immediate environment and feeding. It also depends on the quality of handling facilities once the cow has been milked. For these reasons, I recommend a very careful look at any dairy farm's procedures, track record, and publicly available information before becoming a regular consumer of its unpasteurized milk. Producers of raw milk should be carefully monitoring the milk for the presence of microorganisms and will be able to certify that the milk meets all federal and state regulations in this regard.
Because freshness is at a premium, and the product shelf life is greatly shortened (which is not necessarily bad) the dairy should be within driving distance of your residence so you can visit it in person. In some states, like Indiana, where it is illegal for a local dairy to sell unpasteurized milk, cows from the dairy may be leased in order for consumers to obtain a regular supply of raw milk.
In the absence of a very high-quality dairy farm in driving distance from your residence, I recommend purchase of pasteurized milk. Even though it's one step further from natural milk (which I would prefer), the health risks, however small, don't seem like a worthwhile trade-off in exchange for the potential benefits. If a high quality dairy farm, producing certified organic milk in unpasteurized form is available in your area, I would recommend considering this option.

Today's Recipe - Mediterranean Tomato Salad

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

This easy to prepare Mediterranean-style salad complements almost any meal.

Mediterranean Tomato Salad
 
Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:

• 2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped into large pieces
• 1 medium red onion, sliced thin
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TBS lemon juice or vinegar
• 3 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 10 fresh basil leaves, torn into small pieces
• Sea salt and pepper to taste
• Optional:
• 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
• 6 olives, chopped
• 2 tsp capers
• anchovies (use however much suits your palate)

Directions:

1. Slice onions and mince garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Combine and toss all ingredients. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Mediterranean Tomato Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean Tomato Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me how to convert the grams of omega-3 fatty acids on your omega-3 chart into teaspoons of oil?

Unfortunately, there is no simple way to convert grams of omega-3 fatty acids in our omega-3 chart into teaspoons of oil. There are two problems that get in the way here. First, remember that grams are units of measurement involving weight and teaspoons are units of measurement involving volume. (Weight is something you measure on a scale, and volume is the amount of space that something fills.) These two different categories of measurement don't have any simple relationship when it comes to food and nutrients. Second, remember that oil is only one component contained in a nut or seed. For example, you cannot make one tablespoon of flaxseed oil from one tablespoon of flaxseeds! Both of these problems leave you with no simple way to convert from grams of omega-3s in flaxseeds into grams of omega-3s in oil. However, here are some general principles you might find helpful:
On average, one teaspoon of oil weights 4.5 grams. This rule applies to all food oils, including flaxseed oil, olive oil, sunflower seed oil, and many others. Since no plant oil consists of 100% omega-3s, one teaspoon of a plant oil can never contain a full 4.5 grams of omega-3s. In fact, even a very omega-3 rich oil is seldom more than 50% omega-3, or about 2-3 grams of omega-3s per teaspoon (at the most). So right off the bat, you know that it's going to take more than one teaspoon of a plant oil to give you more than 2-3 grams of omega-3s.
With the above context in mind, let's look at one specific plant food and one specific oil, which are known to contain omega-3 fatty acids. In this case, we'll use flaxseeds and flaxseed oil as an example since flaxseeds stand at the top of our omega-3 chart. (We could also use other omega-3 containing foods and oils, including rapeseeds and canola oil, walnuts and walnut oil, soybeans and soybean oil, and others.)
In our omega-3 chart, we show flaxseeds as containing an average of 3.51 grams of omega-3s in every 2 tablespoons. As discussed previously, there's no simple way to convert from tablespoons of seeds into an equivalent amount of oil. The only solution is to look up flaxseed oil in a nutrient database (like the U.S. Department of Agriculture's free nutrient database that can be accessed online at www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/).
In a nutrient database, you'll find flaxseed oil to contain about 7.25 grams of omega-3s per tablespoon. You can already see here that half of that amount (1/2 tablespoon) would contain approximately 3.6 grams of omega-3s-very close to the 3.51 grams found in 2 tablespoons of seeds. So, using a nutrient database as your information source (in this case the SR19 version of the USDA database), you can see that it only takes ½ tablespoon of flaxseed oil to provide you with the same amount of omega-3s found in 2 tablespoons of flaxseeds. Once again, while there is no direct way to convert back and forth between our omega-3 chart into teaspoons of plant oil, you can use a nutrient database as a way to make the conversion.
If you are only wanting omega-3 fatty acids and nothing more, you can see that flaxseed oil will provide you with a higher amount of omega-3s more quickly than flaxseeds themselves. However, it is also important to remember that flax oil is not a whole food, and that whole foods like flaxseeds provide you with a far greater variety of health-supportive nutrients. If you are seeking optimal overall nutrition and not simply omega-3s, flaxseeds are the way to go. Because flaxseeds are very small, difficult to chew, and can often pass all the way through your digestive tract without getting digested, I also encourage you to consider ground flaxseeds instead of whole flaxseeds. You can purchase flax that has already been ground. It usually comes in a vacuum-sealed pouch, and just be sure to keep it refrigerated and observe the expiration date. You can also grind your own flaxseeds, and in this case, I recommend grinding only the amount you will be consuming that day.

Today's Recipe - Mediterranean Lentil Salad

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

This easy to prepare Mediterranean-style recipe makes a great side salad or a perfect vegetarian lunch or dinner addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. It provides you with a wealth of health-promoting vitamins and minerals including 220% of the daily value (DV) for vitamin K, 135% DV for vitamin C, 107% DV for molybdenum and 79% DV for vitamin A. Enjoy!

Mediterranean Lentil Salad
 
Prep and Cook Time: Prep: 20 min; Cooking: 25 min; Chill: 1 hr
Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup dried green lentils (you want to end up with 2 cups cooked)
• 2 cups water
• 3 oz canned/jar roasted bell peppers*, chopped
• 2 TBS finely minced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped walnuts
• 3 TBS balsamic vinegar
• 1 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS + 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• 1 bunch young dandelion leaves or arugula, chopped
• * If you prefer, you can roast the bell peppers yourself

Directions:

1. Wash lentils, remove any foreign matter, and drain.
2. Combine lentils and 2 cups lightly salted water in medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and cook at low temperature for about 20 minutes, or until lentils are cooked but still firm. Cook gently so lentils don't get mushy. When done, drain any excess water, and lightly rinse under cold water. Continue to drain excess water.
3. Mince onion and press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health-promoting benefits.
4. Place lentils in a bowl and add peppers, onion, garlic, basil, walnuts, vinegar, and 2 TBS olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Marinate for at least 1 hour before serving.
5. Toss dandelion or arugula with 2 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS lemon juice, salt and pepper. Serve on plate with lentils.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Mediterranean Lentil Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean Lentil Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me about white tea, and is it true that white tea is even better for you than green tea?

White, green and black tea all come from the same plant (Camellia sinensis), but white tea is made from the unopened leaf buds of the plant, whereas green tea is made from the more mature, opened leaves. (Black tea is also made from mature, opened leaves, but undergoes a controlled fermentation process that results in its darker color.)
Both white and green tea contain a phytonutrient that has been high up on the radar screen in health research. This phytonutrient is a polyphenol called epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG). EGCG is the primary polyphenol in both white and green tea, and it's a key reason why researchers have been interested in the properties of white tea with respect to prevention of cancer development (tumorigenesis). At this point we only have preliminary animal studies and in vivo laboratory studies in this area. These studies not only fail to look at everyday intake of white tea as part of a daily diet but also often involve specialized extracts made from white tea. But I am hoping that researchers will find enough reason in these preliminary studies to move on to large-scale human studies that examine the potential benefits of white tea drinking in an everyday Healthiest Way of Eating.
I would not call white tea "better" or "worse" for you than green tea. I think of both teas as having health benefits and as being different in their composition.
As always, quality is important when you are purchasing white or green tea, and I recommend organic teas produced by companies that have a reputation for high standards.

Insight for the Day 7/12/12

"I believe there's an inner power that makes winners or losers. And the winners are the ones who really listen to the truth of their hearts."

Sylvester Stallone
Actor, Writer and Producer

Today's Recipe - Miso Salmon

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

Try this Asian-flavored dish that is sure to become one of your favorite additions to your Healthiest Way of Eating. The salmon provides one of the best sources of those hard-to-find health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids. Enjoy!
Miso Salmon
Prep and Cook Time: 30 Minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon, cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
• 2 tsp light miso
• 1 TBS prepared Dijon mustard
• 2 TBS mirin (Japanese rice cooking wine found in Asian section of market)
• 4 dried medium size pieces of wakame seaweed, rinsed and soaked in 1/2 cup hot water for about 10 minutes (save water)
• 1 medium onion, cut in half and sliced
• 3 cups sliced fresh shiitake mushrooms
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 TBS minced fresh ginger
• 2 tsp soy sauce
• salt and white pepper to taste
• garnish with minced green onion

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler with rack in the middle of the oven. Place a stainless steel or cast iron skillet big enough to hold salmon under heat to get very hot (about 10 minutes).
2. Rinse and soak seaweed, saving the water.
3. Slice onion and chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance their health-promoting properties.
4. Prepare glaze by mixing miso, Dijon mustard, and mirin along with a pinch of white pepper. Generously coat salmon with mixture and let set while preparing rest of ingredients.
5. Heat 1 TBS seaweed water in a stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion, garlic, ginger, and mushrooms in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add chopped seaweed, 1/2 cup seaweed water and soy sauce and cook for another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Remove pan that was heating from broiler and place salmon in it. Return to broiler and cook without turning for about 3-5 minutes depending on thickness of salmon. Top with sautéed onion/mushroom mixture and minced scallion.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Miso Salmon
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Miso Salmon
Healthy Food Tip

Can you tell me about the phenols in extra virgin olive oil?

Why is it so important to use 100% extra virgin olive oil? The reason lies in this oil's unique phenol content. Extra virgin olive oil-oil made from the first pressing of the olives-contains the phenols protocatechuic acid, oleuropein, tyrosol, hydrotyrosol, dihydroxyphenylethanol, and other unique phenyl-ethyl alcohols as well as lignans and secoiridoids. (Lignans may already be familiar to you from your reading about flaxseeds. However, it is also important to know that certain lignans-including pinoresinol and acetoxypinoresinol-are key phenol components found in extra virgin olive oil.) These phenols are most concentrated in the first pressing of olives, which make extra virgin olive oil. Subsequent pressings-even those that produce virgin olive oil-do not contain the same concentrations of these unique phenols.
The high phenol concentration in extra virgin olive oil results in three key health benefits. First is the ability of this rich phenol mixture to help protect olive oil's vitamin E. Especially during the process of heating-and even at low heating temperatures-these phenols help to stabilize the vitamin E present in extra virgin olive oil. Second is the ability of this phenol mixture to engage in free radical scavenging. Especially when it comes to the neutralization of free radicals like hydroxyl radical and superoxide anion radical, the rich phenol mixture in extra virgin olive oil is especially important. In fact, research studies have confirmed the ability of extra virgin olive oil's phenols to help protect against free radical damage to LDL cholesterol as well as cellular DNA.
Reduction of inflammatory activity is a third area of potential benefit when it comes to the rich phenol mixture in extra virgin olive oil. Studies in this area have compared extra virgin oil to olive oil from later pressings, and the results show that extra virgin olive oil is able to lower certain markers of inflammation (called TXB2 and LTB2) during a window of time 2-6 hours after consumption of the extra virgin oil where olive oil from later pressings is unable to do so.

Insight for the Day 7/11/12

"Just trust that everything is unfolding the way it is supposed to. Don't resist. Surrender to what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will be. Great things are waiting for you around the corner."

Sonia Ricotti
#1 Bestselling Author of Unsinkable: How to Bounce Back Quickly When Life Knocks You Down

Today's Recipe - Fennel Green Beans

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...

Try this creative combination of fennel and green beans for a tasty addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. And it only takes minutes to prepare!
Fennel Green Beans
Prep and Cook Time: 12 minutes
Ingredients:

• 3 cups thin green beans
• 1/2 cup sliced fennel bulb
• 1/2 medium onion, sliced
• 1 fresh tomato, seeds and excess pulp removed, chopped
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion and let sit for 5-10 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
2. Bring water to a boil in a steamer with a tight fitting lid.
3. Cut ends off beans and cut into 1-2 inch pieces. Slice fennel and onion.
4. Steam beans and onion together for about 3 minutes, and add fennel. Steam for another 2 minutes. Drain well and pat with paper towel so any excess water does not dilute taste.
5. Toss with rest of ingredients.

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In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Fennel Green Beans
Healthy Food Tip

The Latest News About Green Beans

It's impossible to describe the potential health benefits of green beans and not mention bone health. Although we have yet to see research documentation in this area, we expect to see studies that document green bean support of bone health for five basic reasons: namely, its concentration of silicon, vitamin K, calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. The strong carotenoid and flavonoid content of green beans also appears to give this vegetable some potentially unique anti-inflammatory benefits.

What's New and Beneficial About Green Beans

• Because of their rich green color, we don't always think about green beans as providing us with important amounts of colorful pigments like carotenoids. But they do! Recent studies have confirmed the presence of lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin in green beans. In some cases, the presence of these carotenoids in green beans is comparable to their presence in other carotenoid-rich vegetables like carrots and tomatoes. The only reason we don't see these carotenoids is because of the concentrated chlorophyll content of green beans and the amazing shades of green that it provides.
• You can enjoy green beans while supporting food sustainability! Recent surveys have shown that 60% of all commercially grown green beans are produced in the United States, with large amounts of green bean acreage found in the states of Illinois, Michigan, New York, Oregon, and Wisconsin. Although countries like France, Mexico, Iraq, and Argentina are large-scale producers of green beans, there is plenty of this delicious vegetable available in our own backyard.
• If you are unable to obtain fresh green beans, you can still get many valuable nutrients from green beans that have been frozen or canned. We like fresh greens the best! But we realize that access to them can sometimes be a problem. When first frozen and then cooked, retention of some B vitamins in green beans (like vitamins B6 and B2) can be as high as 90%. Recent studies have shown that canned green beans—on average—lose about one third of their phenolic compounds during the canning process. They lose B vitamins as well—but in the case of some B vitamins like folic acid, as little as 10%.
• Green beans (referred to as "string beans" by the study authors) have recently been shown to have impressive antioxidant capacity. Research comparing the overall antioxidant capacity of green beans to other foods in the pea and bean families (for example, snow peas or winged beans) has found green beans to come out on top, even though green beans are not always highest in their concentration of specific antioxidant nutrients like phenolic acids or vitamin C. It's not surprising to find recent studies highlighting the antioxidant capacity of green beans! Researchers now know that the list of antioxidant flavonoids found in green beans is not limited to quercetin and kaemferol but also includes flavonoids like catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidins. Researchers also know that the antioxidant carotenoids in this vegetable are diverse, and include lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin, as noted above.
• Green beans may be a particularly helpful food for providing us with the mineral silicon. This mineral—while less well known that minerals like calcium and magnesium—is very important for bone health and for healthy formation of connective tissue. Green beans have recently been shown to stack up quite well against other commonly-eaten foods as a good source of absorbable silicon.

WHFoods Recommendations

To retain the maximum number of health-promoting phytonutrients and vitamins and minerals found in green beans, we recommend Healthy Steaming them for just 5 minutes. This also brings out their peak flavor and provides the moisture necessary to make them tender, and retain their beautifully bright green color. It is best to cook green beans whole to ensure even cooking. For more on the Healthiest Way of Cooking Green Beans, see the How to Enjoy section of the green beans write-up on the website.

Health Benefits

Green provide numerous health benefits including:

• Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties
• Cardiovascular health support
• Bone health promotion

For more details on green beans' health benefits, see this section of our green beans write-up.

Nutritional Profile

Green beans are an important source of both carotenoids and flavonoids. Green bean carotenoids include lutein, beta-carotene, violaxanthin, and neoxanthin. Green bean flavonoids include quercetin, kaemferol, catechins, epicatechins, and procyanidins Green beans are an excellent source of free radical-scavenging vitamin C and manganese, and bone-building vitamin K. They are also a very good source of immune-supportive, vitamin A; heart-healthy dietary fiber, potassium, and folate; and energy-producing iron. In addition, green beans are a good source of bone-building magnesium, calcium, phosphorus, and copper; energy-producing thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin; muscle-enhancing protein; and anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids. Green beans have also been shown to contain valuable amounts of the mineral silicon, and in a form that makes
For more on this nutrient-rich vegetable, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up green beans.