A Great Big World & Christina Aguilera - Say Something

Belka(Alaskan Malamute/Siberian Husky),our 20 day old pup howling (I WANT THIS LITTLE PUP!!)

6 More Days Till Christmas!!!

This year I am grateful I have family around me during the Christmas Holiday and New Year's!  It is the best present for me!  My grand daughter is spending Christmas with me and New Year's as well in about 3-4 years!  Hopefully next Christmas will be Isaiah my 11 year old grand son who will be 12 years old by then!

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!!!!

Insight for the Day 12/18/13 - Quote by Wayne Dryer

"What we think determines what happens to us - so if we want to change our lives, we need to stretch our minds."

Wayne Dyer
Author and Speaker

Insight for the Day 12/17/13 - Quote by Bob Proctor

"It's impossible for me to lose because I won't quit!"

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

15-Minute Broiled Chicken Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This quick and easy chicken salad is a perfect lunch or light dinner, making it easy for you to enjoy a great tasting way to receive the health benefits of chicken and salad greens. Our Quick Broil method of cooking helps seal in the chicken's juices making it more tender and flavorful. Feel free to add your favorite vegetables to for extra nutrition.
15-Minute Broiled Chicken Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 boneless chicken breasts
• 1/2 lb mixed salad greens
• 1/4 cup sliced fresh basil leaves*
• 2 TBS fresh oregano leaves*
• 2 oz gorgonzola cheese
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• Dressing
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• *Since the herbs are being used in a salad, there is no conversion for dry herbs. If you don't have these fresh herbs on hand, you can just enjoy the salad without them.

Directions:

1. Preheat the broiler on high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan about 7 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot.
2. While pan is getting hot, rinse and spin dry salad greens along with basil and oregano leaves. For oregano, simply run your fingers down the stem to remove leaves and place whole in salad.
3. When pan is hot, season chicken breasts with a little salt and pepper and place on hot pan skin side up. Return to broiler and cook for about 15 minutes, or until done, depending on the thickness of the breasts. The breasts cook fast because they are cooking on both sides at the same time. This is our Quick Broil cooking method. When chicken is just about done, remove skin and top breasts with a little gorgonzola cheese and return to broiler to melt. (If you're not sure if chicken is done, make a little slice with a small sharp knife to check. It should be only slightly pink.)
4. Toss greens with lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Distribute greens onto 4 plates. Place chicken breasts on top of greens. Serve.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of 15-Minute Broiled Chicken Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for 15-Minute Broiled Chicken Salad
Healthy Food Tip

If you eat lower on the food chain, might you be able to handle oxalate-rich foods more safely?

The answer here is both no and yes. No, plant-based eating is not likely to lower your oxalate consumption, since there are many more high-oxalate foods in the world of plants than in the world of animals. As a general rule, if a person swapped an animal food for a plant food, the odds of getting more oxalates would be increased. On the other hand, yes, plant-based eating might help decrease the risk involved with oxalate consumption-even though it raised the absolute amount of oxalates being consumed-because plant-based eating typically increases the variety of nutrients being consumed. Plant-based eating is also protective against many basic chronic diseases. So with respect to your question, we do not believe it would automatically be helpful to become a vegetarian if you were trying to protect yourself against potential risks from oxalates. A better approach would be to get very specific about each food that you were evaluating, rather than pick foods on a plant-versus -animal basis. The list of high-oxalate foods found at the following website-http://www.litholink.com/gateway.aspx?page=OxalateDiet-is one we like for determining the oxalate content of various foods.

Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy this low-fat meal with cod as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating this week. It contains less that 200 calories!
Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes
Prep and Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb cod fillets
• 2 medium onions, sliced medium thick
• 3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 cups fresh or 1 15 oz can (BPA-free) diced tomatoes
• 2 TBS fresh lemon juice
• *1/4 cup chopped black olives
• *1 TBS capers
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 tsp chopped fresh thyme
• 1 lb cod fillets, cut into 2-inch pieces
• salt and cracked black pepper to taste
• red chili flakes to taste
• * optional

Directions:

1. Slice onions and chop garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to bring out their hidden health benefits.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel pan or skillet. Healthy Sauté onion over medium heat for about 5 minutes in broth, until translucent. Add garlic and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add rest of broth, diced tomatoes, and lemon juice. Bring to a simmer on high heat. Once it starts to simmer reduce heat to medium and simmer for about 5 minutes.
4. Add herbs, olives, capers, and cod fillets; cover and simmer for about 5 minutes, depending on how thick the fish is. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve cod mixed with tomato herb sauce.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestions: Serve with

• Great Antipasto Salad
• Brown Rice

Printer Friendly Version of Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Mediterranean Cod with Tomatoes
Healthy Food Tip

If I boil vegetables in soup, keep the soup covered while cooking, and consume all of the liquid, am I losing any nutrients?

Yes, you will still be losing some nutrients when cooking fresh vegetables in a soup in a covered pot. There is no way to avoid nutrient loss with the exposure of raw vegetables to boiling or simmering water. However, by taking the step of covering the pot you are doing what you can to preserve the most nutrients. If you are adding leafy greens to your soup, you may want to add them at the end so that they don't cook for longer than they need to. Even though there is some nutrient loss with making soup, if you take these extra measures, your soup can be a nutrient-rich addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating.

5 Spice Salmon - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
The balanced flavor in this Asian flavored dish with Chinese 5 spice (a combination of star anise), cloves, cinnamon, huajiao (Sichuan pepper) and ground fennel seeds) is wonderful. This is a surprising dish that is both light, yet very flavorful. It is full of nutrition, and very easy to prepare.
5 Spice Salmon
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 lb salmon filet cut into 4 pieces
• 6 dried medium shiitake mushrooms soaked in 3/4 cup hot water for about 15 minutes (save water)
• 1 medium sized onion, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 TBS fresh ginger, chopped, or 1/3 tsp dried
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1 tsp 5 spice powder (can be found in Asian section in supermarket)
• 3/4 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 TBS molasses
• 2 tsp arrowroot
• 4 cups shredded Chinese, or Napa cabbage
• 6 scallion, chopped
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Soak shiitake mushrooms in 3/4 cup hot water. Slice when soft cutting out stem. Preheat broiler on high.
2. Healthy Sauté onion in medium saucepan over medium low heat for about 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add ginger and garlic and continue to sauté for another minute. Add vegetable stock, 5 spice powder, orange juice, and molasses. Simmer for 15 minutes. Strain and discard all but liquid. Place liquid back into pan, and thicken with arrowroot dissolved in a little water while simmering.
3. While sauce is cooking, simmer in another medium sized sauté pan cabbage, mushrooms, scallion, salt and pepper in mushroom water for 5 minutes.
4. Rub salmon with 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.)
5. When pan is hot, use a hot pad to pull out the pan from the heat and place salmon on it, skin side down. Return to broiler. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (usually about 7 minutes for every inch of thickness.

Serves 4 For optimum flavor and nutrition serve with:

• Cucumber, Seaweed Salad

Printer Friendly Version of 5 Spice Salmon
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for 5 Spice Salmon
Healthy Food Tip

Is it safe to eat raw eggs?

While I realize that some websites disagree with me on this issue, I believe that it is not safe to eat raw eggs. The main issue regarding eating raw eggs is contamination with the Salmonella bacterium with the secondary issue involving the availability of the B-vitamin, biotin.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Salmonella contamination may be a problem with about 1 in every 30,000 eggs. Now, just because an egg contains Salmonella bacteria does not mean that you will get a Salmonella infection and eggs are not the only way that Salmonella infections can spread-so you might get a Salmonella infection even if you never eat a raw egg.
However, from my perspective, even a very small risk is not worth taking in this situation -and there is no way to avoid taking a very small risk when you eat a raw egg. Since bacteria enter the ovaries of healthy looking hens even before the shells are formed, you cannot tell from looking at eggs whether they are contaminated. This is why I feel it's important to properly handle and cook eggs to eliminate the risk of Salmonella infection.
Here are some steps you can take to help do so:
• Be sure to purchase eggs from a refrigerated case and place them in your refrigerator as soon as you get home. It is best to use eggs within three to four weeks of purchase.
• Cooking eggs destroys the Salmonella; however, they must be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F (71°C). Sunny-side up and over-easy eggs often do not reach this temperature.
• Refrigerate hard-boiled eggs two hours after cooking.
• Refrigerate all foods that contain eggs.
• For recipes that contain raw eggs such as Caesar salads, mousse, or homemade ice cream, it is best to use pasteurized eggs that have been heated to a high enough temperature to ensure that the Salmonella has been destroyed.
A second issue involved with raw eggs is the availability of biotin. Biotin is an important B-complex vitamin that's found in both the whites and the yolks of raw eggs. Not all of this biotin is available to our body when a raw egg is eaten, however, because there is a protein found in raw egg whites- called avidin-that binds together with biotin and prevents it from being absorbed from our digestive tracts.
The best way to prevent this lowering of biotin availability is to cook the egg whites. The cooking of an egg will destroy the binding power of avidin so that the biotin in the egg will become more available. While you could separate the yolk from the white and cook the white only to achieve this same result, the risk of Salmonella infection from the raw egg yolk would remain. So from my perspective, this second issue involving biotin is just one more reason to stick with cooked versus raw eggs.
As with all foods, I recommend purchasing organically grown eggs whenever possible-not for the sake of avoiding Salmonella, but for the sake of avoiding unwanted toxic residues that make their way into the egg after the chicken has consumed food or water containing these unwanted substances.

James Arthur Ray: It's About "The Fall"... an article I wanted to share with you!

Dear , It's in our imperfection that we find our humanity; and in our perfect imperfection that we find our divinity. Make no mistake. This is not an excuse to say, "That's just the way I am" and discontinue working to improve...     Please be encouraged to forward this letter and the blog to anyone that you feel may benefit. www.jamesray.com

Insight of the Day 12/16/13 - Quote by Bob Proctor

"Thoughts become things. If you see it in your mind, you will hold it in your hand."

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

Lea Michele - Cannonball Lyrics

4 More days till..............

My granddaughter comes to visit me for Christmas and New Year's!!!!

12 Days till Christmas!

Christmas Snowball Cookies

Snowball Cookies

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter
1 cup pecans (optional)chopped
1 cup powdered sugar

Combine all ingredients except powdered sugar. Roll into balls and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. Roll in powdered sugar while still warm. Cool then roll in powdered sugar again.

James Arthur Ray: It's All Part of the Plan...

Dear , So, as I mentioned on Piers Morgan, I lost everything tangible, and ended up millions of dollars in debt. I never thought I would be in this position. In the blink of an eye I lost my life savings, my business that took 20 years to build, my home, and my reputation. All gone in one fail swoop....   Please be encouraged to forward this letter and the blog to anyone that you feel may benefit. www.jamesray.com

Insight for the Day 12/12/13 - Quote by Elisabeth Kubler-Ross

"We make progress in society only if we stop cursing and complaining about its shortcomings and have the courage to do something about them."

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
1926-2004, Psychiatrist and Author

Solitude is vital - an article by Dr Robert Anthony

"Like water, which can clearly mirror the sky and the trees only so
long as its surface is undisturbed, the mind can only reflect the
true image of the Self when it is tranquil and wholly relaxed."
- Indra Devi

Solitude is a vital experience we require in order to grow and
expand our consciousness.  Being by yourself in quiet with no other
distractions is one of the best ways to connect deeply with
yourself, nature and your inner voice.  Some Personality Types tend
to have a resistance to that kind of experience because of their
Focus of Attention.

However, solitude is a recommended practice for everyone and the
more you don't want to do it, the more you will grow from the
experience.

Solitude is not about being closed down or putting up walls against
intrusion. The kind of solitude that will help you grow and deepen
is when you purposely choose to be by yourself in the silence. It
is not about escaping, it is about stepping into something inviting.

If this subject is making you uncomfortable, start practicing with
thirty minutes at a time and slowly build up to several hours. Once
you have increased to that level, it is recommended that you spend
an overnight by yourself. There are many retreat centers that offer
that kind of experience in groups, if that feels safer to you, or
you can go away by yourself.

However you orchestrate your solitude, don't take anything but a
journal to write in. No books to read, music to play or movies to
watch.  Walking in nature is recommended.  It is best to talk or
text others as little as possible.  In this fast-paced world our
nervous systems can easily be overloaded and even though your
Personality Type might crave stimulus, your body and nervous system
crave quiet and solitude.  Try it and see what pearls of wisdom and
benefits you gain.

"I was always looking outside myself for strength and confidence,
but it comes from within. It is there all the time."
- Anna Freud

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 12/11/13 - Quote by Wallace D. Wattles

"The grateful mind is constantly fixed upon the best. Therefore it tends to become the best. It takes the form of character of the best, and will receive the best."

Wallace D. Wattles
1860-1911, Author of The Science of Getting Rich

James Arthur Ray Talks Real Life

Dear ,

It's amazing to me (but then again not), the variety of responses to my last blog,"Things have to get messy."
 

Some were compassionate, some were violently opposed, and some attacked... visit my latest blog to read more

 

To your life adventure

James

 

Please be encouraged to forward this letter and the blog to anyone that you feel may benefit.

Insight for the Day 12/10/13 - Quote by Celestine Chua

"The more you take responsibility for your past and present, the more you are able to create the future you seek."

Celestine Chua
Author and Blogger

Random Acts of Kindness - article by Dr Robert Anthony

"The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention."
- Unknown

A number of years ago it became popular to talk about and practice
"random acts of kindness". That is still an excellent focus of
attention.  It is especially true if you are someone who is caught
up in your own world so much that you seldom see the opportunities
that exist around you for lending just a little touch of kindness.
Your actions can be so simple; give the cashier eye-contact and
genuinely say thank you, hold the door open for the elderly person
with a cane, carry something for someone whose hands are full or
thank the people you live with for doing their share of the
mechanics of living.

Think back to a random act of kindness someone did for you and how
good it felt.  If you are someone who prides yourself on being
self-sufficient, the next time someone offers you a random act of
kindness, receive it.  You will be giving both of you a gift.

Notice all the times you have opportunities to bestow a kind act on
someone and listen to the reasons you don't do it.  Some of the
most common excuses are being too busy, not wanting to interfere or
be intrusive, or not knowing what to say or do.  There are no right
or wrong ways to be kind. Dare to push your limits a bit and take
the first step.

Today practice a random act of kindness and tell no one about it.

"Character building begins in our infancy and continues until death."
- Eleanor Roosevelt

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
Bypass Your Inner Gatekeeper Here - Free Audio

Insight of the Day December 9, 2013 - Quote by Nelson Mandela

"I am fundamentally an optimist. Whether that comes from nature or nurture, I cannot say. Part of being optimistic is keeping one's head pointed toward the sun, one's feet moving forward."

Nelson Mandela
1918-2013, Former President of South Africa, Anti-Apartheid Revolutionary, and Philanthropist

Insight of the Day 12/5/13 Quote by Og Mandino

"Extend to each person, no matter how trivial the contact, all the care and kindness and understanding and love that you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again."

Og Mandino
1923-1996, Author

All Christmas Songs from Glee

3 Hour Medley of Christmas Songs

Insight for the Day 12/4/13 Quote by Bob Proctor

"Let's start with what we can be thankful for, and get our mind into that vibration, and then watch the good that starts to come. Because one good thought leads to another good thought.

Bob Proctor
Author and Speaker

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/James-Arthur-Ray--Life-is-Messy.html?soid=1114408020956&aid=DNWHLaoCecY

http://myemail.constantcontact.com/James-Arthur-Ray--Life-is-Messy.html?soid=1114408020956&aid=DNWHLaoCecY

Insight of the Day 12/3/13 Quote by Mary Lou Retton

"Optimism is a happiness magnet. If you stay positive, good things and good people will be drawn to you."

Mary Lou Retton
Gymnast and Olympic Gold Medalist

Insight of the Day 12/2/13 - Quote by Neville Goddard

"When you attain the control of the internal direction of your attention, you will no longer stand in shallow water but will launch out into the deep of life."

Neville Goddard
1905-1972, Writer and Lecturer

Garlic Shrimp Salad - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Enjoy this delicious shrimp salad as part of your Healthiest Way of Eating. It makes a great light meal on its own, or you can serve it as a side salad to a larger meal.
Garlic Shrimp Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 lb medium-sized cooked shrimp, best bought still frozen
• 1 bunch asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces, discarding bottom fourth
• 3 TBS vegetable broth
• 1 fresh tomato, diced into 1/2-inch pieces
• 3 TBS chopped fresh parsley (or 3 tsp dried parsley if fresh not available)
• small head of romaine lettuce, chopped
• *optional 2 oz crumbled goat cheese
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste
• 
  
• Dressing
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 TBS Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp honey
• salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out its hidden health benefits.
2. Make sure shrimp is completely thawed and patted dry with a paper towel, or it will dilute the flavor of the salad.
3. Add broth to medium skillet and after it has heated up, Healthy Sauté asparagus for 5 minutes.
4. Whisk together lemon, oil, mustard, honey, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss shrimp, asparagus, parsley, and tomato with dressing and herbs. Allow shrimp salad to marinate for at least 15 minutes.
5. Discard outer leaves of lettuce head, rinse, dry, and chop. Serve shrimp mixture on bed of lettuce and top with crumbled goat cheese, if desired.

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

What should I eat at lunch in order to stay alert through the day?

To begin with, I would remind you that no food of any kind can keep you alert in a healthy way if you are exhausted, sleep-deprived, or preoccupied with other thoughts, or just highly disinterested in the activities in which you are involved. What you eat can definitely help you stay alert, but food cannot compensate for these other lifestyle factors if they are serious impediments to your concentration in and of themselves.
Your nutritional strategy for maintaining your mental edge during and after lunch is to eat foods that will give you a gradual, steady release of food energy throughout the afternoon while placing only a light burden on your digestive system. Foods that can interfere with your alertness and concentration are common lunch fare: high-fat hamburgers with high-fat fries; non-whole-grain, low-fiber pasta dishes with oily or creamy sauces; non-whole-grain, low-fiber pizzas topped with high-fat cheeses and fatty meats; and deep-fried fish and chips. Lunches are often downed with high-sugar soft drinks and followed by a heavy, high-fat, and high-sugar dessert, both of which will exert their toll on alertness, concentration, and a feeling of well-being.
The excess fat and excess sugar in these lunch choices will take far too great a toll on your digestive system and focus too much of your body's metabolic attention on digestion. That focus can easily rob you of your alertness. It might also place a burden on your blood sugar regulation and harm your alertness by focusing too much metabolic attention in that direction as well. Here are some suggestions of how to avoid that "ready-for-a siesta" effect as well as indigestion:

• Emphasize healthy protein choices, like cold-water fish, beans and legumes, or a non-cream-based main dish soup or stew.
• Choose lower-glycemic-index carbohydrates, like a green salad, root vegetables in their skins, mushrooms, green leafy vegetables, broccoli, asparagus, or artichoke.
• Eat small-to-moderate portions of food. Be especially careful with amounts of higher fat foods, even if those foods contain valuable fats. Foods in this category would include cold-water fish, flaxseed oil, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado.
• Avoid highly processed foods of all kinds, including most pre-packaged foods, vending machine foods, and fast foods.
• Skip dessert or have a piece of fresh fruit for dessert.
• Have mineral water or herbal tea with a fresh twist of lemon.

It is worth remembering that high-fiber and high-protein foods are digested at a nice even pace in comparison to most processed and fast foods that have either a very high sugar content, which digest too rapidly or a very high fat content, which digest too slowly.
Part of alertness requires our metabolism to avoid some of these digestive extremes, and we can help alertness along by consuming whole, natural foods that can provide us with high-protein and high-fiber meals while still keeping our intake to a moderate level.

Baked Halibut with Herbs - Healthy Food Tip and Recipe

healthy food tip and recipe

Today's Recipe If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Add this wonderful halibut dish to your Healthiest Way of Eating in just 15 minutes! This recipe is a great way to add more of those health-promoting omega-3 fatty acids to your meals. 4 ounces of halibut provides 26% of your daily value for those hard-to-find nutrients as well as 76% of your daily value for selenium
Baked Halibut with Herbs
Prep and Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 lbs halibut steak or fillet, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/4 cup chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 TBS lemon juice
• 3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 TBS capers
• 2 TBS chopped fresh parsley
• 1 TBS chopped fresh tarragon
• 1 TBS chopped fresh chives
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. Press garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to enhance its health-promoting benefits.
3. Place the fish in a baking dish just large enough to hold it, and add remaining ingredients. Cover, and bake until done, about 15 minutes. Be careful not to overcook it. Serve at once, pouring the pan juices over the fish.

Serves 4 Serving Suggestions: Serve with

• Pureed Sweet Peas

Printer Friendly Version of Baked Halibut with Herbs
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Baked Halibut with Herbs
Healthy Food Tip

The Latest News About Summer Squash

Summer squashes belong to the Cucurbitaceae family of plants and are relatives of winter squashes (including pumpkins), melons (including watermelon), and even cucumbers. But summer squashes are typically much more delicate than their fellow Cucurbitaceae, and are more often eaten fresh and shortly after harvest. In the United States, you'll generally find three types of summer squash: zucchini; crookneck and straightneck squashes; and scallop squashes, which are also called pattypan squashes.

What's New and Beneficial About Summer Squash

• Although summer squash has long been recognized as an important food source of carotenoids, only recently have research studies documented just how fantastic summer squash can be when it comes to these key antioxidants. For some groups of study participants, winter squash turns out to be the primary food source of alpha-carotene and beta-carotene in the entire diet! For lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta-cryptoxanthin (three other health-supportive carotenoids) winter squash also comes out among the top three food sources in several studies.
• When we think about food and antioxidants, what first comes to mind might be fresh fruit and vitamin C, or bright orange carrots and beta-carotene. Yet several recent studies have underscored the unique contribution made by summer squash to our antioxidant requirements. While not as rich in some of the more widely-publicized antioxidants like beta-carotene, summer squash is a very strong source of other key antioxidant nutrients, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. Since the skin of this food is particularly antioxidant-rich, it's worth leaving the skin intact and purchasing organic summer squash to help avoid potential unwanted contaminants.
• If you usually microwave or boil your summer squash, you'll be interested to know this: steaming is much better than either of these two methods in terms of nutrient retention. New evidence shows that summer squash can retain a large amount of its antioxidant activity after steaming. Using zucchini as their summer squash, researchers found that steaming was a better way to preserve zucchini's antioxidant activity than boiling or microwaving. Interestingly, even previously frozen zucchini held on to its antioxidant activity fairly well after steaming. These findings are great news for anyone enjoys steamed vegetables and who sometimes needs to freeze surplus vegetables for later use.
• We tend to think about squashes - both summer and winter - as starchy vegetables. This thinking is correct, since about 85-90% of the total calories in squashes (as a group) come from carbohydrate, and about half of this carbohydrate is starch-like in composition and composed of polysaccharides. But we also tend to think about polysaccharides as stagnant storage forms for starch that cannot do much for us in terms of unique health benefits. Here our thinking is way off target! Recent research has shown that the polysaccharides in summer squash include an unusual amount of pectin - a specially structured polysaccharide that often include special chains of D-galacturonic acid called homogalacturonan. It's this unique polysaccharide composition in summer squash that is being linked in repeated animal studies to protection against diabetes and better regulation of insulin. We expect to see future studies on humans confirming these same types of benefits from consumption of s ummer squash.

WHFoods Recommendations

Of all of the cooking methods we tried when cooking summer squash, our favorite is Healthy Sauté. We think that it provides the greatest flavor and is also a method that allows for concentrated nutrient retention. To Healthy Sauté summer squash, heat 3 TBS of broth (vegetable or chicken) or water in a stainless steel skillet. Once bubbles begin to form add sliced squash, cover, and Healthy Sauté for 3 minutes (1-1/2 minutes on one side, and then 1-1/2 minutes on the other side) on medium heat. Transfer to a bowl and toss with our Mediterranean Dressing. (See our 3-Minute Healthy Sautéed Summer Squash recipe for details on how to prepare this dish.)

Health Benefits

Summer squash provide numerous health benefits including:

• Antiloxidant benefits
• Blood sugar benefits
• Anti-inflammatory benefits
• Anti-microbial protection
• Prostate health support

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

Nutritional Profile

While not often considered as a premiere food source of antioxidants, summer squash can provide you with unique amounts of antioxidant nutrients, including the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin. While summer squash contains very little overall fat (only 1/2 gram per cup), the fat in summer squash (mostly stored in its edible seeds) is unique in composition and includes omega-3s (in the form of alpha-linolenic acid), monounsaturates (in the form of oleic acid), and also medium chain fats (in the form of lauric and myristic acids). Summer squash is an excellent source of antioxidant-promoting manganese and vitamin C. It is also a very good source of heart-healthy magnesium, dietary fiber, potassium, and folate; bone-supportive copper; energy-producing phosphorus, and immune-supportive vitamin A. In addition, summer squash is a good source of anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids; energy-enhancing vitamin B1, vitamin B2, and niacin; heart-healthy vitamin B6; bone-supportive c alcium; immune-enhancing zinc; and muscle-building protein.
For more on this nutrient-rich food, including references related to this Latest News, see our write-up on summer squash.

Insight for the Day 11/28/13 - Quote by Sarah Ban Breathnack

"You simply will not be the same person two months from now after consciously giving thanks each day for the abundance that exists in your life. And you will have set in motion an ancient spiritual law: the more you have and are grateful for, the more will be given you."

Sarah Ban Breathnack
Author

Insight for the Day 11/27/13 - Quote by Eileen Caddy

"Set your sights high, the higher the better. Expect the most wonderful things to happen, not in the future but right now. Realize that nothing is too good. Allow absolutely nothing to hamper you or hold you up in any way."

Eileen Caddy
1917-2006, Author

Silent Night (with lyrics)