Today's Recipe - Salad Nicoise

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This is our easy-to-prepare, health-promoting version of this popular salad. It is a great salad to make with whatever ingredients you have on hand.
Salad Nicoise
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 cups salad greens
• 3 oz cooked shrimp
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 1/4 cup kalamata olives, sliced
• 2 TBS chopped onions
• 1/2 cup cucumbers, diced
• 1 TBS of your favorite vinaigrette
• optional: chopped anchovies

Directions:

1. Combine all ingredients and top with dressing.

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

Can you please give me a list of foods that are high in soluble fiber?

As a group, beans and legumes are some of the most concentrated soluble fiber food sources. This would include dried peas, lentils, pinto beans, black beans, kidney beans, and others. Other notable sources of soluble fiber (that provide at least 1.5 grams per serving) include vegetables such as artichoke, carrots, Brussels sprouts, and jicama. Fresh fruits equally high in soluble fiber include blackberries, cherries, grapefruit, mango, orange, and pear. Among the grain foods, oats are also worthy of special mention here since they contain about 2 grams of soluble fiber per every half cup.
For more information on this topic, please see:

• Dietary fiber

Today's Recipe - Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
This is a complete meal that is highly nutritious and delicious. It is a great meal to prepare when you have company and want to make something special.
Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
Prep and Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:

• 3 boneless chicken breasts (6 oz each)
• 2 cups of 1 15 oz can (BPA free) lentils, drained
• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 medium -sized onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1-1/2 cups crimini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 TBS vegetable or chicken broth
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried sage
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1 TBS + 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• 1-1/2 TBS chopped fresh rosemary (or 2 tsp dried)
• 2 cloves pressed garlic
• 2 TBS + 1 TBS olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste

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 6 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot.
2. While the pan is heating, rinse and pat the chicken dry and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
3. Leaving the skin on, place the breast skin side up on the hot pan and return it to the oven. It is not necessary to turn the breast because it is cooking on both sides at once. Depending on the size, it should be cooked in about 7 minutes. Remove the skin before serving; it is left on to keep it moist while broiling. The breast is done when it is moist, yet its liquid runs clear when pierced. The inside temperature needs to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74° Celcius).
4. While chicken is broiling, bring pot of water large enough to cook the chard to a boil.
5. Chop chard.
6. Chop onion, garlic, mushrooms, thyme, and sage and then Healthy Sauté them in medium sauté pan over medium-low heat for just about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add lentils, walnuts and 3 TBS broth and heat through.
7. Purée mixture in blender or food processor with salt and pepper to taste. You will have to scrape sides of blender with a rubber spatula a few times.
8. When water has come to a boil, add chard and boil for 3 minutes.
9. Drain chard and toss with 2 TBS olive oil and 1 TBS lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste.
10. Place 3 TBS lemon juice, pressed garlic, chopped rosemary, salt, and pepper in small sauté pan and heat on stove for a minute. Turn off heat and whisk in 1 TBS olive oil.
11. Remove skin from chicken, slice into thirds, and serve with puréed lentils and chard. Drizzle rosemary lemon broth over chicken and lentils. Serve.

Serves 4 Printer Friendly Version of Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Broiled Rosemary Chicken over Puréed Lentils and Swiss Chard
Healthy Food Tip
Can you help me better understand your nutrient rating system so that I can make the best food choices? For example, I have heard that almonds are rich in calcium, yet this fact is not highlighted in the almonds or calcium write-ups.

Almonds do have a lot of calcium. According to the nutritional profile featured in the book, one-quarter cup of almonds contains 92 milligrams of calcium. Yet, the rating system for nutrient richness that we created for the World's Healthiest Foods website (www.whfoods.org) as well as my book is based not only on the amount of a nutrient that it contains but also the calories that it contains; this allows readers to know whether it would "cost" them a little or a lot of calories to attain the nutrients that are offered by the food.
To qualify to be noted as an excellent source of a specific nutrient, the food needed to feature 7.6 times the amount of nutrients for the calories it contained, to be a very good source it needed to provide 3.4 times the nutrients per calorie, and to be a good source it needed to provide 1.5 times the nutrients per calorie. Therefore, for example, foods with 7.6 mg or more of calcium per calorie are considered excellent sources; those with 3.4-7.6 mg of calcium per calorie are considered very good sources; and those with 1.5-3.4 mg of calcium per calorie are considered good sources.
As one-quarter cup of almonds contains 92 mg of calcium for 206 calories, they only provide 0.45 mg per calorie. Therefore according to our system, they don't qualify as even a good source of calcium, which is why they are not included in the nutrient richness chart or the best sources of calcium chart.
Now, that's not to say that calcium is not a wonderful feature provided by almonds; it's just that compared to other calcium-rich sources such as spinach that provides 10.6 mg of calcium per calorie, mustard greens that provides 8.9 mg/calorie, and yogurt that provides 5.2 mg/calorie, almonds do not provide nearly as much calcium for your caloric investment.
I hope that this helps to explain why almonds aren't singled out as a concentrated source of calcium. Using this almond-calcium example can also help you better understand the presentation of nutrient richness in the book so that you can make food choices based upon this important criterion.

Insight for the Day 7/5/12

"My doctors told me I would never walk again. My mother told me I would. I believed my mother."

Wilma Rudolph
1940-1994, Olympic Gold Medalist

Insight for the Day 7/4/12

"Steady, patient, persevering thinking will generally surmount every obstacle in search of truth."

Nathanael Emmons
1745-1840, Theologian

Today's Recipe - 15-Minute Black Bean Salad

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for dinner tonight ...
Try this salad recipe that only gets better with time. It is a great one to keep on hand in your refrigerator for a ready-made healthy meal or snack. Beans are great for adding dietary fiber to your Healthiest Way of Eating.
15-Minute Black Bean Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 2 medium cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 cup black beans or 1 15 oz can (without BPA), drained and rinsed
• 1 cup frozen corn, thawed
• 8 cherry tomatoes, quartered
• 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
• 2 TBS pumpkin seeds, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 3 TBS fresh lemon juice
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Mince onions and press garlic and let sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out their health-promoting benefits.
2. Mix all ingredients together and serve. This salad will keep for a couple of days and gets more flavorful if you let it marinate in the refrigerator for awhile.

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

The Latest News About Corn

What food is more synonymous with summer than freshly picked corn on the cob? Corn grows in "ears," each of which is covered in rows of kernels that are then protected by the silk-like threads called "corn silk" and encased in a husk. Corn is known scientifically as Zea mays. This moniker reflects its traditional name, maize, by which it was known to the Native Americans as well as many other cultures throughout the world. Although we often associate corn with the color yellow, it actually comes in host of different varieties featuring an array of different colors, including red, pink, black, purple, and blue. Although corn is now available in markets year-round, it is the locally grown varieties that you can purchase during the summer months that not only tastes the best but are usually the least expensive.

What's New and Beneficial About Corn

• You can get health-supportive antioxidant benefits from all varieties of corn, including white, yellow, blue, purple and red corn. But recent research has shown the antioxidant benefits from different varieties of corn actually come from different combinations of phytonutrients. In the case of yellow corn, it's the antioxidant carotenoids leading the way, with especially high concentrations of lutein and zeaxanthin. In the case of blue corn, it's the anthocyanins. There's one particular hydroxybenzoic acid in purple corn - protocatechuic acid - that's also been recently linked to the strong antioxidant activity in this corn variety.
• In research on carotenoid antioxidants in food, there has been ongoing debate over the availability of all carotenoids in any particular food if one or two specific carotenoids are present in unusually high amounts. Because yellow corn is a high-carotenoid food that contains highly differing amounts of individual carotenoids, researchers have long wondered whether it is possible to get health benefits from all of the carotenoids in yellow corn when their concentrations are sometimes so different. In yellow cornmeal, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin fall into the high concentration category and reach a level of 1,355 micrograms per 100 grams. That level is nearly 14 times as high as the level of beta-carotene (97 micrograms per 100 grams). But thanks to recent research, we now know that absorption of beta-carotene from yellow cornmeal is only mildly compromised by the high levels of lutein and zeaxanthin in the cornmeal. In other words, in terms of carotenoid nourishm ent, we appear to get health benefits from all of corn's diverse carotenoids!
• We correctly think about corn as a good source of fiber. Corn is a food that gives us plenty of chewing satisfaction, and its high ratio of insoluble-to-soluble fiber is partly the reason. Past researchers have not been clear, however, about the ability of corn fiber to nourish our lower digestive tract. When you look at foods as a whole, they contain many different types of fiber, and when certain types of fiber reach the lower part of our large intestine (especially certain types of soluble fiber), they can be metabolized by intestinal bacteria into short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). This process not only helps support healthy populations of friendly bacteria in our large intestine, but also provides a direct supply of energy (in the form of SCFAs) to the cells that line our large intestine. With this benefit of this extra SCFA energy supply, our intestinal cells can stay healthier and func tion at a lower risk of becoming cancerous. Recent research has shown that corn can support the growth of friendly bacteria in our large intestine and can also be transformed by these bacteria into SCFAs. These SCFAs can supply energy to our intestinal cells and thereby help lower our risk of colon cancer. The amount of corn fiber analyzed in recent studies has been relatively high at 12 grams per day. That's the same amount provided by about 2.5 cups of fresh corn. While that amount might be more than you would consume at a single meal, it's an amount that you might easily consume over the course of several days. We suspect that future research will demonstrate the risk-reducing effects of smaller amounts of corn consumed over a longer period of time.

Insight for the Day 7/3/12

"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

Your universal mirror... article by Dr Robert Anthony

Your current level of results is nothing more than a residual
outcome of your past thoughts, feelings and actions.  This has
nothing to do with what you are capable of becoming or who you are
capable of becoming unless you continue to make the same choices.

I can spend fifteen minutes with you and tell you what you've been
up to for the last five years - what you have been thinking,
feeling and acting upon. I can look at your bank account, your
business, your body, your relationships, your joy or lack of joy
and see where you have been focusing your attention because your
results are nothing more than a feedback mechanism. 

Think about your results as a mirror. A mirror doesn't judge, it
doesn't say something is good or bad, right or wrong. It doesn't
edit or delete - a mirror just reflects back whatever is in front
of it.  

Your universal mirror is very helpful because when you get to see
that, if you have been getting what you desire, you know you're on
your game. When you have less than pleasing results, that is just
the universe reflecting back to you where you need to adjust your
thoughts, feelings and point of focus.  In short, it lets you know
you are out of the flow in those particular areas.  

There is no judgment involved.  It is just the universe saying
"Hello!"  "This is your tenth marriage, are you going to wake up?"
"Hello!"  "You're broke again, are you ready to find a better way to 
stay in the flow and the stream of abundance?"

Never be discouraged about your less than pleasing results.  Use
them as a wake-up call that you are out of alignment and then use
what you are learning to put yourself back into the flow and back
into alignment.  At that point things MUST turn around for you.

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 7/2/12

"Never believe that a few caring people can't change the world. For, indeed, that's all who ever have."

Margaret Mead
1901-1978, Anthropologist, Writer and Speaker

Today's Recipe - High Energy Breakfast Shake

Today's Recipe
If you don't know what to serve for breakfast or a snack today ...

A quick-and-easy, nutritious and delicious addition to your Healthiest Way of Eating. And a great way to start the day!
High Energy Breakfast Shake
Prep and Cook Time: 5 minutes
Ingredients:

• 1 medium banana
• 1/2 cup whole strawberries
• 1-1/2 cup low-fat milk
• 2-1/2 TBS almond butter
• 2 TBS ground flaxseeds
• 1-1/2 TBS blackstrap molasses

Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients until smooth.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of High Energy Breakfast Shake
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for High Energy Breakfast Shake
Healthy Food Tip

Can you please tell me how blackstrap molasses is made?

Molasses produced for human consumption in the United States is made from sugar cane. The two main tasks required to make molasses from sugar cane are to separate out the sugar cane juice from the pulp, and then to extract the sugar (mostly sucrose) from the juice. What's called molasses is the syrup that remains after the sugar has been extracted from the juice.
It's not that easy to extract all of the sucrose from sugar cane juice. After a first round of processing, which involves spinning the juice in a centrifuge and heating (boiling), you can get a lot of the sucrose out, but not all of it. The syrup that remains after this first round of processing is the light molasses you see in the grocery store. It's also called "first" molasses and has the mildest taste of any molasses. Another round of processing is needed to further extract more sucrose. (The removal of sucrose from the molasses syrup is not all that significant on the nutrition side of things, but it is important to the manufacturer on the economic side because the removed sucrose can be further processed and sold as table sugar). This second round of processing further concentrates the syrup and also darkens it, resulting in the dark molasses you find in most grocery stores. Dark molasses is also called second molasses.
A third round of processing is possible, and this is the round that results in the product known as blackstrap molasses. Blackstrap molasses is the thickest form of molasses, the darkest, and the densest in terms of minerals. Three rounds of heating are the reason for the very dark color of blackstrap molasses because even though many sugars have been removed from the syrup, the sugars that do remain get caramelized from three rounds of heating.
Sometimes you'll only find blackstrap molasses in natural foods stores. Because of the superior mineral content of blackstrap molasses, I prefer this version of the product. You'll find significant amounts of calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, potassium, and selenium in blackstrap molasses.

Today's Recipe - Healthy Veggie Salad

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

A large salad meal with veggies and beans can carry you through the entire afternoon. This recipe is just a sample of what you can create yourself with your favorite ingredients.
Healthy Veggie Salad
Prep and Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:

• 4 cups mixed salad greens
• 2 oz low-fat cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup cucumber slices
• 1/2 cup tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup avocado, diced
• 1 cup garbanzo beans
• 1/2 cup crimini mushrooms
• 3 TBS sunflower seeds
• 
  
• Dressing
• 1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients. Toss with olive oil and lemon juice. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Serves 1
Printer Friendly Version of Healthy Veggie Salad
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Healthy Veggie Salad
Healthy Food Tip

Can you give me some tips on how to purchase fresh nutrient-rich vegetables while still staying on my relatively restricted budget?

Here are some suggestions for how to reduce the costs associated with purchasing nutrient-rich vegetables:
Since the price of vegetables varies depending on the area in which you live, I would suggest that you see which vegetables are less expensive in your local market, and then look in the World's Healthiest Foods book or website to check the nutritional value of those vegetables. If the vegetable(s) in question are not featured in the book or website, you can also look them up on the USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference located at http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/, which is free and easy to use.
When vegetables are in season, they are usually less expensive and can also be counted on to taste better. This seasonal aspect of vegetables can be confusing, however, since most grocery stores are filled year-round with vegetables that are not truly seasonal.
That is why looking for local farmers' markets near your home is a great way to buy vegetables seasonally. Vegetables sold at these kinds of markets are very likely to have been grown within driving distance of your home. This usually guarantees that they are fresher, and because of the reduced transportation costs, they are usually less expensive. Many farmers' markets also have organic vegetables available. If you live in a more rural area and have access to transportation, you could also check to see if there are any local farms that have farm stands.
Finally, if you cannot find fresh vegetables that fit your budget, you should consider purchasing frozen vegetables. Frozen organic vegetables are getting easier and easier to find, and there are a surprising number of nutrients that stay fairly stable during the freezing process. While not as good as fresh vegetables, the frozen variety are far better from a nutritional standpoint than most people expect, and, particularly when organic, can make a very nourishing alternative.

Today's Recipe - Pureed Sweet Peas

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

This is a unique way to enjoy green peas that makes a great substitute for mashed potatoes and provides you with extra flavor and nutrition at the same time. And one serving contains 53% of the Daily Value (DV) for thiamin, 48% DV for vitamin C and 48% DV for vitamin E. Enjoy!
Pureed Sweet Peas
Prep and Cook Time: 15-20 minutes
Ingredients:

• 8 oz frozen peas
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 + 2 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 TBS sunflower seeds
• 1 TBS minced fresh herbs such as mint, basil, chervil, or parsley
• salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Chop onions and garlic and let sit for 5 minutes to help bring out their health-promoting properties.
2. Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for another minute.
3. Add 2 TBS broth, peas, and herbs and cook until tender, about 3 more minutes. Puree in blender with sunflower seeds. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Serves 2 Printer Friendly Version of Pureed Sweet Peas
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Pureed Sweet Peas
Healthy Food Tip

Can you give me some tips to help me meet my water consumption goals?

How many times have you been told to make sure you drink eight cups of water each day? Yet, how many days have you actually finished eight cups? Ensuring that you drink adequate amounts of water can be challenging.
But since high-quality water is definitely a cornerstone of nutrition, and about 60% of our total body weight, I wanted to share with you some easy-to-follow tips to help you reach your water intake goals and ensure that you are benefiting the most from your water consumption. When following these tips, however, always try to keep in mind how critical it is to start out with high-quality water!
In most cases, "high-quality" means filtered water, spring water, or natural mineral waters. Mineral waters can provide special benefits for the exact reason implied in their name-you'll find calcium, magnesium, and several other minerals to be supplied in significant amounts by these waters. What "high-quality" almost never means is plain, unfiltered tap water. Plain tap water may contain a variety of contaminants, including pesticide residues and heavy metals, although quality varies between municipalities. With this critical water quality step in mind, here are some easy-to-follow tips:

• Bring filtered or bottled water with you whenever you will have to sit for prolonged periods of time. These include times at work or movies, on car trips or commutes to and from work, bus rides, or just TV watching. Sip continuously during these times.
• Maximize water drinking at times of excessive water loss. For example, if you perspire after yard work or exercise, that's a perfect time to follow your thirst and increase your water intake.
• Be consistent, and keep your water intake adequate on a morning-afternoon-and-evening basis. Although the exact amount of water needed each day may vary, you can use a general guideline of about 13 cups of water each day for men and 9 cups for women, matching the suggestions set by the National Academy of Sciences in its Dietary Reference Intake (DRI) recommendations
• Be careful drinking too much water too late in the day. Experiencing sleep interruptions because you need to wake up to go to the bathroom will not help your overall health.
• Think of water as a nutritional necessity-the same as vitamin C, or calcium, or protein, or any other nutrient. It's equally essential!

Although it's possible to drink too much water, it's highly unlikely that you will do so! "Water intoxication," as it's commonly called in the medical world, usually involves imbalance in some of the body's physiological systems and not just excessive intake of water. Therefore, drinking more than eight glasses of water each day, if following the guidelines noted above, should be fine for most people.