In The News: The Way You Eat May Help Keep Your Brain From Shrinking!

A recent study published in the December 28, 2011, online issue of Neurology suggests that participants with diets high in omega 3 fatty acids and in vitamins C, D, E as well as B vitamins had higher scores on mental thinking tests than people with diets low in those nutrients. These omega 3 fatty acids and vitamin D are primarily found in fish. The B vitamins and antioxidants C and E are primarily found in whole grains, fruits and vegetables. Also people consuming this certain diet pattern may also be less likely to have the brain shrinkage associated with Alzheimer's disease than people whose diets are not high in these nutrients. The study was authored by Gene Bowman, ND, MPH, of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland and a member of the American Academy of Neurology and was supported by the National Institutes of Health, the National Institute on Aging and National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine and the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Portland VA Medical Center. To read a summary of the study published in Science Daily, click HERE

Also, check out my BLOG for some yummy brain food recipes!

Read more...

Tomato Mushroom Soup

I had an amazing tomato mushroom soup this past summer when my husband and I were in St. Louis. We were visiting his college town, Columbia, but unfortunately it was pouring rain so he couldn’t show me many sights. We did duck in to Flat Branch Pub where I had the soup and I decided that I HAD to copy it at home, so here is my version.

Ingredients

1 teaspoon olive oil, divided
1 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
5 cups sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1 cup tomato sauce
4 cups low sodium V8 juice
one 14 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper to taste
chopped fresh basil (optional for garnish)

Directions:

Add ½ teaspoon of olive oil, the onions and garlic into a large pot and sauté for 3-5 minutes on medium-high heat until soft and lightly browned. Add the other ½ teaspoon of olive oil and the mushrooms and sauté for another 5 minutes. Throw in the tomato sauce, V8, canned tomatoes an oregano, bring to a boil and then simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Add black pepper to taste and garnish with fresh chopped basil if desired

Makes 9 cups, 9 servings

Serving size 1 cup Calories 60 Protein 3 g Carb 12 g Fiber 2 g Sugars 7 g Fat l0.5 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 290 mg

Read more...

Fabulous Foods Finds: Almond Milk

Alternative milks have become a big hit in the grocery market lately and my absolute FAV is almond milk. I specifically buy unsweetened almond milk to lose the sugar and extra calories. I have tried Blue Diamond’s Almond Breeze, which is good, but the one I like the best is Trader Joes variety, found in the fridge section. One cup contains only 40 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of carb, 1 gram of sugar, 180 mg of mg of sodium and is fortified to contain 30 % DV for calcium and 25 % DV of Vitamin D. Sure the calcium is not as bioavailable as cow’s milk and there is less protein, but for those who are lactose intolerant or don’t like dairy, these are certainly reasonable stats. Unfortunately it is not appropriate for those with nut allergies though and if you are thinking of trying to substitute this for cow’s milk in your young child’s diet this is a WHOLE other story and you want to consult your pediatrician before doing so. It’s gluten-free, works for me and I have great success in using in it in my recipes too, like my Almond Cranberry Rice, Single Serve Baked Oatmeal, and Strawberry Banana Snack Smoothie recipes!

Read more...

Single Serve Baked Instant Oatmeal

I have had some great results with developing individual baked oatmeal recipes, which I will be sharing with you in the future. This recipe was my first try at the concept- very simple but tasty.

Ingredients:

1 packet of you favorite flavored instant oats- apple cinnamon, maple brown sugar etc (if you are on a gluten-free diet use a GF brand such as Glutenfreeda)
1 egg white (2 Tablespoons liquid egg whites)
1-2 Tablespoons milk (I used unsweetened almond milk)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the oats, egg white and milk in a small bowl. Spoon into a small rameken or small oven safe baking dish coated with cooking spray and bake for 20 minutes, until top is firm and inside is slightly soft.
Makes one serving
Serving size 1 baked oat dish Calories 180 Protein 7 g Carb 30 g Fiber 4 g Sugars 13 g Fat 3 g Saturated fat 0 g Sodium 390 mg

(results based on average packet of flavored oats, such as Quaker or Gluten Freeda)

Read more...