Tag Archives: omega-3s

May 1, 2013 · 6:41 am

Simple Slaw Salad with Salmon

simple slaw with salmon

Meet my new favorite meal for spring. This plate has so much good stuff going on I’m not even sure where to begin. You’ve got your omega-3s in the salmon, and an extra anti-inflammatory boost from covering the fish in curry powder. Pair that with a slaw of raw veggies in all their glory, pure and unwilted delivering enzymes, nutrients and a delicious crunch. Oh, that crunch…

simple slaw

Raw foods can be so refreshing this time of year and adding them to your meals adds a whole list of health benefits including improved digestion. Foods that are raw come with enzymes which help to get the whole digestion thing started. That means your body doesn’t have to work as hard to break the food down all on its own. And you know what that means? More energy for you!

Healthnuttiness aside, what I love about this is you can make the slaw salad ahead of time (it’s actually even better the next day) and, if you plan it right, have dinner and lunch (or lunches) covered. Cook once, eat twice!

salmon

As for the salmon, it doesn’t get any easier than sprinkling on a little curry powder and sticking it under the broiler. I said this is my new favorite meal for spring for a reason… no cooking. no clean up. no reason not to be outside playing!

Simple Slaw Salad and Salmon

Ingredients

1/2 head of Napa cabbage, grated
6 carrots, grated
1 bunch basil, thinly sliced
3 limes, juiced
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 salmon filets
curry powder
salt and pepper

Directions

In a large bowl, combine cabbage, carrots, basil, then toss with lime juice and olive oil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To start the salmon, heat the broiler. Place filets on a foil-lined baking sheet skin side down and dust the tops of the fish with curry powder to just cover the filets and sprinke with salt and pepper. Broil salmon 6-8 minutes.

Serve slaw topped with salmon and enjoy!

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July 29, 2012 · 9:23 pm

Banana, Peach & Peanut Butter Smoothie

It may not sound like your traditional fruit smoothie combo, but just trust me on this one… You’ll take one sip and think “OMG, this is breakfast?!” Banana and peanut butter – there’s no surprise there. And when the classic combo is frozen and blended it’s creamy, rich deliciousness. For breakfast.

As for the peaches, they’re just too good right now to not put them in everything. I’m slicing them up and adding them to salads, salsas and, like here, smoothies. Buy some peaches on sale, slice them up and put them in the freezer to blend up with your other favorite fruits. I like: blueberry + peach…. mango + peach… or peach + peach.

I usually blend in a tablespoon of ground flax seed to add fiber along with antioxidants and a dose of omega-3 fatty acid, which helps to reduce inflammation in the body. The ground flax blends in easily to where I don’t even notice it. All I taste is the next best thing to ice cream… for breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 banana, sliced and frozen
3 slices of frozen peaches
1 tbsp organic peanut butter*
1tbsp ground flaxseed
1½ cup almond milk

*look for organic, fresh-ground peanut butter that’s made just using peanuts – no sugar.

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in blender (I use the magic bullet) and blend until smooth. Add almond milk as needed to reach desired consistency.

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November 2, 2011 · 7:46 pm

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Red Onion and Walnuts

I promised the other day that I’d be back with the recipe for those roasted Brussels sprouts that went on the side of my acorn squash. So here goes… First though, I feel we must address their reputation. Of all the vegetables out there, I can’t think of another that is as despised as Brussels sprouts. But these bite-sized crucifers have undergone a sort-of image refresh, if you will. They seem to be on every restaurant’s list of sides these days. Still, I can’t help but associate them with TV sitcoms and kids at the dinner table hiding their Brussels sprouts in napkins, plants, dog bowls, even their own cheeks until they could escape and spit them out. Brussels sprouts for dinner was pure torture in TV land. But perhaps June and the other TV moms were going about it all wrong…

There is a right and wrong way to prepare Brussels sprouts and other leafy greens. Boiling and steaming can cook and literally drain the life right out of them. With this method though, you just might turn a hater into a lover. Roasting Brussels sprouts brings out a sweetness in them, especially when combined with another complimentary sweet flavor, like the red onion here. And the walnuts add a little extra nuttiness and crunch, plus a healthy dose of omega-3s. Brussels sprouts alone are veggie superstars. A relative of broccoli, cabbage, kale and cauliflower, all of these vegetables are known for being cancer fighters. And when they’re combined with onions, not only do you up the flavor, but you also up the ante. The two work together to detoxify, clean the system, and remove toxins from the body. Try getting more of the combo into your diet, and then if you really want to get crazy, throw in some mushrooms too.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Red Onion and Walnuts

What you need:

1 bunch Brussels sprouts, halved
1 small red onion, cut into crescents
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

What you do:

Preheat oven to 400. Combine Brussels sprouts, red onion, walnuts in a bowl and mix in olive oil until evenly distributed. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and spread mixture out on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until slightly browned, about 20-25 minutes.

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April 13, 2010 · 7:47 pm

10 Foods That Make Your Skin Glow

There are bookoos of products out there to exfoliate, slough, moisturize, lift, revitalize, invigorate … your skin. You could spend a mortgage plus lots of precious time in pursuit of perfection from a bottle. They’ve got one thing right – we do have a lot of control over the way skin looks and feels. But there’s a simpler fix than a chemical peel. Before you go spend a fortune on products, evaluate your grocery list. Good skin starts with diet. Skin cells are constantly dying, shedding and making new ones. The foods you eat provide the building materials for healthy skin cells. So each day is sort of like a fresh start for better looking skin. Give your body what it needs and it will return the favor. With these good for your skin foods you’re on your way to glowing…

1. Green tea – antioxidents in green tea eliminate cancer-causing free radicals, it reduces inflammation which makes skin look puffy and red, and reactivates dying cells

2. Salmon – essential fatty acids in salmon make up our cell membranes and keep them strong and functioning properly to keep out harmful substances, allow nutrients in and move waste out of our cells. Omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation

3. Blueberries – antioxidents and phytochemicals eliminate inflammation and free radicals

4. Carrots – vitamin A is required for building new, healthy skin cells

5. Avocado – good fat, with essential oils that soothe red skin

6. Almonds – vitamin E moisturizes skin and protects against premature aging

7. Mango – vitamin A repairs damaged skin cells and helps build new ones

8. Spinach (or anything else green and leafy) - vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals to oxygenate skin cells and improve circulation

9. Walnuts - Omega-3 fatty acids counter act inflammation to keep skin from looking red and puffy

10. Water – keep cells hydrated and move out toxins

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February 7, 2010 · 5:31 pm

The Green Smoothie

I know how it sounds.

But really I am not a crazy with a juicer. I’ve never even juiced anything. And I hate V8. I do realize a green smoothie sounds questionable, but if it wasn’t good I can tell you I would not have one everyday for breakfast. And I do! It’s delicious and such a good start to the day.

A few weeks ago I posted about leafy greens and how crazy good they are for you. Green = vitamins, minerals and all that good stuff. I’d heard of people who made green juice drinks as a way to squeeze in extra fruit/veggie servings. It can be part of a healing or a cleansing diet, or just a way to start the day off right. We all have those days when it’s just easier to pick up a sandwich. But when I have this smoothie in the morning I know that no matter what the day might bring (read: Chick Fil A lunch), I’ve already had my green.

I make it in the Magic Bullet. I’m sure you’ve seen the infomercial. It’s perfect for smoothies because you can just throw all your ingredients in one of the single serving cups, blend it and go.

Yes, it looks like it glows in the dark. But I swear all you taste is the mango. It’s sneaky like that. I used mangos here, but you can mix up whatever fruit you want. I like it with strawberries and blueberries too (and the darker fruit hides the green). I always use a banana because it gives it a soft, creamy texture. Frozen fruit makes a thicker smoothie too. Also, I add flaxseed for a serving of Omega-3s with its anti-inflammatory benefits.

What you need:

1 banana
a handful of frozen mango chunks
orange juice
1 tsp flaxseed (grounded or flax seed oil)
2-3 leaves kale, torn

What you do:
Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend, adding more orange juice as needed to facilitate blending.

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October 6, 2009 · 8:00 am

Healthy Creamy Butternut Squash Soup

I know what you’re thinking … Healthy AND creamy? Liar.

No, really. This soup is rich, smooth and delicious. And it has only 3 grams of fat per serving, plus a solid dose vitamins A and C. How, you ask? There’s no cream. No butter. Just squash, potatoes, stock and seasoning. And it tastes just as decadent. On a cool, rainy day (read: forecast for this week), it’s fall-in-a-bowl perfection.

butternut squash soup

Here’s what you need:

  • 1 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
  • 1/8 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/8 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 pound butternut squash, peeled and diced
  • 1 pound sweet potato, peeled and diced
  • 1 medium Yukon gold potato, peeled and diced
  • 6 cups chicken stock

Here’s what you do:

Peel and chop up all the vegetables and place them in a large bowl. Heat oil in a big soup pot over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add  the ginger, nutmeg and cinnamon and stir together until fragrant – about 1 minute. Add the diced vegetables and chicken stock. Bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes, or until the squash and potatoes are tender.

Transfer the soup to a blender (you’ll have to do this in 2-3 batches) and puree. Hold the lid with a towel to keep from splashing and burning yourself. Return soup to pot and stir to even out texture. Continue heating if necessary and adjust seasoning with salt pepper.

Serve and top with chopped walnuts (omega-3s), pecans, raisins, or a dollop of cream if you like.

Sip, slurp, watch the leaves change colors. It’s fall.

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