SuperFoods for Feeding Your Brain

The old maxim - "You are what you eat," may be more truth than fiction! Scientific research on certain so-called "brain foods" reveals some chemicals in the foods we enjoy go right to work in our brains! Some compounds are known to produce a beneficial effect on our brain activity!

Chocolate can lift your mood! And cocoa - the good stuff in chocolate - can improve blood vessel function, boosting circulation throughout the body and blood flow to the brain. The good stuff in cocoa may even help reduce the formation of damaging clots, which can lead to heart disease or even stroke.

Walnuts are well known to feed your brain. The United States Food and Drug Administration agrees that eating just 1.5 ounces per day of walnuts as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease. Walnuts also help maintain elasticity in your arteries. Healthy arteries enable your heart to function more efficiently!

And no healthy brain-food story would be complete without some mention of cold water fish. Salmon - that wonderful and delicious source of healthy omega-3 fats - feeds your brain and nerve cells! Try some grilled salmon or tasty salmon patties at your next barbecue.

Flaxseeds are another healthy source of omega-3 fats. Flaxseed meal and flour also offers a good supply of fiber that can help lower your cholesterol. Sprinkle some ground flaxseeds in with your morning yogurt or add to a healthy breakfast shake!

The purple skin of eggplants contains a flavonoid compound that may help protect brain cells from free-radical damage. Other phytonutrients found in eggplants can help lower your cholesterol and keep your blood vessels healthy!

Give your brain - and your body - the healthy nutrients they need to perform at their maximum! Keep eating healthy foods and have a healthy, Happy 4th of July!

Summer is time for Eating Healthy

Eating healthy foods is easy in the good old Summer time! Summer brings out a colorful and delicious bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables to bless our palates! Enjoy your Summer with a healthy abundance of fresh vegetables and fruits!

The Southwest and Mexico are an excellent source of wonderful meals! This family favorite comes to us from our cousins out in southern California! These tasty veggie wraps offer up a full day's supply of vitamin C and over half of the fiber most of us need! The avocado delivers some healthy fat! These veggie wraps will fill you up!

Try this easy and inexpensive treat for your next gathering of friends and family -

Here's all you'll need -

2 seeded and chopped green or red bell peppers
1 peeled and sliced onion
1 can (15 ounce) drained and rinsed black beans, 50% less salt
2 chopped mangos
1 lime, juiced
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 peeled and diced avocado
4 - 10 inch flour tortillas, fat free

In your favorite stainless saute pan, sauté bell peppers and onion for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add beans, stir well. Reduce heat to low and simmer about 5 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine mangos, lime juice, cilantro, and avocado. Reserve 1/2 mixture for topping.

3. Fill warmed tortillas with 1/4 bean mixture and 1/4 mango mixture.

4. Fold ends of the tortillas over. Roll up to make wraps. Top veggie bean wraps with remaining mango mixture.

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Cutting Calories with a Healthy Lentil Stew!

Lentils are inexpensive, nutritious, and very easy to prepare! Here's an easy lentils stew sure to satisfy your taste buds:

3 cups of lentils
2 cups of chopped potatoes
2 or 3 large carrots chopped
3 chopped tomatoes
1 hot pepper
1 small onion chopped
2 gloves garlic chopped
1 can (16 ounce) of tomato sauce
1 tsp cumin
1/2 cup of your favorite wine ( optional )
1/4 cup red vinegar
olive oil
1/2 cup chopped fresh spinach leaves
1 can low-salt baby peas
salt ( use sparingly - or to your taste! )
ground pepper

Soak and cook lentils till soft. Drain and rinse, set aside.

Sautee onions, garlic, hot pepper, and cumin in olive oil. Add in the wine if you like.

Add potatoes and carrots, cover with water, bring to boil.

Add tomatoes and peas and cook till potatoes are soft.

Add lentils and tomato sauce.

Salt and pepper to taste. Add more water if it's too thick, or a little red vinegar if it's too sweet.

Add more cumin or hot sauce if you like it really spicy.

Add in the chopped fresh spinach leaves and remove from the heat.

Enjoy with family and friends! They'll soon be asking for seconds!

Cutting calories is easy when you enjoy eating healthy foods!

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Picnic time

Summer means picnics and what family gathering would be complete without a nice bowl of cool potato salad! Here is an easy country potato salad sure to please your guests this Memorial Day weekend:

Here's All you need:

3 medium baking potatoes

1 cup chopped celery

1/2 cup minced onion

1 cup frozen peas

1 Tablespoon prepared mustard

1/2 cup mayonnaise, lowfat

1/2 cup yogurt, nonfat plain

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

lettuce and tomato

So easy to make:

Wash the potatoes, leave skin on and cut in bite-size chunks.

Place in pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, lower to simmer and cook uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 20 mintes.

Drain in colander and sprinkle lightly with cold water.

In the mean time, put the rest of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Drain potatoes well and add to the bowl.

Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.

Garnish with fresh lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

Happy Summer. Keep eating Healthy!

The Skinny on Fat

There are several types of fat:

Saturated fat. This fat is usually solid at room and refrigerator temperatures. It is found in greatest amounts in foods from animals, such as fatty cuts of meat, poultry with the skin, whole-milk dairy products, lard, and some vegetable oils, including coconut and palm oils. Saturated fat increases cholesterol in the blood more than anything else in the diet. Keep your intake of saturated fat low.

Unsaturated fat. This fat is usually liquid at room and refrigerator temperatures. Unsaturated fats occur in vegetable oils, most nuts, olives, avocados, and fatty fish, such as salmon.

There are 2 types of unsaturated fat—monounsaturated and polyunsaturated. When used instead of saturated fat, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats help lower your blood cholesterol levels. Monounsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including olive, canola, sunflower, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fat is found in greatest amounts in foods from plants, including safflower, sunflower, corn, soybean, and cottonseed oils, and many kinds of nuts. A type of polyunsaturated fat is called omega-3 fatty acids. These are the "good" fats. Good sources of these healthy omega-3 fatty acids are some fish, such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel.

Enjoy wild caught, cold water salmon or other heart healthy fish several times a week! Or - if you just plain don't like fish - take a salmon oil or omega-3 supplement!

And lastly - the bad stuff - Trans fatty acids. If you want to lose weight or live longer - avoid these trans fats. Foods high in trans fatty acids tend to raise blood cholesterol. These foods include those high in partially hydrogenated vegetable oils, such as many hard margarines and shortenings. Foods with a high amount of these ingredients include some commercially fried foods and some bakery goods. ( Yes, fellow donut lovers - that includes us! )

You can enjoy some fats in a healthy eating plan. Keep eating healthy foods and enjoy some of your favorite foods which serve up fat. Just try to stick to the healthy fats - the omega-3 fats. Use more Olive oil. Enjoy a handful of walnuts now and then. Eat more heart-healthy fish. Remember the quickest way to lose weight is keep eating healthy foods and get plenty of exercise!

Get the Vitamins and Minerals Your Body Needs!

We all need adequate vitamins and minerals. Eating a wide variety of foods from all the food groups will help you get the vitamins and minerals you need. If you eat less than 1,200 calories per day, you may benefit from taking a daily vitamin and mineral supplement.


Adequate protein. The average woman 25 years of age and older should get 50 grams of protein each day, and the average man 25 years of age and older should get 63 grams of protein each day. Adequate protein is important because it prevents muscle tissue from breaking down and repairs all body tissues such as skin and teeth.

To get adequate protein in your diet, make sure you eat 2-3 servings of meat, poultry, fish, dry beans, eggs, or nuts every day. Toss a handful of walnuts in your bag/ Or how about a smoothie with NEW VANILLA CHAI OPTIMUM NUTRITION PROTEIN! Exclusive Flavor. Only at Bodybuilding.com!



A few ideas to help you and your family eat better:

* Enjoy a healthy breakfast every day. Try a whole-grain cereal like raisin bran with low-fat milk, or whole-wheat toast spread with jam. If you have the time - cook up a healthy egg-white omelet! Toss in some spinach and onions and green peppers! Enjoy a fruit smoothie.

* Teach your children that healthy foods taste good. Prepare a healthy meal together. Make a salad together. macaroni and cheese with fat-free milk and low-fat cheese. Try a peanut butter (spread thin) and jam or preserves sandwich instead of a burger and fries.

* Choose fat-free or low-fat milk, yogurt, and cheese instead of full-fat dairy products.

* Choose whole-grain foods like whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, brown rice, or whole-wheat pasta more often than refined-grain foods. Skip the white bread, white rice, and white pasta.

* Snack on fruits and vegetables. Keep a bowl of fruit on the table, bags of mini carrots in the refrigerator, and boxes of raisins in the cupboard.

* Avoid having sweets like cookies, candy, or soda in the house. Skip the potato chips and hot dogs. Keep a bowl of fresh fruit around and encourage healthier foods.

You don't have to spend a lot of time in the kitchen or a lot of money to eat well.

* Buy foods that are easy to prepare, like pasta and tomato sauce, rice and beans, or canned tuna packed in water.

* Plan ahead and cook enough food to have leftovers. Casseroles, meat loaf, and whole cooked chicken can feed your family for several days. (Be sure to freeze or refrigerate leftovers right away to keep them safe to eat.)

* Buy fresh fruits and vegetables that are in season. Buy only as much as you will use, so they will not go bad.

* Buy frozen or canned vegetables (no salt added) and canned fruit packed in juice. They are just as good for you as fresh produce, and will not go bad.

* Try canned beans like kidney, butter, pinto, or black beans. They are loaded with protein, cost less than meat, and make quick and easy additions to your meals.

* If your local store does not have the foods you want, or the prices are too high, go to another store or your local farmers market. Share a ride or the cost of a taxi with friends.

* Enjoy eating healthy with your friends by having days of cooking and sharing healthy meals together. Cut the cost of the meals by buying the ingredients together.

A Thick, Juicy Steak!

During the Colder, Winter Months Louie could many a night be seen brushing snow off the top of his trusty old barbecue grill and starting the fire. Louie was the consummate barbecue chef! He taught me everything - well, as much as my simple brain was capable of absorbing!

I don't think Louie ever over-cooked a piece of beef. It was almost as though he had a sixth sense telling him just the right moment to remove a cut of beef from the grill. Or any other meat for that matter.

During those early years - fresh out of college - we ate good. Fresh veggies steamed. Tossed salads. And barbecued meats.

Steak was plentiful and cheap in those days. We had a great little butcher shop just five minutes away where we'd pick up bacon wrapped filets on sale for just a couple bucks!

Now that Spring is officially here, it's a great time to dust off the barbecue - or brush off any snow and fire up your grill. Toss a thick, juicy steak on for your favorite guests and loved ones!

Here is an excerpt from an old, early 20th century book on cooking -

"The chief secret in preparing the family steak lies in selection. Choose a thick cut from the sirloin of a mature, well fatted, grass fed angus, avoiding any having dark yellow fat. Detach a portion of the narrow end and trim off any adhering inner skin. Place the steak upon a hot grill, and quickly turn it. Do this frequently and rapidly until it is thoroughly seared, without burning. It may now be cooked to any degree without releasing the juices. Serve upon a hot platter. Pour over a scant dressing of melted butter. Season. Whosoever partakes will never become a vegetarian."

"In broiling all meats, you must remember that the surface should not be cut or broken any more than is absolutely necessary; that the meat should be exposed to a clear, quick fire, close enough to sear the surface without burning, in order to confine all its juices; if it is approached slowly to a poor fire, or seasoned before it is cooked, it will be comparatively dry and tasteless, as both of these processes are useful only to extract and waste those precious juices which contain nearly all the nourishing properties of the meat."