tea

No Sugar, No Gluten- Nothing but Happiness!

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No sugar, gluten free amazingly easy and yummy banana nut muffins! P.S. It's already been consumed as I write this!

No sugar, gluten free amazingly easy and yummy banana nut muffin slathered with sweet, creamy butter! P.S. It’s already been consumed as I write this!

Hello my friends! How have you been lately? As for me, it seems my girls have been home more often these days, and in two weeks they’ll be home for the summer which will make me the happiest Mom on the planet! There’s nothing I like better than to have my chickadees back in the nest. I also love to cook for them when they’re home, and they beg for me to cook as often as I can because they’re homemade meal deprived college students.

They are desperately grateful for anything I make them to eat, but we are especially happy sitting in our pajamas eating breakfast and sipping our coffee/tea together. I would have to say that breakfast is my favorite meal to make, no matter what it is I’m cooking. I guess because I have the best memories of my mom making pancakes and bacon on the weekends, and my dad making waffles, eggs, and bacon.

If you’ve read my blog in the past you know that I have pretty much cut sugar completely out of my diet because sugar is a toxic poison to the body, and since my youngest has a gluten allergy and the rest of us seem to do better without it too, I don’t use gluten in my cooking either. That makes sweet breakfast foods particularly challenging. I mean, I do lots of eggs, bacon and sausage which covers the protein end of the breakfast, but sometimes in the morning you just want a muffin, doughnut, waffle or pancake, ya know?!

I ran across a really cool recipe for a gluten free, no sugar muffin that sounded intriguing because it contained no flour or any weird ingredients. Sometimes with gluten free baking the recipes call for obscure flours or strange ingredients like xanthan gum. Who has that sitting around in their pantry? Not me for sure. Plus, I’m not much into baking so another reason I really like the recipe is that it was simple and I had all the ingredients. So I decided to give it a try and my family LOVED them! You can’t tell they are gluten free or sugar free, and I’m not even sure how they are actually muffins since they contain no flour, but they’re so good! I made some adjustments that work better for my family, and I think they’re easy and delicious so I’d like to share them with you now.

Here are the ingredients!

Here are the ingredients!

Easy Peasy Banana Nut “muffins”

  • 1/2 cup all natural almond butter
  • 1 large ripe banana
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup organic honey
  • 1/2 cup gluten free oats
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 medium apple, peeled, cored and chopped
  • 1/3 cup walnuts or pecans
Sprayed- got it!

Sprayed- got it!

Preheat oven to 375 and spray a muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

Throw everything in there!

Throw everything in there!

Add all ingredients to a high speed blender and blend it up until batter is smooth and creamy. I had to use the tool that came with my blender to tamp all the ingredients down by opening the clear plastic part in the center of the blender lid and smushing everything down until it blended.

Now just pop them into the oven and wait to smell the amazing aromas that will begin to emanate!

Now just pop them into the oven and wait to smell the amazing aromas that will begin to emanate!

Pour the batter into the muffin tins to about 3/4 full and bake for about 15 minutes or until the tines of a fork when inserted into the muffins come out clean.

Makes 9 muffins but they don't last long at my house!

Makes 9 muffins but they don’t last long at my house!

The muffins are loaded with fiber from the oats, flaxseed, apple, banana, nuts and nut butter. They also have protein from the nuts, flaxseed, and nut butter, and tons of vitamins and antioxidants from the fruit. As far as I can calculate they have approximately 120 calories per muffin. That’s a great bang for my caloric buck!

When I’m serving these muffins or any other sweet baked good for breakfast I always make sure I serve plenty of protein with it. Usually I will make scrambled eggs and bacon with these muffins. If I’m making pancakes or waffles I make fried eggs and bacon or sausage (because I like to break my fried egg yolk all over my pancakes and waffles, and eat them all together). Protein is key to give you energy for your busy day!

Anyway, there you go my friends! I hope you try them and if you do I know you’ll like them! They’ll help you live a life of vitality- like Valerie!

Gun Hay Fat Choy! Happy, Healthy Chinese New Year!

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Delicious (and healthy) Chinese food!

Delicious (and healthy) Chinese food!

Gun Hay Fat Choy, everyone! This is the English translation for Happy Chinese New Year in Cantonese. Chinese food has always been my favorite type of ethnic food. As a child, when my mom asked where we wanted to go out to eat I always voted for the local Chinese restaurant. It’s flavorful and satisfying, and there’s such a variety of items from which to choose! It’s just all so good!

Typical Chinese menu.

Typical Chinese menu.

Well, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to be more careful about the choices I make at Chinese restaurants and in general. I want to share my healthy Chinese restaurant choices with you so that you can make good choices too.

 

The always flavorful and healthy Egg Drop Soup!

The always flavorful and healthy Egg Drop Soup!

 

1. Healthy appetizers- I always order the Egg Drop Soup instead of an egg roll or crab Rangoon. A cup of egg drop soup has about 50 calories but it contains protein from the egg contained in it. Refer to my past blog post, “An EGGceptional Protein” for more information about the health benefits of Egg Drop Soup, and other egg dishes. An egg roll doesn’t contain egg, but it does have 240 calories and 45 grams of carbs. Definitely not the way to start your meal. Also, one crab Rangoon has 67 calories and 4.2 carbs which doesn’t sound that bad but have you ever eaten just one of them? A usual order has 3-6 in it and eating at least 2 or 3 is pretty customary, which would be almost 200 calories and 12 grams of carbs. That’s just the START of your meal, too

 

 

My favorite healthy Chinese dish, Moo Goo Gai Pan!

My favorite healthy Chinese dish, Moo Goo Gai Pan!

2. Avoid thick sauces and breaded fried meat- When looking at the menu at a Chinese restaurant, it’s important to read the descriptions of the dishes before making your choice. Look for words like, “fried” “Coating” or “thick, glossy sauce”– these are words that mean your entrée is going to be breaded and fried, definite health no-no’s. Also, when dishes come in thick sweet/spicy sauces know they will contain SUGAR, which is another healthy no-no. My favorite dish to order is Moo Goo Gai Pan. It consists of chicken and vegetables in a light chicken broth. Even though the sauce is light it is very tasty and delicious. I add a bit of soy sauce to mine because I like that salty flavor, but you definitely don’t have to because it’s great either way. Another dish I like is either beef with mixed vegetables or pork with mixed vegetables. Both are similarly made with a beef broth, meat and vegetables. Again, no thick sauces, breading, or fried meats are present in these entrees. Again, both are flavorful without all the unhealthy ingredients that can exist in some dishes. And the calorie differences are considerable too. General Tso’s chicken has 414 calories per cup and Moo Goo Gai Pan has 272. It also doesn’t contain unhealthy ingredients so you know you’re providing your body with the fuel it needs to perform optimally.

 

 

Brown rice instead of white. Always.

Brown rice instead of white. Always.

3. Brown Rice- Choosing brown rice instead of white will not save calories, this decision is all about nutrition. Brown rice is a whole grain and has more fiber so it will take longer to digest thus making you feel more full, and it is more nutritious because of the whole grains. Where it will save you calorically is in comparison to fried rice. 1/2 cup of chicken fried rice has 200 calories versus a cup of brown rice which contains 218 calories. I prefer the nutty taste of brown rice over the bland white rice or the greasy fried rice. That’s an easy choice for me!

 

Love me some tea!

Love me some tea!

4. Don’t forget the tea- I spoke about the benefits of Match green tea in my post, “A Healthy Start for the New Year! Drink Matcha Green Tea!” but any tea has health benefits. Tea is full of antioxidants and vitamins, and it can fill you up too, so you don’t eat as much of your meal. Cheers!

5. As always, it’s about portion control- Remember, no matter how healthy the choices you make are, if you eat too much it will become an unhealthy meal. PAY ATTENTION TO PORTION SIZES! Most restaurants serve a tremendous amount of food, far more than any one person can eat. I usually portion off my meal when it comes to me, and know that I will only eat the portion I pulled to the side of my plate. I take the rest of it home and can enjoy it the next day for lunch, so it’s a win-win. Two meals for the price of one!

So that is how I eat in a healthy way at a Chinese restaurant. I love me some Chinese food and I have learned how to eat it and still stay on my lifelong health journey. Let me know what healthy choices you make when eating Chinese food! Eating healthy will help you live a life of vitality- with Valerie!

 

Reach for the Stars-choose healthy drinks at Starbucks!

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Star7

This post is in honor of my daughter, Danielle, who has asked me a few times to write about making healthy drink choices at Starbucks. So, I did a little research, some based on my own experience, and compiled a list of what I consider to be the healthiest drink options. Now, remember that for me a healthy drink isn’t only a beverage that is low in calories, after all if that was the only criteria you could just order non fat, skinny everything and you wouldn’t need my help at all. No, for me a healthy drink contains little or no sugar, no artificial sweeteners, and has little or no syrups which often times contain chemicals and other yucky additives. I tried to consider a variety of tastes in putting together my list too, not just coffee (Jacqueline’s favorite), but tea choices too (Danielle’s fave) among others. There is even a smoothie on the list. Obviously you can order black coffee or a tea bag and hot water at any time as well, but remember it’s what you add to it that can turn that relatively healthy beverage quickly to a highly caloric, chemically laden danger zone. With that in mind, I included drinks that give you a little more to start with so that you don’t have to add many extras to it to get it to taste delish. So get ready friends, here it is!

Healthy Starbucks Beverages

My number one choice for you coffee lovers is cappuccino!

My number one choice for you coffee lovers is cappuccino!

1. Cappuccino- Tall, 2% milk, 90 calories, 3.5 g of fat, 9g carbs, 6g protein, 75 mg caffeine. Here’s why I like this one, first, because the milk gives you 6 grams of protein per tall sized (12 ounce) portion, second because there is NO SUGAR in this drink, but you can add Truvia (natural sweetener from the Stevia plant) which they have available at all Starbucks locations, and third because Starbucks always has cinnamon on their condiment bar. Cinnamon is a powerful spice that contains Manganese, calcium and antimicrobial properties, it’s a super spice so any time you can use it, definitely make that healthy choice. But besides that, it tastes really warming and flavorful so it will add deliciousness and health to your beverages, instead of using the syrups that add calories and chemicals. I love the foam of a cappuccino, and because of that foam this drink contains less milk than a latte thus saving you calories in the process. Cappuccino is my favor drink to order at Starbucks by far.

Number 2 is refreshing and delicious!

Number 2 is refreshing and delicious!

2. Teavana Shaken Iced Passion Tango Tea- Tall, 60 calories (sweetened), 0 calories (unsweetened), 15 g carbs (sweetened), 0 g carbs (unsweetened). I met a friend at Starbucks a few months ago and wanted an iced drink without caffeine (because I already had enough for the day that morning), I studied the menu carefully, utilized My Fitness Pal app on my iphone to check the calorie content of this drink, and then ordered it unsweetened. I figured if it had no flavor I would just add honey to it after I gave it a taste, but it didn’t need it because it was delicious unsweeted. It is a hibiscus, apple, lemongrass and passion fruit tea, and it’s as good as it sounds. The ice makes it so refreshing, and I just enjoyed the heck out of this drink. Definitely a great choice!

Chai yes, it is yummy!

Chai yes, it is yummy! Danielle’s favorite!

3. Chai Tea Latte- Tall, 190 calories, 2.5 g fat, 34 g carbs, 6 g protein, 20 % RDA for calcium. I included this one as a healthy option, even though it’s high in calories and carbs because the spices give it such a warm flavor and the milk adds a good bit of protein. I always recommend getting only a tall size of this drink since it’s fairly high in calories; a little bit goes a long way with this one. I always order 2% milk instead of non-fat because though I’d save calories with the non-fat milk, the additional fat in 2% milk allows the nutrients in the milk to be better digested. I also do not EVER order a skinny beverage at Starbucks because they use an artificial sweetener which is more dangerous than the sugar this one contains.

Jacqueline's favorite!

Jacqueline’s favorite!

4. Caffe Americano- Grande, 15 calories, 3 g carbs, 1 g protein, 225 mg caffeine. This drink packs a caffeine punch with 225 mg, which is why it’s Jacqueline’s favorite! The Americano is an espresso that has hot water added to it, which gives it the caffeine of an espresso in a more generous portion size. She orders it plain and then goes to the condiment bar to add a bit of milk and honey, and a generous sprinkle of cinnamon. Delicioso!

Chocolate smoothie with protein!

Chocolate smoothie with protein!

5. Chocolate Smoothie- tall, 250 calories, 45 g carbs, 40 g protein, 8 g fiber, 20% RDA of Calcium and Iron, 15% RDA of Vitamin C, and 8% RDA of Vitamin A. This smoothie is made with mocha sauce, banana, milk, protein powder, fiber powder, and ice. The original version of this smoothie is actually 320 calories, but I saved you 70 calories because you’re going to request for it to be made with a half a banana instead of a whole one, and double the protein powder (they’ll have to put it in a larger cup because the extra protein will make the amount of this smoothie grow a lot!) I included this one on my list even though there are a lot of calories and carbs because for a smoothie it has relatively few calories and it has LOADS of protein which makes it a possible meal replacement. You can request a shot of espresso to add caffeine to it if you need a pick me up also.

Iced green tea is good for whatever ails you!

Iced green tea is good for whatever ails you!

6. Teavana Shaken Iced Green Tea- tall, 60 calories sweetened, 0 calories sweetened, 15 g carbs (sweetened), 0 g carbs (unsweetened), 30-35 mg caffeine. This is a similar drink to the Passion Tango tea, but I included it because it has green tea in it which has antioxidants in it, plus it contains mint, lemongrass and lemon verbena. It also has a bit of caffeine in it due to the green tea so if you want caffeine this would be a good choice. Yum!

Now you’ve seen my choices for healthy drinks at Starbucks, in honor of my Danielle, but I hope it helps you too. There are healthier choices available if you’re careful and know where to look. Let me know how you like any of these drinks if you try them. Consuming healthy beverages will help you live a life of vitality- with Valerie!

 

 

A Healthy Start for the New Year! Drink Matcha Green Tea!

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Me and my Matcha green tea!

Me and my Matcha green tea! Drinking it as I write!

Hello Friends! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas! I did and I’m really revving up for a healthful and fabulous 2015! One of the ways I’m doing that is by drinking Matcha green tea. Now, I’ve always known that green tea is good for me, though I’ve never really been a tea drinker (see my previous post “HEALTHY coffee is my favorite way to start the day!”), as coffee has always been my morning drink of choice. Lately, I’ve been doing some research on green tea, Matcha specifically, and I was intrigued enough to try it. I have become a believer about the health benefits of Matcha green tea and I’d like to share my findings with you today.

Matcha green tea is an important part of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Matcha green tea is an important part of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Here’s the thing, all tea (white, green, oolong, black, and pu-erh) comes from the same plant, camellia sinensis, which is a woody shrub native to southern China that is generally kept plucked to its picking height of 3-4 feet.  Now, Matcha is a high quality green tea that is covered before picking to accentuate the color, and then stone ground after being picked and before being sealed into small tins. In Japan, Matcha tea is a very important part of the tea ceremony. It has a somewhat grassy taste, but the type I drink enhances the green tea taste with other flavors like blood orange and peach. It’s definitely important to make sure you purchase high quality Matcha tea, as with all varieties, to ensure you are receiving the maximum benefits.

Isn't Matcha a beautiful color?! Full of antioxidants too!

Isn’t Matcha a beautiful color?! Full of antioxidants too!

Matcha green tea is powdered which makes it easier to prepare. You just add hot water if you want to drink it warm, or cold water if you want it as a cold beverage, stir and you’re done! No steeping of tea leaves involved with Matcha tea. Next, I will discuss the health benefits of drinking it, and then I’ll let you know the type I’m currently drinking.

greentea2

1. Matcha tea is high in antioxidants– Remember that antioxidants are the nutrients and enzymes responsible for fighting against the negative effects of UV radiation, giving us younger looking skin, and fighting off a number of life-threatening illnesses. We know that fruits, vegetables, red wine, and chocolate have antioxidants, but Matcha green tea has FIVE TIMES THE ANTIOXIDANTS AS ANY OTHER FOOD IN JUST ONE SERVING! That makes it worth it for me to drink it!

2. Tons of Catechin, EGCg– Green tea has a specific set of organic compounds called catechins. Catechins are among the most potent and beneficial antioxidants out there. One specific catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCg), makes up 60% of the catechins in Matcha green tea. Out of all antioxidants EGCg is the one most widely recognized for its cancer fighting properties. Matcha contains over 100 times more EGCg than any other tea on the market.

3. Enhances calm but increases energy (What the what?!!)- Here’s how that works, the amino acid L-Theanine in Matcha tea leaves promotes the production of alpha waves in the brain which induces relaxation without the drowsiness caused by other “calming products” out there. It also contains a combination of nutrients that gives increased endurance and more energy which can last UP TO SIX HOURS. It doesn’t have the usual side effects of stimulants, like nervousness and hypertension. Samurai warriors drank Matcha green tea before going into battle because of the tea’s energizing properties, and Zen Buddhist monks and Chinese Daoists drank it as a way to relax and meditate while remaining alert. So it calms you, AND give you energy- naturally! That’s a win win!

4. Boosts memory and concentration– Another side effect of L-Theanine is that it produces dopamine and serotonin which enhance mood, promote better concentration, and improve memory. I need that so that’s yet another benefit for me!

5. Burns calories and detoxifies the body, yet is very low in calories– Drinking Matcha green tea has been shown to increase metabolism and help the body burn fat about four times faster than average, but unlike diet aids on the market does not have any negative side effects like increased heart rate and high blood pressure. Yay for me! Also, the Matcha leaves are covered to deprive them of sunlight during the last three weeks before tea leaves are harvested, which causes a huge increase in chlorophyll production. This not only gives the tea its vibrant green color, but it is also a powerful detoxifier capable of naturally removing heavy metals and chemical toxins from the body. It is very low in calories too. The Matcha I drink has 20 calories per packet and it makes 12-16 ounces of liquid. That’s amazing!

6. Fortifies the immune system and improves cholesterol– The catechins in Matcha tea have been shown to have antibiotic properties, which promotes overall health. Also, one serving provides substantial quantities of Potassium, Vitamins A and C, Iron, Protein, and Calcium. In addition, the nutrients in Matcha may have the ability to inhibit the attacks of HIV on human T-cells. Another cool thing is that people who drink Matcha on a regular basis have lower levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol and higher levels of HDL (good). Men in particular who drink Matcha tea are 11% less likely to develop heart disease than those who don’t drink it.

The Matcha green tea I am drinking- and I highly recommend it!

The Matcha green tea I am drinking- and I highly recommend it!

I am drinking Jade Monk Matcha green tea powder in the cranberry blood orange flavor right this instant and I’m loving it! It doesn’t have the bitter flavor that some teas do, and I don’t have to add any milk, or lemon, or sweeteners like sugar or honey to make it taste delicious. I’m drinking it cold right now, but I prefer it warm. And remember it’s low in calories- one packet contains 20 calories. It’s super easy to make too. If you prefer to drink it warm what I do is use a measuring cup and put 14 ounces of filtered drinking water into it, throw it into the microwave for three minutes and then add it to a drinking glass, pour in the packet, stir and drink. If you’d like it cold, you can add cold filtered water to a drinking glass, pour the packet in, and stir. It’s also really convenient if you’re running out the door to put a water bottle into the fridge to get it cold, pour the packet in, shake and you’re done!

Matcha's benefits in a nutshell!

Matcha’s benefits in a nutshell!

So that’s why I’m loving Matcha green tea right now. The health benefits are numerous, AND NATURAL! I can’t think of any negatives either, which is rare for any product on the market. I purchased the Jade Monk Matcha tea from Whole Foods, but you can purchase it online too. Try it, you’ll like it! It will help you lead a life of vitality- with Valerie!

 

A Honey Of A Cure!

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I love honey- and it's good for us too!

I love honey- and it’s good for us too!

I have mentioned my love of honey in previous posts. I use honey in my tea and coffee, and I use it in place of sugar in most everything. It’s my sweet go-to every time! However, did you know that honey can actually be used as medicine?! Yes, indeedy! Today I wanted to expand on that to discuss the medicinal uses of honey, in particular Manuka honey. Now, honey has been used since ancient times to treat many different conditions. It contains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory qualities, and is even thought to stimulate production of special cells in our body that can repair tissue damaged by infection- pretty cool! However, not all honey is created equally, so to speak, and the type of honey that you use matters. The honey thought to be the best for medicinal use is Manuka honey. It is produced in New Zealand by bees that pollinate the Manuka bush.

Picture of Manuka bush!

Picture of Manuka bush!

Now here’s the thing, the reason Manuka honey is thought to have more antiviral and antibacterial properties than other types of honey is the higher levels of Methylglyoxal than regular honey has. What is Methylglyoxal (known as MG), you ask? Good question, I asked the same thing! It comes from the conversion of another compound- dihydroxyacetone- that is found in high concentration in the nectar of Manuka flowers. So the higher the concentration of MG, the stronger the antibiotic effect, and Manuka honey has the highest MG amount of any type of honey. Some Manuka honey that you buy in the stores doesn’t have a high level of MG, I call that “cheater Manuka honey”,  so honey producers developed a rating system called UMF or Unique Manuka Factor. To be therapeutic, it has to be rated at least 10 UMF and then is marketed as “UMF Manuka Honey”, or “Active Manuka Honey”. Whew, I threw a lot of terms at you there but I’m done with that so keep on reading for the good stuff!

The kind of Manuka honey I currently have in my cabinet!

The kind of Manuka honey I currently have in my cabinet!

So what are Manuka honey’s medicinal uses? Because it has antiviral and antibacterial properties its primary use is on wounds. It is very effective at healing wounds and cuts. BUT MAKE SURE IF YOU USE IT ON YOUR WOUNDS THAT IT IS IN A STERILIZED CONTAINER AND IT IS NOT USED FOR ANY OTHER PURPOSE. In other words, don’t put a spoonful of it in your morning coffee, and then dip out of the same container to slather it on a cut.

 

Manuka honey is primarily used in my house for cold symptoms.

Manuka honey is primarily used in my house for cold symptoms.

Other medicinal uses for Manuka honey are treating and preventing cancer (!), reducing systemic inflammation, treating diabetes, treating eye, ear and sinus infections, preventing gingivitis and other periodontal disease, and treating gastrointestinal problems.Wow, that’s quite a powerful medicine! The way we use it in my house for the most part is for treating cold symptoms. When anyone feels a cold coming on I get out the Manuka honey and give them a teaspoon three times a day. It can sometimes even stave off the cold from coming on entirely. If I do actually catch a cold which is very seldom, Manuka honey is so effective in reducing sore throats and coughs. I will take a teaspoon of it, let it melt in my mouth and trickle down my throat. it really soothes the pain of a sore throat and calms my cough. It also is very helpful if I have some gastrointestinal upset. I do the same thing, one teaspoon three times a day and my stomach pain is eliminated. It’s really so amazing!

Manuka honey can be purchased at healthy food grocery stores anywhere and though it’s a bit pricey ($15- $20), a jar lasts for at least 2 months so it’s totally worth it. In fact, Jacqueline called on Wednesday because she caught a cold at school and she went to a health food store to get Manuka honey! I was so proud! She got other healthy cold symptom reducers and now she’s fine! That’s $15 well spent!

Even diabetics can use Manuka honey medicinally because honey does not as quickly raise blood sugar levels as sugar does. However, you should always consult your doctor before using Manuka honey if you are diabetic because everyone is different and I don’t want anyone to get sick on something that should make you feel better!

So, that’s a bit of information about Manuka honey which I think is one of the best natural, healthy weapons in my medical arsenal. I’d love it if you’d buy a jar, take three teaspoons a day, and let me know what you think. Manuka honey is one of the things that I really believe in so try it because it will help you live a life of vitality- like Valerie!