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I am loving having Internet access on the machines at the gym. While I was on my favorite machine this morning, I came across some great information and recipes for healthier holidays. Check out the Mayo Clinic website for some great holiday recipe ideas and loads of valuable nutrition and health information.

The holidays this time of year can wreak havoc on individuals with health concerns, such as diabetes. If you’re diabetic, be sure to check out the American Diabetes Association website, also, for healthy holiday tips and recipes.

Enjoy in good health!

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Creamy, Smooth, and Delicious!

One of my colleagues at work mentioned that she puts oats in her morning smoothie. I’ve tried it a few times and it is wonderful! It lends a creamy mild sweetness that’s hard to beat. I like to use steel cut oats, but you could also use old fashioned (rolled) or quick oats, too. Just remember to use plain oats, and not pre-mixed sweetened oatmeal packages. If you have a Vitamix, you can simply add the raw oats with the rest of the ingredients. If you have a standard blender, you may want to soak the oats in the water, a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator – use about 1 cup water to 1/4 cup steel cut oats. You could also make oat flour in a food processor by pulsing the oats until they’re very fine. The oat flour will blend more easily in a standard blender.

Green Smoothie Shooters

This morning I added 1/4 cup of steel cut oats (about 170 calories total) to this recipe, which makes 2 large smoothies (plus these two cute little shooters). In addition to the oats, this smoothie has 2 big handfuls of baby greens (kale, spinach, chard), 1 1/2 cups water, and 12 ice cubes. It’s got one peach, about a cup of pineapple, and 2 scoops of whey protein.

Yes, the oats add a few calories, but I think they’re worth it. Oats provide heart-healthy soluble fiber, which has been shown to lower cholesterol levels. Oats are also a good source of minerals and protein, and numerous studies have shown that oats have many health benefits.

Oats can be a good breakfast choice for diabetics, too.

For more information on how to incorporate green smoothies into a healthy diabetic diet, be sure to check out this article on the American Diabetes Association website.

For information on how you can register for the American Diabetes Napa Valley Tour de Cure 2014, please see here! Join me in Napa, California on Sunday, May 4, 2014 – take the ride of your life! If you want to help support my ride, please click here and make a donation. Every bit helps.

Click here for some more great nutritional and health information information about oats.

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Interesting ...

My ride was cancelled for wind this morning. It’s looking more like a trip to the gym and a nice walk later.

That didn’t stop me from a healthy start to the day. This smoothie may be a bit of an adventure for some, but it’s worth a try. I haven’t yet settled on a name yet, so for now…

Unnamed Smoothie

1 cup filtered water
2 scoops whey protein powder
1 fresh peach, pitted and quartered
1 fresh kiwi, peeled and quartered
2 cups honeydew (about 1-inch chunks)
1 big handful baby kale
1 cup red cabbage (about 1-inch chunks)
3/4 cup frozen pineapple chunks
8-12 ice cubes

Measure water into a large capacity blender, such as a Vitamix. Add ingredients in the order listed. Start on low speed, then increase to high and blend until smooth and creamy. For a thicker smoothie add ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Makes enough for two large smoothies packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

If you’re new to the vegetable-fruit smoothie experience and like a sweeter smoothie, you might want to substitute apple or pineapple juice for the water, or add a little honey or agave syrup.

Speaking of sweetness … later today I’ll be doing a bit of baking to send some goodies to Ohio: brownies, banana bread, and oatmeal cookies. I’ll post pictures.

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This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found online while working out at the gym. Yes, I was working out and researching green smoothie recipes – the joys of technology – some of the machines now have Internet! This is fantastic, because now I don’t notice the brain-numbing TVs with IQ-reducing shows and music videos. As I mentioned the other day, I’ve been doing lots of searching and reading about green smoothie recipes, and I’ve found some great ideas at this website, incrediblesmoothies.com.

A little tart ... a little sweet ... and super satisfying!

Magenta Mystery

1 cup filtered water
1 small banana
1 cup blueberries, frozen
1 cup pitted dark cherries, frozen
2 scoops whey protein
2 cups chopped red cabbage
8-12 ice cubes, optional

Measure water into a large capacity blender, such as a Vitamix. Add the banana, blueberries, cherries, whey protein, and cabbage in the order listed. Start on low speed, then increase to high and blend until smooth and creamy. For a thicker smoothie add ice cubes and blend until smooth.

Makes enough for two large smoothies packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, and fiber.

I am looking forward to getting some good cycling in again this weekend. Last weekend I got two great rides in for a total of 144 miles for the weekend. I’m hoping to do at least as much this weekend; the weather looks quite promising.

Have a terrific day … it’s FRIDAY!

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Turkey Fennel Herb Sausage

2 teaspoons fennel seed
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 pound ground turkey breast
2 tablespoons grated cheese or 4 tablespoons shaved, such as asiago, romano, parmesan
2-4 tablespoons fresh chopped herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, parsley, mint, oregano
2 tablespoons plain breadcrumbs
1 egg
1-2 teaspoons red chile flakes (optional, depending on how spicy you like it!)

1. Measure the fennel seeds into a small bowl and add the wine. Allow to soak a few minutes.
2. Place the ground turkey, cheese, herbs, breadcrumbs, egg, and chile flakes in a large bowl. Add the fennel seeds and wine.
3. Combine all ingredients well.
4. Transfer to an appropriate storage container and place in the refrigerator. Allow to chill at least 4 hours, but overnight would be better.
5. 

   Cooked & ready to go on pizza!

   To cook, heat a little olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage thoroughly, to a temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you use ground skinless turkey breast, this is a low fat, high protein sausage. If you want, you could omit the cheese and use 2 egg whites instead of a whole egg, also, to make it practically fat free. If you omit the cheese, you will want to add a bit of salt.

This will be wonderful on pizza (the plan tonight with shiitake & crimini mushrooms, smoked mozzarella, and a simple tomato sauce), in a red sauce, in lasagna, or with eggs, or anywhere you might otherwise use sausage.

You could also make patties, or links if you’re so inclined. I think this would also make fantastic meatballs. The possibilities might be almost endless for the creative foodie.

If you’re going to put this on pizza, here is a great pizza dough recipe!

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Essence waters are a delicious way to stay hydrated and incorporate some great health benefits into your daily routine. They’re easy to prepare at home, and you can prepare them in the morning and keep them in the refrigerator for up to a couple of days. There are many different combinations – from single ingredient to delightful combinations like lemon-lime-mint.

Cool, refreshing, cleansing ... Lemon-Lime-Mint Essence Water

Many of these waters not only taste delicious, but have some terrific health benefits in addition to keeping you hydrated. For example, lemon water helps to cleanse your liver and to aid in digestion. Believe it or not, regular consumption of lemon water can also help to decrease acidity in your body, and thus can help remove uric acid from your joints and help to relieve inflammation. To read about more benefits of lemon water, click here.

Here are just a few ideas for delicious essence waters I have seen out and about:

Citrus fruits – lemon, lime, orange, tangerine
Melons – watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew
Pineapple (one of my favorites!)
Peaches, nectarines
Berries – strawberries, raspberries
Cucumber
Pomegranate seeds
Fresh herbs – mint, lemon balm, thyme, rosemary, lavender
Ginger

There are far too many to list … mix and match, have fun, be creative! Of course, it goes without saying that organic will be a healthier option, so choose organic ingredients whenever possible.

To make the essence water, you’ll want to have all of your ingredients properly prepared. Make sure that you clean all of your produce well; even if you are going to remove the skin or rinds, wash them first. If you’re using non-organic citrus be sure to scrub the rinds and rinse well before cutting into 1/8-inch thick slice. For melons or pineapples, you’ll want to remove the rind or skin and cut the flesh into about 1-inch chunks. Peaches or nectarines, cut in half, remove the pit, and slice into about 1/2 to 3/4-inch thick wedges. Stem and halve strawberries, but raspberries can be left whole. If you’re using cucumbers, be sure to wash these very well if you plan to leave the skin on them because many commercially available cucumbers have a wax coating. Slice the cucumbers into about 1/8-inch thick disks. For large-leaf herbs like mint or lemon balm, the easiest thing to do is to snip off the leaves and wash and spin them in a salad spinner, then slice the leaves into about 1/8-inch ribbons. Rosemary and thyme should be rinsed well, and you can just place a sprig or two in the jar or pitcher. To use ginger, simply peel and slice into 1/8-inch thick disks.

Lemon Lime Mint Water

Place the prepared produce into a large glass pitcher or canning jar, cover with filtered water, stir or shake, and refrigerate at least an hour before serving. The longer you wait, the more flavorful the water will be. Strain into a glass and serve with or without ice. As you pour water out, you can refresh the jars by refilling with filtered water. Keep in the refrigerator up to 3 days.

This low-calorie treat is a great alternative to sugar-laden juices and sodas, and far healthier than artificially sweetened beverages.

Enjoy in good health!

This post was inspired by a friend’s Facebook post this morning “Skinny Body Fat Flush and Detox,” which she shared from “Fiber Does The Body Good” Facebook page. I think the original source for that Facebook post may be this recipe or maybe here, but I can’t quite tell. I like to try to give credit where credit is due.

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Heart healthy oats and walnuts

It’s been windy and raining like crazy this weekend. It’s not looking like there will be any outdoor riding for me today, even as the clouds are beginning to break and the sun is coming out. It’s just too windy and unpredictable out there for me today for a solo ride. I’ll just practice a bit with the pedals on the trainer and focus on getting caught up on some chores around home.

One thing for certain, though, is that it is a great morning for a hot, steamy bowl of steel cut oats, with toasted walnuts and maple syrup. Oats are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber. Regular consumption of oats has been shown to help reduce bad cholesterol. As soluble fiber passes through the digestive tract it forms a gel-like substance in the small intestines that helps to catch “bad” cholesterol (LDL), preventing the body from absorbing it. It does not, however, block the absorption of the “good” cholesterol (HDL). Walnuts are rich in omega-3 fatty acids. Studies have  shown that regular consumption of omega-3 fatty acids can help to reduce inflammation, which can help protect from chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer, arthritis). Maple syrup, you may be surprised to learn, has health benefits, too! It is a good source of manganese and zinc, which have been linked to good heart health, also.

That should give me the energy to get all my chores done today. Speaking of which … I better get started.

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Davis to Vacaville, via English Hills, Steiger Hill Road, Gibson Canyon Road … those are all the names I remember … then lunch at Nugget in Vacaville and back to Davis via a bunch of Solano and Yolo County back roads.  A few little climbs, nothing too much. The chain popped off the back gears on Steiger Hill Road on a climb, but that was easily fixed.

Fresh Squeezed Pineapple Juice

I confess that once we hit Gibson Canyon Road, I was looking forward to having the fresh squeezed pineapple juice at Nugget again. At just 90 calories in 8 ounces, loaded with vitamins and bromelain, it’s well worth it!

Ciabatta, Grilled Chicken Breast, Whole Grain Mustard ... and no waiting in line!

Lunch at Nugget was fun. The sandwich line at the deli was (as always) super long. I really didn’t want to stand in line and wait, so I wandered over to the deli case and saw some beautiful chicken breasts.

Hmm … why not just get the ingredients and make our own? I was quite pleased that the team member in the deli was happy to oblige. A grilled chicken breast, a ciabatta roll, and a little cup of whole grain mustard. Voila! Everything we needed for a reasonably light and healthy sandwich.

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Chicken Rice Soup

My soup recipe from last Thursday was requested. I rarely ever follow a recipe when I make soup, I just sort of go with what I have on hand. I had a few chicken bones in my freezer left from a chicken I had boned a month or two back. I simmered them in a little water with a few sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, and about 6 peppercorns. I simmered this slowly until I had a very simple, light broth.

Also in the freezer, there were some frozen peas and edamame. I placed these in a colander to thaw and drain.

Normally I would cook the rice in the soup, but since I was starting late, I cooked the rice separately in my rice cooker. I used a Lundberg blend, Black Japanica (http://www.lundberg.com/products/rice/gourmet_rice_blends/Lundberg_Black_Japonica%E2%84%A2.aspx), which is what gave this soup such a dark color.  I love using these dark rices. They add a richness and depth of flavor that ordinary rice just can’t touch. As an added bonus, they are nutrient-rich and loaded with antioxidants. My rice cooker takes about 45 minutes to cook a batch, so I started this right after the broth was going.

While the broth and rice were cooking, I chopped one onion into about 1/2 inch cubes, sliced 3 stalks of celery, and about 12 baby carrots (because that’s what I had … normally I would use 2 regular carrots). I sauteed these in about 2 tablespoons of good extra virgin olive oil, just until a bit softened. While these were sauteing, I diced about a 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger into small cubes (1/8 inch?), and chopped some fresh thyme and rosemary. Set the ginger and herbs aside for now.

When the broth is ready (you’ll just know), add the peas and edamame to the vegetables. Stir in the fresh ginger, herbs, and give a nice grind of fresh peppercorns. Strain the broth into the vegetables, set the bones aside to cool a bit. Add 1 more quart of chicken broth or stock. If you don’t have any bones on hand to make broth, then just use store bought. You’re going to want a total of about 2 quarts stock for this recipe.)When the chicken bones are cool enough to handle, pull off any meat that’s left on the bones and add it to the soup.

When the rice is done, add it to the soup. Heat the soup through, but you don’t want to boil it.

Ladle the soup into bowls, garnish with a bit of fresh parsley. A little hot sauce is good, too. Enjoy with some good homemade bread!

This recipe can easily be made vegan by using a vegetable broth and no chicken. It is a good, healthy source of complete protein (rice and peas) as well as the edamame beans.

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I’m off for a ride on this GORGEOUS Spring Friday morning of a three day weekend!

I don’t normally post article links, but I liked this one … I have a feeling I’ll be having some of these foods this weekend!

7 Foods that

Burn Fat

 

With rising temps come rising hemlines, bare shoulders… and eventually, bikini season. Add these metabolism-boosting foods and drinks to your shopping list, and you’ll score a leaner and sexier bod.

By Carolyn Kylstra

For full article:  http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/7-foods-burn-fat-214600519.html