Baked Apples

 

 

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

 

There's something about the cooler weather that makes me want to bake.  With fall comes an abundance of apples and those apples are great for baking. 

 

There's really no need to rely on your typical brown-sugar recipe when baking apples.  By choosing the right ingredients, the baked apples are delicious as a dessert or even as part of a snack without all the sugar.

 

Ingredients

serves 4

4 apples (any variety will work)

2 tblsp coconut butter

2 tblsp almond butter

1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut

2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 c raisins

sprinkle of nutmeg

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 

Core your apple with an apple corer or a knife. With a melon scoop, scoop out the inside of the apple - being careful not to go all the way through the skin - reserving the scooped apple and placing it in a bowl.

 

In the bowl with the scooped apple, add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined.

 

 

Spoon liberal amounts of the apple mixture into each apple.

 

 



Place apples on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.

 

 

5 Practical Tips to Avoid the Cold or Flu

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

We've all seen the advertisements everywhere - Get Your Flu Shots Here!  'Tis the season for the runny noses, sore throats, coughing and days spent in bed with body aches and fevers.

Aside from the conventional flu shots and drugs, there are natural ways to boost our immune system in order to prevent the colds and flu this season.  Getting pro-active with this precautionary approach can yield surprising results!

1.  Eat Real Food.  This blog is entirely dedicated to helping you stay healthy via tips and recipes that not only keep your digestion and taste buds happy, but will boost your immune system to help fight off the cold and flu germs.  Keeping a diet rich in a variety of wholesome proteins, fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits and healthy fats is crucial in maintaining and boosting your immune system.

2.  Get Your ZZZ's.  Being chronically sleep deprived has a great impact on your mental clarity and energy throughout the day, but the biggest impact is on your immune system.  There's lots of research linking sleep deprivation and modern diseases and illnesses, and even some interesting new research showing the efficacy between quality sleep vs quantity sleep.  Regardless, we all know when we are sleep deprived or when we are not getting enough sleep.  Know that your immune system is weakened during this period and susceptible to the season's invaders. 

3.  Stay Active.  Keeping physically active each day will ensure your immune system remains strong.  Even by going on a leisurely walk each day can help.  It's not so much the intensity of the activity as it is the consistency.  Some easy ways to stay active would be to make it a habit to park in spots that are farther, not closer to the entrance and taking the stairs rather than the elevator.

4.  Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.  Unless, of course, you have just washed your hands.  Shared objects such as doorknobs, credit card keypads, shopping carts and office phones will undoubtedly have bacteria that can and will enter via eye, nose and mouth; causing us to become infected.  Along with this tip, do plenty of hand washing to avoid infection.

5.  Avoid Crowds.  Easier said than done for some, but we all know that germs will spread easily in densely populated areas.  At the very least, avoid people that are showing signs of illness such as a bad cough, sneezing and frequent nose blowing.  Teach your children to sneeze into the crook of their elbow rather than their hands, since children are less likely to wash their hands.

How do you stay healthy during cold and flu season?

Avocado Coleslaw

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

A smoked brisket was on the menu for dinner, but I needed a quick side dish that would utilize produce from my CSA.

I went to my fridge and took stock of contents. 

Cabbage...carrots...avocados... cilantro...onions...

Coleslaw typically contains mayonnaise, buttermilk or sour cream - depending on the recipe - and I wanted none of those ingredients in my slaw.  So, since I've used avocado to replace mayo in several recipes (like this one), I decided to try it with my slaw.

It turned out refreshingly delicious.  So good, in fact, that I will be using this as my topping the next time I make fish tacos!

Ingredients

4 cups chinese cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, shredded
1/4 cup red bell pepper, julienned
2 Tbsp red onion, minced (optional)
1 cup + 1 Tbsp. cilantro
1 avocado
juice of 1 lime
2 Tbsp olive oil
water to thin dressing if needed
salt, pepper to taste

Combine cabbage, carrots, red bell pepper, red onion and 1 Tbsp of minced cilantro. Set aside.
Combine remaining ingredients in blender and blend until smooth. Add water as needed. Toss with cabbage mixture with dressing and let refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Attitude and Optimism Key to Weight Loss

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

If you are trying to lose weight, you probably have tried different approaches to get or remain motivated.  You are not alone.  There are groups and organizations trying to figure out the multi-billion dollar question.

On one hand, we have the health authorities regulating the size of soda we can order at a restaurant or banning chocolate milk at schools.

On the other hand, we have researchers working to figure out what motivates successful and long-term weight loss, especially in a country where obesity rates continue to climb at alarming rates.

Research has elicited some fascinating data regarding the attitude we have during a weight loss journey and how it can affect its success.

Studies have shown that negative ads, billboards or even commercials that deal with obesity; have little to no effect on motivating someone to lose weight.

One recent study from Melbourne University, showed that the more a person believed they could change their life by their own actions, the more successful they were at eating healthier, exercising more and eliminating smoking.

"Our research shows a direct link between the type of personality/attitude a person has and a healthy lifestyle,"  says Professor Cobb-Clark at the University of Melbourne.

Positive messages, the ones that make one feel empowered and hopeful are the ones that make the biggest impact and create changes in health for the long term.

Reclaim yourself by thinking positively and believing you CAN do this!   

Spanakopita

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert



I love Greek food; it sits in the top 3 on my favorite-cuisine list (did you visit the Greek Festival last weekend??).  Besides the use of fresh vegetables, their recipes do not require an over-powering of spices.  What I love most about it, however, is the culture that is attached to their delicious grub.  Much like Spain, eating and drinking is a social affair; a way of life.  When you gather for a meal - whether with family or friends - your conversations can linger all afternoon and into the evening hours!

Spanakopita (Greek spinach pie) has been a favorite recipe of ours for many years.  Regardless of how picky one or two members of my family may be, they will never turn away from Spanakopita!

Yes, this is traditionally made with puffed phyllo dough, and I make it the traditional way from time to time, but I wanted to try a gluten-free version of this delicious food to see if I could avoid the gut-irritating effects that come with gluten.

The result was incredibly successful and entirely too delicious!  Loaded with spinach - the nutrition powerhouse - and other assorted greens, this will give you a nutrient punch in just one single serving!

Recipe serves 12

Crust:

2 cups almond flour

1 cup hazelnut flour (if you cannot find this, using more almond flour is fine)

1/2 tsp sea salt

4 tbsp olive oil

1 egg

herbs/seasonings of choice (I like using thyme and garlic powder or Mrs. Dash garlic seasoning)

 

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix all ingredients together and press into a pie pan, tart pan or 9x13 pan - they all work!

Bake for around 10-15 minutes.

 

 

Filling:

 

Preheat oven to 400

Wash and finely chop 1 bunch each of the following (food processor makes this a fast step!):

swiss chard

spinach

chicory (curly endive)

parsley

green onions

 

 

Dump in a large bowl and mix with:

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp pepper

4 beaten eggs

1 cup feta cheese, crumbled (omit if you are dairy free)

 

 

 

Dump greens into pan with almond flour crust and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

Bake for 45 minutes, covering top of pan if edges of crust begin to brown ahead of time.

(optional:  after 20 minutes of baking, you can top with pitted Kalamata olives for extra flavor!)

Pumpkin Spice Latte (sugar free!)

By:  Coach Maria - Salus nutritionist & Food Expert



When the weather begins to cool off, my mind switches to fall-weather food and drinks.  Nothing welcomes the change of season quite like a pumpkin recipe. 

Go to your favorite coffeehouse, and you'll see the priority on pumpkin beverages.  Yes, you could opt for convenience and simply go buy one, but you will save money (and empty calories!) by making this delicious beverage at home. 

Ever since discovering homemade lattes at home, I rarely visit coffeehouses for a cup.  Give this easy recipe a try at home - you may never go back to spending money on lattes!

Ingredients
serves 2

3/4 cup brewed strong coffee
2/3 cup coconut milk
1.5 tblsp pumpkin puree (play around with this)
1.5 tblsp organic vanilla
1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon (play around with this)
**unsweetened cocoa powder (optional)

In a saucepan, over medium heat, add coconut milk and pureed pumpkin until your coconut milk is bubbling and steaming
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and pumpkin pie spice
Pour into the bottom half of a coffee cup, then pour in your strong coffee or espresso on top of it
Top with coconut whipped cream if desired (directions below)
Sip and enjoy!

**I will sometimes add a dash of cocoa powder prior to topping with coconut whipped cream, but I have also added a teaspoon of cocoa powder to the saucepan for a chocolate pumpkin spice latte - good stuff!

Coconut Whipped Cream
This will work as a great topping for not just lattes, but any berry dessert as well!

1 can coconut milk (chilled in refrigerator overnight - I always keep a can or two in my fridge)

Chilling the coconut milk is a crucial step, otherwise, your whipped cream will actually be more like a splatter mess of liquid milk!
Drain the liquid coconut from the can (the part that's not hardened) - you will not be using that (but I keep it to use for smoothies!)
Spoon the thick coconut into a deep bowl that has been chilled (trust me on this one, you want a deep bowl)
Whip coconut milk with hand mixer until nice and fluffy
At this point, you can add a drop of vanilla and a drop of honey if need be (although the vanilla is all I've ever used)

Apple Chips

By: Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Apple chips are crisp, delicious, easy to make and make a great snack for adults and kids.  They do not require a food dehydrator, but they do require patience.  They don't come out crispy right out of the oven - that comes after they are taken out of the oven and cool off.

If you have a mandoline, apple peeler/corer/slicer or even a slicer attachment on your food processor, it makes this job a breeze, but even if you don't have those tools, slicing the apple into thin strips is good enough.  Choose any apples you would like - I've used Pink Lady, Fuji and Gala.

Placing the slices on a rack on top of a baking sheet, will allow air to circulate underneath, speeding up the drying process significantly.  Or, if you're as fortunate as I am to have a convection option on your oven, this works great without the need for the rack.  Again, patience is key.  You might be tempted to turn up the oven in order to get the apples to dry quicker, but what happens is the apples become roasted, rather than dried.  Of course, if you have a food dehydrator, feel free to use it!

Ingredients

2 apples - rinsed, peeled (optional) and cored
Cinnamon

Heat oven to 140 degrees (if your oven does not go that low, set the oven to the lowest temperature).
Slice apples as thin as you can get them.  If using a mandoline, apple slicer or food processor - your job is effortless.
Cover baking sheet with parchment paper and place apple slices on top (or, place slices on rack and place rack on top of baking sheet).
Sprinkle cinnamon over apple slices.
Bake for 4-6 hours depending on oven.
Check slices after about 4 hours, then 1/2 hour increments.  The apple slices will be done once they feel dry, have shrunken, are curled up on edges and have darkened.  They will not feel crisp at this point - that happens after they have cooled off completely.
Once cooled, place in airtight container - they will keep for up to 2 weeks.

 





 
 

School Lunch

By:  Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Goodbye summer, hello school year!  For some it's a happy occasion, for others, a bittersweet event.  It's time to get the kids back to school, all the while, making promises to ourselves to be more organized and, hopefully, to feed our children some healthy fare. 

Perhaps you start out with great intentions and then schedules get in the way and you opt to go the convenience route, albeit not-so-healthy - lunch at school!

I'm here to help you realize that with a little bit of planning and organization - and eager help from the recipients of said lunches - you can feed your children healthy lunches that will not only keep them satisfied throughout the school day, but will contribute to healthy brain and body growth! IN the process, you might even decide to utilize this process for take-to-work lunches!

I am a true believer in simplicity.  Keeping choices simple makes for simple decisions and successful outcomes.

Just like I plan my weekly dinners for my family, I have my kiddos plan their lunches for the week.  I have a simple list to choose from and they can pick and choose what combinations of food they want in their lunches.  I don't change the list each week, but rather change it after about a month.

I add that to my grocery list, shop and, if they choose an item that needs to be cooked/baked, I typically do that on Sunday, when schedule is more laid back.  They are at an age now where they can help with food prep/cooking and baking. 

Get kids involved!
Over the years, I've realized that when they are involved in choosing their food items, the food gets eaten. When they are able to choose from a simple list, making lunches suddenly becomes routine and an easy task for them. 

A typical list would look like this:

School Lunch Menu

Mains   Leftovers Cold cuts Pizza Muffins Chicken Drumsticks Coconut Chicken Tenders Sausages Avocado Stuffed Eggs Hard-Boiled Eggs Tuna or Salmon,  Burger Patties

Sides Carrots Tomatoes Cucumber Salad Greens Peppers Radish Celery Avocado Jerky Almond Butter Veggie Soup Pickles Nuts Trail mix with nuts, coconut shreds, seeds

Desserts   Fruit, especially berries 1-2x/week: Pumpkin Muffins Apple Muffins Gluten-free Brownies

Hydration!
Juice boxes and sports drinks are nothing more than sugar-in-a-container. Get kids used to drinking water.  If you have a water-only rule for lunches, they will stop nagging you after a while.  If you get them the latest and greatest water bottles, it helps.  Even if they choose the more expensive water bottles, you will still be ahead of the game in terms of savings and health, since you will pay much, much more for the juice boxes/sports drinks and water does the body good.

Lunch Box!
Yes, they can make a difference.  Not everyone requires this purchase, but it's amazing how this little detail can make the most impact.  Purchasing a cool little lunch box that no one else has can be just what your child needs - suddenly, the food looks more appetizing and exciting!  You can find the boxes below online.

Lunch Bots

 

Planet Box Lunch

 

Bento Box



Do you have a successful way of preparing a healthy lunch for school? What are some of your simple ways to make home lunches? Add comments below!