Roasted vs Dry Roasted

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Snacking on a handful of roasted nuts is a super-convenient way to get your healthy fats, right? 

 

Yes....and....no.

 

If you are eating roasted nuts, the first thing you might do is look at the ingredients list and find that there are only the nuts, oil and salt.  Only 3 ingredients....good, right?

 

Seems innocent enough. 

 

Then you notice that the oil used is a highly refined, industrial seed oil that contributes to all inflammatory diseases like:

 

• cardiovascular disease
• type 2 diabetes
• obesity
• metabolic syndrome
• IBS & IBD
• autoimmune disease
• rheumatoid arthritis

 

Not so healthy after all.

 

To top that off, you may not have realized that there's a difference between Roasted and Dry-Roasted nuts.  When consuming the commercially prepared roasted nuts, did you know that those nuts are actually deep-fried in those highly refined and highly oxidized oils!?

 

Yep, it's perfectly legal for food manufacturers to take a food that is 60% fat, deep fry it in oil and call it roasted. 

 

Your best choice?

 

Purchasing Dry-Roasted nuts that contain only the nut and salt.

 

Your better-than-best choice?

 

Purchasing raw nuts and oven-roasting them yourself for the freshest tasting roast flavor (who knows how long ago the purchased nuts were actually roasted!).

 

Raw nuts are great, I eat them, but when I roast them myself,  it adds depth to the texture and flavor, and tastes much better than the roasted nuts you get at the store.

I dare you to try it just once - it's easy!

 

Ingredients

 

Raw almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, pine nuts, or even sunflower seeds

Sea salt 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread a single layer of nuts on a baking sheet.
3. Baking times will vary from oven to oven.  Smaller nuts like pine nuts will take around 5-7 minutes, larger nuts like chestnuts will take around 20-25 minutes (see chart below).
4. Remove from oven once they get a golden brown color.
5. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste.

 

 

Variations:

 

• Prior to roasting, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of walnut oil (or any other nut oil) for added flavor - mix well until thoroughly coated and sprinkle with some sea salt.
• As soon as they are done roasting, drizzle with some coconut aminos* to taste, stir well so it is evenly distributed, absorbed and evaporated into the nut.
• For a spicy variety, sprinkle with hot sauce to taste, stir well as directed with coconut aminos.  You can also use hot seasoning of choice, instead, and sprinkle before or after roasting.

*Look for coconut aminos at Trader Joes, Whole Foods, or our local nutrition store.

 

Nut	Time
Almonds (sliced)	7-10 minutes
Almonds (whole)	10 minutes
Cashews Chestnuts	15 minutes 25 minutes
Hazelnuts	12-15 minutes
Macadamia Nuts	12-15 minutes
Pecans	10-15 minutes
Pine Nuts	5 minutes
Walnuts	10-15 minutes
	

7-DAY NO EXCUSES CHALLENGE

Salus has received requests from many of our clients asking for motivation.  So here it is: The 7-Day NO EXCUSES Challenge.

There is no follow up and you do not need to let other people know you completed the challenge.  You just need to prove to yourself that you are capable of finishing what you set out to do.

The great thing about this challenge is that it is individual.  I’ll give you a list of options to choose from, and you decide what to take on.  The catch is you have to finish.  No excuses.  No “I was too busy.” “I got too tired.” or “I’ll do this next week instead.”  

You can choose to incorporate a single task through out the week or select different/multiple tasks for each individual day.  You create your calendar.

Tasks to choose from:

•    No eating 1-3 hours before bed

•    Exercise for 30-60 minutes

•   Eat protein with every meal

•   Drink water before going to work

•    Cut out all white flour

•   Prepare your meals the night before

•   Cut out stress eating

•   Plan meals for tomorrow

•   Attend Salus on-site fitness class if it's available to you (I'm teaching yoga at Integrated, Sinclair, & Imagine-Health this week!)

•   …. Anything else that I did not specifically write on this list that you know you need to work on.

Right click on the calendar image and print your 7-Day No Excuses Calendar or make a mental note.  This is your challenge.

You can do anything for 7 days!

Roasted Cumin Carrots

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

Feeling a little bored or unenthusiastic when it comes to carrots? 

Do you always just eat them the same way each time (raw, dipped in whatever)?

This recipe is certain to perk up the doldrums when it comes to carrots - it's so easy, you might end up choosing the veggie as a side dish more often!

The recipe is versatile enough that you can switch the spices around to suit your tastes or, if you are wanting even more texture and taste, after they are roasted, you can add some chopped, roasted pecans and drizzle with a bit of honey or ghee (pictured below).





Ingredients
serves 4

1 lb carrots, scrubbed (no need to peel) and cut up into uniformed pieces*
4 garlic cloves, minced**
3/4 tsp cumin
3/4 tsp coriander
1/8 tsp red chili flakes (omit if you prefer no heat, or add more if you like heat)
3 Tblsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. In a large bowl, add garlic cloves, cumin, coriander, chili flakes and olive oil - mix well.
2. Add carrots and mix thoroughly (I like to get my hands in there!).
3. Sprinkle with a generous amount of sea salt.
4. Place carrots on a shallow baking dish, in one layer (if there are too many carrots, use 2 shallow baking pans (make certain you scrape out all the olive oil and spices out of the bowl).
5. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until tender with brown edges.

*Yes, you can use baby carrots. Beware, however, baby carrots can sometimes be somewhat on the bitter side or lacking flavor.

**Yes, you can use jarred minced garlic cloves for convenience.


Nutritional Information*:
per serving

Protein:  1g
Carbs:    12g
Fat:        11g

*nutritional values are estimated and may vary

4 Random Health Tips For Busy People

1.  Keep a large container full of greens in your refrigerator, include generous amounts of these greens with every meal you eat.
2.  Choose mustard over mayonnaise.  This is so simple it might seem silly, but mayonnaise is packed with fatty oils that can cause an imbalance in your fatty tissue.  Even the cheapest mustards rarely have more than mustard seeds, turmeric, vinegar, and salt.  (An even better alternative would be avocado slices and hummus)  
3.   Make a healthy pot of healthy soup over the weekend and eat it through out the week.  You can store the soup in the freezer if you'd like. 
4.  Start your day with a green smoothie.  They are easy to digest and provide antioxidants, fiber, and healthy carbohydrates.  All you need are some fruits, vegetables, and a strong blender or juicer.  Click Here for a few tips on how to make a green smoothie that actually tastes good! 

5 Ingredient Sweet Potato & Apple Casserole

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

You want easy, delicious and versatile?

This recipe is for you!

The flavor combination of sweet potato and apple is incredibly tasty and satiating.

Double or even triple this recipe to have on hand for the entire week (if you can make it last that long - these leftovers do NOT last in our home!).

This dish is fantastic on its own, but if you make a few batches on a lazy weekend day, you can have convenient and satisfying breakfasts throughout the week by simply heating up a portion and topping it with an egg - sunny side up!  This will keep you satisfied until lunch!

Ingredients
serves 2

1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced (orange or white, or a combination of both)
1 large apple, cored and diced
2 Tblsp olive oil
1/2 c onion, diced
sea salt to taste

Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Toss sweet potato with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, until thoroughly coated.
Arrange, in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes or until just tender.
Coat a skillet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, add apple and onion, season with salt to taste.
Cover and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes (or until apple is tender).
Add sweet potato, stir and cook a few minutes longer until everything is cooked and tender.
Serve immediately or store in fridge for leftovers (the best part!).


Nutritional Information*
per 1 serving size (recipe makes 2 servings)

Protein:   1.5g
Carbs:     28.2g
Fat:         11.7

*nutritional values are estimated and may vary

Slow Cooker Magic

By the end of the day most of us are tired and just want to relax.  Thoughts about taking time to prepare a healthy, well-balanced meal may not sound appealing.  If this is the case for you, I have your answer.  

The Slow Cooker. 

Reasons To Use A Slow Cooker (Crock pot)

1.   Cooking is EASY.  You literally layer your food, throw in some water, spices and push the start button.   I start my crockpot in the morning before work and by the time I get home dinner is ready and waiting for me.
2.   It's Healthy.  Since you're cooking with water, recipes rarely call for any extra oils or fats.  Place a lean protein with a few vigorous carbs from your  ex-prescription list and WALLAH- dinner is served.
3.   Clean up is Easy.   Slow cookers and crockpots allow you to cook an entire family dinner in one dish.  If you have a removable dish in your crockpot you can simply put in the sink for a good soak, wipe it and you've cleaned your dinner. 
4.   Saves TIME.  This is a big one for me- when I cook with my crockpot I don't have to spend time stirring or watching the food to make sure it doesn't burn.  There is no boiling or burning in a crockpot so I don't have to baby sit the food as it cooks.  

I hope you enjoy! 

Avocado + Bacon = Brilliance

By Coach Maria - Salus Nutritionist & Food Expert

When talking nutrition, avocados are a distinctive sort.

Avocados are full of health benefits that many do not realize - they are loaded with fiber, contain 2x the amount of potassium than a banana, provide 36% of your daily requirement of Vitamin K, 30% of folate, and 20% of your daily requirement of Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C!

Although the avocado will sometimes get a bad rap for being high in fat, these fats are actually heart healthy and full of benefits.

The nature of the healthy fat are threefold:

• Key supporters of our inflammatory system - keeping inflammation under control
• High in Oleic acid, they promote a healthy digestive tract which will mean better absorption of nutrients.
• Containing monounsaturated fatty acid; it has been shown to reduce risk of heart disease.

Avocados are not only heart-healthy, but with only 2 grams of total sugar per cup, it falls on the very low glycemic index list, making them a sugar regulating food!

Avocados can be used in a variety of serving ideas, but this particular combination is incredibly tasty and makes for a perfect appetizer for any occasion!

Ingredients
Serves 5 (2 slices per serving)

1 avocado, cut in half and each half sliced into 5 even slices
3 slices of bacon, cut in half
Cayenne (*optional - omit if you would not prefer the heat)

Wrap 1/2 of a bacon slice around each avocado slice.
Sprinkle with a dash of cayenne to taste.
Bake @ 350 for 10-12 minutes (keep any eye on them!).



Nutritional Information*
per 1 serving size (recipe makes 5 servings)

Protein:  6.8g
Fat:        12.6g
Carb:      3.7g

*Nutritional values are estimated and may vary

4 Ways To Get More Energy On Days Where You Feel BLAH

1. Get your B's.
B vitamins that is. They turn our food into energy and power our metabolism. B’s are necessary for production of our neurotransmitters, which regulate mood and conduct messages through the brain.

Here are some foods to find them:
Leafy Greens, Nuts & Seeds, Lean Meats & Fish

2. Think small.
Try eating smaller portions at lunch. This will stoke your metabolism and keep your blood sugar levels from dipping. Try eating half your lunch at 12:30 and the other half at 4pm.

3. Break up with sugar.
It’s depletes our stores of B vitamins and creates that blood sugar spike and then… CRASH. Leaving us worse off than how tired we might have been in the first place.

4. Stay hydrated.
Staying hydrated goes a long way toward sustaining energy level, because even mild dehydration causes your blood to thicken, forcing the heart to work harder, which results in fatigue. Try to drink a 4 cups of water by noon, and at least another 4 cups before you go to bed.