nutritional powerhouses

i found the following list in an old issue of women's day and thought it was worth posting. these superfoods are GREAT additions to your diet:

1. cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and lake may have potent anticancer properties.
2. carrots, mangoes, and winter squash are rich in beta carotene, which can play an important role in cancer prevention—particularly of the lung, cervix, and stomach.
3. pink grapefruit, blueberries, and red grapes are good sources of flavonoids, which may help fight cancer and heart disease.
4. garlic, onions, leeks, chives, and scallions may help lower high blood pressure and protect against certain cancers.
5. tomatoes, ketchup, tomato sauce, pink grapefruit, and bell peppers show promise in fighting lung and prostate cancers.
6. red grapes, blueberries, and strawberries may help reduce the risk of some types of cancer and help ward off heart disease.
7. spinach, corn, pumpkin, and avocado appear to reduce the risk of stroke, some cancers, and heart disease. spinach may also guard against age-related macular degeneration.
8. olive oil, canola oil, and polyunsaturated fats (including salmon, flax seeds, walnuts, and soybean oil) can help to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol.
9. lowfat dairy products and calcium-fortified foods help keep bones strong and may help prevent osteoporosis.
10. fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are all high in fiber, which aids digestion and may protect against certain cancers.
11. soy and soy products may protect against breast cancer, osteoporosis, and heart disease.
12. tuna, salmon, sardines, mackerel, and lake trout (as well as flax seeds and tofu) may help lower cholesterol and blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease.

a lot of things on this list won't be news to most people; however, it's a good idea to keep them at the forefront of your mind while grocery shopping so you can easily and tastily add disease-fighting, health-improving foods to your weekly meals.

i try to sneak in extra fiber and nutrients at every meal. this includes adding chopped nuts and fresh or dried fruits to my salads, using whole wheat breadcrumbs or oats in my meatloaf, trading out higher fat, lower fiber tortillas for high-fiber, low-fat/low-calorie ones, eating an orange instead of drinking a glass of juice, swapping out quinoa or bulgur wheat as a side dish instead of rice or pasta, and throwing extra veggies into EVERYTHING i can. i wind up feeling fuller quicker and the health benefits are countless.

healthy and happy eating!

cajun turkey burgers!

i needed a little inspiration for dindin, so i called on my beloved friend shosho to talk turkey (literally). she suggested bbq-flavored burgers, but once i got off the phone, i had this memory of these super delicious blackened cajun burgers i used to get at darryl's (for you richmond peops, remember that place??) that had this yummy, spicy remoulade with it and these caramelized (to the point of being blackened) onions on top. so, with that in mind, i got to work. adjust the 'recipe' to however much turkey you have available:

1 pound ground turkey (i use the 99% fat free, all-white meat kind)
cajun seasoning (i use zatarain's)
black pepper
red onion, sliced thickly, one slice for each burger
arnold sandwich thins (or any low-cal, whole grain bread)
cucumber, sliced thin (optional)
romaine lettuce leaves
low-fat swiss cheese slices, or any cheese of your choosing (optional)

remoulade (all measurements are approximate):
2 tbsp reduced fat mayo (i love hellmann's light made with olive oil)
1-2 tsp ketchup
~1 tbsp horseradish
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 tsp hot sauce
a few 'dashes' cajun seasoning

liberally season the burgers with cajun seasoning and black pepper (if you want extra spice, throw in a bit of cayenne). i season the meat first, then shape it into patties, and THEN season again.

grill the burgers in a grill or saute pan, lightly sprayed with cooking spray, over high heat. spray the thickly sliced onions and sprinkle with cajun seasoning. throw them in the pan with the burgers (or in their own pan, over high heat). it's up to you whether the melt the cheese on top of the burgers in the pan or put it on afterwards.

while the burgers and onions cook, lightly toast your sandwich thins. then, in a small bowl, mix all ingredients for the remoulade and stir well, adjusting seasonings based on your taste.

make sure to let the burgers rest for at least 5 minutes after removing them from the pan so the juices stay in the meat. assemble your sandwiches, liberally spreading the remoulade on the top and bottom pieces of the bread. grab a bunch of napkins, and dig in!!

for WW folks: for a 4-oz burger, 1 slice of cheese, the equivalent of about 1/2 tbsp mayo, and 1 arnold sandwich thin, you're looking at 5-6 points in total.

enjoy!!

"the only medication you can get to as a child...is food."

i'm watching a DVR'ed episode of oprah this afternoon, and ruby (reality tv star famous for losing over half her body weight so far) is talking about how a person (specifically her) gets to be so overweight. she doesn't remember much of her childhood but is acknowledging that some type of pain has kept her in prison.

i remember my childhood quite well, and i have named and shed light on my prison, and for me, the process of taking charge of my life is a continual struggle between letting go of old habits and buried pain and making choices that are kind to my body and to my soul.

i started this food plan back in the early part of the summer and have been at a stalemate with my body for the last few months (mostly due to illness, stress, and lack of sleep). i cannot say how frustrated and disappointed i am about that, but (and here's the silver lining) there is something inside of me that is relentlessly and doggedly refusing to give up on myself this time. so no matter how long this takes, i will keep on this road and keep making choices that put myself - and my health - first...choices that put me on a different road than that little girl who medicated with food rather than face her pain. these days, i'd rather cry it out than overeat. i'd rather sweat at the gym than feel the lethargy and disappointment of doing nothing but eating and existing. i think that's progress.

and so it begins (again)....

okay, so it's 2010 and i haven't written on this blog for an age (in fact, i've deleted all previous posts, because i'm all for a fresh start). because i'm re-energizing the weight- and health-related efforts i started last year—and due to ongoing 'hints' from my friend kim about sharing my weight loss and foodie thoughts with the internets—i figured i'd start recording my thoughts on all things diet and exercise. in the last half of 2009, i lost about 45 pounds, but after several bouts of sickness this fall, the scale hasn't moved in awhile. i also re-joined a gym and have been enjoying increasing my cardio workouts (with hopes to incorporate strength training in the new year).

to start things off with a bang, here's a saucy, chili-like concoction i made tonight for dinner and served over some rice:

Turkey-Black Bean-Corn 'Chili'

makes approximately 5 servings

Ingredients
1 Tbsp olive oil or cooking spray to coat pan
1 lb 99% fat free ground turkey
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 1/2 to 2 Tbsp chile powder (or blend)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 can diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1/4 cup(s) ketchup
1 to 2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 to 2 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 to 2 Tbsp steak sauce (optional)
1 Tbsp sriracha hot sauce (or cayenne pepper to taste)
1 Tbsp canned tomato paste

Instructions
Using a heavy-bottomed dutch oven or large frying pan, saute ground turkey, chopped onion, minced garlic, and chopped bell pepper in olive oil or cooking spray until tender and meat is cooked, seasoning with salt and pepper along the way. Then add the canned veggies and all remaining spices and sauces. Simmer for 30 minutes on low to medium heat, removing the lid for the last 5 to 10 minutes of cook time if you desire the sauce to thicken even further.


for you WW people, this has 5 to 6 points per serving (not including the aforementioned rice). you can also add a couple tablespoons of lite shredded cheddar and a serving of reduced fat sour cream to the top if you want to balance out the spice. diced green onions and/or sliced black olives would also be quite tasty:).

enjoy and happy new year!