Raw, Fresh and the Peak of Nutritious

If you want more bang for your buck, switch your thinking when it comes to peak nutrition.
Find the best places to shop for produce. Plan once a week shopping.

Center your meals around the raw herbs and vegetables instead of the meat.

Meal Planning Guide:

• Spinach salad with almonds and carrots
• Sliced sweet bell peppers of varying colors
• Diced tomatoes, chopped chives and fresh parsley. Sprinkle with fresh, squeezed lemon
• Avocado slices, chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro sprinkled with fresh lime
• Sliced peaches and mango with a wedge of lettuce
• Blanched sugar snap peas and walnuts
• Grilled Chinese cucumber, sprinkled with EV olive oil and Italian blend seasoning

Scan the market for new things to try. 

How do I view food?

How do you view food intake within your Christ-centered life?

Do you blame food (Good Food, Bad Food Theory) for your medical condition? Do you view certain foods as an instrument of evil (seriously, many of us do this).

=or=

Is food intake a part of your over-all, healthy lifestyle? Do you view food as a series of choices?

•  I can choose not to eat certain foods and I can choose what I want to include in my diet?
•  I can demand that food companies provide honest knowledge of their food ingredients, processing and packaging. But, I will not allow this to create negative stress in my life.
• I can learn what foods make me feel good and what foods make me feel bloated and yucky (very fitting word, if you ask me).

Take charge of your choices. Start with daily dialogue with God.

Make June a month of new habits

In the spirit of sun and beach....make June a month of healthy habits.

• Reduce clutter
• Take a walk more often
• and....eat better:

1. Instead of soda pop, try iced tea or water with lemon.
2. Fill the plate with more fresh vegetables and fruits and less breads and mayo-type salads.
3. Try something new. Instead of racing through the grocery store and picking-up what you would normally buy, take your time to explore sections of the store that you're not use to going to.
4. Don't skip the burgers, enhance them: Italian burgers: onion, fresh basil leaves and parmesan. 

                                                                    Mexican burgers: avocado, fresh cilantro and mild peppers.

Get creative. Come-up with your own tasty, low cal beverages using seltzer water and citrus. Think outside the box.

May is National Salad Month

Consider growing your own salad bowl. Or, shop the markets. Here's some great information to get you started:

http://www.examiner.com/article/may-is-national-salad-month

Venison and small game recipe ideas

Get creative with venison! Especially if you have family members who don't like "gamey" tasting food.

Mix ground venison with ground turkey to modify the taste.

• Hamburgers
• Meatballs
• Chili

Soak venison steaks in a solution of olive oil, vinegar and crushed garlic cloves.

Meatloaf:

• mix ground venison with ground ham, egg, bread crumbs and mustard
• mix venison with ground beef, egg, bread crumbs, chili sauce and garlic powder. Then top with a mix of crushed tomatoes, ketchup and Italian seasoning

Soup:

• Small venison meatballs or Steak bits blended with beef or chicken broth, lentils, carrots, celery, onion, tomatoes, parsley and oregano

Greek Flair

• Mix plain, low fat yogurt with crushed garlic or cucumber. Serve with venison strips, fresh tomato and onion and bread, such as: pita, Arabic or Gyro bread. 

Please feel free to post your favorite venison cooking ideas.

Cranberry, Mango, Orange Smoothie

Use Left Over Cranberry Sauce in a Nutrient Rich Smoothie

Ingredients

• mango, 1, skinned and cut-up
• cranberry sauce, 1/2 cup
• orange juice, 1/2 cup
• low fat or Greek, plain yogurt, 1/2 cup
• cinnamon, 1 tsp

Directions

1. Blend
   Add all of the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into beverage glasses and share with a friend. This recipe contains vitamins A and C, protein and calcium.

Tips / Notes

You can add more or less of an ingredient according to your own personal taste. Add a few rinsed mint leaves for a variation to this recipe.

Banana Extract Ideas for Use

So, you've just Spring cleaned your pantry and you say to yourself: What do I do with this bottle of banana extract?

Bread

Follow the directions for mixing the ingredients when preparing a bread recipe with banana extract. Whisk the banana extract into the wet ingredients before adding them to the dry ingredients.

Pudding

For a homemade pudding recipe calling for a 9 x 9 inch, baking dish, follow the recipe instructions and whisk 1/2 tsp. of banana extract into the saucepan near the end of the cooking time. If using an instant pudding mix, whisk-in a 1/8 tsp., of banana extract to the milk per 4 oz. box of pudding mix.

Pancakes

For a homemade pancake recipe that makes approximately 9 to 12 pancakes, add 1/4 tsp. of banana extract blended with 1/4 tsp. of vanilla extract to the batter mix and whisk until it's blended. Cook the banana pancake batter on a hot griddle until each pancake is puffy and dry before turning to cook on the other side.

Muffins

Follow the directions for banana muffin batter that calls for a dozen muffins. Add 1/2 tsp., of banana extract to the wet ingredients before combining it with the dry ingredients. Stir the batter just until all of the ingredients are combined then pour the banana muffin batter into a muffin pan. Cook the muffins in a 350 degree Fahrenheit oven for approximately 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.

Cake

Incorporate banana extract into a banana or chocolate banana cake recipe by adding 1/2 tsp., of banana extract to the wet ingredients before beating with an electric mixer. Add the wet ingredients to the blended dry ingredients and stir before pouring into a 13 x 9 x 2 inch, baking dish. Cook the banana cake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 30 minutes until a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Things to ponder:

Imitation extracts contain water, alcohol, natural and artificial flavors and sometimes food coloring. Boost the nutritional content of banana bread recipes by using whole wheat flour and finely chopped vegetables such as zucchini, carrots or pineapple. To achieve a more powerful banana flavor, add banana extract to banana-based recipes.You can bake breads ahead of time and freeze them for later use.