Winter is edging ever closer, and the memories of colorful smoothies and summer sunshine are fading into the remote past – or are they? There’s no reason why smoothies have to be a spring and summertime thing, especially when you are considering getting healthy in the new year. Why not continue the trend right through the winter. In this post, you’ll find five smoothie recipes that are sure to enliven your body and give you the energy you need to shine while the sun hangs low. Avocado and Strawberry Smoothie The best time to consume a healthy smoothie is in the morning before starting your day or in the early…
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How to Use Yeast, Baking Soda, and Baking Powder
Baked goods generally rely on a chemical leavener, baking soda, baking powder, or yeast for lift. Without some sort of leavener, most baked goods would be very dense and very flat. When shopping, make sure to check the expiration dates and be conscientious about how to store them in the kitchen. Baking Soda Baking soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda, is an ALKALI used as a leavener in baked goods. When combined with an acid ingredient such as buttermilk, yogurt, or molasses, baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas bubbles, thereby, causing a dough or batter to rise. It also neutralizes acidity and produces tender baked goods. Because it reacts…
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Healthy Breakfast Ideas to Power Through Your Day
It is my belief that starting the day with a breakfast of sufficient protein and healthy fats, sets you up for a positive and productive day. This essential resource fuels your body, giving you the power to move, think, and keep on living, but achieving the complex needs of your body can be harder than you expect. The first meal of the day will always influence the way you feel for the hours that follow, with a lot of people feeling bad without realizing that it’s because they’re not taking their first meals seriously. A good first meal keeps you from experiencing an energy dip and being ravenous by mid-morning.…
- Appetizers/Snacks, Entertaining at Home, Food For Better Health, Healthy Eating, Recipes, Vegetables
Reasons to Try a Plant-Based Diet for Christmas
After we get our fill of Christmas treats and family dinners, we start thinking about our health and making New Year’s resolutions. Why are you waiting till January to take up a health challenge? Indeed, that does seem to be the best month to try out your Veganuary, or start my 12-week Eating Smarter and Getting Healthy plan, but why not start for Christmas? Do you have a friend or someone in the family who is already vegan or vegetarian? Could veganism be a lifestyle you might appreciate? While it can seem to be a sacrifice at first, embracing a plant-based diet can offer several benefits, which might prove to be…
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Embracing Healthy Fats and Oils
Examining how we consume fats, our dietary needs, cooking, and digesting are key to recognizing healthy fats and oils. Not all dietary fats are created equal, but fat is one of the body’s basic nutrients providing energy by furnishing calories. Fat nutrients’ main roles are to provide storage fuel for the body, but they are also involved in the absorption of some vitamins, help to control inflammation, and also in blood clotting. You do not have to be afraid of “FATS,” it can be a superfood when used properly. It is the quality of the fat which matters. When shopping, can you pick out the healthy fats and oils? Types…
