Don't Let Your Meals Suck!

It's often one ingredient or one extra step that can transform your sandwich, salad or the whole meal. Take the extra second in front of your cabinet or fridge and ask yourself 'what would make this taste better?'. Meals are only boring if you make them that way. 

Here are a few things I do to make meals tasty and interesting.

1. Always keep green onions on hand. You would be surprised how much flavour they can add to your sandwich or a simple salad. 
2. Peel your carrots. A lot of people keep the peel on. There is nothing wrong with this if you like the 'taste' from the peel. But overall I think more people would dig raw carrots if they didn't leave the bitter peel on.  And, no you are not sacrificing much in the way of nutrients and fibre. 
3. Grainy mustard. You will always find this ingredient in my house. It can liven up a veggie sandwich or add to your oil and vinegar dressing. 
4. Let your meat rest. After you've cooked almost any type of meat, whether it's on the bbq or in the oven let it rest i.e. leave it alone. Don't cut into it right away or all of it's juices and flavour, flow out. 
5. Toast slivered almonds. Prep a batch of slivered almonds for the week. Toast them in the oven or on the stove in a pan. But be careful. I've gotten sidetracked and came back to black almonds more than once :) These little toasted bits of deliciousness add some healthy fats and protein, and can transform your plain green beans, rice, quinoa or even plain cut up fruit. A fav of mine is yogurt, cinnamon, orange and toasted almonds, mmmmm.

5 Sweet Tooth Cures

1. Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
   Heat 1-2 squares of your favourite chocolate (preferably dark) in a pan until melted. Dip washed and dried strawberries in melted chocolate. If you can wait, put them in the fridge for a few mintues so chocolate can harden.
    

2. TeaPops - www.deebeesorganics.com. One of my new favourites!

3. Intensely Dark Almond Hot Chocolate
   Heat a cup of Almond Milk (original, not unsweetened) in a pot. Add a 1-2 Tbsp of Cocoa Camino Intensely Dark Drinking Chocolate. Heat and stir. 
    
4. Warm Berries & Greek Yogurt
   Warm frozen berries (or mixed frozen fruit) on stove top, or in the microwave. Top with plain 0% greek yogurt and a dash of cinnamon and a drizzle of honey. 
    
5. One-Ingredient Banana Ice Cream
   Here’s how to make it: Peel 2 very ripe banana. Cut them into small pieces. Freeze for just 1-2 hours on a plate. Blend, blend, blend - scraping down the bowl when they stick. Enjoy the magic moment when they turn into ice cream! 

Energy Boosters

1. Increase Your Magnesium Intake
   Eating a balanced diet can help ensure your vitamin and mineral needs are met. But if you still find yourself tired all the time, you could have a slight magnesium deficiency. To make sure you're getting enough magnesium:
   • Add a handful of almonds, hazelnuts or cashews to your daily diet.
   • Increase your intake of whole grains, particularly bran cereal.
   • Eat more fish, especially halibut.

2. Take a walk – even if it’s only 5 minutes
   While it may seem as if moving about when you feel exhausted is the quickest route to feeling more exhausted, the opposite is true. Experts say that increasing physical activity -- particularly walking -- increases energy.

3. Don't Skip Breakfast -- or Any Other Meal
   Studies show that people who eat breakfast report being in a better mood, and have more energy throughout the day.

4. Reduce Stress
   I know we’ve all heard it before, and it is easier said than done BUT I’ll say it again, one of the biggest energy zappers is stress. Stress is the result of anxiety, and anxiety uses up a whole lot of our energy. Figure out one or two things that help to reduce your stress – be it, yoga, exercise, or simply letting go of something that’s stressing you out – and do these more often. You will feel so much better!

5. Water
   You may already know that it's easy to confuse signals of hunger with thirst but did you know that thirst can also masquerade as fatigue? Sometimes, even slight dehydration can leave you feeling tired and lethargic. The solution is simple: a big glass of water! This is particularly important to boost energy after exercise, when your body is likely to be craving fluids.

6. Eat More Whole Grains and Less Sugar
   The key here is keeping blood sugar balanced so energy is constant. When you're eating a sweet food, you get a spike in blood sugar, which gives you an initial burst of energy. But that's followed by a rapid drop in blood sugar, which in turn can leave you feeling very wiped out. Do that enough times a day, and by evening you're feeling exhausted.

7. Have a Power Snack
   Power snacking is more than just eating between meals. Choose a treat that combines protein, a little fat and some fiber -- like peanut butter on a whole-wheat cracker, or some yogurt with a handful of nuts. The carbs offer a quick pick-me-up, the protein keeps your energy up, and the fat makes the energy last.

8. Make It a Latte
   Pair a quick caffeine hit with the sustaining power of protein by having a low-fat latte instead of just a cup of coffee. All that milk turns your java into a protein drink. Combine it with an ounce of almonds - the healthy fat will really tide you over.

What to buy organic...and what to save your money on!

Dirty Dozen *Buy these Organic

1. Strawberries
2. Apples
3. Nectarines
4. Peaches
5. Celery
6. Grapes
7. Cherries
8. Spinach
9. Tomatoes
10. Bell Peppers
11. Cherry Tomatoes
12. Cucumbers

Clean 15 *Lowest in Pestisides

1. Avocado
2. Sweet corn
3. Pineapples
4. Cabbage
5. Sweet Peas
6. Onions
7. Asparagus
8. Mangoes
9. Papayas
10. Kiwi
11. Eggplant
12. Honeydew Melon
13. Grapefruit
14. Cantaloupe
15. Cauliflower

For a full list and more information, visit www.foodnews.org/fulllist.php