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Keeping Life Peachy

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Studies show that as plant food consumption increases the risk of lifestyle related diseases, such as obesity and some forms of diabetes and heart disease, have substantially decreased. If you are able to enjoy 3 to 4 servings of fruit per day you can increase your energy level, improve your hair and skin health while also decreasing your risk of macular degeneration. Eating fresh seasonal fruit offers your body the widest range of vitamins and minerals. Now is the time to purchase peaches, plums, apricots and nectarines. The multiple varieties of stone fruits offer your body antioxidants to improve your health and wellbeing.

Peaches are my favorite mid-August indulgence. Their fuzzy exterior and juicy flesh provide anti inflammatory properties and can reduce bad cholesterol levels. Peaches are a great addition to a green salad, your morning breakfast routine, or even on the grill. Be watching the Clearly Organic blog for recipes including peaches and other stone fruits.

Foods To Fight Inflammation

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Recently a Clearly Organic customer wrote in to our Ask the Dietitian section on the Clearly Brand website. Debbie was inquiring about foods and recipes that help with inflammation and arthritis. This is an excellent question because many people struggle with joint pain, inflammation and arthritis. Some food intolerances are even a result of inflammation, bloating and discomfort in your digestive tract. The best way to fight inflammation with your meal plan is to consume a diet rich in produce, healthy oils, nuts, whole grains and fatty fish.

Here are five foods that will help fight inflammation.

• Leafy Greens
• Tomatoes
• Almonds
• Salmon
• Oranges

Here are five foods to limit or avoid when suffering from inflammation.

• Processed Meats (hot dogs, sausage)
• Sugary Beverages (soda)
• Fried Foods
• Refined Bread
• Processed Dairy (margarine)

Here are some great recipes that can help fight inflammation:

Tuna Salad With Avocado

Colorful Summer Salad With Honey Balsamic Dressing

Sweet Corn And Cherry Tomato Salad

All Things Blueberry

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

‘Tis the season for all things blueberry. If you love berries, July is your golden month where almost all forms of berry are ripe and delicious. Blueberries came at their peak of freshness around July 4th, so get ready to start seeing blueberries popping into recipes at every turn. My favorite way to enjoy blueberries is by eating them fresh out of the carton as a snack, but if you like baking with berries here are a few great ways to incorporate this seasonal fruit into healthy treats.

Blueberry Chia Seed Muffins
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/nutritionist-corner-recipe-blueberry-chia-seed-muffins/

Lemon Blueberry Oatmeal Bread
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/lemon-blueberry-oatmeal-bread/

Blueberry Crisp
https://clearlyorganicbrand.com/news/blueberry-crisp/

Easy Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

July is National Ice Cream month, so here is an easy way to make your own ice cream treat at home. No churning needed for this delicious 3 ingredient recipe.

2 cups heavy cream
1 – 14oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 Tablespoon Clearly Organic Vanilla

Add sweetened condensed milk and vanilla to a large bowl and stir to combine. Pour the heavy cream into a separate mixing bowl or standing mixer. Using a hand mixer or standing mixer whip cream until it holds stiff peaks, about 3-4 minutes. Adding one scoop at a time gently fold whipped cream into the sweetened condensed milk mixture. It will look lumpy at first but as all the cream is folded in it will become smooth. Don’t over stir or stir vigorously it may cause the cream to deflate. Using a spatula transfer the cream base into a freezer safe container. Smooth the top and cover. Freeze for at least 6 hours.

Cooking With Fresh Herbs

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Just a pinch of vibrant fresh herbs can add unique flavor and color to any recipe. Many chefs consider herbs the secret to transforming a normal dish into an extraordinary meal.

The challenge many everyday cooks run into is knowing how to appropriately use herbs. It’s also worth noting that if a recipe calls for dried herbs one can easily choose to add fresh herbs if desired. Dried herbs are more potent and concentrated than fresh, so you will use less. When transitioning to fresh you’ll likely use three times as much. Therefore, if a recipe calls for 1 teaspoon dried oregano you would need 1 tablespoon fresh, since there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon. Here are some tips on how to pair and incorporate herbs into your kitchen.

BASIL – a natural partner to tomatoes, peas and zucchini; great in pesto, pastas and sauces
THYME – eggs, potatoes, poultry and squash
FLAT LEAF & ITALIAN PARSLEY – potato and egg salad, tabouli
ROSEMARY – fish, lamb, chicken, roasted potatoes, soup and stews
DILL – carrots, potato and egg salad, cottage cheese, fish, green beans
MINT – fruit salad, tabouli, tea and water
CILANTRO – chicken, salsa, tomatoes, most Mexican and Caribbean cooking
CHIVES – potato and egg salads, dips and tomatoes

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

 

4 ounces Clearly Organic Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 cup pepper jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup hot sauce
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
3 cups cooked chicken, shredded or cubed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl stir all ingredients together until evenly distributed. Grease a small oven safe baking dish with Clearly Organic pan spray. Transfer mixture to the baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is fully melted and edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Serve with Clearly Organic Corn Chips, celery and carrot sticks.

Eat More Vegetables

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

The world of nutrition and fitness has multiple different approaches and opinions, but one thing everyone can agree on is vegetables are a vital part of living well. Veggies can improve your health if you incorporate them into your meal plan on a daily bases. However, that is part of the challenge. Many people find vegetables hard to cook and lacking in flavor. So when you hear that you need to eat vegetables everyday and we need to add more of these super foods to our diet we start to dread what that might involve.

Here are a few easy ways to eat more veggies.

  1. Try a new vegetable based recipe. Scan the web for appealing photos of vegetables, and test out a new way to prepare a veggie you enjoy.
  2. Add extra vegetables to an existing recipe. It’s easy to add extra veggies to a soup or hot dish. Also try adding vegetables to a non traditional recipe like homemade meatballs or meatloaf. You can add minced carrots, cauliflower or broccoli to these recipes.
  3. Try a veggie smoothie. You know you need more greens but the thought of eating another salad is nauseating? Try a spinach, frozen berries and almond milk smoothie.
  4. Make a veggie bag. The prep work for vegetables is usually what keeps people from eating them. If you can set aside one day to wash, chop and prep your veggies you’re far more likely to get your needed 5 plus veggies servings each day.

Lemon Muffins

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

If you love lemon this recipe is for you! These delightful citrus treats are refreshing and delicious. They go great paired with vanilla yogurt and seasonal fruit.

2 cups all purpose flour, sifted
1/2 cup Clearly Organic Sugar
1/4 cup Clearly Organic Sesame Seeds, toasted (optional)
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 lemons, zested and juiced
1 1/4 cup Clearly Organic Almond Milk
1/2 cup Clearly Organic Coconut Oil, melted
1 large egg
1 teaspoon Clearly Organic Vanilla

For the lemon glaze:
1/2 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup Clearly Organic Powdered Sugar
1/3 cup lemon juice
Extra zest for garnish

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with 12 paper liners or grease with Clearly Organic cooking spray. Whisk flour, sugar, sesame seeds, baking powder, salt and lemon zest from 3 lemons together in a mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk milk, oil, egg and vanilla. Add wet ingredients to the dry and stir to combine. Pour batter into muffin cups and bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

While muffins are baking prepare glaze. Whisk together softened cream cheese, lemon juice and powdered sugar until smooth. When the muffins come out of the oven poke several holes in each muffin with the toothpick. Then drizzle glaze over the top and let cool for ten minutes. Garnish with lemon zest or a small lemon wedge if desired.

Activate Vitamin D

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Now that the weather is getting warmer and the sun is shining longer it’s time to allow our bodies more time outdoors to activate vitamin D. This fat soluble vitamin helps calcium, magnesium and phosphate absorb in our intestinal tract. The unique aspect of vitamin D is that it can be ingested from foods that we eat or it can be synthesized from sun exposure. About 10 minutes outside is all it takes to naturally activate vitamin D.

Foods containing vitamin D include fish such as salmon, mackerel and tuna. Most vitamin D containing foods in the US are fortified like dairy products, soy milk and some cereals. While we can achieve our vitamin D needs from dietary intake it’s also nice to allow the sun its chance to brighten our mood, boost our immune system and allow vitamin D time to activate. Take advantage of your spring and summer months with more time outdoors.

Dealing With Food Allergies And Intolerances

Written by novagiant on . Posted in Wellness.

Dealing With Food Allergies And Intolerances

 

When someone is diagnosed with a food allergy or intolerance it’s common to receive a list of foods and products that they should avoid or eliminate from their daily meal plan. While it’s very important to steer clear of foods that cause your body discomfort and illness, it’s also helpful to focus on all the foods you can still enjoy. The list of foods people can continue to enjoy is always much longer than the list of foods you should eliminate.

It’s important to open up your possibilities and take away the negativity and limitations that food allergies and intolerances can often bring. Food allergies often make people more dependent on natural ingredients, fruits, vegetables and organic products. By looking at the positive side of any lifestyle change we can all benefit from embracing new stages in our lifelong journey for health and wellbeing.