Best Way to Ripen, Cut, & Preserve an Avocado
Either in guacamole, as a replacement for mayo on a sandwich, or just plain with a little bit of salt, avocados are delicious and nutritious! Full of fiber, potassium, folate, vitamins K, C, B6, E, and monounsaturated fat, avocados are great for blood pressure and blood sugar control, as well as for keeping belly fat down. Do you need any more reasons to indulge?
Plum Surprise!
Jack Horner was on to something; plums are delicious any way you eat them, and are especially good for your bones, blood sugars, waist size, cronic disease risk, and even your memory.
The Real Fruit Truth
I’m challenging you this month to replace processed sugar and sweet treats with fruit! Many people equate fruit with white sugar, claiming it to be just as bad. THIS ISN'T TRUE! I'm regularly told, "I'm skipping fruit and sugar as part of my diet plan," as if it's the same thing. If you are someone who thinks this, please keep reading!
Make Your Salads Healthier!
My challenge this month is to eat leafy greens every day. Even though this month is almost over, don't stop eating those greens! Make it a habit for life to help decrease cognitive decline as you age, boost your health, and keep body fat off.To help with this challenge, this week's Tuesday Tip addressed some tricks for making salads more nutritious. Here are the tips in a nutshell:
Brain's Fountain of Youth
It turns out that vegetables contain a range of nutrients and bioactive compounds like vitamin E and K, lutein, beta-carotene, and folate that help protect the brain. So not only are vegetables essential to keep us slim and disease free but also to keep our minds and memory sharp! Find out how many leafy greens you need to eat to possibly have thinking skills and memory 11 years younger as you age!
Oyster October
"Les Poisson, les poisson, 'ow I looove les poisson!" That Little Mermaid song is dang funny even if it is somewhat macabre... October is National Seafood Month! If you're new to Foods with Judes, you will soon find out I have a great love for our underwater friends, both to protect and to eat! Seafood has extremely positive effects on our health and brain function. You can learn more about why this is true, in addition to other clarifying mercury tidbits in a previous article, "Seafood Newsflash." I could go on for days about health benefits of different kinds of seafood, but this month's healthy challenge will focus particularly on oysters. Don't worry - you don't have to eat them raw.
Fairytale Eggplants
I'm enchanted by the beautiful baby eggplants I found at the farmer's market in downtown Durham a couple of days ago. In addition to being the most adorable things ever, they are called "fairytale eggplants!" Whoever magically shrunk them did us all a favor. They have tender skins and only a few seeds. They're sweet and firm without the mushiness and bitterness found in the mama-sized eggplants. So for all of you who love eggplant and even those who don't, these ethereal fruits are for you.
Bare Organic Apple Chips
I found a new healthy product that I love and want to share with you! I'm very selective, so you know it's good if I feature it in my new blog series: "Judes' Market Highlights."
Judes' Healthy Choices at Restaurants
This post is the first of a new miniseries I call "Lunch Date" that demonstrates my healthy choices at various restaurants. As you see my healthful choices, hopefully, it will help you in your restaurant decisions.
Sunflower Seeds: Brain Boost
Sunflower seeds do more than give a satisfying crunch; they improve our health! They are totally delicious AND loaded with some heavy-hitting nutrients that are especially good for our brain power.
Arugula: A Rock Star Green
Arugula isn't just delicious. It’s also brimming with health-protecting nutrients. In fact, arugula strengthens your bones and may make exercising easier. These rock star rockets may even help keep your brain sharp and smelling better.
Amazing Vegetable Avocado Soup
If you're busy and enjoy high-quality delicious food, you'll want to try this month's meal hack. You'll be surprised at how well a little salsa and avocado can enhance the flavor of purchased vegetable soup from the refrigerator section at Costco or your grocery store. A delicious, hearty soup that is quick and fun!
Brazil Nuts' Superpower
Bring in the new year by starting a new habit that will benefit your health. It's not even a hard one, so you can actually keep this year's resolution! Just eat one Brazil nut every day (but not more than that) to ensure that you are taking in enough selenium in your diet. This powerful nutrient is an essential mineral found to have a profound effect on our health! It's critical in protecting us from toxins and fighting diseases.
Seafood News Flash!
Contrary to previous recommendations, new government guidelines recommend that everyone, especially pregnant and breastfeeding women and children, consume seafood two to three times per week! Seafood contains nutrients that are difficult to find in other foods that most people aren't getting enough of.
Southern Okra Fun
Okra is full of valuable phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals, and you don't need to fry it to make it delicious! Instead, try roasting it to create an appealing texture so you can enjoy this delicious southern vegetable.
Peanut Health Punch
Peanuts aren’t actually nuts, but they do have the heart benefits that nuts have, with some bonus value. Peanuts are most closely related to beans and lentils. They may even make you healthier, leaner, and smarter over a lifetime. Interestingly enough, it may be the peanut itself that prevents peanut allergies from developing.