Thursday, November 24, 2011

Peppermint Dessert Freeze

Greetings!

Today I wanted to share with you a favorite new treat! It is perfect for this most wonderful time of year! And, it can be enjoyed by everyone! It's dairy-free, soy-free, and gluten-free.
















Peppermint Dessert Freeze
(makes about 4 small servings)

Ingredients:
1. 2 frozen bananas (in halves)
2. 1.5 cups almond milk
3. 1 cup ice
4. 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract (natural)
5. 4 tablespoons chocolate chips + more for garnish, optional

Directions:
Blend frozen bananas, almond milk, ice, until smooth. Add 4 tablespoons of chocolate chips (I used dairy-free). Blend on low, just enough to break the chips into smaller pieces. Serve in adorable glasses.. and garnish with additional chocolate chips if desired.
















Disclaimer: I am not saying that chocolate chips are healthy. I live by the 90/10 % diet. 90% percent of the time I eat amazingly healthy. 10% of the time I eat chocolate... well maybe only 2%. ;) Learning about the importance of not depriving yourself in my studies this year at Integrative Nutrition this past year has inspired me to start enjoying (organic, dairy-free) chocolate more!

I hope you are enjoying the beginning of the holiday season!

P.S. 'Taste for Healthy' now has a Facebook page! I am so excited to connect with like-minded wellness and nutrition enthusiasts!

Saturday, November 19, 2011

Decadent Chocolate Pudding

Well, hello there! I hope you had an excellent weekend!

Today, I am excited to post this Decadent Chocolate Pudding! It was recently featured in the Integrative Nutrition blog. If you want a dessert recipe that can be enjoyed by everyone, give it a try!

Decadent Chocolate Pudding


Ingredients:
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/4 cup medjool dates, pitted
  • 1/8 cup water
  • 1/4 cup cocoa powder
  • small pinch sea salt
  • 1 medium banana
  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions: Combine ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth.


It is completely natural and made from excellent-for-you ingredients! It's also gluten-free, dairy-free, and has 0 grams of refined sugar.

I hope you have an amazing week!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Avoid the Flu this Winter

Greetings! I came across this article today with some excellent tips for staying healthy this winter, and I wanted to share it with you!

By Frank Lipman, MD on November 11, 2011 




















"Flu season is headed our way and in a few weeks many will suffer, but you don’t have to be one of them if you start boosting immunity now. Here are 10 simple ways to prep your body so it’s strong enough to repel viral invaders all winter long:

1) Do your D’s. Adequate levels of Vitamin D are essential for our immune systems to function the way it is designed to. Unfortunately, there are no significant dietary sources of Vitamin D – most of our intake comes from exposure to sunlight. To optimize your vitamin D levels, you’ll need to take a Vitamin D3 supplement daily. This is the most important step you can take to prevent the flu!! To find out how much vitamin D you’ll need, get your 25 hydroxy Vitamin D level checked by your doctor. If that’s not an option, you can self-test your level with ZRT labs. For optimal health, you’ll want your level to be between 50 and 70ng/ml. It may require several months of taking 5,000 to 10,000 IU of Vit D3 daily (especially during winter) under a doctor’s supervision to achieve this – but it will be well worth the effort. Monitor your 25 hydroxy vitamin D status every 3 months until you are in the desired 50 and 70ng/ml range, then cut back to a maintenance dose of at least 2,000 IU a day.

2) Do take a probiotic daily. A strong immune system relies heavily on having a healthy, well-functioning gut – and probiotics help keep your gut engine humming. A recent study confirmed that probiotics could help fight off colds. Look for a probiotic with 10-20 billion organisms and take one every day.

3) Do stock up on antiviral herbal supplements. Immunity –boosting antiviral herbs contain thousands of medicinal compounds that attack viruses with a full spectrum of synergistic substances – and without creating resistant viral strains. Four great antivirals are andrographis, olive leaf extract, grapefruit seed extract and elderberry extract. Use one or several in combination as a prophylactic measure, particularly if you spend time in high-traffic areas such as airports, offices, theaters, etc.

4) Don’t eat crap. In other words, avoid sugar and processed foods. Sugar is a poison which, among other things, dramatically decreases immune function – so lay off the stuff. And processed foods? Virtually all of the nutrients get processed right out of them so they do nothing to strengthen immunity. Talk about empty calories!

5) Do get your greens. Colorful salads and dark greens are loaded with flu-fighting phytonutrients, so pile your plate high.

6) Do garlic. Not only does garlic repel vampires, it also has anti-viral properties and is a known immunity booster. My advice? Dig in!

7) Don’t skimp on sleep. One key to a strong immune system? Sleep! Get plenty of it to allow the body to restore and repair itself while you rest. Shoot for at least 7 hours a night and try taking a 20-minute catnap if you’re falling short.

8 ) Do break a sweat. Adequate exercise helps keep your immune system healthy and robust, so keep moving throughout the winter.

9) Do chill out. Reduce stress, particularly during flu season. Do breathing exercises, yoga or simply things you enjoy, to help boost immunity, relieve tension and enhance physical and mental resilience.

10) Don’t wash with antibacterial soap. Instead, wash hands frequently with good, old-fashioned hot water and chemical-free soap. Skip the antibacterials as they are loaded with toxins and increase the risk of creating resistant bacteria. They also over-dry and crack the skin, making transmission of viruses that much easier. Best wishes for a flu-free winter!



For more information on how to optimize your health, visit DrFrankLipman.com."

Photo credit

Question:
What are your thoughts on the flu vaccine? (Personally, I don't get them.)

Enjoy your weekend!

Monday, November 7, 2011

Integrative Nutrition... iPad Distance Learning!

Happy Monday!

I hope you are having an excellent start to the week! Today I learned some news that I just had to share, since so many readers have inquired about my health coach training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.



Posted on November 7, 2011 by Integrative Nutrition

"Introducing a major upgrade to the Health Coach Training Program...

…The iPad!

We are so excited to bring our Health Coach Training Program to the next level by providing our new students with an iPad preloaded with our course material.

And it’s not just for our students while they are in school. They can also run their future health coaching practice right on their Integrative Nutrition customized iPad.

It’s a revolutionary way to learn. And a revolutionary way to run your health coaching business!
Students in the world’s leading Health Coach Training Program, can use the custom iPad to:
  • learn from anywhere in the world and have fun doing it 
  • run your green + paperless practice, right from your iPad 
  • meet your new community of healthy and happy classmates 
  • build your personal and professional success network
Starting today, anyone who enrolls at IIN, the worlds most cutting edge nutrition information on the world’s most cutting edge learning tool, the iPad!

Do you want to learn more about this educational game changer? Tune in to our special announcement webinar with our VIP guest, creator of the Integrative Nutrition material for the iPad, Uri Feiner! Listen in tomorrow, November 8, at 2pm EST. Register here."

*If you have any questions about my experience with the program and/or possible scholarship opportunities, e-mail me.


Friday, November 4, 2011

Cleaning-out-the-Fridge Vegetable Curry!

Greetings! I hope you are doing well on this November day!
















This morning, I was on a mission to clean out the fridge, and also wanted to make something that was easy, simple, warming, and (of course) delicious.

Any combination of vegetables can be used. (Save $ by using what you already have!)

Cleaning-out-the-Fridge Vegetable Curry

Ingredients:
  • 3 cups green beans
  • 2 cups sliced carrots
  • 1 cup chickpeas
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 16 ounces vegetable broth
  • 1 14-oz can coconut milk
  • 3 teaspoons curry powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried basil
  • brown rice (optional... to serve over)

Directions:
In a slow cooker, combine green beans, carrots, chickpeas, and onion. Stir in broth, coconut milk, curry powder, and basil.

*note: I used light coconut milk.