These are a Few of My Favorite Things

I’ve learned over the years how to find some great food buys, that are super healthy, organic, less expensive or hard-to-find, and I wanted to share that with you…

And no, it’s not raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, although I like them too!

I’ve been eating the way I do for quite a few years and I’ve learned over the years how to find some great ingredients that are super healthy, less expensive or hard-to-find, and I wanted to share that with you. Now for those of you who live far away from me, I apologize in advance. Hopefully you can find some of these same things at stores near you or very similar items.

I am not advertising for anyone nor trying to sell any particular product for my own personal gain. I don’t get commission on this stuff either. This is just my list of grocery items that I have found are either a great value or particularly good.

I love Trader Joe’s to stock up on great healthy, often organic items at a super great price. I tend to get more of the canned, bottled and frozen foods when I go to Trader Joe’s, and like to get more of my fresh produce at Whole Foods or the local grocery or farmer’s market. The selection is better and the produce seems fresher.

Some of these things are just super tasty, some of them are hard-to-find ingredients, some of them are things that come with a small price tag or that just save time and energy when making meals. I will probably be adding to this list from time to time, as new products come out, prices change, etc.

Here is my list thus far:

Grassfed Beef–This is such great stuff and totally different (and better because of the fat content) than ‘organic’. Choose grassfed over organic whenever possible. The BEST tasting, highest quality grassfed meat can be ordered from U.S. Wellness online. They deliver to your door in two days. If you want to find something closer, get grassfed from Whole Foods. They now carry a decent assortment of locally raised grassfed meats. I also found that Trader Joe’s carries grassfed ground beef which is really tasty and a decent price as well. Also, your closest farmer’s market may carry grassfed meats, local and natural bacon and free range pastured eggs.

Chicken–I like Trader Joe’s chicken. They offer organic/free range breasts and thighs (boneless and skinless), or whole chickens at a good price. Costco also carries some convenient three packs of organic boneless, skinless thighs or breasts at a great price. I prefer boneless skinless thighs because they have a better flavor, and juicier and more tender, and because the thighs are dark meat, they contain more iron and other nutrients than breasts do.

Bacon–The only kind of bacon you should eat is the natural kind that is nitrate and nitrate free. Regular grocery stores sell it, but, wow! It’s expensive there. I hate paying $6 or $7 for a small package of bacon that doesn’t even weigh a pound. Trader Joe’s sells a package of “Ends and Pieces” bacon that weighs a whole pound and is delicious, and all natural as well. It’s mostly regular slices of bacon and a few smaller thicker, odd pieces. Works for me at $2.99 for a pound.

Natural Chicken Sausage from TJ’s or WF–Both stores have a great selection of natural chicken sausages. They are relatively inexpensive and a great quick meal with some veggies or delicious added to eggs in the am. Or try a little stirfry with them. The green apple sausage from TJ’s is da bomb. Had them on the grill last night!

Natural Peanut Butter–Trader Joe’s Valencia Peanuts and flax butter.

Sunflower Butter–For those of us who have developed a nut allergy, sunflower butter is a great substitute. Try to find the kind without a lot of sugar.

REAL Butter–Kerrygold brand of Grassfed butter. Grass fed is WAY better than regular butter, and has the hard-to-find vitamin K2. I originally found this butter in my regular grocery store (Dierberg’s), but I’ve seen it at Trader Joes and Whole Foods as well. Trader Joe’s by far has the best price on this–it’s $2.00 less than what it sells for at Whole Foods.

Raw Cheese–Regular grocery stores are starting to carry raw cheeses and some have a great variety. And raw goat cheese is great for those who have dairy allergies and sensitivities. I am allergic to pasteurized dairy, but raw cheese is just fine !My very favorite (not cheap, but soo delicious!) Raw, cave aged gruyere from Whole Foods. Wow. What a delicious nutty taste it has.

Eggs–Now this can be a complex decision. So many different kinds of eggs and different classifications. The best choice is from the local farmer’s market, and pasture raised. If you are purchasing from a grocery store, look for ‘organic’ or ‘pasture-raised’. Buying  this classification is generally more expensive, but chickens who are raised for organic eggs are much healthier overall, not given hormones and antibiotics and not near as likely to have eggs with salmonella or other dangerous organisms. If you can’t find organic or just don’t want to pay the high price, look for ‘free range’ and organic eggs. My favorite from Whole Foods is Farmer’s Hen House ‘free range’ egg raised on Amish farms. (Amish farms are close to organic, just not certified). This brand comes in a ‘jumbo’ size, so for $3.99, you get a lot of egg–with rich orange yolks (meaning they have lots of healthy omega 3 fats and nutrients).

Nuts–Trader Joe’s also has a great variety of nuts and trail mix. Just watch out for the sugary additions if you are doing trail mix or a flavored nut.

Energy Bars (grain free and nut free)–Macro bars are my new favorites! Most any grocery or health food store now carries a wide variety of energy bars. Whole Foods has a whole wall of them! Whew…gets crazy trying to decipher ingredients. Trader Joe’s also carries a great selection. Stay away from the manufactured ‘energy bars’ which are basically processed soy and sugar.

Paleo Bread or Tortillas–Whole Foods and other health food stores now carry somewhat expensive paleo tortillas and other bread products, but these can be expensive. Better to make your own or omit all together.

Milk (milk substitute)–I love Trader Joe’s brand of coconut milk in the carton. Many companies make this type of milk now and I like the flavor (no coconut taste), and it’s consistency. Watch out for added sugars though. Hemp and flax milk are good, and I’ve seen quinoa milk. These can be pricey, and often there is little of the main ingredient and a lot of fillers, sugars, thickeners, etc. At least buy the kind with no added sugar.

Pasta–Tj’s now carries a lot of great gluten free pastas and the latest, which is REALLY good is black bean pasta. I looked at the ingredients and it said, “Black bean flour”. Period. It is really good, really hearty and filling and full of protein and fiber. YUM. There is also yucca flour pasta, quinoa pasta, etc.

A Healthy Treat–Trader Joe’s Toasted Coconut snacks. A hint of sweetness, a nice crunch, a touch of toasted coconut flavor, with a little bit of sea salt. Wow! My new favorite snack.

Chips–Of course you should avoid chips, but sometimes you just want a salty crunchy snack. These fill the bill. Trader Joe’s carries them and I’ve seen similar ones elsewhere. Lentil chips. These tasty chips are made of lentils and rice flour. No corn, no gluten, and no added oils. And they hold up well to your favorite hummus.

Laundry Detergent–Since I have read about and personally experienced the problems that the toxins in regular laundry detergent contains, I have switched to an all natural, plant based type. One of my favorites and by far the best price is either Trader Joe’s own brand of lavender scented detergent or Whole Food’s 365 brand. Both seem to do a great job (and I don’t get itchy) and are suitable for HE washers too.

While I’m at it, I love Trader Joe’s French milled soap bars, their natural citrus shampoo, cream rinse and body wash too–free of chemical toxins and additives.

Favorite Supplements–While I can get clients physician grade supplements at a good price, I have found that a couple brands at Whole Foods are just as good and you can get them quickly (if you live near a WF), and the prices are about the same as what I get at a discount. Plus you don’t have to pay for shipping, wait for them to arrive, etc. Solaray and Twinlab are good lines with a wide variety of vitamins, minerals and herbs. I also like Jarrow for more speciality items like Alpha Lipoic Acid.

P.S. I get Grain free natural dogfood from Costco that my dog loves and is a great buy as well.

 

 

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. 

Get the latest Gluten Free, Superfoods Recipe book HERE–The Fat Burning Kitchen Superfoods Recipes.

Cat also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.

                                Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

 

 

Never Eat These Fruits and Vegetables!

The Dirty Dozen

We see the organic produce in the grocery store and farmer’s markets, but is it really worth the higher price we have to pay?

Aren’t we just paying for expensive food?

Choosing organic foods is a wise decision not only because these foods are lower in harmful pesticides which can be neurotoxins, lead to cancer and other diseases, and mess up our hormones; but also because organic foods contain more vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, and not genetically modified.

A new report issued by the President’s Cancer Panel even recommends organic produce to lower the risk of cancer and other diseases.

Fruits and vegetables can sit in a field for up to six months during their growing phase so that anything that is sprayed on them will actually get soaked up into the roots.

You cannot wash off many of these pesticides and chemicals.

While it would be nice to purchase and eat everything organic, sometimes this can become an expensive venture. For those of us who must stick to a budget, avoiding the worst offenders is a better answer.

The “Dirty Dozen” list is put together every year by the Environmental Working Group shows the fruits and vegetables that are the most highly sprayed. The group analyzes data from the Department of Agriculture about pesticide residue and ranks foods based on how much or little pesticide residue they have.

When conventionally grown, the fruits and veggies on this list showed at least 47 different chemicals, with some having 67 or more.

Do you want to eat poison? No thanks.

Researchers say eating certain types of organic produce can reduce the amount of toxins we consume on a daily basis by as much as 80 percent.

So next time you go grocery shopping, avoid these conventionally raised fruits or vegetables at all costs:

Apples
Celery
Peaches
Strawberries
Blueberries
Nectarines
Sweet Bell Peppers
Cherries
Potatoes
Imported Grapes
Lettuce and Spinach
Kale and Collard Greens    

However, the following list are vegetables and fruit that are relatively safe if even you purchase the conventionally grown, non-organic type.

Onions
Avocados
Sweet corn
Pineapples
Mango
Sweet Peas
Asparagus
Kiwi fruit
Cabbage
Eggplant
Cantaloupe
Watermelon
Grapefruit
Sweet Potatoes
Sweet Onions

Buying locally grown produce also helps to cut back on pesticides, plus you get fresher fruits and vegetables.

And buying local and in season is your best bet for the safest, freshest, and best tasting produce, and the least expensive option.

Till next time, Stay Healthy and Lean!

 

 

Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.  

Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

 

 

 

Should you Eat Eggs?

Whole eggs, especially the yolk (not just egg whites) are an incredibly good source of usable protein and the healthiest essential fats. Egg yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, choline and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg.


Whole eggs, especially the yolk (not just egg whites) are an incredibly good source of usable protein and the healthiest essential fats.

While egg whites are one of the highest quality sources of protein available, the egg yolks are actually the healthiest part of the egg!
That’s where most of the vitamins, minerals, phytochemicals and antioxidants (such as lutein) are found. Egg yolks contain more than 90% of the calcium, iron, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, B6, folate, choline and B12, and panthothenic acid of the egg.
In addition, the yolks contain ALL of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K in the egg, as well as ALL of the essential fatty acids like omega 3 fats.
And, the protein of whole eggs is more bio-available than egg whites alone due to a more balanced amino acid profile that the yolks help to build. Just make sure to choose free range, organic or pastured eggs instead of the ‘factory-farmed’ grocery store eggs.

There is a huge difference!

Similar to grass-fed beef, and wild caught fish, the nutrient balance of healthy omega 3 fatty acids and the less healthy omega 6 fatty acids is controlled by the diet of the chickens. So free range, organic eggs are by far the healthiest choice for good fats and high levels of nutrition.  ‘Pastured’ eggs, which means the chickens were allowed to roam freely outdoors and eat bugs and grubs and worms are the healthiest of all eggs. Check your local farmers’ market or health food store for this kind of egg.

Of course we all know that eggs contain a powerful amount of protein and essential fats, but new research has found that they also contain antioxidant properties that are known to prevent cardiovascular disease as well as cancer and other diseases.

When eggs are fried or boiled, the antioxidant properties were cut in half. The loss of  antioxidants was the worse when heated in a microwave, which destroys many of the nutrients in any given food! So healthy, clean raw eggs contain the most nutrients.

Eggs are so versatile.

You can add them to so many things, like smoothies, or sauces; eat them alone, or make high protein meals by just scrambling eggs with a bit of grass fed dairy butter, and your favorite veggies.

Season with salt and pepper and add extra antioxidants and nutrition by sprinkling in some turmeric, curry, hot peppers, garlic, cilantro, etc. Top with raw dairy grass fed cheese or fresh salsa, and viola, you have the perfect, filling, high protein, and fat burning meal!

Read more about healthy fat burning foods in The Fat Burning Kitchen Ebook,

cat How to Enjoy Holiday Treats and NOT Feel Guilty, or Gain Weight

 

DSC 6815 How to Enjoy Holiday Treats and NOT Feel Guilty, or Gain WeightCatherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.   

                        Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

          Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.


My Favorite Superfood, Kale

Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family with broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens. These vegetables contain powerful compounds that prevent or reverse many cancers…

Hippocrates once said, “Let food be thy medicine, and thy medicine be thy food.”

Eating healthy foods not only helps to prevent many of the most prevalent diseases of our modern world, but some superfoods are actually almost medicinal in their ability to reverse and heal many diseases, without the unpleasant and dangerous side effects of certain drugs.

Superfoods can help you easily lose weight, fight cancer, improve your digestive function, counteract osteoporosis, reverse heart disease, improve your mental outlook and help your brain function, stop the aging process, and give you boundless energy and wellbeing.

Here is one of my all time favorite superfoods:

Kale, Superfood Extraordinaire

Often used as a garnish in salad bars, this super-powered dark green leafy cruciferous vegetable contains more powerful nutrition than the whole salad bar combined!

Kale is part of the cruciferous vegetable family much like broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and collard greens. These vegetables contain powerful organosulphur compounds that have been scientifically proven effective at preventing or reversing many cancers, including stomach cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, and ovarian cancer.

Scientific studies have shown that these compounds can actually shrink tumors or stop their growth.

Eating kale is like popping a multivitamin and mineral supplement in your mouth—except way better, since it’s a whole food!

Kale has large amounts of vitamin A, vitamin C, B6, manganese, calcium, copper, and potassium!

A serving of kale provides almost 200% of the daily value of vitamin A, and 100% of your recommended amount of vitamin C.

The manganese in kale is an important trace mineral that works with fatty acids in the body to produce sex hormones, maintain the nervous system, and metabolize and utilize energy from protein and carbohydrates, making it the perfect fat-burning food.

Kale’s minerals are great for bones and far better than milk or dairy products. When combined with the vitamins A and K, it is easily utilized in the body, and works to strengthen and maintain the calcium in bones and teeth.

Kale also protects your eyes with the carotenoids, lutein and zeaxanthin. These phytochemicals work to prevent cataracts, and age-related blindness.

And kale maintains your brain health as well!

Kale and other green leafy vegetables can slow age-related mental decline in Alzheimer’s by a whopping 40%!

Kale contains a unique phytochemical called indole-3-carbinol that not only protects against estrogen-related cancers (like breast and ovarian cancer), it also counteracts unhealthy chemical forms of estrogens (xenoestrogens) in our environment that contribute to cancer, infertility, impotence, (undesirable female characteristics like ‘man boobs’), weight gain and belly fat.

Kale is a dark, blue-green leafy plant with curly-edged leaves. Select kale with smaller leaves or the more tender dinosaur kale for the best taste.

Try kale chopped up and added raw to salads or smoothies (you can’t taste it, just throw in a handful), or cooked lightly with a little water, olive oil, grass fed butter, and a squeeze of lemon and garlic.

[Just a note:  frozen kale has far less vitamin K than fresh kale does.]

Here is one of my favorite ways to enjoy kale: Lightly saute`chopped kale with a little olive oil and with chopped green apples. Drizzle with some balsamic vinegar and serve with walnuts or almonds sprinkled on top.

Be sure to include this superstar on your plate on a regular basis!

Stay tuned for more superstar superfoods and recipes…

 

Till next time, stay healthy and lean!


Catherine (Cat) Ebeling RN BSN, is a back to basics diet and nutrition specialist. In addition to her advanced degree in nursing from a major medical school, she has spent the last 30 years intensely studying diet, health and nutrition. She also has a book titled “The Fat Burning Kitchen, Your 24 Hour Diet Transformation” that has sold over 60,000 copies worldwide, and has helped thousands of people transform their lives, lose weight and improve their health.

               Her mission is to help others prevent disease and live their best life ever.    

       Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Eating Healthy on a Budget

shopping list

People often ask me, Cat—how can you eat healthy if you are on a budget?

Yes, everyone—including me—is looking at ways to cut out unnecessary expenses, and the grocery budget is definitely a target.

No, we do not all need to head to Wal-Mart for our groceries or start eating everything out of cans! Absolutely not.

There actually is a way to shop smart, and still get healthy and organic foods, on a budget.

But yes it does require changing your shopping habits and planning a bit before shopping.

But really, it is very worthwhile!  Next to a mortgage, food is the most expensive monthly expense, but the food you eat is a huge investment in your family’s long term health and that is like money in the bank.

The first thing to do is to cut out all the packaged, processed junk food if you are getting any. Do you get chips? Cookies? Crackers? Snack bars? Even…(yikes!) Twinkies?
These things are EXPENSIVE and they really add up fast!
What about so-called ‘diet’ foods like artificially sweetened yogurt? Sodas? Prepackaged frozen convenience meals? Again, EXPENSIVE.

All of those things are extremely unhealthy and fattening and I go into great detail about these foods in my book The Fat Burning Kitchen .

So what do you currently spend on food?

Start by making a list of all those foods that you purchase that are full of sugar, artificial ingredients, bad fats and chemicals.  Add up the costs.

And don’t forget to add in how much you spend on fast food, and the fancy sugar and (bad) fat filled coffee drinks? If you do the math, you will most likely find that you are spending a lot of money on foods that do nothing but add to your waistline.

So take a close look at all those foods that are really ‘non-foods’ and cross them off the list.

By far the most expensive foods you can buy are the processed, packaged foods that are usually full of ingredients you don’t recognize, unhealthy fattening fats, chemicals, preservatives and more.

Just think a bag of chips is $3.99, and box of cookies is $3.49, soda is a few dollars and on and on.

Ok, so you and your body and your waistline will be WAAAY better off without any of those foods I mentioned above. What to eat then?

Well I’m not saying you can’t snack. Heck I do–I couldn’t live without snacks! But if you are going to eat a snack, be sure it’s good for your body. So instead of a bag of chips, get some raw almonds, pumpkin seeds, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, or other RAW nuts (try to avoid those kind with the added oils).

Try some new and different ones–ever try macadamia nuts? Those ROCK! Yes, they are high in calories, but we aren’t counting these kind of GOOD calories. That’s good fat your body needs and your appetite will adjust since you will feel full or satisfied longer.

Get some organic apples, organic grapes, organic pears, or organic berries and enjoy some fruit along with a handful of nuts. Or slice up that delicious organic apple and dip it in natural peanut butter or nut butter. Raw cheese is also delicious next to a few pieces of fruit. Yum! REAL food. Good for you.

Or how about cutting up some fresh veggies and dipping them into some hummus.

Great desserts can be made from frozen fruit, a sprinkle of nuts and a dash of cinnamon instead of pies and cakes. Go for a few squares of dark chocolate if you need your chocolate fix.

Avoid the conventional grocery stores if at all possible. Generally speaking, the organic or natural foods section of a regular grocery store is way overpriced.

And since organic fresh fruits and vegetables don’t get purchased as often at regular grocery stores, they generally are not as fresh as they are at an organic or natural foods store.

Do you know about the ‘Dirty Dozen’? These are the fruits and veggies you should avoid UNLESS you can get them organic. They are the ones with the most harmful chemicals and pesticides on them. Here are the ‘Dirty Dozen’:

  • Celery
  • Peaches
  • Strawberries
  • Apples
  • Domestic blueberries
  • Nectarines
  • Sweet bell peppers
  • Spinach, kale and collard greens
  • Cherries
  • Potatoes
  • Imported grapes
  • Lettuce-all typesAnd these veggies and fruits are generally not too bad if you buy them conventionally grown:
  • Onions
  • Avocados
  • Sweet corn
  • Pineapples
  • Mango
  • Sweet peas
  • Asparagus
  • Kiwi fruit
  • Cabbage
  • Eggplant
  • Cantaloupe
  • Watermelon
  • Grapefruit
  • Sweet potatoes
  • Sweet onionsOne more comment about organic vs. conventionally grown though. Besides the fact that you are avoiding pesticides and herbicides when you eat organically grown, you should know that organic fruits and vegetables have been scientifically proven to contain significantly higher levels of nutrients due to the soil they are grown in. So you are getting more ‘bang for your buck’ with organics!Besides conventional grocery stores, there are natural and organic foods in health food stores, co-ops, farmers’ markets, community-supported agriculture programs, or online.And there are some great chain healthy food stores like Trader Joe’s that offer lots of organic or natural foods at way lower prices than a regular grocery store. I also find these stores have a wider variety of choices as well.Make sure to have a game plan before you hit the store and have an idea of your menus for the week. Make a list and stick to it. This way you are purchasing only what you will be using and avoiding those impulse purchases.

    Watch for sale items and buy on sale!

    Buy in bulk if you use it frequently–it’s generally much less money and you save on all the packaging too. Try splitting bulk packages with friends or family.

    I like to purchase my meats from an online company generally. While it seems more expensive than at the grocery store, you are getting grass-fed, all natural, no hormones, no antibiotics, pure fat burning protein, full of healthy omega 3 fats, so more nutrition and less waste. There are lots of places that are starting to carry this kind of meat, but my favorite is U.S. Wellness Meats.

    There is really NO comparison between grass fed and conventionally raised meats–and conventionally raised meats are full of fat storing, inflammatory omega 6 fats as well. I go for the less expensive cuts of meat like hamburger instead of steak, and dark meat chicken (has more nutrients too!) instead of the boneless, skinless breasts.

    Cooking from scratch is always the least expensive option.  One way to save time is to cook up a batch of hamburger meat, or other ground meat, and freeze some of it for later use. That makes it quicker and easier to use when needed.

    Recipes such as chili, taco meat, stews, spaghetti sauce, and virtually any of your favorite recipes are great to freeze and use at a later time.

    Remember, good nutrition is major investment in your health in the long run. A healthy diet means you will avoid being sick in the near future and avoid expensive health issues down the road. You ARE what you eat and the fuel is of utmost importance!