-- Simple Smart Nutrition

Grapefruit, Arugula and Fennel Salad With Citrus Dressing

This is a delicious refreshing, zesty salad with the sweet tang of fresh grapefruit and citrus, the bite of arugula and a touch of fennel. Arugula, has powerful cancer fighting compounds in it. Arugula contains anti-cancer compounds known as glucosinolates.

Arugula, like the other cruciferous vegetables in its family tree, also has powerful cancer fighting compounds in it. Arugula contains a group of anti-cancer compounds known as glucosinolates. These compounds are highly active antioxidants and they stimulate natural detoxifying enzymes in the body.

Similar to other dark green leafy vegetables, arugula is rich in vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium, magnesium and potassium that help lower blood pressure and keep bones healthy. It’s a good source of iron for healthy red blood cells, and contains plenty of other important phytochemicals such as carotenes and chlorophyll, making it an excellent source of antioxidants as well. For milder tasting arugula, buy the baby arugula, or for more pungent flavor, buy the larger, mature leaves.

The thin, shaved slices of fennel are easiest to do on a good mandoline, or you can use a good, sharp chef’s knife to cut very, very thin slices. Variations on this recipe are delicious, too. I made this the first time without the zucchini and added in some delightful, nutty flavored, raw Swiss Gruyere (Whole Foods carries this) cheese and it was incredible!

This is a delicious refreshing, zesty salad with the sweet tang of fresh grapefruit and citrus, the bite of arugula and a touch of fennel.

Ingredients

½ half small bag of baby arugula (about 4 cups) or more, if desired

1 fennel bulb, white part only, sliced very thinly

1 grapefruit, sectioned

3-4 green onions, sliced thinly

Dressing

2 T of orange juice (fresh squeezed is best)

Juice of 1 lemon or lime

2 T of red wine vinegar

1 teaspoon of sugar

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Cut up grapefruit in sections, removing the membrane and saving the juice if possible. Squeeze any extra juice into bowl for salad dressing. Mix up dressing ingredients, and pour over salad right before serving. Serves 4.

A great accompaniment to fish or chicken dishes.

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.

Easy (Fat Burning) Chili Chicken Crockpot Dinner

I thought I would make chicken in the crockpot, but really had no idea what I was going to do with it, so I just made it up as I went.
I used organic chicken thighs, and threw it in the crock pot semi-frozen with some cumin, chili powder, tomatoes and green chilis. A few hours later…

I just made this up today, and wanted to share it with you. I’m pretty sure you will think it is as delicious as we did.

I thought I would make chicken in the crockpot, but really had no idea what I was going to do with it, so I just made it up as I went.

I get my chicken from Costco. It’s organic chicken and it comes in (I think) 2lb separate servings and there are three to a package. It’s a great deal too.

I like chicken thighs, because the meat actually has more nutrients in it, since it is a muscle that gets used more. More use means more nutrients, like iron, in the meat. And now you can find boneless, skinless chicken thighs at most stores, and they usually are less per pound than the breasts anyway.

So, I had one of those 2 lb. packages and threw it in the crock pot semi-frozen (had started thawing it out the night before).

Turned the crockpot on high for about an hour to get the chicken thawing and cooking.

Then add:

Some fresh ground sea salt

Tablespoon or so of chili powder

2 or 3 Teaspoons of cumin

Hot pepper flakes

Several whole cloves of garlic

1 can of fire-roasted organic, chopped tomatoes with green chilis

1 cup of water or chicken stock

2 Tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1/2 fresh lime, squeezed

Handful of cilantro, chopped for garnish when done cooking

Keep in mind, I don’t measure ingredients, I just start throwing in stuff, so all the measurements are approximate.

Cook on low 4-6 hours or until done and tender.

[At some point if you threw your chicken in half frozen like I did, you may want to just break the chicken apart or cut it up in smaller pieces.]

Squeeze fresh lime juice over chicken just before serving and garnish with chopped cilantro.

Add a can of black beans if you would like.

Then you can serve in soft tortillas with sliced avocados and lettuce, or serve over brown rice or quinoa.

Yummy! Can’t wait till dinner time!

Note: If it’s really juicy/saucy, then separate chicken from sauce and serve sauce on the side or save to make chicken tostada soup with the leftovers.

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.

Dandelion Greens, Not Just Another Annoying Weed in Your Yard

What if there was a new drug that could cure liver disease, dissolve kidney and gall stones, aid digestion and weight loss, act as a diuretic, eliminate acne, relieve constipation, lower blood pressure and cholesterol…

Dandelion Greens, The Amazing Natural Medicine

Often overlooked as an annoyance in your yard, dandelion greens contain an amazing array of dazzling benefits.
What if you read in the news that medical science just discovered a new drug that could prevent or cure liver disease–including hepatitis, purify your blood, dissolve kidney and gall stones, help digestion, aid in weight loss, act as a diuretic, eliminate acne, relieve constipation and diarrhea, lower high blood pressure, prevent or cure anemia, lower cholesterol, reduce acid reflux, prevent various types of cancers, and prevent or control diabetes?

What if it had no harmful side effects?

All of these benefits are packaged in one plant—the dandelion.
The dandelion is one of nature’s top healing plant foods.

Dandelion has been used for hundreds of years in China, Europe, and the Americas to treat hepatitis, kidney, and liver disorders. And it’s often used as a natural treatment for hepatitis C, anemia, and general liver detoxification.

Rich in beta carotene (plant-based source of vitamin A), fiber, potassium, iron, calcium, cobalt, copper, boron, molybdenum, magnesium, phosphorus, B vitamins, vitamin D, and a good source of protein as well—this plant is as super-powered as you can get!
• Vitamin A is important in fighting cancers of epithelial tissue, including mouth and lung.

 • Potassium rich foods, balanced with magnesium, help keep blood pressure down and reduce risk of strokes. 

• Fiber helps stabilize blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, reduces cancer and heart disease, and assists in weight loss. 

• Calcium, boron and phosphorus and magnesium work together to build strong bones and can lower blood pressure. 

• B vitamins help reduce stress, aid the nervous system and give you energy.
Dandelion’s strong diuretic properties help to lower blood pressure, and remove excess fluids from the body by increasing urine output, helping to flush toxins from the body.

Dandelion is excellent for reducing edema, bloating, and water retention. Dandelion diuretic is actually as effective as the potent diuretic drugs, Furosemide and Lasix, used for congestive heart failure and cirrhosis of the liver, with none of the serious side effects.

Dandelion roots contain inulin and levulin, substances that may help balance blood sugar, making it helpful in treating diabetes. Inulin, a soluble fiber, also helps digestion by feeding the healthy bacteria in the intestines, where it increases nutrient absorption as well.

Dandelion has had a long history of being effective for helping with weight loss.
In controlled tests on laboratory mice, a loss of up to 30% of body weight in 30 days was possible when the animals were fed dandelion extract with their food.

The bitter substance in dandelion (taraxacin) stimulates effective digestion.
The bitter taste actually promotes the secretion of bile from the liver and gallbladder, as well as hydrochloric acid from the stomach.

Choline is another ingredient of dandelion that is a liver stimulant.

Our livers work very hard to filter the toxins that we come into contact with on a daily basis, and need help removing some of these modern day poisons from our body. Rough skin and acne, constipation, gas and bloating, frequent headaches, and PMS are all possible indications of an overburdened liver.

Dandelion is high in Linoleic and Linolenic Acid–essential fatty acids (omega 3 and omega 6) required by the body. These fatty acids can lower chronic inflammation, such as proliferative arthritis, regulate blood pressure and the menstrual cycle, and prevent unhealthy blood clots.

Both dandelion leaves and root are used to treat heartburn and indigestion. The pectin in dandelion relieves constipation and, in combination with vitamin C, reduces cholesterol.

On top of all that, dandelion contains multiple anti-diarrheal and antibacterial properties.

Dandelion greens are high in oxalate, a naturally occurring anti-nutrient found in some fruits and vegetables that binds up minerals preventing their full absorption and can contribute to kidney stones, gallstones, and gout in susceptible people.

But luckily, oxalate can be easy to mitigate by simple and light cooking as in the recipe below.   If you pick wild dandelions, rather than purchasing them at the market, you can take advantage of the flower and roots, which also offer health benefits. But be sure to pick dandelions from areas that are safe from lawn pesticides, car exhaust and passing dogs, however.

The dandelion greens that you buy in the market are usually more mild tasting and less bitter than straight from your yard. You can add them to salads, soups, or stir-fries.

The following is one of my favorite recipes for you to try from my friend, Jenny at Nourished Kitchen :

Wilted Dandelion Greens
Ingredients
1 Tbsp whole mustard seed 1 Tbsp grass fed butter 4 ounces nitrite-free bacon, chopped 1 small shallot, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 pound young dandelion greens, rinsed well and coarsely chopped 2 teaspoons red wine or apple cider vinegar

Directions
Place a cast iron or stainless steel skillet over a high flame and toss in mustard seeds, toasting gently until they release their fragrance – about two minutes. Transfer mustard seeds to bowl or dish to cool while you prepare the remaining ingredients.

Reduce the heat to medium and spoon butter into the skillet, allowing it to melt until it begins to froth. Add chopped bacon to the butter and fry it until crisped and its fat rendered. Transfer the bacon to the dish holding your toasted mustard seed.

Toss chopped shallot into the rendered bacon fat and fry until fragrant and softened, about three minutes.

Stir in dandelion greens into the chopped shallot and bacon fat, and immediately turn off the heat as the greens will wilt in the skillet’s residual heat.

Pour in vinegar and continue stirring the greens until wilted to your liking. Transfer to a serving dish and dress with toasted mustard seed and crisped bacon.

Serves 4, Prep time: under 10 minutes

Enjoy dandelion’s massive health benefits!

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 innursing 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.

3 Great Tomato Recipes

Oh joy! It’s midsummer and tomatoes are in season. Real, juicy, red, luscious, sweet tomatoes that burst with flavor in your mouth–not those mushy, pallid ones from a hothouse. What to do with this bounty of nature?

Oh joy! It’s midsummer and tomatoes are in season.

Real, juicy, red, luscious, sweet tomatoes that burst with flavor in your mouth–not those mushy, pallid ones from a hothouse.

If you are lucky, you may be able to pick your own fresh tomatoes red and ripe, from your backyard, or have a friend or neighbor supplying you with those warm, juicy red globes. If not, head to your local farmer’s market or look for “locally grown” in your favorite supermarket.

Tomatoes ripen in the sun, but if picked a bit early, they will continue to ripen if you leave them out on your counter top or windowsill. Refrigerating tomatoes not only stops their ripening process, but it also lessens their sweet and tangy flavor.

What to do with this bounty of nature? If you’re tiring of just sliced tomatoes with a drizzle of olive oil, fresh basil, sea salt and pepper, here are some other delicious ways to enjoy these antioxidant rich, cancer fighting, heart health enriching phytonutrients.

Tomatoes are full of antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, especially potassium. And they contain powerful bioflavinoids, which counteract inflammation, allergic reactions, fight cancer and protect your heart. Eating tomatoes will substantially reduce your risk of:

ovarian cancer
digestive tract cancers (mouth, throat, esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum)
heart disease
asthma and COPD
prostate cancer

American men who ate tomatoes (in one study), had a 40 percent reduction in the risk of prostate cancer. Studies of men newly diagnosed with prostate cancer found that increasing consumption of tomato products was associated with a marked decrease in cancer progression.

And it isn’t just the red color that makes tomatoes so healthy for you. Tomatoes of any color: red, green, orange, yellow or purple are all spectacular for your health.

Easy Baked Tomatoes Parmesan

Ingredients

4 medium sized tomatoes, cut in half

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano, basil or thyme in any combination

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

Preheat oven to 450° F.
Place tomatoes cut-side up on a baking sheet. Top with Parmesan, oregano, salt and pepper. Drizzle with oil and bake until the tomatoes are tender, about 10-12 minutes.

Tomato and Watermelon Salad

Ingredients

3 or 4 small to medium tomatoes, in assorted colors, cored and cut into 3/4-inch chunks

1 small cucumber, peeled, seeded, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes

2 cups 3/4-inch-cubed yellow or red seedless watermelon flesh

1 tablespoon chopped mixed fresh herbs, in any combination: basil, tarragon, chives, and cilantro

1/4 teaspoon coriander seed

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 tablespoons aged balsamic vinegar

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, cucumber, watermelon, and herbs.
In a spice grinder, grind the coriander seeds to a fine powder. Add the ground coriander to the tomato mixture and toss gently. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. Combine dressing with vegetable/watermelon mixture and refrigerate, allowing flavors to mix for an hour or so.

My Favorite Tomato Salsa

Ingredients

4-6 fresh, ripe tomatoes, depending on size, chopped in small pieces

½ red onion, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 or more jalapeño pepper, ribs and seeds removed, and minced finely

1 organic or locally grown green or red bell pepper, chopped in small pieces

2-4 tomatillos, chopped

1 big bunch of cilantro, finely chopped

Juice of one lemon or lime

Sea salt

Teaspoon of sugar

Directions

There are two ways to make this salsa. One method is the chunky version. Just chop all the ingredients by hand with a sharp knife, and mix together with lemon or lime juice and sea salt. You can make it extra chunky or use a finer chop.

For a smoother, more pureed version, coarsely chop the veggies and place in a food processor to mix. Process just enough so mixture is smooth, with no large chunks and serve. This will produce a slightly juicier version, so drain off some of the excess juice with a colander. Add lemon, lime and salt after draining liquid.

Either way, you will enjoy it immensely! Serve with chicken, fish, chips, tacos or on your scrambled eggs. Serves 4 or more.

Enjoy tomatoes while you can, because soon enough tomato season will be over.

Now, what to do with all that zucchini? Stay tuned… 🙂

Till next time,

Stay Healthy and Lean!

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

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

My Favorite Top 55 Flat Belly Foods

My good friend, health and fitness specialist and co-author of The Fat Burning Kitchen, Mike Geary has a great list of his (and Mine) favorite Flat Belly Foods.

I thought you’d like to check out what he says–it’s a good way to put together a healthy grocery list.

Check it out here–

Mike’s Top 55 Flat Belly Foods

Till next time,

Stay Healthy and Lean!

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!

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

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Should We All go ‘Paleo?’

Have you heard the new diet trend? It’s the ‘Paleo’ diet, primal diet or the caveman diet.

I guess it’s not exactly what I would call new and trendy, since it is based on the diet that our ancient ancestors ate. ‘The Paleo Diet’ is actually a term that author Loren Cordain, PhD coined for his book.

There have been several variations on this same type diet, including "The Primal Blueprint" by Mark Sisson, Weston Price’s Traditional diet, and my own, “Fat Burning Kitchen Program” diet. And if you like Michael Pollen, his dietary principles follow along the same lines too.

Scientists have finally started to figure out that the diet of our ancient ancestors may possibly be the best diet overall for our modern bodies.

This diet is basically avoids all processed foods, grains, sugar, dairy, and legumes.

Is it any wonder that in today’s world there is so much illness, obesity, heart disease, cancer, and other disease?

Today’s diet is a far cry from that of our ancestors.

Interestingly enough, our ancient ancestors were strong, healthy and were far more likely to be killed by a woolly mammoth or saber tooth tiger than a heart attack or diabetes.

If you would like to see a graphic presentation of the differences food makes on people, check out Weston A. Price’s book, Nutrition and Physical Degeneration–written in the 1940’s by a dentist who traveled the world studying primitive cultures and their diets.

It’s eye opening, to say the least!

In a single generation, these natives go from the picture of health to unhealthy, diseased and deformed, and it has nothing to do with saturated fat, but everything to do with sugar and processed grains.

These photographs of Dr. Weston Price illustrate the difference in facial structure between those on native diets and those whose parents had adopted the "civilized" diets of devitalized processed foods. This occurred in all different primitive groups all over the world.

The "primitive" Seminole girl (left) has a wide, handsome face with plenty of room for the dental arches. The "modernized" Seminole girl (right) born to parents who had abandoned their traditional diets, has a narrowed face, crowded teeth, and a reduced immunity to disease.

This, and my own dietary evolution, has convinced me.

And I am more convinced the further away I move from processed foods, grains, sugars and more towards this ‘primal’ way of life.

The dramatic health benefits that result from this type of diet, seem virtually endless.

It reduces, prevents or cures: High cholesterol, high triglycerides, high blood pressure, cancers, heart disease, diabetes, auto-immune diseases, inflammatory disease, arthritis, joint problems, allergies, digestive problems, depression, ADD, and so much more.

That alone speaks for itself.

Let me add that my own dietary and health journey can vouch for the fact that this diet really seems to be working. In the past, I had health issues like asthma, allergies, celiac disease, arthritis, depression, frequent colds and flu, digestive issues, fatigue, foggy-headedness, PMS, rashes, and more.

With each dietary ‘tweak’, I moved closer to THIS diet.

Isn’t it another low carb diet? Well…no.

However, our paleolithic ancestors did eat a pretty low carb diet. Different primitive societies did eat varying combinations of animals, plants and carbs, but generally the human diet was about 2/3 animal foods, and 1/3 from plant foods.

And no one cared about saturated fat and cholesterol either.

Along came the agricultural revolution and the cities, civilizations and manufactured foods. And, a boatload of nutritionally-related diseases that were totally unknown to the hunter-gatherers. These new foods are vastly different in so many ways from the real, healthy foods our hunter-gatherer ancestors ate.

So, I guess in a sense, we can blame the agricultural revolution for bringing us most of the chronic disease and obesity that we see in this modern world.

These mostly grain-based foods (cereals, dairy products, grain-fed meats, high fructose corn syrup, refined sugars and oils) do not work in bodies that were originally built for a diet of free-ranged meats, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

The paleo diet is high in healthy omega 3 fatty acids, and Conjugated Linoleic Acid, low in omega 6 fatty acids, low on the glycemic index, high in USABLE natural nutrition, high in antioxidants, and no empty calories, no chemicals, or over-processed carbs.

And here is an interesting study: Medical researchers released results of a study that shows just how beneficial a primal diet can be:

A group of non-obese volunteers were fed a paleo diet for 10 days. Only 10 days!

And the conclusion is… Even very short term consumption of a paleo diet improved blood pressure, glucose tolerance, decreased insulin secretion, increased insulin sensitivity and improved lipid profiles in healthy sedentary humans.

I am not surprised. I’ve seen my lipid profile, my blood pressure, and blood sugar levels. All of them, off-the-charts excellent.

Primal Diet Principles:

Eat REAL food. No packaged or processed foods. Make your meals from combinations of one-ingredient foods and spices.
Avoid most sugar, including: sucrose, fructose, agave (fructose), artificial sweeteners, and corn syrup. You may have small amounts of raw honey, maple syrup, raw cane sugar, and stevia if needed.
No grain. Not ‘whole grains’, and especially not refined, processed, white flour. No refined starches.
Eat plenty of healthy fat–from: grass fed meat, grass fed butter, pastured eggs and free range poultry, wild caught fish, raw dairy, avocado and coconut. Extra virgin olive oil is ok, although I’m guessing a caveman probably didn’t eat this.
High quality protein is important. Grass fed, pasture raised, or wild caught–meat, fish and poultry, and eggs. No grain fed, commercially raised meat.
Eat lots of vegetables–locally grown is best, and fresh, raw or barely cooked. Organic if possible. Some fruit is ok, but our modern fruit is very high in sugar.
Eat organic. Eat them as close to where they grew as possible and in the most natural state.
Beware of what you are drinking. While I doubt cavemen drank their ‘cuppa joe’ to get going, drinking one cup of organic coffee or tea won’t ruin the diet. An occasional beer or glass of wine is ok, but a sugary, artificially flavored mixed drink is NOT ok. No fruit juice…these are full of sugar. Drink pure water as much as possible.

And if you follow this diet, even 90% of the time, you WILL see major health benefits.

Many pro and amateur athletes are gravitating towards this type of diet as evidence comes in that it improves athletic performance and endurance, reduces body fat and helps add lean muscle.

So, as of this writing, I am going to follow this diet as closely as possibly during the bicycling racing season this summer, and I will report back to you how it goes.

Looking for more info?

There is plenty of information on the internet. One of my favorites is Mark Sisson’s site, Mark’s Daily Apple. This guy knows his stuff. Great articles, lots of entertaining and interesting info, and a lot of awesome recipes to help you get a better idea of how truly good food can be even without grains, sugar, or processed food.

And I have to put in a plug for my own website, Simple Smart Nutrition which is based on this type of diet, with tons of great information on various health conditions, from weight loss to maximizing your athletic performance and more.

And I have some delicious Paleo-style recipes too.

The very best way to check out the Paleo diet is to try it yourself. Even if you just follow principle #1 you will improve your health as you remove all of the junk, fast food, and “frankenfood” in the typical American diet.

Healthy and feeling good is normal.

Feeling tired, getting sick, gaining weight and all those other health issues are not normal. And, if you decide you just can’t commit to a Paleo diet, try following a few of the principles above and I guarantee you will see and feel so much better!

Sources:

Mark Sisson, The Primal Blueprint, Mark's Daily Apple, 2011. Jennifer Pinkowski, Should you Eat Like a Caveman? Time magazine, Jan 2011. Dr. Loren Cordain, the Paleo Diet, 2010-2011.

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.

Steak Fajitas You will LOVE!

While this dish is special enough to be served to a crowd, it is also a quick and easy meal to make anytime. Serve with guacamole, tomatoes and lettuce and let everyone build their own masterpiece! Use good quality grass fed beef skirt steak for the juiciest, healthiest flavor.

While this dish is special enough to be served to a crowd, it is also a quick and easy meal to make anytime. Serve with guacamole, tomatoes and lettuce and let everyone build their own masterpiece!

Meat
1 lb grass fed skirt steak, sliced into thin (1/4”) slices
1 large sweet red onion, sliced 1 red bell pepper, cut in slices
1 yellow bell pepper, cut in slices

Marinade
Juice of 1 medium lime or 1 and a half small limes
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 soy sauce
2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp of Frank’s Red Hot sauce or a few sprinkles of hot pepper flakes or cayenne

Guacamole
(Measurements are approximate, adjust to taste)
1 whole ripe avocado (should just yield lightly to touch, but not too soft)
2-3 Tbsp of minced red onion
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small tomato, chopped
Juice of one fresh lemon or lime
Handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
Sea salt, to taste
Optional–1 small jalapeño, minced, with seeds and ribs removed (use gloves or wash hands if you handle it) or some red pepper flakes

Additional Ingredients
Brown rice or regular soft tortillas, heated till just soft and warm.
Generous amounts of chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Red or dark green leaf lettuce, chopped thinly
Diced tomatoes

Directions
Mix up marinade in a shallow glass container, add in slices of beef, pepper and onions, cover and marinate 2-4 hours or overnight in refrigerator. Drain off half or more of the marinade and discard.

Cook remaining marinade, meat and vegetables in skillet over medium heat, until meat is done and vegetables are tender, and liquid is mostly gone. For extra flavor, squeeze some fresh lime or lemon juice over the meat and veggies when done, and garnish with a fist full of chopped cilantro. Serve with warm tortillas(optional!), guacamole, lettuce and tomatoes. Serves four.

Works with chicken or pork as well! Enjoy!

Till next time, stay healthy and lean!

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

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.

Five Foods That Fight Abdominal Fat

The Amazing Power of Herbs and Spices

In many recipes, herbs and spices are optional, but I would recommend that you add as many as you can! Every time you flavor your meals with herbs or spices you are supercharging your food without adding a single calorie!

I don’t know about you, but I like to add lots of spices and herbs to my recipes.

While many people just don’t want to bother, there are a few really good reasons to add generous amounts of herbs and spices to your favorite dishes.

You can change something ordinary and bland into something

truly extraordinary, by adding herbs and spices.

Did you know that herbs and spices contain some of the most potent antioxidants that you can find?

In fact, many herbs rank way higher in antioxidant activity than fruits and vegetables, which are obviously high in antioxidants too.

Herbs and spices add tons of extra flavor, and when combined with other nutrition-packed superfoods, it actually boost the their natural antioxidant and anti-inflammatory power.

In fact, the combination of certain herbs and spices with specific foods magnifies the antioxidant and nutrient value exponentially!

These spices have the highest amount of antioxidants and super-nutrients, so add them liberally to your foods:

Allspice

Basil

Cayenne or hot pepper flakes

Cloves

Cinnamon or its cousin Cassia (which is what we in the United States use)

Nutmeg

Oregano

Ginger

Marjoram

Sage

Thyme

Besides antioxidants, here are some of the other ways herbs and spices are a valuable addition to your diet:

Fat Burning – Herbs and spices are thermogenic, which means they naturally increase your metabolism and fat burning power, partly because they are so nutrient-dense.

Regulating blood sugar and controlling insulin – When your blood sugar is well controlled, you are more likely to burn fat and store fewer calories as excess weight.

Medicinal value – Scientific studies show that herbs and spices can actually work as well or better than some medications for certain health issues. (But check with your physician–before you quit any medications you may be on.)

Lowering blood sugar – cinnamon significantly reduces blood sugar levels. It also improves cholesterol and triglyceride levels. One study of people with type 2 diabetes showed that as little as two teaspoons of cinnamon reduced blood sugar similar to blood sugar medication.

Researchers found that the active ingredient in turmeric (curcumin) is more effective in slowing down the progression of Alzheimer’s than some medications for this condition.

Herbs and spices can also increase your feelings of satisfaction and fullness after a meal, so you eat less.

An interesting research study showed that when a person consumes an appetizer with just half a teaspoon of red pepper flakes before each meal, they eat 15% less food.

Wow!

Red pepper and all hot peppers actually speed up your metabolism and help your body burn fat as well.

Here are more health benefits of some popular herbs and spices:

Rosemary and basil are anti-inflammatory.

Cumin, turmeric and sage fight dementia.

Cayenne, coriander and cinnamon burn fat and help regulate insulin.

Lemon grass, nutmeg, bay leaves and saffron have a calming effect.

Turmeric is cancer fighting and helps prevent Alzheimer’s disease.

Oregano is antifungal and antibacterial.

Garlic, mustard seed and chicory are excellent for the heart.

Basil and thyme help your skin become soft and smooth.

Turmeric, basil, cinnamon, thyme, saffron, garlic and ginger boost the immune system.

Coriander, rosemary, cayenne, allspice and black pepper help banish depression.

So next time you cook, be sure to spice it up and enjoy the fat burning antioxidants of herbs and spices!

Till next time, stay healthy and lean, and Spice it up!

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

Nutrition made Easy. Simple.Smart.Nutrition.