The best and worst movie-theater snacks

At Nicci Micco’s EatingWell blog, Deliciously Slim, she recently discussed the best and worst movie-theatre snacks. As always, knowing exactly what we are eating — in other words, how many calories our snack actually provides — is a great help when trying to make healthy (or at least healthier) choices.

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Sauteed Apples

This recipe from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions uses no sweeteners other than the fruit itself. It’s not low calorie (it’s a dessert!), but has no refined sugars and is delicious and easy to prepare.

Ingredients:

6 apples (or pears), peeled and cut into chunks

4 tablespoons butter

Preparation:

In a heavy skillet, saute the apples (or pears) in butter until golden. Serve with real whipped cream. Serves 4.

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Guide to Natural Sweeteners

According to Sally Fallon, author of Nourishing Traditions, natural sweeteners are products in which the nutrients have not been removed or may be more concentrated due to boiling down. Below is a list of natural sweeteners to use in place of refined sugars like table sugar and and high fructose corn syrup.

Raw Honey: Honey that has not been heated over 117 degrees is loaded with amylase, which is an enzyme that digests carbohydrates. The presence of amylase makes honey the perfect sweetener with grains, like toast or oatmeal, since it helps digest the carbohydrates in the grains. Raw honey also has all the nutrients found in plant pollens. Honey does not upset blood glucose levels as severely as refined sugar.

Maple Syrup is rich in trace minerals. Make sure you buy real maple syrup as much of the syrup you see in the grocery store is actually corn syrup with maple flavoring. It can be used successfully in baked goods such as muffins and pancakes.

Stevia is a sweet powder made from an herb and can generally be used by those who are sensitive even to natural sweeteners. A little goes a long way, so don’t use too much. It doesn’t add bulk to a recipe, so it is difficult to use in baked goods, but it is ideal for salad dressings, whipped cream, and your morning coffee or tea. One brand readily available at most grocery stores is Truvia.

Agave nectar is made from the agave plant. Unlike honey and maple syrup, it has a very mild flavor, more like refined sugar and it has a low glycemic index. It is great for sweetening beverages as it dissolves even in cold food and drinks. I like Madhava Agave Nectar.

Enjoy the sweet part of life.

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Social Behavior More Indicative of Career Success than Achievements

Great blog post at An Associate’s Mind about different character traits that mean success and those that don’t. It is interesting that those who focus on the importance of social relationships are more successful than those who focus only on achievement and competence.

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Great Post on Warding Off ADHD & Dementia

In a recent post at Healthy Highway Blog, there is great information about which foods, vitamins, and activities can ward off ADHD and dementia. There’s also information about Dr. Amen’s book Change Your Brain, Change Your Body: Use Your Brain to Get and Keep the Body You Have Always Wanted. It sounds great.

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What should Americans eat? Experts announce 8 new food “rules”

This is a great post from Nicci Micco at the Eating Well, Be Well blog. The post discusses the most recent recommendations for what we SHOULD eat as developed by the committee of scientists appointed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the USDA. It contains 8 Simple Rules that are easy to follow.

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Stillness is Important to Good Health

A Taoist Proverb advises: “We cannot see our reflection in running water. It is only in still water that we can see.”

Remember to relax, to be still, and to take time for yourself so that you can be the best for yourself and everyone that is important to you.

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Anti-Aging Cafe

The Healthy Highway blog has an antioxidant rich Anti-Aging Menu for a fantastic dinner party. It includes a shopping list and all the recipes for this menu:

- Broccoli & Dandelion Greens Soup w/Garlic & Leeks

- Salad of Roast Beets, Organic Baby Field Greens, Toasted Pine Nuts & French Feta Cheese w/Extra Virgin Olive Oil & Balsamic Vinegar

- Oven-Roasted Wild-Caught Salmon w/Orange-Ginger Reduction & Spicy Tropical Fruit Salad and Steamed Organic Asparagus

- Strawberries, Raspberries & Blueberries w/Meyer Lemon & Organic Turbinado Sugar

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What would happen if you didn’t do everything you’re “supposed” to do?

We all have so many obligations and duties, things that we need to do for other people, and many “shoulds” that make us feel inadequate every day. We should clean up the kitchen, we should exercise every day, we should read all our email, we should…. It goes on and on. In the quest to do all those things for everyone else and complete our to-do list of “shoulds,” we may have lost ourselves. But what’s the point of having a person like you if you aren’t being you. You are depriving other people of yourself.

Challenge yourself to do the things that are important to you. Certainly, you can’t shirk your truly important responsibilities, but recognize that many of them are not truly important.

Ask yourself what would happen if you didn’t do all those things? The answer may very well be … nothing bad.

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Super-simple dinners in 3 steps or less

On Hillary Meyer’s Blog, Dinner in a Snap, at the EatingWell Blog, there is a great post on Super Simple Dinners. They each involve 3 steps or less and include Chipotle Orange Grilled Chicken and Black Bean Quesadillas. Sounds delicious and simple; just what we need!

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