Nourish Your Life

Typically, I think of spinach as a Spring vegetable, but we have a “late crop” reviving itself in our garden, so just had to send this along to you.  Spinach is definitely a SUPER FOOD!  Look what it has to offer:

Spinach (or) kale, collards, Swiss chard, mustard greens, turnip greens, bok choy, romaine lettuce.

They contain: A synergy of multiple nutrients/phytonutrients, low in calories, lutein/zeaxanthin, beta-carotene, plant-derived omega-3 fatty acids, glutathione, alpha lipoic acid, vitamins C and E, B vitamins, calcium, iron, magnesium, manganese, zinc, polyphenols, betaine.

Servings: 1 cup steamed or 2 cups raw most days.

Benefits: heart health, reduce risk of cancer, reduce risk of macular degeneration, reduce risk of cataracts, reduce risk of stroke.

Of course, we always need a recipe to go along with our super Food, and, of course, it will have quinoa in it…   Here goes:

Quinoa-Spinach Soup

Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth or 2 (14.5 oz) cans vegetable broth
1/2 chopped onion
1/2 diced carrot
2 cups spinach, washed and chopped coarsely
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions:

Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.

Bring water to a boil.

Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add broth, onion and carrot

Simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in spinach, allow to wilt in soup

Salt and pepper to taste

Enjoy!

Nutrition facts: 100 calories; 18 gm carbohydrates; 4 gm protein; 1 gm fat

I am glad that you have been enjoying “SuperFoods,” AND that you are wondering where my “journey” has been taking me.  Thank you!

As we finish up August, and adventure into the month of September, I wish to continue “Super Foods” with  BLOGS interspersed with  where I am going in “my journey to higher ground.”

This past month, or so, I have been inspired by the life of a caterpillar…It began with a quote : “There is nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.”  ~Richard Buckminster Fuller

As I pondered this quote with my coach, Jo Christie, we became intrigued by what we might become if we “became ” caterpillars (in our journaling) to see where this would lead us…

Now, with this in mind, add to it, an amazing silent prayer retreat that I attended last week-end.  In the opening remarks of the priest (he was the only one permitted to speak), he suggested that we become caterpillars for the week-end and see how we emerge by the end of our retreat!  Wow!  Isn’t that just like God!

So, Friday evening, I became a caterpillar and curled up in my cocoon…by Sunday afternoon, when the retreat ended, I WAS NOT READY TO EMERGE!

Here I am, Wednesday morning, still safe in my cocoon and absolutely enjoying its safety and comfort   What’s next?  I don’t know…all I do know, is that God is at work within me and is providing me the safety and comfort that I need.

Amen!

Do you love broccoli as much as I do? Raw, steamed, sauted, with cheese, without cheese, any way you eat it-broccoli is the best!

Let’s see what “Super Foods” has to say about the broccoli and its side-kicks:  brussel sprouts, cabbage, kale, turnips, cauliflower, collards, bok choy, mustard greens, Swiss chard.

These amazing veggies contain: Sulforaphane, indoles, folate, fiber, calcium, vitamin C, Beta-carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin, vitamin K.

Servings:  ½ – 1 cup daily

Benefits: reduce risk of cancer, cataracts, build bones, heart health

Need a recipe for broccoli?  Try this one.

Quinoa-Broccoli soup
Makes 4-5 servings

Ingredients:

1 cup water
1/2 cup quinoa
4 cups vegetable broth or 2 (14.5 oz) cans vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 cups broccoli, broccolini, rabe or broccoflower, (or try a mix) washed and chopped coarsely
salt and pepper to taste.

Directions

Rinse quinoa before cooking to remove the coating of a bitter substance called saponins.
Bring water to a boil.
Stir in quinoa, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Add broth, onion and carrot
Simmer for 10 minutes.
Add broccoli and simmer 5 more minutes.
Salt and pepper to taste
Enjoy!

NOTE: Reduce cooking times for a crunchier vegetable.

Nutrition facts: 110 calories; 20 gm carbohydrates; 4 gm protein; 1 gm fat

Variations:
Add any additional vegetables you desire. Try other flavored broths. I love mushroom broth with broccoli and quinoa!

My journey to higher ground continues with healthy summer eating.

One of my favorite books is Super Foods; Fourteen Foods that will Change Your Life by Steven Pratt, M.D. and Kathy Matthews.

Today, I wish to simply introduce you to the super foods, and as we continue through summer I will elaborate on each one.  How does that sound?

So, here they are: beans, blueberries, broccoli, oats, oranges, pumpkin, salmon, soy, spinach, tea-green or black, tomatoes, turkey, walnuts and yogurt.

These are listed alphabetically, and may not be the order that I mention them.  Come with me as we (all) learn about these super foods, and journey to our own “higher ground ”

Reprint from August 2006

August is the month to say “Thank you.”

Last week we took my almost 90 year old dad to the Air Force Museum in Dayton, Ohio. He was a bomber pilot in World War II, 448th Bomb Group, 8th Air Force. The B24 that my dad flew was on display at the museum. It was our son Chuck’s idea, for us to visit the museum; and so we met Chuck, his wife Ashley and their Russian adopted son, Paul (now five years old) in Dayton last Tuesday morning.

The display of aircraft began with the Wright Brothers; we simply wandered through until we came to the B24 on display-and then my dad came alive with stories and thoughtful recollections. As he was recalling, a probably almost 90 year old man came by; he too had flown the B24. They briefly exchanged stories and the man went on. But then, as we began to walk on, another probably almost 90 year old man stopped him, put out his hand and shook my dads. Looking into my dad’s eyes, with tears in his, he said,

“Thank you for fighting the war for all of us. Thank you for coming home; my brother didn’t. Because of you and my brother, we are free.”

My dad, then with tears in his eyes, lingered a moment in the hand shake and then simply and knowingly acknowledged his gratitude with a nod of his head…We all walked away with tears in our eyes, and a deeper understanding of the power of saying Thank you…

We all have our opinions of war; especially in these days of global unrest. But, I am asking all of us to set aside opinions, judgments and attitudes. Let us simply be grateful for the freedom that we (I) so take for granted…and say thank you.

My challenge for you  is to say thank you to a veteran, a soldier or a family who has been deeply touched by war. Thank them that WE ARE FREE.

Write to us at janet@nourishyourlife.com and tell us about your experience. We would be honored to hear about it,

Quote for the month:

“Every time that we say thank you, we experience nothing less than heaven on earth.”

Sarah Van Breathnach

(Reprint from May, 2008)

It is Memorial Day week-end; a three day week-end for most of us…Picnics, barbeques, parades, pool parties and numerous other ways of celebrating Memorial Day!

What are YOUR personal Memorial Days?

And, as we all celebrate this weekend, I wish for us all to remember the true meaning of Memorial Day…(I actually looked up the meaning on Wikipedia, to be sure I understood the full meaning)  It says:

Memorial Day is a United States Federal Holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May (observed in 2008 on May 26). It was formerly known as Decoration Day. This holiday commemorates U.S. men and women who have died in military service to their country. It began first to honor Union soldiers who died during the American Civil War. After World War I, it was expanded to include those who died in any war or military action.

I didn’t know that it went as far back as the Civil War.  Did you?

One of my very favorite coaches and authors is Phillip E. Humbert PhD.  he wrote of Memorial Day and “your personal Memorial Day” back in May, 2005.  I wish to direct you to his post, as this is one of my favorites.  Hope it becomes one of your favorites, also.

http://www.philiphumbert.com/TIPS/20050529.htm#3

Now that you have read this, may I ask you again

What is YOUR personal Memorial Day?

How are you doing with the “dirty dozen?”  Those are the twelve foods that you really want to purchase as organic.

Now let’s talk about the fifteen foods that we do not need to purchase organic.

The Clean Fifteen fruits and vegetables are: Asparagus, avocados, broccoli, cabbage, eggplants, grapefruit, kiwi, mangoes, onions, papayas, peas, pineapples, watermelon , sweet corn, and sweet potatoes.

The reason these fruits and veggies typically do not need to be organic, is because they have thick, protective skins, husks, or pods, while broccoli and cabbage are cold weather crops that are grown when pests are less prevalent. Tree fruits often require fewer pesticides because they are high above the ground where they are less susceptible to insects.

Make sense?  It does to me…  These are the fruits and vegetables that I do NOT buy organic.

Want more info on this quandry?  Check out the EWG.

Now that we have a clear understanding of organic vs non-organic choices.  What shall we ponder next?

Sharon has asked the question, “are there really Super Foods, and what difference do they make?”  Thanks Sharon…stay tuned for the answer to your question.

What questions do YOU have?  I would love to hear from you.

The “dirty dozen” refers to twelve foods that are high enough in pesticides and other contaminants that it is worth the extra money to purchase them.

The “dirty dozen” briefly listed are: ( in order of their pesticide load from worst to least worst) peaches, apples, sweet bell peppers, celery, nectarines, strawberries, cherries, lettuce, grapes, pears, spinach and potatoes.

 Dr. Andrew Weil gives a great commentary on the “dirty dozen.”  Check it out here.

Do I purchase only organic for these 12 foods?  Truthfully?  Yes!  if I cannot get organic, then I would rather not eat them at all.

What do I eat instead?  The clean 15!  Stay tuned for more info on the 15 fruits and vegetables that you do NOT need to purchase organic!

How about YOU?  Would YOU rather go “without” than eat contaminated foods?  I would love to hear your opinion…