The Incredible, Edible Egg...And More!

This month we are on the letters E and F of healthy foods:

Eggs:
For years we've been told by top health experts to eliminate eggs or eat only three eggs a week since any more would raise your cholesterol levels through the roof. All that propaganda was started by the cereal companies! They funded studies – using powdered eggs, which are NOT good for you – to “prove” that eggs are unhealthy. We can see the results of substituting high sugar cereals and carbs for a perfect protein like fresh, whole eggs: a rise in cardiovascular problems including increased cholesterol and obesity!

According to findings of studies conducted in 2006 by Dr. Maria Luz Hernandez of the Department of Nutritional Sciences at the University of Connecticut, in most people eating 2-3 eggs PER DAY had virtually no effect on cholesterol levels! We now know that eating too much white sugar and carbs is what increases cholesterol in a dangerous way, not eggs.

There are also myriad health benefits from making eggs part of your healthy diet: they’re a great source of vitamins A, B, C, D, E, K, as well as choline, zinc, iron and lecithin; and they’re a super source of easy to digest, affordable protein which contains all 9 essential amino acids.

You can make them a thousand different ways so you won’t get bored! They are my go-to, preferred breakfast food. Hard boiled eggs are the perfect, portable protein snack. They can be the center-piece of your dinner as well if you make a frittata. They’re a perfect choice for anyone trying to lose weight.

If you have a local farmer who sells them fresh, try a dozen. You’ll taste the difference immediately. If not, look for Omega-3 enriched, organic eggs and those that come from free range chickens. Buy the highest quality eggs you can afford.

Figs:
When I was in my early 20’s my father took our whole family on vacation to Greece. One of my fondest food memories is having fresh figs for breakfast. They were absolutely scrumptious! I don’t find fresh ones that often, but dried figs are available at every supermarket and just as delicious.

Figs are part of the Mulberry family. They are mentioned in the Bible numerous times. They are small and luscious fruits, with a chewy texture and a very sweet smell. They are rich in calcium, manganese, iron and potassium as well as soluble and insoluble fiber, which make them a wonderful (delicious) natural laxative. They’re also rich in pectin which can help lower cholesterol. While dried fruits have much more concentrated sugar than fresh, the fiber content of figs makes them acceptable even for those who must watch their intake of sugar.

They are good for preventing constipation, anemia and cancer as well as promoting healthy digestion.

Take a Step:

My favorite breakfast frittata is 2 Omega-3 eggs scrambled with a tablespoon of water. I add in about ¼ cup of thawed, chopped spinach. I like to include as many spices as possible so I add in coriander, ancho chili, sage, rosemary, cumin, turmeric and black pepper. Then whatever vegetables I have handy go in as well – one or two sliced baby bella mushrooms, some chopped red bell pepper, chopped yellow or green onion, a few sliced grape tomatoes – even leftover roasted veges from last night’s dinner like broccoli or zucchini! Here’s how I do it: I soften the vegetables in a tablespoon of extra virgin coconut oil and then pour the egg-spinach-spice mixture over them. When it sets along the bottom I pop it under the broiler to finish cooking it through. I always eat mine topped with salsa! What an easy, delicious way to get your 5 (or more) servings of vegetables for the day!

There are plenty of ways to get some dried figs into your meal plans. You can chop a few and add them to your favorite muffin recipe, into your morning oatmeal, even into your favorite (healthy) oatmeal cookie recipe! Delicious! You can also stew/poach them in some fruit juice or slice them just as they are and serve with creamy, plain Greek yogurt, some walnuts and a drizzle of raw honey for a classic Greek dessert you will love!

Share your favorite recipes with me and if you would like a copy of my high protein muffin recipe, email me at ann@threedimensionalvitality.com and I’ll be more than happy to send it to you!

Until next time, I wish you vibrant health! Ann

Healthy Breakfast Ideas - Part One

These suggestions work for everyone, but particularly moms, searching for ideas to provide healthier meals for their children. The best thing you can do as a parent is to be a good role model by setting a good example - they do what you do much more than what you say!

First of all, skipping breakfast and physical inactivity have been shown to be risk factors for overweight and obesity in adolescents - the factor that had the strongest correlation to overweight was skipping breakfast. So, I'd like to share some suggestions and ideas (and I'd love to hear yours!) for making meals healthier and still appealing to kids:

Smoothies are always a fast, easy and tasty idea. You can use whey protein powder (I like Designer Whey French Vanilla, which is the only flavor sweetened with stevia*) mixed with water or almond milk; add a banana, some berries and blend.
To bump it up a notch nutrition-wise: mix whey (or pea, rice or hemp) protein powder with water, add a scoop of Food Science of Vermont Superior Reds, Superior Oranges or Superior Purples. Along with a banana I add in the following: with the Reds I add some frozen cherries or strawberries; for the Oranges, frozen peaches or mangoes and for the Purples, frozen wild blueberries. These taste almost too good to be healthy.
*Many are sweetened with sucralose, Nutrasweet or another artificial sweetener and you definitely want to avoid those. Read labels carefully.

Adding a scoop of chia seeds, ground flax seeds, lecithin granules, 1/2 tsp. of l-glutamine powder and a pinch of cinnamon bumps up the nutrition even more. These smoothies are highly nutritious and delicious - the kids will love it and so will you. I add in a few tablespoons of frozen spinach that's been thawed as well and you don't even taste it, but it bumps up nutrition even more.

A green drink is not always a kid's first choice simply because of the color. However if you mix a scoop of All Day Energy Greens Fruity Zing (from Institute for Vibrant Living) with water and a scoop of whey protein and blend it with a banana, they won't realize how much protein and nutrition they are getting! Another option is using Biochem Greens and Whey vanilla or chocolate flavor. The added plus with this is that it includes high quality green food like spirulina and still tastes delicious, especially when blended with a banana or some berries!

You can also use Organic Barley Green Juice mixed with Nutrition Now Meal Option in either Creamy Vanilla or Sweet Strawberry and blended with half water and half organic apple juice - these products are available from Purium Health Products (see the link on my site to order).

Take a Step:

Why not offer a tasty, fruity smoothie as a really delicious, fast breakfast option. And why not try it yourself? It's a fast, easy way to start your day with a nutrient-dense breakfast.

Until next time, I wish you vibrant health. Ann