How to Feed Your Life This Month

What are your feelings about oils and fats in your diet? 

A misleading myth in America has consumed the general public and made us think that all fat is bad.  Fortunately, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Healthy fats are essential to a healthy diet and lifestyle. 

Our brains are composed of 60% fat so we need to feed them the right fuel in order to function well.  This month we will focus on the healthy fats and oils we can use in sautéing and baking, such as coconut oil and ghee (organic clarified butter), in stovetop cooking and light sautéing (olive oil), in salad dressings or toppings (flaxseed, sesame, toasted sesame, walnut and pumpkin seeds) and in whole foods (avocados, almonds, olives, coconuts, wild salmon and omega-3 and omega-6 organic eggs).

Kick this month off by fueling your body with sustained energy and delicious taste. 

This Week’s Nutritious Food

Avocados are a delicious food to incorporate into your menu!  With three times the potassium of two to three bananas, avocados are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals for your bones, muscles and brain activity.  They have been shown to decrease levels of LDL cholesterol and increase levels of HDL cholesterol (bad and good cholesterol, respectively). 

Picking Out Your Avocados

An avocado is ripe when it feels slightly soft to touch.  If it is too soft or mushy then it is overripe and rancid and should be avoided.  If you buy an unripe avocado (hard to touch) you can put it in a brown paper bag, and it will ripen within a few days.  Once ripe, an avocado can be kept in the refrigerator until used. 

Easy Ways to Include Avocado into Your Meals:

~ Put diced avocado and fresh squeezed lime juice into your salad in place of salad dressing.
~ Instead of mayonnaise, put slices of avocado in your sandwich for a rich, creamy taste.
~ Make scrambled eggs in the morning and put in diced avocado, tomato and cilantro for delicious flavor.
~ Peel it, pit it, chop it into bite-size pieces and enjoy (add a pinch of salt for tasting)
~ Try these Nutritious and Delicious Recipes!

Guacamole:

4 avocados
1 small onion
2-3 vine tomatoes or a bunch of cherry tomatoes
1 jalapeno
1/2 bunch cilantro
lime to taste
sea salt to taste

Dice onion, tomatoes and avocado (pit and skin removed) and put in bowl.  Jalapeno is spicy so add half of a diced jalapeno and taste to determine whether you want to add more or like it as it is.  Chop cilantro and add to the bowl.  Squeeze lime on top and mix together.  Add sea salt to taste. 

What do I use to dip?  While organic corn tortilla chips are one option, try something new.  Buy a jicama, a crunchy Mexican root vegetable: peel and cut in strips.  Try flax seed crackers (Mary’s Gone Crackers is a great gluten-free brand) or carrot sticks as other options.

Energizing AM Smoothie

This smoothie is an excellent way to start the day! It includes fresh fruit, vegetables, protein, and healthy fats. It is delicious!
1 Pear, Chopped
1 Kiwi, Chopped
1/2 Avocado
1-2 Laciano Kale Leaves
3 Celery Stalks, chopped
1 Cup Water
1/2 Teaspoon Stevia or 1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar (add more if needed to desired sweetness)
1-2 Tablespoons Ground Flaxseeds
1 Scoop Brown Rice Protein Powder or Whey Protein Powder

Put all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Enjoy!

Questions or comments? Please discuss your experiences with this week’s tip below. Feel free to suggest other great ways to incorporate avocado into your diet or submit your own nutritious and delicious avocado recipes. Also, enjoy this week’s other great tips.

 

Catherine, a Holistic Health Counselor, trained at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition in association with Columbia University and is a certified Nutrition Educator from Bauman College. She works on health goals in areas such as natural weight equilibrium, food cravings, sleep, energy and digestion.

If you are interested in personalized nutrition consultations for vibrant health, Catherine offers a free initial health history session for both local and distant clients - her furthest client, so far, lives in Spain! Please .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Also, check out her other blog.