Eat Like An Actress

Flavorings and the naturally artificial truth!!

2012-02-10T14:10:00.000-08:00

A bare assertion is not necessarily the naked truth.

So since I’ve gotten back to the United States, back to the land of plenty and more than enough choice when it comes to food products to buy, I’ve found myself almost daily picking up a bottled of the NAKED brand’s green machine smoothie. The first time I tasted it I fell in love, despite it’s slimy green appearance, and when I read the ingredients list everything seemed pretty healthy and good for an ELAA Body. Or so it seemed!

Apple Juice, Mango Puree, Pineapple Juice, banana Puree, Kiwi Puree, Natural Flavors, Spirulina, Chlorella, Broccoli, spinach barley grass, wheat grass, parsley, ginger root, blue green alagae, odorless garlic ….. all these ingredients sound like a power smoothie designed to keep any body in tip top shape ... all except for one… the “natural flavors”. That has nagged at me everytime I bought one of these smoothies, as I wondered why exactly they had to say “natural” flavors and not exactly name the ingredient or ingredients??

So finally I sat down and took the time to look this up and low and behold the first thing I find is that NAKED (owned by Pepsi Cola co. ) were being sued for using GMO’s and synthetic substances in their claimed “Non –GMO” “All Natural” products.. (like my darling smoothie)!

Apparently there are many loopholes as to what companies can deem “Natural” and the legal crackdown on the term is only beginning to take place now.

While we might believe, upon seeing or hearing the term “Natural” that the product must be good for you the truth is in fact that “Natural” usually means man-made.

Robert L. Wolke, at the Washington Post, sums it up:

“In simple terms, a natural flavor is defined as a substance extracted, distilled, or otherwise derived from plant or animal matter, either directly from the matter itself or after it has been roasted, heated or fermented . . . Note also that a natural flavor need not come from the very food it is flavoring. For example, a flavor chemical derived from chicken — and it need not taste like chicken — can be used to flavor a can of beef ravioli.”

And then artificial flavors are any flavoring substances that do not fit the definition of natural flavor.

But whats the point to using the flavors? Well, it is not possible to recreate the flavors naturally occurring in nature, exactly or cheaply so companies concoct chemicals in the lab to flavor our foods and make them taste more like the real thing.

The scary thing is the side effects that these chemicals can create; As I read on another blog things like Benzaldehyde causes central nervous system depression and convulsions. Vanillan (the widely used vanilla flavoring) causes allergic reactions, Amyl acetate (pear and banana oil) which many artifical flavors are made with causes nervous system depression as well, indigestion, headaches, fatigue and irritates the mucus membranes. And Butyric acid has even caused cancer in lab animals!!

So the moral of the story here is to not just assume that “natural” means healthy or good for you as more often than not, it doesn’t! if they aren’t naming every ingredient by it’s real name… be suspicious. Be very suspicious!

So I think im going to stick to making my smoothies at home from now on (although i need to go buy a blender), which really sucks because I love that Naked Juice!! In Europe though a brand called Innocent smoothies which make equally as delicious drinks, seem to not have any “Natural Flavors” in their products. It seems to be all the real deal!

(So really, I wouldn’t be having Naked smoothies if you’re trying to look good naked!!)

Unfortuantely NOT ELAA approved :(

Traveling the healthy way!

2012-02-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

“For my part, I travel not to go anywhere, but to go. I travel for travel’s sake. The great affair is to move.”
– Robert Louis Stevenson

I recently took a long flight back to the U.S with my sister and nephew. It was an hour flight to London and then and 8 hour flight to Philadelphia. And then a few days later we flew from Philadelphia to Tampa and Tampa eventually to our final destination New Orleans! So we did quite the bit of traveling in a few short days!

And one of the big things for me about traveling is what to eat. I’m usually not the biggest fan of airplane meals as some of them really taste like cardboard with some tomato sauce thrown in, but I am always a fan of those little snack bags they give you with chocolate pretzels or cookies. Problem is they are so ridiculously bad for you and contribute big time to that horrible stodgy feeling you get after flying for too long.

At the end of last year I flew to Miami, and I think it was the first time I consciously packed healthy snacks, stayed away from alcohol and caffeine and drank lots of water on the flight from Ireland to Florida and I was amazed at how good I felt in comparison to every other time I had flown across the Atlantic (and this was an 18hr journey with stops) ! I realized that what I ate and drank had a lot to do with how I felt after the long trip and it wasn’t just because I was in and out of the air for almost a day.

I know its often hard to avoid eating food at the airport, (which sucks because its usually ridiculously overpriced) but you can definitely help the matter by packing healthy snacks in your carry on which should keep you from having that starving feeling that usually has you running to the nearest junk food stop when you are waiting for your flight or when you have a long layover.

Here is a list of snacks that’s make traveling a little healthier

· Nuts and Dried fruit Mixes
· Fresh fruit (apples, bananas) and a Jar or small container of peanut butter or other nut butter
· Veggies (celery, baby carrots, broccoli) with hummus
· Healthy bars like that made by Larabar (in the U.S) or Naked (in Europe) They have all kinds of yummy flavors.
· I would say you could bring boiled eggs in a little lunchbox but I wouldn’t recommend opening them on the plane as I’m sure your fellow passengers scent senses wouldn’t appreciate it!!
· Yoghurt (if you aren’t dairy intolerant)
· Some good quality dark chocolate (for a treat)
· Some healthy popcorn (Tayto makes a great brand in Europe with just coconut oil)

And of course the beverage of choice is water as being up in that high altitude can leave you severely dehydrated! Or bring some herbal teas with you and just ask for some hot water from the air host/ess.

Worth a mention:

Im a really big Starbucks fan, I 'm not sure why exactly, it’s not like I drink that much coffee or anthing but there something about seeing that symbol that makes me just feel warm and safe and loved ! (Good marketing I suppose!!)

But apart from that they are one of the best stops when traveling as they are usually in every airport and they do have a good selection of “healthier” options.

They usually have fairly good quality fruit and nut bars up by the counter, they also do vegetable and hummus trays, and fruit cups. As far as airport food goes I’d sooner give into a bout of starvation by chowing down on a Starbucks sandwich than hitting up McDonalds or Burger King or any other chain restaurant! Just my preference!!

And of course this doesn’t just apply to airports but to any kind of long distance traveling where snacks usually keep one energized and satiated!!

Anyway if any of you have any yummy traveling food tips you know of please feel free to share in the comments below!

Happy Healthy and Safe Traveling from ELAA!

Secrets to A Perfect Derriere!

2012-01-17T09:10:00.000-08:00

When it comes to the secret of how celebs have the kind of perky perfect buns that are worthy of being splashed across gossip magazines , most of us may have resigned ourselves at some point to believing such “assets” are only god given! But the truth is, there really is no big secret at all! Whether you have a pancake where your bum should be, or a rather round derriere that despite its relative plumpness, still droops and doesn’t look anything like a Victoria’s secret models in a bikini, the exciting news is that this can be changed and you can in fact have a booty to be proud of without any need for craziness like butt implants, fat injections or any other risky procedures.

First off, I should hope if you’re after a toned butt and willing to work a little to get it, you’re already taking steps to a healthier eating lifestyle and perhaps doing some sort of exercise on a regular basis! The less fat around you’re bottom the easier it will be to “lift” it up like we want. And there’s also no point to having a lovely lifted butt if it’s still covered in cellulite. (and yes you can get rid of cellulite, which I will discuss in a later blog!) So it really is so important that you’re eating clean wholesome food!

While cardio exercise like running, swimming, cycling, or using gym equipment like the elliptical are a wonderful start to losing weight, cardio workouts alone will not give you a butt to rival Sofia Vergara. A more focused approach is needed (and I’ve heard from a source who used to see Sofia workout often at a gym in Los Angeles a number of years ago, just what kind of exercise she did to shape her enviable buns.)

And the beauty about these exercises is that they can be done at home, in a hotel room, or anywhere you have a bit of space and they do not require gym equipment at all! You can of course add some hand held weights, or even ankle weights to increase the intensity but if you’re starting out then it’s not needed!

(According to a source, Sofia repeatedly performed the following two basic but extremely effective butt exercises during her regular workouts;)

SQUATS; (The number one butt toning exercise in my book anyway!!)

For a squat, you stand with your feet a little more than hip width apart, toes pointed forward, and sit back as if you are about to sit on an imaginary chair behind you. Keep your back straight and squat as low as you can before coming back up. The key is to keep the movement nice and controlled, don’t rush it. Do this 20 times.

**These are perfect for people starting out on an exercise program, but the more advanced could eventually progress to Jump Squats (just jump up towards the sky after the squat and as you come down, lower yourself into the squat again and repeat)

LUNGES; (A close tie for first place when it comes to butt exercises)

Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Then step put with your right leg (as if your about to sink into a splits position) and then bend your knees and slowly lower to the ground, keeping both knees at a 90degrees angle. Come back up and repeat on opposite leg. Do this 20 times.

**For the more advanced, you can perform walking lunges, and the oh-so lower-body-burning Jump lunges. ( I will explain these more difficult moves in a later blog for those looking for a more intense workout)

Apart from Squats and Lunges, which I believe together are almost enough to get that butt defying gravity, another favorite exercise of mine which always leaves me feeling sore the next day is a move I learned along time ago when my sister and I used to work out to Claudia Schiffer’s workout tape. And if she is anything to go by, then it’s worth including!

BENDED LEG LIFT

Get down on all fours and lower your elbows to the ground. Keeping your tummy pulled in tight, lift the right leg up behind you towards the sky. Slowly lower it down and repeat x 15 times. Then switch to the other leg. These can really burn but they are so good!

**Advance people can add ankle weights to increase intensity.

So for a wonderfully effective butt workout do the following circuit;

Squats x 20

Lunge x 20

Bended leg lift x 15 (on each leg)

Repeat this circuit 4 times, 3 times a week and I guarantee you will begin to see results after about two to three weeks! And if you start now, just think how amazing your butt will look in cute bikini bottoms come summer time!! :)

Under The Sea; Shellfish and the delicious truth!

2012-01-16T06:31:00.000-08:00

“Have you ever watched a crab on the shore crawling backward in search of the Atlantic Ocean, and missing? That's the way the mind of man operates.”

-Henry Louis Mencken

I blame Disney for first putting the fear into me of eating shellfish. I for the longest time didn’t want anything to do with crab or really anything from under the sea on the off-chance they could be one of Ariel’s crustacean companions. That fear though, soon went flying out the window with the first taste of a creamy Seafood Chowder at a local bar in my hometown when I was around 13 or 14, and even further out the window with my first bite of Lobster in butter sauce at a fancy restaurant on Long Island when I was 17.

And then finally the connection to shellfish and bad cholesterol threatened to once again put a damper on my new found love for shrimp and mussels and all that yumminess, but I wasn’t about to be so easily deterred this time and after some research it was to be revealed that shellfish are in fact not a threat to high “bad” cholesterol in the blood (on the contrary, as recent studies showed, men who ate shellfish once a week significantly reduced risk of cardiac death) and they are full of important nutrients which we need for great health!

Firstly, and most importantly,
they are almost
as good a source of Omega-3’s as some oily fish. Omega 3’s are severely lacking in the typical western diet and are essential for heart health and well preventing just about every single disease in the human body!
Shrimp and Lobster and Crab for example are very low in saturated fat (although you will know if you’ve read some of my earlier blogs, that I’m not very afraid of certain saturated fats),
and shellfish in general are a great source of protein, iron, zinc and the healthy skin promoting B vitamins!

There are some things to be careful with when it comes to shellfish and how they are prepared and cooked, as they can be full of bacteria viruses and pollutants!
Always buy your shellfish as fresh as possible and from a reputable source.
Many shellfish are bought live and not killed until you cook them, or in the case of oysters, sometimes eaten raw. The shells of Oysters, Clams and Mussels should be tightly shut or should shut when lightly tapped. Luckily for those of us who don’t want to kill our food before we eat it, we can also buy shellfish already frozen.
(I have never killed any kind of shellfish myself before eating it, and honestly I’m not too sure I could. I’m not cold hearted enough for those kind of kitchen antics, So I buy it fresh or frozen to avoid all the guilt.)

And anyway, I must say one of my favorite shellfish related foods are Crab Cakes!
I must say the best Crab Cakes I ever tasted are in a restaurant on Bourbon Street in New Orleans, although that is to be expected as the city is quite famous for their seafood!

NOTE: For those of you that sadly have a shellfish allergy, (like a wonderful actor friend of mine who is a great supporter of this blog ;) ) you can always substitute the crabmeat for salmon. Use a can of salmon instead and the recipe should taste just a good and you wont feel like you’re missing out!

But here is a recipe I like using coconut flour (you can substitute almond flour instead if you prefer)

Gluten-Free Coconut Crab Cakes with Mango Avocado Salsa

1 can of good quality Crab Meat
¼ cup fresh diced green onions
¼ cup finely diced red bell pepper
¼ cup homemade mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Asian Fish Sauce
½ lemon juiced
1 large egg
1 teaspoon ground Cayenne pepper
1/3 cup coconut flour
1 cup desiccated coconut (halved)

Mix all of the above in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle the other half of the desiccated coconut on your worktop and shape your crab mixture into round cakes and slightly roll and pat the crab cake in the desiccated coconut.

Using a little coconut oil heat a large skillet over medium heat. Carefuul place the crab cakes in the pan and fry until browned, turn them over carefully as they are quite delicate and fry on other side until golden brown. About 4 minutes.

Serve with this Mango Avocado Salsa that you would preferably make the night before and have refrigerated.

1 avocado diced up fine
1 mango diced fine
½ large red onion finely chopped
Zest of one lime
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 large tomatoes finely diced

Mix all ingredients well together and refrigerate overnight.

Serve with the warm crab cakes and Enjoy! Guilt free deliciousness!!

THE SALAD SAGA

2012-01-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

"A woman should never be seen eating or drinking, unless it be

lobster salad and Champagne, the only true feminine and becoming viands"
- Lord Byron

Salad, the word alone is enough to make some peoples stomachs growl with hunger without even having to see one. Salad has long instilled images in our minds of starved-looking models chewing emotionlessly on leaves of lettuce or little rabbits nibbling unenthusiastically on vegetation while the rest of the world looks on wondering how either species survives on such vaporous fare.

But this is far from the truth… Salads are and can be a filling and deliciously healthy lunch and even dinner when they are made right…a.k.a..with a little thought and love!

I honesty think a salad is only boring if you fail to put some effort into it, (basically, if you’re lazy!)

Let's start with the main component, which is usually some kind of lettuce or leafy greens. At most deli’s its usually iceberg lettuce but this, in my opinion is one of the most tasteless lettuces, although not as nutrition-less as we’ve previously been led to believe! It does have a place in our diet, but for me, I prefer the taste of romaine, or spinach leaves , rocket lettuce/Arugula or a mix of all three, which is known as mixed greens!

Lettuce is not just a pretty base to a salad, as it also, more importantly packs quite a nutritional punch. Lettuce leaves are

Storehouses of phytonutrients that have health promoting and disease preventing attributes. Its also full of vitamins and minerals, mainly

Vitamin A and beta carotenes ( which means healthy skin and great vision) ,
Vitamin K (which helps increase bone mass, and has also established a role in Alzheimers disease patients by limiting neuronal damage in the brain) as well as
Folates (important for a developing fetus) and
Vitamin C (which is a powerful anti-oxidant and helps prevent pro-inflammatory free radicals).

And so now that the making of your salad is off to a very nutritious start, its time to add some protein, which is what makes the difference between a salad leaving you feel like there’s still a big empty whole in your tummy, and the feeling of a full and happy tummy!

The choices are pretty simple;

-Chicken (Roasted/warm/grilled/or just cold)

- Tuna (canned/ or read seared tuna(insanely delicious but rather expensive)

- Beans (Kidney/Garbanzo/Black)

- Salmon (grilled/smoked)

Boiled Eggs and Nuts are additions to Salads that add that extra bit of protein while also adding flavor.

So we have our choice of lettuce, or choice of protein, and from there it’s time to get creative! Things you can add to Salads to make them filling and delicious are;

-Dried Fruits (Cranberries/ Raisins/Dates/apricots

-Fruit (Strawberries/Apples/Oranges/Avacado/Peaches etc.)

-Nuts of all sorts

-Bacon Bits (don’t make this a daily habit though)

-Crumbled and grated Cheeses (Feta/Goats/Mozzarella)

-Sundried/Sunblushed tomatoes

-Olives

-Green/Red/Yellow/Orange Peppers (roasted or raw)

-Mushrooms (grilled/raw)

-Roasted Beets

-Red Onions

Of course you can pick and choose according to your palate and what flavors you like together: Some common combinations include;

Mixed Greens, Walnuts, Pears and Goat cheese with Chicken (aka Waldorf Salad)

Olives, Sundried tomatoes, Feta, Cucumber, Red Onions (Greek Salad)

Romaine and Endive lettuce, Bacon Bits, Chicken, Avacado, Chooped Boiled Eggs, Chopped Tomatoes (aka Cobb Salad)

Combinations are endless so don’t be afraid to try new things, as you never know what may end up being delish!

And as for Salad Dressings; Healthy dressings are usually light and either oil or vinegar based and try to make your own dressings as store prepared are often full of crappy additives and flavors you don’t want in your body;

I’d recommend a Little Olive Oil with Balsamic Vinegar

Or Olive Oil and Pesto can be a delicious combination (just make sure to check the pesto ingredients!)

And a touch of fresh lemon juice can add zest to a Salad as well!!

Here is the recipe to the Salad that my sisters makes so well! It’s sort of her own concoction and we don’t really know the measurements of how much goes in, but it is a hit in this house so I have to share!

Fiona’s Fabulously Fruity Chicken Salad

Breasts of Roasted Chicken

1 medium bag of baby spinach

1 small bag of rocket lettuce

2 Satsumas

1 large sweet apple chopped

Handful roasted nuts

Handful of raisins

Half an Avocado

5 chopped Sundried Tomatoes

Drizzling of Olive Oil

2 tablespoons of Pesto

Put all ingredients into a large salad bowl, excluding the Chicken, Olive oil and Pesto.

Mix well, then Add the olive oil and pesto. Mix it all up together before putting onto a dinner plate. Put Roasted Chicken pieces on top. Easy as that! Eat and Enjoy!

GUILT AND GLUTEN FREE COCONUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES!

2011-05-28T03:40:00.000-07:00

So I've been slacking on the blog updates lately, or rather the past few months, but I'm still in Ireland and I've been busy recording new music in the studio and it's taking most of my time!! But I felt inspired to write another blog to share with you all an amazing food that has introduced it's way into my kitchen!!

It is Coconut flour. Yes flour made from coconuts. Well actually it's the meat of the coconut ground up into the consistency of flour and it can be used as a replacement of flour in a lot of baked goods. And not only is it gluten-free (for all you gluten intolerant people out there) but it is also low GI due to it's high fibre content! Oh yeah, and it's delish!!

So I had this recipe for Coconut Chocolate Brownies saved on my phone since last ear but I had never got around to trying them. But recently I decided to give them a go and so I went on the hunt for coconut flour, which I luckily found in my local health store. Its Tiana Organic Coconut Flour and it cost me about 8 euro for a relatively small bag. The good thing about the coconut flour though is that you do not seem to use as much of it to make stuff as you would use normal flour, so that said, the price is not so bad!

Anyway, I took it home and tried the recipe which I modified and made into two sides of a cake which I sandwiched together with a little cream cheese and some strawberries!! Everyone devoured it within minutes ( as all you have to do in this house is say Gluten free and Low GI, and it's gone!) I must say it was absolutely unreal though. I love chocolate, but I've never been the biggest fan of chocolate cakes until now! The coconut flour gave the cake a rich moist almost moussey like texture and after one slice I was so full, (that's all the fibre).

The beauty with coconut flour is that it can be used to make so many delicious baked goods, even as a batter for crispy chicken!! If you check out the Tiana website, they have a bunch of awesome recipes for you to try as well!! Tiana Website

I'll share my recipe with you as well just so you can try it!! You can also add nuts or berries or whatever you want to the batter to make it to your own taste.

And if you really want to be guilt-free eating this cake you can substitute the sugar for natural sweeteners like xylitol( which I used) or Stevia.

GUILT FREE COCONUT CHOCOLATE BROWNIES

1 cup xylitol
3/4tsp Real salt
8 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
6 Organic eggs
1 cup coconut flour *sifted
2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tsps vanilla flavoring
1 1/2 cups Organic butter or coconut oil
1 cup crushed walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Blend Butter and chocolate over low heat
Mix Eggs Xylitol Salt and Coconut milk and flavoring together in a bowl.
Stir in melted chocolate mixture and coconut flour until smooth.
Grease your tin before pouring in mixture.
Bake for 20 - 25 mins.
Remove from oven and let cool.
Cut into brownie slices!!
Enjoy

Definitely ELAA approved !! :)

Butternut squash - I Love you

2011-02-11T08:37:00.000-08:00

Only the pure in heart can make a good soup.

Ludwig van Beethoven

Okay so I've been home in Ireland a few months now and what I've really noticed is that our favorite meal time over here is lunch time, for one simple reason; Soup. Soup is probably the most consumed lunchtime meal by us Irish folk and for good reason. Its easy to make, ridiculously delicious and most importantly, healthy. (Back in the times of Famine, Soup Kitchens were what were able to keep a lot of our ancestors alive so it's quite the nourishing little dish! )

I'm going to go ahead and be completely immodest here and claim that I am a really really good soup maker. It's just a talent of mine to make really yummy soups! (I take after my mom!) And well while I always used to make a great Leek & Potato or a good ol' vegetable soup, it was this Christmas that an amazing ingredient presented itself, that I don't think I would ever want to live without again.

Three delicious syllables ; Butter-nut-squash! How I didn't know about it before is beyond me but now that it's in my life I have been eating it non stop. My little sister Eve was watching a cooking show here by a famous chef Nigella Lawson and well she showed how to prepare a butternut squash and sweet potato soup. And thank God she did! We tasted it for the first time on Christmas Eve and I think we've made a batch of it every week since! It was phenomenal! Just so creamy and sweet and unlike any other soup I had tasted. I decided to look into this scrumptious autumn fruit (though you'd think it was a vegetable!) and find out what it's benefits are.

Apparently there are many;

Rich in Phytonutrients and Antioxidants (anti-aging yay!)
High in dietary Fibre
Significant amounts of potassium which is great for bones
Significant amounts of vitamin b6 which is needed for proper functioning of nervous and immune system
the squash's orange color hints at its abundance of heart healthy carotenoids
the high levels of beta carotene which are converted to vitamin A in the body help protect against breast cancer and age related macular degeneration as well as aiding in healthy lung development in fetuses and newborns.
high Vitamin C content

And there are more, this is only some of the benefits, not to mention just how amazing it tastes so it makes being healthy super easy i think! You can even bake the butternut squash and then when roasted scoop out the insides, mash them up with some seasoning and herbs and put them back in their skins and serve as your side dish with you dinner! delish! But for now here's the delicious soup recipe that made me fall in love. If anyone tries it, let me know how you like it too ;)

Roast squash and sweet potato soup with buttermilk blue cheese sauce

Ingredients

1 onion, roughly chopped
1 butternut squash, unpeeled, halved, seeds scraped out, sliced into 2.5cm/1in x 2.5cm/1in cubes
500g/1lb 2oz sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 2.5cm/1in thick rings
60ml/2fl oz olive oil
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg
1.5 litres/2 pints 13fl oz vegetable stock
125ml/4oz marsala wine
salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the buttermilk cheese sauce

125g/4oz blue cheese, crumbled
250ml/9fl oz buttermilk

Preparation method
1. Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6.
2. Place the onion, chopped butternut squash and sweet potato onto a baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with the cinnamon and nutmeg. Roast in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour, or until tender.
3. Allow the vegetables to cool slightly, then place half into a food processor and add 500ml/17fl oz of the vegetable stock. Blend to a purée and transfer to a large pan. Repeat with the remaining roasted vegetables and 500ml/17fl oz more of the stock - transfer the purée to the pan.
4. Add the remaining 500ml/17fl oz of vegetable stock to the food processor and stir to catch any remnants of the vegetable purée, then pour into the pan.
5. Add the marsala wine and season, to taste, with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add a little more water if the soup is too thick for your liking.
6. For the buttermilk cheese sauce, place the blue cheese and buttermilk into a clean food processor and blend to a paste. Transfer the blue cheese sauce to a jug or bowl.
7. To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle some of the blue cheese into each bowl. Leave the sauce on the table for your guests to add more if they wish
  
  DEFINITELY ELAA APPROVED!!! :)

Black Versus Green : Battle of the Teas

2010-10-01T04:43:00.000-07:00

Strange how a teapot can represent at the same time the comforts of solitude and the pleasures of company. ~Author Unknown

Recently I’ve taken a trip back to my home country of Ireland for music related reasons and along with all the other delicious staples of the Irish diet that I have been indulging in, I have returned to the daily consumption of a good old cup of tea.

Tea is to Ireland what coffee is to America. The comforting daily liquid that fuels our day! There’s nothing like a hot cup of tea, or two, or four, on a cool windy Irish evening and you won’t enter any Irish persons house without at least one offer of a cup.

So what exactly are the benefits of a daily cup of black tea and how does it compare to its long health touted cousin green tea?

Well Green tea has long been hailed as the “better” tea to consume when it comes to a healthy lifestyle due to a powerful antioxidant it contains called EGCg. This polyphenol is noted for its beneficial effects in dealing with many diseases such as atherosclerosis, many types of cancer, diabetes and liver disease.

But when it comes to black tea this compound is lost, through oxidation of the leaves. However Black tea has powerful free radical fighters of it’s own called thearubigens and theaflavins. These compounds as well as fighting much of the same diseases as green tea also tame inflammation and are effective at fighting various viruses.

Both green and black tea promote weight loss by increasing metabolism and reducing stress.

Black tea also contains a high magnesium content which helps in the formation of bones and teeth and may help reduce the severity of asthma attacks.

It is also a good source of Thiamine which is necessary for the body to utilize carbohydrates as an energy source. It also helps with blood circulation and the production of hydrochloric acid which is vital for the digestive process.

So take heed my dear fellow tea drinkers, the consumption of our daily brew is actually good for us whether your preference be green or black. Just make sure your not dousing them with sugar or artificial sweeteners. If you need to sweeten your tea opt for a little honey, or stevia. Remember tea also has weight loss properties so there’s no need to ruin that with any unwanted calories from sugars.

So now, I’m off to put the kettle on. It’s evening here on Irish shores and that means only one thing in this country. Tea time!

Mangoes; The fruit of Love and Life

2010-07-27T06:05:00.000-07:00

They live; they know; they feel; they see.
Their spirits light the golden shade
Beneath the giant mango-tree. - Charles Kingsley

My official favorite fruit is undoubtedly the exotic delicious and fantastically juicy mango. Hailing from the foothills of the Himalayas of India where it has been around for over 4,000 years, it is considered the symbol of love and life. Heck, even the Buddha himself found solitude in a mango grove.

But apart from just being absolutely scrumptious with its creamy, smooth, silky texture and ambrosial flavor, what are the mangos health benefits that are so great as to deem it "The Symbol of Love and Life" in such a spiritually forward world as India? Let's take a look shall we?

Firstly the Mango's a vitamin powerhouse and a small mango contains ;

one quarter of your daily requirement of Vitamin C
nearly two thirds of your daily quota of Vitamin A
great source of Iron
Good amounts of vitamin E and Fibre
a rich source of potassium
good amounts of Vitamin K, phosphorous and Magnesium

Secondly the Mango is a powerful anti-oxidant food and one of the one of the best sources of betacarotene, quercetin and astragalin. These are powerful antioxidants that neutralize free radicals. Free radicals can damage cells and lead to heart disease, cancer, premature aging and degenerative diseases.

Thirdly studies have shown that Mangos may lower cancer risk due to a dietary soluble fibre called pectin which is found in the fruit. Scientists have found that pectin binds and inhibits a protein called Galectin 3 which plays a role in all stages of cancer progression. Due to its being a valuable source of fibre it's also believed to prevent against cancers of the gastrointestinal tract.

Fourthly, In chinese medicine mangos have long been use as a yin tonic due to their sweet and sour taste and cooling energy. They have been used to treat anaemia, bleeding gums, cough, fever, nausea and to aid weak digestion.

To finish up Mangoes are also rated as medium on the Glycemic index which means when it comes to spiking insulin, Mangoes will only raise it moderately, making them a healthy addition to a body beautiful diet. They are such a versatile fruit their exotic flavor and fleshy texture makes a delightful addition to many sweet as well as savory dishes. For a hot summers day here is a recipe for a carribean shrimp and mango salad that is so delicious you'll wonder how it could possibly be healthy (but i assure you, it is) ;

CARIBBEAN SHRIMP AND MANGO SALAD

Ingredients:

1 pound medium shrimp, cleaned

and deveined

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 15-ounce can black beans,

rinsed and drained

1/4 red bell pepper, cut into

strips

1/4 red onion, halved and then

thinly sliced

1 ripe mango, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup citrus-flavored vinaigrette

dressing

1/8 teaspoon ground allspice

Dash cayenne

6 cups mixed greens

Directions:

Pat shrimp dry with paper towels.
Cook and stir shrimp with garlic in oil in skillet over medium-high heat until done, about 5 minutes.
Remove from skillet and place in large bowl.
Add remaining ingredients except mixed greens, and toss to combine ingredients.
Just before serving, gently toss with the mixed greens. Serve immediately.

Snack Time

2010-07-21T11:44:00.000-07:00

I love to snack. i really cant go through the day without snacking at least once between my main meals, and i'm not alone o this trend. It safe to say snacking is an integral part of most peoples diet. I find the need to snack on something, stems more from boredom than from hunger. Something to do when life is slipping into monotony. Now that's not to say snacking is bad for you, on the contrary i think when the right foods are chosen, it is a great way to sustain your energy throughout the day and keep your metabolism fired up and revving along. When snacking is detrimental to your diet is when a coffee and doughnut, or a bag of chips, or candy is the go to snack of choice. Then we have problems!! You'll be on that insulin roller-coaster again of energy highs and slumps that you just cant seem to get off.

So what does make for some yummy acceptable snacks you ask, that are not going to add unwanted lumps and bumps to your butt and thighs?

Well here are just a few of my personal favorites and just remember i still recommend always teaming a protein with a carb even when it comes to snacks;

Apples and peanut butter
Raw Almonds and a slice of cheese
Pineapple and Cheese cubes
Greek Yogurt mixed with nuts and berries
Banana and peanut butter smoothie (any fruit smoothie really , homemade of course from natural ingredients)
Hummus and Vegetable crudites
Frozen grapes and cheese
Smoked salmon and cream cheese
Boiled eggs seasoned with some Mrs. Dash on rice cakes
Guacamole and flax crackers
Small sprouted grain tortilla grilled cheese

These are just examples of some healthy options to chow down on when boredom or just as sustainment until your next meal!! There are some many more options out there that are far healthier than a 100 calorie bag of chips ahoy or sugar laden granola bars and all that other garbage that pretends to be healthy snacks food. So always have some healthy yummy foods on hand and then snack your way to body beautiful :)

Getting into Fitness ; Running

2010-07-20T10:52:00.000-07:00

When I was in my teenage years where I no longer engaged in sports like Gaelic football and basketball and Relay races, and my fitness level dropped considerably. Sure I still worked out from time to time with weights but my cardiovascular activity was close to non-existent. So when a mere jog down the street would have me huffing and puffing and gasping for air I was convinced I was just not born to be a runner, and all those people who entered marathons or ran miles everyday just must have had a different lung capacity than I did. I would never be a runner.

Then something happened. Unbeknownst to myself, a few months ago, I started using the elliptical machine in my gym. I started a morning routine at a moderate pace and resistance for twenty minutes and as the days passed I would gradually up the resistance and pick up my pace and I noticed I was beginning to finish the twenty minute workout with a lot more ease then I began! Then one morning I came into the gym and all my lovely elliptical machines were in use and all that was available was a damn treadmill. I wanted to make sure I would sweat like I did on the elliptical so I got on and decided I’d give running a try and just see how long I could stay on. (Now bear in mind, the last time I had tried running on a treadmill, I could only stay going for two minutes before I would decrease to a walking speed again.) So I began at a speed of about 5.5 and off I went. The first five minutes past… phew that was easy.. the next five minutes passed.. I had done ten minutes without stopping once? I even still had my breath. I kept going to fifteen minutes..okay.. I think I could do the twenty. I kept running for another five minutes and when I saw the little timer read 20:00.. I was elated. I had ran non-stop for twenty minutes. This was quite a breakthrough for me! Maybe I could be a runner? Maybe I was not short-changed when God was handing out hearts and lungs. Fitness was achievable.

Since then I have taken my running excursions outdoors, (which Is a completely different experience to a treadmill) and I now can run just under three miles. And this is all in the space of a few months!! I went from finding it difficult to run one whole minute, to being able to run a few miles. It’s a great feeling! And I realize the key is to start slow. I didn’t know at the time but my elliptical sessions were helping me build my fitness level in a gradual way. Who knows I may one day even enter a marathon!

If you are interested in adding running into your life as a way to get fit here are a few key things to remember;

1) Start slow. You can’t expect yourself to be able to run long distances for long amount of times in the beginning. One minute running, one minute walking alternations are the best way to start. Or like I did, you can begin on something a little easier like an elliptical machine to get your heart pumping and used to cardiovascular exercise.

2) Buy proper running shoes. I’m serious about this one. The first time I ran outside in New Orleans, I was wearing aerobic shoes and my knees ached for days after. I purchased a pair of nike runners that are super comfortably and they really make all the difference when it comes to running.

3) Buy a pedometer or something to track your progress. Try and beat you last record everyday by just a little. It will keep you motivated.

4) Stretch your muscles before you run to prevent any injuries.

5) Make sure to drink at least 20 oz of water about twenty minutes before your run so you won’t become dehydrated, especially in summer.

6) Have your breakfast (or whatever meal pertaining to the time of day) 45 minutes to 1 hour before your run. Pick Low GI carbs like oatmeal, sprouted grains, vegetables, fruits like apples and berries and a protein ( eg. oatmeal and berries, Greek yoghurt with berries, scrambled eggs in a sprouted grain tortilla, apples and peanut butter etc.) as it will help sustain you through your run. Some people think running on an empty stomach will help them lose weight but I have found any workout on an empty stomach will have me exhausted half way through and won’t make for an effective workout.

7) Replenish your body after the run. Drink more water and eat something like a shake that will digest easy and replenish your muscles glycogen stores. I usually have a banana and peanut butter smoothie or some other kind of fruit smoothie. But it is so important that you remember to eat or drink something after your workout every time. It makes or breaks your workout.

8) Enter a marathon. For some people entering marathons is a good way to get them motivated. When you have a goal you have something to work towards and you will feel so accomplished when you have completed it.

These are just some steps to get you started on your running regime. There are many places on the internet that will give you a running schedule for beginners so you can build your fitness level at a gradual comfortable pace. So what are you waiting for, get out there and start running your way to body beautiful!

I just want to mention my friend Rachel who has entered a half marathon benefiting Leukemia research which will take place Oct. 2nd In Florida. She is running on behalf of her brother Daniel who died last year of Leukemia. You can read her blog here at www.runningfordaniel.blogspot.com. It is a great cause and I just want to say Good Luck Rachel

Coffee : To Drink Or Not To Drink?

2010-06-28T09:50:00.000-07:00

While the jury still remains out on this one, with contradictions about coffees pros and cons at every turn, I, being a fan of an occasional cup myself, will say that in this case you would do best to remember the phrase “everything in moderation”. As remember, it contains caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant found in the leaves, seeds and fruits of dozens of plants worldwide and it is a psychoactive drug!

I wouldn’t recommend drinking coffee everyday, especially if it is something you rely on solely to wake you up in the morning. Those that say they can’t function without their morning cup of joe need to take themselves aside for a little chat as there is nothing we shouldn’t have the ability to function without than water and a balanced diet. I don’t ever remember caffeine being included in the food pyramid, do you?

Let’s take a quick look at the supposed benefits and detriments of our beloved coffee:

Pros:
• Coffee is rich in antioxidants which can help prevent aging and cell damage from free radicals.
• Drinking coffee may reduce the risk of
- Parkinson’s disease
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Gallstones
- Kidney Stones
- Type 2 diabetes
- Memory loss due to aging and Alzheimer’s Disease
• It improves mental alertness
• It speeds up muscle recovery from fatigue and can also help in weight loss when taken before a workout.
• It smells and tastes delicious :)

Cons:
• It may elevate cholesterol levels
• It has a negative effect on blood vessel tone and function
• May raise blood pressure making it a potential health hazard to those with hypertension
• Too much coffee can inhibit the absorption of calcium which can lead to osteoporosis
• Dehydrates the body as it acts as a mild diuretic
• Makes it difficult for those with Type 2 Diabetes to control blood sugar levels
• It blocks the hypnotic effect of the hormone adenosine which is designed to promote a restful deep sleep.
• Its effect of spiking the hormone cortisol may in fact have a negative impact on weight as over consumption of caffeine will exhaust the adrenal glands which can lead to thyroid problems and weight gain.

So what is the happy medium? I would say don’t banish coffee from your life altogether if it’s something you enjoy (unless of course you feel you would be better without it completely), but rather drink in moderation. I can’t see the harm in drinking two or three cups of coffee a week.
I recently found myself increasing my consumption of coffee as I spend alot of time at bookstores and cafes but i have broguht myself back in check and I have found alternatives like Starbuck's Passion Iced tea unsweetened, (that I then sweeten myself with Stevia..delish!) or if you're not lactose intolerant, hot milk with vanilla can be made at any good coffee shop! Totally delish too! Again, I would just try to not make coffee a daily habit as there are so mnay more options out there, and of course as with everything, I do recommend you choose organic coffee, as the plant from which it’s made is one of the most heavily sprayed with pesticides. So all in all I think coffee is something you can keep a part of a balanced diet. Go ahead and enjoy those weekend coffee shop jaunts with your friends, or treat yourself to a frothy cappucino as you share a dessert with a cute boy!! After all, life is there to be enjoyed! That’s more important than anything!

Coffee = ELAA approved (in moderation ;) ).

Sprouted Grains : The Benefits

2010-06-25T08:49:00.000-07:00

Ezekiel 4:9-17: “Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof.

The above being a direct quote from the Bible and one of the first recipes of sprouted bread. If it’s good enough for God, hell it’s good enough for me! Sprouted grain breads and other products are only recently starting to make an appearance on our supermarket shelves despite their existence for generations. Sprouting grains is the simple process of soaking grains and allowing them to germinate, which not only neutralizes phytic acid (the annoying enzyme blocker which binds minerals, making it hard for us to absorb them), but it also increases vitamin content and digestibility. Our ancestors for centuries before us all practiced the art of soaking and sprouting their grains before making them into breads and other bread products.

Here are just a few benefits of sprouted grain products;

• Sprouted Grains contain almost all 9 essential amino acids, making them a great source of protein, especially for Vegetarians and Vegans.
• Sprouted Grains are a great source of Vitamins A, B and C.
• Grains double in bulk when sprouted making the food stretch further, which is great for those on a budget.
• Sprouted grains neutralize phytic acid which binds minerals and makes it hard for our bodies to absorb the nutrients.
• Grains are pre-digested during the soaking process, making it easier for us to digest.
• Sprouted grains have a lower Glycemic index rating than other breads, making them a good choice for people who which to keep blood sugar stable.

These are just a few examples of the benefits of sprouted grain products over traditional whole wheat and white refined breads and bread products. Ezekiel is a great brand that makes delicious sprouted grain breads, muffins and tortillas and can be purchased at most health food stores. Manna is also another bread product( just like what God sent to his people in the Bible when they were starving in the desert), though it’s taste may not appeal to everyone.

If you have the time and would like to go about sprouting your grains at home by all means go ahead. It takes little effort and is relatively easy.

1. Soak your choice of grains/legumes/seeds overnight in a bowl of water making sure the water level is quite a bit above the grains or whatever you’re sprouting, as they will absorb the water quite a bit. Usually twice as much water as chosen item to be sprouted is ideal.
2. In the morning pour everything into a kitchen strainer and rinse them with clean water really well. Sometimes the grains may have a sticky mucus type of coating that you will want to make sure is completely gone as it could inhibit the sprouting process.
3. Place the strainer over a large bowl (to catch the drips) and cover with a dry clean kitchen towel and set it off to the side somewhere on the kitchen counter.
4. Keep on eye on your sprouting foods over the course of time you have allotted to it ( usually 8-12 hours or up to 3-4 days) and make sure they are never dry. You want to keep them constantly moist. If they are any bit dry give them another quick rinse.
5. Your sprouts will be ready when you notice they have little tails a few millimeters long.

You can then use theses sprouts in various ways. Grains can be blended into a batter or dough for making bread. Chickpeas can be used to make raw hummus or if you own a dehydrator you could make falafels!! Yum! Sprouted seeds can be used wherever you like , on salads, in shakes on top of oatmeal!! The choice is yours!!

So go ahead and add some sprouted foods to your life and let your body reap the benefits! :)

Keeping up with the Carbs: From Low to Slow

2010-06-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

When I embarked on this new healthy eating regime a few months ago I cut out all refined products from my life mostly in the forms of white flour and sugar. I also cut out breads of all kinds and everything that can be classified as a carb apart from green leafy vegetables. This is pretty much the basis of The Atkins diet, with a few differences. I for one, was a lot more conscious of the sources of my meat and dairy, only buying and consuming organic products, and I also don’t advocate the use of artificial sweeteners to satiate the sweet tooth. But, although I saw great results from eating this way, externally and internally, something about shunning fruit and grains for the rest of my life sounded well, boring. Plus, how could something like fruit, so natural and delicious and straight from mother earth be bad for you?

So I did a little research and found that the idea was not to live la vida low carb, but rather live la vida slow carb. What do I mean by slow carb? Well, slow carbs are classified as any carbohydrates that have little to no effect on blood sugar levels when consumed. This is the basis of the Glycemic Index Diet, (a measure of how fast carbs turn into glucose on the blood) which is currently at the forefront of the diet crazed world. Many nutritionists are now recommending this as the best diet to incorporate into our lives for optimum health and wellness.

Is it another fad diet or could it really be a basis for a healthful lifestyle?

I think the latter. Slow carbs means you’re not cutting out any of the nutritional sources that you were on low carb diets. Grains are an important and dense source of many nutrients and vitamins that are vital to our health. So does that mean you can happily chow down on that coffee shop doughnut?

Afraid not! Grains like everything else are not created equal. Refined carbs, like white bread, white flour, white rice, and sugar, all rapidly convert to glucose in the body causing an insulin spike, which as we now know has many disastrous health effects. So what grains are considered slow carb?

I’m not going to tell you go ahead and eat whole wheat or whole grain breads and pastas from the shelf of your supermarket, as not only do many of them contain ridiculous ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, but the grains used to make these breads were not sprouted so they still contain an enzyme blocker called phytic acid which as I mentioned in an earlier blog, inhibits the thyroid from converting T3 hormone to T4, a process which is vital to our good health. Perhaps this explains why so many people are hypothyroid?

What you can include in your diet though is sprouted grain breads like Ezekiel, and sourdough breads. These grains have all been sprouted there by removing the phytic acid and allowing for easier digestion and assimilation in the body. It’s becoming increasingly easy to find all kinds of sprouted grain products, from cereals to tortillas.

As for fruits, most are slow carb so knock yourself out, keep it organic of course. Watermelon is the only fruit which will cause an insulin spike so I’d definitely keep its consumption very moderate.

Lentils, beans, quinoa and couscous are all considered slow carbs so they will make for healthy additions to your diet. And in the rice department I would stick to wild rice, and although they say basmati rice is slow carb, it doesn’t really have any nutritional benefits.

I would recommend doing some research and becoming familiar with the glycemic index of various carbs (how they rate, either low, medium, or high when it comes to how fast they convert to glucose) so you can begin making healthful decisions when keeping carbs in your life.

And to finish up here’s my ELAA approved recipe for a morning breakfast burrito that beats any fast food nutrition-less nonsense!! Enjoy!!

Sprouted Grain Cheesy Breakfast Burrito

Ingredients
2 large organic eggs
1 Ezekiel Sprouted grain tortilla (warmed in the oven if you like)
2 tbsp of good quality organic butter
½ cup of Raw sharp cheddar (or if not raw, a good quality organic cheese will do)
¼ small onion (finely chopped)
1 slice organic turkey breast (optional)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Using 1 tbsp of butter, scramble your eggs over medium heat on the stove until fluffy.
Spread the other tbsp of butter on the tortilla.
Place the eggs along the middle of the tortilla and place onions on top.
Sprinkle the cheese over the eggs and onions and place on a baking tray.
Put the tortilla in the oven until cheese is melted.
Remove from oven and add the slice of turkey breast if you like.
Roll up the tortilla like a burrito and fold in one end so the yumminess inside can’t fall out.
Eat and Enjoy!

Stevia: Natures Natural Sweetener

2010-06-03T07:35:00.000-07:00

For a dessert-loving but hot-body-wanting girl, Stevia is the light at the end of the dark sugar-free tunnel! A natural herb from Paraguay, used by the Guarani Indians for centuries, its natural sweetness comes, not from carbohydrate molecules like other natural sweeteners, but rather from non-caloric molecules called Glycosides. People, who cannot tolerate sugar or other sweeteners in the diet, can use Stevia, which is why it has so much success in helping heal illnesses like Diabetes, Hypoglycemia and Candidiasis.
Available in dry leaf or concentrate form, Stevia has a wonderful ability to regulate blood sugar. Its ability to sweeten foods and beverages, without having any effect on insulin release, means we can indulge guiltlessly in things like chocolate, pies, ice-cream regularly and still fit into our LBD’s.

Not only is Stevia beneficial in our diets but surprisingly it’s also a great addition to our beauty skin care regimen. It can be applied as a facial mask by smoothing the liquid over the face for 30-60 minutes and it helps smooth the skin and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. It can also be applied to any blemish, acne outbreak, or lip sore for rapid healing. It is very effective in helping to cure numerous skin conditions such as eczema, seborrhea, and dermatitis. Added to soap, it helps eliminate dandruff and other scalp problems as well as improving the health and luster of the hair.

Stevia can be used in your oral hygiene too! Added to toothpaste and mouthwash, it inhibits the growth of bacteria that cause tooth decay and gum disease.

Using Stevia in baking is really a matter of trial and error and it’s totally worth it when you figure out the proper ratios, (usually 1 cup of sugar can be replaced with 24 packets of Stevia but various conversions can be found on the internet. It really is trial and error!!) You can even get Stevia in different flavors, like French vanilla and Valencia Orange which can add versatility to the flavors of baking.

Do I need to convince you anymore to get down to the local health store and purchase some Stevia to start sweetening your life in a healthy and natural way?! Life doesn’t get any better than when you can chow down on a bowl of homemade ice-cream sweetened with Stevia (recipe below), while you slip into that figure hugging dress before a night out and still look perfectly body beautiful! Love it!

Guilt-free Vanilla Ice Cream

2 Organic Egg Yolks
2 Cups Organic Heavy Cream
1 Cup Organic Whole Milk
2 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
2 packets of French Vanilla Stevia

In a blender or food processor whip all ingredients very thoroughly then refrigerate for 1 hour. Pour the chilled mixture into an ice-cream maker and follow directions for freezing.

To make it even more delicious, you can add berries or any fruit of your choice once the ice-cream is semi-frozen, then resume the freezing process!! Heaven!

Beauty And The Budget ; Homemade Natural Face Masks

2010-06-01T06:59:00.000-07:00

The great thing about health and beauty is that they’re so interconnected they’re almost one and the same. You can’t have one without the other. Many of the foods that promote great internal health when eaten can also be applied topically to your skin and enhance the effects your body is receiving from them not only internally but externally as well. Beauty need not be expensive spa facials, or high end store bought moisturizers and cleansers when the majority of the ingredients that makes these beauty products effective usually comes from some source of mother nature, like avocados, bananas, eggs, lemons, coconuts, and essential oils. Everything else in most store purchased beauty items is chemicals to make them smell more appealing, and keep it on the shelf longer. Now that you are no longer putting chemicals in your body, let’s try and not put them on our bodies either! Especially when the best beauty products can be bought so cheaply from the nearest supermarket!

Here are four homemade, all natural face masks designed for your different skin type that will work just as well if not better than any packaged product;

Banana and Honey Face mask for Oily Skin types

What you’ll need;
• ½ a ripe banana
• 1 tbsp honey
• A few drops of fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp Oatmeal (I use Scottish oats as I find their ground small enough to where it meshes better in the mask, nut any oats will do)

Directions
1. Mash the banana until creamy.
2. Add the honey, lemon and oatmeal and mix together until thick. (add more oatmeal if it’s too runny)
3. Apply to your face for 10-15 minutes.
4. Wash off with a warm washcloth.

The reason this face mask is great for oily skin is because banana helps clear your skin of grease and helps refine pores, while lemon juice is a natural exfoliator and powerful cleansing agent that cleans the skin of nasty blackheads. Honey has wonderful healing properties and oatmeal is also great for removing dirt and dead skin cells.

I have oily skin so I use this mask to help keep my skin glowing! I usually have enough for three masks so it’s best to do this on a girl’s night in and share with your friends! (if they also have oily/ acne prone skin!)

Avocado and Yogurt face Mask for Dry Skin

What you’ll need
• 1 ripe avocado
• 4 tbsp of plain yogurt

Directions
1. In a blender, mix the two ingredients together.
2. Apply to you face for 10-15 minutes.
3. Wash off with a warm wash cloth.

Avocados are rich in vitamin E which is a wonderful moisturizer for dry and aging skin. While yogurt has soothing effects, it will also hydrate and soften the dry skin.

Strawberry Butter Mask for Normal Skin

What you’ll need;
• 2 large strawberries
• 1 tbsp unsalted softened butter

Directions
1. Mash the strawberries and add the softened butter.
2. Apply to you face for 10-15 minutes.
3. Wash off with a warm wash cloth.

Butter is a great source of Vitamin A which is wonderful for sensitive, damaged or sunburned skin. Strawberries are full of alpha-hydroxy acids which clean the skin and have anti-aging effects!

And here’s one of my favorite facemasks!! This uses kitty litter (as kitty litter is actually just natural bentonite clay). This may sound a little absurd at first but I assure you it’s the same facemask you will find in all top end spas where you would have to shell out over $100 to get the same benefits.

Clay and Essential Oil Face Mask for All Skin types.
• 2 Tbsp Natural “unscented” Kitty litter
• A few drops of purified water
• A few drops of an Essential Oil (rosewood or lavender for dry skin/juniper or grapefruit for oily skin and jasmine or angelica for normal skin)

Directions;
1. Mix the clay with the water until a smooth paste is formed.
2. Stir in a few drops of the essential oils.
3. Apply to face for 10-15 minutes.
4. Wash off with warm face cloth.

The clay is highly absorbant and detoxifying which helps draw out impurities from the skin. The various essential oils will enhance the effects of the mask!!

See how inexpensive it is to do a facial at home! So save that $100 you would normally spend on a trip to the spa and instead invite some friends over and have a beauty night where you can try out some of the face masks above. It’s a lot less expensive and a lot more fun, trust me!!

Superfoods : Coconut Oil and Apple Cider Vinegar

2010-05-31T07:37:00.000-07:00

Variety is the spice life they say and I believe the same can be said of food. In today’s society with our short attention spans, we constantly want to try new foods, taste new things, eat a different meal practically every day to prevent boring our palates. We are not like our ancestors who pretty much would eat the same few staple things day in, day out. We are lucky in that we do have the opportunities to taste so many different cuisines and challenge our taste buds so much more than the generations past. But having said that, I also do believe that they are a few staple things people should have in their kitchen that will not only promote good health but also will serve to help achieve and maintain the body you always dreamed of. Here are a two products I make sure are in my daily diet that have benefited me so much that I can’t believe their benefits are not more widely lauded;

1) Coconut Oil
This is one of, if not my absolute favorite thing in the whole world. The oil from the tropical coconut is so remarkable when it comes to healing properties and its promotion of general great health and beauty, that I think it’s sinful that it is not in every kitchen cupboard across the world. It’s probably due to the aversion everyone has to saturated fats and the fear that has been instilled in our society that all fats are bad and will lead to heart disease. This is no the case. In many countries like Thailand and the Phillipines where coconut oil is used in large amounts in their daily diet, they have extremely low rates of heart disease. Coconut oil has gotten a bad rap over the years but the truth is, it’s nothing short of a miracle oil. And here’s why;

• Coconut oil is one of the only sources of Lauric acid, other than mothers breast milk and has potent anti-microbial and anti-viral properties. It has been successfully used in the healing of diseases like Heart Disease, High Blood Pressure , Hypothyroid, Diabetes, HIV and Cancer.
• It contributes to weight loss because it promotes proper functioning of the thyroid which keeps the metabolism working at optimum levels and also gives a feeling of satiety which prevents overeating.
• It strengthens the immune system due to its anti-viral, anti-microbial properties.
• It is very effective against a variety of infections by killing viruses that cause influenza, measles, herpes, SARS , pneumonia, UTI’s and even candidiasis.
• It can be used topically in beauty treatments as a hair conditioner ( once a week makes hair grow longer, healthier and shinier) ,and as a body moisturizer ( leaves skin super soft and is not greasy) and also as treatment for cuts and burns.

These are only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the health and beauty benefits of coconut oil. It can be added to your diet as a supplement, or you can cook with it (it has a very high smoking point as it is a very stable oil), or you can begin using it as a beauty product. I recommend buying virgin or extra virgin coconut oil, (only $8 - $10 bucks at your nearest health store), start by adding even 1tbsp a day and I promise you’ll be adding one of nature’s most amazing foods to your daily diet and it won’t be long before you start to see it’s benefits.

2) Apple Cider Vinegar

Again, another incredible gift of mother nature, that when consumed on a regular basis has amazing health and beauty properties. I’m referring to the raw apple cider vinegar that has not been processed and still contains a cloudy substance formed from the apple residue called the “mother”. It is available at all good health food stores. Like my beloved coconut oil it too helps prevent and treat bacterial and fungal infections and it was even Hippocrates, the father of all modern medicines, go-to tonic for many ailments. And here’s why;

• ACV (apple cider vinegar) retains all the nutritional goodness from the apples from which it was made, plus it is fortified with extra enzymes and acids as a result of fermentation. It is this powerful tonic that then has the ability to aid in the healing of everything from the common cold, coughs, dandruff and bites and burns, to more serious illnesses like Diabetes, high levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) and Cancer.
• ACV is an amazing weight loss tonic. I can vouch for this! I started taking ACV daily about 7 months ago and I suddenly noticed the last few pounds that had always been stuck on me dropped off. I had not known at that time that ACV had any connection to weight loss but I knew I hadn’t changed anything else about my diet or level of activity. Sure enough with a bit of research I found that ACV is known for its weight loss effects. The reasons for this are not yet totally clear but hey, if it works it works and It works!
• ACV also helps in the beauty department by flushing toxins from your body and giving you healthy glowing skin, hair and nails. It can also cure age spots, and eczema.

ACV is only $7 for a large bottle at your local health store. I buy the “Braggs” brand, and it lasts me quite a while. I take a tbsp in a little water every morning and evening and if you can’t ingest the tart taste of the vinegar, you can sweeten the tonic with a little natural sweetener like honey or Stevia.

So there you have my two of my favorite superfoods. I really can’t stress enough how beneficial they have been to me and will be to you too if you go ahead and add them to your diet. There are many recipes out there that can help you incorporate these foods too if you don't fancy taking them on their own. And don’t just take my word for it, google it, research a bit and I know you’ll be amazed to discover the extensive uses and benefits of both Coconut oil and ACV, which is probably why they have been around and used daily by people for centuries!

Understanding Metabolism: The Basics

2010-05-27T06:31:00.000-07:00

You’ve all heard the word metabolism before right? I know I had heard it thrown around for years, before I ever really knew what the hell it was exactly. All I knew was both my sisters had “faster” metabolisms than I and so they would forever be skinny and I was always going to be that bit more pudgy around the edges. They would be able to shovel in twice as much food into their mouths as I could and not gain an ounce. Seemed like just another case of “the world’s not fair”, and so I would have to get over it. But that’s not the whole truth. The world may not seem fair in regards other things but the good news is, achieving a faster metabolism is very possible.

Firstly, what the hell is metabolism? Well, by definition it’s the set of chemical reactions that happen in living organisms to maintain life. In other words, your biochemistry. How efficiently this works varies from person to person dependent on a number of factors, including but not limited too;

• Body Size ( the larger the person, the more cells to maintain)
• Body composition (ratio of fat to muscle on a body)
• Age (unfortunately our metabolisms inevitably slow down with age)
• Diet (what you put in your mouth effects metabolism)
• Hormones (play a key role in the effective workings of your metabolism)
• Psychological state (stress and anxiety can upset metabolism)
• Drugs (many pharmaceuticals can influence the metabolic rate)

So what are some things we can change in order to affect our metabolism and get in kicking and working in tip top shape? Well, we can’t rightly change body size, no matter how much you’d like to be a few inches taller it’s not going to happen, so just stick to the jimmy Choos for that! Age, is not something we can change either unfortunately because as much as we’d love to stay forever 21, it ain’t going to happen in this lifetime anyway. But we do have control over our diet, and body composition, our psychological state and the drugs we take, all which affect the hormones that rev our metabolism and can keep it at a fat-burning pace (which is where we want it)!

I don’t want to get all scientific on you here but a healthy diet, regular exercise, and de-stressing all have positive influence on little hormones like Insulin, Leptin, Cortisol and Ghrelin, to name a few, which ultimately decide whether you will continue stacking the weight on or whether you will burn it all off.

The problem with our society today is that these little hormones are all out of whack in our bodies, (too much of one and not enough of another). For example, too much insulin circulating in the body all the time can lead to Diabetes. But what causes the excess insulin? Blood sugar spikes from the foods we consume. Eating too many refined high carb foods like doughnuts, and French fries and bread.

All that refined, processed anti-food garbage we shovel into our mouths day after day, and not to mention all the toxins and pollutants in our air and our products at home have thrown our chemical balance all off. But it is not too late to fix it.

• Constant yo-yo dieting is not the way to fix a metabolism, in fact it severely disrupts it and causes a lot of damage. But adopting a healthy diet for life, free of refined foods like white sugar, white flour, trans- fats, hydrogenated anything, foods with ingredients you can’t pronounce, but full of wholesome real foods like fruits and vegetable and organic meat and dairy, can all aid in restoring the balance of your metabolism.

• Exercising is another great way to restore the metabolism to proper working order. It affects the amount of lean muscle to fat ratio in your body, and muscle burns fat by increasing your metabolic rate. Exercise not only stimulates your muscles during a workout but for hours afterwards.

• De-stressing is easier said than done I know, but stress really is I believe the number one silent killer. Make sure you take time to relax every day. Adopt a form of meditation, even if it’s just some occasional deep breathing throughout the day, or join a Yoga class, get eight hours good quality sleep a night and don’t work ridiculously long hours a week.

It seems like simple advice but you must follow it if you want to balance out the destructive behavior that has caused your metabolism to slow down. Remember all those little hormones are there for you, waiting for you to help them out and give them what they need to work properly and build up and break down the energy stores and body tissues like they’re supposed to in order to keep your body healthy. Help them out! Feed your body nutritious foods, get out there for a brisk walk, take a long relaxing bath and you’ll see your body returning the favor both physically and mentally!

Getting into Fitness : For the Gym Fan

2010-05-26T08:27:00.000-07:00

Starting a fitness routine is definitely one of the most important steps you can take to improve your overall health and achieve that beautiful fit body you desire. But the road to both of these is different for everyone, as we are all programmed in a unique way and what works for you may not work for another. So while dedicating yourself to getting a good workout in at the gym may be the most convenient way for you to begin adding exercise into your life, another person may prefer to find a Yoga Studio, or perhaps buy a bike and take to cycling, or hiking or any other one of the numerous outdoorsy activities. The point is to find out what works for you. If, like me, you like the convenience of a gym, all the tools you need in one place, then there are some things to consider before you spend some of your hard earned money on a monthly membership.

1. Location
When scouting out your soon-to-be fitness home, one of the most important things to take in to consideration is location. Unless you’re lucky enough to have a fitness center or small gym in your apartment building or home chances are you will have to either walk or drive to get there. The most important thing is that is should be close. Don’t get a membership to a gym that’s 20 minutes away or all the way across town, because it will just allow for excuses not to go (the traffic is to bad right now, I’ll be late for work etc. ) Choose a gym that’s convenient and close. No more than a 5 minute drive or you may find your paying monthly fees for something you never have the time to use.

2. Cost
Unless you’re living in the middle of the country, in any given town or city there are usually a plethora of different gyms in a short distance of each other, all with a different price range. Monthly membership fees can be anything from $20 a month to $120. Know what your budget is and work around it. You don’t need to be a member of the more expensive gym to get a better workout. The equipment will all pretty much be the same! You may have more classes offered at the more expensive gyms but you must decide if that is worth paying a little more for as perhaps you will be more motivated to workout if it’s an aerobics class you like, rather than working out alone. There are numerous franchised gyms like Curves, 24 Hr Fitness, Crunch etc. that each offer something different and make sure you take a trip to visit all of them before deciding upon what’s best for you as remember, you want your fitness time to be something you look forward too doing.

3. Classes
Most gyms offer free classes along with their memberships these days and these can be a great and fun way to workout. There are so many different kinds like Yoga, Pilates, Ab sculpting, kick-boxing, even dance classes, it’s impossible to get bored and there is something to fit everyone’s taste. If you like to have someone motivating you, classes are the next best thing to having a personal trainer.

4. Personal trainer
Deciding upon whether or not to shell out some extra cash to have a professional help you workout properly and show you the most effective ways to use the various gym equipment is really down to two things, a) can you afford it? And b) is it the best workout approach for you to have someone constantly pushing you to work harder? If you know you tend to go easy on yourself when you work out alone and slack off a little, if you have some extra cash, then maybe investing in a personal trainer is the way to go. Again, just as not all gyms are created equal, neither are personal trainers, and you will pay more for better, more qualified trainers. You should find someone you have a good chemistry with too, and I have always found a good rule of thumb to be to pick a personal trainer whose physique you most admire and would want for yourself. Don’t pick the buffed up body builder if what you want for yourself is a leaner Victoria’s Secret Model look. You get what I mean!

5. Gym attire
Invest in some good workout shoes and two or three nice proper workout outfits. Don’t go the gym looking sloppy and in oversized clothes!! I see this all the time but the truth is you’re more likely to be motivated to workout if you look in the mirror and see yourself in a shapely workout outfit that makes you look good. As vain as it sounds, it actually does help. Having some cute outfits just for your gym time is good motivation to get out there and do it. I always do more lunges and squats in my flattering butt lifting gym pants then I do when I wear oversized sweats. It’s a mental thing, but hey it works! If I like what I see in the mirror I’m more motivated to work a little harder. I was a huge Bebe Sport fan but since they change to PH8 I’m not into their looks as much as before, plus it’s expensive! But you can find really cute cheap workout gear at Forever 21 and Target! And if you want to splash a little, Victoria’s Secret has a great new line!!

6. Gym Bag
Always go to the gym prepared for your workout with your stainless steel water bottle, to make sure you are constantly hydrated during your workout. If the Gym doesn’t provide little towels you may want to bring a small one in your bag for when you are ~~sweating,~~ glowing like a pig!You may want your Ipod with you if music gets you motivated while working out, and make sure you have a healthy snack for post-workout consumption. You are going to want to replenish the muscles you just worked and restore the glycogen pretty quickly (usually within 30-60 minutes of finishing your workout), so having a protein bar or protein shake right after you workout is the key. BUT you don’t want just any kind of protein bar or shake as many commercial ones are filled with additives and artificial sweeteners. Here at ELAA we make our own, or at least if we do consume store bought products, we choose all natural ingredients. See below for my post-workout Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie that you can carry with you in another stainless steel flask or if the gym is close to where you live, make and drink when you get home.

Good luck on your Gym journey and we’ll be back with more later from ELAA. Here’s to fun fitness!

ELAA's Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie

Ingredients
Half a large ripe banana (the riper the better, it gives more flavor)
2tbsp natural peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
1 cup Almond Milk (or Organic Whole milk)
1 packet French Vanilla Stevia
A couple of cubes of ice

Directions
PUT all the ingredients in a blender.
BLEND on high for 30 seconds.
POUR into glass or flask.
DRINK right after your workout, or whenever you feel like a yummy healthy peanut butter banana shake !

**TIP: Put the shake in the freezer for a few minutes before drinking, and it will really thicken up and be that much more yummy !

Getting into Fitness

2010-05-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

Did you know a lean healthy body is shaped 10% by Genetics, 10% by exercise and 80% by nutrition? Yes, 80% of effort on your part, to achieve a lean, beautiful physique should come from what you choose to put in your mouth. Many people are under the misconception that a beautiful body is achieved in the gym, or sweating it out during hours of torturous exercise, when in fact, exercise only counts for a mere 10% of your well being.

Now does that mean you can neglect the exercise 10% and focus only on putting the right foods in your body?

Although proper diet alone can alter your state of health and your physical body shape drastically, adding in that exercise routine is only going to enhance everything you're already doing and take your body beautiful journey to new heights. But the good news is, as long as you’ve started eating cleaner more nutritious foods, all you need is moderate exercise and strength training to see results. No more body boot camps, or next day immobilization for people on the ELAA plan, (unless of course you’re a sadist or something and derive pleasure from pain, in which case go right ahead)!

The problem with most people is the initial phase of getting into a fitness routine can be daunting and difficult and they’re never quite sure where to start. But the key is to start small and build from there. Unless you’re still in school and have regular periods of physical activity through sport and recreation, chances are you’ve long since left your gym shoes behind and have taken to the more sedentary lifestyle that can be synonymous with adult life! Well as you no longer have a gym teacher yelling at you to get up off your lazy tush and do five laps of the field; motivation is going to have to come from you and you alone.

What’s my motivation? I’ve long dreamed about having a super fit body like that of a Baywatch babe. I remember watching that show when I was little and envying their bodies so much and how even when they ran, there were no jiggles!! Then of course along came the Britney “Slave for you” body, which started me on a crunching craze. Whenever I saw a picture of her amazing abs, I was to be found in my bedroom doing impromptu workouts. But it usually only lasted for a few days, until I saw another image of a beautiful body I envied.

But you don’t have to want a perfect body, or six pack abs, or a Sofia Vergara booty in order to find motivation to workout. Everyone is different and their motivations, personal. Perhaps you just want to be fitter, able to run more than a few minutes without collapsing, or you want to just tone up around the edges and have a flatter tummy, whatever it is, no matter how big or small, it is totally achievable.

And the key is just to start today. Whether you just begin a daily walk, or you go out and purchase a gym membership, or you invest in a home workout kit, the point is to start. And don’t pressure yourself, take it easy. It’s a building process. It takes 21 days for something to become a habit, so allow those three weeks to get into a routine. Start with some cardio, an easy walk, a light jog, a morning run, depending where your fitness is at, and go from there. Later on down the line you can start adding some strength training if you like, but the point is for it to be enjoyable and stress free.

I’m sure by now you’ve heard exercise raises serotonin levels in the body which is why you always feel better after exercise and it’s true, you do! I don’t know anyone who has ever come out of an exercise session saying “man I really regret that workout I just did “. Because though you may not always go in to every workout with a hop, a skip and a jump, sometimes you may have to drag your butt to get going, but the good news is, you will always, always feel better coming out of it, and proud of yourself too!

So go ahead and add some exercise to your life. You already know it’s good for your heart, your overall health and well being, but honestly the real bonus is when you no longer cringe every time you strip down in front of a mirror, because seeing your beautiful, well toned, healthy body reflected back at you is the greatest reward one could ask for!

Out and about and what to eat: Part 1 ; At The Movies

2010-05-24T07:54:00.000-07:00

Being an actress usually means taking the weekly trip to the movies for the love of our craft, and well just because it's fun. But when you’re an actress who has long associated the pleasures of movie going with the big box of buttery popcorn topped with peanut M&M’s, a new healthier eating lifestyle, presents a challenge.

There really is nothing I love more than the smell of popcorn at the movies and I’m confident that that is quite a shared adoration, the world over. But when you have changed over to only nourishing your body with real whole foods, although a wonderful undertaking, in the beginning, it presents problems in the social aspects of our lives. What can we eat at restaurants? What can we eat at the movies? What can we drink on a night out? What can we eat at our friend’s dinner party? Etc. We don’t want to lose the pleasures often derived from the combination of friends and food, and jeopardize the social aspects of our lives that are so often closely tied to the consumption of yummy things. That would be a boring, dull life and would probably cause your body more stress and damage than a lifetimes worth of all the fast food you can think of. So what is the solution?

Luckily there are many. But to start, today I want to focus on trips to the movies, as it’s something everyone likes to do pretty frequently and can be a very tempting time to gorge on bad foods which we know will bring you no closer to the health and body you desire.

So for example, I went to the movies this weekend and brought a long my own bag of treats I had concocted earlier in the day. I had made Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter Bites, (see recipe below) that were, in the words of Ned Flanders “Scrum-diddily-upmtious”. And I brought a can of Knudsen Sparkling Essence (An all natural, refreshing drink my brother-in-law found in Whole Foods the other day, made with sparkling water and fruit essence.) And I enjoyed my movie experience just as much as any other time. And the bonus was, I left the theatre completely guilt free as opposed to my past feelings of “oh crap , I can’t believe I ate that whole large popcorn, bag of M&M’s and medium coke all to myself!”

So in the case of snack items, bringing along your own healthy treats to things like the movies is a step in the right direction and doesn’t eliminate any of the pleasures involved with the activity. Heck you can even pop your own popcorn at home (the natural kind) and pour some delicious real butter on top and bring it along in a food bag, (which is what my Mom would give my sisters and I when we were young as she didn’t want to pay the price for the expensive movie popcorn! I don’t blame her.) Making your own treats is better for your health and your pocket! Why spend almost $15 on unhealthy, processed, nutrient-less food that will just add to the unwanted pounds around your belly and booty? No thanks!

Here is a list of some examples of yummy treats you can easily hide and bring along in your purse to the movies, saving you pounds on your body and pounds in your pocket!

• Homemade desserts like the Chocolate Coconut Peanut Butter Bites
• Trail mix (made with a mix of almonds, cashews, peanuts, whatever you like, some carob chips and dried fruit)
• Apple slices and natural peanut butter (you’ll want a little container for the peanut butter)
• Cheese cubes and cut up fruit like grapes or strawberries or pineapple.
• Some Greek Yoghurt with nuts and fruit already mixed in.
• A smoothie you made at home with any one combination of delicious ingredients (Peanut Butter ‘n’ Banana, Strawberry ‘n’ Banana, Very Berry smoothie etc.) that you can bring along in your chilled stainless steel flask.
• Natural sparkling drinks like the one I mentioned, Knudsen’s Sparkling Essence, which you can sweeten with a little pack of Stevia if you like you’re drinks sweeter.
• Coconut water (there are many awesome tasting coconut water drinks available at Whole foods and other health stores that contain just the yummy juice of the coconut)

The options are endless, you just have to be creative and seek out the healthy options. It may take a bit more work than handing over a crisp $20 bill to the kid behind the counter at the movie concession stand but it’s worth everything to your health and looks. You’ll be that much closer to looking as good as, or better than, the super hot actress in the movie you’re about to see!

So here to start you on your way to delicious healthy movie snacks is one of my own recipes

Chocolate, Coconut Peanut Butter Bites
(Makes 2 dozen bite size balls)

Ingredients
2 squares Ghirardelli’s 100%unsweetened dark chocolate
1 tbsp natural creamy or chunky peanut butter
1 large handful of unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tbsp Virgin Coconut oil (melted)
6 dates (pits removed)
1 packet French Vanilla Stevia
Splash of Almond Milk (or regular milk or water for moisture)

Directions

MELT chocolate and stir in melted coconut oil and peanut butter, stirring until smooth and creamy.
STIR in Packet of French Vanilla Stevia to chocolate mixture.
PUT dates and coconut flakes in blender and POUR chocolate mixture over.
ADD in splash of Almond Milk.
BLEND ingredients together on high until sticky and paste like.
SCOOP out of blender and ROLL into small bite sized balls. (Mixture will be rather sticky upon removing them from blender)
You can put them in mini cupcake cases or just leave them on a plate.
REFRIGERATE for 30 minutes until hardened.

Delish!!

Greek Yogurt : Food of Goddesses

2010-05-21T07:59:00.000-07:00

Officially one of my favorite foods in the whole world, Greek Yogurt's creamy thick natural goodness could only hail from the land where Aphrodite and Athena and all the other beautiful goddesses of mythology originated.

My love affair with Greek Yogurt began pretty recently when I was looking for something satisfying to satiate my sweet tooth after dinner, as I had cut out all sugar from my life and was feeling pretty miserable in the beginning. But the Gods shone their light upon me when they delivered Greek Yogurt in to my hands. I purchased the full fat version, mainly due to its low carb count (less than 5 grams) which, compared to the other Yogurts around it (which have close to 20g) was right in line with my low carb quest, and so I set off home curious to discover just what set this Grecian export apart from its other commercial cousins.

Boy did I find out. Later that night as I got my usual craving for something sweet, (usually satiated by various versions of chocolate my brother in law and I would load up on from the nearest Walgreens), I held strong, shrugged it off, and set off to the fridge to give the new yogurt a try. Upon opening it I could see already how it differed from regular yogurts. It was thick and had almost a heavy whipped cream appearance. I heaped three spoonfuls into a bowl and added some fresh strawberries and a packet of my favorite sweetener French Vanilla Stevia. Mixing it all up I went back to the bedroom to sit down and taste my newest concocted dessert.

Taking the first mouthful, I feel like my taste buds almost exploded for joy. It was sweet, and smooth with a soft velvety texture, not unlike whipped cream, and it complimented the berries perfectly. Could this stuff be for real? And even more importantly, could this be healthy?

As I did a little research on my new crush, I started to fall more and more in love.

Turns out, my tub of luscious, feathery deliciousness did more than just curb my sweet cravings.
Greek yogurt has been an integral part of the Grecians healthy diet for thousands of years and benefits a number of things;

• Is a great source of protein with over 20grams per 8 oz, double that of other yogurts.
• Due to its high protein content, it helps you feel fuller longer which can contribute to weight loss efforts.
• It contains thousands of live good bacteria which promote intestinal and vaginal health
• Improves lactose intolerance
• Builds stronger bones
• Enhances immunity
• Lowers blood pressure
• And may even have anti-cancer effects

It is extremely versatile too and can be used as a breakfast or snack or for sweet (desserts, smoothies) or savory dishes, like dips and sauces and in soups.

And I even discovered I didn’t have to break up with chocolate forever, as a little more kitchen concocting on my part had me create a creamy chocolate yogurt, that is a quick, low carb, incredibly delish and satisfying dessert. I’ve posted the recipe below for you to try.

And you know what? I bet Greek Yogurt was the secret to the beauty of the Greek Goddesses. Well, it’s not a secret anymore. Lucky for us!

Easy Goddess Chocolate Yoghurt Yumminess

Ingredients
1 cup Greek Yogurt (full fat)
1 tbsp Ghiradelli’s 100% unsweetened cocoa (or any other brand of unsweetened cocoa)
1 packet French Vanilla Stevia
Handful of walnuts (optional)

Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a bowl and Viola, that’s it! It’s that easy!!

Falling in Love with Food

2010-05-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I went on my weekly shopping trip to Whole Foods in the city and after browsing the aisles for a while and stocking up on my healthy living staples; I strolled through the Deli section on my way to the checkout. During my strolling, my eyes wandered over the dishes on display behind the glass encasement. Broccoli and Roasted Cashew Salad with Bacon bits, Curry Crab cakes, a scrumptious looking Turkey Meatloaf all laid out in grand style, and as I mentally relished the thought of chowing down on anyone of the yumminesses before me, I realized something. In my recent pursuit for health and a fabulous body, I had done the opposite to what most people do in such pursuits; I had done something I never before had done in my life. I had helplessly and hopelessly fallen in love with food.

For anyone that knows me well, food and I have never really had a great relationship. Growing up, I never had much interest in it, it was just sort of something that was there to keep my body working, and I didn’t give it much thought. And as I initially embarked on a healthy eating plan, or what I thought at the time was a healthy eating plan, like during my time as a vegetarian and vegan, I still just saw food as a fuel and nothing more. Most of the food I ate was lacking taste and texture and more importantly without pleasure. I never once got excited at the thought of yet another soy pattie with some vegetables for dinner. It never once occurred to me that food was there to be enjoyed, but more importantly could be enjoyed in a healthful way.

Of course this is not to say that a vegetarian life cannot indeed be delicious, (as I do fondly recall that awesome restaurant “Gobo” on 23rd street in New York which made the best Veggie Burgers I’ve ever tasted) but in the place of meat, I was consuming a lot of Carbs, in the form mostly of breads. I don’t want to get too much into it right now as I will explain in detail later, but the carbs I was eating, were keeping me on a blood spiking roundabout, where I would go from high blood sugar to low blood sugar and round and round and it left me with that constant fatigue. But I had yet to learn this and so I was perplexed as to why I was not feeling amazing on this vegetarian eating lifestyle. The point is sugar was still rampant in my diet, from the bread, beans and other veggie products I ate, all which tend to spike insulin and lead to a plethora of problems.

But after I made the move to New Orleans, and so this is only a discovery I made over the last few months, I cut all refined carbs from my diet, leaving only lots of vegetables and moderate amounts of fruit, mostly berries. At my brother in laws advice (who studied biochemistry), I undertook a no sugar/low carb life, just to see what changes it would make.

What I found was the delicious taste of natural foods.

Things like raw almonds, tomatoes (which I used to detest all my life), even green veggies, everything, took on a different flavor, and I could even taste a sweetness in these foods I had never tasted before. Suddenly flavors of all kinds were bursting out of every dish, and I found myself really enjoying food for the first time in my life. It was a whole new world. A world where things like, Tuna steak with a mango and avocado salad, Steak braised in wine sauce with creamed spinach, Cream of Broccoli and cheese soup, Full fat Greek yoghurt with walnuts, sweetened with cinnamon and Stevia all existed, in all their healthful glory and I devoured them with sheer pleasure and satisfaction. But could food be pleasurable and still leave me with the body I always dreamed of with great health to boot?

The answer is yes. Since I began eating this way, enjoying my food, and reveling in the delicious foods mother nature and this earth has provided for us, I am leaner, more toned and full of energy that I never thought I would ever possess.

Nowadays I no longer have to remind myself to eat; I look forward to my meals. I noticed I can’t stop thinking about food, but in a good way I assure you. I find myself wondering what delicious combinations I can concoct, what new desserts I can try, what new beverage I can create, all while adding to this wonderful new life I have where I eat and more importantly, love food.

That world exists for me; I want it to exist for you too. I just know so well what it’s like to have a bad relationship with food, and it really makes life no fun! I know that now!

Wouldn’t you love to sip mugs of hot chocolate topped with cream on a snowy afternoon, or eat Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners, plate piled high with turkey, nut stuffing, and even gravy, and finish with a slice of apple pie, guiltlessly, knowing your body will love you for it. I know I want too, I know I am, right now. And that’s why I’m happier (and healthier) than I’ve ever been in my life. Thank God for good food!

Butter; Creamy Blocks Of Nutritional Gold.

2010-05-19T07:31:00.000-07:00

Yes it’s true, your eyes are not deceiving you. Butter is actually good for your health. Not just good actually, great! Spreading some rich creamy butter on your morning slice of whole-wheat toast, or sautéing your evening vegetables in this golden goodness is actually a healthful practice and a step that will help bring your body back to balance.

But butter is a saturated fat and saturated fats raise bad cholesterol, which leads to heart disease, right?

Wrong. We can blame this malarkey on a researcher named Ancel keys who was the first to propose that saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet played the major role in heart disease. But in fact numerous studies performed since his claim, have been unable to back up this theory. Turns out that during the first half of the last century as butter and other quality animal fat consumption decreased, the percentage of heart disease increased! So the saturated fat theory doesn’t really hold up in relation to heart disease now does it?

Weston A. Price, a dentist who travelled the world, studying the diets of primitive peoples, spent time researching their diets in lieu of finding the reasons for their robust health, excellent bone structure, and complete rarity of tooth decay and degenerative diseases. His findings throughout all the different cultures were very similar, and one similarity was the inclusion of quality animal fat in the diet including butter.

In an extract from his book “Nutrition and Physical Degeneration”, marking his studies, he says of butter;

“Isolated Swiss villagers placed a bowl of butter on their church altars, set a wick in it, and let it burn throughout the year as a sign of divinity in the butter. Arab groups also put a high value on butter, especially deep yellow-orange butter from livestock feeding on green grass in the spring and fall. American folk wisdom recognized that children raised on butter were robust and sturdy; but that children given skim milk during their growing years were pale and thin, with "pinched" faces.”

All these fakers, like margarine, which is nothing more than a tub of plastic, and other butter wannabe spreadables that claim to be good for your health and better than the real thing, are really one of the main culprits here in our societies degenerating health! They are chemically created from refined polyunsaturated oils, which turn rancid when heated, and become toxic to your body and considerably lessen your chances of living a healthy, robust life.

But butter, in its natural state, is the innocent victim in all this and its inclusion in our diets plays a key role in bringing our rapidly deteriorating health back from the brink of despair. When we buy butter from a quality source, (Organic or preferably raw, as pasteurization destroys a lot of nutrients) Its health benefits are numerous and although I’m sure it doesn’t take much convincing to have you choose butter over all its other inferior and toxic imposters, just remember these health benefits your also reaping, as you guiltlessly sink your teeth into that warm slice of homemade bread topped with melted butter;

• Vitamin A and Vitamin E both found in Butter, play a strong anti-oxidant role which prevents free-radical damage in the body that weakens arteries.

• Butter is a rich source of selenium , another important anti-oxidant.

• Vitamin A deficiency causes abnormalities of the heart in babies and butter is America’s best and easily absorbed source of Vitamin A.

• Vitamin A, E , Selenium and Cholesterol (yes cholesterol) are anti-oxidants and help prevent against cancer as well as heart disease.

• Something called “The Wulzen Factor” unique only to butter, and discovered by the Dutch researcher Wulzen, is proven to prevent degenerative arthritis--as well as hardening of the arteries, cataracts and calcification of the pineal gland. (unfortunately this factor is destroyed by pasteurization and so is only available in raw butter.)

• Butter is essential for proper functioning of the thyroid gland, due to being a highly absorbable source of iodine and Vitamin A.

• Butter has strong anti-fungal properties and has an important role to play in treating candida overgrowth.

• Butter contributes to weight loss efforts. No, it does not make you fat! (Fat does not make you fat, something I first discovered to my amazement only a few short years ago), as the short and medium chain fatty acids are not stored as adipose tissue but rather are used for quick energy. (The same cannot be said for polyunsaturated oils and olive oil which are in fact stored as fat tissue.) Butter is so rich in nutrients that it leaves a feeling of satisfaction and curbs cravings and bingeing!

And that’s only some Butterly Benefits :) !

So butter is an essential part of any healthful living diet. Butter is no longer to be feared, but embraced for the wonderful nutritious food that it is.

***And if i may, i might take this moment to say that Kerrygold Butter, available in most supermarkets around the states, is one of the best sources of Butter, as even though it is pasteurized, the cows are grass fed and roam happily and freely like cows should!!
How do i know this?? I grew up looking at those cows everyday of my young life in the green fields of my home county!! Yes KerryGold butter comes from Co.kerry Ireland! And it's absolutely positively delish!! ***

Here at ELAA, Butter is Body Beautiful Approved!!

Oatmeal : A Body Beautiful Breakfast

2010-05-18T07:40:00.000-07:00

Goldilocks was one smart chick that knew exactly what to eat to keep those blonde locks of hair shiny and healthy! When she helped herself to the three bears "porridge”, she was in fact starting off her day with a tasty bowl of oatmeal!! (Porridge is the name we use in Ireland for Oatmeal.)

So what’s all the fuss about oatmeal you say? I mean you probably hear it talked about all the time about how it’s the best way to start your day, even Starbucks now offers oatmeal for those morning coffee stoppers. But what exactly are the health benefits of Oatmeal and are all types created equal?? Let's clear up some of those questions so you can begin starting your day with a creamy bowl of oatmeal in a "Body Beautiful Breakfast" approved way!

Firstly, the boxes of oatmeal packets you find in the cereal section of your supermarket that advertises what sound like yummy sugary versions of oatmeal are just that. Sugary processed versions of a once nutritious food. They are devoid of any nutritional value, full of all the things you don’t want in your body and are to be avoided completely. They will do nothing for your health or looks I promise you. These are not a body beautiful breakfast approved choice.

Secondly, is the instant oatmeal or quick cook oatmeal. Again not a body beautiful breakfast approved choice! Why you ask? Well for the simple reason that the grains have been highly processed and so will contain something called phytic acid which "grabs on" or rather chelates important minerals like iron magnesium and calcium in our intestines making them unavailable to our body but it also inhibits some enzymes we need to digest our food which can lead to loss in bone density and mineral deficiencies! Not good!! (This is probably why in tradition so many cultures around the world practiced soaking and fermenting grains!)

So what is the best kind of oatmeal to eat nutrition wise? Well I suggest buying the "Old Fashioned Whole Rolled Oats". These are the larger flake oat and have not been processed like the instant quick cooking kinds. Bob's Mill makes a version as do Quaker Oats. And here's the important part;

In the old days (your grandparents may remember), the oatmeal came with directions for overnight soaking before cooking. The benefits of this are that it breaks down some of the harmful phytic acid, lessening its damaging effects and making the grain easier to digest! This is a very good thing!

I find the best way to soak your oatmeal is in water and a little plain yoghurt as the bacteria in yoghurt breaks down and neutralizes phytic acid. This really takes less than a minute to do before you go to bed and you'll have properly prepared oatmeal ready to cook in the morning with all its nutritional benefits ready for consumption. And the beauty with oatmeal is you can add so many different kinds of things like, nuts, fresh fruit, cinnamon, honey, cream, or butter, to enhance its flavor and make it a truly enjoyable start to your day! Definitely Body Beautiful Breakfast approved!

When oatmeal, is eaten after proper preparation its health benefits are numerous:
The soluble fiber in Oatmeal

• Helps you feel fuller longer and so can contribute to weight loss efforts.
• May reduce risk of Type 2 diabetes due to the soluble fiber helping to control blood glucose levels.
• May help reduce high blood pressure
• The fiber along with other nutrients may reduce the risk for certain cancers.

It contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants and is a good source of protein, complex carbohydrates and iron. Not to mention, it's quick, convenient and delicious!

So here to finish up is a recipe adapted from the creamy deliciousness that my mom would serve up on those cold Irish mornings before my sisters and I headed off to school!!

Sweet and Creamy Oatmeal

Ingredients:

I cup Old Fashioned Rolled Oats (soaked overnight)

1 cup Organic whole milk (or almond milk if your lactose intolerant)

1 tbsp raw honey or 1 packet of French Vanilla Stevia

1 tbsp Organic Heavy Cream

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In the morning, DRAIN your soaked oats and DRY them with a paper towel.

HEAT the milk over medium heat in a pot and bring to boil.

TURN down heat immediately and ADD oats and honey/Stevia.

STIR frequently and continue to simmer until oats have thickened to a creamy consistency.

POUR into a bowl and top with a splash of cream.

Eat and Enjoy!! Yum!!