Cheryl Goes Healthy

I received an ARTICHOKE in my co-op box that I get from Tampa Bay Organics. I’ve NEVER worked with an artichoke before, but this is what I chose to make and it came out amazing.

First, here’s how you slay an artichoke. Second, I modified this recipe. I wanted to use FRESH artichokes and FRESH spinach, both organic of course. So I sauteed them in coconut oil first. The rest of recipe, I followed as it is here. :) My advice: just use the canned artichoke hearts…but use that fresh spinach!

Florentine Artichoke Dip

Prep Time:
10 Min
Cook Time:
25 Min
Ready In:
35 Min

Original Recipe Yield 4 cups
 
Ingredients

    1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry
    1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
    3 cloves garlic, minced
    1/2 cup mayonnaise
    2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
    2 tablespoons lemon juice
    1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

    Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lightly grease a 7x11 inch baking dish.
    In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and mayonnaise until smooth. Mix in the artichoke hearts, spinach and Parmesan cheese. Season with garlic and lemon juice. Spread evenly into the prepared baking dish.
    Bake covered for 20 minutes. Remove the cover, and let the dish bake uncovered for 5 more minutes, or until the surface is lightly browned.

Nutritional Information

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 194 | Total Fat: 17.1g | Cholesterol: 39mg

GREEN CHILE MAC & CHEESE

INGREDIENTS:

    1 tablespoon vegetable oil
    1/4 cup poblano chile, finely diced
    1/4 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
    1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
    1 tablespoon minced garlic
    1/2 cup sweet corn kernels
    2 cups cooked elbow macaroni
    1/2 cup roasted, peeled, and pureed poblano chile
    3/4 cup heavy cream
    1/2 cup, grated hot pepper jack cheese
    Kosher salt and cracked black pepper to taste

METHOD:

    Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat.  Add the diced poblano chile, red bell pepper, red onion and garlic and sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes.
    Add the corn kernels and sauté briefly.
    Lower the heat to medium and add the macaroni, poblano puree, cream and pepper jack cheese.  Stir gently until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and the cheese is melted.
    Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.  Transfer to a medium bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side

Facts about Avocado:

1. Protein

Avocados provide all 18 essential amino acids necessary for the body to form a complete protein. Unlike the protein in steak, which is difficult for most people to digest, avocado protein is readily absorbed by the body because avocados also contain fiber. If you are trying to cut down on animal sources of protein in your diet, or if you are a vegetarian, vegan or raw foodist seeking more protein, avocados are a great nutritional ally to include not merely as an occasional treat, but as a regular part of your diet.

2. Beneficial Fats

Avocados provide the healthy kind of fat that your body needs. Like olive oil, avocados boost levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol). HDL cholesterol can help protect against the damage caused by free radicals. This type of cholesterol also helps regulate triglyceride levels, preventing diabetes. A study published early this year in the Canadian Medical Association Journal found that a vegetarian diet, which includes HDL fats, can reduce levels of LDL (the “bad” cholesterol) as effectively as statin drugs.

3. Carotenoids

Avocados are an excellent source of carotenoids. Although many people associate carotenoids only with red and orange produce, avocados are also an excellent source of this phytonutrient. Avocados, also known as alligator pears, offer a diverse range of carotenoids including not only the better known ones such as beta-carotene, alpha-carotene and lutein, but also lesser known varieties of this type of phytonutrient such as neoxanthin, zeaxanthin, chrysanthemaxanthin, neochrome, beta-cryptoxanthin and violaxanthin. Every time you consume foods rich in carotenoids, you deliver high quality vitamin A to your body, thereby protecting eye health. Carotenoids also enhance the functioning of the immune system and promote healthy functioning of the reproductive system. Since carotenoids are fat soluble, eating avocados optimizes the absorption of these nutrients.

4.Anti-Inflammatory

The combined effect of the deluxe package of nutrients contained in avocadoes offers powerful anti-inflammatory benefits. Avocados’ unique combination of Vitamins C and E, carotenoids, selenium, zinc, phytosterols and omega-3 fatty acids helps guard against inflammation. This means avocadoes can help prevent or mitigate against both osteo- and rheumatoid arthritis.

5. Heart Health

The fat content, which causes some uninformed health “experts” to deem avocados as unhealthy, actually provides protection against heart diseases. Studies have shown that oleic acid improves cardiovascular health. Oleic acid is the primary fatty acid in avocadoes. Many people now take supplements in order to consume more omega-3 fatty acids to lower their risk of heart disease. Avocadoes are rich in omega-3, delivering 160 milligrams per cup of alpha-linolenic acid.

6. Choosing and Eating

To get the most nutritional value from avocados, avoid those which have become over-ripe. You can identify these at the store because they will have dents and feel overly soft when you hold them. A ripe avocado should have no dents in its skin and will feel slightly soft when squeezed. You can also buy unripe avocados, which feel very hard when gripped, and permit them to ripen at home. The portion of the avocado closest to the skin is the most dense in nutrients, so be sure to scrape the skin clean before discarding it.

So, I got this reblog/response from someone who responded to my “NO GMO” blog post. (You can read it below!) Basically, they’re pro-GMO. And they want proof that GMOs are NOT bad. And that because I’ve never been INSIDE a lab (keyword here), that I have no idea what I’m talking about.

So, keyword is LAB. FOOD was not meant to be CREATED in a LAB.

Secondly, it doesn’t take a genius to know which is better for us…. Food planted or grown without pesticides, hormones, fake additives, preservatives, chemicals to make them taste better, chemicals to ADD vitamins that were REMOVED while PROCESSING…..or food CREATED in a LAB by scientists who know SCIENCE and not NUTRITION and HEALTH, food treated with pesticides (yes, like Roundup, the Roundup you yourself spray to kill your weeds), animals in close, unsanitary quarters who have to get injected with hormones and antibiotics just to GROW and to fight off the bacteria they get from their poor environment and poor diet of CORN and more CORN (yeah, cows aren’t supposed to eat CORN and GRAINS, they’re supposed to be munching on GRASS), food that due to high processing needs FAKE vitamins so they can say “Oh our cereal has Vitamin D in it!” and preservatives to make food that would naturally only last a couple of days last a couple of months or even YEARS?

Yeah, which food is healthier? Natural food or genetically modified food? It’s not that hard to see.

Oh, and as far as the needles, that was just to make a point about how corn and other GMO foods are pumped up with crap just to make sure they sell on the shelves. Because, of course, BIG, really YELLOW corn LOOKS better to the consumer….and that BIG, YELLOW corn also has bug and weed spray lathered onto it..but because we can’t see it, consumers are okay with it.

Please. There’s not one argument out there from someone who is PRO-GMO that will make me change my mind. I can’t even believe PRO-GMO people EXIST!!!!!

_______________________________

Their response to my blog.

Wallmart GMO Corn

cherylgoeshealthy:

    This spring, Monsanto’s GMO sweet corn — their first product for direct human consumption — will be getting planted for the first time.

    Then it will be sold, unlabeled, in a grocery store near you.

    To stop it, we’ll need significant opposition from food sellers to this untested,…

Dear Cheryl.

Do you know ANYTHING about GMOs at all, that you didn’t learn from an anti GMO source or conversely do you know anything about the science behind their creation?

The notion of an “untested” GMO is actually laugable. The testing process for GMOs in the United States lasts several years and is a scientifically rigorous procedure.

The things you’re saying on your blog, are wrong, slanderous and born of ignorance.

If you can come up with one actual reason why this corn is actually dangerous then I would like to hear it. Calling it untested is a blatant lie and you know it and robs you of any credibility.

Finally I’d just like to spend a little time talking about this gem:

 This image is the best thing about the Anti GMO movement. It shows in one picture how people in the movement know absolutely nothing about the process of creating GMOs. What on EARTH do hypodermic needles have to do with GMO creation and biotechnolgy. Is this seriously what you think they do. Have you ever been to a lab or much less looked up the science of how this is done. Or have you (as this post indicates) just jumped on the No GMO bandwagon with absolutely no knowledge or information about the field and started posting lies on the internet to try and discredit them?

A couple tips on storing strawberries and lettuce. Any one know any other great storage/cleaning tips for other produce items? Knowledge is power!

Strawberries: Prepare a mixture of one part vinegar and ten parts water and rinse your berries in it. The vinegar kills any mold spores that may be on the fruit!

Lettuce: For wilted lettuce, submerge in a bowl of ice water until they become fresh again. Dry with a paper towel or soft cloth. Voila!