Eggplant, Aubergine, Melanzana

Courtesy of scienceline.org

Did you know that there is a difference between a Male and Female eggplant?

No?  Okay good...you'll be interested in reading this then.  This was news to me...And I'd like to share with you a little bit about the differences, and how to tell them apart when shopping at your local market.

Courtesy of plantbasedparadise.com

The female eggplants belly button bottom is like a line (wider and deeper), the male, more of  circle (rounder and shallower).  See photo here for a better idea of what I mean...

Male...Female....

As humans, females have more seeds, same with eggplants....female eggplants, with more seeds also tend to be more bitter than male eggplants....which I won't exactly agree with when it comes to humans, but that's up to interpretation :)

Growing up with a family that always made a strong effort to prepare home-cooked meals, I was no stranger to eggplant at an early age.

In the warm summer months, we barbequed eggplant on the grill....

A little bit of extra virgin OO, some S&P, a hot grill...and you're all set.

Courtesy of clostcooking.com

In the winter, nothing says comfort food like a tray of eggplant parmigiana! Baking or frying your eggplant before layering is completely up to you.  Personally, I prefer baking the eggplant to keep on the lighter side, and the process is a lot simpler, than hovering over a pan of hot oil!

I've also made this tasty eggplant dip for get together's with friends...I found the recipe online, they call it "Poor Man's Caviar" :-)  It tastes better than it looks! 

Poor Man's Caviar Recipe!

Sicilian Caponata is also so very good too, usually served bruschetta style.

Eggplant is an excellent source of fiber and manganese.  

Fiber's benefits include normalizing bowel health, keeping cholesterol levels at bay, controlling blood sugar, and maintaining a healthy weight.

Manganese is needed for digestion and utilization of food and nutrients.  It is often lost and not received in some of the modern diet lifestyles from consumption of over-processed foods.  It plays a role in reproduction and bone growth.  It is sometimes called the 'brain' mineral, as it is important to mental function. (source: www.healthsupplementsnutritionalguide.com)

Pickup an eggplant today, and Health Yourself.

Team in Training!

Please help my friend/mentor/a great Mom/coach/healer/leader/and success....just to name a few, to raise money for the Leukemia/Lymphoma Society.

Her goal is to raise $3500 and she's already 40% there!  I'm sure we can go way beyond that goal!

It would mean so much to me, and to her, but mostly to those living with Leukemia/Lymphoma.

Please donate here:   http://pages.teamintraining.org/li/montjune11/physicaltherapybeyond

"Health is Wealth"

xoxo
Sam

Listen Up

YIKES!  It has been a while!

I won't bore you with the updates on the life and time's since my last post in November, but I would like to share a little something that I learned about myself recently....

The point of this post is to "Listen up!"  What I mean by that is, listen to your body...never ignore it...don't be a tough guy....

While I have my opinions on doctors, and modern medicine...I do believe in annual physicals, and check ups.

Over the last couple of months, I have noticed different changes in my body....after reading The China Study, I will be honest, I cut out the majority of meat that I was eating, for a short while, 100% of it.  Most of the time, I was feeling great, but then I gradually noticed other times where I would find myself becoming extremely fatigued.  I could be having a conversation with somebody and just become so sluggish feeling, my vision seemed to blur, and I just did not feel like a 26 year old.   I started to wonder about this, not only because it was a little strange, but also because it was bothering me!  Here I am, eating a good diet, getting plenty of fresh veggies, legumes for protein, fiber, fat, calcium......but I wasn't eating meat.  Of course first thing I did was turn to the internet, and convinced myself I had a hypoactive thyroid.  I started bulking up on seaweed salads and fish (especially cod) which are rich in iodine, which stimulates the thyroid gland.

Finally I said, enough is enough, being able to run 5 miles, yet dreading walking up a hill in my neighborhood, because of how fatigued it made me feel was  downright frustrating.

After seeing the doc, and getting some blood test results, turns out I'm slightly deficient in B12 and folic acid vitamins (a common problem in vegetarianism).  But, thankfully, not something to worry about.   I picked up some supplements, and have decided to make sure I'm getting a little more meat, more often...however, buying organic chicken in NYC is no walk in the park.  $25/for a pack of 3 breasts!  That's highway robbery if you ask me!  This brings up another point I'd like to make...........

Why exactly are we forced to pay more for organic food?  I understand, it takes longer to cultivate, this and that, but really, we're not asking for the addition of any costly hormones and antibiotics in our animals or pesticides in our supersized plants....we just want what God has naturally established for us, the process of life and ultimately death!

Have I complained too much in this post?  I promise the next one will be more uplifting :P

Happy Groundhog's Day!  Spring is right around the corner!!!

No Science Necessary

There is no science to explaining this post, just something for you to maybe think about the next time you're trying to resist that breakfast muffin or donut......

My wonderfully friendly street cart coffee man includes a donut with my coffee every morning as part of the $1.25 he accepts from me every day as one of his costumers...now I haven't said no to accepting this little treat, because some days he does throw in a piece of fruit, and I don't want to insult him by turning down the offer.  Instead, I offer it to a work colleague or on my way home I drop it with the guy by the church.  I few days ago nobody in work wanted it, and I left it in my cabinet before leaving for the day and forgot about it  until a few days later.....needless to say I rediscovered it 3 days later and the thing was as hard as a rock.

Think about this:

As FRUIT/VEGGIES/LEGUMES AGE     ---> THEY SOFTEN

As JUNK FOOD/SUGAR LATENT CARBS/FATS/OILS/CHEESE AGE  ---> THEY HARDEN

Just visualize for a minute how the difference of those 2 are finishing up their natural process INSIDE YOU BODY!!!!!

You're actually cleansing your body eating the fruits and veggies, your heart and arteries are pumping happily and you are energized, satisfied, and feeling good, 99.9% of the time.

While you're eating a diet of mostly fats, sugars, and carbs, your heart is struggling, your veins are unhappy, and although you might get a little sugar rush -- chances are you're not feeling great 99.9% of the time --- you're probably also experiencing a seasonal cold right about now.

There's no scientific explanation needed here....... 

****If you're unsure of the difference between good and bad, think about it this way -- most of the stuff to eat sparingly has a tan color, most of the food to eat in abundance has a vibrant color from the rainbow.***  : )

I'm not saying not to indulge a little, but always remember MODERATION!


By the way, this is a GREAT book - I highly recommend it, you don't have to be into nutrition....as long as you care about your health, you'd like, very interesting...

Chi Chi Chia

Remember the Chia Pet?   This one is definitely one of my personal favorites.  I will never forget the year my parents went to a big Halloween party and they dressed up as Mr. T and Whoopi Goldberg.  I'll spare the photo resurrection for their sake ;)

While this fun little pet might convince you of your hidden green thumb, the seeds that turn into Mr. T's Mohawk are actually very good for you!

Chia seeds are the new wave, and they might just outshine Flaxseeds....they are just as, if not easier (no grinding required), to incorporate into your daily diet.

Chia is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids, and both insoluble and soluble fiber.   When chia is added to a liquid, (water, milk, yogurt, soup, etc.) it expands and swells coating it with a gel like substance (which is the soluble fiber), this soluble fiber slows the conversion of carbs to sugars which is very beneficial for diabetics.  Not only will diabetics benefit from this attribute, but athletes as well, especially runners, who look to sustain their energy over time.

The soluble fiber the seed possesses is what causes is to swell in the liquid, which means that it can help lower your cholesterol, especially the LDL (the bad stuff!), as well as act as a prebiotic and help to feed the good bacteria in your digestive system.  Incorporating an adequate amount of fiber in your diet is so important because it will ensure the proper digestion of our food, and in chia's case, keep our colons good and hydrated (too much information?)

Chia is high in protein, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum, niacin, zinc, and boron (a trace mineral that aids your body in calcium absorption, very good for strong bones!), AND, its gluten free!

I try and incorporate Chia into practically anything I can think of.  They have no taste, so its very easy to sprinkle them on anything.  My favorites are, greek yogurt, some fruit and granola for breakfast, soups, cereal and milk, I've even added them to saute pans, and baked goods.

You can find them at health food stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, even some of the gourmet supermarkets are now carrying them, or you can find them online here...

Sfogliatelle

Indulge!  Part of living a fulfilling and happy life is satisfying certain wants and desires (to an extreme...)  One of my favorite things to enjoy is the Italian pastry, the sfogliatelle.  While it provides absolutely no nutritional value, it makes me smile when I have one....1. Because I'm usually enjoying with a coffee 2. I'm usually biting into one shortly after a Sunday family dinner and 3. I simply just love them.  They are crunchy on the outside, and soft and sweet on the inside.

The word Sfogliatelle, in Italian means, many leaves/layers.  Sfogliatelle are made from a dough similar to phyllo cut into discs and formed into a pocket to hold an orange-flavored ricotta filling, although almond paste or candied peel of citron are also used.  The dough is sealed around the filling and the pastries baked till their characteristic ridges form as the layers of dough separate.   To me, the slight hint of the orange inside is what really separates the sfogliatelle from the rest.

The bottom line is, don't eliminate the things you love from your life, only, indulge in them with moderation.  It will make them that much more enjoyable when you do!

source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sfogliatelle

Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV)

Okay, listen here, this stuff is no joke....100% Organic Raw-Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar, GET SOME.


Bragg Organic Apple Cider Vinegar All Natural Drink


ACV, is so incredibly good for you, its amazing health benefits are mindblowing.  I started to feel like I was coming down with something earlier in the week, and it definitely felt like something sinus related....I turned to my ACV, drank 2 ounces in 6 ounces of water with a teaspoon of honey for the last couple of days, and felt better and better every day.  No need to let the infection happen, run to the pharmacy and turn to prescription drugs when you've got ACV!    

Honey is the perfect addition to your ACV drink not only because its so darn good but because of how great it is for you too!  Honey contains nutraceuticals, which are effective in removing free radicals from our body. As a result, our body's immunity is improved!  Looks like you're gonna be feeling better in no time!










A list of some of the amazing things ACV can do:  
(If you're plagued by any of these you might want to check out ACV, right now!)  


Blood pressure:
The potassium in ACV along with other substances makes the blood thinner and is helpful in controlling blood pressure.
Cholesterol control:
Many heart attacks are caused by high fats and cholesterol in your blood. The fiber in ACV helps to absorb fats and cholesterol by expelling them from the body as waste materials.
Diabetes:
The dietary fiber in ACV is also helpful in controlling glucose levels in the blood.
Arthritic pains:
Many suffer from this disease in the west and it is caused by the gathering of metabolic toxic waste in the tissues. In this context, ACV speeds up metabolism and excretes the toxic wastes from the tissues.
Strong Bones:
Minerals like manganese, calcium, magnesium, silicon and iron develop bone mass and make them stronger.
Chest congestion:
Apple cider vinegar is also useful in flu or chest congestion. Applying ACV with pepper on the chest can help relieve some of the congestion.
Sore Throat:
If you have a sore throat, gargle with ACV mixed with water.
Digestion:
In your digestive system hydrochloric acid and pepsin are two essential components that break down the food to be digested properly. The lack of these components can cause food poisoning. ACV has ability to enhance their functionality and help prevent food poisoning.
Nasal Congestions:
Apple cider vinegar is helpful in nasal congestion.
Apple cider vinegar and weight loss:
It helps to detoxify the liver which plays an important role in weight loss. There are historical facts that Egyptians took apple cider vinegar for weight loss. Some claim ACV speeds up the metabolism while some claim it burns the calories to reduce appetite. To lose weight just take 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar, mixed in water, before every meal.
ACV is also available in tablets and capsules. According to some nutritionists the combination of apple cider with kelp, vitamin B6 and lecithin is much more effective for weight loss than ACV alone


source: http://healthrecipes.com/apple_cider_vinegar.htm