Kale & Kale Salad

Loaded with antioxidants, calcium and fiber, kale deserves to be as popular as its cousins spinach and chard. Here are some tips on how to get the most from this sometimes intimidating vegetable:

Select: There are seemingly endless varieties of kale, but some of the most common and tasty include curly, Tuscan, and Red Winter. Colors, which range from green to purple, should be as vibrant as possible. Choose a bunch that's crisp and free of tears.

Store: Freshness makes a big difference in quality with this vegetable. New leaves are earthy and pungent, but as they age, they become more bitter. Keep wrapped in a dampened paper towel in your fridge's crisper drawer for no more than three to four days.

Prepare: Give the bunch a quick rinse, then rip the stems and inner veins from the leaves by hand and discard. The stalks are edible but many people don't like the chewy texture (we personally juice the stalks!).

Serve: Kale leaves can be treated just like spinach: sauteed in a pan with a bit of olive oil, mixed in raw salad topped with a vinaigrette, or tossed into a breakfast omelet or soup. Or, make a healthy snack by simply tearing apary the leaves with your hands and spreading them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with a little salt and work the seasoning in the leaves with your fingers. Bakes at 300F for 7 minutes, or until crisp.

Nutritional value: One 1-cup serving of kale has 33 calories, 1g fiber, 21mcg folate, 329mg potassium.

Kale Salad

This raw kale salad wins over even the most skeptical of hearty-green newbies. It gets better after a night in the fridge. 

Ingredients
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, mashed
1/2 tsp salt
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 bunches kale, ribs removed and leaves sliced into 1/4-inch shreds
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tbsp whole wheat bread crumbs, toasted

Directions
In a large bowl, whisk together oil, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper flakes. Add kale and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes. Add grated cheese and breadcrumbs and toss. Serve.
Cover and refrigerate leftovers for two days.

Serves 8.

Healthy Eating Tip #1

To help encourage you, we'll be posting healthy eating tips on a regular basis.

Healthy Eating Tip #1

If you have butter in your fridge, I am challenging you to throw it out & stop using it!! Instead, invest in cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil and virgin coconut oi...l.

When cooking / sauteing something that normally calls for butter, replace it equally with cold-pressed olive oil. If you are baking something that calls for butter, replace it equally with the coconut oil (you can use coconut oil on toast in place of butter!).

These are very small changes but you will notice results! Why? Because Cold-pressed olive oil contains phenols & mono-unsaturated fat. Phenols suppress inflammation in the body. Mono-unsaturated fat encourages the release of fat from storage by increasing metabolism. Inflammation in the body is known to increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease and many cancers. Dairy products, including butter, have been shown to increase the inflammation in our bodies. On the other hand, cold-pressed olive oil suppress & fights inflammation in our bodies :)

Coconut oil is an abundant source of medium-chain fatty acids... these triglycerides work wonders for a sluggish metabolism. Coconut oil has also been shown to balance blood sugars, as it supplies the body with energy similar to blood glucose, but without having a negative impact on our blood sugar levels (ie: coconut oil prevents blood sugar highs & lows). Coconut oil also contains lauric acid and this protects against one of the hidden causes of weight gain, which is candida (yeast). Candida causes symptoms like fatigue, poor concentration, sugar & carb cravings (as yeast feeds off of sugar).

Note: Olive oil & coconut oil that have been highly refined will not have this same benefit, so cold-pressed olive oil and unrefined coconut oil are the way to go!

New Year's Intentions

Now that the hustle & bustle of the holiday season is over, we at Eating Eden are in full-swing helping friends achieve their health  & wellness New Year's Intentions!

We don't like calling them New Year's resolutions... we like New Year's intentions better.

Why?

Because people set New Year's "goals" with the intention to do something, or the intention to change a behavior. When we view these goals as an "intention", they are something that we still need to do. If we view these goals as a "resolution", then they've already been done (or resolved).

More often than not, when we intentionally do something, we stick with it and follow through. Am I right?

Once we meet our goals, or achieve our intention, only then has the problem been resolved... and we end up with a resolution at the end of the process, not at the beginning of the process :)

 

Your goals seem too overwhelming for you? Completely unreachable?

1.) ALL things are possible with God (Matthew 19:26, Luke 18:27, Luke 1:37)!! Ask Him for a dose of strength & perseverence in this time and through this battle.

2.) Don't give up! God never gives up on us (Heb 13:5-6, Psalm 37:28). Don't give up on yourself. He believes in you! Eating Eden believes in you too! Believe in yourself. Believe in the promises that God has given each & every one of us... through Christ, we can conquer ALL things (Phil 4:13, Romans 8:37)! God's Word says ALL things... not some these or certain things. All things includes weight-loss, illness and changing eating patterns too!

3.) Change takes time. As the saying goes, Rome wasn't built in a day". Have patience. I know as humans we have problems with that. We want things now, and we want it our way. Ask the Lord for patience through the process.

 

Do not become weary in doing good,

for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galations 6:9

 

If we look forward to something we do not yet have,

we must wait patiently & confidently. Romans 8:25 

 

Hit a 'road bump' with your New Year's Intention?

 

Don't fret... the great thing is that you can start anew each & every day! Tomorrow is a new day so start again and get back on tract.

Can't get over the guilt from eating that piece of pie last night?
First, it's okay to forgive yourself.
Second, it's okay to treat yourself once in a while (I mean, really, who doesn't love pie?).
And third, hand that guilt over to the Lord. Know that you are going through this process to glorify Him, not yourself.

When we treat our bodies well and care about ourselves, we are caring for God's precious dwelling place. Remember, God dwells inside each & every one of us (1 Corinthians 3:16)!! When we take care of ourselves, we glorify Him! And, the Lord is here with you every single step of the way. He is walking right along side you, picking you up when you fall, holding your hand when you trip, wiping away your tears, and loving and forgiving you unconditionally.

When we are intentional about glorifying God through our actions, 
the resolution always comes to us as a Blessing.

November is Gluten-Free Diet Awareness Month!

Celiac Disease (CD) is a genetic disease that damages the small intestine and interferes with the absorption of nutrients. People with CD cannot tolerate the protein called gluten. 

• An estimated 1 in 133 persons in the United States have Celiac Disease. 

• More than 3 million people have Celiac Disease, but many have yet to be diagnosed. 

• The gluten-free diet is the ONLY prescription for Celiac Disease. 

"Wheat-free" does not necessarily mean "Gluten-free"! 

• Gluten-free means no wheat, barley or rye. Even a slight trace of wheat, barley or rye can cause a serious medical reaction. 

• Although oats don't contain gluten, they're often processed in facilities that also handle wheat, so they may contain trace amounts of gluten. To be safe, look for gluten-free labeled oats. 

• Malt is usually made from barley. Barley may be a hidden ingredient in such things as malt and natural flavors. 

A Gluten-Free Diet Means... 

• A diet that is free of wheat flour, including durum, emmer, kamut, semolina, triticale, einkorn, graham, seitan, spelt, barley and rye. 

Cross-contamination can happen with the above mentioned grains. To prevent cross-contamination begin with clean surfaces, prepare gluten-free foods using clean gloves, grills, pots, pans & utensils. 

Gluten-Free Foods Include... 

Fresh, green salads (no croutons) 
Fruits & vegetables
Meats, fish or poultry (no breading, no marinades) - baked, grilled, pan-fried, poached, sauteed or steamed
Pure spices and herbs, oils, nuts, chocolate, pure cocoa, coconut
Oil and vinegar salad dressings
Sauces and gravies thickened with corn starch or arrowroot - not flour
Single ingredient foods not contaminated with the above mentioned grains/flours
Pasta that is labeled gluten-free

Food Items That Are Questionable... 

Au jus, canned soups, malt flavorings, pre-coated foods, roux, bouillon, frozen french fries, marinades, pre-packaged foods, sauces. 

Service Tips

If food made from an offending grain comes in contact with the gluten-free food, replace the entire dish to prevent cross contamination. No rolls, crackers, croutons or pasta, unless labeled gluten-free! 

When it doubt, leave it out! 

For more information or support: 
WNY Gluten Free Diet Support Group
Box 1835
Buffalo, NY 14231
Tel: 716-636-6021
www. buffaloglutenfree.org
www.csaceliacs.org

SNAP Benefits

Did you realize Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food stamps can help stretch your budget?

Food stamps and/or SNAP benefits are here to put healthy and nutritious food within reach of everyone who qualifies.

According to statistics, at least one million New Yorkers age 60 and older may be eligible for benefits, but less than half are enrolled.

Benefit value depends on size, income and expenses of the household, but approximate gross month income limits are $1,815/single and $2,452/couple. Contact Erie County Senior Services at 716-858-8526 for assistance or information. Erie County Senior Services Stay Fit Dining also accepts EBT SNAP (food stamps) for payment of meals at all 45 of their dining sites.

What you may not know about your food

Most individuals fall for words like "all natural", "heart healthy" and pretty pictures of fruits & vegetables when shopping for groceries. These very misleading marketing ploys are partially responsible for the rising numbers of those diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes and people suffering from obesity even though they are eating goods that claim to benefit their health.

Here are some examples of poor choices you could be making right now:

Kellogg's Eggo Nutri-Grain Waffles - whole wheat. These waffles actually contain more white flour than whole wheat flour.

Fiber One Bars market that a diet high in fiber will help you loose weight and feel full. The oat and chocolate "naturally flavored" bar has more chocolate than oats and has at least 6 types of sugar in the ingredient list! If you'd like to experience abdominal bloating and gas from the sugar alcohols, and fast-track yourself to an adult onset diabetes diagnosis - eat these!

For children, please do not fall for pictures of fruits and added vitamins on the label. It infuriates me that many of these produces are allowed to be sold to growing children and we wonder why we see so many suffer from ADD/ADHD. An example of nutrition gone wrong for toddler age children is Gerber's Graduates For Preschoolers Juice Treats. Absolutely NO healthy fat or protein - just 17 grams of sugar and corn syrup! There is more sugar than juice!

V-8 Splash lists water and high fructose corn syrup as it's first ingredients.

For those still convinced that eating low fat will protect their hearts, Kraft Fat Free Catalina dressing has  7 grams of sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup. Diabetes first, then heart disease is sure to follow.

Do I really need to mention foods like canned soup, Cool Whip, Crystal Light, flavored yogurts and fast foods in general?

People come to me all the time in hope of preventing or curing their illness. If you don't look at the diet first - you are sure to fail in your desire to heal. There is no medication that will cure a poor diet!

For those already suffering from diabetes, the old recommendations were to eat sugar free. So how about a Pillsbury Sugar Free Devil's Food Cake? You may find yourself running for the bathroom from the laxative effect of malitol (sugar alcohol), suffering the negative affects from trans-fats (partially hydrogenated soybean oil) and lets not forget brain or neurologic damage from sucralose or acesulfame potassium.

Now for those who are too busy and must resort to buying frozen meals. Number one, nothing nutritious is cooked in the microwave. Number two, this 8.5 ounce meal contains more than 50 ingredients. Lean Cuisine chicken with basil cream sauce contains trans-fat (partially hydrogenated or hydrogenated anything), chicken parts (you don't want to know), MSG (disguised as whey protein concentrate), and many other chemicals and sugars.

MSG affects many individuals with symptoms such as migraine headaches, upset stomach, fuzzy thinking, diarrhea, heart irregularities, asthma and/or mood swings. MSG (monosodium glutamate) is not easily recognized as it is hidden under many names. The following ingredients should always be treated as MSG. Anything with the word "glutamate", yeast extract, anything "hydrolyzed", autolyzed yeast, gelatin, textured protein, soy protein isolate, soy protein concentrate, whey protein isolate, vetsin, Accent and ajinomoto Bouillon and broth often contain MSG and the same goes for most soy sauce.

Even foods labeled as organic can contain high amounts of sugar and other ingredients that are not health promoting.

So many well-intending people are falling for marketing tricks that do not benefit your health. Many are just still stuck in the old thinking that a low fat, sugar-free diet is best, when the exact opposite is true. Look at the cancer rates since the turn of the century - they have escalated tremendously with the addition of food chemicals and preservatives.

Eating foods as they come from nature, in the purest form. There is such an amazing selection of fresh food available to you.

Frozen, wild caught fish, with asparagus and a salad make a great meal that takes less than 20 minutes to put together. You do not have to be a chef to cook healthy meals that taste amazing.

Instead of focusing on medicinal cures for cancers, diabetes and heart disease why don't we just clean up the diet and see what happens. I am sure this would have the most profound impact no the reduction of these deadly diseases.


Written By: Cathi Stack, N.D., as seen in WNY Health 
Catherine (Cathi) Stack is the owner, facilitator and Doctor of Naturopathy at Journey II Health LLC, established in 2007 in Niagara Falls, NY. Along with her naturopathic practice at Journey II Health, Stack continues to work at Millard Fillmore Suburban as a Certified Nurse Midwife. She can be reached via her website www.journeyiihealth.com

A Month of Thanksgiving

Are you participating in A Month Of Thanksgiving with us? 

Please let us know!! 

Head on over to our facebook page and share your gratitude with us & other readers.