There is a lot of hype these days over the idea of Superfoods. So, I thought it would be appropriate to discuss some of the foods. But first a definition. A Superfood is defined as “a nutrient-rich food especially beneficial for health and well-being.”
I created this recipe myself years ago when I had cottage cheese in the house and wanted to make it more interesting. This will make a complete meal with a few whole grain crackers or slice of bread on the side.
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Total Time10 minutesmins
Servings: 4
Calories: 204kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
2wholeAvocadoscut in half, pitted and sliced
2cupLow-fat cottage cheese
2 tbspSalsa
Instructions
Cut avocados in half; remove pit, peel and slice
place 1/2 cup cottage cheese on small plate or bowl
place 1/2 of avocado around the outside rim of cottage cheese
add salsa to top of cottage cheese
Beets
The vibrant color of beets is your first clue that these unique vegetables are highly nutritious. But what is the nutrient behind the color of beets? The nutrients are called “Betalains.”
Betalains are members of the carotenoid family. Carotenoids are rich in antioxidants. Antioxidants protect against damage from the sun and other environmental toxins.
To help you get a chance to try beets, below is a recipe my husband likes to make.
*NOTE: Beets are an excellent source of natural food colorings. Click here for an awesome website that teaches all about natural dyes, including beets.
Fresh or frozen will do. This recipe uses frozen which can be purchased at Trader Joes or other grocery stores.
Servings: 5
Calories: 61kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
16ozBeetsfrozen
1cupOrange juice
Instructions
Put frozen beets and 1 cup orange juice into saucepan
Cook at medium heat until tender, about 10 minutes (add water if needed)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple cider vinegar is the result of the fermentation of apple cider, which is made from fresh, crushed apples, including the cores, peels, and flesh.
Fermentation occurs when yeast is added to the apple cider mixture. This process produces acetic acid, also known as apple cider vinegar.
The healthiest form of apple cider vinegar is the unfiltered, unpasteurized form. This is because the enzymes remain active.
Regardless of whether it is pasteurized or not, however, studies show that the acidity in apple cider vinegar protects the stomach against pathogens.
The acid stimulates the production of hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which is essential for proper digestion.
In some studies, apple cider vinegar caused leukemia cell death and inhibited tumor growth.
Apple Cider vinegar is also a source of polyphenols, protective ingredients found in plants.
Interesting Folklore on Apple Cider Vinegar
1. Hippocrates used vinegar to manage wounds.
2. Hannibal of Carthage used vinegar to dissolve boulders that blocked his army’s path.
3. Cleopatra dissolved precious pearls in vinegar and offered her love potion to Anthony.
4. Sung Tse advocated hand washing with sulfur and vinegar to avoid infection during autopsies.
Smoothie bowls… the delicious concoctions that have quickly become everybody’s favorite breakfast-snack-dessert-treat. This Antioxidant-Rich Beet and Berry Smoothie Bowl is made with probiotic-rich yogurt, healthy avocados, and bright pink beets and berries. It’s easy and full of protein whenever hunger strikes! Click here for the free recipe.
I have good news for you. Fatty foods can be healthy.
Notice I said “can.”
The fact that fatty foods can be healthy doesn’t mean that doughnuts or deep-fried Twinkies have suddenly become health foods.
Not at all!
What it does mean is that you can throw those low fat diets out the window and enjoy some healthy fatty foods like avocados, olives, peanut butter, and even real butter and bacon.
Fat is an important part of a healthy diet. It’s what keeps you from feeling hungry.
Fats also allow you to absorb more nutrients from other foods. For example, Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat soluble vitamins. Thus, they require fat to be absorbed by the body.
That’s why it’s okay to dress that colorful and super healthy salad with a dressing that’s not necessarily low fat. And for good measure, throw a few nuts or avocado slices on top. This will turn a simple salad into a healthy meal that will keep you going for hours. The fat will ensure that your body can absorb all the vitamins in that beautiful fresh produce on your plate.
Good fats, like those found in olive oil and avocado, for example, nourish your brain, your eyes, hair, and even the walls of every single cell of your body. It’s also important for hormonal well-being, because hormones are mainly made up of fatty acids. In short, consuming healthy fats is important and there are quite a few fatty foods out there that are actually good for you.
Let’s quickly run through a few sources of healthy fats that you want to eat more of. At the same time stay away from trans-fats, which have been linked to an increased risk in heart disease.
Fatty Foods Can Be Healthy
Avocado
This is one of my favorite healthy fats. Add this delicious fruit to salads, sandwiches, wraps, or eat it on the side with eggs or grilled meat. Also, delicious mashed up on toast or turned into guacamole and even in smoothies!
Coconut Oil
Start your day with a healthy fat boost by adding a teaspoon of coconut oil to your coffee. This oil is also great for cooking eggs or sautéing veggies. Pure coconut oil should be tasteless, while some other versions leave you with a hint of coconut flavor.
Olives And Olive Oil
Olive oil makes a great base for salad dressings. It can be used to finish and flavor all sorts of food. Both olive oil and olives have long been staples of the Mediterranean Diet. Look for cold pressed, extra virgin olive oil. Olives make delicious portable snacks as well.
Nuts And Seeds
Speaking of nuts. Another healthy snack that you can keep at your desk, in your purse, and in your pantry is various nuts and seeds. They are full of healthy fats, vitamins and mineral. Eat them on their own, make your own healthy trail mix, or sprinkle them on your salad.
See Also:
(Note: this is a post originally written in 2020). Soup is one of the easiest ways to get a lot of nutrition in a very small bowl (or large bowl if you prefer)! 😉 Since I know that many of you are looking for healthy soup recipes, especially in light of the COVID-19 Pandemic, I wanted to find some really good ones for you.
The fun thing about soup is that once you get one delicious, simple, healthy recipe, you can make tons of other similar, but different, and equally as healthy soup recipes!
The following delicious recipes should get your creative (and gastric) juices flowing.
These 10 healthy soups will help you keep within your calorie goals. PLUS they will provide you and your family with much-needed immunity against the illnesses of the season. For example, colds, flu, and the cursed COVID19 virus.
Low Calorie Soups
Healthy Vegetable Soup Recipes – The soups included in my free “kid-friendly vegetable soup recipes” booklet are the perfect way to get started on making soup. These recipes are simple, quick, and easy. The ingredients are similar except for the type of vegetable and seasoning/herb used. Thus, you don’t have to have any special ingredients on-hand, which makes them budget-friendly as well.
These healthy recipes are derived from an older Better Homes and Garden Cookbook I own and are complete with appropriate seasoning for each soup. Our favorites are broccoli, potato and mushroom.
I just love cream soups. So, one of the things I do is use 2% or nonfat milk instead of whole milk. For example, 1 cup whole milk contains 150 calories, while 1 cup of nonfat milk contains only 90 calories.
This is an easy, painless way to cut calories. However, if nonfat is too extreme, you can use 2% milk which will still save you 30 calories per cup of milk. And it all adds up over time!
Healthy Chicken Noodle Soup – Everyone loves chicken noodle soup. And there is actual evidence that chicken noodle soup is therapeutic in treating colds and flu. When my husband makes chicken soup, he simply cuts some celery, onions, carrots, and uses leftover rotisserie chicken and chicken base. Sometimes, if he has them on hand, he will use a half package of frozen mixed vegetables as well.
Most basic soup recipes say to use 8-10 cups of water. But this is not set in stone, so you can add water to taste. Also, you can experiment with different types of noodles and pasta. Though I have found that the only type of noodles that don’t soak up all of the broth are egg noodles. I prefer to use whole wheat ones if I can find them.
You can also use brown rice for chicken rice soup!
I created this recipe which is technically lentil stew. However, when I created it, I intended it to be soup. Stew, soup, what’s the difference?! But seriously, if you want soup, you can add more water! 😉 Lentils are an excellent source of Folate, B vitamins, fiber, magnesium and more good stuff.
Here is another healthy lentil soup recipe for you to try:
Lentil Soup Recipe from Allrecipes.com – The cool thing about Allrecipes.com is that there are usually several variations of the same recipes. So if this one doesn’t suit your fancy, you can look for another similar one!
Healthy Crockpot Soup
Most, if not all of these soups can be made in a crockpot. Remember a crockpot is simply a slow-cooker. So, if you choose to make a soup in a crockpot, just make sure you start the recipe early enough in the day. This will make sure it’s ready in time for dinner. Usually 4 hours at high or 6 hours at low setting will do just fine!
And that is it for now! Let me know by leaving a comment below regarding what you think of the recipes and what else you would like to hear about from me.
And don’t forget to subscribe to my email newsletter so that you can be up-to-date on my latest articles and store sales!
People have been asking me what they should be feeding their kids who have ADHD. One of the major things you want to try to achieve is a balanced diet.
What I mean by this is, regular meals and healthy snacks, sufficient protein, calcium and iron, and as natural as possible. So, I have put together three healthy alternatives for picky eaters to help make transitions easier.
Three Healthy Alternatives for Picky Eaters
Most kids love macaroni and cheese, chicken nuggets, and don’t like vegetables much. This “problem” is exacerbated when the child will only eat macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets and won’t eat vegetables. OR when all they are eating is boxed macaroni and cheese and frozen processed chicken nuggets.
This is often the case for children with autism, ADHD, and sensory processing difficulties. As a result, I have looked for and found three healthy alternatives for picky kids, that hopefully won’t be too time consuming or difficult to make. Especially because you can double the recipes and serve as leftovers and/or freeze for a later time.
It’s kind of a “Instead of this, Eat that,” scenario.
Healthy Alternatives for Picky Eaters Number 1
Hiding vegetables in sauce by pureeing the sauce and vegetables together.
I discovered a recipe “Hidden Veggie Mac and Cheese” a couple of months ago through Pinterest. We finally made the recipe (I had previously posted the recipe from the website–THIS IS AN UPDATE).
I decided after thinking about it for a few months that this recipe would probably not be successful because of the cauliflower and butternut squash. Our son hates cauliflower, and the texture of squash is just too much for him.
I evaluated the nutrition facts on MyFitnessPal.com last night, after my husband made the macaroni and cheese and my son loved it.
The vitamin A in each serving is increased from about 7% to over 40% from our original homemade macaroni and cheese. This with only 1/2 cup of carrots. I would’ve liked to add more to the recipe but didn’t want to overdo it because my son is so picky.
This delicious, creamy, healthy macaroni and cheese will tickle your kids' taste buds.
Prep Time15 minutesmins
Cook Time15 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: adhd diet, autism diet, autism menu, high protein, kid friendly recipes, recipes kids love, vitamin a
Servings: 6Servings
Calories: 334kcal
Author: Deborah Hanyon, MPH, RDN, ACE-CHC
Ingredients
Carrots
3/4cupwater1/2 cup plus 1/4 cup water
3mediumcarrotsYield 1/2 cup pureed carrots
White Sauce
1 1/2cups2% milk
2 tbspflour
3tbspbutter
1/2tspsalt
1dashwhite pepper
Cheese
4ouncesshredded cheddar or other favorite cheese1 cup shredded
Pasta
10ounce packageLensi Red Lentil Fusilli pastaAdds extra protein, minerals and fiber
Instructions
Cook carrots in 1/2 cup water until soft enough to puree.
Add carrots to food processor or small blender with 1/4 cup water.
Puree until smooth
For White Sauce
Melt Butter in medium saucepan
Add flour, salt and white pepper to pan
Mix with wire whisk
Add milk all at once, stirring constantly.
Use wire whisk to evenly distribute flour mixture and to prevent lumps
Stir milk mixture constantly at medium heat, until mixture is thickened and boiling.
Cook 2 minutes longer.
Remove from heat
Add shredded cheese and 1/2 cup carrot puree
Pour over pasta and stir
Serve as is OR sprinkle with extra cheese and bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes for gooey topping
My son likes macaroni and cheese in all forms, except I have had a tough time recently getting him to accept whole wheat pasta with his cheese. My solution to this problem is to use lentil pasta. This is perfect for those of you who are gluten-free or who are trying to reduce the amount of wheat in your diet.
Lentil pasta is super high in protein, and an excellent source of iron, folate, magnesium, and fiber.
When I cook lentil pasta, I usually cook it a little longer than the package directions say. This is because it doesn’t taste as good al dente, and my son complains unless it’s just right–past al dente state.
Personally, I think we all could benefit from eating a wider variety of grains and legumes. In fact, I’ve recently been scratching my head wondering when did we start eating only wheat pasta and bread?
He likes this better than the original mac and cheese recipe
Healthy Alternatives for Picky Eaters Number 2
Making Cream of Fresh Vegetable Soups.
This is one I’ve been using successfully for years.
Broccoli, carrots, potatoes, and mushrooms all make excellent pureed cream soups. And there are others as well. However, my son likes the broccoli soup the best, especially if I add cheese. (Can anyone say, “Cheese Sauce?”)
Processed chicken nuggets…Not only are they expensive, but most of them are filled with artificial stuff and preservatives galore. Plus, they are high in sodium. So, making homemade chicken nuggets (or tenders if you prefer), is a fantastic way to ensure you child is getting enough protein in their diet. The recipe below can be doubled or tripled, or even cut in half, and the rest can be frozen for future use.
Homemade Chicken Nuggets
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken breast meat (tenders, fillets) cut into 1-inch pieces/squares
Okay, so, let’s get real. No matter how healthy we want to eat, no matter how much we want our kids to eat the perfect diet, no matter how much we want to avoid processed food, real life exhausts us sometimes.
Even the natural born chefs among us don’t always feel like cooking.
And even the most frugal among us end up eating out eventually. Not only that, but like I mentioned in my last post on fast food, we don’t just eat out for the food. We eat out to be social, to relax, to feel closer to our loved ones and our friends.
So, what do we do when we find ourselves in the “forbidden” restaurant? Sip on a lemon water? Pretend we’re not hungry?
No! We choose healthy or we balance what we eat the rest of the day with what we eat at the restaurant.
Firstly, lets talk about balancing what we eat the rest of the day with what we eat at the restaurant.
When my family decides to eat out, we often eat at Sweet Tomato (Soupplantation). This is because (I’m laughing) Sweet Tomato is our son’s favorite restaurant. Why? Because he likes the macaroni and cheese! I have to twist his arm to get him to eat a tablespoon of shredded carrots or a slice of cucumber with his macaroni and cheese, but he does drink apple juice (that is actually his preference).
Even at Sweet Tomato, the calories add up fast. I generally will eat some of the green salads and my favorite Broccoli Madness as well as a tad of Tuna Tarragon pasta salad. And the herb focaccia is fabulous! I like to try out the monthly soups, though there are a few classic favorites like cream of mushroom, chicken noodle that are my mainstays.
MyFitnessPal has most of the menu items from Sweet Tomato in their database, so I can estimate my calories eaten. Usually, when I eat there, it ends up being around 700 calories. This is over half of my calorie allowance when I don’t work out.
When I eat at Sweet Tomato (or any other restaurant), I try to make sure I go to the gym and workout.
This increases my calorie allowance by an extra 300-500 calories. Also, at Sweet Tomato, the salads and soups have calorie and fat information next to the food. So you can estimate as you go, if you’re into doing that.
So what else can we do when eat out to make sure we don’t completely blow our diet?
Here are 10 healthy choices when eating out I have found to be helpful when eating out.
Check the nutrition facts information on the restaurant’s website. Restaurants are required to make nutrition and allergy information available to customers. 99.9% of restaurants nowadays have websites that you can access anywhere, including your mobile device.
Choose the lower calorie option. For example, if you’re at McDonalds, and you’re itching for a hamburger, buy the smaller hamburger. You can also ask for no sauce. For example, with the Big Mac, you can save 90 calories by ordering it without the sauce.
If you must have the high calorie option, eat half at the restaurant and save the other half for later.
Order just the sandwich and a salad instead of French fries OR order just a salad.
Pay special attention to calories in salads, however. Salads sometimes have more calories than a large cheeseburger, depending on what’s on them.
Use low calorie salad dressing or limit the amount of regular dressing you put on your salad.
Order the sandwich without cheese.
Drink water instead of soda.
Remember that just because it’s healthy doesn’t mean it’s lower in calories. For example, the Green Burrito Bean, Rice and Cheese burrito has more calories than a Carl’s Famous Star with Cheese (Green Burrito and Carl’s Jr exist together at many restaurants, in case you didn’t know that).
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I only promote products I use and love. Clicking on some of the images on this page will take you to a page of a company I am an affiliate with. If you purchase anything, I will get a small commission.
