Healthy Recipes - Help Protect Your Vision with Coleslaw!

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Healthy Recipes - Help Protect Your Vision with Coleslaw!
By Melinda Banks

We all know that eating junk food can hurt us in the battle of the bulge. But now there’s a new reason to control our intake of these highly processed foods: They may cause eye problems. According to a study by Harvard Medical School’s Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, fatty snack foods may lead to macular degeneration, the leading cause of vision impairment for Americans over 55.

The key to eliminating junk food from your diet is to replace them with healthier alternatives. The good news is there are plenty of healthy foods that contain vitamins that actually promote eye health. Carrots, beef, chicken, cantaloupe, mangos and sweet potatoes all contain beta-carotene (vitamin A), which has been proven to positively affect both night vision and day-to-day eyesight. It also aids in cataract and macular degeneration prevention. Pork, liver, whole-grain cereals and breads, wheat germ, potatoes and legumes contain thiamine (vitamin B1), which prevents lens deterioration. Vegetable oils, egg yolks, milk fat, green leafy vegetables and nuts contain vitamin E, which also aids in lens deterioration prevention. And tomatoes, citrus fruit, strawberries, cabbage, green leafy vegetables and sweet bell peppers contain vitamin C, an antioxidant that helps prevent glaucoma.

There also are other nutrients that support your eyesight. The National Eye Institute states there may be evidence that lutein — a carotenoid antioxidant available in spinach, kale, collards, mustard greens, amaranth, spirulina and red paprika — could reduce eye problems. The Institute states definitively that zinc, found in shellfish, eggs, legumes, herring, liver and milk reduces the risk of advanced age-related macular degeneration and associated vision loss. Additionally, fish, such as salmon and sardines, contains omega-3 fatty acids that are known to promote healthy retinas.

It’s easy to incorporate foods that protect your eyesight into your diet. Carrot sticks, citrus fruit, mangoes, and even sweet peppers and tomatoes make great portable snacks. Fresh carrot juice packs a concentrated dose of vitamin A in every glass and is easy to make if you have a juicer. Or you can try the healthy recipe below, which is designed to taste good while giving your eyes a boost:

Visionary Coleslaw

Makes 8 servings

• 2 6-oz. containers of low- or non-fat pineapple yogurt
• 2 T. low-fat mayonnaise
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1 head of cabbage, thinly sliced
• 4 carrots, shredded *
• 1 small sweet bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, finely chopped

1. Whisk yogurt, mayonnaise and salt together in a large bowl.

2. Chop cabbage, sweet bell pepper and onion; shred carrots. Add to the bowl with the yogurt mixture and toss well. If not serving right away, cover and refrigerate.

* It’s best to scrub carrots instead of peeling them. Some of the vitamins and minerals lie near the surface and can be whisked away with the peels.

For another healthy recipe to help protect your eyesight and for a full spectrum of other natural health articles, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com.

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Healthy Recipes - An Easy Asparagus Recipe

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Healthy Recipes - An Easy Asparagus Recipe
By Melinda Banks

Behold the amazing asparagus! Just a half-cup of it cooked contains over 80 percent of the Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for vitamin C, and about 25 percent of the RDA for folic acid. (Folic acid helps prevent birth defects and is important for the formation of blood cells.) It also contains vitamin A, vitamin B6 and potassium, and is a good source of fiber and glutathione, a powerful antioxidant. It has no fat or cholesterol, and one serving (about five spears) of the green variety contains only 20 calories.

Asparagus can be prepared in a number of ways. Unlike some vegetables, it’s just as nutritious either raw or cooked. And if you make the following healthy recipe, you’ll bring elegance to your table, along with good health:

Asparagus Rolls Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 lb. fresh asparagus
• 4 slices Swiss cheese
• 4 slices thinly sliced deli ham or turkey, or prosciutto
• 4 T. butter, melted
• 1 C. dried whole wheat or regular bread crumbs
• ½ C. grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook asparagus in boiling water for 1 minute. Remove, and drain.
3. Layer a slice of cheese on top of a slice of ham, then place 3 to 4 asparagus spears on top of the cheese slice.
4. Roll the ham and cheese over the asparagus, and secure with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining ham, cheese and asparagus.
5. Place all the rolls in a casserole dish; then pour melted butter over the entire dish.
6. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for about 15 minutes, or until the crumb mixture forms a crust.

When buying fresh, look for stems that are firm and fairly straight, with well-formed, tightly closed tips. Contrary to common belief, the width of the stem is not an indication of tenderness — thin or thick stems can be equally delicious. Just be sure the stalks are similar in size so they all cook at the same rate, as it only takes a few minutes for the stalks to become crisp-tender. Don’t overcook or you’ll end up with mush.

For more healthy recipes and a full spectrum of other natural health articles visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com

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Healthy Recipes - A Roasted Garlic Recipe With Antiviral Power

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Healthy Recipes - A Roasted Garlic Recipe With Antiviral Power
By Melinda Banks

Garlic has been used to treat and prevent illness dating back well over 5000 years. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used it for heart problems and headache; the Chinese used it for a variety of common ailments and to boost immunity. And modern scientific research confirms its curative powers. National Cancer Institute studies show that a diet rich in garlic may reduce risk of colorectal, stomach and prostate cancer by as much as half. Research also shows that garlic has antiviral properties that protect against infection and inflammation, may destroy certain flu viruses, and help kill intestinal parasites.

How can this little “rose” do so much? It contains a powerhouse of nutrients, including vitamins A and C; the minerals potassium, selenium, phosphorus and zinc; and amino acids. It also has an unusually high concentration of the sulfur compound allicin, which is a potent antibiotic and the compound primarily responsible for its healing properties.

If a little garlic each day keeps the doctor away, what’s the best way to get it? Cooked or raw, all forms have health benefits, but raw garlic has the edge. It’s simple to add it to a variety of dishes; for example:

• Top scrambled eggs with it.

• Add it chopped to cooked tomato sauce just before serving.

• Sprinkle it minced on a baked potato.

• Spread it minced on buttered, crusty bread.

And here’s a classic with taste that’s out of this world:

Roasted Garlic

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.

2. Peel away the outer layers of the bulb skin, leaving the skins of the individual cloves intact. Using a knife, cut off 1/4 to a 1/2 inch of the top, exposing the individual cloves.

3. Place the garlic heads in a baking pan; muffin pans work well for this purpose. Drizzle a couple teaspoons of olive oil over each head, using your fingers to make sure the bulb is well coated. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 400°F for 30-35 minutes, or until the cloves feel soft when pressed.

4. Allow the garlic to cool enough so you can touch it without burning yourself. Use a small small knife cut the skin slightly around each clove. Use a cocktail fork or your fingers to pull or squeeze the roasted cloves out of their skins.

You can eat it as is or mash with a fork and use for cooking. It also can be spread over warm French bread, mixed with sour cream for a topping for baked potatoes, or mixed in with Parmesan and pasta. Fresh garlic generally offers the best prevention against disease, but eating more than three raw cloves a day may cause gas or bloating in some people. Additionally, not everyone enjoys the pungent aroma. If you’d rather not eat it, try a nutritional supplement. Research recently has shown that supplements containing an extract often work as effectively as fresh — without the garlic breath.

For a garlic salsa recipe and other delicious healthy recipes, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticlesBlog.com.

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Healthy Recipes - A Delicious Pasta Recipe That Will Boost Your Immune System

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Healthy Recipes - A Delicious Pasta Recipe That Will Boost Your Immune System
By Melinda Banks

Love tomatoes and pasta? Did you know they can be combined to boost your immune system? This healthy pasta recipe does just that.

Every day, your immune system battles the millions of bacteria, microbes, toxins and viruses that try to invade your body. But this complex and highly interactive network of organs and specialized cells can help keep you healthy only if it’s healthy itself. So how do you make sure your immune system stays strong? Along with getting enough sleep and exercise, and keeping your stress level down, a low-fat, high-fiber, nutrient-rich diet will keep your immune system in top-notch condition. Research suggests that the following vitamins and minerals, in particular, regulate a wide variety of immune system functions:

• Vitamin A
• B-complex vitamins
• Vitamin C
• Zinc
• Selenium
• Magnesium

While it’s a good idea to take a vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure you’re getting the nutrition your body needs, you obviously want to get as many immunity-boosting nutrients as you can from the food you eat. The following recipe, rich in the vitamins and minerals listed above, offers a delicious way to keep your immune system strong:

Mexican Pasta Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 green onions, thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 can (14½ oz) stewed tomatoes, chopped
• 1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 8 oz package bow- or corkscrew-shaped whole wheat pasta

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain well and place in a large bowl.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add green onions and garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Crumble in ground beef. Sprinkle with chili powder and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes, or until beef is no longer pink.
4. Add tomatoes and their juices, and jalapeño. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 5 minutes.
5. Pour sauce over pasta.
6. Sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Toss to mix.

For another immune-system-building pasta recipe and to access a user-friendly herb and supplement encyclopedia, visit Melinda Banks’ blog at MyOnlineHealthArticles.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Melinda_Banks
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