Pecan Pumpkin Muffins

Pecan Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup coconut sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon each of allspice, ginger and cloves
• 1 cup cooked, mashed pumpkin
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 small banana
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine dry ingredients and spices in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat pumpkin, milk, banana and egg. Add dry ingredients and mix until just moistened. Fold in dates and pecans. Spoon into paper-lined muffin tins. Bake about 20 minutes or until tops are golden. 

Makes 12 muffins.

Autumn Foods

Autumn brings with it the traditional harvest time. One of the keys to healthy eating is to eat fresh foods, as they contain more of the vital nutrients we need for optimum health. Here is a list of fresh produce to watch for in the autumn months:

• apples
• cranberries
• melons
• pears
• grapes
• artichokes
• beets
• broccoli
• cabbage
• carrots
• cauliflower
• celery
• corn
• peppers
• potatoes
• salad greens
• spinach
• tomatoes
• winter squash
• zucchini

Quinoa Breakfast Cereal

Quinoa provides protein, antioxidants and essential vitamins. The protein will keep you feeling full longer than a regular breakfast cereal. This recipe is delightful with any kind of berry, so use what is in season.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 3/4 cup water
• 1 sliced banana
• 1 cup strawberries
• 1/3 cup unsalted raw cashews
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• milk (any kind)

In a saucepan, combine quinoa and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Simmer until all the water is absorbed. Stir maple syrup and cinnamon into quinoa, then add fruit and cashews and mix gently. Top with your favorite kind of milk.

Makes 2 servings.

10 Tips to Manage Stress

Stress is any reaction to a physical, mental, social or emotional stimulus that elicits a change in our behavior or thoughts. Stress both depletes nutrients and slows digestion. Chronic stress can lead to a number of health problems, including (but not limited to): weakening of the immune system, anxiety, skin and digestive problems, arthritis, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, obsessive compulsive disorders and cancer. 

Here are 10 tips to help manage stress:

1. Get regular exercise. Any physical activity will help to clear your mind and keep stress under control. The key, however, is to make sure it is regular exercise - exercising once a month will not do much to relieve stress.
2. Eat a diet or 50 to 75% raw foods. Fresh vegetables and fruits will supply valuable nutrients, and also contain flavonoids, which scavenge damaging free-radicals.
3. Limit intake of caffeine, as it contributes to nervousness and can disrupt sleep.
4. Avoid processed foods and foods that can stress the system, such as: artificial sweeteners, carbonated soft drinks, chocolate, fried foods, junk foods, red meat, sugar, white flour products, alcohol and any foods that contain preservatives or heavy spices.
5. Get adequate sleep each night. The less sleep you get, the more stress will affect you and the more your immune system will weaken.
6. Pursue a hobby. Hobbies can have great stress-relief benefits. Never feel guilty about taking time to do something you enjoy. Your health is important. 
7. Practice deep breathing or meditation.
8. Avoid alcohol, tobacco and mood-altering drugs. While they may provide temporary stress relief, they are not going to help with the problem and will ultimately cause more stress on your system.
9. Learn to laugh. Don't take life to seriously. 
10. If you feel you cannot handle the stresses in your life, please consider seeking outside help. A qualified counselor or practitioner may be able to help you handle your problems and learn effective stress-reduction techniques.

Turkey Meatballs

Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound extra lean ground turkey
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/2 cup oat bran
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon basil
• 1 tablespoon oregano
• 1/2 tablespoon cilantro
• 2 cloves garlic, passed through a garlic press
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

In a large bowl, combine oat bran, spices and egg. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Form into meatballs and place on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Carageenan

Extracted from seaweeds, carageenan is widely used in the food industry for its stabilizing and thickening properties. It is most often used in dairy and meat products, and is also found in products like soy ice cream and almond milk.

In Europe, carageenan is banned from use in baby foods. In North America, it is widely used in organic foods like juices, chocolate milk, almond milk and baby formulas. Research has shown that carageenan can trigger colitis-like symptoms and promote tumor growth. It has an inflammatory effect in the body - especially in the bowels. Chronic inflammation in the body has been linked to many serious diseases, including, but not limited to, Parkinson's, Alzheimers, heart disease and cancers. Diabetes and glucose intolerance may also be aggravated or triggered by carageenan.

Long story short, read the label on all of your foods and avoid products containing carageenan whenever possible.

10 Tips for Packing Healthy School Lunches

Packing lunches can be frustrating, especially when the food comes home mostly untouched. Here are a few tips to help pack nutritious lunches that kids will love:

1. Involve your child in packing lunch. Take them grocery shopping and help them pick out healthy foods for their lunches. Offer them some healthy options, and ask for their opinion (for example, ask what kind of fruit they would like to take).
2. Involve your child in choosing the containers that lunch gets packed in. Do a practice run and make sure the containers aren't too difficult to open.
3. Use the time it takes to pack lunch as an opportunity to teach about what foods are good for you and why.  Children love to learn and may end up passing their new knowledge on to their friends.
4. Children are usually more keen to get outside for recess than they are about eating lunch. Pack foods that are bite-size and easy to eat quickly.
5. When sending something messy (like orange slices), pack a napkin.
6. Make a bit of extra food for dinner and send leftovers. If your child liked dinner, he or she will probably still like it as lunch the next day.
7. Send foods that are a variety of colors and textures.
8. Make food fun. Try cutting sandwiches, veggies or fruits into interesting shapes.
9. Try to include 3 out of the 4 food groups in a lunch.
10. Try to avoid the stress of packing last-minute lunches. Aim to do most of your prep work the night before. Fruit and vegetables can be cut and packaged, sandwiches can be assembled, juice can be poured into a reusable container.