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Meatless in May Challenge

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meatless in mayOur May 2016 Challenge will be a Plant-Based, Meatless Eating Challenge.  We are going to focus on eating fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, etc.  I want you to focus on food with life in it to improve our health and wellness.  That’s right, living foods. These foods are full of fiber, nutrients, anti-oxidants, healthy carbs and more.  I will be posting resources and recipes here on the blog and on Facebook all month to help you stay on track. I’ve got a whole list of meal plans, recipes and other resources below to get you started.

Are you in? Leave us a comment below and let us know.

Our goals

1) Go Meatless Every Monday. No fish, chicken, beef, pork, etc. No flesh foods.
2) Tues – Sun – Make at least one meal each day All Plant Based – Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner. Smoothies count!!

If you have any food allergies, digestion issues related to produce or medical issues* that don’t allow you to eat in this way, this isn’t the challenge for you.

For our plant-based meals, we will eat;

  • All fruits. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
  • All vegetables and leafy greens. These can be fresh, frozen, dried, juiced or canned.
  • All whole grains – Examples: whole wheat (unbleached), brown rice, quinoa, oats, barley, grits, whole wheat pasta, whole wheat tortillas, rice cakes and popcorn. (Avoid white, refined flour)
  • All nuts and seeds – Examples: walnuts, peanuts, almonds, soynuts, pecans, pinenuts, pumpkin seeds, etc.
  • All legumes. That means BEANS of all kinds.
  • Quality vegetable oils, like olive, avocado, coconut oil, grapeseed and sesame.
  • Beverages: spring water, distilled water, brewed tea, freshly made juice and smoothies that you make yourself, etc.  However, you should focus on increasing your water intake if you haven’t been drinking enough. Give your body a rest from the dye, additives, added sugars and chemicals in many drinks.
  • Other plant-based foods/condiments: tofu, nut “milks”, tahini, natural/plant-based sweeteners (in moderation), seitan, vinegar, seasonings, salt, herbs and spices.

Cut it OUT: Foods we aren’t eating for our Plant-Based meals: Fried foods, food smothered with butter, fast food, meat (of course), dairy, artificial sweeteners (especially in drinks), white rice, white flour, alcohol and processed sugar.

Curious about Vegetarianism or Veganism? Go ALL Out and make all of your meals plant-based.  Give it a try for one week or four. The choice is up to you.

Meal Plans to help you get started:

Recipes and Articles

Books

*Medical Disclaimer: If there is any reason why you should not change your diet and how you normally eat due to an ailment, pregnancy, chronic illness, allergy or other medical issue, Do Not participate in this challenge.  If you have trouble digesting raw or cooked fruits and veggies, this is not the challenge for you. When in doubt, speak with your doctor before joining any weight loss challenge or starting any eating plan.

Modified Daniel Fast – February 2016 Challenge

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february challenge 2016

For February 2016, we are doing a Modified Daniel Fast. I believe that this fast can really help with food addictions and emotional eating. How? When you simplify your daily diet and remove the foods you are addicted to or using for medication, you can focus on your emotional health and life issues. You’ll find the sign up information and eating guidelines below.

This month we are going to acknowledge that weight gain is not just about eating and exercise and we are going to face our issues. We are going to simplify our eating habits so that we can refocus and dig deep.

Take the time to do some internal and emotional work during this modified fast.  That means that it’s time to really dig deep and figure out what is causing you to eat/overeat, what is hindering your motivation and what is hindering you from finding time to workout.

This internal work could be traditional religious practice or whatever practices are spiritual for you. It could mean that this is the month that you sign up to speak with a therapist or psychologist. It could mean that it’s time to relax at the spa or start writing in a journal daily. You may need to reach out to friends for support or work on forgiving people who have wronged you. It could also mean that it’s time to start doing research and buying books about depression, addiction, stress, self help strategies, etc. Only you know where to start the healing process that led to greater emotional wellness.

Giveaway – #BWLWFeb

Sign up and participate in some social sharing and you will be eligible for this month’s giveaway. We will be giving away two $25 Amazon gift cards each week. One will go to someone who has signed up for this month’s challenge and one to someone who is posting, Feb 3-27th, about their weight loss journey using our hashtag: #BWLWFeb on social media (Instagram, Facebook or Twitter). We will announce the winners chosen at random on Feb 8, 15, 22, 29, 2016 via email. (8 winner total, 2 each week) Your social media profile must be public for us to be able to consider it for the contest.

ARE YOU READY?!?  How do you sign-up? Click on this button to sign up and receive lessons that will help you stay on track with this month’s goals.  
Click Here to Join Us
After you’ve signed up, you’ll be directed back to this page. We want you to leave a comment below and let us know what you are going to do in terms of emotional/spiritual/internal work.

February GOAL: Avoiding the “Food for Pleasure and Comfort” Mindset. We will work to discover our food triggers and stop medicating ourselves with food.

We’ve got some lessons and exercises for you to follow this month:
Lesson 1 | Lesson 2 | Lesson 3 | Lesson 4 | Lesson 5

We will eat a limited group of foods and let go of the need to have a lot of variety and choices.
We will commit to stop using food for pleasure or as medicine for our emotions.
We will commit to this modified fast for 14-21 days. It’s up to you how long you follow this plan, but 14 days is the minimum time frame that I suggest to see real benefits. For the group, I’m suggesting Feb 3rd as the start date but you can pick any 14 day period in Feb. (Eating Guidelines Below).

  • I want US to really understand how much food many be controlling us.
  • I want US to analyze our reactions to cutting back on the foods we’ve been self medicating with.
  • I want US to challenge ourselves and look within.
  • I want us to be forced to turn to something else, something fulfilling, instead of food in February. Take action! Write in your journal, pray, meet with a supportive group, make a vision board, take a calming walk or start meditating.  It’s up to you how you connect mind, body and soul, but my hope is that you will be able to see food more as nourishment and fuel and less like an addictive agent or something “bad”.

The number one way to take action this month: Track your food intake and your emotions daily! – Buy a paper journal or use an app like myfitnesspal.com to track your meals during this 14 day journey. Be very honest about what you eat, good or bad. Along with the food record your mood and how you felt at the time you ate. Trust me, you will learn a lot about whether you are responding to hunger or feelings when it comes to eating.

Disclaimer Health: As with all of our food related challenges, I don’t suggest a drastic diet change like this for people who are chronically ill, have kidney/liver/pancreas issues, have diabetes or are pregnant. If you have issues or allergies related to fruit, veggies or digesting vegetables, this may not be the challenge for you. Fasting is not for everyone, even a modified fast. If you have any medical issues, you should always seek out a doctor or medical professional before participating in a fast or changing your diet drastically. 

Daniel Fast Guides

What is a Daniel Fast? A Daniel fast is a biblically-based, vegetarian-centered fast that has been around for years. You may have participated in one with your church family and it is commonly done at the beginning of the year as a congregational fast. Over the years, it has become a very popular fasting program for all people, regardless of faith or tradition. You don’t have to be a religious person and prescribe to a faith tradition to take part. It’s usually focused on plant-based eating. However, we will add more protein sources for our modified fast.

Traditionally with a Daniel Fast you…

  • Eat Any Vegetables (canned, frozen, fresh, dried, etc) – cooked how ever you like.
  • Eat Any Fruits (canned, frozen, fresh, dried, etc) – cooked how ever you like.
  • Eat Any Nuts and Seeds (including nut milks like almond milk)
  • Eat Any Beans
  • Drink only WATER.

For our Modified Daniel Fast we are going to add a few things so that the plan works better for those who are working out.

  • Take a quality multivitamin – This will help ensure that you are getting all the nutrients you need.
  • Lean Meat twice a day, like Chicken, Fish, Turkey, Bison, Pork, Lamb etc. (This is for those who eat meat. If you are vegan or vegetarian, you would of course continue with that lifestyle)
  • Eggs
  • Vegetarian protein sources: Tofu, Seitan, etc.
  • Protein Powder of your choice (the most natural brand you can find)
  • Cottage Cheese
  • Greek Yogurt (unsweetened preferred. sweeten with fruit)
  • Agave Nectar or Honey for sweeteners
  • Whole Grain Cereal/Low Sugar Granola
  • Whole Grains – Quinoa, Barley, Oatmeal, whole grain brown rice
  • Quality Oils – olive oil, coconut oil and other healthy vegetable oils like grape seed, etc.
  • Natural Seasonings, Herbs and Condiments (vinegar, pepper, garlic, Ms. Dash, sea salt, fresh herbs, various seasonings, etc.)
  • Herbal Tea made at home (drink without sweeteners)

If you want to stick with the more simplified, traditional vegan Daniel Fast, that’s good too. It’s up to you how much you cut out of your eating plan, but PLEASE cut out the foods that you are truly addicted to.

The NO List: No bread, No crackers, No processed sugar (candy, ice cream, cookies, cake, etc), No white flour, No dairy cheese, No fried food, No alcohol and No soda.  Limit your dairy to just cottage cheese, greek yogurt and whey protein powder. Cut way down on sweeteners during this challenge, as much as possible.

To Do List

  • Create a grocery list before you shop so that you have a plan going into the land of temptation.
  • Check out our free 4 week meal plans for recipe ideas.
  • If you are bored, emotional or stressed, reach for veggies or fruit instead of your usual comfort foods.
  • Before you eat, take 60 seconds to ask yourself, “Am I hungry or am I eating to fill a void/soothe my nerves?”
  • Don’t go to the grocery store hungry or while emotional.  That can affect your purchases.
  • For this challenge you will need to create a list of meals that you can have for breakfast, lunch, dinner and meals/snacks in between. YOU SHOULD REPEAT THE SAME CLEAN MEALS to help you to stay on track! Believe me, it will make this fast much simpler.
  • Here are some ideas.
    • Buy lunch box ice packs and an insulated lunch bag.  You will likely need to prepare your meals at home and take them on the go
    • Buy a water bottle so that you carry water at all times. Sometimes we mistake thirst for hunger.
    • Buy glass mason jars or wide mouth bottles so that you can carry smoothies with you to work and on the go. Smoothies can help with your sweet tooth.
    • Look at menus online before going out to eat so that you know what foods are available that work with this plan.  When in doubt, have a salad.

BTW…here are scriptures the fast is based on: Daniel 1

8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

6 Tips for Organizing Your Refrigerator

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The refrigerator is easily the hardest-working appliance in a home, yet it is often neglected. Not only is the average fridge not cleaned often enough but people simply don’t know how to properly organize their foods in the most efficient way. When it comes to organizing your fridge, it isn’t just for the sake of making things neat but to reduce bacteria, keep foods fresh for longer and minimize clutter. Not only is a clean, organized fridge going to keep your foods safe, but it also helps you see what ingredients you have to work with for healthy, balanced meals.

tips organizing you refrigeratorHere are 6 tips for getting your fridge organized.

  1. Don’t Put Things In Your Fridge That Don’t Need to Be Refrigerated

It goes without saying that putting food items in your fridge that don’t need to be chilled can be a major waste of space and can even spoil some foods quicker. Usually, there will be a label on the product saying whether it needs to be refrigerated or refrigerated after opening. Still, many people will put produce, store-bought condiments and foods in their fridge that should be on the counter or in the pantry. Here are a couple examples:

  • Tomatoes, Onions and Potatoes
  • Fresh Herbs
  • Vinegars
  • Bread and Bagels
  • Some Butters
  • Honey

If you are unsure of what foods need to be refrigerated or not, a simple Google search for the item in question will give you answer. Also, most homemade foods and those without preservatives should go into the fridge, even if the store-bought equivalent doesn’t need to be.

  1. Use Plastic Placemats and Plastic Tubs on the Shelves

Spills are really inevitable in a fridge. To cut down on cleaning time and keep your food safe from bacteria use plastic placemats from your local dollar store as shelf liners. Utilizing square and rectangular plastic tubs will also help you organize foods and is especially helpful for keeping raw meats and any leaks separate from everything else.

  1. Utilize the Specific Labeled Drawers in Your Fridge Properly

For the most part you will want to follow the label recommendations on the drawers in your fridge. The drawers aren’t just to organize your food but also coincide with temperatures and humidity levels in the refrigerator. For example, the produce drawer is purposely more humid than other parts of the fridge and the meat drawer is colder.

One circumstance in which you may ignore this is if your fridge happens to have a meat drawer higher in the fridge as potential leaks could drip onto food below.

  1. Put New Groceries Behind Older Food

How often have you cleaned out your fridge to find forgotten leftovers or barely used food that was pushed to the back? To cut down on waste make sure you put new groceries behind food that’s already in your fridge. As for leftovers, placing them in an obvious spot at the front as a regular habit will help you make sure it gets eaten or tossed in an appropriate amount of time.

  1. Organize Foods From Top to Bottom and Front to Back

The way a refrigerator is built and the way it chills food is important to know. The top shelf of your fridge is the warmest shelf, the bottom shelf or drawers are the coldest. The warmest place in your fridge are the shelves on the door. Also, the back of each shelf is colder than the front. As an example of organizing, cooked food should go on the top shelves, milk on the bottom shelf closet to the back, and condiments and sauces on the door.  This is also a matter of preference, but be mindful of the temperatures.

  1. Clean The Inside and Outside of Your Fridge Before Grocery Shopping

Keeping your fridge clean is extremely important in removing bacteria to keep your food safe. Many refrigerators aren’t cleaned nearly enough as they should and sometimes people go months without a deep cleaning. One study done by Microban Europe showed that the salad drawer of 30 different fridges showed an average of nearly 8,000 units of bacteria per square centimeter. Some samples were much higher.

It goes without saying that any spills should be cleaned immediately, but you should also wipe down the inside and outside of your fridge door before you go grocery shopping weekly or monthly. At the very least, clean out any foods that have gone bad or spoiled. A deep cleaning should be done every 3 months. It’s hard to keep track of things when you have a big family or a dealing with kids, but cleaning will help your appliance to last and serve your family well.

Your fridge deserves some extra TLC compared to other appliances. Setting reminders for quarterly deep cleanings and making it a habit to clean out your fridge before putting in new groceries is the key to banishing bacteria.

April Twitter Chat: Plant-based Eating with Special Guest Tracye McQuirter, MPH, Best-Selling Author of By Any Greens Necessary

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On Thursday, April 16th at 8 pm (EST) BWLW will host a twitter chat on plant-based eating with best-selling author, nutritionist and long-time vegan Tracye McQuirter, MPH. Join us! #BWLW

We will chat about the benefits of eating a plant-based diet, how to get started with this lifestyle and tips on making eating more plant foods work for you. Whether you’re interested in going vegan or just eating more plant-based foods, this will be an enlightening discussion.

Where: www.twitter.com or http://twubs.com/BWLW (You can join us here with or without a Twitter account.)

Chat hashtag: #BWLW

When: Thursday, April 16, 2015, 8pm – 8:45pm Eastern Standard Time

Who: A vegan trailblazer, public health nutritionist, author, lecturer, and 30-year vegan, Tracye McQuirter, MPH, has been named a national food hero who is changing the way America eats for the better by Vegetarian Times, and her national best-seller, By Any Greens Necessary, was the #1 recommended vegan book on The Huffington Post.

Tracye served as program director of the nation’s first federally funded vegan nutrition program, the Vegetarian Society of DC Eat Smart Program, and has been teaching vegan nutrition seminars for more than 25 years.

Tracye also co-founded one of the first vegan web sites 17 years ago, and the first ever vegan website by and for African Americans. She is a national authority on preventing and reversing chronic diseases in African American women using plant-based nutrition, and has been credited in part with increasing the number of African American vegans and vegetarians to nearly 3 million people.

Tracye also served as a policy advisor for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine, helping to create the strategy for a groundbreaking lawsuit proving food industry bias in the formation of the U.S. Dietary Guidelines.

Tracye is passionate about helping people live healthier, happier, lives. She has a master’s degree in public health nutrition from New York University and a bachelor’s degree from Amherst College. www.byanygreensnecessary.com

Disclaimer: This post contains an Amazon affiliate link, which means that if you click on the book image and purchase, we may receive compensation as a percentage of the purchase.

5 Benefits of Eating Avocados

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The poor avocado would have motion sickness from the way it gets thrown high up on the “must eat” list and then kicked back down the ladder to the bottom with a bunch of foods to avoid. It’s back again, this time being touted as a “superfood” and it may just have found a niche to settle in and call home. There are numerous benefits that come from making avocado a part of your daily diet, including promoting weight loss. That is something pretty spectacular for a high calorie and high fat fruit. The reality is that many people who have dismissed the avocado for its calorie and fat content haven’t understood the nutritional nature of that content at all. Here are 5 benefits of eating avocado that will convince you to add it to your diet.

avocadoBenefit #1 – It is loaded with healthy fats

The average medium size avocado contains about 14.4 grams of fat. These are all the healthy fats that your body needs to function at its best. The avocado contains oleic acids and Omega-3 fats that are necessary to promoting good heart health. The other fat varieties contained in the fruit benefit the collagen and elasticin production of the skin and provide the right kind of fuel to assist your brain in maintaining cognitive functioning.

Benefit #2 – It is a rich source of protein

While many fruits and vegetables offer high protein levels, the avocado is considered a rich source because it contains something else that is necessary for your body to be able to use the protein – fiber. Along with that fiber, the avocado contains all of the amino acid building blocks that the body requires to synthesize protein. Without the fiber and amino acids, you can’t do anything with the protein you consume. This is why adding avocado to your diet if you are a vegan or vegetarian is essential, it is one of the best non-animal sources of protein around.

Benefit #3 – All that Vitamin E

Avocado is loaded with vitamin E. This is the essential vitamin for protecting the skin. It helps the skin’s cells to resist damage from the sun and helps to maintain firmness and elasticity which leads to a more youthful appearance. The vitamin E can be obtained from the avocado by consuming it or by applying the pulped fruit to your skin. It is most effective when consumed as the surface of the skin is only moisturized, but not repaired by the avocado pulp.

Benefit #4 – A good source of potassium

When we think of potassium we tend to think of foot cramps and bananas. Potassium is one of the most essential minerals in the body. A deficiency in potassium will not only lead to muscle cramps, but it can also trigger a cardiac incident, kidney failure and other dysfunctions of the major organs. By adding avocado to your regular diet, you will consume more potassium then you would get from bananas. Considering all the other benefits that the avocado offers as well, it is a better choice too.

Benefit #5 – Lutein

Avocados provide an important source of lutein for your body that is easily used. Lutein is most often associated with promoting eye health and it is also being investigated as a supplement that may help protect against certain cancers of the colon and breast. While the studies concerning cancer prevention are inconclusive, the studies concerning how lutein protects the eye are conclusive. Maintaining sufficient lutein levels helps to prevent age-related macular degeneration. This is most often caused from simple sun damage to the eye and consuming avocados can boost your lutein levels.

The Avocado Tricks

There are two tricks to adding avocado to your diet successfully. The first is to keep it on your counter or in a paper bag in the pantry after your purchase it for a few days before using it. Avocado ripens once it is picked and placing it in the refrigerator will slow down the ripening process. The second trick is to be mindful of what you eat the avocado with. It is a high calorie food that can hit as much as 340 quality calories per fruit, make sure you are eating it with low calorie foods so you don’t overwhelm the benefits of the avocado with too many calories or chemicals in the meal.

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #23: You Can Save Money on Organic Food

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Tip #23 of our Weight Loss on a Budget Tips: You Can Save Money on Organic Food.  Here are 5 ways to make organic more affordable.

save on organic food

  1. Look for coupons on organic brands – You may not find many coupons for organics in your local paper, so you’ll need to visit the websites for the brands you like and look for coupons.  Many companies offer coupons and special offers to their email list, so sign up for deals.
  2. Buy in Bulk – You can get all the benefits of organically grown food at a reduced cost when you buy in bulk.  Focus on foods that are not prone to go bad quickly like cereal, nuts, beans, protein powder, grains and healthy snack foods.  If you are a member of a club, like BJ’s or Costco, make sure you are taking advantage of specials and monthly store coupons for greater deals.
  3. Buy the Store Brand – As long as the product is certified organic (USDA) it doesn’t matter what the brand is.  If you like the taste and it meets your nutritional needs, buy it instead of the name brand and save money.  A lot of grocery stores now carry a house organic brand because of consumer demand.
  4. Grow Your Own – If you have enough space and an interest in gardening, consider getting a book and heading to your local home improvement store for what you need to get a garden started.  There is actually a whole urban gardening movement going on where people use methods like square foot gardening to raise their own food in limited spaces.
  5. Clean 15 / Dirty Dozen – There are actually fruits and veggies that are not exposed to a lot of pesticides and don’t have a lot of pesticide residue.  They are called the “Clean 15™”.  You can save money buy NOT buying them organic.
    • onions
    • avocados
    • sweet corn
    • pineapples
    • mango
    • sweet peas
    • asparagus
    • kiwi fruit
    • cabbage
    • eggplant
    • cantaloupe
    • watermelon
    • grapefruit
    • sweet potatoes
    • sweet onions

On the other side of the spectrum there is the “Dirty Dozen™” list of foods that most people recommend be purchased in organic form due to the amount of pesticide they are exposed to and what has been found in testing in terms of residue.

    • celery
    • peaches
    • strawberries
    • apples
    • domestic blueberries
    • nectarines
    • sweet bell peppers
    • spinach, kale and collard greens
    • cherries
    • potatoes
    • imported grapes
    • lettuce

Weight Loss on a Budget Tip #1: Frozen is your Friend

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buy frozen foodsIt’s day 1 of our October 2013 Challenge.  Each day I will share a tip for weight loss on a budget!  My first tip, frozen food is your friend.  If you are budget conscious, the frozen isle holds a lot of possibility for you.  Here are some reasons why.

Foods that are out of season – Frozen foods are great because you can access out of season foods like mango or peaches all year around from sources where the foods are in season.  Variety is key when losing weight so you want to have access to all of your favorite healthy options as much as possible.

100% Main Ingredient – You want to look at the ingredient list on the package and see ONE ingredient as much as possible.  No fillers, no preservatives is Ideal!!

Look for Flash Freezing – Foods that are flash frozen may have better taste because they were frozen quickly and all the flavor and nutrients are sealed in.

Steam-in-bag– There are tons of steam-in-bag options in the frozen section that will help you to make healthy meals quickly.  This is a big issue for those who a used to “fast food”.  We are talking pasta dishes, vegetables, meat dishes, etc with the help of your trusty microwave.  (Or…You can also buy a traditional steamer and you don’t even need the bag.)

Buy generic – Go for the store brand or generic brands for the lowest prices in most cases.  This is not clothing or shoes…labels are less important.

Buy in bulk – If you have a separate freezer, consider buying frozen items in bulk.  Just remember, frozen foods DO have an expiration date.   A good tip is to use masking tape and a permanent marker to label foods in the freezer so that you see the expiration dates clearly.

Healthy Frozen Meals – I get asked about healthy frozen diet meals all the time.  While I don’t usually recommend them because of high sodium content, many brands have scaled back on sodium and preservatives.  If you don’t have time to cook your meals and you can find ones with quality, healthy ingredients for a good price or on sale…go for it.  Just make sure that you READ the nutrition label and are aware of what is really in the meal.

List of foods to consider buying in the frozen isle:

  • Mango
  • Peaches
  • Berries (various)
  • Spinach
  • Broccoli
  • Corn
  • Peas
  • Edemame
  • Fish
  • Shredded potatoes
  • Chicken breast in bulk
  • Bell Peppers
  • Carrots
  • Cauliflower
  • Squash
  • Veggie Burgers
  • Vegetarian Options
  • Green Beans
  • Brussels Sprouts
  • Cherries

Are All Blenders Created Equal? Choosing the Best Blender for Your Smoothies

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blender smoothieWhen it comes to food, we want the best and most healthy options we can find.  With a striking array of fresh fruits and vegetables to choose from, farmer’s and produces markets are the go-to destinations for organic, nutritious and freshly harvested produce. And if you’re a smoothie lover, you know that fresh produce makes the best smoothies. Forget about greenhouse produce or fruits that sit for days, maybe weeks in a shipping container, you want only the best for your meals.  This includes smoothies, of course.  You know I love them, especially green smoothies.

In addition to picking the best produce for your smoothie recipes, you should also pay attention to your blender. The blender you choose for your creations can mean the difference between lumpy, gritty smoothies and smooth, heavenly ones. You see, all blenders are not created equal. Some are great at crushing ice – bring on the margaritas – but not so great at creating smoothies. Here are 4 things to consider when buying a blender…


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4 Things You Should Consider before Buying a Blender

  1. Blending Skills – If you’re going to make smoothies, you need a blender that can create smooth, creamy ones. Many blenders fall short in this department and leave you with large chunks and pieces of your ingredients. You have to choose a model that’s fast and strong enough to crush ice and break down greens and frozen fruit. However, mere crushing ability won’t cut it as many models crush ice but still leave lumps. Look for a blender that purees ice and frozen produce thoroughly and efficiently. After all, who has 20 minutes or more to blend a smoothie? Look at reviews online and compare the blender specs to top models like Nutribullet, Blendtec and Vitamix.
  2. Options and Upgrades – If you will use your blender for other things, you will want to look at the options and upgrades available for each blender you’re considering. Many blenders come equipped with different blades that allow for a variety of tasks including kneading, mincing, chopping, mixing, grating and more. These days, many come with travel cups and lids. The blender you choose will depend primarily on how you wish to use it. If you plan on using yours for a variety of tasks, a higher-end model with all the bells and whistles will probably suit best.
  3. Durability – Crushing ice and frozen fruits and veggies takes its toll. If you don’t want to replace your blender due to a burnt out or faulty motor after a short amount of time, you must choose one with a powerful motor. It is often less expensive to pay a little more in the beginning for a blender that will last for years than to purchase an inexpensive blender that will only last a few months, making it necessary for you to purchase another one.  Also, go for a glass or thick plastic blender pitcher if you can over thinner plastic pitchers.  Thin plastic can get scratched up and may break easily.
  4. Price – As you can imagine, blenders range in price from very inexpensive to extremely pricy. While you don’t have to purchase the most expensive model you find – expensive doesn’t always mean better – you do have to consider your budget. Always purchase the best blender your budget will allow. Read reviews, do your homework, and find a blender you can afford and, most importantly, one that meets your needs.

Takeaways: If you think any blender will do, think again. If you wish to create truly heavenly smoothies, you have to choose the right produce as well as the right blender. Remember, expensive doesn’t always mean better. Be sure to study product reviews before selecting the right blender for the job.

Why Should You Choose Seasonal Produce?

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choose seasonal produceIt’s Day 21 of our June Clean Eating Challenge!  Today I want to give you 5 reasons why you should consider buying more in-season produce vs. out of season.

Not only do fresh fruits and vegetables contain more nutrition than their canned or frozen counterparts, they taste better, you can cook a larger variety of meals with them, and they are often cheaper than processed fruits and veggies. However, you have to be savvy when you shop for produce. You can’t just go in and grab whatever catches your eye. It’s always a good idea to buy produce that’s in season – currently being grown and harvested outdoors – than buying greenhouse produce or items that are shipped in from other parts of the world. Why? They are more readily available, and they are generally less expensive.

 5 Reasons to Buy In-Season Produce

In addition to saving almost half on your produce bill, buying in-season will help you get more out of your produce. Seasonal produce is healthier, tastier and cheaper – how can you go wrong?

  1. Better Flavor and Nutrition – Greenhouse produce just doesn’t taste the same, does it? Produce grown and ripened in the sun always have the best flavor. Not only that, it is crispier, juicy and colorful. The sun does more than make fruits and vegetables taste better too; it infuses them with antioxidants. Fresh-grown produce always contains more nutrients and antioxidants than their greenhouse counterparts.
  2. Organic (No Pesticides) – Produce grown off season in an unnatural environment requires more human intervention. Often it’s sprayed with pesticides, waxes, chemicals and preservatives in order to look like in-season produce.
  3. Meet Seasonal Nutrition Requirements – You may not know it, but different types of produce grow at exactly the time your body needs them. For example, watermelon, cucumber, fruits and berries – summer favorites – contain a lot of water, which helps you remain cool and hydrated as the temp soars. Leafy greens, available in the spring, help detoxify the body and prepare it for shedding winter weight gain.
  4. Adds Variety to Diet – Sure, you might have your favorites, but life would be boring if you ate the same fruits and veggies all the time. By purchasing produce when it’s in season, you have to add variety to your diet. Who knows? Maybe you will try something new, something that will become your new favorite food. Seasonal shopping also gives you a chance to look forward to eating all the fresh produce you love as it comes into season.
  5. Allows You to Buy Locally – Farmer’s markets are a great place to pick up locally grown, organic, inexpensive produce. Since produce loses nutritional content daily after being harvested, buying locally also ensures that the produce you choose will have the highest nutrition content possible.

You see, buying fruits and vegetables while they’re in season makes sense for a whole host of reasons. If lowering your grocery bill isn’t enough to sway you, improving the quality of your life through the consumption of healthier and tastier foods should.

Joetta lost 40 pounds

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Today’s weight loss success story: Joetta lost 40 pounds by going vegan.  She is a proud military spouse who’s husband is currently deployed.  Here is what she had to say:

“I have lost 40lbs since march. I started at 204 now im 163.5.  It was my goal to reach my preferred weight as a gift to myself and my husband who is currently deployed. I wanted to give him a new wife, inside and out. There is no better feeling than, being confident. My problem was food. I became a vegan, no fast food no junk food, only fruits, grains, and vegetables. I sometimes eat fish or seafood.

Joetta weight loss story