Considered “the mother of all grains” by the Native American Incas, quinoa (keen-wa) is best known for it’s high protein and fiber content.  Interestingly, quinoa is not actually a grain but is the seed for a crop more closely related to spinach, Swiss chard, and beets.

When cooked, it expands into  a fluffy, slightly crunchy texture with a somewhat nutty flavor.

Quinoa’s unique taste and hearty health benefits make it a fine choice for this week’s ingredient of the week.

So What So Great About Quinoa?

Compared to wheat, barley and corn, quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc.

Quinoa is one of the most complete foods in nature because it contains amino acids, enzymes, vitamins and minerals, fiber, antioxidants, and plant-based phytonutrients.

Due to its high content of magnesium, quinoa is a great addition to anyone’s diet who suffers from migraines as the magnesium helps to relax blood vessels which in turn prevents migraines.

Quinoa is very high in manganese, which helps your body break down fats, carbohydrates, and protein.

Quinoa and other whole grains help lower the risk of type II diabetes.

Quinoa is gluten-free and easy to digest.

Quinoa is a great source of fiber, in that one cup of cooked quinoa contains 5 grams of fiber (you want to get a minimum of 4-5 grams of fiber at every meal).

Quinoa is an excellent source of protein making it a great choice for vegetarians or those trying to increase their protein intake. One cup contains 8 grams of complete protein meaning that it contains the 9 essential amino acids needed to build muscle.

How Can I Use Quinoa?

You can find quinoa pre-packaged with cooking instructions, and also in bulk sections at natural food stores.  Add quinoa to your favorite soups or salads – for example, you can replace cous cous, rice, wheat or barley with quinoa.  You can also create a dish using quinoa as the main ingredient, then add grilled chicken, fish or tofu, garbanzo beans, and sauteed spinach, olive oil and sea salt and ground pepper for a yummy quinoa salad.  Hot quinoa cereal is also a tasty alternative to oatmeal in the morning – top with rice or almond milk, a touch of honey and fresh berries.

Quinoa Recipe: Curried Quinoa

Serves Six to Eight

Ingredients: 1 Cup Quinoa; 1½ Tbsp. Vegetable Oil; ½ Onion Diced (about 4 or 5 oz.); 1 Tsp. Grated Fresh Ginger Root; ½ Fresh Green Chile (Finely Chopped); 1 Heaping Tsp. Turmeric; 1 Heaping Tsp. Coriander; ¼ Tsp. Ground Cinnamon; 1¾ Cups Water; ½ Cup Fresh or Frozen Peas; Salt to Taste.

Rinse quinoa with cold water. Place oil and diced onions in a heavy saucepan. Saute the onions on medium high heat for four to five minutes. Add the ginger root, chile, and quinoa. Cook for one minute stirring constantly.A fine, white spiral appears around the grain as it cooks. Stir in the turmeric, coriander, cinnamon, and salt. Cook for one minute stirring constantly. Add the water and bring it to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in peas. Cover and cook for four or five minutes or until peas are tender and all the water has been absorbed. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Serve warm, or best chilled for a refreshing and light side salad.

ROSEMARY has quite a romantic history.

In Old England, rosemary was considered a sign of fidelity and was incorporated into costumes, gifts, and decorations for weddings. In ancient Greece it was considered a memory-aid, and was put in students’ hair before exams (a far cry from today’s Red Bull!)

Rosemary has also been recognized for its medicinal attributes by the Chinese and other ancient cultures, which makes this versatile and aromatic herbs one of my faves.

What’s So Great about Rosemary?

• Helps protect against cancer and accelerated skin aging due to its high antioxidant profile that fight free radicals.
• Wards off breast cancer by lowering levels of estrogen when taken in concentrated rosemary extract.
• Contains compounds that may help in the prevention of cognitive dysfunction such as Alzheimers.
• Reduces painful symptoms of early onset arthritis.
• Encourages the production of detoxifying enzymes that help to flush toxins from the liver.
• Helps to prevent food spoilage as efficiently as harmful chemical artificial preservatives.
• Increases energy with it’s mild stimulant properties.
• Eliminates bloating and swollen joints by promoting healthy liver function.
• Helps tummy aches and improves digestion by loosening smooth muscle.
• Reduces congestion from colds and has been known to soothe asthma attacks

How Can I Use Rosemary?

• Add dried rosemary to your favorite dishes such as meats, potatoes, pasta sauces, garlic bread, soups and even scrambled eggs!
• Use rosemary beauty products such as shampoos, body lotions and face masks to reap the benefits that rosemary has on your skin.
• Try brewing a cup of rosemary tea in the morning as an alternative to coffee.
• Consider taking rosemary in supplement form.
• Use rosemary extract as a soothing perfume or as a natural cold remedy.

What better ingredient to highlight the spirit of autumn than the good ol’ pumpkin?

For Americans, the most popular way to eat a pumpkin is in the golden, rich holiday pie. Did you know that the first recorded recipe for a pumpkin pie dates back to the 1700s?

Yet there are many other uses for this tasty veggie.  In fact, pumpkins were introduced to Europeans by the Native Americans who used this magical vegetable for medicinal purposes. The seeds, oil, meat, and even certain pumpkin flesh can be used to enhance your health, in addition to and tantalizing your taste buds.

What’s So Great about Pumpkin?

Pumpkin Meat

• Pumpkins are a great source of beta-carotene, vitamin C, and potassium.
• The beta-carotene in pumpkins has been shown to prevent night blindness, eye problems and skin disorders. In addition, the beta-carotene is an antioxidant that slows the aging process.
• Pumpkins are a great immune booster, they protect against toxins, cancer formations, colds, flus, and infections!
• Pumpkins help in the protection against strokes and heart attacks by preventing hardening of the arteries.
• The fiber in pumpkins helps to satisfy cravings and curb your appetite.

Pumpkin Seeds

• Contain L-tryptophan which is effective in curbing mild depression.
• Pumpkin seeds are incredibly high in magnesium, which helps with muscle relaxation.
• High rates of zinc make pumpkin seeds a protector against osteoporosis and a great immune booster!
• Pumpkin seeds are a natural inflammatory.
• Pumpkin seeds lower the “bad” LDL cholesterol levels.

How Can I Use Pumpkin?

• Sprinkle fresh pumpkin seeds with your favorite seasoning and bake them at 350 degrees until they are golden brown!
• Make a pie, but consider using alternative sweeteners to sugar such as honey or Stevia to keep it health-friendly.
• Create a pumpkin soup by cooking pumpkin in vegetable stock. Add in your favorite vegetables such as onion, leek, and potato and spice it up with garlic and pepper or nutmeg and cinnamon.
• Make pumpkin pancakes by replacing the milk called for in the pancake recipe with pureed pumpkin!

Try This Pumpkin Dinner Recipe:

Ingredients:

• 3 1/4 cups peeled, cubed pumpkin
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh garlic
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 6 ounces feta cheese, cubed
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups Arborio rice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Brush a baking dish with olive oil.
2. Place pumpkin in a steamer over 1 inch of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender but still firm. Transfer pumpkin to baking dish, and brush with oil. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in preheated oven until golden brown.
3. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a saucepan. Cook onion and garlic until tender. Stir in rice, and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Slowly add vegetable broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently and allowing all the liquid to be absorbed before adding more broth. Continue cooking until the rice is tender to the tooth, and then season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. When the pumpkin is almost done, place feta on a baking sheet, and bake in preheated oven until the cheese is hot, and is beginning to melt along the edges.
5. Mash 1/2 of the pumpkin, and stir into the risotto with the spinach. Ladle risotto into bowls, and top with remaining pumpkin cubes and heated feta.

For more Health-Happy Recipes, visit our website at www.maxlifetherapies.com

I’m all about a good piece of dark chocolate.

It is a great way to “pull out” of a meal with something that satisfies your sweet-tooth but doesn’t leave you yearning for more. It’s precise in it’s delight, and for that reason I love it and recommend it.

So why the guilt when you eat this tasty treat?

Possibly because you are over-eating chocolate as a way to calm your mind, soothe your nerves and satisfy a compelling craving.  Self-proclaimed “chocoholics” will admit that the bowl of Hershey’s kisses at the office is the first place they’ll go when they feel stressed.  This self-medicating habit can lead to a reliance on chocolate, which can ultimately cancel out the health benefits.

What if you could work chocolate into your daily life as an aspect of wellbeing and guilt-free pleasure?

Well, you can!

When you learn to hold chocolate in high regard as a treat, and consume it in moderation, you can reap all the benefits for body, mind and spirit, without the repercussions of a guilty indulgence.

Be warned, however, that not all chocolate is created equal.

The health benefits of chocolate are significantly more present in dark chocolate than in milk chocolate. Dark chocolate has 65% more cocoa (the substance that makes chocolate so good for you) whereas milk chocolate adds more in the form of sugar and milk.

The health benefits of dark chocolate are as follows:

• Rich in a chemical called theobromine which can reduce the chances of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women
• Acts as a natural aphrodisiac
• Contains phenyl ethylamine, a mild mood elevator
• Increases antioxidants in the body
• Promotes healthy blood flow
• Improves mental acuity with it’s low levels of caffeine (around 30 milligrams in an average bar)
• Contains high levels of magnesium which the first nutrient to get depleted during times of stress

Chocolate also helps to increase a neurotransmitter called serotonin  - or better known as your “feel good” hormone. Yes, that’s why you feel so happy when you melt that tasty morsel on your tongue! Hence, it is often the first food you go to when you’re feeling blue.

So as with all things, chocolate is most beneficial in moderation. The health benefits and deliciousness of chocolate can be reaped with around 3.5 ounces or about 100 grams a day. If you are going to eat chocolate, keep your intake to 100 calories so that you can devote the rest of your day to calories form other nutrient-dense foods.

Also truly savoring a small square of chocolate will help to satisfy your cravings  much more readily than if you unconsciously gobble up the whole bar.

Enjoy!