Nutmeg, Not Just for Holiday Cooking!

Nutmeg, a native spice of the Moluccas Islands in the South Pacific, has been considered to do more than spice up holiday dishes and aromas.  Recent studies have considered the healing benefits of nutmeg to:

Lower blood pressure;


Soothe digestive upset;

Ease joint pain and inflammation


Provide relief from diarrhea


Promote concentration


Stimulate the cardiovascular system


Relieve pain from tooth aches


Relieves nausea


Relieve insomnia


Calms muscle spasms and anxiety


It is frequently used externally for eczema and arthritic pain.


A small pea size amount taken over a long period of time has been known to help chronic nervous disorders and heart problems.

Try this tasty recipe from Mrs. Dash using healthy spices including nutmeg.

Jerk-Style Pork Chops Recipe

Head to the Caribbean for a spicy way to dress up pork chops. The sauce combines Mrs. Dash® Seasoning Blend, brown sugar, jalapeno, and more for a taste that will make your chops just tops. Sit back with ease, this recipe is a breeze!


Ingredients:


4 (6 Oz.) (170g) center cut bone-in loin pork chops


2/3 cup (150mL) orange juice


1 Tbsp. (15mL) brown sugar


1 small Jalapeno


2 Tbsp. (25mL) Mrs. Dash® Original Blend


1 Tbsp. (15mL) Mrs. Dash® Extra Spicy Seasoning Blend


1/2 tsp (2mL) ginger


1/2 tsp (2mL) cinnamon


1/2 tsp (2mL) ground cloves


1 tsp (5mL) ground allspice


1/4 tsp nutmeg


Garnish suggestions: fresh thyme sprigs, scotch bonnet peppers, orange slices, orange twists, celery leaves, white kale.


Directions:


1.De-seed and mince jalapeno.


2.Combine orange juice, brown sugar, Mrs. Dash® Extra Spicy, jalapeno, nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and allspice. Bring orange juice mixture to a boil.


3.Reduce heat. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat; cool.


4.Spread each pork chop with orange juice mixture.


5.Place pork chops in resealable plastic bag or baking dish with cover. Pour any remaining orange juice mixture over pork chops.


6.Cover, marinate in refrigerator 6 to 8 hours or overnight, turning once.


7.Drain marinade from pork chops. Discard marinade.


8.Place pork chops on broiler pan sprayed with non-stick cooking spray.


9.Sprinkle each chop with Mrs. Dash® Original Blend.


10.Broil 4 to 6 inches from heat for 6 to 8 minutes on each side, until pork chops reach an internal temperature of 160°F (74°C).

healing food and spicesI: Stop Cravings! You Can Do It!

healing food and spicesI: Stop Cravings! You Can Do It!

Stop Cravings! You Can Do It!

Hemp seeds to curb your craving for sweets and increase your energy? I'm not kidding. Read on.

Do you feel like you are always thinking about your next quick fix -- coffee, soda, candy bar, pizza or bottle of beer?

First thing in the morning, do you reach for your coffee and end your day with alcohol? Do you limit your kid's sugar intake but have a secret stash of cookies in the pantry for your two o click fix?

Or do you crave foods that are unhealthy -- chocolate bars, cookies or salty chips or greasy French fries? Honestly, who craves water and rice cakes?

You are not alone. Thousands of women are on the endless cycle of “being good” and then “falling off the wagon

Cravings Coach, Diana Walker, knows what you are going through and can help you move easily out of the Craving a Food Fix mode.

From Cucumbers to Hemp Seeds, Diana knows what works and what doesn't.

She maintains that "Hemp seeds curb your cravings for sweets and increase your energy level. All of the nutrients in the seeds help your body stay balanced and full nourished."

Find out what she has to say about Cucumbers! Who knew that Cucumbers contain most of the vitamins you need every day, just one cucumber contains Vitamin B1, Vitamin B2, Vitamin B3, Vitamin B5, Vitamin B6, Folic Acid, Vitamin C, Calcium, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Potassium and Zinc.

I learned a long time ago that a lack of important vitamins can create cravings and we often it various foods, most of the time unhealthy snack food, before we satisfy that desire.

Avoid sugar cravings by avoiding any sugar. Hard to do. Diana says the best way to curb sugar cravings is to aim for a stable blood sugar. You can do this by avoiding sugary treats and drinks like candy, soda and even fruit drinks. Instead try sweetening your foods and drinks with stevia. Please avoid any artificial sweeteners.

If you are plagued with cravings, you want to read all about it and get it from the Craving Coach.

A Super Healthy, Delicious Squash Soup

Ingredients:
1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into ½ -inch pieces (about 3 cups)
1 large onion, chopped
3 medium cloves garlic, chopped
1 TBS chopped fresh ginger
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp curry powder
1 TBS + 2-3/4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
6 oz canned coconut milk
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro
salt & white pepper to taste
Directions:
Chop onion and garlic and let sit for 5-10 minutes to enhance their health-promoting benefits.
Peel and cut squash.
Heat 1 TBS broth in medium soup pot. Healthy Sauté onion in broth over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent.
Add garlic and ginger, and continue to sauté for another minute. Add turmeric and curry powder, and mix well. Add squash and broth, and mix. Bring to a boil on high heat. Once it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered until squash is tender, about 10 minutes.
Place in blender and blend with coconut milk. Make sure you blend in batches filling blender only half full. Start on low speed, so hot soup does not erupt and burn you. Blend until smooth, about 1 minute. Thin with a little broth if needed. Season to taste with salt and white pepper. Reheat, and add cilantro.

Recipe is from - The George Mateljan Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation with no commercial interests, is a new force for change to help make a healthier you and a healthier world.

Healthiest Pancakes Ever- Recipe

This recipe combines buckwheat, whole wheat, flax seeds, blueberries and the natural sweetness of honey to produce a great tasting breakfast that is good for you.

•3/4 cup buckwheat flour

•3/4 cup whole-wheat flour

•2 Tbsp. ground flaxseed*

•2 tsp. baking powder

•1 tsp. baking soda

•1/2 tsp. salt

•1 cup skim or low fat buttermilk

•3/4 cup skim milk

•2 large eggs

•1 Tbsp. canola oil

•1 Tbsp. honey

•2 cups blueberries (rinsed and set aside)**

•Vegetable cooking spray

•Pure maple syrup as desired

In large bowl combine flours, flaxseed, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In separate bowl mix together buttermilk, skim milk, eggs, oil and honey.

Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until batter is lightly mixed together. (If the batter appears too thick, add a dollop more of skim milk to thin.) Lumps are okay and over mixing makes for hard pancakes. Fold in blueberries.

Preheat large skillet over medium heat. Spray skillet with cooking spray. Use about 1/4 cup of batter for each pancake. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes per side on medium or medium-high heat. The pancakes are ready to flip when bubbles start to appear. Turn over only once and when golden brown. You will have enough for 4–6 generous servings, and any leftovers can be frozen for a mid-week treat.

Makes 6 servings

*Flaxseed - Is flaxseed the new wonder food? Preliminary studies show that flaxseed may help fight everything from heart disease and diabetes to breast cancer.(WebMed)

**Blueberries - A new study shows rats who ate a diet rich in blueberries lost abdominal fat -- the kind of fat linked to heart disease and diabetes -- as well as experienced other health benefits like lowered cholesterol and improved glucose control even if their diet wasn’t otherwise heart-healthy. (WebMed)

The purpose of this blog is to help people find natural ways of being healthier. It is for information purposes only and should never be considered as medical advice. Remember to never change your health regimen without consulting yur medical adviser.

For more healthy hints and facts, check out Natural Healing Spices

Peanut Butter for the Heart?

Magnesium is the key. It's a mineral that significantly reduces cell damage which several studies showed that people who ate at least 320 mg. of magnesium daily had a low risk of C-reactive protein--a sign of heart damaging inflammation.

Two tbsps of Peanut butter has 50 mg of magnesium

Potatoes with skin have 50 mg.

Eight oz of Yogurt has 45 mg

Cup of Bran Flakes has about 60 mg

A half cup of brown rice has 40 mg

Banana is good for 30mg.

Snack on foods high in magnesium for a healthier heart!

Stop Those Cravings!

You know how frustrating it is when cravings sabotage your efforts to improve your health or lose weight.

Learning to identify your food craving triggers is the first step to stopping them and climbing on the healthier and slimmer way of eating.

Yes, it can be done and it's really not as hard as you think!

Do you crave junk food? What is the trigger?

How about alcohol as in wine/beer? Is it becoming a problem? Might it be stress?

Is coffee one of your 'perk me up' things you think you have to have?

Here's a biggie! Soft Drinks as in Colas even sugar free can be a creating more and more cravings!

And of course, salty snacks.

If you have any of these cravings--believe that each time you give into one--it will be a trigger to another and before you know it, you could be binging.

I had to not eat carbs until later in the day or I found I was craving bread, or some kind of carb every hour or so. Especially potato chips--I stopped having them in the house.

Then I learned what else caused addictive triggers that got me reaching for things I knew would just lead to more cravings.

You have to learn how to spot those triggers and how to stop those triggers.

One way is to read Craving Secrets

The author, Diana Walker, says "seemingly harmless craving for a favourite food or drink could be sabotaging your physical and mental health?"

She has worked for years with people who have intense food cravings and has helped them release those addictive demons.

As she says in the book, "A food craving is much, much more than a preference for a particular food, or an impulse to buy a certain snack. A food craving is an intense and uncontrollable desire for a type of food. When you have a craving for a food, you’ll go to any lengths to satisfy it. Cravings can be distracting and disastrous to your health."

Look at Diana's book, Craving Secrets

Hope you will find it as fascinating and helpful as I have.