What better way to enjoy the summer, then with a healthy and refreshing chicken salad?  Try this healthy spin on the traditional chicken salad!  We’ve added lots of healthy vegetables and fruits for flavor and eliminated the fattening mayo!

Cran Apple Chicken Salad

Ingredients
4 oz Chilled Chicken
1 cup Sweetened Dried Cranberries
1 cup Grapes-green
1/2 cup Red Onion
1 cup Red Delicious Apple
1/2 Chopped Pineapple
1 cup Chopped Green Bell Peppers
3/4 cup Cashew Nuts
8 oz Greek Yogurt (plain)
1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat Pasta Cooked
1/2 tsp Atlantic Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Ground Black Pepper (or to taste)

Directions
1) Prepare pasta and crush nuts (lightly pulse in food processor) ahead of time.

2) Pull or chop chicken. Chop pineapple, apple, red onion and bell pepper into either quarter-inch or half-inch pieces. Half the grapes.

3) Combine ALL ingredients except yogurt in large bowl.

4) Add yogurt and mix well with large spoon.

5) Chill for 2-4 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Avocado can aid in weight-loss if eaten in moderate amounts. While it is higher in calories—about 48 calories per ounce, avocados help fight obesity because they boost satiety. Satiety is the feeling of fullness that signals us to stop eating and thus helps us control our calorie intake.  You will also be delighted to hear that research suggests that exercise burns monounsaturated fat more rapidly than saturated fat. Meaning that even though an avocado is high in monounsaturated fat, this fat will be burned more quickly than saturated fat found in meat.

 Avocado is also a rich source of L-carnitine, which can boost your fat burning metabolism.  L-carnitine is an amino acid found in your body in the liver. It helps to facilitate fat metabolism, and promotes fat loss. Additionally, it is known to increase energy production in muscle cells and increases blood circulation in the brain.

Cool and velvety smooth, cold avocado soup is the perfect way to start a refreshing summer dinner.

Ingredients

• 1/2 seedless cucumber, chopped
• 1 medium avocado, peeled and pitted
• 1 shallot , chopped
• 2 tablespoon(s) plain yogurt
• 2 tablespoon(s) fresh mint
• 1 sprig(s) fresh mint
• 4 teaspoon(s) fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 1 radish, chopped

Directions

1. Place the cucumber, avocado, shallot, yogurt, 2 tablespoons mint, lime juice, salt, pepper, cumin, and 1 cup cold water in a blender, and process until smooth.
2. Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve garnished with the radish and remaining mint leaves.

From Country Living

How to pick the perfect Avocado

A ripe, ready-to-eat avocado is slightly soft but should have no dark sunken spots or cracks. If the avocado has a slight neck, rather than being rounded on top, it was probably tree ripened and will have better flavor. A firmer, less mature fruit can be ripened at home and will be less likely to have bruises.

Visit our website for more information on Nutrition and Fitness.  Summer is around the corner, and we would love to help boost your confidence in a bikini!

Before you dismiss the idea of drinking your veggies, you really ought to give it a shot!  Not only is drinking a green smoothie the quickest, easiest way to obtain incredible health results, but when you use the right ratio of fruit to veggies, they taste amazing, too.  Just by adding one veggie infused smoothie to your diet every day will start to bring about amazing positive change in the body. When the body gets the foods it needs, it can heal itself. Green smoothies are fast and extremely easy to make.  From start to finish, it takes less than 10 minutes, and that includes cleaning up!  Consider a small, “Magic Bullet” style blender for less clean up.  Green smoothies, as opposed to juices, are a complete food because they still contain fiber. To get the best flavor use the 60:40 ratio of fruits to veggies.  This ideal ratio allows the fruit to dominate the flavor, while the green vegetables balance out the sweetness, adding nice zest to it.  Here is a great basic green smoothie recipe that even makes for a great breakfast.

Basic Green Smoothie Recipe

Soak the nuts and dried fruit ahead of time to rehydrate and release the beneficial digestive enzymes.  Tear up the greens into 2-inch pieces, add all ingredients and water and blend until smooth.  You can throw in a few ice cubes for a thicker, colder smoothie, although they are just as good without.  Use fruits, greens and nuts of your preference but don’t use the same ones every day.  You get a more balanced nutrition if you change it up, and that keeps things interesting.

2-3 cups chopped leafy green vegetables (spinach, kale, collards, chard)

1 banana

1 apple, pear, peach, or handful of berries

1/4 cup dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs), rehydrated in water

1 large handful nuts or seeds (hempseed, pumpkin seeds, cashews, almonds, walnuts, pecans, etc.), pre-soaked

1-2 cups filtered water, as necessary

Give it a shot. Take the challenge, incorperate one green smoothie into your diet each day for one week and see if you feel a difference!  Don’t cheat when it comes to your health, eating your veggies is one of the best things you can do for your body.

Quinoa, pronounced “kEEn-wah” is an amino acid-rich (protein) seed that has a fluffy, creamy, slightly crunchy texture and a somewhat nutty flavor when cooked. You can find Quinoa throughout the year at most local health food stores or Whole Foods.

Quinoa is an excellent source of protein, and unlike other grains, is not missing the amino acid lysine, so the protein is more complete (a trait it shares with other “non-true” grains such as buckwheat and amaranth). Quinoa offers more iron than other grains and contains high levels of potassium and riboflavin, as well as other B vitamins: B6, niacin, and thiamin. It is also a good source of magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese, and folic acid.  For those who can’t eat gluten, you’ll be happy to hear it is gluten-free.  Don’t forget that maintaining a healthy diet increases your ability to stay healthy and feel young.

Although you may think of quinoa as a grain, it is actually the seed of a plant that is actually related to beets, chard and spinach.

Here is a tasty quinoa recipe perfect for spring!

Quinoa Salad Recipe with Yellow Grape Tomatoes, Kalamata Olives, Basil and Mint

Make this tabbouleh inspired quinoa early in the day, allowing the Mediterranean flavors deepen as it chills.

You’ll need:

1 clove of garlic, peeled
2 1/2 to 3 cups cooked quinoa
A handful of sweet grape tomatoes- yellow is low acid, and delicious
1 carrot, grated
4 scallions, sliced (white and light green sections)
1/4 cup Kalamata olives, whole or pitted and chopped
1/3 cup slivered nuts- pecans, almonds or walnuts
Sea salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil leaves
1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Juice of 1-2 lemons or limes, depending upon size
Rub the clove of raw garlic inside a glass or ceramic salad bowl.

While the cooked quinoa is still a bit warm (but not steaming hot) scoop it into a bowl and fluff with a fork.

Halve or quarter the yellow tomatoes and add them to the bowl. Add in the grated carrot, sliced scallions, Kalamata olives, and slivered nuts. Toss lightly to combine.

Season with sea salt and ground pepper. Add the chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle the salad with extra virgin olive oil- enough to moisten. Toss to distribute. Squeeze a lemon or a lime all over the salad and toss.

Give it a taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. When the seasoning tastes right, cover and chill until serving (at least one hour, but a few is even better).

Before serving, taste again and readjust seasonings if you need to.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

Wondering what to have for dinner tonight?

Well, we’re here to save you some time.  Not only is this meal healthy and nutritious, but you can whip it up in 20 minutes and it’s extraordinarily delicious.  Sound good?

Tonight’s Meal: Salmon w/ a Mustard, Dill Sauce with  Warm Asparagus Salad and Instant Brown Rice.

Warm Asparagus Salad 

Not only is it an excellent source of health-promoting vitamins A, C, and E, but it provides 16% of your Daily Value for folate. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
½ small onion, cut in half and sliced thin
2 TBS light vinegar (rice, apple cider, or white wine)
1 cup hot water
1 bunch asparagus
3 TBS low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
7½ oz jar of roasted red bell peppers, drained and slivered (or 2 medium red bell peppers, sliced thin)
1 TBS balsamic vinegar
1 TBS extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Slice onion and place in a small bowl with vinegar and hot water while preparing rest of the ingredients.
2. Heat 3 TBS broth over medium heat in a stainless steel skillet.
3. While broth is heating, snap off the woody bottom of asparagus stems, then cut the spears into 2-inch lengths. Cutting them into short pieces of equal length ensures quick, even cooking.
4. When broth begins to steam, add asparagus. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. The outside will be tender and the inside will be crisp. Thinner spears will take about 3 minutes.
5. After about 10 minutes, remove onion from hot water and squeeze dry.
6. Mix together roasted peppers with marinated onion, asparagus, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Marinate for 4-5 minutes and serve warm.Optional: If you use fresh red bell peppers, Healthy Sauté them for 7 minutes and toss with rest of ingredients in place of roasted peppers.  Serves 4  

15-Minute Salmon with Mustard, Dill Sauce

Scientific research continues to discover the importance of vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids for optimal health. Salmon is one of the best food sources for both of these hard-to-find health-promoting essential nutrients.  But stick to Wild Salmon which has much higher amount of omega-3 fatty acids.  Its also low in calories and saturated fat, yet high in protein and an excellent source of selenium, niacin and vitamin B12.  One serving of this recipe provides over 100% for both vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids. Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1/1/2 lbs salmon filet cut into 4 pieces, skin and bones removed
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 medium garlic cloves, pressed
1 TBS Dijon mustard
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
¼ cup chicken broth
1 tsp honey
1 tsp chopped fresh dill
salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler on high and place an all stainless steel skillet (be sure the handle is also stainless steel) or cast iron pan under the heat for about 10 minutes to get it very hot. The pan should be 5 to 7 inches from the heat source.
2. Press garlic and let it sit for at least 5 minutes to bring out its health-promoting properties.
3. Rub salmon with 1 TBS fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper. (You can Quick Broil with the skin on; it just takes a minute or two longer. The skin will peel right off after cooking.)
4. Using a hot pad, pull pan away from heat and place salmon on hot pan. Return to broiler. Keep in mind that it is cooking rapidly on both sides so it will be done very quickly (7 minutes per inch of thickness). Test with a fork for doneness. It will flake easily when it is cooked. Salmon is best when it is still pink inside.
5. To make the sauce, add garlic to a stainless steel skillet and stir for half a minute. Add mustard, lemon juice, broth, honey, salt and pepper. Cook on high heat for a minute to reduce slightly and then add dill. Pour over salmon and serve.  Serves 4

**Healthy Cooking Tips:

When cooking with fresh herbs, add at the end of cooking to retain maximum flavor.

Happy 2010 folks!

I hope everybody had a great holiday and New Year celebration!

It’s the first work week of the year and I’ve got something exciting to tell you all!

This morning I checked into the office, just like any other day. Mail came in, FedEx dropped off some boxes, the usual.

Well, one of the boxes contained a special surprise, one that was so tasty the second I bit into it I just had to write about it!

It’s called Cocommune Bar, for Gastrointestinal, Digestive, and Immune Support.

Here’s what their makers have to say:

“Cocommune Bar™ is our latest, delicious creation in functional food bars. We have blended a rich dark chocolate with a generous amount of moist, chewy coconut filling to provide a taste that will rival even a Mounds® bar! This all natural, kosher food bar also contains a very useful 500mg of our specially prepared Tegricel™ colostrum per bar. This unique and potent colostrum was designed to enhance general immune function and to protect and repair damaged GI tissue from the use of NSAID’s. Tegricel™ can also be beneficial in other conditions such as Crohn’s, Celiac, IBS and ulcerative colitis that can result in intestinal damage.”

And what do I say? I say GIMMIE MORE – and the staff agrees!!!! These scrumptious bars are so delish (and healthy) I was shocked when I read the nutritional label. For just one serving (one bar is 40g) you’ve got 160 Calories, 12g of fat (remember, it’s made with coconut), 23g of carbs (that’s only 2 NET GRAMS PER SERVING!), 4 g of dietary fiber, 1 g of sugars (ONE GRAM!!!! Almost everything you pick up nowadays is simply made only of sugars!), 17g of sugar alcohol, 2g of protein, and 60mg of sodium.

The ingredients were a list of easy to read words. You know, I always frown and typically turn away from foods that have ingredients that I can’t even pronounce – a good rule of thumb: If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably not something you want in your body.

Did I mention the chocolate is sugar free???

So if I haven’t enticed you enough, I say come on down and grab a bar for yourself. If you’re a fan of chocolate and coconut, I can assure you won’t be disappointed!!

Being the food nut that I am, when I read Dr. Berger’s blog about grilling red meat, my heart just dropped.

This is definitely controversial (for me, at least) because we’ve heard for so many years that grilling especially is a healthier method of cooking rather than frying, for example. The problem with grilling and BBQ-ing is that most people figure “well done” means burning your steak down to a crisp. By charring and burning the meat, you’re essentially going to end up eating charcoal!

Well, I know how much we all the outdoors and grilling assorted meats (granted its freezing out now), so I dug a little deeper to give you pointers on the proper way to grill red meat.

1. Make sure the grill is hot!

a. Generally, anything (whether it’s an oven or grill) over 300°F is safe to cook meat on.
b. If you’re using a gas grill, turn it on and close the lid for about 10 minutes to burn and scrape off any remainders stuck on the grill
c. For charcoal grills, make sure all the coals are nice & red and no longer give off fire before placing the meat.

2. Meat should be seasoned and tenderized prior to grilling

a. If you’re using any oil in your seasoning, use lightly because oil will cause flare-ups and that will needlessly burn and carbonize the meat – Not Good!

3. Don’t let it get too hot

a. A higher flame means you can sear the meat and trap the juices but if it’s too high, the meat will be burned on the outside and left uncooked on the inside.

4. Remove the meat once you have it to your liking

a. Having a meat thermometer is a great tool to own in the kitchen. Using the meat thermometer, insert it into the thickest part of the meat. Temperatures should be as follows

i.      Rare: 120°F – 125°F
ii.      Medium-Rare: 130°F – 135°F
iii.      Medium: 140°F – 145°F
iv.      Medium-Well: 150°F – 155°F
v.      Well Done: 160°F+

b. If you don’t have a thermometer, press the center or thickest part of the meat with your finger. If it’s still soft and squishy, that means it’s rare and needs more time for cooking. Medium will be firm but still have its buoyancy and well done would feel very firm and not as resilient.

5. Note…

a. that the meat’s internal temperature will rise a minimum of 5°F after removing from the grill so if you want Medium steak, remove the meat off the grill when at 140°F.
b. that using a meat thermometer means you may lose some of the succulent juices when piercing the meat

I hope these tips help you grill the most succulent (and not to mention healthier & safer) of steaks!

Anoush!

~Sho

It has been a week since Thanksgiving and if you’re like me, you had enough turkey & cranberry sauce to last you until next year. And being the holiday season, there are more family gatherings and feasts ahead, which means more food, more calories and more pounds to put on – yikes!

So, to keep those pesky pounds off and make sure you fit into your little black dress or snazzy suit this New Years, why not start your days with a refreshing smoothie!

Tropical Smoothie

Pineapple and papaya are rich in antioxidants and contain digestive-system stimulating enzymes – the perfect wake-me-up to any morning.

You will need:

• 1 ripe papaya, peeled, pitted, and chopped
• 1/2 fresh pineapple, peeled and chopped
• 2/3 cup soy milk
• 1 & 1/4 cups soy yogurt (you can purchase this at most grocery stores or you can make it yourself by following the recipe below. If you plan to purchase, I recommend getting the “light” soygurt)

Place all the ingredients in a juicer or blender and process until smooth. Serves 2.

Soy Yogurt

Making yogurt is not exactly the easiest thing in the world but it sure is an adventure!

Live yogurt helps to repopulate the digestive system with friendly bacteria to make sure it runs smoothly. This yogurt is delicious with fresh fruit, fruit purees, or simply with honey.

You will need:

• 2 & 1/2 cups soy milk
• 4 tbsp powdered soy milk
• 1 tbsp live plain soy yogurt

1. Boil the soy milk in a pan. Leave to cool until tepid. Add the powdered soy milk and yogurt and blend with a hand whisk.

2. Rinse a vacuum flask (AKA thermos) with boiling water to sterilize it. Pour in the soy mixture, then replace the lid and keep in a warm place overnight (an airing closet is ideal).

3. Empty the flask contents into smaller pots or jars and refrigerate. Save 1 tablespoon of yogurt to use as a starter next time you make yogurt.

Serves 4.

I hope you enjoy making these recipes and don’t forget to have fun when you cook! Be creative, try new things and always remember to share with the ones you love.

Anoush! (Enjoy!)
-Sho

Rose, Sara.Detox: The Process of Cleansing and Restoration. Bath: Parragon. 2006

Hello to our dear patients and readers!

This is the first entry and beginning of our newest addition to the blog – The Sho-Stopper Recipes!

My name is Sho, the latest member of Team Rejuvalife, and I will be updating you with healthy and nutritional tips & recipes that are no doubt good for you but are easy to follow, scrumptious, and most importantly, enjoyable for you & the whole family.

My passion for cooking has long since developed when I was child and it’s all thanks to my family. My mother is always contemplating on what delicious meals she will be crafting for dinner.  – I’m lucky to say that there isn’t a single food my mom has made that I didn’t enjoy. Sundays were kept for my father who, to this day, still makes his infamous all-star breakfasts and dinners that usually came hot, right off the grill.

I can go on and on and on and on about food. What can I say? I love food!

And I hope that by sharing my passion and love for food to the world, you too will be able to enjoy one of the greatest gifts we have – Eating!!!

Let’s Start Cookin’!

-Sho