How do you Choose, Store, and Wash Berries to Last?

 Posted by
May 132013
 
Pick your strawberries

5881926140_69df699db2Can you think of anything more tantalizing in the foodie world than rows and rows of different berries spread out before you at your farmer’s market? Their rich color and bite-sized goodness not only tempt you to reach for a handful, but their sweet flavor puts your taste buds on frenzy. I am definitely a goner! Having been dubbed the strawberry queen by my loving hubby, I can honestly say berries are a (healthy) weakness of mine.

  • Have you ever bough berries (and I know, they aren’t cheap) only to bring them home and find they are missing that sweet flavor we all love?
  • Have you gone to store them only to find they went bad on you?
  • Have you wondered if you should soak them, spray them with a special fruit was, or if they are just fine and ready to eat?
  • Should you wash and then store or not wash until you are ready to eat the berries?
  • Does it really make a difference how you choose, wash, and store your berries?

YES!

And to make matters even more complicated, each type of berry is unique. So, in this blog post, I am going to cover the top 5 most common berries you will find at your grocery store or farmer’s market and how you can get the most out of your hard earned money when it comes to berries.

After all, I am here to inspire you to find a healthy and fit lifestyle you love without breaking the bank. How can you enjoy eating these amazing fruits if they lack flavor and are always going bad?

*Remember: berries are at the top of the “dirty dozen” list of fruits and vegetables that contain the highest amount of pesticide residues. So buy berries organic. If there is no way you can afford to go organic, go ahead and buy conventional. I would rather your family get the berries than forgoing them for a processed snack. I encourage you to read more about the dirty dozen and how to choose and clean your produce.

Strawberries

Strawberries are my favorite of all the berries. When choosing them, make sure you choose the ones that are brightly colored, plump, and the green leafs are looking fresh. Avoid those that have some white or green on the area that should be red, as well as those that are bruised or have wilted leafy caps on top. By being picky about your strawberries, you can get blessed with a bundle that will be the best looking, long lasting, and most flavorful.

Strawberries do best when you wash soon before eating. They typically will only last 1-2 days in the refrigerator until they start going downhill. In order to wash them, I typically bathe them in a 2:1 mixture of water to distilled white vinegar for no longer than 5 minutes and then rinse.

How healthy are strawberries for you?

Raspberries

Following up strawberries as my favorite are raspberries. This little fruit has a deep red color and should be chosen based on being dry, firm, and plump. Avoid those that look soggy or shriveled. In the refrigerator, these tasty little fruits can last a good 3-4 days if you have not washed them yet. It is best to store them in a little container where you can put them in a single layer. Don’t add the lid!

In order to wash raspberries, I will typically spray them with my 2:1 water to distilled white vinegar mixture and rinse in water just prior to serving. If you would soak these like strawberries, they would get all mushy.

Try making this awesome BERRY SMOOTHIE with fresh raspberries!

Blackberries

Blackberries should be a deep purple/black and should be shiny and firm. Avoid blackberries that look mushy or bruised. Make sure to check the top of the blackberries because there are many times I find that to be the first place mold grows.
You can store blackberries in the refrigerator for a good week if you don’t wash them. They last longer and mold doesn’t grow as easily if you store them uncovered in a single layer. In the freezer, they can last a year. I haven’t tried longer than that. They are typically gone by then!

Wash just prior to eating blackberries using the same method that you would use for raspberries.

Blueberries

Love these plump little blue guys! Be sure to choose those that have a good rich color and are plump. Avoid mushy, moldy, or leaky blueberries. These little guys can keep in the refrigerator for at least a week if you store them in a single layer and covered. Just like blackberries, they can be kept in the freezer for up to a year.

Wash blueberries just prior to eating with the 2:1 water to distilled white vinegar mixture and rinse well.

Cranberries

Not many people deal with fresh cranberries on a regular basis. These are more famous for the canned or frozen varieties to be used in baking. However, I encourage you to use try your hand and using the fresh cranberries more for your baking. You will notice a very tasty difference! Choose shiny and firm cranberries. Skip those that have brown spots or are all shriveled.

Cranberries can last quite a while in the refrigerator (up to 2 months). Seal them in a container for maximum freshness. Wash with the 2:1 water to distilled white vinegar mixture and rinse well just prior to using in your baking.

Anything catch your eye as you went through the instructions for each berry? Are you currently doing anything different than what is listed that is working well for you? Leave a comment below…

 

photo credit: flickr/mrsdkrebs

Recipe: Super Easy Black Bean Burgers

 Posted by
Apr 112013
 

blackbeanburgerrecipeI never thought I would be a black bean burger fanatic. Growing up I didn’t care for hamburgers anyway so when I made the decision to go plant-based, I didn’t think I would be missing much. However, my husband comes from a farming background and loves his burgers! So, I decided I would try to find a healthy (and plant based) alternative I could make at home that would provide the satisfaction that an omnivore gets from his hamburgers.

I have tried quite a few different recipes that I have found online for black bean burgers, but they all felt like they were missing something or were too complicated for me to want to make them after getting home from a long day at work. So, I have come up with the following recipe that is pretty simple and quick to make. Even my meat loving hubby asks for them!

Super Easy Black Bean Burgers
Ingredients:
  • 1 15oz can of black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/3 yellow onion
  • ½ green bell pepper
  • ½ cup of instant oats
  • 2 Tbsp. ketchup
  • 1 Tbsp. yellow mustard
  • 1 tsp. garlic powder
Directions:
  1. Preheat oven to 400F.
  2. Put the black beans into the food processor and pulse until smooth.
  3. Process the onion and green bell pepper until they are finely diced.
  4. Combine the three ingredients in bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir well. If the mixture is still a little wet, add a little more oats until you get desired consistency that will stick together when made into patties.
  5. Pinch out 8 patties onto a greased pan and shape into thin patties.
  6. Bake for 8 minutes on each side or until both sides are crispy.

Top with your favorite burger toppings such as guacamole, BBQ sauce, ketchup, mustard, onions, pickles, or whatever you usually love on your burgers! We enjoy making double-deckers and getting creative with new combos each time. Serve with veggies of your choice or make some oven potato wedges (my favorite).

Leave me a comment below: What do you think of this recipe? Does is sound easy-peasy and yummy?

10 Simple Diet Rules to Live By for PCOS

 Posted by
Feb 142013
 

With PCOS, the culprit is hormonal imbalance. This is why the reproductive system is not behaving well and giving you those awful PCOS symptoms or making it seem impossible to get pregnant.

Hang in there!

So what is causing all those PCOS symptoms? The medical consensus is that PCOS stems from insulin resistance. What happens is that when you eat the typical American diet, it raises blood sugar quickly. This leads to a surge release of insulin which has the job of pulling the extra sugar into your cells and store as fat. Think of insulin as the gate keeper of your cells.

Basically, in PCOS, you get what is called insulin resistance which means it take more insulin to do the same job as before. This imbalance of the hormone insulin can increase androgen production. This is what causes the “fun” symptoms of PCOS and weight gain.

Your goal to break this cycle?

Keep blood sugar levels stable.

I know. I know. Easier said than done! Well with the following diet guidelines you will be well on your way to getting those hormones balanced leading to a decrease in your PCOS symptoms, an improvement in fertility, and a decrease in your risk of developing diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

For more information visit:
PCOS and Heart Disease: Are you at Risk?
What is PCOS?
How to Manage PCOS Naturally

Here are the 10 simple diet “rules” to live by to help you get those hormones back in balance:
  • Eat a high-nutrient, whole foods diet.
  • Decrease sugar.
  • Decrease salt.
  • Decrease processed food.
  • Increase color variety on you plate.
  • Control your portions.
  • Implement changes gradually.
  • Take up snacking. It’s good for you!
  • Drink lots of water.
  • Decrease animal products.

I have found that these are the best tips for improving PCOS symptoms and will actually work for the most common diseases found in the US such as diabetes, heart disease, etc.

Many of you have asked: Are you vegan?

I do not like to label myself vegetarian/vegan/plant-based/etc, I have found the best way to eat healthy without sacrificing what our comfort foods are, is to adopt more nutritarian way of eating.

I simply focus on eating more foods that are higher in nutrients and less of foods that are lower in nutrients. Makes sense, doesn’t it? If we want our bodies to function optimally, we need to feed them more of the good stuff and less of the bad stuff. Pretty simple.

For more information on how I personally eat the nutritarian way, visit my most popular nutrition blog post: The Nutritarian Diet Review  :)

What diet tips have you found to help your PCOS symptoms? Leave a comment below!

Recipe: Yummy Comfy Winter Vegetable Stew (Vegan!)

 Posted by
Jan 132013
 

We are having a cold, cold few weeks here in what is supposed to be the warm southwest! Barely making the 50s during the day in January is unheard of when our average for this time of year is usually in the low 70s! So, to combat this chill, I decided to experiment (my hubby is a good sport-most of the time!) and attempted to make a stew that would warm our bones and be a vegan version of all those comfort winter foods we grew up on.

Below is the recipe that I came up with. The list of ingredients looks a little long, but I guarentee there are no unusual or funky vegan ingredients and you probably have everything you need in your freezer and pantry already! There is nothing I dislike more than a recipe that sounds delicious that ends up including a crazy vegan product that is expensive and hard to find. I don’t cook like that! I have little patience already in the kitchen!

The final product was awesome! It surpassed my expectations and my hubby even went back for 2nds and 3rds. Despite not having any meat in it, it really is very filling and great for cold winter days.

The amount of ingredients that I used below makes quite a bit. I was able to put the leftovers in the fridge and have lunches for the next few days. Let me know how the recipe turned out for you! I am always looking for ways to modify great recipes.

Ingredients

  • 6 medium carrots, chopped
  • 1 yellow onion, chopped
  • 6-8 potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup broccoli
  • 1 cup green beans
  • 15 oz. can of tomato sauce
  • 15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
  • 2 -15 oz. cans of garbanzo beans, drained & rinsed
  • 4 cups of vegetable broth
  • 1 tsp. basil
  • 1 tsp. parsley
  • 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • Ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large pot, sauté onion until translucent.

2. Add in all ingredients, except for broccoli and bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer for about 30 minutes.

3. Add in broccoli and continue to simmer until all vegetables are tender and you can stick a fork through the potatoes which will be about 15 minutes.

Leave me a comment below: What is your #1 favorite vegetable during the winter?

Mine is definitely the potato!

Guest Post: Cutting Out Meat May Help Cut Out Cancer

 Posted by
Jun 212012
 

Guest post by Jillian McKee:

Switching to a vegetarian diet can hold many benefits if you are diagnosed with cancer. A plant-based diet can provide you with more energy, help protect your body against certain diseases, extend your lifespan, and give you better overall health. Vegetarian diets are often recommended for cancer patients because they are typically lower in saturated fat, protein and cholesterol, which can all contribute to cancer. It is important to remember that just because a diet does not include meat, does not necessarily make it a healthier diet. A healthy vegetarian diet should be rich in plant foods, nuts, seeds, fruits, and greens and low in processed and fried foods like chips, french fries, and packaged foods containing artificial ingredients.

A plant-based diet is high in nutrients and supports the immune system to prevent disease. Fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, and phytonutrients, all of which can tremendously improve your health and condition. The American Cancer Society recommends a minimum of 5 servings of fruits and vegetables per day. The carbohydrates in plant foods are also needed for optimum health as they are the body’s main source of energy. Consuming high amounts of fruits and vegetables can increase the amount of energy you have, especially while going through cancer treatments.

Research has found that a vegetarian diet can help prevent against various diseases including cancer, heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and obesity. One study shows that vegetarians have a 12% less chance of developing cancer than meat eaters. The rates for several types of cancers show a positive correlation with the consumption of animal protein and a negative correlation when compared to plant based proteins, suggesting that avoiding meat may decrease or prevent tumor growth.

Another study, comparing the death rate of vegetarians and meat eaters with cancer, shows that the chance of survival was much higher among vegetarians. These findings suggest that a vegetarian diet may extend your lifespan, giving you a better shot at overcoming cancer.

Whether you have breast cancer or mesothelioma, it is possible to increase your energy levels and overall health by eating a healthier diet.  Whether you are in recovery or have just been diagnosed, it is never too late to improve your health by switching to a vegetarian diet. Maybe you want to simply try decreasing your meat consumption and replacing it with plant based meals. Eating a healthier, plant based diet will help you to feel better during cancer and its treatments. It may also help your recovery progress and increase your lifespan.

Bringing a wealth of personal and professional experience to the organization,  Jillian McKee has worked as the Complementary Medicine Advocate at the  Mesothelioma Cancer Alliance since June of 2009. Jillian spends most her time on  outreach efforts and spreading information about the integration of  complementary and alternative medicine when used in conjunction with traditional  cancer treatment. Read more from Jillian

 

 Older Entries