I just got back from Greece last week and if you've ever been there you know why I'm STILL thinking about their amazing food!
There's a reason people who live in Mediterranean countries are generally healthier, thinner and live longer than many other populations.
They eat seasonally, they eat locally and they use traditional cooking methods. A lot of their meals are community or family events.
This 7 Layer Dip offers up some of the best of the Mediterranean flavors. It's hearty, healthy and will be a hit at the party. A breeze to whip together too!
SKINNY 7 LAYER
MEDITERRANEAN DIP
INGREDIENTS:
8-ounce Hummus
1 tomato, diced
1/2 cup cucumber, diced
1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt ( I like Fage)
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
2 artichoke hearts, chopped
2 roasted red peppers, chopped
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
Kalamata olives, chopped (optional, for garnish)
DIRECTIONS:
1. In an 8×8 serving dish, spread hummus evenly on the bottom.
2. Layer the tomatoes and cucumber on top of hummus.
3. Gently spread Greek yogurt over tomatoes and cucumber using a rubber spatula.
4. Sprinkle sea salt and paprika over yogurt.
5. Next, make a layer of artichoke hearts, roasted red peppers, and feta cheese.
6. Add parsley and garnish with kalamata olives.
7. Serve with fresh vegetables, cucumber rounds, and pepper strips for dipping.
Bring a taste of the Mediterranean to the next party you attend. No one will even suspect it's healthy because it's so flavorful, creamy and filling.
Yous in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this delicious recipe with your friends and I welcome your comments below.
Pistachios just don't get the love they deserve! Most people favor almonds, walnuts or cashews when they shop for nuts.
Pistachios are great for you though and once you read why, chances are, you’ll add them to your shopping list.
5 Reasons to Munch on Pistachios
1. Superior Weight Control
Pistachios tend to lend better to weight management than say almonds, walnuts, or cashews. The reasoning for this is that you’ll have to take time to open each shell as you eat the nuts. This slows down the number you'll end up eating.
Nuts are energy dense foods, but pistachios are one of the lowest-fat and highest-protein tree nuts. A serving (1 oz.) of pistachios has as much protein as an egg! This helps you stay feeling full longer.
Studies show people will eat fewer nuts total when snacking on pistachios compared to any other nut.
If staying lean isn’t enough of a reason, how about staying alive? That’s right, pistachios may help you avoid mortality.
In one study, researchers noted that people who ate more than 3 servings of pistachios (or other nuts) per week had a 39% lower mortality risk than those who ate no nuts at all.
3. Skin Boosters
If you want to look good on both the inside and the outside, pistachios can help with this too. This nut is a rich source of vitamin E, which is key for good skin, hair, and nail health.
Vitamin E helps to increase the production of collagen, boosting skin’s elasticity. This may in turn help reduce your risk of age-related wrinkles.
4. Low Sodium
A lot of nuts are roasted and tossed with salt. But pistachios are low in sodium provided you buy the unflavored variety. Skip the dyed ones that turn your fingers red for hours after you eat them. That's an easy sacrifice.
If you're looking to keep your heart health and blood pressure in check, this makes a great choice.
5. Powerful Source of Prebiotics
Pistachios are a great source of prebiotics. These are necessary to help the healthy good bacteria in your body flourish.
Prebiotics promote the growth of probiotics (healthy bacteria.) Probiotics are important for immune health and digestion, so by getting enough prebiotics, you can help this process.
According to one study, pistachios are much more powerful in this regard than almonds are.
You can feel good about munching on pistachios. A small handful a few times per week could easily provide you with these benefits and more.
These Pistachio and Sesame Bliss Balls are a great way to get more pistachios and they're loaded with other power foods too!
Pistachio & Sesame Bliss Balls
Yields 14 – 16 balls
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup almond butter
1/2 cup pistachios
1/2 cup sesame seeds
6 Medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
DIRECTIONS:
1. Mix everything in a food processor until the pistachios are a fine texture and everything blended.
2. Take a teaspoon of the mixture and roll into a ball.
3. Repeat until mixture is gone.
4. Put bliss balls in the fridge 15 – 30 minutes until firm.
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. and I welcome your comments below.
Two hormones are responsible for this: ghrelin and leptin.
Ghrelin is the ‘go’ hormone. It tells you when to eat, and when you're sleep-deprived, you have more ghrelin.
Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating. When you haven't slept well, you have less leptin.
On the other hand, too much sleep won't do your waistline any favors either. Aim to get “just the right amount”and your body will thank you.
The bad news is that there are a lot of ways to lose sleep. The good news is that there are easy fixes to most of them.
3 of the most common sleep mistakes and how to fix them
1. Going to sleep and waking up at different times
When we don’t stick to a regular sleep schedule, our bodies don’t know when to get sleepy at night. That makes it much harder to fall asleep.
The fix: Figure out what time you need to wake up in the morning to get where you need to go. Then count back 8 hours from that time and set an alarm to remind you to be in bed by then.
After a few days, your body will get used to the schedule and you’ll find yourself getting drowsy at your set sleep time. It’s important to stick to this schedule every day, even on weekends.
2. Using electronics before bed
You may think it’s relaxing to play video games on your tablet or check social media on your phone in bed, but the blue light waves from your device are tricking your brain into thinking that it’s daytime and making you feel more alert.
The fix: Put away all devices at least 2 hours before bed. If you’ve been using your smart phone alarm to wake up in the morning, buy an old-fashioned alarm clock.
3. Drinking alcohol too close to bedtime
A lot of people think a glass of wine or a nightcap will help them sleep, but they’re wrong. Though it might actually make you drowsy, your body burns alcohol quickly. You’re likely to wake up a couple of hours later and be unable to fall back to sleep. Even if you don’t wake up, your sleep is likely to be of poor quality.
The fix: Drink cocktails earlier in the night, then switch to water at least 2 hours before going to bed.
Bottom line: Make getting enough sleep a priority. This allows for better hormonal balance the body needs to burn fat efficiently and you'll likely see better weight loss results.
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this info. with your friends and I love to hear from you in the comments below. Are you getting enough sleep?
I am so excited to bring you along as my family and I visit Gili Air Island! It's a tiny island in Bali and there are no motor bikes or cars there. Everyone travels by horse and carriage or bicycle.
Oh and here's Part 1 of our adventure, in case you missed it. I'll show you what we ate on our trip too!
Come along with us!
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this video with your friends and I am always excited to read your comments below.
You probably think of sunburn relief when I say Aloe Vera. But did you know you can drink the juice of Aloe Vera too?
We all know Aloe is a great way to ease pain from a bee sting but drinking the juice of this plant offers a ton benefits!
6 Reasons To Reach for Aloe Vera Juice
1. Antioxidant Properties
Aloe offers strong antioxidant properties. Its juice is rich in polyphenols, which can stop the growth of certain infection-causing bacteria.
In the long term, aloe vera juice could be a huge help in keeping you disease free.
2. Improved Dental Health
You brush your teeth everyday so you’re doing all you need to ensure healthy teeth and gums, right?
You may want to do a bit more. Tooth decay coupled with gum disease is often the result of the build-up of plaque on the teeth. And, one of the top ways of reducing this plaque build-up is by rinsing with aloe vera juice.
In one study, 300 people used 100% pure aloe vera juice as a mouthwash and after 4 days of continual use, those using the aloe vera juice noticed just as many benefits for reducing dental plaque as those using mouthwash.
There's strong evidence that plaque build up on teeth is related to heart problems too. Did you realize that good dental health can lower your risk of a heart attack?
If you're looking for a natural treatment for gum disease, rinse your mouth with aloe vera juice.
Another excellent reason to add aloe vera to your day is to help fend off pesky, painful canker sores. If you’re someone who gets these a lot, aloe vera juice can help speed up the healing process and cut pain.
These sores can be so painful it can be tough to eat, so for many people, this will come as good news.
4. Promotes Greater Rates Of weight Loss
Trying to lose weight?
You might just want to consider turning to aloe vera juice as as well. This juice is known to help raise the metabolic rate, allowing you to burn more calories all day long. The more calories you burn, the greater your fat loss results will be.
It may also help to balance your blood glucose levels. This means you won’t get hungry as often throughout the day.
It’s blood glucose spikes followed by crashes that typically lead to ongoing hunger pains that are hard to control.
5. Strengthens Your Immune System
If that's not enough, this stuff will help boost your immune system too!
Aloe juice is rich in vitamin B, C, as well as vitamin E. These play a key role in keeping your immune system strong and healthy.
You’ll be able to fight off whatever has got you down thanks to your stronger immune response.
6. Treats Heartburn
Aloe Vera has magnesium lactate. This nutrient appears to lower stomach acid and can often reverse heartburn and stomach ulcers.
You can find Aloe Vera juice in your local health food stores. Grab a bottle next time you're shopping and take as directed.
Chances are you’ve smoothed the gel onto your skin at least once, but if you haven't tried the juice you're missing out on the full benefits. Give it a try!
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I always love reading your comments below.
Ever sat with a bag of chips in your hand, watching tv and suddenly realized you ate the whole thing?
How about a pint of ice cream?
You may have meant to just have a spoonful or two. But then you got distracted, and it tasted good, and you ate much more than that.
It’s called eating mindlessly, and it’s all too easy to do.
What is mindless eating?
It’s the little decisions we make about food each day without thinking about them or realizing that we’re making them.
Studies have shown that we make over 200 decisions about food every day, and we are unaware of most of them. And it’s the decisions that we don’t think about that are most likely to lead to weight gain.
The good news is that there are ways to stop eating mindlessly.
When you learn what the traps of mindless eating are, you can take control of them.
Top 4 things that lead to mindless eating.
Knowing these will help you begin to eat mindfully.
1.Super-sized. Big packaging means more to eat without thinking about it.
Economy packaging can lead to making 23% more when preparing food and eating up to 25% more than you need.
Bigger packages may save money up front, but you’ll pay in what you eat. If you need to buy big packages to save money, repackage into small ones.
2.Variety. It may be the spice of life, but it leads you to eat up to 23% more too. When you load your plate up with a lot of the same thing, you’re likely to push away from the plate sooner. Even keeping foods to the same colors helps!
3.Convenience. The easier it is to eat, the more you will. Makes sense, doesn’t it?
A plate of cookies sitting at arm’s reach is easier to eat than one that’s across the room. And the one sitting out across the room is easier to eat than the cookies that are wrapped up and inside the cabinet.
The harder you make it to eat the wrong thing, the less likely it is that you will.
4.Clock watching. When you eat by the clock instead of by what your stomach is telling you, you’re likely to eat far more than you want or need.
Before you sit down to eat, stop and listen to what your body is telling you. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat.
5 Hacks for Mindful Eating
1.Think BIG. The more space your food takes up, the more your brain thinks you’re eating. It makes you think you’re full faster, and you’ll end up eating less.
So, how do you fool your brain and add volume to your food without gaining weight? Adding spinach or kale to your smoothie will bulk it up and make it feel like you’re being decadent. You can puree vegetables and add them to your casseroles.
2. Chew your food. Delight in the taste of your meals by chewing food slowly and thinking about how much you're enjoying the flavors and textures.
3.Unplug. Turn off the TV, put down the cell and make mealtimeabout the food and conversation. Turn on some dinner music, light a candle and savor your delicious, healthy meal.
Studies show you'll eat 25% more if you're distracted while you're eating.
4.Stay Prepared. Those 200 decisions you make about food will be easier if you keep healthy foods at the ready. Convenience is key. Prep on Sunday for the week and make double portions at dinner to pack for lunches and leftovers.
5.Safe Zone. Make your home a temptation free sanctuary of your good health. It's as simple as not bringing the junk food into your house.
How likely are you to run to the store when a 10PM chip craving strikes? If you're like most you'll settle for the walnuts that are already in your kitchen.
All these tricks will help you be mindful about what you're putting in your mouth.
This will ultimately help you eat healthier, feel better, lose weight. The best part is you'll eat with more enjoyment and less regret.
Yours in health,
Danette
P.S. I hope you'll share these tips with your friends and I love to hear from you. Leave me your comments below.
If the big word in nutrition is “superfoods”, then the big word in superfoods is “seeds”.
If you're looking for an easy way to up your protein, fiber and vitamins, you'll find the answer in chia seeds and hemp seeds.
Both are easy to add to recipes, but you may wonder, which one is best?
Ch-ch-ch-chia seeds
Once chia was something we only knew as a fun plant that grew on clay animals sold on TV. Those days are gone. This seed that comes from plants in the mint family has gotten a lot of attention recently. The author of Born to Run sums it up in one quote. He said:
“Chia is a food staple for a tribe whose members run hundreds of miles, and people started paying attention.”
It turns out that the tiny seed is one of the most nutrient-dense foods in the world!
Two tablespoons of chia contains
6 grams of protein
10 grams of fiber
more Omega-3s than salmon
It has:
more iron than spinach
more calcium than milk
more antioxidants than blueberries.
Chia Seed Hack: Add a few tablespoons of water to a tablespoon of chia seeds. Whip it together to make a great substitute for egg whites.
Best of all, chia is easy to eat. You can add it to recipes for things like bread or cakes without anybody knowing, or just add 2 tablespoons to almond milk or juice. Let them sit for a little while and soon you'll have a delicious pudding.
Hemp seeds
If chia makes you think of the chia pet, hemp seeds make you think of the cannabis plant.
But hemp is only a cousin of marijuana and has no drug-like effects.
Hemp seeds are also very nutritious. Hemp seeds are rich in both Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
More than 25% of their calories come from high quality protein. This is more protein than chia, which only gets 16% of its calories from protein.
Hemp seeds have gamma-linolenic acid, which may help reduce the symptoms of PMS and menopause.
Just 1 oz. of hemp seeds contains 75% of your RDA of Vitamin E and one-third of the zinc you need for your immune system.
Hemp can be added to smoothies, salads, yogurts and other foods.
Both chia and hemp seeds are high in protein and fiber. That can help you feel full longer which helps boost weight loss too!
I say, why not use both chia and hemp seeds?! This recipe is the perfect way to do that too:
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this with your friends and I hope to hear from you in the comments below!
I'm so excited to share my family's adventure to Gili Air Island in Indonesia.
This island has no motor bikes or cars. Everything is operated by horse drawn carriages or bikes. We had such a great time unwinding..as the wifi was also in the stone age.
I enjoyed traveling via boat to this beautiful island. You can always find healthy options so you feel amazing on your trip. I was amazed at all the healthy food options we found.
Some of the main meals that I forgot to film where plates of fresh snapper with grilled veggies and a side of rice. Breakfast was pretty standard of egg white omelets, bacon and a side of toast. I didn’t eat the toast as it was not very good, but I made up for it by finding amazing smoothies and Acai bowls on the island.
Enjoy the video and look for the second part of our adventure on the island to be posted soon!
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this video and let me hear what you think in the comments below!
Does your fresh fruit always seem to over-ripen before you can eat it?
I have a kitchen hack that will save you money and even better, you'll get ice cream!
Grab any fruits you have that are starting to get too ripe. This is ideal for bananas, pineapples, mangos & melons. Just peel it, seal it in a freezer bag and pop it in your freezer. Now you have the makings for “nice cream” any time you are ready for a treat!
This recipe uses frozen mango but it can be replaced with most any frozen fruit for a super yummy, healthy treat. I like to top mine with fresh berries for a shot of antioxidants.
This Mango Madness Nice Cream tastes like Summer sunshine and will keep you bikini ready!
Yours in Health,
Danette
P.S. Please share this recipe with your ice cream loving friends and I welcome your comments below.
