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I have moved my blog/site!

My new address is

lisalineberg.wordpress.com.

Come on Over!

Scotch Eggs (Or Amazing Bundles of Protein)

Scotch Eggs and Sauteed Spinach

Do you ever see, read, or hear something several times in a row and think, OK - someone is telling me something I need to know?! That's what happened with this recipe. My friend, Sandy Kinney over at CrossfitWV recently posted this recipe and then I read it on another blog a few days ago. Then I received a new cookbook in the mail this week, called "Well Fed" by Melissa Joulwan and there they were again! I was convinced I needed to try them.

Eggs are the perfect protein. On the biological value scale they rate a score of 100, which means that 100% of the protein in eggs is absorbed and used by the body. Eggs also contain all of the essential amino acids our bodies need.

Ok - on to the recipe. Yesterday I hardboiled some eggs to have on hand ( I usually keep a half dozen in the fridge to grab and go). I also had some sausage on hand from Little Brown Cow Dairy in Monroe County. If you are using prepared sausage instead of buying ground pork and adding the spices, make sure it is free of MSG. In that case, you only need 2 ingredients - sausage and eggs. I used a little less than a pound of sausage and 6 peeled, hard boiled eggs.

Directions:

Flatten a portion of sausage in your hands. Wrap the meat around a hard-boiled egg, rolling it between your palms until the egg is completely covered. Place sausage covered eggs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degress for 25 minutes. Increase the temperature to 400 degrees and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until they are golden brown.

Green Smoothie (my version)

Green drinks and smoothies are all the rage right now. Yes, they are a great way to get your veggies, but beware if you are loading them with a lot of fruit and not eating any protein or fat with them. Fruit can spike your blood sugar (not good) if eaten alone, and consuming too many high sugar fruits will not bode well in the short term (think sugar high, then sugar low) or the long term (excess sugar gets stored as FAT).
Every meal that we consume should have protein, healthy fat, and plenty of vegetables so I decided to come up with my own version of the green smooothie that would satisfy these requirements. Remember - this is to MY taste. Yours might be different but I certainly won't hold it against you! Adjust to your liking but avoid the high sugar fruits like bananas, mangoes, melons or pineapple.

Lisa's Green Smoothie

• 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk



• 1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder



• 1/2 cup strawberries



• big handful of spinach



• tablespoon almond butter



• ice and water to desired thickness/consistency

There you go! This smoothie will give you approximately 25g protein, 24g healthy fat, 12g carbohyrates plus fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Give it a try!

March Class Dates

The sides are the star for the month of March! Yes, we love our protein, but vegetables don't have to be boring. A large part of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants our bodies need come from vegetables AND they are loaded with fiber (no grains required!)

In addition to cooking up some amazing food, participants will also learn the basics of nutrition including:

• eating the proper amounts of macronutrients (protein, fats and carbohydrates




• how to keep your blood sugar under control




• eating to reduce inflammation




• inding healthy and filling "convenience" foods




• stocking your pantry with the right staples

Emily Bennington cooking up a storm at the Holiday Cooking Class!

Choose from 2 dates: Sunday, March 11 or Tuesday, March 20. Classes are held at Fergusons kitchen and bath showroom from 6-9pm. Cost to attend is $65. Email me at lisalineberg@gmail.com to reserve a spot.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Grapes

Straight from the oven at my holiday cooking class

Brussels sprouts are appearing in a lot of recipes lately. They've been around a long time, and I have to admit that I had never tried one until a couple of years ago. I can't say I was blown away by them, but this recipe changed everything! All I can say is,"Wow!" You have to make these as soon as possible.

Brussels sprouts are members of the cancer-fighting cruciferous family of vegetables. They are an excellent source of vitamin C, vitamin A and vitamin K, and contain manganese and fiber.

Ingredients:

3-4 cups brussels sprouts

2 cups red grapes

2 T fresh sage, chopped

olive oil

pepper

sea salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut off Brussels sprouts stems, remove any dirty/outer leaves then quarter. Toss all ingredients together. Cover sheet pan with foil. Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender and carmelized, stirring halfway through.

Get the Most Bang for Your Nutrition Buck

Cooking Class

Sunday, February 12

Due to an overwhelming response to the class on January 26 ,

I've added another date for this class.

At this power-packed class you will learn how to "get the most bang for your buck," when it comes to nutrition. If you are going to spend the money to eat healthy, then make sure you are making the right choices!

Join me on Sunday, February 12, 2012 from 6-9pm and learn how to plan, purchase and prepare delicious, healthy foods that are loaded with vital nutrients. The foods we prepare will be devoid of wheat, grains, refined sugars, and "bad" fats. Unlike many healthy recipes, these meals taste great and will leave you feeling satiated. When you consume nutrient dense foods, you will not only get more for your money ... you'll also reduce cravings and enjoy a more balanced energy level.

By attending this class you will learn:

• Basic nutrition principles


• The proper ingredients to have on hand at all times


• How to decifer food labels


• The foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3's


• The proper combination of foods that will turn your body into a fat-burning machine


• Breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes

Each participant will receive a notebook with healthy recipes and nutrition information.The class will take place at Ferguson Enterprises showroom kitchen, 160 Spring Street. The cost per person is $65 and is limited to 15 people. You can register by emailing me at lisalineberg@gmail.com.

Prosciutto Wrapped Mini Frittata Muffins

Here's an amazing recipe that we made at my last cooking/nutrition class. These little muffins pack a nutritional punch with eggs, coconut oil and spinach just to name a few ingredients. It's all wrapped up in proscuitto which, in my opinion, makes anything taste better!

This recipe makes 12 muffins. If mushrooms aren't your fancy, you can substitute another vegetable such as bell peppers.

Ingredients:

• 4 T fat (butter or coconut oil)


• 1/2 medium onion, chopped


• 3 cloves minced garlic


• 1/2 lb mushrooms, thinly sliced


• 1-2 cups fresh spinach (or you can use frozen)


• 8 eggs


• 1/4 cup whole fat Greek yogurt, coconut milk or heavy cream


• 2 T coconut flour


• 1 cup cherry tomatoes


• 5 oz proscuitto (you can also use ham)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Saute' onion and garlic over medium heat in 1-2 T fat. Add in mushrooms and saute' a few more minutes. Remove from pan and transfer to a plate to cool. Meanwhile add the spinach to the pan and saute' until wilted.

Beat eggs with yogurt, milk, or cream and flour. Add veggies into the egg mixture.

Brush muffin tins with remaining coconut oil, melted. Make sure to brush bottom and sides. Line each tin with proscuitto, covering bottom and sides completely. Spoon in batter and top with cherry tomatoes. Bake approximately 20 minutes, turning tray at halfway point.

Cooking Class Jan. 26

Get the Most Bang for Your Nutrition Buck

Cooking Class

Thursday, Jan. 26., 2012

At this power-packed class you will learn how to "get the most bang for your buck," when it comes to nutrition. If you are going to spend the money to eat healthy, then make sure you are making the right choices!

Join me on Thursday, January 26, 2012 from 6-9pm and learn how to plan, purchase and prepare delicious, healthy foods that are loaded with vital nutrients. The foods we prepare will be devoid of wheat, grains, refined sugars, and "bad" fats. Unlike many healthy recipes, these meals taste great and will leave you feeling satiated. When you consume nutrient dense foods, you will not only get more for your money ... you'll also reduce cravings and enjoy a more balanced energy level.

By attending this class you will learn:

• Basic nutrition principles


• The proper ingredients to have on hand at all times


• How to decifer food labels


• The foods that are loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and omega-3's


• The proper combination of foods that will turn your body into a fat-burning machine


• Breakfast, lunch and dinner recipes

Each participant will receive a notebook with healthy recipes and nutrition information.

The class will take place at Ferguson Enterprises showroom kitchen, 160 Spring Street. The cost per person is $65 and is limited to 15 people. You can register by emailing me at lisalineberg@gmail.com.

Ginger Spiced Cookies

Here's a holiday cookie that won't leave you in a sugar coma. Grain-free, dairy-free and refined sugar-free! How can you beat that? Of course most of you are asking the question," Can these cookies even taste good?" The answer is a resounding,"Yes!" We made these delicious discs at my Healthy Holiday Cooking and Beyond class last week. Everyone agreed they were tasty!

Ingredients:

• 3 cups blanched almond flour


• 1/2 cup molasses


• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup


• 3 T palm shortening


• 1 T coconut milk


• 1/2 tsp cinnamon


• 1/2 tsp ground ginger


• 1/2 tsp ground cloves


• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg


• 1/2 tsp salt


• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a sauce pan, heat molasses to a boil. Reduce heat to low and add maple syrup, palm shortening, and coconut mil. Stir ingredients until combined and remove from heat.

In a bowl, combine all dry ingredients. Mix wet and dry ingredients together until fully blended.

Drop spoonfuls (silverware teaspoon) of batter onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Yields approximately 3 dozen cookies.

Nutritional Breakdown per cookie: Calories - 82, Carbs - 6.8g, Sugar - 4g, Fat - 5.6g

Are You Trying to Out-Work a Bad Diet?

Have you ever heard the saying," You can't outwork a bad
diet."? It's true! (although I got by with it a lot in my late teens and 20's!) Don't you just loathe those people who can eat whatever they want, not gain an ounce and still look lean? Trust me when I say those people are definitely the minority.
When I became interested in nutrition my eyes were opened up to the amazing benefits of a healthy diet - not just on the scale, but also with respect to energy, mood, sleep and overall well-being. I can't tell you the last time I've had an afternoon lull and wanted to take a nap!

Most people think starting an exercise program is a magic pill. They declare," I'm going to workout five days a week." The problem comes when they are consistent with their program and really don't notice a whole lot of difference. Yes, they are getting in better shape. They can most likely run faster, lift more, and the like (which is great!) but they will begin to get discouraged when the scale doesn't move and their clothes don't fit differently. So what's the solution?

Let's digress and do some math for a moment. Let's say you decide to exercise 5 days a week (because 7 days a week is unrealistic, who has that kind of time, and yes, you do need a rest day!). You only have to make that choice 5 times per week. You throw on your workout clothes and go for a walk, go the gym, pop in a video, etc. On the nutrition side, let's assume you eat 3 meals per day with a mini-meal or snack added in several days a week too. The total times per week you have to CHOOSE what to eat is 25! Five times more than the amount you have to exercise! So is nutrition five times more important than exercise? Let's put it a different way.

To get the results you desire, success is
80% nutrition and 20% exercise.

I know this statement is not what you want to hear, but it is absolutely, 100% true. If you have made the commitment to exercise and are not seeing the results you want, it's time to analyze your food. It's also time to ask yourself some questions:

What are my goals ? Be as specific as possible.
Why do I want to change? (get more energy, sleep better, improve blood work.
Am I willing to cook more often?
Are my daily vices ( chocolate, cereal, fast food, etc) really worth how they make me feel?
Am I using food as a substitute for something else and/or is it filling a void in my life?

Answering these questions is a crucial part of moving toward success. It will help you assess your readiness to change and empower you when faced with those 25 meals per week.

Confused on how to eat healthy? Here's a great place to start. In his book The Primal Blueprint Mark Sisson developed the primal food pyramid, which is vastly different from the USDA food pyramid. The USDA food pyramid is definitely NOT the blueprint for good health, but that's a whole other post! You can also check out his blog , Marks Daily Apple, for a wealth of information including recipes, research, and success stories.

Made to Crave

I have to share with you an amazing book I recently finished. It's called "Made to Crave" by Lysa Terkeurst of Proverbs 31 ministries. I literally devoured it in 3 days!

Lysa shares her lifelong struggle with food and how diets never work. I'm sure this resonates with a lot of you. Her revelation came when she finally decided to look for her "WHY" - Why did she want to lose weight and why was she always battling with it? What a great question!

Lysa realized that just wanting to fit into a pair of skinny jeans was not a good enough reason to keep her motivated or for her to maintain her weight loss.

I've worked with many people over the years who have met lofty goals, only to see themselves slide right back into their old habits. Why does this happen? Maybe they were trying to fit into their wedding dress, or look good for their class reunion, or prepare for an upcoming race, or lose weight they had gained while they were pregnant. Numerous reasons abound for making a change (either losing weight, getting in shape). The problem comes after the event and you find yourself saying,"What now?" The satisfaction you feel from reaching the goal fades and the old habits creep back in. Sound familiar?

When Lysa decides she is ready to tackle her weight and health once and for all, she realizes she must find the "why" and the "want" in this battle. Here is an excerpt:

The book you hold in your hands could be the missing companion you've needed with every healthy eating plan you tried and cried over. I believe it will help you find your "want to." In addition to helping you find the desire to conquer your unhealthy cravings, it also holds the key to something very significant for most of us women - spiritual malnutrition. We feel overweight physically but underweight spiritually. Tying these two thing together is the first step on one of the most significant journeys you'll ever take with God.

You see, being healthy and/or losing weight is not just about looking good in the mirror (but is a great benefit!). It's feeling your absolute best so that you can do the things you were called to do. It will make you a better mother, father, partner, friend, employee, sister, daughter, son. You'll have less lethargy so you can play with your kids, clean your house, and stay alert at your desk. You'll have more mental clarity to plan your day, focus on your client, listen to your spouse,and help your child with their homework. The benefits are too numerous to list and go way beyond fitting into that size 6!

So how can we shift our focus? Lysa describes it as "Tying our happy to the wrong things"

Tying my happy to the wrong things is partially what caused my weight gain in the first place. There were too many experiences I enjoyed primarily because of the food that was attached to them. The movies were tied to popcorn. A birthday party was tied to cake. A ballgame was tied to a hot dog. School parties were tied to cookies. A morning meeting was tied to gourmet coffee. Getting gas was tied to snack crackers and a soda. Watching TV was tied to chips. A summer outing was tied to ice cream. A winter outing was tied to hot chocolate.

Tying my happy to food, skinny jeans, or anything else sets me up for failure.

If any of this resonates with you and your struggles, I encourage you to get this book. Lysa opens herself up and exposes her struggles with raw honesty - the kind of honesty we need to have with ourselves to really have lifelong, impacting change.

Healthy Holiday Cooking and Beyond

Thanksgiving Dinner. Christmas Parties. New Years Celebration. Do all these events conjure up pictures of food? Or should I say, unhealthy food?! Do you let caution go to the wind from Thanksgiving to New Year's and then worry about it January 1?

It's time to take a deep breath and calm down. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the upcoming holidays one of the solutions is coming your way. I will be helping you navigate through the food maze by sharing nutrition information and healthy holiday recipes. We will cook them together and then taste their deliciousness. You will also go home with leftovers, some amazing spice rub, a book full of recipes, and a wealth of nutrition knowledge - gifts to last you much longer than the holidays!

Johnny Tugwell at Ferguson Enterprises has been gracious enough to "loan" one of his beautiful kitchens for the evening. Here's the details:

Date: Tuesday, December 6

Time: 6pm

Place: Ferguson's - 160 Smith Street

Class size is limited to 15 participants. Reserve your space by emailing me at lisalineberg@gmail.com Cost for the class is $65. I can't wait to see you there!

"Exercise" Your Brain!

Do you ever feel like your brain is on "overload"? After a good workout I always find that my brain is swirling with ideas like it just woke up! Is this a coincidence? Absolutely not!

In addition to a plate of omega-3's, our brains thrive on a serving of exercise. Research shows that exercise has a direct benefit to the brain which results in improved cognitive performance, a decrease in depression and improved tolerance to stress.
Now, most of us know this as adults, but what about our kids? Numerous studies support the same results with our children, yet our schools have decreased the amount of physical education and recess.

My son's first grade teacher ( pictured above on Halloween) loves to exercise. She knows how it benefits her students so she has a creative way of "sneaking" in more physical activity with her class. Her supply list that she sends home includes 2 cans of food that we send in at the beginning of the year. Nope, it's not for donating to a food bank. These little ones use the cans for hand weights! Before lunch, most days of the week you will find Mrs. Hoy's first grade class up out of their chairs, "weights" in hand, doing all kinds of steps and moves. They follow along with an exercise video and get moving!

So, what are you doing for yourself and your family to "exercise" your brains? It doesn't have to be structured and planned. In fact, unplanned, unstructured, free play is the best kind of exercise!

Terrific 10 Rub

This rub is amazing! I found it in a magazine a while back, looked at the ingredients and knew it was going to be a hit. Brown sugar is one of the ingredients, which is not paleo or primal, but the amount is minimal and totally worth it! Once you throw it all together you will have enough rub to last you for a few months.
I used it this week on a pork shoulder roast that I got from Monroe Farm Market. If you live in Charleston you need to get you some MFM meat! They deliver to Charleston every other week (in the summer it's every week). You will be supporting local farmers who raise their animals with love and care. You owe it to yourself and your family to eat the highest quality meat possible. The biggest hesitation from people when we talk about high quality meat is the price. My response is always," spend it at grocery store now or at the hospital later." Why would you want to eat beef that's from a cow who's eaten corn and soy? Grass-fed beef is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin E, beta carotene and CLA. Read more about the numerous health benefits of grass fed beef here.

Ok, back to the rub. Score the meat and apply a generous amount of the rub all over. Let that rub soak in for at least 24 hours. For the roast I heated some coconut oil over medium high heat and seared the roast on both sides. Then I turned the heat down to medium low, added a little water, covered it and let it cook the rest of the way through, turning occasionally. You can also put the roast in the oven after you have seared it. Add some water to the drippings in the pan so you can scrape them off the pan and put on top of the roast when it goes into the oven. Use a meat thermometer

to determine when it's done. All that's left to do is enjoy a plateful of deliciousness!

Terrific 10 Rub

• 2 1/2 T paprika


• 2 1/2 tsp ground black pepper


• 7 T light brown sugar


• 2 1/2 T kosher salt


• 1 1/4 tsp celery salt


• 2 1/2 tsp garlic powder


• 5 tsp dry mustard


• 5 tsp ground cumin


• 5 tsp chili powder


• 1 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients, making sure brown sugar is evenly distributed. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months. Makes approximately 1 1/2 cups.

It's a Blog Revival!

Wow! I can't believe that over a year has gone by without a post. Is that really possible? It's amazing how time flies by without us even realizing it. When I looked at the date of my last post I realized what happened - a full time J-O-B! Last summer a new position became available at the wellness company where I work and I felt called to take it. Somehow I forgot how much I dislike managing people and putting in long hours. Needless to say after 6 months in that position I threw in the towel. My job was controlling me, I was in a bad mood all of the time, my husband and children did not want to be around me, and I was trying to get away from myself too!

Long story short, it's taken a while to realize that I want to get back to doing what I love, which is helping people get the most out of their lives by eating right, exercising and practicing good health in other areas.

With that said, the first step in the process is reviving this blog. I promise to reach out to you several times a week so get ready!

Here's an easy recipe to start us off ......

Crustless Quiche

Ingredients:

6 eggs (farm fresh or organic)
1 1/2 cups coconut milk or organic heavy cream (I used some of each)
1 T melted pasture butter
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 - 1/2 cup grated cheese (optional)
Veggie of your choice - I used spinach and sauteed it for a few minute in olive oil
You can also add meat too - bacon, sausage, ham - if you'd like

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Butter a 10 inch round or 13X9 in square baking dish. Whisk together eggs, coconut milk/cream, butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Stir in veggies and cheese (if using). Pour into baking dish and bake 20 minutes until set in the middle. Yield: 6 servings.

This quiche will keep for several days in the fridge. Just reheat and enjoy!

My Ten Percent

I love eating healthy, nutritious, fresh food. But let's face it - some of the BAD stuff tastes sooo GOOD!!! My mantra is to follow the 90/10 rule, meaning 90% of the time I eat clean and the other 10% I don't. Today's focus is on the 10%, and to that point here is my list of foods that I would eat ALL the time if I could!!!

• #10 - white bread
• #9 - cinnamon toast
• #8 - golden grahams cereal (or most other sugary cereals!)
• #7 - hot tamales
• #6 - chocolate covered raisins
• #5 - miniature reese's
• #4 - salt and vinegar potato chips
• #3 - bagels and cream cheese
• #2 - granola (no - it is not healthy!)

And the #1 crappy food I would eat all the time if I could IS - Pop Tarts: any flavor, any kind, frosted or unfrosted

So what foods are in your 10%? I would love to hear!

Mom's Favorite

I come from a fairly large family. I have four older sisters, and we all happen to live in the same town, along with my mother. Although no REAL competition exists among the siblings we all tend to vie for the "favorite daughter" spot in a joking kind of way. For example, when any one of us opens a card from our mother we read it out loud and interject our own words like,"you have brought more joy into my life than any of my other daughters." Or we might add embellishments such as,"I love you more than all the other girls combined."

But wait ... this is a nutrition blog. What does this have to do with nutrition?

My mother has Celiac Disease, which means she is allergic to gluten. Lately, at family gatherings, one of us has been bringing a gluten-free dessert. This is done, of course, to lay claim to the mythical "favorite daughter" crown. So for Memorial Day I decided to try a recipe from Mark Sisson's Primal Blueprint Cookbook. Since all his recipes are gluten free, I was bound to come out on top. The recipe was for walnut meal brownies and they were divine!




Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup walnut meal (purchased or ground in a food processor


• 3/4 cup cocoa powder


• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder


• 1 1/2 tsp baking soda


• 1/2 tsp sea salt


• 2 large eggs


• 1 cup coconut milk (room temperature)


• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup (I used syrup)


• 2 tsp vanilla extract
  
• 1/3 cup extra virgin coconut oil (gently melted)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts for topping (optional)


• butter for greasing pan

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking pan.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together dry ingredients until well blended. Set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk eggs for one minute, then add coconut milk, honey or maple syrup and whisk again. Add melted coconut oil and whisk until wet ingredients are completely blended.
4. Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and whisk well; be sure to scrape sides and bowl bottom so no pockets of dry ingredients remain. Batter will be thinner consistency than conventional brownies. Pour batter into prepared pan.
5. If desired, sprinkle chopped walnuts on top of batter. Bake 35-40 minutes on center rack. Cool completely before cutting.

The verdict? Everyone loved them (even some of the kids). My mom declared these brownies the best dessert she had ever eaten. Well, not really, but don't tell my sisters!!

How Low Can You Go?

Ah, the quest for low cholesterol. It seems like everyone who wants to improve their health thinks lowering their cholesterol will prevent them from getting heart disease or having a heart attack. Never mind the fact that they have excess body fat, eat over 300 carbohydrates from whole grains and sugars everyday, consume massive amounts of trans fats and so-called healthy vegetable oils, and are sedentary.

Now I am not saying it is healthy to have high cholesterol, but it is important to know the vital functions of cholesterol.

Cholesterol is vital to our bodies

• Cholesterol is found in every cell of the human body
  
• Cholesterol is especially abundant in the membranes of the cells, where it helps maintain the integrity of these membranes.
  It plays a role in facilitating cell signaling - meaning the ability of your cells to communicate with each other so you function as a human, rather than a pile of cells
  
• Without cholesterol, cell membranes would be too fluid, not firm enough. In other words, it keeps the membrane from turning to mush
  
• Cholesterol is abundant in the tissue of the brain and nervous system. Myelin, which covers nerve axons to help conduct the electrical impulses that make movement, sensation, thinking, learning, and remembering possible, is over one-fifth cholesterol by weight.
  
• Even though the brain only makes up 2% of the body's weight, it contains 25% of its cholesterol.
  
• One of cholesterol's many functions in the body is to act as a precursor to vitamin D
  
• We need cholesterol to make bile, which we need to digest our fat. If we don’t digest fat properly, we don’t get the nutrients we need from it.
  
• Cholesterol is the precursor to a hormone called pregnenolone, which has important functions itself, but is also the precursor to all other steroid hormones. Pregnenolone is converted to progesterone, a sex hormone, which in turn is converted into cortisol, which regulates inflammation and blood sugar.
  

Low cholesterol may be the cause behind depression, anxiety, violence and even suicide. In the British Medical Journal published in September of 1996, a French study looked at over 6,000 men. The study revealed that men with low cholesterol were three times more likely to commit suicide.
Just one of the many studies linking low cholesterol to deep depression came from Finland's National Public Health Institute, where a study of almost 30,000 people showed men with lower cholesterol readings were the most likely to suffer from crippling depression.

Unfortunately, most of the medical community still wants you to get your cholesterol as low as you can, because they are influenced by the pharmaceutical companies. In my next post I will talk about the research on cholesterol and it's role (or absence of) in heart disease.

Go Green!

No, I am not on a mission to save the earth, although I'm in total support of the cause. Nor do I all of sudden have a deep love for Marshall (but I will cheer them on when they are not playing the Mounties!) I'm talking about the delicious avocado.

Besides their tastiness, avocados are full of monounsaturated fats. Monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) lower total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol (the bad cholesterol) while increasing HDL cholesterol (the good cholesterol). Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid.

The best way to tell if an avocado is ready for immediate use is to gently squeeze the fruit in the palm of your hand. Ripe, ready-to-eat fruit will be firm yet will yield to gentle pressure. Add this fruit to salad or slice and eat as a side to most dishes.

One of my favorite foods is guacamole. When most people think of guacamole they only associate it with tortilla chips, but why ruin this nutrition powerhouse with grains and unhealthy oils? Think outside the box. My husband and I enjoy guacamole on hamburgers and turkey burgers (sans bun of course). Take some romaine lettuce leaves, add a generous spread of guacomole, insert burger, wrap and enjoy. Chicken breast or deli meat would also fit nicely in this wrap. Don't have time to make our own guacamole? No problem. The produce section of the grocery store now carries several brands of guacamole made with all fresh ingredients. Wal-mart (yes, you heard me correctly) carries Dancing Iguana Guacamole. The ingredient list consists of avocado, jalapeno puree, dehydrated onion, lime juice, salt, and granulated garlic.

Don't be fooled by the imitation guacamole spreads that are found in the dairy section. You won't even find avocado listed in the ingredients - so beware of the impersonators!

Citrus Garlic Chicken

Simple, flavorful ingredients comprise this easy and delicious chicken recipe. I found the original recipe in the The Paleo Diet by Dr. Loren Cordain and modified it to my liking. Don't be scared to veer from recipes and make them your own.

My love for rosemary runs deep so you will find this magnificent herb in a lot of my recipes. I happened to be out of all fresh herbs so I used dry this time. Just check the bottle for the conversion from fresh to dry.

2 T fresh lemon juice (1 lemon)
1T fresh orange juice (1/2 orange)
Tsp finely chopped thyme
Tsp finely chopped fresh sage or 1/2tsp dried
Ground black pepper
1 sprig chopped rosemary
2 cloves garlic
1-2T olive oil (for marinade)
2 -3 boneless chicken breasts, halved (or just buy the thin-sliced breasts)
1T olive oil (for sauteing)

Put all marinade ingredients in a bowl. Add chicken breasts and marinate for a minimum of 2 hours but preferably overnight. Heat 1T olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Add chicken breasts (including marinade) and sauté for approximately 6 minutes per side or until chicken

is no longer pink. Easily consumed by all ages!