A Taste of Health presents the ultimate gift for your mind, body and spirit. Share the experience and wisdom of some of the world’s leading authorities and experts in holistic living and natural health. Presenters include:
Cruise the Eastern Caribbean on one of the world’s premier Italian luxury liners, the Costa Fortuna, which combines the style and sophistication of Europe with American comforts and convenience. Visit exciting ports of call, such as pristine St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands; historic San Juan, Puerto Rico; and romantic Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos Islands.
Caramel dipping sauce the kids will love more than the fast food and grocery store versions! (Don’t serve this too often, but enjoy it at least once during apple season!)
Caramel Dipping Sauce Yellow * makes about 2 cups
1 cup Sucanat®
1 cup pure maple syrup
6 Tablespoons Earth Balance margarine
pinch of sea salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 to 1/2 cup soy creamer to thin the sauce if necessary
Combine Sucanat®, maple syrup, margarine, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil, and boil until the mixture is thick.
Remove from the heat and add vanilla. Mixture will thicken as it cools but if it’s too thick, add a little soy creamer or milk substitute of your choice, a little at a time, to thin it out.
Slice apples and toss with lemon juice to keep them from browning.
Dip apple slices into cooled caramel.
Optional: bowls of chopped nuts, or grated coconut for dipping the gooey apples.
We found a Whole Grain label on our last box of cereal – chances are good you’ve seen one, too. Do you know what it means? Here’s a quick summary to help you understand just what to expect when you see this certification.
The Whole Grains certification comes from the Whole Grains Council, a nonprofit consumer advocacy group comprised of millers, manufacturers, scientists, and chefs (check the website for some cool resources)
Note there are two versions of this certification. You can expect:
The 100 percent label means all grains used to make the product are “whole” (containing the germ, bran, and endosperm typically stripped during processing) and that one serving of the product contains 16 grams of whole grains.
The basic stamp means one serving of the product contains at least 8 grams of whole grains and includes some refined grains.
Grains certified “whole” include amaranth, barley, brown and colored rice, buckwheat, bulgur, corn and whole cornmeal, emmer, farro, kamut, millet, oatmeal and whole oats, popcorn, quinoa, sorghum, spelt, teff, triticale, whole rye, whole or cracked wheat, wheat berries, and wild rice.
Where you’ll see the Whole Grain certification stamp: grain-based products including bread, flour, cereal, cake, cookies, crackers, granola, soups, chips, energy bars, pretzels, popcorn, pasta, veggie burgers, and baking mixes
Did you know that your body is about 60 percent water by weight?
Some organs have an even higher percentage of water. Your brain? About 70 percent water. Your blood? Over 80 percent water. Your lungs? About 90 percent water.
Without adequate water intake, every system in your body slows down and becomes sluggish. It’s like those commercials for the oil that your car engine needs – when the engine oil gets sticky and gunky, your car breaks down. When your organs don’t get the water they need, they first start to take water from the less vital areas (like your skin, joints, bones, etc.) to supply the brain, heart, and other vital organs. Eventually, your whole body becomes inefficient and eventually breaks down.
How do you know you’re dehydrated?
First sign – thirst. Always drink water when you’re thirsty.
Other signs to look for –
headache
fatigue
confusion
loss of appetite
flushed skin
heat intolerance
light-headedness
dry mouth and eyes
lack of skin elasticity
stomach pains (can feel like hunger)
slower metabolism (leads to weight gain)
So drink water. We recommend half your weight in ounces each day, up to a maximum of 100 ounces per day. So if you weigh 200 pounds or more, drink 100 ounces of water a day. If you weigh 150 pounds, drink 75 ounces of water a day.
Here’s some fresh new treadmill music for you. A fun love song, but really – love yourself first with some exercise.
Speaking of love songs, did you know that regular exercise is good for your libido? Yep. And it’s not just physical fitness. The better you feel about your body – just your feelings – the higher your libido.
C’mon – what are you waiting for? It’s time to move.
This delicious recipe is from member Sara K, who shared it and got rave reviews from other members. It’s easy to put together, and will please your family. If you have meat-eaters in the house, they can eat this as a side dish. The casserole lends itself to the cook’s own creativity – so use this recipe as a starting point – try adding one grated carrot, or some grated zucchini, or season it with different herb or spice blends, like chili powder, or Italian seasoning. Or top it with salsa or Chinese chile sauce.
Spinach and Brown Rice Casserole Blue * serves
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted and drained well (or the equivalent fresh, cooked and drained)
1 small onion (optional)
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, cooked
8 ounces non-dairy cheese of your choice (I like mozzarella; choose a brand that melts well)
2 eggs, or the equivalent of Ener-G egg substitute, or 4 egg whites
Salt and pepper to taste
Non-dairy parmesan (optional)
Cook the mushrooms with the onion if using. Set aside. Mix spinach, rice, cheese and eggs. Season to taste. Place a layer of rice mixture in the bottom of a greased loaf pan. Add the mushrooms. Top with the rest of the rice and spinach. Sprinkle the non-dairy parmesan on top, if using. Bake at 350F for 35 to 40 minutes until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean.
Slice the loaf into individual portions to serve. The slices freeze well, and can be reheated easily in the microwave, or in a toaster over (wrap in foil).
The Jane Goodall Roots and Shoots Day of Peace event yesterday was very special because, not only did I get to give the keynote speech, walk in the Dove Parade, watch my son Nick perform with his friends, collect over one thousand signatures for the Child Nutrition Act of 2009, but I also got to meet one of our members – Kecia!!! (Thanks for coming and helping out!)
If you’re interested in learning more about the whole Roots and Shoots organization, please go to Roots & Shoots.
and other books
and other books
We found a Whole Grain label on our last box of cereal – chances are good you’ve seen one, too. Do you know what it means? Here’s a quick summary to help you understand just what to expect when you see this certification.
