We're talking polyphenols, flavonoids and phytonutrients such as sulforaphane, indoles and lutein and not to mention zeaxanthin and L-ergothioneine! Click the image for a large view!
Holy crap – there are signs, ever so remote signs, that spring is on its way to Piney Point. The snow is almost gone, as are the below-freezing temperatures. Sunny days approaching 50° F (10° C) are the norm. No signs of any green or anything in bloom yet, but soon!
Today I am sixty days away from ten glorious days in Spain. So it’s time to shake off the doldrums of winter and renew life with the coming of the new season! A new fitness surge begins with a sixty-day (but not brutal) weight training and running routine.
Ever since I’ve found George Mateljan’s The World’s Healthiest Foods Website I return weekly to see what he has to offer in his simple, ultra-nutritious recipes. A few weeks back I tried his 5-Minute Broccoli with Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives and I got hooked on that combination, especially with the addition of super nutritional sunflower seeds. As man cannot live on broccoli alone (thank god) I prepare that dish only twice a week for dinner.
Although for years I have avoided the known foods loaded with saturated fats, I also shied away from the healthier fats in oils, vegetable and nuts as well, in terms of calories, far is fat! No more!
Bountiful Breakfast
I split breakfast into early morning and mid morning segments starting with black coffee, low fat yogurt and two squares of dark chocolate.
Mid-morning I have a cup old fashioned oatmeal with a cup of nonfat milk, fresh or frozen blueberries (or raspberries) and a handful of walnuts, pecans or sliced almonds. I top it off with a little honey and cinnamon. Perfect!
As mundane as my two-part breakfast sounds, each ingredient combines to form a super nutritional start to my day. Oh sure, once a week I’ll drive into town and a have Greek Omelet at Cathy’s Café just to chat with the local folks. Unfortunately many of them eat at the café daily – and it really shows!
Super Salad
Like the Spanish, l enjoy a late afternoon lunch, snacking on one banana, one apple and one orange throughout the day. Unlike them, I keep it quite simple (although I can’t wait to tackle the real Tapas Bars of Barcelona and Madrid).
All I need for lunch is a simple bowl of my 15-bean Chili with a small glass of low sodium V8. But that gets old on a daily basis, so I now alternate with a fresh Feta Cheese & Kalamata Olive salad. I used to have a bit of both, but given I lost my fear of healthy fats, that is way too much for a light meal.
The key to a good salad – don’t ruin it with processed salad dressing. I cringe when I see people at the salad bar drowning their “healthy meal” in salad dressing – and the fat free version is just as bad as the fat laden.
I know, some folks just don’t like Balsamic vinegar, and others can’t imagine a salad without it smothered in their favorite dressing. Well, start by going light on the vinegar, and just plain grow up! We’re talking polyphenols, flavonoids and phytonutrients such as sulforaphane, indoles and lutein and not to mention zeaxanthin and L-ergothioneine!
Anyway, here are key ingredients to Carbonboy’s Feta Cheese & Kalamata Olive Fetish Salad – with a link to all the boring details as to why each ingredient is a super food.
Start with:
Romaine (or mixed) Lettuce
1 Carrot, sliced
¼ Red Onion, finely sliced
¼ Red Bell Pepper, sliced
½ cup Shiitake or crimini mushrooms, sliced (sauté the Shiitake)
1 small Tomato, sliced
Broccoli Florets
Sprinkle with:
Olive Oil, extra virgin
Balsamic vinegar
Fresh Lemon or Lime Juice
Top with:
¼ cup Feta Cheese, low fat*
¼ cup Kalamata Olives, pitted and quartered*
A sprinkling of Sunflower Seeds
¼ Avocado, sliced
A twist or three of Fresh Coarse Black Pepper †
* Less than a 1/4 cup is fine. † OK, a half grind of sea salt is alright as well!
¡Buen provecho!
Add any veggie that you like (I sliced a few radishes for this photo. Also check out the entire World’s Healthiest Food List and start using it!
