Healthy Food Ideas

Why Not Eat Right?

 

What health website would be complete without healthy food ideas?  Even though we may think that snacks are important when feeling lethargic and rundown, snacks should actually be considered as a fuel in between your meals.  In other words, eat snacks regularly within 2.5 hours after each of your three main meals in order to avoid feeling sluggish as well as maintain a steady metabolism. The benefit of eating snacks regularly stops unnecessary fluctuations in blood sugar levels which is essential in sustaining mental and physical performance throughout your day.  All these snacks are balanced with the right amount of protein, carbohydrates, and fats that deliver the optimal nutrients and energy to the body’s cells that could create another burst of energy for about 2 – 3 hours.  If you snack sporadically and are not available to commit to two snacks a day then I recommend supplementing your diet with Omega3s (click here to see the details) to assist in balancing your blood sugars for longer durations between meals. Open Your Eyes… There are many great healthy food and snack choices that surround us on a daily basis. Just on this website alone you can find all kinds of recipes and healthy food ideas. So what drives and individual’s food preference? There are many components to such a decision, we as consumers tend to choose certain food groups but more importantly the average human being craves or has an affinity for twenty five different foods. Within those foods, we must choose the leanest and least processed and therefore the healthiest for us, remember the more natural the better for your body. The better the choice we make on a daily basis the better chance we have to live a healthy life free from aches, pains, disease and weakness.

This section represents some of the finest traditional and modern suggestions that HealthDude has discovered over the many years I’ve been serving you.

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HealthDude Food Information:

• Healthy Snack Ideas
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Animal Products
• Healthy Broths
• Animal Stock Recipes
• 3-Day Food Plan

Healthy Snack Ideas

Shrimp N’ Melon 4 medium shrimp, or 2 large shrimp with vinergerette Chunks of melon

Egg Treat 1 hard-boiled egg, or whites only of 2 hard-boiled eggs Mayo 3 nuts ½ piece of fruit

The Cottage Snack Nonfat or low-fat cottage cheese and olive oil ½ piece of fruit

Apple Sandwiches 2 1/4″ Slices of Apple Peanut Butter Spread Chocolate chips or raisins

Shrimp K’Cado 4 medium shrimp, or 2 large shrimp 1 ½ ounces avocado 3 nuts

Veg Wrap Carrot slices Bell Pepper slices Beet slices Lettuce leaf wrap

Chicken Salad Chicken salad made with olive oil Mayo ½ piece of fruit

Smoked Salmon 1 ½ ounces smoked salmon 1 tablespoon avocado Mango Slices Diced Onion Pinch of Cilantro 3 nuts

Roast Beef Round-up Roast Beef slices 1 tablespoon avocado 1 teaspoon mayonnaise

Tuna Salad 1 ½ ounces tuna salad with olive oil Mayo ½ piece of fruit

Sushi 1 California roll Your choice of fish topper

Turkey Roll-up Turkey (fresh / deli) and one of the following: 1 tablespoon avocado 1 tsp. mayonnaise / 1 tomato Mayonnaise/Dijon mustard/ honey Mayonnaise and dill pickle slice or cucumber slice

>> Fruits & Vegetables

>> Animal Products

Animal products are important sources of bodybuilding elements in the diet, and they are the most nutrient dense foods available to us. Animal protein is complete, which means it contains all the amino acids that our body needs but cannot synthesize on its own. Animal protein is also rich in minerals, vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 (usable form of the latter is unique to animal food).  Animal fat contains fat-soluble vitamins A and D that are essential for growth, for healthy bones, for proper development of the brain and nervous system, and for normal sexual development. Fats actually help us digest proteins better, as well as to absorb minerals that are abundant in animal food, because fat-soluble vitamins serve as catalysts, or activators, in many metabolic reactions. This way animal proteins and fats complement each other. Consumption of low-fat milk products, egg whites and lean meat can lead to serious deficiencies of these vital fat-soluble nutrients, disrupting many metabolic processes in our body.

Temporary abstinence from animal products has been traditionally valued as a cleansing, healing practice. This is reflected in the dietary laws of many religions and in the practices of primitive peoples who engage in periods of sparse eating or complete fasting. This wisdom is justified by the fact that meatless diets often prove beneficial in the treatment of cancer and other diseases such as arthritis, kidney problems and gout. But problems arise when the practice is continued too long. These include caries, bone loss, nervous disorders and reproductive ailments. Absence of animal products in the diet is particularly dangerous for growing children and for pregnant and nursing mothers.

There is one important point needs to be made regarding eating animal products: the meat, milk and eggs in our supermarkets are highly contaminated and vastly inferior in nutritional quality to those available to people just a few decades ago. Modern cattle-raising techniques include the use of steroids to make meat tenderer and antibiotics that allow cattle to survive in crowded feedlots. Many cattle supplying steaks to the American table have never seen the open range, and calves raised for veal are often confined to crates for the whole of their short lives. Diseased animals routinely pass inspection and find their way into the food supply. Chickens are raised in crowded pens, often under artificial light both night and day, and fed on substandard food. They, too, must be guarded from infection by antibiotics. Their eggs are inferior in nutritional qualities to those of free-range, properly nourished hens. Make an effort to obtain organic beef, lamb, chicken and eggs, or buy from local farms where you can see conditions under which the animals are kept.

Make a habit of eating fish, especially cold-water deep-sea fish as often as possible. They are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and many important minerals including iodine, selenium and magnesium. Avoid farm-raised fish, because it often receives inappropriate food as well as antibiotics. Ocean fish can contain mercury from contaminated by the industrial pollution waters, but some companies test their fish for mercury levels.

Meat should be eaten raw, rare or braised in water or stock. Avoid processed meats such as sausage, luncheon meats and bacon that have been preserved with nitrites, nitrates and other common meat preservatives. These preservatives can be harmful especially if ingested regularly. Traditionally, sausage was a healthy, high-fat product containing nutrient-dense organ meats and preserved through lacto-fermentation, a process that actually increases nutrients; while bacon was preserved through salt curing and smoking.

>>Healthy Broths

A cure-all in traditional households and the magic ingredient in classic gourmet cuisine, stock or broth made from bones of chicken, fish and beef builds strong bones, soothes sore throats, nurtures the sick, and pleases the stomach. For chefs, stock is the magic elixir for making soul-warming soups and matchless sauces.

Meat and fish stocks play a role in all traditional cuisines—French, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, African, South American, Middle Eastern and Russian. In America, stock went into gravy and soups and stews. That was when most animals were slaughtered locally and nothing went to waste. Bones, hooves, knuckles, carcasses and tough meat all went into the stock pot. Today we buy individual filets and boneless chicken breasts, or grab fast food on the run, and stock has disappeared from the American tradition. Grandmother Knew Best Science validates what our grandmothers knew. Rich homemade chicken broths help cure colds. Stock contains minerals in a form the body can absorb easily – not just calcium but also magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulfur and trace minerals. It contains the broken down material from cartilage and tendons – stuff like chondroitin sulfates and glucosamine, now sold as expensive supplements for arthritis and joint pain.

Fish stock, according to traditional lore, helps boys grow up into strong men, makes childbirth easy and cures fatigue. “Fish broth will cure anything,” is another South American proverb. Broth and soup made with fish heads and carcasses provide iodine and thyroid-strengthening substances.

When broth is cooled, it congeals due to the presence of gelatin. The use of gelatin as a therapeutic agent goes back to the ancient Chinese. The French were the leaders in gelatin research, which continued up to the 1950s. Gelatin was found to be useful in the treatment of a long list of diseases including peptic ulcers, tuberculosis, diabetes, muscle diseases, infectious diseases, jaundice and cancer. Babies had fewer digestive problems when gelatin was added to their milk. Gelatin is a hydrophilic colloid, which means that it attracts and holds liquids; it facilitates digestion by attracting digestive juices to food in the gut. Attention to Detail Stock or broth begins with bones, some pieces of meat and fat, vegetables and good water. For beef and lamb broth, the meat is browned in a hot oven to form compounds that give flavor and color–the result of a fusion of amino acids with sugars, called the Mallard reaction. Then all goes in the pot–meat, bones, vegetables and water. The water should be cold, because slow heating helps bring out flavors. Add vinegar to the broth to help extract calcium–remember those egg shells you soaked in vinegar until they turned rubbery.

Heat the broth slowly and once the boil begins, reduce heat to its lowest point, so the broth just barely simmers. Scum will rise to the surface. This is a different kind of colloid, one in which larger molecules – impurities, alkaloids, large proteins called lectins – are distributed through a liquid. One of the basic principles of the culinary art is that this effluvium should be carefully removed with a spoon. Otherwise the broth will be ruined by strange flavors. Besides, the stuff looks terrible. “Always Skim” is the first commandment of good cooks. Two hours simmering is enough to extract flavors and gelatin from fish broth. Larger animals take longer–all day for broth made from chicken, turkey or duck and overnight for beef broth.

Broth should then be strained. The leavings, picked over, can be used for terrines or tacos or casseroles. Perfectionists will want to chill the broth to remove the fat. Stock will keep several days in the refrigerator or may be frozen in plastic containers. Boiled down it concentrates and becomes a jellylike demi-glaze that can be reconstituted into a sauce by adding water.

HealthDude Tip:

…Heads and Feet – If you’ve ever shopped in Europe, you’ve noticed that calves feet are displayed at the local butchers and chickens come with their heads and feet attached. Hooves, feet and heads are the most gelatinous portions of the animal and fetch high prices in traditional economies. In fact, Tysons exports the feet from American chickens to China. Jewish folklore considers the addition of chicken feet the secret to successful broth. It’s hard to find these items in America. Asian and Latin American markets sometimes carry whole birds and some butchers in ethnic neighborhoods carry calves feet. If you have freezer space, you can buy frozen chicken feet and calves feet in bulk from meat wholesalers that cater to the restaurant trade. Have the butcher cut the calves’ feet into one-inch cubes and package them in 1-quart bags. For the most satisfactory results, use 2-4 chicken feet for chicken stock and about 2 pounds calves’ feet pieces for a large pot of beef stock.

>> Animal Stock Recipes

Chicken Stock

• 1 whole free-range chicken or 2 to 3 pounds of bony chicken parts, such as necks, backs, breastbones and wings*
• Gizzards from one chicken (optional)
• 2-4 chicken feet (optional)
• 4 quarts cold filtered water
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• 1 bunch parsley

*Note: Farm-raised, free-range chickens give the best results. Many battery-raised chickens will not produce stock that gels.

If you are using a whole chicken, cut off the wings and remove the neck, fat glands and the gizzards from the cavity. Cut chicken parts into several pieces. (If you are using a whole chicken, remove the neck and wings and cut them into several pieces.) Place chicken or chicken pieces in a large stainless steel pot with water, vinegar and all vegetables except parsley. Let stand 30 minutes to 1 hour. Bring to a boil, and remove scum that rises to the top. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 6 to 8 hours. The longer you cook the stock, the richer and more flavorful it will be. About 10 minutes before finishing the stock, add parsley. This will impart additional mineral ions to the broth.

Remove whole chicken or pieces with a slotted spoon. If you are using a whole chicken, let cool and remove chicken meat from the carcass. Reserve for other uses, such as chicken salads, enchiladas, sandwiches or curries. Strain the stock into a large bowl and reserve in your refrigerator until the fat rises to the top and congeals. Skim off this fat and reserve the stock in covered containers in your refrigerator or freezer. Beef Stock

• About 4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones
• 1 calves foot, cut into pieces (optional)
• 3 pounds meaty rib or neck bones
• 4 or more quarts cold filtered water
• 1/2 cup vinegar
• 3 onions, coarsely chopped
• 3 carrots, coarsely chopped
• 3 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
• Several sprigs of fresh thyme, tied together
• 1 teaspoon dried green peppercorns, crushed
• 1 bunch parsley

Place the knuckle and marrow bones and optional calf’s foot in a very large pot with vinegar and cover with water. Let stand for one hour. Meanwhile, place the meaty bones in a roasting pan and brown at 350 degrees in the oven. When well browned, add to the pot along with the vegetables. Pour the fat out of the roasting pan, add cold water to the pan, set over a high flame and bring to a boil, stirring with a wooden spoon to loosen up coagulated juices. Add this liquid to the pot. Add additional water, if necessary, to cover the bones; but the liquid should come no higher than within one inch of the rim of the pot, as the volume expands slightly during cooking. Bring to a boil. A large amount of scum will come to the top, and it is important to remove this with a spoon. After you have skimmed, reduce heat and add the thyme and crushed peppercorns.

Simmer stock for at least 12 and as long as 72 hours. Just before finishing, add the parsley and simmer another 10 minutes. You will now have a pot of rather repulsive-looking brown liquid containing globs of gelatinous and fatty material. It doesn’t even smell particularly good. But don’t despair. After straining you will have a delicious and nourishing clear broth that forms the basis for many other recipes in this book.

Remove bones with tongs or a slotted spoon. Strain the stock into a large bowl. Let cool in the refrigerator and remove the congealed fat that rises to the top. Transfer to smaller containers and to the freezer for long-term storage. Fish Stock

• 3 or 4 whole fish, including heads, (non-oily fish such as sole, turbot, rockfish or snapper)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 2 onions, coarsely chopped
• 1 carrot, coarsely chopped
• Several sprigs fresh thyme
• Several sprigs parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• About 3 quarts cold filtered water

Ideally, fish stock is made from the bones of sole or turbot. In Europe, you can buy these fish on the bone. The fish monger skins and filets the fish for you, giving you the filets for your evening meal and the bones for making the stock and final sauce. Unfortunately, in America sole arrives at the fish market pre-boned. But snapper, rock fish and other non-oily fish work equally well; and a good fish merchant will save the carcasses for you if you ask him. As he normally throws these carcasses away, he shouldn’t charge you for them. Be sure to take the heads as well as the body—these are especially rich in iodine and fat-soluble vitamins. Classic cooking texts advise against using oily fish such as salmon for making broth, probably because highly unsaturated fish oils become rancid during the long cooking process.

Melt butter in a large stainless steel pot. Add the vegetables and cook very gently, about 1/2 hour, until they are soft. Add wine and bring to a boil. Add the fish carcasses and cover with cold, filtered water. Add vinegar. Bring to a boil and skim off the scum and impurities as they rise to the top. Tie herbs together and add to the pot. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for at least 4 hours or as long as 24 hours. Remove carcasses with tongs or a slotted spoon and strain the liquid into pint-sized storage containers for refrigerator or freezer. Chill well in the refrigerator and remove any congealed fat before transferring to the freezer for long-term storage.

>> 3-Day Food Plan

General Recommendations:

• Start your day with a cleansing drink: 1 tablespoon of ground flax seeds with 1 glass of water. Mix thoroughly and drink immediately.
• Drink a glass of water with 2 tablespoons of raw apple cider vinegar with meals.
• Start with 10 min exercise each day (walking, stretching), gradually increasing time and intensity.

DAY 1

Breakfast	2 eggs any style (soft boil is the best method) (about 200 Cal) Buckwheat with butter – 1 cup (about 200 Cal) Smoothie (organic plain whole milk yogurt, banana, blueberries) – 1 cup (about 150-200 Cal)
Lunch	Three-bean soup – (see recipe attached) (a bowl would be about 250 Cal) 1 slice of wheat and gluten-free bread (70-90 Cal) Steamed carrots with butter (2 carrots with a patch of butter is about 100 Cal)
Snack	Soaked Almonds – handful (about 150-200 Cal)
Dinner	Chicken (baked with mustard sauce, see recipe attached). (Chicken leg would be about 250 Cal) Green Salad (see recipe attached) with homemade dressing.  Add some raw milk cheese: feta or blue cheese are fine. (Generally, it will be about 200 Cal).
Snack	If hungry: blueberries (100g of blueberries is about 60 Cal)

DAY 2

Breakfast	1 cup cooked oatmeal with 1 tablespoon of butter, 1 teaspoon of honey, bunch of raisins or cut dates and crushed walnuts Peppermint tea with lemon
Lunch	Chicken Salad (See recipe attached) Backed potato (sweet potato is even better) with butter and sea salt Fermented (pickled) vegetables (only choose those that are made with salt and whey, not vinegar). Bubbies, Wellspring Farms, and Rejuvenative Foods make fermented vegetables in this fashion
Snack	Fruit, preferably in season (in winter, choose from pineapple, kiwi, papaya, dates, figs)
Dinner	Broiled Salmon (see recipe attached) Green Salad (see recipe attached) with homemade dressing
Snack	If hungry: 1 pear (or small grapefruit)

DAY 3

Breakfast	Omelet (2 eggs with sautéed vegetables – green beans, mushrooms, spinach, etc – and raw cheese) Herbal tea with 1 teaspoon of honey and lemon
Lunch	Coconut Milk Soup (recipe attached) Green salad with homemade dressing
Snack	Baby carrots with almond butter (unprocessed)
Dinner	Broiled Steak (see recipe attached) – choose grass-fed beef Steamed vegetables (green leafy vegetables like spinach or kale, green or yellow beans, etc) seasoned with herbs, sea salt, and pepper. Add a patch of butter or olive oil
Snack	If hungry: berries or fruit in season