Okay... I have tons of laundry, and I don't even know why. I also still have to do my workout/workouts. So consider this my procrastination tool today.
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| No, tofu is not on the list... although, the benefit of it being tasteless, is that you can pretty much add it to any food you cook, and season it however you would like :) |
20 foods you should have in your home:
From
Livestrong.com with supporting literature from Eat This Not That
Yogurt: The best way to meet nutritional needs as far as dairy. Plus eating yogurt, is good for digestive health, and studies have shown, people who eat yogurt have a lower percent of body fat. I buy greek yogurt, because it has less sugars. Unless of course you're buying fruit on the bottom. Your best bet would be to get greek yogurt plain, or vanilla, or with honey, and fresh berries.
Tomatoes: They're low in calories and have tons of antioxidants! You know... cancer fighting stuff. I put fresh chopped tomatoes on anything from eggs, to chili, whatever... I love them. Oh, and you can make fresh salsa with them of course!!
Sweet potatoes: Lots of complex carbs, beta-carotene, fiber, and lots of different vitamins. They're good for your vision! I go through phases with sweet potatoes. Sometimes I like them, sometimes I don't. when I do have them, I will eat them baked. Or you can bake sweet potato fries... which are good with truffle salt, and ketchup... yum!
Salmon: For lean protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Studies show it lowers the risk of heart disease, which is great, because more women, than men, die from heart disease. I bake, or broil salmon, with lots of different seasonings. I also use it for fish tacos, and salads. We eat a lot of salmon in this house because I can do so many things with it! Wild caught salmon is obviously healthier, but I honestly don't like it, because while it's not got added food dyes, it does have tons of bones, which is gross. SO I admit, this is one thing I stray off of the beaten path with. I buy it farm-raised.
Spinach: or leafy greens such as kale, and romaine. One of the most nutrients dense foods on earth according to LiveStrong and my book. Here's the deal with spinach... I buy it organic in a bag. SO easy... I toss it in salads, use it in wraps, use it
as a wrap, steam it and more. When I steam it, I can add it to a bunch of cooked foods and the family often doesn't even know it's in there... like my yummy chili, or jambalaya... they have no idea, and they still love it. Popeye was right... does this mean we can smoke a pipe too? Probably not...
Onions: rich in sulfur containing compounds, which provides cardiovascular benefits, protecting against heart attacks. I use onions in a lot of my recipes too, but I have to chop them up very small. That way they're barely noticed by the family. Fresh onions obviously go in wraps, on top of chili, baked potatoes, and whatever else you think they would be yummy with.
Garlic: Did you know garlic has proven to be the number one cancer fighter. It supposedly stops tumor growth. I forget where I saw it, but there was a video on this, and Garlic came out number 1 for stopping tumor growth. It also protects blood cells and blood vessels from inflammatory and oxidative stress. Like onions, and spinach, I use garlic with almost everything. No, I don't stink... :) If you don't want to buy fresh garlic, and mince it yourself, buy the jar of already minced. I use that... it makes everything so much easier! I also like to roast garlic... so yummy!!
Flaxseed: Provides fiber, magnesium, omega-3 fatty acids, and calcium. I buy it already ground, and it lasts forever. I add a tablespoon to my work-out shakes, cereal, oatmeal, basically anything I can add spinach and onions to, I can add this to, without it being noticed. The only time I really notice it is when it's in my shakes because of its density.
Eggs: Healthy, healthy, healthy!!! Low price, high protein, and you can basically buy them all season long. I buy cage free just because I am an animal freak, as in I don't like to think an animal is suffering so i can fulfill my needs. Not if it's unnecessary. There are so many ways to cook eggs, that you shouldn't tired of them easily... just make sure you aren't putting a lot of butter and oil in them... that's not good. I'll dedicate a whole blog on the many ways to cook eggs!
Edamame: rich in vitamins c, b, and e, and is also a good source of protein. Seriously, if you want a quick, easy snack, this is it. I buy it frozen, in a bag I can steam, pop it in the microwave, sprinkle it in sea salt, and it's good to go!! Yummy! Plus you have to work for it a bit while your eating it, so I figure you're burning a few calories too!
Chicken breasts: protein, obviously...but it's a lean protein that contains 18 amino acids, and no carbs. SO, if you want to build muscle, this is the way to go! You can do so much with chicken breasts. I always cook it in the oven. There are so many different ways you can add flavor to it too, meaning, like eggs, you shouldn't get tired of it too quickly. You can also use it for fajitas (add that homemade salsa), some bell peppers, onions, jalapenos (great for metabolism), you can put it in salads, eggs, burritos with multigrain wraps, regular wraps, etc etc. Chicken... it's where it's at!!
Butternut squash: high in vitamin c, beta-caratene, and beta-cryptoxanthin.. which is supposed to help prevent lung cancer. I love butternut squash, but I don't consider it to be something that is easy to prepare. Unless I can buy it pre-chopped, we don't eat it. I was very excited to find La Madeline, a restaurant here, now serves it with quinoa, in one of their healthy, low-calorie dishes!
Brussels Sprouts: vitamins a, c, e, b6, and k, with the potential to prevent, bladder, breast, colon, and lung cancer. I love them, the family does not. I roast them with different seasonings, steam them, and boil them in chicken broth. I chop them up and add them to quinoa, in baked potatoes, etc etc. The smell in the house, prevents me from sneaking them into anything, but at times, I manage to get them down the family's mouths.
Broccoli: vitamins c, k, and anti-cancer nutrients with the potential for protecting the cardiovascular system. I steam it, roast it with different seasonings, or serve it raw in salads. The family will eat broccoli, I really don't like it, but will eat it.
Black-beans: nutrient packed and cheap, they contain heart healthy, cancer preventing compounds. I add these in with fajitas, chili, eggs (and some of that home-made salsa).
Bell-Peppers: packed with antioxidants and reduces risk of disease. I love bell peppers. I put them in salads, wraps, eat them sliced and raw for a snack, fajitas, chili (chopped very small), eggs, jambalaya!
Berries: loaded with antioxidants, packed with vitamin c. Strawberries, blue berries, and raspberries, help lower your risk of breast and cervical cancer. I love berries. I mix them with nuts, have them in greek yogurt, make shakes with them. You can buy them frozen (just read the package to make sure there are no added sugars), I put strawberries in my wine. Berries are so good and healthy!!
Avocados: vitamins a, d, e, and k. Improves cardiovascular, and blood sugar regulation, and has been shown to prevent mouth, skin, and prostate cancers, and provides you with the healthy cholesterol your body needs. I love making fresh guacamole, add some fresh tomatoes, cilantro, serve with organic corn chips, fish tacos, fajitas, fresh salsa... delicious, and healthy! You can also make egg salad and substitute the mayo with guacamole. Trust me, it's good. I may make that for lunch today!
Asparagus: anti-inflammatory nutrients and folic acid, which aids in the release of serotonin in your system. It may also the formation of cancerous tumors! I steam it, roast it, eat it raw as a snack... serve it over baked potatoes, with salmon, mixed in quinoa. It's a great side! You can also put it in salads, in wraps...
Almonds: monounsaturated fat, protein, vitamins, minerals, lowers cholesterol! They are also a tummy-slimmer, along with walnuts. I buy them raw and put them in salads, roast them with seasonings for a small snack... a handful is enough when eating nuts :) I also buy raw almond butter and add it to one of my shakes... I think it's the energy shake. I'll give the recipe for that sometime soon!
Now some of my own stuff...
Low-fat swiss cheese is the healthiest cheese... I also buy fat-free feta, and
weight-watchers cheese sticks for grab and go snacks.
If you have a
gluten-intolerance, which I do, though I still eat whole grains. If you can't do this, shop the organic aisle in your grocery store... tons of gluten free choices. Just read the labels... if it's free of gluten, it may be high in other, unhealthy things. This is when you simply shop fresh...
Milk-Smart-Balance. It's a bit more expensive, but SO good. I buy lactose free-fat free. I can't do a lot of lactose, and you can't even tell it's fat free. Lots of Omega-3 in this milk! Plus, the expiration date on it, lasts a lot longer than other milks... good for the person who is on the go, but trying to keep some healthy things at home.
Right now, I need to get going, so will come back and add more later. I have laundry, workouts, and another blog I need to write!!
Go shopping!!
