Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Jicama

In case you were wondering what jicama looks like....




If you're wondering how the heck to pick out a good jicama, and how to store it, check out this link.

The great thing about jicama is that it's pretty low in carbohydrates, and it's loaded with fiber. After doing some research on jicama, I learned that the majority of its fiber is soluble (yeah!), but sadly for me, the specific type of soluble fiber is inulin (otherwise known as a short-chain of fructose linked together...also called fructans). Inulin is also considered a prebiotic, which means it can serve as food for good bacteria in the gut. The reason it's bad news for me is because I malabsorb things like inulin. Fructans (like inulin) are an oligosaccharide, and they are supposed to be avoided or limited on the low FODMAPs diet (the "O" stands for oligosaccharides). So, when I eat my jicama I try to stick to a small serving.

Jicama "Fries"
(Makes enough for about 5 servings)

Ingredients

1 large jicama

Canola oil spray

1/4 cup roasted red pepper hummus (Hannah's Skinny hummus is amazing!)

Directions

Peel the jicama, and slice it into fry-sized sticks.
Cook in a saute pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes before flipping to ensure even cooking. Place lid on pan and allow to sit for a few minutes to complete steaming until they are fork tender. I serve mine with roasted red pepper hummus, guacamole, or plain!



Nutrition Facts
(Serving Size: 1/5th of the jicama)


Check out all that fiber! So, the total carbohydrates is 22 grams. You can take half of the grams of fiber (which is 6) and subtract that from 22 (which makes 16) and this is your "net carbs" (if you are a carbohydrate counter). So this is a salty and crunchy snack with less than 100 calories, only 16 carbohydrates, LOTS of fiber, a good source of vitamin A (and almost iron...), and an excellent source of vitamin C.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Inspiring Story and a Snack

60 Lives, 30 Kidneys, All Linked
(“A record chain of kidney transplants resulted from a mix of medical need, pay-it-forward
selflessness and lockstep coordination among 17 hospitals over four months”)

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/19/health/lives-forever-linked-through-kidney-transplant-chain-124.html?_r=1&ref=health

Eggplant Pizzas

Slice an eggplant (I used the Japanese purple eggplant here) and spray with olive oil. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes. Top with marinara sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese melts (about 10 minutes). Serve warm (but they are pretty tasty cold too!).

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Read This

This has been going around Facebook and thought I’d share it with you:

A man sat at a metro station in Washington DC and started to play the violin; it was a cold January morning. He played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, since it was rush hour, it was calculated that 1,100 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work.
Three minutes went by, and a middle aged man noticed there was musician playing. He slowed his pace, and stopped for a few seconds, and then hurried up to meet his schedule.
A minute later, the violinist received his first dollar tip: a woman threw the money in the till and without stopping, and continued to walk.
A few minutes later, someone leaned against the wall to listen to him, but the man looked at his watch and started to walk again. Clearly he was late for work.
The one who paid the most attention was a 3 year old boy. His mother tagged him along, hurried, but the kid stopped to look at the violinist. Finally, the mother pushed hard, and the child continued to walk, turning his head all the time. This action was repeated by several other children. All the parents, without exception, forced them to move on.
In the 45 minutes the musician played, only 6 people stopped and stayed for a while. About 20 gave him money, but continued to walk their normal pace. He collected $32. When he finished playing and silence took over, no one noticed it. No one applauded, nor was there any recognition.
No one knew this, but the violinist was Joshua Bell, one of the most talented musicians in the world. He had just played one of the most intricate pieces ever written, on a violin worth $3.5 million dollars.
Two days before his playing in the subway, Joshua Bell sold out at a theater in Boston where the seats averaged $100.
This is a real story. Joshua Bell playing incognito in the metro station was organized by the Washington Post as part of a social experiment about perception, taste, and priorities of people. The outlines were: in a commonplace environment at an inappropriate hour: Do we perceive beauty? Do we stop to appreciate it? Do we recognize the talent in an unexpected context?
One of the possible conclusions from this experience could be:
If we do not have a moment to stop and listen to one of the best musicians in the world playing the best music ever written, how many other things are we missing?

Do you see the 3 Goddard paintings hanging on the walls? I totally missed them the first time, and he is my favorite artist . . .true message!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Healthy Living

10 things you can do today for a healthier, happier you!

source

1. Drink A LOT of water today! It will prevent headaches and prevent you from feeling overly hungry (especially for those who are enduring some intense workouts!).

2. Get rid of all your leftover super bowl treats! Try sending leftovers home with party attendees, take them to work, or drop them off at neighbors' homes if they are tempting.

3. Get your workout in today! After any food-focused occasion, you are probably feeling a bit sluggish the next day. Get moving and you will feel better!

4.Kill Germs! Go through your house with a sanitization wipe and give every door handle, railing, and light switch a good scrub to get rid of pesky germs that could cause a sickness. If nothing else, be aware of washing your hands before eating and avoid touching your face during the day.

5. Get Pretty! Take 10 minutes and curl your hair, do your makeup, or paint your nails. This is something that will help you feel better about yourself and out you in a healthy mindset to make good choices.

6.Plan a healthy dinner! With a Lean meat, veggies, and a healthy fat.

7. Don’t eat anything processed today.

8. STRETCH! Try to touch your toes.

9.Park far away. Take that last parking lot sport and burn a few extra calories walking in.

10. Turn on some music and dance around - there is no excuse about poor gym class schedules or fear about other class participants watching you dance, you can do this in a small space anywhere in your home, apartment, or bedroom.