Broccoli Done Right For Your Body

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Just a quick note for those of you who are adding "new" items to their daily green foods.

If you are eating broccoli, the best way to eat it is either raw, sprouted or steamed. Why?

During the boiling and deep cooking, the enzyme – myrosinase – that is responsible for forming anti-cancerous and anti-inflammatory compound in broccoli will be destroyed. Without this enzyme, broccoli, basically loses its golden diseases-fighting properties.

Also, please note if you are into supplements containing broccoli, you may not get what you're looking for. One of the studies, just published, mentions both supplements and overcooked broccoli as deficient of the major enzyme myrosinase that is the key to broccoli's beneficial qualities.

Please include fresh broccoli in your daily feast of foods. Why? Just look at this short sample list:

• Protects arteries against inflammation (and as you already know, inflammation is a precursor to many chronic diseases)
• Protects the gut from harmful flora that leads to stomach ulcers and cancer
• Protects the lungs in those who smoke and in those who are just passive smokers, i.e., second-hand smoking

Don't shy away from broccoli! It's good, it's yummy, it gives you more variety in your daily food menu.

Celebrate Your New Beginnings Today!

References:
Mitchell, Deborah, Steam Broccoli, Add Sprouts to Boost Cancer Fighting Benefits. Emax Health, Jan 30, 2011

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.
Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Three Kinds of Peas And One Slim You

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January is my month of great new salad recipes that I do not make on the regular basis. I wanted to widen the variety of salads I usually make for my whole family. All of these salads boast great ingredients and a health boosting alternative to other processed foods.

Without further ado, here's another pearl in my collection.

Three Pea Salad on Spring Mix Greens

Ingredients:

3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame
8 oz snap peas, trimmed
4 cups spring mix of salad greens
1/2 cup radish, thinly sliced for garnish
2 Tb spoons white wine vinegar (Here's a link why you need vinegar in your daily life!)
1 Tb spoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tb spoons of real sour cream (it has only milk, cream and enzymes in it!)
1 tea spoon agave nectar (low glycemic, appropriate for diabetics)
2 teaspoons fresh tarragon, chopped

Preparation:

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Salad Dressing: In a separate bowl, mix together white wine vinegar, olive oil, sour cream, agave, and tarragon.
3. Add peas, edamame to the boiling pot of water. Cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in sugar snap peas. Continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Or until tender-crisp. Do not over boil!
4. Drain the peas, pour cold water on top of them to stop cooking inside these veggies.
5. In a serving bowl with spring mix add the peas and radishes.
6 Drizzle with the dressing from Step 2.

Celebrate Your Green Day Menu Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Publish Post

Celebrate Spring In January With a Salad-ulass Recipe!

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Everybody wants to stay healthy and slim these long winter months. But what you could do for yourself is to take a new approach in what you feed your body and your whole family.

This month of January, I dedicated to New Salad Recipes in my house and home. At least twenty (yes, 20!) salad recipes will be tried this cold January by all who live here!

Here's a salad recipe I am making today for our Sunday lunch or brunch.

January Roasted Asparagus With Goat Cheese and Toasted Pine Nuts

Ingredients:

8 whole pickled beets, drained and cut
1 lb fresh asparagus (I'm actually trying white asparagus for this salad)
4 cups multi-herb salad greens
1 Tb spoon pine nuts, toasted
1 oz goat cheese, crumbled
3 Tb spoons balsamic vinegar or any flavored vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard or any mustard you have on hand
1-1/2 Tb spoons extra-virgin olive oil (or you could omit it easily!)
1 Tb spoon hot water
Black Pepper to taste
Sea Salt to taste (pink Himalayan salt would be great here!)

Preparation:

1. Salad Dressing: Whisk together 2 Tb spoons of balsamic vinegar and Dijon mustard. Add 1 Tb spoon of oil and 1 Tb spoon of water.
2. Toss beets into a separate bowl and drizzle with a little bit of the salad dressing you've just prepared.
3. Roast asparagus in the oven at 450F. Drizzle some oil, salt and pepper on top. It should be ready in about 10 minutes, but watch it! Drizzle some balsamic vinegar at the end of the cooking and leave in the oven for about 1 minute or so.
4. Arrange salad greens, beets, asparagus on plates. Sprinkle with your salad dressing, pine nuts and goat cheese. Add Sea Salt if desired to the finished arrangement.

Celebrate Your Spring Mood In January Today!

PS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2011 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Thanksgiving for Longer Vibrant Life: Start Now

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A Thanksgiving rush has begun. Though you might have been preparing for this holiday for quite a while, the majority of people get their dinner plans arranged in the last couple of days.

What is on your dinner table this Thanksgiving season?

What are you proud to present to your house guests?

Naturally, we love our staples and favorite dishes on this big Day. But have you truly considered to include some of the benefits that Autumn harvest brings into your dining routine?

Check out these facts and clinical studies. And may be, just may be, you will find a creative way to include the variety of vegetables, and fruit into your so truly loved dinner plans.

Resent study revealed another “eye-opener,” that those people who consume big quantities of vegetables rich in alpha-carotene live longer. (See reference 1) The true point to be made in this study is that it’s not how long we live, it’s the quality of life we live. Living longer should be associated with a vibrant life style you continue to lead way after retirement and into the truly golden years of your life.

Where do you find Alpha-Carotene? In Yellow-Orange and Dark-Green Vegetables!

Here’s the list that looks so familiar:
Sweet Potatoes
Pumpkins
Carrots
Broccoli
Spinach
Lettuce

And it is so easy to include these wonderful garden delights into your Thanksgiving menu! Just think of and look up some easy healthy recipes on the internet. There is such an abundance of them!

Your house guests and you yourself will say Thank-You that you did take an effort to introduce these new old staples into a true celebration of life, getting-together, and much more – Your Vibrant Living!

Happy Thanksgiving! Happy Hours Around Your Table!


References:
1. Alpha-Carotene Tied to Lower Mortality Risk by Todd Neale, MedPage Today; Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD, Emeritus Professor University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner

Thanksgiving Recipes As Proof of Wholesome Harvest

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Patricia Spencer, Founder of GrabGreen

I love Thanksgiving for very few reasons. Some of those reasons are historical value of this holiday. Some of the reasons come from that sense of great time with people I love and appreciate. And yes, I love this holiday for its food... that I cook.

Being a vegetarian, my Thanksgiving table bursts with abundance of salads that very few people I know make. Some of my dishes are of my own imagination and creation.

So, when I come across an interesting way of preparing vegetable, arranging fruit, or simplicity of arranging ingredients, I jump at the opportunity to record it: sometimes in my mind, sometimes writing it down.

Two interesting recipes by Patricia Spencer, the inventor and creator of GrabGreen products, are truly a very appropriate and powerful duo for, at least, my Holiday Feast.

Think about it. We celebrate abundance and glory of a Thanksgiving forgetting about a great Harvest that those first people had and celebrated hundreds of years ago. Their harvest was majorly consisting of grains, and vegetables, and by some accounts no turkey at all!

That’s why I think it is so important to emphasize the Harvest that  Autumn brings to us by offering to your guests of the house the abundance of vegetables.

Without further ado, here are two great dishes you could share with your loved ones. No counting calories. No thinking of hydrogenated fats. No guilt. Just pure celebration! The true one: for your mind, body, house guests.
•••••

Tomato And Avocado Salad

Ingredients
1 pint grape or tear drop tomatoes (yellow or red)
1 avocado – preferably Haas, cut into ½” cubes
2 Tablespoons sliced green scallions

Dressing
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 Tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
¼ teaspoon of salt & pepper

Preparation
Mix tomatoes, avocados and scallions in a bowl.  In a separate bowl, mix dressing ingredients, pour over the salad, toss and enjoy. You can garnish your dish with any herbs, salad leaves, crumbled goat cheese if you wish!
•••••

Roasted Tomatoes – My favorite!

Ingredients
12 Roma tomatoes cut in half with seeds removed
¼ cup olive oil
1 ½ teaspoons salt, preferably kosher salt
½ teaspoon pepper

Preparation
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a cookie sheet or sheet pan, drizzle tomatoes with olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes, until tender.
You can garnish your dish any way your fantasy takes you! Use herbs to inspire all of your senses! Follow your heart in decorating your healthy meal!
•••••
FYI:
• Tomato contain lycopene (the red pigment in tomato). Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant hat can also fight cancer cells.
• Tomatoes are rich in Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Potassium
• Large consumption of tomatoes improves skin texture and color – Wouldn't that alone be a huge Thank-You?!
• Tomatoes are a natural antiseptic, meaning they protect against infection
•••••
Thank you, Patricia for your wonderful recipes you shared with us! I loved every morsel of both recipes! What a great way to say Thank-You for this year's Harvest!
•••••

Here are some more articles about Patricia Spencer, Founder of first healthy household cleaning method:

Grab a Better Life. Grab Green. Today! 
Weight Loss Motivation Tips by Patricia Spenser, The GrabGreen Founder

PS: If you have any questions to Patricia Spencer, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally and the companies who truly advance forward the best traits of the humankind. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Mexican Cuisine – Burrito Tuesday

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Today is Tuesday. And Jennifer Taylor, the Mama of the Smart Girls Who Surf, shared her favorite and so much family-friendly recipe of one her frequently used recipes.

California Burritos

We live in California where Mexican food is a weekly must. We have our own “Taco Tuesday” and we make fresh chicken burritos and tacos. It is fun for the kids, because we prepare everything together and then they get to build their own burrito.

Ingredients:
Several chicken breasts
Tomatoes (chopped)
Cilantro (chopped)
Avocado (chopped)
Cheese (shredded)
Black Olives (sliced)
Black Beans (canned)
Salsa (get a couple of different ones)
Corn and Flower Tortillas

Preparation: It is very easy.
• We usually bake some chicken breasts, or if you are pressed for time you can usually get a fresh roasted chicken at your local store.
• We chop tomatoes, cilantro, lettuce, avocado and put into separate small bowls.
• Then I get some shredded cheese and sliced black olives, again in separate bowls.
• All of that is put on the table with a variety of salsas.
• I heat up both corn and flour tortillas as well as some black beans and we are ready to eat.
• I always try to pair our spicy Mexican food with some cool fruit, like cantaloupe or a fresh fruit salad.

*****

Celebrate Mexican Cuisine Tuesday!

PS: If you have any questions to Jennifer Taylor, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in and use personally. I am not compensated for my opinions.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Get Teenagers To Eat Veggies Burritos

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I always ask my interviewees to share their favorite recipe they make either for themselves or their kids. SaraJean Cameranesi offered the healthy eating recipe she’s been specializing in for years for her daughter and her friends. Enjoy!

*****

When my daughter was in high school, her friends loved coming over for Burrito Night.  Little did they know….this is also a great meal for leftovers!

Vegetable Burritos

Ingredients:
Large Tortillas
Cooked rice of your preference (brown rice is the best)
Black beans (cooked, rinsed, slightly mashed)
Vegetables (broccoli, carrots, zucchini, cucumbers, mushrooms, corn, cabbage – whatever you have in the fridge – VERY finely chopped)
Optional: leftover chicken/meat/fish, shredded
Cheese, shredded (Mozzarella, Jack, or Colby)

Fresh Pico de Gallo – mix together the following:
½ tomato, chopped
1 T onion, chopped
Lots of cilantro, chopped
Avocado, sliced
Sour Cream
Salsa

Preparation:
1. In an open tortilla, layer all ingredients putting the rice first. 
2. The last layer is the salsa and 1 tsp of sour cream for extra flavor.  Be careful not to overfill.
3. Wrap tightly and heat in a dry pan/griddle, turning the burrito every minute or so to heat all sides. 
4. It helps to heat some of the ingredients, like the rice, beans, and meat, prior to layering. Or if layering is too much work, mix all ingredients together before putting in the tortilla.

If you'd like to learn more about SaraJean Cameranesi, please read here:
A Woman Who Never Stops Moving
Healthy Foods Are Great For Blood Sugar Levels
Weight Loss Motivation Tips by SaraJean Cameranesi, the Coconut World Founder 

PS: If you have any questions to SaraJean Cameranesi, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only write about products I believe in personally. I am not compensated for my opinions.


Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Chicken Vegetable Fried Rice using Brown Rice – Recipe For Kids

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Recap: Julianna Shaw is the creator and develop of eco-friendly baby products. She has her own girls she cares about. What does she cook for dinners? Well, one of the favorite recipes in her house is

Chicken And Vegetable Fried Rice using Brown Rice

 This recipe is a general guideline since I usually just add whatever vegetables I have in the fridge at the time.  My kids inhale this every time I make it and I feel good giving it to them because it is loadedwith protein and vegetables.

You will need
4 cups of Brown Rice (best if it’s day-old rice)
2 large eggs lightly beaten
½ cup green peas or 1 cup edaname beans
1 medium onion, diced
1 green onion, diced
1 cup corn
1 cup julienne-cut red bell pepper
2 cups broccoli florets
2 skinless chicken breasts

Seasonings
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
¼ tablespoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil for stir frying, as needed

Preparation
Heat the pan, add oil.  When oil is heated through, pour the lightly beaten egg into the pan and scramble.  Set aside the egg for later.

Stir fry the onion until translucent, and then add the chicken.  Once the chicken is cooked, add the vegetables and egg until all is heated through.  Next add the rice and seasonings.

Want to know how Julianna created her ZoLi products?

Wanna Have Toxins Free Baby? Adopt ZoLi
The Secret Is Inside the Kitchen Cupboard
5 Reasons To Be Eco Friendly And Chemical Free
Weight Loss Tips From The Guru Mama

PS: If you have any questions to Julianna, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only review products I believe in. I am not compensated for my opinions. 

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Aromatherapy in the Bottle: Healthy Recipe for Kids

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I don’t have a food recipe but I do have something from Yellowstone Bees that is really easy for 4-12 year-olds to make on their own.

Essential Oil Spray for Kids Healthy Recipe

All you need:
2 spray bottles, 2 or 4 oz
purified water (use cooled water from the fridge)
essential oils (your choice of Lavender or Peppermint; health food stores carry them)

If Lavender is your choice:

• Has calming effect
• Disinfects skin

If Peppermint is your choice:

• Antibacterial
• Antifungul
• Helps with nausea
• Eases headaches

Preparation:
Buy some small spray bottles.
Fill with purified water from your fridge.
Put 1-2 droppers of your favorite essential oils like Lavender or Peppermint.
Shake and spray!
Or wrap them up and give as a gift to someone you love.

More on Kim Lewis:

Out of American Express by the Power of Love...
The Secret Is Inside the Kitchen Cupboard
Yellowstone Bees Create a Buzz... In Modern Skin Care

PS: If you have any questions to Kim, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only review products I believe in. I am not compensated for my opinions. 

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

FuzziBunz Mom Cooks Red Beans and Rice

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Yes, Tereson Dupuy, the Creator of Number 1 cloth pocket diapers cooks for her kids. She shares this yummy recipe her children love.

Tereson, "My children love beans! Red beans, black beans, white beans. Here's one of their favorite recipes."

Red Beans and Rice Recipe by FuzziBunz Tereson Dupuy

You'll need:
1 lb red kidney beans
1 package turkey sausage or tasso (use vegetarian versions)
1 onion
3 celery stalks
1 bellpepper
salt, pepper to taste
brown rice

Preparation
Soak beans overnight.
Brown sausage or other meat or meat substitutes and seasonings.
Put in a crockpot in the morning and cook on low for 10 hours or high for 7 hours.
Once cooked mash some of the beans to make a creamy consistency.
Serve over brown rice.

More on Tereson Dupuy, The FuzziBunz Creator

From Clear Idea To A Fuzzi Business... How Could This Young Mother Dare To Do This?
What Kind of Diaper is The Best for Your Baby? How Do You Know?

PS: If you have any questions to Susan, please leave them in the comments below. She will definitely read and answer them.
PPS: If you know a woman-entrepreneur who has created healthy product(s), please let me know, so we could spread the word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Disclosure: I only review products I believe in. I am not compensated for my opinions. 

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Cool Cuke and Honeydew Fizz – Refreshing Drink Recipe

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Get Jiggy With the Juice

 (by Mareya Ibrahim, Eat Cleaner Creator)

Growing up in a warm country, a prerequisite for a blistering hot day – about 10 months out of the year – was to pay a visit to the juice bar around the corner from our flat.

The proprietor would stack the counters up with colorful pyramids of oranges, beets, mangoes, guavas and pomegranates, depending on what was in season.  Vases filled with rods of sugar cane and long carrots anchored the artful arrangements to create an edible landscape.

Once the juicers started to whir, the sweet scent of freshness would dance through the steamy streets, luring customers in like a pied piper.  He’d create his own signature fruit and veggie ‘cocktails’, mixing beet with orange, carrot and mango, a soulful blend of sweet and savory.  At a time when soda made it to our side of the globe, juicing was just pure refreshment. 

Now we know that fresh juice provides us with invaluable nutrition in a glass.  Yet, most of the juice you purchase at the store has been heat pasteurized, which destroys bacteria along with many of the beneficial nutrients.

If you make it at home, you’ll not only preserve a bevy of vitamins and minerals, essential fatty acids and good carbohydrates, you’ll also ensure its safety of the fruit and vegetables when you buy and wash them yourself.

Added bonus…you get the best of the fruit, including fiber and concentrated nutrients, while reaping the benefits of quick-release energy in a flash – a great pick-me-up before and after your yoga workout. 

*****

Cool Cuke and Honeydew Fizz Recipe

Tip: Use Eat Cleaner wash or wipes for all veggies and fruit in this recipe to enhance safety and flavor.

Why You Should Indulge: Cucumber is a good source of folic acid, potassium, vitamins A and C and is a natural anti-inflammatory, maintaining overall health and wellness.  Honeydew melons are also chock full of vitamin C and are naturally low in calories.  Combined with sparkling water to give it a fun fizz, Cukes and Honeydews are the perfect mates.

Makes approx. 16 ounces
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped
2 cups cubed honeydew melon
1 cup sparkling water
1 Fresh lime

In a blender, pulse cucumber and honeydew until smooth.  Add sparkling water and blend thoroughly.  Pour over ice or chill and finish with a squeeze of lime.

*****

More on Mareya's Success Story
California Mother Puts End to Contaminated Food Eating
How To Eat Produce Treated With Pesticides... And Be Healthy
California Woman From Egypt Saves You Big Buck on Produce, Poultry, and Fish

PS: If you know of a woman-entrepreneur with healthy product(s) she created and developed, please let me know, so we could spread a word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta and Kalamata Olives

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Here's a healthy meals recipe by Mareya Ibrahim, Eat Cleaner Creator.

Do use Eat Cleaner to wash your fresh veggies in the recipe to enjoy their fresh and true taste!

Grilled Vegetable Salad with Feta and Kalamata Olives

Marinade/Dressing:

3T fresh lemon juice
3 T balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 T extra virgin olive oil
2 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp fresh oregano, chopped (1 tsp dried if fresh isn’t available)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

To Grill:

1 small eggplant
1 fennel bulb, trim the fronds (leaves)
2 small zucchini
1 head radicchio
1 red onion, peeled
1 lemon
2 T olive oil

More on Mareya's Success Story

California Mother Puts End to Contaminated Food Eating
How To Eat Produce Treated With Pesticides... And Be Healthy
California Woman From Egypt Saves You Big Bucks on Produce, Poultry, and Fish

PS: If you know of a woman-entrepreneur with healthy product(s) she created and developed, please let me know, so we could spread a word about her and her contribution to this planet.

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Weight Loss Motivation Comes with a Healthy Choice Recipe

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RECAP: The Colic Calm Mom Reveals Her Weight Loss Motivation and Shares a Healthy Choice Recipe

Here's what Colic Calm mom Jacqueline Lawrence does when it comes to grilling – Yummy and delicious, vegetable-filled Coconut Chicken Kebabs (or Kebobs, if you wish)

Coconut Chicken Kebabs Recipe

Use Organic Ingredients to rip the benefits of all Vitamins and Minerals

1 1⁄4 lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (use organic free-range chickens)
1⁄2 lb. fresh pineapple
1 large green bell pepper
1can light coconut milk (14 oz.)
1⁄2 cup sugar
1 jalepeño, seeded and diced (or less if your kids don't like spicy)
1 tsp. kosher salt
Juice of 1 lime

Preheat grill to medium-high.

Prepare chicken, pineapple, and bell pepper, cutting each into 2-inch chunks (you'll need 12 pieces of chicken and 8 pieces each of pineapple and bell pepper). Place chunks in a large resealable plastic bag.

Combine coconut milk, sugar, jalapeños, salt, and lime juice for the marinade in a glass measuring cup with a pour spout. Add half the marinade to the bag and let stand for 15 minutes; reserve remaining marinade for basting the kebabs.

Alternately thread 3 pieces of chicken and 2 pieces each of pineapple and bell pepper onto  soaked wooden skewers, starting and ending with chunks of chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken, pineapple, and bell pepper to make 4 kebabs.

Grill kebabs, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 8–10 minutes per side, basting with reserved marinade every 3 minutes.

Please leave your questions to Jacqueline Lawrence in the comments below. She will read and respond to you.

Curious about Jacqueline? More here:
A New Mom Gets It All: Colic, Gas, Burps and Sleepless Nights
The Story of Colic Calm and Amazing Journey of Jacqueline Lawrence

Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Lobster, Vanilla and Peaches?

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Lobster Salad With Grilled Peaches and Champagne Vanilla Bean Vinaigrette (8 Servings)
From Chef Anthony Cole, Spa at Chatham Bars Inn, Chatham, Massachusetts

Why this recipe:
• Vanilla helps digestion, reduces bodily inflammation, acts as an aphrodisiac
• Lobster is  a good source of protein and Omega-3
• Arugula greens provide a readily absorbable source of calcium, iron, manganese, copper, and potassium. They are also a good source of vitamins A, C, K, and folic acid

Ingredients for lobster:
4 1-1/4 pound lobsters

Preparation for lobster:
1. Cook lobsters in boiling salted water for seven minutes
2. Remove the lobsters and place them in an ice bath to cool. Once completely cool, remove the tail, claw and knuckle meat from the shell.
3. Cut the tail in half and clean.
4. Using a pair of scissors, remove one-third of the carapace shell lengthwise to form a bse to hold the filling.

Ingredients for vinaigrette:
1/2 cup champagne vinegar
1 vanilla bean
1 cup olive oil blend
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation for vinaigrette:
5. Scrape the vanilla bean into the vinegar.
6. Puree the vinegar in a blender and emulsify with the oils.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Ingredients for avocado mousse:
1 avocado
4 ounces buttermilk
1/4 cup cilantro
1 tsp. lime juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation for avocado mousse:
8. Scoop the avocado meat and puree everthing together in the blender

Finishing ingredients:
8 slices of gilled peach
4 cups arugula

Finishing preparation:
9. Toss arugula with one cup of vinaigrette
10. Arrange arugula on plates.
11. Spoon avocado mousse onto each plate.
12. Complete by arranging the lobster, peaches on each serving.

Gluten Free, Antioxidant Meal for Skin and Weight Loss – Week One and Going Strong.

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We already know that to be supple and fresh, our skin requires a proper hydration. Such hydration comes not only from the liquid sources like water, but with the foods we consume during the day.

Here's a powerful salad that will for sure pack your body with beneficial nutrients with antioxidant powers. Plus, this food will provide additional hydration to your skin.

Keep in mind – Every day, just a small step like this salad will increase the Radiancy of your skin by the Month's end. Let's stick together in our fun goals and adventures.

Vegetable Medley Salad

Why it is Good

•This meal is Gluten Free.
• Zucchinis are rich in potassium, Vitamins A, C, calcium and iron.
• Tomatoes are packed with Vitamin C and contain lycopene.
• Tomatoes have an alkali power and are rich in water (what a wonder fruit for skin’s daily hydration!)
• Onions contain phytochemicals and the flavonol quercetin=powerful antioxidant that boasts antihistamine action.

All You Need

2 cups zucchini, sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 tomato, sliced
1 onion, sliced
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/2 cup of water
2 tsp. fresh parsley
Handful of your favorite nuts like almonds if you wish
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

In a med. bowl, mix zucchini, broccoli, tomato, onion, basil, sea salt, and pepper to taste.

Place vegetables in a baking dish over 2 sheets of parchment paper and drizzle with water. Fold edges to seal.

Cook for 15 mins. at 350 F degrees.

Sprinkle with parsley, almonds and serve.

To your healthy and hydrated skin!

To Your Daily Health!

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Food for Your Hydrated Skin and Thinner You – Week One.

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Today, I invite you to make this dish. And again, it is Quinoa that will rule your world of great taste and nutrition.

Let's roll our sleeves for a quick and yummy lunch or dinner. No matter what time you pick to treat yourself to this extraordinary wealth of tastes.

Walnut Rosemary Quinoa

Why it is Good

• This meal is Gluten Free.
• Quinoa is a great source of protein, calcium, iron. It contains almost perfect balance of all 8 Essential amino acids (“essential”= humans cannot synthesize it in the body) needed for tissue development.
• Quinoa is high in lysine & cystine amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.
• Approximately 4 oz/day of quinoa (~1/2 cup) will provide a child’s protein needs for one day.
• Quinoa is rich in potassium, Vitamins A & C.

All You Need

1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 small onion
1-1/2 cups quinoa, rinsed in boiling water and drained
1 small red bell pepper, diced
3 cups water
1 Tbsp. soy light soy sauce
1 tsp. fresh rosemary (or dried)
1 cup fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350F (to roast walnuts)

Heat oil in a medium saucepan.
Add onions and quinoaa.
Saute over medium heat, stirring constantly for about 3 mins.
Add red bell pepper and saute an additional 2 mins.
Add water, soy sauce, rosemary and peas (if using fresh peas.)

Bring to a boil and cover; simmer 15 mins or until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile, roast walnuts in 350 oven for 5-10 mins.

When quinoa is cooked, turn off heat and mix in walnuts and frozen peas (if using frozen peas.)

Let sit for a few minutes and serve.

NB: Please allow yourself to play with a variety of ingredients and add your favorites to this dish! You even could substitute Quinoa with barley if you wished.

To your brighter skin! To a happier you!

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.

Quinoa Recipe for Gorgeous Skin & Weight Loss – Week One

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Weight loss is more than just watching your inches disappear. Wise weight loss is when we take care of different areas of our body and treat them with respect. In this case, respect means nutrition and care we provide to them.

This month we dedicate to our skin (please refer to the previous post to get on board in no time.)

Week One to a more gorgeous and vibrant skin is dedicated to filling your breakfasts, lunches, and dinners with more nutrient-rich food combinations.

Here are some recipes, very easy ones, that could be done and finished in a few minutes. The only different is that these recipes provide whole foods, unprocessed foods for your body.

Enjoying the process of preparing and then partaking the foods made with fresh ingredients will definitely bring you closer to a fresher looking skin. And lighter you.


Vegetables and Quinoa Salad

Why it is Good

• This meal is Gluten Free.

• This meal is Low Glycemic (i.e., your blood sugar won't be jumping up and down after this meal's consumption.)

• Cucumbers, bell peppers, peas are rich in potassium, Vitamins A & C.

• Quinoa is a great source for protein, calcium, iron. It contains almost perfect balance of all 8 Essential amino acids (“essential”= humans cannot synthesize it in the body) needed for tissue development.

• Quinoa is high in lysine & cystine amino acids which are the building blocks of protein.
Approximately 4 oz/day of quinoa (~1/2 cup) will provide a child’s protein needs for one day.

All You Need

1/2 cucumber, slices
1 yellow bell pepper, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
3/4 cup frozen peas
1 Tbsp. light soy sauce
1/4 cup pine nuts (or almonds, crushed)
1/2 cup cabbage, chopped
4 cups quinoa, cooked
1 slice of lemon
Sea salt & pepper to taste

Preparation

Set aside cooked quinoa in a bowl.
Chop and slice all remaining vegetables. Add them to the bowl with quinoa.
Add peas, soy sauce, sea salt and pepper to taste.
Mix the combined ingredients.
Garnish with pine nuts or crushed almonds, and the juice of the lemon piece.

Feel free to experiment and add your favorite veggies! The fresher, the better.

With this yummy meal, your skin will be hydrated and shall get all the necessary nutrients for its restoration and functioning like it deserves.

And you will feel better about what you food choices. It is not that difficult, when you make one step at a time transferring yourself into a healthier lifestyle.

To Your Health!

VP Programs Development, ScaleDown for Life
VP Education, GoZonkers Inc.
Founder, CelebrateLifeNutrition.com
Curb Your Appetite – Stop Your Cravings
©2010 Laura Gontchar. All Rights Reserved.