Stephanie Pedersen's Blog, page 17

SPICE HEALERS

SPICE HEALERS

Cinnamon and other baking spices (think allspice, cloves, nutmeg and the like) are powerful superfoods. Did you know that? Spices contain large amounts of antioxidant compounds to help combat inflammation in the body, improve immune system function, treat cardiovascular conditions and help prevent and treat cancer. Current studies have found that ginger helps with acid reflux, cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar in diabetics, the Myristicin found in nutmeg has been shown to inhibit an enzyme in the brain that contributes to Alzheimer’s disease and is used to improve memory. Clove is a traditional remedy for treating ulcers, gum disease and toothaches.

You can tap into spice’s delicious healing abilities every time you bake or cook with them. One of the easiest and fastest and least expensive ways, however, to harness their power is in a quick tea. The recipe below is more of a suggestion than an absolute. Feel free to make it your own depending upon what you have on hand and what you enjoy best. (Make extra to simmer on the back of the stove—it will clean the air in your home and delight all who enters your house.) Enjoy!

WHOLE SPICE TEA

Makes as much as you’d like

One or more cinnamon sticks, and/or
A thin or fat slice of ginger, and/or
A piece of star a nice or tiny fleck of mace, and/or
One or two green cardamom pods, and/or
One or two cloves


Place your chosen spices in the bottom of a small pot and fill pot up with as much water as you desire.
Turn stove to medium low and allow water to reach a simmer.
Turn heat to low and allow tea to simmer for about 10 minutes.
Turn off heat and allow spices to continue steeping, or strain liquid and enjoy. (I like to squirt in a bit of lemon. Yum!)

If you’d like to learn more about enjoying healing spices to stay your healthiest, take a look at the phemonenal book Healing Spices: How to Use 50 Everyday and Exotic Spices to Boost Health and Fight Disease, written by my fellow Sterling author Bharat B. Aggarwal PhD. (And yes, published by Sterling).

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE CHEMICAL-HEAVY SYRUPY PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES

AN ALTERNATIVE TO THOSE CHEMICAL-HEAVY SYRUPY PUMPKIN SPICE LATTES

Every autumn, enticing drinks show up in chain donut and coffee joints. You know the ones: Warm, toasty, cinnamony, sweet, addictively delicious. I don’t want to be a downer, but as a nutritionist it is my job to tell you what is in these drinks. What you do with this information is up to you. Are you ready?

Ingredients in one chain’s pumpkin spice coffee drink (Ingredients may differ from chain to chain): Skim Milk; Brewed Espresso Coffee; Pumpkin Spice Flavored Syrup: Condensed Skim Milk, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Artificial Caramel Color, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Potassium Sorbate, Mono and Diglycerides, Disodium Phosphate, Salt;

Fortunately, a healthier, more economical, more delicious homemade option is at hand. This comes from my latest book, The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook (Sterling) which just hit the bookstores. Feel free to make the drink weaker or stronger, milkier or blacker, spicier or less so and so on. You can even swap in strong black tea for the coffee.

PUMPKIN SPICE COFFEE DRINK

Makes one large or two “regular-sized” servings

½ cup milk (dairy, coconut, almond or any other non-dairy milk)
1 tablespoon unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon granulated raw sugar, honey, coconut nectar, agave or other natural sweetener
¼ to ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups hot brewed strong coffee (or black tea)
Optional: 1 additional teaspoon granulated raw sugar, honey, coconut nectar, agave or other natural sweetener


In a small pot, whisk together milk, pumpkin, sugar, spice and vanilla
Heat mixture over medium heat for about two minutes or until the mixture is hot and slightly frothy
Pour the milk mixture into two tall mugs or large cups. Stir in hot coffee and, if using, optional sweetener. Stir and serve.

Note: You’ll see the drink includes a bit of pumpkin puree. Yes, this does healthy-up the drink, but it also gives it body and a satisfying creamy texture without the chemicals and sweeteners of chain store drinks. If you’ve opened a can of pumpkin puree to make this drink, rest assured that you can use the rest of the can wherever an entire can of pumpkin puree is called for. Or, freeze the puree in an ice cube try for individual-servings of this convenient superfood ingredient.

PEPITAS—THE NAKED PUMPKIN SEED

PEPITAS—THE NAKED PUMPKIN SEED

With a hefty 9 grams of protein per one ounce serving, pepitas are good-for-you food. But before I tell you the many reasons you should be eating this yummy superfood, let me tell you what these crunchy, munchy goodies are: Hulless pumpkin seeds. Yep! Pumpkin seeds without the thick, white hull.

These green seeds are nutrient powerhouses, boasting amino acids, unsaturated fatty acids, potassium, niacin, and phosphorous. They are high in most of the B vitamins, and vitamins C, D, E, and K. They are rich in beta-carotene that can be converted into vitamin A as needed by the body, and also rich in the eye protective carotenoid lutein.

The monounsaturated oil and omega 3 fatty acids in pepitas has been shown to help prevent cancer and prostate conditions. Large amounts of carotenoids and zinc content also help discourage cancer.

In my house, we dry-toast pepitas until they pop (they get very puffy and make a popping sound), then toss them into salads and stir-fries or use them as a garnish beans, grains, soups and hot cereals with them. We also add them to baked goods, homemade granola and make a salsa with a ¼ cup of pepitas plus a chopped tomato, chile, onion and cilantro.

Pepitas can also be whirred into a dairy-free crème sauce that is perfect used as a savory sauce or filling for a number of foods. Try it as a topping for grains, potatoes, veggies, tacos, or a sauce for pasta, poultry, fish or meat. You will love this addictive sauce!

CREAMY PEPITA SAUCE

Makes about 3 cups

2 1/2 cups raw (untoasted) pepitas
2 3/4 cups (or more) homemade, boxed or canned low-salt chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste


Stir seeds in large skillet over medium-high heat until they start to become golden and begin to pop, about 6 minutes.
Transfer pepitas to blender. Add 2 3/4 cups broth. Blend until smooth, scraping down sides of blender occasionally.
Thin sauce to consistency of buttermilk (or a bit thicker), adding broth by 1/4 cup measures.
Season with salt and pepper, if desired.

To pack pumpkin seeds in my kids’ lunchbags, I use these cool “food cones.” Check them out!

SUPERFOODS 101: CHOOSE, USE AND HEAL WITH TODAY’S POWERFOODS

SUPERFOODS 101: CHOOSE, USE AND HEAL WITH TODAY’S POWERFOODS

Last year I did something outrageously fun: I created and hosted something called the Superfood Superheroes Summit. This was an online educational series featuring some of my favorite nutrition colleagues in the superfood cookbook world. Each morning and each afternoon a different guest showed up and chatted with me about their books, their favorite superfoods, how to use superfoods, recipes, health benefits and so much more.

We talked about to bake with avocado. How to use Sacha Inchi and Camu Camu Berries. We talked about how to turn watermelon into barbecue sauce and into cupcakes. We chatted about homemade beauty products. How to use certain foods to change your metabolism. How to choose and use superfoods if you are on a budget (this even works for people on food assistance.) How to help health chronic (and in some cases, very serious) health conditions with superfoods.

In short, we had a rockin’ good time teaching each other, and our listeners, how to makeover our current diets (or to “soup up” an already good diet) by easily fitting superfoods into our days.

The information was so valuable, so transformative that we packaged all the interview recordings and the bonus gifts (recipes, ebooks, guidebooks) offered by our Superfood Superheroes into a digital library called Superfoods 101: Choose, Use and Heal With Today’s Powerfoods. We sold this during the beginning of the summit for $47. After the summit was over, we bumped up the price to $97. In addition, I give Superfoods 101 as a gift to my private clients.

But now I’ve decided it’s time to make Superfoods 101: Choose, Use and Heal With Today’s Powerfoods more accessible for those of you who either can’t (or don’t want to) spend the $97 or who can’t be a private client at this time.

So right now, we are offering Superfoods 101: Choose, Use and Heal With Today’s Powerfoods for $9.97 To read more about the summit, the interviews, and check out the experts we featured, you can go here. It’s also the page where you can purchase Superfoods 101: Choose, Use and Heal With Today’s Powerfoods if you’d like to.

The response to this summit was huge. You know me: I’m chatty and I love connecting with old friends and making new ones, so meeting all of you was one of my favorite things about the Superfood Superheroes Summit. I look forward to continuing our connection!

 

Much love!

 



Stephanie Pedersen

 

P.S. People are asking me what’s coming up—am I hosting any more summits? Writing any more books? Oh yes, yes, yes. I am! Stay tuned for some big news! In the meantime, you can check out my just-released book, The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook, published by Sterling Books. xoxoxo

AN EASY WAY TO SPICE UP AUTUMN’S BOUNTY

AN EASY WAY TO SPICE UP AUTUMN’S BOUNTY

Crisp air, refreshing temperatures and delicious harvest foods—everyone loves autumn. As a cookbook author and nutritionist, I love autumn because it is a healthy season, generously filled with superfoods.

Pumpkins and their kin, winter squash (think butternut, delicata and others) are everywhere, healing us and making us even more beautiful than we already are with their high levels of antioxidants. And anytime you have pumpkins and winter squash, you probably also have pumpkin pie spice blend. If you’ve ever baked pumpkin muffins or made a pumpkin pie, you know that this is a blend of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, nutmeg and mace.

Known collectively as Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend (or just Pumpkin Spice or Pumpkin Pie Spice), these warming spices sweeten our holiday baking while lending an intriguing flavor to savory cooking. Further, research has found that each of these spices—known as warming spices—has powerful healing benefits, including helping to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, serving to regulate blood sugar, and proving to boost immune system function.

I love the benefits and the taste of pumpkin pie spice so much that I wrote an entire cookbook around it. The Pumpkin Pie Spice Cookbook (published by Sterling), is now available in bookstores and online sellers. It gives you a host of sweet and savory ways to use pumpkin pie spice. Not all the recipes contain pumpkin! But all contain pumpkin pie spice. Below, I offer you Sweet-Spicy Holiday Relish, a fun, antioxidant-rich condiment to dress up meats, black beans, sandwiches, or to use on a relish plate. Despite it’s name, it’s not just for holidays! I hope you enjoy it!

SWEET-SPICY HOLIDAY RELISH

Makes about 4 cups

1-1/2 pound butternut squash or eating pumpkin, such as cheese pumpkin
1 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed preferred but use what is available)
1 cup sugar (coconut sugar is great, but regular table sugar works very well, too)
¼ teaspoon (or more) dried hot red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
3 navel oranges
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 scallion, minced
Optional: dash salt


Half squash lengthwise and discard seeds. Peel squash (you can use a veggie peeler) and cut into ½-inch dice
In a saucepan, bring juice and sugar to a blend with red pepper flakes, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Add squash and pumpkin pie spice blend to the saucepan and simmer, covered, for five minutes or until squash is fork-tender. Transfer mixture to a bowl and cool.
With a serrated knife, cut the peel and pitch from oranges. Working over the bowl of squash mixture, cut the orange sections free from their membranes, letting sections and juice drop into squash mixture. Squeeze excess juice from membranes into mixture.
Stir vinegar and optional salt into relish.
Relish may be prepared up to this point 1 week ahead and chilled, covered.
With a slotted spoon, transfer relish to a serving bowl and stir in scallion.
Serve relish chilled or at room temperature with poultry or lamb or black beans or spoon onto sandwiches or do whatever else you’d like with it!

DRINK GREEN DRINKS: 10 THINGS YOU’LL NEED FOR GREEN BLENDER DRINKS

DRINK GREEN DRINKS: 10 THINGS YOU’LL NEED FOR GREEN BLENDER DRINKS

What is going on here? Is this another plug for green blender drinks?!?

Well, yes, gorgeous friend, today’s newsletter is another encouragement to drink green drinks. I just can’t help myself. They are so, so good for you that I want each and every one of you to drink them regularly.

Oh, I know not all of you will love the taste—though most of you will. Even my kids ask me to make them for snacks. But each of you will adore the way these chlorophyll-packed drinks make you feel: Energized, alert, slim, happy, focused, clear and even-tempered. And that’s after just one drink. Drink them daily (avoiding any ingredients that compromise your health) for a week and you’ll begin to see beautiful changes in your skin and eyes. Your metabolism will be enhanced and you’ll notice you are losing weight easily. And, you’ll probably notice your sugar and carb cravings diminishing.

I’m telling you, these are powerful drinks. One-a-day will make an enormous change. Two-a-day and you will barely recognize yourself in a month. I even have “green drink days” where I spend the day consuming nothing but green drinks. Great for detoxing after a period of poor food choices or after drinking more alcohol than usual (it’s been known to happen on rare occasions!).

Am I tempting you to jump in? To make it easier for you dip your straw into greener liquids, I’ve put together this “top ten” style list of what you need to get started. Note: If you’re a visual person, I’ve included links (to Amazon) so you can see what everything looks like.

A great recipe to use as a guideline. Note that I said guideline. These drinks are meant to be flexible—use what you have around or personalize according to your tastes. One of the easiest recipes is my Green Drink Blueprint. If you don’t have it yet, go here.
A blender, preferably a high-speed, powerful sort of blender for getting drinks super smooth and liquidy. (Drinking think goopy chunky drinks is not only gross, but completely unnecessary!). My two favorites are VitaMix and BlendTec the darlings of the health food world. But if you don’t mind doing a little extra whirring, a “regular blender” or a travel blender, such as a Magic Bullet , can also work.
Liquids. As you’ll see from the Green Drink Blueprint, I suggest a few different liquids, depending on how sweet you need things or how inexperienced (more experienced green -lifers typically don’t like to or need to use a lot of sweetness to mask the taste of natural ingredients). Water, coconut water and pear nectar are my go-to liquids, but for something creamy, you can use non-dairy, non-soy milks such as almond, rice, hemp, hazlenut or coconut milks.
Lemon. Or lime. To help cleanse your internal organs, keep the nutrient content of your drink high and to preserve freshness—essential if you make a double batch and drink part of it later. Fresh lemons are a great choice, but if they’re hard to come by, a natural bottled lemon juice (with organic lemon juice and oil, with no sulfur dioxide) can work.
Green vegetables. Spinach, baby kale, baby chard, bok choy, endive, parsley, mint, romaine, peeled cucumbers, and on and on. If you have a health issue that precludes you from eating kale, use Romaine. If you’re allergic to spinach, use bok choy. Pack a few handfuls of green veggies into the blender. To make things super tasty, you might also want to throw in a chunk of peeled ginger. Mmmm…
Extra: Protein Powder. Not at all necessary, but if you are using a green drink as a meal replacement or are an endurance athlete or overcoming an illness and need the extra protein, go for a plant-based, non-soy, organic protein powder. Rice powder is a great choice. So is one of my favorites, Vega All-In-One in natural flavor; it’s based on a variety of non-gluten grain and legume protein and is so packed with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and phytonutrients, that you can skip your daily multi-vitamin. (Or, you can make things super easy on yourself and spoon in a big dollop of nut butter. My favorites are: almond butter, sunflower seed butter, cashew butter and hazlenut butter.)
Extra: Green Powder. For those who are detoxing, powdered greens—typically some blend of cruciferous veggies, wheatgrass, chlorella, spirulina, cilantro and parsley, are fantastic for cleaning up the system and helping you flush toxins. (My fave is the veggie-only Field of Greens . Lots of other brands include fruit, which isn’t ideal.) Before you get too excited, however, I should warn you: These things do not taste good! Your drink will definitely take on a green, grassy taste.
Extra: Chia. Those of you who have worked with me or who have heard me speak know that I am crazy for chia . I even co-wrote a book with Dr. Wayne Coates on the stuff! Here’s why I love it: It is packed with protein, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, and a range of phytonutrients. It’s been shown in studies to improve endurance in athletes, soothe joint conditions, tackle cardiovascular conditions, improve memory and brain function, improve focus. It acts as a weight loss aid (due to it’s soluble fiber) and after a week, you’ll see big changes in your skin and nails—after a month you’ll notice your hair looking better, too. Add two tablespoons to the blender, or stir the seeds into the finished drink and allow it to sit for a couple of minutes until the seeds are softened. (For more on chia, see:
Stainless Steel Drink Cup. Not necessary, but a lot of people like to make these green drinks and carry them to work, in the car, while commuting, etc. They are a great way to kill the munchies, squash cravings or enjoy a quick pick-up mid-morning or midday. An insulated bottle with a lid will keep your drink fresher and more nutritious than carrying it in an open container.
Biodegradable paper straws. No, you don’t need to use a straw, but if you’re like my kids, you wouldn’t think of drinking one of these without a straw. If that is you, you might as well choose the healthiest straws around , right?

YOUR SUPERFOOD END-OF-SUMMER SALAD

YOUR SUPERFOOD END-OF-SUMMER SALAD

Summer may be drawing to a close, but warm weather produce (tomatoes, corn, peppers and the like) will be with us just a bit longer. Thank goodness! Delicious, filled with fiber, vitamin-packed and antioxidant-rich, summer veggies make healthful eating fun and easy.

One of my favorite ways to enjoy August’s bounty is in a chopped salad. Maybe it’s all those years spent in California, but Mexicali food is a real favorite and the inspiration behind this simple dish. I love packing this into containers and toting it to a picnic or using it for a workday lunch. But it also makes a great accompaniment to barbecued food or sandwiches.

Please make this salad your own by adding animal protein if you’d like. Or changing up the beans. Or adding other veggies. Or swapping the seeds for your favorite nuts. Or even adding cumin or chipotle to the dressing.

Enjoy! And happy Labor Day to those of you celebrating!

Chopped Mexicali Superfood Salad

Makes 2 maindish servings

2 tablespoons lemon or lime juice or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
Raw corn kernels from one ear corn
Optional: ½ to 1 whole red pepper, diced

 

Optional: 1/4 cup or more chopped red onion
2 cups cooked black beans (you can use a 15-ounce can)
1 cup chopped plum tomatoes (or one cup very well-drained organic canned tomatoes)
2 tablespoons cilantro (use parsley and/or chives if you don’t like cilantro)
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds or pepitas (green, hulless pumpkin seeds) raw or toasted
½ to 1 avocado, diced and squirted with lemon or lime juice to preserve green color


Whisk together lemon juice, oil, and salt and pepper to make salad dressing. Set aside.
In a large bowl, toss together lettuce, corn, optional pepper, optional red onion, black beans, tomato and cilantro. If taking to work, portion salad into two large airtight containers.
Spoon avocado and sunflower seeds to top of salad.
Serve dressing on the side. If taking the salad to work, put dressing in a small airtight container.

Want more summer recipes? Check out Summer Food: New Summer Classics by Paul Lowe

TRIPLE THREAT WEIGHT LOSS

TRIPLE THREAT WEIGHT LOSS

Triple Threat Weight Loss is a nutritionist-created 3-menu plan to eating for weight loss and maintenance. Available for the next week as an online DIY program to experience right now, or to save for later.

Losing weight should be easy. You simply eat fewer calories than you eat now and wait for the pounds to drop away. Right?

Wrong.

As you probably know all too well, weight loss doesn’t exactly work like that. It is fraught with doubt. Judgment. Frustration. Misinformation. Craziness. Severity. Hunger. And those dang cravings!

Then there is your own personal body’s way of doing things. Some people gain weight easily and hold on to it in the most fiercely protective way, not wanting to give up an ounce of the fat that could help them survive a potential famine.

Other people gain weight after a big body event—such as pregnancy, accident, surgery or a health condition—then realize that their old methods of weight loss are no longer working for their “new” changed body.

Then there is simple age. Which I personally think is a fabulous thing! How lucky are you to get to spend more time on this gorgeous planet, doing wonderful things? The thing about age, though, is it does things to a body. Literally. Your body becomes so much more particular. And what worked when you were young and less discriminating, will not work now. (Nope, the 500-calorie Dorito and Beer diet will not work with a 50-year-old. Even if you do limit yourself to just 500 calories worth of Doritos and beer! Suddenly, where those calories come from now matters!).

If you want a healthy model for sensible weight loss and you’re a true DIYer at heart, I want to share Triple Threat Weight Loss with you. This is for the DIYers among you who want to learn three different nutritionist-tested eating plans that you can use to face any weight-loss challenge, from daily healthy eating for weight loss, to those times when you want to kick things up a notch (or quickly fit into that little black dress), to those times you want to get back on track after a night, a day, a week or more of excess (yes, it specifically tackles what you may be experiencing, from increased cravings to bloat!). Plus, the education you need to use each correctly, so you lose weight instead of ruining your health. This is important!

Triple Threat Weight Loss is a DIY program based on my 3-Day Weight Blast. And it features menus/eating plans, shopping lists, recipes, lessons, audios, videos and lots of fun goodies for those of you who like extras. It is available now. It will only be on sale for one week. Buy it now and continue to use it for the rest of your life.

If you are frustrated by your current weight loss efforts, I want to say one thing to you: Everyone can experience a healthy-for-them weight. It takes just one thing: Good care.

Let me give you 3 plans to help you lose and maintain weight. Three plans (plus a ton of education) that will help you do some deep learning around how to treat yourself in order to lose weight, how to eat to stay healthy, with plenty of education around challenges such as cravings, getting back on the wagon after straying, what to do the day before a big food day, how to “wipe out” the negative after-effects of a “bad” food day, and so much more.

In short, you’ll receive healthy habits you can use your entire life to help yourself lose and maintain weight in a healthy, sane way.

Learn all this and you’ll be on your way to making 2014 the year that you stop hiding behind knits, multiple layers and self-loathing and start having the time of your life.

Yay, you!

Let’s take 3 days to make this year different!

To read more about Triple Threat Weight Loss and decide if the program is for you, go here. You’ll find FAQs, a quiz, program facts and more!

TRIPLE THREAT WEIGHT LOSS

A nutritionist-created 3-menu plan to eating for weight loss and maintenance. Available for the next week as an online DIY program to experience right now, or to save for later.

I can’t wait to share the Triple Threat Weight Loss with you!

Much love,

Stephanie Pedersen, MS, CHHC

P.S. With your purchase of Triple Threat Weight Loss, you’ll receive the entire Superfood Superheroes audio library + recipe booklets. We currently sell this for $47, but it’s an important part of getting and staying healthy. I know it will help you be your best.

DIY WEIGHT LOSS MADE EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND

DIY WEIGHT LOSS MADE EASY-TO-UNDERSTAND

Losing weight should be easy. You simply eat fewer calories than you eat now and wait for the pounds to drop away. Right?

Wrong.

As you probably know all too well, weight loss doesn’t exactly work like that. It is fraught with doubt. Judgment. Frustration. Misinformation. Craziness. Severity. Hunger. And those dang cravings!

Then there is your own personal body’s way of doing things. Some people gain weight easily and hold on to it in the most fiercely protective way, not wanting to give up an ounce of the fat that could help them survive a potential famine. Other people gain weight after a big body event—such as pregnancy, accident, surgery or a health condition—then realize that their old methods of weight loss are no longer working for their “new” changed body. Then there is simple age. Which I personally think is a fabulous thing! How lucky are you to get to spend more time on this gorgeous planet, doing wonderful things? The thing about age, though, is it does things to a body. Literally. Your body becomes so much more particular. And what worked when you were young and less discriminating, will not work now. (Nope, the 500-calorie Dorito and Beer diet will not work with a 50-year-old. Even if you do limit yourself to just 500 calories worth of Doritos and beer! Suddenly, where those calories come from now matters!).

If you want a healthy model for sensible weight loss and you’re a true DIYer at heart, I want to share Triple Threat Weight Loss with you. This is for the DIYers among you who want to learn three different nutritionist-tested eating plans that you can use to face any weight-loss challenge, from daily healthy eating for weight loss, to those times when you want to kick things up a notch (or quickly fit into that little black dress), to those times you want to get back on track after a night, a day, a week or more of excess (yes, it specifically tackles what you may be experiencing, from increased cravings to bloat!). Plus, the education you need to use each correctly, so you lose weight instead of ruining your health. This is important!

Triple Threat Weight is a DIY program based on my 3-Day Weight Blast. And it features menus/eating plans, shopping lists, recipes, lessons, audios, videos and lots of fun goodies for those of you who like extras. It goes on sale tomorrow. You’ll receive an email tomorrow morning about it. Open it and give it a quick read if you’re interested. Ignore it if you have no interest whatsoever (which does not hurt my feelings a bit, so don’t worry!). It will only be on sale for one week.

Triple Threat Weight Loss comes your way tomorrow! I can’t wait to tell you more about this DIY program!

Enjoy your weekend!

Much love,

MMMMM…. CANTALOUPE!

MMMMM…. CANTALOUPE!

As a child in Northern California, melons were a summer staple in our garden (we grew watermelon, crenshaw, honeydew, casaba and cantaloupe), but I always had a soft spot for cantaloupe. Sweet, dense, with a gorgeous orange (my favorite color!) flesh, these versatile melons can be used in everything from gazpacho to sorbet. Of course, cantaloupe is pretty terrific eaten as-is!

But really, it doesn’t matter how you enjoy it. Just eat it! At least weekly during the summer. Why? Because it’s outrageously nutritious! A one-cup serving of cantaloupe (also known as muskmelon) will give you 78% of the dietary recommended allowance of vitamin C, 30% of vitamin A and 12% of potassium—all at around 54 calories. It is rich in antioxidant phytonutrients that help the body repair itself and fight the inflammation hat can lead to heart disease, cancer and other health conditions. It even contains small amounts of omega 3 fatty acid!

To make it easy to add cantaloupe to your summer diet, let me offer one of my favorites: Cantaloupe Salsa. The recipe is really more of a guide than a strict recipe. Use whatever cantaloupe (of any size) you have on hand. Add cilantro if you don’t have parsley. Try it with ginger or red pepper flakes. Sub in lemon or lime juice for the vinegar if you’d prefer. Add something else if you are so moved to. Make it your own! It’s wonderful with grilled meats, poultry, fish, or even black bean tacos. My husband and one of my kids eat this as a salad and I’ve even stirred a cup of leftover salad into a pot of quinoa for a fast, delicious summer pilaf. (Wow, was that good!)

Let me know how you like it! And as always, if you have a favorite way to eat something I’ve talked about, email me a note with the recipe! I adore getting recipes from you!!!

Cantaloupe Salsa

Makes about 4 to 7 cups, depending upon the size of your cantaloupe

1 large cantaloupe (or 1.5 smaller cantaloupes), peeled, seeded and diced in 1/4 to 1/2 inch dice

1 medium red onion, diced

1 cup Italian parsley, chopped

1/2 cup fresh mint, chopped

2 tablespoon white balsamic or apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Dash salt and pepper

1. Toss cantaloupe, onion, parsley, mint, vinegar and oil in a bowl.

2. Allow flavors to meld for 30 minutes to an hour before using. Add salt and pepper as desired at serving time. (Adding the salt early draws moisture out of the ingredients, making for a soggy salsa—best to do this right at serving time.)