THE FAB 13 ~ #9 TOMATOES

The BIG C has been around for decades on end, I'm sure for centuries but of course we were not aware of what this deadly disease was or how it would ravish the human body. Researchers have found several foods that have the BEST properties that assist our bodies in fighting cancerous cells. I have found that most of the foods on the list can be grown right in your backyard, healthy living & eating starts at home.

Tomatoes are part of this vast list (no 2 lists seem to be the exact same) of SUPER FOODS. Now the question of the day is, are tomatoes a fruit or a veggie? With this tastey little treat, does it really matter? According to Wikipedia, a tomato is a savory, typically red, edible fruit, as well as the plant which bears it. This "fruit" originated from South America, it was shared with the world after the Spanish colonization of the Americas.
Choose foods with phytochemicals, found in beans and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, and kale. Dark green leafy vegetables like spinach, romaine lettuce, and collard greens are packed with fiber, lutein, and carotenoids, all cancer-fighting substances. Foods rich in the vitamins C, E, and A, all antioxidants themselves, can protect you from cancer by preventing the growth of free radicals in your body, so stock up on oranges, avocados, and apricots!

This fruit/vegetable is the epitome of a cancer-fighting superfood. Not only do tomatoes contain lycopene, the antioxidant phytochemical that also helps prevent heart disease, but they're a good source of vitamins A, C, and E,all enemies of cancer-friendly free radicals. Add lots of tomatoes, spinach, and peppers on top of ready-made pizza dough and top with tomato sauce (make your own so you know exactly what's in it) and part-skim mozzarella. Pop some cherry tomatoes into your romaine lettuce salad. Stuff your sandwiches with sliced tomatoes, lettuce, and alfalfa sprouts or shredded broccoli.

Spinach Salad

Spinach is easily accessible, inexspensive, and as you have read a great source of daily nutrients & cancer fighting antioxidants. Grab a bunch or a bag of fresh spinach from your grocer and make a healthy salad, as an entree or as a side with dinner.

2 bunches spinach
1 hard boiled egg, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/4 red onion thinly sliced
1/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola
1/4 cup oven toasted almonds

Add a grilled chicken breast and make it an entree salad, or leave it as.

THE FAB 13 ~ #8 SPINACH

Today's superfood is the almighty SPINACH! Yes we all hated it growing up, especially in black households, how many of us had to eat spinach out of a can? I'm sure a great percentage of us did and that disgusting, sitting in a can of some kind of liquid, no flavor, a bunch of additives & preservatives that have proven not so healthy for us. BUT...fresh spinach is another story. It is a story that is chalked full of health benefits that each and everyone of us needs. Spinach is on the list of superfoods and is even at the top of many lists!

**High in protein – go figure! The highest vegetable protein around! This was a big surprise to me. One cup spinach = 12% DV protein.
**Super duper high Vitamin A
**High Vitamin K – second only to cauliflower
**Great source of folate/folic acid, particularly important for pregnant or nursing women
**Over 25% DV of magnesium, iron, potassium, Vitamin C and manganese
**Decent source of fiber
**Carotenoids and flavonoids responsible for much listed below
**Protects against heart disease (for multiple reasons!); makes muscles (especially the heart) stronger
**Anti-diabetes
**Regulates blood pressure
**Important for development of unborn babies
**Protects against age-related memory loss
**Eye health: prevents cataracts, macular degeneration (age-related blindness)
**Cancer-fighting
**Anti-inflammatory (how many issues can this trait treat? Arthritis is just one…)
**Strong bones/anti-osteoporosis
**Good for skin health (eczema, acne, psoriasis) and even preventing skin cancer from the sun
**Natural diuretic and laxative (fights constipation)
**Reduce frequency of migraine attacks

Cooking fresh spinach releases beta-carotene and lutein, it also neutralizes oxalic acid or oxalate, a compound that inhibits the absorption of both calcium and iron. This is why you don’t reuse the cooking water from spinach. It’s recommended that you boil spinach quickly – just for a minute!

Vitamin C and folate are both very heat-sensitive, so to obtain the maximum benefits of these compounds, just add a handful of fresh spinach leaves in your salads.
If you are very prone to kidney stones, you may want to focus more on cooked spinach, because oxalic acid is a major factor in kidney stones.

Chicken Scramble {EROD~easy recipe of the day} great for breakfast or lunch

CHICKEN SCRAMBLE
I WAS HUNGRY, WANTED SOME EGGS AND I WANTED TO USE THE CHICKEN I HAD BROUGHT HOME FROM WORK THE NIGHT BEFORE. SO WHAT’S A GIRL TO DO? READ ON AND YOU’LL FIND OUT.

1 SM POTATO (WHATEVER TYPE YOU HAVE ON HAND IS GREAT, HOPEFULLY
IT’S A SWEET POTATO SINCE ITS HEALTHIER)
2 CHICKEN THIGHS (AGAIN WHATEVER YOU HAVE ON HAND IS GREAT) CUBED
2 MD MUSHROOMS – CUT INTO ¼
¼ CUP BELL PEPPER – CUT INTO CUBES (THE BRIGHTER THE BETTER)
2 TBSP RED ONION DICED
1 TSP DRIED BSIL
SALT & PEPPER TO TATE
4-5 EGGS
3 TBSP ½ & ½
4 TBSP VEGGIE CREAM CHEESE
¼ CUP HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM
½ TBSP BUTTER
3 TBSP OLIVE OIL
BAGELS
FRESH FRUIT

OKAY, I DON’T KNOW IF I MENTIONED THIS, BUT I PULLED THIS TOGETHER WITH THE INGREDIENTS I HAD ON HAND.

1. HEAT SKILLET/SAUTEE PAN ON MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT. PUT OLIVE OIL IN.

2. ONCE THE OIL IS HEATED PUT IN YOUR CUBED POTATOES. LET YOUR POTATOES GET BROWN AND CRISPY, ABOUT 5 MINS. THEN STIR WTH A WOODEN SPOON, ADD S&P, COOK ABOUT ANOTHER 3 MINS.

3. TURN HEAT DOWN TO LOW-MEDIUM HEAT (REMEMBER THE PAN IS STILL PRETTY HOT, YOU DON’T WANT TO BURN YOUR ONIONS.) SAUTEE ABOUT 3 MINS,

4. ADD MUSHROOMS, CHICKEN, AND BELL PEPPERS. ADD BASIL, BLEND THE FLAVORS TOGETHER SITRRING WITH WOODEN SPPON, ABOUT 3-4 MINS.

5. ADD 2TBSP CREAM CHEESE (I USED A FAT FREE VEGGIE CREAM CHEESE); STIR IN TILL IT BEGINS TO BLEND IN CREAMY. ADD BUTTER, LET IT MELT IN, THEN STIR. ADD ½ OF THE HEAVY WHIPPING CREAM, BLEND IN WITH WOODEN SPOON.

6. ADD THE REMAINING CREAM CHEESE. BLEND IN, ADD THE REMAINING WHIPPING CREAM.

7. LET IT BLEND IN. TURN PAN OFF.

8. BEAT EGGS & ½ & ½ TOGETHER.

9. TOAST BAGELS

10. HEAT 2 TSP OF OLIVE OIL IN A SAUTEE PAN (OMLETTE PAN IF YOU HAVE ONE, I DON’T) ON MEDIUM HEAT. SOFTLY SCRAMBLE YOUR EGGS, ONCE THEY START COOKING (FLUFFING UP) ADD ½ OF YOUR CHICKEN/POTATOE MIXTURE. SCRAMBLE TOGETHER.

11. TAKE YOUR BUTTER, CREAM CHEESE, PRESERVES, OR PLAIN BAGLE (TOASTED) PLACE IT ON YOUR PLATES. EGGS OVER BAGEL EQUALLY, TAKE REMAINING CHICKEN MIXTURE AND POUR OVER EGGS, CASCADING DOWN OVER ONTO THE PLATE.

12. PLACE YOUR FRUIT ON THE SIDE AS A HEALTHY GARNISH, ENJOY!

13 SUPER FOODS ~SOY~

When I "discovered" The 13 Super Foods several years ago, the book I read list Soy as part of that list. As I began to re-educate myself & my fellow bloggers about this fantastic way to eat healthier, the information I read on Soy was unfavorable. All of the information I began to gather, listed Soy as not being healthy, as not having the properties it claimed earlier in preventing the big C. So I am going to share this newly found information pertaining to Soy, the pros vs cons, and let's decide together.

Soy comes from the soybean plant that is native to southeast Asia. soybeans are in the legume family, which unlike most legume, soybeans offer a complete protein profile, that includes polysaturated fats, fiber, vitamins and minerals. This "super bean's" late '90s reputation throughout the scientific comunity for its potential role in lowering the risk of heart disease. The following year The American Heart Association recommended adding soy protein as part of low cholesterol & saturated fat diet.

Fast forward to 2006, a report from the AHA, didn't back the 2000 report. Scientist found that large amounts of soy in the diet reduced bad cholesterol by only 3% and had no effect on good cholesterol. The scientists also concluded that amount of soy (50g)needed to produce this small effect wasn't health reality; most people will not consume that daily. Also a high soy diet did not have a significant effect on blood pressure.

To add more information that may change my mind on this being on the list is soy and cancer. The panel of researchers compiling this information has been mixed. There are studies that are reporting protective effects, but then are others that do not. Unfortunately other studies also have shown that the weak estrogen in soy ma have cancer STIMULATING effects, particularly for breast and endometrial cancer. The American Cancer Society believes that many oncologists recommend that women with estrogen sensitive breast tumors avoid large amounts of soy.

With all of that being said, I am going to continue to blog about the 13 super foods, but will find a food that has replaced Soy on the list.