Blueberries: An Antioxidant Powerhouse!

         This time of the year is my favorite for picking up fresh produce at local farmers markets. One of my favorite summer fruits are blueberries, so of course they were a pick up must at a recent visit to the farmers market.
         Blueberries are not only delicious but low in calories and packed full of vital nutrients like fiber, vitamins, mineral, antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Antioxidant is a definite buzz word in the world of health and nutrition these days. Blueberries are among the highest in antioxidant value. Anthocyanin, one antioxidant found in blueberries, gives blueberries their bright blue color and has been found to help fight cancer cells, improve cognitive health, promote cardiovascular health and even improve insulin sensitivity. Needless to say these are some powerful berries!

Top Ways to Enjoy Blueberries
-Eaten by the handful!
-Added to cereal or yogurt
-Made into jelly or jams
-Added to baked goods (muffins, pancakes, pie etc)
-Added to smoothies

Try my newest recipe creation for Blueberry Peach Crisp using both blueberries and peaches that I got from the farmers market! YUM


Blueberry Peach Crisp

Servings: 8
Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 cups blueberries
• 3 peaches, sliced with skins on
• 1/2 lemon zested and juiced
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp corn starch

Topping

• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, not packed
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick of butter), melted

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Combine blueberries, peaches, lemon juice, lemon zest, sugar. Sprinkle with cornstarch and mix together.  Place fruit in un-greased pie dish.

3. Combine topping ingredients, mix to combine the sprinkle over the top of the fruit mixture.

4. Bake for 35-40 minutes.

Serve with Frozen Yogurt and enjoy!
 

Nutrition Information (per serving): 233 Calories, 6.6 g fat, 3.6g saturated fat,15 mg cholesterol, 35 g carbohydrates, 4.4 g fiber, 2 g protein

Strawberry Banana Mini Muffins

            This strawberry banana mini muffin recipe was inspired by my mission to clean out our fridge and pantry before moving this past month. One of my biggest pet peeves is throwing away food, so I tend to make a lot of meals and recipes using left over odds and ends. For this recipe not only was I able to use up the remaining frozen bananas and strawberries but I was able to finish up our remaining flour and yogurt.  The yogurt was a fun healthy twist to help cut down on the fat, bump up the protein and help keep the muffins moist. These muffins were of course delicious and nutritious, so needless to say, there were none left by the time we moved out! Enjoy :)


Strawberry Banana Mini Muffins

Makes: 24 mini muffins

Servings: 12 (2 muffins)
Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

·         1 cup whole-wheat flour

·         1 cup all-purpose flour

·         1 teaspoon baking powder

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         ¼ teaspoon salt

·         ½ teaspoon cinnamon

·         4 large ripe bananas (~ 2 cups mashed)

·         ½ cup packed light brown sugar

·         ¼ cup vegetable oil

·         1 large egg

·         ½ cup fat-free plain Greek yogurt

·         2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         1 ¼ cup chopped strawberries

Directions

1.       Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2.       Line a mini muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease with oil spray.

3.       In a medium bowl, whisk together flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

4.       Peel the bananas and mash with a fork. Place the mashed bananas in a large bowel. Add the brown sugar, oil, egg, Greek yogurt, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined.

5.       Slowly stir dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Gently fold in the chopped strawberries.

6.       Fill muffin liners ¾ full. Bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

7.       Transfer muffins to wire rack to cool. Store, covered, at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Information (per 2 muffins): 190 Calories, 5 grams Fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium, 34 g carbohydrate, 3 grams fiber, 4 grams protein

The Healing Power of Tumeric!

       Tumeric, a spice from the root of the Curcuma Longa plant, is best known for its use in curry and has been used for centuries in Chinese and Indian medicine. Tumeric, or curcumin has become a recent hot health topic for its anti-inflammatory benefits.
       Research studies have found that curcumin may help treat inflammatory diseases including IBS, crohn's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cystic fibrosis. Other research has also found powerful benefits in preventing cancer and decreasing cancer cell growth. Curcumin may also provide cardiovascular protection by helping lower "bad cholesterol" or LDL and preventing oxidation of cholesterol, reducing risk of stroke and heart disease. Tumeric or curcumin alone has low bioavailability, but with the addition of black pepper your body is able to absorb more. So whenever using tumeric in cooking, add some black pepper to the dish!

Easy places to Add Tumeric:

• Scrambled Eggs
• Soups/Stews
• Rice (add to water when cooking rice)
• Meat marinade
• Homemade salad dressing
• Sauted or Roasted Vegetables
• Toss with roasted vegetables 

 

 Chicken Tikka Masala

Servings: 4

 Total Cooking Time: 40 minutes

 

Ingredients

• 4 teaspoons garam masala
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 4 teaspoons canola oil, divided
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 4 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 28-ounce can low sodium plum tomatoes, undrained
• 1/3 cup low fat milk
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro for garnish

Preparation

1. Stir together garam masala, pepper, salt and turmeric in a small dish. Place flour in a shallow dish. Sprinkle chicken with 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture and dredge in the flour. (Reserve the remaining spice mix and 1 tablespoon of the remaining flour.)
2. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the chicken until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
3. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the pan over medium-low heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger and cook, stirring often, until starting to brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the reserved spice mix and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Sprinkle with the reserved 1 tablespoon flour and stir until coated. Add tomatoes and their juice. Bring to a simmer, stirring and breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring often, until thickened and the onion is tender, 3 to 5 minutes.
4. Stir in milk. Add the chicken and any accumulated juices to the pan. Bring to a simmer and cook over medium-low heat until the chicken is cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Garnish with cilantro.
5. Serve over brown rice (sprinkle in additional 1/2 teaspoon of tumeric to water while rice cooks)

Nutrition

Per serving: 310 calories; 14 g fat (5 g sat, 6 g mono);85 mg cholesterol; 22 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 27 g protein; 3 g fiber; 641 mg sodium; 676 mg potassium.