Seek New Food

Today I’m going to share with you some “Super Foods” that I have been eating on a regular basis. The first one is becoming quite popular. Have you heard about Quinoa {pronounced keen-wah}? This nutty flavored, high protein grain has become a staple at our house. It is a great alternative to rice or couscous. Easy to toss in salads and soups too!

Quinoa Salad

The best way to prepare it is to follow the instructions on the box and to use vegetable stock or chicken broth in place of water for extra flavor. There are lots of great recipes using quinoa all over the internet.

Variety of Beans

We all know what they say about beans right? Well, besides that…they really are good for your heart! Black beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other legumes. The high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as brown rice, black beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. They are packed with antioxidants too!

Avocados

Another one of my kitchen staples are avocados. If there ever was a food who had an unjustly bad reputation, it’s the poor avocado. All we have heard in the past is that they are high in fat. Guess what a little fat never hurt anyone. In fact, our body NEEDS fat. Yep. That’s right. You need to eat fat in order for your body to absorb fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin E and other nutrients. And the sweet old avocado, while high in total fat, is high in the fat that your body wants and needs. It is extremely low in cholesterol and sodium and is packed with a whopping 13 grams of dietary fiber! It is a great source of Vitamin K, Vitamin C, and Folate, and well… my goodness, it is pretty darn hard to get so many nutrients packed into one food that needs NO work at all to taste good. Plus it helps keep you skin soft and your hair shiny. It’s a flat out superfood here to save the diet.

And a helpful hint… since most of us can not eat a whole avocado in one sitting, keep the pit in the half that you do not eat to keep the rest of the avocado from turning brown!

Pecans

Anyone who know me, aka One Nutty Girl {shamless plug!}, knows that I’m totally nuts about nuts! I live on them. They are every where in my life, in my pantry, my car, my purse. They are my go to food when I need a snack. I love them all…almonds, pecans, cashews, and walnuts are my favorites. I make my own trail mix by buying raw nuts in bulk and mixing them up with dried fruit and seeds, like pumpkin.

The best for last1

Have you heard? Dark chocolate {60% cocoa or more…the darker the better!} is good for your heart!! A small bar {3.2 ounces} of it everyday can help keep your heart and cardiovascular system running well. It is also loaded with antioxidants. My recommendation…enjoy a little everyday…I do!

So there you have it, some great foods to pack into your menu’s for 2010! Enjoy!

{Please Note: All the information provided is from research and found information by Seek. We want this to be a FUN outlook on food, not a diet consultation. We are in no way experts, but know some good stuff to share with you. Please check with your doctor and/or dietitian to determine what foods and amounts are right for you}