Grace O

February 25, 2023

Published by Grace O

We’re Crazy for This Coconut Rice Cake

Eat this chewy cake warm. It’s great plain or drizzled with my berry sauce for extra antioxidant power. Be sure to use the chewy variety of rice flour sometimes called sweet white rice flour or mochiko. You can substitute fresh or frozen blackberries for the boysenberries. You can use gluten-free baking flour instead of the cake flour, and xylitol instead of sugar. Coconut Rice Cake Coconut contains lauric acid, which improves cholesterol balance and protects prostate health. Berries are full of anthocyanins, which inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Serves 6-8 Ingredients 2 eggs (organic, free-range, or omega-3-enriched) ½ cup […]

February 16, 2023

Published by Grace O

Which Oils Are Best and Healthiest To Use?

At the grocery store, there are aisles and aisles full of oils. How do you know which is best to use? Which ones are the healthiest? A variety of oils are popular in different parts of the world and, depending on whether you are sautéing or making a marinade, it is good to know what works best for your meals and is best for your health as well. Here’s the FoodTrients® breakdown for the best, healthiest oil to choose and when. Health Benefits of Oils Oils and dietary fats are essential to the function of all cells and to be […]

February 14, 2023

Published by Grace O

Hearty Winter Produce with Superpowers

Even living in sunny California during the winter when the days are shorter and a little bit chilly, I like to prepare hearty winter produce that also happens to fall into the “superfoods” category. Their many disease fighting and anti-aging properties make them some of my top produce. These fruits and vegetables lend themselves to recipes that serve as comfort foods during the cold, dark winter months, but they have the added benefit of doing great things for your body. Pumpkin You may only associate pumpkins with Halloween, but fresh pumpkins are available from October through February. They contain large […]

February 14, 2023

Published by Grace O

Stay Well with These Super Flu-Fighting Foods

This winter we need to be particularly careful to avoid colds and flu. I am just too busy to get sick, so I pay special attention to what I eat. My father was a doctor in Southeast Asia and he always said that if you are in general good health, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water and wash your hands frequently, you’re doing a lot to prevent a nasty case of the flu. Now, as we fight a pandemic, we need to wear masks in public to protect ourselves and others. Here are some immune-boosting foods that are […]

February 1, 2023

Published by Grace O

Beauty Foods Help You Look Younger

What foods can you eat to help you look younger and promote healthy smooth skin, strong nails, and shiny hair? Fruits, vegetables, melons, peppers, grains, nuts, mushrooms, and fish containing the FoodTrients anthocyanins, carotenoids, omega-3 fatty acids, selenium, and vitamins C and E, as well as copper, silica, and Superoxide Dismutase (SOD). Let’s explore these one at a time and see why they’re so good for our complexion, nails, and hair. Anthocyanins improve capillary function. Your capillaries bring blood to your skin and are therefore very important for optimum skin health. You can get anthocyanins in your diet by eating […]

January 30, 2023

Published by Grace O

Buffalo Sliders with Sweetened Cranberries

I chose buffalo meat because it’s almost always raised on grass. Grass-fed meat (whether it’s buffalo, steer, or lamb) is higher in omega-3 fatty acids, lower in omega-6 fatty acids, and leaner overall. Dark red fruits like cranberries really complement red meat, so I decided to work them into the burger patties. Note: If you can’t find bison meat, you can use any grass-fed meat or even ground turkey for this recipe. For an optional topping, you can make a goat-cheese spread to top the burgers by mixing 1/4 cup goat cheese with 1/2 tsp. of roasted garlic, 1/2 […]

January 30, 2023

Published by Grace O

We’re Just Wild About Saffron

I don’t know about you, but I am wild about saffron. Saffron is a golden red spice from the stigmas of a small purple crocus native to the Mediterranean, Asia Minor and Iran where it was first cultivated during the Bronze Age. Each flower produces just three stigmas (or threads) and must be harvested by hand then dried. It takes 14,000 of the tiny stigmas to yield one ounce of the spice which retails for $500. Saffron has not only been used to flavor and tint foods, but it’s been used to dye fabrics and as a perfume. The flavor […]

January 30, 2023

Published by Grace O

Discover the Many-Splendored Foods of Malta

Do you know where Malta is? Many people probably don’t. You’ve heard of The Maltese Falcon with Humphrey Bogart and there’s a good chance you’ve met a fluffy, white Maltese dog. But one of the best things I discovered in my visit to Malta is the cuisine. Malta consists of a small archipelago of islands in the Mediterranean about 50 miles south of Sicily, approximately 200 miles north of Libya, and 175 miles east of Tunisia. It’s been inhabited for thousands of years by various conquerors passing through including Phoenicians, Carthaginians (both from the eastern Mediterranean), Romans, Greeks, Arabs, Normans, […]

January 30, 2023

Published by Grace O

Chinese Tea-Infused Rice with Duck Breast

I love the trick of infusing rice or noodles with tea. It really amps up the nutrient value of any dish while adding a nice bit of flavor. Pu-erh tea is fermented, making it even healthier than regular green tea. Traditionally this dish is made with glutinous rice, but I changed it to brown rice for the health benefits. Feel free to use turkey or chicken breast in place of the duck breast. You can find Thai basil at Asian markets and some supermarkets. This comfort food meal pairs well with my California Hempseed Salad with Strawberries and Kale. Benefits: […]