Grace O

April 17, 2017

Published by Grace O

Nibbling Our Way Though the Natural Products Expo

If it’s March, it must be time for Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, CA. Billed rightfully as, “the the world’s largest natural, organic and healthy products event.” Along with the FoodTrients team, I once again took to the miles of aisles and the more than a million square feet of exhibit space at the Anaheim Convention Center to find the most significant trends. This year’s show was the biggest in the 37-year history of the Natural Products Expo—estimates of 82,000 to 85,000 attendees (vs. 77,000 last year) and 3,100 exhibitors, including 500 newcomers. As overwhelming as these numbers can […]

January 31, 2017

Published by Grace O

The Age Beautifully Cookbook Is Gourmand Award Winner

Update: May 27, 2017 The Age Beautifully Cookbook brings home “The Best in the World” award by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards! The Gourmand International Cookbook Awards have been called the “Oscars” of the food world, and we are pleased to announce that Grace O’s The Age Beautifully Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World earlier this year won the National Award in the INNOVATIVE category for this year’s competition and now has been awarded, “The Best in the World” by Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2017! The Age Beautifully Cookbook was also awarded Gold in the Specialty Cookbook category […]

January 21, 2017

Published by Grace O

Spicy Lentil Soup

Lentil soup is a nutritional powerhouse! When combined with other vegetables and spices, lentils will leave you feeling full longer than other types of soups. Part of the legume (bean) family, lentils contain high levels of both soluble and insoluble fiber, making them a satiating and low calorie choice, helpful for weight management. Soluble fiber absorbs water and creates a gel consistency that is known for binding cholesterol-containing bile and escorting it out of the body, helping you detox. Insoluble fiber consists of plant-compounds that the body cannot digest, helping contribute to healthy bowels. Together, this high fiber content can […]

January 10, 2017

Published by Grace O

5 Top Anti-Aging Foods To Eat

Check out these top 5 anti-aging foods that can make you look and feel more vibrant today as FoodTrients discusses why you should incorporate them into your diet. PINK GRAPEFRUIT – A Superfood and Anti-Aging Hero Grapefruit is a go-to fruit for me, and I love to put pink grapefruit in my Spinach and Grapefruit Salad (featured in The Age GRACEfully Cookbook). All citrus contains antioxidants, fiber and anti-aging compounds like vitamin C but pink grapefruit has some special benefits to offer. Antioxidant (Ao) spermidine has shown positive results in some animal studies for longevity and in support of healthy […]

December 18, 2016

Published by Grace O

Recipes for Aging Beautifully

After I finished The Age GRACEfully Cookbook, I had so many more ideas for age-defying recipes that I immediately started working on a new cookbook. It’s The AGE BEAUTIFULLY Cookbook: Easy and Exotic Longevity Secrets from Around the World. Both cookbooks have won gold awards in the Independent Publisher’s Living Now Awards. The Awards celebrate the innovation and creativity of newly published books that enhance the quality of people’s lives. It makes me proud and happy that the cookbooks have been recognized for the very reason I wrote them – to help people live more vital and healthy lives. I dedicated […]

December 13, 2016

Published by Grace O

A Little Help From My Friends

Friends and faith help get me through all of the big and small stresses in my life. I spend time every day meditating, praying and reflecting on all of the blessings I have in my life. Every day I think about how grateful I am to have so many loving friends in my life, and to have such joy in my work. Stress is a serious threat to our health whether it’s emotional or mental. Chronic, long-term stress can wreak havoc on the body’s systems, causing imbalance. So what can you do? One way to combat stress is to look […]

December 3, 2016

Published by Grace O

What the Heck Is a FOODTRIENT?

You may ask, What the heck is a FoodTrient? I needed to come up with a term to encompass the anti-aging properties of food, but couldn’t really find a good word, so I created one and called them FoodTrients. Think of them as nutrients that lead to our overall wellness and help us age well. FoodTrients are wholesome foods and spices that have nutrients our bodies need to maintain optimum function stay healthy from the inside out. I focus on these FoodTrients in each of my recipes. I start creating a dish only after I find a fruit or grain […]

November 19, 2016

Published by Grace O

Some of My ‘Fountain of Youth’ Food Favorites

There’s little doubt that we all would love to look and feel younger, especially if you’re over 40 (or even over 50 like me). Certain FoodTrients like omega-3 fatty acids and the Vitamins C & E are very good for building collagen, hydrating skin, keeping skin elastic, and helping to build strong nails and hair. Vitamin C also aids tissue regeneration, which is especially helpful after a facial, dermabrasion, or an acid peel. Citrus fruits, berries, melons, and peppers are all good sources. A spicy salsa with hot peppers and lime juice can be a real skin saver. While all […]

November 18, 2016

Published by Grace O

We Should All Be Longin’ For Longan

Longans are natives of Southeast Asia and related to lychees and rambutans. Growing up in the Philippines, we ate longans like candy (but longans are much better for you). Like lychees, the fruit is sweet and succulent, but they are a little smaller and the sweetness is a little drier. They’re eaten fresh and also used soups, snacks, desserts, and sweet-and-sour foods. They’re also easy to eat — just peel off the smooth skin to get to the fruit, then eat it like a cherry, removing the seed. It better to wait until just before serving to peel the fruit. […]