Grace O

December 23, 2014

Published by Grace O

Quinoa Tabbouleh Makes a Perfect Appetizer

With all the entertaining that goes on during the holidays, I like to find dishes that offer more than great taste. I look for ways to pack as many age-defying nutrients into most of the dishes I serve. Quinoa is a versatile and delicious grain that is not only a good source of fiber, but is a nutrient-dense ingredient that acts as a complete protein. Quinoa also has silica for building collagen, which helps keep your skin’s elasticity. The tomatoes provide lycopene, the parsley gives us chlorophyll and antioxidants, and the olive oil helps lower inflammation. My Quinoa Tabbouleh on […]

December 15, 2014

Published by Grace O

Quinoa Tabbouleh on Pita

By changing the bulgur wheat usually found in tabbouleh with quinoa, you are getting a nutrient-dense gluten-free grain that acts as a complete protein. It also has silica for building collagen, which helps boost your skin’s elasticity. The tomatoes provide heart-healthy lycopene, the parsley gives us detoxifying chlorophyll and antioxidants, and the olive oil helps lower inflammation. To make this a gluten-free appetizer, swap the pita rounds for flaxseed crackers or eat the tabbouleh alone as a salad. SERVES 2 Ingredients 1/2 cup quinoa 1/2 tsp. kosher salt dissolved in 1 cup water 2 cups finely chopped parsley 1/2 cup […]

December 10, 2014

Published by Grace O

Just Desserts for the Holidays

The holidays always call for plenty of desserts. Whether I’m throwing a party, giving gifts of food, or reliving holidays past through sweet treats, desserts are integral to my life this month. I’ll share a few of my favorite recipes with you. Every year I host a Christmas caroling party at my home. Choirs from churches all over the area stop by to sing in my living room. Sometimes a Filipino celebrity or two will perform. My guests just love it. I like to put out a dinner buffet so that the choirs have something to eat before they go […]

December 2, 2014

Published by Grace O

Guava: Tropical Powerhouse

Even though I grew up in Southeast Asia, which is blessed with a wide variety of tropical produce available year-round, I associate guava with being on vacation in Hawaii,

November 30, 2014

Published by Grace O

Cinnamon: A Super Spice You Can Count On

During the holidays nothing puts me in a festive mood more than the aroma of something sweet baking in the oven. For many of my friends, cinnamon is what puts them in a holiday state of mind. Made from the ground bark of a genus of trees called Cinnamomum, the top cinnamon producing countries are Indonesia, China, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, and Madagascar. There are two main types: Ceylon cinnamon, produced in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Brazil, and the Caribbean, and cassia cinnamon, which comes mainly from Indonesia, China and Vietnam. Cinnamon is one of those delicious spices that also has […]

November 21, 2014

Published by Grace O

Cinnamon Coffee

This delicious cold-weather drink has a host of health benefits. Both cinnamon and nutmeg decrease inflammation inside the body. Cloves have high levels of antioxidants for skin renewal and regeneration. Molasses and evaporated milk provide calcium for strong bones and teeth. And coffee contains antioxidants that help prevent damage to your DNA. SERVES 4 Ingredients 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk 4 Tbs. molasses (or to taste) 1 tsp. ground cinnamon 1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg and cloves 4 cups freshly brewed coffee Cinnamon sticks as garnish Procedure 1. In a medium saucepan, warm the evaporated milk over low heat […]

November 18, 2014

Published by Grace O

What Makes Turkey Terrific?

Turkey gets a great deal of attention around the holidays as standard fare in many homes and restaurants. What better time to talk about all the health benefits of eating this nutrient-rich food! I’ve long advocated that we can get wonderful nutrients from our food if we focus on fresh ingredients. Fresh turkey meat tastes great when roasted and it provides our bodies with much-needed lysine, selenium, and vitamin B12. Lysine is an essential amino acid that our bodies use to build muscle, absorb calcium, and produce hormones, enzymes, and antibodies. Because our bodies can’t manufacture it, we can only […]

September 4, 2014

Published by Grace O

Awesome Avocados: One of the Top Superfoods

Here’s a fact that will make your day: Many professional in the fields of medicine and nutrition consider avocados a superfood! This is great news, as avocados are one of my very favorite foods. What could be better? A buttery, rich-tasting, creamy fruit that not only tastes sublime and spreads like a dream but is cholesterol-free, sodium-free, is loaded with healthy vitamins and a good dose of fiber. Avocados have the well-earned reputation for being high in fat calories. However, those calories are nutrient dense and the fat is monounsaturated, so it is readily used by the body as energy […]

August 6, 2014

Published by Grace O

Juicing Is a Perfect Blend for Immune Health

My husband drinks fruit and vegetable juices first thing in the morning, before he eats any solid food. He feels this is a good and gentle way to get his digestive system started on a daily basis. The blender or juicer does all the chewing for him so that his body can quickly begin absorbing all the nutrients from the produce. I insist on using organic fruits and vegetables for his juices and make sure everything is washed carefully before it’s blended up. A super-strong blender preserves the fiber from the fruits and vegetables, whereas a juicer separates out […]