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 […]
The versatility of pesto can help us all do our very besto when it comes to adding great flavor and big benefits to dishes. Use your imagination and check out the pesto chart along with two of my out-of-the-box pestos that deliver great taste along with powerful nutrients. You can serve these and any favorite pesto over vegetables; pasta; flatbread … whatever you choose! Nettle Pesto At the height of allergy season, incorporating nettles into your meals can be a soothing practice offering relief. With research supporting the use of nettles for seasonal allergies and hay fever, this plant contains […]
Put down the fork. Step away from the buffet table. UC Davis nutrition expert Liz Applegate wants us to think about exactly what we’re shoveling down our throats. Not just to lose weight but to protect our brains. “Brain food is real and it really does matter,” said Applegate, an author, professor and director of sports nutrition at UC Davis. She’s an advocate of the MIND diet, a combination of two long-studied diets that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. We talked with her recently about so-called “brain foods,” their impact on […]
Here in Southern California, just about every yard and neighborhood has citrus trees heavy with fruit. I have a number of fruit trees myself and always marvel at how plentiful and tasty the oranges, lemons and limes are this time of year. Just about any variety of citrus is at its best in the winter months, but there are some new and unusual varieties that are pretty spectacular. Along with great taste, all citrus are high in vitamins A and C and fiber, while naturally low in calories. Grapefruit Red grapefruit varieties such as Flame, Ruby, Rio Red and Star […]
Lunar New Year, also known as Chinese New Year, is a very important holiday for me. Although I was born and raised in Southeast Asia, my father was three-quarters Chinese and my mother was half Chinese. We always celebrated the lunar new year by making special meals full of symbolism. For instance, we made a sweet sticky rice cake called tikoy because it symbolizes unity and togetherness and good luck that is supposed to stick to you all year long. We also cleaned the house and bought new clothes to wear on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. And […]
Prebiotics are the fuel that feed probiotics and make them effective in supporting human health – especially gut health. But what are they and where do you find them? Questions abound about this frequently talked about but often misunderstood component of food that all of us need for good health. Do not get prebiotics confused with the very similar-sounding probiotics. Prebiotics exist naturally in food as non-digestible component that supports good bacteria in your lower gut. They are a type of carbohydrate that cannot be broken down. Prebiotic food compounds pass through the small intestine undigested so that good bacteria […]
Over the past couple of decades, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) has gone from an it’s-all-in-your-mind diagnosis to a recognized disease that zaps the energy of an estimated 1 million Americans. It affects four times more women than men, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition to profound fatigue, which interferes with daily activities, symptoms can include depression, insomnia and brain fog. Also called myalgic encephalomyelitis, CFS is often triggered by a viral infection, such as the Epstein-Barr (which also causes mononucleosis) and is commonly described as a flu that doesn’t go away. Some patients report symptoms […]
Valentine’s Day lets us turn our thoughts to adding a little more love and romance to our lives. Can certain foods boost romantic relationships and enhance sexual desire? According to St. Thomas Aquinas, aphrodisiac foods had to produce good nutrition and a “vital spirit.” In other words, the nutrients that contribute to overall well-being will also help to ensure a healthy love life. Chocolate is typically at the top of my list for Valentine’s Day, particularly dark chocolate. It truly is one of the best superfoods for lovers. Dark chocolate can help relieve stress, sharpen our minds, improve blood flow […]
Purple passion flower is an indigenous herb used both in food as well as medicinally also called Passionflower or Passiflora incarnata. You may also recognize it as Wild Passionflower, apricot Vine, Holy-Trinity flower, or Maypop. Dried aerial parts of this flower have been used as both a sedative and hypnotic for sleep and relaxation. This herb has also been used to help with gastrointestinal distress caused by nerves. There is evidence that Native American tribes including the Houma and Cherokee used it both in their diets as well as medicinally. Purple Passionflower is a perennial vine that blooms in the […]
By Ani Phyo Decadent and rich, these are made with good-fat almonds and antioxidant-laden cacao and sweetened with fiber-rich Medjool dates. They provide whole-food nutrition, so enjoy as a snack or treat. These can be kept at room temperature for a couple of days or will keep for at least a week refrigerated. Ingredient tips: Bob’s Red Mill makes almond meal (flour), but if you can’t find it, just use whole raw almonds and process them into a powder using your food processor. Prep tip: Keep batter from sticking to your hands by lightly coating them with coconut oil, olive […]