The answer to yesterday’s query is the Barley Risotto also contained these three items from Mairlyn Smith’s list: canola, dark green leafy veggies and onions & garlic.  Here are the rest of recommended foods from our wonderful evening at Be Well Connect.

4. Canola Oil is high in two “good” fats that are essential in your diet because your body can’t make them. One protects against heart attacks and strokes by helping to lower bad cholesterol. The other is important for the brain and for the growth and development of infants.  Compared to all other vegetable oils on the market, canola oil has the lowest levels of the fats that are “bad” for human health.  One serving of canola oil each day will deliver about a quarter of all the vitamin E you need. Vitamin E is an antioxidant, and is known to protect against cancer and memory loss.

5. Onions & Garlic (and Scallions) act as powerful antioxidants, stimulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. Mairlyn also added that they are anti-fungal so maybe I can clear up the mossy stuff that is growing between my toes (JK wanted to see if you were still awake).  These are so easy to add to so many dishes.  Tonight as an example, we enjoyed left over prime rib in sandwiches on dark pumpernickel rye bread.  I sauteed up a mess of onions and garlic (in canola oil) to top the meat.  Oh, yum.

6. Dark Green Leafy Vegetables have the most concentrated source of nutrition of any food. They are a rich source of minerals (including iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium) and vitamins, including vitamins K, C, E, and many of the B vitamins. (I didn’t even know that there was a vitamin K).  I particularly like arugula for its peppery taste but you can also include more kale, spinach and bok choy into your meals.  Mairlyn suggests that you build your evening meal around a leafy green vegetable which will be a mind shift for me, as I typically create my meals around a protein and a carb.

7. Nuts! Well I wouldn’t call Mairlyn nuts but she is pretty kookie…   Mairlyn is very petite and she scopped up a small handful of almonds (she prefers walnuts) to illustrate that even though nuts are a very important inclusion in your diet, you should limit them to a small amount.  I imagined the quantity would be just right to top a salad or my morning yogurt.

8. Berries are the easiest of the list for me to get really excited about.  Mairlyn adds that she only eats locally harvest fruits which are now out of season so she substitutes frozen berries at this time of year.  I too always have a wide selection of frozen berries to choose from.  Some bags are the flash frozen strawberries from u-picks in our area and other are the wild blueberries that are now available in the freezer section.  Not only do I always have something available to whip up a quick dessert like Platz but we love berry sauces with pork tenderloin, or mixed with garlic and balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing. 

9. Orange fruits and veggies hold an abundance of antioxidants, vitamins and  fiber and are good for your skin, eyes and heart, and they may also decrease your risk of cancer. The best-known nutrient in orange foods is beta carotene, a powerful antioxidant which gives sunny fruits and vegetables their brilliant color. Experts say beta carotene is not only good for eye health it can also delay cognitive aging and protect skin from sun damage. Orange foods are chock full of vitamin C, an antioxidant which boosts the immune system, protects against cardiovascular disease and helps rebuild collagen in the skin.  Mairlyn even referred to the benefits of using orange zest, which may explain why I am often compelled to eat the skin of my oranges.  Perhaps I should listen to my body more often.

10.  I can’t for the life of me remember Mairlyn refering to salmon but I understand that it is on her list.  So here is a good illustration that I need to eat more foods that a) will help with my hearing or b) inrease my memory capacity. Perhaps it was because we were also sipping on a rich deep red wine at the time or that we were tucking into our barley risotto, so I was admittedly distracted.

So, there you have it.  Focus on eating more of these and you will find that you are eating less of the empty calories! Be well.

Kath’s quote: “The onion and its satin wrappings is among the most beautiful of vegetables and is the only one that represents the essence of things. It can be said to have a soul.”-Charles Dudley Warner

Love-that is all.

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