Tag Archives: broccoli

11 Recipes That Will Convince You to Try the Veggies You Love to Hate

Kids are notorious for it, but there are still plenty of adults who struggle to eat their vegetables. However, the time has come to move on from the idea that vegetables beyond potatoes, carrots and green beans are “yucky,” and expand our palates.

We want to set the record straight for some of the least-loved vegetables (and one fruit) and encourage you to give them a chance. All are packed with nutrients, and are a healthy addition to any diet. We’ll start you down your new vegetable-eating path by providing some recipe suggestions that are so good, you won’t want to pick out the previously-offensive veggies.

Look at this list as your own personal vegetable challenge. Try a new one at least once a week, and you may be surprised which formerly condemned veggies become new favorites!

chicken broccoli

Broccoli

It’s hard to say if the “little trees” nickname helps or hurts broccoli’s appeal. Regardless, the vegetable is packed with vitamin K, important for blood clotting, and can be enjoyed raw or cooked. Ease your way into eating broccoli by combining it with foods you already like.

Try it mixed into your stir-fry for added flavor, fiber, bulk, and color!

 

beets

Beets

A beet’s color may be the prettiest in mother nature’s palette. This nutrient-rich root veggie is also full of carbohydrates, which means they can be a great way of boosting your energy without a sugar crash later. Beets are chock full of many nutrients including calcium, iron and vitamins A and C.

Try it in our amazing Harvest Chopped Salad. (more…)

The Freshest Produce Picks for Early Summer: Here’s What’s Ripe in June

By Team Best Life 

Nothing says summer like a garden full of fresh vegetables or a farmers market bursting with juicy, in-season fruit. It’s hard to beat the taste of a just-picked sweet tomato or a fragrant strawberry. Whether you eat them plain or toss them into a favorite dish, they’re sure to be a real crowd-pleaser.

Ready to kick off the summer? Try one of our four favorite June produce picks:

broccoli

Broccoli.  If you grow your own in a garden, you’ll likely start to see small heads soon. For a more tender and mild taste, try to harvest the heads and leaves before they grow too large. Don’t have a green thumb? Look for small heads of broccoli at your local farmers’ market early in the season. Use them to whip up this Fresh Broccoli Salad, which makes for a healthy barbecue side dish.

 

raspberries

Raspberries.  You can get most berries year-round, but early season raspberries are especially delicious. Look for black raspberries, which are available in many parts of the country in June. In this Raspberry Pistachio Chickenthey make a tasty topping. (more…)

The Secret Health Benefit of Cruciferous Veggies

cruciferous

By Team Best Life

All vegetables are good for you, but certain groups may pack a greater nutritional punch than others. Take cruciferous vegetables, the family that includes broccoli, cauliflower, bok choy and more. They’re loaded with antioxidant vitamins and phytochemicals, which offer protection against a number of illnesses, including heart disease, cancer, and Alzheimer’s, according to research.

Now, experts say they may have figured out why these veggies are so beneficial: They seem to reduce inflammation, which plays a role in many of these diseases. In the study, people who ate the most cruciferous veggies had the lowest levels of three different inflammatory compounds—as much as 25 percent less—in their blood compared to those who ate the least cruciferous veggies. (more…)

Make Dinner and Your Resolution with 17 Day Diet’s General Slim’s Chicken Recipe

We’re kicking off the new year with the same focus as most of you – to improve ourselves in the coming months. Whether that’s weight loss, more energy, or just cooking more healthful food at home, we’re taking on our new year changes one step at a time. And in the case of this General Slim’s chicken stir-fry makeover by 17 Day Diet — one bite and one cycle at a time!

17 day diet general slims chicken

The 17 Day Diet just nabbed a spot in the top five of our annual Most Popular Diets of the Year list, outranking Weight Watchers, Biggest Loser and Diet to Go. Most impressive, it’s been in that top five since its debut three years ago when it was the number one diet of the year! Since that first self-published book from Dr. Mike Moreno, Simon and Schuster have bought the rights and worked with the man known casually as Dr. Mike to produce a series of books including a cookbook and an anti-aging plan. Before the clock struck midnight for 2024, the newest book in the series hit shelves – The 17 Day Diet Breakthrough Edition.

17 day diet breakthrough edition

The best selling weight loss plan offers three new chapters focusing on subjects like whey protein, supplements, and even a fasting day. But the part we love most are the 50 new recipes! Some of your soon-to-be faves include Cream Light Fettucine Alfredo, Elegant Poached Salmon with Dill Sauce, Harvest French Toast, and even Mom’s Apple Pie.

This new stir fry recipe was our favorite from the book, hands down. Not only is it easy – as in so entirely not complicated you have no excuses not to make this! – but it also tastes amazing. (more…)

Are You Getting Enough Super Vegetables?

By Janis Jibrin, M.S., R.D., lead nutritionist for TheBestLife.com

We all know that we should be trying to reach our daily vegetable goal (that’s at least three servings). But it’s not just the quantity that’s important—the types of vegetables you pile on your plate can make a big difference to your health. Your goal: Eat at least one vegetable from each of the following three groups daily. Do so and you’ll reap some serious health and nutrition benefits.

Cruciferous Vegetables

Examples: Arugula, bok choy, broccoli, broccoli sprouts, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, collard greens, kale, kohlrabi, mustard greens, radishes, rutabaga, turnips, turnip greens, and watercress. (more…)

Super Broccoli Boasts 3 Times the Disease Fighting Power

After 14 years in the lab, scientists have revealed a new breed of broccoli, and if the studies continue to back the claims, this broccoli may really be super for the body.

Super broccoli was created at the Institute for Food Research in Norwich, England. It’s a cross breed of traditional British broccoli and a wild, bitter Sicilian variety that has no flowery head yet a big dose of the nutrient glucoraphanin. The potency of glucoraphanin in this new breed is what is making it so super.

Broccoli naturally contains glucoraphanin, however super broccoli contains two to three times the normal amount. Glucoraphanin works by breaking down fat and preventing it from clogging arteries. There have also been many studies that are pointing to glucoarphanin being a preventative agent for heart attacks and certain cancers. The nutrient is used naturally by plants to combat insects, and in humans it may stimulate the body’s natural chemical defenses, possibly making the body more efficient at removing dangerous compounds.

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Broccoli Fights Cancer Better When Spiced Up

Broccoli is already one of the most nutrient-rich foods you can eat, but if you mix it with certain spicy foods it gets even better! That’s because its cancer-fighting abilities are boosted.

“To get this effect, spice up your broccoli with broccoli sprouts, mustard, horseradish, or wasabi. The spicier, the better; that means it’s being effective,” said Elizabeth Jeffery, a University of Illinois professor of nutrition.

According to a study from the University of Illinois, the cancer-fighting boost comes from the enzyme myrosinase in spicy food. It enhances each food’s ability to fight cancer, but it also ensures that the nutrients are absorbed in the upper part of the digestive system where it’s most beneficial. (more…)

Six Healthy Foods to Help Fight Stress

Though many people don’t realize it, stress symptoms have a negative impact on your health. In the short-term, stress can cause fatigue, gastrointestinal discomfort and headaches, among other ailments. Over the long-term, stress can make you susceptible to more severe conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease and even some cancers.

While stress management is a powerful thing, not everyone has time to devote to techniques that have been proven to help, like yoga and meditation. Luckily, you can manage some of your stress with what you eat. When people think of eating to combat stress, they often think of comfort foods that are not typically very nutritious: ice cream, macaroni and cheese and calorie-laden mashed potatoes.

Luckily, there are a variety of healthy foods – even super foods – that can help your body manage your stress levels and help you prevent feeling the stress – physically and mentally.

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Get More Calcium in Your Diet

It’s important for everyone to get enough calcium, but women are especially at risk for calcium deficiency, which can lead to osteoporosis and decrease bone health later in life. Even though there is calcium in many of our favorite foods, it can still be difficult to meet the recommended daily allowance for the important mineral.

Dairy products provide calcium, but people with dairy allergies, lactose intolerance and vegans need to look to other food sources to fill their calcium needs.  Foods high in calcium include: almonds, broccoli, spinach, cooked kale, canned salmon with the bones, sardines and tofu.

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Dr. Oz’s Ultimate Antioxidant Checklist

Tune in this Wednesday, December 1 to the Dr. Oz Show to learn about the foods you need to be eating to prevent disease and enhance your longevity.

Dr. Oz’s ultimate antioxidant checklist makes healthy living and eating easy and simple for you. This list narrows down the top fruits, vegetables and supplements you need to incorporate into your diet to feel great and look younger. (more…)

Top 5 Cancer Fighting Foods

Two years ago, I was diagnosed with Stage 2 Melanoma. I have had several areas removed from my body and I’ve been rewarded with clean borders and no need for chemotherapy. I am vigilant in my use of sunscreen as well as going for my periodic skin care check ups, but I also try to eat a healthy diet.

Recently, I spotted this list of five cancer fighting foods on the Today Show. I eat most of them, but not all. It’s recommended that we eat about 1/2 cup of each every day. How many of them do you eat? (more…)