Posts Tagged ‘black beans’
Hello Friends and welcome back from the weekend!
Did you get outside and enjoy the beautiful weather on the first Spring weekend of the year? How about the grill, did you clear away the spider webs and fire it up? If so, were there any not-so-good-for-you foods on there. Knowing you probably not, besides not all grilled foods are bad for you just as not all cholesterol is bad for you.
There are two types of cholesterol, LDL and HDL. LDL or low-density lipoprotein is bad because it can build up on the walls of your arteries and clog them. However, HDL or high-density lipoprotein travels away from your arteries to your liver and is flushed out of your body.
Keeping your LDL low and your HDL levels high gives you a much better chance of avoiding heart disease and incorporating some of these foods into your diet can help.
- Almonds – loaded with monounsaturated fat which lowers your cholesterol
- Chestnuts – roasted and they too have very little fat and helps to keep your arteries clear
- Artichokes – boosts bile production which breaks down cholesterol from the fat you eat
- Apples – full of pectin, which is a natural ingredient that can lower cholesterol up to 30% if eaten daily
- Whole grains – barley and other soluble fibrous foods slows down digestion giving your body more time to whisk away cholesterol
- Black Beans – instead of eating fatty meats, have a meatless dinner and reduce your cholesterol levels, try navy and kidney beans as well
- Peaches – prevents gallstones which are solid masses of cholesterol
- Flaxseed – these seeds from the flax plants have tons of soluble fiber, the miracle fiber that helps protect against high cholesterol.
- Wheat Germ – sprinkle onto your cereal or yogurt to lower total cholesterol
- Ginger – this spice contains phytochemicals an antioxidant that fights atherosclerosis which is hardening of the arteries
- Garlic – cuts down on fat buildup in your ateries by lowering LDL cholesterol
- Grape Juice – drinking 2 glasses a day is a natural way to rejuvenate your veins and arteries
- Mushrooms – this fungus contain a good source of chromium, a mineral that acts as an antioxidant.
- Honey – good source of dietary antioxidants that are good in lowering LDL cholesterol
- CHOCOLATE – contains a generous helping of polyphenols that are antioxidants. Polyphenols which are also found in RED WINE can help your heart by keeping LDL cholesterol from becoming oxidized, which can hurt your arteries.
- Tomato Sauce – lycopene in tomatoes keeps your arteries flowing free by breaking down cholesterol.
- Oatmeal – oatmeal does more than stick to your ribs, it’s also a sticky soluble fiber that helps to slow the movement of food through your intestines. This gives HDL particles more time to pick up cholesterol to take to your liver for disposal.
- Fish – fatty fish like tuna, mackerel and salmon are rich in omega-3 fatty acids that can protect your arteries from damage.
- Yogurt – fermented milk in yogurt clears arteries and keeps your heart healthy.
Heart healthy salmon and black beans
I try to cook and eat healthy, so on Friday night we had baked salmon with mango salsa and black beans for dinner. Our youngest doesn’t like fatty fish so he ate the baked clams. The heart works non-stop to pump blood throughout our bodies which is why we need to keep it healthy.
Food alone won’t prevent heart disease, so besides eating right, you need to exercise, quit smoking, limit alcohol consumption, keep your weight in check and most importantly RELAX!
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
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Hello Friends and Happy Monday
I hope you all had a wonderful weekend and was able to get outside to enjoy the beautiful warm weather, it was definitely the best Saturday since the new year began. Spring is right around the corner so it’s time to start thinking about ditching the bulky sweaters for more body revealing clothing which makes Chapter 5 of Super Foods for Seniors ~ Body Slimming Secrets perfectly timed.
Menopause is making it very difficult for me to lose weight, even though I try to eat the right foods and limit my wine consumption, I know I need to increase calorie burning exercises. However, in addition to exercise the following foods can help tame the fat and fight the flab.
Smart steps to safe weight loss:
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Eat only what you can burn
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Control your portions
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Eat more plant than animal foods
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Exercise regularly
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Keep a food diary
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Set realistic goals
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Don’t DIEt – just eat healthy
Most people want to lose a few pounds but eating the right foods alone won’t make it happen, it must be combined with some form of exercise. Check with your health care professional before starting any new exercise regiments to stay safe and healthy.
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in 2014!
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Hello Friends and Happy Slow Cooker Saturday!
This was my first attempt at making chili using chicken instead of ground beef or ground turkey, and using white beans instead of red kidney or black beans…the verdict is FAIL!
Personally, I like my foods spicy especially chili, but this recipe although was good, was too bland for even my men. I added hot sauce but it still didn’t jazz it up, so if you like chili with no kick, this one is for you!
Ingredients:
- 4 medium frozen chicken breasts
- 1/2 bag small white beans
- 1 large can of diced tomatoes
- 1 package Chili Seasoning
- 1 cup of water
Rinse the beans under cold water and drain, mix Chili Seasoning into a cup of water.
Coat Crock Pot with Cooking Spray
Add frozen chicken breasts and beans
Pour in Chili Seasoning Mix
I added more water to cover the beans so they wouldn’t burn. This may have watered down the seasoning causing it to taste bland. I should have used two packages of Chili Seasoning.
Pour in diced tomatoes
Cover and cook on low for 8 hours
It looked better than it tasted…but hey, I tried!
Have you ever made White Chicken Chili, how did you make it?
Stay Blessed – No Stress in 2014!
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Hello Friends and Happy Thankful Thursday
If you read my post yesterday you know that we were once again hit with a major snowstorm on Tuesday. It took me over 5 1/2 hours to get home from work and I definitely didn’t want to be in the car anytime soon so I stayed home on Wednesday. At 10:00 a.m. Governor Markell lifted the Level One State of Emergency but it was highly recommended to stay off the roads so that the snowplow operators could do their jobs with minimal interruption from cars.
So on this day, I am thankful for my family, friends and faith…for getting home safely…for having a warm home to live in…and for scrounging around to find these ingredients to make this easy peasy Crock Pot Meal!
Ingredients
- 1 can of Kidney Beans
- 1 can of Black Beans
- 1 Package of Smoked Turkey Sausage
- 1 Package Frozen Peppers and Onions
- 1 Pack of McCormick Fajita Seasoning
- 1/2 Cup of Water
- Rice and Cornbread
Spray Crock Pot with Cooking Spray for easier cleanup. Cut Turkey Sausage into bite size pieces and add seasoning to a 1/2 cup of water.
Put sausage into Crock Pot and pour in Fajita Seasoning mix.
Add frozen veggies and both cans of beans, which can be drained and rinsed to remove some of the sodium.
Stir, cover and cooked on high for 4 hours.
This Snow Day Slow Cooker dish was served with Jasmine Rice and skillet Cornbread.
It was a perfect meal for my men after a few hours of shoveling and an all-day of television watching! I measured the snow on the back deck so I’ll say that we unofficially got 11″ of snow….can’t wait for Spring to arrive!
The Pool is not looking too inviting these days!
Snowy Street in Summit Farms (our neighborhood)
We are truly blessed, and I am thankful to have a warm home during this cold winter season. I pray for those with less to be safe and removed from harm’s way.
Okay, it’s your turn – what are you thankful for this week?
Stay Blessed ~ No Stress in 2014!
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Hello Friends and Happy Crocktober Fri-Yay!
I missed a few Friday Foodie Features last month but the timing is now right with the official start of Autumn. October begins the season of football, family and comfort foods and it also means a return to my all time favorite way to make a meal and that is with the Crock Pot or Slow Cooker.
It wasn’t too long ago that there were only a few Slow Cooker Seasonings available at the grocery stores, now there are several more options available on the supermarket shelves. I’ve tried a few of the new ones by McCormick’s and the Fiesta Chicken was a hit in my house, my men loved it – ‘ole
Ingredients:
- 1 can of black beans
- 2 cans of diced tomatoes
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1-2 lbs or chicken thighs or breasts
- 1 packet of McCormick’s Slow Cookers Seasoning – Fiesta Chicken
Spray Crock Pot with cooking spray or use liner, put in chicken thighs or breast – remember NOT to wash the chicken.
Mix all ingredients into a bowl and stir
Pour mixture over chicken
I had this frozen tomato so I added it
tip when a tomato begins to soften, don’t throw it away, put it in the freezer to use later in sauces or the Slow Cooker.
Cook on low 7-8 hours
Served over rice – Cilantro optional – dinner is served!
Have a fantabulous Day – Smooches!
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Hello friends, I hope you are winding down from a very productive yet peaceful day. I am still tired and will be heading to bed shortly, I may even miss my favorite show, “Real Husbands of Hollywood”.
Tonight’s easy breezy crockpot meal ingredients were: chicken tenders, diced tomatoes, frozen veggies, rice, and black beans
Spray crockpot with cooking spray, layer chicken, frozen veggies and top with diced tomatoes, no other liquid is needed.
Cover, set to low and cook for 6 hours
I added a can of black beans and instant brown rice and let cook an additional 15 minutes
Top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle of mint leaves which gave it a unique flavor
Have a good night – Smooches!
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I stopped at Save aLot to pick up a few items and was a bit disappointed that the lines were long and there weren’t any cashiers at the registers. It was overheard that they can’t afford to bring in cashiers so are using store managers to ring up purchases. Not sure if this is what they mean by “SAVE A LOT” – so sad!
- Gala Apples $1.69 /lb
- Bananas $ .49/lb
- Baking Soda $ .59/box
- Black Beans $ .65/can
- Frozen Broccoli $1.19/bag
- Frozen, Skinless Chicken Breasts $5.99
- Cucumbers $ .89/each
- Frsh Ground Turkey $2.49
- Punch mix packs $1.00/each
- Green Beans $ .55/can
- Honey Grahams $1.79/box
- Hvy Duty Foil $1.99/roll
- LF Vanilla Yogurt $1.99/32 oz
- Mini Carrots $1.00/pack
- Murray T-Bone Steaks $19.99
- Oatmeal $1.69
- Scallions $ .99/pack
- Banquet Meal $1.00/each
- Swt Condensed Milk $1.49
- Swt Peas $ .65/can
Total $51.80
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On Friday, my son and I went to Save A Lot, a grocery store that I pass everyday on the way home but have never stopped. They had some good bargains especially in the produce department. Tayair thought it was weird that we had to pay a quarter to get a shopping cart, but understood the concept when we returned the cart and got the quarter back. This is not a fancy store nor is it “ghetto” as some people posted on Foursquare but the price is right for certain items as shown below:
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